Mortar and Tile and Grout--OH MY!

Wowza.  This might be my favorite post yet because I'm starting to feel professional...

We have been working hard to transform this cart into a cool little kitchen, and it's all coming together!  I went to the Rebuilding Center (they know me by name now...) and picked up a hodgepodge of tile.  There was really no rhyme or reason to my selection other than I wanted them to be funky and different and random.

Mission Accomplished

As you can see, the wall is just a piece of plywood that was completely bare.  We applied a layer of mortar and then started laying ceramic tiles one by one.  I did a little pattern through the middle to kind of break it up and give the wall some texture.

Obviously, tiles had to be cut to fit on the wall and the angled ceiling.  Travis got pretty good at this!

After the tiles were all cut to fit, we were able to cover the entire wall and make our backsplash.  We then had to let it dry overnight and let the tiles set.

Grouted.

After the mortar dried, we applied grout which was also super fun.  The wall had a "finished look" almost instantly.  Grout is kind of tricky because it dries fast, so you have to apply it and then wipe it down right away.  And as you're wiping, it seems like it's just making it messier, but really, it's filling all the cracks and settling.  

And of course, with the beautiful new tile, I couldn't possibly leave the countertops ORANGE...  After sanding them down, I painted them with a grey acrylic paint that cleaned up the whole look.  Check it out...

Not bad, eh?

What a Difference a Day Makes.

Beautiful Portland.

Sunshine
+

No Rain
+

No Wind
+

Above 50 Degrees outside
=

PERFECT DAY TO WORK ON THE GRILLERY!

This is our back wall with just insulation and hardboard.

This is the back wall after, with FRP.

All of our sinks will go in the back of the cart.  We put up FRP (Fiber Reinforced Plastic) because it is waterproof, easy to clean/wipe down, and brings the cart up to code.  FRP will cover most of the interior and will give the cart a facelift for sure.  To apply this, you have to sand the surface, apply mud/glue/adhesive to the inside of the FRP, let it dry for 30-45 mins, apply to the wall, then trim the entire thing with plastic seams.  (I'm getting quite good at all this random stuff...)

We got the front counter in for the service window.

Eeeeekkk...it's all coming together!  The counters were tough because the front of the cart is rounded.  Trav did a great job of figuring out the best way to cut them so they would sit flush against the wall.  Two counters up and this thing is starting to look like a food cart!

Our cabinets were this lovely peachy-cream color before I painted them "Winter White." 

We got the cabinets cut, sanded and painted just the way we wanted 'em, and the improvement was immediate.  Travis teases me that I lack vision because I have a hard time seeing beyond the dirt and grime (and sometimes the peachy cream exterior...), but I'm getting better!  I love what a little paint and new knobs can do...CHECK IT OUT.

Taaa-daaaa!

The best thing about these cabinets, is that they're FUNCTIONAL.  The counters fit nicely, and they give us some much needed storage.

It's all happening....

party time...

With all of the brainstorming, building, blogging and marketing, it was time to do some fundraising.  And FUN it was!

Element Lounge was the place to be!

Travis and I wanted to come up with a fun way to bring all of our friends together and raise some money for The Grillery as well.  Almost everyone we know LOVES a good party (or at least a good EXCUSE to party) so this seemed like a natural fit.  We promoted the event through Facebook, mass texting, mass email and word of mouth....and wouldn't you know it, this thing took off!!

Definitely couldn't have done it alone though...

The front door posse

Andrew on the 1's and 2's

I enlisted (a lot) of help from my friends to throw the best party in town, and judging from the feedback I got, that's exactly what we did!  After gathering raffle items (thanks Amy, Brandon, Brooklyn and Jill), buying a case of champagne, getting all my soldiers ready to work the door (shout out to Katia, Diona and Jill), and learning how to become a certified DJ (Andrew-you rock!)...we seemed to have a recipe for success!

I loved making my debut in the booth...(I may have missed my calling...)

Wouldn't be a party without the Reeders (And D!)

Packed the HOUSE!

It was such a great night and we will definitely be throwing more functions for people to come out and enjoy themselves...as well as learn a little more about what we're doing and our overall mission.  So far it has been a HIT!  

(Another HUGE thanks to AD for the wonderful pictures...you are a STUD!)

Bring on the New Year..

HAPPY NEW YEAR FROM THE GRILLERY FAM!!

2011 is going to be a GREAT YEAR!

These past couple weeks were tough, schedule wise, with the holidays and all the events taking place on the weekends...(see college basketball season starting and bowl games galore).  We managed to get some work done, but it was definitely 1 step forward, 2 steps BACK.

Our cart is old.  It's been through some stuff (although we're not exactly sure what...), so we need to completely re-do the outside and make sure every crease and crack is filled so that we don't get any water damage...  For those of you not familiar with the Great Northwest, all it does here is RAIN.  For months and months and months.  It's one of the reasons it is so beautiful here...it is also one of the reasons we're learning some things the hard way.  What better way to learn, huh??

This is how Travis does the dimensions for the walls.  I don't know how he keeps track, but they always fit perfectly!

We finally have all the walls up and we're ready to finish them with the FRP and Stainless Steel.  This will undoubtedly give the inside a whole new look!

Check out the videos below to see how I get down with a Power Saw...(SO FUN!)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8nvv_Z5yNR4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yEfCp2bzI3M

Shopping is supposed to be fun...

It's about that time....to purchase our appliances.  Eeeeekkkkk!  So many choices...so many decisions!  It's hard to know where to start when making such a big purchase...these appliances have to fit within our budget as well as serve as a functional asset to the cart.  Oh yeah, and a million other factors to consider as well...

Electric vs. Propane

Countertop model vs. Built in stand

New vs. Used

The double basin fryer we are considering

(Creeper in the back)

There really are so many different models to chose from.  Factors to consider are the amount of space we have (errr, don't have), our energy output, the volume each appliance can handle, whether it comes with a warranty, how to install, etc....it's just mind blowing!  

One thing I think we can handle....the potato slicer!

We will have huge muscles after using this thing for a few weeks.

Because our food is all fresh, there are added expenses that come with it...of course.  The better the food, the more expensive it is.  We are going to have fresh cut fries, so we'll be cutting all the potatoes by hand.  AND WE'RE GOING TO SELL A LOT OF FRIES!

Once we purchase a few things, the kitchen will really start coming together...

HO HO HO...

Wishing you all a safe and happy holiday...

Woof!

Oh, December...

I wish pictures could do the weather in the Northwest justice, but they just simply CAN'T.  This weekend was so rainy that we had to limit our work day to running errands... but very important errands at that.

Originally, we were hoping to never go to Home Depot, but unfortunately it is IMPOSSIBLE to get everything donated, so we made a trip and got some much needed supplies.

The large white sheets are FRP (fiberglass reinforced plastic) that we are going to be putting on the majority of the walls.  It is going to make all the surfaces smooth and easy to clean, and also keep us up to code with the health department.  Once this is up, the kitchen transformation can begin.

Old Door

One of the things I DISLIKE on the cart is our door.  It's little and janky and not very secure.  Because it's so narrow, it is also impossible to get any large appliances through (like a refrigerator) so we are going to build a new one.  I have a feeling there is going to be a lot of cussing on this day...eeekk.

We stopped by the Rebuilding Center to pick up a new door...and the price was right for our budget!

$1 we can handle.

And this is what we came home with.

I might be setting myself up for failure with this post, but I'm confident we can figure out how to get this new door on the cart.  We'll have to take out the existing door, build a frame for the new door, cut the new door to fit, mount it and make sure the knobs and locks work, and then taaaa-daaaaa--new door!  (If any of you have ever done something like this or have any advice, please post!)

I hope the rain lets up a bit...I'm not joking when I say we were DRENCHED after unloading the truck. 

Thumbs down to the downpour.  

Thumbs up to getting some work done this week!!

It's the little things, really..

Duuuuuccccckkkkkssssssss!  

Okay, now that that's out of my system, let's talk FOOD CART!

We have progress people...and the transformation has officially begun...finally!  So far everything we've done has been MAJOR (foundation, walls, floors, etc), but not necessarily VISIBLE changes.  This most recent phase is going to make a huge difference because they are tangible changes we can all SEE. 

Time for cabinets.

These things were UGLY when we got them at The Rebuilding Center. U-G-L-Y.  But, the price was right, so I digress. 

 First I had to clean and sand the grime off.

 And as you can tell, I was limited on space because it was a mere 30 degrees outside and I chose warmth over comfort....I was literally SORE after this little task!

Then I painted them "Winter White," which was an instant improvement.

Once we got the cabinets sanded, primed and painted, we were able to get them mounted on the wall.  This is the first thing that actually gives the cart some dimension...and we were ECSTATIC!  (Cue dance moves and squeals here...)

The 5th and final attempt at mounting this cabinet in the right place...

The cart itself isn't perfectly LEVEL, so mounting these against the wall and flat against the floor was a bit of a pain in the butt.  After some deep breathing and several 10-counts, Travis got 'em just where we wanted 'em.

Ahhhh-haaa!

(If you could see the bubble on the level, you would be impressed!)

Travis did an excellent job cutting these things to make them (almost) perfect.  He then did an equally excellent job cutting the heavy, orange counters to fit on top.  (Don't worry Duck fans, paint has already been purchased to change the color of these bad boys...NO Beaver Colors in this cart!)

Success!

It's kinda starting to look like a kitchen, don't ya think? 

Cue more dancing and squealing here..