$modal.css({ Jeanine Willi Markie There are no sociological pronouncements made. validate: function( $form, $email ){ } Thirty-two years ago my serial entrepreneur father, Clarke Swanson, got an itch, a romantic notion of the American dream, and in the blink of an eye purchased a hundred acres in Napa Valley, on Oakville Cross Road. He has two guards with him at all times. View ALL 9 Photos. Since then, I have been buying 19th-century or early 20th-century Maltese or terriers. // Init - Anything you want to happen onLoad (usually event bindings) }, 5000); They embrace everybody. The controversy over Wilsey's non-resignation is the through line of the Times profile, but there are a number of other gems from Holson's lunch visit with Wilsey at her Napa Valley estate, as . return ctx.regex.email.test( $email.val() ); Wilseys legacy is the de Young Museum. As Herb Caen used to say, 'There's nothing older than yesterday's news.' if (window.jQuery) { Times have changed since Buchanan was the ambassador and this is apparent in the security team that accompanies Traina and his family everywhere in Austria. Please log off from any other devices, and then reload this page continue. She also is featured prominently in her stepson Sean Wilsey's memoir Oh the Glory of it All in which the author describes her as his "evil stepmother". It was at Amity, a now-defunct reform school in Tuscany, that Wilsey was transformed. ", A Clean, Well-Lighted Place for Books has already lined up Wilsey for an appearance in May. It is a peculiar feeling to think its not your father, its your son.. I didnt feel any better. closeSignupBar(); The residency featured concerts, family programs, and events that generated support for local youth charities. 707-963-0278 f $('#ouibounce-modal') } else { Alexis and I were married there on the front lawn, Trevor recalls, and our son was christened here. Her bid for $57, 000 a month was rejected in court, and the judge advised her to get a job. })(); artnet and our partners use cookies to provide features on our sites and applications to improve your online experience, including for analysis of site usage, traffic measurement, and for advertising and content management. I cant imagine having nothing to do but lie there and read a book. + '<\/i>' if (c.indexOf(name) == 0) { Al Wilsey, meanwhile, married Dede, who coolly co-opted Pat's position in San Francisco society, took over Pat's Napa Valley weekend dream house, and turned suddenly against Sean, hardening . She is the widow of Alfred Wilsey, who . The couple soon became leading lights of the high society of San Francisco and Napa Valley, where they maintained a country house. script.src = "https://code.jquery.com/jquery-3.1.1.min.js"; function slideInModal(upOrDown) { But the little girl is so cute that I couldnt resist her. The fact that they are all-inclusive. All Rights Reserved.var w = Math.max(document.documentElement.clientWidth, window.innerWidth || 0), Embattled Patron Retains Power at San Francisco Museums Search. setTimeout(function(){ } var signup = if (!expirationMinutes) { In fact, doing so is something of a family tradition. Old, young, every ethnic group. Wilsey is the mother of film producer Todd Traina and Trevor Traina. }) /** Board of Supervisors and return motorists to the JFK Promenade through Golden Gate Park. 649 Main Street Make peace for everybody. Member Profile: Trevor Traina - The Napa Valley Reserve socialites should set tongues wagging -- and other writers say it's not just trash talk, Mrs and Mrs Wilsey with Sean Patrick Wilsey, age 3, OPERA08D-C-07SEP02-MT-CKH --- Dede Wilsey attended theOpening night of the SF Opera pre-performance galas. , link = document.createElement('link'); San Francisco is a character here, as is Tuscany. if (o[this.name]) { So when a chance to team up with Town & Country presented itself later on, we leaped at the opportunity and set out to capture the Napa Valley we love. Stepbrothers of Sean Wilsey. Wilsey and I are 30 minutes into an hour-long conversation, and I couldnt agree with her more. Dede Wilsey is a San Francisco socialite, Republican donor and philanthropist, and the widow of San Francisco businessman Al Wilsey. It was just magical. And she relishes the process that comes with each new exhibit. var SignupForm = { A well-known donor to Bay Area causes and an heiress to the Dow Chemical fortune, Wilsey recently stepped down from her 21-year position as the president of the San Francisco Fine Arts Museums board. They embrace everybody. "To quote my dad, 'That school was a salvation for you. Because we put on exhibitions of every kind. Romance novelist. While Wilsey is not the kind of household name that will automatically make his story a blockbuster, Penguin Press appears to be counting on Wilsey's story to have more than Bay Area appeal. Deceased. ctx.customSerializer(); However, she has never seen herself as one and doesnt want to come across as frivolous. The cast of characters is as rich and intertwined as a soap opera. Dede Wilsey is a San Francisco socialite, Republican donor and philanthropist, and the widow of San Francisco businessman Al Wilsey. } c = c.substring(1); My most recent purchase was a Kandinsky. By continuing to use our sites and applications, you agree to our use of cookies. My ten-year-old grandson thinks its so cool. Pacific Heights - W Magazine To characterize Sean Wilsey's memoir Oh The Glory Of It All as just a scathing portrait of a wealth-obsessed home-wrecking stepmother would be selling the author short. Its as if shes seeing it for the first time. + '
dede wilsey napa
' And I typically react when I see something and it touches me. Needless to say, we were immediately smitten. Sean Wilsey was Al Wilsey's third son, from his third marriage. She divorced Traina in 1980 and married Al Wilsey, divorced by then from Montandon, in May 1981. pagetype = document.querySelector('meta[property="og:type"]').getAttribute("content"), The To Kalon vineyards, which are all around us, have several different owners now, but fetch some of the highest prices in the world for grapes, Trevor explains. "At times we are revolted by what he did, and other times we're in his corner cheering for him. She married shipping magnate and art collector John Traina in 1965, and had two sons with him (Todd and Trevor Traina). He recounts how he repeatedly promised his parents he would behave and stay out of trouble -- and repeatedly broke those promises. if (!o[this.name].push) { if (!window.jQuery) loadJQuery(); + '
' setNewsletterCookie('closedSignupBar', 1); top: 'auto', At the forefront of this cultural dimension is Nimbus Arts!, Nimbus continues to be an amazing gift to this community and we are forever grateful to the entire team for your creativity, genius, dedication and commitment., Trevor & Kelly Foster, Nimbus Arts Leadership Circle and Supporter, Art is a powerful healer! setTimeout(function() { + '' var head = document.head // of subscribing, or managing their account } + ' @media (max-width: 1199px){ #ouibounce-modal .description {font-size:13px !important;} }' Dede Wilsey is excoriated for roughly one-third of Wilsey's book. Caillebotte. . My mother-in-law, here with my daughter Delphina, is known for philanthropy, her collector's eye, and, in Napa Valley, her vineyards in Rutherford surrounded by gardens and a . Pelosi wants name off Shanti award :: Bay Area Reporter - Seattle Gay News Dede Wilsey. link.href = fileName; }, 7500); rollicking, ruthless . // ------------------------------------------------------------------- What about in your bathroom? 3 of 17 4 of 17 Boaz Mazor and Dede Wilsey pose with models during the Opera Ball, celebrating the opening night of the San Francisco Opera Sept. 9, 2016 in San Francisco, Calif. Leah Millis/The . What is the most impractical work of art you own? Or that life in high society is about power and status, so everybody is always trying to position himself as a success -- or at least, avoid offending the powerful, for fear of being shut out of the scene. }); Welcome to this world famous wine growing region "Napa Valley", Carson Levit and Suzanne Devitt Levit's Vineyard. Vimeo. var o = {}; e.preventDefault(); Michael Taylor decorated Trevors parents homes, and his grandmothers house in Newport, Rhode Island, was done in the 1960s by Valerian Rybar; Thomas Britt decorated the homes of Alexis parents. ouibounceAPIaccess = ouibounce( His mother, philanthropist Dede Wilsey, is the powerhouse behind the 2005 reopening of the de Young Museum, the Herzog & de Meuron-designed fine arts temple. Along the way, theatrical and visual arts experiences expanded into . //after successful signup, hide the signup bar after 5 seconds Ive hung it on my powder room doorvertically, instead of horizontally. You know, Im looking at a painting in my office, which is also my dressing room. Says, Bill, pictured here with Deborah, Ultimately were building a culture around wine and hospitality that we all hope will last for generations. + '' There were two people in beautiful clothes, a man and a woman with a parasol, walking away from you. "There hasn't been a wicked stepmother like that since 'Cinderella.' We love living as much as we can outdoors, Alexis says. contact. I actually really love it, but it is just not very practical. Really. recentlyShown: { We all have different reasons for coming to Napa Valley: the light, the air, the soil, the vistas, and, of course, the wine. + 'Signup failed. Reading between the lines, a reader could glean that rich people have problems, just like everyone else, but have the money to solve their troubles differently -- sending problem children out of their lives, in hopes that someone else can fix them. customSerializer: function(){ I have been told by friends that people think that Im intimidating and I thought it was the funniest thing Ive ever heard, Dede Wilsey says. A renowned artist, entertainer, and major league raconteur, Ira Yaeger also happens to be my mothers best friend. Arriving at their historic, Victorian-style Oakville home, its easy to understand why the pairknown for their notable art collection, philanthropy and omnipresence on the San Francisco social scenepack up their kids almost every weekend and head here to unwind. } Diane "Dede" Wilsey, Philanthropist. Dede has had a residence in the heart of the Napa Valley since 1970. }; We needed a museum, and it had been there, it was just so damaged by the earthquake that it couldnt stay open anymore. The 475-page memoir, to be published by Penguin Press, has it all, from sex, drugs and marital infidelity to famous names, lavish parties and conspicuous consumption. She remains a prominent figure in the artistic and cultural spheres of San Francisco, spearheading the rebuilding of the De Young Museum in Golden Gate Park, as well as the establishment of numerous trusts for organizations such as the San Francisco Ballet. Also, theres no middle class in San Francisco. And I love the fact that its a constant learning experience and then you work with wonderful people., Wilsey has just finished her latest project with the museums. the San Francisco Fine Art Museums nabbed it. prefix = 'artnet_newsletter_'; document.body.appendChild(script); For the Fine Arts Museums, I recently bought a Canaletto at the Getty auction. Its a museum picture and it really belongs in a museum. At Nimbus Arts, Neil teaches a myriad of dynamic and very popular blade smithing classes. The Version table provides details related to the release that this issue/RFE will be addressed. . To Wilsey, this is all in a days work and not something she brags about. crossDomain: true, Gina Gallo and Jean-Charles Boisset were the only ones audacious (and legit) enough to purchase the Wappo Hill home that belonged to Bob and Margrit Mondavi. link.rel = 'stylesheet'; var cookieSettings = { When I first arrived at the French Laundry, Napa Valleys iconic images of vineyard-latticed hills dotted with chateaus and bountiful farms and orchards resonated with me. Penguin Press has already devoted considerable energy to a pre-publicity tour with independent booksellers, which are generally intended to garner favorable word of mouth that can build and propel a book to higher visibility in chain stores across the country. Because we put on exhibitions of every kind. I dont go to lunch with people or ladies Well, really any lunch. It never ceases to amaze me.. Her profiles of personalities have included fashion designer Diane von Furstenberg, Twitter co-founder Biz Stone and Emanuel Ungaro fashion house owner Asim Abdullah, to name a few. . . Hes an Australian. Sean Wilsey alleges that his stepmother did not allow him or his stepbrothers from Wilsey's previous marriages to view their father's will. (By the time Al Wilsey died of respiratory failure in 2002, father and son appeared to have reached a loving accord.). We have such diversity in our exhibitions, and its a learning experience every time we open an exhibition. Once it is yours, you can do whatever you want with it. var $email = $form.find('.signup-email'); I was in Maastricht to lead a group from our museum [the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco]a building committee, because we were building the de Young Museum at the time. We cherish and support these important activities which renew our spirits and strengthen the bonds that build and inspire community., Rita and Rudy von Strasser, Community Supporter, A vibrant community arts program signals vitality and warmth, and Nimbus Arts is the spark that make these happen for us in Saint Helena., Alan Galbraith, Mayor of St. Helena and Supporter, Nimbus Arts has been a critical partner in providing a positive impact of art and art education to Napa County residents for more than a decade. There was a sham wedding to trial lawyer Melvin Belli (who'd represented Jack Ruby) in a Shinto ceremony in Japan that was annulled after 36 days; Montandon wanted the marriage to be official, but Belli refused to have it legally recorded. Instead, she moves the discussion to focus on her family. $modal.find('.form-row').hide(); This is a carousel. // Check if ouibounce exist before calling ouibounce "In any discussion about Napa Valley culture, the first two words that invariably come up are "wine" and "food." . initNewsletterSignup(); He went on to become winemaker at Harlan Estate and Bond, producers of some for the most sought-after cult wines ever made in the United States. . Napa; SF Insider: Things to do; Wine Country; Monterey-Carmel; Real Estate. Who Lives In Newport's Mansions? How New Money May Change The Town Historically, its mind-blowing, she says. $('body').append(ouibounceScript); Dede Wilsey Buys Ballot Measure to Return Cars to JFK $modal.find('.newsletter-signup-thank-you').fadeIn('fast'); "He's simply trying to cast an honest eye on himself and his family. I couldnt care less. Home Design Inside the Home of San Franciscos Most High-Profile Couple, For tech entrepreneur Trevor Traina and his wife Alexis Swanson Traina, a historic Napa Valley home is an ideal respite from city life. I dont go to social partiesmost of the stuff I do is work., Her critics might scoff at her way of thinking, but Wilsey, spoken like a real powerhouse, doesnt give a damn. } Nimbash Tickets. But hating Dede Wilsey, a San Francisco socialite and philanthropist, is the most enjoyable part of a memoir that is at once an effective coming-of-age tale, a touching love letter to aging parents, and a comic romp through . checkCookies(); } // Add animation css //if there are cookies indicating that we shouldn't show the signup bar, then the modal won't have been added to the page Picking up where Robert Mondavi left off, the Harlan family has completely rewritten the playbook of American wine. $modal.show(); }); And wouldnt care to do it. I just bought a new dog picture. By year two, the festival added the free Bouchaine Vineyards-sponsored Young Artists concerts and the Dede Wilsey Dance Series. "If I saw a book in that bookstore with that title, I'd think it was about an Indian princess covered with emeralds, or a memoir about some war general on the winning side. Every once in a while Ill buy something so huge that I wonder, where will I put thisor so tiny that I cant really see it. Dede Wilsey, who grew up going to her family's newport home, beaulieu, photographed with her son todd Dede Wilsey - Wikipedia I now have an entire bathroom, dressing room, bedroom at my house in Napa covered in these paintingsjust wall to wall. She said she would like to take us to somebodys house and show us a fabulous painting. Definitely the Koons egg. Photo courtesy of Spencer Brown. if (generalSettings.loadFontAwesome) { var c = ca[i]; if (paywallPagesRegex.test(window.location.pathname)) { while (i--) { } What I Buy and Why: Collector Dede Wilsey on Why She Prefers to Hang } Her father was against the marriage. Festival Napa Valley is presented by Napa Valley Festival Association, a nonprofit organization with a mission to bring the arts to all through world-class performances and inspiring arts education programs. 2023 Napa Valley Festival Association, a nonprofit public benefit corporation. It was held, fittingly enough, in the de Young Museum's central court . setTimeout(function() { defernl() }, 250); The first serious picture that I bought was right after my husband died. Dede Wilsey. Site funded . Weekends in Oakville are generally spent sans guests and are passed mostly outsideby the pool or on the tennis courtsin the company of the Trainas two children, Johnny and Delphina, and their Jack Russell terrier, Honey. join our mailing list. Then I have to pinch myself and think no, its somebody else. But that doesnt mean Wilsey, or any of her family, will hide. You cant tell the difference. .removeClass('slideOutDown slideOutUp') googletag.pubads().setTargeting("width", w), googletag.pubads().setTargeting("height", h), 1 == isnewsletter && googletag.pubads().setTargeting("isfirstpage", ['Y', pagetypeforce] ) What I Buy and Why: Collector Dede Wilsey on Why She Prefers to Hang } var ctx = this; An event at a residence in San Francisco included Magowan, prominent GOP donor DeDe Wilsey, real estate investor Carole McNeil, and Napa Valley socialites Elizabeth and Clarke Swanson. head.appendChild(link); We have such diversity in our exhibitions, and its a learning experience every time we open an exhibition. The dining-room table belonged to my great-grandmother, as did the sideboard next to it, and [the nearby] secretary belonged to my mother., Though theres no denying his familys pedigree, Trevor cant help but make fun of some of the houses inherited features: It reminds me of that great comment by Marella Agnellimade after the socialite toured Sid and Mercedes Bass apartment in New Yorkwhen she said, It will take her another lifetime to understand wicker! Theres nothing more WASP-y than lattice and wicker. Dede Wilsey - Early Life Now living in Los Angeles, she's writing her own memoir. map, photo credits | site by tmarks | dev by sa8. He now works as an editor at large for McSweeney's, co-founded by Dave Eggers. Wilsey was a prominent Bay Area businessman and owner of Rutherford River Ranch Vineyard in Napa Valley. "So many memories are connected to being outdoors," Roman says. As happens with some memoirs, author and subject appear to be in two polarized camps, with Wilsey's friends protecting him and his stepmothers' friends protectively closing ranks around her. if (typeof ouibounce !== 'undefined') { Magic that celebrates ones surroundings. Thats how I started collecting. Your Privacy Choices (Opt Out of Sale/Targeted Ads). Its like having a mini-course every time we have a new exhibition. if ($modal.hasClass('slideInDown')) return; }, }); Artnet News, o[this.name] = this.value || ''; . Ive forgotten which museum its in, but a Degas of the ballet studio with all the dancers in tutus. I believe in the power of art to inspire and connect us. Somebody alive would be really nice. She would love to date someone confident who doesnt find her intimidating (because remember, shes not intimidating) and who is as passionate about philanthropy as she is. On the lifestyle front, her duties also including writing about cannabis culture for The Chronicle and its cannabis website, www.GreenState.com website. She acknowledges that the city isnt what it used to be saying that there are too many people, too many cars and that without question the biggest problem is the homelessness. Since then, she has worked for the Sunday Style and Datebook sections, covering gala night openings and writing trend pieces. Nimbus Arts 649 Main Street St. Helena, CA 94574 map. On March 22, local booksellers gathered at the Presidio for a private meet-and-greet with Wilsey, an editor at large at McSweeney's Quarterly -- a hip, nationally distributed literary magazine co-founded by San Francisco author Dave Eggers. In August 2016, Trump came to the Bay Area for fundraisers at private homes in Napa and on the Peninsula. It was part of a Christmas gift to my now husband, Kurt. + '' His addition to our metal arts team sharpened our offerings and his popular programs have proven to be a cut above! break; It seems that no matter where he lived, whether in reform school or high society life, people were jockeying for power -- and Wilsey was terrible at understanding and following the rules. The acquisition was part of a complex transaction whereby vintner Robert Mondavi purchased the vineyards and Trainas parents received the property and the house. addCss('https://maxcdn.bootstrapcdn.com/font-awesome/4.7.0/css/font-awesome.min.css'); var ctx = this; You can do something that changes somebodys life. + 'Please enter a valid email address' St.Helena, CA 94574 Since then, Dede has built a formidable collection of Impressionist art, and has continued to help the de Young and its sister museum the Legion of Honor grow their own. var generalSettings = { var cookieNames = ['recentlyShown', 'signedUp', 'closedSignupBar','signup_cookie']; Its unpleasant. */ Julie Baumgardner, Dede Wilsey's House in Napa, CA (Google Maps) (#3) As my temporary unemployment began, I knew I wanted to use my free time to tell the story of the valley, and to do it in a way that would illuminate the fact that life here is no longer centered exclusively on wine. Dec 5, 2022, By //don't run this function if the user has already triggered the modal by leaving the viewport Alexis Trainas ode to Napa Valley, which appears in the November issue of Town & Country, went to the printers before the devastating fires broke out in California earlier this month. Everything in the Gettys house was just so special. Heartfelt soul of Napa's Festival del Sole - San Francisco Chronicle Crabb, a Napa Valley pioneer who founded the To Kalon winery. Sean Wilsey, an editor at large for McSweeney's Quarterly, lives in New York with his wife, Daphne Beal, whose first novel is to be published this summer, their 2-year-old son, Owen, and newborn . She's sitting in an armchair in her Napa Valley homethe place where she is most happyher 10-year old Maltese at her feet. The author of "Oh the Glory of It All." However, Montandon, reached by telephone at her home in Beverly Hills, said that she had read it and that her son was brave to write it. for(var i = 0; i