It’s November 1st, which means the countdown to the holidays is officially ON! Is it too soon to start listening to my Christmas station on Pandora? Too soon to get the ornaments out of storage? Maybe a little too soon, yeah. But it’s definitely not too early to start daydreaming about all the delicious cooking and baking […]
Fresh off my trip to North Carolina, I’ve been reminded once again that folks do things a bit differently in the south than here in go-go Los Angeles. The days move a little more slowly; the cocktails and the laughter flow a little more freely; and maybe it was just me, but the sun seems to […]
Growing up, I didn’t have a ton of friends. I was always more likely to spend time with one or two uber-close pals than a big gaggle. As I’ve grown older, however, I’ve come to appreciate both sides of the equation: the intimate bonding sessions with just a few other women and the high-energy gatherings of a group. I […]
Two weekends ago I was treated to a seriously magical day in the mountains above Malibu. The occasion? The celebration of Sunset Magazine’s new book, Camp Sunset, which is a humble yet beautifully bound little volume packed full of recipes, guidelines, and activities to get the whole family outside and enjoying all that Mother Nature has […]
As I’ve gotten older and my self-confidence has increased, I’ve been come less shy about saying I want to have it all. A thriving career and a healthy relationship. Full, productive work days and quiet, restorative evenings. Stability and peace-of-mind, as well as spontaneity and adventure. It comes down to having a mindset of abundance, and […]
For the past two months I’ve been tackling a pretty significant health project. I’m on a Candida cleanse, which means I’m trying to rid my body of a chronic yeast overgrowth by starving it out of my system. While it’s not a restrictive diet in the caloric sense, the list of foods I’m avoiding is quite extensive […]
The unofficial last weekend of summer is upon us, and grills across the nation are firing up in preparation for three days of last hurrah feasting. As a healthy eater, the summer BBQ gathering has been known to cause me significant anxiety, since the spread rarely features foods that aren’t the color brown. I’ve learned over […]
How often to you create something just for the sheer pleasure of it? I’m sorry to say that I only do it rarely. I’ve got grand ideas about creative hobbies I’d love to pursue—I’m dying to take a pottery throwing class, for example, and I’ve been wanting for years to brush up my piano skills—but it […]
Italians are very serious about lunch. Well, admittedly Italians are very serious about every meal, but they’re especially passionate about a long, lingering midday repast for which all other activity screeches to a halt. Their approach to this meal is wholly different from the one we take here in the US, where a sandwich at our desks or a smoothie in our […]
When did fancy toast become a thing? One day in the distant future I’m sure a learned historian will write a lengthy dissertation on the rise of fancy toast mania. An entire chapter will be devoted to the phenomenon’s visual appeal, to the allure of a dish that puts each ingredient on full display for our […]
Ever since I returned from Italy last month, I’ve been inspired to add more variety to my weekly menus. The impetus comes largely from seeing how simply yet deliciously they eat in Italy. Dining there really drove home for me the idea that interesting, nutritious meals don’t need to be complicated, expensive, or time-consuming to prepare. […]
Happy 4-day work week! I hope that everyone had a fantastic holiday weekend full of summer fun. I for one am thrilled to report that contrary to my workaholic ways, I actually devoted all three days to leisure activities and didn’t reply to a single email! The 4th of July festivities included an afternoon at […]