And the winner is…. Tanisha! More giveaways to come, promise. Thanks to all who entered!
Monthly Archives: February 2010
renovating for rent reduction?
Could you do it? Commit to renovating your city apartment in exchange for a reduction in rent for a long period of time? This couple in New York did. $19,000 worth of improvements (including labor and materials) in exchange for a $400 a month reduction over a four year period.
I wonder if my landlord might be down for something like this… after all, my husband was the one who sent me this link. I think he’s looking to get his hands dirty, don’t you?
the yucky before
the pretty after
Slideshow here. All images via New York Times.
Posted in inspiration
giveaway #2
I meant to do this yesterday but ended up having a super late delicious dinner at MK. So, here it is, my second giveaway! If you’ve been reading, you know my homegirl and I hit the jackpot at the junk store on Saturday, and I ended up with much more than I need. The pretty mugs are vintage restaurant china and so, so, so cute! Leave a note in the comments and I’ll pick a winner Friday night using random.org. Thank you all so much for reading Urban Casita.
Tagged giveaway
open books!
I was stranded at work last night and decided to walk around the neighborhood while I waited on husband dearest to rescue me. The snow was coming down pretty fast so I decided to warm up a block into my little stroll at Open Books, a new independent, not-for-profit bookshop in the heart of River North. Super cozy and filled to the brim with books on every subject under the sun, it was the perfect little oasis to watch the flakes come down.
Open Books doesn’t just sell books– they teach folks how to read them. A literacy program for children and adults is in the same building. If you’re looking for a good volunteer opportunity in Chicago, they have an orientation coming up in March. Sign up here. If you’re looking for a great read and are sick of going to Borders or Amazon, buy local and shop here.
Hardcovers were around $8 and softcovers, $5. I got a new copy of Black Betty by Walter Mosely and am so looking forward to settling down with a cup of tea and Easy Rawlins tonight.
Open Books
213 West Institute Place
Chicago, IL 60610
(312) 475-1355
Posted in urbanisms
thrifted
Twenty Steps to Bliss
1. Get up early on Saturday morning.
2. Call best friend.
3. Have a quick bite at the Flying Saucer in Humboldt Park.
4. Head to the secret store.
5. Remember that there’s no electricity, no heat and guard dogs.
6. Thank God you brought gloves.
7. Find twenty or so crates of vintage restaurant-ware.
8. Realize that said ware is covered in dirt, ice and paint chips.
9. Worry about asbestos exposure.
10. Stomp feet to keep warm.
11. Perform acrobatics to get to each crate.
12. Sift for over an hour.
13. Find an old laundry basket, fill it to the brim and bring it to the front.
14. Get quoted $20. Don’t even bother to haggle.
15. Drive home on Cloud 9.
16. Throw away gloves.
17. Use hot water and bleach on your dishware.
18. Lay out overnight.
19. Photograph with glee.
20. Plan a giveaway for Wednesday.
Did you find anything good at the thrift this weekend? Happy Monday!
positive friday
Dedicated to Okunola
Happy Friday! I’m closing out the first week in February with lots of good things on the horizon. Spring is definitely not right around the corner in Chicago but we’re inching closer and closer and I swear I can taste the fresh warm air if I think on it hard enough.
The word of the weekend is: shoot!
I started a photography class at the Chicago Photography Academy this week and the first assignment is to shoot 36 pictures of a Chicago block and to tell a particular story with my photos. The rules of the assignment? No deleting!
Not only am I doing homework for the first time in years but it looks like I’ll be cheating, too.
I’m really excited because I love cities and this is a neat opportunity to see how other people in the class view Chicago. I’m planning on taking pics along Division St. in Humboldt Park.
If I was in Milwaukee, I’d shoot Center St. in the Riverwest neighborhood of my youth (pictured).
If I was in New Orleans this weekend, you know where I’d be:
Bourbon St., WHO DAT?
What block in your city would you head to? What story am I telling anyways? I guess I’ll figure it out when I get there. Have a beautiful weekend!
Posted in positive friday
teensy tiny bedrooms
When my husband and I began searching for apartments last year we knew one thing: must. not. live. in. a. loft. Tired of trying to make our industrial loft into a home (an entirely new post, but my thoughts can be summed up in the hilarious Unhappy Hipsters blog), we were ready for a vintage Chicago apartment with all of the “perks”: wonky heat, uneven floors and shoebox-size bedrooms. A year later, and we’ve yet to actually do any serious work in those tiny bedrooms and it’s time to get started. My thoughts are all over the place execution-wise, evidenced by the photos that are inspiring me to get it together.
I love the striped floor and girly headboard. The floors in our bedroom were painted brown by previous tenants. Since the room is so small, it’s a good candidate for a first try at floor painting.
In love with these pillows, the unfussy bedding and the little sconces above the bed.
This is a much bigger bedroom than I could ever hope for but the colors are calling me. Not quite sure how I feel about the headboard. Is it leather?
The oversized headboard just might work in our space but the bench at the foot of the bed is a no-go. Our queen size bed fits into a tiny nook with no space at the foot of the bed for anything. Finally, the lace coverlet is completely impractical. Still, I’m loving the overall design of this cheerful room.
Which one is your favorite?
Photo credits: RoomLust, isuwanne, WeHeartIt, BHG
black and white
I spent part of the weekend combing through old copies of Elle Decor for little photos to put in my twenty cent thrift store frames. One of my favorite issues featured Nate Berkus’ apartment and I recalled immediately falling in love with the piece in the right hand corner that reads “God Bless America” over and over. While I’m betting it cost a pretty penny, I think you could easily mimic the writing in your own home with chalkboard paint and a piece of wood. If you’re just looking for black and white text with no fuss, check out some cool posters.
$770, Restoration Hardware (YES, $770!)
$38, The Love Shop
$18, The Love Shop
$18, My Sweet Prints
$18, Field Trip
schoolgirl!
Hello, internet! I’m off to take my first ever photography class so I can figure out how to use this thing. Back tomorrow!
Posted in my life (personally speaking)
