Cindy Guyer, the face pictured on 2000 book covers

“I might look like Cinderella, but I love having this spice of life in me. ”

Cindy Guyer. Photo Credit: Andrew Werner

People still read books, don’t they? If in the last 20 years you were browsing countless isles of mysterious books, let’s say of Barnes and Nobles, eventually you’ve stumbled upon the Romance Section. There you definitely have found lots of different books with shiny and glossy covers, or jackets, depicting a very pretty, sexy girl with blond main in different outfits and different times settings. She is usually portrayed together with the equally handsome long haired raggedy handsome guy. WHo are they, and where are they now?

My friend Google helped me to narrow down the search and eventually I found them: Cindy Guyer and Fabio. Few more phone calls to friends and people who are in the position to know, and I had a contact for Cindy Guyer. Where is she and what she is doing? Nowadays she owns very successful restaurant in New York, and still from time to time does book covers. Not that it is very important but I’ve remembered that we’ve ran into each other back in a day, about six years ago here, in Los Angeles during some high fashion photoshoot.

Cundy remembered me and got really enthusiastic to sit down with me for another interview. Two weeks after this phone call she jumped on the plane and several hours later we were able to sit down

Cindy Guyer may look like petite CInderella, but in reality she is a very smart and witty business woman who knows how not just to do the runway or pose for a picture on more than 2000 book covers, she was featured on, but she also runs a very popular restaurant in New York City, “GUYERS” and thinking of possibility to open another one, hopefully in Los Angeles. It is always fun and fulfilling to interact with people who inspire one another, and Cindy is one of them. What is so special about her? Probably he zest for life, easygoing personality and ability to care about so many people and things.

We were sitting in a shade of a big tree inside the beautiful garden of our mutual friend

and a creator of a “Love Boat” show Jeraldine Saunders. I always care with me my Canon, and somehow this interview Cindy transpired in another fashion photoshoot after another dear friend of ours have joined us. That was Tatiana Peter with her ready-to-wear collection of mind-intriguing couture designs

Like a real CInderella Cindy was changing from one fantastic dress to another, giggling and making happy everyone around her. After the full day of shooting we finally set down at the small town restaurant and god down to the some fantastic conversation.

TD: Cindy, how would you define yourself?

CG: I am a model, actress, artist, producer, a lover of human beings and animals on this planet. In a past years I have reinvented myself many times, I love being alive and having this spice of life in me. Among few other things I’m thrilled to have my restaurant because besides feeding my guests, I can give people jobs and opportunities, and that is very important. Reinventing myself so many times is exactly like being a spice of life.

TD: Ho did it all started for you?

CG: One day, when I was 14 years old, I was actually having lunch with my parents in Stamford Connecticut, and a woman named Wilhelmina came over to me and told me she owns a little agency in New York City and she would like to see if I will be a good fit there. It turned out, it was the top modeling agency back than, and she has taught me me how walk, talk, dress, do my own makeup and hair. Back in a day model was supposed to know how to do her own styling and take care of herself. Soon after she sent me out to my first commercial for Prell shampoo, and I got it. That was unheard off and exciting to get your first commercial that fast, but I did. This commercial ran for about 4 years. And that's how my modeling career got started. Unfortunately soon after Wilhelmina passed away, I went to a different modeling agency called Ford, and a woman named Aleen Ford became my mentor. But she was kind of mean to me, saying “you're only 5’6. Why can't I stretch you?” I wasn't able to do runaway or a lot of the big fashion catalogs. On the other hand she put me in the romance industry and the book cover creators really liked me. They thought I looked like Brigitte Bardot. That came shortly after I had done book covers for Nancy Drew and Scholastic books.

TD: How exactly they were doing these book covers with you?

CG: On the shoot there were an illustrator, and sometimes even the author of the book. They would tell me a little bit about the novel, and than we would pose in the costumes designed by Sharon Spiack, an expert in period costumes. She's amazing and she's also a dear friend of mine. They would pose me and Fabio, who I worked with a lot. A photographer would take several pictures of us, then the illustrator would create a drawing from them and at the end it would be printed as a book cover. Sometimes we would shoot close to 20 romance novels in a week. It was really fun.

Another person who played significant role in my book cover modeling career was Katherine Falk. An amazing woman, was running a lot of book conventions.

Now I maybe do book covers one a month, but back than it was really fun.

Sometimes I model shoes for a lot of the top shoe designers because I have a very tiny foot, just like Cinderella. I do feel like Cinderella. I have done lots of commercial, even went out to L.A. in a pursuit of acting. And I've been in a few films and got to work with some amazing actors.

TD: What are the biggest names you’ve ever worked with?

It was fun working with Barbara Streisand. She picked me herself for the little part in the “Mirror has Two Faces.” She is really an incredible director and an amazing woman. Oprah Winfrey… It was an honor to work with the Oxygen Network and her company. She greenlit a show that I created called “Mr. Romance.” I really had 80 people were working for me on the set, and then she put me in her commercials with Ellen and Chelsea Handler. Oprah also put my face on the bus in New York. There were buses all over the country with my faces on them, Jennifer Love Hewitt on other busses, and Ellen Degeneres. I'm a huge fan of Ellen and I think she's fabulous. I also have worked with Gil Gerard, Susan Blakely and many others.

TD: Cindy, you always speak very fondly about your parents. What is important lesson you’ve learned from your parents about life?

I’d say, my parents did do good. I was a mommy and daddy's girl, and I took my parents everywhere. Unfortunately they've been gone now for about five years.I know in my heart, they are watching out for me right now...and they gave me so much love for life, they just live in my heart

TD: I like this positive outlook you portray. How do you get to stay always so positive and inspiring?

CG: I just believe in God. I get up every morning and sometimes if I’m sad, I just would seat alone in the morning and then have a cup of tea be happy again. I always want to have every day as the best day that I possibly can. I always look forward. And I believe the glass is always half full and not half empty. I try to be positive. As much as I can.

Sometimes you know we make mistakes. We just shouldn't beat ourselves over it. We’ve gotta get up and do better next time. There's always tomorrow.

Sometimes I do have a tendency to be hard on myself. I push myself very hard. And that's how we all should do when we want to grow.

TD: You run your own restaurant, What that means to you?

CG: Opening my restaurant was an unbelievable challenge. The first time when I opened restaurant, it was called Wine and Roses. I was a little bit younger than the other partners and blond. They always made fun of me. By the end of the day look, who is running and owns the restaurant? I do.

To learn the restaurant business very difficult, very challenging but the wonderful thing is you make so many people happy, that your customers are just so happy to come into place and have a good time meeting the people. I love to entertain people and care for them, when they come to eat there, or just meet friends and spend a good time. Paul Herman is the one who has taught me a lot about all tricks of trade in the restaurant business, and I’m really grateful to him for it. He is like my family and he helped me get all my licenses. My friends Tony Danza, Robert De Niro also gave me ad ices and suggestions. I’m very blessed to have friends-actors in my community. They are so supportive of my restaurant, those Italian boys are very supportive of me and have taught me so much about the restaurant industry. For example, it is very difficult to get a liquor license in this town, and Robert De Niro’s attorney made sure I had no problems to get it. So I feel blessed and protected at the same time, which is nice.

TD: You were involved with the Millionaire Matchmaker reality show, and in the game-show/reality television series Mr. Romance, which was your debut role in non-scripted programming. Anything exciting you can mention as of today?

CG: I love the Bravo network. In fact they were just filming today at my restaurant For the Million Dollar Listing. Just about an hour ago, and that episode will air next season It is so exciting to have them here. I can’t wait to see how it all turn out. I’m glad it was done in my restaurant “Guyers” a posh eatery and bar on the Manhattan's Upper East Side

As for “Mr. Romance,” Yes I did my whole episode with Patty Spangler after my divorce.

They asked me if I would be on the show The Millionaire Matchmaker. I was a little reluctant.

However, I thought that I’d give it a try, and I’m glad that I did. Patti was very nice and she could be very hard on people but I'm very blessed she was really kind to me and it was a fun show.

TD: Have you ever been married?

CG: Yes I got married I was married about 10 years ago. I've had a couple of boyfriends. But I have not found a Prince Charming yet, and I'm still waiting for him.

We started talking about CIndy’s restaurant again, and she said, she has absolutely great team to be able to rely on. He helps her to keep the spirit of this establishment go. CIndy also confessed that there was recent article in the Post about her restaurant.

They wrote about them in the paper, and they called her a Blonde Bar beauty. There are not too many women who own Restaurants in Manhattan. It’s more of a guy thing, and that’s why she is so proud to be able to stand tall on her own. She did say, that having a good team is half of the success, and she is grateful to the people who work for her

CG: I think Frank Sinatra was right - if you could make it New York you can make it anywhere because it's a rough city. People are tough people are rough as the weather is very challenging here. Our winters are so cold and our summers are so hot and it's tough so I like to put a little Hollywood into my world.

TD: Have you met Frank Sinatra in person?

CG: I never got that pleasure, my mother however did. My mother was an airline stewardess for PanAm and my dad was a pilot for Philip Morris, and they met a lot of amazing people. Frank Sinatra was on her plain quite often, and also Eleanor Roosevelt, when she worked for John F. Kennedy for a few years when he was campaigning before he was president. So I've had the opportunity to be around really amazing people most of my life

TD: What kind of food you have there in the restaurant.

CG: All Americans American. I mean even though I live a fish festival girl I've got all-American burgers. You have salad. I have some amazing flatbread pizzas. I love macaroni and cheese very decadent. And we have like specials every week and then we have an amazing brunch or brunch is amazing. A hot summer day sit on the terrace and drink and eat and have a great afternoon. But we we open at 4:00 during the week and we closed about 2:00 in the morning and on the weekends are open from noon till about three and it really is. But like I said you never like my peers. You never know it's going to pop it. Everyone knows everyone's name. And like I said you'll never. You'll never guess. We'll come to that door. Actors writers directors we we do have a lot of artistic people art the Upper West Side where the restaurant is full of a lot of artists who yeah the community on the Upper West Side is very magical.

TD: What is your advice to other women how they should take care of themselves?

CD: Well, I’d say exercise, eat good food and be positive. I am in my 50s now, but I don't feel like it and I never want to ever feel old. My mom also told me every year brings something new and wonderful. The only thing to do is take care of yourself. The body that you've got it is a rental. So we've got to take good care of this rentals. I do Yoga because it’s just very good. It'll calm you down. I pretty much stick to fish. I'm more of a pescatarian, and It's very efficient. Vegetables are my diet.

I don't eat birds because they're way too cute, pigs and birds are too cute to eat, besides, I think pigs are smart too.

TD: What are your plans for the future?

CD: my future plans? One day I'd love to produce another TV show. I like now to be more behind the scenes and direct it. Hopefully one day I will have my own farm. I just want to enjoy the life and be able to share love with people.

TD: Last question, what is important lesson you’ve learned from your parents about life?

CG: I love everything about life. I love being alive. It's great. So I try to make it good. My mother used to say that life is what you make out of it. I'm doing my very best to enjoy life and have it meaningful

Well, our conversation was nearing the end. We’ve covered quite a few interesting topics. It was time to say our goodbyes until next time. Hopefully when Cindy will fly to Los Angeles next time we will be celebrating some new and important events on her life journey