NOV-DEC 2021 HAUTE LIVING SAN FRANCISCO

S A N F R A N C I S C O | S I L I C O N VA L L E Y | M A R I N | N A PA | N O R T H E R N C A L I F O R N I A

N OV E M B E R / D E C E M B E R 2 02 1

LUXURY LIFESTYLE WITH PURPOSE

$20.00

HOLIDAY ISSUE

MEET LOCAL LEADERS WHO CELEBRATE THE SEASON THROUGH GIVING

California Lifestyle Collection Private and Picturesque Tuscan Villa

Napa Valley, California

7 Beds | 6 Baths | 1 Half-Bath | 10,000 sq. ft.

$17,500,000

This private and picturesque Tuscan villa features nearly 10,000SF of luxury living space and is perched on its own promontory with panoramic views of vineyards, lush gardens, and Napa Valley. The custom-built Main Residence and Guest House boast high-end finishes and soaring, vaulted ceilings. Showcasing grand proportions and scale, this stately home features 7-bedrooms, 6-bathrooms, wine cellar & tasting room, and a grand motor court. An entertainer's paradise, the estate features a variety of entertaining areas including an 80 ft swim-

mers' pool, outdoor kitchen with pizza oven, meandering gardens and koi ponds, stone-terraced vegetable garden and flower gardens covering the sprawling grounds. The estate has its own self-sustaining water source - a rarity in Napa Valley, and is an incredible opportunity to own a breathtaking view property that is synonymous with the quintessential Napa lifestyle. www.NapaValleyFineHomes.com

Olivia Hsu Decker | SanFranciscoFineHomes.com Cell: 415.720.5915 | Olivia@SanFranciscoFineHomes.com | Lic.# 00712080

California Lifestyle Collection Private and Picturesque Tuscan Villa

Olivia Hsu Decker | SanFranciscoFineHomes.com Cell: 415.720.5915 | Olivia@SanFranciscoFineHomes.com | Lic.# 00712080

Napa Valley, California

California Lifestyle Collection Belvedere Grand View Estate

Belvedere Grand View Estate

bar, wine cellar and deck with panoramic views. The dining room is next to the spacious open plan kitchen/family room/breakfast nook with fireplace and wallto-wall glass doors to view decks and a second family room/office with half bath around the corner. The kitchen with enormous center island is equipped with top An approximately 11,200 square foot home with stunning views from the Bay of the line appliances fit for a Michelin Star chef.

Bridge to San Francisco to the Golden Gate Bridge and Sausalito, on appx. 1.2 Master suite features sweeping views of the Golden Gate Bridge and San acre lush garden double lot, this resort-like magnifi c ent view estate is truly a Francisco, a fireplace, a deck and an opulent bathroom of exquisite marble. one-of-a-kind property on the prestigious Belvedere Island. Incredible scale Three other en-suite bedrooms complete this floor. A separate guest floor with and unrivaled opportunity, in one of the most exceptional settings in Northern two bedroom en-suite sharing a living room with wet bar and a private view deck.

California, overlooking San Francisco Bay with breathtaking panoramic views.

Sweeping entertainer’s decks and walls of glass that bring phenomenal views The estate’s resort-like luxurious amenities are as impressive as the residence, to the forefront of the living experience, all in a beautiful and private resort-like offering the versatility to retreat in serenity or entertain elaborate and lavish events, featuring the indoor pool on the garden level with steam room, sauna, setting. spa, an exercise nook, an entertaining kitchen, dining, bar, two bathrooms, wallRebuilt in 2008, this gated contemporary style home off e rs 6 b edrooms, 1 0 to-wall glass doors opening onto a spacious deck with a hot tub and outdoor bathrooms, a 60 foot indoor pool and entertainment area with multiple decks dining overlooking the exquisite gardens, various terraces with seating areas and to enjoy world class views, with elevator and walkways connecting the levels and endless views. Ample parking within the gate, plus three-car garage. uniting the indoor with the fabulous gardens and sculptures.

This is a perfect home to enjoy luxurious gardens, breathtaking views and resortDouble doors open into a light-infused, two-story atrium entrance of the home’s like amenities in the most exclusive Belvedere location. incredible fl o or-to-ceiling window walls, fl oo ding the space in natural light and For photos and details, please visit: immersing guests in breathtaking views. Offi c e nook with a fi rep lace, majestic BelvedereGrandEstate.com formal living room with soaring high ceilings, wall of glass windows, fi replace, wet

Price Upon Request

Olivia Hsu Decker

SanFranciscoFineHomes.com

Direct Line 415.720.5915

Olivia @ SanFranciscoFineHomes.com

|

Lic.# 00712080

California Lifestyle Collection Belvedere, California

Olivia Hsu Decker

SanFranciscoFineHomes.com

Direct Line 415.720.5915

Olivia @ SanFranciscoFineHomes.com

|

Lic.# 00712080

California Lifestyle Collection Classic Belvedere View Home on Prime Location

5 Beds | 5 Baths | 1 Half-Bath | ±4,761 sq. ft.

Classic Belvedere Island home on the prestigious 400 block of Golden Gate Avenue. Extensively renovated in recent years by current owner. 5 bedrooms, 5.5 baths, ±4,761 sq. ft. home including a lower floor en-suite bedroom and spacious media room/family room with wet bar and separate entrance idea for guest quarters, large kitchen opens onto a garden terrace for outdoor dining, huge primary bedroom with marble fireplace and luxurious bathroom with large steam shower, generous size walk-in closet, 3-car garage with Tesla charger, AC and fully solar powered with two PowerWalls to store enough solar energy to

Belvedere, California

$5,150,000 power the entire home. Spectacular views of Belvedere Cove, yacht harbors of San Francisco Yacht Club and Corinthian Yacht Club, Corinthian Island, downtown Tiburon, Angel Island, Racoon Strait, East Bay, Sausalito and Golden Gate Bridge. Lots of windows to enjoy the views and the light-filled rooms. Spacious front and side level Astroturf lawns, gardens of lavenders, hydrangeas and lemon trees are fully fenced and gated.

Photos, 3D tour and floor plans are at: 402GoldenGate.com

Olivia Hsu Decker | SanFranciscoFineHomes.com Cell: 415.720.5915 | Olivia@SanFranciscoFineHomes.com | Lic.# 00712080

California Lifestyle Collection Classic Belvedere View Home on Prime Location

Olivia Hsu Decker | SanFranciscoFineHomes.com Cell: 415.720.5915 | Olivia@SanFranciscoFineHomes.com | Lic.# 00712080

Belvedere, California

PUBLISHER’S Letter WHILE 2020 WAS A VERY LONG YEAR OF HISTORICAL uncertainty and a scary situation we all experienced, 2021 flew by quickly.

We were excited about re-opening, traveling, and eating out again in July— and here we are already preparing for the holiday season. We were with our readers and our community through all of the last 20 months and strived to be an uplifting, shining light along a dark and difficult path with our cheerful, positive and inspiring stories that we hoped kept you entertained in the past 10 issues.

OLIVIA HSU DECKER OWNER/PUBLISHER Olivia@HauteLivingSF.com www.HauteLivingSF.com Text 415.720.5915

This issue, we celebrate the holiday season with extra joy and gratitude for coming out of the worst pandemic in our lifetime! We feature our annual philanthropist issue, so appropriate for this season of giving. When my editor, Teresa, and I discussed whom we are featuring, I first suggested my clients, billionaire philanthropists Marc Benioff, Jack Dorsey, and Ron Conway. However, we quickly decided the spotlight should go to the less recognized philanthropists in our community, those who tirelessly helped people’s lives and touched people’s hearts even by small means. As our cover story contributor, Fran Endicott Miller, puts it, “Philanthropy comes in many forms. While the world itself brings to mind monetary giving, philanthropy may also refer to other charitable acts. In this issue we feature philanthropists and their various efforts to effect positive change to benefit others, and their actions make our world a kinder and gentler place.”

During this Thanksgiving, it is also fitting to thank the essential workers at hospitals, supermarkets, fuel stations, firefighters, bus drivers, letter carriers, first responders, and others who made our life easier throughout the last 20 months.

Before you gather at the holiday dinner table, please enjoy reading our food and wine articles, along with Carolyn Zinko’s “10 Holiday Party Tips” and Lydia Graham’s “Healthy Holiday Survival Guide.” While planning your holiday trips, read our story on Turks and Caicos Islands, the Ventus Resort at Marina El Cid in Mexico, the Banyan Tree Mayakoba on the pristine Riviera Maya, and the world-famous spa for “Hot Winter Nights” at Hyatt Regency Indian Wells Resort & Spa in Palm Springs.

We had no events to report during the lockdown. Finally, in this issue we report 10 for you, including Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation’s Monte-Carlo Gala for Planetary Health honoring my client, Sharon Stone, San Francisco Symphony’s Re-opening Night, San Francisco Opera’s Live and In Concert event, the Haute Living-sponsored charity concert with tenor Michael Fabiano benefiting ArtSmart, plus half a dozen other fun and charitable events.

We wish you a joyful and healthy holiday season,

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PUBLISHER Olivia Hsu Decker Olivia@HauteLivingSF.com EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Teresa Rodriguez Teresa@HauteLivingSF.com ART DIRECTOR Krisha Chhaganlal Krisha@HauteLivingSF.com DIGITAL EDITOR Laurie Jo Miller Farr Laurie@HauteLivingSF.com COPY EDITOR Karen M. Smith henhousepublishing@gmail.com CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Jennifer Boden, Laurie Jo Miller Farr, Becca Hensley, Steph Keay, Fran Endicott Miller, Erin Hunt Moore, Sharon Seto, Carolyne Zinko, and Stefan Angelo.

ABOUT TOWN AMBASSADOR Aubrey Brewster GLOBAL EVENTS AMBASSADOR Amiee Deupi HEALTH AND WELLNESS AMBASSADOR Lydia Graham LUXURY AUTO AMBASSADOR Tim Lappen TL@JMBM.com SUBSCRIPTION AND DISTRIBUTION INQUIRIES Olivia Hsu Decker Olivia@HauteLivingSF.com AD SALES REPRESENTATIVE Cindy Pelland Cindy@HauteLivingSF.com ACCOUNTING Sarah Trissel Sarah@HauteLivingSF.com

PHOTO CREDIT: COURTESY OF SPACE PERSPECTIVE

LEGAL Carl Lippenberger Carl@lippenbergerlaw.com

Haute Living San Francisco Visit us at www.HauteLivingSF.com

Follow us @HauteLivingSF for your guide to all things haute

Space Perspective capsule

TABLE of CONTENTS

PUBLISHER’S LETTER

8 12

EDITOR’S LETTER

14

HAUTE CALENDAR HAUTE KITCHEN

16

Pastry chef Belinda Leong of b. patisserie shares her passion for baking as well as some delectable recipes for favorite desserts.

HAUTE TRAVEL 54

HAUTE HOTEL 58

Ventus at Marina El Cid replicates that hero’s qualities: kindness, service, and loyalty.

62

Bring the whole family and enjoy warmth and luxury at the Hyatt Regency Indian Wells Resort & Spa.

HAUTE WINE 22

Wine is always a great gift. Erin Moore points out the best for holiday gift-giving.

68

HAUTE DRINKS 28

Trying to keep the weight off over the holiday season? If so, check out these festive, low-ABV libations.

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70

The Fioli Gala celebrates the Bay Area’s fairytale Fioli Historic House and Garden.

Feel like family at Via Veneto, the iconic Italian restaurant in Pacific Heights where they still do things the old-fashioned way.

71

San Francisco Opera re-opens with an intimate reception, dinner, and concert.

HAUTE PROFILE

72

San Francisco Symphony re-opens with patriotic concert filmed for PBS.

74

Jack London State Park channels Call of the Wild at the Charmian’s Wild Call fundraiser.

75

Tosca Cafe hosts special dinner for Tosca tenor Michael Fabiano.

76

Inaugural Wine, Women and Music Luncheon benefits Festival Napa Valley.

Meet the creative genius behind the thoughtfully practical baggage at Briggs & Riley, Georgene Rada.

From 20,000 leagues under the sea to adventures in space, the sky—and beyond—is the limit when it comes to finding the perfect gift.

COVER STORY 42

Marianne’s at The Cavalier celebrates the launch of HL’s Food & Wine issue.

The tech cognoscenti’s favorite place, Selby’s, reopens with a welcome back party.

HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE 40

HAUTE SCENES

69

HAUTE DINING 32

Steph Keay’s Turks and Caicos Islands vacation reality makes for anyone else’s dream.

The reason for the season focuses on giving, not receiving. Meet these 10 San Francisco philanthropists who give unstintingly of their time, expertise, stewardship, and funds to make life better for others.

Aubrey About Town Haute Wine

Haute Living, San Francisco | www.HauteLivingSF.com

10 Haute Wine

TABLE of CONTENTS Haute Hotel

Haute Drinks

Haute Travel

HOLIDAY TIPS 78

If you forgot your manners during lockdown, Carolyne Zinko offers a gentle reminder in polite etiquette.

HAUTE EVENTS 80

The fifth Monte-Carlo Gala for Planetary Health honors Sharon Stone, raises funds for conservation projects.

Haute Art 84

Private concert starring operatic sensation Michael Fabiano raises funds for ArtSmart.

86

Bottlerock Napa Valley 2021 reminds us of what it means to just feel good again.

88

FIESTA Día de los Muertos celebrates life with music, dancing, art, and flowers.

92

Sonoma County Wine Auction delivers as the Best. Party. Ever. for fun and charity.

HAUTE BEAUTY Haute Events

Haute Hotel

94

If you want to look good for the holidays—and you do—then check out these revitalizing options.

HAUTE WELLNESS 98

Banyan Tree Mayakoba coddles minds, bodies, and spirits in peace and luxury.

HAUTE ART

108 Head to Vail, Colorado for the best in contemporary art—outdoors.

HAUTE RESIDENCE

102 One of the most admired residences on Belvedere Island wants to be

your home!

HAUTE AMBASSADOR

106 Aubrey regales us with his memorable holiday traditions and tips.

110 Lydia helps us survive holiday stress with grace and poise.

112 McLaren makes Tim’s automotive dream come true—for a little while.

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EDITOR-IN-CHIEF’S Letter CLICHÉS AREN’T MY THING. BUT RIGHT NOW, NOTHING seems more apropos than “Where did this year go?”

While 2020 felt like Sisyphus’ boulder continuously rolling back on us in a never-ending saga of lousy news, 2021 was more like a phone call with a weak connection. First, we were ecstatic that our call was answered with a vaccine. Feeling optimistic, we reconnected with our loved ones we hadn’t seen since the pandemic started. Vaccinations were up and masks were off. Friends gathered in restaurants and families began traveling. Then things got tricky again. The Delta variant showed up and muddled our connections. Masks on? Masks off ? Safe to travel? Stay home? Even now, at the end of the year, we still don’t know what’s going on.

Carolyne Zinko elucidates us on holiday manners, which include a clever list of social dos and don’ts that are good all year (page 78). Next, our fantastic Aubrey Brewster shares with us some of his Thanksgiving traditions (page 106). On page 16, Sharon Seto interviews beloved chef Ms. Belinda Leong of b. patisserie, who shares a few recipes with us!

There is a bevy of fantastic articles in this issue, and as always, we strive to bring you features that are a touch romantic, truly exquisite, and always inspiring.

We wish you and your family a wonderful holiday season, and we look forward to seeing you in the New Year!

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PHOTO CREDIT: ©VINCENT GOTTI, HAIR AND MAKE UP BY NELLIE MUGANDA

TERESA RODRIGUEZ EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Haute Living San Francisco Teresa@HauteLivingSF.com www.HauteLivingSF.com

So, through the uncertainty of daily life which can weigh you down, our goal with this final issue of 2021 is to bring you content to lift your spirits. Our impressive cadre of journalists worked hard to deliver a stellar lineup of interviews, product reviews, and event recaps. Steph Keay writes a mouthwatering article on a local favorite, Via Veneto and its owner Massimo, serving authentic Italian cuisine for over 30 years (page 32). In our cover story, Fran Miller interviews some of the top philanthropists in the area about what motivates them to give (page 42). And, Laurie Jo Miller Farr showcases the best events this holiday season (page 14).

SAN FRANCISCO’S Contributors CAROLYNE ZINKO

Carolyne Zinko has long kept her antennae on the high life. She is the former editor-in-chief of Modern Luxury Silicon Valley magazine and, before that, was a San Francisco Chronicle reporter for 22 years, writing about everything from crime and court hearings to largerthan-life personalities and philanthropic leaders. She lives in Menlo Park with her husband, Dan Dieguez.

SHARON SETO

A graduate of Golden Gate University and serial entrepreneur, Sharon loves the excitement and creativity of the business world and its people. Her addiction to business ventures began with the acquisition of the El Cid Building, site of the famous SF Jazz Mural. She has served as a board member, fundraiser, and event chair for nonprofit organizations, including the SF Symphony Board of Governors, City College of San Francisco Foundation Board, Red Cross Board, National Colorectal Cancer Alliance Board, SF Ballet, and Dress for Success.

ERIN HUNT MOORE

A connector, storyteller, mission-driven communicator, and mom, Erin Hunt Moore lives with her family in beautiful Sonoma wine country.

A seasoned public relations and marketing consultant for over two decades, Erin has worked her PR magic for brands and companies on both U.S. coasts and in Germany, where she studied international relations and languages. A veteran of the food and beverage world, she now focuses her energies on supporting women entrepreneurs and thought leaders, companies, and brands leading with a strong social impact ethos and non-profit organizations pioneering change in the world.

BECCA HENSLEY

A bon vivant journalist who believes travel is the ultimate celebration of life awash with lessons waiting to be learned, widely-published, Texas-based Becca Hensley is travel editor for New Orleans Bride and editor-at-large for Insider’s Guide to Spas. In a career spanning three decades, she has contributed to scores of magazines and newspapers, including Architectural Digest, Elite Traveler, Global Traveler, Conde Nast Traveler, and the Houston Chronicle. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram @beccahensley.

STEPH KEAY

Steph Keay is a Canadian freelance and technical writer currently based in Silicon Valley. After completing her Bachelor of Commerce in her hometown of Calgary, Alberta, she spent a summer in Croatia assisting The Yacht Week with events management on the islands of Hvar and Vis. Formerly in PR/marketing, she has also placed stories for a variety of clients—including tech leaders, international artists, and acclaimed actors and musicians—with ABC, FOX, NBC, San Francisco Chronicle, The Mercury News, American Way, and others.

In her spare time, she enjoys adventuring, photography, and travel— all of which she documents on on her website, StephKeay.com.

LAURIE JO MILLER FARR

Laurie is a US/UK dual citizen and dedicated urbanite who loves walkable cities. As a San Francisco-based travel writer, she enjoys views from its crazy, signature hills following half-a-lifetime promoting her two hometowns—a couple of oh-so-flat places: New York City and London. Laurie’s byline is found in USA Today, CBS, Where Traveler, Haute Living, Epicure, Fast Company, Napa Valley Life Magazine, Food & Travel Magazine, Eater, Google Touring Bird, and other major media titles. She was awarded Yahoo Contributor of the Year and is a member of the Society of American Travel Writers.

FRAN ENDICOTT MILLER

Fran Endicott Miller is a luxury-focused freelance feature writer for a variety of lifestyle publications and websites, editor-at-large for JustLuxe.com, and California editor for luxury travel concierge service Essentialist. Prior, she held positions in the fields of politics, television, and professional sports. She is proud to have established the Golden State Warriors’ first community relations department and programs. When not traveling, she can be found walking her Northern California neighborhood with her beloved golden retrievers, Reggie and Nate.

JENNIFER BODEN

Jennifer is a freelance wine, food, and travel writer based in beautiful Sonoma County and has an extensive career in journalism.

She contributes to KRON 4 News San Francisco, ABC 10News San Diego, and others. Prior to her writing career, she worked for several network affiliates as a news anchor and executive producer.

She earned a degree in broadcast journalism from Arizona State University’s prestigious Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication.

Events CALENDAR

BY LAURIE JO MILLER FARR

SF Ballet - Flowers, Nutcracker

Through January 17, 2022 SFMOMA | Joan Mitchell A world premiere co-organized with the Baltimore Museum of Art presents a comprehensive retrospective featuring over 80 distinguished works from this 20th century master of abstract expressionism. sfmoma.org/exhibition/joan-mitchell Through April 24, 2022 de Young Museum | Patrick Kelly: Runway of Love Seventy-nine fully accessorized ensembles by the 20th century Black fashion designer. The theme highlights the designer’s fun, heart-shaped embellishments, including a corset made from his signature buttons and a “banana” skirt. deyoung.famsf.org/exhibitions/ patrick-kelly

de Young Museum - Patrick Kelly women’s ensembles 1986 and 1988

Say “So Long!” to 2021 by doing something you love. Whether it’s a Broadway revival (“I Could Have Danced All Night”) or a ballet classic (“Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy”), the good news this holiday season is that it’s IRL, not on Zoom.

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NOVEMBER Through Jan. 9, 2022 de Young Museum | Judy Chicago: A Retrospective Called “groundbreaking” by the museum’s director, this exhibition of 125 works is the first retrospective of the pioneering feminist’s work. It spans a period from the Californian Light and Space Movement in the 1960s to modern day. deyoung.famsf.org/exhibitions/judychicago

5-7 The Purple Urchin Fest In an effort to aid under-the-waves kelp forests, Mendocino hosts the first U.S. urchin festival dedicated to these delicious, spiky, invasive creatures. Featured chefs include Matthew Kammerer at the Harbor House and Jason Azevedo at Little River Inn. urchinfest.com 13 National Kidney Foundation | 33rd Annual Authors Luncheon Dedicated to transforming kidney care and improving the lives of millions through education, advocacy, and research, this year’s event is virtual. Pulitzer Prize and best-selling authors, special appearances by Michael Krasny and Gail Tsukiyama. kidney.org/events/socialevent/san-francisco-authors-luncheon

PHOTO CREDITS: (CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT) COURTESY OF PHILADEPHIA MUSEUM OF ART; © ERIK TOMASSON

2 - 28 Orpheum Theatre | My Fair Lady Eliza Doolittle and Henry Higgins are here in Lerner and Loewe’s classic musical. Broadway SF brings The Lincoln Center Theater Production to town on its national tour. Myfairladyontour.com

Events CALENDAR 18 GLIDE Annual Holiday Jam: Still We Rise Musical guests are 10-time Grammy winner Bobby McFerrin, three-time Grammy winner Fantastic Negrito, and the uplifting GLIDE Ensemble and Change Band. Renel Brooks-Moon is emcee for the in-person and online benefit honoring co-founder, the late Janice Mirikitani. Masonic Auditorium. glide.org/ holidayjam2021 Nov. 21 - Dec. 3 San Francisco Opera | Così Fan Tutte Five performances of the new production of director Michael Cavanagh’s trilogy weaving together the works of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and librettist Lorenzo Da Ponte. Sung in Italian with English supertitles. sfopera.com/on-stage/cosi-fan-tutte Nov. 16 - Dec. 26 Golden Gate Theatre | A Christmas Carol Prepare to meet a brand new Ebenezer Scrooge in this West End / Broadway adaptation. It’s a gloriously festive reimagining of Charles Dickens’ timeless holiday classic that includes 12 well-loved carols. achristmascarolbroadway.com

DECEMBER

PHOTO CREDITS: © JOAN MARCUS

10 - 11 Chase Center | Trevor Noah “Back to Abnormal” World Tour hits the stage for two nights when the prolific and wildly successful comic and talk show host spins current events with deep, wry insights that seem to go well beyond his 37 years. chasecenter.com/events/trevor-noah-20211210

11 - 12 and 18 - 19 Grace Cathedral | A Cathedral Christmas Ring in the season with a holiday tradition.

Grace Cathedral’s Choir of Men and Boys, in a performance of classic carols and sacred masterpieces with orchestra and organ. gracecathedral.org/calendar-events

A Christmas Carol on Broadway

10 - 11 San Francisco Symphony | Handel’s Messiah Hear glorious majesty of the 100 harmonized voices Grammy Award-winning SF Symphony Chorus and world-class soloists. The celebrated holiday masterpiece is one of the best-loved musical works of all time. sfsymphony.org/Buy-Tickets/2021-22/ Handel-s-Messiah 14 - 16 and 18 San Francisco Symphony | Film With Live Orchestra Christmas favorites are on the big screen at Davies Symphony Hall again. “Love Actually” is performed on the first two evenings; “Home Alone” is the 16th with a matinee on the 18th. sfsymphony.org/ calendar 17 - 18 St. Ignatius Church | A Chanticleer Christmas From the candlelit chant procession to the triumphant gospel conclusion, this all-men’s “orchestra” of the finest a cappella voices offer joy and transcendence through beautifully sung music through the centuries. Additional performances in Berkeley, Oakland, Palo Alto, Petaluma, Sacramento, Santa Clara and Carmel. chanticleer.org/achanticleer-christmas

10 - 30 San Francisco Ballet | Nutcracker Set at a Christmas Eve party in 1915 San Francisco, Nutcracker tells the story of Clara. Given a magical nutcracker doll that comes to life in her dreams, adventures ensue. Brilliant choreography by Helgi Tomasson and a beloved score by Tchaikovsky—a much anticipated favorite for all ages. sfballet.org/ productions/nutcracker

17 and 19 Chase Center | Metallica “Forty Years of Metallica” marks the milestone in their hometown of San Francisco. “...Almost 2,000 live shows across seven continents, mind-blowing successes and crazy off-road adventures.” Time flies and tickets are likely to fly as well. metallica.com/ events/2021-12-19-san-francisco-california.html

11 - 12 San Francisco Opera Chorus in Concert Celebrating Ian Robertson After a career of 30 years and 300 productions, Robertson leads a farewell performance, featuring an array of classics from Mozart, Puccini, and Verdi, as well as contemporary songs by Florence Beatrice Price, Joan Szymko, and Kate Rusby. sfopera.com/ on-stage/san-francisco-opera-chorus-concert

24 Castro Theatre | San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus On Christmas Eve, 250+ voices return to the historic stage for the first time in over two years for the annual extravaganza, “Holigays Are Here...Again!”

Season 44 of SFGMC has additional concerts on Dec. 10–11 and 18–19 in San Francisco, Berkeley, and Rohnert Park. sfgmc.org/season-44

The 7 Fingers

My Fair Lady Tour

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PHOTO CREDIT: © ED ANDERSON

HAUTE KITCHEN

16

IN CONVERSATION WITH SHARON SETO

BY SHARON SETO

LET’S BAKE THIS HAPPEN!

PHOTO CREDIT: COURTESY OF BPATISSERIE

I

T’S EASY FOR ME TO TELL WHEN WINTER'S ON ITS WAY. IT starts surreptitiously at home with subtle smells of spices, such as rosemary, sage, and other flavorings left on the kitchen counter for “prep.” By Christmas Eve, big smells come into play: turkey roast, bacon drippings, duck fat fried potatoes, and the sweet aroma of glazed carrots. Mmmm. As most people reach into their cookbooks or binders for savory holiday recipes, I gravitate towards the back of the book—for the sweet ones. There is always a whole lot of baking in my kitchen when celebrating winter festivities!

For this holiday issue in Haute Kitchen, I am pleased to feature a sweet friend, Ms. Belinda Leong! She needs no introduction as owner-pastry chef of the best patisserie in town, b. patisserie. Leong began and honed her skills as a pastry chef for over eight years at Gary Danko Restaurant in San Francisco. She moved to Europe, staging at Pierre Herme in Paris, Bubo in Barcelona, and the twoMichelin-starred Noma in Copenhagen. Returning to the Bay Area, she became pastry chef at Manresa in Los Gatos. While at Manresa, Belinda decided to introduce her pastries to the public through "popups" and partnerships with select coffee shops.

San Francisco Magazine named her 2012’s Best Pastry Chef of the Year. The success of her "pop-ups" encouraged Leong to focus solely Pastry Chef-owner Belinda Leong on b. patisserie, which opened to critical acclaim in February 2013.

She became a business partner with Michel Suas, founder of the San Francisco Baking Institute.

She received recognition of her work as a James Beard Best Pastry Chef 2014 finalist and Outstanding Baker finalist in 2015, 2016, 2017, and 2018. She won the James Beard Outstanding Baker Award in 2018. b. patisserie Hawaii opened in 2014 in Oahu and its first location in Seoul in 2018. They now have a fourth storefront, B. on the Go, which opened in April 2021.

Leong and Suas opened Routier Restaurant in 2020, partnering with chef John Paul Carmona.

'WORK HARD AND PLAY HARD, BUT YOU NEED TO HAVE FUN DOING IT, OR IT'S JUST NOT WORTH IT AT ALL."

HL: Where does your passion for baking come from and what drives that passion?

BL: I enjoyed baking for family and friends when I was younger.

I started making pastries in a restaurant professionally over 20 years ago. Seeing people’s appreciation when they ate my pastries gave me such a warm feeling inside. That appreciation and enjoyment my customers have continue to drive me every day. I believe that food feeds your soul, but pastries are an indulgence; therefore, there is something chemically in your brain that craves a bigger satisfaction.

HL: Your latest venture, Routier, sounds exciting, and I can't wait to eat there! You paired up with Chef J.P. Carmona (the former chef de cuisine at Manresa) and Michel Suas (your partner at the amazing b. patisserie) for this project. Tell us more about it.

BL: I became the pastry chef at Manresa, Los Gatos when J.P. was still the chef de cuisine. From day one, I always believed in his food. He’s a great cook. We remained close friends after I left Manresa, but every time Michel and I opened a new business that involved savory cooking, I asked J.P. for help. He helped with the tartines at b. patisserie, sandwiches at B. on the Go and with the savory side for our location in Seoul, Korea. When the space on the corner became available, Michel and I asked if he would be interested in partnering with us to open his restaurant in SF. We felt that his style of cooking should be shared with the whole world!

Michel and I are here to support J.P.’s vision in his restaurant.

Sometimes you just need to know that there are people alongside you who have believed in you from the beginning and want to support you through the ups and downs when starting a business.

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HAUTE KITCHEN HL: What is the first meal you ever prepared for whom and at what age?

BL: I don’t think I remember the first meal I prepared, but when I just started getting into cooking, my whole family had to be the guinea pigs. I would think of a theme for dinner and cook around that. Dishes that were not part of the theme were not allowed to be served that night. I would research a few dishes and make them to fill the table. I remember the hardest meals were Korean and Spanish tapas, because there were so many dishes! It’s funny, because I never really made desserts at that time, just the savory dishes. Even these days, if I cook, I still stay within the theme for dinner. It drives me crazy sometimes to see it all mixed up.

HL: I am a proud member of the City College of SF Foundation Board of Directors. I understand you are an alum of our hospitality program. Tell me about your experience. What "takeaways" did you get from the CCSF program?

BL: I went to CCSF hospitality program because I heard it was a great program and economically feasible. I had a great experience, because I felt I received the reality of being in a kitchen without the promise of glamor, just focusing on the cooking.

The “takeaways” I’ve received from the program are the discipline of working in a hospitality industry (mis en place, clean and organized stations, being careful with waste, and using byproducts). I thought it was awesome working with people of all backgrounds and personalities in a close environment.

HL: Are there any tweaked versions of something on any of your menus, such as one of your mom's creations growing up during childhood? If so, what are they and why were you inspired to include them in your menu?

BL: The Chinese New Year menu is probably that which is mostly inspired by my childhood. My favorites have always been Asian desserts, but French and Chinese pastries. We have a large Asian customer base, therefore I like to re-create desserts with which I and they are familiar, whether it be the flavor combinations or the actual pastry, but with my twist on them. Some of the desserts we do during Chinese New Year are mango pudding, almond gelatin, and desserts made with milk tea flavor and black sesame.

HL: Your career path is fascinating. I’m so surprised you started early on with Angela and Larry Tse's former House Restaurant. They’re also good family friends of ours! Such a small world. What is your story? Start from beginning ...

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BL: I started the traditional path of college, taking general education courses at College of San Mateo and wanting to major in art or design. Then I went to the Academy of Arts. I couldn’t find my passion in my projects.

I realized I loved making food for people and enrolled in CCSF for the hospitality program, because I heard great things. Attending CCSF, I worked at The House in North Beach, my favorite restaurant which also has a second location in inner Sunset. I also worked at Aqua Restaurant with Michael Mina as a CCSF student and The House to explore what I would enjoy doing as a profession. I chose Aqua because it was one of the most popular fine dining restaurants and gave me perspective on a different caliber of dining. I loved the intensity and rush of service at The House and Aqua.

Although I worked the savory side in the beginning, my eyes always floated to the pastry station. That’s when my pastry curiosity took over. After finishing CCSF program, I needed an externship and read all about Gary Danko. On the bus one day, I passed his new restaurant that would be opening in the coming months. Reading about Gary Danko, I wanted to work for him. As luck would have it, a school friend who worked there made the connection.

I started on the salad station, but the pastry station always needed help, so I would jump in to assist. Gary Danko was also doing the desserts at the time, so it was definitely tough times.

Chef taught me all the basics and discipline I needed for that station. One day, chef told me I should think about getting into pastry ... and there it was ... I officially switched over to being a pastry cook, then eventually becoming the pastry chef.

I remember the day Danko asked me to be his pastry chef.

I went home and thought to myself, “This is the top position.

You will have to teach yourself and motivate yourself to learn everything through books, the internet, eating out.” I accepted that challenge and ran with it. I stayed at Restaurant Gary Danko for eight and a half years. But during that time, I would stage at other places to help further my knowledge on pastry and desserts. A stage is similar to an unpaid internship.

After Gary Danko, I thought, ” Where do you go from here?” I always wanted to shoot for the best—French pastries. So, I might as well go to Paris! All I could think of was working in Paris at Pierre Herme if I got the opportunity, although I never left home. Coincidentally, I met one of chef’s friends before leaving, and she learned I wanted to go to Pierre Herme. The next day, I received an email from Herme himself, which is still in my inbox. After that, I made my list of some of the most prestigious restaurants, took my chances, and reached out to them.

HAUTE KITCHEN Noma in Denmark, Bubo in Barcelona, Martin Barasetegui in San Sebastian, and In de Wulf in Belgium, I staged at all these places during my time in Europe and was exposed to some of the world’s great culinary talents. Coming back from Europe, a friend who worked with David Kinch recommended me for an open pastry position at Manresa. I interviewed with Chef Kinch and became the pastry chef.

Being at Manresa was great, because of its farm-to-table style.

I worked under a chef who believed in exploring my creativity and letting young chefs take chances. After a year, I left Manresa to pursue my dream of opening a bakery. I believed I needed to start a customer following before I opened it, so I started doing pastry “pop-ups.” I chose a popular restaurant called Flour & Water where the chef-owner was my friend. I chose menu items that were different enough for customers to try.

I’d worked on a pastry called the kouign amain for years, so I finally decided to introduce it to San Francisco. I’ve discovered kouign amann eight years earlier when I went to a little bakery in New York City and wanted to perfect this little pastry, because I thought it was so interesting and different. I researched everything about it and practiced and practiced!

During the “pop-ups,” I went back to the baking institute to get some advice from Michel Suas. I wanted to open a bakery, but I felt I needed a business partner. I love to bake and make desserts, but I definitely didn’t know all the numbers and everything else that was needed to open a business. I asked Michel if he knew anyone who would want to be my business partner, because he had so many people coming through that school. The moment I asked him, he said, “What about me?” Wow! I was so surprised, because this was Michel Suas, the man who knew everything about opening and running a bakery! So, I asked if he was serious, and he said he was. I said yes and b. patisserie was born!

PHOTO CREDIT: © VANESSA YAP-EINBUND

HL: Describe your perfect mate?

BL: A good sense of humor. I love to laugh. Also, a person who shares the same values, cares about family and friends, is honest and ambitious, but not cut-throat ambitious, accepts that I’m a businesswoman, is a positive person and nurturing. That’s all.

I’m not asking too much.

HL: Which chef, if any, do you admire and hope to meet one day and why?

BL: I admire many chefs who have helped me in my career whom I wanted to meet and have met. I’ve been so very lucky to have the opportunity to meet them and work alongside some of them: Gary Danko, Pierre Herme, Michel Suas, Cecilia Chiang, and Thomas Keller.

HL: Since you are being featured on this holiday issue, tell me what your favorite traditional dishes are for your winter holiday table? What is your dream celebratory meal and who would cook it?

BL: I’m not sure if what we eat is traditional, but I love prime rib, sweet potatoes with brown sugar pecan crumble, and Chinese sticky rice. Those are the only things I put on my plate, always.

My dream celebratory meal would be having all the chefs that I mentioned earlier whom I admire at the dinner table, along with Queen Elizabeth. I think that would be such a great night of conversation. It would be awesome if Queen Elizabeth were there, because I admire everything she had to go through as the Queen of England. She was so young when she was crowned, but she took charge. Even though it was a position she didn’t want, she held her head high and just went through all the challenges of being the queen!

This may be a funny answer, but if I had all those guests at my dinner table, I would want to cook for them. I love cooking for others and gathering people together to meet and become new friends. I like to share my friends with other friends.

HL: Why are you sharing these specific recipes? Any background or anything meaningful about them?

BL: I will be sharing the madeleine, almond cookie, chocolate fudge brownie, and the pumpkin cake. The madeleine represents French pastry in its simple form. I also ate a lot of them during my time in Paris. The almond cookie is a tweaked version of the Chinese almond cookie I grew up eating from Chinese bakeries.

I chose the chocolate fudge brownie because it’s an all-American classic that you may actually just want to make at home, and the pumpkin cake because ’tis the season!

HL: Future endeavors or projects?

BL: We still have a concept for mochi donuts and shaved ice that I want to see happen, but we’re just waiting for the right time and place. For b. patisserie, there will always only be one flagship store, but maybe we may consider having small kiosks with a very limited menu in other cities.

Michel and Belinda

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HAUTE KITCHEN

Madeleines

INGREDIENTS • 330 grams hot melted butter • 270 grams sugar • 40 grams brown sugar • 4.5 grams lemon zest • 2 grams salt • 54 grams honey • 364 grams warm eggs • 165 grams cake flour • 165 grams all-purpose flour • 10 grams baking powder INSTRUCTIONS 1. Sift flours and baking powder.

2. Melt butter and honey in microwave.

3. Rub lemon zest into both sugars.

4. Add salt and eggs to sugars.

5. Whisk sugars and eggs until homogenous/thick and they start to ribbon a little.

6. Slowly add dry ingredients until just incorporated.

7. Stream in hot butter/honey slowly and finish by hand.

(This should look kind of holey and have air bubbles.)

8. Pipe into flexi molds and chill at least 1 hour.

9. Bake at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 10 to 12 minutes.

10. Dip the shell side into passion fruit syrup while still warm and put back into the oven for one minute.

NOTES: • 2:1 water:sugar • 2:1 syrup:passion fruit puree • The batter will break if the butter is not hot enough.

• You can make batter the day before and pipe the next day.

INSTRUCTIONS 1. Sift dry ingredients.

INGREDIENTS • 6 ounces Guanaja 70% dark 2. Beat eggs and sugar until pale and thick (mixture will chocolate be grainy).

• 14 ounces Valrhona 3. Melt chocolates with butter.

Caraïbe 66% dark chocolate 4. In a large bowl, fold ribboned • 2 cups and 4 tablespoons eggs into melted chocolate. butter 5. Fold dry ingredients into • 8 eggs mixture, little by little.

6. Pour mixture in little muffin • 4 cups sugar pans.

• 2½ cups all-purpose flour 7. Bake at 375 degrees for about • ¼ cup and 2 tablespoons 10 minutes. You are looking cocoa powder for toothpick to have a few • ½ teaspoon salt crumbs sticking on it.

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PHOTO CREDITS: © MARISSA LEE SETO

Fudge Brownies

HAUTE KITCHEN

Pumpkin Cake INGREDIENTS • 4 eggs • 2 cups sugar • 1 cup oil • 15 ounces pumpkin puree • 2 cups all-purpose flour • 2 teaspoons baking soda • ½ teaspoon salt • 2 teaspoons cinnamon • ½ teaspoons ground ginger • ¼ teaspoons ground nutmeg INSTRUCTIONS 1. Beat eggs, sugar, oil, and pumpkin puree until homogenous.

2. Sift dry ingredients.

3. Add dry ingredients and beat until smooth. (This is difficult to really overmix.)

4. Spray loaf pan with oil, weigh batter, and swirl cream cheese filling on top.

5. Pour into loaf pan.

6. Bake at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for 45 to 60 minutes.

NOTES: • You can scoop the batter into muffin pans and bake 375 degrees Fahrenheit for 22-24 minutes.

PHOTO CREDITS: © MARISSA LEE SETO

CHECK OUT CHEF BELINDA’S LATEST VENTURE! Routier, a casual “Frenchish” restaurant featuring affordable French - American comfort foods: routiersf.com

Almond Cookies INGREDIENTS • 1,808 grams butter • 1,696 grams sugar • 2 tablespoons and 2 teaspoons almond extract • 2,040 grams all-purpose flour • 2 teaspoons baking powder • 2 teaspoons salt • 1 tablespoon and 1teaspoon baking soda • 680 grams chopped almonds INSTRUCTIONS 1. Beat butter until pliable, then add sugar and almond extract.

2. Combine dry ingredients and add about three-quarters to the mixture, then add the almonds.

3. Continue mixing until homogenous.

4. Use an ice cream scoop for consistency and place scoops of batter onto cookie sheets.

5. Bake at 350 to 375 degrees Fahrenheit for 12 to 15 minutes until cookie centers are fully cooked the edges are golden brown.

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HAUTE WINE

EXQUISITE WINE GIFTS FROM AROUND THE BAY AREA FOR EVERYONE ON YOUR LIST From wines for the tech guru in your life and the photography aficionado to the rock n’ roll fan and the magnum lover, we’ve got a fabulous holiday list for you! We’ve even tapped a few Bay Area wine experts to offer a few of their top bottle choices this year from our nearby wine regions. And you’ll find a few accessories and non-wine ideas in the mix, as well. Cheers to the holidays!

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PHOTO CREDIT: © MATT OWENS

BY ERIN HUNT MOORE

HAUTE WINE

ALL ABOUT THE BUBBLES The Classic Crème de la Crème for Your Sparkling Lover.

Domaine Carneros Le Rêve Blancs de Blancs ($120) Le Rêve Blanc de Blancs is a highly respected tête de cuvée, Domaine Carneros’ finest sparkling wine. It’s frequently named America's best sparkling. French for "the dream," Le Rêve is crafted from 100 percent estate grown Chardonnay, making it a pure expression of Domaine Carneros.

For the sparkling rosé drinker, Domaine Carneros has paired their beautiful, salmon-hued 2017 Brut Rosé with four whimsical, hand-etched flutes, each glass a unique work of art. The ensemble is beautifully boxed and perfect for that one-of-a-kind friend who deserves a truly one-of-a-kind gift. www.domainecarneros.com A Little Rock ’n Roll, French Style Claypool Cellars Pachyderm Champagne ($55) For the rock ’n roller who loves a good Champagne, Sonoma Countybased radio personality (KRSH), wine educator, and event doyenne, Ziggy Eschliman highly recommends Pachyderm Champagne from Claypool Cellars as a “go-to” bottle of bubbles and one she often chooses for holiday gifting and sipping. Pachyderm is an elegant grower Champagne crafted by third generation family growers in Cormoyeaux, France in the heart of the Marne Valley. Sonoma Countybased Claypool Cellars is owned and operated by Primus frontman and bassist, Les Claypool, and his wife, Chaney Smith Claypool.

They are also offering magnums and special holiday gift collections.

Visit www.claypoolcellars.com

MAGNUM LOVE Cornell Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon ($385/1.5 L) After more than 20 years in development, including bouncing back from setbacks like last year’s Glass Fire which devastated the 240-acre property (and 11 of the 20 vineyard acres), the recently released 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon is evidence of Cornell’s resilient spirit, commitment to sustainability, and dedication to producing the best Cabernet Sauvignon from Sonoma that rivals its Napa counterparts. This vintage, in particular, is also special, as it was winemaker and director of viticulture Elizabeth Tangney’s first Cornell vintage from bud break to bottle. It’s available in magnum, because nothing says celebration like a magnum! www.cornellvineyards.com

FOR THE TECHIE Clos de la Tech Domaine du Docteur Rodgers Pinot Noir 2015 ($150) For the tech and Burgundy lover in your life, look no further than Clos de la Tech, located on the edge of Silicon Valley in the Santa Cruz Mountains. Founded in 1994 by TJ Rodgers, CEO of renowned Silicon chip producer, Cypress Semiconductor, and his wife, Valeta, Clos de la Tech specializes in making sustainably driven, elegantly crafted Pinot Noirs using a blend of innovative technology and time-honored, hands-on farming and production practices. With caves tunneling deep into a vine-covered mountain ridge and vineyards so steep they have to be farmed by a specially designed tractor moved by cables, Clos de la Tech has been called one of the most ambitious and innovative producers in California. The “Tech” reference in the name not only comes from Rodgers himself and his longstanding leadership and connection to the tech industry, but also to the silicon chip on the neck of each Clos de la Tech bottle. Rodgers always appreciated Château Mouton Rothschild’s tradition of adding works of art to each new label. With his own silicon “chip art,” he’s added his own authentic stamp.

The Domaine du Docteur Rodgers is Clos de la Tech’s premier single-acre, close-planted vineyard in the Santa Cruz Mountains, where the evening fog provides ideal growing conditions for the Pinot Noir grape. Only 100 cases of Pinot Noir are produced annually from the Domaine du Rodgers vineyard.

Gorgeous and elegant, these Pinot Noirs will not disappoint! www.closdelatech.com 23

HAUTE WINE FOR YOUR COLLECTOR Hamel Family Wines 2017 Nuns Canyon ($160) "Hamel Family Wines is one of the most exciting projects in the region and a winery I’m encouraging all of my collector clients to get in on early. They’re sourcing the fruit for their Nuns Canyon wine from their Nuns Canyon Vineyard in Moon Mountain District, on the western side of the Mayacamas Mountain Range (which borders Napa), which is one of Sonoma’s hidden gems. It’s not only biodynamically farmed, but produces one of the region’s most impressive, structured, and persistent Cabernet Sauvignons. This showstopper is an ideal gift for wine collectors and should only develop further with time in the cellar," says Amanda McCrossin, certified sommelier, wine personality, podcast host and Napa Valley wine expert. www.hamelfamilywines.com Julien Fayard’s Martínez Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon ($165) After a couple of decades of making wine for other notable brands, including Château Lafitte Rothschild in France, Philippe Melka, Danica Patrick, and a dozen other brands in California, Napa’s renowned consulting winemaker, Julien Fayard, debuted his own namesake label earlier this year with a 2018 portfolio of wines from his favorite vineyards in Napa and Sonoma. One of them, the Martínez Vineyard, is his most favorite. The wine recently received 97 points right out of the gate from Antonio Galloni of Vinous. www.fayardwines.com Accendo Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon ($365) Napa Valley’s “grand cru” vineyard sites, according to the Araujo family (former stewards of the famed Eisele Vineyard), are captured in an elegantly fresh and balanced blend, packaged in a bottle reminiscent of the Old World’s noble Château Haute Brion. www.accendocellars.com

FOR THE BORDEAUX LOVER IN YOUR LIFE (WITH A SONOMA TWIST) Aperture Oliver's Ranch Cabernet Sauvignon, Alexander Valley 2018 ($150) “From the incredibly talented Jesse Katz, this is the perfect gift for the Cab lover in your life. Mr. Katz quickly rocketed to winemaking stardom with his amazing varietal Malbecs under the Devil Proof label, which have become increasingly hard to get and limited to the mailing list. This is my favorite from Jesse's lineup of delicious Cabs, as it always shows a beautiful, earthy, gravelly quality underneath the velvety fruit and seamlessly integrated oak. I love pouring this one for the staunch Francophiles, as I believe it belongs right next to the great growths of Bordeax," praises Evan Hufford, Healdsburg-based, advanced sommelier and California appellation specialist and former wine director for Healdsburg's acclaimed SingleThread. Aperture will be offering special gift collections online for the holidays, as well as gift certificates to curate your own gifts. www.aperture-cellars.com.

HAUTE WINE FOR THE COFFEE TABLE

CURATED GIFTS

Veritas by Photographer Jimmy Hayes ($125) Published in September of this year, the highly anticipated Veritas by wine industry insider and photographer Jimmy Hayes is a one-of-a-kind work of art. Hayes’s structural, minimal, and poignant photographs are works of art presenting unromanticized, unscripted beauty and quietly magnificent details from an insider’s vantage point. This may be Hayes’ authorial debut, but you've likely seen his work featured across various mediums, as he has been deeply involved in California's wine industry for over 20 years as a commercial photographer, winery director, sommelier, and cellar . The book contains a foreward by three-time James Beard Award winner, winemaker, and worldrenowned wine expert, Rajat Parr, and an afterword from magazine photographer Fred Lyon. Ten percent of all proceeds will benefit Napa Valley Farmworker Foundation and Sonoma County Grape Growers Foundation, two local organizations dedicated to the betterment of their respective farmworker communities through academic and professional development opportunities. www.abramsbooks.com

Far Niente Estate Collection ($450) "The Estate Collection from the iconic Far Niente features selections from five of the famed producer's Napa Valley and Russian River Valley wineries. From single-varietal Cabernet to cellar worthy Chardonnay and more, this exclusive boxed set demonstrates Far Niente's history of exceptional winemaking and is an elevated gift option that any wine lover is certain to enjoy," says Matt Montrose, CAO and Partner, OmVino and former Wine Director for Atelier Crenn. www.farnientefamily.farniente.com Small Vines Gift Set: A bottle of Small Vines TBH Pinot Noir 2018, 2 Zalto Burgundy Glasses, and a Zalto Mystique Decanter ($375) “As far as exquisite wine gifts go, there is no better glassware for enjoying fine wine than a Zalto stem. They are delicate and lightweight and perfectly accentuate what’s in the glass; I also love their Mystique decanter, which is also extremely lightweight and elegant. Zalto’s gorgeous glassware can be easily dressed up or down, and is the perfect addition to any table and occasion. For the best wine to add, I’ve recently been obsessed with a fantastic local Sonoma producer, Small Vines, owned by Paul and Kathryn Sloan.

Paul is one of the top vineyard managers in California. The fruit for Small Vines’ TBH (The Barlow Homestead) Pinot Noir 2018 comes directly from their estate, which Paul farms biodynamically.

The wine is incredibly aromatic and lifted, with notes of candied cherry, dried rose, and warm spice. It is soft and elegant on the palate. Delicious!” says Haley Guild Moore, CEO, Acquire. www.acquire-wine.com

GORGEOUS GLASSWARE FOR THE QUINTESSENTIAL HOST SL Riedel Stemless Wings 3-Glass Series ($19.90/glass and $33 per two-pack) Celebrating 265 years as a family-owned business, renowned German glassware great Riedel rolled out this year its SL Riedel Stemless Wings, a collection of three gorgeous, stemless, thin-blown glass wine tumblers crafted by Georg Riedel and designed to perfectly complement its original stemmed series. The Riesling, Pinot Noir, and Cabernet Sauvignon tumblers have been redesigned to ensure they sit comfortably within the drinker’s hand, nestling perfectly between thumb and fingers. The new stemless series is produced by machine in crystal glass and is dishwasher safe! (Cheers to more time entertaining and less time washing!) www.riedel.com 25

5021 E Arabian Way, Paradise Valley, AZ 6 BD • 9 BA 16,083 SF • $18,500,000

The beautiful outdoor areas invite relaxation and recreation with vast shaded patios, sparkling pool, tranquil green lawns, lovely pond with water feature and a detached Timeless Classic Elegant Masterpiece! Surround yourself in guest house. In addition, the avid car collector will enjoy complete tranquility and luxury on almost 5 spectacular acres the auto courtyard with lounge, various sized garages and enveloped by mountains, lush grounds and magnificent gardens. state of the art show rooms for the perfect display of the This prestigious residence has been masterfully remodeled to be ultimate collection. A true opportunity to acquire one of one of the finest estates in Paradise Valley. With over 16,000 the top trophy estates in Paradise Valley, AZ. square feet comprising 6 bedrooms and 9 bathrooms, this exquisite home boasts a stunning grand entrance, soaring uniquely decorated ceilings, large scale rooms with finest architectural features including sophisticated finishes throughout with details sourced the world over and a floor-plan that is (602) 750-1000 formal, yet creates a comfortable and inviting ambiance. Other Russ Lyon Realty luxury amenities include; formal living and dining rooms, family style great room and open chef’s kitchen, stately office/library, Sotheby's International Realty 8852 E. Pinnacle Peak Rd private bar, wine cellar, media room, large master suite with fireplace, his and hers separate bathrooms & expansive walk-in Scottsdale, AZ 85255 closets, exercise room, specific pets room and much more.

WWW.BOBHASSETT.COM

Bob Hassett

6742 N 48th Street, Paradise Valley, AZ 85253 5 beds 6.5 baths 8,300 SF • $10,850,000

with its beautiful landscaping, lighted tennis court, bocce Ball court, Ramada with beautiful built-in barbecue area along with gorgeous fountains and gas fire displays This 3+ acre perfectly situated estate in the heart of Paradise around the property. This is truly a must see for your Valley is one of the most perfect settings you could find for your most discerning clients. The master bedroom is also a one family home. This type of location is nearly impossible to of a kind retreat with sitting room and the same duplicate in today's market with its unobstructed one of a kind irreplaceable views as the rest of the main living areas. complete views of the entire Camelback Mountain with the best Proof of funds letter required. of everything throughout the home. The open family room kitchen area is set up for a perfect family gathering area. The finishes and fixtures throughout are unmatched with their warm and lovely quality. There is a bonus room, theater room,,large living room, beautiful wood panel office, very large bedroom (602) 750-1000 wing and a separate guesthouse. Fireplaces and patios surround Russ Lyon Realty the home both inside and out and all of these patios have beautiful views and privacy and it has the most captivating views Sotheby's International Realty 8852 E. Pinnacle Peak Rd of Camelback Mountain you can find in Paradise Valley. The entire additional 2 acres has recently been converted from dirt to a Scottsdale, AZ 85255 complete and private entertaining area for the kids and the adults WWW.BOBHASSETT.COM

Bob Hassett

HAUTE DRINKS

Jardesca Holiday Spritz and Jardesca Royale

SLOW & STEADY SIPPING FOR THE HOLIDAYS

BY ERIN HUNT MOORE

M

ANY OF US ARE APPROACHING THIS HOLIDAY season with some caution, but events and celebrations are definitely back, which means a steady marathon of indulgent meals and festive libations. By January, we are swearing off booze and detoxing. A proposition: slow down, pace yourself

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now, and ease into the season’s festivities with lighter and lowerABV (alcohol-by-volume) options. From the classic apéritifs from Spain, France, and Italy to a wonderful new generation of light, bright bottles from our backyard, here are just a few to keep in mind as you start sipping your way into the season.

PHOTO CREDIT: © MARC FIORITO

YOUR GUIDE TO LOW ABV LIBATIONS FOR LIGHTER CELEBRATIONS

HAUTE DRINKS

SHERRY We’re not talking about the sherry in the back of the kitchen cabinet. Sherry has experienced quite a revival in recent years, making its way back to the craft cocktail scene and the home apéritif hour.

Sherry is a fortified wine, meaning a distilled spirit has been added. One of the wonderful things about sherry is its diverse range: it can be sweet, dry, or anything in between, offering something for all palates and occasions. Dry sherries (finos) pair well with a range of savory dishes (lovely with seafood!) and many sweeter sherries make excellent late-night digestifs.

Aside from drinking straight and slightly chilled as an apéritif and on the rocks, there are some lovely, low-ABV cocktails with sherry, including the 19th century classic bamboo cocktail, a favorite of Jonny Raglin, Director of Bars & Development at San Francisco’s Absinthe Group (Absinthe Brasserie, Bellota, Akna, Arbor) and partner, Comstock Saloon, which recently reopened after a hiatus for a major restoration.

Says Raglin, “The bamboo is a beautiful, low-ABV cocktail and has been a wildly successful cocktail for us. We had it on our opening menu 10 years ago at Comstock, just as sherry was experiencing a real comeback on the bar menu. We went back to the classics, and it was an instant hit. We’re excited to be reopening with the bamboo on the menu.”

PHOTO CREDITS: © DANIEL REITER; © PURECREATIONS PHOTOGRAPHY; COURTESY OF LO-FI APERITIFS

VERMOUTH Most of us are familiar with vermouth as that magic ingredient in the martini. Like sherry, vermouth is a fortified wine, but it is aromatized (infused) with botanical herbs and spices, which create a more medicinal, bitter quality. The most common styles are the drier white and rosé traditionally from France and the sweeter red from Italy. But this has changed, too. With the continued creative boom of both artisan winemaking and craft distilling in the US, a whole host of beautiful, vermouth-like fortified wines have emerged on the market.

“It's easier now more than ever to sip and mix low octane drinks with the plentiful assortment of aromatized wines and vermouth brands out there,” states Prairie Rose, California-based cocktail and spirits educator and author of the new release, Mixology for Beginners. “For example, Lo-Fi Aperitifs, both their sweet and dry vermouths, are amazing on

Sherry Hour

their own, and their Gentian Amaro (16% ABV) makes for a delightful spritz. I'm also obsessed with Napabased Mommenpop's grape-based apéritifs made by winemaker Samantha Sheehan. Their blood orange (17% ABV) is a great cocktail modifier and also lovely on its own.” (www.mommenpop.com) Quady Winery in California’s San Joaquin Valley was one of the first to offer a locally crafted vermouth with its award-winning Vya vermouth line of both dry and sweet bottles (www.quadywinery. com). Several years ago out of Sonoma wine country, Jardesca (www.jardesca.com) launched its lovely flagship white aperitiva (17% ABV), a blend of three grapes, a dozen wine country-inspired botanicals lightly fortified with local neutral spirit. With consumers looking for lighter options, Jardesca set out to establish itself as the quintessential California apéritif, not just as a cocktail ingredient, but as a perfect stand-alone sipper on ice or as a bright, fresh spritz base with sparkling water or wine with a garden garnish of fruit and herbs. The brand followed with the launch of its red expression.

LoFi Gentian Amaro

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HAUTE DRINKS LILLET From Bordeaux, France, a brand dating back to the 1700s, Lillet is also part of the wine-based apéritif club and can mainly be found in white and rosé versions, cut with a small amount of macerated spirit. Straight from the fridge, Lillet Blanc (17% ABV) is bright and clean, a perfect way to start the festivities. (www.lillet.com)

Bubbles and the holidays are synonymous! If you’re a purist, you may choose to sip your sparklers solo throughout the holidays, and we can’t say that we blame you. But if you want to take things up a notch, Champagne cocktails add that extra shimmer to the season, are easy to mix up, and are relatively low in alcohol.

For a super simple touch, add a splash of limoncello, pure fruit juice, or bright, unique syrups to your flute or coupe, such as pomegranate, lavender, cranberry or cherry pistachio from producers like Sonoma Syrup Co. (www.sonomasyrup.com), Williams Sonoma (www.williams-sonoma.com), and Floraluna Apothecary & Trading Co (www. floralunaapothecary.com).

For something truly luscious, yet still bright and low octane, wow your guests with a sloe royale, a riff on a classic Kir Royal, with Northern California’s Spirit Works Distillery’s award-winning sloe gin in place of traditional crème de cassis. A bit higher on the ABV front at around 24 percent, sloe gin is a gin infused with sloe berries, a small, tart relative of the plum found in England and across Europe.

The only producer in the US to make a traditional sloe gin, Sebastopol’s Spirit Works Distillery (www. spiritworksdistillery.com) uses an award-winning recipe from England that has been in co-owner Timo Marshall’s family for generations, tweaked a bit for this market. They macerate sloe berries into their signature gin until the delicious fruit flavor and color have fully released in the gin. This vibrantly hued liqueur features both bright berry and citrus notes, combining ripe sweetness with fresh acidity, delicious sipped on its own or as a replacement for sweet vermouth in any cocktail. (See recipe on the next page)

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Lillet on the Rocks

BRINGING IT ALL TOGETHER

Aperitif Time

As a host, you want to spend more time enjoying your guests and less time playing bartender.

Mixologist and author (Artisanal Cocktails) Scott Beattie is used to being behind the bar, currently as mixologist for the Montage Healdsburg. When he’s home, he wants to relax a bit and enjoy his own party and guests. Long known for his beautiful bar presentations and dedication to using the freshest of seasonal ingredients, he likes to replicate the same beauty at home for the holiday season. Starting with a mix of sherry, vermouths (both red and white), sparkling wine, and sparkling water, he’ll decorate a bar cart or counter with arrangements of fragrant, fresh herbs (rosemary, thyme, bay leaf, basil), fresh fruit slices, edible flowers, ice, and, voilà, let guests play and mix up their own concoctions.

Cheers to a lighter holiday!

PHOTO CREDITS: © FERNANDA FLUGEL

CHAMPAGNE

THE BAMBOO

SLOE ROYALE

This recipe calls for equal measures of dry sherry and dry vermouth plus a couple dashes of bitters. Comstock’s Raglin prefers to do small cocktails in cordial glasses, apéritif style, using 1 ounce each of the dry (make sure it’s dry!) sherry and vermouth. Stir everything with ice, strain into a coupe, and garnish with a lemon twist. The result is a lovely and complex, yet low ABV, cocktail that you can sip for hours. He typically chooses Bodegas Hidalgo Oloroso sherry and Lo-Fi dry vermouth (www.lofiaperitifs. com). (Comstock Saloon, 155 Columbus Ave, San Francisco)

1 ounce Spirit Works sloe gin 1 ounce lime juice ¾ ounce simple syrup 1 dash Fee’s Old Fashioned Aromatic Bitters Dry sparkling wine Have chilled sparkling wine ready. In a shaker, combine sloe gin, lime, simple syrup, bitters, and ice. Shake and strain into Champagne flute or coupe and top with sparkling wine.

LOW ABV RECIPES

PHOTO CREDITS: (CLOCKWISE) © MARC FIORITO; © LOREN HANSEN PHOTOGRAPHY; © PETER VANDENBELT; © VDB PHOTO

HAUTE DRINKS

The Bamboo

JARDESCA HOLIDAY SPRITZ

JARDESCA MISTLETOE MULE

3 ounces Jardesca white aperitiva 2 ounces Prosecco or sparkling wine 1 small spoonful pomegranate juice (POM is perfect) Serve over ice. Garnish with pomegranate seeds and a rosemary sprig.

3 ounces Jardesca red aperitiva 2 ounces ginger beer 1 small spoonful cranberry syrup (or cranberry juice) Pour Jardesca red aperitiva over ice in a stemless wine glass. Top with ginger beer and garnish with cranberries and rosemary sprig.

Jardesca Holiday Spritz

Sloe royale

Jardesca Mistletoe Mule

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HAUTE DINING

A gorgeous spread of dishes at Via Veneto

LA DOLCE VITA STOP BY VIA VENETO TO BE REMINDED OF THE SIMPLE PLEASURES IN LIFE: GOOD FOOD, GOOD PEOPLE, AND GOOD TIMES

AMED AFTER ONE OF THE MOST ELEGANT streets in Rome, Via Veneto has been a mainstay of the Pacific Heights community for more than 30 years, no easy feat in San Francisco’s costly and competitive culinary landscape. Not unlike its namesake, the neighborhood Italian trattoria has hosted many notable personalities during its time—just see the photo of owner Massimo Lavino and Robert De Niro behind the bar.

The food is hearty and satisfying, as Italian fare should be, but Via Veneto draws a sizable crowd of regulars because of its delightful owner and warm, attentive staff. Unlike some

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restaurant owners who stay strictly behind closed doors, Lavino is constantly on the floor and seemingly everywhere all at once. There’s a welcoming air of familiarity as soon as he greets you, as though he’s been waiting for you to show up. Suddenly, you wonder why you hadn’t dropped by sooner to see your old friend, Massimo. I watch as he darts around with a pepper mill under his arm, breezing through the front door and serving diners seated at sidewalk tables while socializing with familiar faces strolling by.

Suddenly he’s behind Via Veneto’s bar, stirring up one of his oft-requested Negronis.

PHOTO CREDITS: © ROBERT RICHARDS

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BY STEPH KEAY

Some of the regulars followed him here from his time in North Beach (where he started at Grazie in 1984 and worked his way up to ownership), while others visited Via Veneto as adolescents after it opened in 1990 and are now introducing their own progeny to Lavino’s menu of northern and southern Italian fare. It really does feel like a home of sorts, if home had magnum bottles of wine lining the walls or a devastatingly charming courtyard that transports you straight to the Italian countryside.

Lavino insists on an authentic yet affordable menu, so neighbors and friends can visit, and often. The approach works. My server, Rolando, tells us about a couple who has come in for lunch and dinner nearly every single day for two years straight (sometimes, he makes them off-menu dishes just to mix things up.) Behind me, a pair is celebrating their 67th anniversary. Via Veneto has been a longtime date night locale for lovers, many of whom would catch dinner at the restaurant before a film at Clay Theatre across the street.

(The single-screen cinema, one of the last in San Francisco, shuttered last year; but, to the delight of dinner-and-movie devotees everywhere, talks are in place to reopen it with a historical landmark designation.)

A handpainted sign in the charming courtyard

The beautifully plated pera arlecchina

Massimo Lavino, the man of the hour

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Every meal at Via Veneto starts with a basket of piping hot fresh bread, served with a crock of garlicky olive oil. Silken cloves, roasted to perfection, spread effortlessly over the soft pieces of bread. Appetizers range from a classic Caesar salad to delicate golden rings of calamari fritti. The long-steady lovebirds nearby opt for garden-fresh bruschetta on Lavino’s recommendation. Flitting around as always, Lavino then attends to our table, dividing up our caprese salad and gently placing each portion on stunning ceramic plates bearing the restaurant’s name and whimsical designs. Painted with brilliant shades of vermillion, ultramarine, and olive, these handmade plates crafted on the Amalfi Coast reflect Via Veneto’s appreciation of good craftsmanship and the equal artistry in its kitchen. The caprese salad delights, showcasing slices of creamy, whole milk mozzarella sitting atop fresh local tomatoes and fragrant leaves of basil, drizzled with a fruity olive oil and freshly cracked pepper.

Pasta is one of those foods for which I vehemently deny that there is a healthy substitute. You simply can’t skimp when it comes to authentic, fresh-made noodles and a thoughtfully prepared sauce with the finest ingredients, whether rich and creamy or hearty and tomato-based. As Erica Jong once mused, "What is the fatal charm of Italy? I believe it is a certain permission to be human, which other places ... lost long ago." To me, pasta is the ultimate expression of self-care—forget diets and counting calories. Luckily, Via Veneto offers an indulgent pasta dish for every palate and preference, such as a fettuccine alfredo with cream sauce, nutmeg, and parmesan; the penne alla puttanesca with a spicy tomato sauce simmered with kalamata olives, briny capers, and anchovies; or the gnocchi alla fiorentina with pillowy-soft potato dumplings in a cream sauce with spinach and Gorgonzola. There’s always a risotto and ravioli del giorno. Today, the latter is a lobster-stuffed edition topped with shrimp and asparagus and doused in an aromatic white wine cream sauce (making my dinner selection that much more challenging). There’s also a selection of carne, pollo, and pesce entrées, including a mouthwatering gamberi al diavolo, featuring prawns sautéed in a spicy sauce of garlic, brandy, mushrooms, tomatoes, and green onion. I opt for linguine alle vongole, with a buttery, herby white wine sauce that allows the delicate brininess of the fresh clams to shine.

34 The savory and flavorful linguine alle vongole

PHOTO CREDITS: © ROBERT RICHARDS

HAUTE DINING

HAUTE DINING

Decadent tiramisù topped with fresh berries

I savor an after-dinner espresso, served in more exquisite, custom-made ceramicware, this time painted in shades of brilliant turquoise and Tuscan yellow, before pulling Rolando aside to ask if zabaglione is on the dessert menu tonight. It usually isn’t, but they’re happy to whip it up—literally—if they’re able. Otherwise, you can't go wrong with a traditional tiramisù or Via Veneto’s pera arlecchina, a scoop of vanilla ice cream enclosed by a cinnamonspiced poached pear with strawberry coulis and crème fraîche. I vow to return soon so I can taste the tartufo al limoncello, a sharp lemon gelato with limoncello and airy meringue sprinkles.

Via Veneto does things the old-fashioned way, as you may have already guessed: reservations are only accepted via telephone. That said, you can rest assured you’ll be taken care of by the dashing Lavino and his cordial team the moment you walk into this sweet slice of Italy in San Francisco.

Lavino and his partner, Roxanne Loera

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HAUTE PROFILE

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Baseline® navy carry-on with patented CX™ compression-expansion, perfect for business travel.

HAUTE PROFILE

GEORGENE RADA REDEFINING BAGGAGE THROUGH INNOVATIVE DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

BY TERESA RODRIGUEZ

PHOTOS BY JAIME PAVON @PAVONPHOTO; RETOUCHING BY KARLA CEVALLOS @LOLARETOUCH

I

N 2008, SAN FRANCISCO INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT Briggs & Riley's luggage creators at a quaint travel boutique in invested $383 million to renovate Terminal Two. At the time, it Half Moon Bay. He explained to me the thoughtfulness behind was home to the new Virgin America airline. When the terminal designing practical luggage. All the pieces also included a lifetime opened, Richard Branson cut the ribbon with Buzz Aldrin at his side. warranty. "Lifetime warranty?" I thought. "Briggs & Riley has to have He said something a deep commitment that resonated with to their products and me. "You know, it is customers to offer such quite disappointing extensive service. That that they have named or they are crazy and these wonderful will be out of business places where we in a few years." disembark into the From that encounter, world such an awful I have been a loyal term. Couldn't they Briggs & Riley user. My come up with a better luggage traveled with word than terminal? me while writing my It sounds like we are first book, FLY SOLO: all going to die here."

The 50 Best Places for I had to agree with a Girl to Travel Alone.

Richard.

It has accompanied me The same can be said to the far corners of for the phase baggage the world and survived VP of Design, Georgene Rada, reviewing product in the Briggs & Riley Design Lab. claim, especially the the rough cobblestone word baggage. We've all heard those inspirational quotes about roads in Prague and the salty seawater of Thailand. When the leaving your old baggage behind or the cliché of carrying too much handle started to wiggle, Briggs & Riley fixed it for free. Then emotional baggage. Baggage is viewed as a heavy burden that a wheel took a beating on the Underground, and they replaced needs to be dealt with in life and travel. it without any questions. So, when Briggs & Riley say that their The negative meaning of baggage changed when I met one of luggage is guaranteed for life, they are not kidding.

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HAUTE PROFILE

"

AT THE START OF A PROJECT, I ASK MY DESIGN TEAM, ‘WHAT ARE THE PROBLEMS? WHAT ARE THE CHALLENGES?’ AND THEN I ASK, ‘WHAT DO WE DO TO SOLVE THOSE?’

Rhapsody™ Essential Backpack offers stylish organization and security features.

One of the biggest issues that Georgene and her team solved for me, personally, was my propensity to overpack. I would overfill my carry-on, and inevitably, it would be too full to fit in the overhead compartment. Georgene and her team have solved that problem by creating a brilliant compression technology. Baseline CX™ is the world's only compression-expansion soft-sided luggage. This new technology allows me pack up to 34 percent more clothing and still meet airline carry-on requirements by compressing them securely in place. This straightforward solution has allowed me to pack what I want and still fit my carry-on on the airplane. As a result, I don't ever check my luggage.

“LUGGAGE IS VERY MUCH LIKE ARCHITECTURE. WE HAVE TO THINK ABOUT THE FRAMEWORK, THE STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY, AS WELL AS THE AESTHETIC” "My grandfather was a luggage designer," Georgene reveals, "and I was named after him." Georgene's mother was an artist, designing and sewing her own evening gowns. Georgene's uncle was a handbag designer in Italy. A career Georgene also excelled in for a while.

“It's the inspiration they find across the world—from the desert to the rainforest—that often leads to the design team's most innovative ideas. You have an instinct about what will be the next right color," Georgene explains. “We all travel extensively. We do research.

We observe. And we explore. We are observers of people, and we are inspired by everything."

“A LOT OF GREAT INNOVATION COMES OUT OF AN INTUITION.” 38

Baseline® navy carry-on offers luxurious leather and polished chrome accents.

PHOTOS BY JAIME PAVON @PAVONPHOTO; RETOUCHING BY KARLA CEVALLOS @LOLARETOUCH

For a seasoned travel writer and author of travel books, luggage is an essential tool of my trade, and I need the best. But I must admit, the colors and aesthetics of the old line were not all that inspiring.

Two decades later, I was shopping for a travel gift for our art director, Krisha, at a local travel store. There, lining the shop's walls, was the new line of Briggs & Riley luggage in the most amazing colors and designs. When I saw it, I let out a little squeal of delight.

There, in front of me were gorgeous, orange luggage pieces with bold designs and beautiful accents. Next, I caught a glimpse of an ocean blue carry-on that had a matching roller bag with the most sophisticated chrome trimmings. It was love at first sight. I spoke with the shop manager who told me that a woman created the new line.

"No wonder it's so magnificent! Not only do I want that ocean blue set, but I also want to meet the woman who has designed this spectacular luggage," I announced.

Days later, I had the opportunity to speak with Georgene Rada, the mastermind and creative genius behind Briggs & Riley’s new line of luggage. While on our call, she said that every design and idea must solve a problem for her consumers, the road warriors.

Georgene was speaking my language.

We had a chance to ask Georgene some questions, and this is what she shared with Haute Living:

HAUTE PROFILE

1. The "aha" moment when I knew I wanted to design luggage was when I realized that designing luggage was actually in my DNA. You see, my grandfather, George, had a luggage store in downtown Los Angeles back in the 1930s. While he sold Vuitton steamer trunks for luxury steamship travel, he also designed and made some of his own creations. I have some of his work and it has always served as an inspiration.

2. The first piece of luggage I created was back in the early nineties when I designed for Ricardo Beverly Hills: the Renegades Collection, which was minimalistic, sporty, and gave a sense of adventure. It was extremely successful, and the feeling of exhilaration from that success provided me with the assurance that I was on the right track and doing what I was meant to do.

3. The most complicated piece I have designed was the Briggs and Riley patented CX Technology, zipperless expansioncompression luggage. This first-of-its-kind baggage enables a traveler to overpack and then compress the case back down to carry-on size with a simple push, so you don't need to check your carry-on bag. In essence, you “can” take it with you. This was a huge team effort.

4. My most important professional accomplishment to date is something that is coming out in 2022. Sorry, I cannot reveal it yet, but it will be the absolute best of Briggs and Riley: the greatest functionality plus beautiful aesthetics. Sit tight!

Rhapsody™ plum carry on with matching companion piece essential tote.

PHOTOS BY JAIME PAVON @PAVONPHOTO; RETOUCHING BY KARLA CEVALLOS @LOLARETOUCH

5. Professionally, I'm most proud of something that is not exactly a product. I am very fortunate to be in a position to train the next generation to understand how to create a premium product that blends form with function—learning to see how the small details can make all the difference. The Briggs designers truly understand how quality matters. Quality products with a lifetime guarantee helps keep products out of landfills, promoting a healthier, more sustainable future.

6. What has been most surprising to me about creating luggage is that, after decades of creating luggage collections, I still get just as excited and enthused as when I created my first piece of luggage. Each initiative is a fresh canvas. Finding solutions to travel hurdles is like solving mysteries. It’s just plain fun.

7. I've found my interaction with all the people in this tightly knit industry to be the most rewarding, from the factories to retailers to our Briggs team and the consumers who take the time to provide feedback. We all share a special passion for travel and travel products.

8. What I have learned from traveling is to go with the flow.

Today’s delay is tomorrow’s adventure.

9. The one thing I haven't yet created/designed yet is something for space travel. I know there must be a need to make packing for space travel better, more accessible, lighter, more convenient, and enjoyable. More to come …

10. If I were not designing luggage, I would be writing travel articles. I have a million stories and will probably have a million more.

So far, I have already taken my new, ocean blue Briggs & Riley duo on a few international trips and a ton of local getaways. Every place I go, drivers, valets, and bellmen compliment my stylish luggage. I always respond, "Not only is it gorgeous, but it's also incredibly intuitive and very smart!" Just like the woman who created it.

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HAUTE EVENT EVENTS

Space Perspective Capsule

RICH EXPERIENCES A LUXE HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE

BY LAURIE JO MILLER FARR

JOIN AN EXCLUSIVE CLUB OF SPACEFARING ADVENTURERS Ride the first wave of space history. From lift-off at the NASA launch pad, it’s a six-hour journey aboard Spaceship Neptune until the gentle splashdown. An out-of-this-world experience has you seeing Earth and the blue line of our atmosphere from an apogee of 100,000 feet, a view that astronauts have called stunningly beautiful, deeply compelling, and profoundly moving. No rockets. You’ll be transported inside a safe and roomy capsule for eight passengers plus pilot, a balloon with 360-degree panoramic windows, refreshments, and WiFi. Book your trip to the edge of space for 2025 and beyond, as the first 30 flights beginning in late 2024 have sold out. spaceperspective. com | $125,000 per Explorer.

DO A DEEP DIVE IN DUBAI Alternatively, travel down instead of up. At 60 meters (nearly 200 feet), Deep Dive Dubai is billed as the world’s deepest pool, offering all kinds of unique selling points for experienced divers 40

and amateurs alike. Themed to resemble an abandoned sunken city, divers can explore it over several dives. The freshwater pool is filled with 14 million liters regulated at 86 degrees Fahrenheit to maintain perfect conditions for diving, eliminating the need to wear wetsuits. Plus, cancellations due to weather conditions don’t exist, nor do the potential dangers of diving in rough seas. Built to resemble an oyster, the building in Nad Al Sheba (15 minutes from downtown) is designed to celebrate UAEs heritage as a pearl diving nation. Deepdivedubai.com | From age 10 and up. Prices vary. Gift vouchers available.

THINGS ARE LOOKING UP IN SONOMA In the heart of Sonoma wine country, the luxury Montage Healdsburg has introduced an astro tourism package with accommodation for parties of up to six guests. “The Sky’s the Limit” is a special offer features private round-trip flights from anywhere in the U.S. via Jet Edge, plus transfers; two nights in the resort’s premier 4,600-square-foot hideaway, a three-bedroom Guest House perched high above the resort; a private dinner served on the terrace overlooking the Mayacamas mountain range; a private tour of the Robert Ferguson Observatory with access to telescopes; and a two-hour photography session with acclaimed astrophotographer Rachid Dahnoun with a gifted limited-edition night sky image. montagehotels.com/ healdsburg/special-offers | $95,000 subject to availability.

PHOTO COURTESY OF SPACE PERSPECTIVE

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ECAUSE MEMORIES BEAT SHOPPING CARTS, WE LOVE the idea of giving the gift of a special experience this holiday season. We’ve searched high and low (literally!) to come up with six special opportunities that are sure to surprise and delight.

QUINTESSENTIAL SAN FRANCISCO AT THE MARK HOPKINS As InterContinental Hotels & Resorts celebrates its 75th diamond anniversary, our own Mark Hopkins San Francisco at One Nob Hill has created this special package for Haute Living SF. Indulge in the “InterContinental 75” package for two: a two-night stay in the elegantly appointed Mark Hopkins Suite; tableside service with panoramic views at the legendary 19th floor Top of the Mark sky-lounge, featuring Piper-Heidsieck Champagne paired with Astrea Caviar or the Hanson of Sonoma Distillery Vodka Experience; a private session with the house mixologist to learn how to make the signature 75th anniversary cocktail; a one-hour photo shoot at the Golden Gate Bridge with a professional photographer and tour guide to capture precious memories. To mark this milestone celebration, enjoy 75,000 IHG® Rewards Points on the house. sfmarkhopkins.com/intercontinental-75 | From $7,500.

Deep Dive Dubai freediving

GET INTIMATE ACCESS VIA CULTURED VINE NAPA

PHOTO CREDITS: COURTESY OF DEEP DIVE DUBAI; COURTESY OF MONTAGE HEALDSBURG; © ALEXANDER RUBIN

As serious wine collectors know, it’s wise to talk to Angela Duerr, founder of Cultured Vine, about creating a gift experience like none other. Napa’s luxury concierge service only does customized itineraries based on each individual’s personal preferences. Every aspect of an exceptional wine country stay is scrupulously planned — no request is too big or too small — including private helicopters, intimate dinners by talented chefs, tastings with top-notch sommeliers, meetups with the winemakers that are behind some of the world’s best bottles. “From tastings in a wine owner’s living room to private tours and dinners with top chefs at boutique, invitation-only wineries, I make it happen. I come up with things that you couldn’t have done on your own,” Duerr shared with Haute Living. “No two experiences are ever alike.” CulturedVine.com | Custom pricing.

Jet Edge, Montage Healdsburg

ALCHEMY OF THE SENSES BOOK IS AN EXPERIENCE Yes, there are pages and a cover. And there’s also a pendulum inside. Find out why this special gift is more accurately described as an experience for the senses rather than a book.

A lifelong passion for the artistry of wine led Jean-Charles Boisset to curate and create a "wine book” that “speaks not only of tannins and barrels, but also emotions and fantasies, hope and imagination.” Let Alchemy of the Senses be your guide to exploring the limitless dimensions of wine. As JCB says, “Our ultimate vision is to enlighten, inspire, surprise, and transport people to destinations they’ve never before imagined.” AlchemyoftheSenses.com | $395.

Alchemy of the Senses

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COVER STORY

FACES of Philanthropy DURING THIS SEASON OF GIVING, THESE LEADERS SHARE THEIR INSPIRATION

BY FRAN ENDICOTT MILLER

P

HILANTHROPY COMES IN MANY FORMS. WHILE THE WORD ITSELF BRINGS TO mind monetary giving, philanthropy may also refer to other charitable acts, such as the donation of time, expertise, stewardship, and advocacy. The philanthropists gathered here run the gamut in their “giving.” Among them, their varied efforts to effect positive change benefit not only their own communities, but the Bay Area—and even the nation—at large.

Selfless, compassionate, and exceedingly generous, their altruism serves a greater good, and their actions make our world a kinder and gentler place.

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ALL-STAR ASSIST:

PHOTO CREDIT: © STACEY PENTLAND PHOTOGRAPHY

KRISTEN AND BUSTER POSEY A mother’s personal story led Kristen and Buster Posey to what has become their philanthropic focus. The plight of Melissa Wiggins, whose son was diagnosed with cancer at age two, inspired the couple. With two-year-old twins of their own at the time, the Poseys were deeply touched by the Wiggins’ experience and their various struggles with finances and treatment options.

“Reading about Melissa, I realized at that moment that this was something that could use our attention,” said Kristen, who with her AllStar husband and the help of the San Francisco Giants organization created the BP28 Foundation to support pediatric patients and their families receiving treatment at local Bay Area hospitals. “We got involved.

We listened to the stories of families whose children have undergone treatment. We felt their fear and grief and their anxiety in figuring out this new world of hospitals and doctors. And we were moved by their unwavering hope.”

Launched in spring 2016 and named in honor of Buster’s San Francisco Giants jersey number, the organization seeks to improve outcomes for children with pediatric cancer by raising awareness and funds for pioneering research and treatment. Initially, the Poseys' outreach entailed visits to children at Bay Area hospitals—something they continue with regularity. Their efforts have grown to include an annual fundraising event held at Oracle Park, the proceeds of which are donated to UCSF. To date, they have raised more than $4 million. They have developed personal relationships with doctors and researchers, and they find continued motivation from those who dedicate their lives to finding a cure and more effective protocols for devastating illnesses.

“Initially, we were shocked to discover that only about four percent of cancer funds raised in the United States go to pediatric research,” said Kristen. “Yet as we’ve gotten more deeply involved, we’ve been heartened by the tremendous progress being made through the pioneering efforts of many brilliant physician-scientists around the country.”

The couple, who met as high school students in Georgia, now have four kids of their own, 10-year-old and one-year-old twins. “We try to teach our children about empathy and consideration for others,” said Kristen. “While most people only know Buster as a baseball player, he is one of the kindest and most generous people I know. He is always thinking of others. Baseball has provided us with this unique platform to help, yet this is not about us; we are not looking for a pat on the back. Most rewarding for us is that the funds we’ve helped raise could possibly create better options for these young patients or perhaps save a child’s life. And it’s always special to see young faces light up when they meet Buster.”

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COVER STORY

WE GOT INVOLVED. WE LISTENED TO THE STORIES OF FAMILIES WHOSE CHILDREN HAVE UNDERGONE TREATMENT. WE FELT THEIR FEAR AND GRIEF AND THEIR ANXIETY IN FIGURING OUT THIS NEW WORLD OF HOSPITALS AND DOCTORS. AND WE WERE MOVED

BY THEIR UNWAVERING HOPE.

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COVER STORY

’TIS BETTER TO GIVE THAN TO RECEIVE:

Dario Sattui would much rather give than receive. At a time when his own business was most in need, the Napa Valley vintner rejected the federal funding allowed his Glass Fire-destroyed Castello di Amorosa as he continued to support his community with admirable levels of generosity. Recent donations include more than $2 million to UCSF and its affiliate for heart disease research and $1 million to build a preschool in Calistoga, the town in which he lives. He is a significant, longtime supporter of Napa Valley Hospice, Hands Across the Valley, the Napa Valley Land Trust, Jameson Animal Rescue Ranch, Napa Wildlife Rescue, and Festival Napa Valley. He is also a consistent donor to the University of California Berkeley where he earned his Master of Business Administration, and San Jose State where he received a Bachelor of Science in accounting and finance. Yet of the support he provides, he is most proud of his work with The Boys & Girls Clubs of St. Helena and Calistoga.

“Dario came to us when we were in desperate need of afterschool program space for the youth in Calistoga,” said Trent Yaconelli, the club’s executive director. “He listened to our needs and told us the story of his own childhood and how he wanted to honor his parents and help kids in circumstances to which he empathized. Not only did he jump in with a huge donation to get us moving toward construction of a 14,500-squarefoot building, but he also attended our fundraisers, reached out to other donors, and donated stays at his castle in Italy for our auction.”

Sattui has long supported the organization. He made his initial modest gift to them about the same time he opened St. Helena’s V. Sattui Winery in 1975, when he had about $8,000 to his name, lived in a van, and often slept on the winery floor. At that time, most of his philanthropic donations were in the form of wine. “The Boys & Girls Club was the recipient of one of my first monetary donations,” said Sattui. “I believe that education and formative habits start at a really young age, and I believe in the difference that the Boys & Girls Clubs makes in a child’s life.”

Sattui was born in San Francisco and raised in Marin County. He honors his family’s Italian heritage (his great-grandfather Vittorio Sattui was an Italian immigrant who founded V. Sattui Winery in 1885) by supporting San Francisco’s Museo Italo Americano. “I’ve come a long way, and I’ve done fairly well, and it feels really good to be able to help my community,” said Sattui.

When asked what his legacy might be, he mused, “I suppose I’d like to be known and remembered as a decent human being with high standards, good morals, and good character.” Yaconelli highly endorses such traits: “Dario is incredibly generous and heartfelt in his love of this valley and the people who make it such a beautiful place to live. Generations of kids will be affected by his gift for years and years to come.”

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PHOTO CREDIT: COURTESY OF DARIO SATTUI

DARIO SATTUI

COVER STORY

A MEANS TO AN END:

PHOTO CREDIT: © JIMMY HAYES

DARRYL BELL Darryl Bell learned the value of giving back at an early age.

As a child, Bell (now the chef de cuisine at St. Helena’s PRESS Restaurant) often accompanied his mother when she volunteered at the local soup kitchen in his hometown of Kansas City, MO. The experience resonated deeply with Bell, who since that time has continued to give back, no matter his own circumstance. From culinary school graduate to young upstart chef climbing the culinary ladder in Kansas City to positions in some of the most celebrated restaurants in the nation, such as 3-Michelin-starred Alinea in Chicago, Thomas Keller’s Bouchon Bistro, and now PRESS, Bell has always supported those in need.

For the past decade he has been a regular contributor to No Kid Hungry, a national nonprofit campaign that seeks to solve problems of hunger and poverty in the U.S. and around the world.

In an effort to make a larger financial impact, Bell launched his own line of barbecue sauces with the intent to donate a portion of the proceeds to the organization. “I brainstormed for several months, deciding what product would be unique specifically to me and my upbringing that I could produce in order to generate money and continue donating funds,” said Bell. “I drew from my Kansas City roots and the rich barbecue culture there and combined my Michelin restaurant training.”

Named Stateline Road for the major thoroughfare that divides Kansas City, MO and Kansas City, KS, the line includes Black Truffle BBQ Sauce, a dry rub, a brine kit, and his initial product, 816 BBQ Sauce, christened the “Mercedes-Benz of barbecue sauces” by one Napa Valley vintner. Thomas Keller took one taste and put it on his menus now served aboard all Seabourn luxury cruise ships.

Bell first began seriously refining his barbecue sauce while working at Bouchon Bistro. When the staff began eagerly looking forward to it, Bell knew he had something special on his hands. Accolades aside, the product is a means to an end for Bell. Sales of the products have allowed him to contribute to No Kid Hungry at a greater level.

“No Kid Hungry is a great organization that takes an out-ofthe-box approach to donations,” said Bell. “As a chef, I have the ability to volunteer in different ways: providing meals at fundraisers, participating in their annual Chef Cycle event, and also through direct donations. Being able to directly provide a meal to a kid is humbling, rewarding, and causes a great deal of reflection.”

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COVER STORY

ACCIDENTAL ACTIVIST:

When Kerrin Laz joined DEAN & DELUCA in 2003 as wine buyer for the retailer’s Washington, DC store, she had little experience in the field of wine. When she initiated her Inspire Napa Valley (INV) campaign in support of Alzheimer’s awareness in 2014, she had little experience in fundraising. Today, Laz oversees an eponymous Napa Valley tasting room and is one of the most trusted consultants in the wine business. She’s also the face of one of the most profitable annual events benefiting the Alzheimer’s Association.

Every new winery hoping to make an impact in the industry courts this California wine authority. Laz’s clients include many of the country’s top CEOs, celebrities, athletes, and other influencers who place their trust in her and who show up in force annually to support the consultant and vintner (her eponymous LAZ wines are on the lists at The French Laundry, Morimoto, PRESS, and Mustards Grill) in her efforts to raise awareness and critical funds for Napa residents living with Alzheimer’s.

Laz founded the INV event after her mother was diagnosed with the disease. Through INV, Laz is committed to supporting the Alzheimer’s Association’s mission of advancing research while enhancing care for those living with the disease. The inaugural INV wine weekend took place in May 2018 and brought together wine enthusiasts, philanthropists, industry leaders, acclaimed vintners, and winemakers as only Laz could gather. (Renowned wine critic Antonio Galloni and executive wine editor Ray Isle of Food & Wine and Travel & Leisure are on her honorary committee and actively participate each year.)

The event included a wine tasting of 45 of Napa Valley’s most sought-after cult wines, followed by a seated dinner, live auction, and paddle raise. The fundraising model proved effective, and INV has since become an anticipated annual event, with this year’s winter INV Food & Wine Fête taking place December 11 and the annual INV wine weekend scheduled for April 29-31, 2022. To date, Laz and her vast network have raised more than $2.5 million.

“Every time I think about what we have done so far and where we are heading with Inspire, I am almost in disbelief that it’s a reality,” said Laz. “I knew our community was special, but I didn’t realize how supportive wineries, guests, local restaurants, and purveyors would be to me and my cause. My goal for INV is to continue to raise funds to support research and local resources that are helping those with Alzheimer’s as well as their families and loved ones. I also think the more we can talk about Alzheimer’s, the less of a stigma there will be for those affected by it.”

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PHOTO CREDIT: COURTESY OF KERRIN LAZ

KERRIN LAZ

COVER STORY

A GIVING LEGACY “INSURED”:

PHOTO CREDIT: © DREW ALTIZER PHOTOGRAPHY

MATTHEW AND JASON GOLDMAN

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PHILANTHROPY IS IN OUR JEANS [AND] GENES; FOR THE PAST SIX GENERATIONS, GIVING BACK HAS SIMPLY BEEN A FAMILY VALUE.

As fifth generation stewards of Sigmund Stern Grove, twins Matthew and Jason Goldman emulate the generosity of their great-great grandmother, Rosalie Meyer Stern, who gifted the grove to the city in 1931 in honor of her husband, Sigmund Stern. Rosalie’s gift included music, in the form of free public concerts that have continued to this day. The annual Stern Grove Summer Festival—84 years strong—is one of the longest running, free music festivals in the nation.

In 2019, Matthew and Jason assumed from their father, Doug Goldman, the Stern Grove reins and its nonprofit foundation, established in 1938. The duo now serve as chairperson (Matthew) and vice-chairperson (Jason) of the Stern Grove Festival Board of Directors, lending their vibrance and ingenuity to the beloved summer concert series, which, since their appointment, has met unique challenges: the festival was canceled in 2020 due to the pandemic, and this summer at the tail end of the concert series, a broken water main flooded the grove, causing cancelation of its biggest fundraiser of the year. Yet the duo remain undeterred in their mission to bring joy to Bay Area music lovers.

“This summer at the grove was really special,” said Matthew. “There was a different feeling, in that people were able to come back together and once again gather in pursuit of something uplifting. The concerts provided a sense of community when we most needed something like this.”

Principals and co-CEOs of San Francisco insurance services firm G2, the brothers are third generation insurance brokers, building not only on the legacy of their grandfather, Richard Goldman, but also on their family’s six generations of philanthropic generosity. In addition to their work with the Stern Grove Festival Association, Matthew sits on the boards of the Lisa and Douglas Goldman Fund and is a board member at the UC Berkeley’s Haas School of Business. Jason also serves on the board of the Lisa and Douglas Goldman Fund and is an advisory board member at the Goldman School of Public Policy at UC Berkeley.

“Philanthropy is in our jeans [and] genes,” said Matthew. “For the past six generations, giving back has simply been a family value. Jason and I have lofty goals on ways we can give back and make an impact beyond ourselves. Whether it is the work we do in our insurance brokerage firm, G2, to manage the risk of non-profit organizations or the non-profits and foundations where we volunteer our time, this work is incredibly rewarding and meaningful.”

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COVER STORY

LIVING LEGEND:

Matthew Chaney has lived with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) for more than 20 years, but despite the physical decline associated with the debilitating neurodegenerative disease, he has stayed active.

After diagnosis, he retired from a successful career in the chemical industry to become a stay-at-home parent, volunteering his time at local schools and youth sports programs. From 1999 to 2008, he served on the Little League Executive Board in Lafayette, CA where a community baseball field is named in his honor. Well known for his typed tagline “Typed by toe on an iPad,” Chaney has developed devices to provide independence for his daily life and participated for many years in sports ranging from skydiving to bocce ball (played with his feet).

Also upon diagnosis, Chaney participated in research studies and drug trials focused on ALS and potential methods for diagnosing, halting, and possibly curing the disease. By 2004, having outlived the typical ALS patient longevity, he no longer qualified for most studies and trials. He then directed his efforts to raising awareness for the ALS Association (ALSA) Golden West Chapter where, for the past 10 years, he has been an active spokesperson, addressing service groups, schools, fundraising events, and the crowds at sporting events such as San Francisco Giants games.

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“It’s been very rewarding to help others who have been newly diagnosed, as well as their families and friends, by sharing my experiences,” said Chaney, a resident of Lafayette. He served on the chapter’s Board of Directors from 2010 to 2015 and continues to serve as an Advisory Trustee. He has also served as co-chair for the Napa Valley Ride/Walk to Defeat ALS (2011-2015) and honorary chair for all seven of the Northern California Walk to “Defeet” ALS events. He has personally raised more than $700,000 for the chapter.

“I met Matt at the 2015 Napa Valley Ride to Defeat ALS,” said Miles McConnell, also diagnosed with ALS and now co-chair of the event.

“I look back on that first encounter and realize he was opening a door for me to experience the gratification one gets from working toward a common goal. Without Matt's gentle guidance, I doubt I'd be involved with the single largest 1-day ALS fundraiser in the nation.”

When asked what he’d like his legacy to be, Chaney said, “I had my 60th birthday last year during COVID. In lieu of a gathering, my sneaky wife put together a video collage of greetings from family and friends. My two sons, Dylan and Brian, wrote a touching and humorous poem and ended with a quote from Oscar Wilde: ‘You didn’t teach me to live, you live and let me watch you do it.’ Living my life in a manner my sons respect is a legacy with which I am content.”

PHOTO CREDIT: COURTESY OF MATTHEW CHANEY

MATTHEW CHANEY

THE GIFT OF MUSIC:

MIKE DICKEY

The foundation has now spun out a public benefit corporation, JackTrip Labs, which has launched in more than 50 markets worldwide, partnering with Amazon to provide digital hubs.

Thousands of musicians in orchestras, bands, choirs, schools, private music coaches, and other groups have discovered uses for the technology, allowing each to continue making music together while miles apart. Grammy Award-winning conductor and composer Eric Whitacre champions the technology.

“JackTrip is amazing; it’s a game-changer,” said Whitacre, widely considered to be the pioneer of virtual choirs. “Musicians want to come together to create something beautiful, and now JackTrip Virtual Studio provides them the tool to do so, dissolving the technological barriers that kept them apart. It allows groups to make music over the internet with almost undetected latency. It’s as if I’m standing in a room with the singers I’m working with. I’m very excited about what JackTrip is doing.”

Added Dickey, “The past year has been one of the most rewarding in my life. When I started working on this, I never imagined this would impact so many people. It's those individual stories that continue to drive and inspire me. Going forward, I hope that we can help more people make more music together, more frequently.”

PHOTO CREDIT: © DAVID ALLEN

Mike Dickey was simply trying to help his son find a way to continue singing with his boys’ choir during the pandemic when the Silicon Valley entrepreneur ended up creating a revolutionary shareware platform that has transformed the music industry. Dickey partnered with Stanford University to adapt its JackTrip technology (once only available to technophiles with access to extensive hardware) to the cloud. The result? JackTrip Virtual Studio, a user-friendly platform that allows anyone to eliminate the Zoom lag time that made singing “Happy Birthday” a cacophonous mess. It enables musicians and singers to harmonize together in real-time over basic internet connections.

“JackTrip stood out both in terms of audio quality and its ability to scale for larger groups, but it was a bit difficult to use,” said Dickey, a Palo Alto resident whose ingenuity led to a new job as cofounder and CEO of JackTrip Labs. “So, I built a service that allowed anyone to create their own (JackTrip powered) ‘virtual studio’ with just a few clicks in their favorite web browser.” Dickey then took that technology and created the nonprofit JackTrip Foundation. He has since provided free access to the Virtual Studio platform and donated more than 80,000 hours of use to musicians, helping to support the industry during the pandemic.

COVER STORY

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COVER STORY

COMMUNITY CONNECTOR:

A healthcare entrepreneur and investor who has helped to build leading life sciences companies in both the U.S. and Asia, Norman Chen was first exposed to philanthropy and the concept of social entrepreneurship as a student at Stanford’s Graduate School of Business. “I was very impressed by the passion, commitment, and altruism of the students and faculty to apply business skills to create positive social change,” said Chen, who received his undergraduate degree at MIT. “My career in healthcare and venture capital has been inspired by this desire to operate and invest in a socially impactful way.”

One of the organizations he supported early on was the Children’s Medical Foundation of Hong Kong which established neonatal centers in rural areas of China to provide care, training, and resources for the treatment of newborn babies. Chen, who grew up on the East Coast, worked in Hong Kong for 20 years and now lives and works in the South Bay, currently serving as an advisor or board member with several nonprofit organizations, including The Nature Conservancy (CA), the Children’s Medical Foundation (HK/China), Marine Science Institute, and Positive Coaching Alliance. But it is his work with LAAUNCH (Leading Asian Americans to Unite for Change) of which he is most proud.

The mission of LAAUNCH is to engage and empower the Asian American community to fight racism, increase representation, and share community resources. The nonprofit seeks to eradicate classic AsianAmerican stereotypes like the “model minority” and the “perpetual foreigner.” Now serving as LAAUNCH’s CEO, Chen and a group of longtime friends founded the organization a year ago in the midst of antiAsian American attacks and rhetoric. Their most significant initiative thus far has been the first national study in more than 20 years of American attitudes towards Asian Americans.

“Our report, called the STAATUS (Social Tracking of Asian Americans in the U.S.) Index, received broad coverage in more than 100 articles and 1.6 million views on traditional media,” said Chen. “By surveying 2,766 adult Americans throughout the country, we were able to identify and quantify toxic stereotypes and misperceptions that have led to the alarming increase in anti-Asian American hatred and recommend specific actions to create a better future for our community. I am proud of the impact that we have created through the STAATUS Index report.”

Said fellow LAAUNCH board member Eric Toda, global head of social marketing at Facebook, “Norman is one of the most thoughtful philanthropic leaders I've ever worked with. He is committed to connecting communities, some of which have oftentimes been insular.

He is a true leader committed to breaking down barriers, finding common ground, and pushing for progress.”

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PHOTO CREDIT: COURTESY OF NORMAN CHEN

NORMAN CHEN

PRESERVATIONIST + CONSERVATIONIST:

PHOTO CREDIT: COURTESY OF SUZANNE DEAL BOOTH

SUZANNE DEAL BOOTH

When Suzanne Deal Booth acquired Rutherford’s Bella Oaks vineyard in 2010, she felt that she had an opportunity for preservation and conservation—of agriculture, land management, and, of course, wine. She conducted extensive research on the site, consulting with local historians on its early history and interviewing dozens of well-known winemakers, chefs, and community members who had formative relationships with Bella Oaks’ previous owners.

Her approach echoed that of her life’s work, the recognition and preservation of cultural heritage, a focus fostered in her early twenties when she worked at Rice University under the tutelage of Dominique de Menil, humanist, art collector, and philanthropist.

“Dominique showed me there can be a shared, communal celebration inherent in creating and preserving beauty, both in objects and in shared cultural experiences,” said Deal Booth, a native of Texas who splits her time between Napa and Austin. “That example remains a voice in my head and heart.”

In 1998, Deal Booth founded The Friends of Heritage Preservation, which has fostered more than 70 preservation and conservation projects across five continents in the last 20 years. In 2001, she and her family established the Suzanne Deal Booth Rome Prize for Historic Preservation and Conservation at the American Academy in Rome. In 2016, she established what is now the Suzanne Deal Booth/FLAG Art Foundation Prize at The Contemporary Austin, an unrestricted award of $200,000 given to an artist selected every two years. In 2020, the Suzanne Deal Booth Welcome House opened a nondenominational, contemplative space at Houston’s Rothko Chapel. Her most meaningful project to date has been the 2012 construction of James Turrell’s Twilight Epiphany Skyspace at the Suzanne Deal Booth Centennial Pavilion at Rice University.

“I intentionally served on Rice University’s Board of Trustees where I worked with the president of the university to commission, create, and endow this special space that sits in the very center of campus and is walking distance to the renowned Houston Medical Center,” said Deal Booth. “The Skyspace is a vibrant part of campus life, and it was important to me to integrate art in students’ everyday life.” The Skyspace also serves as a transformative and meditative place for families seeing loved ones through challenging health situations. “I continue to receive letters of appreciation from people who have celebrated and healed there, which touch me deeply.”

Deal Booth firmly believes great results can come from seemingly small acts. “I’d like to be remembered as a person who always saw the sublimity of beauty and the potential of universal benefits to be had through the creation and preservation of objects, places, and cultural experiences that provide that beauty. In today’s world, the importance of these actions can get lost or shouted out amid louder demands. The legacy I want to leave is to make sure these quieter voices and gestures can stand their ground and enrich the beauty of the world for generations to come.”

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COVER STORY

THE SKYSPACE ALSO SERVES AS A TRANSFORMATIVE AND MEDITATIVE PLACE FOR FAMILIES SEEING LOVED ONES THROUGH CHALLENGING HEALTH SITUATIONS. “I CONTINUE TO RECEIVE LETTERS OF APPRECIATION FROM PEOPLE WHO HAVE CELEBRATED AND HEALED THERE, WHICH TOUCH ME DEEPLY.”

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HOMEWOOD, CALIFORNIA

WEST SHORE SPLIT LAKEFRONT

Beautifully updated lake view home with it’s own lakefront parcel w/permitted buoy, 2 HOA piers. Creative, fun improvements to this spacious home, including the conversion of space to create 2 new bedrooms and a wonderful media/game room that was once a wood-working shop. One bedroom with living room and bath can be locked off. Contemporary finishes reflect the owner’s love of art. Checkout the Primary suite’s shower! Great rental activity, has STR permit that can transfer. Nearby Homewood Resort. 6115WLake.com $3,950,000

TRINKIE WATSON NV & CA BROKER | CIPS | CLHMS | CRS | LTG | GRI NV BS.1022 | CA 00326518

800 783 0722 twatson@chaseinternational.com LakeTahoeLuxuryEstates.com Tahoe City office: 531 North Lake Boulevard

THE LEADER IN LUXURY REAL ESTATE

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VISIT: CHASEINTERNATIONAL.COM

OLYMPIC VALLEY, CALIFORNIA

PALISADES TAHOE! Golf and ski entertainer’s dream home with ample space for everyone. Overlooking Resort at Squaw Creek’s beautiful 18-hole golf course, this masterpiece was designed by Ward-Young Architects. Recently upgraded with high end designer finishes. A sprawling 5 bedroom, (3 en-suites), 5.5 baths and a spacious media/game room with wet bar and sliding door to the terrace and lawn. A few steps below is the indoor pool with shower and powder room, sitting area and door to the covered spa. $3,750,000 3058MountainLinks.com

TRINKIE WATSON

NV & CA BROKER | CIPS | CLHMS | CRS | LTG | GRI NV BS.1022 | CA 00326518

800 783 0722

twatson@chaseinternational.com LakeTahoeLuxuryEstates.com Tahoe City office: 531 North Lake Boulevard

T HE LEA D ER IN LUXURY REAL ESTATE

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VISIT: CHASEINTERNATIONAL.COM

LAKE TAHOE, NEVADA

SECLUDED 10 BEDROOM FAMILY COMPOUND OR CORPORATE RETREAT WITH LAKE VIEWS Renovated in 2017 with 5,220 sf. Customize your home as needed with offices, gym, mother-in-law suite, etc. Or as a corporate retreat, enjoy with employees and clients for work and play, along with NV tax benefits. Primary suite on entry level along with spacious great room & large wrap-around deck. Separate family/game room. Sells furnished. Price upon request.

KAREN PACKMAN REALTOR NV S.0059863

775 720 9422

kpackman@chaseinternational.com karenpackman.com Zephyr Cove office: 190 Hwy 50

T HE LEA D ER IN LUXURY REAL ESTATE

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VISIT: CHASEINTERNATIONAL.COM

HAUTE TRAVEL

BEAUTIFUL

BY NATURE Don’t pinch me, lest I wake up from the dream that is the Turks and Caicos Islands eeing is believing, except in the case of the Turks and Caicos Islands. As we make our descent into Providenciales, sunlight streams into the plane from the open windows and all eyes are glued to the extraordinary view.

As far as one can see, blue skies flow seamlessly into striking turquoise waters. Providenciales (known locally as “Provo”) welcomes me after exactly 17 months—to the day—that shelterin-place orders were first announced in the Bay Area. It’s one of those “the universe provides” types of things, I like to think. I’m keen to start exploring, as one does after an extended period of being housebound.

My driver Boise (“Like Idaho,” he says) expertly navigates the small island, which covers just 38 square miles. Picturesque images of island life flash by: goats roaming on the edges of the roundabouts (there isn’t a single traffic light on Provo), a road sign that points the way to “DA BEACH” (neatly graffitied using a stencil), and license plates proclaiming the country’s motto (“Beautiful by Nature”). Despite its rising reputation as a luxury destination, Providenciales holds onto its rustic charm. It’s a place where locals (known as “belongers”) often refer to restaurants by the owner’s name rather than the actual business—but these days, you might bump into the Kardashians at the island’s weekly fish fry. It’s a community where 5-star restaurants live in harmony with beloved mainstays such as Sweet T’s, a fried chicken joint that ran KFC out of town with its simple business model (customers can walk up with any dollar amount and receive a meal equivalent to the value). Rife with culture, the island celebrates its heritage with annual fêtes such as the Conch Festival and Maskanoo, a street festival held on Boxing Day.

54 The stunning white sand beaches and crystalline waters of the Turks and Caicos Islands

The lounge at Grace Bay Club, next to Infiniti Restaurant & Raw Bar—a great place to catch the nighttime entertainment

PHOTO CREDIT: COURTESY OF TURKS AND CAICOS TOURIST BOARD

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BY STEPH KEAY

HAUTE TRAVEL

PHOTO CREDIT: COURTESY OF GRACE BAY CLUB

THE SUITE LIFE A smattering of shops painted chartreuse and gold line the main strip off of Grace Bay Club, where I’m welcomed with a fresh-cracked coconut in the open-air lobby. Set along 1,100 feet of the famous Grace Bay Beach, the 11-acre, all-suite property is split into three distinct offerings: the adults-only hotel, family-friendly villas, and the exclusive estate section. Then there’s the beach, the shockingly tranquil and pristine white sand beach, sparsely populated save for a couple here, a family there. The moment I wade into the warm water and tilt my head back, the clouds break and a white ray of sunlight streams through, illuminating the rolling, crystalline waves. I’m seeing it, but it’s hard to believe that this perfection exists.

For luxury travelers seeking a boutique hotel experience, Point Grace is located less than a mile down the beach from Grace Bay Club.

Its chic design combines Caribbean with British Colonial influences with charming porches framed by gingerbread trim. The hidden gem is its French-inspired restaurant, Grace’s Cottage, a cozy oasis nestled among lush greenery lit by flickering candles and lanterns.

It’s anchored by the newly renovated bar which features a gorgeous Bisazza glass tile mosaic that spans the entire length of the room.

Designed by Young Huh, who also recently refreshed the resort’s suites, the 25-foot backdrop incorporates local flora in its design. This is where contender-for-the-best-bartender-name Wisky Maitre works his mixology magic with wisps of rosemary-scented smoke, spicy homemade ginger syrup, and sweet watermelon purée.

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Broholm Castle Beachfront villas face the ocean at the peaceful Sailrock Resort

SEAS THE DAY Sometimes it takes a day or two to settle into vacation mode.

The solution? A private charter with Ocean Vibes, led by Captain Wayne Hall. As soon as you step onto Island Magic, a 48-foot catamaran that picks you up right off Grace Bay Beach, the Caribbean music and rum punches will have you feeling relaxed and ready for dolphin-watching on the bow nets. Born and raised in the Turks and Caicos Islands, Captain Wayne also happens to be a professionally trained scuba diving instructor, tour guide, and bartender who has been working in tourism for a quartercentury—suffice it to say, you’re in good hands.

After a sublime day on the seas, dine with your toes in the ultrafine sand at Grace Bay Club’s Infiniti Restaurant & Raw Bar. A spacious patio opens up right onto the beach, offering a stunning sunset view of sailboats under a dazzling mauve sky.

Our server, Brave, keeps the wine flowing, which is a good thing when the evening’s entertainment shows up just after dusk. It’s a local fire dancer who performs all sorts of gasp-worthy stunts before asking: “Who’s feeling brave?” Fueled by the bit of liquid courage, courtesy of our aptly-named server, I volunteer for an exercise in fire baton twirling. The evening wraps up with a spectacular trick that lights up the entire beach when the dancer spins a chain, throwing white-hot sparks 50-something feet in the air while simultaneously breathing plumes of roaring fire.

PRIVACY, PLEASE For the ultimate in seclusion, look no further than Sailrock Resort on the undeveloped island of South Caicos, where wild donkeys graze, pelicans perform sweeping dives, and flamingos idle among the vast salt flats. With a population of just over 1,100 (and a low-density zoning mandate), the quiet island is a quick, 45-minute flight from Providenciales and offers solitude for those who want the “private island feel.”

(In fact, I’m told a certain Canadian singer and his model wife are big fans.)

The beachfront villas at Sailrock are all understated luxury, outfitted with outdoor showers and yoga mats, perfect for a sunrise session overlooking the ocean which stretches into the infinitude just beyond each villa’s own infinityedged pool.

Sailrock guests can take ATVs to The Cove Beach Bar to enjoy a South Caicos martini (which they can shake up at a sunset mixology class) or iconic island plates such as cracked conch (I also recommend the fall-off-thebone-tender jerk chicken wings). After dining, guests can relax on floating hammocks, while more adventurous travelers might opt for one of the resort’s Hobie Cat sailing lessons. My affable guide, Justin, expertly rigs up the small catamaran and gives me a rundown on the island as we sail past the mangroves, schools of juvenile fish darting in and out of their roots. The resort can also arrange for bonefishing excursions (after all, South Caicos is the fishing capital of the islands), which pair famously with “Mama’s Bread” (ask any local for directions). Speedboats ferry guests to the rock iguana habitat on Long Cay or to admire the thorny residents of Starfish Alley, with stops to drop in and snorkel along the way. Breathing in the salty air and feeling the warm breeze as our boat glides over the crystalline waters of the Caicos Bank (crossing paths at one point with a five-foot-wide stingray that flutters alongside our boat), I’m reminded again that this is—somehow—real life.

The stunning mosaic behind the bar at Grace's Cottage

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Sea meets sky in the Turks and Caicos Islands

PHOTO CREDITS: COURTESY OF TURKS AND CAICOS TOURIST BOARD; COURTESY OF SAILROCK; COURTESY OF POINT GRACE

HAUTE TRAVEL

LIVIN’ LA VILLA LOCA

PHOTO CREDITS: COURTESY OF PROVO PICTURES

More than ever, travel is about escaping day-to-day life—and Pavilion Management’s opulent villas and bespoke vacation experiences are the ultimate indulgence. Whimsical roads named “Hibiscus Lane” and “Elder Flower Drive” lead to one of its crown jewels: the exquisite Cabuya Villa, a 7,500-square-foot, 6-bedroom, six-and-a-half bath estate in an exclusive, gated community on Providenciales. The foyer expands dramatically as guests enter, opening up to a mammoth main room that showcases the blue-green waters of the Leeward Channel through wall-to-wall glass. I’m told the owner is a fan of the Met, apparent in the exquisitely curated artwork and elegant finishes: minimalist handrails, softly illuminated from underneath; a chandelier of cast resin orbs that evokes a cluster of glistening bubbles; sleek, cream-and-taupe-swirled horn handles. All of the doors in Cabuya sit perfectly flush within its whitewashed walls, giving the villa a stunning, museum-like quality. The floor-to-ceiling glass doors allow for a seamless transition from indoor to outdoor, with ample space for entertaining under the swaying palms flanking the infinity pool.

The second-floor grand master bedroom looks out onto the villa’s private beach and a protected nature reserve across the channel, while the ground-floor master opens onto a neatly manicured lawn and sweeping sundeck. With a private chef, butler, and housekeeper, every need is met—and exceeded.

Pavilion’s general manager, Gavin Murugan, has attended to the needs of A-list celebrities on five continents (once flying roundtrip from the Bahamas to New York last-minute in order to secure a gown for the Queen of Latin Music) and strives to connect with guests on a personal level to create the ultimate, customized vacation. Chef Aida—who made her way from Guadalajara to Athens, then New York to Providenciales—delights with menus tailored for every kind of diet. I’m fortunate to visit during the season when local fishermen are hauling lobster, which she serves alongside a spectacular Calabrian chili emulsion. Pavilion’s other offerings include Amazing Grace, a stately villa in the style of a classic West Indies plantation manor, and Emerald Pavilion, a grand abode with amenities such as a chef’s kitchen, wellness packages featuring plant-based meals and juice therapy, in-villa yoga, and more.

Dine with your toes in the sand on Cabuya Villa's private beach

HAUTE TRAVEL

Cabuya Villa offers the ultimate luxe getaway with an in-house chef, butler, and more

Emerald Pavilion's 1,600-square-foot pool features spectacular ocean views

PARADISE FOUND During my treasured time in the Turks and Caicos Islands, I meet many fellow visitors who are similarly mystified by the country’s untouched quality. I’m almost reluctant to share the hidden gem, this archipelago of pristine islands, each a destination within a destination. I’m told North Caicos is famed for its whale watching and, for more courageous folks, underground caverns teeming with bats. (Perhaps Brave can top you up at Infiniti before you go.) Meanwhile, Bambara Beach in Middle Caicos is known for its immaculate beauty, even among the splendor of the country’s beaches. Jennifer, a belonger from Grand Turks, regales me with stories of a childhood spent swimming out to the country’s coral reefs—one of the largest systems in the world.

On my day of (reluctant) departure, I leave with the sense of wonder and fulfillment that only follows one of those rare, life-affirming sojourns. As the plane takes off and I prepare to return to everyday life, I hold on to this dream just a little while longer, flicking through the camera roll on my phone: thumbnail after thumbnail of simply unreal shades of blue. I still can’t believe it.

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HAUTE HOTEL

VENTUS AT MARINA EL CID Five perfect days in Mexico

ABOUT EL CID, THE MAN

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n 1939, the Berdegué family was caught amid the Spanish Civil War and, due to Republican exile, fled Spain. The founder of El Cid Resorts, Don Julio Berdegué, was only nine years old when he arrived in Mexico. A few decades later, "Don Julio," as he's known in Mazatlán, built a thriving resort brand with eight beautiful, all-inclusive hotels throughout Mexico. While his properties are in Mexico, the remnants of his homeland are found in the name of his company, El Cid Resorts.

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The name El Cid comes from the Castilian military leader who was born in 1043 AD. Rodrigo Díaz de Vivar was his full name, but he was called El Cid (from Spanish Arabic al-sīd, meaning "lord"). Díaz de Vivar was recognized for his service in the armies of both Christian and Muslim rulers. He was considered a kind and honest knight and well respected.

El Cid remains a famous Spanish folk hero and national icon, with his life and deeds remembered in history. It is El Cid's ethos of kindness, service, and loyalty that drives the resort's efforts. The resorts are still privately owned by the Berdegué family who take great care of their staff and the communities where their resorts are located.

PHOTO CREDIT: COURTESY OF FOUR SEASONS HOTEL SAN FRANCISCO AT EMBARCADERO

BY TERESA RODRIGUEZ | PHOTOS BY ROBERT RICHARDS

ARRIVING AT VENTUS Our car pulled up to the lobby where Julio, our butler, was waiting for us. He escorted us to the Club Platinum lounge where we were offered a chilled beverage and a cool towel.

They also scheduled our free COVID test (which is required to re-enter the US). Julio was there, taking notes in his day planner and assuring us that, on the day of the test, he would have a golf cart at our door to drive us to the other side of the resort where the tests are administered. While walking to our room, he asked what beverages we wanted in the room. Moments after arriving at our Swim Up king bedroom, Julio informed me that a chilled bottle of champagne was on its way to us.

Before departing, Julio asked if we would like a specific luxury pillow type and what aromatherapy scent we preferred in our room.

We looked at the menu and chose soft pillows and a relaxing lavender aromatherapy essence.

To get the most of our stay, we upgraded to the Platinum Club experience. You may choose Platinum Club when booking online. The Platinum Club services include a butler, personalized concierge services, aromatherapy and pillow menu, beachfront sunshade reservations, 24-hour room service, and experience check out.

Ventus at Marina El Cid Spa & Beach Resort

HAUTE HOTEL

Sport fishing and yacht rental available at Marina El Cid

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EVERY DAY, THE RESORTS OFFER AN IMPRESSIVE LIST OF PROGRAMS FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY. YOU CAN TAKE A SPANISH LESSON OR LEARN HOW TO SALSA. THERE ARE ORGANIZED BIKE TOURS, VOLLEYBALL GAMES, WATER POLO, AND BEACH FOOTBALL. THE KIDS CAN ENJOY KITE MAKING, HANDICRAFTS, AND PING-PONG. THE NIGHTS ARE JUST AS ACTIVE WITH DANCE SHOWS, GLOW PARTIES, LIVE BANDS, AND THEMED DINNERS.

THE PROPERTY There are two beachfront El Cid resorts located in Puerto Morales. Puerto Morelos is conveniently located less than 30 minutes from Cancún International Airport, and the resort offers private car service for arrivals and departures (at additional cost). Guests have access to both properties, Ventus and Hotel Marina El Cid Spa and Beach Resort, along with both resorts' amenities. At Ventus, there are five pools and beachfront cabañas.

At the Marina property, there is a fun water park with slides and a teen club. There is also a kids club for the littles ones. The resort has a beautiful marina where yachts can moor for the night and enjoy the resorts' services (fees apply). The resort also has a catamaran that guests can rent for day sailing excursions. In addition, kayaks, paddleboards, boogie boards, beach volleyball courts, hobby cat rides, and windsurfers are available. There is also an impressive fitness center with yoga, aqua fit, and stretching classes, but I admit that I didn't work out while I was there.

Every day, the resorts offer an impressive list of programs for the whole family. You can take a Spanish lesson or learn how to salsa. There are organized bike tours, volleyball games, water polo, and beach football. The kids can enjoy kite making, handicrafts, and ping-pong.

The nights are just as active with dance shows, glow parties, live bands, and themed dinners.

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HAUTE HOTEL DINING OPTIONS We didn't go hungry. If anything, the dining options were so extensive that we physically couldn't enjoy all the venues at the resorts.

Ventus RESTAURANTS • Mercado de Dolores offers seven distinct cuisine specialties. My favorite was the Mexican ceviche bar.

• Île de France serves authentic French cuisine with a superb gourmet à la carte menu. Gentlemen, make sure to pack long pants. Shorts are not allowed. Reservations are required.

BARS AND LOUNGES • Macondo Ocean Deck bar overlooks the infinity pool, is open during the day, and serves international beverages and tropical cocktails.

• Abnia is the elegant lobby bar that has live music at night.

• Zanza lounge bar is located between the two main pools has live music in the afternoons.

Healthy breakfast room service

Prehispanic dinner appetizers

Hotel Marina El Cid Spa & Beach Resort RESTAURANTS • La Alhambra is their casual restaurant, adjacent to the lobby, and serves an everchanging gourmet buffet and à la minute dishes.

• El Alcázar was our favorite spot for romantic dinners. We enjoyed a creative blend of Asian and Mediterranean cuisine. They have an impressive wine cellar with wines from around the world. Reservations are required.

• Hacienda Arrecife offers poolside dining and serves gourmet Mexican cuisine.

Elegant dinners are available à la carte, accompanied by a large selection of tequilas. ¡Viva México! Reservations are required for dinner.

• La Marina serves up fresh seafood and stunning sunset views overlooking the clear waters of Puerto Morelos Bay. Reservations are required.

• Tratorria D'Gulio makes homemade pastas, brick-oven pizzas, and traditional Italian dishes. They serve more than 50 wines from Italy (surcharge may apply). A dress code and reservations are required for dinner. Guests seven and older are welcome.

BARS AND LOUNGES Ventus at Marina El Cid | www.elcid.com

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• Scaramanga Moon & Beach Lounge is located on the resort's white, sandy shore.

Just relax in hammocks under breezy palms or in plush cabañas.

The Temazcal Experience at El Cid Resorts in Riviera Maya

SIGNATURE EXPERIENCES What sets this resort apart from so many places I've been was the incredible attention to service and their commitment to the Mexican and Maya heritage. My travels have allowed me to experience some fantastic moments in life and, I must admit, these were two I will never forget. So, when you visit El Cid Resorts, make sure to book these before you arrive. They are additional and worth every single penny.

El Cocay Spa

Ziplining into a cenote

SPA: Renewal & Balance Treatment We indulged in a couple's spa experience where we began our journey to relaxation with a steam bath which was followed by a hot and cold pool circuit. There, we sweated, sipped, plunged, and floated in the many water treatments. A sensual couple's massage followed. The massage treatment included a scrub made with a unique combination of sea salt and virgin salt d'Es Trenc mixed with baobab seed oil. The scrub was followed by a hot stone ritual that took us into a profound state of bliss. This luxury body treatment purified our bodies and calmed our minds. We left the spa walking on air.

Pre-Hispanic Dinner Celebrating the Maya culture that thrived in the area for centuries, Ventus offers a once-in-a-lifetime dining experience. I will remember this meal as one of the best I ever experienced in my decades of traveling the world. Hidden under a canopy of palm trees and green vines, the resort has a temazcal.

A temazcal is a structure used by the Mayas as part of therapeutic ceremonies thought to heal the body.

The evening started with a blessing from a shaman who guided us to the temazcal through a lush jungle and past a pool that was reminiscent of a cenote. The intimate space was lined with candles and torches. I felt like we were stepping back into history and witnessing a sacred moment in time.

Next, the shaman performed a few rituals in the space, smudging it with smoldering sage to clear out any negative energies.

The resort's sommelier took us on a mezcal tasting that included a rare pine seed mezcal and a salt made from crickets. After the fascinating mezcal journey, we were treated to a 4-course dinner of delicious Maya cuisine. We enjoyed the courses that included zucchini soup with Mexican cheese; appetizers of shrimp tamales, swordfish empanadas, cuitlacoche empanadas, and pork sopes. Our steak and lobster dinner was followed by pumpkin with corn for dessert.

We were serenaded by a harpist who played everything from traditional Mexican songs to Led Zeppelin. The resort’s commitment to the Maya culture and cuisine was on full display at this incredible dinner. (48-hour notice required, $450 per couple.)

Excursions El Cid has travel agents on staff who are happy to help you find the right excursions for you and your family. For us, we wanted to swim in cenotes and sail to Isla Mujeres.

Both day-long adventures were terrific and completely hassle-free. Julio was there in the lobby to help us into the excursion vans. Each time, he handed us beach bags packed with bottled water and towels, while confirming our dinner reservations for our return. We joined the Xenotes tour

by Xcaret, which was a 6-hour adventure to four different cenotes where we dived, kayaked, snorkeled, and rappelled deep into a cenote. We felt like curious kids playing in the magical water ways.

The next day we took a catamaran to the lovely island of Isla Mujeres. Before arriving, we enjoyed lunch and a few cocktails. Guests had the option to snorkel before reaching the quaint island surrounded by clear Caribbean blue water.

All-inclusive Resorts Because both El Cid resorts are all-inclusive, there is a comforting sense of freedom. We didn't have to wait for any bills or check prices on the menus. This trip was a lovely, romantic getaway, but we plan to go back with my daughter and a group of friends.

While some friends will love chilling in a cabaña all day, others can get massages, work out, play volleyball, or swim in one of the many pools. We can all enjoy huge feasts and wine without having to split the bill.

Then, at night, we may hit the bar for live music and cocktails. The kids are going to love the water slides, glow parties, and teen club. Me? I plan on floating in the infinity pool with a fruity cocktail in my hand, watching the palms sway with the Caribbean breeze.

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HAUTE HOTEL

HOT WINTER NIGHTS Savor the villa life in Palm Springs.

BY TERESA RODRIGUEZ

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PHOTO CREDITS: COURTESY OF HYATT REGENCY INDIAN WELLS RESORT & SPA

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NE OF THE MOST POPULAR PRIVATE JET destinations from the Bay Area is Palm Springs. When Northern California cools down for winter, Palm Springs stays nice and warm with an average temperature in the seventies. So, for families who prefer sun over snow, Palm Springs and the surrounding area make the idea winter holiday destination.

One hidden gem in the valley is the Hyatt Regency Indian Wells Resort & Spa. Nestled in the greater Palm Springs area, this property offers a variety of world class villas, total wellness services at the Agua Serena spa, and outdoor recreation that includes two championship golf courses and the HyTides Waterpark for the kids.

What makes the Hyatt Regency Indian Wells Resort & Spa so special is its combination of private luxury with a focus on family recreation. While some resorts cater to adults only and others are specially created for children, Indian Wells has mastered the fine balance of multi-generational activities with the villa lifestyle.

HAUTE HOTEL

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HAUTE HOTEL For the family who enjoys golfing, the 36hole Indian Wells Golf Resort features a magnificent, 53,000 square foot clubhouse and is one of the few properties to have two courses ranked in the Top 25 "Best Municipal Courses in the United States" by Golfweek magazine. The Celebrity Course & Players Course, also known as "Beauty and the Beast," have hosted the Golf Channel's Big Break and the PGA's Skins Game.

The Hyatt Regency Indian Wells Resort & Spa’s jewel is the Agua Serena Spa where mama can unwind in an oasis of pampering while the kiddos enjoy time at the HyTides Waterpark. Receive a relaxing massage in one of the private garden patios surrounded by dramatic mountains and towering palms.

The spa offers an abundance of services that include specialized massages, aesthetic facials, desert wraps, and body treatments.

For families who like to play together, the resort has a game area with giant Jenga, pingpong, and tennis courts. The resort offers free bikes to cruise around the 45-acre property.

Swimming pools at the center of the resort boast two dueling slides, a 450-foot lazy river, splash pad, and private poolside cabanas.

Impeccable poolside service includes a full bar menu and a delicious selection of cuisine for the whole family.

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For the most splendid, multi-generational experience, book a villa. Along with all the resort’s amenities such as delivered villa dining packages, and concierge assistance, each villa boasts expansive residential living space with fireplace, dining area, wet bar, and a furnished patio with a private outdoor spa and barbeque. The resort offers a few different dinner baskets for those who like to do their own grilling. The baskets include everything needed for an outdoor feast: wine, vegetables, and select meats.

Families who want to enjoy a barbequed feast without the work may book a private chef experience. Everything is delivered to your villa where a Hyatt chef will grill a private dinner for you and your family, cooking each person’s meat to perfection.

When the meal is served, you get to enjoy it in the privacy of your villa. Just call for room service when you’re finished. This service is a relaxing way to enjoy the holidays with your family, especially for moms who don't want to spend their vacation in the kitchen.

PHOTO CREDITS: COURTESY OF HYATT REGENCY INDIAN WELLS RESORT & SPA

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WHAT MAKES THE HYATT REGENCY INDIAN WELLS RESORT & SPA SO SPECIAL IS ITS COMBINATION OF PRIVATE LUXURY WITH A FOCUS ON FAMILY RECREATION. WHILE SOME RESORTS CATER TO ADULTS ONLY AND OTHERS ARE SPECIALLY CREATED FOR CHILDREN, INDIAN WELLS HAS MASTERED THE FINE BALANCE OF MULTI-GENERATIONAL ACTIVITIES WITH THE VILLA LIFESTYLE. 65

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HAUTE SCENE

Claudia Ross and Haute Living, San Francisco Publisher Olivia Hsu Decker

The Food & Wine Issue

HAUTE LIVING LAUNCH PARTY

Aubrey Brewster and Joel Goodrich

BY CAROLYNE ZINKO | PHOTOS BY DREW ALTIZER PHOTOGRAPHY

IF YOU’RE CELEBRATING THE LAUNCH OF A FOOD-ANDwine issue, there are few local night spots as cozy and chic as Marianne’s at The Cavalier. After a long, pandemic-led closure, the private room was the setting for an intimate gathering, thanks to hosts and business partners James Nicholas and executive chef Jennifer Puccio (and San Francisco’s proof of vaccination rule). “For me, the best part of the party was the atmosphere,” said tech entrepreneur Orkut Büyükkökten. “Nobody had masks; everyone had fun. It felt like the era before COVID, like things are going back to normal.”

Dr. Jordan Deschamps-Braly and Christopher Meza

Heide Betz and Vincent Gotti

Celine Rose, Zoe Sexton, and Shinmin Li

Michelle Zimmerman and Vanessa Higgins

Navid Armstrong and Orkut Büyükkökten

Steph Keay and Hailey Robinson

HAUTE SCENE

Ayesha Curry, Phil Helmuth, and Nicole Lacob

Omid and Giselle Kordestani

SELBY’S WELCOME BACK PARTY

BY CAROLYNE ZINKO | PHOTOS BY DREW ALTIZER PHOTOGRAPHY

Krista Giovara

THE GODFATHER OF SILICON VALLEY. A COFOUNDER of YouTube. Google employee number 11. A partner at Kleiner Perkins. Was it a business summit? No, just another ordinary evening at Selby’s, the go-to dinner spot for the tech cognoscenti. Well, not completely ordinary: Dom Perignon and caviar were served to the select group invited by hosts Nicole Lacob, Lisa Zabelle, Allison Speer, and Tim Stannard, owner of the Bacchus Group (which oversees Selby’s), to mark the restaurant’s reopening. Goodies aside, people said the real treat was being together again, after a long pause due to the pandemic.

Allison Speer, Komal Shah, and Lisa Zabelle TJ Kim and Songyee Yoon

Tim Stannard and Joe Lacob

Chad and Elise Hurley

Lisa Goldman and son, Matthew Goldman

Gloria and Sam Malouf

Larry Sonsini and Ashley Heinze

HAUTE SCENE

Donna Colson, Eric Brand, and Elise Brand

Floral centerpieces from Filoli garden cuttings

FILOLI GALA IN THE GARDEN

Executive Director Kara Newport and Board Chairman David Wollenberg

BY CAROLYNE ZINKO | PHOTOS BY DREW ALTIZER PHOTOGRAPHY

WHILE COOPED UP DURING THE PANDEMIC, BAY AREA residents discovered a safe and spectacular outdoor destination: Filoli Historic House and Garden in Woodside. From 230,000 visitors in 2019 and 190,000 in 2020, all signs point to 300,000 this year, thanks to extended hours and reimagined holiday events drawing more families. At this year’s Gala in the Garden, 179 guests raised a net $190,000 to support programs and grounds. During special events or everyday visits, it’s fun to pretend the mansion, rose garden, and views are all yours— minus the yard work. Escapism at its finest.

Alexandra MacDowell Djerassi and Dale Djerassi

Celia Fushille, Christine Suppes, and Chris Hardy

Holly Daley and Carolyn Daley

Eric Johnson and Timothy Kursh

Richard Moran, Carol Moran, Joyce Hammel, Alan Hammel

Sunjay and Suniti Subhetar

HAUTE SCENE

Paul Pelosi and Dede Wilsey

John and Cynthia Gunn

LIVE AND IN CONCERT The Homecoming

BY CAROLYNE ZINKO

The dinner setting for donors

DIFFERENT TIMES CALLED FOR DIFFERENT MEASURES at the San Francisco Opera, where an event called Live and in Concert: The Homecoming replaced the traditional Opera Ball.

Music Director Eun Sun Kim led soprano Rachel Willis-Sørensen, mezzo-soprano Jamie Barton, and the opera orchestra in a concert for 2,000 guests at the War Memorial Opera House. The concert was simulcast free to 7,000 fans at Oracle Park. A scaled-back, pre-performance reception and post-show dinner for 90 patrons substituted safety for grandeur. No gowns or tuxedos, either.

The attire of the moment was simpler: masks and blue lapel pins signifying vaccination.

Tenor Russell Thomas and Beth Stewart

Marc Scorca, Jake Heggie, and mezzo soprano Jamie Barton Soprano Rachel Willis-Sørensen with Music Director Eun Sun Kim

The simulcast at Oracle Park

Karen Kubin and Linda Kemper

Maria Manetti Shrem and Matthew Shilvock, the opera’s general director

PHOTO CREDITS: PERFORMANCE PHOTO: CORY WEAVER/SAN FRANCISCO OPERA; ORACLE PARK PHOTO: NATALIE SCHRIK FOR DREW ALTIZER PHOTOGRAPHY; ALL OTHER PHOTOS BY DREW ALTIZER PHOTOGRAPHY

Keith and Priscilla Geeslin

HAUTE SCENE

Jessica Stephenson and Miguel Banket at the after-party

Symphony President Priscilla Geeslin and Dagmar Dolby

Olivia Hsu Decker and SF Symphony Music Director Esa-Pekka Salonen

Barbro and Bernard Osher

SAN FRANCISCO SYMPHONY RE-OPENING NIGHT

Navid Armstrong, Komal Shah and Lisa Zabelle

Carolyn Tyler and Gary Love

THERE WAS NO “STAR-SPANGLED BANNER” OR MOZART AT the San Francisco Symphony’s Re-Opening night. No, this was a new, progressive endeavor comprised of modern fare conducted by music director Esa-Pekka Salonen and featuring guest singer/ jazz bassist Esperanza Spalding and dancers from Alonzo King’s LINES Ballet. The absence of the customary sing-along to the national anthem kept the concert, filmed for PBS, on theme and to 90 minutes in length. Specific program selections included Bay Area composer John Adams’ “Slonimsky’s Earbox,” Alberto Ginastera’s “Estancia Suite” (for the dancers), and Spaulding’s performance of songs by Wayne Shorter, with a jazz trio comprised of Ravi Coltrane on saxophone, Terri Lyne Carrington on drums, and Leo Genovese on piano, all accompanied by the symphony.

The after-party setting outdoors

Nicholas and Meredith Tan

PHOTO CREDITS: OLIVIA HSU DECKER AND ESA-PEKKA SALONEN PHOTO, COURTESY OF OLIVIA HSU DECKER; ALL OTHER PHOTOS BY DREW ALTIZER PHOTOGRAPHY

BY CAROLYNE ZINKO

HAUTE SCENE

SF Symphony orchestra

Capping the performance, Silvestre Revuelta’s “Noche de Encantamiento” from his film score for the 1939 film La Noches de Los Mayas about Mexico’s pre-Columbian heritage added even more multicultural flair, as well as explosive impact, with 13 percussionists (including students from the San Francisco Conservatory of Music).

With pizzazz on the pre-show arrivals carpet and a bustling, outdoor post-show reception in a so-called “nosh pit,” the evening represented progress on another front: getting people out of the house and out of sweatpants. “Nothing short of thrilling,” said Symphony President Priscilla Geeslin of the evening.

A VIP after-party in the Zellerbach A rehearsal space

PHOTO CREDITS: ESA-PEKKA SALONEN AND FRANK GEHRY PHOTO AND SC MOATTI PHOTO BY DREW ALTIZER PHOTOGRAPHY; ALL OTHER PHOTOS COURTESY OF OLIVIA HSU DECKER

SC Moatti’s elaborately beaded mask

Symphony Music Director Esa-Pekka Salonen and architect Frank Gehry

75 Olivia Hsu Decker with Navid Armstrong

SF Symphony Performing with Alonzo King’s LINES Ballet dancers

HAUTE SCENE

Board members Ford Goodman and Glenn McCoy, and Peter Ferris, board president

Flanked by performers are Michelle Heston (in hat), the park’s executive director, Matt Leffert, and Emily Charrier

CHARMIAN’S WILD CALL

BY CAROLYNE ZINKO

Diana Bugg and event chair Liz Fisher

SONOMA COUNTY’S JACK LONDON STATE PARK IS PART history and part nature, referencing its namesake, the author who once lived on part of the recreational area’s 1,400 acres. It’s also a refuge for serenity-seekers amid the pandemic.

To keep it in shape for visitors, 320 guests paid $350 and up to attend Charmian’s Wild Call, a fundraiser for the park’s nonprofit operator. Channeling London’s book, Call of the Wild, and his irrepressible wife, Charmian, the event was set in the Roaring Twenties. Guests frolicked in period or ranch casual attire, raising $550,000 for the cause.

PHOTO CREDITS: (CLOCKWISE, FROM TOP LEFT) SONOMASLIFE; SONOMASLIFE; SNAP FIESTA; HIROMI YOSHIDA; HIROMI YOSHIDA; HIROMI YOSHIDA; SONOMASLIFE; SONOMASLIFE; CENTER PHOTO BY HIROMI YOSHIDA.

Board chairman Mike Benziger, granddaughter Noah Weiswasser, and an actress playing Charmian

Janet Zona, Frank Zona, Donna Halow, and Paul Luca

Diana Bugg, Jim Bertelsman, a performer, and board member Ford Goodman

Ann Paolini and David Lambert, a board member

Marcelo DeFreitas at the microphone

Vivek Khuller and Purnima Kochikar

HAUTE SCENE

Tosca Cafe on 242 Columbus Street

Famous house cappuccino

TOSCA + TOSCA

BY STEFAN ANGELO | PHOTOS BY GRADY BRANNAN

Chef Bam Liu, Michael Fabiano, Olivia Hsu Decker, and Chester Aldridge

Tosca Negroni

IF HOSPITALITY IS DEFINED AS “THE FRIENDLY AND GENEROUS reception and entertainment of guests, visitors, or strangers,” then it’s only fair to say that Anna Weinberg and her team at Tosca Cafe deserve a standing ovation! It was a late summer night when Tosca Cafe graciously opened their doors (after hours) to host a special dinner for superstar tenor Michael Fabiano after he performed Puccini’s opera Tosca at War Memorial Opera House which reopened the San Francisco Opera’s 2021-2022 season after nearly 18 months of silence. Fabiano was joined by his father and friends, including Haute Living publisher Olivia Decker, to celebrate a stellar performance with a special menu created by Tosca Cafe’s chef, Bam Liu. The evening ended well past midnight and was reminiscent of the good old days, filled with the late night cheer, great food, and nightlife that once permeated the streets of North Beach.

Heated outdoor parklets

Stefan Angelo, Chef Bam Liu, Olivia Hsu Decker, Michael Fabiano, Anthony Fabiano, Guest, and Chester Aldridge

HAUTE SCENE

Amy Rogers and Amanda Harlan

Elyse Walker, Leslie Frank, and Gina Gallo

A model shows off styles curated

by Elyse Walker

WINE, WOMEN AND MUSIC LUNCHEON

BY CAROLYNE ZINKO | PHOTOS BY TUBAY YABUT

AS AN ENDURINGLY UPLIFTING ART FORM, MUSIC RALLIED 60 of Wine Country’s most philanthropic females for a good cause. The first-ever Wine, Women and Music Luncheon at the private estate of vintner Leslie Frank benefited Festival Napa Valley, the 10-day summer festival that brings world class artists to perform and is also the largest funder of visual and performing arts for Napa County public schools. Guests paid $2,000 each for a lunch by celebrity chef Christina Machamer, music by harpist Lucinda Belle, and a fashion show by clothier Elyse Walker. Power players mean business: more than $100,000 was raised.

Karen MacNeil (center) with guests

A model in styles curated by Elyse Walker

Theresa Kepic, Cassandra Naeymi-Rad, and Ivana Naeymi-Rad

An al fresco lunch

Singer and harpist Lucinda Belle

Leslie Frank and Ann Colgin

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HAUTE EVENT EVENTS

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TIPS FOR THE HOLIDAY PARTIES

BY CAROLYNE ZINKO

1. RSVP. Show courtesy by responding to invitations, whether yea or nay. Unless it’s addressed to you “and guest,” the invitation is for you and you only. Don’t surprise your host by bringing unanticipated guests, unless they’re Prince Harry and Meghan. Even so, you should still let the host know you’d like to bring two extras, for headcount purposes. Do you really want him to run out of bubbly before the Duke and Duchess of Sussex have a pour?

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2. DECIPHER THE DRESS CODE. If it’s casual, ask for a definition. “Casual” means different things in different circles. At society events, women show up to a luncheon or cocktail party in the latest runway looks, curated by their private shoppers at Neiman Marcus. (For men, the standard sport coat, dress shirt, slacks, and dress shoes apply.) Silicon Valley’s upstart males bend the rules with blazers, jeans, and sneakers, but if you’re not Google employee number 11, don’t even try.

3. BE ON TIME, NOT AHEAD OF TIME. If you’re invited for dinner at 7 p.m., show up at 7 p.m. and not a second earlier. You don’t know what kind of frantic preparations might be going on behind closed doors. Arriving early forces your host to drop everything to begin entertaining you. Sit in the car or take a walk until it’s time to ring the doorbell. Please.

4. ALERT THE HOST TO YOUR FOOD NEEDS IN ADVANCE. If you have life-threatening food allergies, notify the host when you accept the invitation. If she can’t accommodate you, decline the invitation or eat before you arrive. A friend hosting you for dinner is not a chef in a restaurant, trained in preventing crosscontamination. If you simply dislike what’s being served, discreetly push the food around on your plate without eating. It’s just one meal. You’ll live.

5. COME ARMED WITH CONVERSATION. A party’s main purpose isn’t eating and drinking, it’s socializing.

Bone up on the news, sports scores, or fitness trends so you have something to talk about. Ask neutral questions like “What are you watching on TV lately?” or “What book is on your nightstand?” My personal favorite: “What’s keeping you busy lately?” That works especially well with high net worth individuals who may not have day jobs, but usually have projects. Keep your chats short.

If someone asks you a question, ask one in return. It’s about volleying, not monopolizing the conversation.

6. NO GIFTS NECESSARY. A bouquet of flowers is a pet peeve of many hostesses, who dislike having to stop what they’re doing to find a vase, unwrap, and arrange the posies. Bringing a bottle of wine similarly seems innocuous, but can send the message that what’s being served doesn’t measure up, so be prepared for your vino to be set aside for future use, unless you’ve been asked to bring a special bottle for the connoisseurs in the crowd.

7. AT A SEATED MEAL, DO NOT MOVE THE PLACE CARDS. This is a cardinal sin. The host has worked carefully to seat people with mutual interests, or to put a chatty person next to someone who needs drawing out.

Sometimes, a host has even worked to prevent people engaged in lawsuits from sitting next to one another.

Avoid giving in to your inner pout. You might just make a new best friend.

8. EMPLOY PROPER TABLE ETIQUETTE. Talk to the person on your right as much as to your left. Wait to begin eating until: a) everyone at the table is served, and b) the host or hostess has started to dig in. Use your utensils from the outside in. And, please, do not slather your entire piece of bread with butter and clamp your teeth on it like a hungry lumberjack. Tear off a small piece, dot your individual bite with butter, and pop it in your mouth. Repeat.

9. LEAVE THE CELL PHONE ALONE. Checking your social media feed, taking photos, or checking work email tells people they’re not important enough to pay attention to. Journalists covering events are exempted.

10. WRITE A THANK-YOU NOTE. After attending an event in a private home, a milestone birthday at a restaurant, or sitting at someone’s table at a gala dinner, send a hand-written note of gratitude afterward. Email is faster, but a note in the mail is classier. Start out with a positive observation: “What a wonderful afternoon at your ranch, with all the hay bales, horses, and hot chocolate. I can’t remember the last time I had so much fun at a pumpkincarving party!” Be sure to save the actual “thank you” until the end. If you start out with “thank you,” there’s nothing left to say. Hosts appreciate gratitude and will remember it (or your lack thereof) when it comes to making a guest list for the next shindig.

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HAUTE EVENT EVENTS

2021 PRINCE ALBERT II OF MONACO FOUNDATION MONTE-CARLO GALA HONORS SHARON STONE

BY OLIVIA DECKER

Lucas Bravo, Pom Klementieff, Princess Caroline, Prince Albert II, Sharon Stone, Orlando Bloom, Milutin Gatsby, and Gaspard Ulliel

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HE 15TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE PRINCE ALBERT II of Monaco Foundation and the fifth edition of the MonteCarlo Gala for Planetary Health took place at the Princely Palace on September 23, marking a unique opportunity to act for the ocean, the earth, and humanity and to support the missions of the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation and the Princess Charlene of Monaco Foundation.

HSH Prince Albert II of Monaco presented Sharon Stone with the foundation’s Lifetime Achievement Award in acknowledgment of her remarkable involvement for the empowerment of women and her relentless humanitarian efforts throughout the world.

Sharon Stone acknowledged the accolade by stating, “It is a joy and an honor to share this evening with my longtime dear friend and compatriot, His Serene Highness Prince Albert of Monaco.

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We have known each other our entire adult lives and, once again, our friendship deepens as we share this common goal. It is with great humility that I accept this honor to serve at his command.”

In her speech and in reference to the health of our world and ourselves during the pandemic, Ms. Stone stated, “One of the things that happens most directly during these times that we stay alone is that we understand the importance of being present. When you see what’s happening to our environment, we understand most predominately what being present in ourselves and in our world means."

Though best known for her work in films such as Basic Instinct and Casino, Stone has been honored with a Nobel Peace Summit Award, a Harvard Humanitarian Award, a Human Rights Campaign Humanitarian Award, and an Einstein Spirit Award,

PHOTOS COURTESY OF PRINCE ALBERT II FOUNDATION

among others. She has been a fierce advocate for AIDS research for decades and a shining example of survival as documented in her recent biography, The Beauty of Living Twice. Her role as producer in the documentary, My Name Is Water, contributed to both awareness and funding towards clean water, wells, rainwater harvesting structures, and more in rural sub-Saharan Africa. I had the pleasure of representing Stone in 1998 when she purchased her Sea Cliff home in San Francisco. I also attended the Cannes Film Festival and Cinema Against AIDS with her, fundraising for the American AIDS Foundation's amfAR Gala. She was a tireless fundraiser for the amfAR auction for over 20 years and opened many people's wallets for good causes.

HSH Prince Albert II of Monaco addressed the MonteCarlo Gala audience with a reminder of the continuing theme of the gala: the protection of our environment and the impact of climate change. “Our lives have changed, our society has changed, our future has changed,” declared the sovereign. “… [T]he world has grasped the dramatic scale of the climate challenge we are facing. ... Because what unites us is not only the urgency ... [i]t is also a sense of responsibility. We must refuse closing our eyes [when] faced with situations that concern us all, whatever our circumstances and wherever we live [because] the deterioration of the ocean has devastating effects on the coastal population and on humanity as a whole. ... [P]lastic pollution contaminates the food chain and contaminates each one of us. ... [T]he disappearance of the most fragile ecosystems, such as the corals, will deprive us of essential resources in the future.”

Through the gala’s signature auction, funds are raised to support the foundation’s critical and comprehensive portfolio of conservation projects: to protect endangered species from illegal wildlife trade, to expand marine protected areas, to promote renewable energy and resource efficiency in emerging economies, to eliminate deforestation, and to better understand climate change, particularly in the polar regions. For this exceptional edition, the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation joined forces with the Princess Charlene of Monaco Foundation, through a series of lots auctioned in support of their relentless efforts for the well-being and development of children.

HSH Princess Charlene of Monaco addressed a special message to the guests: “My foundation and the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation joined forces a few years ago to develop a number of projects directed to clean our Mediterranean Sea of plastics and, more largely, oceans around the world.

HAUTE EVENTS

Prince Albert II hosted the gala

Sharon Stone addresses the audiance

Spectacular gala room

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Gala performers

Sharon Stone at auction

I was not able to join this evening, but I would like to thank you all for your support and generosity. It is my strong engagement and determination to support these projects, as we have an immense responsibility towards our future generations with the state of the planet they will inherit from us.”

Auction items this year included an arctic expedition to the North Pole with HSH Prince Albert II of Monaco, a custommade Van Cleef & Arpels sapphire and diamond pendant created from the Ocean tiara of HSH Princess Charlene of Monaco, a Porsche Taycan Turbo S (the very first electric Porsche) from HSH Prince Albert II of Monaco’s personal collection, and a visit and creation of custom artwork from Jeff Koons. Monaco property giant Patrice Pastor donated an exceptional dinner prepared by Mauro Colagreco, chef and owner of 3-Michelin-starred restaurant Mirazur at Pastor's ecological waterfront development, Mareterra, with HSH Prince Albert and Princess Charlene. It fetched 500,000 euros at the auction.

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Prince Albert and Sharon Stone

HAUTE EVENTS

Prince Albert II addresses the audience

PHOTOS COURTESY OF PRINCE ALBERT II FOUNDATION

"LAUNCHED IN 2006, THE PRINCE ALBERT II OF MONACO FOUNDATION HAS BECOME A LEADING NGO FOR THE PRESERVATION AND EDUCATION OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT ON A GLOBAL SCALE. FOR 15 YEARS, THE FOUNDATION HAS SIGNIFICANTLY CONTRIBUTED TO ALMOST 700 PROJECTS FOCUSED ON THREE MAIN AREAS: CLIMATE CHANGE, BIODIVERSITY, AND WATER."

Mr. Olivier Wenden, vice-president and CEO of the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation, reflects on the tremendous work done, thanks to the funds raised in the past four editions of the Monte-Carlo Gala when the honorees were Leonardo DiCaprio, Orlando Bloom, Robert Redford, and Sting. Launched in 2006, the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation has become a leading NGO for the preservation and education of sustainable development on a global scale.

For 15 years, the foundation has significantly contributed to almost 700 projects focused on three main areas: climate change, biodiversity, and water.

Presided by HSH the Prince Albert II of Monaco, the MonteCarlo Gala for Planetary Health is organized by his foundation and global fundraising chairman, Milutin Gatsby, with the support of the Monaco Yacht Show, the Oceanographic Institute, the Yacht Club of Monaco, the Société des Bains de Mer, and the Monaco Private Label.

83 Patrice Pastor, Guy-Thomas Levy Soussan, and Olivia Decker at reception

HAUTE EVENT EVENTS

Michael Fabiano concert oveerlooking San Francisco Bay

HAUTE LIVING CO-HOSTS MICHAEL FABIANO PRIVATE CONCERT

BY OLIVIA DECKER

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AUTE LIVING, SAN FRANCISCO OWNER/PUBLISHER Olivia Decker pledged $5 million to Festival Napa Valley, funding a performing arts series. Decker and festival president Rick Walker presented the first concert performed by world class tenor Michael Fabiano on September 12 at a $60 million, private Belvedere residence. Attendees praised the event as “magical.” Over 100 guests enjoyed Fabiano’s sensational performance on the pool terrace overlooking the San Francisco Bay with spectacular views of Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco, and Sausalito. Jean-Charles Boisset generously donated fabulous wines that paired with Stacy Scott Catering’s gourmet buffet.

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Fabiano has performed in many of the best opera houses in the world, including the Metropolitan Opera in New York, Teatro alla Scala in Milan, and the London Royal Opera. He performed as Mario Cavaradossi in Tosca which opened San Francisco Opera’s 2021-2022 season this year. Accompanied by pianist Carrie-Ann Matheson, San Francisco Opera’s new artistic director, Fabiano performed opera arias including Tosti’s “L’alba separa dalla luce l’ombra,” Cilea’s “Lamento di Federico” (L’Arlesiana), Duparc’s “Le Manoir de Rosamonde and Phidylé,” Verdi’s “Oh! Fede negar potessi….Quando le sere al placido” (Luisa Miller), Leoncavallo’s “Vesti la giubba” (I Pagliacci), and Puccino’s “É lucevan le stelle” (Tosca).

Special guest and composer/producer Walter Afanasieff was in tears, touched by Fabiano’s voice and made plans to collaborate with him for a special song. Afansieff won an Emmy for best record of the year in 1998 for Celine Dion’s “My Heart Will Go On” theme song for the movie Titanic and another Emmy for producer of the year in 1999. He has written and produced over 200 songs for dozens of artists, including Mariah Carey, Josh Groban, Michael Bolton, Barbra Streisand, Andrea Bocelli, Kenny G, Lionel Richie, and Santana.

San Francisco Bay Area’s legendary fashion designer Lily Samii sent an additional donation for ArtSmart with a thank-you note saying “Michael’s concert event in Belvedere was truly magical; I felt like I was touched by angels above.”

The concert raised over $100,000 for ArtSmart, including a $30,000 grant from Festival Napa Valley and a $25,000 matching donation from Olivia Decker. ArtSmart, co-founded by Michael Fabiano, provides youth mentorship through the power of music in communities that lack access to the arts. Through weekly sessions during the school year, ArtSmart students receive world class musical instruction and training from skilled mentors, instilling responsibility, confidence, stability, and invaluable, transformational life skills. For details and to donate, please visit www.ArtSmart.org.

HAUTE EVENTS

Michael Fabiano concert at pool terrace

Michael Fabiano concert oveerlooking San Francisco Bay

Olivia Decker, Michael Fabiano, Eva and Mauro Aprile Zanetti

85 Walter Afanasieff, Michael Fabiano, Olivia Decker, and Rick Walker

HAUTE EVENT EVENTS

Chef José Andrés drinks from a porrón on the WilliamsSonoma Culinary Stage

Guns N' Roses rocked the crowd past curfew

The Foo Fighters put on a spectacular finale

The Highwomen swooped in to save the day after a lastminute cancellation

The music festival returns, transporting attendees to Paradise City with Guns N’ Roses, Foo Fighters, The Highwomen, and more

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BY STEPH KEAY

LIFE-CHANGING,” I THINK, AS FOO FIGHTERS FRONTMAN Dave Grohl bangs away maniacally on a drum set six feet away. It’s the Sunday of BottleRock Napa Valley—normally the sleepiest of any 3-day festival—but the crowd at the JaMPad stage has just been served a dizzying injection of adrenaline, thanks to a surprise set by the two-time Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee. Announced on Instagram only a few hours earlier, Grohl strolled onstage humbly, a beer in one hand, lyric sheets in the other. “Ladies and gentlemen,” he says, setting his drink down on the floor tom. “L’chaim.”

The 2021 edition of BottleRock was a long-awaited affair after multiple pandemic postponements. The eclectic lineup drew nearly 120,000 attendees to the Napa Valley Expo on

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September 3 – 5 with artists such as Miley Cyrus, G-Eazy, Cage The Elephant, Run The Jewels, and Jimmy Eat World on the bill.

Grohl headlined the final day of the festival with Foo Fighters, but right now he’s here to perform “The Hanukkah Sessions” at the intimate JaMPad acoustic stage. It’s a side project he formed with friend and music producer Greg Kurstin, who joins him onstage with a keyboard.

“Last year, we decided that instead of recording a Christmas song, we would record one for each night of Hanukkah—songs

by Jewish artists you might not know are Jewish,” he explains.

“And we decided that today we would perform [these] for the first time in front of a live audience.” He grins. “’Cause why not, right?”

PHOTO CREDITS: (CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT) © ELLI LAUREN; © ELLI LAUREN; © CHRIS TUITE; © MIRANDA MCDONALD

CHEERS TO BOTTLEROCK NAPA VALLEY 2021

PHOTO CREDITS: (TOP) © NESRIN DANAN; (BOTTOM) © ELLI LAUREN

Cheers erupt, and Grohl and Kurstin launch into a cover of Beastie Boys’ “Sabotage.” The driving bassline builds up to the iconic opening verse and Grohl mimics Ad-Rock’s bestial squeal perfectly, sending shivers down my spine. Somehow the legendary voice that has fired up some of the largest stadiums in the world is right here in Napa on this tiny stage adorned with a single disco ball. Grohl croons through Drake’s “Hotline Bling” next, and Kurstin steals the show in Bob Dylan’s “Rainy Day Women #12 & 35,” donning a neck holder to play the harmonica and keyboard simultaneously.

“Earmuffs, kids,” cracks Grohl, before launching into the distinctive snare drums opening Peaches’ iconic “F**k the Pain Away.” He tears through the song with aplomb, even when he nearly loses a stick midway through the song, managing to nail the famously languid “Huh? What?” refrain without missing a beat. It’s moments like these that make live music festivals so exhilarating.

The electricity in the air follows him to the Williams Sonoma Culinary Stage, where Grohl joins chef José Andrés for a lesson in frying eggs topped with Jamón Ibérico, potato chips, caviar, and uni. A porrón of champagne is passed around, and the antics culminate in Grohl joking that the Foo Fighters set is canceled because he’s too inebriated to perform. After they ham it up— Andrés playing air guitar on a cured pork leg and Grohl strumming a working bass guitar made from a pizza peel—Andrés peels off his button-down to reveal a t-shirt reading “IMMIGRANTS FEED AMERICA.” He reminds the crowd that it’s not about the passport you own, but rather how much you give back to the community.

Other memorable culinary stage moments included chef Tyler Florence flinging buttermilk fried chicken legs into the crowd à la Oprah and former Giants outfielder Hunter Pence batting packets of chef Ming Tsai's vegan patties to hungry fans. Food options at BottleRock were also plentiful, although Morimoto’s exalted menchi katsu burger wasn’t available this year (fingers crossed for 2022). Nash & Proper hit the spot with a Nashvillestyle hot chicken sandwich topped with a cabbage-jalapeño slaw drenched in dill brine vinaigrette—divine, especially when washed down with craft cocktails from the Hendrick’s Gin popup bar or SugarSpritz Watermelon “winetails” at JaMPad (which I implore JaM Cellars to bottle and distribute). It’s that good.

Friday headliner Stevie Nicks pulled out a few weeks before the festival and replacement Chris Stapleton unfortunately fell ill the morning of, but BottleRock brought in The Highwomen to save the day. Comprised of Natalie Hemby, Brittney Spencer (filling in for Amanda Shires), and stars-in-their-own-right Brandi Carlile and Maren Morris (who also performed solo sets at BottleRock), the rising country supergroup brought the house down with stirring harmonies, ending with a compelling cover of Fleetwood Mac’s “The Chain.” On Saturday, Guns N' Roses rocked the mainstage,

HAUTE EVENTS

The JaM Cellars Main Stage at BottleRock

with singer P!nk making a surprise cameo on “Patience” and an appearance from Grohl during “Paradise City.” Although the sound cut off at 10 p.m.—Napa has a strict noise ordinance—the crowd stepped in to sing the lyrics word-for-word until the very end. The abrupt silence could have been a downer, but instead it served to reaffirm the collective energy of BottleRock: there’s just something cathartic about belting out the lyrics to one of the most immortal rock songs alongside thousands of people, perhaps even more so when you haven’t attended a single concert in nearly two years. On Sunday, the Foo Fighters closed out BottleRock with an impassioned rendition of “Everlong,” and concertgoers stamped their feet and swayed in unison all across the grounds: “And I wonder if everything could ever feel this real forever ... if anything could ever be this good again.” The lyrics captured the moment completely.

Luckily, the next BottleRock is only six months away.

Cage the Elephant put on an electrifying show

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HAUTE EVENT EVENTS

FELIZ FÊTE

San Francisco Symphony’s Day of the Dead Events Teach and Inspire

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BEAUTIFUL HOMAGE TO OUR LOVED ONES WHO have passed on, Mexican culture’s most colorful and festive holiday, Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead), dates back to the Aztecs who once occupied central Mexico. A fusion of Spanish culture, European religion, and Mesoamerican ceremony, the fête is marked by elements of magical realism, fantasy, and unbridled joy. According to legend, it officially begins at midnight on Halloween, when the first souls begin to return to earth to reconnect with friends and family. However, most people begin building altars, called ofrendas, to honor their departed loved ones weeks ahead, decorating these sacred spaces elaborately with offerings: memorabilia, gifts, photographs, flowers, sugar skulls, liquor, and favorite culinary items. Playing a starring role, skeleton-like catrinas engage the crowds. Often festooned with flowers and gorgeously attired, the catrinas join revelers in jubilant parades, merry storytelling, shared meals, sacred dancing, art contests, and much more.

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Experience the holiday this year when the San Francisco Symphony presents FIESTA Día de los Muertos on November 6, beginning with a 2 p.m. concert at Davies Symphony Hall. A party for everyone, the soiree promises to be an extravaganza of art, music, and joy. Ofrendas and other installments will fill the halls. These altars, created by local artists, have been curated by longtime San Francisco collaborator, Martha Rodríquez-Salazar.

Jaunty catrinas and catrines (“well dressed”) will wander through the halls, posing for photos and invoking the holiday’s spirit.

Conductor Enluis Montes Olivar will lead a Latin Americaninspired musical concert which features vocalist Flor Amargo and the San Francisco Symphony. Afterwards, a mariachi band will guide the audience from the halls to the elegant Green Room at War Memorial building, where FIESTA continues with additional fundraising activities: an auction, reception, and seated dinner, all which benefit the Symphony and its various artistic, educational, and community programs.

PHOTO CREDIT: COURTESY OF SAN FRANCISCO SYMPHONY

BY BECCA HENSLEY

HAUTE EVENTS

“Run, don’t walk for tickets,” says Sharon Seto, event chair. She also serves as co-presenting sponsor with husband, David Seto and longtime Symphony patron, Pamela Rummage Culp. A dedicated public servant and leader for myriad charitable events, Seto credits her parents for instilling in her a desire to help others and support the community. “I want to make the world a better place for all,” she says.

For FIESTA Día de los Muertos, Sharon wanted to mirror the success she realized as co-founder and pioneer for the Chinese New Year Concert Celebration and Imperial Dinner, an event that reached out to the Asian community. “Music bonds us all,” she explains. “Inclusivity is my goal for FIESTA, as it was for the Chinese New Year festivities. I think of FIESTA as a sister event, one that honors our Latino community and teaches us all.”

As event chair, Sharon tweaked the event linguistically, believing it was important to add more Spanish words into the mix. “Since I love learning Spanish, I decided to share my passion by renaming this event ¡FIESTA! Día De Los Muertos- Celebración del Concierto y la Cena. It’s important to me to honor our city’s Hispanic culture.”

Sharon urges everyone to bring their friends and families for an afternoon of reverence for those who have passed, a day full of merry making and unforgettable entertainment. “Perhaps my favorite part will be watching the children learn about Latino culture as they take photos with the catrines and become enlivened by the music.”

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David and Sharon Seto

HAUTE EVENTS

PHOTO CREDIT: COURTESY OF SAN FRANCISCO SYMPHONY

Making his debut with the San Francisco Symphony’s Día De Los Muertos concert, Enluis Montes Olivar explains his main objective in choosing the music for the program was to bring the most festive part of the holiday celebration into focus.

“I wanted this to be a reflective space to remember our loved ones, but also a cheerful space, because those memories are full of joy and rejoicing,” he says. “That is why, in this celebratory setting, we have selected happy music, not only Mexican music or music by Mexican composers, but also music from other Latin American countries.”

Beginning with “La Conga del Fuego Nuevo,” by Arturo Márquez, the concert starts on an energetic note. It will end with “Xochipilli”

by Mexican composer Carlos Chávez, a piece named for the Aztec god of flowers, song, and dance. According to Enluis, the concert’s mascot is the flower-loving hummingbird, which can be imagined during the dominating, airy wind instrument portions of “Xochipilli.” The conductor reminds us that, in Mexican culture, the hummingbird has a special significance. “Many believe that the tiny birds represent the souls of our loved ones. When the hummingbird flies close, it brings with it a message of love and support.”

90 Enluis Montes Olivar

For Enluis, the concert’s personal crescendo will be when talented Mexican multi-instrumentalist and songwriter, Flor Amargo, is on stage with the Symphony. She is “a singer of the people and for the people,” he exclaims, looking forward to the collaboration.

Born in Mexico City and classically trained as a flautist and opera singer, Martha Rodríguez-Salazar has curated the San Francisco Symphony’s Día de los Muertos Community Concert festivities since the event’s inception in 2008. “This event means a lot to me,” she confides, noting that she’s proud of her Mexican culture and that it’s important for her to share these traditions with others. Keen to get the point across that Día de los Muertos shouldn’t be confused with a Mexican Halloween, she describes it as “a colorful celebration of life, full of music, humor, and loving remembrance.”

Martha feels that it is vital to be reminded of the connection between death and life. “When I stop to honor my ancestors and friends, I appreciate life itself much more,” she says. For inspiration, Martha looked to the pandemic and what San Francisco experienced collectively. “This year we acknowledge the grieving process we have shared over this past year by coming together to bring messages of hope and joyful remembrances of those who have passed away recently.”

Annually, Martha’s choice of artists and their creations combine with the music for an uplifting synergy in Davies Symphony Hall.

“This year will be no exception,” she says.

For tickets, visit: sfsymphony.org

HAUTE EVENTS

Martha Rodríguez-Salazar

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SONOMA COUNTY WINE AUCTION SUPPORTS LOCAL COMMUNITY

HAUTE EVENT EVENTS

Over $1.7 Million Raised for Nonprofits

BY JENNIFER BODEN

exciting packages included “Bubbles Galore, Direct from the Source,” which will take the winner to Reims, France to tour famous Champagne houses. “Montana Western Adventure” featured a private jet to The Ranch at Rock Creek.

Paddle raising bidders supported children’s education and literacy programs and raised more than $550,000 during the live auction. Even more came in after the event. Gina Gallo of E. & J. Gallo Winery, Mary Dewane and Joe Anderson of Benovia Winery, and Katie Jackson of Jackson Family Wines kicked off the Fund-a-Need with $100,000 bids.

“I am incredibly grateful to our SCWA honorary alumni chairs, Vintner Honoree, our auction participants, wine community, and sponsors, who have shown unbelievable generosity and support for our foundation,” said Michael Haney, executive director, Sonoma County Vintners Foundation. “Each year our goal is to assist the many deserving Sonoma County nonprofit organizations, and I am thrilled to continue this mission with the funds raised during this 2021 auction.”

Following the live auction, organizers announced Foley Family Wines will be the 2022 Sonoma County Wine Auction honorary chair for next year’s event, which will be held from September 15 to 17.

Dinner at Bricoleur Vineyards the night before the Sonoma County Wine Auction

Katie Jackson of Jackson Family Wines generously donates $100,000 during the Fund-a-Need paddle raise.

Congressman Mike Thompson, Michael Haney Congressman Jared Huffman

Generous bidders raise their paddles

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La Crema Estate at Saralee’s Vineyard hosts the 2021 Sonoma County Wine Auction

PHOTO CREDITS: CREDIT: COURTESY COURTESYOF OFSAN BRICOLEUR FRANCISCO VINEYARDS; SYMPHONY © ALEXANDER RUBIN

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HE LIVE-AND-IN-PERSON 2021 SONOMA COUNTY Wine Auction (SCWA), held outdoors September 16 to 18, raised more than $1.7 million to support literacy, education, health and human services, the environment, and arts and culture throughout Sonoma County. The tally boosts the auction’s cumulative total raised since the auction’s inception to $39 million.

Saturday’s auction was the finale after three days of exciting events. The weekend included the BEST. PARTY. EVER., held at Montage Healdsburg on Thursday, as well as exclusive vintner-hosted dinners the following evening.

In addition to the live event, SCWA held both silent and online auctions. The in-person silent auction offered a wide range of trips, experiences, jewelry, fashion collections and iconic memorabilia. The online auction was open to the public and closed on September 23. The wine-focused docket included curated wine tasting experiences, vintner lunches and dinners, vineyard tours, wine collections, and more.

The top live auction item was “Palio Pageantry: Sonoma to Siena,” which sold for $140,000. The package offered a stay at the Jackson Family’s Tenuta di Arceno estate, an exclusive dinner in an apartment overlooking the Piazza del Campo to watch Il Palio di Siena, and five Vérité magnums. Other

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HAUTE BEAUTY

ABOUT FACE Facials for Party Prep

BY BECCA HENSLEY

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ET'S BE CLEAR: YOU DO WANT to be another pretty face during the holidays. While no facial alone can launch a thousand ships, enjoying the right facial treatment before your event will not only relax and rejuvenate you, but will switch on your inner (and outer) Christmas tree-light-like illumination. From Hydrafacials to LED light rituals, spa facials (as well as some at-home treatments) promise photoready countenances, well-polished skin, and confidence aplenty for all your holiday bashes this season and beyond.

FACE CHANGING SPA TREATMENTS NEAR YOU:

THE MASTERPIECE AT SPA MONTAGE HEALDSBURG, MONTAGE HEALDSBURG 120 minutes, $95

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PHOTO COURTESY OF SPA MONTAGE PHOTO CREDIT: COURTESY OF WINE COUNTRY BOTANICALS

After a wine tasting lunch, retreat to newly opened Montage Healdsburg, a contemporary haven, ensconced among oak trees and rich with bungalow-style suites. The 11,500 square-foot spa, Montage Healdsburg’s crème-de-la-crème, The Masterpiece, fights signs of ageing with its cell renewing, 6-mask journey into visageenhancing bliss. Unlocking the scientific powers of cutting-edge Swiss brand La Maison Valmont, this facial includes a complete collagen treatment for the face, neck, décolleté, and the eyes, as well as salicylic and glycolic acid peels, suction, and oxygen infusion.

Spa Montage Facial

SIGNATURE CUSTOM FACIAL AT DAWN PATRICE SKINCARE

HAUTE BEAUTY

60 minutes, $275 In an airy, plant-filled studio situated in the historic Flood Building in downtown San Francisco, Dawn Patrice passionately shares her decades of skincare knowledge during one-on-one client appointments.

“When you book an appointment with me, you’ll never see another client,” she says, noting that guests often become like family. Her facials, customized for each client, include all her advanced technology, including the Intraceuticals O2 Infusion, a celebrity favorite for flawless skin. Dawn Patrice’s oxygen facial comprises skin analysis, extractions, a custom peel or mask (based on skin type), as well as bespoke additions such as LED light therapy.

Redmint Holistic Wellness Center

BEST OF AUBERGE FACIAL AT THE SPA AT SOLAGE, SOLAGE AUBERGE RESORTS COLLECTION 120 minutes, $470 In the characteristic town of Calistoga, forego their famous mud baths for the Best of Auberge Facial which takes advantage of myriad, ultra-effective beauty weapons. Settle in for a revitalizing two hours of bombshell-awakening procedures, including the signature HydraFacial MD treatment and Nuface lifting and toning session, finalized with Light Stim LED light therapy. Plumper, radiant skin continues for days on end. Show off your newfound countenance atop one of Solage’s complimentary bikes as you pedal around town.

SIGNATURE FACIAL AT REDMINT HOLISTIC WELLNESS CENTER 75 minutes, $199

PHOTO CREDITS: (TOP) COURTESY OF REDMINT; (BOTTOM) COURTESY OF DAWN PATRICE

A blend of ancient practices and new modalities, this thoughtful sanctum in the heart of the city offers an earthy approach to beauty in a decidedly urbane setting. Dedicated to the long-proven techniques of traditional Chinese medicine, Redmint fuses Old World wisdom and novel discoveries in a range of detoxyifying, customized treatments and dedicated house products. The Signature Facial tones with gua sha (a kind of cupping), adding the benefits of healing sound tools and herbal masks to the restorative mix.

Dawn Patrice Skincare

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HAUTE BEAUTY ROSE QUARTZ REVERSIVE FACIAL AT CARNEROS RESORT AND SPA 90 minutes, $350

60 minutes, $305 A bamboo and Buddha-filled haven of tranquility on the verges of the Presidio, this 13,000-square-foot, zen bolt hole proudly announces on its website that all therapists are verified vaccinated—something that should make every guest feel secure. Experts in the art of the Hydrafacial, patented vortexfusion technology which essentially uses suction to clean, exfoliate, tone, and hydrate, SenSpa offers various options of the modality.

Relaxing, painless, and with astonishing results, the process feels like tiny feet dancing on the skin. Go for their newest version of the facial, Restorative with Regen Growth Factor, which supports collagen and elastin with M-007 Fulvate Complex.

PHOTO COURTESY OF SPA AT CARNEROS

Channeling Napa’s legendary agrarian culture and its myriad thriving vineyards, this charming world of tiny farmhouses, edged by rows of vines, warms the heart. Wake up in your spacious, private cottage and head to the Spa and Wellness Center, reminiscent of a nostalgic barn. There, the Rose Quartz Reversive Facial harnesses the skin’s natural healing powers to slow down and overcome the everyday consequences of ageing.

Expect lymphatic drainage and contouring via a massage, executed to plump and diminish lines on the face, neck, and décolleté. Exfoliation and a firming message result in a final, undoubtable glow.

HYDRAFACIAL RESTORATIVE FACIAL WITH REGEN GROWTH FACTOR AT SENSPA

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Spa at Carneros

HAUTE BEAUTY

DO-IT-YOURSELF FACE GLAM KNESKO SKIN $45-$150, available at knesko.com From reiki master and skin care expert Lejla Cas’ applauded holistic skincare line, these serum-brimming collagen masks harness the healing powers of precious gemstones (from diamonds to black pearl), minerals, and energy work to renew skin with instant results. Used in some of the world’s top spas for facial treatments and beloved by celebrities, the revitalizing masks can now be enjoyed at home. Cas “charges each mask with love,” a bonus meant to awaken wellness from within.

NATUROPATHICA RUBY & DRAGON’S BLOOD LOVE MASK $76, available at naturopathica.com Gold Facials

GOLD HYDRALIFTING FACIAL AT THE SPA AT THE ESTATE YOUNTVILLE, THE ESTATE YOUNTVILLE

No dragons were slain to make this creamy mask. Instead, it contains anti-bacterial superpower dragon's blood, a sap from a South American tree, as well as elasticitytargeting copper and plumping ruby to fight wrinkles and smooth the skin.

PHOTO CREDIT: SHUTTERSTOCK

90 minutes, $325 Touted as a “village within a village,” The Estate provides an intimate, hideaway experience in peerless Yountville. Yet more exclusive, The Spa, with five private spa suites each boasting soaking baths and fireplaces (plus seven other treatment rooms), proposes well-being and exemplary facecare. Glimmer with the Gold Hydralifting Facial, a ritual comprised of a double exfoliation followed by a rose-scented gold mask brimming with hyaluronic acid. This hydrating and repairing facial ends with a special firming massage and a layer of gold shimmer oil.

RÉVIVE MASQUE DE RADIANCE $150, available at reviveskincare.com A decadent soufflé for the face, this energizing mask boosts and brightens with vitamin C and collagen-building ATP (adenosine triphosphate) for a refreshing, pre-party finish. Watch as the mask turns from lustrous white to glittery gold while it restores the skin.

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HAUTE WELLNESS

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FINDING BALANCE AT BANYAN TREE MAYAKOBA

HAUTE WELLNESS

Experience a resort dedicated to your well-being

BY TERESA RODRIGUEZ | PHOTOS BY ROBERT RICHARDS

B

ANYAN TREE MIGHT SEEM LIKE AN ODD NAME for a world class hospitality group. After all, what does a tropical fig tree have to do with 5-star accommodations, award-winning spas, and uncompromising service? More than you would expect.

Banyan trees have captured the imaginations of writers for centuries. In the Hindu religion, the banyan tree is considered a cosmic “world tree.” It's said that the tree grew upside down, with its roots facing up to the heavens, while its trunk and branches reached down to earth, bringing blessings to humankind. It is believed that gods and spirits travel among the banyan tree's leaves and pillar roots. In the Bhagavad Gita, Krishna used the banyan tree to illustrate

the true significance of life. He said that the banyan tree symbolized immortality.

Alexander the Great and his army reached India in 326 BCE, where they saw their first banyan tree. They described it to Theophrastus, the founder of modern botany. Fast forward to the 17th century when English poet John Milton wrote Paradise Lost. He wrote that Adam and Eve made their first clothes from banyan leaves.

So, when the hospitality group’s founders searched for a name suitable for what they envisioned, Banyan Tree was ideal. They understood the profound importance of the tree and discovered it to be the perfect expression of what they wanted to create.

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"Exceptional experiences are those that inspire us to go beyond where we are through emotional journeys of awe and connection," shares Ho Ren Yung, of Banyan Tree Group. "We want well-being to be inspiring, accessible, and impactful in a way that can be woven into everyday life."

Really, Ms. Yung?

That's more than I could possibly expect from any vacation. However, I wanted to see if what Banyan Tree professed was genuinely attainable. So, off to Banyan Tree Mayakoba we went. While there are dozens of Banyan Tree Group resorts around the globe, I chose the one closest to me. The flight from San Francisco 100

International Airport to Cancún, Mexico was easy, short, and drama-free. Once we arrived in Cancún, a driver from Banyan Tree was there to greet us. The ride to the resort took less than an hour in an air conditioned, luxury SUV supplied with refreshing wipes, water, and sanitizer.

Banyan Tree Mayakoba is located on the pristine Riviera Maya. Mayakoba is one of the most environmentally diverse resort compounds in the world. It connects freshwater lagoons and mangroves with natural dunes, intricate coral reefs, white sandy beaches, and the crystal blue sea.

After winding our way through a lush mangrove jungle, we pulled up to the resort’s opulent entry, adorned with a spectacular lily pond and Olympic-sized torch lighting the way to the lobby. In the center of the main complex, a massive banyan tree, glowing with small lamps, rose proudly from the lagoon. Banyan Tree Mayakoba combines luxurious Asian style with local Mexican charm, truly the best of both cultures.

For the ultimate stay, book one of the resort’s new beachfront pool suites, part of Banyan Tree Mayakoba’s recent $50 million beachfront expansion. These heavenly sanctuaries are located on the sandy beach, kissing the Caribbean Sea. There’s no need to pack your toothbrush or even a hairbrush, because the 1-bedroom suite is exquisitely stocked with all you need.

Along with great amenities, Banyan Tree Mayakoba offers an impressive selection of in-room services. This incredible suite features a private heated pool and an intimate, interior patio that lets the sea breeze in, but keeps the rest of the world out. It’s the ideal place to connect with nature, your inner calm, and the one you love. Make sure to book a candlelit bath ritual. Let the front desk know the day and time you would like your bath drawn. When you return to your suite, you will find the most magical setting of wine, candles, and bubbles.

We asked for this service, and this experience will go down as one of my all-time favorites.

Banyan Tree is world-famous for its spas and spa services.

PHOTO CREDITS: COURTESY OF NEWTREE RANCH

HAUTE WELLNESS

In November 2021, Banyan Tree launched a new program focusing on guests' health and happiness. A stay at the Sanctuary includes a 64-point wellness assessment, daily access to well-being activities like ocean breath meditation by the sea, pre-sleep bath and body rituals, and nutritious, chef-made meals prepared with locally sourced ingredients.

After your stay, you take home a tailored well-being guide that includes tips on sleeping better, healthy living, home exercises, and other practices to incorporate into your daily life.

At the award-winning Banyan Tree Mayakoba Spa, I relaxed and rejuvenated with unique treatments, including the “Rainforest” experience. It combined signature spa treatments with state-of-the-art, hydrothermal facilities, including Swiss rain and bucket showers, a rainforest walking trail, and aroma steam.

Each Banyan Tree Spa therapist is uniquely trained and undergoes at least 350 hours of instruction based on the rigorous curriculum of the accredited Banyan Tree Spa Academies in Phuket, Thailand, and Bintan, Indonesia. I indulged in a Thai massage that started with a relaxing foot bath and ended with a light snack of fresh tea, cucumber rolls, and fruit. After my day at the spa, I can officially say that Banyan Tree Mayakoba is on track as one of the best spa experiences I've had in my life.

The resort has fantastic dining options. My all-time favorite was room service. It was beautiful, being in our private piece of paradise while enjoying breakfast in our robes.

For a wonderful afternoon, cozy up to a cabaña and enjoy lunch at the new Sands Beach Club. This restaurant pays tribute to ingredients local to the Yucatan Peninsula with fresh seafood and delicious ceviches. At Saffron, Banyan Tree’s signature restaurant featuring authentic Thai cuisine, each candlelit table has lovely views of the lagoon and the boats that ferry guests throughout Mayakoba. For our last night, we dined at Cello Italian, where we were spoiled with fresh truffles on our pasta and impeccable service. While we didn't want to leave the privacy of our cozy villa, we did venture to Oriente for breakfast. I'm so glad we did. There we feasted on freshly made tacos, warm donuts, smoked salmon, tasty mimosas, and Mexican hot chocolate.

I must admit that we felt calmer, more relaxed, and connected after our stay at Banyan Tree Mayakoba.

Incredible memories were made, and we felt so cradled by the staff. There was nothing we longed for, since all our desires were met before we uttered a word. It was as if the magic of the banyan tree reached down and blessed this special part of the world and the incredible individuals who work and play at Banyan Tree, including you, Ms. Yung.

HAUTE WELLNESS

To learn more or book your stay, visit https://www.banyantree.com/en/mexico/mayakoba

To learn more or book your stay, visit https://www.banyantree.com/en/mexico/mayakoba 101

HAUTE RESIDENCE

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HAUTE RESIDENCE

ICONIC BELVEDERE ESTATE WITH MAGNIFICENT VIEWS

BY OLIVIA DECKER

W

ITH EIGHT BEDROOMS, SIX FULL BATHS, TWO HALFbaths, and approximately 7,695 square feet, this iconic mansion is one of the most admired homes on Belvedere Island for its styling, magnificent gardens, spectacular pool, and panoramic views overlooking Tiburon Hills, Corinthian Island, Angel Island, East Bay, Bay Bridge, and beautiful Belvedere Cove, reminiscent of Portofino, Italy.

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HAUTE RESIDENCE

Located on the desirable side of the island with all-day sun and sheltered from the wind, this classic residence was fully renovated in recent years. It features a beautiful, custom-designed kitchen with Italian marble countertops and a breakfast area with balcony to enjoy the views and al fresco dining. There are eight bedrooms, most opening onto balconies with expansive bay views. The generously sized master suite with his/her dressing/sitting areas includes a kitchenette/coffee bar, closets, luxurious bathroom with a steam shower, two sunrooms, an exercise room with full bath and sauna, and wine cellar adjacent to a spacious storage room. There is a security system and a 2-car garage, plus adjacent, 1-car carport.

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HAUTE RESIDENCE

There are extensive brick terraces with elegant stone balustrades, lush gardens, water features, and staircases throughout the street-to-street lot. Three separate entrances and multiple living spaces is a perfect floor plan, set up for an au pair unit and an in-law unit. Within easy walking distance from the lower staircase by the pool are the San Francisco Yacht Club, Corinthian Yacht Club, downtown Tiburon restaurants such as Malibu Farm and Michael Mina’s Bungalow Kitchen, and ferry services to San Francisco and Angel Island.

See details and photos on www.308GoldenGate.com.

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HAUTE AMBASSADOR Events About Town

The Thanksgiving table

Aubrey Brewster, a bon vivant and man-abouttown, is a. product of his environment. His affinity for cooking, fashion, and entertaining was inherited from summer vacations shared in Charleston, West Virginia with his southern belle model-turned-hostess grandmother. It should come with no surprise that Brewster followed in his grandmother’s footsteps, with an inherent talent for hosting legendary parties. He is often listed among San Francisco’s best dressed. Aubrey is a San Francisco native, traveler, and food and lifestyle blogger (aubreyabouttown. com). He resides in San Francisco with his husband, Edward. Aubrey can be found enjoying afternoons lunching with friends at Neiman Marcus and some of San Francisco’s favorite haunts when not hosting or attending events.

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AUBREY ABOUT TOWN A HOLIDAY TOGETHER: THE THANKSGIVING TABLE

BY AUBREY BREWSTER

T

HE HOLIDAYS ARE UPON US. AND AFTER spending our last holiday season cooped up in our homes without the company of our families and friends due to the COVD-19 pandemic, most of us are yearning and ready to spend this holiday season with the ones we love.

Finally, California has opened up and most of its population are vaccinated and the longing for the tradition of safely giving thanks with friends and family is finally over. The inherent need to be with our loved ones is deep. This is especially true with Thanksgiving, a holiday we all can get behind—a time just to be together in thanks.

I often write about happenings “about town,” but what better place to be during the holidays than at home with family and friends? So, this article is dedicated to home sweet home.

Thanksgiving guests: former Mayor Willie L. Brown, Jr., Edward Winger, Jan Hedquist, Lisa Harris, Charles Baker III, Rada Katz, Sonya Molodetskaya, Mitzi Manzano, Jerold Osato, Bacca Da Silva, and Guilaine Hedquist

.

Thanksgiving at our place has been a special, longtime tradition for many of our friends. Some guests have shared the day with us for more years than I care to confess. Needless to say, it broke my heart when we had to cancel this long-held tradition last year and displace my beloved gang of vagabonds—so much so, that when I heard a friend say he didn’t know what he and his mother would do and even going so far as to thinking of picking up a bucket of Kentucky Fried Chicken in lieu of our annual feast, I nearly wept (and laughed a little). I couldn’t let that happen, so yours truly cooked and packed up a full roast turkey dinner, complete with of the classic Thanksgiving sides and trimmings, so he and Mom wouldn’t go without … not on this turkey’s watch!

This auspicious holiday’s dinner spares no detail, starting with the invitation. It’s a call to action, an announcement to proclaim that something special awaits, such as a practical keepsake, from covered ceramic serving dishes with a recipe for leftover turkey and stuffing casserole to a pumpkin-shaped William-Sonoma covered bakeware pie dish filled with old-timey molasses taffy and a recipe for the perfect pumpkin pie.

The menu is traditional and set in stone. I learned a long time ago not to mess with the classics. One year, I had the harebrained idea to serve foie gras stuffed roast quail with truffle potatoes and white asparagus with sweetbreads in saffron crème to start. Sounds marvelous, right? If you could only have seen the bewildered looks on my guests’ faces as they realized that there wasn’t a turkey in sight.

The following year, one guest actually called to confirm whether or not I was serving turkey and all of the fixings. Lesson learned: Thanksgiving dinner was never to deviate from the classics again.

At the core of the menu (of course) is “The Bird,” actually, two birds: the “show” turkey that gloriously sits upon the buffet and one that has been sliced and kept warm in a chafing dish. I also serve a spiralcut Honey Baked ham from honeybaked.com. (You’ll need to order it now to schedule delivery by Thanksgiving.) I order the ham the last week of October and schedule it for delivery two days prior the big day. It keeps perfectly fine for a couple days in its chilled Styrofoam™ shipping container. (Real estate in the refrigerator is a bit scarce for the big 7-pound ham.)

Delicious sides complete the meal: meringue-topped, candied sweet potatoes, chive mashed potatoes, truffle buttered haricot vert and Brussels sprout medley, copious quantities of gravy, Grand Marnier cranberry relish (recipe available at AubreyAboutTown.com), and my famous San Francisco-style Barbary Coast sourdough and oyster stuffing, (a coveted recipe that I’m proud to share with you in this issue of Haute Living, San Francisco) made with San Francisco’s very own Boudin sourdough bread and oysters from the Pacific Ocean.

Our pal, jazz icon Paula West, swears by my Parker House rolls and always reminds me (in the most nonchalant way possible) to bake extra, so she can freeze them for later. I’m more than happy to do so.

Longtime guests, Sonya Molodetskaya and Rada Katz

I’ve always believed that love is in the details, from the decadently adorned buffet to an invitingly beautiful tablescape. Thanksgiving dinner immerses guests not only in a bountiful feast but touching on all of the senses. Rich textiles, gold embellishments, and grand, vibrant, autumnal flowers are everywhere. I recall when former San Francisco Mayor Willie L. Brown, Jr. was halfway through dinner when he blurted, “Wait, are these real flowers?” “What do you mean?

Of course, they’re real. I’m not going to waste anyone’s time with fake anything!” I yelled.

With the grandeur and abundance of flowers, I think he thought the flower arrangements were artificial theatrical props. Some might say I overdo it, but if I weren’t extravagant, guests would think they were in the wrong house!

Hosting a memorable and stress-free Thanksgiving dinner just takes a few steps and good planning. Send your invitations a month out. A good rule of thumb is to mail them the day after Halloween.

I’ve found my best custom stationers on Etsy.com (or their app), and most are more than happy to bring your vision for an invitation to life. Think of the décor. Save-on-crafts.com is one of my favorite resources for fabulous props, such as vases, baskets, candelabra, autumnal foliage, etc. I bought the beautiful gold pedestal bowl that I use for the table centerpiece there, and it doubles beautifully as a chic seafood/oyster platter during the summer months.

Write out your menu, check what’s on hand in your pantry, read your recipes, and make your shopping list. Be sure to replace any spices and leavening agents: that pumpkin pie spice and poultry seasoning that you bought last Thanksgiving is spent, and that old yeast and baking soda/powder will have lost its leavening potency.

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CHRISTMASTIME: SAN FRANCISCO MEETS DALLAS

’Tis the season for a touch of glamour. After all the autumnal gourds and sunset-hued foliage are put away and the scents of pumpkin spice Shop for groceries four days before and shop late at night to and savory stuffing fade into memory, the excitement of dancing sugar avoid the crowds. I bake all my pies and set the table two days in plums and catchy nostalgic holiday melodies begin to fill our spirits. The advance. My Ed must have his favorite apple pie. Pumpkin pie is tradition of adorning the house in its Christmas finery has many of us a must. I love pecan pie. If Willie Brown, Jr. is attending, I’ll bake pulling out those bright red boxes of shiny decorations. his Southern favorite, sweet potato pie. (My secret ingredients are Getting our place ready for the holidays is a serious affair, and a hint of ginger and dark rum.) this starts with the trees. If it isn’t me hanging those stockings and In lieu of place cards, customized gifts are a welcomed ornaments, the visual department of Neiman Marcus (NM) comes out and practical alternative; neimanmarcus.com sells beautiful, to our place the week following Thanksgiving (after they’ve finished monogramed Ralph Lauren bath sheets in every color. When with in-store merchandizing and window displays) to trim our trees rolled up and presented on a guests’ chair, each towel triples as and put up the holiday décor. We have five trees throughout the house: place card, cushion, and keepsake. Custom-embroidered, 60-bytwo each in the dining room and the foyer, with the main tree in the 80 inch, fleece throw blankets from personalizationmall.com do sitting room overlooking the city’s Financial District. The menagerie of the same. elegant and whimsical ornaments I’ve collected from Neiman Marcus With a little planning and some personalized touches, an extraover the decades are hung with care, and the house takes on the spirit of special and memorable Thanksgiving is easily obtained. You and Christmas. One can’t help but be filled with that joyous spirit. your guests will remember the day with fond nostalgia for years The Neiman Marcus traditions continue in-store with the unveiling of to come, as we do. their 5-story holiday tree the day after Thanksgiving and their annual Breakfast with Santa at the Rotunda Restaurant, a kid-approved, gourmet breakfast curated by the Rotunda’s very own executive chef, Erik Harrelson, and a photo-op with the head elf himself, this year on December 12 and 19 from 8:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. (Tickets are available on OpenTable.com or the OpenTable app.) Other merry surprises include a new giant snow globe that can house the whole family for that perfect social media shot and Christmas card photo, located on Level 3 in the gown department.

Every year, NM’s leadership team effortlessly oversees our annual gift shopping. Working from a spreadsheet of dozens of recipients, they painstakingly shop, wrap, and ship every item, allowing me to tend to my holiday social obligations and prepare for our Christmas Eve dinner.

The Rotunda at Neiman Marcus’ executive chef, At the top of our menu is prime rib with all of The Christmas tree Erik Harrelson, and Aubrey Brewster the classic steakhouse accouterments and my Asiago popovers served hot from the oven. (Check AubreyAboutTown.com for the recipe.) Christmas Eve dinner wouldn’t be the same without the Bûche de Noël (Yule log) chocolate Swiss roll from Miette Bakery in San Francisco’s Ferry Building (miette.com).

Immediately following the Christmas season, one of my favorite holiday pastimes is exploring the postChristmas ornament sale on NM’s fifth floor. I love rifling through big red velvet and gold bins of glittery baubles to find the perfect ornaments to add to the collection, only to rediscover them anew the following year. Christmastime wouldn’t be the same around our place without Neiman Marcus.

Who needs Santa when you’ve got Neiman Marcus?

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Aubrey Brewster’s Asiago popovers

Jazz icon Paula West cozies up after dinner in her personalized fleece throw blanket

PHOTO CREDIT: (TOP RIGHT IMAGE) © DREW ALTIZER PHOTOGRAPHY; ALL OTHERS COURTESY OF AUBREY BREWSTER PHOTO CREDIT: © DREW ALTIZER PHOTOGRAPHY

HAUTE AMBASSADOR Events About Town

Aubrey’s San Francisco-Style Barbary Coast Sourdough & Oyster Stuffing (Serves 15) INGREDIENTS • 2 loaves sourdough bread, sliced sandwich-style or one 32-ounce bag of Organic Boudin • Sourdough Stuffing (I use San Francisco Boudin sourdough.)

• 16-ounce jar Pacific oysters (with juice) • 3 cups chicken stock • 2 medium onions, chopped (3 cups) • 5 stalks celery, chopped (2 cups) • 8 strips bacon, cut in ½-inch pieces • 8 ounces butter, plus 1 tablespoon • ½ cup dried cranberries • ½ cup dried apricots, minced • ½ cup Italian parsley, chopped • ¼ cup fresh sage, minced (about 12 sage leaves) • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour • 2 tablespoons olive oil • 2 tablespoons chicken bouillon (I use Knorr.)

• 2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves, (2 large sprigs) • 2 tablespoons dried sage • 1 tablespoon dried thyme • 1 tablespoon granulated garlic • 1 teaspoon ground black pepper, plus ¼ teaspoon • 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus ½ teaspoon INSTRUCTIONS 1. Preheat oven to 360 degrees Fahrenheit.

2. Cut the sliced sourdough bread into ½-inch cubes. (Stack three slices of bread at a time and slice lengthwise, then across.)

3. Place cubed bread onto two half-size (18 by 13 inches) sheet pans, drizzle with olive oil, and toss to coat.

4. Bake for 10 minutes.

5. Rotate sheet pans, toss bread cubes, and bake for an additional 10 minutes or until lightly golden and crisp.

6. Remove from oven and allow to cool in the pans completely, giving them a toss now and then. Transfer toasted bread cubes to a large bowl.

7. Render fat from bacon, until bacon is just cooked and is golden brown. Add cooked bacon to toasted sourdough bread cubes.

Reserve the bacon fat.

8. Strain juice (oyster liquor) from the oysters and reserve 1 cup.

Pat oysters dry with paper towels. Season the oysters with the ¼ teaspoon each salt and pepper. Dredge seasoned oysters in allpurpose flour to evenly coat, shaking off any excess.

9. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat, add 1 tablespoon bacon fat, sear oysters in bacon fat until slightly golden brown (approximately 1½ minutes per side), and transfer to a plate to cool for 5 minutes or until cool enough to handle. Set aside 3 pretty oysters for garnish. Chop the remaining oysters and add to the toasted sourdough cubes. Toss to combine.

10. Heat 2 tablespoons of bacon in the large skillet. Add chopped onions and chopped celery and sauté until onions turn translucent.

To the onion-bacon mixture add chicken stock, oyster liquor, dried cranberries, and dried apricots.

11. Turn the heat down to medium and allow to simmer 10 minutes, or until the dried cranberries plump up. Add dried and fresh sage, dried and fresh thyme, ground black pepper, chicken bouillon, granulated garlic, and salt. Add 8 ounces of butter and stir until the butter has melted.

12. Carefully fold hot chicken stock mixture into the toasted sourdough bread mixture until the bread cubes have absorbed the stock. Add chopped parsley.

13. Cover bowl of stuffing with plastic wrap or aluminum foil and allow to rest 10 minutes to absorb completely.

14. Butter the bottom and sides of a large casserole dish or a 13 by 9 by 2-inch pan. Evenly distribute stuffing in buttered casserole dish.

Cover with foil, poking one vent hole in top. The stuffing can be kept this way for up to two days prior to baking.

15. Bake stuffing for 20 minutes at 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Remove aluminum foil and bake 10 more minutes. The top should begin to brown.

16. Garnish with additional parsley sprigs and the reserved three oysters in the middle to denote the oyster stuffing. Alternatively, transfer baked stuffing to a covered serving dish before garnishing.

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HAUTE AMBASSADOR Health & Wellness

A HEALTHY HOLIDAY SURVIVAL GUIDE 10 Strategies to Sail Through Successfully

Lydia is a passionate advocate of healthy living. She has launched and positioned many health and wellnessrelated companies, products, technologies and organizations receiving more than 100 awards nationally and internationally. Her focus in the health sector is specifically on life sciences, aging and longevity. She is a partner and investor in several recognized national brands.

She sits on the board of the Buck Institute for Research on Aging whose mission is to eliminate the threat of agerelated disease for today’s and future generations. It is the only independent research organization globally dedicated to extending the healthy years of life. Like the scientists at the Buck, Graham envisions it will be possible for people to enjoy life at 95 as much as at 25.

To support Buck’s mission, please visit www.buckinstitute.org.

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H

ere we are again at the holidays. Wow, weren’t we just there? What a year! While the holidays are a wonderful time to celebrate with family and friends and hit pause, it may also be a time of stress, unmet expectations, and demands on our physical wellbeing sometimes leading to weight gain, lack of sleep, exercise, and exhaustion. Emotions may run high and opportunities for loneliness and depression increase, especially for folks living alone, those without friends and family close by, or those who have experienced a loss. So, how can we find (and spread) more joy and wellbeing throughout the holidays and come out whole on the other end?

It’s not surprising January is the month with the most new member sign-ups at health clubs. On average, numerous studies say Americans gain around one pound between mid-November and January 1. That isn’t a lot

unless it accumulates year over year or is added to previous shutdown weight gain.

If the ultimate goal is to sail through your holidays, enjoy them, and be ready-set-go in January 2022 instead of paying for your holiday transgressions, here are 10 things to consider. (Incorporate a few and you will likely feel better; check off all 10 and hit a home run). Some of these might surprise you—think whole person wellness.

Bay Area resident, Jill Kinney, is a 30-year veteran and visionary in the fitness and wellness industry. Founder and president of former Club One Fitness and current co-founder and chairman of Active Wellness, LLC, Jill notes,“As we embark on a season of giving, this should include giving back to yourself, too. Self-care is more important than ever.

Focus on finding ways throughout your busy day to care for you. Here are three wellness strategies you can implement to create a healthier holiday season.”

PHOTO CREDITS: SHUTTERSTOCK

BY LYDIA GRAHAM

1. Unplug. First, stop scrolling. Ever look up from your phone only to notice 15 minutes, 30 minutes, or maybe even more have gone by? Put down the phone and give yourself those extra minutes to do something self-gratifying and rewarding.

Turn off your phone. For one hour or one day, unplug and take 20 deep breaths.

2. Practice the art of saying no. It’s okay to decline events and obligations (even virtual ones) if that means finding time to show up as your healthiest, best self for the people and other events that mean the most to you. While it might seem hard at first, once you turn down those extra things on your calendar, you will likely enjoy a sense of relief and more time to recharge in between commitments. It’s easy to say, “Thanks for including me, but I have too much on my plate right now.” Or simply, “No, thanks!”

3. Focus on the positive. Practice “5x5” gratitude. For five consecutive days, write five things for which you’re thankful.

Focus on your strengths! Instead of trying to rid yourself of lessthan-ideal habits, it can be more rewarding to give energy to expanding your positive attributes.

Ewa Doctor, Swedish nutritionist at Blue Wave Medicine (yes, Doctor is her last name) and author of a new book, The Redox Plan (soon to be available on Amazon), urges us to look beyond food for nourishment. She suggests: 4. Add quality. The holiday season is about giving. It feels good to give! Quality giving feels even better! Quality giving is more personal. Examples of gifts could be a visit, a phone call, a shared meal, or perhaps a hike or walk-talk. Small gestures show you are thinking of the other person and that you want to share yourself with them. If you are giving a gift, take the time to make the wrapping special. Small efforts go a long way. Quality is reflected in your actions and intentions. Quality reflects on who you are and shows you value the recipient. Add quality to your thoughts and actions to create a more meaningful token of generosity.

5. Add poise. Poise is more than posture. It’s about holding yourself in a confident manner. With all the holiday stress, adding poise to your morning will jumpstart your day. And it’s so simple. Start each morning with a power pose. Stand tall with your arms stretched high in a winner position and with a smile on your face. Take a deep breath in, then a long exhale. Repeat three times. See how good this easy addition to your day feels.

6. Add awe. The holiday season offers many magical moments to inspire awe, but usually, we are so busy we miss them.

Add awe by being present in each moment. Experience awe by connecting with all your senses. See the brilliant holiday lights, inhale the fresh scents of the pine trees, savor the bites of fresh holiday treats, get lost in the music of the season. Your full presence heightens your awareness and pleasure of each moment and inspires awe.

Lastly, here are a few strategies I’ve embraced over many holidays: 7. Maintain your wellbeing routine as much as possible.

Maximize your physical well-being by eating healthfully when you’re not socializing and making the healthiest choices when you are. Try to stay away from high carbs and sugar: these will deplete your energy by lowering your blood sugar. Forgive yourself if you indulge and don’t dwell or harp on it. Move on.

Hold to your sleep pattern as much as possible. Michael Breus, Ph.D., a.k.a. “America’s Sleep Doctor,” notes, “It’s important to rise at the same time every morning.” Of course, I suppose if you stay out late, you can have a pass. But don’t make it a habit.

Try to stay on your exercise program and insure you move throughout your day. Science shows sitting is the new smoking.

It’s important to stay hydrated, as we tend to drink more alcohol and caffeinated beverages during the holidays (sometimes a vicious cycle). Make sure you are countering with lots of noncaffeinated liquids.

8. Never go to parties or holiday dinners hungry. This has always been a big one for me. In fact, unless it’s a dinner party, I often eat before I go. If you’re full, you are more likely to eat only a few appetizers versus devouring everything you see the moment you arrive. Plus, if you drink, you won’t be drinking on an empty stomach (which is much safer anyway) and you won’t be caught with a mouthful just as someone tries to speak with you. And a bonus, is you won’t have to worry about spinach in your teeth when they shoot that photo. Remember, you are there to enjoy the people, performance, etc. If it’s a dinner party, I usually eat an appetizer before I go so, I’m not starving when I arrive. That way I have lots of energy to graciously focus on my host and fellow guests. If you are hosting, don’t neglect to ask about your guests’ allergies or dietary preferences.

9. Just let it go. Holiday emotions can run hot. Sometimes, we celebrate with family members who don’t always share our views. Remember this is not the place to be right or prove your point: avoid arguments. Listen and breathe. Most people just want to be heard. (By the way, a little prior meditation beforehand can really take the edge off these encounters.) Let go of being perfect or creating the perfect holiday. We’re all human; things don’t always go as planned. Roll with it and enjoy what is happening. Sometimes the mishaps create the best memories— if you keep your sense of humor.

10. Remember others not as fortunate. Who in your circle might be alone? Reach out: invite them, call them, let them know you care. Who in your community is struggling? Support them either with your time, your money, or both. There is a great line in a Mumford & Sons song: “And where you invest your love, you invest your life.” Now, isn’t that the true gift and spirit of the holidays?

And on that note … Wishing you the healthiest and happiest of holidays! Be well.

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HAUTE AMBASSADOR Auto

McLaren Senna

MAGNIFICENT MCLARENS

TIM LAPPEN A lifelong petrol-holic, mechanic (cars, motorcycles, boats), and automotive journalist since penning a column for his high school newspaper, internationally recognized attorney Tim Lappen is a partner at a major Los Angeles-based law firm, where he chairs the firm’s Family Office Group and its Luxury Home Group and is, of course, a member of its Motor Vehicle Group. He can be reached at tlappen@gmail.com or visit LifeInTheFastLane.org

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Two of Their Best, “Mine” for the Moment

BY TIM LAPPEN

R

emember when you’re a kid and you really wanted something, so you’d talk about it, dream about it, and, if you had New-Age parents, you might have even created a vision board for it? Or perhaps when you got older, you whiled away the hours looking at magazines and catalogs dealing with your crush. Since this is an automotive article, we’ll surmise that those publications might have included

Motor Trend, Car and Driver, Road and Track, Hot Rod, or even J.C. Whitney. No doubt, you probably had a poster of your crush on the wall. (Remember, this is a car article, so let’s say a Countache, a Vector, or an F1 McLaren.) Well, if cars were your crush and in the last 30 years, you had a poster of that crush, odds are it was a McLaren, first an F1, then more recently the P1, and finally the Senna.

HAUTE AMBASSADOR Auto

McLaren Senna

PHOTO CREDIT: © PORSCHE CARS NORTH AMERICA

McLaren Senna

Lucky me! I didn’t hit the trifecta (the F1s now trade at around $20,500,000, so borrowing one is unlikely), but I did hit the duofecta—McLaren arranged for me to drive both the P1 and the Senna. Boy, did those supercars live up to the fantasy! Lucky me, I got to drive two of the three cars in McLaren’s “Ultimate Series.”

Let’s take a step back. The F1 first came out in 1992, and 106 were built during that 6-year run. A 3-person vehicle, the driver sat dead center in the front (best weight distribution for racing and perfect sight lines on the track). The two passengers sat slightly behind and on either side. At a typical base price north of $800,000, the car had 600 ponies (it used a V12 BMW-created engine), 480 pound-feet of torque, could run 0-60 miles per hour in about three seconds, and had a top speed of 240 mph (by far the fastest production car to that date and still one of the very fastest). It really was the ultimate supercar of the nineties. Some 30 years later, it still remains at the top of the small group of super-fast production cars. (Three decades is an unheard-of time to stay on that leaderboard!)

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HAUTE AMBASSADOR Auto

McLaren P1

THE P1 Moving ahead to the present era of super McLarens, the P1 was introduced in 2012 at the Paris Motor Show. It had a decidedly different look. Thought by some to be the successor to the P1, McLaren clarified that the Speedtail (introduced in 2020) eventually wore that mantle, but the P1 was a worthy pretender to the throne.

Though the F1 was so aerodynamically and aggressively designed that it actually won races (like Le Mans) against some actual race cars, the P1 had the look of a car on which the designer decided to melt all of the edges. The show car was a pretty, bright, burnt orange color, so it was clear that the P1 was born to stand out. Unlike the naturally aspirated F1 (meaning it had no turbo- or super-charger), the P1 sports a hybrid drivetrain. During its 2-year production run, a total of 375 P1s were built, with almost 35 percent being sold in the U.S. (The second-biggest market was Europe.)

With over 900 horsepower (a lot in those days and not too shabby today), the P1 obtained 727 of the ponies from a twinturbo V8 motor and the rest from the electric motor. Electric motors provide virtually 100 percent of their power immediately, so their addition is a tremendous boost (pun intended) to the 0-60 time challenge: the P1 did it in 2.8 seconds and went on to 124 mph in a total of 6.8 seconds, then hit 186 mph in a total of only 16.5 seconds (faster than most people will read this paragraph).

The seating in the P1 is more traditional, with a driver on one side (right or left, typically depending on country of delivery) and the passenger on the other. There is no back seat. The purpose of this car was not to coddle the occupants, but to get 114

from Point A to Point B really quickly. With performance similar to a Ferrari LaFerrari and the Porsche 918 Spider, the P1 is rarer (fewer were built) and, at an initial cost of about $1.1 million, substantially less expensive than its two main competitors.

Today, P1s often are seen for sale at prices exceeding $2 million.

Driving the P1 was a real treat, albeit a short one. “Mine” was for sale, so the test drive was limited to 10 miles (or eight seconds, whichever came first). Fortunately, those were some beautiful miles. The car was delivered to me at the wonderful Resort at Pelican Hill in Newport Coast, California. After a static photo shoot, I was able to drive it down to Pacific Coast Highway and over to Crystal Cove for more pictures. Thanks to my friends at McLaren Newport Beach, I was able to experience the car on some straightaways. However, as the statute of limitations runs another few years, I only will say that driving it was … OMG!

THE SENNA The Senna, unveiled in 2018 at the Geneva Motor Show, is an homage to Aryton Senna, certainly one of the greatest Formula One piloti of all time. The McLaren named for him is very quick, very unique looking, and all fire and brimstone.

With 789 horsepower from a twin-turbo V8, the Senna achieves its incredible performance without the use of any electric boost, instead relying on its great power-to-weight ratio.

It tips the scales at under 2,700 pounds (for comparison, a new Corvette weighs about 3,650 pounds, some 35 percent more).

All McLarens that I’ve driven feel faster than they are: they are the ultimate point-and-shoot road cars, providing excellent road feel, highly-responsive handling, and super-quick acceleration.

PHOTO CREDITS: © TK

The Senna takes that up several notches, partly because the carbon fiber molded seats make sure that the driver and passenger are at one with the machine.

An interesting design feature is the optional glass lower panel on the winged doors. It allows the occupants a direct look at the road inches below the bottom of the door, providing an even greater feeling of speed. Plus, it looks cool.

The engine song is another story worth telling. It’s clear from start-up that the Senna means business. It’s also why it’s so much fun to drive, as the engine roar is terrific feedback to the driving experience, almost a siren’s call beckoning the driver to go faster and faster. (Note the use of “siren.” It didn’t happen to me, but it could’ve!)

The style has no bad angles, either. There’s something going on at every panel—a scoop here, a winglet there, some concave and then convex surfaces. “Mine” was a deep purple which changed colors in the light, so along with its gold touches, it looked something like the world’s fastest Lakers tribute car.

Still basking in the afterglow of the McLaren duo, I must say that the wizards of Woking (in Surrey, England) sure know how to make adrenaline-creating autos. I suspect that, if we were to study the wiring diagram for McLarens, we would fine a pure, golden circuit running smack into the driver’s medial forebrain bundle, the pleasure center of the brain. That’s how immediate the pleasure of driving either of these cars hits the pilot.

These cars made me want to be a better driver and allowed my mind to conjure up the soundtrack of a X-wing starfighter sequence. Though I only had a few hours with the P1 and a full day with the Senna, it’s almost as if the space-time continuum was interrupted in some way, Matrix-like, so after driving each of these cars, I somehow was younger at the end of the experience. At least I like to think so.

HAUTE AMBASSADOR Auto

McLaren P1

McLaren P1

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California Lifestyle Collection Contemporary Masterpiece of Epic Proportions

8 Bedrooms | 9 Baths | 2 Half-Baths | ±12,109 sq. ft. | ±52 Acres Towering above Silicon Valley and Los Gatos hills, the Aztec Estate offers a pool with spa, a tennis court, ridge-top 360-degree panoramic views, incredible scale and unrivaled quality, all in one of the most exceptional settings in Northern California. Secluded in a private enclave at the end of a gated drive, the residence features soaring ceiling atrium, modern open floor plan, sweeping entertainment decks and sliding glass walls that bring phenomenal views to the forefront of the living experience. The main residence features superior quality and resortlike amenities throughout the extraordinary living space, linear designs, and prominent contemporary styling. Engineering and utilitarian elements play into the timeless design of George Foy, with materials like glass, stone, and steel used liberally in construction to showcase the natural beauty of this estate and the finest selection of materials and finishes, exquisite interior design and exterior landscape. The gourmet chef’s kitchen, with large center island and topof-the-line appliances, features large butler’s pantry, full size indoor grill, and over-sized custom glass windows. Secluded in its own private wing, the luxurious master suite is surrounded by sweeping panoramic views. An opulent marble bathroom boasts amazing ceiling heights and custom walk-in closets. With an

Los Gatos, California

Price Upon Request

office space, oversized fireplace and sitting area, sliding doors lead to a sprawling outdoor lounge overlooking the pool below and sunset on the horizon. This gated estate offers total privacy, steel frame construction, wine cellar, billiards room with wet bar, two custom offices, and state-of-the-art technology. The estate’s resort-like grounds are as impressive as the residence, offering the versatility to retreat in serenity or entertain with lavish events. Features include an infinity pool, spa, tennis/basketball court, outdoor bar and grill, fire pit, manicured gardens, various terraces and seating areas, fountains, waterfall, and wrap-around decks with endless views. As seen on HGTV’s Extreme Homes, Forbes magazine and DuPont Registry, this stunning private enclave, just minutes from the heart of energetically charged Silicon Valley, maintains a retreat from the bustling lights below while sharing the neighborhood with several of Silicon Valley’s elites. Aztec Estate is truly a unique combination of privacy, serenity, panoramic views, and luxury amenities, all in a one-of-a-kind modern masterpiece.

Photos and video on: AztecEstateLosGatos.com

Olivia Hsu Decker | SanFranciscoFineHomes.com Cell: 415.720.5915 | Olivia@SanFranciscoFineHomes.com | Lic.# 00712080

Nothing Compares.

BERRY IS LANDS, BAHAMAS

PA R A D I S E I S L A N D, B A H A M A S

Little Whale Cay

Villa Tarka, Ocean Club Estates

40 Acres | 7 BR | 7 BA | $35,000,000

12 BR | 17 BA | 20,000 sf | 1.5 Acres | $19,900,000

Private island. 2,200 ft. paved landing strip. Deepwater marina.

Custom designed home fronting on the 16th hole. 246 ft. sandy beach.

Property ID 43852

Property ID 46451

G eorge.Da m ianos @ S I R baham as.co m

+1 .24 2 .4 24.9699

G e o rge.Da m i a n os@S IRba h a m a s.com

+1 . 242 .424. 9 69 9

PA R A D I S E I S L A N D, B A H A M A S

H A R B O U R I S L A N D, B A H A M A S

Villa Florentine, Ocean Club Estates

Villa 6, Pink Sands Resort

12 BR | 12 BA | 24,000 sf | $13,950,000

2 BR | 2 BA | 1,844 sf | $2,000,000

175’ Canal Frontage, Main House, Guest Cottage. Beach Club, Golf.

Luxury living and amenities at the iconic Pink Sands Resort.

Property ID 28755

Property ID 4586Q2

Nick.Dam ianos@ S I R baham as.co m

+1 .24 2 .376.1 8 4 1

N i c k.Da m i a n os@S IRba h a m a s.com

+1 . 242 . 376. 1 841

DA MIANOS SOT HE BY’S I NTE R NATI O NA L R EALT Y | H EAD OFFIC E • N ASSAU, BAH AM AS | +1 .24 2 . 32 2 . 230 5 | SIRBAHAMAS.CO M

California Lifestyle Collection Spectacular Belvedere View Home

Belvedere, California

4 Beds | 4 Baths | 1 Half-Bath | ±3,756 sq. ft. | ±1.26 Acres | Pool Situated at a magnificent near-tip location of Belvedere Island south side facing stunning world-class views, this mid-Century appx. 3,756 sq foot home on appx. 1.26 acre double lots features 4 bedrooms, 4.5 baths, pool, multiple terraces, living room with fireplace and 18+ feet high ceilings, opening onto terraces and gardens; library with fireplace and view deck, formal dining room with view deck, spacious French Country style kitchen, master bedroom with fireplace + 2 other bedrooms opening onto pool terrace and gardens, an entry floor bedroom with full bath for handicap access. The home and beautiful lush gardens all face the panoramic views from Bay Bridge, San Francisco, Golden Gate Bridge, Sausalito to Mt. Tam. 2-car garage on street level. Large bay frontage is possible to build a boat dock subject

$15,000,000

to city and BCDC approval. The house was designed and built by architect John Lord King in 1962 for the current owner, the Morrison family. The adjacent lot was purchased in 1966. The house was the subject of an article “The House that Steel Built” for the extensive use of steel and concrete in the construction. It has also been featured in other articles, ads, and once in a TV mini series. The pool and surrounding stone terrace were completely redone in 2008. The landscaping is irrigated, includes lighting and was a highlight of the annual garden club tours for many years.

More photos and information can be found at: 443BelvedereAve.com

Olivia Hsu Decker | SanFranciscoFineHomes.com Cell: 415.720.5915 | Olivia@SanFranciscoFineHomes.com | Lic.# 00712080

California Lifestyle Collection Classic Belvedere View Home on Prime Location

Olivia Hsu Decker | SanFranciscoFineHomes.com Cell: 415.720.5915 | Olivia@SanFranciscoFineHomes.com | Lic.# 00712080

Belvedere, California

MAGNIFICENT RARE BELVEDERE WATERFRONT COMPOUND TWO HOMES ON FOUR LOTS WITH PANORAMIC VIEWS

BELVEDERE, CALIFORNIA Featured in Architectural Digest, this world class residence showcases panoramic views of the San Francisco Bay, the Golden Gate Bridge, the skylines of San Francisco and Sausalito. A magnificent masterpiece in a dramatic setting at the prestigious tip of Belvedere Island location comprises a ±8,131-square-foot, 4-bedroom, 5½-bath home on a ±0.67 acre lot designed by world renowned architect Charles Gwathmey. Also included is a guest house on adjacent ±0.32 acre lot, and a ±3,756-square-foot, 4-bedroom, 4½-bath home on a ±1.26 acre double lot. This rare compound of two architectural works of art on ±2.25 acres waterfront is offered at $75,000,000.

Additional photos and information at www.445BelvedereAve.com and www.443BelvedereAve.com.

Contact Olivia.HsuDecker@SothebysRealty.com for showing information.

California Lifestyle Collection Stunning World-Class Wine Country Retreat

5 Beds | 6 Baths | ±2,500 sq. ft. Interior | ±61 Acres This stunning world-class retreat is the epitome of the indoor-outdoor Napa Valley lifestyle. Designed by award-winning architect Howard Backen with sliding doors and screens that open completely to the surrounding gardens and views beyond, this residence and separate two-bedroom guest house are arranged as three separate zinc-roofed pavilions floating above semi-enclosed porches, a magnificent pool, and the surrounding landscaped gardens.

Featuring extraordinary materials and workmanship, brilliant designs and soaring high ceilings, this private compound is designed to capture magnificent views of nature. Sited at the edge of a ravine, this home is oriented to frame and command views across neighboring vineyards and a watershed of the Napa River. Inside the main pavilion, the boundaries between living room, kitchen, dining room and the surrounding terraces are blurred. The combination of openness and grand scale permits the home to feel at once expansive and yet comfortable for intimate entertaining. Radiant heating under the polished concrete floors provides year-round comfort. The flexible

Napa, California

$13,500,000

architectural layers of sliding glass, shutters, and screens serve to effortlessly control light, space, and temperature. Whether the walls of windows are open or closed, the calming architecture frames the natural and designed landscape.

Spread across ±61 acres of grounds, amenities include infinity-edge pool, spacious lawn, bocce court, two hot-tubs, olive grove, organic garden, stocked lake, fire pit, and outdoor kitchen with refrigerator, barbecue, and pizza oven.

The basement level features a large wine cellar as well as a gym, powder room, and catering kitchen. A separate machine building houses a backup generator and well equipment including reverse-osmosis water filter. This sublime place represents an artistic departure from the conventional and is one that truly must be experienced—it is one that might inspire great thoughts and play gracious host to many extraordinary events to come!

More photos and information can be found at: SodaCanyonEstate.com

Olivia Hsu Decker | SanFranciscoFineHomes.com Cell: 415.720.5915 | Olivia@SanFranciscoFineHomes.com | Lic.# 00712080