Led by patriarch David Yurman—with his wife and partner, Sybil, by his side, and their son Evan as heir apparent—America’s first family of jewelry has built an empire on a foundation of love, style, and loyalty. Even today, family remains at the heart of their burgeoning worldwide business and has incited a heroic charitable endeavor.

The loss of Yurman’s sister to breast cancer 15 years ago first prompted the family’s commitment to The Breast Cancer Research Foundation (BCRF). “My wife and I felt a responsibility to act, as everyone should,” Yurman says. “The statistics on breast cancer are impossible to ignore; it is the second most common cause of cancer deaths for women in the United States. The fact that one in eight women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in her lifetime means that virtually everyone will, at some point, be affected by the disease.” Accordingly, the Yurmans have committed to a long-term partnership with BCRF. They design jewelry to promote awareness and raise funds, and sponsor title events such as the Hot Pink Party in Boston on May 17, and a kick-off event on April 4 at their Copley Place boutique, featuring shopping and cocktails and hosted by Yurman himself.

Five years ago Yurman designed a pink opal variation on the Spiritual Bead Bracelet, his first piece of jewelry to benefit BCRF. “We saw that the Foundation is leading the research efforts to increase breast cancer survival rates, which was—and continues to be—very important to us.”

Last year David Yurman released a limited-edition Spiritual Bead bracelet in pink pearl, with proceeds benefiting BCRF. The pink color promotes the cause, and “it is meant to serve as a reminder of strength and courage,” says Yurman.

Copley Place, 617-236-8777.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY SETH OLENICK (BRACELET)

Steve Simon runs his hands over the silky material of a python-patterned blouse as he shows it to an interested customer holding an armful of printed tops. The owner of National Jean Company Boston, Simon has built a loyal clientele with his customer-service-based approach to selling essential pieces of men’s and women’s wardrobes: denim, tops, blazers, and accessories. Simon works closely with his daughters, Jill and Stacy (head of customer service and head buyer, respectively), who handpick pieces from both well-known and smaller lines, such as House of Harlow 1960, Elizabeth and James, and J Brand, along with their own private labels. “Day-night dressing is what we do,” emphasizes Simon, who closely follows the trends in New York, Los Angeles, and Europe. “Knowing our customer helps define and refine what we carry in the stores.” With locations already in Newton and Wellesley, the company has recently expanded with a third location on Newbury Street. The 2,200-square-foot boutique has a cozy European feel, with two vintage chandeliers, a fireplace, and a coffee bar. 218 Newbury St., 857-233-4809

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The A4 breakfast sandwich

 

Frosted pecan cinnamon buns

 

Fresh-baked muffins

 

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Seasonally conscious Cambridge eatery Area Four will begin serving a comforting, sustainable weekend brunch this Saturday.

Chef Michael Leviton and pastry chef Katie Kimble will deliver a delectable bill of fare with offerings such as wood oven-baked pancakes with apple-maple compote and brown sugar sour cream, Florentine pizza and the loaded A4 breakfast sandwich made with herbed egg frittata, maple-black pepper-sage sausage and aged cheddar. Other standouts include a basket of fresh-baked turnovers, donut muffins, scones, craquelin and pecan cinnamon buns; a made-from-scratch everything bagel packed with house-smoked fish, cream cheese, red onion and capers; and soul-satisfying biscuits and gravy.

An equally welcome addition is Area Four’s new roster of brunch cocktails, which includes a gianduja and espresso martini, a new take on the classic Corpse Reviver and a winning Bloody Caesar made with Wellfleet cherrystone clam juice. The mouth-watering weekend brunch will be available Saturdays and Sundays (10:30 AM–2:30 PM) 500 Technology Sq., 617-758-4444

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A historic home on Fisher Hill in Brookline

 

55 Livingston Road in Wellesley

 

A gorgeous estate in Cotuit

 

51 Westgate Road in Wellesley

 

W Residences in midtown

 

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New technology meets old-world charm in a flawless renovation of this historic home on Fisher Hill in Brookline. Relax in the great room while enjoying the views of the city. Offered by Scott Beane of William Raveis for $5.2 million

Get smart with the advanced technology in this new 10,000-square-feet Colonial at 55 Livingston Road in Wellesley. Interior custom millwork and beautifully manicured lawns make this six bedroom, 7.5 bath home a vacation in itself. Offered by Debi Benoit of Benoit Mizner Simon & Co. for $5.695 million

Start thinking summer home with this gorgeous estate on 7.6 seaside acres in Cotuit. Enjoy a patio, infinity pool and smart house technology. Guests can have their own privacy in the guest house at 122 Pinquickset Cove Circle. Offered by Scott Beane of William Raveis for $10.9 million

Find your own privacy on 20,624-square-feet of land at this home at 51 Westgate Road. This new house in Wellesley offers a lavish kitchen and master suite, as well as a finished third floor with full bath. Offered my Melissa Dailey of Coldwell Banker-Wellesley for $2.598 million

Find luxury high above Boston at the W Residences in midtown with newly combined three and four bedroom units. Enjoy views of the skyline and the Public Garden as well as amenities such as Bliss Spa and the W Hotels’ signature Whenever/Wherever service. Offered by Otis & Ahearn and starting at $2.4 million

Hot toddies are a classic wintertime drink that dates back to the 17th century, when they were commonly used as a remedy for illness. Even today, many still swear by a swig of toddy to subdue aches and chills. The hot toddy is traditionally made with either a hot water or tea base with honey or sugar, fresh lemon juice and whiskey or brandy. 88 Wharf in Milton uses Canadian Club whisky in its hearty toddy while Zocalo in Boston went South of the border for a Mexican Hot Toddy using tequila, agave nectar and Mexican cinnamon.

88 Wharf’s Hot Toddy
SERVES ONE

1 ounce Canadian Club whisky
1 tbsp. honey
1 cup hot water

Mix ingredients together in a mug. Garnish with two lemon peels and a whole cinnamon stick.

88 Wharf St., Milton, 857-598-4826

Zocalo’s Mexican Hot Toddy
SERVES ONE

1 1/2 ounces Riazul Anejo Tequila
1/4 ounce agave nectar
1 lemon wedge
1 piece Mexican cinnamon
2 cloves
3-4 ounces hot water

Combine all ingredients in an Irish coffee glass. Stir and let steep for one minute. Remove spices and enjoy.

35 Stanhope St., Boston, 617-456-7849

It was Christmastime in Prague when I first had a steaming, fragrant cup of mulled wine. Just the thought of its clove and orange aroma transports me back to that snowy night in the crowded holiday market with twinkling lights strung between lampposts and the vibrating sounds of church bells. The passing of every few stalls promised another vendor selling the hot drink, which warmed our fingers—and our souls—with each sip.

Referred to as glühwein (literally “glow wine”) in Europe or glögg in Nordic countries, this traditional winter drink consists of red wine, spices, sugar, orange and spirits such as vodka or brandy. The best red wines to use for mulled wine tend to be semi-dry and full-bodied—zinfandel, merlot or cabernet. The version I had in Prague contained slivered almonds and plumped raisins.

At Cambridge newcomer Catalyst, bar manager Jason Kilgore makes a Swedish-inspired glögg using aquavit, a grain- or potato-based Scandinavian spirit that gets its distinct flavor from spices and herbs, most notably caraway. Instead of wine, he uses port and sherry along with an array of spices and dates, prunes and slivered almonds. Island Creek Oyster Bar in Kenmore Square makes a delicious traditional mulled wine using red wine, brandy, cinnamon sticks, allspice, cardamom, cloves, star anise, vanilla bean, orange and nutmeg. Salem’s 62 Restaurant & Wine Bar combines merlot and cider for a flavorful Fall-to-Winter result. And Boston-based chef and restaurateur Ken Oringer’s Hot Mulled Cider utilizes fresh quince and rosemary.

Whether you’re hosting for the holidays or braving the outdoors at a tailgate party, these mulled wines, spiked ciders and hot toddies will warm you right up.

62’s Mulled Wine

1.5 liter bottle of Merlot
1/2 cup cranberry juice
1/2 cup cider
2 whole cloves
3 whole cinnamon sticks
2 star anise
3 whole allspice berries

Add all ingredients into a pot and let steep for approximately 30 minutes. (To avoid bitterness, do not bring to a boil.) Add lemon and/or orange zest to taste and serve in a mug with a cinnamon stick. 

62 Restaurant & Wine Bar, 62 Wharf St., Salem, 978-744-0062; 62restaurant.com

Catalyst’s Glögg

1 750ml bottle of port
4 ounces dry sherry
4 ounces sweet vermouth
1 cup orange juice
Peel of one orange
2 cinnamon sticks
8 whole allspice berries
8 whole cloves
8 cardamon pods
1/4 inch of ginger, peeled
8 dates
8 prunes
1/4 cup slivered almonds
Aquavit

Add all ingredients into a pot and gently simmer for one hour. Strain and serve six ounces of glögg per mug and top with one ounce of aquavit.

Catalyst, 300 Technology Sq., Cambridge, 617-576-3000; catalystrestaurant.com

Ken Oringer’s Hot Mulled Cider

1 gallon apple cider
3/4 cup dry white wine, such as Chardonnay
1/4 cup honey
2 quince, peeled, cored and finely chopped
1 4-inch rosemary sprig
2 3- to 4-inch cinnamon sticks, broken
4 cloves
1 star anise
1/2 teaspoon grated lemon zest

Combine the cider, wine, honey, quince, rosemary, cinnamon, cloves, star anise and lemon zest in a large saucepan and simmer over low heat for 45 minutes. Strain the mulled cider and discard the solids. Serve warm.

From “A Chef's Incredible Winter Picnic,” Food & Wine (December 2009).

Alligator and python; put them together and you have one ferocious reptile—or one ferocious bag. For pre-Spring 2012, Reed Krakoff played with panels, skins and pouches to come up with this luxurious and highly functional Atlantique tote ($7,150) consisting of alligator, python, leather and linen. Also available in metallic shades of rose gold, sienna and electric blue, the tote is accented by front, back and side pouches and has a roomy interior. Picking the perfect purse for a serious bag collector is no small task, but gems like this make the pursuit considerably less daunting.

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The Post-Party Perk-Up by Bliss

 

Kashmir sapphire ring

 

Sophia dress from Daniela Corte

 

K9 comfort dog bed available at Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams

 

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The Post-Party Perk-Up by Bliss is the answer for a friend on the go. Enjoy a 30-minute hydrating facial and eye treatment ($60). W Boston, 100 Stuart St., 617-261-8747

This Kashmir sapphire ring, weighing approximately 8.40 carats, will be auctioned at Skinner Auctions on December 6. The one-of-a-kind ring's estimated worth is between $100,000 and $150,000. 63 Park Plaza, 617-350-5400

Slip into this lavish Sophia dress in navy Italian sparkle tulle layered with black tulle from Daniela Corte. The dress is made in a ready to wear version as well as a custom piece. (From $695) 211 Newbury St., 617-262-2100

Don’t forget the family pooch. The K9 comfort dog bed ($175) in gargoyle faux suede with amethyst welt is available at Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams. 142 Berkeley St., 617-266-0075; 395 Worcester St., Natick, 508-650-1400

	The Woodward Eggnog
	Vintage Tom & Jerry mugs and punchbowl

First, let’s address the whole raw egg thing: You won’t taste it outright, nor will it make you ill. It’s a common ingredient in classic cocktails as it imparts frothiness and texture that can’t be replicated any other way. Second, the dairy: Do not substitute non-fat, rice, soy or any other stand-in for full fat milk or cream. The result just won’t be the same.

These days you can find eggnog in a carton at most grocery stores, as well as boozy versions at the liquor store. However, none of these shortcuts are as soul-satisfying as made-from-scratch eggnog. Traditional eggnog is made with cream or milk, sugar, raw eggs, spices and the drinker’s choice of whiskey, brandy or rum. Its origins date back to colonial times, when settlers revisited old English milk and wine punches. While their ancestors had used Madeira and sherry, colonists instead used what was on hand—rum and whiskey.

The term “eggnog” may have come about a few different ways. In Colonial America, rum was commonly called "grog," so a call for "egg and grog" could have been shortened over time to “eggnog.” Others believe “nog” derives from “noggin,” which was a small wooden mug used in taverns. So an order for an egg-based drink served in a noggin could have become eggnog.

Another popular Yuletide concoction enjoying a small resurgence is the Tom & Jerry. Devotees of the Tom & Jerry so closely associate this boozy, nog-like drink with Christmas that it’s a wonder Santa himself isn’t credited with inventing the drink. Tradition says this drink is only served after the first snowfall and then holds court throughout the holiday season. Given Boston’s October snow shower, we’d say it’s high time for a Tom & Jerry.

Though often mistakenly credited to Jerry Thomas, the father of mixology, the drink was actually created by sports writer Pierce Egan in 1821. (Egan wrote a book titled Life in London, or The Day and Night Scenes of Jerry Hawthorn Esq. and his Elegant Friend Corinthian Tom and the subsequent stage play Tom and Jerry, or Life in London.) A true marketer, Egan developed this twist on eggnog using both brandy and rum to publicize his work. To boot, the Tom & Jerry remained popular throughout the 1960s and kitschy Tom & Jerry mugs and punch bowls can still be found at thrift stores.

Woodward Eggnog
SERVES ONE

1 ounce spiced rum
1/2 ounce Tuaca Vanilla Citrus Liqueur
1 ounce heavy cream
Splash simple syrup
1 whole egg
Cinnamon and nutmeg

Combine first five ingredients into a mixing glass. Add ice and shake vigorously. Strain into rocks glass over fresh ice. Garnish with cinnamon and nutmeg.

Ames Hotel, 1 Court St., 617-979-8100; ameshotel.com

Tom & Jerry
SERVES SIX

For the Mix:
12 eggs, separated
1 cup white sugar (or more, to taste)
3 ounces brandy or cognac
1/2 tsp. ground cloves
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg

To Serve:
Brandy or cognac
Aged, dark rum
Hot whole milk
Boiling water

For the Mix: Beat egg yolks well and gradually whisk in sugar before adding rum and spices. In a separate bowl, beat egg whites until stiff and fold into yolk mixture until well mixed. Keep refrigerated until serving.

To Serve: For each drink, put two ounces of mix into a toddy mug. Add one ounce each of brandy and aged rum and fill with equal parts hot milk and boiling water. Top with grated nutmeg.

	AFNE, founded by Larry Camerlin, has made more than 45,000 emergency medical flights

How Larry Camerlin spends his time might mean more to others than it does to him—although it means the world to him, too. For Camerlin, days are built around seconds and often hold an urgency that could mean the difference between life and death. He is the founder of and a key pilot for Angel Flight Northeast (AFNE), a 15-year-old nonprofit group to whom time means everything.

AFNE’s volunteer pilots fly patients in need of critical medical care to treatment centers they would not otherwise have the resources to access by other means of transportation. To date, AFNE pilots have made more than 45,000 flights for nearly 60,000 patients and their families—many of whom would not be alive today, if not for Camerlin and AFNE.

“Time is very important to the work of Angel Flight Northeast. Many of the people we care for are running out of money, running out of hope, but most of all, they are running out of time. We can turn relentless hours and days away from home into only minutes and hours, with a short plane ride,” says Camerlin. It is all made possible by supporters such as IWC Watch Company and hundreds of volunteers. Each of the 1,000 AFNE pilots donates his or her time for the flights, as well as the costs for the plane and fuel. “It is so gratifying to make a profound difference in people’s lives,” says Camerlin.

“We all benefit—not just the people we fly, but ourselves as volunteers, too.”

Camerlin, who wears an IWC Big Pilot’s Watch and also owns an IWC Spitfire, says time plays a vital role over and over. “One story that always sticks in my mind is that of a very cold winter night,” he says, recalling a night when no one was supposed to be in the office, but his coworker was; they got the frantic call from a mother in New Hampshire who needed to get her son to Pittsburgh for a liver transplant immediately, and there were no commercial flights left. The coworker called Camerlin, who jumped on the phone with another pilot who had a plane available. Within less than two hours the family was en route to the airport. Camerlin says he saw a shooting star that night from his home, and that as the plane was descending into Pittsburgh, the pilot saw one too. The son had his transplant and was flown home by the same pilot a few weeks later. “It was a miracle the way the timing worked to save a life that night. We all feel very blessed.” For more information, call 978- 794-6868