While swanning around the sustainably cool Ka'ana Boutique Resort in the Cayo District of western central Belize last week, I all but stumbled upon my dream kitchen garden. Too bad it's their dream kitchen garden...but at least we can all visit.

In its second year, Ka'ana, the pride of Belizean owner Ian Lizzaraga, is thriving. This cozy-cool resort aims to create a real sense of place, leaving much of its landscape lush and wild and in its rooms, spa and beyond, showcasing Belizean products like mahogany, brown sugar and artisanal chocolate. At its signature restaurant, La Ceiba (named for an enormous Central American tree that was sacred to the Mayans), seasonal menus with creative spins on traditional dishes give the garden's produce an elegant place to shine.
 
Okra, a Caribbean staple, langorously drapes itself over a rough-hewn arbor, then becomes a steamed and buttery side dish with a spicy jerk chicken and cumin yogurt. The emerald green arugula is the sweetest I've ever tried, with nary a hint of bitterness; it graces salads and chewy wood-fired pizzas, but I wouldn't be shy about nibbling it by itself. Fed by iron-rich red soil, crunchy cauliflower grow as big as infants, bright lettuces fluff up next to spicy habañeros, and golden squashes are swelling right now.

We recently received the following question: We had a family vote on what to plant in our backyard garden and raspberries won in a landslide. I have no experience with raspberries and wondered if you could give some advice. We are in Redondo Beach and would plant them by a fence where it's mostly shady. It gets late afternoon sun for about two hours in winter, longer in the summer. Thank you! Jennifer S.

For some answers, we first contacted the University of California Cooperative Extension Master Gardener helpline at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or 323-260-3238. Here is the response from Master Gardener Volunteer Lorraine Zecca: 
“Raspberries are a good choice for Redondo Beach. They will do well if
 planted in full sun. The canes should be kept upright with the support of
a trellis. For more detailed information on growing raspberries, check the 
link below: http://groups.ucanr.org/cagardenweb/Berries/Raspberries.htm
"

We also contacted Judy Frankel, an organic gardener in the South Bay who runs the Rancho Palos Verdes Fruit Exchange, for her advice: “Raspberries do best in full sun, so if you plant them where it's mostly shady, you may not get the best production. They are a prolific plant that send a lot of suckers out from the original roots, and you have to thin the suckers. I like Heritage, as they are my most productive variety (I have four varieties.) They like to be planted in a raised bed if possible. This will control the suckering a bit."

Good luck -- and let us know how it goes!

Art is one of the themes at the Montage Laguna Beach, from the Arts & Crafts design of the resort itself to the California Impressionist paintings gracing the walls to the natural beauty of its bluff-top location overlooking the Pacific Ocean in the arts community of Laguna Beach, California. The culinary arts are also on display in a big way. The resort’s Loft restaurant embraces the principles of sustainability – not to mention an amazing cheese gallery, with a fromagier there to help guests put together the perfect plate (and a sommelier to help pair it with the perfect wine).

And then there’s Studio, the signature restaurant, nestled in its own Craftsman bungalow on the aforementioned bluff. There, Chef Craig Strong presents a menu that changes with the seasons (and his whims – which are not to be underestimated – consider, if you will, his mini caviar taco), all under the theme of “modern French cuisine with California influences.” Guests can order a la carte, enjoy a tasting menu or take in a private dinner at the Chef’s Table with the open-air kitchen in full view. My suggestion while there was to put in a web cam as I know that I, personally, could spend hours just watching the amazing dance they do when preparing the meals. (Click "read more" for rest of story and recipes.)