Actually just think that was Ms. Wonderful's original plan and then I came along.

Chuckle. Why? I was reading about the building of the Taj Mahal in India. Apparently it took about several hundred years to complete. So I can just imagine that each successive King likely changed the plans of the previous; surely for the better, before it was finally completed to the absolute masterpiece that it is currently.

Now I'm not saying that we'll be able to equal THAT feat, but our little Mexican engineering team is wonderful.

Man bowing head gratefully to The Deep South and The Pacific :)

Stef, glad you like Wegman's too. I think it's a Goldmine. Beautiful, cozy, well merchandised, the way a supermarket should be. Sadly, I can't say we have a Canadian equivalent. Their competitor in Buffalo is Tops. A bright WHITE obnoxious environment. Lucky for Wegman's, no competition.

Where's Amy!

The Temptations, good stuff.

Here's some good Texas sound for you.

OK just came back to my "hole."

Stef-That was fun! I mean I never heard anything like that. I think I have to get a taste of Texas. I've just never been to The South and I know I would enjoy it.

BTW you don't think our Pacific Princess is wining and dining in the newly tiled Kitchen tonight do you? We haven't heard a peep out of her all day.

Oh Oh, just remembered our Pacific Princess is still down. Siniffly and coughly and miserably. But if she's not out playing with us that's a good thing since it means she's "napping".

Stay under there Plllog. Stef and I will take care of the routine stuff.

I think I'll make some Hot and Sour soup for you even without a kitchen. Your virus buddies have been staying over a little too long. It's time to give them the boot, I mean scoot!

Glad you enjoyed the Texas Tornados, they really capture the sound of San Antonio. No one rocks the accordion like Flaco Jimenez. Hope you had a chance to check out some of their other music listed there.

Are you ready for a closeup? DH requested Tortilla Soup for lunch, so here version 2.0.

BTW that's without flash, just really bright and sunny here.

Oh Oh, just remembered our Pacific Princess is still down. Siniffly and coughly and miserably. But if she's not out playing with us that's a good thing since it means she's "napping".

Stay under there Plllog. Stef and I will take care of the routine stuff.

I think I'll make some Hot and Sour soup for you even without a kitchen. Your virus buddies have been staying over a little too long. It's time to give them the boot, I mean scoot!

Something strange on the site. Problems posting.

D E L I C I O S O!

Thanks Stef. That's so sweet of you or should I say so spicy of you. Such a nicely arranged photo and I can only imagine the delicious taste :(

Are those Chillies really HOT? If so, I do admire your chili sense which means you can keep up with the Mexicans.

Hah, I was listening to all the other Tex stuff on Youtube. I'm a sucker for music especially when it's foreign to me.

Plllog, we're getting worried. I hope you're OK. Are you? I'm sure Stef's Tortilla Soup can help, if there's leftovers.

Thanks Solman. Tortilla Soup usually takes a holiday in the summer so that may be the last of it. Those are Hatch New Mexico green chilies and they are milder than Jalapenos. I have eaten Mexican food all my life so I'm not afraid of a little heat. Don't like it to overpower other flavors though.

Besides not feeling well, I think plllog is busy with Passover prep. It would be great if her kitchen is ready for the big reveal by then.

The story on the music is that German immigrants brought the accordion to this area in the 1850's and merged the polka with traditional Mexican folk songs and Conjunto was born. It's a lot of fun to dance to. The music changes with the times--blues, rock, disco, you can hear it all in there. Did you hear Freddy Fender's "Wasted Days" yet? That was practically an anthem way back when.

Nope. Old steel wok would work if it had enough connection to the induction, but only about 1/4" above the surface of most induction gets the magnetic field, and you have to have contact for it to work. I think the little ball feel on the Demeyere or the Gagg ring, communicate a lot of magneticishness to the wok. The Gagg doesn't do with my unit. Only the Gagg wok unit. There are plenty of flat bottomed woks that work fine on induction for less. I showed the Demeyere because you were so taken with the Gagg.

There's plain flat, or flat outside round inside. There are others. Carbon steel is a good choice, but only comes flat for induction. The round inside is Lodge cast iron. I've also seen it in clad, I think, but I can't find it.

Wok rings don't work on induction. And remember, when you lift the wok off the induction the unit may turn off.

Sunny here. Lots of unpacking and washing washing washing. Very tired. Still snuffly but not really virusy.

Love Flaco Jimenez. Texas has awesome music, but oh, so upbeat! I once was at Asleep At The Wheel live, and their "slow" "somber" ballads were peppier than a lot of people's happy songs. :) Thanks for the link. I'd never heard the Texas Tornadoes. Supergroups aren't always super, but I really liked that!

Great to hear you are unpacking and feeling better, plllog.

So the Texas sound is a hit. Asleep at the Wheel is great. They're doing a concert in Eagle Pass soon, but that's too close to the border for us. Not to mention the "Miles and miles of Texas"....

Nanci Griffith, Steve Earle, Allison Kraus, Marcia Ball, Dixie Chicks, Slaid Cleaves, Jerry Jeff Walker, Blame It On Texas, Los Lonely Boys, Emmy Lou Harris, Townes Van Zant, Austin Lounge Lizards, Iris Dement, Roger Wallace, not to mention the much missed Stevie Ray Vaughan. And those are just ones y'all let out for the rest of us to hear.

Plllog-better-Yeaaa-Passover Prepper-Texas tunes keeper.

Stef-Texas tunes convertor.

We're now on board for a new chapter.

NEWS- Solman's coming to America to live!!!... maybe. Likely. Where?
More later....

P.S. Good thing Plllog's got the Kitchen reno done.

Junior Brown, Lyle Lovett and ...

Sam the Sham and the Pharoahs, no list of Texas music could be complete without "Wooly Bully."

Great list and it's pretty close to the music I listened to when we lived in Boston. Born in Austin (yes, really), Banned in Boston.

Stef-Sam the Sham and the Pharoahs.

What a song!

Texas-you really do have a vibe. Good vibe. Good vibes.

Crack me up. I was on the floor watching this video. Funny guys.

Texas soul?

Nice!

Plllog, easy on the elbows!

Stef- turn it up, nice huh?

Elbows?

Solman, are you serious?? You're not selling the Colorful Mexican Kitchen, are you? That would be such a shame!!

So you're coming to America and we assume it's not just a shopping trip to Buffalo. Spring break travel, but you'll keep us waiting for more word. I never understood spring break until I lived up north for a while.

That video..oh no, I'd forgotten how really, really silly that was.

Extra Extra... Read all about it, Solman's on his way no doubt about it!

;;;; GIGGLE

Before we get to that, gotta tell you about my Culinary extravaganza this evening. How does a new born Vegetarian cook a nice meal without a Kitchen? Answer--->Casbah!

Let's re-phrase. prepare a nice meal.

I noticed this lady in the Supermarket line last night and was interested in her basket ;) So, I asked her where she got that thing. A hop skip and jump to Aisle 2 and in it went into my Sainsbury's Jute Shopping Bag. (yes in Canada you bring your own, just like Europe, or pay .05 cents per bag)

So tonight, I pulled the boxe(s) out, some Natural Spring Water, 2 fresh tomatoes, a fork, and started mixing. Put it in the fridge for 20 minutes and Woallah! It was Tabouli Salad with Hummus and the Ezekkel Sprouted Grain Tortillas for Din din. DELICIOUS!! This Casbah is totally pure and natural. No junk and poison. I still can't believe it. Hope you USA-ers can get it way down there.

Did I hear way-down-there? As in the U S of A?

Ok let's spill the beans (hopefully before they're cooked).

Last night:

Solman reads Toronto Star in bed.

Solman turns page and abruptly stops at Headline:

Price of Toronto Parking Lot gets Home In Florida

Article opens:

"Half price homes? Canadians pounce on the sunbelt."

"Last November Stacey found herself in Florida pondering whether to buy a condo in Naples or one in nearby Sarasota. The Toronto woman ended up buying both! Not since the Japanese started snapping up Manhattan, have a group of foreign buyers been as prevalent in US Markets."

No bidding wars
No exchange rate difference
No snow

$55,000

Underground Parking spot in Downtown Toronto
One bedroom condo in Naples

$109,000

A co-op apartment at Bathurst and Eglinton
Home with a Pool in Phoenix ---> $103,000!!

$249,000

An UGLY SMALL Scarborough Bungalow
a 2,100 sq/ft Bungalo on a 1/4 acre near Kennedy Space Centre

$308,000

An older UGLY UGLY house north of The Junction
Five bedroom luxury in Phoenix

$600,000

A semi-detached house in Riverdale
A 4,300 square foot home in a gated Phoenix golf course community!!!

Now you guys understand why I've been doing Perfect 10 Russian Cartwheels across my floor all day?

As I mention earlier, I was thinking of moving to TO where all the half million dollar bidding nonsense is going on. Then Coach Plllog suggested who needs to be in there full time when an hour and half drive lets you swoop in when needed and back to the "reasonably priced" country. And a move to an ugly, big, congested, overpriced city isn't really moving up, it's moving sideways and emptying your wallet.

America. The South. Sunshine. Beaches. Tennis. Running. Boxster. Palms on my lawn. That sounds just a "little" better than TO. If you move, move up. Right Stef?

Solman, are you serious?? You're not selling the Colorful Mexican Kitchen, are you? That would be such a shame!!

No no Silly!!! We still need a nice Colorful Mexican Kitchen to come home to when Spring starts. Them Bulldogs aint gonna let us stay more than 6 are they?

Caveats:

The article was quick to warn of proceeding cautiously. The high US foreclosure rate continues. For some reason high in Florida. Investment should not be money making oriented and longer term outlook. My motive is strictly lifestyle boost and I'm frankly totally bored of my current environment.

1. Will I be able to stand the constant badgering of The Border Bulldogs every time I leave for Buffalo?

2. Can I accept this wild west mentality of Guns knowing that anywhere I go, people actually have guns... and may use them on me! For a Canadian, that's very unsettling. Do you guys feel nervous? Ever see shootings or heaven forbid, been in one?

3. The Danger, robberies etc. is MUCH higher than Canada; but is that just in bad areas or even the 'Model neighborhoods" get it.

4. This goes a little against my "new Life philosophy." That you can still enjoy life without having to own everything. But the prices are just so alluring. As in man goes to Florida. Man opens newspaper. Man rents Apt or home. Simple. No ownership, no headache. Need a change. Rent elsewhere. Naples today. L.A tomorrow.

4. Can I still use my free Canadian Healthcare down there? Will they honor it? I'll have to check here with the Gov't

Stef- You probably have some good thoughts on this since you and DH sort of did this inside your borders.

Plllog- I hope the article hasn't motivated YOU to move NORTH to get away from that smelly Pond beside you. If it has, the Kitchen's mine! All right, after Passover :)

Plllog- nice find on the Wok. Interesting twist on flat bottom. Literally only the bottom is flat. The wok is round. Brilliant. Would you pay the bucks for the Gagg/Demereyre Induction woks? REal objects of desire on one hand. But seriously, the best Oriental food in the world is cooked in a $12 hand hammered Carbon Steel wok.

As for inside shape, I absolutely refuse to ever cook in a flat bottomed WOK.
A WOK it is not.

I think I have Casbah couscous in my pantry. Yes, that's in my pantry. But Solly, dear!! Instant hummus? Surely you jest? I've never even seen that before. Making couscous from scratch is a disgusting messy PITA. And makes the hands hurt literally.

Hummus:
Garbanzo beans (chickpeas). Can or jar is fine, or soak them overnight.
Tahini. Can or jar or make your own in a food processor.
Crushed garlic.
Lemon.
Salt (optional).

Put beans and tahini in miximg bowl. Squeeze some lemon juice Use a potato masher or big fork to mash them together. Add a bunch of crushed garlic and a pinch of salt. If it's very stiff, add a little more lemon juice. If it's too stiff add a little hot water. Mash some more. Good hummus is not completely smooth like a machine made it. There should be little bits of bean or it's overworked, which is why some people add (nasty) oil.

Here they give you a nickel back for each bag you bring.

Thanks for the reassurance about the America thing. Yes, 6 mo. on a tourist visa last time I looked. I understand snowbird. An actual house is a much better investment than a condo, but absentee maintenance is a nightmare.

Bad things happen everywhere. Good things happen everywhere. I've seen anyone brandish a weapon, but there was a suicide by cop within hearing distance of where I was, once. People in movies have handguns. And people in Texas. It is true that there's more violent crime where there's more heat. If the crooks are too cold they go inside and try to figure out how to steal by computer. For more on this read Romeo and Juliet. If it weren't for the heat the Montegues and Capulets wouldn't have been brawling and Mercutio would never have been killed, and Romeo would never have been banished and Juliet would never have faked her death leading to Romeo's suicide and Juliet poisoning herself for real. Moral: Mad dogs and Englishmen go out in the midday sun.

Florida is more Cuban and Dominican, though, of course, there are also Mexicans. Also very humid, though not so bad in the Winter. But culturally very like New York. I guess New Mexico isn't warm enough, but it's exceedingly beautiful and has some of the oldest Spanish/Mexican settlement in North America. Phoenix is a big city. Have you checked out Tucson? I don't know much about Texas, but Houston is lovely in the Fall. And don't forget the Gulf Coast.

Re woks, I don't think carbon steel is heavy enough to do the flat out/round in thing, though there are quite a few different versions. Joyce Chen (the flat bottomed carbon steel) is a pretty good brand for basic Chinese cooking tools. There are two kinds of flat bottomed woks. Some are basically frying pans with wok sides and unnecessary. There are also the ones that have a small contact flatness that shouldn't prevent proper wokking, though it would likely mean you'd have a larger amount of oil for frying which might be harder to keep at temperature.

I think the Demeyere is cute. But instead of popping for it, you could get a portable wok burner and a carbon steel, Chinatown wok. The only problem is that if you do it under your (properly venting to the exterior) hood, the wok will be a bit high for optimal comfort. Not a big deal if you're cooking for one or two in a small wok. And you can take your portable with you on your snowbirding adventures.

Buying a condo/house in Florida? Hmmm, where to begin on that one? Florida real estate investment has been boom or bust for at least a century. One of the reasons for the most recent crash is the foreign investors who walked away as soon as prices started to fall.

Prices have fallen a lot, but there's a possibility that there are several more waves of foreclosures on the way and prices may not turn back up for a long time.

The price of a condo may be low, but the maintenance fees will make up for that over time. Don't count on renting it out as the market is flooded with cheap rentals.

Buying a house in a gated community would help keep it more secure when you are not there. You will still have maintenance fees.

Florida doesn't interest me that much. South Florida is really just the northeast with palm trees. Most of the rest is pretty much like any other overbuilt suburb. I remember some news stories that foreigners in rental cars are crime targets in tourist areas.

It really depends on what you are looking for. Like plllog, I prefer the west and southwest US for the long term. Las Vegas has pretty good prices, but they are apparently stabilizing. Here in Texas, prices have not dropped that much except in Dallas and that isn't a place you would escape to in the winter. Houston is not a tourist town either.

I don't think we would buy a condo anywhere unless we really wanted to go back to the same place all the time. It does limit you and we really like to see something different.

No gunmen running loose around here and I have never seen anyone use a gun for anything other than target practice. If you stick with neighborhoods that have low crime rates, you should be good.

I worked with a Canadian a while back and he used the company provided health plan. He intended to retire to Canada for the "free" health care. My understanding is that Canadians who come here for treatment not available there pay for it themselves.

Tabouli isn't that hard to make from scratch and then you have fresh herbs instead of dried, rehydrated. It doesn't keep well because the lemon juice breaks it down quickly.

I don't think we would buy a condo anywhere unless we really wanted to go back to the same place all the time. It does limit you and we really like to see something different.

Florida is more Cuban and Dominican, though, of course, there are also Mexicans. Also very humid, though not so bad in the Winter.But culturally very like New York.

Man on Iceberg listens to Ladies of Fine Wisdom. Particularly Stef's famous words of limiting and liking to see something different. Well said Stef.

Plllog, I found New York rather harsh, to put it mildly. So the cultural similarity you mentioned doesn't exactly motivate me.

"Solly" huh?

I like it! It has a nice ring. Solly meets Polly and offers her a cracker!

Moral: Mad dogs and Englishmen go out in the midday sun.
(into folder)

Plllog that heat story was fun. It's true. Manila is a stifling swamp and it has the highest murder rate in the world. Miami, I'm not even touching that. You feel the danger immediately upon leaving the airport. Rental cars cannot be marked due to targeting as Steff said. Public transit are a real no no etc. But I still like HOT!

Years ago, I went to Cancun via Miami with an overnight stopover. Upon arrival in Cancun, we actually felt safe. In Miami we were on edge.

NOTE: that was more than 10 years ago. Today, the climate in Mexico is a whole new ball game. Cancun centro is extremely dangerous, as are highways, etc. I used to stand on the highway at night, outside the Airport, with my backpack, to flag down the bus. Today it's unthinkable. You would be stripped, bagged and dumped, literally.

Economic Crisis + Drug Cartel Turf War = Peligroso

The culture in Florida changes depending on where you are. Miami is very different from Tampa for example. You have different expectations from each. I enjoy visiting New York because I don't expect it to be like home and we always get excellent service. Las Vegas is less fun than it should be because the service seems universally surly and you don't expect that from a city out west.

Just saw a report that things are getting worse in Mexico and the drug violence has touched almost every part of the country. A family from El Paso was murdered in Juarez over the weekend presumably because they had Texas license plates.

You're right Stef. Things are getting worse for poor Mexico.

My friend, living near Cancun for past 20 years went to the city one evening and as darkness fell, he could actually feel the danger in the streets and left promptly. Now, Cancun tourists never leave the Hotel Zone for the Downtown.

Remember the Canadian couple that was murdered in their resort about 2 years ago in the Riviera Maya? When I was there last year, a French girl was murdered and tossed onto the beach. In Yucatan, the 8 beheaded Police officers were left on display on the side of the Hwy. So, things are rough. Mexico was in the top 3 most dangerous countries in the World Safety Index! Go figure.

On the last trip, I was on the bus in Guanajuato and conversed with my seat mate. I asked him what he did for a living, and he was a Police Forensic. He actually showed me pictures on his cameraphone of recently slain murdered corpses. Even highlighted the narco hits and how they can immediately identify it. It was disturbing yet so normal to him. I saw one guy with like 50 bullets to his head hunched over the steering wheel of his SUV. There was a sad one of a teenage mother and her daughter with bullets to the head of both. I wish I hadn't seen it. Being a cop, he told me he always has to watch every step he takes, including leaving the house, coming home etc. etc. And just think, I was sitting beside him!

That was X-Mas 2008.

The Canadian Foreign Affairs Dep't has officially issued a Warning to all Canadians to avoid any Travel to Mexico at all cost.

Wow.

I hope the Talaveras will get here safe. Poor things.

finally good news from Mexico!

My Lupi just confirmed that our new Guads and quarter rounds are coming out of the Oven tomorrow morning. Yeah!

Another interesting note on tile thickness. Even they in Mexico have this issue. Many of the clients who had Talaveras they bought 50 years ago and wish to remodel or whatever are now faced with the thickness issue of the new fat ones matching. She said no problem. Tile setters use more mortar behind those and less on the new fat ones. It's done every day in Mexico.

We now return to our regular programming.

That is good news about the tile. I'm sure they will arrive safe and sound after border inspection of course.

Sad news about travel to Mexico, we have the same warnings here. I remember checking into our hotel in Cancun and immediately heading into the real city. We had a delightful dinner and our waiter was working on his English as he saw that as a way to move up to the big hotels. Only spent one night in Cancun before heading into the jungle for a week. Mexico was always a great place to visit. I miss being able to head to the border for a day.

Solman, what's "hot" to you? South Florida isn't hot in the Winter by my meter, but maybe it is for you? Have you thought about the Virgin Islands?

If you just want a heck of a lot warmer than the only in fiction temperatures you've been telling us about, I suppose any southern town would do. Las Vegas is probably too cold. Galveston too likely to get eaten by a hurricane. Naples is nice, though I haven't been there in almost 20 years. Should say "was". Tucson is good. There are some nice towns in San Diego County where you could maybe find something affordable. Or you could be a real snowbird and get an RV instead. Not an investment, of course. Depreciation not appreciation, but you could move your house with you and chase the sun.

Hi guys. Just wanted to pop in and say hello. I have been cheating on you guys with a gardenweb gardening forum ... http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/sqfoot/.

I even had missed a post to my thread "Opinions on our kitchen layout - - in beach cottage" from FEB 9 !!! Yikes.

Hi Angela, Good to hear from you. I was thinking about you and the others who dropped off along the way. It is time for gardening and I've been out planting the last few days but today is rainy.

Plllog just reminded me that I see the Canadians are headed home for spring. The interstate is crowded with Ontario plates lately. Plenty of RVs in the mix. They camp in south Texas all winter. Solman would feel right at home.

Well at least we've given you more info to consider.

Hey, Angela!! Good to see you!

Hey, Steff, did you hear the guy on American Idol doing Texas Stones?

Solman, I added the window casings to the end of the Tile Tour if you want to see them.

Angela-welcome back and thanks for stopping in. We always miss you and the fab beach cottage.

Stef- you've gotta like my enthusiasm. I mean 24 hours ago, I virtually had my bags packed. But now they remain at the front door until further notice. Looks like you and Plllog saved me from the Florida floodgates.

Doing the new thing is important for variety. The world is just so vast and full of so much beauty that it's very discovery is full of enrichment. I think for me the element of Culture Shock is also intriguing. It forces you to adapt, respect, and behave accordingly. That makes travel interesting. I am always amazed by Travelers who go to foreign countries and expect to replicate their life at home. When unable, they become rude, aggressive, respectless. And the poor folk in the foreign country wonder why the Tourists don't just stay at home if that's what they expect abroad.

Virgin Islands huh? Head scratch.

Plllog- thanks for the recipe for my Hummus. Slated for weekend preparation. Poor Casbah, you just took a potential lifetime client away. Stef's right by the way, the dehydrated Lemon does kill the Parsley intensity. There is NO comparison to Tabouli with fresh Parsley. When do you have to have all the Passover food prep done by? Stef and I would like to offer help but with the long distances and all, you understand. I'd be the "go to Whole Foods to pick up stuff" guy. Hopefully, I wouldn't be distracted by the Pacific or "other distractions" along the way.

Sweet Plllog. Really sweet.

Great design and such a nice tile job. I pray my guy is as good as your's.

Plllog, let's get your beauty into the fancy Home magazines. It deserves the airplay. I'd love to know or hear your tile setter's comments when you showed him the job and the tiles.

Oh look what I spotted! your favorite little Le Crueset Saucier.

And I just noticed the froggy tile. Cute.

No, no, no magazines! This isn't a showpiece or a showplace. It's just going to be my happy zone. I posted over in Discussions about my sink. :) Good spot on the little saucier. Love that little pot.

Casbah makes quality products. You can get the couscous and even falafel mix if they have it. Have to admit I totally missed the tabouli thing because the hummus mix had me so flustered. Steff is so right: tabouli is very easy to make too. When you make your hummus remember to pronounce it ChWHO-moose (with a ch as in Bach). Not only will it be "correct" it'll have that soupçon of Canadiana too!

I'm with you on the tourist thing. I think people who are unused to travel get weirded out and revert to preoperational behavior. I remember being in a bakery in Rome with an Australian girl who was part of our group. She was having a hiss because they didn't understand her English so near to a tourist hotel. Amazing. A couple weeks earlier, we were in Austria and I only knew two words of German, I wanted to buy a cushion, so wandered into an upholsterer's shop. I smiled and pointed at a pillow. The gentleman there wrote down a number. I paid him. He gave me the cushion. I said, "Danke," or something like that. Both happy. It's easy to be polite and conduct business with no language in common. I don't know what was with that Aussie girl.

Plllog, you're German's good. Sehr Gut! Shame about the Aussie girl. But I have a better one for you. Tuol Sleng or S-21 in Phnom Penh, Cambodia where The Khmer Rouge tortured and killed roughly 20,000 people during their reign of terror.

While I was there, a converted school, in which everything was kept exactly as it was when the Khemer Rouge suddenly fled in 1975, with actual blood splattered on all the walls inside, I saw this Aussie tourist girl dancing and smiling happily with her iPod.

Where she danced, just years before, men women and children screamed in terror, saw their comrades executed, and counted their last moments of life.

I thought how can this be.

I share this photo which will always be in my memory.

Not good when a visitor displays disrespect in such a place. We've seen it too and it does happen more than we would like to think. You can only be responsible for your reaction and hope they understand that it's not typical.

Thanks Stef. Glad to see you recognize such things.

I guess that's where the saying of young and foolish comes from. But 20,000 people died in that building. My stomach was sick. I didn't bother with the Killing Fields, 9 km away. This was enough reality.

Stef- Notice that Plllog's trying to get rid of me!

She's shipping me to the Virgin Islands. Luckily I'm a good sport.

Hmmmm. Have you been?

Stef- Notice that Plllog's trying to get rid of me!

She's shipping me to the Virgin Islands. Luckily I'm a good sport.

Hmmmm. Have you been?

Well we have a new assignment for today.

I have to order the sink and faucet but have run into a little confusion.

Number of Holes

The sink comes with 3 holes or single hole. With 3 holes you must use the metal deck plate. Single hole gives same look as Plllog's cutie.

Because the sink I'm ordering also has the faucet mounting deck, which one do you guys think is more visually pleasing? Is it my eyes or do you lose a little of Portland's base symmetry with the metal plate?

Faucet Color

In our Faucet Pageant, the Portland was the winner in Tuscan Bronze. Now we have a White Sink, White Oven, so should the faucet still be Bronze or better in Brushed Stainless/Stainless to match Wall Oven handles and or sink?

Silly! I've never been, but it looks very nice, tropical, still U.S. or U.K., and, I'm pretty sure, very safe (do check that part). Tropical paradise. Just trying to be helpful.

In case this is an influence on the decision.

Interesting cross post going there.

Hmmm, the faucet looks good in the Tuscan Bronze, but now we have a lot of white going. Definitely without the plate. So.... after consideration I would go with brushed stainless and do the hardware in brushed stainless also.

Found this on a Craigslist estate sale post. The sale looks like fun, but I really want to see this kitchen.

It could use a good cleaning, but what fun just to be in there for a while.

Tile is beginning to look good to me again and I wonder why that is.

Stef- Just a couple of ideas in case the Tuscan Bronze knobs are in question.

I found these fairly rustic and nice ones:

Agreed. No plate. You don't need it, so why get it?

We were talking Tuscan Bronze because you were also going to get your knobs in light bronze. I don't think the faucet color really has anything to do with appliance color. The contrast of bronze with the white sink would look good, and the warm, brown tone will tie in with the yellow of the tiles. Stainless would look fine, but I think less interesting. I prefer the polished. The brushed looks like it comes from a different design aesthetic.