FashionEtc.com April 25th, 2024

A Nicholas Sparks movie starring Zac Efron? Guaranteed to be easy on the eyes.

The Crosby Street Hotel's screening room was packed at the Cinema Society's screening of The Lucky One, in which Efron plays an Iraqi war veteran who finds a picture of a woman during combat. He believes the woman has kept him safe and helped him survive impossible situations. He searches for her when he gets back. I won't give the rest away.

Men's Health sponsored the screening, so naturally Editor-In-Chief David Zinckzenko was there, along with Lee Daniels, Doutzen Kroes, Erin Heatherton, Cuba Gooding Jr., Nicky Hilton and Natasha Bedingfield.

Keytt and Alex Lundqvist kindly gave me a ride to the party at Jimmy at the James Hotel, where Grey Goose cocktails were served, but no one indulged enough to end up in the rooftop pool—or was it still just a little too cold out?

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It all began at an editorial meeting. FashionEtc's publisher, Andrea Greeven, had seen a TV segment on women undergoing non-invasive procedures to stave off surgery. Many were starting in their 30's. Thermage, Ulthera, Zerona, these women were doing everything not to have to go under the knife, and they were impressed with the outcome. "Does anyone want to try this?" she asked.

I raised my hand.

I wasn't about to go to just any doctor, mind you. I did my research, online and through friends. Several women I spoke to had been to see Dr Mark Schwartz. They raved about him, and about the Ulthera treatment they had done in his office.

I was impressed with Dr. Schwartz's office and the friendliness of his staff. They answered all my questions patiently, even the wackiest ones. I have a fear of pain, and they promised me they would make me as comfortable as possible.

As for Dr. Schwartz, if every doctor was like him, this would be a better world. Smart, patient, kind, funny, he walked me through the procedure and gave me all the information I needed.

"Ulthera is a relatively new treatment that's been FDA approved for about a year and a half now," said Dr. Schwartz. "It harnesses ultrasound energy to target the muscle layer under the skin. The energy from the ultrasound heats the muscle, the muscle shrinks, and what happens in turn is the skin lifts up. There is very little downtime—you can have it in the afternoon and host a dinner party for 50 people at night and no one's really going to know.

"The other thing to consider—it's not the most pleasant sensation, it does sting as you're having it done—but it's the kind of thing that comes and goes very quickly. You feel it while you're being treated, but an hour later you won't be in pain.

"Because of the science, it takes about three or four months to see the final results. It's not a quick fix. It's the kind of thing where you'll see gradual results, which I think is a positive thing because it ends up looking more natural."

How long will it last? I wanted to know.

"The studies tell us that it lasts about two years, because even though this will help to mildly lift your skin up, we're not going to cure gravity. I've had the machine for about a year, so in my anecdotal experience it will last at least a year," he continued.

Is it better than Thermage?

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The art world really knows how to throw a party. Take, for example, the Art Production Fund's Urban Hoedown: the dress code called for Gown & Dirty, and the high/low theme was evident throughout. Tattoo artist Scott Campbell donated masses of temporary ink, to the delight of fiancee Lake Bell.

"I'm here supporting my fiance, he contributed the beautiful tattoos tonight, and I'm a big fan of Marc's," said the actress, in head-to-toe Marc Jacobs, the evening's presenting sponsor. "I'm just learning about the Art Production Fund, so this is the place to do that."

Trays of Dom Perignon were passed among the cowboy hats and evening gowns, the mechanical bulls, the scantily-clad cowgirls and boys, and a sea of guests in gingham, including co-chair Samantha Boardman Rosen, adorable in red and white Miu Miu.

"This is my first hoedown in my life, my first Western experience. I'm loving wearing my hat!" said Tamara Mellon, stunning a long black one shouldered column and one long feather earring.

"If all cowgirls looked like you there would be many more children in the Wild West!" said Carlos Mota with a laugh.

The crowd included many art world notables, including Jeff Koons, Kenny Scharf, Tico Mugrabi, Wendi Murdoch in Prabal Gurung, Nathalie de Gunzburg in Lanvin, Fabiola Beracasa in Sachin and Babi, Bettina Prentice, co-chairs Amalia Dayan and Adam Lindeman, Aby Rosen and Renee and Mark Rockefeller. The evening's honorees were Kiki Smith, Mark Fletcher and Tobias Meyer. Ryan Bingham was the musical entertainment.

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The New Yorkers For Children Spring Dance, A Fool's Fete, is one of the most stylish and fun benefits of the season. It's a must attend event for many in the fashion industry and fashionable New Yorkers alike, including Erin Heatherton, Nicole Miller, Doutzen Kroes, Graziano de Boni, Peter Davis and Derek Blasberg. It is called a Fool's Fete because the event originally took place on April 1st.

"I had a whole committee set aside to think of jokes," said Honorary Chair Dayssi Kanavos, who chaired the first fete. "We had name tags for Colin Powell, Condoleeza Rice, Jon Bon Jovi, George Clooney. We wanted people to get excited about who they were sitting next to." Kanavos, resplendent in a dress designed by the evening's sponsor, CD Greene, has been deeply committed to the cause from the beginning. "For me it's 15 years of helping kids in foster care who don't have anyone to speak for them, advocate for them, give them a leg up," she said.

The beautifully decorated ballroom at the Mandarin Oriental was filled with incredibly well-dressed notables, such as co-chairs Alina Cho, Lydia Fenet, Allison Aston, and Nicole Esposito, all wearing CD Greene, and Tinsley Mortimer, Veronica Webb and Zani Gugelmann, looking spectacular. Zac Posen was accompanied by beauties Coco Rocha and Crystal Renn, both wearing his designs.

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