Innehållsförteckning för September 2016 från Sunset

MAKEOVERS. The word certainly has a nice ring to it; after all, who doesn't love a big reveal? What you don't always see are the deeply unglamorous stages along the way—the sweat-drenched hours on the exercise bike, the stripping of a space down to the studs. I should know. As we speak, I'm in the thick of my first gut remodel, and I can honestly say it will be awhile before I attempt anything like this again. Hats off to everyone out there who has taken on a transformation for the better. For designers like Justina Blakeney (page 36), a backyard revamp is just another form of self-expression, but what's even more inspiring is how she has channeled her unique aesthetic and powerful social-media presence into a brand that speaks…

A new hybrid of accommodation is introducing travelers to an unconventional sleeping arrangement: bunking in a room with strangers. Why on Earth … ?! Those who check into poshtels (posh hostels) cite sociability and affordability in a prime location as the reasons. If the word "hostel" has you recalling a thrifty Euro-backpacking trip, this is a much-improved evolution. At a glance, a poshtel is a regular hotel with en suite rooms, but within are spaces configured to sleep more occupants, with bunks, private lockers, and even some rooms designated "female." Hostel guests can also dip into the hotel's sweet extras, like the pool. The concept seems to appeal to solo travelers and small groups, both growing segments. But shared rooms aren't for everyone: The savings for couples may not be…

IT'S NOT EASY TO GET TO JOSEPH. The closest regional airport to the northeastern Oregon town is Lewiston, Idaho (LWS)—a one-room facility where you can greet passengers walking through the gate like in the old days. Once in your rental car, the 93-mile drive takes a solid two hours, but more like three when you account for what the locals call "gawking time." And there's a lot to gawk at. As you cross the border of Idaho into Washington, you'll glimpse the population sign for Anatone, which accounts for every single resident: People, 38; dogs, 20; cats, 17; horses, 11. In Oregon, lush rippling hillsides fall into deep valleys with storybook farms and skeletal barns tucked into their folds. Winding south along two-lane State 3 through the Wallowa-Whitman National Forest,…

FARRO SALAD with APPLES, HALLOUMI, and HERBS SERVES 6 (MAKES 2 QTS.) / 1 HOUR Nutty, salty, and sweet, this hearty salad is best with apples that soften when cooked but still hold their shape. SALAD 1½ cups pearled or semipearled farro (also called perlato farro)* 1¾ tsp. kosher salt, divided 1 cup roughly chopped flat-leaf parsley leaves 2 tbsp. fresh thyme leaves 8 oz. halloumi cheese, cut into ⅓-in.-thick slices 3 tbsp. olive oil, divided 2 tender-sweet apples, such as Gravenstein, Gala, or Ginger Gold, unpeeled and cut into ½-in.-wide wedges 2 tsp. sugar DRESSING 5 tbsp. lemon juice 1 tbsp. honey 1 large shallot, finely chopped ½ tsp. kosher salt ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil 1. Make salad: Combine 1 qt. water, the farro, and 1½ tsp. salt…

We at Sunset love all things wine—the process, the people, the legacy, the landscapes. To mark next month's Wine Issue and celebrate the debut of Sonoma County Wine Month, we've partnered with Frei Brothers to give away five vacation packages to Sonoma, with round-trip flights for two provided by Alaska Airlines plus two nights' accommodation at the Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn & Spa (total retail value of each prize package is $3,800). To enter or to get more details, go to sunset.com/sonomagetaway. The sweepstakes starts September 1. See you in wine country—we'll save you a spot at the picnic table.…

The new family farm BEST NUT JOB "The label on a bag of store-bought walnuts might tell you when they expire," says Nicole Facciuto (at left), an interior designer who was raised on a 69-acre farm in California's Capay Valley. "What you don't know is how long they've already been sitting around—or how much better they can taste." Despite walnuts' reputation as a supermarket bulk-bin staple, Facciuto wants you to think of them as a seasonal product. Thus the direct-to-consumer start-up she runs with her new husband, Eric Hargrove: Corky's Nuts, named after Facciuto's father (far left), who has been working the orchard since 1979. "It was an awakening," recalls Hargrove (near left) of his first bite of their farm-fresh goods. Quantities are limited; preorder now to get your hands…

THERE'S A SAYING native New Mexicans use to describe the pride they have for their home state: "Born here all of my life." I can't quite claim that status but, over the last 30 years, I've come to share the locals' love for the green chile. During harvest, from mid-August to the end of September, the aroma of roasting chiles blankets the state like a nose-tickling fog. A bitter smokiness fills the air, gets into your eyes, your hair, seeps into your clothes. For six short weeks, the chile is king. The season—which those of us who live here simply refer to as "green"—arrives with great fanfare. There are grand parades in which dachshunds are dressed as chile dogs and smiling young women are crowned chile royalty. Chefs go to…

"THERE'S SOMETHING calming about being in a space that's a little wild," says Justina Blakeney while standing in her Los Angeles backyard, an evergreen tangle of rose bushes, tropical plants, and jade. "You just feel a bit like—" as she takes a deep yogic breath and exhales with a satisfied aah. "It's how I want people to feel in a space that I've decorated." A prolific designer, artist, blogger, and author (of the bestselling book The New Bohemians), Blakeney moved into a 1926 bungalow in the up-and-coming Frogtown neighborhood a little more than a year ago with her husband, Jason, and their 4-year-old daughter, Ida (plus their cat, Luda—short for Ludacris). She left a place in Echo Park for all of the reasons that people abandon renting in favor of…

Summer's Last Squeeze MUMS 'Apricot Courtier' / 'Coral Charm' 'Gertrude' / 'Le Mans' 'River City' / 'Vienna Waltz' FILLERS Astilbe / Eucalyptus / Fern Geranium / Grevillea / Kumquat Lisianthus / Rosemary Scabiosa / Veronica / Winterberry Pink Punch MUMS 'Annie Girl' / 'Fleur De Lis' 'Kokka Bunmi' / 'Rosedew' 'Saba' FILLERS Acacia / Anemone / Chocolate cosmos Eucalyptus / Roses Pastel Primer MUMS 'Annie Girl' / 'Kokka Bunmi' 'Pearl Edward Shaw' / 'Satin Ribbon' 'Vesuvio' FILLERS Acacia / Dusty miller Eucalyptus / Globe amaranth / Millet Ornamental cabbage Peppermint tree / Privet Queen Anne's lace / Snapdragon Gold Rush MUMS 'Coral Reef' / 'Domingo' 'Golden Pinwheel' / 'Redwing' / 'River City' 'St. Tropez' / 'Yodogimi' FILLERS Balloon plant milkweed / Boat orchid Chokeberry / Hobblebush Millet / Peppermint tree…

GRILLED STEAK AND BEAN SANDWICHES CHICKEN TORTAS TOFU BÁNH MÌ GRILLED STEAK and BEAN SANDWICHES CONTIMO PROVISIONS FOOD TRUCK, NAPA VALLEY At Contimo Provisions, chef-owners Ryan Harris and Kevin Folan bring fine-dining creds and from-scratch components to their craft. For this take on one of their best-loved sandwiches, pile grilled skirt steak (seasoned with garlic, salt, and pepper), homemade pico de gallo, and cilantro sprigs onto sandwich rolls. Their bean spread takes it to the next level—although they use freshly simmered dry beans, this simpler recipe using canned pintos or pinquitos also delivers lots of flavor. CHILE and LEMON BEAN SPREAD MAKES 1 CUP / 15 MINUTES ½ tsp. ground cumin 1 small garlic clove 1 can (15 oz.) drained, cooked pinquito* or pinto beans (plain or with added seasonings)…

[The following text appears within an illustration. Please see hardcopy or PDF for actual illustration.] SEATTLE 5 12 101 LONG BEACH 26 PORTLAND WA OR 5 5 EUGENE 99 5 VALLEY OF THE ROGUE STATE PARK 199 OR CA 101 EUREKA HEALDSBURG STINSON BEACH SAN FRANCISCO Typically, road trips are about where you go, not necessarily what you eat. But Ben Friedman and Brad Gillis's four-day jaunt was as much about food as about the destination. That's because the two own 10 Seattle-area Homegrown Sandwich Shops and are opening one in San Francisco this fall. When Sunset heard about the trip, behind the wheel of a Volkswagen Westfalia that "braked for great ingredients," our stomachs growled. The sandwich aficionados shared their gems, including how to assemble the best meals on…

[The following content appeared in the Northern California and Mountain edition.] HERE'S A SHOCKER for the 21st century: The train station is cool again. Once a place to avoid after dark, neon-lit Union Station, in all its Beaux-Arts beauty, is abuzz. Still a transfer point for Denver commuters, the restored station attracts locals looking for a good meal, a frothy pint, or a solitary moment to sit at a wooden library desk with a book and a latte. Now it also draws out-of-towners, thanks to a new plane-to-train rail that carries passengers from the airport to the station in just 36 minutes: It's estimated that 18,000 people will pass through the century-old terminal daily. Our advice to them? Don't be in such a hurry to leave. unionstationindenver.com. Stay where the…

Decorate your dream kitchen Encompassing two stories and some 8,000 square feet, the Waterworks Kitchen showroom debuts this month in San Francisco's Design District. And lest the sculptural brass faucets and saddle-stitched handles take things firmly into fantasy-home territory, rest assured there's plenty of everyday inspiration in store. Peter Sallick, Waterworks CEO and creative director, shares two tips for kitchen refreshes. waterworks.com/kitchen. TINY GAME CHANGER "Hardware is the smallest update with the biggest impact," says Sallick, who encourages thinking beyond swapping out knobs. "Exposed hinges can change the whole feel of a cabinet." SUPERSIZE SINKS Waterworks recently introduced a line of large-scale sinks to keep pace with ever-expanding kitchen appliances. "The sink has become the biggest bottleneck when entertaining because, in the end, everything ends up there." COOLEST COLLAB If…

MUDROOM In their renovation of the Underwood family's home in Del Mar, California, architect Nick Noyes and interior designer Raili Clasen added both square footage and strategic storage. This back entry creates room to hang and hide away outdoor gear. Black-and-white wallpaper and oversize pegs give the space a playful look suited to the family. Buffalo Check wallpaper by Weavingmajor, from $5/sq. ft.; spoonflower.com. EXTERIOR At one point during the renovation, Chris and Piper Underwood almost decided to paint their little red ranch a modern gray. But their two sons stuck up for the original ruddy hue—"they practically picketed," says Piper—so it stayed as is LIVING ROOM To create a wider living space, Noyes removed a bathroom and guest room, expanded outward into an exterior walkway, and raised the roof…

CHICKEN and GRAPE SALAD SERVES 6 / 40 MINUTES Sweet grapes and a nutty, toasted Egyptian spice blend called dukkah—easy to make at home—take chicken salad in a whole new direction. See page 92 for more ways to use dukkah. DUKKAH (MAKES 1 CUP) ½ cup skinned or unskinned hazelnuts ¼ cup white sesame seeds 2 tbsp. each cumin and coriander seeds 1 tbsp. fennel seeds ½ tsp. fine sea salt SALAD 1 cup plain whole-milk Greek yogurt 1 tbsp. each Dijon mustard and lemon juice ½ tsp. fine sea salt ½ cup dukkah 3½ cups diced skinned cooked chicken 1 cup each seedless red and green grapes, halved lengthwise ½ cup each diced red onion and chopped flat-leaf parsley 2 celery stalks, coarsely chopped Butter lettuce 1. Make dukkah:…

RECENTLY A COLLEAGUE TOLD ME that she and her roommate used to drink a bottle of sparkling wine every Tuesday night because they considered Tuesday the hardest day of the week to get through. Brilliant! The festive pop of that cork, the effervescence—which we've matched mostly with holidays and celebrations—have a transformative effect on ordinary evenings. And, as it turns out, more and more of us are joining my friend in the everyday-bubbly tradition. In years past, the bulk of sparkling wine sales were clocked from November through the first of January. But in 2015, Nielsen reported that sparkling wine sales were strong throughout the year, with 22 percent of wine fans pouring bubbly for regular weeknight sipping. And why not? Not only do those bubbles lift spirits, but across…