Although I stood up against the obvious and overtly racist acts, what had gone undetected was just how pervasive systemic racism is and how in its latency, it impacts almost every facet of life for people of color.
A poster from the Orangerie Museum became the inspiration for the room. It’s set in an old mat and frame from my childhood bedroom, which I think embodies a lot of the inspiration—old and new,
Femme Next Door is a lifestyle site for unapologetic, stylish, culturally conscious women. We're redefining the modern girl next door through meaningful conversations, thoughtful editorials, and distinctive living.
Growing up in a large Vietnamese family down the bayou introduced Juley to the beauty of living between two worlds. An acute observer with a wild imagination, she has a history of approaching ideas and her general life non-linearly. The success of Drip Affogato Bar, the first dessert shop of its kind bringing together ice cream and coffee, affirmed she wasn’t completely nuts. After feeling disconnected with digital content that existed, she set out to create a space that, again, dances between two worlds. This time inspired by the girl next door who approaches life with ease.
On any given day, Juley can be found messing something up in the kitchen, wondering “what ifs” and “why nots”, toting a baguette, listening to 90s, country, & hip-hop music, managing her neurosis, or watching cooking shows. There’s nothing she enjoys more than savoring the simple life with her boys Josh, James Jett, and Jameson.
Juley graduated Magna Cum Laude with a concentration in finance from Loyola University New Orleans and is an alumni of Teach for America. Her work has been featured in Harper’s Bazaar, Food & Wine, Garden & Gun, Bon Appetit Magazine, and The Wall Street Journal.
Contributing team
Olivia Cooper, Editorial Contributor
Olivia a full-time communications professional and part-time baker living in St. Petersburg, Florida. On her blog, A Dash of This, she enjoys sharing recipes inspired by her Southern roots and her love of French flavors.
Nina Celie Angelo, Photographer & Content Creator
Nina set out at the age of 23 for California to delve deeper into the world of fashion at the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising. It was during this journey, through one of many internships, that she discovered her passion and aptitude for photography and content creation. Something about dreaming up a cohesive and magnetic feed came naturally. After three years in California, Nina yearned for her Southern roots. She loves sharing her artistic expressions in New Orleans, LA.
Cara Greenstein, Food Contributor
Cara Greenstein became the proud owner of a perfectly pastel yellow Kitchen Aid Mixmaster at the age of twelve, and her love affair with the kitchen only grew from that transaction. As a college student in Austin, Cara translated her passions for the culinary arts and writing into Caramelized, a self-created food and lifestyle brand with a purpose to share, celebrate and elevate everyday experiences. Now six years strong, Caramelized is Memphis’ top-voted blog for three years straight, as well as a regular contributor to Southern Living.
Cara is a 25-year-old bonafide food and entertaining resource who, from her Tennessee townhome, shares a wealth of inspiration for the kitchen and home, as well as outings in her hometown of Memphis and across the world. Her mantra “sweet touches to everyday experiences” is articulated through every recipe, restaurant review and tablescape tutorial.
jillian greenberg, editorial Photographer
With a background in fashion and lifestyle publicity in New York City, Jillian oversees brand partnerships and marketing for Très Américain.
A New Orleanian by birth, Jillian was raised in Houston and felt so deeply connected to the south that after 4 years in NYC she and her husband made New Orleans home to create a slower more gratifying life (and truthfully to get away from winter).
Jillian is moved by aesthetics, beautiful words and is never not taking pictures. She is inspired by classic French living, believes less is more and dreams of owning a cooking school. She loves lists, stripes, handwritten notes and photographs of mothers and their kids. Jillian is wife to Eric and mama to Margot.
Every relationship carries its own essence. Greer’s passion is creating a place where people can be honest; engage meaningfully in a space they feel comfortable in, and capture images they can hold for years to come. Whether she’s photographing a couple, an expectant mother, or a gathering of friends, she aims to capture images that bear witness to the beauty of real life.
Greer Gattuso is a New-Orleans–based photographer whose work blends elements of fine art and documentary storytelling. Greer has been shooting since 1997. Her work has been featured in Vogue, Once Wed, Style Me Pretty, Wedding Sparrow, Brides, Snippet & Ink, Carats & Cake, Southern Weddings Magazine, Weddings Unveiled, and Destination Weddings & Honeymoons.
nita ngo, food writer
Nita Ngo is a Vietnamese-Amercian culinary aficionada residing in the outskirts of Paris. Through her blog Plated Palate, she explores the cuisine of her adopted home country as well as her cultural roots through the foods of her family’s native Vietnam.
Patrice sosoo, featured contributor
For Patrice, business and creativity go hand in hand. A branding and creative strategist who works in New York City, Patrice has over 10 years of experience at American Express, ELLE Magazine, InStyle and leading a luxury practice at Digital Brand Architects. Her family is from Barbados, where the weather is always perfect and she tries to escape to as much as possible.
At home, you’ll find Patrice head over heels in love with her husband (who she met in college), and her two kids under two. In addition to regularly decorating and redecorating the house, she also shares life lessons she learned the hard way in her weekly newsletter, Little Gems.
Patrice is focused on creating a beautiful yet simple life, empowering women to be their best selves, and buying French skincare products whose names she can’t pronounce.
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Sara Catellani, interiors & Design Editor
A Seattle native and resident, Sara is an interior designer whose travels have largely influenced and inspired her work and lifestyle. She firmly believes that the spaces we spend our time in truly effect our mood, outlook, and overall wellbeing and she is passionate about creating beautiful spaces that increase the quality of life for her clients and help put them at ease.
Sara has been working in the field for 5+ years and has experience in retail, commercial, and residential design. She’s worked with big box clients such as Nike and Nordstrom to support the revitalization and modernization of their interior store environments, but has recently shifted her focus to working on high end residential projects in the Pacific Northwest. She likes to employ a mix of all things in her designs: high and low pieces, found and custom objects, and casual yet refined styles. Sara enjoys forming connections with her clients to ensure her designs are tailored to the individual and strives to exceed their expectations.
After graduating from Loyola University New Orleans with a degree in Business, Sara went on to earn a Post-Baccalaureate degree in Interior Studies from Bellevue College. She recently purchased a home in Seattle with her husband (and bulldog Musubi) and looks forward to taking it on as a design project in the coming year. You can follow along with her designs at CatellaniDesign.com and with her daily life @sara.e.catellani.
Ashley O’Neill, editorial contributor
Ashley O’Neill is the social media manager for KREWE. A New Orleans native, she’s instinctually creative, and has worked as an art director, stylist, brand strategist and occasional interior decorator. You can find her work at byashleyoneill.com, and keep up with her daily musings online as @byashleyoneill.
