Editor’s Note: This is an excerpt from “Make Room for What You Love,” the latest book just released from Seattle author Melissa Michaels, the creator of the popular blog The Inspired Room. 1. Lidded boxes, baskets and small trunks Keep an eye out for lidded boxes and small trunks at flea markets, garage sales or […]
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Posted inHome
Creative Tablescape Competition Winners 2016
As we have in the past, WestSound Magazine magazine received an abundance of creative tablescapes. The choices were all wonderful — but our tablescape judges, Teri Hern and Linna Lawrence, made the difficult decisions! Thank you to all who took the time to submit their tablescapes. And thank you to our judges for their time […]
Posted inFood & Entertainment
The Wine Cabinet — Organic Wine
There appears to be an ongoing debate in the world of wine, and not just a little confusion, surrounding the terms “organic wine” and “wine made from organically grown grapes.” The same might be said about the terms “organic farming,” “sustainable agriculture” and “biodynamic farming methods.” Each winemaker, grower or farmer must abide by certain […]
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Fava Beans
Just before summer warms soil temperatures to an intolerable level for cool weather legumes, fava beans are at their largest, sweetest stage. The long, bright-green pods hide a delicious ancient delicacy nestled inside their silken, white lining. Favas are known throughout the Middle East and most of Europe. In England, they are called broad beans. […]
Posted inGarden
South of the Border Visitors
After a long, gray winter, spring’s color is a welcome tonic. Not only are the plants and trees bursting with color, the birds are doing the same. Migrants that will nest in the Pacific Northwest bring “south of the border” color into the West Sound region. They began their migration journey from as far away […]
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Tools That Almost Never Work
Organizing Culprit No. 1: The Filing Cabinet The No. 1 organizing fail is the one you’d least expect: the filing cabinet. That’s right. For anyone except the most organized people, filing cabinets are where papers go to die. This unorthodox view comes from years of working with client paperwork — the most important and useful […]
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Recipes for a Smokin’ Father’s Day
If the surge in barbecue and smoking competitions across the country is any indication, grilling has become an art form. This Father’s Day, grab dad and gather around the grill to try a technique that’s rising in popularity — smoking — and create memories together. From secret marinades to tricked-out grills and smokers, competitive smokers […]
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Start the Grilling Season Right with these Bacon Cheeseburgers
According to New York Times best-selling cookbook author Jamie Purviance, one of the top trends in barbecue today is a movement toward more individual expression. “It used to be that barbecue styles were determined by regions, but in our internet-connect, melting-pot nation, those regional styles are evolving,” says Purviance, chef and author of the newly […]
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Spring Tonics (Delicious Asparagus, that is)
Fleshy, green and succulent, asparagus is the ultimate spring vegetable. Known for its cleansing diuretic properties for centuries and once only available in spring, it has become a year-round favorite on American tables. Early culinary records indicate asparagus, which is a native of Europe, may have been eaten and used as an offering in Egypt […]