Member Spotlight: Meet Israeli-Born, Brooklyn-Based Blogger Dikla Goren of Girl Plus Two
Photos: Dikla Goren
Girl Plus Two blogger Dikla Goren never expected to lay roots in the Big Apple, much less with a family of five. Before becoming a mama of three, the Israel-born stunner moved to New York on a whim seven years ago, but it wasn't until then when she discovered her love for fashion. Now with over 35,000 Instagram followers, Goren documents life as a mother in Brooklyn, from playing tourist in her own city to sharing her top parenting tips and more.
Here, Goren shares her journey from Israel to New York, what it's like raising three kids in the city, the designers she's currently loving for her and her children's wardrobes, and more.
What do you do? Tell us more about the path that led you to where you are today.
I moved to NYC from Israel seven years ago to live with the guy I broke up with when I was a teenager. He was married before and called me once they broke up [and] I hadn't heard is voice in years. Although I was dating another guy for four years and wasn't sure if it [was the right move] or not, and decided to give it a try. So I moved to NYC and three months after I got pregnant. It was totally surprise for both of our families.
We got married when I was six months pregnant at the city hall while our parents came to visit and I’m still dreaming of a "real" wedding" and a white dress. When I first moved here I remember that my husband and I had conversations about how long we were going to stay here. We both thought that after four years we [would] move back home, or at most until our oldest kid would go to school [in Israel]. Now my oldest, Yuli, is six already and we are still here. I'm still dreaming about the warm weather in Israel, but I think that just this year I've realized that I'm here to stay and I'm not "visiting" anymore.
What are the names and ages of your little ones?
Romi just turned 1, Ori is 3, and Yuli is 6.
What is your top tip for a happy marriage?
My top tip is date nights, spontaneous or planned! Lately we decided not to go out only to restaurants, but to have a surprise date when I take him to something I want to do like a spa. Once it's his turn to take us wherever he wants. But it’s not all about the big things, but little gestures and notes are the best! I always love to leave notes in Noam’s lunch.
How does raising children in New York compare to your own childhood in Israel?
People always ask me how I raise my kids in the city which is funny, because I don’t know any different, although it’s totally different from my childhood. The kids got to grow up with siblings close their age, which I never had. But I spent most of my childhood in Israel outside with friends, and we wouldn’t plan play dates, we would just knock on each others doors! I miss that and wish my kids could have that, too.
What's been the most surprising aspect of motherhood?
I never expected to be able to live on such little sleep [on] some days, and how well I would learn how to multitask! It’s honestly a big rollercoaster, but so fulfilling.
What does a typical day look like in your shoes?
It’s different everyday! Noam wakes up and gets the kids to school, so I get a little more time to sleep. I wake up and have my coffee, and feed Romi, and between her naps and feeding, I work on the blog. I make sure to make some food so the kids have a fresh warm meal for when they get home! I go to pick them up, and we spend time doing homework and playing in the living room. I try to get everyone ready for bed early so I can work at night too. After they all go to sleep, I’m working, and when we play, I can snap some pictures!
My schedule [really] revolves around what the kids are doing [like] if Romi is napping and they're in school. It's actually becoming so hard to do to that now since she is growing and her naps are getting really short. [It's] definitely not easy and I always feel like I'm juggling.
Current favorite kids clothing brands?
Favorite clothing brand, a new brand that I fell in love with is Monika + Andy. The have cute stuff and their floral summer suit for the boys was my favorite.
Current favorite grown-up clothing brands?
I'm a huge fan of Anine Bing, a danish designer who lives in LA, and my favorite piece is her studded booties.
Beauty product you can't live without?
Product I couldn't live without [is] my Conair curling wand that I got over 10 years ago and does magic to my hair in just five minutes.
Best advice for women who want to succeed in your field:
Best advice to a woman who wants to start blogging is to stay focus and true to who she is. It takes time to build your own followers and to see that you finally get their love back. I know that my followers follow me because who I am, so I would never take any collaboration that is not staying true to [my personality].