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Italian artist and jewelry designer
founded fine jewelry brand Ippolita in 1999. Since then, the company has become synonymous with delivering beautiful handmade metal baubles. “Rock Candy” bangles festooned with colorful stones, gold and diamond pavé tennis bracelets, and hammered hoops earrings.
Today, the designer and her boyfriend lives in an Italianate (naturally) brownstone in Park Slope. We checked in with the entrepreneur to see how she winds down on the weekends and what she does to reset for the week ahead.
What is the first thing you do when you wake up in the morning?
I always try to start the day listening to NPR; that jump starts my sense of urgency. I love the radio! And I like to be rooted to a NYC subculture.
What are your favorite things to do for yourself on the weekends?
During the week, I’m either traveling or in my studio, so on the weekends I try to spend as much time as I can at home. I love to sit outside in my garden with a book or sketchpad, followed by time in the kitchen, cooking for family and friends. I also have a thing for supermarkets. I can easily spend an hour there “meditating.”
How do you deal when you’re away for the weekend?
When a business trip blends into a weekend, I always try to carve out some time for myself. It’s such fun to explore museums and galleries in a new place or take in a little local retail therapy. If I’m feeling really indulgent, I’ll visit a spa for a sauna and a massage.
What are the activities or errands on your “must-accomplish list” every weekend?
Weekends are time for me to reconnect with the important people in my life. I love to plan group outings to museum exhibits followed by dinner at my favorite trattoria or sushi restaurant, Sushi Katsuei in Brooklyn.
What do you do on Sundays to prepare for the week ahead?
I spend a little time on my computer, taking note of the endless array of meetings and appointments in the coming week, but then I power down. Sunday evenings have become technology-free for me. I like to go on a date with my boyfriend, which usually consists of cooking at home and eating comfort food on my custom-made Artemest china.
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