Style isn’t just how something looks. Dictionaries also define style as a particular way of doing something. This issue explores how local authors, chefs, artists and entrepreneurs express their craft in distinctive ways.
Award-winning author Dave Eggers discusses his new novel, Contrapposto; his decades-long creative process; and his staunch defense of authentic human expression over the use of artificial intelligence in writing. There are countless ways to live with integrity as a visual artist. Says Eggers, “It’s very possible if you’re committed to doing it your own way.”
In the Japanese art of kintsugi, the history of an object becomes part of its beauty. Broken pottery is mended with gold, becoming stronger with each repair. The practice allows us to embrace imperfections and aligns with Zen Buddhism’s teaching of non-attachment: letting go of how things “should” be and appreciating them for what they are.
Our cover star, Trixie Garcia, balances her painting career and cannabis advocacy with her stewardship of the musical legacy of her father, Jerry Garcia. But she’s also forged her own identity, showing us that style is partly about deciding what to carry forward and what to make your own.
I decided to leave behind my tired mind and head to Costanoa in Pescadero to reconnect with nature and rediscover the pleasure of doing nothing. My new style: rejuvenation by way of forest therapy and baby goats.
A delightful balance of legacy and innovation emerges at the revived Oakland sushi restaurant Delage. Its elegant but understated dining combines Japanese craftsmanship with the founder’s established vision and the new owner’s decision to preserve that concept while putting his own operational stamp on the restaurant.
Style isn’t reserved for artists or chefs. It’s also in the way we cook dinner. In this issue, we honor differing styles of cooking with the must-have cookware and accessories recommended by experts at Williams Sonoma and Sur La Table.
Whether we’re cooking at home or enjoying others’ culinary expertise, creating art or repairing things, following tradition or making something our own, how we do it reflects our way of moving through the world.
