Bathroom Reno- Updated

For all intensive purposes, the reno is done!  They are coming next week to install the window and we have to paint, but everything else is done and we couldn't love it more!  Everything went super smooth with exception of some minor issues:

*Grout- as I suspected, you need to buy the grout yourself and it comes in about 100 shades and it's very scary to pick out.  JO had to make an emergency 6:30 am grout run to Home Depot (the fact that the Depot opens at 6:00 is pretty convenient.)

*Toilet- we have a small bathroom and wanted to replace the small toilet we had with a toilet the same size.  Apparently everyone wants giant toilets nowadays.  We ordered one that got delivered during the renovation.  On the last day they went to install it and it was broken so we had to scramble to find a new, small toilet in stock.  Thankfully we found one at the Depot and our contractor was nice enough to pick it up for us.

*A toothbrush was in the drain- there was some minor drama when, after installing the fixtures in the tub, the contractor went to test things and the bathtub almost overflowed.  There was a lot of whisper shouting and I hid in the living room.  Come to find out, they found a toothbrush (that did not belong to either of us) wedged pretty far down the drain.

Thankfully these were all pretty minor and somewhat comical when we look back on things.  We only incurred an extra $300 worth of expenses and we went under our materials budget so it seems like this will end up being a smashing success.

Here's a recap of the work we had done and the materials we used!  I feel like the amount of HGTV I watch really prepared me for the reno process.

First, lets start with the tile.  We picked out the mosaic (I love this mosaic so much and on our last shopping trip to pick out tile we found it for $8 instead of $10 which was awesome.  Since we used it as a band we didn't need to buy too much of it.  Just like I've learned on HGTV, if you don't need to use much of a material it's ok to pick something pricier, saving money on it was a nice bonus.) almost two years ago and than struggled to find matching wall tile after our original plan of white glass subway wasn't going to work.  In the end, JO stepped up big time and went to Tile Showcase in Watertown where he found this beautiful blue, gray long subway tile!  (The company calls it Chatman dew.) I was a little hesitant at first because the sample looked a little brown but when we put them all out we realized they had this beautiful blue hint to them. 

Another design element we needed to consider was the trim on the edges.  You could use stainless steel, polished chrome, matter chrome, white, black, etc.  I was all about the chrome and I'm glad that's what we went with.  It looks great against the blue gray tile and the blues in the mosaic.  It also made picking out all of the other fixtures easy.  Everything else we picked was chrome to match the trim.

For shower fixtures we just went with a basic set we got at Home Depot.  I kind of wish we did a blingier shower head but we can always do that later and this one looks fine.

We debated back and forth about extending the tile out of the shower walls and around the bathroom walls.  The tile was so beautiful I thought it would be a shame if it stayed hidden behind a shower curtain.  I am so glad we took the tile out on all of the walls.  It looks so beautiful and really makes the bathroom look fancy.  Since we don't have a master bathroom we wanted to make sure to bling this one out (another thing we've learned from HGTV.)

The light fixture is one of my favorite parts of the bathroom.  We found this at Home Depot for about $80 and it looks like it costs much more.  (Pro tip- open the Home Depot stuff right away, like in the parking lot.  We didn't do this and ended up having to return a bunch of stuff that was scratched.  Easy returns but annoying.) JO and I both stared at all the fixtures and this was the only one I liked but I was sure he would hate it.  Then we did a "1, 2, 3 point at the one you like thing" and we were both pointing at this one which worked perfectly.  The mirrored medicine cabinet is also from the Depot and was maybe $30.

The vanity is from Joss and Main and we love it.  It has a lot of storage underneath.  Plus it was on sale and we got free delivery!  I love the faucet we picked and again it was the cheapest one at the Depot.  It works perfect with modern look in the bathroom.

At one point we realized we hadn't ordered a toilet paper holder and neither of us really wanted to go out to look for one.  Thanks to Amazon Prime, we had one in the nick of time and it looks great (yes, I'm proud of our toilet paper roll holder 😀)

And can we talk about this floor for a minute.  We had been hooked on marble hexagon flooring for a long time but all of the ones we looked at were kind of bland.  When we were at Floor and Decor (where we found the mosaic on sale) we found this flooring.  I was a little hesitant because it looked real busy but it's beautiful.  It really ties the whole room together.  (HGTV trick- we pulled out all of the sheets and took out any that really were too busy.)  Huge shout out to Floor and Decor.  They have a great selection, great prices, and a great return policy.  We ended up returning quite a lot of tile and we didn't have any problems at all.  

We've chosen a paint color and hope to have that done by Wednesday when they install the window.  

We still need to select a shower curtain.  JO ordered about ten of them so we have options 😀  Definitely seemed like reno panic purchases.)

We each take turns walking in and staring at what we created!  I even sat in the bathtub for quite a while last night, just taking it all in.

I'm excited at the prospect of getting everything back to normal around here.  I really miss the couch!  All kidding aside, this process went so smoothly and hasn't been too bad living with things all over the place.  I did buy a dress from the Loft a few weeks ago, just as demo was starting, and I know I tried it on but I can't find it anywhere.  I'm sure that will show up in some really strange place.  Look for a final post next week when we get our window.

Toscano's in Harvard Square

I have a good friend that I try to get together with once a month.  This month she suggested we go somewhere for pasta and immediately I suggested Toscano's.  I've been wanting to go here for a while now.  It's a great restaurant, with great service, yummy food, and a wonderful interior. 

The restaurant has a bar, lounge area and then a more formal dining room area.  Both parts are great but it was nice to get seated in the dining room area on this night.  It had been a while since I'd seen this friend and it was nice to have a "fancy" night out. 

In an unusual twist for me, I ordered a pinot noir instead of my usual bubbles!  This place has an excellent wine menu and this pinot noir did not disappoint.  We were both celebrating the start of vacation and it was fun to toast to that.

We started with the caprese salad which featured burrata instead of traditional mozzarella. The tomatoes were fresh and the burrata was salty and creamy. 

We each ordered pasta.  I got the rigatoni toscano which featured double smoked bacon and a tomato cream sauce.  The noodles were cooked perfectly and the bacon added so much flavor to the light cream sauce.  My friend got the pappardelle Bolognese bianco which included veal, pork, and beef with ricotta which she said was delicious!

Toscano's is definitely a quality restaurant and definitely a go to place in Harvard Square, which is running out of go to spots with all of the restaurants that have closed over the past few years. 

Summer Mornings

I love so many things about summer but my most favorite thing about summer are mornings spent in Harvard Yard with a coffee and a good book.  On Monday I headed into the Square to enjoy my first summer morning only to find that we got out of school so early that the tables in Harvard Yard haven't been set up yet.  

Thankfully there's a public patio set up in front of the student union center so I quickly relocated there and enjoyed a perfect morning in the Square.

Maine for the Weekend

JO's parents rented a house in Wells, ME for the weekend and were nice enough to invite us down to enjoy it with them!  I don't know what I was more excited about, beach views or having a couch to sit on (I really miss having a couch!) Obviously it was the beach views 😀

We enjoyed a few days of sunshine, patio dining, and lobsters!

Time to Celebrate Summer Vacation!

Last Friday was the last day of school which meant it was time to celebrate summer vacation!  (I will say, this was a teary end of the school year.  This year's class really became a family and it was definitely bittersweet to see the year come to a close.)

With how busy we were we put off making celebration plans until the last minute.  Luckily for us there was still a table at Colette!  This place opened up back in March and it's quickly become a favorite of ours.  I can't wait to eat on their super cute patio, once it's actually warm enough to sit outside (What is going on with the weather this year?)

Since it was just a tad too cold to sit outside, we opted to sit inside in the lounge area.  I love everything about how this place is decorated and it reminds me of a place you would see in the design district of Palm Springs!

We kicked off the summer with a bottle of sparkling rose (my go to summer drink.)

We ordered several small plates, with our favorite being the fried cauliflower.  I was a bit sad to find out that they replaced the bag of donuts dessert with some seasonal options, but that sadness quickly went away when we were presented with what I'm calling a "strawberry flower,"  This shortcake was delicious!

After dinner we headed over to Bow Market (we seem to be ending up here quite often lately.)  We stopped in at Remnant Brewing for a quick drink.  We spent most of the time staring at pictures of the bathroom tile on our phones.

Reno Update

Things have been moving quickly with the renovation.  Last Monday they starting ripping stuff out, and by Saturday we had walls, tile, floors, and grout!  (Why does grout come in so many shades?  Grout is surprisingly scary to pick out!) . We couldn't be happier with the way it's turning out.  I mean, isn't that gray blue wall tile to die for? 

I was a little on the fence about the floor but once it got installed I realized it was perfect! 

This whole process has allowed us to remember what it was like living in a college dorm.  Most of the stuff we use daily is in the living room.

It's a pretty convenient lifestyle, except for the lack of a couch 😂

Go USA!!!

It's Women's World Cup time!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  You know I'm a huge sports fan so of course I'm excited for the Cup, but this year it's extra special.  A former student of mine is on the team and I couldn't be prouder!  Today was the home opener and of course I watched the game and of course I watched it at Parlor Sports!

The women came out and made a huge statement today~ 13-0.  Two of those goals were scored by Sam and she assisted on another.  It's not often that teachers get to see what happens to their students so it's pretty special when you do! 

Shout out to the crew at Parlor Sports for opening early for the game and for always supporting women's sports!!!

Picnic at Pita

Our neighborhood is awesome.  I love everything about it.  It does have one flaw though, and it's a big one in the spring and summer.  We don't have many options when it comes to outdoor dining.  Moona recently got three outdoor tables and the S and S has one table in the parking lot but that's it.

Until now!  Pita, a great Mediterranean take out place, set up some lovely picnic tables outside there shop.  The tables are painted fun colors and each one has an umbrella.  JO and I had ourselves a little picnic the other night and it was great!

Gone Hiking

We missed a few weeks in our Yosemite training program, so we had some major ground to make up.  Thankfully, the weather was just stunning on Saturday and we were both feeling strong.  We got up early to get up to Mount Moosilauke.  This is my favorite New England hike.  The trail quality is great, there's a lodge at the base, the top is above tree line which is always fun, and there are so many options for adding miles to the route.  We took the 3.7 mile trail up to the top and a 6.3 mile route down! 

For Some Reason We Keep Ending Up Here Lately

The weather has been great lately, and we really deserve that!  In an effort to make up for lost patio time, JO and I have found ourselves at Bow Market a lot!  The other day we headed over there after dinner at the Independent's patio.  (I'm so glad they are doing their patio this year.  We weren't sure since there is so much construction going on in Union.  Such a reliable spot!)

We enjoyed "puppy time" at Remnant Brewing!  This guy is named Bismark and I loved him!

After puppy patio time we headed home, but not before stopping at Gracie's!  I'm pretty sure there will be lots of summer nights that go this way!

New Hampshire Getaway- And it Wasn't for Hiking

Last weekend we headed up to North Conway but it wasn't too hike!  JO and his friend decided it would be enjoyable to run up and down Cranmore twice!  We went up on Saturday and had fun walking around North Conway's Main Street and hanging with our friends at the house they rented.  It was so much fun to not have to worry about school work!  I had finished my report cards so there wasn't anything left to worry about.  I loved cheering on JO and his friend, although I was pretty nervous for JO.  He did awesome, finishing in an hour and twenty four minutes!  I'm so proud of him!

Mark Erelli at Passim

There are some shows you just don't miss at Club Passim, and Mark Erelli's shows are on that list!  Even though we had a really crazy, fun weekend in store, we couldn't miss the show!  I'm really glad we didn't skip this since Mark played a lot of new, upbeat songs and they were great!  I love his soft, soul, folky stuff but this faster stuff is really fun.  I'm hoping this means there is a new album soon!

Rhapsody- Boston Ballet

If only every Thursday night could be Ballet Night!  This year's Boston Ballet season ended with a really interesting program entitled Rhapsody.  It featured three acts that were all very different but connected.  The first act was unlike anything I had seen before.  It was like watching sculptures dance and was based on the Rodin's sculptures.  The positions the dancers hit were exquisite.  I love seeing modern ballet come to life!  The second act was a new production using the music of Rhapsody in Blue.  I love this music and I loved the interpretation of the piece.  The featured dancer was so smooth and moved effortlessly with really technical choreography!  The last act was a traditional ballet entitled Tchaikovsky Piano Concerto 2 and featuring glittery tutus and tiaras!  I'm a sucker for tutus and tiaras!  Although more traditional, it connected well with the theme of complicated love!

All You Need is a Fluff Cone from Gracie's

Between the renovation and typical end of the year stress, I was desperate for a pick me up!  Enter a fluff cone from Gracie's!  I love Gracie's "call it like it is" philosophy!

Turn that Failed Hike into a Patio Lunch

JO and I have been trying to get a lot of hiking in this spring.  We have a trip to Yosemite coming up soon and we need to be ready for our big hike!  The weather hasn't been great for hiking, as evidenced by our Sunapee hike that was freezing cold!  The sun was out a few weekends ago so we headed up to New Hampshire to hike Mount Shaw.  We made it about 70 minutes into the hike when we had to quit.  The trail was poorly marked, there was a pretty difficult water crossing, and the mosquitoes were unbearable!  We really need to get our miles in so we were both feeling grumpy!  We got up early and gave up precious free time to do this.  To salvage the trip we headed over to Castle in the Clouds for lunch on the patio!  Castle in the Clouds is a historic house and grounds on the top of a large hill near Gunstock.  The views from the top are delightful!  My family used to visit the "castle" at least once a year and I'm always reminded of those fun childhood memories when we visit!

Tile Overload~ Get me to Oleana STAT

When we bought our apartment we knew we would need to update the bathroom and eventually the kitchen.  We planned on doing the bathroom reno last year but after meeting with a contractor who quoted us $30,000 for our small bathroom we kind of procrastinated, a lot!  The bathroom really, really needed to be fixed but we were both kind of gun shy about finding someone to do the work after that experience.  Kudos to JO for showing amazing initiative by approaching a contractor working on another unit in our building.  I was a bit shocked when JO texted me at work and said we were doing on our bathroom and kitchen and the work would start in June.  I was thrilled at the thought of having a clean, functioning bathroom and a pretty kitchen but it was the middle of May.  How would we get everything together during such a busy time at school??? 

Well, here's the truth.  We spent hours and hours looking at tile and cabinet and counters and it was eating up all of our free time.  We had some serious issues with making decisions on materials and eventually made the executive decision to just do the bathroom.  As much as I want that pretty kitchen, I did not have the mental capacity necessary to make all those decisions as evidenced by the five hours we spent in one tile shop only to leave with white subway tile that we ended up returning.  I was having tile nightmares.  It was really rough! Plus, this way we would have money to play around with if anything went wrong in the bathroom.

I want blue cabinets so bad!!!

Too many choices!

After said "subway" tile disaster I was feeling pretty down.  JO cheered me up with a visit to Oleana!  We tried to sit at the bar but it was full so they offered to seat us in there patio waiting area...which just happened to be beautiful! 

Monday was Demo Day and the shenanigans we had to pull off to prepare were impressive.  First, we moved the couches and my jackets and shoes into the studio.  The cats would be spending most of their time in the living room and we didn't want any cat "protests" to ruin this stuff.  Then, we emptied our bathroom and moved most of that stuff into the living room.  Next we modified our second bathroom, which we use as a kitten bathroom/storage closet, so that we could share with the kittens (they aren't thrilled, we aren't thrilled, but we are all making the bet of it.)  And then we took everything off the kitchen counters and stored it here, there, and everywhere (don't you all keep your cereal on the bookcase in the living room?)  I don't do well with chaos but so far so good. 

We bought stuff!!!

It took literally years to pick this tile out but I feel pretty good about it!

I miss the couch!

We stopped caring about the bathroom a long time ago and it shows

Demo Day!

Only wrinkle- we didn't plan on not really being able to access the cabinets easily

Denali is pretty skeptical about the whole thing and isn't thrilled with living room life

Help! It sounds like they are smashing up a bathtub.  I'll be in here if you need me.