Tell us who you are and what you do.
I'm Katie Keller Geer -- Co-Founder of KK Social, a new age brand strategy & marketing agency, and Yoga Instructor via Katie Yoga! :)
Tell us about some of your favorite plants. How do you incorporate them into your life?
My favorite plants are our big fiddle leaf and bird of paradise that we keep in the living room. We have lemon, orange, and avocado trees in our yard that I pick from daily when they're in season. We also love our little herb garden with basil, thyme, mint and rosemary, which Hank (my husband) uses for cooking almost every night.
Tell us your philosophy on “wellness” and what it means to you.
As a yoga instructor, "wellness" can sometimes sound like setting really solid daily practices: asana, meditation, journaling, lighting incense, taking a bath. But I also think "wellness" is a mindset. I think it's important to prioritize physical and mental health, so I lean on lots of practitioners to support me with acupuncture, massage, therapy and YES yoga. :)
Do you have any sustainable practices? If so, please share!
I always try to make sure that we haven't "green-washed" sustainability as this sexy thing to slap onto brands or ourselves -- and that's really coming to light with the most recent callouts for Reformation and Amazon. In our house we really try to make bigger decisions based on the level of long term impact we'll have on the world we want to raise our kids in:
- We sold Hank's car this year, so we can be a one car family, and we walk or bike to work daily.
- We shop at the Santa Monica Farmer's Market, cook most of our meals at home, and when we go out we support local restaurants and wine shops.
- I'm also really committed to completely clean and sustainable skincare: Youth To The People, OSEA, and In Fiore are my favorites.
- And buying sustainable clothing that will last: OZMA, Olderbrother, Jesse Kamm, Beatrice Valenzuela, Rudy Jude, or just shopping vintage.
What’s one thing you do to keep your immune system strong and resilient?
I'll give you two: #1 I go for an hour-long walk each morning (movement is essential) and I sleep 8-10 hours/night.
How have you been handling things since the pandemic began? Do you have any tips for staying sane during this time?
March through May was really tough -- I'm 100% extrovert, so not seeing people felt exhausting and we were doing a lot of crisis comms for clients around COVID and BLM, so it really took its toll, but the bright spot was that we hosted 2x/week Zoom Yoga classes that benefited COVID and BLM orgs and it was a really amazing way to see a lot of our friends virtually. We also did weekly Zoom dinner parties with friends where we would all make the same cocktails, cook the same food and drink the same wine -- it was always the best part of the week. Now we're getting outside more, going hiking, going to the beach and trying to focus on work, so it really does feel like this will be the "new normal" and my "tip for feeling sane" would be find a routine you can group yourself in.
What’s the thing you’re looking forward to most once the stay at home order has been lifted?
Seeing all of my friends' new babies! It feels like we've all missed some major life moments with each other that are seriously worth celebrating: babies being born, engagements, weddings, birthdays -- I'm most looking forward to celebrating with friends and cheering my people on! Persevering through the last 5 months deserves an applause, and I think we'll be doing this for the next 5 months, so very much looking forward to a time in 2021 when we can celebrate!!
Your go-to easy recipe?
If I'm being honest, I have not cooked in 10 years. I'm lucky to have married a private chef, who literally cooks me breakfast, lunch and dinner daily! His go-to easy recipe is Caesar Salad:
1 small garlic clove (finely grated or chopped)
Kosher salt
3 Anchovy Filets
1 large egg yolks
1 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, plus more
3/4 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/4 cup olive oil
3 tablespoons finely grated Parmesan
Freshly ground black pepper
1/2 Cup of bread crumbs
Fresh Dill finely chopped
Grated parm to finish
Chop together anchovy fillets, garlic, and pinch of salt. Use the side of a knife blade to mash into a paste, then scrape into a medium bowl. Whisk in egg yolk, 2 Tbsp. lemon juice, and mustard. Adding drop by drop to start, gradually whisk in olive oil, then vegetable oil; whisk until dressing is thick and glossy. Whisk in Parmesan. Season with salt, pepper, and more lemon juice, if desired. Add bread crumbs or croutons (use old bread, cover in olive oil and salt, bake at 350 until light brown and then pulse in a food processor). Add dill and tons of parm.
Your favorite place to travel and why.
I will forever feel a special sense of home in Sayulita, Mexico. My childhood best friend has been taking me to her house there for the last 14 years. Hank and I hosted a yoga retreat there last summer, I had my bachelorette party there, and we have a lot of fun secret spots that we love to sneak away to. It will definitely be one of the first places we travel to when the stay-at-home order is lifted.
What’s one thing people might be surprised to learn about you?
My fun fact at parties is that I went to highschool when I was 12, college when I was 15, graduated at 18 with a BS in Psychology + Business and then moved to NYC by myself where I knew zero people and had a very crazy low paying job at what is now a big fashion/tech startup. I did an amazing astrology reading with @StalkAlice and she told me that was arguably the hardest year of my life 😂 I look back at my younger self and offer lots of compassion, but also take inspiration from that level of resilience at such a young age. The other surprise to most people is that Hank and I have been together for the past 10 years and own our business together, which is wild and exciting and we're probably also crazy for doing that!
