Halfstack Magazine Summer 2013

SUMMER 2013 ISSUE

ON TOUR WITH

JOANNA RUTZKY

sail away with

the paraders BLOOMING IN

CHICAGO

PENPAL INTERVIEW STAY DAPPER WITH

SAIC FASHION 2013 SECOND CITY FASHION

HALL & MADDEN

one day at a time Halfstackmag.com

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TABLE OF

CONTENTS

FOR THE GUYS

20 MEN STYLE SITES 22 LEATHER JACKETS

IN EVERY ISSUE

04 EDITOR’S LETTER 06 MEET THE TEAM GROOMING GUIDE

MUSIC MUSTS

24 SPRING CONCERTS 26 SKINNY LISTER

10 BLOOMING IN CHICAGO

30 JOANNA RUTZKY

12 TIPS FOR A WHITE SMILE

THE SPOTLIGHT

14 LUXE HAIR REVIEW

52 LIL’ MISS PRISS 54

18 THE SPA ROUNDUP

MEET LAURA COLLINS

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CULTURED SPOTLIGHT

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FASHION

FEATURES > PENPAL INTERVIEW

PAGE 102 HALL & MADDEN

PAGE 42 SAIL AWAY WITH PARADERS

PAGE 88

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LOOKS FOR LESS!

70 WTF?! CELEB MODA 74

SUMMER TRENDS

116

NAUTICA SWIMWEAR HEALTH GUIDE

114 ONE DAY AT A TIME

SECOND CITY FASHION EDITORS LAST LOOK

PAGE 58 SAIC FASHION SHOW

PAGE 78

108 LAURA LOPEZ 122 SUMMER BITS Halfstackmag.com

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editor’s letter

Welcome to the summer 2013 issue of Halfstack readers!

A lot of love went into the issue you are about to read. We were able to meet and work with a few new contributors, photographers and designers. We are so excited to share the amazing talent of the people and businesses we are showcasing this issue.

I am beyond blown away by all of the continued dedication that our team puts into each and every issue. They do this because they truly believe in our mission to share local talent with the world. What’s even more amazing is how humble all of the people are that I work with and meet on a daily basis. I’m truly blessed.

As I plan each issue I often wonder what talent will end up coming across my inbox and I am always pleasantly surprised by the people who reach out to us as well as so happy that the people we reach out to directly always are willing to work with us. I can attest to the fact that running a start up is hard work as you begin to build relationships not just with other talent in your industry, but outside it as well.

With that being said, I am so glad at the relationship we

JENNIFER M. LEZAN - EDITOR IN CHIEF & HER DAUGHTERS SOPHIA & BELLA

built this past issue with two amazing brands – The Paraders and Hall & Madden. We finally were able to work with a brand that caters to the guys out there who read each issue. Hall & Madden is definitely a service every guy needs and is run by two gentlemen who believe in great service and great products. The Paraders is run by an amazing woman with such an amazing spirit and can do attitude.

She’s an inspiration to all young women wanting to just go for it and follow their dreams.

As summer is now in full force, we know you have begun to transition into the summer mindset and lifestyle and with

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that we are sharing an inspirational life changing story about health and fitness from personal trainer & Crossfit expert: Justin Wilhoit. As we always try to do, we have some great beauty tips, products and suggestions for all of you out there in Chicago. This issue, our Beauty Editor: Danielle - was able to try out a great new fragrance from TRU BLOOMS. It’s the first ever fragrance to use ingredients grown by its consumers and it was made right here in Chicago.

We are also showcasing some of the latest trends that you don’t want to miss out on this season. There are quite a few fresh faces in the fashion industry that you will want to read about in the The School of the Art Institute Fashion Show 2013 review. Our music section is in full throttle and we had the opportunity to share the tour diaries of a young musician on the rise – Joanna Rutzky. Her intimate portrayal of her first solo tour reminds us to always dream bigger than we are.

Finally, I really want to point each of you readers to an amazing and uplifting story written by our Managing Editor – Sophia Sanchez. Penpal really shows how local support & organizations such as kickstarter, can help catapult an idea, a dream and a goal to amazing heights. Read about one mans self-published journey to the best-sellers list.

I hope you enjoy reading this issue as much as we have enjoyed putting it together. As always, we will continue to share the love.

Happy summer & dream on friends!

-Jenny

JENNIFER M. LEZAN - EDITOR IN CHIEF

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jennifer lezan eic & creative dir. @ chicLezan

mariana quaranta fashion director @ missmarc40

kate roth fashion director @ halfstackmag

PHOTOGRAPHY laura lopez lead photographer

stephanie battista lead photographer

jennifer pontrelli sales & pr director

sophia sanchez digital content manager & editor

pickapose photography

ADMINISTRATIVE

meet the 6

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team

Kate Besenjak Graphic Designer & Creative

STELLA ESTRELLA Beauty queen, mommy, fashionista & blogger.

JEROME THOMAS Music lover & Proud Daddy!

DANIELLE PULAK Beauty know it all, fashion diva to the max.

JUSTIN WILHOIT Nutiritionist, trainer & Health Nut!

John Palmer Gamer & Designer at large

HEATHER DAVIS

TERESA ESPINOZA

BRITTANY JORGENSEN

Fashionista & blogger

Chi-town fashionista & style maven

EXTENDED FAMILY

Fashion enthusiast & talented graphic designer

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WISHFUL THINKER CLOTHING www.wishfulthinkerclothing.com

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WWW.SHOPLVX.COM

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Blooming in Chicago

WRITTEN BY: DANIELLE PULAK LAYOUT BY: JENNIFER M. LEZAN

Spring time in Chicago is just beautiful. If you’ve never been, part of that experience is catching the rays of sunshine beam down on all the boats along Lake Michigan, catching the Bean gleaming when the sunshine hits at that perfect angle and watching the flowers bloom in Millennium Park and all along the Mag Mile. One of the best memories I can recall is shopping down Michigan Avenue and being engrossed with the fragrant smells emanating from all the gorgeous flowers.

Do you ever wish you could just bottle up those distinct smells that wrap you up in memories?

Well now you can! And Tru Fragrance has done just that.

Tru Fragrance is a fragrance manufacturer based out of a Chicago suburb. Not only are they licensed in independent and private label fragrances, but are the master-minds behind some of the fragrances at our favorite retail stores – Francesca’s and Charming Charlies.

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Back in 2012, Tru Fragrance decided to pay homage to our beautiful city by developing ‘Tru Blooms Chicago Perfume.’ All of the flowers that make an appearance in this particular scent can be found in perfume gardens that line the parks along Michigan Ave., and are from farm areas all over the city.

This is the first perfume to ever use ingredients grown by the very consumers who purchase it. That’s right, Tru Blooms Chicago has trained and skilled over 150 workers, all residents of Chicago, and created over 60 jobs for under employed residents, high-school and college students. This perfume not only aids in beautifying this city but is also making a positive impact in the community. Win-Win All Around!

The perfume is a combination of Roses, Lavender, Oriental Lilies and Violets and the very first harvest of Tru Blooms Chicago Perfume was developed by these flowers gathered from

gardens grown last summer.

The scent, is absolutely wonderful. And coming from someone who hardly wears floral scents, this one is a winner on all accounts. It’s a nice and light fragrant scent that is perfect for every day wear. A perfect blend of fragrant flowers with an airy twist; you won’t find this scent overpowering by any means.

The first harvest is still available to buy, however the sites supply is limited and this scent will not be duplicated again. Don’t miss your chance to buy it now!

Tru Fragrance is now developing their second harvest made up of Damask Roses, Lavender, Patchouli and Rose Geraniums to create a beautiful, romantic bouquet and is set to launch in October of 2013.

All of the flowers are currently growing in gardens all over Chicago! Interested in visiting a garden? Just visit www. trubloomschicago.com to find a growing garden near you. .

Tru Bloom Chicago Perfume 3.4oz Tru Fragrance $65.00 http://shop.trufragrance.com

“

This is the first ever perfume to use ingredients grown by its consumers.

�

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TIPS FOR A WHITER SMILE

Has the idea of whitening your teeth ever crossed your mind? Did you know that many of our everyday vices can stain our teeth? Like drinking coffee, tea or soft drinks? Sure can, and unless you are taking care of your teeth properly, chances are they can turn yellow or gray. People often say that a person’s smile can make a lasting impression and surely we all want to save ourselves those embarrassing moments where we just don’t want to show our teeth. And of course you can always opt to have a dentist professionally whiten your teeth, but with so many great and advanced teeth whitening systems, you can do it all from the privacy of your own home and at only a fraction of the cost.

At home

WHITENING Plus White 5 Minute Premier Whitening System - This was the simplest product to use and the fastest.

With this system you get everything you need - The mouth tray, whitening gel and mouth rinse. Make sure that you brush your teeth well before use. After your 5 minutes are up, be sure to remove any gel from your gum before using the rinse.

Plus White 5 Minute Premier Whitening System Amazon $9.99 www.amazon.com

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WRITTEN BY: DANIELLE PULAK LAYOUT BY: JENNIFER M. LEZAN

Colgate Total Advanced Whitening Paste - The minute I started using this toothpaste I knew it was keeper.

I definitely noticed a difference in the color of my teeth. Not only does it help with the whitening of your teeth, it also helps fight cavities, plaque and gingivitis. For best results floss and brush teeth two times a day for at least 2 minutes.

Crest 3D White Professional Effects Whitestrips - This contains enough strips for 20 days and is very easy to use. However, there a couple of tips that everyone should know.

One, do not use the strips right after brushing your teeth. Two, make sure you leave the strips on for the full 30 minutes as recommended on the instructions. Three, you can use the strips twice a day for faster results. Four, your teeth may become sensitive and you should stop use immediately if this occurs.

Colgate Total Advanced Whitening Target $4.24 www.target.com

Crest 3D White Professional Effects Whitestrips, 20 pack Target $44.99 www.target.com

“

Many of our everyday vices can stain!

”

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SPA PRODUCTS

AT HOME BY: DANIELLE PULAK

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MITO Q WWW.MITOQ.COM

$185 I like to think I’m still a spring chicken so the thought of getting botox or using anti-aging products is not something that often crosses my mind. However MitoQ came my way and has totally changed my mind on using anti-aging products. Being introduced this fall to the US, I had the opportunity to give it a try. This is the best lotion I have ever used on my face, hands down. It contains antioxidants that produce collagens and elastin naturally so that your skin rejuvenates itself. After a couple of days of use, I noticed a great difference in my skin and the best part is that it is easy to use. All you have to do is apply it every morning and night after cleansing.

VINE VERA NAIL KIT WWW.VINEVERA.COM $56 Who doesn’t love getting manicures? The best part obviously being the “getting pampered” portion; but a close second is how soft your cuticles and hands are, and how perfectly pretty they look. But we don’t always have the time and we certainly don’t always have the funds to go to a salon regularly. And that’s why you need to get your hands on Vine Vera’s Nail Kit! The kit contains a nail file, buffer, cuticle oil and hand lotion. The buffer is amazing, follow the steps and your nails will shine like you have applied some clear polish. The cuticle oil softens my cuticles perfectly and the hand lotion softened my hand even better than the stuff at my usual nail salon.

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HAIR when it comes to women & their hair, we dream of hair we don’t have.

BY: DANIELLE PULAK

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I AM THE PERFECT EXAMPLE

I have long, stick-straight hair that is hard to curl. So much so that people laugh at me when I tell them I need to run the straightener through it.

But, I’ve always wanted curly hair. Even as a child, when my mother allowed me to get numerous perms, more often than not the perms just wouldn’t take and I was once again stuck with straight hair.

So when I heard that Laila Ali and Helen Troy collaborated in developing styling tools for multi-cultural hair, I was beyond excited and I had the pleasure of testing their products!

LAILA ALI STRAIGHTENER www.amazon.com

$29.97 This is one of the best straighteners I have used. Granted, I have very straight hair to begin with. But I love that this particular straightener has a temperature control depending on your hair type and not just the standard – low, medium, high – heat settings. It also went through my hair with ease and didn’t cause any damage. I feel I could use this every day and not damage my hair.

LAILA ALI CURLING STICK www.amazon.com

$24.97 I have tried everything to make my hair curly. You name it, I have tried it. I was so excited when I used the curl stick.

It actually worked on my hair! And it lasted all day and even into the next day.

The only down fall is that if you have a lot of hair, like I do, it can take a while to curl my entire head; however that is not indicative of the tool itself in any way.

The purchase is totally worth it.

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THERE ARE DAYS IN WHICH I WISH I DIDN’T HAVE TO STYLE MY HAIR AT ALL. LET ME THROW ON A HAT AND JUST HEAD OUT THE DOOR. But in the working world, you just can’t get away with that and the everyday ponytail is lackluster. We all have those moments in which we want to glam up a bit even if we have no plans of going out at all.

And that’s where Lux Hair comes into play. Celebrity Sherri Shepherd has developed a line of wigs that come in a variety of styles and even a wide range of shades so that you can match to your own hair color.

LUX HAIR LACE FRONT GODDESS WAVES www.wigs.com/sherri-shepherd-now

$88.95 So on those days when you just don’t have the time to curl and/or tame your crazy locks, pick a wig and call it a day! When I first tried on the Lux Hair Lace Front Goddess Waves wig, I looked in the mirror and instantly felt like a model! The hair looks so real. The waves in this wig are beautiful and you never have to worry if the wig loses its wave because you can just restyle it. Yes, you heard that right, each wig comes with instructions on how to restyle as well as a care tag to ensure you get lasting use out of it. And a care tip of my own – be sure to reshape the wig once you receive it since it does come in a box.

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TAKING CARE of

YOUR HAIR I HAD THE PLEASURE OF getting a Demi-Glaze Keratin Complex treatment at Salon 110. It was quite amazing. And as someone who has relatively healthy, shiny hair to begin with, this treatment put my hair theory to shame. I literally looked like I was getting ready to film a Vidal Sassoon hair commercial. And the best part—they gave me some free samples of products to try at home!

KERATIN COMPLEX COLOR CARE SHAMPOO target // www.target.com

$18.99 This shampoo felt like it was a clarifying shampoo that got rid of all the impurities and buildup in my hair without stripping my hair color.

KERAWHIP HYDRATING CREAM CONDITIONER www.amazon.com

$23.70 This cream conditioner is one of the best treatments I’ve tried. It made my hair so silky and shiny and was so easy to use.

Just shampoo your hair as normal. Apply the cream to wet hair and leave in for 10 minutes and rinse. Be sure to make sure all of the conditioner is out.

BLONDESHELL ENHANCE HIGH SHINE BRIGHTENING OIL www.amazon.com

$12 You don’t have to have blonde hair to use this. This oil made my hair feel and look like silk. Be sure though when using this oil that you spray it into your hand and then apply to hair. I tried to spray it directly and it went all over my bathroom.

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Best Men’s Style Sites...

Written By:

Heather Davis

Layout By:

Brittany Jorgensen

It is no secret that most men don’t like shopping. It takes too long, you can’t find anything you like, the store is too far away, or you’d rather be watching hours of SportsCenter than drive to the nearest mall.

Sure, it happens. The one thing you can’t say is you don’t know what’s in style. There are hundreds of thousands of great resources on the internet to show you each season’s trends from the perspective of a stylish man! If you’re looking to up the ante in your wardrobe, here’s a list of the top 5 men’s style sites that you need to check out!

Mr Porter: Every woman knows NetA-Porter, and this is that site’s husband.

A men’s fashion destination, you can read the “Journal” and shop online on the same site. Not sure what you’re looking for? Check out the “What to Wear” and “Style Help” sections. This site really couldn’t make style any easier, it’s all here.

EveryGuyed: This website is for men of all fashion backgrounds. There are many sections ranging from “Fashion 101” to “Budget” to “Style News.” The site mostly consists of how-to posts, including “What to Wear with a White Dress Shirt” and “How to Dress for an Interview,” so EveryGuyed can teach even the most unfashionable of men.

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Scout Sixteen: Also based in New York, Justin Livingston is a lifestyle blogger looking to help men build a “confident wardrobe.” Outfit posts compile 90% of the blog, so it’s easy to follow his bold and unique, yet classic, style. Bookmarking this blog is probably the best thing you can do, if you’re not scared of bright colors and rolled up jeans.

Why You Mad?!: Based in New York, Austin Ao-Ziong Wong focuses his blog on his own personal classic and collegiate style.

His photo shoots, wish lists, and style guides can be found on every page, and there’s even an “Ask Me” column where men can send in style questions and he’ll answer and give examples. Another plus?

Austin keeps you updated on next season’s trends, too!

Haberdash Men’s Blog: Probably the most familiar on this list, Haberdash, a men’s store with two Chicago locations (607 and 611 N. State St.), has a blog that will keep you on your toes. Carrying casual work wear in one location, and tailored clothing and luxury sportswear in the other, there’s no reason why this boutique wouldn’t know what’s new and what’s trending. The best part? If you like what you see, Haberdash’s web store is just a click away!

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Timeless Leather Jackets Under $200 Written By: Heather Davis Layout By: Brittany Jorgensen

The one staple every man needs in his closet is a leather jacket. Season to season, leather jackets are only getting more popular, with new colors and styles. They are timeless. Buy it new, find it vintage– at the end of the day, it doesn’t matter! It’s all about finding what style you like best. You may think they are for a “special” kind of person. For example, they are often associated with motorcyclists, police, military aviators, and punk rockers, but say goodbye to those connotations! Anyone can wear one.

Here are some of the best leather jackets under $200:

Mossimo Black Men’s Leather Jacket - $199.99, Target (http://www.target.com/p/mossimoblackmen-s-leather-jacket-black/-/A-14291566) Most wouldn’t think that Target would carry real leather, but this jacket is 100% real! You won’t find this at City Target, though, this Mossimo bomber jacket is only available online.

ASOS Leather Bomber Jacket - $186.67, ASOS. com (http://www.asos.com/ASOS/ASOS-LeatherBomber-Jacket/Prod/pgeproduct.aspx?iid=256 0321&cid=11760&sh=0&pge=0&pgesize=20&so rt=-1&clr=Burgundy) Brown and black are pretty standard, but don’t be scared to try a colored jacket, like this burgundy one by ASOS.

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Billy Austins Mens Popular PU Leather Jacket with Straight Zipper - $99, Billy Austins (http://www.billyaustins.com/mens-popular-pu-leather-jacket-with-straightzipper/) Not looking for real leather, but love the look? This Polyurethane motorcycle jacket is just what you need, and it’s under $100.

White on Black 3D Skeleton Leather Jacket - $180.00, The Alley (http://www.thealleychicago.com/collections/mens-leatherjackets-best-selling/products/3-d-skeleton-leather-jacket-whiteon-black) Plain leather isn’t interesting enough for you? Want something crazy? Visit The Alley for some fun leather alternatives.

Handmade Brown Biker Leather Jacket - $139.99, DJCollection on Etsy (http://www.etsy.com/listing/126768845/handmadebrown-biker-leather-jacket-men?ref=sr_gallery_39&ga_ search_query=MEN%27S+LEATHER+JACKET&ga_view_ type=gallery&ga_ship_to=US&ga_search_type=handmade) A fan of handmade? Opt for this jacket, which can be found on Etsy! In fact, there are many handmade options on the website that are absolutely affordable.

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Concert

Concerts of 2013

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

By Jerome Thomas

If you like to dance or even think you can dance! Spring Awakening Music Festival will feature Calvin Harris, Bassnectar, Wolfgang Gartner and 5 more artist at Soldier Field June 14th and 15. Many artist + great music = tried feet in the morning!

The Buffett man will here. Jimmy Buffett at Charter One Pavilion June 29. Tickets are starting about 60 dollars. So get them now or cry later.

Marilyn Manson will be in the Congress Theater July 5th. Knowing Marilyn background the concert will another holiday in itself. Happy 4th

Even if some people are not happy with him, Justin Bieber will sale out the United Center July 9th. How can you pass up a chance to see him live.

Not only does Bon Jovi love the world. He loves Chicago, and will be at Soldier Field on July 12th. Tickets are already on sale a great price starting at $46 dollars.

Mr. Suit & Tie and Hova will be together at Soldier Field on July 25th. So Jay Z and Justin Timberlake in one place for one price, do I need to say more.

Mr. Suit & Tie and Hova will be together at Soldier Field on July 25th. So Jay Z and Justin Timberlake in one place for one price, do I need to say more.

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Layout Design by Kate Roth

Mrs Carter aka B aka Beyonce will be a the United Center July 17th. B always put on a show plus she may have baby bump by then.

@HALFSTACKMAG

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r e t s i L o y g n a n c i i Sk es Ch k a T I

By:

Jerome Thomas

started in Chi cago and ended up in a pub in London. This is a true story. Halfstack Magazine received information that Flogging Molly was coming to Chicago and bringing Skinny Lister with them. Skinny Lister is a five piece folk act based in London, UK. They’re signed to a respected Los Angeles based record label, Side One Dummy. The 5 piece ignites the stage with their combination of contemporary pop and tradithe USA to join Flogging Molly on the first half of their annual “Green 17 Tour”. There third stop was in the greatest city in the world, Chicago. The show was at the beautiful Aragon Ballroom. When I got there, the line was beginning to get stupid long. But once you were inside, it felt like St. Patrick’s Day. People everywhere were wearing green. The beer lines were long.

People were laughing and talking like you do in a pub.

So I got me a beer to enjoy the moment. The concert

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tional British folk songs, smoothly blended with a spot of rum. Their sound has once been described as, “like The Pogues, but with better teeth”. The band member come from all over England (Dan Heptinstall is from Bridlington, Sam ‘Mule’ Brace is from Hastings, Lorna and Max Thomas hail from Leicestershire, original bass player Dan Gray from Newcastle) ,with new bass player Michael Camino stepping in from Hawaii, USA. In January, Skinny Lister immediately flew to was standing room on the flood and sitting up strips.

The floor filled up quick and the show started. The opening act was a solo performance by a unknown artist. But never the less he started the party. He was very good and even got the crowd to join him singing.

After the opening there was a short beer break as the stage was set for Skinny Lister. When the lights came back and Skinny Lister was ready to perform. Lorna (the lady of the band) worked the crowd up. Not only

The band can be followed on the website http://www. skinnylister.com/skinnyblog/. The Green 17 is stilling did I love listening to her lovely accent, she even flashed touring and you may find a show not far from here. her undees to the crowd. Everyone went crazy and the music started. The ballroom became a pub and Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ everyone threwere the locals. Skinny Lister on stage skinnylister?ref=ts and the energy wasextravagant. The bands captivating soundand style filled the air. People were dancing, To check out their music for free: http://www.last.fm/ drinking, and enjoy their early St. Patrick’s Day celmusic/Skinny+Lister ebrations. They performed about 7 or 8 song from

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Layout Design by: Kate Roth

“like The Pogues, but with better teeth”.

their 2012 album “Forge & Flagon”. After Skinny Lister left the stage, I was able to speak toLorna and speak with Michael Camino. Michael explainedthat he used to live in Chicago as a child and loves to come back and visit. I asked what his favorite song was on the album, and he stated “Trawlerman”. Skinny Lister is one of the most absolute folk band I have ever heard. The band has a place in the music industry and they have shown it.

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Resist the Fear, Pursue the Dream TourBlog

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TOUR DIARY OF/BY SINGER/SONGWRITER: JOANNA RUTZKY DESIGNED BY: JOHN PALMER

ypically I play with a full band named Fue. But last November a couple of my crazy band members decided that they wanted to get married. My sister, Abi (who plays synth, percussion and sings BGVs) and our electric guitarist, Tim got engaged and informed us that they would be taking a couple of months off from the band in the summer to focus on preparing for their wedding and adjusting to married life. I was ecstatic for them but then realized we wouldn’t be playing shows during that time. I decided that that was not going to work for me, so we discussed it and decided that I would do a solo tour. We called it the “Resist the Fear, Pursue the Dream” Tour. I was really excited about it but also a little nervous about venturing out on my own. I’ve never performed without the support of my band and always felt “naked” without people backing me up. It’s always more intimidating when I perform solo because every little mistake is magnified and can’t be disguised under the blaring drums and guitar. But I’m always up for new challenges and looking to develop myself as an artist. I told my manager, Louis, that I wanted to stretch myself and grow during this tour, so he went to work planning out the tour. I didn’t realize that I’d be playing 20 shows in under three months and traveling to 6 states including Illinois, Tennessee, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Missouri, and Ohio. Since I’m still working as a full time home health nurse I could only travel long distances on the weekends and play local shows during the week. My bassist, Isaac, and drummer, Aaron, have also accompanied me on some of the shows when they’ve been available. When they perform with me we do an acoustic trio set and pull in some drums, bass, cajon, xylophone, tambourine, and shaker to diversify the sound.

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his tour is really personal to me because it represents where I’m at in my life right now. I’m in the process of pursuing my dreams to be a full time musician and realizing there are many obstacles and challenges that I’m going to have to walk through to accomplish those dreams. For one, I battle with the thoughts in my own head that tell me I’m not talented enough or pretty enough or will never make enough money to be able to do this full time and that I’ll always be stuck in a nursing job I don’t really like. I struggle with these fears and doubts which is why I’ve named the tour “Resist the Fear, Pursue the Dream”. I’ve realized that I don’t have to listen to those thoughts and I can flip them around and declare the opposite over my life, that I was born to do this and God can make a way. I’ve decided that in knowing I was born to create music, I’m not going to let any of my own fears hold me back from doing that. The dreams in my heart are worth so much more than the fears that I have and even though things may and probably won’t always go according to plan, I’m not going to let that hold me back. I’ve settled it in my heart that I’m going after this with everything I have until I either reach my dreams or just can’t pursue them anymore. I refuse to let my fears and doubts or what other people have to say keep me standing still.

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“For one,

I battle with the thoughts in my own head that tell me I’m not talented enough or pretty enough or will never make enough money to be able to do this full time and that I’ll always be stuck in a nursing job I don’t really like.”

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“Maybe I sound like a dreamer and am living in a fantasy but I’d rather take the chance to either jump and fall or jump and fly than stay on the ground looking up at the sky and wondering.�

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ooking back on this tour there’s a few things that I’ll take away from all of this. The first is that persevering through the struggle makes me a stronger person. Choosing to push through the fears and doubts and pursue my dreams has given me the chance to travel all over the US and impact many peoples’ lives which wouldn’t have happened if I had said my dreams are crazy and just settled for something less. Making sacrifices like time and energy will eventually pay off.

Even though I’ve lost sleep having to catch up on paperwork because I travelled all weekend performing and still had to do my work for my full time job, it’s been worth it. I’ve also learned that this is so much more about the people I meet and encouraging them than it is about me. The talents we’ve been given aren’t just for our pleasure and enjoyment, they’re designed to inspire hope in others. So one last time, I’ll say it again “resist the fear, pursue the dream”.

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Uncommon

Ground

S

itting in the back of the suburban on the drive into the city

with my nursing paperwork on my lap, I dream about the days when I won’t have to work a full time job to support my musical addiction.

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M

y goal is to actually make money as a musician. These days,

that’s a rare thing to find. But I don’t care what the sensible part of me thinks, I’m going for it while I have the chance.

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A

nd for now, I work my day job and head out into the city on the weeknights and weekends to do what I actually love, performing live.

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T

onight’s

venue, Uncommon

Ground. A trendy, green restaurant on the north side of the city. I take the stage knowing that I have hours of paperwork ahead of me to do.

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F

or now I live in the moment and channel all my hope for the

future into these songs birthed out of this tension.

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10

TOP

ALBUMS By: Jerome Thomas

This is going to be a pop/hip-hop summer You may not like him as a person but you can’t hate his music.

Mr. Kanye West is dropping “Yeezus”. He surprises the world by showing “New Salve” in 66 locations in the world at once.

What will he do next?

24/7 is title for the Big Time Rush album released on June 11th.

The popular boy band startedon Nickelodeon, now they are on every radio station thanks to young followers and their TV show.

American country music singer LeAnn Rimes eleventh studio album “Spitfire”. According to Rimes, “[the album] is a peek into my world; who I am, what I’ve gone through, what my emotions are, it’s an intimate conversation between me and whoever’s listening. I hope I’m saying things that are hard for others to express.”

Voted as one of the most hated celebrity, Chris Brown is cleaning up on the billiards. His new single “ Fine China” already has 17 million hits on YouTube. “X” will hit the stores on July 16th. He will be good even if he is bad.

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Four

Jimmy Eat World is releasing theireighth studio album “Damage” and is scheduled for release on June 11th. It marks the band’s first release with RCA and will be available on CD, vinyl and as a digital download

Rock Nation golden boy J. Cole will release “Born Sinner” at the end of June. The album is primarily produced by Cole himself. The single “Power Trip” has peaked at #20 on the Billboard Hot 100.

The beautiful singer/songwriter Sara Bareilles studio album “The Blessed Unrest”due for release in July. Bareilles announced an 18 city US tour ahead of the album’s release and tickets to the solo acoustic tour sold out in just three minutes.

“13” is the upcoming nineteenth studio album by the British heavy metal band Black Sabbath. It will be the first studio album released by Black Sabbath since Forbidden (1995), and their first studio recording with original singer Ozzy Osbourne and bassist Geezer Butler since 1998.

The Backstreet Boy are Back! Their upcoming albums“ In a World Like This”will be the first album featuring all five original members in six years. Plus the band has concerts to promote the album.

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Layout Design: Kate Roth

Sick Puppies, the Australian rock band, will release their album entitle “Connect”. Their last albumbecame a huge success after the “Free Hugs Campaign” hit the web. Let’s see if this album can do well without a campaign.

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A DAPPER TIME WITH WRITTEN BY: JENNIFER M. LEZAN LAYOUT BY: JENNIFER M. LEZAN

Hall & Madden – A service

every man Once in a while, there comes along a brand, that every man needs. Hall and Madden is that brand. While it may seem eerily similar to the typical internet service delivery business models such as Birchbox and Trunk Club, it is in a league of its own. The brand has an elevated aesthetic and has targeted a niche market that caters to average joes out there who are looking for convenience, quality and fit.

It’s a fact, guys don’t like to shop like us ladies do. This service caters to the young and busy guys who may not have a woman in their life to curate their work wardrobe. Instead of wasting precious hours scouring the men’s department at your local shop, the team at Hall and Madden do the hard work for you.

Rather than style you up in an outfit you may or may not like – the brand is offering something every guy in Chicago needs: dress shirts. AND these are not just your run of the mill dress shirts, they are of the caliber that you’ll find in the designer shops or high end department stores, but without the designer prices. Hall and Madden offers a service that sends you a set of 3 dress shirts custom fit to your measurements on a timed schedule in an array of dapper styles.

The Halfstack team and our “average joe” had the opportunity to visit the offices of Hall and Madden and get an insiders view of what this start up is doing right in the heart of River North.

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Photography by: Stephanie Battista As it turns out the founders (Richard and McGregor) run two brands: Hall & Madden and Propersuit. While Hall & Madden caters to the “dudes” – Propersuit is there to cater to the debonair businessmen who are looking for a made to measure custom suit. While Propersuit is a bit higher on the price scale, Hall & Madden is for the young professional who is all about the commodity price, but is still looking to build his wardrobe. Therefore, Hall & Madden offers a range of styles from conservative to more trendy items. Through the styling service they are able to educate men on the product and trends.

Richard notes that the brand is “very price competitive.” They sell 3 luxury shirts for $150. Due to the fact that both Richard and McGregor come from the sourcing and manufacturing side of the fashion industries, working for brands such as FCUK and Hugo Boss, it makes sense that they can create a strong product at an even stronger price.

The Hall & Madden brand offers subscriptions that are all about quality and fit. The brand is there to work with customers that want to round out their wardrobe.

Hall & Madden sends 3 curated dress shirts every 3,4 or 6 months based on your measurements that fall into one of their three designed cuts: slim, athletic or classic. Why the subscription, you ask?

Well, the Hall & Madden team understands that men are creatures of habit and the mail order service makes it easy to get the new styles that the businessmen need.

The Hall & Madden brand

offers subscriptions that are

all about quality and fit.

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Through the styling service they are able to educate men on the product and trends

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The Hall & Madden team understand that men are

creatures of habit

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RICHARD ALAN HALL

&

MCGREGOR MADDEN

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When asked why the brand decided to establish its roots in Chicago, Richard explained, “When guys buy a product – they want it right away.

With the Midwest location we are able to reach 70% of our customer base within 2-3 days due to the central location. Also, the fact that Chicago is an affordable city gives us the opportunity to house our offices and maintain our inventory space within our spacious 4000 square foot workspace.”

The fact that the brand is also centrally located in the heart of River North, gives the Chicago based customers a great opportunity to get custom measurements. Hall & Madden offers walk-in visits to their Chicago based subscribers. Due to this, Halfstack wanted to get the full H&M treatment while visiting.

Our “average joe” went through the process of getting fit for a custom shirt. They took his measurements and had a talk with him about style and his problem areas of fit with his regular dress shirts. They then educated him on the nuances of their shirts, why they fit better and the special cuts.

After all was said and done, when asked if he would subscribe he had this to say: “To be honest, I would buy from these guys. Not just because the shirts fit well, but also because they were nice guys.

They were not pretentious and they made the experience easy, informational and comfortable. There aren’t many places you can go to get something like this done and feel at home.”

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Hall & Madden has made Chicago it’s home and it looks like the Chicago has welcomed them with open arms. Currently, the brand is looking grow in terms of their subscribers and offerings. They are looking to offer trendier short run styles and are working on a mobile app possibility. Overall, it looks like they are on the rise in the Windy City. When asked if they could offer closing advice to young people looking to start their own business, they had the following tips:

RICHARD’S TIPS FOR

FOLLOWING YOUR DREAMS

1.

Figure out what you are passionate about and go for it.

2.

Keep an open mind because you don’t always know your passions until you try the job & don’t be afraid to try as many as you can.

3.

Take the time to utilize social media – keep an open dialogue with people in the industry.

Make sure you check out Hall & Madden online: www.hallmadden.com

Hall & Madden offers walk-in visits for their Chicago customers

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The Hall & Madden offices are similar to the men that run it.

Equal parts grandeur & grit.

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INDIE DESIGNER SHOWCASE STARTING A BUSINESS IS NO EASY FEAT, BUT WITH AMBITION AND A CAN DO ATTITUDE BRITQueen TANY QUEEN IS MAKING HER DREAMSBrittany COME TRUE, ONE BEAD AT A TIME. HALFSTACK HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO MEET WITH THE YOUNGDesigner DESIGNER TO LEARN MORE ABOUT HER JOURNEY. READ ON FOR THE INTERVIEW. INTERVIEW & LAYOUT BY: JENNIFER LEZAN My Little Miss Priss

HSM: Tell us a bit about yourself, your background, schooling and how started your line?

HSM: How do you differentiate yourself from your competitors?

LMP: I think I have always had a niche for wanting to create jewelry - I’ve always loved to string beads and make patterns. I’ve beaded since I was a little girl - we would spend every weekend on our houseboat and we would have bags and bags full of tiny seed beads and create jewelry. I’m 26 from Southern Illinois - I graduated with my Bachelor’s Degree in Fashion/Retail Management from The Art Institute - Pittsburgh. My educational background really taught me the in’s and out’s of the whole fashion process from start to finish which has inspired me to pursue my business, My Little Miss Priss. (which I started in 2010).

LMP: I design what my customers ask for. I’m designing for their needs and likes so I really try to find out what colors and style selections they are into this particular season. Even in the depths of personal creative expression it’s always important to make time for what your customers are requesting.

HSM. Can you describe your line and who your target customer is?

LMP: My line has first and foremost started with little ones - children bracelets - that’s my main “bread and butter”. Within the past year, I have had several requests for women’s pieces so I expanded to ready-made adult accessories which has been fun for me!

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HSM: Describe the general process you go through to design and realize a piece of clothing.

LMP: I start with the season I am designing for and select colors that support that time frame.

I ask my customers what colors and patterns they would like to see more of and create from there.

HSM: What are some of your accomplishments as a designer?

LMP: Doing something I truly enjoy is a huge accomplishment. I really enjoy the whole process from start to finish so it really isn’t work for me, it’s a passion. Making my customers feel more accessorized is so rewarding.

HSM: Where can readers buy your clothes/ jewelry?

LMP: www.mylittlemissprissjewelry.com I’m currently in the process of pitching my children’s jewelry pieces to boutiques and big box retailers. A girl can dream, right!? : ) HSM: How can our readers keep up with you?

Do NOt merely exist...

LIVE and get busy pursuing

those dreams!

LMP: www.mylittlemissprissjewelry.com Facebook- My Little Miss Priss Mylittlemisspriss@gmail.com HSM: What are some key trends you are seeing in children’s accessories this season?

LMP: Sparkles and bling! You can never have enough AB crystals in a bracelet - it really makes the bracelet stand out.

HSM. If you could give your 20 year old self advice, what would it be?

LMP: Don’t merely exist...LIVE and get busy pursuing those dreams!

HSM: Do you have any suggestions or advice for students and other people wanting to take the leap into owning their own business and/ or designing?

LMP: You can always start small, then slowly expand. Late night designing, side jobs, and taking on tasks that seem pity can eventually lead to bigger and better work. Just keep working and focus on a goal. “No one said it would be easy, they just promised it would be worth it.”

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LAURA

COLLINS

GRAPHIC ARTIST

A

Chicago based artist working primarily in collage. Received a Bachelors of Fine and Applied Arts degree in painting from the University of Illinois and a Master’s of Arts degree in New Media Studies from DePaul University.

“I work intuitively, often alluding to moments of personal discomfort and alienation, proposing them to be in fact universal. While generally a simple pairing of two images, my collages combine to form complex relationships. These pieces are often assembled to share an unbroken seam that connects two otherwise disjointed images, creating waning moments where they appear as one. There is a tension between the images where they work together, yet constantly reject one another. Its my hope that this guides a cyclical involvement for the viewer”.

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Laura Collins - Hands Laura Collins - Rearing

Laura Collins - Infographic Laura Collins - Flyer1

Laura Collins - Psyche1 http://lauracollinsart.com/collage/ DESIGN & LAYOUT BY

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Cultured Spotlight

Designer Stephanie from

Stephanie O. Written By: Stella Quimby Layout Design By: Kate Roth

Designer Stephanie

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Stephanie O, not it is not another food item but instead an upcoming designer with unique views that is bound to become a household name. Created by Stephanie Ohnmacht, Stephanie O clothing (she designs for women) involves a fresh take on classic feminine wear that is versatile(worn such as going on a date, work, or hanging with the ladies). I explicitly am obsessed with her Paulette dress which is flattering to women of all shapes (since not EVERYONE is made to be a size 0) and is sexy, but without the hoochie aura to it. Here at HalfStack, we got the privilege to interview this stellar upcomer on all areas personal and fashionable

HalfStack: Hello Stephanie, thank you for this opportunity.

To get it started, tell us a little about your venture getting here; growing up.

Stephanie: I grewup on the family farm homestead in rural Colorado. We raised both animals and crops. In the summer, I would spend hours outside doingchores and then come inside to sew the remainder of the day.

Fashion has always been my passion growing up and now.

HS: What inspired you to get into fashion design?

S: I started playing with the family sewing machine when I was 7. By the time I was 13, I was making party dresses and wool suits. I competed in 4-H events and won top honor most years during grade school.

When I went to college for a business degree, I took my machine with me and taught my roommates to sew in my free time. In 2007, I entered my first adult competition where I was 2nd runner up. Based on the huge response to my one-of-a-kind designs, I started my business by selling ‘couture’ pieces, which from that entrepreneur aspiration I migrated the business into ready-to-wear.

HS: Why did you decide to concentrate on women’s clothing?

S: I love to wear beautiful clothing and nothing is more rewarding than wearing your own creations and seeing other’s wear them as well.

HS: When you are designing, who are you particularly designing for?

S: My designs are for the 25-36 year old professional woman who needs a classic yet modern look. She wants to be stylish while climbing the corporate ladder while being taken seriously. This lady needs to have that go-to clothing line that gives her confidence to succeed while looking her best.

HS: If you could have any celebrity wear your designs, who would it be?

S: I have always admired Sarah Jessica Parker in both her career and her style. She embraces her femininity and exudes confidence in everything she does (and wears). Therefore she would be that one celeb that I would LOVE to have wear my designs.

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HS: Any future plans for your line?

S: I want to continue to grow the line soit is offered in stores in every state and on the trajectory to become a lifestyle brand.

HS: Any plans on joining us here in Chicago? Producing a show here soon??

S: Chicago is one of my favorite cities because of the work environment. It is one in which my career woman (who I design for) has a great synergy with the Stephanie O brand. With that said, I don’t have any current plans for any shows there in the near future, but it’s definitely on the top of my to-do list.

Other fun facts that we learned about this amazingly talented designer is that she has 2 dogs which are her best buddies and which are always in her shadow whichever it is designing, jogging, playing soccer or just relaxing.

I was surprised to know that she has free time with all that is doing (creating an ENTIRE brand and line). Make sure you all visit her website; www.stephanieodesigns.com and keep an eye out for this up comer that is soon to become a household name.

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A SERVICE EVERY GUY NEEDS

WWW.HALLMADDEN.COM

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Fashion hits the Second

City

StyleChicago.com Presents The Art of Fashion Spring 2013 By: Teresa Espinoza

A Friday evening filled with Fashion in the greatest city in the world? Count me in! StyleChicago.com hosted their annual Spring Fashion show on the evening of April 19th, 2013. The evening was filled with the who’s who of the Chicago fashion scene. As always, the designers who I have grown to become very familiar with showed some amazing collections and really exemplified the aura of Chicago fashion. Weren’t able to make the sold out show? I have the full break down for you!

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As a prior intern at StyleChicago.com, I had a deep understanding of what it really takes to put on a show of this magnitude. However, this time around, I was both a volunteer and spectator taking in the beauty of the collections themselves. As the fashionable elite of Chicago began to pour into The Museum of Broadcast Communications, it was clear this evening was not only a fashion show but also a social event that many men and women looked forward to. The venue was filled with hors d’oeuvres and drinks for guests.

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Guests indulged in goodies from Peroni, Luna bar and RA Sushi. More importantly the fashion show did not disappoint! The lights dimmed and all attention was on the 10 premier Chicago fashion designers Fall 2013 collections.

Barbara Bates is a seasoned designer that began her fashion career in 1986 and was born and raised in the amazing city of Chicago. She was most recently on NBC’s Fashion Star competition where she had dresses that were purchased by Macy’s. Her Spring 2013 collection was just stunning. If you’re a lover of romanticism then her collection is for you. The collection was filled with beautiful peplums done in variations of highlow styles. The standout piece that made me want to pull it straight off the runway was the taupe peplum lace top;just absolutely gorgeous and feminine.

Borris Powell is an extremely well known designer in Chicago and there are few designers more talented and gracious than he in our great city. A master in

elegance and eveningwear, he has grown a very large following. The fall collection was the epitome of elegance. So chic and done so well. The collection had emerald and red undertones that were great to see.

Perhaps the most notable piece I fell head over heels for was the stunning green leather handbags his models strutted with. So stunning in fact, I had to make sure not to leave the show that night without letting him know how in love I was, and I wasn’t the only one!

It was definitely a crowd pleaser.

Calvin Tran is perhaps best known for his modern and unique designs. He knows how to dress a woman’s body extremely well. His skill in draping these pieces leaves you in awe. I remember the first time skimming through his collection in 2011. I fell in love with his modernist and strong view of design. His fall 2013 collection included many Asian inspired kimono pieces.

While some of those were not my absolute favorites, I had one that had me in admiration. A black floor length collared jacket that was paired with a signature draped white blouse. It was reminiscent of what you might see in a matrix movie. A tough exterior layer with a gorgeous delicacy below that. It made me wish I wasn’t 5’3 and had the height to wear that floor length jacket with the attitude it deserved!

Eva Pazola’s designs are made for the sophisticated clientele who appreciates intricate detailing, structure and beautifully crafted fabrics. While I am not the typical Eva Pazola client, I have a great appreciation for her creations in this collection. One in particular caught my eye. I am a sucker for jackets and coats I must admit.

Her black caped coat was spot on for me. It was paired with a great knee length pencil skirt that had gold metallic detailing in a leopard print pattern. Completely versatile and wearable by a variety of shapes and sizes.

Lagi Nadeau is a Michigan native who has a sophisticated and edgy esthetic. Her clothing finds a great balance between the two and that was on display in her collection for fall 2013. Metallic gold’s, berry and blush tones graced the runway in various silhouettes. Her drop waist dresses were the stars of the show. Other looks were rather mundane but helped bring the collection all together. What did I want in my closet the most?

The drop waist short sleeve knit dress in blush. It was probably one of my favorite dresses of the night. A completely understated and chic dress!

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I’ve had the pleasure of seeing many of Lara Miller’s collections walk the runway and have really learned more about more about her point of view. She deserves much praise for her use of eco-friendly fabrics in her collections and always striving to make her customer both sophisticated and playful. Her clothing just looks so comfortable but not in the sweat pants and t-shirt kind of way! Her looks in this collection gave comfort and a playful appeal. Her first look that hit the runway was the epitome of her collection and esthetic. A great outfit that is perfect for day or evening. The knee length skirt was done in a beautiful tie-dye print that just made the outfit so playful while still being office appropriate.

Mark Roscoe’s collection was exactly what he wanted it to be. He prides himself on making clothing for women who want to “make a statement without uttering a word.” So many of his dresses I could see on old and new Hollywood. They are definitely statement pieces that evoke a striking gracefulness. The opening number had a type of belted overcoat that was airy and had a very romantic quality. As she approached the end of the runway the overcoat opened up to a very pretty floral dress that had a slight metallic sheen. Overall just really well done.

This was my first time seeing a collection from MonArrez, a Chicago-based designer, and I was pleasantly surprised. There were a number of looks that were too simple and there were some that seemed too much such as the lace gowns. These particular lace gowns had too much embellishment for my taste and were a little distracting. I am not a huge fan of the one-sleeve gown either. However, his detailing on some of the pieces is really something to be admired. The level of workmanship was really extraordinary. My pick from this collection was a long strapless evening gown that had so much elegance and sophistication without being overpowering.

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SHALINI by Shalini Sharma is one of my favorite designers of the evening. She stuck with a very monochromatic color scheme, which I just love. I’m not one for a whole lot of color lately-I know, I know, it can get old at times but when done right it looks so effortless.

There were leather skirts combined with the beautiful monochromatic tops and shawls. They were all together really beautifully done and my favorite look of hers was something I wanted in my closet immediately; a beautiful monochromatic white blouse with a skinny pant and black shawl cardigan.

Swaby is best known for being one of the top 5 finalists for Project Runway Canada. Her innovative and daring style was showcased in her Fall collection. She played with shape and very abstract details. Her collection was very fantasy driven and is for the client who isn’t afraid to wear something different. The collection stayed within the recurring color theme in many of the collections that evening, lots of scarlet red and black. Some of the looks were definitely more fantasy than practical for the average client but that same fantasy worked extremely well in her gowns; particularly, a scarlet red flowing gown. It was the highlight of her collection for me. Truly a great gown that moved so eloquently down the runway.

All in all an amazing evening filled with equally amazing fashion! Shows such as these by StyleChicago.com give a great opportunity for Chicago based designers to showcase their collections. It gives us, the fashion obsessed, a chance to really see how fashion in our great city is on the rise. Make sure to check out StyleChicago.com for their next runway show, The Art of Fashion, in the fall of 2013. Grab your tickets quick, as they sell out fast and make sure to visit these designers around the city! Until next time fashionistas!

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Balmain-Brown Perforated Leather High-Top Sneakers $1,025.00

Less

$89.90

Designers have taken to the high-top sneaker trend and Jimmy Choo proved that with this amazing shoe. Want to save so money? Go for the Zara version which will get you the same look for a lot less.

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Creative Recreation Solano, Rust $104.99 www.pickyourshoes. com

FOR

Jimmy Choo Barlowe $ 995.00 Casual High-Top Sneaker $89.90 www.zara.com

LOOK

$104.99

Perforated shoes made a splash this season and add dimension to any shoe. The Creative Recreation Solano is a great choice to land this look and the color is great for the season!

Every shoe closet needs a little color.

These chukka boots come in a great versatile color that will make any outfit pop!

Social Ladder’ Suede Wingtip $158.00 www.nordstrom.com

$99.00

Adidas Originals Chukka Boots $13.70 www.asos.com

Heschung, Sand $425.00

One of the trends this season is washed out color tones. This shoe is right on trend and Nordstrom offers both a designer and an affordable version.

Leather Monk Shoe $99.00 www.zara.com

Gucci -Cezanne Leather Monk Strap $670.00 McQ by Alexander McQueen Suede Wingtip $515.00

Gucci’s buckle detailing on this shoe was done by many designers this season. The detailing makes it a special shoe worthy of adding to your closet. The Zara style is perfect!

$158.00

$113.70

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Valentino Rockstud Patent Slingback Sandal, Black $1,047.00

Christian Louboutin-Unbout Illusion Red Sole Pump $476.00

Giuseppe Zanotti Lace-Up Gladiator High-Heel Sandal, Black $1,195.00

Less

These sandals are to die for! The lace up detail makes this a super sexy shoe that will attract a lot of compliments! Can’t afford the designer version? Go for the Shoemint heel that resembles it almost exactly and for a fraction of the cost!

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$29.00

No one does it better than Christian Louboutin. Countless celebrities have rocked this shoe and now it’s your turn!

Fashion Lab L.A. offers this style in multiple colors and for under $30!

Sahara by Scene $44.95 www.shoedazzle.com

FOR

$99.98

Love Potion, Neon Yellow $29.00 www.fashionlabla.net

Romy Sandal, Black $99.98 www.shoemint.com

LOOK

$44.95

Valentino hit the jackpot with the Rockstud Sandal! It has just the right amount of edge and chic all in one. For under $50 you can get the Shoedazzle version that is just as gorgeous and for a more reasonable better price tag!

Gladiator Pump Sandal, Tan $50.00 www.fashionlala.net

Altuzarra Embellished Leather Cage Sandals $2,715.00

$50.00

Tony Lama-Tan Saigets Worn Goat Boot $260.00 www.tonylama.com

Golden Goose-108 Golden Boot $ 1,195.00

This is a jaw dropper for sure. This seasons runways introduced the sandal boot style. None did better than the Altuzarra designer version.

Fashion Lab L.A. makes it easy to duplicate this runway style effortlessly!

Its concert and festival season! There is no better time to wear these boots. They look amazing with skirts and shorts!The Tony Lama version is absolutely gorgeous and works well with any wardrobe!

$339.00

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Bradley Cooper?

The Weirdest Creepiest Man Alive Yes, Dennis Rodman

Photo by Gregg DeGuire/ ? Is that Bradley Cooper or a creepy peeping-tom looking troll? What the hell happened to him? He is one of the sexiest men alive, dating some of the world’s hottest women and here he is looking like an oversized leprechaun obsessed with orange. Dude, you should really invest in a stylist…just a suggestion.

Photo by Robin Marchant/Getty Images When he’s not negotiating America’s surrender with Dictators (most recently North Korea), he is making non-fashion statements on the red carpet. We know you are a bad boy, no need to copy a cockatoo’s hairstyle and screech in front of a camera. Is all that bling suppose to signify that you are rich? Then what’s with the pant rip (and we know THOSE rips are not on purpose…but with Rodman, you’ll never know). Go back and hide under that rock that protected us from your rare sightings.

WTF?

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__ layout by Sarah Gaynor

__ ____

By: Stella Quimby

An Examination of Star’s Modas.

OK, so I am confused here; Is she cold or hot? First, she is all bundled up in faux fur with bear ears (hope they are fake). Second, she is wearing a short sleeve shirt and even showing off some midriff.

Hmmm….confusing. Also, what’s with the pink hair? Did she really have to match that much?? All I’m getting here is called POSER… trying to be all Nikki Minaj in winter/summer gear…geez Vanessa, start dating another guy who wears more makeup than you (remember Zac Efron)!!!

_______________

?

Snow Bear Vanessa Hudgens (not sure what the get-up is all about)

_____________ _______ Photo by Michael Bezjian/WireImage

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Kim Kardashian

(You know we got’s to have one on here...that’s how we do)

____ _____ WTF? 72

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Girl, get some comfy flip flops, you are about to burst, both belly-wise and cankle-wise. Those cankles got to breathe…suffocating them won’t lessen the swelling that NATURALLY comes with being preggo. It’s OK to be like normal folk, wearing maternity clothing and comfy suffocating-free shoes; I swear it’ll make you feel and look better. Right now your legs (cankles included) like large tubes of sausages that could feed entire villages. So take some advice from us here at WTF and let those cankles roam free…they won’t escape but perhaps breathe a little.

Photo from Splash News

Tara Reid (Yes folks, she is still considered a celeb)

Perez Hilton

(I swear it’s him looking trim and Federline)

Is it just me or does this trash-taking blogger not look funny anymore?? He now looks like cult follower of Kevin Federline going to their annual convention. Remember Perez, you don’t have to act like the trash; apparently he has been smack talking so long that he finally became the trash. What’s also horrifying is the fact that he matched up a dumb ass trucker hat with a zebra print wife-beater?? Is he trying to look like a color blind straight man? Just shaking my head here...

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Photo from PacificCoastNews.com

Photo from Jason LaVeris/FilmMagic Other than the obvious question of who the hell invited Tara Reid to the newest premiere of the Fast & Furious movie? Is the question, is she wearing a dress made out of duck tape?? Is she really that much of a struggling artist (I wouldn’t exactly call her an artist with HER talent) that she made a last minute dress with her covers and duck tape before the actual premiere???

Somebody Please help this lady…or else we’ll have another Amanda Bynes.

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Summer Trends Day Look

Evening Look

www.forever21.com

www.francescas.com

Pair your boyfriend sweater with a pair of cut off shorts. This look is comfy casual, yet a great way to look cute and put together during the day!

There are great options out there for silky printed pants! This look is fun and put together as well as light enough to keep you cool during those summer evenings! Pair the pants with a blouse to add to the sophistication.

www.forever21.com www.express.com

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Night Look

www.francescas.com

www.armaniexchange.com A great night out would be fabulous with a fantastic jumpsuit.

This look is comfortable but chic!

With this look you can have fun with different ways to play with accessories this look!

www.stevemadden.com

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Summer Trends Day Look www.hm.com

For a causal day look. Pair a colorful pair of bermuda shorts with a slick white button up. This look is great for a day boating or just walking around town. If things get a little chilly out on the sea through on this great sweater to warm you up!

On sale for 39.90! www.zara.com

www.stevemadden.com

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Night Look Evening Look

www.hm.com

For your night look you can really make it your own! Wear a nice blazer and pair it with a pair of slacks or jeans! For those who are more casual you could even throw a basic t-shit underneath!

www.zara.com www.hm.com For an evening look a nice casual sweater paired with slacks or even bermuda shorts for the warmer nights is a great way to go! Looks put together and great for any occasion!

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SAIC

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Fashion show

Written By: Stella Quimby Layout Design By: Kate Roth

One of Chicago’s most prestigious art schools just held their 79thannual fashion show and Half Stack was present. The School of the Art Institute Chicago was celebrating their 25th anniversary this year of their Fashion Resource Center, so this was an extra special show. SAIC has been around since 1866 and has a LARGE list of famous alumni such as Gary Graham, Maria Pinto and even Halston. The show let me just start with saying was FAB. There were more than 250 original garments created by their undergraduate students which kept your eyes and mind stimulated the entire hour. Right before the show started there was an ocean background and even the sounds of the beach…I literally wanted to sunbathe. We knew we were in for a treat.

It started with the sophomore class (SAIC didn’t showcase the freshmen, disappointed in that), what consisted of futuristic, all white designs. I personally liked Enume Lee and his white orb garment. The Junior class had collections, not single pieces as the sophomores did. It was very fairy tale inspired and I literally felt like If I was in a Disney movie. Shout out to Irina Wang with the rug faces garments, and Tosha Sherman who had her teachers model the crazy costumes. Lastly, the seniors made their debuts. Definitely couture driven and beautifully made were the garments from these future fashion designers. Jacqueline Nadolski had an amazing collection that composed of gas masks along with an apocalyptic look to her garments (kind of scary I may add, World War Zish) and Sam Salvo had amazing menswear that was couture, which is hard to create.

Overall wonderful show, our eyes were overwhelmed with all the colors and avant-garde garments. We cannot wait to see what SAIC showcases at their 80th annual show next year.

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Designer Crystal Crubaugh

**Photos were all given by Carol Fox & Associates Public Relations**

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Designer Jelisa Brown

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**Photos were all given by Carol F

Designer Jordan Kiehle

Fox & Associates Public Relations**

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Kiehle Designer Sam Salvo

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**Photos were all given by Carol F

Designer Taylor Larson

Fox & Associates Public Relations**

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PHOTOGRAPHY BY: LAURA LOPEZ OF Halfstackmag.com 85 PICKAPOSE PHOTOGRAPHY

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VISIT US ONLINE

THEPARADERS.COM LIKE US FACEBOOK.COM/THEPARADERSVINTAGE

TWEET US

TWITTER.COM/PARADERS 88

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THE PARADERS an online shop for the vintage–loving, modern woman

Brand: The Paraders Fashion direcTor & sTylisT: KaTe roTh MaKeuP By: annie WoKToWicz PhoTograPhers: laura loPez WiTh PicKaPose PhoTograPhy sPecial ThanKs To Paul and Jenny sKiPPers oF The TacTical

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THE PARADERS IS... youR onE-SToP-SHoP foR HIgH quAlITy vInTAgE cloTHIng wITH ImPEccAblE STylE. THE fAbulouSly TAlEnTED AnD AmbITIouS, RAcHAEl HAmmon, STARTED THE comPAny bAck In 2010. mS. HAmmon offERS HER cuSTomERS A bEAuTIfully cuRATED onlInE SHoP full of STunnIng, HAnDPIckED cloTHIng AnD AccESSoRIES fRom THE 1920S THRougH THE 1980S. HowEvER, noT only DoES THE PARADERS offER vInTAgE bEAuTIES, THEy AlSo PRoDucED A “PARADERS oRIgInAlS” collEcTIon, DESIgnED To fIT THE boDy of A moDERn womAn wITH A lovE foR fASHIon of PAST ERAS. HAmmon IS ExTREmEly PASSIonATE AbouT vInTAgE APPAREl AnD SHE lovES HAvIng THE oPPoRTunITy To SHARE HER own lInE of cloTHIng AS wEll AS unIquE vInTAgE ITEmS wITH HER cuSTomERS. follow HER SHoP uPDATES on THE PARADERS blog, fAcEbook, AnD cHEck ouT HER InSTAgRAm {@THEPARADERS} To mAkE SuRE you STAy uP To DATE on wHAT bEAuTIful vInTAgE PIEcES SHE’S goT In SToRE! read-on for our exclusive interview with ms. hammon, herself!

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TEll uS AbouT youR bAckgRounD: i grew up in a small town in the middle of nowhere in missouri. i lived on a ranch growing up and was always outside getting myself in some kind of trouble. a simple life suited me well and i definitely miss it now living in the city. i come from a family of entrepreneurs with a long history of incredibly strong women. i learned the “dream it and do it� attitude from a young age. i wrote my first business plan at 16 and won a local grant for startup capital.

TEll uS AbouT THE PARADERS: the paraders started in 2010 as a hobby business. i had no idea what i was doing at first and gradually learned and grew my passion for vintage and business from there. over the past 3 years, the paraders has grown out of an etsy shop in my apartment and into a studio complete with interns, an employee and our very own website!

wHAT InSPIRES you? young people doing big things. making something out of nothing.

IS THERE A SPEcIfIc DESIgnER you look uP To? lauren moffat, rachel antonoff and dear creatures.

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wHIcH IS youR fAvoRITE ERA foR fASHIon? this changes from week to week, but consistently my favorite eras are 1930s-1950s. they had the most practical, most wearable clothing and prints and found a way to look glamorous all the while.

bEIng THAT THE gREAT gATSby wAS A HugE SuccESS, DID THAT AffEcT THE STylES youR cuSTomERS wERE PuRcHASIng AnD/ oR lookIng foR? a little bit, but since 1920s garments are so tough to find, they are now very expensive and a serious wardrobe investment that not everyone can make.

How HAS THE PRocESS wITH STARTIng youR own comPAny bEEn? fun. long. tough. EXCITING.

How mAny EmPloyEES Do you HAvE woRkIng foR you? one employee and a couple of interns.

wHAT woulD you SAy IS THE bIggEST wAy To ADvERTISE foR youR buSInESS? blogging, email lists, being a spokeswoman for my own brand.

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Do you HAvE Any ADvIcE foR ouR READERS wHo mAy wAnT To START THEIR own buSInESS? do the hard things. make a to-do list every day and do the toughest things first...make the difficult phone calls, ask the awkward questions, deal with the dissatisfied customer. once you get in the habit of this, you’ll be so confident in facing difficult tasks that it will become second nature to not put off things that need to be done.

wHAT ARE SomE goAlS THAT you HAvE AccomPlISHED? creating a dress line, upgrading to an office, making sales, being a full-time business owner!

wHERE Do you SEE youRSElf In 5 yEARS? with several clothing collections under my belt and more to come, a successful vintage shop that is thriving, and living simple with my husband and a baby on my hip. :)

wHERE cAn ouR READERS PuRcHASE THE cloTHIng? www.theparaders.com

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BLOGS TO READ

MAKE SURE TO CHECK OUT THESE GREAT DIGITAL READS FOR FASHION STYLE, DESIGN & LIFESTYLE MUSTS

CLICK HERE >

DIGITAL

CLICK HERE >

CLICK HERE > Halfstackmag.com

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AN INSIDE LOOK INTO THE CREEPY MIND OF DATHAN AUERBACH

THE STORY OF HOW A REGULAR GUY BECAME A HIT NEW AUTHOR BY: SOPHIA SANCHEZ

“I didn’t light candles or put on a black robe or anything, but it was a pretty exciting moment for me,” SPEAKS BREAKOUT AUTHOR DATHAN AUERBACH OF WHAT IT WAS LIKE PUTTING A COPY OF HIS OWN BOOK —PENPAL— ON HIS BOOKSHELF FOR THE FIRST TIME.

Auerbach simply wanted to test the waters with his writing abilities and possibly scare a few people in the process, and yet today, he finds himself a published author with a rather reputable name in the cyber community.

A philosophy teacher and Florida native with no prior writing experience in fiction sat down in September of 2011 and wrote the short story titled “Footsteps;” an obscure, first person narrative of a time when as a young boy, for reasons unknown, he woke up alone and in the woods in the middle of the night.

As quoted directly from Auerbach, “With huge amounts of reservation and selfdoubt,” he posted his story to nosleep, a subreddit of the reddit.com

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{PENPAL BOOK COVER}

community; a platform which allows registered users to post their personal, yet “true” tales of terror.

Instantaneously, nosleep readers wanted more. And what started off on a whim, quickly turned into a six part series that was written over the course of the following month.

“I never considered writing to be a viable option for what I could do with my life. So this did very much come out of nowhere.”

From his very first post on nosleep, his stories were received with huge embrace.

Almost immediately his readers began making comments and sending him private messages letting him know how truly moved they were by his words.

Comments such as,

“WHERE CAN I BUY YOUR BOOK?” & “I’D LOVE IT IF THIS WERE A BOOK!” {AUERBACH SIGNING BOOKS}

A year and a half later and largely due to the support of his reddit family, Auerbach has since launched a wildly successful kickstarter campaign, has selfpublished his short stories in an expanded adaptation titled Penpal, and has even been approached by an Academy Award winning producer about turning his novel into a movie.

The humble author states, “This experience is really phenomenally staggering, incredibly humbling and flattering,” when asked how the sudden success has changed his life.

And having had no prior aspirations of being a writer, the big question is...

flattered the young author, however essentially slipped into the back of his mind without further thought.

It wasn’t until several months after his final installment on nosleep that he realized he was “on to something.”

Having won a “favorite monthly reader award” on the nosleep forum, being approached by fans about turning his short stories into podcasts on YouTube and most importantly, still receiving messages from readers was the final push that Auerbach needed to take that next step.

His mindset became “if other people are doing stuff with it, then maybe I should too.”

HOW AND WHY DID HE DO IT? Halfstackmag.com

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Not wanting to waste his time waiting for a “big name” publisher to take notice, Auerbach decided to take matters into his own hands.

BUT HOW DOES ONE GO ABOUT SELF-PUBLISHING? In today’s ever-growing era of technology, the process is easier than you might think.

What it came down to, as I’m sure it is for other’s pursuing the same dream, was cost.

Many of his fans had offered to send him money simply because they were so moved by his story, but not wanting to accept donations for something he’d already given away for free left the author feeling like his only choice was to cover the cost himself.

After many discussions with friends and family he was persuaded to use Kickstarter – an online platform used to help raise funds for creative projects – to raise the money.

Once again, the support from his fans came through. Using Kickstarter was the best decision for Auerbach, because not only did he meet his goal, but he far exceeded it by almost ten times.

Penpal was no longer a dream, but a reality sitting in his hands and in the hands of many of his fans. But the dream didn’t end there.

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{“1000 VULTURES” IS THE NAME AUERBACH WROTE THE STORIES UNDER ON REDDIT.COM}

Almost a year after the release of his novel on amazon.com, his book continues to sell.

He’s even made several best-seller lists, including “Bloody Disgusting’s list of 2012’s Best Horror Novels;” which for those unfamiliar, is a huge honor for authors who write horror.

And just when he thought things couldn’t get any better, Auerbach was approached

by Academy Award winning producer Rich Middlemas about turning Penpal into a movie.

MIDDLEMAS IS CURRENTLY TRYING TO FIND IT A HOME IN HOLLYWOOD.

Ellison and Stephen King, it is no wonder his talent has emerged so effortlessly.

When asked what his favorite book is, Auerbach responded without hesitation, “1984 by George Orwell.” Quickly and colorfully he added, “There is no scarier book in existence.”

This comment, in and of itself should give you some insight into the mind of whom in my opinion will be another tremendous author. {PROMO TSHIRT FOR THE BOOK, AVAILABLE AT 1000VULTURES.COM}

So who is Dathan Auerbach and where did he come from?

A 28 year old, college philosophy teacher from Florida with no dreams of being a writer, has suddenly discovered his hidden talent.

As someone who has always enjoyed literature and all methods of story-telling, Auerbach states,

“I’ve always had a kind of impulse to want to create something. It is a scary and daunting task to bring something new into the world.”

Yet, that is exactly what he’s done in Penpal. Having grown up reading the Goosebumps series as many young readers did in his generation, he realized his love for literature at a relatively young age.

In Penpal you’ll find the story of a young man trying to piece together the unsettling memories of his childhood.

EACH CHAPTER, AS DETAILS EMERGE, BEGINS TO FIT TOGETHER LIKE A PUZZLE AND BEFORE YOU EVEN REALIZE IT, YOU ARE COMPLETELY ENGULFED ON A ROLLERCOASTER RIDE OF EMOTIONS BEGGING TO GET OFF. In this deeply moving, unsettling and delightfully terrifying novel, Auerbach has beautifully constructed a work of art that is chilling and raw at the most basic of human levels and will leave you double checking your door locks before the night is through.

What is next for the young and talented author?

Being molded and inspired by great authors such as Richard Matheson, Harlan Halfstackmag.com

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“I am writing some new stuff. I am not sure what I’m going to do with it, but it will get out there at some point, somehow. But I plan to keep writing for as long as people seem interested in what I have to say.”

FOLLOW DATHAN AUERBACH ON FACEBOOK AT HTTPS://WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/1000CULTURES AND GET YOUR COPY OF PENPAL TODAY AT HTTP://1000VULTURES.COM

AND FOR A QUICK EXCERPT OF AUERBACH’S SMASH HIT, READ ON!

{PROMO TSHIRT FOR THE BOOK, AVAILABLE AT 1000VULTURES.COM}

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{PROMO TSHIRT FOR 1000 VULTURES, AVAILABLE AT 1000VULTURES.COM}

AN EXCERPT FROM

PENPAL

WRITTEN BY DATHAN AUERBACH “I’m so glad you’re home, sweetie. I was worried I’d never see you again.” She had begun to cry as well. “Where did you go?”

“I…. I don’t know… I don’t know what happened.” My fear of the whole event being ineffable was coming true.

“What do you mean you don’t know what happened? Where have you been? Oh, look at you. You’re filthy!” She surveyed me now that we were in better light. “Oh God! Your feet!”

I looked down and winced. The tops of my feet were caked in a thick, dark coat of my own blood that had already begun to crack with the pattern of damaged glass. As I moved my feet against the linoleum, I could feel that the blood was acting as an adhesive, and I could hear the sound of my skin peeling free from the floor as I lifted them.

“You went into the woods? Baby, we’ve talked about his. I can’t believe you.”

“Mom, I didn’t! I don’t know what happened!” I protested.

This was quickly becoming an argument, and neither my mother nor I was feeling up to it.

“It’s ok… It’s fine honey. Just don’t ever do this again, okay? I…. I’m not sure me or my shins could take it….”

A little laughter broke through my sobs, and I smiled a bit. “Well, I’m sorry for kicking you, but why’d you grab me like that?”

“I was afraid that you’d run away again. You had just come home; I wasn’t about to let you run of again after what you wrote!”

I was confused. “What do you mean?”

“We found the note you left on your pillow,” she said, and pointed at the piece of paper that the police officer was sliding across the table.

I picked up the note and started to read it as my mother and the police officer walked into the kitchen. The note said that I was unhappy and that I never wanted to see her or any of my friends again. It was a “running away” letter. While the policeman exchanged a few words with my mom, I stared at the letter. I didn’t remember writing any letter. I didn’t remember anything about any of this. But there were many times when I would do things at night that I couldn’t recall.

I kept reading the letter as I thought about how I would sometimes use the bathroom without remembering getting up, or would wake up and be so tired that I didn’t remember the ride to school.

But this was different. This was wrong. Even if I sometimes went to the bathroom at night and didn’t remember, or even if I could have gone into the woods on my own and gotten lost – even if all these things were true, one thought repeated endlessly in the background of all the other questions and doubts that filled my mind: This isn’t how you spell my name… I didn’t write this letter.

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MEET LAURA LOPEZ

OF PICKAPOSE PHOTOGRAPHY ARTIST STATEMENT I am a photographer, a dreamer, completely consumed by the things I love. I am inspired daily by people, by fashion, by music, by words.

I started photography over a decade ago when my grandfather gave me his old camera and it changed the way that I looked at the world. Everything had potential to be seen again and the possibilities were limitless.

I fell in love with the whole creative process- the trial and error of thinking up an idea and putting it into action and watching it transform.

Over the years I have developed a personal distinction of a modern-vintage fusion photography style. The style transitioned from variations of characters and emotions and most importantly, my passion for old Hollywood glamour and social history.

i am a photographer, a dreamer, completely consumed by the things i love.

I also have an appreciation for the abstract of broken structures and damaged concepts with the ability to restore their strength through my vision.

over the years u have developed a personal distinction of a modern vintage fusion photo style

Along with my photography partner Shirin Koril- We have become a photography team that is constantly learning and creating and searching for opportunities to push limits .

pickaposephotography.com

I feel lucky everyday that there is this beautiful part of my life that is filled with love and imagination and the ability to see ordinary things in an extraordinary way.

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INTERVIEW WITH LAURA HSM: Can you tell us how you got your start in photography?

HSM: Do you have any advice for young photographer looking to cut their teeth?

I grew up extremely close to my grandfatherand he had this old 35mm Canon AE-1. When I was a sophomore in high school I asked him if he could show me how to use it- because I wanted to take pictures of my friends. He ended up giving me his camera and that day changed everything about the way that I look at the world.

When I look back at my own work it is a reminder how important time, perseverance and practice are to anything you dedicate yourself to artistically. Every image isn’t always perfection, but the more you experiment and create, and the more you fail- the more you learn and shape your own artistic style.

HSM: What skills are you currently developing outside of photography and why?

Surround yourself with other creative minds.

Find your circle of people that share in your imagination and relate to your ideas and your vision. I have a small circle of artists who I am constantly learning from- videographers, music artists, other photographers, fashion designers- who have endless ideas and inspirational perspective on things.

My photography partner, Shirin, and I are currently experimenting a bit with video. It adds a whole other element and dimension to what we do. We work with some very talented videographers who are really inspiring.

HSM: Are there any artists/photographers/art directors that influence and inspire you and your work?

Right now, I am really loving photographer Terry Richardson- I love that his work is edgy and somewhat raw. His work maybe not always beautiful in the traditional sense but the effect is just as powerful.

I also love Sandro Miller and Andrew Moore who photographs these authentic and exquisite images of Cuba.

I also love and respect Richard Avedon for his world-renowned black and white work.

And of course I am inspired by my own creative circle.

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HSM: Now for fun: If you could go back to any point in history and photograph/capture one key event, person or historical moment – who/what/when would it be?

I know it may be an obvious choice, but I have always loved Marilyn Monroe. I recently read an article that was written by the photographer who took famous pool images of her from her final unfinished film, “Something’s Got To Give”. She just sounded like absolute perfection- A photographer’s dream. Her presence, her beauty, and her complexity make for a perfect image. When I photograph my pin-up work, I often reference her images for inspiration.

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ONE DAY AT A TIME WRITTEN BY: JUSTIN WILHOIT LAYOUT BY: JENNIFER LEZAN

About a year ago a spirited woman named Amy walked through the doors of our gym wanting to simply lose weight. What she didn’t know was that she was going to get way more, I mean, exponentially more than she asked for, whether she wanted it or not.

At the start of Amy’s training, she often made excuses, moaned, bitched, cussed, hated every second of training, hated sweating, hated me, hated the burn in her muscles and lungs, she pretty much dreaded the one hour training session at the gym.

Then, an amazing transformation started to happen; she began thanking me for my help.

Sometimes this act of positive acknowledgement occurred directly after her workout, other times she apologized by email…”sorry for acting that way and cussing at you, I didn’t mean it”…”I am proud of what I did and what you pushed me to accomplish, thank you”…she was having a hard time believing in herself and believing in me as a caring professional trainer that would endure her spirited personality and her continuous struggle through training.

One notable struggle occurred about a week into our one-on-one training sessions when Amy was very ada-

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mant about weighing herself on the scale. The first time she mentioned the scale, I casually told her that the scale plays no role in her training.

The second time she brought up the scale I was a bit sterner and reinforced the fact that numbers on the scale do not matter. The third time she brought up the scale I was very close to firing her.

The office door was closed, she was free to leave just as well as she was free to stay, as long as the scale was out of her vocabulary that is. Shockingly, Amy got the point about the scale AND the underlying point that her trainer was in fact going to be her trainer. She finally understood that someone else, still a stranger at this point, was looking out for her best interests.

One day at a time! This is what she was to focus on, living her life ONEDAY-AT-A-TIME. Life is going to happen regardless if we are worrying or not, whether we are positive or not, whether things are good or not. Worrying about what a scale reads each day/week/month was insignificant to her goals. She needed to focus on a positive mind-set, getting to the gym 3-4 times per week, and fueling her body correctly. These were some of the simple goals she focused on each day and she did, she made herself a priority and took action. As a result of her step towards massive action, the results began to show even though she was reluctant to admit it at first.

One day at a time!

This is what she was to focus on, living her life

ONE-DAY-AT-A-TIME

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Members of the gym started recognizing her success on a frequent basis. “Looking good Amy”…“Amy you are truly an inspiration”… these are just a couple of the daily acknowledgements she was beginning to receive because of her persistent pursuit towards her goals. She made up her mind that she was going to change her life. Taking action, never looking back, and taking things one-day-at-a-time was always a part of our training session in one fashion or another.

Amy began setting personal records on both her strength and conditioning workouts each week. Consequently, her clothes started fitting better. In fact, her clothes started falling off of her (see progress picture). The scale didn’t matter anymore; it was now just an insignificant number. Her life was getting better, her health was getting better, she was doing things she was unable to do for years.

Confidence, another side-effect of her training, began to uncover itself.

Training sessions were progressively more challenging and I often heard about it in the form of many F-bombs! We are doing what? I’m not doing that. F-that!

This was all part of an entertaining training session with Ms. Amy. She was taking her mind and body to places that she had never gone before. Mentally and physically she was forging the new Amy. In addition to all of her personal records, and more importantly, Amy said she is “proud of her accomplishments”, and of the new direction her life is headed in. Records must be kept, so after her second or third time on the scale in one year’s time, she is down 100 lbs! Outstanding!

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Amy earned every bit of her success through discipline, putting in the work, and simply walking through the gym door each day.

With all of that said, the number 100 does no justice for the path that Amy has traveled over the last 365 days. Many days were a struggle and it was by no means easy. Amy no longer thinks of her success or lack thereof in numbers, she is empowered to be fit, healthy, and continue to experience what she says is a “high of pride I get after a CrossFit workout”. he now realizes that fitness and health is a continuous journey that she will be on the rest of her life. We often butted heads and had frequent counseling sessions to keep her progress train on the tracks. However, our goal was the same. Our training mindset also became the same: if the mind is right-the body will follow, do the best you can today, do not worry about things you cannot control, take each day for what it is-one day, not to resort to negative self talk, to enjoy ourselves and those around us today, focus on what will move us forward today. Live, just live, OneDay-at-a-Time.

“

The scale didn’t matter anymore it was now just an

insignificant numbeR

”

AMY BEFORE/AMY AFTER

QUICK SNAPSHOT THE TRAINER AND

ATHLETE RELATIONSHIP

Here’s a glimpse into a year’s worth of training: approximately 185 training sessions, roughly 125+ emails/texts discussing the following: schedule, family, life events, nutrition, holistic mindbody approach, accomplishments, pitfalls, meal ideas, food log counseling, continuous education/ inspiration/support/encouragement/guidance, lots of “tough love”, work-life stories that verified her progress, training log progress, personal success stories, and most importantly the many new things she was doing because of her new level of fitness.

Each training session lasted about an hour and looked something like this: 10 minutes of general warm-up, 10 minutes of mobility, 10 minutes of skill building, 10-15 minutes working on strength, 10-15 minutes of conditioning, and a 5-10 minute cool-down stretch/mobility session.

All training sessions were held at CrossFit Naperville. As a part of her experience, Amy unexpectedly found a community of people that were supportive of her goals and held her accountable each day. A few months back Amy told me, “I didn’t expect everyone to be so supportive, I almost didn’t come in”. Well, Amy, we are all very glad you did! You have lifted the spirits of many close to you and have become an inspiration to more people than you will ever know.

Here’s to continued success

ONE-DAY-AT-A-TIME!

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Swim Fun Written By: Heather Davis Layout By: Brittany Jorgensen

It’s that time of year again! Summer is finally here. It’s hot outside, the sun is shining.. All you can think about is how you’d rather be at North Avenue Beach than working your day job! The question is, do you have the latest swimwear?

What’s in style? This Summer in swim, it’s all about graphic design and print mixing, with bold neon colors stepping into the forefront for both men and women. New textures and shapes are also paving their way into women’s lines, experimenting with new materials and extending from the traditional triangle bikini top.

At Nautica, their Open Seas swimwear collection not only takes you to the beach, but on vacation to paradise. Influenced by the Greek Isles, vibrant pastels are amidst indigo blues, various whites, and sharkskin greys.

Of course, it wouldn’t be a Nautica piece without the brand’s DNA - nautical stripes, color blocking, and sporty designs - which compose both the women’s and men’s swim collections.

The women’s line of bikinis, tankinis, bandeaus, and one-piece swimsuits feature a variety of thin and wide colorful, horizontal stripes, as well some bold color blocking. Don’t forget your cover-up! Solid-colored mesh is in this season, including the line’s bright neon yellow hoodie.

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The men’s collection of swim shorts feature resort chic light plaids, bright stripes, and geometrical patterns.

What’s your swimwear style? No matter what trend you choose this season, you’ll definitely be the most gorgeous person in the water!

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DON’T JUST GET FIT CHANGE YOUR LIFE Justin Wilhoit is a certified L1 CrossFit Trainer, CrossFit Football Trainer, CrossFit Movement and Mobility Trainer, USAW Sports Performance Coach.

Justin is currently pursuing his Doctor of Physical Therapy (D.P.T) at Northern Illinois University. To learn more about booking training sessions, nutrition plans & other fitness related quesions contact him at: wilhoitj@gmail.com

BOOK YOUR SESSION

TODAY wilhoitj@gmail.com

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CONSULTANT: SOPHIA SANCHEZ (210)370-7348

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pretty summer bits

BY: JENNIFER LEZAN

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