24 LONGISLANDPRESS.COM • JANUARY 2018 24 LONGISLANDPRESS.COM • SEPTEMBER 2017 24 LONGISLANDPRESS.CO M • SEPTEMBER 201-----------TUTU111
BY RUTH BASHINSKY
Lara Spencer is unstoppable. For
the co-anchor of Good Morning
America and creator, executive
producer and host of Flea Market
Flip, best-selling author and
devoted mother of two teenagers,
life is good. Today, at 48, Spencer
is feeling on top of the world and
attributes much of her successes
to growing up in Garden City. We
caught up with her to discuss her
recent projects, motherhood, her
love for Garden City, how she got
the nickname “Bird” and the best
strategy for hunting treasures at
your next flea market stop.
Long Island Press: How would you
describe yourself?
Lara Spencer: Well, I am definitely
a product of Long Island. Growing
up there really formed who I am.
I am very proud to be a Strong
Islander. I think we are real and
we are honest. We work hard, and
we love to laugh, and we are a little
loud, and we are proud of it.
LIP: Do you visit often?
LS: When I go back we all meet at
Leo’s (a burger joint), then I am not
Lara anymore, I am Bird. I played
basketball all through grade school
and high school, and I was very tall
at an early age. And, I happened
to choose the number 33 because
it was my favorite number. I had
no idea that was the number Larry
Bird wore. My name is Lara, so all
the boys in a teasing way in seventh
grade used to call me Lara Bird.
Then it became a term of affection.
And today at 48 years old I am
still Bird. I love it. It warms my
heart to walk into Leo’s and hear
“Hey Bird.”
LIP: What type of stories do
you like covering the most?
Entertainment? News?
LS: I really love celebrating the
underdog. One of my favorite
stories ever was meeting with the
real-life Rosie the Riveters. These
COVER STORY
Treasure hunting
GMA’s Lara Spencer shares Flea Market Flip tips and how LI honed her eye
Lara Spencer is host, executive producer and creator of HGTV’s Flea Market Flip (photo by Mae Astute).