casacaudill

we have figs!

Last night I went to the very back of the backyard to cut some rosemary for my garlic rosemary braised chicken.  While in the corner, I spied some big, dark purple figs on our tree that I hadn't noticed the weekend before.  I reached up to touch one and found myself face to face with a giant, ugly looking spider.  Scared out of my wits I left that one be while I scoured the giant tree for more juicy ripe figs to harvest, soon spying about 10 of the luscious glorious fruit.  After rooting around in the tree (I say "in" because it's giant and I do have to crawl into it to reach the fruit) for about 15 minutes I came away with the ones that I could reach and glory be they were all giant and ripe!  Last year's harvest was tiny and took forever to ripen - we didn't really get a lot of figs until August.  So happy to have some as we close out June.

I'll be keeping my eyes peeled for even more figgy goodness in the weeks to come.

an ode to the neighborhood

I am backlogged on posting things that have been going on at casacaudill, but when I heard that This Old House has named Temescal one of its Best Old House Neighborhoods I wanted to shout from the rooftops "it's about time we get our due." 

Sure, Rockridge is nice and fancy with its gorgeous tree-lined streets filled with remodeled craftsman and Californian bungalows, but it's also a bit antiseptic (don't get me wrong, I love Rockridge and would move there in a heartbeat if I could afford it).  But Temescal ... well, we're something a bit different - the gorgeous albeit rough around the edges cousin who comes from the wrong side of the tracks, the black sheep of the cute little neighborhood family.

The pub writes:

Temescal Neighborhood, Oakland, California

Located in North Oakland, just a few miles from Berkeley, the Temescal neighborhood, named for the creek that runs through it, was once a thriving Italian-American village and the terminus of Oakland's streetcar line. In the past few years this long-overlooked nabe has been attracting buyers from pricier NoCal neighborhoods to its colorful, stucco-covered bungalows, many of which have small but sought-after backyards. Some people first discover Temescal while visiting its popular Sunday farmer's market or the growing number of restaurants, delis, and bakeries that are opening here, including the famed Bakesale Betty, which purportedly sells the best fried chicken sandwich on the planet. "It seems a lot of people are starting to look for places in Temescal now," says Deidre Joyner, a Realtor with Red Oak Realty. "That's probably because the two- and three-bedroom houses here are perfect starter homes." Temescal is also close to bus lines and freeways. And you can be in downtown San Francisco in less than 20 minutes, barring heavy traffic.

The Houses:
Many single-family homes here are 1920s bungalows that, while modest from the outside, are packed inside with architectural details, such as built-ins, moldings, wainscoting, and window seats. These houses start between $500,000 and $600,000. Pricey, yes, but that's a heck of a lot cheaper than a house, especially one with a yard, will run you in San Francisco or other nearby Oakland neighborhoods, such as Rockridge.

Why Buy Now?
If you found yourself priced out of the Bay Area during the housing boom, now's the time to give it another shot. Temescal borders pricier areas and is experiencing a domino effect as people scramble for more-affordable real estate. And did we mention that chicken sandwich?

Among the best places for: Urban Suburbanites, Food Lovers, Cottages and Bungalows, The West, Green Thumbs, Dog Lovers, Editors' Picks

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And rumor has it that this month's Sunset Magazine lists Temescal as the East Bay's new gourmet ghetto.  I haven't received my issue yet (hey, why not?!) and I couldn't find anything online, but I'd definitely agree with the assessment.  We've got Bakesale Betty, Dona Tomas, Pizzaiolo, Tanjia, Barlata, Burma Superstar, Lanesplitter, Genova Deli, Asmara (although the quality at this Ethiopian restaurant has gone down significantly the past few years) and others that I know I'm forgetting. You could eat for a week in the 'hood and not have the same type of food twice. 

i have such a hard life

This is one of those posts that if I read it on someone else's blog I might say to myself, "you suck!" so I apologize in advance.

So, we're going to Ireland this Fall (we were going to go in February but then Miles got sick and the vet bills mounted so we had to put the trip on hold).  I'm kind of glad we did because it's given me a lot more time to research and find great places to stay that aren't normally listed on Expedia or Travelocity (only mentioning that site because I love that damn gnome; I don't really ever book through them).

I've got a good idea of the places I want us to stay and that includes a stint at a castle.  But the question is - which one?  I've done some investigating and we can get Waterford Castle and Ashford Castle at about the same price.  (Dromoland is still VERY expensive so it's not really being considered at this point.)

The thing is, I can't really tell which one I'd be more interested in staying at.  Based on our tentative itinerary, Waterford makes the most sense, but I keep hearing absolutely amazing things about Ashford Castle and everyone I've talked to says that's the castle to stay at in Ireland.  I'm torn.

WATERFORD CASTLE

Situated on its own private Island, Waterford Castle Hotel & Golf Resort offers a luxurious accommodation in the South East of Ireland. Along with the superb Hotel facilities, you can enjoy the 18 hole Championship Golf Course, or choose to stay in one of the Castle Gardens holiday homes.

The 800 year old Castle comprises 19 spacious guest rooms, which offer luxurious accommodation & stunning views of the surrounding estate. The award winning Munster Dining Room in the Castle Hotel offers the perfect setting for a wonderful dining experience.

One of Ireland’s most acclaimed hotels, Waterford Castle has welcomed and charmed the most discerning travellers for decades. The castle is a legendary luxurious retreat of world class standing, offering superb accommodation.

Experience a wonderful sense of anticipation as you make the short crossing by ferry to the island and travel the beech-lined drive to the Castle. As you enter the massive studded oak doors you will be embraced by the Castle’s 800 year history, the carved stone and wood panelled Hall, with its Jacobean style antiques and intricate original tapestries.

The traditions of the Castle are honoured in the décor of the 19 elegant bedrooms; each one offering gracious style combined with all the modern comforts you might expect of a world class hotel establishment. Each of the 5 suites has a private sitting room and 14 deluxe bedrooms are en-suite twins and double/kings.

ASHFORD CASTLE

Standing over the shores of Lough Corrib, and hidden deep in over 350 acres of wooded parkland, this 13th Century Castle is a monument to a fascinating history of a bygone age. Once the estate of the Guinness Family, the Castle opened its doors as an exclusive hotel in 1939.

While staying with us you can enjoy a wide range of relaxing or exciting activities. Book a Spa treatment or Fly a Hawk in the School of Falconry, take a Picnic in the Walled Garden or catch Wild Trout or Salmon here, in one of the most famous fisheries in Ireland. Just 30 minutes from Galway city, and within easy driving distance of Shannon International Airport, Ashford Castle is perfectly situated to welcome all ages of visitors, from every corner of the globe.

If we fly out of Shannon, we could stay our last two nights at Ashford which would be fun. It would also be easier since we wouldn't have to drive back to Dublin.  Lots to think about. Either way, I know it'll be great.

the king of pop has left the building

I don't mean to be callous, but as I sit here in my office listening to my colleagues exclaiming over this and reading my Twitter feed which is in a frenzy, I'm surprised so many people are surprised that Michael Jackson has died. 

He hasn't been well for many, many years and one look at him reveals that he's a shell of the former man he was.  According to doctors and friends, he's been suffering from a serious lung condition and he's been hospitalized on and off for years.  He was a sick man.  He was battered and scarred and as far as I can tell, not entirely with it (mentally) for the last several years. 

If MJ had passed during his Thriller/Beat It days, I would have been shocked.  Even during the Black & White, Man in the Mirror days maybe.  But today?  Not shocked.  This is the Michael Jackson I'll choose to remember - not the one who passed away today. 

Happy 30th Birthday Little Sis

Happy Birthday to my best friend in the whole world!

i hate my bathroom

That's a recurring theme in our house.  We both hate the bathroom - alas, there isn't much we can do about it without an expensive remodel.  We've talked about turning our laundry room into a combo laundry/bathroom, but we haven't gotten around to that because we're at a stalemate.  In the meantime, I moan and groan about how awful our bathroom is.  No really, it is.  If you're sitting on the toilet and you're taller than 5'10" you have to sit at an angle less your knees hit the tub.  And our tile is gross and re-grouted and all wonky.  Where there used to be a soap dish, someone put in a single tile and then put a giant grout ring around it that is not flush at all.  The flooring is cheap vinyl by the yard (not even tiles!) and it's all just really cramped into one corner.  It's so cramped and shaped so oddly that you can't even get a good picture of it.

This was it when we moved in.

And yes, it's dark.  That little window is the only source of light and it looks out directly over our neighbors kitchen.  During the summer when it's warm and the window needs to be open, it's very awkward. I'm always afraid they can hear us doing our bidness.

You know, we didn't even remember the bathroom on the day we moved in.  Even though we took pictures, we were so in love with the rest of the house that when we walked in and saw what we owned, I was like, "oh shit." 

We've since taken down the doors (or rather, Alan has, and what a gross project that was!), and while that's been an improvement, it's not as drastic as one would hope.

And yes, I'm obsessed with shower curtains so you'll see many different ones.

Unfortunately, nothing we do seems to make this space any less hideous and horrible to live with.

I was on the verge of being okay with this when The Lettered Cottage went and posted a series of amazingly beautiful bathrooms and now here I am sad about how sucky our own is.

kitchen help

I know, I know ... I still haven't uploaded a picture of the long ago updated kitchen in its entirety.  As you know, we've painted it blue, hung a curtain of red & white flowers and bought a new stainless steel fridge.  But that's not what I'm hear to talk about.  I'm hear to talk about wanting (nee, NEEDING) a new pot/pan storage system.

Currently, our pots & pans are in the bottom cupboard next to the stove.  Because I seem to have been afflicted with a case of the clumsies these past few years, I inevitably find myself smacking my head as I climb out from grabbing one, or in the worst case, dropping a wok on my ankle.  Something has got to change, and soon.

Is that something this?

(Photo courtesy of Design*Sponge - Sneak Peek: Hannah Berman of Pie Bird Press)

Obviously we don't have that amazing vintage stove and we have a microhood above our stove (whose fan, I might add, doesn't do crap!) so we wouldn't have that much room to work with.  Rather than me trying to describe it - here's our set up.  So what do you think?  Would something like this work?

Nevermind, these pictures just answered my questions.

Book Review: Simply Perfect, Mary Balogh

Simply Perfect by Mary Balogh
rating: 4 of 5 stars

By the time Balogh got to the fourth book in this series devoted to Bath school teachers I was kind of over the whole theme. Thankfully, while the theme of the novel was still very much there, the characters were a departure for the series.

Claudia Martin is what society would deem a spinster - she's old, she's set in her ways and she knows who she is. Thankfully, Joseph - the Marquess of Attingsborough - is no young pup, still wet behind the years. He too is a bit long in the tooth and much to his family's dismay, unwed. At first I thought his reasons were going to be the same old "I don't want to get married because I don't want to be tied down and dammit to hell society for trying to make me find a wife when I'm really not ready even though I should have been married already ten years over." If they were, I might have stopped reading.

Thankfully, he had another reason that marriage wasn't a good idea and thank goodness Lizzie wasn't a mistress b/c that would have been a very bad idea. No, Lizzie is a blind, precocious bastard child and a cute and smart one at that. While Joseph finds himself drawn to Claudia's personality, undoubtedly his real interest lies in what she might be able to do for Lizzie - and thus, the two are thrown together in what should surely be something as innocent and teacher and parent but the pull is too strong, their desire for one another too great.

Of course, there's all the old obstacles that any romance novelist will throw our way - the ton, societal responsibilities, old hurts and old lovers ... but in the end, love conquers all. Of course it did, and I was glad of it.

(Oh, and did I mention that I stayed up until 3:30 a.m. reading this one? Yeah, it was that good.)

OMG, love

OMG, I loves it.

Sadly, I don't love the price tag (nor do I have any real need for it) - $1739 (on sale) at Horchow.

finally ordering seattle pics

I just ordered three photos to go up on our photo wall in black frames.

country life

I sometimes feel like I want to chuck big city living (and all the great things that come with it), pull up stakes and move to a farm on the east coast.  Doesn't have to be a giant farm - just a place where we can garden and have chickens and a dog and maybe a cow or two.

OHIO

Perhaps something like this for $117k.

Or this 10 acre farm with barn & pond for $339k.

Or what about this 10 acre farm for $295k?

MAINE

218 acres for $370k

 

15 acres for $415k

 

166 acres w/pond: $259k

 

4 acres, on a river, 10 mins to the ocean: $174k

 

"imaginary shopping" at ballard designs

Playing off my last post, I've been doing some imaginary online shopping at retailers I'm both familiar with and have never shopped at.  First was Urban Outfitters where I actually did some real online shopping (just doing my part to stimulate the economy).  Up next is Ballard Designs. Unfortunately, the prices are a bit higher than I am comfortable with so I'll have to stay a window browser.

Mirrored Stars (set of 3): $399


Garden District Mirrors: $199


Bellesol Mirror: $199


Ogden Mirror: $199


Margaux Side Table: $229


Paris Leather Recliner: $1099


Beadboard Drying Rack: $89 - $139 (depending on size)


Laundry Letters: $45


Buccino Kitchen Island: $799 (on sale from $1399)


Kingstown Bench: $649


Personalized Fireplace Screen: $124


Preserved Boxwood Cone Topiaries: $29.99 (on sale from $55)


Wire Duomo: $99


Terracotta Pears: $35 - $55


Le Grand Hotel Alarm Clock: $85


Wire Hen: $29.99 (on sale from $39)


Bicycle Plaque: $19/each


Decorative Keys (set of 3): $14.00 (on sale from $25)


Anjou 6-light Chandelier: $319


Cafe Table: $84


Darby Vanity: $399 (on sale from $599)

"imaginary shopping" at urban outfitters

Taking a cue from Mrs. Limestone, I checked out the Urban Outfitters website to do a little pretend online shopping.  Well, not entirely pretend: I bought this adorable necklace tree as I've been searching high and low for one I liked at a reasonable price.  Right now all my CDM necklaces are sitting in a pouch on my dresser or hanging from nails in the wall.  So not chic.

I've never really shopped at Urban Outfitters - I know people love it but it's just never been on my personal radar.  That may have to change though because I loved SO MUCH of what was for sale (and at comparatively cheap prices to boot).  Some of my faves:

Door Knob Curtain Tie-Back: 2 for $24


Antique Door Knob Hook: $14


Cuckoo Clock: $48


Circle Line Flower Shower Curtain: $28


WC Caddy: $36

Next "imaginary" shopping trip? Ballard Designs.

busy weekend

Yesterday we woke up bright and early(ish) to head down to Menlo Park to attend Sunset Magazine's Celebration Weekend.  I've been wanting to go for several years now but for various reasons we've been unable to make it happen.  Not this time!  It took us about 45 minutes to get there and another 30 or so to park and get to the entrance.  Thanksfully we had tickets reserved at the will-call booth so we didn't have to stand in line forever (and what a line it was!).

After getting in we hit up the wine booths as we were looking forward to signing up for a couple of the wine seminars.  Unfortunately we learned that they were all sold out, but we bought two tickets each to try various wines located in the beer and wine garden.  We didn't love the Chahelem wines we tried (a chardonnay and pinot noir) and were feeling a bit discouraged.  Then a helpful Sunset employee (volunteer?) told us about the artisinal tasting courtyard through the main building and off we went.

We were so happy we found out about this place.  There were select wines from Washington, Oregon, Anderson Valley, Santa Barbara, Santa Cruz and Paso Robles.  We tried a handful of the Oregon & Washington ones and then one from the other California regions.  My favorite was a Cabernet Franc from Sheridan Vineyards in Washington's Yakima Valley.  Another favorite of ours was a Sangiovese Rose from A to Z Wineworks in southern Oregon.

The courtyard the tasting was held in was the absolute most darling place in the whole event.  I could have sat there all day.  It reminded me a lot of a more rustic Berkely version of the courtyard at Michel-Schlumberger.

From the artisinal wine courtyard we wandered around checking out the various demos and booths, stopping at the chickens to say hello to Ruby and Carmlita, look for my former co-worker Erica (couldn't find her) and talk to the folks responsible for the Rogue River hiking/rafting adventures, which is something we definitely want to do in the next couple of years. 

After stopping to eat some unremarkable cajun food - and get gumbo thrown on me by the people manning the booth - we walked around a bit more and then made our way home.  I was starting to get really tired and a headache was coming on.

What I didn't realize was that the reason I felt so crappy was because while it didn't look all that sunny it must have been because my neck and back were REALLY sunburned.  By the time we got home, I was fealing nauseated and had the chills - oops. It is still uncomfortable today. 

* * * * * * * * * *

Today we woke up and made crepes with fresh strawberries and hand beat whipped cream (someone wouldn't let me get out the mixer b/c it's a pain to clean).  After what seemed like FOREVER to cook them and eat them, we made our way out to this Pottery & More store that's near Ikea in Emeryville.  We'd been past it several times but never went in.  It's HUGE and can be overwheliming if you're not the type of person who likes to browse (I am).

It's kind of hard to tell how much things cost because there are only prices on some items and even those prices might not be what they charge you.  A man who works there would check in on us as we were browsing and tell us how much things cost.  Overall, we were VERY please by how cheap everything was while at the same time being very interesting and pretty.  If you're in Oakland, Berkeley, Alameda, Albany,  Emeryville or anywhere near there and are in the market for pots, I strongly recommend you check this place out.  We got 3 very different pots and with tax it all came to $48.

From there we went to Big Longs which is apparently now just CVS (boo, hiss!) to buy plants to put in the pots.  Alan read that if you're having air quality issues - and we are - that you should add plants to your surroundings to help purify the air.

(This table was my grandparents and is a fixture from my childhood.  When my grandpa died, I brought it back up to Oakland with us. It's probably something that cost $50 but it has sentimental value and it works well in my house.  What's interesting is that it doesn't look to be all that different in color from the wainscoting in the dining room and yet you can see there is a marked contrast between a honey and an ebony color.)

That picture of me was on Alan's desk at work but it's somehow made its way back home. Since he works from home two days a week, I thought I'd put it back in the office where he spends a lot of this time. Some houses have man caves or man rooms - Alan has our office.

 

wilderness

We were just in the backyard thinning our plum trees when I looked up and there was a possum staring at me.  Holy freaking wild life!  Naturally we ran inside.

WE LIVE IN THE CITY!