Exclusive chat with Ramona Singer in her apartment & on her future with 'RHONY'

How often does one get the opportunity to visit Ramona Singer in her Upper East Side apartment, she graciously welcomed me into her home while I was in New York City celebrating my 100th column. Bravo’s star of "The Real Housewives of New York City", Ramona “Turtle Time” Singer along with Countess LuAnn have been the main and original stars since the show aired back in 2008. Ramona was kind, inviting, and hilarious. Like many things in Ramona’s life, she oversaw the designed process from start to finish of her classic pre-war apartment. Singer’s apartment boasts 2,500-square-feet, four-bedrooms, 3½-bathrooms. It also has a den, a maid’s room, a storage room with a washer/dryer, a breakfast room and plenty of space for Ramona’s elaborate wardrobe.
Ramona’s home, brought back many memories from “The Real Housewives” but to physically be in it, I was able to see all the personal touches of her and husband Mario's wedding photos and family portraits on her piano. The most memorable moment was when her daughter, Avery, arrived and the two had a real mother daughter moment and their undeniable bond is evident every time they were in the same room. Avery then gave me a tour of her new renovated bedroom which hosted bright colors, cool light fixtures, and a handmade stencil wall design. It’s clear where Avery gets her great sense of style and design. Avery also shared where she will be attending college this fall, and Ramona couldn’t be more proud of her little girl. Finally, Ramona and I discussed her lifestyle brand “Ramona” which includes jewelry, skin care, and everyone’s favorite wine and we finally chatted about her future with “Real Housewives of New York” take a read of the full interview below:

Examiner (Anthony Bowles): Thank you for having me in your apartment, it’s beautiful.

Ramona Singer: "Thank you, I wanted a place that was classic! I love antiques because they go up in value. I love beige with a touch of yellow, it’s subtle. During the day I feel like wearing sunglasses, because it gets so bright in here.

Examiner (Anthony Bowles): How was Fashion Week this year as well as walking for The Reality of AIDS fashion show?

Ramona Singer: "It was great! Funny thing about the show, was that the dress was too long and after having the designer take four inches off and it was still too long! I had to walk a certain way, at the end I started feeling the song they were playing, and almost tripped (laughs), but it was such an amazing night.”

Examiner (Anthony Bowles): How was seeing and walking in another show with Alex?

Ramona Singer: "It was great to see her, I adore her, and we are still friends. I think that she’s a great mother, business women, and person. She also looks better than ever!”

Examiner (Anthony Bowles): What are some of your favorite designers and how would you describe your style?

Ramona Singer: "As far as everyday designers, I really like Michael Kors, Rebecca Taylor, and Helmut Lang. I buy in style and if you treat it right, you’ll have it forever, just the other day, I was able to get into a dress from ten years ago, and it was fabulous. I also have a black and white Versace suit from fifteen years ago, and that style is coming back again.”

Examiner (Anthony Bowles): How is Avery feeling about going off to college?
Ramona Singer: "She’s doing so well! She got accepted into a couple of colleges, and she has decided to go to Emory College in Atlanta. I couldn’t be happier for her, and as a mother, you want your children to grow and become young adults. Emory is a top twenty school, and the fact that it’s warm down there, was the icing on the cake for her. She’s a mini me, but better…she’s more edited and more politically correct than I am.”

Examiner (Anthony Bowles): What can you tell us about season 6 and the status of the show?

Ramona Singer: “As far as I know it has been green lighted and they would like to film in the warm months late spring/summer. In fact I found a new housewife for bravo to add to the show. As far as me returning I am not sure if I want to come back for season 6, it got pretty abusive with some of the ladies.”

Examiner (Anthony Bowles): You've been out and about with some of the cast, how are your relationships with them when you are not filming?

Ramona Singe : "I think it will be interesting to see Aviva and I interact, if we are invited and want to come back, because I have seen her at social events and she has wanted to develop a relationship with me, and I felt like our relationship became so unhinged…I feel like it’s not fair to the viewers to develop a relationship with her off camera, I need to do it on camera. In public, I’m polite with her, and at the We Are Family gala, we sat at the same table and took photos, but I’m not going to engage in a full on conversation, and if we are both invited back, it will be interesting to see how we resolve our issues. I have been in contact with Carole and Heather and met with them a couple of times, and they’ve supported me in a charity that I did for a shoe store on Madison Avenue for Sandy relief. I’m always in contact with Sonja, we’re BF’s.”

Examiner (Anthony Bowles): Which do you enjoy the most, the city or the Hamptons?

Ramona Singer: "I enjoy both, I have the best of both worlds, I’m in the city during the week, and then I head to the Hamptons on the weekends.”

Examiner (Anthony Bowles): What details can you give us about the Philadelphia Flower Show that you will be attending?

Ramona Singer: "I’m going to be making a personal appearance on March 9th which is a Saturday from 2:00 p.m. till 4:00 p.m. and it will be the first time that the ‘Ramona Red Wine” will be introduced, and I describe it as a mini Tuscan. The thing that I really love about my red wine is that the finish is smooth.”

Examiner (Anthony Bowles): How involved were you in this process of the red wine?

Ramona Singer: “I was 100% involved, just like everything else that I do from my jewelry line and making corrections to the sketches and my skincare line. I’m involved from start to finish, it’s important for me to be hands on. I only do things that I believe in and it has to be something that I love…I could never have someone slap my name or face on a product and not be involved, that is just not who I am as a person.”

Examiner (Anthony Bowles): You have a lifestyle brand, how do you still keep it going?

Ramona Singer: "It is great, when it’s fun, I love doing it. I must say that I’ve been busy with Avery and getting her ready for school, and I must really say that this has to be one of the most stressful and important time for any mother.”

Examiner (Anthony Bowles): Do you think there are plans to increase your wine line?
Ramona Singer: "I think right now, people drink a red and a white wine , but who knows, maybe I’ll do a sparkly wine, but for right now, I’m thoroughly enjoying the two wines that I have.”

Examiner (Anthony Bowles): How is Mario?

Ramona Singer: "He is doing amazingly well! I played in a recent tennis match, and made it all the way to the finals, and for him to not have played tennis in a while, that was a huge accomplishment for him.”

Examiner (Anthony Bowles): How do you guys make quality time for each other?

Ramona Singer: "You just have to make it, and basically what I do now is balance it out. We have dinner three to four times a week as a family, we also do romantic nights with ourselves, or we spend time with other couples. March 14th we will be celebrating our 21 year anniversary, we’ll probably have dinner at The Pierre Hotel and then we leave for Aspen on the 16th. I still can’t believe it myself, but I consider myself a very lucky woman.”

Examiner (Anthony Bowles): What are three things you’re obsessed with?

Ramona Singer: "I love my shoes…weighing myself everyday because I’m trying to keep my weight down…and I’m obsessed with being on time. Mario is never on time and it drives me crazy (laughs).”

Examiner (Anthony Bowles): Favorite TV show?

Ramona Singer: "Homeland and Revenge.”

Examiner (Anthony Bowles): Worst food?

Ramona Singer: "Chicken liver, yuck! My mother used to make me eat that with mashed potatoes, I hated it.”

Examiner (Anthony Bowles): Favorite place to shop?

Ramona Singer: “Bergdorf Goodman.”

Examiner (Anthony Bowles): If you had to be a “housewife” in a different city, where would you go?

Ramona Singer: “Beverly Hills definitely!”

Examiner (Anthony Bowles): What are you most looking forward to this year and some of your personal goals?

Ramona Singer: "My new thing is to find out what makes me really happy…I think what makes me happy and what’s important to me is my family and my health. Now that Avery is going to college, I’m looking over my friendships, certain ones I’m making stronger, and certain ones I just keep in the peripheral…and there are those who are becoming more important in my life. Also to continue and build my relationship with my husband, as Avery has been separating from me in the past year as she’s been getting ready for college…and it has been good, because, Mario and I have connected in a different way. Life is all about evolution, and I feel like my life and my marriage is evolving.”

Thank you so much Ramona, for allowing me into your fabulous apartment, you were warm and inviting! Make sure to keep up with Ramona and check out her website for her latest newsletters at, www.ramonasinger.com and follow her on Twitter @ramonasinger. Enjoy her Ramona Pinot Grigio made in the Veneto region of Italy and have some "Turtle Time" all the time! As well as her Tru Renewal skincare line, her True Faith jewelry collection, and her Ramona Singer Jewelry on HSN. She also has her Amazon store, Ramona Singer Collections.

Also for a chance to meet Ramona, she will be at the Philadelphia Flower Show click here for details on Mar 9, 2013 2:00 PM - Mar 9, 2013 4:00 PM Ramona will be signing bottles of her signature libations from 2 to 4 pm in the Grand Hall near the PA Wine & Spirits store and tasting area. Those attending the bottle signing must purchase a Flower Show ticket.