New York City is a place of endless discoveries. To show it all off, we’re excited to announce #StreetEasyFinds. Share your NYC finds with us on Instagram: Photos of homes, views, neighborhoods, or anything you’d like, and we’ll share our favorites. Each month, we highlight the work of one of our favorite NYC photographers as they share their #StreetEasyFinds with us.

Today, we’re pleased to introduce Areta Chen, a New Jersey native who found a creative outlet photographing the city while she was earning her undergraduate degree from NYU.

NAME: ARETA CHEN // ACCOUNT: @ARETASTYLESECRETS
FROM: NEW JERSEY // ACCOUNT EST: 2013

ACCOUNT BEGINNINGS:

Instagram was my creative outlet while I was getting my undergrad degree in economics & business at NYU. I was really inspired by the city when I moved to New York in 2012 and started a fashion blog. As the IG community evolved and became more established, I started to focus more of my time and energy creating content on the platform, ultimately transitioning from a fashion focus to a lifestyle account. I love that I can browse my feed today and go through a photo story of my life from the past 6 years!

FAVORITE SPOTS TO PHOTOGRAPH IN NYC:

That’s a tough one…the West Village has the most charm, SoHo is always a classic, but the Lower East Side has some real hidden gems. I also especially love Central Park, and photographing it through the seasons. Now that I’m in Midtown, I’ve definitely been trying to explore more of the Uptown and Upper East Side neighborhoods. You never know what you might find!

ARETA LOVES NYC BECAUSE:

I love the energy—the feeling that anything you want and work hard for is within your reach. 

DREAM CITY OUTSIDE OF NEW YORK:

London has been on the top of my list ever since I studied abroad there, but I could also see Taipei as a long-term option. 

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Inspired to find your next place in New York? Whether you’re looking to rent or to buy, search NYC apartments on StreetEasy.