SFBayStyle

Tutankhamun and the Golden Age of the Pharaohs

    

The de Young Museum entrance in 1979

In 1979 the hippie look was nearing its end, Disco was in, gas cost 86 cents a gallon, and the San Francisco de Young Museum hosted the King Tutankamun exhibit to great fanfare. Mayor Gavin Newsom was 11 years old at the time and recalls the crowds and the spectacle. Lindy Sherwood-Combs, Senior Vice-President Northern Trust, says she was slightly older than Mayor Newsom in '79, "I was a kid in Fresno and I came with my parents all dressed up, including white gloves."

Now through March 28, 2010 at the de Young Museum, new generations will have their chance to create lasting memories and get inspired by the wonders of King Tutankhamun.

Eat Shop Guides

Summer travel season is upon us and I seem to add a new guide book to my collection every summer. I have my fair share of Frommers, Fodors, and Lonely Planet books that I love. I even own own the Rick Steve's Europe DVD series. ( That was a wonderful gift from KQED!)

One thing that I try to do when traveling is to shop and eat where the locals do. I support locally owned businesses at home, so why not do the same abroad? Thanks to the eat.shop series, I can do just that.

The series, which now includes thirteen major cities worldwide, features locally owned businesses selected by the writers. The guides are beautifully designed, and make a great gift. If you want to discover cool boutiques, and restaurants wherever you may roam, this is just the book for you - whether you live here or are just visiting.

Follow Michael Bauer

Attention Bay Area foodies.  If you are on Twitter, you may want to follow @MichaelBauer1. The S.F. Chronicle's famed executive food and wine editor is now part of the ever expanding twitterverse.

I am not sure what we will discover, but any excuse to try a new restaurant is fine by me. I am currently attempting to make it every restaurant in Bauer's top 100 list.  Last week was Coco 500, this Saturday, I will be at Nopa.  How many of Bauer's top 100 have you been to?  Check out the list and let us know which ones we should try first.

Don't forget to follow @sfbaystyle while you're at it!

Quivira Vineyards

People often ask me what I do up in Healdsburg with my four children. The wine country has been my family's weekend destination for years. Believe it or not, there is more than just wine to be found in the wine country and even in the vineyards.

One of our favorite places to take a stroll is on the grounds of Quivira Vineyards. Quivira is a biodynamic vineyard. After a stop in the tasting room, take the time to explore the grounds. There are beautiful native gardens, as well as my children's favorites, the chicken coop and farm animals. On our last visit, the vineyard was the home to a pregnant wild pig. We are still waiting to hear whether the Quivira piglets have been born.

Blazers Hot for Summer & Fall

The blazer is experiencing a recent comeback, as it tends to do every couple of years. This is good news for the Bay Area, since layers are always the name of the fashion game here. The latest trend in blazers can be worn in many different styles, textures, and shapes, making it one of the most versatile and wearable items. 

While there are many blazers to be chosen from, the style currently getting the most buzz is the "boyfriend" blazer. It goes hand-in-hand with all of the ambiguous styles floating around lately, including the "boyfriend" jeans and the wispy oversized t-shirts often seen paired with them.

The characteristics of this particular style of blazer include a boxy,oversized shape and rolled or cuffed sleeves. However, the boyfriend blazer is incredibly wearable and updates most basics you already have in your closet into looks that evoke a casual, effortless cool. Be it a t-shirt or a cocktail dress, the boyfriend blazer will seal the deal.

(Blazer to the right is by Organic, and is sold at Shopbop.com.)

Sophie Azouaou Launches Philanthropic Television Show

Sophie Azouaou, owner of Sophisticate Interiors, is the Host and Co-Producer of the upcoming NBC TV show, Touching Hearts, a multimedia project that includes a primetime television airing. Each show is designed to focus on amazing organizations, the philanthropists, the philanthropic corporations, and the people who are in desperate need of their help.

• Pilot will launch Post NFL Kick-off game Sunday Night Football: September 13, 2009 at 9:00 PM
• Re-airing Monday, September 14, 12:30 PM
• Series: Sunday 9 PM prime time sunday night football 
• Re-runs: Mondays 12:30 PM 

(Interview with Sophie after the jump...)

Fashion Metamorphosis

We San Franciscans have our own style and we're proud of it! But truth is we're not really in the same league as New York and Milan. However, with recent events such as Discarded to Divine and local designers earning a spot on Project Runway, we just might be in the midst of a makeover. So that makes this year's Art Institute of California student fashion show title, Metamorphosis, even more apt. 

Student designer Rachel Richardson designed a bridal gown and women's wear for the show and she said she's ready to help put San Francisco on the fashion map. "We have great talent in this city," said Rachel, who also shared that fashion students these days are encouraged to find inspiration outside of fashion in places like museums and nature. "I try to pull from different places and push myself," she said. A recent inspiration for her were the colors of the ocean.    

King Tut Returns - June 27, 2009

  

Our favorite boy king Tutankhamun returns to the San Francisco de Young Museum after 30 years. Here's a cheat sheet before you go.

• Tutankhamun was one of the last kings of Egypt's 18th Dynasty.
• He was nine years old when he became pharaoh in 1333 BC.
• He died mysteriously at age 19.
• The tomb of King Tut, as we affectionately call him, was discovered intact in 1922 by British archaeologist Howard Carter.
• Discovery of the tomb created an international buzz that influenced art, architecture, and fashions throughout the 1920s. 
• Fifty of the artifacts made their first international tour in 1979.
• Eight million people attended.
• The current exhibit includes 130 artifacts - 50 from King Tut's tomb and 80 from the tombs of other pharaohs and royalty.
• A portion of the proceeds from this world tour will go to help preserve Egypt's treasures and construction of a new museum in Cairo.
• Sponsors include National Geographic and Northern Trust.
• The museum has set up a (not-to-be-missed)Tut webpage full of information and e-cards and a podcast interview with designer of the exhibit, Mark Lach.

Tutankhamun and the Golden Age of the Pharaohs, de Young Museum, 50 Hagiwara Tea Garden Drive, SF, 415-750-3600, June 27, 2009 through March 28, 2010. Just like in '79, you must purchase tickets in advance.

http://tutsanfrancisco.org/content/tickets

Composer Philanthropist Gordon Getty Honored by Lavish Gala Performance

"The older I get, the less I know, but I am certain that what we do matters." - from Master Class, music by Jake Heggie, lyrics by Terrence McNally

Gordon Getty is one of those names one automatically associates with San Francisco and the arts, but not everyone knows that he was a student of the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, the Bay Area equivalent to Julliard.  Years later, Getty donated funds to help build the new Recital Hall, named after Getty's principal teacher there, Sol Joseph.  Among his many talents, Getty is also a composer, so it's fitting that for their gala this year, the Conservatory honored Gordon Getty with a performance for him including pieces written by him, to thank him for his passion and generosity over the years.

The Guardsmen Bachelor Auction - June 25, 2009

Free cosmos for the ladies and 25 hot bachelors struttin' their stuff. What's this ... a plot line for Sex and the City? Nope, it's all real and you are invited! The Guardsmen 6th Annual Auction on Thursday, June 25 is your chance to bid on a date with one of San Francisco's most eligible bachelors. (Or if you're a Samantha, go for multiple bidding!)

Since 1947 The Guardsmen has been raising funds to better the lives of inner-city kids. Each year monies raised are used to send youth to camps, outdoor education programs, and scholarships are set up for 200 students to attend private schools. 

The Guardsmen 6th Annual Bachelor Auction, Ruby Skye, 420 Mason St., SF

Thursday, June 25, 2009, Cosmos start pourin' at 7PM, bidding starts at 8:30

For tickets and more information go to http://www.guardsmen.org/

Sponsored in part by TheAList.org

Be there or be sorry!