Day Trip: Sausalito, resto FISH and HEATH Ceramics!

Just across the Golden Gate from San Francisco is a magical place called Sausalito. Come with me!

What better place to spend some time last Friday.. "working" with one of my favorite clients my daughter Lisa and one of the most upbeat sales managers at Heath Ceramics one of Lisa's best friends Sarah.

Lunch at FISH was great as always...freshly-caught sustainable seafood served up right at the edge of the sea. Fish tacos? perfection. The sun shone and we talked fabrics and projects and laughed a lot. And we were just a stone's throw away from the incredible Heath Ceramics Factory and Store, where Sarah took us for a tour of the factory and a spin around the store. A refreshing and inspiring Friday afternoon after a long busy week, don't you agree?

cross over the Golden Gate, five minutes you are in Sausalito

Sarah, left, and Lisa as we go in to a fabulous lunch!

the view from my seat in FISH

a block away from FISH is the Heath Ceramics Factory & Store; 
the original site of Heath Ceramics, 
it was built in the mid-20th century and remains unchanged

our tour of the factory begins in the meeting room, 
and shows the factory design around an open courtyard allowing in light, 
views of greenery and fresh air into the work areas

a basic coffee cup... on the left it is still formed clay; on
the right you see the finished cup after firing... it loses quite a
bit in size 

Lisa with Garrett,  one of the mold makers

I love that the wet area is tiled with.. Heath Ceramic tiles!

a very steady hand is needed to make these casserole lids 
and this is just the man for the job!

I love this little workspace... corner windows and lots of personal mementos... an artisan's corner!

probably my favorite part of the factory process... 
developing the colors for the glazes and
seasonal offerings!

beautiful pieces finished and ready for sale

 

three design boards of the gorgeous Heath Ceramic tile line... 
look at these stunning colors!

the timeless, elegant Coupe line has been in continual production since 1947 

I like that Heath keeps it relevant by collaborating with other artisinal, original and
handmade product lines.. such as Alabama Chanin, a longtime
favorite of mine, loved for her embroidered pieces of
hand fashioned table linens and clothing

above is the tableware designed in collaboration with Alabama Chanin...
and it rests on Alabama Chanin placemats with her signature embroidered border

another favorite of contemporary designers is the YOLO Colorhouse paint line... 

love this happy poster for "Sau sali to"   above a great selection of Heath vases

a happy sales associate... and wouldn't you be happy to come to work here everyday? 

leaving Sausalito for San Francisco... I had to take a picture of the beautiful hillside 
with trees blooming in our faux (drought-induced!) springtime... such a pretty sight for mid-winter!

***

images from the early days of Heath Ceramics... on top, the factory as built in
1940's, still the same today... next are buttons made by Edith Heath as
she experimented with color; next a marketing piece I think from the 60's;
and finally, a collection of images of the beautiful Edith Heath at work
through the years

the fountain in Sausalito about the time
Edith Heath opened her studio there...
in the 1940's

***

see details and what happy guests have to say:

download the brochure here  

download registration forms here 

questions? 

email me

skype me: kitgolson

call or text me:  650-302-6883

On the Road Again: Palm Springs, California!

What could be more fun than hopping in the trusty Beemer with your sweetie and driving south from San Francisco down I-5, leaving the fog and drizzle behind, cutting over onto the old Route 66 and ending up a few hours later in Palm Springs? Where the sun shines all the time and the Mexican food simply cannot be beat? We had a wonderful trip.

OK, so the average age of the residents hovers around 85 (hey, I feel really young here!). But there is also a hip, young element encamped here in the desert that helped put the mid-century design vibe back on the map.

my good friend Kathy McGuire captured perfectly the spirit of the

California road trip with her painting...

see more of her California vernacular work at her website

and be sure to check out her new blog!

our destination!

one of the many diner stops we made along the way... gotta refuel!

in the high desert Mesa area above Palm Springs is this

stunning modern home nestled among the palms

bold colors and modern pieces

in this Palm Springs design shop..love

the iconic 50's sunburst mirror, of course!

walking the hills I came across this stunning abstract gate and love

the way the sun backlit the pattern

I just liked the way the blue/white pattern of the pillows

worked with the orangey of the cool chairs... and

the white coffee table is adorable too

love the pattern of the pyracantha bushes espaliered along

the front wall of this hacienda in the hills

perfect example of 50's modern architecture in

southern California, Case Study House No. 22 in

glass and steel was designed by Pierre Koenig

in the late 1950's and is outside LA

simple landscaping so typical for the area just

looks amazing to me

this wonderful mid-century style lamp

is the design shop's best seller!

on my ramble I wandered up the driveway to

the gate of the Sonny Bono estate... the only

reason I knew that was a friendly neighbor

taking a walk nearby told me.. four dwellings

on the property now selling for $4 m

***

did we eat a "few" tacos along the way? ummm...yess..but

to make up for it, check out this yummy Mexican

fruit salad...perfect with any grilled anything!

Mexican Fruit Salad with Chili Powder*

Choose 1, 2, 3 or more fruits and/or vegetables—here are some that work well:

mango
pineapple
watermelon
cantaloupe or other melon
cucumber or fresh pickles
jicama
lime juice
chili powder
salt, to taste

Prepare the fruit. Slice up the fruits [and vegetables, if you're using them]. For the salad you see here, I used pineapple, mango, watermelon and cucumber. Slice them into big chunks and spears—this is street food, often eaten with your fingers. You can make the salad ahead, up to this point, and chill the fruit until you’re ready to serve.

Assemble the salad. Place the fruit in a large, shallow bowl. Squeeze lime juice over it [for a generous salad for two, I used the juice of one lime]. Season generously with salt and chili powder. Stir gently with a rubber spatula to avoid damaging fruit and taste. You’ll probably want to add more chili powder; keep adding, stirring and tasting until you pick up the flavor of the chili powder and a little heat. Add as much chili powder as you and your dinner guests can comfortably take—that’s a key part of this salad’s charm. Serve immediately.

recipe from Blue Kitchen

***

"hasta luego" from moi & Mr. CP!

How a Pair of Snowboarding Caterers Finally Got Some Sleep!

If you are the hottest catering team in San Francisco, and also live in a huge, light-filled loft facing south on a hill, you might have a little trouble sleeping in after those late-night weddings and soirees! These hip urbanites love where they live with one tiny exception..the bright daylight streaming into their bedroom was waking them up wa-a-a-y too early after pulling very late nighters.

Simple Fit to the rescue! When I was offered a chance to try this amazingly chic and utterly "instant-install" shade, I thought of my clients Lisa Tomasi and Steven McCormick of Pear & Pepper Fine Catering & Events. They live in a shade-challenged sun-drenched gorgeous loft facing south.

The whole process could not have been simpler: I measured the inside of their window, placed my order, and received the shade two days later. It took longer walking up the vast stairway in their glorious loft than it actually took to install the shade! 30 seconds, tops! I was ecstatic at the "no problem" attitude of this shade, and Lisa and Steven are thrilled to have a place to hibernate while the sun shines brightly outside.

Lisa loves succulents and poufs! she scored these

turquoise poufs blocks away at the Alemany Flea Market!

and the lucky succulents enjoy lots of natural light

in this sun-drenched loft

no one could sleep in a bedroom with this brilliant light shining in!

literally 30 seconds later, a block out shade clicked into place;

strong, sturdy shades these are, and why not? they are

made right up in Sonoma county!

up in the stratosphere of their gorgeous, two level, huge

loft home!

a deck that gets southern exposure is the perfect place for

gardening and cookouts

descending the stairway view over their living room: yep, those are

snowboards mounted on the wall..can you tell these two know to the

minute how long it takes to get to Tahoe when the snow reports come in?

their mid-century sensibilities show in the

chic dining area Lisa and Steven have created to serve

lucky family and friends their amazing culinary creations

another adorable and lucky little

succulent!

the entryway table where keys and mail are kept; they

love flea market finds and quirky signs

just in case you missed the snowboard wall, here's another

view; I love the graphic quality the boards create

Steven cleverly used these spring loaded twisting

fixtures to hold snowboards snugly to the wall

Check out this cool video on YouTube. Use them in your home, your guest cottage, your office, in houses that are staged for sale, your rented apartment..they offer a chic and sensible solution. Without a screwdriver in sight, these shades click into place, and can go with you when you move.

***

{I have not been paid by Simple Fit to endorse their product;

I was provided with a shade and asked to review it.

I am giving a great review because these shades are terrific!}

You can friend Redi Shade Simple Fit on Facebook!