CBGNYC: the hunt

Friday, October 26, 2012

The Thrill Of The Hunt

I've been majorly slacking on posting lately and I apologize for that, but The Hunt was last Saturday and it took me a bit to recover. As I previously wrote, this was my first time going to The Hunt (as an adult) and it was quite the experience. If you've never gone, here are my helpful tips for surviving your first Hunt.

1. Wear rainboots or shoes you don't care about ruining. The Far Hills fields where the steeplechase is held gets super muddy. I wanted to wear my favorite Tory Burch boots but a friend advised against it, and thank god she did because they would have been unwearable afterwards. Think rainboots. Either you need to be able wash them off or throw them out post-Hunt. Trust me.

2. Be adaptable. It's a long day. Chances are, you're getting on a bus bright and early in the city to head out and by the time you get to the Hunt, temps have risen.

I recommend wearing layers. Or you could get creative, like our friend Jeff, who fearlessly decided to convert his jeans to jorts (jean shorts) in the afternoon when it got warmer.

Fun fact: Jeff's jorts made it onto a best dressed of the Hunt style blog. See the final result of the jorts conversion here.

Also, your phone probably won't work so don't plan on meeting up with friends you didn't go there with. But don't sweat it. Consider it an opportunity to make new friends and expand your social circle!

 3. Eat something. This is a seriously boozy tailgate and people here are daydrinking like they're back in college. Think kegs, ice luges, etc. But consider The Hunt a marathon, not a sprint, and make sure to eat a solid breakfast and lunch if you plan to last throughout the day. Hydrate with things other than alcohol, such as water.

4. Have a safe haven. Partying with the muddy masses is fun...

...but it was so nice to have a tent in the civilized area as well, complete with our own bartender and catering and seats and people who were coherent. Highly recommend and big thank you to Adam for the amazing set up!

5. Two words: Hand sanitizer. They only have Port A Pots at the Hunt. Enough said.

6. See a race. One friend who shall remain nameless told me on the bus ride over that he's gone to The Hunt for four years and had never seen a horse. Unacceptable (in this horse lover's opinion, at least). Take a break from the boozing to actually watch at least one of the steeplechases.

7. Take photos. It's definitely a day to remember and one that is best shown rather than told, so play paparazzi. Props to Meg who took most of these amazing snaps.

I promise I'll update again sooner this time. I have red carpet tales from this week and our big Halloween bash is tonight, so check back again soon. Happy Halloween weekend!

Get all the action in real time on Twitter @cristinagibson and Instagram @cristinablairgibson

Monday, October 1, 2012

Ready to Rocktober: Pumpkin, Ponies & Playing Dress Up

Fall is in full swing and October is already here! I know, I know, it's sort of sad that summer and Hamptons season is over but there's so much to look forward to this month. In no particular order, here are a few things I'm excited for:

1. All pumpkin everything: About this time of year, my kitchen becomes a pumpkin party. Over the weekend, I bought Dunkin Donuts pumpkin coffee, pumpkin pancake mix and even pumpkin flavored Greek yogurt at Trader Joe's. If fall had a flavor, it'd be pumpkin. (Winter would be peppermint.) I also enjoy carving pumpkins in October.

2. The Hunt: This will be my first time attending (as an adult that I can actually remember. Thanks to my mom who commented below that I went as a baby, who knew?) but basically the hunt is a horse racing steeplechase event in Far Hills, New Jersey. Their website promises "world-class tailgaiting" and "the social event of the season". I don't know about that but I do like horses and daydrinking so combining the two is a total win/win in my book. Although I'm a former equestrian myself and have been to many racetracks, this is my very first steeplechase as an adult. I'm already thinking about an outfit.

3. Halloween: I love Halloween for a few reasons. First of all, it's the one day a year when adults get to play dress up. It's so much fun seeing all of the creative and crazy costumes people come up with. Personally, I'm in a big believer in the power of the group costume. Any costume is automatically made better when worn by multiple people. Last year, my friends and I were hot nerds and it was a hit.

This year we have yet another group costume in the works with even more girls in the mix and it's gonna be awesome. I don't want to spoil the surpise but let's just say it's something colorful and creative that's made a lot of headlines this year and recently got banned. Any guesses? Another reason to love Halloween: candy. And candy corn!

4. Fall fashion: I'm happy to say goodbye to the subway sweat of summer and hello to crisp mornings, cozy sweaters and chic coats.

Happy October!

Get all the action in real time on Twitter @cristinagibson and Instagram @cristinablairgibson