▁she ▁is ▁often ▁told ▁that ▁she ▁is ▁not ▁meeting ▁her ▁full ▁potential . ▁Her ▁father ▁runs ▁the ▁same ▁Dutch ▁sh ipping ▁firm ▁his ▁great - gre at - grand father ▁founded ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 8 th ▁century , ▁and ▁her ▁mother , ▁L ill ian ▁van ▁der ▁Wood sen , ▁is ▁a ▁social ite , ▁art ▁collect or , ▁and ▁phil anth rop ist . ▁Her ▁mother ▁and ▁father ▁ ▁are ▁on ▁the ▁bo ards ▁of ▁all ▁major ▁char ities ▁and ▁art ▁organizations ▁in ▁the ▁city . ▁The ▁van ▁der ▁Wood sens ▁res ide ▁at ▁ 9 9 4 ▁Fif th ▁Avenue , ▁a ▁rit zy , ▁white - g lo ved ▁do orm an ▁building ▁directly ▁across ▁the ▁street ▁from ▁The ▁Met ▁and ▁Central ▁Park . ▁Ser ena ▁and ▁her ▁family ▁own ▁half ▁the ▁top ▁floor ▁in ▁a ▁ 1 4 - room ▁pent house . ▁ ▁Ser ena ▁has ▁a ▁n ail - bit ing ▁habit ▁and ▁also ▁cut s ▁her ▁split ▁ends ▁off , ▁mainly ▁during ▁her ▁classes ▁at ▁Const ance ▁Bill ard . ▁Though ▁exposed ▁and ▁aware ▁of ▁the ▁on - go ings ▁in ▁the ▁fashion ▁world , ▁she , ▁unlike ▁Bla ir , ▁is ▁not ▁as ▁met icul ous ▁about ▁her ▁fashion ▁choices ▁and ▁w ard ro be . ▁She ▁is ▁described ▁to ▁have ▁an ▁effort less ▁way ▁about ▁her . ▁Ser ena ▁is ▁char ism atic , ▁char ming , ▁tal ented , ▁fun ny , ▁kind , ▁care - free , ▁and ▁laid - back