Claire Khodara
Musician & Founder, Starrock
Productions
The kids are down, your work is done - how do you spend your “me” time, when you get it?
When I have a minute to myself during the day or night, I turn my phone off, take a walk, do a YouTube yoga class, or have a nice dinner with my husband, Greg. Having multiple kids and running a business can leave my relationship wayside unless we both put the time in, so I make an effort to spend time with my husband, keeping our bond strong. My family is my priority! If left truly alone and work is seemingly done (even though 'to do' lists are never done), I indulge in Julia Cameron's "morning pages" from her book The Artist's Way - 3 pages of stream of consciousness. It helps me get my anxieties out and enables me to think clearly and act creatively instantly.
What is the thing you bought in the last three months that you have most enjoyed? (In any product category)
A Queen Rose double-sided snoogle pregnancy pillow! I am pregnant with my third and love all maternity sleeping frills.
What is the quality you most like in yourself as a mother?
I am very easy going or at least I try to be! I remember being at a dear friend's house when my 1-year-old picked up a dog bone and started chewing it. Instead of freaking out, my initial reaction was to remove the bone and laugh. Life isn't perfect and you have to enjoy the ride, especially when you have kids.
What’s the quality you most like in one or all of your children that they did not inherit from you?
My oldest son Winston is autistic and has the attention span, will, and determination of no one I've ever met! He's incredible in so many ways, which keeps me in awe. Of course, autism has its challenges as it is a mix of disability and gift, but the goal is to grow out of the disabilities and allow the gifts to flourish.
What’s the other career you’d most like to try out, given a second professional life?
I am a singer and agent. I would love to act! I've recently moved to LA so who knows...
Is there anything that quarantine forced you to change that you would like to - or will - maintain post quarantine?
In speaking with friends, I feel that quarantine has served us all with many life lessons that we needed to face for a long time. The opportunity of being at home has forced us to deal with things in a way we never would have done before. It basically exaggerated life and made you deal with your sh*t. Prior to quarantine, I had a lot of reservations about admitting my son's autism publicly, however, spending so much time with him has made me realize he's brilliant. I now truly see all of the gifts alongside the disability. I thank this time every day for the confidence it has given me in being a better mother and community member, able to be outspoken about hard things.
Claire and her sister, Grace Fuller, at home with their children.
What are the nicest things your partner does for you, and you for them?
Greg always thinks of me in the ways he asks me what I want to do, what I want to eat, where I want to live, etc. He puts me first in every decision. Yes, the random wet towels left on the bed drive me MAD, but all in all, I cannot complain. He's the perfect husband!
How important is routine to you? What parts of your routine are sacrosanct?
I love to sleep, eat well, and exercise, but I am a very spontaneous person. It makes me feel alive to have no 2 days the same. The parts of my routine that are sacrosanct are my sleep habits. No one messes with that! I need 8 hours a night or else I am a MESS. This makes the first 0-6 months of postpartum a nightmare, but you realize in time how sacred this time and how quickly it passes.
What are your professional goals and how do you go about achieving them?
My professional goals are to keep singing all over the world, to keep booking musicians that I love, and to soon launch a new agency called La Famille with my bestie Madeleine Fawcett connecting influencers with brands. I achieve them by doing something every day. Maybe I don't work 8 hours one day, but it doesn't matter because I have called a client or brainstormed about a new song. I love working because I love what I do!
What are the things that make your home personal to you and your family?
My husband is French, has lived in over 6 countries, and has many family heirlooms in the form of art, furniture, crystal, and silver. My parents are art collectors and my mother is an artist so our house is adorned with her art and precious pieces from our extended family, creating a unique space for our little nuclear family.
How important is community to you, and how do you go about building and nurturing it for your family?
Community is everything. Our relationships, near and far, represent a piece of our hearts. Nurturing a diverse community, across socioeconomic and racial boundaries, is one of the most important things in my life. Race was never a thing growing up in Philadelphia as my neighborhood and school had people of all different colors and genders. We just were. When I went to college in Rome, I realized I had been living in somewhat of a bubble during adolescence and that most of the world held prejudices that I didn't understand and had not yet witnessed first hand. I have come to understand that these prejudices are simply the result of ignorance and fear. The ignorance stems from not knowing other people intimately who look different from you and not being able to see people for who they truly are. Race is a social construct. Like race, racial identity can be and is fluid and racial classifications are not free of consequences or real effects. I am mindful of that every day, and I make an effort to expand my community constantly, showing my children that who you surround yourself with becomes who you are.
What maternity style or clothing item could you not find this time around that you most wish FH would create?
FH honestly has it all!
Shop Claire's Look: Yoked Shirtdress
