TCQ&A: Meghan Farrell

“I design a line of jewelry inspired by different studies of science and themes of love,” says Meghan Farrell, who was recently featured in Refinery 29’s roundup of “New Creative Game Changers.” “It’s also heavily influenced by urbanity and modernity, including living in Tribeca.” But jewelry isn’t her only creative outlet: A theater major in college, she’s now training at the William Esper Studio. And she’s a DJ, having spun the East Village’s Cabin Down Below for about year. “I’d love to occasionally DJ every now and then somewhere around here—DJing a low-key midnight breakfast at Bubby’s would be really sweet.”

The TCQ&A rules: You can choose which of 45 questions you’d like to answer, but you have to answer questions one through four (and at least 12 total).

1. How long have you lived in the area? Where did you move from? Where are you originally from? I have lived in Tribeca since September of 2006—so five years! I moved from Bronxville, N.Y., after I graduated from Sarah Lawrence College. I am originally from Long Island, and I grew up back and forth between Brookville and Southampton.

2. Married? Partnered? If so, what’s his/her name and occupation? Single.

3. Kids? Pets? I assure you that one day I will be a Tribeca mom. One day! And I really want a dog! My family’s dog back home is a Maltese who is officially named Sophie, but we really only call her My Girl after the Temptations song. So I really want to get a King Charles Spaniel and name it My Guy after the Mary Wells song. So we’ll have a My Girl and a My Guy. I love the 60’s.

4. Where do you live? Harrison and Greenwich. I love my apartment and consider myself very very lucky to live here.

5. The best deal around: A meal at Max. I’m half Italian on my mom’s side and we have a huge family and love food… Max is like a home-cooked meal always, the portions are large, and the prices are great. I love their meatloaf (O’Polpettone “E Mamma”); it’s basically a giant meatball and has a hard-boiled egg wrapped in prosciutto and mozzarella inside! Tomato sauce on top. And it comes with sides, too. I can never finish the whole thing. It usually lasts me two days—and it’s only $17!

Bubby's

6. Most-frequented restaurants: Max, Viet Café, Bubby’s, Smith & Mills.

7. For special occasions, I go to: Nobu, Scalini Fedeli, Viet Café, and Weather Up.

8. Best sandwich: Benvenuto‘s P18 (smoked turkey, brie, tomato, arugula and honey mustard on a baguette). I also love burgers, and when I don’t want to leave Tribeca, I’ll get one at Smith & Mills or Landmarc.

9. Sweet-tooth satisfaction: Sour cream pancakes with lots of butter and syrup at Bubby’s.

10. Most delicious cocktail: Weather Up always makes me a special cocktail. It’s tequila and citrus-y. And Smith & Mills makes a mean hot toddy in the winter.

11. I usually order in from Gigino, and I always get the personal pepperoni pizza with wild arugula on top. I think Gigino has the best pizza in Tribeca.

12. I can’t resist popping into: Steven Alan. I love their selection, staff, and the music they play. I used to work as a buyer at Opening Ceremony, which is a little further away, but when I am up near Howard and Crosby streets I always pop in as well.

14. When I walk into my apartment, the first thing I see that I bought in Tribeca is: Books and vinyl. I find really great hardcover and coffee table books and vinyl records at the Housing Works on Chambers. I’m getting a record player for Christmas, so I’ve already begun collecting!

16. How I stay fit: Walks in the Hudson River Park down to Battery Park and back. I just bought a basketball and soccer ball, and I have been using them at Nelson Rockefeller Park a lot. It’s been a good way to meet people. I really love being so close to the water. It is a big part of the heart of the neighborhood. I love walking along the path there, the parks, and the piers. I go there a lot to walk and think and unwind.

17. Where I get beautiful: My apartment. I’m girly but I’m not that girly.

18. What’s the area’s best-kept secret? The fact that Bubby’s is open 24 hours for breakfast, which is ideal because Bubby’s has the best pancakes and the most wonderful homey atmosphere.

20. A worthy splurge: Nobu’s rock shrimp tempura.

23. Rainy-day activity: Going to Battery Park for some Shake Shack and a movie, staying indoors and listening to music and carving jewelry.

26. I’ve never been to the Greenwich Hotel and I don’t know why.

27. I’m sorry, Josephine, but I won’t be coming back.

29. I tend to take out-of-towners to: There are a few places I consider to be the heart of Tribeca. For breakfast, Bubby’s—it’s such a Tribeca tradition for me. I used to work in fashion, and I have been able to meet Gary Graham a handful of times. He is such a talented designer and visual artist. His store on Franklin is so beautifully curated as a movie set, with a different theme every season. So I like to take people there as well, whether they like fashion or not! Also, Nelson Rockefeller Park and the secret slide in Teardrop Park (in Battery Park), which is eons long.

30. I wish I lived in…. that house on Staple Street between Harrison and Jay—the one with the overpass. Or in the old tea building on Duane Street at Greenwich Street.

31. My very favorite spot: Staple Street, hands down. It’s magical.

32. Pet peeve: Cab rides at night are expensive!

33. If money were no object, I’d… buy an apartment on Duane Street. Immediately!

35. My most memorable celebrity sighting: There are a few…. Lou Reed was a huge one, I was flipping out inside because I love Velvet Underground…. But I guess seeing Gwyneth, Chris Martin, and Apple at the park one day. I love Shakespeare in Love and GOOP, and I love Coldplay, and they have the cutest family. The other day I was in Whole Foods at like 9:30 p.m. and a man was in a conversation with this woman. He was blocking the English muffins. I politely asked him to move (“Excuse me sir, but you are blocking the English muffins”). He was super funny and started teasing me about it. I realized after the fact that the man was Jay-Z and I’m pretty sure he was talking to Helena Christensen.

36: A Tribeca celebrity I’d like to run into: I am a big theater person, and word has it that Edward Albee lives around here. So he’d be cool to meet. And Robert DeNiro—I have yet to see him.

37. The most romantic spot around: Duane Park at night in the summer.

38. Tribeca could use more: cool boutiques and a high end vintage store.

39. If I could change one thing about the neighborhood: I’d love to have a cool music venue here. It’s pretty much the one thing missing! Also, there are no quality Thai restaurants.

40: A business I’d like to have here: A smaller music venue and bar or my own little boutique of vintage and new clothing. I make jewelry and DJ at times, so it would all somehow make sense together. I’ve also thought it would be cool to make music playlists for restaurants and bars since I seem to have a knack for it.

41: My best Tribeca story: Seeing Lou Reed. I saw him while I was walking and had to do a double take and wasn’t looking where I was going, so I tripped and fell. And then fell again. And then fell again. Sort of typical.

42. The best Tribeca/BPC story I won’t tell? With my friends on the swings, always.

45. If I couldn’t live here, I’d live in…. In NYC? I love Gramercy Park. In the world? London—or believe it or not, my old house in the Hamptons. I loved my autumn and and winter weekends there.

Recent TCQ&As:
Yasmine Karrenberg
Terri Pitts and Ivli Salman
Peter Hannert
Dan Kohn

If you want to suggest a TCQ&A subject, email tribecacitizen@gmail.com.

 

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