Kiehl’s Celebrates 15 Years of New York City’s Pride Parade

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To honor their 15 years of celebrating Pride, their 7th year as an official sponsor of the Pride parade, and supporting LGBTQ rights and equality in New York, Kiehl’s held their annual NYC Pride Kickoff Party at their historic flagship. The wonderful event was hosted, as always, by Kiehl’s President, Chris Salgardo, with a special performance by Canadian indie pop singing duo Tegan and Sara, and a music set by go-to party favorites, The Misshapes.

The Kiehl’s flagship location was packed corner to corner as guests enjoyed delicious cocktails, some great music, delicious eats from original Filipino Taqueria, 2ND City, who kept the crowd sated with their Bi-Curious Tacos (a choice of any two out of the available chicken, “fresh catch” fish, and short ribs), and Phin & Phebes Ice Cream kept the overheated crowd cool with their decadent flavors, like Pistachio Honeycomb, Peanut Butter Mallow, Vanilla Malt Cookie Dough, and Dark Chocolate Salty Caramel.

As they generously do every year,  Chris Salgardo and Kiehl’s made donations to some very wonderful charities. Actually, in honor of 15 years of Kiehl’s pride, he made several donations, four donations to be exact, each totaling $5,000.00.

The lucky donation recipients included the Ali Forney Center, the largest LGBT community center helping LGBT homeless youth in the US; The Hetrick-Martin Institute, the leading professional provider of social support and programming for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or questioning (LGBTQ) youth; NYC’s LGBT Community Center, a home and resource hub for the LGBT community, NYC residents and visitors where they can connect and engage, and find support; and The Tegan and Sara Foundation, a foundation that works for economic justice, health, and representation for LGBTQ girls and women. After the check presentations, we were treated to a wonderful performance by Tegan and Sara, who collaborated with Kiehl’s on a Limited Edition Ultra Facial Cream, and Limited Edition Ultra Facial Oil-Free Gel Cream, where 100% of Kiehl’s net profits from the sale of these products benefited the Tegan and Sara Foundation (see above check for $5,000).

The Ultra Facial Cream is Kiehl’s best-selling 24-hour daily face moisturizer. It helps reduce moisture loss while drawing and absorbing moisture from the air, to continuously replenish moisture throughout the day. The Ultra Facial Oil-Free Gel Cream provides 24-hour hydration for normal to oily skin types. This non-greasy hydrator moisturizes and conditions skin with a fresh texture.

Some of the Kiehl’s NYC Pride Kickoff Party attendees include Orange is the New Black’s Kelly Karbacz, Fashion Designer Timo Weiland, Miss Jay Alexander of ANTM fame, smoldering UK import Cameron Moir, Exquisite, Miss Queens Sateen, and famed transgender model, celebutante, singer, and performance artist, Amanda Lepore (pictured below in the middle).

We have a great time dancing the night away at this great charity event. How did you celebrate Pride?

Event Recap: Campari Negroni Week Kickoff Event at Lovage Rooftop

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We hope you guys had a wonderful time celebrating the fifth year of Campari Negroni Week because we certainly did. We had the pleasure of celebrating the apéritif at the Negroni Week VIP kickoff event with Imbibe Magazine at Lovage, the rooftop bar with 360-degree views. The Campari Negroni Week kickoff event featured several cocktail stations, where guests enjoyed several variations of the Campari cocktail.

The evening was a journey through many modern day interpretations of the Negroni cocktail, in various forms. We started our Campari Negroni Week cocktail journey with the Mai Tai Unigroni, a delicious concoction created by Joshua Anthony Campbell of Leyenda. This Negroni version of a Mai Tai was one of the favorites of the event’s guests, it was definitely one of ours.

For our next cocktail, we wanted something out of the world that would transport us (and our tastebuds) to another dimension, and the iridescent Galaxy Negroni Sbagliato, by Naren Young of Dante, was the perfect galactic cocktail to get us there.

We took a break from cocktails to enjoy one of the amazing Negroni edible treats, including the Negroni Pop Tarts from Scotch & Butter, Negroni Donuts from The Doughnut Project, and the most delightful Negroni Gelatin Balls.

After we had our fill, we continued on to our next cocktail, a frozen delight called the Frogoni, created by Julie Reiner, of the Clover Club. This slushy cocktail, whose ingredients included Campari and fresh strawberries, was the perfect way to cool down.

The flow of cocktails didn’t stop as we moved on to enjoy a few more libations. This time we went for the more classic Negroni cocktails. First up was The Red Planet Negroni, a classic looking drink boasting bold flavors by Leo Robitschek from The Nomad (you may remember his name as the creator of the amazing Red Velvet Swing cocktail from our holiday event with Campari).

Our next and last cocktail of the evening was the Classic Negroni, the perfect end to an event honoring the iconic cocktail. With the help of Mr. Negroni (and an ever-flowing Negroni fountain), we savored the simple, sophisticated cocktail as the event came to an end.

And that, dear readers, is how we celebrated Campi Negroni Week. We hope you had a great time honoring the week long event as well.

 

 

Grand Opening: Dr. Smood Opens Location in NY’s NoMad Neighborhood

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Just like we do to our homes every spring season, we believe in doing the same for our bodies. A seasonal cleansing can do wonders for you internally. Getting rid of what may be causing you harm, aging you faster, etc. Of course, when we say cleansing, we’re not talking about the unhealthy cleansing trends and fads. You can cleanse your system while nourishing it thanks to the great range of organic smart foods from Dr. Smood, all of which are developed by scientists, nutritionists, doctors and raw vegan chefs. We had the pleasure of getting to know Dr. Smood, at the grand opening of their second New York location in NoMad (North of Madison Square Park).

Dr. Smood is the first smart food boutique café specializing in health beneficial organic food and beverages. The cafes (more locations will be opening soon) offer certified organic juices, coffees, teas, sandwiches, salads, soups and nutrient-rich grab-and-go snacks that not only boast real nutrition, minerals, and basic vitamins but are also very delicious. They also offer signature organic coffee, sandwiches made with their proprietary Performance Bread and pastries created from the pulp of their cold-pressed juices. Not only are Dr. Smood’s products tasty, they are life-prolonging, curative and energizing. Their slogan of “Smart food for a good mood” really is true, with choices that benefit your body, mind and your general well being. Each Dr. Smood cafe is designed for maximum comfort and wellbeing. Like all their other locations nationwide, the NoMad location offers comfortable seating, free WiFi, charging stations for your mobile devices, even specially devised music playlists for different times of the day.

We had the opportunity to try one of their detox programs, the Dr. Smood Intermediate Detox Program, for a week, and the results were amazing. The program offers a product selection system that allows you to choose your mood: yellow for immunity, blue for energy, purple for health, pink for beauty, green for detox and orange for power. Our program included drinking five juices, one mylk, and one booster every day.

The first thing we noted was of course how delicious the juices and smoothies were. The second thing we noticed, and this was very important to us, was the lack of headaches and migraines. In the past when we’ve tried juice cleansing, we’ve always experienced migraines because although we were cleansing our bodies, we were not being properly nourished. With Dr. Smood, we never had that issue, and we never felt hungry at any point during our week-long cleansing. The third wonderful thing about our Dr. Smood experience, which of course truly excited us was our clothes fitting a bit looser, as well as being able to get into clothes that we couldn’t previously get into. The compliments about our glowing skin and happier disposition didn’t hurt either.

If you’re ready to try a cleansing program that has no negative side effects, we urge you to stop by Dr. Smood’s new NoMad location at 1151 Broadway, or any of their other cafe locations nationwide.

 

Meet Costume Designer Dan Lawson at the DL for PONO Fall 2017 Event

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Calling all fans of The Good Wife, it’s sequel series, The Good Fight, BrainDead, and all things jewelry and accessories. Emmy-nominated Costume Designer Dan Lawson, the man behind the fabulous fashion for these three tv shows, is hosting a special event to launch his DL for PONO Fall 2017 Collection of handcrafted Italian resin jewelry and accessories……..and you’re invited!!

If you love the fashion from his shows, this is the perfect time to preview the stunning DL for PONO Fall 2017 Collection with Jewelry Designer, Joan Goodman (before they make their television debuts), and perhaps pick his brain on all thing fashion and costume design. This event, which will be held next Thursday, June 15th at the Museum of Art & Design in Columbus Circle, promises baubles, bubbly, and even appearances by Good Wife VIPs. The event also allows you to shop the pieces from the luxury jewelry collection, available at the Museum of Art & Design.

There are many inspirations that help to forge the beautiful pieces from DL for PONO Fall 2017 Collection such as the stunning dark green hue of malachite, represented in an eye-catching two-sided necklace, the cool blue, white ice hues, and raw look of an iceberg, and metal etched by fire. The bold jewelry collection is not for the timid fashionista, DL for PONO loves wearers who love to make a bold statement with their style. We love the mix of colors and textures (many times this mix varies from piece to piece, making the jewelry pieces one of a kind), and love the idea that they embrace those of us who love to stand out. We promise you’ll love it too.

So if you are free next Thursday, June 15th and want the chance to see some gorgeous jewelry, speak with a renown Costume Designer, and Jewelry Designer, and enjoy a glass or two of wine, head over to the Museum of Art & Design in Columbus Circle between 5:30 – 8:30 pm. Hope to see you fellow jewelry lovers there.

 

NYC Event Alert: You’re Invited to Campari’s Fifth Annual Negroni Week

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There’s much to celebrate next week, and we plan on raising a glass, a spoon and an appetite as tribute. For those of you not familiar, Campari’s fifth annual Negroni Week kicks off on Monday, June 5th. Negroni Week, presented by Imbibe Magazine and Campari, is a week-long international Campari cocktail celebration from June 5th-11th, that brings bartenders, restaurants, and Campari lovers together to celebrate one of the world’s greatest cocktails, the Negroni.

Commemorating its fifth year, Negroni Week will be celebrated at 6,000 bars and restaurants around the world, who will be mixing classic Negronis and Negroni variations for a great cause. This week-long event not only celebrates one of the world’s great cocktails, like the one featured below, it also helps to raise money for charities around the world.

The Red Planet Negroni Created by Leo Robitschek, The NoMad (NYC)


1 oz. Campari
1.5 oz. Cinzano 1757
2 oz. Bulldog Gin
Clarified Milk Mixture*

Follow instructions below to create clarified milk punch. Serve in a rocks glass filled with ice. Garnish with two star-shaped orange twists.

*Clarified Milk Mixture
3 oz. Milk
1 oz. Lemon Juice
1.5 oz. Spice Rooibos Tea Syrup
1.5 oz. Pineapple Juice
Heat up milk until just under a simmer. Take the pot off the heat and add the lemon juice. Stir slowly until the curds and the whey separate. Add the remaining ingredients and mix. Pour all of the ingredients slowly through a superbag until the punch becomes clear, and the repeat the filtering process.

Some of the delicious treats and concoctions Negroni fans will be able to enjoy during the week-long celebration include classic Negroni cocktails, the above Red Planet Negroni cocktail, Mai-Tai Unigroni cocktail, and Galaxy Negroni Sbagliato cocktail.

Galaxy Negroni Sbagliato Created by Naren Young, Dante (NYC)


1 oz. Campari
1 oz. Cinzano 1757
Cinzano Prosecco to top
Pour Campari and Cinzano 1757 over ice in a collins glass that has been sprayed with a chamomile tincture. Add 3 dashes of chamomile tincture and a pinch of edible silver glitter. Top with Prosecco.

Other delights include a Grapefruit Negroni Creamsicle from Tipsy Scoop (pictured directly above); Negroni Ice Cream Sandwiches ($8.00) from Breakroom 86 + Coolhaus, an almond biscotti cookie sandwich with coconut Campari ice cream;

Negroni Pop Tarts ($6.00 each), classic treats filled with a Negroni custard and topped with an orange and Campari icing, and sprinkles, from Butter & Scotch; Negroni Nuggets; and Negronuts, Negroni donuts filled with Carpano Antica Whipped Cream, topped with Campari Glaze and drizzled with Orange Compote, from The Doughnut Project.

A portion of proceeds from Negroni Week goes to the charity of the vendors choice, such as City Harvest, Mercy Corps, and the WILD Foundation. Will you be partaking in the week-long international celebration? How will you be celebrating Campari’s fifth annual Negroni Week?

Kiehl’s and Saks Fifth Avenue Celebrate Seated Ballerina by Jeff Koons

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Kiehl’s Since 1851 and Saks Fifth Avenue, in collaboration with the International Centre for Missing and Exploited Children (ICMEC), and Art Production Fund, celebrated two new works of art from an iconic artist; the stunning and larger-than-life public art installation of the Seated Ballerina by Jeff Koons, in Rockefeller Center, and the Limited Edition Kiehl’s x Jeff Koons collectible tin, in honor of National Missing Children’s Month in May.

With an incredible city of New York as its backdrop, the 45-foot inflatable Seated Ballerina by Jeff Koons structure, co-presented by the non-profit Art Production Fund, based on a small porcelain figurine, depicts a seated ballerina from the artist’s iconic Antiquity series and represents Kiehl’s commitment to community spirit and the greater good.

From May 2nd to May 31st, Kiehl’s will donate 100% of the net profits from the sales of any product in the Midnight Recovery Collection, up to $100,000, to benefit ICMEC. Any customer who purchases any item in the range will be able to take home their own work of art from one of the foremost internationally recognized and celebrated American contemporary artists.

Midnight Recovery Concentrate: In 2010, Kiehl’s Since 1851 became a pioneer in the face oil category when it introduced the first anti-aging facial oil treatment, Midnight Recovery Concentrate, a potent blend of botanical extracts that replenishes skin overnight when skin actively repairs itself from daily damage endured throughout the day. The 99% naturally-derived formula is paraben-free and features a powerhouse blend of active botanical and essential oils that work all night to replenish lipids for a fresher and more radiant appearance by morning. $46/1 oz.
Midnight Recovery Botanical Cleansing Oil: This non-comedogenic, non-acnegenic innovation cleanses deeply while maintaining the skin barrier and leaving no residue, eliminating the need for double-cleansing. This formula contains the “Midnight Recovery blend” of naturally derived ingredients found in the serum: squalane, evening primrose oil and aromatic lavender essential oil to leave skin feeling soft and supple. $32/5.9 oz.

Midnight Recovery Eye: This overnight elixir was specifically designed to addresses three of the top under-eye concerns of women in the United States – puffiness, fine lines and wrinkles overnight. The non-migrating cream-to-oil formula is paraben-free, sulfate-free, fragrance-free and mineral oil-free. $37/.5 oz.

On hand to celebrate, as always, were Fashion designers Jeffrey Costello and Robert Tagliapietra, the “lumberjacks of fashion” and founders of Costello Tagliapietra (we swear we want to just hug them forever ever time we see them), Kiehl’s Since 1851 CEO Chris Salgardo, and the renown artist himself, Jeff Koons.

“We’re thrilled to continue what’s become a Kiehl’s tradition of partnering with Jeff Koons,” says Chris
Salgardo, President, Kiehl’s US. “With 465,000 children reported missing last year in the United
States, it’s gratifying to know that via this fourth partnership Jeff Koons and the International Centre for
Missing & Exploited Children we are able to make a difference in the lives of our children.”

Seated Ballerina by Jeff Koons will remain up at Rockefeller Center until June 2, 2017, so you can visit it at any time.

SHOPPING NYC: PONO by Joan Goodman Spring Jewelry Sample Sale

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If you didn’t get a chance to be gifted with, or grab some of the PONO by Joan Goodman spring jewelry collection for yourself for Mother’s Day, now is your chance to get some of their gorgeous pieces for yourself, at a great discount. You may remember we highlighted some of our favorite PONO pieces in our Spring 2017 Accessories and Mother’s Day Gift Ideas blog post. Yes, ladies and gentlemen, the spring sample sale season has arrived. Why not treat yourself to one or several of PONO by Joan Goodman’s amazing jewelry pieces.

What savings can you expect from the PONO by Joan Goodman Spring Jewelry sample sale this season? Score all the gorgeous baubles you can imagine when you pop into PONO’s Spring Sample Sale, where all the pretty things and statement pieces are 50-80% off. Get to know more about the brand and this stunning collection as you review the line with PONO’s designer, Joan Goodman. After you’re well acquainted with the pieces, select from PONO’s exceptional array of items like the utterly divine Dream Catcher Necklace once $365.00, now yours at the reduced price of $150.00; collect a cool choker or two, like the Paulina Arctic Resin Choker, originally priced at $225.00, now yours at an easy $100.00; or go galactic with The Stardust Ana Choker, a steal at $60.00, from the original price of $215.00.

If arm candy is a must-have for you this season (and it should be), why not top off your trip with a big win at the PONO bangle bar, where three pieces are only $25.00, five bangles go for $30.00, and ten bangles are yours for only $50.00. You’ll be saving a bundle, as all of these beautiful bangles are originally valued at $30.00-$45.00 apiece. the PONO by Joan Goodman Spring Jewelry sample sale runs June 5th -June 9th, from 9am–6pm.

 

We must note that PONO has a new address.  You can now find the ladies and their gorgeous jewelry pieces at 224 West 30th St. suite 304, conveniently located between Seventh and Eighth Aves. Access can be found with the following Subway lines: B, D, F, M, N, Q, R to Herald Square, or the 1, 2, 3, A, C, E to Penn Station. For more information, call (212) 216-0044 or visit www.ponobyjoangoodman.com.

Sipp Sparkling Organics Soda Water Launches New Ruby Rose Flavor

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Last year, while attending the Summer Fancy Food Show, we were introduced to several wonderful drinks and beverage brands, once of which was an all-natural and organic sparkling beverage, Sipp Sparkling Organics Soda Water, which we highlighted in our Good for You Summer Drinks blogpost. During our introduction to Sipp Sparkling Organics Soda Water, we feel in love (at first sip) with their delicious flavors: Ginger Blossom, Lemon Flower, Mojo Berry, Summer Pear, and Zesty Orange. We were more than happy to get reacquainted with them as they launch their newest flavor, Ruby Rose.

The newest refreshing flavor to join the Sipp Sparkling Organics Soda Water range of sophisticated sparkling beverages is a combination of organic grapefruit, honey, and rosemary extracts. It has a refreshing, tangy kick from the grapefruit, with slightly sweet hints of honey, and a fragrant finish of rosemary. As with their other sparkling flavors, the Ruby Rose is USDA certified organic and lightly sweetened with agave. At the launch event, we were treated to some refreshingly delicious cocktails made with the new Ruby Rose flavor, as well as Zesty Orange and Lemon Flower. The three refreshing flavors were paired with Gin, Tequila, and Vodka respectively.

“We are really excited to be adding our sixth flavor to the line,” said CEO/Founder Beth Wilson-Parentice. “As with our other flavors, Ruby Rose’s ingredients are culinary-inspired, perfect for enjoying with a meal or mixing in a cocktail. I’m really looking forward to hearing feedback about the flavor at Expo East.”

We can honestly say that the new Ruby Rose flavor of Sipp Sparkling Organics Soda Water is our new favorite flavor taking over the title from Sipp’s Ginger Blossom – but not by much. When we had those few days of 90+ degrees, a cold 12oz bottle of this invigorating, sparkling beverage was just what the doctor ordered. Sipp Ruby Rose is available now and is available at Whole Foods, Fairway, Balducci’s, Wegman’s, Target, etc.