Emma Scaramozzino - November 12, 2020
She said // she said: Sister edition
P art two of our four part November series features two of our favorite sisters: Dani and Alli! This sister duo will warm your heart with their answers all while spilling the tea on each other. Read on for sisterly advice, wholesome childhood memories, and some laughs, too.
As always, Dani and Alli answered the following set of questions separately. Neither of them have seen each other's answers...until now!
Dani Said:
Who is the youngest / oldest sibling?
I'm older by ~3.5 years, but people often think Alli is older because she's super glamorous... and taller.
Do you have a nickname for Alli?
I call her "Alster" and "Allikins".
Who got in trouble more as a kid?
We were both pretty well-behaved... but I think Alli got into more trouble? I almost always had my head in a book, and as a middle child, I think it was second-nature for me to not really rock the boat. As the baby of the family and with a head of golden curls and big blue eyes, Alli got used to a lot of attention even as a toddler. She loved being surrounded by people and developed a flair for the dramatic (see photo for evidence). As the years went on, that probably resulted in Alli getting into more situations that could land her in hot water. Then again, as the baby, Alli also was very good at getting back out of trouble, and was clever at finding opportunities to pin the blame on one of her older siblings when she could!
Who is Alli’s celebrity crush?
I am embarrassed to admit that I have no idea if Alli even has a celebrity crush. I thought about asking one of her friends if they knew... but that felt like cheating!
What do you admire most about Alli?
Alli has a huge heart, and she is always there for whoever needs support. I especially admire how great Alli is at staying in regular contact with her friends since I embody the "pick up exactly where we left off" friendship style - Alli has a special ability for keeping up close friendships with a large number of people.
What is Alli’s biggest quirk?
Alli has an UNBELIEVABLE visual recall of faces (& names) and real estate. You can have a 5-minute interaction with a street vendor, and Alli could pick them out in a crowded subway 5 stops away, 2 hours later. (She has actually done this!) I used to think she was just making it up or mixing people up, but over time I had to concede it's a real skill. Same thing goes for real estate... She can spend 10 minutes in a house and give you a detailed play-by-play of the layout, decor, etc. Sometimes we joke that she missed her true calling as a realtor or interior designer.
What is the most valuable piece of advice Alli has given you?
Both Alli and I struggle with perfectionism, and the best advice she’s given me (which she’s given many times) is to live in the moment - to realize that work is not the most important thing, that I can never be perfect at everything (or really at anything), and that I should always prioritize spending time on the things I love and with the people I love.
What would you say is Alli’s biggest pet peeve?
Hm, this is a tough one. When Alli was really little, I remember she often became really frustrated by my tendency to compartmentalize emotions - I think she felt alone when I didn't feel or express things in the same way that she did. As an adult, I think Alli's biggest pet peeve would probably be when someone close to her "disappears" or is unavailable/unresponsive... which is a pretty fair pet peeve for her to have, given that she's always so generous with her time and support!
What is one of your favorite memories with Alli?
I love serenading and dancing around for my family’s 1.5 year old black Lab, Bentley - he gets pretty excited whenever I do it, and my family generally gets a kick out of watching and laughing at me and him. One of my favorite memories of Alli is when I put on the song “Bootylicious” one day when I was rebounding from a depression during COVID. Alli and our mom joined me in breaking out some of the silliest dance moves. We danced and laughed all around the kitchen, with Bentley chasing us and showing more enthusiasm than ever.
Alli Said:
Who is the youngest / oldest sibling?
I am #4 of 4 kids and Dani is #3 (3.5 year age difference between us) and we have two older brothers :)
Do you have a nickname for Dani?
DanDan
Who got in trouble more as a kid?
Definitely me! Dani was a pretty perfect kid (at least how I remember it!) To put things in perspective, she would get in trouble for not going to sleep because she was reading into the late hours of the night…she has always been a voracious reader and just a sweet, well behaved kid. I remember my parents even offered to pay her to have playdates since they couldn’t get her to take her nose out of a book (I probably whined about this because I would’ve liked to be paid to read, HA). The reading clearly paid off because she crushed her SATs, was Valedictorian of her high school class, went to MIT for Undergrad and Wharton for her MBA, and is now crushing her job as a Project Leader at a top consulting firm. Is it too obvious that I’m her proud younger sister?! :)
Who is Dani’s celebrity crush?
Hate to admit this but I actually don’t know! We LOVED watching Gilmore Girls with our parents so I’ll go with Jess from that show. I always thought Dani was a lot like Rory with her beautiful blue eyes, rich brown hair, and perfect grades. Seems fitting that Jess would be her crush…
What do you admire most about Dani?
I admire how Dani gives everything 100%. And I mean EVERYTHING. She is always there for her family, friends, and colleagues, no matter what is on her own plate. I admire her for sharing her heart of gold with so many loved ones and for how she is always there for whoever may need her on a given day. I genuinely couldn’t think of a more perfect role model to have as my big sister. She is one of the most talented, well-rounded people I know and excels at everything she puts her mind to whether it’s painting, drawing, closing a client deal, giving life advice, or planning the perfect trip. She has been a rock in my life for as long as I can remember and I simply can’t imagine life without her.
What is Dani’s biggest quirk?
She will happily eat hot dogs for breakfast. I have never understood this quirk. Also still don’t understand how she can eat so much and look so good.
What is the most valuable piece of advice Dani has given you?
Dani said something that has really stuck with me. She said “Al, you’re an empath. Like a white canvas that absorbs all of the different colors of paint thrown its way, you absorb what everyone around you is feeling... You need to learn to protect your heart.” And every time I need to, I come back to that advice, and it’s really grounding for me.
What would you say is Dani’s biggest pet peeve?
Probably when I tell her to stop biting her nails. But hey, what are sisters for if not to help each other break bad habits! Love you DanDan ;)
What is one of your favorite memories with Dani?
One of my all time favorite memories with Dani was in Tuscany when we were on my post-grad Euro trip. Dani, who had lived and traveled in Italy, took me there for my first time. We spent two weeks traveling through Tuscany, Florence, Venice, Rome, and Milan. One of the highlights was a day filled with delicious food, great wine, and some dancing. We took a cooking class with a Michelin star chef and if you know anything about Dani or me, you know Us Gorman Girls LOVE a good meal. When we got back to the agriturismo, we had some great wine overlooking the olive trees and danced the night away with the owners and other guests. The owner’s father in law, who was an older man, couldn’t get enough of Dani and kept twirling her around. We were both laughing and smiling relentlessly and I remember pinching myself in the moment just to check that I wasn’t dreaming it all up …that’s how lucky I felt to have had that day, in a beautiful place, with my big sister. The lesson in all of this is that nothing really beats wining, dining, dancing, and adventuring your way through Italy with your best friend. I hope I’ll be able to return the gesture one day and take her somewhere special too. xx
