There may be a way out

So with new pool table, I've been slowly waiting (dreading) Mr. Big's request for an overhead table light. I doubt I could get away with this, but it does get the creative juices flowing.


Note to self: There are options that don't have Miller Lite plastered across the side.

Doesn't every couple have a pool table story?

Since we first thought of building our home, my sweet husband has envisioned a pool table. I (mistakenly) believed that his interest might slowly wane, seeing as we had never once been on a date to play pool nor had he ever met his buddies to play pool. But as time passed, the vision became more steadfast. (Enter perplexed look here)

We eventually decided that the table would go outdoors in our covered "pavilion-type cabana thing". It was a perfect spot...close to the bar, good ventilation in the case cigars appeared, and well away from those that wished to slumber late at night.

You can probably imagine that shipping a pool table across the Caribbean isn't the cheapest endeavor. But even moreso, it's virtually impossible to find an outdoor pool table that doesn't look like a plastic spaceship. When we did, they were $$$.

Eventually I turned to our local second hand market to see if we could test the waters before emptying our wallets. Because the outdoor space will actually be enclosed with doors when not in use (not really so outdoors, is it?), I was particularly interested in this table for $300.


Wow, was it ever worn. The wood and felt were stained and the poor table just looked sad. Mr. Big wasn't so sure and when I suggested that we paint it high gloss white, all of the color drained from his face. Let's just say that I realized how much he really trusts me at that moment. With potential ridiculing from his friends on the line, he agreed to take the thrifty route. This is a recession and all...

Although the outdoor space is not complete, we unveiled the table at his 40th birthday. Must to my relief, it was a huge hit. A few coats of paint and a new grey felt top did the trick. And it has so much more character than the big bulky new options that we had considered.



It has been used quite a bit since then. Apparently it has a very slight tilt in one direction...I was pleased to hear that it's easy to fix (coaster under one leg anyone?). So yes, Mr. Big was correct, it should bring lots of fun memories and conversations.

Just before I finish up, can anyone pick out which pool cues came from my friend and which came from Mr. Big's friend (for his birthday)? Yep, the bunny ear cues with scantily-clad women came from his friends. We're all class around here... :)

Girls only...

Does it drive you crazy that you need three different remotes to turn up the volume on your television? (Okay I might be exaggerating a bit...). They aren't inexpensive but if you have $250 to spare, this little gadget might just save your sanity.


It's unbelievable...it's my favorite new toy in the house. All your remotes get programmed into this buddy and your in business. I don't even know where our remote graveyard is, but I'm glad that we now have one. It's supposed to be really easy to set up (the guys around this house did it). So switching from cable to satelitte to dvd to music and back is a cinch.


There are probably similar devices and brands out there, but I'm only going to plug the one I know (and hope to ever know). It's the Logitech Harmony One Advance Universal Remote.

Honestly, I thought that this was going to be Mr. Big's toy. No way, hands off my remote!

Duh!

So this is how you are supposed to hide your television:

Photographed by Peter Margonelli

Keeping the clutter at a minimum

We recently purchased a new iMac (through the local classifieds of all places). I love it because it's so simple and clean looking; Mr. Big loves it because it's just cool. Now that the desk is free of separate hard drives, etc., we can focus on getting (lots of) other areas tidy. But leave it to mac enthusiasts to take the next step and unplggd.com to bring it to our attention.

LowKey Stand

It's a good thing that we can't get these types of items on the island. I could easily find my pocket lighter by $59. And yes Mr. Big, I promise to clear through the other areas before considering this further (hand over heart).

The same useful site led me to the first recharging station that I have found attractive. This would be great in our mudroom...and is definitely needed!

Kangroom Bamboo 3 Pod

Any other good organization gadgets that anyone else has seen recently to help with clutter?

Totally not needed, but fun to think of...

I'm just going to leave this post here for my margarita-loving husband to find. This is just that type of guy-gadget that he would find amusing.

Original Margaritaville Margarita Maker from Frontgate

And we all know that this little island can get quite hot. For those afternoons spent in the garage, this could be a welcome relief.

High-velocity garage fan from Frontgate

We very likely could be investing in something along the lines of this step ladder to reach the top of our kitchen shelves (more images to come soon).

Foldaway ladders from Frontgate

And finally, the ladies out there may be able to appreciate this shaving pedestal.


Just a few little ideas that we may come back to in time...

Our new friend

My lovely husband came home with a new friend tonight...a companion that will be with us for a while and is sure to stir things up a bit.

Island cocktail blender station by Cal Flame

Island Cocktail Blender Station

This Island Cocktail Blender, made of commercial-grade 304 stainless steel, is the perfect accessory to your Outdoor Kitchen Island. Nothing beats the convenience of being able to blend your cocktails or ice cream shakes outside. While you are entertaining guests you can blend their favorite drink, and it’s conveniently located so you don’t have to walk too far from the grill. This Outdoor Kitchen Island Cocktail Blender from Cal Flame is one of the most innovative ideas yet. Now, you can have the essential items outdoor and maintain effortless catering to you friends and family.

Phew, it's good to know that we won't have to hoof it all the way into the house to plug in the blender to get you a drink. How yesterday. Boys and their toys.... :)

Boys will like these

There have been quite a few "girly" posts recently, so here is one in honor of those boys. These fun items are found on the Urban Outfitters website and are sure to get a few "Man is that cool" comments out of the important-to-impress buddies.

The glass to the left would be a fun addition to summer barbeques. With that being said, I'm not sure some girls would be too keen to be reminded of all those calories (moi for instance).

My boy loves his rums and this dispenser had me wondering if something like this would be good in his outdoor sports bar (as we are now calling it). A permanent wall-mounted unit may not be appropriate in a few years when kids are around, but this fun contraption also can be countertop mounted. Perfect!

Note: If any of Mr. Big's lovely under-age family members are reading this, please let me assure you that this appreciation of fine rums came about well after he passed the legal drinking age...and he assures me that he always drinks responsibly! :)

Surround sound

We all know that boys love to show off their toys, but when it came to a surround sound system, Mr. Big and I were both in agreement on flush-mount wall speakers. Along the way, our designer told us (and told us again) that we needed to choose the system early so that we could make sure that it would work...but we didn't heed his advice. Tsk tsk. Once the walls were put up, we were informed that our lack of planning would mean that the planned wall speakers would be extremely unlikely.

Ultimately, we were required to compromise and this Canton Movie 201 Series was selected. It has received good reviews, and after getting used to the idea of wall mount speakers, it isn't terribly obtrusive. We will have two front, side and rear speakers, hopefully disguised as well as possible.




The good news is that plans have been made for the center speaker, amp and television. They will all be recessed in the large feature wall in the great room, which took further shape yesterday.


While we didn't get there 100%, it is still exciting to see these little details come together. Each day brings a bit more insight into what our dreams will look like. Stay tuned!

Where is that ring coming from?

When a beep goes off in our condo, it's no small feat to decipher where it is coming from. Between three cell phones, two blackberries, two ipods, a netspeak phone, and a regular phone, gadgets are playing musical chairs with our minds. And why is it that when you need the cord for one gadget, you can only find those for the seven others? "I swear I saw the one I needed right there last time I looked." Someone, somewhere must be laughing at us all...

I was pretty pleased recently when I came across the concept of recharging stations. While we would need a few of these to get things under control, Hammacher Schlemmer has a potential solution for only $24.

I was not surprised at all to find a more female-friendly version at Pottery Barn (of course...) for $79.


A quick google search turned me onto this DIY option from Solsie for a whopping $3.99.


There is something slightly reassuring about finding out that we aren't the only ones facing this challenge. Gotta go...there's a beep going off as I type...

The barbeque

How to choose the much-anticipated barbeque? They shimmer, shine and gleam in front of salivating men, but the real question is how can you choose from among all of the different models available? (yes, the same situation is true with shoes and women...) In the end, the recommendation of a fellow griller is second to none.

When we were home for the holidays, a good friend suggested that Mr. Big seriously consider a Lynx grill. Not having seen or experienced these grills before, we set out for an afternoon to get more information. After all was said and done, Mr. Big was impressed enough that he won't even entertain the option of other grills...a Lynx it will be.

The next challenge was to determine which size and model would reflect the grilling prowness of Mr. Big. I let out a deep breath of relief as he passed on the 54" and 48" models. He then declared that this 36" masterpiece was exactly what he needed. Perfect! This will leave lots of counter space for dishes, preparations, etc.

Lynx L36R-1

Not so fast little wifey. You see, I had underestimated the impact of having more than one male recommendation. (Silly me) Apparently it is going to be very difficult for us to have diversity in great tasting foods without a Big Green Egg in addition to the grill. A what?


Mr. Big is more excited about this smoker than probably anything in the entire house...and he will be sure to pass on his suggestions to your mates. His eyes actually sparkle when he talks about it. For the record, I don't understand why we need both. But then again, he doesn't understand why I need three pairs of fairly similar black heels. So fair enough. It makes him happy and I'm sure that we'll get some delicious meals out of it.

That being said, don't say that I didn't warn all of the ladies. Beware of pointing and asking "what is that thing?". You may just end up with one yourself...

Minimalist bedside clock

So often bedside clocks end up looking like boom boxes. This option from Park Life is simple and organic.

No comment

I am at a complete loss for words, except that I'm virtually certain that this was designed by someone of the male gender. Mr. Big will get the biggest kick out of this. What will they come up with next?

• 4 Integrated high performance moisture-free (ewww...) speakers deliver exceptional clarity and high quality sound
• Charges your iPod while playing music
• Audio selector allows you to play iPod shuffle or other audio device
• Integrated Bath tissue holder that can be easily folded as a stereo dock
• Requires AC Power (AC Adapter included)
• Easy to remove from Wall Mount

Just waiting for the tool shed

This is a great little device...a flashlight that is held on a tripod. No, I'm not saying that I don't enjoy helping Mr. Big around the house. I'm just pointing out that it might be useful for those rare moments when he can't find me around. ;)

I bet most homes could use one. It also might make for a good Father's Day gift. Mom, are you out there...? (no, I'll never grow up)

Moving to the music

Last year Mr. Big and I loaded every CD that we have ever owned onto our Mac. It took a full three days, but we can now play music for 28 days and never repeat a song. It's fantastic.

We've been looking for ways to incorporate our digital library into our home entertainment system in the new house. Mr. Big's brother in law eagerly pointed us towards Sonos today. The technology looks really cool because you can actually play different music in different rooms. There are only cables at one base station and then wireless stations can be placed throughout the house.

From the Sonos website:

With the Sonos® Controller in hand, you'll have instant access to your entire digital music collection, Internet radio and select music services from almost anywhere—inside or out. That's because the Sonos Controller uses SonosNet™, our secure, wireless mesh network that extends the range of your Controller throughout your entire home. Which means you don't have to run to your PC every time you want to pick a new tune or raise the volume. You can use up to 32 Controllers for all your ZonePlayers—like one for every room, floor or music lover in your house.

I've Hit the Motherload

What do you get for Mr. Big for Christmas? He is the guy that wants nothing in particular...mainly because he'll just get what he wants when he wants. Doesn't leave much behind for creative gift giving.

Scrolling around on the internet yesterday, I came across this fab website, Uncrate, with loads of ideas for mens gifts. The stuff they highlight range from amazing furniture to DVD box sets to puzzles. The prices range from $25 to several thousand.

If you are having a difficult time this holiday season for that special someone in your life, I highly suggest taking a peak at Uncrate.com.