We’re a loving family of three and live in a high-rise in Manhattan with our cat, Oona and our puppy, Pip. Our daughter Matilda is eleven years old and in 6th grade and goes to elementary school just blocks from our home. We are lucky to live in a racially and economically diverse neighborhood. We both have flexible schedules and can always be there to do the school run. We try to eat dinner as a family every night and spend weekends outdoors as much as possible. We have a weekend home in the Catskill Mountains and spend many weekends up there skiing, hiking, and exploring. We also spend some summer weekends at the beach on Shelter Island with Eli’s parents, Valerie and Marty.
About Eli
Job Description
Furniture designer, artist, teacher at CUNY
Hobbies
Playing tennis, visiting museums and galleries, movies, travel
About Liz
Job Description
Marketing professional
Hobbies
Playing tennis, horseback riding, music, travel
About Matilda
Job Description
6th Grader
Hobbies
Dance, softball, soccer, art, ice skating, music, travel
Our Life
Our family always comes first, and we try to carve out time to be together and to be present with each other regardless of all that we have going on. During the work week, we get Matilda ready for school, walk the dog, help with homework and make a point to have dinner together to share the events of the day.
On weekends, we come up with family activities whether it’s play dates for Matilda and her friends, like going to the movies or ice skating or softball– if it’s the softball season.
Because so much of our lives is about school and work and Matilda’s activities, we try to keep our family time together loose and unstructured which is often taking walks, playing games or watching movies together. It’s very important to us to continue to create a home where our kids feel safe, relaxed and completely themselves. Kids these days are so over scheduled. We work really hard on creating a space at home where Matilda can just be herself in her own space and explore creative outlets….unscheduled time that does not involve any homework or lessons or technology.
Our Family
We’re a tiny unit, but we’ve grown our family by meeting other families through school and the playground. The idea of community is very important to us. We both volunteer at our daughter’s school and at events in the neighborhood. We have longtime friends that are more like aunties or godparents. Matilda is an only grandchild. Eli’s parents live close by and Matilda spends a lot of time with them. They love coming to her softball games, going to the movies, the theater and school events. They would love to have more grandchildren. Matilda’s 10th birthday was celebrated at their house on Shelter Island with her friends and her grandfather, Marty, created a treasure hunt for the occasion.
Final Thoughts
“We are looking forward to meeting you and your family, hearing your stories and learning all about you.”
-Eli & Liz
