#ASCENOGIRLS - Emma Harding

Emma Harding, is the author of The Bath Times Substack and Co-Founder of brand-building agency, Re: Agency which has offices in New York and London. Emma lives with her husband Dom and beloved dog Boots between New York City and Hudson in Upstate New York. Shot at her home by photographer Nick Hudson @hudsonphoto, Emma wears her forever pieces from the Core collection, as well as some of her favourites from the new SS25 collection. Emma tells us her favourite NY hang outs, where she goes if she ever finds herself in London for 48-hours; and where is still on her travel bucket list.

48 hours in London - what do you do?

Living in America, my guilty pleasure is now a lap around Waitrose! But when I’m not buying food, I am staying at White City House (great proximity to airport, easy access to Central London and they have everything you need in terms of amenities for a quick getaway) or Chiltern Firehouse if I’m going for a good time. Regardless, there is always a girl’s dinner at Chiltern! Lunch with friends at Mountain in Soho and usually a spa treatment at the Bamford Spa in Chelsea (where I binge buy their Bath Oil). I also stop by Daylesford on Westbourne Grove to stock up on their salted caramel brownies. I now get orders from our American friends!

  Favourite place to stay in NY?

For such a tourist trap, New York City actually lacks great hotels (I might get in a lot of trouble for saying that!). The ones to stay at are: AMAN New York, Nine Orchard and The Greenwich. I’m also excited to check out The Twenty Two which has just opened here.  If you’re going further afield Upstate, check out Wildflower Farms for a country retreat or The Maker in Hudson for more of a town destination trip. 

Favourite look from the ASCENO collection?

I’ve converted to using a Maison Vouette tote for all my travels - it’s the perfect travel companion with its transparent casing. It holds everything I need and I’m not fumbling around trying to find my phone or passport. In there goes: my handbag, my laptop, ASCENO PJs and eyemask (I change the second I get on the plane regardless of the time of my flight), cashmere socks and my ‘minis’ (STURM, Augustinus Bader and SkinCeuticals). 

Ooof, where do I start?! My bucket list seems to get longer rather than shorter. Ranchlands in Wyoming, Sterrekopje Farm in South Africa (I got married in Franschhoek so will be returning next year for our 10 years), Charleston (I’m staying at Post House Inn next month), Deplar Farm in Iceland.. I could go on!

What are you reading and watching right now? 

I'm terrible at reading outside of lying on a sun lounger in a hot country (New Year's resolution number!), but I finished all of the Thursday Murder Club series last summer and I loved it - completely my humour.

I'm also very basic when it comes to watching TV - I much prefer a bath and writing my Substack in the evenings than watching something, but my train go-to has been Suits. I never watched it when it first came out so it's been fun to start from the beginning. Oh and I've been watching Grey's Anatomy for the last 20 odd years! Told you I was basic.

Podcast you're listening to? 

I've listened to most of 'How I Built This' and I've just finished Matthew Perry's Biography on audio book. I love a bit of true crime too - The Apology Line. I also like Frederic's 'Deep Dive in Design' and 'The Grand Tourist'.

Can't leave home without?

In reality? A poo bag for my dog, pockets full of dog treats, headphones, phone, keys, lip balm - and right now some shearling gloves (I suffer from Raynaud’s Syndrome)!

 

 

Night owl or up with the birds?

Night owl! I LOVE my bed more than anywhere else in the world. My bedroom Upstate is my sanctuary and I don't sleep better anywhere else. My husband stays up later than me so I start the night with Boots (the dog) on the bed and then he calls her down for the night before he comes up - but that hour or so just me and her is my favourite time of day.

 

 

Bedtime rituals?

I joke that I do my best work in the bath, but actually I think it's because I spend so long in the bath that I get a lot done. I have a bath every night (more or less) after my daily pilates class. I have to have bath oil - and it has to be Bamford (I've tried others and they're just not as good!). I also have a fairly religious skincare regime. Poppy (Founder of Asceno) will also joke that I brush my teeth for a very long time, so I suppose that forms part of the bedtime ritual!