You’d be forgiven for thinking that Martha Stewart has a clone. She seems to be everywhere all at once. Most prominently, that means on Netflix with the Martha documentary (which she complained about in a delightfully unfiltered interview with The New York Times, saying, “I hate those last scenes. Hate them.”) She also came out with her hundredth book, Martha: The Cookbook, last month. At 83, with a Sports Illustrated swimsuit cover under her belt, an entertaining friendship with Snoop Dogg, and a multitude of thirst traps on social media, Martha shows that hustle, charisma, and impeccable taste have a long shelf life. Here, she shares just a few of her daily rituals. Feel free to take notes.
WAKE-UP TIME:
Very, very early. Maybe four or five A.M. I read The New York Times—as much of any article I can possibly stomach—and then play as many of the games as I can. I like Letter Boxed and Wordle, but Wordle is getting a little too easy.
BREAKFAST:
I generally have a green juice made from vegetables in my garden and add a packet of collagen to that. I have one cappuccino made with my San Marco machine. We make the best cappuccinos around! I sometimes have a few tablespoons of wheat germ in skim milk, or today I had half a piece of delicious, locally made sourdough-whole-wheat toast with an avocado.
WORKOUT:
This morning at 6:30 A.M., I had Pilates. I go to the Pilates studio in Bedford, N.Y. I do weight training when I can, and I horseback ride.
HOW DID YOU PREP FOR THE SPORTS ILLUSTRATED COVER?
I went mad! I did every single kind of exercise and got lots of massages, and it worked!
TEMPERATURE CHECK!
I like very hot and then very cold showers. I tried cryotherapy, and I’m just not good at that. I lasted half the amount of time that they tell you to do. It was so stupid!
TRACKER:
I have two Oura Rings, but don’t wear them because I don’t like things on my fingers. I find it annoying! And I don’t bother to track my sleep because I don’t sleep.
SNACK:
Pomegranates are currently in season, and one of my housekeepers seeds a pomegranate a day for me. I eat that every single day.
COCKTAIL/MOCKTAIL:
I don’t drink a lot, but the one drink I do like is a Belvedere or Żubrówka vodka shaken with lots of ice and a big slice of orange. It’s delish!
MOOD LIFTER:
I just talk myself out of it if I’m in a bad mood.
WORST VICE:
My iPad and stupid television! Watching TV in the middle of the night is my guilty pleasure.
JET-LAG HACK:
Turn your clock to exactly the time you are arriving and live that way. I adjust my whole being to the time I am currently at.
FIRST BEAUTY PRODUCT:
Something I took out of my mother’s very modest beauty drawer, which was probably Pond’s Cold Cream and baby oil to remove makeup. Remember those? Poor mother! She had beautiful skin by the way, and those products worked!
SELF-CARE:
I go once or twice a month for a facial with Shirley at Mario Badescu. The facials are fabulous with no gimmicks—just a massage, cleansing, and two to three amazing masks on my face and my neck. My skin looks so good after that. My bathroom cabinet is filled with products from Mario Badescu, Clé de Peau, and Tatcha. Before I put anything on my face, I use Clé de Peau La Crème and Alastin tinted sunblock. It is so good! I can go to Pilates and look better than most people at that hour.
HAIR-CARE ESSENTIALS:
I have really, really good hair. I use Milbon or Oribe shampoos and conditioners. I always condition my hair—not just the ends but the whole head.
SCENT:
The only perfume I ever wear is Fracas.
IF YOU COULD CHANGE ANYTHING ABOUT YOUR APPEARANCE, WHAT WOULD IT BE?
I would like a smaller waist. I am working on that, but it’s a hereditary waist!
PAST STYLE REGRETS:
You can look at my documentary, Martha, but I looked pretty good pretty much throughout, so I don’t regret anything.
WHEN DO YOU FEEL THE MOST BEAUTIFUL?
When I’m happy.
LIFE LESSON:
Learn something new every day. And when you’re through changing, you’re through.
PIECE OF ADVICE YOU WOULD GIVE TO YOUR YOUNGER SELF:
Always stay in shape. Always exercise. Always take care of your skin.
BEST THING ABOUT AGING:
What was that question again? That’s my answer!
Holly Parmelee, formerly an associate publisher at Little, Brown and Company, is an editor and writer at Serendipity magazine
