JULY-AUGUST 2021 HAUTE LIVING SAN FRANCISCO by Haute Living San Francisco

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LUXURY LIFESTYLE WITH PURPOSE

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LEGENDS & LEADERS

CELEBRATING INSPIRING BAY AREA WOMEN WHO HAVE BLAZED A TRAIL IN BUSINESS AND OUR COMMUNITY

CONNECTING OUR READERS TO YOUR PRODUCTS AND SERVICES OUR DISTRIBUTIONS AND DIRECT MAILINGS INCLUDE: • +18,000 Highest valued homes in California • High Value Private Jet Owners in USA • Private Jet FBOs in Selected Airports Nationwide • Luxury auto dealer showrooms • Leading Yacht Clubs in San Francisco Bay Area • Forbes list of billionaires • Top 750 companie’s founders/owners in San Francisco Bay Area and Silicon Valley. • Luxury hotels in Northern California • Luxury brand stores and spas in San Francisco Bay Area. • Powerful websites on ISSUU.com, HauteLivingSF.com, and online marketing • Wall Street Journal list of top 250 luxury real estate agents in the USA • Selected top Restaurants and Wineries • All events we sponsor and cover TO ADVERTISE OR SUBSCRIBE CONTACT: Olivia Decker: Olivia@HauteLivingSF.com | Text 415.720.5915

Makras Real Estate A local expert for all your real estate needs Victor Makras

1193 Church St. San Francisco, CA 94114 (415) 282-8400 | www.makrasrealestate.com DRE# 00555201

California Lifestyle Collection Classic Belvedere View Home on Prime Location

5 Beds | 5 Baths | 1 Half-Bath | ±4,761 sq. ft. Classic Belvedere Island home on the prestigious 400 block of Golden Gate Avenue. Extensively renovated in recent years by current owner. 5 bedrooms, 5.5 baths, ±4,761 sq. ft. home including a lower floor en-suite bedroom and spacious media room/family room with wet bar and separate entrance idea for guest quarters, large kitchen opens onto a garden terrace for outdoor dining, huge primary bedroom with marble fireplace and luxurious bathroom with large steam shower, generous size walk-in closet, 3-car garage with Tesla charger, AC and fully solar powered with two PowerWalls to store enough solar energy to

Belvedere, California

$5,950,000 power the entire home. Spectacular views of Belvedere Cove, yacht harbors of San Francisco Yacht Club and Corinthian Yacht Club, Corinthian Island, downtown Tiburon, Angel Island, Racoon Strait, East Bay, Sausalito and Golden Gate Bridge. Lots of windows to enjoy the views and the light-filled rooms. Spacious front and side level Astroturf lawns, gardens of lavenders, hydrangeas and lemon trees are fully fenced and gated. Photos, 3D tour and floor plans are at: 402GoldenGate.com

Olivia Hsu Decker | SanFranciscoFineHomes.com Cell: 415.720.5915 | Olivia@SanFranciscoFineHomes.com | Lic.# 00712080

California Lifestyle Collection Classic Belvedere View Home on Prime Location

Olivia Hsu Decker | SanFranciscoFineHomes.com Cell: 415.720.5915 | Olivia@SanFranciscoFineHomes.com | Lic.# 00712080

Belvedere, California

California Lifestyle Collection Penthouse with Panoramic Golden Gate Bridge Views

San Francisco, California

2 Bedrooms | 2 Baths | 1 Half-Bath

Offered at $3,950,000

Located in one of San Francisco’s favorite neighborhoods, this rarely-available penthouse is in one of Cow Hollow’s best new condo buildings. Built in 2014, the Amero on the corner of Van Ness Avenue and Filbert Street is a boutique 27 unit building with an elegant spacious lounge lobby with fireplace and stunning roof deck with BBQ’s, outdoor dining area and outdoor lounge with fire-pit for each penthouse. The penthouse interior features beautiful wide-plank hardwood floors with dramatic open floor plan with wall to wall glass and magnificent views of Russian Hill, entire Golden Gate Bridge, the San Francisco Bay and magical night lights of Russian Hill, Nob Hill and Pacific Heights buildings. The kitchen has a waterfall stone counter center island with bar seating and top of line appliances. An office is also on this floor. The lower floor features a master suite with wallto-wall windows to enjoy panoramic views, a walk-in closet and spa-like ensuite marble bathroom with double vanity sinks and a second bedroom with bathroom, in-unit washer/dryer. Also included is a 2 car parking spaces in the building’s gated underground garage. Low HOA fees of $688 per month include high-speed internet (WebPass), water, garbage, maintenance, building insurance, and reserves. The

special location is walking distance to the restaurants, shopping, and amenities of Union and upper Polk Street (walkscore of 99). Special upgrades include: -All new doors, baseboards, door trims throughout. -Lutron shades throughout designed to reflect heat and blackout shades in bedrooms. -Media center with TV cabinet designed to not block the view and Sonos throughout. -Added custom built in cabinets in half bath and wine fridge in office -New carpets in bedrooms. -California closets in master and guest closets -Completely new custom master bath with heated floors, Toto bidet toilet, rain shower, Carrera marble counter and shower. Video, Matterport 3D and photos on: SanFranciscoViewPenthouse.com

Olivia Hsu Decker | SanFranciscoFineHomes.com Cell: 415.720.5915 | Olivia@SanFranciscoFineHomes.com | Lic.# 00712080

California Lifestyle Collection Penthouse with Panoramic Golden Gate Bridge Views

Olivia Hsu Decker | SanFranciscoFineHomes.com Cell: 415.720.5915 | Olivia@SanFranciscoFineHomes.com | Lic.# 00712080

San Francisco, California

PUBLISHER’S Letter AFTER THE 15 MONTHS LOCKDOWN IN CALIFORNIA, WE CELEBRATE the re-opening and talking recovery with San Francisco community leaders in this issue. Joe D’Alessandro, President/CEO of San Francisco Travel Association, told us: “In 2019, 63 percent of all visitor spending in San Francisco was by international travelers, and that market virtually disappeared overnight.” Rodney Fong, President/CEO of the San Francisco Chamber of Commerce, told us, “I think San Francisco’s best years are ahead of us. My family has been in San Francisco for four generations, through many ups and downs.” Kevin Carroll, President/CEO of Hotel Council of San Francisco, shared, “The silver lining to come out of this crisis is a lot of creativity, compassion and innovations have already begun to be expressed in our industry, because of the lessons learned during COVID.” We are optimistic about San Francisco’s recovery! We welcome our new contributor Aubrey Brewster, who wrote the story of the iconic Rotunda at Neiman Marcus, which celebrated the re-opening on June 14. We also celebrate women in this issue. We profiled 11 Women in San Francisco Bay Area. Five legendary household names: Lois Lehrman, Dede Wilsey, Roselyne “Cissie” Swing, Shauna Marshall and Denise Hale. And six trailblazing women who successfully built their business against all odds: Kara Goldin, Shannon O’Shaugnessy, Kendall Wilkerson, Samantha Dorsey, Liz Nelson, and Mariam Naficy. OLIVIA HSU DECKER OWNER/PUBLISHER Olivia@HauteLivingSF.com www.HauteLivingSF.com Text 415.720.5915

We continue our focus on food and wine, wellness, health, and beauty throughout the COVID pandemic. In this issue, Lydia Graham’s article reports a comprehensive Post Ranch Sleep Program with Dr. Michael Breus. Becca Hensley’s article about face care and hair loss during stressful times. Her Wellness Mavens article offers tips from five wellbeing experts she profiled. Finally, her Incredible Inns article offers some characteristic havens to help plan your trips as soon as you feel comfortable to travel again. Steph Keay’s article A Taste of Things to Come tells us we missed dining out over the past year, but restaurants have missed us more. She featured four San Francisco restaurants. We also profiled chef Hubert Keller and chef Nick Tamburo of Yountville’s North Block restaurant. Also, you must try a toast of chef Gordon Ramsey’s newly launched Gordon Ramsey Wine portfolio celebrating the best of California. We finally have our Scene reporting live events back on our pages. In this issue, Carolyne Zinko covered the 37th Bouquets To Art event, which raised $430,000 for Fine Arts Museum. We reported the Grill & Gala by Smuin Ballet and Zoofest 2021. Finally, we attended the live performance of the San Francisco Opera’s Barber of Seville Drive-in Opening Night at Marin Center. This is the first live concert in Bay Area since the pandemic, an innovative and impressive 90 minutes outdoor production with singers, 18-member orchestra on stage, three big screens, and sound piped by FM radio to 375 cars on site. I attended with world-acclaimed tenor Michael Fabiano in his car and truly enjoyed this creative opera concert we never experienced before. Finally, we invite you to attend the Festival Napa Valley 15th Season, July 16-25, 2021. This is my favorite annual event that blends Napa Valley’s beauty with the finest performing arts. In addition, you must not miss the Arts for All Gala on July 18, featuring Jennifer Hudson. This is the primary fundraising event of the Festival, benefiting the arts and music programs for Napa schools and the community. Information on our back cover. Cheers to the Recovery!

PUBLISHER Olivia Hsu Decker Olivia@HauteLivingSF.com EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Teresa Rodriguez Teresa@HauteLivingSF.com ART DIRECTOR Krisha Chhaganlal Krisha@HauteLivingSF.com DIGITAL EDITOR Laurie@HauteLivingSF.com COPY EDITOR Karen M. Smith henhousepublishing@gmail.com CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Jennifer Boden, Laurie Jo Miller Farr, Becca Hensley, Steph Keay, Fran Endicott Miller, Erin Hunt Moore, Charlene Peter, Sharon Seto, and Carolyne Zinko ABOUT TOWN AMBASSADOR Aubrey Brewster GLOBAL EVENTS AMBASSADOR Amiee Deupi HEALTH AND WELLNESS AMBASSADOR Lydia Graham LUXURY AUTO AMBASSADOR Tim Lappen TL@JMBM.com SUBSCRIPTION AND DISTRIBUTION INQUIRIES Olivia Hsu Decker Olivia@HauteLivingSF.com AD SALES REPRESENTATIVE Cindy Pelland Cindy@HauteLivingSF.com ACCOUNTING Sarah Trissel Sarah@HauteLivingSF.com

PHOTO CREDIT: © BOB MCCLENAHAN

LEGAL Carl Lippenberger Carl@lippenbergerlaw.com

Haute Living San Francisco Visit us at www.HauteLivingSF.com

Opus One Winery

TABLE of CONTENTS

PUBLISHER’S LETTER

EDITOR’S LETTER

HAUTE CALENDAR

It’s official! San Francisco is once again open for business and entertainment.

HAUTE SHOPPING

Eclectic retailer MDVII goes online all the way … and thrives.

HAUTE KITCHEN

A conversation with chef Huber Keller ignites culinary passion.

HAUTE DRINKS

Gordon Ramsey, the famous, fiery chef adds winemaking to his vast culinary portfolio.

HAUTE DINING

Three NorCal sommeliers inject “Wow!” into every sip. Four iconic SF restaurants welcome California’s reopening with masterfully prepared, crowdpleasing cuisine.

COVER PROFILES

Female Entrepreneurs: Six Bay Area women impart insight, perseverance, enthusiasm, and a whole lot of business savvy.

Community Leaders: Five area leaders predict a future of hope and prosperity for a post-pandemic San Francisco.

Legends: Exemplifying compassion, respect for others, and a hefty dose of noblesse oblige, these SF philanthropists continually work to make the Bay Area better.

HAUTE TRAVEL

Sanibel Island: The titans of America’s early industry knew the perfect vacation spot. Now you do, too.

Cover Story: Leaders and Legends

Luxe Inns: The iconic American road trip isn’t complete without a stopover at one of these luxurious resorts.

HAUTE HOTEL

North Block: Yountville caters to food and wine aficionados. Now they have the perfect place to stay when they visit.

HAUTE FASHION

If form follows function, then art follows fashion at Tokyo Gamine.

HAUTE SCENES

Haute Scene: Ballet, opera, bouquets, and lions, tigers, and bears, oh my!

ON THE COVER PHOTOGRAPHER: VINCENT GOTTI PHOTO ASSISTANT: TRIFON ELDRIN BAJARIAS EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: TERESA RODRIGUEZ MAKE UP: SHEYLA LEMAY OF BELLA HOURGLASS MAKEUP AND DEAUNDREA FERREIRA SET DESIGN: AMY SULLIVAN STYLIST: SHANE ORR WARDROBE PROVIDED BY NEIMAN MARCUS LIBERTINE AMBASSADOR VICKI WINSTON

LEADERS AND LEGENDS LEFT TO RIGHT: CISSIE SWIG, SHANNON O’SHAUGHNESSY, SHELLEY BRADFORD-BELL, LOIS LERHMAN, KARA GOLDIN, SAMANTHA DORSEY, LIZ NELSON Haute Living, San Francisco www.HauteLivingSF.com

Haute Cuisine

Haute Kitchen

TABLE of CONTENTS Festival Napa Valley

3 Somms

Haute Art

HAUTE ART 80

Art in three dimensions—height, length, and space—endures, delights, and awes through the fourth dimension—time.

HAUTE BEAUTY

Hair: Pandemic stress has led to over a year of bad hair days. Now’s the time to fix that. Internet RX: Put on your best face with FaceRX.

HAUTE WELLNESS 90

Luxe Spas: These six wellness options fit every activity level while delivering some truly unique ways to soothe the savage beast inside you.

Leaders: Five wise women lead the wellness movement to a better you.

Aubrey About Town

FEATURES

Festival Napa Valley returns with the 10 best days of summer.

HAUTE RESIDENCE

102 Contemporary architecture and unparalleled luxury describe these

Miami Beach villas.

Haute Residence

HAUTE AMBASSADOR

104 Aubrey About Town: A true survivor imbuing both grit and elegance,

the Rotunda is the go-to place for meeting friends and colleagues. 108 Miami’s sandy beaches echo with the thunder of hooves as polo ponies

and their riders play for both renown and charity. 110 Luxury auto enthusiast Tim Lappen reviews Audi’s latest, Olympic-

calibre vehicles … and each gets a gold medal. 114 Lydia Graham talks about ways to change your sleep and possibly

your life.

HAUTE SEAT

116 Noblesse oblige doesn’t just extend to people, but also to animals down

on their luck, thanks to Monica Stevens.

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF’S Letter ONE OF THE REASONS I LOVE LIVING IN NORTHERN CALIFORNIA is the people. There is a sense of responsibility and grace that abounds in many individuals who call NorCal home. In this issue, you get to meet many of them. In Carolyne Zinko’s article “Dynamic Dames”, we get a rare chance to learn what inspires four of San Francisco’s top female legends. Next, Becca Hensley introduces us to six Bay Area women who are forging new ground with their entrepreneurial spirit. Finally, Laurie Jo Miller Farr speaks with five community leaders who share their thoughts on this new post-| COVID world. We get up close and personal with famed chefs Gordon Ramsay and Hubert Keller. Both were kind enough to share some secret recipes with us. When you prepare their recipes, please tag @hautelivingsf so that we can see your masterpieces. Steph Keay visits four popular restaurants that are excited to be serving up fantastic food again in her piece, “A Taste of Things to Come.” Join Fran Miller and four top sommeliers who are changing the game of fine dining. It’s what happens when food and wine are truly paired to perfection. I am over the moon that Aubrey Brewster joined our editorial team as our social correspondent. In his new column, “Aubrey About Town,” he will muse about the chic and stylish happenings around San Francisco, as well as keep us up-to-date with the latest delicious social gossip. I am convinced that Aubrey will be the next Herb Caen with his witty style and attention to detail. TERESA RODRIGUEZ EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Haute Living San Francisco Teresa@HauteLivingSF.com www.HauteLivingSF.com

The world is opening up, and our editorial team is excited to be covering the best events, destinations, and restaurants worldwide and locally again. If you have a tip for us about a place or person we should be featuring in upcoming issues, feel free to email me at Teresa@HauteLivingSF.com

PHOTO CREDIT: ©VINCENT GOTTI, HAIR AND MAKE UP BY NELLIE MUGANDA

See you on the social circuit!

SAN FRANCISCO’S Contributors CAROLYNE ZINKO

Carolyne Zinko has long kept her antennae on the high life. She is the former editor-in-chief of Modern Luxury Silicon Valley magazine and, before that, was a San Francisco Chronicle reporter for 22 years, writing about everything from crime and court hearings to largerthan-life personalities and philanthropic leaders. She lives in Menlo Park with her husband, Dan Dieguez.

SHARON SETO

A graduate of Golden Gate University and serial entrepreneur, Sharon loves the excitement and creativity of the business world and its people. Her addiction to business ventures began with the acquisition of the El Cid Building, site of the famous SF Jazz Mural. She has served as a board member, fundraiser, and event chair for nonprofit organizations, including the SF Symphony Board of Governors, City College of San Francisco Foundation Board, Red Cross Board, National Colorectal Cancer Alliance Board, SF Ballet, and Dress for Success.

ERIN HUNT MOORE

A connector, storyteller, mission-driven communicator, and mom, Erin Hunt Moore lives with her family in beautiful Sonoma wine country. A seasoned public relations and marketing consultant for over two decades, Erin has worked her PR magic for brands and companies on both US coasts and in Germany, where she studied international relations and languages. A veteran of the food and beverage world, she now focuses her energies on supporting women entrepreneurs and thought leaders, companies, and brands leading with a strong social impact ethos and non-profit organizations pioneering change in the world.

CHARLENE PETERS

Quenching a thirst for the exotic and delicious, Charlene Peters is a long-time syndicated travel journalist who creatively writes about picturesque and palatable journeys. She loves to share luxurious travel and food experiences and each destination’s distinguishable dish. Her book, Travel Makes Me Hungry, connects the world through food with 115 travel essays and 88 recipes. When she isn’t writing about food, Charlene explores wellness and wine destinations and experiences.

STEPH KEAY

Steph Keay is a Canadian freelance and technical writer currently based in Silicon Valley. After completing her Bachelor of Commerce in her hometown of Calgary, Alberta, she spent a summer in Croatia assisting The Yacht Week with events management on the islands of Hvar and Vis. Formerly in PR/marketing, she has also placed stories for a variety of clients—including tech leaders, international artists, and acclaimed actors and musicians—with ABC, FOX, NBC, San Francisco Chronicle, The Mercury News, American Way, and others. In her spare time, she enjoys adventuring, photography, and travel— all of which she documents on on her website, StephKeay.com.

LAURIE JO MILLER FARR

Laurie is a US/UK dual citizen and dedicated urbanite who loves walkable cities. As a San Francisco-based travel writer, she enjoys views from its crazy, signature hills following half-a-lifetime promoting her two hometowns—a couple of oh-so-flat places: New York City and London. Laurie’s byline is found in USA Today, CBS, Where Traveler, Haute Living, Epicure, Fast Company, Napa Valley Life Magazine, Food & Travel Magazine, Eater, Google Touring Bird, and other major media titles. She was awarded Yahoo Contributor of the Year and is a member of the Society of American Travel Writers.

BECCA HENSLEY

A bon vivant journalist who believes travel is the ultimate celebration of life awash with lessons waiting to be learned, widely-published, Texas-based Becca Hensley is travel editor for New Orleans Bride and editor-at-large for Insider’s Guide to Spas. In a career spanning three decades, she has contributed to scores of magazines and newspapers, including Architectural Digest, Elite Traveler, Global Traveler, Conde Nast Traveler, and the Houston Chronicle. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram @beccahensley.

FRAN ENDICOTT MILLER

Fran Endicott Miller is a luxury-focused freelance feature writer for a variety of lifestyle publications and websites, editor-at-large for JustLuxe.com, and California editor for luxury travel concierge service Essentialist. Prior, she held positions in the fields of politics, television, and professional sports. She is proud to have established the Golden State Warriors’ first community relations department and programs. When not traveling, she can be found walking her Northern California neighborhood with her beloved golden retrievers Reggie and Nate.

JENNIFER BODEN

Jennifer is a freelance wine, food, and travel writer based in beautiful Sonoma County and has an extensive career in journalism. She contributes to KRON 4 News San Francisco, ABC 10News San Diego, and others. Prior to her writing career, she worked for several network affiliates as a news anchor and executive producer. She earned a degree in broadcast journalism from Arizona State University’s prestigious Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication.

EVENTS CALENDAR BY LAURIE JO MILLER FARR

Outdoor concerts and all that jazz! A sure sign that summer is mostly happening this year; Stern Grove Festival is back, baseball is in full swing, and BottleRock Napa Valley (Sept. 3-5) is a go. All eyes are on the revamped Club Fugazi. After 45 years as home to Beach Blanket Babylon, a new high-flying, trapeze-swinging, top caliber production is moving in this fall. (Events are subject to change.)

Banda Magda will perfom at SFJAZZ

3 Frank Family Estates | Red, White and Moo Jack Arnold, BBQ specialist and backyard pitmaster, hosts a virtual American Wagyu beef backyard cooking demonstration on the winery’s 28th anniversary. On hand to guide the pairings are proprietor Leslie Frank, winemaker Todd Graff, and Hospitality Director Liam Gearity. Fourth of July BBQ Bash. bit.ly/3i7jPFo

Samba dancers at Stern Grove Festival

JULY Through August 29 Stern Grove Festival Beloved 84th annual outdoor music event fills summer Sundays with a program of 10 free concerts set in the natural eucalyptus grove amphitheater. Begins June 20. sterngrove.org Throughout July and August San Francisco Giants at Oracle Park A full schedule of home games are back this summer. Watch the Giants take on the Cardinals, Nationals, Dodgers, Padres, Athletics, Phillies, and Brewers—all before Labor Day. mlb.com/giants Frank Family Fourth of July BBQ Bash

10 Napa Meets the Runway Showcasing four emerging San Francisco luxury fashion designers plus a private trunk show. Carriage House at Charles Krug Winery in St. Helena. 6 p.m. - 9 p.m. bit.ly/3yLNNEK 8-10, 16-17, and 23-24 Feinstein’s at the Nikko Tony and Emmy award-winning Broadway stars bring talent and glamour to this month’s lineup at the live entertainment supper club. Liz Callaway, Natalie Douglas, and Lillias White are poised to bring the (intimate) house down. feinsteinssf.com 11 SFJAZZ Banda Magda: Exploring the World performs music sung in six languages in the Family Matinee Broadcasts, a monthly online Sunday series that encourages audience participation by young listeners. sfjazz.org

PHOTO CREDITS: (CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT) COURTESY OF STERN GROVE FESTIVAL; ©SHERVIN LAINEZ; COURTESY OF FRANK FAMILY ESTATE

4 Fireworks and Parades Set off at 9:30 p.m. from two San Francisco Bay locations: end of Municipal Pier and barges in front of Pier 39, usually the nation’s foggiest fireworks display. More fireworks at the Berkeley Marina at 9:35 p.m. and a parade in downtown Novato at 1 p.m.

RH Yountville Wine Bar Natalie Douglas

16 RH Wine Vault Vintner Spotlight Series A monthly Friday series for private parties of 2 to 6 guided by the winemaker/owner of small, celebrated labels. At the historic vault in Yountville. July 16: Mary Novak, Spottswoode. August 20: David Arthur. exploretock.com/rhwinevault

PHOTO CREDITS: (TOP LEFT) COURTESY OF RH YOUNTVILLE; (BOTTOM TWO) COURTESY OF FEINSTEIN’S AT THE NIKKO

16-25 Festival Napa Valley Dedicated to a love of art, wine, and hospitality, the 10-day festival returns with Jennifer Hudson headlining an outstanding series of premieres, patron dinners, vintners luncheons, chamber works, symphony concerts, opera, and solo recitals. festivalnapavalley.org 25 Napa Porchfest Pretty Victiorians are the backdrop. Front porch to front porch, local bands perform for strolling spectators in this free, nonprofit musical crawl through Old Town. A favorite summertime tradition since 2011. napaporchfest.org 25 Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens Grand music in outdoor settings. Outdoor concert features Grammy Award winner Paul McCandless with the celebrated Bay Area trio, Charged Particles. 2:30 p.m. bit.ly/2SV8VYU

Liz Callaway

AUGUST 10-13 Monterey Car Week Highlights Carmel-by-the-Sea turns 18 blocks of Ocean Avenue into an all-day vehicle parade on the 10th. Pebble Beach Motoring Classic arrives at Casa Palmero at approximately 4:30 p.m. on the 11th. Pebble Beach Tour D’Elegance, presented by Rolex, takes over the 17-mile drive all morning on the 12th. On the 13th, Quail Lodge & Golf Club hosts a garden party for motoring enthusiasts. bit.ly/3igBxpU

14-15 Fine Art in the Park More than 100 juried California artists display paintings, sculptures, textiles, wood and glass work, and jewelry for sale over two days. Plus music, food, beer, wine under the redwoods at Lincoln Park, Los Altos. rotaryartshow.com 21 Second Annual Bay Area Latin Jazz Festival Headliner Bobi Céspedes; 7-time Grammynominated percussionist, John Santos; Latin Jazz Collective with John Nava; René Escovedo Latin Jazz Sextet; Latin Rhythm Boys; Ricky’s Grupo Afro Latino; MC & DJ, radio personality, Luis Medina. Presented by Montuno Productions at Rowell Ranch, Carmel Valley. 11 a.m. - 6 p.m. bayarealatinjazzfestival.com

10 through Sept. 5 Hamilton at Orpheum Theatre Strictly limited, 4-week engagement through Sept. 5, 2021. hamilton.broadwaysf.com

24 The Fifth Dimension | Yoshi’s Oakland It’s “Up, Up, and Away” with the famous R&B group born in the 60s. “Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In” and other massive hits earned them 14 gold records, six platinum, six Grammy Awards, and the Hall of Fame. 7 p.m. bit.ly/3oUuRPq

15 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance Rare and antique automobiles are lined up and down the hallowed fairway at the 18th hole in competition at a one-of-a-kind beauty contest. A tradition since 1950, it’s the culmination of Monterey Car Week. pebblebeach.com/events/concours-delegance

21 - 22 & 28 - 29 Blue Note Napa Taj Mahal, the legendary blues Hall of Fame artist, performs in four shows; the following weekend, it’s four more sets of smooth jazz from Dave Koz and Friends. Live in concert outdoors at Charles Krug Winery in Saint Helena. bluenotenapa.com

PHOTO CREDITS: © SUSAN MCLAUGHLIN

HAUTE SHOPPING

14Hoimes Susie

BEAUTIFUL BIJOU MDVII Treasures Now Available Online

PHOTO CREDITS: © MARIANA CALDERON PHOTOGRAPHY

BY BECCA HENSLEY

business showed SUSIE HOIMES’ LIFE READS LIKE A NOVEL. THE OWNER OF MDVII, A her how wool was San Francisco shop which shuttered its physical space to go completely dyed, spun into online, Susie has been a lifelong collector, aesthete, and celebrant of thread, and woven beautiful things. Her inventory, avidly collected from people and places into fabric. “The around the world, ranges from couture vintage costume jewelry to smell of the dying Venetian glass to Carlo Scarpa 1940s to Spanish Colonial silver. Many room still haunts local fashionistas and designers rely on her to procure just the right piece, me,” she says, though her customers hail from all over the world. When I think of her noting that with cache, the word wunderkammer comes to mind. Her trove, now visible the onset of central on Instagram, certainly qualifies as a soul stirring, metaphorical chest of heating, the need glorious curiosities. to have heavy wool Born in Kenya to British fabric diminished, parents, she traveled Chanel Lucite Cuff, 2002. Named “bracelet of the year,” $2475 and the mill extensively around the eventually closed. East African nation as a Her obsession continued through spells at boarding school, travel around child. One of her earliest the world, and a stint in New York. Eventually, channeling her mother, influences was her aya who invoked movie star magnetism, and her father, a doctor who was a (nanny), Wanjero, who great aficionado of the arts, she moved to San Francisco in the late 1980s. came from the Kikuyu tribe. She opened her shop, MDVII (Roman numerals for her address: 1507-1/2 She taught Susie how to Vallejo Street) in 2000. make grass bracelets and “She has an amazing inventory, with encyclopedic knowledge of each exposed her to the stunning piece,” says loyal customer Mary Beth Shimmon, who credited Susie for colors and textures of her own vintage costume jewelry in a recent fashion piece in Haute Living, African fabrics. Holidays William de Lillo (Belgian) poured glass chandelier earrings, $675 San Francisco. “Susie also has great taste and sense of style. For an event, meant walks on the (then) I send her a photo of what I’m planning to wear, and from her thousands of deserted beaches of pieces, she pulls for me the perfect things.” Shimmon adds, “When I need Mombasa, where Susie reveled in unearthing shells and other trinkets. She a gift, I tell her the approximate amount I want to spend, and she finds remembers the beautiful, burgundy trains used for travel—also mentioned fabulous options of jewelry and other objects such as a Venetian glass by Isak Dinesen in Out of Africa—and elegant dinner parties held by her vase or unique silver place card holders.” parents, her mother glamorously attired as the For her part, Susie doesn’t just love beautiful quintessential hostess. objects, she also adores her customers. “They She left Africa with her mother and siblings have become my friends, and they are all over on a 3-week voyage to Southampton on the the world, including top cities in the United SS Kenya, a trip which cruised through the States—Wellington, Palm Beach, Fort Worth, Suez Canal and passed by Arabia, Cadiz, and New York.” Barcelona. Upon arrival, the family took shelter While it is sad for San Franciscans to lose in the peerless Old Piccadilly Hotel, which had MDVII as a physical shop, the boutique a “grand restaurant, decorated with incredible lives on. “I do private shows from Aspen hotel silver and white starched napkins,” recalls to Florida, as well as sourcing for clients Susie, adding that it was a feast for her eyes. and offering one-of-a-kind pieces via social On the same trip, Susie visited her grandfather media.” Those who love beautiful things in Northern Ireland’s Kells, a town known for Chanel by Gripoix “pâte de verre” flower cross with a history will always find something at its textiles. Her grandfather, part of the family’s and chain necklace, $4500 Hoimes’ MDVII. generation-old, wool tweed manufacturing

PHOTO CREDIT: © ROUSE PHOTOGRAPHY LAS VEGAS)

HAUTE KITCHEN

16 Profiteroles filled with Oreo cookie ice cream, warm chocolate sauce

IN CONVERSATION WITH SHARON SETO

PHOTO CREDIT: © STEVE MARCUS

Smell the grill and touch the sky. Let your heart and spirit fly TWO SUMMERS AGO, DAVE AND I TOOK OFF TO FRANCE WITH OUR children. One of our daughters just graduated with dual degrees –an orthodontics residency and an MBA. She missed an entire decade of family summer vacations due to academia, so it was about time we took off with the entire family. Indeed, it had been quite a while for our family to travel together. The food! Oh, the food! Every day, every moment was a feast for all the senses. My husband was addicted to the lightly layered, buttery French croissants. We ate “made to order” crêpes everywhere. Of course, steak frites appeared often on our dining table. It’s no wonder potato sticks are called french fries. Hands down, fries are best made by the French! In Haute Kitchen we say bonjour to world renowned and charismatic chef, Hubert Keller. Wow, I so adore this handsome, fun, and talented Frenchman! Hubert Keller, classically trained by France’s top chefs, is now one of America’s most widely recognized and acclaimed chefs. Chef Keller and his wife, Chantal, reside in Las Vegas, Nevada. By the end of 2020, after several months in the pandemic, they decided it was time to smell the roses from their garden and declined to renew the contracts Chef Hubert Keller for their restaurants. Growing up in Ribeauvillé, France, Chef Keller’s passion for the culinary arts ignited early. The family lived over his father’s Patisserie Keller where the children frequently helped their father with the baking. By 16, Keller knew he wanted to become a professional. Some of the greatest French chefs—Paul Haeberlin, Gaston Lenôtre, Paul Bocuse, and Roger Vergé—recognized his exceptional talent, trained him in their kitchens, and promoted his career. For nearly 10 years, Keller far exceeded his mentors' expectations while working throughout

BY SHARON SETO

France and South America. In 1982, Vergé sent him to San Francisco to open Sutter 500. He and his wife were immediately enchanted by San Francisco, and the city was equally captivated with them. Chef Keller has won numerous awards, including the James Beard Foundation’s Best Chef: California, and has been elected to the Foundation’s prestigious Who’s Who in Food and Beverage. Food and Wine magazine tapped him as one of the Ten Best Chefs in America, and Restaurant & Institutions gave him its Ivy Award. Chef Keller has cooked for several United States presidents. He was the first guest chef invited to the White House to

prepare his sophisticated menu for President Bill Clinton and his family. Chef Keller is also known for his performance as a judge on Top Chef, as well as for his grace-under-pressure performance as a contestant in the first season of Top Chef Masters on Bravo.

“Chef Keller has cooked for several United States presidents. He was the first guest chef invited to the White House to prepare his sophisticated menu for President Bill Clinton and his

family.” 17

HAUTE KITCHEN

“Succeeding by creating and providing unforgettable experiences. Later in my career, being copied by other professionals, was the highest compliment.” — Hubert Keller

Q&A

H AU T E L I V I N G X H U B E R T K E L L E R

HL: Who was the most influential person in your life and why? HK: The most influential people in my life were my parents, in particular my father. I grew up in Ribeauvillé, a small town in Alsace, France, where my parents had a pastry shop or, so called in French, “patisserie.” My father taught me the definition of dedication, respect, hard work, tradition, and foundation in a peaceful surrounding. This experience molded my career later as a chef, restaurateur, and entrepreneur. And, of course, I had the unique chance to be exposed to and work along masters and mentors like Paul Haeberlin, Roger Vergé, Paul Bocuse, Gaston Lenôtre, and Jacques Maximin—all pillars in French gastronomy.

PHOTO CREDIT: © JON ESTRADA

Chef Keller also served as a resident judge on Top Chef Just Desserts on Bravo. Keller appears frequently in the media, including appearances on The Chew, Regis & Kelly, Rachel Ray, the Travel Channel, the Food Channel Network, The Real House Wives of Orange County, Good Morning America, and Bizarre Foods with Andrew Zimmern. Chef Keller’s own cooking show, Secrets of a Chef, airs on PBS and is currently in its fourth season. Filming of Season 5, which started in October 2015, has Hubert Keller visiting cities like Rio de Janeiro, Paris, Honolulu, Havana, Las Vegas, and San Francisco. Dubbed a “Rebel with a Cuisinart” by the New York Times for his early championing of original, multi-course vegetarian menu in a 4-star setting, Chef Keller consistently cooks with a light hand and an eye on health. This led to his developing recipes for inclusion in Dr. Dean Ornish’s bestselling cookbook Eat More, Weigh Less. Chef Keller’s own publications include The Cuisine of Hubert Keller (Ten Speed Press) and Burger Bar, Build your Own Ultimate Burgers (Wiley), and his latest cookbook, Souvenirs: Memories, Stories and Recipes from My Life, written with Penelope Wisner, (Andrews McMeel). Chef Keller is also known for his generosity and support of a wide range of educational, charity, and community events around the country.

PHOTO CREDIT: © RICK CAMARGO SAN FRANCISCO

HL: What a love story between you and Chantal, your lovely wife and business partner for over 35 years! I so admire you two! The pandemic provided opportunity to spend quality time together "out of the kitchen," so to speak. What activities or thoughts brought you closer together? Any romantic tips for the Romeos out there? HK: Chantal and I have been business partners for over 35 years. We met when I was still an apprentice at L'Auberge de l'Ill in France. Working daily together and building a successful business is not an easy task over all those years, especially with all the challenges and important decisions that need to be made. We’ve faced challenges like losing our business in a devastating fire, basically everything we had at that time. So, when pandemic happened, we took that just as another challenge. I must say, it was the easiest challenge we encountered. It turned out it wasn’t even a challenge. We rode the wave together, took one day at a time, and enjoyed every bit of it. My tip for Romeos: Never overthink it, keep things simple and honest, make small and important decisions together, and never try to be the smartest! HL: Tell me some of your fondest childhood memories growing up above your parent's patisserie in Alsace? I am already drooling, thinking of the smells! HK: Thinking back on my childhood, I realize that me and my brother, Francis, were the luckiest kids on the block. Growing up while living above my parents’ patisserie is the sweetest dream you can imagine! Waking up to freshly baked croissants, petits pains au chocolate, the sweet aromas of a golden brioche covered with toasted almonds and sugar glaze … I could go on for hours. On Sundays, we woke up to the aroma of a traditional pot-au-feu that Grandma had started very early in the morning. That was lunch every Sunday. Amazing childhood memories that sound like straight from a book: except my brother and me, we lived it! HL: You’ve done it all: owner of worldacclaimed restaurants such as Fleur de

Chef Keller and others on the culinary stage at BottleRock

de Lys and all the protocol that came along Lys, Fleur, Burger Bar, and Sleek, author with that; being invited as the first guest of cookbooks, cooking show celebrity, and chef at the White House under President judge. What is next on your life agenda? Clinton and all the security procedures that HK: Next in my life agenda? After working and needed to be taken; a massive catering job being dedicated for so many years, I feel for a million-dollar wedding in Pebble Beach time has come for me and my wife, Chantal, where the nature gods took over that day to harvest the fruit of our labor and enjoy after nine months of planning—and still pulled ourselves. it off—and where my creativity got triggered Of course, I will always be involved in by the pressure; an exciting moment when culinary events, fundraisers. I am planning I surprised Charlize Theron with a birthday on writing a pastry book telling the stories cake during her celebration at Burger Bar and recipes of regional French pastry making, Las Vegas; an unforgettable evening while a “Tour de France,” in all authenticity. I will cooking and organizing an intimate event for continue working with my producer, Marjorie President Bush in a private estate and all the Poore, on a new season of my TV show, logistics to make it a successful event; and, the Secrets of a Chef. But in the meantime, I can high pressure on national TV, while cooking honestly say, the older I get, the more I realize and competing during the first season of Top what really matters in life. Chef Master. Like the saying goes: “If you don’t stop to smell the roses, the next thing you know, the HL: For anyone aspiring to become a chef, any season has changed!” words of wisdom? HL: Restaurants provide excitement, not only HK: For me, the secret of a successful career, as a chef, is to be innovative and to accept the with food, but with the people who dine challenge to put as much excitement into the and work in them. Any unforgettable, professional side of cooking—the execution of crazy stories that happened during your a sauce, the combination of flavors, the final long, illustrious career in any of your presentation of a dish, and the respect for venues? Please, do tell ... ingredients—as there is interest in the garden HK: I could probably write a book about all the and produce. Let the farmers do what they do unforgettable, crazy stories that happened best, then it’s our turn to display our talent in during my career. It would go anywhere: the culinary arts, to put our skills and art into cooking for the Queen of Thailand and her practice and work on the ingredients. entourage during a private function at Fleur 19

PHOTO CREDIT: © ROUSE PHOTOGRAPHY LAS VEGAS)

HAUTE KITCHEN

Crispy Duck Leg Confit with Red Wine Essence, Wilted Young Spinach Refrigeration: 24 hours Cooking time for confit: 2½ to 3 hours Serves: 4 INGREDIENTS

Duck Confit and Spinach • 4 Bay leaves, torn into small pieces, divided. • 1 tablespoon Fresh thyme, coarsely chopped • ¼ cup Coarse sea salt • 4 Large duck leg quarters, both drumsticks and thighs • 4 cups Duck fat or rendered pork fat • 4 Garlic cloves, crushed • 1 teaspoon Cracked black pepper • 1 tablespoon Extra virgin olive oil • 1 Garlic clove, finely chopped • 1 pound Fresh young spinach • Pinch of ground nutmeg • Salt and pepper Red Wine Essence • 2 Small heads of garlic, unpeeled and halved crosswise • 1½ teaspoon Extra-virgin olive oil • 3 tablespoons Shallots, finely chopped • 2 cups Pinot Noir • 1 cup Ruby port wine • 1½ teaspoon Fresh thyme, finely chopped • 3 Sprigs of thyme • 3 cups Low salt chicken broth or beef broth, boiled down to 1½ cups • 1 tablespoon Butter • Salt and pepper

WINE PAIRING RECOMMENDATIONS by Hubert Keller 2021 Duck Confit: rich in flavors, rustic and luxuriant texture, that dish pairs well with a light Red Burgundy, or from the South of France, a Roussanne or a Maranne blend, and me, being from Alsace I would highly recommend a Pinot Gris in all its greatness. Sea Scallop: the deep richness of the scallops will go well with a white Burgundy, a Chenin Blanc or a Riesling from Alsace with some age on the bottle. Profiterolles: Ice cream and intense Chocolate sauce calls for a classic pairing such as a sweet Muscat or a Banyuls.

INSTRUCTIONS:

Duck: 1. In a small bowl, combine 2 bay leaves, the thyme, and coarse salt. Rub the salt mixture generously all over the duck leg quarters. Put the seasoned leg quarters in a bowl, cover or seal in a heavy-duty plastic bag, and refrigerate for 24 hours, but not more. 2. Rinse the duck leg quarters under cold running water to remove the salt. Pat them dry with paper towels and put them in a deep saucepan with the duck fat, the remaining 2 bay leaves, the 3 sprigs of thyme, and the cracked black pepper. 3. Put the pan over low heat and cook, covered, until the duck is very tender, 2½ to 3 hours. Once the fat has melted off the duck, they will be submerged in the fat. Keep the temperature of the fat between 190° and 200° F. If it gets hotter, the duck will dry out. Once the legs are very tender, remove the pot from the heat. All the Rest: 1. While the duck legs are cooking, prepare the red wine essence. Preheat the oven to 400° F. Put the heads of garlic in a small baking dish, season with salt and pepper, and drizzle with olive oil. Cover tightly and bake until the garlic cloves have begun to pop out of their skins, about 30 minutes. Uncover and continue to bake until the garlic is very soft and browned. Let cool and squeeze the pulp out of the skins. Set aside. 2. Heat the olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat, add the shallots, and cook for 2 minutes. Add the Pinot Noir, port wine, and thyme. Bring to a boil and reduce to about ¼ cup. Add the broth and continue to boil until reduced to ½ cup. Transfer to a blender, add the roasted garlic, and blend until very smooth. Pour the wine/garlic mixture into a small sauce pot, place over low heat, and whisk in the butter. Adjust seasoning to taste. 3. Before serving, prep the sautéed spinach. Using a large skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and cook briefly. Add the spinach and stir, tossing the leaves just until the spinach wilts and softens, but remains brightly colored. Add the nutmeg and season to taste. 4. Preheat the broiler. Remove the duck leg quarters from the fat and set them on a rack to drain. Transfer them to a small baking pan, skin side up, and place under the broiler until crisp and golden brown, about 3 to 4 minutes. Presentation: Place the spinach in the center of the plates and top with a duck leg confit. Drizzle the red wine essence around the legs. You can garnish the dish with watercress leaves and cooked baby turnips. Serve immediately.

HAUTE KITCHEN

Seared Sea Scallops on Caulif lower Puree, Crispy Bacon, Chicken Jus Preparation time: 30 minutes Cooking time: 30 minutes Serves: 4 INGREDIENTS

• 1 Large cauliflower, outer leaves removed, separated in florets • 3 tablespoons Cream • 4 Slices of bacon 22

• 12 Large sea scallops • 1 cup Low salt chicken broth • 1 tablespoon Ruby port wine • 1 teaspoon Cornstarch • 1 tablespoon Butter • ½ tablespoon Olive oil • ¼ cup Shelled and cooked young fresh peas or frozen petits pois • Salt and white pepper to taste

1. To prepare the cauliflower, bring a saucepan of lightly salted water to a boil. Plunge the cauliflower into the water for about 12 to 15 minutes or until completely tender. Drain the cauliflower and set aside 8 small florets. Transfer the remaining cauliflower to a clean saucepan. 2. Add the cream, over medium heat and mash the cauliflower with a whisk until pureed. Continue stirring for about 4 to 5 minutes to eliminate any excess moisture (otherwise the puree will be runny). Transfer to a blender and puree until very smooth. Season with salt and white pepper. Transfer to a small saucepan and keep warm. The texture should be light and creamy. 3. Heat up a cast iron skillet to mediumhigh heat. Searing the 4 slices of bacon on both sides until nicely brown and crisp. Remove and keep warm. 4. Using the same skillet, season the scallops with salt and pepper on both sides. Sear the scallops for 2 to 3 minutes on both sides. Remove from the skillet and keep hot. 5. Deglaze the skillet with the chicken broth and reduce by half. Place the port wine and cornstarch in a small jar, shake well, and dribble into the reduced chicken broth while whisking and watching for signs of thickening. Whisk in the butter and check seasoning. 6. Using a small sauté pan over medium high heat, sauté the cauliflower florets quickly to lightly brown, add the cooked peas, season with salt and pepper, and start plating. Presentation: Spread equal amounts of the cauliflower puree into 3- or 4-inch circles in the centers of the four plates. Carefully place the scallops on top of the puree. Garnish with the seared florets and young peas. Top with a slice of crisp bacon and gently spoon the chicken sauce around. Serve immediately.

PHOTO CREDIT: © ROUSE PHOTOGRAPHY LAS VEGAS)

INSTRUCTIONS:

Profiteroles filled with Oreo Cookie Ice Cream, Warm Chocolate Sauce. Preparation time for pâte à choux: 20 minutes Cooking time: 20 minutes Makes about 24 small cream puff INGREDIENTS

• • • • • • • • • • • • •

¼ cup + 1 tablespoon Water ¼ cup + 1 tablespoon Milk ¾ teaspoon Sugar ½ teaspoon Salt 4½ tablespoons Unsalted butter ¾ cup + 1 tablespoon All-purpose flour 3 Whole eggs Egg yolk 1 pint Premium vanilla ice cream 8 Oreo cookies, crumbled 1 cup Chocolate sauce ¼ cup Whipped cream (optional) 6 Strawberries, quartered

PHOTO CREDIT: © ROUSE PHOTOGRAPHY LAS VEGAS)

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Preheat the oven to 400° F. 2. To prepare the puffs, combine the water, milk, sugar, salt, and butter in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Immediately remove from the heat and add the flour all at once. Beat the mixture vigorously with a wooden spatula until the mixture comes away from the sides of the pan and forms a ball. Return the pan to low heat and, stirring constantly, cook the mixture for 2 to 3 minutes longer until the dough is shiny and does not stick to the sides of the pan. Transfer to a large mixing bowl and stir in the 3 eggs, one at a time with the wooden spatula. Stir until the dough is smooth and glossy. 3. Lightly butter and flour a large baking sheet. 4. Fill a pastry bag, fitted with a plain ½-inch tip, with the warm dough and pipe it onto the sheet in mounds 1½ inches in diameter, spacing them about 2 inches apart. 5. In small mixing bowl, beat the egg yolk with ¼ teaspoon of water and brush the egg wash over the top of each mound. 6. Bake in the center of the oven for 20 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from the oven and let cool. Presentation: 1. Using the microwave, soften the vanilla ice cream. Transfer the ice cream into a mixing bowl. Add the crumbled Oreo cookies and mix gently. Transfer the ice cream to the freezer until ready to use. 2. For serving, cut each profiterole in half crosswise, fill with a small scoop of Oreo cookie ice cream, replace the top, and drizzle with slightly warm chocolate sauce. Garnish with whip cream and quarters of strawberries. 23

PHOTO CREDITS: COURTESY OF GORDON RAMSAY WINES

HAUTE DRINKS

Chef Gordon Ramsay with his Gordon Ramsay Wines 2019 Monterey Chardonnay

GORDON RAMSAY WINES Celebrating the Best of California BY ERIN HUNT MOORE

WHILE BRITISH CELEBRITY CHEF GORDON RAMSAY MAY STILL be known to many for his fiery temper on TV’s Hell’s Kitchen, he is also one of the most acclaimed chefs and restaurateurs in the world, with multiple Michelin stars across his 35 restaurants worldwide. He is a celebrated cookbook author; host of the culinary adventure TV series Uncharted, a collaboration with National Geographic; an athlete; a Tik Tok influencer; and a dedicated philanthropist with his wife, Tana. With the recent launch of his namesake wine label, Gordon Ramsay Wines, he can count wine producer among his significant list of accomplishments. Drawing from vineyards in Northern California’s cooler climate regions, the Gordon Ramsay Wine portfolio is the result of a close collaboration between Chef Ramsay, international wine expert Nick Dumergue, and winemaker and master sommelier Christopher Miller of Seabold Cellars in Monterey. The eight wines in the Gordon Ramsay portfolio, all ranging in price between $20 and $60 per bottle, include a Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Rosé, and Pinot Noir from Monterey, a Reserve Chardonnay from Sonoma County, and three Cabernet Sauvignons, one of which is a Reserve from Napa Valley: the best expressions of each region. Commenting on his focus on California-crafted wines for this portfolio, Ramsay stated, “Over the last decade, I've spent time in California and realized how incredible so many wines can be, really allowing me to understand the quality of wine that comes out of the region and how it enhances my cooking. The state is full of passionate winemakers who are producing delicious, balanced wines that beautifully complement cuisine.”

In Miller, Ramsay found not only an incredibly passionate winemaker, but one with a deep understanding of Ramsay’s world and vision from the standpoint of chef and restaurateur. For nearly two decades prior to making wine and founding his own Seabold Cellars, Miller’s career centered on fine dining restaurants. A New Orleans native, he worked his way through college, learning about food and wine at Emeril’s and the legendary Brennan family’s restaurants. A job offer immediately after graduation took him crosscountry to the Pacific Northwest where he deepened his knowledge of wine on the floor of Seattle’s legendary Canlis Restaurant. There, he met Greg Harrington, MS, who had just founded Gramercy Cellars in Walla Walla, a rapidly emerging wine region. Inspired by Harrington’s passion and vision, Miller took advantage of every free moment to commute between Seattle and Walla Walla to work with Harrington, eventually making his first wine in 2006. Several years later, an opportunity presented itself in Los Angeles as wine director for Wolfgang Puck’s flagship restaurant, Spago Beverly Hills. He made the move, simultaneously working towards his Master Sommelier diploma while regularly hosting many of the country’s largest wine collectors’ tastings. It was here that Miller first crossed paths with Ramsay, though it would be a number of years before they reconnected over this project collaboration. In the meantime while at Spago, Miller was drawn back to the grapes, seizing opportunities during days off to work with nearby winemakers in Santa Rita Hills, studying under Greg Brewer at Brewer-Clifton and Melville. Finally, after 20 years in restaurants, Miller finally made the full-time switch, trading in his suit and tie for jeans and boots. 25

HAUTE DRINKS

On meeting Miller again, Ramsay notes, “I'd met Chris Miller several times, as I'd dined at one of his earlier jobs working for the amazing Wolfgang Puck. We reconnected a few years ago, and it was fantastic to see how Chris had grown from his time with Wolfgang to making delicious wines that pair fantastically with California cuisine. It's great to work with someone like Chris who has a foot in both culinary and winemaking camps. Chris is an absolute master of his craft, so working with him has truly been an honor.” The two, alongside the Gordon Ramsay team, have worked tirelessly to create wines which truly represent their shared dedication to quality and the best expression of each varietal, a process which was challenged in the final pre-launch stages by the arrival of COVID-19. As Miller put it, “Given 26

the realities, we had to rely on pretty constant Zoom tastings and back-andforths with feedback across time zones,” as Ramsay remained at home in London and the team was spread out in different locations. The final wines in the Gordon Ramsay Wines collection are a testament to an alignment of quality and style, using grapes sourced from sustainable and organically practicing vineyards in marginal climates to produce balanced wines that complement cuisine. “Much like in the kitchen, we believe the best wines begin with sourcing the best ingredients and doing as little as possible to coax the grapes' natural potential,” said Miller. Added Ramsay, “Like anything I put on a plate, it comes down to quality, and that's why we source some of the best grapes using sustainable methods.”

PHOTO CREDITS: COURTESY OF SEABOLD CELLARS

Getting it right: winemaker Chris Miller tasting through wines for Gordon Ramsay and his Seabold Cellars

Miller has produced a few hundred cases of each Gordon Ramsay Wine, totaling about 2,000 cases. With the restaurant and hospitality world opening up, guests at Ramsay’s US restaurants are able to enjoy these wines, as well as purchase them directly online at www.gordonramsay.wine. For those interested in establishing a regular shipment and communication, Gordon Ramsay Wines has a wine club which offers its members a range of special wine shipments, exclusive event invitations, and access to recipes and “insider” information. Will we see Ramsay in California wine country any time soon? “I can't wait to get back to California wine country!” stated Ramsay. “It's one of my

favorite regions on the West Coast! I've been known to take Tana away for some fantastic weekend getaways with delicious food and wine. So, I'm looking forward to seeing the team and seeing all the fantastic restaurants and artisan purveyors who've had a really tough several years with the pandemic, as well as those awful wildfires.” If you find yourself in the Monterey area, be sure to stop to see and taste with Chris Miller in his marina tasting room at Seabold Cellars, where you can sample Gordon Ramsay Wines as well as the small-lot, site-specific Burgundy and Rhône varieties for which Miller is acclaimed. https://www.seaboldcellars.com

PHOTO CREDITS: COURTESY OF SEABOLD CELLARS

Rodnick Vineyard in Monterey County

HAUTE DRINKS

F E AT U R E D PA I R I N G : Chef Ramsay shares a summer favorite, to be paired with his 2019 Monterey Sauvignon Blanc. (Gordon Ramsay https://www. gordonramsay. com/gr/recipes/ beetcappelletti/)

Beet Cappelletti with Meyer Lemon-Zested Goat Cheese & Beet Green Pesto Beet Pasta • Splash of red wine vinegar • 2 cups (256 grams) “00” or all-purpose flour + more for kneading • ¼ cup (32 grams) semolina flour • 2 whole eggs (100 grams) • 1 egg yolk (18 grams) • 1 teaspoon (6 grams) salt • 2-3 teaspoons olive oil Lemon-Zested Goat Cheese Filling • 4 ounces (120 grams) goat cheese, softened at room temperature • ¼ cup (60 grams) crème fraîche • ¼ cup (60 grams) ricotta, drained • ¼ cup Parmigiano Reggiano • 2 tablespoons finely chopped minced herbs (parsley, mint, or basil) • 1 tablespoon Meyer lemon zest • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste 28

Beet Green Pistachio Pesto • 3 garlic cloves • ½ cup toasted pistachios • 2 cups beet greens, cleaned, stems removed, and sliced • ¼ cup picked parsley leaves • ½ cup picked basil leaves • 2-3 tablespoons freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano • 3-4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil • 1 Meyer lemon • Salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste Shallot and Thyme Infused White Wine Sauce • 1 cup dry white wine • 1 small shallot, stem intact, cut into quarters • 3 sprigs fresh thyme • 1 cup unsalted butter, cubed • 1 lemon, zested • Flowered thyme, microgreens or chervil, for serving

PHOTO CREDITS: COURTESY OF GORDON RAMSAY WINES

INGREDIENTS

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 400˚F and place beet in a small loaf pan or wrap in foil. Season with olive oil, salt, pepper, a splash of red wine vinegar, and a tablespoon of water. Roast until fork tender, about 25-35 minutes. 2. While beets are roasting, prepare filling: Whisk together goat cheese, crème fraîche, ricotta, and Parmigiano Reggiano until well combined. Season with herbs, Meyer lemon zest, salt, pepper, and a drizzle of olive oil. Place in a piping bag for easy filling and set aside. 3. Remove beet from oven and cool enough to handle. Peel away skin and discard. Puree beet on high, adding just enough of the roasting liquid (or red wine vinegar) to blend until smooth. Set aside 84 grams (3 ounces) for pasta and reserve. 4. Make the pasta dough: Place both flours onto a flat counter or wooden cutting board and use a fork to form a well in center. Season the center of the well with salt and add the olive oil. Crack eggs into the center and add beet puree. Using a fork, whisk together eggs and puree until smooth, continue whisking, pulling in the flour from the interior of the circle. You can guide the circle to keep its shape by coaxing with your hand. Continue to whisk until almost all the flour has been incorporated. If dough feels too dry add a touch of water (or olive oil for a bit more shine), alternatively if dough is too wet sprinkle lightly with flour, as needed. 5. Using a bench scraper, bring the rest of the dough together with hands. Dust surface with more “00” flour and knead for about 10 minutes until dough is smooth and springy to the touch. Wrap tightly in plastic and rest for 30 minutes to an hour. 6. While pasta rests, make beet green pesto. In a food processor, pulse together garlic, toasted pistachios, beet greens, parsley, basil, and half the parmesan until finely chopped. With motor running, stream in olive oil until pesto is loosely blended. Season with Meyer lemon zest, salt, pepper, and big squeeze of lemon juice. 7. When ready to roll: Unwrap your pasta dough and place it on a clean, cool, dry working surface, like marble. For easier pasta shaping, let filling come to room temperature. 8. Divide dough into quarters, and working with one piece at a time, roll the dough with a small dowel or rolling pin to about 3x3 inches square. Beginning with the machine on its highest setting, feed the rolled-out pasta dough into the machine. When it’s halfway through, pull it out. When you’ve run it all the way through the machine, pull it out and aerate the dough. Repeat two or three times on the first setting. Lightly flour your hands each time. Using the back of your hand, fold the dough. Then change the setting on your pasta machine to 1. Crank the dough through the machine. After 10 turns of the machine, catch the dough, then stretch and fold the dough. Change the setting on your machine to 2 and repeat. Repeat 10 times, flouring your hands and increasing the setting each time, until your pasta is smooth and as thin as tracing paper—this is about a 5 on any pasta roller. 9. Cut and shape the cappelletti: Dust a baking sheet with semolina and lay out rolled pasta dough on a lightly floured surface (a pastry brush and a pinch bowl of flour is very handy here). Using a 3-inch pastry

cutter (or rim of a glass), cut circles out of the pasta dough. Pipe or spoon one heaping teaspoon of goat cheese filling into each circle and shape into cappelletti by folding in half to form a “half-moon,” pressing to adhere edges. To complete the shape (with arc facing up) bring the two ends together with your index finger and thumb to create the cappelletti or “little hat” shape and set aside onto prepared baking sheet and repeat with remaining pasta.2 10. Prepare wine butter sauce: Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Combine wine, shallot, and thyme and cook until reduced by half. Remove thyme and shallots and discard. Whisk in butter and season with salt and pepper, keep warm over low heat while cooking pasta. 11.To cook pasta: Heat a large pot of water to a gentle rolling boil and generously season with salt. Working in batches, place cappelletti into pot and “spin” into water, carefully give the pot a gentle turn as well to prevent pasta from sticking to each other (or sinking to bottom). Cook for 2 to 2½ minutes until pasta is al dente. 12. Using a skimmer, remove al dente pasta, shaking off excess water, and toss in white wine butter sauce to coat, spooning sauce over cappelletti to coat. To serve, divide among bowls and garnish with a drizzle of sauce, pesto, a sprinkling of herbs, and grated Parmigiano Reggiano. S P E C I A L E Q U I P M E N T:

• Pasta attachment, dowel or rolling pin for rolling pasta • 3-inch round or fluted pastry cutters • Pastry brush, bowl scraper, and bench scraper are great pasta making tools RECIPE NOTES:

1. You’ll need 3 ounces or (84 grams) of beet puree for this recipe. Preroasted packaged beets will work just as well for this dough. Simply puree in a blender, adding a touch of red wine vinegar to thin just enough to blend until smooth. 2. Rolling out your pasta dough like a pro: Lightly flour everything—your hands, the surface, the board, the pasta dough. This protects the pasta and helps you stretch it very thin. But be careful. Too much flour will ruin your dough. Remember: You can always add flour, but you can’t take it away. TIPS:

• Weighing your ingredients for this recipe will give you precisely the amounts needed and guarantee a perfectly elastic dough that’s easy to roll out and shape, flavorful as well as perfectly tender and al dente. • Make the dough and filling ahead of time for easy assembly and quick cooking. Rest dough in the refrigerator overnight for up to three days, • The cappelletti can also be frozen for even easier ahead-of-time preparation. Freeze flat on a baking sheet with a silpat or floured parchment paper, transfer to an airtight container, and store for up to one month.

HAUTE DINING

ELEVATING THE DINING EXPERIENCE VIA WINE These renowned NorCal restaurants, known for insanely innovative cuisine, continue to push the hospitality envelope with elevated viticultural offerings curated by topof-their-game sommeliers. Their objective? That with every sip, guests say, “Wow!” BY FRAN ENDICOTT MILLER

PHOTO CREDIT: © JOHN TROXELL

SUCCESSFULLY NAVIGATING A HOSPITALITY DOWNTURN, the likes of which the industry has never experienced, is a coup. Continuing to deliver on public expectations while maintaining relevancy is a feat not easily accomplished when restrictions and safety protocols dictate operating procedures. The following three lauded Northern California restaurants not only held on this past year and a half, each thrived, thanks in part to the inspired dedication of their acclaimed sommeliers whose contributions served to complement and elevate their respective restaurants’ already superior dining experiences.

SingleThread

THE HARBOR HOUSE INN, ELK, CA Re-opened in 2018 after an 8-year restoration project, the luxurious, 11-room getaway is perhaps best known for its restaurant where Chef Matt Kammerer has secured Mendocino County’s sole Michelin star. Kammerer, a 2020 James Beard Award semi-finalist and 2019 Food & Wine Best New Chef, forages and harvests the ingredients for his exquisite, upto-12 course tasting menus, each a hyperlocal, coastal experience focused on seafood and vegetables. Ingredients are sourced from across Mendocino County, including live fish picked up from local fisherman at the dock. He and his team even make their own crème fraîche, butter, vinegars, and naturally leavened breads. The property features its own chickens and 15 raised vegetable beds, planted and cultivated by the kitchen crew, along with a newly purchased, 320-acre farm in nearby Point Arena where more herbs and vegetables will be raised, along with honeybees, cattle, and other livestock. “We are making it extremely difficult on ourselves to find the best of the best,” said Kammerer. “We’re on the hunt constantly. Nobody has websites here. There’s a secret (or closed) network. I have to track down people, talk to them, and they lead me to others.’’ His incredible menus, served primarily this past year from the restaurant’s outdoor deck overlooking the rugged Mendocino coastline, are further enhanced by pairings of both Old

World wines and handcrafted, local, sustainable, small production varietals selected by sommelier Marsella Charron. She recently enhanced the restaurant’s wine list with an added collection of wines from “friends of Harbor House” winemakers, those who frequent the inn and/ or restaurant. Preference is given to interesting, boutique production wines from Mendocino and Sonoma that are not easily found in retail. Charron is also in the process of bringing in more aged California wine, and she is putting a strong focus on their half bottle selection. The aged Smaragd Riesling and Grüner selection from Austria is a major development on the list, with vintages going back to 1991. These wines pair impeccably with the food that Kammerer creates and provide a phenomenal level of complexity for the price. Charron also elevated the inroom wine program with unique selections that are not readily found, and do not compete with local tasting rooms. “I wanted to provide guests with an in-room wine experience that educates with offerings beyond what can be purchased at the store,” said Charron. “These wines will change several times during the year and are highly unlikely to be found elsewhere in Mendocino County."

Harbor House Dining Room

Harbor House sommelier Marsella Charron

PHOTO CREDITS: © BRENDAN MCGUIGAN

Harbor House Vermillion Rockfish

HAUTE DINING

SingleThread sommelier Rusty Rastello

SINGLETHREAD FARM-RESTAURANT-INN, HEALDSBURG, CA SingleThread’s proprietors, Katina and Kyle Connaughton, secured a coveted three Michelin stars a mere two years after opening their Healdsburg culinary gem. This past year, they barely missed a beat, transforming their adjacent parking lot into a twinkle-lit outdoor dining venue. As executive chef, Kyle changes his small plate, 11-course menu daily, based on master farmer Katina’s harvest from their farm where she oversees an heirloom fruit orchard, vegetable and flower beds, olive trees, 32

beehives, and chickens. The farm’s bounty also from Italy or Cabernet Franc from the Loire Valley, provides Katina with the organic goods for her and offered them at a budget-friendly $30 or less. dramatically designed tablescapes and dish He also developed monthly, curated subscription presentations. Every SingleThread item, be it packages for California red wines, champagne, and menu ingredients, utensils, sound system, or sake. furnishings, has a thoughtfully curated story, as Rastello hopes to garner the restaurant a do the wine pairings Grand Award, selected by Rusty Wine Spectator’s Rastello who was highest distinction named SingleThread’s achieved by only wine director 100 restaurants mere weeks before globally. He plans shelter-in-place was to do so by crafting mandated. the consummate Early on in his wine list. “I want employ, Rastello people to pull up jumped in to lend a SingleThread’s wine hand in the kitchen, list and see that these SingleThread Dinner Service cleaning and chopping are the producers vegetables for takeout they really need to meals, before initiating an e-commerce wine know,” said Rastello, who is grateful to work with the shop. Developing it into a sleek and compelling rare chef who understands that what’s inside a bottle site, Rastello started buying wines the restaurant can’t be changed, so is willing to recalibrate a dish to wouldn’t normally acquire and those not meet a pairing match in the middle. “I want this list typically sold in Sonoma County, such as Chianti to be their true north."

PHOTO CREDITS: (CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT) © ERIC WOLFINGER; © JOHN TROXELL; © JOHN TROXEL

SingleThread Rooftop

PHOTO CREDITS: (TOP) © BONJWING LEE; (PATIO IMAGE) © ERIC WOLFINGER; (BOTTOM TWO IMAGES) © BONJWING LEE

PRESS, ST. HELENA, CA To improve on that which is already iconic takes confidence, and Vincent Morrow, newly appointed wine director at PRESS, has proven up to the challenge. PRESS long has been well-known for its PRESS wine Napa Valley-only wine collection. director Vincent Morow More than 10,000 bottles, including current vintages and older wines that date to the 1950s, are stacked neatly within three glass-walled wine cellars, visible to all interested in taking a peek. Partner and executive chef Philip Tessier, formerly of Michelin 3-starred Le Bernardin and Per Se in New York and The French Laundry in Yountville, is making sure that PRESS’ cuisine now shares equally in the restaurant’s plaudits. Morrow is there to support this goal. Matching his wine list to pair seamlessly with Tessier’s vibrant, regional PRESS patio cuisine, Morrow maintains the vision of PRESS’ late founder, Leslie Rudd, in his building of a timeless wine list. Though the wine program will remain a reflection of Napa Valley and the preservation of its Cabernet-rich heritage, Morrow’s goal is to maintain the breadth of Cabernet in the cellar while tackling the “other” category, one in which remarkable wines are often lost. “If we maintain 100 percent focus on Cabernet, we’re only telling part of Napa’s story and slowly erasing other important grape varieties in the process,” said Morrow, who cites times of challenge (e.g., Prohibition, two world wars, and phylloxera) as innovative grape growing periods within Napa. “Our vision at PRESS extends beyond wine and ties in to chef Tessier’s vision for the food. We want to keep asking ourselves, ‘What was here Service at PRESS before us?’ We’re looking further back than the '90s when Cabernet became the majority of Napa plantings. There are some very special, older plots and unique vineyards that host grape varieties painstakingly preserved by multi-generational families. If we continue selling to the highest bidder who wouldn’t hesitate to rip out these vines and replant with Cabernet, we’ll gradually see the valley’s heritage erased. For the Cabernet that does get represented in the program, my focus is to understand the vineyard, the growers, the winemaker, and the vintage behind each. We will continue our efforts to maintain a Cabernet program that includes library vintages, iconic winemakers, and historic vineyard sites. I look forward to PRESS being the place where guests remember experiencing ‘that wine’ for the rest of their lives.”

Vincent Morrow in the PRESS cellar

HAUTE CUISINE

A TASTE OF THINGS TO COME Many of us have missed dining out over the past year—but restaurants have missed us more. BY STEPH KEAY

TWIN FARMS, BARNARD, VERMONT

34 The waterfront patio at La Mar

PHOTO COURTESY OF LA MAR

AS SAN FRANCISCO REOPENS, THE CITY’S FINEST DINING establishments are ready to welcome guests with the surprises they’ve developed during their closure. Some are household names, while others prepare to open their doors for the first time. Some have reinvented their menus, while others are ready to serve up the classics for which they’re known (and loved). The one thing they all have in common: they need our support now, more than ever. Go forth and indulge.

Storybook Twin Farms promises repose

HAUTE CUISINE

The dining room at La Mar

A sampler of La Mar's unique cebiches

SOMETHING OLD After 13 years at San Francisco’s Pier 1½, La Mar Cebichería Peruana has proven its staying power with authentic Peruvian cebiches and refreshing signature cocktails. Conveniently located next to the Ferry Building, the back patio offers beautiful waterfront views of Treasure Island. Inside, sunlight streams into the open space through floor-to-roof windows complemented by exotic greenery and sapphire blue banquettes. Chef Victoriano Lopez’s sea-to-table approach is demonstrated by a menu of upscale Peruvian dishes, including mouthwatering lomo saltado and churrasco de pescado entrées, plus fresh and colorful dishes catering to both gluten-free and vegan diners. Of course, the star is the cebiche—for which La Mar provides a variety of appetizing choices. The Clásico, always a favorite, features the catch of the day in a leche de tigre with red onion, habanero, Peruvian corn, and sweet potatoes. Adventurous diners will want to try the sampler which allows them to taste the Clásico in addition to the 36

Nikkei—with ahi tuna, red onion, Japanese cucumber, daikon, avocado, and nori in a tamarind leche de tigre—and the Mixto, featuring the catch of the day, shrimp, calamari, and octopus in a rocoto leche de tigre. If you’re in the Marin District, the acclaimed team behind La Mar has also opened a hip offshoot called Jaranita, featuring similarly delectable cebiches and cocktails with a focus on Peruvian wood-fired rotisserie and slow-roasted meats cooked over a custom-built charcoal grill. The menu will also offer a variety of organic vegan and vegetarian dishes.

La Mar Pier 1 1/2 The Embarcadero, San Francisco lamarsf.com

PHOTO CREDITS: (TOP TWO IMAGES) COURTESY OF LA MAR; (BOTTOM LEFT) © NADER KHOURI; (BOTTOM RIGHT) © MISTEY NGUYEN

Chef Victoriano Lopez serves up a Cebiche Clásico

A stone's throw from the Ferry Building

Wilder's take on "Tahoe chic"

The "Smoky George" cocktail

The cozy dining room at Wilder

Bone marrow and other delights on Wilder's menu

PHOTO CREDITS: © ALBERT LAW

SOMETHING NEW “It’s extremely anti-social and against all standards of decency,” declared Anthony Bourdain of the bone marrow luge, during a taping of The Layover at Toronto’s Black Hoof restaurant. “So, I think we should do it.” The late gourmand has never led me astray, so every time I’ve the opportunity to indulge in this practice, I have. Debuting with internationally-inspired Californian cuisine this past April, Wilder is one of the few places I have encountered offering the luge—and this new marina eatery’s version is topped with roasted Roma and cherry tomatoes, horseradish cream, microgreens, and balsamic reduction. Other delectable plates on the menu are a baked Napa chevre served with seasonal fruit compote, French-style mussels (or Spanish, if you’re feeling fingerling potatoes and chorizo over garlic butter and white wine), and steak topped with patatas bravas, cippolini onions, and a house-made chimichurri relish.

Cocktail highlights include the Pink Panther—a strawberry and elderflower gin concoction—and the Smoky George, a Sazerac rye with sweet vermouth, gin, and Campari that comes to the table in a covered glass, before unveiling a billow of oaky smoke inside. These modern takes on classic cocktails and Wilder’s chef-driven, fresh, and organic food, influenced by fresh California ingredients and globally inspired flavors, mesh flawlessly in the “Tahoe chic” space reminiscent of a cozy log cabin.

Wilder 3154 Fillmore Street, San Francisco wildersf.com

HAUTE CUISINE

The entryway of Dirty Habit

Caponata and crescenza sourdough toasts

Bar Manager Raul Ayala

When I hear a chorus of “oohs” and “aahs,” the last thing I expect to see when I swivel around on my barstool at Dirty Habit is a Flemish Giant. Under the violet lighting of Dirty Habit’s dining room, Josh Row cradles Alex, the 17-pound therapy rabbit made famous at a Giants game the previous week. After a series of fan photos, Alex and his owners—loyal patrons to the establishment—settle into a booth near us, where we’re whetting our appetite ahead of Dirty Habit’s new “Private Habits” experience with a bowl of irresistible, salted egg-dusted potato chips. Behind the bar, bar manager Raul Ayala shakes up a variety of inventive seasonal cocktails including the Best Dressed, a visually striking elixir made with vodka, gin, dry vermouth, pickled onion brine, sturgeon caviar, and spring onion dust. Taking place adjacent to Dirty Habit on the fifth floor of Hotel Zelos, Private Habits is a fully private tasting experience for groups up to six inside guestrooms that have been transformed into intimate dining spaces. Guests can play their own music on the Bluetooth speaker and have access to the suite’s private bathroom. The menu for Private Habits borrows from a variety of global cuisines, yet executive chef Thomas Weibull is able to parlay these 38

contrasting flavors into a collection of balanced dishes showcasing unique ingredients such as sansho, nduja, and ssamjang. Perfectly golden bao buns envelop crème fraîche and cucumber, topped with Tsar Nicoulai caviar. Smoky caponata garnished with dollops of creamy crescenza, capers, and fried basil—giving it a crisp, nori-like texture—on a bed of sourdough toast. A bright and peppery endive salad with blood orange and avocado enhanced by a furikake ranch follows. Dusted with powdered sugar, a Nordic-inspired semla bun filled with silky whipped matcha cream and pistachio offers incredible complexity without overpowering each ingredient—the perfect finishing touch to a feast that seamlessly fuses international influences. By embracing elements of different cuisines, Weibull has curated an unexpected menu that delights and surprises. And who knows? You might have a run-in with a local celebrity—hare or otherwise. Dirty Habit 12 4th St, San Francisco dirtyhabitsf.com

PHOTO CREDITS: (TOP LEFT) COURTEESY OF DIRTY HABIT; (BOTTOM LEFT) © STEPH KAEY; (RIGHT) COURTEESY OF DIRTY HABIT

SOMETHING BORROWED

Empress by Boon's bright, yet elegant, new interior

Chef Ho Chee Boon

The original pergola from Empress of China, preserved and restored

PHOTO CREDITS: (LEFT) COURTESY OF EMPRESS BY BOON; (TWO RIGHT IMAGES) © JEAN BAI

SOMETHING BLUE Elegant booths swathed in azure leather and surrounded by sleek, cut-out panels of the same bright shade provide fantastic city views at the former location of Chinatown’s iconic Empress of China. Serving the San Francisco community for nearly half a century before closing in 2014, the 7,500-squarefoot venue has now been reconceptualized—and elevated—by Michelinstarred executive chef Ho Chee Boon. A modern epicurean destination reimagining Cantonese dishes, Empress by Boon embraces contemporary design while paying homage to its celebrated predecessor, including the careful preservation and restoration of original features such as the intricate latticework and iconic wooden pergola. Gone are the signature colors of the Empress’ green, gold, and mahogany; in its place is a cool yet inviting palette of cerulean, gray, and crimson. As the former international executive chef of Hakkasan with nearly 30 years of experience in some of the world’s most renowned Asian restaurants under his belt, chef Ho is primed to revitalize

this legendary space in the heart of North America’s oldest Chinatown. Boon will debut his highly anticipated namesake restaurant with a prixfixe menu of Cantonese-inspired dishes in partnership with pastry chef Rory MacDonald, followed by a seasonal à la carte menu of modern Cantonese cuisine. Using fresh and local ingredients from the restaurant’s own organic farm in Gilroy, Empress by Boon’s inventive dishes will combine contemporary techniques and traditional ingredients, all while honoring the essence of traditional Cantonese cuisine. Expect to see perfectly roasted Peking duck with its signature crisp skin, Regiis Ova Russian Ossetra caviar, and much, much more.

Empress by Boon 838 Grant Ave, San Francisco theempresssf.com

PHOTO COURTESY OF © TIERNEYMJ

PROFILE

WONDER WOMEN Wise Words and Inspiration from Six Bay Area Entrepreneurs BY BECCA HENSLEY

“Above all, be the heroine of your life, not the victim,” wrote Nora Ephron. These innovative, take-charge Bay Area women embody the essence of feminine power and determination. With distinctive areas of expertise, each female entrepreneur has a story to tell and each brings a legacy of influence and inspiration sure to affect and instruct generation to come. 41

PROFILE

KARA GOLDIN, Founder and CEO, Hint Kara Goldin starts every morning with a hike. “It energizes me, focuses me, and puts me in the right frame of mind,” she says, adding that learning motivates her most of all. “I get out of bed every day with a bounce in my step when I know that there will be some sort of puzzle to solve, or some problem to figure out, or some challenge to overcome.” The mother of four, former VP of shopping and e-commerce at America Online, author, podcaster, and beverage creator likes living outside her comfort zone because it “means that I’m going to learn something new, that I’ll never be bored or stagnate.” No wonder this founder and CEO of Hint, a state-of-the-art infused water, which started in San Francisco in 2005, has been listed by The Huffington Post as one of six disruptors in business alongside Steve Jobs and Mark Zuckerberg. She’s also shone as one of InStyle’s 2019 Badass 50 and reigned as one of Fortune’s Most Powerful Women Entrepreneurs—among a slew of other honors. Today, her podcast “The Kara Goldin Show” champions other entrepreneurs, founders, and CEOs. She’s inspired by the “grit and scrappiness” that lead to success and revels in sharing distinctive stories with her audience. Her book, Undaunted: Overcoming Doubts and Doubters, reminds others to live boldly and to navigate those omnipresent “inner fears and external skeptics.”

HL: How did you get inspired to begin? KG: It started in a very personal way for me. I had left a successful career in tech at America Online in early 2001 to spend time with my three young kids. (I have four now.) At the time, I had been traveling a lot and working crazy hours, and as a result, not taking very good care of myself. I had gained a bunch of weight, had low energy, and developed persistent adult acne. When I decided to try to solve my health issues once and for all, I realized that it wasn’t that easy. After basically giving up on dieting, I noticed that my diet soda had a lot of ingredients that I didn’t understand. So, I decided to do a little test and eliminate it from my everyday routine. Two and a half weeks later, I lost over 20 pounds, got my energy back, and my skin cleared up. The only problem was that I found water boring. I hated drinking eight glasses of plain water every day, so I started cutting up fruit and throwing it in my water. It was a game-changer for me—and it turned out my family and friends loved it, too! That’s when I thought: if this water that I dressed up with fruit in my kitchen made such a difference in my life, surely there are many others out there, like me, who would benefit from this product and who have been fooled by healthy perception products, too. So, I decided to create Hint in hopes of helping others achieve their health, too. HL: What are your tips for other women starting out? KG: It’s the same advice I would give to anyone starting a business: make sure you believe passionately in your product and in your vision. Everyone has doubts and fears. If you believe that your product can help people in some way, it’s time to get past those doubts and fears and just take those steps to get started. What’s the worst that can happen? Starting a business is like

scaling a mountain. It’s really taxing. You need to be prepared for some major rough patches. And the whole thing looks very intimidating when you step back and look at the entire journey in front of you. But as long as you keep putting one foot in the other and keep solving the problems right in front of you, you’ll eventually reach one plateau and then another one, and before long, you’ll be amazed at the progress you’ve made. HL: How has the Bay Area impacted your career? KG: The Bay Area has been so instrumental in the success of Hint. I don’t know that we could have gotten the company off the ground anywhere else. First off, back in 2005, I was able to get Hint into this groovy, new, local store called “Whole Foods.” This was back at a time when someone with a great idea could walk up to a store manager and convince them to stock a new product (someone with no track record in the beverage business, I might add). I think people in the Bay Area are pretty health-conscious in general, so Hint immediately found a strong local following here. The next big inflection point for the company was getting Hint into Google, as they were looking for healthy food and beverage options for their employees. The product immediately took off there— employees actually started hoarding bottles under their desks—then several other Bay Area tech firms followed suit. Being the “unofficial beverage of Silicon Valley” was a huge boost for us. And from there, we were able to fundraise and roll Hint out as a nationwide brand. So, without a doubt, we couldn’t have done it without the customer base we had cultivated here. Words of Wisdom: I try to avoid people who think they have it all figured out. I much prefer to be around folks who are curious and who ask questions and who challenge themselves, too. I’m driven by my curiosity, and I’m drawn to people who are inventive, creative, and seek solutions to problems that aren’t immediately apparent to everyone else.

PHOTO CREDIT: COURTESY OF HINT

With a goal to continue to support consumers with their wellness quest, Goldin, who loves what she does, wants to help people across the United States reach optimum health with her healthy drink option.

the vineyard occupies her front yard, a mirror that reflects all her hard work and tenacity. An outdoor lover who enjoys skiing, cycling, and traveling, this philanthropist credits her hardworking parents for her attitude and Aileron’s team for her wine making successes. HL: What’s the significance of the winery’s name? SO: The name refers to the hinged surface on the edge of an airplane wing that steadies and guides the plane, symbolizing the dogged pursuit of one’s dreams despite the turbulence life throws at us.

SHANNON O’SHAUGHNESSY, Proprietor, Aileron Estates

PHOTO CREDITS: © BOB MCCLENAHAN

Some people go fishing and come back with a tall fishing tale. Aileron Estates’ visionary founder Shannon O’Shaughnessy went fishing and returned with a new lease on life. About a decade ago, faced with a life-threatening disease, this mother of two cast her line and made a decision: she’d never again let an opportunity to live fully pass her by. A free spirit and adventurer with a lifelong penchant to be a pilot, O’Shaughnessy wasted no time getting her license. Today, Aileron’s new, exclusive bi-plane wine tasting experience “Take Flight” shows how seamlessly O’Shaughnessy fuses her passions. The unique adventure offers a scenic, 20-minute flight in a vintage aircraft, a few acrobatic tricks —for those courageous enough—and a private tasting. Unafraid to delve into new projects, O’Shaughnessy, a 25-year-plus wine industry veteran, helped her parents launch O’Shaughnessy Estate Winery. However, she’d always wanted to build her own boutique wine brand. As luck (and hard work) would have it, in 2014, she came across a diminutive plot of organic, dry-farmed Sauvignon Blanc vines amid a cool Coombsville estate. Posthaste, she moved her family to the property and leaned in. Today, thriving, producing three tons an acre,

HL: What traits helped you succeed? SO: I was raised on the edge of the suburbs outside Minneapolis. I witnessed firsthand the rewards of hard work. My parents worked their way out of poverty through education and determination. My father began working in an insulated glass factory while playing football at the University

of Minnesota in the early 1960s. Over the next 55-plus years, he worked his way up in the company and created a culture of entrepreneurship. He grew the business through innovation and vision. Today, it has grown to more than 7,000 employees with 37 manufacturing locations around the country. The company is managementowned, enabling every shareholder and employee to feel a sense of pride. My mother

grew businesses of her own, first in land development and real estate in Minnesota as I was growing up, then later in the wine industry here in Napa. This culture, this way of being, is all I’ve ever known. Being exposed early to the trials and tribulations of entrepreneurship have given me a toolkit for resilience. HL: What is your day-to-day life like? SO: First and foremost, I am a mom to two amazing young men, Jack and Sean. Second to that, I focus my energy and creativity on developing Aileron Estates. When I’m not on the sidelines on my son’s sporting events, or on the road sharing Aileron Estates wines with whomever I encounter, you can find me fly-fishing and flying planes, as well as traveling, cycling, skiing, and shooting sporting clays. Adventure is in my blood. HL: What do you love most about your job? SO: I love the sense of satisfaction I get from making something in a collaborative way. While I may be the vintner with the vision, it is a team of people who make Aileron a reality. It is the personal interaction from walking the vineyard with winemaker Maayan Koschitzky and vineyard manager John Derr to tastings, marketing, and ultimately sharing wine with family, friends, and new customers. HL: What tips do you have for others striving to create something from scratch? SO: Trust the process. The wine business, like so many other industries, is extremely competitive. Being a new brand in the market is intimidating and, oftentimes, there are people just waiting for you to fail. Know that failure is part of the journey and shouldn’t define you or your brand. Also, be patient. A ship doesn’t turn on a dime. Words of Wisdom: Success can’t be measured in a day, or simply by a balance in your bank account. 43

PROFILE

KENDALL WILKINSON, CEO & Creative Director, Kendall Wilkinson Design Formerly the lead singer in a rock and roll band and a dabbler in the film industry, Kendall Wilkinson, San Francisco-based interior designer extraordinaire, discovered her true calling when she studied abroad in Paris, bedazzled by the city’s architecture, joie de vivre, trove of antiques, and art museums. Her heart quickened when glimpsing the city’s uncanny light and its dancing reflections on the water. She returned home to graduate from the Academy of Art and started her eponymous firm shortly afterward. Paris, in its many layers, has continued to influence and inform her timeless, sophisticated style throughout her 30-plus-year career. With interiors presented in Architectural Digest, Elle Decor, House Beautiful, and the Wall Street Journal—among others—the designer savors the opportunity to bring “the vision of the client to life.” Meeting this goal again and again, she has executed projects around the world in a portfolio that includes both residential and commercial ventures. Profoundly impacted by her mother, a notable interior designer and art connoisseur, Wilkinson attributes her keen eye and aesthetic instinct in regard to scale, texture, and color to her mother’s tutelage. A frequently requested participant in prestigious design showcases (San Francisco Decorator Showcase, Elle Decor 44

HL: As an entrepreneur, you had to work hard to get where you are today. What are your success secrets? KW: For me, success is being able to create beautifully appointed homes for my clients that elevate their lifestyles while maintaining and growing a diverse and happy business that provides for my fantastic team and my family. A fundamental tenet is identifying, nurturing, and retaining talent. Everything worthwhile takes a team and healthy, mutually beneficial relationships. Honesty, transparency, a strong sense of self, and a healthy amount of confidence are also keys to success. Ultimately, consistent hard work always pays off, and there are never any shortcuts. Listening to your gut instincts and having a sharp business sense also helps. HL: What do you love most about San Francisco? KW: The natural environment and the climate are magical. I am lucky to live in Sea Cliff, a short 10-minute walk to Baker Beach. That view of the bay and the Golden Gate Bridge will also rejuvenate and inspire me. It reminds me that, even though we live in a city, a short walk or ride and you are right on the coast or in nature. The majesty of this unique part of the world and its access to other notable coastal towns just short car rides away make San Francisco a wonderful city. But, of course, it also doesn't hurt to have a great culture,

fabulous restaurants, and an inherently diverse city. HL: What tips do you have for other female entrepreneurs? KW: Listen to your inner voice and be kind and supportive of other women. Embrace your motherhood (for all the mamas out there) and remember to make enough time for yourself! With two beautiful, healthy, and wonderful teenage sons, I make it a point to always have dinner for them and to remember that being a mother is something that elevates and strengthens us as businesswomen. HL: What’s something about your job you love most of all? KW: Helping my clients to define and execute their vision, creating an environment for them to live their best lives. Working with amazing artisans, architects, builders, crafts people, antiques, and art dealers brings me incredible joy. HL: What inspires you? KW: I studied in Paris and have continued to visit year after year because I fell in love with the city from first sight. It has influenced my work over the years through my passion for antiques, sparkle from the lights, water reflections, or the simple sophistication and elegance the Parisian culture exudes. Of course, my boys constantly inspire me, including my sweet Labrador retriever, Biscuit, and travel … well, once it all resumes! Words of Wisdom: Luxury with purpose!

PHOTO CREDITS: © CONNOR MCCLUSKEY; © BERNARD ANDRE

Showhouse, and LUXE Magazine’s Maison de Luxe Showhouse, to name a few), Wilkinson, a mother of two, has expanded her offerings to include a collection on indoor/outdoor fabrics (2016) and upholstery and trimming (2019) with Fabricut. She describes her design aesthetic as being “rooted in classicism with a modern twist, always comfortable, always well proportioned, and always unique, combining the highest quality of materials and design.”

out,” she says. Further in her role, Dorsey has been integral in leading the ranch to develop its olive oil-based beauty collection, ODE Natural Beauty, with a goal to bring wellness to the community. Just out, ODE Oasis. a full-spectrum CBD collection of tinctures and skincare items created with McEvoy’s extra virgin olive oil, is Dorsey’s latest project.

SAMANTHA DORSEY, President, McEvoy Ranch Ask Samantha Dorsey anything … anything about olives, that is. Her degree in environmental studies from Oberlin College came in handy two decades ago when she joined the team at McEvoy Ranch to manage the olive tree nursery, vineyards, and orchards at this 550-acre working, organic ranch in Petaluma. Fast forward to today, when, as president, she presides over the pond- and path-studded, verdant expanse, ushering it into its next stage of growth and prosperity.

PHOTO CREDIT: © MOLLY HAAS

Deeply committed to sustainable and organic practices, Dorsey not only conducts workshops on olive orchard management locally, but counsels farmers and growers in various aspects of sustainability in Arizona, California, Oregon, Mexico—and, as far away as New Zealand. She serves on the executive committee for the Olive Oil Commission of California and is a board member of the Petaluma Gap Winegrowers Alliance. Like the Ranch’s founder, Nan McEvoy, who was inspired by the desire to grow olives and make olive oil, Dorsey believes in the power of the crop. “Being a California native, it was important to me to find an appropriate crop for our state. Olive oil fits the bill. This perennial crop is perfect for our climate, has a lower water demand than other crops, and produces an incredibly healthy, plant-based fat that is exceptionally good for you inside and

I did all day was honorable. This, to me, is such an important part of doing good work—having it be congruent with my core values. If your job is incompatible with your internal conscience, it will be difficult to feel successful, no matter how much you earn or what your title is. Be patient. I say this because patience is not one of my strengths. But I typically find that when I am more patient, it is easier to see new opportunities or an alternative perspective that can lead to better decisions for the business. And find good mentors. It is too painful to make all the mistakes yourself. It is okay to learn a few of them from other people’s experiences, so you don’t have to fall into every single hole yourself.

HL: How do your passions drive who you are and who you have become? SD: I am very committed to our community and creating a positive working environment. We have built a solid team of talented employees here at McEvoy Ranch dedicated to making and sharing our world class products and understanding our local community and California agriculture role. I love learning from our team here and working with our staff to improve and innovate in agriculture, product development, hospitality, finance, and operations. It is interesting to work with such ancient products (olive oil and wine) in such a modern setting. We have thousands of years of production knowledge to build upon, but we can do so with all our modern tools and sensibilities. From farming to formulation, we are in the new and modern vanguard of these ancient crops and recipes. This dynamic balance is very inspiring. Another example of creating a new product with well-known and well-loved ingredients is this year’s new ginger turmeric olive oil release. This brandnew product is made from milling olives directly with fresh ginger and fresh turmeric. The oil that came out of the mill is mind-blowingly beautiful, complex, and unique. And, it has so many health benefits, particularly its powerful, antiinflammatory properties. I love this blend of multiple food cultures into one delicious new product.

HL: What is your day-to-day job like? SD: Everyone who has worked in a small, growing company knows that you’ve got to be very comfortable with change and your day-to-day schedule can vary wildly. My job is so engaging because my daily tasks can range from financial analysis to troubleshooting orchard irrigation problems to meeting and serving customers at our tasting room to evaluating inventory and production needs to developing new products with the team. The majority of my time is spent working with employees to prioritize projects, setting expectations around the quality and timing of each project, and ensuring that our prioritized projects are properly resourced. The other significant component of the job relates to public engagement and outreach. I sit on the executive committee of the Olive Oil Commission of California and am a board member of the Petaluma Gap Winegrowers Alliance. Both organizations benefit McEvoy Ranch and our grower/ producer community as a whole.

HL: What tips do you have for others following their dreams? SD: I like to say that I can go home at night with a clean conscience, because the work

Words of Wisdom: Treat your relationships with care. It is ultimately your relationships, more than the product you make or sell, that will determine the fate of your business.” 45

PROFILE

In June, Nelson opened a brick-and-mortar spa and apothecary shop in Oakland. HL: What inspired the names of the candles and the concept? LN: I love traveling. Especially during the pandemic, sometimes the fantasy of being transported to another place is all we can do. I like to help others feel the same.

LIZ NELSON, Owner and Founder, Olfactorie Apothecary Boutique and Spa (OCA) Lifelong San Franciscan, master esthetician Liz Nelson knows a thing or two about beauty. She also knows a lot about how scents make us feel and how they affect the condition of our minds, bodies, and spirits. Currently living in Oakland, Nelson has worked as a lead therapist in some of the nation’s best spas. One of the favorite aspects of her job is the opportunity to provide personal care to clients, sharing her beauty and mood-lifting secrets. Scent, she noticed, made everyone feel better. Soon this became her passion. “It was while working at Barney’s New York, located in downtown San Francisco, about six years ago, that I began truly to be intrigued with scents and candles. I wanted to learn more.” As she studied aromatherapy and how candles were made, however, she discovered something unpleasant: many were crafted with carcinogenic waxes. “That was it,” she says. “I decided to start my own soy-based candle brand to offer safe candles to my clients and the world.” Her stunning line, Olfactorie Candles, small batch and handmade, are currently available online and in dedicated spas and stores. The gorgeous candles with heart-lifting aromas (both therapeutic and perfume essential-oil scented) also remind us how awakened olfactory senses evoke bygone times and memories. With names like New Orleans, Kauai, and Chicago, 46

HL: What were the challenges in launching a new retail brand in the wellness sector? LN: Making sure it was genuine, I had built a great clientele through my years in wellness and spas. When launching a retail brand, I wanted to make sure my clients did not feel obligated to support me. They never felt that way. In fact, they loved hearing about the brand. Of course, I also had to make sure my formulations were appropriate and that I was creating a quality product that I would buy. HL: Tell us about how you came up with your scents to match the various cities or landmarks? LN: I research the scents, looking for what makes the city famous. Portland, for instance, the city of roses, has a delicate golden rose aroma surrounded by the scents cedar and pine. Miami is jazzy and tropical—coconut, lime, mint, and rum. Some candles are sultry, some spa-like, some energetic. Kauai blends ginger with plumeria. Each candle has a base, top, and heart note. I also do

special candles for dedicated events and match the scent to the event’s mood. For example, for the Kimono Refashioned in SF for Asian Art, I conjured the concept of vintage kimono and came up with vetiver for the bae (straw, smoky-like for vintage clothing) and cherry blossoms (for the delicate geisha who wore the kimono). HL: What is your favorite product in your line? LN: That is a hard one: between Sedona and Kauai. They are both very beautiful. HL: Do you hope to grow your business? LN: I want to expand! Besides candles, we now have apothecary (body) and home fragrances. I would like to add a couple more locales—like Austin and the Kentucky Derby, maybe D.C. HL: Where can we buy these wonderful candles? LN: In June, my brick-and-mortar store opened in Oakland. The boutique and spa will house scents in candles of multiple sizes, diffusers, wash, and body. The store has a French bohemian feel, and the spa is separate in the back with a Sedona desert mood. Treatments are massage, body, all types of facials. I am so glad to have it finally under one roof. The address is 2052 Mountain Boulevard, Oakland, California 94611, at the base of Oakland Hills in Montclair Village. Products are also available at select spas and boutiques and online. Words of Wisdom: Keep moving and grow. Any challenges are learning experiences to be better. Never give up.

PHOTO CREDITS: COURTESY OF LIZ NELSON

each candle conjures an image of places where clients will have traveled or yearn to visit in the future.

and that “nobody would buy paper online,” has proved the critics wrong. She believed in herself all along, but credits her husband, whom she met at Williams College, as being her rock. “He is truly a progressive thinker and has been a believer in me since the day we met. He has always been there to counsel me and boost my morale, as well as enable me to have both a professional and family life, which I don’t think I could have been successful without.”

MARIAM NAFICY, CEO & Founder, Minted

PHOTO CREDITS: © BECKY LEVIN

Supporter of worldwide artists, independent thinkers, custom creativity, and small businesses, Mariam Naficy, founder of Minted, has created the sort of niche nobody else could have conjured. In 2007, from the attic of her San Francisco home while 7 months pregnant, she followed her bliss. “It was a very tough and very lonely process, because I was a sole founder,” she says. But the now in-demand design marketplace, committed to the mission of bringing the best in independent design to consumers everywhere, was worth the effort. Today, Minted’s art, home décor products, and stationery have reached more than 75 million homes around the world. With a unique crowdsourcing technology, Minted has consumers vote to choose which designs appear on the site. This ensures a sense of artistic community and makes sure items offered are fresh and trendforward products. Naficy, who says that Minted “was out of favor from the very beginning,” that people told her that was too old to start a business,

HL: What inspired you to create Minted? MN: I was inspired by watching the blog community emerge and realizing that consumers were shifting their reading habits from large media to independent bloggers. This made me wonder if they would be more open to buying products, too, from independent makers and designers. I wanted to use the internet to uncover hidden artistic talent all over the world and allow designs and products to reach the market in a truly meritocratic manner.

HL: What tips do you have for others who hope to start something new? MN: The best piece of advice I would give is to try to not care about what other people think about you. Believing in your vision in the face of constant rejection, which happens even after you have become “successful,” is going to be critical. HL: What does it take to succeed in today's world? MN: I think about the fact that I work exclusively on the internet, something that was unknown when I was an undergraduate. Getting a liberal arts education helps: you might be working on something that doesn’t exist today, and becoming a good critical thinker and analyst is likely better than getting a specialized education. Also, it’s important to see feedback as a gift that most people don’t really want to give you because it’s too uncomfortable. When you get some feedback, celebrate it! HL: How was the Bay Area important to your success? MN: I was struck when I arrived in 1993 that the business culture here was so much more accepting of risktaking and failure than on the East Coast. When I saw that, I knew I had found the city where I wanted to work. I hope that we always retain this and the willingness to pay forward any help that we received ourselves. Words of Wisdom: In all aspects of life, both personal and professional, I think “success” is defined relative to some set of expectations. If you can set the expectations of the people around you appropriately and then overdeliver, both you and they can feel great about the outcome. 47

PROFILE

TAKE FIVE

Talking Recovery with San Francisco Community Leaders

ince the boom of the Gold Rush days, a long history of championing initiatives has made San Francisco an international landmark. The San Francisco Chamber of Commerce has been part of that story since 1850. And before electricity was widely available, before automobiles were popular, before airplanes even existed, TEL HI was helping people. San Francisco Travel Association traces its history to a post-earthquake recovery in 1909. Eleven years later in 1920, the Booker T. Washington Community Center was founded. We take a moment to look ahead in conversation with the community leaders of these legacy community organizations as well as the Hotel Council, a more recent addition to the community landscape.

PHOTO COURTESY OF SAN FRANCISCO TRAVEL ASSOCIATION

BY LAURIE JO MILLER FARR

HL: What activities are they safely engaging in? JD’A: San Francisco has managed the pandemic extremely well. With that, visitors in San Francisco can now safely enjoy the city under increasingly normal circumstances, even indoor activities like dining in one of our amazing restaurants or visiting one of our world class museums, 90 percent of which are now open. And, thanks to more than 1,200 new parklets that our restaurants added during the pandemic, outdoor dining in San Francisco is now a whole new experience. HL: What are the prospects for business travel and conventions? JD’A: We expect business travel to hover about 75 percent below its 2019 level for the remainder of the year. Hopefully, small group events can resume during the third quarter as international travel restrictions ease and clear guidelines allow better planning. Full recovery of the city’s most impacted segment, convention-related travel, in terms of volume and spend is forecast by 2025.

JOE D’ALESSANDRO President & CEO San Francisco Travel Association HL: What does recovery look like for San Francisco for the rest of 2021 and 2022? JD’A: I am pretty optimistic, as we can clearly see light at the end of the tunnel; however, 2021 will still be a challenging year for our industry. As vaccination rates improve and COVID restrictions are being eased, hotel occupancy has slowly but gradually gone up over the last couple of weeks, which is very encouraging. Significant improvement could be in store by the end of 2022. San Francisco was hit particularly hard during the pandemic, as we traditionally depend a lot on group, business, and international travel. In 2019, 63 percent of all visitor spending in San Francisco was by international travelers, and that market virtually disappeared overnight.

PHOTO COURTESY OF SAN FRANCISCO TRAVEL ASSOCIATION

HL: And beyond? JD’A: We hope to see consistent improvement going forward during a multi-year recovery until we get back to 2019 levels, probably by 2022 to 2024. HL: What types of visitors are coming first, where are they coming from, and how long are they staying? JD’A: We see domestic travel markets picking up already, with leisure travel expected to fully recover in 2023. Visitors from the Bay Area and from California will be first in line, followed by visitors from other parts of the United States. Road trips will be extremely popular in 2021, and San Francisco is the perfect starting point for a road trip to wine country and south along iconic Highway 1. Local and regional visitors will most likely stay for shorter visits than what we would typically see from an international guest, probably between one and two nights on average.

“In 2019, 63 percent of all visitor spending in San Francisco was by international travelers, and that market virtually disappeared overnight.” – Joe D’Alessandro HL: And for international visitors? Which markets first? JD’A: Europe is likely to be the first overseas market to come back later this year, probably followed by some of the Asian markets and Australia in 2022. Overall, we expect international visitation to be back to preCOVID levels by 2024. HL: What can residents do in terms of positive word-of-mouth to help in the recovery? JD’A: Venture out and enjoy everything that our wonderful city has to offer. Be a tourist in your own backyard and tell everybody that “Our Gate is Open”—true to the motto which we at SF Travel have chosen for our current marketing campaign. sftravel.com

PROFILE HL: Are you bullish on San Francisco, and if so, why? RF: Absolutely. I think San Francisco’s best years are ahead of us. My family has been in San Francisco for four generations, through many ups and downs. Our city is unlike any place in the world, and through those 99 years we have always believed in one thing, which I believe even more today: that we can make San Francisco better, together. HL: Do you think the face of downtown has changed for good? RF: Yes, and my hope is that, out of this, some things will change for the better. We have seen new businesses pop up in vacant spaces downtown, small businesses pivot their products to meet new needs, and residents and businesses move back into the city after quarantine. Evolution is part of business, and we’ve seen that in the physical expansion of business into our city streets, adding additional vibrancy to our corridors.

“I think San Francisco’s best years are ahead of us. My family has been in San Francisco for four generations, through many ups and downs.” – Rodney A. Fong 50

HL: Small businesses that surround big ones contribute so much to the character, fabric, and personality of any city. Are you concerned about their survival? RF: Since the beginning of the pandemic, we’ve seen about 50 percent of the small businesses that were open pre-pandemic close. This was a huge loss to our city. Though we’re now seeing the rate of small business closures slowing as restrictions loosen, their recovery depends on prioritizing policies that support entrepreneurs. We look to our city leaders to ensure that small businesses have the resources and support they need to survive, recover, and thrive. HL: Crystal ball: In what ways will San Francisco be different from its prepandemic self over the next three to five years? RF: San Francisco is a city of reinvention, and this is another opportunity to reinvent ourselves. Shared Spaces is a great example of this. With it, we are seeing more vibrancy in our neighborhoods, and this is something I think will remain an important part of our city. I also think the work week will evolve into a more hybrid model. With this in mind, we want to continue to invest in programs and policies that draw our workers to frequent our city’s small businesses, whether that’s during a working lunch downtown while in their office or an afternoon walk through a neighborhood commercial corridor on a remote work-day. HL: Any silver lining to come out of this crisis? RF: Yes, through the incredible challenges that our communities have faced, I have seen small business leaders step up and take action. This community has grown and united across many industries that did not always have an active role in city government. It is truly a silver lining to see that our city has gained so many new, engaged, and passionate leaders. sfchamber.com

PHOTO CREDIT: © TERILYN STEVERSON

RODNEY A. FONG 方達利 President & CEO San Francisco Chamber of Commerce

HL: Because fewer workers will occupy offices less often, can the downtown core refresh and come back better? RF: Yes, but we have to give people a reason to come back downtown. Our city’s economy depends on the vibrancy of our downtown core. San Francisco’s downtown businesses bring in hundreds of thousands of local jobs, commuters, and visitors who are essential to the success of our small businesses. This is our opportunity to reimagine downtown, get creative, and make its prosperity accessible to all our communities.

seniors had something to eat. We provided virtual learning from day one by upgrading our technology to make sure that we were able to connect with our kids, and that the kids who came to the center were able to connect to their classrooms and schools. Our staff provided manpower for the food pantry where we served over 3,000 families at the peak. In short, TEL HI never closed its doors to the community, and we are actively looking for ways to expand our programs and services.

NESTOR L. FERNANDEZ II CEO/Executive Director TEL HI Neighborhood Center HL: As a legacy nonprofit dating back to 1890, what is the mission of TEL HI? NF: “To enhance the lives of people in our community.” HL: For what age groups does TEL HI provide services? NF: Our youngest client is three months old and our oldest is 102. [smiles]

PHOTO COURTESY OF TEL HI

HL: Is this exclusively for residents in the Telegraph Hill Neighborhood? NF: Absolutely not. We serve students at Francisco Middle School, who come from all over the city to this “new immigrant school,” which means that newly arrived students from other countries are placed there. Also, our preschool is rated as one of the best preschools in San Francisco and attracts families from all over San Francisco. Additionally, our seniors often travel across the city to attend our lunch program and exercise classes. Our location in Telegraph Hill makes us appear to be in an upscale neighborhood, but in reality, we have affordable housing a block away from our campus and $10 million dollar homes just up the hill. It is truly a good mix of people from different cultures, nationalities, and economic backgrounds. HL: Have you been able to keep things going during the pandemic? NF: Yes, we never closed due to the pandemic—not for one day! We made a scary choice at the time: that it was important for TEL HI to stay open to serve the San Francisco community. We kept our doors open, providing childcare for the children of essential workers, doctors, nurses, firefighters, law enforcement, as well as other frontline workers. We also kept our senior food program operating to make sure that our

HL: How are these efforts supported financially? NF: Initially, we received immediate support from donors who knew us well. They saw that we were open, providing services, and making a difference; they didn’t hesitate to support us financially. As more people came to know us, we began receiving funding from new donors. Fortunately, the funding we receive from the city continued, supporting the critical work that we do. In fact, Mayor London Breed presented TEL HI with a letter of commendation for that work during the early days of the pandemic. Additionally, several foundations with which we work closely came forward with financial support. And rather than cancel our annual fundraiser, which was scheduled at the Palace Hotel, we did our first ever virtual fundraising event. I think we were as scrappy as we have ever been because the stakes were so high! But we’re not done yet. There is a huge challenge on the horizon of how we transition our clients from sheltering in place to in-person services—not to mention the students who will need our assistance as they re-enter the classroom for live instruction. There’s still a lot of work to do! HL: Anything new at TEL HI? NF: Yes! The biggest news I can share with you is the opening of our new childcare center at 188 Pierpoint Lane, a half-block from the Chase Center at Mission Bay. Our new childcare center is amazing: the layout of the classrooms, the playground and structure, and the location. We are extremely proud to be able to offer childcare to Mission Bay residents and those who work in the area. This project has been in the works for over six years, and we are finally ready to open our doors to 61 infants, toddlers, and preschoolers sometime this summer. This is big news for TEL HI, as we are expanding our reach outside of the North Beach/Fisherman’s Wharf area. HL: What are your goals for the next three to five years? NF: A few important projects: expanding our childcare centers into other parts of San Francisco and the Bay Area; deepening our commitment to providing STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and math) curriculum by creating a makerspace and recruiting experienced educators; providing important professional development opportunities for our staff; and, looking for ways to venture deeper into social enterprise opportunities that will bring revenues, so that we can reinvest in our programs and services to further our reach and increase the number of people we’re able to serve. We measure success not by net income, but by the number of people we are able to serve. That has now grown from 300 per day when I started in my role to currently over 1,200 per day. telhi.org 51

PROFILE HL: Have you been able to keep things going during the pandemic? SBB: It has been tough, but the staff at the center is resilient and committed. When the shutdown happened, we were only closed for about two weeks so we could prepare for safe, socially distanced programs for children who had to come in for online learning with their schools or for afterschool programs to allow parents who had to work to feel secure. We made sure our seniors did not become afraid and isolated and that they had nutritional meals each day. We started Friday night movies for seniors, yoga, and cooking classes. We did not have to change whom we served, we just changed how we served them.

HL: As a community nonprofit, what is the mission of Booker T. Washington? SBB: “To empower the lives of our neighbors by offering individuals and families the services and support they need to become self-sufficient.” This means keeping our focus on the needs of the community and providing programming that addresses the fundamental needs of families. HL: For what age groups does Booker T. provide services? SBB: We have a generational approach. From children entering nursery school to our teen after-school programs and transition age youth services, we provide a wealth of programs. Our senior wellness program provides exercise, cooking, and other programs to keep our senior community engaged. Our children must be educated, our families must be housed, stomachs must be fed, and elders must be cared for. HL: Can you tell us about the foundational pillars? SBB: Nurture, inspire, and empower are the guideposts from which the center serves community. We nurture our young with day care, afterschool, tutorial, summer camps, and more. We inspire all to seek wellness with our garden program, healthy foods policy, and more. We empower our seniors to live healthy, independent lives, with grocery delivery services and via partnership with Project Open Hand to deliver meals, plus online yoga, cooking, and movie nights to keep them engaged and socializing with others.

HL: Following the centennial in 2020, what are the goals for the next three to five years? SBB: We shall once again thrive beyond the pandemic, because we were birthed in a pandemic. In 1920, the Spanish Flu raged around the world. We came into existence then, serving the urgent needs of the community, and we are confident we will remain resilient in serving community. To paraphrase Nelson Mandela when he became president of South Africa: “When I think of [Booker T. Washington Community Service Center], I see a future so bright, it burns the eyes.” We hope everyone will visit our website to see what we do, how we do it, and donate to help us to continue serving community. btwcsc.org

“Nurture, inspire, and empower are the guideposts from which the center serves community.” – Shelley Bradford-Bell

PHOTO CREDIT: © DAN ST. LOUIS HEADSHOTS, INC.

SHELLEY BRADFORD-BELL Interim Executive Director. Booker T. Washington Community Service Center

HL: How are these efforts supported financially? SBB: We have the greatest staff on earth. We raise funds to help homeless families and help the community with COVID information, testing and vaccinations, and opportunities. The money raised from our 100th Anniversary Celebration in November 2020 has certainly helped. And we are lucky to have individual and corporate donors who continue to support us. The City of San Francisco has been incredible in funding programs around COVID-19 support services, and funders such as Redwood Credit Union and Wells Fargo are supporting us with donations for financial literacy programs. We deliver and that, in turn, brings us incredible support from funders. We lost a great deal of rental revenue for the gym during the past year. It is traditionally utilized by Drew School and other athletics programs, but they are starting to return.

KEVIN CARROLL President & CEO Hotel Council of San Francisco Shuttered landmarks, grande dames, and trendy spots. We’ve sorely missed memorable milestones, weekend getaways, networking events, weddings, and more. Above all, the impact on hospitality jobs has been devastating. Now it’s time to talk about recovery.

PHOTO CREDITS: (LEFT) COURTESY OF HOTEL COUNCIL OF SAN FRANCISCO; (RIGHT) © HUBERTUS FUNKE / SF TRAVEL

HL: Are you bullish on San Francisco, and if so, why? KC: Yes! San Francisco is known as “the city that knows how” for a reason and our phoenix, the mythical bird rising from its own ashes, is our symbol. We always bounce back. Don’t ever bet against San Francisco. HL: Will hotel jobs return to San Francisco and if so, when? KC: As San Francisco and the country begin to reopen, hotel employees will begin to return as well. Memorial Day weekend was the biggest hotel weekend in San Francisco since the start of the pandemic. While most of that was from California-based tourism, we’re hopeful that international tourism will also begin to return in the coming months. HL: What are hotel owners and management saying about recovery? KC: Everyone is feeling cautiously optimistic as the “pent-up demand” for travel is real. However, even the most optimistic assessments say it will be several years before tourism in San Francisco reaches pre-pandemic levels. HL: Any silver lining to come out of this crisis? KC: A lot of creativity, compassion, and innovations have already begun to be expressed in our industry, because of the lessons learned during COVID. hotelcouncilsf.org 53

InterContinental Hotel

DYNAMIC DAMES

PROFILE

Five living legends of San Francisco describe the forces that propel their passions. BY CAROLYNE ZINKO | PHOTOS BY DREW ALTIZER PHOTOGRAPHY

DEDE WILSEY In the Spotlight for Charitable Acts As a girl, Diane B. “Dede” Wilsey dreamed of becoming a musical comedy star like Debbie Reynolds. Later, she shifted her sights to business school; however, back then, options were limited, even for the daughter of diplomat Wiley T. Buchanan, Jr. “You could work for Vogue, Town & Country, Bazaar, or a congressman or senator,” she recalls. “That was respectable.” As an adult, her brains and bravura have taken her to center stage after all—some of the largest philanthropic campaigns in San Francisco’s history. In the past five decades while sitting on a variety of nonprofit boards (and serving as head of the Fine Arts Museums board from 1996 to 2019), she has raised more than half a billion dollars for institutions, including Grace Cathedral, the deYoung Museum, and UCSF Medical Center in Mission Bay. Her success stems from her frankness about wealth and the civic responsibilities that come with it and knowing which arms to twist, thanks to relationships developed on the social scene as the wife of shipping executive John Traina, and after a divorce, businessman Al Wilsey (both now deceased). Wilsey’s passion for change is explained, she says, by her love of ironing. “You look at something with wrinkles and you make it smooth,” she notes. “I like fixing things.” Wilsey made her first charitable donation in grade school—$2.50, half her monthly allowance—to a Christmas project that raised $27 for turkey dinners for the needy. She saw the power in fundraising in 2005, on the day she took off her hard hat and walked through the newly built de Young Museum. It was a 10-year effort in which she had raised $208 million from 7,014 private donors after voters defeated two bond measures to restore the earthquake-damaged original. What she brings to fundraising that a man wouldn’t, she says, is no fear of rejection. “I think men are very sensitive, and they don’t want to take a chance if they think they’ll be rejected,” Wilsey says. “If someone says no, I just go to the next person. I say, ‘I’m not raising money for myself to pay my Saks [Fifth Avenue] bill. It’s for a building.’ You can be successful for the cause if you have a passion. And if you have a passion for something, you don’t take rejection personally. You just work harder to make it happen.”

PROFILE

CISSIE SWIG Ladylike, With Large Impact Charisma. Volume. Force. For some leaders, these are the keys to success. As one of San Francisco’s most respected philanthropists, Roselyne “Cissie” Swig finds another quality to be highly effective: listening. “When people feel comfortable and that they’re being respected for what they say, you have a much better opportunity to establish a relationship and move forward together,” she said. “Actions speak louder than words.” During the past five decades, Swig has helped to shape the arts, create programs for victims of domestic violence, and support Jewish heritage and culture, among other things. She founded two businesses, ComCon International, a consultancy on building community, and Roselyne C. Swig Artsource, an art advisory firm that brought artists and collectors together. She joined the so-called “women’s board” at the San Francisco Art Institute in 1966, and her efforts continue today, with seats on 18 boards, from KQED to the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art to the Jewish Community Federation, to name a few. She was appointed director of the U.S. Department of State Art in Embassies under President Bill Clinton; is a Rockefeller Foundation policy fellow; and is a Harvard Advanced Leadership Fellow, too. All this—in addition to being a mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother—would be dizzying for some. Not for the Chicago native who hailed from a large family, went door-to-door collecting for the March of Dimes in grade school, and says helping others is part of her DNA. “My parents always stepped forward when things had to be taken care of,” Swig recalls. “There was a lot of respect for that.” (While attending UC Berkeley she met future husband Richard Swig; he died in 1997.) In turn, she shows respect for others. After a spate of negative media about Bayview-Hunters Point in 2010, she and John Boland, the former CEO of KQED, went there to find out what merited such coverage. From that curiosity and neighborhood interest, the Bayview Alliance was formed. For 11 years running, representatives of social service agencies (27 at latest count) have gathered monthly to collaborate on progress and concerns. Swig can’t list her proudest accomplishment, noting, “It’s a group effort, always.” What she’s found surprising in her charitable work is how many different reasons people have for giving, how many people who could give don’t, and how much potential there is to do more. “There is so much joy in giving back,” she says.

DENISE HALE Caviar with a Side of Civility Nobody goes to a dinner party because they’re hungry, and those who do probably haven’t been a guest at Denise Hale’s table. The San Francisco hostess, who landed on Russian Hill by way of Europe, New York, and Beverly Hills, is renowned in elite, international circles for “giving wonderful parties,” says a local society maven, “where everyone who anyone wanted to know was there.” Dinner parties are about socializing—sharing ideas and witty rapport—not devouring food or business networking. Having a collection of famous, jet-setting friends from your world travels to invite (actor Michael Caine and his wife, Shakira; conductor Zubin Mehta; the late fashion designer, Gianfranco Ferre) will help. Even if you don’t, take this advice from Hale: “You always have to invite people with good manners.” This means people who speak to the person on their left as much as on their right, leave their smartphones in their pockets during dinner, and moderate their drinking to avoid becoming too boisterous. The thrice-married Hale came to New York and Palm Beach from Rome in the late 1950s for the social season after divorcing her first husband. From American gossip columnist Elsa Maxwell, she learned that one-third of a dinner party’s guests should be single, attractive, and interesting. The biggest mistake Hale ever made was inviting to dinner four powerful couples who’d known each other a long time. “They basically had nothing to say to each other,” she recalls. “I was bored at my own dinner party. Hello!” In Beverly Hills with her second husband, director Vincente Minnelli, she hosted the Hollywood elite in a photo-free zone so VIPs could relax in private. With third husband Prentis Cobb Hale in San Francisco (“the love of my life,” she says; he’s now deceased), she entertained arts, civic, and business leaders, with attention paid to visiting authors and celebrities (Princess Michael of Kent, Dame Edna, David Downton). Strategically seated newspaper columnists spread the word to their readers after dessert. There’s a currency in connecting people in such a way, as well as lightness and optimism for Hale, raised by conservative grandparents in the former Yugoslavia during the Nazi and Communist occupation. “I’m curious to meet any kind of new people,” she says. “Dinner parties are important for seeing old friends, being with friends, and meeting new friends—past, present, and future.” 57

PROFILE

LOIS LEHRMAN The Right Place at the Write Time Lois Lehrman never had a problem walking into a room, but her self-assurance at galas and dinner parties didn’t spring from her title as publisher of the Nob Hill Gazette. It came from experience. In the 1970s, she was the only woman to sell insurance at the male-dominated firm of J.I. Kislak in New Jersey. Nervous before her first big pitch, she asked a colleague for advice. “Just turn the doorknob to the right and walk in,” he advised. She did and sold the client a million-dollar policy. “You’ve got to open the damn door,” says Lehrman, who celebrates a milestone birthday in August. “Get beyond that, and you can go further.” Opening doors became her legacy, literally and figuratively. She met people whose causes she championed in stories that raised awareness among the Gazette’s wealthy and influential readers. Photographer Ray “Scotty” Morris deemed the magazine the “Holy Bible of San Francisco society.” Lehrman, who joined as advertising director in 1981, spread the gospel from 1986, when she bought the magazine from founder Gardner Mein, to 2016, when she sold it to businessman Clint Reilly. She enjoyed running the annual eligibles and best-dressed lists, along with breezy fare like “How Gala Girls Get Their Glow.” She honed story angles with her upscale audience in mind, like the environmental piece on oceans that focused on why pollution made it impossible for oysters to create (pricey) golden South Sea pearls. “Everybody read that, but if I’d said, ‘The ocean will die if you don't preserve it,’ nobody would have,” she says. Under her tenure, the magazine’s motto—“An attitude, not an address”—prompted critics to dub it the Snob Hill Gazette, which Lehrman, no elitist, brushed off. She once famously put a picture of a baboon hugging a newborn on the magazine cover to signify Mother’s Day. “I tried to approach everything with a bit of humor, attention to who was reading it, and no preaching,” she says. In recent years, she has focused on her health (lung cancer, now in remission), and noticed dramatic shifts in the scene, from old money families to VIPs with tech fortunes. “I covered an era of high society that meant something different then than what it means today,” she says. “There were a lot of good people doing good work. I hope the magazine helped foster that and made people feel good about donating and making the city an exciting place to live.”

SHAUNA MARSHALL Rebel With a Cause When people say Shauna Marshall has changed history, it’s no exaggeration. She was a civil and criminal prosecutor for the U.S. Department of Justice Antitrust Division. She helped desegregate the San Francisco Fire Department and bring women into the firehouse through a class action suit by Equal Rights Advocates, where she worked in the 1980s. In the 1990s, as the director of the East Palo Alto Community Law Project, she focused on education equity, economic development, and affordable and livable housing. The group blocked a major redevelopment plan, which was ultimately retooled to provide more benefits to residents of the low-income city than developers had initially proposed. Marshall also taught at UC Hastings College of the Law, rising to academic dean. She worked to enhance clinical and pro bono programs, retiring in 2014. In 2020, she helped create the school’s Center for Racial and Economic Justice and still teaches a course on race, racism, and American law. What else could one expect from a woman who’d been a rebel since childhood? The daughter of a social worker and a lawyer in Great Neck, N.Y., Marshall was influenced by her grandparents. On the maternal side, they were West Indies immigrants, social justice activists, and union leaders. Her paternal grandfather, meanwhile, was a key figure in the Marcus Garvey Black nationalist movement after World War I. “At the dinner table, we talked about issues of social justice and economic inequality and racial inequality,” Marshall recalls. In grade school, she staged a protest over a policy that allowed only boys to use basketball courts at recess. In high school, she convinced her father to talk to the president of a local temple in a bid for meeting space— Marshall and her classmates were planning a walkout to protest the Vietnam War and needed a place for a teachin. “I always had my ideas of how to change the world,” she says. More recently, Marshall has been active with the nonprofit Presidio Dance Theatre, motivated in part by family history. Marshall’s mother sought to be a ballerina, but the racism of the era prevented her from taking the stage. This nonprofit’s mission resonates with her because it’s centered on uniting diverse communities through the arts. “People are always surprised I’m on the board of a dance theater, but it brings me joy. I love that it uses the arts to bridge cultures,” Marshall says. “It’s perfect.”

HAUTE TRAVEL

ILLUMINATED IN THE HISTORY OF SANIBEL ISLAND Following Edison & Ford to Florida’s Gulf Coast island

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE BEACHES OF FORT MYERS AND SANIBEL

BY CHARLENE PETERS

The Lighthouse on Sanibel Island

I FIRST VISITED THE ISLANDS OF SANIBEL AND CAPTIVA, OFF Florida’s Gulf Coast, six years ago. I basked under the sun on its powdery white sand beaches and catered to my cravings with locally caught grouper sandwiches and every permutation of the ubiquitous key lime imaginable— from pies to margaritas to pancakes. My recent return visit to Sanibel was motivated by my curiosity related to how historic figures such as Henry Ford and Thomas Edison found their way here, and why? It turns out Ford and Edison were relative newcomers to a region with a history spanning close to 6,000 years. Historians believe Sanibel was formed by sand and sediment pushed by centuries of ocean storms to form a land mass over 12 miles long and three miles across at its widest point. Three thousand years later, documents show tribes of up to 50,000 Calusa Indians (“fierce people”) as the island’s first residents who, in fact, controlled most of southwest Florida. Millions of shells comprise the beaches of Sanibel; collecting them is a prime tourist activity today. But during the days of the Calusa, the larger shells, conch and whelk in particular, were utilized as utensils for eating, spears for fishing, and to form burial sites of which the mounds still exist as historical proof. Fast forward to 1513, when explorer Juan Ponce de León searched for the elusive Fountain of Youth and happened upon Sanibel. He christened it Santa Isybella in homage to Queen Isabella, and for seven years, he fought to gain control of Calusa land for the glory of Spain. The Calusa were large, well-built warriors who fought back hard. One of their arrows hit Ponce de León and forced him to retreat to the island of Cuba, where he subsequently died. The Spanish, however, continued their attempts to take control of Sanibel. In an ironic twist, the European diseases they brought with them to Florida—from tuberculosis to measles—caused the demise of the Calusas within 200 years.

Henry Ford & Thomas Edison chatting back in the day on Sanibel

“It turns out Ford and Edison were relative newcomers to a region with a history spanning close to 6,000 years”

PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE BEACHES OF FORT MYERS AND SANIBEL

Egrets are easily spotted on Sanibel Island

Millions of shells comprise the beaches of Sanibel

Referred to as “The Buccaneer Coast” in the early 1800s, legend has it that the notorious José Gaspar, a.k.a. Gasparilla, the pirate (possibly fictitious), buried stolen treasure from hundreds of ships he plundered from his base on Sanibel. It is also said his crew abducted the females from those ships and held them captive to serve as concubines or be held for ransom on the portion of the island that later became Isle de los Captivas, the precursor to Captiva Island. Post-Civil War, the U.S. government secured Sanibel as a lighthouse reservation. The 98-foot iron Point Ybel Light can be visited today, as can a schoolhouse built in 1892 to educate the children in the settlement that grew around the lighthouse. In 1928, docks were built on Sanibel and regular ferry service allowed visitors and vehicles to be shuttled to the island from the mainland until 1963, when the Sanibel Causeway became an option for automobiles to make the trip fast and easily. 61

HAUTE TRAVEL

Sanibel Island Lighthouse

RETREAT FOR NOTABLES Severe hurricanes in 1921 and 1926 split the island in two (the smaller part became Captiva), and the saltwater soaking of the land put a halt to the agricultural crops of grapefruit, watermelon, and vegetables. However, these two beautiful islands quickly found a new, modern way to make a living: the hospitality industry. Wealthy industrialists from up north, including inventor Thomas Edison and automotive genius Henry Ford, spent winters in Fort Myers, Florida, and often hopped the ferry to Sanibel for rest and relaxation at a resort known as The Sisters (in 2021, it’s called Casa Ybel Resort). 62

Following the footsteps of Ford and Edison, other American innovators were drawn to the island. Clarence Chadwick spearheaded an agricultural project on the Isle de Los Captivas, today’s Captiva, planting a 330-acre key lime plantation. That site is now the South Seas Resort. Eventually, the island was democratized, and anyone desiring to live on Sanibel could order a home-in-a-box from a catalog, get it delivered by ferry from the mainland, and assemble it on the island. Some of these manufactured homes are still standing today, but most have been relocated away from hurricane zones.

Sculpture at Sanibel Marina

At Sanibel Marina for lunch at Gramma Dots

Path to the beach from Sanibel Moorings

Dinner at Thistle Lodge on Sanibel Island

PHOTO CREDITS: © CHARLENE PETERS

SANIBEL ISLAND TODAY It’s an effortless drive across the 2-lane, 3-mile Sanibel Causeway from Fort Myers to Sanibel and Captiva islands. Sanibel parts ways with Captiva at a fork in the road. From there you’ll drive along, able to spot some of the distinctive flora known to thrive in this hot, humid region: begonias, milkweed, coneflower, canna lily, sea grape, and salt myrtle. Bookending the blacktop is the same sugary sand found on the island’s beaches. Watch for signs warning of gopher and tortoise crossings. Sanibel feels more like an exotic Caribbean island than a part of Florida, especially at beachfront resorts like Sundial, Casa Ybel, and Sanibel Moorings, all with optional villas and suites for short- or long-term rentals. I stayed at Sanibel Moorings, where my suite was shaded by jackfruit trees; the hanging, ripe fruits were the size of footballs. A long, narrow wooden pier projects from the back edge of the resort to the Gulf of Mexico, skimming over the tops of protected sand dunes and their grassy vegetation. Channeling Messrs. Ford and Edison, who once made this place the hottest destination in town, my travel companion and I took a seat at a

corner table at Thistle Lodge, located at Casa Ybel Resort. It boasts a bi-level outdoor deck for dining and is the nearest to the ocean of any restaurant on the island. Indoors is a chic bar and galley dining area with a wall of windows from which to enjoy sunsets. While children frolicked in the nearby pool, I sipped on a very adult red wine from Paso Robles, California, and nibbled on a warm baguette smeared with honey butter. Caesar salads here are crisp, refreshing plates of perfection, topped with near-translucent slivers of anchovy. The filet mignon is rubbed with a proprietary spice blend created by Omar, the Jamaican-bred chef who’s incorporated the flavors of his homeland into many dishes on the Thistle Lodge menu. Edison would have lit up had he been served Omar’s spicy octopus appetizer. And had Ford tasted the filet mignon topped with scallops and its “special” turmeric-based sauce, he’d have been geared up to return to Thistle Lodge again and again for yet another historic and fascinating experience on the island of Sanibel. 63

HAUTE TRAVEL

INCREDIBLE INNS

SOME OF US FELL SO DEEPLY IN LOVE WITH ROAD TRIPS DURING THE pause that we’ve declared them a permanent part of our travel repertoire. That said, our favorite destination will forever be a cosseting inn, full of personality and charm. They reign as the ideal day’s end after hours burning rubber on the highway. Hop behind the wheel and steer your way to some of these 5-star hideaways.

BY BECCA HENSLEY

TWIN FARMS, BARNARD, VERMONT

generation, whimsical, art-abundant interiors by laudable Jed Johnson. Look for pieces by David Hockney and Jasper Johns (among others) on the walls. A member of Relais & Châteaux, the resort reigns as an epicurean’s mecca, as well. Chef Nathan Rich draws from the farm and regional partners for menu-less dinners, picnics among the grounds, and progressive farm lunches. Dip into the pond, relax in the diminutive spa’s Japanese furo tubs, kayak, bicycle, ski (in winter), take a bee tour, or volley on the tennis court.

Storybook Twin Farms embodies the spirit of New England with its leafy lawns, surrounding mountains, verdant gardens, and quintessential collection of architecturally notable buildings. The former country home of writer Sinclair Lewis and canny journalist Dorothy Parker, this all-inclusive, adults-only refuge also personifies their creative legacy through its next-

Room to Book: Eye-popping and opulent, each unique, antique-abundant room and cottage captivates. Go for The Aviary, a bi-level glass and steel masterpiece that both melds into and contrasts with the surrounding natural environment. You’ll swoon over the bedroom’s stone hot tub, positioned in front of the fireplace.

PHOTO COURTESY OF TWIN FARMS

These characteristic havens elevate the road trip

Storybook Twin Farms promises repose

PHOTO COURTESY OF CHÂTEAU DU SUREAU

CHÂTEAU DU SUREAU, OAKHURST, CALIFORNIA For those missing Europe, this European-intoned retreat, located at the gateway to Yosemite National Park, eases that pain and longing for far-flung travel. Founded by an Austrian intent on bringing part of her Old World élan to northern California, this castle-like hotel and its compound reference the French countryside. With just 10 rooms (plus a gorgeous villa), it celebrates the fragrant herbs of Provence, naming the suites for them and incorporating their images and scents in various ways. Dine in the acclaimed Elderberry House Restaurant, repose at Spa du Sureau, wander the lush grounds where benches, swings, bocce ball, and a life-sized chess board await. Each evening, toast the day in the romantic gazebo. Room to Book: Each room provides a slice of European splendor. Opt for the Villa du Sureau which has two bedrooms.

A lofty bedroom in the villa at Château du Sureau

HAUTE TRAVEL

Renovation at Keswick Hall includes a new pool

KESWICK HALL, CHARLOTTESVILLE, VIRGINIA

Room to Book: The Presidential Suite, with combined 1,500 square feet of indoor/outdoor space, has a separate entrance, balcony, and spa-like bathroom. Frette Sheets and custom Red Flower amenities seal the deal. 66

LAKE PLACID LODGE, ADIRONDACKS, NEW YORK Just the term “Great Camp” sounds like an invitation to fun. Recalling the era when blue blooded families of yore summered in rustic cabins amid the forest and lakelands, Lake Placid Lodge summons the Arts and Crafts architectural tradition prevalent in this mountainous region. On the site of an original circa 1882 cabin, the elegantly rough-hewn lodge stands out as the only resort directly occupying

the shimmering lake’s shores. Profuse with local, artisan-made furnishings, the lodge has only 30 accommodations, of which 17 are freestanding cabins. Enjoy the nightly boat ride on the lake, hundreds of hiking trails, complimentary canoes, lawn games, and gastronomic adventures in the acclaimed restaurant, Artisans. Room to Book: Owl’s Head Cabin makes the grade for its romantic seclusion, 2-person jetted tub, dry sauna, and large stone fireplace.

PHOTO CREDITS: (TOP) COURTESY OF KESWICK HALL; (BOTTOM) COURTESY OF LAKE PLACID LODGE

Brimming with historical gravitas, this circa 1912 mansion amid the bucolic, mountainous terrain of the Virginia hinterlands, reopens in August after a multimillion dollar renovation. It features architectural elements by Hart Howerton, lighting by L’Observatoire International, and landscapes by Nelson Byrd Woltz, a triad meant to meld modernity to the past with style. Ensconced amid 600 acres, the posh retreat will feature a new signature temple of gastronomy, Marigold, helmed by celebrity chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten. With a new guest wing, the hideaway also has reimagined resort grounds with red clay tennis courts and an infinity pool complete with cabanas. Hiking, fly fishing, horseback riding, wine tasting (try the owner’s own Keswick Vineyards), and forays into the vibrant town of Charlottesville tempt and can be arranged by the concierge.

A nightly boat ride at Lake Placid Lodge

HERMOSA INN, PARADISE VALLEY, ARIZONA On the verges of Scottsdale in a place called “Paradise” because it boasts 294 days of sunshine a year, atmospheric Hermosa Inn woos travelers enamored with the desert’s otherworldly moods and sights. An historic inn built by famed cowboy artist Lon Megargee in the 1930s, this tony, understated haven invokes the feeling of visiting a friend’s own impressive, yet comfortable, hacienda. With Lon’s original artwork establishing a bygone mood and sumptuous furnishings throughout, the adobe inn also has gardens, an inviting pool, and two distinctive restaurants. For a private, candlelit party, rent the rustic wine cellar which has capacity for 12 guests. Around the Scottsdale area, partake of hot air balloon rides, hiking, horseback riding, desert jeep tours, gourmet excursions, and night sky watching adventures. Room to Book: Indulge in a Deluxe Casita for its airy spaces and capacious bath. Historic Hermosa Inn is known for its characteristic adobe architecture

PHOTO CREDITS: (TOP) COURTESY OF HERMOSA INN; (BOTTOM) © BILL WHLEY PHOTOGRAPHY

WYLDER TILGHMAN ISLAND, TILGHMAN, MARYLAND In 1898, watermen (commercial fishermen particularly adept at crabbing) ruled the roost in Maryland. Today, their legacy lives on in the Chesapeake Bay’s crab loving culture and its scenic coastal playground beloved by seafood aficionados and water sports buffs. Enjoy the vibe at Wylder Tilghman Island. Born from an 1898 original boarding house and situated on a three-mile isle, it encompasses nine acres of 5-star waterfront wonderland. With 50 characteristic rooms, the bay-facing refuge offers the best of Chesapeake traditions. You’ll bike the pathways, canoe and kayak, take chartered fishing trips, swoon over idyllic sunset cruises, learn to sail (or show off your tacking and jibbing skills), and gobble up your share of crab, oysters, rockfish, and more at Tickler’s Crab Shack, the hotel’s quintessential eatery. Enjoy Chesapeake life at Wylder Tilghman Island

Room to Book: Relax in the Waterfront King Suite for the views. 67

PHOTO CREDIT: © FRAN ENDICOTT MILLER

HAUTE HOTEL

68Block courtyard interior North

YOUNTVILLE’S NORTH BLOCK PROVIDES A SINGULAR NAPA VALLEY DESTINATION BY FRAN ENDICOTT MILLER

PHOTO CREDITS: © MARIANA CALDERON PHOTOGRAPHY

North Block interior

ON ITS OWN, YOUNTVILLE’S NORTH BLOCK HAS, FOR MORE than a decade, provided a sumptuous sanctuary for those seeking rest, relaxation, and rejuvenation. Featuring a prime location, luxurious accommodations, a tranquil pool, and top-notch concierge services, a North Block stay checked nearly all the boxes. Now, with the addition of its lively new restaurant, North Block can claim itself a singular destination for experiencing the best of the Napa Valley. The award-winning boutique hotel has always served as neighbor to an adjacent restaurant, but the new eatery is now fully integrated. Helmed by Executive Chef Nick Tamburo, the restaurant’s new

Porcelain flowers and leather greenery details

food and drink experiences will be woven into in-room and poolside dining. The sleek, Erin Martin-designed dining room spills out to the hotel’s charming and lushly landscaped interior courtyard. Martin, a Napa local who also takes design credit for North Block’s whimsically elegant hotel lobby, tapped her international community of artisans to create a welcoming setting that complements the culinary direction. Berlin muralist Michael Dute hand-painted the spectacular crane mural covering the private dining room wall, and New York artist Owen Mann fashioned the oversized porcelain magnolia flowers that line another wall. 69

HAUTE HOTEL

North Block dishes

Tamburo, formerly sous chef at Momofuku Ko and executive chef at Momofuku Nishi in Manhattan, uses California’s seasonal bounty within his simple yet inventive dishes that are already creating a stir within the valley. Several menu items are infused with unique raw and smoky elements. A Japanese grill using binchō-tan charcoal imbues flavor into dishes like the duck à la Gray with lime pickle and crème fraîche, an homage to Tamburo’s former chef-mentor, Sean Gray (Momofuku Ko). A wood burning oven produces naturally leavened, seasonally rotating pizzas. The wood roasted half chicken with matsuri rice, flatbread, yogurt, and hot sauce is quickly becoming a much talked-about signature item. “Cooking with an abundance of seasonal ingredients gives us the opportunity for constant experimentation in the kitchen,” said Tamburo, 70

La Pasión Margarita

who convinced fellow Momofuku ex-pat Andy Wedge to join him in Napa as North Block restaurant’s general manager and beverage director. “We’re challenging ourselves to showcase California ingredients in imaginative dishes that are not only exciting to make, but also exciting to eat.” For his beverage menu, Wedge has compiled a varied list of both local and international wines, local craft beers, and creatively crafted cocktails, such as the NB Old Fashioned featuring bourbon, a hint of coconut, and a lime twist and the Last Paloma with Volcan blanco tequila, yellow Chartreuse, Solerno blood orange liqueur, and grapefruit. Try them both. The beauty of the full North Block experience is that your post-dinner trek is merely a few steps.

PHOTO CREDITS: © MARIANA CALDERON PHOTOGRAPHY

Chef Nick Tamburo

“We’re challenging ourselves to showcase California ingredients in imaginative dishes that are not only exciting to make, but also exciting to eat.” – Nick Tamburo

PHOTO CREDITS: (TOP) © @THENOMADICPEOPLE; (BOTTOM) © TANVEER BADAL

North Block pool

Superior King Room

The hotel’s 20 rooms line the central courtyard, lush with greenery and adorned with hand-painted Italian tile. Six room styles offer choice, each outfitted with plush beds and bedding, cozy robes, Trivoli music systems, Nespresso® coffee makers, and flat screen televisions. A few of the rooms feature fireplaces. Additional amenities include the offer of wine at check-in, after dinner digestifs, morning coffee in the lobby, and a small fleet of first-come, first-served GenZe pedal assist bikes that allow for effortless exploration of town and country. North Block also features one of the valley’s loveliest pools, surrounded by cushy chaise lounges and canopied couch seating. A subterranean spa offers a comprehensive range of services, such as the “Un-Corked,” a foot and back exfoliation followed by massage. Finally, a small fitness room outfitted with Peloton bikes awaits those seeking to counteract the effects of their indulgent wine country stay.

PHOTO CREDIT: © RICHARD VAN

HAUTE FASHION

A Tokyo Gamine coat created in collaboration with artist Hung Kei Shiu at Creativity 72 Explored for Mode Brut, on exhibition at the Museum of Craft and Design this fall.

THE ART OF WORE Creativity takes courage. Behind easy grace and sunny candor, the founder of haute couture darling Tokyo Gamine has it in spades. BY STEPH KEAY

In fact, her process is even informed by Jungian analysis. “It's a THE TRANQUILITY OF SEA RANCH. MOCHI FROM BENKYODO psychological unraveling. I have interview questions, which I usually in Japantown. By the time we reach the front door of Yuka Uehara’s write after I meet [the client]. I take some hints from Carl Jung’s work,” live/work space in SoMa, where an energetic Cavapoo named Frou she says. It’s not a difficult concept to reconcile if you’ve seen Uehara’s Frou rushes us as soon as the door opens, we’ve already touched on intricate creations: swaths of fabric a whirlwind of delightfully offbeat cascading in layers of careful pleats topics. There’s even more to unpack and hand-sewn ruffles. Full skirts as we enter her industrial loft, and long trains transformed into complete with exposed brick walls canvases for beautiful abstract and paint-speckled timber beams. paintings—some understated, A hand-painted, pale pink kimono reminiscent of a serene sunrise in hangs on the wall in a corner of the style of Japanese ink wash and the loft above an elevated platform others striking and Kandinsky-esque. covered with a tatami mat. In the center, a cast iron teapot sits atop a cylindrical tea caddy. I immediately get the sense that there is no object in this space that does not belong. Everything has its place; every item, a purpose. The founder and creative director behind the label Tokyo Gamine, Uehara embodies artist-meetsmodel-off-duty style on this languid afternoon. Outfitted in a crisp, oversized dress shirt—hand-painted of her own volition—she slips off a stylish pair of black, buttery leather flats with a single drop of white paint on them. Her hair floats just below her shoulders, grown out from the The gown Uehara donned at the 2019 SF Opera Ball cheekbone-grazing bob she donned at the San Francisco Opera Ball in The one thing all of her creations have in common is that they 2019, where I first spied her in a flash of color, turning heads in one of transcend the boundaries between fashion and fine art, clothing her own creations. and canvas. Founded in 2015, Tokyo Gamine has been spotted on the red carpets Much like her gowns tell of each client’s personal history, Uehara’s of San Francisco’s premier galas and openings and even the Academy home brims with creativity, sprinkled with lovely artifacts hinting at Awards. The process of creating these one-of-a-kind couture gowns, she tells me, incorporates many psychological elements. “I feel there's her multifaceted character: a 1906 Mason & Hamlin piano painted with swirls of azure, crimson, and emerald; David Corbett’s The Art something about the deep truth of art—of what art is able to do. It’s of Character on a recessed coffee table; an electric guitar resting next about feeling connected on a psychological level between the person to a sewing machine. Though we begin the afternoon seated on the and the artwork.” As a designer, she feels that she can be that bridge sofa, we soon traverse the apartment, exploring each corner a bit like to understand her client and facilitate the process of helping them a museum. understand themselves better as well.

PHOTO CREDIT: © RICHARD VAN

“Founded in 2015, Tokyo Gamine has been spotted on the red carpets of San Francisco’s premier galas and openings and even the Academy Awards.”

HAUTE FASHION

Uehara stands among pieces of an in-progress installation

In the kitchen, she shows me some unfired pottery meant for Tokyo Gamine Gallery, which she created last year in hopes of showcasing Japanese craftsmen after being introduced to them through tea ceremonies. Uehara sets aside the first 30-45 minutes of her day for the practice. It’s not unlike meditation, except with the added perk of indulging in Japanese sweets. “That's where mochi from Benkyodo comes in,” she laughs. She visited the craftsmen in towns such as Bizen, one of the Six Ancient Kilns of Japan. “I was just completely overwhelmed by the beauty that they create.” Uehara even participated in cooking classes to better understand Japanese cooking philosophy, which she likens to Taoism. The collaboration, which seeks to reinvent kaiseki, is an examination of our relationships with the objects we consume—a topic that also comes up as we discuss Tokyo Gamine. “The foundation [of Tokyo Gamine] has always been redefining what luxury means and how to do things in a mindful way, in terms of consumption,” Uehara says. “Having more people interested in this philosophy, I think that's what ultimately Tokyo Gamine is interested in—just to make people think differently about the things that we consume every day.” However, Uehara feels there’s a bigger picture

as well. “As human beings, I feel, more and more, that we are losing something really important. Why are we buying things? Is it to make ourselves look good, so other people can give a thumbs up? Or are you buying something that [truly] makes your soul feel good?” She doesn’t necessarily want to use the word “soul,” but in lieu of a better word, it will suffice. “And, what does that really feel like? Do we remember?” These thoughtful questions hang in the air for a moment, until Frou Frou gets a hold of her squeaky toy and Uehara leans forward to scoop her up gently. Not one to sit still, Frou Frou scrambles around on the leather lounge, peeking around Uehara intermittently before finally settling into her embrace. I turn to my own interview questions—though less Jungian, and more Uehara Proustian, in nature. What, then, might be Uehara’s greatest extravagance? Pensive a moment, she eventually settles on spending time with Frou Frou as her answer. “That’s what makes me the most happy,” she says, as she buries her face in the squiggling ball of soft black and white fur in her arms. When asked about her most treasured possession, she leads me to a wardrobe that reaches almost from the floor to the ceiling, throwing open the doors to reveal a collection of stunning gowns carefully

“The foundation of Tokyo Gamine has always been redefining what luxury means and how to do things in a mindful way, in terms of consumption.”–

Uehara working on a gown

PHOTO CREDITS: © RICHARD VAN

Frou Frou, studio assistant and a girl's best friend

preserved in garment bags. However, these early pieces are more than just material possessions—they are a visual diary of sorts, capturing different phases of creative expression throughout the years, and Uehara’s evolution as an artist and designer. She shows off an exquisite gown made with antique silk kimono obi, hand-sewn to give the gown its unique structure. Worn to the San Francisco Opera Ball in 2015, it was the gown that launched her career. She lays out the gowns on the tatami, providing a striking visual—a time capsule of colors, textiles, and patterns that speak to Uehara’s personal motto: “In order to create something new, you have to destroy— and be brave enough to destroy what you have done already.” Each distinctive piece is a symbol of Tokyo Gamine’s constant reinvention; redefining fashion, art, and what it means to both Uehara and the fortunate wearers of the gowns. She hopes to continue challenging expectations with her upcoming collaboration with Creativity Explored, a local organization supporting artists with

Uehara displays her first Tokyo Gamine creation, worn to the 2015 SF Opera Ball

developmental disabilities. Debuting this September at the Museum of Craft and Design, Mode Brut is a collection of gender-neutral, one-sizefits-all pieces inspired by each of the 11 artists’ personal narratives and artistic styles. The collaboration will encourage viewers to “consider the role fashion can play in responding to questions about accessibility, gender roles, and identity.” Through projects such as Tokyo Gamine Gallery and collaborations such as Mode Brut, Uehara strives to make an indelible mark not only on fashion, but on the lens through which we view ourselves and the world. “I think, in order to create anything, we are looking for some form of truth. What Tokyo Gamine seeks to do is to find answers that all of us are eager to know,” she says. As I step back out onto the streets of San Francisco, I can’t help but feel as though spending the past few hours in Uehara’s whimsical world has reawakened a dormant curiosity about life, and all of the ways in which it imitates art.

HAUTE SCENE

Smuin dancers in the act

GRILL & GALA BY CAROLYNE ZINKO | PHOTOS BY CHRIS HARDY

A dancer addresses the guests

SAN FRANCISCO’S GRADUAL REOPENING MET WITH dancing in the streets outside John’s Grill, where Smuin Contemporary Ballet held a Grill & Gala this spring. Brunch, lunch, and dinner performances sold out quickly to guests, including Hal Louchheim, Trisha Mount, Karen Kadushin, Robert Challey, Dell Larcen, Maria Nazari, and Randy Soso, among others. Tomato and burrata salads were followed by filet medallions with bearnaise sauce and lobster tails or salmon with hollandaise sauce — a prelude to the most sought-after desserts among event devotees: cakes baked by the dancers themselves and auctioned at the event. More than $314,000 was raised overall.

Lisa Giannone wins a cake baked by Menjung Chen.

Artistic Director Celia Fushille and board member Lee Baxter

Dancer Mengjun Chen and Smuin alum Ben Needham-Wood

Auctioneer Devon Bell and dancer Brandon Alexander with his cake for auction

Shawn Alexander, Steve Natterstad, Diane Alexander, Arthur Hoffman, Rachel Schuman, and Linda Membreno

Debra Leylegian and Sam Leftwich

Smuin dancers Max van der Sterre, Tess Lane, Tessa Barbour, and Riccardo Dyer perform.

HAUTE SCENE

A view from the cars

Majestic scenery for the outdoor production

THE BARBER OF SEVILLE Drive-In Opening Night

BY CAROLYNE ZINKO | PHOTOS BY DREW ALTIZER PHOTOGRAPHY

Parker and Kari Coomans with Ronny Michael Greenberg

Nancy and Joaquim Bechtle

Conductor Roderick Cox

WHERE THERE’S A WILL, THERE’S A WAY. THE SAN Francisco Opera’s Barber of Seville Drive-In Opening night moved the show from the War Memorial Opera House to the Marin Center, due to pandemic restrictions on indoor gatherings. A clever retooling compressed the 3-hour tale into 90 minutes, complete with singers, an 18-member orchestra, a stage, three big screens, and sound piped by FM radio to 375 cars on site. “The sense of community and the joy of sharing live performance was palpable,” said Opera Association President Keith Geeslin, “even from behind our individual windshields.”

Prisca and Keith Geeslin with Jerome Guillen and Jeremy Gallagher

Romana Bracco and Leandra Stewart

John Gunn

The live orchestra, socially distanced in a tent

HAUTE SCENE

An exhibit to remember

A student floral fashion design

BOUQUETS TO ART A Floral Escape! BY CAROLYNE ZINKO | PHOTOS BY DREW ALTIZER PHOTOGRAPHY

Gretchen Kimbal, Museums Director Thomas Campbell

AS THE WORLD STARTED OPENING UP LIKE A FLOWER in spring, pandemic-weary citizens found a lovely visual surprise at the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco’s 37th annual Bouquets to Art, chaired by Tracy Barsotti and Jennifer Forbeck. The event, themed “A Floral Escape!,” featured arrangements by 95 Bay Area floral designers inspired by works from the museums’ collections — including those in the Africa and Oceania galleries, for the first time ever. Other treats included floral fashions by San Francisco City College students and elegant summer fare by McCalls Catering and Events. More than $430,000 was raised. Co-chairs Jennifer Forbeck and Tracy Barsotti

Joann Pak, Elizabeth Hundt, Danielle Hobart, Cheyenne Tang

An inspired creation

An explosion of color

Wanda Guttas and Karen Mohr

A stunning display

Elizabeth Birka-White, Ann Girard, Valerie Corvin

HAUTE SCENE

Dr. Gloria Hing, Hendy Dayton

Sweets from ZooFest

ZOOFEST 2021 A Virtual Event

BY CAROLYNE ZINKO | PHOTOS BY DREW ALTIZER PHOTOGRAPHY

Jamie McNellis, John McNellis, Courtney McNellis

Don and Janie Friend

Ellen, Caelyn and Mike Dovey

IF YOU WERE LONELY UNDER COVID-19’S SHELTER-INplace rules, so were the Western lowland gorillas, giraffes, and other creatures at the San Francisco Zoo. Staffers engaged their wards with enrichment and wellness exercises that enabled them to participate in their own health care. It takes $30,000 a day to feed more than 2,000 animals, which made ZooFest 2021 vital in the face of lost visitor revenue. A hybrid gala with 50 inperson and 300 online guests honored late board members Jim Ludwig, Stephen Spaulding, David Dixon, and David Traitel. Here’s something to roar about: roughly $700,000 was raised.

Tanya Peterson, Tim Wu, Robin Wu

Dave and Sarah Carvalho

Rosemary Baker and David Jochim

Brenda Jewett and Mark Holmes

PHOTO CREDIT: © EQROY

HAUTE ART

Louisiana Museum of Modern Art

TRANQUIL SPACES Some of the world’s best sculpture gardens await BY BECCA HENSLEY

WHAT’S SO SPECIAL ABOUT SCULPTURE? PERHAPS IT’S THE WAY IT SHARES the space with us, in three dimensions, almost as if it were alive. Tactile, made from slick marble, gleaming metal, rough-hewn wood, or scores of other materials, sculptured creations draw us into a personal relationship as we study their various angles, forms, and textures. Indoors, sculpture can anchor a room, but in a garden, statues seem to have a life of their own. They complement the vastness of nature, highlighting the plants, flowers, earth, and sky that surround them. From the Netherland’s Kröller-Müller Museum at Hoge Veluwe National Park to the island of Lanai’s tropical oasis at Sensei Lanai, a Four Seasons Resort, these stellar sculpture gardens await your visit.

Kröller-Müller Museum Sculpture Garden

PHOTO CREDIT: COURTESY OF KM MUSEUM

THE KRÖLLER-MÜLLER MUSEUM, OTTERLO, NETHERLANDS Surrounded by national parkland, this lesser-known, European gem reigns as one of the biggest sculpture gardens in Europe. Encompassing approximately 60 acres, more than 160 sculptures pepper a grassland beside the iconic museum house, built by visionary Helene Kröller-Müller to hold her tremendous collection of modern art. With pieces by the likes of Aristide Maillol, Jean Dubuffet, Marta Pan, and Pierre Huyghe, the garden draws harmony from two 1960-era pavilions, one by Aldo van Eyck and the other Gerrit Rietveld. Plan to picnic amid the statuary, then borrow the complimentary white bikes offered to explore the national park and museum grounds. Be sure to save enough time to wander the halls of the museum’s indoor galleries where an immense stockpile of Van Goghs, rated as some of the world’s best, hang. 81

HAUTE ART JACKALOPE HOTEL AT WILLOW CREEK VINEYARD, MERRICKS NORTH, VICTORIA, AUSTRALIA

Emily Floyd’s Jackalope sculpture at Jackalope Hotel in Australia

Southeastern Australia’s Victoria, the nation’s second smallest state and home to Melbourne and astonishingly delectable wine lands, has long has been a creative force in the world. As an artistic hub, it has a huge population of creators and boasts effusive local support for artists of every genre. This spirit extends to hotels and wineries such as Jackalope Hotel which lies within an unspoiled vineyard among the Mornington Peninsula wine region. Sleek and edgy, one of Australia’s top destination stays for design buffs, the hotel breathtakingly juxtaposes with rows of vines, inside and out— especially in its sculpture garden. The Jackalope Art Collection’s goal is to present “rebellious” pieces. They succeed with eye-popping, international works such as Rick Owens’ Stag Bench and Emily Floyd’s centrally placed Jackalope sculpture.

LOUISIANA MUSEUM OF MODERN ART, HUMLEBÆK, DENMARK An easy day trip from Copenhagen and edging the mercurial Øresund coastline, this refined collection stands out as Denmark’s most visited museum. The original structure, a villa, was built in 1958 and has been judiciously enlarged over the decades. Within, remarkable works (think: Picasso, Warhol), dating from 1945 to the present, delight the senses. Outdoors, scattered idyllically amid woodlands and beside the water, 45 sculptures captivate guests. Deliberately situated to interrelate with nature and the museum’s architecture, each artwork feels organic—as in the case of Henry Moore’s Reclining Figure No. 5, which reposes on a cliff with the sea as its permanent backdrop. Look for work by Serra, Calder, and Heerup, among others.

ASPEN MEADOWS RESORT IN ASPEN, COLORADO

Anaconda at Aspen Meadows Resort

A celebrity mecca known for its prodigious ski mountains, chic shops, apres ski party scene, tony galleries and Shigeru Ban-designed art museum (a contemporary pinnacle amid the Victorian-style architectural fabric), Aspen vaunts one of the world’s most impressive Bauhaus playgrounds. A short walk from downtown, Aspen Meadows Resort, the 1950s brainchild of artist and architect Herbert Bayer, houses the Aspen Institute. Its curator supervises a colossal collection of Bauhaus-style artwork, much of it created by Bayer himself. Wander across sprawling lawns and pathways where monumental pieces manifest Bayer’s belief that perfect harmony happens with the interplay of nature, art, architecture, and sculpture. Check out the Marble Garden, a series of upright slabs, and Anaconda, a geometric, sculptural dance. Both guided and self-guided tours are possible.

PHOTO CREDITS: COURTESY OF VISIT VICTORIA; © KIM HANSEN; COURTESY OF ASPEN MEADOWS RESORT

Louisiana Museum of Modern Art Sculpture Park with water view

HACIENDA DEL SOL | TUCSON, ARIZONA Since 1929, this historic guest ranch, with views of the Santa Catalina and Rincon Mountains, has sought to reflect the unearthly beauty of the Sonoran Desert. Just refurbished, debuting an expansion of 40 new guestrooms, and a new pool, the Southwestern-intoned hideaway also showcases its setting with a bountiful collection of local and national art. More than 100 fascinating pieces adorn the buildings and grounds—some deftly nestled into the landscape. The outdoor sculptures feature artists such as Rigsby Frederick, Steven Derks, and Carlos Carulo. Jimmy Descant’s Chief EyeHeart-Gut, Archer of the West exemplifies his celebration of the cultures, people, and mountains of the West. Hacienda Del Sol Tucson has sculptures by artists such as Jimmy Descant

SENSEI LANAI, A FOUR SEASONS RESORT, LANAI, HAWAII

PHOTO CREDITS: COURTESY OF HACIENDA DEL SOL; COURTESY OF COURTESY OF FS SENSEI; COURTESY OF SOUTH CAROLINA TOURISM

Devoted to pursuits of the mind, body and spirit, this wellness retreat on the sleepy island of Lanai believes that fitness goes beyond eating well and working out. Not to say that guests don’t eat well (the restaurant has Nobu in charge) or work out (there are scores of classes and activities offered each day), but Sensei toils hard to create an environment where shifts happen from the soul outward. Part of their gift to guests is a mindboggling art collection, displayed both indoors and outside among the tropical verdancy. Dotting 24 acres of ferns, palms, pools, and flowering trees, the resort’s rich largesse of sculpture includes works by Fernando Botero, Baltasar Lobo, Robert Indiana, and Marc Quinn, to name a few.

At Sensei, an array of art fills the garden

BROOKGREEN GARDENS, MURRELLS INLET, SOUTH CAROLINA

Brookgreen has more than 2000 works among its grounds

Not only can Brookgreen Garden trumpet itself as the first public sculpture garden erected in the United States, it can also brag about having the largest and most comprehensive collection of American figurative sculpture in the nation. On a swath of 9,000 manicured acres, this National Historic Landmark opened in 1931, thanks to founders Archer and Anna Hyatt Huntington. Its 2,000 works, created by more than 450 artists, highlight the serenely landscaped setting, the whole a study in ornamental nostalgia. Offering tours, programs, courses, live oak alleys, and a wildlife sanctuary, Brookgreen is a horticulturist’s dream. 83

HAUTE BEAUTY

HAIR TALK Pandemic Hair Loss Is a Thing

PHOTO CREDITS: KEVIN MURPHY PRODUCTS, COURTESY OF KEVIN MURPHY

BY BECCA HENSLEY

HAIRDRESSERS HAVE HAD THEIR HANDS FULL. AS SALONS REOPENED, many locked-away humans returned to polite society with hairstyles that only the pandemic could love. From rowdy mullets to self-snipped bobs, including buzzcuts, inches of dark roots, box-dyed debacles, waterfalls of unbridled curls, and entire heads of formerly hidden gray lengths, hair seemed to have taken on a life of its own during the pause. But, while most of these hairdo disasters were fixable and though many people decided they preferred their new looks to their old styles, a more menacing hair problem reared its (excuse the pun) head. Hair loss had become the number one hair problem of the pandemic. According to a New York Times story, “You’re Not Imagining It: The Pandemic Is Making Your Hair Fall Out” (February 18, 2021), doctors across the country reported “an uptick in patients suffering from stress-related hair loss.” The article notes that data science firm Spate reported that Google searches for hair loss increased in bounds, with the topic being searched more than 800,000 times. Social media brimmed with hair loss discussions. Stylists sought SOS from haircare manufacturers for their clients. Nutritionists added their two cents (eat an anti-inflammatory diet, etc.). Meanwhile, people losing hair continued to stress themselves out more each time they showered. Scientists and doctors tried to quell the fears. They reminded the worried masses that hair loss is usually temporary and often occurs during periods of immense physical or emotional stress. Not surprisingly, COVID itself caused hair loss. Some scientific studies show that 25 percent of people who faced the virus experienced hair loss in the disease’s aftermath. Many people suffering from hair loss are certain that figure is much higher. “The pandemic, with its stress factors, has been hard on hair,” says Kevin Murphy, an Australian-born hairdresser and founder of his eponymous hair care empire. “Stress in uncertain times has caused renewed focus on hair loss and breakage as well as overall hair and scalp health,” he explains. “In times like this, some people are more susceptible to thinning hair. What we do know is that androgens like DHT are produced in times of stress and may cause the hair to ‘shed’—that’s the technical term. We do offer products, like BODY.MASS, that encourage healthy hair and a healthy scalp and make the hair feel and act thicker from the first use.” Murphy points out that hair does seem to thin overnight, but it doesn’t seem to grow back over night. He suggests a combination of cosmetic and long-term solutions, plus self-care. “Rest assured that with the right type of care and appropriate product, hair health and fortitude can equalize and return to normal,” he says with optimism.

“Stress in uncertain times has caused renewed focus on hair loss and breakage as well as overall hair and scalp health. In times like this, some people are more susceptible to thinning hair” – Kevin Murphy

HAUTE BEAUTY

“We’ve had incredible growth with Iles Formula throughout the pandemic,” says Wendy Iles, the founder of Iles Formula, who spent a decade scouring the globe to find powerful ingredient blends and complexes that would provide hair repair with instant results. Use of her performance-driven, 3-step program promises “soft, nurtured, healthy hair” from the first use. Iles attributes the property’s benefits to the range of unusual ingredients. The shampoo, for example, boasts 16 key ingredients, including an exotic root juice and tucuma seed butter harvested sustainably from the Amazon rainforest. Free from harsh detergents, silicone, paraben, and sulfates, the shampoo’s delicate formula cleanses without stripping the hair’s color or over-drying the strands. “Further, vitamin B5 restores the hair shaft and helps to repair split ends, dullness, and rough texture. Silk proteins from Japan, sourced from non-farmed silkworms, enhance the volume of the hair,” says Iles. From Brazil, Natura Lumina came onto the scene during the pandemic, offering aid for all types of hair— dry, oily, curly, straight, gray, or over-processed. They utilize exclusive Pró-teia Biotechnology, a vegan protein process which has an extreme affinity with the hair strands. Miraculously, it fills the internal pores, eradicating damage and retexturing the cuticle. This strengthens the hair, reducing breakage and improving appearance and manageability. Each Lumina formula also has other active ingredients that treat specific needs, resulting in what feels like a nearly customized haircare routine.

According to a spokesperson from Lumina “the line’s use of pró-teia counteracts hair loss due to stress by treating the threads so that they gain strength, resistance, and malleability.” They suggest choosing the haircare set that matches the consumer’s most obvious need. If hair needs hydration, for example, Lumina Dry Hair Complete Care Set would be the best option; but if lock definition matters, gravitate towards Lumina Curly Hair Complete Care set. “Many customers mix and match,” says the Lumina Natura spokesperson. If hair loss has been a challenge during the pandemic, remember that sometimes it takes finding the right products to match your needs. A scope of supplements (many swear by Nutrafol, an all-natural formula has been very popular; biotin remains a favorite, too), dietary changes, coconut oil masks, haircuts that add the appearance of girth, and thickening serums, conditioners, and shampoos can all help. Most of all, remember that worrying only makes things worse. Find a way to de-stress while you wait to let your hair down in all its Rapunzel glory—as in the before times. It will happen. 87

HAUTE BEAUTY

FACE CARE Online Help for Melasma And More BY BECCA HENSLEY

With co-founders Rob Bradshaw, Ethan Gui, and Carrie Jiao, Silicon Valley-based Jack Jia, a former software entrepreneur, started Musely as a community where people could come together to share their personal beauty, lifestyle, and skincare tips and tricks. By 2018, 30 million monthly readers actively engaged on Musely’s website, app, and social channels. That same year, Jack received the “greatest tip of all.” Dr. Marie Jhin, a renowned Bay Area board-certified dermatologist, now chief medical officer of Musely, wrote in to point out that melasma was a huge problem for countless women. According to her, dark spot creams, Fraxel® laser treatments and IPL lasers often failed to solve the problem. She suggested a dedicated prescription medicine she’d developed. As it happened, Jack’s wife, Cherry, suffered from melasma and willingly became patient zero for what was to become Musely® FaceRX, Jia and Jhin’s new skin car arsenal. Within two years, Cherry’s dark spots had disappeared—completely. Now with 20,000 patients, Musely prescribes FaceRx via telemedicine conferences with board-certified dermatologists. The products range from peels to spot creams. We sat down to chat with Jack Jia with a tube of neck cream in hand. HL: What is telemedicine and how does it work? JJ: It works the same as most doctor visits—but online.

HL: What is a typical consultation like? JJ: That’s the great thing about Musely—it’s not like a typical consultation. With other consultations, it can be difficult to set time aside and go to an office in person. You’d typically wait months and pay hundreds of dollars, but with Musely, it’s fast, easy, and affordable. A 3-minute online dermatologist visit is completed in two parts: a medical questionnaire and photo upload. After you submit your visit, it gets sent to an appointed board-certified dermatologist for review. You’ll receive a custom prescription which can be transmitted to your own pharmacist. Within three days, your very potent medicine will be received. HL: What is FaceRx? JJ: FaceRx are the prescription medications we offer. You can find treatments for various skin concerns on the face, neck, chest, underarms, and even private areas. With FaceRx, you’ll regain confidence with real results! 88 Musely spot cream

Jack Jia, founder of Musely

PHOTO CREDITS: (CLOCKWISE KEVIN MURPHY FROM PRODUCTS, TOP LEFT) COURTESY COURTESY OFOF KEVIN MUSELY; MURPHY COURTESY OF MUSELY; COURTESY OF BURST® ORAL CARE; COURTESY OF GO SMILE

Musely full set

HL: Your treatments focus on skin regeneration and spot removal from the face, neck, and chest. What ingredients are used in your products and how do they address sun damage and ageing issues? J: We use “gold standard” ingredients in all our treatments. The main active ingredients for our dark spot/sun damage treatments are hydroquinone, tranexamic acid, azelaic acid, as well as tretinoin. These ingredients regulate pigment growth in new skin cells, so in a few short weeks, you can see an even, clear, and bright complexion. For aging treatments, we use tretinoin, the only FDAapproved ingredient proven to reverse signs of aging. Tretinoin speeds up the skin cell cycle, which helps to keep the skin plump with collagen and elasticity, so you can age youthfully. Although there are prescription-grade and pharmaceutical medications with similar ingredients on the market, they don’t work as well. Musely FaceRx is freshly compounded and customized for you, so it is 10 times more potent than anything else out there.

MOUTH CARE: BURST® ORAL CARE Who says brushing is boring? Burst Oral Care’s stunning, cordless, compact water flossers and uber-plaque-removing electric sonic toothbrushes (with charcoal bristles to promote whiter teeth) come in three shades: black, white, and rose gold. $69+ burstoralcare.com

HL: What cannot be addressed online? JJ: The neat thing about Musely is that all of our patients are connected with a board-certified dermatologist. With their top training and experience, our dermatologists are able to identify potentially dangerous skin conditions, such as precancerous spots on the skin. These types of conditions are referred to a local doctor to be further examined and treated in-office. HL: What else would you like our readers to know? JJ: If you’ve spent years and thousands of dollars trying to find the holy grail skincare product and still haven’t found it, then you need to try Musely. Ninety percent of our patients have spent years or decades (literally) trying to address their concerns of dark spots and ageing. Nothing ever worked, no matter how expensive or complex the treatment … that is, until they tried Musely FaceRx.

GO SMILE STAIN ERASER TINS Keep stain erasers on hand in this new, fun, sustainable tin. Easy-to-use, patented, portable, and fast teeth whitening applicators prevent daily stains from setting into your teeth and give you minty, fresh breath. Sugar-free and refreshing “Fresh Mint” flavor freshens breath. $10, GoSmile.com 89

HAUTE WELLNESS

BE TRANSFORMED Spas to Immerse in Sense of Place BY BECCA HENSLEY

BEFORE BREAKFAST IN A RUSTIC CHALET AMID PINE trees in Bavaria’s Ammergau Alps, I ease tentatively into a huge, vintage soaking tub. Not filled with water, it brims with decomposed organic matter, a hot, gooey muck of muddy, scrubby, black gunk. Soaking in this 10,000-year-old mountain pine peat, a local heath tradition said to help women conceive and to alleviate arthritis and other joint pain turns out to be restorative. The hourlong bath not only eases anxiety, but also nullifies my physical aches. Completely renewed, I hop out, take the requisite ice-cold shower to cleanse my skin, and veritably run up the mountain with an abundance of energy that lasts all day. In Japan, I anxiously take my seat in an esthetician’s sleek chamber. Gracefully, she gathers her supplies, stirring a bowl filled with something white, she grins at me, then begins slathering it gently over my face. I’m experiencing the world famous “bird poop” facial, a skincare treatment, which dates back centuries to Japan’s pre-Edo period, when geishas used nightingale droppings to brighten and exfoliate their faces. Typically mixed with rice bran, the popular facial, which imparts a healthy dose of urea and guanine, isn’t a gimmick. The results—glowing, hydrated, line-free

skin—speak for themselves. During three decades as a spa editor, I’ve had my aura photographed in Sedona, been massaged with an olive branch in Israel and a Maasai warrior’s wooden baton (rungu) in Tanzania, tried past life regression, sat in a steaming tamazcal, been tapped with a hammer, let fish nibble my feet for a pedicure, sat naked with thirty strangers in Malmo, then jumped into the frozen sea to contrast bathe, and done plenty of goat yoga sessions. In the name of research, and personal fulfilment, I’ve been sprayed with freezing water from a high-powered hose, showered in wine, been wrapped in giant tea bags, blessed by shamans, immersed in the petals of one thousand roses, whispered with horses, swum with dolphins, been covered with Balinese coins, swaddled in seaweed, and rubbed with raw eggs. I’ve done music therapy, water therapy, crystal therapy, fire therapy, and oxygen therapy. In the end, I’ve discovered that I’m not satisfied with a classic massage. How about you? To whet your appetite for sense-of-place spa treatments that exude authentic wellbeing, we round up a few favorites to add to your list.

HAUTE WELLNESS

AXE THROWING AND MOONLIGHT BICYCLING AT THE BOULDERS, CAREFREE ARIZONA

COW CUDDLING AT MOUNTAIN HORSE FARM, NAPLES, NEW YORK

Proving that almost any activity counts as a spa treatment if done meditatively, this yin and yang of spa pursuits comprises only a portion of the vast possibilities offered at this profound spa, poised among ancient rocks and otherworldly dessert environs. Find your Zen beneath a million twinkling stars as you pedal beside night-blooming cacti lit by the glowing eyes of watchful coyotes, jackrabbits, and javelinas. Conversely, in the morning, find your warrior focus when you learn to pitch a hatchet across the lawn, aiming for a bullseye. Empowering, good for burying the hatchet, this activity also benefits team building.

Moo-dy? Try some moo-therapy among a herd of friendly bovines at Mountain Horse Farm, a cruelty-free, B&B wellness resort in upstate New York’s bucolic Finger Lakes region. Cow hugging, believed to have started in Holland, begins with a farm tour, which ends with participants embracing cows, a calming act which reduces stress and initiates a warming sense of positivity. It’s believed that the tranquil effects of snuggling a pet and its accompanying boost of oxytocin has an even bigger impact with a larger animal. Choose to “glamp" at night in one of the farm’s kitted-out tipis.

LYRICAL HIKING AT LOIRE VALLEY LODGES, LOIRE VALLEY FRANCE

Leafy and verdant, France’s castle-flecked Loire Valley served as the playground for bygone royalty looking for a rural weekend way from urban Paris. Today, it attracts tourists for its wine, nature, and historical sites. Snuggle into one of Loire Valley Lodges’ luxurious, forestsurrounded tree house suites located just a short drive from bucket list châteaux—such as Château de Chenonceau. Join the hotel’s founder, Anne Caroline Frey, for a 2-hour “forest bathing” romp to commune with the woods. Or set out ready to croon. You’ll tromp alto voce on a sing-a-long walk among wooded pathways. The hotel’s “lyrical hikes” are led by a worldrenowned tenor. Both experiences teach guests how to breathe with the trees and reconnect with nature’s offerings.

PHOTO CREDITS: (LEFT TO RIGHT) COURTESY OF THE BOULDERS; COURTESY OF MOUNTAIN HORSE FARM; COURTESY OF LOIRE VALLEY LODGES

PHOTO CREDITS: (LEFT TO RIGHT) COURTESY OF HOTEL ALHAMBRA; COURTESY OF FS PUNTA MITA; COURTESY OF VELAA PRIVATE ISLAND.

INHALATION BAR AT THE SPA AT BOUTIQUE HOTEL ALHAMBRA, LOSINJ ISLAND, CROATIA

Long considered an aristocrat’s wellness mecca and a favorite of the Hapsburg clan, Losinj vaunts a unique microclimate, profuse with Aleppo pines, mineral-rich sea water, hundreds of medicinal plants, and deeplyentrenched healing traditions. Today a glamorous spa outpost, the island has a trove of award-winning hotels and wellbeing centers. Lavishly restored, Alhambra Spa honors the past with a contemporary outlook. Its nod to bygone times includes its Inhalation Bar, where modern guests can gather, like those from the past, to socialize and breathe in fine mists of salubrious seawater and nature’s own therapeutic plant-based aerosols.

TEQUILA MASSAGE AT FOUR SEASONS RESORT PUNTA MITA, RIVIERA NAYARIT

Turns out tequila isn’t just for swilling. At the mystical, seaside Four Seasons Resort Punta Mita, on the Riviera Nayarit, just an hour north of Puerto Vallarta, they boast a tequila sommelier. But, spa goers can take their agavebased beverage on their back at the spa, leaving the bar behind—at least for awhile. During a vitality-rich Punta Mita Tequila Stone treatment (a long-time guest favorite), enjoy the healing magic of an ancestral recipe that combines tequila and sage oil to liberate muscle tension, improve joint mobility, and awaken circulation. The therapists “close the bar” with customized pressure using a combination of hot stones, forearms, and hands.

SLEEP POD AT VELAA PRIVATE ISLAND, MALDIVES

You’d think sleep would come easily after the long flight to the Maldives, a nation formed by some 1,800 islands. But many travelers pack and carry their problems and worries, toting them like extra clothing for the ride. When sleep won’t come, Velaa Private Island, nestled within the Noonu Atoll, has a cure as stylish as the award-winning, design-centric resort itself. Find 40 winks in the Cloud 9 sleep pod, created to aid sleep and reduce stress by cradling guests and swaying them, as if they were babes being lullabied to slumber by a nanny who had mastered the machine’s multi-sensory blend of color and light.

HAUTE WELLNESS

WELLNESS MAVENS These wellbeing experts are making the world a better place BY BECCA HENSLEY

WISE WOMAN. IT’S A MYTHOLOGICAL ARCHETYPE AS OLD as time. Essentially, it refers to a community’s well-respected elder, a person with a knowledge of lore, magical charms, therapeutic skills, herbal medicine, and/or a deep-rooted history and morality tales. This person, brimming with knowledge, dedicates herself to healing—it’s their raison d’être. Lucky for us, wellness warriors exist in real time. Note the following coterie of wellness-obsessed, therapy-bringing health advocates below. Each one plays a vital role as a modern-day wise woman. Salud!

SARA AUSTER SOUND THERAPIST

SYLVIA SEPIELLI FOUNDER SPAD

Sound therapist, meditation teacher, and author, Sara Auster brings transformative experiences and restorative sound bath therapies to the world. Deeply immersive, her sound sessions use harmonic vibrations “created by singing bowls, tuning forks, gongs, and other overtone-emitting instruments to stimulate alpha and theta brain waves.” This envelops listeners in deep, meditative states. Awash in the resulting tranquility, participants often feel a sense of full body restoration, emotional reset, and ongoing calm. Sara, who describes wellbeing as “being able to hold beautiful space for yourself,” calls her work an invitation to a new world. “This world offers unexpected information, insight, and creativity that is available when you move out of your mind and listen deeply with every cell in your body. It holds the possibility of experiencing your life in new ways as you listen to yourself, others, and everything around you differently. It offers deep rest, restoration, and connection to your inner sensing self,” she explains. She suggests a daily meditation practice, being mindful of what you put into your body and how you move it, and also urges folks to pay attention to “the words you speak, how you express yourself in the world through your actions, and how you make other people feel.” Access her sound baths on AUSTER SOUND, her membership site, which has a library of on-demand content as well as live, monthly sound baths.

With a hand in conceiving and executing the concept for some of the world’s most lauded spas, Sedona-based Sylvia Sepielli, founder of SPAd, has played a fundamental role in today’s still evolving spa culture. Whether it’s the ancient Roman-intoned, hydrotherapy-savvy Spa Village at The Gainsborough Bath Spa (Bath, England), the glamorous Dolder Spa at The Dolder Grand (Zurich, Switzerland)—an urban retreat that harnesses surrounding nature—or Palm Beach Florida’s The Breakers Spa (at The Breakers hotel), which summons dappled sunshine and cobalt seas, her ability to intuit and reinterpret a setting into a spa has no equal. Simply spending time in one of her spa creations provides a dose of sense-of-place, while also offering a chance to take an inner journey. Regarding the industry, Sylvia fears it has become too corporate. As Millennials and Gen Z quickly become the new spa regulars, she vows “to focus on developing and supporting unique owner/ operators and non-spa spa experiences,” wishing to keep things as soulful as possible. A philosopher who never stops learning, Sylvia advocates being open to new experiences and embracing differences of opinions “as much as you embrace all other sources of diversity. Above all,” she says, “take pleasure in your life.” PHOTO CREDITS: COURTESY OF SARA AUSTER; COURTESY OF SYLVIA SEPIELLI

HAUTE WELLNESS

PHOTO CREDITS: COURTESY OF SUSIE ELLIS; COURTESY OF KIM MARSHALL & DARLENE FISKE

SUSIE ELLIS CO-FOUNDER, CHAIR & CEO GLOBAL WELLNESS INSTITUTE AND GLOBAL WELLNESS SUMMIT Susie Ellis. chair and CEO of the nonprofit Global Wellness Institute has a prediction. In our very near future, all travel will become wellness travel. She points out that, for most people, wellness is a major priority. Even the medical community now recognizes the value of self-care, something spas have long touted. Long a voice and leading authority on wellness trends, Ellis believes that there are myriad ways to embrace wellbeing. Her advice is simple. “Explore and find things you enjoy and love—things that are good for your overall wellbeing: body, mind and spirit.” She notes that the time and money spent on self-care is worthwhile, because when you honor yourself, you also honor others. “You do it not just for yourself, but also for the other people in your life.” A popular speaker and co-founder, chair, and CEO of the Global Wellness Summit, an organization focused on facilitating collaboration among the wellness industry’s thought leaders, Ellis explains that if COVID taught us anything, it may be that “relying solely on the medical system for our health is not enough.” While the medical community clearly contributes to our overall health and wellbeing in vitally important ways, Ellis argues that we each need to do our part to keep ourselves healthy. “Prevention is the north star,” she says.

KIM MARSHALL & DARLENE FISKE CO-FOUNDERS: S’WELL PUBLIC RELATIONS Best known as the dynamic duo of wellness public relations, Kim Marshall and Darlene Fiske have more than half a century of combined experience in the spa and wellness industries. Luckily for everyone with a stake in salubrious living, these highly motivated, deeply entrenched experts founded S’Well in 2018, when they recognized a need for strategic messaging in the growing, $4.5 trillion global wellness industry. They cover a wide range of sectors, from travel to public health. Consultants, speakers, media mavens, publicists, idea makers, connectors, these two creatives feel lucky to be doing what they love. Knowing so much about the industry, how do they define wellness? Darlene seeks balance. “I work hard and relax hard. For me, that might mean a walk along the beach, listening to the birds in my backyard, or meeting some friends for a hike. One of my goals is to always keep moving. We all should move in some way, every day. I think that’s one of the keys to longevity.” For Kim, wellness is about the Golden Rule of being true to yourself. “How can we love our neighbors if we don’t take the time to love ourselves? How can we have the energy to help others if our own bodies are broken?” she asks. In terms of wellness trends on their minds, the S’Well duet have opinions. Darlene lauds “travel as reset”— that is, taking time for meaningful getaways. Kim, moved by the pandemic’s consequences, has focused on something she calls “Dying Well Matters.” “My new motto this year is ‘say your saids and do your dos’—don’t let people guess how you feel about them, especially those dearest to you. And don’t put off your dreams. You never know when it will be too late.” 97

Festival Napa Valley's FEATURE

Celebratory Return to Wine Country

Opus One Winery

10 Best The

Days of Summer BY JENNIFER BODEN | PHOTOS BY BOB MCCLENAHAN & DREW ALTIZER PHOTOGRAPHY

FEATURE Festival Napa Valley comes back strong in 2021! The outdoor events, held July 16 to 25 throughout wine country, always deliver a complete lineup of world-class artists, including Michael Fabiano, Roberto Bolle, Lisette Oropesa, Jean-Yves Thibaudet, Nia Imani Franklin, and more. “While the decision to present all performances outdoors was made primarily for the health and safety of our artists, audience members, and community, it is in harmony with what people have come to love about Festival Napa Valley: one-of-a-kind performances and events surrounded by the incomparable beauty and enchantment of Napa Valley,” said Festival Napa Valley President & CEO Richard Walker. Marking the Festival’s 15th anniversary and celebrating the return to live events, all tickets are $15 for evening concerts on Festival stages at Charles Krug and the Culinary Institute of America at Copia. All daytime concerts are admissionfree (reservations required). “This is our gift to the Napa community, made possible by the generosity of our Board and donors,” said Charles Letourneau, Vice President & Director of Artistic Planning. In addition to presenting the wide range of performing arts for which Festival Napa Valley has become renowned – from symphonic concerts, opera, and dance to chamber music and jazz – the 2021 Season will see the launch of three major new initiatives: The Manetti Shrem Opera Program: a comprehensive celebration of the vocal arts including fully staged and semi-staged opera performances, a tuition-free summer conservatory providing advanced study and performance opportunities to college-aged students and recent graduates, and scholarship prizes for extraordinary young opera singers with emerging careers. Frost School at Festival Napa Valley, a multi-year partnership with University of Miami’s Frost School of Music, with Frost faculty and students playing a lead role in the Festival’s Academy, Symphonic, and Chamber Music programs. The Joel Revzen Conducting Fellowship, a career development grant and performance opportunity for a rising conductor, awarded in memory of the beloved faculty member of the Festival’s Blackburn Music Academy who succumbed to complications from COVID-19 last year. “More than $10 million has been raised to date for Festival Napa Valley’s arts education and community programs. This summer will be an especially joyful celebration, as we reopen the arts with the first live events many of us will attend in a very long time,” said Timothy Blackburn, Ph.D., Festival Napa Valley Chairman. For more information on this year’s festival visit www.festivalnapavalley.org 100

Outdoor Concert

Rich ensemble of both live and virtual programs

Castello di Amorosa

Festival

NAPA VALLEY 2021 HIGHLIGHTS

A glamorous Opening Night at Charles Krug with internationally acclaimed soprano Lisette Oropesa, winner of the 2019 Richard Tucker and Beverly Sills Awards, in recital Arts for All Gala held at Nickel and Nickel winery benefiting Napa County public school arts education and the Festival’s community programming The Four Seasons of Napa Valley, encompassing three world premieres as part of celebrated cellist Matt Haimovitz’s Primavera Project, and violinist Chad Hoopes performing Vivaldi’s Four Seasons Exquisite Patron Dinners and Vintner’s Luncheons at HALL Napa Valley, Opus One, Charles Krug, Frank Family Vineyards, Bardessono, Cliff Lede Vineyards, Auberge du Soleil and more… Festival Napa Valley’s inaugural Manetti Shrem Opera, Puccini’s Gianni Schicchi, starring baritone Lucas Meachem, directed by Jean-Romain Vesperini and conducted by Kent Nagano in his Festival debut The annual Dede Wilsey Dance Gala featuring Italian superstar and former ABT principal dancer Roberto Bolle and Friends A very special Tribute to Tony Bennett, featuring his most beloved songs performed by a star lineup of artists Two free symphonic concerts with Festival Orchestra Napa featuring principal musicians from the Frost School and the Blackburn Academy Composer-in-residence Nia Imani Franklin, with several world premieres and a featured performance in a Novack Concert for Kids Closing night Opera Under the Stars with American tenor Michael Fabiano and winners of the Manetti Shrem Prize, conducted by James Conlon Season Finale at Alpha Omega features a private concert and bodacious barbecue with owners Robin and Michelle Baggett

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HAUTE RESIDENCE

THE VILLA COLLECTION AT THE RITZ-CARLTON RESIDENCES, MIAMI BEACH

THE VILLA COLLECTION AT THE RITZ-CARLTON RESIDENCES IN the heart of mid-Beach in Miami Beach consists of 15 unique villas designed by world-renowned Italian architect Piero Lissoni and executive architect Ralph Choeff. The two-story villas have five different floor plans featuring 3, 4, and 5 bedrooms ranging from 3,263 to 4,643 square feet plus spacious private terraces, 2-car garage, and fully fenced private gardens, each with an infinity-edged pool. There are eight waterfront villas with private boat dock and seven garden villas with lush tropical gardens. While the villas are free-standing single family homes, they can enjoy the Ritz-Carlton’s bespoke resort-like amenities and services with the other 110 Ritz-Carlton Residences including an art studio, a half-acre rooftop pool deck, a poolside private restaurant, a children's playroom, a library, a yoga studio, a meditation garden, a cinema screening room, community garden, club room, waterfront social room, a luxurious spa with fitness center, and a 102

Frauscher house yacht with an on-site captain. There is also the world's first residential art studio and medical concierge with the author of The South Beach Diet, Dr. Arthur Agatston. Architect Piero Lissoni is famous for elegant designs and contemporary simplicity. The interiors of the villas are equipped with top-of-the-line brands, including Boffi kitchens custom-designed by Lissoni, Gaggenau refrigerators and freezers, gas cooktops, microwave ovens, stainless steel wall ovens, wine coolers, coffee makers, fully integrated dishwashers, Elica range hoods, and expansive Italian stone countertops. Master bathroom features a soaking tub, Fantini plumbing fixtures, oversized, glass-enclosed rain shower, and stone floor and walls. Additional features include an airconditioned, 2-car garage, variable refrigerant flow HVAC system, laundry room with Electrolux front-loading washer and dryer, Lualdi solid-core oversized doors, and expansive hurricane-resistant windows and doors.

PHOTO CREDITS: COURTESY OF RITZ-CARLTON RESIDENCES

BY OLIVIA DECKER

Scheduled for completion in 2022, The Villa Collection has been met with swift praise from well-heeled buyers and is rapidly approaching a near sell-out. Featured here is one of the last remaining villas. Villa S03 offers three bedrooms, three and half baths, two-car garage, enclosed area of 3,793 square feet including the 2-car garage and terraces of 1,257 square feet making a total over 5,000 square feet on a 7,499 square foot lot with a private pool and pool-side dining deck. The soaring 10 feet high ceilings and wall to wall sliding glass doors opening onto the pool and garden, the light-filled open floor plan Great Room includes kitchen, dining and living room. Offered at $4,800,000. For further information, please email: Olivia.HsuDecker@SothebysRealty.com or Aimee.Deupi@SothebysRealty.com

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HAUTE AMBASSADOR Events About Town

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AUBREY ABOUT TOWN The Rotunda at Neiman Marcus BY AUBREY BREWSTER

WHEN I WAS ASKED TO WRITE ABOUT MY HAPPENINGS “about town,” naturally, I had to begin with my favorite San Francisco daytime haunt, the Rotunda at Neiman Marcus in San Francisco, and how much I have missed hosting or attending luncheons with friends, and my leisurely days hanging out with my pals at my usual table in the lounge during the closure mandated by the COVID-19 pandemic. I’ve been a daily fixture at Ro, (er … the Rotunda) for nearly two decades. “Ro” is a nickname born of laziness from the early days of me texting on a T9 keypad of my Motorola flip phone— pre-Blackberry. Luckily, the iPhone was on the way. Hey, it was the late ’90s. I was dubbed “The Mayor of the Rotunda,” a phrase first coined by former Neiman Marcus GM, John Cappese, and it stuck. For the love of God, one of my closest and oldest friends, Sonya Molodetskaya, to this day still has me listed as “The Mayor of the Rotunda” in her cellphone. For me, the perspective of lunching at Ro differs from that

of the average or special occasion diner, as the Rotunda and Neiman Marcus were my daily haunt for more years than I wish to confess. The staff grew to be like family over the years and have helped me facilitate many a momentous occasion. Boy, I’ve hosted some over-the-top events! After over a year of closure due to COVID, rumors spread through social media of the Rotunda closing permanently, but the rumor was only that—a rumor. On the contrary, Neiman Marcus’ Rotunda was eager to reopen when safe to do so—and to reopen better than ever. Under the Rotunda’s dome, inlaid in the stained glass “rotunda,” lies the Latin phrase “fluctuat nec mergitur," meaning “tossed by the waves but never sunk." The motto is traced back to at least 1358 and was used by the city of Paris, France, hence its use by The City of Paris department store, San Francisco’s premiere luxury retailer from 1911 until its closure in 1977 (where Neiman Marcus now stands). The phrase that couldn’t be more meaningful today.

Aubrey Brewster, a bon vivant and man about town. A product of his environment. His affinity for cooking, fashion, and entertaining was inherited from summer vacations shared in Charleston, West Virginia with his southern belle model–turned-hostess grandmother. It should come with no surprise that Brewster followed in his grandmother’s footsteps, with an inherent talent for hosting legendary parties and often listed amongst San Francisco’s best dressed. Aubrey is a San Francisco native, traveler, food and lifestyle blogger (aubreyabouttown.com) and resides in San Francisco with his husband, Edward. Aubrey can be found enjoying afternoons lunching with friends at Neiman Marcus and some of San Francisco’s favorite haunts when not hosting or attending events.

Alas, the Rotunda has survived the stormy waves, and we loyalists and shoppers alike are delighted to celebrate Ro’s grand reopening on June 15! Guests will be happy to know that the Rotunda’s doors reopen to a fresh, new start with a new executive chef, restaurant manager, and beautifully remodeled dining room, along with some other new and exciting changes in-store, including a new vice president and general manager, the marvelous Mark Sullivan! Mark and his executive team (and my pals), assistant manager Theresa Spirz, senior group manager Shannon Nicols, and brand experience manager Ali Shahbazi, are also excited to announce the addition of the new, luxuriously renovated Penthouse on 5, a chic space located on the fifth floor of the former home furnishings department (and where I hosted my Kaiseki Bloom birthday luncheon back in 2019). This cool and fashionable spot is perfect for intimate VIP events, including elevated spa events and private beauty masterclasses with your favorite brands. The sunny and welcoming space overlooking Geary Street can be easily custom-furnished and will be available to top VIP clients for intimate gatherings, with catering provided by the beloved Rotunda restaurant on the floor below.

(2017) Aubrey Brewster’s Purely Paradise Luncheon, The Rotunda

“Under the Rotunda’s dome, inlaid in the stained glass 'rotunda,' lies the Latin phrase 'fluctuat nec mergitur,' meaning 'tossed by the waves but never sunk.'”

Aubrey Brewster

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HAUTE AMBASSADOR Events About Town

(2019) Aubrey Brewster and Farah Makras, Aubrey’s Kaiseki Bloom Birthday Luncheon, Penthouse on 5 at Neiman Marcus

Mark and his executive team graciously hosted me and some close friends at Penthouse on 5’s inaugural event, an elegant and COVIVD-safe “Belated Birthday Toast” soirée where my friends, including Farah Makras, Sobia Shaikh, former Mayor Willie Brown, jazz icon Paula West, and Haute Living editor-in-chief Teresa Rodriguez, toasted my birthday, sipped on splits of Veuve Clicquot champagne, and noshed on copious spoons of caviar and potato chips (my way) and scrumptious, raspberryfilled birthday cupcakes from their very own beautifully adorned, private (and socially distanced) highboy tables. The posh McCalls Catering & Events catered the party. I recently sat down to lunch with the new man in charge, Mark Sullivan, at San Francisco’s popular Kokkari Estiatorio to learn more about his illustrious career and to discuss new happenings around Neiaman’s. A native of the United Kingdom, Mark is a graduate of the University of London. His career began at Harrods of Knightsbridge where he developed a love for fine dining and the beautifully accessorized dining table. In 1992, he joined Nuance Global Traders as general manager and undertook assignments in Gatwick Airport, London; Charles de Gaulle, Paris; and Hong Kong International Airport. In 2000, he joined DFS, a travel retail distribution channel of the luxury goods LVMH Group. Recruited as the general manager for the DFS Galleria in Union Square, San Francisco, he undertook assignments at San Francisco and San Jose International Airports, the DFS Galleria in Saipan, and Tumon Bay Galleria in Guam before moving to the DFS corporate headquarters in Hong Kong as the global vice president for human resources. Prior to leaving in 2019, Mark was the managing director for DFS North America and sat on the Visit California and SF Travel Board of Directors to promote tourism. No stranger to the Bay Area and before joining the Neiman Marcus Group as vice president and market general manager for Northern California, Mark was the vice president and general manager for Bloomingdales, Valley Fair in San Jose. Mark became a US citizen in November 2019. He married the love of his life, Andy Tidwell, in 2002, and together they have three children. Grace is 14, a freshman in high school, and the twins, Sophia and Tyler (12 years), are in seventh grade. Willow, the family’s 17-month-old labradoodle lovingly rules the house. Much like me, Mark loves to cook and entertain, and he supports the performing arts. Mark enjoys passing down his passion for cooking with his kids, and their favorite pastime at home is cooking together.

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Mark Sullivan, Vice President and General Manager, Neiman Marcus San Francisco

(April 16) Private Table “Belated Birthday Toast,” hosted by NM, Penthouse on 5 at Neiman Marcus

(2019) Sakura Arch Bridge to Aubrey’s Kaiseki Bloom Birthday Luncheon, Penthouse on 5 at Neiman Marcus

BRIEF HISTORY OF THE ROTUNDA Back in the early 1980s, the glass rotunda was dismantled, piece-by-piece, and shipped to Boston, where it underwent extensive restoration. It was then installed about 75 feet from its original position near the building’s core for Neiman’s grand opening in November 1982. Most of Neiman Marcus’ restaurants are named “Mariposa,” Spanish for butterfly (the logo of NM), or “Zodiac.” Originally, the Rotunda was to be named Zodiac; however, at the time, the infamous Zodiac Killer was terrorizing San Francisco; so, for obvious reasons, the name “Rotunda” was selected. The food: A well-traveled gentleman, store founder, and self-proclaimed gourmand, Stanley Marcus’ passion for food and fashion ultimately played a role in his decision to be the very first retailer to merge both. He knew the importance of creating an elegant space where fashionable ladies could spend the afternoon taking in fashion shows, shopping, and lunching. The socialites of Dallas quickly took to the concept, and the “Ladies Who Lunch” was born. American culinary icon and chef, the late Helen Corbitt, a NYC-born Dallas transplant, is considered the mother of New American continental cuisine and the creator of the Neiman Marcus menu. Though the menu has undergone transformations to reflect the times and locales, Corbitt’s classics can still be found on the menus today. Upon being seated for lunch, guests are greeted with an amuse-bouche of hot chicken consommé, a NM tradition Corbitt began in 1953. Menu classics include the famed (and most popular) lobster club, the classic chicken salad (now called the NM chicken salad)—secret, and not on the menu: I will order the chicken salad as a club sandwich, omitting the lobster—the famous popovers and strawberry butter, and, of course, the infamous NM chocolate chip cookies, cookies so delightful that an urban myth was born!

As the story goes, after enjoying one of the famed cookies, a lady asked the server for the recipe. The server was more than happy to accommodate her wishes (as NM does). Upon the delivery of her check, and to her dismay, she is said to have discovered that she was charged $250 for the coveted recipe, and a legend was born! Though, an amusing tale, Neiman Marcus has never charged for the recipe and is more than happy to share it. The recipe is available from the Rotunda’s host or free to download on their website. Today, Kevin Garvin, NM’s vice president of corporate food services, continues to interpret Corbitt’s vision of luxury dining with the classics and new innovative menu items. In celebration of some of NM’s classics, they have now made them available on their new “take it to go now” menu. You can take home the famed popovers and chocolate chip cookies by the half dozen and the NM chicken salad and consommé (chicken broth) by the pint. One could usually find me ordering my regular selections of fried lobster spring rolls (an homage to San Francisco’s illustrious Chinese culture and, luckily, back on the menu) and the sustainably-grown California Tsar Nicoulai caviar with a side of potato chips and crème fraîche (ask for the “Aubrey” way), and, of course, the burger! Besides the picturesque and historic room, the classic menu, and the happenings at the bar, it’s really about the guests. You never know whom you’ll run into. From the fashionable society fête, the special occasion diner whose holiday and birthday lunches are “tradition,” afternoon tea (don’t ever call it “high tea,” a faux pas) with Mom, or “the girls,” bridal-to-baby showers, first-time tourist, businessperson, to the colorful cast of regulars, the diversity of Rotunda’s clientele represents all that is San Francisco. And the warm staff is always welcoming and pleased to see you.

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HAUTE AMBASSADOR Events

At the starting line

MIAMI BEACH POLO WORLD CUP

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WHAT COULD KITZBÜHEL, ST. MORTIZ, ASPEN, AND MIAMI all possibly have in common? All serve as the backdrop for the World Polo League. Polo season comes to an exciting end in Wellington, Florida and closes out with a dramatic finale on the powder white sands of beautiful Miami Beach at the Miami Beach Polo World Cup. The World Polo League Beach Polo is a 3-day polo event held on Miami Beach behind the Setai Hotel, one of its main sponsors. Throughout the day, eight international teams compete for the coveted trophy. Offsite social events attended by an international coterie of glitterrati and fueled by buckets of sparkling champagne make for an unforgettable weekend of high fashion and gourmet culinary delights. Spectators can watch polo from the open arena or sit among the VIPs underneath glistening white tents. Whatever your point of reference, panoramic views of Miami’s stunning shore and magnificent horses galloping on the compressed sands of Miami Beach are available for everyone to enjoy. Miami Beach Polo World Cup is the vision of Tito Gaudenzi, a world class professional polo player and global citizen. Gaudenzi, who originally hails from Switzerland, proudly calls Miami his home. When asked why he brought beach polo to Miami, he humbly replied, “It means everything to me. Miami is vibrant, very cultural, very international. It just fits with the oldest team sport in the world. You see people who travel here from all over the world—it just works. It’s a match made in heaven.”

Each day consists of high goal polo matches featuring some of the best players in the world, including Ignacio "Nacho" Figueras, the unforgettable face of the Ralph Lauren Polo fashion brand. Originally from Buenos Aires, Figueras has played among some of the biggest names in polo around the world. A gentleman and patron of polo, he aims to bring polo to those who may not

Melissa Ganzi, female polo player representing Seminole Casino

Aimeé Deupi holds a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism from Marymount University and is an alumna of Columbia Business School. She currently resides in Miami where she works with the development team of Ocean Residences on Njord. Aimeé worked in business development for Gannett and was the director of luxury partnerships for The Polo Life, where she managed luxury sponsorship deals across all platforms in Switzerland, Germany, Santa Barbara, New York, and Miami. Aimeé founded The Martingale Group, where she specialized in equestrian and polo marketing clients such as Lufthansa Private Jet, Mercedes AMG and The Ferretti Group. She is on the board for Give Back for Special Equestrians, working with children with disabilities. Aimeé is also a global real estate advisor and a director of business development for Olivia Decker, co-owner of Golden Gate Sotheby's International Realty and Haute Living Magazine San Francisco.

BY AIMEE DEUPI

Founder of Miami Beach Polo Tito Guadenzi

Miami Beach Polo World Cup

have had the opportunity to watch and appreciate the fascinating sport. Figueras states “I love Florida, I come to Miami often. This type of beach polo allows anyone to get close to the horses and see the action up close.” He will also be playing in the celebrity charity match for Give Back for Special Equestrians, an organization dedicated to providing scholarships for therapeutic horseback riding and equine assisted therapy for children with physical and emotional disabilities. Among the eight male dominated teams that participated this year, one female player saddled up! Melissa Ganza, a well-known Floridian femme and World Polo League Beach Polo co-founder, played for the winning

Tito Guadanzi, Louis Aguirre, and Sterling Jones

team and took home the coveted trophy. Melissa states, “Miami is the most exciting city on the planet—the restaurants, nightlife, hotels. I just love this city! I feel proud to be a Floridian. More importantly, I feel honored to host it in the City of Miami. The folks work hard here, yet they have a balance. It’s a good balance in life, and Miami really provides that opportunity.” After being on lockdown for so long, Miamians and all who visit are grateful for the non-stop sunshine, crystal waters, chic boutiques, trendy restaurants, and stunning mix of modern and Art Deco architecture. With Miami Beach Polo, Art Basel, and Formula One all permanent fixtures on the social calendar, Miami truly is the Magic City.

Romero Brito, Nacho Figueras, Melissa Ganzi, Sterling Jones

Aimee Deupi, Sandra Fiorenza, Stefanie Rossado, Dr. Guenther Koehne, Sissy DeMaria-Koehne

The winning team in yellow: Melissa Ganzi, Nacho Figueras, Alejandro Novillo Astrada

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HAUTE AMBASSADOR Auto

AUDI BRINGS IT! RS 6 Avant, RS 7, RS Q8, and RS e-tron GT: Four Stormers from the Four Rings

YOU'VE SEEN THE 4-RING LOGO FOR YEARS and maybe assumed (especially every four years) that the Audi brand was attempting to catch some rays from the glow of the World Olympic Games. Given that the games have been traced back to the eighth century BC, however, it's very doubtful that the Olympics took their symbol from the car company. Nevertheless, the most common origin story for the Audi rings is that they symbolize the 1932 union of four major automakers into what then was called the Auto Union AG. Whatever the underlying reason for the symbol, it has come to represent some of the most impressive cars in the world, and this current crop of contenders may be the best group yet. First, a brief review of Audi nomenclature: the numerals indicate the body. Typically, the higher the number, the bigger the vehicle. Add “RS” to the model and you get the “Renn Sport” (in English “Racing Sport”) version of that car, made by the company's “Audi Sport” division. e-tron is obviously for the Audis with electrification, though some models were named only “e-tron,” while others like the newest member of the electrical family, the GT, use “e-tron” to denote the model which is battery operated. So, with that background in mind, let's take a look at this quintessence of quartets.

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PHOTOS COURTESY OF AUDI OF AMERICA

BY TIM LAPPEN

111Q8 RS

HAUTE AMBASSADOR Auto Based on numbering, the RS 6 Avant is up first. While avant may be "forward" in some contexts, here it means rearward in terms of the difference between the “regular” RS 6 and the Avant version, as the two cars differ substantially in the area behind their rear doors. In the US, the Avant would be called a “wagon,” and in the UK, maybe a “shooting brake” or, as some would have it, an “estate car.” It's hard to think of it as a station wagon, though, as it can be equipped with 591 hp and 590 lb-ft of torque, rip through 0 to 60 in 3.5 seconds, and is capable (depending on one's chosen options) of 190 mph. The twin-turbo, 4-liter V8 mated with a paddle shifting (or automatic shifting) 8-speed transmission and Audi's famous Quattro sport differential make for terrific handling and incredible acceleration. Clearly, this is not what one used to envision as a station wagon.

RS 6 Avant

RS 7

The RS 7 is a sleek sedan, the largest RS car that Audi makes (though they do make an S 8). This 4-door is like a luxury sedan by day and a performance car at night (or street car by weekday and track car by weekend). However you want to label this car, suffice to say that it can be whatever you need it to be at any given time. With stats that mimic the RS 6 Avant (horsepower, torque, acceleration, top speed), it sits lower and sports a more aggressive stance. It's also a 5-seat, 4-door car, so it's practical (so you can convince your accountant that it's for business use—just don't let him see that rear spoiler which automatically deploys at over 60 mph). If you opt for the 22-inch rims (as “mine” did), you get a great low-profile look with some pretty big shoes. The interior meets expectations in a car that looks as elegant and sporty as the RS 7. Leather abounds and the sports-look touches are everywhere. The performance seats were great on the twisties along Mulholland Drive and up and down the neighboring canyons. The carbon brakes were flawless. Though I've never met an Audi that I didn't like, the RS 7 is probably the most flexible and usable sports sedan of the bunch.

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RS 7

But this is not a car only for the stoplight grand prix. Sure, not only can you dial the adaptive air suspension to high-performance dynamics (and really take advantage of the all-wheel steering), but you also can opt for a quieter engine sound and trim down the ride for a cross-country cruise. The interior is up to the task, too. With a few high-def infotainment displays and leather sports seats (with a honeycomb design), it’s a great way to spend time on the road or the track. The base price is $109,000, but “my” “Nardo Gray” Avant had some fine options, like red ceramic brakes ($9,000), lots of carbon bits here and there ($6,350), and a package that included several items, like heated front and rear seats ($2,500), which added just over $22,000 to the total. But I liked them all. I would drive this car to the station any day, even one in another state.

I loved the red stitching on the black leather seats on “my” RS 7, especially with the “Tango Red Metallic” paint and option red ceramic brakes. The base price on the RS 7 is $114,000, but with a build list that included about $23,000 in options, the MSRP was just over $137,000. After my week with the RS 7, the price seemed more than reasonable. The RS Q8 was a completely different experience, though I did note the family resemblances with the Lamborghini Urus and the Bentley Bentayga. The RS Q8 was not as wild as the Lambo and not as luxurious as the Bentayga, but the price point ($113,000 base) was far different, too. As you might expect, the stats on the RS Q8 closely followed those of its RS brethren discussed above (in terms of horsepower, torque, and top speed), though it was two-tenths of a second slower going from 0 to 60 (not that anyone would notice when driving it). In loud mode (the only one I ever use), it had the burble and cackle of a thoroughbred ready at the gate, and, in all-wheel drive mode, it made good use of all of the ponies when on a sprint. The handling was somewhat of a surprise (though it shouldn't have been), as an SUV-shaped car has a higher center of gravity which usually means riverboat cornering (as in “wallowing”); yet, the RS Q8 can carve the canyons with the best of them. No doubt the kudos belong to the adjustable air suspension (including active roll stabilization) and the ability of the rear differential to distribute torque to the wheel which needs it (typically the inside wheel) in something called “torque vectoring.” All you really need to know about this topic is that the RS Q8 beat the record for the fastest production SUV at the Nürburgring racetrack at an unofficial time of 7 minutes 42.253 seconds. “My” RS Q8 was “Navarra Blue Metallic” with black leather interior with red contrast stitching. The red carbon brakes, lots of carbon fiber add-ons, and other clever bits and pieces pushed the price to $137,990. I loved every minute in this rocket. Last, but certainly not least, is the new kid on the block, the “electric halo” that shines brightly over the Audi portfolio: the all-electric RS e-tron GT. There are two versions of the e-tron GT, similar but designed to meet different goals. The e-tron GT has a longer range and is their “long-distance all-rounder,” whereas the RS e-tron GT is the sportier relative with a carbon fiber roof, a more-powerful battery, and higher performance. Both are available with all-wheel steering and torque vectoring. Of course, I asked to borrow the RS version of the e-tron GT. Yes, this car shares some similarities with the Porsche Taycan: it was

developed in conjunction with Porsche, but it's certainly not just a rebadge. Audi's take on their first all-electric GT leads them to term it “a Gran Turismo unlike any other.” A 4-door, 4-seat coupe, it sits low and looks long and sleek. Two electric motors, one front and one aft, power the car. On the RS edition, there's power indeed with 637 hp and 612 lb-ft of torque. Zero to 60 is achieved in 3.1 seconds, and the top speed is just over 155 mph. Depending on which model you get (and how heavy your right foot is), e-tron GTs can provide a range of 232 miles (manufacturer's estimate) and, with high-speed charging available (80% charge in less than 23 minutes RS Q8 on the RS), you can “fill up” and be on your way in no time. My time with the RS e-tron GT included a rainy drive along the mountain ridge of Mulholland Drive, a road I've driven and ridden along for decades, but rarely when it was wet. This twisty road can be unforgiving, and there are many places where crash barriers are not installed. Yet the RS performed like it was on rails, an incredible feat when you remember the pavement-warping torque which the RS is capable of producing. To say that I am a fan is an understatement. This vehicle, either in stealth mode or with the audio enhancement which provides engine sounds inside the cabin, is destined to be a big seller, as anyone can indulge his or her inner Lewis Hamilton (or Walter Mitty) and feel good about the results. With these four Audis to choose from, you really can get whatever you need, especially if you enjoy a “sporting” drive every once in a while. These cars all can suit your mood at any time, a feat in and of itself, with class and performance.

TIM LAPPEN A lifelong petrol-holic, mechanic (cars, motorcycles, boats), and automotive journalist since penning a column for his high school newspaper, internationally recognized attorney Tim Lappen is a partner at a major Los Angeles-based law firm, where he chairs the firm’s Family Office Group and its Luxury Home Group and is, of course, a member of its Motor Vehicle Group. He can be reached at tlappen@gmail.com or visit LifeInTheFastLane.org

PHOTOS COURTESY OF AUDI OF AMERICA

RS e-tron GT

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HAUTE AMBASSADOR Health & Wellness

THREE DAYS AND TWO NIGHTS THAT WILL CHANGE YOUR SLEEP

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And Maybe Your Life BY LYDIA GRAHAM

THE WORLD SEEMS DIVIDED BETWEEN THOSE WHO SLEEP well and those who do not. If you fall into the latter category, just getting through the day can be tough. We have all been there on occasion and felt the impact of a bad night’s sleep, but if poor sleep becomes chronic, then it can significantly impact your health and quality of life. Hopefully, we are now putting the COVID-19 pandemic behind us. But there is another quieter pandemic in America— that of disordered sleep. According to the Sleep Association of America, 50 to 70 million Americans have a sleep disorder and one in three people experience problems with sleep at some point in their lives. There is no doubt that good sleep supports good health, not to mention safety, overall vitality, and productivity. The Division of Sleep Medicine at Harvard Medical School confirms, “In studies of humans and other animals, [scientists] have discovered that sleep plays a critical role in immune function, metabolism, memory, learning, and other vital functions.” If you are naturally a good sleeper, consider yourself lucky. But measuring sleep is not just about sleep quantity. While it is important to understand just how much sleep you need; it is also about understanding sleep quality. Almost everyone can improve their sleep quality and, in turn, their energy and performance during waking hours. Plus, aren’t you curious about what happens during a third of your life? In early 2020, I had the fortunate opportunity to befriend Dr. Michael Breus, PhD, DABSM, and board certified in clinical

psychology and clinical sleep medicine, a.k.a. America’s Sleep Doctor, during a conference I hosted. No, I am not a patient: I am one of those lucky great sleepers, but many in my circle of friends and family are not. They must work at it, and some have failed miserably. So, after meeting Dr. Breus and seeing those close to me struggle, I became interested in understanding more about sleep myself. Not to mention, we can all become more disciplined about our sleep. And so, I was inspired to produce a sleep program with Dr. Michael Breus that might just change your life. Sleep really is the foundation for wellbeing. If you are looking to sleep better or feel more energized during your day as a result, you may want to check out The Post Ranch Sleep Program (www.postranchinn.com/sleep) featuring Dr. Breus and produced by Rejuvis® Living. Launching in late June 2021, it is a 2-night, 3-day, add-on package to any room type that is sure to change everything you thought you knew about sleep. Post Ranch is the ideal setting to escape from all the myriad things that keep you up at night—a chance to hit pause and reset. High atop the cliffs of Big Sur and 1,200 feet above the Pacific Ocean, it is the perfect sanctuary for the soul, ideal for relaxation or rejuvenation (and romance). So, grab your partner, if you have one, and have fun learning about sleep together. Filled with tons of practical guidance and “news you can use,” the package consists of five elements. The Sweet Dreams Gift Box: Upon arrival, each “sleep” guest will receive a Sweet Dreams Gift Box filled with items

PHOTO CREDIT: COURTESY OF POST RANCH / KODIAK GREENWOOD

Lydia is a passionate advocate of healthy living. She has launched and positioned many health and wellnessrelated companies, products, technologies and organizations receiving more than 100 awards nationally and internationally. Her focus in the health sector is specifically on life sciences, aging and longevity. She is a partner and investor in several recognized national brands. She sits on the board of the Buck Institute for Research on Aging whose mission is to eliminate the threat of agerelated disease for today’s and future generations. It is the only independent research organization globally dedicated to extending the healthy years of life. Like the scientists at the Buck, Graham envisions it will be possible for people to enjoy life at 95 as much as at 25. To support Buck’s mission, please visit www.buckinstitute.org.

PHOTO CREDITS: (LEFT) COURTESY OF DR. MICHAEL BREUS; (TWO RIGHT IMAGES) COURTESY OF POST RANCH / KODIAK GREENWOOD

specially curated by Dr. Breus, including a signed copy of his book The Power of When, his favorite sleep mask, his special Sleep PM sprays, his favorite blue light blocking glasses, guava leaf tea (for all of you who wake up in the middle of the night), and some other surprise items. Sleep Sessions with Dr. Michael Breus: So much of getting deeper and more restful sleep is about learning what to do in your waking hours to improve sleep at night—such as understanding your genetic sleep type, biohacks you can integrate into your routines and knowing what to do and not do when. During (and after) their stay, “sleep” guests have access to seven ondemand sleep sessions specially curated for this program: • The Science of Sleep • Early Bird or Night Owl, What’s Your Chronotype? • Sleep Compatibility—When to Have Great Sex • What’s Your Routine? • Your Sleep, Your Food, Your Weight • Travel and Sleep • Bio-hacks for Better Sleep “I’m excited to partner on this program to bring you a comprehensive understanding of sleep from A to Z. In these sessions, you will find lots of helpful takeaways to integrate into your daily and nightly routines to improve your sleep, tips to personalize your sleep for optimal well-being and, as a result, be able to enjoy more vitality throughout your day. Everything you do, you will do better with a good night’s sleep,” said Dr. Breus. Special Sleep Spa Menu: Also important for improving your sleep is learning new ways to relax, tamp down that cortisol—the stress awake hormone—and turn off your mind. Each “sleep” guest can select two treatments from a special Post Ranch Sleep Spa Menu featuring “Healing Guided Journeys” (such as sound journey meditation, private yoga nidra [or yogic sleep], and mindful meditation) or from Interactive Wellness Experiences (such as heartful mindfulness, sound sleep, beauty sleep, couple’s reflexology instruction, aromatherapy alchemy, a Big Sur tea ritual in the chef’s garden, ayurvedic sleep nutrition, or an herbal nature walk). Any of these treatments can be enjoyed as a single or as a couple. Sierra Mar Sleep Serenity Menu: Perched on cliffs overlooking the Pacific amid stunning ocean views, top off your day at Post Ranch’s acclaimed restaurant Sierra Mar while enjoying a special sleep dinner prepared by Executive Chef Agustin Reylon with ingredients he has researched and handselected to help induce relaxation and deeper sleep. Notes Chef Reylon, “The serenity menu was crafted as a holistic approach to begin your journey toward a restful sleep, incorporating ingredients naturally abundant in tryptophan, magnesium, vitamin D, as well as other ingredients that promote the body’s production of melatonin and serotonin.” Assuming you like bananas, top off the evening with Dr. Breus’ Dr. Michael Breus, PhD, DABSM favorite banana tea (you

will learn how to make this during your stay). It is loaded with magnesium.

Enjoy a Post Ranch Spa sleep treatment

Lastly, before you leave, do not forget to check out the Post Ranch Sleep Collection at the Post Mercantile (optional, of course). Here you will find more items available for purchase, recommended by Dr. Michael Breus, as well as one-of-a-kind Post Ranch items, like their amazing pillows, handcrafted organic mattresses, and organic, 600-thread count, chemicalfree sheet sets.

Post Ranch Ocean House Southern Room

Life is just better with better sleep—so, I invite you to take this opportunity to learn everything (well, almost everything) you ever wanted to know about sleep in this 2-night immersion. And, so, here is wishing you even sweeter dreams than you had before! Note: A 2-night minimum is required for the sleep program. Price per person for the sleep package add-on is a $675 per person per night and $500 per night for the second person staying in the same room. For extended stays, additional room nights or spa treatments may be added at regular room or spa rates. Disclaimer: This program is not meant to diagnose or treat medical conditions such as sleep apnea, narcolepsy, etc. If you have or think you have such a medical condition, you should consult your physician. 115

HAUTE SEAT

Monica and David Stevens

FOR THE LOVE OF ANIMALS Monica Stevens, Co-Founder of Jameson Humane, Napa, Reaching Higher for Animal Welfare and Community

HL: What inspired you to create the Jameson Humane? And tell us about the origin of the name. MS: From the time I was a little girl, I wanted to rescue animals of all types, including ants and fireflies! After moving to Napa Valley in 2006, I revitalized my childhood dream when my sweet and understanding husband, David, and I began visiting animal rescues around the region, in particular farm animal rescues. Because of these visits, I became aware of the atrocities that befall animals every day. As I traveled around and met with more people in rescue, I realized that the cruelty, abuse, and neglect of all animals 116

is endless. I then started attending events for Mercy for Animals and Animal Legal Defense Fund and made a pact with David that something needed to be done. Two months later, Jameson Animal Rescue Ranch (now Jameson Humane) was founded on the premise of ending overpopulation, abuse, and neglect for all domestic animals. The ranch and organization was named after Jameson, our sweet Great Pyrenees, who brought immeasurable companionship and love to our lives. Some say we ran before we walked. I would agree. Every day that goes by we are inspired to reach higher and do more for animal welfare and our planet.

BY ERIN HUNT MOORE

HL: You’ve been a key organization protecting and sheltering animals during the devastating regional fires we’ve had. How have these challenges—fires, pandemic, etc.—shifted and strengthened your education and awareness campaigns? MS: Jameson Humane’s evolution and the way our community responds to wildfires is still in process, which is why disaster preparation, response, and recovery programs continue to lie at the heart of Jameson’s animal welfare work. Five years and seven disasters later, we stand committed to forging a new path for the disaster preparedness, safety, and education of humans on behalf of our beloved animals in the region. This is why we’re focused this year on teaming up with the Napa, Sonoma, and Solano Community Animal Response Teams (CARTs) and CERT to ensure Fireline PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) and ASAR (Animal Search and Rescue) supplies are available for our brave frontline responders to face the wildfires that are just around corner. Also, we tackle other disasters beyond fires. Case in point: when COVID-19 hit, Jameson Humane kicked into high gear, providing the Bay Area and community (across 10 counties and 15 cities, including our homebase, Napa County) with the support it needed. We were honored to be able to provide tens of thousands of pounds of food at no cost, helping save hundreds of animals from starving or being surrendered or abandoned. This need led to the creation of an adjunct program: Napa Valley's first Community Pet Pantry and Disaster Supply Program, which plays a crucial role in ensuring animal needs, like food and supplies, are met year-round, disaster or not.

For more information about our event, programs, and volunteer and partnership opportunities, please reach out to us at https://www. jamesonanimalrescueranch.org/. Thank you for the opportunity!

Monica and David Stevens and pups

“Five years and seven disasters later, we stand committed to forging a new path for the disaster preparedness, safety, and education of humans on behalf of our beloved animals in the region.”

– Monica Stevens

A young volunteer and friend

HL: Tell us about the creation, success, and impact of your respected annual event, WineaPAWlooza. MS: In its eighth year, WineaPAWlooza is Jameson’s key annual fundraiser, an event that has earned its place as one of the top 10 wine events in the country, according to Wine Spectator magazine. Since 2014, WineaPAWlooza has raised nearly $9M to support our mission, supplying the critical funds necessary for Jameson programs to improve the state of animal welfare and save animal lives. Because of WinaPAWlooza, Jameson has been able to help thousands of animals and their humans in our community and beyond through vital programs that work across the inextricable web between animal welfare, our community, and the environment.

WineaPAWlooza

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California Lifestyle Collection Magnificent Belvedere Compound

Belvedere, California

8 Beds | 6 Baths | ±4,451 sq. ft. | ±0.52 acre

$4,388,000

Located on the flat and wide private Buckeye Road, this ±4,451

flat and walking distance to downtown Tiburon, the ferry, the

sq. ft. compound consists of a ±3,685 sq ft 6 bedroom, 4 baths

Belvedere park, the bike path and 2 world class yacht clubs.

main house with a ±400 sq ft carport and a ±766 sq ft. 2

Enjoy the large flat gated front garden and spacious back view

bedroom, 2 baths, kitchen and living room guests house with a

deck all with privacy. First time for sale since the main home

±360 sq ft 2-car garage. The lower floor of the main house has

was custom built in 1958, guests house was built later year and

two legal units for in-laws, nannies, offices or a rental apartment.

new roof and deck in 2015.

Located between Golden Gate Ave and Bayview overlooking

Photos, Matterport 3D Tour and floor plans are at:

Belvedere Lagoon, Tiburon and Angel Island, the site is mostly

10BuckeyeRoad.com

Olivia Hsu Decker | SanFranciscoFineHomes.com Cell: 415.720.5915 | Olivia@SanFranciscoFineHomes.com | Lic.# 00712080

California Lifestyle Collection Magnificent Belvedere Compound

Olivia Hsu Decker | SanFranciscoFineHomes.com Cell: 415.720.5915 | Olivia@SanFranciscoFineHomes.com | Lic.# 00712080

Belvedere, California

NIXON MANSION, RENO, NEVADA

ON THE BLUFFS – TRUCKEE RIVER

Join the move to exciting Reno, Nevada! Beautifully restored historic mansion on the Truckee River. Entertain inside and out in elegant spaces. Eight suites to accommodate friends and family. Nixonmansion.com $15,900,000

TRINKIE WATSON

DONNA SPEAR

NV BS.1022 | CA 00326518

NV S.42018 | CA 01226918

800 783 0722

775 691 7947

twatson@chaseinternational.com

dspear@chaseinternational.com

Tahoe City office: 531 North Lake Boulevard

Reno office: 985 Damonte Ranch Parkway

THE LE A DE R I N LUXU RY R EA L ESTAT E

V ISIT: CHASEIN T ERN AT I O N A L.CO M

California Lifestyle Collection Contemporary Masterpiece of Epic Proportions

8 Bedrooms | 9 Baths | 2 Half-Baths | ±12,109 sq. ft. | ±52 Acres Towering above Silicon Valley and Los Gatos hills, the Aztec Estate offers a pool with spa, a tennis court, ridge-top 360-degree panoramic views, incredible scale and unrivaled quality, all in one of the most exceptional settings in Northern California. Secluded in a private enclave at the end of a gated drive, the residence features soaring ceiling atrium, modern open floor plan, sweeping entertainment decks and sliding glass walls that bring phenomenal views to the forefront of the living experience. The main residence features superior quality and resortlike amenities throughout the extraordinary living space, linear designs, and prominent contemporary styling. Engineering and utilitarian elements play into the timeless design of George Foy, with materials like glass, stone, and steel used liberally in construction to showcase the natural beauty of this estate and the finest selection of materials and finishes, exquisite interior design and exterior landscape. The gourmet chef’s kitchen, with large center island and topof-the-line appliances, features large butler’s pantry, full size indoor grill, and over-sized custom glass windows. Secluded in its own private wing, the luxurious master suite is surrounded by sweeping panoramic views. An opulent marble bathroom boasts amazing ceiling heights and custom walk-in closets. With an

Los Gatos, California

Price Upon Request

office space, oversized fireplace and sitting area, sliding doors lead to a sprawling outdoor lounge overlooking the pool below and sunset on the horizon. This gated estate offers total privacy, steel frame construction, wine cellar, billiards room with wet bar, two custom offices, and state-of-the-art technology. The estate’s resort-like grounds are as impressive as the residence, offering the versatility to retreat in serenity or entertain with lavish events. Features include an infinity pool, spa, tennis/basketball court, outdoor bar and grill, fire pit, manicured gardens, various terraces and seating areas, fountains, waterfall, and wrap-around decks with endless views. As seen on HGTV’s Extreme Homes, Forbes magazine and DuPont Registry, this stunning private enclave, just minutes from the heart of energetically charged Silicon Valley, maintains a retreat from the bustling lights below while sharing the neighborhood with several of Silicon Valley’s elites. Aztec Estate is truly a unique combination of privacy, serenity, panoramic views, and luxury amenities, all in a one-of-a-kind modern masterpiece. Photos and video on: AztecEstateLosGatos.com

Olivia Hsu Decker | SanFranciscoFineHomes.com Cell: 415.720.5915 | Olivia@SanFranciscoFineHomes.com | Lic.# 00712080

FEATURED PERFORMANCES Arts for All Gala featuring Jennifer Hudson Roberto Bolle and Friends Opening Night with Lisette Oropesa Opera Under the Stars with Michael Fabiano Bouchaine Young Artist Series The Four Seasons of Napa Valley with Chad Hoopes featuring Matt Haimovitz’s Primavera (Nia Imani Franklin world premiere) Puccini’s Gianni Schicchi starring Lucas Meachem Tribute to Tony Bennett

Lisette Oropesa — photo by Steven Harris

JULY 16–25, 2021 | Season 15 Blending the beauty and bounty of Napa Valley with the very ﬁnest performing arts. 707.346.5052 | @napafest | festivalnapavalley.org/HauteLiving

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