007 Meets the Swiss Mountains

On the release day of the new James Bond film, I thought it was only fitting to showcase the piece in the NYTimes that features Thomas Flohr’s home, a real life 007 hideaway in the Swiss mountains of St. Moritz. As the founder and chairman of VistaJet (subscription-based plane service that singlehandedly revolutionized the aviation industry), Thomas built the company from the ground up with visions of one day having a home that could be shared for generations to come. The home, once a 1960s chalet, is now a seven-story hideaway, a labor of love, and one with no shortage of luxury and allure. The six-acre property is a stone's throw away from where Thomas grew up skiing. Thomas enlisted Ivana Porfiri, a Milan-based interior designer to transform the structure into a contemporary mountain retreat, one that is truly invigorated with a James Bond fortress feel. Read on, here.

Italian Gothic in New Orleans

Anyone that knows me well knows that New Orleans holds a special place in my heart. It is a city so deeply rooted in history and culture, and where my Grandmother Gertrude was raised and met my Grandfather, whom she married after three months of knowing each other.

I absolutely love Sara Ruffin Costello's garden district home as featured on One Kings Lane. The home, as Sara describes is "formal, yet informal" hence the ping pong table in the dining room that looks unexpectedly chic, or the exposed brick in the kitchen juxtaposed with a sleek Bulthaup island and lucite dining chairs. I particularly love the use of the green trellis inside, decorated with a bounty of magnolia branches and meyer lemons foraged from the back yard. The home exudes comfort and style without compromising the architectural integrity of the 1868 home. Dreamy.

Biondivino!

The chicest wine shop in San Francisco is conveniently two blocks away from where I live. Ceri Smith is the woman behind Biondivino, a jewel box of a wine shop that specializes in Italian wine, most of which are from small producers. Upon entering the shop, you'll likely find Ceri effortlessly fluttering around in a fabulous ensemble, talking about her recent trip to Italy, or catching up with a Russian Hill neighbor (dog in tow) that habitually frequents her store. in 2014, Ceri was named one of  Food & Wine‘s Sommeliers of the Year and also serves as the co-wine director at Tosca Cafe, two rather impressive decorations in a town like San Francisco. If there is anyone with passion and craft, it is Ceri Smith. For even the slightest wine aficionado, the shop feels like a second home. It is a place you'll want to linger and sip wine and meet new acquaintances that feel like old friends. Be sure to subscribe to Biondivino's mailing list to stay informed about wine tastings and events at the shop. Ciao!

Boo!

Happy Halloween! Halloween used be one of my favorite holidays as a child but now I'd rather be at home with a good glass of wine passing out sweets. I tried to convince my co-workers that I was "in costume" yesterday, but they didn't seem to think my animal print shoes and clicquot colored pants counted...

Spooky Chic

Pacific Heights always leads with the best Halloween decorations. Here are a few chic highlights from my neighborhood walk last eve.

Happy Birthday, LJM!

Happy Birthday to my dearest of friends, Lauren J. Merrigan!! You bring me so much joy and laughter. I love you to the moon and back. xx

CC: Rae Feather (obsessed with your clutches & bags)

Autumn's Arrival

I've just returned from a week back east where Autumn is alive and well. The harbor has thinned out, the leaves have found rest on the ground and neighborhood chimneys are piping with evening fires. Soon it will be winter!

The Truffle Broker

Cool piece in the WSJ about Ian Purkayastha, a 23-year-old truffle broker in NYC that supplies more than 80 percent of the Michelin star restaurants in Manhattan. At age 15, he used his savings to buy a kilo of truffles from France, closing close to $300,000 in sales his senior year in high school. This year, he is projected to earn $3 million to $4 million in sales. Forbes has also dubbed him as the "Prince of Truffles". Now that's what they call a niche market. Read on, here.

Salty Girl Seafood

I went to high school with Norah Eddy, a friend whom I've always been smitten by. She was athletic and well liked in school, not to mention a fellow water baby who was constantly in the ocean surfing in that kind of badass-one-of-the-boys kind of way. We lost touch over the years, but recently, I saw a news clip on the company she co-founded, Salty Girl Seafood. I had to know more...

Salty Girl Seafood's mission is to drive change in the seafood industry by empowering fishermen to promote stewardship of oceans. They are on a quest to improve the access to sustainable, traceable seafood across the U.S.

In short, Salty Girl Seafood sells fish products that are sourced directly from the fisherman that actually caught them. Each packaged fish product lists the name of the captain who caught the fish in addition to where and the nature of its species. This eliminates the possibility of fraud, not to mention, lends to the peace of mind that you're enjoying fresh seafood that was harvested using supportable practices. Each product has a unique code on the packaging, allowing you to trace your fish. (Let's face it - the last thing you want is to eat a piece of salmon that encountered endless hands in the supply chain from overseas over a period of unknown time).

I love nothing more than seeing friends chase their dreams and take bold measures to change the world. Norah's company, Salty Girl Seafood, is exemplary of exactly just that. With mentions from the likes of Forbes and the shear transparency of their core values, Salty Girl Seafood is on its way! Best of luck, Norah and team! xx

Delphiniums

Delphiniums at Dior. Perfection, at minimum. One of my favorite flowers. As depicted by C Magazine.