Meet Angie Venezia
“Originally from Los Angeles, Angie attended college in Eugene, Oregon, before moving to New York City to pursue a career in book publishing and has been there ever since. She’s worked as a publicist at Vintage & Anchor Books for seven years, where she has had the opportunity to work with many of her favorite authors, including Samantha Irby, Cheryl Strayed, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Hanya Yanagihara, Patti Smith, Stephanie Danler, and Claire Dederer.”
Top, Staud ; Pants, Elizabeth Suzann ; Shoes, Gray Matters
ON HER MORNING ROUTINE
The first thing I do is put on a kettle of water and have hot water with lemon on an empty stomach. At some point, I drink a cup of water blended with Moon Juice Probiotics. I often skip breakfast (which is a terrible habit), but if I manage to eat something, I'll also take my daily dose of vitamins from Care/Of (a service that I'm obsessed with). Each day's vitamins come in individual packets that you can easily throw in your bag, so there's no excuse to forget.
On Her Favorite part of her daily routine
After getting ready, Reed and I take Shelby for a long walk before heading out. We go to our local coffee shop and then on to our respective commutes. People think it's romantic that we walk Shelby together every morning—we don't really see it that way, we just love our girl (she is very spoiled and we jokingly refer to her as our dog-child). I love that we can have our mornings together—I guess it is kind of romantic.
On one of her favorite books
Eve Babitz is a new favorite. She was an LA socialite and writer in the 70s who knew everyone. She notoriously played chess in the nude with Marcel Duchamp, and had affairs with just about everyone (like Harrison Ford, apparently!). Slow Days, Fast Company is a book of personal essays about her life in LA, and it is irresistible. It's also been getting me through some intense nostalgia I'm currently having for LA (my hometown). I need to visit, and remind myself of why I prefer New York.
On Getting her start in publishing
I've been a lifelong book lover. In college, all I had decided about the future was that I wanted to work in book publishing and live in New York City. When I graduated, I immediately moved to NYC...one day after graduation. That was a traumatizing change and I wasn't ready. It was 2008, just after the Recession, so it took several months for me to meet people and establish contacts that went on to recommend me for work, which is sometimes necessary in a competitive industry like publishing. All I can attribute my first job to is insane luck and persistence. I went to every book event out of a pure desire to be a part of it, was covering events and books for Flavorwire, and gradually met the right people. I met my first professional advocate at a publishing event at Housing Works, which led to a publicity assistant role at FSG, where I learned how to do my job from some really kickass women.
on some of her favorite projects
I have worked with Cheryl Strayed for around five years. She and her work have been a constant source of professional and personal support. With Patti Smith's M Train in paperback, I had the relatively rare opportunity to accompany her on the East Coast leg of her book tour. Publicists used to travel with authors all the time, but that's become a pretty old school practice. I found it to be an important experience, learning what is comfortable or uncomfortable for authors on the road and seeing firsthand how these venues run the events we arrange. All of her events involved a musical performance, a kind of programming completely new to me. That was a career-altering project. Hanya Yanagihara's A Little Life was an incredibly important novel to me, so I felt like the luckiest gal on earth to work on that. Hanya is one of my favorite people. Stephanie Danler's Sweetbitter was also very special. I adore the way she writes about sensory experiences, like food and sex. I'm currently immersed in the paperback campaign for that. I can't wait to see what she writes next.
Top, Staud ; Earrings, Sophie Buhai ; Pants, Elizabeth Suzann
“The most challenging aspect is navigating the constantly shifting climate of literary coverage in the media. Things had begun to change dramatically before I started out in 2008, and the Internet has exploded with possibilities. It’s exciting to work with emerging writers and critics who have started their own websites and podcasts, expansive lifestyle sites that explore culture in multifaceted ways (like Passerbuys), or even book clubs on Instagram.”
On Her Skincare Routine
Glossier radically changed the way I approach makeup and skincare. When they introduced Phase 1, I realized I didn't need to use foundation, and organically began to focus more on caring for my skin, rather than painting and hiding it. I've been an evangelist for Glossier since day 1—my friends are pretty tired of it. Each morning and night I wash my face, occasionally exfoliate with P50, then layer three products: an essence (Belif), a serum or oil (In Fiore Calme oil is my favorite), and a moisturizer (Sunday Riley's Tidal is a miracle cream). During the day I then layer on an SPF and Glossier Priming Moisturizer on top of that.
On Her Makeup Routine
For makeup, I only wear Skin Tint, a highlighter (like Haloscope in Quartz), and light eye makeup. I recently added Glossier Cloud Paints for blush (my favorite is Haze). That is a flawless product, and creates a really unique look. I look for simple and low maintenance products, like Glossier Boy Brow and RMS Beauty eye polishes. I don't like having to be precise about it, so I rarely wear eyeliner or anything like that. I love lipstick—Glossier Generation G in Leo and Jam are my faves. Linda Rodin's lipsticks are next-level. My favorite is Winks, especially in summer. Lastly, I'm in love with J. Hannah's line of nail polish—they are the most vibrant neutrals, and are free of the usual chemicals that come in drugstore nail polish.
Angie's Beauty Tip
I read somewhere that rubbing Castor Oil on your eyebrows and eyelashes before bed makes them grow faster. It works. I exfoliate in the shower with these Japanese washcloths. You can order them on Amazon. They are not for the faint of heart, but make your skin so soft.
“My fiancé Reed happens to be a talented furniture-maker. He’s a designer by profession, but in his free time has created most of the furniture in our apartment. That really defines our aesthetic at home—I claim no credit for this. His pieces are modern and geometric, mixing materials like steel and wood. I think I bring some of the homier touches to our decor—like paintings by my grandmother, my great-great grandmother’s steamer trunk that she immigrated to America with, and two Emily Isabella paintings that I bought for us recently.”
On Shopping and Personal Style
A huge interest of mine is following emerging designers and observing how their collections evolve from year to year. It can be addictive, and difficult accepting the fact that I can't buy everything, but I love seeing what they are up to from season to season. Some of my favorites brands to watch are Elizabeth Suzann, No. 6, Sandy Liang...I could go on and on. My aesthetic is kind of California with a retro bent. I love mixing modern with a retro silhouette, so Jesse Kamm's sailor pant is a favorite style, as is the Gray Matters Mildred pump or Martiniano's high glove shoe, both of which have a 40s vibe to me. Sophie Buhai's silver jewelry collection takes me back to the California I grew up in, and makes me think of hippy dippy high school art teachers, and my grandmother Lois, who is a painter and always wears silver. I died when saw Staud's cinematic safari-inspired Spring collection the other day—this kind of dressing reminds me of Katherine Hepburn and Lauren Bacall.
My favorite online shop is Need Supply—they carry most of my favorite designers and are killing it in every way, from marketing to customer service. Another favorite is Lisa Says Gah for discoverability and aesthetic. I admire how they are reshaping the shopping experience, and turning a retail space into a space to find inspiration as well. She profiles fascinating women, and posts beautiful images, in addition to selling very covetable clothing. For in-person shopping, No. 6 Store in Nolita is IT, and for vintage, I love Na Nin on Instagram.
Angie's dog, Shelby ; Top, Everlane ; Pants, Jesse Kamm ; Shoes, Martiniano
“It doesn’t feel like it’s been 8 years that I’ve lived and worked in New York. I regret not exploring my passions more, traveling more, before having a career, and not taking things more slowly. It’s never too late though. Take classes and use your time wisely—I’m still trying to figure out how to do this. I also learned how important it is to use that travel time—if you’re lucky enough to have it. Once I was settled in New York it became very hard to travel, mostly for financial reasons. Find a way to explore anyway, even if it’s as close as Upstate NY, or somewhere else within driving distance.”
Angie's Favorite Books
Women in Clothes by Sheila Heti, Heidi Julavits, et. al.
Slow Days, Fast Company by Eve Babitz
The People in the Trees by Hanya Yanagihara
Love and Trouble: A Midlife Reckoning by Claire Dederer
Angie's favorite records
Angie's Favorite Places
The Narrows for a drink on the weekend. Now that it's getting warmer I can't wait to spend time in their back patio.
The veggie burger and rosemary shallot fries at Tutu's is my go-to meal when I'm too tired/lazy to cook at home after work.
Cafe Ghia for brunch. There is no better place. I usually order the Mofongo or the Baked Eggs.
Metrograph on the Lower East Side for rare movie screenings.The Commissary upstairs is amazing too—I'm obsessed with their kale caesar salad with anchovies.
Georgia O'Keeffe at the Brooklyn Museum - I know everyone is talking about this exhibition, but it really is as special as they say.
Oroboro Store in Williamsburg for the best window shopping.
Lucali in Carroll Gardens for the most special dining experience and the best pizza in BK.
The Russian Samovar in Midtown for martinis and latkes after work.
Cafe Sabarsky for breakfast, followed by a visit to The Met, is my favorite thing to do on a day off.