Name: Divya Guruju
Where do you live? Montclair
When did you move there? Moved to the US from India in 2002 and to Montclair in 2014.
Where did you grow up? Hyderabad (the biryani capital) in South India.
How do you make a living? OR What is your everyday passion?
I am the Founder and Creative Director at MELLOWWORKS – a modern stationery brand. My brand is all about color and a playful mix of simple patterns. I design and sell luxurious wrapping paper, colorful eye-catching notebooks, cards and more, all printed right here in the USA. I also have a newly launched home collection of retro inspired velvet pillows.
You can follow my journey on instagram @mellowworksart or on facebook.
Coffee, tea or … ? South Indian drip coffee in the morning and masala tea in the afternoon. And more coffee any time of the day!
What’s your idea of a perfect weekend day? Lazing on the beach with a good book.
What’s your favorite local restaurant? Oh, this is a hard one. I have so many favorites. Marcel Bakery, De Novo, Bluestone Coffee, Red Eye Cafe, Local Coffee are my go-to places. But if I had to pick one for special occasions, it’s Turtle+Wolf. The food is consistently amazing.
What’s on your nightstand? My phone, hand cream, earrings, and a couple of books. Right now Beautiful Ruins by Jess Walter and Gardener’s Nightcap by Muriel Stuart.
What are you listening to? I love listening to the radio and podcasts. I usually play local music stations, Old Bollywood music or NPR when I am working in my studio. My current podcast favorites are Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard and The Daily, and I just started listening to Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus.
What are your current indulgences? Vanilla Ice Cream with warm caramelized apple and my husband’s chili ginger cocktail.
What talent would you most like to have? To Dance. I cannot move a limb for the life of me.
What’s the worst-kept (or best-kept!) secret about Montclair? The scotch egg banh mi sandwich at Red Eye Cafe – you should try it.
What do you hope they say about you at your funeral? Doesn’t matter! I will be dead.
Love Divya and her beautiful MELLOWWORKS products!