These days, it seems like everyone is working a gazillion jobs, pursuing infinite passions, and traveling all over the world. Over the coming days, we will be introducing you to a handful of the East End’s top talents whose success is generated by their magical ability to mix it all up. Meet Athena Calderone!
Various Hustles: “I’m an author, creator of EyeSwoon, interior designer, recipe developer, stylist, writer, lifestyle and entertaining expert, creative director, and all-around lover of creating beauty within the home.”
How I Mix It Up: “I just turned in my second book, about interior design, out March 2020 from Abrams. It traces the process of how beautiful design comes together. I’m in the beginning stages of developing a tabletop and furniture collection. Also, I’m continually filming food content for my recipe series, EyeSwoon Unplugged.”
Growth Strategy: “Last year I had a massive shift; a breakthrough. For two-plus years, as I was writing my first book and renovating our Brooklyn townhouse, I had zero self-care and was obsessively working and stressing. Because of that, I was unbelievably fragile and depleted. I was working upward of 14 hours a day, and couldn’t find an end in sight to my mania. I had to find myself again. I made the tough decision to delay the delivery of my second book and choose to take the entire month of August off to find myself.
I began yoga again and started doing SoulCycle — it was so amazing to sweat and engage with my 20-plus-year yoga practice. I increased my supplement intake and cut out sugars and alcohol for two to three months. I just needed a kick-start. Since then, I still work out five to six days a week; three months ago, I began a solid meditation practice with Transcendental Meditation. Each morning, before anything else, I meditate for 20 minutes, and each evening, I find stillness for 20 minutes. I cannot begin to tell you how my life has shifted. That white-knuckled, gripping, controlling anxiety has simply subsided. All I had to do was take care of me, and everything else seemed to fall into place.”
Career Goals: “Putting a TV show out into the universe.”
Travel Philosophy: “As often as you can, explore something new. As a family, we just returned from two weeks in Italy, to Puglia and Ischia. We’ve always been an adventurous family who traveled to every corner of the earth, even when our son was an infant. As a family, especially with a teen, it’s so important to remove ourselves from our everyday environments so that we truly connect, talk, and laugh, and navigate the unknown together. It makes every day an adventure — that sense of exploration and discovery is downright thrilling.”
Ultimate Mix Master: “Oh, hail Martha [Stewart]! Always and forever.”
Hamptons Obsessions: “Nature is a magical thing. Sunset walks to Louse Point are now a daily occurrence!”
Read the complete new issue of The Daily Summer below!
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