} What Im trying to do is make the city a better place. Sean Wilsey was Al Wilsey's third son, from his third marriage. 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 . isnewsletter = pagetypeurl.includes("?page_1"); "So many memories are connected to being outdoors," Roman says. Unresolved: Release in which this issue/RFE will be addressed. */ Hes an Australian. The home saw an addition by Crabb in the 1880s and a near total rebuild after a devastating fire more than a century later, in 1997. var valid = ctx.validate( $form, $email); // Signup submission //position at bottom of screen I just bought a new dog picture. if (prefix == undefined) { He did drugs, got in fights at boarding school, stole money and even took his uncle's gun, at one point. var $modal = $('#ouibounce-modal'); The first dog picture was commissioned for my Jack Russell, Melissa, and my first Maltese, Serena. A cross-country move to California came next. regex: { The author of "Oh the Glory of It All." Website design by Compass Marketing, websitedevelopmentbyStoryWorkz. Early in life, he decided that emotions "had made my mom crazy, and I would not succumb to that." My parents always had friends around and there was a lot of entertaining, and summer was spent hereall summer.. But its not just milestones that make the house special; its also everyday moments. She married John Traina after his divorce from Dede. The goal was to create a useful guide to the place and to offer a look at the people who make it special. Wilsey and I are 30 minutes into an hour-long conversation, and I . 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. After her marriage to Al Wilsey went south, Montandon went East -- to Egypt, the Vatican and Russia -- with a children's brigade advocating world peace. There were two people in beautiful clothes, a man and a woman with a parasol, walking away from you. I started to research my book, From Napa with Love, which was published by Abrams in September, by reaching out to the areas most colorful characters, people I grew up around or just admired, like film-maker and writer Roman Coppola, interior designer Ken Fulk, and Elizabeth Swanson, my wonderfully talented mother. Caillebotte. Diane "Dede" Wilsey. Despondent about her divorce from Al Wilsey, she urged her 11-year-old son to jump with her to their deaths from their penthouse at 999 Green St. "That'd show your dad," Wilsey recalled her saying, in the book. 'slideOutDown': 'slideOutUp' ); } The festival underwent a major rebranding in 2016, changing its name to Festival Napa Valley. setTimeout(function() { defernl() }, 250); After about 10 years, I wasnt sad anymore and I had lot of paintings. What were we going to do with the art if we didnt [rebuild it]? pagetypeforce = pagetypeurl.substr(pagetypeurl.length - 3); . Dede Wilsey is a San Francisco socialite, Republican donor and philanthropist, and the widow of San Francisco businessman Al Wilsey. I installed that one and I still felt sad. link.href = fileName; We may earn commission from links on this page, but we only recommend products we back. + '
' var ctx = this; Dede Wilsey. 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. Nimbus Arts I bought it in memory of Ann Getty. + '<\/i>' 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. Model, TV hostess, society columnist and author. It is loaned to the Dixon Gallery and Gardens in Memphis. Montandon was awarded $20,000 a month, which she said was too little to maintain the lifestyle to which she'd become accustomed. Subscribe to our newsletter to get the breaking news, eye-opening interviews, and incisive critical takes that drive the conversation forward. . }, Thats scary. 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. Feature Stories, News, One On One, Philanthropy. $modal.show(); And was this book written for revenge? By 2023 Napa Valley Festival Association, a nonprofit public benefit corporation. } Dede Wilsey - Early Life. document.cookie = prefix + cname + "=" + cvalue + ";" + expires + ";path=/"; The catalyst was the Russian National Orchestras annual summer residency in Northern California, starting in 1999. expiration_days: 14 "In my opinion, most of these books are written for one of three reasons -- money, self-aggrandizement or a vendetta," she said. Eileen Kinsella, Along the way, theatrical and visual arts experiences expanded into . As soon as people start reading "Oh the Glory of It All," which reconstructs conversations and gives his version of his life history to date, they'll begin debating whether his views are accurate or not. Her fierce commitment and intense loyalty can also be seen in her tireless philanthropic works. } setTimeout(function() { Please log off from any other devices, and then reload this page continue. She recounts a recent party for museum directors that took place in the de Youngs tower on one of those rare San Francisco nights where there was no fog: It was so beautiful. Trevor said to me, Mom, you have to sit here. From left: Dede and Al Wilsey in 2001, Cissie Swig in 1992, Frances and John Bowes in 1995; Sharon Owsley in 1993 | San Francisco Examiner via Library of Congress Artnet News, .addClass( 'slideIn' + upOrDown ); var c = ca[i]; } + ' @media (max-width: 1199px){ #ouibounce-modal .description {font-size:13px !important;} }' I love this picture by artist Rupert Bunny. Soon I too succumbed to the valleys charms and convinced my dad that he needed to hire me. c = c.substring(1); What about in your bathroom? expiration_minutes: 5 rollicking, ruthless . She was a part of the search committee that found the new director of the, Another thing she loves about the museums? * Generic setCookie() method, used by setNewsletterCookie(). I bought a Koons egg. Maupin doesn't think so. He hired Andre Tchelistche , godfather of American wine, and his young apprentice, Marco Cappelli, to make elegant and refined wines under the label Swanson. .css-4975pa{-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;text-decoration-thickness:0.0625rem;text-decoration-color:inherit;text-underline-offset:0.25rem;color:#fff;-webkit-transition:all 0.3s ease-in-out;transition:all 0.3s ease-in-out;display:inline-block;background-color:#030929;font-family:Termina,Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;font-size:0.75rem;line-height:1;font-weight:bold;letter-spacing:0.02rem;padding:0.6rem 0.7rem;text-transform:uppercase;width:auto;}.css-4975pa:hover{color:#fff;text-decoration-color:border-link-body-hover;background-color:#9a0500;}.css-4975pa:focus-visible{outline-color:body-cta-btn-link-focus;}Subscribe Now, .css-1du65oy{color:#323232;display:block;font-family:NewParis,Georgia,Times,serif;font-weight:normal;margin-bottom:0.3125rem;margin-top:0;-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;-webkit-font-smoothing:auto;}@media (any-hover: hover){.css-1du65oy:hover{color:link-hover;}}@media(max-width: 48rem){.css-1du65oy{font-size:1.0625rem;line-height:1.2;}}@media(min-width: 40.625rem){.css-1du65oy{font-size:1.0625rem;line-height:1.2;}}@media(min-width: 64rem){.css-1du65oy{font-size:1.3125rem;line-height:1.2;}} The Parisian Hotel Where Joyce Finished Ulysses. Nimbus responded by providing community mosaic events, which they do so incredibly well. . if (getCookie(cookieNames[i]).length) { Memoir by son of S.F. The car looks like something out of a movie, Wilsey explains. Tax ID 26-4008029. More than 200 artists, wineries, resorts, theaters, restaurants, chefs, and vintners participate each year, joining with audiences, patrons, staff and volunteers to create a vibrant and vital community. Festival Napa Valley blazed a trail for the other festivals that have since made wine country their home. Search. // dataType: 'json', I opened the French Laundry to celebrate the work of the farmers, fishermen, winemakers, foragers, and other purveyors who work directly with the land of this beautiful place. The divorce of Wilsey and Montandon after 10 years of marriage was -- at the time -- one of the most expensive divorce cases in San Francisco history. I must sit here behind this guard. And I said, Fine. } We really didnt want it to leave San Francisco. recentlyShown: { Really. Old, young, every ethnic group. San Francisco philanthropist Dede Wilsey underwrites the festival's dance series, which has featured dancers from American Ballet Theatre, Bandaloop, Bolshoi Ballet, . "We'll teach him a lesson together." prefix = 'artnet_newsletter_'; 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. //default prefix is 'artnet_newsletter_' //don't run this function if the user has already triggered the modal by leaving the viewport contact. However, she has never seen herself as one and doesnt want to come across as frivolous. if (!found) { + '<\/div>' The residency featured concerts, family programs, and events that generated support for local youth charities. Or that rich people have cliques, just like everyone else, but because so few people are so very rich, the pool of friends and prospective spouses is small, making for lots of interconnected relationships. + 'Please enter a valid email address' 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 . 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. setNewsletterCookie('recentlyShown', 1); She said she would like to take us to somebodys house and show us a fabulous painting. beloved husband of Diane (Dede) Buchanan, and loving father of Susan Smallwood, Michael . Al Wilsey also invested in real estate with developer Gerson Bakar. } if (!window.jQuery) loadJQuery(); 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. ". All Rights Reserved.var w = Math.max(document.documentElement.clientWidth, window.innerWidth || 0), The museum is still being very well run. return numDays * 24 * 60; + ' @media (max-width: 575px){ #ouibounce-modal {display:none !important;} }' Nonetheless, "we've had a good relationship," she said of Sean, "especially once he came back from the school in Italy, once he was happier with himself. You can do something that changes somebodys life. clearInterval(initOuibounce); + '' Like. Theres just a lack of camaraderie in this city anymore, and thats really sad., Speaking of camaraderie, is Wilsey seeing anyone special? var settings = cookieSettings[cookieName]; }, There were two choices: Be without one museum or rebuild it. } Well, Im sure there are several and Im sure I have sold them by now. From 1979 to 1982, she was the society columnist for the San Francisco Examiner. // Check if ouibounce exist before calling ouibounce + '<\/div>' She remains a prominent figure in the artistic and . The first serious picture that I bought was right after my husband died. On October 10, she emailed us an .css-gegin5{-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;text-decoration-thickness:0.0625rem;text-decoration-color:inherit;text-underline-offset:0.25rem;color:#9a0500;-webkit-transition:all 0.3s ease-in-out;transition:all 0.3s ease-in-out;}.css-gegin5:hover{color:#595959;text-decoration-color:border-link-body-hover;}update after evacuating from Yountville, and this week, she sent us news that she and a number of local winemakers, chefs, and other concerned citizens (including many profiled in this story) have partnered with Tipping Point to form Napa & Sonoma Relief, a fund that will provide support to those most impacted by the fires. $modal.find('.form-row').hide(); So, whats the difference? Although the exact amount she has donated over the years is not known, Wilsey helped bring in more than $200 million to rebuild the de Young Museum. The longtime supporter of the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco on the Caillebotte that got away and the pleasures of pet portraiture. function setCookie(cname, cvalue, expMinutes, prefix) { SignupForm.init($modal.find('form'), function onSuccess() { 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. Many a woman shudders at the terrible eclipse of those intellectual powers which in early life seemed prophetic of usefulness and happiness, hence the army of martyrs among our married and unmarried women who, not having cultivated a taste for science, art or literature, form a corps of nervous patients who make fortunes for agreeable physicians Sarah M. Grimke (17921873). Its popularity led a group of local leaders to imagine a festival that would define Napa Valley as a cultural destination. 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. if (!onSuccess) { info@nimbusarts.org, 2023 nimbus arts tax ID: 27-1503762, Nimbus Arts 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. Repressing his emotions caused anger, rage and hate, but at Amity, he writes, he found a tenderness in the teaching program that allowed him to open up. + '<\/div>' "A fact checker from the New Yorker called the other day, and every fact they checked with me was wrong," she said. if (typeof ouibounce !== 'undefined') { She is the chairman emeritus of the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco. Stepfather to Todd and Trevor Traina. Oct 21, 2022, By Its a really amazing thing to do, to stroll on a warm night with a glass of wine.In a place like this, it certainly is. 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. Needless to say, we were immediately smitten. var initOuibounce = setInterval(function() { Paul Pelosi's DUI arrest over Memorial Day Weekend in Napa has become major fodder for right-wing loons who have been misinformed that he's skirting any charges, but society doyenne Dede Wilsey . Its important for my children and my grandchildren to see whats become of the world and work to make it better. + '
' + '' } For the Fine Arts Museums, I recently bought a Canaletto at the Getty auction. // of subscribing, or managing their account Their imaginative approach is consistently fun, educational and innovative. She is the granddaughter of Herbert Henry Dow, founder of the American multinational conglomerate Dow Chemical. Dede Wilsey, an arts benefactor in San Francisco, at her home in the Napa Valley. checkCookies(); It personally hurts my feelings to have people talk about a city that I love and say, I dont want to go there anymore, she says, and you can hear the distress in her voice. addCss('https://cdnjs.cloudflare.com/ajax/libs/animate.css/3.5.2/animate.min.css'); You learn all about what that art is and that artist. Todd Traina is a film producer. Sean Wilsey's charming manner, the quality of his writing and his connection to McSweeney's will lend an already compelling story some extra cachet, booksellers said, as will the bird's-eye view into the lifestyles of the rich, if not famous. Ive forgotten which museum its in, but a Degas of the ballet studio with all the dancers in tutus. I was absolutely miserable. Their May engagement was followed in August by a garden wedding for 400 in the tiny Napa town of Oakville. } + '<\/style>' Her maternal great-grandfather, Herbert Henry Dow, was the founder of Dow Chemical. Theres nothing I love more than sitting in the passenger seat with him driving, going nowhere fast. Festival Napa Valley celebrates musics unmatched power to enrich, uplift and inspire. "He's simply trying to cast an honest eye on himself and his family. Ahhhh. closedSignupBar: { "To quote my dad, 'That school was a salvation for you. // Submit the form But Harry de Wildt, a fixture on the San Francisco society scene for 38 years, was simultaneously curious about and dismissive of the memoir. I cant even remember what I bought after that. 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. But that doesnt mean Wilsey, or any of her family, will hide. It is very heavy. She is the widow of Alfred Wilsey, who . //if any of these cookies are found, we don't show the modal.