4.10.2014

Martha's Minions (part one)

Last summer I got the chance to intern for Martha Stewart in the arts department (aka the Living Magazine). A few months prior to this, my entire BYU design class went out to NYC together to find internship placements for the summer. While there, I interviewed at MSLO (Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia) along with a few others in my BYU design group, and ended up landing a spot with one of my girlfriends in the design program. Kirsten and I ended up being placed different departments, but it was good to know we were in it together. We soon became known amongst our professors as "the Martha girls".

(day one on the way to Martha!)


The decision to take the internship was a hard one for Dustin and I, because if I went, I would be going alone. Ultimately, I was convinced I needed to go, even if that meant leaving my lonely supportive husband all summer long (don't feel too bad for him, he went on a two week Europe vacation during my internship ;). I knew it was something I needed to do, and in the end it was absolutely the right decision for us. I couldn't love him more for supporting me in leaving him for a long 11 weeks.

My internship at Martha Stewart was one of my favorite life experiences to date. It was insanely crazy at times, (sometimes I was one of the last people in the office at the end of a long day). While at other times it all felt so glamourous–eating glittery cake in a beautiful white building in Chelsea, or lunching on the gorgeous rooftop deck.



(Morgan the dog would come to work often:)
(on the rooftop)
(one of Martha's lunches for the interns)

I worked under Eric Pike (who is now the Editor and Chief of the Martha Stewart Living Magazine). I basically did whatever he asked me to do day-to-day. I worked the majority of the time with him redesigning the new Martha Stewart logo, we did hours of type research and iterations of the logo and on the last week of my internship, the Halloween magazine came out with my new logo on it. It was the best way ever to leave that internship.

(my logo on the magazine, there was no better feeling)

(Christine worked next to me and we became good friends, there were some days I literally wouldn't make it through without her. Love Ch-choi).

I also did a lot of design for Eric's meetings with Martha. I get asked a lot about Martha-yep, I saw her and got to meet her. She literally was at the office almost every single day. She is really involved in everything at MSLO. She is also way sassier than you'd ever expect, the best way to explain her sass is to watch her on a night show, that seems to be her real personality. She's witty and even prettier in person. Martha is a bonafide babe!

(all of the interns from all of the departments)

That summer in New York was one of the most fun of my life, while I am sad the doc wasn't there to share it with me (though he came to visit twice), it also made me so much closer to all of my friends in the design program. We are all a little family now.

(A few of my class family)

(One time I visited Bomie at work...)


(Dustin and I at the MoMA)

I also was lucky enough to be introduced to new friends (and reunite with old friends Rachel Niu I am looking at you), who took me into their already set New York lives, and included me in their friend groups which helped it feel like home right away (all while being husband-less and married so far from Utah). Looking back through pictures it is only now that I fully realize how many loved ones* I had that came and supported me and visited me, it made the summer that much better.

(Tamran came out to visit, such a good time)

(Anne and John and kids came to visit from DC, me and my niece Lottie)
(Court came out twice)

(My new city-dwelling friends: Mikelle and Naomi. They took me in!)

(Kelsey came to visit twice, such good friends!)

New York, I couldn't love you more!

*Morgan (Boston and Maine and that penthouse couldn't have been more fun), Courtney & Kelsey (thanks for visiting twice guys!), Nicole (we started the trip off right together), Susan (Alt Summit, I showed up uninvited twice ;), John Anne & kids (I needed family towards the end), Mikelle & Naomi (thanks for taking me in), Rachel (our reuniting was the best thing ever), Tamran (funfetti late nights), Bomie & Rachel (you guys were the best roommates of all time). 

1 comment:

  1. Such an amazing girl you are, Jenna. You taught me the proper brand of mascara to buy (Voluminous, duh) when we were seventh graders and I've trusted your taste ever since. You have a gift and Martha was lucky to have you. I'm glad you got to experience such an amazing adventure. Cheers to you and the Doc for making it happen!

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