I've spent the better part of this weekend contacting every moving and storage company I can find. I've spent the better part of the last month wondering and worrying over how the hell I'm going to get all of my stuff out of my apartment in Toronto and what I'm going to do with it. (Sell it there, store it there, ship it from there, move it here, store it here, drive it here...)

I can tell you that moving is more of a hassle than I remembered it being, and when moving involves long distances it is also far more expensive than I could have predicted it being. All in all I was so very pleased to find this video over on flyingbuttresses. It pretty much sums up the state of my life at this current juncture.

Bedroom Makeover!

Well maybe I'm not doing a "bedroom makeover" persay, but my awesome designer friend is over and we've picked the most lovely of fabrics, and designed a shape, and measured dimensions for my fancy new custom HEADBOARD! It is going to look marvelous and feminine and wonderful. I'll try to remember to take a picture when she comes back in a couple of weeks to install it. I've also finally gotten around to putting up the picture railings I bought a month ago, so this afternoon I get to play with pictures and frames and make lovely little vignettes - what fun! Maybe someday I'll have an actual bedroom to enjoy, as opposed to just a room with a bed in it - quel surprise!

These EXACT faces are made on an almost daily basis in my apartment.

photo source

Wall Envy

Roomie and I still haven't finished our Gallery Wall yet. We just bought 18 frames off craigslist (most of which are admittedly smaller than anticipated) but they're still sitting in a pile against the wall. SOON though. Soon.

Meanwhile I'll just stare at this photo:

via So About What I Said...

Hanging on

So Roomie is here, the apartment is in relative chaos, and there is currently a man drilling a hole through our basement wall.

BUT despite all of this, the apartment is coming along.

We have been on a hanging-spree for the past couple of days. Mirrors have gone up, hooks, photos, art, frames, it's all happening people. It is happening, and it is a LOT of work. We're working on a "feature wall" (if you will) in our living room. Yesterday we had a grand time turning our living room floor and all of our frames/posters/photos into a puzzle. We've now got a pretty good idea of what we want and I'd say about 1/4, no, 1/3 of all items are currently affixed to the wall.

Of course I don't have any photos of our progress yet (once all of our mess gets cleaned up I promise I will take some photos and post them. For now, here is an idea of what we are going for:

photos via desiretoinspire, apartmenttherapy and theselby

So I know I've already ranted and raved about my apartment, but I'm going to do it again.

I am tired.

I am tired of finding new spaces to clean every day.
I am tired of discovering new things to be fixed every day.
I am tired of wheezing and sneezing all the time due to dust and dirt and smelly cleaners.
I am tired of stinging, sore hands that are so dry the skin has begun to crack/break out in rash.
I am tired of living out of my suitcases because I don't have anywhere to store my clothes yet.

My apartment exhausting.

I am happy.

I am happy to be living in my own (atypically large) space.
I am happy to have a comfortable, cosy bed that is mine.
I am happy to have a working internet connection.
I am happy to be in control of the meals I consume.
I am happy to invision all the ways to make these rooms beautiful.

My apartment is exciting.

Total exhaustion: Imminent

What. A. Weekend.



I'm going to give a play-by-play, and hopefully once reading it you'll realize why I am resorting to lists/point form.



Friday:

::Packing. All day long. It is truly remarkable to me how much stuff I am able to accumulate over short periods of time.

::Out to dinner because it is Winterlicious*! (Possibly my new favourite time of year). Went to Trevors Kitchen which was delightful, and I'm pretty sure I would do anything for their parsnip soup with sage brown butter & bacon recipe

Saturday:

::Wake-up call 6 am

::Head to Scarborough for a day's volunteer work with Habitat for Humanity. Quadruple layers helped to ward off cold, and steel-toed boots and hard hat aided in my looking rediculous. I had a blast though. I used a mitre saw and a nail gun and cocking, err caulking (why yes, us 25 year olds had as much fun with that double entendre as a bunch of school boys). My group installed baseboards and window trip for an entire house. Handy skills learned, fun had, body worked to the bone.

::Saturday evening gratefully provided me with a Hugh Grant movie marathon on television which was enjoyed whilst final packing was completed and sore muscles were tended to.

Sunday:

::Wake-up call 7:40am ->not an alarm this time though, just nerves as it is MOVING DAY

::Load and unload 2 station wagons full of all of my things into giant empty apartment. Head to the grocery store to pick up a cool $70 worth of cleaning products (although I must say, apartment was in quite good condition, far from the disaster zone that I'd pictured in my mind at 7:30 Sunday morning)

::Delicious and neccessary lunch break at Pho Hung. Best pho soup in town. (Saw an old university cronie to boot!)

::Afternoon consumed with cleaning (where luckily 2 of the most bestest friends ever helped)

::5pm. Off to UHaul to pick up giant cargo van to aid in the pick-up of Sofa. Sofa is beautiful. Cream Ultra Suede, perfect condition. I heart craigslist.

::While in loading bay of Sofaman's condo, spot dresser, coffee table, floor lamp and 2 sets of shelves. Sofaman says they are free for the taking - JACKPOT

::6:30pm. Loading sofa into apartment prooves difficult. Much swearing and sighing as pristine couch gets dirtied while squeezing through door and being dropped on ground by accident.

::7pm. Return van. Realize not a drop of water has been consumed all day so an emergency pit-stop at Subway for some bottles of water (and maybe some cookies) is made.

::8:30pm. Amazing designer friend comes over with materials for curtains. I install brackets, she sews drapes, her bf watches the Grammy's, we all eat a pizza et voila! I have fabulous curtains that make my living room look homey and magnificent.

::10:45pm. 2 days of drywall/sawdust/regular dust/household cleanser aromas results in the worst wheezing/asthma I've had in ages. Severe exhaustion also sets in. Leave apartment in its current state, and head to my cousins house to sleep in a bed...after a steaming hot shower and a cup of tea (naturally).

Today I get a bed of my very own, and I will strive to clean and set-up the entire bathroom and kitchen. Wish me luck!

*Annual city-wide food&wine extravaganza where all of the Toronto's most fabulous restaurants create prix fixe menus so laymen like me can afford to sample their gastronomic delights. Being a foodie, and one who spends money in less-than-appropriate ways, I find it to be a dream come true. This week's outing: Conviction

VICTORY! and Dreamin' Big

Halle-freakin'-luiah!

We haven't signed the lease yet, but a lease has been drafted and the place is as good as ours. Initially we had some trepidations about the area; it wasn't really where we initially thought we wanted to live, and it's more of an "up and coming neighbourhood" than an established area BUT it is close to downtown, the apartment is gorgeous and the rent is right on target SO it's a go.

I stewed over this place for a while, but now that it's a go-ahead I can tell that I am excited and really like it.

How can I tell you ask? Why because I have been thinking, invisioning, and looking up ways to decorate my fancy new digs.

For example, I think this print (courtesy of Ciao Chessa) is fabulous and would look oh-so-cute in our bathroom
and I'm thinking a sectional sofa would be great in the living room... perhaps not this one
(even though it's the coolest ever) but something simple, classic like any of these

photo sources

and Roomie is intent on having some sort of deer, or squirrel, or antler in our apartment, so perhaps something cutsie and vintage like this for our mantle (because, that's right we have a brick fireplace!)

or maybe a couple of these little guys?? All in all, I am happy that the Apartment Safari is [temporarily at least] over and while I have nowhere near enough cash to furnish the apartment as I see it in my dreams, with some creativity, some clever budgeting and some craigslist finds, I'm sure we can make this place a wonderful starter apartment for our fab new Toronto life.

I don't know if I've told you about TOblog yet; but I'm going to.

I don't remember how I stumbled upon it, but I'm happy I did. It's a great place to read about upcoming events in the city, all things artistic - and really just a great resource for someone new to town hoping to check things out.

It's also how I discovered Circuit Gallery, which I predict will come in handy when it comes to decorating my (ever illusive) Toronto apartment.

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Of course, I haven't been doing much browsing as of late due to the all-consuming Apartment Hunt and what has become a truly obnoxious internet "connection".. but mark my words, these sites will come in handy some day! (In the mean time does anybody want to give me the low-down on Cabbagetown? Saw a FAB apartment there the other day, however it's not so much in Cabbagetown, as it is next to it. Problem is, it also happens to be next to Regent Park - aka the shady part of town...)

Suck it Pauline, Suck it!

Today a stranger named Pauline dashed all my hopes and dreams.

The latest stop on the Apartment Safari was a **perfect** apartment in Toronto's Annex district. It was wonderfully styled, partially (yet wonderfully) furnished, close to transit, and up for a long-term sublet. Saturday afternoon Roomie and I stopped by this oh-so-lovely apartment, met it's current inhabitant Pauline (with whom we developed quite a rapport I had thought), looked around and fell in love with this adorable place and the idyllic circumstances surrounding it.

We answered questions, sent emails, impressed as best we knew how that we were the girls she wanted to live in her space. We left elated; she liked us, we liked her, all we had to do was wait until Monday for it all to come together.

By 4 o'clock this afternoon our hopes began to wane. An hour later doubts began to fester about Pauline and her apartment. By dinner time Roomie and I were full on cursing Pauline. After dinner talk produced plans that included egging the house, moving into the apartment regardless of whether Pauline called us or not, and using the power of Facebook to invite the whole of the city to a bash at the apartment just to get revenge.

By the time 9pm rolled around all that was left was disappointment at the fact that we didn't get the apartment, indignance at the sheer rudeness of Pauline's lack of communication, and these three words: Pauline, Suck it!

Sales Tactics

One of the most peculiar things about aparment or job hunting is the neccesity to sell oneself.

At least I find it peculiar...and well, difficult.

I wish I had the blind confidence to walk up to a potential boss/landlord/boyfriend and say (in so many words) "I am the person you want. I am the person you need. No one else will be able to fill this space better than I can." Confidence is confidence inspiring however it seems to me that when it comes to self confidence that statement loses its potency.

I am capable. This I know, and to a certain extent I am able to demonstrate as such but for some reason the knowledge that other people believe in my capability, believe in me, makes me uncomfortable. I've never really been one to take compliments well, and that I am certain relates to self confidence, or rather a lack thereof.

Maybe I'm too humble for my own good... that sounds pompous. I think that's why I am so uncomfortable with the idea of selling myself, I find the notion of expounding one's virtues, strengths and abilities to be inherently self-indulgent and ostentatious - qualities that I do not like in others. In a job market such as today's, or when meeting with a landlord, or perhaps even on a date (although in that area I assure you I hold no expertise) a bit of turgid behaviour is necessary. I mean, if I don't speak up and explain all of my assets than who will? Certainly not my competition.

I think this is my first major lesson upon moving to 'the big smoke'... okay second, the first was always wear comfortable, non-blister inducing shoes when walking around exploring your new city.

Does that include utilities??

Ay me, what a day.

Today the business of moving to a new city really hit me. New cell phone plans, and apartment hunting, and apartment viewing (ieee). There's a lot to do before I can really feel at home here.

Tonight roomie and I saw three apartments. I decided a good aid for making an informed decision would be to write down our immediate reactions post-viewing. Tonight's apartments yielded these results:

#1 - NO.

#2 - Location not a fave

- bright

- close to amenities

- backyard!!!

- mantle

- small bathroom (in basement)

- negotiable lease term

- no place to sit and eat

#3 - location a bit better

- residential neighbourhood

- large apartment

- landlord nice

- no closets (!!)

- great potential

--->application entered

Overall I'd say we're off to a great start, and I certainly did not expect to get a place my first day out there (although who knows what will happen with that third apartment...). My fabulous Toronto apartment is out there - I can feel it. More updates from the field to come.