Tivol

A C C E N T / T H E M A G A Z I N E O F L I F E ’ S C E L E B R AT I O N S

#myTIVOLstory

SUMMER 2016

OYSTER PERPETUAL DAY-DATE II

rolex

oyster perpetual and day-date are

速

trademarks.

You never actually own a Patek Philippe.

You merely take care of it for the next generation.

Patek Philippe Diamond Ribbon Ref. 4968R

CHIC

is the word

From free-spirited mystique to ultra-refined glamour, Carelle’s chic essentials for fall artfully appoint the season’s hottest style trends

LUXE BOHEMIAN Cascading leaves of gold elevate the season’s irresistibly romantic looks from organic to otherworldly

CARELLE LOTUS NECKLACE in 18k yellow gold with pavé diamonds

CARELLE LOTUS EARRINGS in 18k yellow gold with pavé diamonds

STRUCTURALLY SOPHISTICATED The return of well-tailored style calls for sculptural statement pieces that carry you from day to night— and anywhere in between

CARELLE WHIRL RING in 18k yellow gold & green tourmaline with pavé diamonds

CARELLE WHIRL SPIRAL RING in 18k yellow gold & diamond

CARELLE WHIRL BRACELET in 18k yellow gold & diamond

THE WHIRL COLLECTION

Madame de Pompadour

w w w . j e w e l m e r . c o m

Live ever y day golden

Tr o p i c s

In this issue of TIVOL Magazine, we celebrate the stories of our clients.

They include tales of engagements, weddings, family heirlooms and even a Goldendoodle or two.

Best of all, we learn the role TIVOL has played in their lives— a testament to our fervent belief that when you enter our doors, you become part of our family.

Precision Set rings in platinum and 18K yellow, white and rose gold.

Starting at $1,210 (mounting only)

on the cover:

Rahaminov 18K white gold and three-stone emerald-cut diamond ring with pavĂŠ diamonds. $71,335

8

TABLE OF CONTENTS 11

IN THE LOUPE:

14

FROM THE RUNWAYS

38

DESIGNER STORY: KWIAT

40

VINTAGE CHIC: TIVOL CLASSICS

44

2016 BRIDAL DRESS TRENDS

Chairman Emeritus

48

FOREVERMARK DIAMONDS

CEO

TIVOL PARTY PICS 800.829.1515

tivol.com

Country Club Plaza 220 Nichols Road Kansas City, MO 64112

Hawthorne Plaza 4721 W. 119th Street Overland Park, KS 66209

President Vice President Director of Merchandising

Harold Tivol Cathy Tivol Brian Butler Hunter Tivol McGrath Ryann Rinker

Director of Marketing, Editor & Designer

Adam Gebhardt

Marketing Coordinator, Contributing Writer

Kate Passantino

Photographers

Buddy Hanson Julie Iseman

Published by the BJI Fashion Group Publisher

Stu Nifoussi

President and CEO

Britton Jones

Chairman and COO

Mac Brighton

National Content Tracy Routh Photography

#myTIVOLstory p. 21

50

COLLECTIONS: DAVID YURMAN CHÂTELAINE

52

THE LAYERED EFFECT: HOW TO LAYER

54

NEW COLLECTION: LAGOS WHITE CAVIAR

56

EVENTS: ROLEX CENTRAL PARK HORSE SHOW

62

SUMMER: ON THE ROCKS

70

BIG EASY EATING: NEW ORLEANS

Editor-in-Chief

Karen Alberg Grossman

Design Director

Hans Gschliesser

Managing Editor

Jillian LaRochelle

Project Manager

Lisa Montemorra

Designer Production Manager

Jean-Nicole Venditti Peg Eadie

Prices are subject to change without notice and may vary depending on size, quality and availability. Copyright 2016.

Accent is published by Business Journals, Inc, PO Box 5550, Norwalk, CT 06856, 203-853-6015. Fax 203-852-8175; Advertising Office: 1384 Broadway, 11th Floor, NY, NY 10018, 212686-4412. Fax: 212-686-6821; All Rights Reserved. The publishers accept no responsibilities for advertisers’ claims, unsolicited manuscripts, transparencies or other materials. No part of this magazine may be reproduced without written permission of the publishers. Volume 14, Issue 1. Accent is a trademark of Business Journals, Inc. registered in the U.S. Patent and Trademark office.

Printed in The U.S.A.

Kwiat Madison Avenue Collection 18K yellow, white and rose gold diamond bracelets. Each $8,350

in the loupe

11.11.15 Marco Bicego Personal Appearance Italian jewelry designer Marco Bicego visited TIVOL to showcase pieces from his gorgeous Lunaria, Cairo, Delicati, Jaipur and Murano Collections. Raffle tickets were sold at the door for a $5,000 TIVOL gift bond for Marco Bicego jewelry and raised $2,000 for Harvester’s Community Food Bank.

Sonya Jury, Marco Bicego, Darcy Stewart

Lauren Reece and Damian Lair Cathy Seligson and Marco Bicego

Kay Martin, Mary Lemke, Marco Bicego

Aiya and Michael Jonagan

11

in the loupe

12.02.15 Forevermark Exceptional Master Class Guests gathered at The Brass on Baltimore in downtown Kansas City, Missouri to learn more about Forevermark diamonds, which are rare, beautiful and responsibly sourced.

Clients were taught by Charles Stanley (president of Forevermark USA) how to sort through rough material in order to select quality stones. The class was a demonstration of the rigorous standards Forevermark requires of its diamonds.

Jeff and Karen Oddo, TIVOL Hawthorne Plaza Store Manager David Behnke

Trudy Jacobson models Forevermark diamonds.

Jim and Melissa Carnes sort through rough diamonds with input from Forevermark’s Kevin Lane.

Erik Blond, TIVOL Associate Carly McFadden, Yelena Blond

Gary and Ann Fish

12

TAG HEUER CARRERA CALIBRE HEUER 01 Chris Hemsworth works hard and chooses his roles carefully. He handles pressure by taming it, and turning it to his advantage. #DontCrackUnderPressure was coined with him in mind.

from the

RUNWAYS

EMBELLISHED EXTRAS 1.

2.

4.

3.

1. KWIAT Madison Avenue Collection 18K white gold, black ceramic and diamond necklace. $12,600 2. KWIAT Madison Avenue Collection 18K white gold, black ceramic and diamond pendant. $8,000 3. DAVID YURMAN Tempo Collection sterling silver and black spinel bracelet. $2,400 4. DAVID YURMAN Tempo Collection sterling silver and black spinel necklace. $4,800 FROM TOP: CALVIN KLEIN, GUCCI, MARC JACOBS. IMAGES COURTESY OF ACCESSORIES MAGAZINE.

14

from the

RUNWAYS

RUFFLE SEASON

1.

2.

3.

1. ARMENTA Old World Collection sterling silver and 18K gold necklace. $2,680 2. ARMENTA Sueno Collection 18K gold and diamond earrings. $5,490 3. ARMENTA Old World Collection sterling silver, 18K gold and diamond earrings. $2,200 FROM TOP: GUCCI, JASON WU, SALVATORE FERRAGAMO. IMAGES COURTESY OF ACCESSORIES MAGAZINE.

15

from the

RUNWAYS

FINE LINES 2.

1.

3.

4.

5.

1. STEPHEN WEBSTER Stardust Collection 18K gold and mother-of-pearl ring. $5,500 2.STEPHEN WEBSTER Magnipheasant Collection 18K gold and diamond drop feather earrings. $13,950 3. PHILLIPS HOUSE Apogee Collection 14K gold and black diamond stud earrings. $750 4. PHILLIPS HOUSE Affair Collection 4mm Love Always bracelets in 14K yellow, rose or white (not shown) gold with diamonds. Each $2,300 5. PHILLIPS HOUSE Affair Collection 10mm Love Always bracelets in 14K yellow, rose or white (not shown) gold with diamonds. Each $4,500 FROM TOP: MISSONI, SALVATORE FERRAGAMO, TOD’S. IMAGES COURTESY OF ACCESSORIES MAGAZINE.

16

速ROBERTOCOIN

POIS MOI COLLECTION

Uniquely Handmade in the USA

from the

RUNWAYS

HEAVY PETAL

1.

2.

4.

3.

1.

2.

3.

4.

LAUREN HARPER 18K gold, blue African agate and white and blue sapphire pendant necklace. $8,140 PENNY PREVILLE 18K gold and diamond clover earrings. $2,755 LAUREN HARPER 18K gold, African opal and diamond earrings. $3,145 RAHAMINOV 18K gold and pavé diamond ball earrings. $5,830

FROM TOP: OSCAR DE LA RENTA, JASON WU, OSCAR DE LA RENTA. IMAGES COURTESY OF ACCESSORIES MAGAZINE.

19

cover story

Customers share their most treasured moments with us—and the role TIVOL played in their stories.

#myTIVOLstory

21

Aaron & Carrie

#myTIVOLstory Aaron and Carrie were raised in the Kansas City area, both growing up in Overland Park. The couple first met in high school, but they didn’t start dating until college, when Aaron took Carrie on their first trip together to Florida.

Aaron found the perfect ring to propose to Carrie with: something that fit her style to a “t.”

Later, Aaron went on to attend the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, where he played football, while Carrie went to college at the University of Kansas in Lawrence.

Aaron knew Carrie was the one because they made it through six years of long-distance dating stronger than ever.

“The times we spend together are always fun and memorable, and I knew I found my best friend for life,” Aaron says.

The couple’s TIVOL story began during Thanksgiving 2015, when they were home in Kansas City visiting family after having moved to Virginia.

“I was able to break away from spending time with Carrie to go ring shopping with my family,” Aaron says.

“After spending less than 30 minutes in TIVOL, I knew I found the perfect ring to propose to her with: something that fit her style to a ‘t.’ And Carrie says she couldn’t have dreamt of a more beautiful ring.”

On December 5, Aaron got down on one knee and asked Carrie to marry him while visiting Yorktown Beach in Virginia, one of their favorite seaside locations. They celebrated the moment with a Champagne toast and a walk on the beach.

They plan to marry at The Old Metropolitan Hall in Charlottesville, Virginia in October 2016.

To propose to Carrie, Aaron selected a platinum and diamond engagement ring by Ritani.

While the couple now lives several states away, they still enjoy (and miss) many aspects of Kansas City. They love its hometown feel, and of course the barbecue, Aaron says.

When they travel back to KC, they hope it’s during baseball season so they can catch a Royals game at Kauffman Stadium. They are big sports fans and love the atmosphere where they can be with family and friends to tailgate.

The couple plans to start a family in the future, but for right now they are content (and reportedly completely in love) with their Labrador Retriever puppy, Jules, who they brought home during Christmas 2015. Jules has already become a huge part of their lives, and is reportedly taking up most of the picture storage on their mobile phones.

22

Bryan & Katherine

#myTIVOLstory Bryan and Katherine were both born in Kansas City.

Katherine grew up in Leawood and attended Saint Thomas Aquinas High School, and Bryan attended Blue Valley Northwest High School while growing up in Overland Park.

The couple first met their freshman year of college at the University of Kansas in Lawrence, where Bryan was in the Delta Upsilon Fraternity, and Katherine was in the Kappa Delta Sorority. They started off as friends, but a few months later they had their first date at a Toby Keith concert.

Throughout college, Bryan and Katherine created many fond memories of hanging out with their friends—they consider themselves lucky to have been able to get to know each other during such a fun time in their lives.

Bryan knew that when he proposed to Katherine he wanted to do it in a memorable place—somewhere they could always return. He also knew when he bought Katherine’s ring he would go to TIVOL to see Gary Pener, a family friend and store manager at TIVOL on the Country Club Plaza.

While choosing the ring, Bryan and Gary discussed

Bryan chose to pop the question outside TIVOL on the Country Club Plaza.

where Bryan might propose to Katherine, and the two decided it could happen right outside TIVOL itself.

(Where else?)

Bryan knew that when he proposed to Katherine, he wanted to do it in a memorable place—somewhere they could always return.

On the big day, the couple began walking toward TIVOL and the song Hold My Hand by Hootie and the Blowfish began to play on the store’s exterior speakers—the same song that during their one-year anniversary dinner, they decided they would dance to at their future wedding.

Then Bryan stopped in his tracks and turned toward the TIVOL windows. Inside, the window case had been customized for the couple, complete with a display of white daisies, pictures, a card and the ring itself. Bryan got down on one knee and proposed to Katherine, and she readily exclaimed “Yes!” Immediately, Katherine heard cheering from across the street from the couple’s family members, many of whom had hidden on the roof of the former Hall’s space across the street from TIVOL to witness the event. Afterward, everyone celebrated with a glass of Champagne inside TIVOL, followed by dinner at The Capital Grille.

23

Brian & Christie

#myTIVOLstory Christie is a native of Kansas City. She grew up with a large Italian family who filled her childhood with wonderful memories and a love for her city. Brian is from St. Louis, and moved to Kansas City to take a job after going to college at the University of Missouri in Columbia.

Coincidentally, Christie also attended MU, but the couple didn’t meet until one day when they both found themselves on the Country Club Plaza having dinner with friends.

Years later, Christie and Brian have a large family of their own, with four children ranging in age from 4 to 14. So busy is their household that Christie was once asked—with complete sincerity—if she ran a daycare.

In addition to running a lively home, the couple are also champions of local businesses. In fact, after spending years hunting for treasures at First Fridays in the Crossroads Arts District and in the West Bottoms, Christie decided to go into business for herself. In November 2015, she became the coowner of Spruce Home, a home décor boutique in Leawood.

The shop specializes in having the finishing touches for any room, while also carrying original works from local artists.

Another thing she loves about KC is the Country Club Plaza.

“I remember Saturdays spent shopping with my mother and sister as a little girl; Thanksgiving nights watching the holiday lights turn on; meeting my husband for the first time; and pushing my babies around in strollers during the day,” Christie says. “The Plaza has been a constant place of happiness in my life.”

She also grew up knowing about TIVOL and its first-class reputation, as her grandfather bought jewelry for her grandmother, always from TIVOL.

“It’s always exciting to see a TIVOL package under the tree.”

Christie has been collecting jewelry from TIVOL for years. Featured here are some of her favorite pieces: a LAGOS pearl bracelet and a Stephen Webtser mother-of-pearl ring.

As a result, Brian and Christie have worked with TIVOL Associate AJ Paddack for years. Each December Brian calls AJ, who helps him choose jewelry she knows Christie will love.

“It’s always exciting to see a TIVOL package under the tree,” Christie says. “I have been spoiled with many beautiful pieces. My favorites are the ones that can be worn every day. My life is divided between volunteering, driving carpools and working. I want to be able to enjoy my jewelry and look put together even when wearing jeans and watching a soccer game. The Penny Preville, Roberto Coin and LAGOS pieces— among others—that I have from TIVOL help me do just that.”

24

Devin & Madeline

#myTIVOLstory Devin grew up in Overland Park, and Madeline is from South County in St. Louis, but their first meeting was nowhere near the confines of Missouri or Kansas.

For Madeline’s engagement ring, Devin (along with some help from his parents) selected an 18K yellow gold and diamond ring by Ritani.

The couple met on Tinder while Devin was undergoing his military training in Pensacola, Florida, and Madeline was at Spring Hill College in Mobile, Alabama). When they came across each other’s photos online, they decided to take a chance. After spending a few weeks chatting via text and email, Devin asked Madeline on their first date.

When finally meeting in person at a restaurant in Mobile, Devin immediately knew Madeline was “the one.” A year later, he would propose.

Having grown up in the Kansas City area, Devin and his family already had a relationship with TIVOL via Gary Pener, Plaza store manager. While visiting his family during Easter, Devin dropped by to visit Gary and to shop for rings. Along with the help of his mom and Gary, Devin found the one: an 18K yellow gold ring with a solitaire diamond that he found both traditional and unique.

When Devin opened the TIVOL box containing Madeline’s engagement ring, there was a problem.

When Devin finished flight school, he and Madeline decided to take a vacation to Colorado in August 2015.

While visiting Rocky Mountain National Park, Devin got on one knee and opened the TIVOL box containing the ring he had selected for Madeline—except there was a problem.

Madeline told him there was nothing in the box. In shock, Devin started to look everywhere, finally finding the ring a few feet away. The ring had fallen out of the box and landed near a rock.

Despite the near disaster, Madeline still said “Yes!” Today, the couple lives in St. Louis, where Devin is a pilot for the Marine Corps and Madeline is an oncology nurse at Barnes Jewish Hospital.

While Devin doesn’t yet have his wedding band, he knows he wants something to coordinate with Madeline’s engagement ring and is considering a yellow gold band with a few diamonds in the center.

Sounds like another trip to TIVOL will be in order.

25

Don & Debbie

#myTIVOLstory Don and Debbie had been dating for almost six years during high school and college. In spring 1989, as they were preparing to graduate, they were also eager to get married.

On a whim, they decided to go into TIVOL and look around. As they browsed, Harold Tivol stood behind the cases and greeted them.

“I think what he saw was a young couple with hopes and dreams, a young couple with a future,” Don says. “He was very gracious and kind, so we decided to look at rings and we all ended up picking out three together.”

After choosing these three favorites, Don and Debbie decided to move on and go about their day. Later on, Don came back to TIVOL by himself to narrow down the choices.

Above: Debbie’s engagement ring, which Don purchased from Harold Tivol, is a TIVOL Collection 18K gold and diamond ring. Left: The couple and their family.

“When I returned, the intuition of Mr. Tivol was keen,” Don says. “He knew he was talking to a young man who was still in college but soon graduating. As we sat in his office, he looked at me and said, ‘You can make payments as you’re able; I know you will pay it off.’

Below left: Paige and Dylan were engaged with a Penny Preville 18K white gold and diamond ring.

“He knew we didn’t have money at the time, but he knew that we would work hard. His care and trust allowed us to buy the ring.”

Dylan & Paige

#myTIVOLstory the

store. And, as fate would have it, a dear friend of

Overland Park area, attending the same high school

the couple, Kate, began working at TIVOL just a few

(Blue Valley West) and then the same college (Kan-

months before they started making engagement

sas State University).

plans. Kate was able to show them rings, but Paige

Paige

and

Dylan

both

grew

up

in

While the couple always knew each other by

proved to be an atypical engagement customer.

name, they didn’t get to know one another on a

“My personal style is fairly eclectic, so we

personal level until they started hanging out during

wanted something unique to emulate that,” Paige

college along with mutual friends.

says. “The ring we chose is a double-banded Penny

They also started to see each other more often

Preville design with an emerald-cut center dia-

because Dylan’s brother was dating Paige’s room-

mond. We loved the double band that joins togeth-

mate. When a family birthday party was coming

er, because it represents our lives joining together.”

up, Dylan needed a last-minute date and his mom

The couple is planning a May 2017 wedding.

suggested he invite Paige. The couple hit it off, and

Between those efforts, Paige’s career as a makeup

the fun hasn’t stopped.

artist/stylist and Dylan’s work in real estate devel-

Dylan’s parents have been long-term TIVOL

opment, they remain quite busy—while also raising

clients, so when the time came for Dylan to pro-

their Corgi and German Shepard mix, Rocco, and

pose to Paige, it was a no-brainer to come into the

their Maine Coon kitten, Layla.

26

Ryan & Jesse

#myTIVOLstory Ryan and Jesse met at the Lenexa school, where Jesse was teaching pre-school and Ryan, the owner and operator of Elevated Electronics, happened to be visiting. A few days later they ran into each other again at the American Royal BBQ, where they got a chance to speak more and get better acquainted.

After those initial meetings, they decided to have lunch at Dean & Deluca, and they enjoyed each other’s company so much they decided to make a whole day of it.

Not realizing Ryan was about to propose, Jesse shoved one of her freshly baked cookies into his mouth.

The next day, Ryan was heading out of town for a destination wedding. It was then that he knew Jesse was “the one” because while gone all he could do was think about her.

Two days later he flew home, and drove straight to her house to take her to a Chiefs game.

They’ve been together ever since.

The couple has now been together for almost three years, and have a baby daughter named Andi.

A week before celebrating their first Christmas together as a family, Ryan sat next to Jesse in front of their hearth room fireplace while playing with Andi and their puppy, Miko. Jesse had just made a batch of cookies, and not realizing Ryan was about to propose, she shoved a cookie into his mouth. Ryan ate the cookie, knowing his proposal would have to wait until he was done chewing. Once finished, he got down on one knee and asked Jesse to marry him. He pulled out a TIVOL box, and what was inside took Jesse’s breath away.

“The ring was the most gorgeous piece of jewelry I have ever seen,” Jesse says. “It was ‘me.’”

Ryan says TIVOL was his only choice when picking a ring for Jesse.

“It is widely known that TIVOL carries only the best,” Ryan says. “I had a great friend who was in the jewelry business for 25 years. After his retirement, he recommended I only go to TIVOL. I have established a great rapport with David Behnke [Hawthorne Plaza store manager] and he has helped me pick special pieces for Jesse throughout our relationship. We love TIVOL and the personal experience we receive.”

Ryan proposed to Jesse with this platinum and diamond ring by Harry Kotlar.

27

John & Chelsie

#myTIVOLstory John and Chelsie met on the campus of the University of Missouri-Kansas City while walking back to the dorms after attending classes. Chelsie slipped on the ice in front of John, and he caught her before she could hit the ground.

Chelsie remembers looking up at the handsome boy “with gorgeous blue eyes” who caught her and then told her that her rather clumsy fall was “graceful.”

After that, John knocked on her dorm room door almost daily asking her to play football. Chelsie would remind him that she couldn’t participate because she needed to study—as did he.

The couple met when Chelsie slipped on a patch of ice on their college campus, and John caught her fall. She was taken with his blue eyes, and he told her that her fall was “graceful.”

Finally, one day Chelsie went to Loose Park to appease John and played a quick game of football along with some of their fellow classmates. On the way back to school, Chelsie’s tire went flat, and John changed it.

From that day on, they were inseparable. However, Chelsie delayed their first kiss on three separate occasions— despite John’s requests. A few weeks later, on Valentine’s Day 2007, under the white Christmas lights John had strung up in his dorm room, he grabbed Chelsie and kissed her without asking. They were engaged eight months later.

The couple went on to graduate, with John finishing up medical school and Chelsie completing her degree in English literature.

Because they were students at the time of their engagement, John planned to upgrade Chelsie’s ring after they were more established. Now that he is working as a physician in the Emergency Room at North Kansas City Hospital, the time to upgrade came a few months ago, when the couple visited TIVOL. Together, they worked with sales associate Amanda John and Chelsie recently upgraded her original engagement ring to this 14K gold and diamond ring, a custom TIVOL Collection design.

Thompson to create a custom-designed ring with vintageinspired, sophisticated flair.

“This is our upgrade dream ring,” Chelsie says.

28

John & Valerie

#myTIVOLstory When John was 15, he moved along with his family to Kansas City from Duluth. During his first day of class at his new school, he laid eyes on Valerie and thought that someday he would marry her.

Later, they were introduced by common friends and began officially dating during their senior year of high school.

Before getting married over six years later, the couple dated while living apart at separate colleges. However, they always looked forward to someday finally living in the same city. Once they were able to officially merge and begin their careers (John was hired by Black & Veatch where he still works, and Valerie designed and coded operating systems for airlines), they learned that John’s job would involve a great deal of business travel, sometimes several months at a time spent in other cities. As they look back at the early days of their courtship, they believe the experience prepared them for this challenge.

Above: To celebrate his 25th work anniversary, John bought an 18K rose gold Patek Philippe. Meanwhile, for their 25th wedding anniversary, the couple designed a custom emerald diamond necklace, which they had made at TIVOL.

Clearly, the practice paid off, as the couple will celebrate their 25th wedding anniversary this year.

Along the way, the two have been loyal TIVOL customers.

“I like watches, and many years ago I happened to stop

by TIVOL to look at the watch selection and I met Gary Pener,” John says. “We’ve been customers ever since. I also had the pleasure to spend some time chatting with Harold Tivol

Denise

during an event a few years ago… what a lovely man.”

Recently, John purchased a gold Patek Philippe to celebrate 25 years at Black & Veatch. Meanwhile, Valerie purchased a one-of-kind emerald necklace based upon a design the couple drew on a cocktail napkin in an airport bar. They

#myTIVOLstory

later shared the conceptual rendering with TIVOL Associate Elise McNeil, who was able to translate the drawing into a viable design.

Denise began working at TIVOL in 1998 after having a career at the now-closed jewelry store, Krigel’s. For several years she worked on the sales floor along with Harold and Ruthie Tivol. Although she never considered sales her strongest skill, Denise built up a loyal customer base and she quickly became an indispensable part of the TIVOL family.

After 12 years in sales, Denise put in a request to become part of the merchandising team at TIVOL in 2010. In that new role, Denise was on the frontlines of placing and implementing the special orders that are created on the sales floor, as well as receiving and tagging jewelry as it was shipped to the stores. By all accounts, Denise was an ace at her job.

“Over the years my co-workers became my family,” Denise says. “I liked the work I did, but I loved the people I was surrounded by.”

When Denise (second row, right) retired from TIVOL in 2015, her department gave her a sterling silver map pendant by A.JAFFE, with a diamond marking the location of TIVOL on the Plaza.

On New Year’s Eve 2015, Denise retired from TIVOL. As a goodbye gift, the merchandising department purchased a Map necklace by A.JAFFE, which was customized with a diamond that pinpoints the location of TIVOL on the Country Club Plaza.

29

Phil & Jeanna

#myTIVOLstory In 2010 both Phil and Jeanna found themselves at the Inter American University of Puerto Rico School of Optometry.

The couple met within the first hour of their arrival there.

“We spent our first day together at the Bacardi Factory and at the beach with classmates, clearly checking each other out along the way,” Jeanna says. “Phil made his move a few days later by offering to help me put my furniture together in my dorm room, and we have been inseparable ever since.”

The first semester of being in a foreign place away from their families was difficult for many of the students in their class, but the couple considered themselves lucky to have each other from early on.

“That first semester we spent every waking moment together,” Jeanna says. “We studied together, ran errands together, worked out together, went to the beach together and traveled the island together.“ Phil knew that Jeanna always dreamed of getting an engagement ring from TIVOL. Her father, who is a former police officer, used to work guarding the Hawthorne Plaza store. While working there, he met Jeanna’s future stepmother, Tami, who is a longtime TIVOL sales associate.

The rain on their wedding day offered the couple a chance to have their pictures taken with a rainbow.

A few months before Phil proposed, the couple went to TIVOL to see Tami. Within the first minutes of browsing, Phil pointed to a ring he liked. Jeanna liked it too, but she wanted to look at more options. After browsing for two hours, she came to the same one Phil had picked out at the very beginning: a platinum ring with a round center diamond and a pavé diamond band by Rahaminov.

Phil proposed to Jeanna in April 2014, a few months before graduation. The couple took a walk around the neighborhood where Jeanna grew up, near a pond that she has always loved. It was there that Phil got on one knee and asked her to marry him. Without hesitation, Jeanna replied “Yes!” They held each other and cried tears of joy.

Phil and Jeanna got married in June 2015 at Big Cedar Lodge in Ridgedale, Missouri. Although it rained briefly before the ceremony, the weather cleared and the couple was

Jeanna’s engagement ring is a platinum mounting by Rahaminov with a round center diamond and a pavé diamond shank. The couple chose a platinum wedding band by Precision Set for Jeanna, and for Phil a cobalt band with a matte finish.

able to have their wedding pictures taken with a rainbow in the background.

30

Trip & Katie

#myTIVOLstory Katie grew up in Kansas City attending Pembroke Hill, and later moved to Washington, DC to attend school at George Washington University.

After college, a fellow former Kansas City resident and Pembroke Hill alum hired her to work at a political research firm. While working there, she met Trip, who was already employed at the firm supporting another team.

The couple quickly discovered they had many “small world” connections related to Kansas City as well as the University of Virginia. Over the course of many lunch dates, happy hours and big dinners with their mutual college friends, it became obvious that they were a perfect match.

“He was very brave, and asked me to marry him in front of my parents and my brother. Of course, I said ‘Yes.’” While the couple still lives in DC, they are marrying in Kansas City at St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church, with the reception at the Kansas City Country Club in Mission Hills.

While Trip is still being exposed to Kansas City, so far his favorite parts are the barbecue and the golfing.

Trip proposed in Northern Michigan, where Katie’s family has a cottage. He asked Katie to marry him at sunset at the highest point at Crystal Downs Country Club, where Lake Michigan is visible on one side and Crystal Lake on the other.

“He was very brave, and asked me to marry him in front of my parents and my brother,” Katie says. “Of course, I said ‘Yes.’” The engagement ring Trip purchased for Katie was custom-designed by him and TIVOL Associate AJ Paddack.

Stylistically, it’s very similar to the one Katie’s father gave her mother.

“My parents have purchased from TIVOL for as long as I can remember,” Katie says. “So TIVOL is the only jewelry store I have known, and the only store from which I envisioned receiving an engagement ring. Luckily, Trip took the hint and with some help from AJ did a phenomenal job with creating the design. AJ has always indulged my love of trying on fancy jewelry since I was very young, and I think her years of listening to my likes and dislikes gave her insight into what I prefer. She is a great friend, and has a close re-

While working with AJ Paddack at the Country Club Plaza store, Trip created Katie’s custom-designed TIVOL Collection platinum and diamond engagement ring, which was inspired by her mother’s ring.

lationship with each member of my family. Trip, with input from AJ, hit a home run!”

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Kyle & Krystle

#myTIVOLstory Kyle is originally from Madison, Indiana and moved to Kansas City in 2004 to take a job after attending Indiana University. Krystle grew up in Fargo, North Dakota, then moved to Branson, Missouri in 1996 so her mother, a by-ear piano player, could perform there. Finally in 2007, Krystle moved to Kansas City for an internship at Shook, Hardy & Bacon and then attended law school at the University of Missouri - Kansas City.

During her early days in Kansas City, Krystle went out to dinner and drinks with friends and Kyle happened to be at the same restaurant with his own friends.

After chatting for a long time that evening, Kyle asked Krystle on a date. (The couple now jokingly disagrees over who flirted with whom first.)

When he asked, Krystle was hesitant because she was in the midst of applying to law school, and she didn’t think she had time for a relationship. But she agreed, and following their first date Krystle remembers returning home, walking in the front door, smiling and thinking “oh no” to herself—

Tracy Routh Photography

because she knew she soon would be entering a relationship.

Kyle says he also knew Krystle was the one on the night they met.

During their courtship, Kyle and Krystle both lived near the Country Club Plaza and he would occasionally buy her gifts from TIVOL. “Those were always great experiences,” Krystle says.

“Everyone at TIVOL was always incredibly attentive and offered us the highest form of customer service.”

The couple lovingly debates over who flirted with whom first.

Four years after they began dating, the couple became engaged on the same Plaza bench where Kyle first asked Krystle to be his girlfriend.

“Kyle had an idea of the kind of stone I liked, but he designed the whole ring on his own while working with [TIVOL Associate] Kathryn Curtright,” Krystle says. “That’s what really makes my engagement ring special. As for our wedding bands, it was wonderful to pick those out together before our ceremony.”

Krystle and Kyle have two fluffy Goldendoodle “chilThe diamond in Krystle’s engagement ring was placed in a platinum TIVOL Collection setting. Tucker the Goldendoodle (left) was in TIVOL during the time of its purchase and “helped select” the ring.

dren,” 4-year-old Tucker and 2-year-old Moose, who both visit TIVOL as well.

“I love that TIVOL is dog friendly,” Krystle says. “In fact, Tucker helped pick out my engagement ring.”

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Mike & Lane

#myTIVOLstory Mike and Lane were first connected to each other by Mike’s sister-in-law. As it turned out, her mother and Lane’s mother were best friends who grew up together in St. Joseph, Missouri, where Lane also lived. After a month of speaking on the phone with Mike (who lived in Overland Park) the couple met in person, and the rest is history.

Mike says he honestly knew Lane was “the one” after five weeks of dating.

“There isn’t another person I know that has a heart like Lane’s,” Mike says. “She constantly amazes me with her compassion toward others.”

Lane knew Mike was the one after the first few weeks of dating as well.

“We just clicked,” Lane says. “All I wanted to do was spend every second with him. I couldn’t get enough of his bright blue eyes and sense of humor. Mike is the most genuine person and a personal cheerleader.”

The couple got engaged while visiting New York City under the Gapstow Bridge in Central Park.

As for selecting the engagement ring, Mike had known TIVOL Country Club Plaza store manager Gary Pener for 12 years. Gary’s son, Brett, and Mike played competitive basketball and baseball while growing up.

“Gary always said ‘When the time is right, I will help you at TIVOL,’” Mike says. “He was right. The staff at TIVOL goes

Mike proposed to Lane in Central Park with a TIVOL Collection platinum and diamond ring.

above and beyond expectations to make you feel comfortable and feel prepared about purchasing jewelry. I went into this whole process not knowing a thing about diamonds, and Gary was a true professional, educating me about the different cuts and styles.”

Lane barely gave Mike information regarding what she wanted in a ring, yet he managed to pick out one she really loves.

The diamond for Lane’s engagement ring is a cushion cut. What makes it special to Lane is the fact she barely gave Mike any information regarding what she wanted, yet he managed to pick out something she really loves.

The couple is busy planning their upcoming wedding in December, while also working. (Lane is a tennis coach at The Elite Squad Tennis Club, and Mike is a high school history teacher, football and track coach at Blue Valley West.)

In their spare time they love hanging out with their Goldendoodle, Zelda.

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Kevin & JJ

#myTIVOLstory Kevin and JJ met eight years ago online. The couple was immediately drawn to each other for a variety of reasons, including intelligence, attractiveness and having a faithbased belief system.

In fall 2014, they began to talk more seriously about making a formal commitment, and in December of that same year they made a visit to TIVOL to look for rings. While there, they met and worked with Associate Amanda Thompson.

Kevin and JJ chose a palladium band by Novell and an 18K white gold TIVOL Collection band.

“We had a special connection with Amanda right away,” Kevin says. “We had a lot of fun.”

Although JJ found a ring he loved, Kevin wanted to keep looking and decided to visit several other jewelry stores, both locally owned and national chains.

“The thing that stood out about TIVOL was the exceptional quality and the people working there,” Kevin says. “We never met another salesperson like Amanda. In one particular store, a salesperson didn’t even ask if he could help us. I don’t think he wanted to wait on two men.”

Before the couple could get engaged, Kevin’s niece became engaged to her boyfriend. As a result, Kevin and JJ decided to put their plans on hold so they didn’t steal the limelight away from the young couple. As an added bonus, during the postponement they traveled to Italy and Prague.

After his niece’s wedding in November 2015, Kevin decided he was ready to propose to JJ. So, he emailed Amanda and made an appointment to look at JJ’s ring again, and to shop for options for himself as well.

Kevin enlisted his friends Andrea and Amy to meet him at TIVOL to help look at the rings and to keep his nerves at bay. The pair also brought a bottle of Champagne to the store, and once the final decision had been made, Amanda opened the bottle and everyone toasted to the rings.

Finally, on Christmas Eve 2015, Kevin asked JJ to marry him. Despite their mutual agreement to not purchase presents for each other that year, Kevin put the ring under the tree along with a letter he had written to JJ, and encouraged JJ to open the “gift.”

JJ was so taken with the ring, at first he forgot to read the entire note accompanying it.

“I said ‘Finish reading the letter!’” Kevin laughs. “After reading it, he said ‘Yes,’ but I replied ‘I haven’t asked you yet.’

We both smiled, and then I officially asked him to marry me.”

For Valentine’s Day 2016, Kevin then made a decision on his own ring, and selected the first ring he had picked out several months earlier.

“When people ask me about the ring,” Kevin says, “I like to say ‘I’m a TIVOL guy.”

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Sara

#myTIVOLstory Sara’s mother, Giselle, was born and raised in Istanbul, Turkey, but later moved to the Kansas City area and met her future husband, Jack, whose family owned the McCormick Distillery in Weston, Missouri.

Giselle’s striking beauty landed her work as a model for both Swansons and Halls department stores on the

Sara’s mother (right) was a model for both Halls and Swanson’s department stores, who created several custom pieces with Harold Tivol. Sara (middle) has inherited the jewelry and often wears it.

Country Club Plaza. In addition, she worked as a translator since she was fluent in seven languages.

Giselle was also a regular customer at TIVOL, and with the help of Harold Tivol, they created several one-of-a-kind pieces that she wore and treasured throughout her lifetime.

Today, her daughter Sara owns a flourishing landscaping business. Sara inherited her mother’s beautiful jewelry, and she treasures the memory of her mother in their unique designs.

“My mother loved TIVOL and was so very proud of her pieces,” Sara says. “They are still gorgeous and timeless, and I continue to receive compliments on them on a regular basis. TIVOL has been a part of our family since 1959.”

Bob & Vanessa

#myTIVOLstory Vanessa is originally from Kansas City, Kansas, and Bob was born in Crawfordville, Georgia, a rural town approximately 80 miles east of Atlanta. Bob left Georgia to attend Park College on a basketball scholarship.

After school, he had a 10-year career at The Kansas City Star and then joined the public affairs team at Kaiser Permanente in 1995. At Kaiser, he met Vanessa, who worked there as well.

Bob knew he had fallen in love with Vanessa at an Operation: Immunize event that Kaiser hosted at its Mission, Kansas location. After the event, Bob remembers talking to Vanessa for about an hour in the parking lot. That’s when he knew he had developed feelings for her.

After dating, Bob proposed marriage with a ring he had purchased from Gary Pener at TIVOL, whom he had known for several years.

Today, Bob serves as the president of the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum, a role he’s had for the past five years. However, he began his affiliation with NLBM in 1993 as a volunteer and became the museum’s first full-time director of marketing in 1998. Meanwhile, Vanessa works at Sprint in its human resource department.

The couple has three boys ranging in age from 27 to 32.

In their spare time, the couple enjoys all that the Country Club Plaza—and of course 18th & Vine—has to offer. They also frequently travel to San Diego, California.

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Bob proposed to Vanessa with an 18K gold and diamond TIVOL Collection ring.

David & Mandy

#myTIVOLstory David and Mandy met in Spanish class during their freshman year at Kansas State University. David fell asleep in the middle of class, and woke up to find that Mandy (who was sitting next to him) had doodled on his arm.

On the first day of class the next semester, David happened to sit behind Mandy in a lecture hall, and they remembered each other immediately. The pair became fast friends.

The following summer they began officially dating, and the summer between their sophomore and junior years they solidified their relationship by studying abroad in Mexico.

They have been together ever since.

After graduation, the couple found jobs in Kansas City and found a home in nearby Westwood, Kansas.

When the time came to propose, David knew where he David proposed to Mandy with a TIVOL Collection 18K gold and diamond ring, and bought her a David Yurman blue topaz pendant, followed by matching earrings, after the birth of their two sons.

David also owns a David Yurman sterling silver box chain necklace for himself.

wanted to purchase the ring.

Back in 1969, David’s parents took a diamond to TIVOL and found a coordinating setting to create an engagement ring. To celebrate, they went to The Plaza III for dinner, and the waitress immediately commented on the ring, which David’s mother loved.

Josh & Amy

When David knew he was ready to ask Mandy to marry him, he and his father went to TIVOL Hawthorne Plaza. They found the right ring, ordered it, and then went to The Bristol for a drink to celebrate.

“There, I had my first Manhattan with my father,” David

#myTIVOLstory

says, “and that become ‘our’ drink together.”

Now, TIVOL is a family tradition. David’s brother bought his wife’s engagement ring at TIVOL, and in 2007 (after the birth of his first son), David bought a David Yurman blue to-

Josh and Amy met at a high school basketball game. Amy’s son was on the court playing, and Josh was waiting for his own daughter’s game to begin. At the time, both Josh and Amy were going through divorces and the future couple quickly developed a supportive friendship that later turned into love.

After a meaningful courtship, Josh took Amy on a helicopter ride to look at the 2015 holiday lights on the Country Club Plaza.

While on the flight, Josh put a ring box on Amy’s leg. The helicopter was loud and Amy’s headphones weren’t working well, but when she saw the word “TIVOL” on the box, she knew what Josh was asking her. She immediately began crying tears of joy.

“I purchased Amy’s engagement ring at TIVOL because I knew I wanted the best for her,” Josh says. “I have always known that TIVOL meant quality, and my family has shopped there for years. I worked with the assistant manager of the Hawthorne Plaza store, Annie Powell, who helped me find the perfect ring.”

Josh says he chose the ring blindly, as he had never asked Amy what she wanted, and they never shopped for rings together.

“Without Annie’s guidance, I never would have successfully picked the right one. The ring Annie helped me pick is classic and elegant; a thin band of diamonds with a solitaire Forevermark diamond.”

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paz pendant necklace for his wife from TIVOL. Then in 2011, for the birth of their second son, the couple purchased the matching David Yurman blue topaz earrings.

Savy Photos Photography

Josh proposed to Amy with a platinum and diamond ring by Ritani.

Reed & Kathryn

Gina Dreher Photography

#myTIVOLstory Reed and Kathryn got engaged after a wine tasting at Cooper’s Hawk with friends. No one knew Reed was going to propose that evening, and after the tasting they found themselves near the Country Club Plaza’s Penguin Courtyard fountain. Reed asked Kathryn to stop walking and when she did, he dropped to one knee and asked her to marry him.

Of course, she said “Yes!” Reed had grown up with the sons of Gary Pener, the store manager of TIVOL on the Plaza.

“Gary has always made Kathryn and me feel like celebrities when we come into the store,” Reed says. “Luckily for me, Kathryn was able to go into TIVOL with her friends, try on several different rings and tell Gary which ones were her favorites. With Gary’s help, I was able to get the perfect ring for my wife—and from what I understand, an engagement ring and a wedding ring aren’t the last pieces of jewelry you will ever buy for your wife!”

Reed asked Kathryn to marry him while walking around the Country Club Plaza with friends.

This is a TIVOL Collection platinum and diamond ring.

Tyler & Jackie Gina Dreher Photography

#myTIVOLstory Tyler and Jackie both received their undergraduate degrees from the University of Missouri - Columbia. The couple later found that they attended a lot of the same events and frequently hung out with many of the same people, but they had never met.

It wasn’t until Tyler started working for Husch Blackwell LLP after graduation from law school at the University of Missouri - Kansas City that Jackie met him during one of her visits to Kansas City.

A few weeks later, a mutual friend encouraged them to meet up for a drink one evening. They did, and from that point forward they were dating.

Eventually Jackie moved to Kansas City to work on her MBA at UMKC, and the couple moved in together.

“We got engaged in our current home,” Tyler says. “We woke up early one morning to go to the gym. While we were working out, I snuck back home and cooked breakfast, lit candles and spread rose petals all over our house. I then went back to the gym and pretended like I’d been there all along.”

“I had no idea what was about to happen,” Jackie says. “We walked in the front door of our house, I saw the candles and rose petals, and he proposed.”

Tyler says TIVOL was the first store they visited when he and Jackie began looking at engagement rings together.

“Jackie knew TIVOL would have the best selection and styles,” Tyler says.

“Jackie fell in love with a ring right away, but before the time was right for us, it sold. I worked with Amanda Thompson [TIVOL sales associate] and she went above and beyond to help me recreate it.”

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Tyler proposed to Jackie with a Precision Set platinum and diamond ring that he purchased at TIVOL.

designers

O

A Diamond

LEGACY

BY LAURIE SCHECHTER

Above: Sheldon, Michele, Steven, Greg, Lowell and Russell Kwiat

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n the list of successful family-owned jewelry houses, Kwiat stands out: for its evolution and New York history, for its diamond expertise, and for the strength of its family legacy. Over four generations and nearly 110 years, Kwiat has become an esteemed global brand.

Founded as a small store on Canal Street in 1907

by Sam Kwiat, a Polish émigré, Kwiat specialized in refinishing older stones to improve their brilliance and resetting them in vintage jewelry. Sam’s son David joined him in 1933 at the age of 17, bringing an artisan’s heart and a vision for growth.

David extended the family business into a designer, manufacturer and high-quality diamond vendor for New York City’s jewelry market focused on working with important pieces, especially bigger diamonds. In the 1950s David relocated the company to 47th Street, becoming a founder of the presentday Diamond District, and expanded into making diamond jewelry for retailers. “Private label really was our business,” says Sam’s great-grandson Greg Kwiat, the company’s CFO. “We cut something like 50 pear-shaped diamonds for Harry Winston,” including a 126-carat rough diamond into Winston’s 50-carat “Teardrop of Africa” in 1965. Despite its industry-insider status and large-diamond cutting expertise, Kwiat was unknown to the public.

Sam’s grandsons Lowell and Sheldon Kwiat, who entered the business in 1973 and 1964 respectively, changed all that. Both started as cutting apprentices and eventually worked their way up to become Kwiat’s co-presidents. By the 1990s, they began promoting the Kwiat name, embarking on a branding campaign that produced impressive results: a flagship Madison Avenue boutique, an “exceptional network of retail partners” and an established presence on the red carpet. In 2015 they re-launched their social network channels and website to provide a broader global brand experience.

Whether in the Kwiat Vintage Collection, its oneof-a-kind statement pieces, or its all-important bridal business, Kwiat’s hallmarks are apparent: open and airy designs that allow the skin to peek through and the light to embrace the stone and create brilliance.

Their latest collections—Kwiat Cobblestone featuring yellow, rose and white gold with natural fancy color diamonds, and Kwiat Madison Avenue, inspired by mid-century sculpture in fine ceramic, gold and diamonds—epitomize exciting design explorations to be worn day to night. “At the heart of our design process,” says Greg, “is the desire to celebrate the beauty of our diamonds and the woman who wears them.

“All of us in the Kwiat family truly enjoy creating diamond jewelry that becomes a central part of people’s lives.” What could be better?

Make Bedtime

Our Scandia Home sheet set or duvet starting at under $300

Create your own rejuvenating retreat with our Living Essentials Collection... quality, comfort & style at accessible prices.

Locally-owned and a Country Club Plaza icon for over 30 years • Corner of 501 Nichols Rd. & Pennsylvania 816.753.4144 • (toll free) 800.875.4144 •

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classic

PIECES

Lauren Harper 18K yellow gold and blue jade necklace with round brilliant-cut diamonds. $3,320

vintage chic 40 21

Lauren Harper Phoenix Maze 18K gold necklace featuring round brilliant-cut diamonds. $9,900

Lauren Harper 18K gold earrings featuring round brilliant-cut diamonds. $4,215

Sebastien Barier 18K gold and diamond Art Deco-inspired ring, featuring a 0.70ct center and 44 round brilliantcut diamonds.

Tivol Family Estate Collection 18K gold and enamel shrimp brooch featuring pavĂŠ-set diamonds. $9,900

$6,720

Tivol Family Estate Collection platinum grape cluster diamond brooch featuring 42 round brilliantcut diamonds and 24 baguette diamonds. $14,950

Tivol Family Estate Collection 18K yellow gold brooch featuring round brilliant-cut diamonds. $2,495

41 20 20

IT’S A LONG JOURNEY TO BECOME THE ONE.

© Forevermark Limited 2014-2015. Forevermark™,

™,

™ and A Diamond is Forever™ are Trade Marks of The De Beers Group of Companies.

JEWELER

weddings

BY JILLIAN LAROCHELLE

BLISS

Cap Sleeves Between the ubiquitous strapless gown and the full lace sleeves popularized by Kate Middleton, cap sleeves are the perfect choice for warm-weather weddings where sleeves aren’t practical (and a great option for brides getting married in a house of worship where more modesty is required). Nashvillebased designer Olia Zavozina points out that 2016 trends are “all about customizability, allowing a bride to create her own unique look.” So whatever length you’re looking for, consider sleeves that can be removed for dancing late into the night.

Back Details No matter what type of wedding ceremony you’re planning, chances are guests will spend at least a few minutes looking at your back as you say your I Dos. So why not give them something worth staring at? Keyhole cutouts are sweet yet sexy, while lace and tulle insets leave a bit more to the imagination, Satin, pearl or crystal buttons down the back of your dress lend an airy, antique feeling —just make sure your attendants are on hand to assist!

Lace Capes “Lace is always on trend for me,” reveals Los Angeles-based designer Claire Pettibone, “and I’m always looking for new ways to use it to create beautiful, romantic gowns.” One fresh take on lace is the cape, including the shorter, shawl-like version from Olia Zavozina, below, and Pettibone’s trainlength option at left. (When choosing this style, skip the veil and let your train do the talking.)

This ornate detail will grow in popularity for fall and winter weddings, and carry forward as a trend into 2017.

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IMAGES COURTESY OF CLAIRE PETTIBONE, OLIA ZAVOZINA AND FRANCESCA MIRANDA

Bridal

Vintage touches breathe new life into wedding day dresses.

spotlight

WEALTH OF KNOWLEDGE A

n independent non-profit organization, Gemological Institute of America (GIA) is recognized as the world’s foremost authority on gemology. And for good reason: GIA developed the famous 4Cs—Color, Clarity, Cut and Carat Weight—in the early 1950s, and in 1953 created the International Diamond Grading System™ which, today, is recognized by virtually every professional jeweler in the world.

In 1931, seeing the need for a comprehensive approach to understanding and evaluating gemstones, former retail jeweler Robert M. Shipley and his wife, Beatrice, established GIA not only as a place for gemological study and research, but as an educational resource to organize and share knowledge with the public.

To that end, technicians at GIA’s library have recently undertaken a massive digitization project, with the goal of making 101 of the rarest and most historically significant books on gems and jewelry available as free downloads to

the public (with an additional 100 titles to be digitized each year). The works include major studies related to minerals, gems and jewelry that date back to 1496. Located at GIA’s Carlsbad, California headquarters alongside the GIA Museum, the library is the world’s premiere repository of information on gems and jewelry.

Over the course of its 85-plus years, GIA has educated more than 365,000 professionals worldwide. The Graduate Gemologist diploma program, which focuses on gem grading and identification, is the industry’s highest professional credential. GIA also offers training geared to every sector of the industry with its Graduate Jeweler, Jewelry Design & Technology, and Accredited Jewelry Professional diploma programs.

Coupling advanced research with the detailed examination of tens of thousands of diamonds and colored stones each month, GIA researchers have made numerous breakthrough contributions to our understanding of gems.

“

GIA has graded some

of the world’s most famous

diamonds, including the Hope Diamond, the Taylor-Burton, the Dresden Green and the Moussaieff Red.

’’ 46

DRESDEN GREEN PHOTO BY SHANE F. MCCLURE/GIA. HOPE DIAMOND NECKLACE PHOTO COURTESY CHIP CLARK, SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION. TECHNICIAN PHOTO COURTESY GIA

GIA continues to make unparalleled contributions to the world of gems and jewelry.

giving back

PROACTIVE Taking a

APPROACH

At the recent Town & Country Philanthropy Summit, Forevermark CEO Stephen Lussier spoke passionately about wildlife conservation, emphasizing the plight of the white rhino. We caught up with him after the event to find out more.

by the Botswana Rhino Management Committee, this program was established in response to the decimation of the rhino population.

Because of poaching and indiscriminate hunting, in the early ’90s, Botswana had an estimated population of between 17 and 27 individual rhinos. Through breeding and protection programs, by 2012 Botswana reestablished an estimated population of 160 to 170 white rhinos. More recently, to protect them from continued poaching increases and to diversify the genetic pool in Botswana, a number of rhinos have been relocated from South Africa.

BY JILLIAN LAROCHELLE

Tell us why Forevermark places such importance on partnering with mining communities.

How much De Beers-owned land is set aside for biodiversity?

Diamonds are a natural resource and, as a result, form part of the inherent wealth of the nations where they are sourced. That’s why it’s so important that we do all we can, as partners with government, to enable these countries to achieve the maximum benefit they can from this scarce resource. As long-term partners, we have been active in Botswana for over 50 years; we feel a responsibility to the country and its citizens.

Our land-based diamond and coal mining licenses cover 1,135,841 hectares of land, of which only 26,754 hectares (2.4%) is disturbed by our actual operational footprint. We set aside a total area of 195,128 hectares for conservation, which amounts to seven hectares of land for conservation for every one disturbed by our mining operations.

Why the focus on wildlife conservation, and in particular on the African white rhino?

At the core of Forevermark is our promise of responsible sourcing, and to us this means far more than doing no harm. It’s about making a proactive contribution to the countries and communities where our diamonds start their journey. Fortunately, diamonds still have a long run in Botswana, the world’s major producer. Current resources should extend into the second half of this century, and of course we continue to explore for new deposits. But in the end, diamonds are a finite natural resource so alternative income resources are required. We understand how important wildlife tourism is to these countries and want to do what we can to help.

As the rhino is a threatened species, it’s a very good place to start.

As a part of De Beers Group, Forevermark is involved in a number of projects, but specifically the white rhino breeding program in Botswana, focused on creating safe havens to repopulate the white rhinos in Botswana, and then repopulate them across the continent. Now overseen

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Why should the general public care about the future of rhinos and other threatened species?

Well, quite simply, we all share this planet, and at Forevermark we believe we have a responsibility to ensure that all of nature’s miracles have the opportunity to survive and thrive.

There is nothing like seeing them firsthand, these practically prehistoric-looking creatures. It’s like a connection to our deep past.

Whether it’s the white rhinos in Botswana or orphan elephants that have lost their mothers to poachers, it’s an instant emotional connection. I recently visited an elephant orphanage in Nairobi and am now the proud sponsor of two baby elephants that were rescued, having been abandoned by the herd when their mothers were killed by poachers. Poaching is just such a senseless and painful waste; it’s fundamentally immoral. And in the African context, these species are part of what makes Africa unique. Losing that when we can do something about it would be a loss beyond description. Imagine your children never having the opportunity to see a rhino or an elephant or a tiger. It need not be like this.

forevermark

1.

2.

1. JADE TRAU 18K white gold Forevermark crescent pendant with round diamonds. $5,000 2. PRECISION SET 18K white gold Forevermark bypass pendant with two .49ct round diamonds surrounded by round diamonds. $4,100

3.

3. RAHAMINOV 18K white gold three-stone ring with a 2ct center Forevermark cushion, two .71ct Forevermark cushions and pavĂŠ-set diamonds. $47,690 4. RAHAMINOV platinum bypass ring with two 1.01ct cushioncut Forevermark diamonds and baguette diamonds. $33,150 5. RAHAMINOV 18K white gold bypass ring with two .70ct diamonds and round diamonds. $15,655

7.

4.

6.

5.

6. RAHAMINOV 18K gold bypass ring with two .40ct Forevermark diamonds and round diamonds. $7,260 7. RAHAMINOV 18K white gold bypass ring with two .40ct Forevermark diamonds with round diamonds. $7,260

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collections

NEW

CLASSICS CHÂTELAINE, an expanded collection from David Yurman, features stunning colored gemstones, from the cool hues of amethyst and blue topaz to the fiery warmth of garnet and champagne citrine.

F

ounded in New York City in 1980 by David Yurman, a sculptor, and his wife Sybil, a painter, the David Yurman brand is inspired by a passion for artistry and innovation in the classic tradition with contemporary movement. David and Sybil’s talents set the framework for a mastery over the discipline of fine jewelry and the creation of designs that incorporate a wide range of cultural influences. Artistic inspiration is at the core of the company’s foundation, evident in the newly updated Châtelaine collection.

Simply put, the Châtelaine collection exalts the stone. Each piece, from cocktail rings to pendants, bangles and more, presents signature gems in delicate settings that allow maximum light to enter. Diamond-covered prongs embrace gemstones with the style of traditional fine jewelry settings. Line bracelets and earrings are classic styles updated with color, and drop earrings play with shape and scale, mixing gemstones of various colors and cuts. Châtelaine was introduced to David Yurman’s worldwide fans in 2007, with an emphasis on checkerboard cuts. New for 2016 are black onyx in sterling silver settings, and champagne citrine and tanzanite set in 18K gold.

Despite the boldness of Châtelaine and other collections within the world of David Yurman, the company’s success began with a small, intimate gesture. David crafted several pieces of jewelry for his then girlfriend, Sybil. At an art opening in New York, the gallery owner fell in love with a piece Sybil was wearing and asked if it was for sale. David answered “no,” but at the same moment Sybil answered “yes.” Sybil took the necklace off and left it at the gallery, and within a few hours, four necklaces were sold. This necklace, called Dante, marked the beginning of their artistic exploration within the art of jewelry, and a company was born. The mark of intricate and sculptural artistry is integrated into Yurman’s collections using Renaissance-inspired, richly colored stones, cable details in the finest 18K gold and sterling silver, brilliant diamonds, and lustrous pearls.

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Drawing on over 100 years of history as the premier social meeting place, The Brass on Baltimore provides a truly unique setting for your event. Whether your plan involves a wedding, reception, corporate event, banquet, seminar, or other type of function, our expert staff will assist you in creating a memorable event.

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@THEBRASSONBALTIMORE

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style guide

3.

2.

1.

L

the

ayered EFFECT

1. ANITA KO 18K rose gold and diamond cuff bracelet. $10,825 2. PENNY PREVILLE 18K gold and diamond bangle. $6,185 3. TIVOL COLLECTION 18K gold and diamond bangle. $1,795

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4. ZOE CHICCO 14K gold and diamond “KC” cuff bracelet. $925 5. DAVID YURMAN Cable Collectible Collection 18K gold and pavé diamond bracelet. $1,425 6. DAVID YURMAN Petite Pavé Collection 18K gold and diamond bar bracelet. $2,950 7. DAVID YURMAN Venetian Quartefoil Collection 18K gold and diamond bracelet. $6,500

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8. TIVOL COLLECTION platinum and diamond band. $5,105 9. A.JAFFE 18K rose gold and diamond entwined eternity band. $3,100 10. HENRI DAUSSI 18K gold and diamond eternity band. $2,200 11. RAHAMINOV 18K white gold earrings featuring two 2.25ct diamonds surrounded by diamond halos. $99,770 12. JADE TRAU 18K white gold and diamond ear climber. $2,150

bracelets 4.

5.

6.

10.

8.

9.

earrings

7.

15.

14.

13.

13. ANITA KO 18K rose gold and diamond earrings. $2,900 14. ZOE CHICCO 14K gold and diamond “E” stud earrings. $285 15. ZOE CHICCO 14K gold and diamond pavé ear cuff. $760 16. ZOE CHICCO 14K gold infinity symbol ring. $140 17. ZOE CHICCO 14K gold and diamond rings. $330 to $395

16.

17.

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new collections

LAGOS White Caviar ceramic beaded necklace featuring 18K gold and diamond stations. $1,450

LAGOS White Caviar ceramic beaded bracelets, featuring 18K gold, sterling silver and diamond stations.

Left to right: $995, $2,000, $800, $1,950

INTRODUCING

LAGOS WHITE CAVIAR

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Weight Carat 1.53

ColorE Grade

Grade Clarity VS1

Grade CutExcellent

For over 85 years, GIA has brought clarity and global standards to gem evaluation. A GIA report means expert, independent verification from the creator of the 4Cs and the world’s most widely recognized gem authority.

Look for GIA-graded diamonds and jewelers who offer them.

4Cs.GIA.edu CARLSBAD NEW YORK ANTWERP BANGKOK DUBAI GABORONE HONG KONG JOHANNESBURG LONDON MUMBAI RAMAT GAN SEOUL TAIPEI TOKYO

events

Town & The ROLEX CENTRAL PARK HORSE SHOW highlights a passion for excellence, the common denominator that links fine watchmaking and equestrian competition. BY DAVID A. ROSE

F From top: Isabell Werth riding El Santo under the New York skyline; Winner Daniel Bluman receiving his Rolex watch after winning the Rolex Grand Prix; Rolex Testimonee Kent Farrington on Uceko.

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or five days last autumn, New York City’s magnificent Central Park showcased a different kind of horse revelation. Unlike the steadfast but weary steeds that pull tourists through the park in period carriages, the second annual Rolex Central Park Horse Show featured world-class mounts participating in multi-discipline competitions that thrilled all those in attendance.

Wollman Skating Rink was transformed in a matter of days to a top-level equestrian facility thanks to Mark Bellissimo’s International Equestrian Group, in partnership with several New York City organizations. “Here we are overlooking the magnificent New York City skyline,“ said Bellissimo.

“This will become one of the greatest show jumping events in the world in a couple of years, and we are excited to see that happen.”

The event was truly international, with competitors from America, Canada, England, Germany, Ireland, Sweden and Spain. Daniel Bluman, a Colombian now living in Florida, won the Grand Prix with his horse Conconcreto Believe. “I’ve been wanting this since I was very young and I have been close a few times,” said Bluman of receiving his firstever Rolex watch as part of his prize package. “To be able to win today in Central Park was a lot of pressure, but I am very pleased tonight.”

Horsemanship requires a quest for perfection, a goal that Rolex shares with the equestrian sport. Like the world’s most finely bred horses, Rolex timepieces have long been symbols of elegance, precision and prestige.

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Petco 11620 W. 95th Street Overland Park, KS 913-438-9740

watchmaking

Generation A new horology

program ensures the future at PATEK PHILIPPE.

BY KAREN ALBERG GROSSMAN

A

NEXT

ccording to Patek Philippe U.S. president Larry Pettinelli, there is watchmaking, and then there’s Patek watchmaking. “A few years ago, we realized we were behind the eight-ball finding qualified watchmakers, since hiring from other brands is not always ideal. So we founded a school in NYC that teaches watchmaking the Patek way.”

Pettinelli acknowledges that finding the right students is not easy. “Even very smart kids often lack the concentration and/or the mental stability to do this kind of work. Think about it: these kids grew up clicking from one social media site to the next; they think in two-second blips. Watchmaking, on the other hand, is a slow, painstaking process that requires infinite patience. The first time you fix a watch, it might not work so you need to begin all over again.”

Starting with 400 applicants, Patek eventually brought in four groups of 20 students who they thought had the appropriate levels of skill and passion (passion being every bit as important as skill). They went through intensive interviews, dexterity tests, a two- to three-hour written test (that Pettinelli describes as “ridiculously hard, i.e. finding areas of bizarre

shapes with multiple arcs and angles”), logic tests and more. (A final exam takes place at corporate headquarters in Geneva.)

“Finalists also have to sit at a bench and, using a loop and tiny tools, take a watch completely apart and put it back together,” Pettinelli adds.

Out of 80 finalists, six candidates and one alternate were ultimately chosen. “We found some wonderful people,” Pettinelli confirms. “They were working as musicians, baristas, dock workers, all looking for a life path. We teach them the watch business, what constitutes quality, complicated movements, high-level finishing and more. When they get done with our school, they’re qualified to work anywhere. But their acquired sense of pride in Patek Philippe is the overriding factor.”

And why not? A fourth-generation Stern family business (one of very few not owned by a conglomerate) boasting beautiful Swiss watches with unparalleled investment value (as evidenced at auctions; the Sterns are careful not to manipulate the market by buying back their own pieces), Patek Philippe is luxury watchmaking at its very finest.

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SWITZERLAND SET THE STANDARD. DETROIT JUST RAISED THE BAR.

THE RUNWELL FE ATURING A BLUE DIAL WITH DATE INDICATOR IN A STAINLES S-STEEL CASE, DE TROIT-BUILT ARGONITE 705 QUART Z MOVEMENT AND AMERICAN-TANNED BROWN LE ATHER STR AP. BUILT TO L AST A LIFE TIME OR LONGER UNDER THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF THE SHINOL A GUAR ANTEE. E XCLUSIVELY AVAIL ABLE AT FINE WATCH AND JEWELRY RETAILERS.

timepieces

wine pairing CARTIER CLE DE CARTIER 40mm 18K gold case and bracelet with rectangular sapphire crown. $34,900 Paired with: GUIGAL CONDRIEU 2013 VIOGNIER This grape’s spiritual homeland is in France—just like Cartier’s.

PATEK PHILIPPE ANNUAL CALENDAR 18K white gold case with black dial and alligator strap. $87,300 Paired with: DOM PÉRIGNON This is the most famous Champagne in the world, and for good reason. Its complexity is astounding and the overall effect is stunning.

PATEK PHILIPPE ANNUAL CALENDAR 18K gold case, mother-of-pearl dial, diamond bezel and alligator strap. $44,200 Paired with: VEUVE CLICQUOT ROSÉ This wine is perfectly balanced in the Veuve tradition that combines elegance, flair and sophistication.

CARTIER RONDE CROISIERE 42mm stainless steel case, black leather strap and synthetic black spinel crown. $5,300 Paired with: CHEHALEM 2006 “STATEMENT” PINOT NOIR SLATE Complex and layered, with notes of savory spice and a hint of sweetness.

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life style home food

SUMMER: ON THE ROCKS on Meyer Lem ned Old Fashio on

½ teaspo sugar

3-4 dashes tters aromatic bi eyer 1 ounce M e lemon juic 1½ ounces bourbon splash club soda ice 1-2 slices on Meyer lem for garnish

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TIVOL Collection 18K white gold diamond necklace featuring 140 round brilliant-cut diamonds.

TIVOL Collection 18K white gold diamond necklace featuring 164 emerald-cut diamonds.

$17,700

$28,700

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Penny Preville 18K white gold diamond earrings from the Garland Collection, set with round brilliant-cut diamonds. $10,560

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SUMMER: ON THE ROCKS Fresh Lim e Margarita 1½ cups gold tequ ila ¾ cup Triple Sec ¾ cup fresh lime juice 4 tablespo ons sugar, divi ded (2 for the mix, 2 for the rims of the glasse s) 8 cups crushed ic e 2 tablespo ons kosher salt

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SUMMER: ON THE ROCKS Watermelon and Cucumber Spritzer 2 cucumber slices 1 lime rim 2 limes 2 mint, small sprigs 4 1-inch cubes watermelon, seedless 2 watermelon slices 2 ounces simple syrup 4 ounces vodka splash of Prosecco

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TIVOL Collection platinum and three-stone ring featuring a 5.51ct emeraldcut diamond surrounded by two baguettes. $148,960

Kwiat 18K white gold bracelet featuring 260 round brilliant-cut diamonds. $15,100

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SUMMER: ON THE ROCKS Blue Hawaiian 1 ounce coconut rum 1 ounce Blue Curacao 2 ounces pineapple juice 1 cup crushed ice fresh pineapple for garnish

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TIVOL Collection 18K yellow and white gold diamond necklace featuring 32 radiant-cut yellow diamonds. $56,250

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food &wine

BIG

NEW ORLEANS chefs put heart and soul into their cooking.

BY LESLEY RUBENSTEIN

EASY EATING

L

ike a painter who brushes her soul onto a canvas or a dancer who reveals his inside self on stage, these four Louisiana-based chefs create art each night using fresh ingredients, passion and skill. Numerous accolades and awards have been heaped on these chefs, but they are cooking not for fame, but to share their love of food, their first memories of cooking and their commitment to the community. Their influences as leaders, culinary and otherwise, reach way beyond The Pelican State.

STEPHEN STRYJEWSKI Cochon, Cochon Butcher, Pêche Seafood Grill, Calcasieu Chef Stephen Stryjewski’s first job as a young boy was picking up golf balls out in the heat at a golf course; another job was cleaning out horse stalls. So by the time this future James Beard winner started working as a busboy at 14, he was thrilled. “The kitchen had a conveyor belt, so my job was to put dishes on and off the belt. I thought it was the best job ever—it was inside,” says Stryjewski.

His early days were also spent smelling the aroma of Polish food wafting from his grandmother’s kitchen and cooking with his mother. He attended the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York, then traveled through Europe absorbing the continent’s many techniques and tastes, and eventually worked at Tra Vigne in Napa Valley and at Commander’s Palace in New Orleans. “Working at Tra Vigne was the first time I saw that it was possible to produce high volume at a high standard. I saw the same thing again at Commander’s,” he reveals.

He then began working as a line cook at Herbsaint, quickly moved up to sous chef, and eventually became a partner with that eatery’s owner, James Beard winner Donald Link—a pairing that has proven beneficial to New Orleans.

First up, Stryjewski and Link opened Cochon, a couple of blocks away from both the Convention Center and the World War II Museum, and locals and tourists quickly responded. He describes the food at Cochon as French-influenced cooking techniques with Southern ingredients and Southern style. When the late respected food critic R. W. Apple Jr. from The New York Times wrote an article about Cochon, the restaurant really took off.

“The next day people were flying in from around the country to eat here. It was crazy,” he recalls.

Since then, he and Link have expanded their empire on Tchoupitoulas Street with Cochon Butcher, a small artisanal meat and sandwich shop, Calcasieu, a private dining and special event room, and the expansion of Cochon.

Stryjewski credits attention to detail, consistently maintaining and delivering a delicious product, and a focus on hospitality as the main reasons for all of the

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restaurants’ success. For example, he has a person on his staff with the title of forager, whose job it is to search for fresh, local products and to serve as a liaison with the local farmers, down to the details of what seeds some farmers will use to ensure the best tasting products for the menu.

In addition, Stryjewski and Link are known for the many philanthropic events they participate in, even starting their own non-profit, the Link Stryjewski Foundation, to address the needs of local children. They are true local heroes.

create an environment where someone like myself could feel comfortable cooking with my heart,” he explains.

That relationship allowed Shaya to travel Europe and come back ready to open Domenica in the Roosevelt Hotel with Besh. Shaya explains that there were many top-notch Italian restaurants in the city, but they were all very Sicilian. So they went another route. “There wasn’t a farm-to-table, ultra-regional Italian concept in town,” he says. “Domenica was the first restaurant here to open with a wood-burning pizza oven, have house-made salumi and an expansive pasta program,” he says. Patrons immediately packed the restaurant and Shaya became a multi-year James Beard Best Chef semifinalist before being named Best Chef of New Orleans in 2012.

Meanwhile, in 2011, Shaya traveled to Israel to cook for the troops on the Syrian border, as well as cook for other events organized by the Jewish Federation of New Orleans. While there, Shaya decided he was going to open a restaurant focused on Israeli food; but the Israeli influence began to be felt at Domenica first. “Take the roasted cauliflower, a favorite on the Domenica menu,” he says. “I got that idea from Israel. Eventually the menu started to get so Israeli that I had to open Shaya or Domenica wasn’t going to be an Italian restaurant anymore.”

Shaya finally opened his namesake eatery in 2015, the same year he was recognized as the James Beard Foundation Best Chef South. The eatery’s menu represents a blend of cultures now found in Israeli cuisine, along with a variety of fresh and local products. “Luckily, people went for it and didn’t mind eating hummus with a nice glass of wine,” says Shaya. In fact, the restaurant is consistently full, and was named Best New Restaurant by Esquire magazine.

Part of his success has been allowing his staff to contribute ideas, so they feel as passionate about the story he is trying to tell at the restaurant as he does. This passion also leads Shaya to cook for philanthropic events and help others, such as assisting a friend to design a kitchen for Hotel Hope (which services local families) or even making meals for friends who are sick. “I love to cook, and if I can help someone in the process, I do not need any thanks,” he says.

ISAAC TOUPS Toups Meatery Whatever Chef Isacc Toups touches, it turns Cajun. He can’t help it, having grown up in Rayne, Louisiana, deep in Cajun country, where his mother, father, aunts, uncles, siblings and grandparents—whose pictures adorn the wall of Toups Meatery on the corner of South Carollton and Dumaine—all cooked.

His father taught him how to roast 100-pound pigs, boil crawfish and cook steak on the grill, while his mother taught him about soups, gumbos and casseroles. Not only did they cook together, but they ate with the whole family in a large group. It was years before he realized that not all children had the same privilege of growing up with so many cooking influences around them.

And while Toups cooked his entire life, it wasn’t until he was close to 20 that he realized he could cook professionally. “I thought ‘Can I do this for a living?’ I like cooking and I am good at it,” he recalls. “So right then I knew I had to move to New Orleans. [My wife] Amanda and I packed up at 21 with a little bit of money, big dreams and a whole lot of hope.”

Their move proved successful. Toups worked for superstar Emeril Lagasse for 10 years before the couple opened Toups Meatery in 2012. Since then, Toups has racked up a lot of recognition for his cooking, including several times as a James Beard Foundation Best Chef semifinalist. Toups was also invited to cook at the prestigious Chefs Club in New York last December, and has appeared on the popular TV show Top Chef.

He describes his cooking as Contemporary Cajun. “When people come to New Orleans they are getting very good food, but they are not getting straight

ALON SHAYA Domenica, Pizza Domenica, Shaya Patrons may not realize it when they walk into one of Alon Shaya’s three celebrated New Orleans restaurants, but through the food and atmosphere of each they are getting a peek into his history. “I have to tap into my experiences,” he says. “It’s a very personal aspect of how I cook.”

Shaya moved to Philadelphia with his family from Israel at the age of four, but his grandmother visited them from Israel four times a year, six weeks at a time, and they cooked together every time she came into town. Cooking was what he felt most comfortable doing, so at 13, he got a job at a restaurant down the street from his home by telling them he was 16. He stocked shelves, scrubbed dishes, swept floors and worked his way up the ladder. Eventually, he attended the Culinary Institute of America, and worked at restaurants in Las Vegas and St. Louis.

So how did Shaya end up in New Orleans? He was courted by James Beard winner Chef John Besh, one of the city’s best known restaurateurs, whom Shaya describes as a talented chef and incredible leader. “What he was able to do was

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CHRIS LYNCH Atchafalaya As a child, Chris Lynch and his family would go to his grandmother’s house in Philadelphia each Friday night for a home-cooked family dinner. Soon, Lynch was doing some cooking himself. “My mom was going through nursing school when I was young, so whenever I was ‘sick’ my grandmother would come over to stay with me. I would wait until my mom left and then turn to my grandmother and say, ‘Let’s cook.’ She taught me all the basics and shaped my foundation as a chef; she even taught me how to make pies,” he recalls.

In high school, he worked as a busboy at an Italian restaurant, and one night the chef called in sick. Lynch saw his chance to shine. “I told them, ‘I can cook. I have been watching,’ so they let me try some things. I knew then that I preferred to work on the line. It’s all I have ever done.”

Cut to 20 years ago, when Lynch visited New Orleans for the first time based on the recommendation of a classmate at the Culinary Institute of America. “The moment I got out of the cab in the French Quarter I knew that I wanted to live and work here,” he says.

And so he has. Lynch excelled at Gautreau’s, Emeril’s and August, and even spent time as a food consultant on HBO’s Treme, set in post-Katrina New Orleans.

Now at Atchafalaya, a neighborhood restaurant in the Irish Channel owned by Rachel and Tony Tocco and known for its brunches (and Bloody Marys), he spends his days making customer favorites like shrimp and grits and gumbo.

“Working with Tony and Rachel is the most fun I have had on a job. I have free reign in the kitchen and feel that I am part of a really good team,” he shares.

Lynch notes that the dinner menu is often inspired by local produce, with changing daily specials. But the restaurant’s commitment to its clientele never changes. “Our customers trust us,” he says. “They know we are passionate about cooking. Meanwhile, Tony is at the door greeting people and I am coming out of the kitchen to say hello. We remember everyone’s names. It is a true experience for the customer.”

Cajun,” he says. “New Orleans food is a mélange of flavors: Creole, African, French... but here they are getting straight Cajun,” he explains.

Indeed, the menu mixes Cajun classics such as cracklins, boudin and dirty rice with quail, duck, goat, venison, chicken thighs and lamb neck cooked with sophisticated Cajun-inspired flavors. “Everything on the menu is something I like to cook,” he notes.

When Toups Meatery first opened, customers only ordered traditional Cajun items. “In the beginning, only two people a week would order lamb and I would have to either cook it and freeze it or throw it out because no one was buying it.

People wouldn’t order lamb neck, but they ate sausage. And I thought, ‘They do know sausage is pig’s intestine, right?’ But now we have their trust.”

For Toups, enjoying Cajun food includes the experience of communal eating.

At the restaurant, there are entrees for two, cocktails are served by the pitcher and there is no dress code. “I want everyone sharing their food.” And while his is fine-caliber dining, “You can come in your shorts or wear a T-shirt, as long as you bring your wallet,” he says with a smile.

His passion for the Cajun food and lifestyle extends to concern for the Louisiana ecosystem. He has taken wetland tours and wants to use his voice to encourage people to address the issue of our disappearing coast and wetlands.

“Look at the map: the water is encroaching and soon the Gulf is going to be at New Orleans,” he says. “That is our home, our source of seafood, our damn land.

So if this continues, we can’t eat and we can’t go back home. I can’t think of anything worse.”

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cathy’s recipe

CHOCOLATE CHUNK

SHORTBREAD COOKIES These cookies are so easy to make it’s almost embarrassing. While they have a quick prep time, please take note that an hour is needed for slow baking. This is my go-to cookie recipe.

1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks) ½ cup sugar plus 2 tablespoons 1¾ cup flour ½ teaspoon baking powder ¼ teaspoon salt ¾ cup semisweet chocolate chunk pieces Preheat oven to 275° F. Sift dry ingredients into small bowl.

Set aside.

Cream butter and sugar in electric mixer on medium until light and fluffy, about 1½ minutes. Stop to scrape bowl (don’t forget the bottom) and beat a couple of times with a spatula.

Add dry ingredients on low. Blend for 10 seconds. Continue to beat on medium-high until fluffy for about 2 minutes. Add chunks on lowest speed.

Measure out about 2T of dough, roll into ball and press down lightly on a cookie sheet about 1½ inches apart. (Do not grease cookie sheets.) Bake until crunchy and very lightly golden, about 1 hour. Cool on rack.

Note: You may use regular or mini chocolate chips, and add chopped pecans or walnuts as well.

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food &wine Jordan Winery library tasting

SONOMA on my mind

SONOMA out-cools Napa.

BY ROBERT HAYNES-PETERSON

F

ifteen or 20 years ago, Northern California’s Sonoma County was considered the laid-back, “lesser” cousin to Napa Valley’s touristfriendly melange of pricey cult wines and large producers. These days the tides have turned a bit: Napa continues to do its highbrow, high-volume thing to ever-increasing traffic snarls. Sonoma’s evolution, meanwhile, has been toward the trendy, experimental and high-concept. In short, Sonoma has become Napa’s cooler sibling.

To start with, naturally, there’s the wine. Thanks to a wide variety of microclimates, less-expensive land than Napa, and generally cooler weather, the small town-focused county has found itself in the fortunate position of being able to explore grapes beyond cabernet sauvignon and chardonnay (both important to the region). Notable pinot noir, old-vine zinfandel and intriguing petit verdot all come out of the region. And there are expanding blocks of sangiovese, grenache, cabernet franc, petite sirah, pinot grigio, merlot and more.

There are about 450 wineries in Sonoma County. Some are small and idiosyncratic: DaVero is a funky biodynamic winery and working farm, specializing in unusual Italian varieties. Others are more ornate: Jordan Winery offers an open-air sunset dinner among its tour options. Located on the highest occupied point on the 1,200-acre estate, “the table is the only place in Sonoma where you can view three appellations from one spot,” according to CEO John Jordan, son of the winery’s founders. “During the Perseid meteor showers, we offer a four-course Starlight Dinner. It’s incredible.” And of course Francis Ford Coppola Winery will give you all the posh, Napa Valley-style character you might desire in its mansion/tasting room, on-site swimming pool for guests and elevated dining experiences.

Many of the county’s winemakers have stepped up their

accommodations game in the past few years. The newly launched guest house at Rodney Strong Vineyards played host in its first year to nine destination weddings, and made Buzzfeed’s list of Top 20 Wedding Locations. Only members of Jordan Winery’s rewards program can score a stay at the castle-like château, with views of the winery’s oak fermentation tanks from one bedroom’s balcony. (It might be worth it to snatch up a few dozen cases just to score that privilege.) For an even more immersive experience, the recently updated and stylish guesthouses at the revitalized Stryker Sonoma Estate outside of Geyserville and St. Anne’s Crossing in Kenwood each place you smack dab in the middle of acres and acres of vines. Each has multiple bedrooms, providing a home base for groups of friends or wedding parties. VRBO.com provides access to a number of otherwise unknown stylish stays throughout wine country. (Some 40% of new luxury homes in Sonoma County are available as vacation rentals.)

Wander into the villages and hamlets, and you’ll find the culinary scene offers much more than grapes. Sonoma produces a wider variety than Napa of local meats, produce and finished products (jams, olive oils, etc.), available at area restaurants and markets. Some of these venues compete dish-for-dish with Napa’s French Laundry or anything in Manhattan. Valette, located in Healdsburg, is only a year old, and already a contender for a Michelin star. Do not let yourself out of the meticulously crafted New American spot without trying the Day Boat Scallops en Croute, a rich, visually striking puff pastry housing said scallops in a Champagne and fennel sauce, and dolloped with caviar. Nearby, Chalkboard prepares well-made dishes and top-notch craft cocktails in a friendly, well-lit space. Shed, a trendy bi-level “farmers’ market” featuring local produce, beers and wines will make sure you’re all stocked up for your return to that charming winery guest house.

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Valette dish

Osmosis Spa zen garden Valette Sonoma

Sonoma Madrona Manor

Sonoma Kenwood Inn

If you’d rather retreat to more traditional surroundings, consider Madrona Manor, the former home of 19th-century banker/magnate John Alexander Paxton. The 18-room Victorian stunner features traditionally appointed spaces (including five suites), no TVs, eight acres of woodlands and gardens, and a heated swimming pool. The secluded, Mediterraneanstyle Kenwood Inn and Spa transports you to another world with modern, understated furnishings, a dining patio enveloped by trees, and every detail carefully attended.

Those who have had their fill of wine tastings can book an appointment at the unique Osmosis Spa in the tiny town of Occidental. A Japanesestyle spa surrounded by zen gardens, it’s an oasis away from absolutely everything. The unusual cedar bath (think mud bath, but with aromatic wood pulp) provides a specialized heat therapy and detoxifies the body. Adventure seekers ought to consider Sonoma Canopy Tours. Rope bridges and seven zip-lines take you on an eco-tour through California’s majestic coastal redwood forest. Need more nature? Just off the coast you’ll find whale, seal and shark watching opportunities from a 33-foot sailboat offered by Bodega Bay Sailing. Or stay on land and shoot a quick nine (or more) while taking in the oceanside views at The Links at Bodega Harbor, or wander among 150-foot tall redwoods at the unique, highly rated Northwood Golf Club.

When it’s time for a drink, but wine isn’t cutting it, Sonoma County is now home to several breweries and two new craft distilleries. Sonoma

County Distilling is producing irreverent, yet carefully made American whiskeys out of an industrial business complex in Rohnert Park, using locally sourced ingredients. Spirit Works, meanwhile, is nestled in the trendy Sebastopol-based Barlow complex of restaurants, shops and artisanal producers. With a grain-to-glass philosophy, the husband-and-wife distilling team incorporates both the high-tech (rapid distillation techniques) and unusual (some barrels sport iPods and headphones, the

Sonoma’s evolution, meanwhile, has been towards the TRENDY, experimental and high-concept.

In short, Sonoma has become Napa’s cooler sibling.

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whiskey “listening” to anything from classical music to Led Zeppelin as it ages). As of 2016, you can buy the spirits you taste at California distilleries, rather than later hunting down a liquor store.

Being such a forward-thinking region, alternative energy and sustainability are issues on the tip of everyone’s tongues. The Links at Bodega Harbor received the “Green to a Tee” certification in 2010 indicating responsible, earth-friendly maintenance. Sonoma County Distillery’s operations are 100% wind powered. And Jordan Winery generates around 75% of its power needs through on-estate solar panels. ”The last couple of years we’ve been at around 90 to 95% solar because of the lack of rain,” says tour guide Claire Smith. “We hope to produce less of our own energy next year,” she jokes.

PerfectGEMS

Explore the little luxuries the world has to offer.

CLUTCH MOVE

KEY ACQUISITION Paper may be the traditional gift for a first anniversary, but when you’re married to “The King,” you have to take it up a notch. In 1968, Priscilla Presley made a grand gesture to new husband Elvis: she took the walnut piano he had originally bought as a gift for his mother out of storage, had it adorned with 24-karat gold leaf, and returned it to the music room at Graceland. The lavish Memphis mansion is where Elvis lived until his death in 1977 and where the piano remained for many years. In more recent times, it was purchased by Julien Auctions, a leading celebrity auction house, then placed on exhibit at the Country Music Hall of Fame. It has since been acquired by the Hard Rock International’s memorabilia collection for an astonishing $600,000, and you will soon find it on display in one of the company’s many hotel properties.

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KEY ACQUISITION, ART ACCELERATED, CLUTCH MOVE BY BRIAN SCOTT LIPTON. FEEL THE BEAT IN THE HEAT BY SHIRA LEVINE

Opera buffs can literally own a piece of history in the form of a handmade clutch by New York City designer Clara Kasavina. A Russian émigré, Kasavina brilliantly transforms cloth from the Metropolitan Opera’s stage curtains, as well as occasional costume swatches from previous productions like Don Carlo and The Merry Widow, into beautifully crafted handbags. These exquisite clutches also feature crystal clasps from the opera house’s gorgeous chandelier, along with hand-sewn silk linings. Smartly, they hold just enough for a night out on the town, including opera glasses. Brava, diva!

ART Accelerated For the past 40 years, some of the world’s greatest artists, including Alexander Calder, Andy Warhol, Jenny Holzer and Jeff Koons, have taken part in the BMW Art Car series, creating vehicles that can hold their own on the race track as well as look great in museums. Joining their ranks are 36-yearold Chinese artist Cao Fei and 85-year-old American artist John Baldessari, who were selected by a jury of major museum and gallery directors and will each put their own touch on a BMW M6 GTE this year. The vehicles will compete in the Nürburgring 24 Hours and the 24 Hours of SpaFrancorchamps, among other races, before joining their forebears at the BMW Museum in Munich. Talk about performance art.

Feel the BEAT In the Heat

Street cred can, in fact, be bought. Or in this case, taught: workshops in graffiti art, skateboarding and dropping beats are among some of the newest entertainment offerings at swanky tropical resorts. Take the W Hotel Vieques, a 25-minute flight from San Juan, where the world-famous Bioluminescent Bay and long stretches of undeveloped beaches lure visitors. The W’s three-day DJ Dispensary class equips participants with mixing and scratching skills while also educating them on music history and the science of curating stellar playlists.

With one-on-one tutoring or twice-daily group lessons, plus nightly sunset spin sessions, amateurs evolve into pros with skillz they’ll be proud to add to their LinkedIn profiles once they return stateside.

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book review

GOOD AS

GOLD STEPHEN WEBSTER’s new tome has him flying high.

BY BRIAN SCOTT LIPTON

S

tephen Webster’s jewelry doesn’t look like anyone else’s, so it’s hardly surprising that his book, Gold Struck: A Life Shaped by Jewellery, isn’t quite the kind of book that any of his colleagues would put out. “A book on jewelry seemed too dry to me, and I didn’t want something just to be left on the coffee table,” says the 56year-old British designer. Instead, Gold Struck incorporates personal writing, including a poem and a short story, along with photographs, which explore how he feels about this art form and give readers a glimpse into his life.

“I am glad that the book is being very well received, because it is such a personal tale,” says Webster. “I’ve been writing for many years and I like doing it, but I didn’t have a grand plan to do a book. I am always on planes, and I had to find a way to spend all that time. I say the book was basically all written at 35,000 feet.” (And mostly on an iPad!) As Webster admits, he has a bit of a love-hate affair with flying. “I was 16 when I started making jewelry, and back then, nothing else mattered—except girls. Still, you think, ‘This is always going to be my life, being in a room on a [jeweler’s] bench with some men,’” he says. “So when I discovered I had flown over one million miles, I wondered if I was a bad jeweler. But flying has taken me over the world. And the fact is, I need a very small space to do what I do for a day

job. Sometimes, the only need to get up from the bench is to make some tea.”

Webster notes that his jewelry business has changed drastically over the past few decades. “At the beginning, my clients were basically well-heeled people, the type who could buy art,” he shares. But after he gained some notoriety by designing a ring that was worn by Madonna, his clientele changed. “I am happy now because my line is much more creative; it’s bought by people who want to be excited about the jewelry they buy. They want it to be a conversation piece. That works for me, because I am not interested in making just another ordinary diamond ring.”

The designer would also like to attract a younger audience. “I want to educate the next level of consumers, those in their 20s and 30s, and get them to understand the importance of buying fine jewelry and not just buying whatever is on trend,” he says.

As for what’s next for Webster, his spring collection features such unusual stones as red tourmalines and rubellites. “Things that come out of the ground generally excite me, but not always the usual suspects. I like to work with stones that are harder to find.” And while there will always be new jewelry, Gold Struck may be his only book. Or not. “I have no ambitions for a next book, but I felt a bit empty when we finished the last page,” says Webster. “I felt like I closed a chapter of my life.”

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There is nothing we love more than to see our clients sharing pictures and posts about their TIVOL jewelry and timepieces. For this issue of TIVOL Magazine, we’ve selected some of our most recent favorites. Connect with us, and be sure to tag @TIVOLkc to get our attention—we will certainly #loveit.

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end page

PIERCEDEARS

W

hen I was 10 years old, my treasured birthday present was to finally get my ears pierced. It felt like a lifetime that I had yearned for this; I know I lobbied for it a full two years prior to my 10th birthday. My father was adamantly against it. My mother, as she often has on issues that were important to me, acted as the gentle and persistent persuader. My father relented. I was elated.

The task was performed at no charge by my great uncle, who was a successful Manhattan doctor. In the end it seemed so simple, a little like a wedding day after long preparations. Ice to numb the earlobes, antiseptic solution, very long needles, an antibiotic ointment on the posts, and done.

Stud earrings in 14K gold, part of my birthday gift, were adorning my ears.

It took minutes; I was thrilled. It was without official ceremony but a rite of passage nonetheless.

Ear piercing dates back to ancient times, signifying wealth, status or bravery, marking the entrance into puberty, or acting as protection from demons and poor eyesight. The first evidence of piercing dates to 5,000 years ago in the remains of the oldest known mummified body, found in a block of ice in Austria in 1991.

The Book of Exodus relates Moses’ brother Aaron commanding the Israelites: “Take off the gold rings that are on the ears of your wives…” in order to create the

BY LAURIE SCHECHTER

golden idol they demanded. In the 16th century, sailors wore earrings allegedly to represent that they had sailed around the world and to pay for a proper burial.

One American anthropologist posits that primitive tribes pierced their ears so that demons and spirits would slip through the earlobes instead of entering where they normally could, through the ears. And in the 1960s an earring in a man’s right ear signaled he was gay; worn on the left, the man was straight.

When my nieces were born, they had their ears pierced immediately, something truly foreign to me. My brother (their father) had married a woman (their mother) from Colombia, and I now know it is a common—if not requisite—practice in the worldwide Latino community. In fact, it now seems to be standard in many cultures. Proponents of early piercing argue it’s less traumatic at that young age, with less risk of infection. Opponents think the practice vulgar and barbaric, like early 20th-century American women who considered pierced ears at any age to be uncivilized. (Their distaste led to the invention of the screwback earring and caused pierced ears to fall out of favor until the latter half of the century.) Apparently the piercing debate is longstanding and universal.

Today, multiple ear piercings and even mismatched earrings are growing trends, The New York Times reported recently, especially among women in their 30s and 40s. It’s a perfect opportunity for women and jewelers alike to show personality in a multitude of ways. Perhaps this is the new rite of passage.

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GIRL WITH A PEARL EARRING BY JOHANNES VERMEER, 1665

A rite of passage.

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TIVOL ACCENT THE MAGAZINE OF LIFE’S CELEBRATIONS

SUMMER 2016