This is the 2nd time we've been there - last month we used a $25 coupon, but we found this place has $25 entrees. Since it was DH's bday, this time we bought $50 coupon, I ordered a romaine salad (came grilled - yuck!), he ordered calamari appetizer, we figured we'd share. Well, his $11 appetizer turned out to be one 4" squid, 1 clam, and 2 baby octopi so he ate it all himself. He ordered a $24 entree (risotto with sausage and brussel sprouts - sounded good except for the brussel sprouts), I ordered a special lobster tail in kind of a tomato-based (turned out to be almost Fra Diavlo!) chowder that ended up being $29. Add a couple of glasses of wine, coffee, 1 dessert sampler and we had no trouble going over the $100 before tip. On the bright side, we got to open the envelope they gave us in December - DH was hoping for the $500 gift certificate or even a free meal (would be around $100), but it ended up being a cooking class for 4 people. Date TBD. I don't know if this will be a private class or if we're going to be with other winners, since they gave away 12 of these. I'm sure they won't have 48 people at a time in the kitchen LOL but maybe 12? I was thinking of asking my cousin K and her sister - will have to see if K is up to it. Dh suggested my mom but no way would she be interested in Italian (esp. fancy-pants Italian) cooking class. We did see on Restaurant.com that they've added more family-style places in our area (incl. my parents' favorite Italian place) so we're going to have to buy some certificates for those while they're half off (and with a $10 free certificate to restaurant of your choice with every order, the coupon we used Sat night ended up being free so we still had a nice meal for $88 after tip). DH wanted more kid-friendly places, DS is no problem but DD is so picky and antsy, I told him "Friendly's (local ice cream parlor chain, burgers, hot dogs and such) doesn't participate, sorry!" But a nearby pizza place (not our favorite but OK) does, we'll have to see if it's good for dine-in only or takeout OK. Hey, I came back to show you this CL ad (went a little farther from home, Fairfield Cty where the formerly rich Wall st types live). Do you think this "china table" might work for b/t my windows, to put DVD player on, if dimensions are right? It's got plenty of storage, and even glass doors if I want to put components inside instead of on top and still use remote. Here is a link that might be useful: china

Threeapples, you are going to live in that beautiful house for a very long time, and over the course of years things will need to be fixed, touched up, repainted, repotted, rehung, new pads for the rugs, Christmas trees put up, lights changed, new artwork hung and old holes patched and painted....the list is endless. You should start now, while your house is new, interviewing handymen until you find one who is meticulous and versatile. Keep a running list that he can do and pay him hourly. A good handyperson will also walk your property and keep an eye out for maintenance issues that can be repaired before they do damage, things you might never notice. This relationship will help keep your home in tip top order, will save you countless hours of trying to find many different professionals to do each job (he will know people who can do work if it's out of his scope), and give your husband weekends free to enjoy the home instead of maintain it. Our Handy Guy has every tool and can do just about anything, and if he can't do it he can find someone who can. Our first five years living here was difficult because I felt the house owned us. Now I email him a list, he gets what he needs, comes down and takes care of everything from pressure washing in the spring to replacing faucet parts. Ask everyone for recommendations, but especially realtors who deal in high value propertied, as they will often have the name of a person who does ready work on their listings.

You should have double studs next to the window trim so install your brackets next to the trim, or within that vertical area. Then extend the rod on each side to the length you want. Once the drapes are up, you won't know where the brackets are, unless you have really large, decorative ones. Of course, doing this won't allow the drapes to open beyond the window but I would prefer this over not hitting a stud. I would try to put the center support bracket on the wall. If you mount it on the trim it's going to throw off the depth of the end brackets. Plus, I think it'll look better on the wall. If space is a problem, you don't have to use the same bracket (that's on the ends) for the center. You may want to use one that is less visible. Since there should be a header across the top of the window, hitting wood won't be a problem. IMO, you really need to hit a stud with the type hardware you intend to hang.

Htnspz and Graywings, thanks so much for your input. As much as I think I would like to go higher, I agree it will look best below the plate rail even though I don't use it as such. I did a "trial run" with a panel/valance I had from my previous house. . .not what I will use after the re-do. FWIW. . .the paneling/plate rail/crown will be painted BM China White with a Van Dyke glaze, the area above the plate rail will be BM Grey Mirage, the mantel will be BM Blackbean Soup and the bookcase/drawers/doors to the left of the fireplace will be Rosemary Sprig with the VD glaze (what I have done in my kitchen). Right rod, wrong rod. . .Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated!! These pictures look SO bad. . .pls, someone tell me it will all come together!!