This Is What It (Maybe, Sorta) Feels Like to Live Like Gwyneth Paltrow For a Day

My first adventure of the day was an LED facial and eye treatment from Eyelove. After grabbing an adaptogen-enhanced Chai latte to boost my spirit, I sat down for an appointment at The Eye Bar. My eyes were instantly pasted with gold gel pads right before a spunky young woman put a giant space-looking mask over my face. Immediately, the mask lit up red, as she explained that the LED light helps penetrate the layers of skin on a deeper level. It’s said to help reduce inflammation and boost collagen. It lasted just a few minutes and the treatment was complete with an under-eye serum to reduce bags and puffiness. I must say, I’ve never looked cuter so early in the morning!

The event kicked off on a very “woo-woo” note with an opening from medium Laura Lynne Jackson giving readings to audience members with Gwyneth Paltrow by her side. Paltrow admitted that she had a reading with Jackson that was life-changing.

Jackson explained that our relatives from “the other side” are always with us and usually trying to connect in some way. Whether it’s a blank text message or a flicker of lights, electronics seem to be the most common way they try to reach us. Though there were no flickering lights in the room, Jackson’s electric energy bounced around the collective of summit attendees helping them connect with old family members that had passed on. One young woman even broke down in tears after receiving a heartwarming message from her grandmother.

Next up, I had an appointment with Morgan Yakus for a self-hypnosis group session. The focus was on connecting to our intuition. The group was small and while a couple of the ladies seemed a little skeptical, the majority were eager to get in tune with themselves. Yakus had us perform a short exercise with the person next to us. We swapped a personal item and then closed our eyes and opened ourselves up to whatever came to mind. I held my partner’s chic pair of sunglasses in hand as waves of a warm, sunny beach came to mind. I saw very warm weather and tropical surroundings, almost like Hawaii or the Philippines. Then suddenly a wave of laundry came over me. But it wasn’t dirty laundry; it was fresh, clean, crisp linens. I then smelled an intense hit of laundry detergent. Is someone washing clothes around us, I thought, seriously thinking there was a fresh load of clean clothes passing right by me.

Upon opening our eyes and sharing what came to mind, my partner revealed she was in fact from the Philippines, loves the beach, and one of her favorite things ever is the smell of fresh laundry. Even more bizarre, she explained when holding my necklace, she saw me out in the city, dressed in black, taking photos in front of a yellow taxi. My jaw dropped as I dug for my phone to show her pictures from a photo shoot I had just done in downtown Los Angeles, wearing all black, and in one of my favorite shots from the shoot had a bright yellow taxi passing right behind me. Needless to say, we both discovered we were way more intuitive than we ever imagined!

The readings from Laura Lynne Jackson were fun to watch, however, the most intimate predictions came from a one-on-one session with Maria Papapetros, Goop’s in-house intuitive. Upon walking in for custom reading with Papapetros at the event, immediately she said that she knew I was going to be successful in multiple areas of my life. She mentioned that where I really shine is with my words — be it talking or writing. She said if I don’t write already, I should definitely start! (Note: this was before me even telling her anything about myself.)

She said I have a knack for fashion and that’s something I should consider. She foresaw me on TV, gossiping and offering tips and advice to viewers on my own show. She assured me that entertainment was my industry and that I would definitely excel in it. And then she asked, “OK, so what’s your question? Why have you come to see me today?” All of her predictions so far were simply from just looking at me! I hadn’t even asked her a simple question or given her any details about my life or career goals. Dumbstruck and unsure what to even ask her at this point, I asked, “What about my love life?” Her advice? Go to a therapist! Apparently, I shutdown relationships too quickly, according to Papapetros.

All of her advice was pretty sound and her predictions about my future seemed to align with my goals. The whole reading was 10 minutes, but it gave me everything I wanted to know in our short time together.

Following a few panel sessions came lunchtime with Gwyneth Paltrow herself. Ginger ticket holders had exclusive access to a catered lunch with the Goop founder and CEO. De Maria, a hip cafe in downtown New York, catered a selection of gluten-free, vegan-friendly dishes and specialty juices and tea blends. Mushroom-turmeric broth, dragon bowls, and chickpea tamales were all on the menu and all the Goop-ies were salivating over it. I even had a bright purple tea, which I assumed was the Goop Kool-Aid all the other cool kids were drinking.

Following lunch, Paltrow moderated a session with family therapist Terry Real to address a topic she’s come to know all too well: “conscious uncoupling” (a term made famous after her split from Coldplay’s frontman, Chris Martin) — or at least how to avoid getting there. The actress invited a couple from her personal life, together for nearly 20 years, for an intimate therapy session . . . with all Goop’s summit attendees.

Real dove into to the couple’s relationship, trying to solve their deepest communication issues, on display for the audience to enjoy.

The day rounded out and came to a close with Paltrow inviting her famous friends Drew Barrymore, Chelsea Handler, Laura Linney, Gone Girl author Gillian Flynn, and former Teen Vogue editor in chief Elaine Welteroth for a “no-holds barred talk” about female empowerment and how to make change in the face of our current political climate.

Though it may be easy to assume the conversation may have been out of touch coming from some of Hollywood’s elite, the conversation touched on important notes of empowering women using empathy, including and educating young men about how to productively get involved, and creating an open space for sisterhood. The only way to shift the paradigm is by doing so together with people from all walks of life.

"We have to be there for everyone," said Handler, not just the people that we can relate to, on why she chose to use her platform in entertainment to tackle politics. "I'm going to participate in it. If I don't have as many fans when I'm done, then so be it."

The panel showcased that a wellness lifestyle is more than just self-care. It's about community and finding your "tribe," stressed Barrymore.

No eventful day like this is complete without a cocktail (or two) with GP — as they often referred to Gwyneth throughout the day. Goop staffers passed out Bai-infused cucumber-vodka cocktails, as Paltrow popped in to greet event-goers. My interaction with the actress with very brief, but the space allowed for open connection with like-minded individuals focused on bettering their lifestyle. Be it with a jade egg or a funky facial, I think all Goop readers can agree: virtually nothing is off the table in the name of our well-being.

So, was it worth the $650 or $2,000 ticket price to get in to live like Gwyneth Paltrow for a day? This event was a little more spiritual than the inaugural Los Angeles In Goop Health summit, where vitamin IVs and an oxygen bar were on display for Goopies to try. This event focused more on reaching the other realms and connecting to our intuition and focused on mental and emotional health. But was that worth the spike in ticket price?

I overheard one Turmeric passholder (the $650 level) argue that she didn’t see much difference between the two ticket options. Prime seating, catered lunch, and cocktail hour were exclusive benefits for Gingers, like myself. When you compare the cost of food, all-day treats and beverages, and wellness activations offered for free to attendees (you got to preschedule up to three), it’s debatable.

The real kicker, however, came with the swag. Turmeric pass-holders left the event with a backpack stuffed with full-size Goop-approved products. Gingers walked away with a Tumi suitcase full of product — from an array of pricey face oils and serums to “clean” household products and additional treats.

If you can spare the extra bucks, why not splurge on yourself?