Naples Illustrated April 2021

In July 2014, we packed up our three kids in our SUV and moved from the Nutmeg State to the Sunshine State. While our furniture was en route in a moving truck, we rode for several hours and hundreds of miles. When we finally pulled into our new driveway, I could hardly believe that my husband, Michael, and I owned a house with palm trees and birds of paradise in the yard. We’d done it. We’d made a break from the rat race so intertwined with living and working in the New York metro area. It was a wonderful move. Our family lifestyle flourishes here with memorable sunset beachside barbecues, fishing trips in the Keys, and epic tennis and golf matches. The downside of our big relo is that we are…

THE NAPLES WOMAN’S CLUB WHAT: A Culinary Adventure that Gives Back DETAILS: A series of chef luncheons at 13 local restaurants in January, February, and March raised funds for four local food pantries. Patrons purchased a ticket or table, and participants were informed a week before each event where their mystery dining location would be. SUPPORTS: Meals of Hope, Meals on Wheels, St. Vincent DePaul Food Pantry, and the Judy Sullivan Resource Center of Catholic Charities Diocese of Venice WHERE: January luncheons were held at Sails Restaurant, Veranda E, Osteria Tulia, and The French Brasserie Rustique MEDIA SPONSOR: Naples Illustrated NEIGHBORHOOD HEALTH CLINIC WHAT: Neighborhood Bash Party at the clinic SUPPORTS: Delivering quality medical and dental care to low-income, working but uninsured Collier County adults. WHERE: At the clinic located on Twelfth Street…

Shelly Stayer, chairperson of the board of the Wisconsin-based Johnsonville Sausage Company, looks at reinvention through many lenses. First, there are her personal and professional journeys, inspiring stories of when she learned that she loved the business world after many years of active involvement with her children. Beyond that, though, Stay-er’s interest in family safety motivated her to be the lead benefactor in building the Shelly Stayer Shelter for Victims of Human Trafficking and Domestic Violence in Immokalee, which officially opened in May 2020. The Shelter includes 60 beds for victims of domestic abuse and human trafficking, and has recently seen an uptick in calls. NI caught up with Stayer, who lives in Naples with her hus-band, Ralph, to discuss her thoughts on life’s reboots. Turn the page to read…

Sip tea in style with Alice, the Mad Hatter, and other curious characters from the popular novel this Easter weekend, April 1-4, at The Ritz-Carton, Naples. “Wonderland Tea is a favorite holiday family tradition at The Ritz-Carlton, Naples, and we are thrilled to offer this event again for the upcoming holiday season,” says Jaime Moench, director of sales and marketing. “We have made some modifications to tea this year by increasing the amount of events while reducing the capacity at each seating.” Guests can enjoy tea and themed treats at two socially distanced seatings, 11:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. To add to the magic, there will be festive giveaways and photo opportunities for the whole family. Cost is $110 per person. Call 239-598-6644 for reservations. (ritzcarlton.com/naples)…

Seascape photographer Gareth Rockliffe has lived in Naples with his wife for the past 20 years. The pair has been working side by side for 30 years and co-own Soderquist Photography. Rockliffe is also the owner of Gareth Rockliffe Landscape Photography, where he captures Naples seascapes and the movement of the Florida Gulf. He is currently working on a project called Unity, a collection of photographs taken in Naples, featuring an old glass fishing ball as a representation of humanity. “This is a time when we need to be reminded that we are all connected,” he says. “I’m really drawn to trying to look for the other side of Naples because there are so many beautiful sunsets that people have already captured. So, I’m drawn to storm clouds and rough…

One of Naples’ newer residents, Mary Pat Wallace, is the founder of The Luxury Bed Collection. With locations in Chicago, Dallas, and now Naples, Wallace is parlaying her background in design and manufacturing into running a business dedicated to craftsmanship and finding clients their perfect custom mattress. Wallace was one of those kids who’d lock her door and rearrange her entire room. When she was in high school, she hopped on a train from her suburban hometown to work for a designer in Chicago’s Merchandise Mart. After graduating from college with an economics degree, she went to design school and landed a job in an Italian showroom. “That’s where I learned a lot about manufacturing—kitchens, baths, lighting, upholstery, you name it,” she says. Once she returned stateside, she impressed Holly Hunt, a…