Street in Cusco, Peru – sketch
What’s HGTV you ask? It’s a horrid channel that sucks me in and makes me waste hours and hours of time all the while incredulous at how they are able to do home makeovers for under $2,000 or how 20 somethings house hunt and every 4,000 square foot house they see isn’t big enough.
Makes me want to gag.
I live in an old building. Ok, maybe not old by Europe’s standards, but old by US standards. Almost 100 years old. (The building, not me.) Nothing is square, plumb or level. I have lived in the same 950 sq. ft. apartment for 22 years. One bathroom. Small kitchen. Me, the Husband and a large dog. (Not the same dog.) Change a light fixture? Takes about 20 years and 3 tries. One by the Husband, one by the Brother who does not read my blog and one by the Emergency Electrician who had to be called when sparks shot out of the ceiling and we tripped the circuit breaker, not just for my apartment, but for the whole building.
So how do these people on HGTV come in and redo a whole house in 3 days and under $2,000? One of the mysteries of life I suppose.
Another mystery is will I ever get my sketchbook finished. It’s due in less than a week and I’m not done. Here’s a sketch I did of one of the Cusco streets with its unending steps. I bet none of these buildings has had a makeover in hundreds of years.
Maybe I’ll wait to redo my place too.
49 comments
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January 9, 2011 at 12:29 pm
Alice
Carol – your apartment is fabulous! The 20-somethings on HGTV would envy you…and your fantastic NYC neighborhood!
January 9, 2011 at 12:37 pm
Carol King
Thanks Alice, But it really would be nice to have a 2nd bathroom and maybe an art studio instead of working on the only table in the apt.
January 9, 2011 at 12:30 pm
kk2n777
Have you ever noticed that those HGTV shows do not take place in the five boroughs? The construction costs (both material and labor) are much higher in NYC than other parts of the country so the $2,000 makeover budget can barely cover the IKEA bookshelves and maybe 15 minutes of assembly time. That’s not a show anyone would watch….
Keep at it with your sketchbook. You still have 6 more days left.
January 9, 2011 at 12:38 pm
Carol King
Welcome back from China! We missed you!
Those HGTV shows come out of Canada and many of the places they go to are not big cities like NY or LA or Chicago. I agree, that $2000 budget would be gone within 15 minutes here.
January 9, 2011 at 12:31 pm
jimmyboi2
Brava! I feel my chest tightening as I gaze upon this stony challenge.
I watched a couple episodes of HGTV in a South Carolina hotel when I drove to Brooklyn. I know one of the guys who has a show– David With-the-Norwegian-Last-Name, which I can’t think of at the moment because I am 55 years old. I NEED HIM IN MY HOUSE. But for a lot LESS than $2000. We had stone floors installed in November 2009– yes– and I have yet to re-install baseboards. I’m going room by room; so far I’ve done almost two rooms!
I’d rather be sitting on steps with YOU, in Cuzco, smoking cigarettes and trying to breathe. We’d have to make reservations a week in advance in order to plan our trip to the top of any of those staircases!
January 9, 2011 at 12:40 pm
Carol King
David Bromstadt? I need him or any of the others on that channel. I would love to reinstall baseboards. Right after I redid my kitchen and my floors and repainted the whole place. When can you come up?
January 9, 2011 at 12:36 pm
Mary Schwalm
Bookmark this! http://www.hgtv.com/on-tv/be-on-hgtv/index.html You never know when your cute Brooklyn brownstone will fit their tv market needs! I’m waiting for my cute modern cape to fit too!
January 9, 2011 at 12:41 pm
Carol King
Maaaaaare, I would love to have HGTV come and redo my place. Problem is, I don’t want to be on TV. Oh well, maybe I’ll make the sacrifice if they would come and re-do the place. How many of the shows have you applied for?
January 9, 2011 at 1:21 pm
Joan T
You had me laughing so hard I put my comment under the wrong post of yours. Please see it below. lol
January 9, 2011 at 1:44 pm
Carol King
Hi Joan, glad you like the sketch even if you commented under Happy MMXI!
I saw that episode you are talking about. I couldn’t believe they bought that house. I, too, like House Hunters International. I love to see the different countries.
January 9, 2011 at 1:32 pm
christine
great sketch. it’s my desktop now. thanks. (you should start charging me.)
January 9, 2011 at 1:44 pm
Carol King
I’ll negotiate with you tomorrow! Glad you like the sketch.
January 9, 2011 at 1:46 pm
Alex Zonis
I don’t think this show adheres to reality all that well. These days you can’t do even Shabby-Chic-entirely-out-of-flea-market apartment re-do for $2000. I think it is out there being aired for entertainment purposes only. It doesn’t let the truth stop it, the show must go on…
Now the sketch has an air of truth to it! It is moody and I almost want to say atmospheric, but I understand there was not much of that there :). Keep at it, and keep in mind that you don’t have to fill the book to the last page for it to be in the show. I am just worried that you will not send it in at the last moment because there are a couple of unfilled pages there.
January 9, 2011 at 2:22 pm
Carol King
Of course you are right about the show. They say that some makeover only costs $2,000, but THEY did all the labor which would have increased the price tenfold.
I’m glad you like the sketch. I have a few more to do and then I’ll mail it in. Even if I don’t finish it.
January 9, 2011 at 2:26 pm
lesliepaints
Wonderful perspective drawing, Carol! I also like the texture you included in the walls of the buildings and along the street. Also, that you are sharing information about these places you have been to.
I don’t know about HGTV because I am one of those people who only pay for the local channels, here. I have that package that they don’t tell you about, EVER.
January 9, 2011 at 2:36 pm
Carol King
Thanks so much Leslie, I really wanted to get the feeling of rocks and stone everywhere. And narrow streets that just climb up and up and up.
You are like my friend Jim. He doesn’t even have cable. I don’t know if I would be able to survive without cable, let alone without TV. But it would sure give more much more time.
January 9, 2011 at 2:29 pm
Stephen
Hey Carol somehow we need to kick this TV addiction. This is how our lives dribble out, on hyped up show at a time. Each hour is another step away from a painting – or just living. OK off my soapbox. I also battle with TV and therefore stay away as much as possible.
I like your perspective in your Cusco sketch – More Please!!! (o:
January 9, 2011 at 2:38 pm
Carol King
Ah Stephen, You used the exact right word. Addiction. Maybe I need a personal intervention as well as an apartment make-over intervention.
Glad you like the Cusco sketch.
January 9, 2011 at 5:09 pm
Cathyann Burgess
You got a lot of mileage out of that trip even if the climbing was too much. This is a good sketch. Where are you sending this? I thought that you took local classes. Thank god for HGTV…we have so much fun guessing which overpriced place people will choose. Int’L househunters is the best…who still has money to buy two homes???
January 9, 2011 at 6:00 pm
Carol King
I’m part of the sketchbook project http://www.arthousecoop.com/projects/sketchbookproject
Of course, I won’t be finished with the book, but I’ll send it anyway. It’s been fun and a number of people who visit my blog are also doing it.
I love House Hunters International too. I agree, who has that kind of money to buy a vacation home in some exotic place. But those other shows. Now every house has to have a bathroom attached to each bedroom. WHO CLEANS THESE HOUSES?????
January 9, 2011 at 5:23 pm
cathy
Ha! so funny yea those hgtv brats complaining about appliances that aren’t stainless…. oh this will have to, they say, i need stainless and granite counters… wah wah. how about get creative think outside of the box and go back to harvest gold appliances 🙂
January 9, 2011 at 6:15 pm
Carol King
LOL! Harvest gold! My mom had avocado appliances actually.
January 9, 2011 at 7:03 pm
Alex Zonis
OMG! Sometime ago I lived in a rental that had avocado color scheme: appliances, carpet and curtains in the living room. Why did you have to bring this up?! I was hoping to forget that…
January 9, 2011 at 5:42 pm
nicola (pointypix)
This made me laugh. I know, we have those sort of tv shows where they manage to redecorate a whole house in 45minutes! I also laughed at the comment about getting your sketchbook finished-i’ve spent all weekend just churning out 1 sketch after another and the clock is ticking! I love the perspective of your sketch by the way, its a lovely piece.
January 9, 2011 at 7:20 pm
Carol King
Hi Nicola! I’ve been looking at your blog and watching you do your sketchbook drawings too. (All, by the way, look fabulous!) I look forward to seeing it in person.
January 9, 2011 at 7:13 pm
The Husband
Oh my beloved Carol. How I laugh at your thoughts on your blog. How I laugh at you watching HGTV and complaining that you can’t finish your sketchbook after blogging about all this. How I laugh at finding both t.v. remote controls in one room because you walk around the apt. with them in your hand and place them anywhere.
Please finish the sketchbook so we can move on to the next thing to worry about. I love your paintings and need more city scenes and more Peru scenes. Thank you for being you!
January 9, 2011 at 7:22 pm
Carol King
Oh Husband, How you love to laugh at me. What can I tell you? I gotta be meeeeeeeeee……… 🙂 Thanks for reading my blog and commenting. (Unlike my brother.)
January 10, 2011 at 1:15 pm
Rhonda
I know just what you mean – I was once addicted to those shows and thought I could move my furniture, change things, paint walls and make pretty accent pillows – almost killed me and my husband hated it when he would come home from work to find the sofa moved and my back in such a shape I had to go to the chiropractor! ha ha I love seeing the comment from The Husband – I can feel the joy in your relationship 🙂
January 10, 2011 at 8:23 pm
Carol King
There’s the difference Rhonda. You tried to do it yourself. I just want TV people to come over, send me to a hotel for 3 days so when I come home everything is redone.
The Husband does amuse!
January 10, 2011 at 1:28 pm
Bonnie Luria
Carol Carol Carol. How they do it. It’s TV! Fantasy TV. It’s not NYC.
It’s not where you are which is where we all want to be.
( well, for me, maybe in the month of Sucktober until hurricane season is over….)
Just the fact that you even have a sketchbook and are concerned about it’s due date puts you ahead of the rest of us procrastinators.
I’m eager to see the contents of the entire book if the above is a sample.
In exchange for looking at your sketchbook, you and Matt can come back to our house where every and I mean EVERY project is 87% complete because the store has no more parts, they went out of business or Kelly got started and distracted.
Oh to live in fantasy TV land…..
January 10, 2011 at 8:19 pm
Carol King
WHAT????? TV is not real?
January 10, 2011 at 3:39 pm
northpenninegallery
Each time I visit your blog, I know I’m in for a giggle! Your sketchbook looks great, I was inspired by your earlier posts of the tube into work. I’ve left you a message in my sketchbook if you ever have chance to read. You just need to find it! 🙂
January 10, 2011 at 8:20 pm
Carol King
Thanks for your comment Keith. And I will look for your sketchbook when it’s on tour here in the City.
January 10, 2011 at 6:11 pm
Artswebshow
Well,well,well.. six days. lol
I life in a studio flat and it does me just fine.
I often wonder why people feel the need for so much room.
More cleaning to do for a start.
I like the sketch, just another 35 or so more to go. lol
I’m just fooling around
January 10, 2011 at 8:21 pm
Carol King
Ah Richard. At some point I will have to say “this is it” and close the sketchbook up and mail it.
I agree, why DO people need that much room. As I said earlier. Who cleans all those rooms? I wouldn’t mind having a little outdoor space though.
I lived in a studio for ages until I got married.
January 11, 2011 at 9:35 am
wrjones
HGTV is one of the channels I can watch for hours. I am amazed at young first time buyers who have to stay within a budget of $500,000. I also get a kick out of seeing the eastern US prices for city dwellings that leave you parking on the street. Lately I’ve been watching the program about getting a house in another country. It seems housing is expensive EVERYWHERE. I expect a house in your fine drawing would be $375,000 but they might take $353,000 and it would only cost you $25,000 or so to add running water and one of those fine porta potties.
January 11, 2011 at 2:25 pm
Carol King
Bill, I COULD add running water, but you can’t drink the water in Peru…so why bother.
January 11, 2011 at 9:42 am
wrjones
Say – why is Bonnie complaining about 87% complete? I’d consider that done and move on. 52% is an excellent attempt. Very hard to get past that before a more interesting and potentially successful project comes along.
January 11, 2011 at 2:25 pm
Carol King
I agree, and 87% completed job sounds good to me. I think Bonnie might be a perfectionist.
January 13, 2011 at 10:39 am
Debbie Adams
I just don’t know how I missed this post in my email.
Great drawing, Carol!!
Don’t let the channel get to you; it’s all exaggerated anyway. Turn it off and work on those drawings. I know you can do it!!
January 13, 2011 at 9:58 pm
Carol King
Hi Debbie, It’s got to be exaggerated! No one can redo a home in 3 days and under $2,000!
I took your advice and finished my sketchbook. Well, sort of. There’s empty pages, but that’s the way it goes. Next time I will know better!
Glad you like the Cusco drawing. 🙂
January 13, 2011 at 10:30 pm
Debbie Adams
More like it took 3 days to make the show after taking clips off the videos of them redoing it for 3-4 weeks. The tax, shipping and delivery was the $2000.00 lol.
Where is your “Like button? Turn it on woman. 🙂
January 13, 2011 at 5:44 pm
aswirly
I love this scene from Cusco. I’ve never been, but my parents and sister went and this reminds me of some of the pictures I’ve seen. I love your caption! I know what you mean about HGTV. lol. I can’t hardly watch it anymore because it makes me feel so disatisfied in my tiny modest apartment… sheesh
January 13, 2011 at 9:59 pm
Carol King
Amber, I have tons of pictures from Peru! I was afraid I would start boring people with them. I have a few drawings in earlier posts. It was a great trip, but boy was I glad to get back to sea level.
January 14, 2011 at 4:20 pm
rahinaqh
again you had me smirking all the way through… your ability to know how your readers think is uncanny and thus your use of parenthesis to keep us well and truely on track…. but our minds still wander;) i gave up tv years ago for exactly the same reason: i just didnt have the time to fit it into my life and have a life:)
January 15, 2011 at 3:57 am
short poems
Great sketch, nicely done!
January 18, 2011 at 1:34 pm
Sonya Chasey
I live in an old appartment too & I like its character. We moved in 15 years ago & my husband assured me it’d take 2 years for us to do it up, but we still haven’t finished. In fact I think it’s come to a bit of a standstill (understatement.) I paint at my easel in the kitchen (having left the ceiling with just undercoat these last few years!) & I agree with you it’d be nice to have a studio; On the other hand I read recently (I think it was in National Geographic) that 1 in 5 people in the world live in shanty town type dwellings so I guess in the end it’s all comparitive. Some of those people you mention in the T.V program wanting what sounds to me like mansions, should think about that I guess.
January 20, 2011 at 5:16 pm
Jala Pfaff
“Not the same dog.” hahahahahha!
I lived for a few years in a 400 sq.ft. space with two cats. When more than one person came to visit, one of us would have to stand outside the door.
January 31, 2011 at 6:16 am
Rick Daddario
cool on Cuzco. some of those stone walls were so amazing… given that they were 1,000 plus years old or so… and cut with such precision they just stay in place. of course so was a lot of other stuff there. and we have difficulty getting a building to stand for 50 years. sheesh. funny read Carol. cool.