Ann Gordon Eisenzimmer

📍Wilmington, NC | Interior Designer

Dec 18, 2024

📝 Editor’s Note

If my wife kept a ranked list of the things she loves, I think I’m at the top. But it would be a tough competition. No doubt our boys are near the top, along with candy corn, reruns of The Office, talking on the phone with her mom, and jewlery.
However, I know our yellow lab was at the top too. My wife named her “Etta,” short for “Beretta” as she was a trained duck hunting dog. She loved to play fetch and would chase tennis balls to the point of exhaustion.
Unfortunately, she developed cancer in her legs. Yesterday her situation deteroriated and we put her down peacefully. We buried Etta at my in-law’s farm in next to the pond. Once she got in that pond, she was known to spend multiple hours swimming and not even a food bribe could bring her out of the water. We we fortunate that she lived for 13 good years. She was with my wife for all of them and my wife took excellent care of Etta. She (interchangeable) was loved.
We will miss our Etta girl!
Shoutout to all the pets, people, and things that make life so much better. Be thankful for them today.

Without further ado….

Why Ann Gordon?

Ann Gordon came highly recommended by Julia Ratliff. It was great reconnecting with AG, whom I’ve known since high school. I’m impressed with her interior design portfolio, make sure to check it out.

Follow AG on Instagram — personal account and her business account

Self-Description

NC native and mom of three with two high-strung pups. Lover of creating beautiful, functional spaces and throwing a good party. I may not tell a great story, but I’m all in for the fun—even if my punchlines fall flat!

Ann Gordon’s 6 Recommendations

Written in her own words…

How to Get Freelance Writing Gigs on Upwork | $40 - $150 Per Hour

1. Upwork

I do a lot of commercial interior design and find myself needing to submit elevations and renderings fairly often and sometimes with short notice. While I was taught these things in design school, they would take me hours/days/weeks to complete. In comes Upwork, where I can post a description of a “job” that I’m looking for and then can find talent to complete the task for me for an agreed-upon fee. Essentially, it is an online marketplace that connects freelancers with businesses looking for independent talent ranging from engineering and architecture to sales and marketing, web and software development, etc.

2. M&D Threads

M&D Threads: Personalized gifting done right! This is my go-to children’s gift, but they have offer so much more (personalized bags, towels, dinner napkins, etc.). They have particularly great holiday monograms and a super quick turnaround time.

3. The Siberia Job

I read this book because the protagonist is based on a good friend’s father and the story is closely based on his real-life experience. The story is about the privatization of Russian companies and assets in the aftermath of the fall of the Soviet Union. Not my typical extracurricular read but found myself captivated by his adventure!

Bonus Book Recommendation — Mrs. Nash’s Ashes: I was reading this book as I was writing my profile recommendations and found myself laughing out loud several times while reading. Which is a first! It’s a romantic comedy / “chick lit” if you will. It's a quick read and a great mood booster!

4. Alixx Candles

We all need a break from the beloved Nest candles at some point. My current favorite candle brand is Alixx. I’ve been buying their candles for a couple of years now and our house guests almost always ask what candle I’m burning. I’m specifically obsessed with the white Heure and pink Pivione scents, and they conveniently sell $6 samples on their website so you can figure out what scent you like the best. They also have a holiday collection!

Bonus Product Recommendations — Chanel Shoes + The Leather Spa: Since Rob’s response to me agreeing to be profiled was “that he thinks it will cost him,” I’ll throw out my favorite and yes very expensive recommendation – Chanel shoes. Invest in them and wear them for years. I still wear a pair that I got intern summer (~13 years ago) at least once a week. Over those 13 years, I’ve dropped them off (and now mailed them to) The Leather Spa in NYC a couple of times. They always come back as good as new! The Leather Spa website is user-friendly and generates the shipping label for you. Doesn’t get much easier.

In total contradiction, I also really like this Chanel flat knockoff: A. Soliani Como Flat

Bonus, Bonus Product Recommendations — Vimhue Ponytail Hat + Elta Sunscreen: My sister is a dermatologist and has drilled in my head that if sunlight hits my bare face it will immediately do irreparable damage to my skin. Thus, I apply Elta Sunscreen daily and frequently wear a hat. Maybe not the most stylish of hats, but the most practical is Vimhue’s “X-Boyfriend” hat which has a hole for high ponytails.

5. ResX

I’ve been fortunate to go to NYC several times this year and have found the ResX app to be very handy! I’m not sure how long it has been around, but it basically allows you to grab other people’s reservations (that they no longer can use) to in-demand restaurants. For example, my husband and “Emily Ross” had a lovely date at American Bar in the West Village a couple of weekends ago! The app is also available in Miami and London.

Bonus Digital Recommendation — reMarkable – digital note taking. It’s great if you go through legal pads and/or take notes on the fly. It keeps all your notes handy, organized, and in one place. It takes a little getting used to but quickly becomes your go-to notebook. Similarly, if you already own an iPad you can download the Goodnotes app and purchase the Paperlike cover. The cover gives note-taking on an iPad a better “paper” feel.

How Factor's meal program works | Factor

6. Factor Meals

Besides the *very exciting* product and easy recipe listed below, I am not a huge fan of cooking. I pretty much dread and despise it. My husband is great at it and has been the one to do it in our household for years, but like most, he doesn’t always have the time. Especially now that we have three small wild things living in our house. We switched to Factor Meals a few months ago, and it’s been a huge win for our relationship and downtime. There is zero cooking or cleaning involved – you just heat them in the oven or microwave. Unlike other food delivery services, they arrive on Monday instead of Tuesday, which is super convenient. We’ve also both gotten addicted to their Cold Brew Latte Protein Shakes.

Bonus Food & Drink Recommendations — Butterball: I’m very excited to try Butterball’s brand-new product, “Cook from Frozen Premium Whole Turkey,” this holiday season! No planning or thawing involved – it goes straight from the freezer to the oven, which means more time to spend with friends and family.

Crock Pot Salsa Verde Chicken + Lizano Hot Sauce: This recipe is idiotproof and great for feeding littles. Mine love to eat the shredded chicken with a side of avocado, and then my husband and I will go on to make either a burrito bowl or tacos. We love to top ours with Lizano. It’s a hot sauce that he sees a lot while on surf trips in Costa Rica/Nicaragua. He was shocked when I recently found it at Publix.

Plug | AG Interiors

Follow my interior design work on IG, @aginteriors_llc even though I post about once a year!

Want to get in touch with Ann Gordon? Email her at ageisenzimmer@gmail.com

P.S. from Rambull — My new friend Xavi put together an excellent list of short films. I personally think Quibi was a great idea but wrong time, IYKYK. Check out Xavi’s list of short film’s here.

My favorite is linked below. As a parent and as someone who worked in gaming with streamers, this video hit home. Start your day off right, and spend 4 minutes watching.