Table of contents for April 2016 in Sunset

MY FRIEND Tom Story and I have been on some pretty spectacular shoots together for Sunset. The fishing cabin outside Juneau where we caught so much king crab for dinner that we cooked up enormous breakfast omelets with the leftovers. The enchanted week we spent on Orcas Island, Washington, possibly my favorite place in the entire world, where we made pizzas in an outdoor oven on a farm straight out of a storybook. As Sunset's staff photographer since 2000, Tom has seen more than his share of glorious Western landscapes. But even a guy who's on the road 200 days a year can find much to enthrall him in his own hometown. And thus: the stunning images he produced for our love letter to Oakland (page 68), Sunset's new home…

I WANT A … Fresh perspective Most trips to Oregon's go something like this: Park at lookout point, peer into crater, exclaim, depart. But every day, a handful of people hike the Cleetwood Cove Trail to explore the inside of the crater. A boat ride across crystal blue water brings you to the volcanic cone and lava rock of Wizard Island. You can scamper around the waterline, or take the short but steep ascent to the summit, where you'll be encircled by jagged peaks and unrecognizable to the poor schlubs on the banister far above you. From $59; craterlakelodges.com/activities/volcano-boat-cruises. PLAN B:Denali National Park's bumpy roads and shoddy transportation make sightseeing more grind than joy. Just outside the park, a helicopter flightseeing trip will swoop you through the Alaskan landscape to…

BOOK CLUB Bee here now Even in drought, plant for bees; nectar-rich blooms help these important pollinators survive dry times. Learn how to attract bees (that don't chase humans) and increase your vegetable garden yields in the new book The Bee-Friendly Garden (Ten Speed Press; $20), by Hopland, California–based garden designer Kate Frey and San Francisco–based bee expert Gretchen LeBuhn. Besides design principles (including seasonal flower progression), the book has six regionally adapted lists for the best bee plants in any location. MUST-HAVE A hive of your own If you've ever thought about trying backyard beekeeping, spring is the time to start. Among beekeeping's many benefits (30 to 80 gallons of honey from a single hive), it helps support a struggling bee population. This top-bar hive, handmade from cedar by…

FOOD Homestead Inside a Julia Morgan–designed building, this farm-to-fork eatery stays true to its name, down to the freshly churned butter. For breakfast, it offers everything from salads and strata to doughnuts and fruit. $; 4029 Piedmont Ave.; homesteadoakland.com. Juhu Beach Club Star chef Preeti Mistry, of Top Chef fame, puts a modern spin on Indian street food. Diners can't get enough of the pavs—slider-size sandwiches—alongside snacks such as Desi Jacks, a spicy twist on the old Cracker Jack recipe. $$$; 5179 Telegraph Ave.; juhu beachclub.com. Mamacitas Cafe It's not hard to feel the love at this Kickstarter-fueled cafe, where the drinks are squeezed from locally roasted beans and warm doughnut kebabs are served on Fridays. The cafe is staffed by young women enrolled in a job-training program. $; 1714…

When I bake for family and friends, I'm not trying to impress them," says Rosie Daykin, the owner of Vancouver's Butter Baked Goods. "I want to spoil them, celebrate them, or make what wasn't such a great day a little better." Daykin has no formal training. Instead, beginning at the age of 6, she baked alongside her mother every day, wreathed in a happy, butter-scented cloud. Eventually, she became an interior designer who daydreamed about opening a bakery. Nine years ago, she did just that and published her first cookbook, Butter Baked Goods, in 2013 (Random House). Her second, Butter Celebrates, is due from Knopf this fall. Both books are infused with Daykin's cheery, practical, encouraging personality. She's the same way in person— the Julie Andrews of cakes. To beginning…

TREND | Oodles of zoodles Have you tried zoodles? The playful noodle-shaped spirals made from vegetables are getting lots of attention as wheat-free substitutes for pasta. In the Test Kitchen, though, we like them raw in colorful spring salads like this one. All you need is a spiralizer, found at kitchen stores and online, and firm vegetables. Though you can find handheld spiralizers for as low as $10, it's worth it to spend a little more for a spiralizer that lets you control the thickness of the zoodles. Our favorites: Benriner Cook Help (easiest to use and clean; widely available; from $30; surlatable.com) and Paderno 4-Blade Spiralizer (widely available; $50; crateandbarrel.com). Sesame Zoodle Salad SERVES 4 (MAKES 6 CUPS) 20 MINUTES We used the thickest julienne blade on the Benriner…

CHAIR MAN BEST SOFA SOLUTION The story of Campaign is inextricably linked to the creation myth of its founder. "I grew up in the Midwest, with blue-collar roots, and fell in love with the design and manufacturing engineering of the automotive industry," says 29-year-old Brad Sewell. "It was my first taste of the hardware process—turning a sketch into a physical item." After a stint as an engineer at Apple, he moved to Boston to attend Harvard Business School, where he tapped into a universal need: the search for high-quality yet affordable online furniture. He discovered that the biggest hurdle—the cost of shipping—was also the biggest opportunity. "Could we create a high-quality sofa that lasts a lifetime but could be shipped via UPS or FedEx? It was a totally fresh way…

[The following content appeared in the Northern California edition.] GARDEN WE LOVE Framed with flowers Even before David and Deborah Ellman added to the front of their Seattle house, they had white Wisteria floribunda "Alba" in mind. Deborah says, "I wanted it to add charm and softness, defying the "blob" look I'd seen on many additions." David's smart planning allowed the arbor's 2- by 6-inch support beams to be built into the structure. The fragrant white spring flowers stop traffic, but "after the blooms have faded," says Deborah, "I especially appreciate the velvety green pods. They dangle like earrings well after the leaves have disappeared in fall." She prunes in early summer, again in winter, and as needed to remove suckers and tendrils. "This is not a low-maintenance plant," she…

PICTURE YOURSELF driving through wine country. Rows of uniform vines are marshaled on either side, branches raised in trellis-bound salute. Then you come upon a vineyard that defies conformity. Boughs reach wildly in every direction; trunks are thick and gnarled, so expressive they're characters in their own right. This is vineyard history—blocks in Northern California that go back decades to a booming post–Gold Rush wine industry. (Many smart prospectors figured out there was more money to be made making wine for miners than by panning for gold themselves.) Since fruit yields drop as vines age, the vast majority of these old vineyards have long since been abandoned or torn out. But a growing number of vintners have come to recognize their unique value—and are putting their best winemaking behind the…

Dan Brooks lives on a quiet cul-de-sac just outside downtown Napa, a soft-spoken, middle-aged guy in beach hat and sandals. He flies a medical helicopter for a living. Until one recent morning, when I pull up in his driveway, though, he is a complete stranger, a dot on a map that my wife, Amy, and I have built a strange vacation around. We are 24 hours into our experiment. Longtime San Franciscans of the bleary parental variety, we'd been itching to ditch town for a couple of days. Rather than the standard road trip, however, we got the idea of renting an electric vehicle. Like many, we'd come to occupy a funny spot regarding EVs: We had the sense that they are on the cusp of ubiquity, but also we…

OLD MADE NEW…p. 45 | GREAT GADGETS…p. 52 | SMALL-SPACE PATIO…p. 58 | PASSIVE HOUSE…p. 62 1 MAKE OLD NEW Lucky Brand design director Michelle McCormick is a genius at transforming her home using vintage goods. IF MICHELLE MCCORMICK'S walls could talk, they would tell the story of a little girl who grew up strolling the aisles of flea markets with her mom, buying treasures that would, over time, become a highly personalized collection. Now the senior design director at the fashion company Lucky Brand, Michelle is still addicted to the hunt. So it's no surprise that her English Tudor–style home in Los Angeles is a maximalist's dream—until you realize that her husband, Tracy, is an interior designer and contractor who favors minimalism. When the couple bought their 1,700- square-foot…

THE TASTEMAKER Alanna Rayford Founder, Urban Stitch LENNY WILLIAMS eases his Prius onto Telegraph Avenue in Oakland, heading downtown on a trip through time. "That was a club called the Showcase Lounge," he tells me, pointing to an office building whose art deco façade hints at the history behind it. "I won a few talent shows there in the late "60s. I guess you could say it's where I got my start." It's midday, misting. Driving through the drizzle, Williams counts down the side streets. 23rd. 22nd. 21st. As the numbers dwindle, his memories swell. At around 20th Street in the Uptown neighborhood, restaurants, bars, and shops spread in the shadows where grand department stores once stood. Condos bloom here and there. The former Sears building stands cloaked in scaffolding,…

SPRING HERB and GOAT CHEESE LINGUINE SERVES 4 / 30 MINUTES Now's the time to use spring herbs with abandon, adding them by the handful to salads, eggs, and pasta. This quick vegetarian main dish combines your choice of herbs with a little cream and some goat cheese, which melts in the heat of the pasta to lightly coat each strand. Crumble more cheese on top. 5 oz. mixed fresh herbs, such as parsley, dill, mint, basil, or tarragon; plus ½ oz. small herb leaves and sprigs 1 lb. linguine or fettucine 8 oz. soft fresh goat cheese, crumbled, divided ½ cup whipping cream 1 tsp. lemon zest ½ tsp. kosher salt 1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Meanwhile, chop 5 oz. herbs; set aside.…