Bachendorf's

The Magazine of Life’s Celebrations Summer 2016

ROMANCE ON THE RUNWAYS REAL-LIFE ENGAGEMENTS

SPECIAL

Food & Wine Section

OYSTER PERPETUAL DATEJUST L ADY 31

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trademarks.

CONTENTS

Spring/Summer 2016 STORE LOCATIONS: PLAZA AT PRESTON CENTER 8400 PRESTON ROAD

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DALLAS, TX 75225 214-692-8400 GALLERIA LEVEL 1 13350 DALLAS PARKWAY SUITE 1415 DALLAS, TX 75240 972-392-9900 SHOPS AT LEGACY–NORTH 7401 LONE STAR DRIVE SUITE B100 PLANO, TX 75024 972-596-2090

P U B L I S H E D B Y T H E B J I FA S H I O N G R O U P PUBLISHER STU NIFOUSSI EDITOR-IN-CHIEF KAREN ALBERG GROSSMAN CREATIVE DIRECTOR HANS GSCHLIESSER MANAGING EDITOR

6 Welcome Letter

JILLIAN LAROCHELLE

8 Events at Bachendorf’s

PROJECT MANAGER

11 Team Profile: Ron Coker 12 Engagements: Alan & Kathryn

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16 Weddings: Bridal Bliss

LISA MONTEMORRA DESIGNER JEAN-NICOLE VENDITTI PRODUCTION MANAGER

18 Giving Back: Forevermark

PEG EADIE

20 Trends: Modern Mod

PRESIDENT AND CEO

24 From the Runways

BRITTON JONES

30 Collections: Châtelaine by David Yurman

CHAIRMAN AND COO MAC BRIGHTON

32 Timepieces: Omega Globemaster

Prices are subject to change without notice and may vary depending on size, quality and availability. Copyright 2016

34 Designers: Rina Limor

Accent® is published by Business Journals, Inc, P.O. Box 5550,

36 Art: On the Wall

Norwalk, CT 06856, 203-853-6015 • Fax: 203-852-8175;

38 Relationships: Advice from Cinderella

Advertising Office: 1384 Broadway, 11th Floor, NY, NY 10018, 212-686-4412 • Fax: 212-686-6821; All Rights Reserved. The publishers accept no responsibilities for advertisers’ claims,

50 Health: 4 Simple Stretches 52 Exclusively Yours: Natural Colored Diamonds

FOOD & WINE SECTION

unsolicited manuscripts, transparencies or other materials. No part of this magazine may be reproduced without written per-

42 Big Easy Eating

mission of the publishers. Volume 14, Issue 1. Accent® is a trade-

54 Scene: Paved in Jewels

46 Sonoma on My Mind

mark of Business Journals, Inc. registered in the U.S. Patent and

56 End Page: Pierced Ears

48 Festivals for Foodies

Trademark office. Printed In The U.S.A.

速ROBERTOCOIN

POIS MOI COLLECTION

welcome

Oval 1.45ct Fancy Intense Pink Diamond

To Our Valued Customers and Friends,

E

very year, I strive to find new items and categories to suit every customer, something not only to talk about, but also to find worthy of acquiring. One of the important, exclusive brands that I have been developing a partnership

with is the source for pink diamonds. After many months undergoing a rigorous selection process, Bachendorf’s has been added to the very exclusive retail distribution list for Argyle Pink Diamonds. Being named an Atelier Argyle jeweler designates that we have a direct pipeline to the pink and blue diamonds coming out of the Argyle mines in Australia.

Having recently marked its 30-year anniversary, the Argyle Diamond Mine is estimated to have fewer than 500 quality pink diamonds left to be discovered. The limited number of stones available coupled with the traceable source means that these already rare stones will become even more rare.

Pink diamonds have an exquisite beauty that is both regal and enthralling, and they will continue to hold their place as the most intriguing diamonds in history. The Argyle Pink Diamond collection will be available in all of our stores, and I look forward to welcoming you to view these rare stones in person.

Sincerely, Lawrence Bock, President

The Galleria Mall - Level 1 13350 Dallas Parkway Dallas, TX 75240 (972) 392-9900

Shops at Legacy – North 7401 Lone Star Drive Plano, TX 75024 (972) 596-2090

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Plaza at Preston Center 8400 Preston Road Dallas, TX 75225 (214) 692-8400

Artisan-Crafted Bamboo Collection

John Hardy and Bamboo Collection are Registered Trademarks.

EVENTSAT BACHENDORF’S AT BACHENDORF’S JEWELERS, WE CONTINUE OUR LONG-STANDING TRADITION OF HOSTING FUN EVENTS TO ENTERTAIN CLIENTS AND BENEFIT CHARITABLE CAUSES.

BREITLING JET TEAM September 11, 2015 — An evening of exclusive access to Breitling timepieces, attended by the elite pilots of the Breitling Jet Team at our Galleria boutique.

JAMES BOND PRESCREENING November 3, 2015 — Guests were treated to an advance screening of Spectre and had the chance to view Omega timepieces, including the Seamaster 300 “SPECTRE” Limited Edition.

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LEGAL AID OF NORTHWEST TEXAS December 9, 2015 —Legal Aid of NorthWest Texas is a nonprofit organization that provides free civil legal services to low income residents in 114 Texas counties throughout North and West Texas. The Dallas Bar Association hosts a party every year for its major donors at Bachendorf’s at the Plaza at Preston Center.

CAPITAL FOR KIDS February 4, 2016 — Capital for Kids is a network of volunteer professionals from within the investment management business dedicated to making a difference in the lives of children in need. Celebrating $10 million in 10 years.

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team profile

T

RON COKER Master Jeweler

his year, Ron Coker will be celebrating his 21st anniversary as a jeweler at Bachendorf’s. With over 40 years of experience, it’s safe to say that he is a master in the art of jewelry making.

Ron’s story as a jeweler began when he had the opportunity to go to college, paid for by the Disabled Veteran’s Administration.

While searching for a school, he came across the Texas Institute of Jewelry Technology at Paris Junior College. Having never been much of a “people person,” this sparked an interest in him, and he enjoyed the challenge of working with his hands.

Ron graduated in 1973, and later became an instructor for the jewelry repair and stone setting programs at the school, further honing and perfecting his skills as a jeweler. It was around this time that he discovered a passion for jewelry making.

Ron then moved to Dallas, where he began work as a jeweler for one of Dallas’ original jewelry stores, Linz Brothers. After some time there, he decided that his heart belonged at the beach, so in 1994 he moved to the island of St. Thomas, where he continued to

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work as a jeweler for Cardow Jewelers.

A couple of years later, he decided to come back to his roots in Texas. It was at this time that he met with Harry Bock and began his career at Bachendorf’s.

During his years at Bachendorf’s, Ron has enjoyed many challenges that have furthered his skills in the art of jewelry making.

While hand fabrication in platinum is his favorite, he also excels in using CAD technology to design and produce beautiful, one-of-akind pieces. He says his favorite part of his job is “creating pieces that customers will enjoy and wear for a lifetime.” It is this love and passion that has made him the exceptional jeweler that he is.

When Ron is not at his bench you can catch him vacationing at the beach with his wife Karen, relaxing by the pool with their four dogs, or restoring his two vintage cars: Puddles, a 1951 Chevy truck, and Lucille, a 1954 Chevy Bel Air. We at Bachendorf’s thank Ron for his years of service, and eagerly await seeing what beautiful piece he will create next!

engagements

When in Prague Alan & Kathryn’s love story.

Was it love at first sight?

Alan: Maybe, but who knows. It would be years later before we would meet up again at a Halloween party.

Alan, when did you decide to propose?

It was on my mind (and I was constantly reminded about it by her, her family and friends). I think I finally made the decision last spring. She made it easy when she and her friend decided to go ring shopping. Even though I purchased the ring, I kept it at her parents’ house in Colorado for half a year.

Kathryn, tell us a little about your ring shopping experience .

I went ring shopping with my good friend Bo the spring before Alan proposed. I had always thought I wanted an emerald cut, but Deb [at Bachendorf’s] kept my mind open and showed me so many different styles, cuts and options. It was so much fun and I was starting to think no to emerald. Then she said, “Well if you’re interested in fancy yellow, I have something... but it’s bigger than what we’ve been looking at.” She opened up an unassuming envelope and there it was: my diamond! Needless to say, I was sold. We selected a setting and shank, planned my wedding band and even designed a custom travel ring. It was all neatly packaged together with Alan’s name on it… just waiting for him to pop in and purchase.

Later that evening, I slipped Deb’s business card not-so-discretely into Alan’s home office desk… in the very top drawer in the pencil compartment. I’m sure he had some fun torturing me and making me wonder when the proposal was going to happen. Little did I know he would buy the ring the following week and hide it at my parents’ until that fall. Sneaky sneaky!

Tell us about the proposal from both of your points of view.

Alan: Katie and I were dating for almost four years at that time, and she hadn’t met my father yet. I thought it would be a good excuse to travel to Europe to finally meet him and celebrate our fourth anniversary together. I planned a twoweek-long trip that would take us from Prague to Salzburg, then to Vienna, and back to Prague. On the flight to Europe, we had a layover in London. While in the lounge, Katie asked for some gum and started going through my carry-on duffle.

I thought she would find the ring for sure, but somehow she didn’t. I also was afraid that security would pull it out during a random screening, but that too didn’t happen.

We toured Prague for two days before I proposed. Many people can’t believe that I had the willpower to wait. On October 31st, our anniversary, we drove to Kutna Hora and visited the famous bone church. I thought it was fitting since it was Halloween. On the drive back to Prague we hit traffic. I told Katie that our dinner reservations were at 8 p.m. sharp and we couldn’t be late. She wanted to

How did you two meet?

Alan: We met at a Christmas party and she thought I was a woman in a long fur coat. She only saw my long hair from behind. Our mutual friend saw me, laughed and told Katie that she needed to meet me. I like to think that I drew her in with my mysterious ambiance.

Kathryn: It was a great night and he was a much unexpected surprise! We were both in fur that night—we were a perfect match… I just didn’t know it yet.

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TAG HEUER CARRERA CALIBRE HEUER 01 Chris Hemsworth works hard and chooses his roles carefully. He handles pressure by taming it, and turning it to his advantage. #DontCrackUnderPressure was coined with him in mind.

was fitting since it was Halloween. On the drive back to Prague we hit traffic. I told Katie that our dinner reservations were at 8 p.m. sharp and we couldn’t be late. She wanted to take a taxi since her feet were hurting from walking on the cobblestones, but I insisted we would walk slowly since dinner was just over the bridge.

Unbeknownst to her, Katie’s mother and I had arranged for a photographer to rendezvous with us on the bridge at 8 p.m. As we walked closer to the bridge, I realized that I had no idea what the photographer looked like and there were many more people than expected that night. As we approached the middle of the bridge, Katie kept commenting on how I was walking funny, but really I was just scanning for the photographer. Finally I saw a figure cross in front holding a flash on a pole, so I hedged my bet and headed towards him. Once we were about 10 feet from him, I stopped and asked Katie to take a selfie with me since the castle was behind us. She thought it was odd since we never take selfies.

The photographer saw us doing this and offered to help. I handed him my phone and he proceeded to take some photos. Katie later told me she was worried that some stranger would run off with my new iPhone.

While he was snapping away, I turned towards her and asked her if she knew what was going on. She seemed really worried and didn’t even notice what I was doing. I took a hold of her, told her that it was finally happening and that I wanted to spend the rest of my life with her. I then got down to my knee and asked the famous question. (I wasn’t very nervous about the act, but I was very cautious about opening the ring box top side up. The last thing I needed would be for the ring to fall into a crack between cobble stones!) She said yes, we took pictures, kissed, laughed and went off to celebrate at dinner.

The next morning, Katie received her second surprise: her mother had arranged a photographer to take engagement photos of us at the castle and around its grounds. We had a wonderful European trip and ended it off with a formal dinner on the plane ride home.

Once back in Dallas, both Katie and I had just enough time to decompress and get back on planes the next morning. This time she was flying to Tahoe and I was on route to Hong Kong… but that’s another story.

Kathryn: He said it perfectly. I was convinced his phone was going to get stolen! I kept thinking, “There’s no way I can run after this random photographer in my tall boots!” Then I realized what was happening and gasped with excited shock. I did cry once he got down on one knee, which was captured in the photos, but that’s just me and I love that we have that image forever now. It was the fairy tale fantasy wrapped with our reality: my best friend and love asked me the best question ever. It still makes me tear up in happiness just thinking about it. I really don’t know how he pulled it all off; it was just the perfect night and the most amazing trip.

Have you set a date?

Alan: Not a concrete date yet, but most likely in 2017.

Kathryn: We’re not in any rush. I can’t even begin to think about planning our wedding; we’ve been in “house mode”. I love that it’s been over a year since our engagement and people still ask us when the date is. I politely smile and say, “No sooner than January of 2017.” Their puzzled looks are priceless.

What type of wedding do you envision?

Alan: We just purchased an estate in North Dallas and have been overseeing the renovations of the property. We have tossed around the idea of a big Dallas wedding, but most likely we will choose a dual location option. Since my father and family live in the Czech Republic, there is a good possibility of having the initial ceremony in Prague late January of 2017.

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™ and A Diamond is Forever™ are Trade Marks of The De Beers Group of Companies. ™, © Forevermark Limited 2014-2015. Forevermark™,

I T ’ S A LO N G J O U R N E Y TO B ECO M E T H E O N E .

In our constant pursuit of absolute beauty, every Forevermark diamond undergoes a journey of rigorous selection.

This is why less than one percent of the world’s diamonds are worthy of the Forevermark inscription - our promise of beauty, rarity and responsible sourcing.

Forevermark is part of The De Beers Group of Companies.

weddings

BY JILLIAN LAROCHELLE

BLISS

Cap Sleeves Between the ubiquitous strapless gown and the full lace sleeves popularized by Kate Middleton, cap sleeves are the perfect choice for warm-weather weddings where sleeves aren’t practical (and a great option for brides getting married in a house of worship where more modesty is required). Nashvillebased designer Olia Zavozina points out that 2016 trends are “all about customizability, allowing a bride to create her own unique look.” So whatever length you’re looking for, consider sleeves that can be removed for dancing late into the night.

Back Details No matter what type of wedding ceremony you’re planning, chances are guests will spend at least a few minutes looking at your back as you say your I Dos. So why not give them something worth staring at? Keyhole cutouts are sweet yet sexy, while lace and tulle insets leave a bit more to the imagination, Satin, pearl or crystal buttons down the back of your dress lend an airy, antique feeling —just make sure your attendants are on hand to assist!

Lace Capes “Lace is always on trend for me,” reveals Los Angeles-based designer Claire Pettibone, “and I’m always looking for new ways to use it to create beautiful, romantic gowns.” One fresh take on lace is the cape, including the shorter, shawl-like version from Olia Zavozina, below, and Pettibone’s trainlength option at left. (When choosing this style, skip the veil and let your train do the talking.)

This ornate detail will grow in popularity for fall and winter weddings, and carry forward as a trend into 2017.

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IMAGES COURTESY OF CLAIRE PETTIBONE, OLIA ZAVOZINA AND FRANCESCA MIRANDA

Bridal

Vintage touches breathe new life into wedding day dresses.

Weight Carat 1.53

ColorE Grade

Grade Clarity VS1

Grade CutExcellent

For over 85 years, GIA has brought clarity and global standards to gem evaluation. A GIA report means expert, independent verification from the creator of the 4Cs and the world’s most widely recognized gem authority.

Look for GIA-graded diamonds and jewelers who offer them.

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giving back

PROACTIVE Taking a

APPROACH

At the recent Town & Country Philanthropy Summit, Forevermark CEO Stephen Lussier spoke passionately about wildlife conservation, emphasizing the plight of the white rhino. We caught up with him after the event to find out more.

BY JILLIAN LAROCHELLE

by the Botswana Rhino Management Committee, this program was established in response to the decimation of the rhino population.

Because of poaching and indiscriminate hunting, in the early ’90s, Botswana had an estimated population of between 17 and 27 individual rhinos. Through breeding and protection programs, by 2012 Botswana reestablished an estimated population of 160 to 170 white rhinos. More recently, to protect them from continued poaching increases and to diversify the genetic pool in Botswana, a number of rhinos have been relocated from South Africa.

Tell us why Forevermark places such importance on partnering with mining communities.

How much De Beers-owned land is set aside for biodiversity?

Diamonds are a natural resource and, as a result, form part of the inherent wealth of the nations where they are sourced. That’s why it’s so important that we do all we can, as partners with government, to enable these countries to achieve the maximum benefit they can from this scarce resource. As long-term partners, we have been active in Botswana for over 50 years; we feel a responsibility to the country and its citizens.

Our land-based diamond and coal mining licenses cover 1,135,841 hectares of land, of which only 26,754 hectares (2.4%) is disturbed by our actual operational footprint. We set aside a total area of 195,128 hectares for conservation, which amounts to seven hectares of land for conservation for every one disturbed by our mining operations.

Why the focus on wildlife conservation, and in particular on the African white rhino?

At the core of Forevermark is our promise of responsible sourcing, and to us this means far more than doing no harm. It’s about making a proactive contribution to the countries and communities where our diamonds start their journey. Fortunately, diamonds still have a long run in Botswana, the world’s major producer. Current resources should extend into the second half of this century, and of course we continue to explore for new deposits. But in the end, diamonds are a finite natural resource so alternative income resources are required. We understand how important wildlife tourism is to these countries and want to do what we can to help.

As the rhino is a threatened species, it’s a very good place to start.

As a part of De Beers Group, Forevermark is involved in a number of projects, but specifically the white rhino breeding program in Botswana, focused on creating safe havens to repopulate the white rhinos in Botswana, and then repopulate them across the continent. Now overseen

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Why should the general public care about the future of rhinos and other threatened species?

Well, quite simply, we all share this planet, and at Forevermark we believe we have a responsibility to ensure that all of nature’s miracles have the opportunity to survive and thrive.

There is nothing like seeing them firsthand, these practically prehistoric-looking creatures. It’s like a connection to our deep past.

Whether it’s the white rhinos in Botswana or orphan elephants that have lost their mothers to poachers, it’s an instant emotional connection. I recently visited an elephant orphanage in Nairobi and am now the proud sponsor of two baby elephants that were rescued, having been abandoned by the herd when their mothers were killed by poachers. Poaching is just such a senseless and painful waste; it’s fundamentally immoral. And in the African context, these species are part of what makes Africa unique. Losing that when we can do something about it would be a loss beyond description. Imagine your children never having the opportunity to see a rhino or an elephant or a tiger. It need not be like this.

trends This season’s jewelry recalls the fun and free spirit of the ’60s and ’70s.

BY LORRAINE DEPASQUE

MOD

MODERN

What do you get when you combine ethereal gauzy chiffons, neutral-hue combos, maxi dresses with bold geometric patterns, crayon-bright color mixes, and miniskirts? “Timeless, ageless, modern clothes that mix 1970s staples with 1960s basics,” said David Wolfe, creative director at trend forecasting agency The Doneger Group. “It’s what style this year is about.”

How exciting is this duo-decade fashion, offering options not only in the dresses, scarves and bags you buy, but especially your jewelry! “Because clothes from the spring/summer runways cater to a variety of tastes,” noted jewelry blogger Katerina Perez, “the season’s most on-trend pieces are fine and dainty as well as chunky and statement.” (She would know: at press time, the editor in chief of luxury fine jewelry and precious gem site katerinaperez.com was nearing 100,000 Instagram followers.) Perez, who’s worked at high-end houses like Tiffany & Co. and Asprey, emphasized, “With both options in style, the idea is to accessorize with voluminous jewelry, either by wearing a single strong piece or by layering smaller fine ones to create that large look.”

STATEMENT JEWELRY MUST-HAVES or gemstones on the tip.”

First and foremost, Perez

However, if you happen to be a

said, you need a choker or

hoop girl, Perez pointed to two

collar—“I recommend at least

that are in-vogue: very simple, thin

one that covers the whole neck.”

metal styles or big, colorful,

The late Cindy Edelstein, former

geometric designs.

president of the Jeweler’s Resource

Once you’ve decided on your

Bureau, was also excited about such jeweled

perfect neck piece and earrings this season,

neckwear this season, as it harkens back to the early 1970s. On her blog, Cindy’s TrendTracker, she wrote,

it’s best to shop for a bracelet that can take you day

“It’s fun to see the drama back at the throat… for

into night. Wide cuffs are still trending, both bloggers

spring and summer, bigger necklaces in general are

say, especially open-worked ’60s-look geometric ones

important—that means long links, too.”

Large earrings are also key to the season, said Edelstein. “Elongated designs with fringe and movement are still strong and, at the same time, big chandeliers and waterfall styles are both coming back.” Perez, too, recommended chandeliers and lengthy earrings, adding, “I like simplistic ones that are dangly and almost touch the shoulders— styles on a chain maybe, with decorative elements

with graphic patterns in cutouts or gems or enamels.

Many of the coolest 2016 versions have a negativespace design—“as do lots of the new über-sized rings, too,” emphasized Edelstein. “Be sure to ask your jeweler to show you some great cocktail rings.” On awards show red carpets since the beginning of this year, you’ve seen Hollywood A-listers from 18 to 80 wearing gem-colorful designs, frequently on both hands and even stacked.

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LAYERING LOOKS TO LOOK FOR

PRECIOUS METALS OF THE MOMENT “I’m seeing more and more being done in yellow gold,” added Edelstein, “because

the demand for yellow gold jewelry keeps growing and growing.” Simultaneously, white gold and black gold designs are also on the rise and, if you like darkened metals, you definitely should think about adding some blackened metal jewelry to your wardrobe. Wolfe says that, going forward into fall/winter, clothes will take on “antique effects, such as jacquards, brocades and tapestries.”

Multiple-ring wardrobing is in fashion for casual everyday as well as evening. And a few rings— even if all are big—should be worn on one hand, just like you see on the runways and celebrities. As for draping necklaces in different lengths, one on top of the other, Perez favors a look she found to be an unexpected surprise on spring’s catwalks: body jewelry in the form of fine web-like designs in chains covering the torso—“like we saw from Calvin Klein and Alexander McQueen.”

Certainly, body-chain layering is fun, as is “layering” on the ears, said Edelstein. “If you’re in your 20s and 30s, especially—or a woman of any age who wants a surefire current jewelry look—mix and match studs and climbers and cuffs up and down the lobe. You can do it for day and evening.”

Several cuff bracelets—some in thinner bangle silhouettes—look really right.

COLORED STONES THAT ARE GEMS THIS SEASON Wolfe advised to “watch for clothes in a practical color palette: lots of black, grays and whites,” carrying through the end of 2016. Such basic neutrals are perfect backdrops to the whole spectrum of gem colors. “Naturally, white diamonds go with everything,” said Edelstein, “but, to be on the cutting edge of style, I suggest you ask your jeweler to show you some designs with opal, labradorite, and emerald too. These three gems, especially, are trending, and they’ll pop those neutrals!”

As a jewelry lover, you probably know that, for at least the

last two years,

opal’s been over-thetop hot.

“And it still is,” Perez said, agreeing with Edelstein. “There’s a lot of fashion interest in colored gems in general—and don’t make the mistake of thinking that’s limited to sapphire, ruby and

2016 Colors of the Year, Rose Quartz (a pastel pink) and Serenity (a pale blue)?

Neither is very ’60s or ’70s inspired, for sure, and Wolfe doesn’t see them as hugely important in fashion.

Edelstein suggested not making them ultra-important in your jewelry purchases this year. Nevertheless, “They’re beautiful colors,” Perez noted,

emerald.” Perez mentioned current fashionista interest in natural gems with very ’60s-retro hues: “bright-colored spinel, rubellite, garnet and Paraiba tourmaline.”

What about the two shades that the forecasting agency Pantone Color Institute named as the duo of

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“and, although they’re not to everyone’s taste, because Pantone named them as significant for 2016, you’ll be seeing more rose quartz and blue chalcedony jewelry by summer.”

Still, more important than the actual gem, she emphasized, “Highstyle designs this season focus on jewelry volume or

shape, as I said earlier.” And, in keeping with the ’60s-redux look, “Sculptural,

geometric pieces or those with patterns take center stage, and they’re mostly executed in rounded, curvy shapes—think silhouettes like discs, waves and halfmoons.”

Elegance is an attitude Simon Baker

The Longines Master Collection

from the

RUNWAYS

1

COLOR SAFE

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3

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4 1. John Hardy sterling silver Classic Chain orange embossed men’s bracelet, $295 2. Breitling Emergency titanium and Cobra yellow-dial watch, $16,475 3. Montblanc Meisterstück Solitaire Nikolai I platinum cuff links, $325 4. John Hardy sterling silver Bedeg beads bracelet, $395 5. David Yurman 18K yellow gold exotic stone signet ring, $5,500 6. David Yurman sterling silver with turquoise inlay Frontier tag, $1,374 FROM LEFT: BOTTEGA VENETA, BOTTEGA VENETA, BOTTEGA VENETA, STELLA JEAN, CORNELIANI. RUNWAY IMAGES COURTESY OF ACCESSORIES MAGAZINE.

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from the

RUNWAYS

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MIRROR MIRROR

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4

3

5 1. Lagos sterling silver necklace with rectangles of Caviar beading, $1,250 2. Phillips House 14K white gold diamond InďŹ nity Love Always bracelet, $4,500 3. John Hardy Dot Disc chandelier earrings, $595 4. David Yurman 18K yellow gold and sterling silver Belmont Curb Link Collection ring, $695 5. David Yurman sterling silver Albion ring with Black Onyx and diamonds, $1,050 FROM LEFT: ANTHONY VACCARELLO, BALMAIN, ISABEL MARANT, LOEWE, LOEWE. RUNWAY IMAGES COURTESY OF ACCESSORIES MAGAZINE.

from the

RUNWAYS

FINE LINES

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3 4 5 6 1. Marco Bicego 18K yellow gold 17-strand Woven Collar necklace, $41,940 2. David Yurman 14K yellow gold and sterling silver Renaissance Cuff, $1,100 3. Ivanka Trump 18K white gold Moderne tassel earrings with black and white diamonds, $5,400 4. Pesavento 18K rose gold Polvere di Sogni black dust and diamond saddle ring, $1,369 5. Phillips House 14K yellow gold diamond Apogee bracelet, $7,000 6. Lagos 18K yellow gold and sterling silver Infinity drop earrings, $595 FROM TOP: GIORGIO ARMANI, MISSONI, SALVATORE FERRAGAMO, SALVATORE FERRAGAMO, TOD’S. RUNWAY IMAGES COURTESY OF ACCESSORIES MAGAZINE.

from the

RUNWAYS

2

HEAVY PETAL

1

3

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1. Hearts on Fire 18K white gold Lorelei diamond lariat necklace, $6,500 2. Penny Preville 18K yellow gold diamond flower wraparound ring, $4,690 3. Carrera y Carrera 18K yellow and white gold Emperatriz maxi ring, $8,350 4. Hearts on Fire 18K white gold Lorelei floral earrings, $9,900 5. Carrera y Carrera 18K yellow gold Emperatriz floral pendant, $6,150 FROM LEFT: GIORGIO ARMANI, OSCAR DE LA RENTA, JASON WU, MICHAEL KORS, OSCAR DE LA RENTA. RUNWAY IMAGES COURTESY OF ACCESSORIES MAGAZINE.

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from the

RUNWAYS

1

SPRING ROMANCE

2 3 4 5 1. Ivanka Trump 18K white gold Montmartre cluster necklace, $9,560 2. Argyle Pink Diamonds 14K rose gold and platinum Argyle Classic halo ring, price varies 3. Mikimoto 18K white gold Akoya pearls Petite Soleil earrings, $4,000 4. Gregg Ruth 18K white and rose gold Princess pink and white diamond bracelet, $19,371 5. Casato 18K white gold Yasmeen diamond ear cuffs, $4,440 FROM TOP: OSCAR DE LA RENTA, GUCCI, JASON WU, ALEXANDER MCQUEEN, SALVATORE FERRAGAMO. RUNWAY IMAGES COURTESY OF ACCESSORIES MAGAZINE.

collections

NEW

CLASSICS CHÂTELAINE, an expanded collection from David Yurman, features stunning colored gemstones, from the cool hues of amethyst and blue topaz to the fiery warmth of garnet and champagne citrine.

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ounded in New York City in 1980 by David Yurman, a sculptor, and his wife Sybil, a painter, the David Yurman brand is inspired by a passion for artistry and innovation in the classic tradition with contemporary movement. David and Sybil’s talents set the framework for a mastery over the discipline of fine jewelry and the creation of designs that incorporate a wide range of cultural influences. Artistic inspiration is at the core of the company’s foundation, evident in the newly updated Châtelaine collection.

Simply put, the Châtelaine collection exalts the stone. Each piece, from cocktail rings to pendants, bangles and more, presents signature gems in delicate settings that allow maximum light to enter. Diamond-covered prongs embrace gemstones with the style of traditional fine jewelry settings. Line bracelets and earrings are classic styles updated with color, and drop earrings play with shape and scale, mixing gemstones of various colors and cuts. Châtelaine was introduced to David Yurman’s worldwide fans in 2007, with an emphasis on checkerboard cuts. New for 2016 are black onyx in sterling silver settings, and champagne citrine and tanzanite set in 18K gold.

Despite the boldness of Châtelaine and other collections within the world of David Yurman, the company’s success began with a small, intimate gesture. David crafted several pieces of jewelry for his then girlfriend, Sybil. At an art opening in New York, the gallery owner fell in love with a piece Sybil was wearing and asked if it was for sale. David answered “no,” but at the same moment Sybil answered “yes.” Sybil took the necklace off and left it at the gallery, and within a few hours, four necklaces were sold. This necklace, called Dante, marked the beginning of their artistic exploration within the art of jewelry, and a company was born. The mark of intricate and sculptural artistry is integrated into Yurman’s collections using Renaissance-inspired, richly colored stones, cable details in the finest 18K gold and sterling silver, brilliant diamonds, and lustrous pearls.

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timepieces

OMEGA GLOBEMASTER THE WORLD’S FIRST MASTER CHRONOMETER

1.

2.

HISTORY MORE THAN 50 YEARS OF INSPIRATION

TECHNOLOGY MASTER CHRONOMETER

Created in the true spirit of Omega, the Globemaster houses the brand’s most advanced mechanical movement and features a design inspired by early Constellation models that represent horological expertise and Omega’s legacy of precision and outstanding performance. Each watch is certified through a series of independent tests—a revolutionary process that establishes a new quality standard in the watch industry.

Omega’s history influenced the Globemaster’s caseback, where a medallion has been stamped with an image of an observatory, representing the precision awards that the watchmaker received during the famous chronometer observatory trials.

Eight stars in the sky above the observatory symbolize the most important precision records that Omega set and, reflecting how the brand’s commitment to quality has endured, the stars also signify the eight METAS-certified criteria that a timepiece and its movement must pass in order to receive Master Chronometer status (see next page).

Two other design features that define the Globemaster are its dial, which is created in a style that watch collectors have long referred to as a pie-pan dial, and the “fluted” bezel, an element that has decorated several famous Constellation watches.

In December of 2014, Omega held a press conference together with the Swiss Federal Institute of Metrology (METAS) to announce a new watch certification process that would become active in 2015. The Globemaster is the first watch to be tested and approved according to this new process, which, in addition to measuring the performance of the watch in daily wearing conditions, ensures that it functions properly when exposed to strong magnetic fields up to 15,000 gauss. Any watch brand can submit its watches for these METAS-approved tests in order to receive Master Chronometer standing, a label that at once makes a statement about the quality of not only the mechanical movement but also of the watch itself.

Before the watch is exposed to the magnetic field and its performance is measured according to the criteria approved by METAS, the movement must pass the tests established by the Contrôle Officiel Suisse des Chronomètres (COSC). Along with their watches customers will receive a certification card that includes an identification number which they can use to see how their watches performed on each test. This documentation is proof that a watch has been certified by METAS.

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1999 The first practical new watch escapement to be invented in some 250 years, the Co-Axial escapement, was launched in the calibre 2500 .

4. FUNCTION OF DAILY PRECISION AFTER EXPOSURE TO 15,000 GAUSS MAGNETIC FIELD

2007

This test works out the average deviation of the watch between day two and three of the first test. The result shows the daily precision of the watch before and after exposure to a magnetic field of 15,000 gauss.

The Omega Co-Axial calibre 8500 was the first of the brand’s exclusive Co-Axial movements to be created in-house.

5. WATER RESISTANCE

2008 The brand introduced the anti-magnetic silicon balance spring in its exclusive Omega Co-Axial calibres.

This test submerges the watch under water, gradually applying more pressure up the point of the stated water resistance. For certain watches, it also goes beyond. This ensures that each watch is properly tested for underwater conditions.

2013

6. POWER RESERVE

The Omega Co-Axial calibre 8508 becomes known as the world’s first truly anti-magnetic mechanical movement.

This test checks the power reserve of the watch by taking pictures at the beginning and end of the expected limit.

Checking any deviation again, this proves that each watch functions accurately for its stated time. For wearers, it’s valuable to know that, even after a weekend on the bedside table, your watch will still be performing well.

2014 Anti-magnetic technology is industrialized and incorporated into mechanical movements for men’s and women’s watches, starting with the new Omega Master Co-Axial Calibre 8500.

7. DEVIATION OF RATE BETWEEN 100% AND 33% OF POWER RESERVE

2015 Omega introduces a series of eight tests certified by METAS that measure the precision of a watch and its movement during and after exposure to 15,000 gauss.

Watches that pass the tests receive Master Chronometer standing.

This test puts the watch in six different positions, similar to each side of a dice. With the watch at full power, the watch spends 30 seconds in each position, with average precision recorded by way of audio. The power reserve is then reduced by two thirds and checked again, to ensure that precision is kept even when the watch is not at full power.

The eight criteria that are measured during the certification process are: 1. AVERAGE DAILY PRECISION OF THE WATCH This test runs over four days and checks the daily precision of the watch in real-life wearing conditions. The watch is initially placed in six different positions and two alternating temperatures, then exposed to magnetism of 15,000 gauss, then demagnetized, then finally checked again in the same differing positions and temperatures. For each step, a photograph is taken of the watch and checked 24 hours later for accuracy against UTC time.

2. FUNCTION OF COSC-APPROVED MOVEMENT DURING EXPOSURE TO 15,000 GAUSS MAGNETIC FIELD This test examines the movement of the watch only, placing it in two different positions, and subjecting it to a magnetic force of 15,000 gauss. During a time of 30 seconds in each position, the functioning of the movement is audibly checked using a microphone.

3. FUNCTION OF WATCH DURING EXPOSURE TO 15,000 GAUSS MAGNETIC FIELD This test is similar to the second. On this occasion, instead of just the movement being tested, the entire watch is subjected to magnetic fields of 15,000 gauss, with the functioning being checked by way of audio. In today’s modern world, magnetism is all around us, in places such as tablets, phones, hairdryers and even the metallic clasps of women’s handbags. Mechanical watches without anti-magnetic innovation can suffer long-term effects in their accuracy when exposed to these magnetic fields.

8. DEVIATION OF RATE IN SIX POSITIONS This test is similar to the previous test, and checks for any deviation in the running time when the watch is placed in six different positions, similar again to each side of a dice. With 30 seconds in each position, the results are recorded through audio.

By placing a watch in different positions, this test can ensure a watch’s performance no matter what the wearer is doing, whether it’s sitting at a desk or actively playing sports.

3.

PRODUCTS CLASSIC DESIGN MEETS TECHNOLOGY OF THE FUTURE Available in a wide range of materials, including 18K Sedna™ gold, 18K yellow gold and stainless steel, the Globemaster will forever be recognized as the first Master Chronometer.

The 39mm timepiece features the iconic pie-pan dial made famous by the Constellation models in 1952. The central hour, minute and seconds hands match the indexes, all of which are coated in Super-LumiNova—as are the hour and minute hands. There is also a date indication at 6 o’clock on the dial.

Surrounding the dial is a fluted bezel whose top ridges are smoothed, (made of tungsten carbide on the stainless steel models), giving the Globemaster a unique look that ensures it will remain immediately identifiable for generations to come.

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designers

DOLCE

LA

The sweet life of RINA LIMOR.

VITA

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pals have been on the radar as a top jewelry trend this year.

Their beautiful play of color enchants the viewer and takes the eye on a journey of depth and color. Jewelry designer Rina Limor uses these captivating stones to produce beautiful jewelry that inspires a love for gemstones.

Inspired by the Italian coast, Limor uses opals because they mirror the splendor of the colors of Italy and its many seaside destinations. The magical kaleidoscopic range of colors in the opal creates mesmerizing combinations when paired with other stones, such as emerald, aquamarine, diamonds and blue topaz. Combining these stones creates a dynamic reminiscent of water meeting the lush Italian landscape. Limor uses only the highest quality gemstones, including Australian opal doublets and Ethiopian opal.

Her jewelry designs are completely wearable without downplaying the fantastic colors that these stones provide.

Holding a place as the birthstone of October, opals carry a superstition that it is bad luck for anyone not born in that month to wear one. Luckily, this was drawn from a novel written in the 1800s and does not actually hold true. Opals have a history rooted even deeper than this. In ancient Rome, opals symbolized love and hope,

and they were often marveled upon because they “encompassed the red of Ruby, the green of Emerald, the yellow of Topaz, the blue of Sapphire, and the purple of Amethyst.” In ancient Greece, it was believed that opals provided the gift of prophecy and guarded the wearer against disease. Europeans have considered the gem to be a symbol of hope, purity and truth.

While Limor’s opals are a favorite of many, they are but a small portion of her design repertoire. She has several collections in her line including a Signature collection with fashion–forward designs and colorful gemstones, an Empress Jewels collection, which features limited-edition and one-of-a-kind pieces using Jadeite, an Anniversary collection featuring diamond eternity bands, and a Twilight collection that showcases black and white diamonds with pearls and other stunning gemstones—just to name a few.

The Rina Limor jewelry collection is a celebrity favorite, seen on many style icons including Katy Perry, Rhianna and Jennifer Lopez.

The versatility of her jewelry is further illustrated by its ability to be worn on and off the red carpet. Limor hopes to inspire what is known in Italian as la dolce vita (the good life), which means to live life to the fullest. Because of this, her jewelry is a wonderful addition to a woman’s everyday wardrobe for any lifestyle. She hopes that her use of vibrant gemstones and color combinations inspires women to become collectors and to carry a similar passion for color, beauty and all things one of a kind.

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QUOTE COURTESY OFGIA.EDU/OPAL

BY SHANNON SAXMAN

art

ALL

ON THE

F

alling in love with an art piece is a visual experience; a symbiotic relationship between artist and collector is born in this rich moment. Wall is an exceptional art space in the Dallas Design District sharing visual experiences, reflective artists and cerebral rhetoric. In this gallery, art becomes tangible, less intimidating, bringing collectors, thinkers and creators together. It’s a space where everyone feels at home to appreciate and identify with what moves them. Wall brings artists and art lovers into one presence and expands a dynamic reserved for massive spaces. Current featured artists include Carle Shi and Matthew Ryan Herget.

Chinese artist Carle Shi merges her trademark bubbled pop art with her signature realism by blending Rembrandt-style artistry and pointillism techniques (bubbles) on large scale canvases, conceiving an entirely unique visual experience.

Painting sobering portraits and themes in her earlier work while keeping the same subject matter of connectivity, Shi further manipulates space and human responsiveness to desire that ultimately transcend cultural ideologies. A painter known for her detailed and precise still life paintings, Shi graduated from the Tianjin Design of Art School in China (1982) and from the Tianjin Academy of Art in China (1988). After immigrating to the United States in 1989, she settled in California. In 1992, she began her professional career as a painter, focusing on still life work in which she portrayed fruit and used a technique inspired by 17thcentury Dutch still life, and by a classical approach to composition. Shi moved to New York in 1998 and completed her master’s degree at the Graduate School of Figurative Art at the New York Academy of Art (2000). In New York, she added

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and Luxe Magazine. He has shown during The Armory Art Fair in New York, has been commissioned for large-scale real estate projects and recently had solo shows at Context ArtMiami, Mugello Contemporary and Art Basel. Thick paint, savage palate knife scrapes and quick brush strokes create a timeless feeling of

portraits and figural subjects to her repertoire, working in a style that combines classical and contemporary approaches. The cubic style and hyperrealist images

by Shi deconstruct space time and fuse portraiture with philosophical meaning.

Her highly recognizable original artistry echoes in China and around the world, but is never duplicated. Her newest series, Drops of Sensuality, is exhibited for the first time in Texas at Wall and includes the extraordinary double portrait Anthony Haden-Guest, which was exhibited in a group show at the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery in 2006.

Born December 21, 1990, Matthew Ryan Herget is an emerging self-taught artist from Miami. Herget has pushed his boundaries and comfort zone with his "energy studies" in which he has stripped away structure of the image and left it more to interpretation and feeling.

Herget's paintings have generally consisted of the mediums oil, spray paint and crayons on canvas. The styles of his works have stretched into something much more abstract than we've seen in the past. At 24 years of age, Herget has quickly garnered the attention of gallerists, collectors, art patrons and writers around the world.

Since his first showing in 2012, Herget has already amassed an impressive track record and collector base spanning numerous countries around the globe. Following his successful 2014 solo debut, We Are Kings, with Gregg Shienbaum Fine Art, he packed up everything and moved to Los Angeles. He has exhibited in Miami, Dallas, San Francisco, New York and Los Angeles, and been featured in Juxtapoz

energy on the canvas. Visually, these "energy studies" are vivid and striking.

Conceptually, Herget has manifested the energy that he feels within himself into something that can be felt, an energy that he refers to as being within all of us.

Herget currently has several specially curated pieces exhibited at Wall.

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relationships

ADVICE FROM Donna Arp Weitzman, author of Cinderella Has Cellulite, offers Bachendorf’s readers her exclusive tips on how to get the gifts you want from Prince Charming.

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egardless of our age, we Cinderellas love to celebrate all holidays and feel appreciated. With more than half the year and most major holidays still ahead of us, your Prince Charming may currently be considering what a great mother he married.

This is a great time to declare your wishes for the remainder of the calendar year to your significant other.

After all, your tots typically go with Dad to pick out sweet Mother’s Day cards, and your grown children are saving for down payments on their dream condos. Jewelry for Mom doesn’t figure into their plans.

But your Prince Charming is another matter. Eyeing your prince, you secretly hope he’ll mention visiting your favorite jeweler. But, in case he is silent on the subject, an accomplished Cinderella doesn’t despair. In Fort Worth, you “take the bull by the horns” and in Dallas, you don’t demure. In the spirit of open communication with your lover, as a savvy sweetheart you can avoid perilous pitfalls through preparation.

Here are some thoughts on how to engage your Prince regardless of your marital status: 1. Remind him Mother’s Day is rapidly approaching. Make some suggestions about your favorite bling. Be sure you have his undivided attention and gently make your point.

2. Enlist help from a trusted friend or family member. Have them make suggestions to your Prince about jewelry you’ve mentioned to them.

3. If he shows interest, but appears confused or clueless about your wishes, ask that you shop together.

4. Leave Bachendorf’s magazine in an obvious place so he’ll be sure to see your marked pages.

Good luck, Cinderella! Hopefully your prince will fulfill your fantasies. If there’s no bling to go along with your hastily purchased carnations, keep trying—there’s always the next occasion!

Cinderella Has Cellulite is available for purchase on Amazon, at Barnes & Noble and other select booksellers.

For more information, visit donnaarpweitzman.com.

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© HAYNSWORTH CREATIVE LLC

www.haynsworthphotography.com

FOOD& SPECIAL SECTION

WINE

food &wine

BIG

NEW ORLEANS chefs put heart and soul into their cooking.

BY LESLEY RUBENSTEIN

EASY EATING

L

ike a painter who brushes her soul onto a canvas or a dancer who reveals his inside self on stage, these four Louisiana-based chefs create art each night using fresh ingredients, passion and skill. Numerous accolades and awards have been heaped on these chefs, but they are cooking not for fame, but to share their love of food, their first memories of cooking and their commitment to the community. Their influences as leaders, culinary and otherwise, reach way beyond The Pelican State.

STEPHEN STRYJEWSKI Cochon, Cochon Butcher, Pêche Seafood Grill, Calcasieu Chef Stephen Stryjewski’s first job as a young boy was picking up golf balls out in the heat at a golf course; another job was cleaning out horse stalls. So by the time this future James Beard winner started working as a busboy at 14, he was thrilled. “The kitchen had a conveyor belt, so my job was to put dishes on and off the belt. I thought it was the best job ever—it was inside,” says Stryjewski.

His early days were also spent smelling the aroma of Polish food wafting from his grandmother’s kitchen and cooking with his mother. He attended the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York, then traveled through Europe absorbing the continent’s many techniques and tastes, and eventually worked at Tra Vigne in Napa Valley and at Commander’s Palace in New Orleans. “Working at Tra Vigne was the first time I saw that it was possible to produce high volume at a high standard. I saw the same thing again at Commander’s,” he reveals.

He then began working as a line cook at Herbsaint, quickly moved up to sous chef, and eventually became a partner with that eatery’s owner, James Beard winner Donald Link—a pairing that has proven beneficial to New Orleans.

First up, Stryjewski and Link opened Cochon, a couple of blocks away from both the Convention Center and the World War II Museum, and locals and tourists quickly responded. He describes the food at Cochon as French-influenced cooking techniques with Southern ingredients and Southern style. When the late respected food critic R. W. Apple Jr. from The New York Times wrote an article about Cochon, the restaurant really took off.

“The next day people were flying in from around the country to eat here. It was crazy,” he recalls.

Since then, he and Link have expanded their empire on Tchoupitoulas Street with Cochon Butcher, a small artisanal meat and sandwich shop, Calcasieu, a private dining and special event room, and the expansion of Cochon.

Stryjewski credits attention to detail, consistently maintaining and delivering a delicious product, and a focus on hospitality as the main reasons for all of the

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restaurants’ success. For example, he has a person on his staff with the title of forager, whose job it is to search for fresh, local products and to serve as a liaison with the local farmers, down to the details of what seeds some farmers will use to ensure the best tasting products for the menu.

In addition, Stryjewski and Link are known for the many philanthropic events they participate in, even starting their own non-profit, the Link Stryjewski Foundation, to address the needs of local children. They are true local heroes.

create an environment where someone like myself could feel comfortable cooking with my heart,” he explains.

That relationship allowed Shaya to travel Europe and come back ready to open Domenica in the Roosevelt Hotel with Besh. Shaya explains that there were many top-notch Italian restaurants in the city, but they were all very Sicilian. So they went another route. “There wasn’t a farm-to-table, ultra-regional Italian concept in town,” he says. “Domenica was the first restaurant here to open with a wood-burning pizza oven, have house-made salumi and an expansive pasta program,” he says. Patrons immediately packed the restaurant and Shaya became a multi-year James Beard Best Chef semifinalist before being named Best Chef of New Orleans in 2012.

Meanwhile, in 2011, Shaya traveled to Israel to cook for the troops on the Syrian border, as well as cook for other events organized by the Jewish Federation of New Orleans. While there, Shaya decided he was going to open a restaurant focused on Israeli food; but the Israeli influence began to be felt at Domenica first. “Take the roasted cauliflower, a favorite on the Domenica menu,” he says. “I got that idea from Israel. Eventually the menu started to get so Israeli that I had to open Shaya or Domenica wasn’t going to be an Italian restaurant anymore.”

Shaya finally opened his namesake eatery in 2015, the same year he was recognized as the James Beard Foundation Best Chef South. The eatery’s menu represents a blend of cultures now found in Israeli cuisine, along with a variety of fresh and local products. “Luckily, people went for it and didn’t mind eating hummus with a nice glass of wine,” says Shaya. In fact, the restaurant is consistently full, and was named Best New Restaurant by Esquire magazine.

Part of his success has been allowing his staff to contribute ideas, so they feel as passionate about the story he is trying to tell at the restaurant as he does. This passion also leads Shaya to cook for philanthropic events and help others, such as assisting a friend to design a kitchen for Hotel Hope (which services local families) or even making meals for friends who are sick. “I love to cook, and if I can help someone in the process, I do not need any thanks,” he says.

ISAAC TOUPS Toups Meatery

ALON SHAYA Domenica, Pizza Domenica, Shaya Patrons may not realize it when they walk into one of Alon Shaya’s three celebrated New Orleans restaurants, but through the food and atmosphere of each they are getting a peek into his history. “I have to tap into my experiences,” he says. “It’s a very personal aspect of how I cook.”

Shaya moved to Philadelphia with his family from Israel at the age of four, but his grandmother visited them from Israel four times a year, six weeks at a time, and they cooked together every time she came into town. Cooking was what he felt most comfortable doing, so at 13, he got a job at a restaurant down the street from his home by telling them he was 16. He stocked shelves, scrubbed dishes, swept floors and worked his way up the ladder. Eventually, he attended the Culinary Institute of America, and worked at restaurants in Las Vegas and St. Louis.

So how did Shaya end up in New Orleans? He was courted by James Beard winner Chef John Besh, one of the city’s best known restaurateurs, whom Shaya describes as a talented chef and incredible leader. “What he was able to do was

Whatever Chef Isacc Toups touches, it turns Cajun. He can’t help it, having grown up in Rayne, Louisiana, deep in Cajun country, where his mother, father, aunts, uncles, siblings and grandparents—whose pictures adorn the wall of Toups Meatery on the corner of South Carollton and Dumaine—all cooked.

His father taught him how to roast 100-pound pigs, boil crawfish and cook steak on the grill, while his mother taught him about soups, gumbos and casseroles. Not only did they cook together, but they ate with the whole family in a large group. It was years before he realized that not all children had the same privilege of growing up with so many cooking influences around them.

And while Toups cooked his entire life, it wasn’t until he was close to 20 that he realized he could cook professionally. “I thought ‘Can I do this for a living?’ I like cooking and I am good at it,” he recalls. “So right then I knew I had to move to New Orleans. [My wife] Amanda and I packed up at 21 with a little bit of money, big dreams and a whole lot of hope.”

Their move proved successful. Toups worked for superstar Emeril Lagasse for 10 years before the couple opened Toups Meatery in 2012. Since then, Toups has racked up a lot of recognition for his cooking, including several times as a James Beard Foundation Best Chef semifinalist. Toups was also invited to cook at the prestigious Chefs Club in New York last December, and has appeared on the popular TV show Top Chef.

He describes his cooking as Contemporary Cajun. “When people come to New Orleans they are getting very good food, but they are not getting straight

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CHRIS LYNCH Atchafalaya

Cajun,” he says. “New Orleans food is a mélange of flavors: Creole, African, French... but here they are getting straight Cajun,” he explains.

Indeed, the menu mixes Cajun classics such as cracklins, boudin and dirty rice with quail, duck, goat, venison, chicken thighs and lamb neck cooked with sophisticated Cajun-inspired flavors. “Everything on the menu is something I like to cook,” he notes.

When Toups Meatery first opened, customers only ordered traditional Cajun items. “In the beginning, only two people a week would order lamb and I would have to either cook it and freeze it or throw it out because no one was buying it.

People wouldn’t order lamb neck, but they ate sausage. And I thought, ‘They do know sausage is pig’s intestine, right?’ But now we have their trust.”

For Toups, enjoying Cajun food includes the experience of communal eating.

At the restaurant, there are entrees for two, cocktails are served by the pitcher and there is no dress code. “I want everyone sharing their food.” And while his is fine-caliber dining, “You can come in your shorts or wear a T-shirt, as long as you bring your wallet,” he says with a smile.

His passion for the Cajun food and lifestyle extends to concern for the Louisiana ecosystem. He has taken wetland tours and wants to use his voice to encourage people to address the issue of our disappearing coast and wetlands.

“Look at the map: the water is encroaching and soon the Gulf is going to be at New Orleans,” he says. “That is our home, our source of seafood, our damn land.

So if this continues, we can’t eat and we can’t go back home. I can’t think of anything worse.”

As a child, Chris Lynch and his family would go to his grandmother’s house in Philadelphia each Friday night for a home-cooked family dinner. Soon, Lynch was doing some cooking himself. “My mom was going through nursing school when I was young, so whenever I was ‘sick’ my grandmother would come over to stay with me. I would wait until my mom left and then turn to my grandmother and say, ‘Let’s cook.’ She taught me all the basics and shaped my foundation as a chef; she even taught me how to make pies,” he recalls.

In high school, he worked as a busboy at an Italian restaurant, and one night the chef called in sick. Lynch saw his chance to shine. “I told them, ‘I can cook. I have been watching,’ so they let me try some things. I knew then that I preferred to work on the line. It’s all I have ever done.”

Cut to 20 years ago, when Lynch visited New Orleans for the first time based on the recommendation of a classmate at the Culinary Institute of America. “The moment I got out of the cab in the French Quarter I knew that I wanted to live and work here,” he says.

And so he has. Lynch excelled at Gautreau’s, Emeril’s and August, and even spent time as a food consultant on HBO’s Treme, set in post-Katrina New Orleans.

Now at Atchafalaya, a neighborhood restaurant in the Irish Channel owned by Rachel and Tony Tocco and known for its brunches (and Bloody Marys), he spends his days making customer favorites like shrimp and grits and gumbo.

“Working with Tony and Rachel is the most fun I have had on a job. I have free reign in the kitchen and feel that I am part of a really good team,” he shares.

Lynch notes that the dinner menu is often inspired by local produce, with changing daily specials. But the restaurant’s commitment to its clientele never changes. “Our customers trust us,” he says. “They know we are passionate about cooking. Meanwhile, Tony is at the door greeting people and I am coming out of the kitchen to say hello. We remember everyone’s names. It is a true experience for the customer.”

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food &wine Jordan Winery library tasting

SONOMA on my mind

SONOMA out-cools Napa.

BY ROBERT HAYNES-PETERSON

F

ifteen or 20 years ago, Northern California’s Sonoma County was considered the laid-back, “lesser” cousin to Napa Valley’s touristfriendly melange of pricey cult wines and large producers. These days the tides have turned a bit: Napa continues to do its highbrow, high-volume thing to ever-increasing traffic snarls. Sonoma’s evolution, meanwhile, has been toward the trendy, experimental and high-concept. In short, Sonoma has become Napa’s cooler sibling.

To start with, naturally, there’s the wine. Thanks to a wide variety of microclimates, less-expensive land than Napa, and generally cooler weather, the small town-focused county has found itself in the fortunate position of being able to explore grapes beyond cabernet sauvignon and chardonnay (both important to the region). Notable pinot noir, old-vine zinfandel and intriguing petit verdot all come out of the region. And there are expanding blocks of sangiovese, grenache, cabernet franc, petite sirah, pinot grigio, merlot and more.

There are about 450 wineries in Sonoma County. Some are small and idiosyncratic: DaVero is a funky biodynamic winery and working farm, specializing in unusual Italian varieties. Others are more ornate: Jordan Winery offers an open-air sunset dinner among its tour options. Located on the highest occupied point on the 1,200-acre estate, “the table is the only place in Sonoma where you can view three appellations from one spot,” according to CEO John Jordan, son of the winery’s founders. “During the Perseid meteor showers, we offer a four-course Starlight Dinner. It’s incredible.” And of course Francis Ford Coppola Winery will give you all the posh, Napa Valley-style character you might desire in its mansion/tasting room, on-site swimming pool for guests and elevated dining experiences.

Many of the county’s winemakers have stepped up their

accommodations game in the past few years. The newly launched guest house at Rodney Strong Vineyards played host in its first year to nine destination weddings, and made Buzzfeed’s list of Top 20 Wedding Locations. Only members of Jordan Winery’s rewards program can score a stay at the castle-like château, with views of the winery’s oak fermentation tanks from one bedroom’s balcony. (It might be worth it to snatch up a few dozen cases just to score that privilege.) For an even more immersive experience, the recently updated and stylish guesthouses at the revitalized Stryker Sonoma Estate outside of Geyserville and St. Anne’s Crossing in Kenwood each place you smack dab in the middle of acres and acres of vines. Each has multiple bedrooms, providing a home base for groups of friends or wedding parties. VRBO.com provides access to a number of otherwise unknown stylish stays throughout wine country. (Some 40% of new luxury homes in Sonoma County are available as vacation rentals.)

Wander into the villages and hamlets, and you’ll find the culinary scene offers much more than grapes. Sonoma produces a wider variety than Napa of local meats, produce and finished products (jams, olive oils, etc.), available at area restaurants and markets. Some of these venues compete dish-for-dish with Napa’s French Laundry or anything in Manhattan. Valette, located in Healdsburg, is only a year old, and already a contender for a Michelin star. Do not let yourself out of the meticulously crafted New American spot without trying the Day Boat Scallops en Croute, a rich, visually striking puff pastry housing said scallops in a Champagne and fennel sauce, and dolloped with caviar. Nearby, Chalkboard prepares well-made dishes and top-notch craft cocktails in a friendly, well-lit space. Shed, a trendy bi-level “farmers’ market” featuring local produce, beers and wines will make sure you’re all stocked up for your return to that charming winery guest house.

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Valette dish

Osmosis Spa zen garden Valette Sonoma

Sonoma Madrona Manor

Sonoma Kenwood Inn

If you’d rather retreat to more traditional surroundings, consider Madrona Manor, the former home of 19th-century banker/magnate John Alexander Paxton. The 18-room Victorian stunner features traditionally appointed spaces (including five suites), no TVs, eight acres of woodlands and gardens, and a heated swimming pool. The secluded, Mediterraneanstyle Kenwood Inn and Spa transports you to another world with modern, understated furnishings, a dining patio enveloped by trees, and every detail carefully attended.

Those who have had their fill of wine tastings can book an appointment at the unique Osmosis Spa in the tiny town of Occidental. A Japanesestyle spa surrounded by zen gardens, it’s an oasis away from absolutely everything. The unusual cedar bath (think mud bath, but with aromatic wood pulp) provides a specialized heat therapy and detoxifies the body. Adventure seekers ought to consider Sonoma Canopy Tours. Rope bridges and seven zip-lines take you on an eco-tour through California’s majestic coastal redwood forest. Need more nature? Just off the coast you’ll find whale, seal and shark watching opportunities from a 33-foot sailboat offered by Bodega Bay Sailing. Or stay on land and shoot a quick nine (or more) while taking in the oceanside views at The Links at Bodega Harbor, or wander among 150-foot tall redwoods at the unique, highly rated Northwood Golf Club.

When it’s time for a drink, but wine isn’t cutting it, Sonoma County is now home to several breweries and two new craft distilleries. Sonoma

County Distilling is producing irreverent, yet carefully made American whiskeys out of an industrial business complex in Rohnert Park, using locally sourced ingredients. Spirit Works, meanwhile, is nestled in the trendy Sebastopol-based Barlow complex of restaurants, shops and artisanal producers. With a grain-to-glass philosophy, the husband-and-wife distilling team incorporates both the high-tech (rapid distillation techniques) and unusual (some barrels sport iPods and headphones, the

Sonoma’s evolution, meanwhile, has been towards the TRENDY, experimental and high-concept.

In short, Sonoma has become Napa’s cooler sibling. whiskey “listening” to anything from classical music to Led Zeppelin as it ages). As of 2016, you can buy the spirits you taste at California distilleries, rather than later hunting down a liquor store.

Being such a forward-thinking region, alternative energy and sustainability are issues on the tip of everyone’s tongues. The Links at Bodega Harbor received the “Green to a Tee” certification in 2010 indicating responsible, earth-friendly maintenance. Sonoma County Distillery’s operations are 100% wind powered. And Jordan Winery generates around 75% of its power needs through on-estate solar panels. ”The last couple of years we’ve been at around 90 to 95% solar because of the lack of rain,” says tour guide Claire Smith. “We hope to produce less of our own energy next year,” she jokes.

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food &wine

festivals FOR FOODIES Events for those looking to EAT, DRINK AND

GET TIPSY. BY LESLEY RUBENSTEIN

Pack your bags for a long weekend full of fun and food. These festivals offer superb eats, smooth drinks and spectacular festivities to satisfy even the most discerning of foodies.

this festival is as much about the food and culture as it is the music. You can choose from more than 70 different food vendors offering crawfish bread, creole-stuffed crab, andouille gumbo, shrimp and duck pasta, and amazing drinks.

4/14-5/06 KENTUCKY DERBY FESTIVAL LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY

This precursor to America’s most prominent horse race features many specialty food tastings which highlight mint juleps and derby pie, along with hot air balloon events, marathons, children’s rides and more fun-filled activities.

5/01-23 MEMPHIS IN MAY INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE

Patrons enjoy a wide variety of Memphis music and food while experiencing and learning about a different country each year. This year’s festival will focus on Canada: its culture and ties to the city of Memphis.

5/26-29 NEW ORLEANS WINE & FOOD EXPERIENCE NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA

Thousands of gourmands and wine connoisseurs convene in the city to take part in this four-day celebration, which is packed with seminars, interactive events with chefs, special wine pairing events, a pastry competition and the Royal Street Stroll. Funds are donated to local non-profits.

4/28-5/01 VEGAS UNCORK’D LAS VEGAS, NEVADA

4/22-24 & 4/28-5/01 NEW ORLEANS JAZZ & HERITAGE FESTIVAL NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA

While it’s referred to as Jazz Fest by the locals,

This ultra-popular event attracts a who’s who of world-renowned chefs, sommeliers, mixologists and dedicated foodies who want to enjoy tastings from more than 100 wineries and 60 restaurants, intimate brunches and dinners, wine seminars and even a blackjack tournament.

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6/02-6/05 ATLANTA FOOD & WINE FESTIVAL ATLANTA, GEORGIA

This unique celebration offers foodies the opportunity to attend 100 cooking experiences, encounter a culinary story told through food under the Tasting Tent, and attend special dinners in private homes.

8/03-07 MAINE LOBSTER FESTIVAL ROCKLAND, MAINE

Over 20,000 pounds of lobster is eaten at this festival, in dishes from lobster rolls to lobster Caesar salad. Maine’s clams, shrimp, salmon, mussels and other treasures of the sea are also highlighted.

6/17-19 ASPEN FOOD & WINE CLASSIC ASPEN, COLORADO

Attendees can mingle with winemakers and top chefs for food and wine tastings, go to cooking demonstrations and take part in food and wine seminars, all in a breathtakingly beautiful location.

7/06-10 TASTE OF CHICAGO CHICAGO, ILLINOIS

Patrons have the chance to eat three- or fourcourse meals prepared by a different chef each night through the Chef du Jour program and can also sample food from local restaurants, food trucks and pop-ups while listening to free concerts.

8/25-28 EAT DRINK SF

9/02-05 TASTE OF COLORADO DENVER, COLORADO

This yearly event showcases favorite dishes from local restaurants and food trucks, ranging from venison burgers to tamales and jambalaya, along with rides the children will adore and music for everyone.

Hosted by the Center for Southern Folklore, the festival is a two-day fusion of musicians, storytellers, dancers and chefs all sharing their talents in a celebration of all things Memphis.

New Orleans, home of the Sazerac, America’s first cocktail, is the perfect city for drinkers to meet with renowned mixologists, distillers and marketers, hear historical tales, and sample unique drinks and the city’s peerless food.

This festival, held in the Bourbon Capital of the World, draws a large crowd of sophisticated beverage consumers. Events include bourbon tastings, barrel-making exhibitions, a tour of historic Bardstown and much more.

Food and drink enthusiasts may partake in a blind tasting of wine with San Francisco’s premier sommeliers, attend seminars about spirits, wine and beer, and sample delicious fare from some of the country’s most notable chefs and restaurants.

MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE

NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA

BARDSTOWN, KENTUCKY

SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA

9/03-04 MEMPHIS MUSIC & HERITAGE FESTIVAL

7/19-24 TALES OF THE COCKTAIL

9/13-18 KENTUCKY BOURBON FESTIVAL

9/10-11 GHIRARDELLI CHOCOLATE FESTIVAL SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA

Events at this sweet treat include tastings at the Chocolate and Wine Pavilion, demonstrations by dessert specialists, and talks about the process of making chocolate. All proceeds go to Project Open Hand, a non-profit that serves nutritious meals to the elderly.

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10/14-30 HAWAI’I FOOD & WINE FESTIVAL OAHU, MAUI AND HAWAI’I ISLAND

The festival was started by James Beard Awardwinning chefs Alan Wong and Roy Yamaguchi, who are both known for cooking with fresh, local ingredients in novel ways, so it makes sense that chefs at this festival create mouthwatering dishes using local seafood, produce and meat.

11/02-11/04 DENVER INTERNATIONAL WINE FESTIVAL BROOMFIELD, COLORADO

Spend a memorable few days in the Rocky Mountains to celebrate wine. Patrons enjoy exquisite dinners with wine pairings for each course, attend seminars and guided wine tastings, and hear live music.

health

SIMPLE SRETCHES to enhance mobility and flexibility

H

ow often do you take time out of the day to stretch? In today’s world we spend a very large portion of our day sitting down. Whether we are at our desks for hours at a time, driving kids to school or relaxing on the couch after a long day doing all of the above, we sit way too much! Adding these simple but very effective stretches into your busy schedule could lead to more energy, better posture, and enhanced mobility and flexibility.

TRY THIS DYNAMIC STRETCH ROUTINE TO BREAK UP YOUR BUSY DAY OR TO WARM UP BEFORE A WORKOUT!

MOVE #1 Knee to Chest Bring kneecap to chest by hugging your shin; pause and release as you take a step down while drawing the other leg to your chest. Repeat 10 times. To make this move more challenging, combine it with a calf raise. As you draw kneecap to chest, step onto your toes on the opposite foot. This will challenge core stability as well as balance.

MOVE #2 Lunge with a Lean

Benefits include: Gets Muscles Ready: Unlike warming up on a treadmill, dynamic stretching activates muscles you will use in your workout. For example, the knee to chest stretch mimics the top of a runners stride. This is helpful because your body will have already gone into the movements before you start your workout.

Improves Kinesthetic Awareness: Kinesthetic awareness is the body’s ability to coordinate motion and its awareness of where it is in time and space. Stretching while in motion challenges your balance as well as coordination, both being important in fitness.

Improves Mobility and Flexibility: If you feel as if you have a hard time bending over to tie your shoes or even to get up out of a chair, a dynamic warm-up can make you feel more limber. When the body is limber and flexible, injury is less likely to occur.

By Adrianna Butcher, Certified Personal Trainer and owner of Flex Time Fitness,

This move is great at stretching your psoas and hips. This is also a great move to help strengthen your quads, hamstrings, glutes and even calves. As you take a step forward, lower your hips and bend your knees until they both form 90 degree angles. Note that your front knee should not extend over your toes and your back knee should not hit the ground. When you are stable in the lunge position, raise the hand of the opposing arm and lean over the front leg. This will challenge your stability as well as give you a deeper stretch through the core and hip flexors. Push off the heel of the back leg to return to standing position. Repeat five times on each leg.

MOVE #3 Frankenstein Kicks Kick leg straight ahead of you. Do this move walking forward and alternate legs.This move is a great way to stretch the hamstrings while working on stability at the same time. Make sure to keep the core engaged by drawing the belly button toward the spine. Kick out through the heel, making sure the toes are flexed.

MOVE #4 Inch Worm Start by standing straight with feet shoulder width apart. Slowly reach down toward your toes, keeping core engaged (think about drawing belly button toward your spine). As you plant your hands on the floor, start walking them forward, lowering your body into a high plank. Then start taking small steps forward towards your hands while keeping your legs straight. You will feel a stretch in the hamstrings. As soon as the feet reach the hands, start walking the hands out again. This move will definitely get your heart rate up while getting an amazing hamstring, glutes and lower back stretch. Breathe in as you walk your arms out; breathe out as you walk feet back towards hands.

adrianna.butcher@hotmail.com

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exclusively yours

NATURAL COLORED

DIAMONDS

Increasingly popular these past few years, pink diamonds combine rarity, romance, exclusivity, wealth preservation and incredible beauty.

BY KAREN ALBERG GROSSMAN

O

nly five percent of all diamonds graded by the Gemological Institute of America are (non-white) colors created by nature; infrequently occurring shades of pink (some with modifying components of purple or orange) represent only 1/10th of one percent.

Diamonds become pink when heat and pressure within the Earth create changes in the crystal lattice, causing the diamonds to absorb green light and impart a pink tone, ranging in intensity from delicate pale to deep raspberry. For women who define themselves as delicate, deep, intense, unique and/or exceptional, there’s no better investment than jewelry that showcases these magnificent gems.

Until recently, pink diamonds had been found in very few mines around the world, mostly in India, South Africa and Brazil. However, from the late 1980s on, the discovery and development of the Argyle mine in Western

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Australia increased their availability: the mine now supplies about 90 percent of the world’s pink diamonds. Even so, pink represents fewer than 10,000 carats of the 30 million carats of rough production from this mine.

Of these rare pink diamonds, fewer than 10 percent weigh more than 0.20 carats, so large stones can generate astronomical prices at auction, making them wise investments. All Argyle diamonds over 15 points are sold with official certification.

A favorite among connoisseurs, collectors and red carpet celebrities, pink diamonds are fashion, glamour and self-expression captured in a single stone. Since Tapper’s is one of only five retailers in the U.S. appointed under trademark license to carry the iconic Argyle Pink Diamonds with an unbroken chain of custody, we invite you to stop by and see our extraordinary collection. With spring arriving, isn’t it time to Think Pink?

scene

An inside look at dressing RED CARPET stars.

PAVED IN

JEWELS T

BY LAURIE SCHECHTER

o use a sports analogy, awards season is the playoffs of the red carpet. Generally beginning with the Gotham Awards in November and picking up speed at January’s Golden Globes, awards season is a special kind of sprint, typically featuring the same competitors appearing at multiple ceremonies until the championship: the Oscars. Finding out what the stars are wearing, from gowns to hairstyles to, of course, the bling, is often more anticipated than finding out who wins.

The impact of stars’ jewelry choices should not be underestimated; the high-voltage attention on what celebrities wear can enhance a jewelry designer’s name recognition—and their bottom line. It can also catapult an unknown onto the radar. Actresses may make the final result appear effortless, but the task of putting together a red carpet look is anything but. It takes creativity, flexibility, talent, hard work, nerve, gratitude, and most

important, good relationships with the right people.

The tradition of loaning jewelry pieces to celebrities for awards show red carpets began in 1943, when Harry Winston decorated Jennifer Jones at that year’s Academy Awards. Today, as soon as the nominations are announced, a complex system of stylists, celebrity public relations reps, and fashion and jewelry designers kicks into gear. Some actresses let their stylists guide them, while others spearhead the efforts themselves. Still others have contracts with jewelry houses precluding them from wearing anything else. Pieces can be custom designed or pulled from existing archives and collections.

Designers like Roberto Coin, known for his use of bold materials including gold and diamonds, are red carpet favorites. “I love working with celebrities,” says Coin, “as they usually know what they want. When I am asked to create from a drawing, I translate the look into

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TIME TO SHINE Left: Roberto Coin Unique diamond collar necklace.

Right: Roberto Coin shares a laugh with The Danish Girl’s Alicia Vikander.

my language—the language of gold.” The most frequent request is to give the celebrity something that makes them feel unique. “I always add my personal interpretation. The best moments are those in which a woman is surprised and pleased at a result that was not expected.”

The most sought-after stylists, whose talents are displayed in fashion editorials and red carpet work, develop a wealth of resources to pull from and acquire the most influential clientele. The celebritystylist relationship has proven to be a game changer.

No one knows this better than Ginnina D’Orazio, president and founder of the Beverly Hills based D’Orazio & Associates. A 4,000-square-foot showroom with maximum security that represents over 20 jewelry houses, D’Orazio insists it is the first and the best of its kind. “We do it right and we don’t cut corners,” she explains. The showroom was established when D’Orazio, a certified gemologist, saw a need for a red carpet and fine jewelry-focused showroom that would go “above and beyond PR.” When asked whether some celebrities are paid to wear certain designers and brands, D’Orazio replies, “None of [our] brands pay. We don’t even gift.” Relationships and the best selection are what drives D’Orazio’s business. She counts A-listers like Jennifer Lawrence, Rihanna, Taylor Swift, Amal Clooney and Lady Gaga among her clients.

And Sofia Vergara popped in—no stylist needed—to pull jewelry the week before her wedding to Joe Manganiello.

“Celebrities’ styles are followed by many women,” adds Roberto Coin.

“When a celebrity wears a piece, the same piece is often immediately requested [by customers].” Coin has taken his awards show involvement one step further, as a sponsor of The Hollywood Reporter’s Nominees Night party in Beverly Hills, one of the most anticipated evenings of the season. It’s an opportunity for Coin to mingle with Oscar hopefuls and show off his designs in lavish displays. This year’s event attracted Alicia Vikander, Sylvester Stallone and Jennifer Jason Leigh, who were among the guests treated to a performance by Grammy- and Oscarwinner Sam Smith. So far the extra exposure has paid off: Meghan Trainor, Elisabeth Rohm and Laverne Cox have all been spotted in Roberto Coin at recent high-profile events.

Forevermark is another red carpet favorite. “From the start, we have been seeking celebrity relationships and red carpet placements,” a

“

company spokesperson reveals. Its pursuit was met with immediate success. “Forevermark launched internationally in 2008, with Nicole Kidman wearing Forevermark at that year’s Academy Awards.” Other highlights include Michelle Obama in Forevermark

by Kimberly McDonald diamond bangles at the 2013 Inaugural Ball, and Kate Hudson at last year’s Golden Globe awards in Forevermark earrings designed in collaboration with Slane. The earrings featured Forevermark “exceptional” diamonds totaling over 22 carats.

Forevermark also notes that its ear cuffs—a new style that has exploded over the past year—have been embraced by Chloe Grace Moretz and Olivia Wilde. While the brand enjoys creating jewelry specifically to be worn on the red carpet, celebrity dressing is not without its challenges. One of the biggest: “the last minute dress change!” says the spokesperson. “Luckily, Forevermark diamonds are featured in a wide range of jewelry styles, so we can

Go-to choices among celebrities and stylists include large diamond studs, cocktail rings and diamond line bracelets; stacking them with diamond bangles is a recent trend.

’’

BRING ON THE BLING Chloe Grace Moretz and Kate Hudson in Forevermark.

Melissa Etheridge in Roberto Coin.

accommodate a request pretty seamlessly.” The payoff for this flexibility is seeing Forevermark diamonds sparkling on all the biggest awards show red carpets.

One of Coin’s most memorable payoff moments came in 2007, when he worked with Melissa Etheridge as she was coming through her battle with cancer. Nominated for a Best Song Oscar, “she was looking for something very minimalist,” says Coin. “We gave her one of our Haute Couture rings that was as unique and as spectacular as Melissa. She won her only Oscar that year, and we are part of her incredible moment.”

It’s this type of moment fans are sure to remember when shopping for their next statement splurge.

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end page

PIERCEDEARS

W

hen I was 10 years old, my treasured birthday present was to finally get my ears pierced. It felt like a lifetime that I had yearned for this; I know I lobbied for it a full two years prior to my 10th birthday. My father was adamantly against it. My mother, as she often has on issues that were important to me, acted as the gentle and persistent persuader. My father relented. I was elated.

The task was performed at no charge by my great uncle, who was a successful Manhattan doctor. In the end it seemed so simple, a little like a wedding day after long preparations. Ice to numb the earlobes, antiseptic solution, very long needles, an antibiotic ointment on the posts, and done.

Stud earrings in 14K gold, part of my birthday gift, were adorning my ears.

It took minutes; I was thrilled. It was without official ceremony but a rite of passage nonetheless.

Ear piercing dates back to ancient times, signifying wealth, status or bravery, marking the entrance into puberty, or acting as protection from demons and poor eyesight. The first evidence of piercing dates to 5,000 years ago in the remains of the oldest known mummified body, found in a block of ice in Austria in 1991.

The Book of Exodus relates Moses’ brother Aaron commanding the Israelites: “Take off the gold rings that are on the ears of your wives…” in order to create the

BY LAURIE SCHECHTER

golden idol they demanded. In the 16th century, sailors wore earrings allegedly to represent that they had sailed around the world and to pay for a proper burial.

One American anthropologist posits that primitive tribes pierced their ears so that demons and spirits would slip through the earlobes instead of entering where they normally could, through the ears. And in the 1960s an earring in a man’s right ear signaled he was gay; worn on the left, the man was straight.

When my nieces were born, they had their ears pierced immediately, something truly foreign to me. My brother (their father) had married a woman (their mother) from Colombia, and I now know it is a common—if not requisite—practice in the worldwide Latino community. In fact, it now seems to be standard in many cultures. Proponents of early piercing argue it’s less traumatic at that young age, with less risk of infection. Opponents think the practice vulgar and barbaric, like early 20th-century American women who considered pierced ears at any age to be uncivilized. (Their distaste led to the invention of the screwback earring and caused pierced ears to fall out of favor until the latter half of the century.) Apparently the piercing debate is longstanding and universal.

Today, multiple ear piercings and even mismatched earrings are growing trends, The New York Times reported recently, especially among women in their 30s and 40s. It’s a perfect opportunity for women and jewelers alike to show personality in a multitude of ways. Perhaps this is the new rite of passage.

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GIRL WITH A PEARL EARRING BY JOHANNES VERMEER, 1665

A rite of passage.

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BACHENDORF’S ACCENT THE MAGAZINE OF LIFE’S CELEBRATIONS

SUMMER 2016