Sept/Oct Women of Power Issue

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WRITERS Bridgette Cunningham, Jenna Finer, Jennifer Malia, Stephanie Nolasco, Vincent Mok, Morgan McCollum, Cody Nicole Wiegand, Charissa Livingston, Helen Cestra

ON THE COVER Photography by April Hubal Styled by Kemal and Karla @ The Wall Group Hair and Makeup by Laura Polko for Exclusive Artists using L’oreal Professional Lighting Assistant: Jeremy Nelson Styling Assistants: Traci Franklin, Stephanie Altunis

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MANIAC

MANIAC

To all my ladies,

TA K E A B I G G E R B I T E OU T TA L I F E

CONTENTS September / October 2013 10/ BTS Cover Shoot

12/ UNDERCOVER Avril Lavigne

20/ FEATURE Women of Power

24/ ART Garance Doré

28/ FASHION White Out

36/ JET SET Kenya

40/ MUSIC Chelsea Leyland

44/ HEALTH PAGE 24

Wellness Center

46/ SHOPS Glam Rock & Camo

48/ HOME

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Do-It-Yourself The Working Woman Edition

54/ EVENT The White Party

58/ LOCAL Alla Famiglia

62/ TV Claire Holt

64/ BEAUTY

If you don’t already watch Orange is the New Black on Netflix, add it to your queue immediately before continuing any further through this letter. As I was watching the show last week, there was one line in episode three that really stuck with me. The warden’s assistant had a conversation with an inmate about transitioning from being a man to a woman, and told her, “Why would anyone give up being a man?

It’s like winning the lottery and giving the ticket back.” This is coming from a show written by a woman, starring women, and based on a woman’s prison memoir. The lesson: it’s still hard out there for the ladies, and our battle for equality isn’t even close to over.

Men still make more money than women. Men control the most important work industries. They’re at the top of the rich lists and make up the majority of our government. Even more alarming, Cornell University did a study with fake résumés, all exactly the same except for their status as parent or non-parent, and concluded that mothers were much less likely to be hired and were offered lower salaries than a woman without a child.

As a gender, we need to stick together to keep doing the work that will put us at the same level as our counterparts. For every woman who’s starting her own business, there’s still ten more that are out there getting giant breast implants to fit into the American man’s ideal of what’s “hot”. Don’t get me wrong, I’m all for a full, womanly figure. At Maniac, we’re Kate Upton’s biggest fans.

So what exactly makes a powerful woman? Looks? Brains? Sense of humor? Business savvy? It’s hard to pinpoint specific qualities. I truly believe that the most powerful thing that we can do as women is to harness what we have to give and stop comparing ourselves to others or following a path that has already worked for someone else. To be powerful women, we have to figure out what it is that we can offer that no one else can. We have to own our talents and our strengths and put that energy out into the world.

Beyonce was a cover star for the feminist magazine Ms. this year, and it’s proof that there’s some sort of shift happening here. We don’t have to hide our figures or think like a man to have power and get respect. Forget the notion of feminine mystique. It’s been debunked. We’re not any more suited to doing housework than a man, and we’re not any less suited to run a major business. We finally got marriage equality. Now let’s work on gender equality.

Silver Lining

Peace, love, and lots of girl power,

66/ FASHION

Bridgette Cunningham

Street Style

68/ GUIDE

Bridgette Cunningham, Editor

Women in Business

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MANIAC BTS

BEHIND THE SCENES

Behind the Scenes W H O Avril Lavigne W H E R E Elk Rentals Studio in New York City W H A T The inspiration for this shoot was “Bad to the Bone”. We wanted to play off of Avril’s rocker-chic manner, while also dressing her in ensembles that would show her more feminine side. Per request, The Rat Pack Pandora station played overhead, as the singer-songwriter posed for Maniac and reaffirmed what a powerful force she is. We couldn’t be more thrilled to have Avril for our annual Women of Power issue.

AVRIL LAVIGNE

Stylist Kemal Harris, of Kemal & Karla 10

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UNDERCOVER BCBG Max Azria feather jacket Lia Sophia gold link bracelet Lia Sophia large rectangle ring with pearls

Avril Lavigne FOREVER YOUNG

WRITTEN BY BRIDGETTE CUNNINGHAM P H OTO G R A P H Y B Y A P R I L H U BA L S T Y L I S T S : K E M A L & K A R L A @ T H E WA L L G RO U P G RO O M E R : G A B R I E L PA N D U RO L I G H T I N G A S S I S TA N T: J E R E M Y N E L S O N S T Y L I S T A S S I S TA N T S : T R A C I F R A N K L I N , S T E P H A N I E A L T U N I S

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UNDERCOVER

UNDERCOVER

When

Avril Lavigne tells me that she’s the same person she’s always been, “just an older version”, it’s believable. Lavigne herself, is by all rights still a bubbly teenager who just happens to be twenty-eight and newly married. She uses “like” a lot in our phone conversation. She sneaks in anecdotes about her new husband at any chance she gets just like any girl in love. The first single from her new album, “Here’s to Never Growing Up” seems appropriately titled. The pop rock princess is still in skulls and studs, singing about being seventeen.

She’s proving that even after a public divorce, record label disputes, and over a decade of life under the microscope, it’s not just alright, but also very profitable, to stay young at heart.

Love it or hate it, Lavigne is exactly the person that she shows the world. She hasn’t been molded by record labels or stylists to fit an image. These days, she’s laying on eyeliner thicker than ever, returning to that sweet teen spot where she had a hit first record, and reaping all the benefits of releasing the same kind of charttopping tunes that put her at the level of fame she’s earned today.

The first single off of the new album has already hit platinum status.

Its accompanying video featuring the skateboarding, tie-wearing Lavigne that fans have come to expect has over 38 million views and will surely be way beyond that number by the time this article goes to press.

Her self-titled fifth studio album hits shelves this month, and she is undoubtedly eager for its release, constantly updating Twitter with new tidbits of information for her millions of international fans and asking them to contribute to her video for her second single “Rock N Roll”. When asked what fans can expect from this album, Lavigne says, “It’s diverse. It goes from hard rock to ballads to like an indie vibe, to electronic. It’s probably the most diverse record I’ve ever done. Subjects are different because we’re discussing, you know, topics like Hello Kitty, rock n’ roll, the age seventeen, so it’s nostalgic. There’s a lot of summer songs, and it’s a fun record. It’s just kind of a mixture of different moods and styles.”

For the new album, Lavigne was reunited with record executive and CEO of Epic Records L.A. Reid. Reid gave Lavigne her first big break at age fifteen signing her to Arista Records, and she credits him for being the force that let her be herself. “Considering at the time it was all teeny boppers and N’Sync and Backstreet Boys and Britney [Spears], all doing the bubble gum pop thing. It was cool because he didn’t force me to be like them or to dress like them,” she says. “And so with this album, the exact same thing.

He’s allowed me to take my time and really experiment and just do my thing.”

Also fitting her bird-flipping rebellious stage image, Lavigne openly admits that she was burnt out after all of the push back and struggle with her last record, Goodbye Lullaby, under the RCA label. It was just at the time she was feeling “burnt out after butting heads with the last label” that she got a call from Reid. “From that 14

moment on, I just felt re-inspired. And I was like, ‘Okay I guess I’m going to keep doing this because now I have somebody who’s going to support me.’ My whole thing is, I’m only going to do this because I want to and because it’s fun. When you’re trying to create something, you need people on your side, to support you, not to be doing basically the opposite.” she said.

Lavigne’s gut instinct to go with her own image and write her own songs made her longer lasting in the pop world and earned her more devoted fans than most of her peers. When she first signed to Arista, she took the reigns and didn’t look back. “[The label was] expecting people to write for me and this and that. And it started out that way, and I wasn’t happy. I went to the label and I was like, ‘This isn’t cool. I don’t like this music. It’s cheesy. Like, I need to write my own music.’ And so they gave me the opportunity to do that.”

Talking about the writing process itself, Lavigne gets a little more personal. It’s the first time in our conversation that she opens up about home life and her new husband, Chad Kroeger, 38, of Nickelback. “We live together, we’re spending so much time together working on a record. We talk about music and we talk about songs and we just start writing,” she says. “We could be writing in the kitchen, or we could start writing on the tour bus. We wrote in Paris.

We write everywhere. That’s just constant.”

The newlyweds, nicknamed “Chavril” by gossip websites, were a quick match. They worked together on her new album. “It was pretty special because we had like probably six months of hanging out, just working in the studio, goofing off. Our guards were down and we got to see each other’s real sides, so it was like very natural and I wasn’t expecting it,” she says of the start of their relationship.

Within one month of dating, Kroeger proposed. “He came out there [to Paris] and visited me, and we fell in love and it was awesome,” she says.

The singer took her break to Paris to get away from the industry, not knowing that the new record would be signed by Epic and a new marriage would be waiting her return. She set out with a goal to learn another language, submersing herself in a nine to five schedule of classes in Paris. “I sold my house in Los Angeles and I was like, ‘I’m going to go to France.’ I didn’t know what was going to happen or where my path was going to lead me but I went out there,” she says. She came back with a new energy and things haven’t stopped since. “It was like really good for me. It was good to just like not have all the chaos around me or be surrounded by industry, which was constant for me the minute that I stepped into this business. So I got a break and got to leave that head space, and it really helped me.”

It’s this balance that keeps her grounded. She stresses that it’s hard work. She didn’t have any famous parents or industry connections to help her on the road to fame. “It wasn’t just handed to me. So I enjoy it, and I’m also just very conscious and aware of what it is I’m doing, where I come from and my surroundings,” she says.

Coming from what she calls “a tiny little town” in Canada, it couldn’t have been easy to adjust to the Hollywood life. She spent her childhood in Napanee, Ontario and claims that growing up she didn’t even know what Hollywood was. Her break came in the form of a radio contest win that put her next to Shania Twain on stage in Ottawa at the Corel Centre (now called the Canadian Tire Centre) which holds over twenty thousand people. “It was my dream, and three years later I was there with my own concert sold out,” she says.

Also a Canadian, Kroeger fits right into this plan of balancing

“

Cardigan by Burton Necklace by Giles & Brother

When it’s time to live the wild, crazy, rockstar life, I do it.

But I also remember who I am, where I come from.

”

Vintage quilted black leather jacket Catherine Malandrino black lace bustier and pant Bliss Lau “Molten Blade” ring Lia Sophia gold link bracelet

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UNDERCOVER the rock star life and keeping sane. She says that their upbringings are similar, and seizes another opportunity to gush about why they are a perfect pair. “That’s what I really like about the relationship with Chad...

We go balls out, and we go to LA and we travel and do the rock star thing, but we go home and we turn it off.” Turning it off for the couple includes things like cooking and being around close friends and family.

“That’s actually what I really like about him is that he’s so normal,” Lavigne said.

Near the end of the interview, I push to hear some revelation of how Lavigne has changed since the “Sk8er Boi” and “Complicated” days. She is wearing dresses now. She’s her own brand with a clothing line, three perfumes, and even her own charity foundation . She’s toured all over the globe and garnered millions of fans. Her answer to the biggest change? “Probably just my age,” she says laughing. “Obviously I am growing up, but the song [“Here’s to Never Growing Up”] is about your head space that you’re in. No matter what your age is, you can still be young at heart. I am that kind of person. I like to just live every moment to the fullest and have a blast, push the limits, and that’s what that’s about really.”

L.A.M.B. blue jacket Nanette Lepore leather dress Top hat - Stylist’s own Bliss Lau “Molten Blade” ring

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BCBG white sheer gown Wide brim hat-stylist own Bliss Lau body chain worn as bracelet Jean Michel Cazabat black suede gold-stud ankle boots

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L E F T T O R I G H T: B R A N DY V L A S I C , D R . T I N A T E I M O U R I , K AT E S T O L T Z F U S , M I T Z I H E M -

WOMEN

S T R E E T, M O RG A N M C C O L L U M , S U S A N D U N H O F F

of

POWER

BY JENNA FINER

P H OTO G R A P H Y B Y A P R I L H U BA L

These wonder women are inspiring Pittsburgh, and they’re doing it in heels. Our local picks this year are big dreamers, but even bigger activists.

We’ve got their best advice, tips for success, and the scoop on what makes them feel powerful.

L E F T T O R I G H T: L A U R A D I C K , A M Y TAY L O R , L A N I L A Z A R R I , M A M E K E N DA L L , M A RY P R E Z I O S O

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Amy Taylor

Brandy Vlasic

Dr. Tina Teimouri

Creative Visions is an award winning, full service innovative multimedia company and advertising agency. Amy Taylor, the founder of the business, says that her passion and dedication for bringing ideas to life contribute to her role as a visionary.

“Drive by never settling for just good enough”, Taylor said. “These views, combined with my entrepreneurial spirit, are what have gotten me to where I am today.

Born in Pittsburgh, Taylor always knew that this city had the opportunities for growth and success. As Creative Visions grew, so did their clientele; many of their partners include companies from the Pittsburgh region. “To me, my client’s satisfaction is priceless, and by far the biggest reward.”

Sharing her experiences as a businesswoman to younger people in the industry is rewarding to Taylor. For this younger generation of women that are following in her footsteps, she believes in never taking no for an answer. “Be fearlessly courageous, put a strong team together, and be inspired”.

As a businesswoman, she feels the most powerful when able to dynamically communicate and adapt to any situation. This is a concept that Taylor has mastered, seen with the success of her business. “Women have more opportunity than ever before.” And it is up to these women in the next generation to use the skills necessary to take advantage of them.

Brandy Vlasic has the pleasure of showcasing all of her talents at one job.

The event planner and restaurateur has experience in a wide range of things; from invitations to flower arrangements. Her and her husband are the owners of the popular Pittsburgh restaurants Ristorante Arlecchino and Alla Famiglia. Vlasic is not only powerful as a businesswoman, but also powerful from acting on passions.

“There were many times where I wanted to quit and give up, but I didn’t want to let myself, husband, family or my staff down,” says Vlasic. The biggest obstacle she faced in pursuit of becoming a success was being tested on her position at a previous job.

Opening Ristorante Arlecchino, however, was the ideal escape from that.

“There is nothing more rewarding than doing what you love.” Vlasic is a believer in taking risks, and to follow a passion and make a life out of it. She thinks that the biggest challenge for the next generation of women is the lack of work ethic and determination. She explains how “the urge to be successful and to have your own business is missing from younger generations. I unfortunately see this all of the time in the restaurant industry. “ This enthusiastic entertainer is inspired by known celebrity Lisa Vanderpump; not only a restaurateur, but also a designer, decorator and party planner. “She doesn’t listen to the chatter of others who try and bring her down..

She just keeps on her path of success!”

Dr. Tina Teimouri first became interested in the field of podiatry while studying premed at the University of Pittsburgh. A self proclaimed “hometown girl”, Teimouri says that Pittsburgh has it all for starting your own company, and couldn’t imagine living anywhere else. Aside from helping her patients, there are other rewarding aspects of her business, Beaver Valley Foot Clinic, that Teimouri appreciates.

“The most rewarding part of being a business owner is being able to choose who you work with, and shape your company to your own ideals. I am fortunate to have a large family as my team,” says Teimouri.

She especially looks up to her mother, who balanced a nursing career and raising six children, as an inspiration. “Her main mantra was ‘everything in moderation’, and those words have served me well throughout life.”, says Teimouri.

Dr. Tina thinks that putting stereotypes to rest that women cannot succeed in business and fulfill personal lives will be a challenge for the generation of powerful women to come.

“It really is achievable!” she says. “Find your passion and then as Yoda says, ‘There is only do and do not, there is no try. Failure cannot be an option.’” This powerful woman feels the most powerful while bonding with her children. “I know I have reached that balance between career and home that sometimes seems like a myth.” Folklore or not, Dr. Tina Teimouri certainly has made what seemed like an impossible dream into a reality.

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MANIAC feature Kate Stoltzfus Kate Stoltzfus is the co-founder of Propelle, a business that helps women entrepreneurs take flight. She and partners, Carrie Nardini and Emily Levenson, came up with the idea out of the need for such services in the Pittsburgh area. As women who started their own businesses, they understand the struggles that others can face.

“The leaders of the next generation will really need to be able to tune out the information overload and focus on what counts”, says Stoltzfus. She personally understands such “information overload”.

While in her early twenties, she struggled to find her purpose by pursuing different areas of interest. “Gaining and maintaining confidence was the most significant obstacle I faced in pursuit of becoming a powerful woman.”

Stoltzfus moved to Pittsburgh after college, and instantly knew it was a place where young people could make things happen. Her Pittsburgh interview blog, Yinzpiration.com, led to meeting her business partners. Despite Propelle being an active business for just under two years, the experiences Stoltzfus has had are timeless.

“The most rewarding thing has been joining women on their entrepreneurial journey from an idea, to quitting their job, and launching their business.”

Having the ability to connect two people to help each other makes Stoltzfus feel empowered. If you are trying to start your own business, she suggests taking action and getting involved with a supportive community; maybe even the one we have here in Pittsburgh.

Lani Lazarri You may have seen her on ABC’s Shark Tank (with the former Fox Chapel resident turned billion dollar entrepreneur, Mark Cuban) or just around the city of Pittsburgh.

Regardless, our youngest woman of power for this year is Lani Lazarri, and her company is making headlines. Simple Sugars is a line of all-natural skin care products that is formulated for sensitive skin. The eighteen22

year-old started concocting her own products when she was just 11 to relieve eczema, and surprisingly, they worked really well. Even at a young age, Lazarri recognized the opportunity and jumped at the chance to form a business, which has become incredibly successful ever since.

Simple Sugars is sold internationally and has almost thirty employees. “The most significant obstacle I faced was definitely getting people to take me seriously,” says Lazarri. “It’s always been a problem for me.”

She thinks that it’s important to not be afraid and to grasp that you are powerful, regardless of what people may say.

Lazarri says that her mother is her biggest inspiration. One of the biggest driving forces behind the start of Simple Sugars was her mother’s career dissatisfaction. Lazarri was concerned about one day going into the working world as an adult. “I don’t want to work my whole life to have someone take it away from me,” says Lazarri. “Having a business and being an entrepreneur was the one way I could truly have control over my own future and success.”

Laura Dick Fitness has been an important part of Laura Dick’s life for over twenty years. Her passion for running was evident when she became a National Class competitive runner, and then a certified personal trainer. Now, Dick is the owner and instructor at Pittsburgh and Wexford’s newest craze, Pure Barre.

Splitting time between Boca Raton and Pittsburgh, Dick realized that workout classes offered at Pure Barre were unique; something that Pittsburgh didn’t offer. She says that, “connecting with my customers and seeing them reach their goals, both physically and mentally, makes work a positive experience every single day.” Dick and her wildly popular business have a much deeper meaning to her than just being successful. “My goals have always been to find the time to do what I enjoy every day.” Dick also builds a relationship with her clients, and says that their commitment, focus, and trust inspires her.

This powerful woman recommends women following the same steps to entrepreneurship to follow their instincts, surround themselves with smart people,

and work as hard as possible. “Women in the future will continue to face the same obstacles as my generation”, says Dick. “We will always be challenged to find balance between work, family, and personal a growth.” Dick’s own growth, which is seen with Pure Barre, is not slowing down anytime soon.

Mame Kendall Cigars are typically thought to be a man’s territory, but Pittsburgh native Mame Kendall defies that stereotype. After living in New Hampshire for about twelve years, she moved back to Pittsburgh to continue her passion for cigars; Kendall previously owned three shops and a company with her ex-husband.

The owner of the Smoke Cigar Shop and Lounge explains that getting a male customer to believe her knowledge of cigars was a significant obstacle faced when expanding her business. “When a gentleman comes in and says, “WOW, you really know what you’re talking about!”, that is the most rewarding feeling.”, says Kendall.

Berta Bravo, owner of The Guayabera Lady in Miami, inspires Kendall because of her hard work ethic and great success in the cigar industry. Family is also a motivating force. “Without my mother’s support, I couldn’t do this. And my daughter, Maggie, keeps me working harder!”, says Kendall. As a female business owner, the cigar connoisseur understands the difficulties that women face when starting a company. Kendall advises them to believe in yourself, know your limits, and be realistic. Additionally, that acknowledging that there is no such thing as instant gratification and working hard to get what you want will be a challenge for the next generation of female entrepreneurs. Mame Kendall and her business are an excellent representation of acquiring the necessary elements to be a powerful woman.

Mary Prezioso Mary Prezioso is a powerful woman leading two occupations. One, as a full-time senior account executive for KDKA/WPCWTV, and the other as a self-proclaimed

“stylist therapist”. While consulting brings out Prezioso’s passion for numbers and marketing, styling unleashes her artistic desires, utilizing fashion and spiritual cleansing.

According to Prezioso, style therapy, for those who are unfamiliar with it, is based off of concepts we are already accustomed to. “Body makeovers, or the ancient Native American technique called saging, help those wanting to rid themselves, their belongings or homes of negative energy,” explains Prezioso.

She says that the most rewarding part of this job is when someone’s eyes grow brighter, knowing that she helped them.

Prezioso’s enriching business did not come without obstacles, though. “Personal tragedies have led me down this path of becoming a powerful and gratified female. I have learned to have significant empathy for people. You can’t be truly successful without understanding your audience, peers, clients, and friends.”

Prezioso is inspired by fierce, individualistic female characters in literature; Hester Pryne (Scarlet letter), Katniss (Hunger Games), and Jane Eyre (Jane Eyre) in particular. Between their beauty, superiority, and spiritual sensibility, Prezioso believes that, “these revolutionaries loved others before themselves, and embody such a powerful feminine greatness that illuminate into the truest, pure kind of beauty.” Her advice for women: “Individually, you have more influence than realized, and you can make one difference, one woman at a time.”

Mitzi Hemstreet Mitzi Hemstreet’s two businesses are thriving, thanks to her passion for medicine. After deciding to do a fellowship in neurosurgical anesthesia and neurosciences critical care, this powerful woman has been an independent contractor in the field of anesthesiology in 2006. Since working in Pittsburgh, her newest career is owning a franchise in automotive styling. While Hemstreet says it is all new to her, she believes that, “If I am successful at this new venture, it will allow me to retire from healthcare.”

Reminiscing on her days living the “student lifestyle”, Hemstreet says that the ten years of training to obtain her current success were difficult. Of course, hard work does pay off. She describes the satisfying experience while in academic medicine. “Seeing patient’s amazing recoveries…the human body has an

incredible capacity to heal if given enough time and support.”

Hemstreet recalls her eleventh grade English teacher as an inspiration; smart, intelligent, and open to alternative thoughts.

“The first “strong woman” I encountered growing up”, said Hemstreet.

Owning a business is a challenge, especially for women. She advises other women to expect long hours and hard work, but to set aside time for yourself. “The biggest challenge for the generation of women behind me will be their own fears or anxieties about success,” she says.

Susan Dunhoff Susan Dunhoff loves love. The professional matchmaker and relationship expert started The Modern Matchmaker in Pittsburgh in 1991, after noticing the need for a significant other for busy professionals.

“It’s almost like a small New York – without the traffic jams”, says Dunhoff on our city being a home for her business. As her company progressed, she realized that Pittsburgh did not (nationally) have the best reputation for singles to be matched. So, one couple at a time, she set out to change the statistics.

Dunhoff is powerful in a unique way. As The Modern Matcher is changing her life in a professional way, the business is changing the lives of others from a much more personal standpoint. “Initially, it was explaining the concept of matchmaking to the public and how very different it is from online ‘serial dating’ as I call it,” says Dunhoff on how this was a significant obstacle for gaining a clientele. To other women starting their own business, she says that dedication is crucial.

“There are no second chances. Do your homework, trademark your logo, and set realistic goals.”

As a matchmaker and a business owner, this accomplished woman feels the most powerful when she makes a perfect match.

“We change peoples lives. Every aspect of a person’s life is enhanced when they fall in love. Things have more meaning and even their workday goes better.”

Morgan McCollum When Morgan McCollum’s former boss saw her covered in paint from a previous night’s work, they couldn’t possibly have predicted that her crafty skills with furniture restoration would turn into a now nationally distributed business. Shabby Maggie, McCollum’s company, takes vintage furniture pieces and creatively refinishes them into beautifully painted household necessities. She recently collaborated with Viking WoodWorking Company to design GREEN friendly furniture, and has aspirations of going into interior design by blending new furniture with vintage touches.

“Pittsburgh is a fabulous city for an entrepreneur”, says McCollum. “My business would be hard to run in other cities…People in places like New York and D.C buy my stuff because they can’t find it there.” Quality is a feature of artistry that doesn’t come without hard work, and the physicality of Shabby Maggie is a daily obstacle. McCollum feels the most powerful when watching something she designed come to life. The growth of Morgan’s business is synonymous with that of her creativity; Shabby Maggie’s success is derived from its trendy designs.

One of McCollum’s favorite quotes is: “If your dreams don’t scare you, they aren’t big enough.” She believes that the generation of women behind her are going to have more opportunity than ever. “My advice is simply to go for it, and not to be scared.”

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MANIAC art

AND WHY SHE’S THE PERFECT GIRL CRUSH Garance Doré is a mix-master, combining writing, illustration, photography, and recently video to create a buzzed-about blog and a career that’s part artistic director, part personal diary. She’s charming and candid, winning over blog readers with anecdotes about relationship woes and gorgeous illustrations to accompany her everyday issues as a woman. But the real key to her success is in the original name of her blog. The name, “une fille comme moi” (a girl like me), is a paradox, and it’s the totally honest, sneaky way that Doré has captured the hearts of everyone from teenage fashion bloggers to French magazine editors.

BY BRIDGETTE CUNNINGHAM

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P H OTO G R A P H Y B Y G A R A N C E D O R É

On one hand, Doré worries about her figure and fears that her work isn’t funny or good enough. Her fans love her and relate to her through this healthy amount of selfloathing. She said, “You know when I had my CFDA (Council of Fashion Designers of America) award, I was very happy for a few hours, but then I was like, ‘Shit, I have to lose weight. I have to wear a dress.

What dress am I going to wear? What am I going to say? I have to write a thing and I’m going to have to talk in public in front of Anna Wintour and Marc Jacobs and all these people.’” Her American readers then think how unusual it is for a French woman to be so relatable and have insecurities too? A girl like me! Doré has done posts comparing “New York skinny” versus “Paris skinny”. She talks about her diet and beauty treatments. Side note: she was positively glowing in our Skype interview with her curly hair in a bun and sans makeup.

On the other hand, Doré’s career is every fashion girl’s pipe dream. When she’s talking about losing weight to accept her CFDA award, it’s easy to ignore the fact that she’s joining the ranks of Alexander Wang and Oscar de la Renta by receiving the award. She’s carved out her own niche with her unique combination of fashion insight. “I function a little bit like Tumblr or Pinterest,” she said. She’s done photography for Free People, her illustrations were honored in a capsule collection for Kate Spade, and her writing appears in French Vogue.

Doré hails from Corsica, a small French island in the Mediterranean Sea. She then moved to Paris for the bigger city

experience, fell in love with American blogger Scott Schuman, best known as The Sartorialist, and landed in Manhattan in 2010. But it wasn’t always clear what she wanted or how she was going to pave the road to success.

She credits Schuman for encouraging her to use her voice and talents to create a career. “I come from France and we’re very very worried of making people jealous and we always want to say, ‘You know, it’s just my hobby.

My blog... it’s not important.’

Scott helped me say no.”

Schuman told Doré to own her work. “I think that was a great start for me. Because then I was like okay, I have to admit that I have ambition,” she said. “Believe in yourself.

You know, it sounds very cliche but that’s the start of everything.”

Before Schuman came into Doré’s life, she did have a few of her own career revelations, the most important came with a little push from her therapist.

“Freelance illustrator, for me, it was an alone job. But with the blog’s success, and people calling me to do this and that... I started having 25

Doré behind the lens, Photo by Scott Schuman

less and less time,” she said. “I couldn’t allow myself to think, ‘Oh, I’m going to have an assistant.’ Because it sounded like I was so important. [My] therapist told me, ‘Stop complaining about stuff and go get yourself some help.’... You have to have people help you if you want to be successful.”

It wasn’t until Doré added writing to her illustrations on the blog that traffic picked up and she started garnering attention. As a writer, her words are both her hardest challenge and her biggest triumph. “For me, the one thing that I’m very very proud of is to write for Vogue... It’s crazy because the people I admire the most are writers who have set a tone.” she said. “I mean imagine like, Vogue calls me to write. I have to write that piece and I’ve never wrote for a magazine... I don’t know anything, basically... This is the hardest thing to do, to write my Vogue column.”

I told her that she’s the Carrie Bradshaw of the blog world. “Yeah, I think about it sometimes,” she said. I meant it to her in more ways than having a column in Vogue.

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Doré is the girl that everyone wants to be, or at the very least be best friends with, with the problems that everyone already has. She worries about muffin top and men, while continuing her evolution to make both the blog, the illustrations, and her work better. She doesn’t have time to think about big breaks or awards, even though they’re both coming her way through her business’s success. “With Scott, we’re talking about that all the time. We’re never saying like, ‘How can we make more money? ’ Or, ‘How can we get more awards? ’ We’re always like, ‘Do you think my picture is good? ’” she said. “You enjoy the ride, but I think what you enjoy actually is the work itself.”

Garance Doré’s blog, found at http:// www.garancedore.fr/en/, celebrated its seven year anniversary this year. Art prints and posters of her illustrations are available for purchase on the site. She is currently at work at on her first book, which she can’t reveal details about just yet.

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FASHION Dress, Herve Leger Leather Bodice, Herve Leger

WHITE OUT P H OTO G R A P H Y B Y A P R I L H U BA L STYLED BY SARA COOPER M A K E U P B Y J O N AT H A N YO U N G AT M A RG A R E T M A L D O N A D O F O R L I E R A C PA R I S H A I R B Y L A U R A P O L K A AT E X C L U S I V E A RT I S T S M A N A G E M E N T L I G H T I N G A S S I S TA N T, J E R E M Y N E L S O N A S S I S TA N T S T Y L I S T, J I L L I A N A M O S M O D E L , M A R I A N A DA N T E C O F W I L H E L M I N A M O D E L S

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FASHION

Sweater, Nanushka Sweater (tied at waist), Nanushka Dress, Parker Shoes, Alexandre Birman Earrings, Ax + Apple Necklace, Rebel & Quill

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Cardigan, Novis Vest, Marissa Webb Shirt, Parker Necklace, WXYZ Jewelry

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FASHION

Shirt, Marissa Webb Jacket, Pierre Balmain Pant, Pierre Balmain Earrings, I Still Love You, NYC Rings (left to right), Ax + Apple, Species by The Thousands, Bones and Feathers

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Dress, Nanushka Necklace, Psyche Jewelry Rings (left to right), Rebel & Quill, Ax & Apple, Bones and Feathers

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Embellished sweater, Line Jacket, Won Hundred Skirt, Hannah Kim Cuff, I Still Love You NYC Rings (left to right), WXYZ Jewelry, and Alibi

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Sweater, Nanushka Sweater (tied at waist), Nanushka Dress, Parker Shoes, Alexandre Birman Earrings, Ax + Apple Necklace, Rebel & Quill

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MANIAC jet set

Kenya In Search of the Big Five Going on an African safari is on almost everyone’s bucket list. The undeveloped game parks in Kenya are the perfect places to see African animals in the wild. The phrase Big Five Game was originally coined by big game hunters to designate the five most dangerous animals to hunt on foot in Africa. Big Five Game has also been adopted by the tourist industry to market safaris aimed at viewing and photographing these animals. The list includes the lion, the African elephant, the rhino, the Cape buffalo, and the leopard.

I went on a weeklong Kenyan safari with my husband and a friend. We booked a trip with HTT Global Holidays & Incentives, a company based in Dubai that hires local guides in Kenya to lead safaris. The three of us rode in a minivan with a pop-top roof, which was our ride for the duration of the safari. We also had a personal guide who not only led us on all of our game drives but also drove us to each lodge. Each safari

vehicle accommodates up to six people, so depending on your group size, you may not be alone. We were fortunate enough to have our own van. The extra space made it comfortable on the long drives between the game parks.

We spent our first night at the Intercontinental Nairobi, a comfortable five star hotel. We were happy to have a good night’s rest before beginning our safari early the next morning.

AMBOSELI After driving three hours from Nairobi, we arrived at Amboseli Sopa Lodge, which has fantastic views of Mount Kilimanjaro, a dormant volcano that is also the tallest free-standing mountain in the world. We spent two nights in our mushroom-shaped hut. One day monkeys jumped on our roof and looked back at us from every window of the hut. At night, security guards armed with thick wooden sticks led us around the property, aiming to protect us from the lurking hyenas. They escorted us to a bar where we could safely observe hyena feedings from a window that looked down at an amphitheatre-like space below.

Amboseli National Park is one of the best places in Kenya to see free-roaming

elephants. On our game drive, a herd of forty or so elephants were within fifty feet of our van. Their legs shortened slowly as they sunk into the wet ground. One elephant nudged another elephant while playing, causing the other elephant to lose balance and comically tip over into the sludge. Two other elephants jousted each other with their tusks. As sunset approached, we stopped in the middle of the road for some giraffes that were blocking our path. Before we knew it, they were looking into our vehicle with their necks swaying back and forth. The giraffes were so close to us that their heads seemed to touch the snowcaps of Mount Kilimanjaro.

As we were leaving Amboseli, we spotted a herd of zebras drinking from a watering hole with Mount Kilimanjaro towering over them.

WRITTEN BY JENNIFER MALIA P H O T O G R A P H Y B Y J E N N I F E R M A L I A A N D DAV I D S WA RT Z

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JET-SET

JET SET

L AKE NAKURU After a seven hour drive from Amboseli, we arrived at Lake Nakuru Lodge, situated on a hill above Nakuru Lake National Park.

From our porch, we had a view of Cape buffalo grazing in the grass with the sun setting on the lake behind them. Lake Nakuru is a Ramsar site, the water-body equivalent to a UNESCO heritage site. Along the shore of the lake, we spotted thousands of pink flamingos, pelicans, and marabou storks splashing in the water. This was one of the rare occasions that it was safe for us to get out of our safari vehicle. From a distance, the marabou storks looked like the flying monkeys in The Wizard of Oz. Up close, they were rather ugly creatures with large pink inflated necks that would slowly deflate upon landing.

After leaving the lake, we came upon a group of white rhinos that blocked our path. A mother trying to protect her baby was in a stand off with a male rhino who was pounding his hooves and snorting.

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Eventually the male rhino backed off, and we were able to continue our game drive.

Our guide heard a message on his CB radio about a lion in a tree, and off we went, bouncing down the pothole covered dirt road in our van. The male lion with his sweeping mane was draped over an acacia tree. As sunset approached, we spotted a pride of lions lined up at the top of “lion hill,� presumably on the lookout for an unsuspecting gazelle. We were fortunate to see thirty lions that day.

CURIOS Considering all of the time it took to drive to each game park, we had to make stops along the way. Designed with tourists in mind, curios are essentially rest stops that offer endless opportunities to bargain for handmade African goods. The sellers started with very high prices, hoping to make a small fortune on unknowing tourists.

Sometimes they were still shouting out counteroffers as we got into our van. In one curio near Maasai Mara, we ducked under dusty artwork hanging from the ceiling and tiptoed around massive carved sculptures to navigate through the narrow pathways on the dirt floor. After some heavy negotiating, we left with three wooden carved masks, one of a zebra and two of giraffes, and an oil painting of giraffes and zebras at a watering hole.

MA ASAI MAR A From Lake Nakuru, we drove four hours to get to Mara Sopa Lodge, located on the slopes of the Oloongam Hills in the Maasai Mara Game Reserve. We spent two nights here in a round building with a thatched roof. We woke up at the crack of dawn on our first morning to take a hot air balloon ride in the game park. Getting into the basket is harder than it looks. For takeoff, we were in the basket in a seated position with our backs to the ground. Our American hot air balloon operator guided us into the air as the sun was rising. The sun gradually lit up the dry grasslands below us, revealing a giraffe eating acacia leaves, baby elephants marching alongside their mothers in a parade of elephants, and warthogs getting lost in tall grasses as they playfully chased each other. If you are lucky enough to ride a hot air balloon in Maasai Mara between August and October, you can see millions

of animals during the great migration of wildebeest, zebras, and antelope from the Serengeti.

When our hot air balloon landed, we crawled back out of the basket and rode in a jeep to a champagne brunch in the bush. On the way, we stopped to look at two female lions we spotted on the side of the road. The only thing between me and the lions was the plastic cover on the jeep door. The cries of excitement from the Chinese tourists in the jeep in front of us were enough to stir the lions and send us on our way. At brunch, we sipped champagne while hyenas and lions circled the camp in the distance.

Immediately after brunch, we met up with our regular guide for our game drive in the reserve. We came across another female lion who was calling other lions with a series of soft roars that lasted almost five minutes. As it turned out, she was communicating with the two female lions we had seen earlier near our brunch site.

The three lions met up in the dry grasslands near our van and played within six feet of our

vehicle. After leaving the lions, we headed to a river in a far back corner of the reserve that was littered with crocodiles and hippos.

Claiming their own section of the water, the hippos were almost on top of each other, basking in the sun of the shallow river. One of them opened his mouth very wide to signal that he felt threatened.

Our guide heard on his CB radio that three cheetahs were on another side of the reserve. Even though we were five hours into our six hour game drive, our guide was not leaving the park until we saw those cheetahs. After two hours of scouring the hillsides, we found three brother cheetahs laying in the shade of an acacia tree. Their bulging white bellies that drooped from their bodies indicated a recent kill.

L AKE NAIVASHA Making our way back toward the Nairobi airport, we drove five hours to get to Lake Naivasha Sopa Lodge, where we spent our last night. We took a boat ride to Crescent Island, which was the setting for some scenes in Out of Africa. Our oversized canoe motored through the lake filled with flaring hippo nostrils that were snorting water all around us. Teams of unconcerned fishermen spread their flimsy nets in the shallow water. Our guide called to African fish eagles in tall distant trees so we could

watch them swoop down to eat the fish he threw in the lake.

Once we made it to the island, we were able to walk among the zebras, giraffes, wildebeest, waterbuck, and gazelles. None of the big game, or otherwise dangerous animals, are on the island. While we were tempted to get as close as possible to the majestic giraffes, they saw us as potential predators and galloped away when we tried to chase them. The sun was starting to set when we returned from the island. Back at the lodge, one security guard warned us to return to our mushroom-shaped huts by waving his large wooden stick that was intended to fight off hippos. Hippos are known to emerge from the lake and roam the property at night. Before leaving the next morning, we watched monkeys carrying babies and giraffes roam around the grounds.

Our guide gave us a list that we used to tick off the animals we saw on our trip.

Ultimately we saw only four of the Big Five.

We never caught a glimpse of a leopard. But our safari was so much more than seeing the exotic animals on a list. We took the road less traveled on our adventure, and that has made all the difference.

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MANIAC music

Chelsea GIRL British Beauty Chelsea Leyland on her Transformation to In-Demand Fashion DJ

BY STEPHANIE NOLASCO

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P H O T O G R A P H Y B Y G U Y A RO C H

She’s spun for hip-hop Barbie Nicki Minaj, partied alongside teen crush Harry Styles of One Direction, and opened for singer Santigold. But don’t call this British beauty an “it-girl.”

“I really dislike that title,” says Chelsea Leyland, the British transplant best known by her fans as “DJ Chelsea”. “I guess that’s me being very English, but to be called an it-girl? I find that a bit cringing. That to me equals someone who really doesn’t do much. I know there are worse things in life to be called. But I just remember when I was young, before I even started working, it always meant you came from a wealthy family. You were very privileged and did nothing with your life, but people wanted to be like you for no reason.”

With her wild bleached mane that would make any so-called rocker look like a poser, perfectly arched eyebrows reminiscent of a ‘30s Hollywood star, one would easily confuse this spin master for a model. But rather than making her mark on the runway, she’s captured the spotlight by getting socialites and Page Six stars dancing under it on a typical night out. As a fashion DJ who’s gotten stone cold cover girls to strut their stuff for Chanel, Valentino, and Fendi, among others, her career was an unexpected one.

“A friend of mine, a successful fashion photographer, throws this annual 4th of July party every year and he asked me when I first moved to New York if I could DJ,” says Leyland, who left behind her native UK to attend the Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute. “I just put together a playlist on my iPod and he was really happy with it. It was my boyfriend who one day took me aside and said I should take some DJ classes.”

Leyland, who was recommending another DJ to friends at the time, ultimately realized she had the catwalk looks and passionate love for music to make it on her

own, prompting her to lead some of the most exclusive bashes in town. But she insists her journey in the music world has been about her love for fusing genres, not getting an all-access pass.

“I was always different growing up because I was listening to Carole King, Joni Mitchell, and Muddy Waters, unusual stuff like that,” insists the British beauty. “I try to let people know who I am through the way I play and communicate through music. I could play a Johnny Cash track and followup with Tupac if I felt right.”

That was about three years ago. Fast forward to today, it’s difficult not to spot Leyland behind the decks at Glastonbury in the UK, Art Basel in Miami, or even at an ultra posh, can’t get pass the velvet rope super secret club in Manhattan’s Meatpacking District. As one of the most familiar faces of fashion, Leyland is always on top of the list and no partying starts without her musical mixology of hip-thumping pop, rough hiphop, or just down and dirty rock.

And while she’s one of the few, but growing legions of female DJs in the industry, Leyland says being a woman has made both the ladies and gents embrace

her.

“It’s kind of strange, because really, who says women can’t love music as much,” she says. “But I embrace the challenge because it has allowed me to stand out. And I know a lot of women struggle with that because I get a lot of letters sent to me from women, telling me how difficult it is.”

“But it seems that being a female DJ has become a trend, which has helped me stand out,” she adds. “And in terms of the fashion world, people most of the time would rather see a female DJ... I guess guys enjoy it. I recently DJed in Israel and people were staring at me. I think they were shocked to see a female DJing. I kind of like that. It’s nice to feel different.”

And she’s already garnered some famous fans. In 2011, she was chosen by MTV to give audiences a sneak peek into her invite-only world in a docu-series about her career. That same year, she was selected by glitterati bible Paper Magazine to play for their “Beautiful People” issue party in New York City alongside ‘80s favorite Duran Duran.

“I remember telling my parents how nervous I was, but they were so excited,”

she says while chuckling. “It was also kind of nice because playing different kinds of music has allowed me to open for several different artists. Duran Duran is certainly very different from Band of Horses. I also played for Mark Ronson, who happens to be a friend of mine. I didn’t know him too well at the time, but he was a fellow DJ I definitely admired, so that was exciting.”

Currently, Leyland is at work on a new line she’ll be debuting to the masses.

“I can’t say with who yet, but I will be creating my own headphones, which I am really excited about because I want to collaborate with this brand and develop these beautiful headphones that will become an accessory you would wear, like a piece of jewelry, but one that happens to play music,” she explains. “This is something that has been in the works for a while and I’m really excited about it. “I don’t think it should just be there to serve functionally for music,” says Leyland. “I think they can be beautiful as well.”

Find out more information about Chelsea Leyland at djchelsealeyland.com or follow her on Twitter @chelsealeyland.

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MANIAC health

WHAT’S A

Wellness Center?

With modern concerns for longevity and personal image, health has been in the spotlight for many years.

BY VINCENT MOK P H O T O G R A P H Y C O U RT E S Y O F T H E R A J A N D R E D M O U N TA I N R E S O RT

This has led to the proliferation of many enticing trends from common systems like juice cleanses and raw foodism to more exotic-sounding practices such as acupuncture and Ayurveda. Many of these trends have attracted a great following, and America has seen the development of numerous wellness centers with a range of specialties and services.

For example, the Red Mountain Resort of Utah offers a scenic escape into a beautiful landscape of red rocks and surrounding greenery where guests can escape from the stresses of their daily life. Additionally, the resort focuses on opportunities to rejuvenate oneself through invigorating activities and finding 44

equilibrium through a system of support: they have spiritual guides such a Shaman Spirit, intuitives, and experts in meditation who can help guests relax and find alternative ways to tackle their everyday lives. “Red Mountain Resort [allows for] holistic alternatives to the solutions often offered by mainstream medicine. We are able to offer our guests the experience of enjoying outdoor adventure and learning about healthy ways to manage their busy lives.”

Though the Red Mountain Resort focuses on annihilating stress through its beautiful scenery and diverse assortment of activities, places like the Hippocrates Health Institute build their foundation on a healthy

diet. “Its philosophy is founded on the belief that a raw vegan, living, enzyme-rich diet — complemented by exercise, positive thinking, and non-invasive therapies — are integral to optimum health. HHI believes that good health is every person’s birthright, and that a life free of disease and pain is our human legacy.” Relocated from Boston to Florida, the establishment believes in specific treatments for each individual after a health consultation and blood tests. “Our staff is here to guide and support guests over the course of their stay, advising on detoxification therapies, exercise, emotional release, and psychotherapy.” Its rich variety of different options, including spa treatments from massages to colon hydrotherapy and healing therapies from qigong to cranial electrotherapy stimulation, has proven beneficial for many clients. Dr. Brian Clement, co-director of the Hippocrates Health Institute, relates that the Institute has “literally seen thousands of guests reverse diseases and ailments such as cancer, Type 2 diabetes, skeletal redevelopment… and an ever-increasing plethora of illnesses.”

In addition to these centers, the last few decades have also seen the rise of facilities that encompass a more unfamiliar territory: “alternative health modalities.”

Unlike Western medicine, which focuses on reactive means like operations and drugs to counter diseases and disorders, these modalities often build a foundation on proper maintenance of one’s entire being in order to both cure and prevent ailments.

The Raj, an Ayurveda-centered wellness spa located in Iowa, is a shining example of the alternative health establishments that have garnered much praise and popularity.

Meaning “knowledge of life,” Ayurveda has been part of the Indian tradition for over five thousand years with written proof dating back to the beginning of the Common Era. Rogers Badgett, co-owner of the Raj, explains that its system focuses on integrated practices and techniques that work to balance out the energy principles of vata, pitta, and kapha. Each three represents a combination of elements that represent temperamental tendencies and govern different bodily components.

Composed of air and space, vata controls movement and muscle manipulation. Pitta, of fire and water, regulates the body’s systems by governing hormone release and digestion. Meanwhile, kapha manages the body’s structure and comprises the elements of earth and water. Much like the Ayurvedic belief that the body, mind, and

consciousness must work together to maintain balance, one will have a healthy spirit, mind, and body when the three energy principles are in harmony. After an initial diagnosis and consultation, clients at the Raj receive a plan made specifically for their body type. The program considers each person’s combination of elements and makes suggestions for improvements from exercise to eating habits, from hygiene to sleep, from meditation to massages, and from oil rubs to herbal treatment.

Many people are unfamiliar with alternative health modalities, resulting in misunderstandings. For example, some understand Ayurveda as a replacement for Western medical procedures, though the two use some different methods for treatment. Whereas Western allopathic medicine combats present illnesses through surgery or potentially debilitating drugs, Ayurveda works to prevent weakness by bolstering the body’s flow of energy and regulating its processes and intake. As such, both serve different purposes: Western practices handle problems with immediacy while Ayurveda provides long-term stability to lower chances of sickness. Because of this, experts refute an oppositional binary and instead insist that both are beneficial

approaches to a healthy lifestyle.

Health trends like detoxification and Ayurveda have been and still are on the rise, but the verdict is still not out on the future of these practices. Each wellness center offers its own touch, and many of them have gained popularity for their different approaches to health. For example, the Raj has been featured on various shows like the Dr. Oz Show and various publications such as Elle while the Hippocrates Health Institute has seen a growing clientele from Mick Fleetwood to Venus Williams, who claims that her lessons at the Institute helped her reverse her autoimmune disorder. Though each facility boasts different features for improved wellbeing, each one states emphasizes an open and diligent approach towards health recommendations. Perhaps not everyone has the time and resources to take a trip to Florida’s Hippocrates Health Institute, fly to the Raj for Ayurvedic treatments, or indulge in the natural masterpiece of the Red Mountain Resort; still, one can definitely take to heart their unanimous teaching that a balance of good habits is the key to health.

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Coconuts Justice Green Camo Print Pointed Flats, available at Lulus.com, $53

MANIAC shops

Mango Touch Oval Stone Metal Cuff, $39.99

Mango Touch Beaded Bib Necklace, $59.99

Topshop SATIN JUMPSUIT

BY BOUTIQUE, $170

Topshop Wire Bangle, $28.00

Prism Moscow available at Barneys New York, $425

Others Follow G.I. Jane Camo Print Tee, available at Lulus.com, $31 Mango Cropfitted Leather Jacket, $109.99 Mango Shiny Finish Studded Clutch, $69.99

Barton Perreira Hughes available at Barneys New York , $470

3.1 Phillip Lam Cheetah Camo Medium 31 Minute Bag, available at Barneys $350

Textile Elizabeth and James Kelsey Parka, $295

Topshop Sleeveless Embellished Shell, $90.00 Piazza Perfect Black and White Silk Wide-Leg Pants, available at Lulus.com $96

Elizabeth and James LIA Kitten Heel, $325

GLAM ROCK

CAMO

LULUS Exclusive Take It To The Max Olive Green Maxi Skirt, available at Lulus.com $37

Textile Elizabeth and James Oliver Pant, $202 Fifteen-Twenty Leather Contrast Shorts, $145

Billabong Special Forcezz Camo Print Button-Up Top, available at Lulus.com $69.50

Topshop Geo Cut Out Collar, $30.00

Elizabeth and James TERRI Boot, $475 Topshop ALBERTINA Kitten Heel Boots, $120.00

Fifteen-Twenty Geometric Sequin Shirt, $235

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BB Dakota Tawny Jacket, $105

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MANIAC home

HOME

GOLD LEAF KIT

MATERIALS Saw Horse Legs (Ikea offers different styles) Glass top Mona Lisa Gold Leafing Mona Lisa Gold Leafing Glue Hammer Sponge Wine (optional)

silver and bronze leaf. After you lay down all of the leafing you can take a very soft bristle brush and brush away the excess.. You can seal it, or in my case I applied it to glass so I just flipped the glass over. And voila!

A totally chic Hollywood Regency desk for under $40.00!

xoxo

Shabby Maggie

After some reservation, I decided to sleep with the enemy (and am not feeling one bit ashamed about it). I made my way through the Ikea maze of Made in China crap and kids on leashes, sorting for some sort of inspiration. After spotting these Vika Lerberg sawhorse legs, I was sold on the $10.00 a piece price tag and off we were.

DO-IT-YOURSELF

I grabbed a glass of wine, effortlessly assembled and spray painted them gold.

For the top, I had a spare piece of glass sitting around, so I used that. If you’re local, you can also get glass cut at Cully Glass on Beaver Avenue in the North Side.

I have been searching for a desk for my new studio in Lawrenceville for weeks. Everything was either overpriced crap or the same old, same old. My style is pretty Hollywood Regency and I have been gushing for gold lately. After searching the internet for DIY desk ideas, I came across Ikea Hackers (www.ikeahackers. net) and decided to give my own hack a try...

The desk was missing something.. It was neat, and simple, but I didn’t feel satisfied with it the way it stood. I ended up heading to Hobby Lobby (AKA the black hole) and picked up some gold leafing. I gold leafed the under side of the glass, which sounds way more complicated than it actually is.

Gold leafing is pretty simple. You apply glue with a sponge or brush let it sit for five minutes or so until it becomes tacky and then apply the sheet of gold leaf. Leafing comes in squares or in flakes. There is also

The Working Woman Edition

B Y M O RG A N M C C O L L U M O F S H A B B Y M A G G I E

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P L A S T I C

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S U R G E R Y

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Pittsburgh Dance Council is a division of the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust.

2013-14 SEASON COMPAGNIE MARIE CHOUINARD U.S. Premiere – featured presentation of the Pittsburgh International Festival of Firsts

SAT

SEP 28, 2013

8 PM

EASIER

than exact change.

ZIMMERMANN & DE PERROT U.S. Premiere – featured presentation of the Pittsburgh International Festival of Firsts

FRI

OCT 18, 2013

8 PM

COMPAGNIE KÄFIG SAT

FEB 1, 2014

8 PM

BALLET DU GRAND THÉÂTRE DE GENÈVE

Photo: BALLET DU GRAND THÉÂTRE DE GENÈVE, GLORY by Mikki Kunttu

SAT

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MAR 8, 2014

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WENDY WHELAN PROJECT SAT

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MANIAC events

The White Party Maniac Magazine and Lexus of North Hills teamed up once again to bring the 8th annual White Party to life this summer. The event was held on June 29th at the Smart House in Mt. Washington, and proceeds benefited A Child’s Place at Mercy, a wonderful charity organized by Joan Mills to stop child abuse in our city. Luxury vehicles provided by Lexus and Bentley Pittsburgh lined the entrance as Pittsburgh’s finest filtered in, each receiving a complimentary cocktail provided by Pinnacle.

B Y C O DY N I C O L E W I E G A N D P H O T O G R A O H Y B Y L E AW N A B U R E K , P H I L L I P S A M , S A R A H O L D E N , DA N E L L E Y E R K E Y & B RU C E S T R A K A

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From head to toe, guests were dressed to the nines in their best white ensembles and posed on the red carpet for photographers before entering the lavish affair. The enormous, modern space and party atmosphere that the Smart House exudes is the absolute perfect setting for our Maniacs. From floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the entire cityscape, to the luxurious outdoor area with a view of the Pittsburgh skyline, it’s no wonder why we chose this location for the second year in a row.

Guests dined on a variety of tasty hors d’oeuvre from local favorites such as Savoy, Ladyfingers Catering, Zenith Vegetarian Café, Shoufs, Wingharts, and Cavo. Drinks were flowing all night too, thanks to an open bar service provided by M.K. Events and an array of beverages to choose from, including icy-cold beer from Pittsburgh Brewing Company and flavored Vodka from Pinnacle. Pittsburgh Winery provided red and white wine for VIPs. The dance floor was a hotspot throughout the night thanks to DJ Mike Ley, who mixed up a perfect playlist. Other entertainment included fire dancers, a performance by singer/dancer Ambition, and an allstar fashion show coordinated by Glam and Graffiti fashion blogger Stephanie Campbell. Philip Pelusi provided topnotch hair and makeup services to each model, who all looked chic and stylish as they strutted the outdoor runway in summer styles provided by Jupe Boutique and Decade. Modern Matchmaker, the event’s digital sponsor, was onsite as well, and played cupid for those looking for love.

Special thanks goes out to those who donated items for the Silent Auction and for all of you who celebrated with us for such a great cause. We’ll see you next year!

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MANIAC events

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57

Food. Farm. Famiglia.

BY HELEN CESTRA

W

P H O T O G R A P H Y B Y L E AW N A B U R E K

e all have pictured that perfect restaurant, the hidden gem that appears plucked out of a favorite European city, placed in your hometown. The atmosphere is classic and clean. The food is cooked to order, prepared with fresh ingredients. The chefs are passionate about every aspect of their cooking, and the wait staff works to bring the best experience. Right here, in Pittsburgh, is a true Italian landmark. Executive chef and owner Jonathan Vlasic, along with the help of his wife Brandy, bring this dream to life with Alla Famiglia and Ristorante Arlecchino, a familyowned Italian restaurant where food and family are the focal point. Mr. Vlasic’s vision was to bring the finest Italian food and family tradition together by using a mix of local and imported ingredients to present the best possible dining experience.

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Chef Jonathan created Alla Famiglia with passion, dedication, and love. Every aspect of the restaurant from the food to the décor has been tirelessly designed by him, with the help of his wife, to make others happy. It is this passion, that makes Alla Famiglia so spectacular. Alla Famiglia is located in the Allentown neighborhood of the city, which may be off the beaten path of the usual hot spots, but it does not need other attractions to bring people in. It does that on its own.

So how did this magical place come to be?

Vlasic explains, “The restaurant found me, the place found me. I never thought I would really stay in Pittsburgh. I had a promotion waiting for me in Florida. This was a big turning point in my life.” From the start of Alla Famiglia, Vlasic has been determined to make each guests experience unforgettable.

“I’m 27, just bought my first restaurant. I want everything to be perfect. I had such a desire to light everyone up.”

The narrative of Alla Famiglia is not just what is seen at the restaurant, but by taking a trip down a windy country road in Eighty Four, PA, the story of Alla Famiglia is continued. The Vlasic’s reside in an historic yet quaint 1790 farmhouse, which they have beautifully brought back to life and created not only their home, but also a home to fresh ingredients grown by the chef himself, used in dishes at their restaurants.

The farm is situated on a sprawling twentyfour acre plot of land where the love for food and family has been seamlessly intertwined.

“Everyone wants to grow local. I want to grow my own stuff,” Chef Jonathan said. He grows everything from tomatoes to zucchini, peppers, herbs, and the best seasonal produce. Next to the garden is a smoker, where fish or meats for the restaurants are slowly cooked for the best flavor. A barn, where horses once roamed and soon goats will live and a coup where chickens will soon cluck, are all part of what makes this farm what it is.

The most paramount of the complex is not the backyard and all its features, but the main house where food is not grown, but where a family is growing and the uniqueness of a 1790 farmhouse continues.

The American farmhouse style remains with exposed brick, wooden beams, and rustic furnishings that keep the charm alive, while modern elements have been incorporated that stay within the integrity of the homes history. Each room shows its own personality, like the solarium where light illuminates into the windows and

views of the scenic landscape cannot be missed. Conversely, a dark wooden den portrays the character of early America including portraits of past presidents, such as Abraham Lincoln and relics from the Civil War period on display. A hallway leads to a white room with plush couches and a vintage cash register and popcorn machine.

Last, but not least, the kitchen, the most important part of a chef’s home, right? The kitchen stands out by using appliances with antique appeal, but modern aspects so Chef Jonathan can test dishes for diners to enjoy in his restaurants. The antique home is enchanting and multifaceted to integrate their lives and the lives of the restaurants together as one. The idea of farm to table is nothing new for Chef Jonathan. His mother, where the Italian blood comes from, grew up on a farm where they ate what they produced. Having grown up around this philosophy, Vlasic is now able to incorporate that into his restaurants with his farm. This is what makes Alla Famiglia, Alla Famiglia.

The Vlasic’s are all about using culture and experiences and putting that into their food. When they visit a country, Chef Jonathan, using his positive and vivacious personality, persuades local restaurant owners to allow him in the kitchen, to cook with them, look at their ingredients and learn about local cuisine, and he does not come back empty handed. He purchases cooking tools in the countries, such as twentyfour carbon steel pizza pans that cannot be found in America. “Shipping was too expensive so we paid for the extra baggage and brought them on the plane with us.

That was fun getting through security.” He said in his humorous tone.

Not only have the Vlasic’s created their farm to fit their character, but Alla Famiglia was renovated from top to bottom. Inside, the eye is automatically drawn to the open kitchen and the copper stove hood, which is polished and luminous. The front dining room is small, but shared with the kitchen, allowing the guest to watch Chef Jonathan and Chef Mark McManus, head chef, practice their art. The Trenta Cocktail Lounge, located on the second floor, has modern finishing’s, but the disposition of the restaurant stays true to the old-world Italian inspiration. Here, one will notice a wall of pictures, look closely and see Chef Jonathan with the likes of Maggie Gyllenhaal, Sidney Crosby, Bishop Zubik and regular, Mario Lemieux. There is also a patio on the second floor that some guests

still haven’t discovered. A beautiful intimate space adorned with lights giving the effect of being in Italy at a local eatery. The third floor is home to another small dining space with radiant stained glass windows and stars sparkling down at you from the ceiling. The stained glass adds to the character of the building and is another delightful surprise within the walls of Alla Famiglia.

Now, to the main event, the food. The Vlasic’s are the heart of the restaurant and the food is the soul. The fare at Alla Famiglia is the kind you never forget. It is the type of food that is worth driving hours or flying across oceans to try again. Luckily, if you are a Pittsburgh local, this food is in your own backyard. The tables are set with “Holy Oil” for dipping into crusty Italian bread, a cheese and bean gustoso and goat cheese and olive spread. The menu is updated and printed daily. Dishes, such as, Smoked Provolone with black truffles or Alla Famiglia Meatball, a must try, stuffed with fresh mozzarella may catch your eye. If you want a life-changing meatball, well that’s it.

Some of their signature dishes include the Filet Mignon Gorgonzola, roasted over hot coals, with a sweet pepper gorgonzola cream and a port wine reduction drizzle.

The Veal Chop, which can be prepared in three different ways Milanese, Pizzaiolo and Griglia. Try the Milanese; crumb-breaded, pan-fried in clarified butter, and topped with lemon and lump crab meat. It will literally ‘melt in your mouth’. Love seafood?

The Seafood Diavolo is a party of lobster, scallops, black tiger shrimp, blue crab, PEI mussels and clams finished in a spicy plum tomato sauce that you will want to be invited to again. Every entrée is paired with a first course of pasta, in true Italian style, and a house salad with red wine vinaigrette dressing. Now the pasta, the Vlasic’s famed sauces, the marinara and vodka, can be purchased by the bottle at the restaurant or in local stores, such as the Pennsylvania Macaroni Company, in the strip district. The Umbrian Bolognese is a fan favorite, made with house maccheroni. Yes, they make their own pasta. The Vermicelli Margherita is simply done with thin pasta, petite diced plum tomatoes, toasted garlic, basil, Frantoia E.V.O.O, bufala mozzarella, and finished with red cow parmigiana. Dessert is the finale to the show. The renowned Raspberry Tiramisu, made fresh in house, is a Chef Jonathan masterpiece. For those who may feel too full to venture into the realm of dessert, order it anyway, you will certainly 59

“Alla Famiglia is a must-eat in Pittsburgh. The proof is in the pasta.” be adding this dessert to the list of life-changing food at Alla Famiglia.

The staff is accommodating to all dietary needs. If you have any special request, such as vegetarian or gluten-free, the chef and the wait staff, will go that extra mile to make your dish as memorable as the others. The Vlasic’s treasure all of their staff and hold them in the highest regard. When speaking of two of the wait staffs members, Marnie who has been with Alla Famiglia from the start, and Steve, waiting for almost five years, they said “Both of them are phenomenal servers and make the dining experience…they are not only like family to us but they are like family to our customers.

They contribute to the success of Alla Famiglia and have love and passion for what they do.” The couple also has a sister restaurant

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located in a charming schoolhouse in McMurray, PA called Ristorante Arlecchino. Established in 2011, you will find all of your favorite Alla Famiglia items on the menu along with some additions including free range chicken and pork. With Chef Jonathan being the staple at Alla Famiglia, Alrecchino is where you can find his lovely wife Brandy.

Chef Jonathan and Brandy have transformed Italian cuisine by using their farm fresh ingredients, the finest imported goods, the love of each other, along with the love of their soon to be little one arriving late October, and the love of their restaurants to bring to life a piece of Italy to the Steel City. If nothing else is remembered from this piece, just remember this: Alla Famiglia is a must-eat in Pittsburgh. The proof is in the pasta.

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MANIAC television

CLAIRE HOLT S I N K S H E R T E E T H I N T O T H E WO R L D O F T H E S U P E R N A T U R A L

BY JENNA FINER

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P H OTO G R A P H Y B Y J E S S E D I T T M A R @ J E S S E D I T T M A R . C O M

Claire Holt is no stranger to playing a superhuman character on television.

While in her current occupation she plays a vampire, the 25-year-old Australian actress is a more beautiful girl next door in real life. Holt got her start as a mermaid on Nickelodeon’s H20: Just Add Water, then appeared on ABC Family’s Pretty Little Liars, and starred in Means Girls Two. She’s most famous for the CW’s wildly successful drama The Vampire Diaries. Because of the show’s popularity and growing fan base, The Originals is a spin-off series starting this fall, where Holt continues her role as Rebekah Michaelson, a sibling in the family of original vampires.

“I really didn’t know what I was getting myself into, so I wasn’t sure how long my character was going to be around”, says Holt on playing Rebekah. The only daughter of the original vampire family, Holt’s character was turned into a vampire, along with the rest of her siblings, by her parents. A deep bond is shared with Klaus, one of Rebekah’s brothers, whom she remained loyal to while the rest of their family stayed solitary.

Initially Holt was only signed for three episodes; now she is the center of the new show. On The Originals, Holt explains how “Rebekah is definitely a little more badass.

There are a lot of layers in her character that I get to explore.” Underneath all of the fake blood, these layers include her relationship in both previous and existing love triangles, strained relationships with family members, and emotional distress.

For fans of the show, watching the characters experience these scenarios with each other can be cringe-worthy.

Holt actually got injured on set, after a mix up between a real prop and a fake one. Charlie Bewley, who plays Vaughn, accidentally shoved a dagger-like weapon into Holt during a scene. “It was definitely an experience,” she said.

It is safe to say that the success of The Vampire Diaries would not exist without the undeniable strong chemistry between the characters. “I really adore all of my costars; they’re my friends in real life.”

The combination of talented actors and a compelling story “naturally led to success”, says Holt. She credits the executive producer for the show, Julie Plec, for the successful casting. “They put together a cast that really works well together, and I think that brings something special.”

The Vampire Diaries pilot episode drew the largest audience of any series premiere

since The CW network began in 2006, Additionally, the show has been awarded two People’s Choice Awards and multiple Teen Choice Awards. Season four premiered last October with over three million viewers, and its fan base is to thank for that.

“The fans are really loyal and have shown a lot of support for the show. It’s been a huge help to have that mother ship and fan base to be able to draw from, as opposed to just going into a show cold,” Holt said.

She has about half a million followers on Twitter, and values social media as a way to interact with fans and be inspired by their commitment. Transitioning from The Vampire Diaries to The Originals as a fan favorite shouldn’t be an issue either.

The story is compelling and the drama is addicting, and it doesn’t hurt that the characters are easy on the eyes. An enviable element of vampires is their uncanny beauty, and Holt’s naturally stunning features stand out amongst the dark, and sometimes bloody, exterior of her character. She relies on Cetaphil and coconut oil for a flawless complexion. “I sleep a lot”, said Holt laughing, when asked how she relaxes off set. “I love to exercise, connecting with family and friends, and I also enjoy spending time alone.”

While Claire Holt’s introduction to the vampire world was uncertain, her future for continuing the role certainly is. The Originals backdoor pilot aired this past April, and the series premiere is set for October 3rd this fall. The spin off show will undoubtedly have the same success and following as The Vampire Diaries, and Holt definitely seems ready for this next chapter in her career. She said, “It’s such a blessing being involved with the show, and it’s such a gift to me. I’m really lucky.”

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MANIAC beauty

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This season just a hint of shimmer will take you everywhere you need to go. Forget heavy drama and go for the glow with soft, natural makeup and high shine hair. Dropping temperatures don’t have to mean dry when you’ve got the right tools in your makeup box to look effortlessly luminous.

P H O T O G R A P H Y B Y C A M E RO N K RO N E

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SILVER LINING

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1. Sonia Kashuk Satin Luxe Lip Color SPF 16 in Pinky Beige & Spiced Berry 2. Sonia Kashuk Eye Couture in Neutral Shimmer 3. Urban Decay Naked Skin Finishing Powder in Naked Medium 4. Topshop Make Up Eye Duo in Midnight Hour 5. Tarte Amazonian clay full coverage

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airbrush foundation in fair light honey for Women from the Big Pony Collection 6. Tarte Lights Camera Flashes Mascara 7. Klorane Dry shampoo with nettle 8. Avene Cleansing Foam 9. LISSEA Thermal protecting smoothing spray 10. Topshop Make Up Eyeshadow Trio in Orion 65

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FASHION

MANIAC fashion

Look No.

STREET STYLE

Kaitlyn Pieri Free People shirt, Gap skirt, Chanel sunglasses, All Saints purse, Jewelry is all found on ShopVagabondQueen.com

Look No.

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Freddy Rodriguez Zara jacket, Kenzo sweater, AE cargos Florshiem by Duckie Brown shoes, Casio watch, Giles & Brother cuff

Look No.

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Sierra Leone Starks Karmaloop dress Forever 21 cardigan Shoes from GoJane.com

L ook No.

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Alexandra Duffy Vintage floral skirt, Vintage Nina heels, Marc Jacobs sunglasses, H&M, Michael Kors watch

Look No.

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Deanna Ferrari Rue21 tops, Rue21 necklace H&M leggings, Hunter boots Marc by Marc Jacobs bag

Kelsey Panicco www.fashionacekelsey.blogspot.com, Rachel Roy jumpsuit, Macy’s blazer, Alex and Ani bracelets

Look No.

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Look No.

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Zachary Young Fang Can watch from shop in Italy

Lindsey Burkett Accessories from www.bsprinkled.com

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MANIAC guide

P I T TSBURGH’S

If you think women only own salons and shops, you’re dead wrong.

WOM EN IN B U S I N E S S

We’ve got a guide to supporting the best women in business, that spans everything from paintball to plastic surgery. Read on to find out the best spot to find an eco-friendly wedding gown and who to call for catering at your next event.

B Y C H A R I S S A L I V I N G S T O N | P H O T O G R A P H Y P ROV I D E D B Y: B E C K Y T H U R N E R B R A D D O C K , FA S H I O N B L O G G E R , S T E P H A N I E C A M P B E L L O F G L A M A N D G R A F F I T I , J O H N C O L O M B O, L E AW N A B U R E K , T R E Y T H O M A S I M A G E S , VA D E L L A P H O T O G R A P H Y, V E RO N I C A VA RO S P H O T O G R A P H Y

AM-GARD

AMELIA’S ELEGANT CATERING

BROKE LITTLE RICH GIRL INC.

DESIGNHUS, LLC

600 Main St | Pittsburgh, PA 15215

www.ameliascatering.com

www.brokelittlerichgirl.com

www.dhmodern.com

(412) 781-5800 | www.am-gard.com

(724) 825-5084

slugo@brokelittlerichgirl.com

(412) 606-9647

AM-GARD is a leader in contract security providing service to governmental,

Catering done fabulously, Amelia spices up business meetings, events, and

Waiting for customers to come was not Samantha Lugo’s idea of a best-selling

A Pittsburgh-based interior design resource, Designhus, offers a unique

medical, industrial, commercial, and transportation industries. Owner Jennifer

seminars from simple lunches to business cocktail hours. Putting the elegance

boutique. As any good business-woman knows, if you want something you have

portfolio of products and looks to create a brand new scene in our city. Owner

Boczar’s grandmother founded the company with her husband in 1970. After

back into catering, the team specializes in top-notch business events and

to go out there and get it! This is how Lugo’s new boutique on wheels was born.

Michele Grindheim founded the company with a vision of artfully blending

earning her degree in Business Management, Boczar became a partner with

weddings with delicious food, unique event design, and has a one-of-a-kind

“It allows me to travel to different locations and meet so many different people.

practical and modern-day designs. “Designhus fills a need in the market

her father in the family business in 2006, making it a third-generation, woman-

staff. But the owner of Amelia’s Elegant Catering, Amelia Roncone, offers

I’m not just sitting around waiting for customers, I’m actually going out there and

for a fresh new perspective on commercial interior spaces. We spend so

owned, family business. Boczar and AM-GARD’s corporate management team

much more inspiration to the table, “I started with nothing and with hard work

finding them,” she said. Making Pittsburgh stylish one stop at a time, Broke Little

much of our lives in the workplace. It is so important that those spaces are

have more than 175 years of combined experience in the contract security

and determination, I’ve created a life that I love and deserve. Every woman

Rich Girl offers fashion and convenience at affordable prices.“I’m just a girl who

comfortable, up-to-date and practical both for clients and staff. I incorporate

business. The most challenging part of starting this business according

that I encounter I push to become a better and stronger version of her,”

has a true passion for style and a dream to outfit all women so they can look and

modern furnishings and color schemes with the newest technological features

to Boczar was the security services market’s incredible competition. It’s

Roncone said. When beginning her company, she knew she wanted to provide

feel fabulous without spending a ton of money,” Lugo said. Covering numerous

and sustainable sources to create exciting new spaces.” As for the inspiration

challenging to set your company apart from the competition, but they did

creative job opportunities to women in the energy industry. “I wanted to show

locations combined with a varied inventory makes BLRG a mobile asset for the

behind the brand, her past travel to Norway and Scandinavian perspective has

just that with the customized services, unparalleled experience and products,

other women that with a little creativity and drive you can fill a niche in a male

fashion-savvy woman. “Part of my business model is to showcase local designers

outlined her artistic approach to her Pittsburgh foundation in interior design.

along with great management. They have a team that remains on site to

dominated industry and create a life that you are passionate about.” With that

as much as possible, so I researched and found some awesome women right here

“I lived in Norway for five years, learned the language and studied interior

ensure customer satisfaction and conduct regular evaluations. AM-GARD is

very goal in mind, she founded her catering business along with the nonprofit,

in Pittsburgh who create amazing pieces.” Fit for women between the ages of 18-

design there. My husband is from Norway and I travel there regularly, seeking

one of the largest Women Owned Businesses in Pittsburgh, and it is also

Young Professional Women in Energy, to empower and employ. “We hold

45, the selection includes trendy and classic pieces and the occasional vintage-

out new design talent and trends. I am also a member of the Norwegian Society

privately owned. They are best for providing quality security guard service at

industry sponsored events on a monthly basis to create an environment for

inspired ensemble. The renovated bread truck is filled with women’s clothing and

of Interior Architects. These serve as inspiration for the range of products

a fair price. They work closely with every customer to develop their security

women to network professionally and motivational events to encourage women

accessories complete with a dressing room with hardwood floors. Lugo said, “I

that I select for my designs,” Grindheim said. The selections of products

programs for each of their needs. AM-GARD has also been providing security

to take that next step to better themselves personally and professionally,”

can’t wait for people to walk in and not only find the setting unique, but to also love

include furniture, wallcoverings, artwork, lighting and accessories. Ultimately,

guard service to UPMC Shadyside and US Airways for over 35 years, which is

Roncone said about the nonprofit. From dazzled events to charity functions,

the products that I offer - nothing makes me happier.”

she has an eye for creativity combined with the Pittsburgh values of hard

very rare in this competitive industry. The company has set the standard for

Amelia’s Elegant Catering is energy, inspiration, convenience, and charm all

work, friendliness, and honesty. From upscale renovations and construction

tied into one package.

to minor updating, the exclusive products and visions along with exceptional 69 service differentiate Designhus from other firms in our area.

68 security, and it’s no surprise that its client list continues to grow.

MANIAC guide

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DR. CHERUP

SUSAN MOWRY

GLITTER AND GRIT

JUPE AND PANELLO BOUTIQUE

www.drcherup.com | 701 Boyce Road at Washington Pike

www.drcherup.com | 701 Boyce Road at Washington Pike

www.glitterandgritpgh.com | 5300 Butler Street

2306 E. Carson Street | Pittsburgh, PA 15203

Bridgeville, Pennsylvania 15017 | (412) 220-8181

Bridgeville, Pennsylvania 15017 | (412) 220-8181

Pittsburgh, PA 15201 | (412) 781-2375

(412) 432-7933 | www.jupeboutique.com

When thinking of plastic surgery, we don’t often realize the importance

Susan Mowry, R.N. is an Aesthetician, injector specialist, and laser technician

When shopping for her own wedding, Erin Szymanski knew she didn’t want the

Two bold women combined talents to launch boutiques with stylish and affordable

of feeling confident and beautiful in one’s own skin. To pursue a life with

at Dr. Cherup’s. “One aspect that I enjoy the most about my profession is the

normal gown and veil that every other bride was wearing, “I knew that I didn’t want

merchandise. Cara Moody studied fashion design in Paris, while Amanda Hall worked

strength, you need an acceptance of who you are, in and out. Dr. Lori Cherup

feeling that I get when a patient comes into the office feeling unhappy with

to go through the typical offerings of bridal shops in the area. The big box stores

in advertising in Pittsburgh. They decided to join forced with their shared love of fashion

owns one of the most prestigious surgery centers in Pittsburgh and strives

their appearance, and they leave feeling happy and confident. There is an

give brides little care or attention, and in the smaller boutiques all of the dresses

and business. “We both felt that Pittsburgh was lacking in affordable locally-owned

to make people happy with their appearance and in result, their lives. Self-

immediate gratification with the services I provide that you can’t get anywhere

looked the same.” This is how Pittsburgh’s latest bridal boutique, Glitter & Grit,

boutiques and decided that we could fill that void. Amanda’s marketing background and

confidence is a powerful aspect in fully enjoying life, and this is the mission

else.” She is a registered nurse with degrees from Community College of

was born. With a unique selection of handmade dress designs and accessories for

my degree in fashion design we made for a great team,” Moody said. Hall and Moody

at Dr. Cherup’s office: to boost self love and acceptance. Cherup shows a

Allegheny County and South Hills Beauty Academy, and has 15 years of

Pittsburgh’s boldly engaged, Szymanski founded the boutique to offer an outside-

opened the doors to Jupe Boutique in the South Side of Pittsburgh in 2006. “With the

sincere passion in helping others achieve this goal. “Plastic surgery is probably

experience leading Dr. Cherup’s skin care clinic. “As the industry grew, and

the-box approach to wedding fashion. “I’m focusing on taking the pressure out of

growth and establishment of Jupe in the Pittsburgh retail scene, we expanded to online

one of the most rewarding fields to be in as a doctor because 40 times a

non-surgical procedures such as Botox and dermal fillers (Restylane and

what should be the most fun part of wedding planning, and supporting whatever

sales and then opened a sister store in Lawrenceville, Panello.” Jupe offers a unique,

day you see the results of your efforts to improve someone’s wound, ego,

Juvederm) became more popular, I knew I had to further my education to

traditional and non-traditional visions you have of your wedding day.” Offering

handpicked, yet affordable selection of women’s clothing, shoes, and accessories. “I

physical appearance, and their ability to believe in themselves.” Specializing

execute these new treatments. That was when I decided to go back to school

designers such as Nicole Miller, Elizabeth Dye, Upoppy, Camilla Christine, and

think people like that they can come to our store, find something they love, that won’t

in cosmetic and reconstructive surgery, Cherup’s education, care, and skill

for nursing.” She also continues her Aesthetic education by attending yearly

Whitney Deal, Glitter & Grit carries a selection of inspired pieces for any individual

break the bank, and know that they won’t see the same style all over town,” Moody said.

set asset her company to maximum capabilities. “I’m a surgeon, a counselor,

advanced skin care seminars. Mowry maintains a membership with The

style. “Because of working with committed, conscientious designers, Glitter & Grit

Panello in Lawrenceville, opened in 2011, and has a similar mission but targets the hip

a business owner, and a mom of three,” she said. “I know that I make a

Society of Plastic Surgical Skin Care Specialists, which keeps her active in the

is also able to provide a stunning offering of earth-friendly dresses, made from

up-and-coming neighborhood of Lawrenceville while still offering the same designs and

difference in women’s lives because I can see a vision for a person when

medical aspects of skin care as well as maintaining certifications in various

ethically-sourced, sustainable, and natural materials, created with the eco-chic

prices with different pieces. “I usually order only a few pieces of each style. We also make

sometimes they can’t. I’ve had patients end bad marriages and find new jobs

Dermal Fillers and Botox injections. “I am always striving for more. I realize

bride in mind,” Szymanski said. Whether it is a handmade gown or flawless head

sure to keep different merchandise in the South Side and Lawrenceville locations. If you

all because their vision of themselves has changed so much that they have the

there is always something new to learn about the industry and I like to keep

piece, Glitter & Grit has everything to get you dolled up for your big day. Erin’s eye

love one store, you’ll love them both!” Check out Jupe Boutique’s sister store Panello at

power to improve the rest of their lives.”

my education current on all the new innovations. I think if you apply that sort

for an original piece and drive to extend bridal offerings in Pittsburgh has earned

3703 Butler Street.

of attitude towards your personal goals and dreams, you will go far.”

her a spotlight.

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MANIAC guide

POLLOCK BEGG KOMAR GLASSER & VERTZ LLC CANDICE L. KOMAR 437 Grant Street (Frick Building) Suite 501 | Pittsburgh, PA 15219 (412) 471-9000 | www.pollockbegg.com

THREE RIVERS PAINTBALL AND AIRSOFT 282 Rochester Rd | Freedom, PA 15042 724-775-6232 | www.TRPaintball.com Most people think of Paintball and Airsoft as strictly male activities, but the owner of Three Rivers Paintball and Airsoft, Alexandra Krischke, has broken

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A fashionable powerhouse is giving a new face to law. Candice L. Komar,

that stereotype. Her parents even met through paintball. The family-owned

founding member of Pollock Begg Komar Glasser & Vertz LLC, encourages the

business is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year, earning the rights to

young females she mentors not to assimilate into the corporate culture around

boast that they’re both the largest and longest running paintball facility in

them, but to stand out, take on leadership roles, and voice their opinions.

Western PA. Thirty years ago, paintball was controversial, but Krischke’s

“Do not be afraid to bring your femininity to the table – men have dominated

family had a vision for the sport. The facility now offers a full service catering

politics, government and law far too long,” Komar said. And stand out she

menu for your party and a pro shop, in addition to their 80 acres of outdoor

does. A chic, career-driven, highly successful family law attorney, Komar is

fields for hiding and shooting. They have recently added junior airsoft parties

an accomplished litigator as well as a trailblazer in the region for Collaborative

for ages 5 and up to let kids in on the action safely and mess-free. The

Law. “I feel so privileged to have people seek me out to help them through one

establishment is known for its specialization in private parties of 15 of more,

of the most difficult transitions of their lives. To have the opportunity to affect

including anything from corporate outings, bachelor parties, birthday parties,

someone’s life like that is awesome!” Behind the briefcase, Candice is a lover

and more! Events and corporate outings can be arranged for up to 1,000

of the arts, fashion, and Pittsburgh culture. In one week, you can easily find

people, at their premier paintball facility anything is possible. Three Rivers

her juggling charity events, court litigation and a trip to Ireland, as well as new

even flew a team into Hilton Head a few years ago for the General Managers

client meetings and managerial duties. “Hopefully my diverse interests help

of the Hyatt Hotel chain! They had camouflage clothing and paintball gear

me think of unique ways to express certain concepts and negotiate better on

on the bed in their hotel room the night prior, and an orientation on the bus

behalf of my clients,” she said. Komar’s standout fashion sense and diverse

drive to the playing site. Their mission statement is “Unforgettable Memories

lifestyle coupled with her established career makes her an empowering

are the Most Enduring Trophies of All” and they really follow through on that

example to other women that career-life balance is possible.

statement.

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5849 Ellsworth Ave Pittsburgh, PA 15232 412.362.6198

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