40 Years with Chez Panisse

 Flowers by Susie Ho of Mend Etc.

My how time flies. Just yesterday I was having my first meal at Chez Panisse in Berkeley California with my mother. Mom was always in the know about everything having to do with food, art, gardening and design. I was probably about 22 at the time, just having graduated from college and living in the Bay Area. Mom had come to visit and took me to Berkeley for dinner. I was wrapped up with a new job at the time. Ironically, I was working for the head of the business department of the California Culinary Academy in San Francisco, marketing food related products for the gourmet food industry, but I had never heard of Alice Waters or Chez Panisse. I had graduated with a Business Degree after all....not food. Mom rightly felt it was time for my education in the world of food. I think it was about the same time she gave me a subscription to Gourmet magazine ( I am not sure if it was at the same time that Ruth Reichle was the editor or not, but she and Alice Waters were quite good friends.)

My mother was a avid reader of anything M.F.K. Fisher. We had grown up in the same area as Fisher, and Mom was fascinated with everything she had written. Mom was following the rise in popularity of good food raised locally and was by then very familiar with Alice Waters and many of her apostles. I have since read many of M.F.K. Fisher books, own many of Alice Water's Chez Panisse cookbooks, and have read Ruth Reichle's books, Tender is the Bone and Comfort Me with Apples. My education in food had been launched.

Those days are long gone......it all happened before my education in design even began....almost 30 years ago now. (Geez....dating myself here!) It is so wonderful to see that Alice Waters had it right then, and still does. Food is better, so much more delicious, when picked right before eating....which means local is better. Better tasting, better for you, better for the environment, and better for local economies.

 Alice Waters and the Levi's brand have partnered to celebrate this 40 year anniversary of the "Delicious Revolution", and I was lucky to receive photos of a beautiful event that took place on Wednesday, August 24th. The event was put on at San Francisco's Maiden Lane and featured organic, locally sourced box lunches that looked mouth wateringly delicious! Beautiful wildflower displays were put together by Susie Ho of Mend Etc. (Check out her website! Lovely interiors!)

Alice Water and Robert Hanson, Levi's Brand Global President wearing their T-Shirts

 T-shirts were designed in limited edition by Alice Waters and other creatives such as David Bryne, Sofia Coppola, Dave Eggers and Maira Kalman. Proceeds from the sale of these T-Shirts support the Edible Schoolyard Project, a national organization dedicated to bringing garden and kitchen education into grade school curriculum. Check the T-Shirts out HERE on the Levi's website!

There was also a book signing for Alice Water's new book, 40 Years of Chez Panisse, The Power of Gathering. Another "must have" for my culinary library!

Well......I did not get to attend this luscious event myself, but I was there in spirit. We had out own little "Ode to Alice" dinner with almost every ingredient found locally:

We started with an Arugula, Pear, and Gorgonzola Cheese Salad with Pine Nuts.... Local Olive Oil and Red Wine Vinegar Dressing with Dill from the garden.....

BBQ Spare Ribs rubbed with BBQ spice blend from my good friend Diane's Heart Rock Herb and Spice Blend Co. and Corn Succotash made with tomatoes from our garden, green onions and red peppers.....

.....And my youngest daughter is following in her big sister's footsteps and becoming quite a baker. She made orange cupcakes with orange zest butter cream frosting, orange sugar sprinkles and orange peel "twists" on top.

I am counting the hours until my next trip to the Farmer's Market!

OH! One last note.....One Kings Lane is having a sale on everything ALICE.... which also includes signed copies of Alice's new book. Hop on over HERE to see what you can buy from Alice's Pantry!

Wishing you all a Delicious Weekend!!

Party for a Friend

 Milestone birthdays....we all have them. There are some who would like to hide under a blanket and just let them slip by. But I say, why not celebrate who you have become every time a milestone roles around? You have reached a new level of accomplishment, and hopefully, wisdom...reason enough to celebrate, no?

Last weekend, we had my friend Leanne and her beau, John over for a special birthday dinner. Instead of going out, we decided that since we all love to cook, we would share our talents and make a meal together. Leanne and  John participate in a Farm Fresh to You program and they were expecting a delivery of asparagus, beets, and chard. We happen to live two blocks from a wonderful butcher who specializes in locally grown free range meats. Because of Spring's awakening, we all had Lamb on our minds.

Perhaps a book I have been reading lately has been influencing my food choices, so the theme seemed to be going in a "locally grown" direction. Barbara Kingsolver's newest book, Animal Vegetable, Miracle has been on my nightstand, and I cannot help but tell everyone about the stockpile of information I have found in this book! There are recipes and ideas for every taste....and easy too. But perhaps most interesting is all of the information about the affects corporate farming has had on the lives of everyone in our country. (IOW....I recommend the book!)

Anyway....back to the party! Spring is heating up around here, I harvested some blooming Bridal Veil from the garden along with some new fern shoots to create individual arrangements that I put into hand blown glasses I found at Anthropologie a few years ago.

 I set the table with a tablecloth of natural burlap topped with a white tablecloth. A few green glass votive holders, grass green napkins, and my Mexican glass candelabra...simple and Spring fresh!

 Back to the menu......we made a salad of arugula, roasted beets, goat cheese and pine nuts with a blood orange vinaigrette. Grilled lamb with rosemary and garlic was next, accompanied by a mushroom risotto, sauteed Swiss chard with apples and fresh asparagus.........

Lucky for me, my college student was home for Spring Break and threw together her homemade German Chocolate Cake for dessert.....

The wonderful thing about cooking with friends....everyone gets to contribute, we all get to learn new tricks and  techniques from each other, and the conversation is always flowing,  right along with the wine.

Never pass up an opportunity to celebrate with with friends.

Happy Birthday John!

P.S......Don't miss your own opportunity to celebrate by winning a copy of Rizzoli's latest

 design book by designer Kelly Hoppen! 

Get all the scoop HERE!

Kelly Hoppen Interiors - A Give Away !

 I must admit, I have an addiction. I am easily led astray from other duties when a new design book crosses my path. I have no will power. I have to sit and open the book. And that is not all. I am moody and uncommunicative until I have had a chance to flip every page. Even then, it takes a huge effort not to flip through again and again.

Any of you out there have this same addiction? I am sorry to say, I am not the one who can help you overcome it. In fact, you may consider me an enabler. I am even going to take it one step further ..... I have a new fix for you right here....and trust me when I say, it is really good.

Rizzoli is just about to release the newest of designer Kelly Hoppen's books:

Kelly Hoppen Interiors, Inspiration and Design Solutions for Stylish, Comfortable Interiors.

The best part?....

Rizzoli and I are partnering again for another

Give Away

to one of you lucky design addicts!

There is a section on kitchens, and Kelly's approach is practical and beautiful....and perfect for entertaining.

 Just a few comments to get those hearts racing.....

Kelly Hoppen is a designer who's aesthetic is luxurious, yet comfortable, simple, and very uniquely beautiful. Kelly has a modern vibe, that seems to work in any environment, rustic country to New York penthouse.

This book is beautifully done....text written by Sarah Stewart-Smith and lots of gorgeous photos by the estimable Mel Yates just to start. The book begins with how to plan your space, then on to advice for all of the finishes for the floors, walls and ceilings and on to lighting.  The organization of the book takes one through a section for each room of a home....Living Room, Dining Room, Kitchen, Bedroom and Bathroom.... offering ideas and tips for the design of each space, from lighting and drapes to bedding and tile. The photos illuminate all of the concepts brilliantly. It is, after all, the photos that I look for in a design book, and really.... they do not disappoint.

I love the comfort of this Dining Room, cozy but still airy with a view out the gracious windows.

One of the things I really like about this book is that it speaks to the end user with very practical advise. Here is a little excerpt that, as a designer, I have great appreciation to Kelly for including:

CHECK OFF THOSE BOXES:

• You are your own designer, and a "little black book of ideas" will be your safety net for ensuring that you create an environment that best suited your style of living.
• Study you list of needs against your budget, and accept that you will have to compromise. Each and every one of us has to do so.
• You cannot run away from the cost. The cost is the cost.
• Make informed decisions on the basis of your priorities, to find less expensive options and solutions

Perhaps my favorite part of the book is all of the delicious photos. I know that showing just a few of the images from the book is just about the cruelest thing I could do to a true design addict. But one lucky winner will get their hands on a copy soon enough. 

In the meantime, I hope you enjoy the beauty!

All of the details work so well together here. The window sheers are unexpected with the rustic wood paneling, but the taupe color makes them blend perfectly. The touch of orange on the velvet chair and a half perks up the otherwise tonal color palette.

 So here's the scoop for the Give Away:

1) Hop on over to the Rizzoli website and take a look at all of the design book treasures.

2) Click on the "comment" link at the bottom of this post and leave a comment.

3) Make sure I can contact you by including an email address, or make sure your username has a link to a contact email.
4) The Cut Off date to enter is April 11th at 5:00PM PST. I will announce the winner the next day, April 12th!

Light, bright and fun. I love the green stripe on the bedspread. I would have to wait til kids and dogs are long gone before I could consider the floor draping length of the spread however. But it is dramatic, no?

 And that is it. Easy.

A cozy cocoon of a bedroom. Having the paneled ceiling adds so much to what might have been an otherwise plain room.

 OH! And for the rest of you looking for that design fix, this luscious book will be available in April, so do not worry....you do not have to wait for your very own copy!

I like this idea of having different floor finishes here with both the stone and wood. The dark shutters beautifully punctuate the white walls. I could relax in this tub with a glass of wine and a good book for a very long time.

Have a beautiful day and Good Luck!

WINNERS

Best of Show! Elaine's Betty

Tim and I took a quick morning trip to the 87th Annual Camellia Show hosted by the Camellia Society of Sacramento a couple of weeks ago. Tim, because Spring has sprung and he is anxious to get the garden in order. Sacramento has a pretty much perfect climate for Camellias and you can find every variety imaginable. Tim was on the hunt for ideas. Me, well.... I will take any opportunity to gaze at the beauty and practice with the camera.

The Show always presents a Best of Show Winner, and the bloom that won was certainly an amazing specimen of floral fabulosity. The winning variety, "Elaine's Betty" was grown by Mr. and Mrs. Don Lesmeister and was presented the Rosalie Lee Memorial Trophy by the Camellia Society of Sacramento. Spectacular.

So....who, you may be wondering, is the next "winner", and what did they win? The beautiful Rizzoli book, Walls: The Best of Decorative Treatments was the latest katiedid Give Away....and the winner is Mary! Congratulations Mary! Rizzoli is sending you a copy right away.

But for those of you who didn't win this time, do not despair. I have another great Give Away coming up this week! Rizzoli is graciously giving away another fantastic design book. It is not even on the shelves yet! Designer Kelly Hoppen has just put together another collection of wonderful design ideas in her latest book:

  Kelly Hoppen Interiors, Inspiration and Design Solutions for Stylish, Comfortable Interiors


More winners to look forward to!


Back to the Camellia Show.....I was able to snap some "winning" photos as well....hehe. Here are just a few:

The Camellia Show was held at the Sacramento Memorial Auditorium which is listed on the National Historic Register. The National trust for Historic Preservation has named the Memorial Auditorium as one of five winners of "Protecting America's Treasures". So clearly....another winner.

So.....I took a few more pictures. There is nothing quite like playing tourist in your own town on a rainy Sunday morning. It makes what might have been a ho hum day into .........a winner.

All photos copyright by Katie Denham

 (Exception, Walls Book Cover.)

Have a Winner of a day!

The Holidays are Here, and so is Rustic Elegance

If there is one thing I always associate with the Holiday Season, it has to be snow. And why not? The Holidays are smack in the middle of snow season, at least up here north of the 40th parallel. 'Tis the Season for swooshing down the mountains on skis, or boards...whatever works for you. Whatever you choose, there is always the anticipation of a warm fire and a mug of something hot waiting at the end of the day.

When I received a copy of the new book, Rustic Elegance, written and photographed by Ralph Kylloe, I knew I was in for an armchair getaway to some of the most perfect Winter settings in North America. And what perfect timing! I could curl up in front of my own fireplace, Chai Latte in hand and dream a little snowbound dream.

Rustic Elegance is a collection of beautiful log cabins, all creations of Larry Pearson AIA, set in gorgeous country in states ranging from Montana and Wyoming to Colorado and California, and everywhere with snow in between. Larry Pearson has been recognized a a leader in rustic design for some time. Small wonder when one first sees the almost fairytale character (when I say "fairytale, I am talking Tolkien's splendor) of the log cabins...and when one ventures inside to stone fireplaces blazing, candles burning, and cozy down comforters calling.

What I liked about this beautifully put together book, besides the obvious full bleed gorgeous photography and heft of the 12"x11" 256 pg. thing, was the way the chapters were organized. Each chapter shows a different house, inside and out, every room including kitchens and baths. It is full of wonderful ideas ....for example, built-in bunks are a popular way to bring in more guests to share the fun.

If you are looking for a perfect armchair travel book for that mountain loving friend or family member, Rustic Elegance would be the one. Who knows, it might even inspire them to get out of that armchair and hit the slopes! Or at least don a pair of snowshoes and a backpack full of cheese, bread and a bottle of wine. It all sounds good.

All photographs from Rustic Elegance, written and photographed by Ralph Kylloe. Reprinted with permission of Gibbs Smith 

.........

and don't forget to enter my Holiday Give Away for another little something to keep you warm!

A Day in the Life

4:45AM - Faint stirring when I hear Tim get up for his morning exercise routine. Still think he is crazy to get up so early.
6:00AM  Faint stirring when I hear Tim get in the shower.
6:30AM  Our Australian Shepherd jumps on the bed for a morning cuddle. I feel wet dog hair and turn on the light and see muddy paw prints all over the bed. March downstairs to put dog outside. Scold Tim for letting dog in when she is all muddy.

She looks so innocent when she is asleep, doesn't she?

6:45AM Throw on clothes and tell daughter  to hurry up or she will be late for school.

7:00AM Warm up car to take daughter to school.
7:15AM Back home, shower and dress.
7:30AM Eat breakfast and read the paper...."Local Mall Burns Down!" Oh no! Were Crate and Barrel, PB and Restoration affected?
8:15AM Check emails and respond to clients. Yes, we can get marble remnant for Powder Room Counter.
8:45AM Strip bed and put muddy sheets and duvet in the laundry.
9:00AM Take dogs to the groomer for a bath...it has been too long anyway.
9:30AM Make plan for the day. Check Voicemail: "You too can benefit from Government Mortgage Bailout", Very excited client message about her kitchen that I designed published in Sacramento magazine!
10:00 AM Blog Post about One King's Lane Tag Sale
10:30 AM Order bed from Serena and Lily for Client's Master Bedroom. Order Kravet Windsor Smith Fabric for Pillows....same client.



Meanwhile, Tim is painting new wall in basement added to make room for Mom moving in.

Disaster....but work is calling

 11:00 AM Put together design for another client's Master Bedroom: furniture additions, lighting, area rug, bedding.
11:30AM SureWest guy comes to put in new TV hook up for Mom's new space. He also moves my computer hook up to "my" side of the basement.
1:00PM Work on tile re-selection for episode of Bath Crashers (DIY Network) that I am designing. What I thought would be a pretty quick process...not so quick.
1:30PM Start putting presentation together for Client Master Bedroom I was working on earlier. Keep researching for more items.
3:30PM Eat "Linner"....grilled cheese and chicken and stars....sometimes comfort food is the only way to go.
4:00PM Check emails
4:30PM Move office furniture, equipment and supplies to other side of basement into my "new" office. This may take awhile!

New Wall with Paint!

Moving Office to This Side of the Wall...still have a lot to do, but getting there! I am back in action.

4:45PM Pick up clean dogs from groomer.
5:15PM Keep on moving office stuff....hours more to go.
8:30PM Pay Per View movie: "Agora" about 4th century Greek woman philosopher Hypatia in Alexandria. Watched it while moving office. Not a bad rent! I had never heard of Hypatia before and never would have known women were revered as teachers in this era.

10:00PM pick up daughter from friends' house.
10:30PM Take a break and finish watching movie.
11:00PM Bed and read a bit of my book: "Velva Jean Learns to Drive". Velva Jean knew who Hypatia was.....so I am very glad I saw that movie! Very eerie to have Hypatia show up in two places in one day.

11:30PM Fell asleep and dreamed about little elves wearing togas finishing my office in the middle of the night....sigh...if only....