SUMMER Lovin'

Joining Y&R Happened So Fast But Allison Lanier Is Having A Blast

- Devin Owens

JUST THE FACTS

Birthday: August 4

Born In: Vidalia, GA. "It's at small town in southern Georgia, but maybe you've heard of it because of Vidalia onions. So when you say you were born in Vidalia, you'll hear, 'Oh, you're a Vidalia onion sprout.' We moved to Snellville when I was 2, and Raleigh, North Carolina, when I was 14."

Team Effort: Lanier has one older brother by two years, Andrew. "I was definitely the annoying little sister. We butted heads when we were younger, but we've come around to being close in our adulthood. His wife just gave birth to my second niece!"

Taken: Lanier has been in a five-year relationship with JD Samson, who was a member of the electronic punk band Le Tigre. "We share the same birthday," she reports.

The Best Things About Living In New York City?

"The food and the culture."

The Worst? "Garbage day during the hot summer. The smell smacks you in the face."

Oh, Rats: "You have to get desensitized to rats in New York. I remember the first time one ran by me, I screamed and threw my cell phone. Now a rat can scurry across my feet and I won't even react."

Second Act: "One of my great joys in life is going to flea markets and estate sales."

Home Body: "I love interior design, so I could watch HGTV 24/7. Becoming an HGTV star is on my bucket list."

Unlike her savvy, ambitious alter ego, Summer, portrayer Allison Lanier lacked focus as a high school student. "I have to say, I just wasn't someone who was driven," she admits. "In fact, I was a little lost because I hadn't figured out what my passions were yet. So, while I had dreams in my subconscious, I didn't have the confidence to pursue them."