September, 2016:

It goes without saying, I am honored to be included in Brian McCarthy and (my fellow Parish Hadley alumna) Bunny Williams’ tremendous tome The Parish-Hadley Tree of Life: An Intimate History of the Legendary Design Firm – “A lavish survey, with stories from some of the world’s most successful interior designers, that traces the history of the legendary Parish-Hadley design firm.”

I devoured the book in one sitting. Of course, many of the stories I’ve heard, but it’s always nice to be reminded of them, and read them in their most crystalline form. Hadley was a sublime story teller and many late night parties with the man offered me truly fascinating glimpses into the worlds of design and decoration.

Sister Parish and Albert Hadley had very different approaches to design and decoration, but together they created some of the most iconic interiors of our time. They were the firm of choice for many of the social elite – the chicest of the chic – from the Gettys, to the Astors to the Rockefellers and Paleys – the list goes on. And let’s not forget how many stellar design careers the firm launched – David Easton, Kevin McNamara, David Kleinberg to name a few.

My own tenure at the legendary design firm Parish-Hadley was one of the greatest gifts – it really was the design equivalent of attending Harvard Business School and as you might imagine, it’s a gift that keeps giving!

Included are a few images of Hadley’s living room – which I always found so impossibly chic. He gave me the pair of bergeres that were in his living room – they now flank my sofa. I’ve also topped ivory lacquer pedestals with busts of Antoine-Pierre Barnave by Houdon as a bit of an homage to my mentor.

The book is a must-read for all those interested in design and decoration, and for those who simply want a vicarious stay in some supremely elegant interiors, The Parish-Hadley Tree of Life: An Intimate History of the Legendary Design Firm will not disappoint!

It boggles my mind to think that we have been at this for over 8 years already!  So much has changed since then with the emergence of popular venues like Instagram (which, it may surprise you, has only been around for about five years). While many of these social media sites have been a boon for those wanting to get a quick thought or image out there (and we love and utilize these sites as you may know), a personal blog really allows one to create a more immersive experience. Of course, to do this – to create something really considered, memorable, informative, and hopefully, inspiring – a whole lot of factors have to all come together. Things like location, ensemble, photographer, and writing, all have to be scheduled and planned, often weeks in advance!

In a reflective mood, I recently found myself perusing the many posts we’ve made over the years; I’m proud of what we’ve been able to accomplish with the help of so many friends and artists! In celebration, here’s a little gallery retrospective of some of our all-time favorites, and most of these pre-date Instagram! Of course this is only a tiny sampling. Over the next few weeks, I’ll be sure to share additional archival images both here as well as on Instagram and perhaps Facebook for some of our newer fans. As always, we appreciate the continued support of our beloved WIJW readership. Thank you!

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Several of my fabulous young friends have recently been ranting about Fort Tilden – for instance my brilliant friend, artist Boris Glamocanin, is a regular and frequently sends me the most exquisite images made there on the beach! With Labor Day weekend just ahead, and being curious ourselves, we decided we might as well make this an even longer weekend and so set off to explore the place. We loved it. It’s actually quite an easy jaunt from town. and if you go now, you can see Katharina Grosse’s installation, Rockaway. It’s a vibrant project made on and around the decaying former aquatics buildings at Fort Tilden that had been devastated by hurricane Sandy. The work acts as a (defiant?) celebration of these buildings, their history and the people who used them.

Beach AND art really makes for the most perfect combo! Needless to say, it’s all well worth a visit.

Dressed for an afternoon at the beach, I’m sporting a Ralph Lauren Denim and Supply Co. olive linen cardigan, Uniqlo white cotton pique knit top, Polo Ralph Lauren purple striped ikat cargo shorts, Louboutin black leather sandal/espadrilles, Tom Ford “Marco” sunglasses and a hat from the Sugar Mill, Harbour Island.