sauerkraut
Yields 2 quart jars
- 4 pounds cabbage, shredded
- 1 pound sweet onion, thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons caraway seeds
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon plus 3 teaspoons salt
Blog
la dolce vita
FLORENCE, ITALY
WRITTEN BY HEIDI SIEFKAS
The capital of Italy’s Tuscany region, Florence (Firenze) is home to many masterpieces of Renaissance art and architecture, but also the best of today’s culinary creations. If you desire a dose of culture, history, and edible works of art, Florence is an ideal vacation locale—and the dream of many. Although you could do Florence in a weekend, you would only scratch the surface. We suggest a week, spending the majority of the time in the city and a day or two touring the Tuscan countryside for wine tastings and the postcard-worthy cities of San Gimignano and Siena. Get ready to embark on an Italian adventure of food, art, architecture, shopping, and beautiful vistas—all in one spot. Andiamo!
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desserts part 3
Tasty summer treat
RECIPES AND PHOTOGRAPHS BY KRISTEL MATOUSEK
Home Suite Home
A Bay Area Bedroom Gets a Dreamy Makeover
WRITTEN BY VICTORIA HITTNER / PHOTOGRAPHY BY YONI SAMBO
Most couples spend the day after their wedding on a honeymoon. Sacha and Melissa Leclair spent it redecorating their home.
“After showcasing our space online, friends started asking us for help,” says Sacha Leclair. Pro bono work led to paying clients and eventually, the establishment of Leclair Decor, the couple’s Ottawa-based design firm that serves North America.
“The space was a blank slate,” says Leclair. “The vision was a bright, airy, and most of all, cozy space that our clients could retreat to at the end of a busy day.” The U-shaped architecture of the home offers a natural masterpiece outside each window. Framed by an existing set of French doors, the primary bedroom’s floating sitting area was designed to maximize views. With so much of the home simultaneously visible, the Leclairs were intentional in utilizing complementary design elements and pieces.
Continue reading → Happy Houseplants
TIPS TO HELP INDOOR FLORA THRIVE
WRITTEN BY VICTORIA HITTNER
Let’s face it: Not everyone has a green thumb. Luckily, you don’t have to be a master gardener to introduce a bit of life inside your home. Keep your succulents and other houseplants happy year-round with these simple reminders and tips.
“ . . . slower growing species like succulents may only need a soil refresh to keep them growing well . . . ”
Continue reading →chic in chicago
When Chicago, Illinois-designer Amber Golob first walked into the Lincoln Park manse that was chosen to host a recent designer showhouse, she was blown away by its backstory. The 1917 Georgian-inspired grande dame was originally designed by then-starchitect David Adler for Titanic survivor Emily Ryerson, whose husband and the father of her children—steel baron Arthur Ryerson—went down with the ship. “When I walked in the room and toured the property, I was really moved by the history of it,” Golob recalls of the home, perched on Chicagoland’s illustrious Gold Coast. Ryerson’s home was one in a series of six row houses originally designed for artists and society friends.
Continue reading → land of liberty
A Texas Guest House Turned Design Playground
WRITTEN BY RONDA SWANEY / PHOTOGRAPHY BY MIKE DAVELLO
“You don’t expect to find a vignette behind a cabinet door, but what happens when you open it and it’s there? There’s this flood of delight,” says Ginger Curtis, owner and principal designer of Urbanology Designs in the Dallas Fort Worth metroplex. “I want to feel that way in my home, and I definitely want to offer that experience to my guests,” she says, describing her thoughts behind the now updated guest house, which includes a guest bedroom and bath suite.
Continue reading →Bath Bliss
CREATING AN AT-HOME SPA FOR THE SENSES
WRITTEN BY KATHRYN O’SHEA-EVANS
Do you tend to find yourself desperate for some much-deserved R&R after a long, hectic workweek? Or do you simply want to treat yourself and indulge without having to drive to your nearest day spa (or pay day-spa prices)? Plenty of calm is possible in your own home bath—especially with a few serene DIY design choices and “spa treatments” you can pick up at your nearest grocery store.
Calming Colors.
“Aim to keep things simple and serene to encourage relaxation,” says Leah Tuttleman, allied member of ASID and corporate designer for Re-Bath. “To create a sanctuary where one can begin and end the day with a spa-like retreat, peace, and mindfulness, choose a subdued, neutral soft-toned palette.” Painting your bathroom’s walls in, say, a powdery sky blue, is often a one-day project can yield years of tranquility.