Featured Contributor
In 2008, we moved the gallery
to a 3600 square-foot location
in downtown Napa, where today
we offer the finest selection of
Romantic Realism in the world.
The physical gallery is located at
1301 First Street in Downtown
Napa. Its extensive collection can
also be enjoyed online at www.
cordair.com. Quent and I live in
Napa with our cats, Lexie and Sadie,
and our border collie, Mollie.
LBM: How did you discover your
love for travel, food and art?
Linda: I grew up traveling as an army
brat and then worked in the travel
industry for over 20 years. I left
travel to pursue a career in fine art
and then relocated our art gallery to
wine country, where I can have it all;
quite the luxury evolution!
LBM: Are you more passionate about
writing or photography and why?
Linda: I would have to say
photography, because I am much
better at it. When I was in high
school, I worked for three different
newspapers as a photographer and
part-time journalist. My favorite
part of the job was developing the
mm film.
LBM: Tell us about your
writing process?
Linda: Sometimes, I create an outline
on a topic and fill in the information
as time permits. Other times, I just
open a Word document and go for it!
Fortunately, I am married to a writer,
so a world-class editor is always
close by.
LBM: When you get the chance
to pick your travel destination,
where do you go?
Linda: I love a good travel adventure
and I generally want to go
somewhere that I have never been
to before. Even though I already live
in one of the most beautiful places
in the world, Paris, Florence, Dublin,
Tahiti and Thailand are all high on
my travel wish list these days.
LBM: If you could be anyone else,
who would it be?
Linda: My life is wonderful; I would
not care to be anyone else.
LBM: What are you thoughts on
the business of luxury and how
it is evolving?
Linda: Technology continues to open
luxurious doors. I love being able to
armchair travel to exotic places
when my schedule requires my
presence at home. Technology also
allows me to share the beautiful art
in our gallery with people all over
the world. Nearly 80% of our art
business comes via our website. We
had the first art gallery website in
the 90s. Our presence online brings
luxury to people around the world
every day, many of whom do not
otherwise have access to museum
quality art.
LBM: What motivates you to be
a luxury journalist?
Linda: My sense of life is a perfect
fit with Luxe Beat aga ine Life
as it could and should be. We only
get so many heartbeats and should
make every effort to enjoy each one
of them via the luxuries that make
us happiest.
LBM: What is one of your favorite
experiences while traveling?
Linda: Quent and I were married on
a semi-private beach in the Cayman
Islands in the presence of our two
children and a few passers by. It
was a perfectly breezy and romantic
Caribbean day.
LBM: Who is your favorite chef?
Linda: I admire Julia Child for her
passion, talent, tenacity and fearless
and completely unapologetic nature.
I enjoy recreating some of her
recipes from time to time. What
an amazing woman she was!
LBM: How do you enjoy spending
your free time?
Linda: My hobbies tend to revolve
around my palate. I am an absolute
food and wine junkie. I like to spend
my days off cooking or exploring
wine country. I also dabble a little
in the garden and with my Art
Goddess blog.
LBM: If you were stranded on an
island, name one person and three
items you would bring.
Linda: My husband Quent, a lifetime
supply of great champagne and my
cast-iron skillet.
LBM: If we came to your hometown,
what would we do? Tell us about
your favorite places.
Linda: The day would start with a
champagne toast before our hot-air
balloon ride over the vineyards,
119
followed by a gourmet breakfast.
Then, we would visit Quent Cordair
Fine Art, where we would explore
some of the finest romantic realist
art. We would then lunch with a view
at one of my favorite lunch spots,
perhaps Auberge du Soleil, and then
out and about to enjoy some worldclass wine tasting; all via limousine
of course, after which, we would
have to head back to the gallery for
more art and to build up an appetite
for a delectable dinner at 1313 Main
LuLu s itchen, followed by wine
fireside at one of the local hot spots,
before retiring for the evening in
a suite at one of the local bed and
breakfasts owned by close friends.
LBM: What are three necessities
you won’t travel without?
Linda: My phone, my glasses and
my wedding ring.
What does Luxe Beat Magazine
mean to you?
Linda: Luxe Beat is a tool, a guide
and a companion for luxury living.
Linda Cordair can be reached
at [email protected] or via
www.cordair.com.