Thanks to Joanne Best for blogging my first interview for my upcoming book “On the Guest List” (Out Spring 2014). I was interviewed by Cynthia Santiglia. ENJOY!
I have been gifted with the honor and privilege of posting the following interview with Music Journalist Maryanne Christiano-Mistrettahttps://maryannemistretta.wordpress.com/about/ author of a book I can’t wait to sink my greedy little teeth into. Treat yourself to an early Holiday present, starting with a little taste of Maryanne as she talks to Cynthia Santiglia about some of her many adventures in the world of Rock and Roll. Believe me, you will be glad you did. ~ jb
Finding Your Way into Print: A Talk with Music Journalist Maryanne Christiano-Mistretta
By Cynthia Santiglia
The art of getting your name out there in the press, most musicians know, has a direct effect on exposure, and ultimately, on an artist’s bottom line. This comes more naturally to some than others. We spoke with author, respected music journalist and New York City music industry fixture Maryanne Christiano-Mistretta for an insider’s perspective on musicians’ relationships…
I was recently interviewed by Cynthia Santiglia to promote my book “On the Guest List: Adventures of a Music Journalist” for a website about the music industry. However, the webmaster has his own book coming and out and feels it would be a conflict of interest.
If anyone would like the interview for their blog or website, we are open to passing it on, just drop me a line at: maryannechristiano@gmail.com
The book is out for a Spring 2014 release. This is the first interview I’ve done so far.
Do I look like I eat “nothing”? Last time I checked, I’m a far cry from Amy Winehouse or Kate Moss — so why do people assume I eat “nothing” or deprive myself when I share that I’m a vegetarian?
Of course telling people you didn’t have turkey on Thanksgiving Day opens up a whole can of worms. “What did you eat?” some may cry out in desperation as they secretly pity you. For choosing not to consume turkey (which I never liked anyway, including all other meats!) on Thanksgiving Day I’m viewed as some sort of freak.
Well, let me enlighten you — this freak loves to eat!
Since protein is an issue with most meat eaters, let me share some excellent sources of protein: rennet-less cheese, beans, quinoa, tofu, nuts/seeds (who doesn’t love peanut butter?) and veggie burgers. (Sorry other vegetarians, I hate tempeh!)
I also eat carbs. (Please don’t throw me on the gluten free band wagon — I love pasta and bread!) Health experts I most respect eat carbs and I refuse to feel guilty for doing so.
But what’s really super about being a vegetarian — and the BEST PART OF THANKSGIVING — it’s the SIDE DISHES! How can anyone refuse the following: chestnuts, potatoes, artichokes, salad, olives. And I made the most delicious green apple and butternut squash dish! And that’s just what was on my family’s table. Other delicious Thanksgiving delights include: turnips, cranberry sauce, yams, string beans, fresh fruit, brussel sprouts, corn … is your mouth watering yet? One year I made the most amazing raw ambrosia dish that contained: grated raw yams (which are so sweet they could be mistaken for carrots!), raisins, pineapples, shredded coconut, apples and grapes. YUM!
I don’t know about you but I think my menu trumps a plate of turkey any day. Oh well, maybe if you get the wishbone in your turkey leftovers you can wish for something really cool — like, say, a side dish of open-mindedness!
On WordPress you meet the most amazing people! So cool to have met Marie. First we connected on music, then when I realized what a great artist she was, she commissioned some items for me. Check it out in this great blog she wrote about what she made for my friend Darlene!
As usual, once October approaches, November and December come full speed at me. Here it is the end of November and not a post has been posted…
I have very exciting news to share. Well, two bits of exciting news, but I’m waiting to share until most the details have been worked out.
In the mean time, I thought I’d share with you a tin I was “commissioned” to do. I was asked to make a raven themed tin for an artist who specializes in digital photography and image enhancement.
I was nervous about this task because after looking at the work created by this artist, I felt grossly inadequate. How could I, a “self-teaching” unknown, create anything worthy enough to present to a talented, accomplished artist? I love her work, the haunting images, the eeriness of it all, and I wanted to capture the ideas expressed in her work…
Last night my husband and I saw The Fab Faux for the fourth time! This time around it was at the State Theatre in New Brunswick. It was a fabulous mix of Beatles songs throughout the two hour set with a 15 minute intermission.
For those who don’t know, The Fab Faux is a Beatles tribute band (the Beatles were known as the Fab Four) founded by Will Lee, a bassist for The David Letterman show.
Two of those times they performed entire albums “Abby Road” and “The White Album.” The first time I saw them I was assigned to cover their show for a local newspaper — I was right in the front and saw the set list for the three sets I had front row for. THIS time was different because I had no idea what song was coming next, it was a complete surprise — a total mix, which was really cool.
The crowd was extremely friendly, which always makes a show extra fun. Can’t wait to see them again!
From left: Wendy Dolber, Me, Diane and Gerard Barros
Marvin and Roe DiBona, Paulette Szalay and Stefanie Miotto
Since I started my company Pear Tree back in 2008 I’ve been having an annual luncheon with all my clients around the holiday season. I think it’s very nice to get together with folks you do business with away from a working atmosphere. It’s always so cool when a bunch of creative minds get together and enjoy each others company.
Wendy Dolber is the author of “The Guru Next Door” (http://thegurunextdoor.com/). Currently I am finding internet radio shows for her to appear on. If you are interested in having Wendy on your show, please contact me at: maryannechristiano@gmail.com
Diane and Gerard Barros are a dynamic husband/wife music team (http://barrosmelody.com/). Currently I am booking them in assistant living facilities and libraries. They also do weddings and restaurants. If you are interested in having them perform contact me at: maryannechristiano@gmail.com
Marvin and Roe DiBona own Mexican restaurant Rocking Horse Cafe in New York City (http://www.rockinghorsecafe.com/). I occasionally help Roe with some personal assistance at her home in Montclair.
Paulette Szalay is the author of environmental children’s book, “Baggy Maggy and Friends Save Stinkville” (http://www.baggymaggy.com/friends.html). Originally I met Paulette when I was covering one of her book signing appearances for the Paterson Press. Then I did some promotional work for her.
Stefanie Miotto is the author of Moonstone Dreams (https://www.facebook.com/Moonstonedreams). I helped copy edit “Moonstone Dreams” and we soon will be working together the sequel!
Over a year ago, I wrote an article called “Beauty and the Bush” for my blog. I thought it was a great topic and pitched the idea to gasm.org and they published it: http://gasm.org/article/beauty-and-the-bush/
My actually blog was inspired by another blogger who was nitpicking about vaginal grooming and I thought she was being ridiculous, as it’s a woman’s body and it’s ALL GOOD!
Hope you enjoy! I’m thrilled to be on a fabulous online website with other great female writers such as Jamye Waxman, Nina Hartley, Abby Ehman and Ducky Doolittle — to name a few!
In the late 1980s I was a young girl, not yet 25, working at A.B. Bookman in Garfield, New Jersey, as a typesetter. Bayani Mendoza De Leon was a proofreader there. The first time he spoke to me, it was because he was very impressed with my typing skills and asked how I got to be such a good typist.
Now this was before home computers, and I shared that I spent many hours typing poetry I wrote on my Smith Corona typewriter at home. Bayani expressed interest in my poetry and we became good friends, spending all our lunches and breaks together, as we were both vegetarians and very much into the new age. Bayani was a lot older than me — at age 46 he seemed almost ancient. But the age difference didn’t stop us from becoming friends. Then something extraordinary happened — Bayani became my spiritual mentor. He gave me hundreds of books and tapes on Teachings of the Far East, Gurdjieff, Buddha, Ouspensky, numerology, alphabet-ology, The Bible … and so on. I stopped going to night clubs for about eight months, spending all my time studying with Bayani and on my own.
I celebrated my 25th birthday with Bayani. Our favorite restaurant was The Gate in NYC (of course it’s no longer there). It was a Japanese restaurant that served green tea and red bean ice cream — something extraordinary back in those days. Another restaurant we favored were Pumpkin Eater up on 79th Street. We also saw one of my favorite musicians — Mick Karn — perform at The Bottom Line.
Bayani was also a well known musician in the Philippines. He was friends with another musician, Eleanor Academia, who was from California (where Bayani spent some time living). One day Eleanor treated Bayani and I to lunch in New York City. She had a great saying, “Spend your money, save your soul.”
When Bayani left A.B. Bookman several months after we became good friends, we touched base a few times but really didn’t keep in touch. So I was beyond thrilled when out of the blue I heard from Bayani in 2011! He found me via my website (www.peartreeenterprises.com) and wrote me an email! A few months later, February 2012, we got together for lunch at my favorite restaurant, Veggie Heaven. He was in great spirits and we had a wonderful time. I was 48 (two years older than Bayani was when I first met him!) and Bayani was 69.
We promised to keep in touch, but sadly, that was the last time I saw Bayani. Our last email was a few weeks after our lunch.
I heard of Bayani’s death today by chance. I was looking up info on music.orb and found that they acknowledged his birthday! I was excited and Googled him — only to find a sad tribute about his death on You Tube.
I was shocked and sad. When we were friends back in the 1980s Bayani met both my mother and grandmother. He also took pictures of my sister and I one night before we went to a Halloween party. That’s how close we were. I once met his sister too and had dinner in his home when she was visiting. I still have photos of me and her together. As well as all the pictures he took of my sister and I on Halloween, 1988. One of the few nights I deviated from my spiritual studies.
So many fond memories, but my favorite was when we took breaks at A.B. Bookman and sat in the hallway sharing vegetarian snacks like Eden Soy Milk and Japanese plum ball sours. In just 15 minutes we shared great food and had such deep conversation. It was great!
So September 2013 was such a tragic month. My Billy cat died Sept. 3, my mentor Joan Finn died a few days later, and then Bayani (which I just found out about) left us at age 70.
Rest in Peace to a wonderful soul and an ever-joyful spirit … a deep, quiet man with a good heart. Definitely heaven’s gain.
This was an amazing exhibit, for the names of artists, their pieces and prices, please visit the website, as this link will take you directly to the current exhibit: http://www.parlor-gallery.com/?page_id=1053
(Cover Design by Darlene Foster, photo by Ed O’Brien)
Hello All!
I am absolutely thrilled by all the hard work Darlene Foster (www.darlenefoster.com) did in putting together the cover for my upcoming book, “On the Guest List.”
She was truly an asset to my vision and went above and beyond my expectations.
It’s such a blessing to have such creative people involved in my vision.
The next several months I’ll be poking around seeking the perfect self-publishing company and plan on having my book out by Spring 2014.
Maryanne Christiano-Mistretta 