Sunset back issues from February 2007:
From the editor.(Editorial)
Feb 01, 2007; ... WE'VE WATCHED a lot of diet fads come and go in the food world, and Sunset's usual take is to stay out of the fray and cheer for balance and moderation. Low-fat cooking? Sure, though we still love using butter and cream in certain dishes too. Low carbs? We never really got on that bus. In ...
Your guide to sunset.
Feb 01, 2007 ... We publish five regional editions (your region is identified on the table of contents) to provide local garden and travel information. To receive a different edition, please contact customer service (see below). [GRAPHIC OMITTED] When offering garden advice, we refer ...
Early bloomer.(February In the West)(saucer magnolia)(Brief article)
Feb 01, 2007 ... Spring can't come too soon for a saucer magnolia. When most flowering trees are still drowsy with dormancy, Magnolia x soulangeana is dressed and ready to go. In the West's mildest climates, the transformation starts in January (later in colder regions), when dozens of tulip-shaped pastel ...
Wish you were here: Adara Hotel.(February In the West)
Feb 01, 2007 ... Winter doesn't get any cooler than this. Resin antlers, floating electric fireplaces, and sinuous Panton chairs make the 41-room Adara Hotel a personality-packed boutique alternative to whistler, B.C.'s mega-resorts--and a modern change from the town's traditional rustic lodges. Its ...
Orange County takes center stage.(February In the West)(Renee and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall in Costa Mesa)(Brief article)
Feb 01, 2007 ... Clear acoustics, groundbreaking architecture, and lavish public art: The $213 million Renee and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall in Costa Mesa, California, is this season's hot ticket. Here are three tips to a grand night out. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] PRIME SEATS ...
Drive green.(February In the West)
Feb 01, 2007 ... Make your next rental car a Toyota Prius. Companies like Hertz (www.hertz.com) and EV Rental Cars (www.evrental.com) are adding fuel-efficient cars such as Ford Fusions and ...
3 great mountaintop picnics.(February In the West)(Lake Tahoe, Deer Valley Resort, Beaver Creek)(Brief article)
Feb 01, 2007 ... BEAVER CREEK, CO McCoy Park Grab a pair of snowshoes and a patch of powder for a lunch overlooking Sawatch Range and New York Mountain. The price includes a guided snowshoe tour, rental equipment, and a nordic-area lift ticket. $135; reservations required; www.beavercreek.com or ...
Favorite new catalog.(February In the West)
Feb 01, 2007 ... It's a plantaholic's dream: 2 1/2 acres of rare botanical treasures at Annie's Annuals & Perennials nursery in Richmond, California. Now gardeners can mail-order these prized plants from the nursery's new spring and summer catalogs--featuring unusual California natives and cottage-garden ...
Jurassic pine.(February In the West)
Feb 01, 2007 ... Imagine stumbling across a mini forest of lofty prehistoric trees that were thought to have gone extinct 2 million years ago. That's exactly how national parks ranger David Noble discovered the Wollemi (pronounced "wole-a-my") pine in Australia in 1994. Experts consider the tree, with its ...
Home-brewed plant food.(February In the West)
Feb 01, 2007 ... PlanTea, a natural and organic fertilizer developed by Kodiak, Alaska--based gardener and author Marion Owen, comes in oversize tea bags so ...
Plant it now: 'San Marzano' tomato.(February In the West)(Brief article)
Feb 01, 2007 ... For canning, paste, and a killer spaghetti sauce, it's hard to beat 'San Marzano', a sought-after heirloom from the Campania region of southern Italy. You can buy it in expensive imported cans--or, even better, grow your own at home. Vines start bearing later in the summer but then come on ...
Company we love: Blue Slide Art Tile.(February In the West)(Brief article)
Feb 01, 2007 ... The depth and variation of a watercolor painting: That's the remarkable character of Gordon Bryan's handmade field tiles, which can overlay as many as three different colors. Bryan and his wife, Pamela Bridges, run Blue Slide Art Tile out of their artisan studio in Point Reyes Station, ...
Quick project: valentine candleholders.(February In the West)(Brief article)
Feb 01, 2007 ... Turn eye-catching craft papers into festive bases for pillar candles. 1. Have a piece of lumber cut down to your desired candleholder size. We started with a 4-foot 4-by-4 (more than enough to make 8 to 10 candle-holders from 3 to 6 inches tall). 2. Sand edges of cut ...
Product: Triple Hook-Up Strip.(February In the West)(Brief article)
Feb 01, 2007 ... We recently discovered this ingenious small-space mudroom solution: the Triple Hook-Up Strip from Three by Three Seattle. The multipurpose home accessory (which comes in colors from olive to red) acts as a mail holder, coat/key/bag hanger, and magnetic bulletin board ...
Fireplace tip.(February In the West)
Feb 01, 2007 ... A gas-burning insert turns an existing fireplace into an energy-efficient, clean-burning source of secondary heat. The sealed combustion chambers have ...
In season: watercress.(February In the West)(Brief article)
Feb 01, 2007 ... A member of the mustard family, watercress has a pleasingly pungent flavor and crisp texture. Hydroponic kinds, grown in nutrient-rich water, have larger leaves and a milder flavor. Here are a few of our favorite uses. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] SALAD Add watercress ...
Easy recipe: passion-fruit fool.(February In the West)(Recipe)(Brief article)
Feb 01, 2007 ... Who could resist this simple pudding of sweetened whipped cream studded with bits of tangy fruit? Fresh passion fruits, imported from New Zealand, arrive in markets in late January (the season runs through spring). Look for fruit with evenly wrinkled skin--the surest sign of ripeness. ...
5 indulgent sparkling roses.(February In the West)(Brief article)
Feb 01, 2007 ... 1. Roederer Estate Brut Rose (Anderson Valley; $27). Practically an albino as roses go, Roederer's mainstream version (its 1999 L'Ermitage is for slightly deeper pockets) is a fantastic value--wonderfully yeasty and minerally, with the liveliest bubbles. 2. Domaine Carneros by ...
Palm Springs forever: the desert is calling, with new hotels and a terrific lineup of design boutiques. Who knew the '50s could be so much fun?(Getaway)
Feb 01, 2007; ... SLIP OUT of the dry desert heat into the breezy lobby of the Del Marcos Hotel, and there to greet you from behind the orange-topped registration desk is none other than Ol' Blue Eyes himself, looking quite debonair. Not literally, of course. But the Warhol-ish painting certainly evokes the ...
Top 10 romantic cottages: cuddle up with your sweetie at one of our favorite retreats, from Kauai to Colorado.(Around the West)
Feb 01, 2007 ... 1 WAIMEA, HI WAIMEA PLANTATION COTTAGES Once you lay eyes on your cute little cottage that's been rescued from a shuttered sugarcane plantation, spruced up, and set here in a grassy coconut grove, your guidebook of Kauai's must-see sights doesn't stand a chance ....
Calistoga: bubbles of all sorts make this Napa Valley spot an ideal winter getaway.(Northern California day trip)
Feb 01, 2007; ... UNIVERSALLY ADORED, guaranteed to perk you up, the antidote to winter blahs--let's hear it for bubbles. They're round, they're cute, they're fun. And you can find them in all sorts of enjoyable forms in Calistoga, at the northern end of the Napa Valley. This is one effervescent town. It ...
A better drive to Tahoe; A guide to I-80's best stops: treats, leg stretchers, and a great doggie hotel.(Road trip)
Feb 01, 2007; ... Detour for family fun Don't bother fighting the kids on this one. Since the Nut Tree Family Park reopened in October with a scaled-down version of its old-time amusement park, the howling for a spin on the carousel has resumed. When the volume crescendos as you hit Vacaville, give in. A ...
What to do in Northern California: February.(Tips & trips)
Feb 01, 2007 ... LASSEN VOLCANIC NATIONAL PARK Take to the snow Don't let cold weather keep you cooped up this year. Snowshoeing is an easy way to get out in the winter landscape, made tranquil by a layer of fine white powder. To get started, take a ranger-led snowshoe walk of Lassen ...
Flagstaff, Arizona: defending our Pluto.(Postcard)
Feb 01, 2007; ... AT LEAST Pluto hasn't been booted off its own sidewalk. Here at Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff, Arizona, the beleaguered little block of ice is still honored in the Pluto Walk. For now. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] In case you haven't been paying attention to news from our ...
3 great borders: choose your favorite, and plant soon for bloom in summer.(Planting plan)
Feb 01, 2007; ... EVERY GARDEN DESERVES a colorful border brimming with flowers, foliage, and blooming shrubs. You can plant one anywhere--along a front walk, beside a lawn in the backyard, at the edge of a patio--as long as it's the center of attention from inside or outside the home. Each of the three ...
How to grow sweet peppers: choose the best varieties for color, shape, and flavor.(Getting started)
Feb 01, 2007; ... HOMEGROWN SWEET PEPPERS are packed with flavor, whether you serve them fresh, sauteed, or roasted. Grow a single variety and you'll discover that just one won't do--you'll want to experiment with a medley of types. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] BELL The familiar blocky ...
Graphic revamp: bold shapes and simple plantings help a small Palo Alto garden appear larger.(Northern California style)(Greenmeadow Architects)
Feb 01, 2007; ... MODEST GARDENS can seem bigger if you eliminate clutter, limit materials, and highlight the details. That's especially important if you live in a contemporary house on a small lot, as Norman Adams does in the Greenmeadow neighborhood of Palo Alto. Before Adams's garden got a makeover, it ...
What to do in your garden: February.(Northern California checklist)
Feb 01, 2007; ... Planting Evergreen vines It's not too late to plant vines that bloom from late winter into spring. Favorites include white-flowered evergreen clematis (C. armandii; Sunset climate zones 7-9, 14-17), fragrant pinkish white Jasminum polyanthum (zones 7-9, 14-17), pink or white ...
Great kitchen solutions: what is your vision of the perfect kitchen? We've found three inspiring designs with a wealth of ideas for you to borrow.(Design)
Feb 01, 2007 ... Artful environment It's no surprise that the owner of this Denver kitchen is an artist who works with a mix of materials. Meg Miller wanted the kitchen in her new house to be a feast for the eyes, as well as a central gathering place for family and friends. "I wanted innovative ...
Top eco-friendly kitchen counters.(Green living)(Buyers guide)
Feb 01, 2007; ... <Pre> What makes it What is it? green? Cost and contact info RECYCLED Colorful Diverts usedIt's pricey. EnviroGlas GLASSrecycled glass glass from the Products, Plano, TX (from mixed into a ...
Open pantry: hide the clutter and keep kitchenware within reach.(Solution)
Feb 01, 2007; ... A WELL-ORGANIZED PANTRY is a thing of beauty. Just ask Carole White of San Francisco, who took advantage of her kitchen remodel to design a place for everything from her fish poacher to her ice cream maker. In the process, White decided she wanted a pantry with open shelves so she could ...
Make a message center: create a customized board with off-the-shelf products.(Easy project)
Feb 01, 2007; ... COMMUNICATING WITH a busy household is much easier when your message center is tailor-made to fit your space and your needs. Our customized board combines three different surfaces--chalkboard paint, magnetic paint, and cork--with a frame that you paint to blend in with your kitchen decor. ...
Highway to heaven: you drive to Maui's Hana on the most beautiful road in the world. But true bliss comes when you arrive in this Hawaiian paradise.
Feb 01, 2007; ... FROM THE FIRST LIGHT OF MORNING, Hana turns your world upside down. On the far windward edge of Maui, Hana faces east, so dawn is the show, as if the day can't wait to begin. For anyone accustomed to the sundown sea of the West Coast, there's a disorienting moment as the clouds ...
Portland cooks: this town has turned into a culinary hot spot, thanks to inspired chefs, an adventurous clientele, and some of the country's best produce.
Feb 01, 2007; ... IN 1992, Vitaly Paley was cooking at a small restaurant outside Limoges, France. A box of morels arrived in the kitchen--moist and firm, with a deep, woodsy flavor. Where, he wondered, were these perfect fungi from? [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] ...
Serene shelter: put up a simple structure, then surround it with soft plantings for tranquil outdoor living.
Feb 01, 2007; ... SERENITY ISN'T COMPLICATED: All it takes is getting rid of everything nonessential. Start with one small corner of the garden--away from email, PDAs, cell phones, and all other distractions of modern life. Spend as much time there as you can. Then watch how it transforms your state of ...
Playful family farmhouse: whimsical details and bursts of color create a fun and functional kid-focused home.
Feb 01, 2007; ... THE QUAINT FARMHOUSE, with neat white trim and early 20th-century gingerbread details, has an almost storybook charm. But what's not apparent until you step inside is the clever playfulness that infuses every room of Cary and Denise Phillips's home. "We have an extremely whimsical sense of ...
Saving the orange: Southern California's sweetest, juiciest navels are an endangered species. Bob Knight, a fourth-generation grower, is trying to change that.(The next frontier)
Feb 01, 2007; ... THE BEST-TASTING NAVEL ORANGES in the world just may be the ones grown in Southern California's Inland Empire. Here, in groves tucked up against the San Bernardino Mountains, a combination of warm days, cool nights, and dry, dry air produces oranges that balance sugar and acid to ...
Special section: a whole new you.(Food)(Recipe)
Feb 01, 2007 ... YOU'RE A FEW WEEKS into the new year, and those diet resolutions--possibly the same ones you made last year?--are starting to seem a little bit too ambitious. Or boring. Or downright frustrating. You may be so fed up that you're on the verge of slathering on the butter. Part of ...
Single-pan suppers: simple, delectable dinners with big flavor and very little clean-up.(Weeknight)(Recipe)
Feb 01, 2007; ... EVERY COOK needs a solid roster of everyday meals: weeknight champions that are easy to prepare, require just one pan, and can feed a family (even picky eaters). Our four single-pan suppers fit the bill with style. You can even serve them at a casual dinner party--just add a green salad ...
Decant the wine: never mind the snobbery--it's for everyday wine too.(Wine guide)
Feb 01, 2007; ... FORGET THOSE MUSTY IMAGES of expensive old Bordeaux drizzling into crystal by candlelight--decanter sales have quadrupled in the last year (according to the Riedel crystal company), and not because of a glut of old red wine full of sediment that needs to be left behind. Wine lovers are ...
February favorites: recipes from our readers, tested in Sunset's kitchen.(Reader recipes)(Recipe)
Feb 01, 2007; ... Endive salad with bacon, gorgonzola, and avocado [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Samantha Saffir, Santa Monica This salad makes great use of the excellent endive and avocados in the markets this time of year. Plus it has just enough richness to satisfy cold-weather ...
Resources.
Feb 01, 2007 ... Following are sources for some products in this issue. Care has been taken to verify information, but info can't be guaranteed. Items not included may have sources named elsewhere in the issue, have come from personal collections, or have been discontinued. GREAT KITCHEN ...
Maltbu, CA: Ted Danson; The actor and environmental activist talks about the ocean, the best beaches, and the beauty of breaching whales.(The Sunset view)
Feb 01, 2007; ... His first visits to the beach When I was growing up in Arizona, we'd go to Southern California each summer and rent a cottage in Laguna Beach or San Clemente. The beach was a dream come true for me. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] ...