My Apartment

The apartment could have been a little larger.  In fact, had the living area been just one foot wider, the sofa bed would open with moving to the middle of the room.  I did see a larger and cheaper place but it was entirely open; I mean really open.  It only had three walls.  The upstairs patio was enormous with a bar that would accomodate at least six people; definately a party pad.  I just could not imagine living with out four walls.  Ncver mind security (there was none) but you would be totally exposed to the dust and dirt from the street.

Mine is on the third and fourth floor above a leather goods shop and next to a tile factory.  The kitchen is new with lots of granite, but it had no over counter storage at all.  I bought a Mexican style open cabinet with shelves to display my green Mexcian glass and new pottery.  The living area consisted of an ugly dark brown sofa and two plastic chairs.  I covered the sofa with a light green and yellow serrape and ordered two equipauli (pig skin) chairs and three small tables.  For the bedroom I bought an "L" shaped glass and chrome desk were I do my writing and book work.  There was a large dresser that I moved to an area off the kitchen.  Of course I added bunches of Mexican paper flowers and those bright colorful ceramic chilies.  There was some really awful stuff hanging on the wall (like way too many Virgin Marys) but that has all been replaced with Mexican folk art.

The bedspread and drapes were a dark, dark red.  I had a new duvet made in a bright green and had new drapes made of a green, yellow and orange fabric with a pattern of iquanas.  The biggest change came with the addition of 16 potted plants.  Lots of palms, ferns, some hybiscus and that vine with yellow flowers that is everywhere.  Nothing says home to me more than a house and patio full of green plants.  The view I have already shown you is the good side. To the west was a mess of ugly black roofs and some unfinished buildings, so I put up a trellis.

The floors are tile and the bedroom has a heavy beamed ceiling with red tile slate.  There is also a balcony across the front where I put some of those yellow things to vine along the wrought iron.  There is lots of wrought iron, starting with the door on the street (but it has a glass panel).  At a landing on the staircase is another gate.  There is a gate to by balcony and when you climb the spiral staircase to the terrace, you end up in a large cage (green plants have softened the look).  Every morning I unlock the gates and everynight I lock myself in.  I feel like a warden in a prison, or a zoo keeper, but for the moment, I am happy here.