Open house: Letters from our readers

Sunset, Jan, 2002

Cooking with Sunset in Connecticut

Your November issue, with the special entertaining section, is outstanding. The recipes fit my cooking mantra: It's got to be simple but elegant.

Incidentally, I am a New Englander. When I go west, it means I cross the Connecticut River. I go really west once a year when we visit our daughter and her husband who live outside Denver. I originally subscribed to Sunset because it made me feel connected to my daughter. Now I continue to subscribe because it is not just a magazine for Western living, it speaks to everyone, even New Englanders.

Susan Plese

MANCHESTER, CT

Delicious discovery in Big Sur

We recently visited the Big Sur area and used your article ("Big on Sur," September, page 104) to help us plan our time there. It was a wonderful trip, with good walks and beautiful days at the beach. We did want to let other readers know about a wonderful place to eat that was not included in your article. The Big Sur Bakery & Restaurant (831/667-0520), on Highway 1 near the post office in Big Sur, has delicious food. They offer bakery goods and great breads, a light lunch menu with pizzas, and an outstanding dinner. I ordered the autumn vegetable plate, which was an array of yummy roasted vegetables, while my husband had the pork loin with basil-garlic mashed potatoes. The bread basket included rye, sourdough, and a light pumpkin bread. Don't miss this little gem if you visit Big Sur.

Jamey Ransford

SEBASTOPOL, CA

Bogie and Bacall in Seattle?

Re: "Seattle 2001," October, page 96. Great job, but you forgot one of the hidden-jewel hotels--the Sorrento Hotel (206/622-6400). This hotel is graced with mahogany everywhere you turn. The rooms are warm and comfortable. The piano bar is reminiscent of the 1940s--you almost expect Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall to appear. Oh, and the staff is very helpful.

Jenifer Wilde

YAKIMA, WA

Harvest treats in the Hood River Valley

Re: "Hood River Harvest," October, page 20, Northwest edition. I just had to tell you what a wonderful little place the River Bend Farm & Country Store is. When you walk in, you smell the aroma of spiced cider, so of course we had to purchase a cup while browsing through crafts and jellies. There were picnic tables on the grounds, a tire swing for our kids, and we could feed the goats. What a great way to spend a Saturday afternoon.

Michelle Wright

FOREST GROVE, OR

Editor's note: This article was published in our Northwest edition, but readers who get Sunset's other editions (Northern California, Southern California, Mountain, Southwest) can access it, plus many other regional travel stories, on our website, www.sunset.com.

Safety tip for pruning time

Five years ago, I was trimming a tree in my front yard and a teenage girl stomped into the yard and told me--urgently--that I should not do that without safety glasses. She left with no further comment, and I've never been able to thank her for all the near misses I've avoided. Since then, I've purchased safety glasses for myself and many friends. I have also become adamant about making sure that all the people who work in my yard are properly protected. A good quality pair of safety glasses is only about $10.

I've never again seen the young woman who gave me that wake-up call, but I wish she could know that I have heeded her warning and tried to share her advice with as many people as I can.

Kay Walsh

FRESNO, CA