WHAT WOULD YOUR 20 YEAR OLD SELF THINK OF YOUR LIFE TODAY?
Hectic! I would be amazed at how it all works together the career, the kids, family. Having it all is a myth. It's not really about balance that's the line women are fed. It takes hard work, dedication and a serious support system. You have to focus and be present as much as possible otherwise that's when you feel like you're spread too thin. Women are amazing! I would be thrilled to see I am still being led creatively in both heart and mind.
WHAT JOB WOULD YOU LIKE TO BE DOING IF NOT THE ONE THAT YOU DO?
I would love to be an archaeologist. History, antiquities and lost cultures fascinate me. Or a travel blogger. Travel is a huge inspiration. I backpacked through Europe after high school and through South East Asia after college and everywhere in between after that. I was even M.I.A. as I lost myself in adventure and forgot to check in with friends and family. My intuition alerted me during a card game in the jungles of Cambodia that I needed to call home immediately after many weeks. I had to walk two miles to the nearest phone at a local post office.
WHAT DO YOU STILL LOVE ABOUT NEW YORK?
There are still moments, glimpses into the rich history of this amazing city I was lucky enough to be born and raised in. Every generation has their time when they experienced the ‘real’ NYC. The fact is it all layers together in architecture, fashion, music. The memories old and new hit me at every corner. That’s my private New York, everyone has one...
After I bought and renovated my first house, a brownstone in Fort Greene Brooklyn, I found a new passion for designing and decorating spaces. This passion project marked my return to Brooklyn after living my dream of youth residing in Manhattan. The neighborhood has changed so much in the many years I have been here. As I went on to design and build a second carriage house project, I found myself so addicted to change and also invested in where my kids were growing up that my heart is full here like no where else. New York is one big small town filled with little neighborhoods. Magical and mysterious.
WHAT ARE YOUR FAVORITE PLACES TO TRAVEL TO?
So every New Yorker needs to get out and sometimes often. Paris is a favorite destination. I recently went for a friend’s big birthday and took my oldest daughter. Showing her that city was a dream, it was like discovering it for the first time all over again. Otherwise I am a beach girl. Been to Tulum, St Barths, Jamaica about 100 times, never gets old. My most recent travel fetish is Morocco, Marrakesh is absolutely divine.
WHO ARE YOUR FAVORITE PEOPLE?
My three kids inspire and teach me every day. It's amazing how much you can learn about yourself when you become a parent. You relate to the world totally differently when it's not just about you. Humility, patience, perseverance, you have to show up every day. Be present no matter what else is going on. I feel incredibly blessed to be a mother and I have definitely learned not to sweat the small stuff. Gratitude is key, harmony and team work. It’s the ultimate love.
THE BEST MEAL YOU'VE EVER HAD?
Anything from the night markets on my extensive trips to southeast Asia, grilled octopus in Greece, pasta in Rome, backyard bbq’s in Brooklyn. I love a good donut too. Brooklyn pizza is a necessary indulgence once in awhile. My best meal was probably a fresh caught fish roasted on the beach in Mozambique. I love to eat and explore local cuisine when I travel, favorite pastime!