} Stepfather to Todd and Trevor Traina. It was as if true refinement had sprung to life. Old, young, every ethnic group. Just fabulous. These pursuits along with her frequent appearances on the charity social circuit are why some people refer to Wilsey as a socialite. Dec 5, 2022. San Francisco philanthropist Dede Wilsey underwrites the festival's dance series, which has featured dancers from American Ballet Theatre, Bandaloop, Bolshoi Ballet, . I look at this picture all the time. d.setTime(d.getTime() + (expMinutes*60*1000)); 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. There were two people in beautiful clothes, a man and a woman with a parasol, walking away from you. Stepbrothers of Sean Wilsey. 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. But the little girl is so cute that I couldnt resist her. Dede Wilsey's House in Napa, CA (Google Maps) (#2) - Virtual Globetrotting But this could have happened to a kid anywhere. Napa Valleys flagship festival presents international stars and emerging talent in free and affordable concerts in iconic venues, and to audiences virtually worldwide. }, Everything in the Gettys house was just so special. A screen grab from Wednesday, August 21, shows the award for Dede Wilsey still includes House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's name on Shanti's website. if (o[this.name]) { 649 main street link.rel = 'stylesheet'; 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. The reason I dont like to be called a socialite is I dont really do anything social. Oct 21, 2022, By script.integrity = "sha256-hVVnYaiADRTO2PzUGmuLJr8BLUSjGIZsDYGmIJLv2b8="; 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. 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. Dede Wilsey. 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. Festival Napa Valley introduces audiences to the beauty, artistry and joy of dance through this innovative series. Since then, Dede has built a formidable collection of Impressionist art . }, 100); Im doing a good job and most of the people who really dont like me Ive never met anyway. Eileen Kinsella, Festival Napa Valley is a music, food, wine and lifestyle festival held in Napa Valley, California. function loadJQuery() { I was there with John Buchanan, our director at the time. By year two, the festival added the free Bouchaine Vineyards-sponsored Young Artists concerts and the Dede Wilsey Dance Series. Its as if shes seeing it for the first time. I dont know. + '
' //position at bottom of screen }); // ------------------------------------------------------------------- . 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. The Koons egg in Dede Wilseys collection. Put it in the basement of the Legion? Her sons position is a full circle moment for Wilsey: from 1975 to 1977 her father, Wiley T. Buchanan Jr., served the same role under President Gerald Ford. 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. // Init - Anything you want to happen onLoad (usually event bindings) Festival Napa Valley celebrates musics unmatched power to enrich, uplift and inspire. The old house had less room, but was very charming., Even with its updates, the Napa Valley getaway is a far cry from the couples primary residence, in Pacific Heights. As an adult, he began to stand up to what he describes as her verbal put-downs. Ive forgotten which museum its in, but a Degas of the ballet studio with all the dancers in tutus. The "Access for All campaign" submitted a petition to the San Francisco elections department Monday with enough signatures to get a measure on the November ballot. 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 . "So many memories are connected to being outdoors," Roman says. ); Wilsey's family got a direct thanks from the Trump administration for their past support . The couple soon became leading lights of the high society of San Francisco and Napa Valley, where they maintained a country house. As an outgrowth, she formed a movement (now known as Children as the Peacemakers) and began trotting the globe with children of various races and her son, orchestrating meetings with leaders such as Indira Gandhi, Menachem Begin, even the pope, in her quest for world harmony and a Nobel Prize, Wilsey writes. setNewsletterCookie('closedSignupBar', 1); Definitely the Koons egg. At Nimbus Arts, Neil teaches a myriad of dynamic and very popular blade smithing classes. It looks just like my littlest Maltese. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate. Everybody you can imagine. * Generic setCookie() method, used by setNewsletterCookie(). Everything awesome about summer in Napa Valley can be traced back to a glass of rosepeople sip it like water here. Dede Wilsey. I wasnt quite sure what that meant, just that I wanted to work with them.. Dede Wilsey's House in Napa, CA (Google Maps) (#3) Napa, California (CA), US. o[this.name].push(this.value || ''); See our Privacy Policy for more information about cookies. document.body.appendChild(script); 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. Its like having a mini-course every time we have a new exhibition. He writes that Dede Traina was his mother's best friend and suggests his father had been involved with her romantically for some time before his breakup with Montandon. }; Deceased. + '
Get hand-picked stories from our editors delivered straight to your inbox every day.<\/p>' Artnet News, Instead, she moves the discussion to focus on her family. var head = document.head // of subscribing, or managing their account 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. Who Lives In Newport's Mansions? How New Money May Change The Town Often well put the kids to bed and then take a walk, he says. His addition to our metal arts team sharpened our offerings and his popular programs have proven to be a cut above! } ". I was at boarding school when my parents (pictured here) called to say, We just bought a vineyard in Napa Valley! 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! 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. } + '<\/div>' 'slideOutDown': 'slideOutUp' ); As tough as he was on his parents and stepmother, he was also tough on himself. "There hasn't been a wicked stepmother like that since 'Cinderella.' if (!o[this.name].push) { Unfortunately, I had a friend for 13 years, and he died last August. + '' But its great, I love it. Festival Napa Valley blazed a trail for the other festivals that have since made wine country their home. The drive from San Francisco to the Napa Valley takes only a little more than an hour, . There is an energetic, youthfulness to Wilsey and when she speaks, her tone is both excited and astute. Photo courtesy of Spencer Brown. 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. To read an interview with Sean Wilsey, author of "Oh the Glory of It All," log on to www.newyorker.com. $email.focus(); When they rebuilt it, they modernized it and reworked some of the space. init: function (formElement, onSuccess) { 707-963-0278 f He arrived in Napa Valley at age 12 when his parents, Eleanor and Francis, bought a house and moved the family up from San Francisco. }, In August 2016, Trump came to the Bay Area for fundraisers at private homes in Napa and on the Peninsula. found = false; In my bathroom, I have dog portraits and Chinese export porcelain. Penguin Press would not allow Sean Wilsey to grant interviews before the book's release. Hearst Magazine Media, Inc. All Rights Reserved. (By the time Al Wilsey died of respiratory failure in 2002, father and son appeared to have reached a loving accord.). By continuing to use our sites and applications, you agree to our use of cookies. 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. pagetypeurl = document.URL, while (i--) { The new Mission Bay hospital complex will include: a 183-bed UCSF Children's Hospital to replace inpatient . But its not just milestones that make the house special; its also everyday moments. + '
' The fact that in the Bay Area no female is as graceful and giving as Wilsey. When she'd come to San Francisco in 1960, she was divorced from an Air Force major. data: JSON.stringify( $form.serializeFormJSON() ), Theres just a lack of camaraderie in this city anymore, and thats really sad., Speaking of camaraderie, is Wilsey seeing anyone special? Contributing to the causes she believes in is her job and one that she takes very seriously. if (prefix == undefined) { This is a carousel. She is a grandmother on the loose, with good taste. 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. Her maternal great-grandfather, Herbert Henry Dow, was the founder of Dow Chemical. beloved husband of Diane (Dede) Buchanan, and loving father of Susan Smallwood, Michael . Heartfelt soul of Napa's Festival del Sole - San Francisco Chronicle He began to fantasize about her sexually as a teenager, trying to see her through his father's eyes. Contributing to the causes she believes in is her job and one that she takes very seriously. Fixed: Release in which this issue/RFE has been fixed.The release containing this fix may be available for download as an Early Access Release or a General Availability Release. 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 . They are confident and bold in how they live. San Francisco is a character here, as is Tuscany. 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. His millions came from his Wilsey Bennett Co., which manufactured edible oils, margarines and butter pats, and also from real estate investments. var $modal = $('#ouibounce-modal'); My father didnt have that kind of security. Her bid for $57, 000 a month was rejected in court, and the judge advised her to get a job. } } 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. function getCookie(cname, prefix) { "A fact checker from the New Yorker called the other day, and every fact they checked with me was wrong," she said. support us. }) View ALL 9 Photos. checkCookies(); aggressive: true, Dede Wilsey's House in Napa, CA (Google Maps) (#3) - Virtual Globetrotting They immediately filled it with young children, good art, and a round-the-clock point of view. Wilsey and I are 30 minutes into an hour-long conversation, and I couldnt agree with her more. }, }) Wilseys pride, admiration, and love for her family are evident and strong. if (typeof ouibounce !== 'undefined') { To find out if you are eligible for an Artnet News Pro group subscription, We have a number of family portraits, of my grandparents and my mother, and pieces of furniture I grew up with in various houses, he says. e.preventDefault(); closeSignupBar(); And I typically react when I see something and it touches me. // Append ouibounce to page contentType: 'application/json; charset=UTF-8', The picture was of a house, a villa. It was part of a Christmas gift to my now husband, Kurt. Trevor said to me, Mom, you have to sit here. }); Want to stay ahead of the art world? + '
' }); } 88. SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE PHOTO BYCHRISTINA KOCI HERNANDEZ CAT, Mr and Mrs Alfred Wilsey Although the exact amount she has donated over the years is not known, Wilsey helped bring in more than $200 million to rebuild the, lthough her role as a member of the board has her at the museum several days of the week, she looks at the de Young with childlike wonder. Nimbus responded by providing community mosaic events, which they do so incredibly well. // ------------------------------------------------------------------- A new book offers a primer on how to spot, seize, and exploit and create lucky breaks More, Get a high-tech upgrade with innovative televisions, vacuums, purifiers and LED face masks More, Interior designer Sergio Mercado worked with a Palm Beach family to create a serene oasis in the sky More, The luxury lifestyle brand opens its first guest house retreat in the Meatpacking District More, The dream team of interior designer Ken Fulk and Major Food Group brought the Italian restaurant to Dallas, More, Celebrate French haute couture and the iconic LV artisans with these coffee table books More, The James F.D. 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. //default prefix is 'artnet_newsletter_' Then you suddenly say to yourself, Why in the world did I do that?! She is the granddaughter of Herbert Henry Dow, founder of the American multinational conglomerate Dow Chemical. Here's why that's ironic. I think everyone makes mistakes in the heat of the passion of buying something. You learn all about what that art is and that artist. This story appears in the November 2017 issue of Town & Country. So, I bought a late Monet of Giverny with lots of pink flowers and trees. But I can understand what theyre talking about when you have human feces and syringes and all these things. //don't run this function if the user has already triggered the modal by leaving the viewport Tweet. Dede Wilsey is a San Francisco socialite, Republican donor and philanthropist, and the widow of San Francisco businessman Al Wilsey. 74 is the new 54 and Wilseys bubbly blonde beauty has not faded. Son of Pat Montandon and the late Al Wilsey, stepson of Dede Wilsey. } } + '
' var o = {}; But Harry de Wildt, a fixture on the San Francisco society scene for 38 years, was simultaneously curious about and dismissive of the memoir. var ctx = this; Alfred Wilsey - Napa Valley RegisterDede Wilsey Is the Defiant Socialite - The New York Times But as luck would have it she was deep into pregnancy with her second child, and a grueling four-week shoot for the book was out of the question. return ctx.regex.email.test( $email.val() ); I said, About how much?. What work do you wish you had bought when you had the chance? $.each(a, function () { Dede Wilsey - Early Life. // Handler for close signup button // Add animation css submit: function($form, onSuccess) { How San Francisco's Wealthiest Families Launched Kamala Harris Nimbash Tickets. script.src = "https://code.jquery.com/jquery-3.1.1.min.js"; Unresolved: Release in which this issue/RFE will be addressed. And the thing is, we come from wicker. (Well, almost. setTimeout(function() { defernl() }, 250); The home was built in the 1860s by H.W. They were priced out. 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). for(var i = 0; i S.F. socialite Dede Wilsey joins YIMBYs in big housing fight. Here's $modal.find('.form-row').hide(); A Glorious Beginning Spoiled-Childhood and Memoir Both Shortly after our conversation, FAMSF announced that the former director, Max Hollein, would be replaced by Thomas P. Campbell, who was the director of New Yorks Metropolitan Museum of Art from 2009 to 2017. Diane "Dede" Wilsey. New Homes . William Van Meter in Partnership With Royal Salute Scotch Whisky. + '
' Ive hung it on my powder room doorvertically, instead of horizontally. In 1980, she married dairy millionaire Wilsey, who had recently divorced his third wife, Pat Montandon. What is the most impractical work of art you own? $('body').append(ouibounceScript); To Wilsey, this is all in a days work and not something she brags about. Along the way, theatrical and visual arts experiences expanded into . w = pagetype + 20 * Math.round(w / 20), h = pagetype + 20 * Math.round(h / 20), googletag.cmd.push(function() { Since then, the Trainas have made plenty of their own memories at the estate. What does the story tell readers about high-society life? He recounts how he repeatedly promised his parents he would behave and stay out of trouble -- and repeatedly broke those promises. He did drugs, got in fights at boarding school, stole money and even took his uncle's gun, at one point. 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. $('body').append(signup); 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. 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. setTimeout(function(){ Now living in Los Angeles, she's writing her own memoir. Dec 12, 2022, By William Van Meter in Partnership With Royal Salute Scotch Whisky, .addClass( 'slideIn' + upOrDown ); "Oh the Glory of It All," the coming-of-age story of troubled rich kid Sean Wilsey, won't arrive in bookstores until mid-May, but it's already the talk of the party circuit -- and is likely to become the juiciest gossip in years when the book is excerpted in the New Yorker in its April 11 issue, hitting newsstands this week. Sean Wilsey alleges that his stepmother did not allow him or his stepbrothers from Wilsey's previous marriages to view their father's will. Website design by Compass Marketing, website development by StoryWorkz. Its like having a mini-course every time we have a new exhibition. + ' @media (max-width: 1199px){ #ouibounce-modal .description {font-size:13px !important;} }' + '
' var SignupForm = { if (!expirationMinutes) { What about in your bathroom? setTimeout(function() { 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. "It's not a gossipy tell-all, it's a coming-of-age story about a child surviving a life of conspicuous consumption," Maupin said in a telephone interview from New York, where a film based on his latest novel, "The Night Listener," is being filmed with Robin Williams and Toni Collette. 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. A national book-signing tour is scheduled to follow. She is the granddaughter of Herbert Henry Dow, founder of the American multinational conglomerate Dow Chemical. Member Profile: Trevor Traina - The Napa Valley Reserve But she didn't handle stress well. Your Privacy Choices (Opt Out of Sale/Targeted Ads). //if there are cookies indicating that we shouldn't show the signup bar, then the modal won't have been added to the page + '
' Sean Wilsey : Oh the Glory of It All : Book Review - mostlyfiction.com We love living as much as we can outdoors, Alexis says. } Wilsey was a prominent Bay Area businessman and owner of Rutherford River Ranch Vineyard in Napa Valley. Formerly married to John Traina, who went on to marry Danielle Steel after Dede Wilsey married Al. Dede Wilsey's House in Napa, CA (Google Maps) (#3) var $modal = $('#ouibounce-modal'); ctx.customSerializer(); Then Montandon became hostess of a TV show, where she caught Al Wilsey's eye. h = Math.max(document.documentElement.clientHeight, window.innerHeight || 0), } You may wish to switch to the. She recounts a recent party for museum directors that took place in the de Youngs tower on one of those rare San Francisco nights where there was no fog: It was so beautiful. } Thats me with my husband and partner in crime, Trevor Traina. A socialite makes peace - The Mercury News if (!$modal.length) { function initNewsletterSignup() { ". Diane Buchanan "Dede" Wilsey is a San Francisco socialite, Republican Party donor, and philanthropist. function checkCookies() { } Napa; SF Insider: Things to do; Wine Country; Monterey-Carmel; Real Estate. I loved that painting. 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. 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. Theres nothing I love more than sitting in the passenger seat with him driving, going nowhere fast. In 2016 she contributed to more than 380 different charities. + '
' } var a = this.serializeArray(); Board of Supervisors and return motorists to the JFK Promenade through Golden Gate Park. The author's feelings toward his stepmother careen wildly from veneration to venom: He adored her until he was sent off to boarding school and then several reform schools. She got a job at I. Magnin, married and divorced again and threw theme parties for the social set that attracted media attention. return o; . All Rights Reserved.var w = Math.max(document.documentElement.clientWidth, window.innerWidth || 0), "In any discussion about Napa Valley culture, the first two words that invariably come up are "wine" and "food." . A naturally gracious hostess, Wilsey has an uncanny ability to make anyone feel comfortable. 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. Needless to say, we were immediately smitten. I cant even remember what I bought after that. 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. The residency featured concerts, family programs, and events that generated support for local youth charities. Hotel Mousai Puerto Vallarta, Room Request: Four Seasons Hotel Bogota Casa Medina, New Restaurants and Bars in New York City, Clare V., Mulberry and More New Retail Openings in NYC, Our Favorite New Tech Gadgets and Devices Right Now, Carbone Opens in The Dallas Design District, Stylish New Reads From Louis Vuitton and YSL, Get behind-the-scenes pictures on Instagram. } var $form = $(formElement); // Does the email match our regex? Also Known As: Diane Dow Buchanan, Diane B. Wilsey, Dede Buchanan Wilsey, Dede. Website design by Compass Marketing, websitedevelopmentbyStoryWorkz. Giovanni Antonio Canal, Il Canaletto, Entrance to the Grand Canal looking East, with Santa Maria della Salute at right. And was this book written for revenge? + '<\/div>' Vimeo. "Sean has every right in the world to write his story, and I applaud him for it, 100 percent."