An expertly curated, luxuriously produced compendium of all things Naples, Naples Illustrated brings to life personalities and takes you inside the exclusive homes, parties and interests of the world’s most affluent and influential people.
As the mercury climbs this time of year, I embrace it wholeheartedly. For me, the heat is a harbinger of holiday cookouts, languid afternoons spent in the pool reading the most recent periodicals, late-afternoon walks, and some type of travel. While I just returned from a family reunion in Savannah, Georgia, my vacations in July and August will likely be contained to Florida locales. I appreciate seeing our state in summertime. If you haven’t guessed, this edition of Naples Illustrated is dedicated to seasonal travel. In past issues, we have homed in on sundry locations or establishments to sightsee, explore, and appreciate. This time, however, we’ve taken a slightly different approach. Instead of solely focusing on where to go, we also delve into how to get there. First up—as our…
THE LUXE LANE WHO: Premier Sotheby’s International Realty WHAT: VIP Party WHERE: Fifth Avenue South, Naples DETAILS: Select guests enjoyed an exclusive party set against the backdrop of the perennially popular Cars on Fifth. Rare cars, art, live entertainment, cocktails, and goodies were enjoyed. MEDIA SPONSOR: Naples Illustrated POP-UP OPENING WHO: Neapolitan Enterprises WHAT: La Bonne Vie 2025 Party WHERE: Camargo Courtyard, Naples DETAILS: Guests gathered to welcome and celebrate creations by four artists, including clothing designer Ala von Auersperg, Palm Beach interior designer Meg Braff, couture costume jewelry creator Susie Hoimes, and porcelain designer Marie Daage. MEDIA SPONSOR: Naples Illustrated RECORD-BREAKING NIGHT WHO: The Education Foundation of Collier County – Champions For Learning WHAT: Night for Champions WHERE: The Ritz-Carlton, Naples DETAILS: More than 300 guests gathered to celebrate and support…
Born and raised in Naples, Chad McKimm enjoyed a second home in the Florida Keys while growing up. It was where he learned to fish. He knew he wanted to share the laid-back lifestyle afforded by our state’s largest island chain with his own family one day. He and wife Katie (and their four children) met Nick and Raynie Reizen (and their two children) when the Reizens relocated to Naples from Michigan in 2017. The two families bonded over a mutual love of fishing and the Keys. When a 4-acre oceanfront resort in Islamorada with the alliterative appellation Pines & Palms Resort came on the market, the McKimms and Reizens decided to purchase it together. (The previous owners were hoping to sell to a family rather than a corporate hotel…
Bryan and Sarah Baeumler—a husband-and-wife team known for their renovation work on HGTV—learned about the aging resort in need of repair. The Baeumlers promptly scheduled a visit. After touring Pines & Palms, they offered to lend their design talents and time, thereby creating a new series (10 episodes) that revolved around overhauling the resort. The show will continue the story of Bryan and Sarah’s goings-on and air on HGTV network. “It was an adventure of a lifetime,” says Katie. Renovations began in July 2024 and were completed five months later. Both families spent hours involved in all aspects of the remodeling project, providing real and raw dialogue for a reality television show set in paradise. “How many kids can say they left school on a Friday afternoon to go to…
It was another banner year for the Naples Winter Wine Festival. Live and online auctions held at the twenty-fifth annual festival raised more than $34 million dollars, beating out the previous year’s record total. The founding organization of the wine festival, the Naples Children & Education Foundation (NCEF), supports local nonprofit organizations that focus on underprivileged and at-risk children living in Collier County. Since inception, the festival has raised more than $336 million. Through annual grants and collaborative strategic initiatives, 90 nonprofit agencies and 350,000 children have benefited. This year’s investment includes funding traditional grants of $6.7 million, $16.5 million for strategic initiatives that fill gaps in local children’s services, and $2.9 million for future projects. And new this year, $8 million will be invested in an Early Learning Enrichment…
For his contributions to civic and charitable organizations throughout Collier and Lee counties, Vincent Keeys was honored as the recipient of the 2025 Distinguished Leadership Award by Greater Naples Leadership (GNL). The nonprofit organization has operated since 1999 with the mission to educate and inspire a network of service-minded leaders within the local community. A former railroad worker, Keeys has served as president for NAACP Collier County, an American civil rights organization operating since 2016. Over the past decade, he has been an active member of Kiwanis Naples-on-the-Gulf and will become president of the organization in 2026. He also has volunteered with several local nonprofits, many of which protect the health and welfare of children. Following Hurricane Ian, trustees emeriti of the Collier Community Foundation recognized Keeys for his community…
