From the tiny house movement to DIY counter tops, the stories our editors are reading and sharing this week.
6 Stories We’re Loving This Week

L.A. Style Lands in Marin County –> Remodelista

I’ve eaten at Farmshop in L.A. and the food is divine. So I was more than thrilled to discover that a Bay Area location is opening in Larkspur at the newly revamped Marin Country Mart. Remodelista has an early peek at the interiors, and I must say they’re as gorgeous as the menu is delicious. A feast for the senses indeed. — Jessica Mordo, senior web editor

Could You Live in a 100-Sq-Foot Home? –> The Bold Italic 

After spending the better part of the last month compiling Sunset’s first-ever guide to our favorite cabin getaways across the West (stay tuned for our November issue!), this recent piece in The Bold Italic on cabins and all things small-space living seemed perfectly timed for me. It’s chock full of links both interesting (Cabin Porn!) and useful (Tiny House Listings!). I’ve spent this morning shopping for an igloo… — Andrea Minarcek, senior travel editor

The Referendum –> NYT

I stumbled upon this piece by mere happenstance. A meditation on the choices that we all make in life–to couple or to stay single, to have children or to remain childless, to pursue a career or to stay at home–this essay is at once provocative and poetic, hilarious and heart-rending. I highly recommend it for a weekly moment of Zen. — Megan McCrea, editorial assistant

Alcatraz Reunion –> Huffington Post 

The first tourist thing I did when I moved to California was check out Alcatraz (definitely do the full audio tour). Famous prisoners are always interesting, but I left The Rock curious about the families who lived on the island and formed the small neighborhood around the cell house. This interview of one of those civilians answered a few of my questions

What It Costs To Run Saison –> Bon Appetit

I’m the type of person who’d rather drop a Benjamin on a tasting menu than buy a new pair of shoes, but even I wince at the $500-ish price tag attached to a dinner at San Francisco’s Saison. So this breakdown of Saison’s expenses, from the $24,000 chef Joshua Skenes shells out for rent each month to the price of renting a half-acre farm, was illuminating. I’m still not convinced it’s the right luxury for me, but am completely open to the kindness of strangers (hint, hint). — Aislyn Greene, assistant editor

3 DIY Countertops for Kitchens and Beyond –> Pop Sugar Home

My friend is researching replacements for her kitchen counters and I’m astounded at the cost. True, she’s looking for marble, but…it doesn’t have to cost an arm and a leg. Take the DIY floating wooden counter featured here – rustic, stylish, doable in a day, and easy on the wallet. — Jessica Mordo, senior web editor

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