As a result, I have spent most of my time and dollars thinking about and trying to improve basic functionality. The focus is concepts of space planning and layout — and lighting — also very important.  So I decided to take a gander at Julia’s Child’s Kitchen, now memorialized in the Smithsonian Institution, to see how she had things arranged.  I figured, why not? Julia moved into her Cambridge home in 1961, the same year my house was built. Her kitchen was 14 x 20, which is pretty close to the overall space I now have allocated to mine.  Her cabinets are now dated (like mine) and she had none of the most modern and pricey conveniences (also, like mine). Nevertheless, for 45 years she used this kitchen to cook up a storm and a filmed a cooking show there to boot!  Apparently, quite a lot of thought was put into the design of her kitchen, both to accomodate her prolific kitchen artistry and her 6’2″ frame, as well as the TV show she filmed there.

So, low and behold, Julia Child’s Kitchen is proof that a functional space does not always have to look like one in a magazine! happended to stumble along the interactive online version of the kitchen recently and found it to be pretty cool, so I thought I would share the link.

Julia’s Online Interactive Kitchen allows you to browse the various work stations on her kitchen, giving you and idea how she organized her tools and supplies, and how she stored her dry goods. It also has vignettes featuring personal and kitschy items she had in her kitchen, sharing with online users more of her unique personality.

Noteworthy Areas of Julia’s Kitchen:

The Wall of Pans - She has an entire peg board wall of cookware, much of it copper or copper bottomed. She also has peg board racks for lots of cooking tools and gadgets in various areas of the kitchen. I like the idea of the convenience and it showcases her nice items beautifully, but I am not jazzed about the pegboard. IMHO, Pegboard and particle board have NO place in a Hawaii kitchen, with the humidity here. They just don’t last well. She did paint it a lovely French Blue, but I need to use this idea a bit differently in my own kitchen.

Mixed Working Surfaces - I like that Julia has a variety of working surfaces in her kitchen. She has an integrated stainless steel sink/drainboard counter, a separate butcher block, and maple countertops on three different work stations. She had no soapstone, granite or other hard surfaces. I’d like to see concrete counters with an integrated drainboard into my farm sink in my own kitchen and at least one hardwood work space, most likely on my center island.

Work Stations - Julia had all her baking and pastry supplied organized on one side of the kitchen. She kept her oils and vinegars by the stove. She did a good job in organizing her work stations for maximum functionality. 

I am using a similar concept in my own kitchen, creating three (besides the stovetop and sink)  functional areas:

(1) Beverage Center: located between the refigerator and sink. This is where glassware is kept. Near the water/ice maker. The coffee maker and grinder are here, as well.

(2) Wet Prep Area: Between sink and stove. Pull-out garbage underneath, for easy disposal. Cutting block here. Knives above. Perfect for cutting and chopping and getting ingredients straight to the pan, with easy clean-up to sink.

(3) Dry Prep Area: On kitchen island across from sink, stove and refigerator. Integrated cutting surface here. Perfect place to make a sandwich or mix ingredients.

Colorful Painted Cabinets – I love colorful kitchens! Julia’s was blue and green. (Mine is going to be green with accents of bamboo and dark wood.)

Personal Touches - Julia’s Kitchen has many personal touches and even some unique one-of-a-kind items, which I like. Not too sure about hanging paintings on my cabinets doors, but to each his own. Some people like kitchens that are sterile and minimalist, but I like a little personality.

What do you think about Julia’s kitchen? What do YOU like and dislike? What are your best tips for desiging a functional kitchen?

This fall, don’t forget to make a stop by Aloun Farms. Aloun Farms is famous, on Oahu, for its Halloween Pumpkin Patch and tours for school children. But have you thought about visiting year around for fresh produce?

Aloun Farms is located on 18 acres in the Ewa and Kunia areas of Oahu and employs 180 people. It’s mission inlcudes the goal of reducing Hawaii’s dependency on mainland produce, by providing competitively priced local products to the people of Hawaii, using sustainable practices and providing education and outreach to the community.

Products grown include pumpkins, of course, and vegetables such as bok choy, zucchini, radishes, onions, eggplant, string beans, cabbage, broccoli, corn, and cucumber. Fruits, such as cantaloupe, honeydew, watermelon and apple bananas and fresh herbs are also available.

Bring your kids for the Pumpkin Patch and have a great time picking out your Halloween pumpkins! Open Oct. 31, 9am-5pm. Admission is Free, Pumpkins priced on weight. Parking is $3.00. Also, pick-your-own sweet corn – 5 gallon bucket $15, 4 gallon bucket $12.

91-1440 Farrington Hwy
Kapolei, HI 96707
808-677-9516
(Take exit 6A)
http://www.alounfarms.com/

After taking a long windey road toward the Ko’olaus we turned left at the Red Tractor to our destination. Passing a lot of junky looking apparatus and nearing some buildings, we finally parked. This is a place to wear lots of clothes, or bug repellant, if you use that sort of thing. Mosquitos were everywhere!

Olomana Gardens is owned by Glenn Martinez, a friendly and eclectic sort of fellow, who seems to be as fond of his toys (motorcycles, boats, etc.) as he is of his farm and animals. He is a Member of the Hawaii Organic Farmers Association and, according to his website:

“Olomana Gardens is dedicated to serving the local community as an informal, old-style, Hawaiian, tropical garden that is a model for modern, sustainable agriculture. [They] have a diverse population of two horses, a hundred plus birds (chickens, ducks, turkeys, geese), goats, a rabbit, and thousands upon thousands of composting worms which turn organic waste & manures into natural fertilizer. [They] have natural, spring-fed koi and aquaculture ponds which are also home to bull frogs and turtles. [They] grow organic fruit and vegetables and offer for sale natural chicken and duck eggs, selected exotic chicken pets, composting and tiller worms, worm compost, selected organic plants and produce, and organic pallet gardens for delivery (the all-in-one pallet gardens are perfect for budding farmers with limited space or those who want only organic produce). Agriculture workshops and school tours featuring our agricultural activities are a regular feature. ”

So we let the kids run around the gardens like wild maniacs for a while, while conversing with Glenn, and then picked up several dozen eggs at $6 a dozen. Not bad. He told us that they have fresh organic produce and it sells out completely, daily. I plan to head over there early in the morning next time. I am also particularly interested in the POGs or Pallet Organic Gardens. These are a raised bed mini-farm that they will deliver to your home for residential organic food production. Cool, so long as I could remember to keep it watered!

Olomana Gardens. 41-1140 Waikupanaha St., Waimanalo, HI 808-259-5223.