PhoebeArt's Profile

Washing dishes is and always has been one of my least favorite things to do in the world. We didn't have a dishwasher when I was growing up and my poor mother would try to get me to do the dishes. I am somewhat ashamed to say that her requests were always met with tears, screaming, and then full out on the floor tantrums. I still feel exactly like that when I have dishes to hand wash.
Once I found out that (when done properly) a dishwasher is as water efficient as hand washing and I had no reason for guilt, I embraced my dishwasher wholeheartedly. Whenever I've been looking for a new apt, a dishwasher has been on my "dealbreaker" list. You could offer me a rent controlled brownstone in the heart of Manhattan with original moldings and antique detail (my idea of heaven) but if you told me I couldn't have a dishwasher, I'd say no thanks.

Pawtucker already kind of mentioned this, but I think it's worth repeating. If you have old, patched, bumpy or otherwise imperfect walls (which are personally my favorite kind), be very cautious with the gloss! Every little divot or dimple or seam will suddenly stand out in high relief once any light hits it.

White just makes me think of all the boring white rentals I've lived in. Maybe if you at least had some nice colorful art up and some color in the curtains? The only way you could have gone more safe and boring and plain in my opinion is with beige. Can we stop the "paint it all white (/light grey)!" phase already? It's just as bad as the "put a bird on it" style of design.

@SarahMJ, totally agree. I'm way ahead of them here. I live in a small apartment (you know, the kind this site was originally about), and my library, home office, living room, and dining room are all the same room! What's next, an article on space saving by combining your dressing room with your bedroom? How to "make do" without a formal dining room? Let's take a moment to ground ourselves in reality and bring it back to *APARTMENT* therapy, ok editors?

My furniture spending -
Entire bedroom set - $0 (was husband's grandmothers)
Dining room, wait, what dining room? The long table in the hallway that might eventually go in a dining room was a curbside find.
Sofa - $75 at Salvation Army
Coffee Table - $10 on Craigslist
Misc. everything else - Under $40 total.
I suppose this makes me sub average, and I'm proud to be there!

As a waitress with some real back of house experience, I would suggest doing this only if you are there at a time when the restaurant is not very busy. The last thing a chef needs on a busy night is someone asking to come watch, and you WILL get in the way. On that note, when you are visiting a kitchen even when it doesn't seem to be that busy, be VERY aware of what is going on around you. Don't get so caught up in taking pictures or talking to one chef that you block out everything else. A kitchen is a busy and dangerous place, with very hot and very sharp items going all over and people rushing here and there. You need to keep your ears and eyes open at all times. It's common practice to shout out warnings like "behind you" or "hot", so listen and use these. Also, don't be offended and think the chef is a snob if your request is answered with a no. Even if it seems like it is not busy, the chef may have prep work to catch up on, or just not be in a mood to deal with people. The kitchen is their sanctuary, and when they are not feeling prepared for a visit, having someone in there can feel like a real intrusion. If you are really interested in the food or cuisine, do ask if there is a time that you could come back. Maybe a different night with a little bit of advance warning will work better for them.

I found anger to be the best help in moving things. Once in a fit of "I'll show her!" rage at a roommate I carried a good sized desk (the old solid wood kind with drawers down each side, and no I did not empty them first!), a couch, and other miscellaneous large items by myself up a steep and narrow set of attic stairs. Looking back, I have no idea how I did it. I vaguely remember just getting underneath things and standing up a bit.

What about that vital shrinkage you get with the dryer? Like jeans and stretchy cotton tees that get all loose after wearing. They shrink right back up in the dryer, but do they do the same if washed with cold/warm water and hung up? Or do you use hot water in the washer to get the same effect? If you are using hot water instead of cold to wash, does that cancel out the positive environmental effects and longer clothes life that you get with not using the dryer?

Also, earbuds are not really appropriate for children's ears. They cause permanent hearing loss at an early age.

To those defending the watch winder device:
-You say it's useful for people with multiple, expensive wind up watches.
-I say if you spend that much on watches and you don't have the time (or energy) to wind them yourself and/or reset the time, your lifestyle is already so fundamentally flawed that you might as well not worry about it.