hello again & summer saturday in the city

hello again, lovelies!  for those regular readers & stumblers-upon who may have been disappointed by my negligence over the past few months, my apologies.  it is quite embarrassing that my last post featured a 'winter romance'!  but now, entering late summer, i realize that over this period the last pages of a certain life chapter have been closed, the next opened, though with only a brief introduction thus far & no certain resolution planned, full of ambiguity & excitement & ambition & a healthy dose of fear of the unknown...

{beets at union square farmer's market}

that being said, i think i have finally emerged from the paralyzing transition which bridges the gap between student & young professional, and now with quite an appetite to record & share, again, the beautiful happenings i am lucky to experience & those delightful things that catch my eye & transport me, if only for a moment, to my own idyllic world.

{delicate currants}

today was an early greeting from a beautiful summer's day, sunny & warm & breezy, rushing to be ready to be apart of it, a long-awaiting call & exciting news from a great friend, temptation to purchase the entire line of fresh products, then a soujurn downtown in breezy off-white lace for a mimosa-filled midday meal.

{to all of my british friends - i miss sunday lunch terribly, but wish for your own sakes that london revered brunch as does new york.  it is positively the best meal(s) of the week.}

weaving my way across town, i stumbled into the bustling union square farmer's market {previously featured during the autumn here} and, as i have been many times before, was immediately inspired by the abundance, variety, enthusiasm for local produce & the colors.  inspired not only to look & smell & linger, but full of visions of feasts of mid-summer vibrancy, to cook & to share.  today's market was dominated by stone fruits: nectarines, peaches & plums of all varieties, including the most delicate tart-sweet sugarplums.  and beets, too, and stacks of ears of corn & heaps of freshly picked greens.

{tiny sugarplums}

later, finally the chance to leisurely indulge in a stack of untouched magazines {vanity fair, bon appetit, the new yorker}, a summer's saturday was firmly devoted to rejuvenation.

{watercolor of magazines via pinterest}

expect, going forward, the blog as it was, geared slightly more toward art, focused upon new york.  i hope you are looking forward to the renewal of enchantée as much as i am! and bon soir!

xx hillary

let it snow

finally, the weather in new york has taken a turn for the cold. today was wonderfully crisp, make-your-cheeks-rosey weather: perfectly december.  now all that is needed is a frosting of snowfall to make the season complete.  there's nothing as graceful as snowflakes swirling, floating gently, as peaceful as that white blanket of purity & innocence, or as romantic as sharing its ethereal magic.  don't you agree?  

xx hillary

find all images via my {pinterest}

how very new york.

& bon soir . . . 

kate spade: holiday happiness

hello lovelies!  have you seen any of the kate spade youtube videos yet? for the past year the company has been making the most darling short films, most recently to correspond with their color-of-the-month campaign.  although i will admit i am not the most enthusiastic about the mutli-color choice for november, i do adore the fun vibe of this video.  thanksgiving is first, but here's to holiday wrapping ahead... xx hillary

p.s. how is your weekend going? yesterday i enjoyed the most beautiful fall day. {did you see my instagram pick of the park?} the morning was coffee & a stroll down fifth & madison to the met, wandering, constantly evermore delighted, particularly in spying the museum christmas tree being decorated.  then college football & my favorite eggs benedict with a great friend, off for a much-needed hair cut at an amazingly attentive salon {lavished with crystal chandeliers, no less}. then a leisurely stroll home through the half-light of an autumn afternoon, popping in to banana to try on some new holiday pieces i have my eye on &, oh, a necessary diversion to find the latest martha stewart living, architectural digest, vanity fair, and town & country. and today has been peaceful & productive, leaving me feeling quite prepared for the busy week ahead..  

late-autumn hues: nature & nail color

hello dearies!  sorry not to be checking in as often as i'd like, but things seem to be hectic hectic everywhere.  work & fun & such a wonderfully successful post-war and contemporary evening sale on tuesday. but tomorrow i know that after a morning at the met, i will stroll peacefully down fifth ave, basking in the filtered light created by the avenue of overarching tall oaks overhead, bursting with autumn, possibly similar to the photo above.  this is reminiscent of last year's treks through hyde park & the path in st. james & green park leading eventually to the palace ... long strides & deep breaths in my tall riding boots. 

isn't this just magical?

and this reminds me of photos i've been dying to share for a full year now ... a perfect autumn saturday in the english countryside, at the most magnificent chatsworth.  a great duke's 'attic sale' hosted by sotheby's followed by hours of romping about the grounds, snapping photos of remarkable vistas, the house a picturesque masterpiece, & in the house, gasping at its beauty & extravagance, and hoping just hoping that mr. darcy would appear around every corner.  all coming soon, tomorrow perhaps?    

but now, head out of jane austen & back in new york, i think i have found the.perfect.nail.color for november pre-thanksgiving.  downtown brown by essie.  described by essie as a chocolate brown with deep red undertones, it is quintessentially late autumn, moving away from the apple reds of september & october & preceding the jewel-tones and sparkles of the christmas season.  & now two manis in a row.  thoughts?  what are your go-to colors for november & december?  so happy for my walk down 5th tomorrow.  surely instagram pics are in the making.. happy almost weekend.  xx hillary 

so obsessed .. my contribution to a thanksgiving table?

{all images via pinterest}

enchanted event: artists for haiti at auction

hello lovelies!  just a quick message to let you know about an amazing charity event that occurred on thursday at christie's: the artists for haiti auction.  headed up by ben stiller, the auction consisted of only 26 lots by both established & up-and-coming contemporary artists, & all of which were donated & sold, four for record prices, including one purchased by jennifer anniston & her beau.  the auction was headed by ben stiller, who was sighted last tuesday giving interviews in the christie's galleries.  the total $13.7 million raised at the auction will go directly to non-profits to rebuild schools on the island devastated last year in the earthquake.  check out the e-catalogue here & press release here.  isn't so lovely to hear about something both glamorous & incredibly charitable?  xx hillary 

fragrant & fresh: union square farmer's market

hello lovelies!  a taste of today's trip to union square farmer's market ... lost in the joy of farm-fresh produce, charmed by the bright flowers, new yorkers with most adorable dogs (miss you, nala!), apples appearing in bushels & bushels {i chose the prettiest ever blushing french breakfasts}, quarts of cider & piles of plums & petite pears. oh & local grapes, have you ever tried true concords? & with autumn beginning, still the remnants of late summer with sweet corn & heirloom tomatoes.  ohh i do adore seasonal, local fresh produce.  now for writing & organizing before meeting best girlfriends.  i hope you had the most lovely & relaxing saturday, at the farmer's market perhaps?  have a beautiful weekend.  

xx hillary  

move over cupcakes: ladurée macarons in nyc

image via {here}

have you tried a proper french macaron yet?  these light as air, beautifully colored & flavored cookies are the new trending dessert, recently becoming a staple at weddings & other elegant events.  martha stewart living magazine even featured an article on how to make the parisian delicacies at home, each essentially two disks of italian meringue held together with cream.  often in light pastel tones in such darling flavors as rosewater, pistachio, jasmine, orange flower, sea-salted caramel, creme de cassis & the palest brown chocolate, stacked in pyramids, they are aesthetically oooh so pleasing & delicious, and although they have been widely available in the us & the uk in speciality shops, the original & most beautiful & indisputably authentic brand is ladurée {& with the most enchanting packaging}. only until the last few months these ladurée macarons were exclusively available in paris, but shops have opened in london {including a mini shop in selfridges} & a proper store in covent garden.  & most excitingly, madison avenue has been graced with a laudree {71st & madison).  apartment hunting {ultimately successful, i should add} deterred our plans to stop by, but we will undoubtedly visit very soon & i cannot wait to have a beautiful box of my own perfect sweets.    

image via {here}

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au revoir weekend, passing so quickly & dominated by upper east side real estate & more amazing alumni football, but onto a fresh new week, to be filled with lease signing & a saks launch party & kate spade fall fête & perhaps my first day as an employee at j.crew collection on madison.  how was your weekend?  i hope you are enjoying the most lovely transition from summer to autumn ...  now to get organized before monday monday & bon soir.  xx hillary  

labor day weekend catch-up

all american bbq via pinterest

hello mes chéries!  & for those of you in the us, happy labor day!  i have been horribly busy lately & deeply apologize, but am happy to report that i'm settled again & will be back to frequent blogging.  friday was working working, saturday so much fun at the opening of the football season at my alma mater with best college friends & tailgates galore, & sunday packing & more packing & visiting with family, then today driving & carrying & a glorious unpacking into an adorable apartment on the upper east side to share with one of my best girlfriends from college.  new york is just perfect, as was my first {remarkably inexpensive, may i add} new york manicure {in light brownish purple in honor of autumn}.  & tomorrow is first day of work, ahem, interning.


but what did you lovelies do to celebrate the {unofficial} final day of summer? :: très triste ::  a bbq or pool or beach party?  whatever it was, i hope that you had a wonderful day & that you wore white & you reflected upon a beautiful summer past & that you are ready for the most charming & romantic autumn.  will be back tomorrow with a real post.  xx hillary

le week-end: nyc wrap-up

image via {here}

hello mes chéries!  i hope that you had such a lovely summer's weekend.  returning to boston late last night, my few days in nyc were perfectly magical, mostly due to, however brief, reunions with dear friends.  highlights included a morning basking in the grandeur of the frick, breakfast in the park both days, seasonal cuisine at mercer kitchen {and a most delicious cocktail :: thyme-infused vodka and sparkling lemonade}, after dinner drinks at a biergarten in the meatpacking district, and shopping and galleries in soho {chanel + chagall = bliss}.  but perhaps the most memorable stop was at the kimberly hotel's rooftop bar in midtown.  the perfect combination of an outdoor summer space glittering with white lights {and glasses of champagne} surrounded by city skyscrapers, the experience was at once refreshing & trés urban, trumped only by the perfect and delightful, quiet content of best friends, reunited at last.  oh and it's official ... i will be a new yorker in less than a month! eek! summer may be slowly coming to an end, but wonderful things are on the horizon.  xx hillary

p.s. check back later for some posts featuring some design trends i noticed during our shopping excursions ...