Preface (in bullets points):
- My sister Bonnie joined Weight Watchers in October 2010.
- I joined in January 2011.
- I reached my goal of losing 25 pounds in July 2011.
- Bonnie reached her goal of losing 50 pounds in August 2011.
- Throughout our time doing Weight Watchers Online we’ve had a collective total of 10 friends join as well because they’ve seen how easy it is to be successful.
- In late August/early September we submitted our success stories to Weight Watchers—thinking we could totally be a commercial for them.
- In mid-September we were both called to do a video audition.
- We had a callback audition in late September. They told us they’d been looking for sisters for a long time. They thought we were “adorable” and “hilarious.”
- On October 5th we got calls saying they had selected us to come to New York to shoot a commercial but they made no guarantees it would be used.
- On Oct 6th they told us they dates for our trip would be Oct 10-14. They got our sizes, clothing preferences, gave us a very not specific schedule for the week.
- Oct 7-9: we go crazy trying to get ready for this crazy trip!
Sunday Night
“If you’d told me who you were, I would have let you in.”
I arrived to Houston a little before 6pm & head straight to Rice Village for some last minute shopping. The first store I go in is a quick success but when I leave the doors are locked—it’s like 6:02. An employee comes to let me out & I bolt for the Gap where I am hoping I can find a pair of skinny jeans to go with my new boots. One door is unlocked & I race towards the jeans, searching frantically hoping I can find some before they close & make me leave! On his way to lock the doors, a male employee sees me & says, “Oh hello, I didn’t know anyone was here!” I say, “I know you’re about to close but I’m going to New York in the morning & I just need a pair of jeans!” He says, “Why are you going to New York?”
“I’m actually going to be in a commercial!”
“Oh for what?”
“Weight Watchers”
“Your sister was in here yesterday! How much weight did you lose?”
“Twenty five pounds!”
“Congratulations! What size do you need now?”
We find the right size, I run to the dressing room, try them on—they’re perfect—I change back, & run to pay. The guy who I’d talked to earlier is at the register with another employee & they tell me how my sister has been in earlier & they’d helped her find some new clothes. I tell them how this is such a funny thing that we’re doing—weird to tell people, “Oh yeah, I’m going to New York to be in a Weight Watchers commercial,” but that we’re flying first class, staying in what looks like an awesome hotel & it’s all expense paid, so it’s hard to NOT tell people! They ask how we got chosen. I tell them that when we reached our goal weights we’d sent in our success story—how we felt like people have a misconception about Weight Watchers—that it’s for older people, or only for people seriously obese. At that, the sales clerk says, “oh yeah I dated a guy who did Weight Watchers for men—he said it was just learning how to eat healthy.” “I know!” I say, “it’s taught me about portion sizes & healthy eating habits—I haven’t had to give up any foods, I’ve just learned how much to eat.” They congratulate me again & as he walks me out of the store I thank them for staying open, how I didn’t know they closed at 6. He says, “Oh if you’d told me who you were I would have let you in!” I like the sound of that! J Celebrity is starting to set in.
Monday
“I knew you were models.”
According to our itinerary, a limo will be picking us up from Bonnie’s apartment to take us to the airport. When the driver arrives we realized it must be a day limo (I think I learned that from watching Real Housewives of New York City)—it’s a Lincoln Town Car. Not the limo we were hoping for but still very nice. On the way to the airport, our driver tells us about all the people he’s driven & how he knows the streets & alternative routes of Houston like the back of his hand. We tell him we’re flying 1st class & he tells us about the people who’ve told him about 1st class on Singapore Air (oh, we know about that!). He asks us if we’re into fashion & we say we’re into fashion in Texas, but will probably be was underdressed in New York—we tell him what we’re doing, how it’s our first time flying 1st class & we’re trying to look like it’s not. He says, “Oh I knew you were models!” He tells us how his wife did Weight Watchers & how he gets her to fix his plates before meals & how that’s helped him lose a few pounds too. We arrive at the airport & make our way to the ticket counter—confirm we are in first class—seats 1C & 2A—and go to the gate.
Here’s what I like so far about flying 1st class:
- Boarding the plane first—everyone sees you’re in 1st class.
- Big seats where you get both arm rests without having to share one with the person next to you.
- While the peons in coach are getting their miniscule complementary beverage, you are enjoying a grilled chicken salad, breadsticks, fruit cup & blonde brownie.
- All the complementary drinks you want.
- The stewardess comes & refills your drink when you get up to use the bathroom.
- You are THE FIRST one off the plane!
Monday Evening
“I don’t know how else to ask this, but were you fat?”
We were met at baggage claim by a driver with a sign for “Holly & Bonnie Nelson.” Bags arrived quickly; we then got into a Lincoln Navigator to be transported to our hotel. Since it was almost rush hour, our driver gave us the option of going slow on the high way or going slow through the streets of Queens & Brooklyn. We chose Queens & Brooklyn. We saw where we are thankful we do not live and are not visiting. But a lot of Jay Z’s songs made sense. We were met at the Mondrian SoHo by a production assistant who gave us a gift bag of Burt’s Bees, water, map of the city and an entertainment guide met us at the hotel. The hotel is awesome. (Family—think an American version of the IP Boutique in Seoul—dark, tiny, quiet.) When the door man brought my suitcase to my room, he asked if the girl I checked in with was my sister. I said yes. He asked why we were in separate rooms. I said, “When they offer you each your own room, you say ‘yes!’” He asked what we were in NY for & I told him a Weight Watchers commercial. He’s standing across the room from me (he’s kind of a small-ish guy), looks at me & says, “I don’t know how else to ask this, but were you fat?” I said, no, but I did lose 25 pounds! Then he gave me the password to access the free wifi (I guess they only give it to people they ask if they were previously fat!). As he left to go up to Bonnie’s room, she called my room & I told her about the doorman (named Stefan (accent on the second syllable) asking me if I was fat. So when he arrived at her room the first thing she said to him was, “Holly already told me you asked her if she was fat!”
He did give us directions to the restaurant we wanted to go for dinner. Balthazar’s—it’s super close & was featured on the Food Network’s “Don’t Miss in NYC” and “The Best Thing I Ever Ate”—they have Bobby Flay’s favorite French fries. As we walked out of the hotel Stefan says to us, “where are ya’ll going?” We say “dinner!” He said, “it’s only 6 o’clock!” Yeah Stefan, in Texas we like to eat dinner at 6! On our way to dinner we say this super cute boutique, Calypso. We tried on lots, Bonnie bought one dress & I bought two. Then we went to dinner. Ordered a glass of champagne (oh did I mention they gave us a LOT of food money!?), and an appetizer of French fries before our meal. When we sat down & ordered our drinks, the waitress asked, “oh are you here for dinner?” Yes, New Yorkers, we eat dinner before 9pm! I had salmon, Bonnie had a veggie salad—both super good!
On the way back to the hotel we stopped at Bloomingdale’s & picked out everything we wanted to buy if we kept getting this much food money each day! I might have to buy another suitcase.
We’re getting picked up tomorrow morning at 9:30 to be at our fitting at 10! This is going to be a fun week!
