SFBayStyle

An Unforgettable Evening to Benefit Ballet San Jose

Ballet San Jose recently hosted a new, intriguing event, "Unforgettable: An Evening of Glamorous Fashion and Exotic Collectible Automobiles" featuring local designer, Azadeh, including a runway show of her exquisite, custom gowns. Azadeh is a former designer for the Royal Family of Saudi Arabia, who formerly served as the head designer for Bebe stores nationwide. She has run a successful and well-respected couturier salon in the Bay Area for over ten years.

Revelers arrived at Club Auto Sport, a "condominium" facility in San Jose designed to house high-end cars, and were encouraged to take photographs with the rare autos while nibbling on gourmet food and wine provided by local sponsors. After 'oohing' and 'aahing' over the custom cars -- my favorite was a vintage Mercedes Benz -- party-goers were seated for the beginning of the fashion show.

Instant Vacation in a Bottle

Thanks to my Scandinavian heritage, I'm forced to be a big fan of self-tanners. If I had creamy, porcelain skin like Nicole Kidman, I wouldn't  have to be a cheerleader for the stuff. As it stands, I'm pale and cursed with ruddy, uneven skin. We all know the obvious drawbacks of self-tanners - the wait, the money, the smell, the rub-off. However, I recently found a Godsend in the form of Model Co's Bronze Airbrush Sun. It's not a self-tanner; rather, it's an instant, airbrush tan for your face and body. It goes on evenly with a hint of shimmer, leaving your skin dewy, bronzed and glowing. It also smells fabulous and stays put until you wash it off with soap and water. It's a great short-term commitment, and the  perfect way to kick off summer. You can find this fabulous product in your local Sephora stores, and at Sephora.com.

Shan Serves up Fabulous Pakistani Fare

Foodies would be wise to head down to the South Bay to stop in at Shan, a delicious groups of restaurants specializing in fine Indian and Pakistani cuisine. I’m not an expert, but I have eaten a lot of Indian food in my day, and I believe this has more of a Pakistani influence. These clean, no-frills eateries serve up incredible food at incredibly low prices. My husband and I routinely come in around $20 for a full spread—the priciest offering available comes in at a meager $9.99. Yelpers like it too.

The menu boasts a wide variety of meat choices including beef, chicken, lamb and goat dishes, while offering vegetarians plenty of options with veggie dishes, lentils, rice, and hearty breads. The food is aromatic and flavorful—the spices are always just right. Be sure to try the to-die-for kabobs with the green sauce and raw onions—trust me on this one. Great for families if you have adventurous eaters. They have 3 South Bay locations, and are open for lunch and dinner seven days a week.

Persian New Year Celebration in SF

As partygoers spilled into San Francisco's magnificent City Hall for Friday night's Norooz 2008, the traditional Persian New Year, they were met with warm and muted lighting, setting the stage for a night of food, music, and merrymaking. Norooz celebrations are symbolic representations of ancient concepts--the rebirth of nature and the renewed hope of spring.

There was a short program to kick of the evening in style, where dancers in sumptuous costumes descended the stairs accompanied by customary music. The dancers were fluid, flawless, and most of all, enchanting.