Wednesday, April 23, 2008

Presenting...Diana Ventimiglia

Dianne VentimigliaName: Diana Ventimiglia

Title: Associate Editor, Desire

Born: Long Island

Lives: Astoria, Queens

What is the last book you bought? Between You and I (and yes it is actually spelled that way; I gasped too)

Last non-job related book you read?
The Things They Carried by Tim O'Brien, currently reading
The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood.

Whose books are must-haves for you?
Anything Hemingway and Nick Hornby. I won't say I'm obsessed but I am.

If you were going to the Oscars, what color would you wear? Probably yellow or emerald green.

When you have a terrible day, what comfort food do you have to have?
Burgers and Cupcakes...there's actually a place that sells both and it is the best place on earth.

The movie you need to watch at least once a year:
About A Boy, National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation (that is certainly the gift that keeps on giving the whole year through), Super Troopers, and When Harry Met Sally...I could watch that movie everyday for a whole year.

What is your theme song?
Sex Bomb by Tom Jones (this could be because I want to go on a date with him) Walk the Dinosaur by Was not Wuz...if you haven't heard it check back to 1986 and you'll thank me.

Go to movies/netflix/buy?
Go.

When you’re not at work, what do you do?
Go to the gym, write, draw, hang out with friends, walk to Magnolia's to get cupcakes.

Where would you live/what would you do if you didn’t have to worry about working?
I think I would live everywhere...or at least try to visit as many places as possible...I'd also study some languages...Italian, French, Japanese.

Who is your longest friend that you still talk to weekly?
My friend Kevin that I've known since middle school.

What was your favorite class in school and why?
Art because there were so many things to experiment with and tools to express myself.

How would you like to become famous?
I'd like to win Project Runway...but first I'll need to learn how to sew....

What do you wish you had invented?
Hmm...cell phones, although I really hate them sometimes.

What other occupation would want?
I would love to be a photo journalist for National Geographic/Anything business... absolutely not want?
Traders, brokers, blah, blah. I don't think I could ever muster the energy to like it.

If you had the option of living one hundred years in the past or future, which would you choose and why?
I've always wanted to go back in the past and see what New York looked like, what my home town looked like, etc.

Which TV show/movie would you like to be on and which character would you play?
Dee from It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia...because I have a girl crush on her and I love that show.

What is your least and most favorite household task? Oddly enough I like cleaning the bathroom...I hate doing dishes

What was your favorite childhood book? When did you last reread it? Norma Jean Jumping Bean!!! If anyone has ever heard of it or seen it please let me know!!! I haven’t read it in years!

What would other students have said about you way back when?
They would have said I was outgoing and had really big hair...I'm not kidding, I used to pick out my curly hair in middle school because I didn't know what to do with it.

Do you believe in ESP/magic/ghosts/aliens?
I totally believe in ghosts and they scare the bejesus out of me!

What’s something your colleagues don’t know about you?
I used to figure skate competitively.

What is your favorite sound?
The rain.

Do you have pets?
No, but would like to sneak one into my apartment!

Name one guilty pleasure:
Celebrity magazines--love them!

Who are your role models?
My mom and my friend Mara who has the biggest heart of anyone I know.

And, to paraphrase James Lipton from The Actor’s Studio, when you arrive at the pearly gates, what would you like God/Allah/Mohamed/Moses (insert any other deities here) to say to you?
That I was a kind person who cared about people...and that they have a Burgers and Cupcakes 2 blocks down that way.

9 comments:

PatriciaW said...

Leave it to NYC to charge $2.95 for a cupcake. At least it's still less than a gallon of gas! And they're probably huge. Boy, do I miss NY food!

Thanks for the fun links and a fun interview.

Isabel Swift said...

Hey, Patricia--you have made my day. Thanks for commenting & enjoying a link!

Putting links into a post is an interesting exercise/discipline. Of course, some links are the purpose of an informational post.

But others are just enhanced detail or background. Sometimes you find fun informational treats to share and have no idea whether any of your effort will be enjoyed. Note Diana's favorite bakery Magnolia link has recipe for their most popular (vanilla!) cupcake, so you can make your own.

The first cupcake spot has just opened in DC, which I have yet to check out. I am intrigued by the idea of the tiny, bite-size cupcakes, though. Don't know if anyone is doing. Seems like that would offer the perfect icing-to-cake ratio in every bite. Mmmmm...

Laura Drake said...

Isabel,
I am the Blog editor of the Orange County Chapter of RWA, and our President, Sue Phillips, told me that at one point you may have been interested in blogging with us once a month - we'd love to have you if you're interested! I have a few open slots, so please let me know...
thanks,
Laura Drake
laura_drake1123@yahoo.com

Shirley Hailstock said...

I love the big-hair comment. I always wanted to have big hair, but mine was never long enough or thick enough. I blame my sisters. They took the hair gene.

Would love to see before and after pictures.

Thank Isabel for the profile.

Shirley

Janet Spaeth said...

This decides it. I'm moving to New York.

Burgers and Cupcakes? I'm sold.

Great interview! (And now I really really really want a cupcake...)

Unknown said...

Does anyone else like to make sandwiches out of their cupcakes so the frosting is in the middle? I learned that technique from a teacher friend of mine and I must say the cupcakes eat much faster that way. I can usually go back for seconds while everyone else is still figuring out how to take their first bite.

Thanks Isabel for these great interviews. It's been fun meeting all the editors.

Isabel Swift said...

Shirley, Janet, Cat--thanks for your support.

And it sounds like we all need to open a cupcake place! I have never heard of the cupcake sandwich. Interesting. The bottom would need to not be too crumbly to make it work though...

Am in Alabama right now & the local store had "Donut sticks"! Hello! If it's a stick, it's not a donut. I guess it's a dobolt...

Bobbie (Sunny) Cole said...

Isabel, I lurk but rarely comment - just had to say thank you for the wonderful posts and "interviews". Makes the Harlequin/Silhouette dream less frightening to know that they're HUMAN up thar - lol.

Isabel Swift said...

Lyn--thank you so much for speaking up! I am going to gather everyone's kind comments and share them with the editors and hope that will inspire more volunteers, so appreciate your kind comments. Lurk away!