Kelly Florio Kasouf
Another holiday season, another book launch for author Kelly Florio Kasouf. On Tuesday night, she introduced The Super Adventures of Sophie in the City: One Suite Holiday, which follows her roving heroine as she wanders throughout New York City’s diverse neighborhoods during the winter season. Kasouf explains the process.
So what has Sophie been up to since we’ve seen her last?
Sophie has grown up a bit—she’s making new friends, exploring new parts of the city and enjoying her access to an iPhone! Headphones are her favorite new accessory, aong with her glitter high-tops, of course. And she is slaying it in her skateboarding skills but is still completely enamored with visiting her favorite city.
Have your readers given you any input on where her adventures should take her?
Yes! I loved visiting schools and chatting with the kids about their favorite parts of the city, their favorite part about the holidays in the city and how they all celebrate with their families. Everything from checking out the windows at Bergdorfs to dim sum downtown made the cut. The book’s basic theme is about the traditions that helped us learn about the neighborhoods in the city. The book evolved into a modern-day Nutcracker that read like A Walk in NY where each adventure and neighborhood they visited, they learned historical facts or fun traditions.
What constitutes your idea of a quintessential and imperative NY experience over the holiday season?
First stop, tea at the Carlyle Hotel and by tea, I mean their decadent tower of sweets. Afterwards, a walk into the park for some ice skating at Wollman Rink, then head down to Fifth Avenue to check out the windows until we reach 45th Street, where we grab a burger at 21 Club. Fiinally, take in a show on Broadway. We are looking forward to seeing School of Rock. My daughter is obsessed with the bass guitar. We are hoping Santa brings her one. As crazy as this sounds, I steer clear of Rockefeller Center, because I get major anxiety around that type of crowd. Driv- by tree spottings later in the evening is more our style.
What’s the best gift you’re giving this year?
That sounds naughty! I think that bass guitar and an electric scooter top the list but the big gift, I think, is space. We just moved out of the city and the kids are loving their bedrooms and their new skating club they frequent several times a week.
Digging your turtleneck/party skirt ensemble. Are you over dresses for going-out looks?
I feel like putting together a look that has more elements than just a dress makes it look like I actually put thought into my selection. My friends always tease me because I have an odd obsession with turtlenecks. They are my favorite pieces to wear because the focus is on the face and nothing is more fun than holiday makeup. Bold lips, fun eyes, shiny hair, no frizz from humidity. The holidays are my best season for beauty!
