Hollywood Cafe: St. Paddy's Day Celebration

March 30, 2017 by Bree Fesh in Events

For anyone who doesn't like in the 'Burgh, you may not know that St. Patrick's Day is a huge deal for us Pittsburghers. Every year, we actually have a "St. Patrick's Day Week" which is filled with various celebrations, parties, parades, and admittedly a ton of alcohol, personally, I think the holiday is an absolute blast. As I've mentioned here before, my heritage is predominately Russian, but I actually do have a little touch of Irish in my family tree too, so any reason to celebrate, right? With that being said, in celebration of the holiday, last Friday I decided not to venture out into the city, but instead headed to where I was born and raised, and celebrated at a little hole in the wall pub in Beaver County.

Beaver County?

For those of you who are unfamiliar with the area, Beaver County is made up of a bunch of old mill towns, the most prominent ones being Aliquippa, Monaca, and Ambridge, the last one being where I am from. And though these towns do seem a bit run down and not much to look at, in recent years the cities, Ambridge specifically, have been working hard on a gentrification project, to bring life and culture back into the town, and I have to say thus far, the community has done a knock out at bringing back businesses, specifically restaurants. Though I may be biased because I am from this area, I have to say the some of my absolute favorite pubs and eateries are in Ambridge, and one of them being Hollywood Cafe.

Hollywood Cafe

That little hole in the wall pub I mentioned earlier? Yep this is the one. Hollywood Cafe is hands down one of my favorite places to eat as well as to just stop by on my way home from to unwind after a fraught day at work. And though I do not remember the first place Hollywood Cafe called home, my mum does and that was no other than the main street of Aliquippa, back in the 1930s.

Though Hollywood Cafe moved from Aliquippa to Ambridge back in the mid 2000's for location and spacing reasons, the interior, recipes, and ownership are all still the same. Though the original owner has since gotten out of the restaurant biz, his son, Chip, has kept the family business booming for the past 8 years after the move from Aliquippa. The place itself is laid out and much how you would expect a mum and pop type bar to be, but the thing that makes Hollywood Cafe stand out is their absolutely excellent food.

Though Hollywood's menu is small compared to other places in the Pittsburgh area, they still have quite the variety. From appetizers and pizza, to burgers and salads, it's a guarantee that you'll find at least one thing you'll love, and in my case, my absolute favorite thing on their menu is actually what they are most known for, and that is their wings. However, since this isn't a restaurant review and I am far from being a foodie, just take my word for it, and give them a try for yourself! Hollywood is open 12PM-2AM (Food is served from 3PM-12AM) 7 days a week and is located at 2917 Duss Ave, Ambridge, PA 15003.

The Green Scene

And of course since this was a party type occasion, I took the opportunity to dress up in one of my favorite dresses from the Pittsburgh local boutique, Terry Jolo. The reason I chose this swing dress for the occasion, was due to it's festive green pockets as well as its laid back look. To style this look, I simply paired it with some simple opal earrings along with my green and navy, plaid flats.

Sláinte!

And last but not least, here are a few of my favorite outtakes from Hollywood Cafe's St. Patrick's Day Celebration!

Though I am not normally one to drink beer, I did have to get in on the fun for this party.

Patron at the St. Patrick's Day celebration.

Hollywood Cafe also was all dressed up in green to celebrate the big day.

Patrons playing pool during the party.

Bartender, Niece, went all out for the affair.

One Last Look

Do you celebrate St. Patrick's Day? If so how did you spend it this year? Let's chat about it in the comments below or you can tweet me at @StarkRavingChic! Love my dress? Be sure to check out my article on Terry Jolo Brand here, and be sure to visit Terry's website here!

And lastly, remember if you wanna check out Hollywood Cafe for yourself, their hours are 12PM-2AM (With food being served from 3PM-12AM) and they are located at 2917 Duss Ave, Ambridge, PA 15003. Later babes!

Xx, Bree

Marah Frank: Blogger

March 19, 2017 by Bree Fesh in Interviews

Recently, I was thrilled to have the opportunity to once again return to one of Pittsburgh's excellent restaurants, The Urban Tap. For those of you who are new to my blog, you are probably wondering why the experience is so surreal to me, right? Well, the reason it is, is because though The Urban Tap is just your run of the mill, South Side eatery, it is also the place I met with two lovely ladies, almost two years ago for my blog's first ever collaboration. So as I stepped through the doors of Urban Tap to prepare for this interview with another young, talented, and rising blogger, the whole experience became very nostalgic to me. This was the place where I started and now it is coming full circle, only now I've grown so much since then, and couldn't be happier about where I am today. So as I sat and waited for my interviewee to arrive, I began pondering how much my blog has broadened since the end of last year:

From covering large fashion events, collaborating with major jewelry retailers, adding more lifestyle posts, and lastly, my most favorite addition to my blog's categories: interviewing other artists and bloggers. Just in case you haven't sensed a pattern here, I am thrilled to announce that I will now have a monthly segment dedicated to interviewing different bloggers, artists, and shop owners! And now that you have that information, let's get on to what you really came here for, and discuss the lovely, Marah Frank.

Meet blogger, Marah Frank

My first impression of Marah when speaking with her through texts and emails is that she seemed like a slightly shy but very sweet girl, however once I met her in person I have to say that she has a commanding presence and is incredibly personable. For those of you who have not yet heard of Marah, that is probably because she only stepped onto the blogging scene last fall and prior to the was primarily a YouTuber. But let me tell you, she definitely has a knack for what she is doing. Marah's blog (marafrank.com) covers a variety of topics including faith, fashion, and travel, and along with that her website also has an impeccable layout to boot! And though you will be reading her interview shortly and will see this for yourself, I have to say that this girl is bright, fun, and is totally going places.

Aside from her bright and fun personality, another of of the first impressions I had about Marah was that her style was incredibly on point, but after all, she is a fashion blogger. The reason I loved Marah's outfit choice so much is due to her perfect pairings. Though many people tend to disagree with me on mixing patterns (my mum being one of them) I want to take this time to point out how fabulous Marah's striped shirt looks with her floral kimono--see fashion rules are made to be broken. Aside from pointing out that fact though, the reason why I really love this pairing is because the lightness of the shirt adds contrast to this outfit, but due to the darker stripes, this contrast isn't too stark, making these two pieces a perfect pair. To complete this cute, casual, outfit, I also really liked the way that Marah accessorized this look. I feel that her white pendant necklace adds just the right amount of shine to this outfit, without being over bearing, and then her tan booties are the perfect way to tie her whole outfit together due to the fact they match the tans of her kimono perfectly.

Bree Fesh: Okay so to start off, since I admittedly didn't gather this information from you while we were setting up this interview, though I know you're from the 'Burgh, what part are you from? Also, how old are you, because initially I was going to get us a pitcher of mimosas but then it dawned on me that I didn't even know if you were legal!!

Marah Frank: *Laughs* Unfortunately, I am not legal yet, but in a few months I will be! But to answer your other question, I am from Murrysville.

BF: So what got you interested in fashion and led you to start your blog?

MF: Ever since middle school, I have been very interested in fashion and experimenting with my personal style. And even though this is a little silly, there was a book series that I read in middle school called Clique, and though looking back its a terrible series, at the time I really liked it and it also got me very interested in fashion. Same with other book series such as Gossip Girl.

BF: How long have you had your blog?

MF: Well, before I started my blog, I actually had a YouTube channel first because I am very interested in videography, and am actually heading to college for it in the fall. But the reason I decided to start a written blog is because I felt that it was a great marketing tool and would get me some more notoriety. So I started my YouTube channel in 2015, and then my blog in the fall of last year, 2016.

BF: Okay, one last question because I am very curious, what hosting site do you use? I just absolutely love your blogs layout and think it is so well put together!

MF: Thank you! And actually, my dad is a web developer on the side so my blog is self hosted and he helps me out with all the coding and the layout.

One Last Look

What are some things that got you into blogging? Let's chat about it in the comments below or you can tweet me at @StarkRavingChic! Also, to see more of Marah's work, head over to marahfrank.com and you can also see the article she wrote about our different styles here! Later, babes.

Xx, Bree

Marvelous Makeup (Feat. Makeup by Bailey Waterbury)

February 19, 2017 by Bree Fesh in Interviews

If you know me, you know that I know nothing about makeup. Sure, sure, I know enough to keep myself from going out in public looking like Mimi from The Drew Carey Show, but other than some simple techniques, I am by no means a makeup artist. However, that is not the issue for my friend Bailey, in fact she has been working as both a freelance and retail makeup artist since 2015, and let me tell you, this girl knows her stuff. Recently, I was fortunate enough to not only sit down with Bailey and interview her about her craft for this collaboration, but also had the opportunity for her to style my makeup look for the latter half of this post!

Bailey Waterbury: Makeup Artist

So by now, you're all probably wondering how I know Bailey. Is she a makeup artist I met at one of the runway shows I've attended? A stylist for one of my many photo shoots? Well, not exactly anything that glamorous, Bailey and I actually met in our freshman year of college at the Art Institute of Pittsburgh. Both her and I were there studying photography, and though we initially got off to a rocky start, by our junior year we became friends and began working on a handful of photography projects together. The one thing I always noticed about Bailey in her photography work was her precision and he attention to detail, which also shows in her makeup artistry. So needless to say, I was thrilled that when I reached out to her she was more than happy to do yet another collaboration with me, and as always, I was absolutely amazed by her work.

Bree Fesh: To start off this interview, when did you begin practicing makeup artistry?

Bailey Waterbury: Well, I was always very interested in makeup, especially being a photographer and wanting to work in runway or editorial fashion. So, I'd have to say that I began practicing and experimenting with makeup my sophomore year of college. And in 2014 I became completely immersed in the makeup artistry world when I began working as a cashier at Sephora, and then went on to become a makeup artist in 2015.

BF: I know you were living in Arizona for a while back in 2015, did you continue working as a makeup artist for Sephora while you were there? If so, which part, and was working as a makeup artist in a more heavily populated area much different than working here in Pittsburgh?

BW: Yes! I continued working as a makeup artist for Sephora while I was living in Arizona, and I was in the Scottsdale location. I have to say that it was quite a bit different just because Scottsdale is such a travel destination so you are constantly meeting new clients and trying different things, I must say I did like that challenge though. Personally, though I love the Sephora I am working at here in South Hills Village, I feel as though I am not being pushed enough. I really love trying new looks and techniques and unfortunately here, it seems many people just like simpler, classic makeup.

BF: Since I know you also have great photography skills, I'm curious to know if photography is still your greatest passion, or has makeup artistry surpassed it?

BW: Originally, I wanted my photography and makeup artistry to go hand in hand so I could both style and photograph my models, however as I grew more skilled with makeup, I began to really fall in love with being a makeup artist. So though I still love photography, and honestly wish I could do more with it than I have been lately, I do think that it is safe to say makeup artistry is my main passion.

BF: Recently you've started your own makeup artistry Instagram page titled "bayyylien", what are your goals with it, and do you ever see yourself expanding outside of Instagram and potentially starting a blog of your own?

BW: The reason I started my page, bayyylien, is because I really wanted my art to stand on its own, opposed to constantly posting selfies to my personal Instagram *laughs*. However what I would like to achieve through bayyylien is to grow, and work with other artists. The types of people I would like to connect with are those who are either interested in conceptual art or even couture fashion. As for starting a blog i haven't even thought about that yet! I could see some potential in doing so, however before I decide on it, I would like to grown my Instagram's following first as well as start a YouTube channel that features makeup tutorials.

Plum Seduction

As I mentioned earlier (and as you can see above), Bailey was kind enough to actually do my makeup on top of letting me interview her for this collaboration! However, you're probably wondering how exactly we decided on these colors, so let me give you a little run down before I dive in to the complete look and outfit.

First of all, I have to be honest, not knowing anything about makeup and being an artist myself, I gave Bailey full reign of this makeup look. To plan it though, Bailey had asked me to simply pick out an outfit that I would like to model, give her the color scheme, and she'd work from there. So the night before our meeting I simply sent her some quick snapshots of my outfit so she could get her pallet ready, and needless to say she couldn't have done a better job at pairing!

For starters, I just have to say that Bailey's clients are in for an absolute treat when working with her. Bailey isn't only incredibly talented, but she is also highly personable and fun to work with as well! Before starting the process, Bailey made sure I was comfortable and walked me through the steps as she was doing them. She also has the patience of a saint and gave (much needed on my part) direction well as to what she needed me to do. So for this look, Bailey chose to style me using the following products:

Skin Care:

Color:

Lastly, about the outfit I chose to style for this collaboration. For this post I decided it would only make sense to style clothing from two Pittsburgh boutiques since I was working with a Pittsburgh based makeup artist, so I chose to style this sweater from ModCloth as well as this gorgeous skirt from Terry Jolo Brand. The reason I chose these pieces is because I like their cool winter look. The white sweater and purple skirt complement each other perfectly and create a nice contrast. To add the finishing touches to this look, I chose to pair these items with my Jenny Bird Flagstaff Earrings, my Hermes Pop H necklace layered with this Kendra Scott pendant, black tights, and a pair of high heeled booties, making this look casual yet sophisticated.

One Last Look

What are some of your favorite makeup looks? Let's chat about it in the comments below or you can tweet me at @StarkRavingChic! Have a marvelous makeup look of your own that you'd love to show off? Feel free to tag me in a post or on your Instagram story at @StarkRavingChic.

Also remember, if you want to see more of Bailey's awesome skills, be to follow her Instagram account @bayyylien! Later, dolls.

Xx, Bree

P.S. Pssssst! If you love the jewelry I styled in this post as much as I do, you can try Rocksbox for a whole month 100% FREE when you sign up using my promo code "starkravingchicxoxo". Don't know what Rocksbox is or how it works? You can read all about it, here!

Also, in case you haven't heard, I am now a proud member of rewardStyle and LIKEtoKNOW.it! Meaning you can shop straight from my Instagram feed when you click here or here. Don't know what LIKEtoKNOW.it is all about? Learn more, here!