There are certain things I promised myself I would not compromise on in looking for a new place to live. A doorman I could continue to do without, but I could not give up my elevator. A small bedroom would be okay, but definitely not the kitchen. The kitchen would have a deep sink, a dishwasher and counter space. I’m sure I don’t have to tell you how this story ends – that my duplex penthouse is four flights up, that there’s no dishwasher in sight in the little kitchen. But the first time I visited the apartment in the pouring rain on a Sunday morning in April, I fell in love with characteristics I didn’t know I cared about at all – the abundance of storage space, the adorable living room balcony and the sprawling upstairs terrace that would accommodate a charcoal grill which to date I do not know how to use.

Continue reading