annishbat's Profile

For the average cook, I'd say there's less difference between the super top quality brands (like Le Creuset) and the mid-tier brands (like Martha) than there is between the mid-tier and then low-tier brands (like that sautee ban I bought at the grocery store when I was first living on my own). Not being able to affroad a set of Le Creuset isn't going to kill your cooking, but investing in some good mid-tier brands will be a huge help.

Dinner parties might be parred back (for example, no linens or fine china) but they're still a great way to get friends together. I happen to have a lot of friends who really enjoy cooking and socializing that way, so I don't feel that the dinner party is disappearing. Of course now parties might end with a round of Apples to Apples.

For those of us without guest rooms, a sofa might also double as a guest bed. Make sure it's comfortable/wide enough for sleeping if you expect to put guests there.

For the love of all that is good, don't let your laundry hang out in the common washer/dryers. Being a few minutes late is one thing; being a few hours (or days!) late is another. I have no mercy.

Also, I think small things that saying hi in the hall can go a long way. It fosters a sense of community, even if you don't actually get to know each other.

I don't listen to audio books very often (my mind tends to wander too much) but I love Jim Dale's reading of the Harry Potter series. Definitely worth listening to, even if you're already read the books.

This reminds me of how, when I was really little, my parents let my brother and me put stickers on the refrigerator. That was great until we had to move. Cut to my parents kneeling in front of the fridge for hours, scrubbing it with hot soapy water.

It's cool for an exhibition though. I love the pictures!

I agree with 2Lorah--the logs aren't as good as homemade, and fresh polenta isn't hard to make. It's great with a basic mariana sauce, or sausage and sauteed spinach.

I'm from a family of gift list-makers. We put together a small list of books/movies/music we'd like and others can select a few from there. If they think up another gift, they can totally ignore the list. My mom's best friend and her family would shop without lists and usually after Christmas, they all returned items to various stores and got other gifts instead. I don't see how that makes a better Christmas.

This is gorgeous! I love the tiles, the cabinets, the tub--heck, all of it!

A few months ago, I was locked out of my apartment. (Building maintenance came by and locked the bolt, which I never lock and didn't have a key for.) The building owners suggested a locksmith, who came by and got me in. Since it wasn't my fault, the owners gave him the okay to charge them. So I didn't owe him anything, but I keep wondering if I should have tipped him. Thoughts?