By Amy Nicole Tangel

With May being Mental Health Awareness Month, many people may be checking in and asking themselves how they are dealing with everyday life and the struggles along the way; wondering if therapy is the answer to a better quality of life.  Nationally renowned counselor and author Ron Villano, who has dedicated his life to helping others after suffering his own personal tragedy, said he believes mental health is necessary for everyone in good times and bad.

With offices across Long Island and beyond, Ron Villano M.S., ASAC is the current Director of Family and Personal Counseling in St. James, N.Y., and additionally operates a private psychotherapy practice in Bohemia.  Ron has built his career in personal and professional counseling based upon his heartfelt life’s mission to help people, and eventually he became an inspirational speaker to help grieving parents after the loss of his youngest son Michael in a tragic car accident on July 22, 1998.

Although Ron said he had practiced therapy part-time before the loss of his son, it was after going through his own healing process and darkest hours when he had the revelation to make not only celebrating his son’s life his focus through helping others, but to truly build a platform to spread awareness and speak to people who have also suffered the loss of a child.

“There is never a good day to die, there is never a good day to get divorced, and never a good day to lose your job.  It took me a long time to get to this spot, but that’s how I help them,” he said.

Ron is also the author of, “The Zing: The self-discovery guide to help you go from living life to loving the life you live,” a book which he said was already in his head before the loss of his son, but after Michael’s passing the book took on a whole new meaning and in 2006 the book was published.  Alongside Ron’s trademarked motto “Embrace the Power of Change,” the book is broken down into seven specific topics of mental health each with its own analogies to help readers easily remember and learn.

In the book and throughout Ron’s practices, “The Tunnel” is a concept Ron said he uses with patients to learn how to take something negative and get through “The Tunnel” to get to where the light is.  He said most people when going through a darkest moment run back to the more comfortable and less scary place at least a few times before breaking through to the other side.

“You want to go through that light tunnel, because you want something new, something different; you’ve had enough,” he said.

Ron works to share his insight and compassion any chance he gets and in addition to counseling, writing, and motivationally speaking, he said he is also the top psych contributor for WCBS (880 AM) Newsradio nationally.  You can also find expertise from Ron in 26 newspapers across the country with his column, “Ask Ron Villano,” which he describes as a “Dear Abby” type of help for readers. 

Going above and beyond to help anyone who knocks on Ron’s door seeking help is the foundation of his work, but he said he doesn’t do it on his own.  Ron said his life is led spiritually to not only celebrate his son’s life, but by the calling to continue to serve others.  Helping others doesn’t just go for his patients, but Ron takes great pride in his staff and said he works to make sure everyone makes a decent living.  For Ron, he said it just feels good to help others, and he wants to keep doing more by being as relatable as possible to every person he counsels.

Ron goes to therapy every week himself, and said it is important for him to let people know as much as he helps others with their own mental health. He is just like everyone else and continues to work on his own life’s struggles in the most positive ways possible.

“I will always tell the patient, ‘The only difference between you and me today is you’re on that side of the couch,’” he said.

When it comes to public speaking about the loss of his son, Ron said he only goes according to his spirit.  If he doesn’t feel that connection with his son for a particular event, he said he simply won’t do it no matter what the venue.  He said he always makes sure to tell the people he is speaking to he is there to honor them and what they have gone through by his signature opener of asking people the names of their children who passed on and making that connection. 

“No big talk, no big speech.  Just asking them names for the first fifteen minutes.  They all tell me it makes them feel so terrific,” he said.

What Ron experienced with the loss of his son is what he calls, “forced change,” and he said that can also be applied to life changes such as divorce.  He said any change is difficult, but when we are forced is when we are truly challenged to get through it.  Ron said human nature leads us to believe these things can happen, but “not to me.”

“Divorce is another forced change; a death where you were living with someone and now you are not,” he said.

Whether it is dealing with grief, divorce or any other issue in life that causes emotional struggles, Ron’s compassion and commitment to those he interacts with shines through in the stories of countless people he has helped over the years.  Most recently, Ron has also been utilizing social media to reach people near or far with regular posts offering simple steps for people to take on their own to help them with various topics of interest such as, “4 Ways to Recover from Disappointments,” “4 Ways to Get Closer to a Partner,” “3 Ways to Respond to Anxious Thoughts,” and “Dealing with Mistakes.”

Ron said he tries to bring everything down to a “6^th-grade-level” when working with people to make it as simple as possible for them to grasp the help he is trying to provide.  For himself included, he said breaking things down is the best way to learn new ways of thinking and that is why his book has no repetition.  Instead of telling people how they should think, Ron said the book is a tool to provoke people to think for themselves.

“This book was made to give you zing, give you life, give you passion, and embrace change; start enjoying every moment you have” he said.

To purchase a copy of “The Zing: The self-discovery guide to help you go from living life to loving the life you live,” you can order through www.thezing.com and the book can also be found on Amazon.  If you are interested in learning more about the services Ron and Family and Personal Counseling provide, additional information can be found at www.familyandpersonalcounseling.com, or by calling 631-758-8290.

Photos courtesy Ron Villano

By Amy Nicole Tangel

Many people start out in life with big dreams, but to see those dreams through takes great courage and the will never to give up. For one lifelong performer who has dedicated his life to entertaining others, the true test came when the world shutdown and the lights went dark, but perseverance has given him the strength to rise.

Growing up on Long Island, nationally known singer/comedian/impressionist Billy Mira, said he always knew he wanted to spend his life making music.  His school years started with the theater, and over time Billy said he just felt more drawn to singing; realizing early on this was his destiny.  While attending East Meadow High School, Billy said he was lucky to have a drama curriculum in school during a time when not all schools offered such programs.  His drama teacher was influential and always told him he was gifted and encouraged him to continue to pursue acting, but Billy said at the time he was all about rock-n-roll and strictly had his sights set on rock stardom. 

“It really is amazing that I never went into acting, because that is how I started doing impressions and impersonating things, and that’s really what acting is,” he said.

Right after high school, Billy hit the road and moved to Florida for a period of time, but he said he wasn’t happy with the scene there then, so he moved back to New York in 1987 and took the lead in the rock band, Whisky Road.  With long hair and tight skinny jeans, Billy said his days with the band allowed him to make memories of a lifetime and while the band recorded and released tracks under signed management, the alternative-grunge scene had come along and hair bands became a thing of the past.

“We creatively had this other influence that was more of a jazz influence, oddly enough that had horns in it, which was a foreshadowing what I would eventually do,” he said.

At one point along the way, Billy said he started getting into broadcasting and that is really where he got into comedy, but all the while he continued pursuing music and playing at local clubs.  Most notably, Billy said his first real break came with comedy when he landed a spot on The Howard Stern Show in 2002 as a comedian and impressionist.  From that point on, he said his career took off while traveling across the country with the show as a Stern-Personality over the years that followed; building a foundation that would eventually cross paths with his music career and the creation of his self-described, “Vegas meets Broadway” style show, Billy Mira & The Hitmen.

Reflecting on how he got to be where he is today, Billy recalls everything he did professionally as “an experience” until the moment came along when he landed his spot with The Howard Stern Show. Winding up on the show in the first place was a fluke thing, he admitted.  He said one day he just decided to take a chance and call in when Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne were on the show to do his Ozzy impression.  Billy said Howard told him he didn’t think he was that funny and hung up on him; leaving him feeling knocked down. Hours later fate stepped in and turned everything around.

Billy said he believes there are no coincidences in life, and that evening while out to dinner he was overheard talking about calling into the show by someone at the next table, and that someone just happened to be Sal Governale, writer and producer, of The Howard Stern Show.  Billy said Governale asked him to do the impression for him right then, and the rest was history.  Years later, they are still good friends and have continued to work together on various projects.

“I started doing the impression and he (Sal) said, ‘Everybody wanted to know who that guy was and why Howard hung up on him,’ and that’s how it started,” he said.

Years later, Billy took the culmination of everything he experienced musically along with his comedy act and brought it all together when he wrote and developed his show, Billy Mira & The Hitmen.  He said the inspiration came to him during his time living in Las Vegas from 2011 to 2013 as he continued his  broadcasting career covering mixed martial arts for Fox Sports and working alongside UFC – a time when he said the sport began to explode in popularity. 

As much as Billy said he enjoyed his time broadcasting and is a huge fan of the sport, every day he said he looked at the billboards of Vegas shows and knew that was what he was really meant to be doing.  Billy said he began writing his show with the vision for it to one day become a headlining Vegas attraction and was heavily influenced by Brian Setzer; combining orchestra and Broadway into one.

“It’s a music show that enables me to be funny, do impressions, do comedic stuff; everything within one show.  The great thing about it is that I can change it at the drop of a dime,” he said.

Upon his return from Las Vegas, Billy went all-in with development of his show and performed Billy Mira & The Hitmen for the first-time ever in 2015 at Foxwoods Resort and Casino in Connecticut.  He has traveled across Long Island with stops at theaters such as Gateway Playhouse and long-standing residencies at clubs such as The Polo Lounge at Westbury Manor. That was until the pandemic shut everything down and Billy no longer had a stage to call home. But just like every other unexpected turn in the road he has faced over the years, Billy stayed true to himself and kept looking toward the future.

While many solo-artists took to live streams and virtual tip jars during the shutdown, Billy said as great as that is for other entertainers, it was not right for him.  For Billy, he said the concept of virtual performances would not work for him and his act because his acts are so interactive and draw so much energy from a live audience that something would be greatly lost.

In the meantime, Billy turned the downtime into a positive when he released a new cover of Gordon Lightfoot’s, “If You Could Read My Mind” and recently teamed up with longtime friends, Rob Rush of 94.3 The Shark and Mark “The Animal” Mendoza of Twisted Sister as co-host to a new weekly internet show, “Rollin’ With.”  The live streamed show is produced with Area 22 Productions and for Billy it has not only been an opportunity to interview interesting people, it has been an outlet for him to stay connected and share his gift of comedy with countless people in a time when people need laughs more than ever.

During the past couple of months, Billy has been branching out once again as stages in New York continued to be dark and set his sights on Florida once again for opportunities to get back to business until everything opens back up in the northern part of the country.  Billy said he is determined to take any good opportunity that comes his way to get back on stage, but ultimately his number one goal to return to Las Vegas remains the same.

“My road is going back to Vegas.  When I left, I remember saying, ‘I am coming back here and I am going to come back with this show,’” he said.

Things have rapidly been looking up in New York and venues are beginning to announce plans for reopening.  This Friday, April 30, Billy will finally be heading out for his first residency since Covid hit, when he makes his solo return singing live at Krish’s in Massapequa each Friday night.  Billy said he is thrilled to be getting back out there and performing at one of his favorite local places.  He is presently working on another local residency and said he will be releasing that information to the public as soon as it is confirmed.

To keep up-to-date with Billy’s most recent projects and upcoming events visit www.billymiraandthehitmen.com for all happenings.

By Amy Nicole Tangel

In a time when life has been more than challenging for most, keeping connected and having something to look forward to is of utmost importance. For one man who has based his radio and marketing career on bringing joy to others in-person, being thrust into reinventing promotions to remain engaged with communities and keep listeners’ spirits up has not slowed him down.

“Big Mike” Sangiamo began his career in radio in the fall of 2015 when he was hired as a member of the promotional street team with Connoisseur Media Long Island, home to stations such as 94.3 The Shark, 103.1 MAX, and WALK 97.5.  With years of determination and hard work behind him, Mike brings experience to the table after having worked field events years prior, and he said slowly, but surely, he stepped up the ladder to become the current Director of Local Marketing and Promotions for all five stations belonging to Connoisseur Media Long Island.

“Part of that is also being an on-air personality, being out there in the field, and really just trying to engage listeners out in the community as much as possible,” he said.

Of course, the world of in-person events was pre-pandemic, but Mike said step-by-step the pause is lifting and he is looking forward to once again entertaining and connecting with people across the island in whatever way he can through the radio.  The best part of field events for Mike is always meeting new people, and he said the sense of no two events ever being the same is what makes his job so fun. For Mike, he said the best part of all is when people win prizes; to share that joy with them and to make them smile is one of the greatest aspects of the job.

Radio during Covid has been especially challenging for Mike, and for the work he has done to try to reinvent the way local marketing and promotions have been executed during the pandemic, but he said he is grateful to still be working when many others in roles like his have lost their jobs.  During the recent holiday season, Mike said promotions did begin to finally pick-up with giveaways and some appearances at locations. 

Stop & Shop, T-Mobile, and Tropical Smoothie Café are businesses he has worked on major promotions with for vacation and gift card giveaways, and said the biggest difference now is the crew he used to have is temporarily gone; leaving most appearances up to himself and what he calls his “Number One,” Liana Neidig. In spite of the times, Mike said he takes pride in all of the recent innovative work done alongside a great team and strong leaders in the industry, such as Director of Operations, Patrick Shea and General Manager David Bevins. For Mike, he said he is grateful for the faith the company has placed in his approach, and everything he has done has been more personalized because of it.

“The fact that I was able to keep WALK 97.5 and our other stations active during the pandemic was quite a challenge. I had to go back and rely on everything I ever learned during my time at Disney, Subway and yes, even the funeral industry to figure out a new approach to a routine element of radio during an economic crisis caused by a global health catastrophe,” he said.

Mike’s career in public relations unknowingly began when his passion for Subway sandwiches took over, and he created the unofficial fan club of Subway restaurants with his fellow Subway-loving friends at the age of only 15 years old.  He said he and his friends simply really loved the food, and back then growing up in Queens there weren’t many locations, so he and his friends had to travel by bus for 45 minutes to get to their nearest Subway.

“It just became this thing my friends and I started to identify with,” he said.

In a twist of paths and an unconventional combination, Mike’s time before Connoisseur Media and his Subway career involved attending school to be a funeral director and a taking a college internship with Walt Disney World.  After graduation, Mike said he was at a crossroads between becoming a funeral director or a having career with Subway.   

He applied for Subway corporate jobs across the country, and in 2005 he was hired in the Nassau County development office as Promotions Coordinator and Field Evaluator; visiting restaurants for quality checks throughout the county and doing voiceovers for their commercials.  Eventually, Mike said this turned into a promotions and marketing role when he saw the need for local marketing.  It was through his local marketing with Subway, which led to the position he holds today. It happened when Mike said he attended a local event and was struck when he saw a guy at a table from the radio set-up with music and a prize wheel; instantly knowing that was what he wanted to do.

“I was like, ‘I could do that; I could do that,’ so I started selling my services to Subway Restaurants to do grand openings and anniversaries,” he said.

From there, Mike created a street team for Subway’s in-person events and even developed two Subway sandwiches including “The Feast,” also known as “The Feast of Sangiamo,” an Italian-American sandwich that was sold nationally.  Mike said this experience led him in a round-about way into broadcasting and the radio industry.  While Mike still consults occasionally with Subway today, he said his full-time dedication is with Connoisseur Media.

“To have the type of involvement and impact on a brand like that for some kid from Queens…it was all because I loved the product,” he said.

Although Mike said he is not a full-time jock, the on-air portion of his position compliments his first love of appearances and endorsements.  Presently, Mike hosts “Midnight Snacks” at midnight on 103.1 MAX FM weeknights and occasional Fridays with 94.3 The Shark from 7 to 10 p.m., live from The Studio at The Paramount in Huntington, along with various character spots for the Anna & Raven Show on WALK 97.5.

In addition to wanting to reach people through the airwaves and in-person as much as possible, Mike has also reached countless people as an author of his book, “The Fattest Guy in the Room-10 reasons why being fat sucks! (and 3 reasons why it’s not so bad),” which is available for purchase through breakthescale.com and depicts what life has been like for him living as an overweight person from childhood through adult life with a humorous twist.

“It will make you laugh; it will make you cry, and then it will make you laugh again,” he said.

Mike said he always had a desire to write and publish a book from the perspective of the beginning of his career and relied on memories of being the “funny fat guy in high school.”  When he realized he could be funny, he said he put everything together to become his character of, “Big Mike.”  As life went on, he grew into an adult, and Mike said he felt like he had something to say about his life experience and wanted to share with others in the hopes of helping just one person.

“I don’t like the idea for anyone to feel bad, or ashamed about being overweight and the way that they look,” he said.

As part of his ever-evolving promotions persona, Mike has combined his writing work with his character performance and said he loves to dress in character when he goes out for the radio stations.  He celebrates with characters for almost every major holiday and memorable names he created to go along, such as “Frosting the Snowman,” “Jingle Bell the Elf,” as well as four different leprechaun characters; all who have been created to lend happiness to each radio station and its following. Mike said he just wants to bring joy to others.  During the holiday season, he incorporates, “Santa’s Lonely Helper,” a self-described “Dr. Seuss style” poem/story he is author to, which he reads at various events across the island such as, Brookhaven’s Holiday Lighting Spectacular in Suffolk County. 

What radio stations will be able to do in future will be limited, according to Mike, but he said there are still safe and socially distant events happening. They are just few and far between.  In the meantime, Mike has also been working with Adventureland in Farmingdale throughout the pandemic, hosting almost all of their movie nights, and he said he has even called bingo before the start of the films from time to time.  No matter what Mike is doing anywhere on Long Island, he said his number one goal is to always take the radio stations with him.

“Thankfully, we jumped into action, participating in thank you parades for health care heroes, birthday parades, graduation parades; then drive-in movies and drive-in concerts all the way through to socially distant holiday attractions. Wherever I go, I am going out as the radio station, so if I go the radio station comes along,” he said.

To follow Big Mike on social media you can find him on Instagram @thefeastman, and you can catch his podcast, The Big Mike Radio Program on Apple Podcasts.  For local appearances, be sure to check your favorite Connoisseur Media Long Island radio’s website for the most up-to-date information.

Photos courtesy Big Mike Sangiamo

By Amy Nicole Tangel

Long Island Artist and Live Event Producer Steven Calapai faced the same reality as many others in the industry when the entertainment world essentially shutdown in early 2020 due to the world-wide Pandemic, but with determination to be resilient and with a lifelong passion for art, he said he has taken his creativity to levels he never dreamed of with the recent opening of his new gallery.

Park South Gallery opened its doors this past March in Amity Harbor, N.Y., filled wall-to-wall with Steven’s paintings that are now being recognized across the country for not only their artistry, but for the inspiration behind the color.  Steven said he always loved to paint, sculpt, and design, but it wasn’t until the pandemic hit, when he was looking for an outlet to deal with the sudden halt to life, that he began painting every day.  A little more than a year later, Steven has painted approximately four hundred paintings to date and has no plans to stop.

“Life’s hard, life’s tough, and if I could make every minute of life worth living even more moving forward, I am going to do it,” he said.

Steven said he releases all his emotions in his paintings and whether it is sadness, anger, loss, new beginnings or happiness, his art is the window to his soul.  He said looking at the walls of the gallery people will see the paintings are filled with expressions of everything he is, and he said his diversity and how it has been touching other people is what he takes most pride in.

With a self-proclaimed philosophy to “keep moving forward” along with having a career in film and television spanning over 20 years working for companies like Paramount Pictures and Atlantic Records, Steven said those experiences gave him great drive and memories to hold on to, so when everything shut down, he simply woke-up one morning and decided he was not going down with it.  When Covid hit, Steven said his live event and commercial real estate business instantly became non-existent.

“As soon as Covid hit, it was over and it was over in like 24 hours, so I woke up and I had to reinvent myself,” he said.

Born and raised on Long Island, Steven said his life was saved at the age of 10 when he turned to music and art to deal with his parent’s difficult divorce.  He became an actor and print model as a teenager, and in between it all he became an avid drummer.  Times were tough financially, and as a young and eager musician, Steven said his first drum kit was an old Ludwig he found when someone else’s trash became his treasure; recalling it as ‘a moment of never giving up.’

“I found an old Ludwig set in the trash. It was champagne pearl, not an extremely popular color with teenagers. I remember finding sandpaper and black and white house paint in our garage. I worked so hard sanding all the pearl paint off and painted the set black and white stripes,” he said.

From that moment on, Steven began playing in garage bands and creating flyers for bands.  Not realizing it while it was happening, he tapped into not only his artistry, but his future in public relations.  Following his acting and modeling career Steven dove into the music industry as a producer, session drummer, Grammy member and studio owner.  During his time working with musicians, he most notably managed the late R&B singer, Freddie Scott, and worked with artists such as Bette Midler, Billy Joel, Bruce Springsteen, and Van Morrison.

As Steven’s recognition grew, he turned his focus to managing actors and worked in press and public relations with executive producers such as Mark Lipsky. Working alongside Lipsky, who is well-known for producing films such as, The Nutty Professor and Coming to America, Steven has provided management services for celebrities and even worked closely with Greg Martin, son of Beatles Producer George Martin.

All the while, he said his passion for art grew rapidly having had the privilege of personally knowing and learning from iconic artists such as Andy Warhol and David Bowie, and spending influential nights with them in conversations at Studio 54.  Steven said his artwork has also been heavily influenced by his time exploring different neighborhoods and cultures, but early on some of his greatest inspirations came from other artists such as Blondie and Iggy Pop as he witnessed the beginning of the pop art movement.

“The imagery of Hollywood is forever tattooed in my memory and can be seen throughout my work,” he said.

In his 30’s, Steven suffered the tragic loss of a child, and just as he has recently worked to turn the pandemic into a positive through his artwork, he carried the same mindset to help carry him through his grief some years ago when he began contributing to charities and sharing support to others in need.

While Steven is humble in his philanthropy, he said he has made it one of his life’s missions to always donate his art and his time.  The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, American Cancer Society and Mandate for Humanity are organizations that Steve said he holds most near to his heart.

“All the charities I work with are all good people and I want to help,” he said.

This past November, Steven was diagnosed with Covid and thankfully experienced no symptoms, but it was his time in quarantine when he said he “went nuts” and painted almost around the clock.  He said he would go to sleep at eight o’clock and wake-up at 3 a.m. and start all over again.

When he started painting during the pandemic, Steven said he just wanted to create and share some things with people to make them feel more positive about Covid.  Some of his favorite expressions are painting trees with blossoms and seascapes, and for Steven, he said his new paintings have just simply been so much fun and so positive.

“They are peaceful, so I put a little different twist (on each one), and I add new colors to them,” he said.

Park South Gallery is considered home to Steven, but he said he is currently working on opening a gallery in Boca Raton, FL, and Las Vegas.  Word has been rapidly spreading of Steven’s work, and this past January his art was featured in Livein-Style Magazine as well as Modern Luxury Magazine/Vegas-The Art Issue.  Steven is currently working on getting his art in hotels in major cities across the country and he said there is no stopping him as he shoots for the stars with the dream of seeing his paintings in the world’s first space hotel on the moon. 

At the end or the root of it all, depending on a person’s outlook, Steven said he just wants to share his experiences, his emotions, and his imagination through his paintings with other people to inspire people to never give up.

“This is all based on failure; all of it.  If you don’t fail, then you never learn how to succeed,” he said.

Steven will be premiering his spring collection Saturday, April 10 at Park South Gallery in his true fashion with a private VIP event and is using his space to additionally support other artists such as an upcoming exhibition show with tv personality and Ink Master Artist “Gentle Jay” Blondel on May 8.

To learn more about Steven and his paintings, you can visit www.stevencalapai.net and www.parksouthgallery.net.

Feature Photo Credit: Kate Fox

Photo Gallery: Amy Nicole Tangel

By Amy Nicole Tangel

As the perseverance of local businesses continues to grow, a sign of better times ahead can be seen  in the recent expansion of one Long Island beauty salon, and for the creator behind it all, it has been 25 years in the making.

Best of LI 2021 winner for best hair salon two years in a row, Tresses & Colours, has recently moved to a new location for the first time since they opened their doors 24 years ago on Carleton Avenue in East Islip, N.Y.  Now approaching their 25^th anniversary August 1, they have re-located on Montauk Highway in Oakdale, N.Y., and owner Louise Polite, said she couldn’t be happier with the growth in business in spite of the times.

“It has been good.  It has been really good.  We have lots of new customers from the area, and we also get quite a few from Best of LI,” she said.

Louise said the recent move has also been an expansion of not only Tresses & Colours, but her handmade skin care company, Sonny & Dew is also growing.  Just a few months in from her recent grand opening, Louise has already launched a new facial line with Sonny & Dew, brought in new artists, and added more chairs.

The new all-natural facial line includes appropriately named products such as “Bye Bye Puffy Eye” and “Liquid Lift,” along with moisturizers and serums to help skin look and feel healthy.  In addition, Louise said the oatmeal scrub cleanser she created is phenomenal and one of her most underrated products. 

Sonny & Dew’s Day at the Beach Collection is still “hands down her number one seller,” but she said she is also excited about her new hand lotion line that is bakery inspired.  As for hair products, Louise creates those as well, and one of her best sellers is her handmade, Tea Tree Scalp Scrub.  In Louise’s experience and with her expertise, she said some of the mass-produced tea tree products that you see are too diluted. She said she believes the good stuff is very hard to get, so she decided to make her own. 

“If you have a dry scalp, it is excellent.  You take a little bit before you wet your hair in the shower, you take maybe the size of a quarter and you exfoliate your scalp,” she said.

Across Long Island, the work of Tresses & Colours and Sonny & Dew continues to be recognized.  In addition to being Best of LI winners, Louise and her companies were recently highlighted in an interview on LI radio station WALK 97.5 with The Anna & Raven Show and were featured in a box-opening video of Sonny & Dew products by Barstool Sports founder, Dave Portnoy.  Louise said having Dave do a video opening one of her boxes was a very exciting moment, and she continues to get orders from that plug to this day.

Amidst all the growth, Louise said she continues to be focused on balancing her business by being committed to paying it forward, and to supporting others in her community.  When Covid hit, she said she wanted to give back to the nurses who were on the front lines, so she started sending hand lotions as a thank you to nurses at hospitals.  Nurses from Syosset, the former Southside now South Shore University Hospital, North Shore University Hospital, and NYU Winthrop Hospital received packages from Louise.

Most recently, Louise gave back to the nurses at Stony Brook University Hospital with Day at the Beach hand lotions and free haircuts.  In response, Louise has received countless pictures and posts from nurses all over who have shared their appreciation for the thoughts and care.  Louise said her goal is to continue to pay forward to the nurses and first responders any chance she can.  She said even though things seem to be getting better, the nurses are still there helping others and should not be forgotten once the dust settles.

“It seems to me like everybody has forgotten about them at this point,” she said.

As part of her recent relocation and expansion, Louise has brought on outside artists to provide services such as facials, permanent makeup, microblading, lifts and tints, and brow lamination.  Clients can book an appointment with a fully licensed esthetician and a permanent makeup artist to receive any of these services.  Despite the pandemic, Louise said she never stopped working and moving forward with her salon, but there is still a lot of work she wants to do.

One of those goals is being able to return to fairs with her products.  In the beginning of the shutdown, Louise said she enjoyed the break of the weekly grind, but now she is deeply missing the in-person connection with her customers.

“Once they pick-up, I will be at the fairs again.  Without a doubt, either I will be there, or one of my girls will be there, but Sonny & Dew will be back at the fairs,” she said.

A big worry for Louise, she said, is the fear that people have developed a habit of going onto Amazon and having everything the next day; and she said she worries that those customers won’t come back.  Especially for the crafters and handmade people like her, Louise said those artists really need people to come back.

“I am hoping that people are not so in tune to buying online now that they don’t come out to support,” she said.

Setting worries aside, Louise said she is grateful to her customers wherever they come from.  While new customers have been a breath of fresh air to the business, Louise said it is her repeat customers who have been the most rewarding.  Louise takes pride in being there for her client’s needs and if there ever is a question, she said all someone has to do is call her, and she will gladly help any client find just the right product for their individual needs.  For her returning customers, she said they know her products by heart now.

“I don’t have to show them anything anymore.  They just walk-in and pick out what they find,” she said.

To learn more about Tresses & Colours and the services they provide, you can visit www.tressesncolours.com.  Sonny & Dew is located inside Tresses & Colours at 1227 Montauk Highway in Oakdale where you can shop in-person, or online at www.sonnyndew.com.  To book an appointment for hair styling or any other service, call 631-581-9369.

By Amy Nicole Tangel

Throughout the pandemic people have been rapidly leaving cities and moving to suburbs to live more of the “simple life,” and with that new life many are adopting dogs for the first time. One woman who has dedicated her life to training dogs across Long Island is now at the forefront of what’s to come in training dogs in a new world.

When Charlene (Charli) Sorrentino was a little girl growing up in Rego Park, Queens, she said she was the kid who was always daydreaming out the window during class and paying close attention to everything that was happening outside.  She said she knew early on she wanted to dedicate her life to dogs especially, but she just didn’t know how.

“Family parties, I was sitting with the dog or the cat.  That was me; I just had something,” she said.

In 1986, Charlene moved to Long Island and that is when she said she took her first course in dog training at a behavior center for dogs in NYC.  They offered a course on dog behavior that was the clicking point, and from that moment she realized she wanted to build her life and career upon training dogs.  At the time dog training was not mainstream, so Charlene said she started out small and as time went on over the years her work became widely used across Long Island.

While Charlene was busy raising her daughter, she said she always had anywhere from three to five dogs and offered her services to people in the neighborhood, just because it was something she loved to do.  Her husband at the time was an equipment manager for the NY Mets who provided a comfortable living for the family, and she said while he always encouraged her to just enjoy being a stay-at-home mom, that was something she couldn’t do.

During this time is when Charlene, known to many as “The Dog Chick” today, said she started working with friends and family pets and began earning her first income, but she still felt she wanted to do so much more.  Before dog training became more mainstream, Charlene said she would read every book on dog training she could find, but she felt everything she read was punitive.

“You learn a lot experience wise, but you have to have that formal education to balance it,” she said.

Soon after she began training in her neighborhood, Charlene learned of a school in Queens, The Academy of Canine Education, and enrolled in a 16-week dog training program.  For Charlene, she said the experience was an eye-opener and she quickly came to realize she did not like the methodology of the “force” based mindset of training she was receiving.  She knew, then, it was not how she wanted to train.

For Charlene, who has been in her Huntington, N.Y., location since 2014, and built her training today based on 17 years specializing in positive reinforcement, it was educating herself through the positive- based practices and instructional tools of veterinarian, researcher and teacher, Dr.  Ian Dunbar, whom she said changed her life and inspired the methodology of training dogs she uses to this day.

“He’s fantastic, and he came up with the saying, ‘shelter dogs aren’t born that way.’  Meaning, all of them are born as puppies, it’s what we do to them and with them; that’s why my thing is, ‘kindness is power,’” she said.

Charlene, who said she is led by instinct, believes the only way to train a dog to do what you want them to is to get on a level of their understanding and said, “No can be your warning word just like the sound ‘uh-oh,’ or snap your fingers and then comes ‘leave it’.”

That is when, Charlene said, you have to teach them what to leave it actually means.  Otherwise, she said they are just not going to get it. However, she said never to push them beyond their comfort zone when teaching your dog anything new, especially if they are afraid.

“Small, small, small.  Baby steps,” she said.

Even though Charlene said she is personally afraid of planes and flying, being able to actually go to MacArthur Airport in Islip, N.Y., to train dogs how to fly is one of those moments where she feels in awe of the work she is able to do and the impact of how training these dogs is changing people’s lives for the better.  For Charlene, she said the ultimate goal in behavior training is when she can help make a fearful dog to at least feel more comfortable.

“Of course, you always reach for the stars and you may not get that, but if you can keep a dog in the home…it’s really about saving them,” she said.

Charlene has stood in court to defend dogs and has testified to stand-up for the rights of the voiceless, because she said trainers like herself follow a bite scale written by Dunbar with the belief that “a bite is not just a bite,” and somewhere along the line there were warning signs given by the dog that were missed.

“Dogs bite with intent,” she said.

Education is key with Charlene, who has made it her mission to educate whenever the opportunity arises, and until everything was halted by COVID, she had even begun teaching lessons at a grade school in Whitestone, N.Y. After training two dogs to be therapy dogs for the school, Charlene said she was invited regularly to come to the school to teach kids about what to do and not to do with dogs.  She said she attended career days, as well, and gave the kids visual demonstrations to see the dogs reactions.  Charlene said teaching children from early on how to properly treat a dog is key to instilling the proper learned behaviors that will stick with them throughout life.

“I know through education I can offer the next generation at least the right way to do it, so that’s a goal of mine,” she said.

Charlene said in the dog training world, trainers are a dime a dozen these days thanks to shows like, “The Dog Whisperer,” so for her it is a priority to advocate the real importance of a formal education.  She is an official mentor for The Animal Behavior College and CATCH Canine Trainers Academy, and she said she has written articles to help educate other dog trainers and pet owners alike.

“We are not regulated, that’s what the positive reinforcement world is pushing for; to get regulations in this business,” she said. 

With education in mind, Charlene said she has seen a surge in business with families staying home and becoming first-time pet owners.  She said when last summer rolled around she became busier than usual, and began offering virtual lessons through video and text when it could not be done in person to do whatever she could to help her families feel like they were all in it together.

On the flipside of more people staying home, Charlene said what she is seeing a spike in now is separation anxiety with new pets, who were adopted during quarantine, and with people now returning to work many dogs are being left home alone for the first time ever.  She said calls are beginning to roll in from people who are coming home from work to find the dog has eaten their couch, for example, and are now turning to her for help.

In addition to separation anxiety, Charlene is also concerned about dogs who were used to very active lives becoming unsocialized, and she fears this is a behavior in dogs that is only going to increase.  While Charlene works hard to help every family and pet in need no matter what the reason, she said the true focus of her work is behavior and she is bracing herself for what’s to come as things open back up.

At the end of the day, Charlene said she hasn’t advertised in years and all of her work comes through word of mouth.  However, with the times changing, Charlene like many others began to think forward during the shutdown and said she finally was able to get her website complete making her more accessible virtually.  The website is full of many resources and information about all of the services she provides.

No matter what the dog’s stage in life or issue it may be having, from puppy, to a blind or deaf dog, a companion to an elderly person, or a service dog for a veteran, Charlene said the softest spot in her heart is for dogs who have been surrendered.

“My focus is to work with the ones that people surrender.  To bring them to a point where they can live a happy life; that’s where my heart is,” she said.

Charlene said ultimately she is grateful to make a living doing what she loves, but would be doing it anyway even if she didn’t and will continue to help any dog she can for the all of the days of her life.

“If I had to do this and not make a penny off it, I would still do it,” she said.

To learn more about Charlene and the services she provides, please visit www.thedogchick.com.

Photo Credit: Charles Salidino

By Amy Nicole Tangel

People say, ‘It’s not how you start; it’s how you finish,’ and for one rocker vocalist who was diagnosed with cancer over a decade ago, there has been no stopping him from rising above and moving forward with life, music and gratitude.

Long Island native and metal rock band Holy Mother front man, Mike Tirelli, has recently reunited with the band after a 17-year-hiatus releasing their new album, ‘Face This Burn,’ and he said he is ready to get back to life from the pandemic, on the road touring and to really being able to live life again after recovering from his battle with stage three stomach cancer.

“I have definitely been fortunate. I can say that,” he said.

Holy Mother was founded by Mike and drummer, James Harris who released the self-titled debut album in 1995 with the late bassist, Randy Coven (known for working with the likes of Yngwie Malmsteen, Zakk Wylde, Steve Vai), and guitarist Spike Francis.  Today’s band includes the two founding members Mike and James, alongside new bandmate and New York native bassist, Russell Pzutto of Dee Snider’s band and former understudy for Twisted Sister bassist Mark “The Animal’ Mendoza,” and guitarist, Greg Giordano.

The band has a total of seven albums released to date with most of their early success coming from playing large festivals in Europe, including Wacken Open Air; one of the largest annual heavy metal festivals held in Germany for over 30 years, but Holy Mother has not been Mike’s only claim to fame.  His list of collaborations is extensive, and Mike said he is always writing. “I write every day,” he said.

Writing everyday is exactly how the reunion of Holy Mother organically came to be in 2020, when Mike said it occurred to him all of the new music he was writing back and forth with fellow band member James was something they really needed to put down, so he simply decided it was time to reach out to a few labels. “Face This Burn” was released last month under Massacre/AFM Records and is co-produced with Mike by, Kane Churko, renowned producer to artists such as Ozzy Osbourne, Disturbed and Five Finger Death Punch.

“Every aspect of the whole album, the writing, the continuity that’s on the album; we have traditional songs-we have everything for everybody as far as fans go,” he said.

The singer/songwriter said he always loved music from a young age, but it was in his teens when he really got into playing in bands and at clubs.  Raised in a family of police officers, with his father and brothers all members of the NYPD, Mike was encouraged to take the same path, but he said his true passion was always with music.

“My father always wanted me, you know, to follow in his footsteps. My brothers did, and you know what?  It was a lot more appetizing to be into music,” he said.

Talent with Mike growing up was not just in the form of vocals, but he said he was also an athlete.  Mike said he played football and baseball, but it was baseball where he really went places and even earned a try-out with the N.Y. Yankees when he was just 18 years old.  Although it was a moment Mike said he will never forget, he said his heart wasn’t into it like it was for having a career in music.  Mike said he was grateful for the opportunity and it was an amazing feeling walking into the stadium, but he went into it with an injury and he is also a Mets fan, so he laughed it off as being for the best he didn’t join the team.

“And, I am a Met fan by the way, so if they would have signed me, I would have said, ‘No, I am going to the Mets,’” he said.

Aside from Holy Mother, Mike has been the longtime lead singer for the German rock band, Messiah’s Kiss since 2002.  Mike said he joined Messiah’s Kiss (previously known as Repression), after the band had pursued him from their interest in Holy Mother and kept sending him demos asking him to sing for the band.  He said he kept listening to what they were sending and thought to himself, they were really good and he needed a change of pace, so he joined the band. They were signed immediately and he has been with the band ever since.

“They went from a local German band to this National act,” he said. 

In the middle of it all, back in the U.S., Mike also joined the American rock band, Riot, in 2005, and toured with them for three years until he received his cancer diagnosis.  Mike was diagnosed with stomach cancer in 2008 and fought courageously for two years undergoing chemotherapy and a gastrectomy; the complete removal of the stomach. 

It hasn’t been an easy process Mike said, but he is not allowing his battle with cancer to define his life. In fact, Mike was still doing his last treatments of chemo in 2009, when he joined the cast of, “Rockstar: The Tribute,” a Las Vegas rock tribute show where he played the role of David Coverdale of Whitesnake.  He said even though he wasn’t feeling one hundred percent during his time in Vegas, he was so passionate about getting out there again and because the show was well-received he said being a part of the cast was a highlight of his career. 

Mike said it’s a learning process everyday juggling how to eat enough small meals and manage his new normal dietary life, but he has worked hard to find balance and is grateful for the miracle he received; often reflecting on how his biggest vocal inspiration, Ronnie James Dio lost his own battle to the very same cancer in 2010. 

“The chemo was probably one of the hardest things I had to deal with.  That almost killed me,” he said.

Thankfully, today Mike has been living a cancer-free and full life in Patchogue, N.Y., with his wife Janet and two children for the past 12 years, and said he just lives simply.  Mike said he has been very proud to watch his 13-year-old daughter, Violet begin to grow musically singing and playing keys, and she can even be heard singing on a track of the new album. 

When Mike is not on the road, he said he has been grateful to have also supported himself and his family locally for years working at the tuxedo shop, Rico’s Clothing, in Center Moriches, N.Y., and Sidhal Industries, a janitorial supply company, based in Hempstead, N.Y.  Mike said the people at Rico’s have been like family to him and the owners at Sidhal have been a great support to Mike and his career.

While Mike said he enjoys his day to day work, music will always be number one and he cannot wait to get back out on the road.  In the meantime, “Face This Burn” has three videos out including the title track with three more on the way in the works, but for Mike he said the most important thing for Holy Mother, like every other band patiently waiting, is to get touring again.

Once things open up, it seems like Mike will be everywhere.  Not only does Mike have touring with Holy Mother on the horizon and new music in the works for Messiah’s Kiss, he also is gearing up for the local music scene to open back up as well.  On the home front, Mike can be found performing with the eight-piece band, Entourage, at weddings, parties and events around New York and singing in the Whitesnake tribute band, Almost Whitesnake.

Until live shows are fully-up and running, you can check out Holy Mother’s three new “Face This Burn” videos on YouTube, and you can also find Mike on the YouTube show, “Band Geek,” featuring Richie Castellano of Blue Oyster Cult, where Mike sings three cover songs from Whitesnake, Black Sabbath and Mr. Big.

To keep up with all things Mike Tirelli and all his musical endeavors, you can find him on Facebook @miketirellimusician and Instagram @mike_tirelli_musician.

By Amy Nicole Tangel

Stories of new found artistic creativity and emerging business ventures have been a silver lining amidst the pandemic and have also been a surprising life-changing reality for many people who simply “tried something new,” and one Long Island woman’s new simple syrup business has rapidly become a local household name.

Last March, Christine Eifert of Northport, N.Y., was left empty-handed when everything shut down and her lifelong bartending career was put on hold. Being a full-time working mom of two teenage sons, Christine started immediately thinking outside of the box as she wondered how she was going to keep a roof over her head and put food on the table when the idea of creating her new  business, Blondie’s Not So Simple Syrups, came to mind.

Almost one year later, what started out as small batches of flavors being delivered to family and friends on their doorsteps has turned into Blondie’s Not So Simple Syrups being found in restaurants and farmers’ markets. With the list of locations growing, Christine said she has much more in store for the new year.

“I definitely didn’t think it would go this far.  I give a lot of my thanks to the help of my friends and the bartending community all across God’s creation, and for the productive mind to stay afloat during the pandemic,” she said.

Blondie’s Not So Simple Syrups are now being served in establishments such as Harbor Harvest on Long Island and Norwalk, Connecticut, and The Founder’s Room at The Paramount in Huntington, N.Y.  After spending the entire summer with the Northport Farmers’ Market in Huntington, Christine had to think outside of the box once again when fall came around and the outdoor market ended for the season, but in her true fashion she didn’t let a lack of locations to sell her syrups stop her; she simply set-up a tent in her front yard.  Not only did she have people with cars parked up and down her street for her syrups every week, she invited a few other local vendors as well, and once again she found a way to keep going.

“If I didn’t do it, I would be screwed.  I went from eight shifts a week bartending to nothing to now two,” she said.

With a career in bartending Christine said she has left no stone unturned in her mission of getting her syrups into every location she possibly can.  When the holidays came and the weather became too cold to sell her syrups outside, Christine showed her heart once again when she created another successful opportunity not only for herself, but for her other local vendor friends by initiating the concept of the Holiday Market held at Spotlight NY Art bar and restaurant at The Paramount this past season.  In addition to inspiring the event, Christine said the market itself was a huge success and opened doors to get her syrups into the hands of countless people.

“I have to keep moving forward.  It’s fun and I like it,” she said.

Christine is still making syrups in her kitchen, but the time has come, she said, to begin to explore kitchens outside of her home to keep up with the ever-growing demand.  Almost one year later, Christine is making syrups every day in the same pots she started with and said she just has too many flavors now to keep making with the space she has.  With almost 30 flavors to choose from, Christine said she finds a way to make it work to keep up with orders and it is an exciting time for the business, but she is ready to take it to the next level.     

“If I make a batch, I will make a lot extra and then I will push that,” she said.

Every weekend in August and the beginning of September Christine said she will be taking her syrups on the road with a car show tour making various stops throughout New England. In the fall, she will be bringing her syrups to a sci-fi horror show in upstate New York, and she is hoping to possibly get in on the Viva Las Vegas Rockabilly weekend in Las Vegas, NV. 

Christine said she is currently working on a website and is creating a system to begin accepting online orders.  Packages of Blondie’s Not So Simple Syrups are available for every holiday or occasion and she said people have been requesting syrups for party favors as well.  In addition to the syrups, Christine also has merchandise such as hoodies and shirts with Blondie’s logo available for purchase, and she said she is constantly adding something new to her growing inventory of syrup flavors. 

“I have Bacon Bad, I have a pickle one; that’s a good new one.  I just started making an elderberry one, everyone keeps asking for that.  I already have syrups lined up for Easter,” she said.

Tonight, Christine will be appearing on the YouTube show, Cocktails & Contours hosted by Bella Noche at 8 p.m., where she will be mixing up some cocktails with her syrups and giving viewers some tips on the best ways to enjoy different flavors.  To follow Blondie’s Not So Simple Syrups and to inquire about placing an order you can contact Christine through Facebook and Instagram @blondiesnotsosimplesyrups.

By Amy Nicole Tangel

From the day Long Island rapper Edward “JJ” Jones began his career he said it has been a mission to make music his life, while always staying true to himself and trying to help others. Even with all the challenges faced in 2020, he has continued to be an evolving artist with new projects on the way.

In the past two decades, JJ has worked non-stop releasing more than a dozen records and his list of artist collaborations is countless.  His first release came in October 2009 with the title, “Welcome to Lindenhurst,” which pays tribute to his roots. His CD was first sold at Looney Tunes in West Babylon, N.Y. where you can still pick up copies of his work today.  His most recent release, “The Untitled” came along in October 2020, and he is not stopping there as he is already in the studio working on his next album.  JJ said even after all these years, he will never forget the most amazing feeling walking into Looney Tunes and seeing his CD’s right there.

“That kind of catapulted everything that I created for myself, which was to have that CD in that store,” he said.

Not only has JJ’s life been led to higher ground through his music career and his solo success along with his group LethillWeapon, he has also become an entrepreneur creating his own clothing line which he meaningfully named, Stay Vintage.  JJ describes Stay Vintage as a clothing line inspired to be who you are that started with just a thought to make a shirt and hopes that people would like it. Six years later, Stay Vintage, has become a collection of t-shirts, sweatshirts, hats, mouse pads, masks, stickers and even hand sanitizers.  JJ said he is always working with different colors and styles to keep coming up with new designs, all the while he admits being in disbelief it has turned into something bigger than his music.

“It’s more than a name. It’s a way of life,” he said.

Through it all JJ said from the very beginning he always knew he wanted to use his gift of music for good and to pay forward through work with charity.  In the span of his career, JJ said he has hosted many events, some big and some small, but they are all equally important to him. Supporting him for many years and giving him a stage to call home to perform on, and an outlet for his charitable work was the now former, Revolution Bar and Music Hall in Amityville, N.Y.

“I truly believe in giving back when you can.  I was a foster kid, I barely had stuff.  People gave to me when in need,” he said.

At an early age in JJ’s life he was dealt with the unthinkable when he was taken away from everything he knew and placed into foster care.  Born in Brooklyn, N.Y., in 1978, JJ lived with his mom and dad until he was eight years old, when he said one day, he watched helplessly as his parents became entangled in a violent domestic dispute.  From that moment, JJ’s life was altered forever, and he went to live with his grandmother.  His mother could no longer care for him and JJ said after the day his parents became estranged, he never saw his father ever again.

During his time with his grandma,  JJ said he was a good kid who just played his video games and never caused her any trouble, but he said she developed cancer and could no longer care for him, so she told him she had to place him in foster care.  JJ’s life was flipped upside down once again and he said, although he was lucky enough to have eventually found a great foster dad and loving family, his grandmother lost her battle with cancer and JJ suffered yet again, another great loss.

“The only one that ever really took care of me was my grandmother, but she was sick with cancer.  She was a food prep lady in Brooklyn.  She was always working, and she was sick,” he said.

Today at 42-years-old, JJ thrives and said he has been blessed with an entire community of people who gave him a little bit here and there along the way to help him rise above.  JJ proclaims he lives his life with his heart on his sleeve and while he said it is a blessing and a curse, it fuels his music.  He said when people say that his lyrics are a type of therapy, he tells them it’s not therapy; it’s just his life.

“I have ideas in my head, but a lot of times the music brings it out or something happens to where I write about it,” he said.

While JJ continues to wait for things to open back up, he is currently in the beginning stages of writing a book about his journey as a rapper with detailed accounts of his writing process, break downs of songs, how he got to where he is today, and how he is passionate about helping other up and coming artists as a mentor.  In the yet untitled book, JJ sheds depth to his creative process and describes how he just lets the music flow constantly, even in his sleep.

He wrote, “This would happen through the years with most of my albums even way back in the day. I would fall asleep and wake up with a verse done in my head; ending up on a song when I thought it wouldn’t.”

In the meantime, JJ is busy working on yet another album release and preparing for his spring line for Stay Vintage.  To keep up with JJ Jones find him on Facebook and Instagram @iamjjjones.  For more information on the Stay Vintage clothing line you can find Stay Vintage Collection by Edward JJ Jones on Facebook and on Instagram @stayvintageofficial.

Photos courtesy Edward “JJ” Jones

By Amy Nicole Tangel

It could be said perseverance was the shining star of 2020 in a time when almost all in the live entertainment business seemed lost. Nevertheless, one musician is looking forward in 2021, and her focus is not just on rising above the times but in setting her sights on taking her career to the next level.

Long Island musician Chelsea Takami was stopped in her tracks just like countless others when everything shut down.  Years of work and dedication to her music and her career were all thrown into the unknown.  Her phone became her only stage for a period of time, and even though she had done livestreams regularly for years before the pandemic, she said it was only then that she started to think outside the box to be able to continue to earn a living through her music.

“I lost every single gig; 100 percent of my income-gone, and I didn’t qualify for unemployment,” she said.

With a professional career spanning the past decade, the Westbury, N.Y., native has performed her self-described, “moodfully,” indie-pop songs of original work and covers throughout New York and across the country singing and playing her guitar with any opportunity that arises.  From Broadway Joe’s in Albany, N.Y., where Chelsea said she received her first paid gig after graduating college from SUNY Albany years ago, all the way to July 2019, when she opened for Chris Isaak at The Paramount in Huntington, N.Y., Chelsea has seemed unstoppable.

With her entire life built upon her music, Chelsea said not only did she suffer a huge hit to her livelihood when everything shut down, but she said she suffered emotionally as well, deeply feeling the loss from being surrounded by people every day to having little to no human contact.  It was during this time, she said she continued playing livestreams not only to keep hers and her fans’ spirits up, but as a new way to bring in income when she began using a virtual tip jar for the first time ever.

“I was living alone at that point, so I was pretty isolated,” she said.

Although she said the virtual tip jars didn’t amount to much, at the end of the month it was enough money to put food on her table.  In addition to livestreams and virtual tip jars to try and make ends meet, Chelsea started selling arts and crafts, and created “Takamigrams,” hand-made cards by Chelsea designed with inspirational words and uplifting bright water colors, as well as personalized video-grams that fans can purchase for themselves, or as a gift featuring Chelsea singing their song of choice.  For Chelsea, she said through it all being able to help others create memories of a lifetime, especially during such challenging times, with her “Takamigrams” is where she has found the greatest reward.

However difficult the times may be, Chelsea, who is the daughter of world-renowned martial arts Shotokan Master Toyotaro Miyazaki, has a strong foundation of strength and perseverance.  She studied martial arts with her father growing up and holds a black belt, but while she appreciates her family legacy for all she has learned, she said she was always more passionate about music and began playing piano as young child.  Chelsea learned to play the flute in elementary school before eventually picking up the guitar at the age of 14, and simultaneously, she said the moment she started playing guitar, singing and songwriting naturally followed suit.

“I am passionate about music like he is passionate about karate.  I have his spirit, his tenacity, his devotion and his love for performing,” she said, speaking of her father.

As things opened back up, Chelsea said her first real gig came this past June when she made her return to Huntington and played outside at The Paramount.  The very next week she said she was asked back, and before she knew it, she was offered a residency to play every Sunday during the month of July.  Chelsea’s weekly residency has continued every Sunday to date at The Paramount’s Spotlight Art Bar and carries through the month of January. 

While she has played The Founders Room at The Paramount for the past few years, she said it has been during the time of her current residency where the staff at the venue have become like family to her; mutually supporting each other in their dark times.

“It’s been a blessing.  There have been weeks where that was my only gig, but it’s been the gig that I can rely on,” she said.

Focusing on what’s to come, the 31-year-old singer/songwriter who seems to never stop, has continued to make productive use of her time and talent by additionally creating new original music with fellow friend and musician, Danny Dakota under the duo, Dakotakami.  Dakotakami has recently released three new songs to Spotify, and Chelsea said they are hoping to put more music out as time goes on.  As for her solo work, Chelsea said she has been recording a ton of new work and has three acoustic songs ready to be released and another one on the way.  She is currently working at a studio in Brooklyn on what she calls, “more produced” music opposed to her acoustic tracks and said she hopes to come out of the session with a three-song EP.

Chelsea said her big-picture goal right now is to start paving the way for a possible college tour and bigger type concerts whenever the day comes for things to open back up.  Although she said she is not sure how she is going to do that at this point, Chelsea said she just keeps reminding herself what her mom always tells her by saying, “Whatever you focus on expands.”  With that in mind, she continues work on her immediate goal of completing a new promotional video.

“I am ready for it, where I don’t think I was ready before now,” she said.

Chelsea will be performing at Spotlight this Sunday, January 17 at 3 p.m. and you can catch her at Village Idiot in Lake Grove, N.Y., along with Danny Dakota on January 22 at 6 p.m.  Visit www.spotlightny.com for reservations and more information about dining.  For information on additional performances, visit www.chelseatakami.com or follow Chelsea on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter.  To keep up to date with Dakotakami, find them on Instagram @dakotakami.

Photos courtesy: Chelsea Takami & Kate Fox