Kitchen Switchin'

Ready for this? Well, I'm not entirely sure you are, but here we go anyway:

The (upper) kitchen cabinets are refinished and installed! That's right, we officially have a completely overhauled and working (upper half of our) kitchen!

Alright so you caught that it's all only truly half complete, but wow, what a half it is. If anything motivates me to do a few more weeks of tedious, take-an-advil-for-back-pain work, it's seeing how successful the first go 'round has been. Here's what we were working with on move-in day two years ago, and save the wall color, flooring, and countertop (oh, we threw a fridge in there too)... Not a ton has changed.

I'll give you as short a version as I can...
First, the usual: Sand. Wipe down with liquid deglosser. Prime (twice) and paint (twice). I sprung for Benjamin Moore Advance paint, which from my research sounded like the best for cabinetry.

Right to Left: Sanded, primed, painted - Used a foam roller and a 2" handle brush.

Ain't no lie.
This stuff is pretty much straight outta Harry Potter: It's self-leveling, which means it figures out how to cover your brush strokes. Plus the word on the street is that although it's a latex paint, it's as durable as an oil-based, which is pretty much the dream in cabinet world.

Top to Bottom: Getting sanded, primed, and painted.

The actual functioning cabinet parts stayed on the wall (with everything still in them, #LazyDIY), and got exactly the same treatment.

Transformation Station!

Lastly, Nate whipped up a paper template, drilled holes, and screwed in the new handles (more on those here).

Bumpers

Back up went the doors, and with the stick of a vinyl bumper to protect the edges and keep the screw backs from banging up the cabinet base, we were..... done!

I'm a teensy bit in denial that we now have to do the entire bottom section, but knowing what we're doing works and looks good almost makes me excited to tackle the rest. Almost.

Savor the Flavors

I've been living in or around the city of Seattle for pushing 14 years (whoa.), and never had I heard a whisper about Savor Seattle until a friend who moved away to Minnesota made me a reservation. What I've been missing! In a nutshell, the concept is a themed walking tour of a Seattle neighborhood, complete with delectable food and drink and preferential treatment at each stop. Examples: Pike Place Market. Chocolate. Gourmet Restaurants. Yeah. Top each off with a witty, crazy-knowledgeable guide, and there you have it: Savor Seattle.

My wonderful friend Katy made reservations for all of us who helped her pull the trigger on purchasing a wedding dress earlier in the day, so a celebration was had on our tour: Booze and Bites. Small plates and a half-size drink at each location (six, in this case), perfectly paired and all super different and delicious.

Tacos and a mini marg at El Barracho.

The underground (seriously, you look UP at the sidewalk) bar of The Can Can

Bon Apetit magazine calls it a "must on any foodie traveler's to-see list" and TripAdvisor.com puts it in the top 10 tours in America, and the #1 attraction in Seattle. Do you see why I can't figure out how I've gone all these years without knowing?!

Some highlights, including a drink that begins with a glass full of cotton candy (top right)!

The card given at the tour's end offers a discount at a laundry list of downtown hot spots.

Go as a group, go on a date, go as a single: Guaranteed fun, good food, and a little more knowledge about a city with a fascinating history. Delicious.

Random Round Up: Your Sunshiny Face

Such a fun weekend, guys. The perfect kickoff to the first day of summer - Happy Solstice!

The elusive Fire Rainbow over Seattle on summer's first day!

My first pho with work friends. Verdict: YES.

Staked out and waiting for dad to come home.

First backyard bouquet. 

Nothing like a sunny day with the bestie.

Have a great week - I've got some fun stuff to share, including BIG changes in the kitchen!

Random Round Up: Raindrops on Roses

Spring in western Washington: Sunny and 70° to pouring and 55° - and back again - in minutes.
The perfect weather to be out and about in, right? I braved it, and it was worth it.

My roses are about to burst, can't wait!

Father's Day = Spice Drops

This kid loves a plastic bottle more than any other toy.

Helped Katy say yes to the dress!

Some time in and around Pike Place Market - More on that later.

Have a great week!

Balance

Being sick always throws me. Trying to get back on track with workouts, friends, and house projects this weekend... Which isn't looking good since I have social stuff to do both Saturday and Sunday (#GoodProblems).

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How do you get back on track when you're shaken off?

Random Round Up: Down But Not Out

I know we kicked off the week a little heavy, but as we all must, let's get some normalcy back. Here's what went on 'round these parts over an exceptionally awesome weather weekend:

Waterfront happy hour with my favorite work girls.

Thrill: There's a peony growing in my backyard!!

Got absolutely nailed by a horrible cold this weekend. Rough.

Tiny skillets = Individual skillet cookies (or "skookies") for dessert a la my mother-in-law!

Not quite as many sun beams headed my way this week, but hopefully wellness in time for some Father's Day and friend-wedding-dress-shopping-fun this weekend ahead. Have a great one, guys.

Tragedy Comes Home

I'm a proud graduate of Seattle Pacific University, and in the face of extreme tragedy, can say I'm prouder still of the way the university and students have handled themselves.

Thursday my jaw hit the ground as I watched every local news channel cover a shooting in an SPU building. The phrase "tight-knit community" isn't just a newscast catch phrase on this one. I can say from first-hand experience that SPU is a seriously tight-knit, home-away-from-home, community-oriented place. And to have it shattered so ruthlessly was beyond shocking.

I couldn't believe the cross that appeared in my Instagram #PrayForSPU search.

We won't talk about how long it's been since I graduated, but we definitely weren't running terrorism drills in class. I was shocked to hear a student in her senior year being interviewed say she knew what to do because of drills run twice yearly. It's both amazing and terribly sad to me that those are now an expected part of collegiate life.

Please, keep SPU as a whole in your thoughts and prayers. The story may be fading in the news, but for the students, faculty, and alumni the moment has not nearly passed. If you'd like to contribute in any way to the victims, you can do so by clicking here and choosing the SPU Rise Above Fund from the designation drop-down menu, created specifically to support those affected by this tragedy.

Thank you, from this alumna, for any good vibes of all sorts. They're felt.

Random Round Up: Sun & Shower

Finally! A weekend of nothing but sun and breezes and gorgeousness. I managed to stay out in it by working in the yard(s) on Saturday, and while Sunday was spent mostly at a bridal shower indoors, it was at a home with the most glorious view of the salt water.

Invasion of the tent caterpillars. So destructive. Ugh.

Tuck & I catchin' a breeze in the passenger seat.

I was put in charge of the bride-to-be's ribbon bouquet.

My mother-in-law made the cutest mini-cupcake dress.

One quarter of the panoramic view. Not bad, eh?

Happy Monday kids.