Press Kit

For a certain generation of young women determined to express professional polish in the working world, a classic St. John knit ensemble defined de rigueur office wear. Yet at Alila Resort in Saint Helena on July 16, amid the extensive cultural programming which defines Festival Napa Valley, this venerable American luxury house (founded in 1962 by model Marie Gray and headquartered in Irvine), turned that iconic knit dress on its head.

Rick Walker has created magic in the Napa Valley. On Sunday, July 14, that magic reached a new crescendo with $4.5 million raised in one evening at Festival Napa Valley’s Arts for All Gala to support access to arts education programs. Nickel & Nickel in Oakville was the idyllic setting for the affair, chaired by Festival board member Leslie Frank. Dinner, by chef Elliot Bell of Charlie’s and Componere Culinary & Events, was paired with wines from Nickel & Nickel and Dolce.

Like wine, the quality of an artist’s work is not determined by age, nor is the vigor of an audience. This was evident at Festival Napa Valley on Thursday, July 18. The day began with a book launch for 90-year-old Gordon Getty and concluded with a showcase of vocalists mostly in their 20s, with all events attended by a multigenerational audience flocking to wine country from all over this country and several continents.