Field Report: The Tom Cary Collection

It all started in the Summer of 2011 in one of my favorite shops in the world, The Seven Seas, on the very special island of Nantucket. I was visiting for a full two weeks, a luxury that I was only able to take full advantage of last year for the first time.

Since I now live in California, far from old friends and family, I had waves of guests coming out to visit and stay with me, and as each of them passed through the island, I took them to my favorite spot. After more than a few weekly visits, I got to know Mike Thom, Vanessa Noel's Executive Assistant, who was taking care of her shop for the summer. We kept in touch and met for a drink in Connecticut over the holidays when I was home for Christmas. It was there that the story of Tom Cary and his famous collection of rare books and collectibles came to life. After hearing about his collection, I realized it was his appreciation for rare and vintage finds that I loved so much about The Seven Seas. I just had to meet him.

I was in New York for work earlier this month, and Mike was gracious enough to set up a meeting. But not just any meeting - a private tour of his Upper East Side apartment-turned-gallery! I embarked on what became a peek into the fabulous, rare and vintage world of Thomas Cary. 

The first thing one notices upon walking into his shop is the breadth of collectibles he has. Once you explore a little more, you notice that it's not just a collection of 'stuff', and the quality and detail of each object cannot be overlooked. 

Tom has a background in fashion at Brooks Brothers and Paul Stuart, which helps to explain the preppy aesthetic that runs through the space. During the tour, Tom offered his colorful commentary about the history of how he personally found each piece. It's not hard to see why the likes of Kate Spade, Tory Burch and Ralph Lauren all shop here to decorate their retail stores.

Surprisingly, Tom doesn't have a emotional attachment to too many of his pieces (I found this hard to understand considering I was only a passerby and felt a sense of separation anxiety when it was time to leave). But before we ended our day, we went to a lovely lunch a Swifty's, an Upper East Side restaurant at its best, and checked out some of his pieces for sale at William-Wayne & Co around the corner. It was a truly special afternoon that I'll not soon forget. Looking forward to another visit on my next trip to New York- it's simply a stop that cannot be missed. 

Be sure to check Tom's shop here, and his new Tumblr site here.

A full set of Bond books! 

 Books

 Embroidered loafers and matching socks, of course!

More books...

And some more...

Tom giving us the tour 

 Loved that jacket!

Adorable to have on your bar cart..

An original painting of the now famous Scalamadre print! 

Original paintings of vintage Lanvin advertisements. Amazing! 

Hermes box collection 

 Another original painting of a vintage Lanvin advertisement

Cheese souffle at Swifty's

*images via myself and anne oburgh

Artist Spotlight: Caitlin McGauley

Loving these black and white illustrations by watercolor artist and illustrator Caitlin McCauley. She created these large prints (about 4' wide each) for Ralph Lauren a few months ago and they currently hang in one of their New York showrooms. See more of her work and adorable blog here.

Haute Hotels

I've always been intrigued by hotels. And why not? They're basically mini homes-away-from-home you get to call your own for a week. The linens, the restaurants, the bars, and the people you meet are all different and equally exciting in every stay. It seems some of the biggest names in fashion design agree- and they're making their mark in the chicest of cities around the globe.

Palazzo Versace, Queensland, Australia

Donatella Versace

This waterfront hotel includes 200 decked out bedrooms with floor-to-ceiling windows, private balconies, and Donatella's opulent decor. Everything on the grounds is strictly Versace, from the furnishings to the china used in the hotel’s four restaurants.

Tortuga Bay at Puntacana Resort & Club, Dominican Republic

Oscar de la Renta

The Dominican Republic native renovated 13 villas set on 16,600 private beachfront acres. The property has a Six Senses spa and two golf courses. I do believe this is true luxury living!

Round Hill Hotel and Villas, Montego Bay, Jamaica

Ralph Lauren

All 36 rooms are a haven of true Ralph Lauren beach living including white stone floors, romantic mahogany four-poster beds and plush furnishings set on an 18th-century plantation house that has since been converted into a spa (yes please!).

Uxua Casa Hotel, Trancoso, Brazil

Wilbert Das (Diesel)

Nestled in a quaint fishing village, the hotel was constructed from organic and recycled materials. Six of the nine casas (each with their own kitchen) are new buildings secluded in a garden, while the other three are restored fishermen’s houses near the town square.

Armani Hotel, Dubai

Giorgio Armani

Housed in Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest building, Armani’s sleek hotel debut (another is coming to Milan soon) has 160 rooms and suites with bespoke furnishings by Armani Casa, as well as eight restaurants and a 12,000 sqf spa.

Maison Moschino, Milan

Rossella Jardini

The Italian fashion house goes for theatrical effect in a renovated 1840s railway station. The 65 rooms are all complete with dramatic storybook details, from beds draped in bloodred ball gowns to chandeliers dripping with rose petals. There's something horrendously chic about this room.

Hotel le Bellechasse, Paris

Christian Lacroix

A whimsical boutique hotel in Faubourg St. Germain was inspired by the culture of its Left Bank neighborhood resulting in a flamboyant, bohemian spirit in all 34 rooms. It’s also located steps away from Paris's best museums, including the Musée d’Orsay.

Hotel Missoni, Edinburgh

Rosita Missoni

The trademark graphic patterns of the Missoni brand dominate the interiors of the 136 room hotel in the heart of Edinburgh. Rosita Missoni acts as the hotel’s creative director.

*all images via elle decor

Gift It: Book Guide

Below are some of my favourite coffee table books that would all work as great gifts this season. Whether it be fashion, interiors, cooking or art, all of these publications would be the perfect addition to any design-minded home.

All of the books listed below can be found on Amazon.com, but if you're here in New York and in the mood for a fruitful adventure, head over to Ursus Books in the Carlyle Hotel for rare books and prints, or try old faithful Rizzoli Books.

Angelika Taschen's New York: Hotels, Restaurants & Shops

Scott Schuman's The Sartorialist

Ralph Lauren

Pierre Passebon's Jacques Grange Interiors

Sarah Magid's Organic & Chic

Richard Mishaan's Modern Luxury

Matt Albiani's Lifeguard on Duty

Suzanne Kasler's Inspired Interiors

Kelly Klein's Horse

Robert John Thornton's Temple of Flora

Thomas Keller's Ad Hoc At Home

Nick Brandt's A Shadow Falls

Walton Ford's Pancha Tantra

Phaidon's Coco: 10 World-Leading Masters Choose 100 Contemporary Chefs

Peter York's Dictator Style: Lifestyles of the World's Most Colorful Despots

Phaidon's Atlas of the 21st Century World Architecture

Phaidon's Sempe: Panic Stations (Jean-Jacques Sempe explores some of his favourite themes, such as unspoken truths, failed communications and hidden talents.)

M. Sasek's This is London

Jean-Philippe Delhomme's The Cultivated Life: Artistic, Literary and Decorating Dramas

Taschen's Keith Haring 25th Anniversary Edition

Phaidon's 30,000 Years of Art

A Preppy Twist

Preacher Dress

Map Dress

Martha Dress

Chilmark Dress

Tartan Top, Cigarette Tux Pant

Campus Top

Hunting Cape

Tea Party Shift

Created by designer Sheree Commerford, Woodford & Co is a women’s lifestyle brand that is built around the idea that classic and well-crafted fashions will withstand the test of time. The classic look of this line lends itself to the Ralph Lauren-esque styling based on country and coastal living, men’s tailoring for women, and of course, a well-tailored preppy aesthetic.

From what I gather on their site, it seems that they have only had four collections thus far and the line is not yet available outside of Australia (gasp!). Although I did find some pieces on Ebay, we need a stockist here in New York!

Above you can see some of her 2009 Summer and 2009 Winter lines. Scope out all of Commerford’s designs here.