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Archive for June, 2011

Looki What I Found: My Two Favorite Things

Wednesday, June 22nd, 2011

I’m not big on after dinner drinks. They just are too sweet for my taste. I decided a little experiment was in order—mixing two of my current favorite things Mionetto Prosecco and Ciao Bella Sorbet. The result was exactly what I was hoping for. This little after dinner cocktail really hit the spot. Perfect for this 90+ degree weather we’ve had to endure. My personal favorites are the lemon and the blood orange sorbet. The prosecco adds an effervescence that screams summer. So here is how I put these magical little treats together.

First, using a small ice cream scoop—scoop out your choice of sorbet into a frozen martini glass— 3 to 5 scoops, depending on the size of your glass. Next, it gets complicated here, slowly pour the Mionetto Prosecco over the mounding sorbet. Viola, you are ready to sip these refreshing little cocktail. One discovery—the sorbet doesn’t melt right away so you are able to refill your glass!

Happy Summer Everyone!

PS. Check out both Mionetto and Ciao Bella on Facebook—Great recipes, events and promotions!

Posted in California Living, Desiree, DIY, Featured, Food and Drink, Looki What I Found | No Comments »

Summer Entertaining in Style

Tuesday, June 21st, 2011

Cathy and Craig Charon took a fifties ranch home and transformed it into a home ready to entertain family and friends. The kitchen and bathrooms have all the bells and whistles. Keeping the same footprint of the home, but reconfigured the layout to add an additional bedroom and half bath.

As you enter, the first thing you notice is the large picture window in the great room and the wonderful view it provides of the backyard. Craig designed the home to capture an indoor/outdoor entertaining space. I have to say this was my favorite part of this home.

The pool is gorgeous and I loved the deck that wraps completely around it.

The outdoor bar area lets you whip up a fruity cocktails or pour a glass of wine without having to run inside. Now, you don’t have to miss one second with your guests.

Here’s the complete slideshow:

Get the flash player here: http://www.adobe.com/flashplayer

Posted in Backyard, California Living, Desiree, Featured, Garden, House Tours, Outdoor Living, Peek of the Week, Ranch, Willow Glen | 1 Comment »

Just Listed: Los Altos Dream

Friday, June 17th, 2011

This Los Altos home was quite simply perfect. I’m a sucker for crown molding and substantial baseboards. I love the way they frame a room.

The living and dining room draperies reminded me of elegant ballgowns. But this home felt warm and relaxed not stuffy.

The kitchen is spectacular and opens to a great family room complete with a wet bar and french doors to the backyard. The backyard is large. It has a nice big lawn for kids and dogs to run, an arbor covered patio and an outdoor kitchen area. This home is great for a family who loves to entertain. You can see all the photos here.

Bedrooms: 4

Baths: 3

Asking: $2,165,000

Posted in Desiree, Featured, For Sale, Just Listed, Los Altos, Open Homes, Real Estate, Traditional | 2 Comments »

Bedrooms: French-inspired from master to kids

Tuesday, June 7th, 2011

This Willow Glen home is lovely and sophisticated, with French-inspired crisp linen neutrals throughout the downstairs living spaces. But it was the bedrooms upstairs that I loved the most, from the elegant master suite to the charming and whimsical girls’ bedrooms — one in pink and one in orange.

With help from Steve Gilbert of Willow Glen Home and Garden, the homeowners, Virginia and Brett Nicoletti, have created the kind of rooms you want to live in. They graciously opened their home to the 2011 Willow Glen Lifestyles home tour.

The front bedroom with the orange palette was one of my favorites. Don’t you just love the bedding?

And the youngest daughter also has a haven all in pink. I also love the vintage-style bedspread in this room.

The 1992 home began an update when the Nicolettis bought it in 2000. They extended hardwoods throughout the house and antiqued the kitchen cabinets. The result is an elegant space, upstairs and down.

Here’s the complete slideshow:

Get the flash player here: http://www.adobe.com/flashplayer

Posted in Bathroom, Bedroom, California Living, Decorating, Family Room, Featured, Home and Garden, Home Decor, House Tours, Interior Design, Julia, Kitchen, Living Room, Peek of the Week, San Jose, Willow Glen | No Comments »

Modern Home Celebrates Art Collection

Thursday, June 2nd, 2011

From the moment you approach, you know this house is special. You can tell it’s a place to celebrate art.

The owners of the Willow Glen home, Mike and Laurie Warner, are lovers of art, opera, jazz, traveling and entertaining. All are in abundance in the home they remodeled three years ago and featured on the 2011 Willow Glen Lifestyles home tour.

As the couple likes to say, “we turned the remodel into a giant art project.”

Working with San Francisco architects James Stavoy and D.J. Pak, they created a show-stopping entry with a bright red metal window grid. Greeting you at the open front door is a lion statue, set off by leather-fringed rugs on the floor and hanging on the wall behind it.

The couple are clearly lovers of modern, with an Asian twist. A central atrium with a water feature and bamboo can be see from floor-to-ceiling windows on four sides of the home.

She’s an artist. He’s a retired engineer. And together they have amassed an impressive collection, on display at every turn.