BUZZ
GLORIOUS GONDOLAS
Many dream of an Italian adventure — sipping wine in Tuscany , wandering ancient destinations in Rome and floating down the canals in Venice . But , for Newport Beach-based Gondola Adventures , bringing a little piece of Italy back to California is the real dream come true . At the end of May , the local gondoliers welcomed two new Venetian boats named Luna and Bella . The gondolas were crafted by Roberto dei Rossi , one of only a few builders in Venice , during the COVID-19 pandemic . Though makers like dei Rossi usually have a roughly five-year waiting list , the slowing of tourism during the pandemic meant he had extra boats available . Owners Greg and Elisa Mohr of Gondola Adventures heard about the excess gondolas from their Venetian oarmaker and jumped at the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity , bringing the first brand-new Venetian gondolas to Newport Harbor . ( 949-646-2067 ; gondola . com ) — A . R .
DIGITAL DREAMS
Montecito-based painter Carin Gerard , who is a resident artist at SCAPE gallery in Corona del Mar , will release a series of NFTs — or nonfungible tokens , which are artificially scarce digital objects that can be collected — this fall . The launch will take place after “ Awakening ,” an exhibition that Gerard will be part of at SCAPE beginning in October . “ I love painting butterflies and my idea is to animate them so they fly in and out of the canvas ,” Gerard says . Each NFT will be accompanied by a physical version of the same artwork , minus the animation ; because of this , Gerard says she is not creating her NFTs on a computer , but rather painting a canvas then using TIFF files to generate the animation . Her first NFT will be based on a “ tondo ,” or circular , painting . “ The owner of the painting will be part of the blockchain and receive a percentage of royalties on the secondary market when the NFT is sold ,” Gerard explains . Keep an eye on her Instagram page with the handle @ carin _ gerard _ art to see when and where the NFTs will be released . ( Carin Gerard : caringerard . com ) ( SCAPE : 949-723-3406 ; scapesite . com ) — A . R .
Gondola Adventures purchased two new Venetian gondolas .
Artist Carin Gerard ’ s NFT series will feature butterflies .
Guests wore white during the Protect Our Planned Parenthood fundraising event .
PROTECTING PARENTHOOD
With the Supreme Court overturning of Roe v . Wade in June , access to abortion has become limited for many across the country , who are now flocking to California to get the health care they need . A recent event at Sherman Library & Gardens allowed members of the local community to contribute to this crucial cause , with the Community Action Fund of Planned Parenthood of Orange & San Bernardino Counties hosting Protect Our Planned Parenthood at the end of July . Guests , who were encouraged to wear white , enjoyed a welcome reception and seated dinner while hearing about struggles that individuals have faced both in the state and nationwide as well as updates on reproductive and family planning services . More than 200 supporters raised $ 255,000 , which will go toward defeating anti-abortion initiatives and electing local officials who support a woman ’ s right to choose what happens to her body . ( 714-922- 4100 ; plannedparenthood . org ) — A . R .
LIQUID GOLD
Whether wandering beaches at sunset or perusing jewelry in chic boutiques , it ’ s not hard to find golden hues in Newport Beach . But few things shine quite as bright as Dani Gold Wines , an eponymous brand recently founded by a local resident . With the tag line “ Life is complicated ; choosing a wine shouldn ’ t be ,” Gold offers two staples : a bright , inviting cabernet sauvignon and a vibrant , enticing chardonnay . The winemaker , who previously built a winery with her husband along the central California coastline , has been involved in every step of the process , from harvesting , blending and bottling to label design and shipping . In addition to selling wines on her website as well as at Pavilions in Newport Coast and Newport Wine & Spirits in Corona del Mar , Gold runs an Instagram page that offers wine-related tips as well as behind-the-scenes looks at the winemaking process ; Dani Gold Wines also donates some of its profits to the Food Recovery Network , and has gifted bottles to fundraising events for organizations such as The Priority Center . ( danigoldwines . com ) — A . R .
Bottles of vino made by Dani Gold Wines
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT : COURTESY OF GONDOLA ADVENTURES ; STEPHEN LANGLOIS ; COURTESY OF DANI GOLD WINES ; CHRISTY GUTZEIT
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