C CALIFORNIA STYLE
HEAT WAVE
FALL PREVIEW Cutting Edge California Fashion
175 Beauty Secrets From 6 Women With Style
OOH-LA-LA LAS VEGAS Ultra Luxury In Sin City AUGUST 2006
COURTENEY COX A Whole New Life After “Friends”
L.A.-based Libertine, one of 13 designers in C’s first portfolio celebrating California fashion talent, is all about a dash of flash. Libertine dress, $3,000, Maxfield. See Shopping Guide for more details, page 110.
C august 2006
features
50 COURTENEY COX CALLING THE SHOTS Producer, actress, mother and design aficionado—this former “Friend” talks about parenting in the spotlight, her house-hunting habit and the drama of gossip.
54 THE WAVE WATCHER More than anyone else, photographer LeRoy Grannis has shaped the style and spirit of surfing culture. A new book from Taschen reveals his vision.
62 CALIFORNIA CHIC Add Los Angeles to the list of booming global fashion capitals. C spotlights the best fall looks from the state’s most influential designers.
76 PREMIER PALACE Interior designer Tim Corrigan has infused a monumental and historic Los Angeles estate with a welcoming and effortlessly livable spirit.
90 MELTDOWN IN MALIBU One wrong turn in a million-dollar sportscar pulled the curtain back on a life full of shady deals and international intrigue. The inside story of California’s most explosive car crash.
YU TSAI
CALIFORNIA CHIC Page 62.
PREMIER PALACE Page 76.
C
august 2006
departments 10 FOUNDER’S LETTER
in their makeup bag, six chic
The best out of California—from
women throughout the state share
all that’s eco-chic to our cutting
their beauty secrets.
Berkeley’s coolest new ice cream.
103 C CULTURE San Francisco’s most elite
edge design houses.
43 C HOME
collectors covet the warm and
13 C WHAT’S HOT
The ultimate home office:
whimsical canvases of Ira Yeager;
The Golden State is leading the
resources for designer desktops;
Bay Area’s Filoli gardens dazzle.
way in living, eating, wearing and
Unearthing garden antiques.
110 SHOPPING GUIDE 48 C INSIDE
22 REPORTS FROM THE SOCIAL FRONT
Carolyn Espley-Miller shares her
112 C CALIFORNIA
insider secrets on where to shop,
Greybull Press publishers Lisa
Invitations came fast and furious
eat and play in Santa Barbara.
Eisner and Roman Alonso’s
this season for C’s social diarist.
unique vision of CA—the last days
95 C TRAVEL
25 C FASHION
Forget slots. Bypass the strip.
California-based bag makers are
A first-timer discovers the
breathing new life into minimal
sophisticated side of Sin City.
On Our Cover Courteney Cox, photographed
luxury; A San Francisco shopping legend lights up Carmel.
of the Berryessa Valley.
99 C THE MENU
by Brian Bowen Smith in a Ferragamo dress. See Shopping
Gargantuan, club-like restaurants
Guide for more details, page 110.
35 C BEAUTY
continue to lay claim to more terri-
Styled by George Kotsiopoulos.
From the best massages to what’s
tory on Los Angeles’ culinary map;
HAIR Chris McMillan for Solo Artists. MAKEUP Genevieve for Sally Harlor
using Giorgio Armani Cosmetics.
LISA ROMEREIN
building green.
C
JENNIFER SMITH HALE Chairman + Founder MICHAEL COADY President + Editorial Director
MARGOT FRANKEL
JACK ROTHERHAM
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JENNY MURRAY HOOKS
SUE CHRISPELL
Managing Editor
Advertising Director
NATHAN COOPER
RENEE MARCELLO
Features Director
Account Director
GEORGE KOTSIOPOULOS
STEVEN K. THOMPSON
Style Director
Advertising/Mediacentric, Inc.
ANDREA BORDA STANFORD
DINAH CALDERON
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NICOLE LAMOTTE
JOANNA SCHIAVON
Photo Editor
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BROOKE TAYLOR
JANE FERGUSON GIBBONS
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ALISON CLARE STEINGOLD
KAT ISAACSON
Copy Editor
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TARA HOBBS
NANCY PAINTER
Production Manager
Marketing Director
NICHOLAS HALE
KELLY CUSHING
Director of Finance
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Diane Dorrans Saeks
CONTRIBUTING EDITOR-AT-LARGE
Kendall Conrad
Leah Forester, Roman Alonso and Lisa Eisner/Greybull, Nathan Turner
Anita Calero, Lisa Romerein, Brian Bowen Smith, Art Streiber, Coral Von Zumwalt
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what’s hot
Conscious Couture In Linda Loudermilk’s world, eco and ego aren’t necessarily at odds. The designer has spearheaded a movement dubbed “luxury eco,” with the idea that customers should have their (organic) cake and eat it, too—
LIVING GREEN Shopping, eating and decorating with style have never been so good for the environment. From organic bouquets to gourmet natural cafes, chic and conscientious California pioneers are pushing the eco lifestyle far beyond Birkenstocks
so long as they look stunning doing it. “I gotta keep up with the Joneses,” laughs the earthy Angeleno, who took her fall inspiration from the power of lava. Prim meets primitive in garments crafted from organic cotton, corn and bamboo fibers, and sea cell (an algae fabric that nourishes the skin). Loudermilk’s full line will be sold at her Melrose boutique opening in October. linda
MATTHEW H ISE
loudermilk.com.
STEFFIE NELSON
Linda Loudermilk Basalt Lava top, $470, Cinder Cone jacket, $1,235, and Mafic pants, $375.
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what’s hot METHOD MEN In 1999, two roommates in S.F. (Adam Lowry, a Stanford chemical engineer; and Eric Ryan, a style visionary) hatched a plan to make cleaning products non-toxic and pretty. With snazzy bottles from of-the-moment designer Karim Rashid and fresh fragrances, Method Home has revolutionized clean home care. methodhome.com.
A.C.S.
ORGANIC BUDS Ariana Lambert Smeraldo, owner of L.A. hot spot Lily Lodge, is known for her A+ clientele and her one-of-a-kind vintage vases and elegant delivery boxes. What some don’t know is that she is one of only a handful of California florists selling 100 percent organic flowers. “I am always amazed when I discover someone who won’t wear leather and eats only organic—but buys roses showered with pesticides,” says Smeraldo. She became intrigued with green growing when she opened her shop last year and now buys only from local green growers (mostly in Camarillo and Chino) or by special order from Holland and New Zealand, where growing standards are organic by law. “Up to five times the amount of toxic pesticides used on food are used in typical flower growing, so the next time you are ordering your dinner party San Francisco lunch spot Mixt dahlias, think green.” 644 Greens opened in the city’s N. Robertson Blvd., L.A., financial district this past April and 310-360-9400; lilylodge. is already raising the bar for com. ANDREA STANFORD environmental responsibility. The
Mixt Master
space was built with formaldehydefree plywood and energy-efficient
NATURE’S MULTI-PURPOSE SMART MATERIAL. IT CAN RENEW ITSELF IN 7 YEARS OR LESS AND DOESN’T REQUIRE PESTICIDES.
appliances; to-go boxes are made of earth-friendly corn byproduct; and design-your-own salads are comprised of organic ingredients sourced from culinary school graduates. Consider it eating right— in every sense of the word. 120 Sansome St., S.F., 415-433-6498; mixtgreens.com.
ASHLEY MCADAMS
BAMBOO SHOOTS LJ Separates, a new line of T-shirts, dresses and drawstring pants by San Francisco’s Lilja Designs ($50 to $150), is made of 100 percent natural bamboo fibers in an all-green production process. Not only are the flattering pieces superbly soft, but they’re also antibacterial and hypoallergenic. Fred Segal Fun, 500 Broadway, Santa Monica, 310-458-9940; Candy Store, 3153 16th St., S.F., 415-863-8143; liljadesigns.com.
A.M.
TOP LEFT (2): CORAL VON ZUMWALT
C TIP BUY BAMBOO,
what’s hot PREFABULOUS Looking for a pad to match your Prius? Los Angeles entrepreneur Steve Glenn has just launched LivingHomes, a collection of modern, prefabricated homes designed by world-class architects featuring green materials and energy efficient (including solar) systems. Prices from $350,000 to $650,000; livinghomes.us.
VICTORIA NAMKUNG
TREE-mendous Committed to saving trees through the use of reclaimed wood, L.A.-based design firms Environment Furniture and Stranger Furniture create functional art that are monuments to sustainable living. “If we have proven anything, it is that eco-friendly furniture can also be exciting,” insists Environment’s founder Thomas Bina. The company’s flagship Peroba Collection uses exquisite 100-year-old recycled Brazilian hardwood, while William Stranger culls his wood from mostly local sources, including recovered river logs and recycled construction timber. His latest line, “Light Gets In,” celebrates the fluid, natural lines of the wood. environment-furniture.com; strangerfurniture.com.
L.J.
C TIP START EATING LOCALLY. CHECK OUT SAN FRANCISCO-BASED LOCAVORES.COM.
ECO-ZOOM
has been carving them into
The new Lexus GS 450h (from $55,595) blends modern elegance with environmental responsibility. Acceleration from 0-60 in 5.2 seconds is proof-positive that this sleek machine has kick, while a V6 gasoline engine/electric-drive motor ensures mileage in the mid to high 20s, plus ultra-low emissions. Standard features like leather and wood trim complement the forwardlooking technology under the
spectacular vessels ever since. “I
hood. lexus.com.
Do-Wooder Decades of logging and the wrath of Mother Nature have scattered fallen Redwoods around the Santa Cruz Mountains. Twenty years ago, Soquel-based sculptor Gary Stevens spotted the hidden beauty of these behemoths and
love creating something exceptional from leftovers,” says the artist, whose work can be found at Gump’s and the Coast Gallery Carmel, priced up to $25,000. “The wood in itself is the ultimate nature has to offer.” 831-477-2808; artbowl.com.
AMY GURVITZ
LESLEY JACOBS
what’s hot
CALIFORNIA’S
Eco Role Models Eric Garcetti and Amy Elaine Wakeland set the green standard in L.A.’s Echo Park C 20
CORAL VON ZUMWALT
S
SINCE THE MOMENT
THE Eric Garcetti, a rising
political star and the president of the Los Angeles City Council, and Amy Elaine Wakeland, a progressive activist, fell in love while Rhodes Scholars studying at Oxford
GREEN PAGES Check out the web for California-based eco-friendly options:
University, they have not stopped advocating
Bean Trees Sacramento’s 100 percent organic gourmet coffee can
for the environment. In L.A., they have
be found everywhere from S.F.’s Nob Hill Foods to Big Sur’s Post Ranch
helped to double the number of parks in
Inn. beantrees.com
Garcetti’s council district, built a Neighbor-
Branch This San Francisco-based online store offers sustainable
hood Land Trust that turns abandoned lots
design and options for home decor and fun accessories.
into green oases and passed an unprece-
branchhome.com
dented clean water bond. And the duo lives
Children’s Health Environmental Coalition Founded to fight against
green as well, driving electric and hybrid
environmental toxins after the loss of their daughter, L.A.-based architect
cars, shopping at local farmers’ markets and retiring each night to their solar-powered home.
and journalist Jim and Nancy Chuda have dedicated their lives to creating green homes that are safe for children. checnet.org David Hertz Since 1983, Santa Monica-based architect David Hertz
GARCETTI AND WAKELAND’S GREEN TIPS
has been paving the way for eco-luxury design. His firm, Syndesis, also manufactures earth-friendly building materials and other home products and accessories. syndesisinc.com
BEST WAY TO LIVE GREEN
The Edible Schoolyard Brainchild of Chez Panisse’s legendary Alice
Buy less. It’s even better for the environment than buying green.
Waters, this Berkeley ecoliteracy program allows disadvantaged students to grow and prepare healthy school lunches with their own farms. edibleschoolyard.org
BEST WAY TO MAKE A POSITIVE IMPACT IMMEDIATELY
Call your utility company and switch to Green Power. (eere.energy.gov/greenpower) BEST SHORT-TERM HOPE FOR THE ENVIRONMENT
Build green. Forty percent of the waste in landfills comes from construction. BEST LONG-TERM HOPE FOR THE ENVIRONMENT
Environmental Health Coalition San Diego-based grassroots organization dedicated to cleaner and safer communities. environmentalhealth.org Green Clean Using only Seventh Generation cleaning products and offering a “detox service” on the first visit, this is a new L.A.-based cleaning service for offices and homes. greencleanla.com Greenopia Like Zagat is to restaurants, just-launched Greenopia L.A. is the “urban dweller’s” directory for finding eco-conscious shops, goods and services. greenopia.com
California voters. We’re willing to get out in front of the rest of the country on environmental issues.
the ocean by preventing toxic runoff. healtheocean.org
BEST WAY TO CUT DOWN ON TRASH
from lip plumpers to effective fruit peels with natural ingredients like
Read documents on your computer rather than on printed paper. BEST WAY TO CLEAN THE WATER
Don’t allow litter, dog waste and motor oil to remain on the street. It washes into our waterways and onto our beaches.
Heal the Ocean Santa Barbara-based nonprofit dedicated to cleaning up
Juice Beauty The Marin-based company makes beauty products raw cane sugar and honey. juicebeauty.com The League to Save Lake Tahoe The organization on a mission to keep Lake Tahoe’s waters pristine. keeptahoeblue.org Local Harvest Listing the nearest farmer’s markets and organic grocers across the state. localharvest.org
BEST WAY TO CLEAN THE AIR
SillaPere Events & Environments S.F. style maven Nicole Sillapere is
Take the bus at least once a week.
producing lavish events in a “this-event-is-so-beautiful-you-wouldnever-know-it-was-eco-friendly-and-now-we-can-sleep-better-at-
BEST WAY TO IMPROVE THE ENVIRONMENT
night” kind of way. sillapere.com
IF YOU ONLY HAVE A SATURDAY MORNING
Tree People Inspiring Angelelos to take responsibility for their
Plant a few trees. They will absorb carbon from pollution, produce oxygen, preserve animal habitat and cool your neighborhood.
urban forests—one tree at a time—is a big part of this organization’s mission. treepeople.org
BEST WAY TO IMPROVE THE ENVIRONMENT
The Wildebeat Take a break from saving the world to enjoy the
IF YOU DON’T HAVE A SATURDAY MORNING
outdoors. Avid outdoorsman Steve Sergeant hosts this San Jose-
Write a check to the Coalition for Clean Air. (coalitionforcleanair.org) WAH CHEN
based radio news magazine. wildebeat.net ANDREA STANFORD, ALISON CLARE STEINGOLD AND VICTORIA NAMKUNG
C
Reports From The Social SUMMER IN Front WITH THE AIR, SOME OF CALIFORNIA’S MOST GLAMOROUS EVENTS HAD A SAVE-THEPLANET PANACHE
M BY PHOEBE DOHENY
aybe it’s
Heather Thomas, Elizabeth Wiatt—
dressed down in jeans-and-T-shirt mode. Mayer, cute as he is, caused a few titters in the pro-Prius crowd when he confessed on stage that he Cayenne. His
NINA RICCI
atonement? Turning off the water while brushing his teeth. Every little bit helps, I suppose. Shifting charity gears, I pulled out my slinkiest Halston for Nancy Davis’ disco-rrific Race to Erase Multiple Sclerosis ’70s soiree.
Rachel Zoe and Lars Nilsson
Nancy, a real dynamo who has raised more than $25 million to help battle the
Heather Thomas and Simon Doonan
disease, evidently has quite a fun Rolodex, with everyone from Jamie Tisch and Crystal Lourd to Lindsay Lohan
and Nicole Richie
around town. Or maybe it’s because of Al Gore, whose
turning up at the bash.
recent publicity blitz for his climate documentary
When Paris Hilton
could make the likes of J.Lo and Tom Cruise seem like
appeared on stage to
hermits. Whatever the reason, environmental
auction off a small
awareness is the order of the day, and California’s
dog, her mom, Kathy,
private jet set is, naturally, at the forefront.
proudly clinked her wine glass with
Stephen for the annual Girls Inc. fund-raiser, I was
a knife to try
thrilled to meet guest of honor, Dr. Wangari Maathai,
and settle the
the tree-planting visionary and the first African
less-than-
woman to win the Nobel Peace Prize. Oprah Winfrey
attentive
made a rare appearance on the scene to toast the
audience,
Kenyan eco-luminary, along with fab Santa Barbara
including Ryan
fixtures like Sheryl Lowe, Marlene Veloz and Sandi
Seacrest and
Nicholson. (All eyes were on the big O, though.)
Rod Stewart.
The big green shindig down in L.A. was the Natural
Amanda Ross, Crystal Lourd and Stephanie Murray
fritters away gas in a big Porsche
the intoxicating purple haze of blooming jacarandas all
Up at the beautiful Hope Ranch estate of Betty
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L.A.’s lovely ladies—Colleen Bell,
OJ Shansby
Katie Traina
STAR BALL
Everyone was
Resource Defense Council’s day of family fun at the
too busy
Wadsworth grounds in Westwood, complete with blow-
buzzing about
up castles for kids to bounce in and a mini concert by
what to snatch
John Mayer. What a breath of fresh air to see so many of
up in the silent
Danielle Steel
Tatiana Sorokko
auction, which rang up a cool million for the night. Colleen Bell and Elizabeth Wiatt
Fashion followers came out in droves in Beverly Hills to toast Lars Nilsson,
Mary Lester and Anne Murray
NRDC
designer of Nina Ricci, an exceptionally
WILLIAMS-SONOMA
refined Paris-based Swede making his California debut. Amanda Ross hosted a
exquisite. Fans on hand
Chris O’Donnell
included Jean Larette, Therese
STAR BALL AND SF BALLET: THOMAS JOHN GIBBONS; NRDC: ALEX BERLINER; WILLIAMS-SONOMA: KRISTEN LOKEN; GIRLS INC: RICK CARTER; RACE TO ERASE: SILVIA MAUTNER
lovely dinner in his honor at the everalluring Tower Bar, with Cameron Silver, Susan Casden and
Post, OJ Shansby (taking a break from her
Rachel Zoe on hand, followed later in the week with a
new house in Costa Careyes, Mexico) and
superbly staged runway show and dinner at Barneys
Tatiana Sorokko, who ordered a dramatic
benefiting The Rape Foundation, where Kate Beckinsale,
silk evening coat. Thanks to his friendship
Maria Bell, Elisha Cuthbert and other fashion devotees
with fellow Swiss design stars Herzog and
turned up. Lars was captivated by Los Angeles, and I’m
de Meuron, Kriemler is something of an
certain the feeling was mutual.
architecture aficionado. After the trunk
Up in San Francisco, summer’s onset charged the city
show, he zipped over to see his chums’
with electric energy. First, I dropped by the Hedge gallery,
latest work, the
Trevor Traina and Alexis Swanson
where owners Roth Martin and Steven Volpe toasted James
new de Young
Archer Abbott and his new book, Jansen, on the legendary
Museum. Glowing
Paris design firm. I popped two finger-sandwiches into
in the middle of
my Fendi bag for the dash down Highway 280 to Palo
lush Golden Gate
Alto for the opening of the new Williams-Sonoma Home
Park, with its
superstore. Dave DeMattei, the man behind the fab new
earthy copper
brand, showed off rooms full of chic vignettes. (The pink
exterior and subtly
roll-arm sofa is divine.) Loved seeing Chuck Williams, and
organic lines, what
Trevor Traina and Alexis Swanson had a definite glow
could possibly be
about them, likely to do with their sure-to-be-chic
more eco-chic? •
SF BALLET
nuptials set for later in the summer. At her Star Ball, Danielle Steel’s family and friends from around the
Yurie Pascarella
globe—Vanessa Getty, Katie Traina and Vanessa Traina all wowed the crowd in
Marlene Veloz
vintage gowns. Danielle sparkled in
Rosemary Baker and Albert Kriemler
Gem Palace diamond necklaces and an Oscar de la Renta confection of taupe silk. The big surprise was Sidney Poitier, who movingly thanked Danielle for her unstinting support of teenage mental health. Cheered on stage by her son Max, Danielle let the tears flow.
Lindsay Lohan and Nicole Richie
RACE TO ERASE
Meanwhile, the San Francisco
GIRLS INC.
Ballet and Saks Fifth Avenue welcomed Albert Kriemler, the
Nancy Davis and Tommy Hilfiger
Zurich-based designer of Akris, to town for a luncheon trunk show. I think of Akris as the Audi of fashion labels—less flashy than its counterparts, but every bit as
Sharon and Kelly Osbourne
Oprah Winfrey and Wangari Maathai Karen Caufield
C
fashion Local Talent A new wave of California bag designers is giving deluxe duffles and totes a clean-scrubbed makeover BY GLORIA M. WONG
MINIMAL TO THE MAX CLOCKWISE FROM TOP
Delphine de Grasse bag, $2,500; Kendall Conrad duffle, $2,760; Laurence clutch, $275; B. Romanek clutch, $1,950. See Shopping Guide for more details, page 110.
ANITA CALERO
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fashion
LOCAL TALENT
R
ifle through any of the weekly
what I want to wear—a luxury line, something grown-up, that
glossies and you’ll find one: a
looks expensive. I don’t want to mass produce trendy bags.”
paparazzi shot of a faux-disheveled
Deborah Barnet’s Delphine de Grasse bags are the ultimate
starlet cocooned behind oversized
in organic, rich-deconstructed style. Her extravagant ostrich
sunglasses, Starbucks in hand, with
bag is truly one you would never see on anyone else—even
the purse dangling from her arm.
if it was another Delphine de Grasse. Working with hard-to-
The accompanying caption tells you
get crocodile, alligator, ostrich, and deerskin, the L.A.-based
the brand, style name and where to
Barnet carefully selects the material, then shapes each purse,
find it, but the information is already
clutch and shoulderbag by hand. “I always think of Coco
superfluous. The bag is plastered all over eBay. At every turn,
knockoffs can be found at local mall kiosks. Those desperate to have it in hand can even log onto websites to rent one. Woe is the purse that falls victim to the US Weekly syndrome. Plucked by eagle-eyed stylists, these perfectly innocent and overexposed satchels suffer for their beauty. And the very accessory that is supposed to purr “status” and “sophistication” says another thing entirely. Even as the powerhouse brands up the exclusivity of
Chanel, how she used draping when she designed,” she says. “It’s all about the material and manipulating it as little as possible. I always ask myself, ‘What is the least I can do to make it the most beautiful?’” Brigette Romanek’s endeavor started as a lark—a suggestion at a L.A. dinner party gave her the idea to create unique Christmas gifts for her friends. The rockstar vibe (her best seller is crocodile clutch, appropriately named Rockstar) won over fans
their bags with rapidly changing designs
immediately, prompting an order for
and increasingly precious materials, a
her B. Romanek label from Barneys
new wave of independent bag makers
New York—which, much like a rock
are wiping the slate clean with minimal
concert, sold out in less than 10
but luxurious creations.
days. “It takes about six weeks to
For Santa Barbara-based
make each bag,” says the upbeat
designer Kendall Conrad,
Romanek in her sultry singer’s voice.
noisy logos are neither here
“It’s not an inexpensive process and
nor there. “I make bags for
it’s not an inexpensive bag, so I have
the woman who knows
to make sure that I’m holding up
who she is and isn’t
my end. I want to make sure that
just concerned with the
you’re getting quality. I really
latest ‘it’ bag,” the former
try to make sure each bag is
model explains. Conrad is one
well done and beautiful.”
of a crop of emerging California designers creating one-of-a-kind purses
bag line, Laurence, evokes
that exude coolly understated luxury.
a clean and streamlined
Each has a signature design aesthetic but
French chic—which is no
wins over devotees who couldn’t care less about
surprise, since she was
labels (not to mention cost—these bags have price tags that can rival their mega-brand counterparts) and more about unique design, craftsmanship and love-me-or-leave-me style. Conrad uses exotic skins such as astrakhan and alligator, but her signature is her large tote—the N. 10—richly crafted in exquisite buttery leather. “I like to use numbers to identify the bags—it reminds me of how Hubert de Givenchy would have girls walk out holding a number in fashion shows,”
C 26
Laurence Goldberg’s
Rich materials like alligator and buttery calfskin set these bags apart. FROM TOP Kendall Conrad bag, $1,400; Laurence bag, $575; Delphine de Grasse clutch, $1,000.
raised in Paris. After a stint as a fashion publicist in New York, Goldberg landed in Los Angeles. “The way it happened, I was naive—I didn’t have a grand plan at all,” Goldberg says in her
charming accent. “I was desperately looking, and I didn’t want
Conrad says. She designs around the custom hardware she
to work in an office. I decided to finally do something instead
orders from Italy with an eye for form and function (think
of just talking about it. I started small to be able to deliver the
pockets in the right places for a cell phone, or straps designed
best. My line is really exclusive; there are no logos. And my
to stay on the shoulder without bunching). And she makes
clients really like that—it’s not a bag everybody has.” As the
no apologies for the fact that they don’t come cheap. “These
no-nonsense Goldberg sums up: “It can be a status thing, but I
are for strong individuals who don’t follow the herd. I design
just want a beautiful and elegant bag to put my stuff in!” •
ANITA CALERO
fashion
WILD ABOUT WILKES For more than 40 lively years, Wilkes Bashford has ruled the fashion and retail roost in San Francisco. Now, he’s ready to take on Carmel
W
ilkes Bashford is seated at his window table at Le Central bistro, where he has dined with a coterie of Bay Area movers and shakers for the last three decades. ¶ In his spiffy custom-crafted Prince of
Wales check Brioni suit, immaculate custom-made white Sea Island cotton Brioni shirt, and iconoclastic purple and white polka-dot silk twill tie by Massimo Bizzocchi, Wilkes Bashford is easily the best-dressed man in San Francisco. ¶ But that’s not his claim to fame. Bashford, who founded his first mens- and womenswear store,
Wilkes Bashford, in San Francisco 40 years ago, has attracted the crème de la crème of business and social leaders, introduced and promoted labels like Giorgio
ONES TO WATCH
ZIJI “L.A. is changing. People are more interested in dressing up,” says Katerina Gabbro, codesigner with Nansi Aluka and Lisa Fabian (pictured top right) of the polished and feminine new label Ziji. That change may be what’s driving the demand for the line, which is flying out of such pace-setting boutiques as Sugar in L.A. and Backspace in S.F. ziji.us. NATHAN COOPER
Armani, Brioni, Kiton, Ralph Lauren and Loro Piana, and has outlasted dozens of San Francisco menswear and specialty stores. ¶ “My slogan then and now is, ‘Menswear for the bold conservative,’” says Bashford. “I’ve seen every trend pass, watched ‘casual Fridays’ come and go, and put to rest the old idea that men don’t like to shop.” ¶ Wilkes Bashford’s retail empire now includes WilkesSport stores in Mill Valley and St. Helena. For his Silicon Valley fans, he opened the elegant Wilkes Bashford Palo Alto five years ago. This month, he opens Wilkes Bashford Carmel, a lavishly appointed 10,000-square-foot, two-level store offering Central Coast aficionados an elegant place to pick up their Brioni suits, Brunello Cuccinelli cashmere sweaters, Belvest jackets, Arnys Paris suits and Earnest Sewn jeans. ¶ “We’re creating precisely the collections and exclusive lines from our flagship store in San Francisco and customizing them for the Monterey Peninsula area,” says Bashford. “There will always be newness to our collections,” he smiles, “but we’ll keep our classic focus— with a twist.” wilkesbashford.com.
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DIANE DORRANS SAEKS
WILKES BASHFORD PORTRAIT: RICHARD RETHEMEYER; ZIJI PHOTOS: LAZAR GOUCHEV
Wilkes Bashford, below, is celebrating his 40th year of catering to Northern California’s stylish set with the opening of a posh new store in Carmel.
fashion
Herrera Heads West The queen of modern elegance is set to take L.A.’s Melrose Place by storm Carolina Herrera lives on the Upper East Side of New York City, where she designs for her eponymous label. She vacations at La Vega, her family’s Venezuelan hacienda. But these days, her eye is on Los Angeles, where this summer, she’s opening her newest store on Melrose Place. “I love that street,” says Herrera, who recently came west for a week-long trip at Oscar time. “I love that it’s a ‘new’ place, and it’s very cozy and beautiful.” ¶
OPENING
Herrera tunes her ladylike designs with finely observed elements that give her seemingly restrained clothes an unexpected depth
and exuberance. “I do research, noting details I like from another era that I translate to now,” says Herrera with a charming Venezuelan accent. ¶ Herrera is even enthusiastic about an element for which other uptown women might claim disdain: celebrities. Reese Witherspoon, Renée Zellweger and Jennifer Connelly have all worn Herrera gowns. “With the stars here, I find it appealing. New York is very special, I can’t compare it to another city,” says Herrera of her home of 25 years. “But I love everything Los Angeles!” 8441 Melrose Pl., Los Angeles.
GLORIA M. WONG
THE C LIST
A FEW OF DESIGNER CAROLINA HERRERA’S FAVORITE L.A. THINGS THE BEVERLY HILLS HOTEL AND BUNGALOWS
“The first time we went here, we were brought by Jerome Zipkin. It has a fantastic pool and ambiance. I especially adore the pool service.” 9641 Sunset Blvd., Beverly Hills, 310-276-2251; thebeverlyhillshotel.com. THE REGENT BEVERLY WILSHIRE
JEWELRY BUZZ HAIR GEMS H.Stern, the Brazilian jewelry powerhouse, has enlisted French hair maestro Frédéric Fekkai to create a new line of gold and diamond confections. Available at H.Stern boutiques, the rings, necklaces and hair ornaments ($3,000 to $150,000; hstern.net) have a soft, rope-like nautical theme reflecting Fekkai’s relaxed French style. N.C.
“You usually cannot walk around Los Angeles, but the Beverly Wilshire is close to everything, including Barneys and Saks.” 9500 Wilshire Blvd., Beverly Hills, 310-275-5200; regenthotels.com. NEIMAN MARCUS
TWINKLE TOES Who better than a former ballerina to design SHOES high heels made to be danced in all night long? Designer Tiffany Tuttle’s Fall 2006 collection merges ladylike elegance and tough-girl chic with exposed metal zippers, woven chain, cotton tulle and daring peep toes. Tuttle, who designs with her husband, Richard Lidinsky, divides her time between L.A. and Italy, where the shoes are made. ldtuttle.com. GEORGE KOTSIOPOULOS
“I go there to see shoes— they have a very good shoe department!” 9700 Wilshire Blvd., Beverly Hills, 310-550-5900; neimanmarcus.com. DINNER PARTIES
“When I go to Los Angeles, I often visit the houses of entertaining friends. Betsy Bloomingdale gives the most beautiful dinners.”
fashion
C
hristian Bédat is a young man with a passion for watches. He’s Swiss, after all, so superbly crafted watches are in his DNA. Bédat is so obsessed with
luxury timepiece design and their beauty-in-miniature that he founded his own watch
company, Bédat & Co., in the 1990s, with his mother, Simone. “My watches are designed to create maximum pleasure for those who wear them,” said Bédat on a recent visit to his U.S. headquarters in San Francisco. “My goal is to craft luxury watches that are discreet and elegant. The Bédat signature style is modern but with great respect for tradition.” A San Francisco base is perfectly suited for Bédat’s goals. “I launched my U.S. business in San Francisco because
MAN TO WATCH
Bédat & Co.’s charismatic CEO Christian Bédat brings new élan and elegance to the world of fine timepieces
it’s a perfect mixture between American dynamism and European flair,” he says. Among his newest designs: a luxe elongated version of best-selling No.3, in steel with baguette diamonds; and the super-chic new No.384, with a narrow steel bracelet that’s studded, ever-so-delicately, with diamonds. “Our watches are sexy and glamorous but subtle,” said Bédat, who lives with his family near Geneva. “Ours is a European sensibility, a bit oldmoney, and classic without looking vintage.” The Bédat & Co. aesthetic includes hand-woven crocodile wrist bands, colored diamonds on steel or gold, Schiaparelli pink crocodile bands, aquamarine grosgrain bands, and exquisitely detailed numerals.
Bédat & Co. No.3 steel and diamond watch, $29,000, No.3 rose gold and diamond watch, $96,000, No.7 steel, pink, diamond and alligator watch, $30,250, Shreve & Co., San Francisco. AT LEFT Bédat skiing in British Columbia.
FROM TOP
Watches are priced from $2,500 and fetch up to $100,000. When he’s not designing watches in Geneva, scuba diving in Tahiti, or heli-skiing in British Columbia, Bédat likes to work in California. “California is like a separate country with fantastic style and energy,” he says. “Here on the West Coast, the possibilities for creation are endless.” bedat.com.
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DIANE DORRANS SAEKS
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beauty
ANDREW MACPHERSON/CORBIS OUTLINE
California Cover Girls From basics to bloopers, 175 beauty secrets of six Golden State stunners in the know GABRIELLE UNION
BY JENNY MURRAY HOOKS
beauty
KATE MCMAHON
GABRIELLE UNION OCCUPATION Actress RESIDES Los Angeles AGE 33
WHO ARE YOUR BEAUTY ICONS? Diahann Carroll and Diana
Ross. They always look glamorous and classic at the same time. They never look trendy or trashy, just amazing. WHAT’S IN YOUR MAKEUP BAG? As a spokeswoman for
Neutrogena, everything’s Neutrogena: Skin Soothing Stick, Full Volume Fortifying Mascara, Lip Nutrition Balm in Berry Smooth, Lip Boost Intense Moisture Lipstick in Coffee Cream. DAILY BEAUTY REGIME It’s very simple. I wash my face, use
astringent and follow with moisturizer with SPF 15. And on my hair, I use Neutrogena’s Triple Moisture Shampoo. DAILY WORKOUT An hour session with my trainer AJ
Johnson (theajzone.com). It may be kickboxing or weightlifting or cardio; we mix it up. A couple times a week, I do Pilates at Pure Pilates (16573 Ventura Blvd., Encino, 818-783-7556). FAMILY BEAUTY SECRET? My mom told me that Vaseline has
a million uses: from makeup remover, to moisturizer, to lip balm, for wrinkles. And it really does work. THE BEST BEAUTY ADVICE YOU’VE RECEIVED? Drink a gallon
of water a day. It seems like a lot—and it is—but it improves hair, nails and skin like nothing you can buy. WHAT’S IN YOUR ITTY-BITTY EVENING HANDBAG? Lady
Speed Stick mini deodorant in Shower Fresh, oil blotting papers and Voluspa Cocoa Tamarind perfume.
KATE MCMAHON OCCUPATION Clothing designer/owner of Kate boutique in
YOUR BIGGEST BLUNDER? Dunking just my bangs in a bowl
Montecito/former model
of hydrogen peroxide and then sitting in the sun. I ended
RESIDES Santa Barbara
up with bright red Ronald McDonald bangs.
AGE 44
LOCAL PAMPERING HAIR STYLISTS Kim Kimble at Epiphany Hair Studio (1106 N.
La Cienega Blvd., West Hollywood, 310-652-1822). They can always put in my weave! I go once a week. MASSAGE THERAPIST Lama Amin (818-762-9223)—referred
by Busta Rhymes.
natural beauty. Her look is earthy, sensual and real. WHAT’S IN YOUR MAKEUP BAG? Trish McEvoy Little Black
Card in Island Girl #2 (all-in-one eyeshadow, blush,
concealer and lip gloss palettes), Even Skin Foundation #3, Even Skin Finishing Powder and Lash Curling Mascara;
MANICURIST Mibella Nail Salon (12192 Ventura Blvd., Studio
Pure Pilates
WHO IS YOUR BEAUTY ICON? Lauren Hutton. She epitomizes
City, 818-505-8846). MAKEUP ARTIST Stacy Gibson
(Madica Mgmt., 323-251-8175).
and Jo Malone’s Vintage Gardenia Cologne and her Orange Blossom Body Crème—all her scents are amazing,
and I love layering them. WHAT’S IN YOUR BATHROOM CABINET? I’m a no-fuss, keep-
it-simple girl. I use everything in my bathroom cabinet Spa treatments at Burke Williams (burkewilliamsspa.com).
every day: Epicuren Citrus Herbal Cleanser, SkinCeuticals’ CE Ferulic Serum and Skin Firming Cream, Eco-dent baking
soda toothpowder, Susan Ciminelli Special Reserve cream, Retin-A. And I know it’s silly, but when you have short hair, bad hair days are frequent, so I have D:fi hair wax. It’s pretty sticky, not something a man wants to run his hand through, but it works! DAILY BEAUTY ROUTINE For me, beauty comes from living a
joyful life. Upon waking, I set an intention for the day— usually, it’s about being open, grateful, loving and accepting. Then I head to the kitchen for my morning ritual
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KATE MCMAHON: BRIAN HODGES
BIGGEST BEAUTY INDULGENCE
beauty
MARIA COOPER
KATE MCMAHON continued of two ounces fresh lemon juice with 16 ounces of water, followed by a glass of crystallized blue-green algae also mixed with water. The lemon juice detoxifies the kidneys, while the algae cleans and fortifies the blood. REGULAR WORKOUT I’m a yoga lover. It has transformed my
body and my life. I practice yoga three times week and ride a bike in between. For me, this is the perfect balance of flexibility, strengthening and aerobic activity. WHAT’S THE BEST BEAUTY ADVICE YOU’VE RECEIVED?
1. Confidence and inner radiance equals beauty. 2. Breathe deeply, often. 3. Beauty is being at peace with your body. 4. When it comes to fashion, less is more. WHAT ARE YOUR BIGGEST BLUNDERS? I spent my entire
youth and early adult life worshipping the sun without protection. Also, I wore bloomers and ballet flats to the debutante ball. Luckily, I was not being presented.
LOCAL PAMPERING MANICURIST Carolie Loureiro (805-708-0425;
indulgencehomespa.com). She creates the spa experience in your environment. It’s deluxe: no gossip, no toxic salon fumes, just peace. COLORIST & STYLIST Constance Kronja at Tabu Hair Studio
(1151 Coast Village Rd., Montecito, 805-969-4743). She’s been cutting and highlighting my hair for longer than I can remember. She has mastered the pixie cut. FACIALIST Linda Bailey at Bel Viso Italian Skin Care (1211
Coast Village Rd., Ste. 7, Montecito, 805-565-9399). She creates a loving space. I leave radiating light. BEAUTY INDULGENCE Deep tissue massage. I try
to indulge myself once a month. Bodywork is the most important way to alleviate physical and emotional stress. Hector Flores (805-218-6101; kaliman42@aol.com) is fantastic! I found him at the Ojai Valley Inn & Spa, but he makes house calls on off days.
MARIA COOPER OCCUPATION Interior Designer RESIDES Newport Coast AGE 42
WHO ARE YOUR BEAUTY ICONS? I admire classic,
strong and sophisticated women; celebrities who exude style and use their influence to better the
Kate, 1137 Coast Village Rd., Montecito, 805-695-8822;
world. Crusaders such as Audrey Hepburn, Princess
kateboutique.com.
Diana and Angelina Jolie come to mind. WHAT’S IN YOUR MAKEUP BAG? Clarins Instant Smooth
(evens your skin texture before applying makeup); Max Factor Lasting Performance Makeup (I mix two colors to get the right shade); MAC waterproof eyeliner pencil in Stubborn Brown, Liza eyeshadow pack of 4 (performance/taupe note/showstopper/soft heart) and Lip Pencil in Spice; Lancôme Flextencils Mascara; Chanel Powder Blush in Mirage and lipstick in
Sweet Sixteen; Bobbi Brown bronzing powder in Deep 4, Shimmer Brick Compact in Bronze, lipgloss in Bare Summer, Long Wear Gel Eyeliner in Sepia Ink and Shimmer; Lippmann Nail Polish in Prelude to a Kiss; eyelash curler. WHAT’S IN YOUR BATHROOM CABINET? I am
very cautious about what I put on my skin and love to use very natural or organic
products when I can. I’m a big fan of the skincare departments at Mother’s Markets and Wild Oats. I use organic pure oils such jojoba oil and mix it with Vitamin E oil on my skin at night. I also think shea butter is great for your body. I use Neutrogena sunscreen and Weleda natural deodorant. The MDSkincare range by Dr. Dennis Gross is
great, especially the Alpha Beta Daily Facial Peels and the Intense Hydra Mask. I read most labels and try to avoid
MARIA COOPER: BARBARA HIGGINS; MEL LIM: MEL LIM DESIGN LLC
rubbing synthetic or colored products into my skin.
MEL LIM OCCUPATION Founder of Joy By Mel Lim | Mel Lim Design
LLC/designs lifestyle and paper goods RESIDES San Diego AGE 29
WHO IS YOUR BEAUTY ICON? Actress Michelle Yeoh. Former
Bond Girl and actress in Hero and Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. She looks equally as elegant and beautiful now as she was 20 years ago. She also inspires me as a fellow
PRODUCTS WORTH THEIR WEIGHT IN GOLD Kérastase hair
Malaysian holding true to her inner beauty while she thrives
products and good quality vitamins.
in her career in foreign lands.
REGULAR WORKOUT I am a chocoholic, so I need to work
out! I try to exercise twice to three times a week, but sometimes that’s a struggle. Cardio works for me with a 30-minute jog (preferably by the beach). I then do about half an hour of weights and stretching in my home gym. DIET I am the antioxidant queen! I start one tablespoon of
Dr. Sears Omega Rx Fish Oil, followed by a cup of organic
WHAT’S IN YOUR MAKEUP BAG? Clarins Color Quench Lip
Balm and Sunshine Powder Compact—instant natural sunkissed glow to my face; Lancôme mini makeup kit with a tiny mascara, blusher, eyeshadow and lipcolor; The Tweezerman. WHAT’S IN YOUR BATHROOM CABINET? Suncare lotion, foot
scrub and lotion, and Kérastase Nutritive Masquintense smells really good!
Earl Grey Tea, then Green Tea mid-morning. Some organic
PRODUCTS YOU SWEAR BY A bottle of water wherever I go.
blueberries and eggs every day. I also love to nibble on
Kérastase Nutritive Nutri-Sculpt Serum because it makes my
almonds in the afternoon when I feel the sugar cravings
hair instantaneously soft and silky. Lots of fruits and veggies.
coming on. And drinking lots of water is essential.
Dagoba Organic dark chocolate—it’s a potent antioxidant.
FAMILY BEAUTY SECRET? Being happy and eating fresh,
WHAT’S IN YOUR ITTY-BITTY EVENING HANDBAG? A clear
healthy food. I am about to plant a vegetable garden.
elastic hair band or hair pins just in case my hair gets out
Both my grandmothers lived into their 90s and grew
of control! A swift up-do will do it.
their own vegetables. I think the majority of our produce available in supermarkets has lost its nutrition by the time it hits the shelves. And drink more tea than coffee—just look at Queen Elizabeth’s mom; she lived to be 101! BEST BEAUTY ADVICE YOU’VE RECEIVED? 1. To look as
natural as possible and not try too hard. 2. Always smile, because like my mom told me, “your smile is your best asset.” 3. To wear sunscreen and to also put it on the back of your hands.
LOCAL PAMPERING MANICURIST Happy Nails and Spa (21153 Newport Coast
Dr., Newport Beach, 949-644-4250). And I try and use Nailtiques Nail Protein Formula 2 polish between visits to keep my nails from splitting. SALON Abstract Hair Studio Inc. (3473 Via Lido,
Newport Beach, 949-675-2474). Tina Scoville for color, Marcus Waite for styling and Kim Ourique, the owner, passed on a great tip: Always put conditioner on Abstract Hair Studio
your hair ends first to protect it, then shampoo the top of your hair only. This way, the shampoo won’t dry out your ends. AESTHETICIAN Marina Arnold,
a registered nurse at the Newport Heights Medical Center (1617 Westcliff Dr., Ste. 100, 949-515-4111).
MEL LIM
TRINA TURK
FAMILY BEAUTY SECRET? Eat soft tofu custard and you’ll
have smooth, silky skin. Whether or not it’s true, either way, it’s yummy and full of protein! THE BEST BEAUTY ADVICE YOU’VE EVER RECEIVED? My mom
told me to keep it natural and smile a lot. YOUR BIGGEST BLUNDER? Too much black eyeliner and
mascara. I have Chinese eyes (not deep-set eyes), and my eyeliner smeared all over. I looked like a raccoon. BEAUTY INDULGENCE Sleep.
LOCAL PAMPERING MANICURIST None. Since I use my hands in my design
process, it’s hard to maintain nice and beautiful painted nails. But that doesn’t mean I can’t have healthy nails and fingers. So I keep my nails, short and clean, and I moisturize often.
need them! Here are three that I use regularly: Remède
COLORIST None. I am always envious of all the fun color
Translucent UV Coat SPF 30 in Medium—very sheer and
play my Caucasian friends have with their hair. I hate
light, totally non-greasy; Clinique Superdefense Triple
bleaching my hair to receive the colors. But I always
Action Moisturizer SPF 25—I use this under makeup;
wondered how I would look like with pink hair!
SkinCeuticals Sport UV defense SPF 45 if I’m going for a hike in Palm Springs—it’s waterproof and sweatproof.
STYLIST Co-owner Kenneth Bradshaw at DK Hair (3739
Sixth Ave., San Diego, 619-546-4550; dkhair.net). I always leave the salon with something that I can easily maintain and still look fashionable. I visit him once every five weeks. Joy By Mel Lim, 1501 Front St., Ste. 105, San Diego, 619-233-
FAVORITE FRAGRANCES Shalimar and Yosh Ginger Ciao. THE BEST BEAUTY ADVICE YOU’VE EVER RECEIVED?
Don’t perm your half-Asian hair. YOUR BIGGEST BLUNDER? Perming my half-Asian hair.
0924; joybymellim.com.
LOCAL PAMPERING MANICURE/PEDICURE Rebecca Shaffer
at Salon 119 (119 N. Indian Canyon, Palm
TRINA TURK
Springs, 760-327-4800). HAIR Christina Granados
OCCUPATION Fashion Designer
at Spectrum Salon
RESIDES Palm Springs/L.A.
and Spa (405 N.
AGE 46
Palm Canyon Dr., Palm Springs,
WHO IS YOUR BEAUTY ICON? Ali MacGraw in the ’70s. She’s
760-318-2944).
so California, a very simple, natural beauty—neither over-
Christina’s salon
processed nor overdone.
is in a white
WHAT’S IN YOUR MAKEUP BAG? Kiehl’s Lip Balm #1; Laura
Mercier lipstick—just a shade pinker than my natural lip color; Nars Lip Lacquer in Hot Wired—a bright deep pink for a little more color, and in Eros—a pinky/nude with a bit of sheen—looks great mixed with Hot Wired, too; Giorgio Armani Fluid Sheer Lip Shimmer #2, Luminous Silk
Foundation #6 and Fluid Sheer Blush #4; MAC Powder Blush in Blushbaby. ESSENTIALS Sunscreen. I’m very diligent regarding
sunscreen and sunblocks—especially in Palm Springs—you
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mid-century building with Marimekko wall hangings.
MAKEUP Custom blended Color Lab mineral makeup at
Nucleus (69930 Hwy. 111, Rancho Mirage, 760-202-8606). The mineral makeup is perfect in the desert because it doesn’t melt in the heat, plus its zinc content gives it a natural SPF 15. FULL SERVICE SPAS The Parker Hotel—it’s called PSYC
for “Palm Springs Yacht Club” (4200 E. Palm Canyon Dr., Palm Springs, 760-770-5000) and the Viceroy (415 S. Belardo Rd., Palm Springs, 760-320-4117). Both offer a multitude of services in great environments. At the Viceroy, you can get a massage in an outdoor cabana. WORKOUT Yoga at Urban Yoga (750 N. Palm Canyon Dr.,
Palm Springs, 760-320-7702).
YOUR BIGGEST BLUNDER? I have
bloopers all the time. If you want to get creative and experiment, you’re going to have a blooper. But I personally prefer the
Trina Turk boutiques in Palm Springs and Los Angeles;
Worst Dressed List. It’s way more interesting. Nowadays,
trinaturk.com.
everyone looks the same on the Best Dressed List.
LOCAL PAMPERING MANICURIST I just walk into any cheap place off the
street.
VANESSA CARLTON
COLORIST I never color.
OCCUPATION Grammy nominated singer/songwriter
industry and I’ve worked with everyone. Elisa is an artist
RESIDES San Francisco
and gets the best clothes from all over the world.
AGE 26
MASSAGE THERAPIST Any therapist at The Sports
STYLIST Elisa Goodkind. She is the best stylist in the
Club/LA in San Francisco (747 Market St., San Francisco, WHO ARE YOUR BEAUTY ICONS? I admire women who create
415-633-3900; thesportsclubla.com).
looks for themselves. From Coco Chanel to Diane Keaton,
DERMATOLOGIST I go to Dr. Seth Matarasso. He’s
these women are the creators of style. I think you have to
amazing; never misses a thing—and Julie Lewis, who
be an artist to truly dress well.
works in his office, does great laser hair removal.
WHAT’S IN YOUR MAKEUP BAG? Fresh Blush Cream in Age
of Innocence—Stevie Nicks introduced me to it; Paula Dorf Cheek Color in Jazzed; MAC eyeshadow in Amethyst Lustre and Woodwinked Veluxe Pearl, bronzing powder, lip
She numbs you so you don’t feel a thing. She even does Brazilian!!! Whoo hoo!!! (490 Post St., Ste. 700, San Francisco, 415-362-2238; dermsf.com). vanessacarlton.com.
•
pencil in spice and Chromeglass lip gloss in Technobeet; Stila Cream Eye Shadow, face powder and cover-up stick;
L’Oréal Voluminous mascara, eyeshadow in very black; Shu Uemura lash curler; Crest Glide floss; LaCross tweezers; Maybelline liquid brush eyeliner, which I’ve been wearing
TRINA TURK: VERA HARTMANN; VANESSA CARLTON: SHERYL NIELDS
since I was 14; Prescriptives eyeliner in Beaming Black; Smashbox brushes; Kiehl’s Lip Balm #1. WHAT’S IN YOUR BATHROOM CABINET? Proactiv, Cetaphil,
Ole Henriksen eye crème, Clinique Take the Day Off makeup
remover, and so much more… PRODUCT THAT’S WORTH ITS WEIGHT IN GOLD Z Bigatti
Restoration Facial Crème. It’s like $175 for a jar. Insanity. But it really does make you glow. WORKOUT Walk/sprints on the treadmill from three to five
miles a day and weight training five or six days a week. THE BEST BEAUTY ADVICE YOU’VE EVER BEEN GIVEN?
If you’re going to an important event where there are photographers, take a picture of your outfit before you leave the house. If it doesn’t look good on camera, don’t wear it unless you’re willing to deal with cringe-worthy photos. FAMILY BEAUTY SECRETS? Scarily enough, it’s to lay in the sun,
though I never sunbathe without glasses, a hat and sunscreen.
VANESSA CARLTON
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home Chic, Inc. From the perfect lamp to the latest in stylish storage, home office suites have gone glam. Here, C’s guide to the well-appointed desk BY ANDREA STANFORD
Designer Ruthie Sommers creates an office to envy in Beverly Hills for Benton Weinstock of Henry Beautiful. The Kelly Chair, $2,800, is custom-made by Sommers’ store, Chapman Radcliff. See Shopping Guide for more details, page 110. PHOTOGRAPHED BY CORAL VON ZUMWALT; STYLED BY RUTHIE SOMMERS
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home
LETTER PERFECT
THE WRITE STUFF FROM TOP LEFT
J. Herbin wax, from $12 per stick, Dauphine Press. Soolip custommade embossers, from $95, bottled red ink, $29, and round desktop calendar, $48. J. Herbin brass seal, $20, Dauphine Press. Iomoi monogrammed dome paperweight, $65, iomoi. com. Tiny Pine Press custom letterpress envelope. Soolip fountain pen, $12, and holder, $14.
LAMP
LUXE LIGHTING Add a touch of glass with the Double Ball Ribbon Lamp, $2,240, from The Barbara Barry Collection for Baker. Available at La Jolla’s Seaside Home and L.A.’s Grace Home Furnishings.
CLOCK
TICK TOCK Telling time just got more beautiful with the Clipper Travel Clock, $750, by Hermès. Available at all California Hermès stores.
CHAIR
COMFORT AND STYLE IN MODERN PACKAGING From S.F’s Design Within Reach, the Eames Aluminum Management Chair in apple, $1,998, adds a punch to any office space.
DESK
CENTER STAGE A refined classic, the Mason Table, $1,100, comes with a polished nickel base and a clear glass top from Williams-Sonoma Home.
HARDWARE
BLACK IS BACK Add hard-working sophistication with Apple’s new 13-inch MacBook, $1,499, in black with glossy widescreen.
ACCESSORIES
THE BIRKIN OF STAPLERS From El Casco at Petaluma’s Dauphine Press comes the ultimate in desktop: layered chrome stapler, $187, and sharpener, $294.
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C
INSIDESANTA BARBARA Local luminaries share their hometown favorites
Carolyn Espley-Miller’s creative business, Ceylon, consults on everything from home libraries to inspired tablescapes. Married to comedian Dennis Miller and mother of two, she moved from New York to Santa Barbara 13 years ago and is set in the sand. BREAKFAST I like to go to Tre Lune on Friday
mornings before shopping at the Coast Village MOVIE THEATRE
Farmers’ Market. On the other hand, my boys
I love the old-fashioned
and husband love IHOP. I always feign horror
atmosphere at the
and then proceed to order the sickest thing on
Riviera Theatre. The
the menu. 1151 Coast Village Rd., Santa Barbara, 805-969-2646.
popcorn is great. And
DINNER The abalone at Lucky’s. And maître d’ Eric Maldinado
could there possibly be a cinema any-
is the best. 1270 Coast Village Rd., Montecito, 805-565-7540.
only to find the exact same table at Maison
MARKET I go mad in the Indo-Chinese Market! It has the
K just a few weeks later. Now I will always
BEST selection of English teas, plus everything for an Asian
shop in my own backyard first. 1253 Coast
or Indian dinner. Rent a Bollywood film and make a night of
Village Rd., Montecito, 805-969-1676.
Serra, Santa Barbara,
it. Don’t miss the English candy and individual lychee-
NEIGHBOR We have the pleasure of living
805-963-9503.
flavored jellies. 6831 Hollister Ave., Goleta, 805-968-3353.
across the street from Brigadier General
BOOKSTORE Lisa Dabbs at Borders in Goleta is a fave for
Henry Mueller, a World War II hero. I enjoy seeing him
biblioholics. She always has
walking in the mornings when I take my son to school,
the most inspired recommenda-
Beach Club Athletics
tions. 7000 Market Place Dr.,
where with a more spectacular view? 2044 Alameda Padre
dressed so beautifully—the General, not my son!—with his FAVORITE DRIVE Highway 33
GYM Beach Club Athletics. I have
over to Ojai is gorgeous!
FLOWERS It’s a dream to visit Dani Hahn’s Rose Story Farm. The
been working
Especially in the early
with Pilates
morning and late afternoon,
instructor Kristi Cooper-White for more
when the sun is on the
“Stainless Steel” is one
than 11 years. 3749 Santa Claus Ln.,
of my favorites—the
Carpinteria, 805-745-5272.
color is like an old-
YOGA Santa Barbara Yoga Center. I am new
fresh gelato at Azu (457 E. Ojai Ave., Ojai, 805-640-7987).
fashioned debutante’s
to yoga, but Denise Zaverdas makes me feel
If you’re there in the spring, give yourself a real treat;
like an old hand…in a good way. All those
continue down the main street until you hit the orange
805-566-4885;
wonderful things they say about yoga? Who
groves. Then open all your windows and let the scent of the
rosestoryfarm.com.
knew they were really true?! 32 E. Micheltor-
gown. Tours available by appointment,
ena St., S.B., 805-965-6045; santa barbarayogacenter.com.
mountains and lake. Once you get to Ojai, try the
Maison K
orange blossoms engulf you. Now, if they only made
HOME DECOR Maison K.
orange blossom
I think owner Kimberly
gelato…
Phillips has cool taste
Ceylon, 805-969-
and a great eye. I once
1584; ceylonca
shipped a dining table
@aol.com.
from Takashimaya in N.Y.
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Azu
•
JENNY MURRAY HOOKS
BEACH CLUB ATHLETICS: BILL WERTS; TOP RIGHT: JIM CORWIN COURTESY OF THE SANTA BARBARA CONFERENCE AND VISITORS BUREAU
hat and cane. He’s the epitome of the dapper gentleman.
Goleta, 805-968-1370.
Courteney Cox
CALLING THE SHOTS HOW DO YOU TOP NINE YEARS ON AMERICA’S BEST-LOVED SITCOM? LIFE AFTER “FRIENDS” HAS BEEN PURE BLISS FOR THIS ACTRESS, PRODUCER AND MOM C 00
BY NATHAN COOPER PHOTOGRAPHED BY BRIAN BOWEN SMITH STYLED BY GEORGE KOTSIOPOULOS
THE LIGHT TOUCH Morphine Generation sweater, $345, Theodore. OPPOSITE Michael Stars tank, $35. See Shopping Guide for more details, page 110. HAIR Chris McMillan for Solo Artists MAKEUP Genevieve
for Sally Harlor using Giorgio Armani Cosmetics FASHION ASSISTANT Brooke Taylor
x
S
R
C 00
T
he scenario is all too familiar: running late
Kinerase, the skincare line Cox represents, the actress
on a busy weekday morning, rolling out of
formerly known as Monica sets her own agenda.
bed and into the car to run an errand. No
“Because I was lucky enough to be on a show that was
cute outfit, no carefully executed beauty
as successful as ‘Friends,’ now I can choose my projects
routine, no shielding sunglasses. For most,
purely for the creativity,” says Cox, 42, who earned $1
an unfortunate fashion situation—but far
million per episode for the last two seasons of her nine-
from the end of the world. But when you’re
year run on NBC’s “Must-See TV.” “And when I say fun,
name is Courteney Cox, and a pair of cars
I mean, does it challenge me? Am I surrounded by great
ferrying prying paparazzi is poised at the
people? Because life is short—I don’t want to be around
end of the driveway
anyone who’s not
hoping to catch you
doing it for the right
looking less than cam-
reasons,” she adds.
era-ready, this kind of
Perhaps the most
mad dash can quickly
crucial criteria Cox
turn into a drag.
uses in selecting her
On just such a
work commitments
morning last May,
these days is the
Cox found herself
degree to which a
playing tabloid cat
project might get in
and mouse on her
the way of spending
way to an appoint-
time with her two-
ment in Los Angeles.
year-old
“When I say I liter-
Coco. “She’s really
ally rolled out of
been my life for the
bed, I couldn’t have
last two years,” says
been wearing a worse
Cox, who lights up
outfit,” says Cox. Un-
with glee at the men-
interested in allowing
tion of her toddler’s
a renegade photo-
name. One en gage -
grapher to cash in on
ment that Cox chose
her rumpled appear-
to pencil in with
ance, Cox turned
Coco’s swimming les-
into a police station,
sons and playtime
pulling the plug on
on the beach in Mali-
the encounter.
bu is this month’s
This kind of quick decision-making speaks to Cox’s calm, cool and collected state of mind two years after the end of her role on one of TV’s most successful series. Far from suffering from any
Z oom , a fam i l yMISS INDEPENDENT Juicy Couture dress, $260, Ron Herman. Hue fishnets, $11, Nordstrom. Aurora Lopez Mejia bangles, from $990, Talavera.
oriented adventure film co-starring Tim Allen. The fact that
kind of alleged “Friends” curse, languishing without
the movie might ultimately appeal to Coco’s pint-sized
hope of reclaiming the level of success she once had, Cox
demographic was just icing on the cake. “Whenever I
has flourished in her new capacities as a mother, and
read a script now, I think, ‘Oh, that’ll be fun for Coco,’”
a film and television producer. Her ample clout and
says Cox. “But I don’t know that it would stop me from
resources lets her tailor each of her projects to her needs
doing a character that I really loved if it wasn’t
and interests. Whether it’s hand-picking scripts or collab-
something Coco should see,” she adds.
orating on the development of a new eye cream with
C 52
daughter,
Motherhood has greatly heightened Cox’s sensitivity
to life in the public eye. “You get really protective—it’s
richer by the quality of life her California address
just this instinct that comes out,” says Cox. “I don’t mind
affords her—although she was not an immediate
paparazzi shots taken in a restaurant, because that’s more
convert. “I used to visit,” she says, “and I never liked
or less the public domain. But what I don’t like is when
it. I thought it was so hard to get around. But then I
it’s on the beach, which feels like my backyard, and I’m
came out here for an extended period of time and now
playing with my daughter. I don’t like to have her picture
I absolutely love it.”
taken—she didn’t choose that,” she adds.
A passion for architecture and interior design has
Cox’s experience with the so-called tabloid media
also cemented Cox’s link to Los Angeles, with its top-
is what lit the spark of interest in a project that grew
notch designers and world-class decor resources. “I’m
out of an idea from an
executive
at
Coquette, the production
company
she runs with her husband, David Arquette. “Dirt,” being developed for the FX network, is a dark hour-long drama with bits of over-the-top humor set in the shadowy world of celebrity journalism, with Cox starring as Lucy Spiller, a stop-atnothing editor pulling the strings of a pair of salacious weekly magazines, sending photographers out to capture images of stars in their weakest moments. “I really had no intention of being
BECAUSE I WAS LUCKY TO BE ON A SHOW THAT WAS AS SUCCESSFUL AS “FRIENDS,” NOW I CAN CHOOSE MY PROJECTS PURELY FOR THE CREATIVITY. DOES IT CHALLENGE ME? AM I SURROUNDED BY GREAT PEOPLE?
in the show,” says Cox, “but when the script came in, I was like, ‘I want to do this.’”
at the Pacific Design Center so much, they almost think
For Cox’s Holly wood peers, many of whom are so
of me as a designer,” says Cox, who has owned and
besieged by tabloids that they’ve gone to court to try
decorated 10 houses during her time in Southern
and strengthen anti-harassment codes, the show might
California, ranging in style from French country to her
smack of glamorizing the enemy, but Cox simply sees
current preference, a hybrid of organic and sleekly
her new show’s subject matter as a richly layered
modern styles. Cox, who grew up in Alabama, relishes
source of material. “We take the glossy parts and the
simple SoCal pleasures like twice-weekly outdoor
really scandalous parts and shoot it all, because it’s for
tennis matches and tending to her yard.
television. The world is just so rich,” she says. Cox’s own very full world, she says, is made all the
“No matter where I go, I love coming back, just for the weather alone.” Spoken like a true Californian.
•
C 53
thewavewatcher Nothing says California like surfers on a crashing swell, and no one has captured the sport, and its culture, quite like photographer LEROY GRANNIS. Here, C presents an ode to his unique vision by Russ Spencer
h
ere’s the monster,” LeRoy Grannis says,
and kept at it into the mid-’70s. In those days, Gran-
picking up one corner of the gorgeous and extravagant
nis was one of only four or five other photographers
new collection of his classic surf photos, just released by
in the water, getting a buck apiece for prints he sold to
Taschen, and titled LeRoy Grannis, Surf Photography of
surfers, and five dollars when he sold one to a maga-
the 1960s and 1970s. A limited edition of 1,000, it comes
zine. Beyond a passion for surfing, the motivation to
in a special protective box, so heavy that Grannis, now
take pictures wasn’t fame or fortune. And it certainly
88 years old, can barely lift it. And that’s fitting, because
wasn’t anything lofty like an urge to document a fleet-
contained within its oversized pages is not only the work
ing but potent moment in California history. It was, in
of Grannis’ own lifetime, but also the embodiment of a
fact, his health.
profoundly influential American subculture.
C 56
Grannis had been drawn to the ocean virtually since
Born in 1917, just a few blocks from the Hermosa
the day he was born. By the age of 14, when there were
Beach pier, Grannis began shooting surfers in 1959
at most 200 surfers in the entire state, Grannis was pad-
PHOTOS COURTESY OF TASCHEN AND ©LEROY GRANNIS
KENT KAYTON, HERMOSA BEACH, 1969
PALOS VERDES COVE, 1964
Grannis’ first published surfing picture appeared in 1960. The lifelong Californian still rides waves frequently near his Carlsbad home.
dling out to catch waves on a 100-pound piece of red-
of taking pictures of surfers: He had been close friends
wood. Even after he married a beach girl named Katie,
with Doc Ball, the preeminent surf photographer of the
served his country in World War II, and became a father
1930s and ’40s. “I never took up photography then be-
of four, Grannis maintained his status as one of surf-
cause Doc was around, taking pictures of me! When I
ing’s original stalwarts. In 1957, though, after years of
got this ulcer, I figured I would take it up,” he says.
working outside as an equipment installer for the phone
Since Doc had just moved to Northern California,
company, he was transferred to a desk job. Within two
Grannis’ new endeavor was perfectly timed.
years, at the age of 40, he developed an ulcer.
The budding shutterbug built a second garage for a
Now living in Carlsbad with Katie, Grannis still
dark room, which became a popular hangout for surf-
laughs when he talks of the momentous bellyache.
ers. Some would rummage through his garbage for cast-
“The doctor told me to take up a hobby to get my mind
offs, searching for proof of their conquests. In a few
off my work,” Grannis says. He immediately thought
years, he was contributing to magazines with names
C 57
HAP JACOBS, HERMOSA BEACH, 1960 PALOS VERDES COVE, 1968
NANCY KATIN, OCEAN BEACH, SAN DIEGO, 1972 DEWEY WEBER AT 22ND STREET, HERMOSA BEACH
WOODY ON THE ROAD, 1962
AT MALIBU’S “PIT” DURING THE SUMMER OF LOVE
PALOS VERDES SURFING CLUB, HOLLYWOOD BY THE SEA, 1968
Before Grannis began his photography career, he was a member of the Palos Verdes Surfing Club, the first of its kind in the country.
like Reef, Surfer, Surfing Illustrated, and Surfing, and
heavily co-opted and commercialized, much to Gran-
his hobby became a profession.
nis’ discontent. In his photos, though, we see the orig-
With a 650mm lens screwed on to a Pentax S, Gran-
inal bronzed and beautiful optimism of a moment in
nis stalked legendary surfers like Ricky Grigg, Philip
time that simply can’t be reproduced—a world before
Edwards and Peter Cole as they pioneered new loca-
Vietnam, LSD, Watergate, or flashy professional surf
tions, new boards and new techniques. And Grannis
sponsorships. Impossibly handsome surfers and their
also constantly fine-tuned his own methods. For the
Doris Day girlfriends, stacks of longboards sticking out
first few years of his shooting career, long before the
the back of pick-up trucks, and smiling guys in ties and
advent of underwater casings, he entered the surf with
sweaters at campy awards ceremonies. It was all real.
just his board and a bare camera. If a wave would wipe
Despite the invaluable cache of more than 3,000 iconic
him out, he did his best to continue to hold the camera
images that he produced, don’t trying convincing Gran-
above water—but not always successfully. He even-
nis that he’s a legend. He doesn’t buy it. Even though his
tually designed a rubber-lined wooden box, suction-
photos have helped define and mythologize an entire
cupped to the front of his board, to shelter his equip-
culture, he wants no part of personal aggrandizement and
ment until the perfect shot presented itself.
takes little credit for what now appears to be incredibly
The magic of Grannis’ imagery lies not only in the
prescient foresight. “I was just lucky,” he says. “None of
action he captured in the water, but also in the sur-
it was pre-planned. I was in my 40s then, so I had a more
rounding scenes he glimpsed: the lines of boards lean-
mature outlook on the sport and the people around me,
ing against a rusty cyclone fence at Malibu Point; guys
which gave me an advantage. But that is all.”
hanging out in the old surf shack at San Onofre Beach.
Grannis’ casual humility shows through in the way
Taken together, his surf-and-turf perspective paints a
he stores his work. His images are not sheltered in a
complete picture of a way of life which has since been
vault or stored in a sealed, climate-
CONTINUED ON PAGE 108
C 59
HERMOSA BEACH, 1963
IN HIS PHOTOS, WE SEE THE ORIGINAL BRONZED
Growing up in Hermosa Beach, living mere steps from the ocean, Grannis’ father took him swimming and bodysurfing from the age of five. THIS PAGE Malibu, 1967.
AND BEAUTIFUL OPTIMISM OF A MOMENT IN TIME
California Chic
More than ever before, West Coast designers are shaking up the fashion world with equally sophisticated and original creations. C spotlights the state’s style leaders PHOTOGRAPHED BY YU TSAI STYLED BY GEORGE KOTSIOPOULOS TEXT BY GLORIA M. WONG
M
AX AZRIA COLLECTION Max Azria has the golden touch; his refined shapes, rich colors and inspired textiles have made his label de la mode since 1989. Azria moved to California from Paris 25 years ago— and he’s never looked back. “I chose to live in L.A. because of the synergy of cinema, music and fashion that I love so much,” he says. “My designs are inspired by the weather and the stylish women of L.A. and California.” Max Azria turtleneck, $323, and dress, $428, BCBG. See Shopping Guide for more details, page 110. C 00
M
ONIQUE LHUILLIER Monique Lhuillier’s eye is firmly rooted in the romantic. Her dramatic, exquisitely detailed gowns have elicited sighs since 1996, when she launched her eponymous line with husband Tom Bugbee. “The luxurious, yet laid back lifestyle is very appealing to me,” says Lhuillier, who lives in Beverly Hills and just welcomed a new son, Jack. “The weather is invigorating and inspires me to be creative.” The only fault she can find? “High real estate prices!” Monique Lhuillier dress, $2,365. Sigerson Morrison flats, $390. Donna Karan Hosiery leggings, $32.
C 00
C
OLLECTION BEBE
Fashion label Bebe celebrates its 30th anniversary in October. The house has a new spokesmodel, Mischa Barton, and recently kicked off COLLECTION bebe—a higher-end line designed by David Cardona and wardrobe guru Arianne Phillips (the woman behind Madonna’s limitless style incarnations)— with a lavish runway show. The tulip-inspired show drew strong reviews and an eclectic guest list—Courtney Love, Frances Bean, Anjelica Huston, LaToya Jackson, and of course, Mischa. COLLECTION bebe dress, $550. Hue hosiery, $11, Bloomingdale’s.
C 00
J
ENNI KAYNE
For fall, Jenni Kayne designed buttery leather jackets, sleek dresses and lean trousers perfect for swanky get-togethers (or maybe just dinner at Nobu Malibu). While her runway show was staged in New York, this L.A. woman is definitely not interested in living anywhere else. “I went to Boston University for a semester and came running back,” says Kayne, 24, who calls the Hollywood Hills home. “And now I’m marrying a realtor, which means I’m never going to leave!” Jenni Kayne dress, $965, Neiman Marcus.
M
AGDA BERLINER
Magda Berliner has something to say, and she’s not afraid to use yards of lace, deconstructed gowns, and an indiscriminate amount of decoupage to say it. For inspiration, the former stylist just steps outside. “The weather accounts for year-round foliage to enjoy and admire—I am a fan of desert blooms and trees,” says the lifelong Angeleno. Magda Berliner dress, $1,650, Barneys New York. Marcello Toshi heels, $242, A. Mason. Wolford hosiery, Neiman Marcus.
G
REGORY PARKINSON With their exuberant color and unabashed girliness, Gregory Parkinson’s designs radiate personality, invoking an affectionate warmth. Like many Angelenos, Parkinson hails from elsewhere—England— but he moved here 12 years ago and stayed, save for a three-year stint in Manhattan. (He missed L.A. every time he caught “CHiPs” on TV.) “The people here have really quite glamorous lives,” says Parkinson. “You can express yourself in the way you dress, since there are no temperature or geographic requirements, or rules and regulations.” Gregory Parkinson top, $345, Savannah. Stuart Weitzman sandals, $275. Hue hosiery, $7, Bloomingdale’s.
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ICHON SCHUR
Stephanie Schur (Michon is her middle name) dreams up unflappably elegant designs suitable for California’s glittering life—cocktail parties or, say, a jaunt down the red carpet. Not that she’s immune to the state’s natural charms: “When I wake in the morning, I can look out our window and see the ocean,” says Schur, who lives in Santa Monica with her husband, record executive Jordan Schur, and their son Jake. “It’s romantic and inspiring.” Michon Schur dress, $875, Fred Segal Flair.
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EVELOPMENT
Chic, cool lines leavened by a romantic sensibility are Development’s signature, and one can trace their DNA through Creative Director Erica Davies, who landed in Los Angeles by way of Wales, London and the Big Apple. “In New York, there’s more of a corporate look,” says Davies, who graduated from London’s Central St. Martins College of Art and Design. “It’s more bohemian here, with a sort of hard-edged girliness.” Development poncho, $455, Nordstrom. Sigerson Morrison boots, $895. Hue hosiery, $7, Bloomingdale’s.
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OVOVICH- HAWK
When model/actress Milla Jovovich decided to collaborate with fellow model/actress Carmen Hawk, it easily could have turned out to be a vanity project subsequently filed under “seemed like a good idea at the time.” Instead, the Slavic superstar and her partner have turned out vintage-inspired designs so fetching that they’ve won over fashion connoisseurs and produced immediate sellout orders. Jovovich-Hawk blouse, $395, and shorts, $225, Nordstrom. Christian Louboutin heels, $735. Wolford hosiery, Neiman Marcus.
J
ASMIN SHOKRIAN Up-and-comer Jasmin Shokrian’s sculptural, deconstructed designs are understated, but her subtly nuanced clothes result in a bold, smart-woman sexiness. “Los Angeles is open in a way that New York was 20 years ago,” says Shokrian, who grew up in L.A. and returned after graduating from the Art Institute of Chicago. “It isn’t really defined yet, and things are changing in an interesting way.” Jasmin Shokrian top, $485, skirt, $825, and capelet, $375, Des Kohan.
R
ODARTE
They grew up in coastal Northern California, and upon graduating from U.C. Berkeley, Kate and Laura Mulleavy were on a mission to design exquisite hand-crafted gowns. The twentysomething sisters moved in with their parents in Pasadena to help finance their dream and couldn’t be more effusive about the tree-lined suburb. “Southern California feels a little European and a little Mexican, and you don’t feel rushed even if you have a lot to do.” Rodarte dress, $2,530, Susan.
S
T. JOHN
The devoted following St. John inspires can only be described as cultish. Women have standing orders at Neiman Marcus for any suit that features St. John’s patented rayonand-wool blend. The 44year-old design house is evolving (out with the ad campaigns featuring Marie Grey; in with Angelina Jolie) but some things, that inimitable knit included, never change. St. John jacket, $1,745, and skirt, $675. Jimmy Choo pumps, $595. Donna Karan Hosiery leggings, $32. HAIR Lainia Reeves/Avant Groupe.com. MAKEUP Riku
Campo/CelestineAgency. com. using Maybelline. FASHION ASSISTANT Peter Max-Muller CASTING Andrew Broz & Associates, Inc., Andrew Broz.com.
Corrigan planted more than 1,000 trees and reworked the original wrought iron gate to embrace the almost 100-year-old estate. C 00
PREMIER PALACE IN L.A.’S HISTORIC CHANDLER HOUSE, TIM CORRIGAN INFUSES EUROPEAN GRANDEUR WITH CALIFORNIA COMFORT BY DAWN MOORE PHOTOGRAPHED BY LISA ROMEREIN
C 00
C 78
‘‘I
In the dining room, Cleopatra, by a student of Caravaggio, is accented by blue delft urns as a satyr by Rubens hovers on the opposing wall. OPPOSITE 18th century paneling from a French château sets off cut-crystal and bronze Venetian girandoles.
t’s the one that looks like a public library,”
Chandler intimates, the home’s glorious history causes
Tim Corrigan affectionately offers as directions to his fa-
Corrigan to bubble with enthusiasm. Ask around, and
bled Windsor Square home. Indeed. The majestic 1913
there’s no dearth of anecdotes, even randy hearsay
Beaux-Arts manse built for Westwood’s developer Peter
about when Kennedy stayed here during the 1960
Janss by Julia Morgan’s architectural team and later in-
Democratic Convention. The reporter assigned to cov-
habited by Norman and Dorothy Chandler was designed
er him watched as he crawled out the second-story
in a style favored at the time for other “intimate” spaces
window of the gentleman’s guest room, down over the
like museums, courthouses and railroad terminals.
terrace and walked three blocks to the apartment where
But it was that exact pedigree that drew Corrigan to
Angie Dickenson lived. Allegedly, he didn’t return un-
the home when Dorothy “Buff” Chandler died in 1997.
til the next morning. (Apparently, neither Eisenhower,
“I swear I’m not an ambulance chaser! It just happened
Johnson nor Nixon, who also spent nights in the suite,
that I was able to see the house the same day she died
was quite as athletic.) More history was made in the
and said, ‘We’ll take it.’” Having grown up in the neigh-
half-round guesthouse, original to the property as the
borhood, he nursed a lifelong affinity for the house and
first office for Dorothy Chandler’s legacy to Los Ange-
its aesthetics, a style Frank Lloyd Wright called “French
les, the Music Center. Next to a door embedded with
pastry.” Corrigan closed escrow two weeks later.
jewel-toned bottle glass, Corrigan points to where the phil-
Cobbled together through memories of various
anthropist’s secretaries’ typewriters clicked and clanged
C 79
Paintings by Rubens and Jacques-Louis David preside over Greek antiquities in the library, whose oak mantel was carved from a single piece of wood. OPPOSITE Tim Corrigan at home in Hancock Park’s Windsor Square area.
C 82
250-year-old handpainted silk lines the music room’s walls. OPPOSITE In a nod to the room’s inspiration, a portrait of Mozart basks under the glow of the gold leaf ceiling. C 83
the dog’s muddy paws, spill that champagne—Corrigan takes it as the highest compliment. Embracing the centuries-old traditions of European interiors, Corrigan assembles his client’s homes as if pieces were amassed over the generations. “Europeans will inherit a rug or a painting and not worry so much about colors matching. I think it creates a more inviting and comfortable atmosphere.” Certainly Winston, Corrigan’s practically ancient Westie, seems to agree as he pads about on the library’s Tabriz. The house’s sublime craftsmanship, courtesy of Morgan’s team and further enhancements by the Chandlers, is the stuff of legend. Faux-marble Venetian pillars brought from an 18th century palazzo grace the living room against walls covered in travertine from the Music Center; French hand-painted paneled doors lead to Mrs. Chandler’s sitting room, and perhaps most famously, wood and silk boiserie paneling imported from the German castle of a patron of Mozart glows in the music room. Corrigan has added a few treasures of over letters imploring the city’s wealthy for donations.
his own, including a silk damask sofa that once be-
Corrigan’s transformation from advertising execu-
longed to Doris Duke, a vast collection of Old Master
tive to architectural historian and designer grew out
paintings, including works by Francois Boucher and
of a slow burnout in the corporate world. After achiev-
Rubens; and a Steinway signed by Rachmaninoff and
ing the post of president of Bates International, a
Van Cliburn, purchased from the Chandler estate.
worldwide advertising and communications agency,
There’s a story everywhere you turn.
Corrigan realized his passion for the executive life
Corrigan can only explain his overriding passion for
was on the wane. “I loved the creative aspects, but at
preservation (“This was a restoration, not a renovation”)
the end, I could have been selling widgets.” His pur-
as a past life thing. With both parents in the arts (his
chase of the maintenance-deferred “Los Tiempos”
mother, an actress and voice teacher; his father, CalArts’
(The Times), as the house was named by the Chan-
first president), he grew up in a traditional Georgian
dlers, dovetailed nicely with the creation of Corrig-
surrounded by his parents’ cherished collection of con-
an’s firm, “Landmark Restorations.” Clients from
temporary artists like Lichtenstein and Frank Stella.
British royals to Hollywood stars like Sarah Jessica
“My father was a real revolutionary, really about the
What I really love is figuring out the structural reworking of a building, how it should flow.
Parker and Matthew Broderick, Madonna and David
cutting edge in art, theatre and dance.” But, it was his
Schwimmer soon followed. While not formally trained,
grandparents’ taste for traditional furnishings and his
Corrigan’s encyclopedic knowledge of architecture,
seven-year stint in Europe for Bates that awakened his
fine art and decorative art history spans four centu-
appreciation of aged structures and furnishings. Ask
ries, yet the six-foot-four tastemaker’s effusive charm
Corrigan what gets him out of bed in the morning and
vanquishes any potential intimidation.
he waxes eloquent on his love of the challenge inherent
In fact, the house and its museum-quality contents are surprisingly livable. Put your feet up, welcome
C 84
in adapting old structures for modern life. “What I really love is figuring out the structural
CONTINUED ON PAGE 108
A strong masculine ambiance of Prussian blue walls grounded by a 19th century carved ebony bed marks the President’s room. OPPOSITE Iceberg roses from the garden spill from a Sèvres porcelain urn. C 85
Treasures abound in the master bedroom. Won in a bidding war against several museums, this mahogany chest, inlaid with Greek legends in gilded porcelain, was commissioned as a gift to Catherine the Great.
C 88
A carved wood urn is silhouetted between the living room’s 18th century Venetian columns installed by the Chandlers. OPPOSITE “I love the juxtaposition of styles, colors and periods,” says Corrigan. C 89
Meltdown In Malibu WHEN STEFAN ERIKSSON LOST CONTROL OF HIS $1 MILLION SPORTSCAR ON P.C.H., HIS SHADOWY LIFESTYLE SPLIT OPEN—ALONG WITH AN AUTOMOTIVE WORK OF ART BY JON ALAIN GUZIK
C 00
A few years ago at the E3 video game
convention in Los Angeles, in the most glittery and elaborate booth
seen at the show in years, dressed-up European
model/actress/whatevers
strutted through a very British, very modern-looking area touting—in their words—the most-highly anticipated new electronic gadget in years. The device would revolutionize the way consumers would use entertainment. It was a breakthrough: a convergence of GPS technology, the best in video game and entertainment content, and a high-quality digital camera, all in one device. You name it; Gizmondo had it. This was, of course, at the height of the Internet bubble, when if you said it existed, it did; if you said it was amazing, it was. People were clamoring to get on board and invest in anything that was new, New, NEW! And Gizmondo was definitely new. A well-dressed man with a thick British accent in a sharp suit met me about 15 minutes late for our meeting, produced no working product and made outrageous claims about “The Future.” I looked around the booth, at the models and the opulence, the money spent on the trappings of launching a new device. He paused AP PHOTO/HANS LAETZ
and handed me a still-dormant, black plastic shell. It had no heft. I knew this product would never happen, and one word came to mind—vaporware, that kiss-of-death term for the product, the software, that thing—whatever it may
C 91
“WHAT AN ENZO DEMANDS OF THE DRIVER IS TOTAL CONCENTRATION. MINOR INDISCRETIONS THAT DRIVERS GET AWAY WITH EVERY DAY AT 80 MPH CARRY MAJOR PENALTIES AT 160 MPH.”
be, that will never exist,
for a once-fat kid from the outskirts of Uppsala, Swe-
no matter the force of will
den. You let out the clutch and you drop the gear shift
or the amount of cash
into sixth. You fancy yourself a bit of a racecar driver,
thrown at it. I thought of
so this speed is nothing new for you. The speedometer
the $200 million in start-
clocks 160, 161, 162…and climbing.
up money Gizmondo had
Then, the unthinkable: a small dip in the road,
and smiled with gritting
which is magnified exponentially at this speed. The
teeth. The man paused
car picks up and then is airborne, aloft like a red Alba-
again and said in a soft
tross, flying into a telephone pole. The beautiful Enzo,
voice, “Stefan and Carl
named for the founder of Ferrari, is sheared in half,
think that this will change
the pole split like a broken crostini, the detritus of the
the world.”
car strewn across Pacific Coast Highway. The drawn-
Pardon the hyperbole, and imagine driving one
flashy living, endless cash and sweeping lies of two
of the world’s most amaz-
men and one company. All this, from a car crash?
ing cars down one of the world’s
most
“What an Enzo demands of the driver is total concen-
amazing
tration. And that’s in a controlled setting,” says Kevin A.
stretches of highway. It’s
Wilson, Senior Editor/Special Projects at auto industry
dark and late at night. You
bible, AutoWeek. “When you’re going that fast, a change in
may have had a few Sake
road texture or a minor curve or a car merging onto the free-
drinks at Nobu with your
way—you come up on them in a hurry.” Small mistakes—a
sashimi, or an Aquavit
twitch, a distraction, things that you’d probably not even
nightcap at Geoffrey’s. Overlooking the inky blue of the
notice at 65 mph—can generate enormous consequences.
choppy late-February Pacific Ocean, you are reminded of
“Minor indiscretions that drivers get away with every day
home and the North Atlantic. You pause as you take in the fresh Pacific breeze and think to yourself, “Hey, life is good.” After a few drinks, you go back to your mansion and live it up. There are girls, drugs and guns—it’s like a party scene in a Billy Jack movie. You have a close friend at your side and a rare, fast and ultra-expensive Ferrari in the driveway. You have money to burn, a nice place to live and, here in Los Angeles, you have no past whatsoever to weigh you down. This night, like a million before it, needs to end on a high note. You want an auto race, so you grab a friend, put him in another car in the stable—a $450,000 Mercedes-
L
at 80 mph carry major penalties at 160 mph,” says Wilson. ike a story from a Ross Macdonald novel, what happened after the crash has more twists and turns than Ferrari’s test track at Imola, Italy. On the night of February 21, one of 400 Ferrari Enzos was wrecked on P.C.H. Stefan Eriksson, a Swedish national, was
questioned by the Malibu police. Eriksson said that, yes, the car was his, but the driver had been a mysteri-
Benz SLR McLaren—and tell him, “C’mon, let’s go for
ous German man named Dietrich, who then fled the
a drive down P.C.H.” Feeling the Dutch courage in your
scene into the Malibu Hills. The police took a swab of
veins, you hop into the bright-red, million-dollar Ferrari
DNA from Eriksson and gave him a Breathalyzer test,
Enzo—one of 400 in the world—put on your seatbelt and
which showed his blood alcohol level at .09, .01 above
press the ignition button. The 12-cylinder, 660-horse-
the legal limit. Eriksson also told police that he was the
power engine kicks and bucks behind you. You smile and
deputy commissioner of the San Gabriel Valley Transit
press on the throttle. Off you go, the SLR close behind.
Authority’s police anti-terrorism unit. Moments after
P.C.H. whizzes by on your left. You up shift through
that, two unidentified men arrived on the scene and
the gears—second comes at about 75 mile per hour,
said they were members of U.S. Homeland Security
third at 100, fourth at 135, fifth at 150. The car shows
and spoke briefly to Eriksson. Not having the evidence
no sign of coming out from under you, and why should
to arrest him, the police cut him loose, doubting every
it? This is a street-version of a racecar. You look at your
aspect of what he said.
friend in the car next to you and smile; this is a dream
C 92
and-quartered Enzo slides to a halt, along with all the
Two months later, after a long investigation involving
both American and European authorities, Eriksson was
investor and not to ask anything further about the man.
arrested in Los Angeles on a variety of charges. Accord-
“He did not look like your typical electronic gam-
ing to the Los Angeles Times, prosecutors accused him
ing executive,” says the former employee. “And from
of embezzlement and grand theft for allegedly bringing
the people that were working with him, I knew that
his $3.8 million car collection to the United States. He
something wasn’t quite right. I had a friend come over
had leased them from British financial institutions, but
from London, and he basically told me to steer clear
the contract prohibited him from taking the vehicles out
and get out while I still could.”
of England. Eriksson was also charged with possessing
Eriksson undoubtedly wishes that he didn’t take the
a handgun, which is illegal because he had been con-
cars out when he was at his house partying. That one bad
victed of drug and counterfeiting felonies in Sweden.
decision, that one proverbial and literal bump in the road,
He also faced charges of lying to the INS for not disclos-
led to the demise of his entire business and life—and for
ing prior arrests and convictions—including a drug and
his business partner, too. “The funny thing is,” says the
counterfeiting charges—in another country.
former employee, “Gizmondo was a cool piece of technol-
The Enzo crash and Eriksson’s arrest caused a ripple
ogy, it could have been a real company if Stefan wasn’t
effect of investigation, ultimately ensnaring Carl Freer,
involved.” But, Eriksson was involved, along with his past
his business partner at Gizmondo, which was now under numerous investigations by the SEC and whose stock was hovering in the pennies. Freer was arrested on April 26 for suspicion of impersonating a police officer, perjury and other unspecified charges stemming from the discovery of 12 rifles and four
handguns
during
Stefan Eriksson at his arraignment in L.A. Superior Court
AP PHOTO/AL SEIB, POOL
searches of his estate and his 100-foot yacht docked in Marina del Rey. Eriksson’s
and proven reputation
wife, Nicole Persson, was pulled over in Beverly Hills
as part of the Swedish
and charged with driving without a license. Her car—the
Mafia, Uppsalamaf-
same Mercedes-Benz SLR from the night of Eriksson’s
fian, with a long list of
crash—was then impounded. Also, police are investigat-
members littering the
ing allegations of handguns found at Eriksson’s Bel-Air
company’s
mansion that belonged to Orange County reserve deputy
Both Freer and Eriks-
payroll.
“HE DID NOT LOOK LIKE YOUR TYPICAL ELECTRONIC GAMING EXECUTIVE. AND FROM THE PEOPLE THAT WERE WORKING WITH HIM, I KNEW THAT SOMETHING WASN’T QUITE RIGHT.”
Roger A. Davis, who had an office on the same Beverly
son spent freely and lived like Pashas, so it made sense
Hills office building as Gizmondo. At press time, three
for them to come to Los Angeles, where living large can
months after the crash, the case of the wrecked Enzo is
easily overshadow complicated personal histories. And
still unfolding and people are still being arraigned.
it’s fitting that their lives unraveled like the plot of an
“My first time encounter with Stefan was in the
overwrought Hollywood movie, Crash—one accident,
parking structure of their Beverly Hills office,” says
many consequences. Eriksson is now awaiting trial in
a former Gizmondo executive who spoke under the
a Los Angeles jail cell, light years away from that posh
condition of anonymity. “He was coming up in what
Gizmondo booth at the E3 conference. His lawyer de-
sounded like a racecar. It happened to be one of his
scribed the charges against him to the L.A. Times as a
Enzos.” When the executive asked a colleague about
“non-injury accident being blown out of proportion
the mysterious driver, he was told that he was a silent
because it involved a Ferrari.” Only in Los Angeles.
•
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Must-see boutiques in the Forum Shops at Caesars include Marc Jacobs, Pucci and Dolce & Gabbana.
C
travel
BRIAN JANIS/PHOTOTECHNIK
The Sophisticated Side of Vegas A Sin City neophyte skips the slot machines and discovers the sky’s the limit for luxury in the Nevada desert BY NATHAN COOPER C 95
travel jewels arrive in the procession of Robuchon’s masterful 16-course tasting menu. Standouts on the spring lineup included a single truffled langoustine ravioli and an airy velouté of lettuce poured over a delicate sweet onion custard. Even the bread cart, with its dozen of surprising, indulgent and perfectly executed takes on the idea of a roll, ranging from impossibly subtle rosemary brioche to saffron focaccia, dazzles. The recent opening of Guy Savoy’s lavish ode to French indulgence at
Four Seasons Las Vegas
caesars.com) ensures that the strip’s hile no one can deny that raucous
gourmet offerings will continue to soar. After dining
and unself-consciously tacky
at one of these bastions of haute cuisine, and then
hedonism is a key ingredient in
dropping back into the gaudy swirl of Vegas at large,
the lifeblood of Las Vegas, each
it’s hard not to think it was a delicious mirage. But
turning season brings the
no, that really was delicately caramelized smoked eel
tempting announcement of yet
layered in a mille-feuille of foie gras.
more pointedly “high-end,”
The perfect home-base from which to venture out in
“luxurious” and “exclusive” businesses, ranging from
search of these gems tucked throughout the super-sized
hushed jewelry salons to Michelin-pedigreed
casinos is the Four Seasons Las Vegas (702-632-5000;
restaurants. Having never visited Sin City before (Elvis
fourseasons.com/lasvegas), which itself resides atop
impersonators, nouveaux circus acts and jangling slot
Mandalay Bay’s vast and somewhat less refined domain.
machines never captured my imagination), I decided to
The Four Seasons offers sanctuary for its guests with its own
give into the call of these new sophisticated beacons
calm entrance, tastefully appointed rooms, and a private
and set out to sample the desert’s most refined offerings.
pool with the perfect amount of extra touches (chilled
Beyond gambling, boxing or the
towels, cucumber slices and coconut
elaborate shows, exquisite food has
popsicles glide past regularly to help
emerged as one of Vegas’ main events.
sunbathers manage the heat).
And among all the alluring new venues to
An ideal afternoon can be spent
be discovered along the strip, Joël Robuchon
within The Venetian (702-414-1000;
at The Mansion at MGM Grand (702-891-
venetian.com), a short taxi ride away
7925; mgmgrand.com) is exceptional. As
from the Four Seasons (note: always
the heavy glass doors to the restaurant
insist the driver avoid Las Vegas
TOP LEFT: LARRY HANNA
W
Caesar’s Palace (702-731-7286;
swoosh shut, sealing off the clanging of the casino floor, it immediately becomes clear that this is not a high-level approximation or facsimile of a French temple gastronomique, but indeed the real thing— somehow magically realized in the middle of the desert. Clad in swaths of purple silk with deco onyx columns dotting the perimeter, the intimate dining room is a jewel box writ large. And while the room’s Swarovski crystal chandelier might be the most obvious treasure, the real
C 96
Joël Robuchon at The Mansion at MGM Grand
Boulevard). Unquestionably the best spot for a
saipinchutima.com), where husband and wife team
leisurely late-morning meal is Bouchon Las Vegas
Bill and Saipin Chutima delights tastebuds with
(702-414-6200), Thomas Keller’s Nevada outpost,
arguably the best Thai food in the States. Let the
home to perfectly scrambled eggs, light and crispy
owners do the ordering for you, and be swept away by
frites, and a heavenly salad of bibb lettuce and fresh
the fiery crunch of crispy rice tossed with chili and
herbs. From its fizzy but not cloying bellinis to the
cured sausage or the buttery texture of steamed sea
ethereal lightness of its crème brûlée, Bouchon
bass in a simple ginger sauce. A world-class collection
strikes one resounding note of quality after another.
of German Riesling is on hand to elevate the spice-
Just steps away within The Venetian, the promise of further indulgence (as well as the chance to atone for a
infused cuisine to uncharted heights. Perhaps the greatest luxury to be found in Vegas
sinful grand dejeuner) awaits at the Canyon Ranch Spa
actually has to do with getting in and out of the city.
Club (702-414-3606), a self-contained world of physical
If enjoying the best it has to offer involves tuning out
improvement and pampering. Between a full salon,
the beer-fueled
spa rooms, a Pilates studio and a 40-foot indoor rock-
nonsense, the
climbing wall, Canyon Ranch’s 69,000 square feet offer
ideal trip is one
a vast array of top-notch treatments and activities.
that sidesteps
Recharged after the spa, a few laps through the
rowdy McCarran
strip’s best shopping promenades are certainly in
Airport with the
order. Graff, Gaultier and the only Blahnik boutique
help of private
west of the Hudson make the dreamy, flower-strewn
transportation.
Wynn resort’s shops (702-770-7000; wynnlasvegas.
Blue Star Jets
com) an ideal starting point. The main shopping
(866-JET-TIME;
event, though, is the regal Forum Shops at Caesars
bluestarjets.com),
(702-735-3033; caesars.com), a massive series of
which has no
Italianate halls, complete with dancing fountains and
membership fees or
a spiral escalator. Highlights include the keenly
minimum flight time
edited Marc Jacobs shop, Pucci and Fresh.
requirements, makes
Perhaps Las Vegas’ greatest epicurean epiphany
Bouchon Las Vegas
it possible for travelers
is to be found a short drive away from the glittering
to walk off their well-
casinos at an unassuming little restaurant called
appointed personal
Lotus of Siam (953 E. Sahara Ave., 702-735-3033;
plane and right into a waiting car on the tarmac to whisk them
SIGHTS OFF THE STRIP There’s more to Las Vegas than the casinos lining the strip. A quick excursion off Las Vegas Boulevard can be a welcome diversion. FLYING HIGH In close proximity to such stunning destinations as the Grand Canyon and the Hoover Dam, Vegas is the perfect starting point for a whirlwind helicopter tour. Sundance Helicopters (800-653-1881; sundancehelicopters.com) offers a variety of short itineraries. CULTURE FIX The calm atmosphere of the Las Vegas Art Museum (9600 W. Sahara Ave.; lasvegasartmuseum.org) is a breath of fresh air. The witty, colorful canvases of painter Martin Mull will be on display all this month.
off for a weekend of finery and fun. • Canyon Ranch Spa Club The Venetian
The Venetian
C
the Menu
Koi, with its throngs of stargazing night owls, set the standard for L.A.’s latest breed of clubinspired restaurants when it first opened in 2003.
Making A Scene A flood of hybrid nightclub-restaurants is sweeping L.A.’s culinary terrain. Is celebrity cuisine the wave of the future? BY NORA ZELEVANSKY SMALLZ & RASKIND/VISTALUX
C 99
the menu
I
magine the typical Hollywood scene.
DeMille, Charlie Chaplin, Lon Chaney and Rudolph
Paparazzi lie in wait outside the newest
Valentino), Moroccan accents like colorful hand-
hot spot’s velvet rope. Inside, under
woven sequined rugs, bamboo screens and mile-high
vaulted ceilings and amidst design
vaulted and original frescoed ceilings recall 1920s
elements like 20-foot fireplaces and tree
grandeur. As with many of the new mega-restaurants,
stump coffee tables, would-be starlets in
bold interiors worthy of a movie set seem designed to
skinny Tsubi jeans and four-inch platform
seduce patrons into a stupor of awe and contentment
wedges order pomegranate martinis and,
long before the first dish hits the table.
wait…truffled mac and cheese?
The once rigid barrier between high-octane
Chefs Joe Ojeda and Michelle Bernstein collaborate on Social Hollywood’s menu with nods to Moroccan
nightclubs and serious restaurants has grown
flavors mixed with au courant American standards.
increasingly porous as of late. The opening of each
Many of the hybrid dishes, while well-prepared, end
massive and expertly hyped venue strengthens
up in a kind of cross-cultural limbo. Still, delectable
the possibility that Los Angeles’ culinary landscape
highlights include a conch appetizer, pomegranate-
will be swallowed whole by this new breed of club-
glazed lamb rack, and olive oil mashed potatoes
restaurant hybrid, where scene often trumps cuisine.
dotted with crispy olives.
In order to stay alive in this competitive market,
With a total capacity of 1,014, the converted fitness
the new wave of gastro-clubs, such as Social
space—complete with a bar, the Barrymore Ballroom,
Hollywood, Republic and Citizen Smith, lure the US
and a soon-to-open club-within-a-club, Peter
Weekly set (semi-celebrities and their adoring
Famulari’s Boulevard 3—is reminiscent of a very
crowds) with nightlife, spectacle, and the all-too-
decadent mall or 1980s-era megaclub. Membership
familiar unfulfilled promise of exalted food. Old fashioned glamour is name of the game at the sprawling epicurean complex called Social Hollywood.
has its privileges in the second floor’s Green, Game and Velvet rooms, closed to average patrons from Thursday through Saturday.
Republic’s dining room
Cocktail waitresses in French
While the theme may sound
maid-like uniforms are called
prom-perfect, owners Jeffrey
Socialites (in case one didn’t yet
Chodorow (of Asia de Cuba
intuit the target audience).
fame) and Melissa Richardson
Still, Social’s most unique,
passed up streamers and paper
successful element is its
mâché for an extravagant
eclectic bar area, where antique
decor meticulously designed
detailing works harmoniously
by Mark Zeff. Housed in the
with high-tech “glass wallpaper,”
former Hollywood Athletic
on which stars and a full
Club (which, one is repeatedly
moon are projected in a
reminded, was once an elite
surrealistic film called “The
sports club founded by Cecil B.
Magic Forest.” Here, celebrities and civilians alike feel
The lobby at Social Hollywood
transported, sipping delicious Lycheewood martinis to the tune of evocative music like cancan or blues with a sense of appropriated class from Tinseltown’s glory days. Republic, another new contemporary American
restau-club, this time with “Southern flair,” is also trying to cross-breed. Although its name and crimson color scheme suggest Asian or Russian cuisine, Republic’s menu again offers slight variations on standard steakhouse fare—iceberg lettuce with blue
cheese dressing; Caesar salad with hush puppies; garlic whipped potatoes; the inevitable seared ahi tuna; and multiple cuts of steak. A feast for the eyes is the order of the day at
Piece of Cake
this club-like establishment, where oversized
The craze for cupcakes, as
design elements scream a return to ’80s excess. In
trends go, may have had its
the main dining room (auxiliary spaces include a
day. The new way to have
bar, a separate daytime cafe and oddly unadorned
your cake and eat it too?
restrooms), massive white-tasseled lampshades
Sweet and pretty petit fours.
surround a kitschy antler chandelier. A 20-foot Tower of Wine features “wine angels.” These women, dressed in white wings, are hoisted up through a narrow glass sphere in order to retrieve vino for diners, proving that there is in fact a worse job for
Sausalito-based Dragonfly Bakery has just launched a website selling its delectable morsels of cake, layered with marzipan, jam and buttercream, then covered in chocolate. In flavors like hazelnut, vanilla-orange, and raspberry and adorned with hearts and flowers in
aspiring actors than sitting in a plastic display case
dreamy pastels, these treats are just as pretty as they
behind the Standard Hotel’s front desk. Not only are
are delicious. dragonflycakes.com.
ASHLEY MCADAMS
there enough white lounges for all, but the bleachedout tones and relaxed atmosphere inspires a beachy
NICE ICE
feel, even smack in the middle of West Hollywood. Relaxed is also the vibe at entrepreneur Andrew
Chez Panisse pastry
Belchic’s Citizen Smith. The menu options naturally
chef of nine years
reflect the restaurant’s mission to be a “bistro for the
Mary Canales recently
everyman.” Standards like French onion soup, onion
opened Ici, an organic
ring towers, classic burgers, sautéed spinach, and
ice cream parlor just
five types of steak dominate, although chopped steak
down the street from
sliders and frozen hot chocolate (a dessert swiped
her old Berkeley
from New York’s staple Serendipity) are special treats.
stomping grounds. Flavors range from
Citizen Smith’s decor, created by Thomas Schoos,
organic rose geranium
mastermind behind Koi and the new Huntley Hotel, brings more edge than its menu. Exposed piping and brick combined with dark, almost gothic elements like glass lamp shades bearing haunting photographs of Hollywood residents and silhouetted tree limbs achieve a kind of supervillain lair-chic. Even at their most culinarily inspired, most of these restaurants rely on deluxe basics. These items are like a slight of hand in which the inclusion of one indulgent ingredient—truffle oil, for example— can trick people into feeling sophisticated while eating mac and cheese. Although the new Southern spot Memphis is also guilty of this method, chef Francisco Chaidez’s innovations are more original, and delicious, than most. Cajun popcorn shrimp and crazy fries with parmesan and garlic are bursting with flavor, while the Louisiana lump crab avocado salad and New Orleans BBQ prawns are more subtle. With a bordello red interior, the spirit of Louisiana is palpable here. Originally built
CONTINUED ON PAGE 108
to coffee cardamom. With tart-sweet Meyer lemons and almonds from local farms, this is a California classic in the making. 2948 College Ave., Berkeley; ici-icecream.com.
ALISON CLARE STEINGOLD
Choco-file Nothing says Parisian cocoa-decadence like the dark brown packaging of La Maison du Chocolat. In California, fans are clamoring for Les Sevillanes ($65), five airy and summery confections blending fruits and light spices with heavenly ganache. The offerings, like melon-port-milk chocolate or tangy lemon-grapefruit praline, make an ideal dessert when paired with a sampling of seasonal goodies from the farmers’ market. lamaisonduchocolat.com. A.C.S.
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culture
Yeager Master
With his warm, whimsical and romantic paintings, Ira Yeager has captivated a select club of Northern California’s most discerning collectors
OLAF BECKMAN
BY MELISSA CERIA
Painter Ira Yeager in his Napa Valley studio. C 103
culture
paintings, he promises a simple joy, a happy ending. In
Francisco last year, just as I was
his simplicity, there is such huge sophistication.”
starting to meet some of the interesting characters that define
and raised in Bellingham, Wa., an area he describes as
this city and its culture, Alexis
“kind of culturally deprived.” He started painting at the age
Swanson, director of marketing at
of eight and enjoyed decorating little plaster figures of
Swanson Vineyards, told me
Marie-Antoinette, a hobby that later fueled much of the
there was somebody I must meet.
imagery in his work as well as his remarkable collection of
“Everyone in San Francisco has
18th century European furniture and decorative art objects.
his work,” she said, describing painter Ira Yeager, who
After school in San Francisco, Yeager traveled to Europe
splits his time between San Francisco and Napa. “He’s an
in the early 1960s, where he lived and worked, visiting Italy,
exceptional artist.” His name was new to me, but it quickly
Spain and France, meeting the likes of Cocteau and
surfaced that Yeager was one of the most well-collected
Dubuffet. While in Italy, he ran with an eccentric crowd that
artists in the area, with patrons including the Schwabs,
included a wild Countess who sculpted and enjoyed
Wilkes Bashford, Dodie Rosekrans, Paul and Nancy
dressing in costume. “These were my dreams of
Pelosi, and Robert Redford.
bohemianism,” says Yeager, a
“I think one of the reasons
bon vivant himself who loves
there is excitement in my
to cook and entertain friends
paintings is because of the joy
in the several homes he owns
and the freshness,” says Ira
in Napa. “I grew a beard and
Yeager, 67, standing in his
[the Countess] had me
light-filled studio located on a
wearing these old clothes, like
lush and green, 17-acre
a big cape made out of black
property in the foothills of the
goat hair. Everybody was
Napa Valley. Large canvases
really fun.” It wasn’t until the
of majestic American Indian
early ’80s, after a decade of
heads, French peasants,
living in Greece, that Yeager
dramatic landscapes and
permanently settled in
ornate still lives are stacked
Northern California.
10-deep against the wall.
Much of Yeager’s painting
Stool tops-turned-palettes are
has been defined by his
caked thick with oil paint.
physical and emotional
As a student at the
journeys into other cultures.
California College of Arts and Crafts and later at the S.F. Art
A recent exhibit at his studio in San Francisco celebrated the
Institute, Yeager studied under Richard Diebenkorn and Elmer
impressive Indian chief portraits he started in 1965, close to
Bischoff and was a part of the Bay Area Figurative Art
the time he spent in Santa Fe. It’s a rich body of work
movement that emerged out of Abstract Expressionism.
spanning the 40 years for which he has gathered a serious
Although his work explores a number of themes—many
following. “I think they’re almost like abstract paintings,”
inspired by his travels and passion for history—his technique
says Yeager. “I call them ‘psychological landscapes.’”
demonstrates a deep understanding and commitment to paint. Elizabeth Swanson, owner (with her husband) of Swan-
Less serious, but ever so popular, are Yeager’s still lives of old teapots and French period shoes, some fondly signed
son Vineyards and mother of Alexis, became a great friend
“Von Yeager.” “I virtually designed my kitchen around
and collector of Yeager’s after meeting him at a dinner
these,” says Debbie Reynolds, co-owner of the children’s
party at John Traina and Danielle Steel’s house some 14
snack company Healthy Handfuls, pointing to two small
years ago. “When you buy a canvas of his, you fall in love
canvases of teapots. “Once you buy one of his pieces, it’s
with a creature, a person, an era,” says Swanson, the
almost addictive.” She has 12 of his paintings to prove it.
owner of, among other things, a permanent collection of
C 104
The son of a hunting and fishing guide, Yeager was born
“It’s a constant high,” says Swanson of Yeager’s art.
22 paintings from his 18th century Wine Vendor series,
“You walk in and you say, ‘Thank God that cow has flowers
which resides in the couple’s wine salon. “In a lot of his
around its neck!’ All is well in the world.” •
INDIAN PORTRAIT, PLUMED HEADDRESS AND COW: BRIAN FULLER; ALL OTHERS: IRA SCHRANK
S
hortly after moving to San
“IN A LOT OF HIS PAINTINGS, HE PROMISES A SIMPLE JOY, A HAPPY ENDING. IN HIS SIMPLICITY, THERE IS SUCH HUGE SOPHISTICATION.” —ELIZABETH SWANSON
Yeager’s color-saturated works can be seen in his San Francisco gallery or his Napa Valley studio by appointment (707-942-5395; irayeager.com).
C 105
culture
Garden Grandeur Once a regal San Francisco family estate, Filoli now shares its lavish landscapes with the world BY DIANE DORRANS SAEKS
500 rose varieties, with beauties like the fragrant pale pink Frederic Mistral and ruffled white Iceberg, bring avid rosarians from around the world. In the fall, ripe persimmons hang on bare branches like brilliant orange lanterns. These stunners are all seasonal draws to Filoli, the grand 654-acre estate south of San Francisco. ¶ The estate’s last resident, shipping heiress and social doyenne Mrs. Lurline Roth, was queen bee of San Francisco and Peninsula society from the 1940s to the 1970s; she bequeathed Filoli to the National Trust for Historic Preservation in 1975. The next year, the property first opened to the public. This summer, Filoli celebrates 30 years of welcoming more than 100,000 garden lovers and history buffs each year to its estate and grounds. ¶ “Everyone who comes here has a favorite part of the garden,” notes Lucy Tolmach, Filoli’s director of horticulture. “Some love the weeping cherries; others come to see our 500 different fruit trees.” The property’s 43-room Georgian mansion is also well known to “Dynasty” fans. (The wisteria-clad brick exterior was seen in the opening credits of the cult show and a new reprisal, “Return to Dynasty,” was recently filmed on site.) ¶ Tolmach, who supervises a team of 13 horticulturists, hundreds of volunteers and interns from around the world, is perhaps the most fortunate horticulturist in California. She has lived in a 1921 brick cottage on the property for 30 years. “Every season at Filoli is a joy, including the depths of winter,” says Tolmach. “All year, there’s something remarkable to draw the eye.” 86 Cañada Rd., Woodside, 650-364-8300; filoli.org. • Filoli’s 16 acres of formal gardens are filled with such signatures as boxwood parterres, fragrant flowers and a yew allee. The Knot Garden, at left, features hedges of germander and chamedrys.
TOP: C. HARRISON CONROY CO. INC., CHARLOTTE, NC; ALL OTHERS: SAXON HOLT
G
lorious spring is marked by the blooms of more than 70,000 daffodils and tulips. In summer,
THE WAVE WATCHER
dividual binders dedicated just to
though he had never made much
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 59
surf contests, board builders, and
money back in the day, the forgotten
particular surf spots. It’s well-orga-
binders stuffed into the converted bar
nized but not at all showy.
turned out to be Grannis’ nest egg. “I’ve
controlled room. Instead, plastic
C 108
binders full of negatives, prints and
While Grannis, disillusioned by
seen this pro surfing business ruin
proof sheets are crammed into a
the unseemly side of the pro surfing
lives, and I don’t like it at all,” he says.
closet space in his home that once
circuit, had stopped taking pictures
“Money wasn’t my primary concern
served as a bar. Famous surfers like
by the 1980s, interest in surfing
in the beginning, and in fact, it still
Dewey Weber and Mickey Munoz
swelled throughout the 1990s and the
isn’t today. It’s just staying alive and
get their own binders. There are in-
lensman’s phone began to ring. Even
being healthy. That’s what counts.” •
PREMIER PALACE
am embarrassed to say I probably
lecting antique decorative arts from
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 84
work 10 to 12 hours a day, six or
all over the world? In September,
seven days a week. I don’t have
via the internet, the pieces will be
reworking of a building, how it
much of a personal life!” Or, appar-
available to the trade and “civil-
should flow.”
ently, time to cook.
ians” alike. And as a fitting accom-
In what was a former rabbit-war-
But how could he possibly, with
paniment, Corrigan has developed
ren of four rooms, the expanded
only nine employees between of-
cleaning products specially formu-
kitchen offers the only apparent
fices in West Hollywood and Paris
lated for antiques.
concession to the 21st century–a
wrangling projects worldwide? “I
Regardless of all the opulence,
plasma television. Even so, the new
currently have three in Chicago,
Corrigan insists a home is to be
cabinetry is crafted to exactly match
eight in L.A., one in Santa Barbara,
lived in as he curls up on the Duke
the original, hardware and all. But
one in London and two in France.”
sofa with Winston in his lap. Win-
the real clue to the Corrigan’s pec-
Then there is his new resale ven-
ston is happily oblivious to his sur-
cadilloes lies inside the drawers:
ture. Adhering to his mantra of “au-
roundings, although Corrigan notes
one devoted entirely to banana taf-
thentic and beautifully crafted,”
he occasionally barks at the empty
fy, another for nuts and a third for
Corrigan did not want to create re-
chair that hosts Dorothy Chandler’s
anything Entenmann’s. For all his
production furniture and slap his
ghost. “Dorothy tends to show up
exquisite taste in design and gra-
name on it. And why should he
around her birthday,” he says—no
cious living, Corrigan’s taste in edi-
when he has a 12,000-square-foot
doubt to keep an eye on her beloved
bles runs to the, well, plebian. “I
warehouse filled by years of col-
estate and its current gatekeeper.
MAKING A SCENE
deck resemble New Orleans’ French
wall-to-wall plantation decor are
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 101
Quarter. And if it weren’t for the red
incongruous, although the private
velvet rope out front (or the couple
upstairs dining room is exquisite.
•
in 1903, the house later became a
making out), an outsider wouldn’t
No matter what the respective
school for children of celebrities like
guess that Memphis was in fact a Los
strengths and weaknesses of these
Charlie Chaplin and Cecil B. DeMille
Angeles nightlife destination. Passing
hot new hybrids, one concept reigns
(presumably, they dropped their kids
old movies projected onto a wall, one
supreme for those hoping to attract
off and headed to the Hollywood
half expects women in period garb
the ever fickle young Hollywood jet
Athletic Club). Storefronts lining
to hand out pralines. Inside, house
set: You gotta have a gimmick if you
the narrow walkway to the front
music, extremely low lights, and
want to make a scene. •
SHOPPING GUIDE
ON OUR COVER Salvatore Ferragamo pleated wool dress in plum, price upon request, Salvatore Ferragamo, Beverly Hills; ferragamo.com. TABLE OF CONTENTS, p.4 Libertine cut velvet dress with Swarovski crystal detail, $3,000, Maxfield, Los Angeles.
C FASHION Local Talent, p.25 CLOCKWISE FROM TOP Delphine de Grasse alligator and deerskin “Karen” bag, $2,500, Kaviar & Kind, Los Angeles; Gracie, Rancho Santa Fe; delphinedegrasse.com. Kendall Conrad No.9 white duffel in bone protone slashed Italian leather with 24K gold zipper and suede lining, $2,760, Maxfield, Los Angeles. Laurence belted black cowhide clutch, $275, Des Kohan, Los Angeles; laurence-design. com. B. Romanek bone “Rockstar” crocodile clutch, $1,950, Barneys New York, Beverly Hills; bromanek.com. p.26 Kendall Conrad dark chocolate Italian deerskin bag with brushed Italian hardware, suede lining and 24K gold zipper, $1,400, Maxfield, Los Angeles. Laurence large “O” tote in espresso cowhide, $575, Kaviar & Kind, Los Angeles; laurence-design.com. Delphine de Grasse ostrich and deerskin “Cobra” clutch, $1,000, Kaviar & Kind, Los Angeles; Gracie, Rancho Santa Fe; delphinedegrasse.com.
C HOME Chic, Inc., p.43-46 Kelly Chair, Chapman Radcliff, 517 N. La Cienega Blvd., West Hollywood, 310-659-8062; chapmanradcliffhome.com. Double Ball Ribbon Lamp, Seaside Home, 7509 Girard Ave., La Jolla, 858-454-0866; seasidehomelajolla.com. Grace Home Furnishings, 11632 Barrington Ct., Los Angeles, 310-476-7176; gracehomefurnishings.com. Mason Table, WilliamsSonoma Home, store locations in Los Angeles and Palo Alto, 888-922-4110; wshome.com. Clipper Travel Clock, Hermès, Beverly Hills, South Coast Plaza and San Francisco, 800-441-4488; hermes. com. Eames Aluminum Management Chair, Design Within Reach, store locations throughout California, 415-248-5397; dwr. com. MacBook, store locations throughout California; apple.com. All other resources: The Container Store, store locations in Corte Madera, Costa Mesa, Pasadena, San Diego, San Francisco, San Jose, Walnut
Creek and coming in October to Century City, 888-266-8246; containerstore.com. Dauphine Press, 119 Kentucky St., Petaluma, 707-775-4200; dauphinepress. com. India Ink Papers, 1907 Columbia St., San Diego, 619-233-4203; indiainkpapers. com. Inkwells Paperie, 3411 E. Coast Hwy., Corona Del Mar, 949-673-1974; inkwellspaperie.com. Iomoi, iomoi.com. See Jane Work, 877-400-5263; seejanework.com. Soolip Paperie & Press, 8646 Melrose Ave., West Hollywood, 310-360-0545; Soolip at Gump’s, 135 Post St., San Francisco, 415984-9311; soolip.com. West Elm, store locations in Corte Madera, San Diego and Santa Monica, 866-937-8356; westelm.com.
COURTENEY COX CALLING THE SHOTS p.50 Michael Stars supima modal beater tank, $35, michaelstars.com. The Light Touch, p.51 Morphine Generation cable knit button down sweater, $345, Theodore, Los Angeles. Miss Independent, p. 52 Juicy Couture basic camel cashmere sweater dress, $260, Ron Herman, Los Angeles. Aurora Lopez Mejia inscribed heavy square bangle with gems in pink and yellow gold, $3,525, inscribed heavy round bangle with gems in yellow gold, $3,525, and inscribed extra-thin bangle, $990, Talavera, New York, 212-2130050. Hue fishnets, $11, Nordstrom.
CALIFORNIA CHIC Max Azria p.62-63 Max Azria variegated ribbing with pointelle turtleneck, $323, and chunky sweater dress, $428, select BCBG Max Azria, 888-636-BCBG. Monique Lhuillier, p.64 Monique Lhuillier charcoal floral jacquard V-neck balloon cocktail dress with black velvet belt, $2,365, Monique Lhuillier, Beverly Hills, select Neiman Marcus. Sigerson Morrison white velvet bauble flat, $390, Sigerson Morrison, Los Angeles, New York; sigersonmorrison. com. Donna Karan Hosiery The Body Perfect Collection black Capri leggings, $32, select Nordstrom; nordstrom.com. COLLECTION bebe, p.65 COLLECTION bebe tulip sleeve twisted hem dress, $550, Bebe; bebe.com, 877-232-3777. Hue cable lace tights, $11, Bloomingdale’s. Jenni Kayne, p.66 Jenni Kayne nude beaded apron dress, $965, Neiman Marcus, Beverly Hills; Stacey Todd, Studio City; jennikayne.com.
Magda Berliner, p.67 Magda Berliner linger lace dress, $1,650, Satine, Los Angeles; Barneys New York, Beverly Hills; Louis, Boston. Marcello Toshi Creazioni maize leather heels with brown suede strap, $242, A. Mason, Venice. Wolford hosiery, Neiman Marcus; wolford.com. Gregory Parkinson, p.68 Gregory Parkinson bias silk lamé top with cotton tulle trim, $345, Savannah, Santa Monica. Stuart Weitzman black peau de soie platform peep-toe sandal, $275, Stuart Weitzman, Beverly Hills. Hue sheers, $7, Bloomingdale’s. Michon Schur, p.69 Michon Schur ruffle mock shirt dress, $875, Fred Segal Flair, Santa Monica. Development, p.70-71 Development poncho with contrast canvas and metal button detail, $455, select Nordstrom; Shop, New York. Sigerson Morrison slate thigh foldover boots, $895, Sigerson Morrison, Los Angeles and New York; sigersonmorrison.com. Hue sheers, $7, Bloomingdale’s. Jovovich-Hawk, p.72 Jovovich-Hawk woman blouse with black and gold trim, $395, and brown herringbone bow shorts, $225, Nordstrom; Riley, San Francisco. Christian Louboutin suede “Burges” heels with cork, $735, Christian Louboutin, Beverly Hills; Elyse Walker, Pacific Palisades. Wolford hosiery, Neiman Marcus; wolford.com. Jasmin Shokrian, p.73 Jasmin Shokrian mauve silk split-back habotai top, $485, Hejfina, Chicago. Silk organza yolk pleat skirt, $825, Mameg, Los Angeles. Velvet capelet, $375, Des Kohan, Los Angeles. Rodarte, p.74 Rodarte black and white silk herringbone hand-pleated dress with diamond straps, $2,530, Susan, Burlingame. St. John, p.75 St. John knit jacket with leather detail, $1745, and black knit skirt, $675, St. John, Neiman Marcus and select Saks Fifth Avenue; stjohnknits.com. Jimmy Choo black wet patent leather pumps with ankle strap, $595, Jimmy Choo, Beverly Hills and South Coast Plaza; jimmychoo. com. Donna Karan Hosiery The Body Perfect Collection black Capri leggings, $32, select Nordstrom; nordstrom.com.
C Magazine August 2006 Volume 1/Number 10 is published 10 times/year by C Publishing, LLC. Periodical postage paid at Sussex, WI and additional mailing offices. Editorial office: 1333 2nd St., Suite 201, Santa Monica, CA 90401. Telephone 310-393-3800, Fax 310-393-3899, E-mail (editorial) edit@magazinec.com. Postmaster: Send address changes to C Magazine, P.O. Box 17125, N. Hollywood, CA 91615-7125. Subscriptions Telephone 800-775-3066 or E-mail: Ccccs@magserv.com. Domestic rates are $24 for one year (10 issues); for orders outside U.S., add $15 postage. Single copies available at newsstands and other magazine outlets throughout the United States.
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california
A
memorial to Dorothea Lange, who is seen here photographing the last days of CA’s Berryessa Valley. In 1956, she invited me to photograph the valley before it was destroyed to make way for a reservoir that now provides water and electricity to the North Bay. The people were being dislocated—their homes destroyed or moved—and the way of life as they had experienced it for generations was coming to an end. We knew that what we were seeing and recording was for the last time—the orchards in bloom; a beautiful home with its mature, leafy walnut trees; the McKenzie Store; the harvesting of pears, grapes and grain. Some of the experiences remain vivid in my memory—witnessing the cutting of an ancient oak tree and the sudden flight of a flock of birds from its branches, photographing in the valley alone in the rain…and then everything was gone. PHOTOGRAPH AND TEXT BY PIRKLE JONES EDITED BY ROMAN ALONSO AND LISA EISNER OF GREYBULL PRESS
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