Where are you from and how long have you lived in NY? I’m from Tuscaloosa, AL and have lived in New York since September, 2007…so just over 4 years now.
Current job? I am doing Investor Relations for a hedge fund that launched in January, 2010. It has been pretty cool to be a part of something as it grows from an idea into a real business.
Dream job? Great question. I hope to know it when I have it!
Favorite neighborhood in the city and why? I know it sounds cliché, but I have to say the West Village. My favorite restaurants, shops and bars are there, it’s super neighborhoody, close to the water, gorgeous little streets and a great mix of people. I’ve also done a walking tour of the area and the neighborhood’s history is really interesting (pitch for Big Onion Walking Tours!)
What do you miss the most about Alabama? Aside from family and friends, I would say the outdoors. I forget about how beautiful the stars are until I am at our farm in Eutaw, AL. They’re here in NYC, but often hard to see with the city’s bright lights. Being able to hop on a boat and go out on Lake Tuscaloosa for hours with friends…I miss that too. And I occasionally miss driving! All that being said, one great thing about New York is that you have the beach, mountains, vineyards, countryside all within a few hours’ drive…that’s one thing that, to me, makes NYC livable longer term, and most visitors don’t realize.
If you could only go to three restaurants in the city over and over again, what would they be? That’s hard because there are so many; I love them all for different reasons, and actually make a conscious effort not to duplicate…but literally 3 places on repeat? I would say Casellula, a TINY wine and cheese café in Hell’s Kitchen – the best hidden gem I’ve found in the city. I rarely repeat restaurants, and this one is a repeater. Their cheese pairings are crazy good – I take everyone I know (Jana, you’re next). Another spot that I actually do repeat is Taboon, another great Hell’s Kitchen find. This place is Mediterranean, but more Israeli/Greek than French/Italian. They have a really interesting wine list w/ Greek and Israeli wines, and the BEST bread EVER. It’s honestly the best. Tzatziki is unreal, Minty Maya cocktail is super refreshing, and their couscous is delightful! It’s on 10th Ave, so off the beaten path and not touristy, but would be great for a visitor going to the theater or something. I once sat next to Kevin Bacon and Kyra Sedgwick there, which was pretty cool. And finally, I’ll go with Meatball Shop – may come as a surprise because meatballs wouldn’t typically top my list, but this place is amazing!! You design your own meal, which I love, and they even have a veggie meatball that’s incredible. My favorite part may be the “design your own” ice cream sandwiches for dessert…oatmeal raisin & gingersnap cookies w/ caramel ice cream?! They don’t take reservations, but well worth the wait! I could go on forever about restaurants here – that’s literally my favorite thing about NYC, hands down – so hopefully these are some lesser known picks!
Is there anywhere in NY you are able to find a little piece of home? The Ainsworth. It has been the “Alabama Bar” in NYC for a couple of seasons now, and that place is absolutely packed with Bama fans every Saturday of football season – it’s amazing. I actually moved up to NYC on a Saturday, the second game that Nick Saban was coaching; I dropped my bags from LaGuardia and went to catch the second half of the game…saw people visiting from Tuscaloosa and people from AL who I didn’t even know lived in New York. It was a great welcome then, and I still love going! Roll Tide!!!
Super vague question, but what does New York mean to you? Wow, that’s tough. The beauty of the city is that it means so many different things to so many different people – each person has their own experience – but walking the streets of New York, I can’t help but feel a part of the community. To make it short and sweet, I would say that New York is inspiring. To me, the city inspires you – and allows you, even encourages you – to be whoever you want to be. I believe that opportunities are endless wherever you are, but the inspiration to dream big and work hard exists here unlike anywhere else.
What websites or blogs do you check out every day? This is going to be boring…but being in finance, I go to the Wall Street Journal, NYT Dealbook, and Dealbreaker, which is a finance tabloid…that’s about as exciting as it gets. Oh yeah, can’t forget NYMag and Eater!
Style icon? Tough one, but I’ll go with Gwyneth Paltrow. To me, her style is effortless, chic and classic, yet she still does the unexpected from time to time. I think she’s got great taste, and style that extends beyond fashion.
Something not many people know about you? I make ridiculously tasty Heath Bar brownies.
The last book you read? Visit from the Goon Squad by Jennifer Egan. A friend recommended it to me and actually had the author write a note to me, which was cool. It’s not your typical novel as far as format, but I really liked it. It also won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction, and I think HBO is developing it into a series? Check it out!
What’s your most treasured possession? A pearl necklace that my parents gave me for my 21st birthday. My dad actually gave it to my mom the day that I was born; so when they gave it to me, my dad wrote a really sweet note and included a picture of the three of us from DCH in Tuscaloosa…my mom is wearing the pearls. It’s really special to me, and I often get comments about being from the South when I wear it. It reminds me of family and of home.
If you have a friend visiting the city for the first time, how would you plan the day for them? I always ask visitors what they want to do. Some want to shop, see shows, etc; but if someone gives me the green light, I like to give them an idea of what it’s like to live here. So many people say, “I like to visit New York, but I have no idea how you live there,” so I like to show them. I recently made a friend go to SoulCycle with me 
and I take everyone I know to my neighborhood spot, Caselulla. We’ll grab coffee and go for a long walk up or down the Hudson River Park (highly recommend this…or bike it) – it’s so beautiful. Then grab brunch somewhere and spend the day meandering around downtown. I think that walking in the city is the best way to soak it up – just seeing the city through a different lens. Because I work late, my weekends are often full of errands…there are still SO many things that I haven’t seen/done in NYC, so I should probably take a few weekends and pretend that I’m a visitor myself!
Do you see yourself still living here in 5 years? I still get the “I cannot believe I live here” feeling whenever I walk out of my apartment, so we shall see if I am so lucky…
Moving from a small town in Alabama to one of the biggest cities in the world, do you feel like you have grown as a person or are you able to express yourself in new ways? I’ve definitely grown as a person since moving to New York, no question. Part of that is certainly natural after graduating from college and being independent/living on your own; but I think that this city adds an entirely different element. At any given moment, so much is happening here. New York has a distinct energy and it’s always changing, evolving; it’s almost impossible for that energy not to envelop you and affect you in a variety of ways, and one of the most valuable/powerful things that I’ve realized by living in New York is that I am my own person. I think that living here has allowed me to be myself in a way that I never had before. NYC encourages you to take risks and experience new things – be it in regards to career, fashion, food, arts, music, activities – and to be open to others’ opinions.
That’s due in part to the eclectic mix of people who call NYC home – those people could care less about what I do, where I work, where I live or what I’m wearing. You see the CRAZIEST things walking these streets – but it’s awesome and inspiring! Eight million different people live here – from various backgrounds/careers/walks of life – and yet love the same city and contribute to its character and vitality in individual/meaningful ways. That may sound abstract and/or silly, but I think that it’s an incredible thing to have such a wide array of people connect on one level – New York. It’s not necessarily an easy city – it throws a lot at you; but in the wise words of Frank Sinatra…if you can make it here, I’m confident that you really can make it anywhere!
