San Francisco based events and landscape photographer
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Articles by Drew Altizer
A Candlelit Dinner for 60 Marks McMullen’s Maiden Lane Debut
The second floor of McMullen’s new Union Square flagship was set with a single candlelit table for 60, a deliberately restrained choice from a retailer that has built its reputation on intimacy over spectacle. The boutique was celebrating the opening of its Maiden Lane flagship with a dinner held on October 15 at the new store in San Francisco. DJ Ray Reck set the tone for an atmospheric soundtrack for the evening and catering by The Red Door.
Métallique Chic: San Francisco Fall Show Opens Its 44th Year in Glittering Style
Gold, silver, platinum and bronze shimmered everywhere across the vast space—on the art, on the antiques and on the 1,700-plus guests who embraced the night’s metallic theme with gusto. The legendary Opening Night Gala of the 2026 San Francisco Fall Show took place October 14 at Fort Mason Center for Arts and Culture’s Festival Pavilion in San Francisco, launching the four-day fair with a sparkling celebration of this year’s theme, Métallique Chic.
The Haus VIII’s After Dark Lights Up San Francisco Fashion Week
Not many fashion shows open with live opera. Fewer still unfold inside a historic bank, with an after party in the vault. At this year’s San Francisco Fashion Week, Haus VIII’s After Dark did both. The San Francisco creative agency presented After Dark: A Fall Fashion Show on October 17 at The Bank at Amador in San Francisco, welcoming a sold-out crowd to an atmospheric, draped noir setting for an immersive presentation of ready-to-wear and evening gowns.
New Pathways to Wellness at Epi Center MedSpa’s Regenerative Treatment Launch
The business that created the medical spa is betting its future on regenerative medicine. Epi Center MedSpa unveiled its new Regenerative Aesthetics offering on September 29 at its Sutter Street location in San Francisco. This is the same spot where CEO Margaret Mitchell and co-founder Patrick H. Bitter, Sr., M.D., coined the term “MedSpa” and opened the nation’s first medical spa in 1998.
Stephen Silver Fine Jewelry Marks 45 Years With a Black-Tie Cancer Benefit
A key worth $500 could open a box holding a pair of diamond earrings. The playful game raised money for cancer research, and it was only one highlight of a night four and a half decades in the making. Stephen and Jared Silver hosted a black-tie gala on October 9 at the Stephen Silver Fine Jewelry boutique in Menlo Park to celebrate 45 years of the house in the Bay Area.
Sonoma Land Trust Marks 50 Years of Conservation with Celebration at Oak Hill Farm
Fifty years after it was founded at Oak Hill Farm, Sonoma Land Trust returned to the same land to celebrate half a century of conservation. The organization marked its 50th anniversary on October 4 with a day of gatherings at Glen Oaks Ranch and Oak Hill Farm in Sonoma, culminating in An Evening Under the Oaks, a celebration for more than 170 guests beneath the oak trees at a venue called the White Barn.
SF Camerawork Celebrates Relaunch After Averting Closure
Earlier this year, SF Camerawork announced its plans to close. On September 16, it gathered its community of supporters and celebrated its survival instead. The nonprofit contemporary photography organization marked its relaunch with a new Board of Directors and a renewed commitment to artists, photographers and the Bay Area arts community.
Trails Forever Dinner Raises $1.7 Million as Crissy Field Marks 25 Years of Recreation
Twenty-five years ago, a former military airfield became one of the nation’s most celebrated urban parks. Against the backdrop of the Golden Gate Bridge, supporters and community leaders gathered beachside on September 25 to celebrate one of San Francisco’s most beloved outdoor spaces.
Family House Marks 30 Years of Cabernet for Connoisseurs Wine Auction Benefit
For the last 30 years, Napa’s vintners have gathered to support families whose children are facing life-threatening illness. This year’s celebration, at Francis Ford Coppola’s Inglenook, was a milestone worth toasting.
OLE Health Foundation’s Winemaker Dinner Raises $2 Million for Napa Health Center
One lot alone brought in $340,000: a winemaker dinner featuring cult vintners and acclaimed chef Christopher Kostow at Andy Erickson’s Favia winery. It was the top prize of a night built to bring out the best in the generous guests. The OLE Health Foundation’s annual Vida OLE! Dinner & Auction raised $2 million on September 19 at Quintessa winery in Rutherford to fund the expansion of OLE Health’s St. Helena health center.
A Mother’s Story Drives FOG RALLY Gala to Record $300,000 Night of Fundraising for Kids
The bidding at the FOG RALLY gala climbed sharply after Meredith Estremo stood up to speak. She told the room about her son Pierce’s six months in the hospital, in isolation, through four rounds of chemotherapy — and the Hawaii trip Make-A-Wish Greater Bay Area granted him during his treatment. Her story set the night’s giving in motion, and the wave of generosity carried on throughout the event.
Lake Como Villa Experience Sold Three Times as Benefit Wine Auction Raises Record Sums
On the night of the hotly anticipated auction, one lot proved so popular the auctioneer sold it three times over. A week for up to 32 guests at a 13-bedroom villa on Lake Como drew such a bidding war that it went for $34,000 a piece—three separate times. That was the moment guests were still buzzing about into the night, at The Guardsmen’s 49th Annual San Francisco Wine Auction on September 19 at The Palace Hotel.
A Disco Ball on a Tractor Surprises Guests at Djerassi’s Annual Artful Harvest Benefit
Guests at artist residency program Djerassi’s annual fundraiser got an unexpected invitation to dance when a tractor carrying a suspended disco ball rolled into view, drawing the crowd outdoors for an impromptu party against the backdrop of the Santa Cruz Mountains. The playful surprise was among the highlights of Artful Harvest 2026 on September 27, when the Djerassi Resident Artists Program welcomed artists, alumni and supporters to its 583-acre property in Woodside.
St. Vincent de Paul Society of San Francisco Raises Funds at “A Night in New Orleans” Soiree
A brass band led guests through St. Mary’s Cathedral, and the jazzy soundtrack set the tone for an annual night of celebration. The St. Vincent de Paul Society of San Francisco (SVDP-SF) welcomed 400+ guests to its 33rd Annual Brennan Award Dinner on September 17 at St. Mary’s Cathedral in San Francisco. Set against a “A Night in New Orleans” theme, the evening raised more than $500,000 for the organization’s homeless services and domestic violence programs.
MoAD’s Afropolitan Ball Raises Over $1 Million and Honors Beloved Bay Area Artist
Sixty years ago, a 16-year-old Dewey Crumpler sat among a group of established artists who were dreaming of a place to show Black art. On October 3, the institution that fulfilled this dream honored him with its first-ever Vanguard Award. The Museum of the African Diaspora (MoAD) held its 2026 Afropolitan Ball at the San Francisco Ferry Building, raising more than $1 million for the museum and its mission to center artists of the African diaspora.
Renowned Violinist Dazzles as San Francisco Symphony Opens Its 115th Season
Superstar violinist Hilary Hahn earned a standing ovation, and answered her audience with a Bach encore. It was that kind of night at Davies Symphony Hall, as the San Francisco Symphony celebrated its 115th season with its Opening Gala on September 24. The Symphony welcomed guest conductor Giancarlo Guerrero to lead a program that opened with The Star-Spangled Banner and Bay Area composer John Adams’ The Chairman Dances.
ODC’s Fall for Art Raises More Than $500k at Benefit Set Amidst Napa Vineyards
Dancers performed overlooking a sculpture meadow, oysters were served on the half shell and a world premiere unfolded against the backdrop of rolling hills and vineyards. This year, ODC’s annual fundraiser made the most of a glorious fall day in wine country.
Bay Area Chefs Unite at One Big Table to Raise Over $1 Million to Fight Hunger
Sixteen celebrated Bay Area restaurants gathered their star talents in a single room, to cook a gourmet repast – with a side of community spirit – for hundreds of lucky gourmands who came out to support a worthy cause. The San Francisco-Marin Food Bank hosted their annual One Big Table benefit on October 3, at the organization’s food warehouse in San Francisco.
Bang & Olufsen Opens Silicon Valley Flagship With VIP Soiree in Palo Alto
A rosewood-carved loudspeaker built for the brand’s 100th anniversary took center stage, as Bang & Olufsen welcomed more than 100 guests to its newest showroom. The Danish luxury audio brand marked the grand opening of its Palo Alto flagship with a VIP evening on September 10 at Stanford Shopping Center, celebrating its expanded presence in Silicon Valley.
Sold-Out Play “Crushing” Brings Its Victory Lap to A.C.T.’s Strand Theater
After sold-out runs in New York and SF’s Fort Mason, the genre-bending theater hit “Crushing” returned to Market Street for a final three-night engagement—and closed to a packed house. The production ran September 10 through 12 at A.C.T.’s Strand Theater in San Francisco, capping a victory lap with an electric closing-night celebration featuring actress and activist Rosario Dawson, who serves as an executive producer.
A Diamond in the Champagne: Peninsula Volunteers’ Woodside Gala Sparkles for a Cause
Somewhere in the crowd, one lucky guest found a one-carat diamond at the bottom of their champagne glass. It set a tone of generosity for an evening built around giving. Peninsula Volunteers, Inc. hosted its Bling, Bubbles, and “A Beautiful Noise” fundraiser on September 12 at a private estate in Woodside, gathering an intimate group of sponsors and guests to support the organization’s mission of helping seniors to age in place.
American Cancer Society Celebrates 15 Years by Raising $4.3 Million at Annual Gala
Three days after finishing chemotherapy, Shannon Callagy was at San Francisco’s Chase Center to celebrate. When her father, speaker Mike Callagy, recognized and acknowledged her from his place on the stage, it led to one of the evening’s most emotional moments–in a night that was full of them. The American Cancer Society (ACS) hosted its 15th Anniversary Discovery Gala on September 12, raising $4.3 million to advance cancer research, advocacy and patient support. Held under the theme “15 Years.
Stern Grove Festival Closes 89th Summer with Packed Performance from Legendary Al Green
At 80 years old, renowned singer-songwriter Al Green stood tall beneath Stern Grove’s eucalyptus trees, and gave thousands of fans the kind of moment that only happens in San Francisco: one of the great voices in American music, performing free of charge in one of the city’s most iconic outdoor settings. The soul icon’s August 16 performance drew the largest crowd of the 2026 season, and capped a record-setting Big Picnic Weekend that closed Stern Grove Festival’s 89th season.
A Photographer Who Kept Her Life’s Work Secret Finally Gets Her Big Show
For more than two decades, Nancy Lee Katz photographed some of the most important cultural figures of her time. Then she showed the results to no one—not even her partner of 35 years. That startling detail was what guests were still discussing after an intimate preview of Nancy Lee Katz: A Private Pantheon on September 1 at the Magnes Collection of Jewish Art and Life at UC Berkeley, ahead of the exhibition’s public opening the following day.
National Museum of Women in the Arts Acquires New Works by Bay Area Book Artists
The special evening’s biggest announcement was one the artists themselves would remember for a lifetime: their work is headed to a museum’s permanent collection. California College of the Arts (CCA) and the San Francisco Advocacy for the National Museum of Women in the Arts celebrated the opening of the exhibition Closer Reading: Three Bay Area Book Artists, on September 2 at the CCA Campus Gallery in San Francisco.
Star Chefs Take Over Graton Resort for Savor Sonoma’s Inaugural Celebration
Seven of the country’s most celebrated chefs gathered around open fires this month for the debut of a festival Sonoma County had never seen before. Savor Sonoma brought together more than 1,000 guests at Graton Resort and Casino in Rohnert Park on August 21 and 22 for a two-day celebration of the region’s food, wine and culinary stars.
All Aboard, Darling! Veronica Beard and HiNOTE Host Crafting Day on Napa Valley Wine Train
Guests embroidered custom monograms onto denim shirts as lush vineyards rolled past the windows. For a very afternoon aboard the Napa Valley Wine Train, crafting was the assignment, and wine was the accompaniment. On August 11, the luxury rail experience welcomed influencers, tastemakers and fashionistas for an exclusive collaboration with fashion brand Veronica Beard and modern correspondence app HiNOTE.
The Caviar Co. Celebrates National Caviar Day with Caviar, Hot Dogs and Ice Cream
A caviar-topped hot dog, and a scoop of vanilla ice cream finished with a luxe olive oil and Royal White Sturgeon caviar were among the elite bites offered at this year’s National Caviar Day in San Francisco. Hosted by The Caviar Co., the two-day event was the company’s boldest celebration of Caviar Day yet.
Keep Tahoe Blue’s Annual Fashion Show Raises Record $1.67 Million at Shoreline Soiree
A tradition that began in 1969 reached a high-water mark this year, as Keep Tahoe Blue and Oscar de la Renta hosted the 57th annual Fashion Show and Luncheon on August 1 on the shores of Lake Tahoe’s Incline Village. The annual conservation benefit broke its fundraising record this year, raising $1.67 million to help protect the beloved lake.
Beethoven, Getty and Bob Dylan Share a Stage at Festival Napa Valley’s Season 20 Opener
It is not every night that Beethoven’s Coriolan Overture and a symphonic Bob Dylan finale appear on the same program, but in honor of a milestone anniversary, Festival Napa Valley made it work. The festival launched its 20th Anniversary Season on July 10 with the Uytengsu Family Opening Night at Charles Krug Winery in St. Helena, led by conductor Stephanie Childress.
Renée Fleming Headlines Stunning Multimedia Concert at Festival Napa Valley
Soprano Renée Fleming has spent a career giving voice to a multitude of diverse characters. On July 11, she gave voice to something even broader. Fleming returned to Festival Napa Valley with Voice of Nature: The Anthropocene, a multimedia concert inspired by her 2023 Grammy Award-winning album.
Wynton Marsalis Headlines Festival Napa Valley’s Blowout 20th Anniversary Gala
A trip to Egypt’s ancient wonders with a renowned archaeologist went for roughly $1.2 million. That single auction lot set the tone for a record-breaking night celebrating two decades of outstanding music and arts in California’s Napa Valley. Festival Napa Valley marked its 20th anniversary with an Arts for All Gala on July 12 at Nickel & Nickel in Oakville, which raised an unprecedented $6.5 million for the festival’s year-round education, scholarship and community programs.
A New Opera About Famous 1976 Wine Tasting Premieres in the Valley It Made Famous
Fifty years ago, a blind tasting in Paris changed the world’s understanding of California wine. On July 18, that story premiered as an opera presented in the Napa Valley–the region made famous by that dramatic contest. Festival Napa Valley presented the world premiere of The Judgment of Paris at Charles Krug Winery in St. Helena, a one-act opera by composer local star Jake Heggie and librettist Gene Scheer, which was commissioned for the festival’s 20th Anniversary Season.
Festival Napa Valley’s Dance Gala Bridges Worlds From Tchaikovsky to the Rolling Stones
Classical ballet and the Rolling Stones don’t often appear on the same performance program. On July 17, Festival Napa Valley proved just how compatible they can be. The festival’s annual Dance Gala, A Night at the Ballet, brought an exhilarating production to Napa courtesy of co-producers Melanie Hamrick, Joanna DeFelice and Christine Shevchenko.
Festival Napa Valley’s Dance Gala Bridges Worlds From Tchaikovsky to the Rolling Stones
Classical ballet and the Rolling Stones don’t often appear on the same performance program. On July 17, Festival Napa Valley proved just how compatible they can be. The festival’s annual Dance Gala, A Night at the Ballet, brought an exhilarating production to Napa courtesy of co-producers Melanie Hamrick, Joanna DeFelice and Christine Shevchenko.
Beethoven, Getty and Bob Dylan Share a Stage at Festival Napa Valley’s Season 20 Opener
It is not every night that Beethoven’s Coriolan Overture and a symphonic Bob Dylan finale appear on the same program, but in honor of a milestone anniversary, Festival Napa Valley made it work. The festival launched its 20th Anniversary Season on July 10 with the Uytengsu Family Opening Night at Charles Krug Winery in St. Helena, led by conductor Stephanie Childress.
A New Opera About Famous 1976 Wine Tasting Premieres in the Valley It Made Famous
Fifty years ago, a blind tasting in Paris changed the world’s understanding of California wine. On July 18, that story premiered as an opera presented in the Napa Valley–the region made famous by that dramatic contest. Festival Napa Valley presented the world premiere of The Judgment of Paris at Charles Krug Winery in St. Helena, a one-act opera by composer local star Jake Heggie and librettist Gene Scheer, which was commissioned for the festival’s 20th Anniversary Season.
Wynton Marsalis Headlines Festival Napa Valley’s Blowout 20th Anniversary Gala
A trip to Egypt’s ancient wonders with a renowned archaeologist went for roughly $1.2 million. That single auction lot set the tone for a record-breaking night celebrating two decades of outstanding music and arts in California’s Napa Valley. Festival Napa Valley marked its 20th anniversary with an Arts for All Gala on July 12 at Nickel & Nickel in Oakville, which raised an unprecedented $6.5 million for the festival’s year-round education, scholarship and community programs.
Renée Fleming Headlines Stunning Multimedia Concert at Festival Napa Valley
Soprano Renée Fleming has spent a career giving voice to a multitude of diverse characters. On July 11, she gave voice to something even broader. Fleming returned to Festival Napa Valley with Voice of Nature: The Anthropocene, a multimedia concert inspired by her 2023 Grammy Award-winning album.
Andy Goldsworthy’s “Red Flags” Installation Makes West Coast Debut In San Francisco
Fifty flags hang together at the Gateway Pavilion, each stained with red earth collected from a different US state. The art foundation FOR-SITE celebrated the opening of Andy Goldsworthy: Red Flags on July 10 at the Gateway Pavilion at Fort Mason Center for Arts and Culture in San Francisco, marking the West Coast debut of the landmark installation.
After Hiatus VIP Pride Party Returns to a Packed House in San Francisco
The question on the party guests’ minds was simple: where had this event been? After a five-year absence, the VIP Pride Party answered a sellout crowd of 400 people: gathering strength for an absolute blowout. The 14th Annual VIP Pride Party, benefiting the Richmond/Ermet Aid Foundation, filled the atrium of Holbrook House in San Francisco on June 20. The Foundation is a nonprofit dedicated to raising funds for HIV/AIDS and hunger programs.
Oscar de la Renta Previews Fall Collection at Elegant San Francisco Opera Party
San Francisco Opera and San Francisco Opera Guild welcomed their Opera Ball Host Committee and Benefactor level patrons to the intimate party and fashion show on June 4, in the city’s historic Jackson Square neighborhood.
Luminary Society Gathers Tech Leaders for Conversation About AI’s Hidden Costs
On June 17, Ben DeBow posted the question that all leaders and investors need to consider – especially as AI is being tokenized and the sustainability given the costs involved. The Luminary Societies, a curated executive salon community founded by Rebecca Kaykas-Wolff, hosted “After Abundance: AI and the New Technical Debt” at Four Seasons Private Residences San Francisco.
A Bright Night Gala Raises $1.4 Million for Alzheimer’s Association Initiatives
The Alzheimer’s Association Northern California and Northern Nevada chapter brought its annual gala to a new home this year, and the move paid off. The 6th annual A Bright Night Gala on June 6 at The Treehouse Silicon Valley, a boutique hotel in Sunnyvale, raised more than $1.4 million to fund Alzheimer’s research and local care services. Over 200 guests gathered for the black-tie evening, which featured an elegant seated dinner, inspiring speakers and a live auction of one-of-a-kind experiences.
Brooke Shields Headlines Women’s Health Luncheon at Menlo Circus Club
Actor, bestselling author and women’s health advocate Brooke Shields did not come to the Menlo Circus Club to give a rehearsed speech. She came to have an intimate conversation — about aging, about postpartum depression, about advocating for your own health — and the 500 guests who gathered to listen left feeling like they’d just had a long talk with a friend.
Skylar Grey Walks the Runway at NOVA Summer Fashion Show in San Francisco
The runway was just steps from the audience, the city skyline served as the backdrop and singer-songwriter Skylar Grey was among the models brushing past guests in the latest spring fashions. For the NOVA Summer Fashion Show, intimacy was the whole point. W San Francisco and Defined SF welcomed guests to an exciting runway experience on May 30, transforming the hotel’s Social Terrace in downtown San Francisco into an immersive showcase of bold style and artistic expression.
Korean American Foundation Celebrates in Style with K-Pop, Ramyun and a Record Breaking Benefit
The evening had already featured a live auction, an awards ceremony and a performance by actor and singer-songwriter Kevin Woo—who delivered a song from the hit film “KPop Demon Hunters”—when guests made their way to the after-party, where a ramyun bar hosted by Weee! online grocery was waiting. It was the icing on the cake of a fabulous celebration.
A Sinatra-Inspired Benefit Raises Over $5 Million for St. Helena Healthcare
Old Hollywood came to the Napa Valley on May 30, and it came with a purpose. The St. Helena Hospital Foundation’s “The Best Is Yet to Come” Gala transformed the Louis M. Martini Winery in St. Helena into a glamorous, Frank Sinatra-inspired celebration that raised more than $5 million to fund a new Integrated Rapid Care and Primary Care Center.
San Francisco Symphony Names Elim Chan Next Music Director at City Hall Ceremony
Principal Oboe Eugene Izotov put it simply. “Once in a while, if you’re really lucky,” he told the room, “they choose the right conductor.” The San Francisco Symphony officially introduced Elim Chan as its next Music Director on May 21, in the Rotunda at San Francisco City Hall. There Symphony staff, musicians, board members, donors and community leaders gathered for the announcement.
Class of 2026 Takes Center Stage at Mission Dolores Academy’s Annual Benefit
The choir performed. The kindergartners charmed the room. Then the Class of 2026 spoke— and that was the moment guests would not stop talking about afterward. Mission Dolores Academy’s annual Benefit Luncheon on April 23 at the St. Regis San Francisco brought together parents, supporters and community members to celebrate the school in support of its mission of academic excellence, social-emotional development, and faith formation.
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