Williamsburg
After graduating from Le Cordon Bleu in London, Eden traveled around India, Israel, and Southeast Asia immersing herself in different culinary cultures. She has since created two Cooking Channel shows, EdenEats with Samantha Schutz and Log On & Eat with Eden Grinshpan. She is now working on her first cookbook slated for release in fall 2020 and raising two-year-old daughter Ayv.
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Meet NYC passerby Elizabeth Novogratz, the co-author of "Just Sit: A Meditation Guidebook for People Who Know They Should But Don't.” While meditation is one of her passions, she advocates for animal rights along with an upcoming project, Species Unite.
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Meet NYC Passerby, Soraya Ahoubim, a tax lawyer based in Brooklyn who has a unique closet but also keeps it professional on weekdays thanks to her favorite designers.
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Meet NYC passerby, Mimi Packer, a producer at Vice who shares with us what tools she uses to help her get the job done on the daily but also help soothe her in between shoots.
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Kaylan is the Brand Director of Ilegal Mezcal, a company that got started out of her uncle's Café No Sé in Antigua, Guatemala. She gets to have her hands in design, music, and politics on a daily basis, and was behind the brand's viral "Donald Eres Un Pendejo" campaign. She lives in Williamsburg with her puppy, Penny Lane.
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Alyssa Coscarelli is a fashion writer, consultant, and influencer based in the East Village, New York City. After working as an editor for Refinery29 for 5 years, Alyssa recently took the leap to give the freelance life a whirl, and in addition to contributing to various digital publications, consulting for up-and-coming New York indie brands, she's working on launching her own online platform in the coming months. She's an impulsive shopper with a love for vintage and indie brands specifically, and can never pass up the perfect pair of Levi's (even though she owns more than any one human should).
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Tea is a Croatian born, American raised writer, filmmaker and TV host. While studying Fashion Design in Milan, she wrote two blogs, CRUMPETS & Sugar Tits which led to popular columns for Wired and Vice Italy and a television series called Sex in the World on La3.
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Cara Flaherty is the Events & Content Manager for Urban Outfitters’ concept store, Space Ninety 8, in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. She has lived in the neighborhood since the early aughts, though she is originally from Columbus, Ohio.
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Meet NYC passerby, Anahita Tajmaher. She currently the in-house catering manager at a multifunctional photography studio in NYC but is making the transition to focus solely on a career in food.
Read MoreBorn in Israel, Yael moved to Manhattan in 1994 and to Williamsburg in 2011. Her book, Falafel Nation, was published in 2015. She is the founder of the non-profit Umami Food and Art festival and is currently Director of Business Development at Splacer.
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Meet NYC passerby, Rian Fossett, the social media director and label coordinator at Matador Records.
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Born in Tel-Aviv, Israel, Gaby is a curator and cultural producer. Gaby has lead, curated and researched projects that merge interdisciplinary practical work experience with academic studies.
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Svyan is a designer based in Williamsburg. She specializes in embroidery and is currently working on her own collection. In addition, Syvan also creates unique head pieces that are popular among brides.
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Born in Tehran, raised in So-Cal, Sunny went to UCSC to study Politics & Sociology. After college, she worked in LA for 3 years in various fields. Unfulfilled with the post-college 9 to 5 life, Sunny uprooted and moved to NYC to pursue her passion in photography and attend ICP. Today, she is an acclaimed photographer with a wide variety of clients like Barneys, Oyster, Nylon, & Levi's. Right now she is very stoked to be working on a long term book project with Brooks Headley of Superiority Burger.
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“Born in California, Molly creates physical experiences that connect people to their own bodies and the “communal body.” So whether she is working as the Director of Partnerships at Splacer or composing a sound sculpture for BAM, her work is always about the human form and how it generates tension and unity when sharing space. Her works has exhibited internationally at the Essl Museum, Salzburg Museum of Modern Art, Suzanne Geiss, and Anat Ebgi Galery. She is also the founder and director of Cinema 16, which pairs contemporary musicians with experimental films.”
I love rituals although I rarely adhere to them. The current one I am going with: wake up, resist looking at my phone, brush my teeth, scrape my tongue, wash my face with either CeraVe or baking soda, moisturize with Linne facial oil, and apply Dr. Hauschka Summer Impressions Bronze Fluid. If I'm feeling ambitious I will make yogurt with fruit and honey or do some stretching. I go to Variety every morning before work for the best iced coffee in town.
My art career has taken many different forms, but I would say what unites them is creating physical experiences that connect people to their own bodies and the “communal body.” This has taken many forms: my series Cinema 16 or my sound choreography at BAM, We of Me. These ideas are influenced by the traditions of social sculpture, happenings, séances, and rituals, among other things. I use film, sound, performance, sculpture, and photography as a launching point to explore genre, the psycho sexual, the fragmented body, gender, and ritual.
For BAM, I handmade hairbrushes filled with microphones and choreographed a one-hour sound piece with 20 male performers. In the middle, my collaborator Brian Chase, drummer for the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, and I did a live mix in the middle. This piece was so much about the collective experience of listening, how sound affects our bodies, how touch and watching people being touched [affects our bodies]—there’s a very physical component.
Molly's favorite books
“Michael Taussig’s “Beauty and the Beast” is my new favorite text, essentially about the nature of beauty and the grotesque. Does all beauty end in tragedy? Taussig is an anthropologist at Columbia and uses case studies in Colombia where he compares plastic surgery cases, the aesthetics of narcotrafficing, and the reconstructive surgery of high profile drug criminals.”
I work as the Director of Partnerships for Splacer, which means I get to talk to the most interesting people, organizations, collectives, and help them figure out how to reimagine space for any sort of creative activation. Social space and how people congregate in present time is always a driving force in my work. At Splacer I get to reimagine space as it relates to a variety of gatherings. Working with so many different types of people, I get to help conceptualize, execute, curate, and contribute to the culture of the site by programming really remarkable social gatherings. So far I’ve gotten to collaborate with everyone from the Criterion Collection to Van Alen Institute.
Ultimately I am a creature of convenience, so I generally choose a handful of places that I commit to on and offline. These days I love Staud clothing based in LA, online shop LisaSaysGah, American Apparel, Trademark, and American Two Shot. So many of my friends have incredible style and they inspire me constantly: Sarah Kuhn, Gaby Ron, Jasmine Pasquill to name a few.
I try to mix it up: a combination of 60s French New Wave, with 70s Southwest desert, beach girl, and old fashioned maiden. Cher has become somewhat of a style icon to me, which is birthed out of my obsession with extremely long hair, as evident in my art.
“Neil Young’s On the Beach has sort of carried me through my teens and into adult life. The sounds are really silky and haunting. They remind of a Los Angeles that I was too young to ever know, simultaneously betraying and full of promise.”
I like to think of myself as pretty low maintenance but I am sure that's a total self distortion. In the last two years I have gotten really into skin care and do a facial every two months. I wash my face day and night with something super gentle and moisturize with Linné Botanical Skincare Facial Oil, which is all organic botanical products. Once a week I use the Christine Chin Hydration Mask (also when I fly). It's really important to keep hydrated especially in such a congested city like New York. I also recommend Aesop Parsley Seed Facial Cleansing Oil, MD Solar Sciences Mineral Crème Broad Spectrum, Malin + Goetz Eucalyptus Deodorant, Medline Remedy Phytoplex Hydrating Cleansing Foam, and Mario Badescu Hyaluronic Eye Cream.
I recommend Lancôme Le Stylo Waterproof Eyeliner, Maybelline Eye Studio Brow Drama, and Chanel Lip Color.
I've been trying to grow out my hair for years and take it really seriously. Every morning I take Biotin and rub coconut oil into the ends of my hair. I wash it once a week with Pureology, which I actually learned about from Passerbuys! Also I try to do a conditioning treatment once a month and dust off the dead ends.
Dress, Staud
“One of my favorite beauty tips is washing your face with baking soda once a week. It’s sort of a natural scrub and evens out your skin tone. Of course, water and sleep are better than anything you can buy. Threading only on your face— best shape for your brows and doesn’t pull at your skin. (Warning: extreme discomfort)”
molly's favorite books
Catching the Big Fish: Meditation, Consciousness, and Creativity by David Lynch, Hollywood Babylon II by Kenneth Anger, Poems by Yvonne Rainer, Criterion Designs, Beauty and the Beast by Michael Taussig, The Story of the Lost Child by Elena Ferrante
molly's favorite records
Peggy Sue by Buddy Holly, Dub Housing by Pere Ubu, Suicide by Martin Rev & Alan Vega, On the Beach by Neil Young
molly's favorite movies
Harold and Maude, Moonstruck, 3 Women, Persona
molly's favorite places in nyc
Threading: Amazing Eyebrows on 331 Graham Ave
Coffee: Variety
Acupuncture: Sherry Chang in Williamsburg
Facial: Christine Chin
Salon V for Collagen Conditioning Treatment
For amazing food, Eastwood, Speedy Romeo as an alternative to Roberta's, for a food/wine splurge The Four Horsemen
Windowfront art gallery Four A.M
For a special beach: Dead Horse Bay
“Born in San Juan, Puerto Rico but raised in Rochester, New York, Ysa moved to NYC in 2008 while she was an Advertising Photography student at RIT to intern at Nylon Magazine. After graduating, in 2010-2011 she worked as a photography assistant at GQ Magazine under Photo Director Dora Somosi, supporting the photography department. Off the clock, she’d photograph musicians, rappers, DJs and nightlife which led to shooting assignments for magazines such as Spin, Vibe, XXL, New York Mag & Bloomberg Businessweek. She currently lives in Miami Beach both photographing and training in martial arts full-time.”
Ysa's favorite cameras
Top, American Apparel ; Jacket, Kenzo ; Pants, Ralph Lauren
on her morning routine
I wake up everyday around 6.45am. I like to accomplish a lot of things in the day and when you’re in a place where the weather is inviting like Miami, you just want to be up. I usually start the day looking at my phone, doing my emails or I’ll just go straight to the beach and meditate.
on her start in photography
I took a basic 10th grade photography class and I shot a black & white photo of a gloomy set of railroad tracks and my teacher acknowledged it was good. That was it until college. These two students at RIT were in need of a model and reached out to me on Myspace (so dated). At the time, I was undecided at University at Buffalo, but seeing their space, the facilities and equipment, I was convinced I could probably do that. From there I transferred to The Rochester Institute of Technology for Advertising Photography.
I always had a good eye and have been using photoshop since I was like 12, my mom was a graphic designer, but when I started at RIT I took really shit pictures. I mean, you’re experimenting and you have no clue how things work, what lenses to use, what you’re trying to say through your work - it’s a process. It took me almost as long as I’ve been doing this professionally, to now completely be confident in the way I shoot. I never second guess what I’m framing, and when to press the button.
Shoes, City Snapper
I work candidly based off the energy between me and what’s going on, I use natural light and I don’t interfere. Occasionally for portraits I’ll direct a moment, but more or less I just want to document what’s going on. My process is more simple than people think, I shoot film and I use an 8 year old DSLR. It’s not what you use, it's how you use it. It’s also about being able to tell a story through the images despite the subject matter.
I just use a 5D Mark II which came out years ago, when I was in photo school. Everyone was in awe it could record video. Big 2008 moment. I’m not sure why I chose Canon instead of Nikon, but it’s probably because my first camera was a basic Canon Rebel to survive my first year of photo school. I don’t keep up with what’s coming out next, digital cameras used to come out like twice a year, now it’s every few months a consumer friendly DSLR comes out, so I just use what I got and edit how I do. My work looks different from other people’s for a reason.
Right now I’m shooting for Budokon University, a mixed martial arts school based in Miami Beach, Florida. I enter dojo spaces with people that have been doing these art forms a majority of their lives so you need to you walk into their space with respect. I can’t be intrusive and disturb the students or instruction, so I’ll just sit in a spot, observe, move when I have to, mostly everyone says they never notice me there and trust me, I grab a lot of content. I just work fast.
Top, American Apparel ; Jacket, Kenzo
““When I began the point & shoot phase in college, I bought this shit 35mm Ricoh off eBay and wasn’t really impressed with the photos, but thought that was that. Then 2011, I met a photographer in London, Tom Oxley, and he had this Contax T2 sitting on his desk. He let me shoot a few rolls during my stay, and when I returned to the states I fell in love with how crisp the images were. Contax got that Zeiss glass.””
Ysa's favorite beauty products
on her beauty routine
Ever since Budokon, my regimen has gravitated towards being more authentic. I’m extremely active there’s no need for makeup, plus it’s Miami, it’s going to sweat off anyway. I always tone and moisturize, but I keep a natural thing going - I ride my bike outside, tan, go into the sea for salt water (which cures everything), I workout. I steam & sauna for my muscles. I just take care of myself - being healthy is how I view beauty. For products, I would recommend: Kiehl’s Skin Rescuer Daily Hydrator, Botanics Faical Oil, and Nivea Lip Butter.
on how she handles her hair
Ironically now that I’ve finally grown out my hair, I’m in humidity Miami, and the combination of my Puerto Rican roots, active lifestyle, presents a lot to deal with. My routine is kind of a process - when I shower I can’t let it air dry otherwise it instantly frazzles and bigs up, I I have to instantly comb it through, put coconut oil, braid it, let it dry, then unravel it few hours later. Blow drying it here, also impossible. Shoving hot air in my face here is punishment on punishment. I actually need like 8 days for my hair to naturally retain full moisture but it’s impossible to avoid washing it when I attend jiu jitsu 4 times a week and get my hair in a daily sweaty tangle. We’re always identifying who’s hair is on the mat.
““I love to thrift, I’m a nostalgic kind of person. I like old things and I have relationships with brands that fortunately send me clothes anyway. Being a gypsy, it’s easy to acquire clothing when you’re traveling so I have to be very conscious. Been going to the same places in Bushwick since I lived there 2008, all the Mexican/Spanish thrift stores always win. We know what’s up. In LA I found that the thrifting is completely different but the places to go are The Goodwills. Hollywood one is dope, also the one on Beverly, and rare one is Downtown, not many people go there and it’s super organized. As I get older though, my style becomes more simple. It’s funny to think as a photo assistant at GQ I would wear skirts and heels, I would even keratin my hair to make it full time straight, but when I started freelancing, that urge to present myself formally disappeared, as I’m behind the camera. Now in Miami, I have a very athletic lifestyle — always been a tomboy, so right now it’s minimal clothing daily: shorts, sports bras, bathing suits and jiu jitsu rash guards, for real.””
Jacket, Kenzo ; Pants, Ralph Lauren
In NYC, Ippudo in East Village, 65 4th Ave, the best ramen ever, there’s just no question. Also do not leave without eating the pork buns and if shishito peppers.
Commodore in Williamsburg, it’s the place you’ll start running into people the longer you live there, because it’s somewhere easy to chill (when it’s not insane) and yeah obviously the best fried chicken hands down. Bonus are the biscuits that come with lavenderrrrrrr honey.
After Commodore, you get two in one - head next door to Momofuku Milk Bar and get a CEREAL MILKSHAKE. If you like downing the end of the cereal bowl and know that specific taste I’m referring to… RUN there. And ask for extra cereal topping. Bonus you can buy the mixture and take it with you my international people.
In LA, the one stop place is SWINGERS. I’m all for reasonably priced organic delicious food where I can get a stack of pancakes ahi tuna sandwich, or a steak ANYTIME 7am-2am.
LA is all about acai bowls, my bank account was dying the few months I was there just from those. The best > Liquid Juice Bar, get ‘The Chronic’ trust me.
The Fifth Element by Luc Besson
Pulp Fiction by Quentin Tarantino
Natural Born Killers by Oliver Stone
Risky Business by Paul Brickman
Outfit, Vintage ; Jacket, BornxRaised
Meet NYC passerby, Lauren Nikrooz. Her commercial work has been with campaigns for Beats By Dre, along with editorial for such as Dazed and Confused, W Magazine and Vogue. Her latest film work has been working alongside Matthew Barney on his River of Fundament and Marina Abramovic.
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Leta is a multidisciplinary designer and art director based in New York City. She combines traditional graphic design elements with photography, art, and styling to create unique visuals. Her client list includes Bloomberg, Google, IBM, Kiehl’s, Refinery 29, Tate Modern, and more.
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“Hello” is tattooed on her arm if she ever has laryngitis when you meet. If not, you’ll probably talk about her transition from writing for Opening Ceremony to writing for BBDO—and how the latter is not a lot of writing at all. She’ll likely also mention her unexplained obsession with boxes, lipstick packaging, and French 75’s.
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