Mother of Balance: Nicole Berrie

For many people there’s a clear juxtaposition of the person they want to be and the person they are. We want to be the type of people who agree to five mile group runs on Saturday mornings, who pass the bread basket without reaching in, who don’t let a crowded subway ruin our day, and who hit inbox zero on a regular basis. And we will be...someday. But for now we get to ogle people like Nicole Berrie for achieving the balance we’ve momentarily failed to grasp.

Nicole is the type of beacon of calm that makes you wonder if she actually lives in NYC and, more importantly, how she manages a website, a retail store, and two kids with the ease of someone who’s just finished a week-long spa retreat. Upon entering her West Village abode, you’re hit with a wave of natural light, an urge to take off your shoes and get comfortable, and a rogue nerf bullet from her son Jude (his way of breaking the ice and subsequently making you his new best friend). It’s not the meditation corners and crystals you would expect from this Mother of Balance. The kitchen is the heart of the home -- naturally, as she founded and runs a plant-based health website and bodega -- and it’s evident right down to the sustainable metal straws in her kitchen cupboard that she practices what she preaches.

Name: Nicole Berrie

Title: Founder, Bonberi & Bonberi Bodega

What you wanted to be growing up: A writer

What you still want to be when you grow up: At Peace

What gets you out of bed in the morning: My kids!

What gets you into bed at night: A cozy bed and my husband if he’s not DJing that night

Your favorite place: Formentera, Spain

What makes you laugh: My kids and husband

What’s on your bucket list: Yoga teacher training and a food tour through Japan

What balance means to you: Going with the ebb and flow of life. Some days are spent focusing on work and making it home for bedtime and bath, some days we shut it down and are in full throttle mom mode. You never really have it together all at once but being comfortable with imperfection is truly freeing and kind of necessary.

Something your mother passed down to you: Her Chanel jackets and bags ;)

What you wish to pass down to your children: The 4 Ds: dedication, determination, discipline and dignity

Your favorite AUrate piece: The anklets! Or the Bold Diamond Stacker Ring

**Nicole wears the Diamond Infinity Hoops