Sunset Home Issue AugSept 2022

EASY AMAZING RECIPES

KEEP

COOL Your Ultimate Summer Living Guide

Coastal Retreats

Sustainable Home Design

Easy Weekend Getaways

PLUS

Big Sur Barbecue

JUST AS YOU IMAGINED Eldorado Stone produces premium stone products that empower visionaries and creators with inspiration to create more meaningful environments and experiences.

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Image © 2021 Altura Homes

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CONTENTS THE HOME ISSUE

Charlie Kimble (left) welcomes us into his Palm Springs garden.

2

Editor’s Letter

5

Best of the West

On homecoming.

Summer getaway planner to new hotels, eco-friendy beach toys, and more

Home & Garden

13

Good to the Last Drop We dive deep to find the best solutions for smarter water use in our homes.

22

Malibu Rising Nine ways we’re inspired by the 2022 Idea House.

32

Fun Springs Eternal Friends and family flock to an in-the-round Palm Springs

garden that celebrates indoor-outdoor living.

44

Summer Garden Checklist The heat is here. What to do in your garden now.

Food & Drink

51

Big Sur Barbecue Serving up classic ‘cue and

seasonal produce, a smokehouse gives low and slow a whole new meaning.

56

Just Don’t Call It Fusion High above the streets of San Francisco, a new cocktail bar is the perfect place to dive into Nikkei cuisine—with

Travel & Escapes

stunning views to match.

THOMAS J. STORY

60

64

Masa Beyond the Tortilla

69

striving to deepen our under-

er been better in the coastal

ed to masa, Jorge Gaviria is

ing, and shopping have nev-

standing of the ingredient.

crown jewel of the Pacific

Chef Reem Assil schools us on homemade hummus,

A Little Kelp from Our Friends

better baba, and the finer

Join us in a trip out into the

Eastern dips.

tainably harvest seaweed.

points of delightful Middle

discovered.

84

ocean to learn how to sus-

Insider Seasonal diversions and secret travel tips from local experts.

Northwest.

72

Whitewater rafting in Utah offers river community waiting to be

Fresh openings and timeless classics mean eating, drink-

Rapid Camaraderie more than adventure; there’s a

Savor Seattle

In an inspiring book dedicat-

Mezze Masterclass

80

Voices of the West

96

Meet the visionary landscape manager turning Dodger

Stadium into a world-class botanic garden.

ON THE COVER

Casa de Ardillas in Palm Springs Photograph by TH O MAS J. STO RY

THE HOME ISSUE 2022 • SUNSET

1

EDITOR’S NOTE

Homecoming CHAIRMAN & PUBLISHER

Sometimes the best way to understand what you love most about your hometown is to leave it.

You know that feeling you get when you return from a trip and look out the window of the plane or the car and notice a charming building, a secret side street, or little park you’ve never seen before? It’s like seeing a freckle on a loved one for the first time. It can trigger a deepened appreciation and affection for the details that were always there but for some reason you just missed. It’s a Yes, we played tourist at the gum wall on a recent delightful state, which is why I try to achieve trip to Seattle; we also made sure to visit all the “tourist mind” as often as I can whether I’m at brand-new spots in the city. home or away.

Putting together each issue of Sunset requires the staff to play tourist wherever we go. It’s our job to ferret out the newest of the new to share with readers like you whenever we visit a city, but we’re not afraid to see and celebrate the familiar with fresh eyes. Case in point: On a recent trip to Seattle we made sure to visit brand-new spots, like the speakeasy within a speakeasy, the Tokyo-style izakaya, and the modern take on the newsstand selling cool art journals and imported candy. You can read about them on page 69. But we also went to Pike Place Market and bought t-shirts for our families and took pictures of ourselves in front of that gum wall. Did we look like tourists? Guilty as charged.

Back in Los Angeles, we played tourist again in our own backyard on a visit to Dodger Stadium by taking a guided tour with Chaz Perea, the landscape manager who’s making a name for himself transforming the ballpark into a sprawling garden of spiky agaves, native sages, vivid fire sticks, and hearty succulents from the Sonoran desert. Thanks to his efforts and that of his intrepid crew, it’s now a certified botanic garden. Paris has the Tuileries. New York has the Bronx Botanical Garden. Los Angeles has Dodger Stadium. You can read about Perea’s path from golf course gardener to custodian of a public treasure on page 96.

Like Dodger Stadium, the West is constantly in a state of renewal thanks to people dedicated to improving what they inherited. It’s a recurring theme in this issue, from the story of an architect and a designer who transformed a 1911 Edwardian house in San Francisco into a stylish model of water-wise sustainability, to the rebuild of a house destroyed in the Malibu Woolsey Fire, to recipes that deliciously expand the idea of what can be done with the Mexican staple masa. Whether you’re exploring a new recipe, a new city, or your own backyard, may you always be finding home.

—Hugh Garvey,

E D ITO R-I N - CH I E F

Michael A. Reinstein

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Hugh Garvey DEPUTY EDITOR

Kristin Scharkey CREATIVE DIRECTOR

Michael Wilson PHOTO EDITOR

Christine Bobbish STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

Thomas J. Story

CONTRIBUTING HOME & DESIGN EDITOR

Christine Lennon

CONTRIBUTING GARDEN EDITOR

Deanna Kizis

DIGITAL PRODUCER/NEWSLETTER EDITOR

Nicole Clausing STAFF WRITER

J. D. Simkins

LIFESTYLE CONTRIBUTOR

Camille Styles

SENIOR DIRECTOR, PRODUCTION

Jamie Elliott

VICE PRESIDENT, DIGITAL INITIATIVES

Matt Gross Sales

SVP, MEDIA SOLUTIONS

Mort Greenberg VP, PARTNERSHIPS

Kathleen Craven HEAD OF TRAVEL

Pamela Coffey HEAD OF OUTDOOR

Kristi Rummel

SVP, REVENUE OPERATIONS

Kelly Facer

DIRECTOR OF AD OPERATIONS

Mindy Morgan

ACCOUNT MANAGER

Cammeo Murray Marketing CREATIVE DIRECTOR

Stephen Kamifuji

HEAD OF CUSTOM EVENTS

Tracy Seng

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For assistance with your Sunset subscription, call 1-800-777-0117.

2

SUNSET • THE HOME ISSUE 2022

THOMAS J. STORY

Tom Griffiths Graydon Sheinberg

Searching for the perfect color?

You don’t have to look far.

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Marks Paint Mart

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Moyers Paint

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Sonoma Paint Center

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Gray’s Paint Stores grayspaints.com

Hassett ACE Hardware hassetthardware.com

House of Color Decorating Center

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The Paint & Décor Center 408-612-8617

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moyerspaint.com ©2022 Benjamin Moore & Co. Benjamin Moore and the triangle “M” symbol are registered trademarks licensed to Benjamin Moore & Co. 5/22

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THE INGALLS

BEST

OF T H E

Summer Getaway Planner

WEST

The West’s most beautiful new hotels combine innovative design with a refined touch, offering an escape for every type of traveler.

THE HOME ISSUE 2022 • SUNSET

5

COOL ON THE COAST

CAVALLO POINT Sausalito, California

A former military base turned resort offers both historic and contemporary accommodations across its sprawling expanse. Stay in a Colonial Revival home or one of the more modern suites with the Golden Gate Bridge in sight. cavallopoint.com

PALIHOUSE SANTA BARBARA

BAJA CLUB

Santa Barbara,

California

California

This beachside retreat is selfdescribed as “vintage preppy meets American Riviera,” and we don’t disagree.

Stop by the lobby bar for a Santa Maria vodka martini—and a photo opp, of course. palisociety.com

La Paz, Baja An early 20th century villa got a facelift and is now a hotel that boasts rooms with garden, patio, and balcony views. We’re a bit obsessed with the exposed brick courtyard that surrounds the pool, not to mention the rooftop bar. bajaclubhotel.com

WINE COUNTRY OASIS STANLY RANCH Napa Valley, California

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: THOMAS J. STORY; STANLY RANCH, AUBERGE RESORTS COLLECTION; @ANAHOP/COURTESY OF GRUPO HABITA; COURTESY OF PALISOCIETY

Wine country’s newest resort sweeps across more than 700 acres of vines abutting the Napa River. More than 130 cottages with stunning indoor-outdoor views of the vineyards feature private patios. People are already raving about the poolside wellness center replete with massage, oxygen, and salt therapies. aubergeresorts.com/stanlyranch

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SUNSET • THE HOME ISSUE 2022

AURALINE® TRUE COMPOSITE WINDOWS AND PATIO DOORS GET THE BEST OF BOTH WORLDS The long-awaited alternative to vinyl and wood is here. New Auraline True Composite windows and patio doors blend the beauty of contemporary wood windows with strength and durability that surpasses vinyl, delivering a luxury look you’ll love — for less. ®

Visit jeld-wen.com/auraline to learn more.

© 2022 JELD-WEN, Inc. All rights reserved. | JELD-WEN, the JELD-WEN Logo, the JW Logo and AURALINE are registered trademarks of JELD-WEN, Inc. JELD-WEN is proud to be part of the JELD-WEN global family of product brands and companies.

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THE DESERT MODERNIST AMBIENTE, A LANDSCAPE HOTEL Sedona, Arizona

Rooftop fire pits and daybeds for sleeping under the stars are just a few of the amenities at this landscape hotel. “A landscape hotel is a hotel that’s actually built within the environment of the property that’s existing and there, that respects the nature,” says Jennifer May, co-founder of developer Two Sister Bosses. ambientesedona.com

CHIC CITY RETREATS

Portland

This gem embodies the spirit of the Pacific Northwest with bespoke green details, including tile walls, furniture accents, and even the front desk.

Bonus: Guests can partake in a complimentary beer and wine social hour in the “Study Hall” on select evenings, or grab coffee and pastries in the same spot to start the day. palisociety.com

PENDRY WEHO West Hollywood

Sophisticated art pieces and modern decor fill the spaces at this retreat that brings a fresh perspective on Hollywood glamor. The rooftop restaurant and pool offer unbelievable views of the city to take in while you sip a glass of rosé. Don’t miss the 70-foot art piece by British-American artist Anthony James in the lobby. pendry.com

DOWNTOWN L.A. PROPER Los Angeles

What do you do with a hotel floor that used to be home to a YWCA indoor pool? Transform it into a luxury amenity, of course.

That’s what interior designer Kelly Wearstler did at this hotel, where she put her spin on a 1920s architectural gem with hand-painted tiles, stained glass, and Moroccan rugs. properhotel.com

FIT FOR ADVENTURE ELEVATE YOUR BEACH DAY WITH ONE OF OUR FAVORITE BACKPACK COOLERS.

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SUNSET • THE HOME ISSUE 2022

Ice Mule’s Jaunt is comfortable and easy to carry, with six different color options. The 15-liter size holds 15 cans of wine, beer, or your favorite beverage on ice. $100; icemulecoolers.com

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: JEFF ZARUBA; COURTESY OF PALISOCIETY; COURTESY OF PENDRY WEST HOLLYWOOD; THE INGALLS

HOTEL GRAND STARK

The west rim is heart-pounding, soul-searching, bucketlist-checking adrenaline rushes you’ve never felt or seen before, including one of the largest glass cantilever bridges in the world that will have you stepping 4,000 feet out over the Grand Canyon floor. Skywalk is just one of the ways you can jolt your senses and ignite your spirit at Grand Canyon West. Plan your adventure today.

SKYWALK + GENERAL ADMISSION STARTING FROM $64 FOR A LIMITED TIME Get your tickets today.

MORE TO EXPLORE

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grandcanyonwest.com

Helicopter & Pontoon Tour • Zipline • Whitewater Rafting • Eagle Point • Guano Point Hualapai Tribe Cultural Attractions • Dining • Shopping • Overnight Accommodations

6/16/22 5:36 PM

Geometry Beach Towels are made from recycled materials and printed in California, meaning you can feel good about buying these super absorbent and quick drying accessories. $38; geometry.house

Sun + Water’s SeaGreen tube is wrapped in a removable cover topped with Sunbrella fabric. Instead of throwing away your old tubes, the company will recycle them for you. $185; sunandwater.com

Buy a pool noodle that’s built to last like Frontgate’s Lazy Day Pool Noodle. Mesh fabric wraps around a buoyant bead filling. $50; frontgate.com We love a set of beach toys made from bamboo fiber and cornstarch that are just as sturdy and much more environmentally friendly than plastic alternatives. Willow + Sim’s Bamboo Kids Beach Toys come in three colors. $60; willowandsim.com

Sustainable Summer

We love a pool day as much as the next person, but we don’t love a pile of plastic trash. If you find yourself constantly throwing away your toys, try these eco-friendly options instead.

SURF’S UP Head out on summer adventures with comfort and ease thanks to Allbirds’ Sugar Sliders made in part from sugarcane. $50; allbirds.com

A beachside classic, but make it sustainable. This Topanga Umbrella by Overexposed features a reclaimed wood pole and canopy made from recycled plastic bottles. $149; overexposed.co

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SUNSET • THE HOME ISSUE 2022

Get your hands on this white oak surfboard rack created by Southern California based artists and designers Zachary Crawford and Raili Clasen. Natural rope and boat cleats mean the mount isn’t going anywhere, and it looks just as good in a modern home as in a sandy beach bungalow. $320; crawfordcraft.com

SURFBOARD RACK: RYAN MINARIK

YOUR SUMMER DESIGN HACK.

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HOME Good to the Last Drop

&

GARDEN

As much of the Western United States enters its third year of severe drought, it’s time to re-think how we consume H20 at home. Inspired by conscientious homeowners and innovative design ideas, we dove in deep to find the best solutions for smarter, more sustainable water use.

Story by CH RI STI N E LE N N O N • Photographs by TH O MAS J. STO RY

THE HOME ISSUE 2022 • SUNSET

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Jonathan Feldman and Lisa Lougee felt a little sheepish about their lush lawn, which is spread out in a verdant carpet of meadow grass across the wide lot surrounding their 1911 Edwardian in the Richmond neighborhood of San Francisco. They’d invested years in the planning and building of their family house, which involved a lengthy renovation that opened up the back of the house with expansive windows, and created easy access to the large garden—a rarity in town— from two levels.

“When we saw the house, we fell in love with the façade, and it had some really beautiful interior trim,” says Feldman, an architect and principal of Feldman Architecture. “But the key opportunity and challenge was that it was on this great lot which was covered in weeds with a few fruit trees.

And there was no access. To get to the rear yard, you had to go through the front door and walk around through the weeds to the back.”

The effort to transform that unloved patch of dirt into what it is today was massive. Earth was moved.

Concrete walls were poured. And the house and yard were manipulated to make sure the garden would be appreciated through doors and windows that open on three sides of the house.

Lougee, who is an interior designer, used light oak floors, soft gray paint, and pale blue grass cloth to brighten the house, which is situated in a persistently foggy, “light starved” section of town. The design also solidified Feldman and Lougee’s commitment to sustainability, earning LEED certification for its energy efficiency, material integrity, and the elaborate system for water collection, filtration, and reuse.

“We moved in during a serious drought year in 2017,” he says. “Our neighbors were letting their lawns go

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SUNSET • THE HOME ISSUE 2022

brown to conserve water, and there we were surrounded by all of this green. We felt we had to explain, so we put up a little sign saying, “Recycled Water: Ask Me How.” While the last couple of years have delivered a lengthy list of distractions deflecting attention away from the water crisis across the West, a persistent three-year drought has been quietly, relentlessly shrinking our water supply.

Further complicating matters, the water infrastructure across the United States is inefficient, and the services it provides are inaccurately priced. Our water is scarce, but it’s also artificially cheap. Water utilities are about 90% publicly owned, heavily regulated and subsidized, and come in so many shapes and sizes that “not many of them have the capacity to perfectly capture the cost of service at all times,” says Newsha Ajami, a water expert and chief strategy officer for

research at Lawrence Berkeley Lab who studied water use patterns at Stanford. Much of the infrastructure that supplied water to our communities was built many years ago, and hasn’t been updated. There are leaks, evaporation, and waste.

“We are paying for the service. We aren’t paying for the environmental impact,” says Ajami. “It’s short-term thinking, I would say. It’s hard for water utilities to think about how much they have to raise their rates. We pay a lot more for energy than we do for water and the reality is that water is much more essential to survival. The challenge with undervaluing water is that we don’t end up investing as much in the system. It cuts into the maintenance, and it’s difficult to maintain a top-notch work force.”

Because there isn’t as much money to be made in innovative water reuse and recycling systems, the business of making rainwater capture and gray

Windows on two sides and a garden view give the kitchen and family room a “porchlike” quality, a rarity in the lightstarved Richmond district. Armchairs, B&B Italia.

Most 1910 Edwardian homes didn’t allow access to the backyard. Feldman and landscape architect Bernard Trainor “moved the earth around” to create passages from two levels.

water systems hasn’t flourished like the solar energy sector has. So the old systems, and the old habits, remain. When you think of the energy, effort, and expense invested in supplying clean, safe drinking water to the millions of people who live in a region with little rain and shrinking snow caps, the idea of dumping it on grass and funneling pristine water through a toilet seems exceptionally shortsighted.

So conservationists like Feldman, who designs water-wise houses up and down the West Coast, have to experiment with their own solutions, sometimes installing giant, 40,000-gallon capacity rainwater tanks to contain rain that falls in intense, brief storms, all at once, to use during lengthy dry seasons.

Behind the Feldman home, underneath the deck where the family gathers to enjoy peaceful days in the oasis they’ve created, including a row of

THE HOME ISSUE 2022 • SUNSET

15

river birch trees that cast dappled shadows throughout the house, are storage tanks that capture rainwater that’s piped to the drip irrigation.

Alongside those is a state-of-the-art filtration system that recycles water captured from sinks, tubs, showers, and the washing machine—called gray water—and sends it through a separate set of pipes to flush toilets and water the lawn with what’s remaining. Installing it involved a double set of plumbing pipes to channel the water in the appropriate direction, and a lengthy wrestling match with the city. Many explanations and inspections were required to prove that the home’s recycled water was safe and contained to the property, meaning that it wouldn’t be entering the municipal supply.

“It was a series of back and forth, and back and forth, and twisting arms and getting people to sign off on the plans,” says Feldman. “It’s easy to use rainwater in the landscape. It’s harder

16

“A filtration system recycles water from sinks, showers, and the washing machine to flush toilets and water the lawn.” to use gray water. That takes jumping through special hoops. The building health inspectors have concerns and requirements, making sure it doesn’t get back into the municipal water, or get in a place where someone would interact with it in a way that might be dangerous. Then we wanted to use all that water back in the house to flush our toilets as well. That’s one step more difficult than just irrigation.”

When asked if he got it right the first time, he’s quick to reply. “We

SUNSET • THE HOME ISSUE 2022

absolutely did not,” he says. “It worked, but there were a lot of challenges with the gray water component. We had to amend it and add new filtration devices and remove others.

It was really good for me as an architect to experience that. It’s easy for us to fall in love with what the brochure says and what the promise is.”

The upshot is that these systems can be finicky. And while the brochures Feldman mentions make it look easy, there is always trial and error.

For example, if the filters are not

Lougee kept the palette simple to avoid competing with details like moldings and built-ins. Counter stools, Tolix. Custom lacquer cabinets. Square Zellige tile; similar styles cletile.com

Trainor was the ideal collaborator, selecting trees like these river birches to grab and dapple the sunlight. This thirsty species only works here because of reused water.

Lougee balanced her traditional tastes (Bergere chairs, grasscloth wallpaper) and her husband’s modern style (wide plank floors, MDF Italia dining chairs).

Pendant light by Ochre.

working correctly, there can be an odor to the water, and it can possibly kill the plants. Feldman had to install some water-monitoring software to keep an eye on the system to make sure it was all working correctly.

“You can always shut it off and [the smell] goes away, but you have to be there to notice it, be hands on. That’s why we don’t recommend this system for vacation homes,” he says. “If

Air Supply

you’re not there taking showers every day, it doesn’t really pencil out.”

But the payoff for the effort in residential spaces is abundantly clear.

“The rooms at the back of the house feel like a porch,” Lougee says.

“Our primary bedroom has windows that wrap around two sides and open to this incredible view of the garden—turning the corner and walking in to see it flooded with light, espe-

cially in spring when it’s so vibrant.”

“At first, when Jonathan and I were discussing the plans for a gray water system, I was probably like ‘How much is this going to cost? And will it affect the kind of couch I want to buy?’” she jokes. “But when we find ourselves in these horrible droughts, and our garden has been able to stay quite lush, I’m glad we did it. It’s worth it.”

Lougee and Feldman with their daughters, Summer and Sasha.

Turtle turf grass stays lush yearround. Left: Waterworks tile, Blu Bathworks tub, and prints from an Albers exhibit.

NO RAIN? NO PROBLEM, THANKS TO THESE INGENIOUS MACHINES THAT EXTRACT WATER FROM THE ATMOSPHERE.

An “atmospheric water generator,” a machine that pulls clean water out of thin air, is a waterscarcity solution that feels like it’s pulled from a science fiction novel. There are systems that

draw enough moisture from humid air to supply an entire home, or an office building, with potable water, and can be used in disaster areas to create safe, emergency drinking water. Be-

cause they’re heavy energy users, large generators are not the most sustainable solution for

parched regions—yet. As efficiency improves, that may change. In the meantime, freestanding

atmospheric water coolers are an intriguing step toward water independence. Santa Barbarabased AquaViable ($3,500; aquaviable.com) and Sheridan, Wyoming-based Dewstand,

($2,495; dewstand.com) turn coastal fog and humidity into cool, pure glasses of water.

THE HOME ISSUE 2022 • SUNSET

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An attic office is accessed by a blackened steel staircase.

The glass guard rail allows for sun from the skylights to illuminate the second floor.

Water Wise

SIX WATER-SAVING DEVICES THAT EVERY HOUSE SHOULD HAVE.

A HIGH-EFFICIENCY FRONT-LOADING WASHER

A TOP-OF-THE-LINE DISHWASHER

A LOW-FLOW SHOWER SYSTEM (PLUS A TIMER)

Space-saving, stackable, front-loading machines from LG have been the gold standard in efficient laundry devices for decades now, and the technology keeps improving. The brand’s top model, the WM3900HWA, can handle larger loads—up to 20 lbs. of laundry—which only further reduces water consumption. VISIT LG.COM FOR RETAILERS; APPROXIMATELY $950

The typical Energy Star-approved dishwasher uses 3.2 gallons per cycle (about 10 fewer gallons than hand-washing, BTW). But this Bosch Ascenta Series PureDry model gets the job done with 3.15 gallons, and dries dishes without heat as an energy-saving bonus. BOSCH-HOME.COM; FROM $649

Consider this: If every state switched to California’s strict low-flow shower requirements of 1.8 gallons per minute, the U.S. could save 260 billion gallons of water per year. High Sierra makes some of the most efficient, utilitarian models ($39; highsierrashowerheads.com) that get that number down to 1.5. If you’re motivated to save without sacrificing your beloved rain shower, hang a waterproof timer inside as a reminder to keep it short. On the horizon: Recirculating shower systems that purify and reuse shower water in seconds. Keep an eye out for Australian brand Orbital Shower (orbital-systems. com), which is compiling a U.S. waiting list now.

FLUME LEAK DETECTOR

DUAL FLUSH TOILETS

RAIN SENSOR FOR IRRIGATION

According to the EPA, the average American family wastes up to 9,400 gallons of water a year on leaks from broken irrigation systems, or hidden in some other hard-to-find spot in the house. Invest in Flume detectors, compact devices about the size of a small smoke alarm that monitor water use and can help identify leaks, save water, and monitor your home’s water usage on a room-to-room basis. You’ll finally be able to prove which family member takes the longest showers. $199; FLUMEWATER.COM

An average family household can save 13,000 gallons of water annually by replacing out-moded commodes with “WaterSense” labeled models, particularly those with dual flush systems. The Woodbridge T-0019 is as good-looking as a porcelain throne can get. And it uses 16,500 gallons less than a typical 3.5-gallon tank toilet. $449; WOODBRIDGEBATH.COM

Invest in a simple rain sensor that turns off the sprinklers and drip lines when the soil is already wet enough (the irrigation pros at Rainbird have a few models, from $30 for the simplest one). Outdoor use accounts for about 50% of the total household water consumption in the drier states.

And about half of that amount is lost to evaporation, leaks, and runoff. Low- to zero-use lawns— grass that no one sets foot on, ever—should be replaced with native and low-water landscaping.

Period. FROM $30; RAINBIRD.COM

THE HOME ISSUE 2022 • SUNSET

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Photographs by TH O MAS J. STO RY

MALIBU

LaCantina’s sturdy bi-fold doors and windows are the perfect indoor-outdoor living solution to maximize space and welcome nature inside. “One of the best parts of living in Malibu is definitely the climate,” says architect Doug Burdge. “We have the luxury of living in a place where you can leave the doors open to catch the ocean breeze most of the year.”

RISING 2022 IDEA HOUSE REVEAL

Story by SU N S ET STAFF

AFTER A CALIFORNIA FAMILY LOST THEIR HOME IN A WILDFIRE, THEY REBUILT WITH PERSONAL TOUCHES THROUGHOUT. HERE ARE 9 WAYS WE’RE INSPIRED BY THE 2022 IDEA HOUSE.

1

EASY ENTERTAINING A passthrough window

in the kitchen is the secret to summer soirees.

The windows that open up to a

soapstone countertop and bar

create the perfect opportunity for

al fresco dining when the weather is right, adding to the indoor/outdoor flow. And they close up to form a tight seal that protects

from coastal breezes when it’s not.

The passthrough is also a great

way to reduce wet foot traffic from the pool on summer days.

THE HOME ISSUE 2022 • SUNSET

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M

Marina Fernández de Córdova was driving along the California coast with her son on her way to Malibu to visit her life-long friend, Andrea Tennant. Their friendship spanned decades and continents since they met through Tennant’s late husband, Christopher, in London. De Córdova, who is an interior designer and shop owner in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, had furniture custom-made for Tennant’s house. She was excited to see how it was all coming together.

Then, she got a phone call that all Californians dread. Tennant was evacuating. A wildfire loomed. “I was supposed to sleep in the house that night,” de Córdova says. “The next day, it was gone.”

It’s difficult to forget the impact of the Woolsey Fire, which scorched close to 100,000 acres in Los Angeles and Ventura counties and consumed over 1,600 homes in 2018. Malibu was the epicenter of the historic blaze.

And the Tennant house, where Andrea’s now-grown children Andrew and Flora spent much of their childhood, was among the casualties. The street near Zuma Beach that the Tennants had called home for over a decade was hit hard. Today, construction sites and recently completed new builds line the road. But in the days, weeks, and months after the fire, it was a disaster zone.

“Many days later, we were allowed to return to the home and sift through the ashes,” Tennant says.

“We found an award that was given to my husband, Christopher, posthumously. It’s in the shape of a bird, and one wing had broken. We found a silver baby cup that was Andrew’s, which melted and formed a beautiful shape.”

It was a devastating loss. But then, without a moment’s hesitation,

24

2022 Idea House Location:

Malibu, California

Northern Wide Plank’s European Oak flooring creates the ultimate canvas throughout the home, with distressed surfacing and a natural hard wax oil finish.

Tennant started making plans to start again. “With all the courage in the world,” de Córdova says, “she decided to rebuild.”

“Walking away didn’t make any sense to me,” Tennant says.

Thanks to the vision of Doug Burdge, of Malibu’s own Burdge Architects, a new four-bedroom, sixbath home and guest house was erected on the lot, incorporating smart new materials, from heat-resistant windows and metal roofing to flameretardant siding, all designed with fire risk and a drier, changing climate in mind. De Córdova commissioned handmade furniture and art, and sourced vintage pieces that helped tell the Tennant family’s story—they have roots in Scotland and England, and stops all over the world.

Thanks to a partnership with Sunset, the home features state-of-the-art Monogram appliances, Ferguson Bath, Kitchen & Lighting Gallery faucets, bath fixtures, and lighting, Northern Wide Plank flooring, Benjamin Moore paint, LaCantina folding

SUNSET • THE HOME ISSUE 2022

2

MAXIMIZE SPACE Unused nooks are an ample opportunity for creativity.

When the Burdge team was faced with

Year Built: 2022 Square feet: 3,379 Builder: Burdge

Architects; buaia.com

Interior Design:

Marina Fernández de Córdova

Doug Burdge, architect “We honored the original home in a style we refer to as transitional. It isn’t too modern or too traditional. It’s a family home that’s made for entertaining and enjoying the beautiful Malibu climate.”

an awkward, unused space adjacent

to the staircase to the lower level, they turned it into staggered shelving—a great place for objects, picture

frames, vintage planters, or even a

stack of puzzles. The stair treads were

custom-made by Northern Wide Plank for a perfect match.

3

BUILD SMARTER Fire-safe materials are a necessity in homes built to adapt.

The home is outfitted with lightweight

metal roofing, which has a longer warranty than most roofing materials, as well as dense glass under the siding.

The Burdge Architects team took it a

step further and used cement boards instead of traditional wood siding to offer extra protection. Additionally,

LaCantina doors and Jeld-Wen win-

dows have a tempered exterior pane,

which cracks at a higher temperature than regular glass.

Marina Fernández de Córdova, interior designer “It was important to incorporate some unique and handmade furniture items to help tell their story as citizens of the world.”

Above: Homeowner Andrea Tennant (center) with her son, Andrew (left) and daughter, Flora.

We love the classic design of this Portsmouth Outdoor Wall Sconce by Ferguson Bath, Kitchen & Lighting Gallery, which not only features a weather-resistant finish but also complies with Malibu’s Dark Sky Ordinance.

Jeld-Wen custom clad windows show off the natural light that floods the stairway.

Oil-rubbed bronze cabinet pulls complete the kitchen look, with mixed-and-matched hardware incorporated throughout the home thanks to Emtek’s wide-ranging line.

doors, Jeld-Wen windows and interior doors, decorative stone from Eldorado Stone, Emtek hardware on cabinets and doors, Schneider Electric switches, dimmers, and receptacles, Infratech outdoor heating units, and a Kindred Outdoor fire pit.

“We honored the original home in a style we refer to as transitional. It isn’t too modern or too traditional.

It’s a family home that’s made for entertaining and enjoying the beautiful Malibu climate,” Burdge says. “And in many ways, it’s better and more resilient than the original home.”

Over a series of Zoom meetings throughout 2020, with Tennant dialing in from her family’s property in Scotland, de Córdova logging on from her studio in San Miguel, the Burdge team coordinating from Malibu, and the organizational help of Naomi Leigh, a construction manager and consultant who worked to streamline the complicated process for the Ten-

26

nant family, the house came to life.

“Most of their belongings in the home were lost,” says de Córdova, “so it was important to incorporate some unique and handmade furniture items to help tell their story as citizens of the world.”

The end result is a home with an old soul that will hopefully be a gathering place to celebrate for generations to come. Here, the ideas we’re taking from the 2022 Idea House.

4

LAYER YOUR LIGHT Mix handmade and vintage fixtures with contemporary built-ins.

Dimmable light fixtures from Ferguson Bath, Kitchen & Lighting Gallery create the foundation for healthy lighting, complemented by the addition of

some hand-hammered copper pendants and a statement chandelier

from Mexico, which de Córdova had custom-made for the home.

SUNSET • THE HOME ISSUE 2022

5

MEXICO TO MALIBU One-of-a-kind pieces add instant character and charm.

The central Mexican highlands sur-

rounding San Miguel de Allende are known for their artisans and crafts-

people creating unique accessories,

like punched tin mirrors, painted furniture, and equipal-style chairs. De Córdova worked with a team of makers and commissioned many pieces

throughout the house. Vintage pieces

set the tone for the color palette, strik-

ing the right balance between beachcasual and English formality that the Tennants were looking for.

6

BE OUR GUEST A great headboard makes a guest room sing.

One of de Córdova’s specialties at her shop in San Miguel de Allende, Mar-

quesa de Mancera, is handmade and hand-painted beds and headboards, which make a colorful statement in the guest rooms. Add some simple

white and blue Serena & Lily bed linens for an extra layer of coastal charm.

With Square D’s X Series switches, dimmers, and receptacles, you can seamlessly snap on a new faceplate.

7

GO BOLD WITH COLOR Strokes of bold color are contained to small

spaces, like a sunny laundry room, a high-impact red front door, and built-in shelves (not

pictured) painted a dignified shade of bluegray. benjaminmoore.com

Office: Gentleman’s Gray

Front door: Heritage Red

Laundry room: Sunny Days

Eldorado Stone’s Chalk Dust TundraBrick offers a definitively distressed profile to the fireplace, just one of the brand’s versatile, textured design options for indoors and out.

9

TREAT YOURSELF Everyone in the family de-

Ferguson outfitted the home with Monogram appliances like this washer/dryer pair.

serves a spa-like bathroom retreat—even the dog.

The primary bathroom is a haven of light and space, with a

freestanding tub and separate shower, and doors that open

8

to a private, enclosed patio.

GET GROUNDED Natural textures like straw and jute add instant warmth.

The marble tile floor and crisp white palette add to the

soothing aesthetic. All of the

De Córdova commissioned the straw mandala over the

home’s bathrooms have carr-

nelio Rendón. It’s intricately woven but made from a natural

laundry room comes with a

Jute and seagrass rugs and storage baskets can be found

ideal for rinsing sandy paws

fireplace from a celebrated Michoacán artist Antonio Cor-

ara marble tile floors. And the

material that adds to the coastal-casual feel of the house.

built-in dog-washing station,

in every room, adding warmth and texture.

after a day at the beach.

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SUNSET • THE HOME ISSUE 2022

Ferguson equipped the master bathroom with a tub made for soaking.

GET THE LOOK

UPGRADE YOUR SPACE WITH OUR ULTIMATE RESOURCE GUIDE. Appliances Monogram; monogram.com Bedding & Linens Serena & Lily; serenaandlily.com Brick Eldorado Stone; eldoradostone.com Folding Doors and Windows LaCantina; lacantinadoors.com Interior and Front Doors Jeld-Wen; jeld-wen.com

A sunny yellow shade makes laundry room cabinets pop, thanks to Benjamin Moore, which manufactures its own resins and colorants for lasting results.

Door and Cabinet Hardware Emtek; emtek.com Flooring Northern Wide Plank; northernwideplank.com Furniture/Accessories • Ballard Designs; ballarddesigns.com • Marquesa de Mancera; marquesademancera.com • Pottery Barn; potterybarn.com • Ralph Lauren; ralphlauren.com • Rejuvenation; rejuvenation.com • Timothy Oulton; timothyoulton.com Lighting Ferguson Bath, Kitchen & Lighting Gallery; build.com/ferguson Outdoor Furniture/Accessories • Infratech; infratech-usa.com • Kindred Outdoor; mykindredliving.com Paint Benjamin Moore; benjaminmoore.com Plumbing Fixtures/Accessories Ferguson Bath, Kitchen & Lighting Gallery; build.com/ferguson Rugs • HD Buttercup; hdbuttercup.com • Serena & Lily; serenaandlily.com Switches, Dimmers, Plugs Schneider Electric; shop.se.com/us/en Windows Jeld-Wen; jeld-wen.com For product details and to see even more of the Idea House, visit sunset.com/ideahouse

Cabana Life The outdoor living room is taken to resort-level luxury with umbrellas and a furniture set that creates flexible seating for six and movable shade. The clean lines of Terra Outdoor Living’s teak Belvedere loveseat, chairs, and chaise lounge chairs ($2,585, $1,392, $1,120; terraoutdoor.com) echo the minimalist lines of the low-slung house while Casa pillows, a Fringe blanket, and lumbar pillow from Barefoot Dreams ($68, $99, $78; barefootdreams.com) offer texture and comfort.

Stacking The Deck Smart choices transform a modern pool deck into an inviting indooroutdoor great room. Here’s how to create functional and timeless lowkey luxury in your own backyard.

Mid-century modern houses dot the hills of Los Angeles, their courtyards oases of the

lifestyle that we long for come summer when the sun is high and swimming pools beckon. It’s a timeless scene we never tire of—and exactly what appealed to the young couple who bought this iconic post-and-beam house and envisioned raising their growing

family and entertaining friends throughout the changing seasons. To make the outdoor spaces as functional as possible, and to nearly double the usable square footage of

their house, they approached the project as an indoor-outdoor great room of sorts, an open-plan space with distinct areas for dining, hanging out, and relaxing after the sun goes down. Here are the key takeaways from their pool patio upgrade.

Teak Is Trending Terra’s teak furniture combines high design with a consistent look across the various spaces.

Over time, the pieces will naturally patina and go from a handsome gold to an elegantly weathered gray.

Cool Kitchen No outdoor great room is complete without a grill and Traeger raises the stakes (and steaks!) with its all-new, electric Timberline XL, a pro-level culinary workshop with class-leading pellet smoker technology, wifi app-enabled smart controls, an induction burner, and doublewall insulated construction. ($3,799; traeger.com)

Go High, Go Low Matching coffee tables in differing heights offers maximum flexibility so your drink or book are in reach no matter where you’re sitting. Terra’s Redondo small coffee table and side table ($466, $300) do just the trick.

Night Moves The owners embraced their concrete floor and repeated the palette with Terra’s Monte Rio loveseat and lounge chairs ($2,195, $1,275) in weathered teak and a Tahoe Square Fire Table ($3,969) to create a gathering area. Sunset ribbed throw and Fringe lumbar pillow from Barefoot Dreams ($180, $78).

Curves Ahead Terra’s svelte Cavallo dining table and chairs ($2,544, $522) soften the hard lines of the modern space while topgrade teak picks up amber veining in the flagstone patio.

Story by D EAN NA KIZ I S Photographs by TH O MAS J. STO RY

32

SUNSET • THE HOME ISSUE 2022

FRIENDS AND FAMILY FLOCK TO AN IN-THEROUND PALM SPRINGS GARDEN THAT CELEBRATES INDOOR-OUTDOOR LIVING.

Fun Springs Eternal

A secret steel tunnel opens to the garden like a portal, or a “speakeasy situation,” says James Lord of Surfacedesign. Here, homeowner Charlie Kimble brings in bikes with a friend, Andrew Gutterman.

A passthrough window makes it easy to serve drinks at the bar, where guests can pull up a seat in replica Harry Bertoia barstools. In the olive grove, a Teak Warehouse Capri table is ready for dining.

A

typical weekend evening for the endless supply of visitors at Casa de Ardillas (which translates to “House of Squirrels”) starts with a negroni and an “over-the-top” cheese plate. “After that, guests and I usually cook together—Mediterranean-style with grilled fish and vegetables, or Mexican food from the local farmer’s market with tamales, grilled vegetables, salsa, guacamole, and chiles,” says owner Charlie Kimble, the chief revenue officer at Ponto, a blockchain infrastructure company, who splits his time between New York and Palm Springs. Next comes dinner in the olive grove, and after that, expect a dance party by the infinity pool, where guests use the raised edge as a stage. In other words, if you’re looking for a lovely end-of-summer party, Casa de las Ardillas is the place to be.

The garden is the work of James Lord and Roderick Wyllie of Surfacedesign landscape architecture firm in San Francisco, who say they channeled multiple influences to create it, including Palm Springs modernism, old-school glamour, and the idea of an oasis in the desert. Meanwhile, Lord and Wyllie, who are

34

SUNSET • THE HOME ISSUE 2022

partners in work and in life, first met Kimble back in 2012, when he rented the first floor of their house while living in San Francisco. “They invited me to dinner a lot,” says Kimble, “and we became friends.” So when it was time for him to install a new garden at his Palm Springs home, he knew whom he had to ask.

To design the garden, Wyllie says, they looked to what they knew of their friend for guidance. “We knew what kind of garden he’d want to hang out in, because we’d hung out with him,” he says.

“We were designing it a little bit for us, too, because we knew we’d go visit him and hang out with him,” he adds with a laugh.

One enters the garden through a steel tunnel that leads to a concrete zig-zag path. Because the entry is offset, there’s the feeling that you’re entering a space that’s deliberately sectioned off from the street. “The portal in front is like a speakeasy situation,” says Lord. “It feels like if you know the password, you’re let in.”

The garden itself is intentionally free-flowing, however, as opposed to sectioned off into outdoor “rooms.” Surrounding the glass-walled modernist home on all sides, there’s a fire pit and seating area in the front, and an olive grove with a dining table beckons in the back, just steps from the kitchen with a Caesarstone countertop that extends onto the patio for socializing.

From left: Kimble (second from right) joins friends Erel Topuz (left) Gutterman (far right), and Andy Santamaria in Blu Dot “Dog Days” Outdoor Lounge Chairs, which are clustered around a Paloform “Fold” fire pit.

Commanding the backyard is the infinity-edge pool. The home can be opened to the yards from so many access points that Kimble says he may In an outdoor shower off have overdone it on the indoor-outdoor the master bathroom, lifestyle. “I once had a roadrunner comKimble left the original ing into my kitchen,” he says, “and I had concrete floors but added a friend literally come out of the guest Ann Sacks MADE Modern tile in Blue Lagoon. Hardbedroom with a sparrow on his finger.” ware is AXOR Citterio.

Throughout the garden is a sense of conviviality, along with personal touches that hold special meaning. From the neon squirrel sign above the pool to five cactuses planted just outside a window that represent Kimble’s immediate family, this is a garden that’s meant to have a sense of play.

Even those spiky guests by the pool are invited. “The soldier cactuses that reflect in the pool are a playful thing where you always have your friends at poolside whether they’re present or not,” says Wyllie. “They’re like party goers—it makes the pool feel lively and full of people.”

The result is a garden that celebrates friendship, which is not a surprise since that’s how it began. “How often do you have to have a project with your close friends?” says Kimble.

“I want to do it again.”

36

SUNSET • THE HOME ISSUE 2022

Two Blu Dot Perch Outdoor Sun Loungers await guests at the end of the lap pool, where inflatable flamingos swim. In the olive grove, the dining chairs are replica Harry Bertoia pieces.

THE HOME ISSUE 2022 • SUNSET

37

A friend, Sonya Moreno, lounges in a Restoration Hardware Aegean Teak Daybed with Loloi pillows and a Teak Warehouse side table. All windows are Milgard, and sliding doors are Monumental.

Desert Palette DESIGNER RODERICK WYLLIE BREAKS DOWN HOW THE PLANTS COMPLEMENT THE COLORS OF PALM SPRINGS. Pink Muhly Grass Muhlenbergia capillaris This grass has “great bright pink seed heads in late summer” and turns blonde when dormant. “A garden doesn’t have to be an eternal spring.”

Madagascar Ocotillo Alluaudia procera “This cactus is a deep green all year round, and we love how wild and sculptural it is. It punctuates the site with an animated form.”

Palo Verde Parkinsonia aculeata Yellow flowers add to the composition. “It’s like a fresh announcement that it’s spring in Palm Springs, plus the bright green trunk is beautiful and unusual.”

Santa Rita Prickly Pear Opuntia santarita The designers “wanted to layer this light violet pink color,” Wyllie says, “which reflects the pink of the mountains in the morning at sunrise.”

THE HOME ISSUE 2022 • SUNSET

39

40

SUNSET • THE HOME ISSUE 2022

Expect a dance party by the infinity pool, where guests use the raised edge as a stage.

Feeling Squirrelly “Everybody talks about the pink squirrel,” says Kimble, and who can

blame them? After all,

the home’s namesake

is a neon pink sign that acts as the focal point of the garden.

“I have a very char-

ismatic nephew who

had a short attention

span and so we used to

call him ‘Squirrel,’” Kimble says. “Then he

started calling me

Squirrel, and then everyone started giving

me squirrel gifts and it

became a family thing.

Since my family comes to visit a lot, it seemed fitting to have the

squirrel made, and to

call the house Casa de Ardillas.”

Mounted on cold-

rolled steel that hides the pool equipment,

Surfacedesign had the hot pink family rodent fabricated by Riofine

Neon in nearby Cathedral City. Now it stands sentry over the pool

attention span or not,

can be reminded to get in the present moment.

42

SUNSET • THE HOME ISSUE 2022

GUTTER CREDIT

where everyone, short

1

Heat Hack 1

4 SAINTS

2

BAR CECIL

3

BOOZEHOUNDS

4

CAFE LA JEFA

THOMAS J. STORY

5

PALM SPRINGS’ EXPLODING POPULARITY MEANS SUMMER IS NOW THE BEST TIME TO VISIT THE CALIFORNIA DESERT TOWN. IT’LL BE HOT, WE KNOW. (OK, REALLY HOT.) BUT YOU’LL AVOID CROWDS DURING A GETAWAY IN SHOULDER SEASON. KEEP COOL AT THESE BUZZY SPOTS AROUND TOWN.

2

Executive Chef Ysaac Ramirez recently took the helm of this rooftop restaurant at Kimpton Rowan Palm Springs, where you can expect Latin influences on Southern comfort food.

Think branzino with poblano crema, and brioche lobster roll with paddlefish caviar.

4SAINTSPALMSPRINGS.COM

3

Dive into the deviled eggs and caramelized onion tart at this romantic spot before finishing with pasta. If you’re so bold, order the The Fifty Dollar Martini. BARCECIL.COM

This pet-friendly restaurant with an expansive outdoor patio is the perfect perch for your pooch.

The decor is surprisingly elegant but the type of mid-century modern vibes for which the city is known.

BOOZEHOUNDSPS.COM

You’ll find Sisters, Oregon-roasted beans at Erika and Mike Flannery’s coffee shop, where pastries and buttermilk biscuits abound. You can also grab a salad or wrap to go.

CAFELAJEFA.COM

FLEUR NOIRE HÔTEL

This oasis of botanical art offers respite in black, tiled-roof casitas surrounded by golden barrel cactuses and palo fiero trees, plus an array of large-scale floral murals by Detroit artist Louise Jones (née Chen), also known as Ouizi.

FLEURNOIREHOTEL.COM

4

5

YOUR

SUMMER

GARDEN CHECKLIST The heat is here. What to do in your garden now.

JILL CARMEL

Story by D EAN NA KIZ I S

H A RV E S T For lasting bouquets, snip flow-

ers early in the morning. Use

sharp pruners and immediately place each stem in a bucket of cold water set in the shade.

Freeze excess vine-ripened to-

matoes for winter use. After

washing them, cut out the core,

cut them into quarters, and place them on a cookie sheet so the

pieces don’t touch. When they’re frozen, transfer them to bags or

containers for use as desired. The peel will slip off easily when the

trees, where leaf litter eventually

Layer chopped green matter

covers it, making the bed

(like spent flowers and vegetable

there instead.

dairy manure or straw) in a

difficult to weed. Use bark mulch

If you use overhead sprinklers,

water very early in the morning

so leaves dry out during the day.

Foliage that stays wet overnight

waste) with brown matter (like

finished compost in time for fall

6 inches of soil; fill with 4 inches

turn the pile every two weeks for planting.

the heat, they’re more vulnerable

ically peaks from 6 to 9 a.m.).

than plants in the ground.

to stress from lack of moisture

During hot weather, check drip

systems around wilting plants. If

M A I N TA I N

amount of lawn food you need to

higher-output emitters or extend

apply every year.

emitters aren’t clogged, switch to watering time. Plants are most

minus gravel.

Reduce the risk of fire danger

by clearing debris from your

drop to the ground. They contain

Don’t use rock mulch under

of crushed rock; water and roll or 2 inches of crushed quarter-

Deep-water potted plants. In

tomato pieces begin to thaw.

enough nitrogen to reduce the

into a real path. Dig out the top

tamp it firm; then top with

dawn reduces stress on the mu-

When you mow, let clippings

If you’ve worn a trail through

your lawn or flower bed, turn it

PROTECT

nicipal water system (usage typ-

the morning.

4-foot mound. Water weekly and

is vulnerable to fungus and diseases. Plus, watering before

stressed if they’re wilted in

yard, pruning any tree limbs

closer than 15 feet from the roof,

and maintaining a buffer of lowgrowing, irrigated plants around your home.

Felicia Alvarez with her garden roses at Menagerie Farm & Flower. From Growing Wonder: A Flower Farmer’s Guide to Roses, Bloom Imprint, $24.95

THE HOME ISSUE 2022 • SUNSET

45

Bloom Town You may have noticed that cut roses are back in fashion for weddings and bou-

quets. The reason? “True garden roses tend to be higher in fragrance, and they have

more interesting petals and foliage colors,” says Felicia Alvarez of Menagerie Farm & Flower in California. “Greenhouse roses, on the other hand, are bred to be perfect flowers that look exactly the same—kind of like pencils in a box.”

Alvarez regularly teaches workshops on how to grow garden roses, while her cof-

fee-table-worthy book, Growing Wonder: A Flower Farmer’s Guide to Roses, features easy-to-follow tips. We asked Alvarez if end-of-summer means the end of the rosegrowing season. She says it doesn’t have to be. “Those of us who live in warmer regions can do a lot in late summer to keep blooms going in the fall,” she says. Here are her top three tips.

and people are on vaca-

2

tember you can take any

3

spent blooms will en-

take off some of the

you do that in August or

“In August especially, people get busy, kids go back to school,

tion, but removing those courage the plant to rebloom,” Alvarez says.

Shape Prune: “It

sounds more daunting than it is, but in

August through Sep-

canes that get unruly,

height, and prune it down to shoulder or waist

height,” she says. “It’s

kind of like trimming the

bangs off instead of doing a full-on haircut.”

46

SUNSET • THE HOME ISSUE 2022

Feed Your Flowers:

“Make sure to fertilize about every six to

eight weeks with a

nice, balanced organic

fertilizer,” says Alvarez. “If September, in the fall you’ll have nice, big blooms.”

FROM TOP: ASHLEY LIMA; JILL CARMEL

1

Deadhead Regularly:

Small Pool, So Cool When landscape designer

Adam Sirak saw the neglected backyard area outside a new client’s house in Los Angeles, he knew one thing it had to

have: a place to take a dip—as long as it wasn’t too big, that

is. “I’m always championing a small pool,” says Sirak, who’s

based in the city. “I tell clients,

‘All you need is a box of water.’

Because unless you’re swim-

ming laps, you’re really gath-

ering in the corner and having a drink and a chat.”

To achieve this look, which

was influenced by the client’s

Moroccan-meets-the-desertinspired mood board, Sirak

used concrete and indigo tile

as opposed to traditional “pool tile.” The pool reaches 4½ feet

deep, and rather than having the pool flush to the ground, Sirak raised the edge of the

pool 16 inches and made it 14 inches wide, which makes it look like a water feature.

Meanwhile, “the pool’s edge

instantly becomes extra seating, which everyone needs in

their backyard,” he says. “After all, when you’re having a bar-

becue most of us don’t have 15 extra chairs.”

DANIEL COLLOPY

The idea is that you can

have a seat, hang out with a

friend, and place a small plate of food next to you along with

your cocktail. Says Sirak, “Think of it as a built-in bonus.”

THE HOME ISSUE 2022 • SUNSET

47

2

3

1

4

1. BOTANIK Summerland, California

Botanik specializes in curated plants,

Green Scene Finding a new local plant store with a little something extra is like entering a new world that’s humming with chlorophyll-scented air alive with possibility. And let’s not forget about the expertise and personal touch one can find. “In the last few years, the increase in interest in houseplants has been explosive,” says Jesse Waldman of Pistils Nursery in Portland. “And at a store like Pistils, you can have decades of industry experience and a highly curated aesthetic.” Here are six of the coolest plant boutiques from Los Angeles to Boise.

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SUNSET • THE HOME ISSUE 2022

and home and garden decor includ-

ing topiary and handmade birdhouses. Check out the gorgeous gravel courtyard for major inspiration.

2. QUEEN Los Angeles

Black and female-owned, Queen just closed its Mid-City storefront but still

sells plants in gorgeous, neon-paint-

kokedama and advanced propagation techniques.

4. CARRIE LYNN’S Las Vegas

Not only does Carrie Lynn’s sell indoor tropical house plants and small-

batch ceramics, it also sells bikinis

from Spain. You can’t get more Vegas than that.

5. A SUCCULENT DAY Boise, Idaho

ed pots inspired by nail polish online.

Housed in a remodeled Richfield Oil

3. PISTILS NURSERY Portland

roll-up glass doors—A Succulent Day

Pistils’ flagship location looks like it came right out of a home decor

magazine. They also offer online

workshops like Japanese “moss ball”

station built in 1954—complete with

features a DIY succulent and cactus potting bar. You can also choose

from pre-made arrangements, but where’s the fun in that?

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: MOLLY HUTTO; THOMAS RELERFORD; JESSE WALDMAN; COLE CURTIS PHOTOGRAPHY; ALLISON CORONA

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WT: XXX PF: XX ZO: XX

page

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Left: Camille Styles IG @camillestyles; Below: Douglas Burdge, AIA.

Big Ideas, Small Spaces.

The Sunset Idea Hub on sunset.com just got bigger, fresher and more inspiring with the addition of our latest Idea House property.

Join us for the journey as we renovate a 1950s style beach bungalow along the California coast. Expect a sleek minimalist design, with clean lines, incorporating natural materials and organic textures. And then layer in an expansive patio that’s creatively optimized for indoor-outdoor living.

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We’re teaming up with lifestyle expert and design enthusiast Camille Styles to transform her 2,500-square-foot space into the family retreat of her dreams. With the help of renowned Malibu-based architecture firm Burdge Architects, you can expect these plans to illustrate the latest innovations in Western home design.

6/20/22 3:34 PM

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You can choose the box that fits your style and price point, then get ready to be surprised and delighted by what you find inside! Our next box is devoted to Fall Cooking, so expect kitchen gear, culinary products, and food from the West and beyond.

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6/20/22 2:49 PM

FOOD

&

DRINK

Big Sur Barbecue

Serving up classic ‘cue and seasonal produce with a side of coastal vibes, a California smokehouse gives low and slow a whole new meaning.

Story by H U G H GARVE Y Photographs by TH O MAS J. STO RY

THE HOME ISSUE 2022 • SUNSET

51

massive smoker sits on the back porch of a little red homestead cabin at the base of the hill that’s home to the Alila Ventana Big Sur. Oak smoke perfumes the air, rays of sun cutting through it at dramatic angles as hawks whirl overhead. Folks sit on the porch soaking in the Big Sur vibes, tucking into plates of tender brisket and collard greens, fueling up as they make their way along this iconic stretch of the California coast.

This is Big Sur Smokehouse, just the kind of picture-perfect spot you’d want to while away a leisurely lunch in this part of California where time stands still.

When it opened in 2019, Big Sur Smokehouse was big news. Alila Ventana painstakingly restored the 1887 cabin, installed an open kitchen, and developed a menu that paid homage to both ‘cue and the coast. Not only did it mark the restoration of the cabin, but it was the first time real old-school low and slow barbecue would be served regularly in this hamlet where new restaurants don’t open very often. Yes, you can get pulled pork, tri-tip, and brisket influenced by the great barbecue traditions of Texas, the Carolinas, and Kansas City, but this is boho hippie luxe California after all, so peak season produce appears on the menu, too, in a little gem salad topped with green goddess dressing and soup made with kabocha squash.

On a recent trip to Big Sur, we had the pleasure of sitting on the porch, ordering up trays of barbecue and savoring the intersection of smoke and the sea. We brought back a few of the recipes that are the essence of summer and elemental in their simplicity.

Barbecue Spice Mix Make a big batch of Big Sur Smokehouse’s signature rub and apply it liberally on any protein you grill or roast all summer long.

MAKES 1 ¾ CUPS

Green Salad with Manchego Because sometimes you want

something fresh to balance out all the deep and savory flavors of the barbecue. Serve as a side, or in-

clude the grilled chicken and make it a meal.

SE RVES 4 3 oz. spring mix lettuce

2 Tbsp. toasted walnuts ½ cup cherry tomatoes

½ medium Persian cucumber, sliced 1 medium radish, sliced

½ small red onion, thinly sliced 2 Tbsp. olive oil

1½ tsp. sherry vinegar ½ tsp. kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper to taste ½ cup grilled chicken, chopped (optional)

¼ cup shaved manchego cheese for garnish

1. In a large bowl, combine lettuce,

walnuts, tomato, cucumber, radish, red onion.

2. In another small bowl, whisk oil,

sherry vinegar, salt and pepper until emulsified.

3. Pour vinaigrette over lettuce mix and stir just to coat.

4. Top with grilled chicken, if using, and manchego and serve.

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SUNSET • THE HOME ISSUE 2022

½ cups paprika 2 Tbsp. ground cumin 2 Tbsp. garlic powder 2 Tbsp. onion powder 2 Tbsp. chili powder 1 Tbsp. cayenne pepper 1 Tbsp. mustard powder 1 Tbsp. cinnamon powder ¼ cup kosher salt 1 Tbsp. freshly ground black pepper 2 Tbsp. dried thyme 2 Tbsp. dried oregano In a large bowl, combine all ingredients and mix thoroughly.

Store in a large glass jar in a cool dry space.

Big Sur Smokehouse Brisket Smoking brisket is an art that requires patience and repetition to perfect.

Keeping your temperature stable in an offset smoker or a charcoal grill loaded with wood chunks requires con-

stant babysitting that can stretch from sunrise to sunset. For some people, that’s heaven. But if that’s not your idea of a good time, there are any

number of excellent pellet smokers on that market that will allow you to dial

in your temperature and maintain it at a steady slow and low without as

much effort. There are other smoked

brisket “hacks” out there, but this recipe is a minimalist version that suc-

ceeds on the quality of the meat and the smoker—and the patience of the

cook. At Big Sur Smokehouse they use

oak wood, but feel free to use whatever suits your taste.

S E R V E S 8 -1 0

1 (10-12 lb.) beef brisket 3 Tbsp. kosher salt

1½ Tbsp. fresh ground black pepper

Oak, hickory or applewood hardwood

or pellets, depending on what type of smoker you’re using

1. Trim outer fat of brisket to about ¼

inch in thickness. Rub the entire brisket with salt and pepper.

2. Fire up your smoker or pellet grill according to directions using your

preference of wood and bring the

temperature up to 225°F according to manufacturer’s directions.

3. Place the brisket in the smoker and cook until the internal temperature

reaches 165°F. This can take between 5-7 hours, so begin checking on the early side.

4. Remove the brisket from the smoker and wrap with butcher paper and

then foil. Make sure to crimp the foil

so it’s sealed completely around the brisket.

5. Place back in the smoker until the internal temperature reaches 200°F,

which could take another 3-5 hours.

6. Pull the brisket out of the smoker and let it rest for 20 minutes. The brisket

should have some bounce to it when you tap it with a knife.

7. Slice against the grain and serve while hot.

Smokehouse Coleslaw

Classic Collard Greens

Potato Salad

The secret ingredient in this slaw that

Bacon and chicken stock add richness

The minimalist addition of locally

kick is the Thai mae ploy sauce.

der vinegar balances it all out.

this variation on a classic a subtle up-

gives it sweetness and a slight chile SE RVES 6-8

to these collard greens, while apple ciS E RV E S 6 - 8

1 medium head green cabbage,

¼ lb. chopped bacon

¼ medium head red cabbage,

1 medium yellow or white onion, thinly

shredded shredded

5 garlic cloves, chopped sliced

½ cup carrots, shredded

4 bunches collard greens, chopped

¼ cup mae ploy sauce

1 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar

¼ cup green onion, chopped ½ cup mayonnaise

¼ cup apple cider vinegar Kosher salt, to taste

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1. Shred the cabbages and carrots,

chop the green onions and add to a bowl.

2. Add the rest of the ingredients to the

1 qt. chicken stock

1 tsp. red pepper flakes 1 tsp. kosher salt

1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

1. In a large skillet over medium-high

heat, cook the chopped bacon until it’s half way to crispy.

2. Add the garlic and onions and sweat

until the onions are translucent, con-

bowl and mix with your hands. Be

sure to “crunch” the cabbage a little bit.

3. Cover and let sit in the fridge for at

stantly stirring to keep them from burning, about 4 minutes.

3. Add the collard greens, chicken

stock, apple cider vinegar, red pep-

least 2 hours to let the flavors fully

per flakes, salt and pepper, and stir.

incorporate.

Reduce heat to medium. Cook for 15

minutes, stirring occasionally, or until collard greens are wilted and the chicken stock has reduced.

4. Taste and adjust seasoning to your liking. Serve hot.

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grown fresh thyme and rosemary give grade that makes all the difference.

SE RVES 6

4 lbs. red bliss potatoes

1 Tbsp. kosher salt, plus more to taste 1 cup celery, diced

¼ cup shallot, diced

½ cup dill pickles, diced

½ cup green onion, sliced

1 Tbsp. fresh rosemary, chopped 1 Tbsp. fresh thyme, chopped 2 cups mayonnaise

1 Tbsp. whole grain mustard

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1. Add the potatoes to a large pot and

cover with water. Add kosher salt and bring to a boil, cover with a lid and cook the potatoes until soft, about 30 minutes.

2. Remove the potatoes from water

and let cool. Once the potatoes are cool, cut into ¼-inch pieces.

3. Add the celery, shallot, pickles, green onion, rosemary, and thyme and stir.

Fold in the mayonnaise and mustard.

4. Season to taste and stir again. Serve cold.

Oak smoke perfumes the air on this iconic stretch of California coast.

Pork Ribs St. Louis ribs come from the belly of

the pig and are fattier and more marbled than the more popular baby-

back style. While they may not be as meaty as baby backs, their fat picks

up more flavor from spices and sea-

soning and makes them more tender.

S E RV E S 6

2 racks St. Louis style pork ribs, about

1. Remove the ribs from packaging,

2.5 lbs. each

and pat dry with a clean towel.

page 52)

Spice Mix until they are com-

Barbecue Spice Mix (see recipe on Oak, hickory or applewood hardwood

or pellets, depending on what type of smoker you’re using

Dust the ribs with the Barbecue pletely covered.

2. Fire up your smoker or pellet grill.

Bring the temp to 225°F. Place the ribs in the smoker and smoke/

cook, about 4-6 hours or until the tips of bones on the racks are exposed by about ¼ inch. The

bones should be able to be

pulled out of the rack easily.

3. Remove from smoker and rest for 10 minutes before cutting. Serve while hot.

Story by KRI STI N SCHARKE Y Photographs by TH O MAS J. STO RY

Nikkei Beef Empanada

56

HIGH ABOVE THE STREETS OF SAN FRANCISCO, THE CITY’S HOTTEST NEW COCKTAIL BAR IS THE PERFECT PLACE TO DIVE INTO THE ART OF NIKKEI CUISINE—WITH STUNNING VIEWS TO MATCH.

SUNSET • THE HOME ISSUE 2022

The Wind Rises

J UST

DON’T CALL IT FUSION Tai Tiradito

Nikkei Beef Empanada Aji amarillo peppers are a staple of Nikkei cuisine, often paired with the bounty of seafood found on Peru’s

Pacific coast. Here, the team at Kaiyo Rooftop utilizes them in beef empanadas brushed with a simple egg

wash. You can find aji amarillo purée in Latin and specialty markets.

MAKES 10 SMALL PIECES

8 Tbsp. canola or any other neutral oil, plus 2 Tbsp.

1 cup onions, roughly chopped

who flock to this rooftop refuge (Kaiyo airs NBA games on a screen near the dining area), sidle up to a table to taste your way through the menu. It a seafood-centric spread from chef Alex Reccio, who hails from Peru—think beef empanadas with aji amarillo pepper purée, and tiradito doused in leche de tigre.

But that’s not all. There’s also an extensive cocktail program to match, thanks to bar manager Carl Brown, who’s crafted inventive, playful drinks for patrons eager to sip them in full view of the city skyline. Across the board, these libations are a dance between Japan and Peru. Aji amarillo bitters and matcha coconut cream are made in house, while spirits range from the Japanese craft gin Roku to Barsol Quebranta Pisco made from grapes grown in Ica, Peru.

“Peru has been the crucible for creating a vibrant Nikkei cooking culture,” Hara writes in Nikkei Cuisine. “Peruvian Nikkei dishes often use the maritime abundance brought to the coastline by the Humboldt Current, as well as the unique aji peppers, lime, corn, and yucca, not to mention the more than 3,000 varieties of potatoes.”

Just don’t call these cocktails—or the cuisine—fusion. “This cuisine is unique and identifiable,” Park says. “It has the sustainable power of being a cuisine by itself.”

Here, a few dishes and drinks so you can try your hand at Nikkei cooking at home.

1 lb. ground beef

4 Tbsp. tomato paste Kosher salt, to taste

1 cup shiitake mushrooms, chopped 1 Tbsp. aka miso (red miso) 1 Tbsp. mirin

2 Tbsp. kimchi juice

2 Tbsp. aji amarillo pepper purée 4 Tbsp. soy sauce

1 cup fresh tomatoes, diced

4 Tbsp. curly parsley, finely chopped

3 hard-boiled eggs, grated or roughly chopped

1 lb. pastry dough, rolled out and cut into 4-inch discs

1 uncooked egg

1. Heat 6 Tbsp. oil over high heat in a

large saucepan. Sweat onions in oil and add the beef when you start

smelling the aroma of the onions, about 5 minutes.

2. Cook over medium heat until juice from the beef evaporates,

10-12 minutes, and then add tomato paste.

3. Season with salt to taste. Add all

other ingredients except the tomato, parsley, and eggs.

4. Lower heat to bring to a simmer and let the meat stew in its

juices, 10-12 minutes. Taste for

seasoning and add eggs, tomato, and parsley.

5. Carefully place the filling in the

middle of the pastry dough, and

then close the edges of the pastry by bringing them together. Use a

Dive into the history of Nikkei cuisine with author Luiz Hara’s book Nikkei Cuisine: Japanese Food the South American Way. $35; amazon.com

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SUNSET • THE HOME ISSUE 2022

fork to press the new edge closed.

6. Make a simple egg wash by beating together 1 egg and 1 tsp. water

in a small bowl. Brush the empanadas with the wash before baking.

7. Bake at 375 °F, about 9-12 minutes,

depending on the oven, until golden brown.

BOOK COVER PHOTO: LISA LINDER

Ascend the escalator to the 12th floor of the Hyatt Place hotel in San Francisco, and immediately you’re transported away from the hard lines and dark edges of the city to a colorful and ornate hideaway inspired by the Amazon rainforest of Peru.

Welcome to Kaiyo Rooftop, the latest concept from local hospitality veteran John Park, a bustling bar that serves as an ode to a cuisine Park predicts will experience “massive growth” in the next few years.

To understand why, you must first learn the storied history of Nikkei cuisine.

This type of cooking originated with Japanese immigrants who utilized the ingredients of a new country of origin while still maintaining traditional Japanese techniques. Representative “of the Japanese diaspora,” this cuisine can be found across the globe, but “for historical reasons, two countries have had substantially more Japanese immigrants than most of the rest of the world—Brazil and Peru,” writes author Luiz Hara in Nikkei Cuisine: Japanese Food the South American Way. Park, who was born in South Korea, discovered Nikkei cuisine while traveling and became inspired to fill its “void” in San Francisco. “Some of the greatest cuisines in the world were created and founded by immigrants,” Park says. “People in struggle often are looking to create a culinary experience that wasn’t really available.”

After you meander through the droves of TikTokers and Golden State Warriors fans

Tai Tiradito

2 Tbsp. micro cilantro, or cilantro leaves, thinly sliced

This is a home-friendly twist on Kaiyo’s

1 small avocado, diced

dish. “In Peru, the Nikkei massively ex-

1. To make the leche de tigre, mix all in-

tiradito, a perfect example of a Nikkei panded the repertoire of Pacific fish

gredients (except the oil) in a blend-

popular national dishes, for example

blender is running, add the oil in a

duced novel ways of preparing fish

thicken up a bit to reach a velvety

fish served with a citrus leche de tigre

used as garnish. Refrigerate until

used and improved the preparation of

er and purée, 3-4 minutes. As the

ceviche,” Hara writes. “They also intro-

steady stream. The texture should

such as the tiradito—sashimi-style raw

consistency. Set aside ½ cup to be

sauce.” At Kaiyo, chef Alex Reccio likes

needed, up to two days.

to use Japanese snapper.

2. To assemble the tiradito, first select

LECHE DE TIGRE (Makes about 2 cups)

3. Pour 4-5 Tbsp. leche de tigre on the

S E RV E S 4

1 ¼ cup fresh lemon juice

¼ cup fresh lime juice, plus 2 Tbsp. ½ tsp. ginger purée 2 tsp. kosher salt

2 Tbsp. aji amarillo pepper purée

your plate. Reccio prefers round

plates, as they have a bit of depth.

plate before laying fish slices on top, about 5-6 pieces per plate.

4. Fill a small piping bag with the yam

purée. Pipe small dollops onto each slice of fish

2 sprigs cilantro

5. Drizzle 2-3 Tbsp. leche de tigre on

¼ cup neutral oil, plus 2 Tbsp.

6. In a small bowl, mix shallot with

2 oz. fresh white fish filet

2 cups leche de tigre

8 oz. fresh white fish filet, sliced thinly against the grain

1 yam, boiled and puréed

2 small shallots, diced brunoise 1 tsp. kosher salt

1 cup toasted corn nuts, crushed

top, to taste.

½ cup leche de tigre and salt, if needed.

7. Using a spoon, put a bit of shallots

on each piece of fish and then sprinkle the corn nuts all over the dish.

8. Garnish with the cilantro, a bit on

each piece of fish, or, if you prefer, all over. Do the same with the avocado.

Enjoy!

Prince of the Sun Inspired by a mojito (and an anime character), this

The Wind Rises Matcha powder makes a colorful garnish for Kaiyo’s take on a pisco sour featuring Cocalero liqueur, a South

American herbal spirit. Make party-

sized batches of sunflower orgeat and cinnamon bitters in advance, and shake up cocktails one by one.

SUNFLOWER ORGEAT

4 cups unsalted sunflower seeds 8 cups water

8 cups demerara sugar

4 dashes orange flower water 1 tsp. salt

1 ½ oz. Barsol Quebranta Pisco ½ oz. Cocalero liqueur

¾ oz. sunflower orgeat ½ oz. lime juice

¾ oz. egg white

4 dashes cinnamon bitters

Matcha powder, for garnish

1. To make the sunflower orgeat, blend

sunflower seeds in a blender or food processor until fully minced, about

drink is combines pisco made by a Peru distillery with white miso syrup and lime-yuzu soda.

M A K E S 1 C O C K TA I L

5 minutes. In a medium saucepan

¾ oz. white miso syrup

ter, sugar, and salt until dissolved.

1 ½ oz. Barsol Quebranta pisco

over medium-high heat, boil the waAdd the sunflowers and orange

flower water, and simmer for 10 minutes. Strain with a strainer and

cheesecloth into a separate bowl.

Let sit until it reaches room temperature.

2. To make the cinnamon bitters, combine 1 qt. Angostura bitters and

½ cup cinnamon chips in a sealable container. Let sit for 24 hours, then strain into a sealable bottle or container.

3. To assemble the cocktail, add all ingredients to a cocktail shaker and shake without ice to emulsify the egg white.

4. Add ice and shake for 10-20 seconds.

5. Double strain into a coupe glass, and garnish with matcha powder.

4-8 mint leaves

½ oz. Agricole rum ½ oz. lemon juice

2 dashes St. George absinthe

2 oz. Fever Tree Lime & Yuzu soda 1 lime, sliced into wheels

1. To make a large batch of white miso syrup, add

8 cups water and 4 Tbsp. white miso paste to a medium-sized pot and heat until the paste is dissolved,

about 5-10 minutes. Add 8 cups pure cane sugar and

bring to a boil, then turn off heat, stirring occasionally.

Let sit until it reaches room temperature.

2. To assemble the cocktail, rip the mint into small

pieces and place in a cocktail shaker. Add the remaining ingredients, except the soda and lime wheels, and shake.

3. Pour everything into a Collins glass and top with the soda.

4. Garnish with mint sprigs and a lime wheel.

THE HOME ISSUE 2022 • SUNSET

59

IN AN INSPIRING NEW BOOK DEDICATED TO MASA, JORGE GAVIRIA IS STRIVING TO DEEPEN OUR UNDERSTANDING OF THE INGREDIENT. Story by MAG DALE NA O ’ N EAL Photographs by G RAYD O N H E RRI OT T

MASA

REPRINTED WITH PERMISSION FROM MASA: TECHNIQUES, RECIPES, AND REFLECTIONS ON A TIMELESS STAPLE BY JORGE GAVIRIA, © 2022. PUBLISHED BY CHRONICLE BOOKS. PHOTOGRAPHS © GRAYDON HERRIOTT.

Sunset Page 60

Masa Harina Waffle While masa may not be an

expected ingredient in waffles, it adds an extra crunch and chew that is unlike that of all-purpose flour. Here,

Jorge Gaviria asked pastry

chef Jess Stephens (of Empellón and Onda restau-

rants) to develop a sweet

treat you’ll be sure to revisit.

M A K E S 4 WA F F L E S 3 egg whites

3 Tbsp. sugar

2 cups buttermilk 1 egg yolk

6 Tbsp. butter, melted

1 ½ cups all-purpose flour 1 cup masa harina

2 tsp. baking powder 1 tsp. baking soda 1 tsp. salt

1. Whip the egg whites and sugar until medium-stiff peaks form.

2. In a separate bowl, whisk the buttermilk, egg yolk, and melted butter until evenly combined.

3. In a separate bowl, com-

bine the flour, masa hari-

na, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

4. Alternate whisking in ½ cup water and the buttermilk

mixture. Fold in egg white

mixture. Allow the batter to sit at room temperature

for at least 10 minutes for the corn to soften. The

batter will be thick, as the masa harina will absorb much of the liquid.

5. Follow your waffle maker’s instructions for baking,

and serve with your favorite toppings.

B E YON D T H E T ORT ILL A

“ What makes the perfect masa?”

This is the question posed at the start of the introduction to Masa: Techniques, Recipes, and Reflections on a Timeless Staple, the first cookbook from Jorge Gaviria, founder of Masienda, a purveyor of masa and masa harina for restaurants across the West and beyond. You can find tortillas made with Masienda products at star chef Enrique Olvera’s Damian in Los Angeles, Oakland’s standout Chicano heritage hotspot Bombera, and other top eateries.

But that wasn’t always the case. Gaviria first set out to find an answer to the perfect masa question in 2014, which led him to farms throughout Oaxaca in Mexico. There he tasted rare heirloom corn grown for generations by local farmers. Their exceptional crops became the foundation for the masa now gracing the tables of some of the finest restaurants in the world. For Masa, Gaviria consulted chefs and friends to compile the book’s comprehensive chapters that serve as more than a home for simple recipes. “The recipes are broken up into three sections,” Gaviria tells us. “The first section is really foundational recipes of masa that will also leave you without any further questions. That was really informed by my own process, conversations I’ve had, and the things I’ve learned.”

The second section is meant to document all of the ways masa is used across the world. The third section of the book highlights modern recipes, which Gaviria explains are representative of “the third-wave movement around masa and a way to think about it without cultural confines.”

To help expand our understanding of how masa can be used in the kitchen, we excerpted a few that highlight the ingredient’s versatility. With these recipes as a blueprint to expand your use of masa at home, you can start to experiment with it in new ways. Order a bag of masa harina from masienda.com and you’re sure to taste a level of quality that will, as Gaviria says, get you “hooked for life.”

Masa Tempura Batter

1. Fill a deep fryer or pot with at least

This batter is the key to fried fish tacos

2. In a blender, combine the water,

at Empellón restaurant in New York City

masa harina, and salt and blend on

host, from fish and shrimp to vegeta-

not using a cream whipper, blend for

Alex Stupak’s secret to getting an even,

ter through a fine-mesh sieve into a

ter is to run it through a cream whip-

ing a cream whipper, pour the batter

and “can be used on just about any

high speed until smooth. (If you’re

bles and tofu,” Gaviria explains. “[Chef]

2 to 3 minutes more.) Strain the bat-

flaky consistency from this masa bat-

bowl and refrigerate until cold. If us-

per. Cream whippers work by using

into it and express the batter

compressed nitrous oxide to aerate the liquid inside through a nozzle at

$35

62

SUNSET • THE HOME ISSUE 2022

through the nozzle into a bowl.

3. Season the shrimp or other tempu-

the top. If you don’t have one of these

ra-dipping ingredients with salt and

by whisking or blending the batter for

4. Pour extra masa harina for dredging

cream, for 2 to 3 minutes, until smooth

5. Dredge the shrimp in the masa hari-

MAKES 4 CUPS

6. Next, dip the shrimp into the chilled

lying around, you can get pretty close a bit longer, as you might to whip and even.”

1-2 qt. vegetable oil, for frying 2 cups cold water

Masa is available at chroniclebooks.com and local retailers.

2 inches of oil and heat to 350°F.

1 cup masa harina, plus more for dredging

½ tsp. fine salt, plus more for seasoning 1 lb. shrimp, fish, or tofu, or 4 cups thinly sliced vegetables

Freshly ground black pepper

pepper.

into a bowl.

na, shaking off the excess.

batter until fully coated and then

carefully lower into the hot oil, making sure not to overcrowd them in the pot.

7. Fry in batches, flipping halfway

through, until golden brown, 3-5 minutes.

8. Strain on a wire rack or paper towel– lined plate, season with more salt, and serve hot.

White Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 cup white chocolate chips or chopped bars

2 1 3 cups all-purpose flour 1

3

cup masa harina

½ tsp. baking soda 1 tsp. salt

“I had never per-

1 ¼ cups butter, at room temperature

mented much

¾ cup packed light brown sugar

items of any sort,

1 tsp. vanilla extract

sonally experi-

½ cup granulated sugar

with sweet pastry

2 eggs

but I knew it

2

3

cup chopped macadamia nuts

could be done

Flaky salt (optional)

masa,” says Ga-

1. Preheat the oven to 325°F and line a

easily with

viria, who turned to Stephens for

this treat as well.

rimmed baking sheet with a silicone mat or parchment paper.

2. Spread out white chocolate on the

“After all, masa

lined pan. (This is going to get gooey,

only savory ap-

onto a baking sheet, or it will absorb

appears in not

so do not put the chocolate directly

plications

the flavors of every one-sheet-pan

throughout Mesoamerica but also plenty of

confections, like the rosquilla

cookies of Nica-

ragua and turu-

letes of southern Mexico.”

MAKES

24 COOKIES

dinner that came before.)

3. Bake the chocolate for 5 minutes, or until you see some browning along

the edges. Stir the chocolate and repeat until all of the chocolate is the

color of light amber honey. This happens slowly at first and then quickly, so keep an eye on the oven. It

shouldn’t take more than 15 minutes.

4. Allow the caramelized chocolate to

cool completely before breaking it up into chunks for the cookies.

5. Combine the flour, masa harina, baking soda, and salt in a bowl, whisk together, and set aside.

6. In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream the butter, granulated sugar, and

light brown sugar for a few minutes, until fluffy and pale.

7. With the mixer running, add the eggs, one at a time, and then the vanilla.

Mix until just combined.

8. Add the flour mixture in increments

until evenly incorporated. Fold in the chopped macadamias and caramelized white chocolate pieces.

9. Press a plastic sheet onto the top of the dough and refrigerate the bowl for at least 30 minutes before scooping.

10. Preheat the oven to 375°F and grease a baking sheet. Scoop the dough into 2-inch clumps and space them

evenly on the prepared pan, with at least 4 inches of space between them.

11 . Top the dough with flaky salt, if you’re so inclined. Bake for 6 minutes and

rotate the sheet. Bake for another 6 minutes, or until the cookies are

slightly brown on the edges and just

set in the middle. Cool the cookies for as long as you can stand it and serve.

SU N S ET STAFF

CHEF REEM ASSIL SCHOOLS US ON HOMEMADE HUMMUS, BETTER BABA, AND THE FINER POINTS OF DELIGHTFUL MIDDLE EASTERN DIPS IN THIS EXCERPT FROM HER NEW COOKBOOK ARABIYYA.

If you’re lucky enough to have visited Reem Assil’s corner bakery and restaurant, Reem’s California in San Francisco’s Mission District, you know the delightful culinary conundrum of trying to figure out just exactly which of the mezze to order. For many, store-bought baba, hummus, and other Middle Eastern dips have become the reliable last-minute dinner savior, the backyard cookout mainstay, and the savory anchor of impromptu summer parties, but each and every one of Assil’s is next-level and worthy of slowing down and treating as an event in and of itself.

For those of us not lucky enough to live near Reem’s California, the esteemed Oakland-based Syrian-Palestinian chef has just published a new magnum opus cookbook and culinary

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SUNSET • THE HOME ISSUE 2022

Photographs by AL AN NA HALE

memoir Arabiyya: Recipes from the Life of an Arab in Diaspora ($35; Ten Speed Press). This beautifully written and photographed book is not only a masterclass in Arab cooking and the classic dishes it yields, but also a reminder that recipes are not just instructions but profound vessels of storytelling, containing within them the imprint of family and ethnic history, of immigration and exile. We’re thrilled to be able to excerpt Arabiyya and share a few of the recipes from the book, along with Assil’s nuanced culinary advice and family stories. Cook your way through these recipes and we’re pretty sure you’ll elevate your mezze-making skills while enriching your understanding of just how profound a bowl of hummus can be.

REPRINTED WITH PERMISSION FROM ARABIYYA: RECIPES FROM THE LIFE OF AN ARAB IN DIASPORA BY REEM ASSIL, COPYRIGHT © 2022. PUBLISHED BY TEN SPEED PRESS, AN IMPRINT OF PENGUIN RANDOM HOUSE. PHOTOGRAPHS COPYRIGHT © 2022 BY ALANNA HALE; TEXTURE THROUGHOUT: MARTIN PAUL/GETTY IMAGES

Introduction by

Hummus

Awarma Bil Hummus with Spiced Lamb

It’s hard to keep from snacking on the choicest shreds of this gorgeous confit of crispy lamb breast. That cut

is the fattiest part of the lamb, and slow-roasting it allows it to cook in its own fat and become moist and tender. Harvest the spice-steeped lamb fat into a

glass jar to use later for spectacular home fries or roasted vegetables.

Lamb breast is a specialty cut of

meat, but it’s well worth it. The most

1 ½ tsp. kosher salt

2 Tbsp. Chile-Spice Mix (see recipe on next spread), plus more for garnish

flavorful parts of the lamb lie be-

2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, plus more

will most likely have to special order

1 ½ lbs. lamb breast or shoulder, cut

ficult time sourcing breast, lamb

2 Tbsp. neutral oil, such as sunflower

tween the tissue of the breast. You

it from the butcher. If you have a difshoulder chops make a great substitute, either bone-in or deboned.

You may need to extend the cooking time if the shoulder is cut more than 1 inch thick.

SE RVES 4-6

for garnish

into 1-inch-thick slices

1 ½ cups Chickpea-Tahini Spread (see recipe on next page)

1. In a small bowl, whisk together the

salt, spice mix, and olive oil to make a viscous paste. On a small sheet

tray, rub the lamb with the rub and

let it sit, covered, at room tempera-

ture for 2 hours or marinate in the refrigerator overnight.

2. If the lamb has been marinated

overnight, remove it from the refrig-

erator 1 hour before cooking to bring it to room temperature.

3. Preheat the oven to 350°F. 4. Pour the neutral oil into a cast-iron

skillet or heavy pan and warm over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, sear the lamb, browning each side for about 3 minutes or until a

deep golden char is achieved. Cover the pan with aluminum foil and bake 1-1 ½ hours, or until the meat softens

and easily pulls away from the bone.

5. Once cool enough to touch, pull the meat from the bone, coarsely chop

it into bite-size pieces, and shred the pieces into strands. Reincorporate

the juices and rendered fat into the pulled chopped meat.

6. Just before serving, reheat the cast-

iron skillet and crisp the lamb, pressing the strands with a spatula,

browning the bottoms and then flip-

ping the meat to do the same on the other side. You should have a varied texture with a mix of crispy and soft pieces.

7. When ready to serve, scoop the

Chickpea-Tahini Spread onto a plate or into a shallow bowl. Use the back

of a spoon to form a moat between the outer edge and the center.

Spoon the hot crispy lamb, along

with its juices, into the well and garnish with a bit more oil and spice mix.

8. The lamb can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Hummus

(Chickpea-Tahini Spread) “Learning to make great hummus requires tasting along the way and trusting what you taste,” writes Assil. Adjust salt, oil, and lemon as you go.

MAKES ABOUT 1 ½ CUPS ¾ cup dried chickpeas, or one 15-oz. can chickpeas, drained and rinsed ¼ tsp. baking soda (for dried chickpeas only) 2 garlic cloves 5 Tbsp. lemon juice (about 2 lemons), plus more as needed 1 ½ tsp. kosher salt, plus more as needed ¼ cup ice water, plus more as needed ½ cup tahini 2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, plus more as needed 1 tsp. sumac for garnish 1 tsp. Aleppo pepper or Chile-Spice Mix (see recipe on next page), for garnish 1. If using dried chickpeas, soak the chickpeas overnight or for at least 12 hours.

2. Drain the chickpeas, place them in a small pot with the baking soda (if you started with dried beans), and cover the beans with about 6 inches of clean water. Bring to a boil, skim, discard the residue from the water’s surface, and decrease the heat to a simmer over medium heat. Cook, uncovered, until the beans soften, about 30 minutes. Test for doneness by squeezing a bean between your thumb and forefinger. A perfect bean crushes easily but does not turn to mush. Drain in a colander when done cooking.

3. Immerse the beans in a bowl of cold water and rub between your palms, pouring off any skins that float to the surface. Drain and repeat two or three times. If using canned chickpeas, repeat the same step, rubbing off as many skins as you can. Reserve 2 Tbsp. for garnish.

4. Combine the remaining chickpeas, garlic, lemon juice, and salt in a food processor and pulse. Add the ice water.

Blend at high speed for 5 minutes, until no lumps remain. (Yes, that’s right, for 5 minutes. Set a timer and walk away.) At the 5-minute mark, slowly drizzle the tahini into the mixture on medium speed. The mix should be airy and form stiff peaks. If it’s the texture of ice cream, it’s too thick, so add additional ice water, as needed. Adjust the lemon juice and salt to taste.

5. When ready to serve, scoop the hummus onto a plate or into a shallow bowl.

Use the back of a spoon to form a moat between the outer edge and the center.

Drizzle your canvas copiously with olive oil and garnish decoratively with the reserved whole chickpeas, sumac, and Aleppo pepper or Chile-Spice Mix. Hummus can be stored, ungarnished, in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

66

SUNSET • THE HOME ISSUE 2022

Roasted Red

Pepper–Walnut Spread

Muhammara The Arabic word muhammara translates literally to “something that is red,” so the trick to

this dish is to choose peppers with the deepest ripe-red hue possible to create the perfect

sweet pepper spread. The secret ingredient is a backdrop of sweet and tart pomegranate molasses to brighten all the other flavors. Snack on this with fresh flatbread or toss it into your pasta. There is no wrong way to eat muhammara.

M A K E S S CA N T 3 C U P S 4 large red bell peppers

(about 1 ½ lbs.) or one 15-oz. can roasted red peppers, drained and rinsed

1 1 3 cups walnuts, plus 2

Tbsp., chopped for garnish

½ cup panko bread crumbs 2 garlic cloves

1 Tbsp. pomegranate molasses

2 Tbsp. lemon juice (about 1 lemon)

1 ½ tsp. Aleppo pepper or

Chile-Spice Mix (see recipe on next page)

½ tsp. kosher salt, plus more as needed

½ tsp. ground cumin

¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling

2 Tbsp. pomegranate seeds (optional) for garnish

2 Tbsp. chopped parsley (optional) for garnish

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a sheet tray with parchment paper.

2. If you are using fresh bell peppers, place them on

the prepared tray. Roast

the peppers until the skins

are charred, about 30 minutes, turning them over

once or twice. Transfer to a resealable bag or a bowl

covered with plastic wrap and set aside. Once cool,

tear the peppers open and remove the stems, seeds, and skins.

3. Combine the walnuts and bread crumbs in a food

processor and process to

cumin. Pulse until smooth,

scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.

4. With the processor run-

ning, slowly add the oil and blend until the oil is completely incorporated. Adjust the salt to taste.

5. When ready to serve,

scoop the pepper mixture,

chilled or at room temper-

ature, onto a serving plate.

With the back of a spoon, create little divots for the oil to fall into. Drizzle with

the oil and garnish with the chopped walnuts, pomegranate seeds, and parsley.

a cornmeal-like texture.

6. The spread can be stored,

garlic, molasses, lemon

container in the refrigera-

Add the roasted peppers, juice, Aleppo pepper or

Chile-Spice Mix, salt, and

ungarnished, in an airtight tor for up to 1 week.

Khalta Harra (Chile-Spice Mix)

This chile mix packs a perfect balance of earthy, sour, and salty flavors with just enough heat from the sweet Aleppo pepper to let you know you’re alive but keep you from losing the other flavors. It’s equally at home as a rub for the grill, a garnish for mezze spreads, or a seasoning for roasted vegetables and sauces.

This recipe could easily be doubled or tripled and stay good for about a month in a dry, tightly sealed container. A larger batch can be stored in the freezer in a tightly sealed container indefinitely. It’s great to keep on hand for those nights when you need a quick dinner. Rubbed on ground meat or vegetables with a little olive oil, it can go from fridge to grill to table in about 10 minutes. If you can’t find dried lime, sumac makes an excellent substitute.

MAKES 2 3 CUP 1 Tbsp. plus 1 tsp. whole coriander seeds 2 tsp. whole cardamom seeds (about 17 pods) 2 tsp. whole cumin seeds 6 Tbsp. Aleppo pepper 2 tsp. kosher salt 2 tsp. dried lime, ground ½ tsp. ground cinnamon 1. Toast the coriander, cardamom, and cumin in a dry pan over medium heat until fragrant, 2-3 minutes. The spices will begin to dance around in the pan when they are close to being done. Be careful not to let them burn.

2. Once they are slightly darker in color and fragrant, remove them from the pan and let cool completely. Then grind them to a coarse powder in a spice grinder or mortar and pestle.

3. Mix with the Aleppo pepper, salt, dried lime, and cinnamon.

Charred

Eggplant

Baba Ghanouj Salad

This is a bright, creamy, pome-

1 tsp. kosher salt, plus more as

the tahini, please. It’s a mystery

1

most widely known dishes, is so

½ red bell pepper, finely diced

granate-eggplant salad, but hold

needed

8

tsp. freshly ground black pepper

why baba ghanouj, one of our

1 small Roma tomato, finely diced

different in the United States from

½ red onion, finely diced

that in the Arab world. When we talk about baba ghanouj in the

Levant, we are referring to a tart salad of creamy roasted egg-

plant, brightened with pomegranate molasses and flecked with tomatoes—which is what this is! Eat this baba ghanouj with bread, or

it’s also delicious as a side salad.

S E RV E S 4 - 6

2 large globe eggplants (about 2 lbs.)

Olive oil, for rubbing eggplants, plus more for drizzling

2 garlic cloves, minced

¼ cup lemon juice (about 2 lemons)

Zest of 2 lemons

½ tsp. ground cumin

1 Tbsp. parsley, coarsely chopped 1 tsp. pomegranate molasses

1. Cook the eggplants directly on the burner of a gas stove or in

the oven. On a gas stove, sear the eggplants directly over a

medium-high flame. Rotate every 5 minutes until the globes are completely blackened,

about 15 minutes total. Alternately, preheat the oven to

450°F. Place the eggplants on a sheet tray, poke them all over

with the tines of a fork, rub them with the oil, and place the tray in the oven and cook 25-30

minutes, until the eggplants

collapse in on themselves, and the skins are blackened.

2. Place the cooked eggplants in a bowl and seal the bowl with plastic wrap to let the egg-

plants steam in their own juices.

3. In a medium bowl, combine the garlic, lemon juice and zest,

cumin, salt, and black pepper.

4. When the eggplants have

cooled enough to touch, split

them lengthwise. Using a spoon, scrape out the pulp, discarding

the skins and stems. For a milder flavor, scrape the seeds off the strands of pulp.

5. Use a fork to mash the pulp into

the lemon-garlic mix. Fold in the tomato, bell pepper, and onion.

Adjust the salt to taste.

6. When ready to serve, scoop the

eggplant mixture onto a serving plate, drizzle it with the olive oil, and garnish it with the parsley and molasses. Baba ghanouj

can be stored, ungarnished, in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

WT: XXX PF: XX WT: ZO:XXX XX PF: XX ZO: XX

page

78 78

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6/21/22 11:52 PM

T R AV E L

&

ESCAPES

Chef Kristi Brown at her culinary hot spot Communion

Savor Seattle

Fresh openings and timeless classics mean eating, drinking, and shopping have never been better.

Story by H U G H GARVE Y • Photograph by TH O MAS J. STO RY

From Capitol Hill to Beacon Hill and beyond, restaurants, shops, and hotels are dishing up new takes on the city’s longtime traditions. And summer in Seattle is a particularly delightful season as the sun comes out and the city comes alive. Whether you’re looking for nostalgic Filipino comfort food, a James

Beard-level tasting menu in a brooding modernist setting, or a local take on

soul food, here’s where to dine, drink, shop, and stay in the coastal crown jewel of the Pacific Northwest.

THE HOME ISSUE 2022 • SUNSET

69

Eat

1

Karachi Cowboys

This pop-up turned

permanent fixture in

Capitol Hill dishes up vividly spiced Pakistani soul food (think aloo sliders

with tamarind barbecue

sauce) and a short sharp list of natural wines.

karachicowboys.com

2

Communion

This Central District

restaurant from chef

Kristi Brown was packed from the moment it

opened thanks to its convivial spirit and menu of boldly flavored dishes

combining local ingredi-

ents, soulful preparations, and killer cocktails.

3

Taku

Chef Shota Nakaji-

ma’s delightful Osa-

ka-style izakaya is a

transporting spot for a

crisp whiskey soda, cold beer, and ginger-spiked karaage fried chicken. takuseattle.com

4

Musang

Comforting adobo

and tasty cocktails

are on the menu at Melissa Miranda’s excellent Beacon Hill restaurant

that’s an homage to the

city’s Filipino culture, past and present.

musangseattle.com

5

Tomo

James Beard awardwinning chef Brady

Ishiwata Williams’ White Center restaurant is the hottest opening of the

year and serves subtly

Japanese-inflected tasting menus in a stylish

space. tomoseattle.com

communionseattle.com

2

3

1

4

70

SUNSET • THE HOME ISSUE 2022

COUNTERCLOCKWISE FROM TOP RIGHT: THOMAS J. STORY (4); ADAM JOSEPH WELLS

5

6

9 Inside Passage

Tucked behind Rumba bar,

this aquatic-themed tropi-

10

cal bar avoids the broad cultural cliches of tiki while preserving all the over-the-top flaming drinking fantasies of the genre. Yes the drinks come in opulently

garnished whimsical vessels

Drink

and are high octane. Yes there’s a sea monster hanging over-

head. insidepassageseattle.com

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: THOMAS J. STORY (4); COURTESY OF PALISOCIETY

Do

9

Glasswing

With its tightly curated collection of clothes and accessories (chic

rain gear, Japanese chore coats, In-

staworthy houseplants), Glasswing is our kind of boutique. In addition to

selling just plain cool stuff, they offer 7

plant design and maintenance servic-

8

es for locals. glasswingshop.com

Stay

7

Palihotel Seattle

This pioneer in the right-sized

designy boutique hotel movement

is across the street from Pike Place

market and channels those early maritime vibes with style. palisociety.com

8

The State

This stylish downtown hotel boasts a rooftop deck, smartly appointed

rooms, and Ben Paris, an all-day res-

taurant with soaring ceilings. Pro din-

ner move: Order the duck confit and a glass of Gamay at the marble bar. statehotel.com

10

Big Little News

This minimalist update on the corner bodega is a temple to

the pleasures of print. Browse the

magazines, art journals, and interna-

tional newspapers, and pick up a bottle of Champagne to go. biglittlenews.com

THE HOME ISSUE 2022 • SUNSET

71

A Little

Kelp From Our

JOIN US ON A TRIP OUT INTO THE OCEAN TO LEARN HOW TO SUSTAINABLY HARVEST SEAWEED. Story by KRI STI N SCHARKE Y Photographs by TH O MAS J. STO RY Sunset pg 72

Kelpful founder Melissa Hanson (right) and former harvesting guide Caroline Skae

It’s a long, winding walk down the dirt path that meanders across the coastal bluffs perched just outside the small California beach town of Cayucos. The waves lap at the sand and the sun begins to descend toward that infinite Pacific horizon as the women of local seaweed cooperative Kelpful make their way toward the ocean with scissors and mesh bags in hand.

Founder Melissa Hanson looks a bit like a mermaid, decked out in scaly, tail-like leggings, but she wades into the salty water on two feet. Carefully, delicately, she pulls pieces of sea lettuce and feather boa into the air, demonstrating how to make a clean cut while still leaving enough to regrow in the water. We’re encouraged to take small nibbles of the dripping wet pieces, pepper dulse tasting totally different from nori.

Hanson’s determined group of aquatic advocates leads classes that teach fellow kelp lovers how to responsibly forage. “If we change how we eat,” the founder says, “it can have a domino effect.”

For Hanson, the daughter of an oceanographer, there’s major potential to create a sustainable, domestic seaweed culture instead of largely relying on imports from the $6 billion global industry. She’s starting with small-scale wild harvesting to build a local market and plans to launch a land-based seawater facility at a

former abalone farm in Cayucos this year. Ultimately, Hanson wants to create an open-ocean seaweed farm— where kelp is settled on underwater lines—and she’s not alone. This is the fastest growing aquaculture sector in the United States, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

That’s for good reason. Kelp holds the innate ability to sequester (and utilize) carbon, meaning it can catalyze climate resilience “as well as job creation” and access to “low-cost

accessible medicinal foods,” Hanson explains. In fact, California alone could neutralize carbon emissions from its agricultural industry if just 3.8% of its coastal waters were converted into seaweed farms, according to a recent study by University of California, Santa Barbara assistant professor Dr. Halley E. Froehlich.

Here, we head out with the women of Kelpful to understand the nuances of responsible seaweed foraging, and take in the beauty that is the coastline of the West.

THE HOME ISSUE 2022 • SUNSET

75

How To Forage Responsibly YOU’VE SEEN IT WRAPPED AROUND SUSHI, BUT DID YOU KNOW YOU CAN WALK RIGHT INTO THE OCEAN AND PICK YOUR OWN SEAWEED? OK, IT’S NOT EXACTLY THAT SIMPLE—AND RULES CAN CHANGE DEPENDING ON WHERE YOU LIVE. BUT IF YOU LEARN THE INS AND OUTS, YOU CAN FORAGE YOUR OWN KELP. HERE’S HOW TO DO IT MINDFULLY, WITH TIPS FROM THE KELPFUL TEAM. 1.

Take a pair of shears or scissors to

hand-cut each piece. Never rip seaweed.

2. Hold fast to the seaweed with a good grip to make a clean cut.

3. Make a cut that leaves a few inches of

the seaweed in the water (particularly

the base, which is called a cold-fast), so it can continue to regrow.

4. Think of the ocean as an extension of your home, not a grocery store, says

Kelpful founder Melissa Hanson. It’s a

sensitive, fragile ecosystem. Take only

what you need and can reasonably use in an appropriate amount of time.

5. If you can’t leave the spot without it

looking untouched, don’t harvest any

seaweed. Forage based on the environment’s needs, not your own.

THE HOME ISSUE 2022 • SUNSET

77

Seaweed 101

Kombu

HERE ARE A FEW TYPES OF KELP THAT ARE COMMONLY FOUND OFF THE WEST COAST, AND HOW YOU CAN USE THEM AT HOME.

Kombu can be eaten dried but also used in broth.

Let it age and it will develop a smoky smell and taste, and umami notes.

Olive rockweed

Turkish towel is like Mother Nature’s wash cloth. Use it in the shower like a luffa. Once done, throw it in your garden for composting.

Feather boa

Pepper dulse

Turkish towel

Giant kelp, the ubiquitous seaweed you’ve seen washed up on shore, can be used in seasonings.

Nori

Golden rockweed

Nori can be toasted to bring out a sweet, nutty melt-in-your-mouth flavor.

Giant kelp

Sea shallots

Pepper dulse is known as the truffles of the sea. Take a nibble while you harvest; it tastes like lobster dipped in truffle butter!

Sea lettuce

Cystoseira Pepper dulse

THE HOME ISSUE 2022 • SUNSET

79

WILDLANDS

WHITEWATER RAFTING IN UTAH OFFERS MORE THAN ADVENTURE; THERE’S A RIVER COMMUNITY WAITING TO BE DISCOVERED. Story by J. D. S I M KI N S Photographs by JAM ES K AI S E R

80

SUNSET • THE HOME ISSUE 2022

Sandstone cliffs tower above the Colorado River in Utah’s Westwater Canyon.

IN

WILDLANDS

In his 1901 State of the Union Address, President Theodore Roosevelt asserted that “the rule which underlies all others is … on the whole, and in the long run, we shall go up or down together.”

Roosevelt’s emphasis on community above the individual spoke to a fractured society during an era when soaring industrial gains coincided with dramatic disparity between the impoverished and the fruits of progress. It’s a chasmic polarity that resonates even today amid a discordant landscape in which “nearly half of Americans say the pandemic has divided their communities,” according to a December 2021 Pew Research poll.

And yet there exist spaces in the outdoors where community thrives.

I discovered one in Utah’s Westwater Canyon, where a two-day, 17-mile float on the Colorado River washed away any trace of our drift from egalitarianism.

BREACHING THE SURFACE Escorted by the Moab-based outfitter OARS—and in partnership with Yeti—16 strangers piled into four rafts that eased through the trip’s first few miles under impeccable weather and soothing currents. Occasional bird song and the soft rush of the river were joined intermittently by the voice of my boat’s guide, Cameron Yates, who dispatched rowing instructions that nudged us along gracefully, each mustard-hued oar dipping in unison beneath the murky surface of the sediment-rich Colorado. Walls of sandstone soared 300 feet overheard, giving way near the water’s edge to wax-like Vishnu schist, some of the oldest rock on the planet.

That night I found myself seated around a campfire with a party I’d only met one day prior. It resembled a sight all too familiar in 2020, when humanity’s common vulnerability appeared to coalesce communities, albeit briefly, in the form of sociallydistanced get togethers with once-unfamiliar neighbors, the clanging of pots and pans to salute hospital workers, or the performance of live music outside retirement homes, where residents smiled from balco-

82

nies at impromptu string quartets.

A roaring fire had just dissipated to a collection of smoldering orange embers that cast a soft glow on the encircled faces when a voice sounded from the chair opposite the dwindling flame.

“When did you feel your strongest today, and when did you feel your most vulnerable?”

The question came from Zack Sam. Earlier in the day I’d seen the OARS guide from Navajo Nation taking notes during guest conversations with the intent of graduating from stranger to friend.

Answers suddenly breached the conversational surface that, without the nudge, may have remained mystery. Physical ailments. Social anxieties. Tremendous personal loss. Each new voice further eroded whatever interpersonal reticence lingered.

Sam discussed his journey from Navajo Nation resident to OARS guide, and how initial apprehension over acceptance evaporated among a judgment-free assembly well-versed in the cosmic futility of ego-driven endeavors.

“I was nervous at first, but they really took me in and accepted me as part of that community,” Sam said.

“My family always says, ‘You might not make as much money as some, but you’re the happiest out of all of us.’”

Vulnerability is seldom easy, especially in the presence of strangers.

SUNSET • THE HOME ISSUE 2022

But by the time the last ember extinguished, we could hardly classify ourselves as such. And it’s a good thing. We didn’t know it, but conditions on the Colorado the following day would test every ounce of our newfound serenity.

‘THE ROOM OF DOOM’ Clear skies overnight gave way to morning clouds that suspended low as we dined on a hearty breakfast of eggs, bacon, pancakes, and coffee. Within an hour, we pushed our boats from the riverbank and set off toward the siren call of Class IV rapids bearing names like “Sock It to Me,” “Skull,” and “The Room of Doom.”

Get The Gear Rough water adventures

necessitate a bag that can

protect its contents from the

harshest of elements. The Yeti

50-liter Panga passed that test on this trip with flying colors. A HydroLok Zipper seals the bag completely, even when fully

submerged; a ThickSkin shell

made from high-density nylon

maintains puncture resistance in rugged terrain; and detachable DryHaul straps allow for

easy backpack-style carrying.

Through every tumultuous section the river jolted our boat.

“Left back! Right forward!” a zealous Yates shouted.

Water crashed over our raft from all sides, pummeling us with an intensity matched only by the smiles plastered on the faces of each drenched participant. It wasn’t until reaching the end of the rapids corridor—and what we anticipated would be calmer waters—that Mother Nature began peeling back the curtain on unsavory developments.

Rain began to fall, softly at first, then with a force that included occasional sleet. Gusts of 65 miles-perhour wind battered us head-on, transforming our watery playground into a Stygian gantlet sans relief.

The guides convened, deciding after witnessing our demonstration in rowing futility to bind the rafts together, tighten down gear once more, and uncase a motor to ease our Ben Hur-style ramming speed what was now a watery treadmill.

We hunkered down, shielding ourselves against blasts of wind and rain that slammed into us with unbearable force. Soaked extremities went numb and darkened. Curse words were muttered with each crash of water against our shelled jackets. A few sleeping

bags were passed around.

“Did you put on the wool socks?” one of the guides asked me.

“They’re on my hands,” I responded to scattered laughter. The mere thought of my motor cortext prompting arms, hands, and fingers to work in conjunction and remove my river shoes was staggering.

No matter the misery, occasional glances at our stalwart, mission-driven guides kept morale afloat. More than an hour of storm navigation transpired before we reached the take-out point. To be a fly on the canyon wall and witness the comical scene of our bone-chilled cadre exiting rafts, a gaggle of newborn giraffes clumsily working through first steps. Frozen feet and joints do not physical grace make.

Without any real shelter, a group of us opted to huddle like penguins inside a pit toilet, our frenzied shivering joined by a chorus of maniacal laughter at the necessary depravity of our toxic refuge.

There is disarming beauty in the indiscriminate chaos of the natural world. Here, we are stripped of hubris and hurled into a cauldron of natural fury and disorder that entices and discombobulates, where personal pursuits are supplanted by consideration of the group at large.

The Panga comes in 50-, 75-, and 100-liter options. Prices

start at $300 for the 50-liter,

and every Yeti Panga comes with a three-year warranty. I

can say with absolute certainty that the Yeti Panga’s ability to

keep spare layers dry in these chaotic conditions saved our

skins. If you seek out adventures in which gear durability is put to the test, the Yeti Panga is a

must-have. YETI.COM/BAGS/DUFFELS

It is in these environs that community can be found. And few actions require big-picture prioritization more than joining the unpredictable dance of our rivers, where the calculation of individual action is paramount to group success.

It was good to be reminded of that—even for a couple days.

Get a Guide For a rugged adventure on the water, book a single- or multi-day whitewater trip with OARS. Founded in 1969, the California-based company operates

rafting trips in iconic destinations all over the world, from the

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To learn more, visit oars.com/adventures

THE HOME ISSUE 2022 • SUNSET

83

Insider

Mariposa Lodge

ROCKIES The insider: Victoria Ohegyi, marketing director for Hala Gear SUP

Based in Steamboat Springs, Hala Gear offers all the inflatable boards, paddles, and guidance you need to stand-up paddleboard with ease. Ahead of summer adventures on nearby lakes, we asked marketing director Victoria Ohegyi for her top spots to visit. Fun fact: She used to help prep breakfast at Mariposa Lodge Bed & Breakfast, and also worked at Off The Beaten Path shop where you’ll find a “stellar used book section.” Here are other favorites:

DRINK: “If you’re looking for a

true, local experience,

definitely stop at Sun-

Located within walking distance of downtown,

Mariposa Lodge Bed and

Breakfast is a “cozy, fami-

views” of Hahn’s Peak in

Reservoir south of town

sometimes while) “float-

ing to grab stiff drinks and quick, Cajun-style food.”

ture out to Stagecoach for a fun, kid-friendly float.”

SHOP: “Get river-ready at Ge-

vate suites adorned with

stone’s throw from the riv-

and homemade quilts,”

erything any paddler

host, works directly with

the water, including rent-

ers when designing her

and more. When you’re

served at 8 a.m. every

Beaten Path bookstore to

arSpace, located a

timeless Western decor

er. GearSpace offers ev-

Ohegyi says. “Beth, the

could need for a day on

local agricultural produc-

als, safety gear, apparel,

full breakfasts, promptly

done, stop by Off The

morning.

get caffeinated.” The cafe

EAT:

themed coffee drinks and

and lunch with “unique

rene cruise with epic

dlers stop in after (or

that offers charming pri-

fers seasonal breakfast

Steamboat Lake for a se-

the background, or ven-

ly-run bed and breakfast

Yampa Valley Kitchen of-

arSpace and head up to

pie's. It’s located directly

on the Yampa River.” Pad-

STAY:

paddleboard from Ge-

Yampa Valley Kitchen

features “fun, literaryhandmade pastries.”

DO:

twists on the classics,” like

Paddle! “There are several

Valley-raised wagyu and

around the area,” Ohegyi

a Reuben with Yampa

calm lakes located

kimchi.

says. “Rent a

Off The Beaten Path 84

SUNSET • THE HOME ISSUE 2022

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP RIGHT: DAN TULLOS/MOUNTAIN HOME PHOTOGRAPHY; DUSTIN POSIAKTRIDER (2); COURTESY OF OFF THE BEATEN PATH; AUSTIN SUN

This month: Steamboat Springs, Colorado

Seasonal diversions and secret travel tips from local experts.

SOUTHWEST Chef Fernando Olea is a mainstay in the Santa Fe dining scene. He’s been serving up a highly curated menu of Mexican dishes since 1991, including a wide variety of specially made moles.

On the heels of a 2022 James Beard Award for Best Chef: Southwest, we asked Olea for his favorite spots in town.

chef Martin Rios’ “progressive American cuisine.”

STAY: The Inn of The Five Grac-

This month: Santa Fe, New Mexico The insider: Fernando Olea, chef at Sazón

es is “a beautiful boutique

Restaurant Martin

Inn and Spa at Loretto

Geronimo Restaurant

hotel” just blocks from the plaza where each room is “uniquely decorated.” The newly remodeled Inn and

Spa at Loretto hotel is “lo-

cated next to the historical Loretto Chapel, and

the staff offers “great personal attention to guests.

La Fonda on the Plaza is

among the oldest hotels

in America and the “only

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP RIGHT: HERITAGE HOTELS & RESORTS; DOUGLAS MERRIAM; DAVID MARLOW; ANTON BRKIĆ

hotel on the plaza.”

SHOP: There are more than 100 art galleries at Canyon

EAT: For casual fare, head to Tomasita’s for “classic Northern New Mexican

cuisine,” including “the

best frozen margaritas

and swirls” (or a margarita with sangria). Keep the party going at Maria’s New Mexican Kitchen,

Road, or stop by The Pal-

ace of the Governors and its portal on the plaza for “authentic Native Ameri-

can jewelry.” Nearby, you

can find jewelry at Eternity, Bella and Rocki Gorman Gallery. If Western

wear is more your speed, head to Maverick’s.

where you’ll find 150 dif-

DO:

formal options abound at

time to visit the Georgia

ferent margaritas. More

Purchase tickets ahead of

Geronimo Restaurant, a

O’Keeffe Museum. Other

landmark with “elegant

decor and romantic ambiance.” Stop by Restau-

rant Martín to experience James Beard nominated

worthy stops are the Museum of Indian Arts &

Culture and Museum of International Folk Art.

The Inn of The Five Graces

THE HOME ISSUE 2022 • SUNSET

85

Wilson Hotel

Horn and Cantle

The Rocks Tasting Room

STAY: Lugo-Yergensen helped open The Wilson Hotel,

This month: Big Sky, Montana The insider: Christine Lugo-Yergensen, owner of Sweet Buns Catering

NORTHEAST The best time to visit this mountain town is after the Fourth of July, according to Christine Lugo-Yergensen. Late summer is replete with music in the mountains, farmers markets, and the like. Start your trip with breakfast at the chef’s patisserie Sweet Buns Catering, where you’ll find fruity pebble macarons. Then, head out to experience more top picks from the local chef and mom of three, who’s working on a book of high-elevation baking recipes.

SHOP:

staff is super friendly and

your life at The Trove

tub for relaxing fun. “The

Find a gift for anyone in

they go out of their way to

West, a boutique with

help you,” she says.

EAT: Lugo-Yergensen likes to order crab cakes or a

soup special at Olive B’s.

Or, head to Horn and

jewelry, home goods,

mugs, children’s clothing, and more. Say hi to the

owner’s Bernese mountain dogs while you’re there!

Cantle, a bar and restau-

DO:

locally foraged cedar

the Green Bridge for

rant serving up dishes like

Take the whole family to

plank mushrooms with

summer fun on the rocks.

goat cheese, and bison short ribs.

DRINK: At The Rocks Tasting

way through an entire selection of Montana liquor.

Plus, “it’s not too expen-

sive,” says Lugo-Yergensen,

SUNSET • THE HOME ISSUE 2022

key ginger ale.

which has a pool and hot

Room, you can drink your

86

who likes to order a whis-

It’s also a must to float

the Madison River. (The

Gallatin River is also an option and it's closer if

you're staying in Big Sky.) Of course, you can’t for-

get about a hike to Ousel Falls, where Lugo-Yer-

gensen says raspberries and trails abound.

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP RIGHT: LONE MOUNTAIN RANCH; THE ROCKS TASTING ROOM; DANIELLE MULLENS PHOTOGRAPHY; SHAWN O'CONNOR; FIELD AND FOREST FOR VISIT BIG SKY

Gallatin River

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PACIFIC Emma Teal Privat and Claire Neaton are no strangers to fishing boats. The sisters grew up wild harvesting with their family in Alaska’s Aleutian Islands and now helm an all-woman team that provides fresh sockeye salmon, Pacific cod, and more right to your door. They’re headquartered in Homer, on the south side of the state, so we asked for their recommendations in and around the Kenai Peninsula.

Finn's

STAY: “Recharge and get in-

spired by nature” at the

Salty Dawg Saloon

Kachemak Bay Wilderness Lodge

family-owned Kachemak Bay Wilderness Lodge.

“It’s an intimate and re-

mote experience in one of

The insider: Emma Teal Privat and Claire Neaton, co-founders of Salmon Sisters

the most peaceful, wild, and spectacular ocean

and mountain settings.”

You can also stay in

“charming cottages by

the sea” at Seaside Farm,

home to an organic working farm, or stay a bit further away from town but

opt for a luxury spa experience at Alyeska Resort.

Public-use cabins are

also available by water taxi in Kachemak Bay State Park.

the wasabi lox. Stop by

lighthouse to “bump el-

down the Homer Spit,

EAT:

“sticky bun and ham and

fishermen.” Live music

the sisters’ fish shop

The Bagel Shop is a “local mainstay with the best

bagel sandwiches.” Try

Alyeska Resort

Two Sisters Bakery for a

cheese savory,” or a “rhubarb danish and a coffee to enjoy while you stroll

down to Bishop’s Beach.”

The “best tiny summer-

time pizza joint” is Finn’s.

Order the “blue pear pie

with pears, blue cheese, and pine nuts.”

DRINK:

88

SUNSET • THE HOME ISSUE 2022

bows with salty locals and can be found at Alice’s Champagne Palace,

while craft beer is made

at Grace Ridge Brewing.

“If you’re from Homer, you

count down the days” until Coal Town Coffee &

Tea, a “tiny walk-up coffee shop” opens for the summer.

After a day on the water,

DO:

Salty Dawg Saloon,

the bay to hike Grewingk

stop by iconic dive bar

Take a water taxi across

housed in an old

Glacier, or ride a bike

where you can stop by and “pick up some wild

Alaska seafood to cook on a beach fire for dinner.” Take a ride on the Danny J ferry to The

Saltry Restaurant in the “small artist community of Halibut Cove for an evening on the deck

with seafood and cocktails.” Or, stop by the

Homer Farmers’ Market

for “locally grown vege-

tables, flowers, and artisanal wares.”

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP RIGHT: LARRY BAIN; MARY FRISCHE; KRISTIAN IREY; DAWN HEUMANN; TRAVIS RILEY

This month: Homer, Alaska

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Travel Planner CALIFORNIA

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SEE L.A. FROM A COASTAL POINT OF VIEW Spend the morning paddleboarding to breakfast or casting off on a deep-sea fishing adventure.

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Dodger Stadium is the only stadium in the country with an

officially accredited botanic garden. How did a native plant garden of such scale become a thing?

It actually almost didn’t happen because native plants were not widely available. You do what the people ask for and the

commercial landscaping market isn’t suited to push Califor-

nia native plants. To me, the nonprofit Theodore Payne Foundation and nursery in L.A. is the main mechanism. Thanks to

their plants and classes, California native plants are coming to light. My crew took all their classes and will continue to.

There needs to be structural

“My guys are putting their hands on more native plants than anyone and are becoming ambassadors for the industry.”

changes in the industry for native plants to go more mainstream

and now we’re tapped into that and can help.

You’ve ripped out asphalt, re-

placed hedges, and rebuilt the stadium’s signature martini-

shaped concrete planters. Talk us through the plantings.

So far we have 150 new species of plants. We’ve got one slope for

native California species alone.

We’ve got other areas with plants

that represent Baja California and the West coast of Mexico; another 50 or so from the Arizona desert region; aloes from

Africa, South Africa, Madagascar, and tropical regions. We’re adding 1,000 square feet each year. If you do the math, my

guys are putting their hands on more native plants than anyone and are becoming ambassadors for the industry as well.

What learnings can you pass along to home gardeners?

Meet the visionary landscape manager turning Los Angeles’ Dodger Stadium into a world-class botanic garden, one native plant at a time.

Interview by H U G H GARVE Y

Grass isn’t the only thing growing at Dodger Stadium thanks to landscape manager Chaz Perea. After an epiphany on a trip to the gardens at Versailles, Perea was inspired to transform the stadium into a fully certified botanic garden. It took five years for Perea and his crew to wholly reimagine and replant the hillsides and concrete planters, and meet the requirements for official accreditation from Botanic Gardens Conservation International. But today, the former hodgepodge of geraniums and petunias, ivy and lantana is now home to dozens of California natives, dotted with succulents, complete with a “tequila garden” brimming with spiky agaves. With multiple horticulture degrees, an MBA, a Ph.D. in the works, and a full-time professorship at Mt. San Antonio College in Walnut, California, Perea is as much educator as landscape professional and Dodger Stadium is by far his biggest classroom yet. To see his horticultural handiwork up close, book a tour at mlb.com/dodgers/ballpark.

ter it’ll be able to handle the stressors later in the year. You’ll use less power tools and spend more time pruning. There’s

something about getting your hands on everything that re-

ally connects you to the plants. You’ll get a lot of biodiversity with the plants changing the microbiome in the soil, which attracts insect populations, which attracts birds. We have Asclepias going in for the monarchs. We’re starting to see more native wildlife. Our hummingbird population is ridiculous.

How are the fans reacting?

They’re posting about it on social media. But you know how

we really know people are starting to notice? They’re stealing our plant signs!

What do you really want the fans to take away after seeing the gardens?

L.A. has its share of problems but it’s one of the most beauti-

ful places in the world. I love this city and I’ll be damned if I’m not going to do my part to make it more beautiful. We want

fans to come to the game and take more away than just the

game. This land is sacred. L.A. is rich in beauty and we’re trying to be a part of it.

SUNSET (ISSN 0039-5404) publishes 6 issues per year in regional and special editions by S. Media International Corporation, P.O. Box 15688 Beverly Hills, CA 90209. Periodicals postage paid at Oakland, CA, and at additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send all UAA to CFS. (See DMM 507.1.5.2.) Nonpostal and military facilities: Send address corrections to Sunset Magazine, P.O. Box 3228, Harlan, IA 51593-0408.

Vol. 245, No. 4, Issue: Aug/Sep 2022. Printed in U.S.A. Copyright © 2022 S. Media International Corporation. All rights reserved. Member Alliance for Audited Media. Sunset, The Magazine of Western Living, The Pacific Monthly, Sunset’s Kitchen Cabinet, The Changing Western Home, and Chefs of the West are registered trademarks of S. Media International Corporation. No responsibility is assumed for unsolicited ­submissions. Manuscripts, photographs, and other material submitted to P.O. Box 15688 Beverly Hills, CA 90209 can be acknowledged or returned only if accompanied by a self-addressed, stamped envelope.

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THOMAS J. STORY

FIELD OF DREAMS

Plant small. The smaller the plant is when you start it, the bet-

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