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Daily living with the stress of two income families, an over-full schedule and environmental toxins can wear on a person both physically and mentally. If our homes are supposed to be our sanctuary, shouldn't we put a little energy into making that space better for our bodies and our spirits? As moms, we are always searching for ways to bring more calm into our crazy lives and reduce our worries about our family's health. Recently we had a chance to talk to Gail White, owner of Saje Natural Wellness, about how to incorporate natural remedies into our regular home life (We're fans of that "ounce of prevention better than a pound of cure" adage our grandmothers touted.)
Caution: This story and the accompanying photographs may inspire intense envy. This 3,100-square-foot home in Bridgeport, occupied by the Melin family, is one worthy of more positive adjectives than the average computer thesaurus contains. But what might be the proverbial frosting on designer Annette Melin's already delicious cake can be summarized in her own words: "This is very nice, but you should have seen the other house. It was to die for."
Whether you've opted to host an evening soiree complete with classic noise makers and midnight kisses or you prefer to create a more casual daytime celebration for the New Year, one thing will remain the same: Champagne is a must. It has been sipped out of shoes in popular commercials. Marilyn Monroe loved it so much she literally bathed in it. But the most festive of beverages, bubbly as it may be, can become a bit stale two months into the holiday season.
The torn wrapping paper has been cleaned up and recycled. The dishes are washed and back in the cabinets and most importantly, the relatives have all returned home. Now the Christmas tree is starting to dry out, the electric bill has been maxed, and the holiday colors are clashing with your decor. It took days to put up - untangling lights, wrapping garland over mantels and up staircases, and attaching icicles to the roof line. With a little planning, some extra room in the attic and careful handling, it just may be a lot easier to decorate your home for the holidays in 2007.
Some would think that creating an intimate area would be a difficult task in a home that has 4,100 square feet of space to fill. After all, "cozy" and "super-sized" aren't adjectives that traditionally are associated together. Surprisingly enough, however, the Chegwin home in Westridge seems to have conquered what otherwise would have been an antonym for others. Rose and Steve Chegwin, along with their sons, Chris, 21, and Brandon, 15, are comfortably surrounded by dozens of highly soft (both literally and visually) furniture pieces, accessories and more that make the space incredibly livable and effectively fill five bedrooms, four bathrooms, a game room, gourmet kitchen, formal dining room and more.
It's that time of year again. Instead of feeling a moral obligation to host holiday festivities, wouldn't it be better to feel energized by the prospect? All you need is a little party revamping to capture the excitement of the season. Some of Santa Clarita's most popular party planners have chimed in on how they make a get-together shine. Borrow a few tips and pass them off as your own for parties that are marked with laughter and good cheer.
Fun! That's what holiday parties are supposed to be. Think of something new to do. One of my favorite things to do for a holiday party is to pick one food item and create the entire menu around it. This works really well when guests are bringing a dish. Think lemons, cranberries, apples... From signature beverages and appetizers to desserts, include the item as an ingredient. How about selecting a region as a theme in preparing holiday food? New Orleans, Santa Fe, Caribbean, Hawaii... Why not say "aloha" this Christmas? Here are some of the most frequently asked questions when it comes to hosting your own holiday party.
Victoria Stevenson is outnumbered. Being the only female in a four-person family means that one must accommodate the majority. Wife to Rich, a dentist, international lecturer and professor at UCLA, and mom to Richard, 18, in his first year at the Culinary Institute of America in New York, and Alex, 14, a student at West Ranch High School, the home-based business owner and former Disney animation employee is often inclined to acknowledge her testosterone-infused family members' taste in decor.
'Tis the season of the harvest! Nowhere is this more apparent than on the Thanksgiving table. This year, let's take those side dishes and elevate them to a new status by giving them a 2006 touch! The first Thanksgiving was celebrated in 1621 to commemorate the harvest reaped by the Plymouth colony. Far from how we celebrate now, this meal was a traditional English Harvest feast with the local Wampanoag Indians, who were invited to say "thanks" for teaching them how to plant crops and hunt wild game.
It's been one of those mornings. You can't find the kids' shoes, you need to gather all the dry cleaning and take it with you and you know your car keys must still be in the ignition of your car. It's a quarter to eight and already you are hours behind schedule. Getting organized would be nice, you tell yourself, but where to begin? Take heart. There is hope for the packrat in all of us. Shelves of books can be found at any bookstore and many online sites are easily accessed that will help you get started. There is nothing more joyous than walking into a well-organized home, garage or office and knowing just where you left things. Instead of being hours behind schedule you'll find yourself right on schedule.
Empty. That's how the Inside SCV Magazine Room Makeover Team found the Salcedo's living room. The sparse interior contained only a few pieces of furniture, a television, and was completely lacking any unifying sense of warmth or decor. Lucky for the Salcedo family, that soon changed. "After seeing the room in its raw state, I determined that an existing piece of artwork could operate as an inspirational piece. It had beautiful tones of blue, tan, cream and brown. From the color palate, I was inspired to select fabrics at Coming Home Fabrics that would represent a variety of textures, patterns and color," says Tami Smight of Tami Smight Interiors.
In Santa Clarita, it's all about the stone and tile. Forget fancy vacations; when it comes to disposable income, homeowners are opting for granite over Galapagos. Here's why... "Travertine and porcelain are really popular for kitchen and bathroom flooring. The added convenience of easy maintenance that porcelain and ceramic tile provides is a big draw," says Hani Shamaoun of Ventura Marble & Tile.
Its jack-o-lantern time! Halloween has become quite the social event over the years. Adults have been enjoying it even more than the children! Halloween is the perfect excuse to host an amazing costume party. Consider making it easy on your guests by creating a theme around a favorite TV show or movie. How about "Miami Vice," "Lost" or "American Idol?" We foodies like the idea of gourmet-inspired costumes.
A Night at the Kasbah, Las Vegas Baby, Pretty In Pink, Brazilian Carnival, Running of the Bulls, Hot Hacienda, The French Quarter in New Orleans, and most recently, Cabana #50. These are some of the fun themes used when catering special events, and yes, your end-of-summer parties qualify as a special event. There is no better reason to celebrate than in honor of good friendship and good fun.
What do you do when, as Sand Canyon homeowner Dalian Eichmann says, "you have champagne taste on a beer budget?" If you are Eichmann, you have two options and you take both of them: utilize quality items that have stood the test of time and can be obtained from family or estate sales and, when that's not possible, make it yourself.
Summer is the time of weddings and bridal showers. When you are getting married or are helping a friend or family member plan her nuptials, the details can become overwhelming. When planning with a bride we ask: Where did you meet? Where did he propose? Where are you going on honeymoon? What do you love to do together? The answers to these questions help us suggest a theme and can help determine what menu to create. The personality of bride and groom is what is featured.
Matthew Moghadasian, owner of the design and advertising firm Matthew Productions, is an artist. Shortly after purchasing his 1,200 square-foot, two bedroom, two bathroom home from the Newhall family three years ago, the European-grown Moghadasian began a renovation project that would put most do-it-yourselfers to shame.
Fire up the barbecue because it's summer in Santa Clarita! This season, make an effort to be creative with your rubs and marinades. Instant espresso with ancho chile powder is so great as a beef rub. Pineapple juice, orange juice and fresh lime juice can be added to oil and garlic to make a marinade. Throw in some fresh herbs like rosemary and oregano.
Air-conditioned homes and shopping centers combined with irrigated green landscaping sometimes make it difficult to remember that Santa Clarita is a desert, but step outside during the summer and the blast of oven-hot air will quickly bring you up to speed. What does this obvious reminder mean? Besides the mantra to stay well-hydrated and practice common-sense safety measures, it also means embracing the brightest color of the visible spectrum: white.
Cardamom, coriander, cumin, cinnamon... Our new passion is to use these precious spices in cooking (no - not baking - cooking!). We recently attended a chefs course in Napa at the Culinary Institute of America. Chefs from Morocco, Tunisia, India, Persia, Thailand, Vietnam, Spain and the United States came together to talk about food trends both ancient and modern. There we learned how spices have united us. No matter what continent, no matter what style of food, there are spices involved.
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