Y O U R D R E A M H O M Eon a

BUDGETP. 40

HeartyDinner Salads

Chefs Favorite Citrus Dishes

Guilt -Free Snacks

GLUTEN-FREE

Orange Cake

P. 88

U N D I S C O V E R E D H A W A I IS N O W A D V E N T U R E SGet Outside!

Fresh & Healthy Recipes

HAPPYNEW YEAR!

49 LET IT SNOWExperience the Wests world-class powder with our guide to cozy lodges and winter funon and off the slopes. Essays by Josh Dean & Pam Houston

62 TREASURED ISLANDA couple revisits the backroads and secret beaches of the Big Island, where they fell in lovethis time with a ukelele-mad 10-year-old in tow. By Peggy Orenstein

70MEYER LEMON LOVEChefs recipes for marrying our favorite backyard citrus with crab pasta, braised chicken, and more. By Elaine Johnson

Snow adventures p. 49

Undiscovered Hawaii p. 62

Fresh & healthy recipes p. 70, 79, 84, 90, 94

Dream home on a budget p. 40

Cake cover: Photograph by Thomas J. Story; food styling by Karen Shinto. Hawaii cover: Photo-graph by Thomas J. Story.

The magic of the Big Island is that it feels both old and young,

harsh and gentle. T R E A S U R E D I S L A N D, p. 62

TA B L E OF C ON T E N T SE X PERIENCE the W E S T

Photograph by T H O M A S J . S T O RY

anuary

ON THE COVER

E X PERIENCE the W E S T

33

January

THIS MONTHSRECIPES

RECIPE GUIDEGF: Gluten-free; LC: Low calorie;

LS: Low sodium; V: Vegetarian; VG: Vegan

Our full guide to nutrition, ingredients, and techniques: sunset.com/cookingguide.

GET MORE PHOTOS + VIDEOS IN OUR DIGITAL MAGAZINETake Sunset wherever you roam with our interactive Digital Edition, available on iPad, iPhone, Android, and Kindle Fire.Youll get every story from our print magazine, plus bonus contentthis month, see a photo essay on Nirvanas birthplace and watch our ingredient-prep videos, including how to roll an orange for easiest zesting. Learn more: sunset.com/learnmore.

SNACKSFurikake Popcorn ..................96Garlic Parmesan Popcorn ....96Salt & Pepper Popcorn .........96Smoked Paprika Popcorn .....96

SOUP, SALADS & SIDE Grilled Chicken & Kale Salad with Tahini Lemon Dressing GF ........................................91

Lettuce Snap Pea Salad with Meyer Lemon Cream GF/LC/LS/V ......................76

Savoy Cabbage Gratin LC/LS/V ..............................81

Savoy Cabbage Soup with Tiny Meatballs LC/LS ........82

MAIN COURSESChicken with Preserved Meyer Lemon & Olives GF/LC .....77

Coconut Milk Shrimp GF/LC .................................96

Crab Pasta with Prosecco & Meyer Lemon Sauce LS .....76

Orecchiette with Escarole, Capers & Olives LC/V .......91

Sablefish with Savoy Cabbage & Fennel Slaw GF/LC........80

Scrambled Eggs with Meyer Lemon Salsa Verde GF/V ..77

Spicy Lamb Tacos LC/LS .....90

DESSERTSBuckwheat Gingerbread Muffins GF/LC/LS/V ........87

Corn Flour & Orange Blossom Chiffon Cake GF/LC/LS/V ......................88

Meyer Lemon Cornmeal Upside-Down Cake V ........76

Oat Flour & Almond Sabls GF/LC/LS/V ......................86

PANTRYCandied Orange Zest ..........89Homemade Corn Tortillas ....94Whipped Cream & Crme Frache ....................89

84 MASTER CLASS Learn to bake with gluten-free flours.90 FAST & FRESH Weeknight meals in 30 minutes or less

HOME & GARDEN

33 PLANT NOW Our favorite stone-fruit trees, from a classic peach to new hybrids, and a guide to growing them

39 GARDEN CHECKLIST What to do in your garden in January

40 SMART SPACE How one couple built their dream house on a real-world budget

46 IN THE WESTERN HOME Adding character with paint, plus other tips from our team

FOOD & DRINK

79 PEAK SEASON Mild and sweet savoy will make you a cabbage convert.

92 SIP Nature vs. nurture in winemaking techniques94 IN THE SUNSET KITCHEN From-scratch corn tortillas,

instant appetizers, and more

102 ASK SUNSET Answers to your questions , including a big-city culture fix

6 CONVERSATIONSBEST OF THE WEST

9 THIS MONTHS PICKS Napas truffle fest (and star dog), Ted Turners ranch deal, new cruise terminal, and more

TRAVEL

17 ASK A LOCAL Classic spots and new favorites in San Diegos Balboa Park

22 A PERFECT DAY INSan Franciscos Presidio (NorCal & Northwest editions)North Hollywood (SoCal)St. George, UT (Southwest & Mountain)Read all three on Sunsets interactive Digital Edition (sunset.com/learnmore).

26 WANDERLUST Making the pilgrimage to Aberdeen, WA, Kurt Cobains home-town. By Bill Donahue

4 J A N U A R Y 2 0 1 5 S U N S E T

CUSTOMER SERVICE: For help concerning your subscription, visit sunset.com/customerservice, or call our toll-free number, (800) 777-0117, or write to Sunset Subscriber Assistance, Box 32120, Tampa, FL 33662-2120. To ensure continuous service, send new and old addresses eight weeks before moving. If possible, include most recent Sunset mailing label. Send address changes to Sunset, Box 32120, Tampa, FL 33662-2120. SUBSCRIBERS: If the post office alerts us that your magazine is undeliverable, we have no further obligation unless we receive a corrected address within two years.

DEPUTY EDITORS Miranda Crowell (Garden, Home, Food),Peter Fish (Travel)

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HOME HOME EDITOR Joanna LinbergFOOD FOOD EDITOR Margo True

ASSOCIATE EDITOR Elaine Johnson TEST KITCHEN MANAGER Angela Brassinga

WINE WINE EDITOR Sara SchneiderCONTRIBUTING EDITOR Jess Chamberlain

COPY COPY EDITORS Trina Enriquez, Victoria Villeneuve RESEARCH CHIEF Michelle Lau

DIGITAL ASSISTANT EDITOR/RESEARCHER Carol Shih

46/4&516#-*4)*/($03103"5*0/t8*--08 30"%.&/-01"3,$"t46/4&5$0.

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EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Peggy Northrop

CREATIVE DIRECTOR

MANAGING EDITOR

Maili HolimanAlan J. Phinney

ART DIRECTOR James McCannPHOTO DIRECTOR Yvonne Stender

ART DEPUTY ART DIRECTOR Supriya Kalidas ASSOCIATE ART DIRECTOR Soni Obinger DIGITAL PRODUCTION DESIGNER Jordan Coupe PHOTOGRAPHY PHOTO EDITORS Linda Lamb Peters (Garden), Susan B. Smith (Home, Food)STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER Thomas J. Story DIGITAL IMAGING MANAGER E. Spencer Toy DIGITAL IMAGING SPECIALIST Kimberley Navabpour PRODUCTION SYSTEMS MANAGER Marie Pence EDITORIAL PRODUCTION MANAGER Laura H. Martin BOOK PRODUCTION MANAGER Linda M. BouchardSUNSET.COM MANAGING EDITOR Gina Marie GoffSENIOR EDITOR Jessica MordoEDITORIAL ASSISTANTS Megan McCrea (Assistant to the Editor-in-Chief), Emma Wartzman; Caroline Hetzel (Intern)

SUNSET PUBLISHING CORPORATION ASSOCIATE PUBLISHERWEST Amy Olmsted

ASSOCIATE PUBLISHEREAST Brendan SmythBUSINESS OFFICE Jessica Yan (Finance Director), Jeff Prentice

ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES Rick LaFrentz, Tony Soria, Dan Strack

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ADVERTISING SALESDETROIT (248) 988-7722 Mary Murphy Plowman.

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MANUFACTURING & PREMEDIAJamie Elliott (Make-Up, Positioning & Production Manager), Rosana Chang, Athena Wyman-Battalen; Patricia Koh-Valentin (Premedia)

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TIME INC.Alison Fried (Senior VP, Finance); Bruce Larson (Senior VP, SPC Operations); Regina Buckley (Senior VP, Strategy & Operations); Kevin Heery (Senior VP, Digital); Greg Keyes (Senior VP, Group Publisher); Thomas C. Colaprico (VP, Operations); Jill Davison (VP, Communications); Sherry Wolfe (Director, Advertising Finance); Rebecca Sanhueza (VP, Deputy General Counsel); Kate Weiss (VP, Human Resources)

RESEARCH & INSIGHTSCaryn Klein (VP, Business Research & Insights); Barry Martin(VP, Consumer InSight); Lee Anne Baer (Executive Director)

VIDEOJ.R. McCabe (Senior VP)

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGYNeil Bailey, Abe Cytryn, Jonathan Fein, Robert Ferreira, Amanda Hanes, Leon Misiukiewicz, Ben Ramadan, Scott Smith, Jimmie Tomei (Vice Presidents)

FINANCE & MARKETINGAndy Blau (Senior VP, Advertising Sales & MarketingFinance); Priya Narang (Senior VP, Advertising Sales & MarketingMarketing); David Watt (VP, Sales); Dan Realson (VP, Digital);Cara Deoul Perl (VP, Creative Director); Mary Haskin (VP, Marketing & Sales Development); Mary Wojciechowski (VP, Database Marketing); Steve Cambron (VP, Marketing Ad Solutions); Lori Dente (VP, Finance); Nancy Mynio (VP, Digital Ad Operations); Kavata Mbondo (VP, Yield & Programmatic)

CORPORATEEXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENTS Jeff Bairstow (Chief Financial Officer), Lynne Biggar, Colin Bodell, Teri Everett, Mark Ford, Greg Giangrande, Lawrence A. Jacobs, Todd Larsen, Evelyn Webster

TIME INC.CHIEF CONTENT OFFICER Norman Pearlstine CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER Joseph Ripp

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@Peggy_Sunset | readerletters@sunset.com

PEGGY NORTHROP, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

NEW YEAR, NEW FACTOIDSWith every issue of Sunset, I refresh my store of what I call cocktail party facts: curious bits of knowledgesometimes even usefulthat I cant wait to share with someone else.

If you run into me at a party sometime this season, you might hear me spout off about the following: CHICKEN STOCK Who knew, but the best and heartiest is made from boiling the leg bones onlywith kelp (aka kombu) added for even more body. That one is thanks to food editor Margo True, who learned this while spending a week in the kitchen with the genius chefs of San Franciscos Bar Tartine (youll read that story in an upcoming issue). TRUFFLE DOGS A good truffle-hunting canine can earn $150,000 a year. (Now if only my dog , Riley, would get with the program.) And did you know that dogs are not only just as good at hunting truffles as pigs areone-third of dogs brains are devoted to the sense of smell, after allbut they also dont bite off your fingers the way pigs tend to?

Snow fun, then and now: Working on

this months feature (page 49), we

were inspired by iconic snowy cover

stories from the pastlike Sequoia

Winter Magic, from December

1981.

Trying to eat freshagainSugar. Caffeine. Alcohol. Red meat. Sarcasm. Last January, for our Eat Fresh Challenge, 11 intrepid Sunset editors atoned for holiday indulgences by giving up one vice. Participants prepared differently: Some shopped diligently for healthy food, while copy editor Trina Enriquez scarfed the last of her chocolate stash, Mardi Gras style. One travel editor dumped her sweets in a bag and hid it, and associate garden editor Johanna Silver confessed, I am unprepared mentally, physically, spiritually, grocery-ly. Working here didnt help: Sunset.com managing editor Gina Goff called the Test Kitchen a real-world Temptation Island. Some caved (blame hunger pangs, internal conflict, and Barbra Streisand), while others stayed the course. In the end, we rewarded ourselves withwhat else?Sugar. Caffeine. Alcohol. Red meat. Sarcasm. Keep us honest this year: Follow along at sunset.com/eatfresh.

JANUARY PHOTO CONTEST

Winter in the WestWeve discovered, via our social media pages, that Sunset readers are fantastic pho-tographers. The proof: This image by Michelle Bird of the fog-encased view from Mt. Davidson in San Francisco, the winner of our most recent photo contest. This month, we want to see how youre playing in the snow. Share shots of your favorite winter moments around the West for a chance to be featured in the magazine. Follow our Facebook and Instagram pages for contest details starting January 1, 2015.

FAKE SNOW Every snowflake is uniqueunless it comes out of a snow-making machine. Snow machines form flakes with identical dendritic arms. Just saying dendritic arms makes me feel like an expert. THE DEARTH OF SNOW COCKTAILS IN COLORADO Its generally illegal to collect rainwater in Denver, so there is some confusion about whether youre allowed to collect snow and put it in a glass with some liquor and sell it. Which means that when we were trying to get a bartender to craft a snow cocktail for our feature story on page 49, we couldnt. (But hey, smoke as much pot as you want!)

Heres hoping you find something startlingly new and deeply useful in our pages this month. At the very least, your fingers are now safe from truffle pigs. (Youre welcome.)

6 J A N U A R Y 2 0 1 5 S U N S E T

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C O N V E R S AT IO N S

CALIFORNIA BOASTS

the freshest local

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extraordinary wine

in the country and

its re ected in

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Join us this January

for California

Restaurant Month

a celebration of

great destinations,

fantastic food, and

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Learn more online

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Photograph by J O H N C L A R K

BEST WESTERNER

The absolute highlight of the Napa Truffle Festival is the truffle-hunting demonstration at Robert Sinskey Vineyards. (The festival is presented by the American Truffle Company, which convinces Napa Valley landowners to plant black-truffle orchardsSinskeys will be the first to produce the fungus, beginning this year .) Why? The star of the show, Rico, whos a four-year-old Lagotto Romagnolo, an Italian breed of retriever. When hes not digging for treasure, he lives in the East Bay with his owner and tartufio (truffle hunter), Bill Collins, a psychologist whose day job is treating trau-matized veterans. (Rico helps him out with that too.) We chatted with Rico recently about his work.

Rico the truff le dog

Were your parents truffle dogs? Yesmy breed is from Emilia-Romagna, but my actual parents are from Sicily, which is where I was trained when I was just a little bitty pup.

How are truffle dogs trained? The way theyve been training my breed since about 1540: They would sew a truffle in some cloth and theyd throw the truffle for me and Id retrieve it, and then theyd hide the truffle, and theyd say, Dove, Rico, dove? Which means, Where, where? And Id go look for it. And then they would bury it, and theyd say, Dove, Rico? and Id dig it updig dig dig dig.

Have you ever eaten a truffle? Some of us like to eat them and some of us dont. Sometimes, if we find undesirable truffles, the handlers give those to us; other-wise we just get a treat.

Which is what? For me, organic buffalo hot dogs. Its got to be a pretty darn good treat for me to not want to eat the truffle.

Do you need to be a Lagotto Romagnolo to hunt truffles? Any type of dog can learn to do it. Really, what makes a good truffle dog is temperament. You want a dog that wants to please and has a good sense of concentration. When Im hunting and there are other dogs, I let them know, Hey, Ill play with you, but not right now. When I hear the magic word, doveits game on. Noth-ing else matters. Thats what sep-arates me from the others who just hang out and eat truffle cheese. Which I do like, by the way. You got some?

Festival events from $60 ; Jan 1619;napatrufflefestival.com.

S U N S E T J A N U A R Y 2 0 1 5 9

BESTWEST

OF THE

W H A T W E R E T R A C K I N G T H I S M O N T H

OF THE

W H A T W E R E T R A C K I N G T H I S M O N T H

BESTWEST

In 1996, Ted Turner bought a onetime cattle spread on the northern border of New Mexico and turned it into his

own private bison reserve. Over the years, hes opened the 925-square-mile Vermejo Park Ranch, as its called, to small ecotours while continuing to host the elk-hunting parties and corporate retreats that pay the bills. (The ranchs eight-bedroom, LEED-certified Costilla Lodge, added in 2010, costs high roll-ers a cool $10,000 per night.) For one month each winter, though, the rest of us can stay at the lodge for a mere $300 a night, which includes not only three meals a day but also guided snowshoeing and cross-country ski outings. And this high in the Sangre de Cristo Range, snow is almost a certainty. The Winter Escape deal starts at the end of January and runs through March 1: Better book now. vermejoparkranch.com.

Bonanza

BEST WAY TO

GO MOGUL

Youre waiting for your flight and you suddenly remem-ber...the cat sitter. Your coworkers. Your kids. Whomever it is you forgot to shop for. It may not be too late to buy a legit souvenir of the city you just left. At Sea-Tac, the record label that brought us Nirvana opened its first airport store in Maywhat sullen teen wouldnt love a Sub Pop knit hat? A clutch of Tattered Cover bookstores in Denvers airport highlights the work of local writers, and at San Franciscos renovated Terminal 3, theres Marin-pressed olive oil at the McEvoy Ranch pop-up. Now you have an answer to that eternal ques-tion. seatacshops.com; flydenver.com; flysfo.com.

WHAT DID YOU BRING ME?BEST AIRPORT GIFT SHOPS

DO-RIGHT SITENot quite a year old, the Utah-based gear e-tailer Cotopaxi is more than just another outdoorsy start-up: Formed as a benefit corpora-tion, its legally committed to making the world a better place. For instance, a part of the pro-ceeds from each backpack, garment, or water bottle goes to a specific causefor the Pacaya insulated jacket (above, $199), its midwife training in Guatemala; for the Inca daypack ($109), its hiring a tutor for an or-phanage in Boliviaand Cotopaxis factories all promise good working condi-tions and better-than-living wages. Plus, the companys goods are well made and seriously stylish. cotopaxi.com.

David and GoliathPacific Gas and Elec-trics plan to build a nu-clear power plant on the headland above Bodega Bay, Californiaand, ahem, the San Andreas faultprogressed alarm-ingly far before towns-people convinced regu-lators to block it in 1964 . (You can still see the reactor pit, now filled with water.) Hole in the Head: The Battle for Bodega Bay and the Birth of the Environmen-tal Movement, at Santa Rosas Sonoma County Museum, tells the almost forgotten story of arro-gant officials, crusading geologists, and an un-dercover waitress. No, this isnt a blockbuster exhibition, but big isnt always more powerful. Just ask PG&E. $7; closes Feb 9; sonomacountymuseum.org.

BESTDODGEDBULLET

Feel-good storyTwo Bunch Palms, the Desert Hot Springs, Cali-fornia, getaway in whose mud baths Tim Robbins and Greta Scacchi frolicked in The Player, has just overhauled its guest roomstrading the Brat Pack decor for 1970s revival (in a good way). More important, in a saving-the-world sense, is the 3.5-acre solar array that is due to come on-line this monthitll provide enough electricity for the compounds use and then some, using a lot less water than would the equivalent conven-tional power plant. From $219; twobunchpalms.com.

BESTREBOOT

BEST GEAR WITH

BENEFITS

10 J A N U A R Y 2 0 1 5 S U N S E T

Actual Prius owner made previously aware their likeness and statement may be used for advertising. 2014 Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc.

Being a firefighter, Ive seen a lot of car accidents. I feel very safe with my family in the Prius. The Plummers, Prius owners

toyota.com/prius

BEST ONLY IN THE WEST

Succulents on standbyCan anyone remember a time when the properly accessorized garden or tabletop tableau didnt include succulents? In fact, theyve become such a crucial decor element that nothaving the requisite sedum or sempervivum just might trigger an existential crisis. Dalla Vita to the rescue! Based in Santa Barbara, the brother and sister floral-design team offers a same-day succulents-delivery service anywhere in the countya business idea were sure will be spreading like ice plants on a beach. From $35; dallavita.com.

You, new and improvedA yoga mat wired with sensors to critique your poses. A cushion for your chair that nags you about your posture and urges you to take a walk. A scale that analyzes the nutritional benefits of your meals ingredi-ents. A glowing orb (below) that sits on your nightstand and monitors your sleep, waking you at the optimal non-groggy moment. A human hamster wheel, designed to be used with a stand-ing deskway more exciting than a treadmill! These products are all here or coming soon, thanks to Western ingenu-ity and crowdfunding sites like Kickstarter and Indiegogo. Actually, you cant buy the hamster wheelbut you can build one with the help of the website Instructables. All youll need is some plywood, four skateboard wheels, a couple of lengths of pipe, 240 wood screws, a pint of glue, and a good attitude. What could possibly go wrong? SmartMat yoga mat: $297; smartmat.com. Darma cushion: $149; darma.co. Prep Pad scale: $150; theorangechef.com. Sense sleep monitor: $129; hello.is. Hamster Wheel Standing Desk: instructables.com.

BEST WELLNESS

TECH

12 J A N U A R Y 2 0 1 5 S U N S E T

TOP:

HEA

THER

HAC

KNEY

The difference is specialized itineraries.

And hand-selected excursions.

A magical world of natural beauty.

And authentic Alaskan cuisine.

Its creating the ideal vacation for the whole family.

The difference is Disney.

WHERE THE MAJESTY OF ALASKA MEETS THE MAGIC OF DISNEY.

Visit disneycruise.com/alaska,

contact your Travel Agent.call 1-888-325-3819 or

Sailing summer 2015 Skagway Ketchikan Tracy Arm Vancouver Juneau

SHAKEN, NOT STIRREDA jeweled tower 43 stories tall. A Palace of Agriculture

boasting an 11,000-pound cheese. A Joy Zone offering, among other attractions, burlesque shows and a replica of Old Faithful Inn. A Fountain of Energy (above) designed by Stirling Calderyes, Al-exanders father. The wonders of the Panama-Pacific International Exposition, which began its nearly yearlong run a century ago in what is now San Franciscos Marina District, could fill a book. And they do. From Berkeleys Heyday Books and the California Histori-cal Society, San Franciscos Jewel City, by historian Laura Ackley, not only provides a guide to the 635-acre fair but also tells how it ful-filled its unspoken mission: proving to the world that San Francisco was back on its feet after the 1906 quake. $40; heydaybooks.com.

BESTLOOKBACK

Endless summerCalling what takes place in Todos Santos for two long weekends this month a full-on festival might be an over-statement, but the Todos Santos Music Festival does boast genuine stars among its 12 (count em, 12!) headliners: indie rocker Conor Bright Eyes Oberst, the Drive By Truck-ers, The Jayhawks, and M. Ward, who, with Zooey Descha-nel, was She & Him. Festival founder Peter Bucklead gui-tarist for REM, who was born in Berkeley and now splits his time between Port-land and Seattleperforms too, and theres a locals show-case at the Hotel Cal-ifornia. Reserved tick-ets cost only about $20 a day, its Janu-ary, and youre in idyllic Baja Sur...not bad. Jan 1517, 2124; todossantosmusicfestival.com.

BEST EXCUSE TO

HIT BAJA

When San Franciscos James R. Herman Cruise Terminal opened for business last fall, the

citys tourism industry cheered. After all, the blue-glass box on Pier 27, below Telegraph Hill, is a far better billboard than drafty old Pier 35 ever was, and itll lure more dollars too (cruise-ship traffic for 2015 is already up 10 percent). But what will it mean for you, the passenger? This month, mostly a less gloomy boarding experience for the midsize Princesses on their traditional midwinter HawaiiMexico rounds. But Pier 27 can han-dle the next generation of monster vessels, the kind with enough space for climbing walls and ice rinks and ziplines. Not coincidentally, Royal Caribbean, which specializes in such behemoths, will test the waters, literally, in May with its Jewel of the Seas. Time to dig out your carabiners? For a list of cruise ships calling this year, go to sfport.com.

BEST WELCOME

MAT

Anchors aweigh

Even in California, land of Janu-ary citrus (mmm, Meyer lemonssee page 70), chefs and civil-ians get a little weary of the kale and rutabagas cluttering the farmers markets. (When willthe strawberries arrive?) We cant accelerate time for you, but we can suggest you pick up Maria Schoettlers Eat Local Calendar. Her delicate gouache paintings of whats available at her own Oakland markets each month are a pledge to all of ussnowbound mountain dwellers includedthat spring and sun-shine are indeed on the way.$34; mariaschoettler.com.

HERE COMES THE SUN

BEST LOOKFORWARD

14 J A N U A R Y 2 0 1 5 S U N S E T

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ASK A LOCAL

Travel

THE REAL BALBOA PARK

San Diegos gorgeous park turns 100 this year. Heres how to make the

most of its gardens, museums, restaurants, and

amazing zoo.

Photograph by DAV E L AU R I D S E N S U N S E T J A N U A R Y 2 0 1 5 17

At 100, San Diegos premier playground has never looked better. It has 17 museums, 19 gardens, 65 miles of hiking trails, and that famous zoo. So where do you start? How about with two locals who know the terrain. AS TOLD TO CASEY HATFIELD-CHIOTTI

RICK SCHWARTZ Animal care supervisor at

the San Diego Zoo

DANA SPRINGS Director of San Diegos

Commission for Arts and Culture

MUST-VISIT MUSEUMS

Timken MuseumFree; 1500 El Prado; timkenmuseum.org.

DANA SPRINGS

I love the comfort-able setting at the Timken Museum. Theres an abun-dance of natural light, so it feels like youre walking into someones living roomexcept you can see a Rem-brandt and works by other European masters. My favor-ite painting is Vene-tos Portrait of a Lady in a Green Dress. It makes me think about what life in a royal court was like and how women ever got anything done with their hair up so tight.

San Diego Natural History Museum $17; 1788 El Prado; sdnhm.org.

RICK SCHWARTZ

Maybe its because of my neurotic love for science and na-ture, but Im crazy about the San Diego Natural History Museum. Especial-ly all of the interac-tive exhibits for kids. Honestly, adults should go

run around at their feet. Its like this cra-zy elephant/rabbit cocktail party.

you can play with that helps you un-derstand how mag-netic fields attract and repel.

WHAT NOT TO MISS AT THE SAN DIEGO ZOO

The Elephant Odyssey$46; 2920 Zoo Dr.; zoo.sandiegozoo.org.

RS This exhibit is interesting because it tells the story of the Columbian

here today. We love to refer to it as a ge-riatric herd because these are all pretty old elephantssome are former circus performers, some are from other zoos, and some have been here in San Diego for the past 40 years. Its designed so all the elephant care is done right in front of the public. DS In the evening, when its cooler, you

there too. There are wave machines, and you can see how land formations are created; theres an area full of magnets

mammoth, which once roamed South-ern California and is a direct ancestor of the Asian ele-phant herd we have

get to see the ele-phants feed them-selves, which is fun, but then all the little wild rabbits in the park come out and

FAVORITE GIFT-SHOP SOUVENIR

Mingei museum 1439 El Prado; mingei.org.

DS The Collectors Gallery started carrying Maru Lopez jewelry. Lopez works at the museum, and the shop buyer was so taken with the painted brass jewelry she wore that she began stocking it. Its cool, like jelly beans set in gold. Why didnt anyone think of this sooner? I also like the is-it-stone, is-it-glass, is-it-plastic double takes. The pieces are elegant and fun but not silly.

18 J A N U A R Y 2 0 1 5 S U N S E T

Travel

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Great Maple $$; 1451 Washington St.; thegreatmaple.com.

DS Its just outside the park, over in the Hillcrest neighbor-hood, and they make some fantas-tic drinks. They do these half-serving cocktails that I love. It allows you to or-der minis to make cocktail pairings

the Balboa Park

institutions.

MOST OUTSTANDING PATCH OF GREEN

Fern Canyon$46; 2920 Zoo Dr.; zoo.sandiegozoo.org.

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MORE SHOPPING, PLEASE

Pigment3801 30th St.; shop pigment.com.

DS North Park has lots of terrific shops, and Pigment is one of my faves. I love that they have curated themed sec-tions so that it feels like there are a bunch of tiny stores within one store. They carry hand-made jewelry by local craftspeople, and the last time I was there, I noticed these cool note-cards and leather bags. Great store to find gifts. They have something for everyone.

WHERE CAN I ESCAPE THE CROWDS?

Art museum garden

1549 El Prado; sdmart.org.

DS Theres a se-cluded seating area behind the restau-rant Panama 66 with some outdoor lounge chairs. Its in the shade, and you get to sit next to this reflecting pool and look out into the May S. Marcy Sculpture Garden, which is just beauti-ful. Ill go there to catch up on some work or talk on the phone, which you can do now because the park has Wi-Fi.

BEST PERFORMANCE SPACE

The Old Globe 1363 Old Globe Way; theoldglobe.org.

RS Ive seen shows at the Old Globe and Starlight and I love them both. What I like about the Globe is that you get a real feel for the

with each phase of your dinner. The Chanilla Drop vodka cocktail is my favorite. I like the sweet, salty, smoky flavor of the burnt lemon.

NO-FRILLS LUNCH

The Big Front Door4135 Park Blvd.; bfd sandiego.com.

DS The Big Front Door is close and has great variety. Its an artisanal deli with the most deli-cious roast-beef sandwich, made on a roll with provolo-ne, broccoli rabe, Roma tomato, and housemade aioli. Ill run down there and end up bumping into staff from all

performances. You can see everything from the Grinch to touring Broadway shows.

BEST VIEWS ARE FROM...

The Skyfari Aerial Tram $46; 2920 Zoo Dr.; zoo.sandiegozoo.org.

DS If you take the tram near dusk, youre basically floating through a San Diego sunset with a 360 view from the zoo. You can see the lights of downtown, the Point Loma penin-sula, and all the way around to East County. Absolutely gorgeous.

20 J A N U A R Y 2 0 1 5 S U N S E T

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43

2

1

San Franciscos former military post embraces its past and looks toward the future, with new hikes, bites, and sites. By Christine Ryan

1. The Presidio puts its barracks to new use.

2. Golden Gate Bridge Plaza. 3. Traci Des Jar-dins Commissary has a

Spanish accent. 4. Califor-nia history on display in the Heritage Gallery at

the Officers Club.

for tens of thousands of soldiers heading to far-off wars. Soldiers with names like Sutliffe Bither and Hiram Harlow, who wrote letters and kept diaries and whose words came home, even when they didnt. Free; 50 Mora-ga Ave.; presidio.gov.

The history is alive The Presidios Main Post is fi-nally coming into its own. Site of the original Spanish garrison built in 1776, this tidy square, framed by brick barracks and white clapboard and stucco buildings, hasnt offered visitors

much beyond The Walt Disney Family Museum and a bowling alley. But last falls reinvention of the Officers Club has put the square front and center. The 37,000-square-foot building acts as a combination visitor center, museum, and gathering

place; its Moraga Hall is a real sit-down-and-relax lobby, com-plete with fireplace, in the tradi-tion of the grandest park lodges. The Heritage Gallery, though, reminds you that the Presidio wasnt always a place for recre-ation, but the last stateside stop

A PERFECT DAY IN

THE PRESIDIO

22 J A N U A R Y 2 0 1 5 S U N S E T

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shop and visitor center replaced the cramped art-deco Round House, which in turn became a staging area for guided tours. Now the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy is turning the Round House back into what it was originally and should have been all along: San Franciscos coolest diner. We cant wait. Bridge: goldengatebridge.org. Round House: parksconservancy.org.

A mess hall with rootsDont expect to find chipped beef or military MREs at the Officers Clubs new eatery, Arguello. Named after the Mexican governor who once ruled Northern California, Traci Des Jardins restaurant serves fish tacos and squash-blossom quesadillas in a pub-like dining room (beamed ceil-ing, reclaimed-wood tables) and on an adjacent heated patio. Just beyond the patio, youll find Earth Wall, the third and latest Presidio installation by artist Andy Goldsworthy: a ball of roots seemingly excavated from a stucco wall. $$; 50 Moraga Ave.; arguellosf.com.

After the Gold RushJoining the Disney museum in the barracks lining the western edge of the Main Post is Des Jardins other Presidio restau-rant, The Commissary. Here, the menus inspired by the forts

Spanish origins (think jamn-wrapped trout and white Rioja by the glass). Nearby are two other old-new attractions: the Presidio Trust Gallery and the Society of California Pioneers. Through March 8, the gallery recaps the imagina-tive art projects that the For-Site Foundation has staged in the park. The societys gracious main room houses entertain-ingly curated collections of ob-jects (an amputation kit!) and paintings, but the real treasure lies in its library of historical documents. Dont miss John Sutters diary, which rode out the 1906 quake and fire in a safe in the societys South of Market clubhouse (itself destroyed) and is on view in the vestibule. Com-missary: $$$; 101 Montgomery St.; thecommissarysf.com. Gallery: Free; 103 Montgomery; presidio.gov. Society: Free; 101 Montgom-ery; californiapioneers.org.

Walk this wayLong before the Spanish arrived, the Ohlone people had settled what eventually would become the Presidio, and in Tennessee Hollow, you can see why: El Polin Spring. Even during the driest months of another drought season, the spring trickles on. The Presidio Trust has been restoring it and its watershedeventually a trail will follow the stream as it heads to the bay. But for now, hike 1.4 miles from the Main Post up the Ecology Trail to the

Inspiration Point Overlook, then drop down the connecting switchback path to the new pic-nic area next to the spring. End of MacArthur Ave.; presidio.gov.

Back to the future The Main Post isnt the only part of the Presidio undergoing change. Remember that big or-ange bridge? When the Golden Gate Bridge Plaza was recon-figured in 2012, a spiffy gift

5. Moraga Hall, the Main Posts new chill zone.

6. The Vigilante Bell at the Society of California Pio-

neers. 7. Whole shrimp with cilantro rice from Arguello.

8. Andy Goldsworthy contin-ues to bewilder with his third

sculpture in the Presidio.

GETTING HERE The Presidio is in the north corner of S.F., off U.S. 101. From Crissy

Field, take Lincoln Blvd. to Arguello Blvd. to Moraga Ave.

FACTOID

The Society of California Pioneers was originally a mens drinking club. It now hosts both sexes,

but to be a member, you have to be descended from someone who was in California in 1850.

24 J A N U A R Y 2 0 1 5 S U N S E T

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Travel

THE MAYOR OF ABERDEEN, Bill Simpson, is a sweet older fellow who used to sell mens slacks at the local JC Penney. Hes bald and round and when he laughs, his bifocals ride his cheeks up toward his twinkling eyes. This is a very special day for Aberdeen, he begins.

Im standing at the back of Moores Interiors, a local flooring shop. The rug samples have been rolled away, and two dozen of the towns dignitaries are milling about, nibbling on cucumber hors doeuvres. Weve gathered here for the unveiling of a new mural, titled Nirvana and Aberdeen, which stretches 68 feet along the outside wall of Moores Interiors and is financed by Our Aberdeen, a booster group whose recent efforts include the dedica-tion of a healing gallery at the local hospital and Critters on the Map, a self-guided walking tour of the towns whimsical metal sculptures.

And its my great pleasure to introduce ... To the microphone steps Krist Novoselic, bassist for Nirvana, and Aber-

deens second most famous native son. Novoselic, 49, used to perform bare-foot, his pale white, size-14 feet a gleaming statement of punk freedom. Today he looks dapper in a black bowler hat, with salt-and-pepper flecks in his beard. I am very grateful, he says of the mural, in silky tones. Heres to our great future. Heres to the future of Aberdeen.

The future of Aberdeen, a downbeat logging town an hour west of Olym-pia, Washington, has been a buzzy subject lately. And to understand why, youd need to know something about its first most famous native son, Kurt Cobain. The oldest child of divorced working-class parents, Cobain lived here in a series of cracker-box homes. As a teenager, he cut class at Weather-wax High and stole stone crosses from a local cemetery. In 1987, he started his seminal band in a ramshackle garage. At the height of its success in the 1990s, Nirvana was the biggest rock band on the planet, selling some 75 mil-lion records worldwide and spawning a new musical genre, grunge.

When I first heard Nirvana in 1991, it fed my veins. The music was such a pure expression of what it is to be young and angry and unsure, and when I squint a little in Aberdeen, I swear I can still see Co-bain rising from the mist: wraith thin, unshaven, a ratty mustard-colored cardigan hanging from his slen-der frame as he screams, Waaaa! Waaaaa! No words, just the throaty, guttural sound of a confused heart

HERE WE ARE NOWFor 20 years, Aberdeen all but ignored its most famous son. Now, with a host of new memorials to Kurt Cobain, the Washington town hopes to attract adoring fans. Writer Bill Donahue goes on a pilgrimage.

The Young Street Bridge, one of Kurt Cobains fa-vorite hangouts.

Photographs by J O H N C L A R K

WANDERLUST

S U N S E T J A N U A R Y 2 0 1 5 27

opening upthe five sequential yells that appear on the Intro track of his second posthumous album, From the Muddy Banks of the Wishkah. The one we all listened to knowing that in early April 1994, 27-year-old Kurt Don-ald Cobain took his own life with a 20-gauge shotgun.

The mural is one of a handful of official Cobain trib-utes that have sprung up the past few years. On State 12, theres now a sign that reads welcome to aberdeen. come as you are, a reference to a Nirvana song. Co-bains favorite Aberdeen hauntthe underside of the Young Street Bridgehas officially become Kurt Cobain Landing, a well-tended pocket park that annually draws about 5,000 solemn visitors from all over the world. Meanwhile, last year on Cobains birthday, February 20, the mayor of Aberdeen marked the citys first-ever Kurt Cobain Day by unveiling a concrete statue of the musi-cian. We hope, Simpson told a rapt audience, that Aberdeen will be just as big as Graceland.

Certainly, the town needed to reinvent itself. In Aber-deens circa-1900 heyday, when its canneries and logging operations thrived, downtown was a crime-ridden hive of brothels and saloons. The economy never fully

bounced back after the Northwest timber industry all but died in the mid-1980s.

Still, the mayors posthumous embrace of Co-bain is jarring. For 20 years now, Aberdeen has largely shunned him, even as fans have trickled into town to roam the same streets and riverbanks their idol once did. For one weekend, Id join them, riding my bicycle along the flat streets of Aber-deen, through a sleepy town where, it seems, ev-eryone remembers Kurt.

Kurt used to play in my yard when he was little, my waitress, Sue Muhlhauser, tells me, as she refills my $1 cup of coffee at the VFW hall. I could prob-ably sell the blades of grass if I wanted to.

Ive stopped by for a ham-and-eggs breakfast, and also to take the towns temperature on its evolv-ing relationship with Cobain. I dont care for his music, a woman at my table intones. But then again, Im a country-western person myself.

Terry Holderman, quartermaster of VFW Post 224, introduces himself. Celebrating Kurt is a good thing, he says. Theres such creativity in his music. I think Aberdeen needs to hold on to that, because for a while it felt like we just gave up.

Were outside now, and I notice a man standing nearby, smoking a cigarette. John Bryant works as the Posts janitor. He, too, knew Cobain. Oh yeah, Kurt could be sarcastic, he says, taking a long, con-templative drag. I was one of the guys old enough to buy beer for him and his friends. But he was a good kid. He just pushed the envelope a little too far.

I leave the VFW and pedal past Rosevears Music Center, where Kurt took his only guitar lessons. I keep going past the elegant Aberdeen library, then along modest residential streets to an old armory thats now The Aberdeen Museum of History. Inside, a concrete statue of Cobain sits, a bit incongruously, amid an array of old fire engines and Model T cars.

Sculptor and onetime high school teacher Randi Hubbard created the statue in 1994, not long after the musician died, shaping it with the help of local high school students at her husbands muffler shop. It was a raw time, Hubbard tells me when she meets me at the museum.

The statue was Hubbards attempt to bring about healing. But when she tried to display it publicly back then, the Aberdeen City Council balked.

Concrete Kurt looks larger than life-size and unnervingly stiff; his fingers are rigid as they splay on his guitar, and a single tear streams from his eye. I think we all have a little Kurt Cobain in us, she says. I knew him when he was a boy. He lived near me, and he was precious. He played with a foster child who lived in the neighborhood. He just loved the real people in this world.

We talk for maybe an hour, and by the time we finish, Hubbard is focusing her bottomless maternal affection on me: I cant let you ride your bike back to the motel, she says. Its just too far.

So we throw my bike into her husbands pickup and drive there, a flat mile, with my bike rattling in the back atop a heap of rusted-out mufflers.

Mayor Bill Simp-son: We hope that Aberdeen will be just as big as Graceland.

28 J A N U A R Y 2 0 1 5 S U N S E T

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I come back across town at dusk, past Grays Harbor Stamp Works and Aberdeen Office Equipment Co. and B&B Appliances, until Im in a residen-tial district right by the Wishkah River. There, with its blinds drawn, is the house Kurt Cobain lived in until his par-ents divorced. Its a modest little yellow-and-brown affair, built in 1923 and as-sessed last at $67,000. Wendy OConnor, Cobains mother, has spent the last year trying to sell it for $500,000.

When I pull up out front, the place elicits a dark memory for me. In 1994, I covered Cobains death for a gossip mag-azine. It was one of the most difficult things Ive ever done. At one point, I got a fax from my editor saying, Go inter-view his mother. I got to the house and it seemed so small, so sad and lonely, that I couldnt bring myself to knock. I told my editors she wasnt home, and as I slinked away in my rental car, I felt desolate. Nirvana was playing on the radio, and Cobains voice was brooding and shadowed like the fog-shrouded hills near town. Every so often, his songs crackled with a glossy pop riff, sweet as candy. Here we are now, entertain us, he cried over melodic guitar riffs in Nir-vanas hit Smells Like Teen Spirit. There was something unguarded in his voicea purity of spirit that was lacking in my own little paparazzo mission. I admired him, and I felt sorry for him.

I consider stepping toward the house to peer in past the shades. Then I remember the peppy real estate list-ing: Kurt left his mark, quite literally, in his upstairs bedroom, including some artwork drawn directly on the walls and a hole in one wall where he punched it as a teen, almost breaking his hand.

I already know enough, I decide, and I just gaze at the house from the street. It looks just as it did two decades ago: still and silent, without a flicker of life in it.

ARTISTIC PILGRIMAGES involve expectations. If we go to London, to tread the same cobbled streets Charles Dick-ens strolled, we half-want the buildings to be decrepit and blackened by coal dust. If we travel Cuba for the Hemingway tour, we keep our eyes peeled for the big fish. And in Aberdeen, paying homage to Cobain, we want bleak, we want gray, we want broodingand, yes, its there, but not unremittingly.

On my second morning in town, I take a long,

meandering route to the Young Street Bridge, first climbing through the trees on Think of Me Hill, then wheeling along a quiet backroad outside town, toward Lake Sylvia.

When I get to Kurt Cobain Landing, theres a man with a goatee pulling weeds beside a statue of Cobains guitar. A few feet away, a plaque honors Cobain as our beloved hero. Tori Kovach, 71, tells me that he spent five years beautifying the land here, once a blackberry thicket clut-tered with years of accumulated refuse.

I did it for selfish reasons, says Ko-vach, whose business card reads Town Curmudgeon. This place abuts my property.

But as he got deeper into the project, Kovach learned that he and Cobain had much in common. I was from a dys-functional family too, he says. Both of us grew up trying to prove something to ourselves and to others. He was an un-derdog, and he deserves recognition.

As I leave, a group of teens make their way through the pocket park to the bridge. I sit there, on a bench, watching the pilgrims arrive: a couple from Michi-gan, three women from Spain. Everyone is solemn, almost silent. I just needed to stop, says one woman. It strikes me that listening to Nirvana is essentially a private experience. Unlike, say, The

Grateful Dead or The Rolling Stones, its not party music. Its one person open-ing up his heart and singing his pain into another persons ears. And so the graffiti under the bridge reads like so many solitary prayers to a saint: Kurdt, come back as you were. Thank you for keeping me alive and letting me know I am never alone.

I head back to the mural at Moores Interiors, and I meet its principal artist, Erik Sandgren, a Grays Harbor College instructor with a wispy beard and the weathered mien of a Norwegian fisherman. We grab a window seat at the Pizza Hut across the street and look up at his work. Nirvana and Aberdeen is a quarrel-ing medley of images la Picassos Guernica, and it pays homage to history. It intermingles 90s-era rock iconographyCobain playing guitar, a pink MTV logowith glimpses of the land where Nirvanas music took root. Heres an 18-wheel logging truck rumbling up a hill. Here are a few Native American gill-netters; here are the hourglass-shaped towers of the nearby, never-used Satsop Nuclear Power Plant.

Sandgren tells me that as he painted the mural, he meditated on that bond. The guys in Nirvana were like young loggers, he says. They took risks, and that risk-taking goes right back to the roots of what this place is, back to when my grandparents came out to the Pacific Northwest to start a new life.

Cobain roamed the worlds stages in a flannel loggers shirt. Truth is, he never really left Aberdeen. In his 2002 biography of Cobain, Heavier Than Heaven,

Aberdeens embrace of Cobain isnt just

a money thing. It is also forgiveness.

Its love in its most hard-bitten form, and like all expressions of love, it opens the door

to new possibilities.

30 J A N U A R Y 2 0 1 5 S U N S E T

Travel

writer Charles R. Cross notes that Cobain rarely did an interview without discussing [Aberdeen], as if it were a lover hed left behind. Once, driving back there late at night, after a long time away, he told an old friend how much he loved the verdant landscape and its unre-hearsed people.

So Aberdeens embrace of Cobain isnt just a money thing. It is also forgiveness. Its a family taking its run-away kid back into the fold. Its love in its most hard-bitten form, and like all expressions of love, it opens the door to new possibilities. Like this mural, which is a piece of robust art sprouted out of the dark wreckage of Cobains ashes. Neither Sandgren nor I say it, but the mural carries the possibility that maybe in time Co-bains memory will inspire more hopeful gestures. And maybewho knows?all these gestures put together will carry Aberdeen to a comeback.

On my last night in Aberdeen, Sandgren invites me to a party hes hosting to celebrate the mural. When I ar-rive at his book-lined home, I find its an artists party, with guests spilling comfortably into the kitchen, cra-dling paper plates of hummus and vegetables. After a while, two young guys start strumming guitars. Then a woman begins to sing. Sandgrens mother-in-law is 87

and bird-boned. Shes a lifelong cabaret singer with her own stage name, Pearl Cot. She is singing and swaying her arms, belting it out until all conversations stop and everyone watches, transfixed.

I cant help but think of another, long-ago performance: Nirvana playing un-plugged, with two acoustic guitars, at MTVs New York studio in late 1993; Cobain, sleep-deprived, ravaged by addiction, finding it within himself to de-liver what many regard as the perfor-mance of his life. The show ends with a Lead Belly cover, and the words, half-whispered, half-screamed, I would shiv-er the whole night through.

Cot keeps singing: Sentimental Jour-ney, The Beatles Blackbird, then a lit-tle impromptu scat. From the doorway, her daughter watches, slender and bird-boned herself. She is leaning into the music now, coaxing her mother along. When the show is all over, she rushes to-ward the couch. She presses her mom close to her and kisses her once, fiercely, on the cheek.

MAKE A PILGRIMAGE

Aberdeen lies 110 miles southwest of Seattle via I-5

and State 8.

Mural: 201 S. Broadway.

Statue: The Aberdeen Museum of History. $2; aberdeen-museum.org.

Sign: West side of State 12.

Kurt Cobain Landing: Young Street Bridge.

More pilgrimage sites across the West: sunset.com/memorials.

Freestyling in Big Sky Kick and Gliding in Yellowstone

Big Sky, Montana and Yellowstone National Park await you with all of winters glory. Everywhere you look, natures unspoiled beauty will surround you. With over 5,800 acres of downhill terrain, youll see why Big Sky is the Biggest Skiing in America. And just 50 miles down the road, youll see why Yellowstone is a national treasure. Come out West for the best. Head to BiggestSkiingInAmerica.com today.

AT CANYON RANCH

TOTAL WELLNESS

W E E K E N D

JOIN HEALTH FOR A TRANSFORMATIVE STAY AT BEAUTIFUL CANYON RANCH RESORT IN LENOX, MASS.

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WEEKEND SNEAK PEEK: YOUR STAY WILL INCLUDE...

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ADVERTISEMENT

Photographs by T H O M A S J . S T O RY

Juicy fruitT H E B E ST P E A C H

FO R P I EP. 35

PL ANT NOW

Our favorite stone-fruit varieties deliver big

flavor come summer.

THE GIVING TREES

S U N S E T J A N U A R Y 2 0 1 5 33

Home & Garden

T H E P I C K O F T H E C R O P

Even the best store-bought plum cant rival one grown in your backyard

the most flavorful stone fruit is often too delicate to be grown commercially. After touring the Modesto, California,

orchards of Zaigers Genetics (the leaders in fruit tree breeding)

and Dave Wilson Nursery (the largest fruit grower in the country), weve come

up with our top backyard picks, from a classic peach to some

Seussian-sounding new hybrids.

By J O H A N N A S I LV E R

L E A H C O T A P R I U M

New this year, this apricot-plum hybrid

has fist-size fruit that tastes like candy.

RIPENS MID-JUNE TO EARLY JULY

D A P P L E S U P R E M E P L U O T

This plum-apricot mix needs only

300 chill hours to be loaded with fruit,

meaning its suitable for mild climates. Dappled red skin

covers juicy, sweet blood red flesh.

RIPENS MID-JUNE TO

MID-JULY

S P I C E Z E E N E C T A P L U M

Prized for being bothornamental and edible,

this nectarine-plum has magenta blooms

and bright red new growth. Ripe

fruit has white flesh, and both the nectarine

and plum flavors come through.

RIPENSMID-JULY TO

EARLY AUGUST

Home & Garden

Best color

S W E E T T R E A T P L U E R R Y

This plum-cherry hybridthe first of

its kindmixes cherrylike sweetness with plum size and tartness. The fruit

hangs on the tree for six weeks, much longer

than a traditional plum tree.

RIPENSEARLY JULY TO

MID-AUGUST

S P L A S H P L U O T Coral and yellow

skin covers juicy yellow flesh that is perfectly sweetand equally

good fresh, dried, or cooked in desserts.

RIPENSMID- TO LATE JULY

K A W E A H P E A C H This classic peach tree

yields large fruit with balanced flavor,

perfect for eating fresh, baking, or canning.

RIPENSLATE AUGUST

TO LATE SEPTEMBER

E M E R A L D D R O P P L U O T

Medium to large fruit with green skin

and yellow-orange flesh. Harvest when

its still on the firm side for more tartness,

or let it turn slightly soft for an almost honeylike flavor.

RIPENSMID-JULY TO

EARLY AUGUST

Home & Garden

S U N S E T J A N U A R Y 2 0 1 5 35

Best for

baking

Best overall flavor

P L A N T N O W

Although youll be limited to the varieties the wholesaler offers , a tree grafted with multiple types of fruit is a great way to get a whole fruit salad from a single tree.

CAREW A T E R whenever the soil is dry 2 inches deepas little as once a week in winter, or as much as once every three days in the heat of summer.

F E R T I L I Z E trees in early spring (after blossom set), midsummer, and early fall. Use an organic fertilizer formulated for fruit trees (synthetic nitrogen can easily burn plants).

R E M O V E any leaves infected with peach leaf curl (theyll be thick and twisted); the next round will grow uninfected. To prevent this fungal disease, which di-minishes fruit production, keep smaller trees dry during the rainy season by tenting them with floating row covers .

T H I N marble-size fruits to about 8 inches apart. For any tight clusters, remove all but the largest fruit. As painful as it may seem, thinning fruit is good for the tree.

P R U N E lightly around the summer sol-stice to control plant size. The waning season will discourage vigorous growth. Winter is the best time to prune for shape and structure. Pruning in late winter is almost useless for controlling size, as plants will bounce back.

GROWING GUIDETwiggy bare-root trees dont look like much at the beginning, but planting them at

this stage gives them the best kick-start for growth. Heres what you need to know about planting and caring for bare-root trees, plus landscaping options for small yards.

BuyNurseries are well stocked with bare-root trees now. You can also order from baylaurelnursery.com. Trees come with roots packed in damp sawdust and wrapped in burlap. You can keep them in the saw-dust for a day or two, but its best to plant right away.

Soak the roots in a bucket of water for 45 min-utes before planting.

Trim any broken pieces

on the roots. Clip the rest of the roots by an inch.

Dig a hole twice as deep and as wide as the root system; form a firm cone of soil

to set the plant on, making sure the

crown sits just above the soil level.

Backfill the hole with a mix of 50 percent native soil and 50 percent amendment, such

as organic compost.

Form a basin of soil

around the tree to keep water concen-trated on the roots.

PLANT

Cut your new tree to knee height. This creates lower branching and a shorter tree later on. Learn more in the book Grow a Little Fruit Tree(Storey Publishing, 2015; $17).

HIGH-DENSITY PLANTING

Grow two or even three trees in one hole, with plants placed 18 inches apart. Choose varieties that pollinate one an-

other and have successive ripening times for the longest harvest. (Dont plant standard and semidwarf root-

stocks together in the same hole.) Prune as a single tree, so limbs dont overlap.

ESPALIERED TREEIn a narrow, sunny space, train your tree

to grow flat against a wall, fence, or trellis. Youll need to tether it to stakes or wires for support, then prune it to

direct its growth horizontally.

KEEPIT SMALL

DIGITAL BONUS Learn to care for your backyard orchard: sunset.com/ fruit-trees .

MULTI-GRAFTED

TREE

In mild-winter areas, choose trees with a low chill

requirement.

36 J A N U A R Y 2 0 1 5 S U N S E T

Home & Garden

Illustrations by J O E M C K E N D RY

Pico remote, dimmer, Smart Bridge, and smartphone with app

Control your lights. Anytime. Anywhere.

Turn lights off while youre away Never enter a dark home again Control lights from your bed

Install a dimmer in minutes.

Place the remote where you need it for convenience and

security. Available for overhead lights or plug-in lamps.

For control with your smartphone or tablet, add a

Smart Bridge and download the FREE Lutron app.

Find out where to buy at www.ChooseCaseta.com

EVERY RELATIONSHIP

WARMS UP

UNDER A BLANKET

OF SNOW.

o

UTAH

Follow me, Mom! I wont go too fast. The best vacations are made of moments like these and when spending time with family and friends,

Park City has you covered. Literally. Just 35 minutes from Salt Lake City International Airport, youll nd the highest concentration of ski-in/

ski-out luxury lodging of any North American resort town. Youll also nd our three world-class winter resorts, numerous award-winning

restaurants and countless memorable momentsall under a blanket of the Greatest Snow on Earth. Relationships are the warmth of

life, rekindle them here. Visit ParkCityEasyEscape.com to see how quickly and easily you can arrive and begin creating your moments.

Reported by L AU R E N D U N E C H OA N G & J O H A N N A S I LV E R

What grows in your climate zone? Find out at sunset.com/zonefinder.

PLANT

Start perennial edibles, including artichoke, asparagus, and rhubarb. Put them in rich, well-draining soil in a spot that gets full sun, and youll be able to harvest for years to come.

In mild-winter areas, plant cle-matis as soon as its in nurseries. Place vining types close to a trellis or obelisk in an area that receives at least a half-day of sun. Dig a hole 2 feet wide and deep with plenty of room around it (clematis doesnt tolerate root competition well).

For seasonal color, tuck helle-bores in partly shaded areas that get ample irrigation. Their bell-shaped flowers in soft pink, purple, or pale green add inter-est to winter gardens.

MAINTAIN

To keep houseplants from growing leggy, move them to bright indoor locations. Give them a quarter turn every week.

Feed grapefruit, kumquat, lemon, and orange trees every six to eight weeks during bloom time with a granular fertilizer formulated for citrus.

Water garden beds and trees when frost is predicted at night. Well-hydrated plants are better prepared to withstand the cold.

Catch rainwater from down-spouts in buckets and use it on houseplants.

IDEA WE LOVE

Pocket gardens In this Southern California backyard, garden designer Molly Wood created a series of mini but mighty planting beds. While laying the Italian porcelain pavers, she deliberately left several empty spaces for drought-tolerant plants, including silvery green Senecio Orange Puffs, grassy Miscan-thus sinensis Adagio, and orange-yellow Sesleria autumnalis. The plantings create a graphic pattern when viewed from the deck, visually soften the expanse of paving, and allow for permeability when rain falls. mollywoodgardendesign.com.

Prune back overgrown ground-covers such as ivy, periwinkle, and star jasmine to control their size and encourage new growth in spring.

PLAN

For the best selection, order summer-blooming bulbs,

corms, and tubers like begonias,

dahlias, gladiolus, and lilies

now. Dutch Gardens USA

(dutchgardens.com) and McClure

& Zimmerman (mzbulb.com)

offer a large variety. For dahlias

only, our favorite source is Swan

Island Dahlias (dahlias.com).

Fans of the PBS drama will

swoon over the new Downton

Abbey series of roses. Annas

Promise, the first in the series,

has a two-toned bloom with

peach petals that reverse to

bronze. It will ship in spring.

brecks.com.

Home & Garden

NORTHERN CALIFORNIACHECKLIST

THO

MA

S J.

STO

RY

S U N S E T J A N U A R Y 2 0 1 5 39

DIARY OF A NEW BUILDYoure not Employee Number 2, but you still dream

of building your own home. Learn how one Seattle couple did it on a real-person budget.

$BUDGET TIP

A new build can be cost-efficient: This

house cost about $100 a square foot less than

the median selling price in the area.

Home & Garden

40 J A N U A R Y 2 0 1 5 S U N S E T

A SEARCH FOR LIGHT pushed Julia Kuskin and Joel Bell to look for a new placeone, ideally, with two floors above ground so the couple could move their home offices out of the basement (Julia is a photographer; Joel is a private-practice therapist). But a house with enough room for work and their son, Ian, was out of their price range. Then the couple discovered a tear-down in Se-attles Sunset Hill. They bought the lot and decided to build. Julia tells us the lessons she learned while tracking every penny.

H O M E A T L A S T The couple with their son, Ian, shown above in the living room of their new house. The exterior, opposite, features cedar privacy screensa budget-friendly alternative to siding the whole house. The trees were donated by Seattle reLeaf, a city greening program.

SMART SPACE

Photographs by T H O M A S J . S T O RY

KITCHEN

DEN

LIVING ROOM

MASTER BEDROOM

DINING ROOM DECK

SECOND FLOOR

JOELS STUDIO

JULIAS STUDIO

IANS BEDROOM

UTILITY

FIRST FLOOR K I T C H E N The room, top left and above, is free of ornamentation but gains warmth from the walnut cabinets. Julia Kuskin worked closely with Nathan Hartman of Kerf Design (kerfdesign.com) to plan cabinetry for the way they live: The mugs and glasses are in short open shelves by the sink, and the island bookshelves are sized for her cookbooks.

SUMMER 2010We find an architect who isnt scared off by our budget. We met with two architects we found through the AIA website (aia.org) and had intense conversations with each one about our plans and budget. We feel like Chris Serra (bjarkoserra.com) can translate our vision into an understated, modern house. He calls our $170-per-square-foot budget aggressiveas in lowbut is willing to give it a try.

SPRING 2011Drawing plans, changing plans. Since Im visually opinionated, I have clear ideas of what I want. We started off talk-ing to Chris about basic layout prefer-ences and looking at photos of houses we like. Then we let him take it from there. We go through four or so designs, whit-tling away features to make the budget. For example, storage is an issue. A base-ment is too pricey, so we decide we cant hold on to too much crap. Every time friends come over for dinner, we make them take home a box of books.

L I V I N G R O O M Light-starved no more: A 27-foot-long window that stretches from the kitchen to the living room, above left, as well as clerestory win dows allow sunshine to reach across the open space. The living room is plumbed for a gas fireplace, which the couple hopes to add someday.

We wanted to see if normal people

could aff ord to build a house that was environmentally

soundand had nice wood oors.

JULIA KUSKIN

42 J A N U A R Y 2 0 1 5 S U N S E T

Home & Garden

ILLU

STRA

TIO

N: M

ARG

ARE

T SL

OA

N

SUMMER 2011Learning our limits. We want a guest room but cant afford a house larger than 2,100 square feet. We decide squeezing in another room that would get used only a few times a year feels like a waste.

EARLY FALL 2011I pick up extra duties. Our great relation-ship with Chris means we can talk openly about what we can afford. Thats how I start keeping the minutes for our monthly construction meetings instead of Chris. He says hes never had a client do it, but Im happy to. It makes me more aware of what has been done, potential issues, and money spent.

LATE FALL 2011We change our minds. A lot. I promised myself there would be no change orders [changes that require the architect to redraw construction plans], but we have about 12. For instance, we have a tiny

broom closet in the original design but no pantry. So we reconfigure the space and put one in. That translates into paying for a change in design and to build. Ch-ching!

WINTER 2012We splurge. Furniture designer Nathan Hartman built two pieces for our first house that we loved. So he is my choice for designing the kitchen for this house. Oh, and a wardrobe and side tables for the bedroom, and a bookshelf built into the stairwell ... thats all still on the wish list. But we are getting our kitchen.

FALL 2012Moving in! Did we keep our initial budget intact? Honestly, no, but I dont think any-one does. The house is great, no question, and we love living here.

DIGITAL BONUS The 10 questions you should ask an architect before

you build: sunset.com/architect.

M U L T I P U R P O S E R O O M When a separate guest room proved too costly, Julia added a fold-down sofa to her workspace. The poured-concrete floors on the lower level saved money for big-leaf maple on the second floor.

$

BUDGET TIP

Local craftspeople may be open to a trade of services

to cover somecosts.

44 J A N U A R Y 2 0 1 5 S U N S E T

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Made with the finest natural ingredients, BLUE Wilderness is formulated with a higher concentration of the chicken, duck or salmon cats love. And BLUEWilderness has none of the grains that contain gluten.

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Available in Kitten and Mature formulas, plusRocky Mountain Recipe.TM

IDEA WE LOVE

Quick characterIn a room with zero architec-tural features, try this trick: Paint two-thirds of the wall in a color, and the top one-third and ceiling white. (Strong hues could make ceilings seem lower, so we favor neutrals for this.) The color becomes a frame for furniture and a hanging guide for art.

ASK A DESIGNER

Living in styleThis month, Cisco Pinedo brings his sustainable, made-in-L.A. pieces to a new showroom in San Francisco (ciscohome.net). We asked him for his living room dos and donts.

What advice do you have for pulling an eclectic style togeth-er? Find pieces that appeal to youmaybe they remind you of your grandfather or you just love the shape. Then find the thread that will connect them in your home. It might be color. I have one common thread in my house: white. And then trust that you dohave taste.

Most common mistake people make when buying a sofa? You can not compromise on com-fort. And color; if you pick the wrong color, youll be miserable.

Whats a do-it-all piece everyone should own? Im obsessed with small end tables. Theyre perfect for when you have friends over and they need a place to put their drink and phone. I have one called Rotor. We make it out of the brake of a car, with a metal frame and a little piece of glass on top .

Renters, behold your smart security system. Like many devices, the Canary captures live video of your home from its wide-angle lens. But unlike other systems, there are no wall-damaging sensors to install. Simply place the 3- by 6-inch cylinder in a central spot and connect it to Wi-Fi. The app lets you put the Canary in privacy mode (camera off) when youre home, and choose a trusted backup to receive alerts when youre not reachable. $249; canary.is.

WESTERN MADE

BEST SEAT IN THE HOUSEOn trips to Denverwhere were building our 2015 Idea Houseweve discovered dozens of furniture makers (does everyone in this city know how to use a block plane?). One to note: Scott Bennett of Housefish. He recently added the Lock Chair to his line of modular pieces made from responsibly harvested U.S. wood. The seat has no-brainer as-sembly: Just click the locking notch into place and screw it together to secure. From $269 ($279 as shown in walnut); housefish.com.

THIS IS SMART

PRIVATE EYE

My favorite part about this project? No need to paint around ceiling trim.JOANNA LINBERG, HOME EDITOR

Home & Garden

TOP,

FRO

M L

EFT:

GLU

EKIT

, TH

OM

AS

J. ST

ORY

, CO

URT

ESY

OF

CIS

CO

HO

ME

46 J A N U A R Y 2 0 1 5 S U N S E T

In the Western HOMETIPS

FROM OUR TEAM

Greater Palm Springs is Southern Californias oasis. This seductive and stylish destination provides its guests with premier resorts and hotels, champion-ship golf and unique attractions, including designer shopping, local fare dining and a vibrant nightlife. With endless sunny days, starlit nights and dramatic mountain views, Greater Palm Springs provides visitors a variety of outdoor activities.

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West Essentials

A SUNSET ADVERTISING PROMOTION

St. George, Utahs Red Rock Golf TrailTucked away in the southwest corner of Utah is St. Georgeone of the most unique destinations in the West. Home to a dozen stunning golf courses, its a golfers paradise. Whether a beginner or an >`>Vi`}vi]-i}i>>Viwskill level and your pocketbook.

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For a unique winter vacation, visit Montanas premier luxury ranch resortThe Resort at Paws Up. Explore the great outdoors of Big Sky Country and experi-ence unforgettable adventures like dog-sledding, downhill skiing, cross-country skiing, snowmobiling and ice skatingall in winter wonderland full of peace and magic.

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{ OUR PICKS FOR WHAT'S ESSENTIAL IN THE WEST }

STAR Fine Foods traces its roots back to 1898 in San Francisco and is now the # 1 selling brand of olive oil in retail grocery stores in the Western United States. No matter what youre cooking, STAR has just the right olive oil. Visit us at UVCTPGHQQFUEQO

Biggest Skiing in AmericaBig Sky, Montana and Yellowstone National Park await you with all of winters glory. With over 5,800 acres of downhill terrain, youll see why Big Sky is the Biggest Skiing in America. And just 50 miles down the road, youll see why Yellowstone is a national treasure.

biggestskiinginamerica.com

Enjoy the Gold Medal Wines from the Sunset International Wine Competition This wine experience will be like no other. Join your fellow Sunset enthusiasts on this exciting cruise from Barcelona to Monte Carlo. Meet Wine Editor Sara Schneider and Food Editor Margo True. 7 Nights, August 5 12, 2015.

SunsetCruise@CruiseShipCenters.com or 877-651-7447

with the free 2015 California Visitors Guide

ORDER NOW | visitcalifornia.com | 1-800-GO-CALIF

INSIDE THEME PARKS FRESHEST FOOD FINDS TRIP IDEASA

CaliforniaVACATION GUIDE 2015

ULTIMATE WINE COUNTRY

BUCKET-LIST GETAWAYS

SANTA BARBARA LUXURY

14WONDERS OF THE WORLD

(theyre all in California!)

SAN DIEGOS

URBAN OASISA SURFERS

MAGIC WORLD

HOLLYWOOD

and theMOVIES

AMAZINGESCAPES

Let It SnowA Tribute to Snowby Pam Houston

The Wests Best Snow Town, Cozy New

Lodgesand More!

Choose Your Perfect Snow Day

DIO

RAM

A P

HO

TOG

RAPH

S: JE

FFER

Y C

ROSS

S U N S E T J A N U A R Y 2 0 1 5 49 Dioramas by L I S A S W E R L I N G

SUNSET PICKS

The Best Snow Town in the West

A great snow town lets you ski fast, sleep well, and eat adventurously. The West has lots of great ones. And Jackson, Wyoming, is the greatest of them all. By Josh Dean

8 0 I N C H E S

Average snowfall in Jan

3 4 2 I N C H E S

Average annual snowfall

2 4 I N C H E S

Biggest powder day

from one snowfall in Jan 19967 0 I N C H E S

Average base depth

Clockwise from above: The resort; elk-antler arches anchor down-town; a bull moose.

SUNSETS 2015 WINTER TRAVEL GUIDE

I ALMOST FEEL GUILTY telling you how much I love Jackson Hole, a place that until fairly recently was still under the radar in winter. Ive had most of my fa-vorite days on snow here, knee-deep in Teton powder, or slicing around lodge-pole pines, as puffs of the light snow that seems to fall every day from December through April blast me in the face.

Jackson Holes remoteness used to distinguish it from the other large ski-resort areas of the West, with their direct-air service from both coasts. It felt exclusive. With 4,139 vertical feet of ski-ing and a notoriously vast backcountry, it could also feel intimidating.

But in the past few years, the sleepy resort where ski bums slept in cars has transformed into a world-class desti-nation. What hasnt changed is the gi-gantic mountain, or the spectacular Teton Range that contains it. Or the Old West town of Jackson, an easy 20-minute drive from the resortif you dont get stuck behind a family of moose in the road.

Jackson has fine dining and honky-tonks, designer shops and chaps-and-boot sellers, Harrison Ford and Dick Cheney, and the cowboys who take care of their horses. Skiing might be the thing that brings you here the first time, but its not necessarily the reason youll keep coming back.

The test of a successful vacation is how you feel at the end. A good trip leaves you feeling like it went too quick-ly, wishing that you could extend it for just a few more days. Jacksons pull is even more powerful for me. Every time I get on a plane to head back home, I ask myself why I dont just move to the Tetons full-time.

(Turn the page for more.)

SNOWSPEAK

P OW D E R Lightweight, fluffy, and dry;

freshly fallen.

TAYL

OR

GLE

NN

(3)

S U N S E T J A N U A R Y 2 0 1 5 51

SUNSET PICKS

YOUR IDEAL WEEKEND: JACKSON, WY

STAY HERE

AT THE MOUNTAIN A decade ago, there were only a couple of hostels and a clus-ter of condos at the Jackson Hole Moun-tain Resort . Now, theres a Four Sea-sons, the Teton Moun-tain Lodge, and our favorite, Hotel Terra, which melds modern, eco-friendly design with a more moun-tainlike vibe. From $263; hotelterrajacksonhole.com.

IN TOWN The Wort Hotel, opened in 1941, is one of the few places with the kind of historical character that befits the dusty old cowboy town Jackson once was. From $289; worthotel.com.

HIT THE SL OPE S

MUST-DO Even if youre not a skier, take the famous tram to the top of the re-sorts 10,450-foot-high Rendezvous Bowl, then admire the views with a beer and a Belgian waffle at Corbets Cabin.

FOR BEGINNER SKIERS Jackson Holes reputation is that its steep and challenging. Thats true, but its also huge, with terrain for

skiers of all levels. The Aprs Vous Mountain side of the resort is basically a beginner and inter-mediate playground, and Kids Ranch, lo-cated in a building just off the gondola, is one of the best programs in the in-dustry for teaching little ones.

FOR THE MORE EXPERIENCED Jack-son Hole is famous for sidecountry, a term coined to describe the open resort boundaries that lead to trees, chutes, and other off-piste terrain that you can ski and then still return to the lifts. You get the thrill of ski