-
A THIRST FOR TEMPRANILLO
14ISSUE
DINA BAR-ELS
DESIGNER SPOTLIGHT
LOVE FOR HOLLYWOOD GLAM
IGNITES YOUR APPETITE FOR ITALIAN CUISINE
BENJAMINBALESTERI
KEN FRANK
CHEF
CHEF
PAGO DE LOS CAPELLANES
REVISTED
ON THE WAR OF ATTRITION OVER FOIE GRAS
HOUSTON FASHION WEEKPARIS COUTURE SS15
REBECCA MINKOFFLA PERLA & VOGUE WITH VANESSA GETTY
BELLA ROSA & LONGEVAHUTCHINSON FINE JEWELRY
SAKS FIFTH PRESENTS ARKIS SS15
+
-
With more than 50 jewelry designers and timepiece masters,
Shreve & Co. is a destination 160 years in the making.
EXCEPTIONAL.Pursue the
2012 SH
RE
VE
& C
O
POST & GRANT, SAN FRANCISCO STANFORD SHOPPING CENTER, PALO
ALTO
SHREVE.COM | 800-5-SHREVE
-
With more than 50 jewelry designers and timepiece masters,
Shreve & Co. is a destination 160 years in the making.
EXCEPTIONAL.Pursue the
2012 SH
RE
VE
& C
O
POST & GRANT, SAN FRANCISCO STANFORD SHOPPING CENTER, PALO
ALTO
SHREVE.COM | 800-5-SHREVE
-
Publisher
GEV Media, LLC
Kaye Cloutman
Founder/Editor in Chief
[email protected]
John Cloutman
Chief Operating Officer
[email protected]
Marilyn LaRoque
Senior Editor
[email protected]
Beverly Zeiss
Fashion Director
[email protected]
Vincent Gotti
Director of Photography
[email protected]
Robert J. Lopez
Art Director
[email protected]
Allison Cartagena
Creative Director
[email protected]
Eileen Rogers
Managing Editor
[email protected]
Annabelle Pericin
Lifestyle Editor
[email protected]
Genevieve Dee
Events Editor
[email protected]
Josette Vigil-Jelveh
Beauty Editor
[email protected]
Editorial Assistant
Karmela Guno
[email protected]
The Food Patrol
Kathryn Holland Besser
Desarie Sy
Tamara Gorman Strasser
Mac Rogers
Liz Garbes Bernardo
Cocoy Ventura
Jay Huffman
Kanoa Utler
Tanya Matveeva
Mart Limcangco
Mark Goldberger
John Benedict Gotti
Camille Espiritu
Bettina Rogers
Contributing Writers
Dr. Katerina Rozakis Trani
Caity Shreve
Kimberley Lovato
Geraldine Solon
Donte Young
Photographers
Alex Gonzales Baguio
Angelo Palazzo
Nash Bernardo
Tubay Yabut
Brian Wong
Drew Altizer
Mehrban Jam
Rod Rosete
Matthew Brandalise
Leonid Malashenok
Paul Ferradas
Tara Luz Stevens
Delvin Shand
Chris Miramon
Charles Kovach
Nenaji Agbolabori
Virginia Lo
Ramon Orlanes
Rey Del Fierro
Vicente Corona
Mary Huynh
Wayde Carroll
Erich Caparas
Paul Ark
The Glam Squad
Erin Eckert
Bessie Anne Marie Gotti
Awnalee Mohr
Kelli Daley
Kenya Aissa
Karie Zarsky Bennett
Ozzie Mendoza
Alisher Akhunzhanov
Liz Gonzales
Sandra Badani Cartagena
Debra Furuichi
Alexandra Palejo
Pearl Cabalan
Carmela Solon
Post Digital Work
Steven Fendy
Mariel L. Montaner
Tanya Protsyuk
c o n t r i b u t o r s
GEV Magazine is published four times a year by GEV Media, LLC.
The opinions expressed in these pages are those
of individuals, writers and do not necessarily reflect the views
of GEV Magazine advertisers. All images are copy-
right by their respective copyright holders. All words 2015 GEV
Magazine. No part of this magazine may be used
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permission of GEV Media, LLC. 2455 North Naglee Road Suite 197
Tracy, CA 95304
Issue 14 GEV MAGAZINE
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Whats Inside?
Chef En Glam | Benjamin Balesteri
10
20 VLaunce Cover Editorial Beaut Intemporelle
54
Designer Spotlight | Dina Bar-El Ken Frank The War on Foie
Gras
34 48
COVER STORY 20 V LAUNCE | KHLOE ANDRIA ELKINS
FEATURE STORIES 10 CHEF EN GLAM FEATURING CHEF BENJAMIN
BALESTERI OF POGGIO TRATTORIA
34 DESIGNER SPOTLIGHT ON DINA BAR-EL
48 KEN FRANK ON THE WAR ON FOIE GRAS
54 BEAUT INTEMPORELLE
66 AWAKENING THE GODDESS
72 WINEMAKERS UNDER FORTY AT INSALATAS
74 PAGO DE LOS CAPELLANES
80 STAY STRONG JEWELS
RUNWAY REPORT 86 ANTONIO ORTEGA
92 BUSARDI
94 ALEXANDRE DELIMA
96 ALEXIS MONSANTO
98 ART INSTITUTES OF HOUSTON
100 BIBHU MOHAPATRA
102 CHLOE DAO
104 GRUNGY GENTLEMAN
106 JIOZEL REYES
108 MATTHEW CAMPBELL LAURENZA
110 NAEEM KHAN
112 REBECCA MINKOFF
114 RENE RUIZ
116 ROLANDO SANTANA
118 RUBIN SANTANA
120 TIBI
122 ALESSIA PREKOP SS15
HAUTE EVENTS 136 BELLA ROSA | LONGEVA LAUNCH PARTY 138 DRY CREEK
KITCHEN WINEMAKERS DINNER 140 THE ZINFANDEL EXPERIENCE 144 SAKS
FIFTH PRESENTS ARKIS SS 15 145 HUTCHINSON FINE JEWELRY OPENING
LAUNCH 146 LA PERLA & VOGUE WITH VANESSA GETTY 148 REBECCA
MINKOFF SF STORE OPENING
contents
Issue 14 GEV MAGAZINE
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Renaissanceof a Napa Icon
w w w . r a y m o n d v i n e y a r d s . c o m8 0 0 . 5 2 5 . 2
6 5 9
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Issue 14 GEV MAGAZINE
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Editors Letter
W ords cannot even begin to express
the gratitude which sets in when
you wake up one morning and re-
alize how youve created a tight circle of love
after four years of just encouraging people to
fulfill their dreams and passions. As we begin
another year at GEV, I am again reminded of the
magic of collaboration. Weve published 14 is-
sues covering 176 events, 89 editorial location
shoots, 215 restaurant visits, 62 winery tours
and 72 fashion shows. Weve been through so
much professionally as a team but most im-
portantly weve also been there for each other
on more personal issues.
I know the diversity of this team is a part of our
professional success and I hope it also has led to
personal growth for all of us as much as myself.
I honestly dont know how I became so fortu-
nate to cross paths with all these wonderful in-
dividuals but needless to say, I am blessed. I
couldnt ask for a more solid group to call my
colleagues and friends. In the past months,
weve discussed switching gears and reinventing
ourselves and this year, were ready for game
time. The addition of a few key people will defi-
nitely elevate the magazine to a higher plane
and we cant wait to see it happen. Most of all,
we thank you, our dear readers, for your contin-
ued support and joining us for each new issue as
it is unveiled. Cheers to 2015!
Connect with me! [email protected]
Follow me on twitter.com/Cloutwoman
Be a fan at facebook.com/GEVMagazine
Follow the magazine at twitter.com/GEVMagazine
Join us at instagram.com/GEVMagazine
Photography by Rey Del Fierro Special thank you to Amelia and
Dalia Ceja for hosting the teams winter get-together and opening up
their beautiful wine country casa to the GEV Family. You can check
out their winery at www.cejavineyards.com
Special shout out to our Director of Photography Vincent Gotti
who's been hugely responsible for the success of GEV magazine and
for what it has evolved into. He's the magic behind most of the
images and
the direction we've taken but most importantly because he values
& understands the true meaning of friendship.
09
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chef en glam
Issue 14 GEV MAGAZINE
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Cure For The Winter Blues
Photography by Tubay Yabut
By Kathryn Holland Besser
11
Ignites your appetite for Italian Cuisine
-
E qually comfortable in the kitchen, on land, at sea or up a
mountain, Chef Benjamin Balesteri is always looking
toward his next adventure. Sometimes, its to be found on the
back of a boat waiting to catch dinner. Other times, its giving
back to the community by modeling in a charity fashion show (hes
quite dapper in Italian cashmere, we think). But youll often find
him speeding down Mt. Tamalpais on his mountain bike or extreme
boarding (wake or snow) depending upon the season. When youre the
Executive Chef at a highly popular restaurant and spend a lot of
time behind a hot stove, work-life bal-ance becomes very important.
Chef Balesteri goes deep sea fishing as often as his schedule
allows, frequently joining South-ern California boat charters to
catch Albacore and Yellowfin tuna off the coast of San Diego (he
once caught an impressive 40-pound Blue-fin). He is deeply
passionate about any and all varieties of seafood including wild
salmon, the aforementioned tuna varieties, halibut, Dunge-ness
crab, and Monterey Bay squid but his particular favorite is spot
prawns. According to
the chef, spot prawns are especially sweet and buttery. He likes
to serve them crudo (raw, Italian style) with a bit of sea salt and
lemon, then deep fry the heads. When we ask about his favorite
method of preparing seafood, he shares that he eats a lot of fish;
but, as he succinctly puts it, mostly raw. Being near the ocean in
Sausalito, Califor-nia greatly influences what is offered at Poggio
Trattoria. Under the direction of Proprietor Larry Mindel, the
restaurant serves classic Northern Italian trattoria fare in a
cozy, clubby setting. A delectable array of seafood antipasti ,
primi and secondi selections are omnipresent on the
season-ally-oriented menu which also features house-made
charcuterie, premium steaks, chicken, pizza and panini. The
daily-changing offerings include organic vegeta-bles and herbs
grown on the property as well as the freshest local ingredients
sourced by chef and staff. Everyone is ex-traordinarily friendly
and welcoming; we note a large of number of regular clientele,
happily ensconced in oversize booths,
warmly greeting Chef Balesteri as we pass by. Before settling in
to an amazing cornu-copia of dishes from the kitchen, we take a
little time to get to know our new ac-quaintance. Born in Monterey
and raised in Salinas Valley, Chef Balesteri is as well versed in
land pursuits as in bodies of water. He grew up among row crop
farmers on his Swiss mothers side (interspersed with fishing trips
in Monterey Bay with his Sicilian father) and truly appreciates
Poggios on-site garden in order to select vegetables and herbs at
their peak of freshness. His focus is always on bringing out the
best in each ingredient rather than unnecessarily manipulating what
nature is offering. Long accustomed to eating well, Chef Balesteri
began working in restaurants at an early age, eventually enrolling
at San Francisco's California Culinary Academy. He spent time in
Italy, cooking in San Gimignano and Sal (near Lago di Garda)
chef en glam
Issue 14 GEV MAGAZINE
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The holidays are big at
Poggio and as one of
Sausalitos most romantic
restaurants, Valentines is
no exception. So in the rare
case that I am able to be
home and relax, Id want
something simple. A grilled
rib eye served with black
trumpet mushrooms and
green garlic with a nice
bottle of wine.
LORO PIANA Dream Weave Burgundy and Black Twill Super 120's Wool
Coat $1,295 Burgundy Silk Pocket Square $40 Available at Gene
Hiller Menswear 729 Bridgeway, Sausalito, CA 94965 (415) 332-3636
www.genehiller.com
benjamin balesteri 13
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and developing a deep appreciation for seasonal cooking, artisan
meats and chees-es and fine Italian wines. He originally worked at
Poggio as a sous chef but in 2010 felt New York City beckoning and
became the opening sous chef at Lincoln, working under Chef
Jonathan Benno (formerly of Per Se). California's quality of life
was never far from his mind, however, and in early 2012, Balesteri
returned to Poggio and worked side-by-side with former chef Peter
McKnee before taking over the top spot a year later. With two years
at the helm under his belt, it appears he is hitting his stride.
Without a doubt, 2015 looks to be a stellar year for Poggio. On a
typical weeknight, the restaurant serves about 175 covers, which
then rises to 250-300 on weekends. In the summer, Sausalitos mild
weather draws both locals and tourists and the restaurant juggles
an average of 350-400 covers a night. In addition, Poggio just
opened a huge banquet space upstairs and the staff is already in
the planning stages for al fresco barbeques featuring whole pigs
and pano-ramic views of Tiburon and San Francisco.
TASTING NOTES
W ave after wave of plates seem to magically appear as Chef
Balesteri demonstrates his command of modern classic Italian
dishes. We are interested in sampling as much as possible so ask to
stick mainly with antipasti and primi offerings. First up is a
delicate shellfish roe capellini with Dungeness crab, fines herbs
and lemon butter. The succulent crab is bursting with a lively,
clean sweetness that is balanced by the natural saltiness of the
shellfish roe flavoring the delicate pasta strands. Paired with a
crisp Vermentino, it is the perfect start to a culinary tour of
Northern Italy. Next, we sample another pasta dish: fregola with
mussels, manila clams, bay scallops, head-on prawns and red mullet
bottarga. The fregola pearls are cooked almost like a risotto so
that the pasta retains a tender bite. The dish is inspired by Chef
Balesteris August trip to Sardinia (he also visited Rome, Sorrento
and Positano). While there, he was fascinated by the 140-year old
carignane grapes at Piede Franco Winery in Calasetta that grow
entirely in the oceanside sand literally, the shoots go down into
the sediment and then come back up out of the ground. Calasetta,
an
ancient town on the island of Sant'Antioco, is connected to
Sardinia via an ancient bridge. We are definitely adding it to our
bucket list! We then switch to a bottle of 2013 Vermentino de
Sardegna from Naeli that allows us to briefly imagine the food/wine
pairings he might have experienced. The third offering is vitello
tonnato perfection. A classic Piemonte pairing of poached veal
slices topped with a tuna-based mayonnaise, Chef Balesteri adds
crispy, sauted capers and a bit of lemon to provide a
crunchy-salty-acidic counterpoint to the smooth creaminess of the
dish. The veal is tender and delicate and the tuna mayo is highly
addicting. At this point, we cannot get enough of the wonderfully
aromatic Naeli Vermentino so we keep drinking it as we go. The
fourth dish is stellar as well: seared day-boat scallops, sunchoke
puree, hedgehog mushrooms and gently candied kumquats. The flavors
are bright and distinctive and the moist, perfectly seared scallops
are artfully gorgeous. The bright and beautiful plating of the dish
has us scrambling for our iPhone cameras. Next arrives (for us) the
dish of the day. Sformatino, a simple, to-die-for cauliflower
custard with hedgehog mushrooms and shaved parmiggiano-reggiano. We
agree that next time well just order this antipasto and some
Vermentino and take a virtual trip to Lombardy or Piemonte. It
encapsulates an Italian respect for fresh ingredients plus a
mastery of tech-nique in every deliciously creamy bite. Heaven.
As if that wasnt enough, Chef Balesteri then dazzles us with an
authentic pizza Margherita and a beautiful braised chicken thigh
that we are too full to do more than taste. Luckily, our
photographer has a bigger appetite than we do. Its late as we
gather our belongings and exchange warm goodbyes with the chef and
staff. Reluctantly, we head out into the grey January afternoon but
are blissfully una-ware of the change in temperature, so warm are
our heads and hearts.
Visit them! 777 Bridgeway, Sausalito, CA 94965 (415) 332-7771
www.poggiotrattoria.com
We would be remiss in not
teasing whats next for our
handsome bachelor chef.
Romance is in the air at
Poggios upcoming
winemaker dinner on
Valentines Day. Dont miss
Sardinian wines and
sumptuous desserts such as
chocolate budino with bufala
mozzarella gelato or
chocolate mousse with
Marciano cherries. Wont you
join us?
chef en glam
Issue 14 GEV MAGAZINE
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Get to know Chef Ben Balesteri
Indoors or outdoors?
Outdoors
Jeans or khakis?
Jeans
Sweater or sweatshirt?
Outside: sweater | Inside: sweatshirt
Tuxedo or suit?
Tuxedo (Italian, from Gene Hiller)
Coffee preference?
Espresso (any time before 3pm)
Favorite dessert?
Zabaglione
Favorite varietal?
Cabernet Franc
Favorite camping spot?
Big Sur
Found in his picnic basket?
Oysters, foie gras, champagne
Best travel experience?
Any travel (28 countries and counting!)
QUICK 10 Q&A
What is your primary philosophy about food and cooking? I like
to take food in its natural state and showcase each ingredi-ent for
what it is. I believe strongly in using what is in season and
fresh. I try to utilize what is availa-ble at the market to inspire
me to create a dish. Growing up, did you always want to be a chef?
I showcased a palette at a young age and grew up loving food. I
come from a big family who al-ways cooked together; it is what
brought us together. We fished and foraged for local in-season
ingredients, so it has always been a part of my everyday life.
What's the best piece of career advice you've ever received, and
from whom? My grandfather always told me to be happy and do what
you love. I truly love to cook, its important for me to be
passionate about what I do every day. Can you give a few examples
of classic Italian dishes on Poggio's menu and describe how youve
elevated or modernized them? Tripe is a classic Italian dish from
Tuscany that is typically served simply braised with stock and
to-mato then finished in the oven. We add a housemade chorizo made
with smoked paprika, sherry vinegar, and chili as well as
chick-peas to add more depth to the dish. The capellini (recipe
included) is the perfect example of an elevat-ed classic. To
enhance the accom-panying Dungeness crab, we add a few teaspoons of
shellfish roe which gives it both color and a delicate briny
flavor. Finished with lemon butter, and fines herbes, it is the
perfect seafood pasta.
We serve our leg of lamb spit roast-ed whereas in Italy you
would usu-ally find it oven roasted or al forno. We like to utilize
the spit to add additional char and flavor to the meat. We then
char the eggplant and blend it down to a creamy pu-re then serve
everything with artichokes, fingerling potatoes, and salsa verde.
It is a great example of reinterpreting traditional Italian flavors
and composing them differ-ently. What current culinary trends do
you feel are more than just a fad? Now that foie gras is legal
again in California, a lot of chefs are jump-ing to use the luxury
ingredient. However for a new pasta Im work-ing on, I was
interested in featuring foie gras for the flavor profile. The
francobolli, a filled pasta similar to a ravioli is filled with
braised short rib and finished with a foie gras cream sauce then
served with shaved black truffles. The trend of using the whole
ani-mal that cropped up a few years ago definitely isnt a fad in
our res-taurant. We always utilize every aspect of the animal if
possible we frequently feature a trotter cake that utilize the pigs
feet, ears, and head meat served with pickled vegetables and beluga
lentils. What's your best tip for a home cook when trying to
recreate a Poggio dish? Not overthinking, simplicity is al-ways
best. At Poggio we always try to do things as simply as possible.
For example, for the Capesante dont overcook the scallops. If you
have beautiful scallops available to you, serve them just seared
medi-um rare.
Photos courtesy of Poggio Trattoria
benjamin balesteri 15
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Cauliflower Sformatino
from Poggio Trattoria
red carpet recipes
Issue 14 GEV MAGAZINE
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17
method Preheat the oven to 275F. Melt butter in a thick-bottom
pot. Add flour to make the roux. Add the milk and stir. Add
cauliflower, season with a pinch of salt. Using a rubber spatula,
make sure the mixture doesnt stick to the bottom. Add cream and
continue to cook until the mixture is thick and the cauliflower is
tender. Remove from heat and carefully temper eggs into the cream
and cauliflower mixture. Puree the mixture in a blender until
smooth. Taste for salt and sweetness. You may need to add a pinch
of sug-ar for the cauliflower flavor to really shine. Butter the
inside of four 4-ounce baking dishes. Di-vide warm sformatino
batter into the 4 baking dishes. Sformatino batter may be
refrigerated at this point for 2-3 days and then cooked. Bake for 1
hour or until done. When done, they will appear set up, with no
jiggle in the center. It is im-portant to cook them slowly in order
to prevent them from rising and falling. If refrigerated first, the
sformati-no will take a little longer to cook. Bring medium saute
pan up to high heat. Add olive oil caramelize mushrooms until
golden brown. Add butter, shallots, garlic and thyme. Stir and cook
about 1 minute then deglaze with white wine. Place hot sformatino
on plate and mushrooms on the side. Then garnish with arugula,
shaved parmigiano reg-giano, extra virgin olive oil and sea salt.
Serves 4
2 tablespoons butter 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour 1 cup whole
milk 1 cups chopped cauliflower 1/2 cup grated parmigiano cheese
Pinch of salt 1 cup heavy cream 2 egg yolks 1 egg Pinch of salt and
sugar Butter for baking dishes, as needed
For The Sformatino
2 cups cleaned chanterelle mushrooms 1 teaspoon chopped garlic 1
teaspoon chopped shallots 2 sprigs thyme 1 tablespoon butter 1/8
cup white wine 1 cup arugula 1/4 cup shaved parmigiano reggiano
For The Sauce
benjamin balesteri
-
Chef Balesteris
Seared Day Boat Scallops with sunchoke puree, toasted almonds,
pancetta,
watercress and sherry vinaigrette
ingredients 12 ea Diver or day boat scallops 2 cups sunchokes 1
cup milk 1 cup cream 1/2 cup pancetta 2 cups watercress 1/4 cup
whole almonds 1/4 cup sherry vinegar 3/4 cup olive oil 1 Tbs diced
shallot
method Peel sunchokes with a potato peeler. Place cream, milk
and sun-chokes in a sauce pot. Cook on me-dium heat until tender.
Remove from liquid, place in food processer and puree until smooth.
Season with salt. Set aside.
Dice pancetta into inch pieces then place in a sauce-pot on
medium heat. Cook until crispy for about 5 minutes. Drain fat and
set aside. Toast almonds in 350 de-gree oven for about 5 minutes
until golden brown. Let them cool then rough chop and set aside.
Take the diced shallots and place them in a bowl with sherry
vinegar. Drizzle olive oil while slowly whisking in the bowl to
emulsify. Season with salt and pepper.
Season scallops with salt. Heat saut pan to medium to high heat
then place scallops in the pan and caramelize to golden brown about
1-2 minutes on one side then flip and cook 1 more minute on the
second side. To assemble, spread sun-choke puree on plate, place
scallops on top of sunchoke puree. Garnish with crispy pancetta,
miners lettuce and toasted almonds. Drizzle sher-ry vinaigrette
over the top. Serves 4
red carpet recipes
Issue 14 GEV MAGAZINE
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14 ounces (200 grams) Caputo pasta flour 3 large eggs 2
tablespoons lobster (shellfish) roe 1/2 teaspoon salt
For The Pasta
Chef Balesteris
Capellini Pasta
with Shellfish Roe
method
Place flour on table and make a well. Then add eggs, salt, and
roe. Stir with a fork until mixture comes together then begin
kneading the dough by hand about 8-10 minutes until it becomes
smooth. Add more flour if the dough is wet or a few drops of water
if the dough is to dry. Let dough rest 15 minutes then roll out
into desired pasta shape. Saut the garlic and shallot with olive
oil on medium heat just until translucent. Add white wine and Meyer
lemon juice, reduce by half. Whisk in cubed butter. Cook pasta toss
with sauce and olive oil. Garnish with herbs and Meyer lemon
zest.
Serves 4
Dungeness Crab, Fines Herbs, Lemon Butter From Executive Chef
Benjamin Balesteri
19
1/4 cup chopped shallots 1 tablespoon chopped garlic 1/2cup
white wine 3 Meyer lemons zested then juiced 1 pound cubed butter
1/2 cup chopped chervil, tarragon and chives
For The Sauce
benjamin balesteri
-
cover feature
Issue 14 GEV MAGAZINE
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Launce photography by vincent gotti
creative director | fashion stylist mario benton
lighting director: scott nobles model: khloe andria elkins
courtesy of www.nousmodels.com
hair: sheila vergara
mua: denise gaston
21
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Issue 14 GEV MAGAZINE Issue 14 GEV MAGAZINE
opening page
fur coat adore
hat mario b
sunglasses mario b
pants michael kors
boots stuart weitzman
cover feature
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vlaunce 13
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23
this page
top mario b
coat adore
pants may & maya
boots stuart weitzman
bag audrey b
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Issue 14 GEV MAGAZINE Issue 14 GEV MAGAZINE
dress tasia revel
shoes jeffrey campbell
cover feature
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dress adele simpson
coat blanc noir
shoes steve madden
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Issue 14 GEV MAGAZINE Issue 14 GEV MAGAZINE
white fur vest adore
top garcia ny
pants garcia ny
boots christian dior
cover feature
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necklace aubrey b
top forever 21
skirt aubrey b
shoes bebe
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Issue 14 GEV MAGAZINE Issue 14 GEV MAGAZINE
gown tiland designs
coat divided
shoes steve madden
cover feature
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vlaunce 13
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necklace | bracelet audrey b
top audrey b
coat orange creek
shorts audrey b
fur boots regina
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gown adore couture
bolero jacket adore couture
Issue 14 GEV MAGAZINE Issue 14 GEV MAGAZINE
cover feature
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vlaunce 13
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vintage coat lilli ann
diamond bracelet audrey b
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top coat layefe
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Anthropologie | BCBG Max Azria | Cole Haan | Free People |
Gucci
H&M | Hot Tamales | Kate Spade | Lululemon Athletica | Pizza
Antica | Sino
Sur La Table | Ted Bake r | Tommy Bahama | V i n t age W ine Ba
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70 Shops 20 Restaurants 9 Spas & Salons 1 Hotel
377 Santana Row, San Jose, CA 95128
At The Corner of Stevens Creek and Winchester Boulevards |
Concierge 408.551.4611
SANTANAROW.COM
FOOD
FASHIONmeets
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Dina
Red Carpet Hollywoods
Bar-El
photography by vincent gotti creative director | interview by
allison cartagena
designer spotlight
Trailblazer
Issue 14 GEV MAGAZINE
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35
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designer spotlight
Issue 14 GEV MAGAZINE
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37
About Dina Bar-El
D ina Bar-El was born in Germany and came to the United States
at the age of 18. For over three decades, Dina has catered to women
with a
discerning taste for quality and an eye for fash-ion. Dina has
skillfully worked in leather, knits and sportswear and quickly grew
her talents into a multi-million dollar enterprise. As a for-mer
model, this multi-faceted designer under-stands how to design
clothing that flatters and accentuates a womans curves. Thirteen
years ago, Dina was inspired to exclu-sively create cocktail
dresses and eveningwear in loving memory of her daughter, Orna,
whose spirit lives on in every DINA BAR-EL design. Her signature
silhouette is sexy, elegant and sophis-ticated. Manufactured
entirely in the United States and crafted from the finest
materials, the DINA BAR-EL collection provides support for the
country that gave her so much. Dina never un-derestimates the
importance and international appeal of Made in the US. Dinas shift
in focus was validated in 2003 when Kate Hudson fa-mously wore a
yellow DINA BAR-EL gown in How To Lose a Guy in 10 Days, which
cata-pulted her to a new level of success. Over the last three
years, Dina astutely weath-ered the economic climate by selling
interna-tionally, while continuing to grow a following of
celebrities and stylists worldwide. Dina has dressed some of
Hollywood's most famous fac-es and been featured in numerous TV
shows and ad campaigns. Foreseeing an economic rebound, DINA BAR-EL
is optimistically posi-tioned to re-launch sales in the US. From
sensual chic cocktail dresses to romantic flowing silk confections,
Dinas eponymous col-lection is infused with the decadence of
Holly-wood glamour. With a devoted client base and a strong
celebrity presence, DINA BAR-ELs su-perior craftsmanship and
competitive price point make for truly affordable luxury.
Visit her website at www.dinabarel.com
GEV: Where does your artistic influence come from and when did
you start designing? Dina: Since I was 10 years old I knew I wanted
to be a designer and officially I started to make that dream come
true in 1975. The glamour of Hollywood has always had an influence
on my artistic expression in design along with the modern approach
of styling. GEV: What is your strongest attribute as a designer
that has lead to your success? Dina: I believe my passion to the
details and how I approach my designing process has lead me down
the path of success. I also believe my relationships Ive created
within my community has opened opportunities for me. GEV: Is that
how you got the opportunity to have your gown be worn by Kate
Hudson for the film poster of How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days? Dina:
Yes! During one of my morning hikes I met one of my neighbors who
is a very well known movie producer. He asked for a special gown
and thats how I got involved and the rest is history! GEV: What do
you foresee will be the hottest trends for the Winter/Spring
2014/15? Dina: Currently, we are seeing a lot of designs with
cutouts which reveals that sexy in coming back. Rich materials in
black, white and grey are making an impact for the win-ter trend.
Floral prints in bright colors, pastels and ombre finishes will
make strong statements for this upcoming spring. GEV: When you are
not designing what are your other passions? Dina: I love to cook
especially during the holidays and when Im not eating my own
cooking, I can eat sushi all year round!. When I do go out to eat,
I enjoy dining at Mastros ,Il Pastaio and Spagos in Beverly Hills.
GEV: For upcoming aspiring designers, what advice would you share
with them to get their work recognized? Dina: Since Ive always
known I wanted to be a designer, I would tell them that
perse-verance and confidence is the key to making your dreams a
reality. Be persistent and believe in your passion.
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designer spotlight
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dina bar-el
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designer spotlight
Models: Kaylen Meunier, TraeLee Costello and Gabriela Granzer ;
Courtesy of MyElite Model Management Fashion Designer: Dina Bar-el
(www.dinabarel.com) Hair: Alisher Akhunzhanov MUA: Ozzie Mendoza
& Mira Tal-hershkovitz Creative Director and Fashion Stylist:
Allison Cartagena Executive Producer: Aaron Madariaga BTS
Photographer: Gerard Juntilla
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feature story
Issue 14 GEV MAGAZINE
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FOIE LOATHING in
Ken Frank
by Kaye Cloutman photography by Tubay Yabut
CALIFORNIA
on the War of Attrition over Foie Gras
and
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W ith the ban of foie gras overturned in California,
Michelin-starred La Toque
restaurant in Napa put Foie Gras back on the menu on January 7,
2015. Chef Ken Frank is a long-time supporter of Foie Gras. In July
2014, during the midst of the Foie Gras ban, Frank produced a
complimentary all-foie multicourse lunch for 50 guests. Frank was
joined in the kitchen by chefs Victor Scargle of Lucy Restaurant
& Bar in Yountville, Douglas Keane of the Healdsburg Bar &
Grill, David Bazirgan of Dirty Habit in San Francisco, Mark Dommen
of One Market in San Francisco, and Patrick Mulvaney of Mulvaneys
B&L in Sacramento. Frank is also a member of C.H.E.F.S, the
Coalition for Humane and Ethical Farming Standards who oppose
California's ban on the production and sale of products from farmed
ducks and geese and support standards for ethical treatment of
animals and humane farming practices.
feature story
READ THE ARTICLE
OUR COVERAGE ON THE STATE OF
AMERICAN FOIE GRAS
Issue 14 GEV MAGAZINE
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ken frank
51
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Tell us about the emotions and initial thoughts going through
your mind moments before you
found out about the lifting of the Ban of Foie Gras in
California?
KF: The ban had been a thorn in my side for a long time. I have
always thought it was deeply unfair. It was more about the
activists getting lucky and finding a legis-lator in John Burton
who was desperate to get something passed as his legacy with no
regards to the facts. The family whose business he destroyed is
friends of mine and wonderful people. The law barely made it
through the Senate, but only with his bullying and shady deal
making. I have long predicted it would fail, though it certainly
took longer than I thought it would. As I now know, this is about
politics, not reason. I can live with-out Foie Gras there are
plenty of other delicious ingredients to work with. What I cannot
abide, is to allow a small very well organized but misguided group
of activists to dictate what the rest of us should do, based on
their deeply flawed propaganda. We had a long conference call with
the legal team a few days before so I knew we would have a ruling
in the case soon, and that the judge was taking much long-er than
usual, a sign that he was being careful to get it right. We all
felt we had a strong case, but we had no indication how the judge
was leaning as he had ruled against us on an earlier issue. I
re-member exactly what I was doing when I got the call. It was
11:49 AM and I was in a meeting with my phone on vibrate. I saw a
call incoming from Michael Tenen-baum, our attorney. I discreetly
an-swered the phone to tell him that I was in a meeting and couldnt
talk right now. He said Shut up Ken, we just won. Needless to say
the meeting was over and I took the call. Next call was to Paolo at
the Chronicle and then to the farm in New York, both to
congratulate them
Q and get an order in for next day deliv-ery. It was a huge
relief to get the win. The elation is hard to describe it was a
great high. I always knew we would prevail but it felt really good
to get a little bit of hard won freedom back.
Is there some imaginary middle ground where you are trying to
elevate the standards in the
food industry for the way meat and foul are raised and
slaughtered while at the same time trying to be re-spectful of
Vegans and their attitudes towards the rest of the meat-eating
public? KF: I respect everyones right to choose what they wish to
eat. We offer a vege-table tasting menu every night and we cook for
vegans frequently, too. I am also an absolutist for freedom of
speech. Everyone is welcome to their opinion. Chefs are a
tremendous force for good in the food world. No one cares more
about the quality of ingredi-ents than we do. Prominent chefs have
been at the forefront of most of the good things that has been
going on with food in America for the last 40 years. From the
proliferation of farmers mar-kets, to demanding sustainable
practic-es and organic products, supporting small local artisanal
farms to free range chicken and pasture raised eggs, chefs have
been out in front every time. Northern California is ground zero
for a lot of this. At La Toque, we source ani-mal proteins from
many small local farms that take great care of their ani-mals. For
example, we are the single biggest customer for Taramasso Ranch
pasture raised eggs in Carneros. We also take great pride in
finding delicious ways to use every possible part of an animal to
eliminate waste, out of re-spect for them.
Q
It seems that many Vegans are practicing what I would call a
form of "Meat Shaming"
where, in the pursuit of their cause they try to shame the
meat-eating public into feeling guilty about their eating habits.
Are there moderates in the Vegan community who realize they will
never get all of mankind to stop eating meat? And how do you
negotiate with those folks while at the same time work to elevate
the standards of the In-dustry supplying us carnivores? KF: First
of all, the radical anti-meat crowd chose Foie Gras as an easy
target. Its elitist; most people dont know or care what it is. Its
easy to spin Foie Gras as greedy rich people food. Foie Gras
producers are a drop in the bucket of the food chain without the
resources of the beef, pork and poultry producers who are very well
funded and ready to fight. I think meat shaming is
counter-productive. Lets face it, most people want to eat meat and
many of them would support improvements in the food chain. But as
long as the activ-ists push such a sensationalist agen-da, theyre
just turning people off who might otherwise be willing to listen to
a more reasoned debate. They are shouting so hard that they arent
even in the same room as the rest of us. There is a lot of middle
ground where much could be accom-plished but we at least need to
all be in the same room. The challenge is that anti-meat activists
often rely on a dishonest argument. They take a picture of one sick
or injured animal and portray it as the standard when in fact it is
the exception. That is deceptive at best and flat out lying at
worst. This paints them into a corner so far removed from reality
that its hard to find a way out for them to a
Q
AN UNFOIEGETABLE CONVERSATION WITH CHEF KEN FRANK
feature story
Issue 14 GEV MAGAZINE
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place where we could actually achieve something. They are so
busy hating on me for being an abuser and torturer that they dont
see the issues where I and other chefs might actually be their
allies.
How has all the controver-sy surrounding the Foie Gras issue
affected your
day-to-day life and your fami-ly? KF: The amount of hateful
email and voice messages we get is impressive. Most of it is quite
juvenile and in the most recent go around, a lot of it has been
homophobic, which is hard to understand. On the bright side,
recently there has been a big in-crease in the number of
sup-portive letters were getting and thats encouraging.
Unfortunately some of it is downright deranged, wishing awful ways
for me to die or for everyone in the restaurant to burn to a crisp.
We catalog every piece of hate mail and save the voice messages. We
have a few favorites that we play for laughs sometimes. A lot of
these sicker messages come in at 4 AM on the reservation line when
the callers have clearly been up drinking way too long. I have a
great loyal staff who are pretty used to it and fully on board with
what we stand for here. My lead hostess is a big game hunter and a
great shot. Shes pretty unfazed when some wacko calls up and tells
her to quit or shell have blood on her hands. I have an FBI agent
on speed dial who is part of the ani-mal activist domestic
terrorism detail. There is a small but dedi-cated group of
activists who are dangerous and I keep an eye on my back. The legal
costs to de-fend against these harassing law-suits are enormous. I
won the first suit and they had to reim-burse all of my legal fees
but the
Q
animal rights crowd is well fund-ed and determined to harass me
to the bitter end over my advoca-cy for responsible Foie Gras
pro-duction.
What's the next big issue for you? After the dust settles on the
Foie Gras
issue, is there another looming crisis or topic that you'd like
to advocate for? KF: Where do I start? Successful-ly feeding a
growing planet is a huge challenge and its incredibly complex.
There is no magic bul-let. We have to tackle lots of is-sues
together. We cant do it without large scale agriculture but were
facing serious problems with factory farming. There are animal
welfare concerns to ad-dress and an over reliance on antibiotics
that we know is detri-mental to the planet and human health. We
have to find a way to harness the potential energy in the huge
amount of waste that is generated. And thats just on land. We have
taken the ocean for granted way too long, sustain-able fishery
practices and respon-sible aqua farming have to be-come a priority.
The over reliance on soy/corn/wheat and all of the processed
convenience food in the American diet has got to change. Weve
become fat and lazy. We eat too much meat, and too much of it is
poor quality. Good food is expensive, responsi-ble protein is going
to have to cost more, and were going to have to eat less of it and
include much more plant based food in our diet. We need to start
now with much improved school nutri-tion and food education. It is
also time to have a sensible science based discussion of GMOs
in-stead of the hysterical opposition that is holding back some
im-portant opportunities. There is a lot to do, Foie Gras is not
the problem.
Q
La Toque restaurant, located within The Westin Verasa Napa, is
pleased to announce the arrival of 20 lbs. of black truffles
sourced from the Marche region in Umbria. La Toques Executive Chef
and Owner Ken Frank, recently introduced its 33rd Annual Black
Truffle tasting menu featuring fresh black winter truffles in every
course. Ken is very passionate about truffles. In fact, he recently
returned from Alba, Italy as he was invited to participate in this
years 84th Annual Fiera Internazionale Tartufo Bianco D Alba. He
also participated in the recently concluded Napa Truffle Festival
with the Truffles & Wine Dinner at La Toque.
The elusive nature of the truffle and its rich, earthy flavor
profile has intrigued the culinary world through the ages. While
there are hundreds of species of truffles, the truffles of Umbria
are among the rarest. Book your truffle dinner reservations
now.
ON A SIDE NOTE
ken frank
53
Visit them! The Westin Verasa Napa, 1314 McKinstry Street, Napa,
CA 94559 | 707.257.5157 www.latoque.com
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intemporelle beaut
fashion forward
photography by erich caparas
designer | stylist lina texeira
models: bianca persechino and paulina decker
muah: lucrecia suarez
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The Tiffany Gown She is the ultimate vision of timeless beauty.
Her once basic black dress now transformed into a one-of-a -kind
evening gown. She emanates an aura of fragili-ty echoed only by the
deli-cate layers of tissue paper adorning the gown. Gem encrusted
paper flowers were added to the bodice. Her tiny waist, cinched by
striped strip of tissue. This Classic look is completed with a
dramatic black chapeau adorned with a large polka dot tissue bow.
She is ready for her close up!
fashion forward
Issue 14 GEV MAGAZINE
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beaute intemporelle 57
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The Phoenix Gown She stands regal and elegant. Behind that
flawless appear-ance is a gown previously worn and damaged by an
un-fortunate mishap with red punch. Despite many at-tempts, the
dress could not be saved. Or could it? The love for the gown gave
her inspiration. Green and Blue Damask tissue napkins were
strategically folded and add-ed to the bodice. Many feet of fringed
yarn wrapped her waist. Tiny little spots of punch stains covered
with multi colored crystals. A train of folded napkins be-came her
new train. A round disk fascinator with added napkin folded fan
completed her regal reflection. Proud and royal she stands, in her
Phoenix Gown.
fashion forward
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fashion forward
Issue 14 GEV MAGAZINE
The Elastic Dress She is poised and mysteri-ous, the picture of
restraint. She holds back a secret smile. The once tired gown is
now transformed into a garment with texture and a sense of humor.
The black bodice has 80 feet of woven tiny elastics in a
herring-bone pattern. Her lovely face is framed with a care-fully
restored vintage netted beret with added elastic trim. She looks
simply capti-vating.
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fashion forward
Issue 14 GEV MAGAZINE
The Blush Gown This blushing beauty is a vision in shades of
apricot. What was once a rather drab nightgown, is now a sultry and
glamorous evening gown. Her graceful shoulders are adorned with
re-purposed feathers and pearls from a table centerpiece. Add-ed
vintage estate jewels add old time glamor. A dismantled flo-ral
arrangement is now an ele-gant headpiece. She exudes lu-minance and
presence.
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fashion forward
Issue 14 GEV MAGAZINE
The Silver Fox Gown She is sleek and sophisticated! Her
silhouette perfect, in the repurposed vintage gown. With a few
minor changes, the pretty slip dress is now a show stopper. The
delicate slope of her back now adorned with a feather piece made
from re-purposed masquerade masks. Vintage crystals, jewelry and
beads were carefully sewn to the delicate fabric. A round netted
disk topped with rem-nants of a vintage boa slopes over her lovely
face. She per-sonifies timeless glamor.
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beaute intemporelle 65
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awakening the goddess
living well
photography by vincent gotti lighting director scott nobles
model DiAna courtesy of
myelite model management
hair sheila vergara mua ozzie mendoza
fashion sylist pao nissen
gown designed by sue wong
Ph.D., LCSW, DAPA, BCIM
by dr. katerina rozakis trani
Issue 14 GEV MAGAZINE
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living well
Issue 14 GEV MAGAZINE
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The Living Reincarnation
We are living in a fast paced, super techno
era with media exposing us to the wonders
of the world but also to devastation that we
once could not see.
This rapid "rushing" shift has increased stress
levels and decreased time for pondering and
self care. With the rise of chaos and noise
we have seen a rise in illness.
Medical advances are keeping people alive
with a realization that lifestyles need to
change. These changes are a second chance
at life and come in the form of a living rein-
carnation. This reincarnation is an oppor-
tunity to shift our habits while we are still
alive and the rebirth of the true self.
Once Upon a Time
There once was a time when we roamed the
earth as goddesses. No hustle or bustle.
These goddesses roamed as one. They held
hands freely and united in a circle with joy,
dance and support of each other. They told
stories, they grieved together while gaining
strength from each other. They didn't ques-
tion what Mind, Body or Soul was as they felt
it deep in their hearts knowing that these
three elements were inseparable. They lis-
tened to the messages their bodies were
sending them. Naturally being in the mo-
ment with experiences, relying on inner guid-
ance, the earth and the supportive circle to
prosper, heal themselves and care for others.
Mind Body and Soul
With modern science came psychiatry. A
study of the brain, it's thoughts, emotions
and behaviors. The medical community gen-
tly decapitated the head from the body. Two
professions formed to treat an individual.
Dissecting the mind from the body also sepa-
rated the heart from the mind. It's no sur-
prise that intuition dissolved and people
began to rely more on external factors and
losing trust within. They began to learn that
if they had a problem they needed to medi-
cate it or cut it out. Less attention was placed
on the cause of the problem. To add to this
dissection the soul became a supernatural or
paranormal phenomena. Science is teaching
us that if we can not see, hear, touch or smell
it, then it did not exist.
As the mind, body and soul separated,
an increase in depression, anxiety and
anger occurred. Along with added stress
came premature aging. There is no won-
der we are all searching, but, for what?
One
Many women reached a point of losing
self trust as they lost the ability to use
their own intuition. If trust would equal
love then it is no surprise that inner love
had been lost as well. The search for self
is learning to love ourselves which leads
to self trust. But how can this be
achieved when we are not whole or feel
empty?
As part of this living reincarnation we
can see an uprise and thirst for learning
more about the mind, body and soul
connection. Interests in integrative care,
which is a practice utilizing the best of
what the east and west has to offer, is
on the rise.
Our subconscious is wanting to return
home. Even though modernization dis-
sected us, unity was always here, within
us and all around us. It was lost and now
being found. We are connected within
ourselves, amongst ourselves and the
entire universe.
The Goddess Awakens
The goddess is awakening and the power
that she brings is in full force. A shift is
occurring. Women's roles are changing
at home, the workforce and the commu-
nity. More females are in positions that
had been dominated by men such as
CEOs, entrepreneurs, lawyers, politi-
cians, doctors, etc..
Women are gathering once again. They
are advocating for themselves, increas-
ing self care, not frightened to show
their feminine, driven, standing strong
and challenging their fears. Many wom-
en in their 50's and post retirement
years are giving back, involved in com-
munity and charitable organizations.
Grassroots organizations around the
world, run by women, are growing roots.
These women are influencing our daugh-
ters and paving the road for continued
freedom of self expression.
Who is the Goddess?
The goddess lives within us. She had
been suppressed, dominated and buried
in deep slumber. Silenced and loosing
trust in her true abilities. She became
restricted from her pure essence to
roam freely with her hair flowing and
her skin showing. During different eras
she was confined indoors, covered, una-
ble to vote and denied her sensual expo-
sure unless it was for the purpose of
pleasing others. In some countries the
practice of Female Genitalia Mutilation
(FGM) was a ritual and here in the Unit-
ed States there was a time during the
Salem witch trials where young girls
were tortured and burned to death.
We can see in history women who's
goddess traits could not be silenced or
put to rest. These women made sacrific-
es and stood up and out for us all. Take
for example Mother Theresa, Rosa
Parks, Mary Wollstonecraft, Margaret
Fuller, Coco Chanel, Audrey Hepburn
and Oprah Winfrey. These are examples
of the many who served as mentors to
begin this movement. A movement
where the goddess is awakening and
finally spreading her wings.
Ageless
The goddess is ageless. She is not a
slave to time or stereotypes. She sees
beauty within her actions and all around
her. Appeal resonates from within.
She wears what makes her feel beauti-
ful, relaxed, comfortable and happy. She
does not dress to please others but to
express creative spirit. She is not con-
fined by society's definition of what is
She trusts the light inside her
knowing it is the shimmering glue of endless love
that strongly bonds, safely, to receive and give
equally.
69
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age appropriate. She smiles from
within and is confident with her
choices. The goddess does not aban-
don her exercise with the passing of
time. She keeps moving and does
not set a timeline on when to retire
or give up on what she loves to do.
She adapts and stays current. Lavish-
ing in relaxation, resting, eating
whole foods she radiates vitality.
She is not ashamed of her body as it
changes with maturity or weight
fluctuations. She loves all her curves
and folds and knows how to please
herself.
The goddess is grateful and in the
moment. This keeps her from looking
back or anticipating anything nega-
tive in the future. Living in the mo-
ment she is timeless and fearless!
Role Model
The goddess is a role model for other
women and takes on mentors of all
ages. With them she grows her circle
of love which spreads like wild flow-
ers. She teaches other women how
to support each other during good
times and bad times. As her circle
grows so does her strength and abil-
ity to help others. She continues her
education and lives with facts vs fear
or anticipation. She is not intimidat-
ed or influenced by others' judg-
ments or criticisms as she does not
judge or criticize herself or others.
She forgives others who judge her as
she does not take things personally
and does not own other's opinions.
The goddess knows that her position
of power can influence so she is
aware of her actions and makes
choices that come from within her
oneness. As a role model she is the
boss of her own thoughts, behaviors
and body. She knows her strengths
and challenges her weaknesses. She
makes herself visible as she does not
hide in the shadow of others but
casts her light for others to see.
Finding your goddess archetype comes from knowing what you
gravitate towards in life. What is your pas-sion and what do you
strive for? Choose a goddess
from history. They exist in many cultures.
Artemis Are you an Artemis? The fearless hunter who roamed the
forest and wilderness free to explore, run
and enjoy life?
Athena Are you Athena? Goddess of counsel. Work-ing on justice
and protection. Not frightened to fight for
what is right?
Aphrodite How about Aphrodite the goddess of love and beauty.
Loves all things around her and is the sym-bol of self care for all
that is beautiful in the feminine
from the inside out and outside in.
Hygeia What about Hygeia? Goddess of health. Are you conscious
of your health and the health of others?
Do you invest time in searching, working and advo-cating for
good health?
Demeter Are you Demeter? Goddess of farming, the harvest and
fertility? Do you enjoy gardening, planting
flowers, agriculture?
Sophia How about Sophia? Goddess of wisdom. Searching to learn,
curious, righteous?
Two or more Are you a collection of two or more goddesses?
Being Mindful As we work on awakening our inner goddess then
simultaneously our living reincarnation also occurs. This
awaken-ing is an awareness of our purpose and the road to a
balanced life. It is the journey that brings women back to being
whole and interconnected with love. Know that the mind, body and
soul are one and listen to the messages the body and the universe
are sending you. Begin trusting in yourself. Cut the negative cords
of time so that anger is not fueling. It is time to forgive and
move on without wanting revenge for what we can no longer control
from the past. It is time to re-write our histo-ry from scratch as
if it were the begin-ning of time. No resentments, only gratitude.
This is true mindfulness and bliss.
The Love That Bonds Us Finding your goddess archetype re-quires
self talk. Stand tall and calm knowing that she lives in us all.
The beauty of ONE is that we all share in the same fabric of life.
Once you iden-tify your goddess archetype, ask her what to do in
any situation and she will answer you in your internal dialogue.
She is your true voice and only wants what is good for you. She
knows the divine purpose of our existence and wants what is best
for us and the uni-verse. Her voice is purposeful, creative,
mind-ful, driven, optimistic, loving and fear-less. She knows there
is no right and no wrong only trials and errors there-fore she
embarks in change and takes life risks that continue to strengthen
her. She trusts the light inside her knowing it is the shimmering
glue of endless love that strongly bonds, safely, to receive and
give equally.
Issue 14 GEV MAGAZINE
living well
FINDING YOUR GODDESS
ARCHETYPE
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HOW FRESH
IS YOUR
OLIVE OIL? When it comes to great taste in olive oil, fresh is
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may be surprised to learn that some of the finest extra
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H eidi and Mark Krahlings perenni-ally popular San Anselmo
restau-rant, Insalatas, offers delicious Mediterranean-inspired
food
and a one-of-a-kind approach to connecting food and wine lovers
with purveyors. If you want to attend a winery dinner with an ber
personal touch, head to Insalatas for their monthly winemaker
series. Not a one-time event you pray fits your sched-ule, the
Insalatas winemaker dinners are offered several times a week
throughout each month in the series. Paired with a three-course
menu complimenting and featuring the winemakers wines, you get the
vintners themselves as your (almost) exclusive co-hosts. Without
question, it felt like we participated in an elegant wine even-ing
in the comfort of someones home so closely did it resemble a cozy
dinner party. In 2015, the series theme is Winemakers Under Forty.
Unlike a typical, crowded win-ery dinner where dozens of people are
waiting for a brief chat with the vintner, Insalatas unique series
allows a truly intimate experience with a wine-maker. During our
visit in mid-January, we had the oppor-tunity to enjoy considerable
one-on-one time with Faith Armstrong of Farmers Jane Winery. Under
the helm of Head Chef Taylor Carnes, we also enjoyed an amazing
meal, engaging conversations with both the chef and Co-
WINEMAKER
UNDER FORTY By Kathryn Holland Besser
Photography by Tubay Yabut
Steak Tartare
Braised Chicken Agrodulce
Chocolate Peanut Bavarian
Winemaker Faith Armstrong of Farmers Jane Winery
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Visit them! 120 Sir Francis Drake Boule-vard, San Anselmo, CA
94960 (415) 457-7700 Check out their upcoming Winemakers Under
Forty for 2015 at www.insalatas.com
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Manager, Beth Casey, as well as fre-quent visits to our table
from Faith herself. Along with learning about Faiths path from wine
enthusiast to winemaker, we had ample time to exchange sto-ries
about Napa chic, food, wine, trav-el and the joys and challenges of
be-ing women in business who also hap-pen to be raising families.
Food, wine and fashion talk plus a winemakers undivided attention?
Its a GEV girls dream just like starting her own winery. Born to
American parents in Canada, Faith journeyed from harvesting grapes
at Simi Winery in Healdsburg (where she first encountered her
Farmers Jane partner, Angela Os-borne) to studying viticulture at
UC Davis to working as a winemaker at Napas Frank Family Vineyards
to developing wines under her own label (Onward Wines, mostly Pinot
Noirs from Anderson Valley) and eventually co-creating the Farmers
Jane label. Along with these impressive feats, she is raising four
children with her hus-band (also in the wine industry) and creating
lovely and drinkable field blends with Angela. Angela Osborne
traveled a compli-mentary path to the Farmers Jane partnership.
Raised in New Zealand by her American father and New Zealand
mother, Angela worked in a wine shop and later attended film
school. After the mutual harvest at Simi, An-gela moved to London
to learn the art of selling wine and subsequently re-turned to the
U.S. to pursue her pas-sion for winemaking. In Ojai, Angela began
her own label, A Tribute to Grace, focusing solely on Grenache.
Under the Farmers Jane label, Angela and Faith source their grapes
from Napa and are currently offering three 2013 vintages: a Field
White, a Field Red and a Field Ros. They focus much of their time
and energy on achieving balance, not only in the blends of their
signature wines, but in their approach to business and life itself.
We found so much common ground in our conversations and sus-pect
this does not often happen at ordinary winemaker dinners. After
delving so deeply into our wine-makers histories, we were ready
for
the three-course meal and to taste the wines themselves. Napa
Valley Cooking School trained and a crea-tive master in the
kitchen, Chef Carnes and his team captivated us from beginning to
end with their delicious offerings. The first course, Steak Tartare
(Turkish style, with house made spiced crackers) was simple,
ele-gant and delightful. The beef was meltingly tender and had
enough chili heat to make us reach for the Farmers Jane 2013 Field
White (Suisun Valley, Napa). Featuring 37% old-vine Grenache Blanc,
37% Albario, and 26% Verdelho, it was lightly sweet and refreshing.
The main course was Braised Chicken Agrodulce (braised in Farmers
Jane wine, of course!) beautifully presented with capers, honey and
thyme over creamy polenta. It paired perfectly with the Farmers
Jane 2013 Field Red (Napa) a blend of 78% Carignan and 22%
Grenache. We were absolutely delighted when Chef Carnes swapped in
a sexier dessert than was listed on the winemaker menu a Choco-late
Peanut Bavarian Oat crisp with caramel tuille and bittersweet
chocolate sauce. After so many intense flavors during the first two
courses, it was lovely to return to a satisfyingly sweet concoction
that reminded us of a sophisticated candy combination. We plan to
return for another winemaker dinner as soon as pos-sible. The
combination of excellent cuisine, a warm and inviting at-mosphere
plus one-on-one time with a vintner are too compelling to miss.
Paired with a three-course menu complimenting and fea-turing the
winemakers wines,
you get the vintners themselves as your (almost) exclusive
co-
hosts.
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Insalatas Restaurant Head Chef Taylor Carnes
winemaker under forty
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PAGO DE LOS CAPELLANES
RIBERA DEL DUERO
BEYOND THE SENSES
A PHOTOGRAPHIC TOUR BY VICENTE CORONA
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P agos de los Capellanes, a wine paradise. A moving alegory of
terroir, wine and family nestled deep in the heart of the Ribera
del Duero, Spain. In the 14th century, a chaplainry existed in the
village of Pedrosa de Duero. The inhabitants of the village donated
small parcels of land to the chaplains in appreciation for the
religious du-ties that they performed in the area. Over time, the
chaplainry came to have a sizeable landholding. Some 500 years
later, in 1855, the properties of the church and clergy were given
over to the city council as part of the Ecclesiastical
Confis-cations of Mendiza bal. Despite this, the inhabit-ants of
Pedrosa continued to call the area Pago de los Capellanes in honour
of the chap-lains. The estate was home to vineyards. Vines
cultivated for generations. Today, these have grown to become
one of the most prestigious wineries in the Ribera del Duero
region, the Rodero Villa Winery. The fruit of their work: Pago de
los Ca-pellanes. The vineyards of Pago de los Capellanes only grow
Tinto Fino or Tempranillo grapes, the variety indigenous to the
Ribera del Duero region. Although the winery was initially founded
with just a few select vines, we have expanded year after year with
plantings of our best clones. The plants that show the best
adaptation to the soil and climate are selected in the field for
further plantings. This ensures ample variety of parcels in the
vineyard. Each plot receives person-alized care matching its unique
features, so that we can harvest the best possible fruit.
Pago de los Capellanes limit their pro-duction, allowing them to
conduct strict quality control on the product and care-fully
monitor each and every batch of wine we bottle. In the vineyards,
they harvest 5.000 kg of grapes per hectare well below the 7.000 kg
allowed by the Regulatory Council of the Ribera del Duero region to
guarantee the highest quality in their base materials. Pago de los
Capellanes is divided into 35 parcels, each of whose fruit is
processed separately. In the months leading up to the harvest, we
take samples from each parcel twice daily, once in the morning and
once in the afternoon. They then use these samples to analyze the
evolution of the grape clusters, pressing one hundred berries from
each parcel and studying their degree of maturity. It is not until
early October, when the grapes are at
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their finest, that we begin to har-vest the fruit from the
vines. The average daytime temperature at that time of year is 25C.
At night, it falls to 5C. This contrast aids the maturation of the
fruit and height-ens the alcohol content, colour and tannins, while
helping to maintain a well balanced acidity. The winemaking process
takes place in a large underground cham-ber at the winery, with
ceilings 33 feet (10 metres) above the floor. Here, their wines age
in new French oak wine barrels (1 to 3 years) until they reach
optimal maturity for blending or coupage. They have assembled a
selection 22 types of French oak with different levels of air
dryness (24 to 60 months) and toasting depending on the woods
origins (Alier, Nevers, central
France) to assist in the aging process Their desire to save
eight centuries-old walnut trees in the vineyards was decisive as
to where to establish the winery. From the very beginning, they
chose a design that drew attention to these pre-existing trees,
creating a sort of patio around which to carry out the various
operations of the win-ery. A continuous, fluid cloak of ivy covers
the entire building, making it blend naturally into the surrounding
landscape. The walnut trees, majestic in their age, further enhance
the beau-ty of this space. The first phase was completed in 1996
and consists of a rectangular building on the west side of the
wal-nut patio. It is where the grapes are first brought in after
harvest and houses the fermentation tanks. Far
from being forgotten, the winemak-ing building was expanded
several years later to accommodate the winerys current production
capaci-ty. This means that the highly antic-ipated moment of
bringing in and selecting the grapes always takes place in the same
part of the win-ery, making it a point of reference for the start
of the each season. Three years later, they began a large-scale
expansion, both in terms of volume of production and in
architecture at the winery. The first step in this new phase was
the aging cellar. Set ten metres un-derground at the north side of
the patio, it is where the wines are aged and matured in barrels.
The struc-ture of exposed concrete arches is so majestic that it
virtually exudes
pago de los capellanes 1
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the respect and tranquility inherent in the aging of wine. The
second step was the shipping and bottling building on the east side
of the pa-tio. For this, we carried out an exer-cise in mimesis
with the surround-ing environment. The characteristic shape of the
Cuesta Manvirgo, a mountain in the area, informed the trapezoidal
lines of the new build-ing. In 2010, they rounded out the win-ery
with the social building. Con-ceived as a sort of nexus between the
various facilities, it stands pure and low on the north side of
the
patio above the aging cellar. Here is where we receive guests,
begin tours and develop our relationships with others. It is a
clear, open space that frames the spectacular views through the
large pane win-dows and creates a fluid, friendly path. It is where
we welcome eve-ryone who comes to be a part of our history and the
history of our wines. Pago de los Capellanes have a selec-tion of
five wines, each made with 100% Tempranillo grapes: Young Red,
Crianza, Reserva and two par-cel wines, our most special wines;
Nogal and Pico n. Each wine pos-sesses its own distinctive
structure and elegance. To the nose, they reveal hints of fruit and
an exquis-ite bouquet. Persistent in the mouth, their tex-ture is
pleasant, velvety and full of nuances. They are wines with soul,
wines that talk. Welcome to the Cathedral of Wine: Pago de los
Capellanes. PAGO DE LOS CAPELLANES S.A.
VISIT THEM pagodeloscapellanes.com
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STAY STRONG
Urban Jewels to Conquer the World
A PHOTOGRAPHIC TOUR BY VICENTE CORONA
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the artistic edge
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the artistic edge
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The Poetic Power of Luxury
Je voudrais de la lumire, Je voudrais du soleil vert. The impact
of a volcano, landscapes rounding crisopasa imperial ceramics:
a mythological dragon protects beauty.
My dress is a flower garden in November, Je voudrais toujourste
plaire, lemon topaz and blue magic rune, eyes looking deep the
earth sun.
Je veux djeuner par terre, sleep cliffs tourmaline, pyramid
symbols,
energy proton adoring women made aesthetics.
Les yeux t'embrasser ouverts, your eyes water marina and
diamonds, the fact of Kaos madness, love of gold.
STAY STRONG, angel skin coral, the strength of the earth
made
poetic sweetness, the creator concentration of perfume, L'air du
temps.
Icy water, STAY STRONG, seawater, made tear Universe, white and
smooth.
Landscape plum spring, zen landscape, branches leaves grow
up.
STAY STRONG: Je voudrais de la lumire, Je voudrais du soleil
vert
Essence of lightning, Rutilated, French rocker who keeps
whispering secrets and silences prohibited.
Smoke quartz, digits rooted passion, life at its fullest,
clinging to desire.
Kyanite, the spirit of the glass, around your hands and I can
not wait, the gaze of blue ice.
Pink Opal tsavorite, the Czarina San Peresburgo travels, her
voice giving life to Grace.
Perla is voice and mouth, concentrated sea, perfect, beautiful,
unique.
River stone and quartz landscape, water chiseling matter,
Eva and Javier, creating worlds, the divine eye, stroke
Leonardo.
The fire opal, Sanskrit, the first alphabet of the world,
omphalos, origin concentrated in a ring.
Tourmaline pink, beauty mirror, talks look, you surrender to his
words. Je voudrais toujours you plaire.
Baroque pearl, a Rembrandt, conjugate a verb gloating, portrait
depths of the Pacific Ocean.
Gold and diamonds, the passage of a comet trapped in a woman
lobe caress.
Alchemy, imperial topaz and sapphire blue, the Philosopher's
Stone,
Les annes passent, qu'il est loin l'ge'll have ...
STAY STRONG: Urban Jewels for your emotions.
Visit them at www.staystrongjewels.com
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Passionate about crafts, anxious to detail and love
of life, the creator Antonio Ortega has built his life
and career around a dream which embraces the
world of Haute Couture
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The Sweet & Captivating Madness of
Antonio Ortega
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whats haute?
T he much celebrated Antonia Orte-
ga draws his energy from the fine
line between competing contem-
porary aesthetics. This season,
tension inhabits the space be-
tween his inspirations, Leonardo da Vinci's Last
Supper and urban graffiti exalting female hero-
ines. The stark contrast between the refinement
of pictorial history and contemporary urban
expression brings to life a collection that trans-
forms women into dynamic, yet hazy, delicate
and floating silhouettes.
The designer assembles printed fabrics to create
an impressionistic blur accentuated by body
movement. The cuts emphasize, but never inter-
fere with the blur, lending form to lengths and
shapes that reveal a leg, a curve, a line, skin, sen-
sual and captivating in their own right.
The innovative fabrics, sewn with ribbon to un-
derline the structure, curl around and align
with the body, creating volume and graphics.
To glorify the woman's body in such an elegant
manner, Antonio Ortega plays with cotton, lurex,
and high-tech materials - often waterproof - that
stiffen or soften print patterns and maintain the
liquid and silky effect of the garments. He dares to
use all lengths, numerous audacities, favouring
waist and necklines, relying on the sinuous line of
the body to build his impressionist fashion vocab-
ulary.
Fine details complete the supple shapes and col-
ors, handmade croquet, embroideries, laces,
stitching, islets and fine chains.
His collection offers a bold wardrobe two women
wishing to express their femininity, sensuality,
and above all their freedom far from restricting
gender codes and rules. Once again, the designer
succeeds in creating bright muses from a mixed
and grandiose aesthetic inspiration.
Visit his website
www.antonioortegacouture.com
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whats haute?
P A R I S C O U T U R E W E E K
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Alexandre Delima HC RS15
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Fashion
Houston 2014
Alexis Monsanto
Staff Pick
Photography by
Nenaji
Agbolabori
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Art Institute of Houston
Staff Pick
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Fashion
Houston 2014
Photography by Nenaji Agbolabori
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Fashion Houston 2014 Breakthrough
Designer 2015
Editors Pick
Bibhu Mohapatra
Photography by Nenaji Agbolabori
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Fashion Houston 2014 Staff Pick
Chloe DAO
Photography by Nenaji Agbolabori
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Fashion Houston 2014 Staff Pick
Grungy Gentlemen
Photography by Nenaji Agbolabori
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Fashion Houston 2014 Staff Pick
Jiozel REYES
Photography by Nenaji Agbolabori
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Fashion Houston 2014 Staff Pick
Matthew
Laurenza Photography by Nenaji Agbolabori
Campbell
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Fashion Houston 2014 Staff Pick
Naeem KHAN
Photography by Nenaji Agbolabori
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Fashion Houston 2014 Staff Pick
Rebecca Minkoff
Photography by Nenaji Agbolabori
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Fashion Houston 2014 Staff Pick
Rene RUIZ
Photography by Nenaji Agbolabori
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Fashion Houston 2014 Staff Pick
Rolando SANTANA
Photography by Nenaji Agbolabori
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Staff Pick
Rubin SANTANA
Photography by Nenaji Agbolabori
Fashion Houston 2014 Breakthrough
Designer 2015
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Fashion Houston 2014 Staff Pick
TIBI Photography by Nenaji Agbolabori
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A L E S S I A P R E K O P
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T he distressed housewife of Betty Friedmans The Feminine
Mystique meets the woman of the future in Alessia
Prekops Spring/Summer 2015 collection. Muted pastels are
uplifted in a hazy print cut into shift dresses and sep-arates
flirting between symmetric and asymmetric lines. Graphic elements
come to form in a lace overlay, up-
dating the traditional trench while introducing the kimono
sleeve jacket as a classic wardrobe staple.
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Alessia Prekop Spring 2015 Summer Cutouts
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GEV EVENTS
The Longeva Skincare Launch Party at
BELLA ROSA BOUTIQUE LOS GATOS
By Kaye Cloutman Photography by Paul Ferradas
R etail therapy took on a whole new meaning at the recently
concluded Bella Longeva party. Attendees including local
fashionistas and Bay Area style bloggers had the pleasure of
sipping, snacking, shopping and socializing all while helping raise
funds and awareness for a very important cause; Cancer CAREPoint, a
personalized support service for anyone in Silicon Valley whose
life is touched by cancer. Rob Tufel, Executive Director of Cancer
CAREPoint, gave a heartwarming opening speech to the crowd and
expressed much appreciation for the support. Bella Rosa Boutique
owner Gina Barsanti Alves added Everyone in this room has probably
been affected by cancer ei-ther from their own personal battle or
perhaps because of some-one they love. I am one of those people and
I am honored to be involved in helping a worthy cause.
One of the highlights of the evening of course was the
opportunity to try the Longeva skincare line - but Ill be honest, I
have loved the products since their inception last year not just
because of the integrity of the brand but because of the person
behind it. Tara Nader developed Longeva after suffering skin damage
from radia-tion treatments following a breast cancer diagnosis.
Unable to find a botanical and chemical free syrup that contained
the healing nutrients and vitamins she sought, Nader set up a home
lab and started making her own. When they tell you that you have
can-cer, you feel like you've already expired, said Tara, that your
life is over and you're no longer relevant she continued. Rather
than wallow, she chose to take a fighting stance against the
disease. With a background in math and science as well as
engineering she perfected the formula using top quality oils and
extracts gathered from around the world. She incorporated
ingredients that have long been used in her Persian culture along
with those from other countries which have a long tradition of skin
care advances. In a short time Nader noticed that her surgical
scars were disappearing and her parched complexion was newly
glowing.
Cancer CAREPoint has been very instrumental in my recovery so
Gina and I are donating 10% of this evenings sales to support them
Tara concluded.
Visit their websites
bellarosaboutique.com longeva.com cancercarepoint.org
whats happening?
WINE | FOOD | ART | PEOPLE | GALAS | PLACES | LAUNCHES |
CONCERTS
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GEV EVENTS
Dry Creek Kitchen feat. Flowers Vineyards WINE | FOOD | ART |
PEOPLE | GALAS | PLACES | LAUNCHES | CONCERTS
Winemaker Kitchen Table Dinner
T he previous night's winter storm has subsided, and the rising
moon now punctures holes in the evening coastal fog. My mind is on
a mission. I am seeking to warm my body and soul with some rich
com-fort food, delicious wine and great company. And I will find it
here in Healdsburg about an hour north of San Francisco at Dry
Creek Kitchen, where award winning chef Charlie Palmer present a
one-of-a-kind monthly dinner showcasing the rich
By Tamara Gorman Strasser
whats happening?
culinary and wine history of Sonoma County a region abundant in
agri-culture, world-class wines and pas-sionate cooks.
In that spirit, Dry Creek Kitchen intro-duces Winemakers Kitchen
Table, a monthly community supper hosted by top vintners serving
their prized wines and personal family recipes. Tonight's winemaker
is the grounded yet bold Greg La Follette of La Fol-lette Wines.
Before founding La Fol-lette in 2009, Greg was the winemak-er for
Flowers Vineyards on the ex-treme Sonoma Coast, where he lived with
his family for years. I love to
barbecue, says Greg. At Flowers we would go fishing every day
after work and cook outside almost every night... wild mushrooms,
venison, wild turkey, rabbit...
With its sparkling best on, Hotel Healdsburg and the Avenue it
resides on are dressed and ready for Christ-mas and Dry Creek
Kitchen is no exception with its fireplace casting a warm glow on
appreciative guests. We begin our meal with a nicely bal-anced 2011
Manchester Ridge Char-donnay poured by the accomplished winemaker
himself. The chardon-nay's focused citrus acidity makes it a
By Tamara Gorman Strasser
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nice companion for a luscious pan seared diver scallop with
American caviar mousseline.
While the La Follettes are pouring their beautifully crafted
wines, the dynamic Chef Dustin Valette, the 2014 Cochon 555 winner,
is pouring his heart into some of the most sa-vory comfort dishes I
have had in a long time. Our second course was an elegant and
tender roasted California quail with wild rice, peppercorn and
chicken liver stuffing. This reassuring dish was served with a 2013
old world-style Van Der Kamp Vineyard Pinot Noir expressing all the
com-plexity of the crown jewel vineyard of Sonoma Mountain. After
finishing the delicate quail, the chilly winter night was a perfect
time to enjoy a hearty wood fired classic cassoulet. Vallete's
cassoulet was a soothing combina-tion of duck confit, garlic
sausage, fingerling potatoes, and white beans with a huckleberry
bourbon jus. La Follette expertly paired the cassoulet with a
powerful, richly flavored 2011 DuNah Vineyard Pinot Noir. For the
sweet ending, our tastebuds were tantalized with a warm cashew crme
quince tart and praline ice cream a delightful finish to a
de-lightful evening.
The delicious cassoulet along with the savory quail, brought
back mem-ories of the roasted wild birds, rich stews and fresh
breads often served
at my grandparents' Sunday family meals. These heavenly dishes,
paired with the texturally rich La Follette wines and great
company, made the La Follette Kitchen Table a dinner to warm your
body and soul.
D ry Creek Kitchen has a brand new chef at the helm with the
arrival of Andrew Wilson, a Pennsylvania native and veteran of many
top San Francisco eateries. Wilson, most recently the Chef at
Carneros Bistro & Wine Bar, also spent many years cooking in
Charleston, South Caroli-na, before returning to the Bay Area to
lead the Carneros kitchen in 2011. The new chef brings over 20
years of hands-on and fine dining kitchen experience to Palmers
wine country restaurant.
Andrew looks forward to delving into the restaurants
farm-to-fork philoso-phy and Sonoma Countys rich agri-cultural
offerings, as well as collabo-rating with the great talent already
positioned at Dry Creek Kitchen, in-cluding Chef Palmer, General
Manag-er Drew Munro, and Wine Director Courtney Humiston. Palmer,
along
with Wilson, and the entire Dry Creek Kitch-en team, are working
to-wards creating an elevated dining experi-ence at the Hotel
Healdsburg restaurant with a new style of service, enhanced
operations, and all-new menus.
On his new position at Dry Creek Kitchen, Wilson says, Im most
looking forward to building a team with great focus and crea-tivity
and working closely with Charlie and everyone at Dry Creek Kitchen
to bring the restaurant to the next level by capital-izing on its
already strong foundation and national credibility. He also notes,
With a great season of root vegetables upon us and, of course, the
end of foie gras dark days in California, I cant wait to get my
hands on the best quality ingredients that the surrounding area has
to offer.
Chef Andrew Wilson named as new Executive Chef
WHATS NEW
Visit them
Flowers Vineyard & Winery 28500 Seaview Road, Cazadero, CA
95421 (707) 847-3661 flowerswinery.com Dry Creek Kitchen by Charlie
Palmer 317 Healdsburg Avenue, Healdsburg, CA 95448 (707) 431-0330
charliepalmer.com/dry-creek-kitchen La Follette Wines 180 Morris
Street, Sebastopol, CA 95472 (707) 827-4933 lafollettewines.com
Winemaker Greg La Follette
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GEV EVENTS
The 24th Annual Zinfandel Experience Tasting Event EPICURIA
& ZIN STATE