martine, artist & shop owner, sunday

Martine lives in East Hampton with her boyfriend, Juan, and the two run their namesake shop in Montauk. Like Emma and Martin, they left New York City for the East End not long ago and have been adjusting to country life—at times they feel isolated and at others liberated by the switch. The upsides far outweigh the down, though, namely the space a house offers for their many art projects and Martine's large collection of vintage clothes. Running a shop keeps the weekend very busy. Saturday, specifically, is the busiest, so downtime comes in the form of a Monday evening or—Martine's favorite part of the week—a Sunday afternoon. How those hours are spent? Taking photos, painting, reading Vanity Fair, making a homemade honey face mask and going for long hikes on isolated trails. And maybe even a screening of Clueless (it doesn't all have to be so damn intellectual).

wfs: Hi Martine! How did you end of making the switch from New York City to East Hampton?

Martine: Juan and I were living in Williamsburg in a little room together—he's an artist so it was full of his paintings and seashells and things. It was probably the most romantic time of our lives. Our friends asked us if we wanted to get a weekend place in the Springs and we thought: maybe we should just move out full time. At first we felt a little antsy—we had this feeling that we needed to do something in the community because otherwise it was lonely. So we started our shop. 

It's funny because sometimes you get FOMO, you know fear of missing out? I'm from New York City and sometimes I miss it. But now I'm more of a country girl. 

wfs: Where did you get that dress?

Martine: This is a vintage dress from the '30s. It's hard to find stuff from the '30s that doesn't have holes or stains. I bought it at a vintage shop on East 9th Street in the city.

wfs: What other vintage shops do you like?

Martine: In Water Mill there's a place called Out of the Closet. It's owned by these two amazing ladies who have warehouses full of vintage. I also like going upstate or to Pennsylvania. 

wfs: And the slippers?

Martine: These are my best friend's and I went over to her house and I was like Oh, mine! Thank you! She probably got them at, I don't know, a nightgown store. [laughs]

 wfs: What about your toe ring?

Martine: My toe ring…where did I get my toe ring? I can't remember! It's funny because every time I travel someone will comment on it and say they need one. I think someone needs to make a line of really chic toe rings.

wfs: Take us through your day, what time do you wake up?

Martine: I always wake up early. Recently it's been seven thirty. Back in the summer it was like six thirty but I go to sleep early too around ten thirty. 

wfs: Hobbies?

Martine: I'm also a photographer, I've been taking pictures since I was ten and I studied photography at FIT. I work on that, scan negatives, I paint.

wfs: What's you weekend beauty ritual?

Martine: I've been told it's not good to wash your face so I don't usually wash with soap, I just use water and then after I put on an oil by this French company called Essensa. It's a blemish oil which I really like because you can feel it opening but still hydrating. It's really nice. On my body I use coconut oil or just natural oils: lavender oil, almond oil. I try not to use too many chemical products. With shampoo I'll use L'Oreal or something because that hippie shit doesn't work, sadly. I also make a homemade honey mask three times a week. Really Raw Honey has pollen in it which acts as a natural exfoliator—it reduces redness and makes your skin so soft. You just put it straight on and it kind of melts with the heat of your skin. I leave it on for twenty minutes but you can leave it as long as you want. It's great for cuts too because it's a natural antibiotic.

wfs: Makeup?

Martine: My crutch is Lancome mascara. That's the best mascara, it makes them thick and piecey. I also use their eyeliner and Chanel blush. But that's it.

wfs: Do you have any beauty indulgences?

Martine: I go to the Pratima Spa on Greene Street. It's Ayurvedic, I try to get a facial four times a year with the change of seasons. There's this place on Mott street between Broome and Grand called Wonderhand Foot Spa and you can get twelve massages for four hundred dollars. 

wfs: What are the things you do on weekends that feel specifically weekend to you?

Martine: I try and do mostly nature stuff, go for walks on trails—there's one I love: The Amsterdam Trail. You feel like you're in a movie set against some European backdrop. In the fall there's this trail called the White Pines trail that's great, too. 

Being from the city you're so accustomed to being surrounded by people, but when you go out on a trail you're in the middle of nowhere completely alone. It's terrifying in a way. But I still love it.

Martine in a paper hat made by Juan

wfs: OK lightning round. Coffee or tea?

Martine: Coffee.

wfs: Latte or Americano?

Martine: Americano.

wfs: Sugar or agave?

Martine: Neither.

wfs: Whole, soy or almond milk?

Martine: Whole.

wfs: Breakfast or brunch?

Martine: Brunch

wfs: Sweet or savory brunch?

Martine: Savory.

wfs: Wine or beer?

Martine: Wine.

wfs: Red, white or rosé?

Martine: Oh that's hard. Probably red.

wfs: Biking or walking?

Martine: Walking

wfs: Orange juice or grapefruit juice?

Martine: Grapefruit.

wfs: Bagel or croissant?

Martien: Croissant, plain croissant.

wfs: Lake or beach?

Martine: Beach.

wfs: Sunrise or sunset?

Martine: Sunset.

wfs: Early to bed & early to rise or late to bed & late to rise?

Martine: Early to bed, early to rise.

wfs: Newspapers or magazines?

Martine: Magazines.

wfs: Movies or TV series?

Martine: Movies.

wfs: What movie could you watch over and over again?

Martine: Ummm…Clueless? [laughs] Not an intelligent answer, I know…

wfs: What magazine?

Martine: I love to read Vanity Fair. I miss a magazine that has reading material.

wfs: Blogs or magazines?

Martine: I don't really go on the computer that much. It's hard to read on the computer. So magazines. And your blog of course. 

wfs: Of course! Saturday or Sunday?

Martine: I generally like Sundays.

wfs: Finish this sentence. When I'm really stressed I…

Martine: That's a good question. I guess I cuddle with Juan. 

wfs: Thank you Martine!