The Line-Up with Céline Valensi

Mar 2

Written By

Everyone knows we love surfer-chic, and so we could not be more excited to share these must-know facts about the beach beauty.

Be sure to check out the full article with Céline here!

The Tidalist: Where are you from? And where do you live?

CV: I was born and raised in Manhattan. My parents emigrated from France and Tunisia. I found myself in Montauk, NY in 2010 to open a hotel and restaurant called the Crow’s Nest and never left.

TT: What is something most people don’t know about you?

CV: I’m first generation American and speak four languages.

TT: Favorite city to live in / favorite to visit?

CV: Paris. By far.

TT: A cause you care about?

CV: School reform for children with special needs, specifically on the East End where resources are super limited.

TT:Last concert you saw?

CV: The Strokes. My brother plays guitar in the band.

TT: If we hacked onto your Spotify, what would we be listening to?

CV: This is prob the most personal question you could ask. If I were truthful, you’d find out that I have a secret penchant for musical theater (I majored in theater in college at the New School) and I like to pretend that the Disney and Broadway soundtracks are for my kids. But really, they’re for me.

TT: Favorite restaurant(s)?

CV: I’m a true foodie, through and through. My favorite restaurants are all ethnic and under bridges in the outer boroughs. My favorite celebratory spot is Jing Fong on Canal Street in Chinatown.

TT: Favorite essentials clothing brand(s)?

CV: I’m a sucker for The Reformation and Love Shack Fancy. They dress me for work in the summer.

TT: Writing to you is…?

CV: The best form of communication. People always talk about tone being lost in text or email. I favor the medium, because I always get to say exactly what I mean in a thoughtful, not rushed way.

TT: Where do you go to get inspired?

CV: The ocean. Every single time.

TT: Favorite store?

CV: There’s a used bookstore next to a dive bar in Rincon, PR. I’m always shocked by how well it’s curated, and moreover that it’s still there because no one is ever inside.

TT: Any tattoos? If so, care to share of what/ the story behind?

CV: Okay, I had to count. Ten total. I got first when I was 15. I warned my mom and told her I was getting a tattoo the next day. She insisted on coming and my sister came too. Much to my surprise, all three of us left with tats that day. My mom and sister stopped there, but I was always fond of ink. I will probably keep going….

TT: The person you most look up to?

CV: My older brother, Nick. Our dad died when we were young children. My big sister and mother worked days and nights to support us. My brother and I became like glue. He raised me. He brought me to school, gymnastics, and cooked dinner. The whole gambit. He also happened to just be the coolest person on planet earth, later becoming an actual rock star.

TT: Thoughts on love and the world of digital dating apps?

CV: Ha! I’m out of the game. While single and hoping to find someone someday, I’m laser focused on my kids at the moment. I think at one time, online dating was a super successful mode to meet someone. Sadly, I think the “app” format turned the platform into yet another version of social media where our brains are hardwired to work for “likes” and attention, rather than actually make a real connection. My best guess is that the demise/shift started two or three years ago. It’s just one more way that we are living in the meta in lieu of here, now.

TT: A perfect Saturday night?

CV: Mid-July, record numbers at the Crow’s Nest, and I finally sit down with whichever friends came to visit me after my shift at the door. The sense of accomplishment after steering that ship is unbeatable.

TT: Favorite quote?

CV: “When in doubt, f**k it”. John Lennon said that, and to me it basically means the same thing as “let go, let God”.

TT: Workout(s) of choice?

CV: Surfing. And sadly, it’s not a choice. It’s the only exercise I enjoy/actually do.

TT: Something you are most excited about for the future?

CV: I simply CANNOT wait for Spring/Summer. The cool kids say the Fall is the best time in Montauk, but not for me. I’m too exhausted come September to enjoy it. Spring/early Summer before the crowds arrive but the summer regulars start trickling in is when it’s the most fun. The restaurants start opening and the energy is the air is so palpable.

TT: Artist you love?

CV: In an effort to avoid being cliché, I’ll plug one of my BFF’s, Cameron Bishop of the pottery line, BeauRush. She’s a ceramicist who makes functional art, specifically plateware. We were friends for almost a decade before I realized how talented she was.