Here is the long-awaited interview with Marvella, the mother of one of my dearest friends. She is a true New Yorker with a remarkable spirit, who invited me to her East-side apartment for coffee and a chat.
AskaNewYorker: What a welcome! Thank you, Marvella, this is a beautiful platter.
Marvella: Oh, thank you. The coffee is from Indonesia, and of course the cognac is from France. The serving tray is made in Portugal (laughs), so we have a little of everything.
AskaNewYorker: How long have you lived in New York?
Marvella: Oh, my God, practically all my life. At least 30 years.
AskaNewYorker: What do you do in the city, for a living?
Marvella: OK, there’s the million dollar question, isn’t it? I freelance with an interior design house. Our main business is with Australia, Hong Kong, and USA. But, my big love is Marvellissima, my cosmetic line which I designed. I’m working on getting it to the market, hopefully next year.
AskaNewYorker: Is this how you keep your skin looking so radiant and healthy?
Marvella: Absolutely. I do take good care of my skin, cleaning in the morning, evening, and moisturizer and eye cream.
AskaNewYorker: Tell us more about the cosmetic line Marvellissima.
Marvella: The first line we are introducing is make up products. It’s designed with a 21st century peak to it. Very innovative. The packaging is silver metal, with the outer packaging in clear plastic, which is very youthful. I plan to sell it really not in stores but strictly on line on a limited basis. Absolutely. It’s a high end product. In cosmetics, the product has to be very good but the packaging must be outstanding to grab the attention.
AskaNewYorker: So your market is….?
Marvella: The diversity in women’s beauty. We have the colors streamlined to meet any global demand.
AskaNewYorker: I love the name Marvellissima. How did you come up with that name?
Marvella: Well, my name is Marvel (for short) and Marvellissima is the superlative of Marvel. Something that is marvelous. So, it’s based on my own name.
AskaNewYorker: Where are you from originally?
Marvella: Corn Island, Nicaragua in Latin America. As you know, we had a dictatorship with the Samosas for 46 years. After the war with the Contras and the Sandinistas the country was left in very poor condition, economically speaking.
AskaNewYorker: How would you describe the year 2005?
Marvella: It was an odd year. To begin with I recently lost a very dear friend of mine, who died. I was supposed to go to a celebration of the 25th anniversary of his being a tribal chief in Ghana, Africa. I needed an angiogram so I cancelled my trip. He passed away around 15 days ago. I am planning on going to his funeral on Jan. 30.
AskaNewYorker: How did you meet this tribal chief?
Marvella: It’s a long story. In the early 70s I was the Social Secretary to Ambassador Joseph Owono, Ambassador of Cameroon in Washington, DC., I hosted a reception in honor of Robert Freeman, Director for the Agency of International Development for Africa. I told Bob about my business trip to Nigeria via Accra, Ghana. Bob was delighted and told me that I had a to meet his friend, Nei Noi Omaboe, in Ghana, who, as an Economist was a minister of Finance under Kwame Nkrumah’s regime and was now a very successful business man. I sent Nei Noi a telex and signed only M. Perilla for fear that my complete name would reveal that I was a woman and therefore, unimmportant. Upon my arrival at the airport, five of Nei Noi’s employees were there to greet me, take care of my customs and luggage needs. I then went to my hotel. Nei Noi asked his staff, where is Mr. Perilla? They responded, Mr. Perilla ….. It was the beginning of a lasting 35 years friendship. I was scheduled to attend Nei Noi’s 25th year Anniversary as a tribal chief ‘NANA WEREPE AMPEN II” last October, however because of temporary ailment, it was not feasible for me to travel. Fifteen days ago Nei Noi’ passed away and now I’m headed to Ghana this month not to celebrate his Anniversary, but to celebrate his life!
AskaNewYorker: What is the history of this photo?
Marvella: How strange that you should ask me about this photo, on this December 31st 2005! As you can see from the photo, my fiancé, General Warner Neurenberg, Assitant Air Attaché of the German Embassy and your truly are in the receiving line with His Excellency Ambassador and Mrs. Ahuetto on the occasion of the celebration of the 31st of December party. It was a splendid evening, my Moroccan hair dresser, made certain that I had enough pearls in my hair and I wore a splendid dress. It was the consensus that evening that I was ‘la plus belle femme’ at the party that night. I will always cherish that evening, it was a ‘Sintesis of eternity’! happened to dance with the Belgian Chargé d;Affaire, who was quite hansome and tall, and was an excellent dancer. His wife assure my fiancé that ‘He would have a lovely wife, but lots of headache’. Poor woman when the dance was over she ordered her husband home; General Neurenberg did the same. So end one of the most memorable evening of my life. Believe it or not, I still have the dress I wore that night and Werner has passed on to a better life beyond!
AskaNewYorker: What’s on your agenda for Dec. 31, 2005 (the day of this interview)?
Marvella: I plan to go to Riverside Church. Perhaps a drink at the Pierre Hotel, or somewhere else for a nice drink. Thank God for another year. I look forward to something great for 2006.
AskaNewYorker: Here’s my last question. If you were running the kitchen for the Last Supper, what would you cook for Jesus and his Disciples?
Marvella: He loved fishing, and obviously He loved fish. So, I think I would have a nice garlic shrimp, something like that. I think he would love that as an appetizer.
AskaNewYorker: And the main course?
Marvella: That would be a mixture of grilled fish, lobsters, and oysters.
AskaNewYorker: And dessert?
Marvella: Well, I guess there would be some great figs, because the Middle East is famous for figs. Yes, there would be great ripe figs on the table.
AskaNewYorker: Well, Marve, I’ve experienced your culinary magic and I think the attendants of the Last Supper would have gone wild for your empanadas. Thank you for sharing with us and cheers to a magical new year with only good things to come!
