Monthly Archives: February 2012

Posted on February 25, 2012 at 12:44 pm

BeautyView: Jani Friedman, Managing Director, Demeter Group

Jani Friedman, Managing Director, Demeter Group

I am a firm believer in networking, although I am not a fan of the word. I think of it more as building and fostering relationships, connecting people, and expanding my circle of friends. Jani is a perfect example of that. I introduced myself to her after seeing her present at a WWD retail conference a number of years ago. Since then, we meet whenever our hectic schedules allow, usually in San Francisco and always with her dog Chloé. Beyond being industry peers, beyond being Harvard alumni (did you see The Crimson Guard article in the recent issue of WWD Beauty Inc?), we are now friends; and that is the true purpose of networking.

AP: What city were you born in? JF: Neillsville, WI.

AP: What city to do you live in? JF: San Francisco, CA.

AP: What is your middle name? JF: Marie.

AP: What is your astrological sign? JF: Gemini.

AP: What is your favorite thing about the beauty industry? JF: Brainstorming about new products and then watching them come to life.

AP: Least favorite thing? JF: Telemarketers (if you mean in life) or, What’s not to love? (if you mean ‘about the beauty industry”).

AP: What is your most prized possession? JF: Chloé Lucia, my Miki pup.

AP: What is something about you most people don’t know? JF: I was on Family Feud when I was about 17 years old. Embarrassing!

AP: Do you wear a watch? If yes, what model?  JF: A watch is not necessary since I’m staring at my computer or phone all day which conveniently reminds me that time is ticking by.

AP: Diamonds or pearls? JF: Pearls.

AP: If you could have dinner with the person of your choice, who would it be? JF: The Pope.

AP: What is your secret to work/life balance? JF: Having Chloé in the office everyday – she’s the glue that holds us all together.

AP: What are your three top tips for travel? JF: 1. Get a Global Entry card to speed through Immigration and Customs. 2. Bring someone you love on all trips. 3. Wear flats and cashmere.

AP: What is your favorite book? JF: Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand.

AP: What is your cocktail of choice? JF: Malbec.

AP: What is your #1 beauty secret? JF: Smile, even when it’s hard.

AP: What fragrance do you wear? JF: Fresh, Memoire Liquide, and Diptyque’s Philosykos.

AP: Botox or not? JF: Not yet, but I am strongly considering a few needed shots.

AP: Hair color: natural or not? JF: I couldn’t live without my colorist John Yaskevich.

AP: 3 songs on your ipod right now. JF: Set Fire to the Rain by Adele, Beast of Burden by Rolling Stones, Say it Right by Nelly Furtado.

AP: Quote to live by. JF: “Don’t spend time beating on a wall, hoping to transform it into a door” by Coco Chanel.

AP: Who is your mentor? JF: My Dad.

AP: Words of advice for young women starting their careers today. JF: Don’t act, feel, or think you’re entitled. Take on any project where you have to think or work hard; it will get noticed. An analogy that I like is operating a submarine (not that I’ve had the pleasure yet). Go 44 knots (really fast) through the sea in the direction of your target, but make sure to utilize your periscope often to ensure you are aware of your environment, people, and any oncoming hazards. Destroy anything negative in your way. Reach your target and celebrate!

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Posted on February 20, 2012 at 11:37 pm

Muses and beads: Happy Mardi Gras

Muses float

When my now husband and I started seriously dating, the topic of Mardi Gras came up very early on in our relationship. I had always heard about this New Orleans celebration, I thought I knew what it was all about (beads, right?), but over the last few Mardi Gras, I have truly learned to appreciate the meaning of this special day, really, this special week-end.

Of course, the clichés about Bourbon street, beads, and what ladies (and gentlemen) are ready to do to get the really good ones are only partially exaggerated. But truly, Mardi Gras is about friends, about fancy beaded dresses, about celebrating life and its many pleasures, before the arrival of Ash Wednesday.

In learning about Mardi Gras, I have learned a few new English words, such as “krewe.” Prounounced as “crew,” krewes are the organizations that put on parades and/or a ball during the Carnival season. Being a member of a krewe has quite the social cachet, and is quite expensive. One of my best friends, Angie, is in Muses.

Catching beads on St. Charles Avenue

While most krewes are men-only, there are three that are exclusive to women. My favorite, of course, is Muses. First off, its symbol is a shoe, and it really has the best floats. And while strange things happen on Bourbon Street to catch beads, the excitement of seeing the parades on St. Charles Avenue has nothing to do with showing skin, and everything to do with catching the best possible bead.

My Mardi Gras started on Thursday evening, when Muses rode to kick-off to the really fun parades. The festivities continued on Friday, the day of my friend Angie’s annual Mardi Gras Luncheon. Hosted in a private room at Arnaud’s, Angie brings together 11 of her best friends for a 5 hour lunch filled with champagne, famous dishes such as Shrimp Arnaud and Turtle Soup, and lots of laughs. Arnaud’s (and Antoine’s and Galatoire’s, the other two classic New Orleans restaurants) is taken over by Mardi Gras festivities and ladies in hand-made beaded dresses.

Angie's lunch

After lunch, around 4 pm, we stroll through the French Quarter, with stops at two of my favorite bars, Lafitte’s Blacksmith Shop and Cosimo’s. Overall, the perfect ending to a Friday afternoon filled with more pleasure than work. Luckily, Cosimos’s is literally across the street from my New Orleans home, and while by then my feet hurt, I make it home thrilled to have experienced another successful start to Mardi Gras week-end.

The rest of the week-end was slightly mellower, with visits to Frenchman street for some fabulous live music and dinners (not 5 hour dinners) with friends. By the time you read this, it will actually be Mardi Gras, Fat Tuesday, the last day of Carnival. At midnight precisely, the New Orleans streets will be cleaned, broken beads will be thrown away, and people will focus on Ash Wednesday – and what to give up. I have only started giving something up for Lent since I have started partaking in the Mardi Gras celebration; if I do one, I must do the other, right? This year, I am giving up artificial sweetener in all its forms (Splenda, Equal, whatever is in Diet Coke). Wish me luck…

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Posted on February 6, 2012 at 9:02 am

Any given Sunday

The day after the Superbowl is always a sad day. After all, it signals the end of football season. Today, however, is particularly sad. My beloved Patriots lost. I woke up a few times last night hoping that it was all a nightmare. Then I woke up for real this morning and turned on NPR, only to listen to Superbowl commentary and relive the 4th quarter. This game 4 years ago broke my heart, and it broke all over again last night. Rather than dwell on the fact that we really should know how to count to 11, on the fact that even the best teams, even the best players, still get the jitters, and on the passes that Brady threw that should have been caught, let me focus on what was amazing last night.

Faith Hill was amazing. She gave me goose bumps, as she does every Sunday evening during football season.

Al Michaels was amazing. His voice is just like no other, even when he says things like “The Giants are looking like they should have been the favored team.” Even Eminem agrees that Al is the best football commentator.

Madonna was amazing. True Blue was the first cd I ever bought for myself. I loved her in the 80s, and admire her even more today. No wardrobe malfunction. No malfunction at all actually. Maybe a misstep, but that didn’t slow her down. Her production was cinematic. I want to dance like that and look like that when I am her age.

David Beckham was amazing. Enough said.

The Fiat commercial was amazing. Italians know how to make a sexy commercial, and Italian is the sexiest language.

Clint Eastwood was amazing. His voice rivals Al’s. And I have a soft spot for Detroit, even though I have never been there.

The Patriots’ performance was not amazing, however, and tears were shed. According to the Bud commercial, “Great times are awaiting.” I guess that means there is always next season. Forever Forward. Forever Football.

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