Bentley limousines, superstar models, spa suites at The Ritz Carlton’s Eau Spa, celebrity hairstylists, Swarovski crystal bow ties, soap opera and reality stars, film crews and photographers and an entire street closed down as we’re escorted in by burlesque girls dressed in black and red on roller skates! We’ve been to quite a few “red carpet events” since starting raannt several years ago, but nothing compares to the LadyLash Studios Red Carpet Anniversary party that we attended in West Palm Beach, Florida in September. Our good friends, Mikaela and Georgio Fernanadez, the husband and wife, superstar team heading LadyLash Studios, flew us down to South Florida, where they reign supreme in the glamour industry, to attend their red carpet anniversary party as their special guests. Needless to say, our experience was nothing less than an absolutely mesmerizing experience from the moment we stepped off the plane, were driven to The Ritz Carlton in West Palm Beach, and checked into the Eau Spa until less than 24 hours later when we waved goodbye and flew back to Indianapolis after attending one of the most amazing events of our lives.
Mikaela and Georgio, the owners of the makeup design company LadyLash Studios, and the Eau Spa by Cornelia, treated us to an entire day at the spa before heading over to the red carpet event. Upon arriving at the spa, we were checked in and explained the menu of services we would be receiving throughout the day. First we were each given a candle to make a wish on and place in an amazing fountain in the reception area of the spa. I think we both wished for a relaxing experience since we had boarded the plane at 7:30 in the morning and hadn’t received more than two hours of sleep the night before, excited about the upcoming day. Our wishes were granted as we stepped through the doors of the spa and led into the men’s changing area.
To call it a “locker room” would be completely unfair although it was adorned with six foot wooden lockers. The rest of the area was, quite literally, a Grecian bath. A huge, stone jacuzzi sat at the top of the stairs after walking past several showers closed off by frosted glass and counter tops filled with the best bath products.
We were led into an indulgent “resting area”, furnished with plush lounging chairs and whispy curtains looking out onto the “Self Centered Garden” located between the men’s and women’s changing areas. Infused tea and small cupcakes were set out to either relax or energize you, depending on your current needs. We were told to wait and we would be taken back to our cabana suite for our couples massage. After our two masseuses arrived, they led us back, in our white fluffy robes, to our suite and asked us several questions and defining for us our massage experience. They then turned the lights to a soft blue and asked us what kind of music we wanted to listen to during our massage. We opted for chill lounge music over classical music, and immediately, with the changing colors of the lights and the ambient beats of the music, we were transferred into another state. Our couples massage, side by side each other, was absolutely incredible lasting just over an hour. Afterwards, we were given several minutes to relax as we looked at the patio and took in the outside, free standing shower and bathtub and the amazing furnishings inside the suite. We then went into the gardens and sat for several minutes in the hanging chairs over the small pools, completely relaxed, drinking tea and just taking it all in.
Afterwards, completely relaxed, we went and checked in with Mikaela and Georgio, who were knee deep in preparing for the evening with camera crews filming every step of their make up artists, barbers, hairstylists and friends mulling around the room. They told us to just hang out and enjoy ourselves and meet up with them in a few hours to leave for the event. So we got dressed and walked down to the beach, talking about our plan to move to Southern Florida in a few years and where we would live. Afterwards, we went inside to The Stir Bar and split quesadillas. The bar and lobby which overlook the pool and the beach are incredible and we could have stayed there all night, just lounging and talking, finally able to get away and enjoy each other’s company from our crazy lives.
We stayed for awhile and then went back and got ready for the event. After getting dressed, we walked over to Mikaela and Georgio’s room and waited for them to get ready. While waiting in the hallway, we began talking to another one of their special guests, Marissa Hopson, Pantene’s First Reality Hair Star, and her mother. We talked for over 30 minutes and right away we were swapping stories and laughing. After everyone was ready, including LadyLash Superwoman Elisabetta Fantone, who is a well known model, actress and painter, we all followed Mikaela and Georgio out to the front of the Ritz, one large entourage in tow, and got in the escorted cars.
Pulling up to the LadyLash Red Carpet Event was an experience all of it’s own. Insanely dressed burlesque girls roller skated in front of our limo as it pulled up in front of the event. As the door of our car opened, photographers started flashing bulbs as we entered the red carpet and made our way into the event, followed by Marissa, Elisabetta and finally Mikaela and Georgio.
Several hours later, after taking tons of pictures and film footage, we ended up at Taste in West Palm Beach for their after party which lasted late into the night. Finally, in a jam packed car alongside their close friends Mike and Dorothy Minichiello, owner of Vintage Joye Fine Electronic Cigarettes(which are absolutely amazing and we’ve been using for over a month!), we drove back to the hotel through the warm September night.
Upon reaching the hotel, Marissa and her mother, who had agreed to take us to the airport(these women are absolutely amazing!!!), were waiting, finally casually dressed, or as best as Marissa can be casually dressed in an amazing sundress and stunning heels, in the lobby for us to go and grab some late night snacks. So it was only minutes later that we found ourselves, alongside Marissa, her mother and Marissa’s hilarious friend who became more and more humorous with each beer, at a small, dive bar on the outskirts of West Palm Beach, eating chicken fingers, cheeseburgers and fries talking about all the stuff we would talk about with any of our other friends at 3 in the morning.
When we finished eating, Marissa and her mother drove us to the airport and we walked inside, absolutely exhausted but elated from the outrageous day, and found that it was too early to check in. So we threw our bags on the floor and camped out until our plane left several hours later, with us in the very back row, dead asleep with bags of M&M’s and Swedish Fish candy in our hands.
We have to say, although we love Kim Kardashian, we really don’t know how she does it…”dashing” from one exotic location to the next, with only a few hours a sleep, checking into amazing hotels and being treated like a queen for a day…after day…after day. It is all quite amazing, and we’d do it again in a heart beat…hint, hint…and of course we LOVE to cause a stir on the red carpet and bring incredible attention, after all, that’s what we’re best at…but all of this in just 24 hours is a little overwhelming.
Like one strange dream that we drifted in and out of all day long. A strangely, beautiful and euphoric dream filled with little, white frosted cupcakes, a back room after party filled with vapor cigarettes and laughter, racing through the glitzy streets of Southern Florida late at night, late night bar food with a new supermodel friend and her endearing mother…and a couple that made it all of the glamour happen!
And to see the amazing quick film of the entire event by C&I Studios go to the LadyLash Red Carpet Event link…and make sure you look for our cameo appearance!!!
Eyes open, we’re watching