June 2019 Note from the Editor
Our editor talks childhood kitchens and cooking... and what she loves about our June issue!
What’s Cooking?
I vividly remember the kitchen in my childhood home. My DIYer parents painstakingly hung white wallpaper with a blue-dot-diamond pattern and added a coordinating floral border at the top. On the wall, in between the stove and the hood, they artistically displayed a collection of pretty platters. The cabinetry was brown, the lighting fluorescent, and there was a very cool butcher block island in the center. I think I can recall the design so well because it’s where we spent so much time as a family. My parents loved to entertain, and our family dinners took place in the open adjacent breakfast room.
I know the kitchen is considered the heart of the home, but until I sat down to write this, I’m not sure I was convinced of that viewpoint. But even now, the poorly designed, mostly enclosed kitchen of my own home (which my husband and I will eventually redo) is still the space where friends gather—and where I’m making memories with my husband and kids. (I clearly need to hurry up and change the dated cabinets, countertop, lighting and configuration so my kids aren’t recalling our current kitchen in something they write 30-plus years from now.)
Wendy Manwarren Generes, photographed by Jennie Sullins
There is plenty to inspire in this year’s Kitchens of the Year winners. There’s the sleek but approachable black kitchen (totally on trend but absolutely timeless!) with beautiful fixtures and a rustic table that opens to seat 12; a design with incredible windows spearheaded by a homeowner who knew exactly what she wanted; a gorgeous open-plan redesign that was just what a family of four was looking for; the stylish homage to a homeowner’s parents; and the European-inspired space churning out gourmet homemade pizzas.
In “Ladies Who Make Lunch,” you’ll discover two locals who combined their shared love of cooking and entertaining with their similar experiences of living in Italy to bring San Diegans the twice-monthly Pranzo Pop-Up. Read all about the delightful luncheon and try the recipes!
Plus, our Garden Guide columnist Kevin Espiritu teaches you how to start an herb garden; writer Mark Hiss introduces us to the maker of exquisite cutting and serving boards; and local blogger Ashley Goldman gives us her easy, totally doable ideas for making an ugly kitchen pretty without major demolition or spending a lot.
Wendy Manwarren Generes
