Hildegarde “Hillie” Mahoney is a force of nature. Born in Hamburg, Germany, she was exiled as a child in Japan for seven years during World War II (which she writes about in her book Journey Interrupted,) raised a family in New York, and since 1980 has called Palm Beach home.
Along the way, she dined with Halston (her husband, David J. Mahoney, was the designer’s financial backer) and fondly remembers his love of orchids. She also wrote a memoir; but perhaps most importantly, Mahoney founded and chaired numerous organizations that still keep her busy today. The charming nonagenarian is a co-founder and co-chair of the Harvard Mahoney Neuroscience Institute and a director of The Dana Foundation, a private philanthropic nonprofit that explores connections between the individual brain and society. In addition to being a life trustee for the Boys’ & Girls’ Clubs of America, Mahoney is also on the board of the Palm Beach Island Hospice Foundation. Here, the grandmother of nine—and proud great-grandmother of three—opens the doors to Hilago, her lakeside home, for a photographic documentary chronicling her (anything but) typical day.
“A perfect Palm Beach day, I would say, would be to go to my desk right after breakfast, try to clean up some ever-present paperwork with my assistant, and then have a quick bite of lunch, or go out with a friend or friends (but rarely, because it breaks up my day too much). After lunch, I enjoy visiting the Society of the Four Arts to hear an interesting speaker or the many other fabulous programs they offer, or going to the Norton with a pal, to see the latest exhibit. I also enjoy meeting a friend for tea at the Flagler Museum if the day is not too busy, which is rare, as there are many informative medical lectures and interesting art galleries in town as well. Very occasionally, if time permits, I love stopping at a club of mine to play backgammon, which is great fun. In the past, another part of my perfect day would be to learn ballroom dancing and then compete in various competitions around the country.”
“I start my morning routine depending on what time I go to bed because I need to sleep at least seven to eight hours a night. I mostly have my coffee black, but occasionally I add a bit of milk. Aside from the Shiny Sheet, which I read as a hard copy, I read The Wall Street Journal, the New York Post, and sometimes the Financial Times online.”
“I work out every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. with Frank Manganella. I’ve worked with him for almost 20 years.”
“I mainly have salads with either a quiche, a soufflé, broiled salmon, or some other protein at around 1:30 or 2:00 p.m., prepared by Bruno.”
“Having started building my current home with my late husband in 1990, I know and love every inch of it, but I seem to spend most of my time now in the library, the dining room, the tatami room, my sitting room, and my home office. One of the fondest memories I have of my home is the St. Patrick’s Day parties my late husband and I used to have, where everyone was asked to wear green or at least something green.”
“When planning a reception, I usually start with a core list of friends who already know each other and invite others they don’t, as well as visiting friends from out of town, most of whom might be interested in getting to know each other. I like to receive my guests in the living room, or we gather on the terrace, weather and temperature permitting, and I offer them an assortment of healthy hors d’oeuvres with their drinks.”
To be continued in PALMER Vol. 9. To read the full story, click here to purchase the issue.