Emilia Petrarca
What did you have for breakfast?
I had a banana and a Siggi’s yogurt. I think it was strawberry flavor and I added some honey that I got on vacation in Denmark.
What was your AIM screen name?
Bananaphone27, after the viral eBaum's World video. This guy has Raffi's “Bananaphone” song stuck is in his head so badly that he explodes.
Where did you grow up?
I grew up in Tribeca.
When did you know you wanted to be a writer?
always knew. I wasn’t good at anything else. I wrote a picture book when I was a kid about a guy who wanted to bring his dog in a taxi but was told he couldn't, so he went to court and won the case. I’ve never had a dog and I’m allergic to dogs, so I don’t know why I was inspired to write this. But I did! I still have the book.
What are you interested in writing about now that you weren’t a few years ago?
I think I’m slowly drifting away from fashion. I love writing about travel, which never crossed my mind when I was younger. I’ll take basically any travel story.
What would your advice be to an aspiring young writer who’s in college?
Just keep writing. I know it’s annoying advice, but even if it’s firing off a tweet, keep exercising that muscle of putting yourself out there and hearing what you sound like. You can use AI for spellcheck, but you’re allowed to fight against it. AI is not always right.
I had a banana and a Siggi’s yogurt. I think it was strawberry flavor and I added some honey that I got on vacation in Denmark.
What was your AIM screen name?
Bananaphone27, after the viral eBaum's World video. This guy has Raffi's “Bananaphone” song stuck is in his head so badly that he explodes.
Where did you grow up?
I grew up in Tribeca.
When did you know you wanted to be a writer?
always knew. I wasn’t good at anything else. I wrote a picture book when I was a kid about a guy who wanted to bring his dog in a taxi but was told he couldn't, so he went to court and won the case. I’ve never had a dog and I’m allergic to dogs, so I don’t know why I was inspired to write this. But I did! I still have the book.
What are you interested in writing about now that you weren’t a few years ago?
I think I’m slowly drifting away from fashion. I love writing about travel, which never crossed my mind when I was younger. I’ll take basically any travel story.
What would your advice be to an aspiring young writer who’s in college?
Just keep writing. I know it’s annoying advice, but even if it’s firing off a tweet, keep exercising that muscle of putting yourself out there and hearing what you sound like. You can use AI for spellcheck, but you’re allowed to fight against it. AI is not always right.
Katarina Zhu
Where are you from?
I’m from the suburbs of New York, a tiny town on the Hudson called Hastings. It’s about 45 minutes from the city on the Metro-North.
What did you have for breakfast this morning?
I have basically the same thing every day because I’m such a creature of habit: a soft-boiled egg, sauteed spinach and mushrooms, avocado, a piece of toast with blueberry jam and Earl Grey tea with almond milk. I get up at 6 a.m. like clockwork. I feel best when I go to bed around 9 and wake up at 6--it’s just how my internal clock is set. I actually have a three-hour morning routine, which people make fun of me for, because I might not technically start “working” until around 9. But those three hours are really productive and precious to me. They prime me for the rest of the day.
What made you want to become a filmmaker?
I think as a sort of sensitive & lonely kid, movies felt like companions in this way. I was always affected by them to an alarming degree and wanted to understand how you could create that feeling for someone else. Also, I thought the only way I’d be able to meet my childhood crush, Robert Pattinson, was if I became a successful actor or director.
What are three movies you loved growing up?
The Parent Trap, Kiki’s Delivery Service, and Titanic. I remember Titanic affecting me so much as a kid that I like slept on the floor of my parent’s room the night we watched it almost as if I had seen a horror movie and couldn’t be alone out of fear. I’ve always been really drawn to tragic romance and gothic romance—classic Romeo and Juliet territory.
What movie have you been into recently?
I’ve been re-visiting Haneke movies lately and also movies about high schoolers because my second feature, which I’m writing now, takes place at a boarding school. So I’ve been watching like Mean Girls and The Piano teacher–basically movies that are centered around bitchy teenagers and movies that are centered around desire.
What do you do when you’re not working?
Even the things I do for fun are usually tied to my work. I love going to see a movie at Lincoln Center with a friend, and even shopping can turn into research for me—I’m thinking about what a certain character might wear. I think the one time my brain really switches off is going out for a nice dinner maybe.
What do you do when you’re feeling down?
I do what probably the majority of people do when they feel down, which is, go for a walk or FaceTime one of my best friends. Ideally the walk is somewhere near the water, along a pier or somewhere with trees. Driving and listening to music also works, although I wish I had a car in the city. I no longer live in the same city as most of my best friends so our main way of keeping up with each other are 3-hour long FaceTimes which are almost always guaranteed to lift me out of a slump.
I’m from the suburbs of New York, a tiny town on the Hudson called Hastings. It’s about 45 minutes from the city on the Metro-North.
What did you have for breakfast this morning?
I have basically the same thing every day because I’m such a creature of habit: a soft-boiled egg, sauteed spinach and mushrooms, avocado, a piece of toast with blueberry jam and Earl Grey tea with almond milk. I get up at 6 a.m. like clockwork. I feel best when I go to bed around 9 and wake up at 6--it’s just how my internal clock is set. I actually have a three-hour morning routine, which people make fun of me for, because I might not technically start “working” until around 9. But those three hours are really productive and precious to me. They prime me for the rest of the day.
What made you want to become a filmmaker?
I think as a sort of sensitive & lonely kid, movies felt like companions in this way. I was always affected by them to an alarming degree and wanted to understand how you could create that feeling for someone else. Also, I thought the only way I’d be able to meet my childhood crush, Robert Pattinson, was if I became a successful actor or director.
What are three movies you loved growing up?
The Parent Trap, Kiki’s Delivery Service, and Titanic. I remember Titanic affecting me so much as a kid that I like slept on the floor of my parent’s room the night we watched it almost as if I had seen a horror movie and couldn’t be alone out of fear. I’ve always been really drawn to tragic romance and gothic romance—classic Romeo and Juliet territory.
What movie have you been into recently?
I’ve been re-visiting Haneke movies lately and also movies about high schoolers because my second feature, which I’m writing now, takes place at a boarding school. So I’ve been watching like Mean Girls and The Piano teacher–basically movies that are centered around bitchy teenagers and movies that are centered around desire.
What do you do when you’re not working?
Even the things I do for fun are usually tied to my work. I love going to see a movie at Lincoln Center with a friend, and even shopping can turn into research for me—I’m thinking about what a certain character might wear. I think the one time my brain really switches off is going out for a nice dinner maybe.
What do you do when you’re feeling down?
I do what probably the majority of people do when they feel down, which is, go for a walk or FaceTime one of my best friends. Ideally the walk is somewhere near the water, along a pier or somewhere with trees. Driving and listening to music also works, although I wish I had a car in the city. I no longer live in the same city as most of my best friends so our main way of keeping up with each other are 3-hour long FaceTimes which are almost always guaranteed to lift me out of a slump.
Cabbages World
Your favorite recipe right now
When summer hits we love making any kind of cold noodle dishes for easy lunches during the weekdays! Some of our favorites are Bibim-guksu, spicy sesame dan-dan style cold noodles, or naengmyeon from the packs you can buy at Hmart and then loading it up with cold veggies and ice cubes. We also have a tomato somen recipe and a cold somen with ume on our site that we always come back to.
How did you guys meet?
We originally met back in 2016, Kevin had just started a clothing brand at the time and was doing an informal shoot for the first collection with a mutual friend of ours who was a photographer and also from Hawaii (where we both grew up). He asked Anna to come and model some of the clothes and that was the first time we met! We were acquaintances then friends for a few years after that until we started dating in 2021.
Last 3 restaurants you went to
Our last date night was at Liar Liar in Gowanus. Had a happy hour martini at El Pinguino in Greenpoint. And randomly found ourselves at BCD Tofu House in Koreatown for a late dinner the other night!
I just bought the made in saucier 3qt bc of you guys. What else does a cabagges world fan need in her kitchen?
Omg we hope you love it!! We’d also recommend an aluminum yukihira pot. They’re made to boil water really quickly so they’re perfect for noodle dishes and soups!
5 ingredients you always buy/keep stocked
Napa cabbage, thin sliced pork belly, enoki (or shimeji) mushrooms, green onions, and cucumbers.
How do you get inspired for your recipes
A lot of what we cook is inspired by dishes from our childhoods, things we grew up eating in Hawaii with our families, or familiar foods that we want to replicate or iterate on in some way. We also find so much inspiration from traveling and trying dishes we’ve never had before. I think most Cabagges recipes are simple, comforting, and not so serious, so we try to take that inspiration and translate it into meals that are approachable and as fun make as they are to eat.
Dream vacation
Laying on the beach somewhere in Southeast Asia or a road trip through Umbria or the south of France.
When summer hits we love making any kind of cold noodle dishes for easy lunches during the weekdays! Some of our favorites are Bibim-guksu, spicy sesame dan-dan style cold noodles, or naengmyeon from the packs you can buy at Hmart and then loading it up with cold veggies and ice cubes. We also have a tomato somen recipe and a cold somen with ume on our site that we always come back to.
How did you guys meet?
We originally met back in 2016, Kevin had just started a clothing brand at the time and was doing an informal shoot for the first collection with a mutual friend of ours who was a photographer and also from Hawaii (where we both grew up). He asked Anna to come and model some of the clothes and that was the first time we met! We were acquaintances then friends for a few years after that until we started dating in 2021.
Last 3 restaurants you went to
Our last date night was at Liar Liar in Gowanus. Had a happy hour martini at El Pinguino in Greenpoint. And randomly found ourselves at BCD Tofu House in Koreatown for a late dinner the other night!
I just bought the made in saucier 3qt bc of you guys. What else does a cabagges world fan need in her kitchen?
Omg we hope you love it!! We’d also recommend an aluminum yukihira pot. They’re made to boil water really quickly so they’re perfect for noodle dishes and soups!
5 ingredients you always buy/keep stocked
Napa cabbage, thin sliced pork belly, enoki (or shimeji) mushrooms, green onions, and cucumbers.
How do you get inspired for your recipes
A lot of what we cook is inspired by dishes from our childhoods, things we grew up eating in Hawaii with our families, or familiar foods that we want to replicate or iterate on in some way. We also find so much inspiration from traveling and trying dishes we’ve never had before. I think most Cabagges recipes are simple, comforting, and not so serious, so we try to take that inspiration and translate it into meals that are approachable and as fun make as they are to eat.
Dream vacation
Laying on the beach somewhere in Southeast Asia or a road trip through Umbria or the south of France.
Sofie Pavitt
Your must visits in seoul
gold pig bbq- best bbq in Seoul
grilled eel at Pungcheon Eel
rejuran shots
Namdaemun Market is so fun to wander around and pick up souvenirs and little toys
Olive young for skincare
Itaewon for wandering around up and down the hilly streets and great restaurants and bars
Morning or nighttime routine
Nighttime routine for sure- I usually try and workout in the morning first thing so Im usually doing a slap dash routine in a gym somewhere in the am. I do my nighttime routine as soon as I get home from work so I can be on mom duty in my pyjamas, skincare done, ready for anything! otherwise I fall asleep in a toddlers bed with my outdoor clothes on and a full face of make up.
What do you do when youre not working
I love to knit! Knitting has become a deep meditation for me I like to do really boring big patterns so I can let my mind wander and just think while knitting. Its very soothing. I also like to cook and be with my family- I have two small kids who are alot of energy and fun.
I like being beside the sea alot too I grew up in Wales and wasnt far from a beach mostly- I need to be by a body of water.
how do you protect your happiness
I only go out 1-2 times a week for work engagements at MOST. Max two drinks!
learning to say no as a people pleaser was very transformative for me :-)
What do you do when you're feeling down
WORK OUT.
get a spray tan
hang out with my kids
What is something you're excited about
We have so much fun coming up for brand this year, so work has been extra exciting recently. I cant wait to share more on some launches we have. Im also going to Paris for a girls trip in a few weeks to eat mountains of cheese, and then ANOTHER one to antigua for a friends birthday. And then when school is out for summer im going to spain with my family for a trip- 2026 is def the year of TRAVEL for me. Fire horse vibes.
Skincare routine for an almost 35 year old :)
35 is a great age to start thinking about some actives. I like to recommend to clients in their mid 30s to think of their routine in am and pm as three steps in both. Cleanse your skin to prep it to receive treatment correctly. Hydrate the skin and then protect your work (spf). I like to add a gentle retinol treatment into the evening, paired with a low and slow exfoliator to help buff away any dead cells and to bring out that glowy, glass skin look. Mandelic clearing serum added into a routine can be transformative.
Who inspires you
I know im supposed to say someone really cool and artsy but did you ever watch that insane tv show ALONE? its a show where 8 outdoorsey people hike off to the wilderness with 10 items in a backpack and rough it out for as long as THREE MONTHS where they have to build a house, fish/hunt/cook/defend themselves from wild animals etc and its just so incredible to see them out there doing this thing while im in my pyjamas on the couch drinking wine and eating a bowl of chips... I hate being cold im so impressed that they can do this. Imagine not talking to anyone or looking at your phone for THREE MONTHS?!! how inspiring is that? I just finished the recent series and i cried at the end im so sad its over.
How do you do it all while being a mom? give me hacks
The first mom hack is that we are all just DOING OUR BEST. kids are amazing and crazy and will make you feel like youre going crazy and furiously in love all at the same time. If you have a boy the best advice I have is to run them down like dogs on a walk- HARD excercise from the moment they wake up they need to get sweaty and tired. i have one of these that are great to get the bounces out in the eve before bed.
When I travel, I buy presents for my kids as bribary when im travelling to arrive and be at my apartment before i even land home so I dont have to worry about finding something to bring home to them when im in factories 12 hours a day.
Write down the funny things they say because one day theyll learn how the say the word right and youll be sad.
When all else fails- give them a snack.
Your top 3 favorite procedures and why
BOTOX not only gets rid of your wrinkles but it makes your skin smoother. Your skins texture can change when using neuromodulators so it remains a firm fave of mine to refresh.
REJURAN/SKINVIVE SHOTS: I have really dry skin so I explain to clients these are basically 'moisturizing' shots. they hydrate and moisturize from the inside out and make your skin look absolurely amazing. down side is they hurt.
AEROLASE: we do this laser treatment at my studio in soho. Its actually a laser hair removal treatment but with added benefits of being really good for the skin. I think it can make a big difference in the reduction of acne as well as generalized redness as well as improoving collagen production etc. a fan favorite.
gold pig bbq- best bbq in Seoul
grilled eel at Pungcheon Eel
rejuran shots
Namdaemun Market is so fun to wander around and pick up souvenirs and little toys
Olive young for skincare
Itaewon for wandering around up and down the hilly streets and great restaurants and bars
Morning or nighttime routine
Nighttime routine for sure- I usually try and workout in the morning first thing so Im usually doing a slap dash routine in a gym somewhere in the am. I do my nighttime routine as soon as I get home from work so I can be on mom duty in my pyjamas, skincare done, ready for anything! otherwise I fall asleep in a toddlers bed with my outdoor clothes on and a full face of make up.
What do you do when youre not working
I love to knit! Knitting has become a deep meditation for me I like to do really boring big patterns so I can let my mind wander and just think while knitting. Its very soothing. I also like to cook and be with my family- I have two small kids who are alot of energy and fun.
I like being beside the sea alot too I grew up in Wales and wasnt far from a beach mostly- I need to be by a body of water.
how do you protect your happiness
I only go out 1-2 times a week for work engagements at MOST. Max two drinks!
learning to say no as a people pleaser was very transformative for me :-)
What do you do when you're feeling down
WORK OUT.
get a spray tan
hang out with my kids
What is something you're excited about
We have so much fun coming up for brand this year, so work has been extra exciting recently. I cant wait to share more on some launches we have. Im also going to Paris for a girls trip in a few weeks to eat mountains of cheese, and then ANOTHER one to antigua for a friends birthday. And then when school is out for summer im going to spain with my family for a trip- 2026 is def the year of TRAVEL for me. Fire horse vibes.
Skincare routine for an almost 35 year old :)
35 is a great age to start thinking about some actives. I like to recommend to clients in their mid 30s to think of their routine in am and pm as three steps in both. Cleanse your skin to prep it to receive treatment correctly. Hydrate the skin and then protect your work (spf). I like to add a gentle retinol treatment into the evening, paired with a low and slow exfoliator to help buff away any dead cells and to bring out that glowy, glass skin look. Mandelic clearing serum added into a routine can be transformative.
Who inspires you
I know im supposed to say someone really cool and artsy but did you ever watch that insane tv show ALONE? its a show where 8 outdoorsey people hike off to the wilderness with 10 items in a backpack and rough it out for as long as THREE MONTHS where they have to build a house, fish/hunt/cook/defend themselves from wild animals etc and its just so incredible to see them out there doing this thing while im in my pyjamas on the couch drinking wine and eating a bowl of chips... I hate being cold im so impressed that they can do this. Imagine not talking to anyone or looking at your phone for THREE MONTHS?!! how inspiring is that? I just finished the recent series and i cried at the end im so sad its over.
How do you do it all while being a mom? give me hacks
The first mom hack is that we are all just DOING OUR BEST. kids are amazing and crazy and will make you feel like youre going crazy and furiously in love all at the same time. If you have a boy the best advice I have is to run them down like dogs on a walk- HARD excercise from the moment they wake up they need to get sweaty and tired. i have one of these that are great to get the bounces out in the eve before bed.
When I travel, I buy presents for my kids as bribary when im travelling to arrive and be at my apartment before i even land home so I dont have to worry about finding something to bring home to them when im in factories 12 hours a day.
Write down the funny things they say because one day theyll learn how the say the word right and youll be sad.
When all else fails- give them a snack.
Your top 3 favorite procedures and why
BOTOX not only gets rid of your wrinkles but it makes your skin smoother. Your skins texture can change when using neuromodulators so it remains a firm fave of mine to refresh.
REJURAN/SKINVIVE SHOTS: I have really dry skin so I explain to clients these are basically 'moisturizing' shots. they hydrate and moisturize from the inside out and make your skin look absolurely amazing. down side is they hurt.
AEROLASE: we do this laser treatment at my studio in soho. Its actually a laser hair removal treatment but with added benefits of being really good for the skin. I think it can make a big difference in the reduction of acne as well as generalized redness as well as improoving collagen production etc. a fan favorite.