Eight years and two months ago I loved my country. Sure, I knew we were flawed just like any country (except maybe Canada, but they’re boring), but things were running smoothly.
And then it happened. We all know the story of the last eight years. I won’t dig up bad memories because it’s time to move forward. It’s finally over! Let’s hope these schmucks don’t try to pull anything funny and may the door slam them so hard in the ass it hurts for years.
I’ve never called myself a patriot. I ran off to Europe after high school and again a few years later. It was the Reagan years after all. But I’ve gotta say, I’m feeling pretty proud of my country today. Today I am a patriot. And I hope this excitement lasts for the next eight plus years because it feels good.
I no longer have to make excuses when I travel abroad. Screw you, Europeans! Stop complaining about us and take a look in your own damn backyards! And Morrissey, I love you, man, but you owe us an apology.
I will no longer get angry when I see someone with a Jesus fish on their car. Everyone has a right to their spiritual beliefs, but the religious right is not running the show! And you know what? Screw you, religious right! I don’t know a thing about religion, but I know your intolerance has nothing to do with Christ.
I won’t freak out when I go to an all white neighborhood. I know that not every homogeneous area is KKK. I’ve met quite a few people during the election whom I consider to have racist qualities and yet they still voted for Obama. Ok, so they have issues (as do I, on the other end of the spectrum), but thank God they were open enough to pull the lever for a brotha.
I’m experiencing something I haven’t felt in eight years. It’s like…um…I dunno…a little flicker of light inside me. I think maybe the word for it might be “Hope”? I have hope for the environment. I have hope for gay rights. I have hope for world peace. I’m walking on sunshine and sliding down rainbows! I pray that Obama is everything we’ve dreamed he is.
Congratulations to us all! Mission accomplished. We’ve arrived.
On January 15th, 1929, Martin Luther King Jr was born at 501 Auburn Avenue in Atlanta, GA. His grandfather purchased the 1894 Queen Anne Victorian for $3500 in 1909.
By 1941, the King family moved out of the home and it was converted into a two family dwelling. They kept the house in the family and rented it out. Dr. King’s brother, also a reverend, lived on the second floor with his family into the early 60′s.
The home was restored in the 70′s and is now maintained by the National Park Service. Period furniture was brought in to replicate how the family lived during the 1930′s. Tours are limited so the home can be preserved for future generations.
Photos are not allowed in the home, which is probably why I couldn’t find any interior shots online.
Ok, I could totally deal with this! For that price, I’ll strip some more molding and mantles. This home is a bit far east in Bed Stuy (Bainbridge at Ralph) but the more desirable parts of the neighborhood are still going for about $200k more than this baby.
$495k: Mott Haven Single Family
This is looking familiar to me. I may have posted it some time ago. This house totally rocks! I’m not all that familiar with The Bronx, so maybe the area isn’t great. Also, with a single family, that mortgage is more difficult to cover. I always prefer a little help from the tenants.
This house has some sweet interior details. And who doesn’t love a front porch? Alls ya need is an American flag and some lemonade and you’ve got it made in the shade!
Won’t you be my neighbor? They’re calling this “Stuyvesant Heights”. Well, Stuyvesant Heights it’s not, but it IS on my block. And FYI, that’s BETTER than Stuy Heights! No, not because you can come over and borrow my power tools. Because it’s one A Express stop closer to civilization.
A hamburger bed even a vegetarian can love. Actually, it could be a veggie burger. Ya never know!
Just one of the many functional things you can do with an old suitcase.
This pinball table is a DIY job from Instructables. Oh, just wait until the hubby gets some spare time!
The peeing table is ha ha funny, but my cats produce enough of the real thing, so it’s no laughing matter in my house.
And what cool furniture post would be complete without an Obama high chair? From Etsy.
The Center for Architecture always has some wonderful exhibits, but there’s an upcoming show that’s special to us here, because it features 439 Metropolitan.
Allow me to refresh your memory. 439 Metropolitan was the LEED certified building in Williamsburg that I visited to interview architect Mark Helder for “A Walk Around the Blog“. You can read more about it here and here.
Well, you can have a look at the apartments on the website or you can get off your butts and visit the exhibit. “Make it Work/Engineering Possibilities” looks at how engineers envision and realize the future of our built environment by transforming structures, enhancing materials, and re-inventing building technologies.
The show runs January 22-April 25th at Center for Architecture on LaGuardia Place.
Well, after having received my official rejection letters from my state representatives, I know I’ll be spending inauguration night in front of a TV. The good news is that there will be viewing parties in public venues so I don’t have to sit there alone in my jammies with a bottle of champagne.
There’s still a chance to get to Washington:
Get on the Bus!
Harlem 4 still has space available at $100 per roundtrip ticket.
Inauguration Today has 2 buses left at $85 per seat.
Watch in New York
Symphony Space is opening their doors free to the public starting at 10am. They’ll have a big screen for viewing. Pack a lunch or buy snacks there.
The Village Pourhouse is showing the events on their big screens followed by a complimentary toast. They will be serving “Obama Mamma”, “Push Bush” , and “Barack-a-Bombs” shots all day long. No cover.
Discounted Dinners and Formal Balls
Park Slope’s V-Spot is discounting all beer, wine and cocktails by 50% and including free snacks for every table. Regular menu will still be available.
Oninaugurationday is hosting an Inaugural Ball at Hudson Terrace on W. 46th. $20 for general admission includes champagne reception with passed hors d’oeuvres. VIP tickets includes table and open bar. Formal attire recommended. Sounds too stuffy for me.
Bed Stuy Blog has a list of events in Ft. Greene, including Red Bamboo’s $5 drinks, complimentary hors d’oeuvres and a DJ spinning the tunes.
On February 7th, City Tech will be hosting a series of DIY workshops and demonstrations by building inspector Larry Ubell. Pick up tips on basic carpentry, windows and insulation. $35 for the day in downtown Brooklyn. Register here.
Learn to reupholster your own flea market finds. This is something I MUST look into. I have a garage full of beautiful chairs that I need to bring into this century. The Furniture Joint in downtown Manhattan runs a hands on series for $450. I’ve heard great things about them, but the price scares me. Is there anywhere else?
Makeville Studio in Park Slope holds basic woodworking and intro to tool classes. They have some classes going this month and next. Prices start at $140.
So there I was slacking off at the beginning of the week when I get an email from Eric “Flea” Demby filling me in on a cancellation at the Dumbo market. I wasn’t booked to participate until the 24th/25th so I wasn’t too bothered by my lack of focus. But I figured it would be a good idea to be there since I was one of three featured in the Daily News article.
And so, after hours and hours of work yesterday, I’m still not finished with everything. But here’s where I’m at…
The God-forsaken chair is finally done. I bought this last winter and schlepped it from Beacon to Brooklyn to Beacon to Brooklyn and back to Beacon and never got the chance to work on it. I never want to move it or look at it again. It better sell. I haven’t figured out a price yet but $175 has a nice ring to it.
Here’s the before picture. Snow on the ground was from last winter.
I’ve discovered that people like bright, shiny objects. Well, you can’t get much brighter than this fluorescent orange side table. Lucky for me, someone had already primed it by the time I found it. Sweet. Hope they did a good job. I’m going to add some gold details, but the paint was still wet when I shot this.
I am F*in loving this piece! I had this roll of vintage vinyl wallpaper that I couldn’t sell. I don’t know why….I think it’s really cool! Anyway, I had matching paint in the house. What could be easier? Perhaps if I coated it with poly instead of resin, that would’ve been easier. I have to figure out a way to leave the cat hair out next time. No way this will be ready for tomorrow. The resin is still sticky and as you can see, I haven’t even finished painting yet. It’s just a test to get an idea of what it will look like. The entire bottom bit will be green. I wish I had remembered to take a before shot, but it was all poop brown.
I sold a bed with the same color scheme over the summer. I call it my “cartoon line”. Not really, but the bright colors do look cartoonish to me.
Dumbo Pop Up Market launches tomorrow and runs for 12 weekends throughout the winter. 76 Front Street.
I joined Twitter months ago, but never really used it until recently. Since it takes me way too long to come up with blog post topics, I thought I should take advantage of Twitter, so I started following a bunch of blogs.
Here’s what’s up wit dat:
City Room reports there’s no more space to watch the inauguration at City Hall. Well, I didn’t even know that was an option! Now that I know I can’t do it, I really want to. I tried writing to my congressman and senators for tickets, I tried volunteering. Nobody will have me. Hey, is anyone going to D.C.? Anyone doing anything good? Invite me. Please?
Kitsch Designs is collecting and selling vintage graphics. I LOVE that 70′s card! She says it’s 60′s but I want to believe it’s the 70′s. It just brings me back to my childhood. Not that I was a groovy teen chick with yellow hair, but….I don’t know….it just does, ok? Anyway, it’s $5 on Artfire. I think they charge more than that for crappy new Hallmark cards these days.
Peta lists the top eight vegetarian restaurants in the country and Candle 79 tops the list. I wouldn’t know. I never ate there. The one time we tried to go… We were in the neighborhood, it was raining, we were wet, cold and hungry and just wanted a nice warm place to dry up and dine. We didn’t have reservations and they turned us away. The place was empty, so I’m thinking they didn’t want us there because we looked like bums. Screw ‘em! Who needs them?
Artfire says it’s not too soon to get ready for Valentine’s Day. Yes, Yes it is! What do you want from us? We just went through HalloweenThanksgivChrismukaNewYear and now you’re talking Valentine’s? Come on, man! Give us a break! And then it’s gonna be St. Patrick’s. Stop the insanity!
Inhabitat twitted about the new Energizer solar battery charger. It will be available this summer for $49.99. FYI, I’ll only use Energizer AA’s on photo shoots. And if you don’t have rechargeable, the lithium are superb! No, I don’t know how bad that is for the environment, but it beats my flash losing power in the middle of a wedding ceremony.
Dayam! Those are some mighty fine looking tiles!
Way back in July of ’08, I did a post on encaustic tile. Fast forward to two days ago when I received a comment from Concrete Cottage on the latest installation photos uploaded to their site.
It’s a great step by step guide for those of you wanting to try this at home. Caution: Grab a tissue to wipe the drool from your keyboard.
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Wow that was some speech……maybe you should go on national TV with this!!! Way to go Sor!!!
Comment by Emilia — January 20, 2009 @ 9:05 am
OMG…I would totally watch your speech on TV, too. You’re cracking me up.
Comment by laura @ the shore house — January 21, 2009 @ 7:05 pm