OCTOBER 2023 | ISSUE NO. 7
one adventures
Best Foot Forward How LALISA® founder sets the pace for comfortable, fashion-forward footwear
Food Festivals Worth Traveling For Four gourmand getaways to book now
Back to the Future (and Around the Globe) Travel the world—and back in time—with these four iconic cars.
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Yours are the only shoes made to walk your journey. —Charles F. Glassman
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Editor-in-chief: Stacey Silipo Lead designer: Tatjana Jovancevic Writer: Nicole Schnitzler Cover photo: Lisa Lovisolo, founder and owner of LALISA® Social media: Christi Bohnsack Photos and information courtesy of: Lisa Lovisolo; Eddie O’Garro; Disney Parks; JH Food and Wine; Lindley Rust; JayNel McIntosh; Food and Wine; C2 Photography; Chicago Gourmet; A.J. Dufendach, Garage Kept Motors; Nissan Motor Company
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What does insurance have to do with adventure? At Berkley One, everything. One Adventures is a celebration of the things that keep you moving forward, with stories from entrepreneurs, foodies, designers, travelers, artists, athletes and more. At home or abroad, at work or at play—there’s adventure to be found, everywhere.
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Best Foot Forward How LALISA® founder, Lisa Lovisolo, sets the pace for comfortable, fashion-forward footwear.
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Food Festivals Worth Traveling For
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Four gourmand getaways to book now
Back to the Future (and Around the Globe) Travel the world—and back in time—with these four iconic cars.
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Best Foot Forward
Photos: Eddie O’Garro Stylist @lysetteart
How LALISA® founder Lisa Lovisolo sets the pace for comfortable, fashion-forward footwear. Throughout her career, Lisa Lovisolo has been someone on-the-go. She lived in Italy after college, where she developed a deeper appreciation for fashion—an experience that led her back to the States to pursue further education in the field. Shortly thereafter, she landed an international sales position with Donna Karan, traveling the globe representing the designer’s work before moving into another covetable role with fashion icon Calvin Klein. Her dreams in the industry were being realized—until one day, she tore two ligaments in a snowmobiling accident— an injury that caused her to rethink her everyday routine and footwear. berkley one | one adventures | october 2023 2023
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“Back then I was working in Midtown Manhattan, and I had to figure out how to navigate commuting in New York City, getting on and off the bus with crutches and a large knee brace” she says. “It became very clear to me during that time that shoes could make or break your day.” Lovisolo soon began a sales position with Taryn Rose, an orthopedic surgeon whose footwear line was recognized as one of the first to meld comfort and design. “I worked one-on-one with the stores and made frequent trips to the designer in Italy, who was making her shoes,” she recalls. Eventually, that same factory sought out Lovisolo to represent them—a position she held for 13 years, handling trade shows, store communications, and press. But her favorite part of the job was in client relations and merchandising, meeting directly with customers to learn more about the kind of footwear they were seeking (in both form and function)— and helping to guide the design process accordingly. “It gave me a great overview of what it took to put this kind of business together, and the confidence to move forward in doing something on my own.” In February 2021 she did just that with the launch of LALISA®, a high-end, handmade footwear line rooted in comfortable, everyday design. To debut the collection, Lovisolo started from the ground up— literally—with a classic ballet flat. “I’m not able to hold myself the way some of my friends do in high heels, so I’ve always been a very big proponent of flats—it’s where I feel most comfortable,” she says. “And I very much believe that once you’re confident with what’s on your feet, the rest of you is held the right way.” Customization and variety have been a crucial part of the design process for Lovisolo, and today, her collection features several different styles that her accounts— more than 30 footwear stores across the nation—can tailor according to their customer needs and wants.
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Photo: Eddie O’Garrio; stylist @lysetteart
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“Fashion can be many things, and what resonates in our day-to-day lives looks different for us all—but one thing that I believe holds true is that people who look effortlessly stylish are the ones who feel comfortable with what they have on,”… “Something I learned during my years in sales was the importance of regionality as it relates to style,” notes Lovisolo, who references the classic black shoe as an example. “New York loves a good black leather or suede shoe, but down South you may see a preference for softer colors—and I think it’s important for stores to be able to showcase the shoe that works for their community, their climate, and their clientele.”
Photos: Eddie O’Garrio, stylist @lysetteart
Despite the range that accounts can choose from with regard to color and style, one thing remains the same across all LALISA® products: a dedication to quality materials—including premium leathers, suedes, and high-end hardware—an approach inspired much in part to the family-owned, European factory with whom Lovisolo collaborates. “Quality is important when it comes to fine footwear, and it’s nice to know that our shoes are made with pride from a team who values these philosophies,” says Lovisolo. “I believe it gives our clients a sense of connection to what they’re wearing, and that it’s something they’ll be able to wear year after year.”
That dedication to high-quality design is also a nod to her Italian grandmother Bianca Lovisolo, a seamstress who opened a dress shop on New York’s Upper East Side in the 1950s. “She was incredibly talented and sought after, making garments for clients like Jackie Onassis,” notes Lovisolo. “As a female business owner during that timeframe making beautiful creations, her story has always been so empowering to me.” With LALISA®, Lovisolo hopes to impart a similar feeling of confidence to her clients— one that begins and ends with one core design element: comfort. “Fashion can be many things, and what resonates in our day-to-day lives looks different for us all—but one thing that I believe holds true is that people who look effortlessly stylish are the ones who feel comfortable with what they have on,” she says. “When you see a woman who is fashionable, it’s not because she is wearing a trend—it’s because she is wearing something that makes her feel comfortable and confident. And that is when we all look our best.” To shop or learn more about LALISA® footwear, visit their website at hellolalisa.com or find a retailer near you.
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Food Festivals Worth Traveling For
Photo: C2 Photography
Four gourmand getaways to book now
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for curated, high-caliber programming that leaves guests feeling as entertained as they are nourished. The fact that several of them support high-need causes in the hospitality sector is all the more reason to raise a glass. Spanning states and seasons, here are four worth traveling for now.
Photos: Michael Hospelt
Featuring a multi-day itinerary of eating, drinking, and education in some of the country’s most beautiful destinations, food festivals have been establishing themselves as one of the best reasons to skip town for the weekend. It only helps that festival teams across the nation are finding more culinary angles to celebrate now than ever before, securing local and visiting talent
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EPCOT International Food & Wine Festival | (through November 18) offering bites and sips that span the cuisines of more than six continents. Guests can sample through flavors while enjoying an impressive array of wines, as well—more than different 40 options are available throughout the fest. Download the My Disney Experience app in advance to plan out your culinary
journey—thereby allowing you to focus on the day’s other adventures, from family activities (such as characterthemed scavenger hunts) to live entertainment (featuring performances by the likes of Sheila E. and Hanson).
Photos: Disney Parks
Visitors can travel the globe without setting foot outside of the States at this annual food and wine festival, which first descended on Walt Disney World’s EPCOT theme park more than 20 years ago. The event has only grown since, featuring more than 25 marketplaces
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Photos: LindleyRust, JayNel McIntosh
Jackson Hole Food & Wine Festival | (March 7-9, 2024) This festival was founded in 2016 as a way of showcasing Jackson Hole’s growing culinary scene and embracing the local community— all while drawing big-name chefs from across the nation. Guests are encouraged to select two events to attend throughout the weekend—a task that sounds easy enough, until met with the ace
lineup (e.g., a Champagne and caviar tasting, a high-end spirits tasting, a cooking demo and lunch). The action happens across venues—at the Jackson Hole Mountain Resort, Four Seasons Resort & Residences Jackson Hole, and in various spots throughout town—and those staying in Teton Village
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can squeeze in some skiing, too. Looking for reason to return before 12 months’ time? Mark your calendar for June 20th-22nd, when they host their summer festival (benefitting the same local organization, Hole Food Rescue).
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Aspen Food & Wine Classic | (June 14-16, 2024)
Photos: C2 Photography
What started as a wine tasting to encourage tourism during the region’s shoulder season evolved into this internationally renowned festival, which celebrated its 40th anniversary this year. Taking place invarious venues throughout downtown
Aspen, the annual fête brings together thousands of culinary enthusiasts for an impressive, three-day lineup of tastings, dinners, and panel discussions featuring some of the country’s most eminent food and wine talent (think Carla Hall, Gail Simmons, Bobby Flay,
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Stephanie Izard, and Andrew Zimmern, among others). Register on the 2024 festival website for updates, and plan to book as soon as details are released in January (last year, tickets sold out within hours).
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Chicago Gourmet | (September 2024)
Photos: Chicago Gourmet
The Illinois Restaurant Association founded this fest in 2008 to spotlight Chicago as a worldclass food city—and 15 years (and many seminars and tastings) later, it continues to do just that. Though 2024’s fest details have yet to be announced, guests
can expect that it will be just as exciting as years past, featuring highly anticipated gatherings like Tacos & Tequila, Late Night Gourmet, and the ultra-luxe Grand Cru tasting, among others (including new additions like the Rise and Shine Gourmet Brunch).
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Happening al fresco on the Harris Theater Rooftop within the city’s iconic Millennium Park, consider it one more reason to sneak in a late summer trip to the Second City.
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Back to the Future (and Around the Globe)
Photo: NIssan Motor Company
Travel the world—and back in time— with these four iconic cars.
Whether in movies, TV shows, or our own garages growing up, cars have a special way of evoking a sense of time and place for us—and those in the collector space are taking notice. “For newer, younger collectors now, there’s a sentimental attachment to cars they grew up with in the 70s, 80s and 90s,” says Tim Dadik, Vice President, Berkley One Classics Leader. “That’s where the memories are for them.”
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For many, those were the vehicles they saw on the big screen, ones representing a high level of prestige or luxury—while for others, it was whatever was cruising down the streets of their hometowns, makes and models rooted in the familiarity of yesterday’s upbringing. “So much of it comes down to the generation—what were the cars people really wanted when they were in high school or college but didn’t buy at the time?” says Marcus Maingot, Vice President, Berkley One Product Management. “Those are the ones they still want to drive today.” The fact that more manufacturers are bringing back cars from that era only heightens today’s tendency towards nostalgia. “These newer cars are becoming highly collectible,” says Kevin Vezina, Berkley One Classics Agency Experience Manager. “That’s where this younger generation is really focusing.” From an Italian sports car to an American classic, here are four iconic vehicles coming back into prominence now.
Photo: A.J. Dufendach, Garage Kept Motors
America: Ford Bronco When the Ford Bronco debuted, Ford Vice President Don Frey noted that the company was adding a pony to the stable to join it’s sibling— the Mustang.1 And yet, the Bronco would be a breed of its own. Looked to as the world’s first SUV2, it was designed as an off-road vehicle that still evoked a sense of class—an aesthetic to which the company is now returning. “If you look at today’s Broncos, they really resemble the Broncos of the mid-70s—they have a slightly smaller body and are a bit boxier,” says Vezina. “Car companies today are beginning to integrate their older designs with new, modern touches—and that’s particularly exciting for those of us who grew up
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in the 70s and 80s.” And then, Vezina notes, there are those who are looking to older Broncos as restoration projects. “A lot of people are taking original Broncos and lifting these, putting in bigger engines, and tricking out the interiors—they are super cool vehicles.” Dadik agrees. “I’m seeing the 2024 model driving around, but also plenty of these great, mid-80s, early 90s refurbished Broncos—it really feels like people are reliving their youth.”
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According to the Imported Vehicle Safety Compliance Act, any car 25 years or older can be brought into the U.S. (so long as it passes a series of regulations by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration)3—and as of January 2021, the 1995 Skyline R33 GT-R passed the test (and in 2014, the R32 GT-R).4 “Because these cars are now 25 years or older, there’s a huge business for shops around the country that specialize in restoring them,” says Maingot. “It’s especially cool for collectors who grew up playing PlayStation’s Gran Turismo and recognize the Skyline and its cultural role at the time.”
Photo: Shutterstock
Italy: Ferrari Testarossa
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This car landed its own leading role on 80s hit show Miami Vice (a 1986 white version driven by James “Sonny” Crockett)—but in reality, it debuted two years earlier at the Paris Motor Show as successor to the 512 BBi. 5 The design broke new ground at the time—especially with its long side strakes, a feature that would become known as the model’s most iconic. In its 12-year-run, a period that included two model revisions (from 1984 to 1996), Ferrari released just 10,000 units.6
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Photo: NIssan Motor Company
Japan: Nissan Skyline
Germany: Porsche 959 Sources 1. “The Ford Bronco.” Ford.com. Accessed 27 September 2023. https://corporate.ford.com/articles/history/the-ford-bronco.html
Photo: Shutterstock
2.“The Ford Bronco.” Ford.com. Accessed 27 September 2023. https://corporate.ford.com/articles/history/the-ford-bronco.html
Porsche enthusiasts will remember several notable moments for the manufacturer over the decades, from the 928’s appearance in Risky Business7 to the arrival of the 996, the first 911 with a water-cooled flat engine. 8 But perhaps less frequently talked about is the 959, the twinturbocharged model quick to turn heads when it debuted in 1986 for its revolutionary engineering and design (a feat that prompted the company to equip all turbocharged sportscars with all-wheel drive moving forward).9 Between its high speed (near 320km/h) and incredibly low production (292 in total), it’s a car that still makes waves in the collector space today.10 “This was the original kind of supercar that Porsche made, and it’s becoming super collectible,” notes Maingot. “It was way ahead of its time, and it continues to be special because of that.”
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3.Tegler, Eric. “Who Really Benefits from The 25-Year Import Rule? AutoWeek.com. 8 October 2018. Accessed 27 September 2023. https://www.autoweek.com/car-life/a1707441/who-really-benefits25-year-import-rule/ 4.Oldham, Scott. “1995 Nissan Skyline R33 GT-R Still Feels Special.” CarAndDriver.com. 10 November 2020. Accessed 27 September 2023. https://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/a34628485/1995-nissanskyline-r33-gt-r-drive/ 5.“Ferrari Testarossa.” Ferrari.com. Accessed 27 September 2023. https://www.ferrari.com/en-EN/auto/testarossa 6.“Ferrari Testarossa: Production & History.” FerrariLakeForest.com. Accessed 27 September 2023. https://www.ferrarilakeforest.com/ ferrari-testarossa/ 7.Ramey, Jay. “‘Risky Business’ Porsche 928 Sells For $1.9 Million.” AutoWeek.com. 20 September 2021. Accessed 28 September 2023. https://www.autoweek.com/car-life/classic-cars/a37662877/riskybusiness-porsche-928/ 8.“The 996: First 911 with water-cooled flat engine.” Porsche Newsroom. 25 November 2018. Accessed 28 September 2023. https://newsroom.porsche.com/en/history/porsche-911-sevengenerations-part-5-typ-996-16487.html 9.“The story of the 959: the brilliant classic Porsche supercar that’s still a benchmark.” Porsche.com. 6 January 2022. Accessed 28 September 2023. https://www.porsche.com/stories/innovation/thestory-of-the-959-the-brilliant-classic-porsche-supercar 10.“The story of the 959: the brilliant classic Porsche supercar that’s still a benchmark.” Porsche.com. 6 January 2022. Accessed 28 September 2023. https://www.porsche.com/stories/innovation/thestory-of-the-959-the-brilliant-classic-porsche-supercar
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Your classic drives you. Insuring it drives us.
We get it—your classic is special. You drive it differently. It’s valued differently. And honestly, it needs to be insured differently. That’s where the expertise of Berkley One Classics makes all the difference. Like you, we’re a bit obsessed with collector vehicles, and equally committed to delivering the best coverage and the highest level of personal service. Talk your your agent about insuring your collector vehicles with Berkley One and visit berkleyone.com/classics to request a quote.
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