Circle of Friends: Out and About 03
butter candles, a tree tour, vintage Escada, and an antique Art Deco sideboard
Hello, I’m Hilliary, founder of Circle of Friends- conversations, connections, and events centered around circularity. You can also find me on instagram where I host The Stoop Series, bringing together the visionaries, advocates, and tastemakers behind some of the coolest innovations promoting the circular economy. Subscribe to learn how you too can live a more sustainable lifestyle + get invites to fun events!
This week I hosted an investor event, dipped bread in a butter candle, and went on a tree walk- in Circle of Friends: Out and About, I take you along with me to share some of my biggest takeaways from the coolest events I attended recently, what I learned, who I met that you should know too, and what I wore (spoiler, it’s a lot of circular fashion). Let’s get into it…
Isle of Monday Investor Event
I co-hosted an investor night with Isle of Monday, the first rental platform for rare and designer vintage launching soon! As a vintage enthusiast, I am personally very excited for IOM to launch and honored to be working with Isle of Monday as an advisor. At the event, guests could try on and see some of the vintage that will be available for rent, like this insane Roberto Cavalli dress-Want to be the first to know when you can rent too? Sign up for the waitlist here.
If you are interested in learning about the opportunity to angel invest in this innovative platform that will democratize access to rare designer vintage fashion, reach out!
OOTD: The dress code was wear your favorite vintage, showing how diverse a room can look when everyone wears something not new. I wore a 1980s vintage Escada gingham blazer (I found the same one on Poshmark!) + vintage Prada kitten heels from Consignment Brooklyn and a wide-leg trouser from Argent.
Bread and Butter Dinner
Kelly Bennet, host of the Emerging Brands podcast and collaborator at Bread and Butter Law, a trademark law firm protecting CPG food and beverage brands, hosted a dinner to bring together CPG founders, thought leaders, and incredible guests I was excited to connect with.
If you are launching a CPG brand or want to trademark anything, Kelly should be your first email. A guest at the dinner even worked with her to trademark her comedy show.
Kelly created a dinner of breads, spreads, drinks, and desserts with an impressive roster of 27 !! almost all female-owned brands. Erica of Philo Studios designed an edible tablescape where the main event was dipping our bread in butter candles.
Some of my favorite new discovery brands that night were Bezi, Beny Yogurt, PlantChi, Gotcha Focaccia, Figa, Tursh, Whiny Baby Wine, and a very thoughtful and non-wasteful takeaway gift of Frankly Good Coffee.
Suggested listen: Emerging Brands Podcast with Noon founder, Jane, I was lucky to have her as my seatmate at the event and tried her suggested combo of 1 chill mushroom gummy and 1 focus mushroom gummy for my event the next day, and I the exact level of focused yet calm I needed.
OOTD: Vintage Bill Blass Blazer from Housing Works belted with a vintage Versace belt from Manhattan Vintage Show, DL1961 Jeans + my LV pouch
The Showroom by Past Lives + Studio Nordic Opening
Carly, founder of Past Lives, partnered with Studio Nordic to open The Showroom, a studio/gallery/shop/ jewelbox I want to move into. Their exquisite taste blends art deco antiques, Nordic vintage decor, and so much more. For the press opening, she displayed treats and coffee on vintage silver, my kryptonite.
She has a 1920s sideboard bar that is now my Roman empire, but I went home with something more reasonable, a vintage Ablone card case- ask me for a business card next time we meet. (similar one here and here this would make a great gift)
Visit them at 143 W 29th St, Suite 901
OOTD: There is no proof of my outfit because I had come from a meetup with
at Othership, but I think it involved thrifted track pants + a velvet slipper.Margeaux Foot Notes with Aria Aber, author of Good Girl.
I joined Margaux’s latest Foot Notes book Club with Aria Aber, author of Good Girl. While I hadn’t read the book in advance since I joined the event last minute, something I admitted to the author, without getting any spoilers, I now have personal insight into her loosely auto-fictional novel and who she would cast as the main love interest. I just ordered a copy from Thrift Books to bring on my trip next week.
I’ve attended a Margaux book swap before- they are a great example of how to build community in a way that isn’t solely focused on selling products, + I love a good cheeky name like Foot Notes.
OOTD: My mom’s trench coat from when she was in high school, a vintage Celine silk top, DL1961 jeans (told you last issue I hadn’t taken them off)
Artist Date: Guided Tree Walk
For my artist date this week, I went on a guided tree walk with Lively Oak. Such a perfect way to spend a Sunday, we strolled around Fort Greene Park, stopping to learn and admire at least 10 different tree varieties. I have walked in Fort Greene countless times and took a Forestry class in grad school, yet I admit to never having noticed how many different varieties of trees there are in the park
Biggest learning: When faced with an issue, trees outgrow challenges, a good lesson for all of us.
78 trees in the park are risk of being cut down. If you are a Brooklyn/NY resident, learn more about what you can do to help preserve our parks at Friends of Fort Greene Park.
Is anyone else currently doing The Artist's Way? I would love to hear what artist dates you are going on!
If you’re free tonight, I’m leading a round table conversation on Messaging What Matters: Communicating Complex Topics in a Crowded Landscape. Join me!
Thank you for reading Circle of Friends, I’m so grateful! You can follow along on Instagram and Circle of Friends and if you want to attend a future Circle of Friends event, sign up here!
The Isle of Monday event was such an iconic night 🤍 I love hearing about the Artists Way!
I love these recaps and I'm so intrigued by the butter candle.