

Be Ready for Anything: The Art of Planning
Last month, we discussed the importance of being able to act even in the face of negativity. Regardless of what is happening around you and the distractions that are present, the goal is to continue to push forward toward your destination. The emphasis last month was more guided toward in-the-moment responses, but can you create a plan of attack of how to handle potential obstacles? The answer is yes. Having preplanned actions for potential obstacles can prepare you to stay t


Wines of Hope and Better Days to Come
It has been more than one year since the first serious Covid restrictions were implemented in many parts of the world as well as where I am here in San Francisco. It’s been a rollercoaster of a year – one day the situation seemed to be improving only for it to nosedive the next, with spikes of new cases, more casualties and even harsher restrictions. Aside from the obvious tragic consequences, the pandemic truly tested human adaptability and perseverance. For the most part, w


Tom Cruise Lists his Telluride Estate for $39.5 Million
Tom Cruise's Telluride, Colo., property, which spans 320 acres, includes a dirt bike and snowmobile track, as well as a network of trails for hiking, snowshoeing and all-terrain vehicles. The estate, which is full of sports-oriented amenities befitting an action star—is returning to market for $39.5 million. This isn’t Cruise’s first effort to sell: Seven years ago, he tapped a real estate agent to market the property for $59 million, though it was never publicly listed, acco


Stash the Booze for 90 Days and Reap the Spiritual Benefits
One of my favorite places in the world is Oman. The city of Muscat itself is firmly placed in biblical tales of antiquity with the famous frankincense trail, a route that carried this precious, fragrant, and highly sought-after commodity that was one of the gifts brought to baby Jesus by the three wisemen. Muscat is a mysterious seaside port with souks - labyrinthine bazaars that have been trading commodities for millennia - gold, treasures, maps, foods, spices, housewares, m


Exercise Caution and Learn from Miami's Nightmare
With the roll out of the COVID-19 vaccine and re-openings across the country, it may seem like the global pandemic is coming to an end. Nonetheless, social distancing and wearing masks is still of the utmost importance in order to kick coronavirus to the curb for good. But people of all ages have grown impatient of staying at home and have flocked to states where it seems like coronavirus no longer exists. One of the most popular destinations is none other than Miami. Miami-D


Does IV Vitamin Therapy Work?
I recently completed my first IV vitamin therapy injection – the Myers Cocktail, plus some add-ons for good measure – here in the Bay Area. I hadn’t felt great since around the first of the year. Abnormally annoying fatigue doubled with seasonal allergies, as well as an ongoing concern about Coronavirus (Is my cough Covid-19? What about my irritability – that definitely has to be Covid-19, right?) brought me to the medical offices of Infuze in the suburbs of San Francisco. A


Dior's Art de la Table
Dior introduced its new Constellation Dior Maison lifestyle collection. The work revisits the creative dialogue between Maria Grazia Chiuri and the Roman artist Pietro Ruffo for the spring 2021 haute couture collection. The Constellation line showcases black-and-white illustrations, the mysterious and fascinating aura of tarot cards. In a nod to Christian Dior’s superstitious nature, symbolic sketches devoid of human figures celebrate flora and fauna on various series of plat


Monaco's Most Desirable Addresses
Monaco sets the standard for glamour along the French Riviera: Above the Mediterranean, this elegant city-state’s royal palace, world-renowned dining, and opulent Belle Époque casino seem pulled from the pages of the spy novels—and subsequent Hollywood films—they inspired. The four hotels of Monte-Carlo Société des Bains de Mer raise the bar even higher with their haute-couture collection of Diamond Suites. With unrivaled guest services and accommodations that range from gran


Why is Wagyu Beef so Delicious (and Expensive)?
Wagyu beef is one of the most coveted menu items in the world—up there with caviar from the Caspian Sea, Hokkaido uni, black truffles from Périgord, and of course, Champagne straight from Épernay. But why is it that we’re so taken with the likes of Petrossian Caviar, Périgord truffles and Wagyu beef? And what could possibly explain the Wagyu beef price tag? To delve into the luxury world of Japanese and American Wagyu beef, we consulted two highly regarded chefs who have long


Hermes' Victoria Bag Gets a Vegan Makeover
Hermès just sprouted a novel vegan leather alternative that will soon be used to fashion at least one of its storied accessories. The heritage French luxury house recently partnered with a California-based start-up, MycoWorks, to develop a sustainable textile made from mushrooms. The fungi-derived fabric, k n as Sylvania, is billed as the exemplar of a new generation of biotech materials. It will first appear on an eco-friendly version of the classic Victoria travel bag, alon