“We’re in the East Village and we just moved in a few months ago, so we’re still figuring out where everything goes. We were looking for a place that we could imagine having another kid (or two?) and possibly spending the rest of our lives here. We really love the neighborhood and the block is unusually quiet since there’s no through traffic. We lived in our old apartment for 10 years and we have a lot of stuff, so moving was very overwhelming both emotionally and physically."

Melia wears an Apiece Apart x J.Crew jumpsuit, Maryam Nassir Zadeh shoes, and vintage jewelry.

"I think our aesthetic is colorful, eclectic, and cheerful without being kitschy (I hope)."

"We have the sign from a local hardware store on 2nd Avenue hanging in our living room. The shop went out of business after 30 years and the couple who ran it let us have it if we could get it off the building. We also have a 1940s highway sign from a motel that’s a sleeping woman’s head resting on a pillow and it’s painted with reflective paint, so in certain lights she glows. Alfred loves it. Right now we haven’t hung her up yet so it’s leaning against the wall and Alfred will run over and kiss her on the cheek."

"Take it one thing at a time and find items you really like instead of trying to put a whole room together."

"Kid’s stuff blends very easily into our aesthetic, so it’s not such a big deal to have his toys around, but we do try to keep a lot of his stuff in his playroom. We also try not to buy him things that we think are completely ugly."

One of the coolest color wheels we've ever seen.

Vintage jewels.

"My life is more structured and I’m forced to be more organized. I’m a naturally messy procrastinator, but having to keep things in order and follow Alfred’s schedule helps me to not let things fall apart too much. I also think I’m a little less concerned with pleasing other people. The negative is really just not having much time that’s unaccounted for."

"I’m excited to get to know Alfred more and revisit all the formative experiences of childhood through him."

"I’m nervous for his safety constantly. It’s definitely the worst part of parenthood. I try not to think about the future since it’s impossible to imagine and too overwhelming, but I’m nervous to have him deal with all the horrible parts of growing up, like middle school."

An enviable vinyl collection.

"I always liked the name Alfred because I was really into the '60s Batman show as a kid. Honestly, my husband and I both just liked it separately and it seemed very natural. His middle name is Kodak. I remember a photography history professor telling me that when the Eastman Kodak company was founded he chose a name that didn’t have any meaning in any language but linguistically sounded like a word. I saw an old Kodak sign (again, at an antique fair) and I though it made a perfect name and it was this incredibly powerful brand from our childhood that will have completely disappeared by the time Alfred grows up."

"We wake up and he comes and plays in our room a bit while we lie around in bed half asleep. We all have breakfast and then head out either to the park or to some kind of adventure. We eat lunch together and then he naps while we either relax or do stuff around the house. Then play at home, dinner, bath, and bedtime. It sounds very simple, but the best days are when we don’t have anything specific to do and we just enjoy hanging out."

"He’s a pretty mellow kid. It’s tempting to read my personality into his behavior but he just seems more and more like himself. He’s friendly and curious, but a little shy and wary. He really loves music like his dad and food like me."

"I had a happy childhood, so I mostly just think of how my mom raised me. It’s nice to compare notes and commiserate with other moms I know, but everyone is different so I don’t think it would be helpful to compare myself to other moms—especially celebrities."

Like (DJ) father, like son.

"I could give endless advice, but everyone’s experience is so different and it doesn’t always apply. What was the biggest deal for me might be nothing for someone else and vice versa. I would say don’t buy any newborn clothes that don’t have easy diaper change access."

Best. Phone. Ever.

"We wanted him to adjust to the move easily, so we painted his room the same pale green and arranged the furniture in a similar way. We got two industrial rolling library bookshelves from a school furniture catalogue for his books and toys."

"We have a series of vintage IQ tests hanging on his walls. His father Frankie bought a testing kit at a flea market that had all these brightly colored cards with different series of shapes and images. We made an arrangement we liked and had them framed before I was even pregnant. When we were decorating his room we realized they would be perfect."

Dinos everywhere.

"We only read What to Expect The First Year and a handful of sleep books when we went through a sleep crisis. I like What To Expect as a reference guide for basic information.”

"My mom is always teasing me for being so scheduled with Alfred. My parents were much looser and more adventurous. I do think we’re similar in that we don’t have a parenting philosophy, we’re just feeling it out as we go."

"Don’t take each other for granted and be aware of how you’re treating the other person. For me it’s important not to let your kid take over your whole life because ultimately we’re better parents when we’re happy."

"I like that we can walk everywhere and that there’s always something interesting for him to see. I think having a kid helps me to explore the city more and take advantage of all the museums and parks."

"Alfred loves water, so in the summer we were taking him to the Vesuvio Park in Soho, which has a little public pool and great sprinkler system. We also took him to all the zoos—the Queens Zoo was really great and not crowded. In the winter we have some really good public libraries near us that have storytime and kids’ rooms, which he loves. The one on Elizabeth Street is great."

“Ladylike vintage pieces mixed with patterned and colorful separates."

"My style changed more from my work than being a mom. I already had eased into wearing functional comfortable clothes before Alfred came along."

"Apiece Apart is great for long-lasting perfect pieces that you can build an outfit around and they have a really great sense of color. A like Proenza Schouler knits and Awave Awake for ethereal dresses. For work I wear a lot of J.Crew.”

"I go to a lot of antique and vintage clothing fairs, so I’ll pick up stuff there. My favorite vintage store in NYC is Relic—they always have something and it’s right near Smile To Go, so I’ll pop in once in a while. I haven’t really gotten the hang of online clothing shopping to be honest.”

"Very simple. Everyday I use Aveeno Baby Moisturizer and sunblock, Laura Mercier foundation, and Tarte Cheek Stain. When I dress up or go out, I use MAC eyeshadow and Maybelline mascara. Once in a blue moon I'll wear NARS Velvet Matte Lip Pen in some shade of orangey red or Clinique Black Honey, which I’ve been wearing since high school."

"I go to the YMCA once in a while and try to walk a lot."

"Same as everyone else—eat better and go back to the gym."

"I’m the executive chef and co-owner of a full-service restaurant, The Smile, and our takeout and catering location Smile To Go."

"I grew up in the West Village in NYC. I studied Art History at Harvard. After I graduated I went to cooking school and worked a variety of food jobs—caterer, private chef, assistant to a food writer, and eventually opened The Smile 7 year ago."

"I used to solve problems by trying to do it all myself and throw time at it, now I need to delegate."

"We have help during the week and we try to be flexible with each other. I come home early if Frankie needs to work late and he takes over when I need to work more."

"My parents and family all live in New York, so I see them a lot. Frankie’s best friend since he was 10 is like an uncle to Alfred and my childhood best friend has a son about the same age."

Tick tock.

"Whenever I can I’ll cook batches of veggies and freeze them for Alfred so there’s always something to pull out for his dinner. I got a Le Creuset Tagine as a wedding present and I like to put together a simple chicken and vegetable tagine—sear the meat and then throw in whatever vegetables I have in the fridge, spices, and just let it simmer on low heat."

"I like testing new recipes and ultimately making something that people really enjoy."

"We’re expanding Smile To Go in the next year and I’d like to do a Smile to Go cookbook in the future."

"We would definitely like to have another kid. We’ll see what happens."

To follow along with Melia (and Alfred) check her out on Instagram here and The Smile's feed here.