Hi, I'm Melina.

After living in Los Angeles for most of my adult life, I threw caution to the wind and moved across the country to start a new adventure in NYC in 2016.

5th Floor Walk-Up started as place to share the creative inspiration I found in my new home—a cozy West Village studio in a not-so-cozy, yet magical city. It’s a new girl's guide to NYC. A blog for anyone who has ever fumbled through uncharted territory, trying to make a home somewhere new.

I’ve since moved apartments, and am now making a new home with my partner in a slightly larger (but still cozy!) 3rd floor walk-up in Brooklyn. I run my own social media advertising agency—Cornerlight Digital and teach digital marketing. While my creativity comes in waves, as you’ll see in the ebbs and flows of posts on this site, I’m always looking for new ways to express myself whether that be through stream-of-consciousness writing on Instagram, developing my green thumb with indoor gardening, scoring the internet for vintage furniture, or simply designing my home in a way that brings me joy.

-M

P.S. if you're curious what I was up to circa 2011-2015, here's an old friend of mine.

The New Girl:

Mandi Nyambi

Editor’s Note: The Backstory

Last summer, I attended The Wing’s first summer camp. On the verge of quitting my job, I was in desperate need of a weekend away and decided to push myself out of my comfort zone and adventure there solo. As we boarded the buses up to the Adirondacks, I felt like a little kid again—equal parts excited and also anxious that I didn’t have a “bus buddy” by my side.

As the vehicle filled up, those of us using our luggage as a makeshift seat mate were asked to shuffle our belongings and make room for more campers. One woman nicely asked me if my seat was taken and introduced herself as Mandi.

Now, I’m normally not particularly talkative with new people (AKA worst nightmare is a chatty neighbor on a plane), but Mandi and I had a six hour trip ahead and the luxury of time to actually get to know one another. I explained my current predicament—fear of taking the leap into self-employment, general burnout, and creative paralysis—and Mandi provided calming and encouraging advice, as she had actually made a similar transition a few months prior. After a job at a software tech company, Mandi had recently co-founded and become the CEO of skincare startup Le CultureClub and was in the midst of writing her first book (PSA - Fresh Face hits shelves this fall!)

Mandi is one to watch in the beauty + tech industry, and I feel lucky that a chance bus encounter allowed us to become friends. A few months later, I spent the morning with her in her inviting Brooklyn brownstone and adventured around her local haunts for this interview. I hope you enjoy a look into the day in the life of this NYC entrepreneur.

-M

More About Mandi

Where are you originally from? 

I was born in Antwerp Belgium, but was raised in Westchester, New York from the age of 4.

How long have you been living in NYC?

3.5 years now

Current neighborhood?

Fort Greene, Brooklyn

What pays the rent?

I own my own skincare and wellness business. Le CultureClub is a community of skin nerds who believe in understanding their skin in order to find the right products for them. We create tools to match people to the right skincare products to reach their skin goals. I also wrote a book last year which allowed me to pay my bills before I was able to pay myself through my business. The book is called Fresh Face and it comes out this year from the publisher Chronicle Books. It's all about daily routines for taking care of your skin. Think of it as the skincare survival guide.

Describe your current living situation:

I live with my boyfriend in a one-bedroom apartment on the first floor of a brownstone, which means we also have outdoor space in the way of a patio.

What were your early days in New York City like?

I'd already spent 4 years away at college in Boston, during which time I lived in Paris for a few months. So, I was no stranger to living away from my parents. The feeling was even stranger because I wasn't craving the blue house on the hill I grew up in, or any place in particular. I was missing a sense of belonging. That's the very feeling that led me to make so many of the choices I have made in the last 3.5 years. I was keen on building my own community, assembling a chosen family, and making a space feel like my home.

How did you find your first apartment?

I lived in a 4th floor walk-up on the Upper West Side. I was getting my master’s degree at Columbia and lived with two other students. The summer before we moved in, we hired a broker, because each of us was moving to the city for the first time. We loved our place—it had 3 bedrooms, 2 living rooms and a full kitchen. It cost about $3,400 between all of us, and it was perfect. A few months in, the girls and I rescued a cat who we named Poseidon. Honestly, it was the best way to kick off my time in the city.

What is a typical weekday like for you?

This is New York, there is no typical day! (obligatory)

7-7:30am: Yell at Alexa to snooze and reset my wake-up alarm.

8am: Head to the gym for a workout or therapy (depends on the day). Chelsea Piers Fitness in Downtown Brooklyn is the only place that’s actually got me regularly exercising since the 11th grade. Anybody else miss state-mandated ballroom dancing PE classes?

9:30am: Grab a second breakfast or snack.

10am: I’m at the office ready to work! Although a couple days a week I try to meet with someone new for breakfast or coffee. This city is filled with interesting people from other female founders, to old friends from college.

12pm: Midday check in with the team. We do our stand-ups at high noon, when everyone has had the chance to settle into their morning and are plugging away at their daily priorities. Then it’s time for some food. I work hard to bring my lunch every day.

3:30pm: Daily constitutional, as our editor Amelia calls it. Around this time, the afternoon slump is creeping in and it’s energizing to take a walk around DUMBO, Brooklyn. I’m not big on coffee during the day, keeping my consumption to at most one cup a day. So, I’ll head out for a chocolate chip cookie, my reward for checking things off my to-do list. Lately with the cold setting in I’ll take a break and read an article or one of the many books I’m working my way through.

6pm: technically business hours end, but we often find ourselves chit-chatting about whatever craziness is happening on the internet.

7:30pm Pottery class! I started taking a pottery class this year at a beautiful community focused spaced called Artshack in Bed-Stuy. Proceeds from the adult or paid classes go towards a scholarship fund to teach kids how to make incredible ceramics. It’s so nice, after a day behind a computer screen, to get my hands dirty and work the other side of my brain.

This is a pretty mundane day. On other days I make elaborate waffle breakfasts for myself before work. Or we’ll have a full day video shoot for our product. Meeting riddled days can have me on the phone with our accountant, grabbing coffee with a potential investor, or stopping by the lab of one of our favorite formulation scientists.

What would your perfect weekend Entail?

First of all, no alarms! I don’t set an alarm on the weekends. It’s my way of making up for the weekday morning jolt I get from Alexa. My boyfriend and I usually make our way to brunch on the weekends, hitting up Fort Greene’s fine eateries like Evelina (they have the world’s best scones and bellinis), Smooch Cafe for a Vietnamese iced coffee, or Olea—the mediterranean gem that always has a wait.

On Sundays I like to head into the city. First to a museum and then to get a facial at Rescue Spa. My boyfriend and I joined the Whitney Museum as members so if I’m feeling fancy I’ll grab a Sunday paper and eat brunch at their restaurant, Untitled. Then, I’ll head in to see the latest exhibit.

Mandi’s Favorites

Your go-to local spot:

Colonia Verde for dinner or Smooch for a midday drink and snack.

Favorite season in the city

Spring

Cook or seamless?

Cook

Uber, yellow cab, walk or subway?

Subway

What's one thing still on your "NYC" bucket list?

The only thing left on the list is to buy a home here.

How do you combat the stress of the city?

Gosh, I don't know that I do a stellar job of it. A lot of my energy has been put towards making my home my sanctuary. And I have set my life up such that most of what I do happens in my neighborhood, which is an extension of my sanctuary. But when I do venture out into Manhattan or something like that, I make sure to wear comfortable shoes. That's probably my biggest pain point—it's having to walk so much, take the subway and have feet that are killing me. Which means, I'm a bit of a sneaker head. I have a ton and the collection keeps growing. I'd love to think that I’m the kind of woman who can wear high heeled boots everyday, but I just love the liberating feeling of putting on my favorite pair of kicks and heading out the door.

I actually love the hustle and bustle of Manhattan and soak it up when I'm there. From the subway artists to the kids running through the parks, it really exhilarates me. It's that very surge or spirit that let me know as a kid that I had to make New York City my home one day.

What still makes you feel like a "new kid"?

When someone asks me for restaurant recommendations. I'm like—I have no clue. So many times I forget the places I've eaten at, or I'll realize that a cool place recently closed down. There's so much new here all the time, that I feel like I can continue to rediscover this city every week. And when I ask for recommendations for anything, I realize there so much out there I haven't seen. It makes me feel like there are endless possibilities here.

Biggest adjustment?

I grew up in the suburbs of the city and my dad was a professor at NYU so I was pretty intimately familiar with what a big city is like, but it's another thing to live in it. Making connections in my neighborhood has been the biggest challenge. For one thing, I've moved every year (except this year, just signed a 2 year lease renewal). In a small town everyone knows you or your family. My friends’ parents worked at the local stores and restaurants, my church members taught in the schools, so everything was very intermingled. But in New York, you have to work hard to build your community. I've made it a priority to befriend the baristas, join a church and shoot the shit with Charlie who manages the tennis courts in Fort Greene park.

What makes NYC special to you?

We have history. But more importantly, it's where I got my adult sea legs. I've made so many mistakes here and fallen into so many incredible opportunities. I've used this place as a canvas for figuring out who I am and who I want to be. It makes me feel like I can be anything or do anything. I can be a doctor, a ceramicist, an entrepreneur, a karaoke champion, a backstage hand at the Opera, a sous-chef, a janitor, a task rabbit who donates your clothes for you at Beacon's closet. Seriously, I can do anything.

How did you take the leap to move?

I always knew I wanted to live here as an adult. Honestly, it's where I want to make my life. If you're thinking about moving to the big apple pick a neighborhood and obsess over it. Don't just go for the trendy ones (you don't have to live where Carrie Bradshaw did) but get on Google Maps to survey the shops and bars and random outlets to find the right combination for you. It's how you begin to find roots. If you need easy access to Dominican food and a subway station, that's a very different neighborhood from midnight dumplings and a tarot card reader.

Thanks for sharing your story, Mandi! Follow her adventures on Instagram and see the latest updates from her company, Le CultureClub.

Make sure to also check out Gina’s feature—a Brooklyn-based artist living out her creative dreams in NYC.

-M

Shop Mandi’s Looks

Outfit #1: Striped blouse -thrifted (similar), Jeans - Madewell, Socks - Tictail, Pearl Heels - Tory Burch

Outfit #2: Peacoat - Harris Wharf London, Black sweater - Everlane, Black jeans - Everlane, Red boots - Kenneth Cole, Earrings - Lizzie Fortunato

"Meet A New Girl" is an interview series about real women making a life for themselves in New York City. 

I recently sat down with the lovely ladies of Novella, a women’s writing club + storytelling salon here in NYC.

We talked about how I started 5th Floor Walk-Up and my recent leap into entrepreneurship with the launch of my social media advertising consultancy, Cornerlight Digital.

Here’s an excerpt of the interview below:

What made you start 5th Floor Walk-Up?

I’ve been blogging since 2011 — the heyday of blogging, if you will. I had a blog called “The Caffeinated Closet” but post-grad, I outgrew it. For a few years, I was searching for a new creative project and nothing felt right.

A few months into moving to New York from LA, the night before the election, it was a weird, depressing day. I had been really challenged at work and I wasn’t liking what I was doing. But the lowest lows brings the highest highs and that night, I remember washing my face and I was like, “you know what, I think I want to start a new blog based on my experience in New York.” A few months after that, it manifested into 5th Floor Walk-Up.

You recently left your corporate job to running start own digital consultancy. How did your blog helped you get there?

Having my own website allowed me to differentiate myself in terms of my personal brand, and I’ve had clients or prospective clients see my website and tell me they like the way I think and the way I put things together.

Also, 5th Floor Walk-Up is one of the things that pushed me to start my own business. I wanted more time and freedom to be able to work on my creative projects, but having a full-time corporate job restricted me in terms of flexibility and creativity. So those two things got me to this stage where I’m now self-employed and make my own hours. 

At Novella, we like removing secrecy around being self-employed and making money. Do you have any learnings about how you’ve monetized your business?

The way I get almost all my income is from my consultancy and that’s allowed me to fund my creative projects and keep them more pure in a sense, because they’re not dependent on income. That’s something I’ve had to grapple with because I think in ideal world, I’d love to get paid for being creative.

But I think one of the reasons why I still really like being creative is because I’m not worried about whether it’s going to bring me a paycheck. I’ve sort of taken the “two separate worlds, let’s find a way to integrate them” way. 

Any advice for women looking to get paid their worth?

The pricing game has been a learning curve. Over the past year, I started off with a certain price and then I realized I was undervaluing myself and so from there, I started to talk to other women freelancers but that was an echo chamber because a lot of us are undervaluing ourselves! So I started talking to my boyfriend and his friends and other men and learned they were charging 50% more than I was! 

Read the full interview in Novella’s March 2019 newsletter here✨

Thank you to Sandy Sanchez for the story, Hanna Yowell for the lovely photos, and Novella for creating a space for women to tell their stories.

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A post shared by 5thfloorwalkup.com (@5thfloorwalkupblog) on Feb 26, 2019 at 5:22am PST

The other week, one of my best friends from LA was in town looking at grad schools. She’d just been accepted into her dream program at Columbia, so we spent the weekend planning her potential move to the city.

We met our mutual friend Joy for dinner at East Village classic, Cafe Mogador, and found ourselves on the topic of how we “knew” it was the right time to move here. I talk a little bit about my own story in this post.

Which got me thinking. Does every city transplant have a “NYC or bust” epiphany? Is there always a moment of actively taking the leap or do some people find themselves here through a series of random occurrences? Does a move to New York City require more deliberate planning than the average city simply because the stakes are higher across the board (more…expensive rent, competition for jobs, challenging weather, landlord horror stories, coupled with more…opportunities, culture, energy—the list goes on.)

Either way, I figured anyone who’s landed here has a story worth sharing, so I took to Instagram last week and posted the question: How Did You Take The Leap To Move To NYC? I received so many amazing replies (note: it was one of those rare moments where the internet successfully managed to make me feel all warm and fuzzy inside rather than stressed/envious/distracted) and I’ll be sharing them in a few posts over the next month.

How did you take the leap to move to NYC?

Thanks to all the amazing women who shared their story! For the chance to be featured in the next Reader Stories post, be sure to follow @5thfloorwalkupblog on Instagram. I’ll be posting a new prompt every month!

-M

To be honest, writing that title has me cringing a little. And not because I don’t love a good matcha latte. But because, I fear, The Matcha Latte as we know it may be edging into Pumpkin Spice Latte/Peppermint Mocha territory. A place where once you’ve gone, you can’t really come back from.

I imagine a double line graph. As a product enters PSL-level popularity, its chances of being picked up by Starbucks skyrocket (line 1) while its odds of being taken seriously by the foodie community exponentially decrease (line 2).

A while back I saw a sidewalk sign by Pret A Manger (lovingly referred to as “Pret” for us New Yorkers who can’t pronounce anything in French…don’t even get me started on Le Pain Quotidien) advertising their matcha lattes and my heart sank a little. I’m no Malcom Gladwell, but I could tell you right then and there, The Matcha Latte had reached its tipping point

So, in honor of its newfound attention and in mourning of its no-longer-niche-status, I’ve rounded up a few of my favorite places in the city to find a solid matcha latte. And for anyone who knows me well, you should know that I take this list very seriously. I’ve wasted $6 on a subpar latte one too many times that I hope to not lead you astray.

1. Chalait

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A post shared by CHALAIT | matcha cafe (@chalaitnyc) on Oct 1, 2018 at 1:31pm PDT

This cafe holds a special place in my heart. Before I moved to NYC, I used to frequent their old West Village location quite often on my trips in town to visit my boyfriend. Their cafe was on a corner that is only a few blocks from where I live now. When I moved to the city, they had to close shop in the West Village—thanks CVS for taking over what used to be the cutest cafe in the neighborhood. *shakes fist at The Man*—and opened a smaller location in NoMad—only a few blocks from my old office (but also far enough away that I would never run into coworkers there, AKA the perfect cafe escape). I’ve befriended some of the baristas + managers and it has definitely become my place.

And aside from my personal nostalgia towards the establishment, they also happen to serve amazing matcha that they source directly from Japan. Fun fact: they actually sell their own branded matcha to other cafes around the city! Recommended order: Matcha latte with their homemade almond cashew milk.

2. Matchaful

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A post shared by M A T C H A F U L (@matchaful) on Dec 15, 2017 at 2:02pm PST

This cafe has a great spot in DUMBO, Brooklyn and recently opened a teeny cafe in SoHo up the street from my two favorites: Jack’s Wife Freda + Cafe Select. Like Chalait, they also take their matcha sourcing very seriously, which you can read more of on their site. This place is a bit more highbrow about their matcha than some of the other cafes I’ve frequented, and they have creative matcha drinks with extras like MCT oil, cardamom, turmeric and more. Recommended order: the “Coco Vanilla Zen” (a little sweet, but delicious).

3. Saltwater Coffee

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A post shared by Saltwater Coffee (@saltwaternyc) on Feb 20, 2018 at 11:28am PST

Now that Matcha Cafe Wabi is closed—RIP local business, *shakes fist again*—my new favorite spot to find matcha in the East Village is Saltwater Coffee. Like all good Australian cafes, their shop has a welcoming vibe and is filled with bright beach imagery—because in the throws of winter we all need some aspirational photos of Bondi Beach to remind us that somewhere in the world…people are warm and happy. Overall a solid matcha latte (+they use my favorite “Barista Blend” almond milk) and atmosphere.

4. MAMAN

If a pretty spring flower were to turn into a cafe, it would be Maman. Poetic, right? They’ve got locations all over the city, and some of their cafes even double as mini boutiques. The matcha lattes are pretty good (not amazing, but solid) and to my knowledge they use Pantea Matcha for their drinks. Great spot to catch up with friends or stop to finish a little work while hopping around the city.

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A post shared by maman (@_mamannyc_) on Jul 14, 2018 at 5:22am PDT

5. My apartment

When I don’t feel like spending my hard-earned money on a $6 cup of tea + almond milk, I’ve gotten in the healthy habit of actually making my own matcha at home. While I’m no latte artist, I have created a makeshift matcha latte kit with my current kitchen supplies—I’ve been using a mini metal whisk to mix my matcha powder…don’t tell the Matcha Gods. I’d highly recommend buying a tin of Chalait’s own matcha (available on Amazon) and pairing it with Califa Farms’ Barista Blend Almond Milk (available here). Add a half teaspoon of matcha powder with ~1/4 cup of near-boiling water, wisk until frothy, add in warmed almond milk on top, and wisk again. Simple, cost efficient, and great for a morning energy boost without the afternoon crash.

6. Honorable Mention(s)

I couldn’t write a blurb for everyone but these other cafes still deserve a visit! Toby’s Estate Brooklyn (note: their Flatiron location does not serve matcha), Daily Provisions, Gotan and Bluestone Lane.

Shop Matcha + MORE:

If you read all the way to the end, thank you for indulging in my 800 word rant about a very specific form of green tea. I hope you found this round-up helpful and maybe even starred a few spots on Google Maps for your next matcha fix.

Until next time,

-M

To read more city tips, explore my other NYC City Guide posts here.

"Meet A New Girl" is an interview series about real women making a life for themselves in New York City. 

The New Girl:

Gina Schiappacasse

Editor’s Note: The Backstory

Gina and I technically met through OKREAL’s Facebook group. I had attended a mentorship session through the organization last December in hopes of finding the clarity and courage to leave my 9-5 job and start my own business and one of the post-session perks was being added to a private Facebook group of other mentorship alumnae. At the time of the session, Meet A New Girl was still just an idea floating around in my head, so when I launched the series early this year I was quick to share my first couple interviews on the Facebook group. A few weeks later, I received a friendly email from an incredibly talented illustrator. Enter: Gina Schiappacasse.

When Gina and I first met in person, I was drawn in by her good energy and unique style. She’s thoughtful, introspective, and incredibly humble considering how talented she is. On the style front, I distinctly remember her wearing bold star earrings and a v. chic leather harness as a vest to our first lunch—a combo that managed to be feminine, playful and edgy all at the same time. We swapped stories about working in social media since the “early days” (believe it or not, there was a time before Instagram) and as a fellow creative I was fascinated to hear her experience balancing full-time work and creating art on the side (note: since meeting we’ve now both taken the leap into freelancing 🙌)

Fast forward a few months and what came out of our first meeting IRL was a fun collaboration and new friendship. It was so much fun exploring Gina’s local haunts together in her quiet pocket of Williamsburg, Brooklyn. Her railroad style apartment was warm and welcoming—bursting at the seams with artwork and racks of gorgeous vintage clothing. Each detail made the space feel uniquely her.

Gina’s a seasoned New Yorker and I loved hearing her experience as a “new girl” moving to the city over a decade ago. I feel lucky to have had a snapshot into her world, and am excited to share with you!

-M

More About Gina

Where are you originally from? 

Burnsville, Minnesota—a big southern suburb south of the Twin Cities. I attended college in Madison, Wisconsin for three years before moving straight to NYC to finish my senior year at FIT (the Fashion Institute of Technology).

How long have you been living in NYC?

A solid decade! It was my ten-year New York anniversary June 1st, 2018.

 Current neighborhood?

Williamsburg, the old Italian part off the Graham L stop. I love it because it still feels like it’s avoided the crazy gentrification, although, I’m sure it’s only a matter of time...

What pays the rent?

Until recently, I was working full-time for a startup beauty brand, which truly was an amazing experience. Over my five years with the company, I operated as our PR Liaison and Social Media Director. However, I wore quite a few hats in my role: Casting director, producer, behind-the-scenes photographer, copywriter, model, illustrator, the list goes on. Before I was there, I had a variety of odd jobs including a bit of freelance work as a fashion designer, a stylist, a seamstress, a personal assistant, a few restaurant jobs, a story board illustrator, even a stint as a haberdasher (hat maker). At the moment, I'm currently trying to see if I can make it as a freelance creative, but basically, I’ve always been willing to hustle in order to make NYC work for me!

What's your side hustle / passion project?

Way too many to count, but they’re primarily centered around creating things! I do a lot of freelance illustration work and collaborative art projects with friends. I occasionally dabble as a wardrobe stylist, and create custom headdresses for photoshoots and videos. More recently, I’ve been trying my hand at taking photos, dabbling in creative direction (I recently worked with a good friend on her upcoming music video), and have been getting back into designing and making clothing again. Editor’s note: Gina made the green velvet dress you’ll see her in below!

Describe your current living situation:

I live with my musician boyfriend, Jesse, and our Pomeranian, Thelonious (aka Theo) in a little one bedroom apartment on the third floor of a fairly small old apartment complex. We don’t have any doors in our apartment (except a front door and bathroom door) and there is literally zero storage space (which is a challenge considering how much clothing I own). Somehow it manages to feel fairly cozy instead of cramped, which I attribute to my boyfriend’s decorating skills.

What are some of your favorite spots in the neighborhood?

I can frequently be found haunting the bar at The Richardson: I love their cocktails, retro playlist, and, of course, the staff. I'm a fan of second-hand shopping at Beacon's Closet and Fox & Fawn just north of me in Greenpoint. I illustrated the majority of my recently published coloring book at Charter Coffee where I spent the bulk of my summer weekends drawing before going to print. I can frequently be found wandering around Artist & Craftsman, impulsively purchasing art supplies.

What were your early days in New York City like?

I have an aunt and uncle who moved to NYC from the Midwest several decades before me, to pursue careers in choreography and acting, and so I grew up regularly visiting them in the city with my family as a kid. Somehow, becoming a New Yorker always felt more attainable because they had blazed the trail before me, and because of them, our visits always made the city feel enchanting. My college fashion design program in Madison allowed us to transfer into FIT (the Fashion Institute of Technology) for our senior year, and, after winning a scholarship and being set up with an internship in the city, I moved into FIT’s summer housing three months before school to begin my internship at a company called Foley + Corinna.

My dad flew out with me (a perfect excuse to see me off and spend some time with his brother) and after a few nights relaxing at my aunt and uncle’s place in Westchester, I was dropped off with two suitcases and a sewing machine at my dorm on the far west side of Manhattan just below Penn Station. My dad and uncle, both tall Midwestern men, each gave me a big hug, and I remember bursting into tears and crying on one of their chests. Eventually I went in to find that my double room was unoccupied, later learning that my roommate was a Westchester native whose parents had casually paid for the room as a crash pad for when she didn’t feel like coming home after her summer internship. Unsurprisingly, she was almost never there, which left me pretty much alone in a quiet, cinder-block dormitory room for the first three months of my existence in New York.

I knew exactly two people when I moved to the city, and would gratefully accept any invitation from anyone to go out, hoping to be so lucky as to forge a few friendships. My first few years in the city were lonely, but beyond magical; everything was so fresh and new and enchanting because I’d never really experienced anything like it. 

How did you find your first apartment?

My first job in the city was a gig as a waitress at a Upper West Side establishment called Cafe Lalo. It was such a classic first New York job—our uniform involved a tight t-shirt with Toulouse Lautrec style artwork and short black skirts worn with a ladybug-printed apron. Shifts were long, lights were bright, and the clientele base included large amounts of Asian and European tourists and Upper West side inhabitants (read: bad tips). The upside to the gig was that the all-female serving staff had plenty to bond over and became quite close, often going out drinking to numb the pain in our feet when our shifts ended. After hitting it off with a co-worker, Sadie, she invited me to apartment hunt with our other co-worker. We ended up scoring a three bedroom apartment in Greenwich Village for a steal and signed a lease in the blink of an eye. We were on the fifth floor of a six floor walk-up. Our floors slanted, and one room could more accurately be described as a closet (mine), but it was a wonderfully fun time in my life.

Describe a typical weekday for you in NYC

After forcing myself out of bed (I am not a morning person), I pull myself together, take my dog out, make coffee and get to work. My day-to-day is often a mixed bag: checking emails, working on freelance illustration gigs, and pursuing more work. In the evenings, I like to spend time working on more personal illustration projects or hit the town with friends to check out a concert, art opening, or favorite bar/restaurant. There truly are endless things to do and see in the city, but over the years I’ve been better about resisting my FOMO and being selective about what I do with my time.

How about on the weekends?

Full days in my sunny apartment, painting, practicing guitar and cleaning up, followed by an evening grabbing a good dinner and headed to a show, a dance (I’m a swing dancer), or a friend’s place for drinks and conversation. I love being social, and I love spending time with good humans.

Gina’s Favorites

Favorite place in the city

My apartment.

Your go-to local spot

Recently obsessed with King's County, the BEST Chinese food right in my neighborhood.

Best place for an afternoon drink? ❤️🍷

The Richardson, especially outdoors in the summer. I also love Ramona in Greenpoint.

What's one thing still on your "NYC" bucket list?

I embarrassingly still haven't been to MoMA PS1!

How do you combat the stress of the city?

Candles, podcasts, and painting.

What still makes you feel like a "new kid"?

Visiting neighborhoods that I've never been to before. It's magical to see a part of the city that's new after years of being here, it really brings back that feeling I had when I first moved here at 21.

Biggest adjustment?

I am not/never have been a fan of crowds. It sounds a bit ridiculous to say as a New Yorker, but my neighborhood generally isn't too crowded and I detest being anywhere near Times Square!

What makes NYC feel special to you?

How did you take the leap to move?

I honestly don't ever remember making a conscious decision to move here, it was just always something I wanted to do and it sort of happened organically, which I feel really fortunate for. I think it helped to have crash landed here at a young age because I felt so invincible at 21. It wasn't that that things didn’t scare me, but I was tireless and really excited about everything which helped in a city that is constantly throwing you curve balls. Really, I think being a New Yorker, when it comes down to it is just about wanting it, you have to be hungry, you have to be curious, and you have to be willing to keep trying because it’s not going to be easy and no one is just going to hand it to you.

Any FINAL Advice?

Thanks for sharing your story, Gina! See more of her beautiful art here and follow her @gina_schiappacasse_art on Instagram.

If you enjoyed this interview, check out Stine’s feature—a San Francisco transplant from Sweden working at The New York Times.

-M

Shop Gina’s Looks

Outfit #1: Plaid skirt - vintage (similar), Blouse - vintage (similar), Belt - vintage

Outfit #2: Blouse: Morgane Le Fay (similar), Dress: handmade by Gina, Letterman Jacket : vintage (similar), Shoes: Vagabond, Purse: Foley + Corinna, Beret: Vintage (similar), Earrings: J. Crew (similar), Belt: vintage, Sunglasses: Free People (similar)

"Meet A New Girl" is an interview series about real women making a life for themselves in New York City. 

For anyone who has lived or even visited NYC for an extended period, you know that it can be a city of extremes. A place of high highs and low lows. Of I-can’t-believe-this-is-my-life to I’m-crying-in-public-and-no-one-seems-to-care…all possible within the span of a single day.

And considering I’m embarking upon the rollercoaster lifestyle of self-employment IN a place like New York, it felt only fitting that I should begin documenting some of the highs and lows of my day-to-day life. This post is part of a larger series called “City Diaries” where I’ll be sharing more thoughts like these on the blog.

So with that, here are some tidbits from my past few weeks:

Highs

Fall Magic in the City

The falling leaves. Peacoat season. Pumpkin-lined stoops. It’s all too much for this California girl to handle.

I just posted about my love for fall in NYC and have shared some thoughts about it in past seasons, but I still can’t get over it. When the leaves turn, literally every street becomes picturesque. And since the temperatures haven’t completely dropped yet, this makes for the perfect 3-4 weeks of prime city wandering.

Unplanned Sidewalk Run-Ins

I’m not sure what it is about New York, but the amount I run into people on the street borders on unusual. The other day on my way from the East Village to SoHo, I ran into a blogging friend from the good old days. We hadn’t ever actually met in person, but recognized one another immediately which resulted in a quick sidewalk catch-up and a *New York magic* feeling that left me in a good mood all day. Another favorite (although not in the past couple weeks) was running into one of my best friends at a restaurant with the guy she was seeing at the time, but had been putting off introducing me to. Muhahaha Hi, hello New Boyfriend 👋

Lesson? There are no secrets in NYC, or at least…not in the 4 square miles of downtown Manhattan.

Teaching Out of My Comfort Zone

I’ve been teaching Digital Marketing at General Assembly. Last week, I covered another teacher’s class for the night and it helped push me out of my comfort zone. Entering a room with zero context on the students can be both exciting and terrifying. You are forced to learn how to read a room on the spot. Luckily, the class was a success and a couple students had even heard of 5th Floor Walk-Up! Insert warm fuzzy feelings here.

A 2pm Yoga Class

In this new world of self-employment, I have the luxury of testing new ways to organize my day. Since I’m finally getting back into a regular workout cadence (my ideal week includes 3-4 workouts), I’m figuring out the best way to fit it into my week. Even though I often force myself, I’m just not a natural morning workout person (yeah, I’m the one with bedhead scowling in the corner of that 8am Flow). So, signing up for a 2pm yoga class and realizing no one was there to stop me gave me a major thrill.

P.S. Looking for a great studio in downtown Manhattan? Laughing Lotus is my personal favorite, but other studios like Yoga Vida have great flows as well. Note: Also proven to ease the anxieties of city life.

LOWS

The Unexpected Anxiety of this Newfound Freedom

Don’t get me wrong, my past few weeks of self-employment have been amazing and empowering. But with high highs can come low lows. I’ve been surprised by the amount of unexpected anxiety I’ve had charting this uncharted territory and the amount of pressure I’ve been subconsciously putting on myself. This note really warrants its own blog post, but for now, I’m just trying to be as kind to myself as possible. I think I’m still in recovery mode from working three jobs for 6+ months and honestly might need a proper break.

The 6th Avenue Flasher

I hate to go here, but this is the reality of living in a big city. I was on my way home from Trader Joe’s, on the phone with my boyfriend after a successful night of teaching when BOOM. A man in a full on birthday suit on the sidewalk of 6th Avenue. I calmly assessed the situation, and quietly moon-walked back the other direction to take the long way home.

Quick tip: Sometimes a 5 minute detour is worth the 5 hours of trauma that could result from trying to just “get through” something uncomfortable. Le sigh. But such is a part of navigating life in a city like New York.

Angry Subway Insults

I was minding my own business, trying to keep up with the ever-changing pedestrian flow of the subway when I veered left to avoid a puddle of unknown liquid on my way out of the subway. This somehow ruffled the feathers of an angry subway-goer who proceeded to shout at me “Great! Another idiot who can’t stay in their lane!”

Now, I’m not one to normally get upset by random comments like that, but I was already having a bad day and really internalized this person’s negativity. While I’ve actually found most New Yorkers to be incredibly friendly (contrary to popular belief) there will always be a few bad apples in the mix. Constant advice to myself: do not take it personally. And veer right.

Any highs or lows you’ve been navigating this week? I’d love to hear in the comments below!

Until next time…

-M

Today marks my third week of self-employment. It’s a decision that’s been over a year in the making. A leap of faith that I’ve taken to commit to my own professional and creative freedom. And yet, this is the first time I’m finally sitting down to properly acknowledge it—to be free…to create. I waited 365 days for this moment, and yet, it’s taken me 16 days to even open a new post draft.

Why? I’m not entirely sure, but I have plenty of analogies that attempt to explain how I’ve been feeling the past couple weeks.

In angsty moments, I’ve equated my feelings to the final scene of Like Crazy. You know, the part when they’ve spent years trying to make a long distance relationship work. And finally when they’ve overcome the challenges of transatlantic immigration, when their “happily ever after” seems possible—same country, same loft apartment in LA—something doesn’t feel quite right. The struggle has taken too much of a toll on the relationship, and their love isn’t quite the same anymore.

Now, since that reference may be a bit too dramatic/obscure for the common passerby, I have a more realistic comparison I’ve been using in small talk and text exchanges with friends. This one’s a bit more relatable—understood by anyone who has racked up their fair share of $15 late cancel fees from ClassPass now and again.

Enter: The Workout Analogy.

In this instance, my lack of writing/creating/doing can only be compared to trying to go back to the gym after an extended period of being sedentary. Barre? Dance? Yoga? But WHY would I go when I can use the extra hour to drink wine in bed instead? I’d like to think we’ve all been there. And as hard as it is to workout when you are in the zone, it feels down right impossible when you’ve fallen out of it. And being honest with myself, I fell out of the zone—my creative zone—a long time ago.

How? Well for starters, this has not been an easy year. In fact, it's been the most challenging period of my career thus far. It’s tested my limits in all ways—mentally, emotionally, and even physically. In case you were wondering, stress hives are a thing—thanks WebMD! The past year, and especially the past 6 months, I’ve been clocking triple time. While working full-time as an Associate Director at a paid social agency, I was building my consulting business Walk-Up Digital on the side, while simultaneously diving head first into teaching digital marketing at General Assembly.

And where did writing for 5th Floor Walk-Up fall into the mix?

The same place my time for cooking, working out, date nights, seeing friends, and general sanity went. Temporarily put on hold...only finally being reintroduced into my life in the past couple weeks of my newfound freedom.

In my transition to self-employment, I straddled (and let’s be honest, am still straddling) the line between total elation…and compete dejection. My thoughts have alternated between the unwavering belief that I will one day own a Lifestyle Empire—capitalized because it’s my new favorite thing to say when people ask “so what do you really want to do when you grow up?”—and the illogical conclusion that by quitting my job, I will inevitably become destitute, forced to sell all my belongings on Poshmark (luckily I’ve had some past success), move out of my 5th floor walk-up and in with Craigslist roommates (note: my actual worst nightmare), and become a barista while I beg Corporate America to take me back. Honestly as I type it out, this whole scenario really doesn’t sound that bad after all. I would be v. minimalist while serving up some mean matcha lattes.

As I look back on the past year—finally reemerging from the fog and becoming a fully functioning human again—I wouldn’t trade this time for the world.

I wouldn’t take back the Friday nights spent alone in the dimly lit corner of my favorite vegan restaurant, nursing my third glass of wine while writing business proposals. Or undo the complete and total public meltdown I had on 6th Avenue after missing my early morning yoga class since I’d been up until 3am the night before working through a consulting project. Note: interestingly enough, a girl in yoga pants hysterically crying on the sidewalk at 8am phases ZERO New Yorkers. Or take away the moment I introduced myself to someone at a networking breakfast and they casually responded, “Oh yeah, my mom sent me your website and said I should read!” What!? I’m in with the You-Should-Read-This-Love-Mom emails now!? That is next level and I am still processing.

Or the day I closed my first deal, sent my first invoice, and direct deposited my first consulting check—earned 100% on my own. Definitely, wouldn’t take that back. And I physically can’t, because I cashed that ASAP and finally bought those Gucci loafers everyone’s been knocking off.

…only kidding :) I would obviously rather spend my hard earned money refurnishing my apartment.

But the irony of it all is, in my search for creative freedom, I became temporarily paralyzed when finally presented with its reality. And that paradox is just the tip of the iceberg. Because if the past 2 weeks are any indication, I can tell you this whole "working for myself” thing is going to be one hell of an adventure, and I plan to share the ups and downs with you on this blog.

So, I guess this is my long winded way of saying: hi, again 👋 I’m here.

And while I’m still in the process of finding my footing, I’m excited to be back and can’t wait to create more goodness on 5th Floor Walk-Up.

Thanks for sticking around.

P.S. This is my first official entry of what I’m calling “The Fire Escape"—a new section of my site that will be dedicated to any and all life musings from myself and possibly some of my favorite New Yorkers, too. More soon.

-M

I recently partnered with Apartment Therapy and BEHR Paint on a fun home improvement project. The concept centered around showcasing how "neutral" paint colors can spruce up a space. In all the apartments I've lived in over the years, I've actually never painted my walls so I was excited by the idea of making my space feel new again with a fresh coat of paint. Note: You can only get so creative with re-arranging furniture in 300 sq. feet, so a new room color was a good way to keep my feng shui experimentation at bay.

I went in with an open mind, with one specific request: please don't paint my room pink. But, when the Apartment Therapy came back to me with a "Seaside Villa" shell color (guys, aren't paint color names the best!?) I was intrigued and decided to take the leap.

On paint day, I've got to admit I had a bit of a panic attack when I saw the new paint on my walls. The paint chip color had deceived me (as they always do) and I did in fact have a pink bedroom. But once the paint set in overnight, it became a much softer, neutral color and began to grow on me.

A few months in, and I'm loving the new hue. The color has also inspired me to re-arrange some of my decor, showcasing more of my gold and lavender pieces to compliment the neutral pink. I've embraced the decor update and am excited to find new ways to continue updating my little 5th floor walk-up.

Thanks again to the Apartment Therapy + BEHR team for the mini apartment makeover! 

See the full feature on Apartment Therapy here.

The New Girl: Stine Bauer Dahlberg

The Backstory

Since moving to New York, I've become a fan of morning coffee dates. There's nothing better than starting the day feeling like you've already caught up with an old friend, met someone new, and/or *gasp* networked before 9am!? 

On an ordinary Thursday morning, I headed to The Wing bright and early for a "Women in Media" breakfast. As we went around the room doing intros, one woman in particular stood out to me. She was effortlessly chic and had an elevator speech that made running Brand Marketing at The New York Times (casual) sounds easy. We didn't get a chance to talk at the event—note: I actually hate networking and will often loiter by the bagel bar until someone nice approaches me to either 1. say hello or 2. ask me to pass the lox—but was pleasantly surprised when I received an email from Stine (re: chic boss lady from last Thursday) the following week. 

In true New York Moment form, it turns out Stine had stumbled upon my little corner of the internet while getting ready to move from SF to NYC and had found my tips for finding an apartment in the city helpful. Aside from the pure joy that comes from simply writing, there's nothing better than when a reader reaches out and squashes that little voice in your head that tells you you're writing to a brick wall and all those words are simply getting lost in cyber space. Needless to say, I was so excited to hear she had taken something from this blog, but even more excited that the most interesting person from that breakfast wanted to catch up with me.

At coffee, I shared the idea for my not yet launched "Meet A New Girl" series with Stine and a few months later asked her to do a feature because...what could be more full circle than that!? I spent a fun Saturday with her and her boyfriend Evan, adventuring to their favorite spots and swooning over their plant-filled East Village apartment. What I liked most was how they've added so many personalized touches to it to make it feel like home in just few short months. Seriously though, I love my fifth floor walk-up and all, but I would 100% move into their 2nd Avenue oasis instead if it ever became available (hint: Stine/Evan, you know who to call if you ever move to Brooklyn 🙏)

All in all, I loved learning more about Stine's experience being a new girl in NYC and hearing some of her hilarious anecdotes about moving to the city. I feel lucky for our chance breakfast encounter, but even luckier to have made a new friend in this city.

-M

More About Stine

Where are you originally from? 

I'm from a small village in Sweden called Sjötorp originally and grew up splitting my time between Sweden and Norway where my dad lived. I have moved to a new country or city almost every 3 years for near 15 years starting in the UK, then Washington DC, then back to the UK, then to Copenhagen, then back to London, then to Luxembourg and most recently I lived four years (record!) in San Francisco before moving here.

Also, my name is Norwegian/Danish and it's pronounced St-een-ne (sort of like Christina without the first part), but no one ever gets it right the first time...cue to me correcting every Uber driver ever. 

How long have you been living in NYC?

9 months (feels like 4!)

Current neighborhood?

East Village, Manhattan

What pays the rent?

I am currently the Managing Director of Newsroom Brand Marketing at The New York Times where I work to highlight our journalism and reporters to try and convince the general public that they should pay for news (you should! Ideally NYT but anything will do).

Before that I was at Apple for 6 years, 4 in the US and 2 in Europe. My most recent role for them was Brand Lead for the App Store where I got to work on the new App Store that just launched with iOS 11. Before Apple I was at—what was at the time—a small Swedish startup called Spotify where I did a little bit of everything, or as we called it, "special projects" (AKA Black Ops!).

What's your side hustle / passion project?

I've been surrounded by great designers and creatives my whole life: my uncle is an industrial designer, my cousin is an architect, my grandfather was an artist, my brother is a photographer, and I work with amazing designers constantly. So, my latest passion project is to try to slowly learn graphic design. Starting that process recently got me into collage making, which is a fun physical way of doing graphic design!

I also dream of opening an activewear company for awesome, creative women with my best friend Isabel one day.

Finally, I've started drawing classes, mainly because I really suck at drawing. Now I like sitting at home and trying to get better at drawing our plants. 

Describe your current living situation:

I live with my boyfriend in an one-bedroom apartment in an old walk-up building owned by the Ukrainian National Home in the East Village. That might sound scruffy, but we are so lucky. The place has a ton of charm, light, space and super high ceilings. We face 2nd Ave so sometimes it's loud but we love our place so much. The place is old for sure, but we painted all the walls (more on that below) and even the kitchen so it feels like ours now. I have been lucky to be able to bring things with me all the way from Sweden and Norway so I have family stuff here too. My boyfriend is bike crazy and owns 5 of them, but somehow we manage to make it work. He's super handy and has been making custom shelves from redwood that we brought from California where's he from, that were in an old restaurant he used to work at.

How did you find it?

This is my first NYC apartment and it was interesting finding it because I was doing the search from San Francisco. I was sleuthing on Craigslist and StreetEasy for months in advance before moving in order to check out areas and places. I even stumbled upon 5th Floor Walk-Up in my search!

We had originally planned to not get a place before being in the city but when our apartment came up on StreetEasy I immediately knew it had potential (even if the previous renter's interior decorating style was TERRIBLE...he kept industrial amounts of toilet paper stored in the living room and the walls were yellow!) So, we ended up having the agent show me the place on FaceTime and I recorded the walkthrough for my boyfriend. We both liked it enough to take a chance on it. But, it was nerve-wracking to walk into the place and see it for the first time when we finally got here—we'd worried it might not be what we had hoped!

Luckily, it was.

What were your first few weeks in New York City like?

Firstly, two weeks before moving from San Francisco I crashed on my bicycle and broke my shoulder and had surgery. Then, I had to go on a planned trip to Sweden so when I landed in NYC the day before my new job at The Times started, I was in an arm sling and had my mom in tow from Sweden since I had broken down in tears while I was there asking her to help me move since my boyfriend was still in California. So, my mom and I faced NYC head on together, even if I was in a lot of pain and it sucked going to my first day of work in a sling!

We moved into the apartment I live in now two days after we arrived and my first impression was that "Ukrainian White" is not the same as "Scandinavian White"—i.e. the walls were eggshell rather than ultra white. We also noticed the place was super dirty and the bathroom sink didn't work so we had a lot of contact with my somewhat grumpy Super in the first few days. Because my boyfriend was still packing up our stuff in San Francisco, we basically had no furniture for the first three weeks of living here. [My mom and I] slept on three different air mattresses, which all deflated eventually. 

It felt like real New York. It was hot as hell in July and we didn't have an air conditioner so we had to keep our windows open to 2nd Avenue all night. One night on the 4th of July, my mom woke me up at 4am standing by the window looking out and said, "Stine, there is a man who's jumped on top of a yellow taxi outside!"

I just said, go back to sleep.

Your "perfect" weekend in the city...

We love hosting dinners at our house so on Friday we'd pick up some food from the Union Square Farmers Market and head to Convive Wine Shop to chat with the people there and pick up some great orange wine. Then three or four friends would come over and we'd cook, chat and welcome the weekend. 

On Saturday, I'd wake up late and go for a sporty walk with my boyfriend down to the East River Park and down the riverside, through Chinatown and back up to East Village. Get that blood flow going! We'd then pop into Abraço to pick up coffee and olive oil cake and then into Honest Chops butcher for some really great merguez sausages to cook for breakfast and head home.

Then we'd pick up The New York Times from our doorstep (we get the home delivery paper on Sat and Sun, get it—it's so nice!) and head up to cook and have a nice long breakfast. We sit at our kitchen table for hours trading different parts of the paper and listen to the radio.

Then I would head off to some sort of art class I'm taking at Parsons School of Design (hello collage mixed media!). After, I would be starving and would meet Evan for dinner somewhere in the hood—we like Upland, Nur, and a few others around there or we'd go to our favorite restaurant in all of NYC, Hanoi House in East Village. If we are feeling like it, we might drop by for a cocktail at Mace—it's cute and on the quieter side.

On Sunday, I would meet up with a girlfriend at The Wing and we would tackle the world's problems, work on a side hustle, or just talk. I would then head to The Whitney because it's the best and then back to the East Village for some wine at Lois, it's our favorite bar! The weekend would close out with maybe trying a new restaurant...or just going back to Hanoi House. This is actually my typical weekend, and also my perfect one!

Stine's Favorites

Best spot in your neighborhood?

The dog park in Tompkins Square Park

Favorite place for an afternoon drink?

Lois wine bar

Best coffee shop?

 Mud! Or Earl Grey tea at home now that I don't drink coffee.

Go-to restaurant?

Hanoi House

Places worth the trek?

I love Fairfax in the West Village, Achilles Heel in Greenpoint, Jajaja in Two Bridges and Pok Pok Ny in Cobble Hill. 

Describe what a typical weekday in NYC looks like for you.

I get up around 7am, shower and make breakfast with my boyfriend. I normally make him have something Swedish like knäckebröd (crispy hard bread, like Wasa). I drink tea and he drinks coffee and we listen to WNYC in the morning which feels so nice and grown up. I try and do some physical therapy exercises for my shoulder (it hasn't healed yet!) and maybe meditate for 15 min and then get ready.

I head out around 8:30am and I try to walk to work as often as possible, it takes about 35 minutes from my place to The New York Times building on 8th and 40th. It's not a very pretty walk but I listen to The Daily podcast first and then a few others, or call a friend in Europe as they are already up! When I get to work around 9am, I head to the newsroom where my team and I sit day-to-day and chat a bit with them (they are so awesome!). Then it's meetings meetings meetings...and then more meetings it feels like. We have a crazy meeting culture at The Times.

I head home at different times depending how much I've gotten done. Normally, I either go to The Wing and meet a girlfriend, meet my boyfriend for dinner in Soho, or probably most often head home to cook some food with him. That's the perfect night in and we like to cook out of the Alison Roman cookbook, Dining In. It's totally awesome. 

Any NYC hacks you'd like to share?

Not sure I have enough of these yet, people should send me theirs! I use Curb to pay for yellow cabs, that's super convenient. And Caviar has better food than Seamless. And The Infatuation has the best restaurant reviews period. #EEEEEATS forever.

How do you combat the stress of the city?

I meditate! My friend Elizabeth takes me to an hour and a half meditation class on Thursday mornings, it's great.

What's one thing still on your bucket list?

Oh god so much! The Met Opera? The Met Ball? (if I can get invited?!)

What makes NYC feel special to you?

How did you make it here?

I was thinking of it for almost a year before coming. It was just one of those things I wanted to do, live in NYC. It took a while to figure out what I wanted to do here, but once I got talking to The New York Times it just felt like home immediately. My advice would be that you'll know when it's right. Just go for it!

Thanks for sharing your story, Stine!

If you enjoyed this interview, check out my feature on Sonia, a former California girl making waves in Bushwick.

-M

Shop Stine's Looks

Outfit #1: Black turtleneck - & Other Stories, Light wash denim - Vintage (similar), Watch - Apple

Outfit #2: Blue trench coat - Muji (similar), Printed sweater - & Other Stories, High-waisted blue denim - Everlane, Ankle boots - & Other Stories, Glasses - Barton Perreira, Crossbody backpack - & Other Stories (similar)

"Meet A New Girl" is an interview series about real women making a life for themselves in New York City. 

During my first winter in NYC, my more seasoned city friends kept me going with the promise of Spring. "We only have six months of this...but there's nothing better than the first day of Spring in NYC," they said. There was talk of cherry blossoms and sunshine and people emerging from hibernation. But, as I shivered near my whistling radiator wearing two pairs of wool socks, it all sounded too good to be true. 

And last year, it was. Winter slipped quickly into Summer and due to a few inconveniently planned trips, I somehow missed the boat. I was convinced Spring only lasted a week and simply brought one thing to the table: seasonal allergies. 

But then, last Saturday happened. It was The Day everyone had been telling me about. And I've got to admit...in a world in where Expectations and Reality so rarely converge, this somehow lived up to all the hype. 

The streets and parks flooded with more people than I've seen since last October—further confirming the theory that half of all New Yorkers do indeed go into a Chinese take-out/Netflix hibernation from November-March each year. My boyfriend and I spent the day picnicking (#sweetgreen) and rebalancing our Vitamin D levels in Washington Square Park for hours on end. 

TLDR: It was glorious. So much so that I just used the word "glorious" un-ironically. And considering the official first day of Spring was mid-blizzard this year, I think it was The Day we all needed.

Now in regards to my outfit, I call this one City Girl does "Spring". With a general M.O. of all-black everything, I'm still figuring out how to appropriately dress for springtime in NYC as my days of sporting floral frocks are few and far between. I've had this trusty lace top from Anthro for over 6 years (embarrassing proof) and it's seen me through many evolutions of style. In this latest phase, it's been perfect piece to soften the edge of my often monochrome ensembles. 

Outfit Details: Denim Jacket - Madewell // Lace Top - Anthropologie (similar) // Cotton Pants - Everlane (similar) // Sneakers - Saucony (similar) // Leather Backpack - Madewell // Sunglasses - Illesteva

P.S. Can we just take a second to acknowledge this little blossom twig? I saw it walking down the street on Saturday and it felt like the perfect representation of life right now (AKA desperately holding onto the possibilities of post-Winter life).

And with that...Happy Spring!

-M

Outfit Photo Credit: Bilal Zaidi

Last month, I squeezed three friendly members of Refinery29's video production crew into my tiny 5th floor walk-up. Although I quickly realized I cannot comfortably fit four people in my space, we had a fun day filming in my apartment. I gave them the inside scoop on how I found my place, how I've made it feel like home since moving to NYC, and how I secretly store clothes in my small space (Note: this "hack" did not actually make the cut, but involves a large blue IKEA bag stuffed under my bed...)

Watch the video below to see my full interview, complete with apartment acrobatics—when Refinery29 tells you to stop, drop, and roll across your bed, you listen—and questionable claims of $0.25 avocados in LA (they exist somewhere, I swear!) 

Shop The Video:

See the full feature on Refinery29 here!

The New Girl: Sonia Gadhia

The Backstory

My first memory of Sonia involves her spontaneously playing guitar and singing for a group of us at an ASB (Associated Student Body AKA student council) gathering in high school. A few grades below me in school, I always admired Sonia's effortless confidence. A poise she managed to develop a couple years earlier than most. Case and point: I (like most struggling 15-year-olds) had braces, acne and waist-length hair my sophomore year. Sonia was calm/cool/collected and the only underclassman on our Student Council her sophomore year. And did I mention...she played guitar?

Flash forward almost a decade (okay, now I feel old) and we've both found ourselves in the same city, this time a few thousand miles away from our hometown. One of the things I love most about New York is how it manages to bring people together. While it's a great place to meet new people, it also resurfaces old friendships and acquaintanceships in a way I've never experienced before. The shared identity of "New Yorker" becomes the driving force that reconnects people who may have lost touch otherwise. 

Which is why I am so thankful Sonia reached out to me when she was moving to New York. Because, living far from home, there's nothing better than seeing an old friend and being able to complain about that new restaurant that opened up in place of the old Denny's diner everyone would go to after football games...and have them actually understand the severity of this change.

Spending the day with Sonia in her new Bushwick home reminded me all over again of that effortless confidence she had in high school. I would've never been able to make the leap to New York so quickly after graduation, but Sonia did it and has already made an enviable life for herself here. I hope you enjoy her story, and I'm so excited to see her continue to shine in NYC.

-M

More About Sonia

Where are you originally from? 

Orange County/Los Angeles. It’s my first time living somewhere outside of California (besides from birth to the age of 2 in Michigan)!

How long have you been living in NYC?

7 months!

Current neighborhood?

Bushwick, Brooklyn

What pays the rent?

I moved to New York for my first real job out of college in Experiential Marketing and Event Production. My time at NVE Experience Agency has been amazing so far. Every event is truly one of a kind, with all sorts of special brand activations and digital experiences. So far, I've gotten to work with a wide range of very cool brands—Amazon, Hennessy, FADER Magazine, Billboard Magazine, National Geographic, and more.  

I also help manage social media for a DIY record label that my boyfriend and I run called Spirit Goth. It started off as a way for him to release his self-produced music and it naturally grew into something bigger. Now, we specialize in releasing music on vinyl and cassette tapes for lo-fi pop artists around the world.

Describe your current living situation.

My boyfriend, Josh, and I moved together from California to New York. We are in a 1.5 bedroom in Bushwick so we have 3 separate areas—bedroom, living room, and a small half-room which we use as a music studio/office space. Before making the move, we already knew we wanted to live in Bushwick because of the many great things we'd heard about it as an up-and-coming neighborhood with lots of culture and a big music community. Being surrounded by so much creativity, I feel inspired to get back into music myself. It's a really cool place to be.

How did you find it?

It took us about 3 weeks following different brokers around to find our place but it wasn’t even ready for us to move into until another 3 weeks later. In total, we crashed from place to place all over Brooklyn for 6 weeks before settling into our own place. We went from Cobble Hill to Flatbush to Bed-Stuy to Williamsburg and then finally to our own spot in Bushwick! It was the craziest and most exciting my life had ever been.

Describe your first day as a New Yorker:

We were very lucky to have a friend of a friend offer his place in Cobble Hill for 10 days while he was traveling. It was just after midnight when we touched down at La Guardia Airport. We were in the car with all of our luggage within minutes, admiring the beauty of New York at night. It felt so surreal to think I lived here. We arrived at our first crash pad as New Yorkers, and picked up the keys from the deli just around the corner—I was so amused at how “New York” that was. As we moved on from Cobble Hill to the next neighborhood and to the ones after that, it was easy to take advantage of not having a place to fully call home yet. It was an unforgettable 6 weeks of getting fully immersed in the food, architecture, and culture of New York without having to focus on getting settled into an apartment (although I was very happy when that day finally came).

Describe your "perfect" weekend in the city...

My ideal weekend would be waking up early to enjoy the morning light in my living room, listening to music, going out for some coffee, and then just walking around the ever-changing Bushwick which constantly has new places popping up all over the place. I love walking down Bogart St. to window shop before getting on the L train to explore new parts of Brooklyn and Manhattan. I’ve realized I may not ever run out of new and beautiful things to see in New York. 

Your go-to local spot...

Supercrown Coffee Roasters was my favorite local spot but it unfortunately closed down. Soon after, I discovered Sey Coffee, also in Bushwick.

Best place to grab a drink?

The Johnson's and The Three Diamond Door were two of the first bars I visited after moving here, usually to rest after a long day of endless walking and house hunting throughout Bushwick, so they hold some great memories

Describe what a typical weekday in NYC looks like for you.

I love the morning time. I try to get out of bed extra early just so I can take it in while listening to the "morning music" playlist I made for myself. Unless it's an event day, which often means early mornings and late nights, I’m out the door just after 9:15 and get in to work at 10, in the Meatpacking District of Manhattan. No two days are really the same. My job is enjoyable and we work on exciting projects, so the days go by really fast and I usually finish up around 6 pm. Since it's been winter for a majority of my time here, I usually head back home to escape the cold but often also try to explore different parts of the city. As magical as it has been to experience real winter, I’ve never spent this much time indoors so I’m really starting to look forward to spring!

Uber, subway or walk?

Walk

Seamless or cook?

Cook

Favorite NYC season?

Spring 🌸

Best place in the city?

Anywhere with a view of the Chrysler Building

How do you combat the stress of the city?

Lighting a candle, turning on some music, and making a to-do list is generally my way of de-stressing. I find something therapeutic about cleaning and just getting things in order but on a more normal note, I’m just beginning to start yoga at a studio nearby.

What's one thing still on your "NYC" bucket list?

Many things! When warmer weather hits, I plan for many Central Park picnics, long walks with coffee in hand, and great sunset and city views.

What has been the biggest adjustment or challenge since moving here?

There are so many little things I find challenging, mostly because cold weather and being car-less are both really new to me. It seems like everything is a work out—grocery shopping, laundry, and just life in general but that’s something I also love about New York. Overall, I’m still adjusting to just being a full-time, working adult and being in New York makes that a lot more exciting.

What makes NYC feel special to you?

New York just always made me think of sparkles and glitter. It’s unlike anywhere else in so many ways, it has its own unique culture and lifestyle. There’s something here for everyone.

How did you Make it to NYC?

Post-graduation was a period of change for me - I had just finished school, my parents were moving to Orlando, and I was realizing I could begin my career anywhere. During this time, Josh and I went to Switzerland for my brother’s wedding and I think the combination of traveling and experiencing so much exciting change all together really solidified the idea [of moving to New York] we talked about often. As hard as it was to leave home, I knew it was going to be worth it and I'm truly glad to have made the leap.

Thanks for sharing your story, Sonia!

If you enjoyed this interview, check out my feature on Jennifer, an LA native who fell in love with (and in) Fort Greene.

-M

Shop Sonia's Looks

Outfit #1: Grey crew neck sweater - Everlane, Light wash denim - Zara, Socks - similar

Outfit #2: Jumpsuit - Urban Outfitters, Black sweater - Everlane, Denim jacket - Tommy Hilfiger (from Worship in Bushwick), Printed scarf - from India (similar), Black boots - Nordstrom BP. (similar) Backpack - Target (similar)

"Meet A New Girl" is an interview series about real women making a life for themselves in New York City. 

The New Girl: Jennifer Metzger

The Backstory

Jennifer, Jenny, Jen. While playful, nicknames can reveal a lot about a person. But more importantly, they often indicate a specific relationship between the nicknamer and the nicknamee. 

To most colleagues, she's Jennifer. To close friends, she's Jenny or J. But to me, she's Jen.

Although we did meet at work, Jennifer was always introduced to me by the abbreviated version of her name—coined by our boss at the time. In fact, there are probably only a handful of people that know her by this one-syllable moniker, most likely having crossed paths with us at work circa 2013-2015. And however minute that detail may be, it's representative of a pivotal (and somewhat tumultuous) three-year period of both our lives.

We became friends under unusually similar circumstances: we were both living in LA, newly single, and working in social media at GUESS? Jeans. We spent our days navigating office politics, and our evenings drinking sparkling Lambrusco and snacking on free popcorn at our favorite wine bar down the street. Happy hour would often turn into lengthy dinners where we'd share dreams of leaving our jobs, finally meeting the right guy, and moving to NYC.

Luckily, Jen's always been a trailblazer, so she braved NYC a year before me while I waited patiently on the sidelines, living vicariously through her new adventure. In the meantime, I followed in her footsteps and took over her old role at work, biding my time until it was my turn to take the leap. 

Fast forward a couple years, and my nickname for her has stuck. But our circumstances—job, partner, city—have very much un-stuck from those challenging LA days. And our continued friendship in NYC serves as a reminder of just how much good can come in a few short years.

So naturally, photographing her for this shoot was especially special to me. Almost as special as seeing her marry the love of her life last year and being a part of their magical day in Brooklyn. Because in true work-wife form, a full analysis of their first text conversations had obviously been conducted with scientific precision between our cubicle dividers. If that's not full circle, I don't know what is. 

I hope you enjoy reading more about Jen's experience and seeing the life she's made for herself in Fort Greene—it's a good one. 

-M

More About Jen

Where are you originally from? 

LA! I grew up in Santa Monica, went to school in Downtown LA, and lived in Los Feliz and West Hollywood. My move to NYC was the first one where I couldn’t just pack up my car.

How long have you been living in NYC?

2.5 years

Current Neighborhood?

Fort Greene, Brooklyn

Describe your current living situation and how you found it.

I live with my husband. He asked me to move in after three months of living in New York. Most people thought we were crazy, but for us it made perfect sense.

What pays the rent?

The 9-5 (er 8-6). I work in marketing at BaubleBar—a brand that believes fashion should be fun. Having spent my career in fashion previously at GUESS? Jeans and H&M, the humor and playfulness the brand brings to the industry is so refreshing and one of the aspects that drew me to the company. I oversee email marketing, CRM, social media, affiliate, and other bits of marketing here and there that I've picked up along the way. I love the balance of creative and analytical work that ultimately ends in a story.

The company was also founded by two kick-ass women with venture capital backgrounds and MBAs from Harvard. Given the current climate around sexual harassment in the workplace, working for a female-founded company is an aspect that I do not take for granted. 

Tell me about your first "home" in NYC

My brother’s friend’s friend was looking for a sublet in Bushwick, Brooklyn.  It was not the most glamorous NYC apartment but it was only $800/month, which is pretty unheard of anywhere in a 10 mile radius of the city.

Perhaps, it was $800/month due to the fact that...

1. The smell of the fish market on the ground floor consumed you every time you walked up and down the stairs

2. The girl I sublet from didn't believe in air-conditioning and thus only had a fan in place of an AC window unit. At the time, I didn't know that people could be against air-conditioning. My parents would run the AC when it was 78 degrees in LA. In this case, it was the middle of the summer in NYC and over 100 degrees.

3. On my second day in NYC, I got a note from my new roommate that if I came home to a "crime scene" it was because he had spotted a rat in the apartment. So, my first couple nights were spent sweating profusely and keeping one eye open for said rat.

Describe your first day as a New Yorker:

On the way back from the airport, I picked up my brother (who also lives in Brooklyn) in the cab. He’s an amazing brother—he helped me with my bags and made sure I was comfortable in my Bushwick sublet with my two new male roommates. Then he took me to dinner and gave me a bottle of wine as a welcome gift. But, he had to wake up early for work the next day so we said goodnight around 8:30, 9pm.

After sitting in my room for about 5 minutes, I decided I was not going to be in bed by 10 on my first night in New York. I proceeded to call my then NYC crush and now husband to see if he wanted to grab a drink. Granted, we already had plans to see each other in two days, but hey, moving across the country inspires you to do things that often surprise yourself.

What has been the biggest adjustment since moving here?

The weather! It’s hot, it’s cold. It’s almost never 75 and sunny like in Cali.

How do you combat the stress of the city?

Nature-filled weekends upstate.

What's one thing still on your "NYC" bucket list?

Seeing Sleep No More.

Describe what a typical weekday in NYC looks like for you.

5:30 alarm goes off (I know, it’s crazy!) My husband and I go to the gym in Manhattan before work, which coming from Brooklyn means an early start. We stop by Sergio’s coffee cart outside of Barclays Center. He has our coffee order ready by the time we make it up to the window. You’ve never seen a man more efficient than Sergio. He never misses a beat and always greets you with a smile. I’m at the gym by 6:45, 7 and will either do a spin class, go for a run or do barre.

I’m usually the one to turn on the lights at the office, which I love. I’ve made coffee, caught up on my emails and am fully awake by the time most people arrive at 9:30. I feel getting in early gives me an advantage to the day. Half my day is focused on strategic planning and half on content creation, which is my perfect blend.

I’m out of the office usually by 6pm. If my husband and I don’t have plans, we love to cook at home. It’s a great way to unwind and catch up on our days. I often meet up with friends after work in the city for dinner or drinks. I also love going to concerts—New York has some of the best venues. I try to read a little before bed and just started a book club to keep myself better on track (also a great excuse to drink wine and catch up with friends). Lights out around 10:30 usually.

Moments Of  Truth

Starbucks, Stumptown, or sidewalk coffee cart?

Your go-to Fort Greene cafe

Olea

Favorite bar? 

The Mayflower

Favorite NYC season?

Fall

Best place in the city?

My apartment

Uber, subway or walk?

Subway

Westville or The Grey Dog?

Westville

Seamless or cook?

Cook

Describe your "perfect" weekend in the city...

Friday night movie at the Alamo. It’s one of those theaters that serves drinks and food to your seat. Warning: the warm soft cookies are addictive. The rest of the food is just okay, so we would grab a quick bite afterwards at National—an amazing Thai place. Never too long a wait and great service.

Saturday morning starts with a run around Prospect Park followed by brunch at Olea. We’d probably sit at the bar since it gets really busy. Afternoon could be spent hanging at a coffee shop (Smooch), checking out a museum (The Whitney is my favorite) or hanging out in the Botanical Gardens, weather permitting. For dinner, there’s an amazing Italian spot called Aita, but we love to cook at home too. For a one-of-a-kind music experience, we’d head to Sunny’s in Redhook after dinner where anyone can join in on the jam session, but only the talented dare to.

Sunday’s are spent at home—cooking, cleaning and prepping for the week. We love to have friends and family over for dinner.

What makes NYC feel special to you?

After over two years here, it still feels so new! The view going over the Manhattan Bridge from my apartment to work everyday gets me every time. I worked hard to get here and because of that I feel so grateful.

Any NYC "hacks" you'd like to share with the group?

Advice to fellow New Girls

Take a risk! I had to move out of my West Hollywood apartment I shared with my two roommates in order to take the leap. One of roomates was actually already moving to NYC. So my other roommate, knowing I was also trying to move New York, understandably decided to get her own place. I moved back in with my parents as I awaited to hear back on my third interview. I was either going to be depressed and living at home or moving to NYC and fulfilling a lifelong dream. I took a risk and it paid off. Most of my friends that moved here had to do something that scared them.

NYC was always a dream of mine. Little did I know, the real dream I would be fulfilling was finding my partner and husband, Adam. NYC can be quite a matchmaker whether it be love, career, or friends. You've just got to take the leap!

Thanks for sharing your story, Jen!

Enjoyed this interview? Check out Joy's feature about life on the Upper West Side.

-M

Shop Jen's Looks

Outfit #1: Red Sweater - H&M,  Jeans - & Other Stories, Necklaces - BaubleBar, Earrings - BaubleBar

Outfit #2: Suede Coat - Upstate vintage find (similar), Dress - Zara (similar), Boots - Zara (similar), Handbag - from Peru, Earrings - BaubleBar

"Meet A New Girl" is an interview series about real women making a life for themselves in New York City. 

Anyone who lives in downtown Manhattan has been to, or at least heard of The Grey Dog. It's everyone's favorite "microchain" (a concept NYC is famous for) and the perfect place to grab an affordable bite and glass of wine, served un-ironically from miniature mason jars. Plus, Ilana gets fired from her job there in Broad City's Season 4 premiere, so it's basically the most famous spot in town. 

Of their four locations, I often find myself at the University Place digs, blending in with NYU students who fill the cozy space with their refreshing energy—beaming with excitement for life after college (fact not speculation: I've eavesdropped on enough conversations in the close corners of the cafe to confirm this statement). There's something grounding about being an outsider looking in, remembering that time of my life. It wasn't too long ago, but long enough for me to feel old when asked by new grads when I turned the tassel.

It makes me wonder what life in NYC as a college student would have been like. Would I have appreciated it in the same way I do now? Would I have been overwhelmed by its complete departure from my sheltered suburban upbringing? Would I have passed any of my classes? Rhetorical questions because truthfully, yes. My need to succeed was deeply ingrained in me by my Lawyer Parents and it wouldn't have been shaken by the tempting distractions of this beautiful city. 

But, I digress. 

Point is, I get some of my best writing done here. While some may need quiet to focus, I love finding my center in between strangers' conversations, listening to my favorite circa 2008 music blasting loudly over the speakers, and sipping budget-Cabernet. Finding comfort in my nights at The Grey Dog has made me realize just how important spots like this are. They provide that small feeling of familiarity in a city of 8 million. It's a big city, but small businesses like this make it feel more like home. 

Do you guys have any favorite spots like this in the city? Would love to know!

-M

If you told me 2 years ago that I'd be willingly wearing a backpack everyday, I would've immediately objected, knocked some sense into you with a sleek leather handbag, and been on my way. 

Sure, this reaction may seem a bit extreme. But me and backpacks—we go way back.

Enter, Third Grade Melina: the girl who refused to be seen in a Jansport like all the normal kids and instead pleaded with her mom to let her carry her textbooks in a trendy Dickies messenger bag. This resulted in a very lopsided little girl (with a constantly sore left shoulder) walking around the playground.

Things didn't get much better in high school. I was involved in a bunch of extracurriculars—color guard, dance team, and the occasional musical—that all required me to lug numerous costumes and equipment to and from school. And did I consider a backpack then? Nope.

Instead, I insisted on throwing all my things into a rolling storage cart that I wheeled from my car to the locker room before practice each morning. The link above is the exact cart I rolled around every day.

Conclusion: I peaked in high school.  

So, fast forward to my NYC self—a slightly more put together woman (I hope!) who wouldn't get away with rolling around a storage cart to work everyday. Although to be fair, upon the recommendation of an old colleague/former New Yorker, I was this close to buying one of those grocery granny carts after seeing how far away Trader Joe's was from my apartment.

But, I digress. The point is, I moved here and spent the first year and a half still set in my non-backpack ways that had followed me since childhood.

However, I did make some initial concessions after moving. I traded in my trendy LA crossbody that only held my keys/phone/lipstick for an intimidating leather tote that somehow managed to fit my laptop, gym clothes AND a change of shoes for any given weather condition (NYC ladies: you get it). But, I was constantly fussing with my bag on the subway and suffering from chronic shoulder pain à la Third Grade Melina. 

So a couple months ago, I found the perfect black backpack from Madewell (not #sponsored...but probably should be?) I love that it's real leather, unbranded, and just large enough to fit everything I need while still encouraging me to downsize the amount of junk I'm carrying around on a daily basis.

Since giving it a try, I haven't looked back to my handbag-wearing days. Seriously...having two hands free at all times is oddly liberating and a necessity in a city where you're always on the move. Plus, I secretly love fitting in with all the other New Yorkers and their chic backpack-sneaker combos. I'm a Backpack Girl and I don't care who knows it!

Any other city girls out there recently converted to the backpack life?

-M

Outfit Details: Backpack - Madewell // Coat - Everlane // Sweater - H&M // Leggings - Lou & Grey // Earrings - Soko // Sunglasses - Ray-Ban

Outfit Photo Credit: Bilal Zaidi

The New Girl: Joy Jacobson

The Backstory

It's hard to believe Joy and I met 8 years ago, both living on Floor 9 of UCLA's oldest dorm. As members of the same tight-knit friend group, we bonded between slices of pizza, consumed in the wee hours of the morning on carpets older than our parents. There were six of us at the time—a half dozen women (girls, really) that banded together during an uncertain and pivotal period of self-discovery. 

Joy was the creative one of the group. She acted. She photographed. She journaled. And her artistic flair always found itself onto the walls of our college dorms and apartments over the years. Her spaces have an eclectic and effortless feel to them—filled with curated trinkets, books, and prints that all manage to fit perfectly together in a way that I've tried, but have never quite been able to replicate so seamlessly. 

Anyway, when I found out last summer that Joy was moving to the city for a publishing program at NYU, I was beyond ecstatic. My plan to secretly lure all my best friends to the east coast was finally working. Post-college, we had been the final holdouts from the "original six" still living in Los Angeles and her presence reminds me of home. Joy is incredibly interesting, eloquent and beautiful...so this interview was a walk in the park (literally).

I hope you enjoy meeting this new girl, because NYC is lucky to have her.

-M

More About Joy

How long have you been in NYC?

 Eight months (!)

Current Neighborhood?

Upper West Side, Manhattan

Where are you originally from?

West Coaster. Born in LA, raised in Seattle, lived in LA for the past 7 years.

What pays the rent?

I'm a studio coordinator at a post production film studio.

Her Experience

Describe your current living situation.

 2 bedroom converted into a 3 bedroom...I live behind a curtain in the living room. Editor's note: it's very cozy + chic.

How did you find the apartment?

Family's always looking out <3. I live with my sister-in-law's sister...aka my brother's sister-in-law.

Describe Your first day as a New Yorker:

My one-way flight to New York was the red-eye, and after a sleepless and "oh shit what am I doing here" plane ride, the moment I landed, I was wired—I knew I wouldn't be sleeping that day. I got off the bus into the city from Newark, and immediately tapped into the electric energy that shoots through the streets here. My first crash pad was the NYU short term student summer dorms right on 14th street on the edge Union Square. I dropped my bags, ran downstairs, and just started to walk. I chose a direction, looked up at the buildings, quickly stumbled upon the magic of Washington Square Park, and already found myself in deep, life-changing love. It was nothing like I'd ever known before. There've been so many ups and downs since that morning, but that's my first memory and I love it. 

Is there anything that has surprised you about NYC?

The friendliness of everyone. It's amazing.

What has been your biggest adjustment or challenge since moving here?

Realizing I don't actually know how to make friends and learning how to ask people on '"friend dates." :)

Favorite Place in NYC?

What does a typical weekday in NYC look like for you?

After my fifth alarm clock, I pray I'm not making my roommate mad by all the snoozing. I start by waking up early to drink my coffee at home, catching precisely the 7:57AM train (which I have learned has the least amount of finance bros crowded into it) heading downtown to SoHo with enough time to grab my second cup of coffee at the corner shop before work at 8:30AM. After work, ideally I'd trade off between going to the gym and seeing a friend for a glass of wine, but more often it's the latter. After wine, I wind down with a book and a nice dose of anxiety about the next day, which I quench with chocolate, then sleep to do it all over again.

Moments Of  Truth

Westville or The Grey Dog?

The Grey Dog

Uber, subway or walk?

Walk

Favorite Season in the city?

Fall

What would your perfect weekend in the city entail?

Running in Central Park, yoga, cooking at home with wine and friends, taking in sunlight on a rooftop somewhere at dusk, wandering into a poetry reading or a Moth story slam...or finding the best pasta somewhere on Washington St. in the West Village.

What makes NYC feel special to you?

So many things. The history revealed in the architecture, the way the buildings sort of fold into your perspective as you walk and watch them move. I grew up on the West Coast, so we didn't have that sense of age and rich history in our setting, so I feel it very poignantly. 

Best NYC advice, ready...go!

Invest in good, supportive shoes for every occasion. Don't look twice at any flimsy shoes. You'll walk more than you know.

How did you take the leap and finally move?

The catalyst for my move was a summer program at NYU. That way I'd have a place to land, a roof over my head, somewhere to go each day, and people around me who were doing the same thing. That was crucial. I made friends and memories and that summer will always mean so much to me.

Advice to fellow New Girls

Homesickness is real and normal and in no way diminishes your choice to move or change your life. I actually researched it a couple months ago because I wanted to gauge where I was on the scale of things and how long it normally takes to adjust. The last time I had moved was for college years ago, and I had forgotten that it's basically traumatic to uproot your life and move, even if it's a good thing and for good reasons. Adjustment takes time, and it's worth it. Meanwhile, do more things that make you feel purposeful, and happy, and don't forget to invest in relationships, even when it seems hard and tiring.

Big thanks to Joy for sharing her experience! 

-M

Joy's Outfit Details

Camel Peacoat - Topshop (similar)

Black crop top - ZARA (similar)

 Velvet skirt - thrifted (similar)

Ankle boots - ZARA (similar)

Earrings - Anthropologie (similar)

"Meet A New Girl" is an interview series about real women making a life for themselves in New York City. 

Enter: New York City. A place far from the comforts of my SoCal safety net. A city in which everyone—with the small exception of those born and raised in one of the 5 bouroughs—has been new to at one point or another. 

This concept really stuck with me. I know New Yorkers often get a bad rap, but I've actually found people here to be much more inclusive and welcoming than in LA. Whether it's been 7 months or 7 years, any transplant remembers their own time as the new kid. Giving directions, offering advice, agreeing to that random coffee—it all seems a part of this unwritten code of former newcomers. Because, we were all there at one point too. 

So came the idea for "Meet A New Girl." An interview series featuring real women, making a life for themselves in this city of 8 million. Fumbling through uncharted territory, carving your own path, and trying to make a home somewhere new is no easy feat.

Before I moved, all I wanted to know was how other people did it. At the time, the idea of uprooting my life and moving 3,000 miles away seemed impossible. And yet I—like every other new New Yorker—somehow made it work. My hope is for this series to inspire anyone else out there dreaming of moving to this magical city to just...take the leap. 

So with that, I'm excited to share the first installment of "Meet A New Girl"—featuring one of my close friends, Joy Jacobson. Above is a sneak peek of my shoot with her, captured in the comforts of her cozy (converted) bedroom on the Upper West Side, just steps from Central Park. I love this shot because it embodies everything I know and love about Joy.

She's interesting and introspective and a new girl—just like me and you. See her full interview here. 

Hope you enjoy...and more to come soon!

-M

Growing up in Southern California, seasons felt like a social construct that just gave people the excuse to wear fur coats once the temperature dropped below 70 degrees. The warmest jacket I owned was a little beach windbreaker and I didn't understand why anyone would even consider wearing wool. Seriously...it's so scratchy. But lo and behold, this California girl somehow found herself on the east coast—a magical place where seasons actually exist.

I've been in NYC a year and a half now and although I survived one particularly mild winter, we're entering into a second that already appears to be much less forgiving. So, for anyone else out there who has moved to the city completely unprepared for their first snowy season, here's what I've learned—through sheer trial and error—about surviving winter in NYC.

7 Tips To SurvIve Your First Winter in NYC

1. Invest In An Ugly, Yet Functional Coat

I will be the first to admit...I really hate my winter jacket. But honestly, it was the best I could do on a budget, and even the more expensive alternatives were still kind of depressing. Dropping $1K for a puffy coat that no one looks that great in seems like a hard sell to me. That said, if I had unlimited spending money and wasn't already saving up for a new DSLR camera, I would totally splurge on one of Mackage's down coats to at least look like a chic marshmallow. 

I'd also highly recommend buying a few lightweight down jackets to layer underneath your coats for added warmth. Uniqlo has some great options in their "Ultra Light Down" collection; I currently own a down bomber and mid-length coat from them that I wear all the time.

In terms of layering, here are my rules of thumb:

50-60 degrees - "trendy" wool coat or leather jacket

40-50 degrees - heavy wool coat (love my Everlane Cocoon Coat) + sweater

35-40 degrees - heavy wool coat + sweater + down layer

20-35 degrees - puffy coat + sweater + down layer

Under 20 degrees - plan a vacation or just pay the $1k for that nice winter coat—thought I had multiple times last weekend as the temperature dropped down to 1 degree. ONE.

2. Bundle Up With Cashmere Accessories

Continuing the trend of "investment" pieces, my cashmere hat and scarf have saved me as the temperatures start to drop. I still struggle with the itchiness of wool, so cashmere accessories have become wardrobe staples. I snagged my favorite scarf from Everlane's West Village pop-up last year (similar here) and have been wearing Madewell's black beanie nonstop. Note: make sure your beanie is extra snug to keep out the wind chill! Trendy slouchy beanies will not cut it in actual winter... 

If I was extra fancy I would also buy cashmere gloves, but for now I've settled on these fleece-lined ones from Aritzia. 

3. Buy Winter Boots You'll Actually Wear Out

New Yorkers are famous for the 2 shoe trick: one pair for the office and one for the road. However, I don't love keeping things in different places (aka anything left at my boyfriend's apartment is lost forever) so this strategy doesn't work for me. Instead, I found a pair of winter boots that aren't ridiculously clunky and still look somewhat chic with normal clothes. So, if you are in need of some solid winter boots, these UGG boots are my go-to. That's right, I wear UGGS now. Who would have thought!?

4. Combat Building-Controlled Heat With A Humidifier

Another thing people don't tell you about living in a New York City walk-up: building controlled heat is both a blessing and a curse. PRO: My apartment never gets that cold—aside from the freezing draft coming from my closet. I'm convinced there is a ghost in there...a story for another time. CON: I often find myself uncomfortably hot during the coldest days of the year. The worst part is, the heat makes the air so dry that I have actually woken up feeling sick. To counteract the dryness, I bought this humidifier from Amazon and turn it on whenever the room is starting to feel especially dry. Your skin (and voice) will thank me later!

5. Fight The Winter Blues By Becoming A Plant Lady

I'm not going to lie, the winter blues are real. Last year, by February the dreary weather was really starting to get to me. Luckily, most corner bodegas and flower shops stay stocked with houseplants year-round to help combat the inevitable case of seasonal depression. So, I went a little crazy and bought 3 new potted plants (my adult version of "impluse" shopping?) to make my apartment feel more spring-y.

If you are looking to buy some affordable plants in bulk, check out the NYC Flower District on 28th street between 6th and 7th Ave. I found my prized fiddle leaf fig tree for a great price at Starbright Floral and am now a proud #plantmom.

6. Find Your Go-To Winter Bars

The upside of never-ending winters is the never-ending number of cute and cozy bars in the city. While some spots flourish in the summer, others feel like they were made to help people survive the colder months. My list is endless, but if I had to choose I'd say you can't go wrong with a hot toddy at Wilfie and Nell (hint: go on off hours to avoid the "finance" crowd...unless that's your thing), a glass of red at Chumley's, or apps and beer at Cafe Select. Also, if you ever find yourself craving a cozy meal in the middle of a snow storm, Carroll Place is 100% blizzard approved and probably one of the few places that'll actually be open.

7. Think Of Snow Days As Mental Health Days

As a SoCal kid, I obviously never had a Snow Day—I genuinely thought they were just something that happened in movies. So, imagine my surprise when the first blizzard hit last year and...I kind of liked it? Despite being cooped up in my 300 sq. foot apartment all day, there was something freeing about knowing I simply couldn't go to the office.

Working from home every once in a while helps me feel more centered and generally just improves my well-being. So, I'd like to think of a Snow Day as a mandatory "WFH" Day that aids in all of the above.

Case in point: there is literally nothing better than seeing this^ outside and knowing you get to stay in your pajamas all day. 

So, there you have it. My tips for making the next few months a little more bearable. Although I only have one NYC winter under my belt, I'm hoping these tips will help me stick around for many more.

And just remember: while it's not always pretty or fun, the city is still magical—rain (snow) or shine. 

-M

As a thank you for your support in 2017, I'm also offering 25% off all prints with code "5THFLOORWALKUP". Hope you enjoy!

-M

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