1 S County Rd
Palm Beach, FL 33480
(877) 797-1393
This 5-star historic hotel has 500+ rooms and a night stay costs $1,500. It opened on January 16, 1896 by Henry Flagler (1830-1913), to house the travelers on his Florida East Coast Railway (1885-), which is still running at this writing.
… on the beach
1100 S Ocean Blv
Palm Beach, FL 33480
Recently I finished Rick Reilly’s book, Commander in Cheat: How Golf Explains Trump (2019), documenting the good deeds Donald Trump (1946-) has done. Trump purchased this property in 1985, and called it the “Winter White House” or “Southern White House” after becoming the 45th President.
In early 1990s, Trump ran into financial problems and wanted to parcel out the property to smaller divisions. The local residents objected and he then turned it into a private club in 1994.
…
Palm Beach is a narrow barrier island east of the main land/West Palm Beach, linked by four bridges. Population is 9,245 (2020 census), with additional 25,000 snow birds migrating between November to April.
The little town is charming, with many whimsical courtyards and gardens, Pan’s Garden, Starbucks, and the Breakers.
Worth Avenue is their main street, the Rodeo Drive. Saks Fifth Avenue Living Green Wall @ 150 Worth – an art piece by the Garden Club of Palm Beach.
Mar-a-Lago means sea to lake 海湖.
床铺1985买到的, 很快他就山穷水尽需要💰💰 想把这个这个国家历史地标(1980)度假村割小块出卖
Our neighbor’s: the shutters are being tested.
The hurricane shutters is a must down here: everyone has it. When Hurricane Ian terrorized the east coast in 2022 (Sept 23 to Oct 2) – reportedly, it was the deadliest one to Florida since 1935 – we weren’t here but hired someone for $350 to put up/take down the shutters. Luckily, all are good. We store the shutters in the garage.
One of our neighbors got their shutters installed today. The team has 18 workers. When all are good, they took the shutters down and leave them in the garage. The small yellow labels are important: they’re the location indictors.
Our shutters were left on the driveway after the garage floor was being sealed with epoxy. I would have to pay for someone to move inside – in a way, Ian saved me a few bucks – the man who put up/remove during Ian didn’t charge extra for it.
It has been a long journey to acquire this third cooktop, in less than three month, to complete my indoor kitchen.
Oddly, the builder doesn’t offer electrical range and I don’t want gas range any more. So we opted the default gas range – the builder has to furnish a cooktop to get the CO.
Once we moved in, I went to Home Depot for an electrical range. Of course they deliver and install but the knowledgeable salesman said, they won’t touch anything gas. In another word, I’ll have to disconnect the gas range for the delivery.
Whom do I call?
An electrician, they suggested.
“$250 to come out, plus $89 per hour labor cost, and actual part if needed,” one electrical shop said.
Just then, a neighbor on FB said they’re having an electrician over right at the moment and could send him over … Heaven. In about an hour, the electrician came and charged me $95 to disconnect the range.
At the time, I didn’t know there isn’t a market for resales, so when he mentioned that he sold all kind of appliances, I didn’t ask him to take it with him. Afterward, when we try to sell it on FB, there is NO takers. The HD deliver guy said sure he can take it, “it goes to junk yard, to be trashed.” A brand new gas range goes to junk yard, holy moly!
On my first outing to HD, I set my mind to a Samsung electrical stove top, which is simple and beautiful, and under $900. I though I found my utopia. It was Nov 1, and delivered four days late. Then,
I pride myself as a careful user, how could I have scratched the surface so quickly when I hardly used it? I went to HD and ask to return the stove because the oven worries me. Between HD and Samsung, it took a month and half – 44 days plus two group of repair men, was I able to rid of this troublesome appliance. The first repair team came and they said, the range isn’t working well, but they couldn’t take it without an order. The second repair man came, said, he was authorized by Samsung to replace the ceramic top only. “It’s useless, the same inferior top will get scratch again very soon.” He urged me not to accept the replacement, “fight it out…”
In the end, HD agreed to take it back and picked it up a week later on Dec 15.
I then purchased the current range on Dec 8, 2022 and it was delivered on Jan 13, 2023. So far so good – I can only pray.
When I shop for the cooking set on Amazon, on the account without Prime membership, the same Frigidaire set is $69.99 and with Prime is $82.17. An accidental discovery.
ON the free standing stove ranges – what are the designers thinking to eliminate the shoulders on both sides? Don’t they ever cook? The two gaps are so easy to trap food drops and inviting roaches and ants… I have had four ranges in the recent years since 1996, and am horrified with this new design.
To cover the gaps, I purchased the counter gap cover (wondering if the designer’s spouses or family members/friends are in the business making these wide and unsightly gap covers … ) For my last range, right side fits fine with the gap cover but left side is way too right … which
… which is, just one damn thing after another.
After moving in, on daily basis, I see the installers and repairmen come and go. Some are fresh install while many more are fixing problems left by the builder.
The transformation of this little corner is long and in stages.
I declared the completion of the nook in December 2022, after the installation of the light. Looking back, it was just the beginning.
The last piece to the cozy nook on December 27, 2022 – is the installation of the light, which making it the first area to finish, after two months, almost to the date, of diligent efforts.
This corner was the only area that had furniture when we moved in, in late October. However, we didn’t like the dining set at all to begin with, unfortunately, it was forced on us. Aside from my initial objection, we found the chairs are just too heavy.
The 45″ set is still being sold at this writing for $1,886.99. We paid $600 for it but couldn’t sell it for $300 a week later. For whatever it worth, it provided us a place to take our meals, and do some paperwork, although our kitchen counter could step in too.
In term of resale market, there is seem non at the moment – for I couldn’t sell my brand new gas range.
We switched to our 48″ table the following day when the mover came to unload. Taking a wine and cheese break after the movers are gone.
Today, the handyman n wife team came to install the light. Ta da … we’ve a completed area in the house, however simple it’s. A done is a done. So I’m happy. 要求不高常快乐.
At night
Adding color to the walls
I feel a little color is needed. So there we go: shopping for paints. Narrowing it down to brand and color is easy: Behr @ Home Depot, and green. But what shade of green is a big problem: there are SO MANY. The few greens we considered are
We were so sure about Modern zen, then changed to Brook green after seeing it in their catalogue. However, it looks gray in my home. The natural light plays trick on every color. Eventually, we settled on Feng Shui. Not that we believe in it, but the color turned out to be spectacularly beautiful: crispy yet warm, and urbane.
The window treatments
After the plantation shutters and the paint, the five windows look rather naked – initially, I opted not to have any dressing/treatment. Plantation shutters will make the room too busy, which left me with simple shade option: solar vs roller shades.
We shopped at
The two big retailers have samples on hand, so they charge a measuring fee which can be deducted when purchasing the curtains. The last two all sent their local sales persons, both were female
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Adding window shades, to block out afternoon sunshine. There are blinds, roller shades, shutters, etc. to treat windows. I think roller shades are suitable here, with square cassette and easy lift.
We shopped at Lowe’s, Home Depot and on a referral, a private company.
Bali seems a big enough brand that both Lowe’s and HD carry it. HD also offers Levolor. The private co lady who came, brought with her Inspired Shades, and I like their off white Viva Alpine very much, which goes well with my baseboard. The Blossom Spring is pretty but it’s bit too busy.
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… with Sierra‘s Snow, and 3Day’s Cotton / Snow / White / Birch.
… ultimately, I went with HD. This is really my own project because no one cares if we’ve a shade or not.
Console table by the entrance (30″ h, 39″ w, 5.5″ deep).
Getting the legs are a small journey: the first order came in on December 6. I excitedly opened it … found the chipped legs and the four feet are not as pictured. I reordered 30″ hairpin leg and the second time, the products are in good condition and as described.
My other wood projects
Dec 6, Home Depot getting the table top, a beautiful 0.75″x5.5″ oak board.
… stain with the 2″ brush, done by December 19.
Materials I used:
I’ve been HD customer practically since I arrived in New York, started from painting my rental room with a roommate. In the 1980s, it was pleasant and a great place to be. It started in 1978 by five founders, one of them is Ken Langone (1935-) who wrote I Love Capitalism!: An American Story, in 2018.
Then Jack Welch’s underline Robert Nardelli (1948-) took it over in 2000, till 2007. During this period, it was no fun shopping at HD because he cut back on experienced staff, using part timers who careless or not knowledgeable enough to help. He was left go in early 2007, with $240m severance package. The stock price under Nardelli remained same while Lowe’s doubled.
I’ve two books on Jack Welch (1935-2020), both published in 2022, Home Depot is a topic in the book, especially Gelles’, who was more critical toward Welch.
I begin to visit HD often since 2022, and find it to be decent again, although not yet 1980s level. At the same time, I feel Lowe’s isn’t as good as HD.
Flooring, they care LifeProof.
We changed to the adjustable beds instead. They arrived on October 27 but the mattress needs two days to expand/grow.
A friend has lent us an airbed for the first few nights. These adjustable beds are relatively easy to assemble. They’re comfortable.
We can’t find a bed frame that we like. I decided to make them myself. First, are the beautiful headboards from Thailand. Next, will be the frame, probably using pine.
At moving in, the kitchen functions well. But I don’t like the color of the backsplash tiles, and the gas range.
To replace gas, an electrician came to disconnect it on Nov 1 (HD said they won’t touch anything gas). The electrical range was installed on Nov 5. It’s puzzling that the builder offers only gas range.
The Samsung electric range looks good but the glass top is too easily scratched. I’m waiting for the induction range to arrive.
Installing the lights over the counter, Nov 26. Finally, my indoor kitchen is complete by Jan 13, 2023 with the arrival of the induction range.
Now, I’m debating if to replace the backsplash, and waiting / working on our outdoor kitchen.
