Time for an installment of Weekend Things:
1. We’re moving in the next couple weeks. We’ve lived in this small urban condo (the photo makes it look spacious – it’s not) for over two years and while it’s been fine, we’ve outgrown it and are ready for a change.
There’s a ton of street noise and sirens because we’re near a hospital, there’s thin walls and noisy neighbors, and a gym moved into the building and I’m sick of feeling my walls shake every time someone slams a stack of weights.
I developed all the recipes for my blog since May 2011 in this kitchen, and all the recipes in my cookbook.
I’ve washed thousands of dishes in that sink and I will not miss it one bit!
My new kitchen is lighter, brighter, and airier. Although it’s not more spacious, and has less storage space if that’s even possible. Yikes.
However, it’s much more open and I think I will like the layout better. If nothing else, I can look out the window while I’m in it. In my current kitchen, I’ve had a view of 3 walls.
Our new place is still urban, it’s still small, it’s still near my daughter’s school, it’s still a rental, but it’s new to us, and we are really excited.
It’s the lightest, brightest, most open and airy place I’ve lived in in ages, and the fabulous lighting for photography is a huge score.
2. But moving means packing, endless bags of trash and clutter being pitched, donations and trips to Goodwill, and the overall exhausting, seemingly never-ending task that is packing.
I keep telling myself it will be worth it when I’m unpacked. That’s the fun part. Getting my stuff in it’s new spot. But the boxing it all up part. Not so fun.
3. Embrace Your Dirty Hair – Five reasons why we all need to embrace our dirty hair (It’s a slide-show and you have to click on the red arrow on the right).
I’m personally a big fan of not washing more than every third day or so, and wash mine twice a week, give or take. In high school and college I would have died at the thought, but there are so many reasons why washing less, is more. It saves so much time first and foremost, it’s healthier for your hair, and I’m not blowing through expensive bottles of shampoo and conditioner nearly as quickly.
4. This walk-in pantry, and how organized it is. I’d kill for a pantry of that size. I have cupboards and shelves, and not a pantry but I’d love one.
And one I can walk into with 20 pastel-colored cake stands and glass jars to keep my dry goods? No words.
5. DIY Cro-Nots. What’s a cro-not? A pastry with the flakiness of a croissant, but the fluffiness of a doughnut. I’ll take two dozen.
6. These plates from Anthro, $24 each. I want them all.
7. A Day in the Life of a Food Blogger – A list of 20 things that no one tells you about food blogging and I have read lots of similar type lists over the years, but Russel’s list takes the cake as the most accurate, most hilarious, and most spot-on of any. A must read.
8. Beehive Cake Pan, $39 at World Market
9. I want to make this Peanut Butter Honey Buttermilk Cake with Chocolate-Peanut Butter Streusel as beehive and play up the honey theme.
10. Do yourself a favor and make a Malibu Sunset. It’s the perfect summery drink for a warm weekend afternoon. They go down ridiculously easy. You’ll thank me later.
What are your Weekend Things? Fan of dirty hair? (I am!)
If you’ve made anything, done, seen, or bought anything fabulous recently, feel free to link it up in the comments.
When was the last time you moved? Plans to move soon? When you’re looking at places to live, what’s most important to you – floorplan, square footage, neighborhood, noise level, proximity to your work/school, how close it is to the stores and places you go, etc.?
I’d rather live in a smaller urban place than live in a larger place in the burbs, and I’d rather compromise slightly on the neighborhood and am willing to deal with some noise or parking challenges if it means I get a kitchen that’s light and bright. So many pros/cons to think of. I’ll take that Malibu Sunset now.
LOVE #10 !
Congrats on moving in a brighter, bigger space, by now you must be all settled and feeling much lighter after not packing everything :)
Best of luck with the move!
That pantry! THOSE CAKE STANDS! Drool city.
We are in the process of moving now. Ugh.
LOVE those plates!! Moving is always exciting :-) The last time I moved was about 5 years ago. I like the packing/unpacking/purging/rearranging etc. that comes along with packing. New is always fun!
Girl I think I was reading your blog then! I remember wayyyyyy back that you moved. I swear I remember reading about it. Wow :)
aww congrats on the move. It must be a little bittersweet to leave the place that you’ve created so many amazing recipes :) and exciting too!
Thanks, Dervla. I’m ready to be out of here. Bittersweet, yes. But so looking forward to more windows and light! Yay! :)
I’m moving this weekend! Ugh. The kitchen and light were most important for me. Also , I really wanted a parking space. Luckily I got all of my wish list!
Congrats! That’s awesome! I got a parking space too!
We’re moving too!! What a nightmare. Never ending piles of stuff, and we live very small! That pantry would be too much for me. I am an essentials kind of gal. Like those plates, would totally be an essential. Oh and the cake pan, so pretty!!! Not so practical, or essential though. I keep my very short hair dirty whenever I’m not working, it drives my sisters crazy. I even made up a cult of my own, on sundays washing hair is forbidden. I already have some friends joining it, but I guess my sisters never will ;) oh well. Happy about your New kitchen!! For me the important thing when choosing an apartement is safety, clean Air, a garden and space for my cat, and an oven! My IDEAL place would have a fireplace and a bathtub too, but I’ll have to wait for those a little longer :(
Good luck on your move – your checklist is lovely and I’d love a garden too. Not happening any time soon but maybe a container garden :)
I’m assuming you’re in East County? I’m a native San Diegan, transplanted to Hawaii. Spring Vally, El Cajon, La Mesa, Lakeside, Alpine and now Oahu. Along with some military moves to Texas, Germany and Illinois. In the last 24 yrs I have moved 28 times. I HATE it every single time. AND I’m a pack rat. I just can’t get rid of something that I “might” need or use.
I don’t know how you survive without a big kitchen and pantry. I would give up a living room to have a nice kitchen with a good sized pantry and I don’t cook as much as you do.
Best of luck!! I love your blog.
Not in East County. Much more coastal :)
Sounds like you’re a moving pro! And yes, would love to have a big kitchen but it goes to show people that you can write cookbooks and a food blog even in a small space!
Good luck with your move!
Averie, I admire your creativity, your enthusiasm and your determination in running this blog from such a small kitchen (as the one on the picture)!!
What a great role model you could be to anyone who thinks of setting up a new blog!
Just read the Intro in your book, love the five recipes that take under 5 min time: -) my child is going to test them this afternoon:-) he loves cooking.
All the best!
Well what a lovely comment! Thanks for picking up my book and your child is a lucky taste-tester :) Glad you like that chapter of 5 under 5!
And thanks for the praise and kind words. I really do love what I do, but yes, my kitchen is small and tight and windowless. Just getting a window is going to be amazing :)
Dude, I NEED that pantry. And not washing your hair? Oh man. I wish I could do that but I’m such a germophobe that sometimes, I wash my hair twice a day! EEK!
You’re lucky that your hair can take that! Mine would be totally gone! lol
Moving is the worst. Good luck with everything! I can’t wait to see photos of your new kitchen!
I work in a tiny kitchen and it’s the pits. I have to keep moving things to put things down. I would love to have a large kitchen with lots of cupboards and a large pantry, but that won’t happen. I do need to pack some things away and get rid of them. Give to someone who could use them. Have a great weekend.
Thanks Liz and hope your weekend has been nice. I think donating/decluttering is great because you can find things better and like you said, it gives them to people who may actually use them.
I wash my hair every other day. I wish I could wait a day longer, but it’s too thin and therefore it will start to look greasy in no time!
Russel’s list had me rolling on the floor! :)
Congrats on your new place!!! I love new! We’re getting ready to move as well… I want to hire someone to pack me up! :)
First, imagine waking waking up every morning with your hair in at least 50 different directions. I look like a hot mess in the morning. If I am heading to the pool a baseball cap will tame it, and some days if not going out of the house, will just leave the baseball cap on. Otherwise, if other humans will see me, I have to wash my hair! So, I try to be antisocial every once in a while. I have short hair, and a lot of it.
Secondly, I want to thank you for your blog. I have loved so many recipes, and love reading your blog even if I am not going to make what you are touting. I have had huge success with your 7 minute caramels, and feel confident that people will love their little Christmas gifts this year! Also, the Malibu sunsets are to die for, though I add just a touch of diet sprite to cut down on the juice. It is an awesome drink.
Third, we just moved from wv to Arizona, and we hadn’t moved in years. The only thing I wouldn’t compromise was my kitchen and all the kitchen stuff I have collected per the las 40 years. I have tucked everywhere in the house, but can’t dare to part with any of it. My kitchen is small, but light and airy, a window and a sky light, couldn’t be happier.
Good luck with your move, and again thanks for a great blog!
What a great comment! Glad the caramels are working out and that they’ll be great Xmas gifts. Fabulous!
And the Malibu Sunset – Diet Sprite, good call to keep it lighter. You can also use diet Snapple or things like that. Whatever works and sounds good to you.
And moving…not compromising on kitchen stuff. I hear you! That’s the hardest to part with for me too!
Excellent post and so relatable, Averie! Good luck with your move and I hope your kitchen work flow and place to shoot (lighting) works out smoothly. I must say that your post is timely. Hugely so…as it coincides with Russell’s. (Thanks for the link. Read it and died laughing. Again, so relatable!) I had just read Joy the Baker’s posts earlier as well about her baking frenzies with shoots, no showers, no proper clothing and eating chips for dinner. Yep, yep and yep for me…right down to the unwashed hair and wearing the same t-shirt top for 3 days! The irony of your “Embrace Your Dirty Hair” link today is truly uncanny! I am writing a cookbook, too, and I’m feeling inundated keeping up with the blog, photo editing, social media, etc. as well. There’s no time for sleep, no time to make food for yourself to eat as a baker (since you bake things you cannot or should not have as a meal) or no time for even a nice long bath or shower. I usually wash my hair every other day or so, because it keeps hair healthy and shiny. But, this week, I have gone longer. LOL! Again, just a significantly timely post that I totally identify with. Moved often for hubby’s work (relocated to different states) so I know what it is like…seemingly endless packing! Sending out the positive vibes for you and your family, girl! xo
Congrats on your book! And anyone who’s written one knows that you dont shower, wear the same thing for days, eat cereal for dinner and leftover random things, and everything Joy said in her post, yep, totally agreed too! And Russel’s too :)
I wish you the best in getting through your book!
Congrats Averie! That sounds like a great move – I know what you mean about the kitchen size AND light. It is hard to find both when renting, but I agree that light is a huge priority.
Wow, we haven’t moved in about 1-1/2 years, a near record for us this past decade! It’s kind of fun trying out new kitchens and layouts (though moving is a pain). Right now, I have great light (LOVE it), but am craving a better laid out kitchen. Ours isn’t tiny (not big either), but it was poorly designed so the counter space and storage are meager.
Good luck with the move!
Thanks, Alisa, for saying hi and I remember your last move (and a couple before that too!). We’ve been here closing in on 2.5 years which is a record for us as well. Glad your lighting is great despite the floorplan being more iffy. I wish we could have it all :)