Arizona Citrus

And as we slowly ease into the new year I find myself dreaming of warm temps, sunshine, and citrus. All this because we just returned from a Christmas holiday with family ~ way out west in the Arizona desert.

On this trip, I started a new morning routine.

Picking fruit.

Just steps off the patio of the ranch house where we stayed!

 In Arizona's warmer regions, citrus trees are a yard or garden staple. In the Bluegrass of Kentucky, they are not. Among the most gorgeous desert botanical landscape were grapefruit, orange and lemon trees. Lot's of them!

The heady fragrance of citrus brings back childhood memories of running through orchards in Arcadia ~ zigzagging past whitewashed tree trunks ~ while playing outside with friends.

Freshly picked grapefruit adds the perfect shade of pink to the back patio.

Oranges, grapefruit & lemons oh my!

The fruit was not enough. I snipped the branches of waxy green leaves too. They were a welcome addition to the Equipal table on the sun porch!

On the last day, I rested ~ at the Spa at Camelback Inn ~ overlooking Camelback mountain.

I dreamt of all those orchards that used to fill up the valley of the sun & the last few handpicked grapefruit I, unfortunately, had to leave behind.

Speaking of ~

Whether you're in Arizona, Kentucky, or wherever, this Broiled Grapefruit Recipe by Jessica Helgeson over at SEE SALT will put you in a very happy place! Ruby red grapefruit crusted with caramelized brown sugar and drizzled Grand Marnier liqueur.

What a wonderful way to chase the chill away ~

Happy New Year!

A Gracious Gift

Tuesday, October 18

Dear Mom,

  One of my favorite blogger friends is coming to Phoenix on Thursday.  I’m not sure what your schedule looks like but I was wondering if you would enjoy meeting her?  You know the blog Velvet & Linen?  Yes, it’s Brooke Giannetti and she’s in town for one day signing copies of her newly published book, Patina Style….

                            

Thursday, October 20

“Lisa, it was soooooo much fun meeting Brooke...she is everything you said she would be.  A very warm and genuine person....a true gem!  On our next trip to California together it would be such a treat to see her again.  And the bonus of meeting Brooke was discovering Sweet Salvage & Laura Ingalls Gunn from Décor To Adore!   

Brooke signed our copies of Patina Style & yours is on its way.  What a fun day!

Love Mom”

Friday, October 21

Dear Mom,

I’m thrilled that you took the opportunity to stop by Sweet Salvage and say hello to Brooke!  I knew you would love her.  I also want to take a moment here to remind you how special you are and to say “thank you.”   Taking time and taking care are two graces that you always carry with you.  They are also gifts that you give to everyone that you meet.   Your taking the time yesterday made everything so much more special and memorable for everyone involved.

I love you.

xo

Thank you, Brooke, for your friendship and also taking time & taking care. xo

Thank you, Laura Ingalls Gunn, for introducing yourself & Décor to Adore, and for telling my mom that you read my blog. xo

Thank you Sweet Salvage for a wonderful day & extraordinary shopping event!

Oh, There’s More……

Thank you, Joni Webb, for hosting the most fabulous giveaway for Brooke & Steve Giannetti at Cote De Texas! 

Hurry, the contest ends tonight, Friday night at 11:59!

I’ll be waiting up for this one with my fingers crossed.

Remember also, if you want to order the book Patina Style, click here! 

Have a wonderful weekend!

p.s. Did you notice the fabulous necklaces that those three gorgeous women are wearing?

Two Adobe Houses

When people think of adobe, they most likely picture traditional Pueblo style ruins crumbling back into the desert floors of Arizona and New Mexico.

 Where I grew up, many friends and some family lived in elegant Territorial-style adobe haciendas ― with creaky floors, period artwork, and furnishings that reflected the regional Arizona style.

Back then they just seemed like really old houses.  Today, I have a whole new appreciation for these homes, many on Historic Registers, with their five-foot thick walls, exposed beam ceilings, cool tile floors, and mesquite wood-burning fireplaces.

 Los Luceros

I love traditional architecture and every once in awhile I see something old that has been beautifully transformed into something new, or something new, skillfully designed in the old traditional style.  Here are two beautiful adobe homes that I would like to share.

The first Adobe built in 1957 is located in the beautiful foothills of Tucson's Santa Catalina mountains. The transformation is by Studio Encanto.

Studio Encanto is an award-winning interior design firm founded in 1985 by Christy Martin who specializes in Spanish Colonial Revival, Santa Barbara Mission, Contemporary, Santa Fe and Old Ranch interiors.

The bones of the house had not been disturbed and the location was perfect for a fresh take on an old style.  A large wall that once divided the living room and dining room were removed.

Red quarry tile was tiled over with ungrouted travertine squares, set running bond.  All the knotty pine walls were covered in a clean, cool shade of white.

The kitchen is a calm, cool, confident mix of contemporary and traditional.

 Brilliant use of space to store & show-off simple white everyday dishes.

 The soft texture of whitewashed adobe bricks is a subtle reminder of the original "good bones."

Paired with a neutral palette, this residence feels like a spa in the desert.

 All 3500 square feet of it!

Christy Martin’s passion has served her well. In 2004 her work on Linda Ronstadt’s Tucson residence was featured in Architectural Digest, in 2005 she was featured as one of the Top 40 Designers in This Old House magazine, and in 2006 Phoenix Home and Garden honored her as “Master of the Southwest."

 Ms. Martin currently has offices in Santa Barbara, CA, and Tucson, AZ.

photos by Robin Stancliff

This next house sit's on twelve acres next to a tree-lined arroyo in Santa Fe, New Mexico.

Living a bit of a Bohemian life these days, Ryannan Bryer de Hickman and Designer-Builder husband, Jim Hickman, have called Santa Fe, New Mexico, Montecito, California, Boulder, Colorado, and the Texas Hill Country home.

 For more than 20 years, he built custom homes in Santa Fe using the traditional Pueblo style of architecture. However, being big fans of Modern Mexican Architects, Ricardo Legorreta, and Luis Barragan, they decided to build their last two homes there in the Modern Mexican style.

Hand troweled plaster tinted with pigments from Italy give a beautiful finish to the walls.

 Clean lines, open shelving and two islands make this beautiful kitchen a pleasure to work in. Not to mention the Thermador Range and Sub-Zero Refrigerator! Take note that in both kitchens, valuable workspace and storage have been integrated deep into the thick adobe walls.

Concrete sinks in the bathroom.

Double adobe walls and radiant heat in the concrete floors throughout.

 These houses are very comfortable during the cold winters and the hot summers. An added extra, probably my favorite part...this property had a small old adobe one-room house on it when they bought it. Ryannan turned it into a little art studio. Love the exposed adobe brick walls.

  Inspiring!

The photographs of this beautiful home are compliments of Ryannan Bryer de Hickman.  She is a fabulous photographer whose portfolio varies from The Santa Fe New Mexican to The New York Times. 

 She is also the author of Sotto Il Monte, a Lifestyle Blog about Food, Wine, Architecture & Interior Design, Gardening, Viticulture (winemaking...I had to look it up), Art and Travel.

 I urge you all to visit Studio Encanto & Sotto Il Monte and have a wonderful weekend.

Adios!