I’ve known Alanna for a long time. We grew up in Vermont, went to the same high school, and later shared an apartment in New York when we were both just starting out. That stretch of time—first real jobs, cramped quarters, figuring it out as you go—has a way of sticking with you. It shapes how you work, what you notice, and what you’re finally willing to put your name on.
I am still close friends with her sister, too. I have such vivid memories of sleepovers at their family’s inn in Stowe—late nights, early mornings, and a lot of running around the property. Honestly, the photos of our early "fashion choices" from those days still haunt me to this day... Hello Ed Hardy...
Alanna began her career at Calvin Klein Collection, an environment where nothing is extra and every detail must earn its place. That "edited" philosophy stayed with her as her world expanded into photography and lifestyle writing. Today, she is the author of two beautiful books, The Outdoor Table and The Art of Picnics, and lives in Hawaii. It’s a world away from Vermont, but the way she moves through it feels familiar to me: thoughtful, grounded, and intentional.
So it feels right to have her here. This series spotlights the people who inspire us to slow down, look around, and pack well.
Q&A with Alanna
You’ve lived in Vermont, New York, and now Hawaii. What did each chapter leave you with?
Each place served as a necessary precursor to the next. Vermont is home. I grew up on a horse farm surrounded by fields and a kitchen garden where we grew nearly all our own food. My mother never bought anything packaged; our treats were simple rhubarb pies or blueberry muffins from the bushes out back. It taught me the value of hard work and the deep satisfaction of the land.
New York, by contrast, gave me the courage to be ambitious. The city’s relentless energy built a resilience in me that balanced my sheltered upbringing. It taught me that if you want an opportunity, you have to build the door yourself. Hawaii has been the gentle landing. It reconnected me to the natural world. When you sit quietly by the ocean, you can finally hear the internal guidance that gets drowned out by the noise of a city.
How did that farm upbringing lead to your work as an author and photographer?
In Vermont, the climate is fickle—you learn to be resourceful. As soon as the sun appeared, we’d spontaneously throw a meal together to make the most of the day. If it was a fresh blanket of snow, we’d layer up for a snowshoe with hot chocolate and gingerbread.
That spirit is exactly what I aimed to capture in my books. Writing them felt different from my usual recipe development; there was a deep nostalgia to it. I drew on memories of childhood adventures rather than just showcasing a product. I wanted to show that outdoor entertaining doesn’t need to be fussy; it’s about savoring the moment with good company and wholesome food, lovingly prepared. 
You started in design at Calvin Klein Collection. How did that shape your current process?
At Calvin Klein, I was responsible for the creative visuals that inspired each collection. I spent hours in museums and archives hunting for a specific mood or texture. That’s where my "eye" was really trained. I realized that my perspective had value beyond just being "visual"—I was learning how to tell a story through curated imagery. Photography was always a thread in my life, but fashion made me realize it could be a career. If you start where you are and reach for the next branch, new doors always open.
What makes a place feel like "home" to you? Are there rituals you carry across zip codes?
Home is wherever I feel seen and at ease. I find that feeling with my family in Vermont, but also in nature. As a photographer, I’m naturally drawn to light and beauty, but it’s not about "stuff." It’s about appreciation—a specific fabric, an antique with history, or a well-considered object. I also rely on grounding rituals like journaling or running. Those habits act as a portable "home" I can unpack anywhere.
Need to know — What’s in your Coastland tote right now?
As a photographer, I’m usually a pack mule for gear—cameras, laptops, and hard drives. The tote is my catch-all. It’s rugged enough to handle being tossed around on location but looks polished enough for a coffee shop edit. For me to keep something long-term, it has to be a hybrid of utility and soul. This piece feels distinctly New England—rugged and practical—but it ages with a certain elegance.
What feels like a real luxury to you right now?
Peace. Protecting my time, my emotional well-being, and my creative space. Life is too short to let your energy be depleted by unfulfilling work or draining situations. Being able to live on my own terms, without needing to justify my choices to anyone, is the ultimate luxury.
It’s rare to find someone who carries the spirit of Vermont so gracefully into the rest of the world. You can follow Alanna’s journey in Hawaii @alannaoneilphoto or dive into her world through her books, The Outdoor Table and The Art of Picnics.
