Villa Montebella · Glen Ellen, Sonoma
An evening among the people
who matter most.
Gleb sends invitations the same way he makes decisions — slowly, and with complete certainty.
This link did not reach you by accident. You are someone whose presence in his life has meant something. Maybe you built something together. Maybe you simply make the room better when you walk in. Maybe Gleb just loves being near you.
He doesn't explain the reasons. He doesn't need to. You know.
Twenty-five years ago I left everything familiar to build something no one had built before. I am still doing that.
For 25 years I have been building things — quietly, and at scale. Milkinside, the studio I run out of Silicon Valley, has been part of products and systems that most of the world uses without thinking about who designed them. That anonymity is the job done right.
But somewhere inside all of that work, I learned something more important than how to build. I learned that the only real investment is in moments. Specific ones. The kind you remember in ten years and think: that was when I felt most alive.
I left Europe intentionally. Not running from anything — running toward a way of thinking that has no room for yesterday. California did that. Silicon Valley did that. This particular piece of Sonoma, with its silence and its vineyards, did the rest.
On May 23rd I want to gather eighteen people who, each in their own way, are part of why any of this matters. You are one of them. That is the only reason this exists.
With love and anticipation,
Gleb Kuznetsov Founder & CEO · Milkinside · Glen Ellen, 2026Hosted May 23–25. All expenses covered by Gleb for two days.
2 hours from San Francisco. Private plane available.
Loved ones welcome — just mention it when you RSVP.
Chef-served by candlelight. Cool underground — warm plaids and outdoor fireplace above.
Curated by Gleb. Every record chosen for this specific evening.
Two days. The entire estate is yours. No schedule. No expectations.
Villa Montebella · Glen Ellen, Sonoma
We descend into the wine cave at dusk. Stone walls, candlelight, a chef who has been preparing for this evening for weeks. Cool below, warm above — plaids provided, a fireplace burns outside. There is no menu to choose from. There is only what has been prepared for you, for this specific evening.
Gleb selected every record. All from this century, all chosen for this specific evening. No requests, no algorithm, no shuffle. Just a needle on vinyl and the particular feeling that only analog sound in a good room produces. You will notice the difference immediately.
Heated pool, tennis court, a wine cellar worth exploring, gardens worth getting lost in. No itinerary, no expectations. This is your time — not a programme.
Everyone in this room was chosen deliberately. The list is not large enough for anyone to hide and not small enough to feel claustrophobic. You will meet people you did not expect. That has always been the point.
IF YOU CARRY
A BOTTLE —
BRING IT.
Sonoma and Napa produce some of the finest wine on the planet. A private chef is preparing the food. The cave provides the setting. If you are flying in from Europe or Japan and want to bring something from home — a wine that means something to you — it will be opened, poured, and talked about. Wine is never just wine. It is always a story.
Sonoma Valley · California
We coordinate everything. Alternatively, a shared car from San Francisco takes two hours — arrangements can be made for guests arriving at SFO or OAK.
Some guests stay at the villa, others at a house in Sonoma or a nearby hotel — all arranged. The villa is open to everyone at all hours. Pool, barbecue, cellar — no checkout time.
The hosted stay ends May 25th. The Pacific Coast, Big Sur, and San Francisco are all within reach. Gleb will point you in the right direction. Just ask.
Eight to eleven time zones is not a small thing. Gleb has seen too many guests arrive jet-lagged and miss the best of it. Come May 21 or 22. Rest. Let California find you before the evening does. Accommodation before May 23rd is your own — but arriving early is the best decision you will make for this trip.
California is not a place you understand from the outside. It operates on its own logic, its own scale, its own social contract. Come curious. Leave your assumptions at home.
California is the size of a country. There is no meaningful public transport between any of its cities. We handle all transportation during the stay — but if you plan to explore independently, rent a car. It is not optional here.
Wine Country has genuinely great restaurants — worth every dollar. Outside that world, quality is unpredictable. Always research before you go. Tip 20% as a baseline — it is simply how service workers are compensated here.
Californians are genuinely friendly in ways that feel unfamiliar if warmth is earned slowly where you come from. Take it at face value. The directness, the optimism, the scale of ambition — it is real. That is why I stayed.
Villa Montebella · Sonoma
Please let us know you are coming.
Share any dietary needs so our chef can prepare for you.
"None of us knows how much time we have together.
That is exactly why this evening matters."