Q&A with Marisa Spataro, retired Healesville hairdresser

Marisa Spataro. Picture: ALI DARRINGTON

What is something people don’t know about you?

Some people don’t know that I have my gun licence or that I do target shooting – but I don’t shoot animals.

What has been your most memorable moment while at Reflex?

Just some of the people – they’re just gorgeous, they make you feel like you’re the only person in the world for them to do their hair. It’s been lovely and I’ve really enjoyed that.

Will you miss the Healesville community?

Yes, definitely! I’ll still come and visit and I will miss the whole town, it’s beautiful.

How much has Healesville changed since Reflex opened?

It’s become probably a lot more modern in the sense you couldn’t even get a cup of coffee here when I came here. Now you can get one anywhere.

Looking back at when you first opened Reflex, what advice would you give yourself?

Everything fell into place. I was pretty lucky. It’s probably more now with technology – I wasn’t one of those hair dressers that took everyone’s numbers and emails, maybe that’s because that’s the new fashion now. Everyone takes your information and I have never really done that.

As far as everything else, I think everything fell into place really well and it was straight-forward. It’s just really technology.

What would be the biggest or most exciting job you’ve done?

I have had a couple of celebs in here, that’s very true of TV. I had a girl name Grace and I didn’t even know she was famous, she was telling me about how she was in a band and everything and then one day on TV there was one of those Ready Steady Cooks on and she was a celeb on the show.

Another that was really good, she was just a normal person and I had to be here by 2am to do her for her wedding. She was going up in a hot air balloon so that was pretty exciting, and no one else would do it for her so the hot air balloon said “Marissa will probably do it” so I had to be here early and she was taking 16 people with her.

If you were to host a dinner party and had to invite three guests, dead or alive, who would they be?

I reckon I would have my grandfather because I never met him on my dad’s side.

Marilyn Monroe, I think she would be an interesting one ‘cause a lot of people thought she was a bit of an airhead but I have read things about her she wasn’t.

And Steven Hawkins, I think he is quite an interesting person and was ahead of his time.

What is one object that you have lost that you wish you could have back?

I had a pomeranian when I was a child and his name was Muffins. I reckon I had that dog when I was 13 and I think I had him for 10 years.

What would be your favourite movie?

I like the Rambo movies.

If you had to pick your final meal, what would it be?

I think maybe ice-cream. I like cassata – it’s Italian.