• DIY

    Divide and Conquer the Kitchen

    When we purchased our new home, one thing was certain: it would be many years before we even attempted a kitchen renovation. Before moving in, the two of us performed as much…

  • Food

    Chicken with 40 Cloves of Garlic

    Hannah found this current obsession in the New York Times. Although it was difficult to find kosher vermouth, the recipe is easy and foolproof. However, beware if you don’t like lots of…

  • Food

    Mushroom Barley Soup

    This is one of Hannah’s mom’s go-to recipes for winter Shabbatot. It is also the perfect recipe for a cold night in the Sukkah. Even though it’s vegan, it’s very hearty. Rich, who had…

  • DIY

    The Basement Aquatic

    The original stairs to the basement were kind of an enigma to us. First, who thought nailing, screwing, and glueing (yes, all three) an extra large series of custom shelving to the wall…

  • Travel

    Woodstock, VT

    Hannah’s family visited the remote town of Woodstock, Vermont many years prior to our most recent outing, opting to stay at the beautifully lavish Woodstock Inn. Today, however, the price of a…

  • DIY

    We’ve got gas!

    Gas leaks. Big bills. Democracy gone awry. It’s been a tough week. Fortunately, our heating system is once again running smoothly and safely. Let’s start at the beginning. We knew we wanted to upgrade our…

  • DIY

    Home is Where the Hearth Is

    It seemed like virtually every open house we visited incorporated the exact same fireplace. There was always a smattering of real brick surrounded by a wooden frame and finished with the most atrocious red stone…

  • Food

    Apple Cake

    Hannah’s dad is the baker in the family, and he bakes this cake every Rosh Hashanah. It calls for 6 apples, which always turns out to be too many, but no one…

  • DIY

    Studio 95

    Straight out of the forties – and then “renovated” in the era of disco – our one and only full bath left quite a few things to be desired. Contractors swooned over the…

  • DIY

    Stairway to Heaven

    Our first challenge upon when walking into our new home was this absolutely foul no-longer-white carpet over our Cape Cod’s signature staircase. Our three year old nephew deemed it “soft” with an air…