In a world where technology reigns, there’s something wonderfully natural about Kifumi Keppler’s work.
As owner and creative force behind Exotic Plants Ltd., Keppler has spent more than five decades creating a philosophy of making living spaces lush, mindful environments.
Her latest venture into moss‐art blurs the line between horticulture and art.
Opening a new restaurant called Stepdad’s on Father’s Day is cheeky. It’s also fun. And fun is what Stepdad’s owner Tyler Williams is all about.
“Getting the doors open on any new project is a lot of work, takes a lot of people and requires a lot of compromises,” he tells me. “But once you get the doors open, it’s time to have fun. And that’s my favorite part.”
Williams, his wife Melissa Williams and chef Oliver Ridgeway are the ownership team at Stepdad’s in Land Park.
You may know Oliver Ridgeway from his Michelin-recognized restaurant, Camden Spit & Larder. His reputation is sterling, and his ability to highlight local farm-to-fork bounty while staying true to his English roots says everything about his ability as a chef.
The garden at Eskaton Village Carmichael is more than a beautiful place for residents to grow plants. It’s a place to get outside and connect with nature and each other.
Helen Root has headed up the gardening committee for five of the seven years she’s lived at Eskaton. Under her leadership, the garden expanded in size and mission.
“One of the first things I did when I was elected in 2021 was update our mission statement,” Root says. “The one I inherited was so straightforward: We rent boxes and fees are used to buy supplies. We do so much more than that! The revision became: We develop camaraderie with one another, encourage other residents to come through and enjoy nature and make it a real experience.”
Look close at any neighborhood and you’ll see it. A neighbor delivers a meal to a friend recovering from surgery. A teenager rakes leaves for an elderly couple. Volunteers stack crates at the food bank or help with park cleanups.
We know these acts strengthen our community fabric. What’s new—and encouraging—is evidence that they strengthen our minds too.
A recent study by the University of Texas and University of Massachusetts in the journal Social Science & Medicine finds frequent helping—whether through volunteering or support to neighbors, friends or family—slows cognitive decline by as much as 20%.
In place of an Irish pub, a sophisticated Mediterranean restaurant has emerged. Field-N-Flame Midtown, open since March, took over de Vere’s Irish Pub with an extensive remodel. What had been a convivial, rustic spot is now an elegant, cosmopolitan dining room.
The 1500 block of L Street has seen significant turnover since the pandemic. The block was once known for pubby good times, drinking at de Vere’s or the Public House, noshing pub grub and catching whatever game was on TV. Now the stretch is home to impressive dining.
David English’s delightful Juju, a cocktail bar and small bite room, holds down the block’s west end. An upscale taqueria is moving into the old Public House at 16th Street. Field-N-Flame shores up the middle.
It doesn’t happen often in politics, but sometimes we get the right outcome despite long odds and low expectations. Senate Bill 79, which encourages high-density housing near major transit hubs in Sacramento and other California cities, is a prime example.
In an interview with Inside, state Sen. Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco), sponsor of several impactful housing bills in recent years, admits he was lukewarm about SB 79 earlier this year.
“We have done a lot of different housing work over the years, and it’s been fantastic,” Wiener says. “But the idea of rezoning around transit is a very tough one politically because so many cities have zoned for single-family homes around the highest quality transit. And that’s just not sustainable for housing or for these (transit) systems.”
