Lifestyle websites are a dime a dozen these days, but when they are the brainchild of Bob Pittman - the former AOL chief operating officer who has lent his golden touch to Daily Candy, Thrillist, and Tasting Table - you can safely bet on its success. Last Wednesday night, Pittman and the women of wowOwow (Whoopi Goldberg, Candice Bergen, Lesley Stahl, Cynthia McFadden, Lily Tomlin and wowOwow CEO Joni Evans) celebrated the launch of PureWow.com at the newly revamped R Lounge in the Renaissance New York Times Square Hotel. Guests the likes of Jason Binn, Marlo Thomas, Tatiana Platt, Rosanna Scotto, Kay Unger, Didi von Mueffling, Rachel Heller, Samantha Ettus, Ryan Harwood, and new Housewife Cindy Barshop joined the wowOwow ladies for cocktails and Blue Ribbon favorites like lobster rolls, pork buns, and particularly scrumptious mini-grilled cheese sandwiches (after sampling them at enough cocktail parties, I've become a bit of an expert on cheesy goodness).
There were some surprises in store as well, as only event organizer and PR maven Alison Brod would have it. The first thing most of us did upon arrival (after grabbing a cocktail, natch), was take in the panoramic views of Times Square and the rest of the city, aided by the R Lounge's floor to ceiling windows. Subsequently, we were treated to a special performance from the PS 32 choir, who covered hits from Black Eyed Peas in addition to a mash up of Journey and "Lean on Me." Potential recruits for a future Glee episode, perhaps? Someone needs to contact Ryan McGinley and make that happen.
As for the PureWow site itself, the women of wowOwow, while not directly involved, consider it a sister publication. It is a free daily email, targeted to sophisticated women who want to be informed about the best in culture, travel, beauty, fashion, food, drink, and the like. But what distinguishes this site from so many others is its condensed, streamlined, user-friendly format. Too many lifestyle websites overload their readers with information, ultimately driving their constituents away because they no longer want to be bothered. Pittman knows better than to fall into that trap. He also knows how to throw a great launch party.