Tales from Philadelphia

The Accidental 15-Mile Walk

2009-11-17T21:30:00.000-05:00

Today I went for what I thought was going to be a quick little walk along the Schuykill. I went armed with my camera and less-than-great walking shoes. Big mistake. I was moseying along the river trail, convinced the bridge was nearby that I needed to cross. Fail. I walked, and walked, and walked. I keyed in my location in my iPhone and it said it was 7.2 miles from home. Then I had to continue a bit further, cross the river, then walk back. My legs and hips and shoulders were all in pain.
But I did take some great pictures along the way, in fact I took over 125 of them!

I did find this fabulous Saab 900 Turbo in town that I desperately want. Oh, so pretty.

Before and After

2009-11-13T17:06:00.002-05:00

I went to my favorite thrift store to look for a lamp to clean up, or repaint. But instead I came across this great little mirror with two sconces attached. I already had the green paint (Behr Limeade S-G-420) from my chair project, and since they are in the same room, I thought they would look great together.
I added some glitz and glam utilizing old chandelier crystals that I got from my parents' old chandelier that made its way to the trash. I've had the glass sitting in a box for about a year, waiting for a project that would show them off.

Not too shabby for $15 bucks.

Happy Veteran's Day

2009-11-11T13:38:00.005-05:00

Photo 1: Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, Philadelphia, PA

Photo 2: WWII Memorial, Washington, DC

Photo 3: WWII Memorial, Washington, DC

Empire Gold: New York Introduces New License Plate... And It's Retro

2009-11-11T13:18:00.003-05:00

It looks like my home-state of New York is finally ditching the horribly boring white license plates that were rolled out about 10 years ago. The retro blue and yellow remind me of the old plates from when I was a kid, that went out in 1986. As always, there are going to be plenty of people who will protest the change (and the costs that go along with it). But I am a fan.

The current plate replaced the Lady Liberty plate, which was introduced in 1986 - the 100th Anniversary of the Statue of Liberty.

Before and After - Living Room

2009-11-10T13:21:00.005-05:00

A little fresh paint goes a long way. Orange is my favorite color, but I came to the realization that it's a tiring color to live with. When I moved into this apartment, the walls were all builder-grade off white. And they still are, but now with a funky twist. I used a photo I took in Italy as my inspiration (Perfectly Parked Vintage Mini Cooper in Lucca, Italy). I pulled two shades of green from the picture and created a great stripe that runs the perimeter of the room. The top stripe is about 28 inches, the lower is 10 inches.

On the two walls that jut out from the rest of the room, that hide the tiny kitchen, are painted floor to ceiling with an incredible turquoise that compliment the greens, and the dark hardwood floors.

The only remaining things to do now are to find some new throw pillows for the sofa, new bright curtains, and create some sort of chandelier for over the dining table. There is no electrical socket and I really don't want to deal with those pesky Ikea-like lights that plug into a regular outlet.
I am thinking of getting these from cb2. I think five or six hung randomly over the table by fishing line would make a great cost-effective solution to fill the empty space.

Walking Tour of Saratoga Springs, NY

2009-11-05T15:35:00.001-05:00

Saratoga Springs is a great little city, home to Saratoga Race Course and the Saratoga Performing Arts Center. The Saratoga State Park is home to the Saratoga Automobile Museum, the Hall of Springs, and the Gideon Putnam hotel. It's a great park with tennis, golf, trails, pools, and natural beauty, including the Avenue of the Pines.

Walking on North Broadway exposes you to some of the grandest homes in all of Saratoga. North Broadway not only provides a showcase of some of the most significant residential architecture in Saratoga Springs, but also provides a retrospective on the life and times of the city during the late 19th century.

Accredited to Gideon Putnam, all of Broadway was laid out 120 ft wide, tree lined, and North to South.

Since the birth of the cities most popular street, North Broadway has been restored and still eminates Victorian styled-beauty.

2009-11-04T15:56:00.000-05:00

A walk this afternoon through Old City had me snapping shots of some of the sad, neglected buildings that are in so many neighborhoods. Some of these amazing buildings are just a block or two from Constitution Hall. Sadly these former beauties show no signs of rejuvenation.

I walked back to my neighborhood where there is constant progress and gentrification (sometimes to buildings and houses that look next to perfect before the work begins). It makes me sad to see some blocks fade as others thrive.

Viewbug: Favorite New Site

2009-11-03T17:53:00.000-05:00

Viewbug is my favorite new website for uploading photos. In the process of logging my pictures, I can also share them and potentially win money doing so! The site has monthly challenges to join. There are also weekly winners for any picture that is uploaded. The more I add, the higher my chances of winning.

Photo 1: Woods Hollow Nature Preserve, Ballston Spa, NY

Photo 2: Santa Monica Pier, California

Photo 3: Perfectly Parked Vintage Mini Cooper in Lucca, Italy

Studying, and a little rant.

2009-11-03T07:49:00.000-05:00

Fall is here in full swing. I know this because I woke up today with my annual fall head cold.

Today is going to be a good day for studying for my Real Estate course. I've been slacking off the last week or so. Back to the books, err... computer screen.

And on the topic of books and computers - I am not a fan of studying on a computer. There is something very satisfying about holding a book in my hand and having paper to take a pen or hi-lighter to. Give me my paper back, please. The need for Wi-Fi has also become an issue for studying. Paper doesn't need technology. I would much rather sit in Rittenhouse Square and study than sit on my couch.

Before and After

2009-11-02T11:20:00.002-05:00

I found these two great old kitchen chairs in the alley along side my apartment. They are amazingly solid and more comfortable than any chairs that I can find new.

Some fresh BRIGHT paint and they look great pulled up to my simple black Ikea table.

It's little things like this that make me want to scour the streets of Philadelphia for curbside gems that go unwanted.

I love when I find that one great piece that I can take home and use a little elbow grease to get looking great.

Right now, I'm in search of a credenza/buffet to restore. I'm obsessed with one similar to this. I was watching an episode of Color Splash and they did a similar piece in an amazing turquoise that I have been digging ever since.

Autumnal Inspiration, and new blogging.

2009-11-01T21:12:00.001-05:00

Autumn in Philadelphia.

I love this time of year here. Everything looks better with leaves glowing.

Bright leaves leave me inspired to take pictures. Lots and lots of pictures. I was in Manhattan this morning and found myself wandering the streets snapping shots of the great buildings that I walked by every day when I lived there. It's all fresh and exciting when I go back for a visit.