YakkoDot's Profile

How did you mount your Le Creuset and other cast iron pans and pots? I have the wooden-handled orange skillet, but it seems way too heavy to mount on the wall, pretty as it is. How'd you manage?

I just tried the Monk Fruit in the Raw, both plain (just the white granules) and in tea. There was no discernible aftertaste to me, but I also wasn't blown away by how sweet it was. I'd say it's actually less sweet than a similar amount of sugar... but I'm not a sweetness scientist (I'm sure there is such a thing, but no idea of the name!). I'll admit that I like my coffee and tea really sweet though. So I'll keep using this box until it's used up. (should I mention that I really like the melon orange color of the packets? Makes me want to go find a cantaloupe *right* *now*!)

My personal preference is a stevia brand called NuStevia, available on Amazon. I tried a buncha-buncha stevia brands - the liquid, the powdered, the ones available in the supermarket and the ones you have to search Amazon reviews to find. NuStevia (which used to be in Whole Foods but not anymore, at least now where I live) won, hands down. Absolutely not a trace of the black licorice flavor that so many find difficult with stevia (well, to be precise, rebiana, the sweet-tasting agent in the stevia plant's leaf), myself included - I can taste black licorice or anise in even the tiniest trace amounts. None of that mild lip/tongue numb feeling that some stevia gives (how black licorice affects me). Basically, NuStevia is the best. Sweeter than other stevia packets, no weird flavor.

One thing to note is that I have hated the stevia-flavored sodas I've tried, absolutely hated them, they all had a bitter aftertaste. I don't know what brand they use, or if stevia just dissolves badly in carbonated soda, but ugh. Steer clear of stevia in sodas, at least until they improve the formula! Trop50 though (orange juice with stevia) was pretty good, but the whole concept of tinkering with fruit juice just seems so wrong... leave us some whole foods!

Excuse me if this sounds callous - one of the best parts of a recent break-up is getting to make the bed, and coming home to a beautiful bed, neatly covered by a great patterned comfortor that I love. I always got up before him, and he didn't make the bed, and one of the first things I did when I came home was to make the bed, just to get that hit of "ahhh". Now it's already done. It's not even that fancy - the sheet isn't even flat underneath, it's just that it's covered and neat-looking. It makes such a difference, and I love my bedroom so much now!

I adore Home Reserve - I can only assume that the reason why there is not a Home Reserve couch in every house is that 1) the name is hard to remember (I love them and still have to Google them every time!), and 2) they don't have very good Google Ad presence - it takes me way too long to find them on Google, and I know what I'm looking for!

So here's our experience: there are two of us at just around 6 feet, and a range from 160 to 240 pounds. In Jan 2010 we bought a long sectional sofa - the Avenue in Hondo scarlet microfiber - with ottoman and decorate pillows - for just under $1,000. We have all kinds of things stored in the sofa and ottoman - emergency food and water, extra towels and blankets, DanceDanceRevolution pad, 3 laptops, videos, free weights and exercise bands... you know what, I'm going to stop there. So it's a great space-saver.

We have two dogs, and this is their hangout - so far no problems with the fabric. It is all machine-washable (note: not all fabrics are machine washable - check before buying if that is important to you), which was vital what with having dogs and all. Best of all - if I got sick of the color or material (or if we had a cat that peed on it - bitter experience speaking here), I could get the whole thing changed for a fraction of the cost. And the materials range from utilitarian beiges to fashion-forward prints.

The pillows: the back ones are squishy and soft, and the bottom pillows are firm and springy (strong foam so you can't feel the frame below). The bottom pillows are going strong after several years under heavy people -- and they are firm, but not too firm - if I can't sleep I'll often come and sleep on the couch and snooze off quickly. The one complaint I have is that the zippers on two of the back pillows broke, but that's easily fixed with safety pins (nobody sees that part of the cushion), and I'm pretty sure Home Reserve would fix it if I complained (I'm lazy).

So in short - this is a great deal, you should definitely go for it if you are on the fence!

This should rock my world. It has all kinds of great design elements, it's minimalist, it has a bike on the wall and the bike is even coordinated, there are great furniture pieces, it's all what I love and aspire to emulate. But it has NO SOUL. Not one tiny piece of personality. Not one. It is basically like an uber-trendy store's window display. I'm sorry, it just does not do it for me.

I think I would like to be your friend! You sound super cool. I love the studio supper idea, good for you!

Amazing space - wow oh wow. Love the brick, and the window/stained glass window on the wall. I'm confused by the layout though, where is the kitchen? Where is the chair and bookshelf?

Nice space, I like the space at the head of the bed. I adore Murphy beds!! I think you might have larger artwork, right now the many grouped small pieces are too... small. Something bold and meaningful? Oh, and I like that tear-dropped wood thiny.

"not very stylish"?? First, bratty comment to make, even for a contest. Second, don't agree at all. I think it's nicely stylish. They managed to have tons of different patterns and colors, and yet my overall impression is a spare, zen space. I give them kudos.

Oh, and one of my very favorite tricks for small space furniture: Home Reserve! Their chairs/couches/sectional sofas are super affordable, pack and mail flat (so you can get it up even tight stairs), you can switch out the fabric (for the whole thing, or just replacing a pillow cover) at a low cost, the fabric is washable, and best of all: there is built-in storage beneath the seats and inside the ottoman. All made in the USA, and there is a huge range of fabrics and designs, a lot of them pretty cute. We've been really happy with our sectional sofa! It has been a lifesaver in a small apartment!