Lots of publications share their lists of the Best of, the Most Read, the Most Emailed, and other superlatives at this time of year. We’re not exactly sure why. Is it because they want to be sure that if we missed something, we have a chance to go back and read it? Is it because the staff is on holiday, and round-up stories are really quick and easy to write? Or could it be that the process of analyzing and sharing the most popular topics of the year tells us a lot about ourselves – as a community, as a publication, as individuals?
Your call – we suspect that it’s a combination of all three. In honor of our first full year of existence, here’s our first-ever Dandelion Chandelier list of our top 10 posts of the year. We’re counting backwards, Letterman style, ‘cause we’ve just always wanted to do that.
10. What are the Best Luxury Items to Shop for in . . . This monthly series began only this November, and it debuted to a gratifying reception. We’ll stay in the hunt for the best items to nab each month, whether online or in-store, to help you craft the right shopping list. Yes, shopping is a tough job, but someone’s got to do it.
9. Eleven Madison Park Gets a Smart New Makeover. The Manhattan restaurant named the Best in the World closed for the summer for a make-over; when it reopened in October, we shared our experiences over dinner in the new space. Our new Food Editor made that reservation happen, and we are seriously happy that she has joined our team.
8. How to Celebrate Halloween Like a Hedge Fund Boss. We went on an adventure on the Upper East Side of New York to see what the moguls were doing to decorate their homes for Halloween. It’s one of our favorite holidays, and it seems to be one of theirs, too. Many thanks to our two correspondents on the UES, who pointed us in the right direction.
7. The Luxury of a Stunning New Ballet by Lauren Lovette. One of our Luminaries, New York City Ballet Principal Dancer Lauren Lovette, is also a stellar choreographer. She spoke with us about her new work for the Fall Season at NYCB, Not Our Fate, and shared her compelling vision of a ballet that allows every dancer to be true to who they really are.
6. How to Do the Holidays in London, Paris and New York Like a Luxury Insider. Our insider’s guides to having luxurious holiday experiences in three of the greatest cities in the world was well-received. Lots of people shared the ideas with their friends, and we hope lots also made plans to do some of the things that our savvy on-the-ground correspondents suggested. Happy Holidays! And many thanks to our Bureau Chiefs for giving us the luxury inside scoop.
5. How to Travel the World in Style Never Checking a Bag. Our very first Luminary, Dr. Helene Gayle, shared her tips on how to pack for a long overseas trip with lots of different professional and social obligations without having to check a bag. If anyone can do it, it’s Helene, and lots of people are grateful for her wise counsel as they plot their next adventure.
4. The Best Luxury Bed Sheets and Linens in the World. Sleep is totally the new luxury Thing, and our sleep series was surprisingly popular. Must be because our chic far-flung correspondents gave us some terrific inside information on the best of the best. We hope it helped lots of folks drift off to the land of Nod more easily.
3. The Perfect Books to Read in the Month of . . . is a new series we started in September, and we’re thrilled that it has attracted such strong support. Being in the middle of a really great book is one of life’s sweetest luxuries, and we’re really happy to share our favorites with you.
2. Spinning Cycle: The Best Luxury Indoor Bikes Right Now + What are the Best Luxury Workout Apparel Brands? Sure, Dandelion Chandelier readers like to go to the ballet, read, eat at fine restaurants and sleep. But you’re definitely not couch potatoes. Spinning and cycling are consistently popular with our community, and this was one of the first stories we did on the subject this year. Of course, we all also want to look chic while we sweat, and our luxury workout apparel post was also in our top ten. Stay tuned for our Winter Wellness series, starting in January. There’ll be plenty more on fitness and style in the New Year!
1. Luxury Legends: The 5 Tribes of Martha’s Vineyard and Why is Martha’s Vineyard so Important to the Black Elite? And the winner is . . . Martha’s Vineyard! Our Luminary Lawrence Otis Graham (who is also my darling husband) wrote a moving piece about the deep emotional connections that the black community has to the island of Martha’s Vineyard. We followed it up with a fond look at the various social “tribes” on the island. We suspect that Martha’s Vineyard holds a very special place in the hearts of many of our readers – both for what it actually is, and for what it represents: a timeless place where all are welcome, where family and friendship and the natural world are celebrated and cherished, where you can come as you are with no gloss or artifice, where there are no chain restaurants, and where the beaches, the wildflowers, the sunrises and the pies are all absolutely incredible.
We think the love for Martha’s Vineyard probably tells us a lot about our Dandelion Chandelier community, and the values that our readers hold dear. We hope that as we grow, we become a place that occupies that same kind of space for you: smart, fresh, elegant, optimistic, stimulating and restorative.
Happy New Year, dear readers. See you in 2018.
