What? 58 degrees today and sunny? Oh my.
We had a lovely day yesterday. We drove to Phoenicia, which is a tiny little town up in the Catskills. We took a rather hilly route and consequently learned that the CR-V doesn’t do so well anymore on that kind of terrain. Next time, either a different route or my car. But it was a lovely drive. The scenery is still winter-stark, but then again, I got to see houses that would normally be hidden by leafed out trees. Phoenicia is funky, known for its strong arts community, fly fishing, and tubing down the river.
Our first stop was at the Phoenicia Diner, which is very well known around here. This was our first time and it was packed. The food is delicious. More on all of that tomorrow.
It felt like we really got away to a completely different place. It turned out to be one of what we call our ‘road trip’ adventures, where wonderful and unexpected things happen just by our being open to the experience.
When we drove into Phoenicia proper after we ate at the Diner, one of our stops was an antique shop. To be frank, there wasn’t much there that interested us, but there was one thing. A stainless steel kitchen island that most likely came out of a restaurant. It’s definitely restaurant quality. I noticed it immediately and called Don over. He, being the cook, fell in love with it. The depth was fairly narrow and it seemed as if it would fit nicely in our kitchen. The price was great. So we measured and measured again, mostly to see if it would fit in the CR-V. It did.
Here it is:
Don loves it. The height is perfect for my very tall husband. There’s lots of prep space. We have very little counter space here. This gives us so much more! We can easily move the Fiesta compote off the top in order to use the entire length of the island. Also: much easier to clean than the first island, which periodically had to be repainted and it was a pain in the tush.
It’s also what I call “airier.” We can see through it to the cupboards. It’s not a heavy piece of furniture like the previous island, which was in reality a sideboard. And it isn’t too small to be a functional island, which our sweet French Bistro table was. It also echoes the chrome on Stella. We have to get used to it as we’ve both bumped into it this morning but we’re really happy with it. An unexpected find on our trip yesterday.
The other unexpected finds were those two vintage picnic basket tins. These were found in a shop that, again, had absolutely nothing that we found interesting but did have four of these tins stacked in the display window. I assumed they were for display purposes only, but they were for sale. We got a really good price for the two we bought and were already envisioning them on the shelf below the counter. They’ll provide much needed storage. I knew immediately that the island would need softening. Those sleek lines would need some vintage additions to fit in with our pottery and plant filled kitchen. I think we’ve managed to do that with the tins, the antique crate – which we already had – and the bright yellow compote on the top.
We were not expecting to buy anything but brunch, but we couldn’t pass these up. Serendipity!
The other side of the kitchen this morning:
Still haven’t painted the wall. Heaven knows when I will.
Yes, our kitchen is funky.
I’ll share some photos from our little journey tomorrow.
Oh, almost forgot! When Don went out to the car yesterday, he saw one of our groundhogs! Groundhogs hibernate for the winter, so this was a surprise, and it’s certainly the earliest we have ever seen one. Did he just come out to check on the weather? I don’t think it was Henry. It was the guy who lives next door and runs back and forth between our houses, because as soon as he saw Don he took off for our neighbor’s shed.
Happy Monday.
Great finds. I love the island and the tins, which those of us who live in small spaces know are great for storage. xo Laura
Yes! I have to clean out the interior, then I’ll fill them up! Thanks, Laura!
That island is so functional and good-looking!
It is. It was a great find, Cara!
I LOVE your new island. It is perfect for the reasons you stated. In the first picture you showed of it I immediately thought of how it blends in with the chrome on Stella. Great finds all around!
Thank you so much, Cathy. Stella is happy!
The island is perfect! I wouldn’t have thought so if I saw it in a shop, but seeing it in your kitchen and how it picks up on the chrome of Stella, plus how you softened it with the baskets and wooden crate, it totally works. It also looks tall, so I can understand how that work space would be perfect for Don.
We had beautiful weather yesterday, sunny and in the 50’s. Today it is cloudy and in the 30’s and tomorrow a big snow storm is coming. Tim’s plane is due to leave tomorrow afternoon, so we have a feeling it will either be delayed or cancelled.
Love the new island, and love your funky cottage.
Thank you so much, Debra!
Claudia, that island is perfect for your kitchen! You have a good “eye” for these things – I would have walked right past it .
Thank you, Deb! I’m so glad we found it.
Tall is good. Our countertops (though we hate the tile) are taller than is usual. That is a great help to Don. The island is just about as tall.
So sorry about the darned snow, Melanie!
That kitchen island is perfection! I have some of those big picnic basket tins and they are very handy in the kitchen. Some really good finds there.
Thank you, Judy. I’m ready to fill those tins with stuff!
You know, serendipity is one of my most favorite words. It always makes me smile because I associate it with an unexpected adventure of some sort. The island is another “meant to be” for MHC!! I thought of Stella as soon as I saw the picture. I bet she feels like she has a new friend. Just lovely!!
We had a glorious day yesterday as well. And that snowstorm that was headed our way has changed course (hopefully) and is headed south of us to Chicago. So very happy about that turn it has taken. With all of the melting we are enjoying, I dreaded the thought of another 6-9 inches that they were forecasting.
Have a wonderful Monday!
I love that word, as well. So happy to hear the snow is avoiding your area, but poor Melanie is going to have to cope with it now! Thanks, Chris.
Hi Claudia, Your new island fits perfectly in your kitchen! I noticed the pour over coffee top. I’ve been thinking about getting one. What type do you recommend? April
We have two kinds: the standard Melitta (which is orange) and a large ceramic one I got from Starbucks a few years back. We drink big mugs of coffee and I can use the ceramic one with just one pour-over. The smaller Melitta takes about three pour overs to fill a large mug. Melittas are much lighter in weight. Both are good, but the ceramic filter needs careful handling. It can be top heavy. Thanks, April.
Thank you Claudia. Have a great day!
xo
I love your kitchen and what terrific finds those were. Mine is so very small, I don’t think I could even fit that shelf in there. Pity! But so nice looking and I agree about the airiness of it. Don’t you love days like that? No expectations and then boom! Something wonderful happens!
I love, love days like that. Most of our finds around here have been on that sort of day. Our kitchen is big only because it’s also the dining room – two in one. Not much cupboard space, though – but lots of windows. Thanks, Jeanie.
Stella is happy to have a chrome friend. Open, storage space, counter space , tin baskets that were just right to fit in to add more storage, just right.
Joy
Just right! Thank you, Joy.
I really like your new island. My husband and I have thought about adding an island to our kitchen. If we do, it would have to be a skinny one like that. I was surprised to find out that the picnic baskets under it were made out of tin; they look so real!
They’re so sweet! Thanks, Jane.
Great finds!! My mother always took our tin picnic basket on road trips and made sandwiches from it. Nice to see a couple of other examples of the same.
So nice you have this trend in weather.
SF Bay Area is in blossoming profusion. We have a cherry tree in crazy mode. The previous owner used the area where this tree is growing for their compost. It was a number of years before we realized it was a cherry tree! Another area of our yard we have garlic that pops up – another compost thing.
Love hearing stories like yours, Martha!
I wish we were blooming here but I’m being very patient this year. Thanks!
Great addition to your kitchen!! Nothing like a boost in our safe zones!! (our homes)
Cool & sunny here in OB…
Yes, indeed! Thanks, Priscilla!
so beautiful! I think it has just been waiting patiently for you and your cottage!
I think it has, too. Thanks, Tammy!
Love the island! I often hear about Phoenicia from our kids. They have Manhattan friends who have summer homes there. It’s a good deal closer to the city than our lake house is and that’s one reason why they like it. Another place to check out in upstate NY.
I’m sure there are a lot of weekenders that have places in Phoenicia. It’s getting very crowded around here!
Thanks, Shanna.
Supremely serendipitous discovery ! I am so happy for your fun adventure and excellent find.
To this day I use a professional piece from my family’s restaurants in Chicago that I grabbed onto eons ago. Such pieces were designed to be precision heights (back savers) and to last forever. The clean lines, thus ease of sanitizing , cannot be overstated. Genuine restaurant equipment is a step apart from what we are offered for home use.
Claudia, you had a great day !
I did! Thanks for the additional information about the ease of sanitizing. Makes absolute sense. Thank you, R.
“See-thru” furniture like that can really open things up; I like! Congrats on a nice driving day which was also productive; just getting out after being shut in with ‘weather’ must have been so nice. You had a mini staycation; sometimes the best! Love the tins.
We’ve got an older car (age 21) that looks like crap but what no one knows is that she has the world’s best air conditioner, is a roomy old ‘boat’ which makes short road trips quite comfy as she sorta just glides down the highway and there’s good window visibility. Thing is, she doesn’t like to idle, as in a drive-thru; prefers the road to (the stop & starts of) city streets; but can’t take the hills without overheating. So, most routes have to be pre-planned to avoid her ‘dislikes’. We forgot to think about that one day and took ‘The Pass’ (shortcut thru the mountains) between Santa Barbara and Los Alivos (the movie “Sideways” wine-trip locales) in the Santa Ynez Valley and we actually had to stop, so the motor could cool down, on the side of the road in the middle of nowhere in what seemed like 110 degrees heat; was NOT pleasant; and, of all things, we had our dog with us and there were no trees, no shade, so my husband had to fashion a type of lean-to with a tarp and, thankfully, we had a lot of ice packs from the cooler and had taken many bottles of drinking water with us to keep the dog (and ME) cool (heat doesn’t bother the husband; but, I’m tell’in ya, we were BAKING in that sun). A mistake NEVER to be made again!
The CR-V is 20 years old and has crossed the country three times. It’s a great car, but…the mileage is getting way up there. We really can’t afford car payments so we’ll see what happens. For now, we’re babying it. Thanks, Vicki.
Yes, car payments, ugh; makes me shudder to think of it, which is why we tinker with aged vehicles already ‘paid for’ because although it often seems like they’re nickel-and-diming us, it’s still cheaper than a monthly payment, as in a year’s worth of payments or whatever. I have NO idea how people are affording these expensive vehicles on the road these days…the new cars…when it comes to motor vehicle department fees, the car insurance, etc. We haven’t bought a new car since 1996. We’ve only bought ‘used’.
A total aside: Do you get that AARP magazine? It’s new to me but, in the Feb-Mar 2020 issue on page 70, there’s a short article about the pop singer from our youth named Peter Noone of Herman’s Hermits. When I lived in Santa Barbara a thousand years ago, he was fairly well known in the area (must have lived in the environs) and would appear on telethons at the local TV affiliate (ABC); do public service announcements; etc. He seemed ageless at the time; really energetic and enthusiastic! Anyway, in this article, couldn’t help but think of you, as he said he’s a book collector…first editions, mostly about England and France (his longtime wife is French and they only speak French at home); prefers ‘the hunt’ at brick & mortar bookstores to online ordering; searching for a bookstore when he’s on tour helps pass the time healthfully; and, this is what I loved hearing him ‘say’, “I’ll use a Kindle on a plane but, otherwise, I like holding a book. I don’t want to just look at them. That would be like having a record collection and not playing the music.”
We do get that magazine and I’ll look for the article. How neat – a side of Peter Noone that I was unaware of! Thank you!
What a find, Claudia! Perfect for your home since it “suits” both Stella and Don. Your eye for integrating the island into the context of MHC is spot on.
Thank you so much, Karen!
Yes, I’d meant to say that I immediately noticed the chrome on Stella and your stainless steel waste can, the stainless steel kitchen sink; picking up the same ‘tone’ of the work table/island; goes together really well. It all complements each other. You keep doing things and finding ways to enhance your decor, Claudia! The kitchen island is functional as well as attractive as you’ve set it up, and you already love it; so, it’s perfect and the way we’re supposed to feel about (and accumulate/keep/surround ourselves with) the material objects in our lives.
We’re really happy with it. And Don had such a great time preparing dinner last night because he got to use it for prep.
Love the island! I could use something like that since I have such limited counter space also. I like how easy to clean. The tins are wonderful and I love the modern and vintage together. Oh those trips are the best fun. I miss being so free. I know it will happen again but for now I’m on call 24/7. Hugs!
You will be. I think of you often, Linda, and hope you’re hanging in there. xoxo
That table belongs there . Couldn’t look more at home. Great finds
Thank you so much, Sue!
What great finds. They look lovely in your charming kitchen. Glad you had a nice trip.
Marilyn
We did. Thank you, Marilyn!
oh, that new/old prep table/island is perfect (especially with stella) … and those sweet metal picnic baskets will provide wonderful storage! you have such a great eye for things, claudia!
i am happy for you and don that you had such a nice day … and not just for those finds.
i have an old blue cart that i love (the kind from junior high school … a great old painted metal cart with wheels and three shelves in a very pretty (now a little bit chippy) blue, used to move the projector, etc. from one room to another). i want it to hold my tv, movies and music, but that can’t happen in my little place right now (someday, somewhere i will make that work!) so it’s in the kitchen holding my cookbooks, microwave oven, etc. and i am pleased to have it. paid more than i really wanted to (an even $100) and it’s a drag to move to a new place for being super-heavy, but it is versatile and provides a lot of storage. and i like how it looks (obviously). :)
there aren’t a lot of antique shops around here, but when i stop at one, i am usually prepared with measurements of (i think) all my furniture and certain wall spaces … but other than measuring the island and car, did you just eyeball it and figure it would fit in your kitchen? whatever, it looks terrific and i am glad for you and don.
happy almost-tuesday.
kathy in iowa
That cart sounds like a gem, Kathy. I know exactly what you’re describing. Perfect, with an industrial look that must be striking.
We knew it would fit in the kitchen because we managed to fit in that big old sideboard-turned-island, and this was not quite as long. Thanks, Kathy!
PERFECT find . . . as soon as I saw the picture, I thought “looks perfect with Stella.” Good job . . . glad you picked it up and didn’t go home and regret not getting it! And . . . repeat after me . . . “CROOK, CON, GRIFTER, LOCK HIM UP.”
I repeat that every day, Chris! Thank you!
I’ve been to Phoenicia! It’s a wonderfully quirky town. What a great day for a road trip adventure. Your sleek stainless island is fabulous and a perfect compliment (either spelling) to Stella–I noticed right away that it accepted her chrome. Do you and Don ever watch the show Pickers? I saw an interview with the tall guy and his story is remarkable. I don’t watch regularly, but it fascinates me what they find, how they dicker, and how much more than sell something for than they buy it for! You and Don have a nose for unusual items that really fit your home.
We used to watch American Pickers all the time. We’re very familiar with it, and we’ve been to their original store in Iowa. Thanks, Nora.
Love the island ! I have one almost like it with the pot rack on one side. Your shelf is probably adjustable (mine is) if you ever need to change it. It gives your kitchen a completely different look.
I thought it might be adjustable. It’s perfect as is, but that’s good to know. Thank you, Suzanne!
I am in love with this Funky kitchen !! The steel table is perfect for minimalistic settings. The item that garnered my attention was your antique crate and the newly added vintage picnic basket tins. Both the pieces finished the antique and classy look of your tiny cookhouse. Serendipitous indeed!!
Thank you!