SEAN KREBS
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Thirteen years ago my then-boyfriend and I moved to NYC on what I will always remember as being the hottest day ever (it was July 4th weekend). What should have been just under a 4 hour drive from Boston, turned into an eternity when our U-Haul got a flat tire on the highway (in retrospect it was actually repaired pretty quickly-- in just over an hour). When we finally got to the city, we still had to unload our truck full of furniture and heavy boxes (books, clothes and many, many magazines)-- and bring it up 4 flights of crooked stairs-- just the two of us. Our couch wouldn’t fit through the apartment door once we finally managed to drag it up there-- which meant that we then had to bring it all the way back down and leave it on the street. Luck was actually on our side when we found a parking space for the 17-foot rental truck right on our street (much-needed since it was too late to drop it off by the time we were finished). Of course, I didn’t sleep all night thinking that someone would steal it-- even though our apartment was on the Upper East Side (at 65th Street and 1st Avenue) not Hell’s Kitchen (let’s remember that this was 1994, long before all of NYC was gentrified). The next morning we had to make a 3-point turn in the middle of Central Park once we realized that the truck was too tall to fit under a pedestrian bridge-- fortunately, this was easier than it sounds since it was 8 o’clock in the morning on a summer (holiday) Saturday in the city.
We only lived in that apartment for one year-- we didn’t have a couch but we did have two very uncomfortable, very upright wingback chairs (covered in a heavy country plaid from my parents home in New England) that we sold to the woman who does Donna Murphy’s wigs (for all of her Broadway shows) when we moved to the East Village. Our romantic relationship didn’t last much longer (we had one year together in the apartment on Avenue A-- with squatters outside of our front door plugging their electric razors into the light post to give each other mohawks) but we have been best friends ever since (not including the year that we didn’t speak to each other to “get over the break-up”). And through it all, my love affair with NYC never faltered-- though it’s totally necessary to find solace somewhere else from time to time. So, I was very pleased to find two wonderful places to escape the Mean Streets of Manhattan without even having to deal with the dreaded traffic on FDR Drive…
Delluva Vinotherapy Day Spa
The only form of vinotherapy (or wine therapy) that I knew about was of the drinking variety (I’ll never say no to a glass of Penfolds Grange), so my curiosity was piqued when a friend told me about the Delluva Vinotherapy Day Spa-- NYC’s first spa totally devoted to wine-based treatments and one of the first of it’s kind in all of the United States (the name comes from the Italian conjunction dell ‘uva, which means “of the grape”).
Upon entering the spa (located downtown on a cobblestone street in Tribeca) in the morning of a humid summer day last month, I was immediately put at ease by its rich burgundy walls and dark wood accents. Diane Hanson, the owner (and a licensed esthetician), personally walked me through the nine steps of the Delluva Men’s Facial ($120) outlining the specific benefits of each of the unique products used-- like d’Vine Bordeaux Mask, a signature formula containing grape seed extract (which is known to decrease bruising and accelerate wound healing) as well as d’Vine Petite Syrah Cleanser and d’Vine Grenache Mist (which can also be used as refreshing room spray!). These three antibacterial products (and the entire d’Vine range) contain the highest concentration of resveratrol (a natural compound found in red wine that acts as a anti-inflammatory and may even protect against cancer) available for consumer use today and have fewer chemical preservatives than traditional skin care products (check out dVineInc.com for more information).
I asked Diane which treatment do men ask for most (the 60 Minute Massage for $115), what should every guy know before entering any spa (“The spa experience is meant to put you at ease-- don’t be afraid to ask questions”) and, most importantly, “Why vinotherapy?”. Her response to the latter? “Just as a glass of wine a day is beneficial to your heart, using vinotherapy skincare products on a daily basis introduces powerful antioxidants to the skin that combat age-advancing free radicals (those pesky molecules that develop in your body from environmental pollutants and sun exposure)”.
Delluva Vinotherapy Day Spa is located at 152 Franklin Street in NYC. Call 212-937-7757 or visit DelluvaSpa.com to book an appointment or for more information.
Phyto Universe Hopefully you have noticed that I am growing my hair out-- I have had the same haircut for over 10 years and I finally decided that it was time for a change. My boyfriend hates it and some of my readers have even e-mailed me to say that I look better with shorter hair. Regardless, I’m letting it grow for now-- and to actually help stimulate growth I decided to have a treatment called Botanical Bliss ($150) at Phyto Universe (located uptown near Bloomingdale’s-- in the neighborhood where I first lived in the city).
Phyto Universe is the passionate vision of Patrick Alès, the creator of Phyto (the hair care brand loved by Ken Paves-- hair stylist to the stars including Jessica Simpson and Eva Longoria). Inspired by the Place Vendôme in Paris, this 6,000 square foot beauty oasis is home to a two-sided “vertical garden” created especially for the “vertical city” of New York. It is the largest hydroponic (meaning the roots grow in a liquid nutrient solution rather than in soil) plant wall in the United States, measuring 2,850 square feet, and boasting plants (over 9,000 varieties from Rhododendrums to Ferns) from all over the world-- including The Amazon, Africa, Guyana and French Polynesia. The nine private cabins (where you have your treatments) are made from shutters taken from a 14th century French chateau. Trust me, you need to see this place in person-- no pictures or words can do it justice!
And the Botanical Bliss treatment that I received is equally amazing (imagine an hour long scalp massage accompanied by the heavenly scent of Eucalyptus and you’ll get the idea)! The 5-step process includes PH balancing and scalp manipulation with Phytopolleine-- an original blend of 100% essential oils that easily penetrate the scalp to encourage growth and vitality. What’s Phyto Universe’s most popular service requested by men? The Regenerating “Thairapy” ($150)-- a preventative treatment to stop further hair loss and regenerate new growth, naturally.
Phyto Universe is located at 715 Lexington Avenue in NYC. Call 212-308-0270 or visit PhytoUniverse.com to book an appointment or for more information.
This month I am obsessing over the David Chu bonded wool military jacket on Tyson Ballou (in the picture below)-- I just saw it at Saks Fifth Avenue for $395. It’s part of the Fairfield group of the Fall/Winter 2007 collection which David, himself, says “expresses country luxury with the polish of old world tailoring and American ease”. That cluster of handsome male models above are all wearing looks from the Fairfield group-- doesn’t Shaun Dewet, on the far right, look like a modern day Cary Grant in his black turtleneck and olive suit (with the lapel popped)?
David Chu started his eponymous line of luxury men’s wear in 2004 after he left Nautica (the billion dollar company he founded in the ‘80’s). He also opened a custom shop in a NYC townhouse where you can get a bespoke suit (entirely handmade in Naples) starting at $3,700. If that sounds a little pricy to you-- try one of the 12 fold ties for $175. What’s that, you say? A 12 fold tie is a tie that is made from a single sheet of silk fabric which is folded over 12 times (meaning there is no stitching or sewing involved at all). The standard has always been the 7 fold tie and David Chu’s shop is the only place where you can actually get a 12 fold one. My favorite is a simple midnight navy version with a twill texture (similar to shantung)-- it’s perfect with a suit or with jeans and a crisp white shirt.
Rumor has it that DavidChuDesign.com will actually have e-commerce soon-- so watch this space!
Hi Style Blogger,
Knowing how much you love British pop culture, I was wondering if you've ever answered the “10 Questions We Ask Everyone” on the back page of heat magazine? Of course, my mates and I have all done it!
Shane W.
Vauxhaull, South London
Thanks for the idea, Shane! This combines two of my favorite things-- British tabloid magazines and talking about myself! Here goes…
Where did you wake up this morning?
At our apartment in the city with the sun streaming in from the French doors that lead to the terrace.
Apart from your home and car, what’s the most expensive thing you’ve ever bought?
An Italian coffee table from ABC Carpet & Home. I thought about it for months before buying it-- but I couldn’t find anything else that I liked better, so I decided to go for it. No regrets-- I totally love it!
What’s been the most embarrassing moment of your life?
I’m not sure if it’s the most embarrassing-- but it certainly was humiliating and it just recently happened, so it’s fresh in my mind… a few weeks ago, a pigeon pooped on me when I was on my way to special sale at Bottega Veneta. It happened on the corner of Fifth Avenue and 53rd Street, right in front of author Michael Gross (who was waiting in line at hot dog cart). To make matters worse, I was wearing a brand new white Ralph Lauren shirt that I had just bought at Bloomingdale’s a couple of days before-- and when I finally got to the sale (after running into Gap to clean up and buy a new shirt), it had been cancelled!
When were you last naked in front of another person?
This morning in front of my boyfriend (just like every morning).
If you were invisible for a day, what would be the first thing you’d do?
Hang out in Justin Timberlake and Jessica Beil’s bedroom.
What do you dislike most about yourself?
That I want everything to always be perfect-- my boyfriend has been trying to get me to “go with the flow” for eight years now.
When was the last time you cried?
While reading the recent People magazine story about the mother and her two daughters that were brutally raped and murdered in Connecticut (just minutes from our country home).
Who did you last receive a text from and what did it say?
My best friend Darrin who said, “I just looked in the mirror and realized I have the same peaks that you were worried about”. Aging is a bitch.
Ever been chatted up by a celeb?
Eva Mendes actually pinched my ass when that picture of us was taken at the Marc Jacobs after-party last year!
What was the last lie you told?
See my previous answer above…
GENRE has over $500 worth of Phytodensium to giveaway!
You know you’re jealous of my pampering at Phyto Universe (I would be too, if I were you!)-- well, now you can try a duo of Phyto products in the comfort of your very own home! E-mail me at style@genremagazine.com which place you like to escape to and you will automatically be entered to win one of 10 sets of Phytodensium Shampoo and Phytodensium Serum (a retail value of $56). Make sure to include your first and last name as well as your full mailing address with zip code. Offer valid in the 50 United States and D.C. only.
Beginning as early as age 30, our hair starts its journey to becoming thin, fine and gray (didn’t I already mention earlier that aging is a bitch?). So, the talented scientists at Phyto have discovered new ingredients to help slow down this inevitable process. Both the Phytodensium Shampoo and Phytodensium Serum contain Gatuline Age-Defense, or Noix de Grenoble (doesn’t everything sound better in French?), a walnut extract that protects against environmental stresses, as well as Phyto’s exclusive Botanical Protein Complex (derived from potatoes) that increases hair’s strength and elasticity-- plus the formulas are cruelty-free and packaged in 100% recyclable containers!
Check out Phyto.com for more information-- including where to locate a Phyto salon near you.
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