healthylife – Savoir Vivre by JJ

Samantha Wasser, co-founder and creative director of By CHLOE. has some serious Savoir Vivre

Posted on March 14, 2019March 14, 2019 by Jessie Chase

Today we are sitting down with Samantha Wasser, the co-founder and creative director of the plant-based fast-food chain, by CHLOE. This chic is a design and creative genius that is ready to inspire us with some of that Savoir Vivre that made By CHLOE. an overnight success (with lots of hard work of course).

What time do you wake up? I usually wake up between 630-7am.

What do you have for breakfast? I am religious about my celery juice which I drink first thing on an empty stomach.

Coffee or tea? After my juice I usually wait about 30 minutes before having an oat milk café au lait from Blue Bottle.

What is your morning routine? My morning routine is undergoing some changes at the moment as I have a two-month old baby boy! Prior to Baby J, I would wake up around 630ish and check my emails, walk the dogs and grab a juice. I try to work out around 730/8am so I can be in the office or at meetings around 930am.

What do you do for exercise? I am really into low impact workouts like Yoga and Pilates. I always feel my best when I have a little me time first thing in the morning.

What is on your current playlist? I am such a 90s girl at heart. I love playing music all day in James’ room. We have so much fun listening to 90s jams. I honestly have no idea what is on the radio these days!

Do you have a beauty routine? What products do you use? For face, I absolutely live for the Biologique Recherche products. P50 has completely changed the texture and appearance of my skin and the Masque Vivant is my go-to for breakouts. I also splurged on the MC1 Blood Moisturizer from Barbara Sturm which is actually made from my blood and has incredible healing properties. My other favorite brands are Tata Harper, Tracie Martyn, May Lindstrom, MUN. For body I use Bathing Culture Body Wash and Everyday Oil and for hair, I use Sisters all-natural Balancing Shampoo and Conditioner. For makeup, I recently discovered the Westman Atelier products from Gucci Westman which is super lightweight for everyday use!

What is your favorite café? Where is it? I recently discovered this tiny cafe in my neighborhood called Lillo Cucina Italiana. The ingredients and dishes are so incredibly fresh and delicious.

What is your favorite restaurant? Where is it? Probably Mr. Chows which we go to in Tribeca weekly.

How many emails do you get a day? How many do you respond to? LOL I wish I had time to count for you.

What is the last book you read? The last book I read was Cold Blood by Robert Bryndza

What is the last thing you watched on Netflix? Russian Doll + just finished re-watching all nine seasons of The Office.

What is your go to homemade meal? A big arugula salad, buckwheat pasta or eggplant pizza.

What is your drink of choice? JAJA tequila with soda and lime.

What is your biggest vice? Carbs and cookies (which is guess is a carb so ya carbs!)

What time do you go to bed? As early as I can but lately I haven’t been falling asleep till around 11.

Bedtime ritual? After dinner, I sip on a hot water and lemon before heading into bed. I typically watch an hour or so of TV in bed on my Amethyst BioMat and if I’m feeling ambitious I’ll throw on a facial mask too!

What do you do to relax? To relax I like to do yoga or pilates, long walks with the doggies + baby, reading, monthly facials at Tracie Matryn or Tres Belle Spa and weekly lymphatic drainage and cupping sessions with Marina Baratashvili.

NYC or LA? NYC, it’s the city that never sleeps! What’s not to like?

Where would you like to travel to that you have never been? Tokyo hands down! Everyone who knows me can’t believe I haven’t been yet. I am just worried that if I go I will never come home!

Beach or mountains? Can I have a beach with mountains? I love any opportunity to escape, explore and shut off with my family and friends.

Where is the most special place in the world to you? Any place where my hubby, son and doggies are.

Getting the Savoir Vivre deets from Rose, founder of Farm Girl Café in London

Posted on February 6, 2019 by Jessie Chase

Today we are hanging with Rose, the super founder of Farm Girl Café in London (come on, you know their Rose Latte). Here’s the scoop on her Savoir Vivre!

What time do you wake up?

5.30am if I’m doing an early gym class, if not between 7 and 7.30am

What do you have for breakfast?

Sometimes nothing… at the moment I am on the celery juice craze and it is so good! I’m 10 days in and feeling surprising energetic in the morning. I am a massive porridge fan usually.

Coffee or tea?

Both!! Coffee in the morning and I like a tea when I get home from work.

What is your morning routine?

Busy! I like to get my exercise done in the morning before work. Then usually running home to shower, feed dogs and then out the door to the office or one of the sites.

What do you do for exercise?

I love core collective, I’m a fan of their cycle, lift & row and their circuit class, I’m at core 3 times a week and then I do boxing at box clever sports once or twice a week. Also, yoga at Heartcore in Notting Hill once a week (twice if I can fit it in).

What is on your current playlist?

Literally anything that my team at Notting Hill have played in the cafe recently. they always have the best playlists and I just switch onto those.

Do you have a beauty routine? What products do you use?

Yes- I suffer from PCOS so i have to be so careful with my skin. I am using so many different brands but I really research every product before I buy. I love the Ren products, Mario Bascu, Dr Sturm, Poppy Austin. I use a vitamin C serum followed by a high grade retinol followed by a really good day cream with SPF that protects from pollution. I get micro needling regularly

What is your favorite café? Where is it?

Other than Farm Girl??!! I love Towpath cafe (have only been once and the food was so amazing) It’s in De Beauvoir. I also love Pearl and Groove on Portobello Road.

What is your favorite restaurant? Where is it?

Fischers in Marlyebone, Laylow Notting Hill, Petersham Nurseries in Richmond

How many emails do you get a day? How many do you respond to?

I get between 30 and 40 a day. I try to respond to all of them or at least deal with them!

What is the last book you read?

The Woman Code

What is the last thing you watched on Netflix?

6 Days- about the terrorist attack on 16 Princes Gate in the 80’s- its such a good film.

What is your go to homemade meal?

Ramen!

What is your drink of choice?

Our Happy hot choc.

What is your biggest vice?

I’m such an emotional eater!! If I’m tired, stressed, anxious, nervous I will binge eat- it’s the worst habit that I have nearly broken!!

What time do you go to bed?

As early as I can, if I am done with work I’ll be in bed at 9.

Bedtime ritual?

I LOVE taking a bath, so I will often do this with a chamomile tea and a book.

What do you do to relax?

Walk dogs, yoga, go to countryside…

London or Paris?

London because I don’t speak french and I grew up in Australia so it’s still a novelty to me.

Sydney or Melbourne?

Melbourne. Prefer the people and the food culture, also It’s close to my farm and my family.

Where would you like to travel to that you have never been?

India, Japan, Russia

Beach or mountains?

Mountains- I love the mountain air. I feel it so relaxing. Not a great skier but I always come back from skiing holidays feeling so well rested

Where is the most special place in the world to you?

My farm that is near the Grampians in Victoria, Australia. It’s beautiful land there and has amazing views of the mountain range.

A Savoir Vivre Minute with Peony Lim

Posted on February 1, 2019 by Jessie Chase

Today we are sitting down with Peony Lim, creative and digital consultant, luxury brand ambassador and creative content producer. Peony is known for her flawless skin, sweet attitude and keen eye. Time to get her Savoir Vivre secrets!

What time do you wake up?

7am most mornings.

What do you have for breakfast?

I like toast with avocado or peanut butter and bananas.

I also have porridge or yoghurt and fruit.

Coffee or tea?

Tea. But I start the day with a hot water and lemon. Then I drink camomile, earl grey or green tea.

What is your morning routine?

Let the dog out and feed her.

Hot water and Lemon.

Catch up on the news.

Breakfast.

Wash and dress.

Makeup, sometimes doing an Instagram live or GRWM.

Work at my desk or straight out to meetings.

What do you do for exercise?

Mostly mat Pilates and HITT.

What is on your current playlist?

M People and Gabrielle.

Do you have a beauty routine?

Yes but I also experiment with new things all the time.

Products I don’t tend to swap out ever… Eve Lom cleanser, La Mer Eye Cream, La Prairie Sleep Mask, Estee Advanced Night Repair, Skincueticals Redness Neutraliser.

What is your favorite café?

I find that hard. I like some cafes because they are comfortable even though the foods not the most exciting. Like Aubaine on Brompton Road, Granger and Co Pavillion Road, Daylesford Pimlico. But food wise I always love Ottolenghi and Crumbs and Doilies.

What is your favorite restaurant?

I don’t think I can choose just one.

Good Earth, great classic Chinese, I like the Brompton Road branch.

Dozo, My fav Japanese. There are a couple in London.

Carluccios, its a chain but I just love there classics like Carbonara for a chilled date night.

Yauatcha, the best dim sum in soho.

Maroush, cant live without this Lebanese 24hrs classic.

How many emails do you get a day? How many do you respond to?

Oh god thats a bit exposing. Probably 100 or so a day. I reply to about 30 (eek)

What is the last book you read?

Woman Code

What is the last thing you watched on Netflix?

MariKondo

What is your go to homemade meal?

Salad.

What is your drink of choice?

Water.

What is your biggest vice?

Swearing and bad posture.

What time do you go to bed?

11 if I’m good.

Bedtime ritual?

I try and read before bed and not use my phone. I wash ny face and apply all my lotions and potions, take my vitamins and then try and read and relax.

What do you do to relax?

I’m obsessed with baths and walking for relaxation. Although I find working out mentally soothing I don’t think its relaxing.

London or Paris?

London – home is where the heart is.

Where would you like to travel to that you have never been?

India, New Zealand, New Orleans…

Beach or mountains?

Beach, I love the sea. It makes me feel like I can breathe. I think a sea view is always the most beautiful to me.

Where is the most special place in the world to you?

Where my loved ones are.

Echo Deli, a very LA Style Good Vibes café in Paris

Posted on August 1, 2018October 17, 2018 by Jessie Chase

I recently sat down with Matthias, owner and creator of Echo Deli in the 2^nd arrondissement to learn a little bit more about the Savoir Vivre of this Good Vibes rated café.

How did a French man come to own a LA restaurant in Paris?

Well, for starters I studied in LA at UCLA 10 years ago. I totally fell in love with the city. Since then, I have gone back at least once a year! The food scene over there is always changing and I was very impressed by what was happening over there. Each and every time I came back to Paris after my trips in LA I was like ahhh I miss that kind of food! It all came together when I went to Gjusta 2 years ago… I was so incredibly blown away by what I tasted. I knew immediately that this is what I needed to create, this is what I needed to bring to Paris. I had already I really want to create my own company and I knew that the coffee scene was changing a lot in here Paris. Yes, there was Holybelly, or Wild & the Moon, two places that I love, but I wanted a place I could please all flavors.

What is your favorite thing about Echo?

The wide variety of the menu and the fact that you have the vast majority of the menu at 9am. I love the emphasis on the savory aspect of it. It’s pretty rare to find a crispy rice bowl in Paris starting at 9 am. This is something we have and something I really love.

Ideas for expansion?

I do want to expand and I have ideas, but I don’t know where or what I really want to do. I love the all day breakfast thing. So maybe doing something a bit more specific like Mexican food. We are going to open at night on the weekends this fall. We are also going to be open 6 out of 7 days a week!!

Your favorite thing on the current menu?

The Mexican chorizo sandwich. I always love good sandwich for breakfast. It gives you a good kick for the rest of the day.

The thing you miss the most about LA?

The lifestyle. What I love about LA is that if you want to be out of the world and near the beach or in your own garden you can. But if you want to be in the urban atmosphere you can. Life can be whatever you want it to be. My long-term plan has always been to open a location in LA. But as I didn’t have any experience in hospitality, I started here in Paris.

What inspires you to create your recipes?

I have to hand it to Maelia Weger on this one. She’s from LA so already, she gets it. But she does spend a lot of time on Instagram to see what is going on. For both of us it is very important to offer many different cuisines, like Mexican, Asian, etc. We want the vibe of a lot of different cultural influences.

How often do the recipes change?

Seasonally 25% of the menu changes. This is based on seasonality and seasonal products.

Why the name “Echo”?

I love Echo Park area in LA. Very creative cool area in LA. We wanted to Echo the LA food scene in Paris. Double sense of the word.

Easy to import Le Croix from the USA?

It was very difficult to get it, so I’m not gonna tell! I wanted a very popular product from LA. People love La Croix there because it is very hot and there is no sugar. I wanted to have something that nobody else had in Paris.

Why the second arrondissement?

I was looking in the 9^th, the Marais, 10^th and 2^nd arrondissements, but I really just needed a place that was a really good opportunity. This area was and still is changing a lot. When I found the place the Hoxton had just opened so I knew it was the place to be. I wanted it to be near offices where young people are working. I really thought it was the perfect fit to be here. I fell in love with the location with the open piazza and all.

What is the Savoir Vivre of Echo?

For me Echo is a coffee place for the neighborhood. My goal is for it to be the favorite place of the neighborhood, for all day café – a huge community influence. That is why we have a communal table. French people don’t usually like this kind of thing, but I really fought for this to have this. I want Echo to be a place where people and things come together.

Good Vibes with Ingrid Seynhaeve, former Top Model and founder of June 7.2

Posted on June 27, 2018July 30, 2018 by Jessie Chase

Who?

Ingrid Seynhaeve!!

Ingrid and I met at Studio Pier 59 in New York City when she was working as a model and I was helping to assist on the job. I immediately adored her infectious laughter and her very sweet and calm sincerity. Today we are here at brand June 7.2’s showroom and her Parisian home in the 16^th arrondissement of Paris to talk about what she does to keep those good vibes flowing and that smile beaming.

Tell us a little bit about where you?

Belgium, in a small little village (only 10,000 people) called Nenen on the border of France and Belgium, it’s near Bruges. I never moved as a child and family still lives there! I literally went on a plane for the first time for my first modeling job when 16 and I was so nervous that I threw up the whole way. I also got incredibly lost at the airport. I didn’t even know what a gate meant.

Your career?

My father was super strict and would only let me model on weekends and school holidays, but somehow I managed to make it work. When I turned 18, my agency chose me to represent Belgium in the Global Contest – Elite Model Look. The finals were in New York and I went, with only 100 dollars in my wallet. At the time I even was signed up for Economics and Languages at University, plans of being a fulltime model were not a part of the plan… But funny enough, I actually won the competition. When I called my parents to tell them the “good news” they were incredibly devastated and all around shocked … But I decided to stay in New York after the competition and I didn’t end up leaving for 17 years.

Your man?

I met my husband, Gio in Paris when she was shooting a movie. He had lead role and decided to kiss me in our scene together, except that it wasn’t a part of the script… I complained to the director, but Gio managed to persuade him to keep the scene. I guess after all the kiss was meant to be there J 3 months later he asked for my number, (he needed a Belgium model for his movie.) This is when the romance began. We did back and forth for 8 years. He lived in Paris and I lived in New York. It was kinda tricky, so when our second son Hayden was born, I moved to join Gio with the kids in Paris. We’ve been here for 7 years, but now its time for a new adventure! Miami baby.

Your alarm rings at…

7 :30 am.

What’s your first thought when waking up?

That’s an easy one – that I haven’t slept enough. Even though I need a lot of sleep, there’s always something going on. And I need my TV at night. So the TV turns on too late and I go to bed too late and then I’m tired the next day. The crazy cycle of my crazy life!

How do you start the day with good vibes?

I take a deep breath and realize that I am damn crazy lucky. My family is healthy, I am healthy and everything else is extra. I have lots of gratitude. Gratitude for the beautiful day that lies ahead and I always always start the day with a smile.

Your breakfast?

I start the day very fresh and nutritious. It’s usually granola, and fresh berries with hemp milk, goji seeds, hemp seeds and oatmeal. Oh and let’s not forget my coffee. I really need my coffee.

Your spiritual side?

I love the 10-minute meditation – “10 Minutes of Happiness.” In an ideal world, I do the 10 minutes in the morning. I should wake up earlier to do this but it’s usually pretty hard. And if I wake up at 7:30 there’s no time for meditation. So this doesn’t happen as much as I would like, but I try and make up for it later in the day. I try and make the time for my 10 minutes of happiness everyday!

How you stay fit?

I love Barre flow, Pilates and Yoga. I go to Le Tigre Chaillot at least 2 times a week. I actually really really love Pilates; the machines are my go to workout. This keeps me centered and balanced.

Your beauty secrets?

I have a facial every 1 to 2 months, with extractions and peelings at the end. But for more frequent skin refreshment, I scrub once a week and do a fruit enzyme mask and a glycolic mask every two weeks. For me, it is essential to take care of of my skin. My favorite products are from Christine Chin and Doctor Obagi (his under eye skin care is magic). As for masks, I like pretty much anything from Whole Foods. My absolute favorite brand is Clarins! Everything they make and do is just magic!!

Your perfect morning?

I’m excited because because this will happen everyday when I move to Miami! My day will start with stretching on the terrace, looking over to the sunrise on bay with a couple of sun salutations. Pure bliss. Then time for coffee and to get the kids ready for school. After I drop them off I will do my Pilates workout and have a fresh breakfast of local fruits, grains and cold pressed juice. What could be better?

Self-love when you travel?

When I travel I actually have more time to take care of myself. To disconnect, I read on the plane – it is my moment of solitude. I almost always book a massage when I get to the hotel and then I do a bit of shopping therapy. I love to treat myself when I am away even if it’s for work! This includes meditation. When I’m traveling I find the time to meditate. Breakfast is also a very important moment on my travel schedule. I make sure to have a lovely and healthy breakfast. If I can’t find something healthy on the menu at the hotel, I google to see where I can have a nice acai bowl or a cold pressed juice. Starting the day on a positive note is essential. This is why I even run in the park in a local park when I can. Getting oxygen flowing to the brain is so good. It’s perfect for attacking a busy day!

Current mantra?

To see the positive side of everything and learn from criticism. To see through the maladroit. To learn.

Ingrid Seynhaeve is the fashion designer and founder of Parisian clothing brand June 7.2. This former top model will soon leave her Parisian life behind for a new chapter in Miami with her husband, Gio Iera, founder of franchise IT Trattoria and two sons Hayden and Lukas.

Mantra Raw Vegan {the best vegan raw vegetarian spot in milan, and probably all of italy}

Posted on February 8, 2018February 9, 2018 by Jessie Chase

Best healthy address of Milan is HANDS down, Mantra Raw Vegan. This awesome spot is ideal for any and everyone interested in healthy and delicious juices, meals and desserts. I must admit, I have yet to find a spot that compares in Paris. Mantra Raw combines a market, where snacks, seeds, superfoods, cold pressed juices, teas and sweets are available for purchase as well as a fully functioning restaurant that is open for lunch and dinner. I had the pleasure of stopping by for a bite and a juice while in Milan.

Owner and founder Marina insisted on preparing me their house signature and best seller – TOSTAVO. This delectable is a composition of raw bread, dehydrated for 18 hours, with mashed avocado, cold smoked cherry tomatoes, marinated fennel and edible flowers. It was not only beautiful but supper yummy. Likewise, I tasted and very much enjoyed a coconut tiRAWmisu (ha ha – it’s true though) that Is caffeine free! Perfect for those looking for cut back on their caffeine or that are very sensitive to caffeine in the evening hours (like me). And finally, to drink, the Mantra cold pressed AUMARANCIONE. A juice consisting of carrots, oranges and lemon. Oh la la, incredibly fresh and wonderful.

I truly do not have enough positive things to say about this wonderful place. It has everything you could ever want or need to feel good and eat right. Its pretty much worth a trip to Milan just to try this raw utopia. Please follow them on Instagram for some serious food porn @mantraw and check out their site for more information.