Sophisticated Living St. Louis March/April 2021

{St. Louis' Finest}

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Mar/Apr 2021 five dollars

Michele Pred

FREEDOM IS FOR EVERYBODY on view May 20 — August 7

4733 McPherson Ave. St. Louis, MO 63108 Visit projects-gallery.com for artist information, gallery hours, or to book a private appointment.

ROBERT SWAIN

Robert Swain, Untitled, 5x5-17x1A, 2016, acrylic on canvas, 60 x 60 inches

Philip Slein Gallery 4735 McPherson Avenue Saint Louis, Missouri 63108 p 314.361.2617 f 314.361.8051 www.philipsleingallery.com

{St. Louis' Finest}

Mar/Apr 2021

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Mar/Apr 2021

five dollars

on the cover:

Upping Our Game St. Louis, a city of renewed hope and opportunity.

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The Home Team

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Upping Our Game

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Time to Move It Outside

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Doing What You Love

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Raydar

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Gardens of Delight

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Perfectly Paired

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Of Note... Making A Scene

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The Ultimate M5

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Back in the Driver’s Seat

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Going for Gold in Silver Lake Village

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Purple Reign

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The Making of a Genius Cluster

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Father + Son See Eye-to-Eye

Top two rings from Lydia Courteille (lydiacourteille.com) and Ana Katarina Four Elements ‘Earth’ Flip Ring ($15,757; anakatarina.com)

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Mar/Apr 2021

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Raydar

Mountain Shadows.

Photo by Mark Boisclair.

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Sophisticated Society

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Opera Theatre of Saint Louis

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Mathews-Dickey Gala

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Grand Center Events

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Sophisticated Face

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Love and Ballet

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It’s Your Birthday’s Day of Service

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MERCH Pop Up

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What I Love Right Now

Alise O’Brien Photography

ARCHITECTURE + INTERIOR DESIGN www.studiolark.us | @studiolark

From the Publisher

There are so many terrible things that happened during the pandemic. It may take 10 years to rebuild what was lost, from small businesses and our burgeoning culinary scene to the shuttering of media outlets and the loss of thousands of our family and friends. But from my point of view perhaps some good may come from this otherwise awful time. If it weren’t for the pandemic, some of our kids would not have left dense urban centers like New York, Chicago, San Francisco, Los Angeles, or Miami and moved back to St. Louis -- if only to socially distance with their families. But while here, they saw what is possible, started new remote businesses, and decided that St. Louis is now a city of hope and opportunity.

With a new generation of economic developers all on the same team, billions of dollars of investment along the Interstate 64 corridor and in north county, and new building projects all around town, hope seems to have set sights on St. Louis. And national pundits agree. Old leadership making way for a younger, progressive and passionate group of people who grew up here, went to school here, or are just now realizing our opportunities for entrepreneurship, has galvanized the restless, bold, and Photo By Lou Bopp Photography optimistic citizens of the city.

When walking the streets of my hometown of New York City, I am always reminded of what I cannot do or afford...no matter how much I think I have. To those with an abundance of ideas, the barriers to entry are enormous and the risk of failure is great. While the upside in St. Louis may not appear to be as great as succeeding in NYC, the ability to innovate, launch, grow, and thrive in St. Louis is the balance many people -- especially younger people -- are seeking in a post-pandemic America.

This issue is dedicated to a renewed hope in St. Louis, the era of entrepreneurship in our fair city, and the people committed to making our future better not only for their personal and financial benefits but for the purpose of creating a greater future for the next generation of St. Louisans.

In these pages, you’ll read about Jason Hall and Val Patton, the new heads of Greater St. Louis, Inc., who are charged with bringing together the region for economic growth. What was once a group of self-absorbed development organizations is now one, merged together with a singular vision. Steve and Will Smith, the father and son dynamic duo, have leveraged the success of The Lawrence Group Architects into a vertically integrated developer of new neighborhoods like City Foundry. And, we interviewed billionaire Jim McKelvey, who continues to spend time here, invest in projects like Third Degree Glass Factory and MADE, and is relocating his payment processing company, Square®, to the former St. Louis Post-Dispatch building downtown. This will usher in a new FinTech boom just a stone’s throw from a number of other exciting growth projects, incubators, and accelerators.

Despite the craziness of the pandemic, there has never been a more exciting and hopeful entrepreneurial time in St. Louis. Virtually everyone I know in their ‘20s, ‘30s and yes ‘40s is working on their big idea or their side hustle with the result that St. Louis is looking more attractive every day. And slowly but surely the infrastructure, power structures, and indifferent leadership which held us back for so long is changing, improving social equity, attracting talent, and realizing our opportunity is now...or perhaps never.

Start something, invest in someone who is, and wear your civic pride on your sleeve. Focus on what’s great, make it better, and help usher in our roaring ‘20s! A greater St. Louis is within our reach.

Craig M. Kaminer, Publisher craig@slmag.net

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Every Open Door Leads to Exciting New Beginnings...

Call Suzie and Aimee to Discuss Your Next Move:

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Stories in

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Help us write another story.

CONTRIBUTORS Writers Jessen O’Brien Bridget Williams Photographers Zach Dalin Joe Martinez Alise O’Brien Advertising Design Donna Shelton SophisticatedStLouis.com Carrie Edelstein ________________________________________________ SOPHISTICATED LIVING MEDIA Eric Williams - CEO Bridget Williams - President Greg Butrum - General Counsel Jason Yann - Art Director

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SLMAG.NET

From the CEO of Stifel

Gamestop Corp. (GME) Closing Prices January 4, 2021 to February 16, 2021 $350.00

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Investing is sometimes a confusing endeavor. While most people understand the wisdom of long-term investing, there is always a temptation to invest in the latest speculative fad.

Recently, GameStop (symbol “GME”) provided such an enticement. The stock, representing a company that sold and repurchased video games, started the year at about $18 per share. Many “professional” investors made significant market bets that GameStop was going to file for bankruptcy. Hence, there existed a large “short interest” whereby investors sold the stock with the intention of repurchasing it later at a much lower price. Ironically, this mirrored GameStop’s own business model, whereby they sell you a new video game at the full price and buy it back later for a fraction of it.

Enter Robinhood and Reddit which, like a runaway train of memes and free trades, enabled and encouraged millions of individual investors to buy GameStop. This, coupled with a need for short sellers to buy the stock, fueled tremendous demand which caused GameStop to soar to over $480 per share, on an intraday basis.

About the time the stock was trading around $350 per share, a friend, and someone I’d describe as a good investor, called me to ask about investing in GameStop. He wanted to know what I thought. My answer? I had no idea what the stock would do the next day. When pressed for an opinion, I stated the stock could double to $700 – or go to $0.

At first, my friend seemed intrigued. I am fairly certain he heard the $700 and not the $0 as a potential outcome. He asked again for my advice. I told him that our conversation was not really about investing, but instead about speculation. I asked what he planned to invest and offered, instead of buying GameStop, to flip a coin or cut cards for the amount. He was not amused. I then suggested a trip to Vegas and advised him to put the amount on red or black in roulette. Then, by my way of thinking, he might at least score a free drink and a room. At this point, my friend thanked me for my advice and hung up. I do not recall him saying goodbye. I am fairly confident he did not invest in GameStop. Of course, today, the stock is around $45.

I don’t fault my friend, or anyone else, for being enchanted by the strange saga of GME. It represents one of those great, confounding collisions of technology and culture. With the very idea of a “meme stock,” the dwellers of Reddit’s r/wallstreetbets have shown us the possibility of a strange new mingling of social media and financial markets. Meanwhile, with apps like Robinhood in hand, anyone can jump in on the speculation. It’s as easy as playing Daily Fantasy Football. The optimist in me wants to see these trends mature, to live up to the promise of democratizing investing while increasing general financial literacy. The realist in me fears that we will see little more than the occasional speculative flare-up, like the release of a new Beanie Baby – fueled by the savings of those who can afford it least.

To me, the most important thing to remind people is not to get caught up in the fear of missing out. Despite the new technologies, apps, and platforms that surround it, the core story of GME is a very old one – and the ending never changes.

Source: Thomson

Ron Kruszewski Chairman and CEO of Stifel Financial Corp.

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Beck/Allen Cabinetry and Homes by Higginbotham both helped transform the kitchen from a tricky space to the Schmidts’ favorite room in the house.

THE HOME TEAM Written by Jessen O’Brien / Photography by Alise O’Brien

For nearly 30 years, ADJ Interiors has made it a policy to embrace projects of all sizes and budgets. “You just never know where things will lead,” says April Jensen, CEO and founder of ADJ Interiors.

Case in point: in 2017 ADJ Interiors started working on a kitchen for homeowners Renée and Bill Schmidt. That job turned into a gut renovation and designing not just the kitchen but also most of the first and second floors -- followed by the home’s lower level. In fact, it’s not over yet; Renée and Bill are currently working with April and Meagan Cooperman, an interior designer at ADJ Interiors, on phase three: the master suite, an outdoor living area, and an addition off of the existing breakfast and hearth room.

The project started small in part because, as Renée puts it, “I didn’t really have much interest until I started working with April and Meagan. I’ve worked with other designers and they never quite got my vision or they didn’t listen to me. April and Meagan listened to everything. They understood my style even though I didn’t know how to put it into words and presented things that I would have picked out if I had the resources or knew where to find them.”

Ensuring that clients feel heard is a major part of April’s design philosophy. “I’m 100 percent motivated by smart interior design that functions and serves its users in the way that they 12 slmag.net

need it to, not the way that I think it should,” April says. “My team comes to every project with nothing in mind other than establishing with the client what they need, what their priorities are, and what their dream is, not ours.”

Coming into a project without a defined style or preconceptions about the space is challenging, but the hard work pays off in interiors that truly reflect the people who inhabit them. If, that is, the designers communicate well with their clients and work together as a team, two skills at which the designers at ADJ Interiors excel.

“We have had such phenomenal, open lines of communication with April and Meagan. It’s truly refreshing. They are extremely responsive to us,” Bill says. “And they’re just a joy to work with. If I know we have a meeting with April and Meagan, that’s actually a really fun time for us!”

At first, the brief was simple. The Schmidts had purchased a new home and they wanted to give it a minor refresh before moving in. They especially wanted to see what could be done about the kitchen, which had a tricky layout (to start with, the refrigerator and freezer were on opposite walls) and one big aesthetic issue: a large hood that hung over the central island, spanning about 55 inches across and blocking both the view and the light.

April had a custom shade mixed for the butler’s pantry after Renée proposed painting it blue.

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ADJ Interiors balanced more traditional items from the Schmidts’ previous home—such as a favorite chandelier and gilded wall mirror—with a marbleized buffet and gold Ted Collier painting.

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The vintage sconces that bookend the plum shelving unit act as door handles for hidden storage.

“I remember April saying, ‘Look, I can work with this kitchen, and it’ll be great. But if you can give me a blank slate, this kitchen will be magnificent,’” Bill says. “I was struggling with the kitchen as well, and when she made that comment I immediately said, ‘Done—we’re doing it.’”

In order to lay the groundwork for the room’s new layout, April and her team started by establishing how the Schmidts were used to moving in their previous home. They took out the hood and rearranged the appliances, putting the refrigerator and freezer side-by-side.

Visually, they knew that Renée liked a French influence.

At the same time, “I wanted a white kitchen. I wanted it light, airy, and functional,” Renée says. “I like things to be clean and streamlined, without a lot of clutter.”

The key to the design proved to be finding the right color: Maritime White, a Benjamin Moore neutral with a cream undertone that serves as a unifying element throughout the home.

In the kitchen, it appears on the cabinets, woodwork, and doors.

Two chandeliers were installed above the island where the hood once hung, as Renée loves crystals. “And the bigger, the more sparkle, the better,” April says. “That’s [Renée’s] personality too.

She’s full of life; the whole family is. It’s what I love about going 16 slmag.net

into a project without a predetermined idea of what it should look like; once you work organically with your client, [you can tell] their story so easily if you listen.”

Renée’s love of sparkle also inspired the countertops, a white diamond quartzite that’s almost opal-like in its iridescence. “Everyone who comes here comments on it,” Bill says. One contractor even brought his wife over to show her, saying he had never seen countertops -- or a kitchen -- quite like it. To ground the bright, white countertops, ADJ Interiors paired them with a more traditional, French-style island in black, its edges intentionally worn and aged.

“The island is gorgeous, but it actually works,” April says. “For instance, we had to make sure we had plenty of outlets disguised underneath so that each person could sit and have all the ports they need. So while it’s beautiful -- and it looks like that everyday because Renée takes such good care of things -- it actually does function at a high level for multiple purposes.”

Nearby, the custom butler’s pantry is painted a cheery sky blue.

Since Renée loves blues, different shades -- from chambray to platinum -- are used throughout the house. Water Street Brass hardware unites the pantry with the kitchen cabinetry, while a backsplash of antiquemirrored subway tile provides an extra dose of shimmer.

Contemporary vases sit side-by-side two stone urns in the living room.

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Westport Tile & Granite worked with ADJ Interiors on all the bathrooms and countertops.

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Style and function combine in the movie room, with its shagreen ceiling, sound absorbing panel, and automated entertainment system by Fusion Media Systems.

A softer version of the butler’s pantry’s sky blue can be found in the dining room’s grasscloth walls and in the small flowers on the dining room table. When Renée and Bill first married, they had invested in a Bernhardt dining set in mahogany. “Over the years, it just felt so heavy to me,” Renée says. She fell in love with a table by Arhaus but wasn’t sure it would fit the vision of the room. “April said, ‘Buy it. You should surround yourself with things you love. We will incorporate it.’”

The chandelier and full-length mirror both came from the Schmidts’ previous house. April then found a John-Richard buffet in gold with a marbled front, injecting the space with an unexpectedly modern element to keep the design fresh. A gold painting from Ted Collier’s Pointillism Series completes the room.

More unexpected juxtapositions can be found in the living room where an Oriental rug, leather chesterfields, and rustic paneling are mixed with an ultra-modern chandelier and graffitistyle painting by Peter Manion. “The art is unexpected. It’s very modern compared to the space it’s in -- I love that aspect of the space,” says April. “It was important to the Schmidts to layer locally commissioned artwork into these beautiful spaces that helped tell a story and not be traditional art.”

Once the first floor was complete, the Schmidts turned to ADJ Interiors for help with the lower level. This time, they told April to run with her vision. Since Renée wasn’t a huge fan of lower levels as a rule, April set out to create a space that was irresistibly fun. A striking Art Deco tile by Ann Sacks became the inspiration for a dark but glamorous billiards room, kitchenette, and movie theater rendered in black and gold with touches of a rich purple and deep teal mixed in.

Behind the billiards table, vintage sconces flank a large built-in and double as handles for hidden storage units. A Turkish rug brings together the level’s various jewel tones, while nearby a modern chandelier riffs on the more traditional fixtures upstairs.

Two custom doors inlaid with antique mirrors slide to reveal a movie theater with enough plush seating to comfortably fit an entire field hockey team -- about 24 girls in total -- the night before the state championship.

But the real star of the lower level isn’t the candy station right outside the movie theater, the domed Kelly Wearstler pendant that hovers over the billiards table, or even the gold-and-black feature tile that inspired the design in the first place -- although all of those elements add to the lower level’s speakeasy-like sensibility. It’s the bathroom, styled after a men’s tuxedo, that steals the show. “It’s what blows me away every time,” says April. “We had the vanity custom made with these black outlines that accentuate the depth and line, like a racecar. I just love it so much.”

Although Renée had originally thought the lower level would be more for the kids, she and her husband love spending time in it. “I look at it and I get happy,” Renée says. “And when people say, ‘Your lower level’s unbelievable,’ I say with a laugh, ‘Thank you; it is. I had nothing to do with it.’ Because it was totally their vision down there.” “[This project] is what you dream of,” April says. “Clients who appreciate you. Who listen and let you do your thing. Who took their project as seriously as we did. There was mutual collaboration and mutual respect. And at the end of the day, all of what we do -no matter your profession -- is about our relationships.” sl

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BRANDS FEATURED FROM TOP, LEFT TO RIGHT: HICKORY CHAIR FURNITURE, NIERMANN WEEKS, COWTAN & TOUT, CENTURY FURNITURE, KDR, PARIS TEXAS HARDWARE, STARK CARPET, TAYLOR KING AND SAMUEL & SONS

Spotlighting St. Louis’ most influential design professionals and the showroom partner that makes their work shine.

11660 Page Service Drive | Saint Louis, MO 63146 | 314.993.5020 | kdrshowrooms.com

For 30 years, KDR has partnered with St. Louis designers

“As empty nesters, this professional couple wanted an elegant space for entertaining and relaxing. We designed the room around an existing sofa and chairs, playing off the colors in their cherished artwork. Soft blues and greens dominate the palette and create a sophisticated and tranquil aesthetic. The traditional style of the furnishings lends itself to a more formal setting which was the goal of the clients.

Tufted Sherrill sofas and Century accent tables bring a classic style to the space. The draperies and pillows in Cowtan & Tout fabrics tie the entire room together and add texture. Our design approach is classic, tailored, stylish, thoughtful, and playful. At Karen Korn Interiors, we greet each new client with an open mind. We honor your tastes and vision while guiding you through the design process so that what you imagine becomes reality.”

www.karenkorninteriors.com 636-675-6150 KAREN KORN, owner and principal interior designer

bringing their visions to your life.

Jason Hall

UPPING OUR GAME Written by Craig Kaminer / Photos courtesy of Greater St. Louis, Inc.

It’s hard to accurately count the headlines about our feuding city and county, our antiquated and fragmented regional government, and the economic development organizations that for many years have stepped on one another’s toes.

Despite the cries of business leaders and voters who sought change, this fragmentation continued -- hindering our ability to attract businesses and retain population, specifically some of our best and brightest talent, and grow our economy. But in the midst of a pandemic, some forward-thinking and civic-oriented minds prevailed and orchestrated the merger of five organizations into one -- with clear leadership, a plan, and the support of many. But the support of one in particular is of note -- Andy Taylor, executive chairman of Enterprise Holdings, the world’s largest rental car company headquartered in the center of Clayton, and generous philanthropic investor in initiatives that are advancing the regional economy and revitalizing the city’s urban core. Andy challenged St. Louis to come together and “up our game” for economic growth.

At. 12:00 a.m. on January 1, 2021, in a bold and somewhat unanticpated move, AllianceSTL, Arch to Park, Civic Progress, Downtown STL, Inc., and the St. Louis Regional Chamber combined the strengths of their legacy organizations to form a new entity, Greater St. Louis, Inc. Its purpose: to unify around a common vision and strategy for fostering inclusive economic growth. For 22 slmag.net

the first time in generations, leaders of the new organization will hopefully work collaboratively to finally address the metropolitan area’s economic and job growth challenges.

Why? Benchmarking studies of faster-growing regions across the U.S. underscore why St. Louis must be more collaborative.

Fragmentation at many levels has been a fundamental barrier to reversing decades of economic underperformance, stagnant population growth, and racial segregation. Greater St. Louis, Inc. represents an evidence-based initiative to align, structure, and invest our significant resources to create a St. Louis-wide economy that is more competitive, with broader prosperity for all.

The drivers of this new organization aren’t members of the old guard who have long controlled the business and politics of our region, but rather newer faces who are poised to make St. Louis the inclusive and diverse city we must be to move forward.

Jason R. Hall, the new CEO of Greater St. Louis, Inc, was formerly CEO and Co-Founder of Arch to Park, a catalytic, civicminded investment organization focused on economic growth in the urban core of St. Louis. Originally, Arch to Park was formed out of a desire by community leaders to build a dynamic “central city” to accelerate regional growth via collaboration and strategy. Arguably, Arch to Park was the impetus of change and foreshadowed the creation of Greater St. Louis, Inc.

Valerie Patton

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Valerie Patton

Jason is not the person you would have expected to lead this audacious economic development goal a few short years ago but he seems like the perfect person to lead it now. The first in his family to earn a college degree and the first openly LGBT person appointed to a cabinet-level position in Missouri government, Jason is a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Bates College and Vanderbilt University Law School, where he served as the editor-in-chief of the Vanderbilt Law Review. He served as a law clerk with the Honorable Gerald Bard Tjoflat of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit (Atlanta) and soon after his clerkship, Jason began his legal career at Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner. There’s even more to his economic development chops. Jason previously served as Vice President of Entrepreneurship & Innovation and General Counsel with the St. Louis Regional Chamber, Director and Deputy Director of the Missouri Department of Economic Development, and Executive Director of the Missouri Technology Corporation.

Among his many other credentials, Jason serves on the boards of the Missouri Technology Corporation,Tarlton Corporation, Hawthorn Leadership School for Girls, the Arts and Education Council, Invest Midwest, and is a member of the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center Leadership Council.

The other senior executive who helped incorporate Greater St. Louis, Inc. is Valerie E. Patton, who is leading the organization’s diversity, equity and inclusion strategies and programs as well as its foundation, which will be responsible for charitable revenue and an endowment.

Previously she served as Senior Vice President, Economic Inclusion and Executive Director of the Saint Louis Business Diversity Initiative, an outcome from the St. Louis 2004 civic action agenda. Val, as her friends call her, founded the Fellows 24 slmag.net

As one organization, Greater St. Louis will pursue eight strategic initiatives: 1. AllianceSTL to actively recruit businesses to St. Louis, something which has been done well in the past 2. Center For Civic Research And Innovation to provide high-quality, objective research and analysis to support economic development and community efforts 3. Central City STL to focus on revitalizing the urban core.

The research is clear, without a strong city, growth and prosperity are a long-shot 4. ChamberSTL to achieve pro-growth public policy outcomes 5. Inclusive Business Solutions to develop multicultural and racially diverse business leaders and entrepreneurs 6. GEOFutures to champion St. Louis as the global geospatial industry hub 7. STLMADE to manage the metro’s national reputation; amplify an authentic and inclusive narrative through stories of people moving the region forward 8. STL 2030 Jobs Plan to substantially increase the number of high-quality jobs in the metro area and reduce racial inequities Program (a yearlong leadership development experience for professionals of color) and Gateway Connections (a welcoming orientation for professionals of color). More recently, she launched the metro’s Diverse Business Accelerator to help scale-up diverse-led businesses. All are now programs of Greater St. Louis, Inc. “We plan to integrate diversity, equity and inclusion principles within our organization and throughout the region, in all aspects of the organization’s economic growth agenda,” she says. “We want to achieve broad-based prosperity while closing racial disparities and creating access to opportunity.”

Actively involved throughout the community, Val has served as an adjunct professor and instructor at Washington University, Harris Stowe State University, and St. Louis Community College. She has held board and trustee positions with The United Way of Greater St. Louis, Fontbonne University, and Howard University School of Business. In 2018, she was awarded the National Coalition of 100 Black Women Metropolitan St. Louis Chapter’s award for Visionary Community Leadership. Val holds degrees from Washington University’s George Warren Brown School of Social Work (MSW), Webster University (MA) and Howard University (BBA), and has done post graduate studies in business management.

According to Jason, “St. Louis often criticizes itself and the people trying to make a difference. But, fragmentation is not going to build the economic future of this region. With five legacy organizations merged into one, we are finally going to lead in a radically different way.”

We have seen all too many times what the world looks like when we are divided and not working together. In his bold and visionary way, Jason says, “Imagine what our city could be when we join together? We hold other cities like Indianapolis, Denver, Austin, and

Jason Hall

Minneapolis in such high esteem, but the reality is they are just better organized. We have to think like a growth community again.”

It would have been hard to imagine a few short years ago that: $100 million is being invested into Missouri vineyards, the St. Louis City MLS soccer team will play in a new stadium in Downtown West, a multi-billion dollar National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) campus in North City will surely make St. Louis the center of new industry sectors in geospatial services, companies like Benson Hill are attracting investors (including Google), new neighborhoods are popping up around City Foundry and the Grove, or that we would see renewed development in The Loop and Central West End. Long-term success will require the discipline and commitment to collaborate for decades to come. The hope is that with a mega spurt of growth like we are currently seeing and a shared vision, others will be chasing St. Louis this decade.

Recently, Entrepreneur magazine called St. Louis the No. 1 city in the Midwest essential to American innovation. St. Louis was recently ranked the No. 1 city in the country for women-founded and womenled start-ups. Our MLS team is the first majority owned female soccer franchise. Imagine what is possible if we harness the power and determination of our highly educated and motivated female work force, with investment capital supporting them, and leadership willing to make the promotion of women and diversity our top priorities?

The draft STL 2030 Jobs Plan also shows that if our metropolitan region worked together to close disparities between Black-owned and white-owned businesses, our regional GDP would be at least 10 percent higher, and we would generate tens of thousands of additional jobs.

But talk is cheap. The proof will come as more companies move their headquarters here, as Bunge did from New York City,

adding to the list of Fortune 250 companies who call St. Louis home. Or how Accenture Federal Services announced that they are moving 1,400 high-paying jobs here. Or Square®, which was founded by native son and tech billionaire Jim McKelvey, moving to the old St. Louis Post-Dispatch building as a hub for the explosive growth of FinTech companies. When things are going our way, the future seems awfully bright.

According to Jason, “We have to attract more young people and rebuild our city core. If you look over the past decade, the highgrowth metros are all committed to strong, diverse central cities.

With more than $8 billion of investment in the past few years in the urban core, we are well positioned to jump ahead.” This concept was confirmed to him in a meeting with the Turner Family, who founded the Dollar General chain in Nashville with more than 16,000 variety stores nationwide. Jason remembers being told in a thick southern accent, “We didn’t want to grow like a donut; we wanted to grow like a Danish with the sweet spot in the middle.” And so the focus is on the city of St. Louis once again as the centerpiece of our region’s unified growth strategy. Like it or not, at least the direction is clear.

“While the importance of our city center has been the topic of much debate for decades, all the evidence shows that without it there is virtually no chance of growing the region. So, we now have developed our first jobs plan in more than a decade,” explains Jason.

“As Andy Taylor told me, “We have got to up our game. We have to believe change is possible.”

From the likes of it, it looks like we are well on our way. This turning point may become known as St. Louis’ Historic Act of Defragmentation. Let’s give Jason, Val, and Greater St. Louis, Inc. the best possible support of our citizens and finally accomplish what has evaded us for years. sl

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TIME TO MOVE IT OUTSIDE Written by Lou Ann Wilcox

As we spend more time at home, many of us have decided that the views from our windows are not giving us the joy we seek.

With vaccinations increasing, more safety protocols in place, and sunshine and warm weather imminent, spring 2021 promises to be a more positive time than one year ago. As we prepare to spend more time outdoors, we reached out to three notable St. Louis landscape designers and architects to learn how people are transforming their outdoor space to better accommodate their lives.

All three acknowledge that they have gotten a lot busier in the past year. “We are seeing a significant re-think in how homes are designed and how landscape interacts with the home,” says Tony Frisella Jr., a third-generation landscape designer and vice president of sales with Frisella Landscape Group. “People want to make memories and create experiences in their outdoor space -- with families, parents and grandparents. People are nostalgic for simpler times.”

Matt Moynihan, founder and principal designer at Matthew Moynihan & Associates, agrees. “The game’s changing though.

Because of our climate (extremes of hot and cold), people are used to having an indoor area with lots of glass so you feel like you are outside. Now, it is truly outdoors. Families are turning their outdoor space into entertainment areas with fireplaces, outdoor kitchens, sports courts, water features. Young home owners especially are interested in playing, cooking, and eating in outdoor areas.”

Doug Beckmann, general manager and a certified arborist with M&P Landscaping, Inc., is seeing more play space in outdoor living areas such as sport courts which are paved surfaces for things like roller hockey, basketball, and pickleball as kids are home more.

“Discretionary income that was previously spent on trips is being redirected to landscaping and outdoor living areas,” Beckmann notes. “We have worked on projects as small as building a fire pit to installing water features with some projects taking up to 18 months to complete.” Beckmann adds that the outdoor space needs to be functional as well as private, basically creating an outdoor room with privacy screening provided by masonry or carpentry structures, hardscape elements, or living green screens using various types of plant materials.

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Sunken outdoor masonry kitchen and pergola with both counter seating on one side and swim up bar on the other

by Frisella Landscape Group.

Photo by Brian Collins.

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Aerial view of the arch entrance to a raised bed garden by Frisella Landscape Group. The designer created a lighting plan for the Arch Garden that includes lighted grapevine trellises for evening ambiance and entertaining. Photo by Moses Ukah

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This water feature was created using natural materials by M&P Landscaping.

Photo by Catherine Beckmann.

Conversely, other popular projects include interactive gardens, meditation gardens, and small private spots where people can be alone outside of the house. Moynihan notes that in stressful times people respond to the harmony and clarity of their surroundings. “I refer to things like patios, driveways, pavilions, and pools as ‘hardscape’ in comparison to the natural shapes of the horticulture,” he explains. “The goal is to achieve balance via juxtaposition of the geometry of the hardscape and the fluid shapes of plantings.”

Frisella notes the importance of creating the environment that each client wants. “You have to touch the senses,” he says, “Perhaps by adding a dramatic element to the project such as artwork, outdoor lighting, or plants that smell great. It’s all part of the experience.”

Homeowners are investing in landscaping and hardscapes to create experiences so that they are happy in their homes.”

What’s next? Beckmann notes the increasing popularity of Permaculture, which is using personal landscape to sustain living gardens. “Permaculture creates a very hands-on landscape for the homeowner. It requires a lot of work and maintenance to reap the full benefits, so, if people are looking for low maintenance or a light-duty garden, it is not an option. We are seeing a lot of younger homeowners who want to substitute an edible berry bush for an ornamental plant in their landscape, for example,” says Beckmann.

“They might want to retain storm water on site and use that to irrigate plants. It needs to be the right client however. If everyone did a little of this it would make a huge difference in lessening the burden on factory farming and our food chain supply.” Frisella agrees, “Garden to table is huge. Edible gardens, incorporating edible plants along a meandering walk, and growing herbs are popular all due to the declining nutrition in grocery store food.

Chicken farming in urban settings has grown too.” Frisella notes a monstrous interest in house plants and gardening.

Beckmann also says he is getting more questions from clients about how to incorporate native and near-native plants into residential landscaping. “While this sounds good, the downside is that they are unruly. People think they are weeds and more often than not we end up digging them out after time.”

Moynihan says he also gets requests for sustainable gardens and native plants. “But you get snakes and lots of bugs including ticks which are not great for play spaces.” He recalls designing a corporate campus where he created an eight-acre prairie and then enlarged the parking lot islands so that he could extend drifts of native grasses and wildflowers across the parking lot to the building entrance. “It was beautiful. One day a woman found a snake sunning on the hood of her car. Needless to say, we modified the plantings shortly after that!”

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Matt Moynihan created a water fall pool and terraces for this hillside garden. The stone retaining walls eliminate the requirement for a pool fence which provides an unobstructed view of the native landscaped common ground.

A gazebo with reflection pool and night lighting for entertaining by Matt Moynihan.

Moynihan continues, “People’s acceptance of these types of spaces is growing however. Younger people grasp it. They are interested in rain gardens, bioswales, new ways of dealing with stormwater and drainage, no longer blowing leaves and letting them naturally mulch in. People are realizing the fragility of the environment and are learning to appreciate the aesthetics of that look.

It is a different look and a learning curve for older people.”

There are many issues that the designers and architects face that homeowners typically don’t think about when contracting for a project. “People often overlook drainage and that is becoming more and more important due to change in weather patterns,” says Beckmann. “St. Louis has had several 100-year rainstorms which have thrown things off. That much water affects the health of the plants and thus the success of the landscape.” He says they regularly seek local municipality and Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District engineers’ input when possible and needed on projects that involve challenging drainage issues on multiple properties or storm water management inlets or drains.

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Matt Moynihan collaborated with Brian Smith Gunn and Smith architects for this sculpture court yard garden featuring a lap pool, pergola and covered pavilion. Photo by Alise O’Brien.

This aerial view of a pool and seating with view of the owner’s property, by Matt Moynihan, includes shrubbery and stone walls for privacy.

Moynihan echoes this, “I recommend mowing cool season, fescue blue grass blends higher. The mower should be set to three-anda-half to four inches cutting height and mowed when it is six inches tall. You may need to cut the grass more than once a week during the growing seasons but it is worth it. The higher cutting height will help develop a healthier, dense, and deep-rooted turf with less space for weeds. When you water the lawn, deep water the soil to a depth of six inches. Irrigation controllers have cycle and soak settings that can be programmed to help you accomplish this. Frequent daily or every other day shallow depth watering promotes shallow root systems, disease, and fertilizer and chemical runoff problems.”

Moynihan says the level of maintenance required also is an issue. “Complex doesn’t work for most people. My clients usually want to do something like hide a telephone pole or a bad view and they want something low maintenance. It is important to know what they mean by that. Understanding their expectations for maintenance and making sure they have the knowledge they need to care for their space are key.”

This pool and patio constructed of natural materials by Doug Beckmann of M&P Landscaping is surrounded by lush greenery and bright summer flowers to create a calming oasis.

The rolling landscape creates a rain garden to handle water runoff near the spa, by M&P Landscaping.

Photo by Catherine Beckmann.

Circular meditation garden by M&P Landscaping.

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This water feature and fire pit with ambiance lighting was designed and installed by Frisella Landscape Group.

Greenery provides privacy.

Photo by Kim Dillon Photography.

“Educating people about what they need to know to care for their yard is part of our process,” says Frisella. “We talk to them about the right type of turf for how they will use the space, different fertilizers that are safer for kids and pets, weed control options -- all determined by each circumstance. While everybody wants nice landscaping, most aren’t interested in the maintenance. They hire us to provide maintenance services so they can spend their time enjoying their new outdoor spaces. I always ask, ‘What do you want to do yourself?’

These questions are important because their responses impact the landscape design. For the DIYers, we help the homeowners be successful at keeping their landscape looking great for years to come.”

For homeowners interested in enhancing their outdoor space, Beckmann suggests thinking big picture -- including protection for existing trees and their root zones and proper drainage in the plan. “The fun stuff -- trees and flowers -- comes toward the end of most projects,” he says. “Having a plan will allow you to complete the project in an orderly fashion over time if doing it all at once isn’t practical.” Frisella asks prospective clients to give him photos 32 slmag.net

of things they like and dislike and to have some kind of budget in mind. “Most people cannot imagine the potential of their property,” he says. “People limit themselves to what they know.”

If you’re interested in recommendations for plantings, Moynihan suggests considering our native poverty grass for your lawn “It is a perennial oat grass that matures at a five inch height. It is not invasive, does well on and prefers nutrient poor soil, thrives in sun or shade and survives drought. Also, he loves the American Pawpaw tree and Sassafras trees. “Their colors are extraordinary in the fall.”

Beckmann’s personal favorites include the Cloud 9 Dogwood (his mother’s favorite tree), the Cornelian Cherry Dogwood, and Poukhanense azaleas, which he says are more resilient in Missouri soil. His favorite shade tree is the Black Gum tree, also called the Sour Gum Tupelo (not to be confused with a Sweet Gum tree). “I prefer them over Maples for fall color.”

In conclusion, Frisella adds, “We are designing an experience that is growing, every day of every year for as long as we can foresee into the future. We want to stir an emotion – no matter the season.” sl

The Dream Room located in Golden’s Goose’s new headquarters in Milan.

DOING WHAT YOU LOVE Written by Craig Kaminer

While browsing iconic department stores and boutiques in New York during the height of the pandemic, it was clear the trend of luxury sneakers is still hot and here to stay. The handmade Italian fashion footwear line Golden Goose best reflects how people are living, working, commuting, and dressing now and for the foreseeable future. The line of distressed sneakers and bags started as a passion project of founders Francesca Rinaldo and Alessandro Gallo, a couple from Venice who were outsiders to the world of fashion. Since its inception in 2000, it has grown from a company of $20 million in sales to more than $320 million in 2020. Golden Goose expects to grow another 35 percent in 2021 and has attracted private equity from Permira, a British global investment firm, and fashion industry superstars Silvio Campara to serve as CEO and Maureen Chiquet as Chairwoman to build the global brand.

Although competing with the likes of Louis Vuitton, Prada, Gucci and Christian Louboutin, Golden Goose has emerged as a distinctively excellent Italian brand inspired by vintage fashion --

initially because the founders didn’t have the money to buy new luxury goods. Shoe prices start at $500 for men, women, and kids.

While expensive, they are roughly half the price of other luxury brand sneakers. In a world of fashion sameness, Golden Goose customers are as original as the brand; seeking creativity, authenticity and relevance to make a personal statement and reinforce the uniqueness of their identities.

According to Silvio, “Everything we do at Golden Goose goes against what I learned before I came here from Alexander McQueen and Armani. We are about scarcity, word of mouth, and making people feel relevant...not important. I was asked to not work the way I had before, not to worry about replenishment or assortment, but rather to focus exclusively on customizing the fashion and the experience for every customer. At first it was hard as it went against everything I thought I knew, but I decided I just needed to trust the vision and grow the business without changing the founding values.”

The results speak for themselves.

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Inside Golden Goose’s Milan headquarters.

What started with 17 employees is now 750 strong and the company recently moved into new headquarters in Milan. “Just like the day the company started, we still know each other, we still love each other, and we still trust each other,” Silvio adds. “Seventy percent of the employees are women, from every race and religion, and always very international. We embrace talent above all else -- the best people with the best hearts. We don’t hire the best professionals we can find because that limits our possibilities. We hire inspired people and let them focus on what makes them unique.”

According to Maureen Chiquet, former CEO of Chanel and a native St. Louisan, “Golden Goose is more than a brand. It's a family of creative, passionate, soulful, visionary people. One thing I loved about working for Chanel was the emphasis on perfection in everything they did but the one thing I love about working for Golden Goose is the emphasis on the perfect imperfection!”

With the majority of its consumers being Millennials and GenZ, the emphasis is on the individual. “We give our customers comfort and authenticity first, then cool. But the brand really caters to anyone who is passionate about life,” says the very passionate CEO. The pandemic helped Golden Goose understand the importance of their brand’s values of family first, positivity, creativity 34 slmag.net

and hope for the future. The main goal of its newest collection is to convey a positive message of hope and of a fresh start. In these times of uncertainty, creativity becomes an uplifting response.

“CREATIVITY IS THE ANSWER” became the company’s motto and a recurring sentence used extensively throughout the collection.

Going back not only to its founding values but also to the brand identity, the new collection is called ReStar, which perfectly narrates the values and the real DNA of the brand. Bold statements such as Rethink, Future, Happiness, Kindness in the Small Things, Do What You Love, and Creativity is the Answer are printed or embroidered on T-shirts and sweatshirts, embellished with jacquard or flock print on knitwear, and embroidered with studs and Swarovski crystals on leather and denim. A deep sense of freedom underlies the whole collection with its balance between easy and versatile pieces in jersey and knitwear, or in leather and denim -- all of these garments being very effective means of spreading these messages of positivity.

Images of beautiful landscapes are used in some pieces to suggest the freedom of outdoor adventure and the willingness to begin traveling again. Golden Goose artisanal craftsmanship is fully manifested in the Dream Maker collection through the use of different treatments adapted to the different categories, recreating the

Inside the Aspen Colorado boutique.

Front entrance to Houston LAB boutique.

The iconic Golden Goose lived-in look, distinctive feature of the perfect imperfection of the brand.

distinctive Golden Goose lived-in touch. To reinforce the importance of positivity, love, and being connected to each other, Golden Goose launched another initiative to encourage customers to join its creative community and work together on its designs. Believing that the energy of a collective is able to overcome any type of obstacles and that the most outstanding results can only be achieved through cooperation and co-creation, the company is inviting everyone to participate in a new activity called the “Dream Maker.”

Dream Maker challenges people’s creativity and invites them to become an active part of the design process. In order to do so, Golden Goose decided to design a few garments on which the customers can give their final touch by themselves, adding their personal twist to these pieces following some specific input and guidelines given by the design team. This ensures a desired and appropriate outcome and pushes customers’ imaginations and creativity.

For example, several T-shirts and sweatshirts come with small pieces of tape on which the customer can finish a brief sentence already written on it by adding a personal message with a colored marker that comes in a tool package included with the purchase of the garment. Other T-shirts come with numbered dots that customers can connect by embroidering through them and then

discovering the outline of the Golden star. These T-shirts come with a small kit containing colored thread to use for the embroidery. Other sweatshirts feature handsewn fabric patches on the back which the customer can decide to leave them on or remove them with the use of scissors to reveal a printed picture underneath.

All these Dream Maker garments come with a QR code on the tag. By scanning it, the customer will be redirected to a guide on how to properly customize that specific piece. The brand is asking its lovers to push their creativity to the limits and work together on some of its most memorable styles, ranging from ready-to-wear pieces to footwear and accessories.

The intertwining of ideas has always been one of the structural pillars of Golden Goose's design ethos: how the experiential pedigree of one notion or an object could develop and flourish in a completely different context, as seen or perceived through the eyes of someone else. It’s a journey of love, co-creation, and imagination.

What Golden Goose does best is bring out the emotions of their customers in all of its designs. The company’s singular focus on their customers who, above all else, are passionate about life comes through. Even if the designs are not your thing, it’s hard not to be inspired by their vision, dedication, and success. sl

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Piestewa Peak at sunrise

RAYDAR

Where to soak up the sun in Scottsdale from daybreak on Written by Bridget Williams French composer Claude Debussy is credited with writing, "There is nothing more musical than a sunset." Mother Nature struck up the band shortly after we arrived for a six-night stay in Scottsdale, during which I planned to scout the best places to bookend our day by watching the sun rise and set. It was cloudy when we checked into our first hotel—Mountain Shadows Resort—so I'd all but written off any chance of spying famous desert sunset show.

Wandering around to get the lay of the land, I happened to look outside, and the sky seemed to be on fire. We made a bee-line to a hill on the resort's short course, where I stood in awe of the colors on the horizon. My mission was off to a promising start.

From the outside, Mountain Shadows (rooms from $399/ night), which originally opened in 1959 and was quite the swinging spot in that heady era, hosting the likes of Elizabeth Taylor and John Wayne, boasts a slightly brutalist facade, giving little hint of what lies inside. Completely rebuilt in 2017, today, the resort's midcentury heart is palpable within airy and contemporary interiors infused with subtle industrial touches that add just the right amount of edge. Towering walls of glass bookend the lobby, providing an unobstructed view of a terraced lawn and onto the iconic Camelback Mountain in the distance.

There are ample areas for casual gatherings, outfitted with midcentury-inspired furnishings with exposed brass frames and upholstered in jewel-toned velvet.

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Two u-shaped wings contain 216 guest rooms and 42 condominium suites. One wing envelops the aforementioned lawn, the other, the hotel's social heart, including The Citizens Club, home to a very well-equipped fitness center and juice bar, as well as a hot tub and a pair of cabana-lined pools that stair-step the gentle slope of the land.

Immediately upon entering our spacious studio-style firstfloor room facing the garden, I was quick to notice the shower, with glass on three sides, that seemed to float in the center of the space. Moving into the bedroom, one is quick to notice that the concrete ceiling nearly doubles in height. The abstract pattern of the flat-weave rug under the bed paid homage to the region’s Native American heritage, while a colorful canvas abstraction of a mountain range on a nearby wall highlighted the property’s legacy.

Across the lawn, the second-floor Camelback Overlook is part of 37,500 square feet of indoor and outdoor event space and provides a front-row seat to the sunset. The terrace overlooks the par-3 18-hole Short Course, which promises fun and fast rounds for both beginners and pros. Arthur Jack Snyder designed the original 1961 course; it was later redesigned by Forrest Richardson, a Snyder mentee. Rounds end at Rusty's, a patio and lounge, where tradition mandates that the player with the lowest score on The Forest Wager (a bonus Hole 17.5) picks up a round of drinks.

The pool area at Mountain Shadows with Cambelback Mountain in the background.

Photo by Mark Boisclair.

Exterior of Mountain Shadows at dawn.

Photo by Mark Boisclair.

An installation at the Desert Botanical Garden

A mural at Hotel Valley Ho

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Mountain Shadows.

Photo by Mark Boisclair.

The Living Room and Bar at Hearth '61

At Hearth '61, chef Charles Wiley, named "One of the Best Hotel Chefs in America" by the James Beard Foundation, ser ves up elevated cuisine that draws inspiration from the exquisite flavors of local and organic ingredients. His exhibition-style kitchen turns out beautifully plated creations.

Coming from cold Kentucky, we opted to dine alfresco at one of several fire pits positioned near the pool. Sipping a Winter Spritzer, a seasonal spin on the Aperol Spritz, we watched as the sky transitioned from pink to dark purple, and then an inky black perforated by twinkling stars. Presented with our first course— ahi tartare accompanied by blistered shishito peppers— we pulled out our phones to take photos before digging in. I'm not a vegetarian, but the beguiling blend of ingredients proposed in the quinoa and lentil stew piqued my 38 slmag.net

Brussels Sprout Salad from Mountain Shadows' Hearth '61

interest. The colorful composition was hearty but not heavy, and left just enough room to indulge in dessert, a lemon confection encased in white chocolate.

On average, the Phoenix/Scottsdale area gets rain just 33 days per year; unfortunately, six of these happened to coincide with my visit. Rain thwarted our plans to watch the sunrise atop Camelback Mountain (the Echo Canyon trailhead is an easy one-mile walk from Mountain Shadows through the Paradise Valley neighborhood). Undeterred, we set out as soon as the skies showed signs of clearing. Be forewarned that the 4.8-mile out-and-back trail to the top of the area's highest peak is rated as extremely difficult, but in my humble opinion, the bouldering involved can bring out one's inner child, and the exertion is well worth the views. As a bonus, each time you glance up at the peak

Bacon fat heirloom popcorn from Citizen Public House

Garden Premium guest room at Mountain Shadows.

Photo by Mark Boisclair.

Taliesin West served as Frank Lloyd Wright's desert laboratory.

during your stay, you can relish in the satisfaction of knowing that you made it to the top.

The Phoenix/Scottsdale area is a mecca for urban hiking, and I found it fascinating how quickly you can go from a bustling city to what feels like the boondocks. At the McDowell Sonoran Preserve, located on Scottsdale's outer edge, there are more than 215 miles of trails for people of all abilities spread out over 35,000 acres.

Other notable and challenging hikes with rewarding views include Piestewa Peak, the second-highest point in the Phoenix Mountains; Two-Bit Peak; and, Dobbins Lookout in the South Mountains, whose Depression-era observation deck can also be accessed by car.

If you want to feel miles away without working up a sweat, a visit to the Desert Botanical Gardens is in order. Home to more than 50,000 accessioned plants through its five thematic trails, I

was genuinely surprised to learn that there was so much diversity in desert flora and fauna.

Prefer ogling structures over shrubbery? Make a reservation to tour Taliesin West, built by Frank Lloyd Wright and his apprentices in the 1930s and designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2019. Wright's home, school, and studio served as a living architectural laboratory, and the tour offers a fascinating glimpse into the golden years of the United States most famous architect. If you time your visit just right, you can cap off your day with a sunset dinner at Isabella's Kitchen. A bustling spot popular with locals, its large patio and second-floor terrace overlooks the McDowell Mountains and Grayhawk Golf Club's Talon course, home to the 2021 and 2022 NCAA Men's and Women's Golf Championships.

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Clubhouse of the Cambelback Golf Club at JW Marriott Scottsdale Camelback Inn & Spa

The spa pool at JW Marriott Scottsdale Camelback Inn & Spa

Tyner's Trail at the base of Mummy Mountain and on the 125acre JW Marriott Scottsdale Camelback Inn Resort & Spa (rooms from $299/night) requires minimal effort for maximum views, including downtown Phoenix and Camelback Mountain. Our second stop, this AAA Four Diamond property, which originally opened in 1936, and was acquired by Marriott in 1967, holds the distinction of being the first resort in Marriott's history. Guests are comfortably accommodated in 453 adobe-style casitas, some with private pools, and all of which are surrounded by impeccably manicured gardens and pathways whose colors seem even more vibrant against the sienna shades of the natural desert landscape.

Tops among the vast amenities at the resort are the 32,000 square-foot destination spa and 36 holes of championship golf at Camelback Golf Club. COVID precautions are in full effect throughout the resort; at the spa, this translates to reduced capacity, requiring a reservation to use the expansive fitness center, and wearing a mask for the duration of spa treatments. Still, an aura of respite and tranquility is maintained throughout the facility, and after so many months of isolation, a massage feels even more 40 slmag.net

Living room in a guest casita at JW Marriott Scottsdale Camelback Inn & Spa

indulgent and restorative. Those wanting to create an entire spa day can enjoy healthy and flavorful cuisine at Sprouts at the Spa, and reserve a private cabana for relaxing next to the spa pool.

There are seven distinct dining experiences on the property, many of which have outdoor patios. During our visit, the pinnacle of on-property cuisine, Lincoln Steakhouse & Bar, was still closed as a casualty of COVID. However, we still managed to indulge our yen for red meat with carne asada served with a savory chimichurri that we washed down with a signature margarita.

The area around Mountain Shadows and the JW Marriott Camelback Inn is largely residential. A notable exception is El Chorro, a local institution that's worth a short walk. Operated as a restaurant, bar, and lodge as far back as 1937, the current owner recently renovated the property, expanding the vast landscaped patio and incorporating several green-building features. What didn't change is an 80-plus year history of presenting patrons with a basket of their famous sticky buns. We took ours to go, and even two days later, warmed in the microwave, they were sinfully delicious.

An appetizer at Second Story Liquor Bar A vignette among the impeccably manicured grounds at JW Marriott Scottsdale Camelback Inn & Spa.

El Chorro has been a Scottsdale institution since 1937.

A hiking trail is never far away from wherever you are in Scottsdale.

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Hotel Valley Ho is considered to be one of the most well-preserved mid-century modern hotels in America.

The lobby at Hotel Valley Ho

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Studio guest room at Hotel Valley Ho.

In contrast, Hotel Valley Ho (rooms from $369/night) sits at the gateway to bustling Main Street in Old Town Scottsdale. Considered one of the most well-preserved mid-century modern hotels in the country, the architecture and interior design of Hotel Valley Ho takes guests on a sentimental journey to a bygone era. When it originally opened in 1956, Bing Crosby, Tony Curtis, and Zsa Zsa Gabor were among the members of the in-crowd to sign the guest registry.

Recently restored to its former glory, the property’s 241 guest rooms have punchy mid-century-inspired décor. Our tower suite boasted a full kitchen with sleek and sunny yellow lacquered cabinetry and a large terrace that provided a view of Camelback's backside.

A hub of activity, Hotel Valley Ho’s OH Pool is lined with colorful cabanas and an Instagramable "It's Always Sunny in Scottsdale," mural, which I ironically spied during a walk around the property in the rain. Lining the corridor walls leading to the VH Spa are historical photos and hotel advertisements that guide guests on an interesting walk down memory lane. A more sensory journey to far-flung locales is offered via four Jet Set spa treatments. The hammam experience is infused with savory aromatics from the Far East, while wild-harvested Arctic Berry body wrap is part of the Helsinki treatment.

With an expansive poolside terrace, ZuZu, Hotel Valley Ho's all-day restaurant, is always buzzy. The approachable menu (hello truffle fries!) is accompanied by a chic cocktail list.

Hotel Valley Ho's Old Town location provides walkable access to a host of shopping and dining experiences. Inside the clubby

Mad Men-inspired confines at Second Story Liquor Bar you'll enjoy savory, modern American cuisine. Citizen Public House blew our minds with their bacon-fat heirloom popcorn, so simple but oh so good. Equally rapturous was the guacamole at The Mission Old Town. The restaurant's beautiful and romantic interior design is a fitting complement to its modern Latin cuisine.

Knowing nothing about Arizona wines when we crossed the threshold at Merkin Vineyards' Old Town Tasting room, we were pleasantly surprised with the quality of wine produced at this familyowned winery, whose cellars are located 120-miles north in Jerome.

Wholly committed to delivering a 100% Arizona experience, grapes are grown on 100-acres in the Verde Valley and Willcox regions, and the food served to accompany tastings utilizes fruits and vegetables grown on the estate. Merkin's ground-to-glass ethos was the perfect ending to a trip heavily focused on relishing the many natural wonders found in the Valley of the Sun, even when it rains. sl RESOURCES Stay Mountain Shadows – 5445 E. Lincoln Dr., Paradise Valley, AZ 85253; mountainshadows.com / JW Marriott Scottsdale Camelback Inn Resort & Spa – 5402 E. Lincoln Dr. Scottsdale, AZ 85253; camelbackinn.com / Hotel Valley Ho – 6850 E. Main St., Scottsdale, AZ 85251; hotelvalleyho.com Satiate Citizen Public House – 7111 E. 5th Ave. Suite E, Scottsdale, AZ 85251; citizenpublichouse.com / El Chorro5550 E. Lincoln Dr., Paradise Valley, AZ 85253; elchorro.com / Isabella's Kitchen – 8623 E. Thompson Peak Parkway, Scottsdale, AZ Merkin Vineyards' Old Town Tasting Room – 7133 E. Stetson Dr. Suite #4, Scottsdale, AZ 85251; merkinoldtownscottsdale.com / Second Story Liquor Bar – 4166 N. Scottsdale Road, Scottsdale, AZ 85251; secondstoryliquorbar.com / The Herb Box – 7051 E. Fifth Ave. Unit 1, Scottsdale, AZ, 85251; herbbox.com / The Mission Old Town – 3815 N. Brown Ave., Scottsdale, AZ 85253; themissionaz.com See Desert Botanical Garden – 1201 N. Galvin Parkway, Phoenix, AZ 85008; dbg.org / McDowell Sonoran Preserve – mcdowellsonoran.org / Piestewa Peak Summit Trail – 2701 E. Squaw Peak Dr. / South Mountain Park & Preserve / Dobbins Lookout – 10919 S. Central Ave., Phoenix, AZ 8502 / Taliesin West – 12621 N. Frank Lloyd Wright Blvd., Scottsdale, AZ 85259; franklloydwright.org / Two-Bit Peak Trail – 9200 N. 40th St.

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GARDENS OF DELIGHT GARDENS OF DELIGHT

Clockwise from top left: Peacock brooch by Picchiotti (picchiotti.it). Lydia Courteille blue chrysocolla butterfly brooch ($38,135; lydiacourteille.com). Anita Ko palm leaf diamond bracelet ($29,350; anitako.com). Emerald and diamond green rhodium flower ring from Graziela ($9,900; grazielagems.com). Opposite page: Evening gown from Zara Umrigar's Wonderland S/S 2021 collection (zaraumrigar.com).

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Clockwise from top left: Ludus Love Token from Ana Katarina ($5,715; anakatarina.com). Anemone lapis necklace from Pamela Love ($320; pamelalove.com). Wild Garden necklace from Wendy Yue ($63,300; wendyyue.com). East-West olive branch necklace with blue sapphires ($110; girlupcollection.com). Hand carved turquoise flower bangle from Dima Jewelry ($2,050; dimajewellery.com). Peony + Stem earrings from Nak Armstrong ($6,350; nakarmstrong.com). Gold filigree butterfly earrings from Ben Bridge Jeweler ($399; benbridge.com).

Swallow stud earrings from Atman Sarkisyan ($8,270; armansarkisyan). Opposite page: Yellow gold Swell rings from Emily P. Wheeler (from $4,200; emilypwheeler.com).

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Clockwise from top left: Rose gold Hawthorn bracelet from Colette ($13,980; colettejewelry.com). Biwa pearl bloom earrings from Pacharee (from $600; pacharee.com). Diamond flower stud earrings from EF Collection (from $488; efcollection.com). Bea Bongiasca enamel and amethyst ring (en.beabongiasca.com). Protea cocktail ring from Meadowlark ($525; meadowlarkjewellery.com). Opposite page: Two-piece designed by Zara Umrigar (price upon request; zaraumrigar.com).

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The tasting room at Cakebread Cellars.

Photo by Rocco Ceselin.

PERFECTLY PAIRED

Cakebread Cellars carries on the legacy of its trailblazing co-founder with women in leadership positions and a robust culinary program.

Written by Chloe Gellar

Dolores Cakebread co-founded Cakebread Cellars, one of Napa Valley's most prominent wineries, in 1973 with Jack, her husband, and her high-school sweetheart. Having celebrated both her 90th birthday and 70th wedding anniversary shortly before her death this past October, Dolores leaves behind a legacy as a trailblazer in an industry in which women once took a backseat to men.

As early as the 1980s, Dolores was championing a culinary approach to wine, launching Cakebread's "American Harvest Workshop," one of the first initiatives in the United States to pair food and wine with a focus on local, seasonal ingredients. Further supporting the integration of food and wine, Dolores was the driving force behind the wineries' famous fruit and vegetable garden that still greets guests today. She also worked with Cakebread's Culinary Director Brian Streeter to create wine-pairing cookbooks.

The same year Dolores co-founded Cakebread, MaryAnn Graf became the first woman to be named head winemaker at a California winery. According to on-going research by Lucia Albine Gilbert and John C. Gilbert, in 2020, only fourteen-percent of the more than 4,200 wineries in California reported having a female lead winemaker, up from 10% two years prior. Speaking to these female professionals' proficiency, twenty-percent of the California wineries listed in Wine & Spirits Magazine's Top 100 Wineries were led by women winemakers in 2019 and 2020. The Gilbert's have published their research at womenwinemakers.com.

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Family-owned Cakebread Cellars is among those who have selected a woman to lead the winemaking program, which encompasses 15 sites and 584 acres under vine across all of Napa Valley. As the head winemaker, Stephanie Jacobs has made sustainability a pillar in her practice. Just the fourth winemaker in the winery's history, she is the second consecutive woman to hold the position. Joining Cakebread in 2004 as an enologist, Stephanie has been integral in establishing and maintaining Cakebread Cellars' status as a "Napa Green Certified Winery" – a distinction the winery has held for over ten years. The winery is additionally certified as Fish Friendly and participates in the Certified California Sustainable Winegrowing program.

Stephanie is continuously finding innovative ways to practice sustainable winemaking.

Continuing Dolores' legacy during the pandemic, Cakebread Cellars has devised a unique series of on-going virtual programming that allows fans of the winery to sip, click, and connect in lieu of in-person tastings. Participants order a cooking class tasting kit in advance of a live cooking demonstration via Zoom with Executive Chef Brian Streeter. For more information on upcoming events, visit cakebread.com/virtual.

To whet your appetite, Chef Streeter shared his recipe for Dungeness Crab Cakes, which he recommends pairing with a 2018 Cakebread Cellars Napa Valley Chardonnay. sl

The tasting room at Cakebread Cellars.

Photo by Rocco Ceselin.

The Cakebread Family with the late Dolores Cakebread.

Photo by Alexander Rubin.

Winemaker Stephanie Jacobs.

Photo by Alexander Rubin. (flavorpaper.com)

Dungeness Crab Cakes Serves 4 to 6 Ingredients 1 lb. crabmeat, picked over for shells 1.5 c. fresh bread crumbs 1 stalk celery, finely minced (1/2 cup) 1 green onion, finely minced (1/4 cup) ¼ c. mayonnaise 1 T. fresh lemon juice 1 T. chopped flat-leaf parsley 2 tsp. Dijon mustard ½ tsp. Worcestershire ¼ tsp. Tabasco sauce 2 eggs, separated Extra virgin olive oil 1 lemon, cut into wedges

Preparation Combine the crabmeat, bread crumbs, celery, green onion, mayonnaise, lemon juice, parsley, mustard, Worcestershire, Tabasco, and egg yolks in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk the egg whites until stiff peaks form. Fold the egg whites into the crab mixture. Shape 1/3 cup of the crab mixture into a 2-inch-wide patty. Repeat with the rest of the mixture. Add enough olive oil to fill a large nonstick skillet 1/4-inch deep. Heat over medium-high heat. Add the crab cakes in a single layer, and cook for 3 to 4 minutes per side, until golden brown. Arrange on a serving platter and serve with the lemon wedges.

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Of Note... Making A Scene

Compiled by Colin Dennis

This page, clockwise from top left: Isidore Leroy Abracadabra mural (isidoreleroy.com). Cranes removable wallpaper from Tempaper (tempaper.com). Zephyr wallpaper mural by Nina Marika Tarnowski for Woodchip and Magnolia (woodchipandmagnolia.co.uk). Opposite page: Verrio Sky wallpaper by Cole and Son (cole-and-son.com). Catherine Rowe Designs Orange Grove wallpaper (catherinerowedesigns.com). SY-252 Addington Blue hand-painted scenic wallpaper from Gracie (graciestudio.com). Cipressa wall covering from Arte International (arte-international.com/en). Flavor Paper, Everland by DFC & David Franco. (flavorpaper.com).

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THE ULTIMATE M5 BMW's new 2022 M5 CS Sedan is the company's quickest and most powerful production vehicle ever.

Written by Andre James / Photography courtesy of BMW USA A limited-production super sedan only available for the 2022 model year, the 2022 M5 CS Sedan builds on the capabilities of M5, which itself was updated for the 2021 model year. The four-passenger seating configuration, with M carbon sport seats in the front and two individual bucket seats in the rear, is a first for the M5 variant.

The simple formula of increasing power and cutting weight elevates performance and dynamics for both street and track driving. The S63 4.4-liter M TwinPower Turbo V8 delivers 627hp, an increase of 10hp over the Competition model. High levels of power and torque and working through the 8-speed M Steptronic automatic transmission with Drivelogic and the M xDrive allwheel-drive system, the M5 CS reaches 60 mph in just 2.9 seconds, 0.2 seconds quicker than the M5 Competition model.

The top speed with the standard M Driver's Package is 190 mph.

To help drivers hone and harness all that power, the M Driver's Package also includes a voucher for BMW driver training.

The eight-speed M Steptronic transmission provides extraordinarily short shift times and fast, precise responses to the accelerator's input. Simultaneously, the dual-branch, electric flapcontrolled sport exhaust system, with quad stainless-steel tips, fitted to the M5 CS, amplifies and enhances the V8's soundtrack while giving the option for quieter operation when necessary. The exhaust tone's characteristics are changed depending on the selected mode – EFFICIENT, SPORT, or SPORT+. Additionally, the M Sound button can soften the exhaust tone for a more understated note.

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Pressing the SETUP button positioned takes the driver to the 12.3-inch central display's menu for programming an individual configuration for the powertrain and chassis options (ROAD, TRACK, and SPORT modes). Simplified operation using the touchscreen display or iDrive Controller makes it easy to choose different engine, suspension, steering, and M xDrive system settings. The two red-painted M1 and M2 buttons next to the gearshift paddles on the M Alcantara steering wheel enable quick changes between setups.

Exclusive exterior appointments include a unique gold bronze finish on the BMW kidney grille surround, the model badging, and the 20-inch forged alloy wheels. A striking feature of L-shaped light tubes within the Adaptive LED headlights is the application of racing-inspired yellow instead of standard white.

The M5 CS represents the first application of red calipers with BMW Carbon ceramic brakes.

Notable inside the cabin are seats clad in black Merino leather with Mugello red accents and contrasting red stitching.

Imprinted on all four is a map of Nurburgring's Nordschleife, one of two circuits at the legendary race track, and where the M5 CS was put through its paces during development.

Scheduled to arrive at dealerships later this year, those interested in reserving a BMW M5 CS Sedan from this limited run, which will have a starting price of $142,995, can inquire online at bmwusa.com. sl

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Pebble Beach Tour d'Elegance

BACK IN THE DRIVER'S SEAT While some event organizers have chosen to focus on 2022, several Concours across the country are making ambitious plans for the show to go on in 2021.

Written by Andre James Car enthusiasts are a convivial and generous lot. When they come together at picturesque locations across the country for a Concours d'Elegance, a high-brow motoring show and tell, these gearheads, collectors, aficionados, and admirers make a significant impact on the charitable interests of the host city. Even without an event in 2020, the storied Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance still managed to distribute more than $1million to its local charity partners.

"Since its beginning, the Pebble Beach Concours has had two goals," said Pebble Beach Concours Chairman Sandra Button, "to celebrate great cars and to raise money for people in need. We are proud to have raised almost $30 million for our local charity partners since the inception of the event in 1950."

While the pandemic has conditioned us to enter dates into our calendars using a pencil rather than permanent ink, we've rounded up a list of domestic car shows that, as of press time, are scheduled to take place in 2021.

April 25: Benedict Castle Concours, Riverside CA; crossroadscarshows.com 30-May 2: The Greenbrier Concours d'Elegance, White Sulphur Springs, WV; greenbrierconcours.com Held on a picturesque show field with The Greenbrier's iconic front entrance as a backdrop, this year, a special Movie Cars class will feature big-screen favorites like ECTO-1 from Ghostbusters and Boss Hogg's Cadillac from Dukes of Hazzard. Special awards pay homage to the resort's historical legacy and roster of famous guests, 56 slmag.net

including the Princess Grace Award (Most Elegant Open Car), the Dorothy Draper Award (Most Stylish Interior, Selected by Carleton Varney), and the Sam Snead Award (Best Country Club Car).

May 20-23: Amelia Island Concours d'Elegance, Amelia Island, FL; ameliaconcours.org Now in its third decade, the Amelia Island event is considered among the top motoring events in the world, drawing more than 300 rare vehicles to the show field at the Golf Club at Amelia Island. Special events on the days leading up to the Concours on May 23rd include a "Guardians of Porsche Wine Maker's Dinner" on May 20, a McLaren Dinner on May 21, and seminars on Chevy Thunder and the Porsche 935.

28-30: Sandhills Motoring Festival, Pinehurst, NC; sandhillsmotoringfestival.com Initiated in 2018 by members of the Porsche Club and Mercedes Benz Clubs pf America, this Memorial Day weekend event draws more than 150 entrants and motoring enthusiasts with events including a Southern BBQ, a road rally, hangar party, a show in the Village of Pinehurst, and an awards dinner.

June 11-13: Cincinnati Concours d'Elegance, Cincinnati, OH; ohioconcours.com The longest continually running Concours outside of the West Coast and the 4th longest in the United States, the 43rd annual

New York City Concours

event will be held in picturesque and historic Ault Park, where a classic pavilion overlooking the show field of 200 premier collector vehicles.The show has the distinction of introducing several innovations, including the first regular classes of motorcycles (2000) and Asian collector cars (2006). Special events include a countryside tour, hangar party, craft beer garden, brunch at the pavilion, and the William Sherman Automotive Art Show.

July 10: Concours d'Elegance at Copshaholm, South Bend, IN; concoursatcopshaholm.org This third-annual event will be held on the grounds of the Studebaker National Museum. If you have a budding car enthusiast, be sure to sign them up for the Hagerty Junior Judging program.

17: Keeneland Concours d'Elegance, Lexington, KY; keenelandconcours.com Benefiting the University of Kentucky Children's Hospital, the show field is laid out among mature shade trees on the lawn in front of Keeneland's Keene Barn.

23-25: Concours d'Elegance of America, Plymouth, MI; concoursusa.org A distinguished car selection committee upholds a four-decade history of showcasing the most magnificent motoring icons on the lawns surrounding the historic Inn at St. John's. Evolving like other

great motoring shows into a multi-day lifestyle event has allowed it to contribute more than $5 million to charitable organizations.

August 12: Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion, Salinas, CA; WeatherTechRaceway.com When the 2021 Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion kicks off for four days on August 12 at Monterey County's WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, several driver and fan favorites will be on the grid.

Adding to the anticipation will be the first time a dedicated historic Indy Car group, which originally competed between 1963 and 1978, will be racing at the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion. The Indy Cars will be complemented by two wildly disparate groups: the thundering historic Trans-Am cars from the "pony car" era of 1966 to 1972 and the high-revving historic Formula One cars that competed on the international stage between 1966 and 1985.

13: The Quail, A Motorsports Gathering, Carmel, CA; peninsula.com/en/signature-events/events/motorsports One of the most exclusive motoring events on the calendar for eighteen years, The Quail, A Motorsports Gathering has provided an unparalleled and exclusive experience for motorsports enthusiasts and collectors from around the world to enjoy rare collections of fine automobiles and motorcycles in a garden-party setting on the rolling greens of Quail Lodge & Golf Club. Admission includes access to five gourmet culinary pavilions, as well as caviar, oysters, fine wines, specialty cocktails, champagne, and more.

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Lamborghini display at The Quail, A Motorsports Gathering, in 2019

Bugatti stand at the 2019 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance

Bentley Centenary Parade at the 2019 Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion.

Photo by Kelly Serfoss.

15: Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance, Pebble Beach, CA; pebblebeachconcours.net Seventy years back, on November 5, 1950, the first Pebble Beach Road Race took place — and the Pebble Beach Concours was born with it. To mark this historic event, event organizers invited Derek Hill to retrace the old road race course driving the very same Jaguar XK120 that his father Phil had driven to victory 70 years prior. Three more drivers and four more cars would record overall wins in the Pebble Beach Road Races before the tree-lined course proved to be too dangerous, and a new circuit was built to host them at Laguna Seca beginning in 1957. The Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance, will gather all five of the winning cars on the 18th fairway of Pebble Beach Golf Links, alongside many past Best of Show winners from the Concours to mark its 70th celebration.Additional features and special classes will pay tribute to early electric cars, 90 Years of Pininfarina, Porsche 917, Early Electric Vehicles, Talbot-Lago Grand Sport, Iso Rivolta, Miller, and cars of the Carrera Panamericana.

21: Morgan Adams Concours d’Elegance, Denver, CO; morganadamsconcours.org Sold out year-after-year, this event brings together one-of-a-kind vintage vehicles, one-off assembly automobiles, custom private jets, 58 slmag.net

extraordinary vintage aircraft, and a moveable feast presented by some of the area's top restaurants. Proceeds from the event benefit The Morgan Adams Foundation, which is dedicated to improving the quality of life of children diagnosed with pediatric brain tumors and other rare cancers.

22: Geneva Concours d’Elegance, Geneva, IL; genevaconcours.net Special classes at the 2021 Geneva Concours, a leafy community located 32 miles west of Chicago in the Fox River Valley, include early autos built in the Chicago area, the 100th birthday of the Duesenberg, and the 60th birthday of the Austin Mini Cooper.

28: Carmel Artomobilia, Carmel, IN; artomobilia.org A unique convergence of art and autos, this annual event takes place on the streets of the Carmel Arts & Design District. Other weekend events include SHIFT, a unique driving experience for an eclectic group of auto collectors, and the REVOLANTÉ gala at THE Bridgewater Club.

September 3-5: Virginia Festival of the Wheel, Charlottesville, VA; vafestivalofthewheel.com Held at the Boar's Head Resort in Charlottesville, proceeds from the event support the UVA Cancer Center Patient Assistance Fund.

The Ault Park show field at the 2019 Cincinnati Concours d’Elegance. Photo by Tony Bailey.

1931 Bentley 8-liter wins top ‘Best of Show’ award at the 2019 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance Class winner at the 2020 Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance. Photo by Deremer Studios.

The 1972 Miura P400 SV, chassis #3673, best in class winner at the 2019 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance.

10-12: Radnor Hunt Concours d’Elegance, Edgemont, PA Bringing together classic cars and the world of horses and fox hunting, it is held at the Radnor Hunt in the countryside of Chester County.

A marketplace at the event features motoring and lifestyle vendors.

18: New York City Concours, New York, NY; nycconcours.com The event's location, the Rooftop at Pier 17 in Manhattan's Seaport District, gives it the distinction of being the world's first day-to-night rooftop Concours. A lifestyle event that melds motoring with art, music, fashion, and entertainment, proceeds will benefit the Madison Square Boys & Girls Club.

18-19: Huntington Beach Concours d'Elegance, Huntington Beach, CA; hbconcours.org This 35th annual family-friendly event will be held over two days at Central Park in Huntington Beach. Since its founding, this volunteer-run event has raised more than $900,000 in support of the Huntington Beach Public Library.

17-19: Vail Automotive Classic, Vail, CO; vailautmotiveclassic.com This 12th annual event will welcome show cars to the streets of Lionshead Village.

30-October 3: Audrain Newport Concours & Motor Week, Newport, RI; audrainconcours.com In 2019, more than 70,000 visitors participated in a weeklong series of event hosted at some of Newport's most notable locations; the historic mansions of Bellevue Avenue, the International Tennis Hall of Fame, the Audrain Automobile Museum, the Redwood Library and Athenaeum, the National Museum of American Illustration, the Newport Pell Bridge, and local city and state parks. The bespoke Best in Show trophy pays homage to Willie K. Vanderbilt, his 1900 Daimler Phoenix, and the origins of Newport's profound automotive history.

October 23-24: Greenwich Concours d'Elegance, Greenwich, CT; greenwichconcours.com Owned and produced by Hagerty, this 25th annual event has added new "hands on the wheel" experiences for 2021 in addition to time-honored traditions such as the Grand Tour and Waterfront Party. Featured classes for 2021 will include Ford vs.

GM, Lancia, 100 Years of Duesenberg, 70 Years of Allard, Right Coast Rods, Vintage SUVs, 120 Years of Indian, and 100 Years of Moto Guzzi. sl

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GOING FOR GOLD IN SILVER LAKE VILLAGE The newly opened Goldener Hirsch Residences are a modern marvel on the mountain.

Written by Bridget Williams

The snowfall seemed to have a sedative effect on an already sleepy village. Breaking the silence, an army of Snowcats were hard at work on nearby Bald Mountain. Diffused by the glittery flakes, their headlights reminded me of ethereal beams cast by an expedition submarine as it traverses the depths of the ocean floor. A sentiment likely inspired by the fact that I was watching the scene unfold from the edge of a glass-walled hot tub that cantilevers over the side of the rooftop at the newly opened wing of the Goldener Hirsch in Park City, Utah’s Silver Lake Village.

Having just opened in mid-December of last year, we were the first people to stay in the handsomely appointed studio room, making the oft lauded “new car smell” a distant second to “new hotel smell”. The 40 residences in the new wing, ranging in size from 570 to 3,720-square-feet, are connected to the iconic Goldener Hirsch Inn— the only family-owned luxury hotel in Deer Valley— via a Bridge Plaza that provides a spacious mountain view outdoor gathering space.

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In contrast to the 20-room Inn’s dominant Bavarian influences, the architecture of the $120 million expansion, designed by the vaunted firm Olson Kundig, is decidedly modern, rendered in steel, glass, and faux bois concrete walls. Todd-Avery Lenahan of TAL Studio, whose work has been described as “cinematic,” conceived the interior design. In the lobby level, where fireplaces bookend a pair of seating areas, a beguiling blend of touchstones from bygone eras are filtered through a contemporary lens. Surveying the space, I took on a directorial role, envisioning myself as a silver screen siren in this chic environment, complete with pin curls, a bias cut silk sheath dress, and looking wistfully at the camera while lounging, martini in hand, on the sleek moss-colored sofa.

Lenahan’s ability to ricochet from a flair for the dramatic to a proficient eye for placidity was evident in our spacious studio room. Boasting a largely neutral color palette, white oak paneling dressed the wall behind both the bed and a sinuous cream-colored

sofa that anchored the seating area near a floor-to-ceiling window.

Artwork, both paintings and black and white photography, nodded to Austria’s alpine landscape. After a day on the slopes, I much appreciated the bathroom’s soaking tub and steam shower.

On-property amenities include an eye-popping ski-prep room designed in black and white with impactful pops of red.

With on-snow ski storage at the base of the mountain, guests don’t have to trek their gear back and forth. The 2,026-acre Deer Valley Ski Resort is one of a handful of properties in the United States that doesn’t allow snowboarding. As a bad skier on a good day, the one-on-one coaching from a ski school pro, one of the largest in the country, as well as ample beginner runs, certainly increased my confidence, and kept me amply occupied while my better half schussed steeper slopes. Even with six mountain peaks and 21 chairlifts, it’s essential to plan ahead for skiing as Deer Valley caps the number of lift tickets sold each day to maintain

optimal social distancing. After a day on the slopes, we were elated to find a plate of warm cookies waiting for us when we returned to the room.

While I reveled in the modern marvelousness of the expansion, it’s well worth a trip across the Bridge Plaza for dinner at the Bavarian-influenced Goldener Hirsch Restaurant. Here, classic Austrian dishes meet the best of what’s fresh and local. Beginning with fondue, a traditional Swiss winter meal, we moved on to wiener schnitzel and a stunningly plated Utah lamb loin with lingonberries, which are native to Scandinavia.

Another cheesy Swiss classic—raclette—is the star of the show at nearby Empire Canyon Lodge’s winter-only Fireside Dining restaurant. Made in the traditional fashion in front of a stone fireplace, the restaurant reportedly goes through 700 wheels of cheese every winter; the simple deliciousness of warm melted cheese is a reminder that food needn’t be fussy to be fabulous.

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Raclette at Fireside Dining Restaurant

The Goldener Hirsch Restaurant

The Ski Locker at the Goldener Hirsch

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Grappa Restaurant

In the traditional manufacture of mezcal, a giant stone wheel is used to pulverize the cooked agave to create a pulp.

Tubing at Woodward Park City

The Goldener Hirsch provides complimentary on-call shuttle service in Deer Valley and to Main Street in Park City, which is less than three miles away. As easy as Uber, we used the app and never had to wait more than a few minutes for our ride to arrive. For an even more elevated experience and great insider information, hire private transport through Four Seasons Concierge.

While wandering Main Street, we stopped into Gorsuch and overheard a salesgirl making her pitch: “We are a store of wants, not needs.” By the end of the day, I’d done my part to support the local economy, returning to the hotel with a shopping bag full of wants.

We fueled our retail therapy with lunch at High West Distillery & Saloon, operating out of a historic livery stable and garage. More than one person had recommended The Burger, a delectable blend of Nimon ranch short rib and bison, and we were glad we heeded their advice. At Grappa, opened in 1992 and located in a former boarding house, the eccentricities inherent in an old house make for intimate and unique dining spaces. We went all-in on the Italian offerings. After shamelessly indulging

in grappa antipasto, spaghetti arrabbiata, and pistachio affogato, I debated walking the few miles uphill back to the resort!

A fun day trip that’s ideal for families and open year-round is Woodward Park City. Opened in 2019, it’s an action sports facility encompassing skating, BMX, trampolining, skateboarding, skiing, liftassisted mountain biking, snowboarding, and tubing (the only place for tubing in Park City). After struggling on skis, I have to admit that it was quite a treat to effortlessly glide down the hill in an innertube.

Each evening, almost on cue, a gentle snow shower coincided with our post-dinner stroll through Silver Lake Village. Catching an ephemeral flake on my fingertip, I marveled at its fleeting form.

Just like the Residences at the Goldener Hirsch, its architectural uniqueness is a thing of beauty. sl RESOURCES Getting Around Canyon Transportation – canyontransport.com / Four Seasons Concierge – fsparkcity.com Stay The Goldener Hirsch Inn & Residences – 7570 Royal St., Park City, UT; goldenerhirschinn.com Play Deer Valley Resort – deervalley.com / Visit Park City – visitparkcity.com / Woodward Park City – 3863 Kilby Rd., Park City, UT; woodwardparkcity.com Dine Fireside Dining – 9200 Marsac Ave. #306, Park City, UT; deervalley.com / Goldener Hirsch Restaurant – 7570 Royal St., Park City, UT; goldenerhirschinn.com / Grappa – 151 Main Street, Park City, UT; grapparestaurant.com / High West Distillery & Saloon – 703 Park Ave., Park City, UT; highwest.com

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PURPLE REIGN Amethyst rules Derived from the ancient Greek word amethustos, meaning sober, amethysts have intoxicated many a royal eye as evidenced by their presence in royal collections worldwide, from ancient Egypt to the British crown jewels.

Add a regal touch to your everyday ensembles with a selection of amethyst pieces that caught our eye.

Compiled by Bridget Williams

Clockwise from top left: Adorned necklace from Anthony Lent ($34,500; anthonylent.com). Amethyst Eve ring from Samantha Tea (samanthatea.com). David Yurman Cable Classic Collection bracelet with amethyst and yellow gold ($825; davidyurman.com). Amethyst Jelly Munchkin pendant and cable chain necklace from Bondeye Jewelry ($850; bondeyejewelry. com). Akoya pearl and tanzanite cocktail ring from Assael (assael.com). Jennifer DeMoro 1120 007 v2 Ameth. Rush Jewelry Design Icon Victoire earrings (rushjewelrydesign.com).

Enamel Frame gemstone studs from Sarah Hendler ($4,750; sarahhendler.com). UVA drop amethyst earrings from Deborah Pagani ($9,500; deborahpagani.com). Double Full amethyst ring from Nouvel Heritage ($4,800; nouvelheritage.com). Sapphire ring from Vram (vramjewelry.com).

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DON’T JUST LIST YOUR HOME, SELL IT!

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1. 1203 DEVONWORTH DRIVE Sold in Town & Country, $2,995,000 2. 30 DUNLEITH Sold in Ladue with multiple offers, above listing price, $1,329,000 3. 16 DROMARA Sold in Ladue with 0 days on the market until under contract, $2,190,000 4. 48 WOODCLIFFE Sold in Ladue, $1,329,00 5. 120 LINDEN Sold in Clayton, $3,750,000, represented buyers 6. 26 UPPER LADUE Sold in Ladue, $2,999,000, represented buyers 7. 10 HUNTLEIGH TRAILS Sold in Huntleigh with multiple offers, above listing price, $1,749,000

CONTACT JULIE LANE FOR A CONFIDENTIAL LISTING PRESENTATION TODAY! Learn more at julielanerealestate.com. julie@ julielanerealestate.com 314.303.6504 janet mcafee inc.

9889 clayton road saint louis, missouri 63124 314.997.4800

THE MAKING OF A GENIUS CLUSTER Written by Jordan Palmer / Photo by Joe Martinez

There is just something about St. Louis. Many never leave and many who do either find their way back or continue to hold their hometown close to their heart. It could be friends and family, the high school they went to, the sports teams, or just the memories, but something about this town continues to pull us all in.

Nostalgia aside, St. Louis has a new momentum, and some would say it comes from those St. Louisans who refuse to give up on their hometown and see a vision for the city that makes sense for real, relevant reasons, and not just hometown pride.

St. Louisan Jim McKelvey is part of that new momentum.

“It’s my home town but I did not appreciate it until I left,” said McKelvey. “I’ve lived in Washington, D.C., London, San Francisco, Florida, and even Tokyo. In all cases I found it tough to build anything in those cities. In those places it was too hard and too expensive. I then realized I wanted to be part of St. Louis because it is an industrial city, I like the people, and it’s my home.”

From his home away from home inside the Third Degree Glass Factory, McKelvey has put his thoughts and resources to looking at St. Louis in a new way. “As I sit here on Delmar looking north, looking at structures that need help, I can’t but think of the great potential of the entire area,” said McKelvey. “I’m disappointed St. Louis has lost ground and its vibrancy. I want to bring it back.”

And McKelvey is a man of his word but it took plenty of reallife experiences to get him there.

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Beginning back in 1989, McKelvey and a team of engineers from Washington University founded Mira, a digital document viewing system, in St. Louis. By 1996, he had teamed with friend and future co-founder of Twitter, Jack Dorsey, to release one of the first-ever commercial systems for online submission management.

McKelvey, an avid glass blower, launched Third Degree Glass Factory in 2002 with partner Doug Auer. The studio brought back to life an old car dealership building from the 1930s on Delmar. This redevelopment would spark McKelvey’s interest in the area as well as his desire to expand opportunities in St. Louis.

In 2009, after losing a substantial glass sale because Third Degree did not accept American Express credit cards, McKelvey envisioned a better way to connect businesses, consumers, phones, and credit cards. A phone call with his old friend Dorsey led the two to launch Square®, which has become a leader in financial services technology.

“Square started here in St. Louis. Two St. Louis boys,” said McKelvey proudly.

San Francisco made sense for the company’s headquarters with Silicon Valley so close and its abundance of available programmers. But McKelvey soon realized two things: the cost of living in cities like San Francisco or New York could make a city like St. Louis more attractive to entrepreneurs but St. Louis lacked a pool of technical talent to compete.

“We created LaunchCode in St. Louis in 2013,” said McKelvey.

“We wanted to provide a local answer to the shortage of programmers and create a local supply. This would help St. Louis companies get the talent we need to be successful and survive.”

McKelvey’s nonprofit offers free tech education and job placement for a new generation of programmers and anyone interested in the tech field. Located just down the street from Third Degree, LaunchCode has changed the landscape of St. Louis’ technical infrastructure and continued McKelvey’s quest to grow his hometown.

In an interview with St. Louis Public Radio in 2017, McKelvey told the story of how he utilized a place called the TechShop in Menlo Park, California, when he was making the first prototypes for Square and perfecting its mobile payment technology. TechShop is what is known as a “makespace” where “makers” can create in a workspace and use tools they normally would not be able to access.

His experiences there led him to become a supporter of the company when TechShop announced it was opening a location in St. Louis. But less than a year after opening, the entire company filed for bankruptcy. Guess who stepped up?

“I immediately contacted Dennis Lower who ran Cortex and Doug Auer who runs Third Degree and said, ‘guys, we’ve got to save this,’” McKelvey told St. Louis Public Radio.

McKelvey and his team are working to turn St. Louis into a city that welcomes makers and artists. “Clay, wood, glass, painting, the culinary arts -- all are welcome,” said McKelvey. “The loose version is that many first-tier cities have become unlivable for artists and craftsmen due to cost. So, I’m telling people to come here.”

This thinking has led McKelvey to envision even more growth for what he calls the “Bridge District” -- the area on Delmar between Union Blvd. and Kingshighway, where he says, “makers have a home.”

“I think it’s going to be a genius cluster for makers. Where the world-class knitter will work with a world-class glass blower just feet away. They can discuss projects and perhaps create a collaboration that would never have happened otherwise,” said McKelvey.

In 2018, McKelvey once again doubled down on his hometown. Square announced an expansion into the Cortex Innovation Community space, bringing 300 jobs to St. Louis.

“Square is proud to be from St. Louis and thrilled to expand our presence here, where we’ve exceeded our growth expectations thanks to the wealth of local talent,” McKelvey told Mayor Lyda Krewson.

Less than a year later, McKelvey and Square’s commitment to St. Louis grew even further when it was announced Square was moving into the St. Louis Post-Dispatch building. “We’ve committed $100 million to this project because I want our hometown to have this.” McKelvey’s move is expected to bring 3,000 new jobs to downtown and he believes it could be the catalyst for downtown’s revitalization.

“We have the talent. We will have people living in St. Louis, earning $100,000, and living really well. That same amount isn’t going to get you anywhere in other cities,” said McKelvey.

“These new workers will enjoy a lifestyle in St. Louis that will be far superior.”

Looking ahead to the future, McKelvey is optimistic on many levels. “I’m excited that the Black Lives Matters movement has really started a conversation about our racial problems. We are talking about things we’ve ignored. Talking about them is good.”

He’s especially optimistic about St. Louis continuing to be a leader in the financial technology world. According to McKelvey, St. Louis has the second highest concentration of financial technology platforms in the U.S. “If you take Stifel, Wells Fargo, and about 10 other major companies here, we have a unique advantage as a place to locate start-ups. If you’re going to build a FinTech company, this is the place to do it when compared to New York City. The math is just right.”

McKelvey, in his own way, is a megaphone for his hometown as a place where the ‘everyman’ can find a great job, make a good living, raise a family, and live a nice life. “It’s a city that really is affordable, has deep cultural roots, world class museums and educational systems, and is accessible when compared to other cities,” said McKelvey. “It’s a nice place to live, but it’s a great place to level up.” sl

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a place for everything

free estimates | 314.781.9000 | stlouisclosetco.com

Steve and Will Smith, Photo by Joe Martinez

FATHER + SON SEE EYE-TO-EYE

By Craig Kaminer

St. Louis is certainly known for its family businesses, but few ever make it to the third or fourth generation -- often because of their success. The next generation often have the financial freedom and intellectual curiosity to start something new and leave the family business to professional management, repair the world with a nonprofit, or do nothing. What makes this father and son story so interesting is that without the pandemic, the Smith story may have ended this way too. Instead Steve Smith (64) and his son Will Smith (28) have started a new business together built on the Smiths’ multi-generation entrepreneurial spirit in architecture, construction, contracting, and real estate. Steve’s success as an architect and principal of Lawrence Group, with dozens of successful real estate ventures and a passion for St. Louis, could have been the end of the line. But as luck would have it, the timing is perfect for Will to place St. Louis at the top of his list of places he wants to help grow.

And together, Steve and Will are betting that others feel the same.

Steve has always been ahead of his time. He grew his firm, Lawrence Group, downtown while others were heading west. He invested time and money in historic rehab when it was fashionable to do so and while it wasn’t. He embraced contemporary design long before the city caught up with him. He has contributed to the revitalization of Downtown, Midtown, and Grand Center, with impressive redevelopments including Park Pacific, Grand Center 70 slmag.net

Arts Academy, The Sun Theater, The Angad Art Hotel, Hotel Ignacio, The Moto Museum, and dozens of projects in between.

He seems like a visionary now as billions of dollars are pouring into Downtown, Downtown West, North City, Cortex, and Loop East.

He has been doing it longer than most -- during the boom and the bust -- and as a result of a behind-the-scenes tour of City Foundry, his most creative work is yet to come.

Will, who graduated from John Burroughs School in 2011, complements his dad’s architecture background with an engineering degree from Georgia Tech, a master’s degree in urban planning from the University of Pennsylvania, and an MBA from Wharton. His original plan was to do great things in New York, Chicago, or Philadelphia. Steve remarked proudly, “I have a capable son, but having him join the firm was never part of my plan.” According to Will, “I always thought there may be a role (someday), but there was a lot about St. Louis that didn’t excite me.

I always heard St. Louis is great for families, but I don’t have one.

Ironically, beginning in March 2020 at the start of the pandemic, I spent more time here and learned so much more about St. Louis.

There is a lot of great stuff happening here with lots of potential.

And I realized I could work with my dad, grow what he has already built, help lead in a new direction, and join at a level I couldn’t somewhere else.”

Sun Theater Facade on Grandel Square, Photo by Michael Kelley

Park Pacific Facade on Olive Boulevard, Photo by Sam Fentress

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Exterior of City Foundry, Computer Generated Image Courtesy of New + Found

Outside Food Hall of City Foundry, Computer Generated Image Courtesy of New + Found

While Will recently made his commitment to join his dad and focus on St. Louis, the seeds were planted subtly when he graduated from Georgia Tech. After graduation day in May 2015, the entire Smith family went to see Krog Street Market in Atlanta (developed by the acclaimed Asana Partners) with its much talked about food hall. “We saw that the place had an electric vibe, with an eclectic mix of people, pets, babies, and really interesting food concepts. We looked at each other and said, ‘This is the kind of energy we need in St. Louis,’” Will recalls.

Steve immediately thought that the old Federal Mogul (automotive parts manufacturing) site on Forest Park Parkway, just east of Cortex and a short walk from Saint Louis University, would make a perfect location for a mixed-use project like Krog Street Market. When he got back to town, he immediately visited the Federal Mogul site and discovered that it had a “for sale” sign on it. Not willing to wait, Steve approached the security booth and asked if he could look around. He was given a stern but polite “no” and warned that the site was not safe for a self-guided tour. Not easily dissuaded, Steve drove around the block and snuck in. With an uncanny ability to see the potential 72 slmag.net

in this very rough parcel of land which had been vacant for many years, Steve remembers saying to himself, “This could be so cool and be something totally unique for St. Louis.” Most of us would have seen a site ready to be blighted and cleared away for something new.

What started in Atlanta led Steve and Will to brainstorm how St. Louis could compete with Indianapolis, Austin, Nashville, Pittsburgh, and other cities who have successfully rebuilt their inner cores. With Cortex, $8 billion of new investment in the Central Corridor, expansion of SLU, and the new MLS team and soccer stadium and certainty that more projects would be forthcoming, Steve and Will started working on their plan for New + Found, forming a family of companies consisting of architecture, construction management, real estate, and development, with Will playing a major role. “We’re looking at real estate solutions and value creation in a way many real estate owners can’t.”

The 15-acre five-phase City Foundry project will open in mid-2021 consisting of one-third office space, one-third food and entertainment, and one-third housing. Seemingly an intersection

Angad Arts Hotel Facade on Grand Avenue, Photo by Alise O’Brien

Red Room in Angad Arts Hotel, Courtesy of Lawrence Group

Angad Hotel.lobby, Courtesy of Lawrence Group

of the High Line in New York, Wynwood Walls in Miami, and Krog Street Market, the first phase will include the food hall, a movie theater, social games, a biergarten, concert venue, speakeasy, and healthy foods grocery store. Over the following 18 months there will be multiple openings, plus market-rate housing with 282 apartments a short walk or bike ride from SLU, Cortex, Grand Center, Midtown, or Downtown. The goal is to create a new urban environment with energy, entrepreneurship, and life from sunrise to well past sunset like Krog Market. According to Steve, “That’s just the beginning.” And if anyone is going to do this successfully in St. Louis, put your money on The Smiths.

Boldly stated, New + Found is developing for tomorrow’s world and making places for people -- especially our kids -- and communities. Like the Federal Mogul site, the Smiths are taking what they found -- often overlooked and undervalued -- and developing newness. “We’re builders, constructors, developers, owners, investors, and project managers creating value and building community,” Steve says.

From Will’s vantage point, “Both of my parents taught me from a young age to be grateful for everything we have. Not just

proclaiming my gratitude, but always giving something back. I am well aware that I have had a blessed and a privileged life. I always saw my dad’s purpose as giving back. I even thought about the military (as a way of giving back), but in the end I decided there’s nothing that I want to give more to than this city.”

Perhaps it’s the competitive father and son spirit that motivated them to take on a project that has previously eluded our city, but now seems within reach. “On a national scene, St. Louis has been overlooked for too long. This is a very exciting time for St. Louis. Our innovation communities in agriculture, bio science, locations sciences, financial technology, and start-ups are driving national accolades. It’s time we elevate ourselves. We have the opportunity to completely change the St. Louis brand around the country,” Steve concludes. “We can complain about our city or we can do something about it.”

So on the heels of some of our greatest visionaries, leaders, believers, and dreamers, Steve and Will are destined to create a refreshed St. Louis, designed to be new and found for St. Louisans re-energized by their civic pride as well as a new generation seeking a city of opportunity. sl

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Let’s Connect!

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SOPHISTICATED SOCIETY As we welcome spring, we’ll see a variety of hybrid society events evolving into outdoor galas that could soon become more like the VIP engagements we remember and cherish. While virtual galas and trivia events are still the most requested forms of fundraising, event planners continue to reinvent safe and socially distanced affairs. Share your celebrations with us by tagging your pictures with @sophisticatedlivingmag. And let us know which charity you want to see featured among our society pages. The calendar of events may still be thin, but the list of organizations needing support remains endless. – SL

MARCH

TBA 5-28 12 19

APRIL 18 21 23

MAY 1 14

La bohème, Opera-stl.org Open Air Concert Series, kranzbergartsfoundation.org Marygrove’s BLOOM Roaring 20s Maskerade Ball, marygrovechildren.org Virtual Trivia Night, stagesstlouis.org

Jason Isbell and The 400 Unit, stifeltheatre.com Virtual Table Tops Spring Event, support.stlouischildrens.org COCAcabana’s Taking it to the Streets, cocastl.org

Breast Trivia Night Ever, gthstl.org MWOY St. Louis, LLS.org/gateway

STREAMING

JazzSTL.org Opera-stl.org SLSO.org

Photos and stories compiled by Carrie Edelstein. To submit your event for consideration, please email carrie@slmag.net.

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CARE BY VOLVO

All-inclusive subscription

One monthly fee takes care of maintenance, insurance coverage and more.

Photos by Eric Woolsey

OPERA THEATRE OF SAINT LOUIS

Opera Theatre of Saint Louis presented a spectacular performance of The Pirates of Penzance that was shared digitally with viewers everywhere. Alex Rosen starred as the Major General, Benjamin Taylor as the Pirate King, Angel Riley as Mabel, Stephanie Sanchez as Ruth, and Ryan Johnson as Frederic. The production is available for schools to download through June.

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“The choice of a lawyer is an important decision and should not be based solely upon advertisements. Past results afford no guarantee of future results and every case is different and must be judged on its own merits.”

Photos courtesy of Mathews-Dickey Boys’ and Girls’ Club

MATHEWS-DICKEY GALA

The Mathews-Dickey Boys’ and Girls’ Club celebrated its 60th anniversary with the annual Jerseys and Jewels gala, although this year it was a virtual “gathering.” Nearly $400,000 was raised to help underwrite the organization’s comprehensive year-round programming for 2,000 children. Former NFL star and Mathews-Dickey alumnus Brandon Williams (pictured) emceed the evening, and Sterling K. Brown made a special guest appearance. Also pictured are Keith Willliamson, representing the generous Centene sponsorship, Nina Caldwell, representing the Maryville University sponsorship, and Brandon Williams with Tom Sullivan, Interim President and CEO of the Club, President of the Board LaVicki Hart, and Immediate Past President Jack Raymond.

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726 Hanley Industrial Court | Brentwood, MO 63144 | 314-991-1600 | www.callahan-customs.com

@callahancustomhomes

Callahan Custom Homes

@callahancustoms

Photos provided by Kranzberg Arts Foundation

GRAND CENTER EVENTS

The Kranzberg Arts Foundation’s “Open Air” concert series features a variety of performers singing live to a physicallydistanced crowd. The concerts are held under a heated and well-ventilated tent just outside The Grandel in Grand Center. Pictured here is ROBERTNELSON, a jazz musician, educator, entertainer, and leader of jazz workshops.

The concert series runs through the end of March.

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Sophisticated Face

Whether you’re going to your first public gathering since the start of the pandemic or your calendar has remained somewhat full, we’ve compiled a few items that will help make you feel good about mingling… if only from a distance!

CLEAN THE HANDS While you’re reaching for a drink or even clutching your purse or program, your hands will be noticed! Keep them clean, hydrated and soft with this soothing Hand Gel from Clarins. $20, clarinsusa.com SET THE MOOD As you dress, burn a Chiji Positive Vibes Crystal Energy Candle made with fluorite. It’s sure to lift anyone’s spirit. As Tyra Banks says, it’s important to “smize,” or smile with your eyes so onlookers can tell what you’re thinking underneath that mask! $39.99, homeofchiji.com SLUFF OFF THE DEAD SKIN Are you still hesitant about getting facials or minor cosmetic procedures? Sluff off the dead skin as if you’ve just booked a round of microdermabrasion with RéVive’s Le Polish micro-resurfacing treatment. Take it up a notch with an overnight cream that will work while you sleep; the Moisturizing Renewal Cream is available in a limited edition Lunar New Year wrap. Packed with the same bio-renewal technology and glycolic acid, this bestseller will restore your youthful glow after just a few uses. Le Polish: $125, Moisturizing Renewal Cream: $250, reviveskincare.com VELVETY GLOW After your at-home peel, bring your skin back to life with Diamond Extreme global anti-again rich cream by Natura Bissé. In just one application, your youthful glow will be accompanied by a velvety texture after a dose of the ultimate in hydration! The cream’s relaxing lavender aroma adds a dazzling boost of energy for an invigorated complexion. $385, naturabisse.com SALON BROWS Waxing, microblading, shaping and dying might have been a back burner necessity during the winter months of the pandemic. Chantecaille’s Waterproof Brow Definer is like a magic pencil you never knew existed! This dual-ended brow perfector with a grooming brush on one end and a triangular tip on the other allows for a tailor-made stroke, leaving you with naturally fuller looking eyebrows instantly. The pencil is automatic and does not require a sharpener. $36, chantecaille.com

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MAGNIFI-SCENT Let others know luxury is still a necessity when you pass by and leave a magnifi-scent. We love this for men, or, for a woman who wants to make her presence known. Creed’s Green Irish Tweed has a woody scent that can be worn from the countryside to a red carpet. From $310, creedboutique.com MASK UP Leave the disposables and cottons for your daily wear and treat yourself to something silky soft across your face for a more sophisticated look at an outdoor event. This luxurious Gancini print face mask from Salvatore Ferragamo has a pleated design like the others for protection and is machine washable for continued usage. $115, ferragamo.com sl

Photos courtesy of Saint Louis Ballet by Kelly Pratt

LOVE AND BALLET

Saint Louis Ballet streamed LOVE (and ballet) in the Time of Corona, last month for Valentine’s weekend. The presentation featured solos and small ensembles set to Bach’s French Suite No. 5 and English Suite No 3. Under the direction of Executive and Artistic Director Gen Horiuchi, the entire company performed to a collection of music from the early 18th century.

Company members performed solos and pas de deux from favorite story ballets in the company’s classical repertoire including The Sleeping Beauty, Swan Lake, and Coppelia.

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Photos provided by It’s Your Birthday, Inc.

IT’S YOUR BIRTHDAY’S DAY OF SERVICE

It’s Your Birthday, Inc. hosted a virtual box decorating party for MLK’s Day of Service. Volunteers put together more than 100 boxes to help the organization’s mission of providing birthday gifts and parties to children living in homeless and domestic violence shelters. It’s Your Birthday is one of the many nonprofits to be featured in the annual edition of Sophisticated Giving.

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Photography by: Matt Marcinkowski

9751 Clayton Road | St. Louis, MO 63124 | 314.872.3955 | www.mgarch.net

Photos courtesy of MERCH

MERCH POP UP

Tania Beasley-Jolly, Nicole Gibson, and Susan Sherman brought another pop-up experience to the area with MERCH, this time presenting an antique jewelry show featuring Moss Antiques from New Orleans. Keil Moss curated a selection from his family’s renowned Royal Street store. The two-day event was held at Cool Stuff Period on Manchester Rd.

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What I Love Right Now Angie Minges was elected as the 106th president of the Missouri Athletic Club in January. That’s noteworthy because she’s the first woman elected president of the 118-year-old club.

Her one-year term begins in May. Angie works in Strategic Planning at Nestle Purina and has been a member of the MAC since 2015. She previously served a stint as the chair of the MAC women’s initiative group and is on United Way’s Women’s Leadership Society Cabinet. The Mizzou marketing and communications major also has an MBA from Washington University. An avid sports fan, Angie can be seen around St. Louis cheering on her hometown teams.

Café Napoli Café Napoli in Clayton is my go-to spot for family dinner and girls’ night out. The food and wine selections are absolutely amazing but I always have the spaghetti and meatballs for dinner! The meat sauce has depth and so much flavor. The cream sauce is velvety and of course, the meatball makes the dish. It’s the best!! @napolistl Missouri Athletic Club 1903 Bar John, the bartender at the West Clubhouse, makes a fabulous craft cocktail – the Pomegranate Blackberry Mule complete with garnishes.

The berries are hand muddled with fresh fruit! The lime juice also is fresh and the ginger beer and vodka are cold. That and an order of crisp french fries makes the perfect happy hour combination for me.

Even better is enjoying this in the outdoor seating. @macstlouis Forest Park I work at Nestle Purina and our pet welfare programs are near and dear to me. So, it is no surprise that I have two rescue dogs: Grace Kelly and Henry! I love taking them to Forest Park for long walks on the weekend. I used to live in Manhattan and loved walking the dogs through Central Park. I have to say though, I am partial to my hometown park. What a treasure we have here in St. Louis! @forestparkforever 88 slmag.net

Mario Badescu Vitamin A-D-E neck cream This has to be one of the best beauty product bargains I have found!

It’s only $20! It’s rich, moisture-intensive, helps firm and smooth. I use it day and night. The whole line has great products at affordable prices. @mariobadescu Glen Echo Golf Course There is nothing better than a day of golf with my girlfriends at Glen Echo followed by a cocktail on the patio after! The course, with its beautiful trees and hills, is spectacular. I’m a sucker for Olympic venues, having worked on three Olympics. I love the history here in St. Louis. Nothing better than walking into the clubhouse and seeing the Olympic Rings. You know you are in a special place when you see those rings! @glenechocc Every year, I choose a mantra and develop my top five goals I plan to accomplish. This year’s mantra is “Be Uncomfortable”. I honestly believe the only way to grow is to get out of your comfort zone! sl