Author: Alfredo Casuso

A Titanic Connection to Astor and Art

— David Eugene Perry

Ahoy! Later this month I’ll be lecturing on maritime history aboard Holland America’s Nieuw Statendam. Naturally, I always include tales of Titanic. Today in preparation, I was reminded of a Gilded Age story connected to the wealthiest passenger on that ill-fated maiden voyage and one of its most famous victims: John Jacob Astor IV. 

Many people know that Astor perished on Titanic in 1912, but fewer know he was at the center of one of New York’s great family dramas. A feud so spectacular it gave the world the Waldorf-Astoria. His mother, Caroline Schermerhorn Astor, was the reigning “Mrs. Astor,” the queen of New York society. Her nephew, William Waldorf Astor, believed his wife deserved that title after the death of the elder Mrs. Astor. Caroline had other ideas. 

What sounded like a dispute over etiquette became a battle over prestige, power, and which branch of America’s richest family would reign supreme. William retaliated by tearing down his mansion next to hers and building the Waldorf Hotel, which literally overshadowed her home. She reportedly dismissed it with one delicious line, “There’s a glorified tavern next door.” 

Rather than surrender, Caroline and her son John Jacob IV tore down their own mansion and built the adjoining Astoria. Soon the two magnificent hotels were connected by the marble promenade known as Peacock Alley, creating the legendary Waldorf-Astoria. One of history’s most famous luxury hotels born not from cooperation, but from spite. 

Astor’s hotel legacy was extraordinary. After helping create the Waldorf-Astoria through the famous family saga, he built the St. Regis in 1904 as America’s finest luxury hotel. Two years later he opened the Knickerbocker in the newly christened Times Square, envisioning it as New York’s next great social gathering place. It was for that newest Astor hotel that he commissioned Maxfield Parrish’s “Old King Cole.” 

In 1906, he hired the celebrated American artist to paint a mural for the Knickerbocker’s bar, insisting on two things: the subject would be the nursery rhyme monarch Old King Cole, and the king’s face would be Astor’s own. The resulting mural became one of America’s great hotel artworks and generated one of New York’s favorite legends. 

Look closely, and the courtiers seem to be laughing, blushing, or pinching their noses. For generations, people have delighted in the theory that Parrish gently mocked his patron, depicting the dignified Colonel Astor as Old King Cole, caught in a rather undignified moment: passing gas in front of his court. Parrish always denied it, but the story has endured for more than a century. “Old King Cole” was commissioned for the Knickerbocker, which John Jacob Astor IV built. After his death and the hotel’s closure during Prohibition, his son Vincent ensured both his father’s legacy and Parrish’s masterpiece would endure by installing the mural in another family hotel, the St. Regis, where it still presides today. 

For San Franciscans, there’s a delightful sequel. The success of “Old King Cole” led to Parrish’s commission for “The Pied Piper of Hamelin” at San Francisco’s post 1906 Earthquake rebuilt Palace Hotel in 1909 . In “Old King Cole,” Parrish painted Astor; in “The Pied Piper,” he painted himself as the central figure surrounded by his own children. 

Today, these remain the two great surviving Maxfield Parrish hotel bar murals in America, one on each coast. So next time you’re under either mural, remember: you’re seeing not just extraordinary American art, but the legacy of a family feud, the vision of one of Titanic’s most famous passengers, and a son’s devotion to preserving his father’s masterpiece. I’ll raise a London Dry gin martini (stirred not shaken) to that. Ahoy!

Media Contact:
David Perry & Associates, Inc. / news@davidperry.com / (415) 676-7007

Tom LeNoble Opens Limited Summer Availability for
Confidential Advisory Conversations

Opening Pathways Founder Invites Executives, Entrepreneurs and Creatives to Continue the Conversations That Begin After the Camera Goes Dark

13 July 2026 – SAN FRANCISCO, CA: Tom LeNoble confidential advisor, executive coach, author and host of the Opening Pathways podcast, has announced limited summer availability for private advisory conversations with founders, executives, creatives and other thoughtful leaders navigating meaningful transitions, consequential decisions and periods of reinvention.

The invitation grew from LeNoble’s reflections on conversations with past guests of Opening Pathways, including the often-unrecorded exchanges that continue after an interview ends. While the public conversation may focus on business, leadership, growth, visibility and accomplishment, the more revealing conversation frequently begins when the camera is off.

“There are often two conversations,” said LeNoble. “The one that happens while the camera is on, and the one that begins after the screen goes dark. That second conversation is often where people speak most honestly about the decisions in front of them, the parts of their lives that no longer fit and the changes they know they may need to make.”

LeNoble said summer can provide a natural pause for reflection: an opportunity to reconsider established patterns, reconnect with personal priorities and assess what is—or is not—working. His advisory work is designed for people who may appear successful from the outside while privately confronting questions about alignment, purpose, courage, identity or what comes next.

“Often the challenge someone first brings me is not actually the real challenge,” LeNoble continued. “What looks like a business issue may really be about alignment. What looks like strategy may really be about courage. What looks successful externally may quietly feel disconnected internally. My role is to create a confidential space where the real question can emerge—and where the person can move forward with greater clarity and intention.”

Over the past year, LeNoble’s work has evolved more deeply toward serving as a confidential advisor to leaders facing moments that do not always fit neatly within conventional consulting, coaching or professional-development frameworks. These may include a founder weighing a pivotal business decision, an executive questioning the next chapter of a career, a creative considering a major shift, or an accomplished individual seeking to bring outward success into closer alignment with inner values.

The advisory relationship is private, highly individualized and grounded in LeNoble’s experience across corporate leadership, entrepreneurship, executive coaching, philanthropy and profound personal reinvention. Rather than prescribing a standard program, he helps clients identify the underlying issue, challenge assumptions, consider meaningful risks and translate insight into action.

“This is not about telling someone what to do,” said LeNoble. “It is about helping a person hear what they already know, see what they may be avoiding and make decisions that are more fully aligned with who they are becoming. Sometimes the most important progress begins with one honest conversation.”

LeNoble is making room for a small number of conversations during summer 2026. Past Opening Pathways guests, members of his professional community and others who feel that such a conversation would be meaningful are invited to reach out without obligation.

To continue the conversation, visit www.openingpathwayscollective.com or connect with Tom LeNoble through LinkedIn.

About Tom LeNoble:
Tom LeNoble is a confidential advisor to founders, executives, nonprofit leaders, business owners and professionals navigating meaningful leadership moments. An international speaker, coach and philanthropist, his career spans Fortune 500 companies including MCI, Walmart.com, Palm and Facebook, as well as multiple high-growth startups where he helped organizations scale through periods of transformation and growth.

Today, LeNoble serves as CEO of the Academy for Coaching Excellence, one of the world’s leading coach-training organizations. He is also a Leadership Coach with the Miller Center at Santa Clara University, where he mentors social-impact leaders, entrepreneurs and CEOs working to address some of the world’s most pressing challenges.

LeNoble is the number-one bestselling author of the award-winning memoir My Life in Business Suits, Hospital Gowns, and High Heels. His newest book, Morning Ground, launched in June and expands upon the daily reflections that have inspired a growing community seeking greater clarity, resilience and purpose in life and leadership.

He is also the creator and host of the Opening Pathways podcast, which explores the stories behind successful leaders, entrepreneurs and changemakers, with a focus on resilience, reinvention and the moments that shape who people become.

Having survived multiple life-threatening diagnoses—including three separate occasions when he was told he had six months to live—LeNoble brings a perspective forged through lived experience rather than theory alone. His work centers on helping people navigate uncertainty, embrace meaningful risk, strengthen resilience and create lives and careers aligned with their deepest values.

Whether speaking to audiences, advising leaders, coaching executives or serving communities through philanthropy, LeNoble’s message remains consistent: our greatest challenges often become pathways to our greatest growth. His conviction is simple, powerful and life-affirming: “I’m Still Here!”

www.openingpathwayscollective.com

www.tomlenoble.com/mediakit

https://www.linkedin.com/in/tomlenoble

Today on the anniversary of his birth, we celebrate the life and legacy of Rainbow Honor Walk honoree Vito Russo (July 11, 1946 – November 7, 1990).

A pioneering gay rights and AIDS activist, film historian, author and lecturer, Russo transformed how generations understood LGBTQ representation in popular culture. His groundbreaking book, The Celluloid Closet, exposed Hollywood’s long history of stereotyping, censoring and erasing LGBTQ lives from the screen.

Russo was also a co-founder of GLAAD and ACT UP, using his scholarship, visibility and powerful voice to demand truthful media representation, government action and dignity for people living with HIV/AIDS. He died of AIDS-related complications in 1990 at the age of 44, but his influence continues through the activists, artists and storytellers who insist that LGBTQ lives be portrayed honestly and fully. 

https://rainbowhonorwalk.org/

VitoRusso #RainbowHonorWalk #LGBTQHistory #TheCelluloidCloset #GLAAD #ACTUP

Media Contact:  
David Perry, David Perry & Associates, Inc.  / (415) 676-7007 / news@davidperry.com

Fisherman’s Wharf Rings the Bell After Strong July 4th Weekend

Early Business Reports Show Record Sales, Sold-Out Hotels and Strong Waterfront Momentum Following Independence Day Celebration

9 July 2026 – San Francisco, CA: Fisherman’s Wharf is ringing the bell after a strong July 4th holiday weekend, with early feedback from hotels, restaurants, retailers and attractions pointing to a major boost in business activity across San Francisco’s historic waterfront.

“July 4th showed exactly what happens when San Francisco invests in safe, welcoming, high-energy public spaces and gives people a reason to come back to the waterfront,” said Bri Maughan, Executive Director of the Fisherman’s Wharf Community Benefit District. “We’re still gathering feedback, but the early sales reports are overwhelmingly positive — sold-out hotels, record sales, and strong results from restaurants, retailers and attractions across the neighborhood. Fisherman’s Wharf is the waterfront playground of San Francisco, and this weekend proved again how important it is to the city’s economy, spirit and visitor experience.”

“San Francisco’s waterfront shined this July 4th as thousands of residents and visitors came together to celebrate in Fisherman’s Wharf and elsewhere along the waterfront,” said Michael Martin, Acting Executive Director of the Port of San Francisco. “Their energy and excitement translated directly into a strong weekend for local businesses. We’re proud to see San Franciscans and visitors making the waterfront a can’t-miss destination – and equally proud of the small businesses, workers, and cultural institutions that make this place so special yearround.” While additional reporting is still being gathered, preliminary feedback from Wharf businesses shows that the holiday weekend delivered significant increases in revenue, record-setting sales for many businesses, and sold-out hotel rooms at key properties — underscoring the continued resurgence of Fisherman’s Wharf as one of San Francisco’s most important visitor destinations and economic engines for the city.

The Argonaut Hotel and The Zephyr Hotel were sold out over the holiday weekend. The Argonaut also reported its strongest July 4th performance since 2016.

Several PIER 39 tenants reported record July 4^th holiday sales and some reported historic record-breaking sales, while others in the district including Berry’s Boba and Matcha, Blue Mermaid, and Boudin Bakery also reported record sales during the holiday. And, Sabella & La Torre, an iconic Fisherman’s Wharf restaurant about to celebrate its 100^th anniversary next year, also reported on a successful holiday weekend.

Among other early business reports:

Cioppino’s Restaurant, located in Fisherman’s Wharf toward Aquatic Park, reported that sales on Saturday, July 4, 2026 were up 48% compared with Friday, July 4, 2025, and up 19% for the Wednesday-through-Sunday holiday period.

Only in San Francisco, located at PIER 39, reported sales up 20% on Saturday, July 4, 2026 compared with Friday, July 4, 2025.  Bay Company, located in Fisherman’s Wharf toward Aquatic Park, reported sales up 100% on Saturday, July 4, 2026 compared with Friday, July 4, 2025, and up 20% for the Wednesday-through-Sunday period. Safe Harbor reported similar numbers. Business owners noted that the reopening of Maritime Park grass areas, which had been closed off last year, may have contributed to the strong performance. Wharf Central, also located in Fisherman’s Wharf toward Aquatic Park, reported sales up 20% on Saturday, July 4, 2026 compared with Friday, July 4, 2025, though not a record.

Business owners also noted an important calendar factor: with July 4 falling on a Saturday this year, compared with a Friday in 2025, sales on the holiday itself were expected to be stronger, while the surrounding Wednesday-through-Sunday period could be softer for some businesses.

The strong July 4^th holiday results build upon a growing season of public programming in Fisherman’s Wharf, including Pier Party at the Wharf, the weekly pop-up Fish Market, upcomingpublic programming at Taylor Street Plaza,Wags & Wheels, the return of Fleet Fest and the annual Chowder Competition in October, and big surprises ahead for the holiday season

The Fisherman’s Wharf Community Benefit District launched its fourth season of Pier Party at the Wharf in June as a free waterfront concert and community celebration featuring live music from some of the Bay’s best performers, dancing, premium craft cocktails, bistro-style seating, nearby restaurants and retailers, and views of the Bay. Starting July 25^th, the FWCBD will do it all again but with the golden hour backdrop with Pier Part at Sunset. They’ll take over the triangle lot adjacent to Boudin’s, providing for ample space for interactive activations, live artwork, and dancing to unforgettable Bay area music and breathtaking Bay views.
“Few neighborhoods tell San Francisco’s story as vividly as Fisherman’s Wharf,” noted Maughan. “What began as a working waterfront shaped by Italian fishing families, crab stands, seafood markets and maritime commerce has evolved into one of the city’s most visited and beloved destinations — a place where our historic fishing community, family attractions, iconic restaurants, public art and street performers, and wildlife and waterfront views all harmonize in the same spectacular place, the heart of the Bay.”

The 2026 event season builds on Fisherman’s Wharf’s continued resurgence, including the opening of several new restaurants on the horizon, new public art, enhanced pedestrian amenities, food and beverage offerings, the Fisherman’s Wharf Entertainment Zone, and the broader Fisherman’s Wharf Forward initiative led in partnership with the Port of San Francisco.

Upcoming Fisherman’s Wharf 2026 Events Include:

Fish Market
Saturdays, 8am – 2pm
A weekly opportunity to connect with the Wharf’s working waterfront and the seafood traditions that helped define San Francisco.

Pier Party at the Wharf
Now – September 26, 2026
Every 2nd and 4th Saturday
Come see the best of the Bay every 2nd and 4th Saturday. Free live music, local performers, dancing, cocktails, bistro-style seating, restaurants, retailers and waterfront views.

New Plaza Programming & Opening Event
Coming Summer 2026
Come visit the Wharf’s newest reimagined public space that opens a window to the heart of the Bay. Educational programming will highlight the working waterfront and maritime heritage.

Fleet Fest
October 10 & 11, 2026
Join us to celebrate our nation’s military and emergency service personnel in this dynamic festival right in the heart of Fisherman’s Wharf. Experience performances and activities by local musicians and featured military bands, local businesses, veteran and active-duty support organizations, and much more.

Wags & Wheels
October 31, 2026
Whip down to the Wharf with your four-legged friends and your four-wheel rides.

Chowder Competition
October 2026
It’s back! After a several-year hiatus, the Wharf’s annual event celebrating the Bay’s most iconic dish — chowder — returns. This year will even include a category for “Best Sourdough.”

Oyster & Wine Festival
Spring 2027
A seasonal celebration of oysters, wine, seafood and the culinary culture of the Wharf.

For more information on all Fisherman’s Wharf events, visit www.fishermanswharf.org.

About the Fisherman’s Wharf Community Benefit District:
Established in 2005, the Fisherman’s Wharf Community Benefit District is a nonprofit public benefit corporation dedicated to promoting, advancing and maintaining Fisherman’s Wharf as a world-class waterfront destination. The FWCBD works to enhance public spaces, support local businesses, improve the visitor experience, and celebrate the history, culture and vitality of San Francisco’s most visited neighborhood.

About Fisherman’s Wharf:
Fisherman’s Wharf is one of San Francisco’s most iconic and beloved destinations, known for its historic fishing fleet, seafood restaurants, waterfront views, PIER 39 sea lions, family attractions, maritime heritage and enduring role as a gathering place for locals and visitors from around the world.

It’s our job and our pleasure at David Perry & Associates, Inc. to represent ALBA, the Abraham Lincoln Brigade Archives, an educational nonprofit dedicated to preserving and sharing the history and legacy of the American volunteers who fought fascism in the Spanish Civil War. Through archives, exhibitions, public programs, teaching resources and cultural engagement, ALBA connects history to the ongoing defense of human rights. As part of that effort, we are working with ALBA to preserve, protect and promote the monument to these brave soldiers in San Francisco.

We are proud to support an organization whose work reminds us that memory, justice and courage must be carried forward.

https://alba-valb.org/