Scene Magazine

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A passion for giving Amazing women who found their calling — and themselves — in helping others

QUICK FIXES for face and body

DETOX DIETS Do they work?

HOLIDAY BRILLIANCE Divine dresses, standout gifts, perfect parties

WINTER 2009-2010

U.S. $5.95

INSIDE: SPACES MAGAZINE — design, décor and more 3 SCENE MAGAZINE HOLIDAY ISSUE 2009 l

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welldesigned wellmade wellpriced wellworth it

CLASSIC DESIGN. MODERN PERSPECTIVE .

SM

S A N J O S E oakridge mall 925 blossom hill rd. 408.227.4900 S A R AT O G A westgate west shopping ctr. 5285 prospect rd. 408.996.9400 S A L I N A S / M O N T E R E Y westridge center 1425 north davis rd. 831.753.9100 ETHANALLEN.COM Š2009 ETHAN ALLEN GLOBAL, INC.

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Get Allergy Relief Without Shots, Drugs or Painful Testing.

Safe and Effective for All Ages New Laser Technology 0 Quick & Convenient Appointments Food Allergies * Dairy * Seasonal Allergies * Skin Irritations * $ $* Hay Fever * Migraines * Pollens * Other Allergy-Related Symptoms * Environmental Causes

LIVE ALLERGY-FREE AND DRUG-FREE NOW!

ALLERGICARE RELIEF CENTERS 877.847.6005 5 Locations: Gilro) * Monterey * Campbell/San Jose * Capitola * Redwood City Call us for a complimentary initial evaluation without obligation!

HOLIDAY 2009 SCENE 3 l

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WE HAVE TOO MUCH FURNITURE...

Quality Home Furnishings for Every Room in Your Home

1231 Comstock Street, Santa Clara / www.easternfurniture.com / 408.727.3772

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...AND NOT ENOUGH SPACE

Now, at unbelievable sale pricing from 50% to 70% off msrp on a large selection of factory overstocked merchandise.

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11/3/09 10:07 AM

MEREDITH WILLSON’S

T

he irresistible rascal Harold Hill is coming to San Jose, complete with 76 Trombones, Trouble in River City, Wells Fargo Wagon and a barbershop quartet singing Lida Rose. Will Marian the Librarian succumb to his charms?

Find out January 15, 16,& 17 in San Jose’s sumptuous California Theatre Broadway star BRENT BARRETT leads an all star cast telling the story and singing the songs with a 50-piece orchestra led by BARBARA DAy TuRNER.

January 15,16 & 17 Only!

SPONSORED BY:

WELLS FARGO

Supported in part by a Cultural Affairs grant from the City of San Jose.

Saturday,December12,2009 8:00pm Symphony Silicon Valley Chorale leads a festive program of holiday favorites. Sing traditional carols along with the Chorale; delight in an exultant brass quintet by early Baroque master Gabrieli; and celebrate the season with music in the golden glow of the California Theatre.

The Four SeaSonS Saturday, Dec. 5, 2009 at 8:00 pm Sunday, Dec. 6, 2009 at 2:30 pm

Stephen Prutsman

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Pamela Hakl

Christina Mok

Conductor: STephen pruTSman Oboist: pamela hakl Violinist: ChriSTina mok Tomaso Albinoni Oboe Concerto No. 5 in D minor Ottorino Respighi Trittico Botticelliano Antonio Vivaldi The Four Seasons

408 286-2600 ext 23 CALIFORNIA THEATRE 345 S. First St. SJ 95113

www.symphonysiliconvalley.org

11/4/09 8:38 AM

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The more the merrier. UGG Australia. ®

‘Tis the season for UGG® Australia. See our incredible selection for men, women and kids now, at your nearest Nordstrom store and nordstrom.com.

1.800.933.3365

Discover more. nordstrom.com Floorline. Floorline

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11/3/09 2:26 PM

3O% to 65% off department store prices every day

ďŹ nd it love it give it for less theitstore

forholidaygifts sunnyvale

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san ramon

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visit our clearance center in milpitas at 128 ranch drive

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tableof contents

78 68 58

Features 58 Winter style The season’s distinctive fashions find inspiration in classics from decades past.

By Donna Kato and Joanne Ho-Young Lee

68 Shoe fetish Multiple choice: be bold, be demure, just don’t be timid.

By Donna Kato and Joanne Ho-Young Lee

78 Holiday dressing Evening wear that’s colorful, elegant and just plain fun.

By Donna Kato and Joanne Ho-Young Lee

78 Icons Mari Ellen Loijens, Humaira Ghilzai, Laurie Rohrbach — extraordinary women whose zest for life is matched by a spirit for giving.

By Julia Prodis Sulek

109 SPACES Holiday tabletops, designers at home, and much more.

86 Community Kathryn Besser brings people together, one party at a time.

By Julia Prodis Sulek. Photos by Patrick Tehan

Information about image at top left on Page 154

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‘TIS THE SEASON TO SAVE. ADIDAS, AMERICAN APPAREL, BANANA REPUBLIC FACTORY STORE, BCBGMAXAZRIA, COLE HAAN. 145 STORES. CONVERSE, DKNY JEANS, GUESS, J.CREW, KENNETH COLE, MICHAEL KORS, NIKE, NINE WEST, SAKS FIFTH AVENUE OFF 5TH, SKECHERS, TOMMY HILFIGER, ZALES OUTLET AND MORE. SAVINGS OF 25% TO 65% EVERY DAY.

LEGENDARY BRANDS. ABUNDANT SELECTION. REAL SAVINGS. Enjoy additional holiday savings at www.premiumoutlets.com/vip GILROY, CA % HWY. 101, EXIT LEAVESLEY ROAD % (408) 842-3729 VISIT PREMIUMOUTLETS.COM FOR HOLIDAY HOURS % GIFT CARDS AVAILABLE ON-SITE AND ONLINE

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tableofcontents

72

102

92

Departments

26 92 The Interview ;PUH :LLSPN JHU OLSW Q\TW Z[HY[ `V\Y SPML

By Melinda Sacks

94 Entertaining 20 The Insider What’s new, what’s happening, here and now.

26 Indulge Sparkly jewels light up the season.

By Crystal Chow

35 Shop Talk ;OYLL VM [OL ILZ[ WSHJLZ [V ÄUK [OH[ WLYMLJ[ NPM[

By Crystal Chow

43 Body & Soul Detox diets are all the rage. But do they work?

By Melinda Sacks

51 Beauty Report 8\PJR Ä_LZ MVY `V\Y MHJL ULJR HUK [\TT` SL[ `V\ SVVR your best for the holidays.

By Nerissa Pacio

72 Shopping 3HZ =LNHZ PZ HSS HIV\[ [OL TLYJOHUKPZL IHI`

By Crystal Chow

-VYTLY ]HSSL` L_LJ\[P]L :\L )PSSH[»Z ZLJYL[Z [V throwing a great party.

By Crystal Chow

102 Getaways ( S\_L VHZPZ PU [OL ]HSSL` WYV]PKLZ YLZWP[L MYVT [OL daily grind.

By Mike Frankel

159 Behind the Scenes ;OL HY[PZ[Z HUK Z[`SPZ[Z ^OV THRL [OL MHZOPVU THNPJ

160 Seen Looking good at the Hispanic Charity Ball, who’s ^OV H[ [OL :HU 1VZL 4\ZL\T VM (Y[ NHSH HUK :JLUL»Z JVTPUN V\[ WHY[`

162 Good Works *LSLIYH[L *OYPZ[THZ ;YLL ,SLNHUJL · HUK contribute to a great cause.

162 Win a Makeover! ,U[LY [V ^PU :JLUL»Z YLHKLY JVU[LZ[ · H NYLH[ WYPaL MVY `V\ HUK H IVU\Z MVY V[OLYZ IV[O MYVT )SVVTPUNKHSL»Z

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It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas... " " "

s " "

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Area’s largest

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Campbell (408) 377-8880

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Open Everyday for your Shopping Convenience

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Editor & Publisher Katharine Fong Art Director Rebecca Hall-Lucero

Welcome to Scene — the Silicon Valley woman’s guide to style

Special Publications Manager Kristine M. Carber Contributing Fashion & Beauty Editor Donna Kato

We are thrilled to bring you the essential guide to the people, shops and services, and up-to-the-minute developments on the local style front. You’re on Scene’s exclusive distribution list because we know you’re a trendsetter who helps set the pace in our valley’s distinctive culture.

One of the joys of being a woman in Silicon Valley is the astonishing array of choices you have, especially in finding new ways to look good and feel better. You like to take care of yourself in every way. And you want to know about the latest trends and advances on topics such as beauty, wellness and fashion that will help you present your best self to the world.

We’ve created Scene to meet this need, and to serve you.

This is what you can expect in every issue: a showcase of the most exciting clothes and accessories of the season, the most luxurious and effective beauty treatments, the most appealing examples of home décor and design.

Our team seeks out leading health and medical professionals, and experts from top salons, studios, day spas and medi-spas. We meticulously report on the latest thinking, treatments and products.

But just like the multifaceted women who reside here, there is much more in the pages of Scene. Most significantly, we highlight strong, intelligent women — icons and leaders who make a difference in the community. We explore what drives them and what makes their aesthetic so distinctive, be they a fashion maven, Web developer, CEO or great party planner.

We hope you’ll enjoy Scene and find it an indispensable tool in making some of your important choices. We can’t wait to hear what you think. We’re forming an advisory group to help us shape future issues. If you’re interested, please let us know at scene@mercurynews.com.

Contributing Writers Crystal Chow Julia Prodis Sulek Contributing Photographers Joanne Ho-Young Lee Patrick Tehan Copy Editors Rebecca Parr Kathy Sweeney

Scene Magazine Vol. 1, No. 1, ©2009-2010 by the Bay Area News Group.

All rights reserved.

Material herein may not be reprinted without expressed written consent of the publisher.

Visit us at SceneBayArea.com

Photo: Josie Lepe

Make sure you receive every issue of Scene Magazine. Email scene@mercurynews.com, or write to Scene Magazine, 750 Ridder Park Dr., San Jose, CA 95190.

Katharine Fong Editor & Publisher WINTER 2009/2010 SCENE 17 l

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contributors

Joanne Ho-Young Lee specializes in portraiture as well as wedding, fashion and boudoir photography.

An award-winning photojournalist formerly at the San Jose Mercury News, she is based in Silicon Valley (www.joanneleephotography.com), but travels the world for business and pleasure.

Donna Kato — fashion expert, trend-spotter and style editor — is a longtime journalist who has covered fashion, retail and the beauty industries.

She helps consumers understand and incorporate into their lives both practical and cutting-edge design. Currently a principal in an early-stage technology venture, she can be reached at DonnaKato@FifthRowFashion.com.

Julia Prodis Sulek is a feature writer and general assignment reporter for the San Jose Mercury News. She is a Pulitzer Prize finalist whose work has been nationally recognized. Julia also co-founded www.lookiloos.com, which gives readers a peek into the style and stories of Silicon Valley homes and gardens.

Join us!

2010 Editorial Calendar President & Publisher San Jose Mercury News Mac Tully Vice President, Advertising & Marketing Bay Area News Group Michael Turpin

Spring issue - publishing April 2 Spring fashion, green style, green living

Fall issue - publishing August 13 Fall arts, fall fashion, nurture your mind and body

Holiday - publishing November 19 Holiday glamour, giving back, gifts galore

Director, Retail Advertising San Jose Mercury News Ginny Banuelos

Targeted Publications Director John Stoeser Training Manager Julie Bouslog Advertising Production Manager Cissi Holmgren-Kates Advertising Design Timothy Tsun For advertising information, call 408-920-2753. ©2009-2010 Bay Area News Group.

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theinsider Get ready for the Green Ball

A handmade card by South Bay artist Pam Bliss.

Green tech meets clean tech at the first annual Green Ball, which salutes “the leadership and vision of a sustainable future” and benefits Goodwill of Silicon Valley (www. siliconvalleygreenball.com). Feb. 27, 2010, at the San Jose Convention Center. Dress code: refurbished or renewed; for eco-style tips, see www. goodwillsv.org.

Celebrate crafts by women Find gorgeous, one-of-a-kind holiday gifts and support the work of the nation’s best women artisans and fine artists at the 31st annual Celebration of Craftswomen, at Fort Mason Center in San Francisco. More than 200 artists will be in attendance at the event, sponsored by and benefiting the Women’s Building in S.F. South Bay participants include Pam Bliss, Geri Comstock, Jennifer Norton and Willy Scholten, all of San Jose. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Nov. 28-29 and Dec. 5-6. Information: 650-615-6838 or www. celebrationofcraftswomen.org.

Need a mani with those cold meds?

Coming soon to select Silicon Valley CVS drug stores: upscale beauty brands as well as minimanicures, hand massages and quick facials. Even a make-up application for a night out is a few steps away from the cold meds and candy aisle. Called Beauty 360 and launched a year ago in Washington, D.C., the concept shops are adjacent to regular CVS locations. Besides offering spa-like professional services, Beauty 360 carries prestige brands usually not seen in drug stores and mass retailers, such as Canyon Ranch, Paula Dorf, Freeze 24/7, Vincent Longo, Dr. Brandt Skincare, StriVectin and Ahava.

“It brings a high-service, professional experience that’s experimental and merges it with the convenience of a drug store,” said Erin Pena, spokeswoman for CVS Caremark, the parent company.

Locations are chosen in markets where sales of beauty products are exceedingly high. Three Beauty 360 shops are slated to open in early 2010 in the San Jose area, though exact locales are still TBA.

what’s new, what’s happening, here and now Hlaska bag: handsome and functional.

New guys in town Luxury retailer Hlaska, launched four years ago by local designer Anthony Mazzei and YouTube co-founder Chad Hurley, is staking out territory in Silicon Valley. Swanky new boutiques in Santana Row and Stanford Shopping Center have opened their doors just in time for the holidays. They will carry Hlaska’s signature lines of men’s accessories such as bags, wallets and neckties, as well as a new men’s apparel line.

Contributors: Donna Kato, Crystal Chow

Drug store chain CVS plans to open several Beauty 360 shops in Silicon Valley.

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wall bed by Califor nia Closets

be droom : simplified

garage home office family room media room

Visit our showroom!

Visit our showroom!

Call today for a free in-home consultation Call today for a free in-home consultation 408.392.0400 | californiaclosets.com 408.392.0400 | californiaclosets.com 1510 Oakland Road, Suite 130, San Jose, CA 95112 26366 Carmel Rancho Lane, Suite E,Suite Carmel, 1510 Oakland Road, 130,CA San93923 Jose

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theinsider

SWG: shopping while giving MAC’s Cards of Hope This year, MAC’s annual holiday cards illustrated by children for a children’s charity take on the theme, “Magic, Mirth and Mischief!” The line includes gift tags as well, and 100 percent of proceeds go to pediatric HIV/AIDS organizations.

Designs feature drawings of children playing basketball, jump-roping and walking in the rain. $6.50 for six cards, $6.50 for 12 tags, available at MAC stores (Valley Fair) and MACCosmetics. com. The theme also has inspired a holiday line of makeup that includes shimmery eye shadows and lip glosses with names like “Midnight Madness” and “It’s a Miracle.”

Kiehl’s, KAWS and a cure Cult favorite artist KAWS has created limited edition labels for Kiehl’s cult favorite Creme de Corps bottles, with sales benefitting RxArt, a children’s charity. The cream is available in three sizes ranging in price from $26.50 to $70 and is available at Kiehl’s locations in Valley Fair and Stanford Shopping Center in time for holiday gift-giving.

Kiehl’s also is continuing its support of HIV/AIDS charities by partnering with amfAR, The Foundation for AIDS Research. On Dec. 1 it introduces Hand Care for a Cure, a version of its Ultimate Strength Hand Salve. All net profits from each $12.50 tube sold goes to the cause.

The World AIDS Day hand cream features a unique design of the red ribbon created out of red hand prints, symbolizing the many hands that AIDS has affected as well as the many hands working together to find a cure.

Santa Paws is coming!

Bring your canines and felines to Santana Row’s Park Valencia on Dec. 6, 11 a.m.–2 p.m., for a keepsake photo with Santa. A portion of the $20 fee benefits Humane Society Silicon Valley. Registration begins at 10:30 a.m. More info: 408-551-4611 or www.santanarow.com.

Enter Scene’s contest and win a makeover!

Got a BFF who’s making the world a better place? Tell us about her and you can both win a makeover! Scene magazine and Bloomingdale’s Stanford are offering a day of beauty for two, and Bloomie’s will make a charitable donation in your name. All you have to do is nominate a gal pal — or even your mom — as a woman who’s doing her part to give back.

Deadline is Jan. 22, 2010. Details on Page 162.

‘Kiss away poverty’ That’s the name of a campaign running through February 2010

by FusionBeauty, creators of Infatuation, a liquid shine that claims to plump your pout without resorting to a needle. Available in six shades, Infatuation can fatten your lips with daily application “within 28 days.” One dollar of every sale goes to the Seven Bar Foundation to help women through microfinance institutes around the world. $29. Available at Sephora, Ulta and other retailers. www.fusionbeauty.com.

Eat, drink, drop off Santana Row partners with the Second Harvest Food Bank with “Shop, Enjoy & Give” every Tuesday Nov. 24 through Dec. 22. Buy a $20 ticket and enjoy wine and food tastings plus discounts at Row shops and restaurants.

Drop off a canned food item at the Concierge and get $3 off the ticket.

All proceeds go to Second Harvest.

Info at www.santanarow.com.

Also at the Row: Drop off a new or gently used coat at four locations (Crate & Barrel, Borders, Sur La Table and CineArts) Nov. 27 through Dec. 31 and help One Warm Coat supply coats for Bay Area needy. Donate on Black Friday (Nov. 27) and receive a special gift while supplies last.

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‘ F I N E ’ Q UA L I T Y F I N I S H E D F U R N I T U R E

Inspiring Dreams Beyond Expectations

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FINE QUALITY FURNITURE

Dining + Bedrooms + Custom Wall Units + TV Consoles + Home Office Serving the Bay Area since 1997 942 BLOSSOM HILL ROAD SAN JOSE CALIFORNIA 408.578.8000

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WHY SETTLE FOR LESS THAN PERFECTION The Hearts On Fire Diamond Engagement Ring set in platinum starting at $1,950 View our entire collection at heartsonfire.com

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Diamond and 18-karat yellow gold and platinum rings by Jean Schlumberger for Tiffany & Co. Clockwise from top: tanzanite daisy basket, $77,000; pink tourmaline daisy basket, $58,000; green tourmaline flower, $37,000.

holiday on ice

By Crystal Chow

Look your best with these sparkling gems It may not snow in the South Bay, but there’s plenty of ice to be found. The season of diamonds is upon us, with shiny carats as plentiful as wind-tossed leaves. But, truth be told, our hearts are open to gemstones and precious metals of all kinds, so long as they rock a holiday outfit. We feel merry just looking at these.

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Begin an enduring love affair.

Annual Calendar Ref. 4936G, Calatrava rings.

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indulge Custom-made pendant of platinum, 1.68 carat pearshaped diamond and .27 carat pave-set diamonds by Joe Escobar Diamonds, approximately $13,135.

Custom-made platinum ring with cushion-cut 3.40 carat blue sapphire with half-moon and pave-set diamonds, 1.42 total carat weight, by Joe Escobar Diamonds, approximately $12,200.

Victorian-style diamond and black enamel bracelet from Tiffany & Co., $90,000.

Handmade platinum-center diamond earrings with micro melee diamonds from Gleim the Jeweler, $9,900 to $16,000.

Hand-made 18-karat white gold bracelet with 22.17 total carat weight brilliant diamonds from Gleim the Jeweler, $80,000.

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Studded crystal bangles by Chamak

by Priya Kakkar at Bloomingdale’s,

Avenue Squared watch by Harry

set of two, $70.

Winston, 18-karat white gold and 5.34 total carat diamonds, from CH Premier Jewelers, $51,700.

18-karat white and rose gold locket with diamonds, .40 total carat weight, from Joe Escobar Diamonds, from $4,165.

Earrings with square-cut emeralds, 2.7 carats each, set in yellow gold, with 28 diamonds, 1.08 carat total, set in white gold from Vardy’s Jewelers, $9,800.

3/4-carat natural orange diamond set in diamondencrusted cup made from alloy of bright yellow 18-karat gold, plus platinum with round brilliantcut diamonds. One-of-a-kind design from Vardy’s Jewelers, $12,995.

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Photo by Chuck Nash for Mansoor & Gore Jewelers

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Left to right, 18-karat, 1.71 total carat weight diamond earrings, $2,750; 18-karat chain, $785; 22-karat linked Keshi pearl necklace, $665; 22-karat moonstone ring, $1,345; 18-karat linked necklace, $1,985. All items from Mansoor & Gore.

Where to find the gems Bloomingdale’s 1 Stanford Shopping Center, Palo Alto 650.463.2000 www.bloomingdales.com

Joe Escobar Diamonds 450 E. Hamilton Ave., Campbell 408.341.0300 www.joeescobardiamonds.com

CH Premier Jewelers Westfield Valley Fair 2855 Stevens Creek Blvd., Santa Clara 408.983.2688, www.chpremier.com

Mansoor & Gore Jewelers 530 Ramona St., Palo Alto 650.327.5667 www.mansoorgore.com

Davidson & Licht Westfield Valley Fair 2855 Stevens Creek Blvd., Santa Clara 408-247-1767 www.davidsonandlicht.com

Tiffany & Co. Westfield Valley Fair 2855 Stevens Creek Blvd., Santa Clara 408.243.7771 149 Stanford Shopping Center, Palo Alto 650.328.2552 www.tiffany.com

Gleim the Jeweler 111 Stanford Shopping Center, Palo Alto 650.325.3533 350 Main St., Los Altos 650.949.1122 www.gleimjewelers.com

Vardy’s Jewelers 10227 S. De Anza Blvd., Cupertino 408.446.2900 vardysjewelers.com

18-karat gold and semi-precious gemstone earrings from the Jaipur collection at Davidson & Licht. $1,420.

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速

MORE PEOPLE ON THE EDGE OF MORE SEATS.

Come see and test drive the all-new Panamera.

1.9

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Long term financing for above average approved credit on all 2009 Porsches. Excludes 911 GT2.

IF ONLY EVERYTHING WERE THIS CLEAR. INTRODUCING THE PORSCHE MOMENT. An exceptional chance to seize 1.9% APR financing and compelling lease offers. Visit Porsche dealership to learn more about current inventory and special offers, then take a test drive and experience all the latest technological advancements on one of the already legendary sports cars. Ends January 4, 2010.

PORSCHE. THERE IS NO SUBSTITUTE.

3636 Haven Ave., Redwood City, CA 94063 (650) 701-9200 www.carlsenporsche.com

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11/3/09 11:16 AM

ALL-NEW 2010 PROGRAM WITH LIVE ORCHESTRA

JAN. 2-7 San Francisco Opera House

JAN. 8-10

San Jose Center for the Performing Arts

JAN. 11-12

Sacramento Community Center Theater Delight your soul with an extraordinary experience of beauty, color, and energy—classical Chinese dance brought to life in a grand production.

Breathtaking backdrops, thunderous drums, and unforgettable music make this a show not to miss. Part of a 20-country world tour.

TICKETS: (888) 569-2009 SFShow.net

ShenYunPerformingArts.org Presented by New Tang Dynasty TV - San Francisco

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11/4/09 10:33 AM

shoptalk

Ladera Garden and Gifts

Fleur

Vintage & Vogue

3 places to find unique trinkets and treasures Most of us don’t need a reason to visit gift stores. They exist, and so we go. But when the occasion calls for especially thoughtful remembrances for family and friends, boutiques like these are a true shopper’s delight.

Story by Crystal Chow Photos by Kerry Hiroshi Paul

Gifted WINTER 2009/2010 SCENE 35 l

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$100 OFF A COMPLETE PAIR OF GLASSES* *Offer valid on the purchase of frames and lenses. Not valid with any other offers, discounts, coupons or insurance programs. Some restrictions may apply. See store for details. Offer expires 11/30/09.

Get a 2nd Pair of Glasses FREE! Get a Free Pair of Glasses for You or Anyone in Your Family with the Purchase of Any First Pair** **Offer valid on the purchase of frames and lenses. Free second pair of prescription eyeglasses can be chosen from our large special frame selection with single vision clear lenses.

Not valid with any other offers, discounts, coupons or insurance programs. Some restrictions may apply. See store for details. Offer expires 11/30/09.

Visit before December 31st to take advantage of flex spending insurance dollars!

Now accepting more insurance plans than ever!

PALO ALTO 650.327.2020 479 University Ave.

LOS GATOS 408.399.8003 53 N. Santa Cruz Ave.

SiteForSoreEyes.com/ Book an eye exam appointment online today.

Eye examinations are available by Sterling Vision Care, a California-licensed Vision Health Care Service Plan.

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shoptalk

Mercedes and Juan Navarro, left and right, are the owners of Ladera Garden and Gifts. Mary Adams, center, runs the boutique.

Ladera Garden and Gifts 3130 Alpine Road, Suite 380, Portola Valley 650.854.3850 | Hours: 9-6 Monday through Saturday, 9-5 Sunday

Unless you live in the vicinity of Ladera Garden and Gifts in Portola Valley, it’s probably not on your incredible-places-to-shop radar. But if you enjoy impressing friends and relatives with your exemplary taste and thoughtfulness, it should be.

The full-service nursery is a find in itself for its variety of stunning flowers, plants and related wares. That said, it’s more than possible you might also end up taking home scented candles or hand soaps, a couple of woven throw pillows, semi-precious jewelry or even an entire set of dinnerware. Such goods are a tiny representation of the treasures to be found in the “Gifts’’ portion of Ladera, the realized dream of owners Juan and Mercedes Navarro.

“If not now, when?’’ Mercedes Navarro said three years ago when space adjoining the couple’s decades-old nursery became available. They asked a longtime customer, Mary Adams, to be the boutique’s buyer/manager, a role Adams fulfills with warmth and style.

“There are so many price points,’’ she notes helpfully — from $5 lip balms in spherical tins to decorative iron furniture by designer Jan Barboglio that sells for thousands of dollars.

Birdhouses handcrafted in Texas from recycled materials are a favorite, as are large linen wall charts featuring birds and botanical scenes, Mark Roberts Christmas fairies and beauty products by Mistral. A kids’ corner includes books, cuddly Jellycat stuffed animals and other delights for the small fry.

For the harried shopper, the complimentary gift wrapping is a bonus. Chocolate-brown boxes are adorned with chic organza ribbons — all you need do is bestow the present, then wait for the kisses and hugs.

Items for the home range from art pieces and glassware to all kinds of candles.

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shoptalk Fleur 8063 Aptos St., Aptos 831.685.0606 or 831.685.3636 Hours: 11-5 Tuesday through Saturday

Drop by the gift shop Fleur in Aptos, and you automatically become a guest of its owner, Nancy Keil. That’s because this gracious “hostess’’ lives in the tiny pink-andwhite cottage in whose parlor all the pretty things are.

“I carry things people want and need,’’ Keil says of the nicely edited collection of jewelry, handbags, bath products, clothing, paper products, and home and holiday items. Plus, “I believe in providing the best customer service possible.’’

That includes offering rarities such as the limited-edition purses of Stella Page Design, based in nearby Moss Landing. Page’s fanciful creations have appeared in Oscar goody bags and boast A-list celebrity fans. At Fleur, one of her python minaudieres, decorated with flowers and sequins, was an exquisite steal at $195.

Meanwhile, the jewelry choices beckon. You can’t ignore the retro costume pieces, for instance, or the chunky polished stone-and-bead bracelets and necklaces

by Fran Battendieri of Santa Cruz. There’s even vintage silver wear made of, yes, recycled silverware. Happily, the prices are such that you can buy gifts for others and treat yourself, too, with a clear conscience.

Fleur’s floor space encompasses less than 500 square feet, yet Keil has done wonders with her “mini mercantile’’ boutique. She started the business seven years ago because she’s “always been an entrepreneur, enjoyed working with the public and being creative.’’ For a while, she operated out of another location close by, until spiking rent drove her “back home’’ in March of this year — and where the welcome mat is out for anyone who can appreciate a gem like this.

Chunky polished stone-and-bead bracelets are customer favorites.

Owner Nancy Keil and her best friend, Teddy.

Handbags, some by local makers, go from day to evening.

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shoptalk

Vintage & Vogue 241 E. Campbell Ave., Suite A, Campbell 408.378.6483 | Hours: 10-5 Tuesday through Saturday, 10-4 Sunday

Vintage & Vogue is gloriously girly-girl — in a grownup, Holly Golightly kind of way. In fact, you’ll spot lots of artfully framed images of Audrey Hepburn in her iconic “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” role.

The Campbell gift boutique is also a study in delightful contrasts: new and retro, practical and purely decorative, French and good old U.S. of A. Think recycled items like reupholstered slipper chairs, or hutches and tables given new life with pastel paints, appliques and clever hardware. Or pink and green Depression glass mixed with fleur-de-lis etched champagne flutes, filigreed candelabras and other bric-a-brac suggestive of a French boudoir.

“We only do cute and pretty,’’ says owner Linda Sullivan, whose business partner and furniture restorer is daughter Devon. Her trove includes pretty much anything you need for a feminine touch at home, from chandeliers to note cards.

It’s a philosophy embraced by Annette Giachino, the designer of the charming displays at V&V. Thanks to attention from bloggers, “We’ve had calls from Texas, Minnesota, even Sweden,’’ Giachino says. “Some customers come just for the Eiffels,’’ she continues, referring to the Parisian landmark reproduced in imaginative ways, from wire to gilded cardboard.

Besides the variety of one-of-a-kind objects, recessionfriendly prices invite impulse buys. An antique-looking gold porcelain vase was only $37, for instance; elegant throw pillows with large glittery brooches in the middle were $65 apiece. As Giachino explains, “It’s a good shopping experience, a place to be a girl and find things for your mother, your sister, your friend, yourself.’’ In other words, C’est magnifique! S

The feminine touch prevails at Vintage & Vogue in Campbell — owner Linda Sullivan, left, with daughter and business partner Devon, wouldn’t have it any other way.

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body&soul Ellyne’s preference for people who want to “detox” or cleanse their bodies with an elimination diet is to cut out wheat, dairy, sugar, meat, caffeine, alcohol and refined grains.

“You eat a diet of fruit, vegetables and whole grains, and that way you have eliminated a lot of items that aren’t good for your body, and instead you are giving it clean, pure food.” Ellyne says this kind of diet is the healthiest way to eat, and people can be on it indefinitely.

Ellyne is a supporter of some alternative approaches to Western medicine.

“I do think there can be some merit to a detox diet,” she says, “but I’d only support it coming from a functional medicine approach [which integrates Eastern and Western medicine with a primary focus on how the body functions], so people who are interested should look for a doctor who comes from a functional medicine and nutrition background.”

“It’s like anything,” Ellyne says. “You have to be smart.”

with their doctors. Testimonials on his Web site include numerous A-list actors and Hollywood executives.

“We eat solid food to gain energy, but ironically, the digestion of solid food takes our energy away,” says Martin, who describes himself as a “serial entrepreneur” who started out by juicing for his housemates and friends and seeing amazing results.

“If you stop eating with a liquid-only diet while supplying the body with enough nutrients to survive, it triggers a cleanse reaction where the body without food for 12 hours or more starts to dump toxins at the cellular level. … When the body is dumping toxins, it is healing itself.”

Martin acknowledges that there is “no actual study” of this approach, but attributes that fact to the disinterest of big drug

The Detox Guru Tim Martin, CEO and founder of IzoCleanze, has leveraged the boom in demand for detox diets by founding his Beverly Hills-based company. For about $150 a day, IzoCleanze will deliver to your door a carton of fresh-squeezed and custom-prepared “raw, vegan and organic” juices and teas. While Martin is quick to say he is not a doctor, his advisory board includes several physicians. IzoCleanze promises better physical and mental health to its customers, but warns those who are pregnant or breast-feeding or who have health conditions should check first

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body&soul

the skinny on detox diets Cleansing regimens are all the rage.

But do they work, and are they safe?

By Melinda Sacks

Most of us would love to lose a few pounds fast so we can feel and look good during the holiday party season. The cleansing and detox diets that promise quick weight loss are particularly popular around this time.

More popular than ever in Hollywood, stars from Oprah to Beyoncé and even Howard Stern’s news anchor Robin Quivers are gushing about the largely liquid diets that claim to cleanse the body of impurities and toxins, help you drop weight ultra-fast, and bring you the added benefits of glowing skin and better sleep.

Even reed-thin Gwyneth Paltrow has touted cleansing and detox diets as the reason for her lean appearance and sense of well-being.

But is it safe to eliminate solid food? Can you lose weight this way and

Photos: Jupiterimages

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and medical companies and the Food and Drug Administration, which he says are opposed to natural healing.

Fasting “is nothing new; it’s been done for thousands of years by every spiritual being walking the Earth. There is a reason for that.�

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The Dietitian Barbara Grant, a registered dietitian and spokeswoman for the California Dietetic Association, is leery of any diet that calls itself “detoxifying,� or that uses supplements, enemas and “natural stimulants� as a promise to good health or weight loss.

Such diets run the risk of causing dehydration and muscle loss, she warns. “Over time, fasting may actually decrease your metabolism, which will affect your weight loss,� she says, adding, “The kidneys and liver detox food naturally in your body. They eliminate waste products with the help of natural bacteria in the colon.�

A healthier alternative, she suggests, agreeing with Ellyne, is to eliminate alcohol, caffeine and processed and fatty foods while increasing fruits, vegetables and whole grains.

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body&soul keep it off? What are the risks? And does scientific evidence support cleansing and detox?

These are not simple questions, say local doctors and nutritionists. There are dangers and widespread misconceptions about this method of dieting. However, there may also be some benefits for some people.

The trick, experts say, is separating out advertising from reality, and finding the right approach for each individual.

Detox diets and cleansing regimens have been around for years, although new ones keep popping up. They can have several components, including a prescribed liquid diet, laxatives, enemas and supplements. The Detox Diet, the Fruit Flush, Ultra Cleanse Plus, Fast Track Detox and Clean are only a few of those widely advertised today. Recommendations for following these diets or fasts range from 24 hours to 30 days.

One of the most popular detox diets continues to be the Master Cleanse, a regimen that involves drinking a mix of lemon or lime juice, maple syrup and cayenne pepper six to 12 times a day, plus salt water and herbal laxative teas. The premise of the Master Cleanse is that the acidity of the juice cleans out the body, but in reality, say physicians, stomach acid is far stronger than lemon juice and already does that job.

Dangers in diets like this one, which provides little nutrition and less than 1,200 calories a day, outweigh any quick weight loss, according to critics.

And for anyone with major medical conditions such as cancer, diabetes or eating disorders, doctors warn, these diets can be deadly.

But is there any benefit to “resting” the digestive system from solid food by going on a liquid-only diet? Read on before you make your own decision.

the average young, healthy person can tolerate a short-term fast well, but there are potential problems with too quick weight loss, and I don’t see any benefit. I wouldn’t do it, and I wouldn’t recommend it to any of my loved ones.”

The Nutritionist “Fasting diets can be good for you and can clean out the gut,” says Darcie Ellyne, a registered dietitian who works at the Palo Alto Medical Foundation, “but you don’t want to do it at the risk of starving.”

Ellyne believes giving the body a rest from food can be OK, “as long as you get enough calories to function and you get the nutrients, vitamins and minerals to maintain your day-to-day body functions.”

Clean up your diet Local health experts offer these tips for dropping a few pounds and feeling good in as short a time as possible: s If you are young and healthy, a short fast probably won’t hurt you, but any weight you lose will be temporary. Some who have fasted speak positively about feeling “clean” and empty. s If you decide to go on a liquid fast, be sure you are getting enough basic nutrients so you don’t go into starvation mode, where your body burns muscle rather than fat.

The Doctor “I don’t think there is any scientific evidence of any health benefits to any crash diet,” says Dr. Wayne Smith, medical director for the Weight Management Program at Kaiser Permanente in San Jose. “We like to do things based on scientific evidence and proven safety.”

Losing weight slowly is the key to keeping it off, Smith maintains, so a cleanse or detox diet that eliminates solid food and lasts three to 30 days is not the answer.

“Generally, fast weight loss comes back quickly,” says Smith, who recommends a long-term approach to losing and keeping weight off. Balancing exercise, food intake, stress and environmental factors has to be part of any regimen that is going to work, he adds.

“I hear some outrageous claims these diets make,” Smith says, “but my advice is if it sounds too good to be true, it is. It is true

s As a less extreme alternative to a liquid diet, try cutting out white foods - processed grains, sugar, white rice, potatoes - as well as alcohol and caffeine. Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables along with whole grains to clean out your digestive tract. s Increase the amount of water you drink to flush your system. Most of us are slightly dehydrated much of the time. Also, water helps you feel full. s Try squeezing your own fresh juice. It’s full of vitamins and provides a good dose of vitamin C, and it is filling. s Stay away from artificial foods and additives and eat organic, raw and unprocessed foods as much as possible. s If you have any medical conditions, always talk to your doctor before undertaking a change in diet.

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beautyreport

Get party-ready with these quick fixes for face and body

Photos: Jupiterimages

With the stresses of a flailing economy and the holidays just around the corner, you may have awakened to notice those folds between your brows deepening, or your onceplump cheeks giving way to gravity.

If you’re looking for that quick beauty pickme-up that’s a step above the traditional spa facial — but short of going under the knife — you could be the perfect candidate for one of the many non-surgical treatments available at your local dermatologist’s office or nearby medi-spa.

Commonly referred to as “lunchtime treatments,” the vast array of facial rejuvenation and body adjustments, which require little to no downtime, have recently grown in popularity because of their effectiveness, availability and significantly lower cost as compared with invasive surgical procedures, says Dr. Greg Morganroth, a dermatologic surgeon and founder of the Bay Area-based California Skin Institute.

Although procedures are marketed as being quick and easy, from the zap of a laser that evens out skin tone to dermal filler injections that can create more voluptuous lips, physicians caution that these are still medical procedures that should be researched carefully, and expectations of results should

A better you–fast

By Nerissa Pacio

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beautyreport be realistic.

“Non-surgical procedures are very good at giving you changes, but there are limitations to all of these procedures,” says Palo Alto-based Dr. Seung Kim, a plastic surgeon and adjunct clinical assistant professor in plastic surgery at Stanford University.

“There’s no such thing as a very short weekend procedure that will give you a long-lasting tremendous effect. You put in a small effort, and you get a small result. But for most of us, that small result is good enough. If we could only make that one wrinkle just a little bit better, we’d be happier.”

Following are a few of the treatments that could get you partyready fairly quickly:

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Goal: Tighten and flatten abdomen, tighten and tone loose skin around the face and neck Procedure: radio frequency and infrared light. Procedures such as VelaShape, Thermage and Titan use radio frequency and light-energy devices that are massaged over the skin to theoretically heat the collagen underneath the dermis and break down underlying fatty tissue without damaging the outer layer of skin.

New collagen grows back, replacing the collagen that was purposely damaged, to reveal smoother and tighter skin. To prevent a burning sensation during the procedure, typically a topical anesthetic is applied to the skin first, and the head of the device is chilled. There is no downtime.

Replaces or postpones: Tummy tuck or face lift.

Results: In time, the abdomen or neck can look firmer and smoother. The companies that manufacture the devices recommend three to six treatments to achieve results, which can last from six months to two years.

Side effects: Some people have experienced temporary bruising, redness or a burning sensation. Skin blisters, dimpling and scarring can occur in rare cases.

Caveats: According to Kim, the efficacy of these procedures is not yet “scientifically proven” and results are “not predictable.”

Some members of the dermatological and plastic surgery community do not support the use of these devices.

11/5/09 9:27 AM

Goal: Relax wrinkles between the eyebrows caused by muscle movement, reduce crow’s feet and neck lines Procedure: Neurotoxin injections. A liquid neurotoxin, such as Botox or Dysport, is injected with a fine needle into the active facial muscles that cause frown lines. The neurotoxin blocks the release of the chemical that causes the muscles to contract. No anesthesia is required, there is no downtime and patients experience a few pin pricks that each last a second.

Replaces or postpones: Delays formation of wrinkles and delays a brow lift, face lift or laser resurfacing.

Results: Within a day or two, lines and wrinkles soften and smooth. Results last between three to four months.

Possible side effects: Some people experience temporary bruising, swelling or rarely the unintentional relaxing of a muscle next to the targeted muscle, causing the eyelid or eyebrow to droop.

Caveats: Non-FDA approved, or “off-label,” uses for neurotoxins include injections into the forehead, the neck, and around the mouth and the eyes to reduce the appearance of laugh lines,

neck lines and crow’s feet. Off-label use is legal as long as it is prescribed by a physician and the patient is informed of off-label use.

Cost: $250-$400 per area.

Goal: Fill in laugh lines, plump lips and boost sunken cheeks Procedure: Dermal filler materials — which include hyaluronic acids (Restylane, Perlane, Juvederm Ultra and Ultra Plus), polylactic acid (Sculptra) and porcine collagen (Evolence) — are injected into the skin using fine needles. Patient may be pretreated with ice and topical or local anesthesia. As with Botox, patients experience momentary pin-pricks.

Results: Increased volume in the lips, cheeks and other areas of the face. Each filler is used for different purposes. For example, hyaluronic acid fillers are FDA-approved for filling in laugh lines, and can be used off-label for plumping cheeks, the chin, nose, temples, lips and tear troughs (depressions under the eyes). The procedure requires no downtime, and results can last six months to one year, depending on the filler.

Sculptra, however, can last two or more years. This is because it is actually injected under the skin and induces new collagen formation over months. Originally used for HIV-positive patients who had facial fat atrophy from their medications, Sculptra is used to fill the whole cheek, folds and temples vs. the more focal

“To me, friends are more important than anything. I love people, and that’s why I moved to The Sequoias. Of course, the move has also given me the peace of mind that comes with anticipating my future medical and housing costs.

Life is full of surprises. But now I know they’ll be good surprises.”

Resident Pat Brown, Independent spirit and former Givenchy model

© 2009 NCPHS, Inc. All rights reserved.

Cost: Initial series of six weekly treatments, $1,000 to $5,000, depending on the areas treated.

You can’t know what the future will bring. But you can be prepared for it.

To find out how you can gain the peace of mind shared by Pat Brown and all our residents, call Pam Marron at 650.424.4307 and ask about our new contract options.

The Sequoias–Portola Valley is an accredited continuing care retirement community.

501 Portola Road, Portola Valley, CA 94028 | Tel: 650.851.1501 | www.sequoias-pv.org The Sequoias–Portola Valley is a not-for-profit community of Northern California Presbyterian Homes and Services. License# 410500567 COA# 075

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OLIVIA B o u t i q u e

ITALIAN WOMEN’S & MEN’S

injections of hyaluronic acids.

Possible side effects: Some people may bleed at the injection site, bruise or swell. Poor injection technique can result in bumpy or uneven skin texture.

Caveats: Bruising can be prevented or reduced by avoiding aspirin and other blood thinners two weeks before the procedure, but check with your physician before changing any medications. Use of fillers should be postponed if there is a rash or infection.

Replaces or postpones: Face lift, eye lift, laser surgery for wrinkles and fat transfer surgery, which involves taking fat from one area of the body and injecting it into the face.

Cost: $500-$750 per syringe; $1,000-$1,200 per bottle for Sculptra.

Goal: Improve the skin’s texture and remove pigmentation caused by sun damage or hormonal changes Procedure: TCA Skin Peel. A 25 to 30 percent strength trichloroacetic acid solution is applied onto the skin, typically on areas of the face, neck, chest and hands. Patients experience two to three minutes of burning or stinging upon application.

Results: Over the course of several days to a week, the top layer of skin reddens, dries up and peels off, exposing a new smoother and more evenly colored layer of skin. Recovery takes one week. As long as the patient takes care of the skin and avoids sunburns, it can take years for further sun damage to develop.

Possible side effects: In rare instances, scarring, irregular or uneven pigmentation, and infection.

Caveats: Skin is more sensitive to sunlight six to eight weeks post-peel. Patients should wear sunscreen daily, apply moisturizer continuously, and avoid strong exposure to sun.

Replaces or postpones: More expensive laser skin resurfacing.

Cost: $1,200-$1,800, depending on physician’s experience.

Goal: Reduce the appearance of skin redness, pigmentation, wrinkles and acne scars

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266 Main St. Los Altos 650.949-3003

Procedures: Fractional CO2 lasers and intense pulsed light (IPL) devices. For Fractional CO2 lasers, a local anesthesia is used to numb the face, and a laser device zaps targeted areas of the skin, causing mild pain or discomfort.

For intense pulsed light treatment, a very bright light device is pulsed over broad areas of the skin. Downtime for Fractional CO2 laser treatments is typically one week. There is no downtime for IPL. IPL is done in a series of four to five treatments and is performed more commonly by a registered nurse under the supervision of a doctor. Fractional CO2, performed by a doctor, is a

11/6/09 11:17 AM

Before you book Looking more youthful may be your ultimate goal, but making sure that you choose the right procedure and the right doctor for you is important to your health and safety. Here are the top five factors you should consider before you make that appointment, according to dermatologist Dr. Greg Morganroth. s Verify that your chosen doctor is board-certified in a specialty that is appropriate to the procedure you are having done. “You shouldn’t shop for a physician the way you’d shop for a dishwasher or a car,” Morganroth says. “You should shop for a physician the way you’d shop for an artist you are hiring to paint your family portrait. You should not just be considering cost, but the person’s skill, experience and artistry.” s Check that the procedure is in that doctor’s daily scope of practice. “There is no substitute for experience, especially if you are looking for a customized result. A doctor who injects Botox on 10 patients per day will provide more consistent results than a doctor who injects a few times per month.” s Confirm that your procedure is being administered by the physician or by a staff member who is being directly supervised by the physician. “There are plenty of places that are run by non-physicians without a physician on site. Since the physician is ultimately responsible for the outcome of your treatment, they should be readily available if there are any questions or problems.” s Ensure that the procedure is FDA-approved, has stood the test of time and is widely available. “If there is a technique or a technology that works well and is supported by peer-reviewed research, it will be widely available in many different doctors’ offices. Be cautious about new techniques that may have a lot of hype without evidence of effectiveness.”

Holidays with the Symphony Celebrate Nov 27 – Dec 31 San Francisco Symphony Chorus sings Bach s Christmas Oratorio Fri Nov 27 8pm

much more significant procedure with at least two months of follow-up for skin monitoring in addition to the week of downtime.

Results: Skin has a more even color and texture. Use of Fractional CO2 lasers may also result in skin tightening. Like TCA peels, as long as patients take care of their skin and avoid sunburns, further damage could take years to develop.

Possible side effects: Skin pigmentation or texture changes.

Replaces or postpones: Chemical peels or dermabrasion.

Cost: $400-$5,000. S

Sun Nov 29 2pm

Mariachi Sol de México with the San Francisco Symphony Thu Dec 3 8pm

An Evening with Barbara Cook and the San Francisco Symphony

Tickets start at $15

Fri Dec 4 8pm

Cirque of the Season with the San Francisco Symphony Sat Dec 5 8pm

Deck the Hall: Children s Holiday Concert and Party Sun Dec 6 11am & 3pm

Prokofiev s Peter and the Wolf with Linda Ronstadt Sat Dec 12 3pm Flint Center, Cupertino

Sun Dec 13 1pm & 4pm

Holiday Pipe Dreams Sun Dec 13 7pm

Colors of Christmas starring Peabo Bryson, Jennifer Holliday, Sheena Easton, and Maxi Priest Mon Dec 14 8pm

s Ask to see before and after photos. “A physician who has a healthy practice in cosmetic surgery should be able to provide you with dozens and dozens of examples of the procedures that they perform themselves. You should also ask, ‘Am I the first, the tenth or the hundredth patient?’ ”

Sat Nov 28 8pm

Tue Dec 15 8pm

Wed Dec 16 8pm

Choral Christmas Spectacular Thu Dec 17 8pm

Fri Dec 18 8pm

Sat Dec 19 2pm

Preservation Hall Jazz Band Sat Dec 19 8pm

New Year’s Eve Masquerade Ball with the San Francisco Symphony Thu Dec 31 9pm Special pre-concert dinner packages are available.

For details call (415) 864-6000 or visit sfsymphony.org/newyears.

sfsymphony.org/holiday (415) 864-6000 Media Partners Box Office Hours Mon-Fri 10am-6pm, Sat noon-6pm, Sun 2 hours prior to concerts Walk Up Grove St between Van Ness and Franklin Programs, artists, and prices subject to change. Concerts at Davies Symphony Hall unless otherwise noted.

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11/5/09 9:31 AM

Make this Holiday Season Memorable by...

Providing Families a

Way Home Benefitting over 24,000 Homeless Men, Women & Children Won’t You Please Help During These Difficult Times?

Providing Shelter, Food & Services at 20 sites throughout Silicon Valley

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DONATE | VOLUNTEER | ADVOCATE www.InnVision.org | 408.292.4286 HOLIDAY 2009

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11/4/09 8:57 AM

winterstyle

The year of living dangerously has meant finding comfort and inspiration in classics from decades past

the lady looks

Story by DONNA KATO Photography by JOANNE HO-YOUNG LEE

This has been a year when we’ve all yearned for better times and looked for signs that life is going to improve.

Soon. But not knowing when that will happen has made us thoughtful and cautious in our sartorial selections. It seems trivial to contemplate investment dressing when we’re worried about investments of a different sort.

Retailers and designers say this has made women reach for extremes: well-designed basics that stretch a wardrobe, or pieces so special and timeless that they’re hard to resist at any price.

On these pages, Scene focuses on the latter: distinctive clothes and accessories that offer escape to luxury, beauty and adventure, but are also classics that take us back to the 1940s, early ’60s — even ’80s. The contradictions mean fashion this winter is a blend of tough and tender, bold and demure. Leather makes an audacious return in leggings, motorcycle jackets and chic utility boots. Also influential are ladylike elements of draping silk and flutttering ruffles, and details that

emphasize the curve of a hip, the nip of a waist or a hint of décolletage.

Designers have complied by giving us the polished suiting and fabrication of the 1940s; the sweet, layered complexity that defined dressing up in the early 1960s; and the broad-shouldered, black-and-buckled, urban invincibility of the 1980s.

Color, too, has worked its way into winter inventories: A shot of neon pink or orange, true red and jewel tones of turquoise, fuchsia and purple layered under cardigans and coats have a way of lifting chilled spirits longing for a quick return of spring.

In a season with so many contrasting influences, accessories have taken on more importance, becoming the distinguishing mark between looking kitschy vintage or sleekly retro. It requires us to confidently choose an anchoring belt, a statement necklace and ultra-modern shoes.

This winter, we celebrate the stylized glamour of past decades — a nod to idealized eras when life was good, and a toast to the best of times ahead.

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back

Liliana Castellanos ivory suit with ribbon belt, jacket $700, skirt $299, Penelope, Santana Row; Stuart Weitzman over-the knee suede boots, $595, Bloomingdale’s, Stanford Shopping Center; Aqua pearl and chain necklace $45, Bloomingdale’s, Stanford Shopping Center; Nadri crystal cuff bracelet, $200, Bloomingdale’s, Stanford Shopping Center; Betsey Johnson mesh look bracelet, $35, Bloomingdale’s, Stanford Shopping Center; Flying Lizard bead bracelets, $13 and $22, Flying Lizard Design, Santana Row

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Shirtwaist dress, $168; argyle cardigan, $298, both Brooks Brothers, Santana Row; burgundy-colored leather embossed belt with floral appliques, $350, Anne Fontaine, Santana Row; Loeffler Randall gray suede pumps with wooden heels, $425, Footcandy, Santana Row; Cara oversize pearl double strand bracelet, $58, Bloomingdale’s, Stanford Shopping Center; “Pearl of Wisdom” necklace, $46, Flying Lizard Design, Santana Row

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indulge

Trina Turk graphic print “Leski” swing coat with three-quarter sleeves, $480; Aaron Ashe “Paris” skirt with hip ruffle, $275; Aaron Ashe silk blouse, $195; Bettye Muller pumps, $345; Burning Torch by Karyn Craven mixed vintage media necklace, $240 (all above pieces from Crimson Mim, Los Altos).

Earrings, $30, Flying Lizard, Santana Row

HOLIDAY ISSUE 2009 SCENE MAGAZINE 61 l

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Plastic Island plaid cropped jacket, $259, Boutique Harajuku, Santana Row; BCBG textured leggings, $78, Bloomingdale’s, Stanford Shopping Center; Donald Pliner patent leather motorcycle boots, $495, Donald J. Pliner, Santana Row; Aqua pearl and chain triple strand bracelets, $25 each, wooden bangle, $30, both from Bloomingdale’s, Stanford Shopping Center

Aqua motorcycle jacket, $298, Aqua shirred leggings, Aqua sequined mini skirt, $88, Sequin fringed chain and pearl necklace, $98 each, all from Bloomingdale’s, Stanford Shopping Center; Cole Haan Genevieve booties, $428, Cole Haan, Santana Row; Sparrow ribbon trim cardigan, $98, Anthropologie, Santana Row

Left: Ruffled blouse, $350, tweed blazer, $650, both from Anne Fontaine, Santana Row; Carolee bubble pearl necklace, $98, Bloomingdale’s, Stanford Shopping Center Right: LuluVia draped back dress, $68, Pink Stripes, Santana Row; chandelier earrings, $26, crystal and bead necklace wrapped around wrist, $99, both from Flying Lizard, Santana Row 62 SCENE HOLIDAY 2009 l

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indulge 3.1 Phillip Lim draped bustle dress, $695, 3.1 Phillip Lim accordian pleated grossgrain necklace, $225, Tibi yellow suede pumps, $345, all from Crimson Mim, Los Altos; circle earrings, $20, Flying Lizard, Santana Row

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Aqua sequined tank dress, $158, DKNY silk scarf, $125, Miss Sixty gray platform booties with draping and peep toe, $169, all from Bloomingdale’s, Stanford Shopping Center

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Anne Fontaine “The Paul” ruffled corset tie blouse, $450, Anne Fontaine, Santana Row; French Connection leggings, $88, Aqua faux black pearl earrings,$20, both from Bloomingdale’s, Stanford Shopping Center

Shot on location at Hotel Valencia in Santana Row, San Jose. Models Khrystyna K. and Ryan Eddy from Look Model Agency. Hair and makeup by Karie Bennett, Elizabeth Bozzo and Kaila Blake of Aveda Atelier SalonSpa, Santana Row.

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multiple choice Story by¬$ONNA¬+ATO¬s¬Photos by Joanne Ho-Young Lee

Boots dominate again this season, this time with a little more edge. In a nod to the ’80s, buckle details and workmen-inspired distressed leather are big influences on boots, making them just as acceptable for a night out as platform booties with peep toes.

If rugged isn’t your style, the other extreme is also

available — princess-pretty footwear embellished with texture, ruffles and appliques, in shiny patent and metallics. Footwear should not be an afterthought, whatever you might wear this season.

It’s a winter where you have every choice except a timid one.

Miss Sixty gray platform booties with draping and peep toe, $169, Bloomingdale’s, Stanford Shopping Center.

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shoefetish

Missoni

Via Spiga

Multi-striped fabric pumps,

Cuffed suede ankle boots,

$450, Foot Candy, Santana Row.

$225, Bloomingdale’s, Stanford Shopping Center.

Cole Haan

Pura Lopez

Gunmetal croc embossed wedge Mary

Suede pumps with rosettes,

Janes, $278, Cole Haan, Santana Row.

$350, Foot Candy, Santana Row.

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CUSTOM WALL UNITS FOR EVERY ROOM Wallbeds, Home Office, Home Theatre, Bookcase Walls, and More!

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11/3/09 12:06 PM

THE FORUM SHOPS AT CAESARS PALACE

LUXE LAS V

By Crystal Chow

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shopping

Photos: Las Vegas News Bureau

The real reason to visit these days?

The merch, baby.

S VEGAS

Let others take off to Las Vegas for gambling or glitzy entertainment. For elite shoppers, retail on the Strip is the real jackpot.

You won’t have to go far to find the sweet spot of luxury names, because they’re all concentrated in the heart of the fabled boulevard. The entire panoply of dream brands, from Armani to Yves Saint Laurent, can be found within just a few blocks. Some, like Tiffany or Chanel, are even represented more than once.

The journey begins, going clockwise, at the sideby-side Wynn and Encore resorts and their respective esplanades. It continues to the next-door Shoppes at the Palazzo and Grand Canal Shoppes of the Venetian resorts. From there, about a half-mile south, are the boutiques at the Bellagio hotel, and where a walking bridge connects to Caesars Palace, home of the Forum Shops. The last stop is slightly less than a mile north, at Fashion Show Mall with its 250-plus stores.

For the ultimate one-stop shopping adventure, however, get ready for CityCenter, opening in December and located between the Bellagio and Monte Carlo resorts. The $8.5 billion, 67-acre complex contains condos, hotels — and 500,000 square feet of premium stores, equal to almost nine football fields!

If you’re in town for only two or three days, that’s a lot of upscale merchandise to consider, even if stores are open till 11 p.m. or midnight. But stylistas are nothing if not motivated. Plus, the recession has unquestionably socked Sin City: July figures from the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority show a 6 percent drop in the number of tourists from the same time last year. Gaming revenue was down 14.2 percent. Expect open arms and exemplary service as a result wherever you go.

It doesn’t hurt that the sales tax is 8.1 percent, vs.

9.25 percent in San Jose or 9.50 percent in San Francisco. If you’re in the mood to splurge on a few bigticket items, why not do it here? Take the savings and try your luck at the tables or slot machines.

Here’s some guidance on how to plan your grand tour. Don’t fret that you won’t be able to cover it all.

You couldn’t possibly. But what a sweet excuse you’ll have for venturing into the desert again.

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THE GRAND CANAL SHOPPES AT THE VENETIAN

THE SHOPPES AT THE PALAZZO

FASHION SHOW MALL

T T T T

WYNN and ENCORE

THE SHOPPES AT THE PALAZZO

THE GRAND CANAL SHOPPES AT THE VENETIAN

BELLAGIO CITY CENTER

T T T

NORTH

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LAS VEGAS BOULEVARD

CAESARS PALACE

WYNN Store sampling — Oscar de la Renta, Alexander McQueen, Graff Jewelers, Manolo Blahnik, Vertu. For the guys, there’s Penske Wynn and the Ferrari Store.

Atmosphere — Awash with elegance.

Take a break — Sugar & Ice for fabulous hamburgers; the swank Lobby Bar and Café for wine or cocktails.

What else — Wynn Las Vegas has won numerous awards for its restaurants and spa.

It’s also the first resort in the world to receive Mobil’s five-star rating in every category: rooms, restaurants and spas.

See for yourself — www.wynnlasvegas.com

ENCORE ESPLANADE Store sampling — Hermès, Rock & Republic, In Step.

Atmosphere — Vegas developer Steve Wynn wanted the stores at his natural-lighted Encore Esplanade to “have a sense of discovery.’’ There are but a dozen shops, but each is a gem.

Take a break — Recall the Rat Pack glory days at Sinatra, specializing in modern takes on classic Italian dishes; or drop in at Society Café Encore, recognized by Esquire magazine as one

of 2009’s best new restaurants.

What else — Garth Brooks is back and the Encore’s got him, for a series of winter weekend dates anyway.

See for yourself — www.encorelasvegas.com

THE SHOPPES AT THE PALAZZO Store sampling — Christian Louboutin, Anya Hindmarch, Jimmy Choo, Catherine Malandrino are among the more than 60 luxe retailers here.

The shops are anchored by an 85,000-squarefoot Barneys New York.

Atmosphere — You want an Italian holiday?

Here it is, complete with a two-story fountain.

Take a break — Dine at Wolfgang Puck’s Solaro or Lagasse’s Stadium, among others. For healthy fare, try the Canyon Ranch Grill. (Fitness and pampering are available at the Canyon Ranch SpaClub, too.)

What else — The complex is connected to the Venetian and the Grand Canal Shoppes, which means even more shopping as well as easy access to entertainment such as the Blue Man Group.

See for yourself — Check out www.palazzolasvegas.com

11/9/09 8:30 AM

CITYCENTER

THE GRAND CANAL SHOPPES AT THE VENETIAN Store sampling — Kenneth Cole, Mikimoto, Movado.

Atmosphere — You’ve been to the real Venice and pine for those romantic gondola rides? Lucky you; they’re offered here in the canals. It’s also a fun and not-too-taxing stroll around Vegas’ version of St. Mark’s Square.

Free “Streetmosphere’’ entertainment all day long includes classically trained singers, actors and musicians.

Take a break — Top chefs with Venetian outposts include Mario Batali (B&B Ristorante), Thomas Keller (Bouchon) and Joachim Splichal (Pinot Brasserie).

What else — Entertainment choices include “Jersey Boys’’ and “Phantom.’’ Who needs New York?

See for yourself — www.thevenetian.com

BELLAGIO Store sampling — Giorgio Armani, Chanel, Dior, Fendi and Prada are five of the 11 boutiques that make up Via Bellagio, an avenue of affluence.

Atmosphere — Flowers by renowned glass artist Dale Chihuly sprout from the lobby ceiling; a gorgeous conservatory and botanical gardens highlight the lovely surroundings.

Take a break — Pastries at Jean-Philippe Patisserie; dim sum at Noodles; dinner at Michael Mina or Picasso.

What else — Other shopping clusters include Via Fiore (get a Chihuly glasswork for your own home); the Lobby Shops (need a Judith Leiber purse? Guerlain cosmetics? A Jay Strongwater frame? Here you go); and the Pool Promenade (one store, La Scarpa, offers shoes and handbags from European and American designers such as Dior and Taryn Rose).

ENCORE ESPLANADE

See for yourself — www.bellagio.com

CAESARS PALACE Store sampling — The Forum Shops boast more than 160 boutiques like Shanghai Tang (a Chinese luxury brand) and Harry Winston, along with 13 restaurants and specialty food shops. For the kids’ sake, don’t miss the beyond-awesome FAO Schwarz. (Although as soon as they see that floor-to-ceiling horse towering over the entrance, they’ll pull you there anyway.) At the quieter Appian Way Shops, find Bernini Couture, Cartier and Oculus for custom eyewear.

Atmosphere — A Disneyland for Olympic-level shoppers. In a fantasy Italian setting complete with statue-studded fountains and painted sky, there is something for everyone. David Yurman, Chopard, Valentino, Tiffany and Tod’s are right next to mall faves like bebe and Ann Taylor. They share breathing room with standalone kiosks, like the one with pink watches and clutch purses touting “All items $10.’’

Take a break — The Cheesecake Factory stands opposite the 50,000-gallon Atlantis Aquarium, filled with more than 300 tropical fish. Watch divers feed the sea creatures while you feed yourself; Trevi restaurant overlooks the Fountain of the Gods. It’s like dining with Zeus himself!

What else — You can always wander over to feast at Bobby Flay’s Mesa Grill, Bradley Ogden or Restaurant Guy Savoy.

Heavy hitters Cher, Bette Midler and Jerry Seinfeld entertain here, as well.

See for yourself — Check out www.caesarspalace.com

FASHION SHOW MALL Store sampling — Among its 250plus stores are a sextet of anchors:

Neiman Marcus, Saks, Macy’s, Dillard’s, Bloomingdale’s Home and Nordstrom.

Atmosphere — Aesthetically, much like your average suburban mall. Great for families, though.

What else — Avoid the food court, even if you’re starving. Instead, go to the Nordstrom café or Maggiano’s Little Italy. Places you can trust.

See for yourself — Check out www. thefashionshow.com

CITYCENTER (opening in December) Store sampling — Bulgari, Versace, Roberto Cavalli, Carolina Herrera, Louis Vuitton — the list goes on and on. Designers Tom Ford and Miu Miu, Italian menswear purveyor Kiton and high-end bookseller Assouline are among the retailers opening in Vegas for the first time. The biggest wow may come from the 20,000-square-foot flagship Apple store.

Atmosphere — Unknown as yet, but this venture, owned by MGM Mirage and Dubai World, is said to be the most expensive privately funded project in U.S. history. Crystals, the retail and dining center designed by architects Studio Daniel Libeskind and David Rockwell, opens Dec. 3. The various hotels, casinos and condos make their debut on other dates throughout the month and in January.

Take a break — “Desperate Housewives” star Eva Longoria Parker will have a restaurant here, called Beso. Maybe you’ll see her, especially during the opening weeks.

What else — The developers promise lots of visual pleasures, including water features and fine art by the likes of Maya Lin and Claes Oldenburg. They also tout CityCenter as “one of the largest sustainable developments in existence.”

See for yourself — www.citycenter.com S WINTER 2009/2010 SCENE 75 l

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WINNER!

BEST MUSICAL

2004 TONY AWARD

– Entertainment Weekly

®

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icons

On Mari Ellen Loijens Joanna Mastroianni silk dress, $2,860; Oscar de la Renta cashmere bolero sweater, $1,050; Frank Ancona pearl and diamond earrings, $4,500; Jimmy Choo “Kayleigh” peep-toe pumps, $895; (All from Wilkes Bashford, Stanford Shopping Center)

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11/5/09 9:49 AM

Extraordinary women whose zest for life is matched by generosity of spirit

a passion for giving The women on these pages are linked by their deep connections to community, and to the larger world. Mari Ellen Loijens, Humaira Ghilzai and Laurie Rohrbach have been on journeys of self-discovery, one affected by tragedy, another by political upheaval, and the third by the poverty she witnessed in an inner-city school. Through it all, they have learned the value of helping others and have made it a centerpiece of their lives.

Together, they embody a new group of accomplished local women who ďŹ nd joy in their work, who live life with meaning and who dazzle us with their radiant style. The future is bright with them in the picture.

STORIES BY JULIA PRODIS SULEK FASHION DIRECTION BY DONNA KATO PHOTOS BY JOANNE HO-YOUNG LEE

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Humaira Ghilzai Her aunt studied fashion in Paris and became the personal clothier to the Afghan royal family. Her mother wore provocative, off-the-shoulder sweaters. And Humaira Ghilzai remembers being dressed as a child in white bobby socks and girly dresses.

This was Kabul in the late 1960s and early ’70s, when it wasn’t unusual to see stylish Afghan women wearing hot pants and gogo boots. This was before the Russian invaded and imprisoned her diplomat father and made refugees of Ghilzai’s family, before they ed to San Jose, before the Taliban took control in the mid1990s and required women to cover themselves head to toe in drab burqas.

It is these early experiences that are a touchstone to Ghilzai’s life, a narrative that ultimately led her to co-found the Afghan Friends Network and become an advocate for women’s and children’s causes in her homeland.

And, in a seemingly strange juxtaposition, it also inspired her to begin her own fashion and image consulting business. “At ďŹ rst I was a little embarrassed to let people know I’m doing this. It seemed a little frivolous and vain,â€? she says. But she knows that when a woman feels good about how she looks, under a burqa or not, she feels empowered. Besides, she says, Humaira’s mother, Khadija “it ties to my roots. My family Ghilzai, in Kabul in 1952, and all of us have been obsessed when she was 19. with fashion all our lives.â€?

During Humaira’s middle school years, however, the family focused on survival. She was 11 when her family was smuggled out of Afghanistan and ultimately landed in the Bay Area, which is now home to 50,000 Afghans, the largest concentration in the United States. Her highly educated father could ďŹ nd work only as a night security guard, and her mother worked at a pillow factory. They were so poor that they couldn’t afford to buy lamps for the small house they rented in Blossom Valley. The only overhead light was in the

bathroom, where she would stay up late reading.

Her experience as a refugee in San Jose was not unlike that of Khaled Hosseini, author of the bestselling “The Kite Runner.�

Hosseini, whose sister was a childhood friend of Humaira’s in San Jose, admired Humaira’s work as an advocate for Afghan women’s causes and recommended her as cultural consultant to the San Jose Repertory Theatre’s stage production of the book.

Humaira, 41, graduated from San Jose State University and had a successful career traveling the world as an international marketer for Sun Microsystems and Oracle. She married an American, moved to San Francisco, and had one daughter with another on the way when the aftermath of the 9/11 terrorist attacks called her back to her homeland.

As American bombs were dropping on Afghanistan, her father HUMAIRA jumps to Page 152

Humaira’s style Growing up as an Afghan refugee in the United States, Humaira and her family didn’t have the money to indulge their love of high fashion. So they learned to be creative shoppers. Now, having started Humaira Style (www. humairastyle.com) as a fashion stylist and consultant, she is still careful where she spends her fashion dollars.

She loves good design and beautiful garments, but feels you don’t have to spend “$300 on jeans and $1,200 on a purse to feel updated and stylish.� Her favorite stores range from Bloomingdale’s to vintage shops and budgetconscious retailers like H&M and T.J. Maxx. “There are a lot of pieces you can wear to be updated without breaking the bank.�

Here are a few of her fashion do’s: s3PENDMONEYONAGOODHAIRCUTANDCOLOR s)NVESTINQUALITYOUTERWEAR ABEAUTIFULRAINCOATORATHREE QUARTER LENGTHWOOLCOAT h)T SREALLYUNATTRACTIVEFORWOMEN to be shivering,� she said. s%NJOYCOLOR %VENIFYOUTENDTOWEARMONOCHROMATIC clothing, spice it up with a colorful pashmina or jewelry.

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icons

On Humaira Ghilzai Oscar de la Renta saffron silk faille bubble skirt, $1,150; Alice+Olivia sequin one-shoulder top, $330; jewelry by Gurhan: black rutalated quartz earrings, $1,400, link bracelet, $2,800, bangles, $860 to $2,200 each. (All from Neiman Marcus, Stanford Shopping Center) Badgley Mischka shoes, Humaira’s own. Gucci belt not for sale.

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icons

On Laurie Rohrbach BCBG pleated jersey gown, $340; Ranguzzi silver metallic shoes with crystal embellishment, $140; Carolee faux pearl and diamond earrings, $38; Majorica pearl and chain necklace, $195. (All from Bloomingdale’s, Stanford Shopping Center)

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Laurie Rohrbach It was during a year living in Spain with her husband and young son that Laurie Rohrbach discovered the artist within her.

She was captivated by the vivid colors, the spectacular bullfights, the toreadors’ exquisite bolero jackets. While her husband studied Spanish, she spent time learning from the artists who were selling watercolors on the streets of Seville.

Her talent was one she shared with her late mother, a vibrant woman who painted streets scenes from Guatemala to Australia, a woman Rohrbach never really knew. Diane Mack died in a car accident in Pasadena when Laurie was just 3. Memories are difficult to grasp, and, growing up, stories about her mother were heartfelt but few. Over the past several years, though, a serendipitous confluence of events has reconnected Rohrbach to her mother and given special meaning to her newly chosen path.

It started when she returned to Palo Alto in 2004 from Spain and unearthed an old picnic basket from deep within her father’s closet. In it were hundreds of letters that Rohrbach’s mother had written home while moving around the world with her husband, Erick Mack, a geologist and executive for Union Oil of California. The two met at Stanford University in the 1950s, married young and began an adventurous life in Japan, Australia and Guatemala, where the Mack family had owned a coffee plantation since the 1800s. Along the way, the couple had two sons, then Laurie in 1964.

The weekly letters Diane Mack sent back to the States to her mother, Bee, and grandmother, Mona, went on for pages at a time, written in a casual script, some on elegant hotel stationery.

She wrote about lively marketplaces, chicken pox, the formal affairs they attended. And sometimes she drew little sketches in the margins: a stylish dress she found, a Mayan jacket. Page by page, Rohrbach came to know her mother.

“She seemed like a really energetic person, fun; she loved life,” Rohrbach says. “I feel like I would have been her friend.”

Laurie, nicknamed Lolo Bird by her father, spent her childhood growing up in Pasadena. She graduated from the University of California-Berkeley, earned a master’s degree in public health from Johns Hopkins University and joined the Peace Corps in Thailand. She returned to the States to pursue a career in health LAURIE jumps to Page 156

Laurie’s artistic talent (on display at Lobird, above) is one she shares with her mother, Diane Mack, left.

Laurie’s style From the dirt roads in Thailand as a Peace Corps worker to the leafy lanes of Palo Alto as the owner of a chic stationery business (www.lobird.com), Laurie Rohrbach has always ridden a bike. She has a black, Dutch-inspired city bike now, the kind with double baskets on the back to hold the notecards she personally delivers, and a chain guard to keep her white capris from getting smudged. Her hair in a ponytail, her Indian-style tunic neatly pressed, Laurie has a fresh, carefree style. Here are some of her favorite looks and items: s¬3ELLING¬STATIONERY¬AT¬A¬HOLIDAY¬BOUTIQUE ¬#ECILIA¬0RADOsweater jacket paired with jeans and red patent leather flats s¬-EETING¬FRIENDS¬FOR¬COFFEE ¬3HIRTDRESS¬BY¬,ESLEY¬%VERS(www.lesleyevers.com) over pants s¬!¬NIGHT¬ON¬THE¬TOWN ¬SIMPLE¬BLACK¬COCKTAIL¬DRESS s¬&AVORITE¬ACCESSORY ¬COLORFUL¬SILK¬OR¬CASHMERE¬WRAP s¬&AVORITE¬JEWELRY ¬DELICATE¬GOLD¬NECKLACE¬WITH¬SEMI PREcious stones from Rocks with Soul; her mother’s simple pearl earrings

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Mari Ellen Loijens When Mari Ellen Loijens was 24, her parents thought she had gone mad. She had studied genetics at an exclusive university and was working as a scientist at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York when she gave them the news: She was leaving the lab behind and taking a job at an all-girls high school in New York’s Hell’s Kitchen, where the paint was peeling and the pregnancy rate was 80 percent. Her job was to raise money.

It was a turning point that ultimately led her to the Bay Area, where she has continued her passion of empowering women and championing education. She is chief of staff and development at the Silicon Valley Community Foundation, the third largest community foundation in the country. She is also president this year of the Junior League of San Jose, which cultivates leaders from its all-women membership and donates money to early childhood education.

She started humbly at St. Michael’s Academy in New York. “It was like a war zone. But it had nuns who really believed in these girls,� Loijens, 40, says. “I walked home from that job interview and thought, I don’t care what they pay me, I have to help. I know I can.�

By the time she left two years later, she had raised enough money to repaint the school, build a computer lab and re-carpet the entire place with nearly-new carpet she found discarded at the nearby convention center. “I loved seeing every bit of blood I put into it come back a million times over with the happiness of the teachers and the kids and the nuns,� she says. “It transformed me in the sense that, feeling like if you just stick to it, you can make it happen.�

Perhaps her parents shouldn’t be surprised that even after sending their daughter to study genetics at the elite Mount Holyoke College in Massachusetts, she made an abrupt change to the philanthropic world. She was born in Okinawa to a Japanese mother and American soldier father. Her parents moved the family to Washington, D.C., and quickly instilled the value of helping others. They were faithful donors to the Smithsonian Institution and zoo. Mari Ellen was one of the youngest docents at the Smithsonian’s elephant exhibit when she was just in high school. “My father really gave me a sense that philanthropy is your -!2)ÂŹ%,,%.ÂŹJUMPSÂŹTOÂŹ0AGEÂŹ

Mari Ellen’s style Would that we all had Mari Ellen Loijens’ problem. She’s 40 but looks like she’s in her 20s. While she’s sure to appreciate her genetic fountain of youth later in life, for now it can be a struggle at times to be taken seriously.

With her fundraising job at the Silicon Valley Community Foundation, “if people are going to talk to me about donating pre-IPO stock, I need to look like I know what I’m talking about.�

That means some serious style. For this spirited woman, though, it can be neither masculine nor old-ladyish. Here are some of her fashion favorites: sÂŹ%VERYÂŹSEASON ÂŹSHEÂŹMEETSÂŹWITHÂŹAÂŹPERSONALÂŹSHOPPERÂŹATÂŹ Macy’s in San Francisco to help her with the basics, like the perfect pair of black pants. sÂŹ&ORÂŹTHEÂŹOFlCE ÂŹSHEÂŹLIKESÂŹTOÂŹADDÂŹAÂŹLITTLEÂŹEDGEÂŹTOÂŹHERÂŹWARDrobe. While wearing a classic black blazer, she likes to ash a zebra-print dress underneath. sÂŹ&ORÂŹAÂŹPARTYÂŹATÂŹ3ANTANAÂŹ2OWÂŹTOÂŹHELPÂŹLAUNCHÂŹTHEÂŹ*UNIORÂŹ ,EAGUEÂŹOFÂŹ3ANÂŹ*OSE SÂŹFASHIONÂŹSHOWÂŹINÂŹ-ARCH ÂŹSHEÂŹWOREÂŹAÂŹ sequinned top and a favorite pair of jeans from the Blue *EANSÂŹ"AR ÂŹ sÂŹ,ATESTÂŹMUST HAVES ÂŹAÂŹNAVYÂŹBLUEÂŹ-AXÂŹ-ARAÂŹDRESSÂŹWITHÂŹ “pewter metallic shimmeryâ€? Cole Haan shoes. She also loves her Stuart Weitzman red patent leather peep-toe PUMPS ÂŹhEXCEPTÂŹFORÂŹTHATÂŹ3ARAHÂŹ0ALINÂŹMOMENTÂŹWHENÂŹSHEÂŹ wore red peep-toe pumps. I stopped wearing them for SIXÂŹMONTHS ÂŹ)ÂŹDON TÂŹWANTÂŹTOÂŹLOOKÂŹLIKEÂŹSOMEBODYÂŹELSE ÂŹ)ÂŹ want to look like me.â€?

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... and now, for our next act Turn the page for our story on Kathryn Besser, who is on a mission to counter Silicon Valley’s impersonal “virtual friendships” and “online communities” — one party at a time...

On Kathryn Besser Milly ruched silk skirt, $279; Milly jabot ruffled blouse, $220; Flavio Castellani fox trimmed coat, $1,104; Mawi earrings, $97 (all from Bella Rosa, Los Gatos); Dolce Vita pumps, $159, Bloomingdale’s, Stanford Shopping Center

Shot on location at the California Theatre, San Jose (see Page 153).

Makeup: Ben Monroy, Neiman Marcus, Stanford Shopping Center. Hair: Ivy Le, www.ivymakeupartist.com.

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community

The valley’s mild climate lets Besser, above, entertain al fresco almost year-round. Below, she prepares a simple, elegant dessert plate.

the party evangelist Not a season passes without Kathryn Besser hosting a sangria party for 50, a gourmet potluck for 20, a wine and chocolate soiree. One Saturday each month, she invites neighbors over for “coffee mornings” that don’t end ’til 2. And on any given day, her pantry is stocked with special ingredients to serve epicurean meals for unexpected guests.

With her wine glass raised high, Besser is leading her own rebellion to Silicon Valley’s alltoo pervasive “virtual friendships” and “online

Kathryn Besser is on a mission: to bring people together Story by Julia Prodis Sulek Photos by Patrick Tehan

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A graphic artist, Besser makes her own menus, with each dish typed out around the edges of paper circles she cuts by hand.

communities” – one party at a time.

“All this technology is pushing everyone further apart,” she says. “Everyone is sitting there with their iPhones and BlackBerrys and not talking to each other. I’m an evangelist for the old style of entertaining.”

Besser is first to play a party game. She loves a printed menu, a fine olive oil, a good salt, a cashmere dress. Whether she’s gathering friends together for two weeks at a villa in Spain (and orchestrating an impromptu wedding there in 24 hours!) or pick-

ing pomegranates from her garden for a ladies luncheon on the terrace, it’s a ball every time.

“It’s like candy for me,” she says. “I do it for the pure sugar high.”

She’s a graphic artist who works from home. Her husband, Paul Besser, is an engineer and research director at a semiconductor company. When they first met and he told her what he did for a living, “my eyes glazed over,” she says. Ever since, she has reveled in the idea of getting opposites together and finding common ground. And their remodeled ranch-style house in Sunnyvale – which they share with their two sons – is party central.

It is here, in the kitchen that opens to the great room with soaring windows overlooking the back garden, where guests are as likely to be pulling hot cookies out of the oven as playing the “three-adjectives-that-describe-me” game under the trellis.

“I tend to avoid parties that are ‘too cool for school’ and people stand around and don’t approach anyone,” says Besser, 45. “I’m all about being approachable. I kind of grew up this way. It’s my way of carrying forth the things that were important in my childhood.”

When she was growing up in suburban Washington, D.C., in the 1970s, her parents were “major party people” who rarely had fewer than 20 guests over at a time. When her father, Paul Holland, was transferred to Poland as a doctor for the National Institutes of Health, he took the family with him. Kathryn, who was 9, learned Polish quickly and translated for her mother in the marketplaces.

A decade later, a college semester abroad reinforced her love

Besser’s amuse-bouches include one made with fig, goat cheese and basil, and another open-face turkey salad sandwich with grapes, apples, walnuts and fig jam.

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community Besser’s favorite ice-breaker A sure-fire way to get your guests in party mode. You can download Kathryn Besser’s other party game ideas at www.dirtandsunshine.com: Have all guests write down answers to the following on cards: s¬7HAT¬THREE¬ADJECTIVES¬BEST¬DESCRIBE¬YOU s¬7HAT¬IS¬YOUR¬HIDDEN¬TALENT ¬7HAT¬DO¬YOU¬SECRETLY¬DESIRETO¬ACCOMPLISH s¬7HAT¬CAUSE¬ OR¬CAUSES ¬ARE¬YOU¬MOST¬PASSIONATE¬ABOUT Here’s how to play: 1. Drop cards in a box.

2. Find a partner.

3. Round 1: Cards are read aloud, and the teams guess who they think it is.

4. Round 2: Identities are revealed; if there’s a story behind it, we want to hear it!

5. Winner is the team who guesses the most correctly.

6. Prizes are awarded!

Besser picks basil, sage and arugula in her garden for luncheon garnishes.

of language (she can converse in six) as well as of shopping daily for fresh, local ingredients. And now, with her annual family trips to Europe where she invites friends to “live locally” with them, she can’t help but bring the al fresco lifestyle back home.

She has scoped out every produce stand (C.J. Olson’s Cherries is her favorite), and as a francophile, she found the perfect place for cheeses and authentic (frozen!) croissants at the Milk Pail in Los Altos. She goes to Marin County’s farmers market to replenish her DaVero olive oil supply that comes in big brown jugs, buys Maldon sea salt from Whole Foods and for special occasions, orders flowers from Emily Joubert Home and Garden in Woodside. And, every other Friday, one pound of Stumptown coffee from Portland, Ore., lands on her doorstep.

“I love to seek out one person who does one thing really well,” she says. “I like to search out people who care, because I really care. If I find people equally passionate, how can I go wrong?”

Her husband is an equal partner in team Besser. He loves to bake, choose scotch whiskies and pull shots from the Italian Vibiemme espresso machine they bought after a two-hour appointment at Thomas Cara in San Francisco helped them decide the best machine for them.

“People think entertaining is all work. But the work part is never a big deal with so many willing helpers,” she says. “The energy of all the people, that’s the magic.”

And often, while her ingredients are always fresh and top quality, her recipes are quick and simple. Her favorite cupboard meal

when someone stops by? A can of Italian As do Mar oil-packed tuna over a can of cannelloni beans, topped with thinly sliced sweet onions, then drizzled with olive oil and cracked pepper.

The best part of entertaining, she says, is fostering new friendships among her guests.

“If people go beyond us, that’s another way of connecting us all more tightly together,” she says. “If I could pick a job for myself, I would be matchmaker.”

She self-published a book recently called “Dirt and Sunshine” that includes her thoughts on child-rearing, but it’s as much about living a rich lifestyle filled with friends, good food and simple pleasures as anything else. She includes recipes, family traditions and party tips that can be downloaded from www.dirtandsunshine.com. (When her children were babies, she always ground a little pepper into their baby food so they would appreciate flavor. Now, she says, they’re both adventurous eaters, which helps when they vacation abroad.)

BESSER¬JUMPS¬TO¬0AGE¬

A Besser party gift of cinnamon, her favorite Maldon sea salt and home-dried parsley.

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November 27-29 San Jose San Jose Convention Center Fri. 9am-6pm; Sat. 10am-6pm; & Sun.10am-5pm

Convenient, Affordable, Fabulous & Fun! Start the Holiday Shopping Season at the Harvest Festival. Doors will open at 9am on Friday so you can shop thousands of fabulous, unique handmade original art & crafts in a convenient location, on an affordable three-day pass, featuring jewelry, glassware, pottery, ceramics, clothing, photography, specialty foods, wood art, Christmas ornaments and more!

There’s something for everyone including a make it and take craft area for the kids sponsored by Home Depot and a Gingerbread House and Cookie decorating booth sponsored by Gingerbread to Go. Enjoy all day entertainment featuring The Cash Tribute band with James Garner recreating the sounds of Johnny Cash; John Park the Funny Waiter Show spinning plates and making you laugh with his original comedy routines involving food, drink, and music; and Scott Land and his marionettes. You won’t want to miss the Sweet Adelines performing on Sunday only at 2:30. In addition, Washboard Willy returns with his traveling wagon singing holiday tunes and more.

The San Jose Harvest Festival and West Valley Community Services are accepting donations of non-perishable food items at the show to help those in need. Donate an item and receive a $2 discount to the show. Our goal is to encourage giving back to the community while supporting those in need.

For show information and to purchase advance tickets. www.harvestfestival.com TICKETS: $9.00 Adult

$7.00 Senior (62+) $4.00 Youth (13-17) 12 & under free

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$2.00 OFF

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one adult or senior admission with this coupon. Cannot be combined with any other discount offers.

10/31/09 8:54 AM

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11/4/09 10:05 AM

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11/4/09 10:06 AM

tina seelig

Hasso Plattner Institute of Design, Stanford University

theinterview

what she knows may change your life Story by Melinda Sacks

When you first hear the title of Tina Seelig’s book, “What I Wish I Knew When I Was 20: A Crash Course on Making Your Place in the World,” you might consider sending it to your son, daughter, niece or nephew. But read the first chapter, and you’ll realize the stories and advice offered by the author, referred to by reviewers as “an inspirational creative voice,” are just as relevant and provocative for 35- to 60-somethings looking for a life “jump-start,” big or small.

Seelig, who is executive director of the Stanford Technology Ventures Program, got inspiration for her book when her son was 16 and she started a list of all the important life skills she wanted to teach him before he went off to college. The list evolved into a college lecture, supplemented by video clips of Silicon Valley luminaries echoing the same concepts, then a talk she presented all over the world, and then the book, published in April.

Sitting in her fourth-floor office in the Stanford University School of Engineering building, Seelig is sur-

rounded by bookshelves crammed full; tiny figurines that she has collected from around the world, lined up along the front of her desk; and an eclectic mix of abstract artwork in bright reds and blues.

How does your advice for 20-year-olds translate to midlife?

We are always at a crossroads in our lives, not just when we are 20. It feels particularly poignant when you are 20 because it is the first time there isn’t a clear path in front of you, but we all face big decisions every day.

The question is, how often do you reassess your life?

Some people are constantly reassessing their lives.

Other people put their heads down and don’t look up for years and find they don’t know how they ended up where they are, or how to get where they want to go.

One of the major themes of the book is to look at problems as opportunities. By looking at problems with a different set of lenses, you uncover a tremendous set of new opportunities.

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What about issues specific to women – the multiple demands of work and family and all the roles women play?

Women are especially burdened with figuring out how to balance work and family demands with their other goals, such as getting exercise and spending time with friends. There are creative ways to tackle these challenges. For example, you can find innovative ways to do two things at once. My favorite story is of a woman who was struggling to get dinner on the table each night for her family while finding time to spend with her friends.

She started a group, called Chop and Chat, that meets weekly to socialize and make meals for the week together.

Also, there is a growing pool of professionals who have “moving meetings.” That is, they have professional meetings while walking so that they can exercise while they work.

What if someone is feeling stuck with a problem or a situation?

One of my favorite exercises is to start by thinking about what would make your problem worse. Often times by looking at the worst idea, you come up with the seeds for a great idea.

For example, imagine that you are going through a difficult time with your husband. A “bad” idea might be spend more time with him. You can turn that bad idea into a good idea by figuring out what fun things you can do together that would improve your relationship in the long run.

Or, if you have a job you don’t like, a terrible idea might be to send a thank-you note to your boss. Well, that might actually be a terrific idea. Perhaps you can turn around a bad situation by changing up the dynamics of the relationship.

We often frame problems way too narrowly. By coming up with a bad idea, you force yourself to open up the frame of possibilities.

Are there some basic life skills that you think are helpful to have?

Yes. People always ask me, how did you get from neuroscience to teaching entrepreneurship to engineers? I realized that most jobs require the same set of skills: being able to identify and solve problems, interact well with people, negotiate and communicate effectively. Also, if you know how to make things happen, you can make things happen almost anywhere.

You advise people to be unafraid, and to consider failure part of the road to success. Is this true even once you are well out of college?

Why do we expect people to do everything right the first time they try? All learning results from trial and error. Failure is an important part of the learning process. The goal is not to dodge every bullet, but to recover quickly when one comes your way.

I tend to take lots of risks, so my failure résumé is quite long. ... Here is one of my professional failures: Early in my career I naively thought I knew how organizations worked. I made judgments about the corporate culture in my company that were incorrect and made some serious blunders. I wish I had spent more time paying attention and less time making assumptions.

And here is one of my personal failures: My uncle died in New York. I lived in California, and several people urged me not

to travel to the funeral. I have always regretted it. I learned that there are some things you can’t undo, and that in situations such as these I should do what is right for me, not necessarily what others want me to do.

Isn’t it a lot harder to solve a problem or get “unstuck” during hard economic times?

The fascinating thing is that creativity often blossoms when there are constraints. It is true, fear can be limiting, but limited resources should not be an obstacle to solving a problem. It is your state of mind that is crucial, and you control your state of mind.

If you look at people who are very successful, such as Steve Jobs of Apple or David Neeleman of JetBlue, their careers are marked by great accomplishments and well-documented failures. In fact, the ratio between our successes and failures is pretty constant. Therefore, if you want more success, you have to tolerate more failure.

What is the most important advice you can offer?

I think it is best summarized in my book: Boundless possibilities result from extracting yourself from your comfort zone, being willing to fail, having a healthy disregard for the impossible and seizing every opportunity to be fabulous. Yes, these actions inject chaos into your life and keep you off-balance. But they also take you places you couldn’t even have imagined and provide a lens through which to see problems as opportunities. Above all, they give you growing confidence that problems can be solved. S

For more information about Seelig and her work, see Stanford Technology Ventures Program, http://stvp.stanford.edu, and STVP Entrepreneurship Corner, http://ecorner.stanford.edu.

The Seelig files Education: Undergraduate degree in neuroscience, University of Rochester; doctorate in neuroscience, Stanford University Medical School Family: Grew up in New Jersey. Son, 20; husband is a marketing executive at a high-tech firm.

Background: Management consultant, Booz Allen Hamilton; multimedia producer, Compaq Computer Corp.; founder, multimedia company BookBrowser. Author of two books on the chemistry of cooking – “The Epicurean Laboratory” and “Incredible Edible Science” (Scientific American) – written to know “what was happening in my kitchen.”

Also authored a series of 12 games, inspired by her son – “Games for Your Brain” (Chronicle Books).

Lucky number: “Seven ... because my birthday is 7/27/57.”

On her career: “I used to change careers like my socks ... until I started in my current job 10 years ago.”

Twitter: @tseelig

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entertaining

Sue Billat at home in Los Gatos. The extensive grounds can easily accommodate hundreds of guests.

always welcome This former valley executive knows the best parties mix business with pleasure Story by Crystal Chow Photos by Kim Lemaire

Sue Billat’s Los Gatos home was made for entertaining — literally. In 1936, the Dutch consulate in San Francisco built the sprawling Spanish Colonial-style estate miles to the south for that purpose alone. Officials gave it an evocative name: Hoek van Holland (the hook of Holland), after a coastal town in the Netherlands.

Thanks to Billat’s high-powered history in semiconductor processing and Wall Street analysis, socializing has always been a priority.

The New Jersey native’s curriculum vitae includes technical management jobs at Fairchild Semiconductor, Hewlett-Packard and AMD. She was named a Wall Street Journal All-Star Analyst four times, and still serves as a director at Ultra Clean Technology, a maker of subsystems used by the chip-making equipment industry.

Last month, Billat, 58, and her husband celebrated their 26th wedding anniversary. Chris Billat, 74, was an electrical engineer who sold passive reconnaissance systems.

The couple, now retired, have owned their six-acre property since the mid-’90s. Its lush grounds include a creek, a pool and several outbuildings in addition to the 8,000-square-foot main residence.

That gives guests plenty of choices for roaming or convening.

For the Billats, a “small’’ gathering at their place is 75 to 100 people. But they’re just as likely to host an intimate dinner party for a few couples — or call neighbors over for impromptu cocktails.

Why do you like to entertain?

I think it’s an important part of business. In this valley, there’s such an overlap between business and social events. Having the crossover gives people a chance to relax and to make connections — to build the old Rolodex, as we like to say.

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A rented candelabra for an event at the home of Sue and Chris Billat adds glamour and ambience.

An event for Tiffany’s [to meet the chief gemologist from the company’s New York store] that I hosted in September was like that. I invited my friends, the bulk of them CEOs of companies.

We’ve all come up together in the industry. It was a group of technical people, as well as some neighbors.

How do you invite people?

I’m a big believer in invitations. I always send something unusual, unique — something that won’t get lost on your desk.

People underestimate how important an invitation is. [She included two books by Tiffany for the September soiree.] Even if they can’t attend, they’ll have something in their hand that’s memorable, that’s thoughtful and clever. That really makes the difference.

Do you do any outdoor entertaining in the winter?

Yes. I have a patio in front of my house that I can tent if I want to. Tents come in all sizes and are not very expensive to rent. I also get heat lamps, because I’d rather rent them and not use them than vice versa. If it’s not pouring rain, a couple of heaters will do the job.

How do you get people to mix?

My husband and I split up and greet everybody. In a business situation, I try to think of who would like to meet whom; or I’ll ask if they want to meet certain people. That’s why I like outdoor parties, because there’s more room to move around. Everybody has a business card in their pocket. The worst thing is to see

someone standing alone, or a couple just talking to each other.

My husband and I will just work a party, to make sure everyone is introduced to someone.

Talk about party logistics.

Where the bar is located is important. We want guests to be able to come in and find their drinks quickly and easily. The flow of traffic must work well. A good caterer will take this into account.

I prefer rectangular rather than round tables. That way you can talk to the person across from you as well as who’s next to you. I don’t use place cards. But I print out menus and place them on the chargers. That gives people who don’t like what’s being served an opportunity to ask for a substitute.

Do you have any special touches?

I like cloth cocktail napkins instead of paper. I have a large collection of my own. It’s a little thing, but it just sets the tone.

And I like to use good chairs. Bring in comfortable chairs that look nice.

I’m also big on fresh flowers. Always have seasonal flowers, and do arrangements that are a little unusual.

What kind of food do you serve?

I truly believe in one-bite hors d’oeuvres, because otherwise they’re messy — women in general won’t eat them. You can judge a good caterer by the size of their hors d’oeuvres. With the main course, there are some things that shouldn’t be served, WINTER 2009/2010 SCENE 95 l

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A printed menu at each table setting lets guests know what to expect, and request any substitutions if necessary.

like steaks, because people have so many preferences on how they want them cooked.

If there is a vegetarian, I make sure there’s something for them to eat. In my industry, with all the men, I make sure there’s something that will fill their tummies, so they won’t get stuck with ladies’ salads.

I make sure I find out ahead of time about any allergies. I write that down in my phone book for future reference.

I also like to support local vineyards — I often use David Bruce pinots.

Do you make any special accommodations for kids?

If you have the room, put the children in a separate place and let them have fun. They are so happy to have a party [of their own]. Give them coloring books or art projects, such as wooden ornaments they can decorate. Or take rolls of cookie dough, cut them in slices and have them decorate them with M&Ms. No frosting, because it’s messy. The Oriental Trading Company [www.orientaltrading.com] has lots of inexpensive party toys and craft projects. We use them a lot.

What you also want to do is get the teenagers involved. They love to help out, to become the grown-ups. And the little kids love the attention.

The trick is, you don’t need much. The kids will be entertained for a couple of hours, and that’s all you want. If the kids are happy, then the parents are, too.

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Do you have a favorite drink at this time of year?

Cocoa with peppermint schnapps and whipped cream. Oh, my lord, it’s wonderful! If I’m having a winter party, I will always serve that. For kids I like cocoa. I make it with little marshmallows on top all the time.

I’ll also serve a chardonnay and a cabernet in winter. At Thanksgiving I serve Beaujolais nouveau, which is wonderful with turkey.

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Billat’s holiday dinner recipes “We always do a turkey over 20 pounds, even if there aren’t that many people to eat it. You can always do something with the leftovers,” Billat says. “I always use a fresh turkey, like Driscoll’s. I’ve heard the Willie Bird brand is good, too.” s¬First: Open a big can of chicken broth and fill the bottom of the roasting pan with it, then add a half cup of cream sherry. s¬For the basting sauce: Use equal amounts of soy sauce and melted unsalted European butter, called plugra butter. It comes in blocks and has more fat, but much more flavor. For a 20-pounder, take a quarter to a half block of the plugra and melt it in the microwave. Stir in a comparable amount of soy sauce and baste the turkey before and a couple of times during the cooking. The soy sauce gives it color and flavor. s¬Don’t add any additional salt, either to the bird or the stuffing. s¬Cook the stuffing in the bird so the white meat isn’t done too soon. Don’t overstuff the turkey!

Billat makes her own cranberry sauce and gives it away to friends a week before Thanksgiving. Her recipe: For each bag of fresh cranberries, add about ¾ cup freshly squeezed orange juice plus the zest from a couple of oranges, then ¾ cup sugar. Next is ¼ cup of Grand Marnier. Cook this on low heat for about half an hour — make sure it doesn’t boil over.

Right before taking it off the heat, add another tablespoon or two of Grand Marnier. Let cool, then refrigerate. Place plastic wrap directly on the berries so you don’t get that scum on top. Even if you put it into jars, it needs to be refrigerated.

Getaway. Not far away.

How do you decorate for the holidays?

My theory is you can’t have too many wreaths or poinsettias. I love deep red poinsettias; the other ones don’t look like Christmas. I love amaryllis, too, and white orchids. I try to think in three dimensions. I have a couple of angels that hang from the ceilings.

I hang things and put things up high, so the focus is not just on the floor.

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Do you have music?

I think it’s important. It sets an ambience. Usually it’s a soloist, because all I want is background music. For Christmas, though, I’ve hired quartets, such as from the San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus. Music doesn’t have to cost a lot, but having live music really makes a party special. Mostly I rely on caterers for suggestions on musicians; I found a wonderful guitarist that way.

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I enjoy going to parties that have something unusual — in this case, it was something magnificent. S

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About the Raffle: A limited number of $150 tickets will be sold. The Grand Prize winner chooses either the $2 million house in Marin County or $1.6 million in cash. Over 370 total prizes will be given out making the odds of winning a prize only one in 100. Individuals who purchase two or more tickets are automatically entered into the bonus Multi-Ticket Drawing for $40,000 in luxury prizes.

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getaways

The women’s lounge at the spa gets you in the mood for pampering.

CordeValle is in perfect harmony with its surroundings At CordeValle, the mood starts in your bungalow with a toasty fire at the flip of a switch. Candles line the sunken, jetted tub. White, 800-thread-count Frette cotton sheets drape the king-size bed. Padded leather chairs await your glass of wine and flirting conversation.

And you thought this one-time cattle ranch was all about golf?

Sure, world-renowned golf course architect Robert Trent Jones Jr.’s handiwork is the major draw to this bucolic setting in the foothills of the Santa Cruz Mountains, but CordeValle also offers the sort of sensual experience that’s perfect to rekindle old fires – or simply provide respite from the Silicon Valley grind.

Just ask Manny Cho and Ellen Au-Yeung. The Oakland couple came to the resort for a 10th-anniversary getaway and reveled in decadent desserts, and local wines and lounging on the porch of their bungalow “just watching the stars come out.’’ Not to mention 18 holes of golf with an attentive caddy at Cho’s side, and hours

close escape Story by Mike Frankel

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getaways

Villa suites feature an enclosed patio with outdoor shower and private whirlpool spa.

of pampering for Au-Yeung at the spa.

“It’s like going to Pebble Beach or the Ritz at Half Moon Bay,’’ says Cho. “Without the ocean.’’

Or Napa without the attitude. And without the drive. The joke around CordeValle, a four-star resort on just about all the travel/golf/resort/spa magazines’ top fill-in-the-blank lists, is that visitors see its San Martin address and assume this 1,700-acre hideaway is somewhere in the Caribbean. But we’re talking about our San Martin, the one between Morgan Hill and Gilroy, between the mushrooms and the garlic and all the other locally grown produce that finds its way onto executive chef Luca Rutigliano’s menu.

“More and more people,’’ says resort manager Stephanie White, “are starting to figure out that they don’t have to drive that far to get away.’’

And once you are here, there is no tug to leave. The JFKs and Marilyn Monroes in the rose garden are just as lovingly tended to as the bent grass on the putting greens. Eighty-five acres of grapes roll up to Clos LaChance, an award-winning winery that grew from a backyard hobby for Hewlett Packard retiree Bill Murphy and his wife, Brenda.

Golfers have been known to disappear there after the

sixth hole. “If you’re not playing so well,” Tom Gray, CordeValle’s golf course superintendent, explains, “there’s a gate to walk right up to get a tasting – or even a bottle.’’ Or even catch a glimpse of one of the outdoor weddings so popular during the crisp fall weekend afternoons.

If you go CordeValle, a Rosewood resort 1 Cordevalle Club Drive, San Martin, CA 95046 408-695-4500 or 877-255-2626 www.CordeValle.com.

Three types of accommodations are offered: private bungalows, four-bedroom fairway homes and villas. Guest room rates start at $350 per night; a round of golf, including cart and mandatory caddy, begins at $325.

CordeValle is pet-friendly: for $100 per pet per stay, CordeValle provides custom bedding and amenities and a complimentary one-hour dog walking service.

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Photographs courtesy CordeValle

There are hiking paths for romantic strolls along golden hillsides that lead to the winery or to secluded picnic tables overlooking the golf course. There is a roaring, wood-burning fireplace outside the lodge for roasting s’mores under the stars. There are cozy tables at Il Vigneto for elegant wine-pairing dinners and desserts – like a plate loaded with dark chocolate mousse, chocolate gelato and, yes, chocolate lava cake drizzled with vanilla.

Still craving sweetness? Ring room service for what CordeValle calls “Bungalow Love,” the ultimate in couple’s massages delivered right to your room, including a citrus scrub and a citrus lotion massage for two, topped off by a “sensuous tray of tasty treats with champagne’’ delivered to your tub. (Two hours, $310 per person.)

In fact, Sense, the spa at CordeValle, is as much the core of this resort as the golf course. The little details are everywhere: scented oils, waterfalls in the relaxation room, decaf ginger tea, steamy saunas followed by cool rain showers. Cho and Au-Yeung had the place pretty much to themselves, and found the staff, including a facialist and masseuse, to be top-notch.

The spa menu offers everything from orange pumpkin body wraps to hot stone massages, from facials to

pedicures. The signature treatment is the “Heart of the Valley” – a 4½-hour “journey’’ that includes a 90-minute classic massage, facial and pedicure ($575).

From the 750-square-foot bungalows to the 1,100-square-foot villas with their enclosed patios, outdoor showers and whirlpools, CordeValle’s accommodations are all about enhancing the view and the overwhelming relaxation that comes with it.

In addition to hardwood floors, goose-down comforters, high ceilings, flat-screen satellite televisions, spacious walk-in showers and dressing rooms, guests can expect a full complement of luxe bath amenities, a bookshelf stocked with classics and bestsellers, and binoculars to spy on red-headed woodpeckers and magpies flitting from oak to oak and the red-tailed hawk lording over the seventh fairway.

The secret to indulging in CordeValle is realizing that it’s not about how much you can do. It’s about how pleasurable it is to experience the small things.

Like the jasmine climbing the gazebo on your private porch, the shadows creeping at sunset across the golf course and the moon rising over Lion’s Peak.

Like the chance to rediscover all that is put on hold in the bustle of everyday Silicon Valley. S

Perfect for lounging, and contemplating the world: a room with a view.

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11/3/09 12:36 PM

Features

Departments

Tapping tradition | page 124

Haute stuff | page 117

A colonial-style house is transformed into a comfortable, Frenchinspired home for a busy Los Altos Hills family.

Wrap up one of these delectable hostess gifts as a token of your gratitude for the hospitality of the season.

The perfect setup | page130

At the table | page 120

Stylishly coordinated table settings set the right mood for your dinner party.

If anyone knows how to throw a party, it’s Joanna Biondi, owner of Silicon Valley catering giant Café Primavera.

Fantastic florals | page 138

Trade secrets | page 142

High-impact flowers will turn up the degrees of drama at your next soiree.

How to choose the best oriental rug for your space.

Also visit us at SpacesBayArea.com WINTER 2009/2010 SPACES 111

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One of the misconceptions about decorating is that you have to sacrifice comfort to incorporate style. Comfort doesn’t mean the absence of style. The key is putting these elements together in a way that embraces our personal flair. Take our featured homeowners who bought an outdated colonial-style home and transformed it into a cozy but stylish retreat for them and their four kids. No easy feat. Or how our friends at Bloomingdale’s Stanford set six party tables to show how you can imbue both elegance and warmth when entertaining. But what I really believe brings us comfort is surrounding ourselves with things we love and people we care about. And that, thankfully, will always be in style.

Enjoy the issue.

The premier magazine of design

editorial director Kristine M. Carber art directors Sue Tracy Timothy Tsun contributing art director Patty Siu departments editor Natalie Martinez staff writer Crystal Chow contributing writers Joan Chatfield-Taylor Jessica Yadegaran

Kristine M. Carber Editorial Director

contributing photographers Kerry Hiroshi Paul Brian Smeets

Spaces Vol. 3, No. 10 ©2009/2010 by the Bay Area News Group. All rights reserved. Material herein may not be reprinted without expressed written consent of the publisher. for advertising information, call 925.945.4712 or 408.920.2784.

For other information, call 408.278.3464.

www.SpacesBayArea.com

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114 SPACES WINTER 2009/2010

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Complete Floorings, Kitchen & Bath Remodeling & Construction

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11/3/09 12:41 PM

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HauteStuff Oh, goody, you received an invitation to a sumptuous dinner party or weekend stayover. Aside from what to wear, now you need to figure out a thoughtful hostess gift.

Here are some edible presents that just might help score a repeat request for the pleasure of your company.

— Crystal Chow

A homemade shortbread sampler from New York’s famed Dean & Deluca sets the stage for many cozy teas — or rounds of glorious noshing. Forty-eight pieces, 12 of each flavor: toasted almond, key lime ginger, cinnamon sugar and espresso chocolate. $40 at www.deandeluca.com.

WINTER 2009/2010 SPACES 117

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HauteStuff

Fall in love with these heart striped lobster raviolis from Alfonso Gourmet Pasta. Fresh Maine lobster is incorporated into the freshly prepared all-natural dough, which is then flash frozen for delivery. $49.95 for five pounds from www.alfonsogourmetpasta.com.

Top off meat, poultry, seafood, veggies — even fruit dishes — with distinctively flavored and colored salts. This finishing salts collection from Williams-Sonoma features Haleakala red and Kilauea black, peach from Australia and white from Cyprus.

Includes a wooden serving spoon. $39.50 at www.williamssonoma.com.

Oprah adored it, as have countless others. The Frrrozen Hot Chocolate drink served at Serendipity 3 in Manhattan can now be created in one’s own kitchen. Comes with a genuine Serendipity glass goblet, two packs of mix, a special spoon and straws. $26 at www.igourmet.com.

Chocolate is elevated to the status of fine art at Jin Patisserie of Venice, Calif. A nine-piece collection of specialty flavors, housed in a chic silk box, includes caramel clove, Earl Grey, lavender and mango, subject to availability. $32 at www.jinpatisserie.com.

118 SPACES WINTER 2009/2010

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HauteStuff

Up to four diners can enjoy this all-in-one Italian feast.

Farfalle, sauce, bruschetta, specialty crackers and cookies are ensconced in a six-quart self-straining pasta pot. Best of all: It takes less than 15 minutes to prepare the meal. $34.95 at www.flyingnoodle.com.

Tea lovers get an extra incentive for sipping their favorite beverage with blooming teas and a jumbo cup from Adagio Teas. Drop one of the jasmine blooms into hot water and watch its delicate hand-sewn leaves unfurl to reveal the bouquet within. $24 for 10 blooming teas and the 14-ounce glass cup at www.adagio.com.

A mini paella kit from La Tienda contains all the fine ingredients needed for this hearty dish except the cook’s choice of fresh meat, seafood and vegetables. Perfect for the hostess who wants to savor a taste of Spain. Serves two. $49.95 at www.tienda.com.

For holiday get-togethers, a stock of no-prep-needed nibbles is mandatory. The Rouge et Noir favorite flavors gift basket from Marin French Cheese makes for easy hors d’oeuvres or midnight snacks. The five bries are jalapeño, tomato basil, peppercorn, pesto and garlic. $62; call 800.292.6001, extension 112 to order.

WINTER 2009/2010 SPACES 119

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11/5/09 7:49 AM

CAFÉ PRIMAVERA Owner

Joanna Biondi

of Innovation in San Jose and Menlo Park’s Allied Arts, the latter of which opened on Sept. 4.

Age: 54 Hometown: Born in San Luis Obispo; grew up in the Bay Area, mostly in Los Gatos; graduated from Woodside High School.

Experience: Worked in restaurants and catering for 32 years. While in college, she was a waitress at Garden City in San Jose. That job led to catering gigs, which in turn evolved into the Party Helpers, a catering company she co-owned for 12 years. In 1990, she opened Café Primavera in Willow Glen, her first restaurant (she sold it in 2002). The brand has grown to include a catering business and Café Primavera outposts at the Tech Museum

Early inspiration: “My grandmother lived with us. I spent all my summers with her. When I think of her, I think of food.

She cooked and cooked. Our family was centered on the next meal.”

At home: “I cook at home a lot. My hubby loves his pasta. In the summer, we barbecue almost every night. In the winter, I get my crockpot out.”

A love of wine country: “We just bought a house in Napa for the sole purpose of eating in the restaurants. All we do is go up and we hit a new restaurant. We’ve been eating a lot in Bottega, Michael Chiarello’s restaurant in Yountville.”

Café Primavera 201 S. Market St., San Jose 408.885.1094; www.cafeprimavera.com

120 SPACES WINTER 2009/2010

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11/6/09 1:46 PM

Photos by Kerry Hiroshi Paul Table design by Jose Ibarra

Favorite holiday: “Probably

Word of mouth: “I tell my

Easter because I love to do Easter brunch.”

staff that every job we do is our marketing. We have to hit it 100 percent every time.”

Holiday noshing: “What we do at Christmas is ‘dinner by the bite.’

It’s an open house with dishes of one or two bites, tapas-style.”

Signature menu item: “We’re famous for our crab cakes. We have people from Virginia tell us our crab cakes are the best they’ve eaten.”

Toughest everyday challenge: “Right now, the economy. I’ve been doing this for 32 years.

I know how you have ups and downs. I know how to survive them but it’s a challenge.”

Culinary philosophy: “Obsessive.

I am always looking for the best.

I go to every trade show. I eat in restaurants constantly. I read every cooking magazine I can. I’m always looking for a product that’s the best. I try to find the absolute best of the best. If you cut corners, it’s going to taste like you cut corners.

If I don’t eat it, I wouldn’t serve it to my clients.”

— Natalie Martinez

DINNER BY THE BITE To see Biondi’s festive dinner menu and her recipe for lamb lollipops, pictured above, go to the Spaces Web site, www.spacesbayarea.com.

WINTER 2009/2010 SPACES 121

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11/5/09 7:51 AM

Party secrets

I

f anyone knows how to throw a party, it’s Joanna Biondi, owner of Café Primavera. She’s at the helm of a restaurant and catering powerhouse that has kept guests happy at all types of Silicon Valley celebrations, from large corporate shindigs to wedding receptions to intimate holiday gatherings.

Joanna Biondi offers these tips for stress-free and memorable parties: Make a plan: “The first thing I do when I meet with clients is to ask them what their goal is? What are they trying to accomplish? How are we going to get there? How are we going to make that happen?”

Thinking about these things will focus all other aspects of the party: food, décor, music.

Map it out: Every party has a flow to it. Identifying that flow means your party will be a streamlined experience for you and your guests. Figure out where guests will leave coats, purses and hostess gifts. Where will they eat? Where will they sit? Biondi recommends designating someone as a greeter to collect belongings and guide guests to the gathering.

Offer a signature cocktail: It’s an easy way to add a personal touch to your bar. The key is to keep it simple and elegant. One of Biondi’s favorite drinks is white cosmos made with white cranberry juice. Mix ahead of time so the drinks just need to be poured when guests arrive.

For even more pizzazz, serve those cosmos at a martini bar, Biondi says. Everything is prepped ahead of time and served buffet-style: your pre-made cocktail mix, glasses rimmed with flavored sugars and sweet and savory additions. Guests mix and match to create their own drink.

Get help: If you can, hire a caterer. “They can do everything for you,” Biondi says.

— Natalie Martinez

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By Joan Chatfield-Taylor

Photography by Brian Smeets

A California colonial gets new owners and a new look

The Los Altos Hills neighborhood known as Pink Horse Ranch is known for its quiet streets and low-slung, spacious ranch houses, most of which were designed and built by a self-taught architect, Wendell Roscoe.

Roscoe, formerly an airline pilot, had the foresight to buy 42 acres of this rolling land in 1955. Gradually, he began to develop the site, scattering mostly low-slung houses on lots of an acre or more. It was a successful formula, and the neighborhood is inevitably described as “highly desirable” in real estate ads.

There are exceptions to the prevailing ranch house aesthetic, however, and one of them is the colonial-style

house that Kurt and Kim Wheeler, newly-married and in search of a residence big enough to embrace their newlyblended family of themselves and their four children, bought four years ago. They fell in love with a two-story house with New England-style shutters and stately columns anchoring a wide porte-cochere over the front door.

Although the outside is traditional, the interior has a generously-Californian flow of space. The minute the papers were signed, Kim Wheeler took a look at the dated 1970s décor and vowed that she would transform the place by the time school started four months later. Fortunately, she knew just what she wanted, and as a professional

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interior designer, just where to look for it.

“I love everything that’s French,” she says. Not museumquality, ormolu-encrusted French, but the relaxed feeling of a house in the country where a large family has been adding things for generations and new acquisitions nestle comfortably next to Grandmere’s armoires. “You can see that I love most things in French décor – lions, fleur de lys, birds, lambs, monkeys, topiaries, Aubusson rugs and toile de Jouy,” By repeating these favorites from room to room,

she brought a deeply personal, lived-in unity to the sprawling house.

One of the recurring themes is toile de Jouy, the printed cotton fabrics that were first manufactured in 1760 in a small village near Versailles and have remained popular almost continually ever since.

Classic toile de Jouy comes in thousands of different patterns, from flowers and birds to historical events and the ever-popular pastoral scenes suggestive of Marie

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Antoinette’s playing shepherdess at Le Petit Hameau at Versailles. Kim Wheeler has used a wide variety of patterns on both fabric and wallpaper. In the dining room, she papered the walls with a pattern of rust-colored birds flying on a golden background. In her youngest son’s bedrooms, where the theme is dogs, she found a fabric that features hunting dogs. In the master bedroom, a pair of armchairs is covered in red and white pastoral scenes.

She is fearless about mixing patterns to good effect. In the living room, blue and white toile armchairs sit companionably next to chairs covered in floral embroidery.

The master bedroom features a comfortable pile of pillows of different sizes, some in a faded floral print, others in checks large and small. She’s crazy about leopard patterns, so a little spot of leopard fabric turns up in almost every room, as tiny as a single cushion or as bold as the runner on the spiral staircase in the front hall.

“Find the things you love and use them as much as you want,” Kim Wheeler suggests. She emphasizes that everything doesn’t have to be precious and costly, particularly in a house full of children. “Most of our accessories come from discount stores so there are no worries if something is

bumped or broken by the kids.”

“I shopped everywhere,” she says, tossing off the names of a couple of her favorite furniture Web sites. She and her business partner, Debbie Wilson Smith, scoured the Bay Area and beyond to find furniture, preferably on sale, for the house. A warehouse sale in Oakland turned up the beautiful inlaid table in a corner of the living room, and a trip to Italy was reason to acquire many of the prints and paintings that line the walls. Her mother — “a saint,” as her daughter describes her — made many of the window treatments; others came from catalogs and retail stores, often to be combined and re-configured once she got them home.

The result is a house that’s welcoming and comfortable without pretentiousness. But Kim Wheeler confesses that it may not stay the same forever. “I’m fickle. I get easily bored, and I change things quite frequently.” There are always thousands more toiles de Jouy and leopard patterns out there to tempt her.

The Wheelers home is part of the Christmas at Our House tour, Dec. 4 and 5. For more information, visit www.sfhs.com. S

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Raynaud Gala charger, dinner plate, salad plate, cup and saucer ($45-$135); Juliska Eve tealight votive ($55); Christofle Galea flatware ($480 per place setting); Villeroy & Boch Cascara stemware ($40) and candelabra ($150)

All table settings available at Bloomingdale’s Stanford.

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The

perfect setup Photos by Kerry Hiroshi Paul

Styling by Linette Leong

Lisa Leinhardt

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Juliska Berry and Thread dinner plate, salad plate, bread-and-butter plate and mug ($14-$125); Juliska Jardins Du Monde scalloped charger ($84); Lunt Portico atware ($85 per place setting)

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Bernardaud Grenadiers dinner plate, salad plate and coupe soup bowl ($38-$67); Villeroy & Boch New Cottage glassware ($40 each); Waterford Powerscourt gold atware ($80 per place setting)

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Mottahedeh Blue Lace charger ($130); Royal Copenhagen Princess dinner plate and serving bowl ($85-$205); Royal Copenhagen Blue Fluted Mega salad plate, saucer, cup and tumbler ($100$150); Christoe Drop atware (price not available); Orrefors Intermezzo blue stemware ($55-$75 each); Michael Aram Pomegranate menorah ($150)

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Villeroy & Boch red glass charger ($25); Kate Spade June Lane gold dinner plate, salad, breadand-butter plate, cup and saucer ($139 per place setting); Baccarat Vega Rhine wine glasses ($150-$220 each); Christoe Aria gold atware ($809 per place setting); Faberge votive ($50)

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Fantastic florals Photos by Kerry Hiroshi Paul

Mesmerize your guests Fine decorations, like delicious food or a brilliant guest list, are one of the requisite elements of a successful party. If you’re pulling out the stops for a soiree, then make sure your floral arrangements hit the mark. The more dramatic and eye-catching the better, as these examples abundantly show. Will there be compliments? Let nature take its course.

Design by Bloomster’s, San Jose

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Opposite page: Birds of paradise, Fuji spider mums, bittersweet berry branches, brandywine roses, cymbidium orchids, pinn oak leaves, dried materials including eucalyptus bark, saffron and celosia Below: Dahlias, palm tree fruit and buckeye branch

Design by Sara Ebady, oral artist

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Design by Bloomster’s, San Jose Design by Rosies & Posies, Campbell

Design by Bunches, Los Gatos

Bottom left: Oriental lilies, amaranths, euphorbia (also called “Snow on the Mountain”), pine cones, fresh pine boughs. Top: Bittersweet berry branches, brandywine roses, cymbidium orchids, pinn oak leaves, dried materials including eucalyptus bark, saffron and celosia. Bottom right: Calla lilies, hydrangea, glorious lilies, dendrobium orchids, hanging amaranths, bear grass, roses, safari sunset, dahlias. Opposite page: Calla lilies, dahlias and bittersweet berry branches.

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Design by Sara Ebady, oral artist

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TradeSecrets

Magic carpets

By Jessica Yadegaran

Demystifying the art of buying oriental rugs In describing his profound spiritual experiences, the 12th-century Persian poet Jalaluddin Rumi exclaimed, “I can’t stop pointing to the beauty. Every moment and place says, ‘Put this design in your carpet!’” It is easy to see where the mystic was coming from. The beauty and craftsmanship of handmade Oriental rugs, with their rich colors and historical patterns, seem inspired by the divine.

The ancient tradition dates back to the fifth century BC, and in countries such as Iran, it holds such cultural significance that even today high-quality carpets are considered an Iranian’s best investment.

All this prestige can make buying one a bit intimidating.

How much should you spend? What are the elements of a fine Oriental rug? And how do you choose a reputable dealer? To find out, we turned to San Jose rug specialists Nasser and Peter Gollestani. The Gollestanis own and operate Martinous Oriental Rugs, a rug cleaning business.

Nasser Gollestani has more than 30 years of experience buying, selling and collecting antique, handmade and modern Oriental rugs. His prized possession is a 150-yearold Farahan Sarouk rug — a reference to fabled carpets made in the village of Sarouk in Iran’s Farahan District.

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TradeSecrets Q: What countries produce fine rugs?

Nasser: The best handmade rugs, antique or new, come from Tabriz, Kashan and Isfahan in Iran. Turkey and China also produce quality rugs. Afghanistan makes rugs, but it is limited in its designs. Recently, India and Pakistan have been making good rugs, but they don’t have the long history.

Q: What fabrics should you look for?

Nasser: Most fine rugs are made from wool or a combination of wool, silk, and cotton. Personally, I think wool rugs are easier to maintain. And if it’s a good-quality wool and well made, it will probably last longer and look shinier than a silk rug. Today, only 5 to 10 percent of rugs are still made from 100 percent silk.

Q: What are the elements of quality to look for when selecting a rug?

Nasser: First, you want to make sure the rug was made properly. Look at the tightness of the weave on the back of the rug. The more knots you see, the more labor was put into the rug. In terms of durability and longevity, you want a tight weave. Typically, a highquality rug has at least 500 knots per square inch.

Next, ask about the quality of the dyeing process. The best rugs are made using vegetable dyes from flowers and the skins of walnuts or pomegranates. When

processed properly, they are much stronger than chemical dyes.

The most important part of the dyeing process is making sure that the colored yarn is rinsed long enough to get the loose dye out and set the color. But the most important part of choosing a carpet is to make sure the design and color combination is good looking and tasteful, so 10 people can look at it and all say that it is a nice carpet.

Q: Is bargaining acceptable? How much should you expect to pay for a quality rug?

Nasser: It is at some stores. Lots of privately owned shops are OK with negotiating. After you have determined a competitive price for the class of rug you are purchasing, a good starting point to offer is 20 to 25 percent under the marked price.

Q: Can you talk about the differences between tribal and city rugs?

Nasser: Tribal rugs almost always have wool foundations. City rugs usually have cotton or silk foundations. Tribal designs are mostly geometric, whereas city rugs are more varied, from pictorial representations and floral designs to solid backgrounds with few ornamentations.

To learn more For additional information about choosing the right oriental rug, visit the Spaces Web site at www.spacesbayarea.com.

Q: How do you find a reputable dealer?

Peter: Luckily, in California, there are many experienced dealers. I would find out how long the store has been around and make sure they’re informed and have a great selection. You have to be vigilant and explore the market. But when you find the rug that you love, the money won’t make a difference. S

WINTER 2009/2010 SPACES 143

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HUMAIRA GHILZAI continued from Page 80

called and said it was time for her to “get involved.”

“What can I do?” she asked.

“I don’t know anything about the philanthropic world.”

But after a phone call to San Francisco activist Carol Ruth Silver, who was starting a sister city program with Kabul, Humaira helped establish the Afghan Friends Network in 2002, becoming its volunteer president, developing a board and Web site (www. afghanfriends.com) and raising money to help girls with their education and teachers with training.

Humaira’s father died that same year, just before her second daughter was born. (Her mother lives in Newark.)

On her trips back to war-torn Afghanistan, several with full se-

curity details, she marveled at the spunk — and style — of the women she met there. Many still wore burqas on the streets even after the Taliban was ousted; some found the anonymity strangely liberating. But what they wore under them was often a surprise, even at weddings.

“As they enter the wedding hall, they’d hang up their burqas,” she says, “and they’d be wearing their best high heals, strapless dresses and have their hair done.”

And when she meets with Afghan women invited to business workshops in the United States, “the first thing they ask is, ‘Where can we go to buy anti-wrinkle cream?’ ” Just a minute, she tells them.

Out from under the shadows of the burqa, she says, “the first thing we’re going to do is buy sunscreen for you all.” S

MARI ELLEN LOIJENS continued from Page 84

way of deciding what’s important and making an impact in the world,” she says. And at Mount Holyoke, “they start you early in the giving-back thing.”

She went on to help build a new cancer center and neonatal ward at White Plains Hospital Center in New York, and in the Bay Area, raised $11 million annually for the Second Harvest Food Bank.

Five years ago, she began her tenure at the Community Foundation, where she meets with wealthy people deciding how to spend their charitable dollars.

“I’m kind of like a personal shopper for philanthropy,” she says. “It’s like if you want a pair of black pants, but don’t know which kind — you want to donate to charity, but you don’t know which one. At the Community Foundation, we can help people weed through that.”

Under her leadership, the development team has helped raise $500 million for the organization.

“Once you see that you can really do something and you feel that satisfaction,” she says, “it’s really hard to go back.” S

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11/5/09 10:36 AM

Joanne Ho-Young Lee — Mercury News Archives

the california theatre The opulent California Theatre in downtown San Jose was a fitting backdrop for our holiday fashion photographs. Originally a 1927 vaudeville and movie house that closed years ago, the theater was carefully restored and opened its doors again in September 2004. From the tall and handsome Spanish Renaissance facade on South First Street to the interior basrelief carvings of conquistadors, deeply carved ceiling coffers, colorful stencils, tiled floors, marble walls, beamed ceilings and ornate chandeliers, the California is an architectural wonder. It’s also a premier cultural destination; it is home to the San Jose Opera (www.operasj.org) and Symphony Silicon Valley (www. symphonysiliconvalley.org), and is a showcase for many other arts performances and film screenings.

The California Theatre is managed by Team San Jose, which also manages the San Jose Convention Center and other cultural facilities, including San Jose Civic, San Jose Center for the Performing Arts, Montgomery Theater and Parkside Hall.

California Theatre, 345 S. First St., San Jose, CA, 408-8851791, www.sanjose.org

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11/5/09 10:46 AM

There are no glass slippers.

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11/5/09 10:46 AM

Maria J. Ávila — Mercury News

Upcoming events at the California Theatre “Cinderella” (“La Cenerentola”) Nov. 14-29, $51-$91, Opera San Jose Philharmonic Orchestra Dec. 5, $5-$15, San Jose Youth Symphony “The Four Seasons” Dec. 5-6, $37-$73, Symphony Silicon Valley “You-Sing-It Messiah” Dec. 7, $20, San Jose Symphonic Choir Holiday Concert — Senior Symphony Orchestra Dec. 13, $6-$12, El Camino Youth Symphony

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“Scheherazade — Tales From the East” Jan. 9-10, $37-$73, Symphony Silicon Valley Broadway in Concert — “The Music Man” Jan. 15-17, $37-$73, Symphony Silicon Valley “The Marriage of Figaro” (“Le Nozze Di Figaro”) Feb. 6-21, $51-$91, Opera San Jose Broadway in Concert - “Porgy & Bess” March 12-14, $37-$73, Symphony Silicon Valley Philharmonic Orchestra March 13, $5-$15, San Jose Youth Symphony “Porgy & Bess” March 18-21, $37-$73, Symphony Silicon Valley

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LAURIE ROHRBACH continued from Page 83

care. She met her husband and started a family, and in 2003, they took a year off to experience Spain. The year abroad, along with trips to family property in Guatemala, changed her perspective, though.

With a box of watercolors in her hands and the picnic basket full of letters at her feet, she was ready for something different.

Then it dawned on her. She would translate her watercolor images, from Asian-style bird cages to vintage watering cans, flowers and whimsical wildlife, into elegant, custom stationery. Her husband, Matt Rohrbach, a banker, was skeptical at first. “Who writes letters anymore?” he asked. But maybe, with the handwritten word, people can reconnect, as she has done with her mother, she thought. Art, correspondence, family: She called her company Lobird (www.lobird.com).

“Everything sort of came together organically,” she says, and her husband has become her greatest supporter.

A big part of her world is giving back, especially to children less fortunate than she was. She founded an education scholarship program for children in the Thai village where she lived and has helped send 70 children to secondary school there since 1991. A recent partnership with www.preventhumantrafficking.org allows people to donate to her program online. And for every order of stationery, she donates money to www.americanforestry.org to plant a tree.

As a gift to her brothers, Rohrbach copied her mother’s letters and bound them in binders. One of the letters was written the day after Laurie’s birth in Australia.

“Dear Bee,” it started. “I am really on a pink cloud!!! We are so happy and lucky and spoiled. I just still can’t believe Laurie Elizabeth is true! She is an adorable little girl, very feminine, with Erick’s coloring (black curly hair!)”

On a recent fall day, Rohrbach reread the letter after returning from a luncheon in San Francisco. Wearing a simple black dress with a pleated skirt and a fitted bodice, she glanced at a photograph of her mother.

“I’m dressed just like her,” Rohrbach said.

She seemed a bit surprised. S

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Beauty Begins Beneath

KATHRYN BESSER continued from Page 88

While some people might roll their eyes at ice-breaker games, Besser is unabashed and insists it draws out the shy guests and sets a festive mood. And almost always, something new is learned about old friends and family. When she held a Valentine’s Day party, she asked everyone to write on a piece of paper “What I did for love.� Her father said he had given up medical school at Yale, choosing to stay at UCLA to remain close to a nurse named Patti who would become his wife. “The time we get to spend with friends and neighbors, that’s the gold to me,� she says. “I feel if I’m not opening my house, I’m not being the person I want to be.� S

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Scene magazine reader contest

547 Bryant Street, Palo Alto (650) 323-7979 1445 Burlingame Ave, Burlingame (650) 347-5022

continued from Page 162

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www.Charmelle28.com

NUTCRACKER

You and your BFF can win a makeover at Bloomingdale’s Stanford!

See contest rules and how to enter on Page 162. To help promote the contest, Bloomingdale’s Stanford will donate a generous beauty gift basket to Christmas Tree Elegance 2009. The basket will be awarded in a special drawing at a Christmas Tree Elegance “coffee� on the morning of Dec. 3.

See www.vallemonte.org to purchase tickets to the event.

You must be 18 years old and a legal California resident to enter. Employees of the Mercury News/Bay Area News Group and their families are ineligible. Limit one entry per person, per household. The winner will be photographed by Scene magazine wearing fashions from Bloomingdale’s Stanford; the photo will be featured in the spring 2010 issue of Scene.

BERKELEY CITY BALLET’S 36TH NUTCRACKER Ohlone College Smith Center December 19th & 20th 1pm and 5pm

featuring guest dancers from bay area dance companies “meet the stars� after the show!

Adults $25/ Seniors /Staff / Students $20 12 & Under $15 10% Discount for Groups of 10 or More BOX OFFICE: 510-659-6031 SMITHCENTERPRESENTS.COM

11/9/09 2:41 PM

2010 publishing dates August 13 September 5 October 3 November 19

For advertising information and space reservations, call 925.945.4712 or 408.920.2784.

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Photo by Dean Birinyi

March 7 April 2 May 2 June 6 July 4

11/6/09 11:46 AM

behindthescenes

making the magic

Karie Bennett works a little volume into Khrystyna K.’s hair.

‘The Lady Looks Back’

‘A Passion for Giving’

Scene was fortunate to have a great team from Atelier Aveda SalonSpa for our fashion shoot at Hotel Valencia’s Vbar in San Jose: Karie Bennett, founder and CEO, worked on the models’ hair; Elizabeth Bozzo handled makeup; and Kaila Blake also did hair.

“Hair sets the look, and finishes the look,” says Karie, explaining how she and Kaila were creating classic Grace Kelly/Veronica Lake styles, with volume and control but “moveable, touchable, shiny.” The pair’s secret weapon: Aveda Pure Abundance Hair Potion, a volumizing powder tapped directly into the roots of the models’ dry hair, which Karie said adds body and texture and gives locks “a beach-y feel.”

Elizabeth, meanwhile, was aiming for “red lips and perfect skin” along with black eyeliner to go with the overall retro look. The result?

Polished perfection reminiscent of stylized Hollywood of the 1950s and early ’60s. (Atelier Aveda, www.atelieraveda.com, is located in Santana Row.) The chic and dramatic Vbar played its part, along with our models, both with Look Model Agency in San Francisco. Cover girl Khrystyna K., a native of Siberia, has a degree in philosophy from the University of Ukraine and is working on a nursing degree. Marin resident Ryan Eddy has worked with Hewlett-Packard, Cosmopolitan and the San Jose Mercury News, among others.

Scene also was lucky to have two talented artists on board for our shoot of four Silicon Valley women at the California Theatre in San Jose. Ben Monroy, a makeup artist at Neiman Marcus at Stanford Shopping Center, made the ladies look luscious. And Ivy Le (www.ivymakeupartist.com) deftly worked each woman’s hair to complement both the clothes and their innate sense of style.

Photos by Joanne Ho-Young Lee

Ivy Le with Mari Ellen Loijens.

Ben Monroy applies the finishing touches.

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Susan Krane, Oshman executive director of the SJMA, and $teven Ra$pa of San Francisco.

Gala committee co-chairs Carol and Gerry Parker of Los Gatos.

Russ Daulton of Burlingame and Mike Nevens (president of the SJMA board) of Los Altos Hills.

Out and about West, Carmela Castellano-Garcia and Armando Castellano — with the La Familia Award. Over the years, the family has supported local culture and causes ranging from the Cinequest Film Festival and Los Lupeños de San Jose dance company to Latinas Contra Cancer and the National Association of Latino Arts and Culture.

Attendees at the ball included a number of stylish movers and shakers:

Photos by Patrick Tehan

October saw both the 40th anniversary of the San Jose Museum of Art and the 20th annual Hispanic Charity Ball. Both big bashes drew glittering crowds. The SJMA event included a live auction for original artwork by Tam Van Tran, a New York art tour for two, and a luxury suite at the recent Elton John/Billy Joel concert at HP Pavilion.

The Hispanic Charity Ball honored the family of Alcario and Carmen Castellano — including adult children Maria

Nora Campos, San Jose city councilwoman.

Graciela Cochran, professor at San Jose City College.

Dolores Carr, Santa Clara County district sttorney.

Alicia Sanchez, Ph.D student at UC Santa Cruz.

Angelina Elizondo Herrera, vice president at Xerox.

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11/5/09 10:59 AM

seen

From left: Naomi Bates of Sweet Bud Floral Design and Camille Littlejohn.

San Jose Junior League’s Mari Ellen Loijens, left, and Ann-Marie Meacham flank Santana Row model Kristin Geiser.

From left: Symantec’s Susan Tatro, San Jose State University’s Janikke Klem and Tawnya Lancaster of the Lancaster Group.

in Silicon Valley Earlier this fall, Scene threw a coming-out party at The 88, the luxury condo high-rise in downtown San Jose. Guests mingled, noshed, enjoyed live music and heard a little about

the new magazine, and a few walked off with primo raffle prizes from local merchants. The views, of course, were sublime.

From left: Gay Crawford, Tiffany’s Brian Neel, Scene Editor Katharine Fong.

Photos by Sherry Tesler

From left: San Jose Mercury News Publisher Mac Tully, San Jose City Councilmember Ash Kalra, Nanci Williams of Orloff Williams, De Tran of VTimes.

From left: Marie Amilcar and Mohana More of Plumeria.

From left: Ed Tacdol and Kim Lemaire.

Kim shot our photos on Pages 94-96.

Liy Kath of Yap Wraps with dog Pronto.

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11/5/09 10:59 AM

goodworks

a toast for

2010 Christmas Tree Elegance lets you celebrate in style while donating to a great cause

No doubt the funds and goodwill raised this year at Christmas Tree Elegance will be particularly welcome. The series of seven parties over four days, presented by Valle Monte League, raises money for several Santa Clara Valley mental health agencies.

Held at the Doubletree Hotel in San Jose on Dec. 1-4, the events feature a champagne brunch, a holiday “office party,” morning coffee, two afternoon teas, a children’s party and a grand ball.

The signature Christmas trees, decorated by 13 Bay Area designers and each with valuable gifts beneath, are first displayed and then awarded to lucky partygoers. Festivities include fashion shows, silent auctions and entertainment.

Valle Monte League is a nonprofit organization with more than 150 volunteer members. Funds raised through Christmas Tree Elegance and other events benefit Family & Children Services, John XXIII MultiService Center, the Centre for Living with Dying, Alzheimer’s Activity Center and Services for Brain Injury. Over 42 years, the League has donated more than $8 million to these groups.

Tickets to individual Christmas Tree Elegance parties range from $40 for the children’s party (Wednesday, Dec. 2, 6-8 p.m.) to $175 for the grand ball (Friday, Dec. 4, 6:30 p.m. to midnight). For more information, and to donate to Valle Monte League, see www.vallemonte.org.

In each issue, Scene presents “Good Works,” a look at a local philanthropic effort that combines substance and style.

Joanne Ho-Young Lee — Mercury News Archives

Valle Monte League member Barbara Campisi, left, and current president Heidi Bonneau help stage the parties.

Scene magazine reader contest — win a makeover!

It’s a win-win: Tell us about your BFF (best friend forever) who’s making the world a better place and you can both win a makeover! One lucky Scene reader and the friend she nominated will enjoy a day of beauty at Bloomingdale’s Stanford, which will also donate a gift to Christmas Tree Elegance 2009 as part of the contest.

How to enter: E-mail scene@mercury-

news.com by 5 p.m. Friday, Jan. 22, 2010, and tell us in 250 words or less about your friend and how she is making a difference in the community. Scene, Bloomingdale’s Stanford and Valle Monte League will choose the winner with the most inspiring answer.

The makeovers: Your day begins with consultations with a style expert and make-

up artist. Along with advice, you’ll receive gift bags filled with beauty items. After a stop in Playa Grill Margarita Bar for light refreshments, you’ll meet with a personal shopper, who will discuss your needs and suggest options that work for you. You may find it the perfect time to spend your $100 Bloomingdale’s gift cards.

Details about the contest on Page 157.

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11/9/09 9:36 AM

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11/4/09 8:29 AM

The Always Changing

Christmas Ballet

See it again . . . for the first time!

Dec 9 - 13 Tickets: 650.903.6000

Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts PARENTS & GRANDPARENTS Ask about Santa’s Sweets A special treat just for the kids!

WWW.SMUINBALLET.ORG Celia Fushille, Artistic & Executive Director

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11/3/09 3:22 PM