catching up with Jerry Rice
the LOVE issue
a p u b l i c at i o n o f t h e d a i ly j o u r n a l
LO V E
2017
The Love Issue
made with FLAX art supplies
Love. It’s a word we all could use a little more these days. So in this issue, we celebrate some
reasons why we love our Peninsula. We started by interviewing and photographing Bay Area and
Peninsula resident and sports legend Jerry Rice. We sat down with him to discuss football and his
unique style. We figured it was timely as Super Bowl excitement lingers.
You will also meet newlyweds and long time romances, partners in business and people that love
what they do. From artists and bakers to architects and musicians, they will share with you the
love they have for life. We at Peninsula Style love bringing you these stories and hope you
love reading them.
Michael Davis, Creative Director
8
Bleeding Heart
(Canvas)
7
Art Supplies:
94 Spray Paint, Golden Tar Gel,
19
5
16
13
New Heart
(Canvas)
Art Supplies:
Golden Molding Paste,
Golden Acrylics
Cover Credits
Cover photo by Michael Davis. Styled by Michelle Rivet.
Leather jacket and pant by Eleventy, from Sam Malouf, Burlingame.
Loro Piana sweater from Wilkes Bashford, Palo Alto.
Shot on location at LightGrid Studios, San Carlos.
publisher Jerry Lee
Production Manager Paul Moisio
managing editor Dave Newlands
design Randy Dunbar
Creative Director Michael Davis
Design Director Nicola Zeuzem
Advertising production: Nicola Zeuzem
associate writers Jeanita Lyman, Laura Ordoñez
Sales | marketing Charles Gould, Henry Guerrero, Gary Whitman, Brigitte Parman
(650) 344-5200 | www.peninsulastyle.com
peninsula 3 style
3600 S El Camino Real,
San Mateo, CA 94403
Hours: Open today ·
9:30AM–7PM
Phone: (650) 350-1990
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citizen style
Jim and Beth Dunbar / A
lo v e s to r y
J
im was the pioneering voice of
KGO morning radio for 37 years
before he retired in 2000 as a
well-decorated hall of fame broadcaster. Beth was a globe-trotting
naturalist who led expeditions all
over the wilds of Africa, documenting
her adventures in photographs. It’s
no surprise that the events of their
lives have been recorded reliably for
decades.
Their story began in New Orleans
when Beth was a freshman at Sophie
Newcomb. Jim thought he would
take his clarinet stylings to a French
Quarter party to impress his hot
date (not Beth, mind you). He soon
abandoned the woodwind and the
girl for a double wingman scheme to
steal a dance with “the most beautiful
woman [he] had ever seen.” The plan
was not an instant success, but with
a little persistence
the two eventually got
together… and stayed
together.
“Finally her father
forced us to have a
shotgun wedding,” Jim
said with a wry smile.
“That’s maybe a bit
of an exaggeration,
but we got married in
'58.”
After that, their
combined story progressed along the
standard route with a few very impressive variations.
They had two kids: Brooke and Jim
III. They moved to the Bay Area for
Jim’s career. Jim then changed the
face of American broadcasting by
pioneering “news talk” radio. Beth
pursued her master’s degree, and
then led scholarly expeditions all
over the African continent. Jim had
an infamous on-air conversation with
the alleged Zodiac killer, and was
once shot at on the job. Beth’s travel
photography was immortalized on a
Ugandan postage stamp. Eventually
the two retired.
For any couple knocking on the
door of their 60th anniversary, they
have enough “remember when…”
stories to last another 60 without fear
of boredom.
“I’m not being very cooperative,”
Jim joked of the interview. “I figure
you can make up whatever stories you
want, and I’ll go along with them.”
A tempting offer, but these are not
lives that need embellishment.
Brooke leads the way through her
parents’ prohibition-era Hillsborough
home – complete with requisite slideaway bookshelf bar. The home itself is
beautiful, with plenty of the hardwood,
high ceilings and built-ins you’d expect
from a stately century-old manor, but
what is really impressive is what lines
the walls: Jim’s many awards for his
celebrated broadcast career, and Beth’s
stunning photos from her exotic travels.
The artifacts of lives very well lived.
Jim jokes that, since he left broadcast, he spends his days “sitting quietly
and staring off into the middle distance.” He jokes a lot about age, and
forgetfulness, and complacency – all
things that seem more of an amusing
notion to Jim than a reality.
On the subject of age, Jim pauses for
dramatic effect.
“I’m… 80,” Jim said. “I have trouble
with that one. Sometimes I forget.” He
inserts another dramatic
pause, before adding,
“I’m kidding, of course.
Beth will be 80 on the
22nd of July, demonstrating that I have never
forgotten her birthday.”
“You forgot mine,”
Brooke chimed in, with
a smile.
“Yes I did,” Jim said.
“I apologize for that, Little One.”
“Beth has always been a very tolerant wife, and the kids have been, too,”
Jim said of his joking.
Clearly, even though their lives may
have slowed down in recent years, his
mind is still as sharp as ever. Though
Beth sat in during the interview to
help fill in any gaps in Jim’s stories,
Jim might have occasionally been
indulging his dearest daughter when
deferring to her memory.
There may one day come a time
when the details of the Dunbars’
stories start to fall through the
cracks, and when that happens,
there will be plenty of written documentation to look to. More importantly, Jim will have Beth, and Beth
will have Jim, and both will have
their two loving children to finish
the sentences.
After all, the adventures, and the
accolades, and the anecdotes are, in
the end, merely chapters in the ongoing story of Jim and Beth Dunbar.
The story of
Jim and Beth Dunbar
has been well chronicled
over the years, especially
here in the Bay Area.
peninsula 4 style
by dave newlands
citizen style
Chantal and Saida / N o u v e l l e
W
eddings are notoriously stressful
for couples, particularly brides
and their families.
The pressures of creating the perfect
day and solidifying a major life transition can wreak havoc on even the happiest, most well-adjusted couples, and
much of that angst is at its pinnacle
while picking just the right dress.
At Nouvelle Vogue, run by Parisians
Chantal Gillard and Saida Mejri, the
goal is to offer a very different experience. The two women pride themselves
on attracting unique, interesting brides
to their shop and assisting them in
expressing their individuality on their
big days.
“In Paris of course when you are
there it is kind of a natural thing
almost, because you are surrounded
by fashion, beauty, art, it’s part of the
culture,” Mejri said. “Naturally you
develop a sense of fashion that is you.”
Chantal and Saida are living examples of the power of fashion as an
extension of one’s personality. Their
unique yet complementary personalities are underscored by their individual uses of fashion as self expression:
Chantal’s sophistication and wisdom
are evident in her understated, elegant
aesthetic, while Saida’s big ideas are
evident in her bold fashion statements,
sassy curls and makeup that underscores wide eyes that are windows to a
mind that never stops churning.
Although Chantal had already
settled in the Bay Area, the two were
introduced at a fashion show in Paris.
After modeling early on and moving
onto wedding photography and fashion, Chantal was in the early stages
of entering the fashion world in a
business capacity. Saida, having turned
to international business and fashion
after a stint in law school, was in need
of an internship in a second language.
Although they hit it off immediately,
both were too impressed by each other
to directly suggest a partnership.
“I never even really imagined that
she would accept,” Gallard said.
It wasn’t until Chantal’s cousin told
Saida what a welcome asset she would
be that their relationship solidified.
Although Saida’s initial plan was to
intern for six months, that quickly
changed, and the two have been inseparable business partners ever since
“It’s funny how you can put us in
different rooms and we’ll pick the same
dresses,” Mejri said
As Saida and Chantal demonstrate,
fashion isn’t seen as something superficial in Parisian culture. It instead
serves as an aesthetic expression
one’s innermost sense of self, and as a
message to the world about who that
is. This is what makes wedding fashion
especially exciting for Saida and Chantal, who note that no two brides are
the same, particularly the brides they
attract.
“We can sell the same dress to maybe two or three different brides and
they’ll each look completely different,”
Gallard said.
The two go above and beyond the
simple call of duty of shopkeepers.
They emphasize the full process of
picking a dress and preparing for a
wedding, seeking to send their brides
to the altar educated about fashion,
themselves, and what fashion means
for them.
“They feel our heart as much as
we feel their heart, and we connect,”
Saida said.
Nouvelle Vogue is located at 27 N.
San Mateo Drive, and the shop is open
Wednesdays through Sunday from
11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
by jeanita lyman
peninsula 5 style
Voug e
DEANNA & RAEANNA
REUDY
R E A L
E S T A T E
While there’s little question that real estate teams are a better choice for both buyers and sellers, mother-daughter teams like the
important in today’s market, as well as the complete trust in each other’s opinions and capabilities that comes with knowing somebody
your whole life,” said Deanna. Between the two of them, Deanna and Raeanna cover the city of San Francisco all the way down the
Peninsula to Silicon Valley.
“My father and my husband were contractors and home builders here in the Peninsula so I was immersed in how to build and renovate
homes as far back as I can remember,” Deanna said. “It’s proved invaluable in the Peninsula market, where sometimes my buyer clients
their dream home!”
Raeanna has lived in Burlingame or San Francisco most of her life and she takes great pride in being raised here and having gone to
sellers take the next step in their lives. We’re part of the process with them and we’re fortunate to be the people our clients trust to
coach and advise.”
For the Reudy’s, they do what they do because they love it. They have a deep understanding and love for the Peninsula like only a
estate market.
REUDY
Deanna Reudy, Realtor | 650.759.2986 | [email protected] | Cal BRE# 01368863
Raeanna Reudy, Realtor® | 650.759.4221 | [email protected] | Cal BRE# 01971379
®
& ASSOCIATES
INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATE
REUDYANDASSOCIATES.COM
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Petit Lockets from
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Swarovski heart necklace
Hillsdale Shopping Center
Pandora, Cerise Encased in
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Rony Tennenbaum LVOE diamond rings
Christensen & Rafferty Jewelry
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SAY I LOVE YOU
Buccellati 18k Gold Cuffs
Kern’s Jewelers
Burlingame
Platinum “Transcend”
Split Shank Engagement Ring
from Hearts on Fire;
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BeadBlast polish ring
Christensen & Rafferty Fine Jewelry
San Mateo
Robert Procop American Glamour
Sapphire Bracelet;
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Stanford Shopping Center
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UP
catchingwith jerry rice
Written by Dave Newlands
Photos by Michael Davis
ADDITIONAL REPORTING BY
LAURA ORDONEZ
J
erry Rice is a rare man indeed. One of the
most elite athletes of his, or any generation,
he was also an athlete who treated the
sport like a business. He was an athlete
who, despite the fame and fortune, was always
a staple of the Peninsula community. He was
never elusive. Like many 49ers of his generation,
he was the kind of guy you just saw around town.
Whether you were watching Rice on Monday
Night Football, or just bumping in to him at the
grocery store, one thing was a given: the man
looked good.
peninsula 8 style
R
ice was always known for
his impeccable appearance
both on field and off.
“My uniform was just like when
I put on clothes,” Rice said. “I like to look
a certain way. I like to make a statement. So
my pants had to fit a certain way, my socks
had to be brand new, I had to have brandnew shoes on game day. I would always
clean my helmet because I wanted to
make sure it was shiny… the way
I looked was very important
to the way I played. I think
that’s why I took so much
pride in it.”
Rice was part of a class
of players who wanted to
look sharp whenever and
wherever they were.
“I think we felt that we played
the way we looked,” Rice said. “If we
looked a certain way, if we felt good about our appearance,
we felt we were going to go out on the football field and
excel.”
Much like his legendary hands, which rumor says he
trained by catching bricks while working with his father,
Rice also credits his father for his sense of style.
“I think it was just something that was instilled in me as a
kid growing up,” Rice said.
“I remember with my father when we would go to buy
clothes I could always look at clothes and I could put them
together. So I think a lot of people are so blown away that
I can just look at a shirt, a sweater, a pair of pants, a pair
of socks, and I can just throw it together.”
“That is something I always had in high school. I took that
to college, and I took it to a whole other level when I got to
the NFL,” Rice said.
opposite page | fashion
Jerry wears a blazer and tie from Ermenegildo
Zegna, shirt by Peter Milar and pant from PT01,
all from Sam Malouf, Burlingame.
this page
Leather jacket and trousers by Eleventy, shirt
by Sam Malouf, and sneakers by Lanvin, all
available from Sam Malouf, Burlingame..
Styled by Michelle Rivet
Shot on location at LightGrid Studios, San Carlos
peninsula 9 style
T
hose other levels were not always wins, but
Rice is a man who is not afraid to take risks.
“Back in the day when I first came out
here in '85, I had the Jheri curl going on and
the Fifi look and all that,” Rice said of some of his
more infamous hairstyles. “All the colorful sweaters,
and the suits were really baggy back then, so you see
some of those old pictures and it’s scary.
had hair to play with back in the day, I don’t have hair
now,” Rice said laughing. That whole other level that
Rice got to in the NFL has afforded him the opportunity to make an even bigger fashion statement.
“I’m a Van Heusen guy. I’ve been with Van Heusen
so many years now,” Rice said of his partnership with
the clothier. “Steve Young and I, we’ve been a tag team
for them, and I think they really have gotten me down
100 percent now… not as risky with the suits, but with
the tie, very aggressive, and the shirts are the same
way. I think it really fits me to a T.”
Young and Rice have been connecting off the field
in more ways than one. Their 8 To 80 Zones charity provides youth in underserved communities with
opportunities to learn skills in media through creative
experiences. The two host a golf tournament fundraiser for 8 To 80 at CordeValle in San Martin.
This is just one more way that Rice makes himself a part
of the Bay Area community.
You may not see Rice around town as much since he
retired – believe it or not he is probably even busier now
that he retired from the game – but he is still a Bay Area
institution.
He still lives on the Peninsula. He still golfs just about
everywhere in the Bay, from Olympic, to Sharon Heights,
to CordeValle, now that he doesn’t have to sneak his
game in before football practice. He enjoys the prime rib
at Sundance in Palo Alto, and the crab at Crustacean in
San Francisco, and when he isn’t raiding his “big box of
stuff” from Van Heusen, you might just run into him at
Nordstrom.
The Peninsula has been blessed to have one of the
greatest athletes of all time walking amongst us for
over three decades. Rice is a man of skill, a man of
class and a man of style. He was the role model for
those of us grew up watching him play. We watched
him every Sunday. We ran into him out and about or,
at the very least, saw his FLASH 80 license plate on
the road somewhere.
These days, if you don’t catch Rice on the links,
or at the steakhouse, or at one of his charity events,
don’t be disappointed, though. The Peninsula is still
home for Rice. He is just notoriously hard to catch.
Jerry wears a suit and tie from Van Heusen.
Special thanks to Bill, Austin and everyone at
LightGrid Studios, San Carlos
peninsula 10 style
ANASTACIA & MARCELLE
Together six years | Met at San Diego State University | Married at City Hall, San Francisco | Favorite restaurant:
Mokutanya, Burlingame | Favorite activity: Travel | Represented by JE Model Management
Fashion | His jeans by J Brand, jacket Balmain, shirt 7 Diamonds. Her outfit available at Top Shop Nordstrom.
Necklace and bracelet from Christensen & Rafferty Fine Jewelry, San Mateo.
peninsula 12 style
Model Couples
These three couples give a whole new
meaning to fashionable relationships.
Photographed by Michael Davis
LAURA & NICOLETTE
San Carlos residents | Met in Palo Alto | Together five years | Propsal: on the steps of the Palo Alto Public
Library | Married in Lake Tahoe | Favorite restaurant: B Street and Vine, San Mateo | One dog: Bentley
One cat: Henry | Represented by JE Model Management
Fashion | Both outfits from Top Shop at Nordstrom. Ring and watch available at Christensen & Rafferty Fine Jewelry, San Mateo
peninsula 13 style
GRANT & HANNAH
Just started casually dating | Grant has appeared on ABC’s Bachelorette and Bachelor In Paradise | Hannah
has been seen on MTV | Met at a bar in North Beach | Represented by Look Model Management
Fashion | His blazer by Ermenegildo Zegna, shirt Rag & Bone. Her jumpsuit by Adam Lippes, and coat by
Victoria/Victoria Beckham all available at Sam Malouf, Burlingame.
Styled by Michelle Rivet. | Makeup and hair by Kala Ketchum from Look Artist Management. | Special Thanks
to Dean Smith from RENTSFNOW.
peninsula 14 style
area home
loving design
By Dave Newlands
"We live down the street and
we work out together, and we
work together. It's kind of crazy,
we actually end up hanging out
together a lot."
T
he two were young and working summers at a hotel in Portland, Maine.
Leslie Lemarre, Grange’s wife and business partner, had just graduated
high school, and Grange was just out of college. Strictly speaking,
Lemarre did not fall in love with Grange at first sight. She fell in love
with his canoe.
“He was good friends with my brother who also worked up there and I hadn’t
even met him yet,” Lemarre recalled. “One day I saw this canoe, it was this brilliant
canvas canoe with varnished ribs and rope woven seats. It was meticulous. I was
like, oh my god that’s gorgeous… his older brother was there and said, ‘Do you like
that? My brother made that’... It was a work of art. Now Randy’s crying.”
It wasn’t long after that she did fall in love with Grange. Like many young
lovers, they planned out their dreams of “someday.” For them, it was a fixer-upper van and a cross-country road trip. As a reporter on a budget, Lemarre began
socking away $25 a week, and when she had $5,000 she told Grange the good
news. Grange scrambled to match her road trip fund and eventually they bought
a Dodge van, and converted it into a Westfalia-style camper.
“We went on this zig-zaggy trip across the country and into Mexico and Guatamala, so it was 3 or 4 months,” Lemarre said. “I had a sister in Foster City, so we
figured we would stop and visit and we would find jobs here if we wanted to stay,
and if not we’d move on.“
“I got a job pretty quick in San Jose, and, bang! We just never left,” Grange said.
The two married at City Hall in San Francisco in 1988. Lemarre freelanced for a
few local publications, and Grange pursued architecture.
When one of Grange’s designs won a Better Homes & Gardens contest he began
to get more big-ticket clients with more ambitious projects.
“I saw that he had these amazing opportunities and all of a sudden Randy called
me at the office saying, ‘I got this really weird phone message,’” Lemarre said. “It
was from [the government architect of Tonga]. I’m like, ‘Oh my god this guy’s from
peninsula 16 style
area home
Tonga he wants you to do a project for the
king! … I’ve got to help you get this thing off
the ground. You focus on the architecture and
I’ll handle the business.’”
When she started pitching in her ideas for
interior design, that’s when TRG Architecture
and Interior Design was born.
“Leslie’s done more than anybody to actually get the business going,” Grange said. “I
was doing all my design work and everything,
and she just kind of gravitated toward setting things up, so she probably does too much
work.”
“Well, don’t worry about that,” Lemarre
pitched in with a smile.
Since their career paths came together, Lemarre and Grange have been almost inseparable. Work, play, family: they do it all together.
“We live down the street and we work out
together, and we work together. It’s kind of
crazy, we actually end up hanging out together
a lot,” Grange said.
They try to keep a balance – work stays at
work and they prioritize quality time – but
there’s no secret.
“It’s always different and always changing,
so it’s never a grind,” Lemarre said.
“It would almost be weird if [she] had a job
in the city or something, and I had my architecture,” Grange said. “It feels natural to work
together.”
Work is definitely the wild card in their lives.
The thrill for them is not knowing what’s next.
“I guess what makes it a fun profession is
that each one of these projects is a different
kind of puzzle,” Grange said. “I don’t know if I
would have a specific dream project.”
For now, what’s next is developing the business in their new location. They moved from
downtown Burlingame a year ago to their new
San Mateo office, and they have been enjoying
the freedom of personalizing the new space.
Outside of work, their daughter is graduating college this year. Their son is graduating
high school and, fittingly, building his first
canoe. So this really is the year for Grange and
Lemarre to look back. Their present lives are
mirroring their past so nicely.
The two have come a long way since building canoes and fixing up vans, but they’re still
windsurfing, and finishing each other’s sentences, and sharing teary-eyed reminiscences.
They may be business partners with
award-winning projects, and parents of two
kids about to enter the real world, but at heart,
Randy Grange and Leslie Lamarre are still
just two kids in love.
peninsula 17 style
THIS IS HOME
This where love is a constant, Valentines are crafted and candy hearts are
always welcomed.
Coldwell Banker. Where home begins.
If you are considering selling or buying a new home, experience the power of the Burlingame real estate leader.
Larry Spiteri
Broker of Record
CalBRE #01156620
[email protected]
ColdwellBankerHomes.com |
californiahome.me |
Two offices to serve you:
1427 Chapin Avenue
Burlingame, CA 94010
650.558.4200
/cbcalifornia |
/cb_california |
1412 Chapin Avenue
Burlingame, CA 94010
650.340.9688
/cbcalifornia |
/coldwellbanker
©2017 Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC. All Rights Reserved. Coldwell Banker® is a registered trademark licensed to Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC. An Equal Opportunity Company. Equal Housing Opportunity. Each Coldwell Banker
Residential Brokerage Office is Owned by a Subsidiary of NRT LLC. Real estate agents affiliated with Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage are independent contractor sales associates and are not employees of Coldwell Banker Real Estate
LLC, Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage or NRT LLC. CalBRE License #01908304.
area ART
New Moon Over
San Mateo
By Dave Newlands
Imagine cave diving inside the mind of a brilliant artist.
That is the experience of walking into Golden Moon Gallery.
A high-walled cavern of stark white canvas ripe for embellishment, populated with innumerable trinkets of endless fascination – each unique, most unexpected, all with a skill, a story,
and a life of its own.
“We like to show not only the artwork itself, but also the experience of living as an artist,” owner Nick Chaboya said.
Almost everything in Golden Moon Gallery is art – right
down to the furniture and the throw pillows – and while
Chaboya only created a handful of those things, this place
wouldn’t exist without him. The collection at Golden Moon is
entirely curated by Chaboya from artists he knows personally,
and he can tell you the story behind each piece. In some cases,
he has learned the necessary techniques from the artist and
gone through their process side-by-side, so he can speak personally about the creation of the pieces.
“The artwork ultimately is from friends of mine worldwide,”
Chaboya said. “There are some antiques as well, but a lot of
this is from direct relationships made on travels.”
Such an intimate knowledge of a collection is rare, even in the
most impressive galleries. Consequently, everything that you see inside Golden Moon is a reflection of Chaboya’s own life story, and that
story is complex and impressive for a man of just 36 years.
Chaboya has been a creative soul since youth and he still
looks every bit the globe-trekking tattoo artist that evolved into
today’s gallery curating entrepreneur. He is a stalky man who
sports a fedora, sneakers, an impressive beard, two full sleeves
of ink, and a smile that reassures you that eventually all will be
right with the world. He used his talents with a tattoo needle as
a springboard to world travel. That travel helped him expand
his reach as an artist, and afforded him opportunities to meet
other artists and learn new skills. Soon he was successful
enough to collect those artists and skills into one compact,
quirky space in downtown San Mateo.
“Living here in San Mateo, my wife and I always wanted
downtown to have more than just great food,” Chaboya said.
“There’s great food options and there’s other things here or
there, but I just wanted something a little different, and one
day it just hit me, why aren’t I the one providing that?”
What they’ve provided is a dose of culture that would be at
home in Austin, Tribeca or Portland, right at the edge of San
Mateo’s evolving downtown.
“People think you need to go to San Francisco or Berkeley or
spots like that,”Chaboya said. “Don’t get me wrong, go and enjoy those places as much as possible, but just know that there’s
a spot right here to see unique things that you maybe wouldn’t
see otherwise.”
Walk around the gallery and you will find countless pieces
to marvel at. Walk around the gallery with Chaboya and he will
tell you why those pieces are so marvelous. Terrariums bloom
in bottles purchased from a homeless San Francisco collector.
Shadow boxes house exotic bugs from an Indonesian farmer
who rescues victims of human trafficking. Porcelain cups bear
seemingly freeform, organic glazes that are actually the precise
results of an incredibly scientific process.
Each piece ignites a new story of a talented, resourceful, eclectic artist,
but eventually the grander story emerges.
Chaboya recalls a particular moment when he was a child, riding home
with his mom at night. The moon suddenly appeared from behind the
cluttered San Jose cityscape, low in the sky and glowing gold. He asked
her to pull over for a moment so they could consider this enchanting
sight. Looking back, he realizes the significance of that scene. The moon
is something we all know. It is a universal element of our existence.
Through the simple act of living our own individual lives we create an
atmosphere, a lens through which we view this element. That atmosphere
shows us our collective effect on that which is far beyond our scope yet
belongs to us all.
“It’s about connective tissue,” Chaboya said. “This unifying factor between not just humans but humans, plants, animals – earth in general.”
That is the goal of Golden Moon Gallery. To be an atmosphere composed of individual endeavors through which we can appreciate our own
collective experience.
To enter Chaboya’s gallery is to dive into the mind of a brilliant artist,
but to explore that mind is to explore a collective genius drawn from far
and wide into one luminous and wonderful place. That place is the Golden Moon Gallery, and that artist is Nick Chaboya.
peninsula 19 style
APPETITE
Got Cookies?
By Jeanita Lyman
“Follow your passion” is an increasingly
tired cliche that continues to be thrown
around to young people seeking their
purpose in life. It’s one Antoine Tang,
of Antoine’s Cookies in downtown San
Mateo, rejects wholeheartedly.
“The tragic thing is we’re asked at 18 what
you want to do for the rest of their lives,”
Tang said. “I think the worst advice you can
give a kid is tell them ‘follow your passion.’
Because it’s like saying ‘choose one thing
and follow that.’ And that’s crazy! I think the
best advice to give a kid is to explore.”
Tang Is a living testament to the
unexpected turns life can take in one’s
quest for professional fulfillment. A
history major in college, he went on
to work primarily in sales, at a car
dealership and at Apple. He cites the
latter with giving him professional insight
he would later use in branding and
marketing his own business, but the path
to his success was far from direct.
It all started when he bought his wife an
electric mixer for baking cupcakes as a gift.
After some experiments, he soon found
himself immersed in something he was
realizing he’d always truly loved: cookies.
“I was like, well, I have a mixer at home,
and I have the internet at my disposal
to look at recipes . . . so this was how it
started: I just googled the words ‘best
chocolate chip cookie recipe,’” Tang said.
Cookies soon became the focus of his
creative drive, as he scoured the internet
for recipes and techniques to perfect
his final products. Initially, he tested
his creations with with friends at his
church group, who provided constructive
criticism in addition to pointing out
that he could be making a profit. His
wife, a product and graphic designer,
helped get a website off the ground and
he soon found himself attracting an
unprecedented amount of business. It’s
a story that isn’t unusual in his home of
San Jose, but it was unexpected. While
Silicon Valley culture prides itself on
innovation and new ways of doing things,
Tang had apparently tapped into something
its big companies had been silently craving:
fresh, homemade cookies, delivered simply
and efficiently by Antoine himself. As sales
to Bay Area businesses seeking something
homemade and authentic took off, what had
started out as a hobby was quickly taking
over his professional life.
With demand increasing, Tang found
his kitchen at home being strained by what
was becoming a booming business. The San
Mateo storefront he moved to last spring
has proven to be a fitting home, offering a
simple yet time-tested staple to the variety
of more experimental and eccentric cuisines
surrounding the area.
Tang attributes his success in part to
his flexibility and response to feedback
in his baking. He doesn’t consider his
product personal, instead remaining open
to any new ideas that will improve his
product.
“I’m not married to any of my recipes,”
Tang said.
Antoine’s Cookie Shop is located
at 220 Second Ave. in downtown San
Mateo. The storefront is open from
11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through
Saturday, and online orders for delivery
continue to be available at http://www.
antoinescookieshop.com.
peninsula 21 style
APPLAU S E
Music to our Ears
By dave Newlands
I
t’s almost serendipitous that, in these days and times, the Peninsula Symphony is
using its forum to celebrate women in music.
In fact the “Fortissima!” concert series has been running since November, so it is
merely a coincidence that current events have come together so harmoniously with
the symphony’s theme, but they couldn’t have chosen a better motif at a better time.
Two more concerts remain in the four-part “Fortissima!” series, which features
works composed by female composers with guest performances by female musicians.
On March 24 and 25 Anna Clyne will lead “Masquerade” featuring Mary Elizabeth Bowden
on trumpet. May 19 and 20 Nancy Bloomer Deussen leads “Transit Of Venus,” a piece that
promises to up the ante by paring the performance with a visual essay of the cosmos.
“We’re really big on the audience experience for our concert series so we’re trying
to up our audio visual for this,” said Sheri Frumkin, the symphony’s managing
director. “When they’re playing the movement called “Mars” the audience is actually
looking at an image of Mars. That’s actually how Gustav (Holtz) meant the piece to be
experienced.”
She went on to explain the inspiration for Deussen’s contribution, “Transit of Venus.”
“She wrote it because she was actually experiencing the eclipse of Venus, and she was just
having this awe-inspiring experience of this once in a lifetime occurrence,” Frumkin said.
This year the symphony is excited to be bringing the experience to a new venue.
They will be performing both of the remaining concerts at Heritage Hall in Campbell
for the first time, in addition to the San Mateo Performing Arts Center. They are
hoping to expand their audience by bringing their music to Cambpell’s vibrant
downtown.
The symphony’s volunteers also bring music to elementary schools that lack a
musical curriculum through their “Bridges To Music” program.
“It’s always a fun event just seeing our performers interact with the kids,” Frumkin
said. “Our members are very dedicated contributors. When you add up all of their
contributions it’s quite substantial given that they all have lives outside the orchestra.”
They will be hosting their annual gala fundraiser on March 4 at the Palo Alto Event
Center. The theme this year is Music, Maestro, and Magic and will feature multiple
performances that will take the audience on an aural tour of the 20th century.
“From the musical standpoint we are going through time starting with the string
quartet from the Peninsula Musical Orchestra … then we have a swing band… then
we’ll have a magician, then well have some more contemporary music for dancing,”
Frumkin said.
By adding new venues, and more ambitious visual elements, and continuing to
provide musical education and outreach to the community in addition to their timely
concert series, the Peninsula Symphony is building to a harmonious crescendo in the
second half of the season.
For tickets and more information go to http://peninsulasymphony.org/gala/
or call 650-941-5291
Sam Malouf customer, Eric Brand, furniture
designer, Eric Brand Made to Order, and
Juniper Off The Shelf. Eric is wearing a
blazer by Mason’s, shirt Isaia, jean by Kiton,
and shoes by George Brown.
1460 Burlingame Ave, Burlingame 650-344-1480
sammalouf.com
Imagine your ideal downtown
Accessible by car, bike and public transit, yet easy to explore on
foot. Great for work or shopping,
but also a place to play, with
dozens of exciting restaurants,
a movie theater, and a beautiful
16-acre park. Historic architecture
connects you to a colorful past,
while startup bustle, independent
shops and foodie favorites place
you firmly in the NOW.
That place is no daydream. It’s
right here in San Mateo. Midway
between San Francisco and
Silicon Valley, Downtown San
Mateo is a walkable, welcoming
neighborhood where new arrivals
mingle with long-time locals,
and merchants greet you as a
friend. You can find new culinary
adventures around every corner,
and run all your errands in just a
few blocks.
Come experience the warmth
and diversity of our neighborhood. Discover Downtown San
Mateo, an award-winning dining
destination and unique urban district at the heart of the Peninsula.
Authentic. Innovative.
downtownsanmateo.org