James Andrew and friends

While we can’t choose our families, (and I’m not going to spoil the mood by bringing mine into the picture), thankfully we can choose our friends!

And we think we’ve chosen rather well! Case and point, have a look here at a few of my favorite pals—the smiles are brought to you thanks to my super chic friend, Carmindy, who had us all to her beach house for a glorious weekend romp, seaside in Montauk. Wine, summer cookouts, lounging around—the simple things that make for a beautiful August getaway.

photo Gabriel Everett

I trust our WIJW friends are out there enjoying some of these remaining Halcyon days of summer together as well!

photos Gabriel Everett

There’s a diverse group in Montauk—surfers, hedge fund guys, artists, etc. and so I assembled a look that has a sort of preppie-hippie vibe—let’s call it South Hampton Boheme.

I’m sporting a royal blue cotton satin jacket by Gucci, Baumans Men’s store provided me with this pale blue linen shirt with contrast white collar and french cuffs and the white linen and pale blue pocket square, Seaman Schepps pearl cuff links with pale blue sapphires, cotton madras plaid shorts from Club Monaco, red alligator belt with silver buckle from Ralph Lauren, bone suede loafers by Tom Ford and my cologne Creed Bois de Cedrat.

James Andrew, Harbour Island. Photo Scott Mcbee

With its turquoise water, powdery sand, and casually elegant vibe, it’s easy to see how Harbour Island and Dunmore would be the perfect spot for India Hicks and her family to realize their inspired vision of island living.

One of the first things that one notices on Harbour Island is the fact that most local travel is done on foot or by cart. This really slows the pace, giving one a heightened sense of the environment, and it adds a particularly social element to one’s comings and goings as well, creating an ease to social exchange that is virtually extinct where many of us come from! As Hicks puts it, Harbour Island is “the epitome of barefoot chic.”

And pleasures are reassuringly simple on the island – for instance, one evening after enjoying a scrumptious meal with a small and well selected gathering chez Hicks we were greeted by a tropical storm which quite promptly put the electricity out – in a blink, India whisked us to the drawing room for a lively game of charades – I must say I was having more fun than I’d had in a long time. Remember those days before we buried our lives in our blackberries and flat screen TVs? We at WIJW do, and it took us an evening like this one to remind us how nice it is to connect in such a natural way.

Obviously we owe a great deal of gratitude to Harbour Island and the effortlessly graceful India Hicks for a little glimpse of the way things could, can, and should be!

Saying our farewells, I’m wearing a white cotton voile safari shirt by Gucci, white cotton shorts by Mario Matteo from Behaviour NYC, lemon yellow ribbon belt by Club Monaco, my fragrance is Citrus Bigarrade by Creed.

James Andrew at David Hicks' Savannah.

David Hicks’ concept of Savannah was far from the usual colonial fare so prevalent throughout the Bahamas. In fact a first encounter with Savannah was, and still is, a bit shocking. But of course, being the brainchild of David Hicks, it actually makes perfect sense that he drew upon the Egyptian aesthetic for his fantasy Bahamian retreat – the sun, the sand, and palms all lend a shared context that make Savannah perfectly at home on Windermere Island.

And then there is the interior – Hicks’ interior is typically hyper stylized with a signature sophisticated look, yet through his highly considered choice of local materials and finish, Hicks makes sure we never lose a sense of place. All the interior walls and floors were constructed from a rusticated mixture of local pink sand, cement, and marble dust. The ceilings by contrast are highly polished with almost a lacquered appearance, lending them a certain weightless quality – this buoyant effect is further enhanced by a painted black gap between the walls and ceiling. Floor to ceiling windows accentuate the vertical and were made to slide into the walls, inviting an easy interplay between interior and exterior. Two scroll top pictures specially painted by the artist Bruce Tippet in a vibrant Caribbean palette anchor the seating areas in the living room – the rest of the artwork at Savannah is by David Hicks himself as well as by Ashley and India Hicks.

Following the ravages of Hurricane Floyd, India Hicks lovingly undertook some much needed renovations to Savannah. But “there was no improving on the master,” she tells us, so thankfully virtually everything has been restored to its original specifications.

While a visit to Savannah is primarily reserved for family and friends, it is available for a week or two on occasion for those seeking a truly unique experience. Are your bags packed already?

I’m pictured (above) enjoying the super chic living room at Savannah. Dressed in homage to the master I’m sporting a white linen jacket by Gucci, pale blue Glen plaid cotton French cuff shirt by Tom Ford, Seaman Schepps silver pearl and pale blue sapphire cuff links, shocking pink cotton jean cut pants by Dior, yellow ribbon belt by Club Monaco, yellow and white silk retro print pocket square by Charvet Paris, white leather Gucci loafers, and my fragrance is Royal Water by Creed – Incidentally Creed’s fragrance Royal Water was created for the young house of Windsor, and as chance would have it Prince Charles and Lady Diana spent time at Savannah on their honeymoon in the summer of 1981!

James Andrew on Worth Avenue. photo ACS

WIJW is thrilled to have been invited down to Palm Beach to share our unique perspective on the American International Fine Art Fair. It is especially encouraging to hear of the record breaking success of the fair – Francois Graff of Graff Diamonds is reported to have exclaimed “It was just like the old days [at the opening of the American International Fine Art Fair (AIFAF)].”

As always we here at WIJW continue to focus on a better story, and hope that our readership will join us in a few moments of optimism here and there to combat the constantly glum (and often debilitating) outlook that seems so popular these days. It is lucrative events like the AIFAF that help to confirm what we at WIJW have professed from the very beginning – Opportunity abounds!

Despite a fairly exhausting and time intensive press schedule we did finally make a few moments to enjoy a lovely lunch poolside, and take a stroll along the beach, finishing our little getaway in true Windsor style with a visit to Worth Avenue – one of the world’s most celebrated shopping meccas.

(left) Taking a wonderfully rejuvenative lunch pool-side at the Chesterfield Hotel, I’m sporting a Michael Bastian white and pink red striped cotton seersucker hoody with purple and white gingham cotton seersucker shorts by Club Monaco and ivory white Gucci loafers. Photo – ACS

(Top) Channeling a photo of the Duke and Duchess of Windsor on Worth Avenue – I’m wearing a white linen jacket, a white, turquoise and purple plaid linen shirt, lavender micro corduroy pants, python belt with sterling buckle all by Gucci, turquoise silk pocket square Charvet Paris, taupe suede and patent leather sneakers by Lanvin, Rolex Submariner watch. Photo – ACS

We look forward to bringing you much more from Palm Beach in the not so distant future!

At “Bellevue Beach House” most meals (and cocktails) are served alfresco on the terrace, and an extensive collection of beautiful chinaware ensures one will never be served a scrumptious Lindsay masterpiece on the same pattern twice!

What a gift to be able to enjoy the company of a dear friend in such a fabulous Bermuda retreat! Bellevue truly defines elevated living.

Studying the details of Lindsay’s brilliant drawing room, I’m wearing a crisp white linen jacket by Gucci, Etro silk pocket square, Turnbull and Asser purple and white cotton gingham shirt, cerulean blue cotton shorts by Club Monaco, a purple alligator belt with sterling buckle by Ralph Lauren and Gucci python loafers.

Having changed very little since its 1948 incarnation, the Coral Beach is a wonderfully well preserved piece of a bygone era – a membership, let alone an invite, is indeed a major achievement!

Dining on the terrace of the Coral Beach club offers breathtaking views of the pinkish coral sand and turquoise sea – the perfect setting to enjoy the delectable menu of local Bermuda specialties like fish soup with rum and cherry pepper vinegar or a “dark and stormy,” (a mischievous concoction of Barritts ginger beer and Gosling’s black rum with a generous wedge of lime!).

I’m pictured here at the terrace of Coral Beach, with an excellent example of an archetypal Bermuda roof and chimney, and of course the ever-present and always hypnotic sea beyond. The wall color reminds me of Farrow and Ball’s “smoked trout” and is indicative of the blend of island and colonial sensibility that typifies the unique Bermuda style.

Admiring the beauty of this magnificent place I’m wearing a Gucci white cotton voile safari shirt, Club Monaco purple and white cotton seersucker shorts, Ralph Lauren purple alligator belt with sterling buckle, ivory leather Gucci loafers and sunglasses by Gucci.

Celebrating Adopt-a-Cat month, I’m wearing my fabulous “Chairman Meow” red and black t-shirt from Viva Chairman Meow with a black linen denim jacket by Gucci, Tom Ford black and white silk pocket square, Club Monaco black and white cotton gingham seersucker shorts, red alligator belt with sterling buckle by Ralph Lauren, black, white and silver leather loafers (not shown) by Gucci and Dior sunglasses – tote is by Gucci.

I had great response to a post I made some time ago with some well priced clothing – so sharing another one today. Here is my take on “high/low” – I couldn’t find any shorts I liked at some of my usual shopping destinations and found that Club Monaco had a huge selection of fantastic shorts. I was reminded of what Carrie in Sex and the City said so perfectly – “I need a $25 dress to go with my $500 shoes.”

I snapped up some Club Monaco black and grey plaid cotton seersucker shorts and lemon yellow ribbon belt and I paired these bargain shorts with an unusual shirt in cotton/silk black and white micro stripes with drawstring neck by Balenciaga. I completed the look with a Gucci white leather bag, black, white, and silver leather loafers, and a sharp looking pair of Dior sunglasses.