Crate and Barrel Glasses and Spatula

We usually go to the mall when it’s raining so we can take a morning walk. But we have developed a liking for whiskey sours, and we only have two glasses that can be used for this purpose. That’s plenty for us, but in the event we ever have any guests, it would be nice to have a few more. And while we were at it, the kitchen spatula needed to be replaced because the old one was a bit worn and discolored. So we took a ride over to Crate and Barrel in Tysons to see what we could find. We found the same glasses that we already have so we got four more. They were $1.95 each. My husband found a spatula that he liked - in black. We walked around the store a bit to see what new products were on display. Since we really didn’t need anything else we didn’t stay long. On the way out we saw a goose laying in the roadway. It didn’t look very happy and we hoped it wasn’t sick. The trickiest part about driving around in the afternoon in this town is traffic. You just can’t seem to get away from it no matter where you live around here. I suppose that’s why we usually get things like this on line. But every once in a while it’s nice to get out and about. And yes, we used the glasses already. 

Calligaris or Crate and Barrel? Neither

It’s probably the worst time to buy anything - especially furniture. When we moved from Capitol Hill to northern Virginia three years ago it was the first time we had a dining room in thirteen years. We had a calligaris table that extended to seat many people, but it didn’t work quite as well in the new space. But we kept it anyway. Under the huge mirror in the dining room we added a distressed white console table to put a bunch of plants on and fill in the space. Lately we have been thinking about getting a sideboard. I really didn’t know what would look good there, but we decided something of a similar color would be best. I’ve been researching options for the last several weeks. So we visited crate and barrel to see what we thought might work. But it ended up looking much too large for the space. So we went back to calligaris for a match. The sideboard was still a bit too wide and long and I didn’t care for the top insert. And the price tag was ridiculous! We didn’t need it that bad. So this week we may check out Room and Board as there is something there that might work and won’t break the bank. I don’t have a lot of hope, and I’m not that interested either. I never thought we would be back in the 80’s with high inflation. My mortgage rate was 13-16% back then! Being on a fixed income doesn’t help either. So the furniture is a nice to have and certainly not an essential. I don’t like this feeling. 

Cafe Deluxe and Crate and Barrel

We went there many, many times. Whenever we had out of town guests we would take them to Cafe Deluxe either at Tysons or near the Cathedral. They had great breakfast/brunch and lunches. There was also covered parking which made it even more convenient. We always looked forward to going, but stopped a couple years back because of the prices and the seating. So when we drove over to Crate and Barrel today to see if we could find a casserole dish, it was really sad to see that the Cafe Deluxe in Tysons was closed. It was all papered up and the sign disappeared. Really we weren’t surprised, but saddened to see something we once liked gone. We didn’t find a casserole dish either. We wanted something clear and with a cover. I saw something in Giant that might do and may end up with that the next time we go grocery shopping. But I did find a fake succulent plant that will take the place of some ivy that just never thrives on the bookshelf in the living room. It’s no use trying to keep a live plant there so it will finally be replaced. The good thing is to mix it up - the live plant is on the top of the TV cabinet and the fakes are on the bookshelf. There’s nothing worse than a dying plant or restaurant. 

Crate and Barrel Dish Towel Solution

When we were in Crate and Barrel the other day looking for trivets to match the kitchen and island, we came upon some kitchen dish towels that matched the trivets and the general color scheme of the house. When we moved to our new condo in northern Virginia nine months ago, we brought along just about everything from our Capitol Hill condo - because we didn’t have much to begin with. But the color scheme was more reds and greens with Persian carpets. Here, we are lightening things up a bit with more seafoam, lighter greens and blue tones. Regardless of any color, my husband prefers neutral as opposed to vibrant. So when we put the new dish towel on the dishwasher handle, he didn’t like it. It was much too bold for his taste. Rather than toss them out or use them as rags, I just turned the towel inside out, using the inside as the outside. It created a more muted look, which he preferred. We have been using off white and beige dish towels and they were okay, but they are quite old and stained. So we can add these two towels to the mix and they go along nicely - inside out. 

Crate and Barrel Air Plants and Succulents

We have a really nice collection of house plants in the dining room. They sit on a console table beneath a large sectioned mirror. It’s the perfect spot for the plants and we’ve had success. I’ve been rearranging the TV bookshelf area and brought a couple of the plants over and hope they will do as well. The greenery softens the space. They get a lot of light, but are also close to the heat vents. I’ve got water balls in the pots and check the soil moisture frequently to make sure they get enough water. But there are a couple of spots where we used to have air plants. For whatever reason they don’t seem to thrive in our hands. When we were in Crate and Barrel the other day to look at trivets and placemats we noticed the air plant and succulent display. When you mix fake plants with the real thing you can get away with it - as long as it’s just not so obvious. So we went back today to get two of the small air plants and placed one on a shelf and the other in the bookcase along with the scroungy air plant already in place. They do look nice. Last week we put the fake orchid with the real orchid leaves and it blends in. Hopefully the plant will bloom again but we don’t have a lot of luck with those either. I like having the plant stand, the wall vases, and the hints of greenery around the house. They do need care, and sometimes you need to give them some competition with the fake stuff. 

Bodum or Zwilling Sorrento Plus Double Glass Wall Coffee Mug

We really like the Crate and Barrel Bodum double glass wall coffee/tea cups. But they do break once in a while and have been replaced a couple of times. Usually we go back to Crate and Barrel. But this time, because it was raining, we were on a morning walk in the mall and passed by Sur la Table. So we decided to go in and check out what they might have. We found a two cup set made by Zwilling Sorrento Plus. They essentially looked the same and would replenish our supply. They are actually a little bit different when we tried them out for tea after dinner for the first time. The Zwilling cups have a smaller mouth and are a little taller, but I think the capacity is about the same. The handles are also more “square” vs “rounded” and are not as easy to hold as the Bodum cups. I don’t think it makes any difference except you are always used to what you are used to. When we moved to our new northern Virginia condo nine months ago we never throught we would get used to it. It’s amazing how one adjusts - even to the smallest of things. 

Crate and Barrel Trivets

When we moved to our new condo in northern Virginia nine months ago from Capitol Hill, our new kitchen had a quartz island and countertops. The color scheme of the living room changed when we switched out our tribal Persian carpet and dark couch and chair  to seafoam blue and light furnishings to match the glass dining room table. Since quartz does not tolerate extreme heat, we’ve been thinking about getting a couple of trivets to protect the surface. We have an old Italian chipped tile trivet next to the stove, but wanted something a bit more decorative rather than strictly functional - like the silicone options - for the island. So my husband looked on line at what was out there and came across a pretty trivet that matched the color scheme at Crate and Barrel. After lunch today we took a ride out to Tyson’s and wanted to see how the trivet actually looked. I also had a 15% off coupon that would be used for that, a couple of fresh dish towels, and to replace what we thought was a broken glass. We liked the trivets and checked on the placemats too, but decided to wait on those since we only bring them out for meals and put them back again to store. Hopefully the new trivets will last a while. But if they don’t maybe metal or silicone would be good alternatives. It’s hard to believe we have been here nine months already. Slowly things are starting to become coordinated.