Sophisticated Living St. Louis March/April 2022

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Photo by Joan Fisher

Mar/Apr 2022

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on the cover: Michael Phelps and Larry Fitzgerald in the Desert Ridge ProAm Open January 27-30, 2022.

Photo by Bruce Yeung; IG: @yeungphotography

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Pattern Play

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Not Your Average Mischief Maker

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Luxury Resale

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Southern Belle of the Ball

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Bibliotaph... Girl Power

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Ojo Para el Arte

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Color Your World

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Messages in a Bottle

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Deco Delights

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The Spirit of Dakar

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The Perfect Pair in Puerto Vallarta

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Of Note... Splish, Splash, Upgrades for Your Primary Bath

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Carbon Dating

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The Most Addictive Sport in the World

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The Art World Now (In Five Hot Takes)

CM &

INTERIORS

314.328.1923 | www.candmstudio.com |

candminteriors

Mar/Apr 2022

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Sophisticated Society

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FGI 85th Anniversary Celebration Symposium

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St. Jude’s Dudes Annual Golf Tournament

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St. Patrick Center’s Veterans Day 5K

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Stray Rescue Be Their Light Gala

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Keyon Harrold Performs at JazzSTL

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JFS Gala

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Opera Theatre of Saint Louis Holiday Celebration

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Keyon Harrold, Photo by Yuki Tei

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From the Publisher I have been amazed by all the stories I have heard during the pandemic of millennials and their friends working remotely in exotic places or renting homes in the mountains or islands. Just when I hear they are finally coming home, a different group of friends or colleagues rents another home from which they can all work and play, and they leave again like nomads.

Equally surprising is the number of people, young and old, leaving their high-profile positions to explore alternatives. They often don’t have anything lined up, but with a strong job market and two years of pandemic stress, they are following their hearts. This Great Resignation, as many are calling it, has surprised me, concerned me, and even made me jealous.

Recently I learned that Kelly Pollock, the executive director of COCA for the last 11 years, who helped the organization become one of the most respected arts organizations of its kind in the country, announced that she would be leaving after 22 years at COCA. As of publication, there has been no word of what she will do next, but I am sure many organizations will line up for the chance to lure her to do for them what she did for COCA. I also heard from Gene Dobbs Bradford that he is leaving Jazz St. Louis - one of the top three jazz performance and education nonprofits in the country - after 23 years, to run the Savannah Music Festival. The Arts and Education Council announced in early February that Cynthia Prost will be stepping away as president and CEO in July after 14 years in that position. Another friend in the marketing world has reorganized her company to be 100% virtual. She is living in a converted Mercedes Sprinter van somewhere out West, working in the morning and paragliding in the afternoon. She says her firm is doing better than ever.

What is it that is motivating so many to re-think their work life, consider leaving something that they have built, and exploring new jobs, new challenges, and even new ways of living? My sister, who is the quintessential New Yorker, left Manhattan after living there for 58 years and moved to California. After a few months in Los Angeles, she and her husband announced that they had “burned the ships” (a reference to Spanish conquistador Hernán Cortés, who after arriving in the New World in 1519, proclaimed that they would burn their boats never to return home).

Is this a short-term phenomenon or a new way of thinking about our lives?

Perhaps it’s because we can. Technology has enabled us to meet via Zoom, text, and talk, and even the most intense CEOs have acknowledged that their companies will likely never return 100% to the ways things were before.

After losing so much, from people we love to the freedoms we so enjoy, I believe more and more people are rethinking what’s important to them. Perhaps it’s the result of our accumulated wealth, inheritance, Bitcoin, politics, or the realization that life can change at any minute that has many people (me included) reimagining what’s new and next for themselves.

I fully get it. In 2016 I sold my marketing company so I could pursue things on my bucket list. My wife and I sailed 10,000 plus miles on a 52 ft. sailboat up and down the Eastern seaboard, living in New England in the summer and the Bahamas, Key West, and Sarasota in the winter. It was heaven, but eventually we sold the boat, returned home, and focused again on reality.

At the end of 2021, I was diagnosed with 12 arterial blockages in my heart and underwent four-way cardiac bypass surgery just four days before Christmas. While I had been managing coronary artery disease and Type 2 diabetes since 2001, I didn’t see this open heart surgery thing coming and it threw me for a loop. It was the first time I realized that my time may be up, that there might be no next chapter, or that my next adventure may look very different than I had always imagined.

The good news is that all went surprisingly well and my heart may be better now than it was just a couple of months ago. But instead of taking off like a nomad, I want to invest more of my time in the community, to write more, to be there for my kids wherever they are, and plan for the fact that we can never really plan.

So, for my friends and colleagues who are moving on, I wish you only the best and I know you will make a difference whatever you do next. You made your mark here and you will always be remembered for your great work and contributions.

However, just as we all think our work and our lives are meaningful to everyone we have touched, the truth is that we are all replaceable and like you, life moves on.

I was reminded of this during my surgery and recovery when so many of you reached out to me and my family: sending flowers, bagels and Nova from New York, vegan meals, chicken soup, four-course dinners, and much more. Now, it’s time for me to make the most with my new lease on life; to chase some new dreams, and enjoy every minute. I am not sure there is anything else to live for.

Craig M. Kaminer, Publisher craig@slmag.net

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CENTRAL WEST END: at the heART of it all

EXPLORE the Central West End’s vibrant arts district on McPherson with world-class galleries and curated showrooms, offering high-design home furnishings.

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Making St. Louis Modern since 1988, Centro is the region’s sole design store featuring authentic American and European designs, including Eero Saarinen’s classic Womb Chair, designed in 1946 and made in the USA exclusively

by Knoll.

DUANE REED GALLERY

HOUSKA GALLERY

4729 MCPHERSON AVE. | (314) 361-4100 DUANEREEDGALLERY.COM

4728 MCPHERSON AVE. | (314) 496-1377 HOUSKAGALLERY.COM

Established in 1994, this Central West End Gallery exhibits nationally recognized artists along side the work of mid-career contemporary artists in the fields of painting, ceramics, glass and photography.

Located in the Central West End neighborhood of St. Louis, Houska Gallery exhibits and represents emerging artists from the Midwest.

In April, we will be hosting an immersive experience with our exclusive artist Peter Manion.

PHILIP SLEIN GALLERY

PROJECTS+GALLERY

4735 MCPHERSON AVE. | (314) 361-2617 PHILIPSLEINGALLERY.COM

4733 MCPHERSON AVE | (314) 696-8678 PROJECTS-GALLERY.COM

Philip Slein Gallery was established in 2003 in downtown St. Louis. In 2012 the gallery moved to its current location in the CWE. The gallery’s primary focus is painters, working in a variety of styles, having achieved national and international reputations.

projects+gallery is a commercial art gallery created

by Barrett Barrera Projects and designed to feature contemporary exhibitions and artists that blur the boundaries of traditionally understood artistic disciplines and practices. The gallery features regional, national and international artists.

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SPECIAL ISSUES EDITOR Carrie Edelstein DIGITAL CONTENT PRODUCER Grace Mikula ______________________________________________ CONTRIBUTORS Writers Jessen O’Brien Bridget Williams Photographers Alise O’Brien Joe Martinez Advertising Design Stephanie Grateke ________________________________________________

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SOPHISTICATED LIVING MEDIA Eric Williams - CEO Bridget Williams - President Greg Butrum - General Counsel Jason Yann - Art Director

Sophisticated Living® is published by High Net Worth Media, LLC and is independently owned and operated. Sophisticated Living® is a registered trademark of Williams Media, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

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For 30 years, KDR has partnered with St. Louis designers,

Although we always approach the design of a space with the client’s personal taste and objectives in mind, we tend to prefer a tranquil atmosphere for the master suite, which we believe should be a quiet place in the home to retreat from the noise of daily life. For the master suite in this home, a soothing palette of champagne, gray and ivory was chosen for the silk wall covering, rugs, bedding and window treatments to anchor the room.

A moody teal painting was commissioned for a corner of the sitting room, and this pop of color was repeated in a cozy pair of chairs flanking the fireplace. The overall effect is a room that exudes a calm energy, perfect for beginning and ending the day.

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PATTERN PLAY Written by Jessen O’Brien / Photography by Alise O’Brien

Stuckenschneider added a border to the entryway’s floor then carried the stenciling into the living and dining room, creating visual continuity throughout the main living spaces of the home.

When it comes to traditional design, bespoke details can make all the difference in ensuring a home feels not only timeless, but also fresh and functional. This balance between modern comfort and historically inspired elegance lies at the heart of Ken Stuckenschneider’s design philosophy - and it’s why he takes such care in making sure that every inch of space is just right for the homeowners he works with in his role as the principal designer of Stuckenschneider Decoration and Design.

“Ken’s very talented and easy to work with,” says one of the homeowners of this St. Louis condominium. Having recently sold a house in Charleston, South Carolina, the couple had decided to turn their second residence in St. Louis into their full-time home.

However, there was a problem. “The decor is traditional, which fits the style of the home and the way we use it. But we’d had the condo for 14 years, and that’s how long ago it had been decorated. It was tired looking and needed an update.”

Ken’s task was to enhance the home and pull together the major spaces - from the living and family rooms to the master bedroom and dressing room - in a more complete way. Take the front entry hall, where the simple act of lowering the chandelier quickly transformed the space and helped set the tone for the rest of the home’s design. slmag.net

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The Koch Brothers painted a faux finish on the mirrored paneling to give it an Old World finish.

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The family room’s indigo-and-tan striped carpeting picks up the colors of the original Tom Huck woodblock hung above the side table.

“The homeowners had this beautiful Murano glass chandelier in the entry hall. It’s one of my favorite pieces in the home,” says Stuckenschneider. “But it was hung way too high, so you couldn’t see it.”

“Ken has an amazing eye for scale and height,” says the homeowner. “He suggested lowering the chandelier, which I would have never thought to do. It made a huge difference.”

To further brighten the space, Stuckenschneider had an orange bench painted blue and reupholstered in a Fortuny fabric that tied into the chandelier and the block printed wallpaper.

“The homeowners’ had this lovely artwork that we moved into the entryway to provide a jolt of color,” says Stuckenschneider.

The finishing touches were a rug, which repeats the home’s classic color scheme of red, blue, and gold, and a Fortuny pillow for another pop of color and pattern.

“There’s an underlying theme that starts at the front door with the Murano glass chandelier and the damask patterns, which are very typical of Venetian design,” says Stuckenschneider.

“I lived in Venice for six months studying Venetian art and architecture. I noticed that the space had a similar light quality to Venetian homes, because the light comes in from each end and not from the sides.”

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Stuckenschneider used Venetian techniques to brighten the space. He used a mirror and pattern to make the entryway walls look crisper and lighter. In the windowless dining room, he replicated a series of antiqued mirrored panels hung in the living room and treated the walls with a Venetian waxed plaster, which scatters the light even more. “The more light you get to scatter throughout a space, the happier and more alive it will feel,” says Stuckenschneider.

The formerly red dining room was painted a pale, bird’s egg blue. “It’s so much more inviting,” says the homeowner. “We like to entertain - something we’ve done more of since finishing this project.”

Stuckenschneider removed the draperies that flanked the dining room’s corner built-ins and reupholstered the 18th century Chippendale chairs in a subtle, English linen bird print. To complement the outdoor theme, he gathered the homeowners’ collection of Audubon prints and hung them in the dining room.

In the neighboring living room, Stuckenschneider hung an abstract painting by Phil Slein that contains the colors of the home over the fireplace. He reupholstered a set of chairs in a red and blue garden print to coordinate with a pair of French needlepoint chairs and added red Fortuny throw pillows trimmed in blue to the neutral sofa.

Pieces from the homeowners’ collection of Majolica and Chinese porcelain are displayed in the dining room’s corner cabinets.

“The home has layers of pattern, upon pattern, upon pattern, which is very Venetian,” says Stuckenschneider. “We rejected hundreds of fabrics for this project. You have to find elements that connect from pattern to pattern. The eye picks up on those connections and, somehow, it all starts to work and flow.”

Another example of the home’s traditional pattern mixing can be found in the wood-paneled family room. The sofa was reupholstered in an elaborate linen print by Geoffrey Bennison and decorated in damask and embroidered pillows. Nearby, an ottoman features the same red-and-blue color scheme, this time with a floral print and flounced skirt.

These patterns play off the homeowner’s collection of Chinese and Armorial plates, which Stuckenschneider grouped above the sofa.

“We’ve been collecting for the last 25 years. We love Majolica plates, Wedgewood porcelain, and Chinese export,” says the homeowner.

“Ken incorporated a lot of the pieces we had into his design.”

He also added new items made specifically for the home, like the green, tufted ottoman that serves as the seating area’s coffee table, “We spend most of our time in the family room, and our favorite piece of furniture is the ottoman Ken designed,” says the homeowner.

“It’s very unusual; I’ve never seen anything like it.”

In the master bedroom, Stuckenschneider centered the design around an existing custom piece, one with great sentimental value: two needlepoint panels made by the homeowner’s mother and sewn into the headboard.

“We found prints and fabrics that worked with the needlepoint panels and lifted up the room: a pretty garden linen for the draperies edged in blue; framed, 19th century hand block printed French wallpaper fragments which brought that blue to either side of the bed; and an English Axminster carpet, which connects the bedroom to the dressing room,” says Stuckenschneider.

“Ken found wonderful fabrics for us, like the drapes in our bedroom,” says the homeowner. “I have worked with a number of designers. No one else has had his selection of wonderful and unique materials: John Rosselli, Loro Piana, Fortuny. When you hire Ken, you have access to the best.”

Stuckenschneider hung curtains trimmed with blue ribbon to close off the closet, softening the transition from the bedroom and master bathroom which lie on either end of the dressing room. The choice was inspired by the women’s locker room at Kiawah Island Golf Resort in Charleston - bringing a piece of the homeowner’s former primary city into their new full-time home. sl slmag.net

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February 20 through May 15 More than 15 years in the making, Paintings on Stone focuses on a little-known aspect of Renaissance and Baroque art—paintings made using stone surfaces in place of panel or canvas. See more than 90 works of art that emphasize the creative and unusual ways in which artists employed this unique technique to make extraordinary paintings.

Plan your visit to the Saint Louis Art Museum today! Visit slam.org for tickets, safety protocols and more information.

Exhibition organized by the Saint Louis Art Museum. Presented with generous support from the Betsy & Thomas Patterson Foundation. Major support provided by the Desmond Lee Family Endowment for Exhibitions.

Connect with us! @STLArtMuseum | #PaintingsOnStone

attributed to Lucas Heere, Flemish, 1534 - 1584; Triple Profile Portrait (detail), 1570; oil on slate; 8 7/8 x 8 7/8 inches; Milwaukee Art Museum, gift of the Women’s Exchange; Photographer credit: John R. Glembin

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NOT YOUR AVERAGE MISCHIEF MAKER Written by Craig Kaminer / Photography by David Kovaluk

The first time I met Sarah Fenske was at a new business presentation for the Riverfront Times (RFT), where we (my former agency Twist) were proposing an aggressive campaign to relaunch the RFT to mean The Real F’ing Truth. We knew it was a bit over the top, and may even offend some, but considering the history of the weekly, I was convinced we were on the right track.

Sarah was the editor-in-chief and came to the meeting a little late. I had never met her before so I was surprised that the badass editor behind the RFT was charming in every way. She was wickedly smart, in the know, not scared of speaking the truth and challenging conventional wisdom, not to mention having the looks of a model, the athletic appearance of a runner, and the sense of humor of a stand-up comedian.

She appeared to like the campaign and felt it was on strategy for the brand. But as luck would have it, the campaign never went anywhere.

The RFT was changing (as were most print media). With a few defections and a slight change in focus and resources, the campaign which I was convinced would work so well was dead before it got out of the gate.

Fast forward nearly a decade, Sarah took the job as host of St. Louis on the Air on St. Louis Public Radio, the local National Public Radio affiliate, filling the role which Don Marsh had held since 2005 and vacated suddenly in 2019 following a series of questionable comments he made to or about women. Fenske was the perfect candidate for this role as she is direct, fair, and doesn’t shy away from uncomfortable topics. She seemed like the perfect person for the job at the perfect time in St. Louis media history so I remained in touch with her, listened to her show, and occasionally sent her an email with my thoughts, a suggestion, and even a pitch or two.

As a hard working, deep thinking, and research-oriented reporter, she has adapted well to life on the radio. Her guests are wide ranging: exploring issues and challenges confronting our region, discussing the latest innovations in science and technology, taking a closer look at our history, or talking with authors, artists, and musicians. Sarah brings you the stories of St. Louis and the people who live, work, and create in our region. While politics are not part of her show, most people would say that NPR leans left, but Sarah is happy to spar with any and all perspectives.

I Zoomed with her recently to find out about her childhood, her family life, her take on the state of journalism, and what she loves most about St. Louis. Our conversation was fast and furious, witty and

sarcastic - as is Sarah - and I fell more in love with her style and radio personality. What follows is an excerpt of our conversation: According to Sarah, she’s from the boring suburbs of Cleveland, Ohio, and the second kid in a family of five. “This was a big family without a lot of money. We were just a pack of feral children running loose. My dad taught high school English and at that point my mom was staying at home with us. We were just a wild bunch.”

“I had the privilege of my parents still being married and all that good stuff. I was attracted to journalism because I really liked writing.

My family is middle class enough that nobody encouraged me to be a novelist or what I really wanted to do; be a playwright, because these were not considered feasible careers. They said I should be a teacher, like that’s what women were meant to do. But I wanted to write. And so I thought, ‘I could get paid to be a journalist. I’ll write profiles and features about people.’”

“I got my first internship but it was unpaid because I didn’t have a journalism degree. I wasn’t in a journalism program. I had no idea what I was doing. The editor of this magazine, who must have seen the troublemaker in me, asked me what I really wanted to do? I told him I wanted to write a profile where people will see that person - just saying what I thought he wanted to hear. He responded that he didn’t think that is what I wanted to do at all - instead telling me that he thought I really just wanted to get somebody indicted! I had never thought of myself that way. Then he added, ‘Yeah, you wanna go out and bust the bad guys.’ Yes I do!”

“To this day, I’m not sure if it was what he saw in me or because no one had ever given me any career advice that I followed that path. That internship helped open the door to my first position at a daily newspaper. And yeah, I wrote stories that got the mayor indicted. There was something in me that wanted to make the world better than it was. If people were doing something wrong, I had this righteous anger. As I’ve gotten older, I have more sympathy than righteous anger, but you know, hell hath no fury like a 21-year-old given a chance to write for a newspaper.”

“My Twitter handle says ‘seeker of truth, maker of mischief.’ That was what I was up to in all my years at weekly newspapers - actively causing some mischief. I don’t know that mischief is what they want me to do at St. Louis Public Radio,” she says with a chuckle. “And I respect that. This job is fun in different ways. I think the mischievous side of me now is more something I say as a parent. I’m fairly amused by life, but I’m not actively stirring things up anymore. But for 20 years, that was a lot of stirring things up!”

Fenske first came to St. Louis in 2010 as managing editor of the RFT. She then spent several years in Los Angeles at a weekly newspaper before returning to St. Louis in 2014 with her then fiance, who was from a family who has been in St. Louis for several generations. “Because I’d already spent a year living here and was now part of this family, I had a grasp of St. Louis and felt more confident that I got this city.

When I joined RFT as editor-in-chief, it was about how do we begin to cover this complicated city and help it be a better version of itself?

When I decided to come to St. Louis Public Radio, I knew it was a new challenge and that it was going to be so hard and so scary. I knew I might be bad at it for a while, but I wanted to see if I could learn something new. That was the challenge I needed after 20 years of print journalism.” slmag.net

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SL: What have been some of your best jobs and assignments?

“I worked as a columnist at the Phoenix New Times, one of the oldest alternative weeklies, and when I was there they were one of the most profitable. They were just crawling with experienced writers, all guys in their fifties and sixties who’d been there for 30 years. And then there was me, this kid in her late twenties, who’d moved there from Ohio, and just wanted to be a journalist. After I had been there for a couple years, writing long-form cover stories like the RFT style, they asked me if I wanted to be the columnist? I did that for about three years. I loved it because every week I could write whatever I wanted. I could be honest about what I thought, I could challenge people, or I could write about my dog. I did a little bit of both and just loved it. I loved that everything was my beat. And I loved the deadline. I’m a quick person and not always super organized so I liked those shorter, regular deadlines which allowed me to work on bigger stuff on the side. I also got to post online. It turns out that’s really where I was happiest. I had a hell of a time and got to do some work there that I’m still proud of to this day. Phoenix was a great city to be a journalist. There weren’t enough journalists to cover all the corruption that was happening in that city. It was a crazy place to live.”

SL: What are people saying about you now?

“I think that the show has really cultivated a loyal crew of listeners. We interviewed this guy, Colin O’Brien, who put together that whole stunt about Date Colin O’Brien and created a website where he was the only bachelor. He told us that our program, St. Louis on the Air, is the only local radio show where people actually talk about what they heard on it.

It’s just the greatest compliment. I feel like we are hopefully setting the conversation for what St. Louisans should be caring about, the people that they should be listening to, in order to understand the city better, and engaging in a dialogue about the issues that we need to be paying attention to. That’s the goal and I think there are days that we reach it.”

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“The audience is the best part of working for NPR. So many smart people tune in to National Public Radio and the ones who live in St. Louis tune into St. Louis Public Radio. Those amazing people aren’t coming to us because I’m here; they’re already here. I just have to not lose them.”

SL: What impact is the current political climate having on you and your work?

“That’s a good question. You know, people are really angry at what they see as the other side; and they get angry if the other side is given a platform. Recently we had on Mary Elizabeth Coleman, the state representative who wants to ban abortion in Missouri. To me, she’s a newsmaker and an obvious interview. Why is she doing this? What’s she up to? What would she say to her critics? There are definitely people who say we should not give her a platform. People want to deplatform their critics. They want ‘em kicked off Twitter.

They don’t want ‘em on the airwaves. And that’s not something I believe in or am comfortable with.”

“I also don’t believe in inviting people on the show just to harangue them. I try to ask a direct question and then give them the space to respond. I’m not there to argue with them. I’m there to try to engage them. And I think that can be hard in this political climate.

Then at the same time, you have people who just want to insult us as being woke or being totally liberal. I don’t think that’s true. I don’t think it’s true of the program that I’m putting on the air, but there are people who feel absolutely certain that’s what I’m doing and that they know what my politics are. And I don’t think they’re right.”

SL: What kind of stories are you looking for?

“I want to tell stories that will help people understand St. Louis better. Anybody who can come on as a guest and help me show that or help us understand that, I’m into. We tend to have a lot of professors because their studies are interesting and can help us

understand the nation, not just the community. Because they’re St Louisans, I feel that’s part of the St Louis story.”

“I also think we need to be talking about injustices. I’ve always been interested in wrongful convictions. The idea of being wrongly accused of something is the most horrifying thing. I want to write about injustices when they can be righted and exposed wrongs when it would be helpful for them to be exposed. And then, during this pandemic, which has been most of my career on the radio, I have looked for ways to give people something that might make them smile, give them a note of hope, because I think we just all feel so beaten down.”

SL: When you are not on air, what do you do with the remainder of your time?

“So every interview we do, we end up writing a story about it for our website. We also make a podcast so people can stream the interview at their convenience. You’d be surprised how much time that takes. I also spend a lot of time thinking about who we should book as guests and then trying to book them. I feel it is part of my job to be wildly up to date with everything happening in town and spend time talking to sources. I read all the publications in town, try to stay up on things, and think about what we should be doing.”

“I touch base with old sources or talk to people. I write a weekly newsletter. It’s funny, when I came over I thought one hour a day on the radio; this is gonna be a part-time job. I’ll just be sitting at home in my jammies. But it has not been like that at all. It seems like you could do this stuff quickly, but it’s a lot more complicated. We also feature a lot of books on this show, usually a book a week. I try to read all the books. If we’re interviewing an author, I feel like I owe it to them to read the whole thing. Sometimes that takes a long time.”

SL: Tell us about your home life. Spouse? Kids?

“My husband John is a lawyer and we have two little girls, one six and the other three. We live in Lafayette Square and love living in

the city. The kids are having a great childhood where they know all their neighbors and play in Lafayette Park. We practically live at Clementine’s Creamery so they get to enjoy the fancy ice cream. Life is good. Having these two little kids has been a game changer. It’s just fun being a mom. When people ask why do you love living in the city of St. Louis, I always say because I can afford to live in this neighborhood. If we lived in Los Angeles, we would have to be venture capitalists to live in a neighborhood like this.”

“I think there’s so much energy in the city right now. There are so many young families. What most people don’t understand is that there are bidding wars over houses in Shaw, Tower Grove South, and Lafayette Square because people with young kids want to be in those neighborhoods and to stay in those neighborhoods. The friends I know who have left Lafayette Square are sad because they wanted a bigger house in the neighborhood but there were too many other people who wanted it too - they were heartbroken about moving to Ladue!”

SL: What do you think St. Louisans don’t appreciate about our city?

“Most St Louisans don’t appreciate the city enough. You have a lot of people who are afraid to come into the city, or they have this sense that their own little suburban downtown is good enough.

I say to those people, ‘I hope you will come back and check out what’s happening in the city neighborhoods. Just walking around the Central West End on a nice night is so invigorating or to walk around Lafayette Square. I think that’s something I’d like to see more St. Louisans doing. I think our parks are wonderful. Come spend an afternoon here, see what’s happening in the city these days. I try to get all my out-of-town friends to spend a weekend in St. Louis. I show them an amazing time and they’re always happy to come back. They think of St. Louis as a fun party town. My next mission is to get some people from Jefferson County to do the same thing, you know?” sl

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Historic and Expanded Home in University Hills

7260 Creveling Drive University City | Listed at $1,395,000 7,671 SQ. FT | 5+ BEDS | 5.5 BATHS

TED WIGHT tedwightrealestate.com | c.314.607.5555 ted.wight@sothebysrealty.com

dielmannsothebys.com | o. 314.725.0009

Interior of The Resale Shop.

Photo courtesy of The Resale Shop.

LUXURY RESALE St. Louis Leads the Way Written by Lou Ann Wilcox

I was 28 years old the first time I saw a woven Bottega Veneta handbag and within 30 seconds I vowed to own one. The design - so complex. The leather - so soft. The statement it made - so stylish. It took quite a few years to find a Bottega Veneta bag I could afford. I eventually found the dainty orange leather woven number, which I now dangle from my wrist with pride, at The Vault Luxury Resale.

Buyers and sellers of authentic luxury goods, The Vault is a multimillion dollar resale business on Brentwood Blvd. According to Diana Ford, director of luxury goods and gatherings at The Vault, the sales of handbags, their No. 1 selling item, as well as apparel and shoes, have increased substantially in the past two years.

Luxury resale has taken off nationwide for a plethora of reasons.

Gen Z and millennials, interested in saving the planet and ethical sourcing, or shoppers experiencing supply chain delays, have provided much of the motivation. Affordability is a component but not a primary driver. The quantity and quality of available luxury goods for resale is at an all-time high due to well-dressed women who vowed to clean their closets during the pandemic doing just that, donating or selling their high-end clothing and accessories. Online resellers are facilitating the growth of the preowned market well beyond what brick-and-mortar stores ever did before. And most important, the stigma of buying, using, and wearing resale items is eroding or gone.

There is a new view of how valuable some of the resale products are.

We’re not talking vintage here: we’re talking about luxury items originally purchased in the past three years. Vintage items are generally those made between 25 and 100 years ago and clearly reflect the styles and trends of the era they represent.

“It’s chic to repeat,” says Susan Sherman, co-founder of the St. Louis Fashion Fund and MERCH, a pop-up trunk show business based in St. Louis. A champion shopper and one of the metro area’s fashion doyennes, Sherman says she’s definitely seen resale evolve in the past few years. “The thrill of the hunt for well-made and beautiful iconic pieces is part of it,” she says. “Who doesn’t love finding a great piece at a bargain price? It’s a very interesting form of entertainment.

But it’s also about circular fashion - repairing the reputation of the fashion industry as it relates to sustainability and sourcing. It’s generational. My 28-year-old daughter, and she’s not alone, wants

to know where and how her clothing is being made, are the workers earning a fair wage, is sustainability part of the process - all to avoid adding more ‘fashion waste’ to landfills.”

An August 2021 Verified Market Research report (a global datagathering resource), says the luxury resale market in the U.S. was valued at $16.23 billion in 2020 and is projected to reach $68.53 billion by 2028, growing at a compound annual growth rate of 15.53% from 2021 to 2028. This includes antiques and artwork as well as apparel and accessories. There are major discrepancies from source to source, however. According to Luxe Digital, luxury resale is currently valued at $24 billion and is growing four times faster than the primary luxury market, at 12% per year versus 3%. It is important to note that resale doesn’t necessarily mean used. A lot of resellers sell items that are new but currently scarce. Without a doubt however is the fact that more people of all ages are shopping luxury resale.

In January, I had a chance to talk luxury resale with Jessica Duneman, director of retail operations at The National Council of Jewish Women St. Louis’s The Resale Shop (NCJWSTL), located on Lindbergh Blvd. in Creve Coeur, as well as Ford from The Vault.

Both have a great story to tell about luxury resale in St. Louis, positioning our city as a source for resale luxury goods nationwide.

The Vault opened 30 years ago as The Women’s Closet Exchange in south St. Louis County. The founder, Sue McCarthy, who is Ford’s mother, was the star of the Style Network’s reality series, Resale Royalty, which was produced by celebrity stylist Rachel Zoe and aired in 2013. Another daughter, Laura Maurice, serves as chief curator. They moved eight years ago to their 7,000 sq. ft. dream store in Brentwood and changed their name to The Vault.

Explains Ford, “The Vault buys luxury items outright. That’s rare in the luxury resale business - most consign. We see about 1,000 items per day. Of those 1,000 pieces, we may only purchase 400-600 of them - nearly all in-season. Because we’ve got skin in the game, we only buy what we know will sell.” Another daughter, Laura Maurice, serves as chief curator. She acknowledges that this involves managing people’s expectations. “We encourage people to bring in whatever they have because you just never know.” See page 32 for more on selling to The Vault. slmag.net

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Photo courtesy of The Resale Shop.

While The Vault pays for items, The Resale Shop, a 501(c)(3), accepts only donations. Says Duneman, “Our rule of thumb - if it is in nice, clean, usable condition or if you’d lend it to a friend; we can use it.” They take in about 10,000 items per month including off-season clothing. “Our team of staff and volunteers sort them into categories including men’s, kid’s, shoes, jewelry, and housewares. Only the best pieces make it to our sales floor. Items that cannot be used are either passed on to other local charities or sold to a St. Louis-based recycling center. The mission of The Resale Shop is to provide funding for the many programs of the NCJWSTL,” Duneman continues. “Many people are happy to support us knowing that our programs are local.”

Higher-end items are set aside throughout the year for The Resale Shop’s annual Couturier sale, a five-day fundraising event held in the fall for the past 57 years. While the shop raises funds all year long, the Couturier sale raises a lot of money in a short amount of time as well as generates media attention (some national) and attracts shoppers who may not ordinarily come into the store.

Both women agree that the current pandemic has accelerated resale buying at all levels and acknowledge the quality of the inventory they now carry is the best ever due to people decluttering when they were staying home. Both stores had so much inventory they had to rent offsite storage to accommodate it. Ford notes that their mix has changed.

“We now have a lot more floor space devoted to activewear, and we are buying designer sneakers - can’t keep them in the store. People are no longer wearing high heels, so we don’t carry as many. Same for formalwear, although dresses are coming back. While designer handbags are the top seller, dresses and jewelry come in second and third.”

At The Resale Shop, blazers are flying out the door. “With everyone on Zoom, people are looking for nice tops and jackets,” says Duneman. Besides the luxury items women bring into the store to sell, staff members from The Vault regularly travel to New York, Los Angeles, Nashville, and other cities for iconic finds in the closets of wealthy and well-known women. In addition, other sellers with fabulous closets find them through word-of-mouth. Most of the items have been worn or used only once or twice. As Ford explains, “With social media, there’s a record of who wore what when, so items are out of the rotation faster for those individuals. That’s to our benefit although we think it is chic to repeat!”

Susan Katzman, immediate past president of the NCJWSTL, who has been involved with The Resale Shop for more than 35 years, explains that pre-COVID, their membership was their core 30 slmag.net

Signs on Lindbergh Blvd. promote The Resale Shop’s Couturier sale.

Photo by Philip Deitch

donation group. “Ten years ago, we didn’t have younger shoppers because we had no clothes for that demographic. We have found that younger shoppers are not as apt to donate - they want to try to sell first - but it is happening. We’re getting more clothing a younger shopper would wear and we are seeing younger shoppers in return.

Our age range is much broader now.” Duneman elaborates, “During the pandemic people were looking for anyone to take their stuff. We were introduced in a positive way to lots of new donors. We have transitioned many of those people into regular donors and shoppers.”

“Gen Z and millennials are loud and proud about shopping resale,” says Ford. “We never kissed and told the identity of our customers - we still don’t. But this new generation does not care, which is good for our industry. Now we have a selfie wall in the dressing room and customers can post on social media as they try on items, tagging The Vault.”

Both stores consider themselves destinations and have shoppers from nearly all local zip codes. While most shoppers at The Vault are seeking labels from the better department stores and boutiques, Ford notes that everyone loves a good bargain. Says Duneman, “We have shoppers who come here because they need to. College kids shopping for business attire has always been a large audience. We have firefighters, police, school administrators, and others who are looking for a sharp suit and don’t want to pay full retail, for example.

And plenty of people come here for fun or because they want to support our mission. From here, they often continue down the road to Plaza Frontenac.”

The ability to sell online has been a game changer for The Vault and The Resale Shop. Prior to the pandemic, The Vault had an information-only website, was selling through Facebook Live once per week, and posting items on Instagram. When the store shut down temporarily in 2020, they started doing it every day. Now they’re hosting shows five days per week. They also began selling via their website. “COVID forced us to do what we should have been doing all along. Within six months it took off and is the best thing that’s happened to us,” Ford says. “People browse the entire site they look at dresses, jewelry, and shoes - not just handbags. Today we shipped 18 packages across the country. It has created a new revenue stream for us and given us a lot more visibility.”

The Resale Shop launched its e-commerce initiative in April 2021. “We’re finding our way - identifying the right shoppers for our site,” says Resale Marketing Manager Yolonda Curtin. “It was on our

Brand-name jewelry displayed in cases at The Vault.

Photo courtesy of The Vault.

wish list prior to the pandemic but that accelerated it.” E-commerce items are separate from items sold in the store. Curtin, Duneman, and the store’s donation center manager curate what goes on the website. It is promoted via social media and email blasts. “We put a lot of care into the selection of the items, their descriptions and photos. This has helped broaden our reach and has resulted in more and better donations,” says Curtin.

Unknown to me before writing this story: The Vault and The Resale Shop have a symbiotic relationship. “If we do not buy the items of people who come to our store, we give them the opportunity to donate them to several charities, one of them being the NCJWSTL,” says Ford. “The NCJWSTL picks up here weekly.

We love what they do for women and children in our community, and it makes sense to partner with them.”

While they are a for-profit entity, Ford notes that part of their motivation for moving to Brentwood was to have enough space to host charity events. “We have raised money for or given about $700,000 to various charities to date - including Our Lady’s Inn, YWCA, Beyond Housing, Boys & Girls Clubs, The American Cancer Society - giving 10-20% of sales during the events back to the charity.” Recently, thru their handbag initiative, The Vault donated 28 handbags to Our Lady’s Inn, a home for pregnant women who are homeless or on the verge of homelessness, and 31 handbags to Women in Transition, which serves women coming out of the prison system. Each bag was filled with necessities such as deodorant, toothbrush and paste, nail polish, snacks, and an inspirational quote.

“We really want to reach $1 million in giving back to our community - that will make a real difference.”

The Resale Shop puts a special tag on items that come from The Vault and Byrd, a consignment store in Ladue, which helps stratify the quality of the item for their customers. “If people call and want to sell their items, we direct them to The Vault or Byrd,” says Duneman. At the end of the consignment period, Byrd’s consignees have the option of donating to The Resale Shop any item they are no longer interested in keeping. “We have great streams of merchandise,” she adds. “The Vault telling their customers how they work with us has helped us for many years. Shopping at The Vault increased our visibility among new secondhand shoppers. If they do well there, then maybe The Resale Shop is okay for them. And they find they can do well here too.”

As background, The Resale Shop has been an integral part of the NCJWSTL for 80 years. Initially, the organization provided a free

Interior of The Resale Shop.

Photo courtesy of The Resale Shop.

milk program for kids in school districts and supported immigrants coming to St. Louis to live - giving vouchers and providing clothing.

Out of that came the Council Shop, now known as The Resale Shop. As they’ve grown and expanded their reach into the broader community, the shop allowed customers to shop affordably. Now, there are a variety of programs through the store. Project Renewal brings women in need to the store on a Sunday to shop with a personal shopper to pick clothing. They also receive help writing a resume, budgeting, and other skills. Another program supports more than 2,000 children for back-to-school. The NCJWSTL operates 28 “closets” which serve 31 elementary schools for children in need of appropriate clothing, shoes, and more.

Retailers are also jumping on the resale bandwagon. In 2017, Stella McCartney became the first luxury brand to promote the consignment of its products on TheRealReal.com, a website for buying and selling luxury items. Anyone consigning Stella McCartney pieces on the resale platform receives a $100 store credit to shop at any of the brand’s retail stores or via its website. Eileen Fisher has Eileen Fisher Renew. Madewell has a program to bring in your old jeans.

Neiman Marcus aligns with Fashionphile to bring in used items.

Levi’s and Burberry and dozens of others are doing it too. Retailers have come to realize that their customers are resale customers too.

Even celebrities are openly endorsing pre-owned luxury goods.

The Kardashians/Jenners, for example, are making a move into the resale market with the launch of Kardashian Kloset. The e-commerce site sells items like clothing, shoes, and handbags that once belonged to the celebrity family members.

So where do Ford and Duneman think this is all heading?

The Vault is now dabbling in men’s accessories - Hermes ties, Louis Vuitton briefcases, designer sneakers. “We’re doing phenomenal with that,” says Ford. “Men shop differently than women - they tick off the things they need seasonally. They don’t shop ‘just because.’” The Vault’s reputation as a national source of luxury items is confirmed: The Vault is planning to open a second store - location to be announced.

Summarizes Duneman, “The future is bright for resale. I don’t think the trend will turn the other way. There will be no stigma eventually. As the industry evolves and more people recognize the environmental impact of fashion on the planet, it only improves the business model of resale. The only downfall is that if people don’t buy enough new, we won’t have anything to resell!” sl

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Handbags on display at The Vault.

Photo courtesy of The Vault.

WANT TO SELL ITEMS TO THE VAULT? READ THIS. Diana Ford, director of luxury goods and gatherings at The Vault Luxury Resale, encourages those interested in selling their clothing, handbags, jewelry, and shoes to bring them to the store on Brentwood Blvd. in Brentwood. “Buyers are available Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. and no appointment is needed. We have people curating items from all over the country 40 hours per week. They are looking for labels from the better department stores and boutiques, in like-new condition, and are less than three years old.”

“Many people do not understand the outright purchase concept,” she continues. “We only buy what we know will sell and that is constantly changing. And our customer base is national so we aren’t just buying for the St. Louis shopper.” One example is the demand for old nylon Prada bags. “At one point they were selling for about $200, maybe. Now, they’re the bomb; selling for between $1,200 and $1,400. It isn’t only about the brand.

It’s about what we know our customers will buy. An item is only worth what someone is willing to pay for it and we really shine in knowing what people will pay.”

Ford says they often must educate people. “We try to manage expectations. The buying habits of our customers dictate what we need. It’s not just about what we ‘like.’ We always thank people for what they have brought in. It’s just business - not personal.”

She continues, “Sometimes telling people it is lovely but we just can’t use it isn’t enough. We recently saw a young woman 32 slmag.net

who wanted to sell about 15 pairs of low-waisted jeans. Each one probably cost about $200 when purchased and they were all great labels. We told her we were going to pass - that we wanted highwaisted jeans right now. She responded, ‘Yeah, so do I.’ She went from being annoyed to understanding what we do.”

Ford recommends that prospective sellers to The Vault keep in mind a few things: • Right now, we want activewear and designer sneakers.

• We are always interested in designer handbags and jewelry.

• Our customers buy 25 tops for every one pair of pants we sell so we don’t buy as many bottoms.

• St. Louis is not a walkable city like Chicago or New York where women wear long fur coats for warmth; we typically do not buy them. However, we do sell contemporary mink jackets and do very well with them. We’re always looking for those.

• Vintage, garments made more than 25 years ago and which clearly reflect the style of that era, makes up only about 1% of our inventory. If something amazing comes in, we will buy it vintage Chanel for example - but we pass on more vintage items than we buy.

• Labels we love: Eileen Fisher, Madewell, Lululemon, Lilly Pulitzer, J.Crew, Alice & Olivia, Vince…as well as Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Chanel, and Prada.

A painting by Charleston artist Linda Fantuzzo is a focal point of the lobby.

SOUTHERN BELLE OF THE BALL With just 50 rooms and a host of upscale amenities, The Loutrel sits pretty as Charleston's newest luxury lodging option.

Written by Bridget Williams / Photos of The Loutrel by Kim Graham

Charleston has the unique ability to remain relevant through reinvention. Architecture aficionados, photographers, history buffs, culture mavens, golfers, foodies, and fishermen are among the many millions of visitors that annually trod its cobblestone streets. The melding of the foreign with the familiar, in which institutions like Poogan's Porch—a family-owned restaurant serving up Southern fare since 1976—stand side-by-side with newbies like The Loutrel—a luxury boutique hotel opened in late 2021—keep visitors returning as regularly as the tide.

Located a stone's throw from Charleston's historic Market District, opened in 1807, The Loutrel was formerly the site of a nondescript sushi restaurant. The Loutrel's lush biophilic-inspired design and architecture nod to Charleston's signature gardens and aim to bring the outside indoors. Architecture and design firm Michael Graves successfully captured the vibrancy of the surrounding landscape to create a luxurious, mood-boosting environment.

The garden feel is evident as soon as you enter the soaring porch-inspired lobby and lounge, where a Lowcountry Swing Bed beckons near the reception desk. Local artist Linda Fantuzzo created the dreamy low country landscape that dominates one wall. Seating areas comprised of woven rattan and pieces upholstered in linen and wool provide ample space to "sit a spell" with the property's signature "Nice to Meet You" welcome cocktail in hand and enjoy the environs.

Serving as the focal point of the lounge is a bronze and woodaccented bar displaying a discernable nautical influence. The space is a hub of activity from morning until late at night. A European-style breakfast precedes a daily "Finest Cocktail Hour" punctuated with canapé offerings and punch bowl cocktails. You can end the day here with pre-bedtime bites and craft libations concocted with a gardener's eye for ingredients. We found the crowd, an interesting mix of locals and tourists, to be quite convivial, more so later in the evening. slmag.net

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The 50 generously sized guestrooms and suites boast Matouk linens and towels and locally made Deep Steep bath amenities.

From artwork to snacks, the hotel's owners took great care to buy local as much as possible. A striking black and white photo of Johns Island's centuries-old Angel Oak Tree is given prominence on a wall outside the elevator bank on the ground floor. One floor up on the hotel's mezzanine level. This plush private Clubroom reserved for hotel guests is stocked with craft beer, refreshments, a coffee and tea station, and locally made snacks from salty-to-sweet from local makers, including Grey Ghost Bakery and Lowcountry Chips, along with a rotating selection of light fare. Visitors quickly discover that it's impossible to go hungry in Charleston!

A lending library and a fun selection of board games make the Clubroom an ideal hangout on rainy days.

Generously proportioned guest accommodations include a mix of California king rooms, five suites, and a premier suite. All rooms feature Matouk linens and towels, locally made Deep Steep bath amenities, Lavazza coffee, and more complimentary locally made goodies.

By law, buildings in Charleston's historic district can be no taller than the tallest church steeple, which is Saint Matthew's Lutheran Church. As a result, the Loutrel has strategically used every square inch of its four stories, including a rooftop terrace offering steeple top and Ravenel Bridge views.

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The proliferation of steeples that punctuate the skyline in The Loutrel's vicinity speaks to Charleston's moniker as "The Holy City," which traces its roots to an early charter of Charles Town that guaranteed religious freedom. However, this tolerance did not always extend to all. The city was the entry point for some 200,000 enslaved Africans beginning in 1670, more than anywhere else in North America. The city is taking steps to shed light on its past through the International African American Museum (iaamuseum.org), slated to open on Gadsen's Wharf in late 2022. The IAAM will be a "museum, memorial center, and site of conscience that commemorates the foundational role Africans and their descendants played in the making of America."

For stays on the shorter side, a car isn't necessary as The Loutrel's centralized location and grid of easily navigable streets make it easy to hit the highlights on foot. Hotel guests are privy to unique Charleston experiences, such as private garden tours with an in-house guide, boating excursions on the Carolina Girl yacht, and custom picnics with Picnic Charleston, to name a few. If all of the walking isn't enough, or if you overindulged as much as we did, the hotel's compact but very well-equipped gym complete with Peloton bikes is available for penitence.

You can view nine of Charleston’s famous church steeples from The Loutrel’s rooftop terrace.

The live oak trees on the approach to Boone Hall were planted in 1743.

Photo by Christopher Shane courtesy of Explore Charleston.

View of Dock Street and Church Street.

Photo courtesy of Explore Charleston

Rainbow Row Photo courtesy of Explore Charleston

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Serving as the focal point of the lounge is a bronze and wood-accented bar displaying a strong nautical influence.

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The Chef's Table with Wild Common Executive Chef Orlando Pagan.

Photo by Jonathan Boneck

Seared Diver Scallops at Wild Common.

Photo by Jonathan Boneck

Dining room and digital art wall at Wild Common.

Photo by Jonathan Boneck

The Loutrel is sandwiched between two culinary thoroughfares, which offered us more dining options than available days. A highlight of our culinary carousing was a multi-course dinner at Wild Common, situated just outside the tourist hub. As we quickly discovered, this hidden gem—with James Beard Award-winning Executive Chef Orlando Pagán at the helm in the kitchen— intentionally keeps its guest count low and its standards high.

Executive Sous Chef Zach Kimmel, who was running the show during our visit, said the only rule they have for their tasting-only menus is there are none.

Wild Common's playful manner is akin to a fashion stylist who takes a high-low approach, pairing a Target blouse with Balmain trousers. From our seat at the bar, which framed one end of the compact kitchen, we enjoyed watching the preparation process and conversing with the staff. As we learned by talking with Kimmel, just because he's a chef that has fun with food— telling us about a caviar service where he used hash brown sleeves from McDonald's for serving caviar as an example—

doesn't mean that the food at Wild Common isn't seriously good. Striking candlelit décor complemented this fanciful feast, including a massive video projection on one wall that changed as the evening progressed.

This spring and summer will see the return of popular events, including the Charleston Spring Antiques Show on April 1-3 (charlestonspringantiquesshow.com); the Cooper River Bridge Run on April 2 (bridgerun.com); Spoleto Festival USA, one of America's major performing arts festivals scheduled for May 27 through June 12 (spoletousa.org); and the July Sweetgrass Festival, which pays tribute to the region's Gullah history and traditions.

With 300 years of history under its belt and many more chapters left to be penned, Charleston is a living museum that continues to dominate as a darling of domestic tourism. sl The Loutrel / 61 State St. / theloutrel.com / Rooms from $269/night The International African American Museum / iaamuseum.org Wild Common / 103 Spring St. / wildcommoncharleston.com Poogan's Porch / 72 Queen St. / poogansporch.com Slightly North of Broad / 192 E. Bay St. / snobcharleston.com

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Bibliotaph... Girl Power

Compiled by Victoria Chase A work of historical fiction that serves as an ode to Sylvia Beach, who opened the famed Parisian bookstore Shakespeare and Company in 1919, which became a haven for many prominent writers of the Lost Generation. Karri Maher—The Paris Bookseller—hardcover, 336 pages, Penguin Publishing An effervescent read for anyone who loves champagne, this work of historical fiction shares the story of Barbe-Nicole, who, following the death of her husband, winemaker François Clicquot, as Veuve (Widow) Clicquot, achieved legendary status. Rebecca Rosenberg—Champagne Widows—paperback, 332 pages, Lion Heart Publishing

Journalist Diana Kapp crisscrossed the country writing for and about empowered girls. The resulting 34 profiles are part biography, part guidebook to the contemporary environmental movement.

Available in April. Diana Kapp—Girls Who Green the World: Thirty-Four Rebel Women Out to Save Our Planet—hardcover, 336 pages, Delacorte Press

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One of the Jazz Age’s most beloved poets, Dorothy Parker was widely regarded as the wittiest woman in America. Newly available as a standalone edition, her debut collection—a bestseller in 1926—features poems that range from lighthearted self-deprecation to acid-tongued satire. Dorothy Parker—Enough Rope: A Book of Light Verse—paperback, 144 pages, Knopf Doubleday Publishing

Olympic distance runner Alexi Pappas’ mother died by suicide when she was four years old. She filled the void by looking to female athletes as role models. Not content with success in athletic pursuits alone, in 2016, she made her Olympic debut as a distance runner and wrote, directed, and starred in her first feature film. Alexi Pappas—Bravery: Chasing Dreams, Befriending Pain, and Other Big Ideas—hardcover, 352 pages, Random House Publishing

bib 'li' o 'taph, [bib-lee-uhtaf, -tahf ]: a person who caches or hoards books This vibrant monograph of masterfully executed portraits is the first book dedicated to London-based fashion photographer Nadine Ijewere—the first Black woman photographer to land a cover of Vogue in the magazine’s 125-year history. Nadine Ijewere (photographer), Lynette Nylander (contributor)—Nadine Ijewere: Our Own Selves—hardcover, 192 pages, Presteel A never-before-gatheredtogether collection of pieces written by the late Joan Didion between 1968 to 2000 provide an illuminating glimpse into the mind and process of a legendary journalist, essayist, novelist, and screenwriter. Joan Didion—Let Me Tell You What I Mean—hardcover, 192 pages, Knopf Doubleday Publishing

For American women today, working out is accepted and expected, fueling a multibillion-dollar fitness industrial complex. But it wasn’t always this way. In this book, journalist Danielle Friedman reveals the hidden history of contemporary women’s fitness culture. She chronicles how exercise evolved from a beauty tool pitched almost exclusively as a way to “reduce” into one millions have harnessed as a path to mental, emotional, and physical well-being. Danielle Friedman—Let’s Get Physical: How Women Discovered Exercise and Reshaped the World—hardcover, 352 pages, G.P. Putnam’s Sons

Born to an aspirational blue-collar family during the Great Depression, Constance Baker Motley eschewed suggestions to pursue a career as a hairdresser. Instead, she became the first black woman to argue a case in front of the Supreme Court. She defended Martin Luther King in Birmingham, helped to argue in Brown vs. The Board of Education, and played a critical role in defeating Jim Crow laws throughout the South. She was the first black woman elected to the state Senate in New York, the first woman elected Manhattan Borough President, and the first black woman appointed to the federal judiciary. Tomika Brown-Nagin—Civil Rights Queen: Constance Baker Motley and the Struggle for Equality—hardcover, 512 pages, Pantheon

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Moco Barcelona boasts works by the top names in modern art including Damien Hirst, Jeff Koons, and Banksy.

Photo courtesy Moco.

CURATING A COLLECTION

OJO PARA EL ARTE Written by Amelia Jeffers

If I had a nickel for every time someone asked me how I can look at an antique or work of art and give a quick assessment of quality and value, I could probably retire. The phrase “repetition is the mother of skill” has certainly held true in my experience.

Across a 25+ year career in the auction and appraisal business, I have easily reviewed more than 100,000 objects - and, as I like to remind the folks who ask me: when your paycheck depends on knowing whether something is valuable, you learn to differentiate really fast. But, the truth is anyone can hone an eye for art and antiques with a modest amount of time and energy.

And while books abound on every collecting genre, I believe there is no substitute for standing in front of an item. Only by experiencing what exists in the art world can someone begin to develop an appreciation and understanding of what they like and with which they want to live. For that reason, this feature will occasionally take a new slant on cultivating your passion for collecting - travel.

From sheer approachability, guaranteed temperate weather, some of the best art in the world, and great food and wine, it just doesn’t get better than Spain. On a recent sojourn, I focused my time in two major cities with an impressive return on my investment.

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Regularly listed among the top five museums in Europe, the massive Museo del Prado has been serving up incredible painting and sculpture exhibitions in the capital city of Madrid since 1819. Particularly well represented are early works with religious and cultural influences. Of note for our visit was the small but mighty showing of Leonardo da Vinci paintings, including the Prado’s copy of the Mona Lisa and the “Ganay” Salvator Mundi a notable viewing considering the less significant “Gulf ” example brought a cool $450M after a worldwide velvet rope tour by Christie’s just a few years ago. Our time with the da Vincis was met with much less fanfare but also an up-close-and-personal viewing in an intimate room with very few other people. It was memorable, to say the least.

A quick taxi ride away is the Royal Palace of Madrid.

Though it is not technically a museum, the collection of material culture, including glass, silver, porcelain, furniture, and musical instruments, makes this a must-see for any antiques enthusiast. Across the plaza, Almudena Cathedral and its NeoRomanesque crypt are an interesting dichotomy of historical and modern. The relatively new church—completed in 1993— boasts a uniquely modern interior fitted with chapels and

A Unesco World Heritage Site, Park Guell is one of the most photographed parks in the world. Photo by Michelle Raponi.

statues from contemporary artists in a variety of styles—even Pop art—though period works have been retro-fitted as well.

My travel companion and I were anxious to cover a lot of ground in Barcelona, so we skipped Madrid’s Museum of Contemporary Art, hopped a high-speed train to the coast, and hit a more focused experience at the Picasso Museum. Expertly curated, the eponymous museum is regarded as one of the most complete permanent collections of his work and lends great insight into a master of modern art thanks to wonderful photography and an assemblage of paintings that create a career timeline.

Just next door is the brand new Modern Contemporary (MOCO) Barcelona, a repeat effort to the independent museum’s highly successful Amsterdam location. Echoing the institution’s commitment to exhibiting iconic works by celebrated modern and contemporary artists as well as rising stars, the maze of rooms at MOCO Barcelona include innovative examples by Damien Hirst, classic works by Andy Warhol, Keith Haring, and Salvador Dali, and edgy conversationstarters like Jean-Michel Basquiat and Banksy. While it was the smallest of the museums we visited, it may have been our favorite.

A visit to Barcelona would not be complete without a thorough exploration of the architectural marvels of Antoni

Gaudi. Largely considered his magnum opus, the yet-finished and thoroughly fantastical La Sagrada Família is an engineering marvel in scale, color, and design. The audio tour is a must for anyone who wants to fully capture the intricate details of the structure and plan.

Like many of his projects, Park Guell was a labor of love for Gaudi and has become a treasure for not only the city but all of Europe.

The Unesco World Heritage site represents a rare combination of nature, art, and architecture with breathtaking views of the Barcelona skyline and Balearic sea in the distance. With enough time, you could round out your exploration of Gaudi’s work by visiting Casa Batllo. Juxtaposed against a streetscape of luxury shops, the structure looks more like a building from a Dr. Seuss book than a structure from the early 20th Century.

Spain has no shortage of public art and sites with important historical and cultural objects. From the Barcelona Cathedral with a history dating to 599 to street sculptures by icons including Roy Lichtenstein, we were overwhelmed by the vast number and breadth of art, antiques, and history to explore. For more information about the art and culture available in Spain, visit spain.info. sl Amelia Jeffers is an internationally recognized auctioneer and appraiser.

For more information, visit ameliajeffers.com.

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BENJAMIN MOORE | From their library of more than 3,500 color candidates, Benjamin Moore selected October Mist 1495 as its 2022 Color of the Year. Describing it as “evoking the silver-green stem of a flower,” they offer the gently shaded sage hue as an ideal grounding canvas for layering other shades.

Ethicraft Connected Dots glass tray ($148; ethnicraft.com)

Isla double hammock from Lujo ($2,940; lujo.com.au)

COLOR YOUR WORLD

Product picks to stay on trend with Pantone, Benjamin Moore, and Sherwin-Williams’ color of the year selections.

Compiled by Victoria Chase

Room & Board’s Vignelli outdoor table ($1,500: roomandboard.com)

SHERWIN-WILLIAMS | Soothing and subtle, SherwinWilliams selected Evergreen Fog SW 9130 for its 12th official Color of the Year. “Evergreen Fog is a sophisticated wash of color for spaces that crave a subtle yet stunning statement shade,” said Sue Wadden, director of color marketing at Sherwin-Williams. Evergreen Fog is part of Sherwin-Williams’ Colormix Forecast, which, for 2022, features 40 colors and four palettes.

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Chair from AMPM (laredoute.com)

Montara650 Rocker from Coalesse (coalesse.com)

Jet Class Beatrice dressing table (jetclass.pt/en)

Alice Periwinkle wallpaper from Olenka Design ($175/roll; olenkadesign.co.uk)

CH24 Wishbone chair from Carl Hansen & Son ($1,815; carlhansen.com)

Boogie Woogie cushion made with vintage fabric by Nichollette Yardley-Moore ($176; charltonisland.com)

MeatPacking Patchwork rug from G.T. Design (gtdesign.it)

Marshmallow double stool from Royal Stranger (royalstranger.com)

PANTONE | In stark contrast to the other Color of Year selections, the Pantone Color Institute opted for a livelier hue—Very Peri—a newly created color that the company describes as “displaying a carefree confidence and a daring curiosity that animates the creative spirit.”

“Creating a new color for the first time in the history of our Pantone Color of the Year educational color program reflects the global innovation and transformation taking place,” said Laurie Pressman, Vice President of the Pantone Color Institute.

“As society continues to recognize color as a critical form of communication, and a way to express and affect ideas and emotions and engage and connect, the complexity of this new red-violet infused blue hue highlights the expansive possibilities that lay before us”.

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Allison Anderson pouring a tasting flight at Anderson Family Vineyard

MESSAGES IN A BOTTLE Learning from the winemakers in Oregon’s Dundee Hills Written by Bridget Williams / Photography by Tony Bailey Having come to appreciate a good wine later in life, I do not consider myself an expert by any means. However, even more than a good pour (preferably red), what I do love is a good yarn, and a trip to the Dundee Hills in Oregon's Willamette Valley yielded both in abundance.

The epicenter of Oregon pinot noir, the Dundee Hills AVA, is located 28 miles southwest of Portland and 40 miles inland from the Pacific Ocean. With the majestic snowy peaks of Mt. Hood and Mt. Jefferson frequently punctuating the view, the area certainly doesn’t lack when it comes to spectacular scenery.

Winemaker David Lett planted the first pinot noir in the Dundee Hills in 1966, naming it The Eyrie Vineyard. He soon had company on the south-facing slopes from Dick Erath and the Sokol Blosser family. Notoriety came quickly when the thenunknown Eyrie pinot noir placed among the top three wines in the 1979 Gault-Millau French Wine Olympiades, besting more famous French labels.

Part of a North Willamette Valley hill chain that developed from intense volcanic activity and the collision of the Pacific and North American plates, the vineyards spread out over 6,490 acres 44 slmag.net

in the Dundee Hills are known for rich, red volcanic Jory soil. They typically reach a depth of four to six feet and provide excellent drainage for superior quality wine grapes.

Cultivation practices in the region lean heavily on natural inputs and sustainable practices, including Certified LIVE, organic, and biodynamic farming methods. There are more B-Corpcertified wineries in the Dundee Hills than any other AVA globally.

Friendliness towards the earth extends to visitors, particularly at smaller wineries, where the owners often lead tastings.

Of the approximately 793 wineries in Oregon, 44 are in the Dundee Hills. For the two full days we had for tastings, I'd meticulously plotted out an itinerary to visit 12 of them (with a designated driver). However, even with scheduling appointments beginning at 10am, my carefully conceived schedule quickly went out the window due in part to the aforementioned storytelling aspect I love so much, along with the very real need to break for lunch (at Red Hills Market, of course!). Following is a quick overview of the seven wineries where we enjoyed quality tastings: Argyle Winery, Anderson Family Vineyard, Cramoisi Vineyard, Élevée Winegrowers, Maresh Red Barn, Native Flora, and Purple Hands Winery.

Cliff Anderson sampling wine aging in a cave beneath the tasting room at Anderson Family Vineyard

The Tasting Room at Anderson Family Vineyard

The indoor/outdoor tasting venue at Argyle Winery

Anderson Family Vineyard – andersonfamilyvineyard.com We came for the views and lingered for the wine. The vines grow organically on precipitous rocky hillsides—a forty-degree slope to be exact, owner and winemaker Cliff Anderson told us. A selfprofessed "science geek," Cliff said he began making wine in high school, stashing his equipment under his bed. So if you are into the science of making wine, he's the one to talk to if you want to get into the minutiae, yet he makes the process exciting and easy to digest for those who are less scientifically minded.

Cliff and his wife Allison spent three years in the 1980s searching for an ideal site to plant a vineyard, intending to be farmers and not winemakers. However, it wasn't until he tasted a less-than-satisfactory wine made by someone who bought his fruit that he decided to found their own label, releasing their first commercial vintage in 2002. Those steep slopes, terraced in some places, allow vines to be deeply rooted and dry-footed, resulting in wines with intense flavors. Their pinot noir, pinot gris, and Dijon chardonnay are made reductively with native yeast, moved entirely by gravity, and wait patiently to mature in a cool cave beneath the tasting room. "When I started, I didn't think I had a 'style,' but

over time, I've decided that I don't like too much oak," explained Jim, whose love for the process is genuinely evident in conversation.

Tastings are by appointment only and take place in what Jim describes as "a building that looks like it belongs on a true Oregon vineyard and not imposed on the landscape."

Argyle Winery – argylewinery.com After arriving in Portland and spending a few soggy hours hiking around spectacular Multnomah Falls, our first stop was Argyle Winery for a flight of bubbly. Argyle led the way to sparkling wine in the region when they launched their 1987 vintage. Argyle always makes my list when I'm in the area as their Extended Tirage, a brutstyle wine aged ten years before bottling, is incredible, and the fact that their founding viticulturalist, Allen Holstein, is a fellow Kentuckian.

Argyle's tasting room, located in the heart of Dundee on the site of a former nut processing facility, encompasses two buildings: the quaint tasting house, a historic home complete with a white picket fence, and behind that, the Living House, a contemporary indoor/ outdoor tasting and event venue with an intimate tasting library holding reserve wines dating back to Argyle's very first vintage. slmag.net

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A tasting of Cramoisi Estate Pinot Noir Cuvée

Cramoisi Vineyard – cramoisivineyard.com Winemaker Ryan McKay, the co-owner of Cramoisi, has made it his mission to find ways to harness Old World techniques, including seeking out heritage clones not yet planted in the Willamette Valley. His quest led to the discovery of clone 122, sourced from a Grand Cru vineyard in the Vosne-Romanée region. It is more than one thousand years old, and with only 25 plants, Cramoisi is growing their own budwood to propagate a one-acre block on their biodynamically farmed 10-acre vineyard.

I met Cramoisi's co-owner and Ryan's better half Sophia Torres, a native of Mexico City, at a tasting event several years ago when they had only a few bottlings under their belt. As the only Latina winery owner in the Dundee Hills, Sophia co-founded AHIVOY to empower vineyard stewards who are looking to advance in the industry through education.

After several years of hosting tastings at their home, the couple opened a beautifully appointed hillside tasting room in 2021. They resumed their wine tasting experiences (reservation required) in January, which includes a pre-tasting walking tour of the vineyard.

Their rosé pinot noir is my go-to summer sip. Élevée Winegrowers – eleveewines.com As someone who is continuously pondering what I want my next act to be, I love an engaging mid-life change story, and I found one at Élevée Winegrowers.

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A vineyard steward working at Cramoisi Vineyard, which is farmed biodynamically.

As we sat outside under the shade of giant umbrella steps from the home of Tom & France Fitzpatrick, France shared Élevée's origin story. It began when Tom opted for a mid-life career change and became a winemaker in 2003, wetting his feet in Washington State, New Zealand, and Napa and earning a master's degree in Viticulture & Enology from UC Davis. After graduation, he headed for Burgundy, France, before settling in Oregon with his wife in 2007 to carve out their niche as boutique winemakers while maintaining other full-time jobs.

The vineyard was 23 years old when they purchased it from Archery Summit's Gary Andrus in 2008. They sold their harvested fruit until they saved enough to make their first cases of wine in 2012. Today, the high-density site produces 1400 cases, with every aspect from tractor to tasting handled personally by the couple. You can't help but appreciate their hustle as they aspire to greatness.

Tom's work in Burgundy reinforced his affinity for terroir, and France said that they plant "postcard vineyards" that allow Tom to take a deep dive into discovering an appellation's nuances.

France was a consummate hostess during our tasting, even presenting my mother, who was celebrating her 70th birthday on this trip, with a jar of homemade pinot noir jelly. We picked up a few bottles of their excellent Élevée Vineyard 2015 pinot noir, a single-vineyard bottling, and look forward to a return trip to see how their style continues to develop.

France Fitzpatrick of Élevée Winegrowers

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View of Mt. Hood from the Maresh Red Barn tasting room.

The Tasting Room at Haakon/Lenai Vineyard

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Robert Clary, the tasting room manager at Haakon/Lenai

Scott Flora of Native Flora

Native Flora vineyard

Maresh Red Barn – mareshredbarn.com Northeast Worden road is the site of some of the most vaunted vineyards in the Dundee Hills AVA. When Jim and Loie Maresh purchased their first plot of land here in 1959, they had no intention of becoming winemakers. Instead, they wanted to give their five children a fresh-air upbringing in what was then very rural Oregon. Eventually amassing more than 200-acres, it wasn't until Dick Erath came calling that Jim began making wine, learning by trial and error as they went along. Jim, who passed away in March of 2021, drove a tractor into his 90s and proclaimed himself and the original Oregon winemakers and his longtime friends the "Geezers Grapegrowers Group." The vineyard's history on the Maresh Red Barn website is worth reading.

A natural hostess with Energizer Bunny-like enthusiasm, Jim's affable daughter Martha oversees the vineyard and Red Barn Tasting Room along with her husband, Steve Mikame. As much as she treasures the family farm today, she said that as a child, she hated school breaks because it meant farm work.

Martha's son Jim Arterberry-Maresh is the winemaker, learning the trade from his father Fred, an award-winning Oregon winemaker. He revived the Arterberry Maresh label that went away when his father died in 1990.

Today, the vineyard, the fifth oldest in Oregon, covers 140acres and is planted predominately to Pommard and Wadenswil clones. With their gnarly thick roots enveloped in neon green moss, the oldest vines are closest to the tasting room.

Under the Arterberry Maresh label, Jim Arterberry-Maresh crafts highly rated rosé, chardonnay, and pinot noir. In 2019 he started the Tan Fruit project to "play" with purchased grapes. The six cuvées he crafted for the initial Tan Fruit vintage will be released sometime in 2022.

Native Flora – nativeflora.com Morning fog is nearly a given in the Chehalem Valley, lending an impressionist painter's perspective to the already idyllic landscape

Southdown Babydoll sheep in the vineyard at Native Flora

at Native Flora. Adding to the alluring aura is a fluffy flock of Southdown Babydoll sheep languidly grazing on cover crops strategically sown beneath the 35-acres of vines, having no idea that their chowing keeps weeds at bay. The scene is intoxicating without tasting a drop of wine, but not doing so would be a shame, as Scott Flora makes some of the best juice in the valley.

Appointment-only tastings occur in Scott and Denise Flora's stunning home overlooking the valley. An emphasis on symbiosis extends to the architecture, including geothermal heating and cooling and rainwater collection for vineyard use.

Don't miss a tasting of their Jolly Rancher, a unique blend of their estate Pinot Noir and Pinot Blanc. Their limited production wines are only available via tastings or as a member of their wine club.

Purple Hands Winery & Haakon/Lenai Vineyard – purplehandswine.com I'll admit that it was the contemporary tasting room jutting out over the undulating hills of the 35-acre Haakon/Lenai Vineyard that led us to Purple Hands Winery. Aesthetics aside, we were pleasantly surprised to uncover some of our favorite wines of the trip. Cody and Marque Wright own the winery; Cody is the son of esteemed and much-awarded Oregon winemaker Ken Wright, who I learned also has a Kentucky connection as a native of Lexington.

While he learned from the best, Cody has developed a unique style for winemaking: lush and fruit-forward and with the kind of structure that will allow it to cellar well. While Purple Hands also has an "urban" tasting room in Dundee, you can't beat the setting of the vineyard tasting room. As a bonus, the latter is the only place to taste and buy Haakon/Lenai wines under the likable and knowledgeable direction of Robert Clary, the tasting room manager. sl For assistance planning your visit, I’d highly recommend referencing the Dundee Hills Winegrower’s Association website (dundeehills). In addition to winery background, it offers guidance on dining, lodging and culinary tour options in the area.

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DECO DELIGHTS

Fine jewelry that takes design cues from style moderne, which rose to popularity in the 1920s and 1930s, and emphasized sleek sophistication and geometric forms.

Compiled by Bridget Williams

Clockwise from top left: Essentially Color necklace in rose gold with Sardinian coral, onyx, rose gold and diamonds from Picchiotti. Available through Moyer Fine Jewelers in Indianapolis and at picchiotti.it/ en. Yi Collection Bubble Gum Deco pink tourmaline ring ($1,950; yicollection.com). Roberto Coin 18K Palazzo Ducale bracelet with black jade and diamonds ($15,000). Available in Columbus and Nashville from Diamond Cellar, Indianapolis from Reis-Nichols Jewelers; in Kentucky from Davis Jewelers; in St. Louis from Simons Jewelers, and at robertocoin.com/en-us. Ashley Zhang Jewelery Art Deco ruby ring (ashleyzhangjewelery.com). Signed Fred Leighton black and diamond coiled doorknocker earrings ($12,000; fredleighton.com). Bespoke amethyst and diamond earrings from Lydia Courteille (lydiacourteille.com).

Kwiat Legacy collection fringe earrings. Available through Diamond Cellar in Columbus; Reis-Nichols Jewelers in Indianapolis; King Jewelers in Nashville; and at kwiat.com. Karma El Khalil white gold and diamond hexagon earrings (karmaelkhalil.com). SNOW WHITE 6.5 Pearl Dagger Pendant on Blush Necklace from Rose Van Parys Jewelry ($42,100; rosavanparys.com)

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Clockwise from top left: L’Arc de DAVIDOR Pendant GM, 18K gold with lacquered ceramic and porta diamonds ($3,850; davidor.com). Artemer Studio Deco green and pink baguette diamond engagement ring ($5,840; artemerstudio. com). Alberto opal Art Deco ring ($5,200; albertocollections.com). Platinum Art Deco emerald and diamond brooch from Albarre Jewelry in St. Louis (albarre. com). Deco Alexandrite ring from Mark Henry Jewelry ($5,500; markhenryjewelry. com). Openwork Art Deco bangle from Penny Preville ($11,620). Available in Columbus through Diamond Cellar; in Indianapolis from Reis-Nichols Jewelers; and at pennypreville.com. L’Atelier Nawbar Bond Street mother of pearl fan earrings ($4,950; lateliernawbar.com).

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THE SPIRIT OF DAKAR

"A sadist creating events for masochists" – Jackie Ickx, 6-time 24 Hours of Le Mans winner and 25-time F1 podium finisher, on Dakar Rally founder Thierry Sabine Written by Breanna Wilson 52 slmag.net

Audi RS Q e-tron Photo courtesy of Audi

There are few motorsport events in the world as legendary as Dakar. It might be labeled a rally, but first and foremost, it's an incomparable human adventure. And, what an adventure it is for the more than 3,000 people competing as a rider, driver, or as part of a team each year.

Imagine being in the middle of nowhere in Saudi Arabia with 5,000 miles ahead of you. You have to navigate yourself across an endless landscape of sand dunes, through fields of rocky flats, and charge full-speed ahead across some of the world's least discovered terrain. Oh, and you have 13 days to do it.

That's Dakar. It's a test of physical and mental ability attracting some of the toughest men and women worldwide to get behind the handlebars and wheel each year.

Tasked with using a paper roadbook as their guide, competitors on bikes, quads, and in cars, side-by-side vehicles, and trucks, are all tasked with the same mission: to find waypoints throughout each competition stage faster than any other competitor in their category.

Not only is it a battle against the clock and terrain, but it also eventually becomes a battle against themselves.

That's the point. The rally pushes competitors out of their comfort zone and to their breaking point. And once they reach that, to power on just a little bit farther. Because that was who Thierry Sabine, the Dakar's founder, was. A man with no limits, who never

worried about tomorrow, and who eventually died doing something he absolutely loved: overseeing the rally he created, Dakar.

Sabine wasn't alone. His friends loved these all-in adventures as much as he did, which proved to be the perfect storm for creating an event like Dakar, as well as some pretty insane stories from those early years when the race was more about finishing than winning.

Back then, it wouldn't be uncommon for the Delefortrie brothers to bring a bourriche of oysters with them for a mid-desert snack. Or for a Rolls-Royce Corniche to enter the competition as a challenge between friends. There was even the time in 1982 when Mark Thatcher, son of then Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, got lost in the desert for four days. The following year wouldn't be any less dramatic; a sandstorm caused 40 drivers to lose their bearings, again pushing one of the competitors off course, and the race's radar, for four days.

In those days, competitors would show up to the rally ready to race anything, including Vespa PX200E and P200E scooters, making it a slow-going race for a two-stroke single-cylinder 200cc engine with a four-speed transmission and top speed of just 65 mph. As a result, only two of them made it to Dakar, Senegal.

These are the types of legends that would become the essence of the race and the incomparable human adventure it still is today. slmag.net

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Near the finish line in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

All photos this page by Breanna Wilson.

THE REAL HEROES OF DAKAR, THE BIKES | Dakar was an immediate hit because it didn't take much to be a part of it. But while anyone could enter, not everyone did. Dakar drew a particular crowd, which was the point.

Amateur riders with Yamahas and Hondas "cobbled together at the back of the garage" danced alongside Citroen CXs with F1 driver Jacky Ickx at the wheel. It was a strange mix, but it worked. And it worked because those who did dare to enter had that same wild look in their eye as Sabine.

From the very beginning, the heroes of every Dakar have been the bikes and the guys behind the handlebars. In the beginning, bulkier, heavier motorcycles were necessary for a race of that distance and terrain. Flat engine BMW R80G/Ss, Honda single-cylinder XR550s (the early predecessor of the Africa Twin), and twin-valve single-cylinder Yamahas XT500s were the real heroes.

The Yamaha XT500, with its torquey engine and slim, lightweight chassis, would be the bike of choice for Cyril Neveu, who not only won the first Dakar, but would repeat his victory in 1980, 1982, 1986, and 1987.

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Jean-Claude Olivier, who rode in the first and second Dakar rallies on the same Yamaha, went on to help Yamaha develop the iconic XT600 Ténéré to compete with the BMWs that eventually began leaving Yamaha in their dust. The XT600 Ténéré boasted a 600cc engine with a Yamaha Dual Intake System (YDIS), a 30-liter fuel tank, the first front disc brake ever on a Yamaha off-road model, bell-crank Monocross suspension, and an aluminum swingarm, making it one of the most reliable bikes available at the time.

During those early years, Yamaha put out an offer many racers couldn't refuse: buy one of their bikes, and they'd do the event service for free. It was a good deal – keeping your ride running is one of the hardest parts of any rally race, especially one as grueling as Dakar. If you were lucky and didn't run the bike into the ground before the finish, you'd have a fully repaired bike to take home.

Dozens took Yamaha up on the offer and quite a few finished.

Yamaha also gets credit for introducing the world to 22-yearold French enduro champion Stéphane Peterhansel in 1988.

No one has won the Dakar Rally more times, earning him the nickname "Mr. Dakar."

American Amy Lerner and her co-driver Sara Bossaert, of Barcelona, Spain raced in a 1982 Porsche 911 SC.

Mattias Ekstrom after winning Stage 8 of the Dakar Rally as part of hybrid-powered Team Audi. Photo courtesy of Audi.

In 2011, Dakar organizers restricted the engine size of the bikes entering the race to 450cc, leaving the KTM 450 Rally to dominate in recent years. The first generation of the 450 Rally was essentially a 690 Rally with a 450 engine, while the 2019 version brought changes to the weight distribution comprising a new swingarm, linkage, shock absorber, revised exhaust, new airbox, fuel tanks, and seat.

Sam Sunderland, the first British winner of the Dakar in 2017, broke KTM's spell when he cruised to his second victory in the motorcycle category at Dakar, this time from behind the handlebars of a GASGAS RC 450F Rally.

These lighter and nimbler bikes are propelling riders to speeds of 110 mph, all while orienteering via their roadbook. It's an impressive feat, but one that doesn't leave much time for shucking oysters atop a giant sand dune.

THE CARS | A Range Rover Classic was the first car to cross the Dakar finish line the first year, 4th behind three bikes, and still running on standard factory-issued Rostyle alloy wheels. The Classic ran a regular 3.5-liter Rover V8 and had three seats for the three team members. While fitted with an extra fuel tank and a

Photo by Breanna Wilson

Photo by Breanna Wilson

winch, neither was used. The only thing reinforced on the vehicle was the steering damper.

The Renault 4 also found success in those early years, and as manufacturers got more involved in the 1980s, it would be the Porsche 959 that began turning heads. Today, the vehicles in the car class are all custom-built, barely resembling anything you would find on the road and certainly not resembling anything you would find on a showroom floor.

"Mr. Dakar," an older Peterhansel, would be one of the most talked-about names during the 2022 Dakar. With 14 wins under his belt, Audi tapped him to be one of three drivers putting their new RS Q e-tron, a hybrid-electric car with an electric drivetrain and high-voltage 52-kilowatt-hour battery charged on the go by a gas-powered 2.0-liter I4 turbocharged engine, through its paces.

After placing 59th in the car category, the race will see more lowemission electric vehicles enter the race in coming years, thanks to this stunt-gone-right by Audi. Additionally, the race has made a vow to allow entry to only low-emission vehicles by 2030, further challenging competitors to push their limits and test what they— and their vehicles—are made of. slmag.net

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1982 Porsche 911 SC raced by American Amy Lerner and her co-driver Sara Bossaert, of Barcelona.

Photo by Breanna Wilson

DAKAR THEN MEET DAKAR NOW | After years of following the race and living for the stories told by Sabine and friends, I would find myself wondering if Dakar 2022, held this past January, would at all resemble the debauchery and chaos that so many people lived for in those early years. Unfortunately, as a race like Dakar grows, so does the rule book.

With factory teams now dominating the event's overall presence and a starting price tag in the $250k range just to even think about competing, it's safe to say the rally of year's past is gone, but thankfully not forgotten.

My chance to join and have full access to the behind-the-scenes making of the rally came from Can-Am, the all-terrain utility vehicle company. Between the wristbands, the color-coded lanyards, and the never-ending security protocols, Dakar has gone from open to everyone to the most exclusive event in motorsports, meaning that an invite like this doesn't come along every day.

It would be with this team, and their corner of the bivouac, where I would learn the ins and outs, the good and bad, and the highs and lows of Dakar.

I learned that sleep is a thing to be cherished, as a quiet night is impossible as the mechanics spend their entire evening replacing 56 slmag.net

and repairing vehicles back to new. I would also learn that Saudi Arabia, where this year's race took place, can be cold. I mean freezing temperatures cold, making sleeping in a tent, as most people at the race do, less than desirable and certainly anything but comfortable.

I learned that the number of ladies participating in this year's rally reached an all-time high—28 in total— including three onehundred-percent female crews. In addition, I met the first two Saudi Arabian-born females to race in Dakar: Dania Akeel and Mashael Al-Obaidan. Akeel placed 8th, while Al-Obaidan came in 17th out of 37 finishers in the T3 SSV category. Both raced Can-Am Maverick X3's outfitted by the South Racing Middle East team.

Molly Taylor, a driver from Australia who recently won the Extreme E rally, and Austin Jones, an American with a background in racing trophy trucks in Baja, also grabbed my attention. Both were racing in the T4 category as part of the Can-Am Factory South Racing team.

Given unlimited access to the drivers, the mechanics, and the rest of the team, I learned strategies behind racing a rally like Dakar in 2022. It turns out, it's not just about going fast. Things

A digital version of the road book for navigating the 5,000mile route debuted in 2021.

Photo by Breanna Wilson

Austin Jones, Monster Energy Racing Can-Am team.

Photo by Breanna Wilson

like your starting position for the day, as well as your teammates, are crucial. Driving smart, not just hard, and avoiding costly mechanical repairs are what sets competitors apart. So, while Austin Jones may not have won a stage, he still took home first place in the SSV category, making him the third – and youngest – American to take an overall title at Dakar.

Exploring the rest of the bivouac meant mingling with the journalists and media folks who devote two weeks of their life to covering such an intense race. Getting up before 4:00 am to see the first of the bikes take the starting line and submitting photos and text to their editors until the late hours of the night. If they have the time to crawl into their tent and catch some shuteye, with freezing nightly temperatures, they'll sleep out of sheer exhaustion rather than comfort. Through these unconventional circumstances, I found friendship with two inspiring female journalists— one Canadian, one Italian—simply bonding over our love of the rally and the people it brings together.

I chatted with Johnny Campbell, Team Coordinator for Monster Energy Honda, a racing legend himself, and not just at Dakar. With 17-Baja 1000 wins in a row under his belt and his own history as the co-driver to NASCAR icon Robby Gordon at Dakar

Writer Breanna Wilson discovered that the freezing temperatures make sleeping in tents less than ideal. Photo by Breanna Wilson

The finish line in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

Photo by Breanna Wilson

years earlier, it would be Campbell's Monster Energy Honda racing team and the rider's he mentors that would dominate this year's top ten in the bike category, taking second, fifth, sixth, and seventh place.

Over two weeks, I followed the successes and trials that wreaked havoc on some of the most experienced drivers in the car category, like Carlos Sainz, Mattias Ekstron, and Peterhansel. It would be their Audi's that experienced issues ranging from hitting a rock and effectively shearing the left rear suspension off entirely to having a wheel fly from the car. They would eventually turn things around, but thoughts of winning the race were out of their heads by that point.

Moving between bivouacs, watching as the scenery around me changed daily, meeting people from all backgrounds of life, and getting to know this iconic race on a more intimate level, my thoughts couldn't help but return to Sabine.

Would he scoff at the vehicles competing today and the serious faces of the racers behind the wheel? Or, would he find it incredibly entertaining to watch people come together, scrambling through the desert at insane speeds with nothing but their vehicle and a roadbook 44 years later.Either way, the spirit of Sabine and the rally still holds true. Dakar remains an incomparable human adventure. sl slmag.net

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Our custom dining experience at the Westin included a romantically-lit low table and comfortable ground cushions with finger foods and champagne.

Photo courtesy Bronwyn Knight.

THE PERFECT PAIR IN PUERTO VALLARTA Written by Amelia Jeffers

Dusting off my passport last fall, I prepared for my first post-pandemic excursion beyond the borders and into the sunny west coast of Mexico with friends. Our week-long trip coincided with the Día de Muertos festival, when art installations and stunning traditional shrines would transform the streets of Puerto Vallarta. Despite its status as one of the world’s top vacation spots, Puerto Vallarta (PV) boasts a rich history of prosperous commerce thanks to a robust agricultural industry and an active port that has served inland communities for more than 200 years. Perhaps because tourism represents only fifty percent of the local economy, PV retains an authentic charm and warmth noticeably absent in some of its Mexican counterparts. Quaint shops and lively restaurants line the malecón (boardwalk), many of which cater to the international audience of visitors, but wander just a few streets away for a more local experience. The “Romantic Zone,” also known as Old Town, is often cited as a must-see, and the historic buildings and cobblestone streets do not disappoint.

Seeking both a restful retreat and an opportunity to let loose a bit, our group decided to split our time between a pair of 58 slmag.net

properties owned by Marriott. For the first several days of our stay, we celebrated Day of the Dead at Marriott Puerto Vallarta Resort & Spa, where the staff hosted a memorable celebration that included personalized and elaborate ofrendas and sugar skull makeup artists for the more adventurous among us.

Situated on a sandy strip along Banderas Bay, with the Sierra Madre Mountains as a stunning backdrop, the freshly renovated resort is nearly a one-stop shop for fun activities and great food with its six restaurants, a water-sports center, kids club, and programming for the whole family. A seasonal sea turtle release program, when nature permits, invites guests to learn and take part in the conservation of the region’s Ridley Sea Turtle. A 22,000 square foot onsite spa is the largest in Puerto Vallarta.

In terms of venturing off the property, our helpful concierge arranged a driving tour of culture-rich barrios for some of our group and a deep-sea fishing expedition for others. We decided to save a boat tour to Las Caletas (a private cove for swimming) and snorkeling off Marietas Island for our next trip.

The freshly-renovated Marriott PV includes a stunning bi-level eatery overlooking the beach on one side and an infinity pool on the other.

Strategically constructed around the palms (and preserving as many as possible), the quiet pools seem like hidden natural lagoons at the Westin PV.

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A gracious concierge guided our group through a number of local excursions.

Photo courtesy Bronwyn Knight.

From yoga classes to afternoon naps, the lush lawn at the Westin PV is a picturesque setting for rest and relaxation.

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Both properties offer opportunities for customized private-dining experiences.

The Westin Resort & Spa Puerto Vallarta drew us in with its mountains-meets-theocean landscapes and open-air decor spread across 14 tranquil acres.

We never ventured off the property for a meal because everything we had was just too good -and convenient - to beat.

Ceviche & Tequila Bar overlooks the pools and serves up one of my favorite dishes. It was perfect for a solo late lunch and cocktail on my arrival when my travel mates were catching a game in the sports bar, Champions. Availing ourselves of a tequila tasting and cooking class at Nosh, a bi-level, open-air eatery just steps from the beach, gave us an unmatched view of the iconic PV sunset.

After we had our fill of several action-packed days of eating, drinking, and exploring, we packed our bags and headed just a few doors down for a restorative break before our return home. A former palm tree plantation converted to a luxury wellness resort, The Westin Resort & Spa Puerto Vallarta drew us in with its mountainsmeets-the-ocean landscape and open-air decor spread across 14 tranquil acres that personify the resort’s holistic focus on well-being.

Strategically constructed around the palms (and preserving as many as possible), the quiet pools seem like hidden natural lagoons with tiny islands and partially-submerged lounging beds, inviting total relaxation. Curtained pergolas fitted with luxury furnishings provide a private retreat on nearly half a mile of gorgeous beach. Consistent

Food options at Marriott Puerto Vallarta range from simple bar fare to exquisite culinary sensations.

A beach spa hut at Marriott Puerto Vallarta.

with the Westin brand, the resort carries workout gear available for loan, so you can keep packing to a minimum without sacrificing fitness. Speaking of fitness, the gym is extraordinary - with soaring ceilings and lots of light, I was motivated to squeeze in several workouts, including a beach-side yoga class.

Determined to make the most of the amenities, every member of our party indulged in stress-relieving spa treatments. Protecting the tranquil environment is one-to-one service from entry to departure.

My guide escorted me to a changing room and provided a cozy robe, fresh water, and directions for maximizing my visit. A steam sauna and cool bath prepared me for a thoroughly regenerative fullbody massage and the (guest favorite) Seaweed Wrap with Guarana, which promised to detoxify my system. The natural, mineralrich seaweed deeply hydrated and noticeably firmed my dry skin.

We spent the last night of our trip on the expansive lawn (again with that sunset!), seated on comfortable cushions surrounding a low table filled with finger foods, champagne, and lots of candlelight. The custom dining experience left no detail unchecked and gave us the perfect evening to recount a spectacular week - while planning for the next one. sl slmag.net

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Of Note... Splish, splash, upgrades for your primary bath Compiled by Colin Dennis

The Balocchi faucet from Fantini is available in a rainbow of colors (fantiniusa.com)

Designed by Arne Jacobsen in 1968, the VOLA HV1 Danish brand VOLA is available in the US through Hastings Tile & Bath (hastingstilebath.com)

A scenic scene for your bathtub soak.

Les Mystères de Madagascar wall covering from Arte International (arte-international.com)

Kiva is a ceramic collection handcrafted by artisans in Walker Zanger’s factory in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico (walkerzanger.com)

Cellule circular wall-mounted basin from Lago (lago.it/en/)

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The Hästens 2000T mattress is comprised of 37Drain’s layers, linear including hair, Wet room with Infinity drainhorsetail placed flush cotton, wool and flax) the (from $27,795; hastens.com) against walls (infinitydrain.com).

Nemo Tile+Stone Pink Rock porcelain tile (nemotile.com)

Mendocino rectangular concrete soaking tub from Native Trails (nativetrailshome.com)

Americh textured tub has a speckled and textural pattern etched onto its exterior (americh.com)

ThermaSol’s HydroVive rainhead is designed to bring the multi-sensory powers of light, sound and water under the user’s complete control (thermasol.com)

Keraben Group Superwhite ceramic tile with an antimicrobial finish from Tile of Spain (tileofspainusa.com)

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CARBON DATING Swipe right on these timepieces and jewelry that highlight the strength and beauty of carbon fiber.

Compiled by Bridget Williams

Clockwise from top left: Fabio Salini carbon fiber necklace with 292.78 cts of colored gemstones (fabiosalini.co.uk/). David Yurman forged carbon faceted band ring with 18K yellow gold ($2,500).

Available from Diamond Cellar in Columbus, in Indianapolis from Moyer Fine Jewelers and Reis-Nichols; in Kentucky from Davis Jewelers, and at davidyurman.com. Furrer Jacot 6.5mm white gold, rose gold and carbon wedding bands ($2,880 with diamonds / $2,680 without diamonds, furrer-jacot.com). G- Shock MTGB2000YBD1 features a monocoque inner case of carbonreinforced resin set in a layered carbon frame ($1,200; gshock.com). Limited-edition GT Tour Carbon timepiece from Reservoir with 43mm laminated carbon case and 37-hour power reserve Clockwise from top left: ($7,126; reservoir-watch.com).

Carbon fiber ring with lapis lazuli from Lotus Arts de Vivre ($5,810; lotusartsdevive.com).

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Photography courtesy of Chicken N Pickle

THE MOST ADDICTIVE SPORT IN THE WORLD

by Craig Kaminer

Almost anywhere you travel in the United States, you can see people playing pickleball, waiting to play, taking lessons, competing in tournaments, or talking about the game over a beverage to anyone who will listen. In fact, the demand is so great, the majority of tennis courts in public parks, tennis clubs, country clubs, and community centers are being converted to pickleball courts as fast as you can reserve them.

It’s no surprise then that pickleball is now the fastest-growing sport in America. Pickleball grew in 2021 to 4.8 million players, an incredible growth rate of 15% since 2020 and 39% from 2019, per the Sports & Fitness Industry Association’s (SFIA) 2022 Topline Participation Report, released in February 2022. Players, ranging from the occasional to the regular to tournament level, packed courts in more than 8,500 locations nationwide. St. Louis alone has more than 50 locations with dedicated pickleball courts.

As background, pickleball started in 1965 on Bainbridge Island, Washington (a short ferry ride from Seattle), when two politicians and a businessman created a game to keep their children busy on a rainy day. They grabbed whatever equipment 66 slmag.net

they had: a badminton net, some ping pong paddles, and a wiffle ball. The kids and the parents took to it so eventually they put some rules in place. Things moved quickly after that. By 1990, pickleball was being played in all 50 states. In 2008, the game received its first mass media exposure when it was featured on ABC’s Good Morning America. In 2010, the International Federation of Pickleball was established and by 2015, there were approximately two million players. In 2016, the first U.S. Open was held in Naples, Florida, (which now promotes itself as The Pickleball Capital of the World) and included the first nationally televised broadcast of pickleball on CBS Sports Network. The national championships were moved to the world-renowned Indian Wells Tennis Garden in Indian Wells, California, in 2018 and the Pro Pickleball Association was formed to provide professional and amateur pickleball tournaments for all ages.

In 2019, there were 40,000 members of the USA Pickleball Association, a 1,000% growth rate since its formation in 2013.

What started as a means to entertain bored children has evolved into a multi-generational craze which older adults, their

Photo by Joe Martinez

adult children, grandkids, and younger kids can easily learn and play quickly and with proficiency just about anywhere - on portable courts on their driveways, neighborhood basketball courts, community centers, tennis facilities, and country clubs.

Pickleball is a cross between tennis, ping pong, and badminton. The paddles are solid - made from composite materials. The ball has holes like a wiffle ball and the court is approximately half the size of a tennis court at 20 x 44 ft. The net is hung at 36 in. at the ends and droops to 34 in. Unlike tennis, the court has a non-volley zone which extends seven feet back from the net on each side and is referred to as the “kitchen.”

The kitchen adds a strategic element to the game, preventing players from rushing the net and smashing the ball out of the air, ultimately slowing down play. But don’t for a second think this a slow game for old folks because it can speed up very quickly.

More on that later.

Played as singles or doubles, the game can be picked up in one or two outings. With the help of an occasional lesson, players can acquire skills quickly. Pickleball favors the better strategists and not

the better athletes. Case in point…as my wife and I were progressing and winning more games, we lost our swagger when two 70-plusyear-old women proved our relative youth, speed, and hard hitting were no match for their slower pace, placement of shots in the kitchen (called dinks and drops), and patience.

So where is pickleball being played in St. Louis? Everywhere.

Seems like every geography and demographic in the metro area are represented. There are courts in public parks, community centers, private tennis clubs, golf clubs, warehouses, gyms, as well as at-home and portable variations. To accommodate the demand for courts, many public parks and tennis facilities quickly re-lined some of their tennis courts for pickleball. Community centers lined courts on their basketball gym floors for pickleball during non-prime time hours. According to Dan Apted, who owns Creve Coeur Racquet Club and formerly managed the Dwight Davis Tennis (and pickleball) Center in Forest Park, in many cases, the re-lined courts can support both sports. Apted embraced pickleball very early. He even replaced the center stadium court at Dwight Davis with four pickleball courts. slmag.net

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Photo by Joe Martinez

We first took two lessons in Longboat Key, Florida, while on a quick getaway to visit my mother-in-law. Shortly after returning home, I bought two rackets and some balls from Racketman in Des Peres, whose 50-year-old business has been admittedly transformed by the pickleball craze. Jim Diekroeger, owner and president of Racketman, explained, “We dabbled with some pickleball gear four years ago. But we really weren’t sold on it. While we were closed for the 60-day mandatory shutdown in the spring of 2020, Des Peres Park put in three pickleball courts. We decided to get serious about it after that based on demand. Pickleball is an easier game to pick up than tennis and more social. The games are quicker. Men and women can play it together. I think that’s why the masses have grown the game.”

After buying rackets, we called some friends who had been playing for a while, set up a date for our first outing, reserved court time at Dwight Davis, and showed up ready to play. After the first few times playing, we quickly figured out our strengths and weaknesses as a team and how to compensate for each other. We won a couple of 11-point games and lost many more. And we were hooked.

Each weekend thereafter we had reservations at Dwight Davis or at the courts in Tower Grove Park. We got invited to play at Creve Coeur Racquet Club, Westwood Country Club, a private court in Creve Coeur, and a homemade court in Leasburg, Missouri. Now, we play weekly with a group of friends who are as hooked as we are and have met many new people who, like us, look forward to playing with new opponents of varying skill levels any night of the week.

That includes my experience being roped into playing pickleball in 68 slmag.net

the 2021 St. Louis Senior Olympics, where my partner and I got our clocks cleaned by every team we played. Humbling.

I have discovered that there are many reasons pickleball is so appealing. It’s easy to learn, inexpensive to play, forgiving enough for all athletic abilities, fun, social, and a great way to get some additional exercise. Pickleball is not an excuse for a rigorous workout, but playing a couple of days a week for an hour or two is better than doing nothing. There are all shapes and sizes of people playing, so fear not. You do not have to be an ex-high school tennis player to win a match. Yet, it can be tricky to master. It’s easy to get involved - just show up at a local community center, park, or Y by yourself and join in a game. That’s the concept of open play - grab a paddle, walk on the court, hit a few balls, and then start playing.

During the first month playing at Dwight Davis, I ran into an old business colleague, John Callahan, who, as luck would have, wrote the No. 1 selling racket sports book about pickleball, Pickleball: Tips, Strategies, Lessons & Myths. Who knew that since leaving the tech world Callahan has become a USAPA/PPR “Certified Pickleball Professional” and an IPTPA “Level II Certified Pickleball Teaching Professional,” and owns Callahan Pickleball Academy which focuses on pickleball instruction, corporate events, and pickleball parties. The academy has multiple locations in St. Louis (including Creve Coeur Racquet Club and Dwight Davis) and Callahan seems to appear wherever pickleball is being played.

He, it turns out, is no slouch on the court himself, having won silver and gold medals at the 2019 U.S. Open Pickleball Championships.

Photo by Joe Martinez

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Photo by Joe Martinez

A skilled tennis player and coach, Callahan is also a great instructor, an affable spokesman for the game, and a relentless promoter of his book. Anytime I ask him a question, he’ll answer and then tell me what chapter and/or page in the book I can find out more. He always walks around with copies of the book, sells them all around town and via Amazon, and if you take enough lessons at $75 per hour, he’ll likely give you a copy.

Callahan started playing in early 2017 at Kirkwood Park. “I saw these people playing this funky game. Somebody asked me if I wanted to hit. It looked a little bit like tennis so I said, sure. I hit for about two minutes and fell in love with it immediately. I drove to a sports store and immediately bought three paddles and some balls and turned my boys on to it.”

From there, he quickly recognized the potential of the sport.

“It reminded me of the early days of the internet business - it was rapidly growing, fragmented, and underserved. I started meeting people in the sport and was able to land my first full-time paying job in the pickleball business, which was the pickleball pro and tennis pro at Tower Grove Park. From there, I went all in: coaching, writing my book, and opening the academy.”

Per Callahan, the best way to get started is with a few lessons from a certified pickleball professional as opposed to 70 slmag.net

a friend or someone you meet while playing because you can end up with the wrong strategy, the wrong shot selection, and increase your probability of injury. Callahan elaborates, “My concern is that when people learn the wrong way, they may not love the game. And their rate of improvement is slower because they haven’t learned correctly. Thus, they don’t have a platform for how to improve. I recommend taking lessons in any form.

They could be one-on-one, four-on-one, or a group lesson of ranging from 12 to 30 people. I like to stay in a ratio of eightto-one: eight students per instructor. Other helpful resources are YouTube, Facebook groups, and of course my book.” No surprise there.

“The correct approach would be to learn the game with some lessons, then drills, then group open play, and then a group of friends at the same level with the same objectives, then going to open play wherever it’s found at any of the 50 different local facilities, then playing a local tournament, and then playing regional or national tournaments. And, I would condense the lessons or the learning into a shorter period of time rather than stretching them out. I’d much rather see students start correctly than spread it out over several months and waste a lot of time. We’ve seen many people playing wrong for two years!”

From left, Morrow Morrow, Doug Chandler, Jim Diekroeger, John Callahan, and Charlie Cai. Photo by Joe Martinez

I found that I made the most progress when I asked Callahan to play with us and rotate in with two couples. “Sometimes, I’ll be the fourth player, or they’ll have four people, and I’ll be the coach and alternate in at a higher level,” he says. “At an intermediate level, you want to play more with the pro once the strokes are in place. And once the strokes are in place and there’s consistency and accuracy, then we bump up into game strategy.

One of our most popular drills is the ‘drop’ game where if the third shot lands in the kitchen, the point is automatically over.

The two-serve drill is where you get two serves (pickleball rules allow for only one serve per point). You try to hit the first one as deep as you can. If it’s out, you get a second one. Playing is what reinforces the strategy.”

I asked Callahan, “Don’t 20-somethings look at the 70-yearolds and say, ‘how is this guy gonna play with me?’” He laughed and said, ”Yes they do, and then they walk off the court and say, ‘how did that 70-year-old beat me?’” That, my friends, is the reason that placement and strategy are more important than power and speed. Callahan continues, “There are two additional factors affecting the pace of the game that allow players of all ages and abilities to compete more evenly against each other. First, the serve is underhand so the power of the overhead serve (in

tennis) is removed. The second is the non-volley zone, or kitchen area, which prevents 20-somethings from charging the net and crushing an overhead. In order to hit the ball out of the air, players need to be seven feet back from the net.”

When asked if tennis players have an advantage in pickleball, he answered, “Tennis players won’t understand pickleball until they get beat. They can go out and win against nearly anybody by just playing tennis on a pickleball court. It’s not until they play someone of equal skill who knows pickleball strategy that they realize there’s a lot more to this game than just playing tennis on a smaller court.”

Continues Callahan, “Although pickleball strokes are more compact, tennis players already have the strokes and the hand-eye coordination. They’re already accustomed to watching the ball.

In pickleball, the ball moves more than it does in tennis because of the wind. And, the footwork we develop as tennis players is leveraged for pickleball. Because the dimensions of the pickleball court are smaller, the same angles as in tennis don’t exist but that can be relearned.” So although tennis players have a definite advantage, sooner or later, everyone has a pickleball “epiphany” which means that they are able to leverage their tennis, ping pong, or badminton skills for pickleball. slmag.net

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Photos this page by Joe Martinez John Callahan, author of Pickleball: Tips, Strategies, Lessons & Myths.

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Photography courtesy of Chicken N Pickle

Now that I have been playing for a year, I am learning about some common, avoidable injuries such as shin splints and tennis elbow (which my wife has suffered with for the past four months), as well as injuries to the Achilles tendon and the shoulders. According to Callahan, “From a safety standpoint, we don’t back up. If your opponent hits a lob over your head, we turn completely and go back before turning to the front and moving toward the ball. We don’t back up because that’s when we trip over our own feet or we collide with our partner. Tennis elbow is typically a function of a bad groundstroke. You are hitting the ball behind you instead of in front of you. It also can be due to gripping the paddle too tightly or having a lighter paddle than you should. Lastly, eye protection is important.

It’s not so much the ball coming from our opponents, it’s the ball coming off our partner’s paddle or your own, right into the eye.”

Needless to say, I’ve started wearing eye protection during my lessons.

St. Louis pickleball players are competitive - playing in local events and traveling to other cities to play. From April 24 -30, 2022, a group from St. Louis will travel to the 6th U.S. Open in Naples, which is expecting 2,500 participants. Dwight Davis will host a tournament May 26-29, 2022. It’s one of the 10 largest tournaments in the country, with approximately 800 players expected.

Callahan stresses that because of several local tennis professionals who were initially on board with pickleball and others who promoted the sport, “We were able to create a critical mass of players and instruction in St. Louis, fueling the growth of the sport. I’ve been told that we teach more lessons than anyone else in the United States.” Callahan’s academy, and other facilities, also host regular events to attract even more players. “We have a Rockin’ Round Robin pickleball event with 200 plus people, music, a Clydesdale, and plenty to drink. It’s not competitive, it’s a big social open play. This is

a perfect event for those who want to play and meet some people but don’t want the burden of a tournament or they’re intimidated by a tournament, or they just don’t want to be that competitive.”

In addition to the locations already mentioned, there are some state-of-the-art facilities which have opened recently or have plans to come here. Missouri Pickleball Club (MPC) in Fenton is a 50,000 sq. ft. converted warehouse with 18 indoor pickleball courts, a pro shop, plus a restaurant and bar that is coming soon.

Chicken N Pickle, opening in St. Charles in late 2022, is a cross between Top Golf and Dave & Busters, with pickleball courts, an ice rink, shuffleboard, corn hole, and corporate event space for 250 people. There also will be a huge restaurant with great chicken and a full bar. The original location is in Kansas City and the Kansas Citybased owners are opening locations all over the lower Midwest.

The industry is advancing as well. Recently, Tom Dundon, whose Dallas-based Dundon Capital Partners own the Carolina Hurricanes of the NHL and is the majority owner of TopGolf, is buying the Pro Pickleball Association (PPA) and Pickleball Central.

The deal for Pickleball Central includes the company’s retail business and its professional event-tracking site with a commitment to enhance and extend the site’s technology platform. The uniting of the PPA, Pickleball Central, and its affiliate pickleballtournaments. com under one roof gives the Dundon group a controlling stake of what professional pickleball will look like moving forward including the possibility of offsite betting.

I can’t wait. See you on the court. sl Thank you to our pickleball players: Amanda & Logan Shaw, Wendy Conroy, John Callahan, Charlie Cai, Terrie Rolwes, Lexie & Steve Goldsmith, Barb & Jeff Diamond, Rachel Sokolich, Morrow Morrow, Merle Fox, Jeff Bikshorn, Richelle Bieneman, Doug Chandler, Judi & Greg Mattingly, Barb Combs, Linda & Phil Horwitz, Julie & Michael Pepper, Linda & Phi Dembo, and Jim Diekroeger.

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Image via the The New Yorker (courtesy Bored Ape Yacht Club)

The Art World Now (In Five Hot Takes)

By Wendy Cromwell

I founded my art consultancy 20 years ago to bring contemporary art to people who were curious about collecting. Over the years, the art market has become bigger, more diverse, financialized, and globalized. But while the rest of the world went digital, the art world didn’t, cherishing the physical and placing primacy on the experience of brick-and-mortar art galleries and museums. At times, the art market seemed almost antithetical to technological innovation.

That all changed with COVID-19, which drove the art world into digital marketing and direct-to-consumer strategies.

Simultaneously, a younger, more diverse generation has grown up that sees and consumes on a screen. Nothing replaces the in real life (IRL) art experience, but the art market is now, more than ever, driven by digital consumption. As we leave the 1900s firmly behind us and enter the third decade of the 21st century; how art gets made and sold is changing.

DIRECT TO CONSUMER | Instagram is the No. 1 direct-toconsumer art marketplace. Will the app replace the gallery or merely decentralize the art business? Instagram, founded in 2010, has given artists more agency over the distribution of their art.

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Artists use it as a platform for sharing images, so galleries are no longer the art “gatekeepers.” Collectors now have the ability to contact artists on Instagram, bypass galleries, and source talent on the app, feeding demand from a growing pool of buyers.

Hot Take No. 1: Instagram is now the largest art gallery in the world, challenging galleries and museums to remain relevant.

NFT (not for the timid!) | An NFT (Non-Fungible Token) is a unique digital asset that can be a digital image of almost anything, including a physical work of art. What makes it unique? It’s registered on the blockchain, so its authenticity and ownership can be verified by anyone, anywhere. Blockchain allows for the “life” of an NFT to be tracked, so whenever ownership changes hands, there’s a permanent record which can be useful in terms of establishing provenance. NFT art is made by artists who are typically outside the traditional art world.

They don’t need galleries to help them sell their art - NFTs are bought and sold, i.e. traded, on platforms like Opensea, mostly within the crypto community.

Hot Take No. 2: NFTs are the ultimate direct-to-consumer form of art, and could easily overtake traditional art sales through galleries by sheer dollar amount in the years to come.

SHOPIFICATION OF THE ART MARKET | If you find yourself zoning out after endless online scrolling, you’re not alone. Everyone is glazed over and screen fatigue is real. During the pandemic-imposed lockdown, the only way to consume art was online. Galleries created a huge amount of content, including “click to buy” online viewing rooms, and art fairs adapted similarly. After lockdown lifted, these online modalities continued, parallel to IRL art viewing. As a result, a major shift has occurred from how traditional art was previously bought and sold.

AUCTIONS GO DIGITAL > MARKET SHARE | In 2021, Christie’s and Sotheby’s both made historic sales, each in excess of $7 billion. Over $1 billion of that came from private sales, grabbing market share from galleries. They slashed costs by halting the production of printed catalogs, a major expense. Auctions and private sales were marketed online, increasing access to art and removing a layer of exclusivity - which will continue indefinitely. In partnership with galleries, they added “buy it now” categories to sell primary works of art online, blurring their traditional role as resellers.

Christie’s also partnered with Beeple, an NFT artist, and Sotheby’s followed suit, achieving NFTs sales of $250 million (!) combined, sending shock waves through the art market.

Eighty percent of NFT bidders were new to the auction houses, representing a lucrative source of future business Their direct to consumer (DTC) strategy is working, as the numbers indicate: online transactions are up 50% from 2020.

Hot Take No. 3: Auctions have succeeded beyond galleries in marketing and selling art directly to the consumer.

THE PRIMARY MARKET GALLERIES + ART FAIRS | Galleries didn’t fare as well as auction houses with DTC marketing.

Why? Instagram is more fun! But some innovations worked: • Superblue: an outpost of Pace Gallery in Miami showcases digital, interactive art that you pay to visit. Expect to see more Superblue locations, and more interactive art exhibits, coming to a city near you.

• Platform: Zwirner Gallery’s collaboration with younger galleries, selling emerging art directly from the Zwirner website (which has a robust following).

• OVRs: online viewing rooms were created by galleries for virtual art fairs during the pandemic. Fairs are once again live *phew*, but OVRs will continue as an added feature, allowing DTC collecting and broader access to art

Hot Take No. 4: The Cromwell Art Collectors’ Club is a DTC platform for people who want to collect art at an accessible price point with my guidance. Visit www.cromwellart.com to learn more.

LOCAL IS THE NEW GLOBAL | As the art world becomes more global, active local markets remain key market drivers.

Miami, Palm Beach, the Hamptons, Aspen, and Marfa, Texas, are all increasingly art-fied with key New York and Los Angeles galleries opening satellite outposts.

In Europe, France is edging out post-Brexit-United Kingdom as the Paris gallery scene grows, along with local auction revenues. In the South of France, Luma, Arles has emerged as a new art world destination, revitalizing a formerly depressed region. Accra, Ghana, has a bubbly art scene driven by artists exporting awareness, showing their work in market centers like New York, Los Angeles, London and Paris. The Gulf States are low-key serious investors in art, with major museums like the Louvre and Guggenheim museums establishing a presence in Abu Dhabi.

Asia is the second-largest art market outside the U.S., fueled by demand from a new, younger generation collecting Western Contemporary art.

SPOTLIGHT ON SEOUL | It’s not news that South Korea’s cultural scene is hot. With that, a new generation of wealthy creatives is getting in on the action, collecting Contemporary art.

Western galleries have taken note, opening hubs in Seoul, fueling demand among the already well-established collector base. This spring, the Freize art fair will debut in Seoul, attracting galleries from around the world and collectors from across Asia.

Hot Take No. 5: Watch out, Hong Kong! Seoul might become the new Asian art market hotspot. sl

Prior to founding Cromwell Art 18 years ago, Wendy Cromwell was Vice President of Sotheby’s Contemporary Art for nearly a decade. She ran a Fortune 500 corporate art collection before that, and consulted for several blue-chip art galleries while in graduate school. Wendy received her Master of Arts in Modern Art from the Institute of Fine Arts of New York University and graduated from Smith College with a Bachelor of Arts in Art History. Wendy is past president and current board member of the Association of Professional Art Advisors and a member of the Appraisers Association of America. For tasty bites of art world knowledge delivered to your inbox monthly, subscribe to the Cromwell Art Snack.

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SOPHISTICATED SOCIETY

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Spring is in the air! Although temperatures might still be chilly, the social scene in St. Louis is heating up. March and April events include galas, luncheons, outdoor activities, performances, and more. Now is the time to engage and support the organizations which provide so much for our great community. Share your celebrations by tagging us in your pictures @sophisticatedlivingmag, or email grace.mikula@slmag.net to have your event featured. - SL

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Registration opens for September 23-24, 2022 events, Pedal the Cause, https://www.pedalthecause.org/register 15th Annual Irish Party, St. Patricks’ Center, stpatrickcenter.org/irish-party Night for Hope and Healing Gala, Lydia’s House, lydiashouse.org/a-night-for-hope-and-healing-2 The Art of Innovation Benefit, St. Louis Public Library, slpl.org/stf A Mighty Night Gala, Mighty Oakes Heart Foundation, mightyoakes.org/a-mighty-night Fabulous Feud Live, The J Associates Annual Fundraiser, jccstl.com/event/j-associates-annual-fundraiser/

Evolution of Care Luncheon, Planned Parenthood, ppslr.com/luncheon The Big Easy, Craft Alliance Spring Fundraiser, craftalliance.org/bigeasy Big Machine (fka The Butterfly Room), COCA, cocastl.org/event/big-machine/ Dive In: CAM’s 2022 Gala Honoring Nancy and Ken Kranzberg, Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis, camstl.org/event/dive-in-cams-2022-gala Laura’s Run 4 Kids, The Little Bit Foundation, thelittlebitfoundation.org/events/lr4k St. Louis Go Red for Women Luncheon, American Heart Association, event.gives/stlgored COCAcabana: Make It Pop!, COCA, cocastl.org/event/cocacabana-2022

Streaming

JazzSTL.org

Photos and stories compiled by Grace Mikula. To submit your event for consideration, please email grace.mikula@slmag.net. slmag.net

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PROFESSIONAL DESIGNERS

Laura Kathleen Baker

presented by

Saturday, April 9, 2022 | 6pm Missouri History Museum

Ameli Skoglund Blaser

Michael Drummond

Melissa Rae Brown

Claire Thomas-Morgan

Natasha Chekoudjian and Jason Ross

Brandin Vaughn

Tickets: mohistory.org/support/threads This high-energy event will be a unique merger of history and fashion, challenging St. Louis’s professional and student designers to create a 21st-century design inspired by an accessory from the Missouri Historical Society’s textile collection.

The evening will feature the final designed pieces, heavy hors d’ouevres, an open bar, entertainment, and a silent auction. sponsored by STUDENT DESIGNERS Jim Berges and Elizabeth Mannen Berges Ann and Stephen Desloge • Mary Rose Desloge Julie and Drew Dubray Embroidered silk shoe, ca. 1880

Hairwork necklace, 1850–1880

Rachel Jagust

Sophie Roig

Nisha Mani

Mikayla Tjeerdsma

Photos by Carol Green and The Graceful Lens

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FGI 85TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION SYMPOSIUM AN EVENING WITH Fashion Group International of Saint Louis, Inc. celebrated LEONARD SLATKIN its 85th year October 5-8, 2021, with a three-day celebratory St. Louishighlighting County Library’s popularpast, Author Series and returned symposium the fashion present, future to in-person events kicking-off withinsights a special ticketed of St. Louis. FGI Saint-Louis provides into major evening withtorenowned composer, and author trends, access businessconductor, professionals, and a gateway to Slatkin.

The event in partnership theLeonard influence fashion plays inwas the presented marketplace.

FGI Saint St. back LouistoCounty Library Foundation and the & Louiswith alsothe gives the community through its Style Chamber Program, Music Society of St. Louis. was heldand September Scholarship providing career Itguidance support 13,the 2021, St. Louis County Library headquarters. for nextatgeneration of fashion industry leaders.

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1) Archived accessories from the 1940s 2) Exhibit entrance at The Designing Block 3) Jaclyn Wolverton and Mary Ruppert-Stroescu 4) International Archive Exhibit: 2000s 5) Jessica Conick and Dianne Isbell 6) International Archive Exhibit: 1970s 7) Rogene Nelsen and Jan Poneta 8) Jan Poneta, Rogene Nelsen, Jade Harnish & Paulette Blac 9) Jessica Conick, Michelle Kidwell, Aaron Mottern, Dianne Isbell & Jaclyn Wolverton 10) Michelle Kidwell, Susan Block, Jessica Conick & Jaclyn Wolverton

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“The choice of a lawyer is an important decision and should not be based solely upon advertisements. Past results afford no guarantee of future results and every case is different and must be judged on its own merits.”

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ST. JUDE’S DUDES ANNUAL GOLF TOURNAMENT

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The 8th annual Dudes golf tournament on October 16, 2021, at Pevely Farms Golf Club, raised more than $40,000 for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. The Dudes, a St. Louis-based running club formed in 2012, have raised $1.4 million for St. Jude’s. Due in great part to the research and work done at St. Jude, the overall childhood cancer survival rates has increased from 20% when they opened in 1962 to more than 80% today. At St. Jude, no family receives a bill for treatment, travel, housing, or food, allowing families to focus on the health of their child.

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1) Katy Ravensberg and Natalie Bess 2) Zach Zerman and Arron Laurent 3) Erin Birkenmeier and Kaleigh Schout 4) Richard Broesmer, Carter Alexander, Matt Scoggins & Will Nixon 5) Pat Dolan, Travis Buckner, Dusty Federko & Drew Federko 6) Vinnie Cacciatore, Cole Christian & Michael Harris 7) Jon Wolff, Wes Mellow, Chris Hoffman & Joe Hoffman 8) Jake Horner, Tim Dolan, Matt Zuke & Mike Dolan

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Photography by Lucas Peterson Photography

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ST. PATRICK CENTER’S VETERANS DAY 5K

The 6th annual St. Patrick’s Center Veterans Day 5K Run/Walk, presented by Keeley Companies, was held on November 6, 2021, at Soldiers Memorial in downtown St. Louis. Nearly $148,000 was raised to end veteran homelessness thanks to the event’s generous donors, sponsors, volunteers, and the 1,067 participants.

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1) Participants stay warm 2) Participants of all ages enjoyed race day 3) Fun for every age 4) Family fun at the finish 5) St. Louis Blues mascot Louie and race participants 6) A bald eagle served as the day’s unofficial mascot 7) Photo finish at the Veteran’s Day 5K 8) All smiles on 5K day 9) Participants smile for a selfie

Photography by Diane Anderson Photography

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STRAY RESCUE BE THEIR LIGHT GALA

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Stray Rescue of St. Louis’ annual Be Their Light Holiday Gala was held at the Chase Park Plaza Hotel on December 3, 2021. It is the organization’s largest fundraising event of the year, attracting animal lovers from all over our city and beyond to give some much-needed hope to the strays and orphan pets who need us most. The evening included Warrior Dogs who made miraculous recoveries walking the red carpet, silent and live auctions, a video presentation, and a delicious dinner. Attendees made a difference in the lives of thousands of animals, while also having a fun and memorable evening.

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1) Rescue dog Sunflower 2) Charray Williams, Mark Scott 3) Donna Lochmann, rescue dog Gilbert Grape 4) 120321 Stray Rescue Be Their Light 5) Executive Director Cassady Caldwell 6) Britani Beasley 7) Rene Knott, host and KSDK News Anchor 8) Tommy Halloran Band 9) Kateri Cotter, Emily Adelmann, Dr. Keri Morgan & Mikayla Hagan

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Treat yourself to an evening of live jazz, cool cocktails, and fantastic food in the comfort of one of the best listening rooms in the country.

Located in the heart of St. Louis’ Grand Center.

TICKETS & INFO

jazzstl.org 314-571-6OOO 3536 Washington

Photography by Elevated Eyez

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KEYON HARROLD PERFORMS AT JAZZSTL

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The Jazz St. Louis resident artist from December 1-5, 2021, Keyon Harrold, invited some incredible guests to join him that week including Grammy Award winner PJ Morton and rapper/writer/producer/musician Terrace Martin. The performances were so popular that JazzSTL added an additional Wednesday night late set with PJ and it still sold out! Recordings from the week’s shows were selected by National Public Radio for their national New Year’s Eve show, Toast of the Nation. Harrold, a jazz trumpeter, vocalist, songwriter, and producer who was born and raised in Ferguson, also is the organization’s new creative director. Click on jazzstl.org to order tickets to JazzSTL’s upcoming performances.

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1) Scooter Brown 2) Keyon Harrold, PJ Morton & Gene Dobbs Bradford 3) Keyon Harrold 4) Nir Felder, Burniss Travis, Keyon Harrold & Charles Haynes 5) Grammy Award winner PJ Morton and Keyon Harrold 6) Christie Dashiell and Keyon Harrold 7) Christie Dashiell 8) Keyon Harrold and Cbabi Bayoc

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XC40 RECHARGE PURE ELECTRIC $7,500 federal tax credit*

*See your tax advisor for complete tax details.

Photography by Jennifer Korman Photography

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Jewish Family Services celebrated its 150th anniversary with a reflective and festive gala on November 21, 2021.

The evening began with a reception and was followed by dinner and a captivating program titled, The Masks We Wear. The program highlighted JFS’s history of helping individuals and families by providing essential resources and honored those who bring the JFS mission to life. JFS paid special tribute to the continued vision of the Harvey Kornblum Foundation and Trustees Gay Kornblum, Kathy Kornblum, Laura K. Silver, and Michael Silver. Their generosity over the past 20 years has allowed JFS to help members of the St. Louis community who are in need.

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1) Mary Tonkin and Harvey Friedman 2) Brian Braunstein 3) Andy & Rhonda Oberman 4) Laura Silver, Michael Silver, Gay Kornblum & Steve Green 5) David & Jill Belsky 6) Simcha Lourie, Jill Settler & Suzanne Lang 7) Jim Levey 8) Les & Wendy Borowsky 9) Herb & Sue Lesser, Danny & Mara Kraus, Ben Kraus, Isabella Gross, & Anita & Kenny Kraus

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Held on December 12, 2021, at the Saint Louis Club, Opera Theatre of St. Louis’ annual holiday celebration was chaired by Michael McMillan. The festive fundraiser benefited OTSL’s nationally acclaimed professional development programs for emerging artists, including Gerdine Young Artists, Richard Gaddes Festival Artists, Technical Theater Artisans, and innovative education and community engagement initiatives that reach more than 10,000 students in 21 local school districts.

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1) Randell McGee, baritone, and Raquel González, soprano 2) General Director Andrew Jorgensen, Board Chair Kim Eberlein & Celebration Chair Michael McMillan 3) Pianist Sandra Geary 4) Michael McMillan, CEO and President, Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis 5) Raquel González, soprano 6) OTSL Board Chair Kim Eberlein & Dr. Tim Eberlein 7) Mark Stuart-Smith and Andrew Jorgensen

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