' The longtime supporter of the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco on the Caillebotte that got away and the pleasures of pet portraiture. (note; caption on rear of photo was not very clear, in particular is the final name), Dede Wilsey models a necklace designed by Harry Winston, for her husband Al Wilsey ALSO RAN 01/07/02 CAT, Horoscope for Saturday, 3/04/23 by Christopher Renstrom, Snowboarder dies at Tahoe ski resort following historic blizzard, West I-80 closed near Tahoe due to snow and 'multiple spinouts', Wife of Jeffrey Vandergrift issues somber update, Even Salesforces tower HQ isnt safe from office cuts, Horoscope for Friday, 3/03/23 by Christopher Renstrom, Inside Harry and Meghans favorite In-N-Out, Massive Lake Tahoe waterfront compound slashes price by $20M, Mochi muffin bakery closes SF cafe after just 4 months, This beloved East Bay hybrid cafe and bike shop is closing, Routes: New SFO-London flights start at $185; Spirit expands Oakland routes, Amazon to shutter all Amazon Go stores in San Francisco, Ja Morant says he'll get help after video shows apparent gun, Wife of missing San Francisco DJ Jeffrey Vandergrift issues somber update, 'Low visibility and multiple crashes': I-80 closes near Tahoe as major winter storm hits, Harry and Meghans favorite In-N-Out might be California's poshest fast food stop, In search of vegan food, I found a world-class Mendocino inn. At least $95 million | 78 years old | United States Primary Position: CEO, Wilsey Properties . return numDays * 24 * 60; In fact, doing so is something of a family tradition. All Rights Reserved.var w = Math.max(document.documentElement.clientWidth, window.innerWidth || 0), aggressive: true, }; In fact, we planned a big outdoor christening, but it rainedand it never rains in Napa. The quick-thinking couple cleared out all the furniture in the seldom-used formal parlor to allow about 60 guests to gather inside for the ceremony. Its a museum picture and it really belongs in a museum. It was at Amity, a now-defunct reform school in Tuscany, that Wilsey was transformed. Definitely the Koons egg. // Append ouibounce to page Unfortunately, I had a friend for 13 years, and he died last August. var paywallPagesRegex = /^\/subscribe|subscribe-confirm|my-account(\/|$)/; }); Once it is yours, you can do whatever you want with it. The catalyst was the Russian National Orchestras annual summer residency in Northern California, starting in 1999. Festival Napa Valley blazed a trail for the other festivals that have since made wine country their home. prefix = 'artnet_newsletter_'; // dataType: 'json', if (paywallPagesRegex.test(window.location.pathname)) { What were we going to do with the art if we didnt [rebuild it]? ctx.customSerializer(); The picture was of a house, a villa. Do memoirists -- especially those with dark secrets to tell -- necessarily do so for revenge? We spend our weekends tinkering with old cars. .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. Wendy Sheanin, events manager at the store, said that anything associated with McSweeney's or bearing the word McSweeney's pricks the interest of readers. if (prefix == undefined) { if ($modal.hasClass('slideInDown')) return; }); var $modal = $('#ouibounce-modal'); A naturally gracious hostess, Wilsey has an uncanny ability to make anyone feel comfortable. script.integrity = "sha256-hVVnYaiADRTO2PzUGmuLJr8BLUSjGIZsDYGmIJLv2b8="; "The clich 'truth is stranger than fiction' may well have been coined to describe Sean Wilsey's wild, wise, and whip-smart memoir." Elle "[An] irreverent and remarkably candid memoir about growing up in wealthy eighties San Francisco . My most recent purchase was a Kandinsky. setCookie(cookieName, value, expirationMinutes); .removeClass('slideOutDown slideOutUp') There . Dede Wilsey Is Co-Hosting a Trump Fundraiser In San Francisco - SFist // FUNCTIONS Standard subscriptions can be purchased on the subscription page. San Francisco jet-setter Denise Hale, who was once married to Hollywood director Vincente Minnelli, has seen her share of friends become the subject of tell-all books. They were priced out. } return; Raise a glass to the artists, rebels, and dreamers who call this storied California paradise home. throw Error('onSuccess callback is required'); } Tax ID 26-4008029. As tough as he was on his parents and stepmother, he was also tough on himself. return ""; setTimeout(function() { defernl() }, 250); nimbus arts, a community-based nonprofit, ignites artistic expression across the napa valley. top: 'auto', As an adult, he began to stand up to what he describes as her verbal put-downs. }, However, she has never seen herself as one and doesnt want to come across as frivolous. It was very sad. if (c.indexOf(name) == 0) { } Dede Wilsey isn't the only one taken to task. But two people can be in the same place at the same time and come away with two different perceptions of reality. pagetype = document.querySelector('meta[property="og:type"]').getAttribute("content"), if(valid){ function getCookie(cname, prefix) { Everybody you can imagine. + '' script.src = "https://code.jquery.com/jquery-3.1.1.min.js"; Dede Wilsey, born Diane Dow Buchanan, was the great-granddaughter of the founder of Dow Chemical Co. The strength of the book is that Sean Wilsey is a terrific writer. It was held, fittingly enough, in the de Young Museum's central court . A fabulous Caillebotte in London. $(function() { 3 of 17 4 of 17 Boaz Mazor and Dede Wilsey pose with models during the Opera Ball, celebrating the opening night of the San Francisco Opera Sept. 9, 2016 in San Francisco, Calif. Leah Millis/The . if (!onSuccess) { All of our good times were up here, Trevor, son of the late shipping mogul John Traina and the philanthropist Dede Wilsey, says of the six-acre property. Feature Stories, News, One On One, Philanthropy. clearInterval(initOuibounce); }, 100); Its popularity led a group of local leaders to imagine a festival that would define Napa Valley as a cultural destination. But I can understand what theyre talking about when you have human feces and syringes and all these things. Sean Wilsey wrote that novelist Danielle Steel had an affair with Al Wilsey, but when she lost out to Dede, married Traina "as a consolation prize" in June 1981. Their imaginative approach is consistently fun, educational and innovative. I opened the French Laundry to celebrate the work of the farmers, fishermen, winemakers, foragers, and other purveyors who work directly with the land of this beautiful place. I always regretted not buying it. + '<\/div>' Mother of Sean Wilsey. I started to research my book, From Napa with Love, which was published by Abrams in September, by reaching out to the areas most colorful characters, people I grew up around or just admired, like film-maker and writer Roman Coppola, interior designer Ken Fulk, and Elizabeth Swanson, my wonderfully talented mother. } "A fact checker from the New Yorker called the other day, and every fact they checked with me was wrong," she said. ctx.submit($form, onSuccess); Steel and Traina split up in 1995. Dede Wilsey's House in Napa, CA (Google Maps) (#2) // Signup validation } Heartfelt soul of Napa's Festival del Sole - San Francisco Chronicle Trump Jr., Guilfoyle raise $2.5 million on California swing for Trump document.cookie = prefix + cname + "=" + cvalue + ";" + expires + ";path=/"; script.crossorigin = "anonymous"; Facebook. Who Lives In Newport's Mansions? How New Money May Change The Town 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. Following her mother Ruth Buchanan's death, Dede Wilsey purchased the house in March 2020. This is a family home; its very comfortable and familiar., The decor is an assemblage of styles, though most are heirlooms and antiques set in place by Trevors mother. } The Koons egg in Dede Wilseys collection. Her father was against the marriage. On Thursday we open the Al Thani jewel collection, which is magnificent., Wilsey also sits on the boards of the San Francisco Opera and San Francisco Balletboth causes that she champions and supports. // Init - Anything you want to happen onLoad (usually event bindings) var head = document.head Dede Wilsey has been a supporter of the de Young Museum in San Francisco since 1998, but she only began collecting art for herself a few years later, when she was looking for a place to put her . Then I have to pinch myself and think no, its somebody else. She is the chairman emeritus of the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco. St. Helena, CA 94574 "The people who are in McSweeney's are rising stars. I cant imagine having nothing to do but lie there and read a book. We all have different reasons for coming to Napa Valley: the light, the air, the soil, the vistas, and, of course, the wine. They embrace everybody. }); His millions came from his Wilsey Bennett Co., which manufactured edible oils, margarines and butter pats, and also from real estate investments. var c = ca[i]; Website design by Compass Marketing, website development by StoryWorkz. // Handler for close signup button Dede Wilsey is a San Francisco socialite, Republican donor and philanthropist, and the widow of San Francisco businessman Al Wilsey. }, 5000); + '<\/div>'; My fantasy was to be a gentleman farmer with three grapevines and art. Like. var i = cookieNames.length, 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. I was absolutely miserable. Napa Valley Festival Association - GuideStar Profile //exdays*24*60*60 It is both an honor and a source of ongoing wonder to see all the ways that art makes us think, brings us joy, and makes the world a better place., Dana Johnson, Nimbus Arts Co-Founder and Board President, In any discussion about Napa Valley culture, the first two words that invariably come up are wine and food. But theres a third dimension to the region- the arts- that has been steadily expanding in scope and inspiring residents and visitors to enjoy and embrace their creative side. Julie Baumgardner, 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". . while (c.charAt(0)==' ') { Best Western - WWD We have such diversity in our exhibitions, and its a learning experience every time we open an exhibition. I am thankful for what Nimbus Arts has done for the community and look forward to continue working with them to increase access to art for all of Napa Countys residents and visitors., Diane Dillon, Supervisor, District 3, County of Napa, Everyone at Nimbus is friendly, accommodating and supportive. There was a very nice dealer who we knew in London. , link = document.createElement('link'); 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. } Maupin doesn't think so. Son of Pat Montandon and the late Al Wilsey, stepson of Dede Wilsey. expiration_days: 5 var valid = ctx.validate( $form, $email); 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 . "Sean has every right in the world to write his story, and I applaud him for it, 100 percent." Nimbus Arts 649 Main Street St. Helena, CA 94574 map. // don't show it on paywall-related pages where the user might be in the process 649 main street Her maternal great-grandfather, Herbert Henry Dow, was the founder of Dow Chemical. It is loaned to the Dixon Gallery and Gardens in Memphis. A renowned artist, entertainer, and major league raconteur, Ira Yaeger also happens to be my mothers best friend. Vittoria Benzine, No. I dont go to lunch with people or ladies Well, really any lunch. + '<\/div>' Just fabulous. The Best Carry-On Backpacks for Every Traveler, The Best Luxury Luggage for Traveling in Style, A Guide to 8 Hotels in The Reluctant Traveler. What was your first purchase (and how much did you pay for it)? 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. $('body').append(signup); UCSF Medical Center names Dede Wilsey to lead new philanthropic effort What is the most expensive work of art that you own? Also, theres no middle class in San Francisco. 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. . He says, In 1975, I bought an old cabin, put a cupola on the top, and called it Tucker Farm Schoolhouse to make it sound legit-ish. Stepmother of Sean Wilsey. .addClass( 'slideIn' + upOrDown ); "He's simply trying to cast an honest eye on himself and his family. Right now we have, Social Media Management for Interior Designers, Social Media Management for Real Estate Developers, Gettys Throw Star-Studded Poker Night For AmfAR, Faena Debuts Newest ShowSamsara Cabaret At Faena Theatre, Blossoms Rare: Haute Livings Exclusive Editorial Featuring, Chasing The Sun: Haute Livings Exclusive Editorial, Le Grand Ball of Time: Haute Livings Exclusive Editorial, Braman Miamis Mike Rodriguez On The Power Of, Gucci Taps Its 90s Archives For The Fall/Winter 2023, Inside Jenny Cipolettis Glamorous Baby Dior Baby, From Naomi Campbell To Sadie Sink: Inside Alexander, New York City Welcomes Haute Leaders For The First Time. Dec 5, 2022. Site funded . . } Its like having a mini-course every time we have a new exhibition. So Im finally pulling myself together. New Homes . } else { You know, Im looking at a painting in my office, which is also my dressing room. Board of Supervisors and return motorists to the JFK Promenade through Golden Gate Park. She worked as the paper's society columnist from 2000 to 2004, when she wrote about the lifestyles of the rich but not necessarily famous. In 1980, she married dairy millionaire Wilsey, who had recently divorced his third wife, Pat Montandon. $9 million dollars for Caillebotte?! This story appears in the November 2017 issue of Town & Country. . The drive from San Francisco to the Napa Valley takes only a little more than an hour, but for tech entrepreneur and IfOnly CEO Trevor Traina and his wife, Swanson Vineyards creative director Alexis Swanson Traina, the two places feel as far away from each other as possible. Iwas just visiting my one son who lives in Austria, now, she mentions casually. var settings = cookieSettings[cookieName]; We are bound to one another by the kind of esprit de corps that comes with the pursuit of magicmagic in the vineyards, on the table, at the drawing board. His addition to our metal arts team sharpened our offerings and his popular programs have proven to be a cut above! I wasnt quite sure what that meant, just that I wanted to work with them.. . We really didnt want it to leave San Francisco. * There is probably no need to call this directly - use setNewsletterCookie(). } I just bought a new dog picture. }); prefix = 'artnet_newsletter_'; Traina was nominated by President Trump and approved by the Senate, before he moved his wife, Alexis Swanson Traina, and two children, to Europe. }) Everybody you can imagine. Make peace for everybody. //hide form fields and show thank-you message To find out if you are eligible for an Artnet News Pro group subscription, It concerns me greatly. UCSF Medical Center has named Diane "Dede" Wilsey to lead the philanthropic effort on behalf of UCSF Medical Center's new state-of-the art clinical facility planned for construction at Mission Bay. Historically, its mind-blowing, she says. For me it has always been the peoplea tapestry of interwoven multigenerational tribes made up of families, farmers, field-workers, wine- makers, chefs, and creative talent of all sorts. if (getCookie(cookieNames[i]).length) { Trevor Traina and Alexis Swanson Traina Napa Valley Home Photos - DuJour It was just magical. And she relishes the process that comes with each new exhibit. 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. if (window.jQuery) { "I love that quality in anybody because I think you have to be brave to tell the truth in life," Montandon said. } else { 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. He began to fantasize about her sexually as a teenager, trying to see her through his father's eyes. var cookieSettings = { "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. Hearst Magazine Media, Inc. All Rights Reserved. // =================================================================== Diane "Dede" Wilsey. Your Privacy Choices (Opt Out of Sale/Targeted Ads). w = pagetype + 20 * Math.round(w / 20), h = pagetype + 20 * Math.round(h / 20), googletag.cmd.push(function() { )+([a-zA-Z0-9]{2,4})+$/ "Yes, it's set in San Francisco, and those of us who've lived here a long time know many of the characters and wonder how they'll feel about different parts of the book, but it's a universal story," said Elaine Petrocelli, co- owner of Book Passage in Corte Madera. I recently purchased a Gerome, a portrait of his daughter. Al Wilsey died in 2002 at the age of 82. callback: function() { Her husband echoes the sentiment.