December 5, 2010

Tuesday, Dec. 7th, 2010 Event!!!!!!!!! Sure to be a hit!

Celebrate Our Troops

On Tuesday December 7th, you can join some of New York’s leading athletes at JCPenney to give “combat to career” care packages to returning veterans. Just in time for the holidays, dynamic partners JOE Joseph Abboud, JCPenney and IAVA (Iraq Afghanistan Veterans of America), and several of New York” football greats, will salute the newest generation of veterans as the host an in-store event for a truly worthy cause. 

Athletes, vets, and customers will assemble care packages on-site.  These care packages will contain fashionable must-haves that will help male and female vets transition into the workforce in style.  Encased within the IAVA messenger bags, men will receive a tie, wallet, sunglasses, shoe-shine kit, umbrella and men’s grooming products, while the women will enjoy a jewelry set, scarf, a leather make-up kit, featuring make-up and skin care provided by Sephora inside JCPenney.  Throughout the day, customers will have the opportunity to interact with the players and vets, enjoy a uniquely branded photo booth and enter to win special raffle prizes from JOE Joseph Abboud and JCPenney, including tickets to the Giants vs. Eagles game, and a signed football.

Scheduled to appear will be New York’s finest football greats, Kevin Boss, Shaun O’Hara, Matt Dodge, Osi Umenyiora, Corey Webster, Terrell Thomas, Bear Pascoe and Deon Grant.  It all happens from 12:30 through 2 pm at JCPenney Flagship Store located at 33rd and 6th Avenue.  (100 West 33rd Street at the 6th Avenue Entrance.  

Come and thank our veterans, meet our athletes and get some holiday shopping done!

SHARE THIS POST ON: Facebook
Posted By Leave a Comment
December 3, 2010

Gift for the Quintessential New Yorker

Windows at Bergdorf Goodman

Ah, the holiday season in New York City! One of the prettiest times of the year to be here! Whenever I have out-of-town friends who ask me when I think is a good time to see the city sights, the holidays are undoubtedly my number one choice!

There is always something to do here any time of year, but life becomes extra special around the holidays.  The decorations, displays, events– we New Yorkers love a spectacle and around the holidays, these spectacles are everywhere! Come holiday season, one of the most amazing sights to behold is the elaborate window displays at stores throughout the city.  Looking at store window displays has become a holiday tradition for generations of New Yorkers and tourist alike.

One of the most elaborate window displays has to be the windows of Bergdorf Goodman.   Bergdorf Goodman was founded by master tailors Edwin Goodman and Herman Bergdorf in 1901.  It is located in the former site of the Cornelius Vanderbilt mansion on the corner of Fifth Avenue and 58th Street.  The store is known for its one-of-a-kind exclusive fashions and unparalleled service.   

Their window displays are legendary not just at the holidays, but throughout the year.  They are the creations of the Bergdorf Goodman visual gurus of Linda Fargo and David Hoey.  Their work consists of innovative displays that do far more than herald the changing winds of fashions. They are rich in their artistry, detail, smart references and sly visual jokes.  While our dynamic duo never stops thinking about the holiday window display, it sometimes take advance planning of two to three years to come to fruition.  The unveiling of the holiday windows is one of the most anticipated events of the year.  The theme for the 2010 holiday windows? “Wish you were here” which is about traveling to faraway places on unexpected forms of transportation.

Bergdorf Goodman’s splendid window displays have now earned their own limited-edition, hand-bound Assouline tome.  Assouline books are a work of art themselves as they capture culture and bring it to life. This collector’s item presents the best of the past decades window displays at the store.  It contains more than 100 illustrations, including three gatefolds and fifty-five photographs tipped in by hand. It is a perfect gift for a past, present or wannabe New Yorker.  Re-live the magic! It is available on the store’s seventh floor as well as at www.bergdorfgoodman.com and http://www.shopassouline.com/9782759404759.html.

Photo by Rudy Pospisil. See more of Rudy’s photos at anothernormal.com.

SHARE THIS POST ON: Facebook
Posted By Leave a Comment
November 29, 2010

Goldfaden SkinCare

Leave it to my friends at The Plaza Beauty to introduce me to another fabulous product line! I was showing an out of town friend the boutique, and Tami Kreidler, the Retail Manager, said that she had a new product to show me.  As we walked to the product, she was telling us the story behind it.  It seems that there is a well know celebrity dermatologist who was always telling his patients to eat properly, get enough sleep, no smoking, drinking and of course all of the things we all know to do to help keep our skin in top condition.  It seems however, that his mother-in-law, a woman who even in her 90’s had beautiful, magnificent, and radiant skin was the antithesis of what he preached.  She, a women who had a less than perfect lifestyle, diet, and even smoked, had the complexion of someone decades younger……good genes perhaps?

While good genes may have certainly helped, our doctor found the answer when he raided her pantry and the cupboard of her caretaker.  He found tin, after tin, after tin of Red Tea (roobis) that her caretaker, a South African woman had been giving her for decades.  Red Tea has been grown on the mountains in Cape Town for centuries. Long respected by native South Africans, and studied by South African scientists, as a daily source of powerful nutrients, Organic Red Tea contains an extremely high concentration of Super Oxide Dimutase, (SOD) which provides an ultra-protective barrier from oxidative damage, functioning as a prime scavenger of the free radicals that contribute to the skin’s aging process. Studies have found that Red Tea has 50 times the antitoxidant power of Green Tea. 

I am very happy that the man who discovered his mother-in-law’s anti-aging secret was armed with a medical degree and 40 years of dermatologist experience!  Dr. Gary Goldfaden was able to use his expertise, background and vast clinical experience to lead to creation of these advanced formulas, combining the best of botanicals with the highest levels of potent natural nutriceutical solutions used in his medical practice, including Organic red tea, hyaluronic acid (fine line filler), acetyl hexipeptide-3 (topical neurotransmitter inhibitor for deep facial lines), and ruby crystals (used in micro-dermabrasion).  Dr. Goldfaden’s breakthrough skincare collection employs the organic antitoxidant of Red Tea in its purest form.  The result is a system of skincare for all skin types and concerns while it rejuvenates the skin and prevents the re-occurrence of skin damage.

Goldfaden Skincare (www.goldfaden.com) is made only from organic and natural ingredients.  It contains no parabens, artificial colors, alcohol, mineral oil, petrochemicals, or silicone.  It is 100% vegetarian and not tested on animals.  And being developed by a dermatologist, it is hypo allergenic, and has been tested for all skin types.  One sample of the daily scrub was all it took for me to believe!

 

SHARE THIS POST ON: Facebook
Posted By Leave a Comment
November 26, 2010

Traveling Tips With Polly Blitzer

We are now at one of the busiest travel days of the year.  Thanksgiving! And the rest of the holidays are not that far behind.  The holidays for many of us, means a lot of travel.  Whether you are taking a train, plane, bus or car or going Upstate, cross country or some exciting exotic locale, chances are that you will be living out of a suitcase for a couple of days.  

Living out of a suitcase is never easy! Even for us seasoned travelers—I still tend to over-pack! However, it is much easier to travel light! And with all the travel restrictions on luggage, traveling light is a necessity in helping to keep your sanity! There is less to lug, check in and keep with you so there is no chance of it being lost or delayed.  You want to travel light, but how in the world are you able to pack everything you need into a tiny suitcase?

What should you wear when traveling? Is it possible to travel while being comfortable and chic? What is my fashion checklist for the time I am gone? What should I have in my carry-on tote? How do I make the travel time productive for my skin and body? How do I recreate my daily beauty routine without bringing the whole bathroom??

For answers to these questions and more, check out my interview with Polly Blitzer, Founder and Editor-in-Chief of Beauty Blitz, the #1 online beauty magazine.  You can see the interview on our homepage.  Polly is a regular on local and national television, including Entertainment tonight, Showbiz Tonight, Fox News, CNN, CBS News and HSN.  She regularly hosts satellite media tours for major beauty companies.  She has also appeared as a beauty expert in such publications as The New York Times, the New York Post and New York Daily News.

When traveling, it is important to get not only your wardrobe streamlines, but also your beauty routine.  Multi-task, multi-task, multi-task!

SHARE THIS POST ON: Facebook
Posted By Leave a Comment
November 25, 2010

Happy Thanksgiving!

Wishing everyone a safe and happy Thanksgiving!

SHARE THIS POST ON: Facebook
Posted By Leave a Comment
November 25, 2010

An interview with “Dancing With The Stars” Professional Dancer ~ Chelsie Hightower


I couldn’t wait to catch up with professional dancer Chelsie Hightower, and find out about all of the exciting things she’s been up to.
.
I had first interviewed her in June when she was starting the LATISSE® wishes campaign, benefiting Make-A Wish, as an ambassador and team leader along with Bobbie Thomas, and Kathy Ireland. I was interested in finding out how her team was doing.

To date, Team Chelsie has 1210 members, and along with the joy of raising money for a great charity to help grant wishes for children with life threatening illnesses, she is delighted with her beautiful full lashes as a result of using LATISSE®. See how Chelsie’s lashes have grown since she started using LATISSE , by going to:

www.latissewisheschallenge.com
1. Click About the Campaign
2. Click Team Updates
3. Click Team Chelsie
4. Click See my Latisse® Lashes

As a professional dancer on, “Dancing With The Stars”, I had to ask Chelsie what it was like on the day of a show.

Chelsie told me that they start at 8AM with hair, makeup, and then dress rehearsals.

Everything has to be checked out before they go on the air. For instance, their beautiful costumes are worn for the” first time” at the dress rehearsal, and often adjustments have to be made so the outfits work and move well, on the dancers, when they perform their dance routines.

Once alterations have been made, hair and makeup needs to be touched up, and it starts all over again. Camera angles and placements are going on, and this continues until all the dancer’s moves work with their outfits, the hair and makeup is just right, camera shots are perfect, and everything is good to go! Chelsie also mentioned that things can get a bit chaotic …

I wondered if there was a particular product, that Chelsie, as a professional dancer, really liked, and she said,”TopStick®.” I had never heard of it before, and she explained that it’s a product used as a “quick fix” for costumes. It’s a tape that keeps things in place with all of the movements that go on, and works great for both women and men.

Here is the website:www.fashionfixtape.com TopStick® looks like a great product with all kinds of uses for clothing issues, and it’s been around for quite some time. Take a look for yourself. I know I’ll be getting some for my personal use and my makeup case, as well! Thanks for sharing that, Chelsie!

With such a busy career, Chelsie found the time to appear on the cover of the September 2010 issue of Fitness Magazine.

When the Dancing With The Stars season is over, Chelsie loves competing in Professional Dance Competitions, as well as teaching dance, and she is extremely thrilled about her “Dance/Activewear clothing line, the Chelsie Hightower Collection for Sugar and Bruno”. Be sure to visit and check out her designs…
www.sugarandbruno.com

SHARE THIS POST ON: Facebook
Posted By
November 23, 2010

Halo Air Salt Therapy

Growing up in a seaside town, I was familiar with the benefits of sea air.  Have a cold? Or a sinus infection?  A walk on the beach, regardless of the time of the year works wonders.  If you were close enough to be breathing in the sea air, tinged with salt, you were going to feel better.  Diagnosed with adult onset asthma after 9/11, I try to spend as much free time as possible close to a beach.  I find it soothes the lungs; they are less irritated.  My breathing is freer, deeper and for the most part all of my symptoms seem to disappear.

When I saw that Norma Kamali was going to have a presentation about Himalayan Sea Salt and its health benefits in her fascinating series of topics in her Wellness Cafe, I was intrigued. Included in the presentation was a segment about Halo/Air Salt Rooms in Chelsea. I had heard a bit about them, having seen the articles in Reuters, The New York Times, Glamour, Vanity Fair and several other magazines.  It helped that I had a friend in visiting who in addition to having asthma, had stage 2 COPD and we felt spending a few hours learning about ways to improve the health of our lungs would be well spent.

We learned that halotherapy (salt therapy) is a therapeutic use of dry aerosol salt particles has been around for centuries.  This is related to Speleotheraphy, (speloeos is cave in Greek), which is the prolonged exposure to the specific microclimate of salt caves, mines and grottos.  Speleotheraphy has been practiced in the salt mines of Europe for centuries.  Patients with asthma, chronic bronchitis, and other respiratory disease spend days or weeks breathing in the salt air and benefitting from the other aspects on the mine’s microclimate as well.

We also learned that salt is a natural antihistamine. Salt is vital for the clearance of mucus from the lungs. When you breathe in salt air, it decreases the inflammation of the respiratory tract and works as a “bronchial brush” for the airways.  In addition to helping people with respiratory problems, it helps those with allergies as it eliminates airborne pollen particles from airways.  It also helps those with skin problems.  Spending time in a salt cave can help clear up acne, eczema, psoriasis and it is even said cellulite.

Created by Ron Rofe’, Halo/Air (www.haloair.com) is bringing the salt caves of Europe to New York City. The rooms, which are salt, encrusted, make it similar to actually being in a salt cave. Since we had some free time the next day, we booked a session.  Appointments are pretty booked, so I felt fortunate to have gotten one!

You arrive at the pristine Chelsea location and are taken to a room covered in salt. Caked in it, inches of it all over the floor… the room looked as though it was a retreat from the world.   Sink into the elegant leather massage chairs, read, meditate, watch TV, listen to music, dim the lights and take a rest from the world.  We started watching television, but got lost in the tranquility of the experience and ended up napping. And napping for this type A, always ready, on the go, and never take a nap New Yorker doesn’t happen! Extremely relaxing experience!

We awoke when our session was over feeling relaxed, recharged and invigorated. Our skin was slightly flushed and radiant. Even though they say you need a series (10 to 14) to completely get the health benefits and see dramatic results, we immediately noticed our lungs were clearer and our breathing easier. The verdict? While I know that I cannot substitute the salt caves for my asthma regiment, it is nice to know that I have a natural treatment that I can use in conjunction with treatment.  Not to mention, the added benefit of just being able to close off the world and completely relax, means that I’ll be making a monthly visit.  And my friend’s thoughts? We will book a session whenever she is in town!

SHARE THIS POST ON: Facebook
Posted By Leave a Comment
November 20, 2010

Shout out to Santa Monica

For those of you lucky to be in Santa Monica tomorrow, you have a fabulous beauty event at The Wellness Store, 1412 14th Street, tomorrow Saturday November 20, from 2-4 pm.  Peter Lamas, of Peter Lamas Products (see my last post for more info on Peter) and Dr. Mao Shing Ni of the Tao of Wellness, experts in the field of natural health and beauty, will be there to teach you how to naturally beautify yourself.

See demonstrations of facial toning acupuncture, learn about natural skin and hair treatments, purchase gift baskets for the holidays, receive samples and a free gift with purchases of over $20, all while enjoying Dr. Mao’s seasonal herbal teas and other refreshments. 

I wish that I was in the area so that I could attend! For those that make it, please let me know how it went!

SHARE THIS POST ON: Facebook
Posted By Leave a Comment
November 16, 2010

Elegance….It’s Back In Style…….

Conversations with Peter Lamas

Of course with the holiday parties and get-togethers coming up, we all want to look our best.  How do we achieve that feat? After all, we live in an age where we get to see daily the beautiful celebrities and models.  At times we are left in awe of their fashion sense and perfection.  I have to remind myself that if I had a hair and make-up person, as well as a stylist, perfection and a great sense of style would be much easier to achieve.  What can we as normal, everyday people do to achieve that sense of glamour?

Who better to ask that question to than Peter Lamas, the best-selling author and leading beauty guru to the Hollywood and fashion elite?  Peter is one of the leading international beauty experts in the world and has been for the past 30 years.  Peter started doing hair and make-up part time as a way to help earn money to finance his education.  He soon learned that not only did he have a flair for doing hair and make-up, but he truly enjoyed helping his clients look his/her best.

His resume in the hair field is quite impressive…..working for Vidal Sassoon, training under Paul Mitchell, and working at the legendary Kenneth Salon Townhouse.  Kenneth’s Townhouse not only drew the Hollywood celebrities, but also many of the leading figures in the recording industry, society and the arts.  Peter became quite adapt at make-up while at Kenneth’s as the Townhouse had its own make -up line.  He gained a reputation in make-up wizardry by combining his talents in hair, styling and color, with make-up that made the most of the woman’s natural beauty assets.  He was able to make over a client for a certain event as well design a look for their everyday life.

As if that experience wasn’t enough, he regrouped with Paul Mitchell and became his right hand man at Henri Bendel Salon. His work there gave him the opportunity to also work with famed photographers Richard Avedon, Irving Penn, Francesco Scavullo.  Peter was in high demand to do hair and make-up for editorial photo shoots, cover work and national print advertising work  at Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar, Glamour, and Mademoiselle etc.  Impressive resume to say the least…………..and oh yeah, some of  his clients …….Jacqueline Onassis Kennedy, Grace Kelly, Audrey Hepburn, Bianca Jagger, Jerry Hall, Twiggy, Gloria Vanderbilt, Elizabeth Taylor, Faye Dunaway, Diana Ross…..just to name a few!  He certainly has seen glamour and beauty! You can read more about his impressive resume at www.peterlamas.com

So when Peter wants to give me a few ideas on how to look glamorous for the holidays, I am all ears! (And I will have more on Peter’s advice on all natural products, the latest in hair and make-up trends, and making the most of your assets and coloring, not working against them in upcoming segments!) I am grateful to Peter for taking the time out of his schedule to talk to me.

One thing that Peter has been seeing, and I agree completely with, is that we are seeing a resurgence of Old Hollywood glamour.  Elegance seems to have been missing in fashion and glamour.  It is making a comeback.  Perhaps the success of MadMen has helped.  Perhaps it is the economy. What I found interesting was that elegance really does not revolve around a lot of expensive clothes or jewelry.  While elegance is a very chic look, it really is very simplistic and tailored. (Take a look at those pictures of say Jackie, or in Katie Holmes’ re-creation of Jackie for the upcoming television series on the Kennedys to see what he means) It does involve a finished look, but it tends to be understated.

And it isn’t about overkill in hair/make-up as well as clothing style either.   It is picking what you individually want to emphasize.  Have great eyes, make those your feature to highlight…..downplay everything else.  Have a gorgeous handbag that you want to show off?? Don’t overpower it with jewelry.   How to get those vintage/glam looks? Seriously look at vintage shops.  Like Peter, I have become a thrift store convert.  I am amazed at how unique some of the jewelry and clothing items that I have been able to find.  I would say that 99% of time, if I am complemented on an item, it was a thrift store purchase. You could have a closet that consists of 3 outfits.  But with accessories, you can take those three outfits and make them into a spectacular wardrobe!

Step one to getting some elegance and Old World Hollywood into your look??  Start consciously incorporating a more polished look.  Whether it involves laying out your clothes the night before or playing up your best beauty feature……practice makes perfect.  And it gives the wearer a sophisticated , feminine and very confident look……………a look that is not only perfect for the holiday parties and get togethers, but also one that  you can incorporate and transcend into your everyday life!

SHARE THIS POST ON: Facebook
Posted By Leave a Comment
November 15, 2010

Only two weeks left to participate in the Latisse® Wishes Challenge

It’s hard to believe there are only two weeks left in the Latisse® Wishes Challenge that will benefit The Make-A Wish Foundation. Looking back, it was June 15th when I first interviewed the newly announced Campaign Ambassadors and team leaders for the Latisse® Wishes Challenge: Chelsie Hightower- Professional Ballroom Dancer, Bobbie Thomas – Style Guide, and Kathy Ireland – Fashion CEO.

Chelsie, Bobbie and Kathy all use LATISSE® and enjoy their beautiful lush eyelashes. They have had much success ,as well, with the LATISSE® WISHES CHALLENGE! To date, they have raised $400,169 for Make-A-Wish!

Considering each child’s wish costs $7000.00, a lot of children will get their “Wishes” as a result of the LATISSE WISHES CHALLENGE.

If you’ve always wanted beautiful eyelashes you can still join a team by donating a minimum of $20 to the Make-A-Wish Foundation, and Allergan, the makers of LATISSE®, will double your donation and send you a LATISSE® free trial certificate that can be taken to a doctor to see if LATISSE® is right for you. LATISSE® is the first and only FDA-approved prescription treatment to grow lashes longer, fuller and darker for those with inadequate or not enough lashes.
You can still get involved until November 30th! http://www.latissewisheschallenge.com

SHARE THIS POST ON: Facebook
Posted By