Monday, Monday

And my hubby was gone all weekend, so I’ve taken advantage of him as much as possible tonight.  Not in that way- get your mind out of the gutter.  So far, we’ve been to the dog park (I am dirty from this, and all I did was watch the running around!), made roast chicken and broccoli, ordered a wedding gift, posted an ad on Craigslist (already received about 5 interested parties and someone +might+ be coming by TONIGHT), put together a gift for a friend, oh and mostly assembled a changing table (that was all him- I just supervised).  This is all since I returned from work at 5:45, but its the usual sort of antics around here, which is why blogging can get pushed to the bottom of the list.  I apologize.  I miss you guys.  I have a list of post topics as long as my arm, and I am struggling to stay current.  I don’t want to bombard you all at once, but here are some things that have been on my mind lately:

Virginia bans the cul-de-sac.  Actually, this is old news, as it is legislation that passed last year, but it’s news that probably passed me by since we didn’t live here at the time last year.  I’m still searching for the exact wording of the law and when it comes into effect, but on the surface, I agree.  I absolutely love living in an area with gridded streets.  I think the idea that culs-de-sac (the proper French plural) are safer is a false sense of security, and I like the connectivity and sense of orientation that the grid provides.  What do you think?

One of my professors has a new book.

My esteemed studio professor from UVA, Ed Ford, has a new book about the five houses he’s built for himself and his family and the lessons in detailing he’s learned along the way.  Professor Ford is most well-known for his books The Details of Modern Architecture, volumes 1 and 2.  As was the custom at UVA, I was able to visit one of these homes in Charlottesville he was completing while I was a student in 2001.  I remember being astounded by some of the incredible ideas within this house and how they had been executed.  This man knows his stuff.  I have added this book to my Amazon wishlist.  It’s gotten to be quite the list lately.

And lastly (for tonight):  the Washington Post Peeps contest winner from Easter.  Boy am I behind.  This year’s winning entry featured a scene from the movie Up. Check it out here, along with the other creative confectionary entries.  I’ve taken notes.  I so want to enter this contest next year.  I think my favorite from this year, aside from the winner, was "Peepocalypse 2010: Dupont Circle Snowball Fight", which of course depicted a scene from the infamous D.C. snowball fight that erupted in police intervention.  Oh, Washington.

the first day of Spring

Let’s all think back to what we were doing on Saturday, March 20th, the first day of Spring 2010.  I was very lucky to embark on a trip to Lucketts, Virginia, a small town about 15 miles north of Leesburg known for its collection of antique shops.  The weather cooperated (though I can’t say as much for my allergies) and we had a gorgeous day of scouting out the scene.  Here are a few of my photos from the two shops we visited, The Old Lucketts Store and On A Whim, both of which had indoor and outdoor displays and merchandise.

   

So many things to do with old doors!

There were these outdoor sheds filled with goodies.  Check out all the chandeliers.

I know the above seems useless, but I can think of lots of fun things to build with those posts and columns.

Anyone need board shorts, Chuck Taylors, or half of a canoe?  That thing would be so cool in a little boy’s room (or a man room).

I really wanted that old hardware store sorting bin.  It would make a killer kitchen island.  I have to keep telling myself that things like this will still be around when we are finally furnishing our own house (or I am designing one for someone else) because someone needs to have this thing in their kitchen.

The Old Lucketts Store is great because not only does it feature these low-priced gems outdoors, but indoors they have already-styled pieces put together in rooms to show you how to incorporate them into your home.  I didn’t take any photos indoors (that seemed like it could be a no-no) but their website does a great job of enticing you.  Also, in researching this post, I have since found an Apartment Therapy post about Lucketts from February of last year. 

Though I had a great time browsing, I came up short with the main focus of my hunt:  an interesting piece of furniture I could use for a changing table.  In the end, I couldn’t find something that would fit both the size requirements of a changing pad, the size requirements of the room, and our budget.  I’ve settled for the path of least resistance and ordered the changing cabinet that matches the crib.  It’s currently in pieces, awaiting assembly in our soon-to-be nursery.  You’ll just have to wait for a post about nursery design (on a dime, in a temporary shoebox).