Even though Mother’s Day is looking a little different this year, we at Haute Living wanted to make sure we celebrated this incredibly special holiday properly, honoring the beautiful women across the globe that hold the most impossible, but most gratifying role on earth: motherhood. Yesterday, together with Wine Access, I moderated a conversation and celebration with three haute mamas—Angela Simmons, Eudoxie Bridges and Nina Westbrook—where we enjoyed a guided champagne experience led by one of only 53 Masters of Wine in the U.S., Vanessa Conlin, followed by a discussion about motherhood, parenting in quarantine and more, where the ladies bravely spoke on sensitive and personal subjects, as well. Vanessa chose a 2012 Bollinger Le Grand Année champagne for the guided experience, which you can purchase now from the Wine Access site, with our special $30 off discount by clicking here.
Photo Credit: Haute Living via Zoom
Making welcomed guest appearances were Angela Simmons’ son Sutton Joseph—or S.J.—Eudoxie Bridges’ daughter Cadence, and even her husband Chris Bridges, a.k.a. Ludacris, who said hello to the viewers and let them know he just had a fresh haircut—Eudoxie quickly jumped in to assure everyone that he maintained safe and recommended COVID-19 protocol.
LUDACRIS: What up, people!
DEYVANSHI MASRANI: Eudoxie’s house is popping over there! [Group laughs]
LUDACRIS: I just got back from the barbershop. So, excuse me.
EUDOXIE BRIDGES: No you didn’t! Don’t encourage that, he got a haircut at home.
LUDACRIS: Safely!
EUDOXIE BRIDGES: And the guy wore a [face shield].
Photo Credit: Haute Living via Zoom
EUDOXIE BRIDGES ON EXPERIENCING HER FIRST ANXIETY ATTACK
I will say for the first time, I had an anxiety attack. This was probably at the beginning of March when all this started, and I’m not a person who internalizes a lot. I deal with things and then I move on. I think it was the misinformation from the world; there was so much [conflicting information]…it just got so heavy on my heart. I really thought I was going to pass out. In that moment I was so scared, I decided to calm my mind and I just told myself to stay still. My husband [suggested], ‘Why don’t you go on the massage chair?’ But it was too busy and it was too much going on…so I laid on a cold tile and I gathered my thoughts…I have a spiritual mother who lives in The Bahamas actually, so I called her and she told me, ‘Just start writing…everything that you feel, everything that you think, just jot down everything.’ Of course I got emotional and then I got off the phone, said some prayers and just started writing. From that, I was able to put myself to sleep. But it’s definitely been scary.
Photo Credit: Haute Living via Zoom
ANGELA SIMMONS ON THE CHALLENGES OF BEING A SINGLE MOM TO HER SON
The challenge is that I’m doing it alone because his father’s not here. As a woman, I can only give him as much as I know that I’ve seen from my father. My father and the men around me can help, but not having a male in the household makes it extremely different. It’s a balance of being mom but also making sure he understands, ‘You are a boy and you will be a man, and these are the things that are expected of you as a man as a boy.’ Versus, ‘I am a woman and this is how I move.’ So, your kids ask a lot of questions [like], ‘Well Mommy, why do you wear that and why can’t I wear that?’ As I’m raising him, I realize how important it is to have a male in the household. Not to say that I can’t raise a strong young man, but it is a challenge. Lucky for me, I’m a real good boy mom because I’m rough around the edges when it comes to stuff like that…I like cars and all of that fun stuff that he likes, but there’s a limit. Like, ‘I don’t know how far in the air I can throw you!’ [Laughs] He’s fun, he’s loving and so sweet…even if [he does] something to make [me] upset, he just melts my heart. The connection between mom and son is crazy, I’m extremely blessed. I’m grateful that I have such an incredible family that’s there to help raise him.
Photo Credit: Haute Living via Zoom
EUDOXIE BRIDGES: Angela, I heard the news of the passing of the father of your son. For moms, as you said, that bond, I see it with my husband [Ludacris] and his mother…don’t lose sight of not having that father figure, to instill in him everything that you can to the best that you can, and he will be the best son ever. You will prepare him to be somebody’s husband. You’re doing a great job on your own and we want to commend you on that. [The ladies cheers to Angela]
NINA WESTBROOK ON IT TAKING A VILLAGE TO RAISE A CHILD
It takes a village to raise a child. For us, we’ve been super blessed to be able to build our village. We live within States because of my husband’s [NBA All-Star Russell Westbrook] career, so we spend part of the year in one state and part of the year in another state. I remember thinking, ‘I’m going to have kids and my mom’s going to be so happy, she’s going to come and help, everything is going to be so great!’ And [now] she’s like, ‘Hey! Okay, bye!’ [from a distance, laughs] We’ve been really fortunate to be able to build our family that we can up and bring with us, and we don’t have to kind of continuously try to figure out, ‘What are we going to do with the kids? How are they going to be familiar [with everything]?’ We kind of adopted our meaning as part of our family…and the one goal is to make sure the kids are safe, happy and having a really good time, enjoying their life being kids.
Photo Credit: Haute Living via Zoom
VANESSA CONLIN ON WHY SHE CHOSE THE 2012 BOLLINGER LE GRAND ANNÉE FOR THE CHAMPAGNE EXPERIENCE
The reason why I chose [this champagne] is in honor of mothers. I happen to love this producer, it’s very classic. But it has a special history in relation to females. It dates back to 1829 and was taken over by Joseph and Lily Bollinger in the 1920s, and then in 1941, her husband Joseph passed away and Lily took over running the champagne house, which was very unusual to have a woman at the helm. She also had to run the winery during World War II. So she was known for exceptional courage and conviction, and she actually maintained the production of champagne after the chateau was occupied by the nazis. She slept in the cellar, she was without gasoline, food, electricity, but led her team regardless. She was known for getting on her bicycle at 6 a.m. to check on the vineyards despite the fact that she was putting herself at risk for an air raid. She led this house until the 1970s. It’s a remarkable story of female perseverance and courage and I wanted to share it with you today and all you wonderful moms out there to show how remarkable women can be. I wanted to read a quote that she’s known for. I love champagne all the time and I don’t need an excuse to drink it, so I feel like she’s my spirit sister because this is what she said: “I drink champagne when I’m happy and when I’m sad. Sometimes, I drink it when I’m alone. When I have company, I consider it obligatory. I trifle with it if I’m not hungry and drink it when I am. Otherwise, I never touch it—unless I’m thirsty.”
Photo Credit: Haute Living via Zoom
DEYVANSHI MASRANI ON THE SPECIAL MOTHER’S DAY CELEBRATION
This was very special for me. I thank you all so much for your time, for your authenticity, for being yourselves and coming on here. I know sometimes this can put us in a vulnerable place but I think a lot of women and moms who tuned in really benefitted from hearing form their role models in how to navigate this time and how you’re navigating this time. Special shout out to my Mum, love you so much and wish we could be together. Sending so much love to all the moms. Angela, Eudoxie and Nina, thank you so much for being here, it is such a pleasure to chat with you all. Vanessa, you are incredible, love our partnership together. So happy to celebrate the most important holiday of the year, and that’s Mother’s Day. Cheers to you queens.
Check out the entire Zoom session below on YouTube, and be sure to check our site daily for upcoming webinars and live broadcasts!
