Dating Woes: NO words.....

I just had to post this....but it is waaaay to sad for me to talk about....yet..........my life is just.....I have no words. Thanks Chris Grine, for laughing at my pain. :)

Westside Stories: SIGH...now for the hardest decision.

I went from being unexpectedly Architectless, to having 3 awesome choices and all are small business and/or start ups which I love supporting. Still haven't decided....here are the contenders...

Stephen and Ersela: Agency
• Bro and Sis-in-laws of my new neighbors, Sarah and Thomas Mueller
• Fancy NYC Architects, who are currently part of amazing fellowship
• Only gonna be here for the design phase, which I didn't originally realize was an issue.
• A staircase designed by Stephen http://www.architectmagazine.com/technology/dynamic-descent.aspx

Dominique and Ryan: Davison Architects
• Working on a LEED Platinum and Energy Star house right now
• Super nice
• Do extremely detailed drawings, which will make all our lives easier
• Have worked with my builder Jamie before
• http://www.davisonarch.com/

Jamie Darnell: (Recently left El Dorado to do his own thing)
• Built this amazing house that is in my new hood http://www.dwell.com/articles/plains-gold.html
• Had some awesome ideas of how to make my box, less boxy
• Have the exact same style
• http://www.eldoradoarchitects.com

Room with a View: Moving in...

I gots my key and officially started moving into 1610 West 41st....into a lovely room with lots of "character". Here are some highlights of my new digs.

1. Grime level one, since been removed, and to be honest, I might have been a part of making the grime, during one of the many nights spent drinking in this very kitchen.



2. My room, complete with DIRECT access to the shower though the giant hole in the wall.



3. Party hard, recycle hard.



4. Killer guard frog.

Westside Stories: Goodbye trusty old desk...

One more tiny chunk of my former life gone. Super sad to see this desk go, but I refused to move all 250 lbs of it again. Hope Kyle from Craigslist treats her well.

Things I loved about my desk:
• It was discolored in all the right ways.
• It had secret drawers and pull out tables for all my typewriter needs.
• It was born the same time I wish I was born...early 60's.
• We spent hours and hours and hours together during my design bootcamp time at Design Ranch.
• Pretty sure I could've survived nuclear fallout under it.
• There was sand in all the drawers from the sandblasting, which made finding a pen, like a tiny beach vaycay.

Gluten Hates My Guts: Zucchini Pesto Potato Magic!

Got inspired for this little combo after eating an amazing Zucchini Pesto soup at Happy Gillis. It is gluten-free and depending on the pesto you use, dairy-free too. My tums is thanking me for this little experiment gone really right!! So far, I have just been eating it as a main dish, but I bet it would be amazing with brown rice.

Zucchini Pesto Potato Magic: All parts are approx., mostly cause I am a rule breaker. :)

• 2 Medium zucchinis
• 4 Red potatoes with skins left on
• 1 Can of Artichokes or 1 box of frozen
• 1-2 TBS of pesto (Highly recommend Emily's amazing Basil Basil Pesto)
• 2 TBS Olive oil
• Juice of 1 lemon, zest is nice too
• Couple shakes of dried minced onion
• Couple shakes of cayenne pepper
• Salt and pepper to taste

Heat olive oil in a pan, then add chopped potatoes with skins on. After a couple minutes, add the zucchinis, chopped, and everything else, EXCEPT the pesto. Let it all simmer together until veggies are the tenderness you like. I like the potatoes a little crunchy, so I let it cook for around 10-15 minutes. Turn off heat, add the pesto and mix around. Then eat! Yum!

Gluten Hates My Guts: Intro to the Body Ecology Diet

So, I ran across this book, The Body Ecology Diet by Donna Gates, on a website and it seemed like the answer to all of my issues. I am only half way through it right now but, very soon, my Body Ecology experiment will begin!! Just have to psyche myself up...it is not the easiest program to understand, much less, actually follow. It seems like a worthy experiment though!! I will be posting successes, failures, recipes, results, loves, hates etc.

Here are the issues it says it will fix or balance:
• Headaches
• Depression
• Low sex drive
• Food allergies
• Sensitivity to odors and tobacco
• Joint and muscle pain
• Digestive issues
• Poor Sleep


Here are the basic theories....which are all about balance:
• You need to eat foods that are balanced with expansive(sugar, coffee) and contractive(salt, meat) properties so your body systems can function properly.
• You need to balance your body's acid vs. alkaline so that yeast, which feed on the acids, cannot survive.
• 80/20 Rule #1 - stop eating when are 80% full so there is 20% room for your tums to digest.
• 80/20 Rule #2 - meals should be 80% alkaline veggies and 20% acid protein
• Eat/Avoid foods for your blood type.

Westside Stories: 1 Step Forward, 3 Steps Back

Wow. What a couple of weeks! After losing my architect, having zero people look at my house, garbage disposal breaking, computer dying, dad having another stroke....things are finally looking up. Slowly, but at least headed the right direction. I really should have been more specific when I yelled out into the universe I wanted to totally change my life. I should have added a few more exceptions to my "totally". Lesson learned!

On the bright side, I found a new Architect team that I am super excited about. They are a husband/wife team from NYC and the in-laws of my future neighbors, who are also building green on a budget. As much as I HATE the whole "everything happens for a reason" crapola, I truly feel like this combo of architects and builder are going to work out great!!

I am also moving on up, to the norther side, to deluxe room in a semi-sty. My friends Jason and Tom have a spare room since Ghattas is going to KU to be Dr. World Domination. I will be packing up the 4 boxes of stuff left in my life and living the next year+ with:

this guy....

and this guy...

and this guy (plus 80 more of his gnat friends that hang out in the bathroom).

Pretty sure all of this adds up to lots of adventure. Good thing, since I will not have cable or money left to go anwhere after my 3 rents/mortgages. UGH! Can't wait!!

Fingers crossed I sell my house before the stress of not selling it makes me crazy...er.

Joshy vs Chipotle!!!!!

Challenge: 2 Chipotle burritos in 15 minutes

Who: Baby Joshy Dusel Cakes Man Angel VS 2 Chicken Burritos with the works.

Westside Stories: LIGHTING Loves!!!!

Been searching lotsa sites for lights for all my rooms. Here are some of the final contenders...of course I haven't really thought about "budget" yet, so.....

Design Within Reach

West Elm



Tom Dixon...totally drool worthy....



Some Amazing Sites!!!
http://www.lbclighting.com
http://www.kartell.com/
http://www.ylighting.com/
http://www.tomdixon.net
http://www.skinflintdesign.co.uk
http://www.bestlite.com/

Westside Stories: WOE is me...kinda

Highlights of the past few weeks:
• Met with Architect and Builder and finalized floor plan!! (See above)
• Started reading up on LEED and it is so uber comprehensive, I am not sure I'll ever know if I am getting things done right.
• Moved all my personal belongings into Aaron's house (huge help!!!!)
• Lowered my house price for the 2nd time...getting a little nervous, but my realtor is awesome.
• Buried a St. Joseph statue in my backyard, only to find out there is already a statue from the owners before me!!
• Started exploring flooring, kitchen, lighting and landscaping ideas. SOOOO many choices. More to come on those!!
• Found these amazing reclaimed factory lights for my kitchen, but they SOLD!! Boo! The search continues.

• Started searching out roommate situations on Craigslist...pretty sure I am in for an adventure for 18 months.
• Found out my neighbors are going to have giant houses, not sure if that is a good thing or bad thing yet.
• Been spending several hours a week at Roasterie, Javanaut and Broadway cafe for house showings. Pretty much homeless at this point.
• Had a minor panic attack in Wilson Lighting. The realization I will have to pick out door knobs and handles and light switches and floor stains and tile colors and ceiling heights and stairs and sinks and everything....am back to being excited though.

Westside Stories: HOUSE Listing

http://www.postlets.com/res/2327449

3.5 Amazing reasons you should buy my house:

1. It is in fabulous Brooksideshire, in the southern moors of Kansas City.
2. My Carport is outta this world.
2.5 The garden gnomes stay. Even the one with mooning butt.
3. Cute as a button, people. CUTE. AS. A. BUTTON.

Westside Stories: OPERATION Sell my life

Had a giant garage sale this past weekend, May 30-31, and sold everything that I don't need to survive for the next year...well, mostly. After hours of up and down stairs, dragging stuff outside, skin burning, pricing, drinking, wheelin and dealin, sweatin, and clowning around (see below), I sold massive amounts of stuff for a few dollas that are going in my "Ridicously expensive couch" fund.

Here are some pics and a movie of Joshy doing what Joshy does best!

SOFTEEEEEEEEE!

Live from Crosstown Station with a cover of the Yard Birds, For Your Love!

With special guests: crazy whacked out dancer couple!!!!

(sorry for the shakiness, was trying to balance around the previously mentioned whacked out dancer couple)
(Also sorry for the video being squished. blogger just seemed to do it, and I can't make it normal again.)

Just another Saturday night in KCMO...

This was one of the acts at the (PG-13 Rated) Donkey Show at Crosstown Station last Saturday. So cool that there are Kansas Citians cooling it up for all to see.

Westside Stories: INTRO

May 1, 2009: Ok, here I go...

Just closed on a plot of land, 37 x 126.5 feet to be exact, on the Westside in KCMO!! Been dying to be a part of this hood for years and years and days! Yep, that amazing pile of dead sticks and trees that butts up to a half burned down garage, is mine....almost all mine...in several more payments of thousands of dollars. :) Couldn't be more prouder or exciteder. Now to sell my house so I can get this party started!

Over the next 15+ months, I will be tracking my adventures in building green (LEED certified) with a mid-century modern twist, on a really tiny budget, while living bare bones style in a studio apt!! My architect and builder and subs, who I will be sure to introduce you to, are Westsiders themselves all trying to adapt greener lives. I will post lots of links and ups and downs and advice and questions as this all unfolds...so stay tuned!!