INSPIRED BY Juliet Izon - At Home in Milan, Italy, and New York City!

INSPIRED BY Juliet Izon - At Home in Milan...New York!

Juliet near her former Greenwich Village home

Who is Juliet Izon?

Juliet Izon is a veteran lifestyle journalist who covers everything from travel to food to interior design. She has contributed to a vast range of publications, from Bon Appétit and Good Housekeeping to Condé Naste Traveler and Marie Claire. She is also co-host of the podcast Diaper Baggage and, in her spare time, she beautifully documents life with her husband and four-year-old daughter on her blog, Juliet Izon, as well as her travels, upstate New York home, and culinary adventures. Meet Juliet!

Juliet poses with Kelsey Montague's interactive Angels in America mural outside the Neil Simon Theatre on 52nd Street. May its doors open soon!

The Basics

Instagram: @julietizon

Website: JulietIzon.com

Juliet’s Town: Milan, New York

Population: 2,370

Climate: The summers are warm and can be wet, the winters are freezing, and it is partly cloudy year-round. Over the course of the year, the temperature typically varies from 18°F to 83°F.

Aveline cherry picking at one of the Hudson Valley's many pick-your-own farms.

Our Q&A with Juliet

What made you choose the Hudson Valley? We’ve had a weekend place for about three years now, so it was an easy decision to ride out the quarantine up here. In non-pandemic times, we love its proximity to New York City and that there are so many activities to do in every season. Currently, we're gearing up for berry picking!

Where did you live prior? Manhattan.

Who is on your quaranteam? My husband Mike, my daughter Aveline, and our two cats, Waffles and Biscuit.

Aveline's Maisonette. Mother and daughter looking out over the Hudson Valley.

How have you made your new digs feel homey fast? By stocking up the pantry! I have more alt-flours, types of lentils, and canned tomatoes than I thought was possible, but it’s made baking and cooking much easier. We’re also talking about putting together a fire pit in the backyard for summer s’mores roasting.

Are you someone who has lived few or many places in life? I’ve basically always been on the East Coast: I grew up in Maryland right outside DC, went to college in Connecticut (with a brief study abroad stint in Paris), and moved to New York City right after graduation. I’ve been here ever since and never moved above 14th Street.

Outside Emily, a pizzeria in the West Village. (They are open!)

The 411:

Favorite places in Hudson Valley to:

Eat: Cinnamon in Rhinebeck for Indian cuisine and the brand new GioBatta in Tivoli for Italian. The GioBatta chef used to own Mercato in Red Hook, which was my favorite pasta spot, so I'm delighted to see him reopen just a few towns over.

Drink: I’m excited to spend summer nights outside at Grand Cru Beer & Cheese Market in Rhinebeck.

Read/Write/Contemplate: I’ve enjoyed having extra time to read during the quarantine. I’m currently catching up on back issues of The New Yorker and about to start Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie.

Walk/Run/Bike: Hiking the trails at Mohonk Mountain House! The views are the most spectacular in all of the Hudson Valley. Go on a day they’re also doing an outdoor BBQ.

Shop: Oblong Books & Music in Rhinebeck has one of the best curated selections of any bookstore I’ve been to.

Best kept secret: That Lola Pizza in Kingston will deliver here (on Thursday nights only).

Stay away from: The main streets of Rhinebeck when there’s a festival happening at the fairgrounds. Wall-to-wall traffic.

Place not yet open you can't wait for: Coach Farms cheese is opening a store in Rhinebeck and I cannot wait to go every day.

What has surprised you most: Every time I think I’ve seen every historic mansion in the area, I keep finding another one to explore. Last weekend we stumbled across Wilderstein, a massive Victorian with a five-story tower.

Juliet remembers the beauty of Bologna, Italy.

Looking Ahead:

Are you returning to New York? Yes, without a doubt!

What remains on your bucket list for this unique time? There’s a few more cooking projects I’d like to try: perfecting my macaroni and cheese recipe, trying Bravetart’s brownies, and finally mastering all the pasta attachments for my stand mixer.

Where will you travel first when possible? Italy, I hope. We had to cancel our trip to South Tyrol for this summer.

How do you currently feel this time will most alter the next chapter of your life? It’s been incredibly illuminating to spend this much time with my young daughter. I've learned so much about how she perceives the world. My whole family has gained a deeper understanding of each other during this strange break from our normal lives and I hope that will continue in the future.

Aveline plays travel with her very own SteamLine. May she put it to real use soon!

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