STUDIO 54 PARTY! ... BOOGIE!

Mark Calvano together with Carolyne Zinko and Clara Shayevich celebrated their birthdays with a private, chic and fabulous Studio 54 Party at the Starlight Room at the Sir Francis Hotel in San Francisco on July 25th, 2009. Two hundred and seventy five of their closest friends attended this unforgettable evening filled with surprises, live entertainment, dancers, great music, delicious nibbles and bubbles all night long.

Carolyne Zinko, Mark Calvano & Clara Shayevich

Robert Ayanian & Mai Shiver

Mark Calvano, Maria Barrios Ehmer & Emmanuel Asouzu

Deborah Elise Miller

Linda Gordon & Ari Khafain

Maria Barrios Ehmer & Keely Sanders

Victoria Yeager Sawyer, Harry Denton, Daru Kawalkowski & Hege Jessen

Heidi Betz & Scotty Morris

Jeff Davies & Julie Candice

Chris & Karen Tamblyn

Carolyn Sandler & Jorge Maumer

Brenda Zarate & Marius Cuc

Derek Besenfelder, Keely Sanders & Joel Goodrich

Joel Goodrich, Maria Barrios Ehmer, Emmanuel Asouzu, Clara Shayevich, Carolyne Zinko & Dan Dieguez

Hege Jessen, Mark Calvano & Daru Kawalkowski

Christopher Bently & Mark Calvano

BON APPETIT!

A very sweet article about Julia Child in the August issue of Vanity Fair reminded me about her wonderful book, My Life in France, which she wrote with her grand-nephew Alex Prud'homme. The book is really a love story...the love of her husband, food, cooking and France! It's also very inspiring. I am amazed by the fact that Julia Child didn't even start cooking until she was 37 and her first book, Mastering the Art of French Cooking, which she co-authored was published in 1961 when she was 49 years old and her television show, The French Chef, debuted on PBS the following year. She also inspired author Julie Powell to start cooking which she chronicled in her blog that later became a book and movie staring Meryl Streep and Amy Adams which will be released August 7th. I don't think I'll be mastering any French cooking any time soon but I can't wait to pick up some of her cookbooks next and see the film. Julia Child always reminds me that it's never too late to start something new! Bon Appetit!

SUMMER READING LIST

I am almost done with the book I am reading and thinking about what to read next. Vogue.com has a list of their Top 10 Summer Books that I am going to check out.

QUICKEST ESCAPE FROM THE CITY

Ultimate Date Night at Cavallo Point ...

This Fort Baker Army post turned luxury resort boasting an unreal view of the Golden Gate is throwing in complimentary breakfast and dinner at Murray Circle , spa and fitness club access and parking when you book a Contemporary King Junior Suite. In other words, you'll get the royal treatment. Or just try it for lunch ... you will love this place!

Cavallo Point Lodge
601 Murray Circle
Sausalito
415.339.4700

AFRICAN ADVENTURE

I've been fortunate to have travelled to some amazing places, but one place I would love to visit is South Africa, and when I finally make it to this exotic destination, I will stay at Makanyane Safari Lodge, which lies hidden in lush riverside forests and was designed by a team of award-winning architects to effortlessly blend the lodge with its surroundings.

Makanyane consists of a main building and only eight suites, which lie hidden in a forest overlooking the Marico River. Rich with African textures and walls of natural rock and dried tree trunks that merge with rough teak doors and contrast with overhanging thatches, the glass walls allow uninterrupted views of the river and surrounding bush.

HAPPY WEEKEND!

Best friend Midori is visiting from NYC and we have a fun and fully weekend plan ahead - girls only! Have a great weekend everyone! Cheers!!

GIANTS COUNTY FAIR - July 9 -19

The San Francisco Giants are bringing all the games, food, music, and fun of a county fair to San Francisco, July 9-19, with the first ever Giants County Fair. The Giants County Fair will be located at McCovey Cove in Lot A and will feature over 20 carnival rides (including a ferris wheel, bumper cars, and a haunted mansion), midway games, carnival food, a "Giants Baseball Zone," and live music!

The midway will remain from July 9 to the 19th. Hours vary by day.
The fair culminates on July 18 with an evening concert by Academy of Country Music Entertainer of the Year Kenny Chesney. Chesney's San Francisco show will feature a line up of some of country music's biggest names, including 2009 Grammy Award winner Sugarland, ACM Album of the Year winner Miranda Lambert, and ACM Group Award winner Lady Antebellum. Fans will be treated to more than six hours of country music in the biggest country show to return to the Bay Area for a second consecutive year.

Tickets for the concert are still available.
Fair General Admission is $5.
Unlimited Ride tickets for kids [12 and under] are $15, for adults [ages 13 and over] are $20 with kids under the age of 12 free.

Indulge in a corndog, some cotton candy and lots of carnival rides!

QUICK GETAWAY!

It's playa time ... See you in a few days!

WOODY ALLEN'S MANHATTAN SCREENING ON UNION SQUARE

Jewish Film Festival to Present Free Screening of Woody Allen's Manhattan

Woody Allen's Manhattan will light up Union Square on Saturday, July 11, as part of the Jewish Film Festival's opening ceremonies.
The San Francisco Jewish Film Festival is celebrating its 29th anniversary and begins Thursday, July 23, with an opening-night party at the Swedish American Hall followed by a screening of Cathy Randall’s coming-of-age comedy Hey Hey It’s Esther Blueburger at the Roxie.

The festival, in conjunction with the San Francisco Neighborhood Theatre Foundation’s Film Night in the Park, will sponsor a free outdoor screening of Woody Allen’s Manhattan in Union Square on Saturday, July 11. It’s a unique opportunity not only to see Allen’s 1979 dramatic masterwork on a bigger-than-big screen, but also to view New York’s breathtaking cityscape's, beautifully photographed in black and white by longtime Allen collaborator Gordon Willis, set against the San Francisco skyline.

The screening begins at 8:45 p.m., with a festival kickoff party scheduled afterward at Kuleto’s, where those in attendance can take advantage of special discounts on wine and cocktails, including the evening’s drink of choice, the Manhattan.

I am a huge fan of Woody's movies! Such a genius!

TWO NEW GREAT EXHIBITIONS IN SAN FRANCISCO, NOT TO BE MISSED!

ASIAN ART MUSEUM
LORDS OF THE SAMURAI "BRILLIANT WARRIORS, ARTISTIC MASTERS"
June 12 - September 20, 2009

More than just warriors, Japanese samurai of the highest rank were visionaries, writers, and artists as well. The Hosokawa clan, powerful military nobles with a 600-year-old lineage, embodied this duality of fierce warrior and refined gentleman. This exhibition features more than 150 works from the Hosokawa family collection housed in the Eisei-Bunko Museum in Tokyo, the Kumamoto Castle and the Kumamoto Municipal Museum in Kyushu. Objects on view include suits of armor, armaments (including swords and guns), formal attire, calligraphy, paintings, teaware, lacquerware, masks and musical instruments.

Keep in mind that The Asian Art Museum is the only U.S. venue for this exhibition! No one should miss it!

TUTANKHAMUN AND THE GOLDEN AGE OF THE PHARAOHS

DE YOUNG MUSEUM
EXPERIENCE THE WORLD OF KING TUT!
Trough March 28, 2010


For the first time in 30 years the artifacts from the tomb of Tutankhamun return to the de Young Museum. Tutankhamun and the Golden Age of the Pharaohs presents more than 130 important objects, including 50 from the tomb of King Tut. The exhibition places Tutankhamun in a larger context through an additional 80 objects from the tombs of his ancestors.
Tickets to the exhibition will be timed and dated, and it is encourage visitors arrive 30 minutes before their scheduled entry. Exhibit takes about 90 minutes to walk through leisurely.

Tickets available through Ticketmaster of by calling (877.888.8587)

HAPPY WEEKEND (OF FREEDOM!)

Tomorrow we'll be celebrating our Independence Day - I Will celebrate the things I still believe in and am thankful for in this great big country of ours. Wishing you all a very safe and happy holiday weekend!

PICKING A WEDDING PALETTE ...

Weddings always make me so happy and excited! Picking a wedding palette is as essential as the wedding dress. A few days ago I received a call from a good friend asking for help who is getting married soon, very soon ... there is no time to waste... so lets make haste!