apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

The dangers of buying protein furniture:

http://newyork.craigslist.org/lgi/fur/172931446.html

http://newyork.craigslist.org/mnh/fur/172017452.html

http://newyork.craigslist.org/wch/fur/171919591.html

http://newyork.craigslist.org/mnh/fur/169703509.html


:)

Ugh, a lot of that stuff is UG-LY!

watch, in 5-10 years we'll all think they're HOT. ...actually, some of those things in another context would look pretty awesome now.

Oh. My. Gawd.

The weird thing is, in the first photo, their own accessories and rug and stuff never seemed to go with the furniture at all. Why spend on sleek black lacquer if your taste runs to misty mauve floral prints?

Despite my mixed feelings about the protein metaphor, it has to work better if you put your hamburger with your fries and your peanut butter with your jelly, rather than spreading Welch's Grape on a Niman Ranch cheeseburger.

to urban griot from previous open thread. your place has great potential for sure. i suggest reposting on todays thread to get lots more reaction. also tell us a little about how you envision the rennovation going. i suspect many readers will be very envious of your closet space and generous kitchen with window. keep us posted.

I thought that Apartment Therapy New Yorkers would be interested to hear that New Yorkers recently ranked first for courtesy and politeness in a study conducted by Reader's Digest. RD sent "undercover" reporters to 36 cities in 35 countries to measure courtesy (second place was taken by Zurich, third place by Toronto).

how is it that grass in the shower is outnumbering all the other greenery in the Green Thumb contest?

geralyn, agreed - it's very clever, and gets serious kudos for concept, ingenuity and crafty craft craftiness, but as it is "virtually impossible to kill," does that count as green thumb?

to holly decor8, re the upper east and west sides.

first off, i should just say right now that, for $2000 a month, it's unlikely that your friend will find a great place in a 'prime' area of either of those neighborhoods. $2000 does not go far there, and if she wants more apartment and neighborhood for her buck she would do better to look downtown or in the nicer parts of brooklyn. that said, you can find great stuff in that price range near Columbia in the case of the UWS and east of 3rd Ave on the UES.

in terms of the difference between the two, honestly, it's less than the people who live there would like to think. in terms of real estate, they are just about identical in my opinion. the UES doesn't have any brownstones and seems to have a slightly larger amount of high-rise type housing. but it has its low rises too, and there are high-rises in the west as well.

in terms of infrastructure, the west side has the 1/2/3 train system as well as the B/C lines, whereas the east side has only the 4/5/6 line. though i find the 4/5/6 to be a better train than either of the other 2, so it probably balances out.

it's really in reputation that the two areas are different. the UES is considered upper class, old money, etc. the UWS has had a reputation of liberalism and middle class values. i would NOT call the UWS middle class at this point, though. both neighborhoods are definitely wealthy. though in different ways. the age demographics are also really dramatically different. there are a lot of elderly people on the upper east side. the upper west is more family oriented, and it also has a very middle aged vibe.

honestly, unless your friend has her heart set on one or the other, i would avoid both like the plague. there are way, way, way better neighborhoods with more realistic real estate prices out there. i feel like a lot of non-locals get this idea that the true life of the city is on the upper west or upper east sides. this is completely untrue, and no part of the city feels more like suburbia in my opinion (i'm sure this is where like 10 people who live in those neighborhoods pipe up and get all offended). they have their charms, yes, but you can do way better, in my opinion.

I agree with opp and also if she is prepared to spend that much she can get a really nice place in Brooklyn or Queens, possibly with a backyard and in a neighborhood that is mostly populated with young people like Brooklyn Heights or Cobble Hill or lower Park Slope. Since she will be new to the city (I'm assuming), it might feel more home-y.

Can anyone recommend an apartment size

refrigerator, full size but smaller dimentions.

Thanks again AP,

Susan

Well said, Opoponax, though I would hesitate suggesting that she look further downtown for more value for her money. For $2000, you'd be extremely lucky to touch a nice 1BR further downtown.

As you mention, there are great deals to be had near Columbia and even near Columbia's medical campus in Washington Heights, which is gentrifying a bit and is only 20 minutes away from Midtown on the A train.

roundabout, someone posted that the other day--I think it's such a funny thing. I read the article and it's really not a very "scientific" survey--not to mention, the article didn't say what standards were used in other countries or where their field survyes were conducted.

Holly, if you're out there, wanted to say I wasn't suggesting you were stupid yesterday! I interpreted it to mean you didn't believe the suburbs were growing. AND, my perspective on demographics is really skewed!

And, violetrose, if you're around--just read your post about UK laundry habits--why, when I was there, were there so many laundrettes? (though, I was laundry-obsessed being at the uni with an on-campus laundrette of something like only 5 washers for all the students...)

P2 if you are around Adam needs your wisdom on rugs over on the Chicago site!

http://chicago.apartmenttherapy.com/chicago/good-questions/good-questions-help-010079

Okay, not meaning to pimp out the advertisers, but... that Grasshopper outdoor chair on the CB2 banner ad totally kicks ass for the price.

enrique, i was thinking the same thing as i scrolled down the site! oh how i long for some outdoor space.

I echo the sentiments on the other thread about brokers--15% is standard--my boyfriend and I have been trying to look without one for three weeks now and it is unbelievably difficult. Finding a decent apartment at all right now seems to be unbelievably difficult. But basically the only way to get around using a broker is if you know someone who's moving out, or if you find an ad where the current leaseholder is trying to get out early. I will say, though, that I've seen some broker listings for 8-10%, but to avoid them completely--almost impossible.

And I echo the sentiments for Holly's friend to consider looking in Brooklyn or Queens. I guess it's a question of what her priority is--she could possibly get a teeny tiny place in a more central neighborhood for that much, or she could get a bigger place in an out-of-the-way neighborhood. I hate to agree with doomsayers but it does seem to be really really bad right now.

To add to the NYC apartment search -- yes, looking for NYC apartments is insane and unique to NYC. In addition to Brooklyn and Queens, I suggest checking out the historic neighborhoods in Jersey City (Paulus Hook, VanVorst Park, Hamilton Park) and Hoboken. The Jersey City waterfront (aka "Newport") is also very convenient, but not very "neighborhoody" for some tastes.

If you work in midtown or the Wall St area, these neighborhoods often offer a quicker commute than Brooklyn or Queens. www.hobokenreporter.com is one site where you can look, as well as craigslist.

Susan, I replaced my hideous frost-bound Avanti with small Whirlpool refrigerator that I love. Click my name for a link...

I'm redoing a bathroom with 2x2 travertine marble tiles and a really cool yellowish-green 1x1 glass tile shower. I'd like to avoid tiling the walls because enough with the tile already. I'm buying the Durvait Scola sink. Am I an idiot to not have any sort of backsplash behind it? Or as long as I don't splash too much (and it's a master bath so presumably we can limit the water fights) am I safe with painting my walls?

I broke down and finally ordered the Equator Conserv from SaleStores.com. It is a scratch 'n dent model; they give you a choice of three levels of "dentage": good, better or best. I chose "best" and with shipping it came to $904.

A call directly from Equator confirmed delivery for this coming Tuesday. Fingers crossed all goes smooth. Now if I could just figure out where the heck to put it.

Jim McGreevey and his boyfriend bought a house in New Jersey; no apartment in NY for them.

in my opinion if you can afford $2000 a month in rent and are choosing to relocate to New York from outside the city, there is practically no reason to move to urban NJ. I'd consider moving there myself as somebody who is being priced out of Brooklyn. I know a lot of people who chose to move there after having kids because they just couldn't afford a NYC 2-bedroom. I also think it's easier to buy there. And I can see choosing that if you live in the tri-state out of necessity rather than because you chose it.

But Hoboken is about on par with any of the just-average parts of the Boston area, in my opinion. I wouldn't relocate for it unless you're being transferred for work and prefer living in a semi-suburban commuter world. Hoboken and JC aren't a part of NYC public transit, so you'll spend a lot more money coming into the city every day and on a much tighter schedule. Living in Jersey also really facilitates the bridge and tunnel mentality -- coming to manhattan to work and to party but not really being part of the city in the way that those who live here. You will visit the city, but you will not be 'of' the city in the way that you would be if you lived in Harlem or Astoria or Greenpoint. All of which are on par with, if not cheaper than, urban new jersey.

I certainly wouldn't blow $2000 a month to live there when you could get a great place anywhere in Brooklyn or Queens and most places in Manhattan for the same amount.

to anyone moving to the city who wants cheap rent--it's worth checking out sunnyside gardens in queens which is probably the most underappreciated neighborhood in the five boroughs. i don't live there so i'm not biased...but i've visited many times and it's impossible not to fall in love with the area.

i wholeheartedly agree. i lived a few blocks away from there for several years, and i would walk through there and daydream about living in one of those houses. Preferably on Bliss Ave. That's definitely my favorite (yes, i got so obsessed i actually picked out my favorite house on my favorite block).

anyone who can get in there, should. that said, i don't notice a whole lot of vacancies. not only is it lovely, it has a fascinating history if you're into urban planning, and it's in the middle of such a vibrant community. jessica, if you're ever in the neighborhood, there's a wonderful Lebanese grocery on the corner of 43rd and 43rd called El Shater. Best hummus ever, and the owner and his family are lovely people. If you order a falafel and you're a cute girl, he'll probably give you a free baklava.

i'm surprised we haven't had a Greenest Thumb entry from that neck of the woods.

Opponax -- I firmly believe that a neighborhood choice is very personal, and that the Queens vs. NJ debate is a hot one -- I know many people in JC who would never live in Queens. Different places appeal to different people.

But, I must object to your statement that JC/Hobo causes increased commuting costs. The PATH costs less per trip than the subway ($1.50) and you can use your Metrocard. Granted, if you have to take the PATH and a subway, that might increase your monthly commuting costs, but no more so than an expres bus from Brooklyn or Queens. If anything, the cheaper rent and the close proximity to Manhattan (it takes me 11 minutes, door to door, to get to Tribeca from Hoboken) make the west coast of the Hudson a plus for many.

Susan: I'm not sure what you mean by apartment-size ... but just got a Summit "counter depth" fridge, because I have a small galley kitchen, and I was tired of bumping my butt into the big Kenmore that stuck out beyond the counter about half a foot. (When I say "just got," I mean it's not even out of the box yet, because my kitchen is in the process of being renovated!) I think the dimensions are about 26" wide, 26" deep, and 67" high, if I remember correctly.

my point wasn't so much that Hoboken isn't a good place to live. as i said in my original comment, i could see living there and i know many who've done it for a variety of reasons. it seems like a really nice place.

it's just not what i'd reccommend to someone relocating to the city who wants to experience new york by living there. because it isn't living here. it's living in a very nearby suburb.

i've known many people who've lived in Hoboken and Jersey City. None of them get into the city much just for hanging out, doing stuff, running errands, etc. they come to work. they come to party, do their holiday shopping, catch a concert or a show at a museum. that's not the same as living here. and it's my opinion that if someone is going to all the trouble of relocating from Boston specifically because they want to live in New York City, then that is where they ought to live. No matter how many minutes it takes to get to Tribeca from Hoboken.

I also think that if one can afford to live comfortably in the city (as you can on $2000 a month), why not? if more space and/or a better price is a priority, then why bother going to the expense of moving here when you can save that money and spend it coming into town for a weekend every month or so? it's only two hours door to door from Boston to La Guardia, after all.

Jessica,

Sunnyside is really cute. My friend lives there and rents an apartment in one of the English tudor houses. I think it's totally underrated.

I do think Queens is starting to go through a resurgence. (I'm somewhat biased, because I chose to move to Jackson Heights, but a lot of my friends are starting to move here too.)

My Queens cheering done, it's not for everyone, and Jersey can be an option, especially if you work downtown. I personally would never want to live on the UWS, and while the UES is beautiful, it has a heavy population of recent college grads intent on partying. Which is fine if you don't mind that, but I'm getting curmudgeonly (to coin a word.)

I went to the Renegade Craft Fair in Williamsburg last weekend, and was highly entertained by the fact that there were strollers EVERYWHERE. It's exactly like Park Slope now, but with hipper clothes.

Not to hog the thread, but Jane, where did you find the Summit? It is so hard to find a counter-depth refrigerator in this town, for some odd reason!

Hoboken is a suburb?????? That was clearly written by a person who has not been there. Hobo and JC are brownstone neighborhoods with some relatively-new highrises thrown in. If you took a photo, it would be indistinguishable from Brooklyn Heights or Park Slope.

As I'm not familiar with all the neighborhoods of Queens, I won't comment there. But comparing the west coast of the Hudson neighborhoods to suburbs or to Boston is ill-informed and inaccurate!

yes, Hoboken is a suburb OF New York.

is it suburban in design and architecture? no. i'm well aware that it's an urban area. however, at this point, while Hoboken was started as an independent town and has an urban look and feel, it is now a suburb in relation to New York.

and again, i don't want to argue here. Hoboken is a great place. I'd live there in a heartbeat. I know a lot of people who live there and love it dearly. but is it considered part of the city? no, it is considered a suburb of the city. period, end of story.

and having been to both the West Coast of the Hudson and Boston many times, there are many similarities in look, feel, etc. though my point was more about rationales for moving. If you're relocating to NYC and can afford it, you should live in the actual city, not a suburb of the city. if more apartment bang for your buck is such a priority, why move at all? looking at craigslist, a one bedroom near Journal Square goes for about the same price as one in Cambridge.

just to clear things up, i don't want to start an argument here. sorry if i came off as a bitch, i'm just weirdly intent on proving my point.

Holly's friend can move wherever she wants, i don't care.

though i do stand by my opinion that the west coast of the hudson isn't an ideal place to start out if you're relocating and you can afford to live in the actual city.

Thanks, Jamiepup! Good to know.