Rah Riley Portfolio by Rah Riley

RAH RILEY

Art Director + Event Planner Santa Barbara, CA Minneapolis, MN

mockups Outtake Magazine “Women of the Year”

photo shoots Fashion Editorial

article “Bartend Like A Boss” Writing Sample + Layout

covers + title pages Santa Barbara Life & Style Magazine

18 contact

Additional work samples in art direction, graphic design, branding, writing, and event production available

proficiencies InDesign Photoshop Illustrator Acrobat

RAH R ILEY

portfolio

RAH In my first year as art director, assistant editor, and copywriter for a monthly lifestyle magazine, our readership grew from 4,000 online-only readers to 11,000 online readers and 4,000 print subscribers, while our social media following more than quadrupled to nearly 10,000. I have extensive experience conceptualizing features and editorials, developing visual identities for monthly issues, designing well and FOB/BOB layouts, crafting typography in title designs, and creating covers that sell. With a number of published lifestyle articles and blog posts, I enjoy writing, editing, and copywriting, and love collaborating with design teams to produce a quality product. In the past five years, I have also planned and managed over 75 unique events, from board meetings and weddings to a summer music series and a 700-guest fundraising party. The event and magazine industries check my priority boxes as work spaces that are fast-paced, deadline-driven, creative, and collaborative. My degree, a self-designed inter-college BA with emphases in PR, design, and fashion from the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, ignited habits of trend forecasting, color-coded calendars, and always absorbing insight and inspiration. I want to bring good creative energy to your team and uphold a reputation for attending to every pixel of detail within a large-scale vision, keeping projects organized and on-track, and managing multiple tasks to hit deadlines. Thanks for checking out some of my work!

RAH RILEY

Contract Art Director TIGER OAK MEDIA

mockups EXPERIENCE in: Page design with Adobe InDesign Typography design and text formatting Cover and feature collections

RAH R ILEY

portfolio

Contract Art Director TIGER OAK MEDIA

Mockup cover collection for quarterly model scene magazine

WEST COAST

WINTER 2014

3 OF 100

O U T TA K E

OU T t A K E

OUTTAKE

spring 2015

W E S T C O A S T / V O L U M E 1 I S S U E 1 / SPRI NG 2 0 1 5

volume 1, issue 1

OUTTAKE

west coast edition

WEST COAST / WINTER 2014

OUTTAKE west coast edition volume 1 / issue 1 spring 2015 3 / 100

outtakebitches

RAH R ILEY

outtakebitches

portfolio

outtakebitches

Outtake

Volume 1, Issue 1 West Coast Edition Spring 2015

outtakebitches

OUT TAKE WEST COAST

outtakebitches

WINTER 2014

O U T TA K E

outtakebitches

o ut ta k e

outtakebitches

Contract Art Director TIGER OAK MEDIA

Celebrating the

WOMEN who make

SANTA BARBARA

BEAUTIFUL

Cara

Q&A with Cara Delevigne Entrepreneur, savvy business partner, and global fashion icon.

WOMEN YEAR

Morton Capital Contact information 805-888-8888 Allora by Laura Contact information 805-888-8888

Uptam audi consequi ut odi apit maiore nos ab in num volorro eatio vere, ulpario odiande anis essimagnat re ventio. Itasperi voloria natia aut eseceatent as que eum es adis pelitis am, inimos voluptati tempori taspiet eati con cusa volut ex et officie niment eossit est qui si ut es dolectur, voluptae aute non num aut veliquatur ad quo mos quodicit am et is dolutatust, ut et quae mollitibus re voluptasin none ipsuntus mo qui il eaque nissi volutatust, iusanit qui que pa quaturio occulpa que magnam, inctat. Uptam audi consequi ut odi apit maiore nos ab in num volorro eatio vere? Porerume nia volorum aboreri beaquam volessum est, qui temquatur, in repta pro omnis volutem. Sim et dolendanis quae nos plit im samet laccum, te nes aut pore qui nis iunte ilique el mo eiur sitisque laccae solorrum quis dolor ad quat moluptas explias endus re nonseni andelis dolore cullia aut asped que quis porum illuptat. Uptam audi consequi ut odi apit maiore nos ab in num volorro eatio vere? Liquistrum restet harciet, sit vendi comnim aboriore volupta temporem landae endiatem rerum nos aperata tionecab is minci is ut volorem quas alit in re nus alibus ma qui ut lantiam vel maio tem experio. Ebis rercidem ea cone maios earum que cus autectum laut est, ut utemque solorehenem num rerrovita a delique voluptae voluptas dolorum ut quia dolupta erovitas nonecup tatur? Upta sitat assitatem facearuptat.

OF THE

Clothing Credit, Boutique, Credits, here.

Uptam audi consequi ut odi apit maiore nos ab in num volorro eatio vere?

Por rera sitam volupta idellam qui aliate autet latium nusci re cus, te sequam

Celebrating the

WOMEN who make

SANTA BARBARA

BEAUTIFUL

Cara

se ma comnit eum nonsequas dolore nihil inveles alia culparciasit est iure, sin pratquia in re, inciendit quia volendam hil iditecupta vellaccus sitibus sinveri anis ped eture omnimus aut asi a Uptam audi ut odi apit maiore nos ab in num volorro eatio vere? Uptam audi consequi ut odi apit maiore nos ab in num volorro eatio vere, ulpario odiande anis essimagnat re ventio. Itasperi voloria natia aut eseceatent as que eum es adis pelitis am, inimos voluptati tempori taspiet eati con cusa volut ex et officie niment eossit est qui si ut es dolectur, voluptae aute non num aut veliquatur ad quo mos quodicit am et is dolutatust, ut et quae mollitibus re voluptasin none ipsuntus mo qui il eaque nissi volutatust, iusanit qui que pa quaturio occulpa que magnam, inctat.

In addition to modeling and acting, Delevingne sings and plays the drums and recently teamed up with Pharrell Williams to make the song CC The World.

Uptam consequi ut odi apit maiore nos ab in num volorro eatio vere? Porerume nia volorum aboreri beaquam volessum est, qui temquatur, in repta pro omnis volutem. Sim et dolendanis quae nos plit im samet laccum, te nes aut pore qui nis iunte audi consequi ut odi apit maiore nos ab in num volorro eatio vere? Liquistrum restet harciet, sit vendi comnim aboriore volupta temporem landae endiatem rerum nos aperata tionecab is minci is ut volorem quas alit in re nus alibus ma qui ut lantiam vel maio tem experio. Ebis rercidem ea cone maios earum que cus autectum laut est, ut utemque solorehenem num rerrovita a delique voluptae voluptas dolorum ut quia dolupta erovitas nonecup tatur? Upta sitat assitatem facearuptat.

WOMEN YEAR

Morton Capital Contact information 805-888-8888

Uptam audi consequi ut odi apit maiore nos ab in volorro eatio vere? Odias doluptus elese ma comnit eum nonsequas dolore nihil inveles alia cutecupta vellaccus sitibus sinveri anis ped eture omnimus aut asi aut molores toreius aut ea vit,

Allora by Laura Contact information 805-888-8888

OF THE

erem atures aped quatur? Author Name

Clothing Credit, Boutique, Credits, here.

Author Titles/Information

8 | MARCH 2015

SBLIFEANDSTYLE.COM | 8

WOMEN YEAR

In addition to modeling and acting, Delevingne sings and plays the drums and recently teamed up with Pharrell Williams to make the song CC The World.

OF THE

CARA

Uptam audi consequi ut odi apit maiore nos ab in num volorro eatio vere?

Morton Capital Contact information 805-888-8888 Allora by Laura Contact information 805-888-8888

Porerume nia volorum aboreri beaquam volessum est, qui temquatur, in repta pro omnis volutem. Sim et dolendanis quae nos plit im samet laccum, te nes aut pore qui nis iunte ilique el mo eiur sitisque laccae solorrum quis dolor ad quat moluptas explias endus re nonseni andelis dolore cullia aut asped que quis porum illuptat. Uptam audi consequi ut odi apit maiore nos ab in num volorro eatio vere? Liquistrum restet harciet, sit vendi comnim aboriore volupta temporem landae endiatem rerum nos aperata tionecab is minci is ut volorem quas alit in re nus alibus ma qui ut lantiam vel maio tem experio. Ebis rercidem ea cone maios earum que cus autectum laut est, ut utemque solorehenem num rerrovita a delique voluptae voluptas dolorum ut quia dolupta erovitas nonecup tatur? Upta sitat assitatem facearuptat. Uptam audi consequi ut odi apit maiore nos ab in num volorro eatio vere? Uga. Itam fuga. Roris et quiatem repudis dolo quam fuga. Iliae ent. Odias doluptus elese ma comnit eum nonsequas dolore nihil inveles alia culparciasit est iure, sin pratquia in re, inciendit quia volend aut ea vit, erem atures aped quatur? Uptam audi consequi ut odi apit maiore nos ab in num volorro eatio vere?

Por rera sitam volupta idellam qui aliate autet latium nusci re cus, te sequam

Ratemquia quia serum et dolupti officium idebit, quiam repudaerupti offic to eossequi issinve lluptaque apicide iliaectiunt volora iur, sitiore mporaepres ditate nonsed molenihit et ut as que naturitatur sumquia

Clothing Credit, Boutique, Credits, here.

8 | MARCH 2015

RAH R ILEY

portfolio

SBLIFEANDSTYLE.COM | 8

WOMEN YEAR OF THE

Celebrating the women who make Santa Barbara beautiful

Cara Delevigne

Uptam audi consequi ut odi apit maiore nos ab in num volorro eatio vere?

Morton Capital Contact information 805-888-8888 Allora by Laura Contact information 805-888-8888

In addition to modeling and acting, Delevingne sings and plays the drums and recently teamed up with Pharrell Williams to make the song CC The World.

Uga. Itam fuga. Roris et quiatem repudis dolo quam fuga. Iliae ent. Odias doluptus elese ma comnit eum nonsequas dolore nihil inveles alia culparciasit est iure, sin pratquia in re, inciendit quia volendam hil iditecupta vellaccus sitibus sinveri anis ped eture omnimus aut asi aut molores toreius aut ea vit, erem atures aped quatur? Uptam audi consequi ut odi apit maiore nos ab in num volorro eatio vere? Por rera sitam volupta idellam qui aliate autet latium nusci re cus, te sequam

Clothing Credit, Boutique, Credits, here.

9 | MARCH 2015

SBLIFEANDSTYLE.COM | 9

WOMEN YEAR OF THE

Celebrating Women Who Make Santa Barbara Beautiful Q&A with Cara Delevigne

Cara Delevigne

Model, actress, savvy business partner, and global fashion icon.

Morton Capital Contact information 805-888-8888 Allora by Laura Contact information 805-888-8888

Porerume nia volorum aboreri beaquam volessum est, qui temquatur, in repta pro omnis volutem. Sim et dolendanis quae nos plit im samet laccum, te nes aut pore qui nis iunte ilique el mo eiur sitisque laccae solorrum quis dolor ad quat moluptas explias endus re nonseni andelis dolore cullia aut asped que quis porum illuptat. Uptam audi consequi ut odi apit maiore nos ab in num volorro eatio vere? Liquistrum restet harciet, sit vendi comnim aboriore volupta temporem landae endiatem rerum nos aperata tionecab is minci is ut volorem quas alit in re nus alibus ma qui ut lantiam vel maio tem experio. Ebis rercidem ea cone maios earum que cus autectum laut est, ut utemque solorehenem num rerrovita a delique voluptae voluptas dolorum ut quia dolupta erovitas nonecup tatur? Upta sitat assitatem facearuptat. Uptam audi consequi ut odi apit maiore nos ab in num volorro eatio vere? Uga. Itam fuga. Roris et quiatem repudis dolo quam fuga. Iliae ent. Odias doluptus elese ma comnit eum nonsequas dolore nihil inveles alia culparciasit est iure, sin pratquia in re, inciendit quia volendam hil iditecupta vellaccus sitibus sinveri anis ped eture omnimus aut asi aut molores toreius aut ea vit, erem atures aped quatur? Uptam audi consequi ut odi apit maiore nos ab in num volorro eatio vere?

Por rera sitam volupta idellam qui aliate autet latium nusci re cus, te sequam

Ratemquia quia serum et dolupti officium idebit, quiam repudaerupti offic to eossequi issinve lluptaque apicide iliaectiunt volora iur, sitiore quibusa is rem cumquas sitatur? Net ditate nonsed molenihit et ut as que naturitatur sumquia

Clothing Credit, Boutique, Credits, here.

9 | MARCH 2015

SBLIFEANDSTYLE.COM | 9

WOMEN who make SANTA

BARBARA beautiful Cara

Itasperi voloria natia aut eseceatent as que eum es adis pelitis am, inimos voluptati tempori taspiet eati con cusa volut ex et officie niment eossit est qui si ut es dolectur, voluptae aute non num aut veliquatur ad quo mos quodicit am et is do, voluptae aute non num aut veliqu tatur? Upta sitat assitatem facearuptat. dolor mosapero magnis eaquam et

WOMAN

Morton Capital Contact information 805-888-8888

of the

YEAR

Allora by Laura Contact information 805-888-8888

Uptam audi consequi ut odi apit maiore nos ab in num volorro eatio vere? Uptam audi consequi ut odi apit maiore nos ab in num volorro eatio vere, ulpario odiande anis essimagnat re ventio. Itasperi voloria natia aut eseceatent as que eum es adis pelitis am, inimos voluptati tempori taspiet eati con cusa volut ex et officie niment eossit est qui si ut es dolectur, voluptae aute non num aut veliquatur ad quo mos quodicit am et is dolutatust, ut et quae mollitibus re voluptasin none ipsuntus mo qui il eaque nissi volutatust, iusanit qui que pa quaturio occulpa que magnam, inctat. Uptam audi consequi ut odi apit maiore nos ab in num volorro eatio vere? Porerume nia volorum aboreri beaquam volessum est, qui temquatur, in repta pro omnis volutem. Sim et dolendanis quae nos plit im samet laccum, dolor ad quat moluptas explias endus re nonsenidolore cullia aut asped Uptam audi consequi ut odi apit maiore nos ab in num volorro eatio vere?

Q&A with Cara Delevigne Model, actress, savvy business partner, and global fashion icon.

Liquistrum restet harciet, sit vendi comnim aboriore volupta temporem

Clothing Credit, Boutique, Credits, here. 9 | MARCH 2015

Por rera sitam volupta idellam qui aliate autet latium nusci re cus, te sequam SBLIFEANDSTYLE.COM | 9

Mockup collection for sponsored quarterly feature “Women of the Year” In partnership with local companies and produced within Santa Barbara Life & Style Magazine’s style guide A selection from initial set of 8-10 looks Contract Art Director TIGER OAK MEDIA

photo shoot assistance

RAH R ILEY

portfolio

EXPERIENCE in: Editorial planning and story boarding Photo shoot apparel and accessory borrows Freelance photographer and model selections On-set styling and photographer assistance Source list photo selection for edits and final layouts 2-3 fashion editorials per monthly issue

Contract Art Director TIGER OAK MEDIA

WHITES show off their

RAH R ILEY

portfolio Models Regina Schnitzer and Rachel Moore with Next Model Management

Makeup by Rose Serrano with Carlyle Salon and Style Bar

Hair by Krysta Withrow with Carlyle Salon and Style Bar

Photography by Meadow Rose Photography

SIDE

DARK

winter

Sweater, Helmut Lang. Handbag, Loeffler Randall, DIANI. Jewelry, Kai Linz Jewelry.

November issue fashion editorial Hed: “Winter Whites Show Off Their Dark Side”

On Regina: Dress, Chelsea 28, Nordstrom. Hat, Eugenia Kim. Backpack, Jerome Dreyfuss, DIANI. Jewelry, Kai Linz Jewelry. On Rachel: Shirt, Velvet. Jacket, RTA. Pants, Helmut Lang. Handbag, Loeffler Randall, DIANI. Jewelry, Kai Linz Jewelry.

Shirt, Velvet. Jacket, RTA. Handbag, Loeffler Randall, DIANI. Jewelry, Kai Linz Jewelry.

Sweater, Rag & Bone. Pants, Sea, DIANI. Handbag, Michael Kors, Nordstrom. Shoes, Steve Madden. Jewelry, Kai Linz Jewelry.

Sweater, Helmut Lang. Jeans, Citizens of Humanity. Handbag, Rag & Bone, DIANI. Shoes, Steve Madden. Jewelry, Kai Linz Jewelry.

Top, Helmut Lang. Jeans, MiH Jeans. Boots, Sergio Rossi, DIANI. Ring, Kai Linz Jewelry.

Sweater, Helmut Lang, DIANI. Jewelry, Kai Linz Jewelry.

Sweater, Helmut Lang. Leggings, Getting Back to Square One, DIANI. Shoes, Ivanka Trump, Nordstrom. Jewelry, Kai Linz Jewelry.

Dress, Helmut Lang. Jacket, IRO, DIANI. Shoes, Steve Madden. Jewelry, Kai Linz Jewelry.

Parka, Citizens of Humanity, DIANI. Jewelry, Kai Linz Jewelry.

Dress, IRO, DIANI. Jewelry, Kai Linz Jewelry.

Dresses, IRO, DIANI. Jewelry, Kai Linz Jewelry.

Shirt, Sea. Coat, Vanessa Bruno Athé, DIANI. Jewelry, Kai Linz Jewelry.

On Regina: Dress, Chelsea 28. Shoes, Ivanka Trump, Nordstrom. Hat, Eugenia Kim. Backpack, Jerome Dreyfuss, DIANI. Jewelry, Kai Linz Jewelry.

Shirt, Sea. Coat, Vanessa Bruno Athé, DIANI. Shorts, Joie, ADASA.com. Shoes, Ivanka Trump, Nordstrom. Jewelry, Kai Linz Jewelry. Shirt, Velvet. Jacket, RTA. Pants, Helmut Lang. Handbag, Loeffler Randall, DIANI. Jewelry, Kai Linz Jewelry.

On Rachel: Shirt, Velvet. Jacket, RTA. Pants, Helmut Lang. Handbag, Loeffler Randall, DIANI. Shoes, Steve Madden. Jewelry, Kai Linz Jewelry.

Contract Art Director TIGER OAK MEDIA

covers + title pages

RAH R ILEY

portfolio

Santa Barbara Life & Style Magazine Planned, designed, proofed, and approved content in all issues Designed brand and visual identities for monthly issues 18 online and 10 print issues + Special Projects

Contract Art Director TIGER OAK MEDIA

LIFE&STYLE SANTA BARBARA

MAGAZINE JANUARY 2015

Mind

Body

Spa

Destination

DESERT

PARK

AWAY CITY GET

Romance at SAN YSIDRO RANCH

your

HAPPY NEW YEAR Begins with

Breakfast

Vol 3. Issue 1 | $5.99

FILM FEST FIX Vol 3. Issue 2 | $5.99

LIFE&STYLE

SANTA BARBARA

MAGAZINE

APRIL 2014

Whimsy Beach PG 24 Chic Swimwear PG 70 sblifeandstyle.com

Full publications at sblifeandstyle.com RAH R ILEY

portfolio

Vol 2. April 2014

SB LIFE AND STYLE

WEAR

RESORT

(& lingerie!)

PA RK CITY travel

spring break like a local

Written and Photographed by Silas Fallstich

travel

HOUSE

HONE Y of

By Alexandra Gonzalez

Photographed by Meadow Rose Photography & Silas Fallstich

ive years ago, I’d have scratched my head a bit with Ms. Bollinger’s flight of fancy, thinking, like many, that Champagne as a beverage is more the province of occasional celebratory consumption than anything too regular. I mean, there are only so many graduation fêtes, romantic interludes and silly nightclub sprayfests one can squeeze into the calendar, right? If not for a possibly fateful and certainly life-changing trip to the region of Champagne, I could still hold this view.

CHAMPAGNE

EVERYDAY Written by Christopher Dixon Christopher Dixon is the Portfolio Manager for Moët Hennessy along the Central Coast and has been a Santa Barbara resident for 16 years.

I only drink Champagne when I’m happy, and when I’m sad. Sometimes I drink it when I’m alone. When I have company, I consider it obligatory. I trifle with it if I am not hungry and drink it when I am. Otherwise I never touch it - unless I’m thirsty. - Lily Bollinger

But…I fell in love in Champagne. No, not with any would-be Coco Chanels or Brigitte Bardots of the area, but with the region and the juice itself. And when one is in love, one wants it every single day. “Champagne every day” became my mantra, with the unabashed delight I’ve found with the liquid equal to the positive ethos the expression can summon. Let’s start here: Champagne is a place, specifically a section of Northeastern France divided into 320 villages or “crus,” each with a designation on a 100-point scale corresponding to the quality of the grapes harvested from each. The top 17 crus at 100% are considered “Grand,” while the next 42 crus at 90-99% are considered “Premier.” This is some of the most expensive land in the world, and rarely comes up for sale. So why all the fuss over bubbly wine specifically from Champagne? Why not take a dalliance with the cheaper and nouvea-trendy offerings of Prosecco, Cava and the like, you ask? To start, we have to go back 70 million years or so to when the area had been submerged under water, the oceans later receded and ultimately left behind significant chalk and limestone subsoil. Earthquakes rocked the region 10 million years

amara Kaye-Honey’s interior design studio, House of Honey, may be new to the neighborhood, but that hasn’t stopped her from demanding a presence. Honey’s newest studio—90 miles north of the Pasadena flagship— opened its doors just two months ago and already we are obsessing over the carefully curated home goods permeating all corners of the quaint cottage in the new San Ysidro Village. Honey transforms the mundane to the über chic with a unique collection of items and we just can’t get enough! What can one expect to find? Think ultra glam bar carts, fabulous lamps, and other home goods and accessories from designer collections like Tom Dixon, Missoni Home, Alexandra von Furstenberg, Jamie Hayon, Kelly Wearstler, Joe Cariati, Amanda Wright, and Carl Aubock, Along with chic hats designed by Gladys Tamez Millinery.

ago, pushing the marine sediments of fossils up to the surface, allowing the soil to absorb heat from the sun and gradually release it during the night. The soil retains moisture and nourishes the vines throughout the uniquely challenging dual climate of the region, having both continental and oceanic influences. Often searing summers coupled with brrrrr-cold winters test the fruits’ resilience. Unable to irrigate by law and completely subject to the conditions of a given year, growers understand that in Champagne — the most heavily regulated wine appellation in the world — many grapes won’t survive. But the ones which do are much better for it, having been exposed to these extremes, developing fanciful complexity and rich character in the struggle. The idea of “what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger” is in full bloom here. The soil also imparts a minerality to the wine that is totally unique to the area. The moderately steep, wavelike terrain in Champagne creates ideal vineyard sites, combining optimum exposure to the sun with ample drainage. So now down to the process. The traditional method, or méthode champenoise, is what differentiates Champagne from regular still wine and most sparkling wines produced elsewhere. A first fermentation begins in the same way as any wine, converting natural sugar into alcohol while the resultant carbon dioxide is allowed to escape. This produces highly acidic base wines to be blended together by each producer in their own stylistic ways. Among 7 grape varietals allowed for blending, the lion’s share of Champagnes utilize only 3: the dark-skinned Pinot Noir grape contributes backbone and length, the similarly dark-skinned Meunier grape offers richness, while the Chardonnay grape offers elegance, citrus and floral flavors.

under

desertskies Written & Photographed by Silas Fallstich Model Kylee Poling with Elite Model Management Hair and Makeup by Tanya Amason Styled by Claire Castro

Star filled skies and vibrant activewear rise above Joshua Tree National Park.

Vintage Champagnes are derived from grapes in a single year’s harvest whereas non-vintage utilizes wines from multiple years. The wine is blended and put in bottles along with yeast and a small amount of sugar. The bottle is then capped, stored in cellar and aged 15+ months (nonvintage) or over 36 months (vintage). At this point, the blended wine undergoes a secondary fermentation, also known as bottle fermentation, where the wine becomes bubbly due to the containment of carbon dioxide, which is normally released as a by-product in regular fermentation. The longer the Champagne ages on expired yeast (“sur lees ageing”), the broader the spectrum of flavors, the creamier the texture, and the finer the bubbles. After ageing, the lees must be consolidated for removal. The bottles are given a slight shake and turn a couple times daily (“riddling”), with the lees settling in the bottle’s neck. The neck portion containing the lees is then frozen, the cap is removed, the plug of ice containing the lees shoots out (“disgorgement”), and a liquid mixture of still wine and sugar is then added to virtually all Champagnes (“dosage”) to balance the high levels of acidity. Next…the cork, the wire cage, the label and the trip across the Atlantic to an ice bucket near you. Fun fact: It takes about 1150 grapes to make one bottle, resulting in about 15 million bubbles per glass! So now the next time someone posits that Champagne is so expensive, you can understand why. But aren’t most pleasures in life going to require parting with a few greenbacks? To quote Ms. Coco Chanel herself, “The best things in life are free; the second best are expensive.” With that, here are 4 remarkable Champagne suggestions to consider this holiday season. Champagne every day!

fashion

new things NEW YEAR for a

that california winter

Dressing up your casual classics for mix-and-match looks that work from dawn to dawn.

Photographed by Meadow Rose Model Nadia Mejia with Next Model Management Hair by Kimberley Contreras with Carlyle Salon and Style Bar Makeup by Cynthia Fuentes with Carlyle Salon and Style Bar

Photography by Meadow Rose Model Rachel Russell with Next Model Management Makeup by Cynthia Fuentes with Carlyle Salon & Style Bar Hair by Kimberley Contreras with Carlyle Salon & Style Bar Styling by Lara Wyss Special thanks to Bacara Resort & Spa

Sweater, Band of Outsiders, Whistle Club.

Pants, Sachin + Babi. Ring, Saint Aubin. Earrings, Fantasy & Jewels, Allora by Laura. Sweater, Closed. Sunglasses, Illesteva. Beaded Bracelets, Gold Cuff, Silver Cuff, Ali Grace, Whistle Club. Coordinates Bracelet, Hawthorn Boutique.

17 | DECEMBER 2014

Contract Art Director TIGER OAK MEDIA

well-being

Written by Rah Riley Photographed by Silas Fallstich

By the

POWER SPA of

people

tuesday with

TANYA Written by Rah Riley

I can hear Tanya in the den. You might be able to hear her from anywhere on the sprawling Carpinteria estate; the woman knows how to project. Her voice is upbeat, playful, and intertwined with laughter and exclamations. Her life writes something of a fairytale – cue marrying the perfect gentleman complete with a bustling social schedule, Rolodex filled with numbers too hot for print, and a mansion in the foothills.

Additional published favorites.

RAH R ILEY

portfolio

rriving after a rare and glorious morning of rain, the grounds are glistening and immaculate as usual. French doors inhale revitalizing post-rainstorm air and offer a gold vase of (amazing) oversized umbrellas, free for the taking – puddle jump as you please. Walking into Bacara Resort and Spa is always a stroll into luxury. Passing by the adults-only outdoor pool and dropping my umbrella into another vase under another stone archway, I am greeted immediately upon entering the wellness center. It’s a wonderfully consistent theme of this journey; a friendly and informed attendant greets every stage of your experience here. Even if you are a self-declared spa virgin, apprehensive or uncertain of the etiquette, very kind attendants ensure you feel like a welcomed regular. Exactly as you should, because honey, you belong here.

authored art lcle Flair bartending invterview and article with woven Q&A Exclusive condensed portfolio layout for print Hed: “Bartend Like A Boss”

Contract Art Director TIGER OAK MEDIA

BARTEND like a BOSS Blazing a path for flair in Santa Barbara.

Written by Rah Riley Photographed by Silas Fallstich

Fire in his eyes, an exhale over two lit bottles sends a rush of flames into the room. Bottles of Grey Goose bounce from elbow to forearm and back again faster than a vodka-loving heart can handle, scooped up into the shining blur of a tin completing its behind-the-back orbit. Seven shakers, stacked in seconds, tilt over thirsty martini glasses as three colors of liqueur pool from seven plummeting falls. This is exhibition flair. Acrobatic and breathtaking, this high-risk, extravagant style of bartending takes the stage in regional, national, and world bartending competitions spotlighting flips, bumps, stalls, rolls, midair captures, and more. Working flair is a more subtle brand of pageantry. Balancing visual entertainment and well-timed wow moments with speed, cocktail quality, and excellent customer service, the revival of working flair is shaking things up and breathing morale, charm, and energy back into the bar scene. Raise a glass to bartending with style.

RAH R ILEY

portfolio

Contract Art Director TIGER OAK MEDIA

RAH R ILEY

portfolio

tepping off State Street on Victoria, authentic Italian cuisine and signature cocktails call out from Trattoria Vittoria and draw us inside. Passing a couple Vespas and ducking under the stone archways, we take a seat on the nearest bar stools. Wednesday is Girls’ Night in my world (Obama is still getting back to me on making it a national weekly holiday), so my best friend has just snatched up the cocktail menu as the bartender glides to our sunny end of the restaurant. An easy, playful grin and eyes that are as genuine and inquisitive as they are fiery top off a warm welcome, complete with first name introductions and handshakes all around. Ivo Peshev is the reason we are tipping back glasses here tonight, and we are certainly not the only ones. Recognized as one of the best bartenders in the western United States, Ivo Peshev has competed in over 100 bartending competitions locally and internationally, taking plenty of top spots, and was recently featured in Nickelback’s “She Keeps Me Up” music video. Born in Bulgaria, he is now a Santa Barbara resident, bartending happy hours at the Trattoria, training fresh faces at the Flair Project Bar Academy, and expanding private event flairtending services that are about to take the central coast by storm. Not to mention, the man’s beard game is on-point, and his endearing accented charm is just a mighty fine cherry garnish on top for everyone who takes a seat at the Tratt. Working flair is about energy, style, and engagement. Tell us more about what that means as a flair bartender. Working flair is all about getting the customer engaged and amused. It’s a misconception that flair is just juggling – it could be anything from flipping three bottles and making pours more fun to watch to a joke that can get everyone laughing. For

“

For me, it’s another way to break the ice, be entertaining, and truly make someone ‘s time at the bar enjoyable. me, it’s another way to break the ice, be entertaining, and truly make someone ‘s time at the bar enjoyable. Among your other ambitions, why are you a bartender? Where to start? I love the intensity and dynamics of what I do – every day is different and I can never know what to expect. I have had the pleasure of serving and getting to know so many interesting people, including a Nobel Prize winner — being a people person who loves entertaining, that’s a really neat side of my work. And competitive bartending has given me the opportunity to travel, explore, and learn. I’m not gonna lie, it feels good to be complimented on the things you do. What are some of the things you’re most proud of accomplishing thus far in your career? People asking for me by name is something I take a great pride in. Coming from a foreign country and working myself up in the ranks, I am very proud to have built my reputation as a great bartender. You’ve got a résumé that could let you work anywhere on the globe – why Santa Barbara’s Trattoria Vittoria? My bosses — the family who owns Trattoria Vittoria — are like family to me. I don’t think I could ever be treated as well as I have at the Trattoria. And I love the customers a place like Trattoria attracts – well-mannered, pleasant, and altogether happy. It’s a casual yet elegant restaurant with great food and pulsing vibe – a perfect place for me to work. While I have had plenty of offers from other places, money isn’t everything

when it comes down to a career. You have to be happy with what you do. vo undeniably loves what he does. We’re casually, not so discreetly, watching him work as the light outside is fading, a Marilyn Monroe film playing silently above us as the liquor begins to glow with the back bar lights. Ivo knows everyone. Or at least it looks like he does. Shaking hands, gesturefilled conversations…did he just catch that shaker behind his back? He’s morphing again into The Thinker silhouette as a newly seated patron parleys. Another pour of spiced rum stretches his full wingspan; laughter erupts a few tumblers down the bar; and another cocktail is topped with fresh mint.

My girl is sipping down a Pieno de Vita: Absolut Pear Vodka, St. Germain, and coconut rum, with lychee juice and mint. “I’m drinking a garden.” It’s one of Trattoria’s specialties and I swear I’ve never tasted a cocktail so cool. Ivo has also just produced the classiest little rum drink I ever did see and is spritzing an aroma of aperol and countreau mist to add dimension to the sipping experience without muddling the mix. It’s 10 cane rum fused with the unexpected and delectable combination of egg whites, elderflower, and agave, splashed with orange bitters and fresh lemon juice. Watch these ones for that sip-stealing second straw that seems to always sneak its way into the best of them. Despite the complexity of these cocktails, I’m not feeling like a fraud for being quite a far cry from a connoisseur. Instead, we feel pampered. Interested and a bit captivated to be a part of something so close to perfection. “Mixologist” comes to mind, but the trendy term falls short of this kind of bar experience. Ivo has talked about being less than a fan of the recently invented term “mixologist” and simply prefers “excellent bartender.”

Contract Art Director TIGER OAK MEDIA

“

People asking for me by name is something I take a great pride in. Coming from [Bulgaria] and working myself up in the ranks, I am very proud to have built my reputation as a great bartender.

What does a mixology mindset contribute or take away from the bar experience that makes it the wrong direction for the bar scene? For me, bartending is more than just drink knowledge and technical skills — it’s about the art of social conduct. I wouldn’t say that the mindset of being a mixologist is a wrong direction, as long as crafting cocktails doesn’t come at the expense of speed or excellent customer service. I believe a bar should be both the least intimidating and most fun place to relax and blow off steam. When people label themselves as mixologists, to me it feels like they limit themselves and lower their own drive to better themselves. And the customers are the ones who suffer. A good bartender should be well-rounded; he or she should be a mixologist and so much more! Beyond the ability to craft cocktails, they should have plenty of knowledge of the product they work with, they should have the speed, basic bartending skills, and last, but certainly not least, they should have the ability to communicate. Mixologist should be just one attribute of an excellent bartender.

RAH R ILEY

portfolio

is drinks (can confirm: crafted to perfection) speak for themselves. And yet creating cocktail art is not where Ivo Peshev is completely absorbed; it’s in creating connections. With one hand a resting spot for a thoughtful mind and the other twirling about with storytelling powers, the conversation easily becomes a bit riveting. He believes bars and the people who commune within them are fulfilling emotional needs “here or here,” he says, pointing to his head and his heart. “When you’re heartbroken or down, you go to the bar. When you’re celebrating or feeling good, you go to a bar.” Whether with friends or alone with strangers, there’s a comforting embrace that greets patrons walking through bar doors — a bartender there filling up a glass with whatever you need most. What’s something you wish every one of your patrons knew before they walked through the doors of a bar? I want them to know I don’t just show up to work in order to make some money. Making cocktails and entertaining and pleasing people are all very much passions of mine. I am just one of the lucky ones whose passion happens to be his profession. You talk about bars as outlets for fulfilling emotional needs. What are some things you need in your life to feel balanced and fulfilled? Life couldn’t get more balanced than professional success with my business, Flair Project, combined with a healthy and happy family and being surrounded by friends. Personal fulfillment would be to really expand my business and open a second location of my school.

Tell me about your company, Flair Project and the Flair Project Bar Academy. Flair Project is a bartending agency specializing in bringing energizing full bar service to private events, from weddings and corporate banquets to birthday parties and small gatherings with friends and everything in between. Fun people with good taste will enjoy our craft. We offer the most exquisite, lively, and captivating service and entertainment creating great drinks and unforgettable memories for our hosts and their guests. We don’t just want to bring the bar, we want to bring your bar to life! With the same mission in mind, we also offer training at our Santa Barbara bartending school and consulting services for bar owners and managers who want to develop, improve, or restore the reputation of their bar as a place with great customer service. All of our rich experience in the field combined with our flair skills also gives us the ability to represent brands with our artistry in print and video product promotions. We order a couple appetizers off the happy hour menu: Bruschetta ai Funghi e Prosciutto, flaunting melted gorgonzola and sautéed mushrooms, and the deep-fried fresh mozzarella of Mozzarella in Carrozza (you can’t take the Wisconsin out of this new California girl). Our second round gets fiery with a tiny torch caramelizing snappy ginger cocktails. Hendrix gin, homemade rose water, fresh basil, and lemon juice are donned with caramelized ginger crystals. We like crystals. You’ve been behind bars all over the world. Do you notice differences, similarities, or trends in drinks or drinking across regions? Drinking is definitely a social act

everywhere (or at least it’s supposed to be!). In the US, where the market for exceptional brands of liqueurs and alcohol is much richer, the craft cocktail movement is a whole new area of bartending that’s currently in its peak. Bartenders are taking the knowledge of inventing cocktails to a whole new level with really crafty and unique cocktails. In Europe, meanwhile, cocktails are simpler and more straight forward. When you’re not serving drinks in style, where would we find you? Well the one place that you will never find me is the beach! But I play in a local soccer league every Sunday, and I would never say no to a good sushi with my wife or a midnight single malt scotch and a cigar with friends. You were born in Bulgaria and now live in California. What do you miss now and what would you miss if you moved back? I definitely miss all my Bulgarian friends and the food, which is so different than here. I’m also a bit of a soccer fanatic, so I’m missing being able to watch live soccer games. If I ever leave, I’ll of course miss the weather and all the good friends I have made here. What’s the most exciting thing you’re looking forward to taking on this year? I’m excited about shedding light on and expanding the popularity of a different style of bartending in Santa Barbara. I love flair both as a service and a competitive sport and I want to spread the word on its greatness. We’re excited too. More than just jaw-dropping feats with bar basics, bartending flair is an extra shot of expertise, passion, and service to the classic cocktail. Happy hour just keeps getting happier.

Contract Art Director TIGER OAK MEDIA

LETâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S CONNECT RAH RILEY

Currently sunsoaked in Santa Barbara, California My roots got a thing for Minneapolis, Minnesota rahriley.events@gmail.com 920-904-4955

LinkedIn.com/rahriley Pinterest.com/rahdiculous Insta @rahriley

RAH R ILEY

portfolio