One of the decisions I made was to not buy a changing table for the nursery. Instead, I found a chest-of-drawers I adored and retrofit it into a changing table. Believe me, if I can do it (the queen of DIY disasters!) anyone can. I’m drawn to champagne-style chest-of-drawers. They remind me of the inside of a steamer trunk and anything related to travel is attractive to me. I found just what I was looking for at Land of Nod. Three ample drawers give me the room for everything I need when changing Jackson. And it was so easy to attach the changing table top. We attached it to the back of the chest so when Jackson is no longer in need of a changing table, we can remove the top and have it simply as a chest-of-drawers. You don’t have to give up good style when you put together a nursery. Sources: Campaign Dresser | White Changing Tray Changing Pad | Grey Dot Changing Pad Cover Small Rattan Baskets | Swaddling Blankets White Monogram Towel | White Rattan Hamper Photos by Delbarr Moradi for Sacramento Street #interiors

One of my favorite days in cooking school was the day we learned how to make fresh pasta. I love the process of getting your hands dirty with flour, water and egg. I also love that you can create such amazing dishes that all start with these simple everyday ingredients. When we first learned how to make orecchiette I was obsessed. Orecchiette is Italian for “little ear” because of the shape of the pasta. I favor orecchiette over other types of pasta because of the chewiness.  Made with semolina and water, orecchiette has this delicious bite to it that makes it feel heartier. Since homemade orecchiette is pretty easy, I was making it all the time. Now that I am not in cooking school and working full time, I have less time to make fresh pasta at home, but my love for orecchiette has not faded. In this delicious one-pot pasta dish, I have paired orecchiette with tomatoes, eggplant, Italian sausage, mozzarella and mint. Totally delicious and satisfying. If you can’t find Japanese eggplant, swap for a regular eggplant. The same goes for the golden balsamic. I prefer golden balsamic over regular balsamic because it not as overpowering, but this is totally your preference, as well as what you have in your house. Enjoy! ~ Amanda One-Pot Orecchiette Pasta Ingredients 1/2 lb mild Italian sausage ¼ cup olive oil 1 Japanese eggplant, cut into ½” thick half rounds 1 ½ cups cherry tomatoes, cut in half 2 cloves garlic ½ c balsamic vinegar (preferably golden balsamic) ½ cup olive oil ½ lb dried orecchiette pasta 4 oz mozzarella Garnish with red pepper flakes, handful of torn mint and Parmesan cheese Directions 1.) In a medium size pot, cook the orecchiette according to the directions on the box. When pasta is cooked through strain, and set aside. 2.) In a the same pan over medium high heat add 2 tablespoons olive oil and cook sausage until brown, breaking it up into small pieces. Remove sausage, place on towel lined plate and set aside. In the same pan, add 2 more tablespoons olive oil and add eggplant and tomatoes and sauté until eggplant is browned and tomatoes have wilted slightly. Remove from pan and set aside. 3.) In the same pan, sauté garlic for 30 seconds then return sausage, eggplant, and the tomatoes to the pot and cook for 30 seconds. Carefully pour vinegar into the bottom of pan and cook over medium high until vinegar has reduced by half. Add orecchiette, mozzarella pepper flakes and top with mint. Toss well. 4.) Taste for salt, drizzle with olive oil and serve immediately. Serves 2 to 4 Recipe & Photos by Amanda Frederickson for Sacramento Street #entertaining #cooking

Everyone is dreaming of spring, blossoming trees, warm sunshine and temperatures above freezing. With Arctic temperatures hitting most of the country, no one wants to go outside. It’s time to get creative with what you can do indoors. I’ve been day dreaming about gathering friends for an outdoor picnic for months but that’s not really possible for awhile so I decided to bring my picnic indoors. Why should I wait until the weather gets warmer? My first order of business was to create a cozy spot where everyone would want to sit, eat, drink and enjoy themselves for hours on end. The key ingredient – comfy pillows and blankets to cover the floor. When creating an indoor picnic you want to be sure everyone will want to kick off their shoes, curl up and enjoy each other’s company. Be sure to have yummy treats and wine of course. I referenced our guide to creating the perfect cheese board that our team put together this past fall. 1.) Natural Sheep Skin Rug | 2.) Grey Two-Tone Geometric Throw 3.) Faux Cowhide Throw Pillow | 4.) Ivory Unscented Pillar Candle 5.) Mini Spreaders Set of 4 Thanks to World Market I was able to create the perfect environment for this day dream to actually come to life. I paired their beautiful throws, pillows and much more together to create the ultimate indoor setting that no one wanted to leave.See more from our selection on the World Market Blog. Photos by Heather Day for Sacramento Street This post is a partnership with World Market. All opinions are my own. Thanks for supporting sponsored posts that keep Sacramento Street doors open. #entertaining #interiors

This past summer and fall I went through a serious nesting phase while pregnant. I made dozens of canned pickles and jam. Well, I just used the last spoon full of my homemade jam and my heart sank a little bit. Since it’s not berry season I went on a quest to find an alternative because my mornings and snacks would not be completely with either a jar of preserves, jam or honey. There is nothing I love more than a warm biscuit and tea in the morning. 1.) Dalmatia Fig Spread, Set of 2 2.) Duerr’s Blackcurrant Preserves, Set of 6 3.) El Brezal Spanish Honey While it’s hard to top homemade these World Market jams and spreads definitely hit the spot. Pop over to their blog to find out which were my favorite, I can tell you one thing my pantry has been elevated to a whole new level. This post is a partnership with World Market. All opinions are my own. Thanks for supporting sponsored posts that keep Sacramento Street doors open. Image by Caitlin Flemming for Sacramento Street #lifestyle #cooking

Today I’m thrilled to finally share Jackson’s nursery with all of you. This project was a labor of love and it all fell into place with ease. I envisioned a peaceful oasis for him to enjoy. Originally, I had planned to keep the guest bed in the room. However, it quickly became apparent that there wasn’t enough room. I swapped that idea for a low woven bench with a cushion and pillows that is kid friendly that we could use as a reading nook. This allowed for more space to bring in the glider, crib, and changing table. A nursery has all of the must-haves for a babies room – crib, changing table, chest of drawers. But when designing the nursery I thought about how it could evolve with time. That’s why I purposefully chose items that can change over time as he grows up. For example, the changing tray on the campaign dresser can be removed and it becomes a stunning chest of drawers. The baskets filled with receiving blankets can also function for storing toys. If you think ahead, you can buy items that serve several functions. To see more of the nursery and my favorite baby essentials, pop over to Rue Magazine. Nursery Sources: Hudson Crib from Serena & Lily | Mimi Floor Lamp | Kaleidoscope Crib Sheets | White Bumper | Watercolor Painting by Emily Proud | Monte Design Glider in White | Metal Side Table | Mosaic Mirror | Round Belly Baskets & Rope Bin Basket | Elephant Print | Vintage Rug | Woven Bench | White Fur Pillows | Large Ikat Pillows (custom) | Small Blue & White Dash Pillow | Drapes Photos by Bess Friday | Designed by Caitlin Flemming #interiors

The latest trend to hit the food scene is toast. Fancy toast made with delicious bread and topped with all sorts of yummy toppings. It is a simple meal but the sum of its parts makes it delicious. There is something to be said about freshly baked bread smeared with your favorite topping. For those of us in San Francisco, we have The Mill to hit up when we are in the market for some fancy toast, but if want to try it at home, here are some combinations for delicious, easy toast that works for breakfast, lunch and maybe even dinner. I don’t know about you, but when I was growing up, my afternoon snack was homemade cinnamon toast. A snack made up of margarine mixed with granulated sugar and cinnamon and smeared on a piece of white bread. I would toast my bread for a couple minutes and out came the most perfect after school snack. I can still remember that smell and that taste. This is the grown up version of that toast. I have taken some freshly baked bread from a local bakery, toasted thick slices, smeared it with ricotta cheese and topped it with all different toppings. The combinations showed here are banana, pecan and maple syrup, strawberries with fresh mint, blueberries with toasted pumpkins seeds, and pistachios, cinnamon and honey. The beauty about toast is that you can top it with anything you want. It is the simplest of meals but sometimes simple is the best. ~ Amanda Ingredients 1 piece toasted high quality bread 3 Tbs. ricotta cheese Assorted toppings – honey, pistachios, cinnamon, bananas, blueberries, strawberries, pecans and pumpkin seeds Directions 1.) On a piece of lightly toasted bread. 2.) Spread ricotta cheese. 3.) Top with choice of toppings. Recipe & Photos by Amanda Frederickson for Sacramento Street #entertaining #cooking

While the flower market is bustling with florists getting ready for Valentines Day, Natalie and I wanted to bring you a dose of inspiration on what’s in season this time of year. It completely depends on the year and whether it has been warm, cold, wet or dry. This year branches are usually in full bloom, which is my favorite thing to have in the house. It’s a sign that Spring is right around the corner. Over the past few years I’ve wondered which branches come into season first and how to care for them. There are dozens of varieties out there to choose from so I turned to Natalie to get a little more insight into what you can expect to see in the markets when it comes to branches. The Flowers: – white liberstar tulip – almond branches – jasmine I see so many blooming branches this time of year, what type are these? These are almond branches. I love watching the Spring season progress by watching each variety bloom. It always starts with magnolia blossoms and then moves on to almond, quince, peach, plum, cherry and dogwood. I grew up in Northern California where almonds are grown and the look and smell of these particular branches bring back such good memories for me. What makes flowering trees so special? I love that they represent the beginning of Spring. After a long dark winter, they can be one of the first flowers of spring and represent new beginnings. Do branches need any special care? Another reason I love blooming branches is that they are so easy, yet so beautiful. Just a couple stems make a huge impact on a room. Simple beauty at its absolute best. The only thing I’d say, is that the mess cleaning them up after the petals fall and they “snow” is not so fun! We hope you enjoyed this month’s inspiration. Check back next month for our next post! Flowers by Natalie Bowen Designs | Photos by Heather Day for Sacramento Street #lifestyle

This weekend we were graced with rain, which we desperately need here in California. While I wanted to complain about the rain, there was something so peaceful about getting all cozy indoors, cooking delicious food, catching up on our favorite shows and playing with Jackson. It was some much needed family time that has me starting the week with a full heart. There is a lot in store for all of you this week – including a new Blooms in Season post from Natalie that has me incredibly excited for spring. I hope all of you have a splendid week ahead! Photo by Caitlin Flemming of a current client project in progress #lifestyle

I was recently reading the latest edition of Bon Appétit, (otherwise known as a food lovers go-to resource). I flip through their magazine each month looking for recipe inspiration as well as different ways to photograph food and style food. I stumbled upon their idea of back pocket pasta, the idea that pasta can be paired with so much more than your typical tomato sauce. You can pair it with just about any cheese, vegetable and/or meat. Most importantly, it is a great way to eat through what it is in your fridge. This lemon and kale spaghetti is the perfect example of back pocket pasta and I bet you have most of the ingredients in your refrigerator right now. I think there is a misconception that pasta has to always be topped with a tomato sauce. Sure I love a good spicy marinara sauce, but pasta can be a vehicle for so much more goodness. In this pasta dish I paired spaghetti pasta with wilted kale, breadcrumbs and Parmesan cheese and tossed it in a sauce made of butter, olive oil lemon zest and lemon juice. Easy every day ingredients that become delicious when paired together. Feel free to add your choice of meat to this dish. I served it as Sunday night dinner recently and topped it with Dungeness crab (because it is crab season here in the Bay Area). It was fantastic but I bet shrimp or pulled chicken would be just as tasty. Enjoy! ~ Amanda Lemon and Kale Spaghetti Ingredients 1 lb spaghetti pasta (gluten free pasta works as well) 5 tbs. olive oil, separated 1 bunch kale, ribs removed and coarsely chopped 2 clove garlic, minced ½ cup lemon juice 2 tsp. lemon zest 4 tbs. butter ½ cup Parmesan cheese, grated ¼ cup breadcrumbs (gluten free breadcrumbs work as well) red pepper flakes salt Directions 1.) Cook spaghetti according to package instruction. Reserve 1 cup pasta water before straining. Set cooked pasta and reserved water aside. 2.) In a large sauté pan, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium high heat. Add the kale and a pinch of salt and cook until wilted. Remove from pan and set aside. 3.) In the same pan over medium heat, add 2 tablespoons olive oil and minced garlic. Cook for about 20 seconds, or until garlic is cooked. 4.) Add lemon juice and lemon zest cook for about 30 seconds. 5.) Add in butter and cook until butter is melted. 6.) Add cooked pasta and toss well, adding reserved pasta water as needed to create a sauce. 7.) Add cheese, breadcrumbs, wilted kale, remaining olive oil, pinch of red pepper flakes and a large pinch of salt. Serve as is or with choice of meat. 8.) Taste for salt and serve immediately. Serve 4 Recipe & Photos by Amanda Frederickson for Sacramento Street #entertaining #cooking

As I ease back into work, I’ve been searching for ways to get inspired. While we have places right at our finger tips online – like Pinterest – that we can go to every single day, there are also amazing other sources off line as well. Recently I’ve been slowly going through all of my magazines and books. It’s incredible how opening them back up can bring a whole new level of inspiration for my own home and projects. One source of inspiration that I wanted to share with all of you was from Malene Birger. Her two books (Life and Work & Move and Work) are constantly bringing me loads of inspiration. The way she pulls together patterns, neutrals, and old and new is something I’m in awe over. I find myself reaching for them on a weekly basis. If you haven’t seen them, they are a must read. So, I’d love to know – where are you finding your inspiration lately? Is it a book? A certain magazine? Somewhere online? Please share because I’m constantly looking for new ways to get ideas. Photo by Caitlin Flemming of Malene Birger’s Book #interiors