A lifestyle story: Sonoma, CA. A group of wine lovers gathered at the FlowersVineyards & Winery on the Sonoma Coast. The August 1st brunch was hosted by Exclusive Resorts, the winery, and Porsche Marin. The event celebrated the joys of travel and the launch of the latest issue of Curated Magazine. Erin Lentz, Editor in Chief of Curated Magazine, posed for a photo with Exclusive Resorts CEO James Henderson and, Exclusive Resorts Senior Director of Marketing Caitlin Austin.
Allison James and Harry Vacek
88 prominent business leaders and travel lovers attended the event to learn more about the Club’s Members-only portfolio of luxury residences and vacation experiences. They enjoying live music, fresh and innovative bites from local restaurants including Oyster Girls, The Farmer’s Wife, Zazu, and Noble Folk, as well as cupcakes paired with a sampling of Flower’s finest vintages. Guests also test drove the new Porsche Taycan in addition to the Porsche 911 provided by Porsche Marin.
Caroline Smith and Miranda Hartridge
Charisse Fazzari, Dr. Jordan Shlain (Founder of Private Medical) and Mark Long
David & Tiffany Lewis and David & Jill Anderson
Erin Lentz, Editor in Chief of Curated Magazine, Rachel Regan, Exclusive Resorts SVP of Sales and Karrie Sims
Exclusive Resorts CEO James Henderson addresses the attendees.
Kevin Boswell, Gioia McCarthy, Sean McCarthy, and Elliot Schreiber
Nick Withers, President of Huneeus Vintners, and his wife Ashley Withers
Sam Highley, Founder of All Roads North, Stefanie Schoen, Founder of The Style Safari
Mary Allan, James Henderson, Jen & Phil Bodem
Owners of Phifer Pavitt Wine Shane Pavitt and Suzanne Phifer-Pavitt
Nancy and Bruce Worthington
Sophia Yamauchi & Sam Highley
Taylor Gross and Setahrae Javanbakht
From Flowers Vineyards & Winery:
Nearly 30 years ago, Flowers Vineyards & Winery pioneered the growing of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay on the rugged coastal ridges of the extreme Sonoma Coast. Joan and Walt Flowers had a simple goal — make exceptional wine that captures the wild beauty of the land and the spirit of the Sonoma Coast. This passion drives everything we do — farming responsibly, harvesting by hand, using 100% native fermentation, and crafting wine with minimal intervention. Our unwavering commitment to creating distinctive wines that capture the spirit of the Sonoma Coast has been the bedrock of our success and will continue to guide us for years to come.
Raphael House Black & White Gala (May 9, 2026): Held at the Palace Hotel, this event supports families experiencing homelessness with a night of dinner, auction, and dancing.
Impact Fund 34th Anniversary Gala (May 13, 2026): Located at the Top Floor Westin St. Francis, featuring keynote speaker Karla Gilbride.
2026 APA Foundation Annual Gala (May 18, 2026): An evening at San Francisco City Hall with music and dining, running from 7:30–10:30 PM.
Merola Opera Program Annual Gala (March 7, 2026): “La Bella Voce” takes place at the San Francisco City Club, honoring Bernice Lindstrom.
UNCF “A Mind Is…” Bay Area Gala (March 28, 2026): Held at The Henry J. Kaiser Convention Center in Oakland.
These events are central to the San Francisco philanthropic scene, which includes over 3,000 foundations and thousands of service organizations
Washington, DC. 2025 Habitat for Humanity Greater San Francisco Serving the Bay Area in San Francisco, San Mateo, and Marin Counties converged on their Congressional Representatives in February. Their many conversations throughout the week have shown that there is enthusiasm for these ideas in the halls of Congress. They ended the week in DC feeling optimistic, despite the many challenges the cause of advancing affordable homeownership still faces. There is still a lot of work ahead, and continued support is needed. Individuals are encouraged to reach out to their representatives, ask that they take action, and continue checking the website to find the many ways they can support affordable homeownership in their communities.
In the Bay Area, especially, housing is prohibitively expensive for far too many. In California, for example, residents need an annual income of $203,072 to afford a median-priced home. One in five California families spends more than half their income on housing, while 82% of renters and 69% of homeowners spend more than 30% of their income to maintain a roof over their heads. This problem affects not only today’s residents but also future generations.
Immediate, large-scale action is needed. This urgency was raised with policymakers during a recent visit to Washington, where scores of affordable housing advocates gathered for the annual Habitat on the Hill event. Collectively, they met with dozens of policymakers on both sides of the aisle, including Congresswoman Lateefah Simon and the offices of Congresswoman Pelosi and Congressman Huffman, to discuss vital actions that can improve the affordability of the country’s housing.
They were joined by fellow housing advocates and proud Habitat homeowner Andie Rounds, who shared how owning a home has been nothing short of transformative for her and her family – providing them with the stability, security, and opportunity every family deserves. Together, they asked congressmembers to address affordable homeownership specifically, while also supporting legislation that increases housing availability in all forms. There is little federal or state funding aimed at bringing homeownership, as opposed to affordable rentals, within reach. This is despite its significant benefits: U.S. homeowners’ average net wealth is 400% higher than similar renters, and home equity represents the largest proportion of wealth (34.5%) for U.S. households.
They stressed to lawmakers that the private market alone cannot address the nationwide supply shortage of starter homes. Legislative action and both federal and state funding are urgently needed.
With a lot of change happening in Washington right now, the one thing everyone can agree on is the urgent need for safe, affordable housing for all. This was a major issue for voters in the last election, and it is time for Congress to act. They urged lawmakers to support existing successful programs through appropriations in the FY2026 budget, champion new policy ideas, and support incentives through the tax code.
San Francisco, CA. There are 31,435 organizations in the greater San Francisco metro area, including the cities of San Francisco, Berkeley, Livermore, Oakland, Pleasanton, Redwood City, San Mateo, San Rafael, San Ramon, South San Francisco, and Walnut Creek. According to the website Cause IQ, combined, these San Francisco metro nonprofits employ 570,386 people, earn more than $228 billion in revenue each year, and have assets of $423 billion.
The ClimateWorks Foundation drives philanthropic efforts to innovate and scale impactful climate solutions, fostering global collaboration for a sustainable future.
Common Sense Media (CSM) is a San Francisco-based non-profit organization that provides education and advocacy to families to promote safe technology and media for children.
The Stuart Foundation is dedicated to improving life outcomes for young people through education. They work to ensure that effective education systems in California and Washington provide opportunities for all students to learn, achieve, and thrive.
MOWSF is a local, independent non-profit organization. MOWSF exists to alleviate the food insecurity and loneliness experienced by seniors who want to stay in their own home but cannot shop or prepare meals for themselves.
To help low-income teenagers transform what they believe is possible for themselves and develop the skills they need to become college-educated leaders who give back to their families and communities.
EarthJustice is a non-profit public interest law organization dedicated to protecting the magnificent places, natural resources, and wildlife of this earth, and to defending the right of all people to a healthy environment.
For more than 30 years, Futures Without Violence has been providing groundbreaking programs, policies, and campaigns that empower individuals and organizations working to end violence against women and children around the world.
Camfed is an international non-profit organization tackling poverty and inequality by supporting girls to go to school and succeed, and empowering young women to step up as leaders of change.
Reading Partners is a national education nonprofit that works with elementary schools to support students who are reading six months to two and a half years below grade-level.
IDEO.org uses human-centered design to create products, services, and experiences that improve the lives of people living in poverty. They’re mission-driven designers who are looking to have as much impact as possible in the lives of the poor.
The Koret Foundation is a private foundation based in San Francisco, committed to strengthening the Bay Area community and nurturing the continuity of the Jewish people worldwide.
To help nations grow while addressing increasingly scarce resources and climate risk. This is a complex challenge in which policy plays a crucial role.
Grid Alternatives offers accessible renewable energy technology and job training to underprivileged communities, advancing economic and environmental justice.
California Academy of Sciences is a natural history or sciences museum in San Francisco, CA whose mission is: The mission of the California Academy of Sciences is to explore, explain, and sustain life.
The Asia Foundation improves lives, expands opportunities, and helps societies flourish across a dynamic and developing Asia. They work with innovative leaders and communities to build effective institutions and advance pathbreaking reforms.
Dignity Health is a diverse network of 40 outstanding hospitals and more than 150 care centers committed to delivering compassionate, high-quality and affordable health care services.
San Francisco, CA. The Exploratorium is gearing up for a series of in-person and online events exploring an ocean buoy and life under the San Franciso Bay. Tickets to attend in-person events, August 19-20, are available for purchase on the Exploratorium website. The online program can be viewed on the Exploratorium’s Facebook page and YouTube channel. In-person and Online Programs Explore Life Under the San Francisco Bay.
There are many other programs.
Here are the details from The Exploratorium:
Tuesday, August 8 to Monday, August 13, 2018: Have you ever wondered what’s inside a scientific ocean buoy? Take a close look at the critters and seaweed that colonize the bottom of the buoy when we pull our NOAA CO2 buoy out of the water for its yearly servicing. On Buoy Exploration Day, we’ll provide microscopes, hand lenses, and activities that get you up close and personal with the animals and plants that call San Francisco Bay their home. Scientists from the iNaturalist citizen science team at the California Academy of Sciences will be on hand to identify and catalog the marine organisms, both native and invasive species that live in San Francisco Bay. The buoy, on loan to us from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, has been anchored between Piers 15 and 17 since April 2013, collecting data on water temperature, salinity, and carbon dioxide (CO2) levels in the atmosphere and in San Francisco Bay. We pull it out of the water to calibrate and replace the sensors and to clean off corrosion and the growth of marine organisms.
Join marine scientists, technicians, and educators as they pull a one-ton NOAA carbon dioxide (CO2) buoy out of the water and explore its scientific instruments and the organisms that have colonized the buoy bottom. Exploratorium staff members will provide a close-up view of maintaining an ocean buoy and discuss the data it collects and why it’s critical to understanding the impacts of excess carbon in the ocean and atmosphere.
On loan from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the CO2 buoy has been anchored between Piers 15 and 17 since April 2013, collecting data on water temperature, salinity, and CO2 levels in the atmosphere and in San Francisco Bay. Every year, we pull it out of the water to calibrate and replace the sensors and to clean off corrosion and marine organisms.
On Thursday, August 19, visitors will be able to identify microscope organisms with our Living Systems Lab staff members and the iNaturalist team from the California Academy of Sciences. On Friday, August 20, visitors will be able to start their own algae herbarium with a make-and-take activity using algae samples taken from the underside of our buoy and some professional plant preservation supplies.
The San Francisco Bay is a dynamic, active system that supports all sorts of ocean organisms. Dive below the surface at this After Dark and see what’s living underneath. Meet the algae and creatures that live underneath our data collection buoy during this once-a-year dry-docking. Find out what historical records of ocean data tell us about the health of the planet, and learn about the possibilities of restoring underwater ecosystems.
Programs throughout the evening include a lecture with researcher Dr. Emily Miller on how kelp and other marine algae from herbaria repositories are helping extend historical records all the way back to 1878; a discussion with diver and ocean advocate, Francesca Koe, on what divers have noticed about recent changes in the North Coast kelp ecosystem and how community science projects are working together to help; algae pressings with Sue Lisin; a selection of film screenings highlighting stories from the sea, and more.
Food and drinks will be available to purchase in our Seaglass Restaurant and at the outdoor bar in Gallery 5 to enjoy in those designated spaces during After Dark. Please note that there is no drinking or eating allowed elsewhere in the museum at this time.
The California coast is a dynamic, active system that supports all sorts of ocean organisms. Dive below the surface at this After Dark Online featuring Ocean Record Keepers with Dr. Emily Miller, inspired by the Exploratorium’s once-a-year dry-docking of our data collection buoy and examination of the organisms that have taken residence on its underside over the past year.
Understanding the future of the ocean requires an understanding of the past. To date, historical data has been largely limited to instrument records and observations that begin around 1950. Research technician Emily Miller shares how kelp and other marine algae from herbaria repositories, and the female scientists who collected them, are helping extend historical records all the way back to 1878.
About Dr. Emily Miller
Dr. Emily A. Miller is a research technician in the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute Incubator Initiative program working with the Environmental Sample Processor (ESP) team. Her research focuses on understanding species responses to dynamic environmental processes over space and time. Emily holds a PhD in ecology from the University of California, Davis, a master’s degree in conservation biology from Columbia University, and a bachelor’s degree in integrative biology from the University of California, Berkeley.
About the Exploratorium
The Exploratorium is a portal to the astonishing scientific phenomena that animate our world and shape our actions. We create extraordinary learning experiences that ignite curiosity, upend perceptions, and inspire brave leaps forward. Since 1969, the Exploratorium’s museum in San Francisco has been home to a renowned collection of exhibits that draw together science, art, and human perception, and that have changed the way science is taught. Our award-winning programs provide a forum for the public to engage with artists, scientists, policymakers, educators, and tinkerers to explore the world around them. We celebrate diversity of thought, inspired investigation, and collaboration across all boundaries
Beginning July 1, the Exploratorium will be open Wednesdays through Saturdays, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sundays from noon to 5 p.m. The Exploratorium will be closed Mondays and Tuesdays. The museum will also reopen for its popular, adults-only (18+) After Dark events every Thursday evening from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. beginning July 1. The museum will be open to daytime members and donors only from 10 a.m. to noon every Sunday. Exploratorium memberships are available for purchase online, and new members can make reservations to visit during the member-only days, June 24-27.
Beginning June 24 both dining establishments, Seaglass Restaurant and the Seismic Joint Cafe, will also be reopening. Seaglass will be serving on Thursday evenings from 6 p.m. to 9:30 p.m., and on Saturdays and Sundays from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. The Seismic Joint Cafe will be serving Wednesdays-Fridays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The museum’s one-of-a-kind retail store along the Embarcadero will be reopening Wednesdays-Sundays from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m, and Thursday evenings until 10:30 p.m. beginning June 24. Museum tickets are not required for shoppers.
More information about health and safety protocols and FAQs about what to expect from your experience are available on the museum’s website. Sign up for Exploratorium emails or follow the museum on social media to stay up-to-date on announcements.
About the Exploratorium
The Exploratorium is a portal to the astonishing scientific phenomena that animate our world and shape our actions. We create extraordinary learning experiences that ignite curiosity, upend perceptions, and inspire brave leaps forward. Since 1969, the Exploratorium’s museum in San Francisco has been home to a renowned collection of exhibits that draw together science, art, and human perception, and that have changed the way science is taught. Our award-winning programs provide a forum for the public to engage with artists, scientists, policymakers, educators, and tinkerers to explore the world around them. We celebrate diversity of thought, inspired investigation, and collaboration across all boundaries.
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