Loose Threads: Hope, It Turns Out, Is Contagious.
By Rachelle Hruska MacPherson. June 1st, 2026
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Rabbit, Rabbit! And happy Pride month! Today, I’m reflecting on a month past that somehow managed to contain an English country wedding, a new puppy, the reopening of Crow’s Nest in Montauk and the Knicks making the Finals for the first time in 27 years. The city feels electric right now. Hope, it turns out, is contagious. Summer has arrived. And after a few consecutive weekends of cold wet weather out east, I’m trying to channel what artist Julian Schnabel recently told my husband Sean when he was complaining about the rain: “I like all weather.” Something I think I actually also subscribe to. Also the reason I could never live in Los Angeles… THE WEDDING.My “right hand” of more than a decade, the Barnard-grad (I’ve always had a soft spot for a Barnard girl) Christie Grimm left us for a Brit and, worse, made it utterly impossible to choose one that would make it easy to hate. Arnie, her witty and adorable (now) husband, and his lovely family hosted us for my first-ever English countryside wedding, and I’m afraid it has ruined me. It was one of those weddings shows you that style has absolutely nothing to do with trends or flashiness. Instead, it comes from good old fashioned taste. The kind that can’t be bought, injected, or hurried. Christie managed Guest of a Guest for years before becoming Lingua Franca’s “Special Projects Manager,” which is a fancy way of saying she sprinkled essential beauty and order into everything we did. She helped us open stores, launch coffee trucks, plan numerous events, mentor half the team, and somehow manage to make every room she touched feel more organized and beautiful. At one Lingua Franca party at our townhouse, an editor from Architectural Digest pulled me aside to ask who I had hired to do our famous table platter. They needed the name immediately. Of course, it was Christie. The woman responsible for the butter molds, baked potatoes piled with caviar, flowers gathered from the market and all the tiny thoughtful details that make a gathering feel magical. Naturally, she brought that same sensibility to her wedding. The wedding itself took place at the Palladian Church in Ayot St Lawrence, a tiny village in Hertfordshire that feels like it belongs in a Jane Austen novel. To get to the church, guests walked through a long rolling field. The church only holds services once a month and sits just down the road from the former home of George Bernard Shaw. (!) The reception was held at Arnie’s parents’ home in the neighboring village. Guests were greeted on the lawn with champagne and homemade apple juice from the family’s orchard. (Apparently every autumn they spend their weekends pressing apples, that is when they’re not reading 18th century novels and planting gardens surrounding their pet tortoises, so eff-ing chic). After speeches from yours truly and Arnie’s best man, everyone made their way to the upper lawn for the most charming English garden party lunch imaginable. What struck me most was how personal everything felt. The serving pieces and plates had been collected by Christie over the years. The peach tablecloths were hand-dyed in the Cotswolds using avocado skins, which, who knew, apparently produce the perfect terracotta-peach color. The beautiful embroidered eyelet napkins were a gift from her friend Stephanie Nass of Chefanie and featured the couple’s monogram. There was badminton, tennis, croquet, kilts and tartans, and a slightly questionable British pastime called "the nail game," which felt like the St. Andrews version of an American drinking game, only somehow involving hammers and significantly more risk. Dessert included a cake adorned with apple ribbons, rhubarb tartlets baked by Arnie’s mother, piles of fresh berries, and Tunnock’s caramel wafers, Scotland’s answer to a Kit Kat. As a parting gift, guests stopped by a little farm stand stocked with homemade apple juice, chutneys, and honey from her father-in-law’s hives. One detail I especially loved: the bride’s bouquet was gathered from wild cow parsley growing outside the church. After the ceremony, it was placed directly in the main table vase and became part of the table scape. Christie is one of the most refined and capable people I know, so it wasn’t surprising that her wedding was beautiful. What surprised me was how effortless it all felt. Nothing seemed over-produced or performative, yet every detail was thoughtful. It was one of those rare “you had to be there” occasions, and I suspect the English may have quietly mastered the art of them. Her dress, you ask? Designed by Lingua Franca’s very own designer Joshua Schwartz. It featured a lace long-sleeve gown paired with an overcoat, which felt incredibly Christie. Elegant, practical, and just a little unexpected. A sizable contingent of Team LF crossed the pond to admire it in person. Christie may have traded the West Village for the equally charming Primrose Hill, but she'll always be part of the LF family. While in London:
See some more picks for what I’d wear to a wedding this summer HERE. BACK STATESIDE….First up: Montauk news. The Crow’s Nest is back, and we are gearing up for what promises to be an impossibly busy and chic summer. Our LF team manning the store has trunk shows planned nearly every weekend, so make sure you’re following us on Instagram for the latest schedule. Somehow this is the 17th season of the hotel and restaurant, which feels impossible. The first summer Sean and I were only dating when he opened this little restaurant on a hill. We thought it would be a good idea to buy chickens to live on the property and provide eggs for breakfast. The regulars included Waris and Johan, and most nights, even at the height of summer, we were lucky to be half full. Around that same time, Bob Melet was trying to convince us there was a great opportunity for a tiny retail store (which would be the first place I ever sold a sweater). Cut to today, and it’s been remarkable to watch the place evolve, all under the steady guidance of Celine Valensi, who I would trust to be in charge of literally anything. This summer’s big arrival is “Golem” a 6,000-pound sculpture by local artist Julian Schnabel sitting front and center on the lawn. I’ll admit, when I first saw it, I was taken aback. It’s certainly...something. Watching people react to it has become its own form of entertainment. You’ll have to see it for yourself and let me know what you think. It’s not exactly easy to move, so I suspect it’s here to stay a bit. The food is better than ever (the lobster pasta is back), and worth the wait, the lake side bar is ready for your sunset photos and the LF store has really hit its stride. Speaking of Montauk, some huge news. Sean and Celine are taking over the restaurant at the Lighthouse. The lighthouse itself was commissioned by George Washington in 1792 and sits on the easternmost tip of Long Island. The views are spectacular and I’m excited to see what happens when a historic American landmark gets the Crow’s Nest treatment. I, for one, cannot wait. Even more exciting? Our event with Malbon, the wildly chic golf brand currently taking over the world, will be the very first event held there on June 19th. IN NEW YORK:
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That’s it for now. Here’s your reminder that there are still kind, talented, interesting people out there doing cool things. Go find them—and dig it the most. xo Rachelle p.s. Friday was our 15th wedding anniversary. And, as Taylor sings - our 17th Summer “but I want them all.” p.p.s. Meet our new family member: Lucy MacPherson!! Loose Threads is free today. But if you enjoyed this post, you can tell Loose Threads that their writing is valuable by pledging a future subscription. You won't be charged unless they enable payments. |












