Shopping at APD

The Kitchen Hood

First it was a Broan, then it was a GE Profile, back to Broan. There was a brief interlude when John and I considered assembling an empty hood, lights, filter and inline fan. Then we were back at Broan . . . or GE.

This evening, Judy suggested Zephyr. It was a little above my price point, but upon comparison . . . the fan was much quieter . . . the draw was stronger . . . the coverage was greater. Zephyr was better in the elements that really count. So now I think it will be a Zephyr hood with a glass canopy and a powerful but quiet fan.

What's she got under the hood?

It will be a slide-in stove, for sure, nestled into an engineered-stone countertop on an oak-finish cabinet. Which stove is still up in the air. I loved the KitchenAid until Consumer Reports nixed that on reliability. GE has great ratings but I don't like the burner grates or the knobs. Frigidaire looks pretty good. Judy suggested Bosch.

I remember Bosch - they made really great sparkplugs back in the '70's when my boyfriend maintained my VW fastback and his camper van in cut-off 501's in the parking lot behind our Orlando apartment. They might still make sparkplugs, but they also make good-looking ranges.

I checked out Bosch. Sounds great in the reviews (if you overlook the burnt-out electronic control panels reported in consumer reviews on the web during the fall of 2008). The slide-in stove is dual fuel. A gas cooktop and electric oven give me pause. Some say its the best of both worlds. I don't know - I've always cooked with gas.

Hmmm. It's a dilemma in a beautiful stove, with sturdy burner grates, powerful burners and nice heavy burner caps. The oven is spacious with a window and two oven lights. There is a warming drawer.

If you have an opinion - post it, please!

Tile Day

Imagine big red porcelain tiles glazed with an almost gritty finish. They are sort of a terra cotta color and have a nice variegation in color. Next to our oak swatch - beautiful.

Today we visited Discount Tile on Venice and Classic Tiles on La Cienega, with an eye to tile "sets". There is probably a name for those - like tile scheme or something.

John is really on the lookout for the coved base tile that will prevent moisture and rot from collecting in the corners. I'm with him on the mildew front - none of that, thank you very much. And he really likes cap tiles with dimension - the ones that become little shelves.

At Discount Tile, we found the red floor tile and looked at tons of wall tiles, including some great subway tiles. For awhile, the travertine patterns sucked me in but I think I'm past that now. They had the coved tiles in a variety of colors (phew).

Then over at Classic, we found 5/8 inch squares multi-colored sheets with red, taupe, brown, yellow, cream. That has to figure in the shower. So here is where I stand at the moment and this is far from firm:

- red floor for the bathroom floor and shower,
- variegated tiny tiles up to about six feet on the west wall with the glass blocks,
- glazed ceramic taupe subway tiles on the side walls also six feet,
- glazed ceramic cap still undetermined,
- glazed ceramic taupe coved base tiles all around.

After tiles - glass and lights. More on that later.

Tepid Tub

Yesterday when I stepped into my tub, it was not hot. So, I ran more hot water and that was not hot. Fortunately, it is July and the June gloom has gone and a tepid tub can be considered "refreshing".

Today, John shared a few phone calls with our excellent plumbers (Jo-Mi of West L.A.). My 2007 water heater needs a new thing (some pilot-ignition-gas controller deal). Under warranty, it will cost about $90 in labor to repair. I'm willing to spring for that to tide me over until a new tankless heater is installed and there is a spacious shower to host all the hot water.

Tomorrow, the contractor and the cabinet maker will be here at 8:00 a.m. Jo-Mi will arrive sometime later than that and by evening, I can be soaking again.