The recipes I am cooking these days are simple and easy. Mostly because summer produce is in full swing and less is more when you have ripe, juicy, and seasonal fruits and vegetables. One of the most seasonal fruits are figs. Figs don’t travel well and are best eaten within a couple days of being picked. I had some extra figs floating around my kitchen so I decided to roast them with honey and top some vanilla ice cream with these delicious warm treats. Whenever I have a fruit or vegetable I can’t eat before it is past its prime, I either pickle them or roast them. Since pickled figs didn’t sound too appealing, I decided to roast my left over figs with honey – the result is a deliciously warm caramelized treat that goes perfectly with ice cream. Come to think of it, these honey roasted figs would also go well in a breakfast bowl with greek yogurt, granola and some toasted walnuts. If you can’t get your hands on figs, feel free to swap any seasonal ripe fruit. I love roasted strawberries and roasted peaches. Enjoy! ~Amanda Honey Roasted Figs Ingredients 1 pint ripe figs, cut in half and stems removed 2 Tbs. canola oil (or any flavorless oil) ¼ cup honey vanilla ice cream pistachios mint Directions 1.) Pre-heat oven to 400F. 2.) In a large bowl, toss figs halves with canola oil. Place figs on a baking sheet. Drizzle honey over figs and place in oven. Roast figs for 10 -15 minutes or until figs are caramelized and slightly wilted. 3.) Serve with ice cream, chopped pistachios and mint. Recipe & Photos by Amanda Frederickson for Sacramento Street #entertaining #cooking

This week was a hectic one, but when isn’t it? Between working on clients project and pulling everything together for a day of shooting – I’m definitely ready for a fun filled weekend. I’m currently loving each project we are working on now and can’t wait to show them to you when we are done. It’s amazing how long each project takes to pull together, between finding the inspiration, sourcing, ordering, and installing. But I have to say, it’s worth the wait. Since I can’t share any projects, I thought I’d show you a few scenes from the week. We installed a clients custom banquet – I’m loving the mix of patterns. Pulling together fabrics and wallpaper options for a client presentation. Working with Natalie Bowen on our next Blooms in Season. I’ve had this painting that I had custom made by Heather Day sitting in our house for a year – we finally hung it in the dining room. If you want to see more of what I’m up to throughout the week – follow me on Instagram. Photos by Caitlin Flemming #lifestyle

As with many homes in San Francisco, my dining room has more than just the purpose of sitting down for a meal. With space at a premium, my dining room also serves as my occasional workspace and dressing room – since my closet is also in the dining room. For the past two years we’ve had a farm table but it was too big for the space, so I have been looking for a clean and minimal table that wouldn’t take over the entire room. I wanted a table that would work with both modern and vintage furniture as well. That’s when I came across the Saarinen Oval Tulip Table from Rove Concepts. The surface is so forgiving and I don’t worry about causing damage to it – believe me we have had multiple spills of anything you could imagine on it … baby food, wine, you name it! What I love most about this table is that I can have a client project spread all over the table during the day and by the evening have it set for a dinner. Since we mostly eat at home, it is nice to have something that isn’t too big for the three of us to eat at each night. One thing I love about this table is I can switch up the chairs I pair with it – usually with a mix of both old and new. It was by far one of my favorite purchases for our home. If you’ve always dreamed of owning a Saarinen Table, this is your chance to win $1000 towards anything at Rove Concepts! Let me tell you, there is more than one piece that I have on my wish list from them. Just fill out the form below for your chance to win. Good luck! Sacramento Street X Rove Concepts Giveaway! * Giveaway is limited to readers in the U.S. and Canada only. Please do not leave your email or web address in the body of the comment, only in the allotted boxes. Giveaway prize is worth approximately $1000 USD total value. The winner will be contacted via email once comments close at July 23rd, 2015 at 11:59pm ET. Once the winner has responded I will announce the winner. This post is a partnership with Rove Concepts. All opinions are my own. Thanks for supporting sponsored posts that keep Sacramento Street doors open. Photos by Michelle Drewes for Sacramento Street #interiors

Since becoming a mom time is precious – especially in the morning. In the beginning, I didn’t have much of a routine. You could find me running around trying to get everyone prepped for the day. In the end, I found myself forgetting about myself. Something had to change. I made the decision that it was worth it to wake up thirty minutes early to have “me time.” It’s a time when I’m up drinking a cup of tea, getting ready in the bathroom (without the chaos) and finding inspiration in the quiet of the morning. Having an organized and beautiful bathroom helps me achieve this each morning. I went shopping at Target in order to find things to spruce up my bathroom routine. New towels with a fresh pattern, nifty organizers that improve the serenity of the bathroom, and products to pamper myself with all make my space in the morning tranquil and inviting. You’ll often find me lighting a candle while soaking in a tub with bath salts. By the time I’m done getting ready, I can hear Jackson cooing for me to get him and I’m more than ready to start my day! Products: Threshold™ Brights Bath Towel | Threshold™ Brights Washcloth Threshold™ Botanic White Washcloth | Threshold™ Chunky Bath Rugs Nate Berkus™ Glass Canisters | Nate Berkus™ Etched Wood Tank Top Bath Tray Nate Berkus™ Woven Basket | Lavender Dead Sea Bath Crystals Shades of Glass Unscented Votive Candle Shades of Glass Unscented Candle | J.R.Watkins White Tea & Bamboo Hand Soap This post is brought to you by Target Style. Shop the new Home collection in stores and online. Photos by Michelle Drewes #lifestyle #interiors

The last thing I want to do on a beautiful summer day is turn on my oven to cook dinner. I have an old 1950’s Wedgewood oven, that I cherish, but it heats the entire house when it is on. To make matters worse, I don’t have air conditioning. So I try and use it as little as possible, especially during the summer heat. As a result I am always on the lookout for recipes that can be cooked on the stovetop or even better, only require some chopping and whisking. Today I am sharing two of my favorite summertime dishes that are light, fresh and thankfully do not require an oven. This artichoke completely changed my opinion about artichokes. Before discovering this recipe, I liked artichokes but secretly thought they were a lot of trouble for little reward – cleaning artichokes is one of my least favorite jobs in the kitchen. But when I tried April Bloomfield’s pot roasted artichokes, it all changed. In this recipe from her cookbook, A Girl and Her Greens she cooks artichokes on the stove top with lots of olive oil, wine, mint and capers. I dare you to try it and not fall in love with artichokes. The original recipe calls for baby artichokes, but if you can’t find them, it is completely fine to use regular artichokes, just make sure to clean out the center choke before cooking. My other quintessential summer dish is a watermelon and tomato salad. Crisp watermelon paired with juicy tomatoes, topped with avocado, red onion and feta cheese, it is everything you want in a summertime dish. Both dishes are perfect served at room temperature and they taste even better outside with a chilled glass of wine (like you saw in the latest entertaining post with Ecco Domani). Enjoy! ~ Amanda April Bloomfield’s Pot Roasted Artichokes Ingredients 1 lemon, halved 3 1/2 pounds baby artichokes (or regular globe artichokes, halved) 1/4 cup olive oil 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced Kosher salt 1 1/2 cups dry white wine 1 tablespoon drained capers 1/4 cup torn fresh mint leaves 2 tablespoons fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves Directions 1.) Squeeze lemon into a large bowl of cold water. Working with 1 artichoke at a time, pull off tough dark outer leaves until mostly yellow leaves remain. Using a serrated knife, cut 1″ off from top. Trim stem, leaving at least 1/2″ of stem intact; using a paring knife or vegetable peeler, remove tough outer layer from stem. Dip artichoke in lemon water to prevent discoloration. Pry open leaves to expose choke. Using a small spoon, scrape choke from artichoke and discard. Place artichoke in lemon water. 2.) Drain artichokes and set stem side up on a paper towel-lined baking sheet. Let stand about 2 minutes to drain; pat dry. 3.) Heat oil in a wide heavy pot over medium-high heat. Place artichokes, stem side up (or cut side down if using large artichokes) in pot and reduce heat to medium-low. Scatter garlic over, season with salt, and cook, without stirring, just until garlic is golden, about 3 minutes. 4.) Add wine; cover pot, reduce heat, and simmer, without stirring (which could cause artichokes to fall apart), until the artichoke stems are very tender, 20 – 25 minutes. 5.) Add capers, bring to a boil, and cook, uncovered, until wine has evaporated, about 2 minutes. Add mint and parsley and cook reducing heat if necessary to prevent scorching, until artichoke tops are deep golden brown, about 3 minutes. 6.) Serve artichokes warm or room temperature, drizzled with pan juices and a large pinch of salt. Tomato and Watermelon Salad Ingredients 3 cups seedless watermelon, cubed 2 lbs heirloom tomatoes, cut into wedges and core removed ½ red onion, thinly sliced 1 avocado, cut into 1” pieces ¼ cup feta cheese ½ cup cucumber, sliced thinly ½ cup olive oil ¼ cup white wine vinegar 2 tsp. Dijon mustard 1 tsp. honey salt and pepper Directions 1.) Toss watermelon, tomatoes, red onion, avocado, feta cheese and cucumber together in a large bowl. 2.) In a small bowl, combine olive oil, vinegar, honey and mustard. Pour dressing over salad, add a large pinch of salt and toss well to combine. Taste for salt and pepper and serve at room temperature. Recipe by Amanda Frederickson & Photos by Emily Scott for Sacramento Street #entertaining #cooking

Summer is the perfect time of year to invite friends over for an outdoor soiree. In the Summer you don’t always have to make it a formal affair. It’s the little things you do that make a world of difference when it comes to a last minute get together. Honestly, the table came together effortlessly. The bottles of the Ecco Domani Pinot Grigio were stunning. Acclaimed designer Zac Posen created the labels on the bottles and I based the entire design of the tablescape around the simple beauty of the stunning color scheme. I chose a black and white table linen from St. Frank and paired it with green and white flowers. The lunch was a combination of fresh roasted artichoke hearts and a salad with watermelon, heirloom tomatoes, and feta cheese. I try to make the majority of my summertime meals from produce I buy at the farmers market. Each Sunday we walk to our neighborhood farmers market and what happens to be in season is what we eat. When it comes to recipes I’m constantly turning to our food editor, Amanda – she always knows how to combine the perfect combination of ingredients to make incredible dishes. For this particular alfresco retreat I wanted a few stand out dishes that would pair perfectly with a light and refreshing drink – in this case with Ecco Domani’s Pinot Grigio for the lunch and their Prosecco with dessert. After the delicious lunch in Natalie Bowen’s gorgeous studio backyard, we lingered a little longer and sipped the Ecco Domani Prosecco – which worked perfectly with our dessert of fresh fruit and chocolates. This was the perfect mid-day break to a busy weekday. I honestly need to do this more often! Check back later today for the recipes that Amanda created so that you can prepare the same summertime retreat for your friends! This post is a partnership with Ecco Domani. All opinions are my own. Thanks for supporting sponsored posts that keep Sacramento Street doors open. Photos by Emily Scott, Food by Amanda Frederickson for Sacramento Street | Table Linen and Pillows from St. Frank Textiles #entertaining #lifestyle

I’m smitten over the latest Blooms in Season post. The fragrance in summer flowers is like no other season. Natalie will discuss the selection of blooms but in case you are interested, there are two different varieties of both lavender and sage. My wish is that all of you could smell these blooms from your computers (or iPhones)! Have you always loved lavender? I have to admit, this year is the first time I’ve really gone crazy over it. I walked in to the market this week and it was filled with the most exquisite lavender from a farm north of San Francisco about three hours. It stopped me in my tracks and I’ve while it hasn’t always been a favorite of mine, I have a hard time resisting any flower that is showing so beautifully. How many varieties of lavender are there? A lot! Thirty-nine to be exact. I am surprised by how many there are, but when you look at them, they are all so different. Even though the color name “lavender” is named after the plant, they range in color saturation, too. Does all Lavender have the same scent? Some varieties have a much more saturated and dense scent than others. Lavender essential oil is extracted from English lavender. If you give the lavender a gentle squeeze, the oil will get on your hands and it can be easily inhaled. Tell us a little secret about Salvia (sage). The salvia (sage) is in the mint family. Anything in the mint family has a square stem. If you twirl the stem in your fingers you can feel the shape of the stem and easily identify it as being in the Lamiaceae (mint) family. It sometimes seems hard to design with, since the stems are so straight. Do you have any tips on how to make arranging with lavender easier? I agree that arranging with lavender can be hard. I don’t like the way it looks with the stems are poking out from an arrangement as if they were toothpicks. I prefer to cluster the stems and mass them together. When grouped, they look much more impressive and mimic the way they grow on a bush. Friends, Natalie is teaching a unique floral workshop this summer. Not only do you get to have Natalie’s guidance, knowledge and inspiration at your fingertips but you’ll have the opportunity to pick your own flowers from a flower ranch and then have your arrangement photograph. The spots are going to go quickly so be sure to sign up! Flowers by Natalie Bowen Designs | Photos by Emily Scott for Sacramento Street #lifestyle

Moving into my current home, I was thrilled to find that it had a clawfoot tub. I’ve always loved their timeless style and curves. There was only one drawback – the outside of the tub was crusty and discolored. I tried to cover it up by having along shower curtain but that defeated the purpose – you couldn’t see it at all. I decided to research to see if there might be a solution. I found out that clawfoot tubs became the rage in the Victorian Era. This was a time when color was used in everything – clawfoot tubs included. They would just paint the outside of the tubs, and for that reason, they are purposefully left rough so the paint can adhere. I couldn’t wait to complete this project. I ran straight to Home Depot and chose the perfect charcoal color of BEHR Marquee Stain Blocking Paint & Primer. I taped the floor with plastic so any spills could be quickly cleaned. It was so easy. First, I sanded the old paint off to create a smoother surface to paint. Then I applied two coats of the BEHR Marquee Graphic Charcoal Stain Blocking Paint & Primer. It went on like silk. The color was flawless! With my dark tile floor, it almost looks as if the tub were floating. And one afternoon project transformed my bathroom! This post is brought to you by BEHR. Color that’s True to Hue. If you feel it you can find it. Visit truetohue.behr.com Photos by Peggy Wong for Sacramento Street #interiors

One of the great things about summer is being able to spend the majority of our waking hours outdoors. After a winter when so many parts of the country have been extra cold and severe, finding a space to spend more time outdoors is what everyone needs. I can tell you one thing, I’m ready for a summer of outdoor entertaining! I’ve always been a big fan of bringing nature indoors to create a home that incorporates the outdoors. Now that it’s summer, why not bring the indoors outside into your garden? There is nothing better than having friends over and being able to eat a meal or share a glass of wine outside in the garden. You don’t need to have a huge backyard or a perfectly manicured space to enjoy the outdoors. I teamed up with World Market to create an outdoor room that you can replicate in any garden. Here in San Francisco, we don’t have much outdoor space – it’s limited – so we took a small space (less than 200 square feet) that is usually where the tenants walk through, and transformed it into an outdoor eating oasis they can enjoy. I can’t take credit for the beautiful garden. It was so fun to put together the items that would make this space work. As most of you know, I adore blue, so that was the color I based the outdoor space on.World Market had everything we needed to makeover the space – beautiful vases, dishes, furniture – even a rug that is specifically made for outdoor living. So this weekend, get out there and enjoy creating an outdoor space to enjoy this summer! Pop over to World Market to see more details about this look and how you can re-create this in your own backyard. This post is a partnership with World Market. All opinions are my own. Thanks for supporting sponsored posts that keep Sacramento Street doors open. Photos by Heather Day for Sacramento Street #entertaining #lifestyle

I have had a tremendous learning curve since becoming a mother. There have been so many obstacles and challenges to overcome. One way that I was able to ease my worries was by joining DayOne Baby. Before even becoming pregnant I had girlfriends talk about what an asset it was when becoming a mother. Let me tell you, I have taken full advantage of DayOne Baby and the services and classes they provide. Both my husband and I took classes before having Jackson, which made us feel more prepared for him to arrive. After he was born I signed up for their Mommy & Me group. Since I didn’t have many friends with newborns and Eric went back to work, I wanted something planned each week to attend. It was a lifesaver. In those early stages of motherhood you are tired, have questions and sometimes feel quite alone – this changed everything. The group of moms that I met were not only supportive but we are now all friends and get together once a month for walks and mom’s night out. The teachers were incredible and always happy to answer any questions – and I always arrived with a very long list of questions! I feel so supported by the staff who are well-educated and seem to genuinely care about helping you feel supported as a new parent. As my questions about parenting have simmered down a bit, I am now turning to DayOne Baby for the play classes they offer. A favorite for me and Jackson are the Music Classes which are so much fun! In addition to classes, I often will stop in to weigh Jackson, pick up an essential we are running low on or if I’m out on a walk I will drop by to change a diaper. Beside the support I have consistently received from DayOne Baby, another thing I cherish from the time I’ve spent at DayOne are the friends I have made. I love the opportunity to take walks with other mothers and to learn from their experiences and to share our knowledge as new parents. Since DayOne Baby is such an essential part of our lives and Jackson is turning 6 months today – I’ve partnered with DayOne Baby on giving away a few of the essentials that have made my transition into motherhood even better. All of these items have helped out in the past six months. To enter, leave a comment here on this blog post telling me what you look forward to about becoming a mother or what you love about being a mother. Also, be sure to sign up for the DayOne Baby newsletter to get all of the new classes and workshops they offer. Entries must be posted by this Monday, June 22nd, at 6 pm. PST, and one winner will be chosen at random*. * Giveaway is limited to readers in the U.S. only. Please do not leave your email or web address in the body of the comment, only in the allotted boxes. Giveaway prize is worth approximately $350 USD total value. The winner will be contacted via email once comments close at 6:00 pm PST on Monday, June 22nd. Once the winner has responded I will announce the winner at the bottom of this post. This post is a partnership with DayOne Baby. All opinions are my own. Thanks for supporting sponsored posts that keep Sacramento Street doors open. #lifestyle