From the Bay to Paris…AFL on the Go!

International Council and Chairman’s Circle members kicked off the arrival of spring with a journey to the Bay Area, which highlighted extraordinary private collections and spectacular Northern California landscapes. Some extra-special moments included a private visit to the Jan Shrem and Maria Manetti Shrem Museum of Art at UC Davis, in the company of longtime member Maria Manetti Shrem herself; a tour of Bill Fisher’s private collection of outdoor art installations on a historic former dairy ranch; and a refined farewell reception at the residence of the French Consul General of France in San Francisco, accompanied by a classical music recital.

In June, members reconvened in France where the group had private access to the finest luxury maisons of Paris, such as the Bulgari flagship store and the historic Christian Dior museum and showroom, where they viewed haute couture displays and indulged in an elegant seated dinner. The itinerary featured rejuvenated Parisian gems large and small, from a tour of the restored Notre Dame cathedral to the lesser-known but also recently renovated Cluny Museum. As always, members enjoyed the special privilege of visiting the Louvre on its jour de fermeture, when the Museum is closed to the public. The centerpiece of this year’s visit was the landmark exhibition Louvre Couture, with curators Olivier Gabet and Marie Brimicombe offering a private tour.

The group’s time in Paris was followed by a remarkable two days in Lille, a vibrant city in the North of France. Notably, members visited the Louvre-Lens Museum; the Louvre’s conservation  center, a state-of-the-art facility dedicated to the preservation and restoration of the Museum’s collections; and La Piscine in Roubaix, a museum housed in a former swimming pool from the 1930s.

Next up, the International Council will travel to Japan in October!