My niece, Colleen contacted me for a little design advice while she, her husband and three little girls were living as ex-pats in Hong Kong. They were there on a three-year assignment. Colleen wanted what they bought in China to work when they moved back to the home that they kept in Northern California.
With what we bought, Colleen’s good taste and some assistance from her friend, Andrea Levine from Adler Interior Design, they are settling back in nicely! Colleen invited me over for lunch recently and I snapped some photos of her “California Casual Style With A Global Slant.”
California Global Style
This lacquered Chinese wedding chest fits nicely with the fresh California style.
Great Gadget for the Kitchen–Google Nest Hub
While Colleen was preparing lunch, we listened to music coming from this little Google Nest Hub. She showed me how you could speak to it. “Hey, Google, what’s the weather?”
Or “Google, show me some chocolate chip cookie recipes.” And while not in use like this, it displays random photos from your photo files! So now (for $129 at Target) I know what I want for my birthday! Or actually, I think it’s a business expense since I could use it in my office. “Hey, Google show me blue striped dhurrie rugs…”
Colleen set a beautiful table for the two of us.
I asked her for the Healthy Lentil Soup recipe!
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 onion, chopped
- 3 carrots, diced
- 3 stalks celery, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp cumin
- 2 bay leaves
- 3 chopped tomatoes or 1 can crushed or diced tomatoes (14.5oz)
- 1 lb. dried lentils
- 8 cups chicken broth
- 1 cup chopped spinach
- 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 1 - 2 tsp kosher salt
- pepper
- grated parmesan cheese
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In a large pot, heat oil and saute onions, carrots and celery 5 minutes. Add in garlic and spices.
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Stir in lentils, broth and tomatoes. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 1 hour. Just before serving, add in spinach and stir in vinegar.
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Serve with grated parmesan and fresh baguette.
Also, I recently gave advice in Redfin’s article: “How To Prepare Your Home For An Open House”
Good tips even if your home is not going on the market… or if you are just coming home after three years in Hong Kong. 🙂
Thanks, Colleen and Elizabeth for a fun afternoon! Welcome home!
You may also like California Casual Girlfriends Lunch and Brilliant Home Finds at TARGET… What I’m Buying.
And are you seeing what I’m up to Instagram? Come see where I am now 🙂 Happy Summer!
I just made Colleen’s Lentil Soup tonight and it was beyond delicious. The only thing I changed was to use 2 cups baby spinach instead of 1 cup chopped spinach because I’m trying to cook extra healthy for the hubby and me. Makes a huge pot so there are leftovers! I may try freezing some, too.
Love your blog, Mary Anne. Often it makes me want to immediately book a flight to visit my daughter and SIL who live in SF. Also, so many good ideas for making my home is always fresh and up-to-date.
I want to make it too!!! I will add more spinach. We are having June Gloom now. Come in September. Thanks so much for commenting.
Colleen’s home is darling. You know I love a collected mix. That soup sounds delicious even though I am not a big lentil fan!
We visited in August and our daughter jokingly called it Fogist and introduced us to Karl the Fog! We are all from Seattle and the Pacific NW so anytime visiting SF makes me happy! Happy travels to you and September in SF sounds like a super good idea.
What a beautiful home and I love the things she got in China mixed in with her California style. She obviously has some of her Auntie’s decore talents. So nice that she is close to you for future fun times together.
Her home is lovely and she did a great job incorporating the pieces she bought in China in her No. Cal. home.
The soup looks delicious, thanks for the recipe.
Karen
BY the LOOK of THE SCHOOL I say she is in MARIN?
AM I a good SUPER SLEUTH?OR NOT!!!
How lucky you are to have family so close!
I will be printing the soup recipe as well as summer is NEVER coming I have decided from looking OUTSIDE TODAY!
SHE GETS A PASSING GRADE FOR ALL HER PICKS!!!!!!!!!!
HONG KONG for three years!
What a wonderful experience!
XX
Nope…Piedmont, Contessa. Hey, that soup is gluten-free!
IN MY BACKYARD!
YES, I KNOW!!!!!!!!!!
XX
Welcome home, Colleen! There’s no place like home … or Northern California. I love her style … and her pieces from abroad fit in nicely. Do you know what her floors are? They’re gorgeous and I’m on the hunt. 😉
Beautiful home and great post. Thank you for sharing house and recipe…
Thanks, Holly! Cindy Hattersley’s is next week!!
This looks like a beautiful home! I love collected homes that tell the story of the owners.
So true!!
Looks like a lovely space.
Love Colleen’s style. Now I need to make her soup!