LX Little Rock Fall 2012

A Kenneth Edwards Fine Jewlers Publication

from the publisher

Welcome.

Greetings, It is with great joy that we at Kenneth Edwards Fine Jewelers bring you LX Little Rock. In this Fall/Winter edition of LX, we feature two beautiful photo editorials. “Winter Wonderland’s” characters take you through a day of what happens among an enchanted woodland as the snow is freshly falling. “The Fairy Tales of Die Gebrüder Grimm” (The Brothers Grimm) celebrates the 200th anniversary of the brothers Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm, whose collection of “Children’s and Household Tales” has inspired many of the modern day fairy tales that we still celebrate today. This editorial features beautiful artwork and photos created by various artisans from around the world paired with translated excerpts from the original 1812, “Kinder und Hausmärchen.”

Also in this issue, we learn about watchmaker Webber Clay Ball and his original system to regulate accurate time and generate watch standards, which lead to the Ball Watch Company. We are proud to carry this histortic brand in our store! “Doubly Decadent”, written by the renowned chef, Mary Cech, gives some great wine and dessert pairing advice and features a yummy recipe for your indulgence.

We are also excited to showcase our philosophy and circumstances, driving the success of our jewelry boutique in “Teaming Up For Success.”

www.kennethedwardsinc.com

We enjoy seeing you each time you visit us and we look forward to hearing your stories and being part of your life’s special moments. As we walk through the days of this season, know that you can count on us at Kenneth Edwards Fine Jewelers to help you choose the perfect gift.

We have been serving the local jewelry needs of the community since 2005 and we’re proud to offer the most diversified selection of brands in Little Rock.

Please enjoy this issue of LX Little Rock.

Warm wishes, Ken and Steffany Shelton

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Features

inside

Fashion 29 Runway Report: Women's

55 Runway Report: Men's Jewelry 10 Kenneth Edwards

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Fine Jewelers: Teaming Up For Success

36 Gift Guide 60 Ticking in Sync:

Ball Watch Company

Libation 52 Doubly Decadent 64 Champagne: Fine Anytime Kenneth Edwards Fine Jewelers: Teaming Up For Success

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Fairy Tales of Die Gebr端der Grimm

22 Winter Wonderland

Lifestyle 15 The Color of Opera

Photography 22 Fairy Tales of Die Gebr端der Grimm

43 Winter Wonderland Travel 19 A Gem in the Andaman Sea

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Doubly Decadent: The pairing of Desserts and Sweet Wine

36 Kenneth Edwards Gift Guide

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cover on on thethe cover

Publishers KEN AND STEFFANY SHELTON Editor JON ROBERTS Art Director CHELSIE ROBERTS Senior Graphic Designer ANGIE HALTER On the cover is an image from LX’s “Winter Wonderland” photo editorial. The set, inspired and photographed by LX Art Director, Chelsie Roberts, has a Russian woodland feel and was built indoors on a South Dakota college campus by LX team members. Featuring models of all ages wearing beautiful branded jewelry, the shoot included 120 gallons of faux snow, 35 plus trees, a velvet swing and completed with an ice skating pond. Chelsie says “I was inspired by Russian landscape and architecture, especially castles and churches.”

Project Coordinator NICOLE HIGGINS Set Production JONATHAN ROBERTS BRENNAN ROBERTS

LX: a coffee table magazine LX® Magazine is published by LX Publications, LLC, 500 N. Michigan Avenue, Ste. 300, Chicago, Illinois 60611. LX® accepts no responsibility for unsolicited manuscripts and or photographs and assumes no liability for products or services advertised herein. LX® reserves the right to edit, rewrite, refuse or reuse material, is not responsible for errors or omissions and may feature the same content on lxmagazine.com, as well as other mediums for any and all purposes.

Copyright © 2012 LX Publications LLC. All rights reserved. The entire contents of LX® are protected by copyright© and may not be reproduced without the expressed written consent of the publisher. Reproduction in whole or in part or storage in any data retrieval system or any transmission by any means therefrom without prior written permission is prohibited. LX® and LX® Magazine are trademarks™ of LX Publications, LLC. 8

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MOCHA MOSAIC

Teaming up for

Success

Ken Shelton shares the duo’s passion and drive for the success behind Kenneth Edwards Fine Jewelers

by Lyndon Conrad Bell Catering specifically to those for whom mainstream equates to ordinary, Kenneth Edwards Fine Jewelers is the brainchild of Ken and Steffany Shelton.

Wholly reflective of Ken’s extensive experience with some of the most prestigious jewelers in the country, along with Steffany’s remarkably successful career with equally renowned women’s fashion retailers, Kenneth Edwards Fine Jewelers intentionally eschews chain store brands. Instead, guests are treated to a dazzling array of exceptional jewelry, the likes of which are more typically encountered gracing the rarified boutiques elevating Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills and Manhattan’s Fifth Avenue.

In a candid conversation with LX Magazine, Ken Shelton revealed the philosophy and circumstances driving the success of their distinctive Little Rock, Arkansas jewelry boutique.

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LX Magazine: What initially attracted you to the jewelry business?

Ken Shelton: In 1984, I got a Christmas job at Stifft’s Jewelers: Little Rock’s most prestigious jewelry store. I loved the experience and wound up outselling people who had been there for over 30 years. When I returned to the store the following Christmas, they convinced me to stay on full time. Eventually, my career progressed to managing a 16-store region for Bailey, Banks & Biddle.

LX: What attracted Steffany to fashion?

KS: It’s been in her blood since she was a child. Always the first girl in town to have a new style, Steffany set trends for the other girls. She used to have her grandmother make things from pictures in fashion magazines — way before any store in our small hometown would have them. As an adult, she progressed in management with Ann Taylor, where her store www.lxmagazine.com

“For three years running, we donated the Gala For Life feature piece — valued at $30,000 — for the Winthrop Rockefeller Cancer Research Center here in Little Rock. We lost my little brother to brain cancer, so we feel personally connected to that cause.”

-KEN SHELTON

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was consistently among the top ten most profitable of the more than 350 in the chain. Steffany was so good; she was tasked with training new store managers from all over the country.

The company would send its new managers to her, as well as send her to stores with new managers to season.

Edwards Fine Jewelers defines the brands we represent, not vice versa. Because of that, our customers count on us to be on the leading edge. They know if we’re featuring it, it’s absolutely cool, and they will be well ahead of the curve wearing it — just like Steffany’s childhood friends.

LX: What drove the decision to pool your talents and go into business for yourselves?

KS: Following a shift in the marketing strategy at Bailey, Banks & Biddle in 2004, the company’s focus turned away from operating smaller stores. It meant I’d either have to move on, or accept managing a single store. I decided if I were going to manage a store, it should be my own. I knew Steffany and I would be a great team and approached her with the dream.

LX: You opened a second location. How did you decide where it should be?

KS: Our current location is located close to an area known as the “Heights”, a long established community of affluence.

Our second location opened in November 2011 in the newly emerging Chenal area, where young professionals and other newly affluent people are settling. The area — with a population of about 40,000 — had been without a fine jewelry store until we opened there.

LX: Your background in jewelry combined with Steffany’s in fashion seems an ideal match. How have the two of you blended your individual expertise in the functioning of your business?

KS: When we were planning, I kept trying to explain the jewelry business to Steffany. After all, I had 20-plus years of experience, so I knew how things worked — right?

But Steffany kept asking; “Why”?

The old ways didn’t make sense to her, because she had instinctively tapped into a concept most jewelers neglect, the concept of “Her”. Steffany was certain if we became “Her” favorite store, “He” would come in whenever there was a special occasion between “Them”. She’d seen it work in her Ann Taylor store. A gentleman would come in and say; “This is my wife’s favorite shop, I need to get a gift for her.”

And now we see it in our store on practically a daily basis.

You see, because we’re “Her” favorite, she’s been in to visit, shopped, had fun, and — created a wish list. When “He” shows up, he simply consults her list for something she’s guaranteed to like. Everybody wins.

LX: Brilliant. But wouldn’t you have even more success with mainstream brands?

KS: The easiest thing to do in retailing is ride a popular brand.

However, when you do, you become defined by that brand.

We have done exactly the opposite. The cachet of Kenneth

LX: A brand new store means brand new tech, right?

KS: One of the challenges of opening a second location is being in two places at once. With our new communications system, that isn’t a problem. If you call for me in one store, but I’m in the other, after you hold briefly I’ll pick up. If you’re working with one of my sales associates in the other store and want to speak to me face to face, you and I can Face Time chat right on the spot. It’s really exciting technology.

LX: Remarkably, with all you have going on, you make time for philanthropy as well?

KS: For three years running, we donated the Gala For Life feature piece — valued at $30,000 — for the Winthrop Rockefeller Cancer Research Center here in Little Rock. We lost my little brother to brain cancer, so we feel personally connected to that cause. For the past five years, we’ve also provided the pendants for the top three finishers of Little Rock’s Susan G. Komen Race For the Cure — as well as the pendants for the top three survivor winners.

LX: How do you and Steffany spend your leisure time?

KS: We love taking our boat out for a day on the lake. I’m quite handy with tools and love constructing things. In fact, I took on the renovation of our home myself because I enjoy building so much. Steffany is also a gourmet cook. She likes to cook “clean”, meaning while you don’t sacrifice taste; lard and butter aren’t key to making a fantastic tasting dish. And, as is typical of Steffany, when it comes to gravy, she asks; “Why?”

ed

The Color of Opera

by Sanaa Abourezk

Red is the color of passion, of powerful emotions that affect us all in our daily lives. It is a color that stands out, that doesn’t hide, that boldly announces itself. Nowhere is the power and drama of red clearer than in Italian opera, where the color explains all of the lofty feelings present in almost every libretto. Opera stories are never told without adding love, innocence, war and death. Innocence is displayed by the blush of the first kiss. A red heart is emblematic of love. Revolutionary wars are led by red-colored flags, the symbols of revolution. And operatic death makes scarlet blood flow on the stage.

Red was the color used by the artists of ancient civilizations, such as the Egyptians, who employed it to emphasize chapter headings on the writings found on their papyrus, as well as to color the three thousand year old royal robes discovered in the tombs of the kings. Henna was used by the Pharaohs to stain fingers and toes to improve their awareness of the earth’s energies.

When Julius Caesar sought to distinguish himself as first among equals in the Roman Senate, he wore a red toga, angering the other, white-clad Senators. The power of his red toga was part of the cause of his death at their hands.

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In a more recent political venue, the wives of American presidents and female U.S. Senators often wear dresses of a shocking red color in public appearances as a way of standing apart from the boring black and grey suits worn by their male colleagues.

Never mind that a fighting bull is color blind, Spanish toreadors use a red cape to invite it to charge, creating the excitement and drama that has made bullfighting the country’s national sport.

Red also adds drama and interest to food. Try to imagine a meal being served that is uniformly brown in color, a meal without some red vegetables garnishing a plate of otherwise possibly delicious but boring looking food. Food that is red not only enlivens the presentation of the dish but also adds powerfully to its taste and nutrition. Tomatoes spend most of their lives growing up green, but it is when they turn red that they are in great demand by food lovers.

Similarly, scientists have discovered the gene present in apples that makes them a perfect

Cherries and strawberries contain “phytochemicals” that have been shown to improve memory. red color, a color that, according to surveys, increases the purchaser’s desire to buy. The compound that gives vegetables their red color is also an anti-oxidant, which helps resist cancer while maintaining healthy cell life in humans.

Cherries and strawberries contain “phytochemicals” that have been shown to improve memory. Nutritionists and medical researchers constantly urge people to eat several servings of vegetables each day, and it is no accident that vegetables that are red in color are the ones most frequently suggested, such as cherries, red kidney beans, tomatoes, red peppers, watermelons, apples, beets, radishes and strawberries.

Growing up in Syria, my sister and I were forbidden to wear makeup. We found a way around this rule, however, by employing a flower that grows in many countries, including Syria. Before bedtime, we rubbed it on our lips and added a smaller amount to our cheeks.

We protected the pillow from the color with a special towel we kept hidden, and the next morning both our parents and our teachers tried in vain to erase the red color that we had applied the night before.

We were ordered to wash our faces, but the pigment would not come off, and we explained to our teachers that the reason was because it was our natural color.

I stopped applying the red flower as makeup when one day I overdid the color on my cheeks. As punishment I was forced go to school looking like an overly made-up clown and unwillingly demonstrate what I had done. That cured me of the desire to wear red makeup from that day forward.

What color is used to welcome dignitaries such as movie stars to openings or presidents to a new city? We know the answer to this—the color of the welcoming carpet is always red, and never any other. For many reasons, from passion to politics, the color red deserves its celebrity treatment.

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Sri Panwa

in the

THAILAND

Andaman Sea It is easy to see why Phuket attracts more than 5 million tourists a year. This beautiful Thai island can boast some of the world’s finest beaches, as well as a rich and diverse culture, fascinating history, a vibrant culinary scene and a throbbing nightlife.

This island really looks after its tourists and whatever kind of vacation you want, you can have it in Phuket—the majority of visitors descend on the resorts on the west of the island, such as the throbbing hub of Patong Beach, where the party keeps going 24/7 and the streets team with life. However, those who want a more tranquil trip can find it on the much quieter north, south and east coasts, where it is still possible to find hidden coves and bays, or on the largely undeveloped islands that lie just offshore, such as Kao Yao Yai and Kao Yao Noi. Phuket is also a magnet for divers, thanks to some of the best dive sites in the world and a magnificent marine environment that is teeming with life.

Phuket has to be experienced but beware—once you have been there it will draw you back, again and again and again…

ANDAMAN SEA

By Martin Sayers Bangkok

Phuket

FOUR OF THE BEST LUXURY HOTELS IN PHUKET Aleenta Set on the spotless sands of Natai Beach to the north of Phuket, Aleenta is somewhat isolated by Phuket standards, with just one other hotel within a five mile radius and few restaurants or bars. Yet it is this tranquillity that is one of the hotel’s greatest assets—Natai is a protected beach and you will never see great lines of sun loungers, just miles and miles of golden sands. Also, unusually for the west coast of Phuket, there is no road between the hotel and the water, meaning that the view from your room is an uninterrupted panorama across the sparkling brilliance of the Andaman Sea. The hotel prides itself on being a home away from home and with three staff to every room, all your needs are taken care of quickly and efficiently. Accommodation is sumptuous and each room and villa has access to either a private or shared swimming pool, while the hotel also boasts one of the best Spas on the island.

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Aleenta Villa

The Pavilions Ocean View Villa

The Pavillions This upscale pool villa resort on lovely Bang Tao beach is setting a new standard for luxury accommodation in Phuket. Each and every villa offers either a mountain or ocean view and comes complete with its own plunge pool, with massages available poolside. Guests choosing to venture out of their accommodation can sample the delights on offer at the deservedly renowned Plantation Club bar and restaurant, which offers tropical cocktails and a mixture of Thai and Mediterranean-style dishes.

Sri Panwa Sri Panwa opened in 2005 and is perched high on top of peaceful Cape Panwa in the southeast of the island, commanding breathtaking views of the surrounding islands and the Andaman Sea. The resort’s villas each come complete with their own infinity swimming pool and jet stream Jacuzzi system, and sit amongst lush tropical greenery 40-60 metres above sea level along the eastern and western ridges at the very tip of the cape.

The hotel is popular with younger visitors and a party atmosphere prevails, with top global DJs often to be found spinning sets at the beach-side bar.

Sri Panwa Villas

Sala Phuket This seriously stylish new hotel opened in 2009 and offers a range of sensational pool villas. Occupying a tranquil position on one of Phuket’s most pristine stretches of beach, the living areas all have outdoor bathrooms and a vast range of facilities. A bar and beachside restaurant, renowned for its seafood, is also on offer and there are three large swimming pools that run alongside the beach.

The hotel’s location in the Sirinat National Park means it is well away from the tourist hordes and there are miles of unspoilt beaches on the doorstep. Sala Phuket is also near the excellent and testing Blue Canyon Golf Course, rated as one of the best courses in Asia.

Sala Phuket Pool Villa

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FOUR THINGS YOU MUST DO WHEN VISITING PHUKET Take a trip to Phuket Town You won’t find many tourists in Phuket Town—it’s one of the least visited parts of the island but that means it offers a glimpse of real Thailand. Here you will find incredible Sino-Portuguese architecture, bustling markets, fabulous shops and some of the best and most authentic Thai food on the island.

Limestone Outcrop Phang Nga Bay

Go and see Big Buddha Set high on a hill in the south of the island, this gleaming white statue is an awe-inspiring sight and one of the biggest Buddhas in the world. It’s so large that you can actually see it from half of the island but it is still worth the trip up a winding country road to have a look up close. You can admire the stunning craftsmanship and pay your respects at the nearby shrine, but also enjoy the incredible view, with Phuket laid out below you in all its green, glittering glory.

Have a ride on an elephant In the days of large-scale logging, elephants were used as working animals in Phuket, but now these same animals are kept active giving rides to tourists. There are many elephant trip providers on the island, but one of the best is Kok Chang Safari near Karon beach, which offers a lovely mountain trip through a rubber plantation, led by guides who clearly love and care for their animals.

Take a boat to Phang Nga Bay Phang Nga Bay off the north-east of the island has to be seen to be believed—this stunning area is dotted with craggy limestone outcrops and beautiful islands that are ringed by mangrove trees and perfect white beaches.

Cruising around here is a perfect way to spend a day and depending on your preference you can travel by speed boat, cruise ship or Chinese junk, with private boat rides readily available. Trips generally stop off at various points, including a sea gypsy village and the outcrop famous as the assassin’s hide out in Bond movie The Man With The Golden Gun.

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Die FairyTales

Gebrüder Grimm of

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As a brisk, chill wind gusts and snowflakes fall to form drifty peaks this winter, you may want to snuggle up with your loved ones by the warm glow of a fire and tell a story. This year celebrates the 200th anniversary of The Brothers Grimm (German: Die Gebrűder Grimm) fairy tales. To celebrate, we have collected images and artwork from amazing talent, paired with translated excerpts from the original book, “Kinder- und Hausmärchen” (Children's and Household Tales) to inspire you as you orate about magical characters from far away lands, scary villians and princes and princesses that fell in love and lived happily ever after.

“Cinderella Tale” An artwork piece by Oona Patterson (Oonapatterson.com) A Sculpture crafted and cut in book and paper

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A

"Sisters" Photography and concept Kelly Ealy Models Laura Meyers and Adrienna Ealy Makup Laura New

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Aschenputtel Cinderella

“The king's son, who was waiting for her, took her by the hand and danced with her; and, when any one asked her to dance, he said as before, "This lady is dancing with me." When night came she wanted to go home; and the king's son went with her, but she sprang away from him all at once into the garden behind her father's house. In this garden stood a fine large pear-tree; and Cinderella jumped up into it without being seen. Then the king's son waited till her father came home, and said to him, "The unknown lady has slipped away, and I think she must have sprung into the pear-tree." The father ordered an axe to be brought, and they cut down the tree, but found no one upon it. And when they came back into the kitchen, there lay Cinderella in the ashes as usual; for she had slipped down on the other side of the tree, and carried her beautiful clothes back to the bird at the hazel-tree, and then put on her little old frock.

The third day, when her father and mother and sisters were gone, she went again into the garden, and said—"Shake, shake, hazel-tree, gold and silver over me!"

Then her kind friend the bird brought a dress still finer than the former one, and slippers which were all of gold; and the king's son danced with her alone, and when any one else asked her to dance, he said, "This lady is my partner." Now when night came she wanted to go home; and the king's son would go with her, but she managed to slip away from him, though in such a hurry that she dropped her left golden slipper upon the stairs.

So the prince took the shoe, and went the next day to the king, his father, and said, ‘I will take for my wife the lady that this golden shoe fits.’ ”

"Cinderella" Photography, hair, makeup, styling Three Nails Photography

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Sneewittchen Little Snow-White

“And thus Snow-White lay for a long, long time, and still only her all that had happened, and said, ‘I love you better than all looked as though she were asleep; for she was even now as the world; come with me to my father's palace, and you shall white as snow, and as red as blood, and as black as ebony. At be my wife.’ Snow-White consented, and went home with the last a prince came and called at the dwarfs' house; and he saw prince; and everything was prepared with great pomp and Snow-White and read what was written in golden letters. Then splendor for their wedding. he offered the dwarfs money, and earnestly prayed them to let him take her away; but they said, ‘We will not part with her To the feast was invited, among the rest, Snow-White's old for all the gold in the world.’ At last, however, they had pity on enemy, the queen; and as she was dressing herself in fine, rich him, and gave him the coffin; but the moment he lifted it up to clothes, she looked in the glass and said, ‘Tell me, glass, tell me carry it home with him, the piece of apple fell from between true! Of all the ladies in the land, Who is fairest? tell me who?’ her lips, and Snow-White awoke, and exclaimed, ‘Where am I!’ And the glass answered, ‘Thou, lady, art the loveliest here, I And the prince answered, ‘Thou art safe with me.’ Then he told ween; But lovelier far is the new-made queen.’ ” This page: “Snow White” Photography Joshua Wilcoxon for Wilcoxon Photography Makeup/Hair Angelique Verver for Platinum Imagination

Opposite page: “Little Red Riding Hood” Photography Viona Ielegems Model Jolien Rosanne Post-production Chester Van Bommel “Rumpelstiltskin” An artwork piece by Mandy Smith (mandysmithwork.com) Dress created in baking paper and the wheel cardboard, Room and props all designed, created and painted by hand .

Photography Leon Hendrickx Model Dorothy Bany Makeup Artist Anita Jolles

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Little Red-Cap “Many years ago there lived a dear little girl who was beloved by every one who knew her; but her grand-mother was so very fond of her that she never felt she could think and do enough to please this dear grand-daughter, and she presented the little girl with a red silk cap, which suited her so well, that she would never wear anything else, and so was called Little Red-Cap. One day Red-Cap's mother said to her, ‘Come, Red-Cap, here is a nice piece of meat, and a bottle of wine: take these to your grandmother; she is weak and ailing, and they will do her good. Be there before she gets up; go quietly and carefully.’

The grandmother lived far away in the wood, a long walk from the village, and as Little Red-Cap came among the trees she met a Wolf; but she did not know what a wicked animal it was, and so she was not at all frightened. ‘Good morning, Little Red-Cap,’ he said.”

National Content

Rotkäppchen Rumpelstilzchen Rumpelstiltskin

“There was once a poor Miller who had a beautiful daughter, and one day, having to go to speak with the King, he said, in order to make himself appear of consequence, that he had a daughter who could spin straw into gold. The King was very fond of gold, and thought to himself, ‘That is an art which would please me very well;’ and so he said to the Miller, ‘If your daughter is so very clever, bring her to the castle in the morning, and I will put her to the proof.’ ”

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Dornröschen Little Briar-Rose/Sleeping beauty

“After many, many years there came another king's son into that land, and an old man told him the story of the thicket of thorns, and how a beautiful palace stood behind it, in which was a wondrous princess, called Briar Rose, asleep with all her court. He told, too, how he had heard from his grandfather that many, many princes had come, and had tried to break through the thicket, but had stuck fast and died. Then the young prince said, ‘All this shall not frighten me; I will go and see Briar Rose.’ The old man tried to dissuade him, but he persisted in going.

Now that very day the hundred years were completed; and as the prince came to the thicket he saw nothing but beautiful flowering shrubs, through which he passed with ease, and they closed after him as firm as ever. Then he came at last to the palace, and there in the yard lay the dogs asleep, and the horses in the stables, and on the roof sat the pigeons fast asleep with their heads under their wings; and when he came into the palace, the flies slept on the walls, and the cook in the kitchen was still holding up her hand as if she would beat the boy, and the maid sat with a black fowl in her hand ready to be plucked.

Then he went on still further, and all was so still that he could hear every breath he drew; till at last he came to the old tower and opened the door of the little room in which Briar Rose was, and there she lay fast asleep, and looked so beautiful that he could not take his eyes off, and he stooped down and gave her a kiss. But the moment he kissed her she opened her eyes and awoke, and smiled upon him.

Then they went out together, and presently the king and queen also awoke, and all the court, and they gazed on each other with great wonder. And the horses got up and shook themselves, and the dogs jumped about and barked; the pigeons took their heads from under their wings, and looked about and flew into the fields; the flies on the walls buzzed away; the fire in the kitchen blazed up and cooked the dinner, and the roast meat turned round again; the cook gave the boy the box on his ear so that he cried out, and the maid went on plucking the fowl.

National Content

And then was the wedding of the prince and Briar Rose celebrated, and they lived happily together all their lives.”

“Sleeping Beauty” Photography Viona Ielegems Model Jolien Rosanne Post-production Chester Van Bommel

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Designer Spotlight

Womens Fall 2012

Etro's New Bold Paisley Dream Godfrey Deeny

Brands always like to talk about respecting their DNA even as they subvert and reinvent them, and on Friday, Feb. 24, in Milan we saw a brilliant example of that whole concept at a thoroughly assured fall 2012 collection by the house of Etro.

Veronica Etro’s key obsession was paisley, the very fabric that is more associated with Etro than any other Continental luxury brand. And, talk about taking it somewhere new! The designer trimmed astrakhan jackets with a filigree of leather laser cut in the paisley style, or outlined the twisting shapes in velvet strips on a see-through mesh top.

Etro also tapped into Italy’s biggest accessories trend for fall 2012 - the curvy leather peplum belt, dissecting sleek leather jeans and bolero combinations, or adding oomph to slim dark cocktails. “I was thinking of costumes, especially 19th century costumes, and how Edwardian artists used color and shape in an elegant way. I

Designer Spotlight

wanted something dramatic,” Though the label does not yet have the name recognition of, say, Armani or Prada, Etro now boasts the biggest show in Milan. Staged in a giant ice rink with bleacher seating, the show attracts nearly 2,000 fans and professionals. Each place holds a silk gift cushion - this season in paisley, of course.

Designer Spotlight

Etro’s finest moment was a series of curvy evening dresses made in panels of paisley and blocks of black. It could have looked hackneyed but it never did, because Signora Etro kept the right amount of wit and levity throughout - like using tentacles of paisley to keep a revealing mesh top modest.

In a word, the show was a fine fashion moment, a splendid example of refreshing a house’s DNA and a great personal success of Etro’s.

Burberry

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John Galliano

Lanvin

Nicole Miller

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Gift Guide

Kenneth Edwards Fine Jewelers

KATIE DECKER Sterling Silver/Rhodium Mosaic Maltese Cross Pendant with Black/Brown Diamonds and White Sapphires $2,100

KATIE DECKER Sterling Silver/Rhodium Mosaic Maltese Cross Ring with Black/Brown Diamonds and White Sapphires $2,050

KATIE DECKER Sterling Silver/Rhodium Old World Cuff with Black Diamonds $2,100

KATIE DECKER Sterling Silver/Rhodium Crest Cuff Bracelet with Black Diamonds $1,825

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KATIE DECKER Sterling Silver/Black Rhodium Large Crest Earrings with Black Diamonds $3,300

KATIE DECKER Sterling Silver/Rhodium Mosaic Ring with Black/Brown Diamonds and White Sapphires $1,100

KATIE DECKER Sterling Silver/Rhodium Mosaic Earrings with Black/Brown Diamonds and White Sapphires $2,200

KATIE DECKER Sterling Silver/Rhodium Vine Cuff Bracelet $1,250

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KATIE DECKER Sterling Silver/Rhodium Crest Ring with Black Diamonds $875

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KRYPELL Sterling Silver Ivy Bead Collection Necklace with Black Sapphire Ball $2,250

KRYPELL Sterling Silver Ivy Link Bracelet with Pave' Black Diamond Stations $5,450

KRYPELL Sterling Silver/18k Ivy Cuff Bracelet $2,250

KRYPELL Sterling Silver/18k Ivy Cushion Shaped Ring $495

KRYPELL Sterling Silver Ivy Bead Collection Bracelet with Black Sapphire Ball $1,950 38

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GABRIEL & CO. Sterling Silver Cross with Diamond Accents $500

GABRIEL & CO. Sterling Silver/18K Multi-Link Chain with Filagree Ball Accents $700

GABRIEL & CO. Sterling Silver/18k Vintage Style Ring with Green Amethyst $450

GABRIEL & CO. 18k White Gold/Black Rhodium Inside/Out Large Diamond Hoops $3,800

GABRIEL & CO. Sterling Silver Bracelet with White Sapphire Accents $975

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DOVES 18k White Gold Pendant with Turquoise/White Topaz Doublet and Diamond Accents $2,350

DOVES 18k White Gold Pendant with Turquoise/White Topaz Doublet and Diamond Accents $2,900

DOVES 18k White Gold Earrings with Turquoise/White Topaz Doublets and Black and White Diamond Accents $4,370

DOVES 18k White Gold Pendant with Moonstone and Diamond Accents $1,825

DOVES 18k White Gold/Black Rhodium Earrings with Micro Pave' Diamonds $20,000

DOVES 18k White Gold Ring with Gray Moonstone and Diamond Accents $4,100

DOVES

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18k White Gold Ring with Turquoise/White Topaz Doublet and Diamond Accents $3,345

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DOVES 18k White Gold Green Agate Pendant with White and Black Diamond Accents $2,335

DOVES 18k White Gold Green Agate Pendant with White and Black Diamond Accents $2,150

DOVES 18k White Gold Green Agate Rings with Black Diamond Accents $4,360

DOVES 18k White Gold Green Agate Rings with Black Diamond Accents $3,215

DOVES 18k White Gold Green Agate Earrings with White and Black Diamond Accents $3,170

DOVES

DOVES

18k Rose Gold Cuff Bracelet with Mocha Diamond Mosaic $25,580

18k Rose Gold Ring with Mocha Diamond Mosaic $4,800

DOVES 18k Rose Gold Ring with Mocha Diamond Mosaic $6,600 www.lxmagazine.com

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Photography Chelsie Roberts Models Mary Schieich James Graber Kat Stevens Jeremy Ray Smolik Laura Carlson Kim Rockman Photo Assistant Dan Thorston Makeup Artist Angie Wheeler Hair Stylist Jessica Lee

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Winter Wonderland

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Winter Wonderland

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oubly

By Mar y C

ech,

t n e d a ec rt Cookbo

esse e Lover’s D in W e Th “ Author of

ok ”

You know your favorite dessert around the holidays. Memories on a chilly day of warm, spicy bundles of sliced apples encased in delicate puff pastry all baked to a golden brown, rich deep-dark and moist chocolate cake frosted with silky bittersweet chocolate or maybe a mouth tingling refreshing winter citrus lemon tart with rich butter pastry enjoyed after a heavy meal.

Whatever your favorite holiday dessert may be, usually the decision is much easier to determine than your favorite sweet wine.

As with all matters of taste — music, clothing, friends, — enjoyment of wine with friends and family is much more a matter of personal preference than of scientific calculation.

You may very well already have some idea of the wines you prefer with traditional savory foods.

Common wisdom dictates that white wines go best with light meats and fish for example, but you are on shakier terroir at the end of the meal when pairing desserts with sweet wines. Few guidelines exist for pairing sweet wines and desserts. Although without an instruction manual to help you choose and pair dessert wines with the appropriate dessert can prove overwhelming, it does free you of the burden of preconceived notions. No rules, no mistakes!

There is only one rule when it comes to pairing desserts and sweet wines. “Eat what you like, drink what you enjoy with it.” With that in mind you can get started with two simple thoughts and several helpful sweet wine tips to assist you on your sweet pairing journey.

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White Chocolate Parfait Photo © frankenyimages.com

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irst, sample, sample, sample! Since dessert wines contain a fair amount of sugar, alcohol and acidity acting as natural preservatives, storing them in the refrigerator after opening extends their shelf life a week or more and allows you to sample several wines later. When preparing a dessert, try it with a few different wines and observe how the dessert’s flavors are enhanced or masked by the wine. You can start determining your likes and dislikes.

sS

econdly, don’t be shy; get to know a local wine merchant.

As they begin to know your particular tastes, you will be introduced to new wines to fit your palate.

When “making the match” of dessert and sweet wine, I advise a few sweet wine tips, which I consider my Top 10 Sweet Wine Tips to get you started for this holiday season.

sS

weet sparkling wines are versatile, refreshing and a great way to celebrate any special occasion and holiday. They are perfect after a traditional holiday meal. They don’t overwhelm lighter desserts like orange citrus chiffon cake, but provide a welcome palate cleanser for richer desserts such as, pumpkin cheesecake. Fortified wines stand up well to rich desserts with deep flavors of toasted nuts, caramel, winter fruits, dried fruits, spice and chocolate. A tartlet of dried fruits, fresh apples, cinnamon and clove covered with butter streusel with Tawny Port can be a warming comfort on a cold evening.

y Y t T

ou should always enjoy what you taste. The definition of a good dessert wine is one you enjoy drinking alone first.

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ot all sweet wines and desserts need each other. Don’t over power either a wine or a dessert. Some wines are best when drank alone like Sauternes and Vintage Ports.

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et to know sweet wines. Taste them with simple desserts that don’t fight for your attention. Simple slices of fruit, pound cake or angel food cake can get you started.

Here are some examples of some of my holiday favorites; Raspberry Baked Alaska has always signified “a special holiday occasion” to me. Engaging in lively conversation while watching mounds of showy meringue over ice cream or raspberry sorbet being flamed and browned tableside is doubly memorable around the holidays. A vintage, or LBV, port with berry flavors is a great complement to the raspberry sorbet.

Plum Gazettes welcome a cooler season as plums bridge the end of summer and beginning of fall and the holiday season.

Black Muscat would be a good sweet wine choice with these flaky pastries.

By understanding sweet wine flavor characteristics and pairing suggestions you will be on your way this season to pairing your holiday dessert memories with your favorite holiday sweet wines for a double decadent taste experience.

Honeyed Fig and Hazelnut Tart

Photo © frankenyimages.com

he wine should be equal or slightly sweeter than the dessert.

This is very important! The sweeter the dessert, the sweeter the wine, otherwise it will taste sour, tart or bitter.

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air wines that are high in acidity either with rich, creamy desserts like cinnamon rice pudding to cut their richness or with light, warm or chilled fall and winter fruit compotes for the holidays.

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omplement or gently contrast the dessert flavors with the wine flavors.

omplement the weight of the wine to the richness of the dessert. Light body wine with a light dessert or contrast with a rich creamy cheesecake.

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rice is no object! A typical serving of dessert wine is 3 ounces; therefore sweet wines can be easy on the pocketbook.

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iet is no problem as we watch the calorie consumption rise around holidays. Dessert wines contain no fat. Coupled with a modest serving of dessert, even dieters can enjoy them in moderation.

"Don’t over power either a wine or a dessert. Some wines 53 are best when drank alone."

R

R r

Making the Match: A vintage, or LBV, port

aspberry Baked Alaska

with berry flavors is a nice complement to the raspberry sorbet. I love Charles B. Mitchel Vineyards Cucamonga Valley Old vine Zinfandel Port (California).

3 large eggs 6 tablespoons sugar ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract ž cup cake flour, sifted

2 pints raspberry sorbet 5 large egg whites 2/3 cup superfine or granulated sugar

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and position a rack in the lower third of the oven. Butter the sides of a 9-inch round cake pan and dust with flour.

Place a generous scoop of sorbet atop each cake round.

Transfer the sheet to the freezer until frozen solid, about an hour.

In a standing mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the eggs and 6 tablespoons sugar at high speed until they are thick, pale, and tripled in volume, about 5 minutes.

Use a hand whisk to gently but thoroughly fold in the vanilla and flour. Spread the batter evenly in the prepared pan and bake until the cake pulls away from the sides of the top and is golden brown, about 20 minutes. Cool the cake.

Beat the egg whites in a clean bowl at high speed until they are foamy. Gradually add the 2/3 cup of sugar. Beat until the meringue is smooth, glossy, and holds stiff peaks.

Run a knife around the edge of the cake to loosen and then invert onto a plate. Remove the parchment paper. With a long serrated knife, cut the cake horizontally into 2 layers.

Place the layers on a flat surface and cut out 8 rounds using a 3-inch cutter. Arrange the rounds on the lined baking sheet.

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Remove the cake and sorbet rounds from the freezer.

Working quickly spread the meringue over the top and sides of the sorbet and cake. Swirl the meringue in a decorative pattern. Return to the freezer until needed.

Just before serving, preheat the oven to 500 degrees F and position a rack as low as possible. Quickly brown the meringue and serve immediately. Makes 8 servings.

For more information about Mary's recipes visit marycech.com

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Mens

Designer Spotlight

National Content

Fall 2012

Haute Hotel & High Fashion Godfrey Deeny

This Fall season reigning heavyweight champion of Italian fashion Giorgio Armani, staged two runway shows, launched a new underwear campaign with singer Rihanna and welcomed guests into his newly-opened mega clean and opulent Armani Hotel Milano, his luxury inn’s first fashion season.

The huge influence of Asian and Thirties elegance in this designer’s aesthetic was evident both in his

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hotel and on his runway, as the soft shouldered suits and non-colors of cement and slate of his latest show, echoed the curvy pre-war style sofas, desks and walls, as well as the understated hues of

Designer Spotlight

his classy high-tech home.

Presented in Armani’s custom-made show theatre on Tuesday, Jan. 17, his fall 2012 menswear collection was more path-breaking than many recent shows – even containing some natty examples of a huge Milan trend, knitted trousers, though in this case, they were cut like tapered jogging pants, albeit with triple pleated pants.

“Quite frankly, I feel more comfortable in large pants rather than tight ones. Everyone does. And comfort is an essential part of luxury,” Armani said.

He also went outside the envelope with a new airy tweed, rejecting its rural tradition for a beautifully deconstructed silhouette, seen in a series of rather 56

magisterially suits. Hyper-thick felt wool used in casual double-breasted jackets and in audacious biker jackets meet cardigans, followed by a sextet of mannequins in rugged velour mountain jackets worn over Armani’s new ribbed cord jogging trousers were a testament to how this septuagenarian designer still keeps his ideas fresh.

Designer Spotlight

Two days before in Emporio Armani, his choice of tasseled, golfing loafers, waffle nylon mini jackets

National Content

and dashing aviator in search of a party faded leather jackets in smoke gray and anthracite had

plenty of youthful elan too. Though the fashion pack will probably best remember this season for the designer’s hotel.

“The hotel is very important. We have had an incredible echo from people and the media. They both found a scent of Armani in every speck of the place. The quality of materials and taste should help people understand the aesthetics I strongly believe in. I feel at ease there, like in my own home. Plus, you can see from the hotel that my clothes and the way I live have very similar aesthetics,” insisted Armani.

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Burberry

Hardy Amies

National Content

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Gucci

Ticking in Sync

By Julie Vaughan Have you ever wondered where the colloquial phrase “on the ball” came from? Webber Clay Ball is the name behind the meaning. Ball was born in Fredericktown, Ohio on October 6, 1847.

There once was a period in history when exact time just wasn’t necessary. To a large extent, the development of the watch industry in America can be attributed to the start and development of American railroads. Prior to the arrival of trains as a means of transporting people and goods, there was no real need for precise timekeeping or uniform time.

Even after the railroad system, communities continued to maintain their local times. However, by the end of 1883, the railroad industry had agreed, at least among themselves, to divide the nation in four time zones and they adopted Standard Time. The public soon followed suit.

An infamous head-on collision of two trains between Lake Shore and Michigan Southern Railways at Kipton, Ohio on April 19, 1891 marked the moment of valuing precise time.

The tragedy, killing about 11 people, allegedly occurred because an engineer’s watch had stopped, unnoticed, for about four minutes.

This catastrophe has left a lasting impression. Consequently, the two largest railway companies in the United States decided to take steps to prevent such a technical failure from ever happening again. They contacted the Cleveland watchmaker Webster Clay Ball, already well known for making chronometers. Appointed ‘Chief Time Inspector’ to the federal railroads, Ball performed timing tests on all railway employees’ watches. At the same time, he implemented a time standardization system based on extremely strict criteria of reliability and precision. From that moment on, the fame of watches bearing the ‘Ball’s Standard’ logo spread well beyond the American continent.

Implementing his plan immediately, Ball put in place nightly checks on all watches used by railway workers.

Approved watchmakers were hired to create meticulous and precise watches for all the workers. With strict standards, Ball forbid variations more than 30 seconds among the watches. The Swiss manual wind movement made this accuracy possible. Watches were tested and regulated in five positions before being certified for railroad use by Ball.

His early inspection system began the vast Ball network, which eventually encompassed 75% of the railroads 60

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It is one of the most respected and established watch brands in the United States. They continue to update the product range in the 21st Century to keep pace with the shifting consumer patterns.

throughout the country and covered at least 175,000 miles of railroad. Ball also extended his system into Mexico and Canada. Having greatly contributed to the security of all railroad systems, The Horological Institute of America celebrated his efforts on October 20, 1921. He died in 1922.

Ball is recognized and applauded for his system regulating accurate time and generating watch standards. It was the first successful system to be accepted on a broad scale. It was his system that set the standard for railroads; it was his system that helped establish accuracy and uniformity in timekeeping. It was his system that resulted in railroad time and railroad watches being recognized as standard, whenever accuracy in time was required. It became common knowledge when the average person asks a railroad man for the time, he was assured an accurate answer.

Ball Watch Company developed numerous advertising campaigns directed at the adventurous Americans of every era. Early advertisements targeted solely the railroad industry, then gradually expanded to include the pioneering travelers of the rails. The focal point of all these presentations remain the same – since 1891, Accuracy under adverse conditions.

Spirit of adventure, love of challenges and endurance are the common denominators of Ball watches. Today, more than 62

ever, Ball is continuing its journey and asserting its role as a key protagonist in the watch making history. It is one of the most respected and established watch brands in the United States. They continue to update the product range in the 21st Century to keep pace with the shifting consumer patterns.

Collections, cleverly named after railway positions, lead with as much style as they do accuracy. Just to name a few, Conductor, Engineer II, Engineer Master II, Engineer Hydrocarbon, Fireman and Trainmaster are classic lines they currently carry. Their classic design and their natural elegance personify the remarkable technical developments in an understated stylish manner.

Technology transformed the traditional timepiece into something even more distinctive and irreplaceable. One of the exclusive qualities of BALL watches is the perfect dial visibility even in the complete absence of any light thanks to the use of Micro Gas Lights (3H). With Automatic watch accuracy and water, temperature and shock resistance, Ball Watches have increased durability to handle more opposing conditions than its original model. But despite changes in appearance, the founding spirit of the brand – industrial function – is never compromised. Their focus is to build the mightiest, superior watches that endure all adverse conditions. www.lxmagazine.com

Champagne: Fine Anytime

by William Anderson

T

he “Devil’s Wine,” as the monks who created it dubbed the volatile spirit, has become the staple of our celebrations, an object of affection and obsession for rappers, crucial for the christening of ships, a bartender’s secret weapon in scores of dazzling cocktails and has secured its place in our culture as the highlight of high society. In the world of spirits, champagne is a relative newcomer with a short history, but this effervescent elixir has had little trouble garnering popularity and status amongst vinophiles and cocktail connoisseurs worldwide.

The Champagne region of France has been producing grapes and exquisite wines since the Romans first planted vineyards there in the fifth century, but it wasn’t until Benedictine monks living there accidentally created le vin du diable by introducing a small amount of sugar to the wine before corking. When bottles began exploding in their wine cellars, the monks began wearing heavy iron masks before checking on their fermentations to avoid injuries from exploding bottles.

The legendary monk Dom Perignon is often credited with the discovery of champagne, but documentation of champagne and the fermenting practices it requires predate Monsieur Perignon by several decades. He did, however, pioneer a practice still in use today: a wire net used to secure the cork to the bottle to prevent the pressure from prematurely popping the top.

His dedication to this spirit and pioneering methods helped foster its popularity and paved the way for sparkling winemakers around the world. In his honor, French winemaker Moët et Chandon created a champagne as legendary as the monk, and it has become one of the most prestigious and sought after champagnes in the world.

“Dom is popular mostly because of its rarity – the fact that it’s hard to get,” explains Beau Vondra, representative for a large food and spirits retailer. “They limit the amount that they make, and as a result, a lot of high-end champagnes will only produce 500 to 900 cases per year. Supply and demand drives the price up.”

The demand for luxury champagnes has grown exponentially in recent years. Vondra’s store has seen increased demand for Dom Perignon and Cristal, the vin de choix of rappers, movie stars, and celebrities. While some may balk at the price tag, Vonda would remind them that with it comes a rarity, an age, and a mastering of the art of champagne-making that is rivaled by none. Still, he notes that high end champagnes owe much to pop-culture for their popularity.

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For consumers who might be in the market for something a bit more modestly priced, the champagne industry offers a wide variety of options from various vineyards, and a seemingly endless range of options based on taste and price. The Sotheby’s Wine Encyclopedia explains the range of sweet to dry champagnes: Doux is the sweetest of all champagnes with over 50 grams of sugar per liter, and scaling towards the dryer, less-sweetened end are demi-sec, sec, extra dry, brut (the most popular type of champagne with less than 15 grams of sugar per liter), extra brut, and brut natural (with less than 3 grams of sugar per liter).

Tom Slattery, the general manager of a wine and spirits store, says that he gets asked questions about champagnes and sparkling wines more often than most products.

“Champagne used to be such an exclusive drink, reserved for celebrations, but adding it as a mixer allows it to be casually enjoyed in an every-day fashion.”

“It’s one of the most misconceived products on the market, when really it’s just wine with a bubble,” Slattery explains. “The regionality of champagne is more important than the various styles. It is one of the most misunderstood products on the market, probably because of the generic use of the term.”

Most American consumers refer to all sparkling wines as champagne, when in fact it is not true. Champagne, by law, is a term that can only be applied to wines produced in the Champagne region of France. America, however, is certainly becoming a more prominent player in the sparkling wine industry, as John Thuringer, a fine wine specialist for Republic National Distributing Company explains.

“What really put American sparkling wine on the map was Schramsberg,” he notes. “Nixon brought it on his trip to China in 1976. This marked the first time that an American President had used a non-French sparkling wine at an official White House function. The wine was such a hit that it has been used by every President since.”

Nestled in the heart of Napa Valley, Schramsberg is a pioneer in the American sparkling wine industry and is a leading producer of fine sparkling wines worldwide.

Those less discerning about dryness, sweetness, or regionality may enjoy one of the many popular champagne-based cocktails that have been increasing in demand at bars and restaurants in recent years. Taking things a step further than your average mimosa, a Flirtini is a martini made with vodka, Cointreau, champagne and pineapple juice.

Another popular use for champagne is in a bellini, or, “The Italian Margarita.” A delightful blend of frozen peach nectar, white wine, champagne and rum, finished with a hearty swirl of sangria, a bellini is the perfect after-dinner cocktail. “It satisfies both men’s and women’s taste buds,” explains Nicole Webster, a banquet manager with much experience in mixology. “Champagne used to be such an exclusive drink, reserved for celebrations, but adding it as a mixer allows it to be casually enjoyed in an every-day fashion.”

While cocktails like these strive to incorporate champagne into an average night out, many still consider champagne something to be consumed in celebration. You might not find the average American family sitting down with a bottle of brut over dinner, but weddings, birthdays, holidays and promotions offer the most popular opportunities to lift spirits with bubbling elixir. For these occasions, people will always turn to champagne to commemorate and celebrate; however, as Thuringer notes, bars and restaurants are onto something by adding champagne to featured cocktails.

“The direction is there where there are so many affordable whites that it doesn’t have to be reserved for holidays and special events,” Thuringer says. “Champagne is fine anytime.”

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