By Vanessa Packer
Photography By Libby Gray

“I TRY TO STAY HEALTHY BUT I DEFINITELY CHEAT. AT THE END OF THE DAY, I JUST WANT TO BE HAPPY,”  Florencia Galarza explains over lunch at Wild Ginger, a hidden vegan cafe in Little Italy. The DJ and model has since been “on that health tip,” and shows no signs of slowing down. “At this point in my life I have responsibilities that I have to adhere to,” confesses Galarza, who recently signed to NEXT Model Management, over a watercress salad and vegan spring rolls. “I have to look a certain way, I can’t mess around anymore.” The Argentine beauty, who was raised in Miami and decamped to New York nearly 10 years ago, balances DJing, modeling and hosting a weekly radio show for Know Wave, an underground radio station run by OHWOW Gallery. “I play inappropriate 90s R&B songs and Miami music while reading Cosmopolitan,” Galarza explains. “It’s left field and crazy but super fun.” Below, Galarza reveals her diverse workout regime, which runs the gamut from Buff Yoga to city soccer league with the boys; her nostalgic recovery drink of choice; and the advice she received from her Colombian manicurist, which she still follows to this day.


Give us a snapshot of your wellness philosophy?
I’ve always been an athlete so I need fuel. I’ve tried to curb things like sugar, starch and gluten, but I’ve never deprived myself from it. I run, I play soccer so I’ll have my kale salad or my green juice but I’ll also have my donut or pizza. It’s a balance. I’ve been more on a gluten-free tip lately. When I go home to Miami, it’s all Cuban food, croquettes and pasta. It’s pretty simple: you workout, you eat healthy and you include the things that you like, maybe it’s a cookie. You can’t be too extreme, it’s unnatural.

You have a very busy schedule between djing, modeling and traveling. How do you keep a balance?
I’ve been going to the same gym since I moved to New York City, Crunch on Lafayette street. I love it, it’s so old school. The people you see there are insane and it’s open all day, everyday. I pack my running shoes, a t-shirt and some leggings in my bag so I’ll always squeeze my workout in. I was just in Miami and I woke up at 7am to run on the beach everyday. It’s the best workout. At this point in my life I have responsibilities I have to adhere to. Today I’m playing soccer and yesterday I did yoga.

What kind of yoga do you do?
I do yoga at Crunch. It’s called Buff Yoga. It’s pretty standard but we use weights so it’s sculpting. It’s a pumped up yoga and it’s super hard. The instructor is hot too so that’s a bonus.

Do you have any tricks of the trade for late night recovery?
I’m still trying to figure it out. When I’m hungover I must have a fruit punch Gatorade. I know it has a lot of sugar but I do that all the time, it just works for me. The flavor goes back to my soccer days growing up. It gives me life for a couple more hours. I hardly stay out past 2am or 3am. I don’t like to do that anymore.

When you drink, what’s your cocktail of choice?
I’ll have a tequila on the rocks always. No mixers, because it gives you a massive headache with all the added sugars.

Why do you do tequila?
I made that transition years ago and I feel like it was the best. It gives me energy.

What’s a typically day like for you?
I normally wake up around 8am. I send emails, I’m on the phone and writing down ideas. I always go to the gym in the morning, it’s necessary. After the gym I’ll go to Lafayette and get a juice or I’ll swing by Organic Avenue on my way home. About four times a week I have lunch at Spring Street Natural. I’ve been going there since I moved to New York, it’s so good. I sit alone in the window and stare at everyone walking by as I have my brown rice and vegetables.

What’s a typical order for you at Spring Street Natural?
I always ask for the bread. They have one that’s tomato based, it’s so good. I always order the organic rice and vegetable lunch. I get that with the tahini dressing and lemon, it’s perfect. After that, I get my sugar fix at Oro Bakery. They have the best little gluten free cookies. I love their triple ginger gluten-free cookies. They are amazing and they’re tiny so you don’t feel so bad about eating them. After that, I go home, do music research, and put together playlists. I also have a show on Pirate Radio at know-wave.com. It’s part of the OHWOW Galley. It’s in a basement in the West Village on a hidden street. I love doing that.

What’s your show like?
Well, what I do is so left field and crazy. I do my Miami music, old hip hop stuff. Last time I did my show I was alone, I normally have guests. Anyway, I played really inappropriate 90s R&B songs while reading Cosmopolitan to the audience. It’s super fun. I love doing different things, I never get bored, it keeps me excited.

What’s your evening like?
Depending on the weather, I like to walk home from the West Village. I relax and watch a lot of movies. I go to the Angelica or Sunshine to see a movie alone. It’s something I’ve done forever. I like to go to Kim’s and buy DVDs too or I have dinner with friends in the old school spots in the neighborhood, like Raoul’s.

Do you cook?
I make a mean empanada, just the traditional steak one. I’ve been mostly eating vegetarian for the last two years, but I have them occasionally. In general, I feel better not eating meat and gluten, but I indulge every now and again.

When you eat out what do you order?
I eat whatever fish is on the menu. I love sushi or I love brown rice and vegetables. I’m very into that. My family is more traditional, they are not about health. I like to keep it light.

What’s your fitness regime look like?
At the gym, I do 30-45 minutes of intervals. I do 2 minutes walking, then I run 8 minutes. I repeat that a couple times, sometimes at an angle. Then I’ll do Pilates or yoga, I really like the classes at Crunch. The vibe is good, you get a mixed bag of people. They have a class called Chisel that’s really good. The instructor Carl is amazing. He’s got a 90s house vibe and when he’s teaching he’ll come up beside you and sing something like, “Girl don’t touch that cake,” or something else funny. He’ll be like, “You don’t want cream cheese on that bagel…you don’t want a bagel.” He’s so funny, I die laughing in his class. He does a Beyonce spinning class that’s also amazing. I also do a Swahili dance class at Crunch, it’s intense.

So how many days a week do you workout?
I try to go to the gym about four days a week, I play soccer and I walk a lot. This Novmeber, I’m running the New York Marathon with Every Mother Counts.

What about self care?
I’m a freak about body lotions and oils. I always wash my face in the morning and at night. I love Kate Sommerville products. I’m very regimented about my manicures and get one every five days since I was in 8th grade. When I first went to this Colombian nail lady in Miami, my nails were wack, and I remember her saying, “You know, no boy is every going to like you with those nails.” Ever since then it’s been ingrained in my brain that no boy is going to like me if I don’t have nice nails. I don’t do nail art or acrylics or any of that weird stuff. I just get a classic manicure.

What’s your favorite color for the summer?
Right now I’m obsessed with orange.

Do you have traditions you keep to this day?
My family is super proper being a lady has always been ingrained in me. My mom went to etiquette school and my grandfather was in the Argentine military so our family was always big on respect and manners. Everything from the way you speak, to sitting up straight to the way you use a fork and knife.

Do you have a non-negotiable of the day?
I have hot water with lemon in the morning. I read it once and it stuck. I do that every morning even if I’m traveling.

What Latin beauty tricks has your mom passed down to you?
My mom is always telling me to do a homemade sugar scrub with honey. You use the pit of the avocado and rub it into your legs with the scrub to break up the cellulite. I haven’t don’t it yet, but she swears by it and cold tea bags on the eyes when you are tired.

What are you indulgences?
Cookies. Everyday I have to have a cookie.

FOR FLORENCIA’S GREEN APPLE CLICK HERE

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