“I do not have a substance abuse issue as my cast mates have tried to portray. I don’t take pills or medication, and I don’t do any hard drugs. Not my vibe.”
ALEXANDER HANKIN meets his friend, Bravo superstar MEREDITH MARKS in Soho for a revealing, titillating tête-à-tête.
I love that you picked Ayah for our chat.
Ayah feels like something out of Arabian nights, every inch of the decor was brought over from Morocco. We have to get the cheese Briouats, they are to die for. And the Chhiwat Tower which has eggplant Zaalouk, Taktouka, which is like a pepper and tomato salad with all these spices, and an amazing carrot salad. And a “MA HĀAR GUITA” – their version of a spicy margarita, but better.
You go non-stop.
My DJ tour is super exciting. It started with DJ-ing for Pride. It completely took off and snowballed. I had no idea it would go this well. The upcoming tour starts in West Hollywood and hits 10 cities. It’s going to be super fun and amazing. If anyone reading this is in one of the cities, come by! I’m also working on a caviar lounge in Park City. And I just launched a card game called “Rümors and Nastiness.” It’s a playful twist on “Two Truths and a Lie.” You draw a prompt, tell a story, and everyone guesses if it’s a rumor or a nasty truth.
Meredith Marks Caviar is so delicious.
Everything I do stems from something I’m passionate about. I started in jewelry because I love jewelry and I went into caviar because I was looking for a consumable luxury item and I love caviar. I eat it almost every day.
“One thing I want to clear up: I don’t get filler. People love to say that I do, but I don’t have any filler, not even in my lips.”
Caviar must be good for the skin because you always look flawless.
Diet is huge. Sugar, fried food and fast food are really hard on the skin. Alcohol doesn’t help either. I developed my own skincare line. Everything is already formulated. It comes down to small, consistent things: a good routine with cleansing and moisturizing. I believe in little treatments. I went to Dr. Ron in Miami recently for threads. He’s amazing and I do some Botox. One thing I want to clear up: I don’t get filler. People love to say that I do, but I don’t have any filler, not even in my lips.
This new season of “The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City” is the best one yet.
There are a lot of lies, a lot of truths—but almost none of them about me; mostly it’s all lies about me. There’s plenty of drama and conflict, some resolved, some not. We’re seeing shifts in friendships and loyalties. And for me, certain things are becoming very clear.
Six seasons worth of your life have been captured on television.
The most interesting part of this whole process is being self-reflective. You get to go back and see yourself. Maybe you’re not seeing everything, obviously, we’re not airing every moment of everyone’s lives, but you see enough to understand how people engage with you, interpret what you say, and react to it.
Reality TV often promotes misconceptions.
Well, first of all, I’m not a cold person. I’m very warm and kind. I can be not nice at times—of course, if you really push me that far, go for it. I’m human. I don’t hold grudges and I’m quick to forgive. I’m not the one with skeletons pouring out of my closet – like some others. That’s why I’m not on the attack—usually, the ones with a lot to hide are the ones going on offense. The other thing I want to clear up is I do not have a substance abuse issue as my castmates have tried to portray. Generally, I have one drink, occasionally a second and here and there a gummy. I don’t take pills or medication, and I don’t do any hard drugs. Not my vibe. No offense to those who do. Usually, the ones making accusations about others are the ones trying to hide their own problems.
“Reality TV is hard to navigate, especially for such young people. Watching Brooks and Chloe was, as a mother, phenomenal.”
You and your husband Seth recently had your 29th wedding anniversary. Any relationship advice?
The easiest answer is to see a marital therapist. I think it’s a good idea, even before you get married, to go to couple’s therapy. It’s not about fixing what’s wrong; it’s about learning how to communicate better. If you have a good relationship but poor communication, therapy can automatically improve the relationship. That might be a little extreme, but it’s true… when communication is broken, relationships break down, and it’s very hard to fix that without guidance.
You have three great kids: Chloe, Brooks and Reid.
I raised my kids with three rules. Get good grades – that’s your job. Be kind and respectful—that encompasses saying please and thank you, writing thank-you notes, being gracious and treating others with respect. And third, talk to me- not just answer questions, but volunteer what’s going on in your life so I can help you and keep you safe.
Brooks also has his own Bravo reality show, “Next Gen NYC” which you’ve appeared on.
I felt like the mothership, obviously for Brooks and Chloe, but also for everyone else. A lot of the cast would come to me for advice and guidance. Reality TV is hard to navigate, especially for such young people. Watching Brooks and Chloe was, as a mother, phenomenal.
You’re a huge advocate for GLADD.
GLAAD came by way of Anthony Ramos. He was concerned about the hate and trolling Brooks was receiving and reached out to support us. I cannot be more grateful.
You aired your bat mitzvah on television. You put yourself out there as a positive light for the Jewish community.
Initially, there was a lot of online antisemitic hate, which honestly surprised me. I didn’t fully realize it was still so prevalent, but unfortunately, it is. Once that quieted down, people have been incredibly supportive. I have people stopping me almost every day, grateful that I shared my experience.
PHOTOGRAPHS BY BFA
