Thursday, March 26, 2009

Do You Speak Stair Parts

Anderson Moulding Showroom Steps

I now speak fluent stair parts. I know my balusters from my banisters, my stringers from my risers. Starter steps, box newels, treads, oh yeah. 7 11s. The whole shebang. I know my left returns from my right returns, rosettes oval and round. Up eases and climbing volutes for goodness sake.

I especially like telling the doof in the Home Depot stair parts section that I'm doing 7 11s and then see her head tilt to the side a little bit like when you ask a dog a question. While that's an adorable trait in a doggie , it only means ineptitude in a human. So's you can be as smug as me, in the world of stair parts 7 11s refer to a commonly used stair design consisting of 7" risers with 11" treads.

Thank goodness Bill Paul at Anderson Moulding gave me a nice little discount on my order, thereby beating Home Depot's price by several hundred dollars. I'd much rather give Bill my business than Doofus. And the stair parts were ready and picked up within 2 days of placing my order. Yay!

Sunday, March 15, 2009

Lamenting

After encountering a major issue with the upstairs project we are back on track. To stop was really not an option. But I needed time to wrap my brain around the increase in price and the decrease in space, and there may not be anything left over to do the kitchen.

Plans have been re-drawn, talk was veering towards giving up the tub and scaling way back, and we're forced to stay within the same dormer walls. I'm not happy about the compromises I've had to make and I told Will that I'm not quite done venting. But we've worked a solution that only eliminates the storage piece between the double sinks, and space. I know in the end it will be beautiful and I'll love it. I remember when Bink was a kitten and I had just brought him home. Shortly after that my bunny Button died. I was so sad for my loss that I couldn't love Bink, and I resented his presence in a way. Of course this is only a bathroom, but still.

So I've been lamenting, and venting, and even crying some. But it will be beautiful. And I will love it. And we are pressing onward with renovations.

Sunday, March 01, 2009

Touring The Palace Theatre

After breakfast at the one and only Clifton's Cafeteria, Will and I walked over to The Palace Theatre for a 10:00 am tour, part of the Los Angeles Concervany's Broadway Behind-The-Scenes tours. From it's basement bowels to the lofty peanut gallery and all it's dusty corners, no place was off limits.One of 12 theatres spanning 7 blocks along Broadway, the Palace is in desperate need of renovation. Even so it is grand. In it's day it was one of the first of Orpheum's Vaudeville circuit theatres where the best acts on the stage performed.

Downtown is certainly coming around again. And there is renewed appreciation for it's history and architecture. This is a great concentration of theatres and with the right plan it could be very exciting. More information on Bringing Back Broadway.

Photos on Flickr