Summer Reading List

<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5348380350974064930" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8LnuK4KbgDgIrYceEucl82dq2CrVhK-kAT7I_WLceCVw6fBmpGj7Z-BMLf5Z0rt2ZEdeV-rDYHg0oFrkxrtSj13B47kg2M9UQ_GH8hK9I56gT2GpNauA3D4y-N38Fu8BgheridqcnR29Q/s400/books+martha.jpg" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 321px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 397px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" /><br /><div><span style="font-family:verdana;">Now that it is summer time, I have a lot of time on my hands, which allows me to read more than usual. While I am planning on reading, or in some cases re-reading the books from my <a href="http://paloma81.blogspot.com/2009/03/literary-love-theyre-here.html">Penguin Classics Collection</a> later this summer, I am in the mood for something a little lighter right now. I purchased Candace Bushnell's most recent novel, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/One-Fifth-Avenue-Candace-Bushnell/dp/1401301614/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1245267273&sr=8-1">One Fifth Avenue </a>the other day, but haven't really been able to get into it. </span></div><div><span style="font-family:verdana;"></span> </div><div><span style="font-family:verdana;"><BR>What is on your summer reading list? I find that it is usually best to read books that have been recommended by someone else as opposed to judging a book by its cover at the store. What have you read and loved recently? What are you planning to read soon?</span><br /><br /></div><div></div>

Summer Reading List

Now that it is summer time, I have a lot of time on my hands, which allows me to read more than usual. While I am planning on reading, or i...

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Thank you, Adriene! ( and a little Tate update)

<div align="center"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi69BTWtd-Wve_NYladG5xRBky7tu-HyuakE2BlWrkQMo3BS_2UBzdOX35stkWJI_B8zQ-5LZM277YuoNCZpfaP7Od4WHgQBATX6DyGuTu-bC7VKnMPhiSbctWKHq-KoSYiN1j8vfW0hruk/s1600-h/040.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5348132250665276050" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi69BTWtd-Wve_NYladG5xRBky7tu-HyuakE2BlWrkQMo3BS_2UBzdOX35stkWJI_B8zQ-5LZM277YuoNCZpfaP7Od4WHgQBATX6DyGuTu-bC7VKnMPhiSbctWKHq-KoSYiN1j8vfW0hruk/s400/040.JPG" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" /></a> <strong><span style="font-family:verdana;">Peonies on my Breakfast Table- I am so happy to have finally found some in Houston!</span></strong> <div align="center"></div><span style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-family:verdana;">I just wanted to say a very big thank you to my sweet friend <a href="http://princessadriene.blogspot.com/">Adriene </a>who sent Tate the best package yesterday all the way from Wichita. I was floored to open a box from UPS filled with six or seven awesome toys for little Tate from Adriene's pups, Habibi and Beasley. It was a completely unexpected surprise and is a testament to Adriene's kind, thoughtful, and generous nature.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;"></span><br /><br /><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilwD3yGkuO-R9BFTNYcyfXx2jfmL11F0zQAwPQcLwwedz_l_RMwL9Cx6O5M7tXS1ku4IJXUn_ACzt_PXR0nVML6RsFifCkQuptSIoPzkziInTFpoEGNod18ii10chNLt4-q1L7-j2PCl9P/s1600-h/Tate+toy.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5348131737955035922" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilwD3yGkuO-R9BFTNYcyfXx2jfmL11F0zQAwPQcLwwedz_l_RMwL9Cx6O5M7tXS1ku4IJXUn_ACzt_PXR0nVML6RsFifCkQuptSIoPzkziInTFpoEGNod18ii10chNLt4-q1L7-j2PCl9P/s400/Tate+toy.jpg" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" /></a><span style="font-family:verdana;"> Sorry about the awful quality of the next two pictures. I took them with my phone since Tate hates the red, blinking light on my camera and always turns his handsome little face away. Anyhow, here he is playing with one of the fun toys Adriene and the boys sent. He absolutely loves them!</span><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilSAlRAwHM9P7sCvOaCKzkLai2GgTKEzU79d8ykpGz4mvGb6Rf_dlBZYps445cuZ7RN55I9SkyqaQqdCgmuL6rbTjJ1lZac_YY88IEQNmub13sb6Z3dtL8-BNMNDMTASMnPGukjAV1iYlk/s1600-h/tate.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5348131730636945762" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilSAlRAwHM9P7sCvOaCKzkLai2GgTKEzU79d8ykpGz4mvGb6Rf_dlBZYps445cuZ7RN55I9SkyqaQqdCgmuL6rbTjJ1lZac_YY88IEQNmub13sb6Z3dtL8-BNMNDMTASMnPGukjAV1iYlk/s400/tate.jpg" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 250px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" /></a><span style="font-family:verdana;"> Another iPhone picture, but I can't resist. This one is too cute not to share with you guys.</span><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaVa8QDXsxRmaJr2ayZd8jbI4zR-IqJ67-r10BwpdumwjpptNJ582hAHurgeBMN_kzOXpIFRj1ztYp1New0vX78FMjwTr_YY2zYpzZfvO0OugnsiwP4deiHjKYbwPHsBy2oXvEDYL-7hVG/s1600-h/070.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5348131374586029346" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaVa8QDXsxRmaJr2ayZd8jbI4zR-IqJ67-r10BwpdumwjpptNJ582hAHurgeBMN_kzOXpIFRj1ztYp1New0vX78FMjwTr_YY2zYpzZfvO0OugnsiwP4deiHjKYbwPHsBy2oXvEDYL-7hVG/s400/070.JPG" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" /></a><span style="font-family:verdana;"> On Sunday, we bought a little puppy pool for Tate thinking he would love it since it has been so unbearably hot lately. Boy, were we wrong! He jumped out as soon as we put him in it. I did make Fabian put him back in and hold him in place for a few seconds while I tried to snap a couple of pictures. Unfortunately, it looks like Fabian is choking him here, but I swear he isn't! We love our little Tater Tot. :)</span><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuKW1Mif7-9ZwXiNic2h2gicwd_CCNhusafuPS2CCoyASJn1VlI42IMrJl37ClpXd1TAk0QLvJ-RPLOrYog998JAgaYKTSea5vs9H89gAQx18WRac9PRDSE0Bty3oG0LKlzlDIp418aQyj/s1600-h/062.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5348131369623310434" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuKW1Mif7-9ZwXiNic2h2gicwd_CCNhusafuPS2CCoyASJn1VlI42IMrJl37ClpXd1TAk0QLvJ-RPLOrYog998JAgaYKTSea5vs9H89gAQx18WRac9PRDSE0Bty3oG0LKlzlDIp418aQyj/s400/062.JPG" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" /></a></div><br /></div><p align="center"><span style="font-family:verdana;">Tate Refusing to Strike a Pose</span></p><p></p></div>

Thank you, Adriene! ( and a little Tate update)

Peonies on my Breakfast Table- I am so happy to have finally found some in Houston! I just wanted to say a very big thank you to my sweet ...

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Personal Style, Defined: Brooklyn Limestone

<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg47R4J1zwQwnJd-FpTlO1yOraCQfZ3ulBZ_sWgImnlLE5v5YmcToUWiA-H6D0teLEPoACDN-PxlIldUDNAuKoWiu_eWM6YtCEfEjRoqLuRyz0UWY8DNPkYFTXkj_Npf4rGlnNL0Qf8dVh6/s1600-h/brooklyn.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5347939449733217394" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg47R4J1zwQwnJd-FpTlO1yOraCQfZ3ulBZ_sWgImnlLE5v5YmcToUWiA-H6D0teLEPoACDN-PxlIldUDNAuKoWiu_eWM6YtCEfEjRoqLuRyz0UWY8DNPkYFTXkj_Npf4rGlnNL0Qf8dVh6/s400/brooklyn.jpg" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 131px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" /></a><br /><div><span style="font-family:verdana;">I have loved </span><a href="http://www.brooklynlimestone.com/"><span style="font-family:verdana;">Adventures in Renovating a Brooklyn Limestone</span></a><span style="font-family:verdana;"> since I came across it for the first time. Not only is Stefanie, the blog's author completely engaging, but she has excellent photography skills and lives in a gorgeous limestone townhouse in Brooklyn. She frequently shares before and after pictures of her projects in which she showcases her beautiful taste. In addition, Stefanie hosts the most </span><a href="http://www.brooklynlimestone.com/2008/10/when-life-gives-you-lemons.html"><span style="font-family:verdana;">incredible soirees </span></a><span style="font-family:verdana;">with the most thoughtful attention to detail. </span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">Stefanie has showcased the renovation of her office, bedroom, living room, and kitchen among other rooms. Her kitchen is undoubtedly my favorite room in the house. I love that it feels modern, yet remains in line with the original sensibility of the house. Stefanie and her husband stayed true to the bones of the house without being literal about it. However, the kitchen is completely conducive to modern living. All of this is especially remarkable considering the fact that what is now the kitchen was once a bedroom. </span><a href="http://www.brooklynlimestone.com/2009/04/was-my-invite-lost-in-mail.html"><span style="font-family:verdana;">Simon and Alex</span></a><span style="font-family:verdana;">, take note. <em>This</em> is what a Brooklyn Limestone should look like! Thank you so much for being a part of <a href="http://paloma81.blogspot.com/search?q=personal+style">this series</a>, Stefanie!</span><br /><br />First off, thanks so much to Paloma for asking me to participate in the series. The idea that anyone reads my blog still surprises me but when its someone so universally respected, I just had to do a happy dance. Thanks again!<br /><br />On to the task at hand. I'm going to come right out and say it - I have no idea how to define my personal style. I am old enough to know that my personal style is still evolving. What I thought was the cat's pajamas 10 years ago turns my stomach now. I chalk some of that up to maturing but some is just time and exposure. So instead of summing it up in esoteric terms, I thought I'd share a favorite room along with the some of my "rules" I used while renovating my home.<br /><br />Welcome to my kitchen (look, I bought some bodega flowers just for your visit!)...<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/stefanier/3626575140/" title="KitchenatAngle by MrsLimestone, on Flickr"><img alt="KitchenatAngle" height="750" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3641/3626575140_623c899943_b.jpg" width="500" /></a><br /><br />Like in most homes, it’s the nerve center. Its where my husband and I cook, eat, discuss our day, make big decisions and entertain. Is there anything more to life than that? But it didn't always look like this. I give you the "before":<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/stefanier/2429110738/" title="Kitchen Before by MrsLimestone, on Flickr"><img alt="Kitchen Before" height="333" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3149/2429110738_96e67eafae.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />(In case you're curious, it used to be a tiny bedroom.)<br /><br />How we'd get it from then to now?<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/stefanier/3626593832/" title="Kitchen1 by MrsLimestone, on Flickr"><img alt="Kitchen1" height="658" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3657/3626593832_43ea86c4ca_b.jpg" width="500" /></a><br /><br />Mixing Old with New: There is no more challenging room to renovate in an old home than the kitchen. How do you introduce all that new fangled equipment into a house that was built when coal stove in the basement was all the rage? What we attempted to do here is to honor the past but embrace the present. We didn't hide all of our appliances or recreate a dark Victorian scullery. We selected cabinetry and materials that gave a bow to the more interesting architectural details of the house but didn't pretend to be originals. We added modern appliances, display and storage. Together it creates a space that immediately feels like home to us. We tried to follow the same idea when renovating the rest of the house as well.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/stefanier/3626558108/" title="SoaponSink by MrsLimestone, on Flickr"><img alt="SoaponSink" height="332" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3321/3626558108_34d91c2c6d.jpg" width="500" /></a><br /><br />Time travel.: I'm sure this sounds insane but I'm going to share it with you anyway. Before we made most decisions I consulted with my future self. (You can rest easy in knowing that future me never answered back.) The question was always the same: will this still be appreciated down the road? Will I be sick of looking at a certain finish or feature? I can't say we made the right decisions but the intent is to be as timeless as possible. We weren't going to be renovating again anytime soon so it better be right! Anything deemed a fad was nixed with the idea that trends can always be added as accessories.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/stefanier/3625810969/" title="UpperCabinets by MrsLimestone, on Flickr"><img alt="UpperCabinets" height="332" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2464/3625810969_cc701994ee.jpg" width="500" /></a><br /><br />Use What You Have: Its the oldest form of being green - using materials we already had. Our house was in pretty bad shape so there wasn't much to salvage but took what we could. Case in point the subway tiles we used in the backsplash were the original bathroom tiles. A lot of sweat went into getting those off the wall and ready for reuse but it was worth it.<br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/stefanier/2267054060/" title="Backsplash complete Kitchen by MrsLimestone, on Flickr"><img alt="Backsplash complete Kitchen" height="333" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2034/2267054060_97c70ff656.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />Mix Metals: I struggled a lot with the mixing metals concept. It went against what so many people were telling me to do. Finally I just said enough - I was doing it. And I'm so happy I did. Mixing old brass, bronze nickel and stainless looks just right to me. It added that extra personality and texture I wanted while giving me the a lot more freedom to add vintage and new in the mix.<br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/stefanier/3626612016/" title="Lightswitches by MrsLimestone, on Flickr"><img alt="Lightswitches" height="383" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3408/3626612016_6fb9398382.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />Lighting: I tend to stick with the idea there can never be too much light. The cost of having a few more lights added while the walls were open is well worth having just the right illumination for any occasion.<br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/stefanier/3626569766/" title="CrushedIce by MrsLimestone, on Flickr"><img alt="CrushedIce" height="753" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3395/3626569766_fd76ccb209_b.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />Sometimes form does beat function: I don't recommend living by this one but sometimes there is something so important you throw caution to the wind. What am I talking about? Two words: Crushed Ice. Had to have it so I accepted that the fridge sticks out a bit more than I would have liked.</div>

Personal Style, Defined: Brooklyn Limestone

I have loved Adventures in Renovating a Brooklyn Limestone since I came across it for the first time. Not only is Stefanie, the blog's ...

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