to essie, with love.

i've had several pinch me moments upon moving to new york, and meeting essie and her husband most certainly has been one of them. they are the sweetest duo in new york city and they have so kindly taken me under their wing as an adopted daughter from the west coast. a queens girl herself, essie is the heart and soul of this city and i admire her quick wit, sense of humor, and genuine sweetness. she is the living, breathing example of how following what you're passionate about can lead to sheer success. as she says, life is too short not to follow your passions. 

essie is an aol expert, a project i run at aol, in which we partner with fantastic influential individuals on creating engaging and premium video content for aol users. i've been so fortunate to meet the most interesting people along the way, essie included.

in one of essie's videos, she describes how to pick the perfect red. it all comes down to your skin tone - simple tips from the wisest beauty expert on the block. and don't forget, you're never fully dressed without a manicured nail.

i am so grateful for these two wonderful people and i'm thankful that new york has connected me with such lovely human beings. i will cherish my moments with them throughout my entire life.

*for more articles on the essie + aol collaboration see The Frisky, Elle, and Entrepreneur.