With the holidays past us, the health-conscious are faithfully pursuing their Spring detoxification rituals, priming for a long season of swimsuits, shorts and mini-dresses.
As a devotee of mind-body renewal, I was curious about Norma Kamali's new Wellness Cafe, located in her flagship store on 56th Street. This legendary and leggy designer has been macrobiotic and vegan since 1980, and her beauty and figure are yet another testament to smart lifestyle choices.
When you walk into her white-washed boutique, you'll notice Food, Inc. playing on a screen at the back of the cafe, beckoning you into a deeper experience. Kamali's new cafe promotes fitness and beauty through a diet of plant-based products and a thoroughly healthy lifestyle. Some of the most in-demand products at the Wellness Cafe are Organic Avenue's vegan juices, soups and smoothies, a personal favorite of mine and of Sports Illustrated model, Jessica Gomes, who relied on them to stay healthy and radiant for her famed swimsuit shoot.
Kamali does not leave her fashion prowess behind. There are bathing suits to die for in this chic boutique, a real motivator for getting slimmer and healthier. "The future of the beauty industry lies in the blending inside/outside beauty," Kamali says. "Swimsuit season is a good inspiration for re-booting the body."
Hailing from Spanish and Lebanese backgrounds, Kamali offers a whole line of delicious olive oils from lush Mediterranean regions, such as Tuscany, Provence, La Mancha, and Grasse. In many respects, the designer has managed to expand the peaceful, symbolic tradition of the olive tree and olive branch, creating a line of luxurious and effective organic olive-based products for face and body.
Kamali also added the certified organic Horst Rechelbacher line (founder of Aveda), called Intelligent Nutrients, which includes a therapeutic line of mood-altering scents, along with many other health and beauty products.
Here are some of Kamali's tips for a sleek shape and gorgeous skin:
1. Exchange the afternoon snack or meal with a green juice.
2. After showering, place a healthy dose of Kamali's Olive Calcium Liniment on a wash cloth and scrub all over your body.
3. Then, push your cuticles back with the damp cloth/Olive Calcium Liniment mixture.
4. Work out: In Kamali's experience, Physique 57 works fast and is the most challenging, but nothing comes easy.
5. Add organic olive oil daily to your diet and eliminate processed foods.
Next week, this longtime yogini is headed for a workout at Physique 57, where many of the City's statuesque and stylish women go to sweat and get svelte. I hear it's tough, so I'll keep you posted.