Downtown Magazine Fall 2018 Issue

What are the advantages of being in very
different fields, professionally?
Fabio Doti: Our combined myriad skill sets. Jamie,
being in a professional and corporate setting, has
exceptional attention to detail and numbers, while
I bring a more creative and free-thinking facet to
our relationship.
How do you balance busy work schedules,
family time and romance?
FD: Jamie and I typically
like to reserve Friday
nights as our personal date
night without the children.
I think it is imperative that
couples, especially with
small children, remember
and retain the love that
brought them together in
the first place. We’re both
young professionals striving
to attain as much success
as possible, and it can be
easy to get so caught up in
life’s everyday responsibilities
that you neglect to nurture
the things you love. I
try to allocate as much time
for myself, my wife and
family as possible.
How do you like to
spend your weekends?
JL: We are fortunate to
have family that is always
willing to babysit. Fabio
and I usually have Friday
nights to ourselves, and on
Saturdays, I'll hit the gym
and go for a good swim.
Saturday might be the only
day for fitness, so I try to
make sure I don’t miss
it. After I work out, I pick
up the kids from my parents’
house, and we all have
dinner together. Sundays
we unwind and get ready
for the week ahead.
What has surprised
you the most about
having children?
JL: I am surprised at
how much one couple can
accomplish in one day, with
two kids, if they are focused and relaxed. I am also surprised
at how much a couple, ahem, can argue in one
day if they aren't focused and relaxed! I was terrified of
how to balance two kids and our jobs, but another nice
surprise was that having our second child was such a
great adjustment. So to anyone who ever told us, “It’s
easier with two!!”—somehow, they were right!
FAVORITES
Downtown family restaurant:
Too many to choose from! Da Mikele
has great pizza, Hudson Eats has so
many options to choose from, and
who can resist a delicious giant plate
of nachos from El Vez? These spots all
have kid-friendly food
and a great ambience.
Downtown place to get a cocktail:
Pier A has incredible views and so
much seating. Great spot for a drink
and cool breeze!
Family tradition:
We are big on beach time in the
summer! My parents live on Long
Island, so we always spend the
weekends at the town beach. We pack
a lunch and snacks, and spend the day
until sunset on the beach.
Why did you choose to raise your children
Downtown?
JL: Battery Park is an incredible place to raise kids.
Great feeling of community, incredible parks, and so
peaceful. We are blessed to have the waterfront, where
Antonio can run around without us worrying about cars
or sidewalks. The park is everywhere—we’re in Battery
Park! It’s wonderful to have a great neighborhood and
community and see so many friendly faces.
What's your favorite
thing about being
parents in Downtown
NYC?
JL: Everything is a
walk away. The school
is a block away, the
pool is an eight-minute
walk, the park
is right around the
corner — Fabio’s two
salons are also right
here! My most favorite
thing about Downtown
is that our story
started here. We met
here, got married
here, Fabio made a business
here, and now we
have a family here.
FD: Being a parent
has been the most
rewarding experience
I’ve ever felt. No matter
the location, just being
a parent and watching
our children flourish.
What is the best
parenting advice
you’ve been given?
JL: I was advised to
always check in with
myself every few weeks
to calibrate — rejigger
priorities and figure
out which parts of my
life need to be brought
to the forefront, and
which parts need to
take a back seat for a bit.
FD: A quote that
has always resonated
with me is “Character
isn’t something you teach to your kids.” It’s so true!
Children are so impressionable, especially at the age
Antonio is, that you can try to verbally instill as
much as you can in them. However, what will
really leave an indelible mark are the everyday actions
you make around them. More so than tell them, I strive
to show what being a good person looks like. DT
DOWNTOWNNYC AUTUMN 2017 71