tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-78364812024-03-07T02:25:52.788-05:00For What It's WorthMusings, photos, and miscellany.NickSabhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12367482393795928301noreply@blogger.comBlogger52125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7836481.post-75680449735047591682016-06-09T08:05:00.000-05:002016-06-09T08:05:12.446-05:00Home Care Tips with Nick: Today's Episode - Cleaning Stainless<div class="_1dwg _1w_m" style="font-family: inherit; padding: 12px 12px 0px;">
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ANNOUNCER: "Today on Home Care Tips with Nick..."</div>
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Do you have any stainless appliances or other stuff? Are you never satisfied with how it looks? Smudges, streaks, etc? If you have no idea why I'd care about this, then feel free to move on to the next post. It only gets worse after this.</div>
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I just discovered a cleaning method that has me entirely too excited. It's like this itch I've had forever, and suddenly figured out how to make it go away. (I realize this puts me into some <span class="text_exposed_show" style="display: inline; font-family: inherit;">very special category of person.)</span></div>
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And so, here's the magic tip:</div>
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First, clean with 99% isopropyl alcohol (got mine on Amazon - where else). Then, wipe down with heavy mineral oil (got mine from the grocery store), which protects the surface. Then a final wipe to remove excess oil.</div>
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I just use paper towels, but would probably be better to use a dedicated lint-free cloth for the alcohol and oil. Always wipe with the grain of the metal.</div>
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This simple regimen makes old appliances look like new, and makes even new appliances look 10x better. I'm not even kidding.</div>
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My father-in-law asked if the oil attracts dust, and my answer is no. You only leave a very light coat on. I also think the oil makes it easier to do spot cleanups, as the oil makes it less likely that fingerprints or other residues can stick.</div>
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The downside is that now I basically don't want to use the kitchen.</div>
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NickSabhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12367482393795928301noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7836481.post-75775687567627485422012-11-25T13:23:00.000-05:002012-11-25T13:38:01.144-05:00Trip to Northern Coast of Colombia<br />
<h2>
<b>About this Post</b></h2>
This post is mostly for friends and family who might want more details about the trip. (Feel free to skip over the writing and skim the photos!) But I also hope some of this may help other potential visitors who are considering a trip to the area. I had lots of questions, and it was difficult to get a good sense of what to expect. <br />
<h2>
<b>Why Colombia?
</b></h2>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjduhCu-2DDJfUq_RwomGVl3Uic_t2Kmw-uabXswfno5nxgVVvbTTkBQ-W25n2iF66OUYDKKLRCfXbNQNy0XFBZW9SYM0ar7paWo61XXbwR8Wp4BXKM-ctMmiUyWCPVkIwG1D0Z/s1600/colombia.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjduhCu-2DDJfUq_RwomGVl3Uic_t2Kmw-uabXswfno5nxgVVvbTTkBQ-W25n2iF66OUYDKKLRCfXbNQNy0XFBZW9SYM0ar7paWo61XXbwR8Wp4BXKM-ctMmiUyWCPVkIwG1D0Z/s320/colombia.png" width="296" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Colombia (Google Maps)</td></tr>
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Andrea's job takes her all over the world, and in October she went to Peru and then straight to Colombia. As we've done before, we worked a vacation into the end of her work week. Colombia is one of the most biodiverse places in the world, so we hoped to see wildlife. We enjoyed our trip to Costa Rica, and figured there would be similarities. Cartagena also gets great reviews as a tourist destination.<br />
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I flew down to join her in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cartagena,_Colombia">Cartagena </a>on October 25th, and we flew back to Atlanta the following week. We drove up the coast to <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Santa_Marta,_Colombia">Santa Marta</a> for a few days in between.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Northern coast of Colombia. Cartagena in the lower left, <br />
Santa Marta at the top right. (Google Maps image.)</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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<br />
Also, while my Spanish is very poor, I did take years of it, so I know enough to get by in most situations. It came in handy a few times. Other times, I was totally lost (much to Andrea's amusement).<br />
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As with most of our trips, we did a bit of research before we left, but once we got there just took it day by day, deciding where to go and what to do mostly on the fly. <br />
<h2>
<b>Preconceived Ideas </b></h2>
I was more than a bit hesitant to go to Colombia. The US government underscored my fears by updating a <a href="http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/tw/tw_5778.html">travel warning</a> a couple weeks before we left. I have a couple co-workers who have family there - one said it's perfectly safe, the other implied I may be taking my chances, especially when I said we planned to rent a car and drive between cities.<br />
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Once Andrea arrived in Peru, she got a chance to talk to more people familiar with Colombia, and they said we should be just fine. I also read a lot of reviews on <a href="http://www.tripadvisor.com/">TripAdvisor</a> and other sites, and became convinced that the area we were visiting was fairly safe.<br />
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In the end, I actually felt quite comfortable for the most part. I felt safer there than in some places in Atlanta. Now it's true that we were in a one small part of the country, an area where I believe there has been a focused effort to curb crime. I'm sure there are still areas to be avoided, but I can only speak to the area we visited.<br />
<h2>
<b>Arriving in Cartagena</b></h2>
I arrived midday on Thursday, exchanged some $US for Colombia pesos, and took a cab to the hotel. The first thing I noticed was the humidity - it wasn't terribly hot, just very very muggy. That would come to define much of the trip for me - walking around with a damp shirt most of the time.<br />
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On the way, the driver told me the trip cost was 25COP. Travel sites advise you to set the price with the driver in advance. So, in my broken Spanish, I told him that my wife was already here, and she said it was 16COP. "Tranquilo, tranquilo amigo" was the response. There are set rates for taxi travel between zones, and fines for drivers who don't follow them. Tipping is not customary, but I gave him a bit extra simply for not giving me a hard time.<br />
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I got to the <a href="http://www3.hilton.com/en/hotels/colombia/hilton-cartagena-hotel-CTGHIHH/index.html">Hilton </a>(we stayed for "free" with Andrea's travel points) and checked in with no problem.<br />
The room had a nice view of the skyline of white buildings along the coast and an inlet with numerous shorebirds.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View from our hotel room in Cartagena</td></tr>
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Unfortunately, when I opened the door to the room, I was hit with the odor of mildew. Now, yes, I get it: it's humid there. But this was extreme. The room was simply damp. I felt it when I sat on the bed. I already have sinus issues, and staying in that room was difficult. We stayed in another hotel in Santa Marta later, and it was a totally different experience. I suspect a large hotel like the Hilton turns the AC off for periods of time, and eventually that leads to problems.<br />
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Having gotten up at 3am to catch my flight that day, I was beat when I arrived. So I just fell into bed for a long nap until Andrea got back from her work day. That night we walked into the city area and had an unremarkable pizza at an outdoor cafe. <br />
<h2>
Walled City </h2>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Walled City, Cartagena, Colombia</td></tr>
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The next day we took a cab to the <a href="http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g297476-d555214-Reviews-Walled_City-Cartagena.html">Walled City</a> with its cobblestone streets, lush shaded plazas, and the buildings themselves, some of which date to the 1600's. We spent a few hours there, basically just wandering from place to place.<br />
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While the city itself is charming, the street vendors quickly wore me down. They were everywhere, and very insistent, tho not exactly rude. Usually a firm "No gracias" was enough, but not always. There are women with fruit on their heads, a la Carmen Miranda. With my camera, I was an obvious mark. One of these women started walking briskly toward us, and we simply acted like we did not see her and headed down a street. She followed us, almost jogging, yelling "Frutas! Frutas!" It was kinda surreal. <br />
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Throughout Cartagena are street vendors selling hats, and it didn't take long in the withering heat for me to get over my lifelong distaste for wearing them. Buying the hats also helped with my guilt as we walked by the vendors.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_uQIVrwZ1ydBj8rhC_J_ilGFgwgcRnzm-5sAeRxVtA7FkGUt_vAGBvAIeSx1a2hF_nflmEmbekDdNksjoKR7EZhJhnYvInjrLBmqrlyuAqcpowAlDQPFT5P3mBdcLKDyxSrCk/s1600/IMG_1622.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_uQIVrwZ1ydBj8rhC_J_ilGFgwgcRnzm-5sAeRxVtA7FkGUt_vAGBvAIeSx1a2hF_nflmEmbekDdNksjoKR7EZhJhnYvInjrLBmqrlyuAqcpowAlDQPFT5P3mBdcLKDyxSrCk/s640/IMG_1622.jpg" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Andrea and I in the "I'm a tourist" hats we bought, primarily to save my gringo head from the equatorial sun. We were standing in the courtyard of the Palacio de la Inquisicion.</td></tr>
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<h3>
<a href="http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g297476-d602989-Reviews-Palacio_de_la_Inquisicion-Cartagena.html">Palacio de la Inquisicion</a></h3>
We stopped in a museum that features torture devices from the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spanish_Inquisition">Spanish Inquisition</a>. There are some very insistent guides offering their services at the entrance. After warding off all the street vendors, we were in no mood, and so just walked around by ourselves. The placards were all in Spanish, but most of the exhibits speak for themselves.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtTu2UyjnSn8wshJxMMXF_m4LkopdAeKxULSeW8FHfLxIN9VYa9b_6wDCg05W4JAVsA83cdK_7uGQ3RjqMgBjAl9FEcgx1tgqjtkWB7qB4D-GwDgFFQ5UdGPyVcx_5ncxZjpMm/s1600/IMG_1612.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtTu2UyjnSn8wshJxMMXF_m4LkopdAeKxULSeW8FHfLxIN9VYa9b_6wDCg05W4JAVsA83cdK_7uGQ3RjqMgBjAl9FEcgx1tgqjtkWB7qB4D-GwDgFFQ5UdGPyVcx_5ncxZjpMm/s640/IMG_1612.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Torture is interesting!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/--h1NC31-Fls/UJ6BCYrV51I/AAAAAAAAJJs/c9VTnfxaemY/s1600/IMG_1619.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/--h1NC31-Fls/UJ6BCYrV51I/AAAAAAAAJJs/c9VTnfxaemY/s400/IMG_1619.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">They came up with some really sick devices, like this one.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-DW2LQn9MmwQ/UJ6A6oRTGdI/AAAAAAAAJJk/bryDall_egI/s1600/IMG_1616.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-DW2LQn9MmwQ/UJ6A6oRTGdI/AAAAAAAAJJk/bryDall_egI/s400/IMG_1616.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju_kc4-7ef_CiAPZNR7u16Lu_i3dKCDVftbr2NLwfsZY1JR5xiYHHhs5pp9RnksNxlijKmwcEy1VJuo_Cf21Sc14GPrYr9HnhvcjbLuu8f4IMqhiN_2otbzP0V9XbPBfQYCDO2/s1600/IMG_1634.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju_kc4-7ef_CiAPZNR7u16Lu_i3dKCDVftbr2NLwfsZY1JR5xiYHHhs5pp9RnksNxlijKmwcEy1VJuo_Cf21Sc14GPrYr9HnhvcjbLuu8f4IMqhiN_2otbzP0V9XbPBfQYCDO2/s640/IMG_1634.jpg" width="426" /></a></div>
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<h3>
<a href="http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g297476-d2042530-Reviews-Museo_del_Oro_Zenu-Cartagena.html">Museo de Oro</a></h3>
The gold museum was fascinating. And...it was air conditioned!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOG2SRptTPLK1fZiECqh9Ye1dDLNFrERLeZftz_KnNhCDj13uClMUjhbhwtlpoHFqEMlm4Nbe_2r56fGFnQFzOcO_uIvmlO0LEWlXOABpsKkNo4yKGXCI2zHW8mCmkhr2f8_Wj/s1600/IMG_1611.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOG2SRptTPLK1fZiECqh9Ye1dDLNFrERLeZftz_KnNhCDj13uClMUjhbhwtlpoHFqEMlm4Nbe_2r56fGFnQFzOcO_uIvmlO0LEWlXOABpsKkNo4yKGXCI2zHW8mCmkhr2f8_Wj/s640/IMG_1611.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<h3>
Lunch in the Walled City</h3>
There are lots of little restaurants and cafes in the Walled City. We just walked around til we found one that looked good.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyrMnhmYkxcZ4-qvjKbb-1hAjpZKZw-MhSHXYu8JLZ4OtYZ99dyzQNjsa76CsiyJeLvTy5Xw0lXSl7-dhh7IuGi-j3My7qvTjACr874t1EE2WdtPggmzSbggfCR2_yrCnz1DqI/s1600/IMG_1637.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyrMnhmYkxcZ4-qvjKbb-1hAjpZKZw-MhSHXYu8JLZ4OtYZ99dyzQNjsa76CsiyJeLvTy5Xw0lXSl7-dhh7IuGi-j3My7qvTjACr874t1EE2WdtPggmzSbggfCR2_yrCnz1DqI/s640/IMG_1637.jpg" width="425" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Andrea got a noodle dish that was a lot like traditional spaghetti.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ayRsnvYRv3U/UJ6BPYGWtxI/AAAAAAAAJKM/len7p_GCHtE/s1600/IMG_1636.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ayRsnvYRv3U/UJ6BPYGWtxI/AAAAAAAAJKM/len7p_GCHtE/s640/IMG_1636.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I went for the fish "medallions" but didn't realize it would be just cross-cut slices of fish. It was actually very good, tho a bit dry. I think we'd gone a bit too long without food out in the heat, and this really hit the spot</td></tr>
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<h3>
End of Day 1<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">That night we walked from the hotel into the shopping district for dinner. This was the view of our hotel from across the lagoon on our walk back.</span></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hilton Cartagena lit up in blue.</td></tr>
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</h3>
<h2>
Driving to Santa Marta</h2>
<h3>
Driving Videos </h3>
For a sense of what it was like to drive in Colombia, check out my <a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=7836481#driving">first-person videos.</a> <br />
<h3>
<a href="http://www.colombia.travel/en/international-tourist/sightseeing-what-to-do/nature/natural-parks/natural-parks-of-the-caribbean/isla-de-salamanca-natural-park">Salamanca Island Natural Park</a></h3>
About halfway between Cartagena and Santa Marta is a park whose primary features are the sprawling mangroves and the animals living there. It was on my short list of destinations for this trip, and I'm glad we managed to find it and visit.<br />
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There was no one else there, except two park staff, Oscar and his companion, who seemed to be updating birding logs. Oscar spoke very little English, and my Spanish, as I've said, is weak. Even so, Oscar patiently gave us a tour, pointing out birds and other highlights. You could tell he really loved this place, and enjoyed sharing it with others. If you visit, seek him out.<br />
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Here are a few photos from our 1 hour visit. <br />
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<h4>
Approaching Santa Marta</h4>
Andrea took the following photos from the car with our little Canon Elph camera. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Sierra Nevada mountain range in the distance. Our destination, Santa Marta, is on the coast to the left of the mountains.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Typical scene along the highway.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kids playing soccer.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A depressing view: These ocean-side shantys stretched for a mile or more. And for that whole distance, the water's edge is covered in a thick layer of plastic and other trash.</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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<h2>
Santa Marta</h2>
Santa Marta was bigger and more densely populated than I expected. We drove for what seemed like miles through heavy local traffic, gradually making our way back out to the coast where our hotel was located. I think we both felt a little uncomfortable and out of our element. It definitely didn't feel like a tourist town, but rather a bustling city of locals all just going about their daily business. By day two tho we had acclimated, and both enjoyed the experience of seeing another part of the world.<br />
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<h3>
Casa de Isabella </h3>
It also helped that we were staying at what seemed like an oasis amid all the bustle, <a href="http://www.casadeisabella.com/">Casa de Isabella</a>. It's hard to describe, but it looks like they took a really old building and totally revamped it to create this amazingly modern and comfortable space. My photos don't do it justice, but you'll get the idea:<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Breakfast on the second floor patio area, below a tamarind tree which grows up through the open-air interior space of the hotel.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> We usually ate local cuisine, but couldn't resist the pancakes!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rooftops next to our hotel. Notice the trees or shrubs growing out of the buliding in the lower left. Santa Marta is clearly an area in transition. Our modern hotel is one of a few renovations in the area.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Andrea flopped in bed after a strenuous hike in the Colombia jungle.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looking down toward the entrance.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The pool and patio.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The tamarind tree and courtyard.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The third story room apparently has a private spa.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View from the other side, Sierra Nevada mounts in the distance.</td></tr>
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<h3>
Around Santa Marta </h3>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A homemade cart pulled by a mule. We saw things like this everywhere - juxtaposition of old and new worlds.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-L4-Ps5cXumk/ULIdpRr2O8I/AAAAAAAAJOs/W65FEEuFgaY/s1600/IMG_1975.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-L4-Ps5cXumk/ULIdpRr2O8I/AAAAAAAAJOs/W65FEEuFgaY/s640/IMG_1975.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lots of motorcyclists ride around carrying a spare helmet (middle of photo). Why? Just-in-time transportation: they give rides to strangers. And you thought ZipCar was innovative. And that blue banner across the intersection? Clever yet annoying idea that has yet to catch on in the states: when traffic stops, two people run across the intersection holding an advertisement.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yummy dinner at a local restaurant near our hotel.</td></tr>
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<h3>
<a href="http://wikitravel.org/en/Tayrona_National_Park">Tayrona National Park</a> </h3>
Tayrona was the main place I hoped to visit on our trip. It encompasses a series of beaches and a large swath of coastal jungle. We ended up just visiting one day, and got a bit of a late start so couldn't stay long, but it was worth the trek.<br />
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The main entrance was about an hour's drive from Santa Marta, and then another 15 minutes driving back into the jungle and the parking area near the main trail.<br />
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Most people visit for the beaches, and I guess many take boats to get there. But since my main goal was to see jungle critters, we decided to take the hike through the jungle.<br />
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The hike was actually more grueling than I expected, for a few reasons. I didn't realize there was so much change in elevation, so I was whipped by the time we got back. It muggy, but not as hot as I feared with all the shade. It was overcast the day we went.<br />
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The other drawback to the hike is that the same trail is heavily traveled by trail horses and pack animals. In some places, the trail is like a mini canyon carved into the soft mud, only wide enough for one of my boots at a time. And then there's the smell, from all of those large animals...doing what large animals do. It really dampened our enthusiasm.<br />
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In the end, I didn't take nearly as many photos as I'd hoped, mainly because we realized we would run out of daylight if we didn't keep up a brisk pace. <br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-eyyrBIU58Bs/ULIdiUXG8GI/AAAAAAAAJN0/xKQZNvwmg4g/s1600/IMG_1962.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-eyyrBIU58Bs/ULIdiUXG8GI/AAAAAAAAJN0/xKQZNvwmg4g/s640/IMG_1962.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mules carrying what appear to be bags of sugar ("azucar"), but my guess is that it was actually sand which they throw onto the trail to make it easier to walk on.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-X1rn_rLMVEE/ULIdn4sZ3LI/AAAAAAAAJOc/9xk5CsVy7jU/s1600/IMG_1738.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-X1rn_rLMVEE/ULIdn4sZ3LI/AAAAAAAAJOc/9xk5CsVy7jU/s640/IMG_1738.jpg" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Finally, we did find some monkeys. We heard them in the distance, and came across a few high up in the tree canopy, calling to each other and eating. Even with my zoom lens, this is the best shot I managed to get. They were way the heck up there, and moving around a lot.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GjZmAR0rtUs/ULIdm7XLfqI/AAAAAAAAJOU/dglQrSz9oZQ/s1600/IMG_1725.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GjZmAR0rtUs/ULIdm7XLfqI/AAAAAAAAJOU/dglQrSz9oZQ/s640/IMG_1725.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A pair of small unknown birds, with really long beaks. The one on the left has a bug. I was amazed this shot came out, tho wish it was sharper.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WRRsAWtLtwk/ULIdmdzb-TI/AAAAAAAAJOM/t3rpPlHqmIg/s1600/IMG_1971.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WRRsAWtLtwk/ULIdmdzb-TI/AAAAAAAAJOM/t3rpPlHqmIg/s640/IMG_1971.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tayrona is known for these huge boulders on the shore. After our hike, we sat on them for a lunch break, and I took this shot of the jungle and mountains we hiked through to get there. The gray clouds would eventually drop a bit of rain on us on our hike back out.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wA5D2dHGPoY/ULIdlbdaVqI/AAAAAAAAJOE/DwcHwG0LDPk/s1600/IMG_1965.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wA5D2dHGPoY/ULIdlbdaVqI/AAAAAAAAJOE/DwcHwG0LDPk/s400/IMG_1965.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sign at the entrance to Arrecifes beach, which unfortunately is not safe for swimming due to severe riptides. We could have hiked to another beach further down the coast, but we simply didn't have enough daylight hours left to make it.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HsycKKTPUbk/ULIdj8TjlhI/AAAAAAAAJN8/L1ZVIapqm9g/s1600/IMG_1963.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HsycKKTPUbk/ULIdj8TjlhI/AAAAAAAAJN8/L1ZVIapqm9g/s640/IMG_1963.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Andrea making her way through the jungle on the well-worn trails. When possible, we avoided the lowest part of the trail (left in the photo) to keep out of the horse </td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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<h3>
Minca: Visit Cut Short</h3>
<h4>
<span style="font-weight: normal;">On our second day in Santa Marta, we drove into the Sierra Nevada foothills to seek out a little town called Minca. It's popular with backpackers and students, and I thought getting up into the mountains would be a bit cooler and a chance to see other flora and fauna. </span></h4>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjZr9o0f1xdAhtRyfIYjSgYdW_30RR_cTu5sbX2SAh4PRcVU-e0ZBll-qn647q0q2I3KKm2VKnRtmHMrbVQ_PI1dRxVgi9HIEDJhnJBH9ivWAu2n8RJ_dBOo3qfSIghFyeimDo/s1600/minca_map.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjZr9o0f1xdAhtRyfIYjSgYdW_30RR_cTu5sbX2SAh4PRcVU-e0ZBll-qn647q0q2I3KKm2VKnRtmHMrbVQ_PI1dRxVgi9HIEDJhnJBH9ivWAu2n8RJ_dBOo3qfSIghFyeimDo/s320/minca_map.png" width="314" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The road to Minca.</td></tr>
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<h4>
<span style="font-weight: normal;"> </span></h4>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;">The drive up was almost too much for our little Renault - the road is just awful in some places, I suspect due to the torrential rains they get periodically. We did make it up, but minutes after we set out on a walk, the sky opened up and it just poured, with no signs of letting up.</span></h4>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;">So, long story short, I didn't take any photos. But, it did look like a nice place to visit and spend some time. </span></h4>
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<h2>
Back in Cartagena</h2>
We drove back to Cartagena on Wednesday morning, and spent the rest of our time walking around there and laying low. Here are a few photos from our last day there.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-T_kRNtvZwaU/ULIdrLYV3OI/AAAAAAAAJO8/UeX8be2irwY/s1600/IMG_1755.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-T_kRNtvZwaU/ULIdrLYV3OI/AAAAAAAAJO8/UeX8be2irwY/s640/IMG_1755.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We saw this small hawk (?) eating something on the wall outside the Hilton Hotel. By the time I got my camera out, he'd jumped on this stonework.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-QnTmE05bjwc/ULIdsAAF_vI/AAAAAAAAJPE/lHaahdXbmug/s1600/IMG_1757.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-QnTmE05bjwc/ULIdsAAF_vI/AAAAAAAAJPE/lHaahdXbmug/s640/IMG_1757.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The lagoon area behind our hotel.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiapiX6XoVeyF8pmgSIQwlpZ0IQ-JvwbgmR55Br69LisU1ZpKHyUiITXOuohGfq7dHAldXPzIEHoKbBxRBKvs_Dt_EQUTUuuU_0EIEAVVRmXdcDE2IuuEj3vlFqvjXsmnlcNu2f/s1600/IMG_1768.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiapiX6XoVeyF8pmgSIQwlpZ0IQ-JvwbgmR55Br69LisU1ZpKHyUiITXOuohGfq7dHAldXPzIEHoKbBxRBKvs_Dt_EQUTUuuU_0EIEAVVRmXdcDE2IuuEj3vlFqvjXsmnlcNu2f/s640/IMG_1768.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Something you just don't see in the US: these military troops were doing some kind of practice, on the beach behind the Hilton tennis courts.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mi72dwIIlKE/ULIdtjDLw7I/AAAAAAAAJPU/xN22SoPEP7U/s1600/IMG_1782.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="427" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mi72dwIIlKE/ULIdtjDLw7I/AAAAAAAAJPU/xN22SoPEP7U/s640/IMG_1782.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The troops took boats out into the bay behind the hotel...and then someone on shore was taking posed photos of them. </td></tr>
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<h2>
Planning a Visit? A Few Closing Thoughts</h2>
<h3>
Maps: Finding Your Way Around</h3>
We did not set up our phones for use in Colombia, so I was looking for an offline map solution. I have no idea why, but while Google Maps has data for the area we visited, the ability to download the data is disabled. So instead I went with <a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.mapswithme.maps.pro&hl=en">Maps With Me Pro</a>. While it doesn't provide turn-by-turn directions, it does have detailed maps which follow you as you drive.When we were in the hotel, I'd check our trips with Google Maps first, and then we'd use the other app during our drive.<br />
<h3>
Driving</h3>
We visited Costa Rica a few years back and drove all over the place in a little 4x4 SUV. While the roads were bone-jarringly horrible, we liked being able to get around on our own. We hoped to have the same flexibility in Colombia.<br />
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During my pre-trip research, I found someone who described the "physics" of driving in Colombia. He said that it was as if all traffic - which includes pedestrians, bicycles, motorcycles, buses, taxis, trucks of all sizes, and an assortment of donkey carts, rickshaws, and other vehicles - is trying at any given moment to cover as much pavement as possible. It feels less like driving down a road and more like being poured down the road. If there is a gap wide enough for your car in front of you, you're expected to make a good attempt to fill it, regardless of where it is.<br />
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My advice? Just do what others do, and go with the flow. There is just too much randomness to drive at a high speed. Be assertive - do pass when it's safe.<br />
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I took a couple videos to give a little taste of what it's like driving there. These are on the highway between Santa Marta and Cartagena, going through some of the small towns in between, but it was very similar in the city of Cartagena.<br />
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<h4>
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=7836481" name="driving">
Video of our drive between Cartagena and Santa Marta </a></h4>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;">(Side note: YouTube has an automatic jitter removal option. It worked wonders on these clips. Who needs a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steadicam">Steadicam</a>?!) </span></h4>
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<h3>
Clothing</h3>
I was overly concerned about what to wear. I read someplace that you should avoid shorts, for example. It ended up being a total non-issue. As a tall pale-skinned guy, there was little I could do to blend in anyway. <br />
<h3>
Safety</h3>
My biggest concern was safety, but we had no problems and felt fairly safe. Driving between the cities, we drove past many checkpoints with what I guess were military police. Once we realized they had no interest in tourists like us, we actually felt more comfortable seeing them so often. My guess is that their presence is part of what has made the area safer.<br />
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<h2>
Wrap Up</h2>
Overall we had a really good time, and I really appreciated the hospitality of the people we encountered along the way. When people ask how it was, I say "It was an adventure." We had talked about hiring a tour guide, but in the end decided to try it ourselves. In hindsight, I personally think having someone take us around would have been more relaxing, and would have given us more time to enjoy the country. Definitely something I plan to explore better for our future trips.<br />
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<br />NickSabhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12367482393795928301noreply@blogger.com0Carrera 1 # 1 a 99, Cartagena De Indias (Distrito Turístico Y Cultural), Bolivar, Colombia10.39327310593904 -75.56001663208007810.37765510593904 -75.579757632080074 10.408891105939039 -75.540275632080082tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7836481.post-73101205250569691882011-10-30T15:12:00.005-05:002012-11-02T12:28:03.849-05:00Master Bath Renovation<span style="font-weight: bold;">History<br /></span>Some people take "Do it yourself" too far. I count Andrea and I among that group, and this renovation as Exhibit 1. So why do it? Mostly, it saves a lot of money. But, there is also a sense of accomplishment. It's fun to learn new skills (sometimes). You can do things at your own pace. And, you have more control over how the work gets done.<br /><br />There is also a strong history of this kind of thing in Andrea's family. Her parents built their house in Illinois, and built another one once they moved to Atlanta. And when I say built, I mean they did most of the work with their own hands, except specialty work like bricklaying. My father-in-law, Ron, is always a key part of our renovation work, and has helped us on countless projects, including this one. Andrea's brothers August (Gus) and Dave are also major do-it-yourselfers. Gus, with help from Dave, built all the cabinetry for this renovation...from raw lumber.<br /><br />We did all of the work, including design, sourcing all the parts, carpentry, plumbing, electrical, etc. except:<br /><ul><li>Our handyman Eddie helped with drywall, painting, and insulation</li><li>We hired Robert to install the wall tile: <a href="http://www.atlantatilecontractor.com/">http://www.atlantatilecontractor.com</a></li><li>The counter company installed and cut the counter in-place</li><li>The windows were from Pella (to match the ones we'd replaced in the rest of the house)</li><li>The mirrors were custom made from a local shop</li><li>As I mentioned, Andrea's brothers Gus and Dave built the cabinets</li></ul>We were very happy with all of the vendors we used, so let us know if you're looking for good people.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">The Old Bathroom</span><br /><br />Before, there was a "powder room" area with a sink, and a small bathroom with sink, toilet, and a tiled shower, but no tub. Andrea is a bath kinda girl, so this just didn't work. She used the guest bath, down the hall, and I used the master bath. But even for me, it was a tiny room, and just didn't match the rest of the house.<br /><br />And with that, I'm going to let the photos tell most of the rest of the story.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br />Before</span><br /><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/_hNpnEzvWoXkSQ-sH8XsY1obrfl1mSiZrEMUUwOLbKk?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjonq0WjPIZVqMciSRf8LlnjwNxsVvMvuIT6EUYk-Ria8Ic91espOBCrvuPs5Oi5H3c7iKkT3APCO9pTPUAsYnWsiT1oj-6sY5OCTYCB88pSI2Yw4xRFcglNVlkHu2SL7sRDu6_/s400/IMG_8833.JPG" width="400" height="267" /></a><br />View from the bedroom. The built-in cabinet on the left is one of two we will replace as part of this renovation. The master walk-in closet is behind the cabinet. The "powder" room is in the small hall in the middle, and the actual bathroom is through the door to the right.<br /><br /><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/fLl0wQYmdym6M9M1GLFI3Vobrfl1mSiZrEMUUwOLbKk?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1BJnNOk-XvmZlrbVjn2BwTNimsSJ1ONz2PJ1jPkoFhORiU9mMwoOBhyphenhyphen9vHaehjlhsQtq1_imoO9Jlj7CAqYbAc9n3Q_Z0Dc4JyZUYAN_2L_2LnZ07Th7pGx3676Jj09Ni75to/s400/IMG_8834.JPG" width="267" height="400" /></a><br />Another bedroom view, with the bathroom door closed, showing the powder room area with sink. The master closet is through the door to the left. It will remain mostly as-is. The door will be replaced by a sliding pocket door.<br /><br /><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/f0OrOGYmAU5s9Ty6mJ2bL1obrfl1mSiZrEMUUwOLbKk?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgARKjdZqTkfcJXyP0BLARznSruFJyeffOaZuLsLCuKLOdod7WWf02KZn5yfK_FaEZtpBsUdD8fQSSG3ZfsHQm0QA8_P5qikyMC1xMFmGQDYeKh6dKBHuxF0xORt3XMr8RFxP3h/s400/IMG_8836.JPG" width="267" height="400" /></a><br />The view into the tiny bathroom from the powder room area. After the renovation, there will be a window in the far wall.<br /><br /><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/nvJd__g2bo9GdKgCbQeO11obrfl1mSiZrEMUUwOLbKk?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4XGCWOntEv2SdxUJcmx5QAUONgFQtvakCkPuHkAsn6Xe9Ba6pKJC9i-nlmrh301aIs4H_j3kZcHpGg2GB8OTUa6nXkVtY-W76XOmdbQeMfQ6KHgjpnH7Z8z6KlaOn0pAN6W_f/s400/IMG_8837.JPG" width="267" height="400" /></a><br />The built-in tiled shower. I was amazed how much concrete, blocks, metal mesh, and other stuff was under there.<br /><br /><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/HGaYTXQgGOcGMuNXCmGd-Vobrfl1mSiZrEMUUwOLbKk?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEiR-3559aCSvrSfnflOaX5YTWVSh0Y5qxe6EDKMl5G_lsPpdOKNSByXB85hK7cn36CAcMxJAKTVXqdtO8tblDowIuwHIaayum5b7KplWWScoyOEMfSN6Q_ZPpT1B_CZ0Y8Tbf/s400/IMG_8838.JPG" width="400" height="267" /></a><br />The original sink and cabinets.<br /><br />For the record, I didn't actually mind the design of the bathroom. It was just way too small and cramped.<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /><br />Design</span><br /><br />We spent a lot of time on the new layout. The first easy decision: combine the powder area and bathroom into one larger room by removing the inner wall (after confirming it was not load-bearing). We explored a few other ideas, such as reconfiguring the closet, but decided against those. Another early idea was to add a window to the far wall, and we stuck with that. Then it was just a matter of deciding how best to configure the bathtub, toilet, and sink.<br /><br />I used Visio to experiment with a few configurations, but we quickly narrowed it down to one: sink and toilet on back wall, and bathtub to the right on the inside wall. To make the best use of the space, we also decided to install two pocket doors: one for the closet, and one for the main bathroom door.<br /><br />The next step was to choose the main fixtures. Andrea wanted to go for a more modern look. Our house is a "mid century modern" design (1960), and she has really taken to the style. The tub was the most challenging, because it had two sides facing into the room. We considered a regular tub with one open side, but that would have required a wall or knee wall to cover one end, and we did not want to lose more floor space. After a lot of searching online, and visiting some local stores, we settled on a specific brand and model line for the tub and other fixtures. All of them have clean lines with no ornamentation, and feature large curves. As you'll see, we decided to use simple curves as a design element throughout.<br /><br />Once I knew the layout and look of the key parts of the space, I jumped into Google Sketchup to create a model of the room, and custom models of all the fixtures. The Sketchup models were useful for visualizing, to help Andrea and I make decisions on other elements of the room, including tile, colors, lighting, and other aspects. The model was accurate to the inch, so I also used it to calculate dimensions of the fixtures and for other detailed estimates.<br /><br />Below is a sampling of the various models I developed as the project evolved.<br /><br /><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/aClEY8Q_vRAoj_NB9MiUBjjaKfBL5TSqsUQ0mg9zc7M?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqAqDcPfGobUe9ff3gOm313ODE_8zZsNu5YSoZXSZm3DrR0l-e1YP5EV3SK2QnkrauwnE6NFhNZLSKp1Y4GoWQy6VOmaa6nkXHwN-ZNNM3meAS30bDC6MhGqwRFQ-5607sbu08/s400/masterBath_Feb2011.jpg" width="400" height="213" /></a><br />First draft...<br /><br /><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/QXlAKxD6T-2ED5cdQhO9TzjaKfBL5TSqsUQ0mg9zc7M?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzCXTB4SpT8pGFiv1gOibJ9yy0SqGy-391pHbGCftI2CE_k-PxQrQnZMgCqzcW9zThXH_zUxz3xiDOxPy3w4HsxB7PQabxe1pX4EN5bMpUiOwCkBWrcnky44LqamUfmUmmJ-nx/s400/masterBath_Feb2011_wallColor.jpg" width="400" height="213" /></a><br />After we'd selected the curved fixtures, and planned to use mini tiles for the floor.<br /><br /><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/7gIpjjL39zOo64-wHcXRajjaKfBL5TSqsUQ0mg9zc7M?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja3bo31c5i4g9KY7elyBtcafvs1rkF2pGjNwVYuh9EtAqo1t5fGnF89g_z2RgeADVS2kx4WGfrIQfTsqppCVxI0ObOcRR78edw8y_7wgQWkxmju3-ZEU3kkTnFy3yeMczmsKEJ/s400/masterBath_Feb2011_v13_sinkCloseup.jpg" width="400" height="178" /></a><br />More refinements.<br /><br /><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/XPwSg0v_K8jYl5yvP1wGMjjaKfBL5TSqsUQ0mg9zc7M?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJFybK3tvZ2K24ozpT9CVblQR_pwOJzw-JAu6FiADJkgmVGETJKTdlmqrRpqJZycjUXdgXASdOw3GZv6frwhwVlHf4PS_NzcbdB5icvDzXDInA-plw3hhTFKfvyexfXheA1HkI/s400/masterBath_Feb2011_v15LoftTiles.jpg" width="400" height="265" /></a><br />Nearing the end, as we were trying to decide on colors and patterns for the countertop.<br /><br /><br /><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/tU-pXQdvIRGOof1_N6DzbDjaKfBL5TSqsUQ0mg9zc7M?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2XfSoSX13XfynLdvwpJlgJjI-RpqzLsMXYEn5f2_IWYhEo7Ps02GvE5TSdZ20C_GkpQZ6cTjw9QAKYOVOIjk9ChIGSPYp1gdbVyJ0ZbeBdq30UdqdD4b2V21VvdYdSEiPW8VK/s400/reg%252520sink.jpg" width="400" height="214" /></a><br />A model showing the dimension lines, and another variation on the counter pattern.<br /><br /><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/8yROm-vrrSfRFw6TAzz9XTjaKfBL5TSqsUQ0mg9zc7M?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgorN8yhYEm_034b385opJvLPRRv-x5dX2L-V-E1iTSOCVKCii1q3gsnLC9WVqGgLWwziIe7rkQWyNehqnchZ2gsKR180q4yYwnKEw0Jnrzbfe7_W9zbEqUMqYjwfMyUZCTHA2E/s400/masterBath_Feb2011_v17.2.jpg" width="400" height="214" /></a><br />Top-down view.<br /><br /><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/8HM4gVSeBx3yEIrL9vg81jjaKfBL5TSqsUQ0mg9zc7M?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwx9RLywXPGcmijLXxlTiX4ot_brj2l8uaS5YyAwlcqvU_y087ORfKMO8CU7y9GOOCbf1OgWeGvNdpay10fXsQAzGA9hMFFNC3dBlu0V_MwMOL64Xt-xIJm6s2s91qU1H4xU7l/s400/masterBath_Feb2011_v19.jpg" width="400" height="214" /></a><br />This is one of the last models I did, and as you'll see, it looks pretty close to the final design, except for the colors of the walls and other minor details.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Demolition</span>: January-February, 2011<br /><br />Well before we made the final design decisions, I got started on the first phase of actual work: ripping the old room out, down to the bare studs.<br /><br /><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/GQ9UdSzCcwLlPGtBRvFX2Vobrfl1mSiZrEMUUwOLbKk?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgeboL0fGnld-jhIvX1BBctdhSr-zMz_IgRiGh8Otq3w1UxKdmKDkKZNHoTpKbLgHSkGncXFsQnn6DW_vOKPVrq8l4d97dCu6SSDdme1NzKAH_Vo4UtXgyYLRyDrdzjew6v92P/s400/IMG_8842.JPG" width="267" height="400" /></a><br />January 31, 2011, 7:19PM: Powder room almost gone. This was probably the easiest part of the demolition, or at least it seems like it in hindsight.<br /><br />And if someone told me at this point "You'll be working on this for the next 9 months." I probably would dropped my hammer, grabbed a beer, plopped in front of the TV, and forgotten about the whole thing.<br /><br /><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/UTzwjWaJpk-o3-kOvZtPS1obrfl1mSiZrEMUUwOLbKk?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVSt63CS9K5zuG_s-W62RDQkFOtZ7NmYOwLChZS7weX1bkMLkKs4Z1gJoWJh0y_s7ymY75fXtJK9a_LHTCdRnk5C3NtUhZTV8V_RTNZTpD_46an8zN3VwoWRgE6l7J_cI99G9Y/s400/IMG_8844.JPG" width="267" height="400" /></a><br />Starting on the middle wall, and getting a good look at all the concrete behind the tile.<br /><br /><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/LBl-tEWF2DsZWOWpakmvRFobrfl1mSiZrEMUUwOLbKk?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMwRIxNeUBiH1ej90zhqeXoiEivwVC4skTseHDtatNuxjepVpoYAaFyLBVUCORibasYtt9GBEchvssljmmGQcdIGy4X3aEkny4BIWF3lu1TWvyoRf0Zs7kO9Lx1CjzUHOBJv2C/s400/IMG_8849.JPG" width="267" height="400" /></a><br />Sink and cabinets gone from the bathroom, and old water lines closed off.<br /><br /><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/dg-5urXDpCbkjv4nGJywBVobrfl1mSiZrEMUUwOLbKk?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeUZsSLXnuRBYFiEP4pjMLDAeh60CqDAoI5cgqStqQ3etwDQlJ9HgzwcRyFHr4j0595EpnK8T8Y86topa0sXgLIIVF3jKTXenykZd46jbv3xDFnfa2NmaTm8iUyt7r8EuP0YWT/s400/IMG_8851.JPG" width="400" height="267" /></a><br />More of the middle wall removed. Much of the electrical wiring was in that small middle wall and had to be re-routed, and is still in place in this photo.<br /><br /><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/QpvZRdkfwqOPHij8pXbjuVobrfl1mSiZrEMUUwOLbKk?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEislfNJ0oRRv8kLjsQ9Cdtodb6fAds3vVcYKNo2T8QkjdUtxxoAMAFLiwPOQBQa-L8iNKaRMtsx7PUJT9LXICo5mY5rPt_nnMOwv9UV5gaALfThC2QWw5Tef1pArx0yo40ircTt/s400/IMG_8857.JPG" width="400" height="267" /></a><br />Floor tile and inside tile wall done. The rubble in the shower gives a sense of what I found in the shower floor and the built-in bench. It took a lot of full-on sledge swinging to take it down.<br /><br /><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/YUAuGf4MppV17cBLwEWbawkhLgj1y4g6VxW8qh4Lud0?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjozF8krZnwFraxRX_0x9OSyFfHywyifa884Hc2kAFuce37YdKwTLPs-r71OnV1IWfKAZd95SGfoyuedcyKyxTjsq-QrtwgjGcySu7C1VmgfqW9Cq5suULIDhnQ_ZWqu1sb5FJx/s400/IMG_8877.JPG" width="400" height="267" /></a><br />Down to the original flooring, which had several badly damaged areas from previous leaks around the old shower. It was clear we would need to replace all the old flooring to create a sound base for the new bathroom.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Final Demolition and Rebuilding </span>(February)<br /><br />The next set of photos captures the process of turning what was two smaller rooms into a single, larger bathroom. We started by replacing the old, uneven flooring. Later, we installed the new pocket doors.<br /><br /><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/KF3DhSHXHjPx-ij5ejSrmAkhLgj1y4g6VxW8qh4Lud0?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZtuwJN4RuPfZA4wipflyvjg0DxkChXQSZ3WrG-Bx4NQfREQwtoeOyGPedDEV47YideObg91souCM55GR0Zzh1nCGMGldISB-346MOXfw5PSNm6-qTfFg9orjIhkiJZuQfxGwJ/s400/IMG_8882.JPG" width="400" height="267" /></a><br />Feb 22: The demolition is almost done, but more importantly, the rebuilding has begun. The old middle wall is completely gone. All of the old drywall has been removed, including the ceiling. The old insulation had deteriorated and fallen down in places. The drywall and insulation removal was probably the messiest job of the entire project. The old electrical wires are bundled near the ceiling. Other new wiring will be added for new wall lights, wall heater, and GFCI outlets.<br /><br /><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/bZa5t3rBfcoTDN-3moz1WwkhLgj1y4g6VxW8qh4Lud0?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglPdbeBwLOllJPaSfKLYAtKxEwv8qAYeTR40qO3iWHjzmjmLTv1Fx0hczoHE5ccs97qlr5OU9uux0bbNXRkRf9bJfyZeDP-XoC4bARDMZu32_vPqRzHVWIecC8-ULCpAz83L4b/s400/IMG_8883.JPG" width="400" height="267" /></a><br />The closet with its new pocket door frame. I don't have photos, but installing the pocket doors required us to build temporary walls, remove the old walls and headers, and install new ones. Also, as you can see, for a while the closet turned into a temporary tool room.<br /><br /><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/DxlXKdlCvbz3axAZ5nwsxQkhLgj1y4g6VxW8qh4Lud0?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP5RF6jCpcJU5dLqFNj2hAqy43YmObeONT53nFjaZl7Sz9tQod9vui1TvpXHrU9EnuSYPRggmLZbzVOjJcbBT6ZZYcN8CQstzjgs6E2OtuaUCe1bS-C6A9miHMBTW1DQsW_XM5/s400/IMG_8884.JPG" width="400" height="267" /></a><br />The ceiling. We decided to re-use all the existing can lights, but we moved them slightly for the new bathroom layout. All the wires were re-routed, or replaced, and run to the inside wall near the bedroom doorway.<br /><br /><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/K5hteznhfRGNRwdr-IdJSQkhLgj1y4g6VxW8qh4Lud0?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZQTg3LhFwDP1BHKQtxk6GSWdVF-epLbkNWgAoim7epDv4xEXg6Mb-Rk_-CWcoWSAy5XkR_vUi2LKxlwIL5NOYqrQPhCVyz_ktqnW9h2vcOhJyHyQEB2VrZa5Bsb_94mEFuyHW/s400/IMG_8886.JPG" width="400" height="267" /></a><br />From inside the bedroom, showing the doorway header and pocket door frame. The paper tacked to the far wall is a printout of my Sketchup model.<br /><br /><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/wFAdhpEPfoTpn-qgZ3OF3QkhLgj1y4g6VxW8qh4Lud0?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3JUh4I4hkkwzSwxYtknErn2FT2RBlONTxLTR1RhmvDvrxPVzPHyo3VG6eIUYZmcpBgVF61haxtLW61zu_ZdKjUeNksv_rl6fLb5pKDpmKX3D4x9XUbYVkHiRKmiza-qU3U8NP/s400/IMG_8888.JPG" width="400" height="267" /></a><br />Removing the rest of the old flooring and preparing to install the new plywood floor. It's hard to see the light at the end of the tunnel when you're sleeping next to this.<br /><br /><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/Tss_GkwE_o5Gr0j6LQjRtAkhLgj1y4g6VxW8qh4Lud0?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2feSv_BrLsve4R5w-624BdMYklc7vIS-kf6HzZb34vYVSbE8LHvlGL9YmGopUxDhAmRR_FBrebc4sCJj4tsuRKJUW1G7gD7dsDCcH-pddnHFSShTq9bp7vjJozDrrvG7qarfT/s400/IMG_8890.JPG" width="400" height="267" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/CPX6vtjJxNEbdM0y48HAGgkhLgj1y4g6VxW8qh4Lud0?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGTfuzwBHAeaEyWdiBU2MiVEk-2-xwMnTbXJPrJSX8JUCa6HPKBxJrdejmnGKNRYT_WYNMdkAhEWGPEOvis2-Rn7MgfRId3_RloIUi3x-Cxdzk2VDQ3cQoN_Lz7Yuix3_X2txO/s400/IMG_8892.JPG" width="267" height="400" /></a><br />The new subfloor is done, and the drain for the toilet and tub are in. This seemed like a big step at the time.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Plumbing, Electrical, and More </span>(March)<span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></span><br />You can think of a house as having layers. The bottom layer is the foundation. Above that is the skeleton - the wood structure. And then inside the walls go the essentials of modern life: plumbing and electricity.<br /><br />The next set of photos captures some of that work. I didn't get photos of all the plumbing work below the floor, which was extensive.<br /><br />We also installed a breaker-box in the closet for the wall heater, re-using a 50-amp service from a hot tub that we had removed a while ago.<br /><br /><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/cT3dxI4eR6RS-A3B-qHIpgkhLgj1y4g6VxW8qh4Lud0?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI6a-wqkk48aQ89S08ORJuu2FODeOFDhsE_VDtjc7IlRB4869VD40_ZBX9gzk6HzWhw1q25cBYDNLcvbauJULXJBq-s1ZBZd3xYWRCb9dq8qTmzwJ0H3YqZpwwmKsMSbFOyEof/s400/IMG_8899.JPG" width="285" height="400" /></a><br />The rough-in fixtures for the tub and shower. We built this custom box to anchor it all in place.<br /><br /><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/awZlsYHr1_TLlgI_LRQMSgkhLgj1y4g6VxW8qh4Lud0?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiilG4E2WlGTAS5YYmsMLxwfX0vePtHgf3bfLHrqE27TioPDuf9bpKDCPt7Cg3JX6ibkB5fH8P_pliQD44I9xzUROp0xggtwvHqNb0Omhj2A_NpJFn3TWIBbpJltkzPaUdEG_IO/s400/IMG_8909.JPG" width="400" height="267" /></a><br />The back wall, showing the plumbing for the sink, the old cast iron air vent for the drains, the toilet drain in the floor, and some of the rough electrical wiring.<br /><br /><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/6lAYHyUvaHGiy1kjDaFnZgkhLgj1y4g6VxW8qh4Lud0?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4pAFO-NMTtycg_sCX7UIhZg4XOrwIstHkfMxd5mpTmy45fAKUg5aYdnjWHp3POd76cXlPnOiDlr3emEyI8bsanpZMHJBdby05r-0l32VGSz_rSN3JykRYd_9AT8oxwiMowHbj/s400/IMG_8912.JPG" width="400" height="267" /></a><br />Another view of the rough electrical, including the box for the wall heater on the far wall. We also cut the old HVAC duct and moved it near the floor to make room for the new window. When we took the dry wall and insulation out, we found an old wall vent fan (half of it is showing at the top of the photo) and an old box for a medicine chest (top left).<br /><br /><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/bVdDO-Xy_TpaZetGRrHayQkhLgj1y4g6VxW8qh4Lud0?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-r-Icqn1X0mWIutP5Ey_TJVpLZxUQktuGzYDkn2JMeP8mmqmGDIWIOb5kmqns27Oxu_tDLD9P5Jgl2NwbtzPCcKlmfWMdkr3DxadVDlNQ26dhhhFmRTAjGkMhA1syuFtDMCkk/s400/IMG_8917.JPG" width="400" height="267" /></a><br />The existing can-lights, slightly re-located, with the new wiring running to the inside corner wall.<br /><br /><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/kDeDvZ0J6lKiJ-L-S8PAOAkhLgj1y4g6VxW8qh4Lud0?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnd_aYdH0N1Xbl0d5aITnQlqnm-tAyWhvTC8zmdjpblaUf-eQ1yEQqb1YcPfCggG6POgqLT9h6vlGwYrwI91ejMfNXmw2Ka7iGii36Rp_lab-iZxSvoIY9_vhbDkVgs8P3E1Po/s400/IMG_8920.JPG" width="285" height="400" /></a><br />Detail of the main light switch box, which will eventually contain two dimmer switches for the wall and ceiling lights, a separate shower light switch, and the ceiling fan switch.<br /><br /><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/8k3vtYO9uBFJyH_hHe17ZAkhLgj1y4g6VxW8qh4Lud0?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-nS1aFOpALBrZFXUNsU0CvwMOjezZQ_S0NVTSSgq4TalKL15__AnpFGL72jeva1_8jPQ5K0U6i-11_Cwn4VZf8FCyBkDZul_rNQqlbB8KehvG5VOhT_Gu2j1iCo4w1cfrV3mE/s400/IMG_8921.JPG" width="400" height="267" /></a><br />Detail of the sink faucet rough-in.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Windows and Walls </span>(March-April)<span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></span><br /><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/8eVyuY1QllRF-txfMaTLtQkhLgj1y4g6VxW8qh4Lud0?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaigeNHqboh6E7IvaZTZyuiaS4WbHOs0Ybrc336D6Aeqnpudn8GXVEsR4MEv9wWho80aWS_WgWBNj1SOMBegpfBprmIL55MVnClXMXc11UsD4Ne7K50Uk-Jo6XvKTvc3fuzA25/s400/IMG_8923.JPG" width="267" height="400" /></a><br />Window frame, including extra bracing added to the left. Below it is the box for the new wall heater.<br /><br /><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/uKT_xTMCXn2d_iBiqXXIKAkhLgj1y4g6VxW8qh4Lud0?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkNC_HKgTNbZeGHwdFW1jAyVJ6wHc9CBsVuyeudRrB0DrG8jdkfpRQiVObpVwMYNOql6W35dbjHAhxIu8RcTr5m9V-WExPpMzC1onG8PEQKt7vkDATr5NVocoWCyPuTrTQNvvz/s400/IMG_8927.JPG" width="267" height="400" /></a><br />Clean up crew! Andrea was there through most of this, and did way more than just carry a dustpan.<br /><br /><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/Sv7OGp8CsfVHPWFeF4mZXQkhLgj1y4g6VxW8qh4Lud0?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZbF-dGwZ3Cu9SZjIEWI2z_rjn8pelqiHDCLyXVdF9w1fyFFi8yJfkqt37bH6ki5_8ZH8GgP6ZLmUTS7fWU5pT0eDfk5zUkoGRNkw9c0c74zbOQwQLGxGQkJSo6_sSG_hu48tU/s400/IMG_8928.JPG" width="267" height="400" /></a><br />Insulation going in.<br /><br /><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/Nl_ozkhJrdJoWx49irX7VgkhLgj1y4g6VxW8qh4Lud0?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghQKD1qZXZNB9FgwBmmICqYyLc6rfTZu3efgIYklT79Y68ro7a_LckUd2IKyQROrnigbC-bLgJOvYSxBrV219vYrh0SdTP1OrXhK5RJkXEdUk0rpK2poF0v3w3n0YeKeRMSkj3/s400/IMG_8931.JPG" width="400" height="267" /></a><br />The bathroom renovation seeped out into the bedroom, where we decided to add a window above the bed.<br /><br /><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/DKjjXVxWTtNNsfVbX9HTGUHbKFTAtF2fZ_ISbqMU_xQ?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLqmNNA_6kY7MzaFA2LUodjsr09LAlU5oWAU0bkgoPeoHiRb0NRpB4msskrcOTFInNlqwCUYCB_o22Hi8N7v9UhpU6lAlu02aEoyAPBv9afj_CB0YCfvtEkJz3-srFHdBPTBL8/s400/IMG_1391.JPG" width="400" height="320" /></a><br />A rare photo of the men at work: my father-in-law Ron and I, preparing to install the bathroom window. It's a leap of faith to cut a big whole in the side of your house.<br /><br />Also in this photo: the drywall going up, thanks to our handyman Eddie.<br /><br /><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/2Sc8QS84ZQFoODy6l4xurkHbKFTAtF2fZ_ISbqMU_xQ?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-F2P8arRkp4Y/TqxujA5ennI/AAAAAAAAHb4/qbZ9rgAvtV4/s400/IMG_1393.JPG" width="400" height="300" /></a><br />"Yep. There's definitely a hole in this wall. Feel that draft?"<br /><br />We had to cut the siding back from the edge of the window hole to accommodate the fins on the replacement window. We would later add trim around the windows to fill in that gap.<br /><br /><br /><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/gMp_53d58jyce4LatijUfEHbKFTAtF2fZ_ISbqMU_xQ?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4JhRxDe6Fa6mfK-J_9fpHcEj8bLoPwFM3A06-qJa1noH6vivQApgpdGoJVHtf_sFlbZ2r9PiQ-FLsI3Dvw2pe5q1EL9GQ1NaJOmpKKzslNjq5hnVk6GIFYFqeBMU6GTU_KbKN/s400/IMG_1406.JPG" width="300" height="400" /></a><br />Fast forward, and here is the window after we got it installed.<br /><br /><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/UQ-4s0k9KK7bx1wQomf_O0HbKFTAtF2fZ_ISbqMU_xQ?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB7BuGnX5KxDKwX1qeoPrAD3ktuEph5AEk9Nmr4HSKZS4DRf4-JQeayte8ChdKD2XgJxRGTCYq76aFTJQggt5AV8-rDuMsyX_1PdDta8CaaCoNA_paMnKCrNztL2x0zWa7CnSq/s400/IMG_1397.JPG" width="400" height="300" /></a><br />Bathroom window is installed. Drywall installed over the pocket door frame. Bedroom has a hole, waiting for the window.<br /><br /><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/EnphPU6rRolFvUYhNUbSqEHbKFTAtF2fZ_ISbqMU_xQ?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqbUNO7emzviywECappaPgOS3DcZRlwxmU_8uc52dZHtPAnzznovYkMMDMEecxkkhtorfurmmktfGm8tPUOW_EvWjIY-XXHHIx_GIlWqA5ALUIIOIYuUwHuT5QnuMELcLFaEnI/s400/IMG_1404.JPG" width="400" height="300" /></a><br />Trimming the hole from outside.<br /><br /><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/1K1rF5c6UuP4lE9pttDCwUHbKFTAtF2fZ_ISbqMU_xQ?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRB2wXBDiW2_M7d0JteBg1S4cmtEu3PC5IL3NXNpYzP493L28cl42ukWWipAUil5licwE_eY_-ygqZdB0nHfWGzJ8O_yvhi6iVsRJ6D8ZjwXMftJuOV-ZWflk6AcOQ_6IUFaSg/s400/IMG_1407.JPG" width="400" height="300" /></a><br />Window installed!<br /><br /><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/kksjrcq9_8j04QEkgNX9pgkhLgj1y4g6VxW8qh4Lud0?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizf9MGU91w3s7rG-HHmHCbm02_U4t9HRlpxnH_wOqc5zPdwGCPM4hx0hyhqSey6abu7eyHWGaARYKXAWpSfyPOpVcJNGfM1tfn2-KZosfwL-xIpWMaMGKb08zuFsIDW5tE1LWX/s400/IMG_8933.JPG" width="400" height="267" /></a><br />We knew we made the right decision about the windows when we saw how much more light they let in. In fact, that was obvious as soon as we cut the holes in the walls.<br /><br /><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/Nsg-9-1NotKjDnPXdUspzAkhLgj1y4g6VxW8qh4Lud0?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgutiVDVNRu_Bgh2ZhqT7ls1pbd6hTXNqSX7a3cZ185nDgMqJRMYg7q21D8rx0YvT53W6uOrhTx8HgUj3Xff-MEHivp1wZ2CmMMbRSVNXtxYnRLy81PGW3EYVchpjXNnTquLVRr/s400/IMG_8934.JPG" width="267" height="400" /></a><br />Drywall mostly finished. Eddie did a great job connecting back into the existing skylight surround.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"></span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Tile, Cabinets, Fixtures</span> (April - July)<br /><br /><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/WQsSf8Rc-_Epp7fKcc15kJxyJj-OPk3o5VLFYEk8DhQ?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCmw7n66DTyGGvyp54wfYhe8XhriiZVHE-4AxvI6oPsjjMn7_rJ3UTzvUfJgOKmolYixR_ZifWJ5zVgn0Inz2eQ6BQivyOdErMv2SpFBMY7g_8fOTeEdcSkUnLF_itDZMD9Kt1/s400/IMG_8941.JPG" width="400" height="267" /></a><br />Bathtub and first section of floor tile installed. None of us had installed these mini-glass tiles, so it was a real learning experience. Although they come in 12" squares, all the individual little tiles float and shift a bit, so there was a lot of tweaking to get them to line up. Also, rather than starting in the middle of the room, we started at the doorway to the bedroom to be sure we got a nice clean line. The room was not at all square, so it was challenging to get everything to line up.<br /><br /><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/2xj3b8ENl7I3uk_9v4cebJxyJj-OPk3o5VLFYEk8DhQ?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6qRN859VsMizQEOMWqhlykj7WBb44B1K80oD51tB_oDsJ-4T1WgLHMFqEHDcOzpD72Ke7bgRYiYNm8xa3RIGVLzFtXiB01CVYabZoDIBVRQea9dsvINAz1VclPtbukzOiY-ys/s400/IMG_8944.JPG" width="267" height="400" /></a><br />Tile finished, but not yet grouted.<br /><br /><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/8TrtTZq4XqQLJY5VMYPJX5xyJj-OPk3o5VLFYEk8DhQ?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhojo1G7MZ_L8zS6fU4kAscdzKqJx1AHquxHTLcAqGB9bgeiJ45AXPHyf2bahhIVsmFcj6eEKxtaOfS-_c0ssxjsZ8Aa9zAPetSbXb6JYZEDyINUu3d0tEhdW0Wgo0j4IVDNvOV/s400/IMG_9307.JPG" width="400" height="267" /></a><br />Toilet installed. The light switches got installed at some point, so we no longer had to use that floor lamp.<br /><br /><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/bi9XnGDbgR2xx02W6xOERDtVmTIgzdvIqNzJG7_kOfs?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3S_ck0bzHjht8Ka3ZJogxDwYDohkpubYFoZaM3CCAUWpeM4E5_OlnX8wzG3WoLC7t7Cr-UWhyQuDasd_4R9ZOMyAu1JeRkwMT-g23l264ryEKvqtVXo81Pt5C20h4Bg39Rld4/s400/Master_CabinetConcepts.jpg" width="306" height="400" /></a><br />Once the walls were finished and the plumbing was done, we could do final designs for the cabinets. I created layouts like these for Gus using Visio. In spite of the detail, they were really intended as a rough guide for him.<br /><br /><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/GJW84E_-qtm4tl0Nb6gkdiMr2fUKuS1fIHGKkKtWnnw?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC9rpw8GjDYXQqvgopN465F2O-iUmDZe5EBAheibQhX8A5NAqWG9pq27qbQ24R2NMrOG5aqMmE1YiITkjW3bZ11RPUOAC4AaWDTJRiJqZr3IvUKXEqSzPrT5xXDOwRX7gO5r5V/s400/IMG_9443.JPG" width="400" height="267" /></a><br />And here is the final cabinet design, in walnut. We continued the curved theme from the fixtures with the inset handles. The countertop company delivered it and cut the sink hole on site.<br /><br /><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/bkghnJpFIojqOCGW6JNYWyMr2fUKuS1fIHGKkKtWnnw?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY4YCBvcLRuxhejD1qk938eS1Vrco6rtnRPMV2ebJ986DU7H7jAJ-YkBXHGz8iKEc8USxJoFHFJVmvCOBx8jgEvcXVGNPewhgxMt4HHLFzlFzVcGXb8xm9pcPYGdlJyugM3OoW/s400/IMG_9444.JPG" width="267" height="400" /></a><br />The back wall is painted, and the window trim is finished and painted.<br /><br /><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/5znobXAEJBNFOideXU6xHxVJY5VxlpgREeFWYr_dzKY?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-gE7sT_bgefzVrWcAoJ-8byuBn7YiDqeYTl_gRmp2F9fM85ebc7jDHEfzKKLsPh05nlTkjWwbDPrCwgIgZ-Pw3Joxy3WVNs4KwgBGYKBy_xZNwx5EYRh_RZx6oLot8YczYnZv/s400/IMG_9475.JPG" width="400" height="267" /></a><br />The wall tile going in - we hired a contractor for this detailed work: Robert at <a href="http://www.atlantatilecontractor.com/">http://www.atlantatilecontractor.com</a><br /><br />And about now, I realized I had made a grievous miscalculation about how much tile we needed. I was short by about 15 pieces. We couldn't find this style of tile locally, so we'd ordered it online. And when we called to order more, they, and everyone else in the US, were OUT OF STOCK. Long story short: we ended up working with the manufacturer in Italy, who sold a box of tile to us at cost and shipped it DHL. That mistake set us back about 6 weeks.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Final Result</span>: October 2011<br /><br />A few more items linger, mostly to do with trim. But they are so minor that you don't even notice them unless you're looking.<br /><br /><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/hduaMos8qzawbjB_WaMCbddgirQeB4H55zRMrSGelZA?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh27ys1jIcIl3WIkgeZ6UtIsASfWHcsgR0prcopEIYAIEy3iR5mkTD9FaTunGArPD9Su73neuxfLmhZkkq5rtOR6xySg1blPiwBibPksjtMCUP_HnceSNRZ5XHGTUo2Dil4xG8o/s400/IMG_9540.JPG" width="267" height="400" /></a><br />The new view from the master bedroom. (One of the remaining items: the toe kick under the vanity.)<br /><br /><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/EYvwCM_GJw30XyjhE6Uzf9dgirQeB4H55zRMrSGelZA?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs0rJwN3zLCB3ZTOZi16GmEv7_sLqVctk3C1qu3zg2Fyvro_Xp_JHiNvIL-oJjE3WKIP17lEm8_EziUTDLV_zYTz4s471T_q8AGHlrDpwgNjYxrzItWhb2pkOxBhU-ehm3n5O9/s400/IMG_9568.JPG" width="400" height="267" /></a><br />Peeking around the corner.<br /><br /><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/CxbRbwDwL-WpDWloa6ReD9dgirQeB4H55zRMrSGelZA?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtk-nMdZgTScQhFCunRmHamD9FfoykJ5Uct3M5D-7_ZTUE-920Lq3mLJcULYpRSE2G4FlkWL8EB77tPs97VCcx9GUS5TtWJTdVbqqs46Xc3IQdEIulAEEEg5pbEW-0DXao9QgA/s288/IMG_9535.JPG" width="288" height="192" /></a><br />From the inside corner, looking back toward the bedroom.<br /><br /><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/7i1_jBlCQxeBAryO5TP13NdgirQeB4H55zRMrSGelZA?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM-ZU91OXQoMvXWy_5yW1CgGlzZ22h2rHFd6n2wzFUczz_LLrlAYQtnj10BjrgZSz1Yfi-nCh_FpXR7hyphenhyphenUTCPKRVK6OlfYWO770Xt4awZPK5FpTXhd-W1kKIp3f2Tzq4CjhxXU/s400/IMG_9542.JPG" width="400" height="267" /></a><br />Sink detail, showing the many curved elements.<br /><br /><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/V65J9Ffq7UVlTGOE6dhkztdgirQeB4H55zRMrSGelZA?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip7qxScd9T_R5Bmx-gYsu-Zop7ueI3JVK7_VUuV-dUcGyAQJsoKaKb97p7rJtotxU2lwYmF26N4blHNVp8jVtEXUzytSg_UJt7v4H1Jmdtv6qEWyLEzM28xkuo2B8JIDOk9FwX/s400/IMG_9592.JPG" width="400" height="267" /></a><br />Sink faucet detail.<br /><br /><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/GE-Uvd6wLSpZ1MfkFkjTztdgirQeB4H55zRMrSGelZA?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFQf5Xdt5_97oLlJTLcD6WJSzQHwOIPXt4voTno5kwqb7oTZuzaDao27wgQ_H477wDf4D9Dt5eriieuAkC2bwvJ8Xkg22h5hijoN04MA4MTtu5r_2gfyW4Nu3sz7vNXyZl-3wn/s400/IMG_9549.JPG" width="400" height="267" /></a><br />Looking out from the closet.<br /><br /><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/r1lsSLfaID-opGWeKukXnddgirQeB4H55zRMrSGelZA?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRqSN3IczFpKYLfp07qN0-nu_aZYQNVzBYPNCcJ4K60dGtCGiQIzMcoK1Yr5TfGXLL7gcVPwxiUx7obV0ldXh3B7o-b1ybM-6jircBr6USflSMxkNX9R4UPTNE97v3W53e-jT3/s400/IMG_9558.JPG" width="400" height="267" /></a><br />View from bathtub corner.<br /><br /><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/jtpEnU3eh5lEAOMZDBlw89dgirQeB4H55zRMrSGelZA?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyiBCw9GPjftv_pXO8X1L_Ar97cgJ05UrUKw7Rv6VJyJTmswaL3IDqjMnwPPK29mVqn979zEYeX9VheVj9bQ9ZMu-HCpNpgLlATVyD7X3X63mh4j4ywVEFmKu8o4YJDvi-4Al8/s400/IMG_9571.JPG" width="267" height="400" /></a><br />Bathtub detail.<br /><br /><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/Je77fD0M5K0fx2DY2rkS3NdgirQeB4H55zRMrSGelZA?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRDGjFjB9lnYGeJduX9Xd4512BOkaewq0tvuC8IjbD7qj_tIp8IhMfz9_TTcfFpvVC1TD_uvef6z_oxqkSCyQrhnUs0VGqLljDeGFDP3TZuzDj7-aHXckY_imix_5rBp63GIEU/s400/IMG_9597.JPG" width="400" height="267" /></a><br />Tub faucet detail.<br /><br /><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/czDsa-ojRd4LK5goX79S5NdgirQeB4H55zRMrSGelZA?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj409l6HzBwFg1ojEMwlSl9n2sq9IR3Zld43wC1TARglEbiKgrtSRdqmXrbHitCctNFGSAaA-HnJrktUY7-0mAfEc32FC-ViyvsQPJMLuQMUBx9uQfcayym56SSh91jFX5fMH_4/s400/IMG_9595.JPG" width="267" height="400" /></a><br />Wall sconce detail.<br /><br /><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/eGb6eUkknwW5StTieUTjo9dgirQeB4H55zRMrSGelZA?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiye99t4OGyxEPwTprGtpaj-19xf-YRRUv8asXIo9srthjobByCdU9g7pnyCPLc4EyLAQ9TvMuTl_Y-iFgnKUi7lWhdag8YJVmSZ-wxKYRRAMvlKIamaQIvLpuatfQlFyB1bA9/s400/IMG_9599.JPG" width="267" height="400" /></a><br />Floor tile detail.<br /><br /><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/9YfSAUakI0erJnL6ngOUCtdgirQeB4H55zRMrSGelZA?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpILtUy0rH0oav7XL19DTUysVSLyRKHSoWmJ7nGyPYB-pn4x5XqpS7lCsReBkqOlihzNYHtSmjHQMCcrcgTVrt-58_XsIF1tZ99rqMY12kXTn_ig31-J-VwjCp2BzvPVBjXSbA/s400/IMG_9572.JPG" width="400" height="267" /></a><br />Vanity detail.<br /><br /><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/1jUobhxl9KFa6GHQ6YLcyddgirQeB4H55zRMrSGelZA?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0dfYGvU5AvVfcq1FxsEpfxEohRdlqFC8gCmNwrq1ap0sLEu1k_seD1F7nr55IupejHepeaZ7jPlroir6BYlHVUqdxktaWBHGu2oFEl4KBKO94JtJbZqaNm7-hN6bwGdSDFPXJ/s400/IMG_9583.JPG" width="400" height="267" /></a><br /><br />Along with the bathroom renovation, Andrea wanted to update the built-in cabinets in the bedroom. Gus built them at the same time as the bathroom vanity, based on our designs.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">The End</span><br />And, I thought I'd end on a whimsical note...with a detail of the ceiling, showing the original skylight. At some point we'll need to re-do the roof, and will install a glass skylight to replace this plastic one.<br /><br /><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/VECB4FCObyzk8LopMr1WGddgirQeB4H55zRMrSGelZA?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJM-7hQLyuYU4pT4wun86j5gXaqBYnugm60B75VAZN3-7WAZ7L__Y5qQLwq70O981e-fY3PU2Yvx88vOS2HKjr4dTOplA4QZX5wZhl6a3-nVQZuYnJSjBjPQWpx-vpM_7A5tGb/s400/IMG_9573.JPG" width="267" height="400" /></a>NickSabhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12367482393795928301noreply@blogger.com0Atlanta, GA 30345, USA33.8484195 -84.285812133.795669499999995 -84.3647761 33.9011695 -84.2068481tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7836481.post-9914554000409257922009-07-12T19:20:00.002-05:002009-07-12T19:22:14.263-05:00Cicada Killer WaspI was working in the yard and heard an occassional loud buzzing sound. I assumed it was a carpenter bee or something similar, until I saw this scene:<br />a Cicada Killer Wasp hauling her prey up the gutter on the side of the house. They are truly a sight to behold, not only because of their size (I'm guessing this one was 2 inches long), but also because of their impressive hauling ability. The cicada is about the same size as the wasp. She eventually managed to get airborne and sailed around the side of the house, off to a burrow someplace.<br /><br />For more info: <a href="http://ww2.lafayette.edu/~hollidac/cicadakillerhome.html">http://ww2.lafayette.edu/~hollidac/cicadakillerhome.html</a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQIzdiViJqXc9p2muAZuS2ld4Pwoz5mfNUWzqU0jOGMrvUNY7D7emt2URx-_ncaeqY6QwtcC3JntQTKC4Da7wDbVVuA1s34ajMMMug4r1R3mRSCM2FjpNn1EaHocmD5BUuV-J-/s1600-h/IMG_0565.JPG"><img style="CLEAR: both; FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQIzdiViJqXc9p2muAZuS2ld4Pwoz5mfNUWzqU0jOGMrvUNY7D7emt2URx-_ncaeqY6QwtcC3JntQTKC4Da7wDbVVuA1s34ajMMMug4r1R3mRSCM2FjpNn1EaHocmD5BUuV-J-/s400/IMG_0565.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2LO9t6OQnzWUG0oQYrZaoO6147kzMaLELmq7zYqu3EhDSyAwGbAOlaxu-sZGBamgtVxq1JNvIvJ1gTr10oZ2TLZegy9OwksdOlIwiGEN7daLqxK9e8t6S5BOt7LeqoyPlLN-W/s1600-h/IMG_0554.JPG"></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSeqGIKY2oObQ3ugdHLppz4Gpen3pWNELlZ4__RkOCw0EBhxpD4sT0rmCyGUm376nQq7s0qvtaqUfqVYMcq5aPxRoeIUIH8fznGbe0EXaMuBCwgIj6kFvCohE1WpQXFMx4tLMk/s1600-h/IMG_0572.JPG"></a><div style="CLEAR: both; TEXT-ALIGN: left"><a href="http://picasa.google.com/blogger/" target="ext"><img style="BORDER-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; BORDER-TOP: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 0px; BACKGROUND: 0% 50%; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0px; BORDER-LEFT: 0px; PADDING-TOP: 0px; BORDER-BOTTOM: 0px; -moz-background-clip: initial; -moz-background-origin: initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: initial" alt="Posted by Picasa" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/pbp.gif" align="middle" border="0" /></a></div>NickSabhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12367482393795928301noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7836481.post-72459661270374708892009-02-17T19:16:00.030-05:002009-02-18T09:51:14.501-05:00WoodworkingMy brother-in-law has gotten really good at building things from wood. Whether it's nature, nurture, or adaptive behavior on his part, the fact that my father-in-law built two of their homes from the ground up probably explains some of Gus's aptitude.<br /><br />He started out building custom products such as rabbit display stands for PetsMart. He has since amassed an arsenal of power tools and the skills to use them. Their family recently finished building a house south of Atlanta, and all of the woodwork -- from the cabinets to the doors -- was built in their shop in the basement. Yeah, they're hard core.<br /><br />These days his main product is custom fish tank stands which he sells to Atlanta-area stores and individuals. He has also built a few things for family members, including bed frames. So when we started a search for new bedroom furniture, we were excited when he agreed to build it for us.<br /><br />As with other design decisions, it took a while for Andrea and I to agree on a style. After a long online search for ideas, we narrowed it down to a handful of designs that had both modern and traditional elements.<br /><br />Once we had a direction, I returned to my trusty Google Sketchup and for the first time tried my hand at furniture modeling. I was going after something very simple and clean, inspired primarily by Shaker styles.<br /><br />Below is one of the final design concepts that I explored and shared with Gus. We decided to do night stands as well. He recommended a few changes and adjustments, mostly to do with the practicalities of putting it together.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjssjRe2fLy3VPgkuEMBsSimWgT5T9WIu_EsHenU783d4brQR5gBVeCazquGMOxEAl_7zSuLi5aOz_sOHV7DbYcARIWk4Zue2aXIKP5H8tOjbBPWzAA8NxQu5T7xz7zW8ObWyGQ/s1600-h/MasterBedTaperLegs.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5303930490844959058" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: pointer; HEIGHT: 277px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjssjRe2fLy3VPgkuEMBsSimWgT5T9WIu_EsHenU783d4brQR5gBVeCazquGMOxEAl_7zSuLi5aOz_sOHV7DbYcARIWk4Zue2aXIKP5H8tOjbBPWzAA8NxQu5T7xz7zW8ObWyGQ/s400/MasterBedTaperLegs.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Once we agreed on the basic design, he and Andrea went to shop for wood. We decided on walnut for its dark color and grain patterns. Gus specifically looked for unusual swirls and coloration to give the piece a unique character.<br /><br />After that, he went down to the shop with the raw lumber and worked his magic!<br /><br />Here is the headboard in mid-construction:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCgYSpJ6HPkToTKMnHFyBB2fc64qrNknrpZhrLggzNaaW2OawkO8QTKWGCR7Hm4OzCE5jZEw0fG1PQMCnmvm-QaMvEJ6CMnpia3ep_5FUQWDDHRuncCF1zaSWbCCtghK9RFUH_/s1600-h/walnut_bed+%281%29.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5303932925011409154" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: pointer; HEIGHT: 214px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCgYSpJ6HPkToTKMnHFyBB2fc64qrNknrpZhrLggzNaaW2OawkO8QTKWGCR7Hm4OzCE5jZEw0fG1PQMCnmvm-QaMvEJ6CMnpia3ep_5FUQWDDHRuncCF1zaSWbCCtghK9RFUH_/s320/walnut_bed+%281%29.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br />And here is the final result. He really did an amazing job. Furniture of this quality is rare these days.<br /><p align="center"><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/8ZjrUSrs2Y0S0Uip6ZVC7A?authkey=qycFPIbW0vQ&feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOyPp7CsPGu-kVFODcoFT92FdBLz-XgCDWPjaBAEqq53RLQGsm1Q8FMkmuybuDZHR1U_Ua6dx58pKUMiv60_HHfJ7xU1qBuD7PPEyRz3Z4KN1EThHsR3L-KL87QW8KDogg6eiA/s400/IMG_5125.JPG" /></a><br /></p><p align="center"><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/_c4MMxDQ_u3FuHaTilQkew?authkey=qycFPIbW0vQ&feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwbAfe4UdIH4AB6GCTEFTdCQKi-t6QCVLB1dmVtZS7eNW7FXjHfjvMAMnQcf7ULlBz2mukH4zprZvRcMK7VWxtZe9-7u60diERtgk6BIfcjOFR3vrhCzeefR_o_eWmZ3-pOUJ7/s400/IMG_5135.JPG" /></a> </p><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/NqlA3y-meWND8NpJP2L8SA?authkey=qycFPIbW0vQ&feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi22-SQItqO7BhdBe_PFh2-RqLTR4nQ5K72ij7CyQQgABQsDkB_xSQTbvInrzyx8lpRKjTjw4RjAHBBf0SJnLWCTm5LewqlrzCNgyEb5vq6_Fk625GYHUJ_-pPuOSCgJg6N_Qk/s400/IMG_5156.JPG" /></a><br /></div><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/-k-Dcq-NWKnWQDpeGzhAYw?authkey=qycFPIbW0vQ&feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4W3uX_J6_YQ0kNgbbX-2ZPFwI6e2LlgJvHRmY7A2HyXPguO4Un5QnZjyBs_MISfD4SKwTZ72NCHZI5WJ-QoCdMEUTXVa-wmTh5DrbFQ1ft4VCk_DYxyUN3ak4EOn4sE0CbGVb/s400/IMG_5161.JPG" /></a><br /></div><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/0N36a-KT4OYZbtCgVvSGBw?authkey=qycFPIbW0vQ&feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaFiKua-7-weE9zXvhYtkaewqiqkyzempp6FrTW7xoTq4-XbMjouHf_p7FDuUwKsN9P_ZLGhbCVd_f5EfRmRnelh-K66klwYGO5jW97Ua-Fjx5lRey5gwqcyAog2j6ktFGTyVz/s400/IMG_5164.jpg" /></a><br /></div><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><br />I have to add this caveat:<br />Andrea is still looking for a complete set of bedding for the room, so I did the best I could with what's there. The funkadelic pillows are stolen from the living room. I figured they were an improvement over the plain white pillow cases. But maybe not?!</span>NickSabhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12367482393795928301noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7836481.post-25366522795228553622008-09-21T10:21:00.004-05:002008-09-21T13:14:57.575-05:00Don't Touch ThisI've often thought I could have been an entomologist. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/E._O._Wilson">E.O. Wilson</a>, co-author of "Journey to the Ants", is a hero of mine. The fascination with bugs started young, growing up on a farm in Illinois where I spent a lot of time exploring fence lines and turning over rocks. So now when others are ready to squish them underfoot, I am just as likely to scoop a bug to a safe leaf out of harms way.<br /><br />Apparently, my good will is lost on them.<br /><br />In spite of a lifetime of fondness and acts of insect rescue, I have not been rewarded with sufficient good karma to shield me from their defense mechanisms. Maybe it's my lack of compassion for some insects, such as mosquitoes.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Cases in point:</span><br /><br />A few weeks back I learned the hard way that the <a href="http://www.ext.vt.edu/departments/entomology/factsheets/wheelbug.html"> wheel bug</a> can inflict a really painful bite. It looked innocuous to me, and so naturally when I saw it in the road I tried to move it to the yard. I won't be rescuing wheel bugs in the future.<br /><br />Yesterday while doing some yard work, a screw fell out of the saw I was using. As I reached down to find it, my hand brushed some leaves on a shrub and I got another painful zap. After putting some ice on my hand to reduce the pain and swelling, I went back to find the bug that bit me. I knew I'd found the culprit as soon as I saw this:<br /><br /><div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8cU-OZ7Ng4mBXj3n8URxDKR0l9e8_xsmj186c18LvobftdPPbLAhMkEBMOu-zXdcM1-eolrvyYV7ywJYWDE3ov-Wej7Hfb-jbGPY6OIHKQXYBj_l5hjZOTToOm7bMz1-uOVl3/s1600-h/saddleback_caterpillar+%2856%29.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8cU-OZ7Ng4mBXj3n8URxDKR0l9e8_xsmj186c18LvobftdPPbLAhMkEBMOu-zXdcM1-eolrvyYV7ywJYWDE3ov-Wej7Hfb-jbGPY6OIHKQXYBj_l5hjZOTToOm7bMz1-uOVl3/s320/saddleback_caterpillar+%2856%29.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><br />It's a <a href="http://www.ext.vt.edu/departments/entomology/factsheets/saddle.html">Saddle Back caterpillar</a>, one of several types of <a href="http://www.ca.uky.edu/entomology/entfacts/ef003.asp">stinging caterpillars</a>. In these closeups he does look quite fearsome (and alien), but he's actually quite small, about 3/4". The hairs on his back are connected to venom glands.<br /><br />I wish I <span style="font-style: italic;">had</span> seen him sooner, because like other potential predators, his bright colors and imposing appearance would have told me to "stay away." The technical word for these adaptations is <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Warning_colouration"> aposematism </a>.<br /></div><br /><div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7dXKHBsLbgA7D8Or7975f1zw_JWp4_pxZUD-DXF5qf2_0VzITNWfy8uxdtszFGp4c9hOHNBA8s9apE982MZSQmC7ZwQZFfrywPnVWfwKYnAMMCS912Z7mmgvCClNmWaw56umz/s1600-h/saddleback_caterpillar+%2863%29.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7dXKHBsLbgA7D8Or7975f1zw_JWp4_pxZUD-DXF5qf2_0VzITNWfy8uxdtszFGp4c9hOHNBA8s9apE982MZSQmC7ZwQZFfrywPnVWfwKYnAMMCS912Z7mmgvCClNmWaw56umz/s320/saddleback_caterpillar+%2863%29.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a> </div><br /><div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCbWSXpVsHqGHHPP-mWmKeTyMP_uQN8WJhXetLe8IQflmnYHezMTre0lJNPOhqy1g0A62HMZ461uCeLArFWSm6BAAsP26MjORqQ3Q5c2eapFhP3VRpkHPtUFgK3Izu-P1TB_hL/s1600-h/saddleback_caterpillar+%288%29.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCbWSXpVsHqGHHPP-mWmKeTyMP_uQN8WJhXetLe8IQflmnYHezMTre0lJNPOhqy1g0A62HMZ461uCeLArFWSm6BAAsP26MjORqQ3Q5c2eapFhP3VRpkHPtUFgK3Izu-P1TB_hL/s320/saddleback_caterpillar+%288%29.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102); font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" >I struggled to get sharp photos here.<br />I think I should have used a tripod and a smaller aperture for more depth of field</span>.<br /></div><br /><br /><br /><div style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://picasa.google.com/blogger/" target="ext"><img src="http://photos1.blogger.com/pbp.gif" alt="Posted by Picasa" style="border: 0px none ; padding: 0px; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;" align="middle" border="0" /></a></div>NickSabhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12367482393795928301noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7836481.post-59614432411823241452008-09-17T20:30:00.001-05:002010-01-14T09:58:23.140-05:00Domestic PrototypingIt's been about a year since we moved into our "new" house - a <a href="http://nicksab.blogspot.com/2007/06/new-house.html">1960 mid-century modern</a> in Atlanta. Since then we have slowly ticked off a <span style="FONT-STYLE: italic">long </span>list of to-do's, starting with mundane things like chimney repair, gutters, and other essentials. Now we're finally able to turn our attentions to more of the fun stuff.<br /><br />While we see eye to eye on many things, when it comes to design, Andrea and I have somewhat different aesthetic sensibilities. To help us work through high level decisions, I often use software to create prototypes of options. (It turns out prototyping is also a big part of my day job in user experience.)<br /><br />When we were planning to repaint rooms in the house, I took photos and then used <a href="http://www.adobe.com/products/photoshop/family/">Adobe Photoshop</a> image editing software to play with different color scheme ideas:<br /><br /><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Green</span><br /><table style="WIDTH: auto"><tbody><tr><td><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/YNcKLJ38e9z9one0MQ7_bQ?authkey=HOwYxLN448o"><img src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/nicksab/SNG1d51yO-I/AAAAAAAAA9M/O4j-Lxt3lbw/s400/fp_green.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="FONT-SIZE: 11px; FONT-FAMILY: arial,sans-serif; TEXT-ALIGN: right">From <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/nicksab/InteriorPhotos_Aug08?authkey=HOwYxLN448o">InteriorPhotos_Aug08</a></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Blue</span><br /><table style="WIDTH: auto"><tbody><tr><td><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/EihHyubEpeXH99hh4uopYw?authkey=HOwYxLN448o"><img src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/nicksab/SNG1do7XA_I/AAAAAAAAA9E/UlF6SQ_tQsY/s400/fp_blue.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="FONT-SIZE: 11px; FONT-FAMILY: arial,sans-serif; TEXT-ALIGN: right">From <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/nicksab/InteriorPhotos_Aug08?authkey=HOwYxLN448o">InteriorPhotos_Aug08</a></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br />The next big project is the back patio area. I've been learning <a href="http://sketchup.google.com/">Google SketchUp</a>, an application for building 3d models. I built a model of our house and backyard so I can experiment with patio, landscaping, and furniture ideas.<br /><br />Here are examples of views of the actual house compared to the SketchUp model. I "built" most of the objects myself, including the house, deck, pool, grill, and hottub. The trees, chairs, and table were from freely available object libraries.<br /><br /><table style="WIDTH: auto"><tbody><tr><td><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/jw7e6TS_-N-hOSEyusplOA?authkey=Gv1sRgCM-hlpOAgarS7QE&feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdGAt4l4JLA78QuIxtCJiiL40xKuH6uCFLXeLuKfsOv856agre9e092m9CClpEI_hOsk9yjLlq1Ig9mkJEwgPreq9gL8xaUYAfWWcC9-bnS7dYGdmxB0iGrDcKaTo2dk07bMrP/s400/Round3_V11_behindWall_lights.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="FONT-SIZE: 11px; FONT-FAMILY: arial,sans-serif; TEXT-ALIGN: right">From <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/nicksab/NewPatioConcepts?authkey=Gv1sRgCM-hlpOAgarS7QE&feat=embedwebsite">New Patio Concepts</a></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table style="WIDTH: auto"><tbody><tr><td><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/Y0xrvJnrvO7VfY-XZ1Nnvg?authkey=Gv1sRgCOCdscX3qdy6iwE&feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8YMNBCgmwMUJ97DDQWQkL0AkiG0ywlbL5xedJs-6P4yiix6nFJmkleyiCZG1nBS-Ugx4-2P1VRl22grVSydHk0V3S0SSbZDbALGf1GZsJxfyU0JIteNj7lnzLx0kreLESmqxC/s400/IMG_3946.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="FONT-SIZE: 11px; FONT-FAMILY: arial,sans-serif; TEXT-ALIGN: right">From <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/nicksab/PoolPatio_Sept08?authkey=Gv1sRgCOCdscX3qdy6iwE&feat=embedwebsite">PoolPatio_Sept08</a></td></tr></tbody></table><table style="WIDTH: auto"><tbody><tr><td><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/4MxGU5PPhqO1q7n87X6RKw?authkey=Gv1sRgCM-hlpOAgarS7QE&feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjhZLV1GwQM2C68a4THVDuQXYh1yLFH3fcfsRxvK9ad4_paPZ21pKyvp0zNsNoCAW3EVyeRiCUA9CL25OgYivANLlSYKnfGIxJPr_vJzuHN5Qdwtr_4IBh7zdYTRqhNQcfvAZP/s400/FlemingtonRound3_v9.3_CARPORT_wPlants_RENDER.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="FONT-SIZE: 11px; FONT-FAMILY: arial,sans-serif; TEXT-ALIGN: right">From <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/nicksab/NewPatioConcepts?authkey=Gv1sRgCM-hlpOAgarS7QE&feat=embedwebsite">New Patio Concepts</a></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table style="WIDTH: auto"><tbody><tr><td><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/njBquuHEkh3r8OdM5hbuuw?authkey=Gv1sRgCOCdscX3qdy6iwE&feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOlq33PIJOKVQKeERibMo-PwCzTyLsKKsLgw4toPqqSlgCqApdSAdRrhyphenhyphenm_uqPKlmz-ZB1yzu4VcmBdxsCqzpETutx6rUcL0_DuTuAiFKf8WITKWNzrkESvf-c3HLRGCfXPHL_/s400/IMG_3996.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="FONT-SIZE: 11px; FONT-FAMILY: arial,sans-serif; TEXT-ALIGN: right">From <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/nicksab/PoolPatio_Sept08?authkey=Gv1sRgCOCdscX3qdy6iwE&feat=embedwebsite">PoolPatio_Sept08</a></td></tr></tbody></table>NickSabhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12367482393795928301noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7836481.post-77743464252653897432008-08-25T20:48:00.002-05:002008-08-25T21:00:09.383-05:00Flittering Frenzy of FeathersMy inlaws live South of Atlanta, away from the city on some acreage. They have four hummingbird feeders, and go through up to a quart of the sugar water <b>each day</b>. I thought they must be exaggerating when they described the scene outside their windows, but this weekend I saw it for myself. As usual, my photos don't do justice to the real thing. Video would have been better. (Another toy to add to the wish list.)<br /><br />My conservative estimate is that there are 12 individual birds visiting their feeders. In spite of the overabundance of feeding options, they are constantly squabbling and fighting and engaging in amazing feats of aerial combat, all the while buzzing like giant bumblebees and emitting high frequency chittering sounds. There were frequent storms the day we visited, but not even a deluge of rain would keep them away.<br /><br /><div style='text-align:center;margin:0px auto 10px;'><a href='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6fcT7rto_pBHyzNzRE06Jot4H2e5LL-NzbvCt1XNQvH5Tener-24UWBRipF0qmOgKmm93KLQJaCA-9Tib-1ZIr26tMhK2NEoAjejmRfhxQqfAmgJDHkeZrNekvkm2Jj4I6Iaa/s1600-h/IMG_3903.jpg'><img src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6fcT7rto_pBHyzNzRE06Jot4H2e5LL-NzbvCt1XNQvH5Tener-24UWBRipF0qmOgKmm93KLQJaCA-9Tib-1ZIr26tMhK2NEoAjejmRfhxQqfAmgJDHkeZrNekvkm2Jj4I6Iaa/s400/IMG_3903.jpg' border='0' alt='' /></a> <br /><blockquote>There are 7 birds visible in this photo (and an 8th one that is mostly hidden). Can you find them all?</blockquote></div><br /><br /><div style='text-align:center;margin:0px auto 10px;'><a href='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcbYvLeiYDejdj2MFa3vHybg2v-_1abrlUa4BoEl5PYfvYom6xIAO_HQ_IXII3A-PGwUodtWYRKDEvOP2SQ1Coi7kjwOLL2-pD5ZLpc69necyfI_r99QtqJ-7FejVomV5dsbnY/s1600-h/IMG_3885.jpg'><img src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcbYvLeiYDejdj2MFa3vHybg2v-_1abrlUa4BoEl5PYfvYom6xIAO_HQ_IXII3A-PGwUodtWYRKDEvOP2SQ1Coi7kjwOLL2-pD5ZLpc69necyfI_r99QtqJ-7FejVomV5dsbnY/s400/IMG_3885.jpg' border='0' alt='' /></a> </div><br /><br /><div style='text-align:center;margin:0px auto 10px;'><a href='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgedwfLzPyhV4yHIyuPX_0VViwtz9SCF1U7rKH4nMmWCQe_BRxMGjEiSPskpgHlpgKvffl7XX28jPhj5dF1bjTAM-dLVYHNz-38LzeTqDqkAyJ_KEAF82Sj2PkQg1YqS_3__bXa/s1600-h/IMG_3880.jpg'><img src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgedwfLzPyhV4yHIyuPX_0VViwtz9SCF1U7rKH4nMmWCQe_BRxMGjEiSPskpgHlpgKvffl7XX28jPhj5dF1bjTAM-dLVYHNz-38LzeTqDqkAyJ_KEAF82Sj2PkQg1YqS_3__bXa/s400/IMG_3880.jpg' border='0' alt='' /></a> <br /><blockquote>It may not be obvious, but the bird sitting on top is by far the heaviest of the lot. Why? He spends most of his time sitting in that spot, chasing all the other birds away, and the rest of the time draining that feeder. He's definitely at the top of the pecking order in this flock.</blockquote></div><br /><br /><div style='text-align:center;margin:0px auto 10px;'><a href='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrsVQJcvb2eDlsG26QOUOvIAAYvcVOjdTopDfcD6k27zw7XW4CFlwSaLn083_rmjSgDJ_linKLAfHZmrsCSuZxfhW8XuFm_PxpMvEcgq9GW8l9pKIqRP5t4r3sgjndzHWH0qfE/s1600-h/IMG_3875.jpg'><img src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrsVQJcvb2eDlsG26QOUOvIAAYvcVOjdTopDfcD6k27zw7XW4CFlwSaLn083_rmjSgDJ_linKLAfHZmrsCSuZxfhW8XuFm_PxpMvEcgq9GW8l9pKIqRP5t4r3sgjndzHWH0qfE/s400/IMG_3875.jpg' border='0' alt='' /></a> </div><br /><br /><br /><div style='clear:both; text-align:CENTER'><a href='http://picasa.google.com/blogger/' target='ext'><img src='http://photos1.blogger.com/pbp.gif' alt='Posted by Picasa' style='border: 0px none ; padding: 0px; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: initial; -moz-background-origin: initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: initial;' align='middle' border='0' /></a></div>NickSabhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12367482393795928301noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7836481.post-15102798612514531192008-08-20T20:54:00.007-05:002008-08-20T21:14:06.873-05:00I'm a rock. Move along.On a hike last weekend at my favorite <A HREF="http://www.nps.gov/chat/planyourvisit/johnsonferrynorth.htm">Chattahoochee River Rec area</A>, I heard rustling in the weeds near a creek. Pulling aside some leaves revealed the critter you see here. (Most likely a <A HREF="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Southern_Leopard_Frog">Southern Leopard Frog</A>.)<br /><br />I think he went into "I'm a rock" mode, hoping that somehow I wouldn't notice him. His apparent stupor meant I was able to take quite a few shots. When I backed away a bit to switch lenses, he decided to make a break for it and sprang into the water.<br /><br />I like how the markings on his side blend into the coloring in his eye.<br /><br /><a href='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRDN512zWGMzJYATj3zvmnq8shzJGrV6WpntB0LX2-wmrvvDfvSotIRKUd5sSpQO9fk1lPLVhwt0h0kOWWGJIaun31gO68oVHCxm6vrNTbUJAKrvISgZmKzD56uZPf8LqtA9fl/s1600-h/IMG_3843.jpg'><img src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRDN512zWGMzJYATj3zvmnq8shzJGrV6WpntB0LX2-wmrvvDfvSotIRKUd5sSpQO9fk1lPLVhwt0h0kOWWGJIaun31gO68oVHCxm6vrNTbUJAKrvISgZmKzD56uZPf8LqtA9fl/s400/IMG_3843.jpg' border='0' alt=''style='clear:both;float:left; margin:0px 10px 10px 0;' /></a> NickSabhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12367482393795928301noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7836481.post-86491732204525460782008-05-18T21:00:00.018-05:002012-11-24T09:59:25.499-05:00Southern Idaho... who knew?<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #999999; font-size: 78%;">All photos link to full versions on my Picasa site.</span></div>
<span style="font-size: 78%;"><br /></span><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/nicksab/IdahoHighlights/photo?authkey=UXp2gg9xhEc#5202219390352961618" target="_blank"><img align="right" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/nicksab/SDH--RWjMFI/AAAAAAAAAt4/TkYTMScxA40/s400/idaho_day3_07.jpg" /></a>Since she became a bonafide road warrior, planning vacations with Andrea means going to Delta.com and Hilton.com trolling for the best frequent flier and hotel points. I can make light of it now because this process resulted in one of my all-time favorite vacations.<br />
We wanted to see the <a href="http://nicksab.blogspot.com/2005/09/pilgrimage-to-redwoods-part-i.html">coastal redwoods</a>, but since our travel dates were only a few weeks away she couldn't put together a trip with her honor points. So she started looking for other travel options, casting the net in ever widening circles from our original Northern California target.<br />
One night, after a few days of searching, she popped into my office and said something like:<br />
<blockquote>
"So, how do you feel about..... Boise?"</blockquote>
And my reply was roughly:
<br />
<blockquote>
"What the heck is in Boise?"</blockquote>
But by then I was desperate. We were running out of time to plan, and I was ready to go just about anywhere.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">OK, cut to the punchline:</span><br />
We did in fact head to Boise. And to my surprise, I was really taken with Southern Idaho. It far exceeded my expectations with its sweeping vistas and starkly beautiful landscapes.<br />
<br />
We did mostly sightseeing with Boise as our base, taking road trips between there, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sun_Valley,_Idaho">Sun Valley</a>, and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twin_Falls,_Idaho">Twin Falls</a>. The photos here are a small sampling from the five days we were there. The weather was fantastic, and certainly gets some credit for the great time we had.<br />
<a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/nicksab/IdahoHighlights/photo?authkey=UXp2gg9xhEc#5202220318065897794" target="_blank"><img align="right" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/nicksab/SDH_0RWjMUI/AAAAAAAAAv0/2lI2qBsb5qg/s400/idaho_day3_25.jpg" /></a><br />
<br />
I can't mention this trip without sharing another happy coincidence (the first was that we found our way to Idaho at all). Our first day there happened to be July 4th. We never miss fireworks, so we followed the crowds and the signs to the county fairgrounds to see how Boise does Independence Day. Pulling into the parking lot I heard what sounded like a full rock band. Once we got sight of the stage, I realized it was actually one guy and a drummer.<br />
<br />
The guy, it turns out, was musician <a href="http://www.marcuseaton.com/">Marcus Eaton</a>, an Idaho native and icon of the local music scene. We watched his whole show, engaged by his music and his stage presence. He does some amazing things with a few stomp boxes and a guitar. If you're into guitar-oriented pop-rock, check him out.<br />
<br />
A few more bits of Idaho trivia before I wrap-up the write-up:<br />
<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0162830/">Twin Falls Idaho</a> is a somewhat bizarre yet touching indie movie about Siamese twins who both fall for the same girl. It turns out that the movie really has nothing to do with Twin Falls, Idaho. But if you're up for an offbeat moody flick, I recommend it.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>In 1974, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evel_Knievel#Snake_River_Canyon">Evil Knievel</a> made a failed attempt to jump the Snake River Canyon near Twin Falls. (See photo of Snake River at sundown below.)</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0374900/">Napoleon Dynamite</a> was filmed in and around Preston, Idaho, in the southeast corner of the state. <span style="font-weight: bold;">Gosh!</span></li>
</ul>
And with that, more photos, taken with my prior camera, a 2MP Canon A40.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a align="left" href="http://picasaweb.google.com/nicksab/IdahoHighlights/photo?authkey=UXp2gg9xhEc#5202219746835247266" target="_blank"><img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/nicksab/SDH_TBWjMKI/AAAAAAAAAug/tlgGI62E1oQ/s400/IMG_0200.JPG" /></a></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a align="right" href="http://picasaweb.google.com/nicksab/IdahoHighlights/photo?authkey=UXp2gg9xhEc#5202220257936355634" target="_blank"><img src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/nicksab/SDH_wxWjMTI/AAAAAAAAAvs/hZ0QvbllGRI/s288/idaho_day4_12.jpg" /></a><br />
Twin Falls Bridge over the Snake River</div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/nicksab/IdahoHighlights/photo?authkey=UXp2gg9xhEc#5202219785489952946" target="_blank"><img src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/nicksab/SDH_VRWjMLI/AAAAAAAAAuo/m3QzNpHcnyA/s400/STH_0217.JPG" /></a></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/nicksab/IdahoHighlights/photo?authkey=UXp2gg9xhEc#5202219837029560514" target="_blank"><img src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/nicksab/SDH_YRWjMMI/AAAAAAAAAuw/a3EHEooPmG0/s400/IMG_0265.JPG" /></a></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/nicksab/IdahoHighlights/photo?authkey=UXp2gg9xhEc#5202220129087336706" target="_blank"><img src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/nicksab/SDH_pRWjMQI/AAAAAAAAAvU/rAHAT-jAXfM/s400/IMG_0061.JPG" /></a><br />
Shoshone Falls, near Twin Falls</div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/nicksab/IdahoHighlights/photo?authkey=UXp2gg9xhEc#5202219510612045922" target="_blank"><img src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/nicksab/SDH_FRWjMGI/AAAAAAAAAuA/5UrhfLiEhHw/s288/idaho_day3_09.jpg" /></a><br />
Silver City</div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/nicksab/IdahoHighlights/photo?authkey=UXp2gg9xhEc#5202613659760800098" target="_blank"><img src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/nicksab/SDNljxWjMWI/AAAAAAAAAxA/U_Obuv-Y8yA/s400/IMG_0055.JPG" /></a><br />
Snake River</div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br />
<a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/nicksab/IdahoHighlights/photo?authkey=UXp2gg9xhEc#5202220163447075090" target="_blank"><img src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/nicksab/SDH_rRWjMRI/AAAAAAAAAvc/lUrr3KSAQUA/s288/idaho_day6_29.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/nicksab/IdahoHighlights/photo?authkey=UXp2gg9xhEc#5202220081842696434" target="_blank"><img src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/nicksab/SDH_mhWjMPI/AAAAAAAAAvM/9Z1zcEynvd4/s400/STF_0038.JPG" /></a><br />
Snake River</div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/nicksab/IdahoHighlights/photo?authkey=UXp2gg9xhEc#5202219712475508882" target="_blank"><img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/nicksab/SDH_RBWjMJI/AAAAAAAAAuY/06xJDXCHyUo/s288/IMG_0160.JPG" /></a></div>
NickSabhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12367482393795928301noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7836481.post-23752692305319298942008-05-06T08:18:00.002-05:002008-05-06T08:28:41.722-05:00Single engine plane flightMy friend/co-worker Alan is a private pilot, and offered to take me up on a flight. We finally made it happen last Friday - he and his friend did a round trip from Atlanta to Knoxville and I got to go along.<br /><br />Below is a slideshow of some of the photos I took. Roll over the window to view the controls that let you pause the slideshow, or move between photos. I'm trying something new with this thing - I think you need to have the <A HREF="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer">Macromedia Flash plug-in</A> installed to see it.<br /><br /><embed type="application/x-shockwave-flash" src="http://picasaweb.google.com/s/c/bin/slideshow.swf" width="600" height="400" flashvars="host=picasaweb.google.com&captions=1&noautoplay=1&RGB=0x000000&feed=http%3A%2F%2Fpicasaweb.google.com%2Fdata%2Ffeed%2Fapi%2Fuser%2Fnicksab%2Falbumid%2F5196243223780851393%3Fkind%3Dphoto%26alt%3Drss%26authkey%3Djtgi3OenftQ" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer"></embed>NickSabhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12367482393795928301noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7836481.post-40724898011948357542008-04-19T08:07:00.010-05:002008-04-19T18:33:42.436-05:00Florence, ItalyI recently had the wonderful opportunity to attend <a href="http://www.chi2008.org/">CHI 2008</a>, the primary conference for people whose work focuses on human-computer interaction. In addition to attending the conference as a fellow practitioner in the field, I was also there in my new role as VP for Chapters of <a href="http://www.sigchi.org/">ACM/SIGCHI</a>, the hosting organization for the conference.<br /><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/nicksab/Florence_CHI2008/photo?authkey=fiZIE8bCIeg#5189245328000713890"><img src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/nicksab/SAPnIcvWhKI/AAAAAAAAAiE/RHI_ZBhtv2s/s288/IMG_3274.JPG"/></a><br /><br />All this is by way of explaining why I was in Florence (Firenze) in early April. I spent a week, but didn't finally go out to do sight seeing until the last couple days. Unfortunately by then the sunny breezy days that greeted me on my arrival had given way to mostly gray blustery skies and periods of rain. Even so, I enjoyed experiencing the historic city and some of its famous sights, and of course did my best to capture some of it with photos. I got to see <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_%28Michelangelo%29">Michelangelo's <span style="font-style: italic;">David</span></a> as well, but photography was not allowed.<br /><br /><br />OK, enough intro - on to the pics:<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Ponte Vecchio</span><br />The bridge in the distance is the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ponte_vecchio">Ponte Vecchio</a>, an icon of the city. It spans the Arno river and has shops arranged on both sides. According to Wikipedia, it is estimated that the first bridge was built in this location by the Romans in 996. The current structure dates to the mid 1300's.<br /><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/nicksab/Florence_CHI2008/photo?authkey=fiZIE8bCIeg#5188866232712332130"><img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/nicksab/SAKOWMvWg2I/AAAAAAAAAeU/zeM7QYMRjPY/s800/IMG_3276.JPG" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Santa Maria Novella<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"></span></span></span></span>A friend invited me on a walk to see this <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Santa_Maria_Novella">Renaissance church</a> on a hill overlooking Florence. My photos don't do it justice - it is just amazing, inside and out. Work began in the mid 1200's and was completed in 1360.<span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></span><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/nicksab/Florence_CHI2008/photo?authkey=fiZIE8bCIeg#5189245422489994450"><img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/nicksab/SAPnN8vWhNI/AAAAAAAAAic/jJdvP9OGg1s/s400/IMG_3296.JPG" /></a><br /><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/nicksab/Florence_CHI2008/photo?authkey=fiZIE8bCIeg#5189245516979275010"><img src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/nicksab/SAPnTcvWhQI/AAAAAAAAAi0/s_IJsAbocbU/s288/IMG_3300.JPG" /></a><br /><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/nicksab/Florence_CHI2008/photo?authkey=fiZIE8bCIeg#5188866327201612722"><img src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/nicksab/SAKObsvWg7I/AAAAAAAAAfA/rw-VEb0472Q/s800/IMG_3308.JPG" /></a><br /><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/nicksab/Florence_CHI2008/photo?authkey=fiZIE8bCIeg#5188866310021743522"><img src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/nicksab/SAKOasvWg6I/AAAAAAAAAe4/JTD1egSvxI8/s400/IMG_3304.JPG" /></a><br /><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/nicksab/Florence_CHI2008/photo?authkey=fiZIE8bCIeg#5188866344381481922"><img src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/nicksab/SAKOcsvWg8I/AAAAAAAAAfI/RQX_-FXuPIc/s400/IMG_3312.JPG" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Firenze Skyline</span><br />The view from <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Santa_Maria_Novella">Santa Maria Novella</a>, including the Ponte Vecchio (left) and Duomo (right).<br /><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/nicksab/Florence_CHI2008/photo?authkey=fiZIE8bCIeg#5188866284251939730"><img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/nicksab/SAKOZMvWg5I/AAAAAAAAAew/exrg5PKV9uY/s800/IMG_3293.JPG" /></a><br /><br /><b><br />Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiore</b> (aka "The Duomo")<br /><br />The <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Florence_Cathedral">Duomo</a> is one of the must-see sights of Florence, but it's also hard to miss. The cathedral is roughly 500 feet long, and the dome soars to over 300 feet and is by far the most prominent visual feature of the city.<br /><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/nicksab/Florence_CHI2008/photo?authkey=fiZIE8bCIeg#5188866490410370114"><img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/nicksab/SAKOlMvWhEI/AAAAAAAAAgI/69FemixToDc/s400/IMG_3349.JPG" /></a><br />The dome itself is an architectural marvel. Construction of the main structure was begun without a final design for the dome. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Filippo_Brunelleschi"> Filippo Brunelleschi</a> was the winner in a contest to select the dome's architect. Because his design was so advanced, he also had to develop his own innovative tools and techniques for its construction.<br /><br />There is a railed platform encircling the outside top of the dome which provides some of the best views of the city.<br /><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/nicksab/Florence_CHI2008/photo?authkey=fiZIE8bCIeg#5188866473230500914"><img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/nicksab/SAKOkMvWhDI/AAAAAAAAAgA/k6-5nMhogBs/s800/IMG_3333.JPG" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">View from the dome - <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giotto%27s_Bell_Tower">Giotto's Belltower</a> is to the left.</span><br /><br /><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/nicksab/Florence_CHI2008/photo?authkey=fiZIE8bCIeg#5188866451755664418"><img src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/nicksab/SAKOi8vWhCI/AAAAAAAAAf4/NMdTDGVvjqo/s800/IMG_3337.JPG" /></a><br /><br />Getting to the platform involves a claustrophobic climb up 400+ stone stairs that wind along the inside shell of the structure. The stairway itself is a feat of engineering.<br /><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/nicksab/Florence_CHI2008/photo?authkey=fiZIE8bCIeg#5188866413100958722"><img src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/nicksab/SAKOgsvWhAI/AAAAAAAAAfo/9jppz-LsVd0/s400/IMG_3331.JPG" /></a><br /><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/nicksab/Florence_CHI2008/photo?authkey=fiZIE8bCIeg#5188866361561351122"><img src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/nicksab/SAKOdsvWg9I/AAAAAAAAAfQ/HxXkWCCt0Ws/s288/IMG_3317.JPG" /></a><br /><br /><br />On the way to the top there are two levels of walkways that encircle the inside of the dome which provide views to the cathedral below. Look at the tiny people down on the floor to get a sense of the vastness of the place.<br /><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/nicksab/Florence_CHI2008/photo?authkey=fiZIE8bCIeg#5188866404511024114"><img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/nicksab/SAKOgMvWg_I/AAAAAAAAAfg/9gxPQACcwUA/s800/IMG_3330.JPG" /></a><br /><br />A poor photo of the artwork on the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Florence_Cathedral#Interior">inside</a> of the dome, a rendition of the <span style="font-style: italic;">The Last Judgement. </span>The lowest level corresponds to <span style="font-style: italic;">Capital Sins and Hell</span>, and includes some truly horrific but also fascinating imagery. (It's difficult to get a clear photo from the walkways due to high plexiglass walls.)<br /><br /><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/nicksab/Florence_CHI2008/photo?authkey=fiZIE8bCIeg#5188866383036187618"><img src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/nicksab/SAKOe8vWg-I/AAAAAAAAAfY/z-GZpEfI71E/s400/IMG_3321.JPG" /></a><br /><br />Other photos of the Duomo:<br /><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/nicksab/Florence_CHI2008/photo?authkey=fiZIE8bCIeg#5188866507590239314"><img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/nicksab/SAKOmMvWhFI/AAAAAAAAAgQ/6_jzfk5owLQ/s800/IMG_3353.JPG" /></a><br /><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/nicksab/Florence_CHI2008/photo?authkey=fiZIE8bCIeg#5188866524770108514"><img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/nicksab/SAKOnMvWhGI/AAAAAAAAAgY/DxfcXwvqal0/s400/IMG_3356.JPG" /></a><br /><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/nicksab/Florence_CHI2008/photo?authkey=fiZIE8bCIeg#5189245637238359362"><img src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/nicksab/SAPnacvWhUI/AAAAAAAAAjY/RzsH17l1Ka8/s400/IMG_3352.JPG" /></a><br /><br />All of these photos were taking in my last 24 hours in Florence, and it left me wishing I'd had more time to enjoy and appreciate the city.NickSabhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12367482393795928301noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7836481.post-22749805899812985472008-03-06T19:59:00.004-05:002008-03-06T20:34:47.369-05:00A new little person is in the worldI got to meet my niece in Germany a couple weeks back. I'll sound like a typical uncle if I gush about how cute she is, but seriously - is she not?<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaYRV9CkyksDYB_YRoyZNsKPMR6O-VkjrzeJ2jtFNWsTj-KJCTi_Dzcro4heSrQCTWpbrk92WyPvoKZJKEg3fA3Wu0w759rS-7japBXu0WfJOu7S6KKFAVrVhSM1h24ws49Gnp/s1600-h/Germany_Feb08+083.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaYRV9CkyksDYB_YRoyZNsKPMR6O-VkjrzeJ2jtFNWsTj-KJCTi_Dzcro4heSrQCTWpbrk92WyPvoKZJKEg3fA3Wu0w759rS-7japBXu0WfJOu7S6KKFAVrVhSM1h24ws49Gnp/s400/Germany_Feb08+083.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5174800199070388242" border="0" /></a>She was just over two weeks old and wee small. Never ceases to amaze me - we all have such humble beginnings.<br /><br />Of course I took a ton of photos - this one came out best. My sister wanted me to try doing an "artsy" black and white. With such a terrific model, it was easy.<br /><br />It was a relaxing time hanging out with them. We did just a little sightseeing - Nuremberg and Munich. I plan to post some photos soon.NickSabhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12367482393795928301noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7836481.post-29178936217880809112008-01-01T19:38:00.000-05:002008-01-01T19:44:01.988-05:00Micro Closeup<a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/nicksab/BloggerPictures/photo?authkey=z-mblZMJlOs#5150671355480120978"><img src="http://lh5.google.com/nicksab/R3rcTvIsHpI/AAAAAAAAALk/XmwCYchcM0Y/s400/1001071955.jpg" /></a><br />"Feed me, now...or suffer the consequences."NickSabhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12367482393795928301noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7836481.post-21501418664669883652007-12-27T17:57:00.000-05:002012-11-26T19:13:50.633-05:00Smells like Cheese ClichéOK, I'm finally posting a new piece of music. This one is quite different from the <a href="http://nicksab.blogspot.com/2006/11/and-now-little-music.html">last one</a>.<br />
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It's an instrumental orchestral snippet I whipped up recently to test some new sound samples:<br />
<a href="http://www.nicksabstudio.com/music/triumphantOrch3.mp3">Triumphant Orchestral</a><br />
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I dabble in these "soundtracky" pieces on and off. It ended up sounding like the intro to a cheesy adventure TV show. Yes, there is clearly a cliché John Williams influence happening here, no doubt from years of watching Close Encounters, Star Wars, Jurassic Park, and other movies with his handiwork.<br />
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Happy New Year all!NickSabhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12367482393795928301noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7836481.post-8054797264012650122007-12-23T17:41:00.001-05:002015-11-29T07:03:02.115-05:00Do you cook? Well, there is this one thing...Whenever I'm asked "Do you cook?", I sometimes wish I could reply with something like "Why yes! I'm currently exploring Alsation cuisine, after a long fixation with Northern India." OK, so I can't even fabricate a believable response. Truth is, I rarely cook.<br />
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But there is one dish, a dessert, that I look forward to making each year. It's a steamed pudding recipe called Sailor's Duff. It was handed down to my Mom from my Grandma, "Baba" Sabadosh. We made it each year around Christmas, and I loved it so much that I adopted it and have carried on the tradition ever since. It's now also become required at Christmas dinner with my inlaws.<br />
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The "pudding" is not like the Jello stuff, but rather more like a heavy, rich cake flavored with molasses, and topped with a heavy whipped cream sauce.<br />
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It comes out slightly different every year, but it's a forgiving recipe. Here's what it looked like Saturday for our holiday dinner:<br />
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<a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/nicksab/ForWhatItSWorth/photo?authkey=ONE8LHuy0w4#5147301704528305762"><img src="http://lh3.google.com/nicksab/R27joPIsHmI/AAAAAAAAAK0/nCiDt9ZXHSQ/s400/xmas2007%20004.jpg" /></a></div>
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And for anyone who wants to try it, below is the full recipe. The only other thing you'll need is a pudding mold and a pot to steam it in. We used to make it in a coffee can, but it always cooked unevenly. Then one year while Christmas shopping, we found this "steamed pudding" mold, shaped a bit like an angel food cake pan with a hole in the middle. We've used that ever since and it works wonderfully.<br />
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<b>Sailor's Duff Steamed Pudding</b><br />
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Beat:<br />
2 eggs<br />
4 Tbsp sugar<br />
<br />
Add in order:<br />
1 c molasses<br />
4 Tbsp melted butter<br />
1 1/2 tsp baking soda in a little water<br />
3 c flour<br />
1/2 tsp salt<br />
1 c boiling water<br />
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Pour into greased pudding mold and steam for about 75 minutes.<br />
Check for doneness using a spaghetti noodle or wooden skewer - it should come out dry.<br />
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<b>The Sauce</b><br />
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Beat together:<br />
4 egg yolks*<br />
1 1/2 c sugar<br />
<br />
Fold in:<br />
1 pt. whipped whipping cream<br />
2 tsp vanilla<br />
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<b>(*Caution:</b> Dishes which use raw eggs, like the sauce here, carry a certain risk. For more information: http://www.homemade-dessert-recipes.com/eggs-and-salmonella.html)<br />
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Happy Holidays!NickSabhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12367482393795928301noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7836481.post-28659332197000829572007-09-16T07:35:00.000-05:002007-09-16T09:08:51.707-05:00More fauna from Flemington RdI think our new house closer to town may have more critters than our place up North. I guess I'd expect less diversity since it is closer to areas that are more densely populated. But maybe age of neighborhood has more to do with it? Not sure...<br /><br />In any case, I found this fat fella on our driveway yesterday while talking to a guy about gutter estimates. I knew he was unusual (the caterpillar...not the gutter guy), but I just figured out that he is an <A Href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Actias_luna"><i>Actias luna</i></a> caterpillar, the Luna Moth, a truly exotic insect. The sleeping pill Lunesta uses the Luna Moth as its icon.<br /><br />He wasn't very active, so I suspect he may have fallen to the driveway and wasn't doing too well. This photo was staged. I placed him up in the branches of a nearby tree and hope he was just moving slow due to his girth.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikg5XH3WdiAQRWzJ41vthEQ8-rJGO-JZ9CL4e3mOZhPPnMTm1pK3O9vkcw2ZScg6cU-Cd8L_Hlz7-sS5Hgft42Amlof4VaTwANTATXcA93SAISe9pVIEISo-AaFQbBqzqIN4hF/s1600-h/photos_sep15_07+013-2.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikg5XH3WdiAQRWzJ41vthEQ8-rJGO-JZ9CL4e3mOZhPPnMTm1pK3O9vkcw2ZScg6cU-Cd8L_Hlz7-sS5Hgft42Amlof4VaTwANTATXcA93SAISe9pVIEISo-AaFQbBqzqIN4hF/s400/photos_sep15_07+013-2.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5110782551734839538" /></a>NickSabhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12367482393795928301noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7836481.post-91467570996539156832007-09-05T22:12:00.000-05:002007-09-05T22:16:20.824-05:00Spider snapsSome quick snapshots of a striking spider whose web I destroyed while walking around the patio this weekend. I moved him/her to a low traffic area, but have not since it since.<br /><A HREF='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYQ-zn9dQlWe2fk8mm7d0FSfSH1Vf0lNvWoSzwcGp-WCmMhjYKgYnEEfwe84tZ1iDIB1qVQG5Z83mTxYpiSJstrQR9pxCPqCn0x1pE503I7wiFUKWNmLJCUeYsjCfaOs-6grc1/s1600-h/laborDay07+002.jpg'><IMG SRC='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYQ-zn9dQlWe2fk8mm7d0FSfSH1Vf0lNvWoSzwcGp-WCmMhjYKgYnEEfwe84tZ1iDIB1qVQG5Z83mTxYpiSJstrQR9pxCPqCn0x1pE503I7wiFUKWNmLJCUeYsjCfaOs-6grc1/s320/laborDay07+002.jpg' border=0 alt='' id='BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_' style='clear:both;float:left; margin:0px 10px 10px 0;'></A><br /><P><br /> <br /><A HREF='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKXbs2NgFrFYZjucxYqp_JfbEoE6EZozu8fNYkN60HoBjW_ClVKLuertw2D_C-qg5sPaYsOAnW92XEwBbo9utdyrBbrG6iWq8anydp9wevWvwxfq-LvcWEjLGhIfeW9YHJ1TL7/s1600-h/laborDay07+006.jpg'><IMG SRC='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKXbs2NgFrFYZjucxYqp_JfbEoE6EZozu8fNYkN60HoBjW_ClVKLuertw2D_C-qg5sPaYsOAnW92XEwBbo9utdyrBbrG6iWq8anydp9wevWvwxfq-LvcWEjLGhIfeW9YHJ1TL7/s320/laborDay07+006.jpg' border=0 alt='' id='BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_' style='clear:both;float:left; margin:0px 10px 10px 0;'></A> <br /><P><br /><A HREF='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDKiCjsdeABHM4diUL3nuLNDfZQ31yWMUEfBMMPArUbiSLKkkzWPc7MMLBALLsDQeU7bugW_FO7xgyqtV1HlpZ4Q8VXfHiQSe8nhLllQhjsfuUk9Pz5ytA1rtUljfnPMedCaOV/s1600-h/laborDay07+011.jpg'><IMG SRC='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDKiCjsdeABHM4diUL3nuLNDfZQ31yWMUEfBMMPArUbiSLKkkzWPc7MMLBALLsDQeU7bugW_FO7xgyqtV1HlpZ4Q8VXfHiQSe8nhLllQhjsfuUk9Pz5ytA1rtUljfnPMedCaOV/s320/laborDay07+011.jpg' border=0 alt='' id='BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_' style='clear:both;float:left; margin:0px 10px 10px 0;'></A> <br /><P><br /><A HREF='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMHJeE5mVjL5_xQ7BoSkFw0RDb_sYgEPlEBUSnl1TUru5G1XGOyqjntpTkZQWA3AWFfn5bWEmVtSvlwRDrjEtw6J_eaYBEnktuIMYHQnbcsMu_d3QBxo0pwFfhq4Z1fQnz04bn/s1600-h/laborDay07+012.jpg'><IMG SRC='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMHJeE5mVjL5_xQ7BoSkFw0RDb_sYgEPlEBUSnl1TUru5G1XGOyqjntpTkZQWA3AWFfn5bWEmVtSvlwRDrjEtw6J_eaYBEnktuIMYHQnbcsMu_d3QBxo0pwFfhq4Z1fQnz04bn/s320/laborDay07+012.jpg' border=0 alt='' id='BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_' style='clear:both;float:left; margin:0px 10px 10px 0;'></A> <div style='clear:both; text-align:LEFT'><a href='http://picasa.google.com/blogger/' target='ext'><img src='http://photos1.blogger.com/pbp.gif' alt='Posted by Picasa' style='border: 0px none ; padding: 0px; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: initial; -moz-background-origin: initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: initial;' align='middle' border='0' /></a></div><br /><br />And by the way, I hope that this ends my LONG hiatus from blogging! We are moved in, my office is somewhat settled, and I expect to have a bit more free time now to start posting again.NickSabhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12367482393795928301noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7836481.post-1272277240686473992007-06-29T15:58:00.000-05:002007-06-29T16:20:34.429-05:00New houseHere's the house we're in the process of buying - these are the photos from the realty site. I should note that the design sensibilities of the current owners are much more appropriate for the home. I'm afraid it's not going to look as hip after we move in.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzl3iYBvKtnP6jMOp_OZd3mhxSV2cK4gcolocS9LsZ0yxkQDVx0JBzomTDZqku-h58KCwWbVmHWtkTFGN_W5XC8hVPQ1soL0p1_SY8zcF6XhBkVkARd2V_yr0YnD6TDH6ymxsV/s1600-h/3508886_1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzl3iYBvKtnP6jMOp_OZd3mhxSV2cK4gcolocS9LsZ0yxkQDVx0JBzomTDZqku-h58KCwWbVmHWtkTFGN_W5XC8hVPQ1soL0p1_SY8zcF6XhBkVkARd2V_yr0YnD6TDH6ymxsV/s400/3508886_1.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5081598067252875202" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmIGre2D0vFmprZUbwrzlqtaY1Ay4DrcXUmEY_56Bgi_UDTvlxVvEPBt98Ye4A236UmIdih0vj36iLkvcgaM9KPnXMT1wy3_3yF_rejJFJJrr4YRs9CkBxYpePSkDFyxsI2AfW/s1600-h/3508886_2.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmIGre2D0vFmprZUbwrzlqtaY1Ay4DrcXUmEY_56Bgi_UDTvlxVvEPBt98Ye4A236UmIdih0vj36iLkvcgaM9KPnXMT1wy3_3yF_rejJFJJrr4YRs9CkBxYpePSkDFyxsI2AfW/s400/3508886_2.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5081598067252875218" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJCZz2uULAATF7WVAG1CcG2q_v9uvrsPpLnn6fGY39r2oGhNnIOA5j-gk8oxITovi386_zUOXrjBVm2i8cFsFBBo9gNhCG-_rdg4WDbAEJz8STm2i-ze__smwABEqNKxWW-d_6/s1600-h/3508886_3.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJCZz2uULAATF7WVAG1CcG2q_v9uvrsPpLnn6fGY39r2oGhNnIOA5j-gk8oxITovi386_zUOXrjBVm2i8cFsFBBo9gNhCG-_rdg4WDbAEJz8STm2i-ze__smwABEqNKxWW-d_6/s400/3508886_3.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5081598067252875234" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnbsjf0YVk1WqN_hLywYXJ6sKvB0HxqGNjsjqD7PdqVzTEo2k0O3Ctdm2gKA11HTVRJ1lRocIDscrJYPPbGKCO-4kw4aDDrZ-NBTdv3LbCYnMzTuawmWbJM_goXMpdODDaUgu7/s1600-h/3508886_4.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnbsjf0YVk1WqN_hLywYXJ6sKvB0HxqGNjsjqD7PdqVzTEo2k0O3Ctdm2gKA11HTVRJ1lRocIDscrJYPPbGKCO-4kw4aDDrZ-NBTdv3LbCYnMzTuawmWbJM_goXMpdODDaUgu7/s400/3508886_4.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5081598071547842546" /></a>NickSabhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12367482393795928301noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7836481.post-8840392882693552252007-06-23T07:27:00.000-05:002007-06-24T08:36:00.147-05:00Changes are afootAfter over 10 years of 1-way commutes that average 45 mins to an hour, I'm tired of it. For a while I convinced myself it was forced downtime, a time to reflect while I get from point A to point B. I either listen to NPR, my iPod, or sometimes just the noise of the road. The thing is, driving in Atlanta traffic is anything but relaxing. In fact I'm sure each drive shaves just a little time off the back side of my life, not to mention the impact on my carbon footprint. (Hehe. I'm *so* current.)<br /><br />So, after I got my new job at the CDC last fall, which is closer to downtown Atlanta where most other people our age seem to live, we began the search for a new place. We started scouring realtor.com as early as December 06, and since then have spent many weekends doing drive-bys, open-houses, and in general getting a feel for potential areas to drop anchor. The <A HREF="http://www.harrynorman.com/">Harry Norman</A> website has a great search feature. It allows you to create multiple search agents that email you when new homes are added. I set up several agents and have spent a lot of time tracking the new listings. I know other sites offer these tools as well, but this one seemed the most flexible and user friendly. And it's free.<br /><br />Style of home is a big decision point for us, and Andrea is by far the more opinionated. (I know, hard to believe.) At first we thought we might get a good old brick ranch - something sturdy and low-maintenance with some of the older style architectural features that Andrea likes. But all along our eyes were drawn to what we now know is called <A HREF="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mid-century_modern">mid-century modern (MCM) style.</A><br /><br />It turns out that MCM is really popular these days, as we found when we went to see a house this Spring. It was the first house we toured with a realtor, and Andrea loved it and was ready to buy on the spot. We figured it was ours since it had only been listed for a few days. As we walked around the yard, the neighbor came by to inform us that the owners were at the closing - someone else had beat us to it!<br /><br />Downtrodden but determined, we were not going to let <b>that</b> happen again.<br /><br />So, flash forward to Tuesday night last week. I check my email and see a new MCM home has been listed, and it's about 10 minutes from my office. Wednesday morning we were at the house. It had most of the things we want, and few of the things we don't. So we applied our lessons learned and made an offer and signed a contract before leaving. The next day the buyer accepted and claimed he'd been flooded with inquiries. If we had been there an hour later, we might have missed it. The inspection is next Friday - once that's over, I'll feel like the deal is real. If all goes well, we close mid August.<br /><br />Once the inspection on the new place is complete, I'll be comfortable enough to post some photos of it. Stay tuned.<br /><br />An interesting spin on all this is that we (seller and us) are both representing ourselves - no realtors involved. He's using a flat-fee listing service from Century 21.<br /><br />Now we're in the throes of putting our own place up for sale. We already put considerable work into it this Spring in preparation. We just have minor cleanup and a few fixes to make. Like the seller of our new house, we are using a flat fee listing service. It saves a lot of money, but I'm sure it will require a lot of work.<br /><br />I mostly dread the lifestyle changes that will be required to keep the house show-ready. I'm not a make-the-bed-every-day-before-work kind of person.NickSabhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12367482393795928301noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7836481.post-36081588692877341642007-06-07T18:18:00.000-05:002012-11-29T14:57:36.973-05:00Cavemen, information visualization, and electronicaI realize I'm not exactly current with this post, but I just love the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GEICO_Cavemen">Geico cavemen</a> ads. So well executed on every level.<br />
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It's not the funniest one, but my favorite is the moving walkway in the airport. <br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/H02iwWCrXew?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
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I think it's a combination of the framing of the shots, the acting/directing, and the music. But mostly the music.<br />
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I like the music so much I had to track it down, which of course took all of 15 seconds once I got to my computer keyboard.<br />
The song is "Remind Me" by Norwegian duo Röyksopp. <br />
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And that lead me to this amazing video:<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/eo4u4JJAPGk?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<br />
I like the darker feel of this version of the song. Anyone into information visualization will be struck by how much this video looks like an <a href="http://www.edwardtufte.com/tufte/">Edward Tufte</a> book come to life. The video won the 2002 MTV Europe Music Award for best music video.<br />
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But, back to the cavemen. Have you heard they're turning it into a TV show? I'm beyond disappointed. The <a href="http://abc.go.com/fallpreview/cavemen/index?u=0"> trailer</a> is painful to watch. I'm not sure how to explain why it bugs me so. It's like someone told you a joke that took 20 seconds and left you weeping with laughter, and then, inexplicably, they decided to spend the next 30 minutes analyzing the joke, picking it apart to explain WHY it was funny. As I'd commented on <a href="http://blog.spunlogic.com/index.php/2007/05/22/oh-my-they-were-serious-about-that-caveman-tv-show/">Spunlogic's blog</a>, I think (hope?) this one jumped the shark before it aired.<br />
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What I'd really like to know is how effective all <a href="http://www.geico.com/">Geico's</a> ads have been at generating sales. Do the ads appeal to the right demographic? Or maybe they were trying to reach a new demographic?<br />
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And in spite of all my interest in their advertising, I know next to nothing about the product or the company.NickSabhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12367482393795928301noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7836481.post-36287383159513502372007-05-25T22:00:00.000-05:002007-05-25T22:39:56.983-05:00A different kind of music sharing<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdePFlPwd0-as-Pa8jEIT5LZCPCBQS69wpt-FjnAWGKrwoUWBoQ0A1wq4hDFD2cKjKsuAvv7ImJdKE_baWxfwH4_xwC5VBS-USg84GTJWqXlt2YHaAZHjTJi37RKpAyXMTmnsj/s1600-h/project5.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdePFlPwd0-as-Pa8jEIT5LZCPCBQS69wpt-FjnAWGKrwoUWBoQ0A1wq4hDFD2cKjKsuAvv7ImJdKE_baWxfwH4_xwC5VBS-USg84GTJWqXlt2YHaAZHjTJi37RKpAyXMTmnsj/s320/project5.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5068708078606608706" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">A screenshot of Cakewalk Project 5, a tool I use for creating electronic music.</span><br /></div><br />I listen to <a href="http://www.npr.org/">NPR's</a> Morning Edition every work day, almost without fail. Once in a while I try listening to something else, but inane chatter and commercials inevitably drive me to scramble for the "1" preset button. NPR may be dry, but it doesn't make me feel stoopid.<br /><br />Yes, I realize this attitude puts me into a fairly narrow category of people.<br /><br />Anyway!<br /><br />Last week there was a feature on websites for music collaboration. I visited the sites they mentioned and decided to try one called <a href="http://www.indabamusic.com/">Indaba Music</a>. I created my profile, uploaded a demo song, and then created a couple of "sessions" with song sketches. The sketches are incomplete - the idea is that other musicians can upload their own additional tracks and add them to the session, layering up to form a complete song.<br /><br />It's a great idea - since many people have their own PC-based studios, it makes sense to connect with others on the Internet like this. If anything interesting happens I'll let you know.<br /><br />You can visit my profile page here: <a href="http://www.indabamusic.com/people/nicksab">Nick on Indaba</a>NickSabhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12367482393795928301noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7836481.post-23170066222619651312007-05-17T20:42:00.000-05:002007-05-17T20:43:00.334-05:00<A HREF='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj4r1xynk9Z3m56IDfBymJw2N8u_HEZNeNxpv9GTZ0kh8wdjqoRkMC4GUSMissUiW7RQwT_Y6Hpc98lC7Hs0HvCYdthwGdt_6bLpSBd_ONAYAD9NUD2rRzTeB0VhnywKE5Q-5A/s1600-h/Apr_May_07_InclNYC+090.jpg'><IMG SRC='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj4r1xynk9Z3m56IDfBymJw2N8u_HEZNeNxpv9GTZ0kh8wdjqoRkMC4GUSMissUiW7RQwT_Y6Hpc98lC7Hs0HvCYdthwGdt_6bLpSBd_ONAYAD9NUD2rRzTeB0VhnywKE5Q-5A/s400/Apr_May_07_InclNYC+090.jpg' border=0 alt='' id='BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_' ></A> <div style='clear:both; text-align:NONE'><a href='http://picasa.google.com/blogger/' target='ext'><img src='http://photos1.blogger.com/pbp.gif' alt='Posted by Picasa' style='border: 0px none ; padding: 0px; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: initial; -moz-background-origin: initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: initial;' align='middle' border='0' /></a></div>NickSabhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12367482393795928301noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7836481.post-29493685083644209342007-05-17T20:12:00.000-05:002007-05-17T20:12:20.483-05:00American Museum of Natural History, NYC<A HREF='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4BQpSnltTxmJkMGn3q_BVJgorqYbnXggIupvKAZ-koPtC-uyks5399K1MYYyQsQ9MfjjApU8VqKtHhPrCB9qn33Bqzdstw-eB4OpIbScDOq3yP5eKaqIPDgQlleHO0QG8dv2K/s1600-h/Apr_May_07_InclNYC+041.jpg'><IMG SRC='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4BQpSnltTxmJkMGn3q_BVJgorqYbnXggIupvKAZ-koPtC-uyks5399K1MYYyQsQ9MfjjApU8VqKtHhPrCB9qn33Bqzdstw-eB4OpIbScDOq3yP5eKaqIPDgQlleHO0QG8dv2K/s400/Apr_May_07_InclNYC+041.jpg' border=0 alt='' id='BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_' ></A> <div style='clear:both; text-align:NONE'><a href='http://picasa.google.com/blogger/' target='ext'><img src='http://photos1.blogger.com/pbp.gif' alt='Posted by Picasa' style='border: 0px none ; padding: 0px; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: initial; -moz-background-origin: initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: initial;' align='middle' border='0' /></a></div>NickSabhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12367482393795928301noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7836481.post-79233265152167116172007-04-09T20:53:00.000-05:002007-04-09T21:23:36.895-05:00IllusionsI'm trying to get into the habit of blogging more often. Apparently I'm not trying hard enough. My hit rate is pretty low.<br /><br />While I'm working on a more regular blogging schedule, here's a little nugget to tide you over. <br /><br />I have always been fascinated with visual illusions. For some reason it amuses me that my vision, which plays a fundamental role in my life and on which I rely in the most intense way, can be fooled so easily.<br /><br />This is one of the most profound examples that I have encountered.<br /><br />Here is a video of a paper cutout.<br /><br /><embed style="width:400px; height:326px;" id="VideoPlayback" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" src="http://video.google.com/googleplayer.swf?docId=7338400765555658225&hl=en" flashvars=""> </embed><br /><br />"Sure sure," you say. "This is some clever video editing." Or maybe you just think the dragon is a puppet or something. Wrong, and wrong. Honest. It's a piece of paper.<br /><br />It's one thing to see this in a grainy video. It's another thing entirely to experience this with your own eyes - well, eye, to be precise. It only works if you close one eye, because stereo vision destroys the illusion.<br /><br />You can <A HREF="http://www.curiouser.co.uk/frames/creframe.html?http://www.curiouser.co.uk/illusions/dragon/">download a copy</A> and make it yourself like I did.<br /><br />I tried it this weekend and truly didn't expect it to work. But it works amazingly well. I couldn't stop looking at it. It looks for all the world like this little dragon head is craning his head and sneering at you. And you'll see this without any enhancers of any kind.<br /><br />This is one of those things that can be a bit tricky to see - not as bad as those <A HREF="http://www.magiceye.com/">Magic Eye images</A>, but similar. Andrea, try as she might, just can't see the effect. But I brought it into to work today and my co-workers got it pretty quickly.<br /><br />If you liked this, you might also enjoy the <A HREF="http://www.grand-illusions.com/">Grand Illusions</A> site.<br /><br />There is more I want to say about not trusting what you see, or sense, but I need more time to think through all that.<br /><br />Maybe <A HREF="http://shokai.blogspot.com/">Shokai</A> will do it for me. That seems to be right up his alley.NickSabhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12367482393795928301noreply@blogger.com