Cambria Style - Winter 2012

winter 2012

Country Music Star

Josh Turner takes you behind the scenes of a beloved American icon, the Grand Ole Opry

> Design pros

share their

TOP KITCHEN STORAGE SECRETS

> HOLIDAY

ENTERTAINING

From savory dishes to wine and chocolate pairings to gifts, we have you covered

ABERDEENTM Waterstone CollectionTM Š Cambria 2011

’Tis the season for cozying up by the fire, cooking luscious meals, giving the perfect gift, celebrating with friends

Winter

2012 features

18 a place for everything All your most pressing kitchen storage problems, solved. Our panel of designers shares their most valuable tips and sources

24 josh turner: the unbroken circle Country star Josh Turner reflects on the important role the Grand Ole Opry has played in country music for four generations, including his own meteoric rise. Plus a detailed look at the venerable Opry’s lively past and present

32 house of the future

turner photo: © George Holz; drawer photo: Blum, Inc.; ramsin photo: steve henke

The Toronto home of designer Ramsin Khachi is filled with the latest high-tech features, all wrapped up in an elegant package

josh wears this blue bracelet in support of his Charity, Josh Turner Fund for the Arts, which brings music programs to the public schools. learn more here: http://j.mp/rl7XGD

“I just love how you can go [to the Opry] and hear a lot of different styles and artists and get a picture of what country music really is.”

—Josh turner, “the unbroken circle,” page 24

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From the Publisher

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hat an exciting issue of Cambria Style, arriving in time for the holidays and in time for you and your very own family traditions to be celebrated during this wonderful time of the year…family and tradition at its best.

Our cover story has the same theme. The Grand Ole Opry, a treasured and historic place in American music lore, has family and tradition in abundance. We are honored at Cambria to be involved with such a dynamic monument in the landscape of America… from the first radios bringing the Opry and country music into the homes of so many, to the historic appearances of those who became icons within country music and likewise our world. Country music and international icon Johnny Cash is an example of both.

Johnny Cash’s drummer W.S. Holland, our friend and a Cambria spokesperson, was the first person to ever play a full set of drums on the Opry stage. He represents that very history.

Enjoy, in this cherished holiday season, all that you can with your family and friends, and please do enjoy our latest issue of Cambria Style, as we inspire visions for your home and how you live…visions personal to you and your family. After all, when it comes to home and family, they are often one and the same.

Family, tradition, legacy . . . these values resonate throughout this issue of Cambria Style. Our cover story, with Josh Turner at the Grand Ole Opry, embodies all three. The Opry, to those who have not had the opportunity to visit and see one of their amazing shows, might seem to be simply a venue. After spending some time with the people there, however, it’s clear to me that it is so much more. Having the opportunity to chat with Josh between shots, I asked him if the Opry “felt different” after the renovation—any less of what the Opry used to be. He didn’t hesitate in telling me that couldn’t be further from the truth. He said that it’s “not about the building . . . it’s about the legacy, the people and the music.” At that moment, I realized how fitting it was that Cambria was a part of the renovation. The same values that are grounded in the legacy of the Opry run deep in the family-owned business of Cambria as well, and the people who make us what we are. And although our feature on designer Ramsin Khachi’s “House of the Future” might seem a far cry from those traditions, if you read between the lines, you’ll see that the idea behind the design of this house was to allow more time for living and more time for family. Of course, we have not forgotten the fact that this is the season to entertain—so enjoy our delicious recipes from master chef David Fhima, the perfect gift for the perfect hostess, and sumptuous wine and chocolate pairings from Leslee Miller of Amusée and chocolatier Katrina Markoff of Vosges Chocolates.

This month also marks the launch of our online magazine, CambriaStyle.com, where we’ll be keeping things fresh with up-tothe-minute product picks, features, expert advice, blogs and much more. We at Cambria wish you the happiest of holiday seasons, filled with family, traditions and legacies.

Cheers,

Be one of the first to log onto cambriastyle.com/ reader-discounts on the 15th of November, December and January, and we’ll send you a free tube!

LouAnn Berglund Haaf Editor-in-Chief

THINGS I LOVE

Warmest regards,

Marty Davis President/CEO

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I never leave the house without two things: a bottle of water and my L’Occitane. And at $10 it’s the perfect hostess gift for any occasion, page 13.

I love how fun and colorful function can be in the kitchen!

Check out these gorgeous steak knives on page 7 and get a CambriaStyle reader discount. cambriastyle.com/ reader-discounts

davis photo: STAR TRIBUNE/MINNEAPOLIS-ST. PAUL 2011; haaf photo: steve henke; opposite: trend report and wine & chocolate photos: steve henke

Editor’s Letter

CAMBRIA STYLE

President/CEO Publisher Marty Davis

Winter

2012

departments

Creative + Publishing Director Editor-in-Chief LouAnn Berglund Haaf Executive Vice-President, Sales and Marketing Peter Martin Director of Brand Management Summer Kath

Publishing Partner

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Touchpoint Media, LLC Chief Executive Officer Steve Farbman President Jim McEwen Senior Vice President David Jensen Editorial

Executive Editor Jill Kirchner Simpson Managing Editor Reed Richardson Art Directors Jenna Akre, Barbara Chilenskas Photo Editor Alan Gottlieb

Visit cambriastyle.com for expanded features, downloads, reader discounts, contests and design advice. We’ve also added the world of Pinterest to our online community. Follow “CambriaStyle” on Pinterest.com for visual lookbooks of ideas on everything from design to lifestyle.

add a little drama with black and white accessories like this curvaceous rococo candlestick, page 9

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style update

eat + drink

7 style report

38 layers of flavor

In living color, or graphic black and white: Take your pick

10 living well

Great new cooking finds to up the flavor, lower the fat

11 living stylishly

Outfit a chic home bar with these sophisticated spirits and sleek accessories

12 The gift

Glamorous gifts to dazzle your host and hostess

15 tablescapes

Chef David Fhima draws on his Moroccan heritage with recipes that are both easy and healthy

42 wine & chocolate

Host a mouthwatering tasting party with artisanal chocolates

travel 44 great escapes

Sea or ski? We have the pros’ top tips for either winter getaway

46 local scene

Our must-sees if you’re visiting Santa Barbara or Pittsburgh

Set a stunning table by layering autumnal hues

what’s new

16 Trend report: Red hot!

48 word on the street

Designer Billy Beson reveals how to tap into the power of red

Consumer Reports ranks quartz #1, and more Cambria news

last look win concert tickets and a backstage meet and greet with Josh Turner! go to cambriastyle.com/winter2012 to win this and other prizes.

50 tradition

The rituals and ties that bind

ON THE COVER | At age 29, Josh Turner was the youngest country music star inducted into the Grand Ole Opry. Four years later, his star is burning brighter than ever. Photo: © George Holz.

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style report

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Color Therapy

punctuate a room with a bold lacquer chest, or REvive a dull piece of furniture with a glossy coat of paint.

Chase away winter’s grays with these vibrant additions to your home 1 BOLD STATEMENT Wake up a room with this glossy lacquered chest, designed by Oscar de la Renta for Century Furniture.

With a honed marble top and sleek nickel hardware, in “Meadow” enamel finish, $15,660. centuryfurniture.com

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This gorgeous Murano glass chandelier, first designed in 1920, now reinvented in luscious turquoise, is dramatic in scale and effect, $2,940.

LAGUIOLE KNIVES: ANTHROPOLOGIE.COM; WINE COASTERS Designed

by Anna Rabinowicz for RabLabs

dwr.com

NATURAL BEAUTY Made from agate formed inside ancient volcanic tunnels that is then polished by artisans in Brazil, these richly hued slabs can be used as wine coasters or small plates, $89 for two. rablabs.com

3 A TISKET, A TASKET This handmade stoneware basket can be heated in the oven along with your bread, to keep it warm on the table. It’s just as pretty holding fruit or mail, $49. eucalyptus-stoneware.com

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THE KINDEST CUT From Laguiole, maker of the classic French pocket knife, comes this set of six steak knives in every color of the spectrum, $78. Get a special reader discount at cambriastyle.com/readerdiscounts

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style report

As Simple as...

This dynamic duo always packs a strong graphic punch. Here’s how to bring it home 1

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find affordable art on sites like 20x200.com, which offers limited-edition prints and photographs starting at only $20.

WHITE LIGHT Supple wood veneer is woven into a gesture of infinity in the simple elegance of this pendant lamp. Nut Suspension Light by Miguel Herranz for LZF, $442.40. ylighting.com

2 RAYS OF LIGHT This 70s-inspired starburst mirror, with mini mirrors dotting its silvery rays, adds light and sparkle to a neutral scheme. Ren-Wil Starburst Mirror, $396. wayfair.com

Designer Luke Vahle, of Fifth Season Design in New York, painted a red dining room charcoal gray, and “all of the sudden, the beautiful bones of the house sprang forward.”

GET THE LOOK: Walls are Benjamin Moore’s “Gravel Gray” #2127-30. Try “Winter Wheat” #232 on trim. “Avenue” chairs by Powell & Bonnell, through designers.

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Georgina Richardson, Designer Luke Vahle/ Fifth Season Design

Black and white bring clarity:

...Black and White

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3 3 TACTILE TEXTURES When the palette is neutral, texture becomes essential.

The soft, shaggy “Remy” pillow is made from cotton T-shirt remnants; 18" x 12", $29.95.

The circle-strewn “Layla” pillow layers appliquéd discs of woolblend felt for three-dimensional style. 20” square, $59.95. crateandbarrel.com

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4 BLACK MAGIC In bold black, the curvaceous rococo silhouettes of the Dauphine Candlesticks stand out. Made from dolomite rock; set of two, $70. rosannainc.com

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5 PATTERN PLAY The geometric black-and-white dhurrie on this generously-sized ottoman brings drama to a room. Use it as a coffee table, footrest or extra seating. Essex ottoman in “Geo,” 36" square, $599. westelm.com

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l i v i n g well

1 NON-TOXIC, NON-STICK Step up healthy cooking without sacrificing culinary flair. GreenPan cookware has a Thermolon nonstick interior that’s safe at high heat and won’t emit toxic chemicals.

The “Copperfused” exterior requires no polishing or special cleansers, $44.95 and up. hsn.com

Add more flavor, less fat to your cooking with gourmet taste-boosters like nut oils and umami paste.

The Healthy Pantry

Mission: quick, delicious and healthy. From tools to seasonings, here are some of the best new products for your kitchen 2

3

FOOD POD It might look like a creature from another planet, but this perforated silicone pod makes it a cinch to dunk and drain veggies and shellfish when steaming or boiling, $15. fusionbrands.com

FLAVOR FLAKES As the saying goes, less is more: Falksalt crystal sea salt flakes from Sweden have more flavor, so you use less. In nine flavors, from citron to chipotle, $6.75. kentrathbunstore.com

4 NUTTY BUDDY La Tourangelle nut oils, in Walnut, Hazelnut and Pistachio, add richer flavor to salad dressings, marinades, vegetables and pastas. A healthier oil, walnut oil is starting to get the attention it deserves, $14.95. williamssonoma.com

5 THE 5th SENSE Umami is the Japanese word for the fifth sense of taste—“savory deliciousness.” Try adding a pinch of this “flavor bomb” to enliven almost anything. Taste #5 Umami Paste, $6. deandeluca.com

For delicious umami paste recipes go to cambriastyle.com/ winter2012

ask Gojee.com Type in what you crave, what ingredients you have on hand and what you dislike, and this culinary genie of a website will give you mouthwatering options of what to make for dinner. The recipes are culled from top food writers, so you can count on quality. (What’s a gojee, you ask? A tart berry from the Himalayas!)

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Healthy in a Hurry Eating Well magazine’s free app puts 200 healthy, tasty recipes at your fingertips. Or try Men’s Health’s “Cook This, Not That” app to find 100 recipes for 350-calorie meals, $4.99 on iTunes.

greenpans: © Gregor Halenda

What’s for Dinner?

Raising the Bar

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lIv ing stylishly 2

Pair sophisticated spirits with elegant accessories and voilà! Cocktail hour chic 1 Bulleit Rye Whiskey Known for their excellent small-batch bourbon, Bulleit has now introduced a rich rye whiskey with extra-high rye content (95%) and a spicy kick.

Bulleitbourbon.com

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MUDDLE THE ISSUE No proper bar should be without a muddler, useful for mashing herbs for mint juleps and mojitos. This handsome sheesham wood muddler will quickly become a favorite tool, $17. cspost.com

3 TURN OF THE SCREW These quirky antiqued corkscrews add a little panache to your next pour, $32. cspost.com

4 SHAKEN, NOT STIRRED Even James Bond would approve of this elegant hand-cut crystal martini shaker with a silver pourer from William Yeoward Crystal, $895. gearys.com

THE BITTER TRUTH IS DEDICATED TO BRINGING PURE, OLD-WORLD FLAVOR BACK TO COCKTAIL BITTERS. IN EIGHT FLAVORS, FROM CLASSIC ORANGE AND AROMATIC TO CREOLE.

the-bitter-truth.com

5 CHILL OUT Mariposa’s Brillante, made of sandcast aluminum, is perfect for holding a chill.

Keep multiple bottles of wine or champagne on ice with this generous double ice bucket, $298. silverimpressions.com

manhattan Ingredients: 2 oz. rye 1 oz. sweet vermouth 2 dashes lemon bitters

Preparation: Stir. Strain. Serve over ice in a rocks glass with a lemon twist.

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Pocket Bar

Need a drink, quick? The “Top Shelf Drinks” app not only has thousands of recipes, it also can recommend drinks based on what’s in your liquor cabinet. $0.99 on iTunes.

See other classic cocktail recipes using bitters at cambriastyle.com/winter2012

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things to love

The Gift Photo by STEVE HEnke

A token of appreciation, friendship, thoughtfulness—a beautifully wrapped hostess gift is the perfect way to say thank you

LAVISH PAPER, LUSH RIBBON AND A WITTY GIFT CARD ELEVATE EVEN THE SMALLEST GIFT INTO A TREASURE.

What would the holidays be without gift-giving? Homemade or store-bought, every gift is special when it comes from the heart. The custom of gift-giving has been around for centuries and remains one of our most treasured holiday traditions. Honor your holiday hostesses with one of these coveted gifts. And remember: Guests bearing great gifts tend to be invited back!

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WRAP STARS If you’re all thumbs when it comes to wrapping or just want to dial up the wow factor, try these stores for a helping hand. (Who needs to know?)

Kate’s Paperie, New York City, 800-809-9880; katespaperie.com Paper Source, Chicago and 32 stores in 14 states; paper-source.com Soolip Paperie and Press, Los Angeles, 310-360-0545; soolip.com Rugg Road Paper Co., Boston, 617-742-0002; ruggroadpaper.com

3 HAUTE SYRUP This gorgeous bottle may look like smallbatch bourbon, but it’s an equally artisanal maple syrup.

Noble’s Tahitian Vanilla Bean & Egyptian Chamomile Blossom Matured Maple Syrup, $24.95. mikuni wildharvest.com

1 STRIKE IT RIGHT This porcelain bisque squirrel proffers matches instead of nuts; his ridged base is a clever match striker, $42. jonathanadler.com

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LOOK BOOK The star of any coffee table, Dior Couture features 100 of the Parisian design house’s most exquisite gowns, captured by renowned fashion photographer Patrick Demarchelier.

Rizzoli, $71 at amazon.com

TOO GOOD FOR THE CUPBOARD That’s what artist Caroline Swift calls this collection. Her delicate bone-china demitasse spoons, unglazed but sanded to a polish, are indeed works of art. Set of two, £12 (about $19). carolineswift.com

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GIVE A FIG The subtly sweet scent of fig (or any one of 21 other fragrances) is captured in a cleanburning soy-blend candle tin from Lafco.

A book of matches is handily tucked into the lid/saucer, $20. lafcony.com

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LEND A HAND The ultimate treat for a hostess’s hardworking hands: L’Occitane’s Shea Butter—soothing, moisturizing, protecting, without feeling greasy. 5.3-oz. tube, $26; or pursesize 1-oz. tube, $10. usa.loccitane.com

“We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.” —Winston Churchill C a m b r i a S t y l e . c o m

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Just go to Cambriastyle.com and enter code QUARTZ57 for a FREE subscription.

FOLLOW US ON:

tablescapes

Eclectic is trÈs chic.

This silverplated pitcher paired with both delicate and patterned glassware is unexpected and fun.

Whether it’s painterly pears or a bouquet of cupcakes, desserts this elegant can serve as a centerpiece as well as the final course.

AberdeenTM

Waterstone CollectionTM © Cambria 2011

Photo by Steve henke

Autumn Hues tips from

the pros:

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MIX AND MATCH Commit to a look, but not a single style.

This mismatched silverware brings a delightfully chic twist.

The intricate detailing on both link the styles together.

LAYER COLOR Give your table depth with layers of colors. A golden saffron dinner plate deepening into persimmon salad and appetizer plates enrich the color story.

3 COMPLEMENT Don’t make the mistake of getting too matchy-matchy.

This slate blue napkin (blue is orange’s complement on the color wheel) provides just the right contrast.

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GLASSWARE Anything goes, within your palette.

This amber pressed glass and hint-of-pink wineglass echo the autumnal hues of the table.

TABLE RUNNER A backdrop for the bounty that won’t conceal the beautiful table underneath.

This pumpkin cloth plays up the coppery hues of Cambria’s “Aberdeen.”

Looking for some color inspiration for a great table setting (or anything else, for that matter)? Explore thousands of color schem es at kuler.adobe.com.

GET THE LOOK: “Cambria” [no relation] dinnerware, $136 for 16-piece set, Pottery Barn; potterybarn.com. “Antique Floral” and “Ivory Handle” flatware, $5.95 per piece, Sur la Table; surlatable.com. “On the Rise” wine glass, $18; “Fleur-De-Lys” juice glass, $6, Anthropologie; anthropologie.com. “Linen Hemstitch” napkin in “Blue Smoke,” $54 for set of 6, Pottery Barn.

“Anchor” glass cake stand, $8.39, Target; target.com. “Antique Silver” pitcher in “Pour” size, $79, Pottery Barn. Cupcakes from Queen of Cakes, Edina, MN; queen-of-cakes.com.

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trend report

CODE RED: STYLE EMERGENCY? REVIVE A TIRED PIECE OF FURNITURE WITH A COAT OF FIRE-ENGINE RED PAINT. benjamin moore “exotic red” #2086-10

ONE DRAMATIC PIECE, SET AGAINST RED, BECOMES A SHOW-STOPPER, LIKE THIS GORGEOUS VENETIAN GLASS CHANDELIER.

CARDIGAN REDTM Classic CollectionTM © Cambria 2011

VA VA VA VOOM! RED ADDS SEX APPEAL: A CUSTOM TABLE topped WITH CAMBRIA IN RICH “CARDIGAN RED” PERCHES ON CURVACEOUS SILVER LEGS.

THE HOT SEAT: ADD A RED CHAIR AND WATCH YOUR LIVING ROOM TAKE OFF! THE FLORENCE KNOLL LOUNGE CHAIR HAS BEEN A MODERN ICON SINCE 1954.

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By Interior Designer billy Beson, ASID, CID // Photos by steve henke

RED HOT There’s a reason iconic logos from Coke to Target to the Red Cross all use the same color: Harness the attention-getting power of red in your home with these tips

R

ed is the color of passion, attraction, bold gestures and warning.

As the color with the strongest chroma, or intensity, red has the power to make an instant statement—to revive or spice up a room, or add sexiness to a space.

But it can also overpower other elements, so you need to use it judiciously. Here are tips for how to add the spark of red to a room successfully:

Red works wonders with neutrals. Just a shot of it—a

red leather chair, a red-topped table, some graphic pillows or a painting—can liven up a room filled with beiges, taupes, whites or grays.

Red is said to stimulate the appetite—maybe that’s why it’s a

have red walls in a room, keep furnishings neutral. Red works well with nearly all woods, metals, and many stones.

favorite for dining rooms. To choose the right red for your walls, I recommend leaning toward a warm red (one with a yellow undertone) versus a cool red (one with a blue undertone). Warmer reds, such as poppy and tomato, or browner reds such as bittersweet and brick, are more flattering and tend to work better with other colors.

signs.) So consider where you apply it: The silhouette of any red object will really pop. Some curvy red candlesticks or a bouquet of flowers can make a strong statement.

A good way to find a red paint you can live with

Red can be a fun way to brighten up a kitchen.

is to choose a red in a fabric, rug, wallpaper, artwork or even from nature, and match it. Always try out several shades of red paint on the wall first, and view at different times of day, including nighttime.

(For some specific suggestions, see the swatches at right.)

Red looks fabulous with black and white. Pair it with

charcoal sketches in silver frames, houndstooth check or gray flannel stripes.

Don’t overdo a good thing. Red needs to be tem-

pered with neutrals such as white, cream, camel or silvery gray. If you

Red says “pay attention to me.” (Think red sports cars and stop

Consider a red KitchenAid mixer (red is one of their most popular colors) or other small appliance, a kitchen clock or a set of bowls.

Perfect Pairings Some of my favorite reds pair beautifully with rich Cambria neutrals:

Cambria BellinghamTM with Benjamin Moore #2000-20 “Tricycle Red”

While red lacquered walls are as classic as red lipstick, textured or variegated

reds can be easier to handle.

A red damask, a two-tone red stripe, or a pattern with red, such as an Oriental carpet, make red very livable.

Cambria WellingtonTM with Benjamin Moore #1322 “Ladybug Red”

Want just a touch of red?

Consider painting the inside of an armoire lacquer red, or papering a powder room or closet with a red patterned wallpaper.

Get the Look: Venetian glass chandelier by La Murrina, from Collection on 5; lamurrina.us. Red faux crocodile fabric from Norbar at KDR Showrooms, through designers; norbarfabrics.com. Florence Knoll Lounge Chair in “Cato” fabric, from Knoll; knoll.com.

Cake (atop chest) from Queen of Cakes, Edina, MN; queen-of-cakes.com.

Cambria WhitneyTM with Benjamin Moore #2086-10 “Exotic Red”

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Photograph by The Selby

Tips from the pros for great kitchen storage

By Jill kirchner Simpson

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hile the primary function of a kitchen may be cooking, when you consider what consumes the most real estate in this pivotal room, it’s all about storage. Storage plays an essential role in how well a kitchen functions: Is it easy to find what you need, put away the groceries, unload the dishwasher? How well does it work for making lunches, cooking for a dinner party, or choreographing the intricate ballet of the entire family trying to grab breakfast at the same time? No matter how large or small the room, if it’s not well organized and efficiently arranged, if there are cluttered counters and overflowing recycling bins, it will undermine the space as well as your sanity. So we went to the pros—four top kitchen designers and a professional organizer—who specialize in solving these issues every day to get answers to your most pressing kitchen storage questions and dilemmas.

OUR PANEL OF PROS

Your top kitchen storage questions answered!

What are the key storage elements you always recommend when a client is remodeling or building a kitchen?

Kelly Morisseau, CMKBD, is a kitchen designer in northern California, and author of the recently released book, Kelly’s Kitchen Sync (Springline Media). She blogs at kellyskitchensync.com.

Erica Ecker, aka “The Spacialist,” is a professional organizer in New York City who’s been named “Best Space Organizer” by New York magazine multiple times; thespacialist.com.

Lyn Peterson, president and creative director of Motif Designs, in Mount Vernon, New York, is the author of Real Life Kitchens and Real Life Renovating (Clarkson Potter); motif-designs.com.

Jennifer Howard is the principal of JWH Design & Cabinetry in Rye, New York, and a master kitchen designer and space planner; jwhdesigns.com.

Jamie Goldberg, AKBD, is a designer of kitchens and baths in San Diego, Calif., whose blog, “Gold Notes” can be found at her website, jgkitchens.com.

» Jennifer Howard: The “standards” in every kitchen I design are: a double trash/recycling pullout; cutlery dividers; spice rack either inside the cabinet door or in a drawer; deep drawers for pots and pans; drawers for snacks and leftover containers; and a set of vertical tray dividers. » Jamie Goldberg: I love roll-out shelves for base and pantry cabinets; peg systems and lid holders within pots-and-pans drawers; drawer dividers and in-drawer knife holders; tray dividers; back-of-door storage for sink base cabinets; and swing-outs for corner cabinets. If drawers are deep enough, I like to specify two-tiered cutlery dividers to increase the capacity of any drawer. » Lyn Peterson: A vertical divider one-third of the way back in pots-and-pans drawers to hold pot lids or Tupperware lids. Micro-designed custom cutlery inserts. I have them made at a local Lucite fabricator at very little cost. It’s amazing what you can fit in a drawer when it’s organized. » Erica Ecker: Pull-out shelves, which you can add to a standard base cabinet, are life-changing.

What are some good organizers that you can retrofit or add to existing, older cabinets?

» Lyn: My fifty-year-old kitchen cabinets are

completely retrofitted with roll-out shelves and bins in the base cabinets, pull-out trash bins, cutlery and knife block inserts for drawers; pull-out bins for beneath the sink; and tray dividers. Even in a new kitchen, interior amenities are often better outsourced from companies like Rubbermaid and the Outwater catalog so you can custom-fit them to your needs. » Erica: There are terrific accessories available through companies like Rev-A-Shelf, Shelf Genie, and Elfa at The Container Store. If your cabinets

aren’t too old, you may even be able to contact the manufacturer and order pull-out shelves for your base cabinets, for example.

Do you recommend drawers rather than base cabinets, or some of each?

» Jennifer: I am a big believer in drawers. I like

them for pots and pans, dish storage, kids’ snacks— any area that gets a lot of use. You still need standard base cabinets for items like small appliances, and then a roll-out shelf increases functionality. » Jamie: I love three-drawer cabinets, where the top is standard and the bottom two are deep. However, if you’re on a tight budget, roll-out trays in standard base cabinets will save money. » Erica: It depends on what you’re putting in there—service for 16 is going to make a drawer too heavy; canisters and oil bottles don’t work because you can’t see what’s in them (then narrow, two-sided pull-outs are better). And if it’s not a really wellmade drawer, they tend to fall apart with heavy or high-use items over time.

What are some of the most clever storage ideas you’ve used or seen?

» Jennifer: In an older home, we found “hidden”

space under a set of stairs. We created a double-wide appliance garage that recessed into the wall and was concealed with paneling to match the cabinetry. » Erica: One of my favorite tricks is to order extra shelves for the refrigerator. I’ve had clients with towering piles of stuff in the refrigerator—one call to the fridge manufacturer to buy two extra shelves made all the difference.

The toekick beneath the cabinets is completely wasted space—you can turn it into a shallow drawer for large platters and trays.

If you’re really pressed for counter space, you can buy dish-drainer racks that can be installed above the sink.

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—Erica Ecker

What’s the most common mistake people make that leads to a disorganized kitchen?

» Kelly: Not placing items within their particular work zone. If you have to walk across the room, wait for your son to close the refrigerator door, dance around the dog and back again simply to get the flour or mixer for baking, you’re taking more steps and time than you need to. » Erica: Not storing like items together. When you’re making your grocery list, you don’t want to go on a scavenger hunt to determine if you have baking powder. It can help to label shelves for pasta, canned goods, baking supplies, etc. so everyone knows where to find and put away things.

When there’s enough room, do you recommend a walk-in pantry rather than pantry cabinets?

» Jennifer: I love to incorporate a walk-in pantry if possible—it’s a great way to maximize storage and control costs because it’s less expensive to construct 20 |

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than cabinetry. It’s best for overflow cooking and serving items, small appliances and bulk food storage.

Once a box of crackers or cereal has been opened, it should be moved into the regular kitchen cabinets. » Lyn: Pantry cabinets are a poor substitute for a real pantry. Shelves open to the floor are great for heavy things like large bags of dog food. I recommend installing shelves at these heights: 18, 30, 42, 54, 66 and 80 inches. This spacing always works!

What are some overlooked storage opportunities and ways to take advantage of them?

» Erica: Go vertical: Install a rail system on the

backsplash, like those by Hafele and IKEA, to hold cooking utensils, paper towels and spices. Use the backs of cabinet and pantry doors: Elfa door units can hold water bottles or soda bottles in the pantry, or spices on a cabinet door. » Jennifer: We often add extra depth to cabinets to increase their capacity. For example, a standard upper cabinet at 12 to 13 inches deep can be increased to 16 inches without much added cost, yet it allows an extra row of glassware or food items. » Kelly: Add shallow base cabinets that are 12 to 18

Designer: Lorcan O’Herlihy/ Julian Waas photography

“Go vertical: Install a rail system on the backsplash to hold cooking utensils, paper towels and spices.”

» Kelly morisseau: I like to add shallow drawers hidden inside a larger drawer—great for pot lids or Cuisinart accessories.

to control 5 ways counter clutter

A ceiling-mounted pot rack over an island or range will increase storage and keep pots within easy reach.

inches deep to the end of a cabinet run, or on the back side of an island or peninsula. They’re perfect for small appliances, cookbooks or toddlers’ cereal bowls at that heart-stopping age when they think climbing on the counter to reach the cabinets is fun! » Lyn: I am often pulling base cabinets forward to create a larger, deeper counter surface, which is helpful given all the appliances and accessories we tend to keep there, and it’s better proportioned for today’s larger kitchens.

What are some things that would be better stored outside the kitchen?

» Erica: Anything seasonal, or used infrequently— the ice cream maker, fondue pot, cookie cutters, turkey platter and big roasting pan, etc. Service for 16 when you rarely serve more than eight. Way more mugs or leftover containers (often missing lids) than you could ever use. Store infrequently used items in the laundry, basement, pantry or garage. Store extra china and platters in the dining room. » Jennifer: Most people end up with an overflowing “junk” drawer in the kitchen, so we size it and organize it properly for the basics, such as pens, paper, scissors, stamps. We also know one wall cabinet will inevitably start stacking up with BandAids, medicines and sunscreens. Ideally those items should be relocated to the powder room.

DRawers can be fitted with adjustable dividers to provide customized storage. the orga-line system from blum has options for both deep and shallow drawers.

A Magnetic knife holder on a wall or backsplash is a great space-saver.

get the look (from top): Perforated stoneware potato crock, $39.95; Enclume compact pot rack in hammered steel, $320; Global magnetic knife bar, $165; Red rooster cast-iron kitchen twine holder, $24.95, all at surlatable.com. Blanca stackable glass canisters by Guzzini, $15.99-$22.99, containerstore.com.

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What are your favorite solutions to these common storage challenges:

For Kitchen Cabinet & Drawer Organizers containerstore.com stacksandstacks.com organize.com rubbermaid.com rev-a-shelf.com shelfgenie.com outwatercatalogs.com cabinetparts.com blum.com

size and you’re always jiggering things around to fit something in. » Jennifer: Most people want to conceal the toaster oven or coffeemaker, and these “hot” appliances should not be concealed behind doors. If I can steal hidden space, a lift-up door panel is ideal. Otherwise, I organize them according to frequency of use in drawers, roll-out shelves or the pantry. » Erica: Small appliances are huge space eaters.

Keep out only the things you use every day, such as a coffeemaker and toaster, in a spot off the “main drag”—not where you chop and prep food. Another option: an under-counter spring-loaded shelf made for heavy appliances like a KitchenAid mixer.

Sports bottles and sippy cups

» Jennifer: In a lower drawer in the kitchen, for

easy access by the kids. If you don’t have a drawer, you can install a pull-out bin such as the Elfa ones at The Container Store. On shelves, they just tend to get knocked over.

Reusable shopping/grocery bags

» Erica: These should be stored, nested inside one

another, in the trunk of your car. Once you’ve unloaded the groceries, put them on the front doorknob to remember to take them back out to the car with you. » Kelly: In the pantry or elsewhere in the home. Why spend hundreds of dollars on a nice cabinet to fill it with five-cent bags?

Cell phones, iPods and chargers

» Kelly: In an appliance garage or wall cabinet that

Spices

extends to the counter, fitted with an electrical outlet strip.

The toekick beneath the cabinets —typically wasted space—can be used for a shallow drawer to store large platters and trays.

» Lyn: You don’t need anything fancy. I store mine

in a shallow, 18-inch-wide drawer without any special insert. » Jennifer: I prefer spices in a rack on the inside of a wall cabinet door, so that it faces the cook at the stove. A slanted drawer rack can also work well as long as the jars are all similarly sized. » Erica: My three favorites: a drawer with stepped organizers; a lazy Susan on a cabinet shelf; or a narrow vertical pull-out cabinet where you can see what you have on both sides.

Peg systems offer customizable solutions for pots, lids and wine storage. try rev-a-shelf or hafele.

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toekick drawer photo: © Kristian Septimius Krogh/ iStockphoto; peg system photo: Leicht Cabinets

GREAT SOURCES

Small appliances: garage or not?

» Lyn: Garages are a pain. They’re never just the right

Knives

» Jennifer: Our showroom has knife slots built into a top

drawer secured with a magnetic childproof lock—a good idea if you have kids. » Kelly: A magnetic knife rack, mounted on the wall or backsplash, is a great space-saver.

for your 6 Solutions “command center”

Oils and vinegars

» Kelly: A narrow condiment pull-out or a wall niche.

Oversize platters and bowls

» Jennifer: A tall pantry: I designate the lowest shelves for

oversize bowls, the middle shelves for easy-to-reach food items (pastas, cereals, canned goods), and then I add extra shelves close together at eye level to slide in ceramic serving trays without having to stack them. In the upper section, lighter serving trays can be stored on their sides in vertical tray dividers. » Lyn: On pull-out shelves, or in a pantry or furniture piece. » Kelly: Base cabinet vertical tray dividers for platters; above the refrigerator or oven; or the pantry.

get papers up off the counter with a magnetic wall pocket.

Calendar, school notices, invitations, etc.

» Jennifer: We add a corkboard or magnetic stainless steel

to the inside of a cabinet door at the “command center” or desk. Or on a wall in the walk-in pantry, to keep important information close by, without being highly visible. » Erica: Magazine butlers or sorters (one slot for each child) can organize papers vertically so they take up less space. Or a shallow wall pocket (usually made of plastic or metal) can be hung inside a cabinet door for papers.

Stow loose items like coupons, schedules and recipes in calendar pages with a pocket.

dry erase goes glam! notes become art on a bamboo dryerase board.

A narrow pull-out drawer near the stove is an ideal home for cooking oils and condiments. Adjustable dividers from Orga-Line

by Blum keep order.

get the look (from top): Daily System modular organizer, $54 per module, potterybarn.com. Collator for papers and files, $30, russellandhazel.com. Magnetic stainless steel wall pocket, $21.99, containerstore.com. Bedford large recharging station, $79, potterybarn.com. SmartDate calendar sleeves, $18, russellandhazel.com.

Bamboo dry-erase board, $59.95, cb2.com.

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From the legends of yesterday, like Johnny Cash, to the fast-rising stars of today, like Josh Turner, Nashville’s iconic Grand Ole Opry links country music’s past, present and future

By REED RICHARDSON Photos by GEORGE holz Ask Josh Turner about the iconic role the Grand Ole Opry plays in shaping country music and he might easily point to his own memorable debut on its stage ten years ago. It was the Friday before Christmas and late in the show when Country Music Hall of Famer Bill Anderson introduced to the Opry audience a 24-yearold singer/songwriter with piercing blue eyes and a deep baritone voice honeyed over with a South Carolina Lowcountry accent.

Though he had just signed a record deal, Turner was still relatively unknown and had essentially begged his way onto that night’s bill. Given just enough time to sing one song, he somewhat boldly chose one of his own, a gospel country tune he’d written after a long night of listening to one of his childhood idols, country legend Hank Williams. By the time Turner finished singing the first verse, the audience was spontaneously clapping in approval; by the end of the chorus, they were

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did you know?

To maintain a connection to the Opry’s long history, a six-footround section of oak from the Ryman’s center stage—called the “unbroken circle”—has been inlaid into the new theater’s stage.

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already on their feet, cheering. When the raucous ovation didn’t stop even after he’d finished the song and started exiting the stage, show emcee Anderson politely told Turner to get back out there and sing it again. So, in something of a daze—he forgot the order of the verses and stumbled a bit through the chorus—he did. After yet another standing ovation, a disbelieving Turner staggered backstage to his dressing room and collapsed into a couch. Just moments later, the man whom Turner had pleaded with for a spot in the show came in, and he spoke the words that country music artists have longed to hear for four generations: “You can come back to the Opry anytime.”

“That moment onstage for Josh was one I will never forget,” recalls the man responsible for giving Turner his big break, longtime Opry general manager Pete Fisher. “It

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was truly witnessing a star being born.” Indeed, millions of album sales and multiple chart-topping singles later, Turner’s status as a fast-rising star in the country music firmament is well established. But then, the Opry has a long and storied history as the launching pad for the biggest names in country music; something that Turner says wasn’t lost on him that fateful night a decade ago.

“All I could think about was Hank Williams and the six or seven encores he had gotten for ‘Lovesick Blues’ in his Opry debut and I’m just trying to digest all this as I’m singing my song,” recalls Turner, the wonderment of that moment still evident in his voice. “It was hard to take in, but there I was standing in the same spot that Roy Acuff had stood, and Ernest Tubb and Marty Robbins; the list goes on and on and on. It was just a dream come true for me.”

turner photo: © George holz; Timeline. George Hay, WSM Tower: © Grand Old Opry Archives; roy acuff: © Underwood & Underwood/Corbis; minnie pearl: Michael Ochs Archives/ Getty images; ryman auditorium: © Kevin Fleming/Corbis

“That moment onstage for Josh was one I will never forget.

It was truly witnessing a star being born.”

—longtime Opry general manager Pete Fisher, the man responsible for giving Turner his big break

Standing on the Spot That spot behind the microphone at center stage of the Grand Ole Opry has been the foremost crucible of country music for longer than most fans can remember. So long, in fact, that its stature even predates the term “country music” itself. And without that spot—which is known far and wide to country music fans as “the unbroken circle”—it’s unlikely that Nashville would have ever become “Nashville—Music City, U.S.A.” “If the Grand Ole Opry hadn’t grown up by itself, country music would have had to invent something like it,” writes historian Paul Kingsbury in his book The Grand Ole Opry History of Country Music. That country music’s heart and soul won’t be found cloistered away in a museum or stuck inside a recording studio, but rather onstage at the Grand Ole Opry, is no coincidence. Since the show’s first AM radio broadcast from a cramped, sixth-floor studio back in 1925, the Opry has come to embody country music’s past, present and future precisely because of its unyielding commitment to the spontaneity of live performances. “It’s a living, breathing link to the past that continues to be revitalized by new talents,” Kingsbury says.

New talents not unlike Turner, who, after returning to play the Opry dozens of times in the years following his debut, was inducted as a full-time member in 2007. (Only 29 years old at the time, Turner became the Opry’s youngest member.) “I just love how you can go there and hear a lot of different styles of country music and hear artists from a lot of different eras and get a picture of what country music really is,” Turner says. But he also notes that being a member of the Opry is about giving back to the institution and the fans that helped to launch his career. “I was extremely honored to have that bestowed upon me so soon. But I knew then and I still know now that being committed to playing a show like the Opry requires a lot of responsibility.”

86 years At the opry At 8 p.m. on November 28, 1925, the “Barn Dance” radio show debuts on Nashville radio station WSM-AM. Featuring competitive fiddling, folk music and countrywestern tunes, the show is hosted by WSM program director George D. Hay, who assumes the on-air persona of “The Solemn Old Judge,” though he is only 30 years old.

1932 Broadcasting from what is the world’s tallest radio tower at the time (838 feet) WSM increases its signal power to 50,000 watts, allowing it to reach from the Rocky Mountains to Canada to the Florida Keys.

February 5, 1938 Roy Acuff makes his Opry debut. Over the following decades, Acuff, now considered to be the “King of Country Music,” will make the Opry one of the most popular music shows in the nation.

1939 The Opry takes up a four-year residence at Nashville’s War Memorial Auditorium and begins charging admission (25 cents).

November, 1940 Legendary comedienne Minnie Pearl joins the Opry. She will continue to perform wearing her trademark straw hat with the $1.98 price tag still attached for the next five decades.

June 5, 1943 The Opry settles in for a threedecade residency at downtown Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium, a former gospel tabernacle turned 3,000-seat music hall that features oak pews.

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May 3, 2010, A historic flood of the Cumberland River swamps much of Nashville and the Grand Ole Opry House in nearly four feet of water. It will take almost five months and close to $20 million to restore and renovate the theater.

October 1943 NBC Radio begins broadcasting the Opry through its 140 network affiliates nationwide.

As the oldest continually broadcast radio show in the country, the Opry has a longstanding tradition of honoring that responsibility and of taking an uncompromising approach to the old showbiz cliché, “The show must go on.” Indeed, after 86 years on the air and thousands of broadcasts, the Opry has only cancelled a handful of live shows in its long history—an amazing record. But nothing from the show’s sometimes challenging past—the numerous relocations to new venues, the rise of rock ’n’ roll, a corporate sell-off and several generational cycles of talent turnover—could compare to what the Opry confronted on the morning of May 3, 2010.

“We’d gotten close to 15 inches of rain in the Nashville area that weekend,” recalls Opry General Manager Fisher.

“Still, the regularly scheduled Friday and Saturday night shows had gone off without any problems.” So, when Fisher and the rest of the Opry House staff returned to work that

June 11, 1949 Hank Williams, Sr. joins the Grand Ole Opry.

October 2, 1954 Elvis Presley makes his one and only Grand Ole Opry appearance. After the crowd’s decidedly tepid response, he’s reportedly told after the show to go back to Memphis and resume his truck-driving career.

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next Monday morning, they, like thousands of others in the Nashville area, were unprepared for the devastation that awaited them. At the Opry complex, nearly four feet of water had swamped the theater and nearby museum. With no other way to survey the damage, Fisher and another employee decided to pile into a small boat and paddle their way through the Opry House.

Undaunted, Fisher and his staff scrambled to find an alternate location for the Opry’s regularly scheduled Tuesday night performance, which was less than 36 hours away.

Somewhat miraculously, they pulled it off. “We mounted a show the very next day at the War Memorial Auditorium, which was coincidentally a former home of the Opry,” notes Fisher. And for the rest of the summer, the Opry continued to hopscotch around Nashville. In all, it landed at six different venues, including another of its former homes, the legendary Ryman Auditorium, all without missing a single show.

July 7, 1956 The Opry welcomes Johnny Cash as its newest member.

1959 Dolly Parton makes her debut performance at the Opry. She will officially join the Opry’s cast 10 years later.

March 5, 1963 The darkest day in Opry history, as a plane crash results in the death of three of the show’s headliners—Patsy Cline, Hawkshaw Hawkins, and Cowboy Copas—as well as that of Cline’s manager, Randy Hughes.

March, 1968 In Nashville to record their seminal album, Sweetheart of the Rodeo, The Byrds become the first rock band to ever play the Opry.

nashville photo: © Jeff Gentner/ Getty Images; opry stage door: Chris Hollo/Hollo Photographics, Inc./ Grand Old Opry; hank williams: Michael Ochs Archives/ Getty images; johnny cash: Frank Driggs Collection/Getty Images; byrds: Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images; turner opry dressing room: © George holz

46 Inches of Trouble

The Opry’s ‘Debuts’ dressing room

josh turner biography

Born: Nov. 20, 1977, Hannah, South Carolina Wife: Jennifer, married in 2003 Sons: Hampton, 5 Colby, 2 Crawford, 9 months Hobbies: Hunting, camping First time performing: Age 5, in church choir Musical Influences: Hank Williams, Randy Travis, Johnny Cash Graduated: Belmont University, August 2001 Signed a record deal: November 2001 Opry Debut: December 20, 2001, Played and encored “Long Black Train” Opry Induction: October 27, 2007

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Desert CollectionTM © Cambria 2011

Discography: Long Black Train, 2003 (platinum) Your Man, 2006 (double platinum) Everything is Fine, 2007 (gold) Haywire, 2010 As yet untitled album, late 2011 Hit Singles (chart peak-year): “Your Man” (#1-2005) “Would You Go With Me” (#1-2006) “Firecracker” (#2-2007) “Why Don’t We Just Dance?” (#1-2009) “All Over Me” (#1-2010)

“I think the variety of [the music] and the honesty of it really makes the Opry what it is.”—josh turner

Industry Recognition: Six-time Inspirational Country Music Award winner Seven-time Country Music Association Award nominee Two-time Grammy Award nominee

The Opry’s “Friends and Neighbors” dressing room

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Desert CollectionTM © Cambria 2011

Restoring the Glory

many of the opry’s 17 renovated dressing rooms feature cambria countertops for their durable, maintenancefree quality. each room is dedicated to a different theme, such as bluegrass, patriotism and honky tonk angels, just to name a few.

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But while the show went on elsewhere, a large band of carpenters, designers and restoration experts descended upon the Opry House. The damage to the theater was extensive and costly. All of the orchestra-level seating as well as the backstage area had to be totally gutted, and early estimates of the renovation costs totaled $17 million. What’s more, because the Opry staff was determined to reopen the theater in time for the show’s 85th birthday, just six months later, in October 2010, time was short.

“Right after the flood, I got a call,” recalls Kathy Anderson, who owns an interior design firm near downtown Nashville. “I grew up listening to the Opry, so it was a perfect project for me.” Tasked with redesigning the green room, makeup room, and each of the Opry’s 17 dressing rooms, Anderson ended up creating a different theme for each space. (Among the more notable are rooms dedicated to Bluegrass, Patriotism, Cousin Minnie Pearl, and Honky Tonk Angels.) “My team didn’t get to sleep much that summer,” she recalls, laughing.

The post-flood Opry stands as an appropriate mix of form and function—new seating and contemporary lighting complement antique rugs and historical photos. The backstage areas, which

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serve as the Opry’s hardest working spaces, required extra attention to strike this perfect balance, Anderson says. “Dressing room countertops get a lot of abuse, so we needed a surface that could withstand everything from hot curling irons to heavy amps and not get stained by makeup either,” she explains. “We really liked Cambria because we needed something that would look glamorous and yet be very durable and maintenance-free as well.”

For his part, Cambria CEO Marty Davis couldn’t be happier that his company’s products have found a home at the Opry.

“Cambria, as a family-owned company, places great emphasis on honoring legacy and tradition,” Davis says. “We are honored that our product, Cambria, born out of our family’s history and with its American-made roots, is a small part of the rebirth of the Opry, which itself has a long legacy of family history and American heritage.”

An Opry members’ preview of the backstage area, just hours before the show’s emotional homecoming broadcast on September 28th of last year, earned rave reviews. “The older members that came through said they really liked it because it paid respect to Opry history,” Anderson recalls, “while the newer members thought the designs were also very hip.”

dressing room: Chris Hollo/Hollo Photographics, Inc./ Grand Old Opry; nixon: ©David Hume Kennerly/Getty Images; underwood: © Josh Anderson/ AP Images

March 16, 1974 The Opry debuts at a modern 4,400-seat theater in the Opryland USA complex with special guest star President Richard Nixon, who plays piano while serenading his wife, Pat, with “Happy Birthday.”

March 4, 1978 PBS broadcasts the Grand Ole Opry live on TV for the first time.

April 13, 1985 The Grand Ole Opry Live debuts as a half-hour show on the Gaylord-owned cable TV channel, The Nashville Network.

November 15, 1992 The Grand Ole Opry program is inducted into the National Radio Hall of Fame.

May 10, 2008 Carrie Underwood is inducted into the Opry.

January 4, 2003 To commemorate the 50th anniversary of country music legend Hank Williams’ death, his namesake son and grandson perform at the Opry.

October 8-9, 2010 The Opry celebrates its 85th birthday with a two-night performance featuring stars Trace Adkins, Dolly Parton and Taylor Swift.

May 4, 2010 With water still standing in its regular home, the Opry temporarily returns to the War Memorial Auditorium for its regular Tuesday night show. Over the next few months, the Opry won’t miss a single scheduled performance as it moves between five other nearby venues, including another of its former homes, the Ryman Auditorium.

Everything New is Old Eventually

Living Landmark

This tension between the old and the new, between history and modernity, reaches back to show’s earliest days, says Opry Museum Curator Brenda Colladay. “Nowadays, we get lots of Opry fans telling us who they don’t like and why this or that artist doesn’t deserve to be on stage,” she explains. “And that’s great, because it means people are listening and it means they still care.” Still, she points out that, just like Turner, even the biggest stars in Opry history were all unknown artists at one time. “Plus, it’s important to remember that in 1939, Bill Monroe’s bluegrass music was new music; the songs that Johnny Cash performed in the 1960s were new songs.” And though country music earned its own Billboard sales chart in 1949, Colladay notes that its artists have always borrowed liberally from other musical forms, whether they be swing, Tin Pan Alley, gospel, folk, pop, rock ’n’ roll or even rap. “Country music,” she emphasizes, “has never existed in a vacuum.”

Fisher, who still books the 190 live shows put on by the Opry each year, agrees. “Nowadays we don’t apologize for putting a very traditional performer next to a contemporary performer. In fact, we celebrate it. We always say, ‘If you don’t like what you are hearing right now, wait three minutes, I bet you’ll like the next thing.’” And it’s true. At no other venue can music fans regularly see fast-rising stars—like Turner or Taylor Swift—perform right alongside established legends— like Bill Anderson or Emmylou Harris.

“When you go to an Opry show, you’ll not only hear artists from a lot of different eras, you’ll hear a lot of different styles of country music as well,” adds Turner. As a self-proclaimed student of country music history, Turner says the curation and cross-pollination that takes place on the Opry stage makes for a great musical education and is a big part of its appeal to him and many fans as well. “I think the variety of it and the honesty of it really makes the Opry what it is.”

As one of Nashville’s most popular tourist destinations—nearly half a million fans attend a live show annually—the Opry’s status as an American musical icon is now secure. Nevertheless, to keep the show vibrant, the Opry continues to explore the latest frontiers and expand its reach to better connect its artists and fans. Indeed, there are now numerous other ways to enjoy the Opry besides tuning in to the show’s longtime radio home in Nashville, WSM AM650. There are the syndicated Opry broadcasts on 200 radio stations nationwide, Friday and Saturday night show broadcasts on Sirius XM satellite radio (Channel 56 – “Willie’s Roadhouse”), occasional Opry TV specials on the Great American Country network, and live streaming performances at the Opry.com website. And let’s not forget Facebook (180,000 friends and counting), Twitter (more than 40,000 followers), and, of course, the Opry’s iPhone and Android apps.

“I would hate to think of the Opry ever becoming like a museum piece,” Colladay says. “If it did, it would die. That’s why it has to continue to embrace the new artists. The Opry expands their horizons, and, in turn, they expand the Opry’s horizons.”

But the key to it all, she says, is that magical connection between artist and audience that only exists at a live show. “No one has yet figured out how to turn the experience of seeing a live show into a bunch of ones and zeroes,” Colladay says, with more than just a trace of relief in her voice. “It’s really the secret weapon of all music—there’s nothing like seeing it live. And that’s what the Grand Ole Opry still does best.”

As someone who’s experienced firsthand the life-changing power of a live Opry performance, Turner couldn’t agree more.

“Our job as Opry members is to continue to spread country music to those who’ve never given country music a chance,” he says. “It’s a great family to be a part of.” Country music’s past, present and future might not always look or sound the same, in other words, but thanks to the Opry, it’s all part of the same unbroken circle.

behind the scenes: Snap this code for a video of Josh Turner at the Grand Ole Opry. Go to get.neoreader.com on your smartphone, or visit www. cambriastyle.com/ winter2012.

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Houseof the Future

By Jill KIRCHNER Simpson Photos by STEVE Henke

It’s constructed to be high-tech, low-maintainence,

but designer Ramsin Khachi also made sure this is a beautiful, livable home

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Khachi designed a custom edge treatment and bump-out for the cambria “Torquay” counters. The same material is used on the backsplash, for a sleek, uniform look.

torquayTM

Waterstone CollectionTM © Cambria 2011

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T a compost bin recessed into the island’s Cambria countertop makes for easy, eco-friendly clean-up. Khachi custom-designed a walnut cutting board to hug its curves.

his 23-year-old split-level house in Oakville, a suburb west of Toronto, doesn’t look like some jet-set house of the future, all sleek, white and modern. In fact, it’s filled with classical details and timeless materials. But when Toronto designer Ramsin Khachi purchased and set out to redo the poorly-constructed house, he gave a great deal of thought to how to make each room function as ideally as possible. He incorporated state-of-the-art technology and amenities, without capitulating to the idea that that meant creating a minimalist, sterile shell. “The idea of this house is to enjoy life, and not be at the mercy of caretaking. We do a lot of high-end projects with beautiful materials, but one of the biggest complaints from clients is that they have to be so careful about maintaining them. That’s why I chose to use Cambria throughout—it’s a beautiful and versatile material, and it’s incredibly

durable and easy to care for. You don’t have to worry about every red-wine or coffee spill and when you do clean up, it’s just warm water and a cloth.”

Khachi thought through every element in terms of convenience as well as energy efficiency: Instead of having to run water in the shower for several minutes until it gets warm, he installed a motion sensor that sends hot water through the pipes as soon as someone walks into the bathroom. When the hot water is not in use, the pump shuts off to save energy. He designed all the drains to funnel into one main pipe, where he installed a heat recovery system, saving 30% on hot water heating bills. All the tile floors—in the bathrooms, laundry room and mudroom (including the shower bench and floor)—are radiant heated, for energy-efficient warmth.

That also helps quickly dry up moisture, preventing mold and mildew. The laundry room and mudroom were separated (“Why

torquayTM

Waterstone CollectionTM © Cambria 2011

a central server allows you to control thermostats, keypads and security cameras via the web. The ipad can serve as a universal remote for the TVs and stereo system.

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torquayTM

Waterstone CollectionTM © Cambria 2011

A custom ledge of cambria’s “torquay” makes a seamless transition to the windowsill.

have to look at the laundry when you enter your house?” notes Khachi) and a large multipurpose sink/bath was installed in the mudroom, where the dog can be bathed, a child can rinse off muddy hands, and the cleaning buckets rinsed. The laundry room was moved upstairs near the bedrooms.

The house is accessed by a biometric keypad rather than keys. “Keys are thousands of years old, yet we still use them, even though they’re not secure,” says Khachi. “When your child comes home from school, you can program the system to send you an email to let you know they’re home. You can give workers a numeric code and program it to let them in only at specified times. We’ve used systems in the past that were too complex; this is simple enough that everyone in the family can use it.”

In the kitchen, Khachi showed off the intricate beauty that is possible with Cambria, creating a custom inlaid mural above the range with Cambria’s “Torquay” and Emperador marble, cut into an ornate pattern with water-jet technology. He also thought through all the functional issues that arise

Panels of etched glass from a centuryold pattern are inset in the bathroom millwork, adding a hint of green to the all-white bath.

The custom-cut backsplash mural features cambria’s “torquay” and Emperador marble.

WHITE CLIFFTM

Desert CollectionTM © Cambria 2011

“The idea of this house is to enjoy life, and not be at the mercy of caretaking.” —ramsin khachi C a m b r i a S t y l e . c o m

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old-world plaster moldings custom-made for the living room’s walls and ceiling give it timeless elegance.

WINDERMERETM

moving the laundry room upstairs and adding cambria counters made it convenient and lowmaintainence.

BRENTWOODTM

Cambrian CollectionTM © Cambria 2011

Cambrian CollectionTM © Cambria 2011

in the heated garage, Cambria countertops and a touch faucet make for easy cleanup. a tv puts how-to websites and diy shows within easy reach.

in a kitchen. There is a stainless steel compost bin recessed into the island for easy, eco-friendly cleanup (it can also be used as an ice bucket for entertaining) and Khachi even made a custom walnut butcher block to curve around the compost slot. The trash pull-out can be hygienically opened with the touch of a knee (instead of a dirty hand) thanks to an automated door mechanism from Blum. The rich walnut table, echoing one wall of the cabinetry, was custom-built to extend out from the island, saving space.

Nothing escaped Khachi’s consideration, including the garage. “With the price of property so high, to me, every space is valuable,” he says. “People use their garages as catchalls, they become the dump.”

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living room and patio photos; ramsin khachi

THE BACKYARD PATIO is as well-furnished as a living room, with mirrored panels and a gas fire-pit table. a SNOW-ACTIVATED SENSOR HEATS a path for grilling IN the WINTER.

Here, the garage is fitted with stainless steel wainscoting, a porcelain tile floor, high-gloss cabinetry and even a TV, for watching DIY shows or how-to videos. (All the TVs and computers are networked on a home server, so you can download movies or access the Internet on any screen.)

The garage is heated, with hot and cold running water, so it can be used year-round for carpentry projects, hobbies, car washing and more. The Cambria countertops stand up to grease and dirt, and there’s a touch faucet, so you can wash off grimy hands without getting handles dirty.

The backyard patio is as beautifully furnished as a living room, complete with a gas firepit table, and a heated path to the grill for barbecuing in winter, which is activated by a sensor when it snows!

None of these high-tech bells and whistles, however, are apparent when you walk into the home. The impression is one of luxurious, yet

supremely comfortable living. There are as many carefully chosen aesthetic elements as there are nifty gadgets. The living room, for example, boasts beautiful old-world plaster moldings, including a ceiling design inspired by a centuryold glass pattern (the glass itself can be seen in wall insets in the upstairs bath). The dining room’s wallpaper pattern is echoed in its plaster ceiling medallion. The master bedroom is a pampering two-level suite, lined with builtin cabinetry topped with illuminated display niches. The television swings down or retracts into the ceiling with the push of a button.

“I’m not interested in following trends,” says Khachi. “I like to use classical details with a contemporary twist, and materials that will stand the test of time. This was my chance to create exactly the house I wanted, without worrying about client demands.” The end result: a very livable house of the future, available today.

“I’m not interested in following trends.

I like to use classical details with a contemporary twist, and materials like Cambria that will stand the test of time.”—ramsin khachi View more photos at cambriastyle.com/winter2012

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eat+drink

Layers of Flavor

Entertain like a chef with deep, rich flavors that will dazzle your guests. It’s easier than you think ...

Photos by Steve henke

for a beautiful finish to the pumpkin soup, add dollops of CRÈME FRAÎCHE,pull a toothpick through one end and stud with a clove.

B

orn in Morocco to a Spanish mother and a Sicilian father, chef David Fhima was raised with an appreciation for delicious flavors, natural foods and good cooking. As the celebrated chef at FACES, in St. Paul, and Life Time Fitness, based in Minnesota, he is on a mission to show Americans that food that is good for you can also taste delicious.

Butter, fat and even (raw, unprocessed) sugar are not “bad” foods, says Fhima: “It’s all about eating whole, natural foods that have the least amount of processing possible,” he believes. “Fatfree, synthetic foods aren’t satisfying and leave your body craving real nutrients. When we eat foods that truly nourish us, we don’t need to eat so much.” He practices what he preaches in his restaurants, serving locally grown, organic vegetables and fruits, grassfed beef and organic dairy in dishes rich with flavor.

Fhima is passionate about demystifying cooking and luring time-pressed takeout fans into the kitchen with recipes that use only a handful of ingredients, build on basic techniques, and layer flavors to encourage improvisation. In this menu he created for Cambria Style, he plays with the fall and winter flavors of pumpkin, figs and ginger, in recipes you can easily adjust by changing the seasonings and flavors. “It doesn’t have to be complicated,” says Fhima. “A great meal, ultimately, is about the experience of sharing it with family and friends.”

TorquayTM

Waterstone CollectionTM © Cambria 2011

CINNAMON, CLOVE AND PUMPKIN SOUP Makes 6 servings

You can serve this in small cups for just a taste at a cocktail party, or in bowls as a first course. ingredients:

2 lbs. fresh organic pumpkin 2 cups skim milk 1 stick cinnamon 6 whole cloves ½ cup honey Salt and pepper to taste

Choose a window in your kitchen that can serve as an all-season herb garden. Fresh herbs can make any dish the star of the show.

mix and match glass- and tableware for an informal, eclectic feel.

A BEAM IN FHIMA’S KITCHEN SERVES AS An impromptu POT RACK, WITH THE SIMPLE ADDITION OF HOOKS AND CHAINS.

1. Peel and seed the pumpkin and cut into 2-inch cubes. Simmer in a covered pot until pumpkin is soft, about 45 minutes.

2. Add milk and simmer for about 5 minutes. Add the cinnamon stick, cloves and 2 cups of water and bring to a simmer again.

3. When liquid is reduced by half, add honey, salt and pepper to taste, and simmer for 5 more minutes while mixing well.

4. Remove soup from stove and remove cinnamon stick.

Using an immersion blender or blender, mix well. Once blended, pour through a chinois or sieve and set aside cloves. The soup should be thick yet runny.

5. Serve in individual bowls with a teaspoon of Crème Fraîche (see recipe on page 41) and a clove on top.

GOAT CHEESE, PECAN AND PUMPKIN BRÛLÉE Makes 12 servings

Sugar melting with butter and caramelizing gives the pumpkin a delicious brûlée flavor. ingredients:

TorquayTM

Waterstone CollectionTM © Cambria 2011

Goat Cheese, «Pecan and Pumpkin Brûlée

24 slices peeled fresh pumpkin (slice lengthwise like a cantaloupe, then again in half, for slices about 3" long and ¼" thick) 3 Tbsp. butter 3 Tbsp. raw sugar 1 tsp. vanilla extract 6 slices whole wheat bread, crusts removed, cut in half and lightly toasted Cinnamon Goat cheese 12 pecans 1. Slice pumpkin as directed and sauté in butter on low heat. While sautéing, drizzle with the raw sugar and vanilla, and cook until caramelized and golden brown, about 3-4 minutes.

Serve 2 pieces of pumpkin on each toast point; finish with a dusting of cinnamon, a pinch of goat cheese and a pecan.

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eat+drink

instead of serving from a large bowl, offer individual portions in colorful ramekins with fig garnishes for a personal touch.

“ ‘Healthy’ doesn’t mean deprivation: I’d rather have one teaspoon of real butter than ten tablespoons of margarine.”

perfect for nibbling: sample a tartine of tomato and mozzarella with a balsamic syrup drizzle.

» Fig Risotto

TorquayTM

Waterstone CollectionTM © Cambria 2011

Perfect Risotto: Snap this code for a video of David Fhima showing the secret to perfect risotto. Go to get.neoreader.com on your smartphone, or visit cambriastyle.com/winter2012.

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TARTINE OF TOMATOES AND MOZZARELLA

MOROCCAN POTATO AND CHORIZO PATTIES

Makes 5 servings

Makes 8-10 servings

This is like a French version of a mini pizza. Use the best quality organic tomatoes and fresh mozzarella you can find. ingredients:

5 ½-inch-thick slices of sourdough bread, toasted 2 vine-ripe tomatoes 10 small bocconcini (small, ½-inch-round balls of fresh mozzarella) Salt and pepper Virgin olive oil Balsamic Syrup (recipe below) 1. Top each slice of sourdough bread with 2 slices of tomato, 2 sliced bocconcini, a pinch of salt and pepper and a drizzle of virgin olive oil.

2. Bake at 350° until cheese is golden brown, about 7-10 minutes. Finish with a drizzle of Balsamic Syrup (see recipe below).

BALSAMIC SYRUP

Reducing balsamic vinegar into a syrup intensifies and sweetens its flavor. David Fhima likes to use it to decorate a plate or for a final garnish.

1. Take 1 cup of balsamic vinegar and cook over low heat until reduced by half.

2. Put in a squeeze bottle (such as a condiment dispenser) while still warm and chill overnight.

ingredients:

2 cups mashed potatoes 2 eggs, whisked 1 Tbsp. kosher salt 1 tsp. white pepper 4 ounces shredded Gruyère cheese ¼ and 2 cups panko (breadcrumbs) ¼ cup dry-cured Spanish chorizo, cut in small (1/8 inch) cubes 3 egg yolks ½ cup buttermilk 4 Tbsp. olive oil 1. In a bowl, mix the mashed potatoes, eggs, salt, pepper, Gruyère, ¼ cup panko crumbs, and chorizo. Form into small one-ounce patties (about two inches round and ¼ inch thick) and chill in the refrigerator for one hour.

2. In a separate bowl, mix egg yolks and buttermilk. In a second bowl, add 2 cups panko crumbs. Dip the patties into the egg mixture and then in the panko crumbs, respectively, twice.

3. When all the patties are coated, bring olive oil to sizzling hot in a nonstick pan, then add the patties.

Sear on each side until golden brown.

4. Serve with a dollop of Crème Fraîche (see recipe, right) or a drizzle of balsamic vinegar.

POTATO PATTIES GET A MOROCCAN ACCENT WITH FLAVORFUL CHUNKS OF CHORIZO.

CRÈME FRAÎCHE

Crème Fraîche can be the basis for a variety of toppings: Add vanilla and honey, and it can be icing for a cake. Add salt and pepper and it becomes sour cream; a dose of cocoa and it’s chocolate cream. Or dip strawberries into it, as they do at Wimbledon, and then freeze to chill for a delicious dessert. ingredients:

4 cups heavy cream 1 cup buttermilk 3 Tbsp. lemon juice Mix ingredients together well, cover tightly and let sit in a warm (not hot) spot for 48 hours. Stir it gently and then refrigerate it overnight. It should be thick, but still liquid, like yogurt or sour cream.

3. Once the wine is almost evaporated, add 1 cup chicken stock and stir.

Repeat this procedure 4 to 6 times, adding a cup of stock and stirring until it is absorbed, until the rice is almost fully cooked. (Taste test a few grains—it should be slightly crunchy and creamy.)

4. Add sea salt, pepper, Parmesan and milk, and simmer at very low heat while stirring occasionally.

5. In a separate pan, melt butter, then stir in honey and whole figs. When the figs are nicely coated and shiny, remove from heat and let cool. At this point, the risotto should be ready.

6. Plate risotto in a shallow bowl and add figs; the heat from the risotto will soften the figs, releasing their wonderful fragrance. Add a swirl of Ginger Beurre Blanc if desired (recipe below).

FIG RISOTTO

GINGER BEURRE BLANC

Makes 2-4 servings (quantities can be doubled or multiplied)

Makes 12 servings

ingredients:

1 Tbsp. good quality light olive oil ¼ cup diced Vidalia onion 1 cup Arborio rice 1 cup dry white wine 5-7 cups chicken stock 1 tsp. sea salt ¼ tsp. black pepper ½ cup good quality Parmesan cheese 1 cup organic whole milk 1 Tbsp. organic butter ½ tsp. raw honey 6-8 figs 1. Bring olive oil to a hot sizzle in a large sauté pan. Add Vidalia onions and sauté until caramelized.

2. Add the Arborio rice and stir to coat the rice with oil, not letting it burn.

When the rice is lightly golden (2-3 minutes), deglaze the pan with wine.

“People are afraid of sauces, but once you master this, it can become the model for all your sauces,” says Fhima. “It’s a classic French sauce, but depending on the ingredients and flavors you add, whether it’s scallions, rosemary or tomatoes and garlic, it can be Asian, French or Italian, and you can serve it on chicken, fish, vegetables or even risotto. The beurre blanc should be used right away, or you can do what professional chefs do and refrigerate it. The butter will harden, but you can then heat up the sauce in a bain marie—or “bath” of hot water—by placing the sauce in a heatproof dish placed into a shallow pan filled with hot water. Whisk the sauce as you gently heat it over the stove, adding a little white wine if needed. ingredients:

1 cup white wine 1 cup white vinegar 3 shallots, peeled, trimmed and chopped in half 1 Tbsp. fresh ginger, chopped or grated 8 oz. organic butter at room temperature, cut in ½-inch pats 1. Bring the white wine and vinegar to a boil, then add the shallots and ginger.

2. Simmer for 10-15 minutes, until the liquid has been reduced by half.

3. Whisk liquid, slowly adding butter a couple of pats at a time. Cook on the lowest heat setting and continue to whisk so as not to let the butter separate from the wine. This process is critical, but should only take about 5-8 minutes. Once all the butter has been whisked into the liquid, the sauce should be velvety soft and slightly thick.

Serve immediately.

potato and chorizo patties: Snap this code for a video of David Fhima showing how to cook the Potato and Chorizo Patties. Go to get.neoreader.com on your smartphone, or visit cambriastyle.com/ winter2012.

Go to cambriastyle.com/winter2012 for a video of David Fhima preparing Beurre Blanc.

TorquayTM

Waterstone CollectionTM © Cambria 2011

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eat+drink

Wine Chocolate Tasteful pointers for pairing mouthwatering chocolates and wines Photo by steve henke

to pair wines and desserts, find a wine that is just one degree sweeter than the food on your plate.

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Lighter chocolates and desserts pair best to lighter wines, and darker, richer chocolates fit a more full-bodied wine.

Fruit fillings love a juicy, fruity wine like Zinfandel or a sparkling sweet wine, while savory ingredients like salt and bacon pair best to rich, fortified wines like sherry and Madeira.

T

How to Taste Artisanal Chocolates

he story of a fine chocolate begins with its origins. Terroir—the local growing environment— imparts flavor notes to cacao beans just as it does to grapes for wine. It’s most noticeable in single-origin chocolates, versus blended chocolates, which are made up of cacao beans from different places. Chocolates with higher percentages of cacao (55% and up) are generally less sweet and more intense.

To taste chocolate properly, advises Katrina Markoff, CEO and chocolatier of Vosges HautChocolat, clear the palate with crackers and water.

Take three deep breaths. “Notice everything you can about the experience,” says Markoff. “Smell the chocolate, look at it, pay attention. Take a full minute to eat one bite.” There should be a

glossy shine to the chocolate, which shows good “temper”—a bond between the cocoa butter and the cacao. Lick the spice or flavoring on top of a truffle to get a hint of what’s to come. Then place the chocolate on your tongue, press it to the roof of your mouth, and let it melt around your tongue.

“The taste should have a long, lingering finish that is layered with perfumed notes,” she adds.

To host a chocolate tasting, compose tasting plates of six to eight chocolates each. Sarah Hart, founder of Alma Chocolates in Portland, Oregon, suggests choosing a country of origin or a single maker and tasting a variety of flavors, from the lightest on the plate (white chocolate) to the darkest (with higher cacao percentages), which allows you to appreciate character and nuance.

For ready-to-print “How to Taste Chocolate” place cards for your party, go to cambriastyle.com/winter2012.

Wine Picks for Chocolate

When paired correctly, wine and chocolate are truly a match made in heaven. Leslee Miller, sommelier of Amusée Wine, offers some simple tips (see opposite page) that will have you pairing like a pro in no time. Below, five of her favorite wines for your next chocolate and wine-tasting party.

Quinta do Noval ‘Black’ Port Douro Valley, Portugal

Dark ruby in color, with enticing aromas of black raspberry and lilacs. Rich and full-bodied, the wine also offers flavors of black cherry, plum and chocolate.

Pair with dark chocolates and creamy fruit-filled chocolates.

Bodegas Dios Baco Oloroso Sherry

Banfi Rosa Regale Brachetto d’Acqui Piedmont, Italy

Jerez, Spain

Soft and creamy with notes of toffee, roasted nut, soft vanilla and warm, oozy caramel.

Pair with milk chocolates filled with caramel or topped with roasted nuts.

A delicate bouquet of rose petals and sensuous flavors of fresh raspberries and strawberries.

Its effervescence is softer than that of champagne, yet supple with a delicate pink froth.

Pair with rich chocolates, rolled in sugar and topped with fresh fruits.

Norman Vineyards Zinfandel Paso Robles, California

Bright, brambly aromas of raspberry and plum lift the clean, berry flavors of this medium-bodied wine and its smooth mouthfeel of coffee and caramel.

Pair with dark spicy chocolates rolled in ganache, decadent cocoa or zippy Mexican chile.

Quarts de Chaume Loire Valley, France

Notes of honey, caramel and salted butter hit the palate as notes of ripe white peach and dried apricot allure the senses.

Pair with milk chocolates with flavors of honey, vanilla, stone fruits or salt.

Artisanal Chocolatiers Vosges Haut-Chocolat // Sold at retailers nationwide, with stores in Chicago, New York, Las Vegas, Beverly Hills;

vosgeschocolate.com; 888-301-9866 Alma Chocolate // 140 NE 28th Ave., Portland, OR; almachocolate.com; 503-517-0262 B.T. McElrath Chocolatier // Sold at retailers nationwide; btmcelrath.com; 612-331-8800 Recchiuti Confections // One Ferry Building, Shop #30, San Francisco; recchiuti.com; 415-834-9494 Jacques Torres Chocolates // 350 Hudson St. and 4 locations in New York City; mrchocolate.com; 212-414-2462

WESTMINISTERTM

Waterstone CollectionTM © Cambria 2011

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about town // winter travel tips

Great Escapes

Yearning for a little vacation right about now?

It’s not too late to score sweet deals. Whether you dream of making sandcastles or snow angels, strolling city streets or rainforest trails, these expert tips will guide you on your way

By Ellen Parlapiano

Plotting Your Getaway Time it right. Minimize costs and crowds by traveling after New Year’s Day but before Presidents’ Week, or from late February to early March. If you must go during school holidays, but don’t mind kids missing class, tack on a day or two to the front and back end of the break to nab better airfares.

Make yourself at home. Consider renting a house or condo, for the extra space and ability to eat some meals in. Browse listings on VRBO.com, VacationRoost.com and iStopover.com, checking proximity to the beach or slopes.

Travel off the beaten path. Even when you’re heading somewhere popular, “You can save money by sidestepping super hot spots,” says Zora O’Neill, author of iPhone app “Cool Cancun & Isla Mujeres,” and Moon travel guides on New Mexico.

For example, in Mexico, she suggests Puerto Morelos, a

laid-back fishing town that’s a 20-minute bus ride from Cancun’s airport (no rental car needed). For skiing and snowboarding, she recommends Albuquerque as an affordable alternative to Taos or Santa Fe.

hotel terra, jackson hole

Have a social strategy.

Follow resorts, hotels, visitors’ bureaus and cruise lines on Facebook and Twitter, where contests and special deals are often announced.

Shop the sales. Research options and bargains on Kayak. com, Hotels.com, Bing.com, Ski. com and SmartTravelDeals.com, registering for e-mail alerts when possible. For deeply discounted luxury properties, join free “flash sale” sites—like Vacationist.com, Jetsetter.com, Spire.com, and LuxuryLink.com—and watch for exclusive nonrefundable packages. Before buying, “Call resorts to see if they can do better,” suggests Carol Porter, co-founder of TheRoamingBoomers.com.

Lost Iguana resort & spa, costa rica

Compare airfares.

Search flights on Fly.com, Momondo.com, FareCompare. com, and AirfareWatchdog. com. “Best days to book are Tuesdays through Thursdays, when airlines run sales,” says Warren Chang, VP and General Manager of Fly. com. Cheapest fly days are

usually Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Saturdays. “Schedule early flights so you have more options if weather causes cancellations,” Chang advises.

»

And don’t forget to take advantage of perks directly from the airlines, like Sun Country’s low-fare email program.

They’ll notify you of fare deals and specials on travel packages. Sign up at suncountry.com.

For deeply discounted luxury resort stays, join free “flash sale” sites such as Vacationist.com, Jetsetter.com, Spire.com and LuxuryLink.com.

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sand or ski?: (Clockwise from top left): After a day on the slopes, soak in the heated outdoor pool at luxurious, eco-friendly Hotel Terra in Jackson Hole, Wyoming; hotelterrajacksonhole.com; The Fairmont Orchid on Hawaii’s Big Island has a snorkeling lagoon (watch for sea turtles) and a “Spa Without Walls”—get massaged in a hut by a waterfall; fairmont.com/orchid. Hidden deep in the Costa Rica rainforest, the intimate Lost Iguana Resort & Spa offers volcano views, adventure tours, hot stone spa treatments and two freshwater pools with swim-up bars; lostiguanaresort.com.

4

Surprising Things Your Concierge Can Do “Think beyond restaurant reservations and theater tickets,” says Sara-ann Kasner, Founder of the National Concierge Association. the fairmont orchid, hawaii

Travel With The Pros

Carol & David Porter

Publishers of The Roaming Boomers, an online luxury travel magazine; TheRoamingBoomers.com

Favorite winter getaway:

Hawaii’s Big Island. Larger than all the other Hawaiian islands put together, it has fewer crowds, great shoulder-season deals, an active volcano, and wintering whales spouting right offshore.

Dana Edmunds/ Fairmont Hotels & resorts

Top secret: Turn on the charm.

It’s pretty easy to get hotel upgrades when you smile and nicely ask check-in clerks, “Are there any better rooms available?”

Cheap trick: About six weeks

before leaving, start monitoring sites like Groupon.com and LivingSocial. com for bargains in places you’re headed. Discount vouchers can be purchased for anything from hotels to spas to restaurants to kayaking tours.

Must-have app: Instagram (for

iPhone). It turns travel photos into postcards you can share by email, Facebook and Twitter.

Nicole Hockin

Hotels.com blogger, and author of TravelSmartblog.com

Favorite winter getaway:

Roatan, Honduras. Since I live in Denver and can ski anytime, I love escaping to warm climates where I can wiggle my toes in the sand but still be adventurous. Roatan is a scuba diver’s paradise, and is about to explode in popularity, so get there while rates are still reasonable.

Top Secret: Talk to locals.

Shopkeepers, cab drivers, and others who live where you’re visiting often have the best restaurant and entertainment recommendations, and can point you to places that aren’t swarming with tourists.

Kyle McCarthy

Author of The Complete Idiot’s Guide to the Best Family Destinations and founder of FamilyTravelForum.com

Favorite winter getaway: Vail, Colorado. We’re from the northeast, so we do one big western snow vacation every year. Vail does a great job grooming the slopes, so we never have to worry whether ski conditions will be good.

Top Secret: Look for resorts with heated outdoor pools and fun offslope activities like dog sledding or snowmobiling, so you have options if you don’t want to ski every day.

Cheap trick: Cities are a great deal in winter. I especially love New York, San Francisco, London and Rome. Bring your coat, beat the crowds and have a great winter getaway.

Cheap Trick: Opt for a major hub instead of smaller ski-town airports.

We fly into Denver (more airlines go there, so fares are better), then rent a car and drive to Vail. Along the way, we stop in a Colorado supermarket for discounted lift tickets (or buy them in advance at Liftopia.com).

Must-have app: Google Goggles

Must-have app: Powder Alert

(part of the Google app for iPhone and Android). Photograph landmarks on your smart phone, then get instant details on what you’re seeing.

(for iPhone). The screaming “Fresh Powder!” wake-up call alerts you when there’s been overnight snowfall, so you can make fresh tracks.

1

Grocery shopping. Send your list and your fridge will be filled (with costs billed to your room).

2

Gift wrapping holiday presents that you ship ahead.

3

Renting sports equipment in advance, so bikes and snorkeling gear are ready when you arrive.

4

Loading CD and DVD players with your favorite music and movies.

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about town // local scene

Santa Barbara

By Louise Morgenstern

People here take their food and wine seriously, but you can simply relax and enjoy the

fruits of their labor. A weekly farmer’s market supplies local ingredients to most of the restaurants, says local Cambria dealer Amy Bailey, a kitchen and bath designer at Hayward Design Center in Santa Barbara. Sample the local fare and take in the Spanish Colonial architecture while strolling the boutiques, cafés and wine-tasting rooms that abound. Cheers!

SIGHTS

SANTA BARBARA COUNTY COURTHOUSE AND GARDEN 1100 Anacapa St. 805-962-6464 santabarbaracourthouse.org This vast, 160-year-old monument to Spanish-Moorish style is a must-see for its brilliant tilework and massive graceful arches.

HIP WINE-TASTING ROOMS Lower Anacapa St. A new mini-zone of laidback tasting rooms close to the beach. Check out the newest addition, Municipal Winemakers.

RESTAURANTS

CADIZ 509 State St. 805-770-2760 Southern Spanish and Moroccan cuisine prepared with products from local farmers’ markets. Try the glazed wild boar with roasted baby beets.

JULIENNE 138 E. Canon Perdido 805-845-6488 restaurantjulienne.com Embracing a locavore approach to food, the kitchen is known for its house-cured charcuterie.

OLIO PIZZERIA 11 W. Victoria St. 805-899-2699 oliopizzeria.com An extensive wine list, exquisite panini dishes and fabulous pizzas have made Olio a hot spot.

MCCONNELL’S ICE CREAM 201 W. Mission St. 805-569-2323 mcconnells.com A local institution since 1949. Try the Brazilian Coffee or California Lemon Zest.

Or both!

STORES

PLUM GOODS 909 State St. 805-845-3900 plumgoodsstore.com Eco-chic defined, from exquisite hats fashioned from silk ties to upcycled lamps transformed from fine china.

RUE DE LILLIE 2496 Lillie Ave., Summerland 805-695-8180 Arranged like a French Provençal country house, Rue de Lillie offers a mélange of French home décor and accessories. A romantic garden out back features fountains and antique aviaries.

SANTA BARBARA FARMER’S MARKET 200 E. Cota St., Saturdays 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. year-round; 805-962-5354 sbfarmersmarket.org Even in the fall and winter months, you can find A-plus quality organic produce here, from apples to arugula.

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SANTA BARBARA COUNTY COURTHOUSE

Drink up!

Over 100 wineries grow their grapes in Santa Barbara County.

CAMBRIA ESTATE WINERY 5475 Chardonnay Lane, Santa Maria, CA 888-339-9463 cambriawines.com Cambria Winery (no relation) is known for its rich, fruity Chardonnay. An episode of ABC’s The Bachelor was filmed at this picturesque estate.

olio pizzeria

rue de lillie

opposite: courthouse: © Alan Kim Boling/agefotostock; olio: ©Kevin Steele/ Santa Barbara C&VB; farmers’ market: © Jay Sinclair. this page: carnegie: Joshua Franzos for Carnegie Museum of Natural History; heinz field: ©Paul Spinelli/AP Photo; enrico biscotti co.: © Rick Armstrong/ Visit Pittsburgh.

heinz field

Pittsburgh

CARNEGIE MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY

With its own ballet company, symphony, and world-class museums,

Pittsburgh acts like a big city even though it feels like a relatively small town. A frequent visitor to the shops and cafés of Market Square, Brent Hughes of Splash, a Cambria dealer in Pittsburgh, says this former steel town is now known for healthcare firms and dot-coms. Cutting-edge restaurants like Salt of the Earth are making their culinary mark, while micro-brewed craft beers have eclipsed old favorites like Iron City. It’s time to take a fresh look at the city where three rivers meet.

SIGHTS

MARKET SQUARE Market & Forbes Aves.

This historic downtown square, complete with cobblestone piazza, has had a multimilliondollar facelift. Window-shop, then warm up at the landmark Nicholas Coffee Co., founded in 1919.

CARNEGIE MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY 4400 Forbes Ave. 412-622-3131 carnegiemnh.org More than 200 of former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright’s pins tell diplomatic tales in “Read My Pins: The Madeleine Albright Collection,” December 13, 2011 through March 4, 2012.

PITTSBURGH PUBLIC MARKET Smallman and 17th Sts. 412-281-4505 pittsburghpublicmarket.org Open since September, this 10,000-square-foot indoor

market houses 45 vendors selling flowers, crafts and food.

Sample the local ales at East End Brewing Co. Heinz Field 100 Art Rooney Ave. 412-323-1200 steelers.com/tickets-and-stadium On Sundays in the fall, locals don the black-and-gold colors of their beloved football team, the Steelers, and flock to Heinz Field to cheer on the six-time Super Bowl champions.

RESTAURANTS

SALT OF THE EARTH 5523 Penn Ave. 412-441-7258 saltpgh.com In the mood for hanger steak with bourbon dashi served in an industrial-chic space? That would only be found at Salt of the Earth, named “Best New Restaurant of 2011” by Pittsburgh Magazine.

NOLA on the SQUARE 24 Market Square 412-471-9100 nolaonthesquare.com The combo of Cajun/Creole cuisine and live jazz and blues has helped NOLA catch on fast with the locals.

STORES

16:62 DESIGN ZONE Located in the neighborhoods of Lawrenceville and the Strip District 1662designzone.com A revitalized multi-block design district offers up more than 100 galleries, studios and shops, from furniture to fashion.

LEMIX ANTIQUES 11151/2 S. Braddock Ave. 412-241-5800 lemixantiques.com LeMix specializes in you-name-it from the ’50s, ’60s and ’70s: jewelry, art, furniture and pottery.

From sports teams to the symphony, Pittsburgh acts like a big city but feels like a small town.

check out native son andy warhol’s work at his eponymous MUSEUM,

117 Sandusky St. 412-237-8300 warhol.org

ENRICO BISCOTTI CO.

2022 Penn Ave. 412-281-2602 enricobiscotti.com Enrico’s artisanal biscotti are hand-shaped and baked every day. Ask for the white chocolate macadamia nut—or snag a mystery bag of assorted cut-off ends for $5.

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about town // word on the street

Cambria Goes Mobile The latest news, from our mobile app to Cultivate.com with Williams-Sonoma, and a welcome to Sun Country Airlines!

Quartz Ranked #1 in Countertops

read cambria style anywhere, thanks to our new app. download it for free from the itunes app store.

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Come On, Get ’Appy Thanks to our new app, all of Cambria Style’s great design tips and interesting features are now available for download onto your mobile device or tablet. And learning more about the many elegant and useful products we feature in each issue has never been easier, now that you can simply touch any item on the screen to go directly to the manufacturer’s website.

Scoring a survey-high 84 points out of 100, quartz surfaces were recently ranked

by Consumer Reports magazine (July 2011 issue) as the best overall for both kitchen and bath countertops. Quartz (or engineered stone) surfaces were also given the magazine’s highest rating of “excellent” for withstanding stresses in three different categories: heat, cutting and abrasion.

“Quartz is the best surface for a busy kitchen,” explained Consumer Reports Home Deputy Editor Celia Kuperszmid Lehrman. “It comes in a wide variety of colors, it’s low maintenance, and it resists stains…it’s also heat resistant, so it’s less likely to be damaged or discolored if you set a hot pot down on it.”

“Quartz is the best surface for a busy kitchen,” according to Consumer Reports.

BELLINGHAMTM

Waterstone CollectionTM © Cambria 2011

Flying High With the recent addition of Minneapolis-based Sun Country Airlines to the Cambria family of businesses, Cambria Style magazine will now begin dispensing design advice at 30,000 feet as it wings its way back and forth across the country, thanks to its new role as one of Sun Country’s official in-flight publications.

Cultivate New Kitchen Ideas

If you’re searching for one place on the web that is all things kitchen design, look no further than Williams-Sonoma’s new online resource, Cultivate.com.

Recently launched in partnership with Cambria, Benjamin Moore and Miele, Cultivate.com offers a wealth of inspirational kitchen photos, handy design templates and expert professional advice—everything you might need to remodel your current kitchen, build a new kitchen or just dream about the possibilities.

“Kitchens We Love” features Cambria Dwell magazine’s annual “100 Kitchens We Love” issue recently highlighted a Connecticut mid-century home fitted with dazzling Snowdon White Cambria kitchen countertops, backsplash, table and floor. Snowdon White, from Cambria’s Classic Collection, offered interior designers Craig Bassam and Scott Fellows a cool, monochromatic palette that fit perfectly into their redesigned kitchen’s sleek, modernist style while providing plenty of maintenance-free functionality.

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last look

Tradition

Our family traditions can acquire an almost mystical power about them, yet it is

© Maria Spann/ Getty Images

often the everyday items and simple gestures that become the lasting symbols of a shared heritage. Perhaps it’s the timeworn pewter pitcher that finds its place on the table, holding not only water, but a palpable sense of the past. Or perhaps it’s a special dumpling recipe, never written down, but enduring as it’s passed from mother to daughter in soft voices over flour-covered hands. It is in these quiet, shared moments and subtle nods to the familiar that traditions are passed on to the next set of hands.

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Dream Wildly. Live Distinctly.

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THE WATERSTONE COLLECTION TM

© Cambria 2011

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