Wednesday, September 25, 2013

Home


Hello, Harlem.

Our new home is nearby.

That's right.

Our space will be a high-ceilinged parlor level floor. About twice-and-half the current apartment size. I am already having irrational thoughts about the Long Table I have always dreamed of (part kitchen, part work, part friends-for-dinner). Downstairs, are our very nice new landlord and his family, with a grape vine and a sour cherry in their back garden. Upstairs, a photographer. Outside our bedroom, a 300 square foot decked terrace, with planter boxes built by the landlord for the previous tenant who gardened, and sometimes sang in in the speakeasy that will now be our living space.

You know I fell in love.

Included with the application questions he sent us, our landlord said.

...historically most of our tenants play musical instruments or sing, whether professionally or as 
a hobby. If the faint sound of someone playing 2 floors away is problematic for you during 
reasonable hours (10-7-ish, very occasionally later), you should probably choose another 
neighborhood than Harlem, which is filled with the sound of people playing music coming 
from every building. Not speaking of blaring recorded music at obscenely amplified volumes, 
of course.

I think we'll be OK.

70 comments:

  1. Oh it sounds magical! I'm sad that you'll be moving but thrilled you found what sounds like a wonderful new space!

    Critical question...will you be renaming your blog ;)

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    1. ..for now the blog remains the same, but yes, a re-think and re-design are in order.

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  2. Ooh! Wonderful. I'm so pleased and relieved that everything is falling into place and it all sounds really ideal. Of course, I'm also looking forward to seeing the pictures in due course but I imagine you're going to pretty busy. Good luck with the moving process. Have you explained it all to Estorbo yet?

    Love,
    Alison

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  3. Best wishes in your new apartment ( sounds lovely) and hope all goes smoothly with the move. Looking forward to your new terrace posts.

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  4. Sounds to me like an improvement all around. Bigger apartment, bigger terrace—I can imagine opening the terrace doors and going back to bed with those earthy, herby, floral scents drifting into the bedroom—historic neighborhood, and best of all, live-in and sane landlords. My experience with apartments is it is always better when the landlord lives in the same building. Good for you!

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  5. Sounds terrific!
    Congratulations,
    Deirdre

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  6. Congrats. Im sure that this will be good for you both. Good luck with the move

    Ellen

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  7. mazel tov! i hope you are not daunted that so many of us will be moving with you! (but we're not much help with boxes, i expect)

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  8. So very glad that you have found something that you'll love...and that you've multiplied the size of your terrace!

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  9. Congratulations! One question - what is a "parlour level floor"?
    Korien

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    1. Very American. With old townhouses and brownstones, there are often steps leading up to the front door from the street. On that level the old parlour - voorkamer, in SA - used to be. Upstairs were the bedrooms and so on. All for one family, in theory. So the parlour level is the one at the top of those steps from the street. (On street level itself is the floor often referred to as the garden apartment - because it lets out into garden - if you're lucky - at the back.)

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  10. 300sf and no more climbing up/down to the garden! Everything sounds so much nicer than your current place-including the landlord. Congratulations!!!

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  11. Congratulations! It's especially nice that your landlord is in the building and that you've increased your outdoor space by more than fourfold! Best of luck moving and happy living in the new home.

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  12. sounds like just the right place for you both and or course the cat

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  13. OMGosh I feel so relieved... I was waiting with baited breath - hoping I was right in knowing that you would find something even better than where you were. I am so excited to know your NY story is not ending!
    congratulations to you both.

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  14. Congrats!! So pleased for the three of you!

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  15. Wonderful! Now the fun begins ;)

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  16. How reassuring that you had such a strong feeling about the place. Not everyone gets that, you know. Even I am feeling good about it now! Congrats.

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  17. This sounds so exciting! A new adventure! As a loyal reader, I am excited for us to read about how you turn this apartment into a home, and terrace into a garden! I hear so much interesting info about Harlem, I'm excited to learn about it from your forager point of view. I feel like I just got a sequel to my favorite book!

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    1. I'm with Active Lisa... sounds like a book here ... congratulations... San Diego Lurker

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  18. Congratulations!! This new home sounds wonderful. I look forward to hearing about the new neighborhood and seeing you create your new garden.

    You must get the long table. I have one in Ann Arbor and use it for all the functions you imagine. It is wonderful.

    Jo

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    1. Yep - we're going to have to figure the long table out. Moving ain't cheap and I must control my urge to buy, buy, buy...

      But I think, maybe, it's a necessity. Right?

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    2. If you're looking for a moving company, we used Big John (from West 57th Street to Hudson Heights) they were reliable and the final cost was much less than the quote. GH

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  19. Congratulations! Are you east or west of Lenox?

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    1. It's all good! Harlem rocks ! My niece and her two babies are on 118th and Frederick Douglass. My husband on 132nd and Adam Clayton Powel (ST. Al's) and I'm happily ensconced near 181st (Chittenden) in Hudson Heights. We tried buying in Harlem but alas couldn't afford it....happy renting from a principled landlord!

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  20. Wishing you much happiness, horticulture and adventure in your grand new place!

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  21. So glad to hear that you know where you are going now.
    Here's to a new chapter/adventure in your life.
    It sounds very positive.

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  22. When one door closes, another door to a big terrace opens. Congratulations on this find, it sounds ideal. And for Estorbo, isn't there a Spanish area of Harlem where he will feel right at home?

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  23. Oh! Oooooooh! I am so, so excited for you. Imagine all that space! Looking very forward to seeing your new garden :)

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  24. Hooray ! congratulations & much love from les chats of Black Street & me too of course Susan.
    And oh boy YES a sequel to our favourite new book ;-) kisses to E xoxo

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  25. And Red Rooster for take out! Oh, wait! There are not going to be any more of "those days" :-)

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  26. Yay! Yay, yay, YAY!! Please do let us know about the plant wish list. This fall is sketchy (we're expecting in a few weeks), but we still have to see the High Line and can drive up some planties in the spring. Soooooo very happy for you!!!

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    1. Paul I owe you an email (it's a long list). Thank you so, so much. I may actually take you up on it. The new space has less sun, But I have to spend some time in it to really figure out the nuances of light. David Austin's rosarian has also very kindly offered to send more roses if I ever need them - not sure how they'll do, yet - but the prospect of gift-plants is very exciting.

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    2. Keep me posted. It will be a pleasure :)

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  27. I am delighted for you and you get bonus music !

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  28. What a relief! You landed in the best place for more wonderful gardening and cooking! Congratulations!

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  29. Replies
    1. ...you read my mind. I don't know. But it has occurred to me.

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  30. How wonderful! Looking forward to seeing the new garden!

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  31. That's amazing! Your terrace will be nearly the size of your Bk apt, right? Wow - sounds amazing!

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  32. WOW - congratulations! Your new home sounds amazing & in a great musical neighborhood not less, which sounds nice too. I'm very happy for you & look forward to your blogs from your new place and garden.

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  33. Wonderful! Seeing what you've created in 66sq feet I can't wait to see the oasis you'll create in a larger space. Pets to le chat noir!

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  34. Oh excellent! I am so excited for you (all 3!) Space, a garden, music, nice landlord, and more space - woo hoo! Like everyone else, can't wait to see photos - wishing you all happiness in your new digs!

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  35. I love those first few months in a new home, learning the lay of the land and the movement of light.
    So many new wonders to discover. I am so happy your you all!
    Am anticipating pictures and posts.

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  36. Wonderful news! A parlor floor with high ceilings is very good for tall people. Too bad you don't have as much sun, but in thinking about your move I thought you had to have a space where you could eat outside. All of your readers would have been bereft of your elegant outdoor dining without that. One can always hope that the landlord will have way too many sour cherries to know what to do with. Can you braai on your terrace? Also, think of all the fun you'll have looking for that long table.

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  37. Sorry, forgot to sign my name at 9:19.

    Nancy Mc

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  38. Just enough room for me to squeeze in another Yahoo!! So very happy for you all and so excited to see pictures of the new flat.

    OMG next time Red Rooster?

    xo Jane

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  39. I am excited for you - a change means a new garden, a fun challenge and a different perspective on life. Love the idea of a refectory table tooo :-)

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  40. Congrats to you, Beence and the Blag Cad! Very exciting!

    Keli'i

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  41. Excellent news, cannot wait to see the pictures of the new garden, don't forget to take a before shot of everthing - we did I do regret it! Mr. E will we well pleased with the extra space.

    Lx

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  42. I've never met you but am *so* thrilled for you!
    I also loved the story about the Frenchman's 'It is very exceptional, indeed!' Cheers to silver linings and new adventures :) Love from South Africa

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  43. Excellent - so thrilled for you all!!
    It just gets bigger and better - and now with a soundtrack!!!

    PS I got offered a dream job yesterday, tis a good time : ) x

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  44. Excellent news! Congratulations. And you know how I feel about those musicians. I shall mention your landlord's notation on the lease to my son, who will appreciate it.

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  45. Congrats! We are looking forward to seeing the bones of your new outdoors and indoors space, even without that magnificent table you are about to get!

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  46. Marie - congratulations! Home is so important. I will miss you being the representative of what will always be our first neighborhood in Brooklyn, but can't wait to hear about what's happening in Brooklyn. As we've decamped to Fort Greene to have a garden of our own, I completely understand the impulse. Plus it must be nice to know where home will be next. Well done.

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  47. It is going to be very wierd, to read about you having this much place.

    said Jurate while enjoying her fine sparkling-wine-on-currantsgin drink.

    the berries are still in their bottle. it keeps getting stronger.

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    1. Don't worry, Jurate, a 300 sq ft terrace is still not very big. And on our second visit the apartment seemed smaller. I was so excited about it I blew it up in my head! But it is still much bigger than what we have, now.

      Are you doing the black or red currants? Can't remember :-)

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    2. Since I had only one empty bottle on hand the first time, I made a red-and-black currant-gin. It is very intriguing how good you can differ both tastes in one glass. and then i made red-only currants-gin. I will open it this weekend.
      though i think that my heart belongs to the black-variation. is it just me or does the black-currant give a very sensual, even slightly sexual taste?

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  48. Sounds wonderful, congratulations!

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  49. How lovely! I am so pleased and excited for you all.. busy but fun. I hope moving goes smoothly and that Estorbo will enjoy the new space and not miss the rooptarp caddle ranchero.... I can't wait for the first pictures.

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  50. Enjoy the new space! I hope Don Estorbo adjusts well.

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  51. I am so glad you found a space that seems so perfect. I look forward to joining you via your posts as you make it your home.

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  52. Congratulations on finding your new home - I hope you will be as happy there as you have been in your present apartment, I am sure the cat will love all that space. You have plenty of gardening challenges ahead which I look forward to reading about.

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  53. yay thrilled for you. can't wait to follow you on this new journey on that 300 square foot terrace :)

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