S A N F R A N C I S C O | S I L I C O N VA L L E Y | M A R I N | N A PA | N O R T H E R N C A L I F O R N I A
S E P T E M B E R /O C TO B E R 2 0 2 1
LUXURY LIFESTYLE WITH PURPOSE
FOOD & WINE ISSUE $20.00
MEET THESE CULINARY ROCK STARS:
THEIR LIFE JOURNEYS INSPIRE INCREDIBLE CUISINE
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
RUBICON BAY, LAKE TAHOE, CALIFORNIA
LUCKY BLUFF
A striking, intimate gated estate on Lake Tahoe’s stunning West Shore with a 278’ white sand beach along with a 172’ pier, 12k# boat lift and 4 buoys. Three homes with grand entertainment capability offer extended privacy with meandering paths to each. LuckyBluff.info $41,000,000
TRINKIE WATSON
KELLI LANDMAN
NV BS.1022 | CA 00326518
CA 02044788 | NV RED.0186242
800 783 0722
775 737 8079
twatson@chaseinternational.com
klandman@chaseinternational.com
Tahoe City office: 531 North Lake Boulevard
Reno office: 531 North Lake Boulevard
THE LEADER IN LUXURY REAL ESTATE
|
VISIT: CHASEINTERNATIONAL.COM
LAKE TAHOE, NEVADA
SECLUDED 10 BEDROOM FAMILY COMPOUND WITH LAKE VIEWS Renovated in 2017, perfect for a large family. With 5,220sf, customize your home as needed with office, gym, mother-in-law suite, kid’s playroom, etc. Primary suite on entry level along with spacious great room & large wrap-around deck. Separate family/game room. Sells furnished with art. Vacation rental potential. Price upon request.
EXECUTIVE 11 BEDROOM HOME OR CORPORATE RETREAT Renovated in 2015 with mountain views and 6,519sf. Flexible floor plan with a 1450sf great room with sixteen foot, wood-beamed cathedral ceilings. Separate family room and sauna. Customize as your home or as a corporate retreat, enjoy with employees and clients for work and play, along with NV tax benefits. Sells furnished with art. Price upon request.
KAREN PACKMAN REALTOR NV S.0059863
775 720 9422 kpackman@chaseinternational.com karenpackman.com Zephyr Cove office: 190 Hwy 50
THE LEADER IN LUXURY REAL ESTATE
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VISIT: CHASEINTERNATIONAL.COM
GENOA, NEVADA
LUXURIOUS GATED RANCH - 2717 JACKS VALLEY ROAD Exquisite private retreat or gentleman’s ranch on 13.40 picturesque acres. Luxurious custom built home, featuring an expansive floor plan with library, wine cellar, and dream gourmet kitchen. Swim laps in the indoor pool after working out in the gym or jump in the hot tub. $6,595,000
STAR BROOKS
SCOTT ROBERTS
530 318 5818
818 447 7176
REALTOR® CLHMS NV S.0044471 | CA 01258760
tahoestarz@gmail.com Zephyr Cove office: 190 Hwy 50
REALTOR® NV S.0180282
sroberts@chaseinternational.com Zephyr Cove office: 190 Hwy 50
THE LEADER IN LUXURY REAL ESTATE
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VISIT: CHASEINTERNATIONAL.COM
The Finest Montecito & Santa Barbara Homes Presented by
A SELECTION OF RECENT SALES, REPRESENTING BUYERS: To g e t h e r, l e t ’ s m a k e y o u r “ s o m e d a y ” p l a c e a r e a l i t y . . . 1
2
SAND POINT ROAD • OFF MARKET represented buyer 4
3
E MOUNTAIN DRIVE • $22,000,000 represented buyer & seller 5
6
EASTGATE LANE • $7,695,000 represented buyer
E MOUNTAIN DRIVE • $8,450,000 represented buyer 7
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VIA ROBLADA • $5,995,000 represented buyer
VISTA LINDA LANE • OFF MARKET represented buyer
BELLA VISTA DRIVE • $7,495,000 represented buyer 9
E VALLEY ROAD • OFF MARKET represented buyer
AYALA LANE • $4,500,000 represented buyer & seller
CRISTAL CL ARKE
Communit y Based, Globally Recognized The # 1 I n d i vi d u a l Ag e n t Wo r l d wi d e *
805.886.9378 Cristal@Montecito-Estate.com www.Montecito-Estate.com DRE 00968247
© 2021 Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties (BHHSCP) is a member of the franchise system of BHH Affiliates LLC. BHHS and the BHHS symbol are registered service marks of Columbia Insurance Company, a Berkshire Hathaway affiliate. BHH Affiliates LLC and BHHSCP do not guarantee accuracy of all data including measurements, conditions, and features of property. Information is obtained from various sources and will not be verified by broker or MLS. Buyer is advised to independently verify the accuracy of that information.. *Invidividual agent for Berkshire Hathaway Home Services for 2020 based on sales volume.
California Lifestyle Collection Private and Picturesque Tuscan Villa
Napa Valley, California
7 Beds | 6 Baths | 1 Half-Bath | 10,000 sq. ft.
$17,500,000
This private and picturesque Tuscan villa features nearly 10,000SF of luxury living space and is perched on its own promontory with panoramic views of vineyards, lush gardens, and Napa Valley. The custom-built Main Residence and Guest House boast high-end finishes and soaring, vaulted ceilings. Showcasing grand proportions and scale, this stately home features 7-bedrooms, 6-bathrooms, wine cellar & tasting room, and a grand motor court. An entertainer's paradise, the estate features a variety of entertaining areas including an 80 ft
swimmers' pool, outdoor kitchen with pizza oven, meandering gardens and koi ponds, stone-terraced vegetable garden and flower gardens covering the sprawling grounds. The estate has its own self-sustaining water source - a rarity in Napa Valley, and is an incredible opportunity to own a breathtaking view property that is synonymous with the quintessential Napa lifestyle. www.NapaValleyFineHomes.com
Olivia Hsu Decker | SanFranciscoFineHomes.com Cell: 415.720.5915 | Olivia@SanFranciscoFineHomes.com | Lic.# 00712080
California Lifestyle Collection Private and Picturesque Tuscan Villa
Olivia Hsu Decker | SanFranciscoFineHomes.com Cell: 415.720.5915 | Olivia@SanFranciscoFineHomes.com | Lic.# 00712080
Napa Valley, California
PUBLISHER’S Letter AFTER 18 MONTHS OF LOCKDOWN, WE ARE THRILLED TO return to a more normal lifestyle in recent weeks, being able to dine at restaurants, attend live events, travel afar, and send children to school! Since I am sure you can’t wait to dine out instead of take-out, we present you with our Food Issue and profile some of the San Francisco Bay Area’s culinary rock stars and share their life journeys inspiring their incredible cuisines. Our travel stories take you far away to Denmark, Boston, Massachusetts, and Vail, Colorado. For travel inspiration closer to home, we also feature a list of great Bay Area hotels as large as the Four Seasons Hotel and as charming and small as Auberge du Soleil and Harvest Inn in Napa Valley. For wellness and beauty, we introduce NewTree Ranch and Wine Country Botanicals. Tired of Zoom and viritual events? We are, too, and so delighted that live events are back. We report the highlights of 70th Pebble Beach Concours and 18th Automotive Gathering at The Quail during Monterey Car Week and the sensational 15th Festival Napa Valley, all re-opened this year with their best-ever programs. They were worth the wait! We also covered charity events, such as the Aquarium of the Bay’s Blue Marble Benefit, the V Foundation’s “Never Give Up,” and the Festival Napa Valley’s amazing Arts for All Gala, featuring an auction and Jennifer Hudson concert raising a record-setting $2.8 million on July 18.
OLIVIA HSU DECKER OWNER/PUBLISHER Olivia@HauteLivingSF.com www.HauteLivingSF.com Text 415.720.5915
I am pleased to announce our local community sponsorship providing live entertainment programs, which I named Broadway by the Bay, and a major donation to Festival Napa Valley to produce world class, live entertainments closer to the Bay. We also resumed our release party for each new issue and thank you for attending the July-August issue release at the Neiman Marcus Rotunda. We look forward to greeting you at the release party for this issue on September 15 at The Cavalier restaurant. Last, but not least, we pay tribute to our beloved friend and fellow publisher, Lois Lehrman, who passed away on August 15. Lois was my inspiration for over 30 years, while her Nob Hill Gazette was the lifestyle bible of the San Francisco Bay Area. We featured her on the cover of our Legends & Leaders issue last month. She looked radiant and we didn’t expect her departure so soon after. We will miss her dearly! Enjoy this Issue!
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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 LEGAL Carl Lippenberger Carl@lippenbergerlaw.com
PHOTO CREDIT: COURTESY OF NEWTREE RANCH
ON THE COVER THE PHOTO WAS INSPIRED BY THE ROLLING STONES’ THE BEGGARS BANQUET ALBUM. ON THE COVER WE FEATURE LOCAL MICHELIN-STARRED AND AWARD-WINNING CHEFS. TOP LEFT: MATT HORN, HORN BARBECUE; JENNIFER PUCCIO, THE CAVALIER; BRANDON JEW, MISTER JIU’S. BOTTOM LEFT GAYLE PIRIE, FOREIGN CINEMA; DUSTIN VALETTE, THE MATHESON PHOTOGRAPHER: VINCENT GOTTI PHOTO ASSISTANT: BRIAN HOYT EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: TERESA RODRIGUEZ STYLIST: RYAN CURRAN LOCATION: MARIANNE’S AT THE CAVALIER RESTAURANT IN SAN FRANCISCO
Haute Living San Francisco Visit us at www.HauteLivingSF.com
Follow us @HauteLivingSF for your guide to all things haute
Radish ravioli filled with thyme scented macadamia nut cheese
TABLE of CONTENTS
HAUTE TRAVEL
PUBLISHER’S LETTER
8 12
EDITOR’S LETTER
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HAUTE CALENDAR
62
You don’t need to go far from home to experience beautiful scenery, ultimate luxury, and fabulous food.
66
A new museum on Fyn honors Hans Christian Anderson with fairytale beauty and deep insight.
HAUTE KITCHEN 16
Sharon Seto visits with husband-and-wife team, John Clark and Gayle Pirie, to discuss the tasty connection between food and film.
HAUTE HOTEL 70
HAUTE DRINKS 24
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Here are the best places to experience this oh-so-civilized afternoon tradition. There are wine tasting experiences and then there are fabulous, outstanding, incredible wine tasting experiences. We have a dozen to try.
Mix a traditional London pub with San Francisco style and what do you get? The Cavalier.
HAUTE SCENES
Festival Napa Valley returns better than ever with an outdoor program to raise funds for schools’ visual and performing arts programs.
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The League to Save Lake Tahoe and Saks Fifth Avenue combine environmental awareness and charity with high fashion by Oscar de la Renta.
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Bayecotarium celebrates it 40th anniversary and a total of $260 million in funds raised for watershed and ocean conservation.
79
Haute Living, San Francisco and Neiman Marcus teamed up to celebrate the magazine’s powerful Leaders and Legends issue.
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With dinner, wine, and celebrity guests, the V Foundation raises $21 million to support cuttingedge immunotherapy research.
82
After being starved of the performing arts for 18 months, San Francisco Opera delivers a feast of music on opening night
LOIS LEHRMAN 36
Editor Teresa Rodriguez pays homage to this bigger-than-life San Francisco icon.
COVER STORY 42
In a tribute to those who turn food into droolworthy celebrations, Steph Keay highlights four of the region’s culinary risk takers.
HAUTE WINE 54
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Eight leaders in the wine industry dedicate their time, talents, and focus to improving and uplifting the industry as a whole.
Luxury, personalized service, serenity, and fine dining await you at these dreamy travel destinations right in our own back yard.
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HAUTE DINING 32
Cover Story
Haute Living, San Francisco | www.HauteLivingSF.com
Haute Event Haute Wine
TABLE of CONTENTS Haute Hotel
Haute Event
HAUTE EVENTS 83
The Plastic Surgery Foundation hosts an on-demand breast reconstruction awareness benefit with a silent auction.
84
The ultimate in upscale automobiles—from classics to concept cars—The Quail and Pebble Beach reveal the finest combinations of luxury, speed, and engineering.
90
After a year’s hiatus, Festival Napa Valley returns bigger and better than ever, raising funds to benefit arts education and performances.
94
Head to Vail, Colorado for the best in contemporary art—outdoors.
HAUTE ART
Haute Art
HAUTE BEAUTY 98
Benedetta harnesses the power of nature to heal and improve skin for a more beautiful you.
100 Nicole Simpkins shares the pure, fragrant, therapeutic botanicals of
wine country for magical skin care results.
HAUTE WELLNESS
102 Experience a life-affirming shift in health through luxury, serenity, and
diet at NewTree Ranch. 106 Becca Hensley shares the most uplifting experiences at these not-so-
ordinary hotels that merge comfort with healing within in-suite spas.
Cover Story
PROFILE
110 Three women testify to the big hearts and big help offered by Dress for
Haute Travel
Success in their own life journeys.
HAUTE RESIDENCE
112 Four stories, three lots, and all the panoramic views you could wish for
can be found at this property on the southern coast of Belvedere Island.
HAUTE AMBASSADOR
116 Man-about-town Aubrey Brewster recounts the memorable delights—
both culinary and human--of North Beach Restaurant and of hosting a party at the reopening of Neiman Marcus. 120 Lydia speaks to how adding a “furbaby” to your household offers
health and mental wellness benefits as well as unconditional love and companionship. 122 Tim Lappen picks a pair of Porsches and can’t decide which is his
favorite: they’re both great.
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EDITOR-IN-CHIEF’S Letter
TERESA RODRIGUEZ EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Haute Living San Francisco Teresa@HauteLivingSF.com www.HauteLivingSF.com
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WHEN I WAS A TEENAGER, I LIVED IN BENICIA AND DROVE A RED convertible Fiat Spider. I bought the car with cash on my 16th birthday, thanks to years of babysitting, dish washing, ice cream serving, and waitressing. Each week I drove my Italian sports car to San Francisco and attended modeling classes at Elite, John Casablanca, located at the Kensington Park Hotel. Arriving before class started, I’d sit in the lobby and devour every single article in the Nob Hill Gazette and dreamed of being in the pages of that larger-than-life magazine. I wanted to use Philip Kingsley hair products, because they were featured in the magazine. I would have done anything to get my hair cut by Mr. Lee, because of his bold ads in the Nob Hill Gazette. The black-and-white photos of beautiful women in taffeta gowns and dapper men in crisp tuxedos were my first glimpse into the rarefied world of San Francisco’s high society. So, at the young age of 17, I decided I wanted to be part of that gilded world Lois Lehrman captured so wonderfully in the Nob Hill Gazette. Over 20 years later, I was finally introduced to Lois at a lunch at The Magic Flute. I was smitten by her fierce presence and her clarity of purpose. I told her that I worked at the Huffington Post, authored travel books, and was looking for more writing gigs. She said, “Come write for me, kiddo!” And that was that. Lois took me under her wing. After she sold the magazine, Lois hired me to write her memoirs. Unfortunately, due to her health, we were not able to finish Lois’ manuscript; but during the months we worked together, I was able to capture her life before she became the legendary publisher of the Nob Hill Gazette. I am honored to share her story with you on page 36. You see, Lois taught me that it’s through the art of storytelling that we gain insight, learn compassion, and understand others. She always rooted for the underdog and wanted to see the less fortunate succeed. While she loved covering the glitz and glamour of San Francisco in her magazine, Lois preferred a New York deli sandwich and malted shake to a New York strip and champagne. Her feet were always solidly planted on the ground even as her influence touched the stars.
PHOTO CREDIT: ©VINCENT GOTTI, HAIR AND MAKE UP BY NELLIE MUGANDA
For Lois Lehrman (8/22/31 - 8/15/21) The mentor who taught me the meaning of a life well-lived
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
10 Shoreline Amphitheater | KISS Over four decades and 44 albums with $100 million in sales worldwide, the epic Rock & Roll Hall of Fame band KISS performs in their End of the Road World Tour at 7:30 p.m. in Mountain View. kissonline.com/tour
SEPTEMBER Through Summer 2023 SFMOMA | Pan American Unity In 1940, artist Diego Rivera created the mural for the Golden Gate International Exposition on Treasure Island. The fresco found a home at City College of San Francisco where it will be re-installed in a new performing arts center. Meantime, the 30-ton masterwork is on view in the Roberts Family Gallery. sfmoma.org/exhibition/pan-american-unity Charlie Palmer’s Pigs & Pinot Dinner
Listen up! It’s a music-filled fall on stages big and small. The curtain at War Memorial rises as SF Opera comes home. Big name concert performers make up for lost time at the Chase Center, Shoreline Amphitheater, and Greek Theater. Sweetwater Music Hall reopens and SFJAZZ is back as well, with something special for Halloween at Grace Cathedral.
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Throughout September and October San Francisco Giants at Oracle Park | Oakland Athletics at Oakland Coliseum A full schedule of home games continues. Watch the Giants take on the Brewers, Dodgers, Padres, Braves, and D-backs while the Oakland A’s play the White Sox, Rangers, Mariners and Astros in home games during the 2021 season ending Oct. 3. mlb.com/giants and mlb.com/athletics SF 49ers The 2021 NFL regular season opens with a game versus the Detroit Lions on Sept. 12. Kickoff at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara at 10 a.m. 49ers.com/schedule
11-12 Buena Vista Winery | A Concert of Songs from Sideways: The Musical A teaser premiere of the full stage production presented as a sneak peek, this limited engagement of the Broadway musical features 10 new songs. Rex Pickett is master of ceremonies. Exclusively available to American Express cardholders. sidewaysthemusical.com 10-12 and 17-19 Transcendence Theatre Company | The Gala The group’s 10th anniversary production features show-stopping vocals and beloved songs from the greatest Broadway musicals. Evening outdoor performances, food, and wine at Jack London State Historic Park, Sonoma. transcendencetheatre.org 15 The Greek Theatre at U.C. Berkeley | John Legend This multi-platinum artist has garnered 11 Grammy Awards, an Academy Award, a Golden Globe Award, a Tony Award, and an Emmy Award. The War and Treaty Tour. 7 p.m. thegreekberkeley.com/events/johnlegend-4
PHOTO CREDITS: (CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT) COURTESY OF ONSO; COURTESY OF TREASUREFEST; COURTESY OF HEALDSBURG HOTEL
Oracle NetSuite Open
10 Healdsburg Hotel | Celebration of Pigs & Pinot Dinner A 5-course meal showcasing Sonoma’s greatest Pinots with perfect pork pairings, a collaborative creation from chef Charlie Palmer and featured chefs and select wineries. bit.ly/36PNKuG
Events CALENDAR 18-19 TreasureFest Art, food, music, vintage items, and makers in an open-air location. 300+ curated vendors. All ages and dogs welcome. 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. (5 p.m. Sunday) at Marin Center, San Rafael. bit.ly/3ex7N5A 22 Dear San Francisco: A High-Flying Love Story Previews begin at the North Beach landmark, Club Fugazi, in an all-new resident theatrical production. Conceived locally and staged by the acclaimed Montreal-based troupe, The 7 Fingers, a leading contemporary circus arts company. An intimate venue with food and beverage service at every seat. World premiere Oct. 12, 2021. clubfugazisf.com 22-27 Oracle NetSuite Squash Open World-class squash featuring the top international players at a custom-built glass court at Embarcadero Plaza on the San Francisco waterfront. Oraclenetsuiteopen.com
PHOTO CREDITS: (CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT) COURTESY OF DRESS FOR SUCCESS SAN FRANCISCO; © STUDIO PASTIS; COURTESY OF CITY COLLEGE
23-26 Silicon Valley Sculpture 2021 | Shifting Perspectives A fine art fair exhibiting 30+ large scale sculptures in a natural environment benefiting Menlo Park Public Art. Meet and greet SVS artists, New Ballet SJ, soirée, live auction. At Menlo College, Atherton. siliconvalleysculpture.com 23-26 Re-Opening Week Celebration | SFJAZZ A packed, star-studded season (through March 2022) includes re-scheduled 2020 performances. Re-opening lineup: Thelonious Monk Competition winner pianist Kris Bowers, tabla genius Zakir Hussain, guitarist Pat Metheny, drummer Kasaa Overall, and others. SFJAZZ.org
OCTOBER 5-6 Judgment of Napa Celebration & Tribute | Charles Krug Winery Exclusive invitation to join highly reputed wine experts at an intimate occasion to judge Napa’s top wines against some of the world’s finest in an exclusive blind tasting at Charles Krug Winery. Dinners. Hosted by Cultured Vine. culturedvine.com/ judgment-of-napa-1 9 Legion of Honor | Color Into Line Pastels from the Renaissance into the present, a powerful selection of masterpiece drawings done with pastels from Rosalba Carriera to Mary Cassatt and Edgar Degas to John Altoon and Wayne Thiebaud. Through Feb. 13, 2022. legionofhonor. famsf.org/exhibitions/pastels
28 Chase Center | Gold Over America Tour Starring Simone Biles in a celebration of powerful, all-star, female athletes: Jordan Chiles, Laurie Hernandez, Katelyn Ohashi, Peng Peng Lee, Danusia Francis, Morgan Hurd, and others. 7:30 p.m. www. chasecenter.com/events/gold-over-americatour-20210928
14, 17, 20, 22, 26, and 30 San Francisco Opera | Fidelio A brand new production of Ludwig Van Beethoven’s only opera, marking his 250th birthday (one year late) as the War Memorial Opera House reopens its doors and the curtain rises again. sfopera.com/on-stage/ fidelio
29 Chase Center | An Evening with Michael Bublé in Concert The multi-platinum singer/songwriter/producer/ humanitarian is officially a global phenomenon, performing timeless classics of the great American Songbook. 8 p.m. michaelbublechasecenter.com
16 Dress for Success Sweet 16 Anniversary Gala, a fundraising celebration benefiting the nonprofit and celebrating client success stories and thousands of lives enhanced in our community. The Palace Hotel. sfdress.org/ sweet-16
The 7 Fingers
Diego Rivera
22-23 Chase Center | The Eagles It’s back to the ’70s: Hotel California, Desperado, and One of These Nights. The Eagles are noted for five #1 singles, six #1 albums, six Grammy Awards, and five American Music Awards, performing two shows. 8 p.m. 30 SFJAZZ | Halloween Night at Grace Cathedral Grace Cathedral transforms into a grand movie palace for a special Halloween-time screening of Rupert Julian’s immortal 1925 silent horror classic, The Phantom of the Opera, starring Lon Chaney. Live score performed by organist Dorothy Papadakos. SFJAZZ.org
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PHOTO CREDIT: © ED ANDERSON
HAUTE KITCHEN
Five spice duck breast, poached 16 autumn chicories, farm eggs, blood orange vinaigrette
IN CONVERSATION WITH SHARON SETO Let the flavors marry ...
F
PHOTO CREDIT: © ED ANDERSON
OOD TASTES BEST WHEN MADE WITH LOVE … and LOVE is the key ingredient husband and wife, Gayle Pirie and John Clark—chef-owners—pour into each dish at Foreign Cinema. The stunning and dynamic couple in San Francisco’s picky food scene met while working at Vicolo Pizza. As a military kid, Clark always ate home-cooked dinners every night and first tasted restaurant cooking when he obtained his driver’s license. Having no boundaries with a car, he quickly “took to evenings out with good food, good wine, and good friends.” Prior to moving to the Bay Area, Clark resided in Southern California. As a student at San Francisco State University, he majored in broadcast communications and international relations, supporting himself in this new city by working in restaurants. While Clark applied to a master’s program in architecture, he worked at Vicolo where he met the love of his life and culinary partner, Gayle
Lifetime and culinary partners Gayle Pirie and John Clark
BY SHARON SETO
Pirie. As a San Francisco native who grew up in Cow Hollow in the Marina District, Pirie was an aspiring painter studying art history at SF State University. A culinary career was not on her radar. Rather, cooking at Café Espirit and Vicolo served as a way to support her education and artistic endeavors. Pirie was a painter first! The couple went on to work at Zuni Café where Pirie started as a line cook and worked for seven years, becoming sous chef then chef de cuisine. In Zuni’s kitchen under the tutelage of fellow aesthete Judy Rogers, the appeal of the kitchen came into focus for Clark. For him, cooking was less of a job and more of a lifestyle. After working at Zuni Café, Clark and Pirie, stepped away from the kitchen to become global restaurant consultants. Inevitably, the kitchen beckoned this couple back. In 2001, they were hired as co-chefs of Foreign Cinema in the Mission District where film and food united. Peering behind the curtain, the couple quickly saw that the restaurant was not what it seemed to be. Because of their consultancy skills, Clark and Pirie became partowners who gradually transformed a fun but flailing restaurant into an iconic San Francisco establishment. Clark, a self-proclaimed Italophile and Fellini enthusiast, aimed at creating a daily changing menu befitting the raw romance of the space: “The food has to be vigorous in taste to fill a grand piazza projecting cinematic classics … yet the menu could not be fussy, pretentious, or overworked.” More than 20 years later, that unexpected alchemy continues to delight locals and tourists alike. Clark and Pirie co-authored three cookbooks: Country Egg, City Egg (Artisan 2000), Williams-Sonoma Bride & Groom Cookbook (Free Press, 2006), and the Foreign Cinema Cookbook: Recipes and Stories Under the Stars (Abrams, 2018) which captures the restaurant’s essence, evolution, and enduring charm. 17
HAUTE KITCHEN
H AU T E L I V I N G X GAY L E P I R I E A N D J O H N C L A R K
HL: To run a successful restaurant, one must have a discipline on a consistent basis, without fail. What is yours at Foreign Cinema? C&P: A daily changing menu is our most longstanding culinary discipline, still in practice every day. In the end, chefs write a menu they wish to sit down and eat. We know we have done our jobs well when the guest can’t decide what to order. With each dish, we like to tell a story of where one might be when eating the dish: with the warm brandade, you could be in France or on the Spanish coast; the squid and chickpea plancha, on an outdoor terrace in Oaxaca, etc. It’s all romance, a seduction of sorts, to transport the diner out of time and place. But the food must be delicious! HL: Living in a house with veterans of the industry, does Magnus or Pearl have any aspirations to follow in their parents’ footsteps? C&P: Children Magnus and Pearl both taste food with a certain clarity and precision. Both have incredible palates. Magnus has worked at the restaurant for many years, from plating desserts to shucking oysters to recently leading the line and training new cooks on standards and practices. We wish for both children to be able to know themselves well, to be able to listen to themselves, to do whatever it is they wish to be able to do in this ever-changing world. HL: Cooking at home must be a family affair. What is the most popular go-to dish on the dinner table with the children? C&P: During the “harder-longer workday years” when both kids were younger, pasta carbonara was our go-to, last minute, supper problem solver. Pearl is now the distinctive pasta maker at home. HL: No doubt, your collective creativity made Foreign Cinema a huge success throughout the years. Does this creative energy transpose to other areas of your life besides the restaurant, areas that we don't know about? C&P: Among being a builder, architect, jeweler, and mechanic, John is a very serious Italian car enthusiast, finishing up a 14-year restoration of a vintage 1963 Maserati Sebring this month! Gayle is a passionate artist, an oil painter of mysterious landscapes.
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"OUR LOCAL FARMERS AND PRODUCERS ARE THE TRUE HEROES OF OUR TIME." – JOHN CLARK
HL: My family and I have been avid diners for two decades! Marrying food and film is brilliant. To dine al fresco with movies projected on the wall … how cool is that? C&P: Running a restaurant chose us. We didn't set out to do what we do at this point. We found pleasure in feeding people and in creating an environment that feels altogether magical, beyond the normal. Foreign Cinema is more than just the food you are putting on the plate, it's an experience with warm, gracious hospitality. This embodies our service standard of kindness and a kind of professional ease and saying “yes” to guests. By experiential dining, we envision many elements working together at once to excite all the senses: smell, sight, taste, feel, and mindful engagement. All this works together to create an overall great vibe and leads to a wonderful sense of anticipation of the experience to come. The entertainment factor in dining is vital, revealing a positivity—an energy—for any successful restaurant. Restaurants not only supply nourishment, but an important form of escape. Escapism is an integral part of dining, transporting the diner to a place of delight and from the usual grind of the everyday. HL: Your food is yummy at the restaurant and at home. I oftentimes reach for the Foreign Cinema Cookbook. [laughs] I wonder why? C&P: Spices are a big part of the flavor arsenal at the heart of our menus. Foreign Cinema is a big, robust place; therefore, the food must replicate that energy: flavors must pop! Spices are a way to deliver that kind of sensation on the plate. Our book contains all our secrets to make flavors explode. HL: What are some fun, memorable moments at Foreign Cinema? C&P: A few fun, ironic moments with famous guests: talking in depth about Sebastopol-grown lettuces with Tom Waits; providing a last-minute tasting menu for Dan Aykroyd, which he fell in love with; chatting with David Byrne at the bar about music and bicycles; finding Mick Fleetwood the perfect ripe pear for dessert; cooking Diane Von Furstenberg’s 70th birthday party in Modernism West.
PHOTO CREDITS: © ED ANDERSON
Q&A
"NATURE TELLS US WHAT TO PUT ON THE MENU." – GAYLE PIRIE
HAUTE KITCHEN INGREDIENTS • 2 large farm eggs • 1 tablespoon of champagne • 1 teaspoon grated fresh black truffle (optional) • Pinch of salt • 1 tablespoon crème fraîche page • 2 tablespoons Reading raclette, or another rich cheese of your choosing • 1 teaspoon fresh tarragon, lightly chopped • Pinch of kosher salt • 1 tablespoon butter INSTRUCTIONS: 1. In a small bowl, combine the eggs, champagne, grated truffle, pinch of salt to taste, crème fraîche, raclette, and chopped tarragon. Use a fork to fully blend eggs with all ingredients, whipping for a least a minute or two until the whites and yolks are one fully blended color, avoiding stripes of white and yolk.
PHOTO CREDIT: © ED ANDERSON
Champagne Omelet with Truff le, Raclette, Crème Fraîche Foreign Cinema is known for the sumptuous omelets served at brunch, but omelets are a revelation for supper and frequently on Pirie and Clark’s dinner menus. Now more than ever, the relevance of omelets has never been more critical to our fast and furious lifestyles. The meditative and restorative nature of rolling an omelet for oneself is gratifying, delicious, and easy, once you practice a few times. Omelets represent a kind of restrained humility we find irresistible in food, because of their simplicity, integrity, earnest technique, and honest presentation. Omelets come together with few ingredients and little fuss. Let the technique in this recipe be a general guide to all future omelets rolled in your household with ingredients of your choosing. Champagne and truffles are regal, but champagne brings an effervescence to the egg taste and texture. Try a little lager or dry white wine as a substitute. A nonstick, 9-inch egg pan is a valuable tool for handling omelets like an expert.
2. Over medium-high heat, use a small, 9-inch, non-stick egg pan to melt the butter. Once the butter bubbles, pour egg mixture in. Let the first layer of egg set on the bottom and the sides. Reduce heat to medium and, working fast, pull the sides of the setting egg into the center of pan a few times to let the uncooked egg run underneath and set. Rotate the pan with your wrist, as most of the egg begins to set and the top is creamy and moist. Roll the omelet by tilting the pan forward and let the edges roll over, about 1 minute into cook time. Reduce the heat to low and gently flip the omelet once. Let the omelet finish cooking 10 to 20 seconds or more, until the surface is set. The omelet should feel plump, with a little give when touched. This is your clue to a creamy, moist, medium-rare temperature. (For a medium or well-done omelet, cook a few more minutes until the desired firmness is achieved.) Roll onto a warm plate and eat immediately.
WINE PAIRING RECOMMENDATION California wine pioneers following Prohibition, the McCrea family first planted Chardonnay in Napa in 1948, releasing their first Stony Hill wine in 1952. They follow the style of a white Burgundy, with less oak, making it pair more easily with food. The wine’s notes of citrus peel, white blossom, and stony minerals play well against the dish’s rich umami from truffle and wild mushroom.
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PHOTO CREDIT: © ED ANDERSON
HAUTE KITCHEN
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Five Spice Duck Breast, Poached Farm Eggs, Autumn Chicories, Blood Orange Vinaigrette (Serves 4) INGREDIENTS FOR THE FIVE SPICE SEASONING: Fresh spices, toasted and ground close to use, give this spice blend its life force. • ¼ cup star anise, toasted and ground medium-fine • ¼ cup fennel seed, toasted and ground medium-fine • 1 tablespoon ground clove • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon • 2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper FOR THE DUCK BREAST: • 2 duck breasts, approximately 8 to 12 ounces each • 1 tablespoon salt • 2 tablespoons five spice seasoning • 2 tablespoons olive oil 1. Score the skin side of the breasts with a sharp paring knife, making only a slight surface cut. This helps render the fat and allow seasoning to penetrate further. Rub the duck breasts with salt, five spice seasoning, and olive oil to coat. The duck benefits flavor-wise if you season several hours in advance. 2. Sear the duck breast skin side down in a hot cast iron skillet over high heat. After 1 minute, lower the heat and cook on skin side for 9 minutes or so to render the skin. Turn breasts over and cook for 4 to 5 more minutes until duck breast is medium rare. Allow to rest until ready to use. 3. Assemble the mixed chicories in large bowl and coat with vinaigrette.
HAUTE KITCHEN BLOOD ORANGE VINAIGRETTE: • 1 cup blood orange juice, reduced by half over medium low heat • 3 tablespoons champagne vinegar • ½ cup pure olive oil • 2 teaspoons kosher salt • Freshly cracked black pepper 1. Assemble the ingredients in a pint jar with tight fitting lid. Shake well until well blended. 2. Drizzle over mixed chicories of your personal choice when ready to serve FOR THE POACHED EGGS: 1. Bring a large shallow pan (about 3 or 4 inches deep) to a gentle simmer over medium heat. Reduce heat to low and sprinkle a few pinches of salt into the water. When ready to poach the eggs, slide eggs into gently simmering water and cook for 2 minutes until the whites are fully poached and yolks are medium rare. Remove eggs with a slotted spoon, dab excess water from egg bottoms, and rest on a room temperature plate until ready to use. Eggs may be poached an hour ahead and left at room temperature for ease of assembly. 2. When ready to serve, place dressed salad greens on four plates and slice the duck breast thinly across the grain. Drape duck slices over salad greens. Top each salad with a poached egg and sprinkle with pomegranate seeds. 3. Year-round ideas: Garnish this brunch, lunch, or light supper with your favorite details, including duck cracklings or sections of orange, toasted nuts, crumbled goat cheese, slices of stone fruit (e.g., tart cherries, plums, apricots, etc.), or whatever your imagination brings and the time of year. 21
HAUTE KITCHEN Tomato Salad, Harissa Vinaigrette (Serves 4 to 6 guests) Start this salad at least an hour ahead to give the tomatoes time to soak up the smoky vinaigrette. This versatile vinaigrette also can be used as a marinade. Save any leftovers to jazz up vegetables, whether served cold, warm, or at room temperature. INGREDIENTS HARISSA VINAIGRETTE: • ¼ cup pure olive oil • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil • 1 tablespoon harissa • 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar • ¾ teaspoon kosher salt TOMATO SALAD: • 1½ pounds assorted, vine-ripened heirloom tomatoes, such as Golden Jubilee, Brandywine, Purple Cherokee, or Zebra • 2 small Persian cucumbers, peeled and cut into ⅛ -inch thick rounds • ¼ cup crumbled sheep’s milk feta cheese • 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil • ½ teaspoon ground cumin • Maldon sea salt, to finish INSTRUCTIONS: 1. In a small bowl, whisk together both olive oils with the harissa, vinegar, and salt. Set aside.
4. Cut the peeled tomatoes into 1-inch wedges and arrange them on a serving dish. Pour half of the vinaigrette evenly over the tomatoes, cover, and leave them to marinate at room temperature for one hour before serving. Arrange the cucumbers and feta over the tomatoes and drizzle with the olive oil and basil oil , if using. Evenly sprinkle the cumin and Maldon salt over tomatoes.
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PHOTO CREDIT: © ED ANDERSON
2. Fill a small pot three-quarters full with water and bring to a full boil. Set a slushy mixture of ice and water near the stove. Use a sharp paring knife to core the tomatoes. Carve a small X on the tomato bottoms. 3. Gently lower the tomatoes into the boiling water, one or two at a time, transferring them to the ice bath after 30 seconds. Retrieve the tomatoes from the ice bath and use the paring knife to peel away the skins. Discard the skins.
HAUTE KITCHEN Salt Cod Brandade Makes 3 cups. Serves 8 (as an appetizer) Brandade, an ethereal blend of flaky white cod mixed with tender potatoes, studded with garlic, and finished with good olive oil and cream, has been featured on the menu since our arrival. Over the years, we’ve played with adding minced jalapeño or serrano chilies for bright green heat. Slather the brandade on grilled or toasted bread or dip vegetable crudités into this luscious spread. INGREDIENTS • 16 ounces of salt cod filet, soaked in cold water overnight, changing water 4 times • 10 ounces of Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into irregular shaped nuggets, about 1 ½-inches • 1 bay leaf • 4 garlic cloves, peeled and lightly crushed • 2 cups milk • 1 cup water • 5 cloves garlic, pounded into a puree with mortar and pestle • ½ teaspoon kosher salt • 3 tablespoons good, fruity olive oil • 3 tablespoons cream • 1 tablespoon fine breadcrumbs INSTRUCTIONS: 1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit (218.3° C). Rinse cod once more under cold running water and cut into 2-inch squares. Warm the potatoes, bay, garlic, milk, and water over medium-low heat in heavy bottomed pot and simmer for 5 minutes. Add fish to the simmering potatoes. Cook mixture for 10 to 15 minutes over medium-low heat until the fish is tender, still intact, and the potatoes are fully cooked. Strain the cooked potatoes and cod with a slotted spoon and place in a small bowl to cool for 5 minutes. Discard the cooking liquid. 2. Use a mixer with a paddle attachment on low. Combine fish and potato mixture with pureed garlic, salt, olive oil, and cream. Whip until smooth, about 5 minutes. 3. Check flavor for salt and garlic and add more to taste. 4. Transfer 1 cup of brandade into a small, shallow gratin or baking dish, about five inches in diameter. Attractive clay cazuelas are fun to use for this dish. Drizzle top with olive oil and sprinkle breadcrumbs (if using) and bake until the top is golden and thoroughly hot, about 14 minutes. Serve with crostini, raw gypsy peppers, or cornichon. Store remaining brandade in refrigerator for up to three days.
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HAUTE DRINKS
Afternoon tea at St. Pancras
Afternoon Tea The ritual of an enduring British tradition BY CHARLENE PETERS
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HE BRITISH TRADITIONALLY TAKE AFTERNOON TEA AT 4 p.m. Whether a pot of steeped black, green, white, or oolong (a combination of black and green) leaves, tea is typically served indoors on comfortable, short-legged parlor chairs or outdoors in a garden or patio setting. Historical documents indicate this oh-so-civilized (and logical) ritual originated in the early 1800s as a way to alleviate hunger pains between breakfast and the typical 8 p.m. supper. Similar in mood to a happy hour, afternoon tea is defined by the comfort of its seating and
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an abundance of sweet and savory small plates that can and often do qualify as an actual meal. (High tea, often served at the dining table, includes more substantial fare with meat and egg dishes.) In Scotland, high tea was formerly known as “meat tea,” a hearty snack for the working class that included cheeses, meats, and vegetables. The Scots formally called afternoon tea “low tea,” a dainty spread mostly reserved for the upper class. In England, a low tea usually consisted of plates of scones or tiny cakes, often presented on a distinctive three-tiered china server.
PHOTO CREDITS: COURTESY OF ST. PANCRAS RENAISSANCE HOTEL LONDON
HIGH TIME FOR
In the late 1800s, England’s Queen Victoria was known to enjoy afternoon tea. Her favorite accompaniment was pound cake, sliced and sandwiched with fillings of fruit jam or clotted cream. This treat became known as Victoria sponge and remains a mainstay of afternoon tea, along with smoked salmon and roast beef toasts. Tea is the second most popular beverage in the world, just behind water, and the brewing of tea leaves began in China as early as 10 BC. This restorative drink began to spread westward from Asia in the 1600s when Portuguese traders introduced tea to Europe.
One of my first teatime experiences while abroad was at The Merrion in Dublin, Ireland. The Merrion shares a wall with The National Gallery, making it a handy location as a teatime stop. The experience began with a serving of wild Honeybush orange tea, an herbal tea from South Africa purported to have antioxidants and other healthful benefits. With my tea, I nibbled on crustless cucumber sandwiches and pound cake served with lemon curd. As you travel, take an hour or two to relax over afternoon tea and see how revived and refreshed you feel after a sip and a nibble. Here are a handful of spots worth seeking out.
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PHOTO CREDITS: COURTESY OF ST. PANCRAS RENAISSANCE HOTEL LONDON
ST. PANCRAS RENAISSANCE HOTEL LONDON, ENGLAND This glamorous neo-Gothic building in Kings Cross also houses a train station (handy for catching your connection to Paris). The rooms here offer a bird's-eye view of the locomotive action below, and the exquisite lobby was the original Hansom Cab drop-off for St. Pancras Station passengers in the 1800s. Design details include a grand staircase lined with original lamp posts and dozens of wrought iron balustrades lead one upwards to a vaulted ceiling where twinkling stars illuminate the Seven Capital Virtues: chastity, temperance, charity, diligence, patience, kindness, and humility. Throw temperance to the wind and indulge Victorian style in an afternoon tea in the heart of the building, The Hansom, offered daily from 1 to 6 p.m. You’ll be tempted by savory sandwich classics such as slow roast beef, truffled egg, and freshsmoked salmon with citrus-herb mayonnaise, as well as a selection of decadent regional pastries such as the Oreo “Coal Yard” choux, paying homage to the local area; cherry and almond “butterley” Bakewell tart; and, an irresistible, melted milk and white chocolate “shed.” Add a flute of champagne … if you so please.
Afternoon tea at St. Pancras Renaissance Hotel in London
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HAUTE DRINKS
CAMELLIA’S, HOTEL BENNETT CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA
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Hotel Bennett, Camellia's
Charleston’s grandest luxury property, Hotel Bennett, has been open for two years. It contains a gilded jewel box within its lobby called Camellia’s Champagne Lounge. Guests flock here before dinnertime for cocktails or bubbles, but I recommend going in for a full-on afternoon tea. It’s like snacking inside a Fabergé egg. In addition to more than a dozen tea varieties, the menu boasts the requisite scones and clotted cream, plus quiche, fig and apple tart, caviar blinis, crab-corn salad, and sweets like Viennese cookies or macarons. The menu’s Crown Tea substitutes sparkling rosé for tea—or with tea.
The historic Hotel Metropole on the Bacino San Marco is a former convent with a quirky gallery of artifacts from the Belle Époque era. The tradition of afternoon tea, a holdover from its convent years, is served in the hotel’s Oriental Bar & Bistrot. In this room, from 1703 to 1740, Italy’s most revered composer/violinist, Antonio Vivaldi, gave music lessons to the orphans who resided there with the nuns. Today, in an ambiance of soft music and candlelight, the bar offers a tea ritual from October through March and the chance to sample more than 30 teas from East Asia and beyond. You’ll come away with the knowledge that green tea should brew no longer than three to four minutes and is best served with fish or seafood dishes. Delicate white tea is best steeped at a temperature of 70 degrees Celsius (150° F) for five to seven minutes, while black tea steeps at 90 degrees Celsius (194° F) for five minutes, best paired with homemade pastry. 26
PHOTO CREDITS: (TOP) COURTESY OF HOTEL BENNETT; (BOTTOM) COURTESY OF HOTEL METROPOLE
ORIENTAL BAR & BISTROT HOTEL METROPOLE VENICE, ITALY
Oriental Bar & Bistrot
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ZOE’S LOUNGE FAIRMONT CHÂTEAU LAURIER OTTAWA, CANADA
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Zoe's Lounge in Fairmont Chateau Laurier
PHOTO CREDITS: (TOP) (BOTTOM) PHOTO COURTESY FOUR SEASONS
TRIFECTA AT FOUR SEASONS HOTEL ONE DALTON STREET BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS What better place to observe an old English tradition than in New England? Trifecta’s street-level lobby lounge offers just the right ambiance for its Trifecta Afternoon Tea. Served on Saturdays and Sundays from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., it’s an updated version of the classic afternoon tea with a welcome glass of bubbles. A cava rosé and selection of tea from J’enway Tea Co.® proved to be a perfect pairing. Try Immunity Tea or Fruity Pebbles, accompanied by a shot of St. Germain elderflower liqueur. Arrive at Trifecta hungry for an eclectic array of house-baked scones, cakes, and petit fours, plus assorted savories like curried chicken sandwiches or smoked salmon crêpes. After 4 p.m., Trifecta transforms into a buzzy cocktail lounge.
In years past, England’s Queen Elizabeth occasionally visited the Canadian capital of Ottawa to attend government functions in the city’s Parliament building, which is an architectural masterpiece in the Gothic Revival style. If you visit, peek inside and you’ll see a room with a throne where the queen sat to observe the proceedings. Stoke your appetite for tea with a bicycle ride along the Rideau Canal, a UNESCO World Heritage site constructed in 1832. Its flat waterside path stretches for well over 100 miles from downtown Ottawa to the shore of Lake Ontario. The ride is beautiful with views of botanical gardens and Dows Lake. Channel your own inner royalty with afternoon tea at Zoe’s Lounge in the Fairmont Château Laurier. Cucumber-chèvre mousse tarts and mulled wine macarons crown its menu. While here, do as Ottawans do and sip on a glass of Canada’s most highly rated ice wine, Inniskillin.
Trifecta at Four Seasons Hotel One Dalton Street in Boston
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HAUTE DRINKS
OVER-THE-TOP WINE TASTING EXPERIENCES BY FRAN ENDICOTT MILLER
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LOSE YOUR EYES, POINT TO ANY ONE OF THE MORE than 800 wineries on the Napa Valley and Sonoma County winery maps, and there is little doubt that your blind selection yields a wonderful wine tasting experience. Most of the region’s wineries welcome guests with open arms, offering gracious hospitality within their verdant vineyards. A few wineries and winemakers go a step further, immersing
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wine lovers in the vinous process, while revealing their secrets to success. Others roll out a virtual red carpet, creating elegant, otherworldly environments in which to escape, if only for an hour or two. And one Napa Valley vintner soars (quite literally) to new heights with her elevated wine tastings. If you are not easily gratified by a routine sampling of Napa Cab, these wine tasting experiences are for you.
AILERON ESTATES TAKE FLIGHT EXPERIENCE Aileron Estates’ wines alone are worthy of a wine country visit. Add a pre-tasting, scenic bi-plane ride over Sonoma, and Aileron becomes a wine tasting must-do. Take Flight pairs Aileron proprietor Shannon O’Shaughnessy’s luxe Cabernet Sauvignon and Sauvignon Blanc with soaring, openair heights provided by the skilled pilots of Vintage Aircraft Co. in Carneros. The combo is exhilarating. O’Shaughnessy’s own passion for flight led to the creation of the unique offering. Take Flight is offered in partnership with Vintage Aircraft Co. and includes a 20-minute scenic flight, including aerobatics (inverting, barrel rolls, a hammerhead, and a Cuban eight) if desired, followed by a private tasting of Aileron’s first two vintages made by the rock star winemaking team of Philippe Melka and Mayan Koschitzky of Atelier Melka. ($550 per person)
winery has teamed up with renowned French glassware artisans Baccarat Crystal to create the Theorem Vineyards Baccarat Tasting Experience, offering celebrants a sumptuous, one-of-a-kind wine and food exploration enhanced by luxurious Baccarat crystal. A guided walking tour of Theorem’s Diamond Mountain property culminates at one of the winery’s scenic outdoor lookout points or in the soaring, open-air tank room, where a dazzling table festooned with fine linens, fresh-cut flowers in a Baccarat vase, Baccarat candlesticks, and a selection of Baccarat’s celebrated stemware await. Three of Theorem’s high-elevation, estate bottlings, served with seasonally inspired food pairings prepared exclusively for the occasion by Theorem’s culinary director, Chef Josh Mitchell, further enhance the tablescape. For added indulgence, participants may choose one of the elegant Baccarat wine glass styles for themselves, to be engraved with a meaningful phrase. ($750 per person)
TREFETHEN FAMILY VINEYARDS TWILIGHT AT TREFETHEN
BOUCHAINE VINEYARDS FALCONRY EXPERIENCE THEOREM VINEYARDS BACCARAT TASTING EXPERIENCE Life’s landmark occasions often call for an equally momentous celebration. Napa Valley’s Theorem Vineyards holds the key for a splurge-worthy solution. The luxury
Vineyards' Falconry Vineyard Experience allows participants to learn about the role of raptors in vineyard management, while enjoying a glass of wine. The falcons swoop through the air in a display of astonishing agility, return to their handlers, then fly to the gloved arm of each guest as the falconer discusses the eyesight, flying, and hunting techniques of hawks, falcons, owls, and eagles. ($75 per person)
This exclusive opportunity allows guests to witness firsthand the wonder of nature in support of sustainable farming practices. Working with West Coast Falconry, Northern California’s premier resource for falconry education and services, Bouchaine
One of Napa’s pioneering wineries, Trefethen Family Vineyards was founded in 1968 by Janet and John Trefethen. More than five decades later, this venerable Napa winery remains family-owned and committed to the craft of producing 100 percent estate-grown wines. The winery is also committed to providing outstanding wine tasting experiences, such as its Twilight at Trefethen, where guests can experience and explore the beautiful Oak Knoll family estate in private. A tour is followed by a seated tasting of five of Trefethen’s finest wines paired with delicious bites crafted by Trefethen’s executive chef, Chris Kennedy. ($200 per person) 29
HAUTE DRINKS curtain peek into the life of a vintner at the top of his game. David Grega, TOR’s longtime associate winemaker, hosts this exclusive tour of the hallowed soils of the legendary Vine Hill Ranch, Beckstoffer Dr. Crane, and Beckstoffer To Kalon vineyards, from which Kenward sources his grapes. The tour is followed by a luxe culinary experience. ($950 per person; 4-person minimum)
IMMORTAL ESTATE 100-POINT EXPERIENCE Immortal Estate is a luxury Sonoma wine brand from Tim Martin of Tusk Estates and Randy Nichols, developer of Napa’s new Auberge Resort at Stanly Ranch Carneros. Their 100-Point Experience takes place in Napa at a private, undisclosed Rutherford location and includes pours of four vintages of their flagship Cabernet Sauvignon, Impassable Mountain, including the 2013 and 2016 vintages which were each rated 100 points by both Robert Parker of the Wine Advocate and critic Jeb Dunnuck. This immersive dive into these world class wines is for groups of four to eight. ($500 per person)
TOR THE BLACK MAGIC EXPERIENCE Tor Kenward’s forty-plus years in the wine business have culminated in a wine so outstanding it was awarded four 100-point scores by varied industry critics. Guests indulging in The Black Magic Experience can sample that wine—the 2018 Black Magic—while gaining entry to a behind-the30
Valley, these wines represent the apex of Cliff Lede’s portfolio. Amp up this tasting with the Diamond Luncheon Experience, a family-style luncheon in one of Lede’s beautifully atmospheric venues surrounded by intriguing artwork hand-selected by Lede himself. ($450 per person; 8-person minimum)
TOR PRITCHARD HILL HIKE & FLIGHT Greg Melanson’s Pritchard Hill vineyard is prime real estate for world class Cabernet Sauvignon. Perched approximately 1,500 feet above the valley floor, the vineyard shares an exclusive ZIP code with esteemed neighbors such as Colgin, Continuum, and OVID. This stunning and rugged site is typically not open to the public, but Melanson allows TOR guests access to the magnificent views. Hike the vineyard’s steep grade to better understand the nuances of Pritchard Hill Cabernet and afterward enjoy a tasting of three vintages of TOR’s spectacular Melanson Cabernets paired with small bites. ($350 per person; 4-person minimum)
CLIFF LEDE | ANTHOLOGY + DIAMOND LUNCHEON For the discerning wine collector who appreciates rarity, the Anthology Experience showcases a collection of Lede’s small production, critically praised, platinum playlist and select library wines. Sourced from the most prized vineyards in the Napa
FAR NIENTE | CAVE COLLECTION LIBRARY WINE TASTING Experience Far Niente’s legendary Cabernets in one of the most enchanting settings in wine country. Showcasing three beautifully aged, highly limited Far Niente Cave Collection Cabernets, the Cave Collection Library Wine Tasting also invites you to discover current and cave vintages of Far Niente Chardonnay and ends with a taste of their late harvest jewel, Dolce Napa Valley. Each wine is masterfully paired with curated small bites. The private tasting experience is led by one of Far Niente’s professional hosts and includes a tour of the wine caves and wine library as well as an invitation to enjoy the gorgeous winery gardens at leisure. ($200 per person)
"SHOWCASING THREE BEAUTIFULLY AGED, HIGHLY LIMITED FAR NIENTE CAVE COLLECTION CABERNETS, THE CAVE COLLECTION LIBRARY WINE TASTING ALSO INVITES YOU TO DISCOVER CURRENT AND CAVE VINTAGES OF FAR NIENTE CHARDONNAY AND ENDS WITH A TASTE OF THEIR LATE HARVEST JEWEL, DOLCE NAPA VALLEY. "
HAUTE DRINKS in a saffron harvest at Peace & Plenty Farm in Kelseyville, with a paella meal afterward. (price varies per experience)
STAG’S LEAP WINE CELLARS CELLARIUS KITCHEN EXPERIENCE Held on Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars’ elegant kitchen patio, the Cellarius Kitchen Experience pairs the winery’s worldrenowned labels with four delectable courses, each made with locally sourced, seasonal ingredients by executive chef Travis Westrope who knows the Stags Leap District well and understands how to highlight the unique characteristics of Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars wines. Westrope harnesses the individuality of the wines (2018 CASK 23 Cabernet Sauvignon, 2018 S.L.V. Cabernet Sauvignon, 2018 FAY Cabernet Sauvignon, and 2017 Arcadia Vineyard Chardonnay) to create dishes that both complement and contrast their flavors and aromas. During the experience, Westrope, or a member of his culinary team, shares the story behind each food pairing, linking the dish to the wine. This year, in celebration of the 45th anniversary of the Judgment of Paris at which Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars was the red victor, Westrope’s menus are French-inspired. ($195 per person)
OBSIDIAN WINE CO. OUTDOOR ADVENTURE SERIES This Sonoma winery’s Outdoor Adventure Series was created by Obsidian’s founders to help guests enjoy wine outdoors in nature. Past and future adventures include hiking a volcano with a professional geologist, harvesting oysters at the edge of Tomales Bay with Hog Island Oyster Company, handpicking Pinot Noir grapes alongside the Obsidian vineyard team, and participating
CULTURED VINE CURATED, BESPOKE EXPERIENCES Let luxury concierge service Cultured Vine help you plan your dream wine tasting adventure. Cultured Vine founder Angela Duerr knows that when it comes to extraordinary wine and food, one size definitely does not fit all. Duerr and her team specialize in creating and curating exclusive experiences that include behind-the-scene visits not open to the public, helicopter escapes, private chef dinners, and nearly whatever your heart desires. “I come up with things that you couldn’t have done on your own,” says Duerr. “No two experiences are ever alike.”
ACME FINE WINES CULT V. IPO TASTING St. Helena-based ACME Fine Wines is known for its role in helping to launch and promote micro-wineries and brands that ultimately achieve great fame. Internally dubbed “IPO” brands, these are debut projects carefully chosen by ACME’s dynamic team of sommeliers who constantly scout to bring the next big thing to their clients before anyone else. This Cult v IPO Tasting features two cult wines (think brands like Harlan Estate, Screaming Eagle, and Scarecrow) alongside two soon-to-be-discovered IPO wines. Let ACME’s somms guide you through this tasting of Napa’s best and what’s next, accompanied by a charcuterie and cheese platter. ($500 per person; 6-person minimum)
MAKE IT BESPOKE From the stylized itinerary portfolios and introductory videos provided to her clients, to the extraordinary events laid out within, Angela Duerr of Cultured Vine makes wine county travel dreams come true. Duerr and her team specialize in curating exclusive wine country experiences that her clients won’t find anywhere else. Duerr’s relationships with wine industry insiders, travel professionals, and event designers ensure that her clients are treated to the unusual and the exceptional. From private jet travel, to the best concert seats, to gourmet dinners hosted by some of wine country’s biggest names, Duerr delivers, time and time again. A recent getaway for six included private jet transport to Santa Monica where the group picnicked at a Hollywood Bowl concert before jetting to Napa the next day for a private wine tasting luncheon at a revered winery, followed by a private chef dinner at another esteemed winery, with musical accompaniment by a Spanishstyle guitarist flown in from Austin, Texas expressly for the intimate event. Spa treatments, a bike tour, and more exclusive wine tasting followed the next day. “This itinerary was filled with surprises,” said Duerr. “Three gentlemen wanted to thank their wives and the trip was all about them - their favorite flowers in their rooms; every touch and video that was created. It was truly special.” 31
HAUTE DINING
THE CAVALIER Bridging the best of London and San Francisco BY STEPH KEAY
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T CAN BE HARD TO FIND REFUGE FROM THE CONSTANT hustle and bustle of the city: somewhere you can sink into a banquette and cozy up for date night, catch up over a decadent brunch with longtime friends, or even saunter into and grab an apéritif after some solo retail therapy. Somehow, The Cavalier’s stylish yet inviting space is perfect for all that—and more. Understated on the outside, quirky elegance on the inside, the London-leaning brasserie designed by interior design dynamo Ken Fulk is operated by the dream team of executive chef Jennifer Puccio and managing partner James Nicholas. Tucked into a side street in San Francisco’s SoMa neighborhood and adjacent to Hotel Zetta, it’s a day-to-night dining space one can stop into for any occasion. Following the pandemic shutdown, Nicholas has brought in industry veteran Andrew Fuentes as general manager. Fuentes most recently managed teams at Saison, Eight Table, and Ozumo. Nicholas also re-enlisted high powered event planner extraordinaire, Alisha Lamos, and inventive cocktailian, Ross
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Katzenberg, to concoct luxurious new refreshments—e.g., the Tzar Martini with Beluga vodka and caviar—for the drink menu. Previous favorites with a British bent, such as The White Lady, inspired by a recipe from the iconic American Bar at the Savoy Hotel, will still be shaken (or stirred). Meanwhile, the menu of elevated, British-inspired pub fare has also been reinvigorated, with Puccio continuing to derive inspiration from California’s bounty of farm-fresh produce and her culinary expertise across cuisines. Her creativity can be credited to her extensive career—from working in the kitchens of James Beard Award winner Ana Sortun’s Oleana in Cambridge, Massachusetts, to honing her talent here in the Bay at Elisabeth Daniel, Cortez, and Ubuntu. New additions to The Cavalier’s menu include reimagined versions of the Dungeness crab soufflé with salad lyonnaise and steak tartare with Aleppo peppers and polenta crostini. Have no fear: Puccio’s signature Brussels sprout chips, dusted with smoky-sweet vadouvan, will remain on the menu, as will
PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE CAVALIER
The Blue Bar at The Cavalier
HAUTE DINING
Shrimp Louie ceviche with toy box tomatoes, grilled avocado, radish, and hard-boiled eggs
Herb crusted lamb ribs with pickled ramp & fava bean relish
the timeless fish and chips served with malted vinegar aioli and minted peas—a personal favorite for its flavorful smack of spring flavors and a surprising standout for an accompaniment. Another tip: upgrade the chips to the beef fat fries, which—if it’s not too forward to say—I’m head over heels for. As a potato aficionado, The Cavalier’s beef fat fries are the real deal: fluffy, yet perfectly fried with a golden-brown coating that gives just the right amount of crunch. Don’t miss the grilled ribeye either, served alongside these incredible frites with a ramekin of red wine porcini jus to boot, or the tuna crudo, a savory affair punctuated by the floral, briny flavor of capers and freshly grated horseradish that lends brightness to the palate. Comforting yet impressive, these thoughtfully balanced dishes by Puccio are ones that are crave-worthy anytime. The Cavalier also happens to be a feast for the eyes. Divided into four unique spaces, Fulk merges the sensibilities of an English hunting lodge with London during the Swinging Sixties. The
Fish and chips with minted peas, thrice-cooked fries, and malt vinegar aioli
Blue Bar, aptly named for the powder blue-hued walls, offers a posh space for a Pimm’s Cup or G & T. Vintage cathedral lanterns dangle over a welcoming zinc-topped bar. Stuffed animal heads overlook the main dining room, light-filled with large arched windows to balance the ruby red walls. The Wine Stables offer a swanky, semi-private dining space outfitted with dark leather booths and hand-painted hunting scenes on the wall. A sliding barn door allows for complete isolation. Finally, the Rail Car room, tucked into the back of The Cavalier, evokes the luxury of the Orient Express with buttery soft leather banquettes and vintage brass luggage racks—convenient for stashing the spoils of a shopping spree in Union Square. Against the back wall sits a looming bookcase lined with various antiques and a taxidermy fox nicknamed “Floyd” that guards The Cavalier’s worst-kept secret. For all of its Old World elegance and expanded 135-person seating capacity, it’s an intimate space that feels novel and never pretentious.
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34 The Cassius Clay cocktail served at Marianne's, the private salon
Pitch-perfect design and flavorsome fare is a successful formula that has long been replicated by Nicholas, an investor and restaurateur who owns newly created Slow Lane LLC, a hospitality management company that also includes Marlowe in its portfolio of award-winning establishments. “I have always loved San Francisco—its people, culture, and food,” said the fifth-generation San Franciscan who attended the London School of Economics after Brown University. “There were so many similarities between San Francisco and London that I always felt at home, with one exception: the way people dressed for dinner.” When he opened The Cavalier with Puccio, Fulk, and previous partner Anna Weinberg, Nicholas wanted to bring his experience of living abroad back home and create a space where guests would feel comfortable “dressing up or down.” The team collaborated on a design plan and menu reflective of what drew Nicholas to London, with recent updates further weaving the cultural fabric of California into the menu. Although much has changed since he lived in London, you’ll still see the owner/operator of The Cavalier and the S&R Lounge (inside Hotel Zetta) around in his dapper, blue velvet blazer. Nicholas also runs Marianne’s, the clandestine boîte hidden behind The Cavalier’s bookcase. Named after Marianne Faithfull, the queen of bohemian rock chic who palled around with the Rolling Stones in their heyday, this semi-exclusive speakeasy offers handcrafted cocktails, caviar service, elegant small plates, and desserts in an intimate setting. Rumor has it, Faithfull inspired hits such as “Sympathy for the Devil” from the Stones’ album Beggars Banquet, the cover of which was also the inspiration for Fulk in decorating this space. The album artwork itself, which has been enlarged and framed, hangs on one of the speakeasy’s deep purple walls across from a candlelit alcove furnished with a zebra print banquette.
PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE CAVALIER
HAUTE DINING
HAUTE DINING
Managing partner James Nicholas
Oil paintings, beaded lampshades, and ornate chandeliers complete the vintage rock and roll-inspired space. However, for all of the epicurean delights and picturesque trappings of The Cavalier, what makes it stand out as a local treasure is its consistently impeccable service. The staff is exceedingly attentive, polished, and professional, yet never aloof. Perhaps it’s just been so long since I’ve dined out regularly after this seemingly endless pandemic, but I can’t remember the last time I’ve received service as warm and genuine. Plus, if you’re a diner who swears by Yelp, you’ll find that Fuentes takes the time to personally respond to all reviews—good or bad, though there’s nary a negative one in sight. He even welcomes one 4-star reviewer to return and ask for him personally to see how they can exceed expectations and garnish that fifth star. Another diner writes: “If you want to be treated special, come here.” Case in point? That 4-star reviewer doesn’t even have a profile photo or name listed on their account yet is being treated like royalty— rock and roll or otherwise. 35 A seated dinner in Marianne's
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PHOTO CREDIT: © TERESA RODRIGUEZ TK
LOIS LEHRMAN “Oh boy, didn’t we have fun!” AUGUST 22, 1931 – AUGUST 15, 2021 BY TERESA RODRIGUEZ
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OR OVER A DECADE, I HAD THE PLEASURE of working with Lois Lehrman at the Nob Hill Gazette. During that time, she taught me priceless lessons on how to manage the crazy world of magazine publishing and write like a pro. After Lois sold the magazine, she hired me to write her memoir. Unfortunately, due to health issues, we never completed the manuscript, but I was fortunate to spend hours upon hours with Lois, who became a trusted friend and a wise mentor. Both Olivia Decker, the publisher of Haute Living, San Francisco, and I admired all that Lois created.
The reason Olivia bought Haute Living was because of the inspiration from Lois. After long talks with Lois about Haute Living, Lois encouraged me to join Olivia and build Haute Living into an influential and important magazine in Northern California. While other media outlets will write about Lois' big life in San Francisco as the publisher of the Nob Hill Gazette for 40 years, I wanted to honor her life before San Francisco, her incredible tenacity to succeed, and her goal to reshape the social climate of the city. So, here is just a glimpse into the fascinating world of Lois Lehrman before her legendary life at Nob Hill Gazette.
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Lois delivering magazines in a Rolls Royce
For those who knew the mighty Lois Lehrman, it’s easy to understand why she wanted a career teaching deaf children how to talk. She was passionate about giving others a voice and a platform to share. That is what she accomplished with the Nob Hill Gazette. Lois took a simple, 4-page leaflet printed on cheap newspaper stock and transformed it to the leading magazine in San Francisco, showcasing the philanthropic adventures and successes of the city’s finest members. So, who was Lois before she became a San Francisco icon? She was not a native of the area; if you just listened closely, her East Coast idiosyncrasies would randomly show themselves. She was raised in the borough of Elizabeth, New Jersey. Her father was meticulous lawyer with incredible research abilities and a strong moral compass. Her mom owned Miss Pearl’s Dancing Studio. Lois and her sister were on the stage from age three, and Lois hated every minute of it. Her sister was two years younger and thinner, and they did duets together. Lois was always dressed as the boy. The end of Lois’ prima ballerina career almost happened when one day she stamped her foot and said she wasn't going to do it anymore. Lois refused to be dressed as a boy and demanded that her mom sew her a costume covered with rhinestones and blue tulle with roses, lace, and beads. Her mother did make Lois’ costume, and Lois performed her first and final solo in it. As for Lois' sister, she went on to become a Rockette.
Lois would attend numerous cheity events a week
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Lois went to Syracuse University right out of high school and studied speech therapy. She became highly disillusioned by the methods being taught. She was sure there were more innovative ways to teach deaf children how to talk, but at the time, the university stuck to its strict doctrine and was not interested in innovation. So, she transferred to NYU to study childhood education. She spent her days in class jumping around an auditorium with a tambourine, bored out of her mind. It was then she met Jimmy, her first husband and the man who would save her from a monotonous life of playing tambourine. In those years, a woman in her twenties was expected to be married, so Lois did what everyone else was doing. Jimmy had a romantic soul and was a great dancer. He was in advertising; Lois didn’t even know what advertising was or how to spell it. They were married a few months after meeting. Only married for two years, she and Jimmy had two children: a boy and a girl. Her life was a scene from Mad Men. They lived in the suburbs and Jimmy worked at Grey Advertising in New York City. Jimmy’s anger was a big problem. One night when the kids were only three and five, Lois wrapped up her babies and fled. Her son had asthma and his doctor told Lois that they should move to Arizona where the air was warmer and better for him. Instead, Lois moved to Florida because she didn’t know where Arizona was. She figured that if she didn’t know, neither would her friends. Lois never finished her university degree, so for a young single mother of two children in the late 1950s, getting a job was close to impossible.
PHOTO CREDITS (TOP) COURTESY OF LOIS LEHRMAN; (BOTTOM) © DREW ALTIZER PHOTOGRAPHY
TAMBOURINES AND TANTRUMS
5-YEAR PLAN AND PHOTOGRAPHY At that time, few women had careers. She was in a new city without a job or a husband; but, what Lois did have was her 5-year plan. When they first arrived in Florida, living off borrowed money from her parents, Lois got a paper and went through the classified ads. First, she circled the jobs that she could do. She followed that by taking a red marker and circling the jobs she wanted to do. A few times she scored double circles. One of these jobs was at the famed Deauville Beach Resort selling the photography services of an untalented photographer to people who had cameras around their necks. She thought it was stupid: “Who would want to buy a photo when they can easily take their own photos!” Ah, but there was something that Lois could offer that their own black and white pictures didn’t have—color! The photographer would take the black and white photos which Lois could retouch with color. Lois had received a photo coloring kit from her Uncle Charlie, because he thought she had an artistic flare. More impressive than her coloring skills was her ability to make money in such a clever way. She had to. After all, she was alone with her two children in Miami Beach. “We had a wonderful time in Miami. I have some of the fondest memories there. I remember my son planting toothpicks and my little girl wanting to go swimming in the winter with her down jacket on. We didn’t have family there, so we would go to the aquarium on the weekends and name the fish after our relatives.”
THE $40 LIFE LESSON Lois never finished college, but she made a point to learn at every job, regardless of what the job was. She saw every job as part of her real-life college degree. Many jobs she hated, but she always made sure she learned something of value from each. A few times the lessons were painful, like the time a con man came into the copy machine shop where she was working and wanted to meet with the owner to put in a large order for 12 copy machines. Lois said her boss wasn’t in. While they were talking, the man told her he was off to the horse races and that he knew of a sure winner who was a “mudder.” The odds were great! If he gave her $20, he would come back at the end of the day with $400 for her. A struggling single mother, she was eager to cash in. As he walked out, he said, “If you give me other $20, I’ll bring you $800!” She borrowed the other $20 from the cash register. Of course, the man never came back. “You know, it was the best $40 I ever spent. I was never conned after that day! I told my kids what happened when I got home, and we talked about the lessons I learned,” Lois shared.
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TIPS ON HOW TO CLIMB THE SOCIAL LADDER WITHOUT GETTING SCABS ON YOUR KNEES
While Lois gracefully hovered above the social stratosphere, she had some sage advice for her readers. We planned to put these tips in her book:
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At a party, when someone comments how great you look, you need to return the compliment, such as, "BUT YOU LOOK STUNNING!"
Personally, I don’t like it when someone says, “Who are you wearing?” Obviously, there is no person draped over your shoulders. Instead, say something like, “Who designed your wonderful outfit?”
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DROP QUOTES from the Nob Hill Gazette and Haute Living at your luncheon.
MAKE THE CAMERA LOVE YOU; don’t look for the cameraman or insist on having your photo taken. Be careful with whom are you being photographed.
AGE DOESN’T MATTER; readers love seeing photos of people who care how they look, dress, and carry themselves.
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2 4 6
Go to as MANY charitable events as you can stand and ADD three more. If you look like you’re MADE OF MONEY, you’re in. DON'T name names, unless you never want to dine in this city again. Make it look EFFORTLESS (but you’ll never work so hard in your whole life!).
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THE TALENTED, BLONDE MONKEY Lois was a gorgeous blonde was a big personality. So, when she walked into the JI Kislak Life Insurance firm for a job, she was hired immediately as the first female salesperson selling business life insurance. Management had her selling life insurance to business owners by giving her a list of companies and telling her to set up appointments and then sell them policies. She was great at following directions, and she did just that—time and time again. Lois learned the finer parts of selling, including not being terrified of rejection. The men she worked with in the office would look at her like she was a talented monkey who could talk. The environment was wrought with male chauvinistic follies, unrealistic expectations, and sexual innuendos on how she made her sales. Because of the sexist treatment at this job, she decided to join the women’s liberation movement and she started hosting group consciousnessraising gatherings for women. She also won “Woman of the Year” in her company newsletter for selling a million-dollar life insurance policy (to a mortician) in her first year.
Lois Lehrman and Olivia Decker
GENE THE BABYSITTER Gene fell in love with Lois and pursued her for months. Her kids adored him, but Lois wasn’t interested in having a boyfriend. So, he did what any smart man would do. He moved two blocks away from Lois and offered to babysit. One night, Lois took him up on the offer since she had a hot date with a lawyer. The lawyer insisted on walking Lois to her door, where Gene enthusiastically opened the door and chirped, “Welcome home, sweetheart!” That was the end of the lawyer and the beginning of Gene. They got married at city hall a few months later.
Good friends Joel Goodrich and Lois Lehrman
Lois just loved the job title “Space Salesperson.” “I couldn’t think of anything better than a title that had me sell space.” The space she began selling was for the insignificant Penny Saver. After a few months, Lois got a job at media giant Gannett. Her job was to sell advertisement space for one of their seven weekly magazines. After her challenging stint selling life insurance, selling space was a breeze. And she loved it! She got so good at it that the Jewish Community Voice recruited her, then the Catholic Star Herald chased her down and wanted her to sell for them as well. So, she did it all. “I didn’t want to be tied down to one company, so I got paid commission instead of getting a salary. And I told them, ‘Don’t cry when you write my commission checks.’” I still had to care for the kids, so my schedule was flexible, and I was great at what I did. I had a blast!” 40
Our last Mother’s Day together at her favorite restaurant, Mel’s Diner.
PHOTO CREDITS (TOP TWO IMAGES) © DREW ALTIZER PHOTOGRAPHY; (BOTTOM) ©TERESA RODRIGUEZ
SELLING SPACE
WATCH OUT SAN FRANCISCO 1978 THE WILD WILD WEST Lois’ husband Gene was in the fashion business, working for highend brands like Givenchy, Bill Blass, and Ungaro. Lois’ wardrobe was like a floor at Bergdorf Goodman’s, lined with designer clothes and furs. Gene was offered a position as the VP of production at the Gap, and he asked Lois if she wanted to move to California. She envisioned the palm trees and warm summer nights of Los Angeles. So, Lois packed up her life, gave away all her furs, sweaters, and gloves, and moved to San Francisco in December of 1978. At the time, Lois was running two newspapers in Cherry Hill, New Jersey, with little time to research the climate in San Francisco before moving. After moving to San Francisco, her nose ran for three years until she caught onto layering. She always regretted giving away all those fabulous furs and warm designer clothes. Since Lois knew nothing about San Francisco and its different neighborhoods, she simply put her finger on the map to figure where they should live. They ended up where she so eloquently called Pacific Depths in a duplex at 1810 Scott Street. “We rented half of a Victorian, not even a whole house!” Lois lamented. It was her first time living in a city, and she found the intense economic diversity fascinating. Next door lived an oil executive, while across the street were lower income rentals. She became a “stay-at-home wife,” but Lois was anything but “stayat-homey.” So, on one of her adventures, she climbed to the top of Nob Hill and wandered into the Mark Hopkins Hotel. There, on the concierge desk, were copies of this little, 4-page newspaper called The Nob Hill Gazette. She was excited to read about what the locals did and where they went in the city. After reading it, she thought to herself, “It’s cute, but it could be a lot better.” Lois saw potential for the newspaper and thought she could do that, since she’d spent the past decade selling ad space. She then thought, “If I’m interested, then others are interested.” So, she found the address on the masthead—Pier 5—and headed down there that day. When meeting Gardner Mein the owner, he asked, “Can you make money?” She responded with enthusiasm, “Yes I can.” He replied, “When can start, today?” Lois started the following week. So, three months after the Nob Hill Gazette was founded, Lois started working for the publication as their one and only salesperson.
SIX YEARS LATER Through the years, Lois tried to convince Gardner to add photos to the publication. Lois thought that most the editorial was dreadful. She knew that they had to do something to convince people to open
the publication. “It was very boring,” she reported. So, Lois said to Gardner, “Let’s put pictures in!” He replied, “Oh, no, you might put in the wrong people.” Lois had no fear. She knew that the only way the publication was going to change was if she bought it. The tipping point was the day that Frances Moffet, who was writing monthly for the Nob Hill Gazette, walked up the rickety stairs with a metal cup to speak with Gardner. Lois asked her where she was going with that cup and Frances told her that she had to beg for her salary, because hadn’t been paid for at least three months. Lois thought, “Okay, that’s it!”
ALL IN A NAME The newspaper’s value for Lois was that she thought the name was genius. Lois wanted to buy the name, then change the focus, define the readership, and recreate the Nob Hill Gazette. She talked to Gardner about buying the publication, and he threw out a ridiculous number: $5 million. After Lois stopped laughing, she spoke to Serena Mondavi Ventura and asked her to have a conversation with Gardner about buying the publication. Lois told her the story of the $5 million and Serena spoke to Gardner. Lois reminded Serena that if he didn’t agree to her deal, then his only asset was going to walk out. She offered Gardner realistic number and he agreed. Lois met with banks to secure a business loan. However, she was a woman who had no regular paycheck to speak of, she was buying a publication that was only a few pages, and all the revenue that was generated was by her. The bankers thought she was crazy. Finally, Bank of America agreed to give her a loan under the condition that her husband had to sign for it. She paid that loan off in the first 12 months of owning the publication. And the rest, as they say, is history.
HER MISSION Over the next 40 years, Lois showcased the charity efforts of many important, local nonprofits and the philanthropists who supported their vital work. She had a heart of gold for the unsung heroes of charity work and did all she could to raise funds, promote events, and highlight their contributions to the community she loved so much. Lois would never think of herself as a saint, but I do. So, while we mourn the loss of a great San Francisco leader, I'm positive that Lois is celebrating her grand life in a penthouse in the sky. And, I know she would want us to do the same. So, the next time you hear a cable car bell ring or a Frank Sinatra song, raise a toast to the city's oneand-only Lois Lehrman. 41
COVER STORY
PHOTO CREDIT: © JORDAN WISE TK
FOOD FOR
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The geoduck tart at Atelier Crenn
COVER STORY
THOUGHT GOOD FOOD IS ENJOYABLE. GREAT FOOD IS LIFE-AFFIRMING. READ THE STORIES OF FOUR LOCAL CHEFS WHOSE INSPIRING JOURNEYS HAVE CULMINATED IN CUISINES WORTHY OF COMMENDATION. BY STEPH KEAY
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OOD HAS THE UNCANNY ABILITY TO TRANSPORT US TO A TIME AND PLACE: THE FIRST sip of rosé on a hot summer day, rolling over your tongue with a crisp finish; briny, creamy oysters punctuated with the acidic tang of mignonette; even the humble chocolate chip cookie, warm on your fingertips as you lift it off the baking sheet, then melting in your mouth with the perfect balance of salty and sweet. One dish can evoke memories of a buzzy family gathering or recall an idyllic vacation abroad. Eating seems to be the closest you can get to time travel and teleportation in real life. One of my most unforgettable food experiences was Christmas evening two years ago in the NishiAzabu district of Tokyo, Japan. In front of me, suspended atop an intricate copper netting, was a perfectly deep-fried filet of prized golden boar pork sourced from Hyogo Prefecture (perhaps best known for its capital, Kobe, from which the eponymous beef hails). This rich tonkatsu, breaded with panko that dissolved on my tongue like snowflakes, was the work of chef Satoshi Oishi who has dedicated his life to the pursuit of perfecting this dish. In that moment, gazing out the crescent moon-shaped window at the quiet residential street, I felt truly present. This is what good food does: it imparts a sense of place. It makes us feel connected to something bigger. For this story, I peeled back the layers of some of the Bay Area’s best restaurants, particularly the culinary risk takers who call out to my near obsession with gastronomy with the reverence they have for their work. They embody a relentless devotion to product and process and a ceaseless desire to improve. Their accolades range from triple Michelin stars to a family matriarch’s priceless stamp of approval. They’ve toiled in CIA kitchens, artfully arranging nasturtium with culinary tweezers, and stoked fires in their backyard from dusk till dawn, all in the name of perfecting a slow-cooked brisket. The dishes they serve reflect their diverse journeys. I hope this non-exhaustive list shines a light on just a few of the chefs, artists, and innovators who make the Bay Area the singular culinary capital that it is.
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COVER STORY
STILL SHE RISES:
In between a Kenyan safari with her fiancé, actress Maria Bello (they are involved in efforts with the conservation and protection of Kenya’s ecosystems, natch), and a visit back to her home country, chef Dominique Crenn stops by her farm in Sonoma County during peak tomato season. Walking through the fields of Bleu Belle Farm reminds her of the summers she spent on her grandmother’s farm in Brittany, France. Vivid memories—such as the first time she tasted a tomato from the garden, the gorgeous orbs of late summer flavor bursting in her mouth—have shaped a deep respect for terroir. “In the sunlit garden are ruby treasures of the earth,” she writes on Instagram. Crenn’s portfolio of accomplished restaurants have long reflected her thoughtfulness, both in their use of organic ingredients and their commitment to sustainability. While chefs have been considered akin to rockstars in the past (and it’s impossible not to consider Crenn one), she is on a mission to make vegetables the top-billed act. In 2019, Crenn announced that meat from land-based animals would no longer be served at Bar Crenn, following the previous year’s decision to remove it from Atelier Crenn’s menu. Meanwhile, Petit Crenn has always served a pescatarian menu, and her next venture, Boutique Crenn, will be entirely vegetarian. A longtime pescatarian herself, she holds the philosophy that eating is an act of activism. She hopes these decisions not only reduce her environmental impact (she doesn’t agree with the way meat is processed commercially, due to its negative impact on our environment and communities), but also encourage others to reflect on their food choices. “It’s your choice what you buy and what you put into your body,” she says by email, in between dining at an “incredible” restaurant called Embark in Nairobi and saving the world. “Know that even a small change in your own diet can be far-reaching with effects on society, the environment, and humanity as a whole.” She knows that her choice to remove meat from her menus is a small change in the grand scheme of things—but she does it because she believes it’s right.
Chef Dominique Crenn
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PHOTO CREDIT: © JORDAN WISE
DOMINIQUE CRENN
PHOTO CREDITS: © JORDAN WISE
COVER STORY
Aside from deriving inspiration from the Bay Area and its bounty of fresh produce, her early memories give rise to many of her dishes—recollections of foraging in the woods with her father and brother or of the coastal nature of her hometown of Brittany. In her book, Rebel Chef: In Search of What Matters, she describes these as some of her happiest memories. “I might serve you potatoes roasted in their own soil with a ham broth and, with it, the summers I spent on my grandmother's farm. You might taste black trumpet mushrooms with toasted pumpernickel and chickpeas while walking alongside my father and me through the woods, or sit down to smoked oysters and freshly steamed langoustine, while joining me at my mother's table for lunch.” Whimsical and poetic, the inventive dishes she serves at Atelier Crenn are her own imaginative interpretations of these memories. The signature “A Walk in the Forest” is composed of elements such as a meringue of fragrant burnt pine, a sprinkle of pumpernickel soil, and crunchy hazelnut mimicking rocks along the forest floor. Her salad is a perfectly arranged miniature bouquet of greens sitting atop a globe of vinegar meringue, upending the idea that salads need to be dressed, rather than the other way around. Crenn’s fish and chips reimagines the comfort dish with freshly-shaved, dryaged trout loin over a fish “snow” covering trout tartare, served with a crisp fish skin on the side. So innovative are these dishes that some critics dubbed them “too beautiful” when it first opened in 2010, Atelier Crenn has garnered three Michelin stars, making Crenn the only female chef in America to hold this honor, and one of only five around the world. Merging nostalgia with innovation, these evocative dishes also celebrate the seasonality of produce from her farm, where biodynamic methods are used to grow and nurture these ingredients Crenn cares so deeply about. Operationally, Atelier Crenn also aspires to become both a zero-waste and carbon-neutral establishment. Crenn is timeless in her style, a tomboy who can rock both vintage Prada sunglasses and ripped jeans, as well as her philosophy: “Living is moving. Nothing is learned by standing still,” she writes in her book. It’s been a difficult year, but she hopes that the industry continues to recover and evolve. As for Crenn, whatever is next will surely encompass her values, focusing on “sustainability, humanity, and equality.” The chef-artist-activist continues to inspire not only with her imagination in the kitchen, but in her never-ending efforts to better the world around her.
Crenn's take on a Kir Breton begins every meal at Atelier Crenn
Paintings by Crenn's father adorn the walls
The crab tartare at Atelier Crenn
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COVER STORY
FORTUNE FAVORS THE BOLD:
Chinese culture revolves so much around food that we have a universal greeting in Cantonese, asking someone if they have “eaten rice yet” as a way of expressing care for someone’s wellbeing. There are many cultural nuances such as these that are difficult to explain, and this enigmatic quality carries over to our cuisine. I feel an immediate kinship with chef Brandon Jew, of Mister Jiu’s, through our shared backgrounds—it’s not often I get to talk to someone about ingredients like sea cucumber or cultural traditions such as fighting over the check at extended family dinners. If you’re wondering about the discrepancy in the name, “Jiu” is the original spelling of Jew’s surname. It was changed when his yeh yeh (grandfather) immigrated to the U.S., much like the immigrations officer picked a surname for my yeh yeh when he moved to Canada. It’s a shared experience for many immigrants, and one that sometimes contributes to the struggles of having an ambiguous identity. By naming his restaurant as such, Jew is helping to reclaim some of that identity lost in translation. He is also out to do the same for our food. Mister Jiu’s features dishes that at once honor and elevate Chinese cuisine, while utilizing the best of Californian ingredients. Scallion pancakes receive a distinctly San Franciscan sourdough twist, while dishes of my childhood such as cheung fun (steamed rice noodle rolls) are upgraded with locally sourced rock shrimp and sea urchin. It’s also impossible not to admire someone who came up with the idea of chicken feet terrine, a bold spin on the dim sum staple I’ve had the honor of introducing uninitiated friends to throughout my life, and a dish I could never have imagined served in any other way, shape, or form. It’s this appreciation of Chinese cuisine combined with a renegade spirit that led to a Michelin star for Mister Jiu’s within six months of opening.
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Spot prawns served at Mister Jiu's
PHOTO CREDIT: COURTESY OF MISTER JIU'S
BRANDON JEW
PHOTO CREDIT: COURTESY OF MISTER JIU'S
COVER STORY
An adherence to the highest-quality ingredients is a remnant of Jew’s childhood, during which he followed his grandmother around as she shopped for groceries in Chinatown. The fastidiousness with which she hand-selected produce was a testament to the importance of ingredients in Chinese cuisine, though the significance of these trips wasn’t apparent to Jew until many years later. I, too, remember being shuttled around town with my parents as they went to multiple shops all over the city, because they were adamant that this one had the best produce, while that one had the best seafood or meat. As a teenager, I often eschewed traditional dishes in favor of Western dishes such as pizza and pasta. Only in adulthood did I realize the painstaking amount of effort that went into some of the traditional Chinese dishes my mother put on our table. As it turns out, I’m still learning. When I ask Jew if there is a traditional dish he has been experimenting with putting his own spin on, I discover that sea cucumber is a notoriously difficult ingredient to work with. It’s also one I distinctly remember being present in a great deal of my mother’s dishes. I vow to message her to better understand her experience with it after my conversation with Jew and end up learning that she once lugged three hundred dollars’ worth of the highest-quality dehydrated sea cucumbers back to Canada from Hong Kong. She spent several more days wrangling with the fickle ingredient, a 10-step process that involves multiple rounds of boiling to tenderize it. Despite a mainstream narrative that has at times labeled Chinese food as greasy, cheap, or MSG-laden, the truth is that our cuisine is incredibly driven by curating the highestquality ingredients and is accompanied by a commitment to timehonored practices that realize the full potential of said ingredients. Located in the heart of Chinatown, the building that houses Mister Jiu’s itself is also steeped in history, nestled among the hallowed institutions and mom-and-pop shops of Chinatown. Mister Jiu’s is only the third restaurant to occupy the century-old building that was once home to Hung Far Low and The Four Seas, a grand banquet hall that hosted the celebrations and weddings of many Chinese San Franciscans, including Jew’s own uncle. The scent of freshly baked dan tat (egg tarts) wafts out from Eastern Bakery directly across the street. A few doors down is the namesake establishment of legendary Chinese-American restaurateur Johnny Kan, who is credited with the invention of lazy Susans—essential to the communal spirit of Chinese dining. I can almost hear the serving spoons clinking against various pieces of dinnerware as it went around the table.
In every way, Mister Jiu’s perfectly captures the dichotomy of being Chinese-American. Even the space itself is incredibly thoughtful, with the original gold lotus flower chandeliers from The Four Seas hanging above tables inset with custom-made lazy Susans. The current menu cover shows a black-and-white photo of Jew’s father perched atop a Camaro and is replaced every so often with other photos Jew has found in his family’s archives—ones that he feels picture his family and what they loved about being in America. I speak for many other children of immigrant parents and grandparents—all of us who grew up with lo mai fan (sticky rice) alongside turkey at Thanksgiving—when I say that I am grateful he is validating these experiences and showcasing Chinese cuisine as one worthy of commanding respect and attention. This is a place I’m proud to take my parents to when they visit, so they can see how far our cuisine has come in the hands of trailblazers such as Jew. Plus, we can feud over the check across the lazy Susan, just as we always do.
Hand-painted lettering decorates the entrance
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COVER STORY
JOIE DE VIVRE:
Herb Caen once described heaven as “a place that is said to resemble Sonoma in the spring.” I would be remiss to not cast a wider net when highlighting local restaurateurs, with so many remarkable chefs making waves in the North Bay culinary scene. Chef Dustin Valette is one such dynamo who proudly calls heavenly Healdsburg home, even after his career has led him to New York, Hawaii, and Las Vegas. Originally born in Healdsburg, the affable chef-owner of the highly-lauded Valette and The Matheson—a new terroir-driven restaurant overlooking the town square—has deep roots in the community. His father, Bob—or “Pops” as locals know him—is a Cal Fire air tanker pilot who has helped battle local wildfires for almost 50 years. If you step into his son’s restaurants, where he’s often seen, you might just hear about some of the 80-year-old’s jawdropping heroics. During the Sonoma County wildfires in 2017 and 2019, Valette complemented his father’s efforts by rallying teams on the ground to cook and serve food for first responders. Valette’s mother also once flew air ambulances. It’s obvious where Valette gets his chutzpah. His kitchen journey started at Catelli’s in his hometown of Geyserville, where he applied for a job as the chef at the ripe old age of thirteen. They laughed him away. He returned the following day, applying for a different position, and was told he needed to be at least sixteen. So, Valette did what anyone else would do: return again the next day, this time with an application stating his new age of sixteen. His efforts paid off a week or two later when they realized they weren’t going to get rid of him easily, and he was finally hired as a busboy. He worked his way up to a dishwasher, thrilled just to be inside the kitchen. After high school, Valette studied at the Culinary Institute of America in New York. He honed his craft in restaurants such as the Michelin-starred Aqua in San Francisco, Napa Valley’s Bouchon and Chateau Souverain, Hokus at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel Honolulu, and VOX Restaurant & Wine Lounge in Nevada. While working in Las Vegas, he became acquainted with chef Charlie Palmer, who eventually recruited Valette back to Healdsburg to lead Dry Creek Kitchen as its executive chef. 48
Chef Dustin Valette
PHOTO CREDITS: © MICHAEL WOOLSEY
DUSTIN VALETTE
COVER STORY
PHOTO CREDITS: © MICHAEL WOOLSEY
Heirloom tomato salad
From there, it’s been a rather serendipitous journey to Valette’s newest restaurant, The Matheson. An ambitious, three-story eatery featuring a farm-to-table restaurant with a self-serve wine wall, boutique sushi kitchen, dining loft, and rooftop cocktail lounge, it also happens to be the very same building where Valette’s greatgrandfather first achieved his American dream over a century ago. Honoré Valette, whom Valette calls Pepe, was responsible for a lifelong love of food and wine. Although he was only a few years old at the time, Valette still vividly remembers snacking on the salametti that Pepe cured in his underground cellar while his father and Pepe rendezvoused over wine. He was so fond of the memory that he replicated a similar room under his home in Healdsburg so that he, too, could share with guests. Pepe opened his first bakery where The Matheson now stands, but closed up shop after his fermentation cellars—allegedly—caught fire during Prohibition. He later opened a second bakery down the street, which also happens to be home to Valette’s namesake restaurant, opened in 2015 with his brother, Aaron Garzini. The Matheson will be a celebration of Sonoma County’s Old World style of breaking bread and cherishing the moment with loved ones. Valette pays homage to local farmers by planning in micro-seasons to showcase ingredients at their peak, while paying tribute to the area’s history with dishes such as the flatbread made with a strain of yeast created by Pinot Noir pioneer Burt Williams. Valette raves about the “fruity notes” that the yeast, left over from winemaking, imparts to the dish. That’s not all he wants people to get a taste of, however. When guests come to raise a glass— perhaps the En Honoré cocktail, a nod to his great-grandfather’s bootlegging history—Valette hopes that they will also experience the treasured camaraderie of his French heritage and the joy he found in gathering around the table growing up.
The flatbreads at The Matheson
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PHOTO CREDIT: COURTESY OF HORN BARBECUE
COVER STORY
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Pitmaster and chef Matt Horn
COVER STORY
BARBECUE, THE SIXTH LOVE LANGUAGE:
PHOTO CREDIT: COURTESY OF HORN BARBECUE
MATT HORN
Somehow, in between riding horseback past a 100-foot-long table of cheering diners in Half Moon Bay and experimenting with cooking A5 wagyu directly on a shovel of hot coals, pitmaster and chef Matt Horn has time to run a restaurant—and plan three more dining concepts slated to open within the year. It might be easier to ask what Horn isn't doing—and I haven’t even gotten to his film production company, book deal, or community organization yet. On a late Friday morning, I’m standing outside a building painted coal black (this Benjamin Moore shade is named “Black Panther,” in fact—a nod to the roots of its Oakland location). Howlin’ Wolf, Willie Dixon, and B.B. King play in succession over the outdoor speakers. A line has already formed, well before Horn Barbecue’s 11 a.m. opening time: a diverse crowd with Patagonia and reflective safety vests, peach-colored Yeezy 350 V2s and Birkenstocks, Tesla drivers and others riding up on bicycles. A customer walks out, heaving two large bags almost the size of her person, filled presumably with Horn Barbecue’s melt-in-your-mouth brisket. She loads the bags carefully into the trunk of her car and peels off, as another vehicle drives up, ready to pull into the spot and join the growing queue. After a series of setbacks due to permitting issues, the highlyanticipated Central Texas-style barbecue joint finally opened its doors last October. Diner stools custom-wrapped in sleek cowhide sit next to a floor-to-ceiling window, giving customers a glimpse into Horn Barbecue’s 750-square-foot pit room. A 1,000-gallon smoker nicknamed the “Brown Bomber” sits inside, and nearby shelves showcase a stack of tomes: The Fatted Calf's In the Charcuterie, local 4505 Meats chef and butcher Ryan Farr's Sausage Making, and The Wurst of Lucky Peach: A Treasury of Encased Meat.
Horn Barbecue has been singled out by Michelin's 2021 guide
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COVER STORY
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Horn sits in front of "Lucille," his 500-gallon smoker
To paraphrase a quote from Asheville pitmaster Elliott Moss on Ugly Delicious, barbecue should be one of the most expensive foods considering all of the labor and teamwork that goes into it—but the fire that drove Horn to forge consistently excellent barbecue is also reflected in his desire to simply be a light in his community. Efforts such as the Horn Initiative have provided free meals to healthcare workers, first responders, and community residents struggling with food poverty during the pandemic. Today, he isn’t exactly doing what he thought he would be growing up—he says he was obsessed with architecture—but it’s clear he’s still in the business of building: a legacy for himself, his team, and the people around him.
BE HERE NOW
In Japanese, itadakimasu is said before a meal to thank all those who were involved with making the meal happen—from the chefs, farmers, ranchers, and fishermen to the plants and animals themselves. If only there were an equivalent expression in the English language, a reminder to pause and reflect, paying tribute to the artisans and producers who all had a hand in bringing the meal to the table. It is my hope that these stories will elicit your own joyous memories of food and inspire you to approach your next dining experience as an exercise in curiosity, mindfulness, and gratitude.
PHOTO CREDIT: COURTESY OF HORN BARBECUE
Out back, thin blue smoke rises from three offset smokers—another 1,000-gallon behemoth dubbed “Big Red” and two 500-gallon smokers aptly named “the Twins”—which pit lead Gio Luciani tends to during my entire visit. (Decorated as he is humble, Horn constantly gives props to his team throughout our conversation. “It’s not about me,” he insists.) When the smokers get going, they run before the crack of dawn Wednesday morning straight through until Sunday afternoon. Someone is always there tending the fires— something Horn used to do himself when he first made his foray in barbecue, sometimes for 48 hours straight. Today, Luciani is running to and fro between the towering piles of California white oak and the smokers. Yet he still makes time to stop by tables and ask if anyone needs anything, and even adjusts the door of one smoker when he notices a customer trying to capture a shot of the flames behind the cutout doors featuring the Horn Barbecue logo. Horn taught himself to barbecue by feel. He first practiced on his grandfather’s old smoker, so weathered from family cookouts that a ball of tinfoil was stuffed into the hole where the thermometer had rusted off. He eventually graduated to “Lucille,” a 500-gallon smoker named for the B.B. King tune that kept him company during the all-nighters he pulled in his backyard after dedicating himself to becoming a lifelong student of barbecue. Under the stars he learned, adjusted, and waited—approaching the endeavor not unlike a scientist, tinkering with variables such as wood and liquid, then recalibrating, and eventually perfecting. Even so, there is no end to his work, because pushing the boundaries is what keeps him going. He credits this drive to his grandmother, Elsie, who, at 80 years old, was a force of nature who worked two jobs and could sew church hats as nimbly as she could break down a pig. His persistence has paid off in the form of Horn Barbecue’s slowsmoked brisket, served in exactly quarter-inch thick slices that hold their shape, yet pull apart with just the right amount of resistance— the hallmark of a perfectly-cooked brisket. Another highlight is the succulent spare ribs, gleaming a rich shade of mahogany— another indicator of excellence in the world of barbecue. Crucial to barbecue are the sides, and Horn delivers with a smorgasbord of them, including buttery cornbread, smoky-sweet pit beans, classic collard greens, and a decadent potato gratin in honor of Horn’s other grandmother, Alice, who served the dish at family gatherings throughout his childhood. Horn Barbecue houses no microwaves or freezers, so once everything they’ve prepared is gone, it’s gone— and it usually sells out in mere hours. A few days after my visit, Michelin announced Horn Barbecue had been recognized as a “new discovery” in its California guide.
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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
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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
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BEYOND The BOTTLE 8 LEADERS AND CHANGEMAKERS WHO ARE POSITIVELY IMPACTING THE WINE INDUSTRY NOW BY ERIN HUNT MOORE
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HE LAST SEVERAL YEARS HAVE DEFINITELY PRESENTED challenges to our local wine industry and North Bay region. From climate-related events to difficult truths and conversations around racial and gender inequities and abuse, topped with the ramifications of a global pandemic on communities, families, businesses, tourism, there is a lot to take in. But, with challenge comes opportunity. For many people in the industry, the current realities and landscape have provided reason to pause and reflect on what’s important, how they can facilitate positive change, and the legacies they want to leave. Here are eight wine industry leaders who are using their expertise and reputations to directly contribute to shifts in the industry, providing solutions and opportunities that galvanize and strengthen. Whether through more efficient technology, mentorship, support and advocacy of marginalized groups, deeper contribution through teaching and impactful research, or through direct philanthropy to initiatives that support crucial change, here are their stories.
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Ridgely Evers FOUNDER, DAVERO WINERY & COMPLETEDTC THE SMALL BUSINESS ADVOCATE You could say that Ridgely Evers is a bit of a start-up expert. In his Sonoma wine country community, he’s known as the dynamic and passionate founder of Davero Farms and Winery, a small, successful, biodynamic farm and winery operating in Dry Creek Valley since the 1980s, specializing in Italian wine varieties and award-winning olive oil. In the business world beyond, Evers is known as the driving force behind the Intuit team in the development of QuickBooks® back in the company’s start-up days. Since then, he has been the CEO of at least five internet-related companies and has advised countless start-ups. His Dry Creek Valley farm and winery may be his home, but he has always found opportunities to advocate on behalf of small businesses, through board work with SCORE, the national group advising small businesses, and as a former member of the president's Economic Recovery Advisory Board. Evers recently brushed off his developer hat to create a comprehensive management solution program designed for a group he knows all too well: small wineries like his own, producing fewer than 10,000 cases annually, a tier which represents roughly 90 percent of the industry. Impacted by fires, floods, fluctuating weather, and a pandemic, small wineries wanting to stay afloat and competitive had to shift their focus almost entirely to directto-consumer sales as fires and COVID-19 upended other channels, including the restaurant, hospitality, and tourism sectors. Evers found opportunity for improvement on existing winery management platforms. Many were not fully integrating and speaking to one another across winery business areas and needs, resulting in significant financial and time burdens for small winery operations. Evers launched his platform, CompleteDTC, for the industry after thoroughly testing it for his own winery and integrating feedback and suggestions from a small sampling of fellow small winery owners. “I know first-hand how challenging building a direct-to-consumer winery can be—and how satisfying it is when it works,” shared Evers. “Having the right systems can make all the difference, but unfortunately the solutions available were just not up to the task. I decided to combine my software background with my wine industry experience to build a solution specifically for smaller DTC wineries—one that really helps them succeed." Knowing that compliance is particularly difficult for smaller wineries, his company released a free tool to help them figure out which states make economic sense. “At the end of the day, I want to have a positive impact,” says Evers. “Being able to do this for this industry I love is just incredibly rewarding."
PHOTO CREDIT: © PAIGE GREEN
HAUTE WINE
HAUTE WINE
Matt & Alexis Iaconis
PHOTO CREDITS: © LEIGH-ANN BEVERLEY
CO-OWNERS, BRICK & MORTAR WINES AND DELTA WINES FOR CHANGE CLIMATE CHAMPIONS When winemaker Matt Iaconis and wife Alexis established their boutique wine label, Brick & Mortar, in 2011, they had a clear vision: to make the most elegant, terroir-driven, single vineyard Pinot Noirs and Chardonnays possible from high-elevation properties in Napa, Sonoma, and Mendocino Valleys. The growers they have worked with for years are predominantly organic and biodynamic, which has served them well in their goal to find the highest caliber fruit for their wines and in their desire to have the least amount of impact on the earth. Winemaking, however, is not a low-impact industry. From start to finish—from the water and energy needed to the raw materials required—it’s not easy to leave a light footprint. Witnessing the changes brought about as a result of climate change, the Iaconises have been motivated to dive in deeper to influence positive change as winemakers and as parents to four children. “There are so many things happening globally and locally that don’t bode well for our future,” stated Matt Iaconis. “We love this state and region and are committed to doing our part to ensure there is a future for our family and kids here and beyond. We felt that we had to do more and encourage others to do more, as well, through purchasing our wines.” “More” for the couple was the creation of an impact label, Delta Wines for Change (Delta meaning “change” and “movement”), which contributes 10 percent of annual sales to key environmental organizations with which they are aligned, including Surfrider Foundation, which focuses on ocean preservation and health, and Cool Effect, which focuses on climate change initiatives. By the end of 2021, they will have donated roughly $75,000 across efforts. Delta’s wines are sourced from organic vineyards and offer the same attention to quality for which the Iaconises are known. Their line of wines, both still and sparkling, are available across the U.S. and online for purchase in both bottles and cans, the latter offering a more earth-friendly packaging option and something they implemented for Brick & Mortar, as well. They are continuing to improve all elements of their production to increase their positive impact.
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THERE ARE SO MANY THINGS HAPPENING GLOBALLY AND LOCALLY THAT DON’T BODE WELL FOR OUR FUTURE. WE LOVE THIS STATE AND REGION AND ARE COMMITTED TO DOING OUR PART TO ENSURE THERE IS A FUTURE FOR OUR FAMILY AND KIDS HERE AND BEYOND. WE FELT THAT WE HAD TO DO MORE AND ENCOURAGE OTHERS TO DO MORE, AS WELL, THROUGH PURCHASING OUR WINES.
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HAUTE WINE
Paul Mabray
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Mention “digital” in tandem with “wine” and the name Paul Mabray will undoubtedly surface. Mabray has been called a futurist, a change agent, a digital trendsetter. Throughout his 20-year career in the wine industry, he has worked in nearly every aspect of sales and marketing. Mabray has been on the front lines of traditional, 3-tier sales and has worked on e-commerce and digital platforms for a number of wineries, companies, and organizations, including WineShopper.com and Wine.com. His years of experience working on digital platforms and e-commerce make Mabray an outspoken voice for bringing the wine industry to a more sophisticated and consistent level of digital engagement with customers, partners, and influencers. In his opinion, the wine industry lags behind many other industries and needs to get up to speed. While the needed shift to digital platforms took place for many wineries and companies with the sudden onset of COVID last year, according to Mabray, “What’s needed now are thoughtful digital marketing strategies which attract and retain customers.” Mabray’s campaign to bring the wine industry into the digital era is the driving force behind his latest project, Pix, a new wine discovery platform that will match consumers with the most relevant wines they can find online. “Wine is about discovery,” states Mabray. “With Pix, we’ll help consumers connect with specific producers and wines they love, while sharing recommendations from respected professionals in the industry and editorial content to keep them abreast of trends and hot topics." For his Pix editorial team, Paul tapped some of the industry’s most respected editors and writers, including Erica Deucy, formerly of Vinepair and Seven-Fifty Daily, as his chief content officer, Felicity Carter as executive editor, and Janice Williams as senior staff writer. He prides himself on having a staff that is more than 50 percent female and representative of the diversity present. With the open beta launching later this month, followed by the availability of the mobile app later in the fall, Pix, with Mabray at the helm, is gearing up to be a gamechanger.
PHOTO CREDIT: © PAUL MABRAY
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WITH PIX, WE’LL HELP CONSUMERS CONNECT WITH SPECIFIC PRODUCERS AND WINES THEY LOVE, WHILE SHARING RECOMMENDATIONS FROM RESPECTED PROFESSIONALS IN THE INDUSTRY AND EDITORIAL CONTENT TO KEEP THEM ABREAST OF TRENDS AND HOT TOPICS.
CEO, PIX THE MATCHMAKER
Haley Guild Moore
HAUTE WINE
PHOTO CREDIT: © KAIT MILLER PHOTOGRAPHY
FOUNDER/PRESIDENT, ACQUIRE THE CONNECTOR
Haley Moore Guild was 24 when she took on the role of wine director at San Francisco’s Bacar. Her career followed an upward trajectory from there: lead sommelier at Michelin-starred Spruce followed by beverage director for the Stock & Bones Group, overseeing Town Hall, Salt House, Anchor & Hope, and Jersey. In 2013, while working full-time, she founded Acquire, a side passion project helping collectors build and refine their in-home wine cellars. Moore considered this a hobby until 2020, when she officially launched her restaurant consulting business, the idea being to operate as a “fractional beverage director” and oversee many properties across the U.S. In January 2020, she was still handling the Stock & Bones Group and had five restaurant openings scheduled around the country and several other projects underway. By March of that year, COVID hit and all of her restaurants shut their doors—two permanently. All new openings were put on hold. With her income essentially drying up overnight, Moore quickly shifted gears and launched a new division of Acquire with the intention of using the virtual space to bring people together over food and wine. She hosted events in 20 different countries and served close to 5,000 guests in all 50 states. She brought on a Michelinstarred chef, who was formerly a sous chef at The French Laundry. Together, they cooked meals for up to 400 guests at one time. At the center of what she created was human connection and human experience—through a virtual platform. “2020 completely changed my life,” stated Moore. “I think the biggest shift was the realization that hospitality is not limited to restaurants. I always knew that our skillset transcended our occupation, but I don't think I fully had a grasp on how powerful hospitality professionals are at connecting people, setting the tone, and creating memorable moments. Of course, restaurants will never go away—but the virtual space is a big part of the future!” Moore is continuing to build Acquire, expanding on virtual events while executing intimate, in-home luxury dining experiences for clients and building private cellars and wine lists, all while giving back to the restaurant community that has given Moore so much. Acquire is committed to donating five percent of their profits to CORE—Children of Restaurant Employees—a non-profit focused on helping restaurant families in need. 57
HAUTE WINE
Deborah Parker Wong
SLOW WINE GUIDE USA NATIONAL EDITOR, WRITER, TEACHER THE SCHOLAR & SCRIBE
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I’M HOPEFUL THAT MY RESEARCH WILL HELP ADVANCE OUR UNDERSTANDING OF HOW WINE MADE FROM GRAPES THAT HAVE BEEN EXPOSED TO SMOKE IS EVALUATED AND HOW THAT EXPOSURE CAN BE MITIGATED.
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PHOTO CREDIT: © VINCENT GOTTI
“To learn, read. To know, write. To master, teach.” This Hindu proverb has served as a fitting motto for San Francisco-based wine writer, scholar, and teacher Deborah Parker Wong. A onetime private chef and publicist to Michelin-starred restaurants, Parker Wong has built a reputation as one of the most influential wine writers, educators, and thought leaders in the wine industry. She is a published author, the global editor for sister publications Somm Journal and Tasting Panel magazines, the owner of a Wine & Spirits Education Trust (WSET) school offering Level 2 and Level 3 certifications, and an adjunct professor in wine studies. Now, she’s looking ahead for ways to more deeply contribute to both the industry and region she cares so deeply about. Through her recent appointment as the U.S. national editor for Slow Food’s prestigious Slow Wine Guide, she has been given the chance to lead the Guide in showcasing American wineries committed to sustainable and environmentally conscientious production practices. This role aligns well with Parker Wong’s ethos and the shifts she’d like to see in the wine industry. “I would like the wine industry to be more transparent across the board, more forthcoming about how they are farming, and about how they’re making wine and how those practices are being communicated to consumers.” When COVID-19 surfaced, Parker Wong took a well-timed opportunity to further her own education, pursuing a master’s degree in viticulture and enology at California State University Fresno and focusing on an area that will be increasingly invaluable to the wine industry as fire threat and drought continue to impact the vineyards: smoke exposure. “My contributions are a work in progress,” shared Parker Wong. “I’ve tried to add value to the industry through my journalism and teaching, but there’s more to come. I’m hopeful that my research will help advance our understanding of how wine made from grapes that have been exposed to smoke is evaluated and how that exposure can be mitigated.”
Tonya Pitts
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WINE DIRECTOR, ONE MARKET RESTAURANT/ FOUNDER, TONYA PITTS CONSULTING THE MENTOR & ADVOCATE Ask anyone in the industry for a short list of top sommeliers and wine directors, and Tonya Pitts will be at the top. As the wine director of San Francisco’s award-winning fine dining establishment, One Market Restaurant, Pitts is one of the most respected and influential professionals in the wine industry. Her role as a storyteller, mentor, and advocate has brought her great satisfaction and respect. For nearly a decade, Pitts has used her wine program at One Market as a way to connect her staff and customers with unknown and upcoming artisan winemakers and wine labels, ensuring that there is space for female and BIPOC talent. Although the genders or deeper stories and backgrounds of the winemakers and brands on her list of over 600 selections are not revealed, she knows her wines and producers well and delights in sharing origin stories with guests, along with the qualities and nuances of the varieties and wines, in ways both comfortable and exciting for them. “I’ve really seen myself as a vessel in my role, working to enlighten, shift, illuminate—facilitating change through opening minds and palates, one bottle at a time.”
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PHOTO CREDIT: © HARDY WILSON
I’VE REALLY SEEN MYSELF AS A VESSEL IN MY ROLE, WORKING TO ENLIGHTEN, SHIFT, ILLUMINATE— FACILITATING CHANGE THROUGH OPENING MINDS AND PALATES, ONE BOTTLE AT A TIME. Having had a number of key mentors over her career, Pitts has taken her role as a mentor to others quite seriously, in particular women and BIPOC people interested in wine. “I’ve been in the hospitality and wine industry for many decades, with quite a bit of that time spent as sommelier and wine director. Women and especially women of color still represent a small percentage of the industry, too small in my opinion. I’ve used my own position in the industry to help change that.” With the restaurant and hospitality community dramatically impacted by COVID-19, Pitts found herself suddenly looking at the bigger picture and asking deeper questions about how she could be of greater service to her community and industry. She found herself saying “yes” to more speaking, partnering, and leadership opportunities with groups like Wine Unify, Batonnage, and the United Sommelier Foundation in support of mentorship and the cultivation of greater diversity and opportunity in the industry. We can expect more of that ahead. 59
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Justin Trabue
Named after JUSTIN Winery in Paso Robles, it seems that Justin Trabue was destined for the wine industry. A fourth generation native of Washington, DC., she grew up with parents who were wine lovers. Wine had a place at the table, and travel to wine regions in the U.S. and around the world was often worked into family vacation plans. When Justin was in high school, her parents introduced her to a Black sommelier based out of the District of Columbia and her world forever changed. To see someone who looked like her working in an industry she loved, she was hooked. Soon after, she began studying wine, viticulture, and wine business at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. A trip abroad to Australia inspired her to start diving into winemaking, and she leveraged the internship programs available to work in the U.S. and overseas. Her path hasn’t always been smooth. The lack of exposure and support for BIPOC individuals interested in wine has been a barrier to entry. Trabue has learned repeatedly that being a trailblazer requires leading and making your voice heard. When George Floyd died, Trabue and her dear friend, Simonne Mitchelson, crafted a call to action to share with the wine industry in response to what they saw as not just a lack of response, but a “deafening silence.” As a result, they connected with a community within the industry that actively pushed toward sustainable impact and dismantling racism. As a result of that shared vision, a scholarship was created at Trabue’s alma mater, Cal Poly SLO for BIPOC interested in studying wine and viticulture. From there, the two women connected with an industry group to found the nonprofit wine club, Natural Action, with proceeds from the club contributing to education, exposure, internships/apprenticeships, and career paths for BIPOC students in the wine industry. “Diversity in our industry is important for our growth and our health,” states Trabue. “It demonstrates that the wine world isn't just a certain type of people: the wine road is for everyone. And it’s important to see that we’re represented.” 60
PHOTO CREDIT: © HEATHER DAENITZ
WINEMAKING APPRENTICE, HEITZ CELLARS & CO-FOUNDER, THE NATURAL ACTION WINE CLUB THE VOICE FOR CHANGE
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Katy Wilson
PHOTO CREDIT: COURTESY OF LARUE WINES
WINEMAKER, LARUE WINES & WINEMAKING CONSULTANT THE ROLE MODEL Sonoma County winemaker Katy Wilson has been busy. Named a past “Winemaker to Watch” by the San Francisco Chronicle (2013), she is in the midst of harvest for her own 12-year-old brand, LaRue Wines and helping three top boutique winery clients through the 2021 harvest as their consulting winemaker. She also has a new baby girl. Raised in a small agricultural town in California where her parents owned a hay-hauling business and a walnut orchard, Wilson grew up immersed in the world of agriculture and wasn’t afraid to get her hands dirty, whether it was driving tractors or pruning walnut trees. It was, therefore, no surprise when she set her sights on a degree in agricultural business at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. During a freshman year Agricultural Business 101 class, the professor spoke of different areas of agriculture. The topic of wine caught her attention, and Wilson suddenly knew, at the age of 18, that wine would be it for her. She turned her focus to viticulture, seeing it as the perfect combination of farming, science, and creativity. While Wilson’s professional goal is to make great wine, as a female winemaker and entrepreneur in the wine industry, she strives to be a role model and blaze a path for the next generation of winemakers of all genders, races, and ethnicities. As an advisory board member of WOW (Women-Owned Wineries) Sonoma, she is proud to advocate on behalf of the wine industry’s most talented and tenacious women and continues to help shift the narrative for the future of female leaders. In addition to participating in panels and hosting events that bring together female winemakers like her, WOW Sonoma includes a nationwide winery directory with more than 550 female-identifying wine entrepreneurs, as well as a wine club and storytelling platform uniting like-minded winemakers and drinkers. Advocating for inclusivity across industry roles is a marathon, not a sprint. Says Wilson, “Change doesn’t happen overnight. It starts with initiating a dialogue and recognizing the issues. And it gains momentum when small changes are consistently and consciously made across the collective industry. I feel like we’re on an upward trajectory. While we haven’t overcome all the issues yet, I feel confident in the progress that we’ve made and empowered to continue as an example and advocate for change.”
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CHANGE DOESN’T HAPPEN OVERNIGHT. IT STARTS WITH INITIATING A DIALOGUE AND RECOGNIZING THE ISSUES. AND IT GAINS MOMENTUM WHEN SMALL CHANGES ARE CONSISTENTLY AND CONSCIOUSLY MADE ACROSS THE COLLECTIVE INDUSTRY. I FEEL LIKE WE’RE ON AN UPWARD TRAJECTORY. WHILE WE HAVEN’T OVERCOME ALL THE ISSUES YET, I FEEL CONFIDENT IN THE PROGRESS THAT WE’VE MADE AND EMPOWERED
TO CONTINUE AS AN EXAMPLE AND ADVOCATE FOR CHANGE.
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DELIGHT IN NAPA VALLEY My staycation to Auberge du Soleil, Charles Krug Winery, and beyond BY JENNIFER BODEN
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FTER SO LONG WITHOUT A VACATION, THERE’S A LOT OF PRESSURE TO MAKE the right choice. But there are few better places to shake off those quarantine blues than Napa Valley. With its beautiful weather, impressive vistas, shopping, food and wine, the valley has long been a vacation mecca. Now more than ever, we need a little more Napa in our lives.
PHOTO CREDITS: COURTESY OF AUBERGE DU SOLEIL
AUBERGE DU SOLEIL
Auberge du Soleil offers a unique wine country experience inspired by the south of France and infused with California soul
I started my journey at Auberge du Soleil. Just east of St. Helena and nestled on 33 gorgeous, hillside acres, the resort is pure luxury. Surrounded by storied vineyards— Caymus, Heitz, Joseph Phelps, Rutherford Hill—and filled with olive and oak trees, Auberge is Auberge du Soleil private exceptional in every way. maison master bedroom Created by French restaurateur Claude Rouas who wanted to bring the south of France to Napa, the hotel boasts 50 guest accommodations: from rooms to suites to 1,800-square-foot, 2-bedroom private maisons. The delightful grounds include a sculpture garden and Japanese-style pavilion in which guests can meditate or take advantage of their regular yoga classes, including private sessions. When it comes to dining, they have you covered. Because of the unique hillside location, guests can enjoy the best of both worlds. “The Restaurant and Bistro, which are open to the public, offer dynamic culinary, cocktail and wine selections in fine dining and casual settings, both of which feature outdoor dining terraces with spectacular valley views,” said Renee Risch, Auberge du Soleil Director of Sales and Marketing. “Then, once guests retreat to the private guest room level, the vibe shifts to a tranquil, romantic atmosphere where they can enjoy an adults-only experience where they have the pool, spa, sculpture garden, and olive grove all to themselves." Auberge du Soleil has a long history in the valley, and that provides abundant opportunities to access some of Napa’s most coveted wineries and restaurants. Trust me, the concierge will set you up. 63
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Harvest Inn, St. Helena
HARVEST INN
AREA RESTAURANTS AND WINERIES Just a five-minute drive from Harvest Inn, you’ll find Goose & Gander, where Executive Chef Nic Jones creates American classics in a pub-like atmosphere. Feast on salads, burgers or steaks. The wine list is impressive, of course, but you may want to check out the mixed drinks menu, which includes a bevy of modern takes on cocktail classics. 64
Harvest Inn vineyard view king
Goose & Gander
PHOTO CREDIT: (TOP) © SABINE SCHERER PHOTOGRAPHY; (MIDDLE) © ANDY BERRY PHOTOGRAPHY; (BOTTOM) © JENNIFER BODEN
I continued my Napa sojourn at the Harvest Inn in St. Helena proper. The inn offers an idyllic vibe. Ensconced in Whitehall Lane's Leonardini Family Vineyards and surrounded by redwoods, the hotel delivers a lovely environment in the middle of St. Helena. The inn provides a variety of room choices with relaxing views of vineyards, botanical gardens, and fine art from the Aerena Gallery. My room was newly updated, spacious, and comfortable, with a picture-perfect vineyard view from my patio where I enjoyed coffee in the morning and wine by the fire at night. Bonus: the Inn offers many dogfriendly options. "The property really does feel like it's straight out of a storybook, with the brick paths and fountains that meander through redwood trees and then out to a vineyard,” said Steve Gaebe, Harvest Inn Director of Sales and Marketing. “While we're in the heart of Napa Valley, and neighbors to some of the most popular wineries, once you're at Harvest Inn, you feel far away from all the buzz. It's quiet and peaceful, with lots of nooks and semi-private spots to sit and enjoy the sunset with a glass of wine.” Harvest Inn also offers dining at their Harvest Table restaurant. Guests can enjoy a meal on the terrace, or grab a seat indoors, where smooth wood finishes are offset by the classic brickwork of an oversized fireplace under abundant natural light.
Caviar and a combined portfolio tasting of Schramsberg Vineyards sparkling wines and Davies Vineyards red wines.
PHOTO CREDIT: (CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT) © JENNIFER BODEN; COURTESY OF CARDINALE WINERY; © JENNIFER BODEN; © RICHARD WOOD
Cabana Experience at Charles Krug Winery
Cardinale Winery
Parallel Wines offers an unparallel lunch option at the Brasswood Restaurant in St. Helena. Pair a delicious, multi-course meal with their Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon. Parallel's general manager, Adrienne Smith, guides guests through this unique experience. She is also a Culinary Institute of America-trained chef. It was a treat to have her create dishes paired perfectly with our wine. My favorite combo was the steak ribeye niçoise salad with Parallel Black Diamond Reserve Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. Davies Vineyards in St. Helena is known for their fine Schramsberg bubbles and sumptuous reds, so it’s no surprise that one of their tastings combines both. Even better, in addition to the Schramsberg sparkling wines, Cabernet Sauvignon and Pinot Noir, there’s caviar–which is always a good idea.
The Cabana Experience at Charles Krug Winery, also in St. Helena, offers wine club members and select guests a comfortable and private space to enjoy tastings, pizza from their wood-fired oven, charcuterie plates, and bottle service during their stay. The comfortable furnishings make this the best way to sit back and enjoy the outdoor service. If you’re looking to stretch your legs, take a walking tour. “Guests really enjoy our guided history tour of the property, where they can learn more about the beginnings of Napa Valley as a winemaking region as well the rich history of the first family of wine, the Mondavis, who continue on as a fifth generation wine family,” said Jim Morris, Vice President, Estate Management and Guest Relations at Charles Krug Winery. Cardinale Winery, located in the celebrated Oakville district, features both fine wine and panoramic views. The winery specializes in Sauvignon Blanc and Cabernet Sauvignon. The stone estate building is gorgeous. I could go on and on, but I’m going to stop there. Napa Valley was exactly as I remembered it: relaxing, stunningly beautiful, and in many ways, quite comforting. For anyone planning a long-deferred vacation, I could not recommend it more. First course during Parallel lunch and wine tasting. Crispy risotto ball, pesto, parmesan paired with Parallel Russian River Chardonnay
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PHOTO CREDIT: © PETER KIRKEGAARD
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Egeskov Castle
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FAIRYTALE FUNEN
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This birthplace of Hans Christian Andersen honors him with a new museum BY BECCA HENSLEY
PHOTO CREDIT: COURTESY OF VISIT ODENSE
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N BUZZY COPENHAGEN, A BEACON OF SLEEK Danish design and the torchbearer for the world’s most recently idolized cuisine (New Nordic), visitors today seem most mesmerized by the capital city’s contemporary perspectives and forward-thinking way of life. Just snagging a reservation at Noma, Rene Redzepi’s two-Michelin-starred sanctum, akin to winning the lottery, has become a raison d’être for worldwide epicureans. Attitude-wise, the harbor-side city, with its denizens often rated the world’s happiest, forever leads in trendsetting—even though it also embraces its swish royal family and other aspects of its prodigious past. I visited during the pandemic, just as widelyvaccinated Denmark chose to eschew masks and tiptoe back to our former lives with a well-accepted vaccine passport. Plunging in with the locals and showing my vaccine card at every turn, I felt a sense of freedom and a great respect for the country’s unerring willingness to accept a certain amount of inconvenience for the greater good. To me, this canniness defines Denmark. But there’s another Denmark I love just as much. It’s the timeless, storybook Denmark one finds on the island of Fyn (Funen in English, Odense street view pronounced “Foon”).
Just an hour by train across a heart-stirring suspension bridge from Copenhagen, Fyn (and its related islands) has orchards, mysterious sea coves, wineries, farms, forests, serpentine bike paths, and 123 castles, some of them purportedly haunted. Right from the pages of a story, its main city, Odense, the birthplace of writer Hans Christian Andersen, immediately summons the scribe’s tales. Cobbled, serpentine streets; climbing rose vines; swans; colorful, wood-beamed, gabled houses; witch-hat steeples; and cruiser bikes leaning on picket fences: all combine to transport visitors. The city’s charms clearly evince how a creative mind might come up with fairytales as deeply textured as Andersen’s The Little Mermaid, The Princess and the Pea, Thumbelina, and The Ugly Duckling when living in such a town. “Life is a fairytale,” he wrote, and in Odense, you may believe it, too.
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I visited Odense to be among the first to preview the newly opened H.C. Andersen House, a museum built on the grounds of the writer’s childhood home. Jaw-dropping and unconventional, it celebrates Hans Christian Andersen, Denmark’s equivalent to Shakespeare, from a new perspective. With whimsy and eccentricity, deeply intellectual and playful at once, it offers an energizing, alternative reality as fanciful as any of the beloved icon’s fairytale characters. Designed by Japanese “starchitect” Kengo Kuma, known for his work on the Tokyo Olympic Stadium, the adventurous museum expands on the site of Andersen’s childhood home with a circular, modern wedding cake of a building surrounded by gardens. The front doors, made from beams and glass, lead to a swirling vortex where visitors descend into the adventure from an upper floor, a route that seems magical in itself. Purposefully not linear, the museum approaches its subject unconventionally. The undulating path from room to room keeps things fluid, a reminder that Andersen’s stories, like poetry, can be digested and processed on many levels. I watch as some of his best known stories come to life, the characters talking about Andersen as if they were gossipy observers. A few galleries use Andersen artifacts— such as artwork, a top hat, love letters, a suitcase—to relate his personal history. Using a state-of-the-art audio system which senses when visitors step close or linger near displayed objects, exhibits animate. I hear the top hat talking in one spot, the suitcase lures me with its banter in another. It’s surreal—and gratifying. We become part of the story. 68
Biking on Funen
Queen in Mirror Exhibit at HC House
PHOTO CREDITS: (TOP) COURTESY OF VISIT ODENSE (BOTTOM) © BECK JOHANSEN
Broholm Castle
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ADDITIONAL THINGS TO DO ON THE ISLAND OF FUNEN (FYN) 1. CYCLE: Two routes traverse the relatively flat island. Both the 31-mile-long Korsør-to-Svendborg section and the 43.5-mile Svendborg-to-Assens leg take bikers past castles, vineyards, and coastal vistas.
PHOTO CREDITS: COURTESY OF VISIT ODENSE
Street of Odense
Other galleries re-invent (or take us deeper) into some of the author’s best loved tales, each story tucked into its own nook. The bed from The Princess and Pea soars to the sky with multicolored quilts. Nearby, a placard displays quotes from so-called pea experts discussing peas and their capabilities in terms of finding a real princess—all very tongue-in-cheek. The Little Mermaid’s room has a ceiling that reveals the sea, complete with swimming mermaids and sea creatures. As we stand there, bedazzled, chatty mermaids talk about us. Another story, Klods Hans (Jack the Dullard), features a queen taunting bystanders from a huge mirror, begging them to impress her. In 3-D, her visage reigns real and imposing. The woebegone, cartoonish Little Match Girl, created by a puppeteer known for his work with Tim Burton and filmed in stop-motion, captures my heart. The Little Nightingale, rendered unexpectedly colossal in size, can be wound up with a lever. Overall a symphony of perception, the entire museum incorporates sensory elements such as interpretive musical scores, wisecracking scripts written by children’s story authors (like Lemony Snicket’s Daniel Handler), visual effects executed by major artists, and thoughtful ways to participate by touching and rethinking the stories you thought you knew. Perhaps more pleasing to adults than children, the H.C. Andersen House sparks curiosity and challenges preconceived mindsets in all ages. That’s its purpose. “It’s an existential place, not an historical museum,” explains Creative Director Henrik Lübker. His remark makes me think of one exhibit where guests can play with their shadows, visually changing who we are and how we appear. It’s what the museum achieves in the end: it touches our core and shifts us. Like the Ugly Duckling, we each enter the H.C. Andersen House as one person and leave transformed.
2. SLEEP IN A CASTLE: Broholm Castle. With a farm-to-table restaurant, this 700-year-old castle with 19 distinctive guest rooms was a favorite of Andersen who visited no fewer than six times. 3. VISIT A WINERY: Skaarupøre Vineyard, located on an ancient farm, produces 100 percent organic white and rosé wines. 4. SAIL: Explore the Funen archipelago aboard the vintage M/S Helge. Stop along the way to picnic on a beach or explore a castle. 5. GET REGAL: Stroll the idyllic gardens at centuries-old, stillinhabited Egeskov Castle, which also has a vintage car museum.
Cobbled streets
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SAN FRANCISCO STAYCATION Satisfy your wanderlust with a stay at one of these San Francisco hotels, each standing ready and more than willing to fulfill your travel dreams. BY FRAN ENDICOTT MILLER
ON THE LIST:
The Ritz-Carlton, San Francisco Four Seasons Hotel San Francisco at Embarcadero The Inn and the Lodge at The Presidio The Clift Royal Sonesta Hotel
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PHOTO CREDIT: COURTESY OF FOUR SEASONS HOTEL SAN FRANCISCO AT EMBARCADERO
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ES, TRAVEL IS BACK. BUT THOSE LONG SUFFERING from wanderlust need not necessarily hop on a plane to reap the benefits of a relaxing or adventurous getaway. Everything one might require in a luxe vacation can be found right here in our own backyard. From the most sumptuous of accommodations to spectacular views of iconic landmarks to the finest in California coastal cuisine, these local hotels deliver that which visitors from all over the world come here to find. It’s natural to take our home city for granted. For that reason, we encourage you to experience San Francisco the way a visitor might. Don your tourist cap and allow these hotels to do what they do best: pamper and indulge, while revealing the best of our City by the Bay.
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Four Seasons Hotel San Francisco at Embarcadero Sky71 Deck
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The Ritz-Carlton, San Francisco Courtyard Terrace
FOUR SEASONS HOTEL SAN FRANCISCO AT EMBARCADERO Location, location, location. This real estate edict pertains to amenity proximity and surely relates to vertical juxtaposition as well. In either case, the new Four Seasons Hotel San Francisco at Embarcadero boasts a favorable location, whether side to side, or top to bottom. Located on the upper 11 floors of the 48-story 345 California Center building, the luxury hotel’s cloud-grazing rooms and suites boast incredible bay and city views, allowing guests to spot such landmarks as the Golden Gate Bridge, the Transamerica Pyramid, Alcatraz Island, and the Bay Bridge. For another perspective, head to the sky bridge on each floor, where picture windows reveal both bay and city views. Back at street level, the hotel’s financial district locale puts guests just steps, or a cable car ride, from Michelin-starred restaurants, luxury shopping in Union Square, walkable neighborhoods, and the Embarcadero waterfront with its twice-weekly Ferry Building farmers market. Through the end of the year, guests can explore the region and beyond (Stinson Beach, perhaps?) in a new Maserati Levante SUV. Named for the Mediterranean wind that can change from calm to gale in an instant, the Levante is yours for a complimentary 24 hours when you book a hotel suite. Four Seasons Hotel San Francisco at Embarcadero sky bridge
The Ritz-Carlton, San Francisco lobby lounge
This Nob Hill grand dame celebrates its 30th anniversary this year and she has never looked better. A charming oasis in the heart of the city and the perfect home base for travelers returning to urban experiences, The Ritz-Carlton, San Francisco is just steps from some of the city’s most popular attractions, including shopping and dining at Union Square, the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, and the iconic California Street cable car which grants guests convenient access to San Francisco’s most visited sites, such as Fisherman's Wharf and Lombard Street. Housed within a city landmark building that dates to 1909, the hotel is comprised of 336 luxurious rooms and suites boasting city views. Amenities include wine tastings in the lobby-located JCB Tasting Lounge, bespoke perfumes at the new Krigler boutique (the only location in Northern California), delicious cuisine and craft cocktails at The Lounge, and a newly designed interior park and garden with city views, where guests can enjoy coffee, read a book, and enjoy complimentary weekend yoga. Bonus: a new Respite Concierge program, in partnership with coveted local businesses, helps guests find respite in the city through a curated list of experiences in three categories: retail, recreation, and relaxation. Enjoy personalized shopping, a sail on the bay, or a private tai chi session, for example. 72
Four Seasons San Francisco at Embarcadero city view room
PHOTO CREDITS: (TOP LEFT) COURTESY OF THE RITZ-CARLTON, SAN FRANCISCO; (BOTTOM RIGHT) COURTESY OF FOUR SEASONS SAN FRANCISCO AT EMBARCADERO
THE RITZ-CARLTON, SAN FRANCISCO
THE CLIFT ROYAL SONESTA HOTEL
Inn at The Presidio exterior
Lodge at The Presidio firepit
This century-old San Francisco hotel gem, originally opened by Frederick C. Clift in February 1915, recently received a total makeover and the result is stunning. Within walking distance of San Francisco’s shopping and financial districts, the refreshed hotel features 372 rooms and suites with high-tech enhancements, such as STAYCAST™ powered by Google Chromecast. Select rooms also feature a Peloton for an in-room fitness experience. A new, light-filled lobby and adjacent living room provide ample space for working, cocktailing, or people watching. The hotel’s iconic Redwood Room has been reinvigorated without jeopardizing its seductive ambiance and Prohibition-era charm. Reproductions of Gustav Klimt prints, found during the remodel and painted by students under Klimt’s direction, now grace the room’s dark wood walls—the perfect environment in which to enjoy a crafted cocktail. A new eatery and café, Fredericks, offers both sit-down and counter service options and is overseen by executive chef Daniel Corey, formerly of San Francisco’s Michelinstarred LUCE. The Clift Royal Sonesta Hotel lobby
PHOTO CREDITS: (TOP LEFT) COURTESY OF THE INN AND THE LODGE AT THE PRESIDIO.; © PAUL DYER; (BOTTOM RIGHT) COURTESY OF THE CLIFT ROYAL SONESTA
THE INN AND THE LODGE AT THE PRESIDIO Home to miles of hiking and biking trails, playgrounds, a golf course, and museums, The Presidio stretches across 1,500 acres of some of the most beautiful real estate in the nation. Surrounded by groves of fragrant eucalyptus and panoramic Golden Gate Bridge views, the two luxury hotels within this former U.S. Army Post are San Francisco’s best kept hospitality secrets. The Inn at The Presidio was originally the bachelor officers' quarters built by the army in 1903. Today, the building features 22 spacious guest rooms and welcoming communal areas that meld history with posh, modern amenities. Seventeen of the rooms are ultra-spacious, high-ceilinged suites featuring casually chic living rooms with gas fireplaces. Large, double-hung windows allow guests to enjoy the area’s refreshing eucalyptus-scented bay breezes. Two long verandas on the first and second levels run the length of the building and feature Shaker style rockers. A large firepit is the focal point of the back patio. Just across the Main Parade Ground is the newer Lodge at The Presidio, offering the city’s closest hotel proximity to the Golden Gate Bridge. The Lodge takes full advantage of its accessibility to the orange icon: several of its 42 rooms directly overlook the span, and a firepit-heated courtyard sits in its shadow. Like the Inn, the Lodge features authentic architecture paired with modern amenities. Guests enjoy complimentary evening wine and appetizers, and every morning, a European style breakfast buffet.
The Clift Royal Sonesta Redwood Room
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Jennifer Hudson performs at the Arts for All Gala
Craig and Kathryn Hall, hosts of the Patron Dinner at HALL Napa Valley
Janice Mondavi and Giovanna Mondavi at the Dance Gala
FESTIVAL NAPA VALLEY BY CAROLYNE ZINKO | PHOTOS BY DREW ALTIZER PHOTOGRAPHY
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Rick Swig, and Darian Swig at the Arts for All Gala San Francisco Mayor London Breed and composer Aldo Lopez-Gavilan at the Patron Dinner at HALL Napa Valley
Mary Beth Shimmon at the Arts for All Gala
IT PROMISED 10 DAYS OF CULTURAL UPLIFT AND THE 15th Festival Napa Valley delivered. The July event, with performances by world class artists at winery luncheons and outdoor dinner galas, thrilled audiences and local education officials, too. The festival is the largest funder for visual and performing arts for Napa County public schools, having raised millions for the effort since the festival’s inception. Following last year’s pandemic-related cancelation, the festival resumed— entirely outdoors—and a large new stage was built at Charles Krug winery specifically for this year’s opera, symphony, and ballet performances. Masks were optional, but as a condition of ticket purchase, unvaccinated guests were asked to bring proof of negative COVID-19 test results within 72 hours of events they attended. Rick and Karen Walker at the Frank Family Vineyards Patron Dinner
Chris and Veronica Ashworth at Opening Night with Lisette Oropesa
Lisette Oropesa sings at the Opening Night with Lisette Oropesa at Charles Krug Winery.
Renee Conrad, Dane McMillan, and Nia Imani Franklin at the Opening Night with Lisette Oropesa
Patron dinner at Opus One Winery Lisette Oropesa and Festival Board Chairman Timothy Blackburn at the Patron Dinner at HALL Napa Valley
Marquee names included Grammy winner Jennifer Hudson (at the Arts for All Gala at Nickel & Nickel winery), baritone Lucas Meachem singing in a full opera (a festival first), and Italian superstar Roberto Bolle in his “Roberto Bolle and Friends” ballet production. Some 20 concerts were available for free or as little as $15 per ticket. Moving forward wasn’t an easy choice; the decision was made last winter, said Timothy Blackburn, chairman of the festival board. “We really took a leap of faith that, hopefully, we would have gained some control over the pandemic, so the board gave the green light,” he recalls. And with a record $2.8 million raised at its Arts for All Gala in 2021, Blackburn adds, “We’re very glad we did.” Athena Blackburn, Richard Hechler, and Malin Giddings at the Dance Gala
Deborah Novack bids at the Arts for All Auction
Alexis Swanson Traina and Claiborne Swanson Frank at Frank Family Vineyards Patron Dinner
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A look from the Oscar de la Renta 2022 Resort collection
Keep Tahoe Blue CEO Darcie Collins and Ryan Collins
Hosts Hollye and Kern Schumacher
LEAGUE TO SAVE LAKE TAHOE AND SAKS FIFTH AVENUE ANNUAL FASHION SHOW & LUNCHEON BY CAROLYNE ZINKO | PHOTOS BY DREW ALTIZER PHOTOGRAPHY
Jennifer Walske, Saks General Manager Anna Chung, Komal Shah, and Mary Beth Shimmon
Dr. Carolyn Chang
Ashley Brown and Shant Melkonian
AMID THE ONGOING PANDEMIC AND ANNUAL WILDFIRES, THE world can feel out of control. The League to Save Lake Tahoe and Saks Fifth Avenue gave stylish do-gooders a chance to take charge of their lives, cautiously proceeding with the annual Oscar de la Renta fashion show and fundraiser for Keep Tahoe Blue. For safety, the gathering at Kern and Hollye Schumacher’s beachfront estate, with stunning views of the alpine lake, was limited to 350 guests, down from the usual 600. Tables were spaced farther apart than customary along the runway where models paraded in the 2022 Resort collection.
Susan Malott
A look from the Oscar de la Renta 2022 Resort collection
Eliza Bolen and Oscar de la Renta CEO Alex Bolen
Runaway looks from the Oscar de la Renta 2022 Resort collection
“It was a socially responsible way to do it,” observed attendee Carolyn Chang, a San Francisco plastic surgeon. “Everyone rallied, and it was a success.” With tickets at $1,000 each (double the norm) and a strong live auction (a “custom gown experience” went for $40,000), the event raised roughly $980,000, nearing the record $1.1 million raised in 2019, heartening for league officials and the late designer’s stepdaughter, Eliza Bolen; her husband Alex Bolen, the fashion house’s CEO; and Co-Creative Director Fernando Garcia, all there to see it. (Co-Creative Director Laura Kim did not attend.) With the lake’s clarity measuring to a depth of only 62.7 feet this year, the second-worst since recordkeeping began in 1968, the mission is urgent. “Everyone there was more serious about the event,” said Jessica Hickingbotham, a luncheon committee member, “and truly there to support the league.”
Oscar de la Renta Co-Creative Director Fernando Garcia shows off his artwork being auctioned by Jennifer Wright of Christie’s.
Betsy Gould
Luncheon committee members Krista Giovara, Jessica Hickingbotham, Riccardo Benavides, Barbara Brown and Bob Damaschino Julie Schumacher, Ella Maffi, Ryan Schumacher, and Armity Simon
Naya Nessary
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Sangeeta Narayan, Meena Nagpal, Nagpal and Ripal Nagpal
Seahorse décor
AQUARIUM OF THE BAY’S BLUE MARBLE BENEFIT BY CAROLYNE ZINKO | PHOTOS BY DREW ALTIZER PHOTOGRAPHY
Honoree Sylvia Earle
THE BAY INSTITUTE, AKA BAYECOTARIUM, IS NOW 40 years old and the largest watershed conservation organization in San Francisco; its Aquarium of the Bay, at Pier 39, is a ripe old 24. But BayEcotarium President George Jacob has his eye on the future—transforming the aquarium into a $260 million Climate Resilience and Ocean Conservation Living BayEcotarium, the first of its kind in the U.S. Held outdoors at the Hayes Mansion in San Jose, its Blue Marble Benefit (tables from $5,000 to $100,000 each) honored American oceanographer Sylvia Earle and drew George Papandreou, former prime minister of Greece, and Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis, among others.
George Papandreou, Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis, Kounalakis and George Jacob
Jim Anderson and Freddy Clarke
An alfresco dinner
Anou Singhvi and Sangeeta Narayan
Cocktails in an aquatic hue
Krisanthy Desby and M.R. Rangaswami
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Paula West, Kumasi Aaron, Pernella Somerville, and Karen Clopton
The Leaders and Legends issue
HAUTE LIVING SAN FRANCISCO RELEASE PARTY
Cupcakes by Aubrey Brewster
BY CAROLYNE ZINKO | PHOTOS BY DREW ALTIZER PHOTOGRAPHY
TIPTOEING BACK INTO THE SOCIAL SCENE, HAUTE LIVING, San Francisco and Neiman Marcus Union Square teamed up to celebrate the magazine’s recent and powerful Leaders and Legends issue. It was nifty to dress up and chat in real life (we’re over you, Zoom). Kudos to general manager Mark Sullivan, who hosted with chic sips and savory bites at the Rotunda restaurant. Tiny carrot cupcakes were baked by man-about-town Aubrey Brewster, clearly a man with a way in the kitchen, too. Cheers to the accomplished women in our summer issue’s pages and to more gatherings like this, soon. Farah Makras; Haute Living, San Francisco Publisher Olivia Hsu Decker; Sonya Molodetskaya
Sharon Seto and Neiman Marcus General Manager Mark Sullivan
Chris Meza, Linda Hughes, and Patrick Brown
Aubrey Brewster, Irene Krylov, and fashion designer Vasily Vein
Beth Spotswood and Amy Bonetti
Lisa Zabelle
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Rich Frank, former Disney Studios president and Frank Family Vineyards proprietor at the V Foundation Auction Gala
Devon Still, Cincinnati Bengals’ former NFL defensive end and 2015 Jimmy V Perseverance Award winner, and Mike “Coach K” Krzyzewski at the V Foundation Auction Gala
V FOUNDATION “NEVER GIVES UP”! BY JENNIFER BODEN PHOTOS COURTESY OF V FOUNDATION WINE CELEBRATION
In early August, the 2021 V Foundation Wine Celebration weekend wrapped up in Napa Valley after raising more than $13 million to support cutting-edge immunotherapy research. Weekend guests were treated to several star-studded events held outdoors to ensure a safe environment, including a welcome Dinner with the Docs at Far Niente and the Rock the V party featuring many of the region’s finest wines, wonderful food, and dancing under the stars at The Estate Yountville.
Mike “Coach K” Krzyzewski, head coach of men’s basketball, Duke University, at the V Foundation Auction Gala
ESPN SportsCenter anchor Sage Steele at the Answer for Cancer Symposium
Blakesley andmulti-platinum Cyril Chappellet,artist, Jeff Gargiulo, Andy Grammer, Robinsongwriter, and Michelle and Chuck singer, andBaggett, record producer McMinn,atVintner Grantwith honorees at Rock the V performs the Dinner the Docs after-party at Alpha Omega Winery
Chef Michael Mina, award-winning chef and founder of the Mina Group at the V Foundation Auction Gala
Associate Head Coach of Duke University (Coach K’s successor in 2022) John Scheyer, Coach K, and Michael Marks (who bid $1 million dollars on Coach K’s final game at Cameron Indoor Stadium) at the V Foundation Auction Gala
The weekend culminated with the Gala Dinner and Auction at Nickel & Nickel Winery, where celebrated chef Michael Mina created a multi-course meal paired with Nickel & Nickel, EnRoute, and Dolce wines. Spirited bidding surpassed even the organizers’ expectations. Hosted by Duke University men’s basketball head coach Mike “Coach K” Krzyzewski, V Foundation board member and ESPN SportsCenter anchor Sage Steele, and ESPN college basketball analyst Jay Bilas, the event also featured CNN commentator Paul Begala and other celebrity guests, including recording artist Andy Grammer, Tony Award-winner Christian Hoff, and more. The 2022 V Foundation Wine Celebration will be held on August 4-7, 2022. Christian Hoff, Tony Award winning artist, performs at Rock the V
Paul Begala, CNN commentator, bids at the V Foundation Auction Gala
Deborah Novack bids at the Arts for All Auction
Andy Grammer, multi-platinum artist, singer, songwriter, and record producer performs at the Dinner with the Docs after-party at Alpha Omega Winery
Beth Nickel, Proprietress, Nickel & Nickel and Far Niente Winery, David89 Robinson, NBA Hall of Famer, at the V Foundation Auction Gala
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Alfred Walker and the San Francisco Opera Chorus
SAN FRANCISCO OPERA’S SENSATIONAL OPENING NIGHT
Alfred Walker as Scarpia
BY OLIVIA DECKER | PHOTOS BY CORY WEAVER
Michael Fabiano as Mario Caravadossi in Tosca
ON AUGUST 21 AFTER 18 MONTHS OF SILENCE, SAN Francisco Opera opened its 99th season under their new music director, Eun Sun Kim, with Puccini’s Tosca. The performance starred Ailyn Pérez as Tosca, Michael Fabiano as Cavaradossi, and Alfred Walker as Scarpia. Fabiano performed in a production of Tosca last month at Opéra national de Paris and at Madrid’s Teatro Real. His rendition of “E Lucevan le Stelle” in Act III, with that rich voice resonating with anguish, received the longest round of applause. Pérez has a remarkable voice, beauty, and charm. General Director Matthew Shilvock said “The 18-month shutdown of live music has been singular in occurrence and singularly painful in impact. So many of us have sought out any musical outlet to nourish our creative hunger.” The opening night performance fed the hungry audiences a feast a music!
Michael Fabiano and Ailyn Pérez
Music Director Eun Sun Kim Caption Michael Fabiano and cast at curtain call
HAUTE EVENT
SAN FRANCISCO FUNDRAISER SUPPORTS BREAST RECONSTRUCTION AND AWARENESS BY JENNIFER BODEN
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O HELP WOMEN GAIN ACCESS TO RECONSTRUCTIVE surgery, the Plastic Surgery Foundation is hosting an ondemand Breast Reconstruction Awareness (BRA) benefit. Participants will be able to join virtually any time through October 31, 2021. The event features a silent auction of luxury items, grand prize drawing, and virtual fashion show featuring breast reconstruction patients modeling Everviolet, a unique lingerie and loungewear collection designed by a breast cancer survivor to address the special needs of women after cancer surgery and treatment. The fundraiser is chaired by Karen Horton, MD, with honorary cochairs San Francisco Mayor London Breed and Fire Chief Jeanine Nicholson. “It is a true honor to chair the first-ever California Breast Reconstruction Awareness (BRA) event,” said Dr. Horton, a San Francisco-based, board-certified plastic surgeon. She has always been committed to breast cancer reconstruction and has hosted smaller scale BRA events over the past decade.
PHOTO CREDITS: © AMELIA PLUMB PHOTOGRAPHY
Dr. Karen Horton with modeling coach Charleston Pierce, Everviolet Founder Keira Kotler, and breast reconstruction patient models at a past LIVE SF BRA event.
Her goal for every breast reconstruction patient she treats is to empower them to make informed decisions about what is best for their bodies and to embrace reconstruction as a silver lining to the breast cancer experience. “I encourage patients to think about their breast reconstruction as a mommy/nana/breast cancer makeover. When you come to my office, we focus on aesthetics and are always positive about recovery,” said Dr. Horton. Breast reconstruction can involve placing an implant to replace breast volume and/or to change the shape of the breast, or it can involve using a woman's own skin and fat, known as a flap, to reconstruct the breast. Dr. Horton says most women are candidates for some type of reconstruction. “The best reconstruction method
takes into account a woman's body shape, her past cancer treatment details (surgery, chemotherapy, radiation), her aesthetic goals, and her available downtime to recover from surgery,” said Dr. Horton. Breast reconstruction patients modeling Everviolet garments, a loungewear line designed with breast cancer recovery in mind.
This event is dedicated to providing funds directly to California women to assist with their post-cancer breast reconstruction. Sponsored by the Plastic Surgery Foundation, the fundraising arm of ASPS, 100 percent of funds will go directly to nonprofits in the Bay Area and elsewhere in California that provide financial assistance to women facing breast cancer. “Although our event must be virtual this year due to COVID restrictions, we intend to provide a fun, entertaining, empowering event to attendees—and to raise as much money as possible to help women with their breast reconstruction surgery,” said Dr. Horton. In addition to the fundraiser, October 20, 2021, is Breast Reconstruction Awareness Day. UC Davis will be holding Dr. Karen Horton gets to know her a BRA Day event on October breast reconstruction patients well and provides them with love and 17, during which participants support. will march from the California State Capitol to the Tower Bridge and finally land at a brunch-and-learn, during which they will have unique opportunities to chat with surgeons and oncologists. To join this year’s event, visit www.BRAbenefit.com 83
HAUTE EVENT
38 former 84 Best of Show Reunion
HIGHLIGHTS OF 2021 MONTEREY CAR WEEK
After last year’s cancelation, the luxury motorcars’ biggest annual gathering in the world returned in full force. BY OLIVIA DECKER
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HE ICONIC PEBBLE BEACH CONCOURS D’ELEGANCE celebrated its 70th anniversary with an impressive 38 former Best of Show cars on display at the 18th fairway of Pebble Beach Golf Club to welcome a new winner into their ranks. This year’s Best of Show, chosen from the 230 collector cars participating in the competition, was the 1938 MercedesBenz 540K Autobahn Kurier belonging to The Keller Collection at The Pyramids in Petaluma, California. The rare MercedesBenz 540K features a long, sweeping hood and aerodynamic design, echoing the legendary Silver Arrow Grand Prix cars. It also boasted advanced engineering and superlative performance for that era. Mercedes made only three 540K Autobahn Kuriers, and this is the only one still in existence and still sporting its original equipment. Arturo Keller built the Keller Collection, and the 2021 third Best of Show win at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance is his third. (The previous two were in 1986 with a 1936 Mercedes-Benz 500K Special Roadster and in 2001 with a 1930 Mercedes-Benz SS Erdmann & Rossi Roadster.) “It’s my Triple Crown,” said Keller. “This is the only remaining car of its kind, and I am the second owner from new. It’s a very special car, and we are very happy.” The car was last restored in 2006, and has continued to be shown, rallied, and toured since then. The Kellers also won the coveted Elegance in Motion Trophy. I had the pleasure of representing Arturo Keller for over one dozen of his real estate investments in the San Francisco Bay Area, including the Petaluma ranch where he built the Keller Estate Vineyards and a private museum for his vintage car collection, which is known for more than 60 very rare MercedesBenz cars that are the envy of even the Mercedes-Benz Museum in Stuttgart, Germany. This win is the ninth for Mercedes-Benz,
tying the marque with Bugatti for the most Best of Show awards at Pebble Beach. “This Best of Show winner embodies so many sensational features—styling, speed, and performance. Unveiled at the Berlin Auto Show and built to rule the new German Autobahn in 1938, this rare automobile is truly an example of beautiful German design,” said Concours Chairman Sandra Button as she handed the trophy and the ribbon. Other contenders for the 2021 Best of Show included Scott and Joanie Kriens’ 1937 Bugatti Type 57S Corsica Drophead Coupe, the 1966 Ferrari 365 P Pininfarina Berlinetta Speciale shown by RQ Collections, and Jonathan and Wendy Segal’s 1956 Maserati A6G Zagato Coupe. Not just a car show, the Pebble Beach Concours raised more than $1.75 million for charity this year, bringing the event’s total charitable donations to over $32 million to date. Through the Pebble Beach Company Foundation, the primary charitable partner of the Concours, these funds will benefit more than 95 local charities, impacting the lives of more than 10,000 children annually in Monterey County. The 71st Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance took place on Sunday, August 21, 2022. For more information on the Pebble Beach Concours visit www.pebblebeachconcours.net. Gooding & Company, the official auction house of the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, realized more than $107 million in sales at its annual Pebble Beach Auctions this weekend. Friday evening’s auction included the world record-breaking sale of a 1995 McLaren F1, which sold for $20,465,000, and a 1959 Ferrari 250 GT LWB California Spider Competizione, which brought in $10,840,000. The auction on Saturday afternoon followed suit with its star cars, including a 1929 Bugatti Type 35B Grand Prix, which sold for $5,615,000, and a 1958 Ferrari 250 GT Series I Cabriolet, which went for $4,405,000.
PHOTO CREDITS: (CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT) © DREW ALTIZER PHOTOGRAPHY; © MARIO PIOMBO; © MARIO PIOMBO
PEBBLE BEACH
Concours d’Elegance
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Best Of Show of 2021 Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance
CONCEPT CARS AT THE PEBBLE BEACH LODGE LAWN Pebble Beach focuses on more than vintage cars. Below are concept cars on display at “The Lawn” on August 15. These forward-looking designs are a blend of innovation, science fiction, and creators’ dreams: • THE GENESIS X CONCEPT is the brand’s fifth concept car, following the New York, GV80, Essentia, and Mint concepts, and epitomizes their new take on sustainable luxury car design. • PORSCHE TAYCAN 4S CROSS TURISMO draws on the strengths of Porsche’s sport sedan sibling, the Porsche Taycan. • The ARTURA is McLaren’s very first, series-production, high performance hybrid, representing the distillation of more than half a century of expertise in race- and road-car engineering. • Infiniti’s QX60 offers the stunning design and comfort of a luxury vehicle, while also providing the utility of a three-row SUV. • The BUSSINK GT R SPEEDLEGEND is a contemporary interpretation of a unique, high performance speedster with a Formula 1 feeling that goes above and beyond with 850 PS (838.372 hp) and lots of lightweight, carbon fiber components. This vehicle is based on the Mercedes-AMG GT R Roadster, and production is limited to 750 units. 86
• The hybrid MARSIEN concept, based on the all-new Porsche 992 Turbo S series, combines a modern-day supercar with comfort, day-to-day practicality, and off-road capabilities. Marc Philipp Gemballa, the 27-year-old son of Uwe Gemballa, is launching his very first production-ready supercar, following in his father’s footsteps and starting a new era in 2021. • The MASERATI MC20 combines performance, sportiness, and luxury in a unique style that reestablishes Maserati in the mid-engine, RWD super sports car segment. The pure, sculptural design achieves incredible aerodynamic efficiency and balances craftsmanship with engineering. I loved the butterfly doors which are both beautiful and functional. • Inspired by Shinola’s iconic mother-of-pearl stone dials, the LINCOLN AVIATOR SHINOLA CONCEPT showcases a soft white exterior reflects hues of blue in a true expression of luxury. • Gunther Werks has revised the current PORSCHE 993 chassis to accommodate an open cockpit, taking extensive steps to avoid a common side effect of removing the roof—a reduction in torsional rigidity. • The FORD GT is America’s only Le Mans-winning supercar and the pinnacle of Ford performance.
HAUTE EVENT THE QUAIL, A MOTORSPORTS GATHERING 2021 Hosted by The Peninsula Hotels and Quail Lodge & Golf Club in Carmel, “The Quail – A Motorsports Gathering” is a Car Week signature event that has created an exclusive experience for motorsports enthusiasts and collectors from around the world who enjoy collections of exquisite motorcars, both vintage and new. The event includes fine dining at a dozen culinary pavilions hosted by Peninsula Hotels. The Quail 2021 tickets were sold out months before the event, even at a $650 price tag. This year’s theme were Cars of Curiosity; 50th Anniversary of the Alfa Romeo Montreal; and Automotive Couture—French Cars Featuring the 50th Anniversary of the Citroën SM. Rolex sponsored the trophy competition which included classes such as Pre-War Sports & Racing, Post-War Sports, Post-War Racing, The Evolution of the Supercar, The Great Ferraris, Custom Coachwork, and Sports and Racing Motorcycles.
Mark Calvano, Aimee Deupi, Clara Shayevich, Joel Goodrich, and Olivia Decker at Alfa Romeo party
ASTON MARTIN’S RESCUE A consortium led by Canadian billionaire Lawrence Stroll invested £182 million ($248.02 million) into Aston Martin, with the rest of the funds coming from existing investors, to rescue the ailing British car maker. Mr. Stroll became the executive chairman of the storied car company as his consortium took a 20% stake in Aston Martin. Aston’s best-known customer is Ian Fleming’s fictional spy James Bond, and the company recently revealed that four of its cars will be featured in the next Bond movie, No Time To Die. However, even with the iconic James Bond connection, the company did not generate sufficient profits. Aston Martin’s financial difficulties were exacerbated by the development of a new factory at St. Athan in South Wales, where it is producing its long-anticipated DBX sports utility vehicle. The carmaker expects the DBX is expected to generate big, long-term benefits. The new funding from Mr. Stroll gave Aston Martin some much-needed stability to get the DBX into production. Mr. Stroll is known for his partnership with Hong Kong billionaire Silas Chou in Tommy Hilfiger, Michael Kors, and Asprey. He is also a car collector and part-owner of the Racing Point Formula One team purchased from Vijay Mallya’s Force India Formula One. The team now is branded as Aston Martin Formula One™. Aston Marin unveiling event at Pebble Beach
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HAUTE EVENT DELAGE’S REBIRTH French luxury automobile and racecar company founded in 1905 by Louis Delâge in Levallois-Perret near Paris, Delage was acquired by Delahaye in 1935, and ceased operation in 1953. On November 7, 2019, at the Lyon Époqu'auto show, Les Amis de Delage and entrepreneur Laurent Tapie, son of Bernard Tapie, announced they had signed an agreement to relaunch the Delage Automobiles brand. Tapie became the president of Delage Automobiles. The new Delage planned for this project is called the Delage D12. It is a hybrid, street-legal hypercar powered by a normally aspirated V12 engine which produces 990 hp (740 kW), coupled to an electric motor of 110 hp (82 kW), for cumulative power of 1,100 hp (820 kW). It will be produced in France like all Delages before it. Delage Automobiles has joined forces with racecar driver Jacques Villeneuve as the development driver for the future production model. The car was presented at private events in Los Angeles and Orange County in California in December 2019, then in Monaco in September 2020, Geneva in November 2020, and Dubai in December 2020. Voted the "most beautiful car in the world" for best design by the jury of the Automobile Awards 2020/2021, only 30 units of the Delage D12 will be produced and sold at a price tag of €2 million ($2.34 million) per car.
New $2.3 million Delage D12
The Pagani Atelier at The Quail
Concept car BUSSINk SpeedLegend
88 Aston Martin Chairman Lawrence Stroll unveiled Valkyrie
HAUTE EVENT THE TRIPLE CROWN JEWELS Bentley, Bugatti, and Aston Martin are clearly the triple crown jewels of Monterey Car Week. These three carmakers were on display for this year's spectacular Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance. Horsepower, speed, and performance define all as automotive thoroughbreds. Bentley unveiled its newest member, the Flying Spur Mulliner, described as the pinnacle car in the Flying Spur range. It is available as a W12, V8, or hybrid. Its incredible performance goes from 0 to 60 mph in as quick as 3.7 seconds, with top speeds of 207 mph in the W12. It is agile, while also delivering uncompromised elegance. Leather, wood, and metal accents combined with modern technology exemplify luxury. Equally as elegant, the exterior boasts 22-inch wheels and selfleveling wheel caps. Bentley's Flying Spur Mulliner is the perfect car for in city driving Aimee Deupi and Olivia Decker with Bugatti Chiron or an occasional tailgate on the green as picnic tables elegantly deploy. Bugatti exudes a blend of style and engineering that creates a sophisticated masterpiece. At Concourse d’Elegance, Bugatti displayed the sophisticated Chiron, a hypercar driven by a quad-turbocharged W16 engine which generates 1,500 hp and 1,600 Nm of torque, resulting in massive performance. The Chiron, in dark blue and orange metallic trim, was quite the vision. The beauty of its curves and the horseshoe grille seamlessly blend with the C-bar on the side—an historic Bugatti signature. With a price tag starting at around $3 million, the Chiron is a statement piece for the buyer who desires center stage. Aston Martin was staged at Club 1913 on the 18th fairway. Befitting a car which is the epitome of elegance and grandeur, violins serenaded guests as they strolled along the perfectly manicured, pebbled driveway. The Union Jack concealed the view of the $1.9 million Bentley Mulliner Bacalar highlighted vehicles which would awe all spectators. The Aston Martin Valkyrie Spider and Valhalla models were unveiled among a crowd of select spectators. The Valkyrie Spider was introduced, "BENTLEY, BUGATTI, AND ASTON MARTIN ARE CLEARLY THE then we learned that the production run had already been sold out. TRIPLE CROWN JEWELS OF MONTEREY CAR WEEK. THESE The company’s new CEO, Tobias Moers, delivered the presentation THREE CARMAKERS WERE ON DISPLAY FOR THIS YEAR'S which also included the Valkyrie, another Aston Martin hypercar SPECTACULAR PEBBLE BEACH CONCOURS D’ELEGANCE. with a top speed of 217 mph. Aston Martin Chairman Lawrence HORSEPOWER, SPEED, AND PERFORMANCE DEFINE ALL AS Stroller stated that, “We decided to launch in the most important AUTOMOTIVE THOROUGHBREDS." market in the United States, and Pebble Beach was the right place. The future could not be any brighter for Aston Martin.” 89
HAUTE EVENT
Full production opera Puccini's Gianni Schicchi at Charles Krug
Jennifer Hudson performing at Arts for All Gala
SENSATIONAL Festival NAPA VALLEY 2021 Wine, food, and performing arts benefit a great cause BY JENNIFER BODEN
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ESTIVAL NAPA VALLEY HIT THE GROUND RUNNING in July 2021, with 60 sold-out outdoor concerts and other events over an unforgettable 10 days. The festival capped off its 15th summer season in major fashion, raising a record-breaking $2.8 million at its Arts for All Gala, headlined by global superstar Jennifer Hudson. “[The] money raised provides free and affordable access to world class performances, supports public school arts education programs in Napa County, and funds scholarships for emerging musicians, all in support of the festival’s mission to make the arts accessible to
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all,” said Festival Napa Valley President and CEO, Richard Walker. Over 7,500 people attended this year’s festival, and all performances took place outdoors, which despite the challenges, were spectacular in their settings. “After the long hiatus of inperson events over the past year, the mood was particularly uplifting and joyful as audiences celebrated coming together again to experience live music,” said Walker. Guest artists brought a heightened sense of energy and emotion to their performances as, for most, this was their first chance to be back on stage performing for a live audience.
PHOTO CREDITS: (CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT) © DREW ALTIZER PHOTOGRAPHY; © OLIVIA DECKER; © OLIVIA DECKER
Patron Dinner at Castello di Amorosa
HAUTE EVENT
Patron dinner at HALL
PHOTO CREDITS: (CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT) © DREW ALTIZER PHOTOGRAPHY; © MARIO PIOMBO; © MARIO PIOMBO
Vintners Luncheon at Trefethen Vineyards, featuring Carolina Herrera fashion show presented by Neiman Marcus
“One silver lining of the pandemic was new festival stages at CIA at Copia and Charles Krug, where the festival presented its first Manetti Shrem Opera, Gianni Schicchi, as well as a tribute to Tony Bennett, an evening of Opera Under the Stars, and the annual Dede Wilsey Dance Gala featuring Italian ballet superstar Roberto Bolle,” said Walker. Charles Krug, one of my favorite wineries, hosted six of the main events and a patron dinner. The level of talent was spectacular, and the main stage on the carriage house lawn proved to be the perfect venue for these shows. “We loved having these shows on our property, Overall, I think it is an outstanding event with unbelievable talent,” said co-proprietor Peter Mondavi, Jr. Despite a challenging year for arts organizations to survive, Festival Napa Valley was not only able to present a wide range of performing arts offerings this summer, from symphonic concerts, opera, and dance to chamber music and jazz, but also to announce the launch of three major new initiatives during
Lisette Oropesa on opening night
the 2021 season, which they will work to see flourish in the years to come. One of those initiatives is 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. The festival’s Arts for All Gala exceeded all expectations. "Thanks to the spirited generosity of the donors and sponsors, Festival Napa Valley is making a profound impact on the quality of life in Napa Valley," said Leslie Frank, festival board member and co-chair, along with her husband Rich Frank, of the Arts for All Gala. "We are funding arts education in schools and ensuring concerts are accessible by offering free and affordable programs that everyone can enjoy." Over $13 million has been raised through the gala to date. 91
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A Tribute to Tony Bennett concert
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James Conlon conducts at Opera Under the Stars
Olivia Decker with Willie Brown
The gala took place on July 18 at Nickel & Nickel winery and featured a dinner by Slanted Door’s acclaimed chef and owner, Charles Phan, together with chef Nash Cognetti and his team at Tre Posti, fine wines courtesy of Nickel & Nickel and Far Niente, and a live auction led by Emmy Award winning auctioneer John Curley, featuring 15 bespoke luxury lots. A veritable who’s who of arts philanthropists and community champions filled the soldout event, including tennis legend John McEnroe who made a surprise guest appearance onstage to raise $50,000 for a tennis match with him, followed by a rock concert featuring McEnroe and his band at Silverado Resort the next day. The auction’s top lot brought in $300,000 for Angels of the Arts, an event honoring Festival Napa Valley patrons Maria Manetti Shrem and Jan Shrem. The elegant gala evening at Saint Joseph’s Arts Society in San Francisco next June will include a private performance by 4-time Grammy Award winning soprano Renée Fleming. Other lots included an exclusive luxury experience at the 2022 Kentucky Derby, compliments of Sentient Jet; an Adriatic cruise with Michelle and Robin Baggett aboard the luxury yacht, Crystal Express; a glamour-filled, red carpet experience at the 2022 Cannes Film Festival, curated by legendary fine jewelry house Pomellato; and, an invitation for two to Elton John’s 75th birthday party in Los Angeles next March. Grammy and Academy Award winner Jennifer Hudson and her band capped off the night with a sensational concert, bringing the 360 guests to their feet, dancing in front of the stage. Festival Napa Valley scholarship winner Genesis Celaya also performed and reminded guests of the power music education has in a young person’s life.
PHOTO CREDITS: (CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT) © VINCE PIOMBO © DREW ALTIZER PHOTOGRAPHY; © OLIVIA DECKER; © DAVID ORTEGA
Nia Imani Franklin performs at Novack Concert for Kids
"THANKS TO THE SPIRITED GENEROSITY OF THE DONORS AND SPONSORS, FESTIVAL NAPA VALLEY IS MAKING A PROFOUND IMPACT ON THE QUALITY OF LIFE IN NAPA VALLEY." – LESLIE FRANK
HAUTE EVENT FESTIVAL NAPA VALLEY 2021 HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDED: • The launch of Frost School at Festival Napa Valley, a multiyear partnership with the University of Miami’s Frost School of Music, with Frost faculty and students playing a leading role in the festival’s chamber music and orchestral programs. • The first Manetti Shrem Opera, Puccini’s Gianni Schicchi, conducted by Kent Nagano starring Lucas Meachem. • Dede Wilsey Dance Gala, headlined by ballet
PHOTO CREDITS: (CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT) © OLIVIA DECKER; © DREW ALTIZER PHOTOGRAPHY; © DREW ALTIZER PHOTOGRAPHY
Dance Gala with Roberto Bolle and Friends
There were more than two dozen remarkable luncheons and dinners, including a luncheon at Auberge du Soleil, presented by Salvatore Ferragamo with a performance by cellist Sophia Bacelar; a Neiman Marcus-sponsored luncheon at Trefethen Family Vineyards with a Carolina Herrera fashion show; and, a vintner’s luncheon at Promontory presented by Valentino. “We overcame the challenges of the past year to make Festival Napa Valley 2021 our most extensive and varied season to date,” said Walker. “The range of music styles, venues, and price options made it possible for everyone to enjoy the 10 best days of summer.”
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DESPITE A CHALLENGING YEAR FOR ARTS ORGANIZATIONS TO SURVIVE, FESTIVAL NAPA VALLEY WAS NOT ONLY ABLE TO PRESENT A WIDE RANGE OF PERFORMING ARTS OFFERINGS THIS SUMMER, FROM SYMPHONIC CONCERTS, OPERA, AND DANCE TO CHAMBER MUSIC AND JAZZ, BUT ALSO TO ANNOUNCE THE LAUNCH OF THREE MAJOR NEW INITIATIVES DURING THE 2021 SEASON WHICH THEY WILL WORK TO SEE FLOURISH IN THE YEARS TO COME.
superstar Roberto Bolle, joined by Melissa Hamilton, Angelo Greco, Misa Kuranaga, Skylar Brandt and Aran Bell. • World premieres of compositions by Jake Heggie, Gordon Getty, and Festival Napa Valley’s 2021 Composer-in-Residence (and 2019 Miss America) Nia Imani Franklin, performed by celebrated cellist Matt Haimovitz. • A Tribute to Tony Bennett concert headlined by Michael Feinstein, Wé McDonald, Jordan Donica, Jane Monheit, and Nia Imani Franklin. • Festival debuts of
Lisette Oropesa, Tessa
Lark, and Audrey Vardanega and return appearances by Jean-Yves Thibaudet and Chad Hoopes. • Opera Under the Stars with Michael Fabiano, Simone McIntosh, and Mario Rojas, conducted by James Conlon. • Prizes and career development grants awarded to Chad Goodman (the inaugural Joel Revzen Conducting Fellow), Nia Imani Franklin (Khaledi Prize), Sophia Bernitz (Prescott Ashe Scholarship), and Simone McIntosh and Mario Rojas (Manetti Shrem Prize). • Tuition-free Blackburn Music Academy and Manetti Shrem Opera Program. • More than a dozen admission-free programs, including the ever-popular Bouchaine Young Artist Series, Novack Concerts for Kids, and Festival Live! chamber series. Festival Napa Valley 2022 will take place July 15-24, 2022. Reserve now! Visit www. festivalnapavalley.org for ticket information.
Olivia Decker, Nancy Pelosi, Jeff Ferguson, and Kevin Burke at Arts For All Gala
Mayor London Breed, Nia Imani Franklin, and Maria Manetto Shrem
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PHOTO CREDIT: COURTESY OF VAIL TOURISM
HAUTE ART
Vail Valley
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HAUTE ART
ARTSY SLOPES This ski town's art museum has no walls BY BECCA HENSLEY
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OR MOST PEOPLE, THE THOUGHT OF VAIL, ONE of Colorado’s premier ski towns, conjures images of snowy slopes, puffy jackets, and ice bars in winter. True outdoor enthusiasts revere it equally for its summer activities: biking, hiking, fly fishing, and river rafting. But what should be trumpeted just as loudly is Vail’s solid, unrivaled commitment to the visual arts. Step into Vail Village (and environs) to be regaled instantly by a powerful public art collection. Comprising more than 60 works, the trove takes in a range of media, including murals, paintings, sculptures, site-integrated art, and playground components. Some 30 pieces (and growing) represent the work of Coloradans. Positioned aesthetically to balance both with the region’s majestic nature and the town’s Dolomites-inspired, alpine architecture, the artwork adds layers to Vail’s already well painted, metaphorical, visual canvas. I first discovered the pleasing largesse of Vail’s indoor and outdoor galleries in 2018, while on an art walk with savvy Molly Eppard, Vail’s Art in Public Places Coordinator and former New York art dealer. I'd gone to see the magical Patrick Dougherty “stickwork” sculpture (now disassembled), and Molly was leading me on one of her signature, art-centric walking tours. “I like to call this our museum without walls,” she says, gesturing expansively, her movements incorporating the entirety of the mountain hamlet. Essentially the town’s official curator, Molly has found her dream job in Vail, where she sources and installs the growing collection in partnership with Art in Public Places’ (AIPP) esteemed board. “Not every work will please every person,” she says. “With that in mind, variety is key to having an overall appealing public art collection and program here.”
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HAUTE ART
Sunbird Park
10th Mountain Division
The exhibition's scope embraces a realm of diversity wide enough to include conceptual artist Lawrence Weiner and sculptor Claes Oldenburg, among many others, as well as works as different from one another as a bronzed skier and playground-sited, living art installations. Both emerging and well-established artists are displayed in permanent and temporary exhibits. Though a nature-based theme dominates, the unifying motif seems more intuitive—it’s about establishing harmony between art, people, the town’s sophisticated vibe, and the ambient wilderness. The “museum” fuses the past with the present, links the seasons, and honors the landscape. Relishing their task, Molly and the AIPP board annually attract new artists and acquire unique works to enrich the collection’s gravitas for public enjoyment. In season, join Molly for her once-a-week, free walking tour of the art exhibits. Exuding contagious enthusiasm, she’ll explicate and celebrate the pieces, as well as relate enlightening snippets from Vail’s history. Year round, experience the Art Walk as an interactive, selfguided walking tour. Pick up maps at the Vail Village and Lionshead Welcome Centers or download them online. Have children? Consider doing a scavenger hunt. They’ll love the artist-designed playgrounds, story tiles, and water-jet-cut stainless steel forms, among other pieces. “Don’t miss the 10th Mountain Division Memorial,” says Molly, who adds that she's seen it stop people in their tracks.
Patrick Dougherty's stickwork
To The Extent of How Deep the Valley is at Some Given Time
Granite Lanscape
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Endless Possibilities
HAUTE ART BEN ROTH “Knee-high to a Grasshopper” Stephens Park Playground, West Vail This permanent, interactive, play-based piece uses 20 verdant horsetail grass plants created in steel, thoughtfully installed in the playground landscape. Roth’s goal was a “supersized riparian environment” to give kids the viewpoint shared by all tiny creatures. Stephens Park is the tenth playground built by the Town of Vail Design Team in collaboration with an artist, which creates a unique play environment.
OLIVE MOYA “Mrs. Charles in the Sun (Ice Bar at Mid-Vail late 1960s)” Vail Village Transportation Center P3 by La Cantina This installation peeks into the past and reinterprets it. Moya, a Denver-based artist, combines a wheat pasting application with her signature bold palette in this large interior mural. She takes a new riff on a candid, vintage photo found in the Colorado Snowports Museum, which shows a woman sunning herself at a famous ice bar from past. She juxtaposes the photo with a slick promotional image of the resort. Moya’s deliberate mark in vibrant colors showcases what might be otherwise unseen.
PEDRO BARRIOS & JAIME MOLINA
PHOTO CREDITS: COURTESY OF ART IN VAIL
Five ventilation stacks west of Dobson Ice Arena These five, large, transformed, cylindrical vents are new this year. The artistic team of Barrios and Molina complement one another’s styles by combining the figurative and infused abstract forms. They’ve been collaborating on mural painting since 2012. They’re known for their vibrant color palette and storytelling skills.
AFTER ART SNACKING Finish your Art Walk with a curated picnic packed by Vail’s own Picnic Vail. They’ll set up a glamorous spread in a fetching spot along Gore Creek, near the Betty Ford Alpine Gardens, or amid the Vail Nature Center.
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Julia Faller in the lab
BOTANICAL BEAUTY Botanical-rich Benedetta harnesses nature for optimum skincare
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ULIA FALLER, FOUNDER OF SAN FRANCISCO-BASED Benedetta, wonders why so many of us worry about what we put into our bodies, but don’t notice what we slather over our skin. An esthetician whose background boasts 30-plus years in medical aromatherapy, botanical chemistry, homeopathy, quantum physics, ji shin jyutsu, and nutrition, she’s been entrenched deeply in the search for natural cures and alternative solutions her entire career. Rejecting a rote beauty industry with products that teem with toxic ingredients (such as petrochemicals), Faller drew from her years of research to develop a results-driven, totally clean and pure, 100 percent botanical skincare line. “I wanted my
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clients to have a better, more functional system of care that addressed their skin's systemic health and behavior, void of synthetics and inert materials,” she says. Easy-to-use Benedetta utilizes Farm-Sourced® [Benedetta’s coined phrase] living, certified organic, and biodynamic ingredients, gleaned as close to their “earthly source” as possible to allow nature’s healing powers to support the skin. Her broad-spectrum system stimulates the skin’s innate tools to protect, renew, hydrate, and correct. A celebrity favorite, the line is available online (www.benedetta.com ) and at the San Francisco Ferry Building (1 Ferry Building Plaza San Francisco, CA 94111). We spoke to Faller about her astonishing products.
PHOTO CREDITS: COURTESY OF BENEDETTA
BY BECCA HENSLEY
HAUTE BEAUTY HL: We’re fans. We put the products to the test on a high altitude jaunt to Colorado. Our skin stayed moisturized and radiant despite the climate. We also love your seaweed mask, as it erased lines and brightened our visages instantly. And your botanical deodorant? It really works! We also loved how easy Benedetta is to use. Unlike many skincare lines, Benedetta is quite simple to use. Tell us about the steps. JF: Our 5-step day and 3-step night (two of which are in the day regimen) takes the guesswork out of what to use. They are created to work better together than apart, often using less of one product as a result of that union. I developed the water integration system that is used throughout both our facial regimen and Body Duo's Hydrosol + Body Crème. HL: You suggest that we make a certain yawn-like face for one of the steps. Tell us about that. JF: I created a facial in a bottle with our Massage-In Cream Cleanser. This signature product defines years of customized treatments during which I would massage similar ingredients on my clients, always in a prone position. I discovered that if you make a comfortable circle with your mouth, lips wrapped around teeth, you create a tightening resistance. This enables you to strengthen the skin when applying cream-based products. This technique we refer to as the O.M.R. (open mouth resistance) also aids better incorporation of the product, as it reinforces circulation, elimination, and moisturization. HL: In lay terms, tell us how these products are different and why they work. JF: I created them out of nothing, meaning without laboratory support. Chemist friends said I was wasting my time, unless I used a plasticide to bind everything together, along with numerous other toxic chemical stabilizers, emulsifiers, and preservatives, to name a few. The media and professional magazines did not support my thinking; I was alone with my convictions. Creating synergies using 100 percent botanical efficacy geared towards the function of the skin and what it needs to succeed was first. Second, I designed a system to be used together and developed the concept of water integration: water before oil, and water synergies alone at night, to balance and allow the skin to breathe. The practice of interlacing products works better in union with one another, than alone. This union would prove to activate better hydration at night, and when used with an oil, better lipid, or moisturization during the day. Last, once the formulas functioned individually and together, I worked tirelessly (to this day) in sourcing the cleanest, most vibrant ingredients, always certified organic, ethically grown, and biodynamic.
"I WORKED TIRELESSLY (TO THIS DAY) IN SOURCING THE CLEANEST, MOST VIBRANT INGREDIENTS, ALWAYS CERTIFIED ORGANIC, ETHICALLY GROWN, AND BIODYNAMIC." – JULIA FALLER
In short, this age of internet formulators, clean or farm-to-face and/or organic lines seem to speak only to the ingredients. To become a certified organic line, you are mandated to use 92 percent organic materials. Many will opt into a preponderance of cheaper materials to make up the mass of their formulae. Therefore, clean ingredients alone do not make a functional product. What separates Benedetta then and now is our use of them. HL: You also make deodorant, face masks, and more. What are some of your favorite creations? JF: I truly do create products out of necessity, each having a unique story behind it. Most create products out of trends and what is selling. I never do that. Take for instance, our The “Best” Deodorant, created in 2000. I could not find any natural product that worked, and most had parabens in them. At the same time, there were reports that one in three women in Marin County were diagnosed with some form of fibroid mass or breast cancer, more than any other county in California. I researched and created a 100 percent certified organic deodorant—75 percent of which is biodynamic—that targets the bacteria that often cause the odor. Twenty-one years later, it is our best seller. HL: They smell lovely. What are some of the ingredients? JF: We do not add fragrance to anything in the line; everything you smell is an active ingredient and part of the synergy that makes up the DNA of the product. HL: Anything else you’d like for us to know? JF: I created Benedetta for people first, profit second, no compromise to this day. I took the design and execution of my formulae very seriously. My success is defined by those people whose lives have changed for the better. I have never followed a trend. I have changed the status quo on what we think is absolute. For example, we do not use SPF's in any product, yet we address sun damage and protection through a new process of antioxidant uptake and deliver not only filtering the UVA and UVB rays, but also addressing oxidative stress. We believe the skin needs to be toned, not as a secondary treatment as in toners, but executed within a broad-spectrum approach adhering to and marrying together purification, hydration, and lipid balance within the cleansing process. 99
Wine Country Botanicals perfume rollerballs
INSPIRED BY NATURE Elevating body, mind, and soul with Wine County Botanicals BY ERIN HUNT MOORE
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ENTURE THROUGH CALIFORNIA wine country in the spring and summer and you’ll find yourself surrounded by stunningly vivid fields of lavender, groves of citrus trees, and gardens of roses and wildflowers nestled among lush vineyards. The beauty of wine country and its pure, fragrant, and therapeutic ingredients are what inspired Sonoma County resident and longtime wine industry veteran Nicole Simpkins to create Wine Country Botanicals, luxury bath and body products based on the unique fragrances and ingredients found in wine country. We spoke with Simpkins about her love of nature and her shift from wine to wine country-inspired natural beauty and body care. 100
Wine Country Botanicals founder Nicole Simpkins
HL: You’ve had a long and successful career in wine, including the launch and co-ownership of two highly acclaimed wine brands. How did your knowledge of and experience with wine assist you in creating Wine Country Botanicals? NS: Wine has been a significant part of my life for several decades. It still is, of course, but I'm more an appreciator now than a creator. I love being in nature and have a great passion for the beautiful bounty surrounding us here in wine country— truly food for the soul and senses. Walking the vineyards, strolling through and touching vibrant, fragrant lavender, breathing in the natural perfume of eucalyptus, rosemary, and roses: this is wine country and it’s what attracts us all. When I had my twin daughters, I turned to ingredients found in nature through essential oils and herbal medicine as remedies for those toddler colds and bugs. In my research, I learned how much wine and essential oils have in common, from the importance of sourcing the highest quality from the very best growing locations to the fact that blending certain ingredients together would yield something more amazing than those ingredients on their own. I used this knowledge to create the most beautiful and most luxurious body products from the highest quality ingredients: something truly magical.
PHOTO CREDIT: COURTESY OF WINE COUNTRY BOTANICALS
HAUTE BEAUTY
HAUTE BEAUTY HL: Tell us about Wine Country Botanical’s unique product lines and offerings NS: We offer three distinct product lines inspired by specific regions in California wine country: Sonoma, Napa, and Santa Barbara. Just as each region is different based on its unique terroir—impacted by climate, elevation, proximity to the ocean, etc.—so are the ingredients for each line, although we begin with aromatic lavender as the foundation for each. Sonoma both enlivens and relaxes with sensual bergamot and earthy scents like patchouli, sandalwood, and vetiver. Napa is a revitalizing blend of rose and neroli with minor base notes of frankincense and sandalwood. Santa Barbara is mood-elevating with bright mandarin and sweet orange and calming with herbaceous rosemary and earthy cedarwood. We offer a range of products in each line, including body wash and bubble baths, creams and scrubs, perfume rollerballs, scented candles and hand sanitizers, travel bundles, gift sets, and special essential oil blends. All are absolutely unique and wonderful combinations presented in our gorgeous packaging.
HL: What is your favorite ingredient or blend? NS: Lavender is definitely my favorite ingredient. It is the Band-Aid, aspirin, and melatonin in any medicine cabinet. It is the base ingredient in all our product lines, because it is therapeutic on so many levels. We source ours from the best growing regions in France from family farms that have been growing this plant and distilling oils for decades. Just like our winery families here in wine country, they are committed to their craft and aim only to deliver the highest quality product. HL: Where can we find your beautiful products? NS: First, easily online at www. winecountrybotanicals.com. You can also find our products in a number of California hotels, resorts, and spas, including the new Montage Healdsburg (in their deluxe bath service), Two Thirty-Five Luxury Suites (Healdsburg), the spa at the acclaimed Farmhouse Inn (Sonoma), the spa at Mayacama (Santa Rosa), and the Four Seasons Hotel & Resorts (Calabasas and Pebble Beach). You can find us at the following
wineries: Domaine Carneros, Hanna Winery, Comstock Winery, Ferrari Carrano; and retail accounts include Makers Market (Napa, Mill Valley, San Jose, Walnut Creek) and all Oliver’s Markets in Sonoma County. We are available in quite a number of smaller, artisan accounts as well, and we have been featured on HSN and QVC. Send us an inquiry! HL: Is there anything that you are working on now that you are particularly excited about? What's coming up next? NS: We’ve got some fun new products and specialty items for self-care and home wellness coming out in 2022. Stay tuned! Please follow us on social media (@winecountrybotanicals on IG and Facebook) for the latest announcements and special promotional offers—we run them frequently! Thank you! Inspiration for Santa Barbara Collection
"LAVENDER IS DEFINITELY MY FAVORITE INGREDIENT. IT IS THE BAND-AID, ASPIRIN, AND MELATONIN IN ANY MEDICINE CABINET. IT IS THE BASE INGREDIENT IN ALL OUR PRODUCT LINES, BECAUSE IT IS THERAPEUTIC ON SO MANY LEVELS." – NICOLE SIMPKINS 101 Wine Country Botanicals Collection
HAUTE WELLNESS
Kathy, the Scottish Highland Cow
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One of the many cooking classes offered at NewTree
PHOTO PHOTO CREDIT: CREDITS: COURTESY (KATHYOF THE ROSEWOOD COW) © CMYK MAYAKOBA PHOTOGRAPHY
An aerial view of the garden, where most of the fresh vegitables served to guests are grown.
HAUTE WELLNESS
NEWTREE RANCH A place for revival, restoration, and renewal BY TERESA RODRIGUEZ
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PHOTO CREDITS: COURTESY OF NEWTREE RANCH
EVEN YEARS AGO, EDWARD NEWELL STOOD IN front of his suitcase packing for a trip. He didn’t know if he would be gone for three weeks or three months. Along with not knowing the trip’s duration, he didn't know exactly where this next sojourn would take him. “I did not know if I would be in Hong Kong, Mumbai and London or Hong Kong, or Maldives and Bali,” Newell shares. Because of that incredible uncertainty, Newell packed two completely different suitcases. He was an owner of a successful company that designed and manufactured furniture for private yachts and hotels all over the world. He spent much of his time in Asia and Europe building and installing projects. This left little time for friends and family. Being in nature was not even a possibility in his jet-setting lifestyle. Newell's career dream had somehow morphed into a nightmare of 16 flights per month. His constant search for
the best flight, the top hotel, the most luxurious suite, and the finest multi-course meal no longer fulfilled him. That day standing over his suitcase, Newell decided to go look for land in Sonoma. "I had a calling. I did not know it yet, but I was about to take everything I learned and owned to build a place for myself and others like me to find their individual connections to nature and themselves." Newell decided to create a place that was not only about luxury, but also about giving back, a place where owners, investors, employees, and guests co-created together. He was going to build a place of love, peace, joy, and gratitude. This place would be called NewTree and it would focus on new growth and new beginnings. "I started learning how to be a part of nature, rather than a consumer of nature."
Glamping for guests of the Ranch Estate with hot tub for star gazing.
Founder Edward Newell
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The 120-acre resort is home to private Lake Andreas
The private heated pool for the guests
HL: How did your intense travel change your view of the world? EN: Don't get me wrong, traveling to beautiful places with wonderful adventures and dinners is a fabulous part of our human experience. I believe we get a lot more out of all these experiences if we are not looking for them to supply us with feelings like love or joy. Knowing that we are already filled with love helps us to authentically connect to everything around us. HL: What is your ultimate goal for NewTree? EN: We have already done so much. If I think of where we were six years ago to now, it is incredible. We started with 20 acres, and we now are the stewards of over 120 acres. We have learned things about ourselves and the land that I had no idea even existed before coming here. I want to continue preserving more land, expanding our conservation efforts, not only in California, but in other parts of the world as well. I think nature is the one thing that really needs our protection and, ultimately, that is why I am here. I want to continue to learn and create a space where others can learn how to live together with nature, as this is the way forward. I feel so fortunate to be in an area that is directly affected by the choices we make. I look forward to seeing our choices improve the living conditions of every living being. I enjoy the thought of joining the many business models that are not looking simply at profit, but also at how what they do can have a positive impact. I am committed to putting everything we make, financially and energetically, back into nature. This is the truest gift I can imagine. 104
Zucchini blossom tempura served with beet and Hungarian hot wax pepper sauce
HL: What does NewTree provide that is unique in this industry? EN: We create authentic and unique experiences that help people connect to nature and themselves. These can be as simple as coming to the garden and learning that a vase of flowers does not have to be all white; it can be a mix of every color in the garden. Personally, this was very healing. It can be as elaborate as a seed-to-table dinner in the garden with opera singers and a grand piano—something not only enjoyed by guests but by the plants as well—all of this while being in the comfort of our luxury accommodations which have been thoughtfully detailed with handpicked, organic items, from the mattress and linens to even the cleaning supplies. The incredible, small batch bath products made by Benedetta are organically and biodynamically grown produced here in Sonoma County with love. The ranch has its own biodynamic food, water, and energy. It is not only sustainable, it is regenerative. Of course, we have a lot more to learn, but we are showing that a regenerative life can not only be fulfilling, it can also be loaded with luxury. We have two amazing properties to rent at the ranch, the 4-bedroom, 4,700-square-foot ranch estate (available for six nights at $4,000 per night) and the 2-bedroom barn (available for 30 nights at $1,500 per night). The ranch is perfect for COVID-related travel, as guests are able to reserve over 120-acres of sustainable land for themselves and their loved ones for a private retreat. We believe private travel experience such as NewTree Ranch will remain in demand for the foreseeable future, given the current concerns around travel.
PHOTO CREDITS: COURTESY OF NEWTREE RANCH
The “vortex” dining table in the garden
PHOTO CREDITS: COURTESY OF NEWTREE RANCH
HL: Why plant-based? EN: Let me first say I was the biggest meat eater. In fact, I had a group of friends and, once a month, we met for the “Meat Eaters Club.” We would find the best cut of prime rib, the juiciest ribeye, or the most tender, dry-aged New York strip steak the city could offer. In the early days at the ranch, we had the best A-5 wagyu flown in from Japan. Prime rib was a usual dish at the ranch; after all, it is a ranch. We wanted to have a closed loop system where we grow the food that we serve at the ranch. We got our first couple of cows and watched them grow up. We had photos of them in the dining room at the ranch house. I noticed people were uncomfortable with the cows, particularly looking at them while having prime rib one night. I asked for the photos of the cows to be moved to another room the next day, hoping to make guests feel at ease. Later that year, I was in the Amazon meditating and I could not go in deep. The sound of chainsaws cutting down the rain forest to clear space for cattle was driving me crazy. I realized at that moment that I should not just move the photos; I should stop eating meat. I called the ranch to stop the slaughter of Bill, our Black Angus steer, but it was too late. He had already been slaughtered the day before. My idea to stop eating meat at the ranch was adopted with ease; the slaughter was on everyone. Everyone at the ranch became plant-based eaters overnight. I watched as my closest family and friends became healthier. Everything from aches, gout, Achilles tears, high blood pressure— and the list goes on—was reversing. Next, we served this diet to clients, and one group after the next discussed improvements in their health. My experience at the ranch has been undeniable: this diet has a huge effect on much of our diseases. Some of the dishes that guests rave about include black rice noodles with sauteed garlic green and grilled oyster mushroom, and nori maki with cauliflower rice, cucumbers, avocados, and miso dipping sauce. Every day the menu changes, depending on what is in season. While pizzas handmade in the woodfire oven are always a hit, one of my favorite dinners include vegetable pozole with white corn hominy, Swiss chard, and cilantro served with heirloom white corn sopes with Corona refried beans, guacamole, roasted summer vegetables, cashew sour cream and melon salad. Handmade vegan pizza made from vegetables from the garden
HAUTE WELLNESS
Garden vegetable tostadas made at a plant-based cooking class.
The Wim Hoff Ice Bath Experience
ABOUT NEWTREE RANCH NewTree Ranch is a luxury, plant-based retreat located just minutes away from downtown Healdsburg. It is one of Northern California’s very few multi-sensory destinations, offering unique discoveries and adventure immersed in a naturally beautiful, culturally rich environment. Situated on a biodynamic ranch in one of the world’s most magical landscapes, NewTree Ranch is a mecca for mind, body, and spirit, allowing guests to relax, rejuvenate, and discover their inner curiosity through an array of healing and outdoor adventure offerings. Visit them at newtreeranch.com @newtreeranch (707) 433-9643 info@newtreeranch.com 105
PHOTO CREDIT: COURTESY OF ROSEWOOD MAYAKOBA
HAUTE WELLNESS
The front entrance at The Salamander Resort
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SPA
SUITES Not-so-ordinary hotel rooms bring the spa to you BY BECCA HENSLEY
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WALK WITH ME,” SAYS MY WELLBEING BUTLER AT Rosewood Mayakoba. We wander down undulating trails. In a soft voice she tells me to concentrate on my senses. “You must feel the power of the plants,” she says. I hear the tiniest buzz, almost as if the garden hums. Nearby, water gurgles and birds sing as if in harmony. The perfume of herbs and flowers encircles us. The smallest details—the veins in leaves, butterflies resting on blossoms, the clouds reflected in the water—reveal themselves. As we linger together, my wellbeing butler tells me about ch’ulel, that ponderous life force that the Maya people believe pervades everything around us—plants, animals, water. “The Maya people believed that the body is an extension of the soul, and that everything is connected,” she explains. When we walk to the treatment cabana, a standalone space shadowed by trees, we feel in sync. “Our healing must begin inside out,” she says as we enter. Her words are as fervent and promising as a benediction. At Rosewood Mayakoba’s Sense Spa, tucked amid the resort’s vast nature preserve on the Riviera Maya, healing always comes easily. Check into one of the resort’s new Wellness Suites to up that ante. Anchoring an isle, surrounded by infinite greenery, occupied by inquisitive iguanas and cartoonish coati, the eight Wellness Suites feel like havens of healthiness within an already blissful resort. Conceived to support selfhealing, each airy guest room has a private salt-water therapy pool, meditation pavilion, reflexology fountain, and in-shower aromatherapy. Sleeping tools (such as a circadian lamp) help with jet lag, while that evocative wellbeing butler curates customized experiences based on your goals. All the while, you’ll feel the curative ch’ulel around—especially within your one-of-a-kind wellness suite. 107
SWISSÔTEL CHICAGO
HAUTE WELLNESS
LA QUINTA RESORT & CLUB, A WALDORF ASTORIA RESORT, LA QUINTA, CA
PHOTO CREDITS: COURTESY SWISSÔTEL CHICAGO; COURTESY OF MALLIOUHANA, AUBERGE RESORTS COLLECTION, ANGUILLA; LE RELAIS BERNARD LOISEAU, BURGUNDY, FRANCE
FROM NEW YORK TO FRANCE, HERE ARE MORE NOTEWORTHY SPA SUITES FOR TOTAL REJUVERNATION
Designed by revered Chicago architect Harry Weese, urbane Swissôtel Chicago peers over the Chicago River and Lake Michigan near the Magnificent Mile. Inside the stunning, all-glass structure, fitness buffs can luxuriate in the newly launched Swissôtel Chicago Vitality Suite. Encompassing more than 1,700 square feet and five rooms, the suite’s coup de grâce is its Wellbeing Wall, which boasts a Peloton bike, water rower, weights, mirrors, and other exercise paraphernalia. Its stylish wet bar hydrates and fuels the body with healthy options, while a Vitality Pillow menu promises a good night’s sleep. Forgot your jammies? No worries. A Lunya sleep set comes with the room.
Glam it up like Greta Garbo did at La Quinta, a fabled desert destination. Though the resort vaunts 41 pools that pepper the property and activity options galore, guests in search of renewal find their way as often as possible to the 23,000-square-foot Spa La Quinta, a state-of-the-art oasis. To add ease to your spa commute, stay across the courtyard from the spa in a cosseting, 900-square-foot, residential-style, King Spa Villa Studio, a home base with private patio, kitchen, pool, and commodious living space. Don’t miss a yoga class in the spa’s dedicated yoga room, painted with Buddha images by Point Reyesbased artist and celebrity yoga instructor, Amanda Giacomini.
LE RELAIS BERNARD LOISEAU, BURGUNDY, FRANCE
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Eccentrically elegant Relais & Châteaux hotels are best known for their gastronomy and characteristic sense of place. Le Relais Bernard Loiseau, a gem in the heart of Burgundy, lives up to that reputation with its stunning location and two Michelin-starred restaurant. This hostelry also celebrates wellness seekers in its 16,000-square-foot spa, La Villa Loiseau des Sens, where some treatments feature potions based on local Burgundy blackcurrants. Prolong your spa day when you opt for a night in the 700-square-foot VIP Spa Suite, complete with sauna and hammam, a sanctum on the spa’s top floor.
HAUTE WELLNESS ANDAZ 5TH AVENUE, NEW YORK
PHOTO CREDITS: COURTESY OF ANDAZ 5TH AVENUE, NEW YORK; COURTESY OF LA QUINTA RESORT & CLUB, A WALDORF ASTORIA RESORT, LA QUINTA, CA; COURTESY OF BANYAN TREE RESORTS WORLDWIDE
Though you’ll have views of both the Empire State Building and the New York Public Library in this heart of Manhattan-located hotel’s Wellness Suite, you may spend more time gazing into your personal The Mirror® Gym by Lululemon. It’s one of many stellar self-care features provided in Andaz’s seven rooms in this category. Expect, as well, adjustable weights, yoga equipment, a large soaking tub, and a sound machine. Snooze comfortably on the back-healing Airweave® mattress and nibble at the Mini Bar RX, which holds a delectable hoard of healthy snacks.
MALLIOUHANA, AUBERGE RESORTS COLLECTION, ANGUILLA On Anguilla, the British West Indies island known for its genteel atmosphere and jaw-dropping, 33 pristine beaches, most people spend long days outdoors. Book the huge, 4,500-square-foot Spa Three Bedroom Villa Suite, which crowns the resort’s spa, and indoor wellness activities become irresistible and easy to access. Roomy, a veritable pied-à-terre with plenty of room for your friends (bachelorette party, perhaps?), this spacentric grand suite with three guestrooms and bathrooms also has a private patio and immense terrace. Descend as often as you like to the spa below to enjoy Caribbean-inspired treatments and the resort’s custom product blend, a mix of neroli, lemongrass, and vetiver.
PHOTO CREDITS: © CHARLENE PETERS; MAP COURTESY OF VIRGINIA WINE
BANYAN TREE RESORTS WORLDWIDE Long before anybody else thought about it, Banyan Tree conceived and executed the concept of holistic wellbeing sanctuaries at their resorts, situated in key spots around the world, including Thailand, Morocco, and Mexico. More in vogue now than ever, their beloved concept includes a 64-point wellness assessment to connect guests with their goals and a slew of options to achieve success. Striking accommodations keep the mood salutary, with personal swimming pools long enough for laps and massage tables for in-room treatments, plus daily access to a huge range of inclusive curative, educational, and feel-good activities— think: ocean breath meditation, couples yoga, a daily massage, pre-sleep baths, and nutritious, chef-made meals prepared with locally sourced ingredients. 109
PROFILE
BIG HEARTS Dress for Success San Francisco Excels at Changing Lives BY BECCA HENSLEY
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"I LOVE THE ABILITY TO WORK AND MAKE MY OWN MONEY. DRESS FOR SUCCESS HAS WEEKLY WORKSHOPS, AND I AM PART OF THEIR ALUMNI PROFESSIONAL WOMEN’S GROUP EMPLOYMENT RETENTION PROGRAM, WHICH MEETS ABOUT FOUR TIMES A YEAR. I ALSO UTILIZE THEIR CAREER ADVISORS TO BRUSH UP ON MY RÉSUMÉ AND JOB SEARCH. IT IS A WONDERFUL ORGANIZATION THAT I AM HONORED TO BE A PART OF. I WILL ALWAYS BE A DRESS FOR SUCCESS GROUPIE." – JUTHAPORN C. 110
JUTHAPORN C. Juthaporn C., currently a 2021 ambassador for Dress for Success Worldwide, battled drug addiction and homelessness for 20 years. When her son, Douglas started preschool, she decided to do something she “had not thought [she] could do, but had always wanted to do”— she chose to look for a job. Though she was offered an interview, she couldn’t afford the requisite uniform. Luckily, a case worker told her about Dress for Success. “The rest is history,” says Juthaporn. With gusto, she immersed herself into every initiative offered. “I began with the Going Places Network program, and then the professional women’s group. I also participated in the financial literacy program and spoke at the 2018 gala," she says. Today, deeply grateful and full of promise, Juthaporn currently attends City College of San Francisco to be certified as a residential counselor, her dream job. “I personally gained my self-confidence and my love of self back. I was able to appreciate my womanhood and motherhood. There is no magic pill for self-confidence, but with my first appointment, I was immediately transformed into a superwoman. I felt like a new me. Since coming to Dress for Success, I have transformed into the woman I have always wanted to be: a woman who is confident and knows her worth.”
PHOTO CREDIT: COURTESY OF FOUR SEASONS HOTEL SAN FRANCISCO
INETEENTH CENTURY politician William Jennings Bryan wrote that the way to develop confidence and banish fear was to “get a series of successful experiences behind you.” While his words ring true, many of us have found ourselves in dark places without exit doors. We’ve felt downtrodden and lost, helpless and unsure. In that situation, the world in which everyone else seems to live happily feels impenetrable and impossible to access. Thankfully, the Bay Area’s charitable, nonprofit organization, Dress for Success San Francisco, helps build a smoother path to a new reality. Their services, programs, and committed volunteers make a difference, elevating and supporting myriad women as they rise. With a specific mission to empower and support women as they hunt for jobs and to keep them plugged into personal growth even after they procure employment, Dress For Success celebrates its sixteenth birthday this year in San Francisco. Embracing much more than providing clothing for interviews, the organization also furnishes a range of tools for personal growth and enhancement— from communication skills that boost self-confidence to writing résumés, plus digital support and professional style tips. Both group seminars and one-on-one sessions help to educate and inform participants. Dress for Success ably and empathetically ensures women get that “series of successful experiences behind” them, a gift with lasting results.
PROFILE
BRITTANY S.
COREVIA F.
Currently working at French Finch Youth & Family Services, Brittany S. explains that the most important thing she learned from Dress for Success was that there were people out there who cared and that faith in herself was possible. “I learned that there are people in the world who want to help us achieve our goals,” she said, emboldened by the assistance and the care she received.
Corevia F. had been looking for a job for six months when she met up with a representative from Dress for Success at a job search workshop at the San Francisco Public Library. She plunged in, starting with the career center and Career Development Bootcamp to work on her résumé and networking. She praises the volunteer mentors who helped her identify the type of job she wanted and those who showed her how to focus her job search. “The most important thing for me, personally, was updating my LinkedIn profile and résumé,” she says, noting that the person who recruited her for her current job at Everlaw, a legal technology company, actually found her on LinkedIn. Dress for Success also coached Corevia, one-on-one, for her triumphant interview. For those considering Dress for Success, Corevia exclaims: “Don’t be nervous. The team is so welcoming that they will share with you their own job search journeys, because they empathize with what you are going through. This is not like any other job search organization or experience you may have already encountered.” Paying it forward, Corevia happily share the tips and advice learned from Dress for Success with others.
" THE ADVICE I WOULD GIVE SOMEONE WHO IS CONSIDERING DRESS FOR SUCCESS AND IS FEELING NERVOUS IS THAT YOU NEED TO KNOW THAT THE STAFF ARE WELCOMING AND APPROACHABLE AND SO EAGER TO SUPPORT YOU. YOUR NERVOUSNESS WILL SUBSIDE! THE WOMEN UTILIZING THE SERVICES ARE FRIENDLY AND SUPPORTIVE AS WELL, SO YOU WILL SOON FEEL A PART OF THE DRESS FOR SUCCESS COMMUNITY." – BRITTANY S.
Brittany first reached out to the organization for the financial literacy program, which completely changed her outlook. “I feel more empowered about my financial decisions since taking these workshops, and I greatly appreciate the other opportunities that the Dress for Success community has presented to me,” she says. Brittany credits the program with helping her think more proactively about her future and sharpening her money management acumen. “I gained a community of support with the Dress for Success staff and other women in the programs,” she says. “I love and am grateful that the staff connected me to resources, helped me plan goals, and offered me a once-in-a-life-time opportunity.”
"I’M REALLY GRATEFUL NOT ONLY FOR THE EXCELLENT QUALITY OF THE COACHING, BUT THAT ALL DRESS FOR SUCCESS SERVICES ARE FREE TO THE CLIENT. EVEN IF I HAD FOUND MY OWN CAREER COACH, I COULD NEVER HAVE AFFORDED THEIR HELP, BECAUSE MY FINANCIAL RESOURCES WERE SO DEPLETED BY THAT TIME. I STILL SHARE THE TIPS AND ADVICE I LEARNED DURING THAT COACHING WITH OTHER FRIENDS WHO ARE LOOKING FOR JOBS OR TRYING TO ADVANCE THEIR CAREERS." – COREVIA F.
Don’t miss Casino Royale: A Sweet 16 Anniversary Gala on October 16, 2021, at The Palace Hotel. www.sfdress.org
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RARE BELVEDERE WATERFRONT COMPOUND Two homes on four lots with panoramic views BY OLIVIA DECKER
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EATURED IN ARCHITECTURAL DIGEST, THIS WORLD CLASS residence showcases panoramic views of the San Francisco Bay, the Golden Gate Bridge, the entire city skylines of San Francisco, and Sausalito. A magnificent masterpiece in a dramatic setting in the most prestigious location comprises a ±8,131-square-foot home on a ±0.67-acre lot and features four bedrooms and 5½ baths. This architectural work of art, designed by Charles Gwathmey, commands spectacular outlooks from every corner of the expansive 4-level floor plan. The primarily vertical organization of this house takes advantage of its sloped site on the southern coast of Belvedere Island.
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An interior circular stair winds around an elevator and forms the cylindrical focal point of the house’s mass. A barrel-vaulted ceiling articulates the living and dining area at the main house’s entry level, and a large deck projects towards the bay to extend the space into the landscape. Three bedrooms, three baths, a study, and a 2-story entertainment room occupy the intermediate floors. The bottom level contains a media room, a beautiful wet bar, and a full bath with steam shower and sauna and opens onto a spacious,outdoor terrace with an infinity pool. The “infinity edge” of the water establishes a poetic connection to the bay.
The uppermost level contains a 3-car garage with glass doors; an elevator which descends to a courtyard; a detached, 1-bedroom, 1-bath guesthouse; and a spacious wine cellar. The remaining levels of the main house are situated between two large retaining walls which follow the natural contours of the site and splay outward toward the bay. The house’s compact organization between the retaining walls ensures privacy.
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The interior floors are limestone and wide-plank bubinga wood, and cabinets are lightly stained maple. The exterior is clad in gray-stained cedar with a curved, standing seam zinc roof. All exterior windows, doors, and decks are teak; all terraces are beige/gray flamed limestone pavers; and the retaining walls are painted warm white stucco. This one-of-a-kind residence can be purchased with the adjacent property at 455 Belvedere Avenue and a home on two legal ±0.7-acre lots at 443 Belvedere Avenue to form your amazing family compound. Additional photos and information at www.445BelvedereAve.com and www.443BelvedereAve.com. Price upon request. 115
HAUTE AMBASSADOR Events About Town
North Beach Restaurant
Aubrey Brewster, a bon vivant and man-abouttown, is 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. He is often listed among San Francisco’s best dressed. Aubrey is a San Francisco native, traveler, and food and lifestyle blogger (aubreyabouttown. com). He 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.
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AUBREY ABOUT TOWN NORTH BEACH RESTAURANT: INSIDE A SAN FRANCISCO TRADITION BY AUBREY BREWSTER
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AN FRANCISCO IS FULL OF HISTORY AND tradition: from the sourdough bread (the natural yeast in the air makes it unique to us) to freshly trapped, steamed, and chilled Dungeness crab cocktails on the go, walking Fisherman’s Wharf to a soft and warm char sui bao (barbecued pork bun) while exploring the charming wonders of Chinatown. It is these wonderful traditions that connect us and us to the world. I’ve known chefs in Paris who swear to the sweetness of our crab; and, it wouldn’t be Thanksgiving at our place without my “San Francisco Style” Barbary Coast sourdough and oyster stuffing made with SF’s Boudin sourdough (check aubreyabouttown.com for the recipe). This stuffing takes lots of preparation, but it’s a labor of love nonetheless, one of the traditions we cherish. Growing up in the city, there were certain traditions that we just did: Clement Street for Chinese and across
the city in North Beach for Italian. The one place I looked forward to the most was North Beach Restaurant. To this day, North Beach Restaurant (NBR) has been a mainstay in my repertoire of favorite restaurants, both to frequent and to suggest to others when asked about places to go for dinner (and lunch). It has remained a favorite weekly haunt for my partner, Ed, and I for date night. We’re not alone in that regard. NBR opened its doors back in 1970 with a young sous chef, Bruno Orsi (of the famed Orsi’s Restaurant), and a young dishwasher, Lorenzo Petroni (who worked his way up to busboy, server, and ultimately, bartender). Both shared the American Dream through hard work and perseverance. NBR has been a traditional San Francisco hotspot for celebrities, athletes, and politicians alike. Everything from marriage proposals to movie deals to local politics has taken place within its walls, and the
PHOTO CREDIT: © DREW ALTIZER PHOTOGRAPHY
restaurant remains a favorite meeting spot for local and national movers and shakers, including Vice President Kamala Harris, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, San Francisco Mayor London Breed, and former SF Mayor Willie L. Brown, Jr., who, to this day still keeps to his weekly Friday night dinners out at NBR, Kokkari, or the occasional new “it” restaurant with his girlfriend and my longtime friends, Sonya Molodetskaya (whom Willie lovingly refers to as the “First Lady of San Francisco”); socialite Farah Makras and her husband, real estate mogul Victor Makras. They’ve enjoyed this Friday tradition here in SF and around the world for nearly two decades. During their 18-month closure due to the COVID-19 pandemic, North Beach Restaurant was the one place Ed missed and asked about the most: “When are they going to reopen? Are they reopening?” So, it was with great delight when I ran into the former manager, Leo Petroni (son of the founder, the late Lorenzo Petroni), a few months back at The Battery, a trendy social club in San Francisco. He assured me that the reopening was imminent. Lo and behold, a couple months later, our pal and North Beach Restaurant’s veteran maître d’ of 18 years, Warren Hart, called to announce NBR’s grand reopening on July 28 with a 2-night weekend VIP dinner for their most loyal clientele (a week prior) to celebrate! The pre-opening weekend commenced Friday evening with a cocktail reception for the loyalists, featuring vignettes of delectable offerings, including their house-cured prosciutto-wrapped melon, carpaccio crostini, and large serving bowls of some of the best meatballs in marinara I’ve ever had. As you may have guessed, that’s where I hovered like a praying mantis. Naturally, I (inappropriately so) wore an all-white Valentino number (hey, it’s Italian, right?), a serious passo falso when eating meatballs. Luckily, Fortuna was on my side and I made it through the evening, frock unscathed. The VIP dinner the following night was magical. We were seated at the late Lorenzo Petroni’s private table overlooking the bar, me in Mr. Petroni’s chair, an emotional moment. Lorenzo was like a father to me, so, it wasn’t long before emotion turned to tears shared with the staff and guests alike. Soon, those tears turned to laughter when I began impersonating Lorenzo, with me jokingly shouting, “Bello, bello! Did the customer ask for two olives?” That was something I fondly remember Lorenzo playfully saying from his perch while watching the servers garnish martinis. Dinner was scrumptious. For old time’s sake, I began with the Bay shrimp cocktail—old school. The crispy chicken al mattone (cooked with a brick) is wonderful, but the pièce de résistance was the tiramisù—absolutely life altering—and a story just as sweet. As the story goes, the recipe was handed down by NBR’s longest working server (over 30 years), Marco Candela’s grandmother, a native of the Piedmont region in Italy, a region famed for its sophisticated cuisine, Barolo wine, and the birthplace of Fiat Automobiles S.p.A. The recipe was written in Italian. When Marco’s fellow server, Luca Ortolani (who also happens to be a pastry chef at SF’s famed Victoria’s Pastry down the street) was tasked with translating the recipe to English,
Sonya Molodetskaya
Dr. Edward Winger, SF Mayor London Breed, Aubrey Brewster
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Neiman Marcus’ Vice President and Market General Manager, Mark Sullivan and Aubrey Brewster
Lisa Zabelle, Mary Beth Shimmon, Barbara Brown
PHOTO CREDIT: © DREW ALTIZER PHOTOGRAPHY
NBR’s new general manager, Maureen Dongan, suggested, “Why not make it yourself?” We’re all happy that she did and that he did! Luca also bakes the other desserts, as well as the delightful miniature cheesy pizzetta and rolls, new to the breadbasket that accompanies the meal. As guests happily enjoyed their dinners, the energy in the room was transformed. Guests (including San Francisco notables, Mayor London Breed, former Mayor Willie L. Brown, Jr., and socialite Sonya Molodetskaya) were in awe as we were serenaded with an impromptu opera performance of “Libiamo, ne’lieti calici” (“The Drinking Song”) from Giuseppe Verdi’s La Traviata. There wasn’t a dry eye in the whole place. Lorenzo’s spirit was in the room, and I just know how moved he would have been at the warm turnout of the city’s who’s who and NBR loyalists joining his family and beloved restaurant family to call in a new beginning, post-COVID, and celebrate 50 years of a San Francisco tradition. All our familiar servers and staff have rejoined the company, along with a new general manager at the helm, the lovely Maureen Dongan. Maureen brings over 35 years of fine dining experience gained in some of San Francisco’s most iconic eateries, such as the Marina District’s Balboa Café, Izzy’s Steakhouse (in which she opened in 1987), MoMo’s, the Presidio Social Club, and the long gone, but always remembered Postrio. (I think I lived on their pizza Margherita for a month once!) Maureen has made continuing Lorenzo’s vision of Old World Tuscan cuisine and elegance her passion project with extensive remodeling of the upstairs dining rooms, lower level banquet hall, and the famed “Prosciutto Room” with the addition of the “secret,” multifunctional VIP room that will be hidden on the lower level. (Psst! Don’t tell anyone, but look for the hidden latch in the bookcase.) The renovation includes chic new restrooms with custom-built, floating marble basins; restaurant-wide, Venetian-plastered ceilings; antique dining chairs; sterling silver flatware; fine china; and European statuary, all of which she carefully curated through auctions around the globe. I’ve always been a believer that love is in the details. It’s these details that will foster the continued popularity for this San Francisco institution, keeping it Longtime North Beach Restaurant maître our special tradition for d', Warren Hart and sommelier, Indy Singh years to come.
Mayor Willie L. Brown Jr., Sonya Molodetskaya, Farah Makras, and Victor Makras
Lee Housekeeper and Carolyn Tyler
Aubrey’s ‘Yellow Rose of Texas’ themed table
Hon. Karen Clopton and Lisa Harris
PHOTO CREDIT: © DREW ALTIZER PHOTOGRAPHY
THE ROTUNDA AT NEIMAN MARCUS’ VIP PRE-OPENING LUNCH The Rotunda at Neiman Marcus opened to much anticipation and fanfare with a by-invitation-only, pre-opening day sneak peek. The San Francisco Bay Area’s most fashionable “Ladies (and Lads) Who Lunch” went all-out in hosting their tables. With just a call to action from NM’s vice president and market general manager, (Northern California) Mark Sullivan, inviting Neiman Marcus’ top clients to make reservations, tables quickly filled with the Bay Area’s chicest socialites and fashionistas. After over a year of closure due to the COVID pandemic, the muchanticipated reopening was finally here. The afternoon fête was just the excuse these elegant lads and ladies needed to finally leave the COVID loungewear behind and dress up in the season’s finest designer fashions. Among the afternoon hosts were former Raiderette and socialite, Lisa Zabelle, whose guests included our mutual friends, the lovely Mary Beth Shimmon, Sobia Shaikh, and Barbara Brown. My dear friend and philanthropist, Sophie Azouaou’s notable guests included jazz icon Paula West, luxury real estate guru Joel Goodrich, socialite Clara Shayevich, and NBC Bay Area’s Jessica Aguirre, to name a few. Even Haute Living San Francisco’s very own publisher, Olivia Decker, stopped by to join the festivities. For this host, the event was an homage to the modern, elegant “Southern Ladies Who Lunch,” a pastime Stanley Marcus and his brother Edward (sons of co-founder, Herbert Marcus, Sr.) fostered in the 1950s when Stanley was elected president and chief executive officer with brother Edward by his side as vice president. The
Aubrey’s red velvet cupcakes
Sonya Molodetskaya and Aubrey Brewster
fashionable socialites of Dallas quickly took to the pastime, enjoying the new trend of elegantly prepared, French-inspired, AmericanContinental cuisine to the background of informal modeling, combined with charitable events and designer trunk shows at the Dallas store. Vogue magazine coined in their November 1953 issue, “Texas with a French accent” and “Continental Chic in Texas.” With my longtime love and friendship with NM and with a 15-month absence of indoor dining in San Francisco, it was important to me to create an unforgettable and joyful afternoon that was both opulent and safe for my guests. So, with a tip of the hat (or, in this instance, a tip of a cowboy hat) to Neiman Marcus’ Dallas roots, I wanted to submerge my lunch guests into a quintessential Neiman Marcus experience. What could possibly evoke the sentiment better than the “Yellow Rose of Texas?” My guests dined on NM’s classic lobster club sandwiches, crab and shrimp Louie salads, and copious quantities of champagne, while sitting at a table adorned in marigold linens and grand bouquets of roses (crafted by Bella Fiora Floral Design) in various hues of yellow. The table setting was complete with gift bags of indulgent La Mer skincare and a jewel box of NM’s signature chocolate chip cookies. To top off the afternoon, naturally, I baked red velvet cupcakes with cream cheese buttercream topped with edible NM butterflies. My guests included retired ABC 7 anchor Carolyn Tyler, socialite Sonya Molodetskaya, press agent Lee Housekeeper, Lisa Harris, the Honorable Karen Clopton, Table + Teaspoon founder Liz Curtis, and socialite Heide Betz. Often copied but never surpassed, the chic afternoon pastime of Ladies Who Lunch continues to this day across the Neiman Marcus Group family of stores, including Bergdorf Goodman in New York City. 119
HAUTE AMBASSADOR Health & Wellness
THE HEALING POWER OF PETS How they help us live longer, happier, and healthier
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.
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o one is sure when humans first started having “pets.” An internet search turned up answers of sometime between 12,000 to 40,000 years ago. Fast forward to 2021: according to the 2021-2022 APPA National Pet Owners Survey, “70% of U.S. households own a pet, which equates to 90.5 million homes.” Dogs take first place, cats second, fish third, and birds fourth. Pets are big business—the same survey estimates, in 2021, “$109.6 billion will be spent on our pets in the U.S.” So how and when did humanity’s obsession with pets come to be? Some folks spend their lives trying to answer that question. “The archaeological and genetic record is being combed and analyzed for evidence of when and how the human-animal bond developed, not just to satisfy a craving for trivia, but because it says a lot about the evolution of human society,” says Greger Larson, professor in the School of Archaeology at the University of Oxford and Director of the Wellcome Trust Palaeogenomics and Bio-Archaeology Research Network. “We know that dogs, without a doubt, were the first domestic animal.” It’s thought the first modern-day, domesticated dogs descended from gray wolves as humans domesticated their pups. Early nomadic humans discovered dogs were useful for herding, hunting, and guarding. As we began to transition to an agricultural society, cats entered the
picture about 8,000 years ago as valuable allies fending off mice and rodents that might threaten farm output and storage. Archaeologists estimate horses entered the picture around 3,500 years ago. After eons, humans still have a working relationship with animals—think police and rescue dogs, those cute airport beagles that guard our borders, and horses which served as our primary source of transportation in this hemisphere for centuries. Art historians have noted evidence of pets as companions among Egyptian, Greek, Roman, and Chinese nobility. Over time, pets made their way into households of the masses. Pets come in all species and sizes. Although not mutually exclusive, most of us today have companion pets versus working animals. Evidence keeps mounting on the many physical and psychological benefits this companionship brings. A Houzz survey found “Americans are … the most likely to treat dogs and cats as members of the family” and 90 percent of U.S. pet owners “say the top benefit of owning a pet is that it makes them happy.” This is not strictly anecdotal; scientific evidence discovered by Dr. Miho Nagasawa and colleagues at the University of Tokyo found, for example, when a pet dog and pet owner gaze into each other’s eyes, oxytocin is released in both.
PHOTO CREDITS: SHUTTERSTOCK
BY LYDIA GRAHAM
PHOTO CREDITS: COURTESY OF MIRAVAL ARIZONA RESORT & SPA
Oxytocin is one of the “happiness hormones” that supports trust and bonding. One notable nonprofit organization which understands that pets become family is SPCA Monterey County (SPCAMC). They have a Pet Meals Program whereby, for decades, they collaborated with Meals on Wheels of the Monterey Peninsula and Meals on Wheels Salinas Valley to deliver meals not just for humans in need, but for their pets, too. “For many of these folks, their pets are family and often their only source of companionship. If we did not provide pet meals, they would often give half of their meals to their pets, which isn’t good for the person or the pet, as pets don’t stay healthy on human food,” says Beth Brookhouser, vice president, marketing and communications SPCAMC. Additionally, during the pandemic (between May 2020 and July 2021), SPCAMC, via a traveling pet food bank, distributed more than 175,000 pounds of pet food for every species for free. Unless a person has a phobia or past traumatic experience, pets can improve our overall well-being. How? The list is long. Many pets provide an opportunity for physical touch. Satisfying this neurological and biological need for touch, also known as “skin hunger,” strengthens our immune system. Touch decreases cortisol (which depletes natural killer cells). Pets can be a source of physical comfort for all of us, especially for those living alone. Pets infuse our life with a sense of connection, purpose, and meaning— alleviating loneliness which has been cited as more of a threat to human health than smoking. They provide unconditional love and communicate with us in their own way—one just must listen. Being a pet guardian and caretaker holds us accountable for another living being. While improving even an adult’s motivation for self-care, taking care of a pet is a wonderful opportunity to teach kids responsibility. Cats and dogs particularly get us up in the morning. (I have a friend whose 15-pound cat, Zorro, hurls himself against her bedroom door—and continues to do so—promptly each morning until she gets up to feed him.) Dogs must be walked, and that gets us outside for exercise, often in nature. We can experience improved socialization when we have a dog with us: have you ever noticed how others tend to interact more and be friendlier when you have a dog? Pets can play a powerful role in self-development and exploration, boosting self-esteem and confidence. Visiting Miraval Arizona Resort years ago, I met Wyatt Webb who leads the Miraval Equine Experience (https://www.miravalarizona.com/experiences/explore/upcomingevents/the-miraval-equine-experience-with-wyatt-webb/). While I only participated in a morning group session in the stables and the ring, I gained a renewed appreciation in that short time for the intuitive nature of horses and what they can teach us about ourselves. I wish my riding teacher had taught me this when I first learned to
ride as a child. Webb does longer retreats equivalent to 20 hours of intense group therapy. I’ve heard they are transformative. He has worked with athletic teams and companies alike on team building as well as groups of individuals who meet for the first time. Pets bring us into the moment; like young children, they are an endless source of entertainment (when they behave). Dogs and cats, particularly, are sensate creatures: they do what feels good in the moment. They don’t deliberate like humans. Visualize the Labrador Retriever jumping into the water—it doesn’t hesitate to wonder whether it should or shouldn’t jump into the water. It just does. They can help us heal PTSD and lower depression and anxiety through companionship and animal-assisted therapy. By petting and interacting with them, we can increase oxytocin, serotonin, and dopamine—our happiness hormones. Some dogs can be trained to help detect physical conditions, like an oncoming migraine, seizure, or sudden drop in blood sugar, and let their humans know in time. Some even help doctors and scientists detect certain conditions like cancer. Overall, pets help lower our blood pressure, heart rate, and cortisol (the stress hormone), triggering relaxation and more consistent breathing. Among children, pets can improve immunity and aid with allergy prevention, enhance childhood development, and calm hyperactivity or aggressive behavior. The discipline of caring for a pet can also help children with medical conditions like diabetes for better adherence to their treatment plans. Sometimes, pets even help our relationships and marriages. For new couples wanting to have children, raising a pet together can provide a wonderful opportunity to meld parenting styles and share in caretaking responsibilities. For couples who don’t have children or whose children or grandchildren live far away, loving an animal together can be rewarding. Says artist Robin Sawyer, “Having a dog has been a real bond in our marriage. Our four boys, from previous marriages, are grown up and gone. None live nearby. So, our wonderful standard poodle, Bailey (and Bixby before her), is our constant companion and beloved member of our family. She’s kind of like the child we never had together.” Too, pets are good for business, as one California town found out. In 2002, I was involved in a campaign that launched Carmel-by-theSea as “Dog Heaven on Earth,” nationally and internationally. Today, it remains one of the most popular, dog-friendly cities in America and continues to bring tourists to the area. So, the next time you wince when your dog, cat, horse, bird, or other pet has a demanding moment or incurs a high veterinary bill, take a moment of gratitude for all the healing gifts and joy they offer each day. You might just live a little healthier and longer because of them. And if you don’t have a pet—maybe it’s time to think about it? 121
HAUTE AMBASSADOR Auto
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
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PICK A PAIR OF PORSCHES Driving the 2021 911 Turbo S Cabriolet and the 2021 Taycan
PHOTO CREDIT: © PORSCHE CARS NORTH AMERICA
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BY TIM LAPPEN
ORSCHE FIRST INTRODUCED THEIR 911 IN 1964, A worthy successor to the 356s which started showing up in America in the early 1950s. It was a radical departure from the more rounded predecessor but it continued the original design of a rear-engine, air-cooled car, jumping from a flat, horizontally opposed, 4-cylinder engine (like its relative, the VW Beetle) to a flat six. However, it wasn’t until 1975 that Porsche joined the turbo world by adding an exhaust-gas compressor (creating more horsepower) to the 911 lineup. Not content to just up the oomph, it also added a rear spoiler—and not just any spoiler—the vaunted “whale tail,” an appendage large enough to host six people for dinner at a tailgate event. The car was a beast with so much boost when the turbo kicked in that drivers had to be careful that they didn’t punch it in a corner. Flash forward to today. The 2021 911 Turbo S (now a twinturbo) still is the most badass of the Porsche lineup, and the 911 Turbo S Cabriolet is the top of the line, which explains the base price of $219,800. The whale tale is gone, replaced by a more sophisticated and moving spoiler which changes angle depending on the speed. (I’ve often wondered: if your spoiler only deploys at 85 mph, and you’re on the freeway with the spoiler deployed and get pulled over, can you claim the Fifth Amendment against self-incrimination if you own the car?) Anyway, the earlier whale tail 911 had under 250 horsepower; this one has 640 horsepower which can motivate this beauty to 60 mph in about 2.7 seconds (let that sink in for a minute) and can keep thrusting all of the way up to 205 mph (so I am told; I promise that I wasn’t within 10 mph of that number). However, it’s the refined performance which sets this car apart. 123
HAUTE AMBASSADOR Auto
Porsche Taycan 4S
Although I’ve often said that Porsches feel to me like they were designed with ergonomics as the key ingredient, the creature comforts abound in this car. That’s not overly surprising, given that the Turbo S Cab is one of the more expensive cars which Porsche produces. The option list on “mine” was fairly restrained, adding only about $18,000 to the price with such items as the upgraded Burmeister Surround Sound System ($3,980) and the Sport Exhaust System ($3,490). Given that the exhaust note on this car is awesome, I was very glad that they popped for that upgrade. Being in Southern California, the Cabriolet is virtually a yearround car, and I made good use of it for the entire week of my loan. Whether in the mountains, by the sea, in the canyons, or on the freeway, it was a delight to drive—docile in traffic and eager, responsive, and seriously fast when the crowds were light. Lots of excitement with this car: 0 to 60 in under three seconds will do that to you. Now let’s shift over to the electric side of the family. Whereas the 911 Turbo S is a fire-breather of the first order, the Taycan is a more subdued vehicle. But let’s not conflate “subdued” with the car being less thrilling or (OMG) slow. First off, the Taycan now comes in several flavors with two body types. There’s the basic 4-door Taycan model and the four-door Taycan Cross Turismo model which is Porsche’s “shooting brake”/station wagon body style with more interior space. Today, we only are looking at the sedan body style, the “regular” Taycan, and that is available with four motor options. 124
Let’s see what’s on offer and their base prices: • Taycan: base of $82,950; 402HP, 0-60 in 5.1 seconds; one rear-axle motor • Taycan 4S: base of $103,800; 522HP, 0-60 in 3.8 seconds one motor on each axle • Taycan Turbo: so named but there’s no real “turbo” involved; base of $150,900; 670HP, and 0 to 60 in 3.0 seconds; high-performance motor on each axle • Taycan Turbo S: base of $185,000; 750HP; 0 to 60 in 2.6 seconds; high-performance motor on each axle Note: Each model also has a choice of batteries, which affect both the speed and the driving range. The above figures are for the most-powerful battery for that model. Before we get too distracted by the above power and performance numbers, note that they have asterisks in the real world: those numbers require the driver to utilize “overboost power” and “launch control.” The overboost function adds serious oomph for about 2.5 seconds and gives the car a real kick in the trunk. Launch control is the system which lets the driver floor the accelerator while holding the brakes completely on. The driver then releases the brakes for a truly amazing “hole shot” blast from a standing start. It’s well worth the price of admission! “My” Tycan was the 4S. Although not the range topper (more on the Turbo S below), it had so many options that the build sheet took three pages to print out. Top options included the $7,170 premium package (panoramic glass roof; BOSE Surround Sound; LED-Matrix design headlights; heated, ventilated, and massage front seats and more); Olea Club leather interior ($6,570); performance battery ($6,580); adaptive cruise control ($3,610); and other optional items which moved the needle from the $103,800 base to $143,630.
PHOTO CREDITS: © PORSCHE CARS NORTH AMERICA
HAUTE AMBASSADOR Auto Especially with the thermally and noise-insulated glass ($1,130), the 4S was like driving in a bubble, removed from the normal sounds and heat-gain from the windows. Driving this car was cool and relaxing. Even though it was the second slowest of the Taycan family, the car really did have tremendous acceleration and handling, such that I would recommend the 4S over the base Taycan. My time in the twisty canyons and up on Mulholland also were rewarded as the car goes, stops, and handles very well, all while coddling the driver and the occupants. The fact that it only had a motor on the rear axle was not a negative. Particularly fun for me was that Porsche also hosted me at the Porsche Experience Center (PEC), of which there are a couple in the United States. The Los Angeles location was very near to my home and a really fun and educational experience, a particular delight as my ride that day was the chart-topping Taycan Turbo S variant. The PEC is comprised of several tracks meant to show the car’s capabilities, so most of the surfaces were polished concrete with adjacent sprinkler systems to keep the roadway slippery, all set up in order to highlight the exceptional handling of this car. As an extra bonus, it was raining on the day of my PEC experience, so slipping and sliding were easy to achieve. First off was the skid pad, where I drove around in a tight circle to see how the car behaved with the traction control system off and then on. With the rain adding to the sprinklers’ output, the track was in perfect shape to experience how the car performed in the real world. It was quite amazing. While it took some doing to keep the car pointed in the right direction when the traction control system was off, with the system engaged, it was incredible. It really took effort to lose traction and, with 750 ponies pulling and pushing on your four wheels, it could have been a lot more challenging. I also experienced the uphill and downhill slippery slopes as well as the emergency braking experience, but my favorite part was experiencing the acceleration area where I was able to repeatedly use the overboost and launch control. This is where a car weighing about 5,100 pounds, in the rain and with sprinklers running, can go from 0 to 60 in 2.6 seconds with virtually no wheel spin. It’s a startling experience, having a car go that quickly on a slippery surface with so little drama, thanks in part to the front and rear motors. All in all, I had a wonderful time, having two separate weeks with two of the quickest cars on the planet, one with a twinturbocharged, 6-cylinder, gas-fired engine and the other with a battery-driven electric motor, both able to blast from 0 to 60 in about the same time through very different processes. They both do what they were intended to do and do it very well. Which one is right for you? Well, the good news here is that you can’t make a bad decision.
A rainy day at the Porche Experience Center (PEC) in Los Angeles was a blast!
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8185 E Alameda Road, Scottsdale, AZ 85255 5 beds 11 baths 17,400 SF • $12,950,000
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his incredible, irreplaceable appx 10 acre residential/equestrian estate is located in the heart of Pinnacle Peak which makes it one of the most unique and quality equestrian facilities in all of North Scottsdale. Main house features 3br suites incredible living, family, dining rooms & beautiful Kitchen. 8 seat theater , 5,000 SF pavilion that is done like no other 2 new separate guest quarters, 2 RV garages several out buildings to house all your cars and other toys. This is truly an “Equestrian Disneyland”!
6742 N 48th Street, Paradise Valley, AZ 85253 5 beds 6.5 baths 8,300 SF • $10,850,000
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his 3+ acre perfectly situated estate in the heart of Paradise Valley is one of the most perfect settings you could find for your family home. The open family room kitchen area is set up for a perfect family gathering area. There is a bonus room, theater room,,large living room, beautiful wood panel office, very large bedroom wing and a separate guesthouse. Fireplaces and patios surround the home both inside and out and all of these patios have beautiful views and privacy and it has the most captivating views of Camelback Mountain you can find in Paradise Valley.
Bob Hassett •
Sotheby’s International Realty
(602) 750-1000 • Russ Lyon Realty • WWW.BOBHASSETT.COM
5021 E Arabian Way, Paradise Valley, AZ 6 BD • 9 BA 16,083 SF • $18,500,000
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imeless Classic Elegant Masterpiece! Surround yourself in complete tranquility and luxury on almost 5 spectacular acres enveloped by mountains, lush grounds and magnificent gardens. This prestigious residence has been masterfully remodeled to be one of the finest estates in Paradise Valley. With over 16,000 square feet comprising 6 bedrooms and 9 bathrooms, this exquisite home boasts a stunning grand entrance, soaring uniquely decorated ceilings, large scale rooms with finest architectural features including sophisticated finishes throughout with details sourced the world over and a floorplan that is formal, yet creates a comfortable and inviting ambience. Other luxury amenities include; formal living and dining rooms, family style great room and open chef’s kitchen, stately office/library, private bar, wine cellar, media room, large master suite with fireplace, his and hers separate bathrooms & expansive walk-in closets, exercise
room, specific pets room and much more. The beautiful outdoor areas invite relaxation and recreation with vast shaded patios, sparkling pool, tranquil green lawns, lovely pond with water feature and a detached guest house. In addition, the avid car collector will enjoy the auto courtyard with lounge, various sized garages and state of the art show rooms for the perfect display of the ultimate collection. A true opportunity to acquire one of the top trophy estates in Paradise Valley, AZ.
Bob Hassett
(602) 750-1000
Sotheby’s International Realty Russ Lyon Realty 7669 E. Pinnacle Peak Rd. Ste 110 Scottsdale 85255 WWW.BOBHASSETT.COM
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 Stunning World-Class Wine Country Retreat
5 Beds | 6 Baths | ±2,500 sq. ft. Interior | ±61 Acres This stunning world-class retreat is the epitome of the indoor-outdoor Napa Valley lifestyle. Designed by award-winning architect Howard Backen with sliding doors and screens that open completely to the surrounding gardens and views beyond, this residence and separate two-bedroom guest house are arranged as three separate zinc-roofed pavilions floating above semi-enclosed porches, a magnificent pool, and the surrounding landscaped gardens. Featuring extraordinary materials and workmanship, brilliant designs and soaring high ceilings, this private compound is designed to capture magnificent views of nature. Sited at the edge of a ravine, this home is oriented to frame and command views across neighboring vineyards and a watershed of the Napa River. Inside the main pavilion, the boundaries between living room, kitchen, dining room and the surrounding terraces are blurred. The combination of openness and grand scale permits the home to feel at once expansive and yet comfortable for intimate entertaining. Radiant heating under the polished concrete floors provides year-round comfort. The flexible
Napa, California
$13,500,000
architectural layers of sliding glass, shutters, and screens serve to effortlessly control light, space, and temperature. Whether the walls of windows are open or closed, the calming architecture frames the natural and designed landscape. Spread across ±61 acres of grounds, amenities include infinity-edge pool, spacious lawn, bocce court, two hot-tubs, olive grove, organic garden, stocked lake, fire pit, and outdoor kitchen with refrigerator, barbecue, and pizza oven. The basement level features a large wine cellar as well as a gym, powder room, and catering kitchen. A separate machine building houses a backup generator and well equipment including reverse-osmosis water filter. This sublime place represents an artistic departure from the conventional and is one that truly must be experienced—it is one that might inspire great thoughts and play gracious host to many extraordinary events to come! More photos and information can be found at: SodaCanyonEstate.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
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 Spectacular Belvedere View Home
Belvedere, California
4 Beds | 4 Baths | 1 Half-Bath | ±3,756 sq. ft. | ±1.26 Acres | Pool Situated at a magnificent near-tip location of Belvedere Island south side facing stunning world-class views, this mid-Century appx. 3,756 sq foot home on appx. 1.26 acre double lots features 4 bedrooms, 4.5 baths, pool, multiple terraces, living room with fireplace and 18+ feet high ceilings, opening onto terraces and gardens; library with fireplace and view deck, formal dining room with view deck, spacious French Country style kitchen, master bedroom with fireplace + 2 other bedrooms opening onto pool terrace and gardens, an entry floor bedroom with full bath for handicap access. The home and beautiful lush gardens all face the panoramic views from Bay Bridge, San Francisco, Golden Gate Bridge, Sausalito to Mt. Tam. 2-car garage on street level. Large bay frontage is possible to build a boat dock subject
$12,995,000
to city and BCDC approval. The house was designed and built by architect John Lord King in 1962 for the current owner, the Morrison family. The adjacent lot was purchased in 1966. The house was the subject of an article “The House that Steel Built” for the extensive use of steel and concrete in the construction. It has also been featured in other articles, ads, and once in a TV mini series. The pool and surrounding stone terrace were completely redone in 2008. The landscaping is irrigated, includes lighting and was a highlight of the annual garden club tours for many years. More photos and information can be found at: 443BelvedereAve.com
Olivia Hsu Decker | SanFranciscoFineHomes.com Cell: 415.720.5915 | Olivia@SanFranciscoFineHomes.com | Lic.# 00712080
PLEASE JOIN FESTIVAL NAPA VALLEY AND OLIVIA DECKER FOR A SPECIAL PRIVATE PERFORMANCE BY WORLD RENOWNED TENOR MICHAEL FABIANO BENEFITING ARTSMART Sunday, September 12, 2021 Cocktails and buffet 6pm | Concert 7:15pm Donation of $250 to ArtSmart requested. To donate, go to artsmart.org/donate ArtSmart provides youth mentorship through the power of music in communities that lack access to the arts. Through weekly sessions during the school year, ArtSmart students receive world class musical instruction and training from skilled mentors, instilling responsibility, confidence, stability and invaluable, transformational life skills. ArtSmart believes all youth should have the opportunity to realize their potential, and is committed to providing an environment in which young people can thrive, and succeed.
Michael Fabiano has performed in many of the best opera houses in the world including San Francisco Opera (where he performs the role of Mario Cavaradossi in the current production of Tosca, August 21-September 5), Metropolitan Opera, Teatro alla Scala and the Royal Opera. He is a featured artist at Festival Napa Valley, and the winner of the 2014 Richard Tucker Award.
RSVP BY EMAIL TO SIENNA PECK sienna@festivalnapavalley.org or call 707-346-5052 Upon RSVP, you will be given the address of event location in Belvedere.