Here & Now: Modest Improvements

After 6 months of working on my Berkeley apartment (I know, I can hardly believe it either) we're almost there. It's becoming evident in my weekend to-do lists. We've checked off "unpack books" and "paint bathroom." Now it's time for the finishing touches- "style china cabinet" and "hang inspiration board."

Who would've thought our dumpy bathroom could become one of the prettiest spaces in the apartment?

I love the way our art pops against our moody greige walls.

Here's to Friday and to wrapping things up this weekend. I can hardly wait to show you the whole apartment!

Cat Lady

I've got these images on my bulletin board, and I'm beginning to feel like they're jinxing me...

 Images Scanned by ShocktheBourgeois from Vogue Magazine

Sheesh. Eccentricity photographs well, but trust me, the cat hair is enough to drive you batty. This is Spring cleaning week, and when I'm done... I think it's time to get out of the house.

The To-Do List

Adam is off on a business trip to Chile, which means that...

a. Calling my boyfriend would set me back $3.49 per minute. 

b. I'm home alone with a demanding cat and an even more demanding to-do list.

c. I better get one helluva souvenir.

It's not all bad though, because...

a. I'm going to eat all of the ice cream I want.

b. I'm going to sleep diagonally.

c. World traveler Adam has forfeited his right to veto the paint color for the living room. Ha.

Anyway, I'm treating myself to a leisurely morning before I crack open a can of paint. Leisurely but productive, as I'm researching options for coat storage.

The Twig Coat Rack from Pottery Barn, $199

 The Twig Coat Rack from Z Gallerie, $139

 The Twig Coat Rack from Grandin Road, $99

I think we have a winner with that last option- definitely an improvement on our current practice of stashing coats on the backs of my dining room chairs.

Instead of Airing Dirty Laundry

As mentioned in the comments on this post, our new Berkeley apartment does not come equipped with a washer and dryer. We were given the option of purchasing machines and having them installed in the kitchen/dining room, but I stuck up my nose and took the aesthetic high road.

Turns out that road is pretty long, because the nearest coin-op facility is a nine-block hike.

Aha.

Well, if I'm going to be trudging across town carrying 20 pounds of dirty clothes, I am going to do it with as much style as the situation allows. Actually, if I got one of these, I'd be looking pretty damn cute.

The White Devil Bag from India Rose- "Neapolitan" is my pick!

(Ann, thank you ever-so-much for this source.)

Please? I promise if I get one I will never be tempted by the full-service laundromat down the street that delivers and only costs a small fortune per load...