What Can You Expect in 2015?
The Chairman’s Report

First the good news! Based on the feedback I have been receiving from members during the early days of 2015, it seems as though a decided air of optimism now prevails. Council members are bullish about the year to come. That’s the first time in eight years that I can report that degree of optimism.  

It always happens in the second week of January. Like clockwork! Council members, growing restless from a somewhat dormant holiday season, commence the steady drumbeat of emails requesting information about the year ahead. Let me provide some headlines and an odd tease or two.

Now entering its 10th year, the San Francisco chapter of The Luxury Marketing Council is poised for another successful year of collaborations and events. With an individual member list now exceeding 2600, in addition to a database of approximately 3500 sales, marketing and management influentials in the Bay area, the Council will outreach to its members in 2015 via another aggressive program of 25+ events as well as more than a hundred collaborative opportunities. Some highlights include:

• A real estate industry Roundtable, in partnership with SFC&G magazine (February)
• “Secrets From The Little Black Book”: Introducing a Singular Man with Rare Knowledge About Unique Places and Uncommon Experiences in Every Hidden Corner of the World (March: Registration is now open)
• Annual Wineries Boot Camps (March and August)
• Real Estate Industry Boot Camp (April)
• Continuation of the popular “How it’s Made” series  (May and June)
• Research presentations (August and October)
• A Not-For-Profit sector Boot Camp (October)
• Social events including Haute Dog SF 4, the couture dog fashion show (February), art exhibitions (April and October) and various wine tasting and blending events throughout the year
• “By-invitation-only” intimate industry-specific roundtables throughout the year

In addition to this robust event calendar, the Council continues to spend the bulk of its time initiating and facilitating a large number of collaborative activities between and on behalf of its members, including sponsorship development, program partnerships, select introductions and a myriad of other “foot in the door” opportunities that arise on an ad hoc basis throughout the year.

We look forward to seeing you at these upcoming events and welcome the opportunity to work on your collaborative behalf as we nurture and grow The Luxury Marketing Council and enjoy the benefits that the Council community provides.

As always, if you have a need, request or suggestion, never hesitate to contact me at 415-332-1085 or at nucifora@luxesf.com.

Warmest regards,

Alf Nucifora

She Sets Up On The Street And Proceeds To Destroy Everything You Thought You Knew About The Clarinet

Do You Know More About Science And Technology Than the Average American?

Take our 13-question quiz to test your knowledge of scientific concepts. Then see how you did in comparison with the 1,006 randomly sampled adults asked the same questions in a national poll conducted by the Pew Research Center and Smithsonian magazine.

To take the test, click here

Who Is Your Guardian Angel?

Find out here

10 Awful Library Books

Two American librarians have archived an impressive collection of the strangest most awful books that their contributors have found in public libraries.

View the list here

25 Astounding Aerial Photographs That Will Really Blow Your Mind

To view the photographs, click here

“Famous Dog Quotations”

• “If there are no dogs in heaven, then when I die, I want to go where they went” Will Rogers
• “One reason a dog can be such a comfort when you’re feeling blue is that he doesn’t try to find out why“ Unknown author
• “The average dog is a nicer person than the average person” Andy Rooney
• “If you pick up a starving dog and make him prosperous, he will not bite you. That is the principal difference between a man and a dog” Mark Twain
• “Scratch a dog and you’ll find a permanent job” Franklin P. Jones
• “Properly trained, a man can be dog’s best friend” Corey Ford
• “I wonder if dogs think that poodles are members of a weird religious cult.” Rita Rudner
• “Ever consider what our dogs must think of us? I mean, here we come back from the grocery store with the most amazing haul—chicken, pork, half a cow. They must think we’re the greatest hunters on earth” Ann Tyler
• My dog is worried about the economy because Alpo is up to $3 a can. That’s $21  in dog money” Joe Weinstein
• “My goal in life is to be as good a person as my dog already thinks I am” Unknown author

29 Breathtaking Photographs Of The Human Race You (Probably) Haven’t Seen

Warning: Some of the images are graphic and disturbing

See the photos here

What Would Nike Fruit And Ferrari Pasta Look Like?

An artist from Israel has created a series that imagines common food items as if they were packaged by prestigious and luxury brands. Among the items: flour by Prada, fruit by Nike, pasta by Ferrari and milk by Apple. The exhibition is meant to "[explore] the dynamic and often blurred ethical boundaries of design within consumer culture," according to the website of artist Peddy Mergui.

View the images here

Save Up To $1,600 On Cathay Pacific’s Business Class To Asia And Australia

Enjoy pure luxury on Business Class flights and save up to $1,600 on tickets when you book early with advance purchase fares

For fare details and to book now, vist here

HSBC Promotional Premier Savings Account Offer

With an HSBC Premier relationship, you open the door to a financial relationship uniquely tailored to help your personal economy. Whether it’s your first child, your next vacation home, or your latest venture, take the first step to saving for the moments that matter most with an HSBC Promotional Premier Savings account, and we’ll be there every step along the way.

Read more

Holiday Gift Sets From HALL Wines

HALL Wine Gifts celebrate some of the finest wines in their collection. These selections serve as the heart of their winemaking efforts and can be discovered through their winery, as well as in select wine shops and fine restaurants throughout the world.

View their holiday gift guide and shop online here

Now Available: The Selected Works Of Gregory J. Furman

GREGORY J. FURMAN
SELECTED WORKS - ACRYLIC ON PAPER
Serial Explorations: FACES, Homage to Matisse: Goldfish, FEATHERS, DAFFODILS

Sizes Range From 8”x12” to 24”x36” to 4’x9’

Accepting Commissioned Works bespoke to order by size and color palette

Contact: gfurman@luxurycouncil.com or
(917) 562 0911

Consign Your Luxury Items With The RealReal

TheRealReal is the leader in authenticated luxury consignment. Our online marketplace features thousands of items from Chanel, Hermes, Prada, Cartier, and hundreds of others.

Consign With Us
Consign your luxury fashion, fine jewelry & watches, and fine art & home furnishings with us in February and earn a $100 gift card to Neiman-Marcus.

Special Offer for Luxury Marketing Council Members
Shop with us at TheRealReal.com.
Receive $100 off a purchase of $250 or more on select items.
At checkout use Code: JAN100

Be An Affiliate & Earn
We offer a Referral / Affiliate program for new consignors earning affiliate partners 5% of the sales from consignors they refer to us.
 
Contact:
Jen Petrovic
GM, Business Development / Director, Private Client Group
310.926.3055
Jen.petrovic@therealreal.com

Watch and learn more about The RealReal.

Sweet Deals of Giant Suites

The San Francisco Giants, coming off a third World Series are currently offering luxury suites for the 2015 Season. The cost for suites depends on the size of the group, opponent, day of the week and time of year. Smaller suites for between 16-25 people are generally in the $4,000- $9,000 range, while suites for larger groups of 40 or 50 are priced in the $9,000- $15,000 range.

The Luxury Marketing Council is also considering renting a luxury suite for a “Council Day at the Giants” with individual tickets available for Council members.

Interested parties for either of the options should contact Alf Nucifora nucifora@luxesf.com

HALL Inks Celebrity Chef MikeC. To  Spearhead New Culinary Experience - A Taste Of HALL

HALL Wines, a premier portfolio of luxury wineries and tasting rooms located in Napa Valley, has announced plans to kick off a unique culinary offering at its St. Helena winery featuring celebrity chef MikeC. The program, A Taste of HALL, will include an interactive and seasonal monthly course designed to engage and inspire both local and visiting foodies alike. Additionally, the experience will feature newly released HALL wines paired with seasonal match-ups at each unique workshop kicking off in January 2015.

“We are thrilled to be able to offer our guests an unparalleled wine and food pairing experience”, says director of hospitality, Jocelyn Hoar. “A Taste of HALL combines our passion for winemaking excellence combined with exceptional culinary arts. Collectively – this educational pairing experience with Chef MikeC. is like no other and guests will walk away inspired and motivated.”

Chef MikeC is an acclaimed culinary talent specializing in both professional and consumer food and wine education spanning almost four decades. Hailing from New York State’s wine country from a family of educators, scientists and engineers with a passion for organic gardening, winemaking and cooking, MikeC.’s lifelong exploration to understand the inner workings of all things culinary has positioned him as a popular and enthusiastic celebrity chef across the U.S. Chef MikeC. has owned cooking schools, was the chef/host of the final season of the long running PBS cooking show series “Organic Living with the Hippy Gourmet”, and is the executive chef of the wine bar, La Botella Republic.

Each guest will take-away A Taste of HALL food and wine pairing Recipe Card featuring the courses and wine pairings served, and will have a chance to purchase a signed copy of Chef MikeC’s book, “Kitchen on Fire: Mastering the Art of Cooking in 12 Weeks (or less)”. All workshops take place during the lunch hour and guests will leave after a three course meal paired with three HALL and WALT wines.

For more information and revervations visit hallwines.com/atasteofhall

HALL Wines Launches Premier Tour & Tasting Experience “Appellation Exploration” At Spectacular Rutherford Winery

HALL Wines, a premier portfolio of luxury wineries and tasting rooms located in Napa Valley, has announced the launch of a luxurious Appellation Exploration experience at its Rutherford Winery. The premier offering will provide a very limited number of guests an unparalleled opportunity to experience the quality and diversity of Napa Valley’s distinct appellations.  
 
“The tasting is designed to demonstrate how the location and climate of a vineyard will impact the way the wine tastes.  Everything other than appellation is constant – the vintage, winemaking team, winemaking approach, technology in the vineyard and cellar; the only variable to experience is the appellation,” says President Mike Reynolds. “Our new Appellation Exploration showcases some of our most exclusive, limited-production wines from the most sought-after appellations in Napa.”  
 
Set in the Rutherford hills overlooking Napa Valley, HALL’s Appellation Exploration includes a one-of-a-kind wine tasting showcasing the effects of terroir, climate and elevation and a private tour through the acclaimed 100-point Sacrashe vineyard. All wines are paired with seasonal food prepared by celebrity chefs.  
 
The experience begins with a tour of HALL Rutherford’s state-of-the-art production facility where the discussion will encompass the wine making practices at HALL, sharing insight into its custom fermentation tanks and the importance of gravity flow production. Guests are then escorted through the cave’s tunnel for a barrel tasting of HALL’s flagship Kathryn Hall Cabernet Sauvignon wine surrounded by reclaimed bricks and limestone from Austria’s Hapsburg era dating back to the 14th -20th  centuries. Next, guests are guided to the spectacular Chandelier Cave adorned with dazzling Swarovski crystals for a seated tasting of three appellation designated wines where guests will have the rare opportunity to purchase these wines based on an allocation and sign up for HALL’s coveted wine club.  
 
With a portfolio of great wines from thirteen of the sixteen Napa Valley appellations, HALL is uniquely positioned to offer this experience to guests ranging from novice wine drinkers to experts and critics.
The 90-minute experience also showcases owners Craig and Kathryn Hall’s contemporary art collection curated by Virginia Shore, Shore Art Advisory. HALL Rutherford’s Appellation Exploration experience is $125pp / $100 for Club Members/GEMS.  

To reserve this experience, please call (707) 967-2626. This is an extremely limited offering and available by appointment only.

Amazing Menus From J Vineyards

The J Bubble Room Aphrodisiac Menu
January 15th – February 15th
Celebrate your love with an intimate six-course meal in the elegant Bubble Room at J Vineyards & Winery. Executive Chef Erik Johnson has created a luxurious menu of aphrodisiacs paired with J sparkling and varietal wines.

Menu: Shigoku Oyster Escabeche, Radish, Candied Fennel Pollen
J Cuvée XB, NV, RRV

Hudson Valley Foie Gras, Périgord Truffle, Hazelnut, Asian Pear Gelée
2005 J Vintage Brut, Late Disgorged, RRV

Black Garlic Pasta, Wild Mushroom, Cured Egg Yolk, House Bacon
2012 J Vineyards STRATA, Pinot Noir, RRV
Wagyu Flat Iron, Rutabaga Bread Pudding, Mixed Garden Turnips
2012 J Vineyards Barrel 16, Pinot Noir, RRV

Molten Chocolate Cake, Salted Ratafia Caramel, Ancho Chili Ice Cream, Almond
J Brut Rosé, NV, RRV

Humboldt Fog, Beets, Coffee
2012 J Vineyards Freestone Hill Vineyard, Pinot Noir, RRV
Seatings at 11am, 12pm, 2pm and 3pm for $75 per person. Reservations are strongly encouraged. Make your reservations online or by phone at 707.431.5430.

Let Duckhorn Bring Wine Country To Your Home Or Business

In-Home or Office Tasting Experience

Arrange a Wine Educator-hosted tasting to edify and delight your teams, colleagues or wine-loving friends. You’ll taste through our portfolio of wines, from our Napa Valley classics & red blends, to our cooler climate Sonoma Country & Anderson Valley offerings.

• Groups of up to 12 guests
• Available in the Greater Bay Area
• Customizable list of wines, tailored to your buying preferences

For more information please contact 707.963.7108 or make arrangements by email to reservations@duckhorn.com

Paraduxx Blend Seminar

For those guests who have always wanted to try their hand at winemaking, this is the experience for you!

Test your palate and learn the art of the blend. During this lively, focused setting you will be guided through a component tasting of the three core varietals that make up Paraduxx.

• Cost: $60./person, limited to 12 adults
• Offered Thursday-Sunday at 10:30 AM
• Average Duration: 1.5 hours

$10 off for members of The Luxury Marketing Council

For more information please contact 707.945.1805 or reservations@Paraduxx.com

HSBC Is Looking For Seasoned Professionals In Mortgage Sales As Premier Mortgage Consultants In San Francisco And The Bay Area

This Premier Mortgage Consultant position is responsible for generating and increasing residential mortgage lending market share, with a primary focus on the Premium Customer (i.e. premier and advance) segment, through origination of high quality residential mortgage loans within HSBC's marketing area while ensuring high customer service levels. Fosters, manages and expands relationships with Premier customer segment.

Premier Mortgage Consultant Qualifications:

• Minimum of two years proven mortgage and customer service experience or equivalent is preferred
• Bachelor's degree in business or a related field preferred
• Strong sales, interpersonal and verbal and written communication skills
• Knowledge of Agency (Fannie Mae/ Freddie Mac) guidelines for standard conventional mortgage lending programs as well as applicable affordable housing financing tools preferred
• Knowledge of HUD insured (FHA/VA) mortgage products and programs preferred
• Experience with portfolio and relationship lending is preferred
• Broad knowledge of financial services products and services preferred
• Incumbents in this role must successfully register with the Nationwide Mortgage Licensing System Registry (NMLSR) and must obtain a unique identifier through the registry that will be provided to consumers with whom the incumbent interacts. In addition, incumbents in this role must successfully renew their registration with the Nationwide Mortgage Licensing System Registry (NMLSR) annually

Please contact HSBC Mortgage Sales Manager Amy S Ku at 650-222-5645 for details, and to learn more click here

Terra Firma Global Partners Anchors Real Estate Retreat In Napa

Napa’s Terry Wunderlich Recognized as AREA ‘Member of the Year’

Bill Facendini and Heidi Rickerd-Rizzo, Terra Firma Global Partners co-founders, announced that their company participated in the recent Associated Realty of The Americas (AREA) Retreat in Napa, an event that was co-chaired by Terra Firma’s Terry and Chris Wunderlich. The Wunderlich’s are based in the company’s Napa office.

Associated Realty of The Americas originally was a network of U.S., Canada and Mexico residential real estate service firms but chapters have opened recently in Spain and a handful of other countries. This was the 7th annual AREA Retreat, which are events featuring professional panels on assorted topics that impact the residential real estate business. Terra Firma was the only North Bay residential realty firm to have participated.

“These are really great networking events but more importantly, participating helps small business owners like me stay current on trends in the marketplace that ultimately affect home buyers and sellers,” said Heidi Rickerd-Rizzo.

Rickerd-Rizzo serves on the Advisory Committee of AREA and also spoke on the panel – “Common Threads of Success.” The other two panels at the two-day event included “Strategies for Income Production” and “International Trends.”

“I was impressed by the International Panel – there were a number of solid take-aways and some of the points the speakers made reinforced Terra Firma’s ongoing commitment to be aligned internationally with networks that facilitate inbound-and-outbound real estate transaction referrals,” Rickerd-Rizzo said.

In addition to Associated Realty of The Americas, Terra Firma Global Partners are members of Artisan Group, which is comprised of eight Northern California, locally owned and globally connected, premier real estate brokerage houses with nearly 1,000 individual agents combined, as well as The Luxury Marketing Council, a San Francisco-based association that brings the most innovative luxury marketers from different industries together for social and business events.

As event co-chair, Terry Wunderlich was partly responsible for selecting the venue – the Embassy Suites in Napa, plus organizing the social highlights, which included lunch at award-winning Tra Vigne, a tour of the iconic Culinary Institute of America and wine tasting at world-class Chateau Montelena Winery. Toward the end of the conference, Wunderlich was recognized with a “Member of the Year Award” for running a fantastic retreat.

J Brut Rosé Wins Best Of Class At The San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition, February 2015

90+ Point Reviews on J Vineyards 2012 Pinot Noir Wines from Wine Enthusiast Magazine2012

• J Vineyards Freestone Hill Vineyard, Pinot Noir, RRV- 93 Points, Wine Enthusiast, February 2015
• 2012 J Vineyards Nicole’s Vineyard, Pinot Noir, RRV- 93 Points, Wine Enthusiast February 2015
• 2012 J Vineyards STRATA, Pinot Noir, RRV- 92 Points, Wine Enthusiast February 2015
• 2012 J Vineyards Bow Tie Vineyard, Pinot Noir, RRV- 92 Points, Wine Enthusiast February 2015
• 2012 J Vineyards Barrel 16, Pinot Noir, RRV- 90 Points, Wine Enthusiast February 2015

Visit jwine.com

Zepher Real Estate Announces New Marin Office In 2015

Zephyr Real Estate, the #1 residential brokerage in San Francisco, has announced that a lease has been secured and plans are finalized for a full-service real estate office in Greenbrae. The office location is a familiar one to many, located on the ground floor in a stand-alone office building at the east end of the Bon Air Center. The space, which operated as a real estate office under a different company for many years, was historically the most successful brokerage location in Marin. Zephyr intends to revitalize the location and carry it forward with its legacy of success.

"Finding a special location was critical to us. The Greenbrae office that we have secured is centrally located to many of the luxury neighborhoods that we serve and will continue to serve,” said Zephyr’s President Randall Kostick. “The location is prime for both agents and their clients."

The Greenbrae site is optimally located to serve Larkspur, Kentfield, Corte Madera, Ross and San Rafael, as well as Mill Valley, Belvedere, Tiburon and Sausalito. It provides easy access to customers with ample parking and great proximity to all of the convenience of shopping at Bon Air.

Zephyr currently operates five offices in San Francisco plus a business center in Corte Madera. The new 6,500 square foot facility will feature all of the modern amenities for which Zephyr is well known. Zephyr’s reputation for technological innovation and marketing expertise will be an integral part of the renovation of the space, providing a comfortable, modern, cutting-edge, efficient environment for agents and clients to carry out their real estate transactions.

"We are already hiring agents for this new location and look forward to talking to many more who are seeking a savvy company with a strong brand and proven market growth with representation on both sides of the bridge,” Kostick commented. “As the most successful brokerage in San Francisco, handling one in eight home sales, it just made sense for us to have a full-service office north of the Golden Gate." Real estate agents who are interested in learning more about working at Zephyr, its marketing, technology, support and culture, are encouraged to visit their robust career website at www.zephyrcareers.com.
 
The space is expected to be up and operating in early 2015.

Visit zephyrsf.com

Paragon Luxury Home Sales Soar In 2014

Paragon’s Van Ness office saw its San Francisco luxury home sales of $2,000,000 and above soar to over $300 million in 2014, an increase of 128% from the previous year. This is the biggest year over year increase of any of the top 10 real estate offices in the city. Paragon is one of the top 4 brokers for luxury home sales in San Francisco.

Visit paragon-re.com

Zephyr Real Estate Opens New Location On Market Street

Zephyr Real Estate has opened its newest location in the heart of San Francisco at 2282 Market Street. More than 35 years ago, Zephyr first opened its doors at 4200 17th Street with four agents. Since then, the company has expanded to six offices with over 250 agents.

As the office outgrew its flagship office on 17th Street, an additional space was opened just a few blocks away. The new office at 2282 Market Street brings these two nearby but separate locations into one more convenient, accessible, modern, high-tech office with abundant space for further growth and expansion. The dynamic new space has been designed to provide a comfortable, convenient and cutting-edge environment for buyers, sellers and agents to carry out their real estate transactions.

Matthew Borland, Managing Partner/Broker, will manage the new office. Borland joined Zephyr in 2004, after having co-owned and managed his own real estate firm. A Certified Real Estate Brokerage Manager, he provides an accessible, no-nonsense and creative management approach, which is focused on agent success.  Active in local and statewide organized real estate, Matthew is a frequent speaker at various industry events and has chaired over 15 committees as part of the San Francisco Association of REALTORS®. With a passion for real estate technology, he is deeply involved in researching the newest and most effective ways to integrate new tech into the real estate business processes. This includes the incorporation of leading edge technology solutions such as Real Scout, Closing Time, and DocuSign. Matthew was named REALTOR® of the year in 2004 and served as President of the San Francisco Association of REALTORS® in 2006. He has earned the additional designations of Certified Residential Specialist (CRS) and e-PRO Internet Professional.

“I am excited to be a part of the continued growth and expansion of Zephyr. The Market Street team includes some of the top agents in the City,” commented Borland. “The new location will provide a stimulating and cutting-edge space for our continued growth.”

“Matthew has been a driving force at Zephyr in innovative technology and brings success to whatever he takes on,” stated Randall Kostick, President of Zephyr. “He has spearheaded the opening of this new office with his usual style and skill. The new space will be beneficial to our agents and our clients.”

Visit zephyrsf.com

Designer Dilek Sezen To Exhibit At 3D Print Design Show in NYC

Dilek Sezen has been chosen as one of only 10 designers, and the only one from California, to take part in the 3D Print Week and 3D Print Week Fashion Show in New York.

This will be a monumental event where the top 3D print designers from around the world will create original pieces to be displayed to the public for the first time.

Visit dileksezen.com

How And Why Buyers From China Are Snatching Up Bay Area Homes

"When Linda Vida sold her house in the Oakland hills this summer, she was hoping for a buyer who would live there, put kids in the local schools and “give back or participate in the community,” she says.

However, “as is very typical these days, a woman from China paid all cash for the house, and is not going to live in it but is going to rent it out for a while,” said Vida, who moved to Colorado. The buyer, a professor in Shanghai, paid $1.022 million, $27,000 over the asking price, for the home on Bay Forest Drive"

Read the full SF Gate article here

Penthouses, Probates, Lofts, Mansions & Fixer-Uppers

What San Francisco Home-Buyers Bought in 2014

How many San Francisco home sales were Victorians, Edwardians or Art Deco? Condos in doorman buildings? Artist live-work lofts? Probate or distressed sales? Without parking? Under $500,000? Over $5 million? Tenant occupied? Had Golden Gate or Bay Bridge views? What were the oldest house sale, the biggest condo sale and the median sales price for a 2-unit building?

Below are answers to those and a hundred other questions about home prices, neighborhoods, architecture, amenities, views, types and sizes. San Francisco has one of the most interesting real estate markets in the world and we hope you enjoy some of the details. A neighborhood map is included at the bottom for your convenience.

Sales information as reported to and described in San Francisco MLS through late November 2014. Some 2014 totals are projections based on current trends. These analyses were performed in good faith with data derived from sources deemed reliable, but they may contain errors and are subject to revision. All numbers should be considered approximate.

Read the full report here

What Motivates The World’s Most Discerning Consumers?

Measuring the unmeasurable

NetBase Brand Passion Report: Luxury Brands is an in-depth analysis of what consumers think and feel when it comes to the most extraordinary brands. It captures consumer emotions and insights in ways that simply weren’t possible until now. This market report is complemented by 20 company reports, each providing a deep dive into some of the most celebrated luxury retailers. Identifying subtle changes in consumer preferences is one part art, one part science. What if you could spot brand fluctuations in advance? What if you could measure not just the volume of social content but the intensity of passion? You can. And you can use that information to drive intelligent decision-making. What if you could convert millions of consumer comments about luxury brand preferences into the most illuminating insights?

Read the full report here

San Francisco Bay Area Apartment-Building Market

Market conditions and trends in inventory, sales, prices, rents and new construction

Investors continue to follow the jobs and people. Markets such as San Francisco, Austin, Seattle, and others have demonstrated advantageous population and job growth dynamics. Many of the jobs that are created in those cities are tied to technology, energy and banking

Read the full report here