Time for an installment of Weekend Things:
1. We’re moving in the next couple weeks. We’ve lived in this small urban condo (the photo makes it look spacious – it’s not) for over two years and while it’s been fine, we’ve outgrown it and are ready for a change.
There’s a ton of street noise and sirens because we’re near a hospital, there’s thin walls and noisy neighbors, and a gym moved into the building and I’m sick of feeling my walls shake every time someone slams a stack of weights.
I developed all the recipes for my blog since May 2011 in this kitchen, and all the recipes in my cookbook.
I’ve washed thousands of dishes in that sink and I will not miss it one bit!
My new kitchen is lighter, brighter, and airier. Although it’s not more spacious, and has less storage space if that’s even possible. Yikes.
However, it’s much more open and I think I will like the layout better. If nothing else, I can look out the window while I’m in it. In my current kitchen, I’ve had a view of 3 walls.
Our new place is still urban, it’s still small, it’s still near my daughter’s school, it’s still a rental, but it’s new to us, and we are really excited.
It’s the lightest, brightest, most open and airy place I’ve lived in in ages, and the fabulous lighting for photography is a huge score.
2. But moving means packing, endless bags of trash and clutter being pitched, donations and trips to Goodwill, and the overall exhausting, seemingly never-ending task that is packing.
I keep telling myself it will be worth it when I’m unpacked. That’s the fun part. Getting my stuff in it’s new spot. But the boxing it all up part. Not so fun.
3. Embrace Your Dirty Hair – Five reasons why we all need to embrace our dirty hair (It’s a slide-show and you have to click on the red arrow on the right).
I’m personally a big fan of not washing more than every third day or so, and wash mine twice a week, give or take. In high school and college I would have died at the thought, but there are so many reasons why washing less, is more. It saves so much time first and foremost, it’s healthier for your hair, and I’m not blowing through expensive bottles of shampoo and conditioner nearly as quickly.
4. This walk-in pantry, and how organized it is. I’d kill for a pantry of that size. I have cupboards and shelves, and not a pantry but I’d love one.
And one I can walk into with 20 pastel-colored cake stands and glass jars to keep my dry goods? No words.
5. DIY Cro-Nots. What’s a cro-not? A pastry with the flakiness of a croissant, but the fluffiness of a doughnut. I’ll take two dozen.
6. These plates from Anthro, $24 each. I want them all.
7. A Day in the Life of a Food Blogger – A list of 20 things that no one tells you about food blogging and I have read lots of similar type lists over the years, but Russel’s list takes the cake as the most accurate, most hilarious, and most spot-on of any. A must read.
8. Beehive Cake Pan, $39 at World Market
9. I want to make this Peanut Butter Honey Buttermilk Cake with Chocolate-Peanut Butter Streusel as beehive and play up the honey theme.
10. Do yourself a favor and make a Malibu Sunset. It’s the perfect summery drink for a warm weekend afternoon. They go down ridiculously easy. You’ll thank me later.
What are your Weekend Things? Fan of dirty hair? (I am!)
If you’ve made anything, done, seen, or bought anything fabulous recently, feel free to link it up in the comments.
When was the last time you moved? Plans to move soon? When you’re looking at places to live, what’s most important to you – floorplan, square footage, neighborhood, noise level, proximity to your work/school, how close it is to the stores and places you go, etc.?
I’d rather live in a smaller urban place than live in a larger place in the burbs, and I’d rather compromise slightly on the neighborhood and am willing to deal with some noise or parking challenges if it means I get a kitchen that’s light and bright. So many pros/cons to think of. I’ll take that Malibu Sunset now.
I only wash my hair twice a week. I tried going down once a week (Saturdays) and it wasn’t quite enough. I’m on the Wednesday & Saturday schedule now, and it’s working out perfectly. I’m also using an all-natural organic shampoo formulated by a local herbalist apothecary. Next I’ll be switching from commercial conditioner to an all-natural red cider vinegar rinse. My hair looks freaking awesome!
I love having a hair schedule! You can plan things better than way for the days you know it will be looking its best!
I want every single one of those plates too – too cute!
I’ve lived in the same apartment in NYC for almost 9 years, it’s a open loft so we’ve done alot to change it to our style and life, I would be kind of sad to leave all that hard work behind, although sometimes I crave a slightly larger kitchen with more space…. but we ordered cabinets and they are coming this week! I’m so excited!
Congrats on your new cabinets. THAT’S more exciting than a new car or a piece of jewelry for me, by a long shot :)
Congrats on the new home! I love your former kitchen – it’s so sleek and shiny! But a new space is rejuvenating!!
Grr! If only I’d read about cutting back on hair washing – I just chopped mine off (again) because I was sick of fussing with it everyday. Live and learn…(I really need a cronut!). :D
Oh my, well…it grows, right! You totally only need to wash it when it’s really dirty…to the point you can’t even stand yourself. That’s when I know it’s time ;)
Hi Averie, I’m new to your blog but love it!
Definitely with you on the hair thing. I wash mine 3x/week, usually on the days I run (because it’s nasty humid here in the south.) It really is much better and cheaper!
We just bought and moved into our first house in May… so I feel ya on the moving thing. We had lived in the same university staff apartment since getting married 3 years ago, so moving into the house in May was a MUCH bigger chore than any of the previous moves (which I think totals 7 moves in 7 years. Ugh.) But it was SO worth it to have our own house – no neighbors across the walls, a real yard, our own driveway and garage… LOVING it!
I run daily too but thankfully Im in San Diego. We used to live in both NC and SC and I know exactly what you mean about humidity, running, and hair. It’s hard to not wash it!
Congrats on your new house!!!
Thanks for finding me and for the sweet comment :)
I embrace my dirty hair for sure. Blonde hair – at least for me – doesn’t ever tend to look greasy. And if I wash it too much, I notice it becomes too brittle, especially when paired with getting highlights and burning it with a straightener. I go every third day just about as well. And since I’ve begun to do that, my hairdresser noticed a HUGE difference. And Averie! you’re moving on to a wonderful new place and I’m so excited for you! You have to send me pics of the new place once you’re in. The stresses of moving are certainly no comfort, but you will be thrilled once you’re in there and settled. Keep calm! And eat peanut butter. ;)
That pantry? Stop. Just STOP! Heaven.
I am the exact same with you with my hair. Even if I think my hair looks greasy, when I really stand back and look at it like someone else would, it doesn’t, at all. I’m hypercritical of it (aren’t we all) but like you, between highlights and straightening it, the less washing, the better!
I know you just went thru the moving stuff too. I am worried about my photography set up. For the past 2+ yrs here, I have had a nice flow. The lighting isnt great but I’ve learned how to harness what I have and it’s ‘mine’ and my little system. Moving into something new is terrifying and I remember you writing to say you went thru like 5 shoots one weekend with almost no useable images. And the new oven. And the new camera. All at once! So yeah, I’m worried :)
That baking pantry is beautiful! Good luck with the move. I’ve lived in the same place for seven years and I’m dreading the day when I have to move :p The last delicious thing I made were these Strawberry Ricotta Crostini: https://www.confessionsofachocoholic.com/chocolate/strawberry-ricotta-crostini
Enjoy the rest of the weekend!
Wow that looks great, Bianca!
I agree about the hairwashing! I wash every other day and it’s fine. I totally hear you on the move too. My husband is in the Navy and we have moved 6 times in the past 5 years. Hope you enjoy your new place!
Girl we moved like 10x in 10 yrs. I feel you. Being here 2.5 years is ‘long’ for us :)
Good luck with the move! Can’t wait to see the new kitchen!
I saw that photo of the pantry and the first thing that came to my mind was “I WANT those cake plates.” Then I read that you feel the same way lol. Pastel cake plates are like my food prop weakness. And if my pantry were that organized… that would be a dream. But realistically, I’m not sure I could keep it that way for long; I wish!
The summer I wash mine once a week in the winter I will hold out longer. I love your floors in the condo, gosh I want to move so bad or due an up grade on my town house but it is to expensive. I can’t wait to see pics on the new house I love urban living…!!
Once a week or even less in the winter – That’s amazing! Think of all that TIME you’re saving!
*Dying* over that pantry…. I have serious organizational envy!! Hope the move goes smoothly for you guys! The natural light sounds like a huge perk! :)
I know I want that pantry so badly too!
Good luck with the move! Moving is a pain but it is always kind of a thrill too. We own our place, so no plans to move anytime soon, but I have been on a crazy cleaning and decluttering kick so can sympathize with your endless trips to the dumpster and goodwill. Good luck with everything!
Decluttering is the best feeling though! (when it’s DONE and all those trips to the goodwill, trash, etc are DONE!)
Love this list Averie. That pantry, OMG! Can’t wait to see what your new kitchen looks like!!!
Girl, I just love your weekend things posts. It’s a bit like my weekly menu post as it just shows a bit more of who you are and what your like, so keep it up! Yaay a move! It’s funny but I have had so many people around me move lately. My best friend just moved into a larger house with an amazing view of Mt. Tam, so jealous :) My other best girlfriend sadly moved down to Caramel Valley as her hubby got a job down there. I’m bummed, but it’s only 2.5 hours away and I plan on visiting a lot! I can’t wait to see pics of your new place and I love that you now have a window in your kitchen, it will make all that cooking and baking so much better. We have two windows over the sink and a skylight over the island, so my kitchen gets ton of natural light, but not the right kind of light for photographing, so I’m constantly hauling my tray with food to the den to photograph. We’ve been in our house for the past 14 years, and I don’t see us moving in the next year. We almost thought about hauling back to MN and that is still a slight possibility as John is in-between jobs right now and there is tons of opportunity there, (plus family) but he is really going to focus his efforts here, as we came back from our trip and felt at home here, plus the produce is unbelievable here as well as the food, we’re such foodies :)
Ok, I’m totally a dirty hair girl as well. I stopped washing my hair every day about 10 years ago when I heard that it was healthier to wash it less. I thought it was gross at first because I work out a lot, but really it’s so liberating and my hair always feels and looks great, actually better on day 2 or 3. I wash it about 2x a week. Ok, I so want one of those cro-nuts, but I will have to buy them as they look difficult to make. You know me, I like to bake easy, no hassle recipes :) Ok, I wrote a novel here, I’m totally procrastinating on my weekly menu post. Gotta get to work! Have a great weekend girl :) xoxo, Jackie
Awesome comment – thank you! And a view of Mt. Tam? lucky girl! You are smart for staying in the Bay Area and not going back to MN…the weather girl. After just a short time I bet you would grow so tired of living in a winter coat 8-9 mos a year! I know, I have those nostalgic feelings too sometimes but living in San Diego or there..no question, long term :)
I recently calculated that I’ve moved 9 times in the last 10 years so I don’t envy you…such a drag but it sounds like you’re excited to be out of there.
You sound like me when I was about 18 to 30. I moved at least 1x a year, every year. Some by choice, not always, and I always intended to stay put but it never happened! Being here for 2.5 years is “long” for me :)
Good luck with the move, Averie!
And that pantry…ohhhh my goodness.