Style Issue 2012

may 8, 2012 - may 21, 2012

www.stuffboston.com

style

four Fantasy MakeoverS | an hgtv star’s stylish home | karmin says hello

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Find Your True Style

The Formula for the Essentials of Life

may 8, 2012 – may 21, 2012

HOTS 6

GET ...this or that 9 ...seen 10 ...close 12 ...cultured 14 ...pretty 15 ...out 16 STYLE 20

FEATURE

making up stories 23 local beauties 34

FEED

23 Recognize this local beauty queen? Probably not. Natalie Pietrzak, the reigning Miss Massachusetts USA, is one of several familiar faces who try out a dramatic new look in “Making Up Stories” on page 23. Photo: Michael Diskin.

Letter from the Editor

People usually think of style as a reflection of someone’s personality.

But I’d suggest that style is often a tool used to create one.

Think about it. If you’re prowling a nightclub for fresh meat on Friday night, you’ll probably pull out the smoky eye shadow <4> 5.8.12

and your tightest, most tantalizing ensemble — all to help you unleash your inner sex bomb. On the other hand, if you’re meeting your future in-laws for Sunday supper, nude lips and a demure dress might help you channel the more respectable parts of your personality (those that remind you not to dance on the dinner table). In either guise, your core being remains unchanged; you’re just making a conscious choice about what aspect of your multi-faceted personality to accentuate. To paraphrase sociologist Erving Goffman (and by paraphrase, I mean put totally less articulate words in his mouth), life is theater, dah-ling. We change our costumes from scene to scene to adapt to the ever-changing parts we play for our audience.

In “Making Up Stories” on

food coma 37 5 courses 38 stuff it 39 liquid 40 RESIDE 42 SEX 43 FLASH 44 Christine pallotta’S STUFF 46

page 23, we take that idea to the nth degree. We asked four local notables to choose a completely different persona to inhabit through hair, makeup, and wardrobe.

Some, like Natalie Pietrzak — our reigning Miss Massachusetts USA — opted to explore new forms selfexpression. (The sweet pageant queen was itching to show a sexy side inspired by beloved ’80s pop icons.) Others took a more ironic approach: take Tiffani Faison, a no-frills chef who traded her kitchen whites for a ruffled collar to embody the “ladies who lunch” set. It was fun to watch them play around with their appearances and tap into different sides of themselves. (Plus, I always appreciate the willingness of our favorite locals to let their hair down — metaphorically speaking — and

have a little fun with us. Thanks, ladies.)

I hope their temporary transformations encourage you to visit a local salon and do something dramatic too. (It’s liberating, and remember: hair grows back, and makeup washes off.) But if you just need the right stuff to keep your current look on track, at least throw out your mass-merchant beauty supplies and check out “Local Beauties” on page 34, where Cheryl Fenton rounds up some of the best Boston-based lines. An occasional makeover is important — whether it’s for what you look at in the mirror or just what you store behind it.

Scott Kearnan Editorial Director @TheWriteStuffSK

Editorial Director: Scott Kearnan Senior Managing Editor: Jacqueline Houton Design Manager: Janice Checchio Staff Writer: Miles Howard Food Editor-at-Large: Louisa Kasdon Contributing Writers: Kara Baskin, Marissa Berenson, Renata CertoWare, Cheryl Fenton, Jeannie Greeley, Meghan Kavanaugh, Heather Bouzan McHugh, MC Slim JB, Luke O’Neil, Erin Souza Contributing Photographers: Natalia Boltukhova, Lara Callahan, Kelly Davidson, Michael Diskin, Kim Gray, Tim Gray, Eric Levin, Melissa Ostrow, Chris Padgett, Joel Veak Party Photographers: Derek Kouyoumjian, Erica Magliaro, Natasha Moustache, Michael Young Intern: Emanuelle Honnorat Vice President, Sales and Business Development: David Garland Vice President, Print Media Sales: Marc Shepard General Sales Manager: Sean Weymouth Senior Account Executive: Luba Gorelik Account Executives: Nathaniel Andrews, Chris Gibbs, Laura Rodriguez Advertising Operations Manager: Kevin Lawrence Traffic Coordinators: Jonathan Caruso, Colleen McCarthy Director of Marketing and Promotions: Brian Appel Interactive Marketing Manager: Lindsey Mathison Director of Creative Operations: Travis Ritch Advertising Arts Manager: Angelina Berardi Production Artist: Kelly Wight Online Content Coordinator: Maddy Myers Senior Web Developer: Gavin Storey Director of Finance: Scotty Cole Circulation Director: Jim Dorgan Circulation Manager: Michael Johnson STUFF Magazine is published by the Phoenix Media/ Communications Group Chairman and Publisher: Stephen M. Mindich President: Bradley M. Mindich Senior Vice President: A. William Risteen Vice President, Integrated Media Sales: Everett Finkelstein Vice President, Integrated Media Sales: Joe Charves Director, Interactive Media Sales: Brian Russell Senior Account Executives of Integrated Media Sales: Margo Dowlearn For advertising rates, call 617.425.2660. For editorial inquiries, call 617.536.5390.

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5.8.12 <5>

READ HOT

Time to clear space on the bookshelf — or at least the kitchen counter. This month sees the release of two food-focused books with local ties. On May 7, check out The Boston Homegrown Cookbook, featuring recipes from 28 Boston-area chefs who prioritize locally grown ingredients. Expect how-tos for favorite dishes from restaurants like Lumière and Rialto, plus a behind-the-scenes look at how such spots work with local growers like Brookline’s Allandale Farms. While it’s also peppered with recipes, Alyssa Shelasky’s Apron Anxiety: My Messy Affairs In and Out of the Kitchen is less of a cookbook and more of a memoir. Shelasky, an editor at New York’s Grub Street and native of Longmeadow, Massachusetts, chronicles her romantic relationship with a TV chef and her quest to learn to cook to fit in with his foodie friends. (Her tryst with the chef eventually ended, but her love affair with cooking lives on.) The funny, tender tome hits shelves on May 22, and Shelasky will hit French Connection (206 Newbury Street, Boston, 617.247.1301) for a launch party on Thursday, May 31, from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.

h o t HAHA HOT

There are two things we learned from those Real Housewives of South Boston videos. One, Jackie’s Packie is located on Route 34. Two, Boston provides plenty of fodder for local-color comedy. And here’s the latest viral video to start blowing up Facebook feeds: Massholes, a weekly web series that premiered on YouTube on April 29. Los Angeles transplants and drinking buddies Patrick Quinn and Jimmy Ruggiero came up with the concept while pining for their Hub hometown.

In January, they uploaded “Shit Boston Guys Say” to YouTube, giving the then–meme du jour a wicked pissa twist. Now with Massholes, Quinn and Ruggiero have created a narrative series about friends from Boston who try to take on Hollywood — with hilarious results. They also star alongside a cast that includes Kenny Wormald, the locally raised actor and dancer who played the lead in the recent remake of Footloose.

(He’s also “funny as fuck,” says Quinn.) Expect Massholes to have mass appeal.

I’D LIKE TO THANK GOD FOR THIS HOT

Local theater leaders are readying their acceptance speeches for the 30th annual Elliot Norton Awards, which will be presented at the Paramount Mainstage (559 Washington Street, Boston, 617.824.8000) at 7 p.m. on Monday, May 21. They’re the Hub’s version of the Tony Awards, honoring the best in Boston’s theater scene. And this year’s nominees are a diverse bunch.

There’s Green Eyes, the smoldering, two-actor Tennessee Williams play that Company One staged inside an Ames hotel suite. There’s the eccentric Gold Dust Orphans troupe’s Peter Pansy, a sassy, subversive spoof. And there’s the American Repertory Theater’s production of The Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess, which, ironically enough, drew a scathing rebuke from theater legend Stephen Sondheim in the New York Times. (He wasn’t a fan of its updates to the original material, though his ire may have only helped the production build bigger buzz.) To find out the winners, ante up $30 for a ticket to the ceremony and after-party at aestages.org, or keep an eye on nortonawardsboston.com.

Kenny Wormald

HOT ON THE HILL

With its quaint brownstones (filled with blue-blooded Brahmins), Beacon Hill has a quintessentially New England look. But it’s receiving an internationally inspired makeover from VIRA (107 Charles Street, Boston, 617.367.0305), which opened in late April.

Founded by two well-traveled Fashion Institute of Technology grads, the boutique aims to feature talented designers culled from all corners of the globe, including Australia, Romania, and Singapore.

We’re especially excited for Bodice, a label from rising Indian designer Ruchika Sachdeva, who combines feminine elegance with menswearinspired tailoring and vaguely sci-fi flourishes. Besides importing an assortment of foreign fashions, VIRA will also produce its own line of apparel influenced by the New England seasons, adding a little local flavor to the melting pot. Our appetites are whetted. <6> 5.8.12

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Beauty and brains aren’t always bedfellows. (Several seasons spent staring at the vacuous cat-fighters on The Bachelor have taught us that much.) So we love that fragrance designer Geza Schoen has found a way to enhance our white-hot sex appeal while celebrating gray matter. Check out Intelligence & Fantasy ($215), the first installment of his latest fragrance series, The Beautiful Mind, and a recent arrival at Stil Studio (740 Legacy Place, Dedham, 781.407.9642). Schoen first made his name in the biz with his minimalist triumph, Escentric Molecules, a series featuring “anti-fragrances” based on a single ingredient. Now he’s nodding to singular intellects: each release in the Beautiful Mind series will honor an individual with a special intellectual skill, offering a reminder that “a smart woman is a sexy woman.” The inspiration for Intelligence & Fantasy was Christiane Stenger, a prodigy who became the youngest Grand Master of Memory at age 12 by completing tasks like memorizing 1,000 random digits in an hour (oh, is that all?). So Schoen designed the scent as an ode to summer memories, combining notes of tropical flowers, luscious woods, and musk. Smart idea.

or that...

Okay, now that we’ve acknowledged that beauty is more than skin-deep, let’s get back to that lovely outer layer of ours, shall we? While we love Schoen’s series of brainiac-inspired fragrances, we’re equally enamored with the Icon of Beauty lipstick collection created by Julie Hewett, an Emmy-nominated Hollywood makeup artist with 20 years of experience working on blockbusters. Each hue channels a different red-carpet-worthy star: there’s Scarlett (that’s for Johansson), Thandie (as in Newton), and Annette (Bening, if you’re curious). Hewett designed the shades on set specifically for the stars; then she started packaging them for mass consumption. Available at The Beauty Mark (33 Charles Street, Boston, 617.720.1555), the lipsticks ($23 each) are made with the essence of rosebud and camellia oil to keep lips fresh and camera-ready. Because who knows? With kissable lips like those, you might be mistaken for Angelina.

— Meghan Kavanaugh 5.8.12 <9>

GETSEEN …at W Boston for Gilt City’s By Invitation Only Book Launch Party

Alexis Maybank, cofounder of Gilt Groupe Alexis took time out from meeting Gilt fans and doling out business advice to talk about her classically feminine style. She wore a Valentino jacket from Gilt, a dress from Milan, and current-season Chloé heels.

Traveling the cities where Gilt City has a presence, Alexis finds a commonality: an interest in fashion and design. “I love the places that dress up. [I love] Boston’s undertone of preppiness. There’s something healthy about the fashion here.”

She believes in buying pieces you’ll love forever and keeping your closet stocked with the staples: great pencil skirts and nude pumps.

“Nothing makes you stand up taller than power heels.”

STUFFY:

Haley McCraven, business-development Cosima Cabral, occupational coordinator at Goodwin Procter therapist at St. Anne’s Hospital Haley tempered her trendy red jeans with classic tweed, pairing Abercrombie & Fitch pants with a Banana Republic top, an H&M jacket, Ann Taylor heels, vintage earrings, and a bag from a market in Florence.

She describes her wardrobe as very East Coast–influenced and filled with pieces that can take her from her lawoffice job to fashion-related events.

This aspiring business-school student attended the launch to get advice on breaking into the fashion industry from Gilt’s founders. “It made my day!”

The frequent Gilt shopper’s favorite score from the site? She names a coffee-table book, A Privileged Life.

“It documents old Boston style; I look through it almost every day.”

She embraced the spring weather in a floral-print dress from Express, a Forever 21 belt, wedges from Aldo, and a bracelet by Razimus Jewelry.

We gushed over Cosima’s chunky cuff, a piece handmade for her by Saratoga-based brand Razimus Jewelry. The fabric-and-bead combination added a tough edge to her otherwise sweet ensemble.

Her off-the-clock look is filled with pieces from Express and Bebe — a serious departure from the scrubs she wears to work.

If her look were a book, it would be called 2700 Dresses. We take it she’s a bit of a girly girl.

Massiel Deandrade, collector at Boston City Hall Massiel managed to make neutrals pop with a Carven dress, a thrifted clutch, and Donna Karan heels.

She leaves all sartorial decisions up to her stylist, a longtime friend who accompanied her to the party and joined in the style discussion.

“I’m influenced by high fashion and frequent consignment shops or Gilt to buy statement pieces at a fraction of the cost,” he said.

Massiel’s favorite secondhand find is a toss-up between a Fendi watch from Buffalo Exchange in Somerville and Acne boots she scored on eBay.

Weave It to the Pros

For a moment, we thought Britney Spears hit her low point with that head-shaving, umbrellawielding incident. Then she showed up at the Video Music Awards writhing in a too-tiny top and rocking hair extensions that made it look like she had just rolled in road kill. Ouch: lower point.

(Well, her psychiatrist might not agree. But her esthetician was screaming “Code Blue!”) The moral of the story is, if you’re going to go the hair-extension route, do it right — or don’t do it at all. Luckily, we’ve discovered the latest in tress technology at Megan Graham Beauty (115 Newbury Street, Suite 401, Boston, 401.236.8100), which has a process (and price tag) fit for a pop star. Graham has expanded her menu of services to include Hairdreams 7 Star extensions, which are bonded to hair using — ready for this? — lasers. Made with carefully color-matched human hair, the extensions are processed only once and attached with tiny micro-polymer bonds for a totally natural look. The service isn’t cheap (prices start at $500), but since the high-tech Laserbeamer system can apply eight extensions at once, adding length to your locks takes half the time. Consider it a small price to pay for keeping your head looking great on the outside. The inside? That’s up to you, Brit. Now put down the umbrella — we’ve talked about this.

— Meghan Kavanaugh

<10> 5.8.12

GET SEEN PHOTOS BY melissa ostrow; text by erin souza

GETclose …with Karmin Thank you, YouTube. Somewhere between the funny cat videos and “Shit [insert adjective here] People Say” clips, you introduced us to something that has actually managed to maintain our attention — namely, the pop duo Karmin.

Amy Heidemann and Nick Noonan, ’08 Berklee College of Music grads and an engaged couple (aww!), first made a name for themselves by posting clever cover versions of Top 40 songs by everyone from Lil Wayne to LMFAO. Fast-forward 200 million views later: they’ve been signed by legendary label mogul and The X Factor judge L.A. Reid and scored their own Top 40 hit, “Brokenhearted.” Their debut album, Hello, drops on May 8. And on May 19, they’ll share a stage with Adam Lambert, Enrique Iglesias, and others at the Kiss Concert 2012 at the Comcast Center in Mansfield.

And not to dote, but the duo are kind of adorable. Yes, that’s in part thanks to their cool sense of vintage-inspired style. (We especially love Amy’s Bettie Page vibe and “suicide roll” hairstyle.) But that’s also because their ability to survive a fast rise in the music biz — while keeping their relationship intact — makes our hearts sing.

You two shot to success pretty quick. What have been the highlights so far?

NICK: I’d say there have been three really huge things. One, we had a sit-down meeting with Kanye West; he wanted to sign us to [his label] G.O.O.D. Music. . . . Two, when we performed at the iHeartRadio Music Festival. Both nights were just totally unreal. You look around and you’re like, “I’m hanging out with Chris Martin!” And three, when we got to perform on SNL. Is it weird to see fans imitating your style?

AMY: It’s so, so flattering. We do meet-andgreets, and the biggest fans dress like we do.

They go to thrift stores and find quirky outfits.

We’re actually working on making a suicide roll that’s a clip-on. You just clip it in your hair!

How does it feel to have the public so invested in your actual relationship?

NICK: It’s actually really cool. It’s been a long time since there has been something like this.

Everything has been really sort of over-sexualized in the music scene. But our generation is the largest since the baby boomers. All my best buddies are getting married and having kids now.

We’re representing that.

Has it been hard balancing your relationship with work?

AMY: It’s definitely been a challenge. We don’t want to tell people it’s all perfect all the time!

We’ve had situations that have challenged us, but ultimately they’ve helped us grow together. As corny as that sounds, hold on — it gets cornier!

We actually have a song about it called “Coming Up Strong.” It’s a ballad that Nick sings, one of my favorite songs on the album.

NICK: I think it speaks to relationships in general — just talking about getting through those tough times.

Since you blew up online, have you <12> 5.8.12

considered continuing with some kind of reality show?

NICK: It’s funny you say that. We’ve been having cameras follow us around ever since the second day. We’ve documented all the stuff we do, the meetings — we have all that stuff on camera.

There’s talk of making a really raw, behind-thescenes Karmin documentary.

AMY: We’ve had a couple of meetings in regard to it, but decided we needed to wait a little while.

The idea for it is just so broad right now.

So you’re still engaged — when’s the wedding?

AMY: [Laughs] Well . . . we had a date set: 9/10/11. Now, I was a wedding singer in Boston

for seven years. I was ready to have this supersmall, not-a-big-deal wedding, because I’d seen all the craziness. We had a week off to get married, and that was when L.A. Reid was like, “Do you want to shoot your first music video and perform for millions of people?” This was a real question. [Laughs] So we were like, wow, we might want to think about postponing it, rather than put all this pressure on a new marriage. So we’re currently waiting for a week off. But our moms call us every day, asking.

Will cameras be allowed at the wedding?

NICK: We joked about Ustreaming it to the fans.

You never know!

— Scott Kearnan

GETCULTURED Rolling Along

Toys R Us

We’re pretty sure our parents can still remember our first toy piano — and the headache-inducing compositions it yielded. Admittedly, we might have relied a bit too heavily on the barnyard-animal sound effects. But for more gifted souls using more legitimate models (as in, not the kind made by Mattel), toy pianos can actually produce big, bold musical achievements. (A roster of users includes French composer Yann Tiersen and Sigur Rós front man Jónsi Birgisson.) And to celebrate the instrument’s outsized power, a hefty lineup of local composers will join forces for this month’s Toy Piano Mini Fest, organized and hosted by Central Square experimental-art collective Mobius (55 Norfolk Street, Cambridge, 617.945.9481).

The lineup suggests how a joint bill from Symphony Hall and the Paradise might read. Night one will feature Boston composer Matthew <14> 5.8.12

McConnell’s classically seasoned Trio for Toy Piano, Viola, and Cello, preceded by internationally renowned pianist Keith Kirchoff’s electronically manipulated, Aphex Twin–esque maelstrom OverDrive for toy piano, live electronics, and fixed media. (Both pieces share the same instrument of origin, but otherwise belong in totally different sonic nebulas.) The rest of the fest is full of equally intriguing gems, like Matt Samolis’s ghostly, chimefilled Dragon 4710. But we suspect the event highlight will be the climactic and collaborative Music for Amplified Toy Piano(s), featuring music by famed avant-garde composer John Cage reinterpreted by a dozen pianists of varied genres.

The Toy Piano Mini Fest runs Friday, May 11, through Sunday, May 13, with 8 p.m. performances on Friday and Saturday and a 4 p.m. finale on Sunday. Admission is free, though donations are welcome. Check out the full lineup at mobius.org.

Great movies don’t necessarily make great musicals.

Exhibit A: Spider-Man, which earned cheers on the big screen but jeers as Broadway’s actor-fracturing Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark. Since the quality of the source material is evidently not predictive, what about those bottom-of-the-barrel flicks you find next to discounted food products at Walmart? Is there a place on a Broadway stage for Bulletproof with Gary Busey?

Probably not, but history — and the theater world — has been far kinder to 1980’s Xanadu. The cinematic stink bomb was so awful, it inspired the creation of the Golden Raspberry awards, now an annual nod to the worst of the worst. But the Razzie winner was resurrected to surprising glory in 2007 by playwright Douglas Carter Beane, and now the Tony-nominated musical is coming to the BCA’s Calderwood Pavilion (527 Tremont Street, Boston, 617.426.5000) for a month-long engagement.

Like the awesomely kitschy love child of Solid Gold and The Iliad, Xanadu marries Greek mythology with the same colorful roller-disco culture memorialized in Boogie Nights (minus the cocaine addiction).

Beane’s reworking places us in Los Angeles’s Venice Beach neighborhood, circa 1980. A fateful meeting between suicidal street artist Sonny and a Greek muse named Clio — disguised as an Australian-accented roller hottie named Kira (played by Grease girl Olivia Newton-John in the flick) — leads to the duo opening a roller disco and enjoying a passionate love affair. But when Clio incurs the wrath of her divine sisters, the stage is set for a climactic Mount Olympus battle with the big guy himself: Zeus.

Xanadu made its 2007 stage debut at New York City’s Helen Hayes Theatre and has since been performed everywhere from Seoul, Korea, to the boardwalk of Jersey’s Asbury Park, pulling in more cult fans with each run. Featuring an infectious ’80s-disco score and lyrics from Electric Light Orchestra’s Jeff Lynne and Aussie producer John Farrar, the show is a visceral valentine to the era of neon leg warmers.

You can catch the Boston production from SpeakEasy Stage Company from May 11 through June 9. Grab tickets ($25–$57) at bostontheatrescene.com.

— Miles Howard

— M.H. top photo by Glenn Perry Photography

GETpretty

Great Import

Sassoon Salon welcomes a new creative director from the UK Boston has a tight-knit salon community. Trace back the professional family trees, and it seems like everyone’s worked the floor at James Joseph, studied under Mario Russo, come up under Marc Harris’s tutelage, and maybe done a stint with Sandy Poirier at Shag.

So when we heard about a true newcomer to the Boston scene, we had to pick his brain for a totally fresh perspective. Meet Cole Thompson, the recently appointed creative director who’s coming to Boston’s Sassoon Salon (399 Boylston Street, Boston, 617.536.5496) by way of Liverpool, England.

Armed with tons of talent (and a sexy British accent), he takes the reins and picks up his shears in mid-May. We

grabbed the new head guy for a tête-à-tête.

What are your first impressions of Boston?

The thing that struck me straightaway — in terms of fashion, architecture, and the feel of the city — was the sophistication. It’s a very, very sophisticated place, with the way that people carry themselves and art and walking around the city. I think it’s absolutely stunning. The other thing that I like is the diversity, in terms of it being a big “school” city. It has the youth culture — with different fashion trends, hairstyles — as well as that sophistication.

What are you most looking forward to experiencing here in Boston?

Architecturally, and also being one of the older cities in the

US, it’s got a lot of history, which I love. I’m really big on architecture; I love the buildings there [in Boston].

Also, I’d love to go and check out a Boston Celtics game. . . . In terms of work, I’m really looking forward to building a clientele and meeting new clients there.

What current UK trends might you bring to Boston?

Vintage wear seems to be huge at the moment, sort of ’50s-inspired looks. The hair has a little bit more movement in terms of working with more curl or more layering. In terms of guys, a lot of side-parting requests. It seems to be quintessentially English at the moment: the Olympics are coming up, which is a huge thing here, and also the Queen’s Jubilee, which is 60 years that she’s been in power. So this year, everybody seems to be quite patriotic and going for the quintessentially English look. We’ve actually just released a collection that’s been heavily inspired by the Olympics. With Sassoon’s home really being in London, we thought it’d be a great way to celebrate that. The collection’s called Athletica; it’s much more of a wearable, sporty way of looking at hair design.

What will you miss most about home? Friends and family, more than anything else. Family’s a really important thing for me. . . .

And, I mean, I am gonna miss English tea. I drink a lot of tea, so I think I’ll miss that and the way we do it here.

Where do you see yourself five years down the road?

Hopefully having a very successful salon in Boston, a successful clientele — having a good relationship with my clients there, doing great work. I’m looking forward to really getting into the city.

And also, with the US, I love the idea of seeing more of the US, teaching and passing on my knowledge from what I’ve learned here.

— Heather Bouzan McHugh

Smart Balm

Stowe, Vermont–based brand Ursa Major has emerged as a shining star in the world of men’s skincare. That’s in no small part due to its commitment to creating all-natural, largely organic alternatives to the chemicalladen stuff pervading drugstore aisles. And the latest entry to its grooming arsenal is the just-launched Fortifying Face Balm ($36), a lightweight balm that calms, nourishes, protects, and moisturizes skin. It’s great for soothing sunburned skin (aloe and witch hazel help), and it fights ingrown hairs and razor burn post-shave. Plus, it smells great, thanks to essential oils of birch, spearmint, and lime.

Find it at Sault New England (577 Tremont Street, Boston, 857.239.9434) or the new Back Bay outpost of men’s favorite Ball & Buck (144B Newbury Street, Boston, 617.742.1776).

— H.B.M.

5.8.12 <15>

GETOUT FRIDAY, MAY 11 We love musicians who bleed for their craft, but the members of Neon Indian take the idea literally: they’re one of a handful of acts who agreed to have drops of their DNA incorporated into special editions of the latest Flaming Lips album. Luckily, this Texas-based band puts the same passion into their own music — chill electronic sounds in the spirit of MGMT and Passion Pit. Tonight at 9 p.m., WFNX brings them to the Paradise Rock Club (967 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston, 617.562.8800), where they’ll perform songs from their latest album, Era Extraña. (We die for “Polish Girl.”) Grab tickets ($20) at ticketmaster.com.

SATURDAY, MAY 12

THURSDAY, MAY 10 Some of us have trouble appreciating the whole dubstep phenomenon. (Sorry, but we grew up thinking the sound of a CD skipping was a bad noise.) Yet Rusko may convert even the most resistant holdouts. Now touring to support his new album, Songs, the British DJ and producer drops high-energy, often-reggae-influenced beats that aren’t only infectious to electronic-music enthusiasts.

Guess we caught the bug, so we’ll whomp-whomp to “Woo Boost” when he hits the stage at House of Blues (15 Lansdowne Street, Boston, 888.693.2583) with Sigma. Doors open at 7 p.m., and tickets are $25–$35 at livenation.com.

TUESDAY, MAY 8

WEDNESDAY, MAY 9

We mostly remember the 1980s as a golden age of synthesizer solos, but the era also popularized competitive dramas like The Karate Kid, Flashdance, and the USSRbound Rocky IV. So we weren’t shocked when Forum (755 Boylston Street, Boston, 857.991.1831) announced a new addition to its monthly ’80s-music series, Throwback Tuesdays. Starting this month, the event will feature a spirited showdown between beverage director Michael Ray and a visiting Boston-area bartender.

Each will be challenged to create a cocktail using a designated brand of luxury liquor, and their resulting concoctions will be served as $5 specials. Even Ralph Macchio can’t beat that. The party starts at 6 p.m., and there’s no cover.

Though our social calendars are generally full, we’ll always open up space to support a new nonprofit. So pencil us in for tonight’s launch party for Open HeARTS, Inc. Helmed by Bryan Finocchio, founder of the breast-cancer-battling Catwalk for a Cure series, OH is an event-planning organization that aims to help artists and creative professionals develop through theatrical productions, fashion shows, charity fundraisers, and other happenings. Learn more at W Boston (100 Stuart Street, Boston, 617.261.8700) from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m.

Guests can drink, dance, nosh, preview Catwalk’s June show, and meet and greet with the OH board. Tickets ($20) are available at openheartslaunch.eventbrite.com.

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We would’ve killed to be a Bayside Tiger. One swift right hook to Kelly Kapowski’s feathered-banged face, and we’d have had Zack Morris (and that swoon-worthy wink of his) all to ourselves. Sadly, even our finest flannel can’t drop us Doc Martens first into a beloved ’90s show like Saved by the Bell — but we can still celebrate in nostalgic style at the Middle East Upstairs (472 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, 617.864.3278).

Tonight at 8 p.m., a Saved by the ’90s party will have cover band the Bayside Tigers helping us dance down memory lane. Get tickets ($10) at ticketweb.com.

SUNDAY, MAY 13 Sailors on shore leave vying for a girl’s attention via a dance-off?

This is not the kind of Seaport bar fight we’re used to. But the premise certainly makes for

beth orton

arresting visuals in Fancy Free, the headlining performance in Boston Ballet’s current show at the Boston Opera House (539 Washington Street, Boston, 617.259.3400). West Side Story choreographer Jerome Robbins’s first ballet, Fancy Free, is paired with Peter Martins’s Barber Violin Concerto and Harald Lander’s Études for a perfect seasonclosing program, which runs from May 10 through May 20. For tickets ($30–$137) for today’s 1 p.m. show and the full schedule of performances, visit bostonballet.org.

MONDAY, MAY 14 Everyone knows that acoustic guitars and analog synthesizers hail from separate sonic turf. But that hasn’t stopped Beth Orton from musically marrying the two on entrancing numbers like “Touch Me with Your Love” and “She Cries Your Name.” Celebrated for her soulful folktronica sound, the British singer-songwriter has collaborated with big names like the Chemical Brothers and Grammy-winning producer William Orbit. But we’re looking forward to seeing her solo at a 9 p.m. show at Brighton Music Hall (158 Brighton Avenue, Allston, 617.779.0140), where she’ll share some old favorites and new material from her forthcoming album. Get tickets ($27.50) at ticketmaster.com.

TUESDAY, MAY 15 If “attending a mime show” ranks alongside “alphabetizing the spice rack” on your list of favorite evening activities, listen up.

Tonight’s act at OBERON (2 Arrow continued on p18

GETOUT continued FROM p16

Street, Cambridge, 617.496.8004) is totally unlike those sidewalk buskers pounding on imaginary boxes at Faneuil Hall. The Tuftsbased HYPE! Mime Troupe augments its shows with pounding music, flashy lights, and plenty of humor. They make a convincing case for the medium — without saying a word. Grab tickets ($8–$12) for the 8 p.m. show at cluboberon.com.

THURSDAY, MAY 17

WEDNESDAY, MAY 16 Comeback tours rarely live up to their hype. (We know. We once hoofed it to Long Island to see middle-aged Spice Women squeezed into sequined Spanx.) But Chickenfoot bucks the trend, maybe because its members rocked in different bands before uniting as a single super-group. The lineup features former Van Halen vocalist Sammy Hagar and bassist Michael Anthony, Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer Chad Smith, and guitarist Joe Satriani, who has toured with superstars like Mick Jagger. Hear their forces combine during tonight’s 7:30 p.m. show at the Orpheum Theatre (1 Hamilton Place, Boston, 617.482.0106). Find tickets ($38–$58) at ticketmaster.com.

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In the musical Cupcake, a summer resort town’s beloved baker is targeted by a cranky cop who’s cracking down on unpermitted street vendors. So the citizens of Summertown, including a hunky lifeguard and a sexy librarian, unite to save his confections, bursting into songs that are by turns silly, sweet, and sentimental.

Sounds like a perfect treat before a Memorial Day weekend trip to P-Town. Premiered this month at Club Café (209 Columbus Avenue, Boston, 617.536.0966), the Bostonborn show plays at 8 p.m. on

Thursday through Saturday and at 2 p.m. on select Sundays through June 24. For tickets ($25–$35), visit clubcafe.com.

FRIDAY, MAY 18 Idioms aside, we danced with the devil once. Well, the nightclub was dark — but such hellish tonsil hockey could only come from a forked tongue. Still, we won’t be dissuaded from the badass booze cruise One Hell of Boat. It features house music by Boston DJ Bamboora and the Devil from Acapulco, known for presiding over the neon-splattered Dayglow, aka “the world’s largest paint party.” But tonight he’ll command a three-hour floating party of pumping jams and pretty people aboard the Provincetown II. It boards at 6 p.m. and departs at 7 p.m. from 200 Seaport Boulevard in Boston. Reserve tickets ($30) at hellofaboat.eventbrite.com.

SATURDAY, MAY 19 You may remember her as Bon Qui Qui, that sassy King Burger employee who dismisses her fast-

GETOUT anjel ah johnson

food customers with a trademark “Excuse me… rude!” Or maybe you’re more familiar with Tammy, the patron saint of strip-mall nail salons. But we’re looking forward to meeting the real Anjelah Johnson — as well as her myriad alter egos — when she brings her stand-up act to the Wilbur Theatre (246 Tremont Street, Boston, 617.248.9700). The former NFL cheerleader, MADtv alum, and viral-video phenom takes the stage at 7 p.m. Find tickets ($25) at ticketmaster.com.

SUNDAY, MAY 20 Local fringe-theater all-stars Ryan Landry and the Gold Dust Orphans have made quite a name for themselves over the years with glittery, gut-splitting parodies like A T Stop Named Denial and Phantom of the Oprah. But all artists have their Everest, and for the Orphans, that unrealized endeavor has long been their adults-only take on Mary Poppins, Mary Poppers.

Two decades in the making, the bawdy musical is finally getting its moment in the sun with a 16-show

run at Machine (1254 Boylston Street, Boston, 617.536.1950).

Tonight’s 5 p.m. show is the closing performance, so grab tickets ($35–$45) at brownpapertickets.com.

MONDAY, MAY 21 With beach season nearly upon us, it seems like everyone is immersed in workouts of the “boot camp” style. But if we wanted someone to scream at us about being out of shape, we’d just drink a bottle of wine and stare in a mirror. Now Cupcake Camp?

That’s more our speed. From 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., the Center for Arts at the Armory (191 Highland Avenue, Somerville, 617.718.2191) will host cupcake lovers and professional and amateur bakers alike for a community confectionappreciation night. Tickets are $5–$25 at cupcakecampboston .com, and proceeds will benefit the food-rescue nonprofit Lovin’ Spoonfuls. How sweet.

— Miles Howard and Meghan Kavanaugh

For more event picks, sign up for our email list at stuffboston.com/subscribe.

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tyle Stepping Out

Wooden shoes have been around since the Roman Empire, but we found some styles that are anything but antiquated. These wood- and cork-heeled kicks soar to daring new heights with stacked heels, buttery leather, and fresh details that will knock your socks off. No, literally: with summer on the way, we focused on open-toed options that’ll let your tootsies graze the warm grass. Tree huggers and fashion plates, unite! And treat your stems to a pair.

— Renata Certo-Ware

Top to bottom:

Gentle Souls “Spano” heel, $210 at The Tannery (711 Boylston Street, Boston, 617.267.5500); MJUS open-toed bootie, $210 at Cuoio (128 Newbury Street, Boston, 617.859.0636); MIA braided quarter-strap heel, $79 at Urban Outfitters (361 Newbury Street, Boston, 617.236.0088); Nanette Lepore “Love Bug” heel, $398 at Nanette Lepore (119 Newbury Street, Boston, 617.421.9200); Chloé T-strap sandal, $355 at Moxie (51 Charles Street, Boston, 617.557.9991)

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Photo by Danny Kim of Visceral Photography

On the Freedom Trail In Boston’s Historic North End 135 Richmond Street, Boston, MA 02109 | 617.723.MARE | www.marenatural.com

Featuring New International Clothing Lines

Oyster Bar “It usually takes 10 years or more to create a great restaurant. I’m proud we accomplished it in 3.”

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Frank DePasquale

Restaurateur

High End Consignment Clothing & Accessories

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118 NEWBURY STREET, 2FL BOSTON, MA 02116 617.262.8118 WWW.SALONEVAMICHELLE.COM

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Cambridge Open Studios Cambridge Arts Council

& SPA Voted Boston’s Best for Hair Extensions!

AT SALON MONET, enhancing your beauty is our #1 goal. We specialize in full hair services and makeovers, showing you before actually changing your look.

Salon Monet has wide range of styles from the runways of Paris to the trendy streets of Boston and New York, from West Coast to East Coast.

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Making Up Stories Familiar local faces try new styles on for size Words: Scott Kearnan Photos: Michael Diskin Wardrobe Styling: Renata Certo-Ware 5.8.12 <23>

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The Silver-Screen Queen Jenny Johnson

Producer and Co-Host of TV Diner on NECN Hair: Marisa Camarra of G2O Spa + Salon (278 Newbury Street, Boston, 617.262.2220) Makeup: Brian Brady of G2O Spa + Salon Wardrobe: Chances R gown, $1,200, available through Christina K. Pierce Showroom (115 Newbury Street, Boston, 617.369.1924); pavĂŠ disco-ball earrings, $28, available at LIT (223 Newbury Street, Boston, 617.421.8637) <24> 5.8.12

Her standard style: As a TV personality, Johnson can only do so much when it comes to playing with her sense of style. Viewers gravitate toward a familiar face, so even small tweaks involve a lot of thought.

(For instance, while Johnson’s eyeglasses have become something of a signature, she’s started wearing them less to allow more expressiveness and prevent any “disconnect” from viewers. Holy audience analysis, Batman!) So while she may glitz it up for event appearances, Johnson hews to a relatively conservative, down-to-earth look from day to day.

Besides, when she finally has time off, she’d rather go low-key and lowmaintenance, kicking back in sweatpants with minimal makeup.

Her makeover inspiration: When she’s getting her grub on during TV Diner or interviewing serious movers and shakers on Comcast Newsmakers, Johnson doesn’t have the opportunity to indulge her high-glam side. But for her makeover at G2O, she sought inspiration from screen queens of Hollywood’s golden age. She’s a longtime lover of iconic beauties like Marilyn Monroe and Greta Garbo; some of her fondest childhood memories are of watching classic films with her beloved grandmother. And right now, Johnson is even making wall hangings for her home using the starlet-filled covers of vintage LIFE magazine issues. It’s important to be relatable when you work on the

small screen, but this was a chance to channel the style of larger-thanlife stars.

The process: Right now, ’50s-inspired styles are still very much in vogue: look at current starlets like Adele. To achieve bouncy blond locks that would make Marilyn proud, Camarra used Kérastase hair products, including Volumactive mousse and Ciment Thermique, a leave-in conditioner she hit with heat to give the curls a stronger set. (If you have trouble pumping up your volume at home, she recommends Oribe Crème for Style.) For makeup, Brady swears by the brand BeingTRUE. To put a modern spin on old-time glamour, he applied a dewy (rather than matte) foundation. False lashes add extra eye-batting appeal. (Tip: apply eyeliner to the inside of the lower lid to make lashes look fuller.)

PS: Want your own head-to-toe makeover? You’re in luck. In honor of this college-crammed city’s graduation season, G2O is offering The Graduate ($234) through June 30. The package includes a classic manicure, a classic pedicure, a haircut with one-process color, and a makeup lesson with take-home product. And for another lesson in style, mark your calendar for June 20, when G2O will host a summer fashion show featuring trends from Crush Boutique.

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The lady who lunches Tiffani faison

chef-owner of sweet cheeks Hair: Darren Le of Mizu (776 Boylston Street, Boston, 617.585.6498) Makeup: Michelle McGrath of Team Wardrobe: Tory Burch â&#x20AC;&#x153;Marionâ&#x20AC;? jacket, $525, and Lafayette 148 New York ruffle blouse, $278, both available at Saks Fifth Avenue (800 Boylston Street, Boston, 617.262.8500); necklace, $55, available at LIT (223 Newbury Street, Boston, 617.421.8637); Sophie Hughes freshwater pearl and oxidized silver ring, $220, available at Sophie Hughes Jewelry (450 Harrison Avenue, Studio 312, Boston, 207.590.3229) <26> 5.8.12

Her standard style: How does the Top Chef alum describe her style?

“Perfunctory,” laughs Faison. “That’s how I’d describe my style — or lack thereof!” High-maintenance hair and makeup aren’t exactly practical for the chef, who works round the clock to run her barbecue restaurant, Sweet Cheeks. (And in the heat of Sox season, the Fenway-area spot and its newly opened patio are especially bustling.)

Sometimes, there’s just no time or desire to do much more than pull her hair back. But you don’t need a style squad to make killer brisket and biscuits — and at the end of the day, she works to win palates, not pageants.

Her makeover inspiration: Since she’s always working, Faison wanted to have fun embodying the essence of a lady of leisure. She sometimes walks by spots like the Four Seasons’ Bristol Lounge and sees dolled-up patrons whiling away the afternoon with a glass of chardonnay or a cup of tea. “I’d wonder, ‘Who are these people?

How do they have the time?’ ” laughs the chef. Such comfort is covetable, but ultimately she approached the style with her typical sense of humor. “Obviously, there’s some satire to it,” says Faison. The

ambitious chef could never be a Real Housewife of — well, anywhere.

“I’m a worker bee.”

The process: If you want hair suitable for high society, a salon in the luxe Mandarin Oriental hotel is a good place to start. Mizu’s Le wanted the hair to capture “big waves and low maintenance” — so he added body with with Bumble and Bumble thickening shampoo and thickening spray, creating a look that seems effortless yet expensive.

McGrath kept the makeup simple and sophisticated: she created a soft, subtle glow with Too Faced Tinted Beauty Balm in Vanilla Glow and rosy cheeks with NARS blush in Gaiety. For a slightly saucier note, she gave Faison bright-pink lips using MAC’s Viva Glam Nicki. (As in Minaj. Shh! Don’t tell the neighbors.)

PS: The timing for Faison’s experiment with socialite-worthy style couldn’t have been better. She’d just been selected to represent Boston on May 3 at the pre-race Taste of the Derby culinary event in Louisville, Kentucky. Here’s hoping she didn’t cover her tresses with a big-brimmed hat.

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The â&#x20AC;&#x2122;80s vixen

natalie pietrzak miss massachusetts usa

Hair: Kara Hurston of Shag (840 Summer Street, South Boston, 617.268.2500) Makeup: Cole McNair Wardrobe: Ark & Co. dress, $88, earrings, $18, and necklace, $19.50, all available at LIT (223 Newbury Street, Boston, 617.421.8637); Leviâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s denim vest, $68, available at Urban Outfitters (361 Newbury Street, Boston, 617.236.0088) <28> 5.8.12

Her standard style: For the most part, this pageant titleholder plays it pretty demure. “Overall, my style is pretty conservative and simple,” says Pietrzak. “It’s a lot of black. There’s not a lot of razzle-dazzle!”

She’s cautious about going too sexy or showing too much skin. Sure, she needs to maintain a reputation befitting a future Miss USA (a role that requires more “sugar and spice” than “whips and chains”).

But Pietrzak is also always conscious of her conservative Polishimmigrant parents. “Even my pageant style isn’t as glitzy and over the top as some,” she says. “Even then, I’m always thinking, ‘What will my parents think of this!’ ” Her makeover inspiration: During her visit to Shag, Pietrzak wanted to take a walk on the wild side. So she drew inspiration from the fierce looks rocked in the ’80s by pop icons like Debbie Harry and Madonna.

“When I think of women who embody sexiness, I always think of them — especially Madonna. I’m a little bit obsessed!” When she wants to embrace her inner diva, it’s the ladies behind Blondie and Blond Ambition who show the way. “When I’m alone, I might break into a dance routine to get in the spirit,” she laughs. We hope that helps our

hometown girl work the stage when she reps Massachusetts at the Miss USA pageant, which airs live on NBC on June 3.

The process: Since Pietrzak leaves in mid-May for a three-week stay in Vegas, she couldn’t cut her hair. So Hurston styled a wig to achieve the shaggy bangs that Harry had during her “Heart of Glass” days.

She texturized it and then applied Oribe Après Beach Wave and Shine to achieve a natural tussled look that’s ideal for summer. And makeup artist McNair used Hourglass Cosmetics, a line that’s perfect for a pop-star look: its artistic director is Gina Brooke, Madonna’s personal makeup artist and collaborator on multiple world tours. But McNair also loves the paraben-free line because it incorporates anti-aging ingredients like Matrixyl. He always encourages clients to choose cosmetics that double as skincare.

PS: The ’80s influence in current music has bled over into makeup trends, so try playing with bold colors. To make your eyes really pop, choose hues that offset your natural eye color. Brown-eyed beauties should go with blues or purples, and blue eyes benefit from greens and browns. continued on p30

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The Wicked Wedding Belle katie boyd

trainer, owner of the miss fit club, and star of the style network’s wicked fit Hair and makeup: Rob Martelli of Avanti Salon (11 Newbury Street, Boston, 617.267.4027) Wardrobe: “Mara” dress, $348, available at BCBG Max Azria (Copley Place, 100 Huntington Avenue, Boston, 617.266.3141); belt, $38, available at Bebe (Copley Place, 100 Huntington Avenue, Boston, 617.375.1065); oxidized silver and chain necklace and earrings, $790 and $540, both available at Sophie Hughes Jewelry (450 Harrison Avenue, Studio 312, Boston, 207.590.3229); Covetous Creatures horsehair and chain necklace, $50, email covetousblog@gmail.com for inquiries <30> 5.8.12

Her standard style: She’s a trainer, after all. So Boyd is usually found rocking Lululemon gear, tennis skirts, and baseball caps. But right now she’s planning her wardrobe for a more formal occasion: her wedding to martial-arts instructor Matthew Babine. (Wicked Fit’s final episode featured their engagement.) Though the Style network’s show spotlighted her crass sense of humor and brassy attitude, Boyd also has a soft, sweet side. She’s a lover of vintage fashion, and her wedding-day look will cull inspiration from the 1920s and 1930s — so expect lots of lace and pearls.

Her makeover inspiration: At Avanti, Boyd wanted to imagine a bridal style worlds apart from the pretty and pure look she’ll actually don on the big day. She was inspired by the dark edge of a dominatrix — and it’s no surprise why. With Wicked Fit over, Boyd wanted to reclaim the sense of control she lost in the reality-TV experience, where every move is managed for the cameras, where contracts determine when, where, and how you can divulge even your biggest news. (Like, you know, an engagement.) She wouldn’t take back her time on Wicked: “It was a wild ride, a once-in-a-lifetime experience,” says Boyd. But it also taught her some (occasionally tough) lessons. “I learned a lot about myself and about who my true friends are.”

The process: Martelli twisted rows toward the front of Boyd’s hair to give a sense of severity. They lead to a bigger-is-better poof of curls, which he locked in place using Oribe Superfine hairspray. The real emphasis is on the MAC makeup, which Martelli painstakingly layered for ultimate oomph. The dominatrix vibe gets a futuristic, Mad Max–style spin thanks to colors like Cyber, a glamorously gothic dark purple, and the metallic Silverstroke eyeliner. But the masterstrokes are the eyebrows: Martelli made them dark and dramatic to enhance Boyd’s intense stare. This isn’t a look you’d rock at the grocery store, but for a wild night at an underground club.

PS: Don’t think that Boyd has bid adieu to TV. In June, she heads to LA to develop a talk show with a major cable network. There’s big stuff afoot for Avanti, too. On August 1, the salon is slated to move to a larger, more luxurious location on the third floor of 20 Newbury Street. Designed by the esteemed Marcus Gleysteen Architects firm, the 1,000-square-foot space will feature a state-of-the-art spa area for manicures, pedicures, facials, and massages. And we love that chemical services (like perms and keratin straightening) will be performed in a special room with an air-filtration system designed to mitigate exposure to other clients.

5.8.12 <31>

Local Beauties Get gl am from head to toe with products bred in boston

By Cheryl Fenton You already fill your grocery cart with locally sourced foodie finds. So why not extend that shop-local philosophy to your beauty buys?

Hereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s our breakdown of a few must-have skin- and hair-care products, all with a Boston pedigree.

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Photo by Joel Veak

Hair Care Balance by James Joseph

The story: Former James Joseph owner William George launched this lightweight shampoo-and-conditioner duo in 2010, earning a shout-out in People. Low-pH formulas balance hair and skin, caring for your scalp and locks with natural wonders like citrus extracts, tamanu oil, and achioteseed extract. They’re color-safe and free of sulfates, parabens, and harsh preservatives; even vegans can happily lather, rinse, and repeat.

Locals love: The conditioner, which detangles even the toughest tresses.

Buy it: At James Joseph Salon (30 Newbury Street, Boston, 617.266.7222), James Joseph Studio (16 Earheart Landing, Medford, 781.393.6800), Fulham Salon (847a Beacon Street, Newton, 617.340.6360), and balancebyjamesjoseph.com.

Mario Russo

The story: A staple on Newbury’s salon scene since 1990, Italian-born, Boston-bred beauty innovator Mario Russo has his own line of olive-oilbased hair and body products — a shampoo, a conditioner, a treatment mask, lotions, and more. They’re entirely made in Massachusetts, from chemist creation to manufacturing to packaging. But their ethos is rooted in his grandmother’s love of the golden oil’s moisturizing and antioxidant properties.

Locals love: The new Once-a-Day Spray, a can’t-miss hydrating mist with green tea.

Buy it: At Mario Russo salons (9 Newbury Street, Boston, 617.424.6676; 60 Northern Avenue, Boston, 857.350.3139) and mariorusso.com.

Runway Tools

The story: Avanti South owner Avi Elkayam felt the made-in-wherever hair tools he used fell short. So he took matters into his own hands by creating Runway Tools. Now the rest of us can use his high-tech gear, featuring ingenious touches from Boston-based engineers: for instance, the EasyCurl iron winds from the root with a wrist-saving spin action.

Locals love: His Titanium Flat Iron heats very evenly, so hair ends up shinier and sleeker.

News: Expect a summer release for a new version of the EasyCurl, which will boast a two-speed motor — slow for tighter curls and fast for looser ones.

Buy it: At Avanti South (141 Dorchester Avenue, South Boston, 617.482.1003) and runwaytools.com.

Living Proof

The story: Once upon a time, stylists Mitch DeRosa (owner of Mitchell John Salon) and Ward Stegerhoek hooked up with MIT scientists in hopes of creating better hair care through technology. Their research resulted in a new moisture-controlling molecule that’s the foundation of Living Proof, whose products transform hair without weighty silicones or oils. The brand now boasts five lines (Restore, Straight, Full, Hold, and No Frizz) sold around the world — proof positive of a homegrown success.

Locals love: The Full Thickening Mousse and Restore Mask Treatment, both great for perking up lackluster locks.

News: The Restore line recently got a three-product boost — a Revitalizing Spray with heat and UV defense, a Targeted Repair Cream for fighting breakage, and a Recovery Regimen for intensive repair.

Buy it: At Mitchell John Salon (67 Broad Street, Boston, 617.951.0122), Sephora (800 Boylston Street, Boston, 617.262.4200), and livingproof.com.

Makeup and Nails MiniLuxe

The story: Newton-born MiniLuxe’s mission is to set an ultra-hygienic new standard for nail care. Founded in 2007, the beauty-lounge brand offers manis, pedis, and waxing in über-clean settings — think hospitalgrade sterilization and disinfectant, plus pedicure whirlpools with fresh running water. It also has its own yummy-smelling LemonAide scrub and cream for tired tootsies, as well as a Luxe polish line that’s free of formaldehyde, DBP, toluene, and camphor.

Locals love: Its callus-treatment pedicure, which readies Hub heels for open-toed summer sandals.

News: MiniLuxe is expanding (here come salons No. 7 and 8). And spring introduced bold new polish colors with a local twist — they’re named after the brand’s first six locations.

Buy it: At MiniLuxe (296 Newbury Street, Boston, 857.362.7444; see miniluxe.com for additional locations).

Define:Beauty Cosmetics

The story: Local makeup artist Mariolga Pantazopoulos has beautified big names for years (think Maria Menounos and Jennifer Garner). But her new cosmetic and beauty-tool line helps women of all stripes define their style. Many products are cleverly named after the birth years of inspiring women: brow tints nod to Frida Kahlo, foundations

to Coco Chanel and Susan B. Anthony. Some are multi-tasking miracles, like cream blushes that can color lips. That versatility won fans backstage at Boston Fashion Week, where the line debuted in September.

Locals love: Her creamy lipsticks, available in shades like Marina, an on-trend orange named after her daughter.

Buy it: At the Loft Salon (253 Newbury Street, Boston, 617.536.5638) and definebeautycosmetics.com.

Sarra

The story: The granddaughter of a makeup artist, Lauren Genatossio had beauty in her blood. After opening her own brow and makeup studios in Boston and Hingham (named after her grandmother, of course), she soon launched her own line of skincare, face products, and shades for eyes, cheeks, and lips.

Locals love: The Luminizer for a dewy glow.

News: Spring brings six new Vivid Luxury Gloss colors for popsiclestained lips and six new shimmery Sheer Satin Shadows.

Buy it: At Sarra studios (840 Summer Street, Boston, 617.269.8999; 104A North Street, Hingham, 781.749.5599).

Skincare First Aid Beauty

The story: Having garnered a beauty background at local faves MiniLuxe and Fresh, Lilli Gordon tapped dermatologist Dr. Robert Buka as her chief science officer and launched her own brand. Now First Aid Beauty rescues skin with serious savvy, blending therapeutic ingredients and luxurious textures so even those tackling tough skin conditions can skip greasy, medicinal-smelling concoctions. The Watertown-based brand’s creams, cleansers, and serums are easy on sensitive skin, and some boast FDA-approved OTC formulations for issues like eczema and acne.

Locals love: The Ultra Repair Cream for a blast of hydration.

News: The new Aloe+ Soothing Gel arrived just in time to relieve sundrenched summer skin.

Buy it: At Sephora (800 Boylston Street, Boston, 617.262.4200), on QVC, and at firstaidbeauty.com.

Stages of Beauty

The story: Created by MIT-trained chemical and biological engineer Jasmina Aganovic, this brand aims to treat skin right at every stage of life.

With advancing decades come not

just new stresses (work, marriage, and kids, oh my!), but new skincare needs. So Stages boasts cleansers, serums, toners, moisturizers, and scrubs tailored to each decade’s concerns, using natural ingredients like apple stem cells and Swiss cress extract. We hope to age like the lines’ names suggest — with Radiance (20s), Harmony (30s), Elegance (40s), and Grace (50+).

Locals love: The rejuvenating, protecting, and hydrating power of the Treatment Cream, the cornerstone product of every line.

News: The brand just launched agespecific toners that restore natural pH and brighten complex complexions.

Buy it: At stagesofbeauty.com.

Shamanuti

The story: A fan recently described Cambridge brand Shamanuti as the best of the farmers’ market in a Hermès bottle — a ringing endorsement if we’ve ever heard one. And makeup artist Courtney Shepatin’s organic and wild-crafted products do indeed come in pretty packaging. But it’s what’s inside that counts: rich formulas put a luxe spin on natural skincare, packing creams, serums, oils, toners, and masks with ingredients like pumpkin enzymes, evening primrose, and seaweed.

Locals love: The Activated Charcoal Cleanser — not just a facial cleanser, but a great shaving cream and body wash.

News: With summer looming, Shamanuti will soon introduce Sunbutter, a sheer but UV-rayrepelling moisturizer.

Buy it: At Whole Foods (115 Prospect Street, Cambridge, 617.492.0070) and shamanuti.com.

Violet

The story: Bostonians benefit from skincare guru Violet Mkhitaryan’s Old World beauty secrets. Drawing on her biochemistry background and ancient recipes of her native Armenia, she’s created a much-loved line of all-natural face and body products, handmade weekly at her spa with organic ingredients like chocolate oil and wild-rose syrup.

Locals love: Her new Violet Flower Water, a toner made with Bulgarian rose, for a springtime pick-me-up.

News: Violet aims to bring a “natural revolution” to the Middle East with the recently opened Violet Kuwait, an oasis in a region with a tough-on-skin climate and a market dominated by chemical-laden products.

Buy it: At Violet Skin Boutique (1362 Beacon Street, Brookline, 617.264.7546) and violetskinboutique.com.

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MAY 17

EXPERIENCE THE GARDNER MUSEUM’S NEW WING AT NIGHT. SOAK UP THE ATMOSPHERE OF THE HISTORIC COURTYARD. LIVE MUSIC. WINE BAR. ARTIST TALKS. GALLERY GAMES.

THURSDAY, MAY 17, 5 – 9PM

PROVINCETOWN VIEWS

Savor pleasures of the past and present

BEYOND BACH

Matt Haimovitz, cello An exploration from Bach to Jimi Hendrix, and beyond, 7pm gardnermuseum.org/visit/afterhours Box office: 617 278 5156

An Exhibition of 20th and 21st century Provincetown art Exhibition Preview & Benefit Reception

THURSDAY, MAY 17, 6-8 PM

A BOSTON EXHIBITION celebrating the FINE ARTS WORK CENTER in Provincetown SPECIAL GUEST: NICK FLYNN Former Work Center Fellow and author of Another Bullshit Night in Suck City, adapted to screen and recently released nationwide as Being Flynn.

Renowned seven-month

FINE ARTS WORK CENTER in Provincetown

ACME FINE ART 38 Newbury Street, Boston, MA Tickets $75 508.487.9960 www.fawc.org/tickets

WRITING & VISUAL ARTS

Red Pier with Green, Lester Johnson circa 1950 © The estate of Lester Johnson

FELLOWSHIPS

residency program for emerging artists and writers.

DION OGUST PHOTO

PLAISIR

FINE ARTS WORK CENTER in Provincetown SUMMER

WORKSHOPS

Thursday evening programming is supported in part by an award from the National Endowment for the Arts.

Gardner After Hours media sponsor: The Boston Phoenix.

10 weeks of creative writing and visual arts workshops taught by award-winning faculty in a stunning location.

June 17-Aug 24 www.fawc.org/summer

VISUAL ARTS

MFA

FAWC is an equal opportunity provider and employer Unique low-residency collaboration with the Massachusetts College of Art and Design (MassArt).

An exclusive styling and finishing line that turns a daily moment into a moment of well being.

BY Framesi is available at

Kenmore Square 617-262-8750 | Brookline 617-277-0077 | Cambridgeside Mall 617-621-1115 & 22 additional locations across New England

Visit www.dellaria.com today

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5 COURSES

STUFF IT

liquid

foodcoma Nam Prik Ong at Thai North

Any food nerd worth his garum knows that amazing restaurants are often found where immigrant chef-owners are cooking mainly for their fellow expats. These places serve traditional cuisines in all their un-Americanized glory: not dumbed down, bowdlerized, or unnecessarily gussied up. (Think of the ferociously flavored $2 Eastie taqueria taco versus the showy, bland $8 Seaport one.) Thai North (433 Faneuil Street, Brighton, 617.254.2025) is one such place, though its menu of ubiquitous standbys like satay, pad Thai, and green-curry chicken might fool you at first. Fear not: this sunny, attractive 16-seat storefront specializes in the cuisine of its namesake northern Thailand. You just need to drop the menu and focus exclusively on the specials blackboard (and helpful illustrative wall photos).

Not that the blackboard’s translations are always helpful. What are “dressing wings” ($6.50), anyway? These turn out to be big deboned chicken wings stuffed with ground pork and herbs, fried crisp, and served with a sweet chili dipping sauce: amazing. What goes into gaeng hung lay, aka “Northern-style Burmese curry” ($8)? That one is big chunks of pork loin on one visit, pork belly on another, in a complexly spiced gravy with chilies, lemongrass, shallots, and ginger-like galangal but none of the coconut milk typical of southern curries. “Chiang Mai noodle curry” ($8.25), aka khao soi, is memorable: a giant bowl of egg noodles, chicken, and tofu in a rich, aromatic, coconut-milk-accented broth with crunchy PHOTO BY joel veak

noodles on top and a chili-soybean relish on the side for extra fire. You may have had larb gai, the spicy Thai salad of finely chopped chicken, but how about larb bpèt, “Northern-style duck salad” ($13.50)? This beautifully cuts the richness of minced duck with a bracing amalgam of garlic, red onion, shallots, lime, Thai basil, chilies, and crunchy roasted rice powder.

Many of these dishes are flanked with the north’s starchy staple, sticky rice, here fragrant and flecked with pretty purple husks. Bites of it help to relieve the three-alarm fire of “Chiang Mai sausage” ($10), aka sai ua, the regional capital’s renowned, finely textured pork sausage. Sticky rice also complements the northern chef’s penchant for ravishingly flavored (if dully translated) pâtés and dips like “tomato-based ground meat” ($9.50), aka nam prik ong. This beautiful dish centers on a bowl of what I call “God’s Bolognese,” a ragù of pork, chilies, tomato, garlic, lime, and palm sugar, with a pile of barely poached crudités (broccoli, green beans, snow peas, and carrots) and crisp-fried pork rinds for dipping. It’s a stunner, reason enough to haul yourself out to Oak Square. Ask its supremely sweet servers to pretend you’re an ex-pat, too, and Thai North’s kitchen will reward you with the kind of heady, euphoria-inducing flavors that just can’t be found in places that cater to unhyphenated Americans.

— MC Slim JB 5.8.12 <37>

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75 Arlington Street, Boston, MA 02116 617.357.4810 • www.davios.com <38> 5.8.12

COURSES with:

Marisa Iocco of Gennaro’s 5 North Square

In 2012, Marisa Iocco became an American citizen and, thus, an official Italian-American.

(Breathe deeply, Italian patriots: she retains dual citizenship.) It was a major milestone for the woman billed as Boston’s only Italian-born female chef. Iocco has been living in Boston for more than two decades, making her mark one restaurant at a time, one besotted diner at a time — at Galleria Italiana (where she taught Barbara Lynch how to make Bolognese), at La Bettola, at Bricco, and at Mare, where she pioneered a sophisticated Italian take on seafood. Now she’s the executive chef at Gennaro’s 5 North Square (5 North Square, Boston, 617.720.1050). And her new menu concept, MangiAmerica, is a love letter to those who moved Italian home cooking to the core of American culture.

You are so thoroughly Italian. Why do an American-Italian menu?

MangiAmerica is about recognizing the translation of Italian food through the American experience. America has been very good to me and all the Italian chefs and cooks who came before me. Once they were here, they created dishes that people love and recognize — chicken Parmigiana, veal Marsala, Sunday gravy, meatballs — that are not authentically Italian, but foods that Italians perfected in America. I had this vision that it was important and possible to do American-Italian food really well, with skill, excellence, and respect. MangiAmerica is my thank-you.

What does this mean in practice? What’s on the menu? For example, people love meatballs. They’ve become a symbol of American-Italian cooking, so I have a dish on the menu that is a medley with five kinds of meatballs: Marsala meatballs, saltimbocca meatballs, Bolognese meatballs . . . all flavors well-recognized by American diners. And I make classic American-Italian stuffed shells — manicotti Italo-Americani — filled with ricotta, spinach, nutmeg, and a Bolognese ragù. I make my chicken parm’ every day — baking the chicken, never deep-frying, excellent tomato sauce that I make myself, baked fresh mozzarella, best-quality imported tomatoes, and extra-virgin olive oil. It’s clean. It’s beautiful.

Do Italians call it “Sunday gravy”? My grandma started to cook the gravy at 6 a.m. every Sunday morning. After a few hours, the whole house had this wonderful smell — the smell of family and friends, sharing food and cooking together. Italians who came to America kept the tradition of making the pasta sauce on Sundays. For many Americans of Italian heritage, having pasta with the Sunday gravy is an absolute ritual on the family calendar. I keep the tradition going by having many dishes on the menu that are only served “family style.”

How will you keep your food special and avoid becoming just another North End red-sauce restaurant? One answer is in my purveyors. I respect the ingredients. I get fresh pasta made locally, but in the traditional way, the way my grandfather made it, without any eggs. I have a friend locally who makes the mozzarella and burrata for me. I use organic vegetables, import my canned tomatoes and my extra-virgin olive oil from Italy, and ripen my fresh tomatoes in the basement.

What’s it like to be Boston’s only Italian-born female executive chef? I started with nothing here — no entourage, almost no English. I just started cooking. For a woman, maybe especially an Italian woman who grew up in a classic family, it’s a big compromise to be a chef. You have to have fresh energy every day, and that makes it very hard for a woman to have energy for a family. I am very serious about what I do and my vision. I have to mean what I say, honor the people I work with and the people I feed, or I can’t go home and sleep. For me, cooking is all-consuming.

— Louisa Kasdon

Louisa Kasdon can be reached at louisa@louisakasdon.com.

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STUFFIT

It was hunted on old episodes of Unsolved Mysteries. Chased in the pages of the Weekly World News. Dismissed as mere myth on Snopes.com. (But that was just part of a vast government cover-up conspiracy, man.)

It’s the Chupacabra: the elusive, mythic beast that is Mexico’s answer to the Yeti of the Himalayas and the Loch Ness Monster of, um, Loch Ness. And we found it, served on a plate in Somerville!

Okay, not exactly. At Davis Square’s newly opened Mexican spot, The Painted Burro (219 Elm Street, Somerville, 617.776.0005), the Chupacabra Taco ($18) is no creepy creature, just a monstrous serving of four familiar meats: braised pork cochinita, lamb neck, skirt steak, and house-made chorizo. Topped with a tangy chipotle mayo, a smooth and mild Baja crema, and a bit of pickled cabbage, the heaping portion is spread across three soft tacos for easy-ish eating. (You’ll likely need the silverware to tackle it.)

It’s a (literally) huge highlight of the Painted Burro’s menu, but it’s not the only standout from chefowner Joe Cassinelli, who draws inspiration from multiple regions of Mexico. Turning to the other taco selections, we’re partial to the gulf shrimp diablo ($14), served with a heavenly avocado salsa. And from the bevy of bar snacks, we love the refreshing chingón cucumbers ($5) — a jar of cukes, watermelon radishes, and pickled grapes, spiced with cilantro, lemon, and chili — and the heritage-pork chicharrones ($6), savory pork rinds with tamarind glaze and serrano chili. Wash any of them down with one of the hundred-odd tequilas at the bar (or keep it classy with a bottle of beer served up in a brown paper bag).

Assuming it exists, the real Chupacabra remains on the loose. But we’ve definitely snared something equally slippery: a Mecca for Mexican cuisine that’s both indulgent and sophisticated.

On that front, game over.

— Scott Kearnan PHOTO BY joel veak

®

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liquid

Barreling Down

Kara kukull

No Smoking, Please

The mezcal mini-boom has nearly flooded the market, making it tough to know what to order. But the latest newcomer to Boston bars, Fidencio mezcal, is a choice selection.

There are five expressions, but the joven Fidencio Sin Humo is the most common; you’ll find it at spots like Lone Star Taco Bar (479 Cambridge Street, Allston, 617.782.8226).

Unlike most un-aged mezcals, it’s surprisingly easy to sip with a touch of pear and tons of fresh agave flavor. And because the agaves they use are cooked without smoke, it has none of the characteristic burnt quality you’ll find in other mezcals. Consider it a smooth introduction to tequila’s cooler cousin.

— L.O.

<40> 5.8.12

The ever-broadening field of spirits on the market is hard enough to keep straight (especially once you’ve tried a few in a row). And a handful of Boston bars have been adding yet another layer of specialization to their repertoires with the introduction of hand-selected barrel spirits — carefully chosen offerings that are exclusive to a given watering hole.

“It’s really unique to taste bourbons and tequilas barrel by barrel,” says Kara Kukull, assistant director of bar operations at Legal Sea Foods. Last month, Legal introduced its third bar-specific offering, a blend of fiveand 10-year rums from Demerara Distillers in Guyana.

It joins previous menu options, an Eagle Rare 10-year bourbon and Corazón añejo tequila.

“You really do see how the barrels vary, imparting different flavors and profiles to the resulting spirit,” explains Kukull. By tasting her way through a distillery’s offerings, she gets to pull the best barrels it has to offer — or those that most closely match her restaurants’ drinking demographic.

“I get to go through lots of barrels, select what I think to be the ‘honey barrels,’ or the most delicious, and the entire contents are bottled exclusively for us and sold in our Massachusetts restaurants,” Kukull says.

Adding unique barrels of spirits, culled from a specific distiller, is the next logical step on the craft-spirit timeline. Tailoring the type of bottles on your shelf to guest and bartender tastes is one thing: hand-selecting a variety that will be available nowhere else is another level of specificity. Think of it like a butcher picking out the choicest cut of meat — from a specific cow raised on certain grass.

The beverage team behind Kenmore Square’s tippling trinity of Eastern Standard, Island Creek Oyster Bar, and The Hawthorne has been doing this for a long time; they’re now on their 25th select barrel.

They’ve already brought in an Eagle Rare 10-year bourbon, an Elijah Craig 12-year bourbon, and a Sazerac six-year rye, among others. On the way are a Herradura double-barrel reposado tequila and an extraordinarily rare hand-selected genever from the Bols family.

The laborious tasting required to pull select barrels is actually a lot of work, but it’s in the interest of guests, says Joy Richard of Citizen Public House & Oyster Bar. (It’s on its second hand-selected barrel of Four Roses bourbon and has a Bernheim wheat whiskey, a Willett seven-year bourbon, and three different Scotches on the way.) It’s a chance to bring in special product, unavailable anywhere else, that may never exist in the same form again.

That’s a good selling point for a bar trying to differentiate itself. “We like the uniqueness of it,” says Richard. “This is a barrel we have exclusively, and you’re only going to get it if you come to see us. But we also think that if people trust us enough with our whiskey list, our palate in general . . . if you like what we’re doing, you’re probably going to like the whiskey.”

Having products like these in house also gets the staff jazzed up about selling them, Kukull says. No server wants to convince you of the greatness of the same bottle of Maker’s Mark you can get at every other bar in the world. “Our staff gets really excited about them because it’s a point of difference. Not a lot of restaurants are taking the time to hand-select spirits like that.”

Usually in the craft-spirit world, adhering to specific recipes is paramount. But sometimes it’s important to defy expectations.

— Luke O’Neil

Got an idea for Liquid? Email lukeoneil47@gmail.com.

photo by joel veak

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At Home with Taniya Nayak The HGTV Design Guru chills out off screen To TV audiences, Taniya Nayak has a familiar face — and an equally familiar sense of style. The Boston-based interior designer is the high-energy host of the HGTV network’s House Hunters on Vacation. (The first of a new batch of episodes premieres on June 1.) And she brings her expert eye to the Food Network’s renovation-focused reality show, Restaurant: Impossible.

She’s also responsible for the looks of several local restaurants, including Blue Inc., Petit Robert Central, and Julep Bar. Next up? She says she’s working on chef Jason Santos’s new Theater District spot, slated to open later this year after a total overhaul of the dilapidated Dominic’s Restaurant & Lounge space.

But the work the public sees on television and around town isn’t entirely the same as Nayak’s style in private. “My style at home is a bit quieter, more chill,” says the gregarious design guru. Her living room is a testament to that: it’s sleek and streamlined, cool and clutter-free. “I didn’t want to over-design it and take away from the view,” says Nayak, whose home overlooks a river. Fair enough. But if you ask us, the view inside is even better.

— Scott Kearnan

<42> 5.8.12

A. “At home, I like a monochromatic design — using pops of color and texture for contrast,” says Nayak. Indeed, a neutral palette dominates the living area, allowing statement pieces like this KMP womb chair in chartreuse, Nayak’s favorite color, to stand out against the misty-hued walls. And the plush custom carpeting from Mohawk Flooring, for which Nayak is a spokesperson, adds some softness and shagginess amid the clean lines.

B. These industrial-chic wall panels are an inspired touch. They’re actually made of plywood that was skim-coated with concrete and stained for added effect. For help with the project, Nayak turned to Concrete FX, a Boston firm that she worked with on Petit Robert Central.

C. On their own, concrete accent walls don’t exactly scream “cozy.” Nayak knows this. “Modern design can sometimes look cold and stark,” she says. But one surefire way to warm up a room is to invite the outside world in. So we love the small nods to Mother Nature, from the big birch branches to the adorable flower-shaped votive holders on the coffee table. But best of all is the 60-inch elongated fireplace. When it’s off, it’s a black box that balances the big-screen TV above it; when switched on, the roaring flames add elemental flourish.

D. By Nayak’s windows are Wassily chairs, icons of modernist design. But those black leather straps aren’t just a place to sit in style. They’re also a reminder of the flair for design that runs in her family. The chairs are from the South Weymouth home where Nayak grew up — and where she absorbed her architect father’s appreciation for a clean, contemporary aesthetic. “We were that one modern house that didn’t fit in,” chuckles Nayak.

E. Sure, she has designer chairs, but Nayak often praises the value of a “highlow mix.” (This year she teamed with Wayfair, a Boston-based online home store, to launch Taniya Nayak Lighting; pieces range from tens to thousands of dollars.) And yes, she practices what she preaches. “I’m still afraid to commit to a lot of original artwork!” confesses the designer. So she took a more frugal approach, creating an improvised wall hanging with Marimekko fabric. “It’s an inexpensive way to add art to any room,” says Nayak. phoTos by melissa ostrow

sex

Get Outta My Drawers “I’m wearing your underwear.”

That was my guilty admission as my girlfriend stood staring at me in her thong, realizing I had raided her panty drawer. I was hoping she would find it endearing, cute perhaps, maybe even sexy. But her one-word response summed up her sentiment: “Weird.”

I guess it is a bit weird to be sharing undergarments with my girlfriend. But it seems like a natural progression for a couple that has come to share everything from shoes to jeans to cocktail dresses.

No, we are not “dyke-alikes.”

Those are lesbian couples who look like carbon copies in cargo pants, cotton T-shirts, and crew cuts. Rather, I’d like to think of us as stylishly simpatico. In fact, I’ve made it quite clear that one of my relationship objectives is to double my wardrobe by dating women of my approximate dress size. You’d be a fool to be gay and not at least get some new shoes out of the deal.

My girlfriend and I can’t be the only couple to dabble in sartorial swapping. I mean, there’s a reason for the popularity of the boyfriend jean, designed to harness all that guy-garment comfort (with none of the man-stench). Of course, sometimes over-sharing warrants a raised eyebrow. “My ex-boyfriend and I used to always share clothes,” admitted a female friend.

“Maybe that’s when he should have realized I was gay!”

But even if sharing clothes is pretty common in relationships, there’s something to be said for the power of a piece of clothing to be forever associated — in our hearts, minds, and nether regions — with its original owner. Think about it: we all likely have some cotton keepsake from a past relationship, a token we tucked away to treasure (or maybe just to burn as part of some twisted voodoo curse).

Embarrassingly, I once kept an ex-boyfriend’s boxers for so long that it took a steady girlfriend to point out that the disintegrating waistband was an indictment of just how long it’d been since I’d dated men.

Clothing often carries emotional connotations. Think of any sex symbol, and you’ll likely conjure him or her in a signature

The GreaTer BosTon BeveraGe socieTy PresenTs… BosTon Bar sTars hall of fame Brought to you by the Greater Boston Beverage Society, the Boston Bar Stars Hall of Fame highlights Boston’s own homegrown mixological talent! One of the GBBS’s main goals is to preserve and promote Boston’s cocktail and hospitality culture and history. What better way is there to do that than by getting up close and personal the city’s finest?

In October of 2012 the Greater Boston Beverage Society with hold the first ever Boston Cocktail Summit a three-day celebration of Greater Boston’s cocktail culture designed to highlight the city’s fascinating history of mixology, New England’s breweries, wineries, and distilleries, and raise funds to help local charities. The Boston Cocktail Summit will celebrate the culture of the cocktail with three days of events, parties, educational seminars, and an opening gala with proceeds benefitting the newly established Greater Boston Beverage Society. For more information visit www. bostoncocktailsummit.com.

Meet Emma Hollaner of Trina’s Starlite Lounge. Emma has been bartending around Boston for a decade, at places like The Hard Rock Café and Rouge and Tremont 647.

At Tremont 647 she wore many hats from bartender to manager and eventually GM! She then left Tremont to go an open Trina’s and she hasn’t looked back since!.

Emma is a member of LUPEC Boston and active in the Boston Chapter of Share Our Strength. Her drinks have been featured in numerous publications in Boston as well!

outfit. But when you start sharing threads like communal hippies, that sexy allure is lost; something that should have emotional weight turns into something merely functional.

The scent of my girlfriend that once lingered on a borrowed garment has now been eclipsed by my own indiscernible smell.

There is no longer a differentiation between what is hers and what is mine. In fact, she recently got mad after texting me a photo of herself in a cocktail dress with the question “Approve?”

My response was a simple (but evidently inadequate) “Of course!”

It’s my dress! Of course I approve of it; otherwise I wouldn’t have bought it . . . for myself.

So despite the convenience factor and the exciting prospect of doubling my wardrobe, I’ve started to rethink the idea of sharing clothes. Yes, it could be just another miniscule thing that scares the shit out of this commitmentphobic writer. But style is sometimes the last stronghold of individual identity in a relationship.

So I think I’ve got to lay down the law and make sure my girlfriend and I stay out of each other’s drawers. Now I’ll just have to see how long I can hold out before I go groveling to her closet in hopes of borrowing her boots . . . and she sticks her foot in my selfish ass.

— Jeannie Greeley

Jeannie Greeley is an emotionally threadbare freelance writer.

She can be reached at jeannieg@comcast.net.

• What was your first bar job in Boston? rouge (riP) • What’s your favorite dive bar in Boston? tC’s (riP?) • What’s the spirit you can’t live without?

Whiskey • So do you have a guilty pleasure cocktail?

Mmm… a Mojito •After a long shift your drink of choice is... a Carling Black label (with a straw) and rye on the rocks • What would your perfect Boston night on the town be? silvertone, Brick & Mortar, Green st., Franklin Cafe, Wally’s, tC’s •You decided to pursue this crazy career because why exactly? i started working in a restaurant when i was 14, and i have never done anything else. i enjoy playing host at a party, making people happy and sharing my music and sense of humor. so come and see me at trina’s starlite lounge we’re at 3 Beacon street somerville, Ma!

CHEERS! SEE you at tHE Summit! this is an advertorial

5.8.12 <43>

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malibu red launch party at julep bar

1. Ken Prouty, Jeff Timberlake, and Chris Rose; 2. George Dealmeida and Jessica Edwards; 3. Cristina Nesta and Amy Miller; 4. Rachael Bourke and Edward Fennessey; 5. Tracy Buckner and Christine Higbee; 6. Ashley McCarthy and Joe Zajac; 7. Ryan and Cassidy DeVecchio; 8. Molly Kay and Laura Kelly; 9. Jim Machado, Kevin Kuliesis, and Justin Muzarol; 10. Tyler Abele, Jim Machado, Mike Blanchard, and Dan Brearley; 11. George Dealmeida, Christine Higbee, Angelico Fialho, and Armando Borges.

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opus affair at storyville 1. Jennifer Rich, Stephanie Kacoyanis, and Kae Audette; 2. Jeremy Hayes and Luis Valdez; 3. Graham Wright and English Bill; 4. Peter DuBois, Charles Haugland, and Kyle Thomas Hemingway; 5. Irena Ivanovska, Anuj Dalal, and Christine Duncan; 6. Victoria Fernandez and Zoe Kemmerling; 7. Christina English and Katrina Holden; 8. Theo Charlet and Alan John Browne; 9. Jad Atoui and Ashley Bickford; 10. Margaret Rew, Abe Dewing, Sid Sulladmath, and Catherine Swanson; 11. Emily Zeman, Graham Wright, Liz Ensko, and Giuseppe Frustaci.

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Christine Pallotta’s STUFF When you’re en route to the Bruins game and craving something more savory and substantial than a corrugated hamburger, Christine Pallotta has you covered. Together with her sister, Carla, she leapt from hairdressing to restaurant engineering in 2005, when the two siblings opened the North End’s Nebo. Now Pallotta has her hands full as the restaurant’s co-chef and co-owner, crafting Neapolitan-style pizzas, hand-cut pastas, and even gluten-free goodies. But mincing garlic and pounding veal cutlets aren’t her only feats of dexterity. In her home kitchen, Pallotta likes to unwind with a few furious rounds on her 1975 Wizard pinball machine. We caught up with Pallotta to learn the origins of her love of the game.

How did you originally get hooked on pinball? When we were kids, my friends and I used to hang out every weekend at this bookie joint in the North End because there were other young people there. They’d play disco and Barry White all the time, and they had all these pinball machines, too.

I started playing when I was 10, and before long I went all the time and played for hours. My poor father worked three jobs, and I’m pretty sure the third job was to support my pinball habit!

So this habit led to you getting your own pinball machine? That’s right. One Christmas morning, I was sitting by the living-room window and thought, “What the hell . . . did I just see a truck go by?” Then I flipped out when I saw a pinball machine on the back of this pickup out front! My father figured it was cheaper to buy me one than to keep giving me money to play the machines downtown. From there, I spent hours playing the machine every day, when I should have been doing homework. It became fun for the whole family. Cousins came over; I was the “cool kid,” and my brother actually became jealous of me. I took the machine when I moved out of my parents’ house. It was the only thing I kept other than my clothes. <46> 5.8.12

Tell us a little bit about the machine itself. Well, it’s a Bally model, and it came used from a pool hall, but in great working condition. I can’t imagine what my father spent buying the thing. It was built the year when the Who’s movie Tommy was released. It’s called the Pinball Wizard, and the front of the machine has these great pictures of Roger Daltrey and Ann-Margret.

But there are also carvings on the glass. One guy named Waldo etched his name onto the machine. It has character.

So what made you park the machine in your kitchen? When I moved into my townhouse, I was adamant that the machine go in the kitchen because I spend so much time there — cooking, hosting, having a glass of wine. I’ll come home at two in the morning from work and play some rounds. It helps me de-stress after a long day at the restaurant. Sometimes friends will come over and play for hours. But I’m a little protective: the machine is nearly 40 years old, and there’s nobody around who fixes these anymore!

Does your family realize what a pinball maniac you still are? Definitely.

In fact, my mother has become a pinball freak since I first got the machine.

Nowadays, if she’s visiting me, I’ll come home and expect to find her hanging out on the porch. Nope. She’ll be in the kitchen, playing away. She’s 78.

Maybe it’s hereditary then. You know, a really crazy thing happened recently. Two years ago, my father passed away, and right around that time the machine suddenly stopped working. Without explanation. I tried to find someone who could fix it and then took a go at it myself, but no luck. Back when I was younger, my father had been the only one who could fix the machine when it had problems. Finally, this year, I came home one night and, feeling almost possessed, decided to try turning it on again. And it worked! Still does to this day.

— Miles Howard

PHOTO BY michael diskin

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