photos courtesy of Elsa Isaac

Confession.
I’m a bit of a fashion addict.
Ok, maybe more than “a bit”.

I pour over fashion magazines the way a musician lusts after a shiny new Gibson.
I was mesmerized by fashion designers at a very early age.
The craftsmanship. The creativity. The sheer beauty of it all.
The ability to transform yourself. With a single look.
Fashion, not always, but often, takes my breath away.

Though I adore fashion, I’m not the best at putting together my own looks.
That’s why it’s nice to have a hot NYC fashion stylist on speed-dial. *wink*

My dear friend, collaborator and soul-sister, Elsa Isaac, is visiting L.A. for the next week.
I’m giddy to have her out West for some quality work-time and beach-time {of course}!
But I didn’t want to keep her all to myself, so I thought I’d put together a bonus GET TO KNOW post this week.

If after reading this Q+A, you’re totally smitten with her {as I know you will be}, you should know that she’s got a few spots left for some 1-on-1 styling sessions with her in Los Angeles next week. {more details below}

I digress.
On to the Q+A.
Enjoy!

~

Ok, I realize I know you pretty well, but give my readers a little background about yourself.

Well, my love affair with clothes & fashion began at an early age . . . I’m sure playing dress up with Barbies played a small part.
However it came to be, I knew early on that my love for fashion wasn’t just something to play with, it was a full-time passion I would spend the rest of my life honing!
After studying fashion marketing at Ryerson University in Toronto, Canada, I quickly jumped into the styling world and began dressing musicians for music videos.
When I moved to New York, I began working on magazine & commercial shoots as well.
I’ve been fortunate enough to work with companies like Essence, Redbook, Good Housekeeping Magazine and celebrities like Bill Cosby, Brooke Shields & Lenny Kravitz! I LOVE MY JOB!

Tell me a bit more about how you came to the world of styling. Why did you want to pursue being a stylist after studying fashion marketing?

Believe it or not I actually never wanted to be a stylist! In fact I had no idea that this type of career even existed.
My dream had always been to be a fashion designer {still is}. It wasn’t until I was half way through college and a friend in the music industry forced me to style a video for one of his artists, before I really knew what a stylist was.
But after I styled that music video, I fell completely in love and knew I wanted to pursue the styling path.

You clearly have an entrepreneurial spirit and are your own business woman. I share that same sense of adventure with what I do. I’m curious, do you feel like you’ve always wanted to “do your own thing”? And what do you find are the most challenging {and gratifying} things about working for yourself?

I don’t think I realized that all of my quirks growing up would eventually mean that I was destined for an entrepreneurial life.
But I when I look back at myself now, it all makes sense!
I used to do things like plan summer neighborhood events and hold best dressed contests at school.
I was always creating and I think that came from not finding things or situations in life that fit perfectly with who I was. So it seemed second nature to me to just create the things I couldn’t find. That’s the essence of an entrepreneur too me.

The most challenging thing about working for yourself is having to wear so many hats when you really would rather live wearing just the one. But the most gratifying part about about running my own business is having the ability to transform & evolve my business in a way that best compliments who I am and how I choose to live my life.

What inspires + motivates you to keep doing what you do?

New York City, the ocean, the fact that a fellow human being invented the airplane, love, Michael Jackson . . .
So many things inspire + motivate me on a daily basis, but I think what motivates me most, is knowing that my parents escaped a war torn country, to provide their children with the kind of life so many of the family and friends we left behind couldn’t have.
It’s a sobering thought that ALWAYS reminds me of how lucky I really am.

Lately I’ve become fascinated by the idea of balancing creating “art” and doing business. Personally, I find it hard to strike a balance between the two in my own life. Do you struggle with this? If so, how do you deal with it?

Balancing art creation with business, has hands down been my hardest struggle!
I recently had a conversation with a business man who shed new light on this area for me. He told me that doing what you’re good at is the easy part in life, but felt that mastering what you struggle with is the true meaning of success.
I realized at that point, that in order for me to really share my creative gift with the world, I will need to master the art of business no matter what it takes.

You’ve styled some pretty well-known folks {Lenny Kravitz, Marie Forleo, Bill Cosby, among many others}. What has been the most fun part of your job? Do you have a particular memory of a time that sticks out as being especially amazing?

The memory that stands out most in my career is when I got the opportunity to style the cast of The Cosby Show for Essence magazine! There was a moment as I was meeting each of them for the first time where I felt like I was having an out of body experience.
I just couldn’t believe that the people who were such a big part of my childhood were standing in front of me!
I was overflowing with gratitude on that day.

Tell me why style is so important? And maybe a few tips for how every single woman out there, can have “style”.

Style is important because it’s an extension of who we are. We put clothes on everyday of our lives, so what we wear affects us in a good way or a bad way.

When you don’t put thought into how you’re going to adorn your body and what you want to declare about yourself to the world, then you ignore an important part of you that seeks expression.

The first way you can start to bring style into your life is by knowing your body’s size and shape. I created a fun body shape calculator on my blog, that allows to you enter your measurements and discover your shape instantly.
Knowing your body shape helps you eliminate the various styles and cuts of clothing that are not suited for you, and focus more on the ones that are. The best place to start implementing this new rule is in your closet!

Another great way to develop personal style is by starting a vision board {or Pinterest board} by collecting all the clothing styles that inspire you most. Slowly try some of the style ideas from your board and eliminate what doesn’t work. Eventually you’ll end up with a style that really represents you fully.
And remember as we change an evolve so will our style, so it’s important to create vision boards frequently.

I know you and I know that what you’ve created for yourself hasn’t come easy. We all have struggles, some big – some small. Do you have any thoughts or words of wisdom on how to keep on going when the going gets tough?

When it comes down to it, there’s really nothing else I’d rather be doing in my life than playing with clothes.
I really can’t imagine myself doing anything else. So when I have my down moments, I’m realizing that it usually means I have to step away from my craft and just live life.
Coming back to it with a renewed + refreshed energy changes everything! I’ve learned this the hard way

I’m curious, what does beauty mean to you? What do you find ‘beautiful’?

Beauty to me is happiness expressed outwardly.
Which is why, in my opinion, you can’t fake true beauty.

Beauty only exists if it comes through you, not to you.

I think that’s why I love the arts so much.
It allows us to not only see, but connect with the all the other ways people are expressing their own passions.
Things I find beautiful: a well decorated home, a woman wearing the perfect dress and heels, perfectly designed packaging and a man in well fitted suit!

I know you love to travel too – tell me, what are a few of your favorite spots? Any places you’re dying to visit?

My favorite places to travel to so far have been Eritrea {the country I’m from}, Costa Rica + Portugal.
I’m absolutely dying to get to Thailand, Dubai + Australia!

Is there a specific quote or a philosophy, which guides your life?

Yes. The serenity prayer:

God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change;
Courage to change the things I can;
and wisdom to know the difference.
Living one day at a time;
Enjoying one moment at a time;
Accepting hardships as the pathway to peace.

And finally, WHY do you do what you do?

For 2 reasons:
Because it fills me up with joy
Because I wouldn’t want to do anything else!

~

Super sweet, down-to-earth and she’s created a truly inspiring life and business that she loves.
What’s not to love about this girl?

Like I mentioned at the top of this post, you can snag Elsa for an in-person styling session before she heads back East.
$400 for 3-hours of wardrobe magic with one of NYC’s hottest stylists?
Ummm, yes please.
She’s only got opening from February 4th to February 7th, so get on it!
You can get in touch with Elsa via her website here.

And . . . just in case you can’t work with her in LA (or NYC), I’ve got a special treat for ONE lucky TGWK reader.
Elsa is generously gifting a FREE, 90-minute virtual “Closet Cleanse”.
This is major people.
I’ve worked with Elsa and she is the REAL deal.
In 90-minutes she will turn your world {+ closet} inside out.

All you have to do to be entered to win is CLICK HERE to tweet out a message to us!

That’s it! And if you show us lots of lovin’ you’ll score bonus points, so tweet away.
I’ll announce the winner on Monday February 4th on Twitter + Facebook!

Hope you enjoyed getting to know Elsa + I’ll see you next time!

xo

Obsession. With wine.

I used to work in the events + wedding business.
One of the many experimentations along my career path.
I was lucky enough to begin my work in the event-world at one of the best catering companies in the San Francisco Bay Area.

And it was there, amongst fellow foodies, that I was introduced to wine.
Not just any wine.
Flowers Pinot Noir.
Paul Hobbs Cabernet Sauvignon.
Billecart Salmon Brut Rose (champagne).
The good stuff.

A few years after my stint producing events, my boyfriend and I were bouncing around our favorite wine-lovers spots near Healdsburg California. We had been invited to a very cool winery.
Sustainable.
Organic.
Solar powered.
Artisan quality wines.
Sounds amazing right?

But I have to admit, I was quite skeptical about the quality of the wines.
So many of the so-called “organic” wines I’ve tried are way less than pleasing to my palette {in other words, they really sucked}.
Fingers crossed and interest piqued, I stepped into the beautiful world of Medlock Ames.

Fast forward to today.
I’ve been a loyal wine club member for 4+ years.
Have a deep respect for the entire team.
Attend their events.
Spend time perusing their organic gardens.
Tasting their delicious olive oils, jams and spreads.
And lounging in their new tasting room.
I’m a huge fan + supporter of everything that Medlock Ames creates.

They are the epitome of artisnal, hand-crafted beauty.
They embody everything that I lovingly seek out and hope to feature here on The Girl Who Knows.

So needless to say, the following video, photos and Q+A with Founder and Winemaker Ames Morrison, is beyond thrilling to share with you!
I hope you enjoy it.
Psst :: Read thru to the end. It’s worth it. I’ve got a SUPER thrilling surprise for you!

~

Tell me a little bit about how Medlock Ames came to be.

My best friend & I were living in New York and started drinking & learning about wine.
We both grew up on farms and developed an obsessive fascination with the influence that dirt and weather and farming practice had on the flavor in the glass.
That obsession, fuelled by a little too much wine one night gave us the hubris to think that we could make our own wine. Within a few months we moved to California and I started studying winemaking at UC Davis & looking all over for the perfect site to establish our own vineyard. After looking at over 100 properties, we stumbled upon Bell Mountain Ranch, and knew in an instant that this is where we would plant our vines.

Your wines are among the best I’ve ever tasted. Why wine? What do you love about wine in general? And your wines in particular?

Wow! That is wonderful to hear.
I love farming. I love having my hands in the dirt and watching how a plant grows and figuring out how to coax the best out of that vine.
The wine captures and sums up in one sip everything that mother nature has been doing to this land for hundreds of thousands of years and the many decisions I make every day on how to farm the land and how to make the wine. I don’t think there is any other endeavor in the world that can encapsulate something so vast in a single instant.
What I love about my wines in particular is that they so truthfully represent this land (and the fact that they taste good to me!)

Sustainability + environmental accountability are super important to you. How do you incorporate this into your business practices + in your winemaking?

One of the most basic things we have done is to have our farm certified as organic.
This is a 3-year process that we went through several years ago and have to renew annually.
Early on, it forced us to think through every aspect of how we farm and how we operate our business, not just to be in compliance, but really as a business philosophy.

Everything from your packaging to the design of your tasting room is simple + beautifully designed. I’m really drawn to beauty + aesthetics, so I’m curious, what does beauty mean to you? How does beauty inform your winemaking {if at all}?

I have two very different concepts of beauty.
For anything that is man-made, I love simplicity and functionality.
But in the natural world, I am fascinated by complexity end elegance. Our building & packaging design try to do a lot and say a lot with very little. It’s all about simplicity for me.
With our wines, we try to layer many layers of nuance and complexity into every sip, to represent the complex biological systems that create that wine.

There’s a lot of creativity involved in winemaking. How do you cultivate creativity in your life? What does your creative process look like?

Most of my time is spent focusing intently on whatever I am working on at the moment. I don’t have the luxury or the mental capacity to think creatively at the same time.
Then at some other time when I am hiking on a remote part of the ranch, a flood of ideas will wash over me, and I have to struggle to keep up with writing down my thoughts.
I only act on a small percentage of those ideas, but it is completely refreshing to have that experience, and often those ideas are my most creative. They might impact my winemaking or farming, but just as often they are illuminating insights into how I look at the world.
Walking is a wonderfully creative endeavor for me.

What inspires + motivates you?

Every vintage is a new opportunity.
I am motivated to make each one better than the last.
I’m also motivated by a strong desire to bring pleasure to the people that drink our wine, and to cultivate a curiosity in them – the same curiosity that led me to choose this endeavor.

Speaking of curiosity, I’m curious . . . what are the most challenging/gratifying things to you about being a business owner?

The land that we cultivate has a huge responsibility. It has to provide for 20 families.
That is a huge challenge, but it is also such a beautiful relationship. We care for the land and the land cares for us.

Is there a quote or a philosophy, which guides your winemaking?

The care of the Earth is our most ancient and most worthy, and after all, our most pleasing responsibility.
~Wendell Berry

WHY do you do what you do?

I love it. It never feels like work. I wake up every morning eager to get started. I can’t imagine doing anything else.

And finally, because I admire your taste so much, I’d love to know, what are your Top 3 favorite spots in the Bay Area {for food + wine of course}?

Lois the Pie Queen in Oakland ~ no wine, but wonderful soul food & pies!

Diavola in Geyserville ~ beautifully crafted pizzas & house made salumi as well as an impressive selection of Italian wines

Bistro Ralph in Healdsburg ~ if I ever have the opportunity to request my last meal it would be Ralph’s Chicken Paillard {be sure to ask for the lunch version even if you’re eating dinner…and extra sautéed lemons}!

Video :: Filmed by Stephanie Watanabe. Editing + Creative Direction by Fistfull of Cake Films

A big thanks to Ames and the entire team at Medlock Ames for creating such a beautiful place and such exquisite wines.

And so, as promised I’ve got a super thrilling giveaway for one lucky reader.
Here’s the scoop . . .
One fortunate soul will receive a FREE 3-month membership to the Medlock Ames Wine Club.
You’re also invited for an EXCLUSIVE Tour and Tasting on the winery grounds as well.

I mean, I know this is my own site, but this is so good that I want to win it!!

Here’s how to be eligible for the giveaway . . .

1. Connect with Medlock Ames on Facebook and/or Twitter {bonus points for both}

2. Connect with The Girl Who Knows on Facebook and/or Twitter {bonus points for both}

3. Tweet out this message or post it on Facebook {make sure to tag both Medlock + TGWK in your post!}
And yes, you get bonus points for doing both!

I’ll announce the winner on Facebook + Twitter next Tuesday January 29th. So post away!

xo

Freedom is a state of mind.

photos courtesy of Marthe Hagen

Freedom.
Our country (the U.S.) is built upon this ideology.
Personally, it’s something we all long for.
Freedom to be ourselves.
Freedom to say what we believe.
Freedom to marry whom we choose.
Freedom to live a life on our own terms.
Freedom.

My dear friend and fellow blogger + writer + freedom seeker, Marthe Hagen, exemplifies the meaning of freedom. Her blog The Freedom Experiment has been a tremendous source of inspiration and encouragement in my life.
Her words are poignant. Vulnerable. Raw.
She shares from the depths of her soul.

I recently got to sit down and chat with Marthe about all things freedom, inspiration and creativity.
And I got a lucky sneak peek at her new book, released last week (hint: it’s crazy good)!
Read on to learn more about Marthe, her mission and her powerful story.
Plus we’ve got a super sweet surprise for three lucky readers. Yep, THREE!
Enjoy!
~

Tell me a bit about YOU.

I was born in 1986, in a town called Gjøvik in Norway.
I grew up on a tiny strawberry farm on the countryside with my two siblings and my 4 cousins + grandparents just nearby.
During my school years I was very lonely and although I did very well in class – those years were very painful for me. After high school, I started studying international relations and development studies, but decided to go to law school instead.
I took a year off law to study fine art photography in London in 2010 – my first Freedom Experiment. After that, I have been blogging, writing, photographing, creating and coaching.
I live in Oslo, but spend about 4-5 months a year traveling.

What is the Freedom Experiment and how did that come to be?

I did my first Freedom Experiment when I decided to move to London to study photography. It had always been my dream to live abroad and to study something creative. Although I was bored in law school and in Oslo, I wasn’t ready to pack up everything and make a permanent shift in my life. And still, I wanted to make my dreams come true!

Then I got the idea of making it into an achievable experiment.
For one year, I would make my two dreams come true – while still keeping the security and safety of my current lifestyle in Oslo. The first Freedom Experiment was born!

A Freedom Experiment is a way to make your dreams come true – faster and easier. It’s creating a smaller scale version of your dream and then going for it. If you dream of writing a book – write a short e-book. If you dream of living location-independently – do it for 2-3 months first. If you dream of living in New York city – stay there for 6 weeks.
If you dream of being a commercial airplane pilot – start by joining your local club and learn to fly a glider.

A Freedom Experiment is about taking out the essence of your dream and experimenting with it – making it achievable and doable within a more reasonable time frame.

I’ve always felt the need for freedom in my life – so working for myself came as the only option (though not always an easy one). What do you find are the most challenging things about being a writer + blogger + being online (and working for yourself)?
And what is the most gratifying?

I definitely feel the same way about being self-employed. At this time in my life it really is the only way to go for me.
The most challenging part of being free is to find a balance between true freedom and routine, schedules and plans.
I don’t really have any set working hours or plan – I work when I feel like it (which is often a lot!).
However, I do realize there’s a certain freedom in routines too. This is a balance I am working on a lot right now.

The most gratifying thing about being a writer, blogger and life coach is that I can work from anywhere!
At the time of writing, I am in Los Angeles – working from a local coffee shop.
Two days ago, I wrote a blog post from thirty eight thousand feet while on a trans-atlantic flight.
Three weeks from now, I’ll be working and writing on a beach in Thailand.
As a writer – all I really need is a pen, paper + my computer and wifi. A blank page is the most gratifying thing I know.

What inspires + motivates you to keep creating?

People inspire me.
I find endless inspiration in reading – poetry, novels, magazines, blogs and everything in between – but most of all I find inspiration and motivation in the people around me.

I very strongly feel that I am on this earth to help people heal, and I find it so powerful to realize that I can do that with my writing. I receive a lot of e-mails and comments from people who are suffering in various ways and I am so blessed and honored that they trust me to help them to the best of my ability. I care so much about my readers.

As both a creative and a practical person (I’m a sure mix of left + right brain) ~ personally I find it hard to strike a balance between running a “business” and creating “art”. Do you struggle with this? How do you manage it?

Yes. And No.
What I struggle with the most is to balance the work that pays the bills with the work I want to be doing.

As of right now, I am spending more time on the legal consulting work that I do – than I ideally wish. However, I am managing this by working very strategically with creating products for my writing and coaching work that will allow me to downsize the legal work in the future.

On the other hand, I don’t struggle with the business/art question with the work I do online. I see these things as two sides of the same coin. I think the reason why this works so well for me is that I don’t ever create or write any art with the intention of selling it.

I create 100% from the heart with the intention of helping people heal.

Putting a price on that and selling some of the work that I do is a natural extension of creating – I know that the business part of things make the flow of energy dynamic and rich. I believe in an equal flow of support – I support my readers and they support me.

Yes! I love your take on art + commerce. It’s all about flow. Speaking of which, I got the chance to preview your new book Feeling Good When Life is Hard (and it’s deeply personal + incredibly powerful + flows so well) – what was the process like of writing your very 1st book?

Thank you!
The process of writing was very dynamic, as I wrote and rewrote and edited along with living my way through a very challenging time personally. Writing the first draft was relatively easy – I know it sounds a bit cheeky, but it did really just flow.

However, shortly after I wrote the first draft – my life fell apart. My boyfriend of 8 years left me, I lost a lot of friends (who I realize now were more his friends than mine), I had to sell my apartment and start completely over.
In retrospect, this was the best thing that could have happened to my book at the time. I got a very real chance to test my own advice. Some of it fell through and some of it worked wonders!

I spent almost 3 months all in all – mostly writing from coffee shops in New York and Oslo. I also had the chance to work with an incredibly talented graphic designer (Kristin Butler) and I am very, very happy with the result.

I’m sure you’ve faced your share of struggle in your life (as have I and a lot of my readers) ~ I wonder, what advice you have for them, about not only feeling good when life is hard, but creating a life you are madly, crazy in love with.

I think the most important concept I have learned over the years is acceptance.
I used to believe that I was powerless when it came to accepting difficult situations – that I either could or couldn’t accept – and that I had no choice. It felt like I either accepted something, or I didn’t. Most of all I didn’t, and I spent a lot of time and energy on fighting something that had already happened.

I believe that this is a very common reason why people suffer. Wishing things are different is incredibly painful and can be the source of a lot of hopelessness and sadness.

Over the years, however, I have learned that acceptance is a choice. It’s not easy, but at some point you have to make a conscious decision to let go, stop fighting and accept what is going on. When you can do that, the shift is huge! Suddenly you have a clean slate and a blank page. After that, anything is possible!

I love that – and totally agree. Acceptance of the present moment is key! Not to change the subject, but your book (and website) are gorgeous. I love the simplicity, white space and beautiful fonts. Personally, I’m really drawn to beauty + aesthetics (as I know you are too), so I’m curious, what does beauty mean to you?

Beauty is very important to me. As a highly sensitive person, I am very attentive to detail and nuances.
I get very easily stressed if my surroundings are out of sync!
I find calmness and ease in white, spacious and naturally lit environments and I spend a lot of time and effort in making my life as visually stimulating and pleasing as possible.
I love anything that has to do with beauty – fashion, decorating, art, graphic design, music and even beautiful words!

I know you love to travel too – tell me, what are a few of your favorite spots?

Oh my, where do I begin?
I am very attracted to all things Asian and two of my favorite countries are Malaysia and Japan. In Malaysia, more specifically the Perhentian Islands I have found peace in a way I didn’t even think possible.
Tokyo is a beautiful city – the Japanese really know their way around good design. In addition, the mix of traditions and innovation is just sublime.

Another favorite of mine is New York City. I dream of living there permanently. Most of all, I love the sense of possibility I get when I am there – I truly feel like everything is possible.

Last, but not least – a list of favorite spots would not be complete without a mention of my three most amazing travel experiences ever. Watching the sunrise over Angkor Wat in Cambodia, swimming with wild dolphins in Hawaii and flying in a helicopter over Manhattan are the three highlights of my life.

Is there a specific quote or a philosophy, which guides your life?

Yes, there is! I have two quotes and philosophies that guide me in almost anything I do.
“Everything is possible” is a life motto I created for myself with the help of a life coach a couple of years ago.
It really sums up the essence of how I want to live my life – optimistic, hopeful and magical.

The other quote I live my life by is “This too shall pass”. Originating from the Persian Sufi poets, this little saying has guided me through some of the hardest times of my life.
For me, it signifies a deep trust in life – nothing is permanent, everything is changing and it will all turn out the way it is meant to be. In addition, I find that “this too shall pass” also helps me appreciate good times – to live in the moment and enjoy life.

WHY do you do what you do?

I have a very strong sense of why I am living this life – to help people heal.

When I look at it that way, everything I have ever experienced has a deeper meaning. For example, I believe that my lonely years happened because I was meant to spend time alone reading (which is how I spent most of my time from the age of 8 – 16) and this has made me the writer I am today.
I also believe that I suffer from a mental illness because it helps me relate to people and experience life in a way that will make me a better healer. Everything I have ever experienced has led me to this point in life where I can clearly see that my work in the world is truly helping people.

I do what I do to make the world a better place.

Mmm, I love that Marthe. And you truly are making a difference in the lives of SO many (including me)! Any final thoughts + musings?

Thank you so much for having me! I am still awestruck by the world we live in – how I can be sitting here in Los Angeles and communicate and connect with like-minded people from all over the earth.
It truly is a wonderful world.

~

And I couldn’t feel luckier to have the lovely Marthe Hagen in MY world.
She is the personification of quiet beauty. Grace. Thoughtful transformation. A phoenix rising from the ashes.

In support of the launch of her 1st book (yay!), Marthe has generously gifted me with THREE copies of the book to give away to you lovely readers. Lucky ducks!

To win your very own digital copy of How to Feel Good When Life is Hard, here’s what you need to do ::

1. Sign-up for the Freedom Experiment mailing list

2. Sign-up for The Girl Who Knows mailing list below, if you haven’t already (+ you’ll get my FREE guide to finding your life purpose, for now)