And I’m with you re: the election results. For the last year or so, I’ve gotten it into my head that I may want to move to Scandanavia, or to the Netherlands. Never been to Europe, but the democratic socialism is very tempting. And if McCain gets in, that’s it for SCOTUS. It’s done. Turn the clocks, no, the calendars back.

By the way, where are you going once your place has sold? You may have mentioned it before, but these days I can’t even remember what day it is.

Short-term, probably a rental in Astoria until I figure out what I want to do long-term. What I do long-term will depend very much on the outcome of the election in November. Also on my ability to get into library school.

But I SOOOO admire your bookshelves! ENVIOUS!!!! I’d love to be so disciplined!

And lovely apartment, too, but I am always amazed at how tiny New York kitchens are. No wonder everyone eats out all the time!

By the way, where are you going once your place has sold? You may have mentioned it before, but these days I can’t even remember what day it is.

I think it’s learned; I grew up with a mother who was obsessed with interior design, and who had learned how to hang her own wallpaper (wallpaper’s cheap, allowing you to do multiple redos, but wallpaper hangers are not). I was often waylaid coming in the door from school and asked to give my opinion on some wallpaper swatch or another that was tacked up to the wall.

My taste definitely runs to the far more nontraditional than my mother’s does, but that doesn’t mean that I reject her style utterly. In fact, I have fun with reinterpretations of the traditional style of my mother and grandmother; for instance, I had my grandmother’s wing chair reupholstered in a (fairly subtle) animal print. The dresser you see above? Was part of a set my grandmother rescued from a garbage pile (to my grandfather’s great dismay; he liked to think he’d moved beyond that in the immigrant experience).

I’m actually annoyed that there’s so much purple in that rug, which I got about a month ago, but I have orange $11 side tables. I want to throw a sari or two over them, which my mother would never do, but which she’d still find tasteful.

What happened to the cool Sin in Linen bedspread?

I don’t have the full set; the bedspread I got had that weird oh-look-it’s-navy problem and I haven’t actually sent for another (I do have the sheets). The paint was based on the bedding you see in the photos, which is very West Elm Summer ‘06. So for the main showings, I figured I’d go with the matchy-matchy stuff, which I do have a full set for.

Apparently we have similar decor taste; I have the same super useful magnetic spice rack.

Also useful for hiding the ugly adhesive marks from the obligatory appliance stickers. There’s a reason that the takeout menus are turned on their sides like that.

Your apartment makes me hate my white walls.

Best. Part. Of. Ownership.

Oh my, that sounded rant-y. I apologize. What I really wanted to say was you have an incredibly lovely apartment and I wish you good luck on your desired bidding war and subsequent sale.

Lurker going back to lurking now…

Either way, that is one GOOD lookin’ place!

I have the same issue that I have a hard time keeping a place neat and clean just for me but if someone is coming over it gets clean in a hurry and I wonder why I can’t do it for myself.