My Top Five Events of 2013
2013 has been a year that filled me up with joy and accomplishments. I’m so grateful for so many things that happened, the amazing friends and family who supported my dreams and my goals since the beginning of my company and those I met along the way. So many of my dreams became true this year, it is almost surreal to look back at the past 12 months. And in the same spirit of gratitude I could not close the year without acknowledging the Top Five events that changed my life during 2013.
RELEASING MY BOOK "OUT THERE"
Kenny Scharf and I at my book launch at Paul Kasmin Gallery during Kenny's latest solo show
Releasing my book was a big dream of mine, so it obviously became a major milestone in my career and in my life. I’m quite thankful to the team at my publishing house, Pointed Leaf Press and to everyone who collaborated with me to make the book a great success. Of course, partnering with an amazing gallery like Paul Kasmin to host the official launch party and subsequently with Missoni Home Hamptons and Marni in Miami who also sponsored beautiful events and book signings was a highlight in my year.
HAVING A FULL PAGE PROFILE FEATURE IN THE NEW YORK TIMES STYLE SECTION
Wow. What can I say? When I was very young and came to New York City for the first time at the age of seven, I clearly remember seeing the streets flooded with newsstands and stand alone newspaper machines that dispensed the NYT. My dad and I went to Barnes & Noble and he bought a big commemorative book of The New York Times and told me that it was the most important newspaper in the world. Thirty years have gotten by and I can only feel so honored to have made it to such prestigious media outlet in the coolest section of the Times in a profile story written by the amazing Bee Chang Shapiro. Another dream, checked. And not falling too far from this press coverage are the fact that almost three weeks ago, I got a three paragraph mention in the Art Basel Miami Beach story published by the Wall Street Journal. I’m also beyond grateful for all media coverage that came in 2013 including Vogue Latin America, Harper’s Bazaar, House Beautiful, Elle.com, Elle Décor Spain, Harpers Bazaar Arabia, Time Magazine, DuJour and many more.
LAUNCHING OUTTHERENYC.COM
I honestly wasn’t thinking about starting this site because I had so much to do with the book launch. But the extraordinary Karen Robinovitz encouraged me to keep sharing –almost on a daily basis, no less- what I had already started with the book. And I could not have been more grateful to her and to the exceptional artists, entrepreneurs, designers and inspirational people who wanted to come and play with me in this space. Partnering with amazing photographers like Lianna Tarantin as well as Kevin Burg and Jamie Beck was also a blessing that enhanced the editorial content to levels that I could not have accomplished without them. And of course, to each one of you, who come every day to check the new posts, who follow me on my social media platforms and make everything worthwhile and 10 times more enjoyable.
WINNING AWARDS FOR MY BOOK (AND HAVING MADE IT TO THE AMAZON BEST-SELLING LIST SEVERAL TIMES DURING THE PAST SIX MONTHS)
It feels really good to get all my efforts rewarded, so having my book become a two-time winner of the “Best USA Book” Award in the Home Décor and the Art/Instructional categories was immensely fulfilling. "Out There" was also selected by Designers and Books as one of the top Design Books of 2013. And when I was told that my book was in the Best-Selling list in both the Décor and Interior Design and Art Sections, I almost cried.
PUBLISHING MY ARTICLES IN ELLE.COM AND THE HUFFINGTON POST
I also expanded my voice through other channels and now my articles are syndicated by The Huffington Post. At the beginning of this month I also covered Art Basel Miami Beach in a series of entries for Elle.com and loved collaborating with them and their superb editors.
I'm exhilarated and a bit exhausted but so much looking forward to making 2014 even better than 2013!