Hilliary Bianca Salamanca
Name: Hilliary Bianca Salamanca
Location: Brooklyn, New York
Profession: Founder of Circle of Friends, where I design and produce events centered around circularity to educate, connect and show how to live beautifully and sustainably.
Self-Description: Hostess, connector, vintage-enthusiast, two-(rescue) dog mom, circular economy advocate and angel-investor.
Words to live by: The more the merrier and the Eames quote, "The details are not the details. They make the design."
Words to your younger self: Trust in the unfolding of the universe.
On health & wellness
What is something you changed in your life, to change your life for the better? At the beginning of this year, I started The Artist's Way and while I still have a few weeks left (it's a 12 week long guided book) it has already changed my life. I have become a morning person because I now enjoy starting my day with the mindfulness practice of writing my morning pages- something that is part of the AW practice and I plan to continue after the 12 weeks concludes.
What advice, inspiration, or motivation can you share to encourage someone to take care of their body, mind, or soul? Start by understanding why or what you might need to take care of. We are being sold wellness products constantly but you will only feel better if it's right for you. I recently started working with a naturopath after struggling with hormonal acne, pcos symptoms, and fatigue for years. I wanted to take care of myself and get to the root of the problem. Through the various blood and hormonal tests I did, I learned I was over producing estrogen, experiencing low cortisol, and low vitamin D. How could I have possibly known that on my own. I started taking supplements and making changes to my lifestyle based on the actual information I had, and am already feeling so much better just a few months in. Oversharing this personal story because I've seen what a difference having data on my health has been. I cannot recommended Lauren Geyman enough for that too!
What is your favorite health or wellness product? Lately I've been loving Alice Mushrooms for a cognitive boost during the day and a restful sleep at night. I'm also a fan of Fatty 15 and appreciate that it comes in a refillable jar.
On business
Tell us about your business or role. With Circle of Friends I create events through the lens of circularity, partnering with brands and organizations. It's about the art of gathering while also being mindful and more sustainable. Through the events I hope people find connections and learn easy ways to incorporate circular practices into their own life. Some examples of past events include a circular fashion brunch with Rent the Runway and a Pasta Party with upcycled and regenerative foods like Matriark and SIMPLi.
Were you always interested in it or did you fall into it? From a young age I had the classic dream of living in NY and working in fashion, which I did for years! I worked in brand marketing for fashion and consumer brands during their startup to expansion phases so that meant a lot of community building through events. In 2022 I received my Master's in Sustainabilty Management from Columbia University and started advocating for a more circular fashion system. I began my Circle of Friends Stoop Series to share cool people doing cool things in circularity and quickly those turned into collaborative events. So in a way I fell back into doing events and community building but this time instead of working in-house, I get to work with a variety of brands across categories and use the gatherings as a way to advocate, educate, and bring people together over shared values.
What is your favorite part of your work? Bringing people together and when someone shares that they made a more sustainable decision based on something I shared or they learned at an event.
What advice would you give someone who is looking to get into the same industry? Get out of the house and say yes to things! All of my roles and now my client work comes from meeting people and making connections.
The full list of favorable mentions are linked below with a brief description.
Favorite gift to give: I love to source vintage and I think finding the perfect pre-loved piece for someone shows you spent time to find something unique just for them. I regularly gift a set of vintage glassware because I can personalize the style and type of glasses for each person, maybe even pair with a bottle of bubbles or a case of NA cans. I love when friends send me photos of a martini they are enjoying in vintage coupes I gifted them. I also believe in host gifts and I made a guide of gifts to bring the host, that aren’t just a bottle of wine.
What is a recent purchase you made that you love? West Bourne Organic Avocado Oil Set, I love the work West Bourne is doing to support regenerative agriculture while making beautiful products. The set with the marble tray looks really nice out on your countertop - A bottle of this is an excellent host gift
What do you never leave the house without? Headphones and a book, commuting in the city is my time to listen to podcasts and get some reading time. I usually have one physical book I'm reading and one audio book I'm listening to on my Libby app.
Book Recommendation: The Art of Gathering by Priya Parker
Podcast Recommendation: Fashion & Founders, my friend Victoria interviews fun founders and covers a lot of circular fashion topics and products. I would start with the conversation with Anne Warren of Next-Season.
Artist Recommendation: I made this playlist for an event I recently co-hosted for Bloomi and I keep playing it.
Makeup product: I have narrowed it down to 4 I use daily, Saie Slip Tint because it has SPF and I love that they have a climate initiative, Westman Atelier Blush sticks because they are versatile and have a recycling and refill program, I've been wearing petal lately. Charlotte Tillbury pillow talk lipliner, and Trish McEvoy High Volume Tubular Mascara - I've been using it since high school, it's one of the OG tubing mascaras.
Skincare Product: This is body care but the Hanni Splash Salve is a game changer for moisturizing, you use it while in the shower and it actually keeps your skin hydrated, especially during dry winters.
Small Business to support: Abel Objects for beautiful consciously made jewelry. Nina Gabbana Vintage for designer vintage, I have some amazing 90s era Donna Karan pieces from her. HYER GOODS - Bags and accessories from fashion's luxury leftovers. Matriark for tomato sauce that uses "ugly" produce directly from farms that otherwise would have been thrown out. I keep my pantry stocked with these. PORTA for home pieces, visit their shop on Atlantic ave in Brooklyn for tablescape inspiration. This list could keep going on!
Favorite store in another state or country: Sundog in Buena Vista, Colorado. It is a small store in a small mountain town but it is full of vintage western gems, the owner Judy does an amazing job at curating. All of my best vintage suede jackets are from here and now friends put in requests for me to source for them when I go back.
Hotel Recommendation: Sublime Comporta in Portugal. It's a stunning property with sustainability woven throughout. We stayed in one of the suites on a bio-reserve pool- the water is treated solely with aquatic plants, no chemicals. They also have an organic garden on the property and a chef's table restaurant in the center of it serving seasonal items from the garden. I also love their beach club.
Recipe: I rarely use an actual recipe, a trait I get from my Italian grandmother, I tend to just go with what I'm feeling and adjust based on taste. Something that started that way and I now I make often is a mediterranean style orzo. It's always a hit with either a dinner party, small girls night, or for my husband to eat through the week. It's quick and easy, can be served hot or cold, and does well the next day or two so I always make enough to have leftovers. I came up with this mediterranean version- it's not precise, you can get creative with what you have and what you like! This version works for 2 people with leftovers for days, a dinner for 4, or served as a side at a larger party, also easy to make more or less.
Mediterranean Big Bowl of Orzo
4 Cups of Orzo (cook per instructions on package)
-1 can or jar of pitted olives
-1 can of artichoke hearts
-Sundried tomatoes, especially ones in really good olive oil from an Italian provisions shop. Cut into slices
-Meredith dairy sheep and goat cheese in oil, use about 1/2 the cheese in the jar, serve the other half as an app. (found here) to me this cheese will make a difference but if you cannot find it a regular feta would work too.
A handful or so of spinach or kale
In the past I've also added sautéd asparagus or mushrooms, it's a choose your own adventure type of recipe
The "dressing"
Use some of the oil from the Meredith dairy cheese, or a good drizzle oil, West Bourne has a good one - just a light drizzle
A half squeeze of lemon and you could add a small amount of tomato paste if you wanted. I once added a little tarragon djion mustard that was nice. It's great with just oil and lemon but again choose your own adventure.
Right after you take the Orzo off the stove, put in a big bowl and add in all the other ingredients, do so while it's still a little warm so that it lightly melts the cheese to make it slightly creamy. Add a pinch of good salt. Really stir everything together.
Either serve hot or I like to pop it in the fridge for an hour and serve slightly cool in the Summer.
Want to follow Hilliary?
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