Grandeur Magazine - November 2017 by Grandeur Magazine

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CONTENTS | NOVEMBER 2017

65 18 FEATURES

IN THIS ISSUE

16 GRAND FACES

Editor’s Letter

The Colors Page

William Noll is a world-renowned musician who lifts up local causes. Shane and Dee Sieg specialize in wholesome, organic foods on their farm, Asbury Acres. Ruth Fehr helps clients translate dietary requirements into healthy, delicious food experiences.

27 Model Behavior 42 Shopping

22 DINING

45 Grand Pets

If you think you know truffles because you’ve eaten truffle fries, think again. Campiello Ristorante & Bar in Naples takes taste buds on a tantalizing Tour of Italy this month with the sumptuous truffle. Thinly sliced over flan with Parmesan cheese or paired with a succulent hanger steak, it’s a tour you don’t want to miss.

49 Getaway 52 Wine Case 55 Arts

30 COVER STORY

58 Fashion

Meet the upper crust of Southwest Florida’s culinary scene: Andy Hyde, a private chef in Naples; Todd Erickson, chef and partner at Society in south Fort Myers; Nicholas James, executive chef at La Corte Bistro in Cape Coral; Josh Zeman, executive chef of Sea Salt in Naples, and Kristina San Filippo, chef and owner of Purple Spoon in Bonita Springs.

Grand Ride

Grand Experience

74 Grand Times 79 Behind the Benefit

65 OPEN DOOR Lynn Pitochelli and David Pizur transformed their Naples home from a dark Tuscan coach-house style to a light, contemporary space dedicated to art with a nod to Paris. Come on, let us take you on a tour.

14 GRANDEUR | NOVEMBER 2017 | 7

Wishing you a Happy Fall

CELEBRATING THE GOOD LIFE IN SOUTHWEST FLORIDA Part of the USA TODAY Network | Volume 16, Number 2

Publisher

William R. Barker

Editor | General Manager Kathryn Robinson Kinsey kkinsey@gannett.com Art Director Lindi Daywalt-Feazel ldaywalt@gannett.com Associate Editor Pamela Hayford phayford@gannett.com Contributing writers

Gina Birch, Stephanie Borden, Patricia Carlson, Cathy Chestnut, Sara Coggin, Jennifer Thomas, Andrea Stetson

Contributing photographers Liam James Doyle, Luke Franke, Amanda Inscore, Katie Klann, Kinfay Moroti, Ricardo Rolon, Brian Tietz, Andrew West

Vice President Advertising Sales

Niche Team Coordinator Editorial Imager Coordinator

Nancy M. Solliday Dennis Wright drwright@gannett.com

Advertising Account Executive Nicole Holey nholey@gannett.com

Director Circulation Distribution

Circulation Support and Logistics Manager

Jim Keeble Cheryl Cushman

ON THE COVER Nicholas James is the executive chef at La Corte Bistro in Cape Coral. Read his, and four other hot local chefs, starting on page 30. PHOTO BY BRIAN TIETZ

1250 Third Street South, Olde Naples, Fl 34102 239-262-4791 8 | NOVEMBER 2017 | grandeurmagazine.com

Grandeur is published 8 times a year. Complimentary copies are home delivered to The News-Press and Naples Daily News subscribers in select neighborhoods throughout Lee and Collier counties. Subscriptions to the magazine are $24.95, and single copies are available at The News-Press and Naples Daily News offices, and at various locations throughout Lee and Collier counties. To read the free e-edition visit grandeurmagazine.com. To advertise: 239-335-0457 To subscribe: 239-335-0211 To reach the editor: editor@grandeurmagazine.com

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Grandeur online, on your phone, in your hand Get the good life in the palm of your hand all month long. Tour Southwest Florida homes. Discover luxurious finds. Meet the people who shape our community. Get all that Grandeur Magazine has to offer and more at grandeurmagazine.com. Follow us on Instagram and Facebook.

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grand | EDITOR’S LETTER

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Fall is a time to be thankful

love fall in Southwest Florida. The weather is still warm but we enjoy occasional breaks from the stifling heat, our seasonal visitors haven’t quite made their way back down for winter so the roads are still tolerable, and the holiday season is gearing up. Being a native Floridian, the signs of autumn are very different than what I imagine our northern neighbors experience. For us it’s not the crisp air from falling temperatures or the color of the leaves changing to yellow, red or orange, blanketing our area like the brushstrokes of a beautiful painting. Our fall is marked by the scent of pumpkin candles, pumpkin cookies, even pumpkin-flavored coffee. This seasonal aroma is like a starting gun signaling it has arrived, and I can feel a rejuvenation of my spirit and an excitement welling from inside of me. “Forced fall,” as I affectionally call it, is everywhere.

There are plenty of pumpkin patches, football games, baked goods, colorful fake leaves and fall harvest wreaths hanging from front doors all over our area. Celebrating Thanksgiving with loved ones is another sign it’s officially arrived. It’s a time to gather together and appreciate each other. To laugh, reminisce and to feast. Even though I’ve said it plenty of times, I’m no cook, but there’s something about this time of year that brings it out of me. Maybe it’s the memories of countless casseroles and turkey legs I’ve consumed in my life, but mostly I think it’s the thankfulness I feel to have such a large, loving family to celebrate with. I’m lucky to have healthy and happy children, a wonderful partner, caring friends and a new addition to our family, Marilyn Grace, my first grandchild. Having family close is so important. This was never more true than during Hurricane Irma. My sister and

her family all live in what ended up being evacuation zones, and as the storm approached, they took shelter in my elevated home. Twelve of us weathered the winds and rain together, and in the week after the storm, some stayed with me when my power returned first. How fortunate we were when so many still struggle to recover. In all the hustle and bustle of life, take the time to be thankful for the true meaning of this holiday, giving thanks.

KATHRYN ROBINSON KINSEY EDITOR & GENERAL MANAGER

12 | NOVEMBER 2017 | grandeurmagazine.com

grand | COLORS

Drinks on me • You’ll break out this beautiful decanter

and glass set ($159.95 at williams-sonoma.com) for the holidays, but you’ll keep them around all season long for their darling design. The Regency garnet-cut decanter and double old-fashioned glasses (set of 4) from Williams Sonoma are inspired by vintage glassware. Featuring a different hand-cut pattern on each piece of lead-free glassware, the set is painted a deep garnet hue. The decanter’s matching stopper helps preserve liquors. Cheers!

Royal affair • Raise a

glass this holiday season with a magnificent matched set of 14K rose gold, Bordeaux rhodolite garnets and diamonds by Royal Jewelry. The pendant (featured here) and matching ring (see showroom) have a 3.70-carat cushion cut center with a .37-carat brilliant cut diamond halo. Perfect for every season festivity. Prices upon request. Available at Bradley’s Jewelers in Fort Myers, bradleysjewelers. com.

Marvelous

maroon

eady. Lusty. Rich. Maroon is dark, delicious and decadent. Lips soaked in wine. Leaves turning in an airy chill. A bouquet of burgundy flowers. The fresh juice from a perfectly cooked filet.

Despite being born from thick-hued blood red, all of your senses come

Cherry bomb

• Elevate your LBD (Little Black Dress) to the stratosphere with the Pierre Hardy Lunar leather T-strap sandals in cherry. The sensual velvet of this Italianmade peep-toe shoe will bring warmth while the bow accent offers a sexy wink of where the night might take you. With a comfortable 4-inch block heel and an adjustable ankle strap, everyone, including those who normally shy away from heels, can gravitate toward the Lunar to give their holiday outfit a lift. Retails for $795 at saksfifthavenue.com.

14 | NOVEMBER 2017 | grandeurmagazine.com

alive with this marvelous hue. Paired with marigolds and navy blue, maroon marks autumn’s arrival. Matched with kelly green stems and golden petals, maroon welcomes spring’s embrace. It’s not often anyone’s favorite color, but maroon doesn’t mind. It will still be there when the mood strikes. — PATRICIA CARLSON

Aurelian sun • Ra is the

sun king of ancient Egypt. Curry & Company’s Tutti chandelier ($1,990) is today’s demi-god. Ribbons of folded wrought iron steel make up its rounded form while a silver leaf finish cascades over the orb shape for a Mid-Century look. We’d love to spot this in your home

Modern muse • With 30 cubic feet of cargo capacity, remote fold-down rear seats and a hands-free lift gate, the Cadillac 2018 XT5 Crossover is game enough for any crowd and accompanying gear. Fully integrated technology like Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility ensure you’ll never miss an important event again. Plus, safety features like heads-up display, side blind zone alert, lane assist warnings and pedestrian collision mitigation will help everyone arrive safely, every time. MSRP starting at $40.195. Available at Val Ward Cadillac, south Fort Myers.

Top that

Vamp it up • This

sexy, ribbed dress from Red Haute transitions seamlessly from day to evening and has a fit that makes a woman feel self-assured in any setting. Pair it with knee-high stiletto boots for a chilly evening. Or up the glam factor and wrap your neck in that stunning garnet and diamond necklace (at left). Red Haute is known for using soft and luxurious natural fibers like modal, silk and viscose. $126 at Jennifer’s, 239-481-8582, in south Fort Myers.

• Small. Structured. Sophisticated. The Juliette top-handle satchel from Tory Burch is all that and more. The imperial garnet color bursts from the high-gloss leather, and the gold push-lock closure gives it just the right amount of vintage charm. An optional, adjustable shoulder strap sweetens the deal. $558 at toryburch.com.

Fit for a king • If the Iron Throne from Game of

Thrones looked like this, the winner would have already been crowned. Supremely comfortable, luxuriously tall and adventurously asymmetrical, the Mad King armchair is designed by contemporary design genius Marcel Wanders, who BusinessWeek has proclaimed “Europe’s hottest designer.” One of the arms can be replaced with a slim wooden tray. Available for $8,895 from Italian brand Poliform at Richlin Interiors, located in the Miromar Design Center, Estero. Bonus: The legs can come in wood or covered fabric and leather. GRANDEUR | NOVEMBER 2017 | 15

Ruth Fehr photographed just outside her home in Naples.

ON THE ROAD TO

health Ruth Fehr coaches her clients how to eat for nourishment and taste.

16 | NOVEMBER 2017 | grandeurmagazine.com

grand | FACES

STORY BY CATHY CHESTNUT | PHOTO BY ANDREW WEST uth Fehr is more than a chef. She’s an integrative nutrition chef and culinary translator who teaches people how to change the way they eat and preparation techniques for creating nourishing meals — with “delicious” as one of her key mantras. Is there a rhythm to your dining schedule? Does your lifestyle or career require you to be grounded or uplifted through your food consumption? What’s your psychological connection to what’s on your plate? Do you have diet restrictions? The Naples resident addresses these questions and more with her private clients. Many call her when they face surgery or a medical diagnosis, such as cancer or diabetes, weight or gastrointestinal concerns. Twice a year, she presents seminars in Washington, D.C., to oncology specialists and dieticians for the American Association for Cancer Research. It’s a program she would like to see expand into Southwest Florida. She’s also planning to co-author a book to impart her knowledge on a grander scale. “I am helping people translate their prescription diet onto their plate,” she says. While some may lament, “Oh, you’re going to make me eat kale,” Ruth rebuts, “That can be really so far from the truth. I can show you how to prepare kale five different ways and make each one taste delicious. But so many people don’t know how to prepare kale, and it can be bland or bitter. We just have to learn how to cook it well.”

Ruth is board-certified in holistic nutrition from the Institute of Integrative Nutrition. She trained at the Natural Gourmet Institute in New York City, which emphasizes seven principles: seasonal, local, whole, traditional, balanced, fresh and delicious. She learned about food therapy or “food as medicine” from the institute’s founder, nutrition guru and author Annemarie Colbin. Annmarie explored “how to put love back into food. It’s the energy you put into the food; you can feel that. We call it intention. The intention is to heal,” Ruth says. “You can make it tastier and healthier if you put this intention into it.” Born to a Bolivian mother and Italian father, Ruth is married to a Swiss, Hanspeter Fehr, a banker. Her father insisted on having a family vegetable garden, so fresh ingredients have always been a vital part of her dietary habit. In South America, she received a European-style education and speaks three languages, but demurely notes that Europeans speak more. Hanspeter speaks six. Ruth took a circuitous — incongruous in hindsight — career path. After earning a degree in hospitality management, she worked at a hotel in Switzerland. When she was contemplating a return to academia for a master’s degree, Ruth wanted to shift into the culinary arena, but the credits needed outweighed her business background, so she earned an MBA in international marketing. The Fehrs moved to New York City, where she spent 18 years in the food and beverage industry conducting market research “to figure how to develop more sugary drinks to sell to the public,” she notes with irony. After Ruth had immersed herself in integra-

tive nutrition and they built their careers in New York City, the couple decided to leave the fastpaced metropolis behind and moved to Naples five years ago “to have a more balanced life,” she says. They are closer to family and natural amenities that beckon, including the Everglades and Gulf of Mexico. “You know how you can feel energetically connected to a place and sometimes you don’t? I feel like I’ve landed home,” she says. This summer, the Fehrs undertook a five-day, 310-mile pilgrimage through northern Spain on one of several Camino de Santiago routes in the region. Each day, they walked about 18.5 miles, stopping for the night at communal, hostel-type places, including dormitory-style lodging at a former monastery. They met families, someone in a midlife crisis and another attempting to check off a box on their “bucket list” due to a grave illness. One woman had been walking for two consecutive years. Originally a religious pilgrimage, “people do it for different reasons. Most people do it for fitness, getting away from technology, to clear their mind. For me, it’s a spiritual trip; a component of being healthy is practicing some form of spirituality,” Ruth says. This was her second journey. Last year, they trekked 236 miles from Lisbon, Spain, to Porto, Portugal. The first time, she worried that walking for 8 hours would be a bore, so she downloaded music, podcasts and nutrition talks. The walk was “so transformational, I didn’t want to disturb the peace and emptiness in my brain. I didn’t listen to anything,” says Ruth, who is in her 50s. “The walk is really incredible. I call it food for my soul — not only for your body but for your mind.”

“I am helping people translate their prescription diet onto their plate...I can show you how to prepare kale five different ways and make each taste delicious.” — RUTH FEHR GRANDEUR | NOVEMBER 2017 | 17

North Fort Myers couple grow a good life in the earth of Southwest Florida. STORY BY GINA BIRCH PHOTOS BY AMANDA INSCORE

hen Shane and Dee Sieg were classmates in Erie, Michigan, the two never imagined they would one day marry and become farmers in Southwest Florida. Two years ago the couple left their corporate jobs and literally “bought the farm,” says Shane, laughing: Asbury Acres in North Fort Myers. He was an IT guy, but growing up in the country in the Midwest, his family always had a garden; the farming community

18 | NOVEMBER 2017 | grandeurmagazine.com

was a strong one. As an adult, he and Dee became reacquainted. She was living on the East Coast, and the long distance relationship was progressing to the point that, Shane says, “I took a plunge and went to New Jersey. It was culture shock, but I loved it.” They lived in Asbury Park, the inspiration for the farm’s name. Living in the city, Shane says, “I always wanted to garden, even if I didn’t have land.” The couple did that with containers, growing herbs, peppers, tomatoes and such. He even started a blog called High Rise Gardening.

grand | FACES

It was in New Jersey and with the help of container gardening that Shane began changing his diet, focusing on organic and healthful foods. “I thought I was eating healthfully, but I wasn’t,” he says. “I lost 20 to 25 pounds and my plaque psoriasis just went away.” Growing up, he had visited Southwest Florida often, so when Dee was offered a job at Chico’s, the couple jumped at the opportunity. They moved to yet another highrise, this time in downtown Fort Myers. Shane says, eventually, “it was time to put our footprint down. We started looking for houses, but couldn’t find any we liked.” Then a farm in North Fort Myers with an eight-stable horse barn showed up on their radar. “Dee has traveled and ridden horses all over the world,” Shane says. “She always wanted a horse, so we thought, perfect.” The landowner consulted with the Siegs, showing them where the ground was fertile from previous gardens, even gave them the three horses in the stable. “All we wanted to do originally was a vegetable garden, raise a couple of chickens, maybe a cow or two,” Shane says. Today he has some 30 free-range chickens that lay eggs and a few more for meat. But it’s the ducks that have made a major mark on Asbury Acres; there are more than 100. Some are layers (for eggs), and some are runners (for meat), and the former IT guy trains them to stay in one of two ponds on property — the one without alligators. He gushes, “I love our ducks.” He describes their eggs as having,

“more omega 3, better fats, and they are awesome for baking.” It’s not the backbreaking labor that Shane says is the hardest part of his new career; it’s processing his beloved animals to feed Floridians that is most difficult. Hurricane Irma damaged his fruit trees, and the flooding rains this season made crop growing nearly impossible; he subscribes to organic practices. But the animals have thrived, with the exception of the farm’s mascot and signature turkey, Mr. T. “He was pardoned the first year we raised turkeys in 2015,” Shane says. “We think he had a heart attack.” The farm is also home to pigs and cows. Still dabbling in a little IT work on the side, farmer Sieg says, “I always thought I would be doing something adventurous. We do things we are passionate about, and we have always been passionate about food. I want people to know where their food comes from. I want to teach people about their food.” Tours and visits are by appointment only, but on Wednesday afternoons you can always find the Siegs at the Purple Spoon, a Bonita Springs restaurant that works closely with local farmers and features their goods on Market Day. The transition from working in air-conditioned corporate settings to sweating outside in the Florida heat is quite a swing of the career pendulum for the Siegs. Adjusting to the change, Shane says, “I can’t thank my parents enough. We always go back to lessons we learned as kids; that’s honesty, hard work and passion.”

I always thought I would be doing something adventurous. We do things we are passionate about, and we have always been passionate about food. I want people to know where their food comes from. I want to teach people about their food. — SHANE SIEG GRANDEUR | NOVEMBER 2017 | 19

William Noll has performed all over the world from the US and Europe to China, Central America and Russia. He’s performed at Lincoln Center, Carnegie Hall and more. This prestigious piano player and jazz musician lives in Naples and will be holding concerts here this season too.

CONNECTING THROUGH

The acclaimed William Noll, of Naples, has been building up the community through music since 2001.

illiam Noll’s resume is extensive and prestigious. Conducting at Lincoln Center and Carnegie Hall, playing in major concert halls in the United States, Europe, Central America, Russia and China and judging international music competitions in Moscow are just some of the impressive highlights. But it’s the work he does to bring high quality music to the 20 | NOVEMBER 2017 | grandeurmagazine.com

people of Southwest Florida that makes William Noll a grand face in the community. Since he moved to Naples in 2001, William has not only performed and conducted locally, but volunteered, raised money for local causes and brought the world of classical music and jazz to people throughout Collier and Lee counties. For the past 10 years, William has been the director of the Classic Chamber Concerts in

Naples. He has brought in a variety of wellknown performers from around the world. But he went beyond the concerts to bring performances to local students. “I had each group that performed go into the schools,” he explains. “The kids were fascinated by the level and how they made things work.” This year is William’s 10th and final season with Classic Chamber Concerts.

grand | FACES

This is also his seventh year as the artistic director of the Stay In May festival. Each year he puts together about 60 events that run from the end of April through mid-May. “This is totally local. It’s huge,” he says. “After being a permanent resident here, I saw that things kind of stopped at the end of April. Everybody has a psychological thing that things go from Christmas to Easter. So I wanted to do something in May. Everybody said it wouldn’t work, but it was very successful.” William calls Stay In May a “cornucopia of all the arts.” He has venues all over Lee and Collier counties and has also added educational events. “William is an absolute treasure for Naples,” says Trey Farmer, chairman and president of Stay in May. “He has an amazing background and depth of experience that he brings here. He brings new and challenging repertoires and events that have not been represented by other organizations. He has great insight into that.” When William moved into his current home in Naples 14 years ago, he had an addition built that included a room for concerts with a balcony for seating. He uses the room for rehearsals for his Classic Chamber Concerts, Stay In May and other groups he has been a part of, including Opera Naples, Fifth Avenue Chamber Orchestra and the Bach Ensemble. He also uses the concert room to help raise money for local organizations. He’s done several big events for the Naples Zoo, including Pianos for Panthers and Pianos for Primates. “William’s generosity in opening his home and sharing his considerable musical gifts allowed Naples Zoo to both create our first exhibit highlighting the Florida panther issues and support our conser-

vation efforts in Madagascar,” says Tim Tetzlaff, director of conservation for the Naples Zoo. “His passion for offering his unique talents and resources are a model and inspiration for how individuals can make a difference.” The fundraisers at William’s home raise between $20,000 and $100,000, William says. “Sometimes I perform and sometimes I bring in people,” William says. “We do jazz, brass ensembles, opera, classical. It is great to come in here and see 150 people have an experience they would not have anywhere else and raise money. Music can touch people in so many ways.” William was honored with the 2012 Stars in the Arts award from the Collier County United Arts Council for his musical and humanitarian efforts on behalf of numerous charitable organizations in the region. His ability to bring music and music fundraisers to the community is possible because of his talent and resume of experience. He has performed and conducted all over the world in impressive places for impressive people. He performed the inaugural concert for Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex, and his wife, Sophie Rhys-Jones, at their royal residence on a new Steinway that they received as a wedding gift. He has performed for Presidents Bill Clinton and Ronald Reagan. “I have had some amazing folks listen to me play,” Williams says. “I have had some cool experiences in my life, and I have been very fortunate to share different types of music with different types of people. That is the journey music takes us on, and it is never ending.” William taught master classes in Moscow. He says he was treated like a rock star when he performed in Beijing. But it’s bringing music to people who usually don’t have a chance to experience it that makes William’s eyes light up with excitement. He speaks fondly of conducting the 90-member National Symphony Orchestra of Costa Rica on a six-city tour of the country. “We were bringing music to people that don’t even have a radio,” he says. “We performed in a five-sided hut with a dirt floor. People sat in homemade bleachers. It was

wonderful to take that orchestra to those people in a live situation. I was thrilled beyond measure to perform for these people. It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience.” Born and raised in Washington, D.C., William has had music in his life since he was a young child. “I always knew I wanted to be a musician,” he says. “I was fascinated by the organist at church. My first instrument was an accordion. I really wanted to play the drums, but they told me I had to practice on a wooden block for six weeks, and I didn’t want to do that. Then they showed me an accordion.” He transferred his accordion knowledge to the organ and surprised his mother by playing at church. By the time he was in seventh grade, he moved on to the piano. William graduated from The Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C., as a piano major and immediately got a job as an assistant in the Atlanta Symphony. He spent 30 years there. But that wasn’t enough. “I started conducting at about age 22,” he says. “Conducting is an old man’s business, as I found out. It takes years to garner the repertoire and styles. It is something you can’t learn at school. Some people just want to conduct. Some people just want to play, and I have the blessing to be able to do both.” In his mid-30s William decided to learn jazz. “That was quite an undertaking,” he admits. “After that I always had a hand in both. I can practice classical music or jazz on any given day.” William shares his expertise with a few dedicated students. He has also produced a couple of CDs, and he has done some composing. “I would like to do more,” he says. “I am more of an arranger than a composer, but every once in a while, I will get an inspiration for a new piece. Composing is not an easy art form. To compose a great deal and format your own style will take a while. It is like learning a new language and then writing poetry.” William is currently busy with his last season with the Classic Chamber Concerts. He also conducts for the Fifth Ave Chamber Orchestra and is the executive director of entertainment for The Ritz-Carlton, Naples. And he’s embarking on another way to help foster music in the community. He just became a board member of the Cultural and Performing Arts Center. In his new role, he will help the organization build a cultural and performing arts center. “I am just telling everybody to stay tuned,” he says. “I have some exciting plans for the future. I still have a bucket list for Naples. I like to do ordinary in an unordinary way and unordinary things in an ordinary way.”

STORY BY ANDREA STETSON | PHOTOS BY RICARDO ROLON GRANDEUR | NOVEMBER 2017 | 21

A seasonal celebration of truffles, this succulent hanger steak is covered in them and served over cauliflower puree.

22 | NOVEMBER 2017 | grandeurmagazine.com

grand | DINING

STORY BY GINA BIRCH

In love with Campiello Ristorante & Bar in Naples features truffles cooked to perfection through November.

Photos special to GRANDEUR

A savory flan where Parmesan cheese and black truffles are the star ingredients. You won’t want to share.

here’s something about the smell of burning wood that reminds me of fall, even if the temperatures are still in the 80s and 90s in Southwest Florida. It’s the first thing I smelled when I walked into Campiello Ristorante & Bar in Naples. Established 20 years ago, the Italian restaurant is one of the old guards on Naples’ popular Third Street South, but there’s not much else that’s old about this dining establishment. The lounge area has just undergone a facelift, and sleek pale yellow and white chairs now dot the conservatory dining area.

The open kitchen remains and so do the woodburning pizza oven on one end and the wood-burning rotisserie on the other. Ah, that smell. Located in the historic Naples Mercantile Building, it’s one of the few dining establishments that really does have a place to accommodate almost everyone. “You can come in and have a beer and pizza or have a five-course meal,” says Executive Chef Mike Dalton. “There are not a lot of places offering that to the community, and that is huge; it suits everybody.” For example, the front patio is casual and comfortable enough to sit outside with the kids. You have a view of the action on Third as well as the air-conditioned conservatory. The conservatory dining room

gives the appearance of being outdoors but it has a more upscale vibe. On the other side of the conservatory is the courtyard, more quiet and romantic. If you want to see and be seen, the lounge and bar area is standing room only on the weekends. It’s also a great spot to order Campiello’s famous spicy calamari ($16). Lightly breaded, the batter has Tabasco sauce in it. The pappardelle with braised veal is a house specialty, and the braised beef short rib mezzaluna is another rave-worthy entrée; however, I was there for the Tour of Italy. Each month Chef Dalton presents a special menu featuring the cuisine of a different Italian region. This time it was truffles, dear sweet truffles. GRANDEUR | NOVEMBER 2017 | 23

grand | DINING They look like rocks, are crazy expensive, and Mike says, “If you don’t know how to work with them, you can really mess them up.” He concentrates while shaving off delicate pieces, explaining, “They have to be paper thin to give off flavor and aroma when they hit something hot.” If you think you know truffles because you’ve eaten your body weight in truffle fries over the years, think again. “The intensity in the (truffle) oil is sometimes misleading,” Mike says. “I get it, people love it, but to actually experience it on a flan or by themselves brings a dynamic you won’t get elsewhere … there’s nothing like eating it.”

wisps of truffles. A bit more substantial was the lombatello ($34), a hanger steak served over cauliflower puree (cauliflower, grana padano, cream, butter) and a side of seasonal mushrooms. Beef goes well with truffles, and this cut melted in my mouth. It’s a domestic beef, but the line of cattle originates from the Italian region of Piedmont, Mike says. I ordered the suggested super Tuscan wine Nittardi Ad Astra, and it was a perfect match to the rich, earthy flavors in all three dishes. During the truffle celebration, you can order extra shavings at three grams for $18 or six for $34.

CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT:: One of Campiello’s favorite appetizers year round is the spicy calamari; the secret is a little Tabasco in the breading • Campiello has a longstanding tradition of quality food and service, along with freshened interior, just in time for the holidays. • Campiello Executive Chef Mike Dalton has a love affair with truffles, and it’s the season.

Parmesan and truffles are like best friends, so I couldn’t wait to try the sformato ($16) or Parmesan cheese flan; it was a near perfect combination. The sharp cheese gives the savory flan texture while the butter, cream, Parmesan and mushroom sauce make you want to lick the plate, even if someone is looking. I had to fight off the forks diving into my plate of francobolli ($30), postage stamp pasta filled with ricotta, truffle pecorino and Parmesan cheeses. The sauce was similar to that used in the flan but with more silky butter. Dalton rolls the pasta dough from scratch and uses a special stamp he bought in Italy to make the perfect cheese-filled pillows that are topped with 24 | NOVEMBER 2017 | grandeurmagazine.com

Campiello’s desserts are out of this world. You’ll say you want to share, but after one bite of the butterscotch budino with hazelnut honey toffee and sea salt ($10), you’ll become less inclined to pass the plate. So order the almond toffee profiterole with wild blueberry gelato as well. The truffle tour lasts through November, featuring both the white and black versions. Even if you miss the feature, you’ll find superb atmosphere, service and food at Campiello year-round. — Campiello is at 1177 Third St. S., Naples. For more information, call 239435-1166 or visit campiello.damico.com.

grand | MODEL BEHAVIOR

COASTAL

TO CONTEMPORARY Three new models at Aqua in Naples give residents a sunrise to sunset view and a variety of styles.

TOP ROW: The great room flows right into the dining area that then continues on to the kitchen and the living room in this coastal model. This great room has white cloth couches and wooden shelving to keep with the coastal theme. • The designer added a glass doored wine closet by the entrance. • The living room features another smaller table and a cozy sitting area that then leads to the sunrise terrace. MIDDLE ROW: The transitional model has the family room and living room flowing in a curve rather than a straight line like the other models • This dining area has a wall of mirrors that makes the room look almost double its size. • The master bedroom in the transitional model is decorated in white with muted blue colors. The headboard is shaped like a giant curved pillow. BOTTOM ROW: A 100–foot cutout in the wall of the great room houses a linear fireplace in the contemporary model. • The designer loves texture and added a wallpaper cutout design on top of the white wall behind the bed. • This island bar separates the more formal dining area from the kitchen. It has two levels one for sitting and one for serving and preparing food. GRANDEUR | NOVEMBER 2017 | 27

grand | MODEL BEHAVIOR

STORY BY ANDREA STETSON PHOTOS BY KATIE KLANN

hree new luxury models recently opened in the Aqua at Pelican Isle in Naples. They’re similar in size, price and views, but completely different in appearance. One is contemporary, another is coastal and the third transitional. “It is to show the versatility of how these residences can live,” says Darline Hillard, director of sales at Aqua. “… People love that they can see all the ways these residences can be finished.” Many people buying at Aqua have been visiting the models for decorating ideas, Darline says. All three models have a great room and a living room. “It is more like a large single-family house,” Darline says. “People love that. “A lot of our residents come from a single-family home. … They are not giving up anything except having to worry about the maintenance.” Yet that is where the similarities end.

COASTAL The coastal model mixes Florida and California vibes. At 3,940 square feet, this three-bedroom, three-anda-half bath condo is listed at $2.445 million. “It has the shells and the colors of the sand and the water and the sky,” says the designer, Renee Gaddis. “But we put in some very simple transitional furniture pieces. The lines of the pieces have a little more of the California clean feel. So it was a mix.” The layout stretches from a sunrise terrace to a sunset terrace, and Renee uses this to create rooms that make the most of those views. The family room is near the sunset terrace, the kitchen in the middle and the living room by the sunrise terrace. Then she adds her own unique touches, such as a glass wine closet by the entry and a butler’s pantry in a nook in the kitchen. “One of my favorite things that they allowed me to do was change the layout of the kitchen,” Renee

The coastal model has a butler’s pantry that is a carved out nook in the kitchen, rather than a separate hidden room.

says. “I think that people when they come to Florida they aren’t formal. They aren’t entertaining in a formal setting, so the more open kitchen feel can allow someone to work in the kitchen while people are hanging out.” The sunrise terrace features what Renee calls the orb. It is a huge rounded couch with a canopy on top. “It is a very welcoming seating area.” Renee added some rustic touches such as wood beams in the ceiling

and barn doors on a storage area. She mixed that with beach elements. The wooden shell of a kayak hangs on the wall near the entry. Turtle shells cover another wall. The master bedroom has black coral framed in shadow boxes along with a spray of white coral on a circular table. The guest area has a private entrance with a wet bar between the two rooms. Both guest suites have doors to the sunrise terrace, and both have white cottage-style ceiling

CONTEMPORARY The contemporary model spans 4,171 square feet under air and includes three bedrooms, a den and three-and-a-half bathrooms. The fully furnished model is priced at $2.545 million. This model has a great room, kitchen and living room that line up against large windows overlooking a nearby marina. Design elements are very modern: a table with a center cutout, black coffee tables in three layers with smaller black tables, shimmering wallpaper and a linear fireplace. Jerilyn Antonacci, president of Antonacci Design Group, created the interior design. She was inspired by the curves of the building and the views of the water. “The view is what we are always striving for, so we kept the open floorplan,” she says. From there she created a palate of modern colors. “The finishes were important,” she says. “I was bringing in different metals. Golds have become very popular. Mixing metals has become very popular.” The master bedroom overlooks the water, so 28 | NOVEMBER 2017 | grandeurmagazine.com

Jerilyn enhanced that view with a large oval mirror over the bed to reflect that scenery. Again she used lots of white and gold colors, and again she used some unique design elements. The wall behind the bed features a wallpaper starburst. Modern artwork is placed throughout. “Textured artwork and a little bling has been popular,” Jerilyn says. The closet is so big it could almost be another bedroom. The master bathroom features a twoperson built-in tub nestled against a big picture window that overlooks the water. In one of the guest rooms, a silk hand-knotted throw by Ann Gish graces the bed. The second guest room uses a blush pink. The den has a long built-in desk and cubbies nestled in the wall. Everything in the condo features texture and the textures are varied: smooth glass flooring next to marble flooring, warm wood floors in the bedrooms, and wallpaper of various textures. “It is repetition of some key design elements,” Jerilyn stated. “I have always liked contemporary.”

The dining area in the contemporary model rests between the kitchen and the large picture windows. This area connects the great room and the living room, but keeps the flow from one room to another.

Holiday S avings for Everyone on Your List

C O M P A N Y

S T O R E

One of the guest rooms in the transitional model has pops of orange. There is a Chinese scene printed on a pillow that coordinates with the color of the curtains.

TRANSITIONAL

The transitional model gives the resident a more open floor plan, merging the living spaces in a seamless expanse. The 4,171-square-foot condo features three bedrooms and a den with three-and-a-half bathrooms. A closet in the den allows it to be converted into a fourth bedroom. The condo is priced at $2.545 million. Large picture windows capitalize on the beautiful views. “It makes you feel like you are sitting on the water,” Darline says. The master bedroom is decorated in white with muted blue colors with wood furniture. The headboard is shaped like a giant pillow. This is the only model that has his and her closets. Sliding glass doors lead to the terrace. The guest rooms each have a different color palate: white with pops of orange and white and silver. The den is furnished with a table, couch and traditional desk. Doors lead to the sunrise terrace. Wood floors prevail throughout.

Design Principal Troy Beasley of Beasley & Henley Interior Design had a vision in mind when he created the transitional look. “My motivation for Aqua 304 is initially to draw on the beautiful view,” he says. “It’s gorgeous. It influenced the color palette, the lightness of the finishes and warm wood floors. I wanted to pull the feeling of that beautiful view inside the space.” Troy also wanted people to immediately be drawn to the look he created. And he wanted them to remember the feeling of being in each room. “Deeper than that, I wanted visitors and clients who walk into the condo to be touched by that moment and to be enveloped by the emotion of the space,” he says. “It is sophisticated, comfortable and inviting. I want to pull visitors into that and have them share that emotion.” Aqua opened its first 11-story tower with 38 condos in December 2008. The second 32-unit tower opened in May. Prices range from $1.995 million to $4.850 million.

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Andy Hyde Private chef, Naples

Todd Erickson Chef/partner, Society, south Fort Myers

Nicholas James Executive chef, La Corte Bistro, Cape Coral

STORY BY GINA BIRCH | PHOTOS BY BRIAN TIETZ

30 | NOVEMBER 2017 | grandeurmagazine.com

grand | COVER STORY

Josh Zeman Executive chef, Sea Salt, Naples Kristina San Filippo Chef/owner, Purple Spoon, Bonita Springs

GRANDEUR | NOVEMBER 2017 | 31

Talk to a chef who has been in Southwest Florida for more than a decade, and they almost always describe the area as a former food wasteland, former being key. Today the landscape is full of innovative chefs who’ve traveled the world, worked with some of the best in the business and who are carving their own niche into the local cuisine scene. We are introducing you to a few of them. Their backgrounds are different, so are their favorite dishes and areas of expertise. However, they do have something in common, passion — passion for food, for what they create, how they create it and for giving those who dine with them an experience they’ll be talking about for times to come.

32 | NOVEMBER 2017 | grandeurmagazine.com

The over 100-year-old meat cleaver held by Chef Nicholas James was a gift to his grandparents and has traveled with him throughout his career. At La Corte Bistro, 1520 Lafayette St., Cape Coral, Nicholas and his staff are known for not only their fine cuisine but also their unusually decorated rooms and courtyard dining.

grand | COVER STORY

I honestly love being in the kitchen, 13-14 hours a day. I think people understand and can tell when they eat my food.

Nicholas James is the executive chef at La Corte Bistro in Cape Coral. The New Jersey native arrived in Southwest Florida some six months ago from New York City, where he spent time in the kitchen with famous chefs the likes of Mario Batali. Working in restaurants since he was 13, Nicholas has done everything from busing tables to serving to management before going to the French Culinary Institute New York, where cooking became his focus. He’s been at it for 12 years now. “I honestly love being in the kitchen, 13-14 hours a day,” he says. “I think people understand and can tell when they eat my food.” The chef butchers all of the meats he serves, using every part of the animal. But his signature, his favorite thing to do is make pasta. “I put on opera and sit here for hours, hand rolling it … different flavors and shapes and different types of ravioli,” he says. The pasta is then cooked to order and in the sauce. When people dine out, it’s not for nutrition alone, Nicholas says. “I worked with a chef who used to say our job in the restaurant and as cooks is to produce beautiful food for a very sad world. People come here to forget everything. They sit, they’re served, they’re treated well, and when they leave, they leave happier and satisfied.”

GRANDEUR | NOVEMBER 2017 | 33

grand | COVER STORY

Andy Hyde has a niche in the private and corporate dining scene but has plans to open a Naples restaurant by the name of Wild Child in 2018. Born in Ghana and raised mostly in Germany, Andy learned to cook at an early age as a means of survival. At 14, he says, “I negotiated a contract to live with a caretaker, and at 16 I was basically on my own.” Thankfully, his caretakers cared about food, where he learned to love vegetables and make pasta from scratch. “Life dumped me into cold water, so I had to swim or drown.” When he turned 17, Andy got a job on the high-speed InterCity Express train, traveling around Europe. “I got to see the world and would go to the markets and feed myself,” he says. “I had a little kitchen and loved it. It was chaotic: the speed, the different people, different languages.” Getting serious about food, he completed a grueling three-year dual apprenticeship program that included going to school as well as working in a 5-star hotel. Andy says, “Only 25 percent graduate.” He was one. This culinary diversity is what Andy brings to the table. While his focus is on fish and vegetables, he calls his style of cooking eclectic new American, explaining, “I bring it all together: French, Italian, food, language and culture.” A seasonal favorite of his, “I made a syrup out of turnips and glazed the vegetables with it. It brings this ‘wow’ flavor.” Never short of stories or laughter, Andy is also quick with words of inspiration. “We can’t choose our parents, but we can choose and change how we want to wake up,” he says. “Food and the hospitality industry saved my life.” 34 | NOVEMBER 2017 | grandeurmagazine.com

We can’t choose our parents, but we can choose and change how we want to wake up. Food and the hospitality industry saved my life.

Private chef Andy Hyde, of Andy Hyde Catering in Naples, supports a giant black grouper caught locally and provided by Blue Star Seafood Co. Andyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s cuisine combines elements from his African, American and European background to craft his signature flavors.

GRANDEUR | NOVEMBER 2017 | 35

grand | COVER STORY

They are bringing me amazing ingredients, things I never thought Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d be so lucky to work with.

36 | NOVEMBER 2017 | grandeurmagazine.com

Kristina San Filippo, chef and owner of the Purple Spoon in Bonita Springs, was born and raised in Atlanta, but you can’t tell by her accent. Laughing, she says, “Unless I get angry.” Accepted into the University of Oregon’s acclaimed architecture program, she remembers, “After the first year, I had an epiphany — I didn’t want to design suburbia and sit in front of a computer.” She had been learning pastry from a Culinary Institute of America graduate who made a deal with the budding chef. “She would write a recommendation for me if I got a job in a high volume restaurant and got my ass kicked around a bit,” Kristina says. She also made a deal with her parents to get a degree in hospitality management. Moving to Southwest Florida more than a decade ago, she says, “I walked into the culinary center in the

Robb & Stucky store and fell in love with the teaching side (of cooking), the customer interaction.” After being introduced to the local farming scene, her vision of combing the two for a culinary center began to form. She hosts market days, educates and is champion for knowing where your food comes from. Weekly dinners are by reservation with the exception of community gathering meals when payment is based on a contribution system. Her go to ingredient? “I can’t enough of the pineapple,” she says, “no question about that.” She roasts it, uses it in salsa, makes soups with it and even elixirs, then gives the tops of the fruit to customers to plant and grow their own. About the local farmers, she gushes, “They are bringing me amazing ingredients, things I never thought I’d be so lucky to work with.”

Kristina San Filippo, chef and owner of Purple Spoon in Bonita Springs, is a champion for knowing where your food is coming from. Here, she displays a bison skull from Three Suns Ranch in Punta Gorda, where she finds local, free range bison meat. Opposite page, Kristina holds a find from Florida Microgreens in Cape Coral. Purple spoon is at 25151 Chamber of Commerce Drive.

GRANDEUR | NOVEMBER 2017 | 37

grand | COVER STORY

Chef Josh Zeman, from Sea Salt, 1136 Third St. South in Naples, balances a large wheel of ParmigianoReggiano. Josh’s forte is plating food in what he describes as “Jackson Pollockish style.”

38 | NOVEMBER 2017 | grandeurmagazine.com

Josh Zeman was into sports growing up in Pottsville, Pennsylvania, and brings that team atmosphere to the kitchen of Sea Salt on Third Street South in Naples. As a teenager, Josh entered the restaurant scene like many before him, washing dishes and clearing tables. Then one day, he recalls, “My mom told me to get my act together. So I went to cooking school.” When he left home, he remembers thinking, “I have to make it. I can’t go back.” An internship brought him to Southwest Florida, and he stayed. Besides having a team mentality, Josh also has a knack for assembling things. “When putting puzzles or Legos together, I never had to look at instructions or twice at the box to replicate it. I have a good vision,” he says. Plating food is his forte, and he describes his style as “Jackson Pollock-ish.” When left to his own design, Josh gravitates toward dishes with an Asian influence, such as octopus with fermented black bean and pear sauce. His signature dish is a pan-seared red snapper with tomato gratin, pine nut relish, arugula and warm pancetta vinaigrette. “The richness of the gratin, the acidity in the vinaigrette and the crunch from pine nuts all balances.” Going into his fourth season at Sea Salt, he says, “Mom is super proud of me and all I’ve accomplished.” His success has also inspired his younger brother to go to culinary school.

My mom told me to get my act together. So I went to cooking school.

GRANDEUR | NOVEMBER 2017 | 39

grand | COVER STORY

When my mom would go on trips, instead of having keg parties I had intimate dinner parties for four. 40 | NOVEMBER 2017 | grandeurmagazine.com

Todd Erickson is also fresh to the Southwest Florida dining scene as chef and partner of Society, the new culinary experience at the Bell Tower Shops in south Fort Myers. However, he’s not new to the business, with pages of accolades from the creation of several successful Miami restaurants to numerous appearances on national TV shows. Todd is one of the few chefs who actually “Beat Bobby Flay” in the eponymous television show on The Food Network. He did it with an old-school Salisbury steak. From Arizona, Todd’s influences came by way of his grandmothers. He describes the one in Phoenix as “cosmopolitan, enjoying champagne, caviar, polished silver, and always cooking fun, different and ethnic dishes.” On the flipside, his grandmother in Iowa cooked farm meals using

produce from her garden and meat from the cattle her husband raised. He laughs. “When my mom would go on trips, instead of having keg parties, I had intimate dinner parties for four.” On the college degree path of advertising and marketing, he came across the book “Cooking Secrets of the CIA” (Culinary Institute of America) and remembers, “I told my mom I wanted to go and she flipped out … It was before chef ’s were rock stars.” One of his favorite new dishes is a duck meatball. It is tossed in roasted foie gras butter sitting in a nest of pureed sweet potato and bitter orange marmalade, served with grilled toast to sop it all up. He closes his eyes and describes it as “a savory meatball, like a warm hug of fall.”

Executive chef at Society, Todd Erickson balances himself on an oversized pumpkin. Society, at 13499 Bell Tower Drive in south Fort Myers, features modern American cuisine made with fresh ingredients.

GRANDEUR | NOVEMBER 2017 | 41

WINE

DINE

Delicious functionality

• For the wine lover, this Dacor Discovery WineStation is sure to impress. It has the first automated and temperature-controlled four-bottle wine dispensing and preservation system, maintaining freshness of wines for up to 60 days. As a bonus, it also features an intuitive parental control locking door to keep the little ones away and your mind at ease. Priced at $5,649, the WineStation is available at Ferguson Bath, Kitchen & Lighting Gallery, south Fort Myers.

As we gather with family and friends, food and libations become a means of bonding and a conduit for conversation. Invigorate your culinary repertoire this season with an array of innovations so intuitive, you’ll wonder how you lived without them.

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Beyond the standard

Chop and store • Combining

rustic with a touch of industrial, these imported Thirstystone cutting boards are made from mango wood and feature a tin-dipped look on each handle. A storage casing is included with the set of three, and each board features a food-safe finish. $110 at Macy’s.

42 | NOVEMBER 2017 | grandeurmagazine.com

• Create that perfect cup of coffee with the Bosch coffee machine. Its intuitive interface helps you easily craft and customize coffee to perfection. Choose from a wide variety of coffees and teas, or treat yourself to exclusive CoffeeWorld beverages inspired by exotic creations from around the globe. $3,449 at Design Studio by Raymond, 990 First Ave. N., Naples.

PATRICK SASSO for Mauviel USA

grand | SHOPPING

Energize your cooking

• A collection that blends traditional metals to create incredible cookware — M’heritage cookware combines copper, which fosters heat conductivity and control, and stainless steel to meet daily wear-and-tear with durability and dependability. Cast iron, bronze or cast stainless steel options are available for customization of your handles, which means individualized aesthetic for your style. $130 - $1,995. Available through Mauviel online at mauvielusa.com.

Designed to perfect • Take the guesswork

out of cooking with a tool that exacts your meal to perfection. By simply attaching to any pot, the Anova Precision Cooker uses precise temperature control to deliver juicy, flavor-packed results every time. It pairs with an app that is full of recipes and will even notify you when your meal is done. Starts at $129. Available at anovaculinary.com

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New age meets vintage • Taking care of yourself in a natural way just became easier — and more stylish — with this ’50s inspired slow juicer. The Smeg Slow Juicer’s sleek exterior design and stainless steel interior is designed to cold-press juices for an amazingly fresh and simple way to eat healthy. It comes with a recipe book and plenty of options for making juice that you can feel good about. $599.95 at Williams Sonoma.

An edge on design

• Form meets function with a beautifully crafted knife set from France’s legendary knife maker, Laguiole en Aubrac. The razor sharp blades are forged from ultra-strong Swedish Sandvik stainless steel, and each handle is crafted with organic grains and an array of gorgeous wooden hues. Its magnetic oak block provides sleek and easy storage while preserving the blades sharp edge. Priced at $549.95, the Laguiole en Aubrac 6-piece knife set is available at Williams Sonoma. GRANDEUR | NOVEMBER 2017 | 43

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WHERE THERE’S NEVER AN ORDINARY DAY. At Hidden Harbor, you’re on the edge of everything wonderful—launch a kayak, go for a sail, or reel in the catch of the day. It’s all yours at the ultimate luxury boating community, featuring an exceptional collection of contemporary coastal homes —many with private docks. Now offering exciting new ﬂoor plans, fully furnished models to tour, a collection of move-in-ready homes, plus a harbor-view clubhouse ready to enjoy.

Directions: I-75 to Alico Road (ext 128). South on US 41 first set of lights (at Michael Rippe Parkway) turn west (into Sandy Parrot Plaza) immediately turn left and follow the flags. Or MapQuest 17200 S. Tamiami Trail and follow the flags.

Residences from the $400s. 17270 Hidden Estates Circle | Fort Myers, Florida 33908 | 239.249.6255 | StockDevelopment.com Stock Realty, LLC, Exclusive Sales Agent, Licensed Real Estate Broker BROKER PARTICIPATION WELCOMED. ORAL REPRESENTATIONS CANNOT BE RELIED UPON AS CORRECTLY STATING THE REPRESENTATIONS OF THE DEVELOPER. FOR CORRECT REPRESENTATIONS REFERENCE SHOULD BE MADE TO THE DOCUMENTS REQUIRED BY SECTION 718.503, FLORIDA STATUTES, TO BE FURNISHED BY A DEVELOPER TO A BUYER OR LESSEE. NOT AN OFFERING WHERE PROHIBITED BY STATE LAW. PRICES SUBJECT TO CHANGE WITHOUT NOTICE.

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grand | PETS

IT’S A These two border collies enjoy the good life thanks to their training. here’s nothing like a day on the water, but it’s even better when you’re in the great outdoors on a standup paddleboard accompanied by your two canine companions. Addison and Skyy go along with Aschley Kezeske on backbay forays off Bonita Beach Road. Addison is a border collie mix and Skyy is a border collie; both are 6 years old. “We love to do it with our dogs so they get extra exercise, and bonding with your dog is so important,” says Aschley, 30. “It’s fun. They love to swim and run on the sandbars.”

It’s no surprise that this wellbehaved duo enjoy the luxury of these excursions, because Aschley is the owner of Ruffgers Dog University, which offers obedience, focus, rally, agility, counter-conditioning, competition and basic puppy training. Ruffgers opened in Naples in 2012 as a 5,000-squarefoot training facility for all types of dogs. Aschley later added an additional 2,000 square feet for doggy day care and overnight boarding, and is expanding to Bonita Springs with an opening planned this month. Aschley has had a deep connection with border collies from the age of 13, when her family

Aschley Kezeske, co-owner of Ruffgers Dog University, with her two pups Addison, a bearded collie mix, and Skyy, a border collier in the indoor training facility Aschley uses to train her dogs and those of her clients.

STORY BY CATHY CHESTNUT | PHOTOS BY LUKE FRANKE GRANDEUR | NOVEMBER 2017 | 45

grand | PETS

brought home Bear, and she asked her parents to let her enroll Bear in an agility course at a veterinary clinic in Plover, Wisconsin. “I really like the breed — their work ethic and loyalty. They are so smart. They love to work and learn new things.” It was an entrée into a different realm with the new family pet, and Aschley went on to train with a nationally recognized trainer. Border collies are herding dogs with strong instincts and the need for consistent exercise. Aschley runs with them in the morning, takes them to work and accompanies them for herding vacations to Wisconsin farmland in the summer. Both Addison and Skyy contend in formidable agility and obedience American Kennel Club and UK Agility International competitions. Skyy has earned the title of Master Agility Champion, the highest AKC award. Addison, who was rescued from the Humane Society of Naples, is an AKC Canine Good Citizen — a gold

standard certification — and has worked as a therapy dog at a local domestic abuse shelter and nursing home. “It’s very important to give back to the community,” Aschley says. All of their solid training translates into their ability to go along for the ride, including stand-up paddleboarding. There is no fear that one of them will randomly jump off the board or run down the shoreline. They simply do as Aschley instructs and don’t make a move they haven’t been instructed to do. “They haven’t been instructed to do anything but stay on the board. ‘OK’ is my release cue to tell them they can move from their position and go into the water,” she says. “It’s all about reinforcing. If I hadn’t worked so hard on land, it wouldn’t work.” Whether on the water or playing Frisbee or hiking at Koreshan State Historic Site — frolicking anywhere outdoors — Addison and Skyy are two content canines. “Anytime with mom, they’re happy.”

Addison and Skyy pose inside the indoor training facility.

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Existing and proposed amenities for the community are subject to changes, substitutions and/or deletions without notice. Lennar makes no representation or guarantee that the community or any amenities will be built out as currently planned. Photographs depict the community as of the dates taken. Photographs are solely for illustrative purposes and should never be relied upon. The past, present, future of proposed roads, easements, land uses, conditions, plat maps, lot sizes or layouts, zoning, utilities, drainage, land conditions, or development of any type whatsoever, whether reflected in the photographs/video, or whether outside the boundaries of the photographs/video, may not be shown or may be incomplete or inaccurate. The present, future of proposed roads, easements, land uses, conditions, plat maps, lot sizes or layouts, zoning, drainage, land conditions, or development of any type may or may not change in the future. It is not uncommon that any of the foregoing can change without notice to you. You should never rely on the accuracy of photographs or videos in making any decisions relative to purchasing any property. We reserve the right to make changes at any time without notice. Offers are product and community specific and may not be combined. See your New Home Consultant for details. Values on special offers are approximate. Elevations of a home may vary and we reserve the right to substitute and /or modify design and materials, in our sole opinion and without notice. Please see your actual home purchase agreement for additional information, disclosures and disclaimers related to the home and its features. Please see your New Home Consultant and home purchase agreement for actual features designated as an Everything’s Included feature, additional information, disclosures, and disclaimers relating to your home and its features. The specific features in a home may vary from home to home and from one community to another. We reserve the right to substitute equipment, material, appliances and brand names with items of equal or higher value, in our sole opinion. Color and size variations may occur. The prices of our homes, included features, and available locations are subject to change without notice. Please see the actual home purchase agreement for additional information, disclosures and disclaimers relating to the home and its features. Plans are artist’s renderings and may contain options which are not standard on all models. Lennar reserves the right to make changes to plans and elevations without prior notice. Stated dimensions and square footage are approximate and should not be used as representation of the home’s precise or actual size. Any statement, verbal or written, regarding “under air” or “finished area” or any other description or modifier of the square footage size of any home is a shorthand description of the manner in which the square footage was estimated and should not be construed to indicate certainty. Garage sizes may vary from home to home and may not accommodate all vehicles. Models/lifestyle photos do not reflect racial or ethnic preference. Lennar makes no guarantee as to the availability of homes within the price ranges set forth above. Select homesites have premiums. Price subject to change without notice. Visit lennar.com or see a Lennar New Home Consultant for further details and important legal disclaimers. This is not an offer in states where prior registration is required. Void where prohibited by law. Copyright © 2017 Lennar Corporation Lennar, the Lennar logo are U.S. registered service marks or service marks of Lennar Corporation and/or its subsidiaries. CGC031523, CGC1522737 and CGC1507191. 10/17.

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grand | GETAWAY

This shrimp and okra dish is served at Commanderâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Palace in New Orleans.

NEW ORLEANS:

A foodie

hot spot

Courtesy of the NEW ORLEANS CONVETION & VISITORS BUEARU

The Louisiana city is an iconic haven for exquisite cuisine, rich flavor and longstanding tradition. or those who crave unique and cultural tastings during their travels, New Orleans is a hot foodie destination. Fondly known as NOLA, this quaint city boasts more than 1,500 restaurants and more than 20 James Beard Award-winning chefs. One might venture to the French Quarter for celebrations like Mardi Gras, but a trip any time of year is taste-bud worthy. New Orleans cuisine is as diverse as the people and as rich as the cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s history, says Kristian Sonnier, spokesman for the New Orleans Convention and Visitors Bureau.

STORY BY JENNIFER THOMAS

GRANDEUR | NOVEMBER 2017 | 49

Photos courtesy of the NEW ORLEANS CONVETION & VISITORS BUEARU

grand | GETAWAY

Clockwise from left: Cafe du Monde serves up coffee and beignets to locals and tourists. • Bourbon Street is the heart of the French Quarter. • A waitress serves cocktails at Commander’s Palace. The restaurant is well-known for its creole fare. • King cakes are a seasonal treat served during Mardi Gras. • A Bananas Foster dish is topped with an edible fleur de lis.

“It has been influenced by the various cultures that have inhabited our city for nearly 300 years including the French, Spanish, African, Vietnamese, Latin American, Italian and more,” he says. “While many unique dishes were created here, the original styles of cooking native to Louisiana are the foundation of it all. Cajun and creole cuisine are often referred to interchangeably, but they are two very different styles. The simplest distinction is that creole dishes typically use tomato and are considered ‘city food,’ while Cajun food is robust and comes from the country.” Traditional New Orleans dishes include red beans and rice, gumbo, jambalaya and crawfish étouffée. For food travelers, Kristian recommends not to miss hot fresh beignets, a po’boy (dressed!), muffuletta and, if it’s Mardi 50 | NOVEMBER 2017 | grandeurmagazine.com

Gras season (January 6, or Kings Day, to Fat Tuesday), a king cake. “During Mardi Gras season, locals and visitors enjoy king cakes from morning to night,” Kristian says. “The large, round pastry can be filled with cinnamon or, in more contemporary recipes, cream cheese, apple, strawberry and other sweet flavors. Some of the other most popular sweet treats include bread pudding, macaroons, pralines and — the absolute treat of the summer — snoballs.” Other sweet treats not to miss: the beignet and Bananas Foster. “The most commonly known sweet treat in New Orleans is the beignet. This French version of a doughnut is best served hot with piles of powdered sugar and accompanied by a café au lait — coffee with chicory and milk,” Kristian says. “A decadent dessert invented in New

Orleans, Bananas Foster is as much a performance as a dessert. The flaming dish is made with bananas, cinnamon, banana liqueur and dark rum, and is typically served over ice cream.” The culinary delights attract many a traveler from Southwest Florida. “New Orleans cuisine is unlike any other food in the world, indigenous to itself. I feel it’s a mix of Southern, creole, Cajun, Latin and French. We love its uniqueness, flavors and creativity,” says Annie McMurray, of Fort Myers. “Some of our favorite dishes we have had in NOLA are gumbo, boudin, beignets and po’boys. I hadn’t ever tried boudin or oyster po’boys before. Both dishes are unique to NOLA and were created out of a need to keep cost of food to a minimum.” Food critics also hail praise to this city for its culinary achievements. Food

& Wine Magazine recently named New Orleans one of the Best Food Cities in the World. Annie has enjoyed dining at Atchafalaya (gumbo and a Bloody Mary bar), The High Hat Café for a po’boy, Herbsaint, Cochon Butcher (pork-focused Cajun fare) and Cafe du Monde for beignets and coffee. And, she says, there are “many more restaurants there that I am dying to explore.” Kristian recommends Parkway Bakery and Tavern as the place to go for a traditional po’boy experience. “I recommend grabbing a roast beef or fried oyster po’boy and a Barq’s root beer or Abita beer.” For breakfast, lunch, dinner or dessert, hungry diners line-up for a table at Mother’s for an authentic home-style meal, and Commander’s Palace is often

“New Orleans cuisine is unlike any other food in the world, indigenous to itself. I feel it’s a mix of Southern, creole, Cajun, Latin and French. We love its uniqueness, flavors and creativity.” — ANNIE MCMURRAY, OF FORT MYERS

on visitors’ list for an excellent creole dining experience. Cape Coral resident Audrey Lovell escaped to New Orleans during the wrath of Hurricane Irma in September. She and her family were delighted visiting for the first time. On their list, of course, was food. “We dined at Copeland’s for one of our experiences. They had great chowder,” she says. “For a touristy experience, we ate at Hard Rock Café, where they offered a specialty burger from New Orleans, and they had a lot of Cajun dishes on the menu.” The Lovells struck out at Café Du Monde. “We wanted to get beignets and chicory coffee at Café Du Monde Coffee Stand...but even midday on a Monday the line was crazy. I mean like crazy,” she exclaims. “We were told if you want to not have a wait, go early for breakfast. This is iconic, and we would try it again.” A newer breakfast hot-spot, Willa Jean, offers everything from pastries and coffee to shrimp and grits, the ever-popular avocado toast, house-made biscuits and more, Kristian adds. “In addition to the long-standing traditional restaurants like Antoine’s, Arnaud’s and Tujague’s, which represent the ‘old guard’ of New Orleans dining, many new restaurants offer stellar dinner services including Compere Lapin, DTB, Maypop and Meril,” Kristian says. If you have room for dessert, there are some sweet options not to miss. “Head to Brennan’s for the original Bananas Foster or back to Café Du Monde for a late night beignet,” Kristian recommends. “Sucrè offers luxurious baked goods, ice cream, macaroons and even adult milkshakes.” Traditional Sunday Brunch is also a staple of New Orleans dining, and many restaurants, including Commander’s Palace, Brennan’s and Court of Two Sisters, offer a traditional selection of

cuisine. Others around the city offer a modern twist, such as SoBou’s Legs & Eggs burlesque brunch and the Drag Brunch at The Country Club. Some seasonal treats are based on tradition — king cakes in Mardi Gras season, snoballs in summer — while others have more to do with the freshness of ingredients. “Crawfish are popular on salads, in gumbo and even just boiled and eaten straight out of the shell. Their season can vary based on water temperatures, but the best crawfish are typically found in the spring and early summer (February or March through May or June),” Kristian says. “Oysters are another local favorite seafood only available in their select season. Eaten raw on the half shell, charbroiled with garlic, butter and seasonings, fried on a po’boy, or cooked in gumbo, these popular bivalves are only caught from the week after Labor Day through the end of April.” There are also many food festivals year-round to allow visitors to taste seasonal and cultural food icons. In November, the Tremé Creole Gumbo Festival is held at Louis Armstrong Park in the Tremé neighborhood. “New Orleans is home to more than 135 annual festivals and many of them showcase local food and music,” Kristian says. “One of the most popular events of the entire year is the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, which takes place over the last weekend in April and the first weekend in May. Although this is a music festival, the food line-up draws nearly as many attendees as the music.” Additionally, New Orleans celebrates its food and beverages with festivals like Tales of the Cocktail, New Orleans Wine and Food Experience and Daiquiri Season. After a New Orleans food trip, a “fast” might be needed to recover from such divine culinary choices. GRANDEUR | NOVEMBER 2017 | 51

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Thankful vintages

he holiday season is upon us. After a rough couple of months in Southwest Florida (post Hurricane Irma), giving thanks, for many, may hit a little closer to the heart than it has in years past. I’m thankful to fill this month’s case of wine with the help of Peter Hyzak, general manager of Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse in Estero. With Thanksgiv-

ing in mind, picking wines to serve can be a bit like throwing a dart thanks to the menagerie of foods and flavors that typically line tables and counters. Whether it’s a wine that just makes your taste buds happy, one that reminds you of something special, or one that is a perfect pairing for one of your many Thanksgiving Day courses, these wines are sure to fit the bill.

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Landmark Pinot Gris ($22) » It looks classy, it smells like an orchard and it tastes vibrant. The white wine lover at your table will be all over this one. It has nice layers of flavors from peach and citrus, to minerals and even a slight savory note with a finish featuring a touch of cream and spice. It was a pleasant find for me as I’m more familiar with the chardonnays and pinot noirs from this producer. This is a good one for a cheese plate (think Gruyere style) and any seafood courses you’ll be serving.

Balletto BCD Vineyard Pinot Noir, 2015 ($44) » I can hardly imagine a Thanksgiving table without a bottle of pinot noir on it. Over the summer I tasted through six from Balletto in Sonoma with winemaker Anthony Beckman — they were fantastic. While I would recommend any of them, this one reminded me most of the holidays with its aromatics of orange, cherry and spice. It’s a traditional Russian River Valley pinot: dark, juicy, soft fruit and a full mouthfeel. Delish.

Kistler “Dutton Vineyard” Chardonnay ($75) » I really don’t care for the term “buttery,” but this very big chardonnay cannot be described any other way. It coats the mouth with elegance. Kistler is a well-known name for those seeking out exquisite, small production California wines, especially chardonnay. It’s one you’ll mostly find on the wine lists of fine restaurants or in the boutique wine shops in Southwest Florida; it is every bit worth the hunt.

Ghost Block Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, 2014 ($90) » Not all holiday tables are full of light fare like turkeys. Many families also serve robust meats and big flavorful dishes that would be perfect for a juicy cabernet sauvignon. This is what a cab should taste like. It’s 90 percent cabernet, 5 percent malbec and 5 percent petit verdot. It’s my go-to celebration cab — then again aren’t most days in Florida a celebration?

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52 | NOVEMBER 2017 | grandeurmagazine.com

GINA BIRCH

Gina Birch is the wine columnist for The NewsPress in Fort Myers. Follow her social media here: Twitter: @ginabirch Facebook: GinaBirch

PETER HYZAK Guest columnist and general manager of Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse in Estero

Pascal Jolivet Sancerre ($21) » This wine is 100-percent sauvignon blanc with a hint of “Old World” minerality. As well it should, since Sancerre is a French sauv blanc. Because the French know how to do wine with finesse, this one only has a slight hint of grapefruit, no big pucker. It’s true and crisp, a great wine if you’re serving seafood or want something refreshing to drink before your big holiday meal — maybe even while cooking it.

Mionetto Luxury Cartizze ($45) » I’m a big fan of anything that sparkles. Not all bubbles have to be from Champagne to be a good fit for the holidays. Peter’s pick is one that is bone dry. This one is a bit more on the fruity side, candied fruit. However, it’s not too sweet. From Italy, it’s a bit creamy and even dreamy with almonds and vanilla, a nice complement to salty starters, dessert or sipping on its own.

Bertani BertaRose’ ($17) » This is a true summer wine, but then again regardless of what the calendar says, isn’t it always summer in Southwest Florida? Don’t discount rose for the holidays as many of them have great structure and can stand up to the fish and fowl that you’re serving. That being said, I can see pouring this one as an aperitif at Thanksgiving. From the Veneto region of Italy, it’s crisp with just a hint of sweetness.

Patricius Tokaj Dry Furmint, 2015 ($17) » If you are looking for a wine that is a bit out of the box but still in a bottle, this is it. A Hungarian gem. Furmint is the grape, and its nose is typically a bit perfumed. However, in the glass, this one has nice minerality. It’s tropical, full of peaches with good acidity, and a fuller than expected mouth feel. This is another good wine for fish and fowl.

Georges Vesselle, Brut-Zero, 2009 ($50) » Champagne is an essential wine for the holidays, from Thanksgiving to New Year’s and now is the time to stock up on the good stuff. This one comes from a highly sought-after producer in the Champagne region of France. It is a bone dry Champagne that has no sugar added during fermentation. It’s a very crisp and a very elegant wine.

Ferraton Pere & Fils “Samorens” Cotes du Rhone, 2015 ($14) » This one is so affordable you could and probably should buy a case. This way you can pull bottles all season for both serving and gifting. It’s mostly Grenache, and I like it with a slight chill. Like many wines, this one gets better the more it is open. If you’re impatient, aerate it while serving. It’s a wine full of silky red fruits with a hint of savory. The finish reminds me of a cherry Jolly Rancher.

Pahlmeyer 2014 Merlot Napa Valley ($85) » If you’ve turned you back on merlot, this one will make you a believer again. Oh the smell of sweet tobacco, violets and juicy dark fruits make it hard to take your nose out of the glass. It takes a minute to open (a good candidate for decanting), but when it does, it is velvety, savory and juicy. A hint of petit verdot was added to this, and you can taste it on the finish. This is a wine that would also make a nice gift as it has some aging potential.

*Prices listed can vary. Some of these wines can be found in local wine shops, others are limited production and may require shipment from the producers themselves.

Patz & Hall “Sonoma Coast” Pinot Noir ($48) » Some great pinot noirs are being produced in Sonoma, California, and this is one of them. Almost all of the big names in the wine critic community consistently give high scores to this pinot. It has intense, pure red berry fruit that lingers in the mouth. Something about the fruit and the spice in this one makes it taste like the holidays. I would call it a true pinot noir. GRANDEUR | NOVEMBER 2017 | 53

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grand | ARTS

Black and White Warbler Biotrope by Amy Gross

evolution OF A GALLERY STORY BY CATHY CHESTNUT

“Celestial Movement“ ceramic sculpture by Kirsten Stingle

The anniversary exhibit at the Watson MacRae Gallery spotlights 10 years of signature artists.

n eclectic exhibit of various mediums by almost two dozen artists ushers in a celebrationworthy season at Watson MacRae Gallery: A Sanctuary of Art on Sanibel Island this month. “10th Anniversary Exhibit: A Decade in the Making” spotlights signature artists who have been with the gallery since its opening, ones who have catapulted and more recent arrivals. Paintings, prints, sculpture, glass, ceramics and fiber work are displayed in the exhibit, and a recent piece may be paired with older ones to elucidate an artist’s evolution, says

gallery owner Maureen Watson. “They might be juxtaposed, if it’s really different,” she says. “Part of the gallery is about education; I want to show how artists grow and evolve.” Maureen opened the gallery with a John Updike quote in mind: “What art offers is space — a certain breathing room for the spirit.” It continues to reflect her philosophy. “The underlying belief is that art heals. The energy and feeling that an artist puts into the work resonates,” she says. “That’s why it’s important that you pick work you feel good about, that you love. That energy stays in the piece, and in your home.” GRANDEUR | NOVEMBER 2017 | 55

grand | ARTS Today, the gallery represents about 35 artists in a wide range of mediums and milestones within their careers. Successful abstract expressionist Hollis Jeffcoat, an innate colorist and third-generation Lee Countian who graduated from the New York Studio School, has been represented since the first season. Her work is in the collections of the Metropolitan Museum of Art and Brooklyn Museum in New York and the contemporary art museums in Montreal and Quebec City in Canada. The canvases of another local favorite with a national reputation, oil and master pastel painter Greg Biolchini, glow these days with his ethereal interpretation of Southwest Florida skies. The representational realist was a contributing writer for three books on pastel who designed and led workshops from Florida to Hawaii. This is his sixth season with Watson MacRae Gallery. The Bonita Springs native has been showing and selling in Southwest Florida galleries since 1976 and says he couldn’t be more thrilled with his relationship with the gallery owner. “She’s been a dream gallery come true. She is comfortable to work with and is very supportive of her artists. You feel like you’re part of a family. She’s a good businesswoman who’s definitely raised the bar for galleries in the area.” Maureen also picks up emerging artists who haven’t yet made headlines. She discovered fiber artist Amy

Florida Sky #44 by Greg Biolchin

Gross, of Delray Beach, in the All-Florida Invitational Exhibit at the Boca Raton Museum of Art. “I was looking around and saying, ‘That’s nice, that’s nice.’ I turn a corner, and all of a sudden, a piece took my breath away. It was Amy Gross. It was so exciting,” Maureen recalls. Amy had been turned away by other galleries, “because her work was so different, they didn’t get it,” Maureen says. One of Amy’s complex beaded and embroidered

“plant-forms” graced the cover of the Spring 2016 issue of Fiber Art Now magazine. On the other end of the spectrum, Maureen began showing Walter Darby Bannard, an art critic, lecturer and abstract painter who enjoyed a vibrant career from the 1960s through the 1990s with exhibits at major art museums internationally. She began representing Walter, who died in October 2016 at the age of 82, late in his career, as he was undergoing a resurgence of sorts, and is representing part of his estate. “That’s one of the roles of a gallery owner — to encourage and help artists in their career,” Maureen says. One of her former artists, Rick Araluce, is currently enjoying a solo show at the Smithsonian Renwick Gallery in Washington, D.C. Reflecting on the past decade, Maureen says, “I show art that people won’t see very often, unless they go to a museum,” she says. “I look for work that is very highquality, that is unusual, and that has some soul. Is it welldone, well-crafted? Does it make me feel something? If it has feeling, then I like it.” “10th Anniversary Exhibit: A Decade in the Making” opens Tuesday, November 14, with a reception and runs through December 9. Watson MacRae Gallery: A Sanctuary of Art is in The Village Shops, 2340 Periwinkle Way, Sanibel Island, 239-472-3386.

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grand | RIDE

STORY BY STEPHANIE BORDEN | PHOTOS BY LIAM JAMES DOYLE

ROLL DOWN

MEMORY LANE Naples car collector enjoys the stories of the past stirred up by his Pierce-Arrow roadster.

t takes a blend of knowledge, patience and determination to faithfully restore a 91-year-old Pierce-Arrow roadster. Naples car collector Gary Doner has all these qualities, plus something almost magical. He has a special eye for analyzing paint colors to hand-mix antique hues without using charts or computers. The 73-year-old Van Wert, Ohio, native is known for doing most of his own restoration work in his home garage, equipped with a variety of hand tools, an engine hoist, air compressor and about three dozen cans of paint. “A car guy never throws anything away,” he says, “until he knows he has finished his very last car.” Antiques awaiting restoration in Gary’s garage include a 1927 Studebaker and a 1929 Marmon Roosevelt. Gary’s first job after moving to Florida in 1975 was in the Tamiami Ford body shop, where a man who was about to

retire taught him the art and science of color. Gary recalls how this man would tell him to go over to a Ford they were working on and describe the body color. When Gary would reply “it’s blue,” the man would tell him to look deep into that blue until he could observe the colors that made up that shade. “I would puzzle over it for weeks and months until finally I could look deep into the blue and also see some red and gold,” Gary remembers. His color ability came in handy at Bathcrest, a franchise he owned in Naples for 30 years until his retirement in 2014. Gary visited home construction sites to repaint bathroom tubs and sinks, kitchen appliances and flooring that had been chipped. “Workers would drop a hammer or scratch a bathtub by setting a ladder inside to hang overhead lights,” he recalls. GRANDEUR | NOVEMBER 2017 | 61

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Naples resident Gary Doner with his restored and operational PierceArrow Motor Car Company roadster.

“Even though a tub would be labeled white or bone, no two shades were ever alike, so I would hand-mix several tints to get a perfect match.” In 1926, the Pierce-Arrow Series 80 runabout was a luxury model selling for $2,895 to $4,000, depending on options, during a time when Henry Ford’s Model T was priced at only $400. Gary has been told that only 30 examples of his Pierce-Arrow runabout still exist today. The Series 80 line was introduced in 1924 by the Buffalo, New York, factory as a lower-priced companion car to the costlier Model 33, offering a smaller but better-performing L-head six- cylinder engine. The roadster was equipped with a rumble seat, four-wheel mechanical brakes and wood artillery wheels. One of designer Herbert Dawley’s innovations was the fairing of the headlights into the top of the front fenders, a feature that would become a hallmark of 62 | NOVEMBER 2017 | grandeurmagazine.com

the luxury brand highly regarded for its craftsmanship and performance. “Pierce-Arrow was known as a company that would build anything a customer wanted,” Gary says. Custom features on his runabout include a special door to load golf clubs into the rumble seat and an extra several inches of door width for easier access to the passenger compartment. You could say that Gary’s 1926 Pierce-Arrow Series 80 runabout found him, rather than the other way around. It was about 1980 when he told an acquaintance working in an auto body shop to let him know if he ever found anything really special for sale. Twenty years passed before Gary got that call, but it was worth it. His restoration earned him an award this year for the best home-built restoration at the annual Naples Depot show hosted by the Antique Automobile

Club of America’s Naples-Marco Island region. His car also was exhibited this summer in the lobby of a local RitzCarlton hotel. Although Gary has the equipment and the expertise to handle most of his projects, he says “restoring a 1926 motor is such a specialty that I searched for the best guy I could find, built a crate to hold the engine, and drove it up to his shop in Pennsylvania. It took a year to finish, because this guy is so good he had a waiting list.” Gary also had to replace some damaged body parts including components of door hinges. After searching for original parts at many car shows, Gary found a Minnesota car collector who let him borrow Series 80 original parts for fabrication by a restoration expert. “This guy didn’t know me. I could have been John Dillinger. But after a couple of phone calls, he trusted me enough

to send me his original parts, which I returned to him.” The restoration took about four years. Oh, and the paint? Gary studied an original Pierce-Arrow color chart and hand-mixed the dove gray he selected for the exterior. It’s a custom combination of blue, red, yellow and white. Four cowhides were found to restore the PierceArrow’s black interior. That circle of trust that weaves car collectors together is central to Gary’s passion for the hobby. But what really turns his wheels is sharing the history and unique story of his antique automobiles with anyone who is curious. “I love hearing them say ‘My Grandpa drove that exact car’ and share stories from the past.” Gary will never forget what happened at a car show last year when he noticed two gentlemen in their 90s staring at his Pierce-Arrow. “They told

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“These two guys just wanted to touch my car. They couldn’t have been happier if they had won the lottery.”

HOLI DAY SEAS ON

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PREPARE TO LOOK AND FEEL FLORIDA SKINCHANTING FOR THE HOLIDAYS TODAY! me they had left their Ohio homes together to serve in World War II,” he recalls. “After the war, they were left in California and began hitching home to Ohio. They described how a fancy 1926 Pierce-Arrow runabout just like mine pulled up and the driver asked if they needed a lift. They squeezed into the rumble seat and rode all the way to Ohio. They said after the driver dropped them off and told them, ‘Welcome home boys,’ they found out that was Dick Powell, the Hollywood actor.” “These two guys just wanted to touch my car,” Gary says with a smile. “They couldn’t have been happier if they had won the lottery.” Many local car collectors have stories of how antique automobiles

are connecting people of all ages with their best memories. Anyone interested in learning more about antique cars is invited to join the Naples-Marco region of the Antique Automobile Club of America for its regular meetings and special events. Owning an antique vehicle is not a requirement. For more information on how to connect with the club, go online to naplesmarcoaaca.org. The club’s renowned annual Naples Depot Antique Automobile Show is scheduled for March 24. More than 100 beautifully restored antique automobiles will be on display, with their owners on hand for conversation. A $5 donation is requested to help support local charities.

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grand | OPEN DOOR

Lynn Pitochelli and David Pizur changed the typical Tuscan look of their condo into a contemporary look with lots of art work. One of the changes was having all the iron railings on the staircase painted black and rubbed with silver.

A NOD TO North Naples couple transform their home from dark Tuscan coach house to light Parisian suite.

GRANDEUR | NOVEMBER 2017 | 65

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STORY BY ANDREA STETSON | PHOTOS BY ANDREW WEST

hen Lynn Pitochelli and David Pizur purchased their coach home, it had a typical heavy, dark Tuscan look. Now it looks nothing like that. It’s contemporary, Parisian, artistic and full of their favorite things. “There are a lot of people that think their house should be a certain way, but your house should be you,” Lynn says.

The transformation all revolved around a large painting they call Elena. Shortly after purchasing the home, the couple went to Art Basal, an international art show in Miami, looking for the perfect piece to showcase in their great room. They didn’t find anything there but saw one artist’s portfolio that had just what they were looking for in Barcelona. So Elena was shipped from Spain to North Naples to begin their path to renovations. “This was our inspiration,” Lynn says. “This piece started the entire project. It was the inspiration for the entire place. She sort of sparked everything.” 66 | NOVEMBER 2017 | grandeurmagazine.com

The 48-inch by 60-inch painting was done by Spanish artist Alfredo Palmero. It features a lady with thick jet black hair that sticks straight out from her head. She looks like she is wearing a black ballet top and a huge colorful skirt that has lots of black and splashes of red and other colors. The painting not only sparks a color scheme for the home, it highlights the whimsical side of their decorating. On either side of Elena are some very unusual chairs. “It’s the I-fell-down-a-rabbit-hole chairs,” Lynn says.

The chairs have a blush pink, triangle cushion. The back is designed with shiny black stems with leaves on top. The black legs look like a ballerina’s plie. “When they were delivered, I had this lovehate relationship with them,” Lynn says. “It was ‘oh I love them, oh they are crazy.’” “Mine was all love,” David adds. Between the chairs, under the painting, is an art deco glass table from the 1930s. The whimsical theme continues nearby with a bright orange African mask made of cast glass that they call Michael. Yes, they name their artwork. “When the morning sun comes up in the east, he glows, and in the evening, he gets the sun from the west and he glows again,” Lynn says. On the coffee table is a sculpture that looks like embers burning. That one doesn’t have a name. “Someone described our home as ‘there is whimsy in every room,’” Lynn says. The home also features the surprising. A table by the elevator and a large coffee table in the center of the family room are made of squares of goatskin. Another unusual addition is a 3D art piece by the elevator made of handmade paper, antique book bindings and sheet music. Elena set the scene for the colors in the home. “I love black,” Lynn says. “It is my favorite color until they come up with something darker. It grounds the room and gives it an edgy elegance.” On the wall across from the painting, the couple added a leathered granite black wall to insert the flat screen television and the linear fireplace. They also painted a large cabinet black

Clockwise from left: Lynn Pitochelli sits in front of the painting she calls Elena. Pitocelli said it was the artwork that inspired the renovations throughout their home. • When the couple first moved in, there was only one closet in the master suite. So they cut the master bathroom in half and made his and her bathrooms and closets. This is David Pizur’s closet, which is entered through an archway. • Black and white furnishings and art work are seen throughout the house. Here the two favorites combine with a chandelier in the dining room that is made of blown and sculpted white glass. • The black and white designs extend into the bathroom. The couple made two smaller bathrooms from the one larger one. • The kitchen area has both modern art and memorable photos on the walls. The sleek black and white colors provide a stark contrast and are very different from the darker wood-like finishes that were there before. • The couple had a cabinet painted black to add to the great room. Just beyond by the staircase is the elevator that they transformed into a Pari-like lift.

GRANDEUR | NOVEMBER 2017 | 67

grand | OPEN DOOR to add to the side of that room. The couple had all the iron railings on the staircase painted black and rubbed with silver. Lynn is most proud of the black she added in her elevator. The elevator originally had solid plastic doors. They removed those and put in black grates on both sides. They added a wood floor to make an old fashioned art deco elevator. “It was like a cheap elevator,” Lynn says. “Now it has black grates and a wood floor. Now it has become a design element and a favorite for us. I always wanted a Paris apartment, so this is our nod to that.” She also used black to make the master bedroom more contemporary. Black furniture and decorations with some splashes of red and a zebra pattern rug give it that modern look. “The red is just a pop,” she says. They continued that modern look in the kitchen, where they ripped out the brown wooden cabinets and put in ones that have a light gray frame with mirrors in the middle. “It changes color as the sun moves through,” Lynn says. They also ripped out a step-up bar and put in one large countertop. They took out the dark granite and put in sleek white countertops with tiny gray veins running through it. The countertop runs up part of the wall as a backsplash. The kitchen also has its whimsical and its traditional sides. On one side of the room is a photo of Lynn and David taking a cooking class in Italy. On the other side is a giant framed print of a picture taken through a window at Bergdorf Goodman in New York City. It features a mannequin with sparkly silver shoes and the reflection of the men’s clothing store across the street. “We have art everywhere,” Lynn says. “Art is big for us, and texture.” That art goes beyond the kitchen and family room to the dens, bedrooms, hallways and lanai. There are works from Spain, China, Korea, France, Russia and Germany. The couple also made some practical renovations. The original master bathroom had a large built-in tub. It also had just one walk-in closet. “We could not share a closet,” Lynn says. “I’m too messy, and he’s much neater.” They added a wall and removed the tub, so they now each have their own master bathroom and their own closet. David’s bathroom is painted in mottled shades of gray and has a high rounded archway that leads to the closet. The colors and shape make it look like the entrance to a castle drawbridge. They also changed the lighting fixtures to lighter, brighter and even more cheery additions. For example, the chandelier in the dining room is made of white handmade blown glass in the shape of shells. “The advantage of living on the second floor is 68 | NOVEMBER 2017 | grandeurmagazine.com

they can get into the attic and change the fixtures,” David says. The home originally had three bedrooms and a den. They converted one of the bedrooms into a second den so they could each have a place to work. Nowhere in the house is there such a difference in styles than in the hisand-her dens. Lynn’s den is modern and sleek with a murphy bed tucked behind a modern black cabinet. There is a shiny white dresser that offsets that stark black and a glass table that’s her desk. The room has a white bookcase and black and white area rug and a very modern glass light fixture. David’s den is masculine and full of his favorite things. He has an orange Chihuly sculpture on one side of the room and a silk from China in a large frame on the other side. His furniture is darker and filled with things from his trips or his adventures, like a photo of him with Arnold Palmer. “The walnut desk was mine from before, and the Chihuly piece, the chair, the Chinese silk, so I worked those things into it,” David says. “I have traveled all over the world and those are just symbolic of the places I traveled to. There are sailing ships. I did a lot of sailing in my earlier days. I have antique golf clubs in there. That is my

current passion. They are just chapters of your life. That is what is in that man cave.” Modern also mixes with traditional in the PitochelliPizur home. They used wallpaper in the elevator, guest bathroom and master bathroom. “We love the wall covering in there,” Lynn says. “I think wall covering is making a huge comeback. Wallpaper adds an element of almost art to the room.” The 2,800-square-foot townhouse is smaller than the

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single-family home in Mediterra that they moved from two years ago, but they say it is the perfect size. “We really are very happy that we moved in here,” Lynn says. Now that the renovations are all done, the couple is loving what they created. While they enjoy every part of their home, they both have their favorite places. “We have somewhat of a routine,” David explains as he sits in the great room. “We have coffee in the morning and discuss any topic, and this is typically the room we do that in. In the winter we spend that time on the lanai.” “I love this room,” Lynn agrees as she looks around the great room. “And I love the study and the leather chaise in the bedroom. That is where I read and relax and do my yoga.” She says the kitchen is also one of her favorite rooms because she loves to cook.

“That is why we brought the counter down and made it one big counter so I could spread everything out. I love that the kitchen is not open to everything because when I cook I make a mess.” As the couple enjoys the lifestyle in their new home, they reflect on how far they have come. “It was a typical Tuscan coach home with the dark granite and with the wood cabinets with the heavy metal light fixtures,” Lynn says. “The bathrooms had the dark granite with the big huge spa tub and the two sinks. It was a very stock coach home like all of them are. But the bones were really good.” And with Elena inspiring them along the way, they figured out how to meld the Tuscan bones with a modern look and sprinkle in the whimsical touches they love. “You don’t have to de-Tuscan,” Lynn says. “You can re-Tuscan.”

Clockwise from top: David Pizur’s den is full of his favorite things from a silk print from China to a Chihuly sculpture. His walnut desk is very different from the glass one in his fiancé’s den. • When the weather cools off, Lynn Pitochelli and David Pizur enjoy spending time on the terrace that has several sculptures to keep the art like atmosphere both inside and outside. • Black and white colors are used throughout the house including in the bedrooms. Lynn Pitochelli says black is her favorite color. • Lynn Pitochelli and David Pizur purchased this second floor condo two years ago and changed the interior from a typical Tuscan look to a very contemporary place.

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© Minto Communities, LLC 2017. Not an offer where prohibited by state statutes. All rights reserved. Content may not be reproduced, copied, altered, distributed, stored or transferred in any form or by any means without express written permission. Artist’s renderings, dimensions, specifications, prices and features are approximate and subject to change without notice. Minto, the Minto logo, The Isles of Collier Preserve and The Isles of Collier Preserve logo are trademarks of Minto Communities, LLC and/or its affiliates. CGC 1519880. 11/2017

70 | NOVEMBER 2017 | grandeurmagazine.com

grand | EXPERIENCE

PARADISE On November 11, there will be sugar, spice and everything Martha Stewart in Southwest Florida. The swanky Fifth Avenue South in Naples will shut down to make room for the inaugural Paradise Coast Food & Wine Experience presented by The News-Press and Naples Daily News. It will be part of an 11-city USA Today Network food and wine event series. The lifestyle queen won’t make it to Naples, but the foodie event will feature a few of her favorite things: home decor, wine, culinary creations, craft beers and spirits. And some of her favorite chefs, including her culinary director, Thomas Joseph. He is a 2017 James Beard Award recipient for the digital video series “Kitchen Conundrums.” Joseph will share cooking tips and techniques and what it’s like working with Stewart, whose latest project involves co-hosting a VH1 series “Martha & Snoop’s Potluck Dinner Party” with rapper Snoop Dogg.

Chef Graham Elliot will be cooking and presenting at the Paradise Coast Food & Wine Experience.

STORY BY ASHLEY COLLINS

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Stewart is also inviting celebrity chef Graham Elliot, a longtime judge on the Fox TV series “MasterChef ” and “MasterChef Junior.” Elliot will offer cooking demonstrations and signed copies of his book, “Cooking Like a Master Chef: 100 Recipes to Make the Everyday Extraordinary.” The foodie event is expected to draw thousands of people and feature at least 30 local restaurants, as well as breweries and distilleries, according to Tara Zajas, consumer brand marketing manager with the Naples Daily News and The News-Press. “Unlike other food and wine events, the Paradise Coast Food & Wine experiences aim to be a full experience for guests,” Tara says. “We’ll offer cooking demonstrations, kitchen technology, and exclusive opportunities with the nation’s top culinary talents while partnering

with Martha Stewart and La Croix,” Tara says. “It will offer us the opportunity to not only showcase local talent and restaurants but to bring national attention to them as well,” Tara adds. Tickets are available now. Advance grand tasting tickets for the 1-4 p.m. Food & Wine Experience cost $85. A $120 VIP grand tasting ticket will get you in at noon with access to a VIP lounge and restrooms, with private wine, beer and spirits tastings, chef demonstrations and preferred parking. The $180 chef ’s package includes a private meet-and-greet with Elliot, all the benefits of the VIP grand tasting, plus a signed copy of his cookbook. The $180 Martha Stewart Experience Package features a meetand-greet with Joseph, Stewart’s

latest book, “Martha Stewart’s Slow Cooker,” VIP grand tasting benefits, wine tasting and a one-year digital subscription to the Naples Daily News or The News-Press. VIP tickets are limited, says Tara. Event proceeds will go to the Fifth Avenue South Business Improvement District and both regional USA Today Network publications. The Food & Wine Experience kicked off September 16 and is hitting 11 cities, including Louisville, Kentucky; Indianapolis; Lansing, Michigan; Vero Beach; Rochester, New York; Milwaukee and Green Bay, Wisconsin. Stewart plans to appear at events in Detroit, Phoenix and Las Vegas, as well as Ventura County, California. To buy tickets and for more information, visit foodandwine.naplesnews.com.

“It will offer us the opportunity to not only showcase local talent and restaurants but to bring national attention to them as well.” — TARA ZAJAS

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grand | TIMES

APEX AWARDS The 12th annual Women In Business Apex Awards was held September 30 at the Hyatt Regency Coconut Point Resort and Spa in Estero. The awards honor women from throughout Southwest Florida for their professional excellence, community service, leadership and mentoring. The Greater Fort Myers Chamber of Commerce and Southwest Florida Distributing, Publishing and Web Advertising presented the awards. Barbara Dell and Samantha Scott were this yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s honorees.

Photos by KINFAY MOROTI

1. Barbara Dell and Noelle Casagrande-Montgomery 2. Judy Marla Williams and Gail Markham 3. This yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Apex Award finalists. 4. Christin Collins, Sandra Stilwell, Gail Markham, Samantha Scott, Barbara Dell, Diana Willis, Tessa LaSage and Sonya Sawyer 5. Samantha Scott and Barbara Dell

SOUTHWEST FLORIDA HUNGER GAMES The inaugural Southwest Florida Hunger Games was held October 7 at Six Bends in Fort Myers. The event included more than 30 gourmet food trucks and local restaurants. The proceeds benefit Blessings in a Backpack of Southwest Florida.

74 | NOVEMBER 2017 | grandeurmagazine.com

3 1

Photos by KINFAY MOROTI

1. Scott Fischer, owner of Six Bends HarleyDavidson, left, presents awards to Crystal and Curt Hibbert of Coasting Donuts 2. Keith Snow and Billy Rose (center) of Nemos recieve the best restaurant award. 3. Kayla Miner and Lisa Molenary

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YOUR BEST SHOT The Alliance for the Arts’ October exhibit, “Your Best Shot,” honors the works of photographers. From 189 entries, 51 pieces were selected by juror Steve Chase. The month-long exhibit also features work by Shari Brownie and Buck Ward in the member’s galleries. The opening reception was October 6.

Photos special to GRANDEUR

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MS TURKEY SHOOT OUT GOLF TOURNAMENT The 10th annual MS Turkey Shoot Out Golf Tournament was held October 14 at Collier’s Reserve Country Club. Proceeds benefit the Heil Luthringer Foundation for Multiple Sclerosis Education.

Photos by SARA CRAIN

2 1. Jill Isaacson and Marabeth DeVille 2. Patrick Landolph and John Conetti 3. Chef Brian Lord and Zeynel Aydin

A Busey Business

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ELEVATE HER SWFL GRATITUDE DINNER

PHotos by SARAH CRAIN

Women’s Foundation Southwest Florida held the Elevate Her SWFL Gratitude Dinner on October 18 at Talis Park Golf Club in Naples. Guests enjoyed dinner and the keynote speaker, Shelley Broader, president and CEO of Chico’s FAS. The Women’s Foundation of Southwest Florida seeks to support women and girls in Southwest Florida.

1. Onkar Sharan, Helen Athan and David Maksymetz 2. Pamela Collins, Brenda Tate and Mary Moore 3. Jason and Katherine Cunningham 4. Dana Eikenberg and Joyce Eikenberg 5. Elizabeth Morano and Meredith Doupe 6. Darcy Eikenberg and Mike Prioletti 7. Helene Tolentino and Sandra Mason 8. Monica Spivey and Geraldine Spivey

SIGNATURE CHEFS AUCTION The 28th annual Signature Chefs Auction was held October 11 at the Hyatt Regency Coconut Point Resort and Spa, Estero. Guests enjoyed gourmet food as well as a silent and live auction. The event benefits the March of Dimes.

2 3

PHotos by SARA CRAIN

1 76 | NOVEMBER 2017 | grandeurmagazine.com

1. Kehrin Hassan and Jason Teeters 2. Juliana Nicola and Vic Elsey Jr. 3. Kellie and Bryon McCartney 4. Jane and Tom Uttley 5. Jose and Debbie Lopez 6. Nancy and Greg Laporta

grand | TIMES

LIBATIONS & DONATIONS Community Cooperative’s Libations & Donations was hosted by Downtown Social House on October 5. The event raised money for the Hurricane Irma Relief Fund.

Photos special to GRANDEUR

1. Leah Fuscardo, Marc Collins and Stephanie Farmer w 2. Jillion Gislason and Jenna Persons 3. Tracey Galloway and Betsy Alderman 4. Melissa Voght, Rachel Peacock and Sharon Torregrossa 5. Jane Gunter, Charlene Wolfe, Debbie Kivel, Charlotte Miller 6. Stefanie Ink-Edwards and Samantha Scott

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INDUSTRY APPRECIATION AWARDS

EUROFEST CELEBRATION The Eurofest Celebration was held August 19 at Ristorante Ciao in Naples. Hosted by Opera Naples, the event featured Italian music and cuisine.

The Industry Appreciation Awards was held at the Hyatt Regency Coconut Point Resort and Spa in Estero on October 12. The annual event is presented by the Horizon Council, Horizon Foundation and the Lee County Economic Development Office. The awards honor local business and nonprofit organizations.

1. Norman Love, center, accepts The Business of the Year Award from Lee County commissioner Brian Hamman, left, and Horizon Council Chairman Gary Griffin. 2. Meg Geltner, second from left, Mara McKinney and Diana Willis, of PACE Center for Girls, Lee, accept The Nonprofit of the Year Award. 3. Connie Ramos-Williams, center, and Rick Williams, of CONRIC PR and Marketing, accept The Diversity in Business Awards

Photos by SARAH CRAIN

Photos by KINFAY MOROTI

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grand | BEHIND THE BENEFIT

POWER TO M A K E

Allyson Richards

STORY BY SARA COGGIN

Lynne Shotwell

Ann Westerfield

ith the aim to improve the lives of women and girls at risk in the community, the Power of the Purse is a fundraising event for the Women’s Foundation of Collier County. During the luncheon, beautiful purses are offered for sale, there’s a raffle, and the Women of Initiative will be honored.

These are extraordinary women who have given a great deal of themselves to enhance the lives of others. Internationally acclaimed journalist Ann Curry is set to speak and meet patrons at a reception. Ann Westerfield and Lynne Shotwell have been patrons of the event for about five years, and this is Allyson Richards’ third year. Lynne says it’s her mission to do whatever she can do for this cause, saying,

“Making the Power of the Purse fabulous and successful this year is our charge. We think it will be amazing, as well as meaningful, as it has always been.” All three women have a personal connection to the Power of the Purse. They were each named among the Women of Initiative in 2016.

GRANDEUR | NOVEMBER 2017 | 79

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“I saw the caliber of women I stood with on stage and was so impressed I knew I had to back this organization and help bring other powerful women to the forefront so arm in arm we could help all women in Collier County — young or old.” — ALLYSON RICHARDS “We were all so honored and feel a special bond to this organization,” Lynne says. “We felt such a special bond that our class has gathered together and started a scholarship fund for the Foundation.” Allyson was also honored in 2015. “I saw the caliber of women I stood with on stage and was so impressed I knew I had to back this organization and help bring other powerful women to the forefront so arm in arm we could help all women in Collier County — young or old,” Allyson says. All three women took time to answer a few questions about the event:

What exciting changes will we see this year? Lynne: We are opening our party doors a little earlier

this year. We will offer flutes of champagne to welcome our guests to their fun shopping experience… Who doesn’t love a new purse? Allyson: [Ann Curry] is such an exciting speaker with a terrific story reflecting the power of women. Ann: It is the mission of the Community Foundation to connect donors to the needs of our community. In response to the devastation caused by Irma, 20 percent of the 2017 Power of the Purse proceeds will help address hurricane relief for senior women in Collier County.

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What made you want to volunteer to serve as a co-chair for this event? Lynne: I have found that often new friendships are

formed around the tables at these events. A bond occurs when working for the common good. Certainly the Women’s Foundation of Collier County is an impressive organization which has accomplished so much, and these women have amazing stories. Allyson: Oh, I so love the work the Women’s Foundation does to help so many youth and our older friends who need some assistance. Listening to the stories of those we have helped is compelling. No other reason needed. Ann: Want is not the operative word; the need to address issues facing women and children in Collier County was the motivating factor.

What are your goals as event co-chair? Lynne: No matter how good an event has been in the past, it is always important to bring new life and impact to it while clearly maintaining the focus on the organization. My goals and hopes for this year’s event are to make it memorable, informative and fun. We think this year’s guest speaker Ann Curry will bring new awareness, insight and hope to all of us. Allyson: Raise a lot of money by holding a wonderful event so we can assist more people this year, and with the new fundraising goal, to use 20 percent of the profits for women affected by Hurricane Irma — wow. That says it all. Ann: My goal is to inspire action on behalf of women and children. We all can play a role.

IF YOU GO Power of the Purse is at 11 a.m. December 1 at The Ritz-Carlton, Naples. Get details at wfcollier.org/powerofthepurse

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