On A Mission
April 30, 2012
Sometimes an opportunity comes along that is simply too good to pass up. That was the case for Venice, California–based architect Lewin Wertheimer and his clients, who were collaborating on a remodel/addition project when a double lot became available across the street. After careful consideration, they scrapped their original plans to build an entirely different house on the larger site. Read more….
Formality in Today’s Gardens
April 2, 2012
As a designer of small formal European-style gardens, I’ve found that my love of symmetry, balance, dramatic scale, and simplicity is what drives my creations. Some people believe that formal gardens are suited only to sites on a grand scale. But I have found just the opposite. Whether they are intimate and complex or simple and streamlined, small formal gardens have one thing in common: They have a terrific ability to provide year-round interest and are surprisingly easy to maintain. The added bonus: A formal garden transcends the whims of fashion. It never goes out of style. Read more…
Vegetarian Menu
March 26, 2012
The Far Reaching Benefits of Trees
March 21, 2012
The Big Picture
March 12, 2012
While the contents of a home may be considered the core, nothing sets the tone like the exterior. In the case of this abode in Grand Rapids, Michigan, Wayne Visbeen, AIA, IIDA, managed to give his client a beauty that will stand the test of time. The president of Grand Rapids–based Visbeen Associates, who was responsible for the architecture, interior architecture, and landscape planning, shows that you don’t have to shout to get your point across. Read more….
The Essence of Mexico
January 30, 2012
The author used to think that Tony Bennett’s song about leaving his heart in San Francisco was just that—a song. But that was before she visited Mazatlan, and now she completely understands what he was talking about. Twenty years ago, she left my heart in this charming Mexican city on the Sea of Cortez, and every May since, she’s returned with her husband, Don, to check on it. Read more….
On The Bayou
January 23, 2012
Michael, my cooking teacher at the New Orleans School of Cooking, claims that Cajun food is “the only real American cuisine.” Michael is admittedly subjective—he passionately loves his city and its cuisine. One thing is true; N’Awlins offers some of the freshest produce and seafood around due to its climate and location. That fact, coupled with a culinary history that originates from French-speaking Canadians immigrating to Louisiana, makes this cuisine a true North American foodie favorite. Read more….
Winter Wonders – African Violets
January 16, 2012
For gardeners, winter can be a terribly long and colorless
season. But if you’re a plant lover who’s discovered the joys of growing African
violets, just the opposite is true. Their dainty blooms, in a wide array of
purple, pink, blue, white, and multicolored combinations, will appear almost
constantly and brighten any gloomy January day. Read more…..
When Less is More
January 9, 2012
Another Design International, took on the task of remodeling a 1,000-square-foot
residence for a young family in Hong Kong, his primary goal was to improve the
design while proving the old adage that less is more. Read more…
Heidelberg and Wurzburg
January 9, 2012
the castle Walt Disney replicated, and a shop devoted to chocolates rumored to
be aphrodisiacs— busy packing your bags for France, Italy, maybe Spain? Not so
fast; these schatz, or treasures in English, are located in Germany.
Forget your stereotypes of bratwurst, beer, and Bavarian costumes—think Baroque
architecture, bittersweet chocolate aphrodisiacs, and broken-heart memorials.
