Meet Namsis - Newport Mesa Moms
 

Namsis and Family

 
 
 
Meet Namsis, a former employee of the Salvatore Ferragamo Fashion House who decided to start her own local business, Mod Tot, a concierge, pre-loved children’s clothing shop.

 

Where are you from originally?

I was born and raised in Bakersfield, CA.

How long have you lived in Costa Mesa? How many kids do you have and what are their ages? 

I moved to Costa Mesa in 2007 but then moved to NYC for 9 years.  When my husband and I decided to move west, we decided to move to Costa Mesa again. We have been in Eastside Costa Mesa since 2017.

We have a three-year-old daughter.

What are your favorite things to do with your kids in general or in town?

Eastside CM has so many great parks so we spend a lot of time checking them all out on the weekends. We love spending time by the beach, our local library, and checking out kid-friendly live shows.  Our most recent was Frozen on Broadway!

Name 3 things you can’t live without.

  1. My phone calendar
  2. Caffeine/snacks for daughter
  3. Baby wipes (at the moment). They’re the most used thing in our home and cars! Toddler life can get messy.

What’s your favorite restaurant in town for a family date? A night out with friends or date night? Why?

We love Trenta for date night, take out, and family dinners. We also love Folks pizza for our traditional Friday pizza night! Both places have great ambiance, service, and the food is consistently great!

What was your go-to activity during quarantine?

We did a lot of cooking and binge watched every show my husband and I wouldn’t fall asleep to. We were in the thick of newborn parenting so we were basically exhausted all the time! When things started opening back up we would go out to eat just to people watch.

What is your local go-to store for clothes?  Furniture? Gifts?

For myself and gifts? Rococo and Etoile on 17th

Fun quick gifts? Where’s the Party. Doesn’t disappoint.

For my daughter? Anthill, Janie and Jack and The Red Balloon for special occasions or gifts. Everyday clothing? Baby Gap, H&M, and Zara.

My husband is simple. Travis Matthews or anything from SEED at the Camp.

Furniture? I wish I had more time to source but am always happy with Lulu and Georgia, Arteriors, Serena & Lily, and Anthropologie.

Do you have a favorite destination for family trips?  Why?

We love Joshua Tree and go often. We got married there too. We all feel so relaxed and happy when we are there so we like to head there when we need to relax but we find any reason to go back.

We also love Santa Barbara, it feels like home for me but with a beach!

We are going to start exploring more of the country and world with our daughter now that we don’t have to pack everything but the kitchen sink!

Name a favorite book or podcast?

I recently started listening to Stuff Mom Never Told You and Poog podcasts. Both are easy listens sprinkled with humor and topics that are things we think about but don’t talk about.

It’s been so hard for me to get into a book lately, not ashamed of it, just hoping I come across something riveting soon!

What has been the most difficult age with your daughter to date? What helped you overcome the challenges at that time?

As a first time parent, the newborn stage was really difficult for me. Nothing can really prepare you for it and how life altering it is. What helped me overcome it was talking to other moms and my mom about what I was feeling or going through. Talking to other moms helped ease the anxiety and made me feel that I wasn’t alone.

My advice to new moms/parents is to take it one day at a time and to rest assured everyone that has children has been through what you’re going through, your baby is NOT broken ;)! If you can, get some help a few hours a week so that you can have some time for yourself. It is the best investment you can give yourself.

What was the best advice your mom gave you?

My mom always told me to not overextend myself and to ask for help. Sometimes as a new mom you want to do it all and that simply isn’t sustainable.

What do you most value in your friends?

Support and honesty.

Mod Tot – Pre-Loved Children’s Clothing

What was your career before having children?  If it’s the same, how do you balance career & motherhood?

Before children I worked in NYC for an Italian designer. I handled the fashion house’s VIP clients. When we moved back to CA I bounced around trying to find my footing and I ended up getting certified as a Human Resources Director. I worked for a pharmaceutical company until January of this year. I came to a crossroads of being a career driven mom or taking it back to basics to spend more time with my family. I had a business idea brewing for months and so I pulled the plug and embarked on a stay-at-home mom-owned business journey.

I started Mod Tot, a concierge pre-loved children’s clothing and accessories online shop. Being a first time parent made me realize how wasteful the children’s clothing and accessories world is. My mission is to source the best loved pre-loved children’s items for other families to enjoy. My background organically helps me source beautiful products. I want the new owner to feel like whatever they purchased was chosen just for them and their children.

How do you relax and unwind?

Exercising, meditation, or a nice hot bath while listening to music or watching a Rom Com!

Favorite hobbies?

I love a good pilates class and great vintage shopping trip for the home or clothing items.

Inspiration?

I am inspired by my family. I strive to be the best version of myself and to be an example for my daughter of what a hardworking, goal driven, generous, and adaptable woman can accomplish.

Thank you Namsis.  You can follow along with Namsis on Instagram @mod.tot.

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