Paradise by the Sea 145 PARADISE BY THE SEA BOULEVARD 7 Bedroom – 9 Bath – 10,035 Square Feet – $14,750,000 Only Gulf-front home available to purchase in this gated community strategically located adjacent to Alys Beach and a short walk to Rosemary Beach. Custom family home has large living spaces with media room and bar. Entire third floor is master suite with his-and-her offices, exercise room, and morning kitchen.
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Located between Rosemary Beach and Alys Beach, this is the only Gulf-front home available to purchase in Paradise by the Sea! Shown by appointment only.
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Celebrating 20 Years in Business on Scenic Highway 30A! Linda Miller is the Broker of Rosemary Beach Realty on Scenic Highway 30A. With 20 years of experience and wisdom as well as extensive knowledge of the local market, she has been the number one agent since 2015. Miller brokered the largest sale on 30A of $12.5 million in Rosemary Beach and has generated over $425 million in career sales with an average sale of $2,340,000. When you own property on 30A, you’ll be smiling too! LindaMillerLuxury.com | (850) 974-8885 | Linda@TheSmileOf30A.com ROSEMARY BEACHŽ is a registered trademark owned by Rosemary Beach Holdings, LLC and is used with permission pursuant to a license from Rosemary Beach Holdings, LLC.
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When old-world craft meets new-world technology, an unprecedented level of quality is birthed. At E.F. San Juan, the quality and long-term function of our woodwork are the keys to creating elements that will transform a house into a dream home. This iconic home in Seaside, Florida, known as "In Surf We Trust," was a challenging build thanks to its many curved walls and exquisite details. Designed by Curtis & Windham Architects and built by O.B. Laurent Construction, the home features custom millwork and moulding throughout created by the team at E.F. San Juan. efs a nj u a n.c o m
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In this issue On the Cover
Academy Award–winner Reese Witherspoon is known for her powerhouse performances in films such as Walk the Line, Legally Blonde, Sweet Home Alabama, Wild, and many more. Most recently, she stars on the award-winning HBO series Big Little Lies alongside Nicole Kidman and Shailene Woodley. But the Hollywood star’s roots lie not along the West Coast, but in the Deep South. She grew up in Nashville by way of New Orleans and in the past several years has taken her place among Southern royalty as an expert on all things below the Mason-Dixon Line. Her lifestyle and clothing brand, Draper James, and her 2018 coffeetable book, Whiskey in a Teacup: What Growing Up in the South Taught Me about Life, Love, and Baking Biscuits, celebrate the style and culture of the South. Photo by Jeff Kravitz / FilmMagic
PUBLISHED BY
49
BULLION MIGHT BE THE TOP RESTAURANT TO VISIT IN DALLAS IF YOU WANT UPTOWN, SOPHISTICATED FARE, BUT THE CITY IS FULL OF VIBRANT CULTURE, FOOD, SHOPPING, MUSEUMS, AND GORGEOUS HOTELS. EXPLORE THE DALLAS-FORT WORTH AREA IN THIS ISSUE’S TRAVEL SPOTLIGHT! PHOTO BY EIGHTY THREE CREATIVE, COURTESY OF BULLION
FEATURE 20
LE MONDE 79
Tea and Whiskey for Two, Please: A Quintessential Southern Pairing
80 Fantasy Becomes Reality: An Artist’s Unexpected Discovery
LA MAISON 27 28 Flying under the Radar: Designer Holly Shipman
34 At Home behind the Lens: Richard Leo Johnson
40 At Home with the Queen of Cheese: Paula Lambert
VOYAGER 49 50 Destination: Dallas-Fort Worth!
86 Love Will Survive 90 Sea and Sun: Artist Marisol Gullo 96 Living by the Golden Rule 100 Art Works at the Emerald Coast Association of Realtors
104 The Art of Gift Giving 108 Rick Stanfield Redefines Success with New Book
INTROSPECTIONS 110 Gone Missing: A Case of True Detection
SARTORIAL
112 Etiquette for Sophisticates
60 Gentlemen Prefer Jewels
LA SCÈNE 114
C’EST LA VIE CURATED COLLECTION: SOPHISTICATED FUN 64
AU REVOIR! 119
BON APPÉTIT! 67 TheIdeaBoutique.com info@theideaboutique.com
68 Raising the Bar at the Ritz 74 The Martha Stewart of Texas V I E MAGAZ INE . COM | 9
CREATIVE TEAM FOUNDER / EDITOR-IN-CHIEF LISA MARIE BURWELL Lisa@VIEmagazine.com
FOUNDER / PUBLISHER GERALD BURWELL Gerald@VIEmagazine.com
EDITORIAL MANAGING EDITOR JORDAN STAGGS Jordan@VIEmagazine.com
CHIEF COPY EDITOR MARGARET STEVENSON CONTRIBUTING WRITERS MEL ANIE A. CISSONE, ANTHEA GERRIE, AUDREY JOHNSON, SALLIE LEWIS LONGORIA, KELSEY OGLETREE, TORI PHELPS, SUZANNE POLL AK, NICHOL AS S. RACHEOTES, L AURETTE RYAN, LIESEL SCHMIDT, JANET THOMAS
ART AND PHOTOGRAPHY ART DIRECTOR TRACEY THOMAS Tracey@VIEmagazine.com
GRAPHIC DESIGNERS OLIVIA PIERCE HANNAH VERMILLION
CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS ANDY BARNHAM, LOC BOYLE, LEO CORREA, CARL A COULSON, DIBROVA, COLLEEN DUFFLEY, HIL ARY BRONW YN GAYLE, RICHARD LEO JOHNSON, JEFF KRAVITZ, PHILIP L ANGE, VINCENT LEROUX, CHRISTOPHER PENLER, DON RIDDLE, ROMONA ROBBINS, TOMOKO SAKURAI, L AURA WILSON, EIGHT Y THREE CREATIVE, FUZZCO, GERCKENS PHOTO HAMBURG, LEIGH WEBBER PHOTOGRAPHY, GETT Y IMAGES, SHUTTERSTOCK
ADVERTISING, SALES, AND MARKETING DIGITAL MARKETING DIRECTOR MEGHN HILL ASSISTANT TO THE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF ABIGAIL RYAN BRAND AMBASSADOR LISA MARIE BURWELL Lisa@VIEmagazine.com
DISTRIBUTION MANAGER TIM DUTROW DISTRIBUTION COORDINATOR SHANNON QUINL AN
VIE is a registered trademark. All contents herein are Copyright © 2008–2019 Cornerstone Marketing and Advertising, Incorporated (Publisher). All rights reserved. No part of this periodical may be reproduced without written permission from the Publisher. VIE is a lifestyle magazine and is published twelve times annually on a monthly schedule. The opinions herein are not necessarily those of the Publisher. The Publisher and its advertisers will not be held responsible for any errors found in this publication. The Publisher is not liable for the accuracy of statements made by its advertisers. Ads that appear in this publication are not intended as offers where prohibited by state law. The Publisher is not responsible for photography or artwork submitted by freelance or outside contributors. The Publisher reserves the right to publish any letter addressed to the editor or the Publisher. VIE is a paid publication. Subscription rates: Printed magazine – One-year $29.95; Two-year $54.95. Subscriptions can be purchased online at www.VIEmagazine.com.
10 | JA NUA R Y 2019
O P E N I N G S P R I N G 2019
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Editor’s Note
MERRY & BRIGHT It’s the Holidays, Y’all!
I
love the holidays, but this year I feel like they just can’t get here fast enough. Suggestions of sitting in front of the fireplace, baking cookies and pies, getting together with family, putting up the Christmas tree, shopping for gifts, and even wrapping them seem better than ever before. I think it may be the result of a year filled with many ups and downs that have included recent natural disasters like Hurricane Michael and the fire in Paradise, California, where both wiped out entire towns and a way of life for so many. I want to celebrate and be thankful for what I have but also to share compassion for those who have lost so much. I said this before, and I will say it again: it could have been us, and it could have been you.
In the spirit of Christmas, giving to your family is great, but giving to those you don’t know who are in need sounds even better this year. As a result of the growing need in our community, we have established the VIE Foundation, a charitable organization whose purpose is to support disaster relief, humanitarian aid, or peace missions for the distressed and needy. It will also award financial assistance to noteworthy individuals, companies, or other organizations that show outstanding philanthropy, thereby benefiting humankind and the local community. To kick off our fund-raising efforts and community esprit de corps, VIE will sponsor the inaugural Logan Lane Holiday Block Party on Thursday, December 6, from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. It will be complete with a holiday shopping walkabout, a tree-lighting ceremony, a toy drive for Toys for Tots, an arts and crafts market, a silent auction, Christmas carolers from Emerald Coast Theatre Company, s’mores around a campfire, and much more!
VIE editor-in-chief Lisa Burwell Photo by Romona Robbins
A portion of the proceeds from all the participating vendors and all donations from the evening will benefit the VIE Foundation to aid relief efforts for victims of Hurricane Michael through The Sonder Project. Thank you to our sponsors—Clark Partington Attorneys at Law, Eloquent Signs, Grand Bay Construction, LLC, The Idea Boutique, Mingle, and Rent Gear Here. Please join us at the Logan Lane Holiday Block Party and ring in some Christmas cheer with us. To Life!
—Lisa Marie Founder/Editor-In-Chief
V I E MAGAZ INE . COM | 13
La conversation
THE GIFT OF GAB WE LOVE TO COMMUNICATE AND INTERACT WITH OUR READERS! AND WE LOVE IT EVEN MORE WHEN THEY PROUDLY SHARE THEIR STORIES AND POSE WITH VIE FOR A CLOSE-UP! THAT’S WHAT IT’S ALL ABOUT: SHARING, LOVING, AND BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS. WE THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH AND WE APPRECIATE YOU! @jojomonster12 So glad to be able to #keepexploring with @viemagazine as we attend and sponsor events at the 2018 @litfestc2c this weekend! Love the adorable and delicious @basic_kitchen here in #charleston! Spotted at @billy_reid on King Street in Charleston, SC!
@kwray7 One of the few times you’ll catch me with a RED lip! #viemagazine #photoshoot #destin #choosejoy #tbt #seaside #30a #florida #redlips #shoplocal
Lisa Marie, I wanted to say thank you for the incredible work you and your team do at VIE magazine. We greatly appreciate the COLA 2 COLA® issue in February 2018.Congratulations on your first decade, we look forward to many more. As I finish up my eight years as mayor, again I want to say thank you for putting NW Florida on the world stage. Sincerely, Ashton J. Hayward, Mayor of Pensacola
@Laurie Hardwick Hood One of my all-time favorite photos. Thank you, Dawn Chapman Whitty and VIE magazine for this. So many incredible souls here!
LET’S TALK! Send VIE your comments and photos on our social media channels or by emailing us at info@viemagazine.com. We’d love to hear your thoughts. They could end up in the next La conversation! @lisamburwell What an afternoon @litfestc2c @charlestonlibrarysociety at Dock Street Theatre! @viemagazine had the great honor to sponsor Tina Brown’s salon lecture and as the legendary editor of both @vanityfair @newyorkermag fame it was outstanding!
@Julien’s Auctions VIE magazine talks about the Cher wardrobe pieces in our upcoming “Property From The Collection of Bob Mackie” auction on November 17th live in Beverly Hills and online at Julien’s Live.
VIEmagazine.com
V I E MAGAZ INE . COM | 15
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PROJECT: VIE Magazine Headquarters, Santa Rosa Beach, Florida ARCHITECT: Gerald Burwell FURNISHINGS: Modern Interiors, Miramar Beach, Florida
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W h & i s k a e e y T FOR TWO,
Please
A Quintessential Southern Pairing
EDI TOR’S BO OK REVI EW BY J O R DA N S TAG G S
with an introduction by Lisa Bur well here is something different about women from the South, and it’s hard to pinpoint exactly what sets them apart from most women in other parts of the country. Is it their ability to apply their makeup flawlessly and coif their locks perfectly? Is it that they have great manners, know how to set a beautiful table, and make you feel good when they say, “Bless your heart”—even when you might think they really don’t mean it? Is it their big smiles or is it just genuine gentility complete with Southern drawl that melts your heart? I’m a Yankee who moved south twenty-five years ago, so I noticed the difference the moment I arrived in town. I recall a story my mother told me many years ago about when she was in nursing school in Boston; she and her classmates did an internship in South Carolina and they all commented on how beautiful the Southern girls were and how much time they spent getting ready. It’s the effort—part of the Southern culture—that women take very good care of their
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appearance and homemaking. After immersing myself in my new town a quarter of a century ago, I love being a convert to the regional mores and culture and would not trade my hybrid status of Yankee meets (and loves) all things Southern for anything. Southern sophistication is so much more than just outward appearances, though. These women are smart, tenacious, and strong, and they seem to possess an unmatched gentility. This is why I am obsessed with Reese Witherspoon’s new book, Whiskey in a Teacup. The title says it all—you can have vintage china perfectly set for tea with a dose of whiskey for a kick. Reese is a true Southern belle who shares her lifestyle, culture, and recipes galore, and I can’t wait to make all of them. This movie star, entrepreneur, and trend-setting force of nature needs no introduction, but if you haven’t bought her book yet, I highly recommend it! It’s sheer joy! The book is an inspiration for following your dreams while remaining true to your roots—and that might just be the absolute best part of her message, y’all.
Photo by Gerald F. Burwell
V I E MAGAZ INE . COM | 21
THE RISE OF REESE
“People need a passport to come down here.” This line, always good for a laugh, has long been my mother’s favorite from Reese Witherspoon’s hit film Sweet Home Alabama (2002). And although it’s a negative jab at Southern culture in the movie, I think it still perfectly sums up how the American South does indeed seem like a different world when compared to the rest of the country. Yes, the South has its issues. But its charms, traditions, beautiful land-scapes, and, of course, food are what deserve to be celebrated—and Witherspoon’s new book, Whiskey in a Teacup: What Growing Up in the South Taught Me about Life, Love, and Baking Biscuits, does just that. The mouthful of a subtitle aside, this beautiful coffee-table book is a testament to all that is good south of the Mason-Dixon Line. It’s peppered with Witherspoon’s witty insights on what growing up in Nashville (by way of New Orleans) meant to her and how it shaped her into the confident powerhouse that we all see today, both on screen and in the real world. Southern women will no doubt get a kick out of her “life hacks” on entertaining and beauty tips, while anybody is bound to learn a thing or two. Make sure you also check out the accompanying videos on Instagram of many celebrities and fans alike trying Witherspoon’s tips for the perfect hot roller techniques by searching the hashtag #hotrollerchallenge. (It’s worth it!) Whiskey in a Teacup is just the latest in Witherspoon’s string of many successes, following on the heels of her oh-so-Southern lifestyle brand, Draper James, which debuted in 2015. The brand’s name honors her grandparents, Dorothea Draper and William James Witherspoon. While it started with clothing—think gingham dresses, perfectly pleated skirts, and tees bearing cute Southern sayings such as “Oh my stars” and “Hey, y’all”—the brand has grown to include accessories and home accents. Its store locations in Nashville, Atlanta, Dallas, and
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Lexington, Kentucky, have become hubs of all things Southern-chic, embodying Witherspoon’s tips on decor, hospitality, and entertaining that can be found in her book and on her blog—Love, Reese—an offshoot of DraperJames.com. “I loved the store opening in Nashville because it’s my hometown, and I got to see great people like Reba McEntire, Faith Hill, Kacey Musgraves, Lee Ann Womack, and Ruby Amanfu come out to celebrate,” Witherspoon says on her blog. “Nashville is such a supportive community; it was a reminder of how everyone comes together to help one another.” Stop by any of these four locations for major Southern style inspiration yearround. For our readers in the Northwest Florida area, you can shop Draper James styles and pick up your copy of Whiskey in a Teacup at SweetTea Style in the WaterColor Town Center, opening soon. And although Witherspoon’s character, Madeline Martha Mackenzie, might have an excellent Southern alliterative name, the Emmy- and Golden Globe– winning HBO series Big Little Lies takes place on the West Coast. Mackenzie and her fellow “mothers of Monterey,” Celeste Wright (Nicole Kidman) and Jane Chapman (Shailene Woodley), get up to some antics that would certainly be the talk of the town in any Southern beauty parlor. The show’s second season doesn’t have a confirmed release date yet, but it’s anticipated for 2019 with other A-list women in the cast, including Meryl Streep, Laura Dern, and Zoë Kravitz, to name a few. The character of Madeline Mackenzie might lean a bit to the villainous side, but there’s no doubt the stylish alpha female is fueled by Witherspoon’s own strength and determination. The actress’s professional debut in 1991 was in the heartwrenching coming-of-age film The Man in the Moon, in which she played a young Southern woman learning about life, love, death, and family. After that, it seemed
Previous page and opposite: Reese Witherspoon’s 2018 book, Whiskey in a Teacup, is a beautiful guide to all things Southern, published by Touchstone books, a branch of Simon & Schuster. Pick up your copy for recipes, entertaining tips, and much more! Photo courtesy of Touchstone Left and below: Witherspoon’s lifestyle brand, Draper James, launched in 2015 and now has charming store locations in Nashville (shown here), Dallas, Atlanta, and Lexington, Kentucky. Photos courtesy of Draper James
V I E MAGAZ INE . COM | 23
Reese Witherspoon on the set of the Big Little Lies debut episode (2017) Photo by Hilary Bronwyn Gayle, courtesy of HBO
“
heartening—and very entertaining—to It’s
watch this Hollywood star make being
Southern
something to be proud
of without diminishing others in the process.
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Witherspoon’s career took a turn away from her roots, as she led a revolution in Pleasantville, ran for student office in Election, and dazzled the courtroom in Legally Blonde. But star-power performances in Sweet Home Alabama and Walk the Line, in which she plays June Carter Cash, brought the Southern belle back home and allowed her fans a glimpse into her heritage. As if she didn’t have enough eggs in her basket, Witherspoon is also a mother of three, produces films and television via her production company, Hello Sunshine, and serves on the boards of the Children’s Defense Fund and the Avon Foundation. These days, Witherspoon has obviously embraced those roots with all the gusto of a Baptist preacher on Sunday.
In addition to publishing Whiskey in a Teacup and standing at the helm of Draper James, she has also made appearances on television talk shows and in magazines as an authority on all things of the South. It’s heartening—and very entertaining—to watch this Hollywood star make being Southern something to be proud of without diminishing others in the process. Her book is a celebration as well as a guide to empowering others and learning to love who you are. “Life isn’t about perfection,” she writes. “There is no rule book. Life has many different chapters, and every chapter deserves celebrating.” And, we are tickled pink to celebrate this chapter with you, Reese!
HOW DO YOU FOOW? NOW OPEN FOR LUNCH & DINNER S e a s o n a l H o u r s Tu e s d a y –S u n d a y , C l o s e d M o n d a y * Happy Hour 3–7 PM *Seasonal hours apply Nov. 5, 2018–Jan. 1, 2019 and Feb. 12–28, 2019. FOOW will be closed Jan. 2–17, 2019 and Jan. 21–Feb. 11, 2019. Join us for 30A Songwriters Fest Jan. 18–20, 2019!
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La maison
La maison WHERE THE HEART IS
See more at Asprey.com.
In celebration of over eighty years of creating exceptional barware, Asprey introduced the Art Deco Cocktail Trolley, an original design derived from the archives of 1935, the height of this fashionable time. The trolley demonstrates the skills of Asprey’s master silversmiths, housed in the workshops above the brand’s New Bond Street store in London. Taking over 150 hours to complete, the silver-plated and tempered glass trolley exudes Art Deco glamour and showcases special design touches such as the Asprey “A” and a bull skin leather handle. V I E MAGAZ INE . COM | 27
La maison
FLYING UNDER THE
RADAR BY MELANIE CISSONE PHOTOGRAPHY BY COLLEEN DUFFLEY
“Even with an unlimited budget, my heart palpitates when I find that rare, unique, affordable item for a design project,” says interior designer Holly Shipman. Whether she is working with a client’s belongings that she edits into a project or working on an investment property that needs some personality, making such finds and producing a feeling of emotional attachment to a space are central to Shipman’s design gestalt.
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The dining room in Holly Shipman’s house on the bay
H
olly Floyd Shipman is an eighth-generation resident of Walton County, Florida. She grew up in DeFuniak Springs where her father owned and operated a mechanical contracting company and her mother ran the office. Remembering a Mayberry R.F.D.-style upbringing and hometown, Shipman says, “At Fisher’s Pharmacy, which used to have a mezzanine, I could hear my every step on the creaky floorboards.” H & M Hot Dogs stand, now in its seventieth year of operation, was where sisters Maggie Smith and Merle Carter—“Maggie and Merle,” as Shipman calls them—cooked and served hot dogs and hamburgers for Shipman and her friends at the seven-seat counter. As a girl, Shipman also enjoyed spending time at the family’s Eastern Lake beach cottage. Foretelling what lay ahead, she drew pictures of houses on index cards while riding in the family car around DeFuniak Springs or the beach towns of South Walton with her parents. She says, “I wanted to be an architect.” V I E MAGAZ INE . COM | 29
La maison
A Above left: Interior details from a home in Grayton Beach, Florida, designed by Holly Shipman Above right: A serene bedroom oasis in The Retreat neighborhood of Blue Mountain Beach, Florida, designed by Holly Shipman 30 | JA NUA R Y 2019
rmed with a degree in marketing from Florida State University, Shipman began her career at The St. Joe Company’s SouthWood community in Tallahassee. Charged with liaising between the lead South Carolina interior designer hired by St. Joe and the Tallahassee design professionals, subcontractors, and installers at SouthWood’s sales center, the college grad was exposed fortuitously to a career path that wasn’t quite architecture—but definitely one that was meant for her. When a local coordinator resigned her position, Shipman was thrilled to step in to do the shopping for the objects and other items that would put the finishing touches on SouthWood’s interiors. “Who wouldn’t want to go shopping for accessories?” she says. Shipman likes to stay under the radar. After moving to South Walton from Tallahassee thirteen years ago, she began designing interiors for turn-key investment property flips. She says, “I was working with people who had no emotional connection to the properties we were improving.” It’s a different experience for a designer to make investment real estate marketable so that it feels like home and sells for a profit, compared to working closely with a client who takes design guidance and trusts
the family’s personal imprint will resonate throughout the home. The reward for her measured attention to quiet style, budget consciousness, and bringing poignant connections forward through design has been years of referral business. Shipman says, “I love to buy something of good value and put it in a million-dollar home,” and confesses with a twinkle in her eye, “I really do yearn to find that one thing for each space—a treasure that has depth, soul, and worth to it.” It’s clear that her discoveries not only bring warmth and uniqueness to a room, a home, or a commercial space, but they also stay on budget. Even when the assignment is the interior of a luxury home, and her limit is twelvethousand dollars, for example, Shipman sticks to it. One of the designer’s favorite hunting spots is the
An airy kitchen in Grayton Beach, Florida, designed by Holly Shipman V I E MAGAZ INE . COM | 31
La maison “I LOVE TO BUY SOMETHING OF GOOD VALUE AND PUT IT IN A MILLION-DOLLAR HOME. I REALLY DO YEARN TO FIND THAT ONE THING FOR EACH SPACE—A TREASURE THAT HAS DEPTH, SOUL, A N D W O R T H T O I T.”
historic town of Havana, Florida, just fourteen miles north of Tallahassee. Antique stores, art galleries, and curiosity shops dominate the retail landscape of the former shade tobacco village. Shipman credits her sister, artist Sherry Sandquist, with exciting her interest in interior design. “I learned a lot from Sherry, who liked interior design and was always on the lookout for objects, art, and unique items,” she says. Shipman always includes one of Sandquist’s works in her designs. The dreamy abstract seascapes, in the context of Shipman’s interiors, connect each space to the Gulf of Mexico’s turquoise waters and sunny blue skies Shipman also sometimes enlists her brother, Greg Floyd, to create pencil sketches of birds and other animals native to the Florida Panhandle; the paintings and drawings add original art and a laid-back touch to Shipman’s projects.
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I
n recent years, Shipman not only reconnected with The St. Joe Company but has also been working with some of the area’s best builders. Her credits include The Pearl hotel’s Havana Beach Bar & Grill in Rosemary Beach, Shark’s Tooth Golf Club on Lake Powell, WaterSound Beach Club, the Gathering Spot at WaterColor Inn, Grayton Beach’s popular Borago restaurant, and a number of custom homes along Scenic Highway 30-A. Among the residences are one in The Retreat community and another “intensely designed” house underway along the scenic beachside corridor. “Tactile” is the strongest of Shipman’s self-descriptive traits. She integrates the distinctive hand of Belgian linen on slipcovered upholstery pieces and weds neutral tones to saturated dark gray, taupe, and brown hues for a warm contrast. A grateful Shipman says, “I’m super blessed to have clients who give me enough free rein to do something cool and special that also reflects their personality.” Along with her husband of twenty-three years, Gary Shipman (also an FSU alum and partner at the South Walton law firm of Dunlap & Shipman), she owns a ninety-acre farm “back home” in DeFuniak Springs, where they keep a horse. With only a barn on the property and a long-term aspiration to build a farmhouse, the horse is, Shipman says, a “pasture pet.” The couple’s two four-legged children—Tucker the Labrador Retriever and Cricket the Lab mix—have the run of the farm, too.
women went exploring while the men went fishing. Regardless of where she is, Shipman exploits her leisurely travel experiences and actively seeks museums, shops, galleries, food, and other cultural activities for inspiration and ideas for her designs. And who knows? Informed by the eight-hundredyear-old Ashford Castle at the tail-end of the Ireland trip, perhaps the designer will incorporate a subtle but playful coastal rendition of something that stirred her on the Emerald Isle into her next project.
Above: Shipman used beachy accents and a natural color palette for the inviting sitting room at this home in Seagrove Beach, Florida. Opposite left: Designer Holly Shipman Opposite right: The wicker chairs and accents in this workspace perfectly complement the natural landscape outside this Grayton Beach home.
HollyShipmanDesign.com New York City transplant to the Emerald Coast Melanie Cissone has been a freelance writer for twenty years. A patron of the arts, she is inspired by beautiful architecture and design and loves learning about people’s backgrounds, especially over a dry Italian red wine.
The Shipmans enjoy traveling and recently spent time at Glenmore Rivers Sporting Estate in Ireland’s County Donegal with another couple of friends. The two V I E MAGAZ INE . COM | 33
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AT HOME THE LENS
B Y L I E S E L S C H M I DT | P H OTO G R A P H Y B Y R I C H A R D L E O J O H N S O N 34 | JA NUA R Y 2019
Not everyone can walk into a space and see it as a living, breathing entity where light and lines are something to be captured and respected, where the colors, shapes, forms, and details dictate which lens should be used, which vantage point should be taken, and what time of day will best convey the room’s feeling and atmosphere. Even for those with a natural gift and an inherent eye for such nuances, there is no such thing as merely walking into a home and lining up a few shots without taking the time to connect, think, and feel. To those who know the subtleties of photography and understand it to be an expression, an art, and a form of storytelling, architectural photography goes far beyond capturing the facts of a room in a shot. It’s about highlighting the beauty of the forms and showing them in a way that seems to make them come alive. It’s that way of looking at things that makes renowned Savannah, Georgia–based architectural photographer Richard Leo Johnson highly successful. He brings appreciation and passion to every project, and that has led to more than thirty years of accomplishments. Others might simply take the easiest approach, using, as Johnson says, “a wide-angle lens from a single vantage point that makes everything appear almost hyper-realistic,” but he views each space with an understanding that the details command the approach, informing him as to which lens to pick up, where to position his cameras, and which points of light to play off. “It’s an important aspect of creating photographs that aren’t distorted or warped and that each have an individual look—there’s a sense of intimacy to taking that approach, to getting in there and letting the space speak to you,” the Arkansas native says. “Especially with this kind of photography, it’s important that it all be done in such a way that the space is captured—you want people to notice the beauty of the room before they notice the quality or the skillfulness of the photography.”
Granted, some homes have a soul that is a natural extension of their heritage, the many years they have stood tall and proudly in place. But achieving a soul that feels rich and storied can be more of a challenge in a home where every square inch is newly constructed, as the newness of it all can seem stark and charmless without the years to back it up. Not so in the case of one particular home in Palmetto Bluff, South Carolina, a veritable compound of structures whose style Johnson terms as a “contemporary Bermuda farmhouse.” Its blended architectural elements and clean lines are not so clearly defined by one distinct era or cultural influence, achieving something unique and striking. Clean white stucco exterior walls create the façade of the home’s two wings, adjoined by a feature inspired by the old South, a dog run or breezeway where the gentle winds can lazily blow through from the water that lies mere steps away at the edge of the property.
This page and opposite: This stately Low Country home takes full advantage of its surroundings with large windows, a breezeway, and beautiful landscaping. Designed by Michael Gantemann of G2 Design and built by Richard Best Custom Homes, the property is described by Johnson as a “contemporary Bermuda farmhouse.”
Not that the skillfulness of his work should, in any way, be downplayed, as Johnson’s extensive and impressive portfolio attests. His work has been featured in Garden & Gun, Dwell, Cottage Style, Coastal Living, and other widely read titles whose glossy covers and slick pages serve as galleries for his breathtaking photographs. Johnson has indeed come a long way from the teenaged boy whose artistic eye was captured by birds despite being tasked with snapping family photos on vacations to the beach. And while nature does certainly inform some of his shots, it is the “functional sculpture” of architecture and the finer details and design features that inspire him and keep him excited to pick up a camera. Johnson now gets most of his commissions from the architects and interior designers of dwellings along the eastern seaboard, where history and mystique seem to imbue the streets and cloak the homes with romance, charm, and soul.
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esigned by architect Michael Gentemann of G2 Design and built by Richard Best of Richard Best Custom Homes, the massive home is a true Southern beauty whose every inch is celebrated in its furnishings, lush fabrics, and fine finishes. A sparse use of color pairs perfectly with the overall whiteness of the space, showcasing the singular talents of interior designer Lee Stough of Lee R. Stough Interiors. Built in a style that Johnson would consider unexpected and somewhat eclectic in its design, the home of Jeff and Teresa Fusile within the Ford Plantation community in Georgia is unique in that it features bricks in such a prominent way, with a stunning amount of brickwork both on its exterior and running throughout the interior. Nowhere does the brick seem arbitrary or out of place, so artful is its incorporation— from the massive mudroom to the arched doorways leading into the great room and the sloped ceilings of the hallways. Rather than creating a cave-like effect, the brick is perfectly balanced by the white walls, the massive windows, and the natural airiness created by high ceilings that seem to open up the rooms and reach skyward toward heaven. Designed by the visionary architects Andy and Becky Lynch of Lynch Associates Architects, the Fusile home was brought to life by builder Josh Brooks of Brooks Construction Group. Imbuing the spaces with warmth and life through beautiful accessories and
Nowhere does the brick seem arbitrary or out of place, so artful is its incorporation— from the massive mudroom to the arched doorways leading into the great room and the sloped ceilings of the hallways. 36 | JA NUA R Y 2019
accents, interior designer Anne Hagerty of Anne Hagerty Interiors was able to create a sense of sophistication blended with just enough whimsy to keep the home from feeling overly stuffy or staid. Far more traditional in its design and almost in the style of homes found on the shores of Cape Cod, a breathtaking mansion that Johnson photographed on Sea Island, Georgia, is a study of shake shingle and stonework. It’s flanked at the rear by a turreted tower on one side whose windows allow a sweeping view of the stretch of water around it and the lush grounds below. Spilling light into its many spacious rooms, countless windows chase away any hint of shadow, creating a sense of airiness in a home whose greatest source of color is the warm wood in overhead beams and pieces of artwork curated with a careful eye. Adding the unexpected element of fun and adventure, an indoor climbing room creates the perfect opportunity to take advantage of the vaulted ceilings, and the wood-lined wine room showcases the owners’ love of a fine vintage.
This page and opposite: Brick accents throughout, natural light, and sophisticated interiors balance the spacious waterfront home of Teresa and Jeff Fusile in the Ford Plantation community of Richmond Hill, Georgia. Architecture by Andy and Becky Lynch of Lynch Associates
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Above and right: This New England–style mansion on Sea Island, Georgia, by Harrison Design fits perfectly into its surroundings. An abundance of amenities inside include a rockclimbing wall, wine room, vaulted ceilings with wood beams, and classic yet modern furnishings.
Designed by Harrison Design and executed to stunning perfection by Golden Isles Custom Homes, the Sea Island home’s waterfront locale was brought to life by the talented landscape design of Sea Island Landscape, balancing greenery with hardscaping in a way that showcases rather than overwhelms its surroundings. The perfect visual counterpoint to an island where the mood of the water and the sky seem to dictate the ambiance, the architecture of the stately home provides an ideal framework for the ever-changing colors offered by the shifting tides and the sunrises and sunsets that paint their way across the firmament.
Visit AtlanticArchives.com to see more of Richard’s work. Liesel Schmidt lives in Navarre, Florida, and works as a freelance writer for local and regional magazines, a web content writer, and a book editor. Having harbored a passionate dread of writing assignments when she was in school, she never imagined making a living at putting words on paper, but life sometimes has a funny way of working out. Follow her on Twitter (@laswrites) or download her novels, Coming Home to You, The Secret of Us, and Life Without You on Amazon and BarnesandNoble.com. 38 | JA NUA R Y 2019
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ueen AT HOME WITH THE
BY M E L A N I E C I S S O N E
P H OTO G R A P H Y BY C O L L E E N D U F F L E Y
n front of the cobalt-blue door to the Frank Welch–designed house in the small gated Park Bridge Court enclave in Dallas, Paula Lambert welcomes and bids arrivederci to friends and acquaintances. It seems fitting that they’ve crossed Turtle Creek itself by way of a private drawbridge-like lane to greet the founder of the Mozzarella Company. The warm, stunning home belies Lambert’s royal standing as America’s cheese queen; its interiors are a portal to her genuine, approachable personality and mirror her full, modern, eclectic lifestyle. The house overlooks Turtle Creek on one side and the Katy Trail, a railroad track turned urban foot and bike path, on the other. Inside, personal effects tell a lifetime of rich stories. This home is the culmination of decades of loyal friendships, art collecting, travel, loving relationships, and passion for work and life that only a self-made businesswoman, honorable Dame d’Escoffier, gracious hostess, and philanthropist could bring together in an
OF CHEESE
inviting celebratory fashion. Lambert’s residence exemplifies the difference between a house and a home. In 1982, Lambert made cheese long before “artisanal” rolled off the tongues of “foodies” as the description for anything handcrafted and local. While the entrepreneur was busy convincing chefs in Dallas to use her fresh mozzarella, made daily with locally sourced milk, instead of Kraft block mozzarella, the fledgling American culinary scene was on the brink of unfolding. As amusing and informative as they were, cooking shows were limited to the public broadcasting variety. Gourmet food retailers were few and far between. In this environment, Lambert capitalized on her love affair with Italy by launching a well-conceived, timely business that has allowed her to travel between Dallas and the bel paese for the last thirty-six years. Reflecting on those early days, Lambert concedes, “I loved cooking and I loved Italy. I was determined to combine the things I love.”
Paula Lambert poses by the dining table at her Turtle Creek home in Dallas.
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emembering her initial trip to Italy, she says, “I fell in love with the light— the color of the light there.” In the early 1960s, the Fort Worth-raised University of Texas graduate visited a friend and was enamored instantly with the country, its food, and its people. She moved to the Umbrian town of Perugia in 1965 and took odd jobs, did translations, taught English, and, eventually, gave wine tours at the noteworthy house of Lungarotti in Torgiano. Lambert also attained the US equivalent of a master’s degree in Italian, which she speaks fluently—admittedly with the best Texas accent. Prior to her relocation, young Paula had met young Jim Lambert at a wedding. Jim traveled in the summer months when he wasn’t working as a landscaper. On learning that he was going to Europe, more specifically to Italy, a friend asked, “Are you going to look up Paula?” He did. The two married in 1973, and after Jim completed his University of Georgia master’s degree in landscape architecture, they moved to Dallas in 1975 where he opened his own firm. The postgraduate newlyweds moved into a townhouse Jim owned, which, coincidentally, was also designed by Frank Welch. It’s noteworthy that two of Paula Lambert’s homes were designed by modernist architect, remembered lovingly in his field as the Dean of Texas Architecture. Mentored by the legendary O’Neil Ford, Welch had a unique talent for weaving the natural environment with warm, sophisticated modernism, always peppering his oeuvres with subtle Texas accents.
Above right: Lambert’s current home decor includes an eclectic mix of art from her own collection and that of her boyfriend, George Works, carefully curated by interior designer Dan Nelson. Right: Paula Lambert founded the Mozzarella Company in 1982. Opposite: The open and airy kitchen at Lambert’s Turtle Creek home is perfect for cooking and entertaining. 42 | JA NUA R Y 2019
Lambert points to a wall of black-and-white artwork in her living room. Hanging above Henri Cartier-Bresson’s coveted Dance the Night Away (1959) is a Frank Welch photo of a man in the foreground sitting on steps with the base of the Eiffel Tower in the background. Lambert seems almost prouder of owning the architect’s photo than the famous French photographer’s image. During a postgraduate architectural fellowship to Paris, Welch developed a passion for photography and became acutely aware of how light affects a space. Unmistakably a Welch touch, it’s uncanny how the natural light features beautifully in Lambert’s home—considering it’s in the center of Dallas amid tall office buildings. Much like Italy’s light had once captured her heart, Lambert says about her Dallas abode, “The light pours in from both the back and the front of the house all day. I love it.” Lambert shares this new home with her boyfriend, George Works, who is retired from a family real estate business. Works and Paula’s late husband were close friends from the time the newly married Lamberts moved to Dallas from Georgia. Works stood by his pal Jim’s side for twelve years following a debilitating stroke; Jim passed away in 2011. Today, the full and interesting lives of Lambert and Works serve as their home’s backdrop. To coalesce art, furniture, objets d’art, and color, Lambert relied on longtime
friend and designer Dan Nelson of Vision Design, Inc. Nelson’s projects include everything from five-star island resorts and hotels to some of the most wellappointed homes in Dallas. Nelson says, “Paula and I have known each other for thirty years.” The designer and sometimes sous chef at Lambert’s dinner parties was even involved in the search for the house. Working closely with all his clients, he says, “It was truly a collaboration with her.” “Paula is the Energizer Bunny,” Nelson declares, referring to her vitality and on-the-go lifestyle. After looking for months, it was a delightful surprise when the Welch-designed Park Bridge Court house became available. Giving the illusion that it’s smaller than its five-thousand square feet, the sizable living spaces with loft-height ceilings don’t overwhelm. The house packs a Palladian punch; although large, the rooms envelop the couple in stylish life-sized comfort. “That’s Frank for you,” Nelson says of his late architect friend.
L AMBERT C APITALIZED ON HER LOVE AFFAIR WITH I T A LY BY L A U N C H I N G A W E L L - C O N C E I V E D , T I M E LY BUSINESS THAT HAS A L L O W E D H E R T O T R AV E L BET WEEN DALL AS AND T H E B E L PA E S E F O R T H E L AS T THIRT Y-SIX YEARS.
In his functions as both interior designer and editor of sorts, Nelson cites the living room’s coffee table as an example of how he and the cheese queen worked well together. “Paula sent me a photo of a dining table she liked in a London restaurant,” he says. Since Lambert wanted a farm-style table for her dining room, Nelson conceived of a modified version of the London treasure and had the refined stout, brass-clad coffee table custom made. Not for lack of looking for the right one, he also combined the best of his and Paula’s visions for a farm-style dining table and had one made. Depending on which of the two you ask, it seats twelve or fourteen. V I E MAGAZ INE . COM | 43
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he integration of Lambert’s and Works’s art and furniture was a welcome challenge for Nelson. Lambert says, “Dan knew how to use my old things and he found everything else.” In an era where technology and new materials can advance a designer-client relationship and a project’s successful and budget-friendly outcome, Nelson says, “Design has changed so much. You can do anything these days.”
Below: Lambert’s art collection and style have been greatly influenced by the Italian culture she loves.
In a clever nod to Lambert’s previous Turtle Creek home, Nelson repurposed a rug and converted it into a slipcover for the daybed in her book-lined office. The sofas and living room rug were Nelson’s finds from a high-end consignment shop.
Original art is everywhere. As if made to hang near the front door (the color of which was inspired by the garden gate at Lismore Castle in Ireland), an Arie Van Selm painting, resplendent with the same cobalt blue, commands attention. Van Selm is a Dutch artist who, like many of the artists in the Lambert-Works home, has a Texas connection. He lives in Dallas. Nelson chose Works’s large wooden whale sculpture by folk artist Willard Watson, known as the Texas Kid, to sit atop Lambert’s former dining table, creating a visual break between the foyer and the living room. Since its inception in 1982, Mozzarella Company has grown to a twenty-person operation that offers thirty award-winning types of fresh and aged cheeses and ships almost anywhere. Lambert is at its helm, ever the erudite cheese authority and doyenne of good taste. She has spent decades cultivating the exchange of ideas, and her expertise and sophistication reveal themselves in regular television appearances alongside some of the nation’s best chefs. Lambert is active in many culinary organizations and was instrumental in improving cheese competition standards so that judging is fair.
MAKE N O MISTAKE ABOUT WHO THE BOSS IS; WHETHER IT’S IN HER HOME KITCHEN, IN THE UMBRIAN C OUNTRYSIDE, O N A S I LV E R S E A C R U I S E , OR AT IREL AND’S LISMORE CASTLE, LAMBERT REFERS F O N D LY T O P Y L E S A N D FEARING AS HER “A S S I S TA N T S . ”
In her nonexistent downtime, Lambert developed and manages Viaggi Deliziosi, the culinary travel arm to her endeavors. The septuagenarian organizes and guides weeklong food and wine education programs in France, Italy, and Ireland and cruises in South America, Scandinavia, Russia, and Cuba. Central to each tour is acquainting patrons with local foods and wines. A day’s activities conclude 44 | JA NUA R Y 2019
with a cooking lesson led by Lambert or one of the top chefs she’s befriended over the years. Among her culinary chums in Dallas is Stephan Pyles of Flora Street Cafe. Make no mistake about who the boss is; whether it’s in her home kitchen, in the Umbrian countryside, on a Silversea cruise, or at Ireland’s Lismore Castle, Lambert refers fondly to Pyles and others of his caliber as her “assistants.”
Paula Lambert works in the kitchen of her Dallas home with her faithful fourlegged companion. Above right: One is never too far from great art in the Lambert-Works home.
Lambert derives tremendous satisfaction from having published two books, including The Cheese Lover’s Cookbook & Guide. Her most rewarding accomplishment, however, was her 1998 induction to the James Beard Who’s Who of Food & Beverage in America. According to the foundation, this distinction makes Lambert one of a “cadre of the most accomplished food and beverage professionals in the country,” each of whom “has been identified by his or her peers as having displayed remarkable talent and achievement.” When a dinner party is afoot in the Lambert-Works home, there’s a bustle of activity in the renovated kitchen as friends help Lambert prepare food that will go to the dining room’s beautifully decorated farm table. On the wall between the two most important V I E MAGAZ INE . COM | 45
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rooms of the honorary Italian’s house hangs a Barnaby Fitzgerald painting of Umbria’s Monte Subasio. Art and life imitate each other on these glorious evenings. Paula’s character in the existential canvas, as it is in the dinner scenario, is an angel—a being of light floating and engaged among loved ones. The irony? Fitzgerald uses egg tempera paint.
VISIT MOZZCO.COM TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE M O Z Z A R E L L A C O M PA N Y. New York City transplant to the Emerald Coast Melanie Cissone has been a freelance writer for twenty years. A patron of the arts, she is inspired by beautiful architecture and design and loves learning about people’s backgrounds, especially over a dry Italian red wine.
Custom furniture pieces commissioned by designer Dan Nelson complete the modern yet eclectic and artful home of Paula Lambert and George Works in Dallas.
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European friends, don’t think we left you out of the Southern Sophisticate issue! Venture south to the Balearic isle of Formentera off Spain’s eastern coast and take respite at the Gecko Beach Club. This “sailor chic” resort boasts 1950s retro style with modern amenities, including a world-class spa, a seaside restaurant and private dining options, yoga and wellness programs, a private pool with cabanas overlooking the beach, and more. Explore “the last paradise of the Mediterranean” when you book your stay!
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DALLASFORT WORTH! DESTINATION:
BY JANET THOMAS
The Dallas skyline at dusk Photo by Dibrova / VisitDallas.com Opposite: The French Room at the Adolphus, Autograph Collection hotel in Dallas Photo courtesy of the Adolphus, Autograph Collection 50 | JA NUA R Y 2019
There’s nothing like being privy to a city’s insider tips to make you feel like you’re “living la vida local.” Dallas-Fort Worth is a hot (and haute) year-round destination, and we’re not just referring to the weather.
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ven after more than thirty years of living in Dallas, I love to brag about the vibrant metro area. Big D, Fort Worth, and all the thriving suburbs such as Arlington, Grapevine, Frisco, and Plano are consistently newsy, hip, and happening. From the latest and greatest to the tried-and-true, visitors and locals cherish being able to shop till you drop, eat like a rock star, straddle a longhorn bull, sip fine wine at a posh hotel, and dance the night away—and that’s just day one.
ARRIVE IN STYLE Get your Tex-Mex fix immediately upon landing at DFW Airport, choosing from impressive Reata Grill, Cantina Laredo, or Rio Mambo (Don’t forget your top-shelf margarita!). Next, be sure your ride screams “Texas.” There are several exotic car rental agencies to choose from in the DFW area, or you can head to Enterprise Rent-A-Car at the airport and pick up one of their new Texas-sized black Cadillac Escalades.
bright natural light pours through a glass atrium and onto velvet sofas that will make you want to lounge around, sip bubbly (request a glass at check-in!), and mingle with newfound friends. Try the Spa Adolphus Signature Massage with French lavender oil for a welcome wellness experience. Otto’s restaurant at the rooftop pool is perfect for an elevated lunch or happy hour, and the famed French Room just named executive chef Anthony Dispensa to helm its fine dining experience, sure to be a magnet for modern French cuisine. Make time for a pre-dinner artisanal cocktail in the sultry adjoining bar (ask for their stunning presentation of a Sazerac). You can even request the house car with a driver for stylish transport within a few miles of the Adolphus free of charge.
O V E R N I G H T S E N S AT I O N S Few travel decisions matter more than where you stay, and lodging choices in Dallas and Fort Worth range from over-the-top luxury to hip and trendy. Highly recommended by this insider is the Adolphus, built in 1912 as Dallas’s first luxury hotel. Fresh from a remarkable redo, the Adolphus is at once classy and cool. Don’t miss The Social Lobby, where V I E MAGAZ INE . COM | 51
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The Rosewood Mansion on Turtle Creek is another sophisticated Dallas stalwart. Formerly a private estate, the 143-room gem is as authentic and genteel as it gets. The hotel setting is a dreamy oasis in the energetic Uptown district, next to the city’s most prestigious residential neighborhood of Highland Park. And if walls could talk—countless presidents, socialites, rock bands, and actors have called the mansion their second home for decades. Must-dos include cocktails on the terrace, dinner or weekend brunch at the Mansion Restaurant, and a nightcap or two at the handsomely famous Mansion Bar. A sublime swimming pool, garden, and event lawn now grace the grounds, further making the property the ultimate unforgettable venue for special events. 2019 marks forty years of gracious hospitality for Rosewood Hotels and Resorts, and the mansion sets a stellar standard as the collection’s first property. For a haute and hip stay, the Statler is like a newly released mid-century modern landmark. Sharp rooms, multiple restaurants and shops, and two hundred apartments make it a huge draw for locals and visitors alike. Near the bustling convention center, Lorenzo Hotel draws laid-back art lovers (don’t miss the “eye” that seems to follow you everywhere). It’s also a sweet spot for cocktails and an evening nosh. For a real treat, book the Buddha Suite and invite your friends to visit. On the Dallas horizon this year: a two-hundred-room Virgin Hotel in the in-demand Design District. Expect sultry surprises for savvy travelers. 52 | JA NUA R Y 2019
Sophisticated Dallasites and visitors head for The Joule, especially Thursday through Saturday evenings when a “cartender” rolls and roams the lobby crafting personally tailored cocktails. On Sunday afternoons, sample the rare and exotic from Joule’s Tea at Taschen Library. Visitors with four-legged friends love The Joule for its attention to detail, like personalized pet ID tags, welcome amenities, and house-made treats just for Fido. Whether you’re spending the night or not, no respectable visit to Dallas would be complete without including the Ritz-Carlton. Happy hour on the fireplace-laden patio, a 6:00 p.m. appointment with the “guacamologist” (this is Texas, after all), dinner at Fearing’s, and a nightcap at Rattlesnake Bar equal a dreamy date night. Just seven miles from DFW Airport, Four Seasons Resort and Club Dallas at Las Colinas offers plenty of elbow room with your hotel stay. This Texas-sized
Above: The French Room salon at the Adolphus is a posh spot to relax with a drink. Photo courtesy of the Adolphus, Autograph Collection Opposite left: OUTLAW Taproom at the Four Seasons Resort and Club Dallas at Las Colinas is the perfect stop for happy hour. Photo by Don Riddle, courtesy of the Four Seasons Opposite right: Relax outdoors or in at the Four Seasons at Las Colinas, enjoying endless views, world-class golf and fitness programs, and serene spa experiences. Photo courtesy of the Four Seasons
The cool thing is, this Four Seasons has so much to offer, the insider tip is to kick back with friends and indulge. the well-equipped Well & Being Spa, where an excellent choice is an eighty-minute renewal that includes a body exfoliation and massage with cypress and sage, plus a lifting facial massage. A huge draw for locals and guests is the unbelievable golf and sports club, a premier fitness facility like few have ever seen. The expansive space houses some of the best equipment, trainers, and fitness offerings available, squarely placing the ball in your court, so to speak. Mix serious fun with fitness when you book Meg Plotsky’s aerial yoga classes, where you’ll fly, flip, and swing your way to health and courage. Plotsky says the practice can change lives by building strength, balance, and confidence that move out of the studio and into her participants’ lives. Location, location, location. Fort Worth’s Worthington Renaissance hotel boasts a Main Street address that places you in the heart of the city with Sundance Square and a host of other interests just outside your door. Spring for a Club Level room and snag access to perks like the exclusive club lounge for a hot breakfast buffet, hors d’oeuvres, and desserts. The high-ceiling rooms have large windows to enhance your view, and the lobby is great for people-watching, sipping a cool beverage, and witnessing the hotel’s front desk dream team (sit near the soothing waterfall fountain for the best ambience).
property feels like you’re visiting your well-heeled, generous uncle at his Hill Country estate. Four hundred lush acres welcome guests with a TPC golf course, multiple tennis courts, three swimming pools, and beautiful event lawns. The interior decor is elevated Western meets Texas chic. The cool thing is that this Four Seasons has so much to offer, the insider tip is just to kick back with friends and indulge. OUTLAW Taproom delivers a fantastic happy hour with complimentary snacks and drink prices to holler about. Its expansive patio with firepits and frequent live music is pure perfection. LAW (Land, Air, and Water) is the signature restaurant, with meats, game, and fish that will wow—be sure to put Sunday brunch on your agenda. Get pampered at V I E MAGAZ INE . COM | 53
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You’ll notice the glass hotel tower, modern architecture, and cantilevered balconies of Omni Fort Worth Hotel before you ever step foot inside the property. Gather some buddies—or meet new ones—and spend quality time at handsome Whiskey & Rye. Oversized leather chairs, pool tables, and multiple big-screens up the ante, making it satisfying for dinner, drinks, and the big game. The Ashton is Fort Worth’s only historic boutique hotel, excelling at blending hip, graceful, and charming. Save room in your schedule for Ashton’s Saturday afternoon High Tea with every elegant detail imaginable.
R E TA I L T H E R A P Y There’s a reason you hear about the shopping in Dallas; it’s just that great and has been for decades. Stroll Highland Park Village for heavy-hitters like Hermès, Trina Turk, Harry Winston, Dior, Stella McCartney, Cartier, and Jimmy Choo. Break for lunch, happy hour, or even to catch a movie at the historical, upscale Highland Park Village Theatre. Dinner options should include Cafe Pacific (this social hot spot is about to hit thirty years young), the Honor Bar (with sister restaurants in Beverly Hills and Montecito), or Alberto Lombardi’s Bistro 31 (and Lounge 31 upstairs). For those on a serious retail mission, book a personal shopper and shopping tour. Forty Five Ten showcases interesting, playful designers at its four-story, 37,000-square-foot flagship store on Main Street in downtown Dallas. Its neighboring Neiman Marcus has been an icon for decades, and 54 | JA NUA R Y 2019
those who shop there have probably enjoyed lunch at Zodiac. NorthPark Center is the refined go-to indoor shopping center that doesn’t feel like (gasp) a mall. It’s way too chic for that, with unique stores, eateries, and its artsy theater. Snyder Plaza, across from Southern Methodist University, requires an afternoon break at Penne Pomodoro. Legacy West in the vibrant suburb of Plano is a one-stop retail and nightlife destination (North Texas urbanites believe in combining their shopping, eating, and sipping). Pop into the Renaissance Dallas Hotel at Plano Legacy West most weeknights at six o’clock, when the gong signals that punch is served courtesy of the skilled mixologists at the Asian-Texan blended Whiskey Moon bar. Fort Worth is no slouch when it comes to shopping (or most anything else for that matter), offering upmarket style, locally made items, real-deal Western wear, and even Justin Boots and Dickies outlet stores. Look no further than Fort Worth’s longtime crowd pleaser, Sundance Square, for world-class retail, dining, and entertainment. The thirty-five-block district with quaint red-brick streets is a significant draw for the whole family. West 7th, Near Southside, Cityview Centre, the Shops at Clearfork, and the Fort Worth Stockyards also provide intense retail therapy.
Above left: Shopping, dining, and entertainment at Highland Park Village offers luxury at every turn. Photo by Laura Wilson / VisitDallas.com Above right: Bullion offers stunning architecture and interiors along with sumptuous French cuisine from award-winning chef Bruno Davaillon. Photo by Eighty Three Creative, courtesy of Bullion
WINE & DINE Dallas, Fort Worth, and the growing suburbs of Grapevine, Frisco, and Plano take their dining very seriously. Case in point: upon approach to 400 Record Street in downtown Dallas, I gasped as I saw Bullion in all its glory. The sublime, suspended, goldscaled restaurant by Michelin-star chef-owner Bruno Davaillon is nothing short of a masterpiece. The architecture, the art, the classy brasserie blue-andgold interior design, and the cuisine are impeccable. The former Mansion on Turtle Creek impresario Chef Bruno is extremely warm and welcoming, saying, “Opening a restaurant such as Bullion has been a lifelong dream. Dallas has been very kind to me, and I invite all my friends to come to Bullion.”
The canard a l’orange (duck, daikon radish, endive, and orange marmalade) from Bullion Photos by Eighty Three Creative, courtesy of Bullion
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Local legend and star chef Kent Rathbun recently debuted his stellar Asian eatery Imoto, and it’s getting well-deserved buzz. Other top-try Dallas restaurants include Town Hearth, Sassetta, and The Charles, all in the red-hot Design District. Folks are also talking about Gung Ho on Lower Greenville Avenue and Pazzo Uptown off Cedar Springs Road.
Voyager Enjoy a great view of Fort Worth’s Sundance Square from the rooftop patio at Reata, where dinner items include southwestern favorites like stacked chicken enchiladas and tenderloin tamales. Texas native Tim Love is the chef-owner of Lonesome Dove in Fort Worth’s famous Stockyards and the Woodshed Smokehouse on the Trinity River. A little trivia and street cred on Love: he was the first Fort Worth chef invited to cook at the James Beard House in New York City. Texas is known for steak, and if you have a hankering, Dallas restaurants like Al Biernat’s, Perry’s Steakhouse & Grille, and Bob’s Steak & Chop House have obliged for years, as have Fort Worth’s Cattlemen’s Steak House, Bonnell’s Fine Texas Cuisine, and The Capital Grille. Craving old-school Italian? Go see Zee Bugatti, owner and maître d’ of Bugatti Ristorante. With a staff that’s like family, they’ll make you feel like a VIP on your first and fiftieth visit. Terilli’s combines jazz with Italian cuisine, and casual Campisi’s pizza is just plain addictive. For a great cheeseburger, visit one of the Liberty Burger outposts, or for a casual mix of motorcycles, families, and some of the best basic burgers ever, hit drive-in-and car-hop institution Keller’s. Fort Worth’s Heim Barbecue is handcrafted, slow-cooked, fromscratch perfection (don’t miss the “burnt ends”), and Cousin’s is famous for low-and-slow barbecue and decades of family owned friendliness. Lest we forget, Tex-Mex: Classic establishments like El Fenix and Joe T. Garcia’s dependably deliver year after year (a hundred years for El Fenix, to be exact!). Wash all that food down by working on your margarita bucket list, starting with the Margarita Mile, a collection of Dallas’s best margaritas showcased on one colorful mobile app developed by Visit Dallas.
OUT AND ABOUT Dallas-Fort Worth’s climate is ideal for year-round activity, and there’s no shortage of options. Locals will share that some of the best sites include the Dallas Arboretum (watch for demos, cooking classes, and samples at its Tasteful Place), Fort Worth Botanic Garden, and both cities’ world-class zoos. White Rock Lake is gorgeous whether you’re biking, 56 | JA NUA R Y 2019
The Dallas skyline featuring the Margaret Hunt Hill bridge and the pedestrian-friendly Ronald Kirk Bridge, which both cross the Trinity River to connect West Dallas to downtown Photo courtesy of VisitDallas.com Opposite: Visit or book a stay at Southfork Ranch of Dallas television series fame for a oneof-a-kind experience. Photo courtesy of Southfork Ranch
Live like a Ewing with one of the ranch’s lavish tour packages, and be part of the cultural phenomenon. hiking, skating, or kayaking. Afterward, spread out that blanket and a gourmet picnic and soak up the sun. In West Dallas, Trinity Groves is a fresh and evolving area at the base of the eye-catching Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge. Here, you’ll find innovative retail, restaurants, artists, and entertainment, all ideal for a late-afternoon excursion. Stroll, skate, jog, or bike the Katy Trail, brilliant use of former railroad tracks that provides precious green space for Dallas, complete with numerous savory stops like the Katy Trail Ice House beer garden and eatery.
Voyager Who knew Southfork Ranch would still be such an international icon forty years after the Dallas television series first aired? Live like a Ewing with one of the ranch’s lavish tour packages and become part of the cultural phenomenon. Some tours include swag like champagne and hors d’oeuvres, a private tour of the mansion, a trail ride with wranglers, and J.R.’s steak dinner with wine pairings. Feeling flush? Book a private helicopter or limo transport to get you there.
The Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth Photo by Philip Lange / Shutterstock
Head for Fort Worth’s scenic Trinity River Trails, an outdoor lover’s dream with a backdrop of the downtown skyline. Hot spot Panther Island Pavilion is Texas’ only waterfront stage, where visitors can listen to live music while chillin’ in an inner tube, on a paddleboard, or on the sandy beach. There’s a good reason Fort Worth is coined “Cowtown” (also Funky Town and Panther City, for inquiring minds). The Stockyards National Historic District is a unique venue where you can watch real-deal cattle drives twice a day, sit on a massive longhorn for a photo op, take in a weekly rodeo, ride horseback on the Chisholm Trail, and enjoy live music and bootscootin’ at Billy Bob’s Texas.
C U LT U R E C L U B The Perot Museum of Nature and Science in Dallas Photo by Philip Lange / Shutterstock
Eat, drink, sleep, and shop—but save time for some world-class culture in DFW. Fort Worth’s Kimbell Art Museum, Amon Carter Museum of American Art, and Museum of Science and History are incredible. For those who love modern art and architecture, you must check out the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth and its Café Modern. These are all part of the Cultural District, making it easy to enjoy visiting several spots in one day. Dallas is similarly blessed. The Perot Museum of Nature and Science, the Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza, the Crow Museum of Asian Art, the Nasher Sculpture Center, and the Dallas Museum of Art each make delightful stops. Check their local calendars for free special events and live music, indoors and out.
A primo way to enjoy all North Texas has to offer is by booking a few days in Dallas and a few in Fort Worth. VisitDallas.com and FortWorth.com will get you started on your fun and fabulous Texas two-step planning. Frequent VIE contributor Janet Thomas is a former editor-in-chief at American Airlines’ Dallas-Fort Worth headquarters. She now travels the world for a good story for publications like Modern Luxury, Organic Spa, and Dallas Morning News (and is always on the lookout for good Tex-Mex and margaritas).
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GENTLEMEN prefer JEWELS BY ANTHEA GERRIE
An 18-carat yellowgold, diamond, and enamel dress set made in the FabergĂŠ tradition by Theo Fennell Photo courtesy of Andy Barnham
Sartorial
ho says only women like to adorn themselves with fabulous baubles? The first book devoted entirely to jewelry for men proves otherwise, fielding pictures of gorgeous males sporting diamond skulls, sapphire-spotted leopards, ruby-studded bows and arrows, and heavy gold serpents to accessorize everything from tuxedos to T-shirts, biker jackets, and jeans. This is serious bling from top designers who command thousands for their bespoke pieces, but demand for couture gems is as old as the hills, says James Sherwood, author of Jewelry for Gentlemen. “Men of power have adorned themselves with gold and gemstones since the time of the ancients,” explains the fashion writer, who credits the celebrities who have succeeded the pharaohs, emperors, and maharajas of times past as the power brokers of today, bringing back precious stones as a symbol for men who want to show they have it all. Given the shift away from formal wear, it’s no longer only about the tiepins, signet rings, watches, and cuff links to which male jewelry was relegated by the mid-twentieth century. Rock ’n’ roll emboldened the boys to start dressing up again like the dandies of old, and today’s peacocks wear necklaces, bracelets, and brooches simply dripping with gems. “Hip-hop, gay marriage, and gangster style have all opened the door to diamonds for day,” explains Sherwood. Indeed, once rappers showed that even a tooth could be an excellent vehicle for a diamond, the world’s most high-profile sportsmen—David Beckham, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Lewis Hamilton among them—took up the challenge, and today they field more sparkles than their wives and girlfriends. Sherwood’s book charts the evolution of male bling over the past century with some remarkable pictures of pieces that might seem to be the stuff of folklore. It turns out what must surely have been the most lucrative commission in Cartier’s history was from a man wanting a very special necklace for himself. In 1928, the Maharaja of Patiala commissioned a breathtaking multistrand creation featuring no fewer than 2,929 diamonds arranged around a whopping 235-carat central stone.
But it was a British king—the Duke of Windsor, who briefly served as King Edward VIII before renouncing his throne for love—whose jewelry collection broke auction records in 1987. Once he had fallen for Wallis Simpson, he used his favorite pieces as a vehicle to express his feelings for her. Love tokens like the interlocking Cartier ring in three shades of gold inscribed “Darling Wallis” and a secret courage mantra in the “Hold Tight” message he had inscribed on one of his diamond cuff links are shown in the book, along with some rare and highly prized estate gems of the czars. “Any piece of jewelry connected to the doomed Russian Romanov royal family is highly prized . . . collected and worn like religious relics,” comments Sherwood. When it comes to love tokens, it would be hard to find a more overtly romantic piece than Wartski’s diamond-encrusted quiver packed with diamond-and-ruby arrows; they’re intended to be removed and pinned on a lover’s lapel. Today’s couples show their love more overtly, like Harry and Meghan, whose identical friendship bracelets first told the world they were an item. Celebs have led the way in adorning a well-turned male wrist—Marlon Brando wore a silver ID bracelet in A Streetcar Named Desire and Paul Newman a gold one in Sweet Bird of Youth. Now, says Sherwood, “Men such as Johnny Depp, Steven Tyler, and Keith Richards stack their wrists with beads and heavy metal,” while the hip-hop community has embraced diamond bracelets ever since P. Diddy was seen rocking an art deco version in Beverly Hills back in 2004. While it’s good news that Cartier, Tiffany, Bulgari, and all the other classic marques are upping their selection of jewelry for men, the book shines in showcasing the independent designers drawing the eyes—and wallets—of men bent on cutting-edge adornment. They include Stephen Webster, whose mythical creatures and mask motifs would look right at home on Game of Thrones; Theo Fennell, (he of the diamond skulls) with a client list which includes David Beckham and Elton John; Evan Yurman, design director of his parents’ New York firm David Yurman; and the hugely charismatic Brazilian jeweler Ara Vartanian, who travels the world for rare stones and credits his muse, Kate Moss, for his most inspired designs. They include an octopus two-finger ring whose diamond-paved tentacles wrap around the digits—almost as scary as Webster’s shark jaw ring whose V I E MAGAZ INE . COM | 61
Sartorial
A Victorian diamond twelve-ray star brooch from Bentley & Skinner, centered on a 0.65-carat old brilliant-cut diamond (c.1870). Tailoring by Henry Poole & Co. Photo courtesy of Andy Barnham
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The book shines in showcasing the independent designers drawing the eyes—and wallets—of men bent on cutting-edge adornment.
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rows of diamond teeth bite the finger from both sides. Creations like this are one reason London- and Rodeo Drive–based Webster, who made matching wedding bands for Madonna and Guy Ritchie, has been christened “Lord of the Rings.”
Jewelry for Gentlemen is published by Thames & Hudson and is now available wherever books are sold. ThamesandHudson.com Anthea Gerrie is based in the UK but travels the world in search of stories. Her special interests are architecture and design, culture, food, and drink, as well as the best places to visit in the world’s great playgrounds. She is a regular contributor to the Daily Mail, the Independent, and Blueprint.
Kitty Taylor, Broker, GRI, CRS, CIPS Catherine Ryland, Broker Associate
© 19 65
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C’est la vie
SOPHISTICATED FUN
Looking to add a refined touch to your next game night, cocktail party, or night out? This C’est la VIE Curated Collection has your back! Make your next game of poker more interesting, and don’t forget to impress your friends with the new recipes you’ve learned just in time for the holidays.
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Winning Solutions Monopoly Heirloom Edition $449 – frontgate.com 64 | JA NUA R Y 2019
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Milk Street: Tuesday Nights Cookbook by Christopher Kimball $35 – store.177milkstreet.com
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Gray Malin at the Parker Playing Card Set $35 – graymalin.com
Emilia Earring in Emerald $295 – mignonnegavigan.com
Don’t Cross Me
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Marble and Copper Monogram Board $40 – williams-sonoma.com
Drinks Are on Me
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Bon appétit!
Bon appétit! THE ESSENCE OF LIFE
Visit VIEmagazine.com/blog and read “Touchdown in Chucktown” for more of our favorite Charleston chews.
When you visit Charleston, South Carolina—also known as the World’s Favorite City—there’s no doubt you’ll be tempted by the town’s incredible array of eateries. One of our favorites from a recent trip to Chucktown is 167 Raw, a small, hole-in-the-wall raw bar on East Bay Street. Stop in early, because the line will most definitely be waiting outside, but it’s so worth it! The restaurant offers a fresh selection of raw oysters daily, along with delicious seafood favorites such as the lobster roll (pictured here), the ceviche, the tuna burger, the shrimp tacos, and much more. Don’t forget to wash it down with their refreshing rosé of the day or a local craft beer!
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Bon appétit!
Mixologist Colin Field works the bar at Bar Hemingway in the famed Hôtel Ritz Paris. Photo by Carla Coulson Right: Photo courtesy of Hôtel Ritz Paris
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By Sallie Lewis Longoria
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at the
n a late June afternoon, I walked across the Place Vendôme and into the legendary Hôtel Ritz Paris. Summer light streamed through the windows in ribbons of gold. Pacing along plush carpets, I wound through a maze of marble and mirrors until I found the fabled Bar Hemingway. When I arrived, the door drapes were closed, as if, behind the scenes, a stage was being set for an evening performance. Slipping through them, I set foot in another world. While Hemingway enthusiasts have long traveled here from countries near and far, there is another reason Bar Hemingway is celebrated the world over. Behind the venue’s mystique is its head barman, Colin Field, an Englishman who is not just the world’s greatest bartender, as cited by Forbes, but also a jovial host, a visionary, a craftsman, and a conversationalist. Colin Peter Field was born in May of 1961 in the Warwickshire town of Rugby. When he was fourteen, a trip to Paris sparked his interest in bartending. By eighteen, Field had converted his bedroom into a bar and was inviting girlfriends over for gin and tonics. “I was always much happier in female company,” he says.
the world at the Martini Grand Prix World Cocktail Competition. Over the years, he worked in many different bars, hotels, and restaurants, but he never stopped trying for a position at the Ritz. It wasn’t until 1994—fifteen years after he sent his first letter to the hotel—that Field was hired as the head bartender and given the opportunity to reimagine and reopen the legendary Bar Hemingway. The bar’s history dates to 1921. Throughout the decades, the name changed—Le Petit Bar, Bar Bertin, and finally Bar Hemingway. Countless artists found inspiration there, from Cole Porter to Marcel Proust and F. Scott Fitzgerald, but it was Ernest Hemingway for whom the bar was ultimately named. (Hemingway famously “liberated” the German-occupied Ritz hotel by ordering fifty-one martinis at the war’s end.) Despite this legacy, the venue closed in 1982 and didn’t open again until twelve years later with the arrival of Colin Field. In 1997, Bar Hemingway expanded to include the neighboring concierge quarters, located just to the left of the entrance. Even with the addition, the bar today feels small, private, and somehow sacred.
After studying English literature and history at Tresham College in England, Field attended Ferrandi Paris, the French School of Culinary Arts and Hospitality Management. Today, the few who are privileged to work at Bar Hemingway are required to complete three years of hotel school, underscoring the Ritz’s responsibility and commitment to providing gold-standard service. In 1983, at just twenty-two years of age, Field earned the silver medal for best bartender in France at the Scott Cup and the silver medal for best bartender in V I E MAGAZ INE . COM | 69
Bon appétit!
irst-time visitors are often surprised by the bar’s minute scale. With just nine tables and a thirty-five-person capacity, it’s a pocket-sized treasure within the reverie of the Ritz. While the rest of the hotel went through a grandiose four-year, four-hundred-million-dollar renovation beginning in 2012, Bar Hemingway remained virtually untouched. It is still handsomely paneled with fine oak wood and decorated with tufted caramel leather and pine-green carpets. As one of the most famous bars in the world, and with no reservations accepted, finding a seat can be challenging, but it’s this exclusivity that beckons the sophisticated. Inside, assorted artifacts recall the venue’s namesake. Aside from the handwritten letters, newspaper clippings, and photographs of the late author, there are trout flies, stag horns, shark jaws, and a Cape buffalo mount. Surprisingly and unbeknownst to many, these items belong not to Hemingway, but to Field, who carefully curated the bar with items from his personal collections. Much like the author, Field shares an appreciation for sporting and the outdoors. Over the bar hangs Field’s sixteen-bore Browning, a gun similar to one Hemingway used. The gaping shark jaws mounted on wooden plaques were a gift from a Ritz concierge named Jerry who fished the waters of the Caribbean for years. Other of Field’s collected items on display include fishing rods that belonged to Charles Ritz, the son of hotelier César Ritz, and a horsewhip that was used by Jos Verbeeck, the Belgian jockey. Countless other treasures gifted to or collected by Field adorn the space, finely weaving his identity into Bar Hemingway’s hallowed fabric. Most special of all is the mahogany propeller that belonged to Field’s father, a South African–born RAF navigator and rear gunner during World War II. The propeller, which hung in Field’s childhood home, came from a 1916 biplane that was made in France and later flown in England. “It is a sort of souvenir to the two plane crashes Hemingway had in the 1950s,” Field says. “Also, obviously, it is in memory of my father.”
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Bar Hemingway is full of memorabilia and photos from its storied past and treasures from Field’s own collection. Photo by Vincent Leroux
Photo by Loc Boyle
While everything at Bar Hemingway has history, some traditions unfurled more recently than others. Pinned with pride in vertical display cases are the badges of police and fire departments from around the world. After the September 11, 2001, attacks, a team of New York firefighters asked the staff at Bar Hemingway to display their badges. Since then, the bar continues to receive badges from servicemen and women traveling to Paris from around the globe. Selecting a cocktail can be a daunting task. The Hemingway Star, the bar’s newspaper-sized menu, is printed front and back with Field’s many classics, such as the world-famous Clean Dirty Martini and the Serendipity. The latter is made with Calvados from Normandy, juice from bittersweet apples, fresh mint, and Champagne. Off menu, the options continue as Field dreams up new cocktails on a nightly basis. “People are my total influence,” he says. “It’s not about the cocktail—it’s about the person.” One of Field’s many strengths is his ability to read people and create bespoke concoctions just for them. As we sat at our low table one afternoon, I listened, spellbound, as Field described my character reincarnated in cocktail form, an enticing vodka-infused lemon meringue tonic with yuzu juice, egg whites, and fine Siberian vodka. Indeed, this personalized
service is what makes the bar—and the man behind it—stand apart. Every detail at Bar Hemingway plays an important role in elevating a simple cocktail to something extraordinary. As a chef incorporates seasonal produce into a dish, so too does Field, as he introduces different garnishes for his drinks. There might be rhubarb in May, apricots in July, figs and horse chestnuts in October and November, or orange peels in early spring. Additionally, ladies at Bar Hemingway receive fresh flowers with their beverages; each flower is carefully selected by season and adorns the glass like jewelry. Cocktails aside, Bar Hemingway draws patrons with its old-world charm and taste of the past. It is a place that inspires elegance, indulgence, and shared conversation. “I want you to go out of the bar and say, ‘I just had a good time’—that’s really what we’re doing,” Field says.
One of Field’s many strengths is his ability to read people and create bespoke concoctions just for them. V I E MAGAZ INE . COM | 71
Bon appétit!
ver the course of Field’s storied career, an evolution ensued. Twenty years ago, he approached his work with the cocktail in focus; today, he wants to give his guests a more layered, sensory experience. “The cocktail is oh-so important, but it’s not my raison d’être,” he explains. “What I’m trying to offer is a psychological experience.” For Field, storytelling is part of the allure, as is the ability to experience each drink through sight, smell, taste, and sensitivity of spirit. He’s also dedicated to changing the public’s perception of his profession. In 2009, he successfully created the bartenders category in the Meilleurs Ouvriers de France and a degree program for bartenders at the Sorbonne University, a feat he calls his greatest achievement to date. “It took a long time of talking and presenting my case for them to slowly understand that mine is a profession,” he says. “If we want bartenders to be respected, then there has to be a real Ministry of Education– level diploma.” Today, France remains the only country with this kind of accreditation. “Nowhere else do they have that level of not only competence but control,” he shares.
uncorked a new appreciation for the craft, though the conversation is ongoing. “Unfortunately, it’s still a lighthouse covered by clouds.” Despite this, Field continues raising the bar and working with the next generation through education and training. As six o’clock looms, Field reflects on the early days of his career at Bar Hemingway. Twenty-four years ago, there were just four tables. Today, the venue is an institution with a worldwide reputation for excellence. Recently, the small sign that once hung by the entrance sold for 76,000 euros. While the sale was a testament to the bar’s cultural significance, it’s also telling of Field’s indelible imprint on its growing legacy. “It’s all a question of having confidence in yourself,” he imparts. A few days after my visit with Field, I returned to Bar Hemingway with my family in tow. Behind the bar, Field was dressed in his signature white collarless jacket. In front of him, silver shakers stood like
In 2010, Field was responsible for adding the barman category in the Meilleurs Apprentis de France. “I think it’s important for anybody who makes things that members of the public will ingurgitate to be qualified,” he says. “We don’t seem to really care these days; there has to be an evolution.” By implementing these curricula, he has changed the dialogue and
While Paris will always have plenty to offer, this is a place to return to, a space to be savored and celebrated—with cocktail in hand. 72 | JA NUA R Y 2019
Colin Field’s fellow mixologists create an exciting concoction at Bar Hemingway. Photo by Loc Boyle
soldiers next to formations of fine stemware and tools, including stirrers, peelers, zesters, ice tongs, knives, and long, thin tweezers. Soon after I ordered my favorite cocktail—the cucumber martini—the refreshing potion arrived at the table with a fragrant rose hanging from the coupe’s lip. For the next hour, I watched as the bar opened and breathed, revealing its character like a fine wine. The longer I lingered, the more it showed itself, and the more I felt at home. While Paris will always have plenty to offer, this is a place to return to, a space to be savored and celebrated—with cocktail in hand.
RitzParis.com Sallie Lewis Longoria is a Texas-based freelance writer. She has a master’s degree in writing from Johns Hopkins University and is currently at work on her first novel.
Bon appétit!
TH E M A R T H A S T E WA R T OF
TEXAS BY KELSEY OGLETR EE PHOTOGR A PHY COURTESY OF DR. SUE’S CHOCOL ATE
Delicious hazelnut bark from Dr. Sue’s Chocolate on Main Street in Grapevine, Texas Right: Dr. Sue Williams with some of her delicious confections Photo courtesy of Grapevine CVB
A LOVE FOR CHOCOLATE TURNED ONE DOCTOR’S HOBBY INTO A SWEET, CHARITABLE BUSINESS THAT GIVES BACK TO THE COMMUNITY ONE DELICIOUS BAR AT A TIME. If you’re walking down the quaint Main Street in Grapevine, Texas, the intoxicating scent of chocolate wafting through the air might pull you into the petite confectionery known as Dr. Sue’s Chocolate. With treats such as decadent truffles and barks, the shop has been a local go-to for gifts since 2013. While it appears to be your average chocolatier from the sidewalk, once guests step inside and meet the owner—Dr. Sue Williams, who is also a practicing physician—they learn that her recipe for success goes way beyond cocoa, butter, and sugar. Growing up on a farm outside of Abilene, Texas, Williams and her family enjoyed meals filled with fresh, seasonal produce—because they had a big garden, not because it was the trendy thing to do back then. They ate a lot of vegetables during a time when “people were eating Cheez Whiz and TV dinners to make their lives ‘easier,’” recalls Williams, who says she was always underfoot in the kitchen. Williams loved animals from a young age and participated in 4-H, the rodeo team, and horse shows in high school. When she went away to college at Texas Tech University, her dream was to become a county extension agent, a role that would allow her to work closely with farmers and ranchers. Despite her good grades—and her national ranking in horse judging—she couldn’t find a job when she graduated in 1982. “Everywhere I went they said, ‘We don’t want to hire you because we’d rather not hire a woman,’” says Williams. Instead, she was offered a home economics agent role, which she turned down. So she did the next logical thing and, at the urging of her uncle, decided to pursue a career as a doctor. “I went to medical school because I couldn’t get a job working in agriculture,” says Williams, laughing. That almost didn’t work out for her, either, because her college counselor told her she was much too old to go to medical school (she was twenty-two) and she was also the mother of a toddler. This fall, Williams celebrated her twenty-fifth medical school reunion with her graduating class from UT Southwestern in Dallas.
As busy as that sounds, she found herself with a little extra time on her hands when her daughter went away to college. Williams always loved throwing dinner parties and cooking for friends, and had a particular affinity for chocolate desserts. Still hungry for knowledge, she took another chance and headed for Chicago to take classes at Chocolate Academy. It was there she began to draw parallels between her background in medicine and her sweet hobby. “There’s a lot of science in chocolate,” says Williams. “How it crystallizes and how you temper it makes all the difference in the world.” She learned proper technique, gaining skills to produce the three essentials of high-quality chocolate: a shiny appearance, that “snap” when you bite into it, and an unctuous mouthfeel. Once she had the technique down, she began to experiment to see how to make chocolate a bit healthier (she is a physician, after all). For example, instead of milk solids, she tried olive oil—a healthier fat—to create that silky smooth texture. “You work with it to see ‘what can I do to infuse this flavor or create something that borders on savory?’” she says. “I didn’t realize how broad the possibilities were.” Williams didn’t realize how the possibilities for her own chocolate business would soon grow, either. Her coworkers at the hospital enjoyed the fruits of her labor, as she’d frequently test her new creations on them. Her nickname at work was Dr. Sue, which she enjoyed, and her treats soon became known as Dr. Sue’s Chocolate. “They’d always tell me, ‘This is so good; you need to sell this,’” Williams says.
“Sometimes you think you want something so badly, and then it doesn’t work out the way you thought it would, but it’s still OK,” says Williams. “I love being a doctor, and I would never have had the opportunity to be one if I’d gotten the job I thought I wanted.” Williams is board certified in internal medicine and has spent two decades working in Dallas as a hospitalist (a dedicated inpatient physician who works exclusively in hospitals). Her schedule is shift work, which includes five or six days in a row on geographic assignment—one week she’ll be in neuro ICU, for example, and the next, she’ll be on the transplant or cardiothoracic floor. V I E MAGAZ INE . COM | 75
Bon appétit! One fateful afternoon, she got a call from her daughter’s former high school hockey coach, who also happened to be a chef and ran a commercial kitchen, which he offered for Williams to use. She had another friend, an attorney, who offered to draw up the paperwork to make Dr. Sue’s Chocolate a real business—and she could pay him in chocolate, in the form of corporate gifts for his clients that holiday season. It all came together, and Williams began to visualize a new dream.
Mendiants, French chocolate disks studded with nuts and dried fruits
As new research was published on the benefits of a heart-healthy Mediterranean diet (which includes dark chocolate), more people began to understand that what they ate made a direct impact on their health. “I’d talk to people about diet and cholesterol, and their eyes would roll back in their head—but everybody wanted to talk to me about chocolate,” says Williams. “I could use it as a platform for teaching people about knowing what’s in their food, staying active, eating in moderation, making lifestyle changes, eating close to the earth, trying to have all-natural products, and not eating a lot of processed things.”
“I’D TALK TO PEOPLE ABOUT DIET AND CHOLESTEROL, AND THEIR EYES WOULD ROLL BACK IN THEIR HEAD—BUT EVERYBODY WANTED TO TALK TO ME ABOUT CHOCOLATE.” While working on the business side of things— designing packaging, studying regulations, obtaining appropriate licensure—Williams also took up speaking to groups about health through chocolate. One morning in March of 2010, her chocolate business was featured on Dallas Morning News and Good Morning Texas on the same day. The buzz was so great that she canceled her upcoming time off to fulfill the number of orders coming in. “Instead of going on vacation, I rented the commercial kitchen and made chocolate day and night,” she says. “It blew up on its own—sort of serendipity.” Williams’s goal from the time she opened her storefront in December of 2013 was to inspire people to 76 | JA NUA R Y 2019
live a healthier lifestyle. She used her chocolate to help with everything from auction items for hospital fundraisers to supporting local charities that promoted good health; 100 percent of profits from the shop’s one-ounce Grace Bars is donated to a different charity each month. Whether she donates thousands of dollars in chocolate or thirty dollars, “It’s been a wonderful opportunity to help draw attention to and promote many organizations, all with the idea that people will have an interest in health and welfare in the community,” says Williams. While she incorporates many flavors into her bars and barks—think antioxidants including blueberries, ginger, almonds, chilies, and cinnamon—her favorite chocolate is one of the lowest-selling items. The Roasted Cocoa Bean bar (dark chocolate mixed with cocoa nibs, pieces of roasted cocoa beans, a little ancho chile, sea salt, and local honey) is a bit of a “plain Jane,” says Williams, but its flavor is complex and pairs beautifully with red wine.
A woman who prefers to be out of the spotlight, Williams tends to let her work and her employees take the main stage. She’s committed to paying her team at Dr. Sue’s Chocolate a living wage and giving back, and as such, she chooses not to take a salary for herself. She says running a business in addition to being a doctor has given her a greater balance in life. “I spend a lot of time talking to people about life and death,” she says. “It’s wonderful to be able to go to the chocolate shop—my happy place—to recharge my batteries. If something goes wrong, it doesn’t matter, because, at the end of the day, it’s not anyone’s health; it’s just chocolate.”
DRSUESCHOCOLATE.COM Kelsey Ogletree is a freelance writer based in Chicago covering travel, food, and wellness for a wide range of national print and digital magazines.
SWEET TALK Dr. Sue offers dinner party chocolate-making lessons, where participants can make truffles and more from the master’s premium chocolate and other ingredients.
Dr. Sue’s Chocolate uses dark chocolate almost exclusively, except for drizzles of white or milk chocolate for decoration. Everything is all natural, non-GMO, and free of artificial sweeteners, flavors, preservatives, and high-fructose corn syrup. Many products are vegan, and most are gluten-free. They even have a few products made with 100-percent dark chocolate, meant for people who can’t have processed sugar. “I’m not trying to tell anyone that it’s health food, just trying to help them make better choices so we can feel good about what we eat,” says Williams. Here are a few of her shop’s best sellers.
DOUBLE DATE BAR A healthier option for those with lots of dietary restrictions, this bar is made from 100-percent dark chocolate, toasted almonds, and olive oil and is sweetened with dates.
PEPPERMINT BARK No Red 40 here—the peppermint in this treat gets its hue from beet juice. This flavor is especially popular around the holidays.
CAMPFIRE BARK New this summer, this upgraded version of s’mores is made of dark chocolate studded with toasted marshmallows, organic graham crackers, and smoked sea salt.
Le monde
One of many luxury private-island resorts of the Maldives
Le monde GOES ROUND AND ROUND
Another "southern" vacation destination (south of India, that is), the Maldives are known for their crystal clear waters and picturesque bungalow resorts. A newcomer on the scene, Joali Maldives resort opened in 2018 with seventy-three private villas overlooking the sea. Joali is also the island nation’s first immersive art hotel, with custom pieces throughout its rooms, an underwater coral sculpture garden, and even a giant manta ray sculpture that doubles as a private dining room. Read more about the resort in an upcoming issue of VIE or visit Joali.com to book your stay!
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BY Tori Phelps ARTWORK BY Marcel van Luit
With fantastical scenes that blur the line between illusion and reality, one Dutch photographer is changing the high-end art scene forever.
Legend, June 2018 V I E MAGAZ INE . COM | 81
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ying in a hospital bed, trapped in a traitorous body that had suddenly become immobile, Marcel van Luit battled frustration and a deep longing for his family. But it was the unrelenting boredom that proved toughest to bear most days. Desperate to fill the interminable hours, he turned to something entirely new: art. In doing so, he discovered much more than a temporary salve; he unearthed a passion that would change his life forever. Van Luit wasn’t accustomed to being still, let alone cooped up in bed. Born and raised in Groningen, a vibrant city in the northern part of the Netherlands, he made the most of the area’s abundant natural resources while growing up. As an adult, he planned to become a teacher but unexpectedly fell in love with social work. Later, he also fell in love with his fiancée, Ashlee, and the couple welcomed their son, Otis, several years afterward. Life was good. Until it ground to a halt. Soon after his son’s birth, van Luit was diagnosed with Guillain-Barré syndrome, a rare disorder which causes the body’s immune system to attack its nervous system. Some patients develop only mild symptoms, but van Luit wasn’t so lucky. “I was paralyzed for a long time,” he says. In fact, he spent nearly a year in hospitals and rehabilitation centers. Eventually, his upper body regained some movement, and van Luit found he had way too much time on his newly mobile hands. He needed a hobby. And if that hobby trained the muscles in his hands and fingers at the same time, even better. He settled on photography and filled his camera with pictures of his son whenever he came to visit. Missing out on so much of Otis’s young life was devastating for the enthusiastic new father, so he lived out unfulfilled hopes by editing the photos into dream worlds. “I couldn’t go out and take him anywhere at that time, so I created the adventures I wanted us to be in,” he explains.
The activity not only made his forced convalescence easier to bear, but it also helped him feel like a bigger part of his son’s life. It was such a personal undertaking that he never imagined others would be interested in what he was doing. So when his Instagram posts elicited an electric response, van Luit was caught off guard. He admits that he didn’t set out to create art, so when people began labeling it as such, he was shocked as much by the description as by the buzz building around what he considered just a welcome distraction.
Above: Group Hug, September 2018 Opposite: Forward, August 2018
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It’s all my imagination, It’s something we all have, but many adults forget they can use it.
y the time his body had healed, though, a new vision for the future had taken shape—one that included a different kind of social work. People began clamoring to buy his art for their homes, so van Luit sought out a top-notch production company to print and frame the pieces. Ordinary poster prints wouldn’t cut it. From the beginning, he’s sold only limited, museum-quality pieces. Somewhere along the way, he began seeing his work for the art that it was, even though not much about his process had changed from his hospital bed days. As he did then, van Luit starts with a photo and sees where it takes him. Working mostly without a predetermined concept, he unleashes his creativity and stops when he’s happy with what he sees. “It’s all my imagination,” he says simply. “It’s something we all have, but many adults forget they can use it.” Van Luit hasn’t forgotten. Though the pictures are defined by a fairy-tale quality, their creator enchants viewers into believing that the scenes he crafts are somehow possible. A dozing, sling-bound infant gently nestled into an elephant’s curled trunk? Seems reasonable. A little boy riding a whale’s tale like a surfboard? It could happen. This stretching of our credulity—without breaking it—is the central magic in van Luit’s work.
Dancing Deer, September 2018
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Enabling an audience to see the world in a new way is a common objective for artists, but rarely is the concept presented so literally. Van Luit accomplishes the task thanks to a characteristic mash-up of nature, humans, and animals, taking at least one of those elements out of its natural state while the others rest comfortably in theirs. The resulting scenes are steeped in a sense of peace and love that inevitably washes over the viewer. Chalk it up to the fact that van Luit’s art incorporates some of the beings he loves most—animals, which he calls “beautiful and full of emotion,” and, of course, his sons. Otis, now five, and the newest addition to the family, James, one and a half, remain frequent stars of their dad’s work.
While the pictures featuring his children won’t hang in strangers’ homes (van Luit doesn’t sell those), they do hang in surprisingly posh galleries. Still largely considered a fringe genre, digital art isn’t typically invited to swanky exhibits. But van Luit’s is. Some traditionalists are still acclimating to the idea, but the overall response, he says, has been positive, and he feels lucky to be embraced by the established art scene. He doesn’t speculate as to why his digital art has made atypical inroads, except to say that every artwork, whether an oil painting or a digital piece, should touch and inspire people. “The key lies in what it does to you and how it speaks to you,” he suggests. Van Luit is convinced that digital art will command the same respect as more traditional genres in the near future, pointing to the fact that, at one time, photography wasn’t taken seriously as an art form either. If he has any role in swaying public opinion, he believes it’s simply to continue creating and
that once seemed out of reach and a career that’s been as surprising as it’s been successful. He knows firsthand that the impossible might be right around the corner, whether it’s fully recovering from total paralysis or transforming from a social worker into an artist practically overnight. So it seems fitting that his art conveys the same sense of wild optimism. “In my work, anything is possible,” he says. Real Dreams, August 2018
exhibiting the art about which he’s so passionate. To that end, he’s working on a solo exhibition in Amsterdam, a public art project, and a contribution to Art Miami, as well as private commissions and a number of under-wraps projects. With a global reach and a travel schedule to match, the home van Luit shares with his family has become a haven. In this space, near where he was born, he’s able to fully unwind and enjoy every second of a life
Visit Marcel van Luit’s profile on Instagram (@marcel_van_luit) to see more. Tori Phelps has been a writer and editor for nearly twenty years. A publishing industry veteran and longtime VIE collaborator, Phelps lives with three kids, two cats, and one husband in Charleston, South Carolina.
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Le monde
W I L L S U RV I V E By A N T H E A G E R R I E
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It was a bag made for the best of times—the little tan leather satchel an aunt from Prague sent to her fifteen-year-old niece in Germany. But it saw young Hanne Liebmann through the worst of times, traveling from her childhood home to the French concentration camp to which she was deported. Later, the bag played a vital role in her escape from the Nazis as it held the false papers that helped Hanne ride the train to a safe haven in Switzerland. Now, the little bag she has kept safe for nearly eighty years has also seen her through a marriage that has already lasted longer than a lifetime. fter making its final journey to New York, the satchel sat in a closet for sixty-five years before being dusted off and lent to the Kupferberg Holocaust Center, close to the home in Queens that Hanne shares with her husband of seventy-three years, Max. There, at a college where she still volunteers, the story is currently being told of the brave Huguenots in the tiny hamlet of Le Chambon-sur-Lignon who saved the lives of the Liebmanns and thousands of French Jews and other refugees trapped under Nazi occupation during World War II.
sent to a Jewish boy scout camp where he was denied false papers offered to other boys because he was not religious.” Hanne found no such intolerance at Le Chambon, despite the fact it was a village founded by Huguenots. “All of us refugees were very warmly welcomed and protected,” she remembers, though she was warned to keep a low profile, hidden from visiting German soldiers by the farmer on whose property she was billeted.
A recent portrait of Hanne and Max Leibmann Photo courtesy of Kupferberg Holocaust Center at Queensborough Community College CUNY
“The people of Le Chambon were outstanding, risking their lives for strangers and saving so many,” says Hanne of the village near Lyon where she was transferred from the camp in Gurs near the Pyrenees. A third of the eighteen thousand Jews interned at Gurs were later shipped to death camps; however, for Hanne and a shy young musician called Max, the grim venue was the unlikely starting place for a lifelong romance. “The conditions were horrible, but we did have a cultural life, and although we all looked like skeletons, there was a certain attraction,” explains Hanne, now ninety-three years old. She recalls being introduced to the gawky young cellist by his mother, Jeanne, a rare treat in a camp where the sexes were segregated. “We worked together in the office of the women’s block, where Max was allowed to come in to see her.” The two families had arrived from Germany in October of 1940 with six thousand other German Jews, and romance blossomed in the most unpromising of circumstances. “There was no privacy for dating, but we saw each other every day,” Hanne recalls. “Max was allowed unlimited tickets to visit other people because he was a musician.” Within weeks, they had fallen in love, thanks to daily visits to a nearby Swiss Red Cross station where extra rations were doled out to the young and undernourished. “Every day, Max would walk me up there and walk me back.” But soon the young lovebirds were separated, as the children’s aid society OSE started moving youngsters out of Gurs with their parents’ permission. “In September 1941, I was transferred to Le Chambon, but Max was not so lucky. In July 1942, he was V I E MAGAZ INE . COM | 87
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Aware of the intensifying roundups, Hanne made a detour to Max’s scout camp—another dangerous trip she felt she had to risk—on her way back to safety. “I told him if he wanted to survive, he needed to get to Le Chambon, and soon.” He took heed and arrived soon after. “We were hidden separately by farmers, Max in a hayloft.” But after their brief reunion, the pair only saw each other once more before they made separate escapes to nearby Switzerland, vowing to reunite if they both made it. Max went first. He was one of the hundreds to receive forged identity papers in Le Chambon, helping them cheat arrest and certain death. Disguised as Frenchman Charles Lang, he scrambled up and down mountains to the border—only to be denied entry by Swiss guards. “I got away by disobeying orders,” explains Max, who is now ninety-six. “Instead of going back into France, as they had told me to, I turned the other way into Switzerland. A priest gave me ticket money and warned me to take only local trains because the express trains were being searched. I managed to reach Lausanne, where there was a Jewish community center two minutes from the station. As I walked in, they said, ‘Welcome to Switzerland; we will turn you over to the Swiss police, but nothing bad will happen to you now.’”
Above: A portrait of Hanne and Max Liebmann taken in the 1940s after the pair escaped the Holocaust to Switzerland via Le Chambon-surLignon, France Photo courtesy the private collection of Hanne and Max Liebmann Opposite: Hanne Leibmann’s satchel, which survived the Holocaust with her and is now on display at the Kupferberg Holocaust Center at Queensborough Community College CUNY Photo by Leo Correa
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Their early separation might have been the end of the relationship—or indeed of Max—had Hanne not made an extraordinary thousand-mile round trip from the safety of her hiding place as the net tightened around Jews throughout France. “A relative wrote to tell me my mother was ill, so I traveled back to Gurs to see her,” Hanne explains. It was a heartbreaking journey, but she knew she had to take it, whatever the risk. “I could not get into the camp, which was under lockdown, so we had to settle for a shouted exchange over several rows of barbed wire. She gave me motherly advice, but I can’t remember the exact words she used because the experience was so upsetting. Two days later, I saw her again in the freight yard where she was on a train waiting to be transported. She didn’t know where she was going, but she knew it wasn’t good, and she made it clear she was not coming back. It was the last time I saw her.”
Hanne is deceptively casual when describing her escape five months later. “I thought I might as well try to get to Switzerland, too, where I had relatives. Le Chambon seemed super-safe, but whenever I saw a deportation train going by, I knew . . .” And besides the fear of discovery, she, like Max, was driven by the belief that they were destined to see each other again.
Ella Hirsch intuitively knew the fate awaiting her; she was bound for Auschwitz, where she later perished.
The couple married in Geneva two weeks before the war ended. Hanne found work as a maid, but with no money for their own home and no permanent residence
Hanne received false papers identifying her as Parisienne Anne-Marie Husser— but before going anywhere, she made time to pack her precious satchel. “I just fitted in a nightdress and a few pieces of cheese alongside my papers,” she recalls. When challenged about whether she was Jewish after walking from the end of her train journey toward the border with a guide paid for by relatives in Switzerland, Hanne managed to convincingly spit out to a customs agent, “I have nothing to do with that dirty race.” Max eventually found Hanne at her relatives’ address in Berne, which she had given him before he fled. “He came to the house, and I ran outside with him,” Hanne remembers. “I have no idea what we talked about as we walked the streets; we were just overwhelmed that we had both made it to Switzerland and were alive.”
status, the newlyweds had to live in a series of refugee homes. Hanne gave birth to their daughter, Evelyne, at one of those homes in 1946. Two years later, the young family made its way to New York, where, in a tragic irony, Hanne’s brother Alex had escaped to safety a decade before—but never reunited with his sister. “He joined the US Army and never came back from the war,” Hanne explains. The couple also later discovered that the relatives with whom they were deported had all perished in the death camps. Hanne and Max had the final emotional trauma of separation from their only child, who had to be fostered when both parents became sick with tuberculosis and were hospitalized in a sanatorium for two years. “Max and I couldn’t share a room, but even worse, we couldn’t see our daughter from age four to six because doctors were afraid she would pick up the infection. “At least Evelyne’s foster mother was a very kind woman who took good care of her, and we called her every Sunday and sent her little presents whenever we could, so she would know we were always thinking about her.” Evelyne made Hanne and Max grandparents with a son when she grew up, and they now also have two great-granddaughters. After recovering, Max completed his education in the US, made a career in accounting, and took up his beloved music again with the help of a New York instrument dealer who sold him a cello for one hundred dollars. Max later bought a much more expensive instrument but sold it in 2016 when, after eighty years of performing, his long life worked against the pursuit of his passion. “It’s chamber music, and eventually all the people I played with were gone,” he explains.
“He came to the house, and I ran outside with him. I have no idea what we talked about as we walked the streets; we were just overwhelmed that we had both made it to Switzerland and were alive.” most inspiring stories of the twentieth century as part of the exhibit Conspiracy of Goodness: How French Protestants Rescued Thousands of Jews during WWII. The show will still be running in April of 2019 when Max and Hanne are due to celebrate their seventy-fourth wedding anniversary. “We were the luckiest of people to get out of the concentration camp, and even more so that we were taken to a place like Le Chambon,” says Hanne. “Otherwise, you wouldn’t be talking to us today.”
Conspiracy of Goodness: How French Protestants Rescued Thousands of Jews during WWII will be on display at the Kupferberg Holocaust Center at Queensborough Community College in Bayside, Queens, New York, until June 2019. Visit khc.qcc. cuny.edu for more information. Anthea Gerrie is based in the UK but travels the world in search of stories. Her special interests are architecture and design, culture, food, and drink, as well as the best places to visit in the world’s great playgrounds. She is a regular contributor to the Daily Mail, the Independent, and Blueprint.
The cello Max played in Gurs, provided by Quakers to help create a camp orchestra, was too large to flee with him—unlike Hanne’s satchel, which is her last memento of those troubled times. “I never got it out to use again because it needed a new zipper, but it’s part of me,” she says. She is proud to see that tough and treasured little bag on display at the Kupferberg Holocaust Center, where it helps tell one of the V I E MAGAZ INE . COM | 89
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Artist Marisol Gullo
SeaSun and
By MELANIE A. CISSONE | Photography by ROMONA ROBBINS
In Costa Rica, ¡pura vida! is an expression that is more than just two happy words. It’s neither an invention to serve the tourist population nor a surfer thing. Costa Ricans use it all the time. It can mean hello or good-bye or that everything is cool. It’s not surprising then that Costa Rican–born Marisol Gullo, artist and cofounder of Miramar Beach, Florida’s Not Too Shabby, attacks life with that same pura vida attitude that is her essence. Precocious from an early age, Marisol earned her high school diploma when she was fifteen years old. The entrepreneur, it seems, is blessed with not only beauty but also an innate intelligence and a natural aptitude for learning. Marisol says, “My mom homeschooled me before it was a thing, when I was very young.” By the time she attended first grade at age seven, she was moved to second grade after only one semester. The same thing happened from second to third grade. By twenty-one, she had a law degree.
Marisol was raised in San Vito, Costa Rica, a small high-plateau town with a population of about fourteen thousand near the Panama border. Agriculture (chiefly coffee) and cattle farming dominate the economy of the canton’s capital. “Interestingly,” she says, “my town was founded by Italians.”
Named for an Italian saint, Saint Vitus, there isn’t another place in Costa Rica as strongly influenced by the Italian culture as San Vito. In the postwar socioeconomic crisis that was plaguing Italy in the early 1950s, two Italian brothers marshaled a group of fellow countrymen willing to forge a new life elsewhere and led them to Costa Rica. For its part, the Costa Rican government offered ten thousand hectares of land to some 250 colonists settling in its country. San Vito itself grew from forty-five inhabitants in 1952 to over ten thousand by 1982. Marisol, now forty-two, was born during that explosive population growth. While pursuing a career as a young attorney in the nation’s capital of San José, Marisol met her husband, Las Vegas native Tony Gullo, while he was visiting Costa Rica with his father, a casino operations consultant. Tony’s immediate and extended family are all from New Orleans, which is how Marisol and Tony, both born and raised worlds away, even knew about the white-sand beaches of Florida’s Gulf Coast. After a year’s courtship, the two married, honeymooned V I E MAGAZ INE . COM | 91
Le monde While she doesn’t think twice about getting dirty herself, Not Too Shabby’s customized furniture operation has grown such that she and her husband expanded the workshop of craftsmen and women building repurposed items and applying faux finishes to meet the demand. in South Walton, and moved to the Emerald Coast in 2001. Is it merely coincidence that Marisol means “sea and sun” in Spanish? Marisol is close with her family. Reflecting on the pace at which she transitioned from school to attorney to young bride, she says jokingly, “It almost killed my mom.” When the couple began a construction and custom cabinetry business, Marisol’s ace in the hole was her ability to speak Spanish. At one point, they had thirty employees, and the jobs they undertook during the early to late 2000s moved along faster and more efficiently because Marisol could communicate with the largely Spanish-speaking workforce. “That was when I learned to work with furniture, doing faux finishes,” she remembers. Marisol also became acquainted with surface materials that she began integrating with traditional art materials for her current artwork. Construction clients would commission her to do custom faux finishes on furnishings and other items. Always pleased with the results, they would ask, “Why don’t you open a store and do this fulltime?” So she did. By 2008, the Gullos had transitioned out of custom home builds and into furniture and home decor that was a fusion of French provincial and coastal moodiness. They opened Not Too Shabby in Santa Rosa Beach, and last fall, after six years there, Marisol and Tony moved Not Too Shabby’s showroom and 92 | JA NUA R Y 2019
workshop to Miramar Beach. The new location is two and a half times bigger than the previous one, and the couple is gleeful about the natural-lightsoaked display space and bigger workshop. Marisol says, “It’s been fabulous for us here.” On a stroll through Not Too Shabby, which carries case pieces, vintage repurposed architectural elements, upholstery, lighting, linens, decorative accessories, and jewelry, Tony says, “Marisol’s touch is on everything.” While she doesn’t think twice about getting dirty herself, Not Too Shabby’s customized furniture operation has grown such that she and her husband expanded the workshop of craftsmen and women building repurposed items and applying faux finishes to meet the demand. But it’s all under Marisol’s direction. “Our team is family,” Tony insists. Hanging throughout the showroom is Marisol’s artwork, which ranges from zero-dimensional paintings to weighty mixed-media works. Marisol, South Walton’s 2017 Artist of the Year, says, “As an artist, I’m
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constantly second-guessing.” She might not be as self-confident as she would like to be in the creative process, but she does know a thing or two about merchandising. She says, “Displaying artwork in a realistic setting enables our customers to understand it. It also contributes to sales,” something she never thought could happen. The faux-finish work launched her into decorative artistry for which she became known, and that, in turn, introduced her to textured materials for painting that have become familiar in her current works. “I love texture,” she says. Drawn to vintage and antique doors, door jambs, and old windows, Marisol will reinterpret existing structural elements and make something equally beautiful and useful or use them as unique framing for her paintings. She lights up when she says, “I get tremendous satisfaction from repurposing an object.” “I’ve always made art and I love to draw. I just never thought you could make money doing it,” Marisol confesses. That changed when a painting she’d done of seahorses sold within a week of being hung in the showroom. Inspired by the Gulf Coast’s light, color, flora, and fauna, the artist combines her preferred Venetian plaster with molding paste for malleability to create structural oeuvres but leans toward watercolors when she has a softer goal in mind. She will try any material in her paintings or on furniture pieces. The true north of Marisol’s compass is her eight-year-old son, Joshua. She’s reminded of her mother’s angst when she left the nest and says, “That baby means the world to me.” As if she was seated beside her mother, she says, “Mom, now I know.” Together, the trio have gratitude in their hearts and an ever-present attitude of openness about what the future holds. ¡Pura vida!
Visit MarisolGullo.com or stop by Not Too Shabby at 9755 Highway 98 West, Miramar Beach, to see and learn more. 94 | JA NUA R Y 2019
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LI V ING BY T HE
GOLDEN
RULE BY L AU R E T T E RYA N
IN OUR COMPLE X W O R L D A N D S O C I E T Y, ARE THE RULES FOR L I V I N G A N AU T H E N T I C L I F E S TA R T I N G TO CHANGE?
To be clear, what I mean by an “authentic life” is a life which has moral, physical, and intellectual balance. We seem to be living in a time of stark contrast and clarity. There are days when this new reality is uncomfortable and confusing, and we wonder where the world is headed. It can be overwhelming to watch your social media or TV news or to read the paper or a magazine. Our problems seem more prominent than ever before. The human brain is really not designed or evolved enough for all the information available to us. A couple hundred years ago, most of us only knew about what went on in our village or neighborhood. With today’s technology, we have much more to consider and many more lives to think about. Humans feel the need to embrace or recoil from or to help or destroy everything brought into our conscious awareness.
Young people gather during an LGBTQ celebration and protest against discrimination on August 4, 2018, in Hamburg, Germany. Photo by GerckensPhoto-Hamburg / Shutterstock
I have concluded that the answer to how to live an authentic life is found in our relationships with others—not groups, but individual people who might be part of groups. The answer is in listening to understand—not necessarily just to answer— until we have thoughtfully considered another’s feelings on equal standing as our own. We have to see that by acknowledging each other’s divine right to be themselves, we free ourselves to be authentic, as well. The real solution is as old as time—the Golden Rule: “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” V I E MAGAZ INE . COM | 97
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iving an authentic life can be scary. We are conditioned to go along with the tribe and not to make others uncomfortable even when we feel uncomfortable. We often don’t voice our true feelings. I interviewed Charlotte Clymer, whom I view as bravely living her authentic life and standing up for the rights of others to do the same. She is an advocate and the press secretary for the Human Rights Campaign. According to its website, “The Human Rights Campaign and the Human Rights Campaign Foundation together serve as America’s largest civil rights organization working to achieve LGBTQ equality. By inspiring and engaging individuals and communities, HRC strives to end discrimination against LGBTQ people and realize a world that achieves fundamental fairness and equality for all.” Clymer’s story is raw, inspiring, and a beacon for others who find themselves struggling to find their way to living a fair, equal, and authentic life. I asked if she thought the United States was becoming more divided as a nation in 2018, as it often feels that way. Clymer says, “I think it seems that way, but the truth is that we’ve always been starkly divided. Even in prosperous times—say, Eisenhower in the ’50s, Reagan in the ’80s, Clinton in the ’90s—there existed a great divide between an image of the country as strong and successful and the reality for tens of millions of Americans who encountered obstacles that were either ignored or overlooked by the rest of the country.”
People carrying signs at the Women’s March for equality in New York City in January of 2017 Photo by Christopher Penler / Shutterstock 98 | JA NUA R Y 2019
She continues, “I think what we’re seeing is that divide come into much clearer focus, which is good! What’s bad is that we haven’t figured out a way to articulate our differences in a meaningful dialogue. Having uncomfortable conversations can be really healthy, but we haven’t put enough effort into having those conversations. It feels like folks are too afraid to hurt fragile citizens who are more comfortable living in models that pander to white supremacy, misogyny, anti-LGBTQ sentiment, xenophobia, et cetera.” It seems accurate that we see things, both good and bad, more clearly these days. We live in a world where
authenticity is not just a concept; it is a dynamic truth that grows daily, in great part thanks to technology. This age of information (and misinformation) and social media means we see each other all the time. We cannot ignore another’s struggle without condemning them to endure it alone. What is needed is a more openhearted conversation. We are being asked to voice what we stand for, but achieving change means listening to the other side. Still, Clymer reminds us, “It’s been reinforced for me that progress is often messy. Even in the progressive movement among folks working on the same issue, there can be respectful disagreement on how to move forward. Then, you add folks on Capitol Hill and other coalition partners, then the folks who actually fund our organizations: more often than not everyday Americans. There are a lot of views to negotiate. It’s very easy to be outside of an organization and wonder why it isn’t doing something obvious. It’s far more difficult to be working inside one and see all the pieces, flummoxed as to how to make everyone happy. And the reality is that you can’t. You just do your best and prioritize equality.
WE LIVE IN A WORLD WHE RE AUTHE NTICIT Y I S N O T J U S T A C O N C E P T; I T I S A D Y N A M I C T R U T H T H AT G R O W S D A I LY, I N G R E AT PA R T T H A N K S T O T E C H N O L O G Y.
“I feel like every progressive organization has its role, and they often overlap. I’m proud of the way HRC educates the public about the obstacles facing LGBTQ people, both in America and around the world, and the way we fight on the ground in campaigns to ensure that candidates who believe in the values of equality win their races. I’m also proud of our collaboration with other organizations. Often, it’s our job to assist the folks at Lambda Legal or NAACP or Planned Parenthood, and it’s one we take seriously. HRC is one of many fantastic organizations around the country fighting for the right of all people to love who they love and work and go to school in spaces without fear of violence or discrimination.” Steve Endean founded The Human Rights Campaign Fund in 1980. It was one of the first gay and lesbian political action committees in the United States. Executive director Elizabeth Birch dropped “Fund” from the organization’s name and expanded its reach far beyond political lobbying work in 1995. According to its website, “The Human Rights Campaign envisions a world where lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer people are ensured equality and embraced as full members of society at home, at work, and in every community.” Clymer is outspoken and forthright. She is the kind of person who you’d want in your corner if your rights were on the line. I inquired on her thoughts about 2019
and beyond. “I want to be proud to live in the United States,” she says. “I want to be proud to be an American. We’ve never had a perfect history, to be sure, but in the past eighteen months, it’s been especially difficult to have pride in who we are as Americans. I hope the political tragedy of this White House will lead to a conversation on aspects of America that have long been overdue for a change. I’m cautiously optimistic. I am very much in the camp that says, ‘Without hope, what is there?’ So, I hope.” She also posits this critical consideration: “Uncomfortable conversations, ongoing education on good allyship, calling out bigotry in all its forms—a lot of folks don’t want to hear that, of course. If only we could all get along, but in our country’s history, ‘getting along’ has meant those who are oppressed give in to the hatred of those who do the oppressing. We’re not going back to that.”
To be morally, physically, and intellectually authentic in the world requires true adherence to the Golden Rule, listening, uncomfortable conversations, and bravery. All of these things are contagious! Surround yourself with authentic people and live your authentic life.
Charlotte Clymer is the press secretary for Rapid Response at the Human Rights Campaign, responsible for real-time monitoring and messaging guidance. She supervises other rapid response team members and monitors, researches, and responds to news on LGBTQ-related policy matters. A US Army veteran, her work has appeared on GQ, NBC News, Quartz, and DAME magazine, and her commentary is quoted in the New York Times, the Washington Post, the Guardian, Time, Newsweek, and various other outlets.
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There is no shortage of beauty in Northwest Florida’s beach communities, but the Emerald Coast Association of Realtors (ECAR) has discovered a way to add just a little bit more splendor to their offices—without spending a penny.
Opposite top: Paintings by Allison Wickey Opposite middle: Painting by Amy Fogg Opposite bottom: Paintings by Tim Ryals
When ECAR was expanding its office space in Santa Rosa Beach, it became obvious very quickly that, due to budget limitations, the beautiful training facility was a bit underwhelming—even with its abundance of natural light and scenic views. That’s when the lightbulb went off, according to 2018 ECAR president Liz McMaster. “We knew we needed some art, so we said, ‘Let’s consign local artwork and see what happens.’” Everyone loved the idea, but the next question was how to execute it and make it happen.
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“We reached out to local artists to see what they thought about the idea,” McMaster says. “We couldn’t believe the response. Everyone was saying that it was a fabulous idea.”
So plans began to turn a plain-walled training center into a real-life art gallery. Unlike a traditional gallery, this space is owned by a nonprofit organization, so there was no financial incentive for ECAR. However, using the space would create an amazing gallery for local artists—especially those who work or live on famed 30-A, a breathtaking stretch of coastal highway just east of Sandestin. From the time discussions began, it took just a week to get most of the walls filled with original pieces from the area’s most influential artists. Some of the works have already sold; others have inspired the commissioning of new pieces. McMaster says the idea of the gallery allows her to combine two of her passions—real estate and art. “I love the art community and try to support them as much as possible,” she relates. “In Phase I of the office, we had a few pieces from Allison Wickey, a top-notch local artist. But when the office was expanded and we had used up our decorating budget, we decided to reach out and see if any artists were interested in the concept. The ECAR board liked the idea and approved us to move forward.”
There was great enthusiasm for the idea from the organization that serves 3,700 members in the Emerald Coast region, says ECAR CEO Keith Dean. “In fact, we had to turn a few artists away. What we have is breathtaking.” Partnering with artists who have different styles and use different mediums, ECAR leadership was excited about the variety the informal gallery would present, but there was one simple rule to be followed, Dean states. “All the pieces had to stick to the general theme of having the ‘30-A vibe,’” he says. “They had to incorporate elements of the beach and a feeling of fun.” Dean also likes the idea of it all being local. “We try to support all aspects of the local community, and this is the kind of art that those living on or near 30-A are drawn to.”
“All the pieces had to stick to the general theme of having the ‘30-A vibe.’ They had to incorporate elements of the beach and a feeling of fun.” The ECAR office facility attracts visits from attorneys, CPAs, bankers, insurance agents, and other partners who are in the building regularly for training and special events. ECAR is a very social organization, according to Dean, so there are a lot of people walking through the building every month. McMaster agrees that the arrangement presents a unique opportunity. “Being an organization that supports, trains, and brings together the best Realtors along the Emerald Coast to better serve our residents and visitors is really only a part of our mission,” she states. “We want to serve the community in as many ways as possible,
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Le monde and connecting artists and lovers of art is a creative way to accomplish that.” Because of the success of the program, ECAR leadership is looking for ways to include more artists and ensure that as one piece sells, there is always another one ready to replace it. “Our offices are beautiful, local artists are selling their work, and hundreds more in our community are more aware of the outstanding artists along 30A,” McMaster continues. “We are hopeful that this program lasts for years to come.”
F E ATU R E D AR TI S T S : • Tim Ryals • Lee Clark • Allison Wickey • Jenna Varney • Gordie Hinds • Amy Fogg • Emily Ellis
Painting by Gordie Hinds
Visit EmeraldCoastRealtors.com to learn more about ECAR, or stop by the office at 6757 West US 98 in Santa Rosa Beach to view the art gallery.
• Robert McCullar • Amy Douglas
THE ART of GIFT GIVING
BY SUZANNE POLLAK
The three wise men understand the art of giving. Their careers require them to give all day long, making people happy. They are craftsmen whose mediums are objects, meals, and personal transformation, respectively. Who better to talk about the deeper meaning of gifts than these three? I trust their opinions. 104 | JA NUA R Y 2019
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istening to others who strive to please for a living can help reframe how we view the art of giving. These men are not offering their top ten list of things to buy this season—forget about that! The wise guys delve into underlying principles and problems to determine gifts that will transform the way people feel. Who are these angels of Christmas? First, we have James de Givenchy, jewelry designer and owner of the jewelry company Taffin. Who buys his pieces? Queens, fashion designers, actors—basically anyone who can! This man has the greatest eye in the world. Next, Jason Stanhope is a James Beard Award winner and executive chef at FIG in Charleston, South Carolina. Food lovers from all over the country dial thirty days in advance for a prayer at reserving a table there. His food isn’t fancy, but it’s food you or I could never make at home (I know—I tried and failed). Finally, Michael Vaughn Acord is a hairstylist, creator of V76, owner of Mizu, and the most sought-after guy in men’s grooming. Who goes to Michael? Bruce Springsteen, Richard Gere, Daniel Day-Lewis, Tom Brady, Ashton Kutcher, Al Pacino—plus regular guys who do anything but fade into the background and women who want a beautiful head of hair and the good vibes that Michael emanates.
THEIR FAVORITE GIFTS TO GIVE
“When people are going through bad times—get fired, need a different look, supported me for twenty years but now cannot afford me—I say, ‘Get your ass in here and let me fix you up,’” says Michael. “I am not going to stop cutting your hair and say no because you lost your job and are going through some hardship. When people get off your chair and give you hugs because you just made them feel a lot better about where they are right now in life, that is something you can’t put a price tag on. When you are younger, you want a bike or a Vespa or a new car, or a killer Hermès scarf or whatever; but as you get older, gifts of time take on a whole new meaning. When I think about these moments when someone is giving something, that resonates with me. That’s far and above stuff.” So Michael says his favorite gift to give is time. But sometimes unseen gifts happen because a person thinks differently from others. Who would have thought to combine rubber, steel, ceramic, or plastic with a fine gem? Rubber with sapphires? Ceramic with diamonds? Steel and a tiny blue diamond? Why not? James’s bold and brilliant mind imagines spectacular objects out of oddball combos. His creations make one look at jewelry in a playful new way. Many pieces have a surprise tiny treasure inside that only the wearer knows about—a hidden gift to you alone. Jason makes food feel like a gift to the taste buds, accessing part of the brain that makes one think, “I am alive at this moment.” Who else takes the concept of a crab cake and instead creates a pork confit cake? Who imagines that a lowly eggplant, blackened and free of moisture, will be the perfect mate to homemade cottage cheese? Jason holds the childlike ability we all once had, and perhaps still want, to experiment like a kid and give life to the wild imagination that lurks inside.
FAVORITE GIFTS EVER RECEIVED
When asked about their favorite gifts, most parents’ go-to response is their child(ren). The wise men are no different but answered in their own original ways:
Michael: Some people say my favorite gift is my kids, but that wasn’t a gift; it was a planned thing. The gift is to have a healthy family.
Jason: I would like to think that my son, Leo, is
the greatest gift, but there are times when I wonder if that’s a really good gift or a humbling experience.
James: So far, my favorite gift is my daughter, Stella’s, drawing for Father’s Day.
ON TIMING
Jason: I feel like any gift that isn’t tied to an event is a good one. If I see something during the year that reminds me of somebody, I get it and hopefully can hang onto it until a holiday, but sometimes you just want to give it to that person. I think some of those small random gifts for no reason are the best. There’s no ulterior motive. I don’t want anything in return.
Michael: As we get older, it seems like a holiday
gift is a requirement every year. When it comes to Christmas gifts, I like to think throughout the year. It’s very uncomfortable for me to feel like I have to buy eleven things on December 1. It’s a busy time of year for me!
THE JOY OF GIVING
Jason: Everyone has given somebody a gift, watched
them open it, and waited for the excitement that they have. It’s selfish and selfless at the same time. You want someone to be happy, but part of the joy is feeling good yourself. I love to give gifts. Going back to the ulterior motive thing, I think gifts are gifts if there is nothing expected in return. A smile, a thank-you, and a little sign of excitement go a long way, but you don’t have to reciprocate a gift of the same value.
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Le monde OOPS!
What does it mean to forget a birthday, and what does that say about the relationship?
James: If you are close to the person, you are either dead, brain dead, or you just don’t care anymore. Michael:
Sh** happens. Life gets in the way sometimes. As we accumulate friends and go through life, sometimes things get missed. It’s unfortunate, but it usually doesn’t mean you don’t care. It just got away. As we get older, the years start clicking by really fast. You’ve got to be kidding—it’s their birthday again?
Jason: It definitely means something, because it’s not about you, it’s about
the other person. But there has to be some level of sympathy because we are all busy adults. Helpful hints are attractive as far as not setting someone up for defeat. For example, our anniversary is foggy. It’s a certain time of year, but we don’t remember our first date or our first kiss. The relationship was a secret for six months, so we really don’t know our anniversary. We just pick a random day every year to have fun. I am lucky in that aspect. I do think if you miss a birthday or miss an anniversary, especially for your loved one, you should make up for it.
“JUST FOR FUN” GIFTS
Jason: Christmas gifts should be something you don’t need and might not want, Top: Chef Jason Stanhope of FIG Photo by Fuzzco Middle: James de Givenchy of Taffin Photo by Tomoko Sakurai Bottom: Michael Vaughn Acord of Mizu Photo courtesy of Mizu
as material as the holiday has become—so shallow and awesome! I think some of those small random gifts for no reason are the best. In our society, grown men don’t just go around buying each other gifts for no good reason. At one point in time, a friend told me his favorite thing in the world is soy sauce. The next week, I was ordering from my guy on the west coast, so I was like, I’m going to get Dave a bottle. I was nervous and giddy. Every time he sees me, he’s like, “Man, I ate soy sauce with my eggs this morning, and it was awesome.” It’s something he uses. How many gifts go into the trash or to Goodwill or go to someone else, regifted?
ARMED AND DANGEROUS: KNIVES, BLOW DRYERS, AND DIAMONDS
What does it mean to give someone a knife? Some superstitions think it’s a bad omen for a relationship.
James: Knives mean the world if the receiver is a sushi chef. Michael: I got a knife from a chef friend of mine who goes to Japan a lot. He
comes over for dinner and always wants to help: “Give me the knife, I want to julienne the vegetables,” and then, “What the f*** is this? I am going to cut my hand. Are you kidding me?” So he shows up with a state-of-the-art Japanese sushi knife. As a hairdresser, you start to realize that when you have very sharp, quality instruments and gear, your job is more efficient. You are not struggling, and you don’t tend to cut yourself.
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Jason: My boss gave me a knife at one point in
my career, and he was so excited. He called me over to his house on a Sunday, and I’m like, “OMG, I’m going to get fired.” He reached into this drawer in the back of his kitchen and unwrapped butcher paper in a box. Inside was this French knife, and it actually says NY Bridge Company on it. All these knives were brought over after World War II through the company . . . I think that knife was a validation, a baton, a passing of the torch. It meant something! If someone gives you a knife in this industry, it’s a pretty big deal. A knife is like an extension of your body, and you are probably with it more than your loved ones. It’s a deep transaction with so many other meanings than a piece of metal.
Michael:
Clients and friends tell me, “I don’t know what to get my wife.” I say, “Okay, let me teach you how to blow her hair dry.” Commit for a couple of times, and I’ll give you some techniques, and we’ll buy the perfect dryer and brush. I will teach you how to make her hair look great. It’s an aphrodisiac to have
your husband dry your hair out of the shower. Just make sure she is topless when you are working on her hair. It has to be that way. There is no cape or gown, no robe. She is topless, and you do her hair. She is not going to find that anywhere—a guy who cares that much wants to learn how to use a hair dryer and a brush.
WHAT DOES A RING SIGNIFY?
James: Commitment!
Michael: It means forever. There is a permanence to a ring in my mind. A ring
means more than a bracelet, necklace, or earrings. Rings stand out more to me. Maybe I am a traditionalist.
Suzanne Pollak, a mentor and lecturer in the fields of home, hearth, and hospitality, is the founder and dean of the Charleston Academy of Domestic Pursuits. She is the coauthor of Entertaining for Dummies, The Pat Conroy Cookbook, and The Charleston Academy of Domestic Pursuits: A Handbook of Etiquette with Recipes. Born into a diplomatic family, Pollak was raised in Africa, where her parents hosted multiple parties every week. Her South Carolina homes have been featured in the Wall Street Journal “Mansion” section and Town & Country magazine.
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Redefines Success with New Book
BY AUDREY JOHNSON ILLUSTRATIONS BY AMANDA RHODES
THE BEST-LAID PLANS OF MICE AND MEN OFTEN GO AWRY. -ROBERT BURNS Experiencing a spiritual awakening is like feeling all the senses at once; a switch flips, and suddenly you are crying and smiling at the same time. Surrendering to the God that lives inside you. Grateful for the gift of life. Joyful beyond what words can describe. Often, a higher level of consciousness is awakened by misfortune, tragedy, or a significant event that forces us to look at the world in a new way. Some call this enlightenment. Biblical texts liken it to scales falling from the eyes. Kendrick Lamar would say, “Take the mask off so you can see.” Rick Stanfield spent his whole life replacing one mask with another. In his motivational self-help book, I Can and I Will, Stanfield describes going from a career as a third-generation law enforcement officer to flipping houses and owning a chain of convenience stores in Missouri. When a new business opportunity brought Stanfield, his wife, Tina (they’ve known each other since fifth grade), and their son, Ricky, to South Walton, Florida, they felt 108 | JA NUA R Y 2019
like life was good. “We thought we could take any business and make it successful,” Stanfield confesses. But the franchise they invested in didn’t deliver on quality products. Soon after opening, traffic was slow and bills were stacked high. The Stanfields were hit hard by the Great Recession, and the author writes in detail about losing their business, vacation properties, vehicles, and even their family home.
MY RICHNESS IS LIFE, FOREVER. -BOB MARLEY When Stanfield got the eviction notice, he walked to the beach and cried. He had only cried one other time in his adult life, at his father’s funeral. Then he began to pray. “As soon as I stopped praying, something told me that I had the wisdom, strength, and ability to do all the things that I had asked for,” he recalls. “A complete renewal of my soul had just occurred.” At its core, I Can and I Will is a testament of faith and an instruction manual for staying positive in the face of adversity, defining success on your terms,
and, above all, loving your neighbor. The book details the Stanfields’ journey from homelessness to founding Sweet Henrietta’s Treats, a bakery Tina conceptualized the first night they slept in their borrowed car. (Spoiler alert: Vern Yip was one of the Stanfields’ celebrity clients that put them in the national spotlight. The family sold Sweet Henrietta’s last year, so they could travel and encourage others facing the same obstacles they overcame.) Many of us, at one time or another, have fallen prey to living our lives based on somebody else’s definition of success. Society is a rat race, and it’s easy to fall into the trap of keeping up. We are defined—even judged—by our cars, clothes, jobs, houses, and the number of Instagram followers we have. Tiny successes are often disguised as failures; each one brings a new lesson. Before the economic downturn, Stanfield defined success in terms of the size of his bank account. “The old me would have simply forfeited to a life of labor for survival until I died, but now I know my life has a purpose, and the obstacles I was hurdling were temporary,” he says. Taking your spirituality seriously will undoubtedly be met with opposition. It is the law of nature. People will subconsciously project their fears and shortcomings onto you, and when your heart is open, you are vulnerable to their energy—positive or negative. Sometimes it’s necessary to distance yourself from people you love dearly—even people you would do anything for—to maintain a peaceful mindset. Stanfield writes, “Just because I’ve distanced myself from a person does not indicate that I do not love them. I don’t have a choice. If I kept filling my head with negative thoughts, I could not fulfill the life God wants for me.”
LOVE ONE ANOTHER. -JESUS CHRIST On his family’s eighth day of homelessness, Stanfield received a call from his best friend, Don Garner. He considered not answering it but followed his intuition and picked up the phone. The conversation was brief. Don had no idea that Rick and Tina had been living in a car for eight days while their son stayed at a friend’s house. All Don wanted to know was if Stanfield was okay, and to tell his friend that he loved him. In I Can and I Will, the author arrives at the realization that the treasures of this world (things that money can buy) are simply by-products on the journey to fulfill what God has purposed in your heart. Being rich means having an abundance of love and encouraging others every time you have the
¨AS SOON AS I STOPPED PRAYING, SOMETHING TOLD ME THAT I HAD THE WISDOM, STRENGTH, AND ABILITY TO DO ALL THE THINGS THAT I HAD ASKED FOR. A COMPLETE RENEWAL OF MY SOUL HAD JUST OCCURRED.¨ chance. “We all share the same problems, just with different variables injected,” Stanfield shares. This winter, the Stanfields are embarking on a book tour for I Can and I Will. Their first stop is the Rogue Retreat in Medford, Oregon, a tiny-house community that provides shelter for homeless people and helps them get back on their feet. After Hurricane Michael leveled Panama City and surrounding areas on October 10, 2018, the Stanfields loaded supplies and caravanned to Bay County, seeking out anyone they could help. Many hurricane survivors continue to face homelessness and are living in their cars. During his ten days of sleeping in a car, Stanfield notes, “It’s funny how the sun was now a feeling of security and nighttime was terrifying.” Hurricane survivors have shared the same fears about darkness. But there’s a funny thing about darkness. It cannot withstand the light. “Our goal in life is to help as many people as we can before we die,” Stanfield says. “We are not going to let this part of our lives make us angry or bitter. We choose kindness and compassion. Now it seems so simple.”
VISIT RICKSTANFIELD.COM TO LEARN MORE OR TO ORDER YOUR COPY OF I CAN AND I WILL . Audrey Johnson is a freelance journalist, copywriter, and editor based in Destin, Florida. She enjoys writing about food, travel, art, and people. See her work at AudreyLJohnson.com.
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Introspections
GON GO GON NEEE MISSING By Nicholas S. Racheotes
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A C ASE O F TR U E D ETEC T I ON I awoke in my boxers to the sound of a cricket chirping. The rain was hitting the bedroom windows with the crepitation of ice in a blender. As soon as I figured out that it wasn’t cricket season and what I heard was the alarm on my phone, another memory hit me like a face full of sleet. I recalled coming in last night after three hours of full-contact bingo at the senior center. There was a note propped against the salt shaker on the kitchen table: “It’s missing, and if you don’t find it by morning, I’ll be gone without so much as a kiss goodbye.” There was no signature, but the penmanship was familiar. Does anyone say “penmanship” nowadays? With trembling hands, I pulled on my robe and stumbled to the liquor cabinet. What would it be, a hooker of Scotch neat or coffee, thick and black as the hair on a rap star? I chose coffee and two eggs boiled harder than marble on a Michelangelo sculpture. Now my stomach was in knots, but at least my head was clear. “Missing.” What could she have meant by “missing?” I knew the note was written by the only woman I had ever loved because the paper smelled of yesterday’s shrimp dinner. Retracing my steps, I came up emptier than the promise of a car salesman. Suddenly, my cell rang. I could have programmed it with the theme from Peter Gunn or The Naked Gun, but I preferred the sound of one of those telephones from my childhood—black, with a dial and a receiver heavier than a bowling ball. The voice on the other end was angrier than a Yankees fan after a loss to the Sox. “Oh, you’re up finally! Did
you see the note I left on the kitchen table? I know you had it last, so where is it? I’m shopping now, but you have until the time I get home to find it.” Before I could get in a word, wise or edgewise, the line went deader than a fly at the meat counter. What could I have lost? What was so important? My mind was blanker than a final puzzle solver on Wheel of Fortune. Maybe a shave and a shower would clear my head. No dice! I was trying to make eight the hard way. I couldn’t put four and four together. I was holding jacks over sevens, and everyone else had three of a kind. I stumbled into the den and planted my backside on the welcoming leather of the La-Z-Boy. Time was slipping through my fingers like the thinning hair on my balding skull. This life of retirement was not agreeing with me. Luxury cruises, eating at the best restaurants, traveling at will, just enough and not a minute more time with the grandchildren, coming close to shooting my age on the back nine—all this was becoming too much to bear. I found myself longing for those earlier good times: stubborn bosses, mortgage payments, college admissions standards, and coworkers who would just as soon knife you in the back as use mouthwash. I decided to drown my sorrows in an episode of Leave It to Beaver on my favorite retro station. It was her favorite, too. I remembered that she couldn’t abide any show made after the turn of the millennium. Then, enlightenment came over me like halogens on a country road. I couldn’t find the television remote. Cases of domestic violence had occurred for less. I
flew into action faster than a song sparrow at the approach of the neighbor’s cat, searching under my chair, in the cushions of the couch, between the pages of VIE magazine on the coffee table—there was nothing doing. Suddenly, I heard the car pull into the driveway and the two horn bursts that marked its being locked. She had never quite mastered the silent alarm. I was anything but chicken soup for the aged soul now. My goose was hash. I couldn’t even come up with a suitable metaphor or simile. I decided to make nice by dashing into the kitchen with the faint hope that helping to unpack the groceries would make her forget about the missing remote, but I knew there was no chance. Then, I caught sight of something next to the dish rack, long and appropriately knobbed like a strolling blond who makes all heads on the beach turn. My similes had returned, and so had the remote. I would never know how it found its way into the kitchen, but I did know this much: There always has to be a bit of mystery in every love affair, even one that ends and begins in marriage.
Nick Racheotes is a product of Boston public schools, Brandeis University, and Boston College, from which he holds a PhD in history. Since he retired from teaching at Framingham State University, Nick and his wife, Pat, divide their time between Boston, Cape Cod, and the Western world. V I E MAGAZ INE . COM | 111
Introspections
BY SUZ A N N E POLL A K
Etiquette is essential because it saves people from offending other members of society. The word might seem outdated, but when could thoughtful behavior ever not be in style? The mark of a sophisticated person is intuitively knowing how to avoid making people uncomfortable, intentionally or not. A sophisticated individual takes responsibility for his or her actions and words. Anyone past the eighth grade (or even before it) needs to know the basic rules that glue society together, especially today! Even if you’ve already learned most of this, every once in a while, we all need a reminder.
LET’S START WITH COMMON SENSE Learn to be an active governor of your actions and cognizant of how you conduct yourself. Pay attention. Be a good listener! When a friend talks about what’s going on in her/his life, it’s worthy of listening actively and becoming a participant. Instead of one-upmanship—which means you listen initially and then think this happened in your own life way more dramatically—just be quiet and listen. Do not respond with, “You think that’s bad? You have no idea what I’m going through!” This is known as the ugly art of turning yourself into the center of the conversation. That is always bad form, and people notice. It’s selfcentered and self-absorbed. 112 | JA NUA R Y 2019
Ask questions. It’s simple, basic manners! Asking questions is how you charm people. Being curious makes others feel important and makes you a more interesting person without being self-absorbed. Being curious gets information. You can often find out people’s secrets in five minutes by playing dumb and smiling. Get the details. Hone in on what makes an individual tick. We call curiosity “emotional intelligence.” You will get far in life by being charming and deeply curious—you can literally charm people’s pants off. (Romantics beware!) Teach your teenagers. Tell them to engage with their friends’ parents. Try “Hello, how are you?” instead of sneaking upstairs when visiting friends and pretending the parents don’t exist. But parents need help, too! Charleston Academy of Domestic Pursuits research shows that in many instances, adults don’t take the time to ask their child’s friends questions, like, “What interests you?” Don’t treat your children’s friends like they are little kids; give them an opening and start a conversation. Don’t say what you don’t mean. That’s just plain rude. Don’t make promises you cannot keep, lead another on, or fail to follow up on plans. In other words, don’t be a jerk. Not only can it leave others confused, but also—come on! If you are an adult, act like one. Mean what you say. Others notice lousy behavior and even talk about it behind closed doors. Life can be difficult enough as it is, so why add to another’s troubles with your selfishness? Treat people like you want to be treated. This applies to social situations and in the workplace. There is never an excuse for disrespectful, condescending, or demeaning behavior toward another. Rude behavior marks you as a person with problems; low self-esteem, ego out of control, arrogance. People might not be assertive in return, but that usually means they are taking the high ground and acting professionally.
o whining! “I am so busy,” “I am in the weeds,” “You can’t believe what I am up against.” Who cares? Tally how many times you have heard these kinds of excuses. We are all busy—some people way more than others. These statements lead nowhere. They cannot ignite an exciting conversation and do not improve a relationship. Smile. Even gorillas do it. People read facial expressions. They also hear smiles; smiling changes the tone of your voice. Try it! Record yourself saying something, then record the same sentence while you smile. The difference might astonish you. Make eye contact. Even if you are not entirely sure of your position, remind yourself that everyone wasn’t always overly competent. They practiced, and they learned. Stay calm and collected and remind yourself of your worth, then you can think of others around you. Making eye contact can ignite a meaningful relationship immediately. Eyes communicate. Take care of yourself. Self-care might be last on this list, but it’s certainly not least! Without it, you can’t take care of anyone else. Say, “I am sorry, I can’t go out; I need to be on my own for an evening.” Burnout is common. Avoid it by creating pockets of space to allow yourself to recharge.
reading your Apple Watch! When you get a message and look at the watch, we know you are not looking at the time. It’s very awkward for the other person, but they cannot say anything.) When it comes to family, high school students and young adults have reported to the Academy that they won’t talk to their parents until they put their phones away. Kids will walk out of the room until said parent puts down their cell, lest they have to repeat things. Perhaps your children are more conscious of core manners than you might realize. As technology develops, kids are surprised to discover their parents are rude. It’s impolite to have a phone at the dinner table, especially when it pings with every new notification.
Just as our grandparents and great-grandparents told us through the years: treat others as you want to be treated.
NEXT, A FEW CELL PHONE RULES: Today, the worst etiquette involves the cellular phone. People seem to be ungovernable when it comes to their phones! Be aware of how the phone takes up just as much space as a person. Effectively, you are inviting everyone you could possibly contact to the table. In business, have you ever met someone for lunch and the first thing out of their mouth was, “I am expecting a call,” as they put their phone on the table face-up? This is a no-no! If you absolutely must do it, preface answering a call with, “I am sorry, I hate to do this. This will be very quick.” Having the phone on the table means you are not fully present. No one is good at listening to two things at once. Even if you can, it’s rude! Give your in-person company your full attention. (P.S.—Don’t think we don’t know when you’re
FYI to parents without a clue: you can turn off these alerts, app by app, so everything isn’t buzzing or beeping constantly. Notice that younger folks only turn on the ones they need to know. Keep the phone on silent, with no vibration either. Better yet, shut it down when you have family time. The dinging agitates people (and even pets) and can make them feel anxious. Is this what you want to do to those around you? For their part, parents have shared their rules of “no phone in the car,” because that’s when a lot of the best conversations takes place. With kids and their friends all using their cells, the parent might feel like an Uber driver. (Of course, the driver should never be using a phone.)
Finally, what are the criteria among friends? When is it okay to check something on your phone? While watching a show together? Yes, then it’s okay to check your phone. You don’t need your friend’s undivided attention for that interaction. But if you are out to dinner, it is not okay. Whenever you are one on one or at a party, do not check your phone. Different places might require different thinking. In New York City, people rely on their phones to check trains or pull up a map to get the fastest route to their destination. Yet we have noticed that people are slowly becoming more mindful of their technology usage and consumption. Do not check the phone because you are bored, as if it were such an awful thing to be! The Academy feels that no one is bored anymore, and that is bad news because it cuts out daydreaming.
FINALLY, THE ONLY RULE THAT REALLY MATTERS: Don’t get hung up on the rules! All of the above points can be tailored and applied in any circumstance, with any group of people. Wherever you are in the world, if you are unsure of what to do, remember that you can never go wrong when behaving toward someone in the way you would like to be regarded. That might be the Golden Rule, but it is also the very definition of etiquette and the basis of sophistication. Just as our grandparents and great-grandparents told us through the years: treat others as you want to be treated.
Suzanne Pollak, a mentor and lecturer in the fields of home, hearth, and hospitality, is the founder and dean of the Charleston Academy of Domestic Pursuits. She is the coauthor of Entertaining for Dummies, The Pat Conroy Cookbook, and The Charleston Academy of Domestic Pursuits: A Handbook of Etiquette with Recipes. Born into a diplomatic family, Pollak was raised in Africa, where her parents hosted multiple parties every week. Her South Carolina homes have been featured in the Wall Street Journal “Mansion” section and Town & Country magazine. V I E MAGAZ INE . COM | 113
The beautiful Charleston Library Society on King Street
CHARLESTON TO CHARLESTON LITERARY FESTIVAL November 8–11, 2018, the Charleston Library Society (CLS) hosted a bevy of news writers, authors, playwrights, photographers, and other literary minds as part of its Second Annual Charleston to Charleston Literary Festival in South Carolina. The event was created as a partnership between the CLS and the Charleston Farmhouse in Sussex, England. VIE was very proud to sponsor the 2018 festival, where we had the honor of hosting the Opening Night Gala at the CLS and a discussion with Tina Brown at the historic Dock Street Theatre. Photos by Leigh Webber Photography
David Hare
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Tom Duffey, Elliott Ackerman, Meghan Ryan, and Marianne Duffey
Janice Waring and John Avlon
Charles Spencer, Anne Cleveland, and Bernard Cornwell
Ramie Targoff
Debra Messing Lynsey Addario
Stephen Greenblatt and Suzanne Pollak Tina Brown
Christopher Dickey, David Hare, and William Nicholson
Sarah Milroy and Regina Marler
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La scène
Troye Sivan and Sylvain Dolla
HAMILTON BEHIND THE CAMERA AWARDS
Mary Zophres and Ryan Gosling
Angela Bassett and Hannah Beachler
Elizabeth Olsen
Jake Gyllenhaal
Since 1932, Swiss watchmaker Hamilton has been at the heart of cinema, with its watches appearing in over five hundred major movies. Hamilton was proud to honor the dedicated individuals behind the scenes of film at the tenth Hamilton Behind the Camera Awards this year on November 4, 2018, at The Exchange LA. The award ceremony first took place in 2006 and has become a fixture on the Hollywood calendar, attracting some of the biggest names in the industry from both sides of the camera. Photography courtesy of Hamilton
Zoe Kazan and Paul Dano
Alden and Emeril Lagasse 116 | JA NUA R Y 2019
Jamie Dornan and Rosamund Pike
VIE cover girl Kristin Chenoweth at the United Palace theater in New York City, New York in 2015. Photo by Carlo Pieroni
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