Meet A New Girl: An Interview Series
Before moving to NYC, I had lived in Southern California all my life. I grew up in Orange County, went to LA for college, and bumbled around the City of Angels as a postgrad for one too many years until I finally realized it was time to leave.
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.
August 2016: Moving my life (in 7 suitcases) from my Brooklyn Airbnb into my tiny 5th floor walk-up
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