One step into the expertly curated space of Salon 21 is like taking a peek inside the mind of the location’s founder Alex Bass, from its charming whimsical interiors to its elegant limewashed walls – the perfect backdrop to its ever-rotating showcase of art exhibitions – the space feels distinctly unique and captivating. So we could think of no better person to curate the ultimate day for an art lover than the design maven herself. Alex walks us through her ideal 24 hours working as a prominent interior designer, gallerist, and consummate hostess and shares some of her must-have places to visit in Soho.
9:00 AM
I am not a morning person but have been trying to get up earlier (this is early for me!) since I am sort of on the night-life shift due to all of the events we host at Salon 21. I’ll start my day with Fortnum & Mason Breakfast Blend and a smoothie. I’ll typically throw on jeans and a tee, my checkered vans, and Salon 21 baseball cap and walk over to 52 Greene St. I love walking through SoHo in the morning – all of the dogs are out and there is a stillness that can only be captured around that time or late at night. I make sure to look up at the iconic cast-iron buildings and sometimes pinch myself that I get to live in the city and walk to my own business. If I have to pick up anything for that evening’s event, I like to stop at Feste for fun, elevated party supplies.
10:00 AM
If I’m not cleaning from an event the night before, I will sit down at my desk and get to all of the emails I didn’t get to in between snoozing my alarm earlier. I typically throw on a podcast I love to listen to, “I’ve Had It” and “Pod Save America” (I’m a news junkie) and send out exhibition checklists, iron out details for our upcoming events, etc. If it’s a day where I have more free time or a day off, I love to visit the Met, of which I am a Young Fellow.
12:00 PM
Salon 21 is open by appointment starting at noon, so I aim to finish my prep work before Twelve o’clock. Once noon rolls around, I’m taking in-person meetings ranging from companies scouting out the space to host private events, visitors coming to look at our current exhibition, or meeting with clients about interior design work. During these meetings, we typically discuss sourcing pieces – some of my favorite spots include John Derian or The Guild. If the weather is nice, I’ll walk over to Smile To Go or the newly opened Eataly Soho to grab something for lunch.
3:00 PM
For our “Socials” series, to make networking a little less stressful and a more impactful experience, guests fill out questionnaires that help me pair them with other partygoers. In the afternoon, I prepare these before that evening’s event by matching up our guests, usually between my other meetings. When not hosting in-person meetings at the salon, I love bringing people to Bibliotheque, an amazing cafe/slash bookstore that serves wine in the evenings.
4:00 PM
Typically my in-person and Zoom meetings will die down by this point, and I start to set myself up for the following day. I cannot leave my desk without my inbox at zero. I’ve also started leaving my computer at the office at the end of the day, so as not to be tempted to hop back on. Being your own boss is all about setting boundaries!
5:00 PM
If it’s a day when we are hosting an event in the salon, I’ll be re-arranging our flowers, lighting candles, setting up the bar, printing out reading materials – the works. I single-handedly touch every element, of the space, including taking out the garbage at night – not always glamorous! It’s time to get my game face on to greet our guests and introduce them to the space. I love meeting new people, this is definitely, the best part of my job, but of course, it takes a lot of energy to host. If I’m not hosting an event, I’ll try to get into a Pure Barre class.
8:00 PM
A hostess’s job is never done! While *gently* escorting our guests out, I’ll be cleaning up for the next day and thinking about dinner. My boyfriend and I (if he’s not in the law school library) or my colleagues will head to Fanelli, SoHo Diner, or Bar Pitti for a quick meal.
10:00 PM
Now I’m immediately changing into comfy clothes and needlepointing on the couch – my new hobby! I’ll turn on one of the many shows I have yet to finish and try to put my phone away. I’m currently loving this late-night ritual. And then I’m in bed by midnight doing the wordle and connections
