Wine Thirty: Wine Rack Makeover

If at first you don't succeed, paint it again.

This was my motto for this mini makeover. I started last week and finished yesterday because sometimes things in life don't quite go as planned. 

At our old place, we had a cellar of sorts behind the kitchen, and at the time I thought it was the perfect opportunity to have a wine rack. I searched high and low and couldn't believe how pricey they were. I guess "they" (those ominous people out there who make and market stuff that we buy) figured if you can afford to have a wine collection, then you should be able and willing to buy a pricey wine rack? Anyways, no way was I going to pay $100 plus for a wine rack that wouldn't even be displayed. No way Jose! But I also did want something not ugly so that when I opened the door to look at my wine I wouldn't cringe and run away. 

After a long and drawn out search, I found a great wooden wine rack for $39.99 that holds 54 bottles of vino. I got it from a now defunct chain of discount ware stores called "The Outdoor Depot" or something like that. 

It's served us well, holding my wine in the old cellar and most recently in the garage. 

I decided recently it was high time that this buddy of mine had the opportunity to join us in our living quarters. I've had a spot in the kitchen just screaming for something to be placed there. I have been on the lookout for a vintage bar cart but have yet to spot one within my budget. So, in true Jen fashion, I decided to flaunt what I got with an "Already Own" makeover.

Since this wasn't an expensive or meaningful piece of furniture, I did what I do with most like items. Nothing. No sanding, no priming. Just went straight for the finish line with a can of spray paint. If you haven't heard me say this before, DO NOT follow my lead. I am not a good DIY-er by any means.

Well, sometimes (often) you pay for cutting corners, and after an entire can of spray paint, she was still looking like this. For some reason, this wood DID not want to be painted white.

After it sat outside for a few days feeling defeated, I thought I'd give it another go with a more forgiving colour. I went and grabbed my Martha Stewart paint smaples from Home Depot (which I scored for a dolla!) and picked out Persimmon Red. Persimmon red isn't really red. It's more a mix between coral and salmon. But it's the perfect punch of colour for my very neutral home, and it ties in very well with one pillow I have on a bench as well as a painting I have hanging on the other side of the dining table.

 I have a bunch of what I like to call "sangria" wine. It's that wine you "make" at a wine kit place and smells like dirty socks. Ya, I will NEVER do that again. It is not my idea of an enjoyable glass of wine, but since I ordered 60 bottles of it, I'm stuck with it (when my just graduated from college brother comes over, I usally give him a couple of bottles because that guy will drink anything so long as it has alcoholic content). I do use it in sangria though, and it tastes just delicious once masked with fruit and brandy! Yum yum!

Sorry for the wacky lit photos. The empty rack photos were taken last night and the rest this morning, and this gal has no clue how to work the lighting with a camera.

Although I originally wanted it white, I'm really glad I used the Persimmon Red. My house needed that pop of colour so badly and I am quite enjoying it so far!

 Most of my wine on my rack is unfortunately sangria wine. But my top shelf is my good wine with a few good ones on the bottom as well. I need more wine to fill it up, so now you know what to get me whenever you fancy buying me a gift!

And although this isn't a "water" rack, I put some glass water bottles on there for good measure. After all, the key to avoiding a hangover is to drink one glass of water for every glass of booze, right?

And now I can cross that off my list (well, until I find that perfect bar cart- then this piece will have to find a new home- again!).

Linking up with : Thrifty Decor Chick

The ideal of the Gentleman.

John Henry Newman was an academic and Church of England priest who eventually ended up being a Catholic Cardinal. His importance in today's post is in this passage from his work The Idea of a University. The passage is important because it probably best illustrates Victorian England's ideal of a gentleman. I've underlined some of the important bits.

It is almost a definition of a gentleman to say he is one who never inflicts pain. This description is both refined and, as far as it goes, accurate. He is mainly occupied in merely removing the obstacles which hinder the free and unembarrassed action of those about him; and he concurs with their movements rather than takes the initiative himself. His benefits may be considered as parallel to what are called comforts or conveniences in arrangements of a personal nature: like an easy chair or a good fire, which do their part in dispelling cold and fatigue, though nature provides both means of rest and animal heat without them. The true gentleman in like manner carefully avoids whatever may cause a jar or a jolt in the minds of those with whom he is cast; — all clashing of opinion, or collision of feeling, all restraint, or suspicion, or gloom, or resentment; his great concern being to make every one at their ease and at home. He has his eyes on all his company; he is tender towards the bashful, gentle towards the distant, and merciful towards the absurd; he can recollect to whom he is speaking; he guards against unseasonable allusions, or topics which may irritate; he is seldom prominent in conversation, and never wearisome. He makes light of favours while he does them, and seems to be receiving when he is conferring. He never speaks of himself except when compelled, never defends himself by a mere retort, he has no ears for slander or gossip, is scrupulous in imputing motives to those who interfere with him, and interprets every thing for the best. He is never mean or little in his disputes, never takes unfair advantage, never mistakes personalities or sharp sayings for arguments, or insinuates evil which he dare not say out. From a long-sighted prudence, he observes the maxim of the ancient sage, that we should ever conduct ourselves towards our enemy as if he were one day to be our friend. He has too much good sense to be affronted at insults, he is too well employed to remember injuries, and too indolent to bear malice. He is patient, forbearing, and resigned, on philosophical principles; he submits to pain, because it is inevitable, to bereavement, because it is irreparable, and to death, because it is his destiny. If he engages in controversy of any kind, his disciplined intellect preserves him from the blunder. [From The Idea of a University, 1852]

Newman's idea of a gentleman has lost the power of self assertion, he simply rolls over when challenged and never dreams of challenging.  How does such a man respond to a challenge?

Some men are born beta by temperament, but others are educated into betahood. The cultural meme which facilitates this transformation is the Idea of the Gentleman. Victorian England, and its ideals, still exert a powerful influence on Anglo/Nordic culture, particularly the culture of the middle class. Now, by middle class, I don't mean economic middle class, but cultural middle class; the strata of society from which most of the thinking is done in the Anglo/Nordic world. In order to be admitted to this class, to be "one of us", a man has to adopt the habits and behaviours of such a gentleman in order to be classed as a full member. It's true that the modern gentleman is not as calm and effacing as perhaps Newman illustrates, but the emphasis on getting along and being non-offensive is still of pre-eminent importance.

It pretty obvious what happens when a shrieking harpie collides with a polite middle class man or woman. The shrieking harpie wins.

Always.

The problem with the cultural ideal of gentlemanly behaviour is that it is especially vulnerable to the "offended victim" attack. The attack is particularly devious in its effectiveness as it relies on a three prong psychological approach to destroy its opponent. Firstly, if he is of genuine good will, he will be horrified that he has caused offence and genuinely be contrite for his actions, self-censoring himself for the indiscretion. Effectively, though policing himself.  Secondly, the Gentleman victim of the attack is made to feel as if he has acted as in culturally inferior sort of way, marking him out as one of the declasse, especially if there is a strong "redneck like" like association with his gaffe.  His efforts to maintain social standing lead him to immediately apologise. Should the victim doubt his sincerity he will redouble his efforts just to maintain social standing. Thirdly,with most modern left wing social causes are on the nose with the proles, their support of our hapless gentleman will further prove his prole associations.  Support of the NRA does not win you approval with the SWPL crowd.

Traditionalists take note.

Now, with regard to the proles, their simplicity and lack of "gentlemanly manners" gives them a certain forthrightness which conservative commentators mistake as some form "native goodness" which it isn't. It also leads to some conservatives having suspicions of the refined and cultured life; seeing high culture as a corruption of simplistic rustic goodness. However, the conservatives with prole sympathies seem to forget that the aversion to gay perversion is not moral but aesthetic. Their psychological revulsion to homosexuality is as animalistic as their embrace of heterosexual promiscuity. Their innate morality is biologically utilitarian and their support or opposition to any cause is in proportion to its agreement with their biological desire. Joe average is not necessarily the Conservative's friend.