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"The kids are always included in everything," Azevedo stresses. "Of course, sometimes friends stay late and the kids have to go to sleep, but up until that point, they are part of everything we do."

A typical Sunday starts early with friends gathering for a morning horseback ride. All roads lead back to Azevedo's, where they enjoy a long, lazy lunch. Azevedo keeps it simple. "I'm very easy, so I have to have simple things done in a quick way." While the standard barbecue fare—chicken, meat and the occasional hot dog—are favorites, Azevedo often turns to fish to vary the menu. "Mussels and shrimp are some of my favorites. I also love foie gras and Champagne," he says with a laugh. "They're also simple and easy."

Azevedo designed his home to accommodate his passion for entertaining, and also the outdoors. French doors in almost every room open out onto the expansive lawn and gardens situated in the back. Windows extend to the floor, letting light stream through the interior.

"The idea was to have the whole house be open so that light and people could come in and out easily," Azevedo observes. When the sun goes down, the exterior glows with moonshine lights. "The canopy created by the trees looks silver with this light," Azevedo notes. "It's spectacular." Naturally, the outside space is used as a dining alternative when the weather is right. During long lunches, guests sit beneath a pergola that spans the length of a back patio. Covered in silver glazed vine, a type of clematis whose white flowers bloom all summer long, the pergola creates a cool shaded area where guests can linger.