A true New Yorker, born and bred, Gabriela Bloomgarden is a multi-talented model, Irish dancer, and health nut. FVM had the opportunity to get to know Gaby a little better. Have a look at her vibrant interview below.
Where do you currently call home?
New York City!!! Despite living in LA and Barcelona for a short time when I was a baby, NYC has always been my home. I consider LA my second home. I have a large Latin family in LA so I grew up spending a lot of time on the west coast.Besides your birthplace of NYC, where have you had the most fun living?
Definitely LA or Miami, I like it hot! I haven't yet spent an extended period of time in Europe, however I would love to spend a few months in Barcelona.Where's the most picturesque place you've done a photo shoot?
Probably Mexico! We were shooting on a deactivated volcano in Mexico City. I remember driving up to the location and watching the sun rise behind an activated volcano while surrounded by a field of yellow flowers.Which shoot/editorial do you think showed you perfectly?
Oh hmm that's difficult. I'd say any shoot where I have the freedom to move around and sorta do my own thing while the photographer shoots probably represents me best! I'm a dancer so I love it when I'm able to incorporate movement into the shots. I'm a big fan of vintage clothes especially from the 60s/70s so I love it when the styling goes in that direction.Who is your closest friend in the industry?
I have a few good friends in the industry! Unfortunately though I don't think I've ever really gotten to work with any of them!!! Except for maybe a random presentation here and there. It's always fun though going to castings and running in to friends.What's your idea of a perfect date?
Dates that involve spontaneous random adventures are definitely the best dates. Lately, I've been dying to go bouldering. Or maybe laser tag or a ball pit! It's also fun just wandering and exploring new places. Don't get me wrong. I love the typical dinner and a movie but random adventures keep things exciting.Many people think that models live extraordinary lives, but they enjoy normal things like everyone. What are some of your everyday hobbies?
Well, I love Netflix. After finishing Orange is the New Black, I discovered a new addiction--Grey's Anatomy!! (I know I'm very late.) But, when I'm chilling at home, I'm usually watching that while browsing Gawker.com or some food blog. I also go to school part time, so I spend a lot of my free time doing HW! When I'm in New York, I try to spend time with my doggies in the park. I'm also a lover of all things vintage, so when I'm in LA, I spend a lot of time at thrift and vintage stores and, of course, the Melrose flea.Can you share any nutrition and fitness tips?
I used to be a competitive Irish dancer, so I've always been very active. Since I've stopped competing I've found myself craving the adrenaline rush. I need to sweat in order to stay stress free so I try to go to yoga, pilates, and barre classes at least once a week. I also love running and try to make it to dance classes here and there. I exercise mainly because it makes me feel good and helps clear my mind when I'm feeling overwhelmed. As far as food goes I've always eaten very healthily. I was raised with home cooked meals in a soda free kitchen. I unfortunately also have many food intolerances, which forces me to keep a very clean diet and limits me to many food groups. With that being said, I try to listen to my body and eat when and what it wants. One thing I can't live without is frozen bananas and peanut butter which I eat every night!!Can you share any beauty secrets for the everyday woman?
I always say natural is the way to go. I rarely wear make up (other than eyebrow gel). In fact, I think women look much better without it. My daily beauty regime is fairly simple as well. I make sure to wash my face every night and moisturize like crazy! I also love using a rose water spray on my face that you can buy at Wholefoods.Do you play any sports?
Not really! I used to play soccer but that was when I was like 10 so that doesn't really count. I've spent a lot of my life as a competitive Irish dancer which I've always considered a sport due to it's athleticism.How were you discovered?
I actually started when I was around 10 as a "child model" working for companies like Limited Too and H&M Kids. I first got into it after being street casted for an print ad. I loved it so much that I signed with Product Model Management--a print agency for children in NYC. I stopped working when I became too tall for kids but started again around age 16 after being repeatedly street casted.How did you develop this unique passion for Irish dancing?
Haha. Well firstly, I'm only about a 16th Irish! I actually started it when I was in first grade when it was offered as an after school program at my school. I immediately became obssessed. I guess I joined because some of my other friends were doing it. I didn't really start competing until I was 13. The competition soon became an addiction. I really began to take dancing seriously when I was around 15 after transferring to Inishfree--a dance school in New York. With Inishfree, I had the opportunity to go to Ireland a few times for the Irish Nationals and even made it to the World Championships!If you weren't a model, what would you want to do?
If I wasn't a model I'd probably be going to school full time. I have strong interests in marketing as well as nutrition so I would probably be interning somewhere in either of those fields while focusing mainly on school.How do you prepare mentally for a shoot?
I go through this ritual where I stare at myself in the mirror and tell myself I am the most beautiful person alive. I then proceed by making the Zoolander face and flexing my muscles. That's of course followed by a pray to the fashion Gods that I look amazing in every single photo. Hah, honestly, it's difficult to prepare for a shoot when you rarely know what exactly you are shooting for!!! I always try to get a good night sleep the night before and make sure to pack some snacks and entertainment for when I'm sitting in hair and makeup. Other than that though, I don't really follow any mental preparation.Fashion is all about creativity and identifying trends before they become trends. What do you think the next big thing in fashion will be?
Right now, I'm loving the "chic comfort" trend which seems to be popular especially among street wear. Being a slight sneakerhead, I'm loving that sneakers as well as "chic" sweatpants have become acceptable in the fashion community. I think this trend is very sustainable due to it's functionality and will continue to become even more present in the next couple of years. I'm not exactly one to spot trends, but I feel that the idea of comfort and functionality in fashion will become very important factors for future trends.What are some things your fans may not know about you that they would find surprising?
I'm a bit of a hypochondriac. I tend to spend waaaay too many hours on WebMD trying to "diagnose" myself.Photo Credits: Gabriela Bloomgarden