Bluemercury Turns 20!
Photo Credit: Getty Images
Barry and Marla Beck, the founders of makeup retailer Bluemercury, have a lot to celebrate this month, as their company celebrates its 20th anniversary. On June 11th, Bluemercury hosted a celebratory cocktail party at their New York Hilton Flagship location. Notable guests included several big names in the beauty industry, such as Simon Huck, Public Relations and Marketing Executive, Nate Berkus and Jeremiah Brent, interior designers, and Holly Thaggard, Founder of Supergoop! DJ Marjorie Gubelmann, known as MadMarj, provided the music for the evening, as guests enjoyed refreshments and learned about the history of Bluemercury since it opened its first store in Georgetown in 1999. With almost 200 locations, the company has had tremendous success, carrying leading brands in the beauty industry such as La Mer, RéVive, Hourglass, Kiehl’s, NARS, and M-61 Skincare. The luxury beauty brand and spa retail chain joined Macy’s, Inc. in 2015, and its stores are embedded within local communities.
Photo Credit: Getty Images
Photo Credit: Getty Images
During the celebration, guests listened to Marla and Barry’s remarks on their Bluemercury journey. The couple reflected on their company’s humble beginnings and marveled at the success the company has found. When the couple first started the company in 1999, they were in trouble, and they bought a local boutique in Washington, D.C., and reopened it as Bluemercury. They never imagined that their local beauty boutique would become a key player in the beauty retail scene. The Becks accurately predicted that opening stores in convenient locations would lead to Bluemercury’s success. The Becks are not afraid to mix business and personal life and have stayed true to their vision of having a familial feeling to each store by remaining completely involved in all parts of their company, even with three kids and 184 locations.
Photo Credit: Getty Images
Photo Credit: Getty Images
Attendees were each gifted a LAFCO X Bluemercury Spa Candle, which was created by Marla Beck and LAFCO to replicate the Bluemercury spa experience. Guests also left with a perhaps newfound understanding of what it takes to run a beauty empire and the power couple behind all of the incredible stores.
Photo Credit: Getty Images
David Wells and The Perfect Game: 20 Year Anniversary
On May 17, 1998, David Wells, a pitcher for the Yankees, reached the climax of his 21-year major league career by defeating all 27 Minnesota Twins. The pitch, which led to a Yankees win, became a significant point in baseball history as the 15th perfect game in major league history.
20 years later, on the same day in 2018, Wells and his fellow Yankee teammates reunited at a charity event for Wells’ Perfect 33 foundation. Celebrities, who were also present at the game, gathered at Sony Hall to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the “Perfect Game.” Although the game and the pitch turned iconic and seamlessly entered baseball history, the story behind the pitch is even more fascinating.
In his 2003 autobiography titled, Perfect, I’m Not, Wells revealed to his fans that when he threw his shot, he was “half-drunk, with bloodshot eyes, monster breath, and a raging, skull-rattling hangover.” In addition, according to a recent Seth Meyer interview with Jimmy Fallon, the night before the big game, Wells and Fallon went out to an SNL after-party. The occasion led to Wells sleeping only for an hour, ending up in bed at 5:30am.
Yet, this did not stop the Yankee pitcher from practicing his throw all morning before and performing his best during the game. “I think I overdid it,” said Wells during the event. “Thank God for coffee and water. You would never think in a million years that you’re going out, hungover and throw a perfect game.” Especially because that day, the Yankee stadium gathered 49,820 spectators, hundreds of whom were children, since the main sponsor of the game was Beanie Baby.
Despite the fact that a monumental day in baseball history started off with a rough night, when asked if he would change anything about that day, Wells responded with a good-humored “nothing.” Instead, he emphasized the importance of doing your own thing, while having his fellow teammates’ support.
“I beat to my own drum sometimes,” said Wells. “I had my teammates and they had my back at all times. That’s what you have to do. You have to have each other’s backs at all times.”
About Perfect 33
This foundation stems from David's vision to have an outlet for his friends and family to help his alma mater high school, Point Loma High School in San Diego. The foundation help kids develop as athletes and help military personnel who serve us all. Your donations are tax deductible.