change of plans

I had every intention of getting the mailbox in this weekend, but Saturday was too perfect of a beach day. As much as I would have loved to check the mailbox install off my list, I know that there will not be too many beautiful beach days left this summer.

After a long sun-filled day, we came back to the house with our friends Francesco and Jennifer (and their little girl, Lulu) to whip up an impromptu summer feast. As always, Chef Bob pulled together a delicious meal and I played bartender. I have been really into mixing up cocktails lately, and my current favorite is known as, The Garden State Cocktail. It was inspired by a drink I had at the Berkley Hotel bar in Asbury Park that was so good I craved it for days afterwards! It's kind of a lighter, more refreshing version of a Bloody Mary. I put my own twist on the recipe, and now it is my go-to summer libation.

The Recipe:

Ingredients:
- A handful of fresh garden herbs (I suggest basil, rosemary, and oregano), chopped finely
- Half of a medium sized tomato (preferably heirloom), diced
- Half of a fresh lemon, juiced
- A shot of Vodka
- Sparkling mineral water

In a drink shaker, muddle together herbs, tomato, and lemon juice. Add ice and vodka, shake well. Top with sparkling mineral water, stir. Enjoy!

Mailbox, coming soon!

first impressions

A little over three and a half years ago,  and about a month into our relationship, Bob had me over for dinner for the first time. As shallow as it sounds, the very first thing I noticed about his house was the hideous mailbox. Fast forward to today, and that beast is still living an the end of our driveway! As much as I dislike it, other projects and expenses have taken precedence over the box that collects our mail 6 days a week. It's especially difficult to convince a practical man like my husband that we need a new mailbox when the current one "does it's job just fine."

 

However, the end is near for that monstrosity! Two weekends ago we had a yard sale, and we both agreed that all of our earnings would go straight to a new mailbox. This weekend it's time to improve our curb appeal and install a mailbox that is as attractive as the rest of our home! I am so excited! Pictures to follow...

get the dead out

To think that August starts this week is crazy! Another summer is flying by! Clothing stores and magazines are already putting out their Autumn best, but I'm not letting summer slip away that easily.

Many of the flowers in our garden appear to be dying back and calling it quits for the season, but there is a whole lot of life left in them! All that they needed was a little "dead-heading," so Bob and I took some time today to snip off the spent blooms. Removing the dead heads encourages new flower growth, and will keep the garden beautiful all summer long. 

Here's to flowers until Fall!

dore to door

Earlier in the year, we decided it was time to replace our existing front door. The old door was also stained in the ugly orange shade, did not fit the style of the house, and was definitely a part of the renovations done in the late 80's/early 90's. It was time for that bad boy to go! Fortunately, it was also right before we submitted our taxes, and the purchase of the new door made us eligible for a tax credit...bonus!

Now that we had an awesome new door that fit the style of our house perfectly, the big question was: what color do we paint it? I spent a week searching on Pinterest before I could decide. I knew that I wanted a bright color, but I also did not want to be the eyesore of the neighborhood. These were some of the inspiration images I found...clearly I had a color family in mind.

photo credits: 1. original source unknown (originally found on younghouselove), 2. bhg.com, 3. urban nest, 4. laura arsie 5. darrell godliman

I ended up choosing a lovely shade of green called, "Spritz of Lime" by Allen & Roth. The bright green pop brightens up the beige and brown facade and pairs so nicely with the plants in the spring and summer. We get so many compliments on the color and a lot of friends saying, "I always wanted to paint my front door a bright color." My advice, do it! I would recommend getting a bunch of paint swatches, narrowing it down to 1 or 2 colors, and buying testers sizes. Paint a 1 foot section of the door with each tester, let the paint dry completely, and run out to the street to check out your door! Also, think about the inside...if you have a storm door like we do, your exterior door is often open into your living space. Will that bright color look good next to the neighboring room(s)? Something to consider!

  

 This new Dore couldn't be happier with our new door!

beforehand

Before I start blogging about our house as it is now, I thought it would be a good idea if I filled you in about the state of affairs before I came into the picture...

Four years ago, single Bob decided it was a good time to invest in a house even though he always imagined picking out his first house with a wife. He contacted a realtor, and set a date to look at five houses. In true Bob fashion, he made an offer that day on the fourth house he looked at. One year later, he found me, and nine months later I moved in. Since then we have been busy making it our home.

The house has had more than 6 owners since 1953, and it's pretty evident that every owner took a stab at a DIY project here and there (not all successful). Over the last couple of years, my main goals have been to correct those issues, erase the 1980's updates, and decorate it to suit our personalities.With every passing weekend something else gets checked off the list!

I started with a few coats of paint, adding some color over the various shades of beige throughout. Then I moved onto bigger projects, like stripping the orange tinted stain off of the staircase. It is the biggest project I have ever undertaken to date, but it was 100% worth it! Everyday I admire my handy-work and am proud of myself for a job well done!

There are plenty more tasks to be checked off that list, and as I work through them I will be sure to blog about it!

the first post

I suppose a proper introduction is in order: my name is Dana Dubiny Dore and I live in a little house with my husband in a small town in New Jersey, not too far from the beach. I am an artist and handy-lady,  he is a chef and gardener, and together we create a pretty wonderful place to live. We go to a lot of different places and do a lot of things, but we are best at enjoying our simple surroundings.

I have been thinking about it for a few years,  but my friends have finally convinced me that my life may be interesting enough to start my very own blog! I am a newly-wed doing newly-wed things, I am a homeowner with a house full of projects, and I use my creativity everyday. I have a lot to share, and I hope that you will continue to read along!