For those of you who have never been to our home, we live in what might generously be 500 square feet in a brownstone that was built in 1904. It's a fantastic apartment with hardwood floors, exposed brick walls, a lovely (albeit non-working) fireplace, hissing radiators, and, at the moment, an insidious pigeon infestation. We love it. What it lacks in space and modern conveniences it more then makes up for in charm.
One of the things we don't have is a washer and dryer. There isn't even one in our building. We drop our clothes off at the laundry place down the block, where for $1.00 a pound they wash, dry and fold all our clothing and intimate apparel. Once you get over the fact that some stranger is pawing through your unmentionables, it's actually one of my favorite things about New York. However, it does leave me with a problem on occasion when I have delicates that need to be laundered. See, while the Chinese Laundry is great for most all our clothes, there is no escaping the fact that they dump all our clothes in an industrial washer, add some industrial detergent, and then industriously pound them into cleanliness. For anything that needs a little more TLC then that, I wait until I have a shopping bag of clothing to be hand washed, and then spend an hour washing it in the pedestal sink in our bathroom, and rinsing everything in the bathtub.
I tackled a huge amount of hand washing today...it was just time. After washing tights, pajamas, swimsuits, sweaters and lingerie, I then had to find a way to dry it all. It looks like a closet exploded in our small bathroom today...there are clothes everywhere -- hanging on the shower fixtures, draped over the curtain rod, covering our one small drying rack. Since our little bathroom has no ventilation, a set up a floor fan to blow in there, and then turned on the vent to pull out all of the humidity. It's like one of those really expensive drying cabinets you can buy on those fancy schmancy dryers. Only it's my bathroom...and it's free! Sometimes I marvel at my own genius...and level of boredom.
Anyway, I thought I'd give all of my friends out there in large apartments and 3-4 bedroom homes a reason to smile, sigh a big sigh, and thank God for your laundry room.
You know...wash-n-fold was one of my favorite things about NY too, and I swore that I'd never do my own laundry again until I had a washer/dryer in my home, but alas, it's much pricier here. Sigh. So I just go over to Whitney's every couple of weeks and use hers. And THAT is what friends are for.
ReplyDeleteHa, funny stuff. Oh poor, Trace......you have to hang your laundry up. BIG DEAL!! You are in NEW YORK!! You have a life of luxury...skitting off all over the world, eating at the best restaurants, and enjoying show after show after show. Wow....I feel reeeeeeeally sorry for you. Oh but wait, I have a washer and dryer. What a trade off! Ha! :) Love ya.
ReplyDeleteI can just picture it now....but, you forgot to mention if there was music playing or if the tv was on to fill the room....!! One of the things I love most about you is how the simplest things in life are given the extra "Tracey care" or "TLC" (hee!) which make them so special. For instance, an evening in your apartment is turned into a magnificent spread of exotic cheeses, crackers and wine, tastefully presented to make a most memorable occasion. I love you so much, sweet friend! I hope Maddy picks up this precious trait from her Aunt Tracey!
ReplyDeleteHugs--Kris
Wow! I HAVE a washer and dryer, but am now considering still finding one of these wash-n-fold places here! My advice...don't give up your NYC lifestyle for a washer and dryer anytime soon. For now treasure these memorable times. You'll look back someday and say, "Remember when I used to hand wash my clothes in a sink and hang them all over the apartment? Those were the days..."
ReplyDeletexoxoxo--Amber