The Supervisor, Senor Bailey

Bailey has a new task in the house-one that he really excels at.  He has deemed himself the supervisor of our home remodel.  He mostly focuses on Scott's work.

Scott installing the dishwasher.  Bailey giving me the "don't distract the man from his work" look.

Mom-seriously.  Men at work here.

And sometimes Molly comes up as well.  But she really doesn't like the noise of the drills, or the crackling of packing materials or really any noise-including Scott's text message noise(this one we don't get).

Kitchen Tiling Project

A couple of months ago Scott and I stumbled upon some closeout tiles that we thought would be perfect for our kitchen back splash.  A couple of weeks ago we installed it.  I mostly watched until it came to grout-Scott was in charge of cutting and installation.  He got it all up and started grouting, only to realize that grouting is not a talent he possesses.  I stepped in and was able to use my cake decorating skills for our home improvement good.  Since he handed the chore over to me I figured grouting, like painting, is on his very short list of home improvement projects he won't touch;)

Scott set up a wet saw cutting station outside.  I was in charge of wiping the tiles off once they were cut. 

The first few tiles installed.

All the tiles, sans grout-and of course the stove.

The tile after grout.  Our first official kitchen AFTER photo.  Note our new granite-more pics to come.

Kitchen- In Progress..

The hardest part of the entire remodel project, for me, has been the lack of a kitchen.  We moved in on 4/23 and have basically not had a kitchen since.  Yes-its a long time.  But-we are starting to put the old girl back together.  Here is a pictorial of the progress we have made.

The BEFORE view of the kitchen from the dining room.  Prior to us pulling down the wall to open the whole space.

The kitchen BEFORE..in all its 1970's glory.



The kitchen after the demo.




The IN PROCESS view of the kitchen from the dining room.


  

The kitchen BEFORE.  The view from the kitchen into the dining room.



The IN PROCESS view of the dining room from the kitchen.  Note our new island is installed-sans counter tops.


 I will post more detailed shots as we move along but the progress is extraordinary.

Take Out Anyone?

People make lots of funny comments about our remodeling project.  Most of them center on the common empathetic themes of "i am sure its almost done," "it can't be that bad," and "think how much you will love it when it's finished."  All true-all true my friends.  While its not that bad the worst part, by far, is the lack of kitchen.  I tell people we don't have a kitchen and they smile and smirk as if I am kidding.  Last weekend I took a group of girlfriends on a mini tour of the upstairs and the overwhelming response- "YOU SERIOUSLY DON'T HAVE A KITCHEN!!"  I realized that maybe I am not emphasizing my lack.  Here is a picture of my current kitchen:

What's for dinner?

69 Tips for the Perfect Kitchen

1.  I love Ina Garten

2.  I want a kitchen just like her kitchen-either the main house or the entertainment barn,

3.  I am actively designing a new kitchen

4.  I found this.

5.  I plan to steal as many ideas from this list as possible.

6.  If you have checked out my registries you know I had this thought sometime ago-since it reads a bit like this list.  White platters and cake plates anyone?

 

69 Tips For The Perfect Kitchen by Ina Garten!

I found this on the fabulous Barefoot Contessa Site and want it ALL! Don't you?  1Parchment paper for sheet pansAvailable at nycake.com		2Cook's IllustratedAvailable at CooksIllustrated.com		3Graduated glass bowlsAvailable at Williams-Sonoma.com CassandrasKitchen.com
4Baking mixesAvailable at BarefootContessa.com StonewallKitchen.com		5Olio Santo extra virgin olive oilAvailable at Williams-Sonoma.com CassandrasKitchen.com		6Spice drawer and jarsAvailable at Williams-Sonoma.com
7Personal Recipe FileAvailable at Golden Eagle Art 631 324 0603		8Plan B - containersAvailable at CassandrasKitchen.com		9Le Creuset potsSurLaTable.com Williams-Sonoma.com CrateandBarrel.com
10All-Clad 12" fry panSurLaTable.com Williams-Sonoma.com CrateandBarrel.com		11Post-it notes for seatingAvailable at Office supply stores		12Votive Candle HoldersAvailable at Bloom 631 725 5940
13Post-it notes for plattersAvailable at Office supply stores		14Cake standsCassandrasKitchen.com and Hotel Silver at Bergdorf Goodman 800 558 1855		15Extra mixing bowlAvailable at CulinaryParts.com 800 543 7549
166" wood skewers for cake testersAvailable at grocery stores and CassandrasKitchen.com		17Flat platters by ApilcoAvailable at Williams-Sonoma.com		18French bread basketsAvailable at Antique stores andPastryItems.com
19Gel matsAvailable at GelPro.com		20Large basketAvailable at Axel-Vervoordt.com		21Cast-iron skilletsAvailable at Hardware and Cookware stores
22Two DishwashersAvailable at Bosch.com		23Chef's Choice 130Available at SurLaTable.com and Amazon.com		24All-Clad cookwareSurLaTable.com Williams-Sonoma.com CrateandBarrel.com
25White BakewareApilco and Pilluyvet DeanDeluca.com Williams-Sonoma.com		26Extra bowl for food processorAvailable at CulinaryParts.com CassandrasKitchen.com		27PepperMate pepper millAvailable at PepperMate.com CassandrasKitchen.com
28Large stockpotAvailable at DeanDeluca.com		29TimersAvailable at Hardware stores and CassandrasKitchen.com		30Half-sheet pansAvailable at CrateandBarrel.com CassandrasKitchen.com
31Grocery padsAvailable at The Monogram Shop TheMonogramShops.com		32Parchment paper for baking pansAvailable at nycake.com		33Lots of measuresSurLaTable.com Williams-Sonoma.com CrateandBarrel.com
34ThermometersAvailable at Hardware and Cookware stores		35Counting ingredients before finishing a recipe		362 ¼" Ice cream scoopSurLaTable.com CassandrasKitchen.com CrateandBarrel.com
37Crocks for utensilsAvailable at CrateandBarrel.com Williams-Sonoma.com		38Pop-up spongesAvailable at Williams-Sonoma.com		39Handmade bowlsAvailable at Bloom 631 725 5940
40Salt crockAvailable at DeanDeluca.com		41Crock for spoons and spatulasAvailable at CrateandBarrel.com Williams-Sonoma.com		42Candy thermometerAvailable at Hardware and Cookware stores CassandrasKitchen.com
43White dish towelsAvailable at Williams-Sonoma.com		44Cooking spoonsHotel Silver Bergdorf Goodman 800 558 1855		45Plain white platesAvailable at CrateandBarrel.com
46Dish towels as napkinsAvailable at Williams-Sonoma.com		47Large bowl for wineRoyal Boch earthenware Ruby Beets RubyBeets.com		48White plattersAvailable at Antique stores and Williams-Sonoma.com
49Pretty dessert platesAvailable at Antique stores and TedMuehling.com		50Drinking glasses for vasesAvailable at CB2.com		51Place cardsAvailable at The Monogram Shop TheMonogramShops.com
52Unironed linen napkinsAvailable at Bloom 631 725 5940		53Chinese strainerAvailable at Restaurant supply stores		54Box graterAvailable at Hardware and Cookware stores
55Coffee grinder for spices by KrupsAvailable at amazon.com		56Salad spinner by OxoAvailable at amazon.com		57Linen twineAvailable at Williams-Sonoma.com
58Vegetable peeler by Kuhn RikonCassandrasKitchen.com Amazon.com		59Professional utensilsAvailable at Restaurant supply stores		60Microplane raspAvailable at CassandrasKitchen.com
61Professional plastic wrapAvailable at Restaurant supply stores CassandrasKitchen.com		62Glass ingredient bowlsAvailable at Williams-Sonoma.com		63French rolling pinAvailable at Williams-Sonoma.com CassandrasKitchen.com
64Cooking scale by SalterAvailable at Williams-Sonoma.com		65Wooden salad bowlAvailable at Antique stores		66Storage containersAvailable at CassandrasKitchen.com
67Graduated stainless steel bowlsAvailable at Restaurant supply stores CassandrasKitchen.com		68Pastry bags and tipsAvailable at SurLaTable.com CassandrasKitchen.com		Chinese take-out containersAvailable at CassandrasKitchen.com