Silicon Valley Scene magazine Winter 2012

scene make your bedroom a haven | lingerie for curvy girls Forget something? Women and memory loss

silicon valley’s Guid e to Style

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Plus besotted with bubbly love, lust & lit

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Spirit of Silicon Valley The Tech Museum of Innovation™ 201 South Market Street San Jose, CA 95113 (408) 294-8324 thetech.org

A Must-See, Must-Do Silicon Valley Experience for All Ages Discover over 100 fun, hands-on exhibits.

Come see our new exhibits and galleries.

Learn about Silicon Valley innovations.

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The Hackworth IMAX® Dome Theater Come visit our newly renovated theater. Experience the adventure, drama and emotion with the largest IMAX dome theater in the West.

The Hobbit – An Unexpected Journey Opens December 14, 2012 Limited Engagement TM is a trademark of The Tech Museum of Innovation, all rights reserved. ® is a registered trademark of The Tech Museum of Innovation, all rights reserved. IMAX® is a registered trademark of IMAX Corporation.

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table of contents

the rest 17 The Insider Little luxuries make your bedroom a true haven; author Nanci Williams on fishing for a good man; Zaaz!

24 Shop Talk Curvy Girl Lingerie in Willow Glen and Zobha in Mill Valley. By Crystal Chow. Photos by Edwin Suarez and Stuart Lirette.

29 Body & Soul Forgetfulness — and what you can do about it.

By Melinda Sacks

36

romance! fashion 36 A Splendid Affair This winter, it’s all about rich and romantic detail.

By Donna Kato. Photos by Joanne Ho-Young Lee. Plus: Spring 2013 trends. By Donna Kato

52 Icons Carol Novello found the love of animals made for a richer work — and personal — life.

By Julia Prodis Sulek. Photos by Nikki Ritcher.

69 Getaways Ditch the crowds for a kinder, gentler Tahoe.

By Bonnie Wach

74 Seen Big fun around town.

PASSIONS 59 Love, Lust & Lit Romance writing is hot, in more ways than one.

And the Bay Area is a steamy hub. By Crystal Chow

INDULGE 21 Hearts Afire Romantic jewels heat up the holidays.

FOOD & WINE 63 Thirsty Girl Leslie Sbrocco is besotted by bubbly.

Plus: Recipes from “The Clean Plates Cookbook.”

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editor’s note

Why we need birthday cake

Josie Lepe

What’s your guilty pleasure? Besides Cheetos and bad reality TV, that is. For many of us, it would seem to be the romance novel, whether it’s an old Barbara Cartland paperback or “Fifty Shades of Grey” on our Kindle. Don’t argue: The genre outsells all others, far beyond even sci-fi. Check out “Love, Lust & Lit” by Crystal Chow (Page 59) for a few local romance writers’ steamy excerpts about — Um, wait — about what, exactly? I forgot. ... This happens all the time, just like when I walk purposefully into a room or colleague’s office and can’t recall why I’m there, or stash my keys somewhere “safe” and have no idea where that might be.

I’m not alone. As you can read in “You Must Remember This” by Melinda Sacks (Page 29), women of all ages have an especially tough time with forgetfulness.

Memory thieves include hormones, stress, the aging brain and, of course, the overwhelming 24/7 info and data culture we live in.

Fortunately, there are ways to fight back, from compensating strategies (saying “I’m leaving my keys on the mantel” out loud actually helps you remember) to loading up on blueberries.

Anyway, back to romance: The excerpts will give you a hint of the talent and tremendous creativity out there, not to mention the boundless subgenres and captivating storylines. They mostly all end happily ever after, which is what we want.

Janet Evanovich, author of the Stephanie Plum books and veteran romance writer, puts it like this: “Romance novels are birthday cake, and life is often peanut butter and jelly. I think everyone should have lots of delicious romance novels lying around for those times when the peanut butter of life gets stuck to the roof of your mouth.”

Happy reading — and eat birthday cake, because Scene celebrates its third year with this issue!

scene Katharine Fong Editor & Publisher

Rebecca Hall Lucero Art Director Donna Kato Contributing Fashion & Beauty Editor Crystal Chow Melinda Sacks Stephanie Simons Julia Prodis Sulek Bonnie Wach Contributing Writers Jose Carlos Fajardo Nikki Ritcher Contributing Photographers Rebecca Parr Copy Editor Scene Magazine Vol. 4, No. 3 Copyright 2012 by the Bay Area News Group.

All rights reserved.

Material herein may not be reprinted without expressed written consent of the publisher.

Make contact Email: Scene@ BayAreaNewsGroup.com Address: 750 Ridder Park Drive, San Jose, CA 95190 Facebook.com/SceneBayArea Twitter: SceneBayArea Pinterest: SceneBayArea

Subscribe!

Katharine Fong Editor & Publisher

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Scene • winter 2012

Go to SceneBayArea.com, or contact Rick Raker at rraker@BayAreaNewsGroup.com or 925.945.4781.

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contributors

Crystal Chow (“Love, Lust & Lit,” Page 59) has enjoyed a diverse career as an editor and writer, starting with indelible stints at Guns & Ammo and Playgirl magazines in Southern California. More recently, she has worked at Stanford Hospital & Clinics and the San Jose Mercury News.

Work by award-winning photojournalist Joanne Ho-Young Lee (“A Splendid Affair,” Page 36) captures authenticity and realism, and has appeared in national publications.

Prior to shooting boudoir photography and lifestyle portraiture, she was staff photographer at major news outlets and worked with Annie Leibovitz and Mary Ellen Mark.

Julia Prodis Sulek (“A Healing Bond,” Page 52) is a feature writer and general assignment reporter for the San Jose Mercury News.

She is a Pulitzer Prize finalist whose work has been nationally recognized.

Julia also cofounded Lookiloos.com, which gives readers a peek into the style and stories of Bay Area homes and gardens.

Jeffrey Tuffin, creative director at the Tribez hair salons in Danville and Blackhawk, styled the hair for our fashion shoot (“A Splendid Affair,” Page 36).

A veteran of Fashion Weeks in New York, Paris, Milan and London, he is a master stylist and trainer. He was born in Tonyrefail in Wales, grew up in London and now lives in Albany.

scene Mac Tully President & Publisher Bay Area News Group Erika Brown Marketing Director Bay Area News Group Phyllis Weber Director, Retail Advertising Stephanie McLoughlin Director, Major Advertising Timothy Tsun and Ad Services Advertising Design For advertising information, call 408.920.2783.

Copyright 2012 Bay Area News Group

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Scene • winter 2012

the insider Whimsical butterfly chandelier can be made in various bead colors, finishes and sizes by Canopy Designs; contact House of Ruby Interior Design (available to the trade only), $1,200 as shown

“Bouquet” sleep mask lets you get your beauty rest by delicately shading eyes, 100 percent silk, at Elizabeth W, $22

Little luxuries can make the bedroom an extraordinary retreat

Richly textured Italian-made “Luxury Link” throw, made of acetate, cotton and polymamide, with 100 percent Egyptian cotton sateen bottom side; shown in blue/night, at Frette, $1,800

personal space “Serena” capiz shell four-panel screen with metal frame and gold or silver detailing by Oly Studio, at Cabana Home, price upon request

Ah, the bedroom sanctuary!

Where we shut out the din and dirt of the day, where we find serenity and recharge. A few posh touches can elevate your space so it’s fit for a queen –– yes, we mean you. Resources on Page 19.

“Venice Silk” bedding by SDH, silk and Egyptian cotton, at Misto Lino, price varies by item Custom upholstered 30-inch round ottoman in silk with trim; many styles and fabrics available, at Studiolo, $3,750 as shown

Radiance Healing Body Oil has poppy flower essence to boost confidence and inner beauty; organic sunflower and lavender oil, jasmine and neroli soothe skin and soul, at Clary Sage Organics, $45

Decorative pillows by Bliss Studio, clockwise from top: Rosette, $415; Kashmir, $540; Ali Babba’s Garden, $440; at Bliss Home & Design winter 2012 • Scene

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the insider

good vibrations?

Is shaking your booty – and the rest of you – for 10 minutes the same as hitting the gym for an hour? Zaaz Studios says yes: With its Whole Body Vibration machines, you can lose weight, get toned, and increase your metabolism and muscle strength in 10-minute workout sessions.

Ha! you say. Well, go try one. At $3 a pop (for the aforementioned 10 minutes), you won’t be hurting, literally or figuratively.

The machines use a sideto-side rocking movement that works out almost all muscle groups (vs. traditional exercise, which works out one group at a time) but involves no stress on the joints. You won’t even break a sweat.

Vibration technology has been around for years, first developed for the Russian space program, and now used by NASA and major athletic training centers to condition astronauts and athletes. Zaaz has studios in San Rafael, Sausalito and Tiburon, and machines in shopping malls throughout the Bay Area. zaazstudios.com

resources from page 17

Bliss Home & Design, 800 Redwood Highway, Mill Valley, blisshomeanddesign.com Cabana Home, 238 E. Blithedale Ave., Mill Valley, cabanahome.com Clary Sage Organics, 334 Santana Row, San Jose, clarysageorganics.com Elizabeth W, Ghirardelli Square, 900 North Point St., San Francisco, elizabethw.com Frette, 180 El Camino Real, Palo Alto, frette.com House of Ruby Interior Design, houseofruby.com Misto Lino, 3585 Mount Diablo Blvd., Lafayette; 704 Sycamore Valley Road West, Danville, mistolino.com Oly, olystudio.com Studiolo, 411 San Anselmo Ave., San Anselmo, studiolo.biz

fishing for Mr. Right Bay Area marketing and communications maven — and Scene adviser — Nanci Williams has just come out with a collection of essays chronicling her journey as a newly single, not-so-young woman casting her net in the dating pool. “Fishtails: Men who bite, dates that suck, and other cautionary tales from a mid-life fishing expedition” (Dub Books, $14.99) is by turns hilarious and poignant, and touches upon modern cultural issues like the myth of monogamy and the “cougar.” Will our gal find her soul mate (or at least a bracing cocktail)? An excerpt: failed marriages. I hear Single men are like fish. women talk in “we” about They travel in schools, their husband and family only bite if the worm wigas if they have one brain gles, frighten easily, and and one collective opinion. have the attention span “We’re so happy in our of, well…a husband. My new home,” ‘American own soon-to-be-ex-husIdol’ is our favorite show.” band’s fleeting passions It’s like the way a school often brought to mind the of fish will swim along tovoiceover of an underwagether and suddenly make ter fishing documentary a hard right turn, or a I once watched with my complete turn-around, at dad: See how the fish the exact same moment. is attracted to the shiny My brain just isn’t wired lure? See how the fish that way, and when I try to moves from lure to lure, speak in the royal “we” it until the scent of fresh bait Nanci Williams dips distracts him? Look what her toes back in the feels unnatural and somedating pool. times makes me laugh. happens when there are I am the lone fish who many lures in the water… some of the fish get over-stimulated strays to play with a wiggly worm… the one who gets left behind. and swim away.

My older sister Dana, who lives For me becoming single at middle age wasn’t the heartbreak you read in Las Vegas, has never been left about in books or see in movies. It behind. Divorced for three years, was invigorating — like a fresh start and highly adept at Internet dating, on adulthood to launch the count- she convinced me to jump into “the down to my 50th birthday. I finally pond” within days of becoming singot to furnish the house the way I gle. Over the telephone one night, wanted, walls painted in bright colors she helped me to write a profile she and adorned with art that reflected called my lure, and we selected phomy taste for bold and contemporary. tos from my Facebook page that When my husband lived here, it was made me appear mid-wiggle instead room after room of compromise; his of mid-life. We talked about the type images of ducks in flight hanging of fish I would catch, went over the side-by-side with my large abstract kind of bait I should use, and she paintings, coexisting in a negotiated gave me short instructions on when to set the hook. The fishing metapeace, like my cat and his dog.

I’ve always been independent, phors fly when you’re on a dating and that might explain my three site called Plenty of Fish.

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indulge

Romantic jewels heat up the holidays

hearts afire A writer once said, “Romance is the glamour which turns the dust of everyday life into a golden haze.” We’d like to think that she was thinking of the gorgeous gems and jewels that often are bestowed on one’s beloved, symbolizing the glittering, richly felt emotions stirred up by romantic love. Whether possessed with blazing passion or secret admiration, romantics everywhere can revel in these beautiful creations.

Rough diamond ring totaling 13.88 carats, set in 18-karat white gold.

Sutra Jewels, $19,000

Swarovski crystal Deco feather statement earrings, Ben-Amun Romantic Ruby Deco collection, $455

Antique silver and oval chrysoprase crystal statement necklace, Ben-Amun Karenina collection, $670

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18-karat white gold ring with diamonds and sapphires, Katerina Maxine, price upon request

Antique silver and oval chrysoprase Swarovski crystal bracelet, Ben-Amun Karenina collection, $405

Gold cuff with diamonds and opal, Sutra Jewels, $22,000

Ring with 10.25 carat ruby and diamonds (4.15 total carat weight), Katerina Maxine, price upon request Sapphire and diamond earrings, Katerina Maxine, price upon request

Chandelier earrings, Sethi Couture Enchanted Garden collection, $10,000 (at Davidson & Licht and Mansoor & Gore)

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White gold diamond flower ring, Demarco, $10,950 (at Steve Padis Jewelry)

indulge Victorian shell cameo, 14-karat yellow gold necklace, in original box; Michaan’s Auctions, available at Michaan’s fine jewelry auction Dec. 7, estimated price $3,000-$4,000

Rough diamond earrings, Sutra Jewels, $25,000

Rosetta bangle with black diamonds in white gold, Sethi Couture True Romance collection, $7,800 (at Davidson & Licht and Mansoor & Gore)

Chandelier earrings, Sethi Couture Enchanted Garden collection, $9,000 (at Davidson & Licht and Mansoor & Gore)

Eiffel chandelier earrings, Sethi Couture True Romance collection, $14,400 (at Davidson & Licht and Mansoor & Gore)

Swarovski crystal Deco bracelet, BenAmun Romantic Ruby Collection, $345

Fairy of 18-karat gold with 2 rubies, 2 sapphires, accent diamonds, and wings of plique-a-jour enamelwork, Nouveau 1910, $9,500, Johann Paul Jewelers

get the goods Ben-Amun, ben-amun.com

Center, Greenbrae, johannpauljeweler.com

Alameda, michaans.com

Davidson & Licht, Valley Fair, Santa Clara, davidsonandlicht.com

Katerina Maxine, katerinamaxine.com

Sethi Couture, sethicouture.com

Demarco, demarcojewelry.com

Mansoor & Gore, 530 Ramona St., Palo Alto, mansoorgore.com

Steve Padis Jewelry, 888 Brannan St., San Francisco, padisgems.com

Johann Paul Jewelers, 272 Bon Air

Michaan’s Auctions, 2751 Todd St.,

Sutra, sutrajewels.com winter 2012 • Scene

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Curvy Girl Lingerie

Big Beauty

Last month, Chrystal Bougon opened up Curvy Girl Lingerie, a Willow Glen boutique catering to the boudoir needs of full-figured gals. As far as she can tell, it’s the only such store in the country.

“Life is too short for ugly underwear, and big girls do not want to wear ugly underwear,’’ she declares about the usual neutral-toned, granny panty choices for plus-sizers. “I don’t like wearing that stuff; I don’t feel sexy.”

For like-minded ladies with similarly bounteous measurements, Curvy Girl offers a range of corsets, chemises, panties, G-strings, vampy shoes, jewelry and the like. Clothing sizes go from 12 to 6X. Customers don’t have to be a size 18 to find pleasure at Bougon’s place, however. The 950-square-foot space also holds edible bubble baths and massage oils, chocolate body paints and other passion-arousing merchandise suitable for anybody. There are even candles with wax that won’t burn when it drips on bare skin. For literary lovers, there are books with titles such as “Oysters and Chocolate’’ and “Big, Big Love.’’ Bachelorette party favors abound.

Fate steered Bougon into the adults-only business a decade ago. In September 2002, she was laid off

from her job as an engineering project manager at a high-tech company. Not long after that setback, the San Jose resident attended a pleasure party, a private affair designed to sell sex toys and other sensual products to a female audience. She was not impressed.

“The woman making the presentation couldn’t even say the words ‘vagina’ and ‘penis,’’’ she recalls.

“I can.’’ Within three months, Bougon’s next career was born: She not only started her own pleasure party company, she also set up an online site, Blissconnection.com (motto: “Better toys for better sex”).

Now Curvy Girl is her move to attract a more mainstream audience. The boutique doesn’t sell sex toys because of zoning laws, but Bougon is OK with that, reasoning such items might intimidate some customers anyway.

“I’m here to create a place where women can realize how beautiful they are,’’ says Bougon, who also is dedicated to networking with and boosting other small-business owners. “I want them to seize the day, have some fun. It’s an extension of my online business — I want to help everybody have better mojo in their bedroom.’’

– Crystal Chow

Curvy Girl Lingerie, 1535 Meridian Ave., Suite 30, San Jose, 408.264.4277, curvygirlinc.com

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Edwin Suarez

Scene • winter 2012

shop talk

Courtesy of Zobha

Zobha

Clothes That Flow

Four years ago, Jamie Hanna founded Zobha, a line of sophisticated activewear whose Sanskrit name means “grace, beauty and brilliance.’’ At the time she was living in Hong Kong, where her husband’s job had taken them and where she had trained to teach ashtanga yoga. The Harvard Business School grad lacked a background in clothing design — the closest she had come to it was a stint in merchandise planning for Gap/Old Navy before taking eight years off to become a full-time mom.

But Hanna transformed a lifelong interest in fashion, design and art into “runway-inspired silhouettes’’ featuring “superior performance fabric’’ that allowed for easy, elegant movement. Today, 400 establishments — including Neiman Marcus — in 27 countries carry the label favored by celebrities like Sandra Bullock, Reese Witherspoon and January Jones. As of last month, the count included the first Zobha, Hanna’s flagship store, in downtown Mill Valley.

The minimalist 2,000-square-foot space showcases all of Zobha’s collections for women and men. “Here we’re able to tell the branded story,’’ Hanna says of a narrative that includes a strong commitment to giving back. A prime example of this is a partnership with Headstand, a nonprofit that teaches yoga and stress-re-

duction techniques to kids in underserved communities in the Bay Area and other cities.

Hanna hopes to open three more stores in the Bay Area in 2013. One will be in San Francisco; the East Bay and Peninsula are possibilities for the others. A mother of two preteens, she isn’t fazed by the challenge.

Consider this: Within months of Zobha’s debut in 2008, the line rocketed from the initial 11 wholesalers to selling in 250 stores. That year the family moved to Mill Valley and, to top it all off, Hanna and her spouse oversaw a renovation of their house.

“It was a bit like drinking water from a fire hose, but it was good,’’ Hanna recalls. It helped that once they got to California, her husband stepped back from his career in private equity so she could concentrate on Zobha.

Ironically, she has since had to cut back on yoga, practicing at home only a couple times a week. “I do miss the luxury of two-hour morning practices,” she admits.

“My new mantra is, I really want to be successful.

Starting a business has its ups and downs, especially with this economy, but I feel that at this moment I’ve never had more clarity. This is what I want to do; this is what really moves me as a person.’’

– Crystal Chow

Zobha, 30 Miller Ave., Mill Valley, 415.968.3004, zobha.com

Stuart Lirette

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San Francisco Ballet in Liang’s Symphonic Dances (© Erik Tomasson)

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San Francisco Ballet in Tomasson’s Nutcracker (© Erik Tomasson)

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Scene • winter 2012

body & soul

you must remember this...

Zoonar/Thinkstock

By Melinda Sacks

Lost your cell phone again?

Can’t remember why you walked into the kitchen?

Forgetfulness plagues women of all ages. What you can do about it

I found my briefcase in the refrigerator after frantically tearing apart the house for more than an hour. By that time, my heart was pounding, and I was using language I wouldn’t want my kids to hear.

What was I thinking? Probably the same thing as when I walk purposefully into a room and then have no idea why, or when I lose my keys three times a day, or blank out on my cousin’s phone number though I’ve known it for a decade.

That “vague and foggy feeling” — as Marin County author Cathryn Jakobson Ramin writes in her book “Carved in Sand: When Attention Fails and Memory Fades in Midlife” — hits almost all of us at one time or another. It’s unsettling, frustrating and even frightening.

And it’s not just midlife women.

“We are all bombarded with much more information than ever before,” says Cynthia Green, a psychologist and memory expert from Mount Sinai Hospital in New York and the founder of Total Brain Health, which offers memory fitness and brain health training.

“This is particularly challenging for women, as we tend to divide our time between multiple roles that demand our attention and require us to effectively track a great deal of information.”

In addition, Green says, many of the ways women choose to deal with the demands on their time — cutting back on sleep, not eating well, not getting

winter 2012 • Scene

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istockphoto/Thinkstock

and on most days our brains are overwhelmed.

“We are constantly trying to multitask,” says Dr. Marci Teresi, medical director of Kaiser Santa Clara Memory Clinic. “There is always more than one thing you are doing and more than one thing going on in your head.”

Researchers have concluded that the human brain is actually not capable of multitasking. What our brain does instead is jump quickly from one task to another. While the 20- and even 30-year-old brain can be interrupted and return to a previous thought or task with relative ease, our capacity to do this as we age has been shown to diminish.

The hormone connection enough exercise, spending too much time multitasking — are not “brain-healthy choices” and can contribute to memory troubles.

Fortunately, we can do something about it, even as we age (assuming our overall health is good). The key is understanding factors that influence memory, and then making more of those brain-healthy choices.

memory culprits

Living in an ‘always-on’ culture Ramin readily admits to writing “Carved in Sand” in 2007 because she wanted to figure out how to cope with her own forgetfulness and inability to concentrate.

“This was not just happening to me,” says the now 52-year-old Ramin. “Everywhere I’d go, no one could get a grip. I was determined to see why we were all so stretched.

I had put a lot of stock in the fact that I was going to keep my brain [as I aged], if not my figure.”

Ramin became a guinea pig as she looked at a variety of genetic, biochemical and environmental factors that affect memory. She tried the drugs Adderall (to help focus) and Provigil (to improve wakefulness), she took dietary supplements and did biofeedback. She investigated the cognitive benefits of learning that use different parts of the brain, such as studying a new language or taking up art. She found help through diet and exercise.

Mostly, she found that the blame for a less reliable memory is seldom a single cause. Experts agree that it is a multitude of factors, some within our control, some not.

Unquestionably a major contributor is the sheer enormity of news and information we’re exposed to, particularly from the electronic devices in our lives 24/7.

According to a recently released study in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the frequent buzzing of a smartphone, the ping of incoming texts and emails all take a significant toll on working memory (the part of your brain that stores and manipulates information for complex verbal and nonverbal tasks such as reasoning and understanding).

Combine this with daily to-do lists from work and home,

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Most women who have gone through pregnancy and/or menopause complain of memory loss.

Studies suggest that elevated and fluctuating hormone levels during pregnancy and just before menopause can impair memory, but results have been mixed. A small-scale 2010 British study found that women pregnant in their second and third trimesters performed significantly worse than non-pregnant women in tests of spatial memory — the memory that tells us where we parked the car or set down the keys. This effect still held at three months after birth.

But an earlier analysis by Australian researchers of 14 international studies that tested the memory performances of more than 1,000 women (pregnant, non-pregnant and mothers) found that pregnant women were not affected by familiar tasks, but instead experienced memory loss with unfamiliar or challenging tasks, or when multitasking. The research found that memory loss can extend up to a year after birth.

At menopause, estrogen levels decrease. This is thought to affect at least verbal memory, according to the North American Menopause Society, but the connection is not entirely understood yet, and memory often seems to bounce back after menopause. Some studies, such as at the University of Pennsylvania’s Penn Center for Women’s Behavioral Wellness, are testing whether drugs used to treat Attention Deficit Disorder can help with memory loss during menopause.

“The more we know, the harder it is to come to an easy answer,” says Dr. Victor Henderson, professor of epidemiology, neurology and neurological science at Stanford University, where he focuses on prevention and treatment of age-related cognitive decline, particularly in adult women. “We know estrogen affects the brain in a lot of ways, and most studies of women show that its presence is neuro-protective, but so far in clinical studies it is harder to see those effects.”

Stressing out Short-term stress, or as Mount Sinai’s Green calls it, “stress in the moment,” causes us to be distracted, so we will be less likely to learn and recall things we are trying to remember at that time, such as a name.

She recommends developing a simple “Stress ER” tech-

body & soul nique” — something that can be done almost instantly — to help you cope with short-term stress, such as deep breathing or counting backward from 20.

Chronic stress is the greater villain, Green says. “Research suggests that long-term exposure to stress, or chronic stress, has many negative health effects, including associated changes in the hippocampus, or area of the brain most responsible for new learning.”

While we cannot avoid stress, Green says, we can develop strategies or activities that balance the stress response, including exercising, an enjoyable hobby, yoga, meditation practice or massage.

THE SAVIORS? Once again: Diet, exercise, sleep Just like your mother always said, healthy food, exercise and enough sleep can take care of myriad problems, including forgetfulness.

A Dartmouth study published in the May 2012 Neuroscience followed the mood and memory of a group of adults ages 18 to 36 who were formerly sedentary.

In just one month, those who exercised regularly (30 minutes of walking or jogging four times a week) performed better on memory tests and reported a reduced level of stress. Further, those who combined exercise and cognitive stimulation (riding a stationary bike while watching information programming) had an even greater ability to remember.

Another study by the American Association for the Advancement of Science reported that people who had exercised for six months showed a 2 percent increase in the size of the hippocampus, the part of the brain also involved in memory.

“There is increasing evidence that exercise is good for the heart and the brain,” Henderson says. “Our best understanding is that aerobic exercise does benefit brain function and may even offer some protection against Alzheimer’s.”

Exercise can also enhance the ability to focus and pay attention, a key factor in maintaining a good memory. Ramin knows this from personal experience.

“It completely rearranged my cognitive and emotional status,” she enthuses about the exercise program she undertook while writing and researching “Carved in Sand.” “Instead of being continually anxious, once I got serious about working out and about the kind of resistance training and Iyengar yoga that has become so important to me, my mind is working way better. I can almost do two things at once.”

Sleep can also have a big impact on our ability to focus and remember, according to the National Sleep Foundation. How much sleep an individual needs depends on multiple factors, but it is clear that feeling tired or drowsy leads to decreased ability to pay attention and remember new information, and decreased reaction time.

(Unfortunately, memory loss is a known side effect of sleep medications such as Ambien and Lunesta, which work by calming the hippocampus.

Other common drugs that can interfere with memory function are used to treat allergies, anxiety, depression and pain.)

And certain foods may help boost memory. The Nurses Health Study, involving 122,000 female nurses, began with health and lifestyle questionnaires in 1976 when the women were 30 to 55 years old. Starting in 1980, they were surveyed every four years about their frequency of food consumption. From 1995 to 2001, cognitive function was measured every

The booming biz of brain fitness Research has shown that memory skills can be maintained more effectively with cognitive challenges, and the market has responded.

Keeping your mind sharp as you age is now a $300 million industry.

Dr. Cynthia Green’s Total Brain Health program, for example, offers tools to help strengthen memory. TBH’s one-hour webinars teach participants how to “lead a brain-healthy life,” such as remembering names.

Compensating strategies become a necessity as people age, Green says, but most important is a holistic approach. “The most important thing I share is that in order to have better memory fitness and long-term brain health, we need to pay attention across the whole spectrum of our well-being,” she says.

San Francisco-based Lumosity, with its board of neuroscientists and published research supporting its products, offers to improve brain health and performance through online tools and games.

Lumosity is “like a gym for your brain,” says Michael Scanlon, chief scientific officer.

“Lumosity creates a personalized training program,” he says. “Each program is tailored to an individual’s starting abilities and automatically adjusts based on their progress over time. We track all the data so members can see how they’ve improved over time, and even how they compare to others.”

Lumosity presented its data earlier this year at the Cognitive Neuroscience Society conference.

“We found that baseline performance decreases with age,” says Scanlon.

“Intelligence tasks such as working memory and spatial memory span show the most improvement in adults in their early 20s. Arithmetic and verbal fluency remain robust through the 30s and 40s. However, regardless of age or task, people’s performance significantly improved after 25 practice sessions [with Lumosity].”

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body & soul two years in 16,000 women older than 70.

Those who ate two or more servings a week of blueberries and strawberries delayed their memory decline by as much as 2½ years compared with those who did not.

Berries are rich in flavonoids, thought to have antioxidant effects. One possibility is that flavonoids interact with proteins crucial to brain cell structure and function. The antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties of the berries counter the effects of stress and inflammation, which have been tied to a decline in brain functioning.

Flavonoids can also be found in other fruits, vegetables, tofu and tea.

istockphoto/Thinkstock

On the horizon

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The bad, though not surprising, news is that research is pointing to cognitive change beginning in early adulthood, says Stanford’s Henderson. “There is some measurable loss in the 20s and 30s, which is true for all cognitive processes. Memory is one that seems to be affected early on. The changes are modest, though, and progress slowly over decades.”

The good news, Henderson says, is that as we age, we also accumulate a lot of what he calls work-arounds and compensatory strategies.

“We have more knowledge and know how to do more things, so we can work with what we have and still perform better in real life and work situations than many younger people,” he says.

Green concurs. “There are many ways in which our brains improve with age,” she says. “We are better at deductive reasoning, and our fund of knowledge [such as our vocabulary, or information we know] increases, as does our emotional control.”

But relying on wisdom and experience does not satisfy those seeking a quicker fix.

Enter the burgeoning field of cognitive enhancement, ranging from brain-enhancing drugs to technologies and interventions designed to maintain plasticity and speed of the brain, even as we age.

One example is Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (TDCS), which sends miniscule electric currents across the brain, potentially making it easier for neurons to fire and form new connections. Early research shows that TDCS might increase math and language skills and perhaps memory. Studies are under way to assess the benefits, risks and ethics of such therapy.

Only more research will answer whether brain enhancers and other techniques to artificially make us smarter are the next steroid controversy, or a natural next step as we fight to stay young and competitive in the 21st century.

Ramin, meanwhile, sums up the situation succinctly: “If you do not use it, you will lose it. It’s no joke if you let your mind rot because you sit around and read ‘Fifty Shades of Grey’ and nothing else, you deserve what you get.”

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Keep your brain sharp Tips from experts in cognitive health as well as author Cathryn Jakobson Ramin: Don’t multitask if you want your brain at its best: Multiple studies show that multitasking is counterproductive, unless you can do one of the tasks on automatic pilot.

Forgo supplements for real food: Fruits and vegetables keep brain cells fit by mopping up free radicals. On the other hand, studies show most antioxidant supplements provide no protective effect.

Scientists hypothesize that food stays in the digestive system for much longer than supplements, maximizing its benefits.

Exercise vigorously: Get your heart rate up (check with your doctor first) and keep it there. Aim for a half hour or more of aerobic exercise three times a week, with a little strength training. The former sends blood pumping to your brain; the latter lets muscles retain glycogen, a form of stored glucose your brain can use when you skip lunch.

Go easy on the wine: The negatives of drinking alcohol every day appear to outweigh the benefits.

Alcohol has both an immediate and long-term effect on cognition. On as little as half a glass of wine, you can develop what one scientist referred to as “cocktail party deficits.”

Keep learning: Challenging your brain with mental exercise is believed to activate processes that help maintain individual brain cells and stimulate communication among them. Hone a new skill, join a book club, play Sudoku.

Engage all your senses: Studies show that the more senses you use in learning something, the more of your brain will be involved in retaining the memory. So give sculpting or ceramics a try, noticing the feel and smell of the materials you use, or try another multi-sensory activity.

Save your brain space and you’ll be better able to concentrate and remember new things: Take advantage of smartphones, calendars, planners, maps, shopping lists and file folders to keep routine info accessible. Designate a spot for glasses, purse, keys and other items you use often.

Declutter to minimize distractions.

Repeat what you want to remember: To remember what you’ve just heard, read or thought about, repeat it out loud or write it down to reinforce the memory or connection. For example, if you’ve just learned someone’s name, use it when you speak with him or her: “So, John, where did you meet Camille?” If you place your keys somewhere other than their usual spot, tell yourself out loud what you’ve done. And don’t hesitate to ask for information to be repeated. It works.

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Adrianna Papell beaded cocktail dress, $208, Bloomingdale’s. Jimmy Choo velvet and gold stilettos, $995, Footcandy, Walnut Creek. Salvatore Ferragamo patent clutch, $695, Bloomingdale’s.

Turkish Ottoman earrings, $179, Beau Bijou, Santana Row. Givenchy bracelet, $65, Macy’s.

Franco Uomo semi-custom suit, $1,188; signature fit, semi-custom shirt, $275; tie, $175, Franco Uomo, Santana Row.

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fashion

a splendid affair Winter style is all about rich and romantic detail Step into the past; just don’t linger too long. This season’s lavish looks have a timelessness that evoke the sensual luxury of a bygone grand era but without the staid feel of vintage.

Fresh and modern interpretations of the flapper dress, stately opera coats and Vionnet gowns from the ’30s are among the trends this winter, enticing women with imagined scenarios from classic novels and films.

Darkly romantic, imperial textures such as brocade, cashmere, fur and leather are in play; rules of proportion are abandoned. It’s a desire to embrace a seductive palette of reds, golds and greens. Or daring to combine delicate details with aggressive touches, like lace and chiffon with leather and metal.

This season, allow yourself to indulge in possibilities, both sartorial and otherwise.

By Donna Kato Photography by Joanne Ho-Young Lee winter 2012 • Scene

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Peter Pilotto embellished silk and sequin sheath, $1,525, Cielo, Palo Alto. Manolo Blahnik Mary Janes with silver tips, $735, Footcandy, Walnut Creek. Jocelyn rabbit wrap styled as a hat, $275, Neiman Marcus.

Aqua earrings, $35, Bloomingdale’s.

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Nicole Miller silk ruched gown, $640, Neiman Marcus. Eliot Danori necklace worn as a headband, $130; and Givenchy necklace worn as bracelet, $98; both Macy’s.

holiday style

Tadashi Shoji asymmetrical gown, $409, Macy’s. ABS Allen Schwartz stone earrings, $65; and Enzo Angiolini metallic pumps, $99; both Bloomingdale’s.

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Atos Lombardini peplum wrap jacket, $499, Alina B., Walnut Creek. Ann Taylor “Winter Garden” floral skinny pants, $88. Oscar de la Renta beaded tassel earrings, $395, Neiman Marcus.

Loeffler Randall suede pumps, $295, Crimson Mim, Palo Alto and Los Altos.

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3.1 Phillip Lim double-breasted leather motorcycle jacket with ruffled detailing, $1,350, Crimson Mim, Palo Alto and Los Altos. Lavender Brown high/low tiered chiffon skirt, $128, The Showroom, Mill Valley.

Valentino peep toe platforms with studded ankle straps, $945, Footcandy, Walnut Creek.

Givenchy statement necklace, $395, Macy’s.

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Elie Tahari wool peplum top, $248; and Joe’s Jeans trompe l’oeil lace denim jeans, $179; both Bloomingdale’s.

Anne Fontaine lace bib necklace, $495, Anne Fontaine, Santana Row. Givenchy multi-strand pearl bracelet, $58, Macy’s.

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Marc by Marc Jacobs bronze metallic coat, $598; Kathy Jeanne wool cloche, $150; and Carolee pearl station necklace, $125; all Bloomingdale’s.

DVF Ayanna dress with knotted keyholes neckline, $365, The Store, Mill Valley. Chie Mihara T-strap embellished shoes, $375, Crimson Mim, Palo Alto and Los Altos.

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Sofia cashmere tapestry wrap with fox trim, $1,895; and Rag & Bone slim pants, $350, both Neiman Marcus. Jimmy Choo suede wedge booties, $965, Footcandy, Walnut Creek. Lydell NYC earrings, $48, Bloomingdale’s.

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Banana Republic shearling toggle coat from Anna Karenina collection, $2,000. Anne Fontaine lace shirt, $298, Anne Fontaine, Santana Row. Rachel Comey brocade pencil skirt, $385, Crimson Mim, Palo Alto and Los Altos.

Elisabetta Franchi corset belt, $320, Alina B. Portolano leather gloves, $98, Bloomingdale’s. Necklace with natural agate and stones, $262, The Store, Mill Valley. Valentino lace-up short shaft boots, $1,295, Footcandy.

Giorgio Armani updated opera coat in cashmere, $2,595, Neiman Marcus.

Carolee faux pearl rope necklace, $60, Bloomingdale’s.

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Jim Stevens

40+ EVENTS IN

OPENING JANUARY 2013

where we got the look

We shot on location at Palmdale Estates in Fremont, palmdaleestates.com.

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credits Hair: Jeffrey Tuffin, Tribez Salon, tribezsalon.com Makeup: Andrea Nervis, Tribez Salon Assistant: Michael Mejia, Tribez Salon Styling assistance: Erienne Guentner, Dionna Mash Models: Khrystyna K., Look Model Agency; Puja, Stars Model Management; Greg Kealohalani Young

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Alina B., 32 Broadway Lane, Broadway Plaza, Walnut Creek, alinab. com Anne Fontaine, 334 Santana Row, No. 1005, San Jose, annefontaine.com Ann Taylor, various locations; anntaylor.com

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Scene • winter 2012

Footcandy, 452 E. First St., Ste. E, Sonoma; 1365 N. Main St., Walnut Creek; footcandyshoes.com Franco Uomo, 333 Santana Row, No. 1110, San Jose, francouomo.com

Banana Republic, various locations; bananarepublic.com

Macy’s, The Village at Corte Madera, Corte Madera; Westfield Valley Fair, Santa Clara; macys.com

Bloomingdale’s, Stanford Shopping Center, Palo Alto, bloomingdales.com

Neiman Marcus, Broadway Plaza, Walnut Creek, neimanmarcus.com

Cielo, 477 University Ave., Palo Alto, cieloboutique.com

Showroom, 108 Throckmorton Ave., Mill Valley, showroomonmiller.com

Crimson Mim, 322 Main St., Los Altos; Town & Country Village, El Camino Real, Ste. 35, Palo Alto; crimsonmim. com

The Store, 68 Throckmorton Ave., Mill Valley, thestoremillvalley. com

fashion

try a soft up-do

• curliness (either natural or from a curling iron) • a “pouf” — a hidden accessory, often made of netting and resembling a doughnut or little cylinder, that adds volume and shape, especially for shorter hair • backcombing • a product that texturizes the hair and makes it “beachy” — Tuffin recommends Fuente hair products from the Netherlands, a natural and organic line sold at Tribez With texture, it should be easy to pull your hair up and pin it into a loose bun (you might want to start with a pony tail) or twist. Keep in mind the shape and proportion that is right for your head, body and outfit.

“Women who do their hair at home have an advantage over a stylist,” Tuffin says. “When a stylist is asked to do

smooth hair, all there is is smooth — there are no gray areas. But ‘messy’ [as in a soft up-do] is very subjective. To the stylist who is trying to please, it’s one thing, to the client it could be and quite often is something completely different.

“So when women do their own hair, the only person they have to consult with is themselves. If they get the shape and proportion, then the rest is just taste and desires.”

Joanne Ho-Young Lee

Jeffrey Tuffin, creative director at the Tribez salons in Danville and Blackhawk, is a veteran of Fashion Weeks in New York, Paris, Milan and London. A master stylist and trainer, he shares tips on pulling together a romantic up-do at home: You need a base, meaning texture in the hair, to build on.

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Valerio Mezzanotti/The New York Times

peekaboo midriff 48

Scene • winter 2012 

rochas

pristine white

1

Valerio Mezzanotti/The New York Times

diane von furstenberg

chanel

carolina herrera

4 6

7

tangelo tango Monique Lhuillier

chloe

blues in abundance

REUTERS/Carlo Allegri

boxy proportions

2

5

Frazer Harrison/Getty Images

3

Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images

lightness with volume Frazer Harrison/Getty Images

gold that glitters

Alexander McQueen

AP Photo/Francois Mori

8

Frazer Harrison/Getty Images

michael kors

black and white

AP Photo/Jacques Brinon

Louis Vuitton

trends

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vertical stripes

Spring 2013 fashion loosens up

warming report 10 Those who loved orange as the “it” shade last summer can rejoice: It’s making a curtain call in the months ahead. This time, it’s slightly more fiery, in a shade closer to tangelo than tangerine.

Seasonal trends are contradictory, and spring/summer 2013 is no different. Designers emphasized urban black, yet in the same collection showed bright white. Then, black and white as a combo.

Look-at-me embellishments in gold got our attention, but so did the quiet hues of cerulean and dusky blue.

While winter has given us sculpted and defined contours, spring loosens things up. Billowy skirts and dresses are cloudlike in their weightless volume. Boxy, sweatshirt shapes help hide winter’s indulgences, but why let things go when we might want to bare some skin as temperatures climb?

Some predictions for what we’ll see in warmer weather are on these two pages.

– Donna Kato

REUTERS/Andrew Kelly

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Scene • winter 2012

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icons

a healing bond Carol Novello found the love of animals brought her a fuller, richer work — and personal — life

The doors of the state-of-the art Silicon Valley Humane Society open early. Carol Novello, the president, is waiting with a warm smile.

See this lobby? she asks. It was originally designed to be rectangular, she says, but a feng shui expert suggested it be oval. When visitors walk in, they feel like they’re being wrapped in a giant hug.

“The idea was to make this a place to celebrate the human-animal bond,” Novello says, “and the magic that comes with it.”

It is something Novello understands on a personal level. She just lost her German shepherd Kayla, who was all the more precious because her previous career and workaholic ways had prevented her from keeping a dog. And a shared love of animals helped repair Novello’s relationship with her mother when the latter fell ill.

She gives a visitor a guided tour of the new Milpitas facility, past the outdoor dog park where rescued animals can bond with prospective families and over to the cat room, where the felines crawl on the shoulders and desks of volunteers.

“We have a community building,” Novello, 47, says.

“Now we have to build community.”

As if on cue, a distracted woman walks in and approaches the first person she sees: Novello. She has lost her dog.

“Oh, my goodness, I’m so sorry,” Novello says, reaching out to the woman’s shoulder. A workshop will be starting in a few minutes in one of the new classrooms, she says, to give pet owners tips to find their missing pets. “We’ll keep an eye out.”

Just five years ago, Novello’s life was so different,

By Julia Prodis Sulek Photos by Nikki Ritcher

both professionally and personally, it is hardly recognizable. But after a series of unexpected family responsibilities, personal reflection and serendipity, the one-time Intuit executive would migrate to a longtime passion in her life — animals — and two years ago be tapped to lead the progressive and influential Humane Society Silicon Valley. Along the way, the love that had eluded her in her 20s and 30s would turn out to be closer than she thought.

stepping back

In the mid-2000s, Carol Novello’s life was spinning out of balance. She was working as an Intuit vice president and general manager for Quickbooks Online, racking up airline miles on business trips across the country. She worked long hours into every weekend.

She had little time or energy for exercise, much less meaningful relationships. Novello had two cats she adored, but one thing she always wanted — a dog — was impossible given the demands of her work life.

Then her mother got sick with Lyme disease. The woman in her 80s who had always been healthy and self-sufficient in her home outside Philadelphia seemed to age 20 years in three months. She needed constant care, meals made, drives to doctors’ appointments. Novello’s sister, who was raising two teenage daughters, couldn’t do it alone.

Novello needed to pitch in. The prospect of putting her career on hold and uprooting her life was all the more daunting because she and her mother had always had a difficult relationship.

But it was the right thing to do and, as it turned out,

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Novello and pal at the Humane Society’s Animal Community Center, the first in the nation to be certified LEED Gold.

the right time as well.

“I needed to take a step back,” Novello says, “and this was a pretty good reason to do it.”

The only thing they had in common, it seemed, was their love for animals.

Growing up, Novello’s family had a dog, guinea pig and cats. “That’s the place where my mom and I connected. It was hard to develop a closeness to her, but we did it through animals.”

Their dog Muffin had a propensity to chase snowballs, and when they melted, “she would be flummoxed because she didn’t know where it went. We would laugh over the funny things.”

A year at her mother’s side helped her appreciate that connection. “Animals teach us to be more compassionate,” she says. “When I came to that realization, I became much more compassionate in terms of my relationship with my mother.”

“It came from my mom. She taught me not only to connect to animals, but connect through animals.”

Novello made her way to California in 1996, when the Internet was just taking off and — with an MBA from Harvard — quickly landed a job at Intuit. She rose through the ranks, managing product development, marketing and sales. In 2002, she moved to Santa Rosa to lead an Intuit subsidiary making software for construction companies, before returning to Los Altos in 2006. The work was rewarding — she was focused, a workaholic. But she was also lonely and stressed. “Wait a minute,” she asked herself. “How did I get here?”

She needed to change.

“The ability to get back on course when I was that off course required me to stop, take a break and rejigger myself,” Novello says. “I had to get the foundation to have the life I wanted that is more full and rich and multidimensional.”

Intuit said it would have a job waiting for her when she returned after caring for her mother, but as her mother’s health improved, Novello turned her attention to herself. She began walking 3½ miles a day and lost weight. Having made a good living at Intuit with little personal life to spend it on, she had the luxury of time to explore what she wanted to do next.

She looked into a few tech options and consulted with Yahoo on small business projects. She volunteered to lead a Harvard project for the Assistance Dog Institute to determine whether training golden retrievers to sniff out mealy bugs in Napa grapevines was a cost-effective alternative to pesticides. (It wasn’t.)

Still, she was getting antsy. She wrote a list. Ten things she was looking for in her next job: a company with a

her father’s daughter

Novello was always a daddy’s girl. Her father, Fred Novello, a first-generation Italian immigrant, earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees and his doctorate in organic chemistry from Harvard. He became an esteemed and award-winning chemist.

“He set a high standard for me, and encouraged my achievement to set myself on a path to take care of myself,” says Novello, whose father died before she was accepted into Harvard. “I’d say, ‘I’m going to own a Mercedes by the time I’m 30.’ The irony: When I turned 30, I got two cats instead.”

But her love of animals didn’t come from her father.

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Scene • winter 2012

Novello with her dog Kayla, who died in late October.

icons

Novello and adoption counselor Patricia Sears at the Humane Society, where more than 300 animals a month are adopted into new homes or placed with rescue organizations. For information about HSSV’s annual Fur Ball fundraiser, see Page 73.

compelling product or service; shared values; small yet big; a less than 30-minute commute one-way; pets allowed at work. ...

Then, unexpectedly, she discovered someone she had been too busy all those years to notice, someone behind her back fence: Mike Vanneman. They had met casually out front, but never had more than brief conversations.

As she slowed down and opened her eyes to the man behind her backyard, a relationship grew quickly. And they both loved dogs. When they felt the eyes of nosy neighbors as they walked down the path and around to their front doors, they finally built a gate at the back fence. “We have a pretty great living situation,” she says of Vanneman, who runs his own executive search firm.

“We each have our own house. And the neighbors are no longer watching the back and forth.”

More than anything, she says, “I have a great relationship. There’s more to life than just me, and before it was just me.”

It was Vanneman, 56, who introduced her to Christine Benninger, the board chair of the Humane Society, who invited Novello to join the board. When Benninger, who had led the Humane Society for 17 years and led the campaign to build the new facility, retired in 2010, Novello was asked to take the reins.

“She is very warm. She’s got a sense of humor. She can be very focused, which I love,” says Sue Diekman, the Humane Society’s new chairman of the board. “She has passion for animals, for her own and those in the entire community, and she has extended our reach and impact throughout the whole county.”

For Novello, the fit was perfect. Not only would she have the opportunity to use her business skills for something she was passionate about, but also, “If I had pet hair on my clothes it would enhance my credibility.”

And finally, she could adopt the dog she always wanted. She and Vanneman chose Kayla, a 4-year-old German shepherd with benign masses growing on her back.

They enjoyed evening walks with Kayla, and took her up to Vanneman’s remote family cabin at Bucks Lake, some 4½ hours northeast of Silicon Valley.

But after several surgeries to address what turned out to be insurmountable congenital problems, they had to put Kayla to sleep in late October. They are, Novello says, “devastated.”

Novello remains upbeat about The Humane Society’s goals: It not only saves 100 percent of all healthy animals, but is working toward saving nearly every animal, including the sick and mistreated.

“Most animals just need some incremental time and space and can be quite loving and wonderful,” she says.

To help pay for surgery and medical care of sick animals, the Humane Society — which is privately funded — is always raising money, including at its annual Fur Ball, which this year brought in $640,000.

Novello still has to discipline herself not to revert to old habits of working every weekend. But now she has the time and the love in her life to throw Saturday dinner parties and — one of her greatest joys — spend weekends at Vanneman’s cabin.

And when she’s ready to open her heart and look for another canine companion, she knows just the place.

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passions

love, lust& lit

By Crystal Chow

Romance writing is hot, in more ways than one.

And the Bay Area is a steamy hub When it comes to romance fiction, there’s no such thing as unrequited love. The bride doesn’t get stood up, and Mr. Right doesn’t turn out to be an ax murderer. Instead, no matter the obstacles, the dynamic heroine and her mate ultimately wind up in each other’s arms, figuratively or literally, equals in fierce devotion and fidelity. Every time.

No wonder it’s such a turn-on for millions of readers who crave these books like a bottomless box of chocolate truffles.

According to the Romance Writers of America, an advocacy group, romance fiction sales are estimated to top more than $1.3 billion this year, making it the most popular genre in the consumer market by far.

(By contrast, science fiction/fantasy accounts for some $579 million.)

The Bay Area, it turns out, is home to many successful purveyors of affairs of the heart. Nyree Belleville, aka Bella Andre, for instance, is

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Nyree Belleville, aka Bella Andre.

a New York Times best-selling novelist with titles such as “Hot as Sin,’’ “Game for Anything’’ and her latest, “Let Me Be the One.’’ The Sonoma resident is also, according to the Washington Post, “One of the hottest digital writers in America.’’ After being released by her publisher in late 2010 because of lack of sales, Andre turned to uploading her titles on e-readers like Kindle and Nook.

Since then she’s published more than 1 million books — and her earnings are in seven figures.

“I love how my readers are constantly emailing me and sending me notes on Facebook, Twitter and Goodreads,’’ she says. “I love getting to watch a hero and heroine fall in love in every single book. And I love knowing that my books make people happy.”

Kristin Ramsdell, romance reference book author and longtime romance reviewer for the trade publication Library Journal, thinks there may even be an American — particularly West Coast — point of view in such fiction, one in which females never want to be treated as less than true counterparts. “You still get romances that are slightly old-fashioned, where the heroine wants to meet the rich shipping magnate, but a lot of those are coming out of England,’’ she says. By contrast, in the hands of authors in this country, “in general, women want to make it on their own, and want someone who’s their equal.’’

In addition to Bella Andre, Ramsdell can quickly name a string of other area romance writers who have hit pay dirt, such as Kate Moore, who specializes in historicals; Barbara Freethy (suspense); Monica McCarty (Scottish historical); Carolyn Jewel (historical and paranormal); and Pam Rosenthal (erotic). Ramsdell, librarian emerita at California State University East Bay, says the subgenres are endless.

In addition to contemporary and historical, these in-

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clude inspirational/spiritual — such as works by local Wanda B. Campbell, whose books are classified as “urban Christian” — multicultural and young adult. The gay and lesbian subgenre is also thriving; Castro Valley’s Karin Kallmaker pens lesbian romance fiction and is editorial director of Bella Books, which specializes in it.

“You also have alternative reality or paranormal — all your vampires and fairies, angels, shape-shifters,’’ Ramsdell says. “In addition, anything with cowboys or books set in small communities, ones that can be turned into series, are popular.” Oh, and throw in stories involving the Amish — yes! — as well as steampunk, i.e., the alternative Victorian world. Those are in vogue, too.

Ramsdell is editing a two-volume encyclopedia of romance fiction, due out next year. It’s probably the first such resource of its kind, one that will require plenty of updating, what with the explosion of electronic/digital publishing. “E-books and self-publishing (through outlets such as smashwords.com, Amazon.com and Barnes & Noble) is standing everything on its ear,’’ she says. “You don’t have to have some publisher saying, ‘Oh no, we can’t do that; it’s too weird.’ Ultimately the readers are the final arbiter. It’s kind of a brave new world.’’

Five other area writers who have discovered that enthralling cosmos:

❦ Never in his four-year history with Ruby Williams had Holt witnessed that deer-in-the-headlights look in her eyes. It wasn’t Ruby’s style. If you looked up self-assured woman in the dictionary, there’d be a picture of Ruby right beside it.

More gorgeous than a 40-year-old woman had a right to be, with dark hair falling past her shoulders, deep brown, very knowing eyes, and long legs that made a man dream of running his hands up them to the hem of her short skirt, Ruby had no doubt of her sex appeal. She was efficient yet never cowed, sexy in her choice of clothing — some might even say halfway to being slutty — but always professional in her dealings with him and any visitors to his office, be they subordinates, vendors, auditors, or cus-

passions tomers. She was his gateway.

Yet after four years, she was about to become more.

— “Submitting to the Boss,”

by Jasmine Haynes Jasmine Haynes, aka Jennifer Skully and J.B. Skully, turns out “sensual and classy erotic romance,’’ which includes the Max Starr psychic mystery series and the quirky, fast-paced Jennifer Skully books. Haynes, who lives in Ben Lomond (“a perfect place for writing!’’) with her husband — whom she calls a “Viking god’’ — plus pets, keeps in touch with fans via jasminehaynes.com.

The author of more than 30 titles got her first taste of fame the old-fashioned way, with works published by Harlequin and Berkley. Although she began self-publishing in August 2011, she just signed a two-book contract with Berkley Heat.

Inspiration for her smoldering prose comes “from everywhere,’’ she says, “a news article I read, something trending on the Internet, current things people are talking about, and most definitely fantasies I’ve entertained.’’

Devotees are pleased with the results. “Many readers enjoy the hotter stories, but the key word is story,’’ she says. “They want a good, emotional plot in addition to the hot love scenes. Readers have especially appreciated the fact that I often write about older heroines. I try to get across the message that women over 40 still enjoy romance and sex as much as the younger set.’’

❦ If the Watcher sucking face with a platinum-blonde wood nymph in front of Black Moon’s ocean access gate wasn’t already hovering on the brink of excommunication, Ariana would’ve had him thrown out on his ass. He wasn’t supposed to sneak back to their haven to body-rock with a scantily clad nympho on a healing binge. He was supposed to be at his post, just outside the ring of fir trees in the forest, watching over her body as she astralprojected to the streets of San Francisco.

If he’d done his job, she might’ve been able to do hers.

Now, because he’d been dis-

tracted by velvet words and the jerk of a tiny hand, a vampire from the elder black market piggybacked on Ariana’s projection.

— “Last Vamp Standing,’’

by Kristin Miller Kristin Miller (kristinmiller.net), president of the San Francisco Area Chapter of Romance Writers of America, actually lives in the Central Valley. But the former high school and middle school English teacher knows all about blurred boundaries. It was after she earned a degree in psychology from Humboldt State University that she “realized there is no scarier place than the warped human psyche.”

A longtime fan of bleak, gritty fiction by the likes of John Saul, Dean Koontz and Allison Brennan, Miller never imagined a career as a paranormal romance writer. It wasn’t until she sought to read a book “that didn’t exist’’ — and at the suggestion of her husband — that she explored the shadowy recesses of her imagination and produced “Intervamption,’’ the first of her Vampires of Crimson Bay Series for the digital imprint Avon Impulse. (She’s also penned a romantic suspense, “Dark Tide Rising,’’ among a handful of others.)

Miller’s otherworldly protagonists may include empaths — individuals capable of feeling the emotions of others — dragon-shifters and the undead, but their carnal desires are universal. “Twisted villains are my favorite to read, to write and to watch,’’ she says. “They’re twisted for a reason, and when you dig deeper into their psyche, you usually find pain, regret and emotional baggage that pulls on your heart strings.”

❦ The wedding march music filled the air and Dad whisked Kellie down the aisle. Cameras snapped endlessly and Kellie wished Megan had chosen a veil that covered her face rather than a tiara that hid nothing. As she marched nearer to the altar, she drew nearer to Chase. He smiled at her and she smiled back. It was so good to see him. After three years she wanted to run up to him and jump into his arms. That’s how they used to greet each other.

Kellie didn’t notice when the music stopped or her dad left her side or when she handed the bouquet over to Megan. All she knew was that she was facing Chase and she felt relaxed. Chase calmed her with that familiar gaze full of warmth and admiration.

Kellie got choked up reciting her vows. She had

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passions fantasized about marrying Chase many times. This ceremony was exactly what her soul needed to get that fantasy out of her system.

– “The Substitute Bride,”

by Victoria M. Johnson Victoria M. Johnson’s debut romance novel, “The Doctor’s Dilemma,’’ published in 2011, was an outcome of a visit to a rural part of Mexico that is the book’s setting. “I knew I wanted to write a novel or two set in that remote location, and I always loved reading doctor and nurse romances, so I combined the two,’’ says the Los Gatos resident.

“Dilemma’’ was good enough to become a double finalist this year for the Booksellers’ Best Awards, a national contest presented by the Greater Detroit Romance Writers of America. The nominations were for best traditional romance and best first book, an auspicious beginning for Johnson, whose latest e-book, “The Substitute Bride,’’ is available at amazon.com.

Johnson’s day-to-day life involves a bit more than chronicling love connections, as seen on her site, victoriamjohnson.com. A grant-writer (she’s penned a book about it) and volunteer at various nonprofit groups, this youngest of 12 kids is a maker of short films — mostly thrillers — as well. Storytelling remains her passion. “I am always working on a writing project,’’ she says. “Currently I’m in the editing phase of a mainstream thriller novel set in Mexico (yes, there’s romance, too).” She’s also begun notes for a romance set in Los Gatos and is contemplating a romance short story collection.

❦ “What would you have me do? Drop her in the moat?” He settled the strange woman on his lap, leaning her against his neck as if she nuzzled him.

“The guard’s eyes will be on the lass, not me.”

Ormonde stared at him as if he’d lost his mind.

Rollo glared a challenge, and his friend simply shrugged, climbing awkwardly into the barrel.

“Make it fast.” Rollo angled away from the guard’s side of the boat, draping the woman’s hair over his

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face. The smell of lavender filled his senses, and an unsettling feeling seized him, something visceral, both foreign yet somehow dimly remembered. He swallowed hard, reminding himself where he was.

“We approach the gate.”

His hired man began whistling with affected boredom as they rowed closer, and Rollo thought he had well earned his keep.

Just as he’d predicted, the guard had eyes only for their drunken passenger. The man shot Rollo a rakish and congratulatory wink, nodding them through the Traitor’s Gate and out to the Thames.

—”Lord of the Highlands,”

by Veronica Wolff In the late 1990s, Veronica Wolff had a job she absolutely hated. Feeling the need to have a creative inner life unrelated to work, she began tinkering on a story. It took several years — and the birth of a daughter — but eventually that story became “Master of the Highlands,’’ published in 2008.

Four years and more than a dozen books later, this specialist in contemporary, historical and time-travel romances has found her niche.

Wolff ’s talent (veronicawolff. com) also extends to The Watchers Series of paranormal thrillers for young adults.

Mining such diverse subgenres doesn’t faze this national best-selling author. “I used to be a seat-of-the-pants writer,” she admits, “but now that I’m working amidst multiple deadlines (four books with Penguin this year alone), I’ve become more of a plotter, relying on extensive appendices to keep my various series straight. I love working in multiple genres — it keeps me fresh. I enjoy switching from things like a 17th-century Scottish battlefield, to a modern-day family lodge in the Sierra, to a fictional island populated by vampires.’’

In other words, Wolff may live in San Francisco’s Outer Sunset, but as a writer she dwells in the past, present or future with equal ease. “I delve into disparate settings and time periods, but the characters inform the real heart of the stories,’’ she says. “People are people, no matter when or where you are.’’

ROMANCE jumps to page 73

Thirsty girl

besotted with bubbly I’m often asked to name give Champagne and other my favorite wine. The anworld-class sparkling wines swer: sparkling. I love setheir unique elegance. ductive sparkling wine so Recently, I watched Benmuch I inked a tattoo of oit Gouez, chief winemaker Rosé Champagne on the of the iconic Moët & Chanback of my leg. don Champagne house, as And I’m not the only avid he showcased the blend admirer. Lily Bollinger of the of more than 100 different famed Bollinger Champagne wines that go into their famed house once remarked, “I drink “Imperial” cuvée. With rows Champagne when I’m happy of wine glasses set in front of

By Leslie Sbrocco and when I’m sad. Sometimes I me, I sniffed, swirled and spat drink it when I’m alone. When I (OK … sipped) and saw up close have company, I consider it obligahow much effort goes into making tory. I trifle with it if I’m not hungry Champagne. and drink it when I am. Otherwise, I Though it may seem like magic, the never touch it unless I’m thirsty.” A Thirsty process of making sparkling wine is fairly Girl after my heart. straightforward. Still wine is made by crushWhat is it about bubbly that makes us ing grapes, then adding yeast to eat the sugar swoon? Is it the crack of the cork? Or the and produce alcohol. Making sparkling wine sight of sparkle making its way to the top of is another few steps. First, the base wines the glass? Or the feel of the bubbles danc(still wines that are very tart) are blended ing on our tongue? It’s all of the above, and together in a base blend, or cuvée. Then, a more. mixture of yeast and sugar is added to the With the holidays in full gear, there’s cuvée and put in tightly sealed bottles. As nothing more festive to drink and share than the yeast eats this bit of sugar during the bubbly. Our guide: secondary fermentation, it produces carbon dioxide gas, which gets trapped in the bottle.

Voilà — the sparkle is born.

There are many different types of sparThe first thing to remember is that not all kling wine, including those from the United wine with bubbles is Champagne. Unless States and other countries. When made with the bottle is made in the Champagne region top-grape varieties, they can rival the quality of northeastern France, it’s called sparkling of Champagne. There are also the popular wine. Grapes planted in cool-climate Chamand easy-sipping Italian fizz Prosecco (made pagne include white Chardonnay along with the Glera grape variety), the affordablewith two purple-hued varieties, Pinot Noir yet-complex Cava from Spain and other opand Pinot Meunier. These noble varieties tions.

A guide to festive, swoon-inducing sparkling wine

Basics

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Thirsty girl

Buying When it comes to buying bubbly, the label will give you many clues to the style and ultimate taste. For example, most sparkling wine is a blend of grapes from various years, as it keeps the style constant. When there is an excellent harvest, a “vintage” Champagne or sparkling wine is made. These tend to be more expensive than the multi-vintage blends.

Grape Styles Blanc de Blancs: Generally from Chardonnay.

Tastes fresh and crisp, like biting into a crunchy apple.

Try them with oysters or salted nuts.

Blanc de Noirs: From Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier, they range in color from pale yellow to light pink, are more full-bodied and are an excellent choice to serve throughout a meal.

Rosé: These dry-styled pink sparklers are usually made by adding a dash of red wine to the base blend, but can be crafted like traditional still rosé, where the pink hue comes from contact with red grape skins. Goes with everything from popcorn laced with truffle oil to salmon and sushi.

Sweetness Levels Brut: A dry wine. Most bottles will be labeled Brut.

They can taste fruity but are not considered to have any noticeable sweetness.

Extra-Brut: Often called Natural or Nature, these are the driest of sparklers with an often mouth-puckering freshness.

Extra-Dry: Contrary to the name, when you see this on a label, the wine actually tastes slightly sweet. For those who like a rounder, fruity style, it’s an ideal option.

Demi-Sec: It literally means half-dry; these wines tend to fall on the sweeter side. A bubbly to drink with dessert.

Gifts and party pours Splurge: $50 and up Moët & Chandon “Imperial” Brut, Champagne, France, $50 — From the winery that produces the lauded prestige Champagne Dom Pérignon, its classic (and more affordable) Imperial bottling combines elegance and creaminess in one package.

Pol Roger “Pure” Champagne, France, $65 — A newer wine from a historic producer that captures the snap of freshness and dryness that an ExtraBrut wine can deliver. With oysters, it’s magnificent.

Laurent-Perrier Rosé, Champagne, France, $75 — This is a personal favorite and ranks as the best-selling rosé Champagne in the world. The

vintage Pinot Noir sparkler is packaged in an alluring 17th century-shaped bottle.

Billecart-Salmon Brut Rosé, Champagne, France, $80 — This delicately styled pink whispers class. You’ll want to drink the whole bottle yourself.

Veuve Clicquot “La Grande Dame” Brut, Champagne, France, $150 — One of the icon vintage wines of Champagne, this lush sipper pays homage to a great lady of bubbles (see story below).

The brilliant widow Throughout history, women have played an important role in the business of bubbly. The most legendary is Madame Clicquot of Champagne Veuve Clicquot. Nicole Ponsardin Clicquot became a widow, or veuve in French, in 1805 when she was still in her 20s. A master marketer and hands-on owner, Madame Clicquot is credited with helping to make Champagne famous throughout Europe. In 1816, she cut holes in her kitchen table and placed the bottles nearly upside-down, so the sediment would gather at the neck of the bottle for easy removal. This stroke of brilliance evolved into the now-standard process of “riddling” used by every producer of sparkling wine.

Savor: $20-$45 Gloria Ferrer “Blanc de Noirs” Sonoma County, California, $20 — With a hint of pink color due to being crafted from Pinot Noir grapes, this aromatic, succulent sparkler is one of the best values in the bubbly world.

Jansz Rosé, Tasmania, Australia, $22 — It’s hard to find true rosé fizz for this price, but I discovered it in the far reaches of the Southern Hemisphere. Hailing from the island of Tasmania, this wine (made by a woman) is a hidden treasure.

Lucien Albrecht Brut, Crémant d’Alsace, France, $24 — Crémant (creamy) wines are made with the same method as Champagne. But because of slightly less gas pressure, they are less fizzy. Always a great deal, try Crémant-style wines from other areas of France, such as Crémant de Bourgogne.

Le Grande Courtage “Blanc de Blancs” Brut, France, $25 — Made with a blend of white grapes led

by Chardonnay, this non-Champagne French sparkler is one of the prettiest packages I’ve seen. A great gift.

Iron Horse “Russian Cuvée” Green Valley, Sonoma County, California, $38 — California is home to world-class sparkling wine, and ranking at the top is Iron Horse. This vintage wine sports rich fruitiness, making it ideal to sip alone or with food.

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scene

Thirsty girl A special thank you to Margie Barras Pat Danna Ed Eke Eric L. Johnson Rudy Knight Gail Petty Dan Roach Mark Yamamoto

Advisers

Karie Bennett Founder, Atelier Aveda Salonspa and Atelier Studio at Santana Row

Collette Navarrette West Coast Marketing Manager Federal Realty — Santana Row

Icons

Nanci Williams Founder/CEO Orloff Williams Lily Yacobi CEO Sarah and David Interactive

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Dawn L. Thomas Broker Associate Intero Real Estate Services

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“With a glass of bubbly, anything goes! I like to serve Brut and popcorn while watching movies at home. And, the best no-fat dessert is Brut and fruit. I simply add a few thin slices of mango to the glass.” ­— Joy Sterling, Partner, Iron Horse Vineyards, on pairing

Steal: $10-$20 Segura Viudas Brut Reserva, Cava, Spain, $10 — There isn’t a better price-toquality ratio than this Cava. Crafted from native Spanish grapes Macabeo, Parellada and Xarel-lo, it’s dry, fresh, delicate and juicy. Stock up and get ready for the holidays.

Korbel “Sec” Sparkling, Sonoma County, California, $13 — The Sec (a sweeter style) was the first wine ever made by the original Korbel brothers. Sweet is back, and this popular style is ideal for après-dinner drinking.

Domaine Ste. Michelle “Extra Dry” Columbia Valley, Washington, $15 — If you’re looking for a wine to serve with spicy appetizers or even with desserts such as Christmas cookies, look no further than this fruity, slightly sweet bubbly.

La Marca Prosecco, Italy, $16 — This chic wine with its designer label looks expensive but is easy on your wallet … and your palate. Juicy and refreshing, it’s an impress-for-less holiday gift idea.

Mumm Napa “Brut Prestige” Napa Valley, California, $20 — A class act, this lush yet crisp blend of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay grapes is worth twice the price.

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at the table Flank Steak and Chimichurri Salad Chimichurri is like a parsley-andoregano pesto, with a touch of vinegar and a mild chile pepper kick. In South America, it’s traditionally served with grilled meats, but here it’s thinned out a bit to make an herb-packed dressing for a meaty entrée-size salad.

clean & simple

Dionna Mash

Serves 4

A new cookbook based on a simple philosophy mensely useful informaThese days, everyone tion and resources, from wants to “eat clean,” but how to shop for the best what, exactly, does it mean? ingredients to why there For nutritional consultant is no one right way to eat. and health coach Jared He believes in “bio-indiKoch, it means eating both viduality” — each person’s organic and well. food needs are unique and Koch’s new book, “The change over time, based Clean Plates Cookbook: “The Clean Plates Simple Recipes for Healthy, Cookbook: Simple on genetics, lifestyle and Sustainable, and Delicious Recipes for Healthy, food sensitivities. But his Sustainable, and nutritional recommendaEating,” is co-authored by Delicious Eating” tions apply to everyone: We Jill Silverman Hough, a

By Jared Koch with should eat more whole, real Napa-based culinary writer Jill Silverman Hough foods, with more vegetables and teacher, and offers Running Press, 2012 and fewer processed foods; a plethora of savory and good-for-you recipes you can make at if we eat animal products they should home. (Koch is publisher of “Clean be high-quality, sustainably raised and Plates,” digital and print guides to the hormone/antibiotic-free — and conhealthiest, tastiest and most sustainable sumed in moderation.

“Clean Plates” publishes in restaurants in New York, Los Angeles, December. A few recipes perfect for Brooklyn and, soon, other cities.)

In addition, Koch gives readers im- the holiday season:

½ cup organic extra-virgin olive oil ¼ cup raw apple cider vinegar 6 garlic cloves 20 sprigs fresh flat-leaf parsley Leaves from 5 sprigs fresh oregano ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes Fine sea salt to taste 1 pound grass-fed flank steak Freshly ground black pepper to taste 12 cups lightly packed spring mix greens 1 cup halved cherry tomatoes 1 medium-size zucchini, halved lengthwise and sliced thinly ½ medium-size red onion, halved and sliced thinly In the bowl of a food processor, combine the oil, vinegar, garlic, parsley, oregano and red pepper flakes and process to a puree, scraping down the bowl as necessary. Add salt to taste and set aside.

Prepare a grill to high heat and lightly oil the grate. Sprinkle the steak with salt and black pepper and grill to desired doneness, about 5 minutes per side for medium-rare. Remove the steak from the grill and let it rest, covered loosely with foil, for 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine the greens, cherry tomatoes, zucchini and onion with the dressing and salt and black pepper to taste. Arrange the salad on plates or a platter.

Thinly slice the steak crosswise and arrange on the salad. Drizzle with additional dressing and serve. winter 2012 • Scene

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at the table Roasted Pecans with Rosemary, Olive Oil and Sea Salt Don’t let the simplicity of this recipe fool you. These nuts are simultaneously salty, rich, crunchy and deliciously complex, thanks to the rosemary. Keep them on hand for an easy, yet thoroughly enticing, snack.

Makes 3 cups 3 cups raw pecan halves 2 tablespoons organic extra-virgin olive oil 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary Fine sea salt to taste

Dionna Mash

Preheat the oven to 375°F/190°C.

Green Apple Carpaccio with Goat Cheese and Arugula

Arrange the pecans on a large, rimmed baking sheet and bake until browned and fragrant, about 12 minutes.

While the nuts are still warm, place them in a bowl and add the oil, rosemary, and salt to taste, tossing to evenly coat. Return the mixture to the baking sheet, set the sheet on a wire rack, and let cool to room temperature.

Sort of a cross between traditional carpaccio and a fruit salad, this dish is a nice twist on the expected.

If you want, you can core the apple before cutting it crosswise into thin slices.

You can vary this recipe by changing the apple slices to orange slices.

Serves 4 ¼ cup organic extra-virgin olive oil 4 teaspoons raw apple cider vinegar Fine sea salt to taste Freshly ground black pepper to taste 2 small tart green apples, such as Granny Smith or Pippin 3 cups loosely packed arugula leaves ½ cup crumbled goat cheese (optional) ¼ cup thinly sliced red onion 2 tablespoons chopped hazelnuts, toasted

Cut the apples crosswise (through the core) into thin slices, discarding the seeds — each slice should be one round cross-section of the apple. Arrange the apple slices on plates or a platter and drizzle with about half of the dressing. Add the arugula to the bowl with remaining dressing and toss. Arrange the arugula on top of the apples, top with goat cheese (if using), red onion and hazelnuts, and serve.

To make this recipe raw, don’t toast the nuts.

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Dionna Mash

In a medium bowl, whisk together the oil and vinegar.

Add salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.

getaways

the other lake tahoe Ditch the crowds for a kinder, gentler getaway

Mariusz Blach/istockphoto/Thinkstock

By Bonnie Wach

For most Bay Areans, vacations in Lake Tahoe usually come down to North Shore or South Shore. Like snowbound lemmings, generations of lake lovers follow the weekend conga line of cars up Interstate 80 or Highway 50, packing into the condos, waterfront motels and ski resorts around King’s Beach and Tahoe City, or heading south to

the glitzy casino action of Harrah’s and Harvey’s.

It doesn’t have to be that way. Just a few miles from these tourist meccas lies a kinder, gentler Lake Tahoe, with all the mountain amenities and half the crowds. Check out these under-the-radar spots for a fresh take on California’s most famous lake.

winter 2012 • Scene

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Jay Solmonson

getaways years at L’Orangerie in Beverly Hills.

The country French menu offers seasonal specialties and traditional dishes such as sole meuniere and wild duck with apple confit. For Californians, it may be worth the trek just to get your foie gras fix.

Down the street, the founder of the original Tombstone pizza chain reopened this restaurant as the Tombstone Tap & Grill (tombstonetapnv.com) a couple of years ago, offering a menu of pizzas (naturally), but also barbecue and a variety of hearty home-cooked Italian fare, including a tasty lasagna and eggplant Parmesan.

If it’s on the menu, don’t miss the cannoli.

Genoa Bar, the oldest “thirst parlor” in the Silver State.

sleep

Genoa

In addition to the plush timeshare suites and condos at David Walley’s Resort, hotel options include the Genoa Country Inn (genoacountryinn.com), with 11 spacious rooms starting at $89 and amenities such as microwaves, balconies and 32-inch flat-screen TVs.

play Thompson is not the only celebrity to have found his way to Genoa. Ulysses S. Grant, Teddy Roosevelt and Mark Twain all sought the curative waters at David Walley’s Hot Springs Resort (davidwalleys-resort.com).

Built in 1862, the resort features seven hot spring pools at varying temperatures, as well as saunas, steam rooms and a spa.

An 11-mile drive up steep Kingsbury Grade Road puts you in the heart of South Lake Tahoe and at the foot of Heavenly Mountain (skiheavenly.com), Tahoe’s largest ski resort, with 4,800 acres of terrain that straddles California and Nevada.

If you’re visiting in spring or fall, the Cowboy Poetry & Music Festival (April), and the fabled Candy Dance Arts and Crafts Faire (September) are two homespun events worth making a detour for.

West Shore The low-key West Shore of Lake Tahoe, between Tahoe City and Emerald Bay, is something of a guarded locals’ secret — popular with families and old-school Tahoe aficionados who come for the quiet beaches, mellow ski hills, unspoiled wilderness and homey cafes and inns.

play The slopes of Homewood (skihomewood.com) and Granlibakken (granlibakken.com) are ideal for family snowplay and great learners’ hills. Homewood will get a major overhaul in 2014, complete with a five-star hotel, ice-skating pond and amphitheater, but for now, the slopes and snowboard terrain park are still among the least expensive and least crowded in Tahoe — and the lake views are spectacular.

Nestled in the woods up the road from Tahoe City, Granlibakken is a lodge and conference center that offers a full range of winter activities, including downhill and

Courtesy of California State Parks

Fifteen minutes down the backside of glitzy Heavenly ski resort, Genoa, Nev., is one of those hidden gems you almost hesitate to tell people about, for fear it will get discovered. The tiny western relic on the edge of Carson Valley is Nevada’s oldest town, settled by Mormons in 1851; the original trading post is on view in the town square.

Genoa (pronounced Juh-NO-uh) also lays claim to the oldest “thirst parlor” — the still-operating Genoa Bar — in the Silver State, and it’s the final resting place of legendary Pony Express rider Snowshoe Thompson, who traversed the Sierra from 1856 to 1876, delivering mail on homemade skis. He’s buried in the Genoa cemetery, and there’s a statue in his honor in the town park.

eat Who would have guessed that tucked into a corner of this outpost was a top-notch French restaurant? La Ferme (lafermegenoa.com) was opened in 1998 by Gilles LaGourge and chef Yves Gigot, whose résumé includes

Winter wonder at Sugar Pine Point State Park.

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getaways cross-country skiing, tubing and snowplay areas, snowmobiling and snowshoeing.

At nearby Sugar Pine Point State Park (parks. ca.gov/?page_id=510), rangers lead full-moon snowshoe tours that take you along the lakeshore and past the historic Hellman-Ehrman Mansion.

For 25 years, the lakeside restaurant at Sunnyside Lodge (sunnysideresort.com) has been a magnet for Tahoe-goers. The lively waterfront deck is the draw in summer months; in winter, the dining room hunkers down with soul-warming and belly-filling dishes that include fresh seafood, steaks, chops and favorites such as smoked bacon mac and cheese. For dessert, Hula Pie — a cookie crust topped with macadamia nut ice cream, hot fudge and whipped cream — is a must.

A snowball’s throw from Homewood ski area (it’s owned by the resort), cozy West Shore Café & Inn (westshorecafe. com) reopens in mid-December with a menu of seasonal California favorites (wedge salad, blue-cheese burgers, crab corn fritters) and a side of global flair (sesame-seared ahi chips, black bean empanadas, tempura asparagus).

sleep Both Sunnyside and West Shore Inn offer lakeside lodge-style accommodations. Sunnyside’s 23 guestrooms range from petite lakefront rooms to spacious suites with private decks and balconies. All rooms come with down comforters and include continental breakfast.

In addition to fireplaces, leather sofas, balconies and windows overlooking the lake, West Shore Inn’s six luxe suites also come with house-baked continental breakfast.

Truckee Located along the Truckee River, 15 minutes from Northstar ski resort and 20 minutes from Donner Summit and Squaw Valley, the old western town of Truckee was once a thriving center for lumber and block ice. Today, much of the rough-and-tumble mountain charm remains, bolstered by a host of more modern attractions, including some of Tahoe’s most innovative restaurants, and many recreational opportunities you won’t find lakeside.

play Avoid the long lines — both on the mountain and the drive home — and spend the day skiing at Tahoe-Donner (tahoedonner.com) or Sugar Bowl (sugarbowl.com).

Tahoe-Donner is a great family-oriented beginner slope; Sugar Bowl has plenty of thrills for more advanced skiers and snowboarders, and with its recent takeover of Royal Gorge, it adds more than 200 kilometers of cross-country

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eat

Hamachi sashimi from Stella restaurant in Truckee.

trails to its extensive downhill terrain.

Off the mountain, ditch the skis for skates and head to Truckee River Regional Park on Old Brockway Road (tdrpd.com/ice_rink.html), where you can learn ice dancing, figure skating or hockey techniques, or just skate for fun. Along with rentals and lessons, the rink features music, a bonfire and a snack bar.

eat Start your day at hip Coffeebar (coffeebartruckee. com), an Italian coffeehouse featuring drinks made using the highest organic-grade coffee beans, and a menu of pastries and paninis. For a sweet treat, try the Caffè Marocchino — espresso in a Nutella-lined cup with gelato and whipped cream.

On Donner Pass Road, aka main street, the Squeeze In (squeezein.com) has been a favorite breakfast spot for decades, with some 66 different omelets and menu staples that include burgers, burritos and sandwiches.

Along old Brockway Road at the Cedar House Sport Hotel, upscale Stella (cedarhousesporthotel.com/stella) crafts innovative seasonal cuisine and house-baked breads, with many ingredients foraged from their own gardens. Down the road, Fifty-Fifty Brewing Co. (fiftyfiftybrewing.com) offers some two dozen housebrewed beers, along with local-ranch beef burgers, Baja-style fish tacos and a mean pulled-pork sandwich.

Don’t miss award-winning pinot noir at Truckee River Winery (truckeeriverwinery.com), purportedly the country’s highest and coldest winery. Spring through fall, the winery hosts bocce ball on four crushed-oyster courts.

sleep Between the ’50s motels and the Ritz-Carlton, it’s not always easy to find a happy middle ground in Tahoe. The recently revamped Larkspur Hotel Truckee-Tahoe (larkspurhotels.com/larkspur-hotels/truckee-tahoe) fills the gap handily, offering all the warm and woody comforts you’d want in a Tahoe lodge (feather-topped beds, complimentary hot breakfast), along with modern amenities such as WiFi, iPod docks, Jacuzzi and sauna.

passions Continued from Page 62

❦ Naomi dropped her eyes back down to the table, then picked up her phone again and checked for nonexistent emails that she knew hadn’t come in since the last time she’d had it in her hand.

Okay, so she hadn’t broken into Cypress Hollow society yet.

She stole a glance toward the front where Elbert was pumping the hand of a man who dwarfed him.

The brown, scuffed cowboy boots caught her eye first—the man wore them just like everyone else in this town did, and they looked great on him. His legs were long in his well-worn jeans, and his chest was broad under a red plaid shirt. His light brown hair was thick and a shade too long and it stuck up in places as if he’d just woken up. He had a scruff of beard on his jaw. If he yelled Timber, she’d believe him.

— “Wishes & Stitches,”

by Rachael Herron

Rachael Herron of Oakland writes about romance, sure, but the name of her website is yarnagogo.com. That’s because knitting, which she learned at age 5, is a part of her being, a way of life. So much so that all that yarn-working gets incorporated into each of her books, from “How to Knit a Love Story’’ to “How to Knit a Heart Back Home.”

“In my novels, the knitting is the background music, and in my nonfiction, knitting is the anchor,’’ she says. “I write women’s fiction with a strong romantic element — although I’m a little bit of a misfit in that I write straight romance but I’m married to a woman. It just means my men really know how to romance a lady.”

How gratifying is the process? “There is nothing like reading a book and closing it after the last page with a heavy, happy sigh. And even better is typing ‘The End’ on that page. You’ve lived and breathed those characters,’’ says Herron, who works full time as a fire/medical dispatcher with the San Ramon Valley Fire Protection District. “To give them the love every person deserves is a gift.”

Calendar “The Music of Christmas” is the theme of this year’s Christmas Tree Elegance from Valle Monte League, Nov. 29-Nov. 30. View (and maybe win) one of the dazzling holiday trees; enjoy the fashion shows, bid on the fab auction items. All proceeds go toward community mental health agencies. For tickets, see vallemonte.org.

Let the fur fly Humane Society Silicon Valley celebrates its 10th anniversary Fur Ball on April 13 at the Menlo Circus Club in Atherton. The gala helps HSSV save and enhance animals’ lives Carol Novello with by funding programs pug Emma Werner such as adoption, education and outreach, behavior training and low-cost spay/neuter.

Organizers hope to surpass the $640,000 raised at the 2012 event. For info, see hssv. org, and read our story on HSSV president Carol Novello on Page 52.

Come explore our elementary and middle school programs for yourself by attending our upcoming Open House.

Saturday, January 26th 2:00-4:00 p.m.

Visit www.st-andrews.org for more details.

13601 Saratoga Avenue - Saratoga, CA 95070 winter 2012 • Scene

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Courtesy Raymond Macalisang

seen

Jamie Brunson poses with a human version of Brunson’s painting, “Sura,” 2002

A model bodypainted to mimic the sculpture “Fire Suit” by Viola Frey

Heidi Farr, Francine Bion, gala chair Bess Wiersema-Hilliard

SJMA trustee Tad Freese, a Fou Fou Ha! dancer, Brooke Hartsell

Alan Burgess, Byron Ryono

& out about in silicon valley

Besides the live auction, the big attraction at San Jose Museum of Art’s Full Spectrum 2012 gala was the body-painted models representing works in the museum’s collection. The sold-out event netted $235,000, which goes to the educational programs of SJMA – the largest provider of arts education in the county.

SJMA’s vice president Hildy Shandell, Cheng Cheng, auction committee member Mary Moca

scene

Glenn Daniel, SJMA trustee Michele Klein

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SJMA trustee Peter Cross and Melanie Cross

Wendi Norris, Alex Tourck

Auction committee member David Soward, Roxanne Fleming

Francis Mill, Lorna Meyer Calas

Auction committee member Carol Parker, Gerhard Parker

SJMA President Mike Nevens, SJMA Oshman Executive Director Susan Krane, Yvonne Nevens, auction committee member Wanda Kownacki

Coming: It’s a mod world …

Beauty reviews

… as in modular, meaning mixing and matching both trends and classics in fashion, home design, lifestyle and more. We

We test products for weeks at a time so you don’t have to. Find out what’s hype and what’s real at The Bottom Line, at SceneBayArea.com.

Scene • winter 2012

look at what’s new, and how to change up to make it all work for you. Join us for Scene’s Spring issue, publishing March 29, 2013.

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