THE CITY CONFESSIONS

This is the last episode which is a solo one featuring yours truly Mariann Yip. Wrapping up Season 8 of The City Confessions, I give my life updates. I open up about my current pregnancy symptoms as well as fears about the future regarding motherhood, finances and stability. I talk about how pregnancy has changed friendship dynamics and relationships. As we also close out 2023, I reflect on what t...

Today's guest is Esther Santer, a lifestyle and fashion blogger based in NYC and also a mom to a one year old boy. We talk all things related to blogging, social media, motherhood and more! Topics covered include:  How Esther got started as a fashion blogger 10 years ago by crashing Anna Sui fashion show and how that moment sparked her blogging career  Struggle of deciding whether or not...

This week's guest is Michelle Lin, the founder and CEO of Mooncat, which is a Taiwanese-owned nail brand. The nail polishes are all vegan and cruelty-free and the motto is weirdos, welcome home. In this episode, we talk about the below topics including:  - Michelle Lin adapting to American life as a first generation immigrant - Dropping out of college to run a business with her brother and st...

This week's guest is Alyssa Brieloff, a Spiritual Soulpreneur and Content Creator. She is a Reiki healer working with the chakra system to help rebalance energy and unearth people's purpose. Her mission is to help individuals find more alignment and discover their guide within so they can live their best life.     In this episode, we talk about the following topics:   - What the term soulpreneur m...

Hong Thaimee is a chef, entrepreneur, and philanthropist who has served as a global ambassador for Thai cuisine and culture for nearly a decade and the owner of Thaimee Love, a thai restaurant in NYC. In this episode, we dive deeper into her story and her journey of making it NYC as a chef. Other topics include: Why Hong moved to NYC from Thailand to pursue her dream: opening up about the struggle...

This week's guest is Laura Caruso, a dating, relationship and sex therapist based in NYC. In this episode, Laura explains how her passion for mental health motivated her to switch career paths and pursue psychology and counseling. We talk all things related to dating and relationship including the below topics: The role of sex in relationships Importance of emotional intimacy in relationships and...

This week's guest is Stevie Bowen, the founder and author of The City of Dating, her memoir turned dating community platform dedicated to helping others date to find themselves, not their soulmates. In this episode, we talk all about dating in NYC as we both wrote a book about our experiences.   We also cover the below topics:  - What inspired Stevie to write The City of Dating: how her memoir gav...

This week's guest is Tara West, a fashion stylist, blogger and podcaster. In this episode, we talk about Tara's background and how she got into fashion. Other topics include: - How and why she pursued therapy in school - Opening up about her past trauma and healing process - How she learned to find her strength and trusting herself - Being authentic on social media about her story - Celebrating al...

Today's guest is Ashika Kalra, who is the co-author of Behind Her Vision: Women of New York City, a book featuring 25 pioneering women across the arts, social impact, entrepreneurship, finance, and more. In this episode, we talk more about her journey of publishing this book in 2021 and writing this during the pandemic. Other topics include: How she and her co-worker Jade Chen decided to write the...

This episode features Melanie Ramos, a professional dancer and choreographer from Miami, Florida. We sit down and dive deeper into her dance background and her journey from her dance training to where she is at now as a freelancer. Other topics we discuss include: - Mel’s dance background: life revolving around dancing, school and career - Breaking the path of being a traditional dancer in a compa...

This episode features Stephanie Rommelt, the director and founder of Her Studio New York, which is a creative agency connecting upcoming brands with emerging creatives to build conceptual imagery. We dive deeper into Stephanie's story and discuss the following topics:  -What her marketing experience in FIT taught her Finding her values and interests in sustainability, diversity and community...

Season 8 of The City Confessions kicks off with Ilana Dunn, the host of the podcast Seeing Other People and her mission is to help you feel less alone and more empowered in your dating life. From one podcast host to another, we dive into a conversation revolving around the reality of dating in NYC.  Other topics that we discuss include:  - Ilana's dating history background and opening up...

Welcome to Season 8 of The City Confessions! I am back with a solo episode, and updating all of you on my biggest life updates with a huge surprising announcement. I am finally ready to share that I AM PREGNANT! Since the closing of season 7, I have kept quiet about everything going on in my life as I needed time to digest the news myself. I talk more about the last three months including:  &...

This episode is the 150th episode and the last episode of Season 7 of The City Confessions! This is a solo episode featuring me, your host Mariann Yip. I open up about what I'm currently going through by offering insight and advice on how to weather out the storms. I also reveal my technique of seeing life as a movie script as a healing tool to  restore power back into your life.  I advo...

This week's guest is emerging American Pop Singer/ Songwriter based in NYC and DC, Marilyn Hucek. In this episode, we talk about her pursuing her dream as a music artist and her rebirth and rediscovery for her passion. The topics we cover include: – Marilyn Hucek's internal struggle of wanting to be a singer but not thinking it was possible – Auditioning for the Voice without anybody knowing (why...

In this episode, I am joined by my good friend Debora also known as Deb, who is a NYC content creator, Youtuber and photographer. We sit down to talk about her journey and story with social media.  Other topics include:  - What her relationship with NYC is: identity with being an American Haitian (what that means to her and what that means from the world) - Her journey and story with soc...

I am so thrilled and honored to have American fashion designer, Phillip Lim on this week's episode of The City Confessions to talk all about House of Slay, partnership with Diageo and his commitment to amplify Asian voices.  The structure of this episode is as follows: - How Phillip Lim got started in the fashion industry: breaking the expectation of being a lawyer and doctor growing up in an asia...

This week's guest is Alison Hall, a reporter for Inside Edition and Anchor at Law & Crime. In this episode, we dive into what it's really like being a journalist and reporter in NYC, covering breaking news and navigating the media industry.  Alison and I also discuss:  - How she got into journalism and why she moved to NYC   - What it’s really like being a reporter and anchor in NYC (including hig...

Today's guest is Berto Calkins, a Vegan Social Media Content Creator from NYC. Like myself, Berto grew up in the Lower East Side and now resides in Brooklyn, so we have a shared common foundation. In this episode, Berto and I talk about the following topics: - How he started his vegan journey: why he decided to become vegan and what that transition was like - Why having support is important when y...

This week's guest is Kira Jones, the Founder of Cacti Wellness Collective, which is a wellness and productivity platform for ambitious women. In this episode we talk all things related to mindset, productivity and wellness. The topics we discuss include: How and Why Kira Jones created Cacti Wellness Collective Finding What Works for You: morning routine, workout, habits Productivity Tips for Begin...

This week's guest is Divya Gugnai, the Co-Founder and CEO of Wander Beauty, a serial entrepreneur and a mom of two. As someone who has built several companies and have sold them, we sit down to talk about her journey, what she's learned and where she's at now. Other topics we discuss include: Divya Leaving Corporate Finance World to Being an Entrepreneur: her story and journey Skills and Traits of...

Today we are joined by Dr. Lauren Becker, a general and cosmetic dentist based in NYC. Topics that we discuss include the following: • How Dr. Lauren Becker got into dentistry and the moment she decided she wanted to be a dentist • Transition of working for someone else to working by herself, including challenges and highlights of opening her own practice • Realities of working a as a dentist: day...

Today's guest is Em Roberts, a content creator, podcaster, and co-founder of Monday Network.  She is an American now living in London, and we chat about her current life and the below topics: - Why she moved to London and what that transition was like - Realities of moving to a new city and finding her footing through networking and patience - What inspired her to start her podcast, The Big Move a...

Today's guest is Taylor Fellman, who is the founder of Sh*t You Should Eat. We are recording this episode together in person, and we discus the following topics: - How Taylor founded her brand and came up with the name Sh*t You Should Eat - How we met and the power of energy and intentions - Challenges running and starting her own business - Her unique and funny trip to Burlington involving baby s...

Today's guest is Alexis Wolfe, founder of NYCDateNite, a New York based blog that has become the go-to resource for dating in New York City. We sit down and talk about the below topics: How and why she started her blog: love for food and dating in NYC How she met her boyfriend on Hinge, biggest lesson with dating and focusing on if you like them, rather if they like you Building her community and...