EverSoPopular VIP: Real Simple Beauty & Balance Event
Written by: Jennifer Ross
I tagged along with my dear friend LeAura, aka Life-Size (see 2000 Film Starring Tyra Banks and Lindsey Lohan and then picture of us down below) to the Real Simple Magazine Beauty & Balance Press Preview (Shout out to the Sponsors of the Event in proper Announcer Speak- “Brought to you by Aveda, Ghiradelli Chocolate, Laura Geller, Purre Barre, Roc, and the letter S) at the Andaz 5th Avenue Hotel a few Fridays back. One of the many perks of beauty writing is taking a minute to indulge yourself while getting some work in.
First on our itinerary was the Pure Barre Class. We were greeted by two PYT’s hailing from Colorado who were to teach the class. Once we settled in and got to business, the two lithe and lovely ladies who initially greeted us at the door turned into straight up RAMBOS in a matter of seconds.
Mind you, I have been off my work-out game for several months now but even so, this workout was A WORKOUT.
For those of you who are unfamiliar, Pure Barre is a 55 minute low-impact workout performed both on the floor and with a real ballet barre. (We used the wall for lack of IRL barre) It concentrates on each muscle group to create that long, lean dancer-like body. I foolishly ate not too long before I started class, so during our first time up at the wall, I started to feel a bit dizzy, fully equipped with visions of stars and clouds. I stopped for a few minutes and leaned against the wall and once we went back down to the floor I sat on my legs and put my head between my legs, taking the occasional sip of water. (Note to self- don’t eat a vegan pumpkin protein muffin prior tedious high-impact exercise and expect not to want to see that food again in a different form. I suppose I was lucky this time.) Anyways, the workout was totally worth it because the next day I was nice and sore in all the right places which is always a tell-tale sign that you actually worked out!
Afterwards we went to the lounge where we recouped with some bread, cheese, and fruit. Because bread and cheese is exactly what you should be eating right after you endure a grueling workout for nearly an hour.
I went off to wait to get my hair done while LS went to wait to get her face beat (that’s industry slang for having your makeup done. No assault and battery here folks) I sat down in the chair of a charming and handsome gentleman named Taj. I let Taj know it was his lucky day because I ACTUALLY washed my hair before I came to the event. (I had not washed in for many days prior because a)It isn’t good for your hair to wash it that often and b) I’m disgusting) Taj pulled my hair out of my top knot and I told him he had carte blanche. Once we got to talking, Taj told me he was from Philly and moved to the city when he was 17 with not much weighing down his pockets. When he told me he was 22 I was so surprised because he had a certain maturity and wisdom to him for someone of his age. All these years later he is working at Aveda doing hair and working cool events like this one. This is one of my favorite things about being a New Yorker. People can come together from all different walks of life and share mutual interests and share both their battle and victory stories. The end result of mine and Taj’s time together was a head full of voluminous and loose curls. One of his Aveda colleague’s came over and did one of those fun slow-mo videos of him shaking my hair out to some sweet jam.
He posted it on his Instagram and it looked like a cool industrial video for a haircare company. I wanted to put the same video on my IG (riljross15) but because I’m technologically impaired, I ended holding my phone cam up to my computer to tape it off of Taj’s Instagram. (texturez.bytaj) So in turn the video I posted on my Instagram looks like a 1980s Vidal Sassoon Commercial.
Our time at The Real Simple Event @ The Andaz on 5th culminated in meeting up after our respective treatments, taking selfies with my new hair and her new face, and last but certainly not least, THE SWAG BAG. This Swag Bag DELIVERED. We got everything from TWO books, Aveda and Laura Gellar products, and the Purre Barre leggings I wore for like 4 days straight following the event and I am wearing right now as I write this here article.
Thank you to Real Simple for the amazing event!