HOME IS….?
The place I struggle to leave or yearn to get back to. I’ve lived in a few different places but only Panama and London have ever made me feel that way.
MOST UNFORGETTABLE LINGERIE MOMENT GOOD OR BAD?
When I moved to London in 2014 I went to Rigby & Peller and for the first time in my life found and invested in a bra that both fit well and made me feel sexy. It was a total gamechanger and altered the way I felt about my breasts and about lingerie. I still wear it four years later, which I know far exceeds the bra life span, but I get attached to things that carry bigger meaning—no pun intended.
HAD YOU ALWAYS ASPIRED TO DO YOUR OWN THING?
I would say so but going from aspiring to actually doing is a bigger leap and very much an ongoing process.
WHAT IS YOUR BIGGEST EXTRAVAGANCE?
I splurge on a few good beauty products that help me feel great in my own skin. My sister got me hooked on Davines shampoo, which is pricey, but I can finally airdry my hair without feeling like a poodle. I really enjoy buying clothes as well but I’m trying to shop more ethically and live with less clutter.
AT THE MOMENT YOU ARE?
Still getting used to the fact that I finished my master’s dissertation. I still haven’t managed to shake the lingering feeling that there’s something else I should be doing. Also planning how I can get a dog and make that work.
1 BEAUTY PRODUCT YOU CAN’T LIVE WITHOUT IS?
Probably my Anastasia brow powder. I feel a bit feral otherwise.
WHERE WAS YOUR LAST HOLIDAY?
I went to Amsterdam with my two older sisters, who both live on the other side of the Atlantic. It was so wonderful to have that time together.
WHAT DO YOU NEVER LEAVE THE HOUSE WITHOUT?
My NARS velvet lip pencil in Dolce Vita.
THE STRANGEST THING IN YOUR HANDBAG IS?
Personally, I don’t think it’s that strange, but people are always really impressed when I whip out my Tide Pen. It’s a handy American contraption for removing stains on-the- go and it’s a real lifesaver if you’re on the clumsy side.
FAVOURITE BOOK?
There’s a few. Anytime I’ve read something by Chimamanda Nogzi Adichie I’ve felt that strange loneliness you get when you finish a great book, like you’ve lost a friend somehow. I also keep coming back to Eat, Pray, Love. Whenever I’m having some sort of reckoning I find something in Liz Gilbert’s experience to connect to. I also love Persepolis.
TELL US ABOUT YOUR JEWELLERY?
I have worn the same necklace since I’m about fifteen years old. It was a gift my grandma left for me after she passed away from cancer. I rarely used any other jewellery, but I’ve embraced earrings this year and now have a few on a regular rotation.
WHAT’S THE BIGGEST RISK YOU’VE TAKEN?
When I was sixteen I applied for a scholarship to go to an international boarding school called a United World College. I got it and left home by myself to finish high school in the US. It was the most intense and meaningful experience of my life.
THE WORLD WOULD BE A BETTER PLACE IF…
People were more empathetic and open about their feelings. I would also encourage anyone who can get referred or afford therapy to do it.
LAST PLAY YOU SAW…
A play called Rotterdam.
EARLIEST LONDON MEMORY…
It was maybe two years in and I went for a night out at the Steelyard with what was then a new-ish group of friends. We came out as the sun was rising over the Thames and it was magical to feel at home in this city and to feel I’d finally met people I connected with, which was a real struggle initially. I actually had a partner when I moved to London who lived on the Isle of Wight and so my first year feels like a blur. My life here began when that relationship ended.
MOST ROMANTIC THING SOMEONE’S DONE FOR YOU?
I’m not sure if this counts as romantic but earlier this year I saw someone for a few weeks and on one of his visits he brought me a fruit that I’d never heard of or tasted. He loved trying exotic fruit and he wanted to share this with me. It was a small gesture, but it felt really touching and special to be thought of in that way.
BEST LONDON MEAL?
This is impossible to answer. I could maybe say best bites or different categories? Pasta at Bocca di Lupo, sushi at Roka, chicken at Chick n’ Sours in Dalston, steak tartare at Balthazar, black dahl at Dishoom, Poke at Yoobi, Aubergine salad at Silk Road in Camberwell...I could go on forever. Lyle’s, Ceviche and Social Eating House are a few good all-rounders.
FAVORITE LONDON DISCOVERIES?
See above. Too hard to answer.
TELL US ABOUT YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD?
I cycle everywhere so my neighbourhood feels quite broad. I would say a perfect walk through the area would be to Broadway Market via Victoria park and the canal, circle back via Mare Street/Cambridge Heath Road to Bethnal Green and walk back via Roman Road. There’s plenty good stuff to see, buy and eat on that loop and on the detours.
WHO DO YOU CALL WHEN YOU WANT TO HAVE FUN?
Any of my friends here. They love to dance and go out. I tend to annoy them because I’ll say I fancy a wild one and by midnight I want my bed. I’m the resident sleeper. 
WHAT ARE YOU MOST PASSIONATE ABOUT?
Good food and travel, preferably together. I also love dogs.
WHAT DO YOU COLLECT?
Postcards but they only count if they get sent to me or I’ve actually visited the place where I buy them.
FAVOURITE PODCAST?
Dear Sugarsis my favourite but Radio Ambulante, Esther Perel’s Where Should we Begin, TED Radio Hour and Modern Love are strong contenders.
WHAT YOU LISTENING TO ON SPOTIFY, ANY GOOD PLAYLISTS WE NEED TO KNOW ABOUT?
I’m going through a weird musical/movie soundtrack stage, so my Discover Weekly is a bit embarrassing at the moment. It’s all Abba, Disney and reggaetón. Best to not take music advice from me.
FAVOURITE LONDON SHOPS?
I don’t have a favourite shop but closest would be & Other Stories. Also, Sephora, but we don’t have it in London, which baffles me.
