Final Story for Hot Property Estates

If you’re a fan of San Diego’s Karina eateries, you may have some curiosity about the Columbia District condo of one of its partners, David Contreras Curiel. Even if you’ve never been to a Karina’s it’s worth a look because Curiel has an an unusual artistic eye and developed the eye-popping design himself.

The story is the last I’ll have in Hot Property Estates because it was just shut down by The San Diego Union-Tribune. It was a fun ride. I met fascinating and talented interior designers and architects, as well as their lovely, welcoming clients. My editors over the years have been superb. Will I continue to write about interior design? Of course. For now with the UT’s Home & Garden section, but hopefully for new outlets as well.

A Season Finale for Tomatoes

Over the summer I’ve jammed tomatoes, dehydrated tomatoes, made a slow-baked (four hours) tomato sauce with roasted eggplant and garlic, and created an astoundingly simple yet delicious tomato sandwich with salted heirloom tomato slices enveloped between two slices of cracked-wheat sourdough bread slathered in mayo. Oh, and there was also that small pizza in my air fryer, featuring sliced tomatoes, basil from my garden, a splash of extra-virgin olive oil, and plenty of mozzarella and red pepper flakes.

As we head into fall it’s time for one last explosion of tomatomania before we pull our plants and have to live with the less-flavorful imported fruit on display at the market. I called on my longtime friend chef Christina Ng to help me with a bit of a seasonal tomato blowout we can all savor.

Ng came up with two great ways to enjoy the end of the season. The first is temporal — a gorgeous savory tomato galette meant to be enjoyed now with her salsa verde. The second takes us through the cooler months with a recipe that allows us to savor today’s fruit months from now — a fragrant, rich, tomato and peach chutney. Learn how to make both in my new story for The San Diego Union-Tribune.

What are the Essentials for Your Kid's First Kitchen?

Remember your first kitchen as a newly minted adult? If you have kids entering that phase and want to help them get set up — especially at a time when housing is so expensive — you’re probably trying to figure out, based on their interest in cooking or special nutritional needs, what is essential for them, what the quality of the item should be, and — especially for those young adults who are fledging in school far from home — how much to should spend or how sentimental you should be about tools that may be left behind in that first apartment should they decide to return home or relocate somewhere else. My latest story for The San Diego Union-Tribune’s Home & Garden section can help you prioritize needs and dollars—plus give you some tips on where to get these kitchen essentials.

Does Your Home's Old Flame Need a Redo?

Fireplaces can create a cozy atmosphere, but if yours is old and woodburning—think heavy red brick or bulky, rustic rock—it may be time to turn it into a more environmentally friendly, not mention stylish showpiece. I spoke to interior designers and a fireplace expert for tips on how to consider the options—from gas to electric and sleek tile to natural stone. It’s all in my new story for The San Diego Union-Tribune’s Home & Garden section.

Moroccan- and Asian-Inspired Appetizers for Summer Outdoor Entertaining

Now that the June gloom that actually started in April finally — finally! — left last month and summer is truly under way, outdoor entertaining is also in play.

If you’re keen to impress guests with appetizers that both serve as a delightful introduction to your party and can be prepped in advance so you can spend time with your guests, we have a couple that come straight from the reconceived kitchen of The Marine Room, in La Jolla. I spent time with executive chef Mike Minor to write about them in my new story for The San Diego Union-Tribune’s Food section.

Ozempic and the Risk of Diabetic Gastroparesis

In late July 2023, CNN published a shocker of a story, alleging that semaglutide (Ozempic, Wegovy) was causing severe cases of gastroparesis, or delayed stomach emptying, leaving some patients with stomach paralysis that just won’t go away. While Ozempic has become the world’s buzziest drug because it is so effective for weight loss, the story seemed especially concerning for people with diabetes, because gastroparesis is a common complication of the condition.

The story raises red flags. Do Ozempic (and related drugs) cause gastroparesis? If you already have gastroparesis, could Ozempic make it even worse?

I started writing for the website Diabetes Daily in July and this piece I just wrote was fascinating to research. Ozempic is just one of several drugs in the GLP-1 receptor agonist category that treat type 2 diabetes. What should people who have the disease know?