24 Hours in NYC with Jourdan Dunn
Jourdan Dunn earned icon status early on in her career when she was cast by photographer Steven Meisel as one of the four cover models for Vogue Italia’s seminal Black Models issue in 2008. A decade on, and the girl from Hammersmith, London, has more than proven her standing as not only a trailblazing Super at the top of her game (in 2014, Dunn was the first black British model to appear in Forbes’s top-earning models list), but as a diversity activist, and philanthropist known and celebrated for her work raising awareness for sickle cell disease.
Here, Dunn shares with GrandLife a few of her favorite New York spots.
You have one day in New York, how do you spend it?
Jourdan Dunn: Depends on what time of year. If it is during NFYW, I spend it sleeping and relaxing.
Describe your number one New York moment…
JD: I would say shooting a commercial in Times Square with Maybelline. They shut down streets. It was pretty incredible.
What local restaurant sounds really good right now? What would you order there?
JD: I love La Esquina, and Miss Lily’s.
If you wanted to impress someone whilst in town, where would you take them, and why?
JD: One of the two above. They play great music, and I like the food and environment. I always have fun.
If you could choose one person to show you “their New York City,” who would it be, and why?
JD: Dapper Dan. He is an icon and I know he would take me to all the hidden gems in Harlem and around NYC.
Where do you go to get your art fix whilst in town?
JD: I love the Museum of Natural History.
Where do you go for a late-night boogie?
JD: Still looking for it.
Ideal NYC date night?
JD: To be introduced to something new, whether it’s a restaurant, museum, park….Show me something new!
How do you get on the health bandwagon and detox in NYC?
JD: Home-cooked meals. I know what I am putting in my food.
