Nikki Lackowski, Neighbor

Born in Santa Monica and growing up in Sweden, Nikki Lackowski has worked as a writer and editor for the last 20 years, with music and food as her specialty areas, but she has also covered hard news stories. She spent ten years in New York City as a correspondent reporter, writing for Sweden's largest newspapers and Conde Nast publications like ELLE Sweden and ELLE Á La Carte. While in New York, she also wrote several pieces on advertising design for PRINT Magazine.

Nikki has worked as an editor-in-chief, news reporter, arts editor, radio reporter and freelance writer for several national and international newspapers, magazines, radio shows and online media.

In the music world, Nikki has interviewed Robert Plant, Mary J Blige, Britney Spears, Neil Young, KISS, Pearl Jam, NAS, jazz musicians like Brian Blade, and top record producers and studio engineers. She has also interviewed numerous actors, directors, celebrity chefs, and best-selling authors.

When Nikki isn't writing, she loves to cook, and she plays guitar and sings with her own soul-rock band, The Nikki O'Neill Band (her maiden name.) She's a very popular guitar instructor, who's taught at universities and lead international clinics. She's currently writing a rock guitar instruction book for Alfred Music Publishing, scheduled to be released in 2011.

She lives with her husband in Playa del Rey.