Athena Calderone is best described as a creative polymath; she has a background in interior and product design, as a culinary expert, author, creative director and founder of EyeSwoon, the lifestyle brand that Athena describes as “the coming together of food and design, which sums up my career really.” Her latest endeavour is a collaboration with American lifestyle brand Crate & Barrel, on a range of sumptuous homewares; from the rich merlot velvet sofa to the cosy shearling armchair, it's a collection clearly designed for the kind of homely, intimate Sunday that Athena describes.
Not only does her work celebrate the intersection of ritual, ceremony, beauty and family, so too does her Sunday routine. Currently based out of the Hamptons (Amagansett in East Hampton to be specific) whilst her New York City apartment is being refurbished, Athena has relished the opportunity to spend Sundays enjoying the fresh air, fresh produce and fantastic culinary experiences in the area.
“I really attribute my love of entertaining to my mom,” says Athena, who has over a million devoted followers on her Instagram account, where she shares beautifully curated recipes and design moments. “She always put so much love and attention into our Sunday family meals. We didn't grow up with a lot, but she would make it really special, rearranging all the furniture to fit the whole family in. Then we'd all enjoy the ceremony of setting up and eating together.” The holiday season was particularly important to the designer who comes from a large Italian-American family, and who recalls waking to the smell of turkey ("Mom would have got up at 5am to put it in the oven") and racing to set up the table. The instinct clearly started young.
Nowadays, Sundays are days to “allow the eye to wander,” as Athena puts it. As the days grow shorter and the air gets crisper on the east coast, she has found herself enjoying spending evenings on the deck and enjoying a slower pace. “As a creative, I'm always trying to find ways to replenish,” she explains, “I think we're so bombarded with information, always looking at our screens, that we often miss the smaller details of life. Since living in the Hamptons, I've started to slow down and take inspiration from my surroundings, like all the colours of the seaside and the sound of the trees."
It's no secret that autumn (or ‘fall’) is particularly beautiful in New York, and the Hamptons does organic produce, crisp walks and festive shopping particularly well. We caught up with Athena to see how she spends an autumn day in and around Amagansett, the most bucolic hamlet in the Hamptons.
How to spend a Sunday in the Hamptons, with Athena Calderone
"I have a rule on Sundays that I don’t do anything social. I don’t make any plans with friends, and instead prefer to keep things very quiet, intimate, and cosy. Sundays really need to be sacred respite, and quality time for my family.
I wake up at 7am every Sunday and head to a yoga or pilates class. Then at mid-morning we head to Carissa’s in Amagansett for brunch. Last week, we broke that rule and I made saltimbocca inspired by classic Roman cuisine. Then the family and I take our dog, Tuco, for an ocean beach walk for a couple of hours.
Just between Amagansett and Montauk in Hither Hills State Park and next to Napeague Harbor you'll find The Walking Dunes. It's so unbelievably beautiful there you feel almost like you're in Star Wars or on the moon, surrounded by these mountainous dunes that dip down into valleys. The Hamptons has such a unique landscape and a gorgeous quality of light, and this area is the perfect expression of it.
I don't like to roam too far on a Sunday, so we tend to stay within Amagansett town itself, and we're spoilt for choice with hops like EE Home, The Warm Store or The Row. Around Thanksgiving there are these stunning cranberry bogs, which are nature reserves that store all the cranberries. The little red berries are very synonymous with American Thanksgiving and I love making cranberry sauce or pie so we always make sure to stop by.
I always cook for my family on a Sunday (but on the rare occasion that we go out it's got to be Il Buco Mare). So, on the way home from the beach I usually stop at the local farm stand to gather what is seasonal and freshest. One of my favourite local farm is Amber Waves, which is run by two female farmers. They have the best produce which always comes directly from their fields. Plus at Thanksgiving they make wonderful pumpkin pies. I tend to make pasta, which has been a tradition since childhood. The family has always gathered early afternoon and we sit down together at around 5pm.
For me, Sunday is the time to engage in all the activities I never have time for during a busy work week. Whether that's reading a book or magazine, watching a movie on the sofa, lighting a fire, having a glass of wine, reading a poetry book in a bath or getting a massage. It’s super slow. And that way I have the time to process the week and see things a little bit differently."
