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August 8, 2013

{First Impressions} Headhouse Salon

If you’ve been reading my blog for awhile, you know I am always searching to find my new Philly “people.” Luckily, some have been falling into place (see my favorite Philadelphia dentist ever), but I am still on the hunt for others (namely, a salon) to occupy my appointment circuit. For the past two years, my hairdresser has been named “Groupon,” so when I was invited to explore a new salon with Philly Blog Love, I was thrilled. Headhouse Salon (141 League Street) is a chic and modern salon nestled on a residential street in Queen Village. The salon was started by three talented South Philly friends (how cool is that?), Jade Carroll, Meighan Olkowski and Melissa Moscinski. The owners and their entire stylist team were extremely welcoming & excited to show us around their fabulous space. Our evening was simple: check out the salon, meet the stylists, learn about the hot summer hairstyles (and even get to try one of them!), all while enjoying some summer cocktails and the most delicious cupcake truffles ever, courtesy of Ms Goody Cupcake (1838 E. Passyunk Avenue). We began with a presentation lead by Jessie Holeva, founder of PBL, featuring three of Headhouse’s hottest summer styles. We learned all about the Beach Bum Blowout, Fishtail Braid, and Summer Shades, aka bright colored extensions by Great Lengths. Picking the summer hairstyle I wanted to try was easy: bring on the color! As someone who has had an obsession with Lauren Conrad’s dip dyed hair forever, I opted for some gorgeous peach Great Lengths extensions. These colored extensions are temporary, but last 3-5 months and can be styled with your hot tools. Plus, they are totally office friendly. Chris and Rachel were fabulous to talk to and walked me through the entire process while putting in my fancy new extensions. Thanks guys! Next, I bounced over to chat with Jade & get my makeup done! She was fantastic, thorough, and I loved hearing all of her makeup tricks. PS: her hair color is completely natural – can you believe it? Headhouse Salon will apply a full face of makeup starting at $50. So awesome! Philly Blog Love hooked us up with a great goody bags. In addition to an awesome Headhouse Salon perk, I got to take home a cute tee from Organik Clothing, handy brush on sunblock from Susan Posnick, a summer fragrance from Demeter (I picked Sunshine!), some tanning & teeth whitening goodies from Luminosity, tinted hair chalk from Fine Featherheads (can’t WAIT to try this!), and nail wraps from Jamberry. Thanks to all of the fab sponsors!

My visit to Headhouse was great. The stylists were knowledgeable, genuine & talented. The space was not only roomy, but spacious (so essential in a city salon!). My hair & makeup both looked amazing (check out my Instagram selfie for proof), and I will definitely be back to play at Headhouse Salon again soon!

Have you ever been to Headhouse? What is your go-to salon in Philly? xx

August 4, 2013

Small City Living Spaces {Pinspiration 3.0}

I am on a serious home revamp kick lately. As I now enter my second full year in my amazing apartment, I am adding some things to my wishlist (cute pillows & artwork) and getting rid of a lot more (makeup, clothes, magazines, and other hoarder things I accumulate). Actually, I just spent my entire Saturday cleaning & decluttering my apartment. It’s necessary, and feels fantastic. Here are a few of my most recent pinspirational images for apartment bliss.

Decorating an office // Her Philly Small Apartment Space Decorating Ideas via Pinterest

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Another amazing use of upward space for a desk area. Plus, all decorations here are from the Dollar Store.

Decorating a bedroom Her Philly Small Apartment Space Decorating Ideas via Pinterest

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I am so jealous of this bedroom. This makes having lots of stuff look good.

DIY Jewelry Holder // Her Philly Small Apartment Space Decorating Ideas via Pinterest

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Perfect revamp of an old cabinet for chic and simple jewelry storage.

Office Inspiration // Her Philly Small Apartment Space Decorating Ideas via Pinterest

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This is an inexpensive & easy way to decorate your plain, white wall with everything that inspires you.

Shelving Organization // Her Philly Small Apartment Space Decorating Ideas via Pinterest

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I have a preoccupation with pretty shelving. These compartments and baskets simplify the amount of storage this offers.

Check out my last Pinspiration post for more small apartment decorating ideas. Tell me, what are your favorite parts of your small city apartment?

July 30, 2013

{Date Night Idea} Ranstead Room Philadelphia

I love finding out about little hidden Philly gems. Once the nugget of info is in my mind, I usually can’t get it out until I’ve seen, tasted, drank, or visited said thing. I had a recent dose of this curiosity when I first heard of The Ranstead Room (2013 Ranstead Street). While the place has no website and has not tweeted since 2012, uwishunu describes it as “a back-alley speakeasy-style bar located adjacent to casual Mexican eatery El Rey.” The mystery intrigued me, and when I finally went last weekend on a first date, I was nothing short of impressed.

Finding The Ranstead Room is not as hard as the online reviews claim, but it is tucked away down an alley off 20th Street just past Chestnut. Once you enter, the hostess takes you through a door and into a small, dark room illuminated only by the bar & lighting on the paintings of scantily clad women that line the walls. There are seating options in cozy, intimate booths or at the bar. The bar seating was a great spot to chat with the bartenders and get an up close and personal look of the intricacies in each drink’s preparation.

The drink menu at The Ranstead Room is super unique and changes seasonally. The current Summer Cocktail Menu has ten drinks on it, plus the Bartender’s Choice. We tried the French 95 & the Hurricane, both of which had great presentation and taste. Each drink is $12, and there are some really fun options to choose from. If you’re interested in getting a peek at the full Summer Menu (which will be live until mid-September), I’ve got it!

The Ranstead Room Summer Cocktail Menu

Bulldog Cooler

gin, pineapple, ginger, lime, soda

French 95

bourbon, champagne, lemon

Hurricane

jamaican rum, light rum, passion fruit, lemon

20th Century Boy

bourbon, amaro, benedictine, orange bitters

St. Charles Punch

cognac, port, lemon, orange

Clover Club

gin, lemon, raspberries, egg white

Cotton Cocktail

rye, vermouth, absinthe, bitters

Archangel

gin, aperol, cucumber

Firing Squad Special

tequila, lime, grenadine, soda

Tattletale

islay scotch, honey, bitters

Bartender’s Choice

leave it to us…

Overall, I had a fabulous time at The Ranstead Room and can’t wait to go back to try more yummy cocktails. The intimate setting made it a great place for a first date and I highly recommend it if you’re trying to find a unique Philly spot for an outing.

Have you ever been to a “speakeasy” in Philly? What did you think of it? And most importantly, what drink would you get at The Ranstead Room? xx

July 25, 2013

{Uniquely Philly} Mister 1801

Watch out Rocky, there’s a new statue in town! The next time you’re walking down 18th Street between Spruce & Pine, be a little nosy & take a peek in the big window.

You’ll probably notice a statue, and it will be decorated. Pretty basic, right? Well, walk by that statue again in a week or two. Different decorations. A few weeks later, same statue, different look. Are we sensing a trend here?

“Mister 1801” is a statue with some very creative owners. They dress him up in costumes corresponding to holidays, seasons, sports, important city events, & more. This statue stalking has now become part of my weekend routine. I am always the girl stopping on the street to take pictures of him, and thank goodness others are too! Mister 1801 has a fancy facebook page where his almost 200 fans share pictures of their favorite costumes & ask the owners questions about his origin.

In addition to the relevant national & local commentary via costume, if you’re fond of animals, you may catch a few felines making an appearance every once and a while. I didn’t snap any photos of them because frankly I’m not much of a cat person.

Have you ever passed Mister 1801? More importantly: what was he wearing?

July 22, 2013

{Nom Alert} Mexican at La Calaca Feliz

Last week, I met up with my friend Brooke in her new neighborhood of Fairmount to try a Mexican restaurant I have heard tons about. La Calaca Feliz (2321 Fairmount Avenue) is a contemporary Mexican restaurant based on bold, traditional flavors. They also have a location in the burbs called Cantina Feliz (Fort Washington) that my friend Tara had been raving about, so off we went.

We dined on a Wednesday around 7:00 & street parking was tough. We ended up in a lot right next door. The atmosphere of La Calaca Feliz was fabulous. To get to our table, we walked through the crowded bar & past the busy kitchen area. The tables were cozy and our spot looked out to their outside seating area, which seemed like it would be fun if it was not 100 degrees out. We started off with two refreshing margaritas and perused the menu.

For an appetizer, we ordered the “Nachos de la Casa” (black beans, queso, arbol chile, pickled jalapenos, radish), and of course, added shortribs. Naturally. The nachos were delicious, and actually my favorite part of our meal. Off to a good start!

The #1 thing Brooke & I had heard was a must try at La Calaca Feliz was this little corn on the cob number. We each ordered the “Elotes Loco” (lime mayo, queso fresco, chile pequin) and were seriously impressed. If you haven’t had anything like this before, it is definitely a must try. Fresh, yummy & unique.

By the time we got to our entrees, we were both a little stuffed. Brooke ordered the “Crispy Cauliflower Taco” (nopales, guajillo salsa, guacamole) and really enjoyed them.

I tried the “Enchilada con Mariscos” (crab, shrimp, chipotle cream, salsaranchera), which was just as good reheated the next day at lunch. Talk about lunchbox envy!

Overall, I loved the place! Dinner was reasonably priced and everything was delicious. You all know I am on a never-ending quest to find amazing Mexican food in the city, and I think La Calaca Feliz has been added to my list! Tell me: where is your favorite place to grab nachos & margs in Philly? xx

July 20, 2013

No Thigh Gap? No Problem. {Summertime Solutions}

It’s the middle of July, it’s hot as hell, and I am constantly trying to wear the least amount of clothing possible. Many, many years ago, my summer dressing routine was quite different than what it is now. If I was going on a vacation, or knew I would be walking around for awhile, cool & flowy dresses were out of the question. My thighs, which, yes, are on the bigger side, rub together…a thought that makes spandex shorts sound amazing even on the most sweltering of summer days. If you have never experienced, yes I’m going to say it, “chub rub,” then this may be hard to understand. But if you have, you know my pain. Probably the last time I had a “thigh gap” was when I was an infant, and after trying a few “solutions” to no avail, I thought I was doomed to be the girl in shorts forever.

Until I stumbled upon this little gem:

Secret Shield is a product made by the Etsy shop Skindura. It is a 100% veggie derived natural balm with a twist up top. The application is super simple & leaves ah-mazing results for hours. I literally apply this before I go to work in the morning and, while I am not strolling around all day, it does the trick from 9-5. When I need to run some errands around the city, this is my go-to. If I know I’m going to be out all day – I just throw one in my bag and reapply in the bathroom. Even at the pool or beach (if you need swim inspo, check out my Aerie swim try on and my Amazon swim try on!), I throw one in my beach bag and apply just like sunscreen.

Now in 2021, there are plenty of other products on the market for chub rub (thank goodness!) and I have tried many of them. While MegaBabe’s Thigh Rescue comes in a second for me and I do use it, I will always come back to Secret Shield, 10 years later.

Secret Shield comes in two sizes, 1 oz. & 2 oz., for $12 & $20, respectively. I started with the smaller size in the summer of 2011, and have been using the product consistently EVER. SINCE. Each 2 oz. bar lasts you at least a whole season, and you really do get your money’s worth for the product.

If you are like me, dreading dressing for this heatwave & need some relief, I urge you to try this product. It’s the answer to my summertime prayers. While this post may not have been the most glamorous one I’ve ever written, if I can help even one of my curvy sistas shed the biker shorts & pull out her prettiest dresses this summer, I have done my job.

July 9, 2013

Dîner en Blanc Philadelphia {Everything You Need To Know}

The buzz came in waves: Picnic dinner party. All white. Dancing. Wine. Surprise location. I was intrigued, and I needed to know more. But the secrets Dîner en Blanc keep are all part of the equation . . . the very fabulous, glamorous, unique equation.

To cure my curiosity, I got a chance to chat with Natanya DiBona, Dîner en Blanc (DEB) Philadelphia’s Co-Host, about the whitest event of the season. Turns out, curiosity is what lead Natanya to DEB in the first place. When her Aunt & Uncle told her about an invite-only all-white picnic in their city of Montreal, Natanya did some research & was instantly hooked, leading her to the co-host position of DEB Philadelphia.

Image via: Georgi Anastasov Photography

DEB started 25 years ago in Paris, and has since grown to over a dozen cities around the world. The goal of the event is simple: give residents a reason to celebrate the public space of their city. DEB is essentially a pop-up picnic dinner party, in that invited guests (sign up for the DEB wait list here), clad only in white, bring everything with them! That’s right: your table, chairs, linens, china, and dinner are all coming & leaving with you. That personal investment, Natanya says, is what transforms the event. Everyone brings something to the table that they’re proud of or passionate about, and the event feeds off of that.

While the location of DEB is not revealed to guests until they’re walking to the event itself on August 22nd, last year, it took place in Philly’s Logan Circle. As you can see by the pictures, the night looked magical.

Image via: Georgi Anastasov Photography

For the Philly lady, DEB is a must this summer. The weeks leading up to the event, as Natanya described them, generate a serious amount of buzz and build a tremendous community among Philadelphians. The excitement she described reminded me of kids the summer before they go off to college, trading tips on where to purchase dorm room necessities and Facebook stalking potential new friends down the hall. It seems fantastic, that is, if you get a spot . . .

Image via: Sean Corbett Photography

Because DEB takes place in a public space with restrictions, not everyone who is interested can lawfully attend. But, I’ve got the lowdown on the thee phase invite process. Invitees for each phase will get an email this month with info on the date they can register. Phase 1 tickets are first offered to all of the registered guests of last year’s DEB (AKA you signed up for you & your date on the DEB website). Phase 2 tickets are offered to suggestions or recommendations of Phase 1 attendees. And then there’s Phase 3, the wait list. Don’t let the numbers swirling around out there about the size of the wait list discourage you from signing up. It does not matter what order you put your name on the wait list, everyone on there gets the same email with the opportunity to register at the same time. So, if you have not signed up yet, do it now and wait for that email!

Image via: Georgi Anastasov Photography

In order to allow room for all of the invited guests, the DEB co-hosts must account for every inch of space, so there are some pretty strict guidelines on what can & can not come with you and on you. Your table (which, remember, must be carried by you!) must be at least 28” high x 28” square, and at most 32” high by x 32” square. Your clothing must be elegant – AKA no white jeans, shorts or baseball hats. Pretty reasonable, right?

Image via: Sean Corbett Photography

You can keep up with all of the Dîner en Blanc happenings on their Facebook & Twitter pages. Plus, I have a few final tips & tidbits Natanya shared with me that I get to share with all of you . . .

1. Since the event is BYOB, 21 & over only, please!

2. Shop early for your picnic supplies & outfit! Not only do stores start putting out their Fall stuff soon, but other DEB invitees start their shopping!

3. DEB is open to & encourages all types of pairings. Mother & daughter, Aunt & niece, neighbors, etc. You must fill in the name of your date when you officially register, but don’t worry, you can always change it later.

4. When you sign up, you’ll need to pick your Pedestrian Leader. If you’d like to sit near another table or two, make sure you all pick the same leader.

5. For my ladies who hate to cook, DEB offers some options for pre-made dinners. Visit their site for more info.

Now that I’ve given you all of the info you need to know about Dîner en Blanc, what do you think? Will you be attending? I personally can’t wait! In the final moments of our chat, Natanya told me DEB is “an event that celebrates the city.” Count me in, Philadelphia. 🙂

June 26, 2013

DIY Japanese Paper Washi Tape Table Top

I’m baaack! First, let me apologize for my absence this month. To sum it up, work has been crazy! But don’t you worry, I’m ready with lots of posts to satisfy your summer blog reading schedule. And today, I have a fun one 🙂

Because I am young & can’t afford to buy glam new furniture, I accept any & all hand-me-downs. This high-top table was in my parents’ kitchen growing up, however over the years, it has taken quite the beating. It needed an update. A cheap one.

While doing some of my normal browsing of BuzzFeed, I came across an article on adorable ways to decorate with washi tape. This post lead me to the blogs of Elise Blaha & Lady Croissant, both of whom made plain furniture look fabulous using a little thing called Japanese paper washi tape. I had to try it!

My extensive search for washi tape (Etsy, craft stores, etc.) led me to Cute Tape. This site has so. many. rolls. of. tape! After I decided what color scheme I was going for and a rough estimation of how much I would need for my table (I guessed, really), I landed on the six pack in Pretty Sunset. The tape, with shipping, cost $19.

Then, it was time to craft! I considered trying a chevron pattern, but without the patience to measure all of that out, I decided on simple stripes.

The first strip of tape was the hardest. I tried to use a ruler as I couldn’t find my trusty yard stick (not). I was not concerned with perfection, so I kind of winged it.

Once I had the first strip down & flat (make sure there are no air bubbles!), I put down one strip on each side, back and forth, back and forth. This process took about an hour.

I left about the same amount of tape on each end of the strip, and when I was finished all of them, I folded them under the top of the table.

And voilà! My brand new $19 table was complete. I am really, really happy with the result. I may get a piece of glass to put over the table to prevent damage, but for now, I just use a coaster and try not to spill. 🙂

So what did you think of my easy/inexpensive/cute DIY project? Would you like to see more? xx

June 6, 2013

{Chomp Chomp} East Passyunk’s Flavors of the Avenue

Last month, I explored a new area of the city with an event fit for any Philly foodie! Flavors of the Avenue is an annual food festival that takes place on East Passyunk Avenue, a young & thriving Philly neighborhood filled with awesome restaurants & shops. “Flavors” coincides with the Crafty Balboa craft show, so the day is a great glimpse into the what the neighborhood is all about.

May 22, 2013

{Song Obsession} Sweater Weather

I subscribe to a lot of YouTube channels. In addition to the fab makeup tutorials, shopping hauls & product reviews that normally take up my feed, I love following unique musicians. I found Meghan Tonjes about a year ago after watching one of her original music videos & have loved her covers ever since. So when I saw this little gem pop up in my subscription box earlier this month, I couldn’t stop listening. And I haven’t ever since.

Meghan & Michael Castro sound delightful together (and he’s just adorable, actually) . . . but I really love the song. Having never heard of The Neighbourhood before, imagine my delight when I found their video & loved it equally as much.

Check out the videos and let me know what you think! And if you ever by chance pass me while I’m driving and see me dancing and playing the drums on my steering wheel, just know I’m probably listening to Sweater Weather.