We're in and we're finally unpacked. We've emptied the suitcases, bags, and containers, and realize now how much furniture we never had. Ikea helped a bit, but we're still working on a wine fridge, dining room table and chairs, and somewhere to house our 300 shoes. These things take time.
Allow me to give you a tour.
The door is to the far left of the "pantry." There's very limited kitchen storage so we're using a bookshelf (our only piece of furniture pre-move) as the pantry. I was opposed to this in the beginning, but it's growing on me. We also bought that white cutting board table with wheels. This will be ideal when serving dim sum 'round the living room.
Turn around and you're in the living room. There's tons of silly storage with small-really small-drawers. I imagine we'll eventually find some nonsense to fill them with, but can't really get a grasp of why they were created in the first place. Yes, I need a 1/2 drawer behind the sectional.... Our view from the first floor is directly into our neighbors living room. So far they're not very interesting, but they serve as a very important reminder to close the bathroom door.
Speaking of, there's the bathroom and our favorite wicker chair from Will and Sarah. Thanks!
Turn right at the bathroom and you're in the bedroom. Again, really silly small drawer storage. The bed is built in which has it's moments of frustration (no cramming the suitcases under the bed!), but also moments of redemption (3 drawers). We bought the white dresser which has proven handy, but are still figuring out what exactly to put on the window ledge.We would use it as a desk, but...
Turn left at the white dresser and you're in our small office. It's super cute and really made it feel like I was working when I worked from home last Thursday,. This is also home to all of my wine books/papers/notes, suitcases, purses, bad Vietnamese art, and pens.
But then there's this. What's going on with the wall to the right of the bed?? It appears to be painted in chalkboard paint and then smeared and never washed. It's atrocious and feels icky. Ick, ick, ick. And even worse than the paint is the stupid cupboards. There's 3 panels that open to reveal the shortest and narrowest shelves ever. Ever. Currently it's acting as a giant medicine cabinet, but I just can't wrap my head around what whoever was building this was thinking. There is a little inlet underneath where we can keep books and water and even 2 plugs for iphones. This I get.
So, yeah, that's it.
Another bonus is our super nice doormen. They all go way out of their way to say hi and to open the door for us which is refreshing after a year and a half of 5 floor dirty walk-ups with cockroaches. There's allegedly a pool somewhere in the building, but we've yet to find it. [Update: the doorman gave us a lovely tour of the outdoor-shock!-pool. It's small but way bigger than we were led to believe...we'll let you know how it is when it opens.]
Now let me show you around the hood.
This is a cute bakery right next to our building that has great sweets, coffee, wifi, and the occasional band.
Have I mentioned we live in hipster central? This is where you can get alternative shoes and watches.
Outside art.
A rectangle above Square Street. Hipster irony everywhere.
On the corner of Square and Hollywood you find Man Mo Temple.
If you go left out of our building you can go up the stairs left to Central, straight to Po's Atelier, or right further into PoHo. Still haven't figured out what that stands for...
Look down Tai Ping Shan Street
Just noticed this place today.
Random "pop-up" sales that seem to happen in this hood every weekend. If seven year old worn sweatshirts are your thing, definitely hit Tai Ping Shan on a Sunday.
Looking back up toward Central (pop up on your right)
Paul's favorite neighborhood hole in the wall. ha.
Galleries and crocheted railings everywhere.
TeaKha is the "it" place. Paul and I came back down here after dark and the whole street was filled with local vendors, musicians, and people just hanging out in the street. All without lenses in their glasses of course.
Street art.
Art galleries.
Secret Ingredient HQ.
The other new "it" place, Nosh. People pour out of this teeny brunch spot all weekend long. We haven't been yet because we're way too obsessed with our new oven. Brussels sprouts, muffins, roasted cauliflower...
More Temples
Despite all of the galleries and cafes, it's still very very local.
Local squash which was later turned into oatmeal almond muffins.
And that's our hood.
Welcome.
