Ma Crush Monday: Missy Arko: California Gypset

Meet this week's MA CRUSH, Missy Arko: Director of Merchandising for Trina Turk and mama to Ella Ruby. She's got this business of fashion and motherhood -balance down pat! We're pretty giddy she took the time from her busy, sunshiny life in Naples Island of Long Beach, California to chat with us and answer #thesamethreequestions!

Missy put my jewelry career on the map when her on-the-pulse showroom represented my collection over a decade ago. She has a bit of a magic touch (a sixth-sense for style) and there is an unforgettable radiance in all she does. She's one of the nicest people we know, with a fierce approach to personal-dress. Missy and her mini-me sure can light up a room! Take a look below as she shares some family favorites.

1.PS: Tell us a bit what's behind your children's names:

Ella Ruby| 10

MA: Her first name "Ella," was my great grandmother's name, who I loved dearly. She made the sweetest iced tea and chocolate chip cookies for my sisters and me whenever we went over to her house. My Ella's middle name, "Ruby," was my great-aunt's name, as well as my mom's middle name. My husband and I thought the two name's together sounded pretty and felt like they were from another era. We never intended to call her by both names, but when she started pre-school, they started to call her by both names and it just kind of stuck. Now, it's rare that anyone just calls her "Ella."

2.PS: Can you share a few of your local Motherhood Favorites?

MA: We love to go vintage shopping on 4th Street in Long Beach. Free-weekends are few and far between, as Ella has ballet both days, my husband plays soccer and I do Bikram Yoga and run. When we do have a free-weekend, 4th Street has the best little shops for home furnishings and vintage clothing. It's pretty well-curated. We also love to go to dinner to "Little India" in Artesia, which is just inland from Long Beach. That is usually a weekend ritual. We traveled to India last summer, so we go to "Little India" to get our Indian cuisine fix.

3.PS: What commonalities of Motherhood do you reject, and on the flip-side...do you have any guilty pleasures?

MA: That common "working-mom" guilt... not being able to be there for EVERY school function, getting home late some nights, traveling for work and being away from her, but I think it is so important for Ella Ruby to have a strong role model and see that her mother is hard-working and independent. I hope that she will have a strong passion for her family and career some day too. My guilty pleasure is that I have just one child. I love that I can be there just for her and she knows this. My husband and I both work and love our jobs, so our free time is spent solely with Ella Ruby. She goes everywhere with us. Date nights are always made up of the three of us and have been since she was born. We had always traveled before we had her, and have continued to travel with her since she was a baby. Ella Ruby has an extensive passport for a ten year old... India, Morocco, Spain, France, Czech Republic,... Traveling is definitely a guilty pleasure for our family. We start talking about our next adventure the minute we return from a trip! My husband and I want to show her the world!

Missy at work with some signature pattern-play.

The most chic Moroccan styling at Chez Arko!

PS: Would you mind sharing a SCRIBBLE? (a doodle, a recipe, a poem- anything!)