Happy Friday loves! This morning I’m launching a new series on the blog titled “Neo-Trad of the Week” and in it I’ll be featuring one of YOU and all your traditional-with-a-twist inspiration! I feel so lucky to have the wonderful readers I do and thought this could be a fun way to give back and help you all get to know one another. I’ll invite one neo-trad from my comments each week and there’s no obligations, just pure fun. Today’s reader is someone I’ve gotten to to know so well via email I feel as though I’ve known her all my life…she’s smart, beautiful, and ridiculously fun…enjoy getting to know our very first Neo-Trad of the Week, Miss Paige Nichols!
Name, Age, Location
Paige Davis Nichols — 23 — Buenos Aires, Argentina
My cliff-note autobiography…
I was born in Washington, DC and grew up in Arlington, VA with my parents and older sister Meredith (equally chic and fabulous, currently living in London). I attended Georgetown Visitation, the first all-girls’ school of the original thirteen colonies, where my love and affection for classic literature, the fine arts and history really took off. After studying Philosophy and History at Boston College, I decided to move to Buenos Aires and have been living here for almost 2 years, working by day and prancing about in my free time. Moving across the world brought me to the man of my dreams, and I am now engaged to José; we plan to marry next June, an event which might precipitate a move back to the US and enrollment in a Master’s program. In my spare time I love appreciating the beauty in life- fresh flowers, a delicious meal shared among friends, the company of a good book, and anything of the Dionysian persuasion.
Things that make my heart flutter…
Anything written by Vladmir Nabokov, Albert Camus or William Faulkner, the Museum of Fine Arts in Buenos Aires, long love letters, a bottle of Torrontés wine at La Huella in José Ignacio (Punta del Este), the Cartier love collection.
My dream dinner party…
Oh dear, where to begin? Guest list: my nearest and dearest, as well as Diana Vreeland, Vladmir Nabokov, Anthony Bourdain, Jenny Lewis (of Rilo Kiley), Alfred Hitchcock, Ansel Adams, Sister Parish…the list could go on! I would love to have the party at my godmother’s friend’s estate in the Brandywine Valley of Pennsylvania. Frolic Weymouth is a completely eccentric and entirely fabulous being with an even more fabulous home – original paint and details from the 18th century, a sprawling garden and so many amazing rooms to discover. It’s literally unreal. We’d all sit at a long country dining table, with what seems like hundreds of candles and little bunches of flowers strewn about, eating off of mismatched cutlery and plates. We’d linger for hours over bottles of wine and little cups of grappa after savoring the most abundant feast one can imagine – (“food porn” as Anthony Bourdain describes it). I taste spicy curry, slow-roasted lamb and dishes with layers of flavor brought in from all sorts of far-off lands. Then we’d pour ourselves into bed, wake up the next day and enjoy brunch and bloody Marys in the garden.
In ten years I will be…
Oh this is such a tough question! Hopefully dividing time between the US and Buenos Aires and frolicking around the world with José and our children. I would love to have a successful design company – I dream of opening a little shop and selling simply beautiful items: paper goods, vintage finds, one of a kind pieces for the home. I would love to return to DC, live in Kalorama and spend my weekends roaming the city in search of beautiful antiques and the spiciest curry I can find. I also plan to have a whole smattering of dogs – a French bulldog, a Great Dane, a dachshund, and an Irish wolfhound. I would like to include a turtle in there as well. In a nutshell, peaceful domestic bliss with a nice, bold streak of international travel and a well-run, small business with moi as the boss.
I am neo-traditional because…
A good hand-written note makes me weak in the knees. Because I love nothing more than mixing a fabulous vintage find with modern accents. Because I swoon over stamp collections, the “Natural Curiosities” volumes, and art-deco jewelry. Because I believe that the classics are such for a reason, and because nothing makes me happier than a house full of fresh flowers and good literature.
Oh, she seems like an absolute doll! My best friend has been living in Buenos Aires for a year and is in love with it. I’m so happy she likes Anthony Bourdain. I am not sure I’d be able to keep my cool if I were to ever meet him and he is undoubtedly the one person I would want to appear most cool in front of.
This is such a great idea Katie! This little interview was great and I can’t wait to read the ones in weeks to come!
great idea and Paige is intelligent, gorgeous, and so interesting!
Excellent idea and lovely first subject!
MT
Lauren — You should go visit your best friend and I’ll visit Paige and we’ll rendez vous for cocktails ; )
Staley — Glad you like the new series, I think it will be such fun!
Dots — Isn’t she though? xo
MT — Yay! I love positive feedback xoxo
What a life! I’m jealous.
Well she is just lovely! And such great answers. Love her dinner party guest list (mainly because of Anthony Bourdain who I love). How lucky to be living in Buenos Aires for two years! I want to move abroad!
Can’t wait for more of the series.
-A
Teresa — That makes two of us!
Alaina — Doesn’t it make you want to pack your bags and move somewhere exotic? Sigh…. xoxo
Lovely answers… definately a neo trad… I love the necklace…. I hope to spend my time between California, New York, and Paris…..
xxx
CEO
kate..i am seeing a magazine in your future…
Katie! I love this series idea, so much fun. What gorgeous answers too…”A house full of fresh flowers and literature”…Indeed!! I’ll be looking forward to this feature each week :)
I love this idea for a series, Katie! More brilliance. How do you do it? And Paige seems like such a sweetheart. I’d love to live in Buenos Aires for some time.
I really can’t wait to see what your future holds. It’s going to be something really special, I just know it.
CEO — CA, NY and Paris, I like it!
Rikshaw — You never know ; )
Adriana — I died at that response too! She’s a Neo-Trad indeed!
Brandi — Awwww, I adore you, you know that? Your comments always bring such a smile to my face. Glad you enjoy the new series dear friend. xoxoxo
Aw! I would like to be her friend, haha
As someone who grew up in the Brandywine Valley, it is so fantastic to see the fabulous Frolic Weymouth mentioned. He’s a true character, and his home reflects the beauty of this special area! I have special high school memories of cleaning his carriage barn for a crew team fundraiser… a very generous man!
In ten years I hope lots of Frenchies are in your life, Paige. I just got my little guy a month ago, and he is such a joy!
Looking forward to learning more about all of your dynamic readers, Katie. Delightful new addition to the blog!
Lovely!
Kate — It’s okay, I do too : )
Prippy — Can’t believe you grew up there. Paige was telling me about the diamond on his tooth, I nearly died, what a man! Missed you love! xoxo
Perfection is Boring — Yes, she is! xx
This is such a great idea for a series, yet more great posts from you!! i don’t know how you do it :)! You come up with such amazing things!! I definitely see a magazine in your future!
Paige seems so interesting…I would have loved to travel at that age and lived somewhere like Buenos Aires.
love it! she is beautiful and is making her dreams reality; I admire that so deeply!
Buenos Aires must be amazing! I wish Paige the best with her upcoming nuptials! I love French bulldogs too :)
What a fabulous idea Katie! This is the ultimate way to get to know your readers, I love it! Paige is inspiring and so interesting! I can’t wait to see where this feature goes!
Paige is gorgeous and seems genuinely lovely!!!
What an exciting new series, can’t wait to see more!
Katie, what a fabulous new series! I’m so excited! I love the community you’ve created here. I loved this interview with international flair. Especially her quote from in 10 years.. “In a nutshell, peaceful domestic bliss with a nice, bold streak of international travel and a well-run, small business with moi as the boss.” Sounds wonderful to me! xoxo
I am excited to see more. Good idea! This was so interesting.
This is just so lovely! Well done.
Love the idea and am loving Page. Jose is a lucky man!
So, so lovely…those that love hand-written notes are such a rare, dying breed!
What a great idea Katie! Paige is super cute with a great story. It’s fun getting insight on people you don’t know. There’s inspiration to be had somewhere all the time:)
Kate, Love this series!
Paige, you look beautiful and fabulous as always! Despite the fact that I talk to you every day, I loved every word of this interview- very interesting & entertaining!
Can’t wait to see more Neo-Trads in the coming weeks! This is so fun!
So glad everyone is enthused by the new series! I’m REALLY excited about it and it made my day to know you are too! Cheers to my lovely, witty, beautiful readers — I adore each and every one of you!
XX katie
What a dear heart!! And what a great new series. Fun, fresh and totally great. xx, Naphtali
Katie, you are always coming up with the best ideas for your blog! Loved “meeting” Paige! xx
You all are just so incredibly sweet! Happy Weekend to everyone and I propose Buenos Aires as the first international locale for a Neo-Trad gathering! x
I love love this new series!!!
Love the idea! I’m constantly impressed with your innovation.
xx
JLC
Wow-How cool to have a semi-famous daughter.
Boy am i ever impressed with your comments, Paigey. Not to mention how beautiful you look in the picture… You are amazing… and always will be! I am so proud of you and so glad to be your mother my little lady!
xoxoxoxoxoxoxodeb
Wow, Katie, awesome new series! I’ve said it before, but I really find your space so incredibly refreshing. Every single day you share something that inspires me or makes me laugh, smile, dance, etc.
I am new(ish) to the blog world and blogs like yours remind me why I don’t think I’ll ever leave!
oh so fun. shes so beautiful! maybe well be lucky one day and get featured lol!
I’m loving this! I think it’s great to not only get to know your readers more but it’s like we are becoming a family on Neo-trads!
I believe we will be the same person in ten years. except I would be scooting my family between where ever we are living in the US to Panama. I LOVE to travel and I want to expose my children to different cultures and ways of life.
xo
Kirby
What an ingenious idea! I’m looking forward to reading these every week. What a happy little world online blogging is!
What a GREAT post and regular I’m sure to love. She sounds like such a chic sweetheart! Love her dinner party – can I be invited? And love the “Why I Am A Neo-Traditionalist”. Keep it up!