Thanks paxfleur and Frank for your comments. Oh, Frank, I love your Candyfloss, it's so beautiful! I wish mine would turn out to be Candyfloss. Also, you know, I think I've got seriously infected with the "amaryllis fever"... I went back to the market for a 2nd trip and got another bulb, which I tried not to buy in the first trip... This one has two almost-spent blooms but there're still 2 buds, and one more scape coming up too. I love its deep red color and I had to go back to get it, although it cost wayyyy toooo much ($2.50). I guess maybe because of the Lunar New Year coming up, flowers are more expensive. Here's a pix of my second buy. Maybe Red Lion? Can you identify, pls. Thank you. And then, to make everything worse, when I was buying some pots... I saw a cluster of 5 budding amaryllis bulbs in a big pot that was selling for $10.00! I asked to have it for $8.00 and they agreed! I couldn't carry the pot home on my motorbike...so hubby will have to pick it up for me tomorrow! I'll post a pix when I have it at home. Wow, I'm going to have lots of hippis for Tet holiday (Tet = Lunar New Year) which is coming up in two weeks time. I'm so glad I went to the market today! Xuan (feeling so great!)

We use the Lodge Logic cast iron griddle on our large center gas burner on the Caldera 36" . You can't tell the difference at all from cooking a steak or fish or chicken outdoors and using this grill pan. It is so perfect. The only thing is that the taste is WAY better than outdoors if you use charcoal. If you have a gas grill they aren't as hot as the Caldera and so don't give as good a result. My son is a pro chef and he was astounded at the flavor of the meats that we do on the LL pan and the smoky taste is amazing.Way more tender and flavorful and no mess at all if you have a good hood ( see below) If you look at the cost of the grill pan and then see the grill on the stove that is built in and also think of not being able to then have the burners to use for other cooking , then it makes way more sense to have the LL than a built in. As to vents . You need to get more CFM than you need. I have 1400 for that reason. The laws of physics come into play and the turbulence in the duct -work when you use it on high sends the HOGS back at you ( heat,odors,grease,steam) . So you need to have more than you think you will need...allow for height of hood and width ( do not have to have wider than cook surface ) but allow for this in extra cfm and length of duct run. I think that covers it. You have to think of your venting WAY before you look at the cook top...at the very least at the same time. Do not get a grill and then never use it due to the stink. Hope this helps. Look at the pro hoods from Tradewind. Google Tradewind liners...you will not be sorry. Mine is quiet and very efficient. c

chloenkitty: It seems to me that, being a novice to this, you probably didn't realize that there are longstanding discussions and debates that get reflected in posts here. You stumble across one of those tripwires and and then find people debating issues as though you were not even in the room. That about how it feels? First, I would say "not to worry." It happens to everybody who spends much time here. Conversations wander and you get lots of opinions on debates that may seem off "your" topic. For every post like Deeageaux's, Wekick's or bmorepanic's that addresses specific concerns of yours, there will be several others debating issues you did not even know you were raising. When you run into this debating society, some of what you may hear will inevitably go over your head, at first, or seem intimidating or even snarky to you. Because the conversation is in writing from folks whose are passionate about their preferences, what gets written may come across with unintended inflections and intonations. As you have discovered, if you say something about it, most folks will be clear that they did not intend anything hurtful or personal. And that is what I saw happening here. Conversations do wander. And when they do, I am again reminded that this forum is a kind of debating society where some of us have been participating for a decade or more. We have well honed opinions which novices may mistake for dogma and factual assertions and direct or indirect assaults on intelligence or integrity. All that has happened here is that you've stirred up a debtate you did not know existed and did not know that somebody might think important. It whizzed by you leaving you in the dust but was not personal. Beyond that, I've got some suggestions for you about focucsing on your developing preferences and proceeding with your choices. First, there is never going to be a right answer or even a consensus on what will be the best choice for you, as Wekick already pointed out. Frankly, every stove represents engineering compromises and design tradeoffs. Different mixes of theses will appeal to different folks and your preferences may change over time. That's one reason there are so many choices. Second, you have developed some specific preferences about design aesthetics. That's part of the package and, for the money, can be important. You do not need to defend those preferences from those who do not share them. In other words, you can get a Mercedes if you want one and others' preference are for a Subaru (or, like me, a used Subaru!). But what I like about hearing these varying voices that that they may help better figure out my own preferences. Third, you asked about getting a "grill" if you got a Viking 30" range but I think you meant "griddle." It is a vocabulary thing. Generally, around here, the term "grill" refers to something with open flame/heat beneath a metal grate, rather like what you see on a bbq grill. A "griddle" on the other hand, is a solid (often thick) piece of flat metal for cooking pancakes and the like. You might be able to order a custom design from Viking with two gas burners on one side and a built in griddle on the other. That would be expensive and, to my thinking, impractical on a 30" wide stove. I think it would be far more practical to buy a separate griddle which (a) will likely have a larger cooking surface; (b) can be stashed out of the way when you are not using it (giving you all four burners for other cooking),; and (c) will be a lot easier to keep clean. Brands that have been recommended here include Vollrath (even-heating aluminum griddle) and Chef King (traditional carbon steel -- can also be used on induction and other electric surfaces, too.) Fourth, Viking can seem an attractive looking choice particularly since they now have three year warranties as standard. (Most ranges have one-year warranties and require you to buy an extended warranty if you want longer coverage.) However, searching on VIking will turn up a history of not-so-great quality control and uneven warranty service for a significant percentage of customers. Also, the company was acquired by the Middleby congolmerate last year and the effects of that acquisition are still uncertain. Fifth, if you are looking at a Viking all gas range, you also might want to consider Dacor products, too. Right now, Dacor's pricing is significantly lower than Viking's and, to all appearances, the current Dacor 30" all-gas ranges seem like a better value. When it comes to electronics and electric ovens, Dacor has had the same kinds of issues that Viking did, but the all gas versions skip most of the electronics and seem inherently more reliable. Some poeple like the looks of the Dacor a lot more, too. Bmorepanic has just bought one and it should be due for installation shortly if it is not already installed. Hopefully, we'll get a report. Sixth, most "pro-style" ranges (such as Dacor and Viking) can be had with or without a riser in the back. (Note that "pro-style" refers to a design style and should not be confused with true commercial ranges of the sort that would be used in restaurants.) They all need a trim piece in the back for the oven to vent properly, but you have choices from "island trim" (about 1" high) on up to a tall-stainless sheet riser topped with a shelf. The island trim gives you what you would be calling a "slide-in." Technically and narrowly, however, the term "slide-in" is usually used for ranges that (a) do not have the thick backsplash/vent/control panel that is characteristic of typical of most "freestanding" ranges from major brands; and (b) also have a cooktop "overhang" on either side (kind of like the brim of an upside down hat.) The overhang is intended to to cover the gaps between sides of the stove and the adjoing cabintes and countertops. Seventh, the GE Cafe ranges are called "free-standing" ranges --- even though they do not have thick backsplashes/vent/risers --- because their cooktops do not overhang the gap between stove and counter. I've sometimes seen them referred to as a "semi-pro" style. EIghth, the electronics in major brand stoves (as with the GE Cafe) give you a lot of conveniences including self-cleaning oven functions. Some folks will not consider a range without self-cleaning functions, some think self-cleaning is undesireable for its potential adverse effect on the electronics, and others have health issues (the fumes can be irritating for those with lung problems, for example.) Ninth, you mentioned having had health issues. I don't know if those include lung problems but, if so, you might want to avoid a gas range and go with a magnetic induction range, instead. Magnetic induction basically makes the pan heat itself (which is different than other electric heating burners which glow like a fire and throw heat that way.) Since you are pretty much starting out fresh, and (I assume) will be getting cookware anyway, you would just need to look for cookware with magnetic metal in the base. You might want to have a look at the new GE PHS920 slide-in model. (There's an active thread on this range right now.) Tenth, if you are looking for a wall oven, I would definitely recommend going with electric wall ovens. More choices and, generally speaking, easier to install. "More choices" is probably not what you want to hear at this point, though. ;>)

Just shoot me but I'm going to use *that* word - your new paint job makes that glass piece 'pop' !! A huge change for the better and yes, I think you should move it up but not quite as high as it was before. I'm thinking the top of the frame should be a bit below the midline of the upper sash. Great job! I love those big bang for the buck (and effort!) type projects - so satisfyling!