For the first time, the cancer-fighting Alcides E. Rosaura Diniz Foundation hosted a gala at the Astorian. Ana Paola Diniz, who lost her father Alcides to Hodgkin’s lymphoma in 2006, praised MD Anderson, the night’s beneficiary, for its dedication. … Meanwhile, Catholic Charities’ “happy”-themed 75th annual Spirit of Charity event did indeed bring smiles to many faces. The evening, held at the Marriott Marquis, raised $1 million. … This year’s Lyndon Baines Johnson Moral Courage Award dinner honored President George W. Bush for his lifelong commitment to service and country. The total till doubled the previous record, coming in at $4.2 million. … In addition to celebrating the induction of five new members of the Texas Aviation Hall of Fame, the Lone Star Flight Museum’s Flights of Fancy event garnered $700K for the museum. … And the 30th annual Goodwill Gala was the organization’s most successful ever, with more than 400 black-tie-clad guests — including Simone Biles and her family, guests of board member Leisa Holland Nelson — partying for a cause at the River Oaks Country Club.
Ex-Tomboy Jentry Kelley Has Become a Beauty-Biz Titan, Believes in Taking ‘Leaps of Faith’
For someone who has never heard of Jentry Kelley or Jentry Kelley Cosmetics, what is your elevator pitch? Simple, clean, no fuss skincare and makeup. If you want clean, yet easy to use, and you are not a self-proclaimed makeup artist, this brand is for you. We are education-focused. When you have the confidence to do it on your own and tools to make it look right, you can look and feel your best every day when you head out to take over the world.
How did you land in the world of cosmetics? Was the world of beauty always your passion? Actually, I climbed trees and caught frogs as a child! When I was 14, my mom sent me to Page Parkes modeling school and I learned the art of makeup application. I had always been an artist with a canvas, but this time the canvas was my face — and I felt pretty for the first time in my life. Fast foward, I started working at a makeup counter at Neiman Marcus during college and over the course of 11 years I met some amazingly supportive people, and Jentry Kelley Cosmetics was born.
How did you go from working behind the counter at a department store to having a self-titled cosmetics line in branded brick-and-mortar retail locations? A quick mention from a friend that I should create my own line, an American Express Card, and an appetite for success. All the way back to when I was a child, I knew I would own a business one day. In 2011, I charged $35,000 my AMEX card. It was a huge leap, but I knew if I gave every ounce of me, it would be a success. Eight months later, I landed my first retail store, and three years later I was selling to 17 retail locations. Today, I have two brick-and-mortar stores, and just expanded our flagship location by another 5,000 square feet.
Who inspires you? Over the 11 years I spent at Neiman’s I worked for both Bobbi Brown and Laura Mercier. Hearing the story of how Bobbi was an artist just like I was, was inspiration and motivation. Later, I landed a counter manager position at Laura Mercier. I started just a few years after Janet Gurwitch sold had to Alticor. Janet would pop in and buy gifts for her friends, and I had the pleasure of meeting and chatting during her visits. Over the years, we have stayed in contact, and it absolutely amazes me to watch the brands she acquires and builds to become strong, well-established household names.
What is next for the brand? Any new ventures? For the first time ever, I am dabbling in fragrance and body products. This is an extremely competitive market, but always something I’ve wanted to do. Again, another leap of faith and an accidental meeting started it all. Our fragrances will have notes of leather and citrus, but also a very clean aroma. I was inspired by Le Labo and Acqua di Parma. We are nearing formulation completeness and so close to the next big move for the company and I cannot wait.
THE ATELIER OF Off the Wall Gallery, located on level one of The Galleria just above the ice-skating rink, is the site for Give Peace a Chance, a newly curated, premiere exhibition of limited-edition prints of artwork by John Lennon.
The exhibit is exciting, yet understated, in the best sense of the word, as Lennon originally drew and painted with no goal in mind other than to return to and enjoy the unselfconscious creativity we experience in childhood and typically abandon as we grow older and more “responsible.”
OTW Gallery Principal, Mimi Sperber-Wasserberg, who was instrumental in the curation of Give Peace a Chance, believes that for Lennon, creating art a way of reconciling a traumatic childhood with the love he found with his second wife and creative partner, Yoko Ono. “I think Yoko sparked something that allowed him to bloom again,” says Sperber-Wasserberg. “His artwork helped him heal.”
'The City in My Heart'
'A Bird Bath'
'Family of Peace'
'A Cat Napping'
'Power to the People'
Lennon’s trials and tribulations as a self-described “working-class hero,” who penned and sang his cri de coeur anthem “Help” at the height of his fame with The Beatles, are documented in songs that ranged from strange (“Strawberry Fields Forever”) to scorching (“I Want You [She’s So Heavy]”).
But he is also beloved for his post-Beatles repertoire, which includes such radio staples as “Instant Karma,” “Imagine,” and “Starting Over,” a paean to reconciliation with Ono and recorded in the last year of his life. (At age 40, Lennon was shot and fatally wounded by a deeply disturbed fan in the archway of The Dakota, where he and Ono had lived since 1973.)
In the wake of The Beatles breakup, and in his final years as a devoted husband and father, Lennon’s visual art garnered more attention, as it provided a subtle, ongoing commentary on living a relatively normal life in extraordinary circumstances. “He was not afraid to show the world what mattered most to him, which was people communicating,” says Sperber-Wasserberg of the subject matter Lennon explored in both his music and in his art.
Many of the drawings in Give Peace a Chance were created by John alongside his young son Sean. Lennon’s gift for wordplay and wry sense of humor is evident in the titles of this series: “An Elephant Counting” shows a pink elephant, big ears, trunk and all, at rest in a human’s bed, with an arc of sheep floating above its head. In “A Bird Bath,” a small, blue bird is perched atop an apple tree, enjoying a rainstorm as puddles form across the purple-colored landscape.
There are also Lennon’s drawings of himself and Yoko, realized in fluid, interwoven lines that suggest the spiritual connection they shared as soulmates. “Dream Power” is an homage to the cover of Ono’s 1970 debut solo album, Yoko Ono/Plastic Ono Band, although, in this version, she and Lennon are nude, just like planet Earth’s first creative power couple, Adam and Eve.
The title of the show comes from the 1969 Lennon song of the same name, where nonsensical rhyming in the verses (“Everybody’s talking about / bagism, shagism, dragism / this-ism, that-ism . . .” ) give way to the powerful refrain: “All we are saying / Is give peace a chance.” (A serigraph of Lennon’s handwritten lyrics is included in the exhibit.) Considering that the political unrest of our times feels so similar to that of the sixties and seventies, the message is both timely and timeless. “Lennon’s mindset wasn’t just 60 years ago. It’s applicable today,” says Sperber-Wasserberg firmly before adding with a laugh: “But I’m supposed to focus on the art!”
Give Peace a Chance: The Art of John Lennon is on view at Off the Wall Gallery from Aug. 20 to Sept. 7, 2024.
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California Dreaming? Kick off Your Wine-Country Stay — in Western Boots! — at Sonoma County Wine Celebration
MORNINGS IN THE 50s and crisp sunny afternoons, Michelin star restaurants, and world-class wineries are just a few reasons to visit northern Cali wine country this September. Another reason? The new Sonoma County Wine Celebration September 19-21, which replaces the annual Sonoma Wine Auction, the largest wine charity in the region. Read on for tips on making the journey an action-packed weekend, where to stay, and where to taste. Just make sure to pack your finest cowboy boots, y'all!
The party starts Thurs., Sept. 19, at the popular Vintners Resort hideaway in Santa Rosa for a reception. After that warm-up, plan on exclusive add-on “Showdown Dinners” to choose from. On Friday, new events created by the Sonoma County Vintner’s include Winery Insider Tours. Pick your wine region — Dry Creek Valley, North Coast, etc. — and travel with the pros sightseeing, learning and tasting. Friday night Sept. 20, pull on your boots for Wine Country Nights: Boots, Bottles and Bites, which brings wild west fun to Sugarloaf Wine Co. for an evening of wine, food and live music. The beauty of the weekend is that you really don’t have to plan one thing. Just show up!
The Saturday auction, held at historical Chateau St. Jean, one of Foley Family Wines & Spirits’ luxury estates, culminates the three days. This charity auction moves briskly with bids on exclusive auction lots from rare wine to once-in-a-lifetime trips around the world. Rub shoulders with top winemakers while tasting regional wines and foods, and mingling with winery founders, industry luminaries, and big auction donors like Gallo, Jackson Family Wines, Foley Family Wines, Benovia Winery and Rodney Strong Vineyards.
But if you want to strike out on your own for a few days and nights, there are countless discoveries in the region. It’s worth it to make an appointment to visit Hamel Family Wines in the Sonoma Valley. The breathtaking contemporary winery offers several tasting experiences, including a must-do signature wine and food pairing prepared by the estate chef.
Also reserve ahead for one of the many remarkable experiences at Jordan Vineyard & Winery while savoring French-inspired wines. Established in 1970s, the 1,200-acre property takes a page from the beautiful French countryside, chateaus and all, and firmly plants it in Alexander Valley in the most authentic, modern way.
Optionally, cruise up Chalk Hill Road for valley views and taste a little bit of everything the region has to offer at Roth Estate Winery. Choose from several experiences including the BBQ lunch, tasting on the terrace, or the premier cave tasting. Nearby in Dry Creek Valley, Dutcher Crossing Winery is a fun stop for views, picnics on the lawn, petanque games, and eclectic white, rosé, zinfandel, wine blends and much more. First-timers to Dry Creek Valley should stop at the majestic Ferrari-Carano, an iconic winery flaunting ponds, dramatic fountains, endless views and Italian-inspired wines.
Sonoma County Wine Celebration (photo by Michael Woolsey)
Sonoma County Wine Auction
Chateau St. Jean
Where to Sleep: Vintners Resort
Vintners Resort
Located in Santa Rosa, Vintners Resort has long been a favorite for travelers seeking a regional hotel with walking spaces and amenities including culinary gardens, restaurants and spa. Plus, it’s the perfect jumping-off point for touring the different valleys including Sonoma, Dry Creek and Alexander Valley. The property is amid renovating John Ash & Co. Restaurant, and it recently hired new chef Sergio Howland who is creating several new dining options at the resort.
Where to Sleep: MacArthur Place Hotel & Spa
This Sonoma Valley hotel set on a historic 19th-century estate of lush gardens will charm you from the get-go. Many of the rooms are suites with fireplaces, porches or balconies and original art for local Sonoma artists. Culinary offerings include Layla with a Mediterranean-Cali menu; The Bar at MacArthur; and The Porch coffee shop.
Where to Sleep: Hotel Les Mars
Hotel Les Mars
When you’re looking for the crème de la crème of the area, look no further than the chic town of Healdsburg. Hotel Les Mars is a French chateau inspired luxury boutique hotel under the Relais & Chateaux umbrella. The serene space is filled with unique 17th- and 18th-century antiques and the marble bathrooms with deep soaking tubs are dreamy. Arandas is its new restaurant, which has a separate lounge for drinks and bites.
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