Ashley and J.P - Media - No Discussion

Among the viewers tonight when the Ben Flajnik "Bachelor" premieres will be Roslyn-reared construction manager J.P. Rosenbaum, the romantic rival who won bachelorette Ashley Hebert after she turned down suitor Flajnik's proposal.

"We're definitely going to watch it," Rosenbaum, 34, told Newsday. He and Flajnik, he says, "were friends during our season, and I know he's going to make a great 'bachelor. 'Ben's a great, down-to-earth guy . . . and I'm hoping he finds love. He really is a good guy -- it's why we both were there to the end," he says. "I think she saw similar qualities in us."

As for fiancee Hebert, she graduated in September from dental school in Philadelphia, but Rosenbaum says getting the clinical hours she needed to complete her degree "took longer than anticipated." And while they moved in together in October -- with Hebert super-commuting from Manhattan to Philadelphia -- they haven't started working on their wedding yet, he says. "Not really. We always said once she's done with school and the new year starts, we'd start planning. I think come January, February we'll sit down and start talking about when and where."

Meanwhile, Rosenbaum is involved in the construction of developer Equity One's The Gallery at Westbury Plaza, going up on Old Country Road east of Meadowbrook Parkway. "They're putting up almost 400,000 square feet of retail," he says. "It'll be open by Labor Day."

‘Bachelorette’ Ashley Hebert’s Wedding Workout & Diet Tips
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Bachelorette Ashley Hebert
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Ashley reveals how she’s getting into shape for her big day. Check out her fitness secrets.

Bachelorette Ashley Hebert is trying hard to stay fit for her wedding to J.P. Rosenbaum that will most likely take place later this year. Ashley shares her wedding workout and diet tips with In Touch magazine.

This is how Ashley is getting in shape for her wedding:

* Ashley has changed her eating habits. She used to love carb-heavy meals but has switched to lighter bites whipped up by J.P. “He’ll make a piece of lean meat and a vegetable,” Ashley relays.
* She takes body-sculpting and spin classes that help focus on her inner thighs and lower abdomen.
* “Lifting weights burns more calories than cardio,” Ashley says.
* Ashley will avoid plastic surgery enhancements at all cost. “I don’t want to look plastic,” she notes. “And J.P. would kill me.”
* Ashley kicks her metabolism into gear first thing in the morning by eating a healthy breakfast. She prefers yogurt with fruit and granola or eggs sunny-side up “with toast.”
* Ashley eats smaller meals throughout the day. “I eat when I’m hungry,” she confesses.
* Lunch usually consists of a salad and chicken for Ashley.
* Ashley tries to pick the healthier carbs when she does give in. “I try to stay away from white rice and white pasta,” she says.
* Ashley will splurge every once in a while on chocolate, a cupcake or pasta with cream sauce.

While Ashley wants to look good for her big day, there are certain features about her body that she never wants to change. “J.P. likes my bubble butt,” she admits. “That’s staying.”
And Ashley won’t get breast enhancement surgery. “Big breasts would look weird on me,” she says.

JP Rosenbaum: Construction Manager By Day, Bachelorette Winner By Night
By Daniel Edward Rosen



Want to vet JP Rosenbaum as the construction manager for your next development?

All one has to do is ask the housewives, teenagers, bloggers, reality TV fiends, and just about anyone who’s stood near a magazine rack while waiting in a grocery line, and they will uniformly say that he is the “cute and sweet” chap who swept Ashley Hebert—the titular character in last year’s version of ABC’s The Bachelorette—off her dainty feet.

Of course, such a vetting may lead developers to lock up their wives and daughters far away from the reality Romeo. But Mr. Rosenbaum, a Long Island native who was raised in a real estate family, is not just America’s most famous fiancé. He may also be America’s most famous construction manager.

“If there was any dirt on me to be had, you would have seen it,” said the 34-year-old Mr. Rosenbaum.

Sitting inside the offices of the J Companies, where he has worked as a construction manager for five years, it appeared that it was indeed back to work for the good-natured and well-dressed Mr. Rosenbaum. And what started out as a lark—he tried out for The Bachelorette after a friend submitted his name on an online application—turned out to be a life-changer for him, he said.

“I always thought I would go away for two weeks, have a vacation, come back, and it would be forgotten about,” he said, a smile growing across his face. “And I came back with a fiancée.”

He also came back with all the attendant hoopla that accompanies on-air betrothals.

The frenzy surrounding his upcoming wedding to Ms. Hebert is still whirring, thanks to People and InTouch magazine coverage (“Ashley and JP’s Dream Wedding!”)

But months have passed since the final episode of the seventh season of The Bachelorette, when Mr. Rosenbaum beat out winemaker Ben Flajnik for Ms. Hebert’s hand, perhaps proving to America’s single ladies that real estate men are made out of sturdier stuff.

Back on Mr. Rosenbaum’s mind, other than his bride-to-be, is the Gallery at Westbury Plaza, a 330,000-square-foot retail development in Nassau County that has already leased out space to Trader Joe’s, Shake Shack and Saks Off Fifth. It is scheduled to open in the fall of 2012.

Before he became a reality TV staple, he had been working on the development, which is on the site of the old Avis rental car headquarters and is owned by Equity One, a Miami-based real estate investment trust. The site had five buildings that were abated of asbestos and demolished, and with construction not set to start until summer of 2011, Mr. Rosenbaum had the perfect window to try out for The Bachelorette.

There were no guarantees that he would return to a job with Equity One, or with the J Companies.

“That project was probably our biggest at the moment, and had the developer said, ‘We’re doing fine without you,’” he said, “I don’t know if I would have been hired back here or not.”

“[If] I was to bet, I would say they were going to hire me back. But it was still a risk.”

Mr. Rosenbaum, whose father was a developer and landlord, first went into real estate after college. He worked as a commercial real estate broker at Insignia/ESG’s office in Syosset, grew disillusioned with the business and shifted to online advertising. After three years, he realized his real estate roots were too hard to ignore.

He quit his job, traveled to Australia for two months, returned to the country and got his master’s in construction management at NYU Schack Institute of Real Estate in the night, while working for his father and brother’s real estate business during the day.

After finishing his master’s, one of his professors, Chuck Olivieri, also a senior vice president at Edward J. Minskoff Equities, put him in touch with Allan and David Brot, the fraternal co-owners of the J Companies.

The Brot brothers were impressed with the young Mr. Rosenbaum. But to get him, they had to do their own bit of Bachelorette-esque wooing.

“We interviewed maybe three times, offered him a job,” said Allan Brot. “He said maybe. We took him out for dinner, he said maybe. We took him out for [another] dinner, he said yes.”

Mr. Rosenbaum quickly went to work, taking part in construction projects like Forest City Ratner’s 80 DeKalb and Savanna Partners’ 141 Fifth Avenue.

He also suffered his own construction heartbreak in the form of 71 Laight Street, working on the preconstruction of the Morris Adjmi-designed building that was prematurely halted.

“It was an unbelievable design by Morris Adjmi that we were really, really, looking forward to building but never happened,” he said. The site of the development is currently up for sale.

Construction glories and heartbreaks aside, one truth is certain: the J Companies have the most recognizable face in construction in their team. Young girls recognize him and Ashley as they walk out in public. Grown women visiting the J Companies’ office ask him to sign their InTouch magazines. But construction workers?

“There weren’t many people in the construction trailer at the Gallery that read the magazines,” he said.

The crazy globetrotting dates are no more. Now Ashley and JP are an everyday, happily-soon-to-be-married couple. Ashley has finished her studies at UPenn Dental School and is awaiting word from a few pediatric dental residencies. JP is hard at work for the J Companies. Just your everyday couple who met in highly unusual (and highly public) circumstances.

Whereas his love life is looking rosy, his outlook on the current state of the city’s construction industry is not as glowing.

“In my opinion, it still seems kind of flat,” he said. “We don’t see anything really getting built this year.”

He says he has heard of rumblings from other architectural and engineering firms that they are starting to get new business, which is always welcome news to the J Companies’ ears.

“Hopefully after they get busier, we’ll get busier,” he added. But he tempered his high hopes with a sobering observation. “This year still seems kind of flat. It really does.”

When asked on whether the exposure from The Bachelorette would help or hurt his professional credibility, he thought about his answer carefully.

“That’s a good question. I don’t … I don’t think it has an impact one way or another,” he said.

“Once you get past speaking about it, and then knowing whoever you’re speaking to knows that you were on the show, it really boils down to what you know about the industry, what you know about construction, your referrals,” he added. “I don’t think it impacts it.”

“I mean, I hope it doesn’t.”

drosen@observer.com

monnica22 wrote:http://rumorfix.com/2012/02/emily-maynard-ashley-hebert-ali-fedotowsky-bachelorette-reunion/

With Valentine's Day just about here, now is the time to figure out what exactly you need to wear to get your sweetie in the mood (or just have the perfect night out). Two verified experts at date nights, The Bachelorette's JP Rosenbaum and Ashley Hebert, have been through quite a few dressed up night's on the town (in front of millions of viewers) and on the flip side have enjoyed a a few cozy nights in.

Below, they interview each other on their favorite date night looks, grooming habits and that sexy scent that will always drive the other one wild -- read on for more insight in to what makes the couple tick!

Ashley: Is there a date night look that I have that you love?

JP: We've spent so much time on the show dressed up for dates, I actually love you in a hoodie and sweatpants. Especially when you're all cuddled up on the couch with me.

Ashley: What one feature do you like me to play up?

JP: I'm not sure how much I can say here, but I think your butt and legs are killer. ;)

JP: It's been said that I can be a bit girly when it comes to grooming [Author confession -- JP's agent told me this, he denies it...]. What grooming habits do I have that you think are cute? What drives you insane?

Ashley: I don't think you are girly at all when it comes to grooming! Well, I absolutely LOVE when your facial hair is scruffy. It's so GQ. So I guess I would say that I dread Monday mornings when you shave it all off and go for a more clean cut look. I'm usually sleeping when JP performs his daily grooming routine, but all I know is that one of my favorite memories of our mornings together is when he comes into the bedroom and kisses me goodbye. He always looks so put-together with his closely shaved head, and perfectly pressed attire. And to top it off, he smells so fresh. Ah, my best memories.

Ashley: Most men don't like red lipstick, whereas girls love to play with color. What do you prefer when it comes to girls and makeup?

JP: Ashley always looks beautiful whether she's wearing makeup or not. I prefer more of a natural look, so I love it when she doesn't wear makeup at all.

Ashley: I've experimented with my hair a bit since leaving the show, which look was your favorite?

JP: Ashley has changed her hair quite a bit and every time she does, I'm surprised at how much I really like it. I loved when she cut it short with bangs, and colored it dark. It was a sexy Cleopatra look. But, like I said, I prefer a more natural look, and Ashley's hair now is long and dark brown, which is her natural hair. She likes it best like this, therefore, I like it best too.

JP: Is there a certain scent that I have that you go crazy over? Or a cologne or after shave that I wear that you hate?

Ashley: There's something about a cologne that makes me nostalgic and ever since I've known JP, he's worn Chanel Platinum. It will always reminds me of him and all our wonderful memories together. I hope he never changes it!

You saw her find true love last season on The Bachelorette, and now Ashley Hebert is revealing another side to her personality, exclusively to SheKnows: Her adorable fashion sense.
Since we were in town for Fashion Week, we asked Ashley to take us to her favorite New York City spot to give us all her attire advice. She immediately suggested Alice & Olivia in Bryant Park.

"If you go look in my closet, I would probably say that 50 percent is Alice & Olivia," Ashley told us. "It's just perfect."

Though she tried to convince us she isn't a "stylish person," we had to beg to differ. Dressed in a gold sequin blazer and black skinny jeans, Ashley looked right on point, in line with the Fashion Week festivities.

"I'm really selective with what I like to wear," said Ashley. "The first and foremost thing is, I like something sexy, but also classy and girly at the same time. I'll never let go of my skinny jeans and sequins."

Ashley's humble opinion of herself and infectious positivity are just a few of the traits we admire of the recent dental school grad, but we were also totally wowed by her great taste in clothes.

"I don't like a lot of patterns, but the patterns here, you can mix and match with solid colors," Ashley raved. "I just love classic pieces that I can keep forever, and keep mixing and matching..."
"I'll never let go of my skinny jeans and sequins."

But it's not only designer labels for this lady, Ashley admits she too shops at the cheap stores sometimes.

"I'm kind of a deal seeker," she said. "If there's something good at Forever 21, I'm not opposed to shopping there for a lot of the basics. The label doesn't really matter to me."

This little chat is only the tip of the iceberg on our day with Bachelorette Ashley. Be sure to check back next week when we'll chat about her cutie, J.P. Rosenbaum.

P.S. Ashley told us that he is a superb chef and is whipping up a special dinner for her tonight for Valentine's Day. Can they get any cuter?