FALL IN THE CATSKILLS
V I S I T I N G O U R F R I E N D S AT L I V I N G S T O N M A N O R F LY F I S H I N G C L U B
We’re driving to Upstate New York. The road follows the Hudson River, winding over the hills and into the Catskills. Our dream weekend is almost here...
Lexington Company visiting
LIVINGSTON MANOR F LY F I S H I N G C L U B
EXPLORE the new
L I V I N G S TO N M A N O R
collection crafted to
F LY F I S H I N G C L U B
S U I T YO U R L I F E w h e t h e r yo u a r e at home or with FRIENDS.
Meet Tom & Anna.
It’s all about that fall feeling.
fall
Fashion Preview
get ready for fall
ta k e t h e g u e s s wo r k o u t O F D E C O R AT I N G
they c r e at e d a p l ac e f o r o l d
with COSY KNITS,
YO U R B E D R O O M .
friends, new friends and f a m i ly t o m e e t, r e l a x
RICH SUEDE and many
Choose bedding to
other INDULGENT
create t h a t r e l a x e d ,
PIECES.
easy feeling.
and RECHARGE.
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SLOWING DOWN AND G E T T I N G I N T O N AT U R E
LIVINGSTON MANOR FLY FISHING CLUB
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We’re approaching Livingston Manor, a hamlet nestled in the Catskills Mountains. At first glance, it seemed like a sleepy place where time stands still. Oh my, were we wrong! This town has everything we need (and more). The main street is dotted with antique stores, restaurants, a farmers’ market, an art gallery and quaint cafés. A historic covered bridge and beautiful hiking trails are just around the corner. And, most importantly, you’re never far from the experience of a lifetime — nature is everywhere you look.
When we arrive, we’re met by our friends Anna and Tom. We are immediately surrounded by energy and tranquility as Willowemoc Creek rushes around the corner to greet us.
A WEEKEND ON THE RIVER
At the edge of the hamlet lies our destination, a hideaway where we can reconnect with the wilderness. When we pull into the courtyard, we’re warmly greeted by Anna Aberg and Tom Roberts, two of the founders of Livingston Manor Fly Fishing Club We’re immediately surrounded by the natural energy and tranquility that infuses this magical place. It’s an energy that makes us want to be outdoors and to turn off modern, everyday life to achieve total serenity. When we walk inside LMFFC’s main house, we’re offered coffee and apple cider and we discover a quaint wood-burning stove. We’re tempted to sink into the warmth of the couch in front of the fire and simply do nothing. However, lots of fun awaits outside, so we resist. And there’s just so much to do here. Willowemoc Creek, a popular fly-fish-
ing river, flows alongside LMFFC. Guests can also go out on a hike or just wrap themselves in a warm blanket to enjoy the view from an Adirondack chair. In addition to accommodations in the cottage, loft and lodge, the club has two tents for guests to sleep in. Given the luxury of crawling into a bed made up in Lexington sheets and drifting off to sleep as we listen to the river flow, “glamping” is the best word to describe our experience here. Along a narrow path, guests will find a firepit where the catch of the day becomes dinner, a large dining table with space for many hungry folks, a hammock for an afternoon nap and a small beach from which the daring can enter a swimming hole. Everything feels exclusive at LMFFC, but it’s not a conventional type of luxury. This is the ultimate luxury: spending time in nature, a rarity for the hip New York
City dwellers who treasure their time here. Here at LMFFC, everything is meaningful. One can learn from nature and adapt to it. Our weekend by the river has become about “connecting with the disconnect” which is one of the LMFFC house rules. W E M E T W I T H A N N A A N D TO M TO D I S C OV E R M O R E .
How did this all start? We were drawn to the Catskills because of its wild natural environment and slower, more connected pace of life. After years spent working in New York City, we were craving nature. We needed to work with our hands and see the real, physical results of our labor. The town of Livingston Manor initially drew us because of its fly fishing heritage, but it was the strong sense of community and collaboration that exists and grows among its residents that ultimately convinced us to make the leap full time.
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“ In a time when you have instant access to almost everything just through a few clicks, slowing down, getting into nature, and experiencing a slice of a simpler, more peaceful life becomes luxury.”
Can you describe LMFFC? Livingston Manor Fly Fishing Club is neither a sports club nor a hotel. It’s a place to gather people, to reconnect them with nature and with one another on a more meaningful level. It’s a modern interpretation of fly fishing traditions. The essence of the sport — the process of slowing down, getting outside, developing a deeper understanding of the natural world, and sharing the experience with like-minded people — is just as important for us. While we encourage fishing, we’re not prescriptive. The same results are just as easily achieved by having a sauna on the river, foraging in the woods or simply sitting outside around a cracking fire — all activities available and encouraged here. What do you want to offer your guests? We want to offer our guests a sense of community and a newfound appreciation for nature developed through first-hand experience. From the layout of the houses
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to the communal dinners and hikes, it’s very different from the typical anonymous hotel experience and can be jarring for some people when they arrive. It sounds cliché, but what we find is that people arrive as strangers, and through shared experiences in nature, they leave as friends. The connection is far deeper than one you would develop through an encounter at a bar or in an artificial environment. Secondly, we encourage people to get outside whatever the weather may be. We provide guides and activities as well as Stutterheim raincoats, rain boots and Sandqvist backpacks to facilitate this. The result is a revelation that the great outdoors doesn’t have to be a brief encounter on a sunny day, or a stroll in the park with a coffee, but an ever-changing environment that rewards those who truly immerse themselves in it — in all weather conditions. It’s equally important that when you return, the indoors should feel like a warm embrace and a place to
rejuvenate, reflect on experiences you’ve had and dream of adventures still to come. Lexington Company, with all the luxurious comforts of home, has been the perfect partner for us to give our guests that feeling. All of this follows the guiding principals of “Homestedt,” our company that we launched earlier this year. It will expand the experiences and design of LMFFC and the content around it to partner with properties around the Catskills and beyond. What is luxury for you? In a time when you have instant access to almost everything just through a few clicks, slowing down, getting into nature, and experiencing a slice of a simpler, more peaceful life becomes luxury. A conversation undisrupted by a buzzing phone is luxury. The healing power of nature combined with the comforts of home and good company is luxury.
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THE RIVER WILLOWEMOC CREEK The Willowemoc — or “The Willow,” as locals call it — is a 27-mile-long ribbon that winds right through Livingston Manor. All along its path, fly fishers can find the perfect spots to catch brook trout and brown trout. The lower part of the creek runs parallel to the picturesque New York State Route 17. Here, the Willowemoc becomes 40 to 100 feet wide with many pools that plunge 3 to 5 feet deep.You can catch some pretty big fish — or just catch stunning glimpses of the Catskill Mountains.
“ T H E W I L L OW ” G O E S B Y M A N Y N A M E S : W E E L E WAU G H M AC K , W I L L E R W H E M AC K , W I L L I K W E R N O C K , A N D OT H E R S . A L L A R E D E R I V E D FROM THE NAME OF A TRIBE OF LENNI-LENAPE PEOPLE WHO ONCE LIVED IN THIS REGION.
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“ Everything tastes better outdoors.The mellow sunlight, rustling leaves and the adventure and luxury of dining in the open air make a meal into a feast.�
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A WEEKEND BY THE RIVER
A breeze rises from the water and sends a light chill through the air.What better to reach for than a warm heirloom sweater that just gets better, season after season?
TIME OFF IN SUEDE AND KNITS
Natural fabrics connect you to nature even more closely. Simple, beautiful cottons, wools and suede mimic the textures all around you.They’re the essence of practical, everyday luxury — and the spirit of autumn in the outdoors.
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N AT U R E ’ S B U F F E T – O P E N A L L H O U R S
“ The trout itself is such a delicate fish with a great flavor; it doesn’t need too many ingredients or special techniques. Just cook it in a large skillet with olive oil, garlic, lemon juice, white wine and fresh parsley.”
TROUT WITH LEMON BUTTER 1.5 pounds trout (2 medium sized fish gutted and deboned). 2 tablespoons olive oil and salt applied liberally to the foil the fish will be cooked in. A generous pinch of dill for each fish. A pinch of salt. A pinch of fresh ground pepper. 2-3 half lemon slices in each fish. 4 garlic cloves diced (optional).
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ROOM FOR LIVING WITH THE COLORS O F FA L L
“ Irresistible Italian-made throws in wool, cashmere, alpaca or mohair are updates on classic weaves, heirlooms waiting to happen.”
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When the leaves turn, we reach for the comfort of soft, warming fabrics that echo the changing shades of autumn.
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“ Rich russets, soft grays and delicate ivories. Pillows in the muted hues of fall add warmth and moodiness to your fireside when it’s time to come inside from the cold.”
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M I X A N D M AT C H WITH THE LEXINGTON FA L L C O L L E C T I O N Making the bed is an art. Creating a beautiful and inviting bed area is an even higher art. When it comes to choosing bedding, there’s so much to consider. The materials make a difference, of course, but your choice is a matter of taste.
“ When the night falls and it’s a bit chilly outside, you’ll want to dive into soft flannel bedding. But if you’re near the toasty warmth of a wood burning stove, you’ll want a cooler material like linen or poplin to embrace you.”
How can you choose from so many textures? Here are some hints. If you like cool and crisp sheets, you should sleep in poplin. If you like a softer texture, try linen. If you prefer a little heft, choose pinpoint oxford. If you tend to feel chilly, choose flannel. If you want an extra sustainability fiber, use Tencel™. And if you want to experience a luxury hotel feeling, choose sateen. All are equally restful and luxurious.
L E X I N G TO N P O P L I N
Poplin is a thin fabric woven from fine yarns. It produces a light and airy sensation, just like a freshly ironed shirt. The surface is often smooth and slippery, which produces a crisp feeling. It’s a good choice for people who want to stay cool while sleeping.
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L E X I N G TO N L I N E N
Linen creates a sense of coolness; its texture gives the bed a slightly bohemian look. We mix our linen with cotton and give it a special wash to make it even softer. P I N P O I N T OX F O R D
Oxford commonly used in men’s shirting. For the fabric to be a genuine pinpoint, the threads running in one direction of the weave must be spun from two thinner threads. This produces a smoother, more pleasant feel against the skin. Oxford just gets softer and lovelier with each wash. L E X I N G TO N F L A N N E L
Flannel’s soft surface comes from brushing the weave, which is then napped to produce a soft, slightly fuzzy surface. This makes flannel quite warm, good for people who feel the cold. If
you like that extra-luxurious touch, try our cotton cashmere flannel – that’s something really special! L E X I N G TO N T E N C E L ™
Tencel ™ is a fiber that has a texture similar to sateen or poplin, but is stronger and more durable. The ecofriendly fiber is sustainably made from wood pulp. Tencel ™ fibers are more absorbent than cotton, softer than silk and cooler than linen. L E X I N G T O N S AT E E N
Sateen is a classic bedding fabric. It’s frequently used in hotels, where it often has woven stripes. Sateen is easy to starch and iron, but it softens immediately after a night’s sleep. It’s a good choice for people who want a classic, comfortable feel.
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We got our dream weekend – and days to remember. THANK YOU TO ANNA AND TOM OF L I V I N G S T O N M A N O R F LY F I S H I N G C L U B
L E X I N G T O N C O M PA N Y FA L L C O L L E C T I O N
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W E L C O M E TO O U R W O R L D, W E L C O M E TO O U R D R E A M .
www.lexingtoncompany.com
