Indice dei contenuti per February 2018 in Sunset

“Now when I look at a mountain, the snow doesn’t start until halfway up. That’s climate change right in your face.”—LEXI DU PONT WITH FULL DEDICATION, freeskier Lexi du Pont launches off a snowy spine along the southeast Alaska Range. Her neon pink–tipped poles punctuate each effortless turn, belying the danger and difficulty of the stomach-lurching descent. She’s only five four, but against the panorama of the mountain, her presence looms large in the scene, captured in her new film, Love To Your Mother. The 5-minute short marks the International K2 Skis Team member’s third film as director; since its fall release, it’s already garnered thousands of views on Vimeo. (Seriously, check it out.) But this isn’t your typical ski flick full of gravity-defying 360° spins and fluid back flips,…

PERFECT DAY A halo of positive energy surrounds this sugar town turned surf mecca on Maui’s windswept North Shore. Less than an hour from the popular beaches of Wailea and Ka‘anapali, tiny Pa‘ia never shrugged off its counterculture leanings—Willie Nelson remains its most famous denizen. But these days, there’s plenty of undercover glam to balance the blissedout tranquility. Cottages that once housed plantation workers have morphed into boutiques stocking party-ready frocks and modern Hawaii ana. Even the restaurant scene is catching a wave. One Buddhist temple, zero sprawling resorts: This is island life at its most alluring. 7:30 A.M. Bring a towel, not a mat, to sunrise beach yoga with Maui Yoga Shala ($20; mauiyoga.com) on Pa‘ia Bay. It’s a mellow, all-levels class; check in with the studio at least…

DREAMSCAPE Ronald Koo and Miwa Hayashi had seemingly conflicting visions when they thought of redesigning their Los Altos, California, front yard. Koo wanted lowwater plants, while Hayashi imagined a lush garden.Oh, and the couple wanted to grow food too: “If I’m going to spend money on a garden,” says Koo, “I want to get some return.” Designer Leslie Bennett, owner of Oaklandbased Pine House Edible Gardens (pinehouseediblegardens.com), was up for the challenge. First, as a throwback to Koo’s childhood in the dry Sierra Foothills, Bennett and the team from her former company (Star Apple Edible Gardens) kept the yard’s existing manzanita bushes, added silver-leafed fuchsias (Zauschneria septentrionalis), and seeded blocks (with Koo’s help) of iconic orange poppies. “The garden is at its most beautiful after the rainy season when they’re…

THE WEST IS KNOWN FOR a lot of things (big skies! wide-open spaces!), but let’s face it: What’s defined this part of North America more than anything else is the sense of opportunity. Better ways to live. New technology. Visions of the future. So where is the innovation happening right now? We began by researching maverick towns and cities (beyond perennial centers of change such as Los Angeles and San Francisco) that are investing in tomorrowland industries, community models, and ideas. We then crunched the numbers, taking into account census data, housing prices, and jobs to see which are truly the best value and most livable. Once we found our finalists, we dug deeper, asking community leaders and families who’ve recently moved there: What makes your town the best? Whether…

Picture a hamlet tucked high in the Rocky Mountains on the banks of the Arkansas River, about three hours southwest of Denver. Art galleries line the streets. The mayor uses local juniper berries for his distillery’s gin. And every year, athletes from all over gather for the nation’s oldest whitewater river festival (FIBArk). Think Northern Exposure, but farther south. That’s Salida, a one zip-code town that was nearly abandoned back when molybdenum mining dried up—that is, until people realized they could buy a Victorian for a steal, and artists could spend their time creating instead of working an office job. In 2012, Salida was one of the first towns to become a designated Colorado Certified Creative District, a grant that helped lure even more residents and investment. The reopening of…

Four years ago, Kelly Furano fell hard for a site she spotted on a quiet street in Venice Beach, California. Nothing existed except a frame—a new home by then up-and-coming design-build company Kim Gordon Designs. But for Furano, that was enough. “I had visited another place by Kim, and I knew the moment I walked in that I wanted to live in one of her houses,” says Furano. “She has this modern but slightly Old World style that’s like nothing else in Venice.” So Furano set out to make the place hers. “She would come by my office every few weeks and say, ‘I know I’m a stalker, but I want to buy that house,’” remembers Gordon, laughing. The designer, as a rule, didn’t presell houses, preferring to furnish them…

Cristina Baez 180 xurros CHURROS MAY BE ALL over the West these days, but few surpass the light, crunchy perfection of those at 180 Xurros, a two-year-old Portland churrería devoted to making doughnuts in the Spanish style. (Xurros is the Catalan spelling.) “They’re eaten for every occasion there,” says co-owner Cristina Baez, who owns the shop with her husband, chef Jose Chesa, who is from Catalonia. “Grandmas fry them on Sundays for their grandkids. Your soccer team loses? You go out for churros. Your soccer team wins? You go out for churros. They’re eaten any time of day—for breakfast, as snacks, and after dinner.” Unlike the thicker, richer type you’d find in Latin America, Baez and Chesa’s version is made with a minimalist flour-and-water dough. “Spanish churros are very simple—…

DISCOVERY SA CHA CAESAR MAKES ¾ CUP / 20 MINUTES After seasoning this month’s hot pot (page 66) with Chinese sa cha sauce, keep cooking! The mellow, slightly funky blend of oil with dried fish, sugar, garlic, onion, and sesame makes an excellent Caesar dressing, with no mincing required. Just add romaine, shaved parmesan, and croutons. In a bowl, whisk 6 tbsp. each extra-virgin olive oil and finely grated parmesan cheese, ¼ cup stirred sa cha sauce*, 3 tbsp. lemon juice, ¾ tsp. kosher salt, and ½ tsp. pepper. *Find at Asian markets and on amazon.com. GO-TO INGREDIENT KING OF CHOCOLATE Chocolate choices abound, but for nuance and quality, we reach for Guittard. The San Francisco Bay Area chocolate maker, celebrating its 150th birthday this year, makes a variety of…

ON THE WALL OF MY OFFICE hangs a copy of the May 1906 Sunset cover by Maynard Dixon—the figure of a woman rising from a city skyline in flames, with the words “New San Francisco Emergency Edition” underneath. Every time I look at it, I feel an immediate connection to the history and heritage of this venerable brand I work for, as well as an almost tangible sense of its resilience. I think of the Sunset magazine staffers reeling from the destruction of their offices—not to mention the urban landscape as they knew it—in the 1906 San Francisco earthquake. And how they picked up the pieces the following month and put out that eight-page edition regardless. Staying power. How else does a 120-year-old brand survive and thrive in our modern…

ARTIST TO WATCH The childhood summers that Oakland maker Melanie Abrantes spent visiting her parents’ native countries—Portugal and the Philippines— helped shape her creative sensibility. In Europe, she discovered the versatility of cork as a material; in Philippine villages, she witnessed the intricacies of traditional handcrafting. Now Abrantes is known for the graceful spin she brings to the art of woodworking, with hand-turned vases, hanging planters, and more, made from sustainable cork, buckeye burl, cherry, and walnut. Her book, Carve: A Simple Guide to Whittling (Clarkson Potter; $16), highlights the craft’s ease with approachable techniques and templates designed to kick-start beginner projects. Her spoon-carving kit ($89) comes with handwritten instructions, three wood blanks, and all the Japanese tools you need to get going. Welcome to your new campfire activity. melanieabrantes.bigcartel.com…

Your pooch deserves the best, right? So this Valentine’s Day, whip up a batch of liver-flavored dough (remember—it’s for the dog!) and personalize it with your pet’s name or initials. Sunset reader Karen Byrne of San Rafael, California, originally shared this recipe in 1986; our canine testers still give it a big paws-up. PUPPY LOVE Homemade dog snacks MAKES 14 LARGE, 16 MEDIUM, OR 120 SMALL BISCUITS / 50 MINUTES, PLUS 3 HOURS TO COOL 1 lb. sliced beef liver, thawed if frozen 1 can (14.5 oz.) reduced-sodium chicken broth 1 ½ cups toasted wheat germ 1 ½ cups whole-wheat flour, plus extra for kneading 1. Simmer liver and chicken broth in a medium saucepan, covered, until liver is no longer pink in center, 5 to 6 minutes.…

Of all the design trends to take over Pinterest, white subway tiles may baffle Mary Randolph most. “I knowthey’re a budget solution,” she says, “but there are so many better choices out there.” In fact, Randolph—a stay-athome parent who dabbles in interior design (blumespaces.com)—has never been one to go with the safe option. “My style is a culmination of my life’s visual experiences,” she says. Ask her about her stylistic influences, for example, and she’ll cite the Hispanic markets and folk shops she visited as a child growing up in Los Angeles, with their bright candies and hand-painted ceramics. “I love colors and patterns, and believe all the possibilities are worth exploring,” she says. So when she and her family moved into a 1926 Spanish bungalow in Piedmont, California, the…

NATAL PLUM ‘BOXWOOD BEAUTY’ With large dark leaves and aromatic year-round flowers, Natal plum can replace your boxwood hedge. Fruit are tasty, but all other parts are poisonous. PINEAPPLE GUAVA (FEIJOA SELLOWIANA) Can be shaped into a shrub, hedge, or tree with shimmering silver-green foliage. Flower petals taste like candy, while sweet, fragrant fruit fall from the tree when ripe in late fall. ‘ADVANCE’ LOQUAT Same juicy and delicious fruit, but without the enormous tree, this dwarf variety tops out at 5 feet. Bennett loves all loquats for their large, glossy, dark green leaves: “They feel almost prehistoric.”…

It used to be that come Friday night, this cow town practically emptied out—its county and state capital employees fleeing for the suburbs or surrounding farmlands. But in the years that followed the 2008 recession, real-estate development and a steady crop of new restaurants and boutiques took advantage of the low rents and property costs and slowly filled the streets of Sacramento. Today, its core of old Victorians are flanked by modern lofts, and weekends see once-sparsely populated neighborhoods bumping with sidewalk cafes and hip brewpubs. The area’s traditional farmer-rancher mind-set has also made its way into the city itself. Last year, the County Board of Supervisors passed a law allowing residents to sell homegrown food on their own properties and raise animals for educational programs such as 4-H. Nonprofit…

How many times have you flown into Sea-Tac and given serious thought to the Tac part of the equation? Like most cities outside a trendy metropolis, Tacoma was long overshadowed by its larger, and yes, pricier, sister 34 miles to the north. But recently, the former shipping and manufacturing powerhouse has seen an influx of creative Left Coasters making new use of once-defunct warehouses—and enjoying the port’s down-to-earth allure. It doesn’t hurt, either, that you can see Mt. Rainier from basically anywhere here. The revitalization is years in the making: Since the early 2000s, the city government has repurposed historic buildings, built a University of Washington campus, erected the state’s first modern electric light rail, and renovated the waterfront and added six major museums in and around the downtown core.…

To turn a ball of churro dough (made of nothing more than hot water, flour, salt, and a drop of oil) into sticks ready for frying, use a cookie press or a churro press (1), also called a churrera (see recipe footnote on page 85 for shopping suggestions). “It pushes out air bubbles caught in the batter,” says Baez. It’s also critical to use the 5/8-in.-wide star disk that’s included with most presses. “The shape creates long channels so steam can escape and the dough will fry evenly.” Otherwise, it can explode while frying. For stirring and retrieving the doughnuts from hot oil, use a wide, flat spider skimmer (2) found at kitchenware stores and Asian markets. To stack the doughnuts,180 Xurros makes its own wooden servers (3), but a…

CHAMPAGNE IS THE Kleenex of sparkling wine. No matter the brand of tissue tucked into our purses, it’s just Kleenex to many of us. And no matter the provenance of the bubbles in our glass, it’s Champagne—even to many who know that legally, you can’t call sparkling wine Champagne unless it actually is from that legendary region in France. As far as the tissue goes, it’s unclear to me how the one producer came to represent an entire industry. But in the case of Champagne, the canonization is deserved (even if the Champenois abhor the cavalier use of their name): The painstaking and expensive process that produces the best sparklers the world over came to be in Champagne. In broad strokes, the still wine is fermented a second time under…

The mainland may glisten with frost, but in Maui, beach season is already in full swing. To celebrate March’s islands-themed issue, we’re partnering with the Wailea Resort Association and the Fairmont Kea Lani Maui to give away a once-in-a-lifetime trip for two to the crescent-shaped shores of Wailea. The prize package (worth $6,781) includes four nights in a stunning one-bedroom ocean suite at the Fairmont Kea Lani Maui, a luxury oceanfront property; daily breakfast for two at Kea Lani Restaurant; and an $800 gift card for transportation to, from, and around the island. To learn more about our Instagram contest, visit sunset.com/waileacontest (Jan 17–Feb 14).…

Travel awards Nominate your favorite hotels and resorts, food and wine spots, tourist attractions, destination towns, travel gear, and more to receive a coveted Sunset Travel Award. Winners will be announced in our August 2018 issue: sunset.com/bestplaces2018 Super snacks Seasoned beef-and-bean chili turns cheese-topped tortilla chips into the ultimate Super Bowl party snack. Don’t expect these hearty nachos to make it to halftime! sunset.com/chilinachos Indoor plants Add greenery to your home this winter with our picks for houseplants—and tips on how to keep them thriving: sunset.com/houseplants…

GUIDEBOOK THERE ARE FEW BETTER PLACES to dive into winter with style than south Tahoe, on the California-Nevada border. In the past, it was branded as a bit of a party zone, but the outdoor playground has matured a lot lately. These days, you certainly don’t have to ski (much less gamble) to enjoy one of the Golden and Silver States’ iconic getaways. Basic lodging is giving way to graceful yet cozy hotels, craft breweries are adding low-key gathering spots, and the food—even at the casinos on the Nevada side—is seriously good. The best part? There’s no need to battle heavy traffic and icy mountain roads, as rack-equipped uberSki vehicles now whisk visitors back and forth between the lifts and hotels. The lake itself may be the one thing that…

NORTHWEST Your CHECKLIST PLANT Cinerarias (Pericallis x hybrida) and Primula obconica offer striking indoor winter color. Both come in shades of blue, pink, purple, red, and white. Cineraria daisies often have white centers, while colored primula flowers often fade to white at the edges. Deer-resistant forsythias, whose yellow flowers cover bare branches in early spring, are getting smaller. ‘Show Off’ (5 to 6 feet) has been around for over a decade, but ‘Show Off Starlet’ (2 to 3 feet) and ‘Show Off Sugar Baby’ (18 to 30 inches) are newer and more compact, and well worth trying. Bare-root apples, blueberries, cane berries, pears, and strawberries appear in nurseries this month. Planted in unamended native soil, they’re cheaper and adapt faster than containerized fruit plants. West of the Cascades, directsow peas…

If towns were people, Carlsbad would be that friend you want to hate but can’t help admiring: smart, sporty, really good-looking, and ambitious. It’s why Google called this small city, stretching along nearly 7 miles of sandy coastline between Los Angeles and San Diego, a “digital capital of California.” When personal technology blew up in the early ’80s, the idyllic beach location and perfect weather attracted high-tech start-ups that one by one planted themselves here: for instance Viasat, whose satellite provides Wi-Fi on Jet Blue and Air Force One; and, more recently, biotech companies like Thermo Fisher Scientific and Genoptix. In the past few years, this technology hub has upped its game to embrace both its inner geek and its outdoor enthusiast. An office complex near the water, called Make,…

ABQ, as it’s often called, doesn’t like to brag, so you might only know it as the high-desert setting of Breaking Bad. But get it talking, and soon it’ll come out that Bill Gates and Paul Allen founded Microsoft here in 1975, and that the U.S. Department of Energy’s Sandia National Laboratories calls it home. And later this year, in Los Lunas, Facebook is set to open a huge data center that will bring with it more jobs. With all that tech comes some tasty accoutrements that are helping reinvigorate Central Avenue’s downtown core, once a shabby stretch of boarded-up warehouses and tagged railroad cars. Add to that the city’s investment in new public transportation lines and jeuging up of Civic Plaza, and the 12-block corridor of today has become…

STICKY TANGERINE and BASIL CHICKEN SERVES 4 / 1½ HOURS Imagine a lighter take on Chinese orange-peel beef, and you’ll get the idea here. The generous amount of roasted tangerine peel stays sweet and tender, thanks to a few prep tricks before it goes into the oven. 1 lb. small tangerines, such as Clementines or Pixies2½ tbsp. distilled white vinegar1 tbsp. soy sauce¼ cup honey2 tsp. cornstarch1¼ tsp. each kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, divided4 each chicken thighs and drumsticks with bones and skin (2¾ lbs. total)2 tbsp. peanut oil or canola oil1½ tbsp. each finely chopped garlic and fresh ginger1 large green onion, cut into 2-in. slivers½ cup loosely packed fresh Thai basil leaves or regular basil (tear leaves if large) 1. Cut tangerines in half and squeeze…

GRILLED STEAKS DIANE SERVES 4 / 45 MINUTES The steakhouse classic, traditionally prepared tableside, gets the grill treatment here. The cooking goes fast, so have all your ingredients measured and next to the grill beforehand. If time allows, salt the steaks and chill, uncovered, for up to 3 days before grilling—they’ll be even more thoroughly seasoned and tender. 4 boneless New York strip steaks (6 to 8 oz. each; about ¾ in. thick)Kosher salt8 oz. cremini mushrooms2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing mushrooms2 medium shallots½ cup each dry sherry and reduced-sodium beef broth1 tbsp. Dijon mustard2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce1/3 cup whipping creamFreshly ground pepper1 tbsp. unsalted butter¼ cup chopped chivesLarge bunch watercress, ends trimmed, tossed with a bit of extra-virgin olive oil and kosher salt 1. Preheat…

TRAVEL ALASKA 101 Explore Fairbanks 102 ARIZONA 103 Experience Scottsdale 104 Tempe, Arizona 105 Visit Phoenix CALIFORNIA 106 BW PLUS Stovall’s Hotels of Anaheim 107 City of Twentynine Palms 108 Fairfield—Gateway to the Napa Valley 109 Fresno Convention & Visitors Bureau 110 Gilroy Welcome Center 111 Huntington Beach—Surf City USA 112 Oceanside Conference and Visitors Bureau 113 Redwood Coast/Humboldt County Visitors Bureau 114 Sacramento CVB 115 San Bernardino County, California’s Outdoor Playground 116 Sonoma County Tourism Bureau 117 Tickle Pink Inn—Carmel 118 Ukiah—Hub of Mendocino County 119 CANADA 120 Marine Link Tours 121 St Lawrence Cruise Lines INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL 122 Caravan Tours MONTANA 123 The Resort at Paws Up NEW MEXICO 124 Town of Taos 125 OREGON 126 Morrison’s Rogue Wilderness Adventures 127 Sisters Area Chamber of Commerce WASHINGTON 128…