Author Archives: Nicole Clausing

The Biggest Garden Trends Right Now

The holiday lights are still up, and New Year’s has yet to arrive, but I feel it’s my duty to tell you what the… Read More

7 Ways with Oysters for New Year’s Eve

After years of every day (and night) basically being casual Friday, wouldn’t it be nice to have a slightly swanky evening for a change?… Read More

This Ranch House Strikes the Perfect Balance Between Mid-century Design and Groovy ’70s Nostalgia

Treci Smith and her husband, Amir, live in a Southern California home that was never intended to be owned by Black people. When it… Read More

This Garden Courtyard with Mid-Century Vibes Was Designed Specifically for Outdoor Movie Nights

When Rashana Zaklit, the Hospitality Studio director at Gensler, a global architecture firm, looked at her Oakland courtyard, she… Read More

The Easiest (and Best Last-Minute!) Holiday Cocktail Party You’ll Ever Throw

Procrastinated and need some ideas for a holiday gathering? Look no further than these recipes that won’t have you spending hours in the kitchen… Read More

Do These Things to Survive a Natural Disaster—and the Aftermath

Considering the array of catastrophes that the West is prone to—earthquakes, wildfires, floods, even tsunamis—can be overwhelming. While it’s true that we can’t… Read More

I Made This Easy Christmas Wreath for Less Than $9

So you’d love to have a modern Christmas wreath this holiday season but you don’t want to spend a lot of money. (And why… Read More

A Family of Four Ditches City Life for the Coolest Little Island Cottage You’ve Ever Seen

The best home stories usually originate with far-fetched what-ifs, questions that are often the catalysts for massive changes that push people into new frontiers. The… Read More

This Holiday Menu Is So Classic You Might Start Making It Every Year

Mary Heffernan knows how to cook for a crowd. The California rancher grew up in a big family—her parents were each one of five—and she… Read More

These Charming Mountain Towns Know How to Do Winter (Spoiler: Whiskey Is Involved)

There’s perhaps no spirit more synonymous with the Western frontier than whiskey. But in fact, most of the hooch consumed by cowboys and trappers… Read More

Christmas Trees Are More Expensive Than Ever This Year—Here’s How to Find the Right One for You

Inflation is on everyone’s mind this holiday season, but a Christmas tree will cost about the same as it did last year, right? Wrong. According… Read More

Fresh, Mail-Order Holiday Wreaths Are the Easiest Way to Decorate Your Front Door (Plus, They’re Stunning)

A live holiday wreath hung on your front door is a verdant invitation to guests: It encourages them to come inside, get warm,… Read More

5 Tasting Rooms Where You’ll Come for the Wine, But Stay for the Vibes

At the risk of stating the obvious, we go wine tasting to taste wine, right?  Well, yes and no. Yes, you’ll come… Read More

This Pocket Patio Is a Masterclass on How to Maximize Space

When Saffron + Poe shop owners and designers Fiona Bronte Burr and Johanna Vente Anderson saw the tiny 330-square-foot patio their new… Read More

Drink the Issue: Sunset Wine Club’s Perfect Pairings from the 2022 Holiday Issue

The wines of the West are an integral part of the lifestyle that we celebrate in our pages—and the Sunset Wine Club is the essence… Read More

10 Secret Spots in California’s Unsung Mountain Getaway

Sunset’s Insider Guide series highlights seasonal diversions and secret travel tips from local experts. Follow along as we learn where to eat, drink,… Read More

Will Ferrell and LeBron James Are Making Urban Honey. It’s $250 a Jar and It’s Actually Worth It.

Like so many cities in the West, Los Angeles could be honey heaven if we set up beehives throughout the urban sprawl. Imagine drizzling… Read More

Your Houseplants Find the Holidays Stressful, Too. Here’s How to Keep Them Alive.

I don’t know about you, but when I go out of town to spend time with my family for the holidays, I experience a lot of… Read More

10 Thanksgiving Pie Recipes That Aren’t All Pumpkin

We need to talk about pumpkin. This great gourd has a wonderful flavor and impressive utility, and it’s completely intertwined with… Read More

How to Style Your Thanksgiving Table

Your fresh turkey is ordered. Your guest list is set. The once-a-year china and silverware are out of storage. What’s missing from your Thanksgiving… Read More

The True Story Behind the West’s Most Wonderfully Nostalgic, Sustainable (and Cool) Dinnerware Company

Enamelware is having a moment. Yes, those speckled, brightly colored, porcelain-coated metal plates you’ve seen in cowboy movies, at campsites, and maybe your… Read More

It’s Roasting Season and I’ve Found the Perfect Pan

Would you like my old roasting pans?  Because, after 20 years of meh performance I’m finally getting rid of them. But not without a… Read More

This Botanical DIY Makes the Best Inexpensive Gift Ever

Stephanie Pavelko, the content creator behind the My Tiny Laguna Kitchen website, got her start thanks to her grandmother. “I grew up… Read More

Double Gold Winners of the 2022 Sunset International Wine Competition

Out of the thousands of bottles tasted as part of the 2022 Sunset International Wine Competition, here are the ones that qualified at the… Read More