SFBayStyle

A Masked Ball for Survivor Corps

 
Cleo Streets, Pamela Joyner, Russell Gatewood (Photo: Drew Altizer) 

In true festive spirit, guests of Pamela Joyner and Fred Giuffrida arrived bedecked and bejeweled for the third annual Masked Ball. Held on October 24 at Ms. Joyner's lovely Presidio Heights home, this popular event is a fundraiser for Survivor Corps.

Over $750,000 was raised to support Survivor Corps, an organization working to help survivors of armed conflict around the world. The gold and white theme sparked imaginative attire of flowing Grecian ball gowns, elegant wraps, and masks accented with jewels and feathers. Three other cities - Santa Monica, New York, and London joined the festivities in a simulcast.

 Rosalina Lydster, Deepa Pakianathan (Photo: Drew Altizer)

 

Union Square Ice Rink Opens Wednesday with Olympic Skaters

Wednesday, the Union Square ice rink opens again to entertain skaters throughout the season. This year is special since it's the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, so the U.S. Figure Skating Association, in conjunction with local skating clubs like the Skating Club of San Francisco, is putting together a series of events to highlight the opening this Wednesday, beginning at 10 a.m.

There will be a show at noon and another exhibition at 5 p.m. Guests can skate at other times of day, and the daytime event has a requested donation of $20.

Then at 6 p.m., there will be a special reception featuring Olympic Gold Medalist (and Dancing with the Stars champion) Kristi Yamaguchi and U.S. national champion Rudy Galindo across the street at the Westin St. Francis Hotel. Tickets for that are $100 and the money goes to the U.S. Olympic skaters.

To RSVP or ask questions, contact Susan Bonn (susanbonn(at)gmail(dot)com) or Stacey Marsh (smarsh(at)usfigureskating(dot)org).

A Traveler's Passport to Etiquette

Photo: Drew Altizer

Etiquette is a must, particularly while traveling. Certified etiquette consultant Lisa Grotts tells us what's proper and what's not in her new book, A Traveler's Passport to Etiquette.

To celebrate Ms. Grotts' first published book a soiree was held in her honor on October 15 at Montblanc in downtown San Francisco. Attendees had the opportunity to visit with the author, purchase advanced copies of the book and have their copy signed by Ms. Grotts. Former San Francisco Mayor Willie Brown made an appearance commenting that he never knew so much about packing for a trip until he read this book. Intended for the well-traveled and novice alike, A Traveler's Passport to Etiquette emphasizes the golden rule - do unto others as you would have them do unto you.

Q&A With 944 Magazine Editor & Oakland Resident Laurel May

 

Laurel May relocated to Oakland from Scottsdale, Arizona in summer 2008 to launch the San Francisco edition of 944 magazine. This sassy chic editor shares what she enjoys about living in Oakland. (Photo by Loren Earle-Cruickshanks)

As a new Oakland resident, what's your take on Oakland's sense of style?

Oakland’s the ultimate melting pot. There’s so much variety here! Hippity-hoppers, hippies, hookers, hipsters . . . I feel there’s a real sense of freedom here, everyone is doing their own thing and there aren’t any Marina chicks standing around keeping score on what brand of sunglasses everyone’s wearing.

Ginnifer Goodwin Wears Art Students' Design to EMA Awards

Talk about luck - Ginnifer Goodwin wore students' design to the 20th Anniversary Environmental Media Association Awards, and now those students can add celebrity stylist to their resumes. A group of Academy of Art University students, Priscilla Guimarais, Kumiko Haruyama, Nui Tanapornwattana, Audrey Wang and Tramaine Tillman, designed a collection of sustainable dresses for a class project. To them it was just another project for school, and a fun one at best.

Little did they know one of their sustainable designs -- a strapless dress made from hospital scrubs with three front ruffled tiers that fell just above the knee and a black sash -- would be worn by an actress. And not just worn anywhere, but to a red carpet event. The students created an entire collection for their project, so maybe, after the press from Goodwin, they'll have requests for orders. All of the outfits in 1Oak (which stands for one of a kind) are made from start to finish with sustainable practices. The hospital scrubs used to make Goodwin's dress were treated, dyed and pleated using sustainable practices.

So for the students out there, this just goes to show that some homework assignments shouldn't be blown off...you never know who you might impress.

Mummies and Medicine: A Ghoulish Halloween Gala

It was a perfect night for a ghoul-li-cious event in San Francisco.  The fog was eerily rolling over the chilly streets and there was an ominous feeling in the air.  This year's most-buzzed-about Halloween event was held at the palatial Legion of Honor.  Upon entering the gates, we were greeted with ghostly music that echoed in the column-enclosed courtyard.  The creatures and characters of the night made our way up to the grand entrance, where The Thinker, a sculpture by Auguste Rodin, acted as  gatekeeper.  He seemed to ponder the hellish fate of those beneath him.  I wondered if it was an honor or a curse that he had let me pass.

A Smash Hit for the Vintage Clothing & Style Festival

 
Miss Art Deco (Photo by Michele Diane Smith)

It was a fabulous old school happening this past Sunday as vintage enthusiasts gathered at the Alameda Elks Lodge for the very first Vintage Clothing & Style Festival. The historic building was a perfect venue for such an event with ample space and a beautiful stained glass dome adding to the Festival's ambiance. A smash hit with attendees, the Festival offered three floors of vintage hair styling and makeup demonstrations, model touring, music, treasures for sale and lots of food and cocktails.

Highlights included singing by Ann Gibson and Sara Klotz de Aguliar, representatives from the Art Deco Society of California and Mr. Ricks Martini Club, and photos by Michele Diane Smith. Oakland designer Deborah Starks presented her restructured blouses and jackets and San Francisco tailor, Al from Al's Attire, was on hand offering advice. One of a kind vintage inspired hats by Phyllis were a fave as was Theresa LaQuey's original designs.

The Festival organizers are thrilled with the interest and support the event received and are hoping to make this an annual happening, perhaps even biannual. We like that!

Congratulations VCSF! 

Vintage Clothing & Style Festival

 
  

Hold on to your hats fashionistas, I’ve got exciting news! Sunday, October 25 is the big day for some yesteryear thrills at the Vintage Clothing & Style Festival. This all day event happening at the Alameda Elks Lodge is not just about vintage fashion but also about living a vintage lifestyle.

Two years ago vintage enthusiasts Kimberly Manning and her business partners Roberto and Jula Isola decided they wanted to broaden the scope of a typical vintage show. Their desire is to offer not just retail but also an opportunity to socialize, interact and discuss all things vintage. “We want this Festival to celebrate vintage in a way that all ages, sizes, races and sexes feel they too can wear vintage,” explains Ms. Manning, looking tres chic in a 1940s pale pink knit dress embellished with red dragonflies at the shoulder. “Vintage can be for everyone.”

Celebrating the first African American Cover Girl Katiti Kironde

We were all very excited earlier this year to see our lovely First Lady Michelle Obama on the cover of Vogue. But back in the day an African American woman gracing the cover of a top fashion magazine was just not done. That is until Glamour magazine broke with convention by putting Katiti Kironde on their August 1968 College Issue.

On Friday October 9th, Ms. Kironde’s daughter Mireille Schwartz hosted a reception to honor her mother and celebrate the 41st anniversary of that landmark issue in fashion magazine history. Local chic elites gathered in the garden of Ms. Schwartz’s San Francisco home sipping cocktails and chatting with Ms. Kironde who hails from Connecticut.

Discussion with Helen Thomas and Barbara Lee at Mills College in Oakland

Listen up, Bay Area! Don’t miss this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to meet White House Reporter Helen Thomas and Congresswoman and Mills College alumna Barbara Lee, appearing at Mills College in Oakland, October 12, 7-9. These two stylish ladies of politics will read from their new books and join in a conversation with Mills College President Janet Holmgren.

For over 50 years Ms. Thomas has been sitting in the front row at White House Press Conferences politely but firmly asking pertinent questions of presidents from Kennedy to Obama. She’s always well dressed in a simple suit with pearls and she’s always a lady, closing her list of questions with, “Thank you, Mr. President.” In her latest book, co-written with Washington journalist Craig Crawford, Listen Up Mr. President: Everything You Wanted Your President to Know and Do (Scribner, 2009) Ms. Thomas draws on her years of experience as a political journalist and offers valuable lessons to future presidents and you, the voters!