LITTLE NEST
Apologies to my loyal reader(s)* for the lack of updates. I don't believe in excuses but I do believe in being a hypocrite so here's one: I moved into my own place and preparing my little nest so that it's livable (read: adorable) has consumed much of my time. One of the most important "rooms" in my place is, of course, the kitchen, but to call it a room is an exaggeration that even I can't abide. The kitchen is tiny. It almost doesn't exist. Sure, there's a full-size fridge and a working stove and a mini-sink and some cupboards, but it presents quite a challenge to someone terribly keen on becoming a better cook. And that's precisely why I love it! If I can prepare full dinners in this kitchen (and I'm gonna!), then I'm guaranteed to be The Barefoot Contessa in future, larger kitchens! But first: get the kitchen in fighting shape.
I spent Sunday in Paramus, New Jersey, and if you live in the greater NY area you know what that means: I went to Ikea with my folks to get some Space-Saving Solutions. We succeeded, but only after listening to the shrieking of countless babies and inhaling the farts of literally a million strangers all hell-bent on buying their own Space-Saving-Solutions. Seriously: Ikea is a genius place, but Double Seriously: any time spent there will decrease your lifespan. And not because of the farts. But because of the cafeteria's Swedish meatballs. Probably.
So I took my Space-Saving-Solutions back to the little nest and my dad and I installed them. He mostly installed them. But that's because he was the one holding the drill. Not because I'm lazy, but because I'm incompetent! A little! But I knocked on walls to see if they were hollow or not, so that's something! And now I know about drilling into drywall, so that's something else! We installed the Kroken dish drainer (I have almost no counter top space) and hung two little Kroken cutlery caddies. I think they're cute! On the opposite wall we installed the Grundtal hanging rod and a little Grundtal shelf, onto which I immediately placed my newly-purchased Trader Joe's cooking oils, Japanese rice vinegar, and spices. I hung my apron and some kitchen towels, and when I get some S hooks I'm gonna throw my pots and pans on there, too. I have a hunch that's also gonna look pretty cute.
But it's gonna get totally adorable when I finish painting, have my new mattress delivered, replace my metal desk filing cabinets ruined by Manhattan Mini Storage, pick up one of these, plan a menu, purchase groceries, and invite some friends over for my first dinner party. Which is gonna happen soon...ish!
*I'm talking to YOU, dad.
I spent Sunday in Paramus, New Jersey, and if you live in the greater NY area you know what that means: I went to Ikea with my folks to get some Space-Saving Solutions. We succeeded, but only after listening to the shrieking of countless babies and inhaling the farts of literally a million strangers all hell-bent on buying their own Space-Saving-Solutions. Seriously: Ikea is a genius place, but Double Seriously: any time spent there will decrease your lifespan. And not because of the farts. But because of the cafeteria's Swedish meatballs. Probably.
So I took my Space-Saving-Solutions back to the little nest and my dad and I installed them. He mostly installed them. But that's because he was the one holding the drill. Not because I'm lazy, but because I'm incompetent! A little! But I knocked on walls to see if they were hollow or not, so that's something! And now I know about drilling into drywall, so that's something else! We installed the Kroken dish drainer (I have almost no counter top space) and hung two little Kroken cutlery caddies. I think they're cute! On the opposite wall we installed the Grundtal hanging rod and a little Grundtal shelf, onto which I immediately placed my newly-purchased Trader Joe's cooking oils, Japanese rice vinegar, and spices. I hung my apron and some kitchen towels, and when I get some S hooks I'm gonna throw my pots and pans on there, too. I have a hunch that's also gonna look pretty cute.
But it's gonna get totally adorable when I finish painting, have my new mattress delivered, replace my metal desk filing cabinets ruined by Manhattan Mini Storage, pick up one of these, plan a menu, purchase groceries, and invite some friends over for my first dinner party. Which is gonna happen soon...ish!
*I'm talking to YOU, dad.
posted by Megan at 12:57 PM
4 Comments:
Amazing descriptive essays - flavorsome and energetic!
Me thinks those Swedish meatballs are, umm, inspirational - fully justifying a trip out to Elizabeth NJ (as opposed to Paramus). Your description of your little place sounds so awesome! A bunch of us wanna come visit and party. But the piece of resistance must be the TIVOLI! What a surprise. What an amazing choice. You go for it; it's the BEST. (Now they'll all be coming out of the corners arguing that B and O, or Bose, or JBL is really better. Do not fall for that crap).
Grundtal? Gross.
You can't have a true Ikea experience without stopping for some meatballs... the cafeteria is super euro-rific, perhaps the most european style cafeteria in all of the US. I'm told the food is identical in Ikeas world wide. While normally this would be a bad thing (like McDonalds, or something), i think it completes the Scandinavian experience. The coffee is great too (for a cafeteria, that is). I've been known to goto Ikea ONLY for lunch... thats how good it is. I think its the only "chain" (sorta) restaurant I will eat it.
And I agree with the Tivoli purchase... expensive as it is, where else can you get a quality little radio these days? And thats coming from a guy that works for one of those "JBL" companies.
Good luck...
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