A TRANSITIONAL-RETRO KITCHEN IN SAN CLEMENTE, CALIFORNIA

Have you ever stepped into a kitchen that just makes you want to immediately tie-on an apron & start cooking? I recently had the opportunity of photographing such a kitchen in my favorite Southern California beach town of San Clemente. Created by Designer Robert Puertas & constructed by Jeff Austin's team at Austin Construction Inc. SoCal, this gorgeous Transitional-Retro kitchen pops with vibrant reds & yellows against a backdrop of sleek black, white & grey. The space is teeming with whimsical Americana details that make it a photographer's (and cook's!) dream. I could have spent all day in this kitchen - everywhere you look, there's something fun & new to discover. High-tech. Bright. Open. Warm. Welcoming. Below, take a tour-through-photos of the revamped space - and prepare to be inspired! (You won't believe your eyes when you get to the bottom and see the 'BEFORE' pictures!)

Looking to redesign your kitchen or other area in your home? Contact Desginer Robert Puertas by Facebook Message: http://www.facebook.com/robert.puertas  

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AMERICA THE BEAUTIFUL | THE ALL-NEW ANNE WATSON PHOTO GALLERY INSTALLATION AT THE OC MART MIX

While Food Photography is my passion, there are a number of other subjects that catch my eye through the lens of my camera. One of my favorites is Americana. Anything to do with this great country of ours & what makes it unique, I love. Its landscapes, its people, its monuments, its flag - everything. So, when July rolled around this year & Americans everywhere started donning their red, white & blue in celebration of Independence Day, I felt the urge to switch things up a bit on my Anne Watson Photography gallery wall at The OC Mart MIX in Costa Mesa's SoCo Collection to reflect my love for America the Beautiful.

The all-new 'Americana' Anne Watson Photography installation at The OC Mart MIX in Costa Mesa's SoCo Collection

All of the photos in this new Black & White installation were taken during my motorcycle travels with my husband, author Tim Watson. After we were married in 2010, Tim & I spent the first two months of our marriage on the back roads of the Western U.S., covering 8,000+ miles of two-lane highways, soaking up America's vast expanses of adventurous terrain from the seats of our Harley-Davidsons. Tim wrote his book, "There and Back Again To See How Far It Is," based on this journey of ours. And, I took the photos.

All of the photos in this new Black & White installation were taken during my motorcycle travels with my husband, author Tim Watson, during which we covered 8,000+ miles of two-lane highways in the Western U.S.

We rode through the dry deserts of Southern California, Arizona, New Mexico & Nevada - wound through the mountains of Utah, Wyoming & Idaho - then cruised down the coast of Oregon & Northern/Central California. All along the way we saw new & amazing things - met all sorts of interesting people - and grew an appreciation for the incredible array of Americana that is out there just waiting to be discovered.

So, my new installation is a tribute to the discoveries we made along our journey. It's a small sampling of some of the interesting places we passed through, sights we saw and people we encountered. If you want to read about them in detail, then be sure to pick up Tim's book, available through all major booksellers including Barnes & Noble and Amazon.com. And then feel free to drop by the Anne Watson Photography gallery wall in The OC Mart MIX next time you're in Costa Mesa to check out the latest photos on display. Meantime, below is a recap of what you'll find - all available for purchase - simply email Anne Watson Photo for a pricing sheet & to place your order! info@annewatsonphoto.com

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left: 'The Tree', Reserve, New Mexico | right: 'Old Glory', Yuma, Arizona

'Intimidation', SR-71 Blackbird, Pima Air Museum, Tuscon, Arizona

'C'mon In', Driggs, Idaho

'Sacagawea's Resting Place', Wind River Reservation, Wyoming

'Target Practice', Tombstone, Arizona

'Big Nose Kate's Saloon', Tombstone, Arizona

'Golden Gate Bride in Fog', San Francisco, California

left: 'The Cowboy', Tombstone, Arizona | right: 'The Railroad', Gila Bend, Arizona

'The Grand Tetons', Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming

INTRODUCING THE ANAIS+RAYA CULINARY COLLECTIVE AT PICNICS KITCHEN | SUNDAY FARMERS' MARKET FEASTS

What could be a better way to kick-off your week than gathering with friends & family on a Sunday evening for a home-cooked meal? And not just any meal, but a farm-fresh dinner prepared in an open kitchen using produce from the SoCo and Newport Beach Farmers' Markets, featuring 3-4 dishes that blend vegan, gluten-free, free-range, grass-fed, organic and raw foods together. It's a celebration of pure, unadulterated, local foods eaten in a warm, inviting, communal setting. It's the new Sunday Farmers' Market Feast by Anais + Raya at Picnics Kitchen in Costa Mesa. (Located at 435 East 17th Street #7, Costa Mesa, CA 92627)

Vibrant fresh produce from local Southern California farms such as Bautista Creek Farms in Hemet, CA.

Chef Raya Belna & Anais Tangie have teamed-up to launch the all-new Anais+Raya 'Culinary Collective' concept this month at Picnics Kitchen. Together, their vision is to create a space where they cook farm-to-table, teach alternative living with whole foods, and host their Sunday Night Farmers' Market Feasts as well as pop-up restaurants & other events that will highlight local chefs, farms and businesses.

Anais Tangie (left) & Raya Belna (right): Co-Founders of the Anais+Raya Culinary Collective at Picnics Kitchen in Costa Mesa, CA

Anne Watson Photography is a proud supporter of Anais+Raya at Picnics Kitchen, and patrons will find an all-new Anne Watson Photography gallery wall located in the Culinary Collective's main storefront featuring Food Photography that showcases the simple, elegant beauty of local farm-fresh produce. All prints are available for purchase and Anne Watson Photography will be available for hire at a specially-reduced rate to all clients who host events at Picnics Kitchen.

The Anne Watson Photography gallery at Picnics Kitchen showcases the simple, elegant beauty of farm-fresh produce

Last Sunday, July 1st marked the launch of the Picnics Kitchen Culinary Collective with a special Friends & Family Farmers' Market Feast. The kitchen buzzed with excitement as Raya & Anais cooked up a storm! The food was beautiful, the company was fantastic and it was sure to be the first of many wonderful, farm-fresh feasts to come!

In fact, Farmers' Market Feasts will be hosted every Sunday from 5-7pm with a changing, seasonal menu based on what is available at the market that day. Purchase tickets at http://anaisandraya.com/feast to reserve your space. Tickets must be purchased in advance. A maximum of 20 Family Style ($30/each), and five Chef Table ($40/each) will be accommodated every Sunday.

To whet your appetite, below is a recap-through-food-photos of last week's feast. Bon appetit!

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