"Honestly, I think it’s better not to know exactly what you’re getting yourself into because if you did, you’d probably never do anything, right? Sometimes you just need to take the risk. Go for it.”
What’s inspiring you in life right now?
"Right now, especially with the house, we’ve been really focused on nesting—building our community with friends and family. We’ve had so many people over this summer, almost every weekend, and our ADU has been in constant use, with guests staying almost every month. It’s been amazing to be the house where everyone gathers.
Now, we finally have the space to truly host, whether it’s for a big get-together or just having people over casually. This year, we’re hosting Thanksgiving—my parents are coming, and we have friends joining us for New Year’s. Christmas, Thanksgiving—it’s all happening here. Seeing our guests feel so comfortable makes us feel at home, too.
When I was little, we moved around so much, and I always wanted my kids to have a place they could truly call home, where they could grow up with the same friends. To finally have that—to have built this home and this sense of stability—is incredibly inspiring to us."
What is something you are afraid of but willing to try?
"Hmm, stand-up comedy. Do I know how to write a joke? Not at all. It’s horrible. But still, there’s this little hidden dream of mine—to just get up there one day and make a fool of myself. I mean, I’m naturally awkward, but sometimes awkward works—it’s authentic to me. But you know, the funny thing is a spontaneous leap isn’t new for us. Take the dog, for example. We weren’t really thinking about it, and when the opportunity came up, we were like, why not just go for it? That’s how we do everything. We met, moved to New York on a whim, then moved back to LA just as impulsively. Getting the dog was the same—within six hours, we made a decision that completely changed our lives.
Honestly, I think it’s better not to know exactly what you’re getting yourself into because if you did, you’d probably never do anything, right? Sometimes you just need to take the risk. Go for it.”
What’s your guilty pleasure?
Elliot: "Lately, I’ve been really into old movies. I even made a list of high-quality classics and have been working my way through them over the past few months. A few days ago, I watched Red River, a John Wayne film from the 1940s. There’s just something about older movies—their charm, the way they’re made—I can’t stop watching them. I’ve also been trying to get my whole family to sit down and watch It’s a Wonderful Life. There are so many great ones on my list."
Nina: "My hardest habit to quit is eating Cheez-Its in bed."
What’s the best compliment you have ever received?
"Someone once told me I reminded them of Maya Rudolph, and I was like, You are my friend for life. But honestly, the thing that warms my heart the most is the kids telling Elliot, “You’re a good dad.” And they say it pretty often, which is amazing.
I mean, they don’t really have anything to compare me to, but still—it means a lot. I read all the Harry Potter books to them, and every night, they would look forward to me reading out loud. It turned into this months-long project, and honestly, it was just as fun for me since I had never actually read them before."
When do you feel the most inspired?
"Two things. First, at the end of each year, Nina and I sit down and talk about our goals for the next year. We’ve been doing this for two years now, and this will be our third. It’s a chance to ask: What do we want to accomplish? What’s important to us? Last year, our big stretch goal was to buy a new house—and we actually did it. Some goals are more straightforward, like I want to get in shape or I want to focus on this or that. We write everything down in a notebook and refer back to it throughout the year.
But the best part of the process is just sitting down and having that conversation. Until we do, I don’t always know what her goals are, and hearing them is so inspiring. Sometimes our goals build on each other in ways we didn’t expect, and it’s amazing to see how they align and support each other. Taking the time to share them makes all the difference."
*Assisted with both selling and buying home*
