An honor for Steel — ‘Abbey’ for all
In addition to being one of the world’s bestselling authors, Danielle Steel received a new feather for her chapeau. On Jan. 1 the French government conferred upon Steel a Chevalier of the Légion d’Honneur, its highest honor.
Steel was previously decorated by France in 2002 as an officier of L’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres for outstanding literary achievement.
“I’d heard people talk about it, but I wasn’t really paying attention,” Steel admitted with a laugh when we spoke last week. “But I’m totally thrilled because the Chevalier recognizes lifetime achievement, which is really cool.”
European by birth and educated in France, Steel is a fan of the French author Colette. Many folks assume Steel has permanently decamped to her Parisian pied, but she’s actually logged in a lot of EssEff hours of late.
In November, Sue Fisher King hosted a party to celebrate Steel’s memoir about treasured pets, “Pure Joy: The Dogs We Love.”
And Steel was all over her map (Paris-S.F.-New York) in December, spending the holidays here with her children. In March, she releases her latest, “Power Play,” about male and female CEOs.
“I’m taking a bit of a break because my commitments are complete for now,” Steel says. “But I get nervous when I’m not writing. My success is tempered by the fact that to do it well, I need to be driven by guilt. So I’ve always keep a fire under my posterior.”
Which brings us (sort of) to her Pacific Heights hedge, the height of which was recently determined by The Chronicle to be “comically off-putting” against her limestone manse.
“Sometimes I think San Francisco hates successful people,” she mused. “No matter what I do, people say nasty stuff. I mean, the world is falling apart and people complain about my hedge. It’s a mystery.”
Truth is, Steel also thinks the hedge is too tall. But when she asked her staff to trim it, her security advised that it provides protection from peering eyes.
“This is a lovely home, not a public monument,” she explained. “For 20 years, I’ve received threats leveled against myself and my family. Across the street, people stand on the hill in the park and shoot photos of the interior. So unless the hill shrank during the park’s reconstruction, the hedge will maintain its current height.”
The one distraction that currently abates her horticultural horrors is “Downton Abbey.”
“I’m not a big TV watcher, but I’m addicted to that show; it relaxes me,” she admits. “I’ve just seen all of the new season in Europe. And while some of the situations are stressful, everything is resolved in the Christmas episode.”
Stay tuned. “Downton,” Part 1: Lords and ladies of our regal little realm gathered Sunday in a SoMa loft to celebrate the season four premiere of the PBS series “Downton Abbey.”
Hosted by designer Ken Fulk, nattily attired like a Victorian newsie, this casually chic confab (featuring a delish Daniel Ripley- catered buffet) also saluted Denise Hale, who’s pledged her support as the series’ local sponsor in honor of her late husband, Prentis Cobb Hale.
“OK, we’ve got 57 minutes until showtime,” enthused photographer Douglas Friedman. “I’m turning off Facebook and Instagram because I don’t want to know what happens from my friends on the East Coast.”
Before opening credits rolled, the gang cheered as the animated illustration of Hale, drawn by fashion illustrator David (no relation) Downton, flickered to life first. Among gathered grandees: KQED President-CEO John Boland and his partner, apple rancher James Carroll; state Sen. Mark Leno; chef Tyler Florence and his restaurateur wife, Tolan Florence; C magazine publisher Jennifer Smith Hale; Alex Chases; restaurateurs Anna Weinberg and James Nicholas; Joshua Robison; Restaurant Gary Danko honcho Greg Lopez; S.F. Ballet principal dancer Damian Smith and his spouse, HGTV’s “Curb Appeal” architect-designer John Gidding; chef Nancy Oakes; Tatiana and Serge Sorokko; Fulk’s husband, Kurt Wootton; and Chronicle Food Editor Michael Bauer and his partner, IfOnly.com exec Michael Murphy.
“This is PBS’ biggest hit since Ken Burns’ ‘Civil War,’ ” noted Boland, who harbors a deep affection for “Downton” since he was at the helm as chief content officer when PBS was deciding whether or not to greenlight the period piece.
“It was tricky — ‘Downton’ debuted the same season as ‘Sherlock’ and an ‘Upstairs, Downstairs’ revival,” recalled Boland. “But I was the guy who got to say, ‘Yes, we’re doing ‘Downton.’ ”
Which was lucky for Hale, a dedicated fan of Maggie Smith’s dowager.
Fulk attempted to convince us that Lady Mary is a sympathetic character.
“But,” he revealed, “I’ll never get over the devilishly handsome Mr. Pamuk from season 1.” “Downton” redux: Also celebrating Saturday at KQED’s Castro Theatre premiere was everyone’s favorite chef, actress Lesley Nicol, who plays the tough downstairs toque Mrs. Patmore.
Following her onstage Q&A, Nicol landed in Sausalito, where she and her husband, Da’aboth Te’He’ling, alighted at the restaurant Insalata.
Nicol dined on the mustard-glazed grilled pork chop and triplelayer chocolate torte, then gamely posed for a photo with Insalata chef-owner Heidi Krahling.
Insalata manager Beth Casey excitedly e-mailed that Nicol saluted her boss: “Heidi, you’re the real chef, and I’m just the make-believe chef.”