Meet Rosanna De Candia | Actor / Singer / Comedian / Podcaster

We had the good fortune of connecting with Rosanna De Candia and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Rosanna, do you have some perspective or insight you can share with us on the question of when someone should give up versus when they should keep going?
Even though I have not reached my goals I feel that no matter what, if you are doing something you completely love and cannot live without then you must keep pursuing it. Life is too short to abandon your dreams and follow the path of others. We have all come here to pursue that one thing that give us life and purpose so it is a shame to not follow through on the journey. Each one of us is here for a specific reason and some may still not know that reason, but once you do figure it out then you owe it to yourself and the world to continue on your path and no matter what do not give up. I know sometimes we may have to step away to gain clarity and find out if our path is worth the struggle but I think it is worse to give up and accept mediocrity. I think half the fun of life is the journey of accomplishing our dreams and visions. Once you achieve them then you have to find new ones, so for me, I say do not give up on YOU and your dreams, because you owe yourself that dedication.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I have been in the entertainment industry since I was 10 years old. I started my career in musical theatre in New Jersey and used to audition for broadway shows as a child. I did pursue the arts throughout high school, then attended Rutgers University. Throughout the years I have had a plethora of careers such as, bartender, pharmaceutical sales representative, make up artist, hostess, receptionist, magic teacher, etc…the list goes on and on. However I decided that after many years of trying different careers I needed to pursue the arts again. I moved to Los Angeles 9 years ago and started acting and singing again. FYI, I believe that half of life is figuring out the things you do not want to do, so you owe it to yourself to try out new endeavors. With that being said, during Covid I started my audiobook podcast “Jersey Reads The Classics”. It is sassy, crass, funny and inspirational. I had no experience in creating a podcast but I just started doing it and I am very proud of it because I always go the extra mile in ensuring the listener has a positive experience. I am a big believer in following your gut and mine led me to creating my podcast.

Next, I have been told for years that I should be a comedian. I did grow up in New Jersey with Italian immigrant parents so of course my life was already a comedy. I had denied doing comedy because of fear, but then last September I received a course booklet from Santa Monica Community College and there just happened to be a comedy class on the roster. So I decided at 53 to step out of my comfort zone and take the class. After two months of learning and writing the class performed at The Improv. A comedy booker’s assistant was there and came up to me after my set and couldn’t believe it was my first time doing comedy. He took my information and I was contacted by his boss and now have performed at The Comedy Store several times. The takeaway from this is: The thing you fear most is the thing you must do!

I am currently working on my one woman show.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I have been known to be a good host to my friends/family so much so that one of my dearest friends has deemed me the head of Camp Rosie.

First on the roster a day trip to Ojai/Santa Barbara. The day begins with a meditation at Meditation Mount in Ojai then drive to the downtown village in Ojai and visit quaint shops or the farmer’s market on the weekend, and end with lunch at my favorite restaurant, Hip Vegan on N. Montgomery Street. The food is great and the portions are huge. Afterwards we will drive 45 minutes to Santa Barbara and take in the sites of the Old Mission and also venture to their shopping area for some delicious ice cream at McConnell’s on State Street.

Another favorite day trip is to Solvang, a quaint Danish village offering shops, food and wine. It is really a treat to see the windmills and try different food from another culture.

Next, a day trip to Laguna Beach. Besides the beach, there is the beautiful view from Heisler Park on Cliff Drive, where you can sit and look over the Pacific Ocean or walk down the path to the shops. I love to stroll the S. Coast Highway street and then have lunch at The Cliff Restaurant overlooking the ocean. The food is fabulous and the view is stunning, it is a must dine experience.

I am a walker so I love taking my guests to Manhattan Beach’s The Strand. It is a path by the ocean that is also in front of all these amazing huge houses. We will walk from Manhattan Beach into Hermosa for about 45 minutes then go to the shops in Hermosa and eat lunch at either The Source Cafe, healthy and delicious fare or Gum Tree Shop and Cafe, both are located on Pier Avenue. It has some Australian food, like my fave, Vegemite and Cheese sandwich, yummy!!! You cannot go wrong with either place. Then of course we will walk back to Manhattan Beach, grab some blankets, my tarot cards and go sit on the beach get zen, relax and do readings from the tarot cards.

Full disclosure, I am not a hiker but when in LA one must do at least one hike. This hike is not an easy one and not for someone who is terrified of hiking, even though my friend took me on this hike 7 years ago and it was my first hike, YIKES! It is the Wisdom Tree hike located by Lake Hollywood Drive in Hollywood. The hike is not easy but the pay off is incredible. There is no real path but you are climbing up dirt but once you get to the top you will be so grateful you sucked it up and did it. There is only one tree at the top that survived the Barham fire in 2007 and the view is incredible. FYI: it is steep but doable by most.

Lastly, I am all about health and wellness so I would be taking my guests to Moon Juice, Kreation, some vegan restaurants i.e. Sun Cafe in Studio City, Crossroads Kitchen in West Hollywood, Pura Vita in West Hollywood and any other new hotspot I have recently discovered.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
My shout out goes to my mom, Teresa! (Yes, I do have a Mother Teresa) She has always been and continues to be my biggest fan. It is because of her continued love, support and encouragement that I continue to pursue my dreams. She has believed in me even when I didn’t believe in myself.

Website: https://rosannadecandia.wixsite.com/rosannadecandia

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jerseyreadstheclassics

Youtube: @jerseyreadstheclassics5662

Other: Jersey Reads The Classics Podcast: https://jerseyreadstheclassics.libsyn.com/jersey-reads-the-classics Rosie De Candia Youtube: @rosiedecandia

Image Credits
I take all my own photos.