Our Favorite Fourth of July Refresher

Shannon and I love the Fourth of July and will be spending it together, with our families and close friends in Sonoma.  Whenever we do these fun group getaways, the food menu and the cocktail choices are always a huge part of our pre-planning discussion.  Our friends (and Shannon) are AMAZING cooks, so I won't get into the delicious menus that are planned for breakfast, lunch and dinner while we're away..(or maybe I will, but that will be another post)...but I will offer my favorite cocktail for this Holiday: The Watermelon Margarita.

Watermelon Margaritas are the perfect complement to a warm day by the pool, or a backyard BBQ and because they are not "traditional" margaritas, you will surely impress your friends.  There are plenty of recipes out there that require you to "reduce" the juice and carve the fruit...blah, blah, blah....but all of that is too much work for a drink that is so delicious your friends' glasses will go empty at a rapid pace.  So if you don't want sore arms from muddling, follow this simple recipe:

The Ingredients:

For a salted rim, dip the glass in a shallow plate with lime juice and then dip the glass in another shallow plate with salt.

Add ample ice ( I like mine extra cold), and fill the glass about 1/3 with blanco tequila ( I love Clase Azul).

Add the Watermelon Juice (I love the Watermelon Cucumber Cooler from Trader Joe's...low sugar and the cucumber is refreshing), and top with a splash of club soda and a squeeze of lime.

The result is refreshing, delicious and a patriotic take on the classic margarita.

Cheers!

Brussel Sprout Shreds (and Peonies, Of Course)

There are two reasons why you need to go to Trader Joe's today: Peonies are in season and they are $6.99 (A bunch, not A stem) AND they sell pre-shredded brussel sprouts in the refrigerated produce area.  The second reason makes the dish I'm about to share quite possibly the easiest and most delicious side veggie in history.

I'm slightly self-conscious even sharing this recipe (if you can call it a recipe...it has two ingredients) because talking about brussel sprouts, let alone writing about brussel sprouts, is like talking or writing about kale.  Everyone has heard/had enough.  But, I felt an obligation to share this dish because after many different attempts and versions over the last few years, I feel like it has been mastered with this iteration.  

Here are the components required to get deliciously crispy, salty, slightly lemon-y brussel sprout shreds. 

My thinking is the fewer ingredients and steps, the lesser chance I have of screwing it up.  So, this dish was made for me.  Outside of salt and pepper, all ingredients (and the pan) are pictured above.

1.  Lodge Cast Iron Skillet

2.  Avocado Oil (avocado oil is the best for high heat, not to mention its health benefits)

3.  Trader Joe's shaved Brussel Sprouts

4.  Lemon rind

Instructions: Add avocado oil (enough to generously coat all of the brussel sprouts) to cast iron skillet on high-heat.  Once oil is hot, dump the shaved brussel sprouts into the pan.  Add a healthy dose of salt and pepper.  Toss a few times.  Once they are crispy and dark brown ( I like them really crispy and dark brown), remove from pan, shave some lemon rind into the mix and season again with salt as desired.  Done.

A great appetizer, a healthy side dish and an all around crowd pleaser.  3 ingredients and a similar number of minutes to make.  You're welcome(:

Have a great Tuesday!

Eating & Drinking in the OC

We spent last weekend in Orange County visiting family and while we were there we tried some new spots, and revisited some of our favorite old spots.  I thought I'd spend some time sharing a few noteworthy places to eat,  drink and shop while visiting the glamorous coastal towns of Newport Beach and Laguna.

On Friday night, we celebrated my sister-in-law's Birthday and we were definitely in the mood for some tasty libations and lively atmosphere.  We started at the Saloon, and it's name most accurately describes it's vibe.  It has been around for decades, has no frills (unless you can call the signs and the spurs on the wall frills), and serves a dangerously delicious drink called a Pino.  You always know the drinks are dangerous when they taste nothing like alcohol and everyone in the bar is ordering one.

We followed up our pre-dinner pit-stop with a communal dining experience at Watermarc.  It is casual with delicious food and great service.  We shared copious amounts of food, with my favorite dishes being their homemade chips and the yellowtail starter.  

Once our bellies were full, we were off to Selanne (a gorgeous new steakhouse) for one more civilized cocktail before the hair went down and the jackets came off at Sandpiper (now known as Dirty Bird).  They were playing live music, and serving stiff cocktails and it was just as fun as I had always remembered when I use to go there in college and in my twenties (it's been around for 70 years).  We danced until the music stopped, piled in an uber  to get home and cried when our children awoke us in the morning after sleeping ONLY 5 hours(:

For shopping one of our favorite places to go is Juxtaposition Home.  It is a spacious and open store filled with beautiful bedding, furnishings and art.  Their collection is excellently curated and their styling is always fresh.  Gorgeous pillows next to vintage textiles paired with earthy objects...if you don't live in Orange County it's the kind of store to make you wish you did. 

Lastly, we hit up Off Saks (in the South Coast Plaza Annex across the street from Saks Fifth Avenue) and it was a total score.  They had rows and rows and rows of designer sunglasses.  Fine jewelry was an ADDITIONAL 50% off the already reduced pricing, and they had denim for days.  I tried to restrain myself, but ended up getting a darling Rachel Zoe tweed dress that was originally $395 for $175, and my sister-in-law got an awesome Helmut Lang blazer, a Vince leather vest and a festive Alice & Olivia party dress.  Like all the "discount" stores, it is probably hit or miss but I highly recommend popping in.  For us, it was a major hit!

Have a great week!

Styling Your Kitchen

Honestly, this blog post is less about "styling" your kitchen as it is about "de-cluttering" your kitchen.  We are all guilty of it...the blender on the counter, along with the coffee maker and the knives...oh, and what about the paper towel roll, and the toaster oven.  Where are we supposed to put those?

Away, is the simple answer.  But we'll give you a few suggestions that might make this task easier.

The Blender:  How often do you use the blender?  Even if it everyday (which it is in our family), the blender is only used in the morning, so it does not need to sit on the counter and take up precious space all the while serving as clutter.  Clean the blender after use, dismantle the few parts and put it away (a deep drawer or pantry will work).  It will take less than 2 minutes and removing the clunky object from view will make a big difference.  

The same goes for the toaster.  Most people only use it in the morning.  It has one plug and can easily be moved underneath where it is typically plugged into a deep pull-out drawer, or a lower cabinet where pots are concealed.  We use our pots and pans as much as our toaster (usually once a day), so why does the toaster get to hang out on top of the counter, while the pots are banished below?  Doesn't seem fair, and doesn't look good either(:

The Knives:  How about a drawer?  I know it seems really convenient to have your knives in a butcher block on your counter but if you have limited space (as we do...these pics are all from our Sonoma Project and unfortunately not from my kitchen), every square inch that is cleared, is space more visually appealing.  My mother-in-law is the first person I had seen who used the drawer approach for knives, and it is fantastic.  She uses a shallow top level drawer and puts only her sharp knives in this drawer (no other utensils, no whisks, no spoons, etc).  Knives, just knives.  It is safe because all of the handles are on the same side and it is as convenient as a butcher block without the visual clutter.

As for styling the kitchen, don't do much.  Less...as in everything less...is so much more.  For your fruit, choose a beautiful bowl...an art piece if you will.  Spend the money to buy a beautiful piece as it will sit on your counter for all to see.  We absolutely love Hudson Grace for a chic vessel and they have stores in San Francisco, Marin Country Mart and Montecito.  Whether wood and rustic or white and ceramic, choose something neutral without a whole lot of color because filling the bowl with fruit, particularly citrus, will provide the desired punch of color.  As for other styling tips, if you are going to host items on your counter, have them be like-minded...meaning: gather all of your wooden utensils and place them in a jar, instead of placing a hodge podge of stainless, ceramic and wood.  The result is a clean, modern and artistic.  

The take-away is that less is always more...unless you are styling your counter with spoons and cutting boards from Hudson Grace.  And in that case, more is more (:

Try these small and easy tricks to see how much brighter, larger and cleaner your most used space will feel.  And the best part....it's free.

To receive these tips and other blog news directly to your inbox, scroll down and add your email to the Subscribe box.  To view older blogs, simply tap on the "Older" arrow below.   Have a great week!

The Magic of Montecito

Montecito is a magical place. A place where beauty abounds in every direction.  Exquisite beaches coupled with the rustic landscape and stunning mountain views are stiff competition for the jaw-dropping residential architecture and perfectly manicured grounds of countless stunning homes.   Spanish and Mediterranean villas define this unique town and many are designed by famous architects such as George Washington Smith and Wallace Neff.

Shannon and I both have an intimate connection to Montecito and find it an extremely special place to spend time...for different reasons.  For Shannon, Montecito is a luxurious respite. A place where she can stay at one of her favorite hotels, San Ysidro Ranch, with her husband and check out for a few days amongst the gorgeous oak trees. A place where she can enjoy cocktails on the patio at Plow & Angel and end the evening with a delicious meal at Stonehouse.  Indulge in some retail therapy at Angel or Jenni Kayne for chic women's clothing, and Upstairs at Pierre LaFond or House of Honey for gorgeous home goods.  With a perfect climate and a small, but strong, collection of fantastic dining and shopping locales, Montecito is the perfect long-weekend getaway. 

For me, Montecito means family.  My mom moved there shortly after I was married and although we miss seeing her more often, we could not feel more blessed to list Montecito as a place where we get to spend time with our family and enjoy the surrounding splendor.  Between siblings, cousins, nieces and nephews, my mom usually hosts 14-20 of us for any given Holiday making for crazy, but fantastic family time. 

Our trips are usually comprised of a combination of the following activities: wake up, eat fresh eggs collected from my mom's chickens, walk to Pierre Lafond and get a juice or a coffee, swim all day with the children, drink Coronas, make delicious appetizer platters, put the children to bed, make a huge family-style meal, drink wine, play Heads-Up or Liar's Dice, go to bed. Repeat.  

The only changing activity in the above-list is the "dining out" activity.  We usually pick a night or two to go out and we typically go to the Biltmore and get a cocktail before heading to Lucky's for a delicious piece of meat and an equally delicious piece of Montecito night-life.  Lucky's atmosphere is always the same, yet always interesting...if you know what I mean.  Other top spots are Tres Lune, and newcomer the Honor Bar.

Whether sneaking away with your loved one for a romantic getaway, or gathering all of your family belongings in your SUV to head down with your family, Montecito offers an extremely rare combination.  It is cool and casual, as you might expect from a beach town yet has a sophisticated food, wine and retail scene.  Shannon and I often talk about our aspirations to retire in this chic enclave...if only we can figure out a way to get there sooner.

An Old but New Neighborhood

The North Beach neighborhood in San Francisco is old and it is Italian.  There are still shops that make fresh Italian specialities and homemade pastas daily...the owners enthusiastically communicating with their staff and fellow neighborhood friends in their native tongue as you pay for your yummy Sicilian delights.  And at the cafes, people still post up to the bar to have their espresso shot in a porcelain cup, instead of taking it to-go in a paper cup.

North Beach has always been charming but in an older, more rustic sense.  It is a popular tourist destination and has always been a great spot for bars, but the restaurant scene in North Beach was missing the mark...until recently.

Tony's Pizza is a perfect example of the cliched Italian Pizzeria turned on it's head.  Tony's opened a few years ago and is bustling and busy from the moment the doors open until the last pie is served.  The menu represents the storied Italian dishes that we all know, while introducing us to innovative cuisine that makes a foodie's mouth water.  

One of our favorite pizzas is Quail Egg, Potato and Guanciale.  It is made with creamy mozzarella, and layered with potatoes, rosemary, calabrese peppers.  Then they add chorizo, quail eggs, gaunciale (pork cheek), fromage blanc,  and a dash of lavendar sea salt...yes, yes, yes.  Not exactly vegan...nor gluten free and dairy free, but insanely decadent and delicious. For a town as food-driven as SF,  Tony's was a pioneer in putting North Beach on the food-scene map.  Tony's challenged the notion that a pizza place in North Beach is cliche...and everyone who has eaten there would say they emerged victorious.

Next up, one of our all-time favorite restaurants in San Francisco: Park Tavern.  The design, the menu and the atmosphere are all fantastic.  Walk in and the chic bar, and modern industrial decor will set the tone for the tasty libations and simple, yet delicious food you are about to enjoy,

For starters, we always order the deviled eggs, brussel sprout chips and wagyu beef jerky.  Their burger, dubbed the "Marlowe Burger" is one of the best in the city, but truly we haven't had a meal or a dish that we didn't like.  The ambiance is lively and trendy while the food, cocktails and service are on-point and built to last.  Park Tavern is a welcome addition to the North Beach neighborhood offering new American food in an old Italian neighborhood.

And for that night cap, Tony Nik's is the perfect place.  Small, and dimly lit... it is a place with no frills and great drinks.  Post up at the bar, or grab a cozy booth in back to relax because getting "one more" at a bar that has been in business since 1933 is always a good idea.

North beach has always offered a lot of history and now it offers a lot of great dining too.  An old neighborhood infused with some new blood is changing North Beach from a neighborhood of tired cliche to a one of haute cuisine.

Styling in Sonoma

Shannon and I spent that last few days in beautiful Sonoma preparing for a photo shoot of a recent project. It was an extremely busy and productive 48 hours filled with flower cutting, furniture moving, pillow stuffing and picture hanging.  We were in our sweats and sweating..so when we were finished we decided to get properly dressed and head out for a celebratory lunch!

I am wearing Citizens of Humanity high-waisted flare jeans, a cropped boxy gingham top from Zara (oh, how I wish I could rock it without layering a top underneath...pilates here I come), and Jimmy Choo platform wedges.(similar in link)

Shannon is wearing Rag & Bone distressed denim, a Marissa Webb linen jacket and Rag & Bone booties.

We chose to go to The Girl & The Fig for lunch, one of our favorite spots. We ordered "the works" for a starter which consisted of an amazing cheese and charcuterie selection, homemade fig jam, a baguette and in-house spiced nuts.

I selected the soup du jour (potato and onion purée..sounds boring...was anything but) and followed it with a salmon and avocado crostini main course.  Shannon opted for the omelette of the day..... And Adrianna chose (of course) the girl and the fig salad.  We washed it all down with their proprietary label of dry rose of course. There wasn't an ounce of room for dessert, so we headed to a winery instead :)