The talk around town for the last month or so has been something called 944. What’s 944? Who’s 944? Is it a store, a club, a hotel, one of those secret code words you see in Craigslist ads?
It turns out that 944 is a magazine that’s about to launch in San Francisco — and in a very big way. Local editions of the magazine are already published in Los Angeles, Miami, Las Vegas, Phoenix, San Diego and Orange County.
Noting our “strong, resounding arts culture” and “burgeoning nightlife …

A reader tells me that David and Victoria Beckham were in the Napa Valley a few days ago to celebrate her birthday.
Oh, and by the way, they brought some friends with them.
Tom and Katie Cruise. Heidi Klum and Seal. Kate and Len Wisema .
I’m sure a few SFluxe readers were included as well… do tell us how it was! Any chance they like it so much they might move here?
More photos are at PopSugar.

THE EDUCATION FUND AWARDS $100,000 IN COLLEGE SCHOLARSHIPS
West County Kids’ College Dreams Come True
The Ed. Fund is giving out over $100,000 in college scholarships. The 26 West County high school seniors represent every comprehensive high school in West Contra Costa Unified School District. All winners will be honored on Friday, May 16h at The Ed. Fund’s 20th Annual Excellence in Education Banquet in Berkeley, California.
Scholarships range from $2,000 to $5,000; some are renewable for up to four years of college. With college costs rising (average fees for a UC is …

As a few readers already know, SFluxe editor Damion Matthews recently left Prudential to join Sotheby’s International Realty in San Francisco, where he’ll be able to provide his clients with the highest level of real estate options and services.
Sotheby’s is especially known for its multi-million dollar listings, a market which in San Francisco is still doing very well — in fact, it’s “booming” according to a report that was just aired by CBS.

CBS News’ Hank Plante went with Joel Goodrich (of TRI Coldwell Banker) and his client Sophie Azouaou on …

CREATIVITY EXPLORED’S 25TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION
A gala event at Foreign Cinema to celebrate 25 years of making art and changing lives at Creativity Explored
Creativity Explored, San Francisco’s premier gallery and art studio for artists with developmental disabilities, celebrates 25 years of changing lives with a gala event May 15th at the Mission District’s hot spot for food and film, Foreign Cinema. For 25 years, Creativity Explored’s artists have been creating some of the Bay Area’s most profound, fearless and innovative art and have made significant contributions to the local arts scene. …

As we just mentioned in our coverage of the San Francisco Ballet’s New Work’s Festival, Google’s Marissa Mayer was one of the best dressed of the evening. We especially love the hair — a softer, more feminine look than we usually see from her. But here’s what really caught our eye…

Marissa with Derek Holbrook (in Dolce & Gabbana) and Orkut Buyukkokten (in Roberto Cavalli)
Did you know that Orkut (as in Google’s orkut.com) is an actual person!? I suppose that everyone in Silicon Valley knew this, but me — …

There are only a few days left to enjoy the San Francisco Ballet’s “New Works Festival.” The amazing finale to the 75th Anniversary Season ends on the 6th!

By the way, SFluxe would be remiss in not pointing out how absolutely smashing everyone looked at the opening gala for the festival a few weeks ago. Some of our favorite style setters were there, looking their absolute best — like Karen Caldwell (who you see above in green), Yuri Pascarella, Marissa Mayer, Angelique Griepp, Lisa Grotts (some exciting news from …

After almost thirty years and more than 40,000 trees planted citywide in San Francisco, Friends of the Urban Forest celebrated local environmental stewardship with a green glitterati-studded “San Francisco Grown” event at Green’s Restaurant on Sunday, April 27, sponsored by eSurance and Bently Holdings.

Event Hosts Cassandra Richardson & Monica Maduro
Guests were treated to culinary delights from Executive Chef Annie Somerville, award-winning wine flights, LIVE Green Tea Energy Drink, and a special acoustic performance by local musician Chris Clouse.
Friends of the Urban Forest is a non-profit organization committed to the …

I’m not one to usually enjoy paintings of flowers, but I recently met a local San Francisco artist who has changed my outlook. Magdalene Chan’s paintings of flowers and landscapes really focus the eye on what is truly beautiful, and often overlooked, in the natural world around us.

There’s nothing overly conceptual about her. She gives us color, form, line — beauty at its most basic. Or so it seems. How is it that, for thousands of years, all sorts of people have taken pleasure in the “basic” depictions of …