Chelsea Lately: November Blogathon Update

Hello, everyone! I missed yesterday's November Blogathon prompt because I just, honestly, didn't have much to say about it. It was to talk about your hometown and there's really not a lot I have to say about Ellwood City. There are a couple new little restaurants that I like but besides that, not a whole lot is going on that I felt the need to comment on here. Now that I haven't lived there for a while, I appreciate the town way more than I did while growing up there, but I was not created for small town life. So moving on today's prompt...a currently post.

I really love doing these because sometimes bloggers focus a lot on what they want to write about and forget to mention what's going on in their lives. These kind of posts are my favorite to catch up with bloggers and so you all can see what I've really been up to outside of this little space.

Brunch for Eric's birthday | Flowers from MJ for our anniversary | Lots of snow in Erie | My cat, as a record

Remembering: College. MJ and I recently celebrated our five year dating anniversary and it has really made me stop and remember who I was five years ago. I was in my junior year of college, had just been crowned Homecoming Queen and was at the top of my game academically and falling head over heels in love. Seton Hill has such a huge part of my heart and I miss it more than I ever could have imagined.

Giggling About: My crazy cat. My brother, Eric, and I have recently started our own meme-like text messages to each other about her. Pretty much whenever we find her in weird places around the house, we send a picture to each other with the phrase, "don't mind me, I'm just a (fill in the blank)." Recent things she's been: shoes, guitar amp, record, burrito.

Planning: A Thanksgiving dinner! Eek! Family Video and one of my brother's churches have decided to host a Thanksgiving dinner for some local people who don't have a place to go for the holiday and it's tonight! Family Video (like every single one in the nation) always donates turkeys to local families in need but since our store is so small, we decided to just host a dinner instead and Eric was more than willing to allow us to use the church basement for the space. But since I'm the "middle-person" between Family Video and the church, a lot of the planning has been on me. Which is fine, but I hope everything turns out alright!

Anxiously Awaiting: Upcoming craft shows for Marion Claire Stationery. I'm heading to Edinboro for one on Saturday and then doing two more in Shady Side on November 29th and December 13th. I'm hoping that these ones will do really well with Christmas coming up and my holiday cards being ready to go. Also, because the Shady Side shows will be the first two that are really in my "market" I'm hoping they will become a more regular kind of event and open me up to more "hipster-friendly" shows. Because to be honest, I'm a little hit-or-miss at smaller craft shows since they tend to draw an older crowd that doesn't always approve of my cheeky sayings.

Baking: Everything! (See: Planning) haha

Keeping a Secret: Eric's Christmas present! It came in the mail last week and I had to hide it with some other people's presents that I already bought (I'm ahead of schedule this year). But I'm reallllllly excited for what I got him. I saw it online thinking he'd like it but didn't buy it because I wasn't totally sure, then he sent me his Birthday/Christmas list and it was on there...so I swiftly purchased it.

DIYing: Some Christmas crafts for the house! Eric is allowing me to take over for decorating the house for Christmas and I've been Pinteresting a little too much lately. I've found some cute and easy crafts that I cannot wait to show off soon! I have a strict rule about not decorating until after Thanksgiving, but I'm allowed to prepare! This house was seriously designed just to decorate for Christmas, so I've got to do it justice.

What have you been up to recently?

Thanksgiving Traditions with the Olivers

If you were here yesterday, then you know that I'm following along with Kristen's blog, the MRS and the MOMMA, and her November Blogathon posts this month. Since I'll be posting a Chels Wears post tomorrow, I decided to jump ahead and use tomorrow's prompt for today instead. Today's prompt was to write about your favorite fall recipe and I don't really have one, so I'm skipping it. However, Wednesdays prompt is to write about your fall holiday traditions.

Thanksgiving 2013 with my brother, Eric, at our uncle's house.

For as long as I can remember, we have always had Thanksgiving dinner with my dad's siblings, which I really look forward to every year. My uncle is a great cook and gets everything together for dinner and since building his beautiful log cabin home, has hosted Thanksgiving. We always joke around that I will inherit the log cabin so I always like to think of how I would decorate or host these dinners many, many, many years from now.

Thanksgiving has always been my favorite holiday because of the fall season, football and the food, but I really like getting to spend the time with my family, laughing and playing board games after dinner. Eric and I will be heading back home this year for Thanksgiving and since this is the first year in a long time that I do not have to work on Black Friday, we will be heading out to support some local Pittsburgh record stores for their Black Friday Record Store Day sales. And on Saturday this year I'll be selling my greeting cards at a local "I Made It! Market" in Shadyside. So this year, I'm especially excited for old and new traditions to happen!

What do you do for Thanksgiving?

Guest Post: Ashley from A Dash of Spectacular

Hope you all are enjoying this perfect, between summer and fall weather and perhaps thinking of being outside in it to enjoy it even more. Today's guest post is Ashley from A Dash of Spectacular and she's talking about biking in the 'burgh! Ashley is a Texas transplat to Pittsburgh and I really enjoy reading her blog and seeing how she enjoys discovering the city and all the new things she discovers on her adventures. Read about biking here and then check out her blog for a whole lot more!

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Beginner Biking in Pittsburgh

Hi, y’all! This is Ashley from A Dash of Spectacular, and I’d love to chat with you readers about biking in and around this lovely city. 

• Don’t have a bike? That’s ok, we’ll get you set up. Read on.  
• Missed Bikefest 2013 in August or any other fun cycle-centric events the city puts on? No worries, it’s always prime time for bike talk. 

It’s such a great way to get some exercise and see PGH at the same time. 

I am a new cyclist {a fancy term for biker}, having just bought my first bike in May of this year.  I’d always loved riding my bike as a kid, but fell out of habit when I grew out of my ‘kid-sized bike’ around middle school.  The pink-and-white streamers on my handlebars were really cramping my style. I should have stuck with it, because I am falling back in love with cycling!  You don’t need an expensive bike to enjoy cycling – just pick something you’re comfortable with, and several spots around town have bike rentals {I’ve heard good things about Golden Bike Rentals and Bicycle Heaven}, and I hear there is going to be a Bike Share program soon.

The Happy Day. I know I’m reppin' the wrong city, but I’m biking here nonetheless!

As a novice cyclist, I’m getting to know all of the gorgeous spots to bike here in Pittsburgh.  For example, a few weekends ago I took a breezy, 10-mile ride down Beechwood Blvd., through Squirrel Hill, and back up to my apartment in Shadyside. Beechwood is super safe and lined with bike lanes. I have a few photos of this ride on my blog post from 8/22, if you need a view to convince you.  If you’re already a cyclist, I’d love to hear about some of your favorites routes! I’ll be taking notes.

If you are brave, the city itself has lots of bikes lanes.  If you’re not satisfied with the ‘beta’ bike trails on Google Maps {the little green squiggles}, Bike PGH offers maps of the aforementioned local trails to get you started, so if you see one of these:

Pick it up!! Or, you can download one here. Take some time and grab your groceries for the evening or pick up your RedBox movie while on your bike. A couple times of doing the errands by bike and you’ll be a master at PGH’s bike routes.

If you don’t want to brave the streets of PGH {potholes and all}, then a trail might be your best bet.  More well-known, paved or packed dirt routes include the Three Rivers Heritage Trail, Southside Trail, the Frick Park trails, and of course, the granddaddy of them all, the Great Allegheny Passage, which eventually leads to Washington, D.C.  It’s more than 300 miles! That one’s going on my bucket list. 

All of the trails are ready for any level cyclist, from beginner to advanced. Once you have basic knowledge of bike maintenance, tire repair and safety {all of which you can get from any of the bike shops in town}, you’ll be set for an adventure. I’ve found that you just have to get yourself out there! 

Do you have any cycling questions? I’ll add them to my ‘beginner’ list and be posting more soon over on my blog, A Dash of Spectacular. I hope to see you out biking PGH with me! 

Guest Post: DuffyDossier

A recent Pittsburgh blogging friend of mine, Alex of DuffyDossier is today's featured guest post as I still get settled into my new job - I'm excited to have her here today to give all of you the ins and outs of great vintage shopping in the 'burgh. Trust me, this girl knows her stuff! Hope you enjoy her post!

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DuffyDossier is Pittsburgh born and raised.

The lovely Miss Alex of DuffyDossier - photo provided by Alex.

Here we go, gals. It’s time to talk about the nitty gritty of Pittsburgh Resale Shops. DuffyDossier is going to get down and dirty with all the epic details. I’ll give you an inside look into which Pittsburgh resale shops to frequent and which ones to stay far away, (and on the other side of the street) from. We’ll cover which shop owners know their way around resale, and which ones don’t. And of course, this post will talk about the tremendous Pittsburgh vintage selection.

Since taking on the responsibility of ‘Miss Vintage Pittsburgh’, I’ve had my fair share of resale/consignment/vintage shopping experiences here in the ‘Burgh. My first rendezvous at a resale shop began one year ago when I stumbled upon The Clothes Horse on Beverly Road.

Miss Judy sitting behind her glass counter full of jewels greeted me with a smile and personal introduction! Immediately, I admitted to her that I’d never been to a resale shop before, and that I was in need of some assistance.

Judy began by showing me around her shop and then she gave me the ins-and-outs of consignment. She explained how she gets her clothes, how often she gets them, her regular consignment junkies, how she prices items, their self life … etc.

Without that initial understanding of the ‘whats, who's, whys, and hows’ of consignment shopping I may never have been able to grasp what it takes to actually be a great resale shop. Since Judy’s consignment finishing school 101, I’ve been able to critique every resale shop in Pittsburgh on this side of the Mon River.

The Pittsburgh South Side

We all know and love the South Side of Pittsburgh, home to many boozy & woozy college kids after hours, but a GREAT location for consignment, and in particular, vintage shopping! 

Stores you NEED to try out in the South Side:

Luxx, Clothing and Hair Salon. First of all, GFs, this shop is both a hair saloon and vintage reseller … can you say #chictodeath? Second of all, the chic in charge knows how to put on a shoe display. Luxx is by far the best consignment shop for vintage shoes! The shoes in this shop are colorful, diverse, name-brand, and mod. The selection Luxx has going on right now is comparative to Steve Madden and Vince Camuot’s 2013 shoe lines.   

The Pittsburgh South Hills

Since I myself, am a PGH south hills resident, I know my way around consigning town. Here are a few shops that are a must-see!

TheSavvy Fox of Mt. Lebanon. And, boy …is she savvy! The shop recently moved its doors to a new location on Greentree road and also has another location in Peters Township. I was able to find some splendid work attire. Profesh & appropriate styles from Asos, various Macy’s brands, and Calvin Klien …just to name a few!

GladRaggs Boutique of Upper Saint Clair. This little shop used to be an old car garage, so it gets drafty in the winter! So, bring your duck-down coat and prepare because you’ll want to stop in no matter the weather. They boast a petite selection worth all your shivers!

Shady Side, Pittsburgh

Shady side has more than just the shops on Walnut Street! It’s one of my favorite little neighborhoods in Pittsburgh.

EonsFashion Antique. Down a ways, on Elmsworth Avenue, Eons Fashion antique is stacked with Vintage. (I’m not kidding, they have hat boxes piled so high they reach the ceiling) Eons appropriately dubs themselves, ‘fashion antique’ store for good reason. The entire store boasts clothing from all vintage eras, 90s and beyond. Their selection is stitched to perfection and made the way clothes used to be made  …with careful, nimble fingers.

And now, a little bit about me, Alex Duffy of DuffyDossier. Since agreeing to write for Chelsea’s ‘Chels and the City’ Pittsburgh blog, I had to start asking myself the hard-hitting questions, why do I blog? And, what is my favorite thing about Pittsburgh?

Why do I blog? Hmm… that’s a question with many answers! Since I know you don’t have all day, I will sum it up in a few words… I blog because I am creative. It took me 23 years to realize the depth of my creativity and all of my friends telling me I possessed style. So, I got to thinking, ‘Alex, what can you do that encompasses both your creativity and your style?’ The answer: blog, blog and more blogging! …blogging is always the answer.

What is my favorite thing about Pittsburgh? Pittsburgh people. I travel a lot in my free time. Hoping around from place to place, you begin to realize how valuable a genuine smile and a happy ‘hello!’ from strangers. The people Pittsburgh has are what makes Pittsburgh a happy home for me and my family.

Be sure to check out Alex of DuffyDossier on Pinterest, Twitter & Instagram as well!

Fashion Forward Fridays: Meet AJ!

Hi friends! Coming off of Fashion Week I have to say that I have a new energy for Fashion Forward Fridays, you are to thank for that. I'm glad you guys enjoy this "segment" of my blog so much and I'm going to try harder at finding fashionista/o's - I mean, it's spring now so this will become easier to do again!

Today I thought we could use a dose of testosterone up in hurr. It's been a while since I featured a fashionisto - so here's a cute one for you. His name is AJ, he's a senior at Point Park and we have matching backpacks, so clearly, he's legit.

Our backpacks, compliments of H&M. Can you guess who has which color drawstring?

AJ, who likes to shop at American Eagle, H&M, J.Crew and the Gap, said that he would consider his style casual, preppy-trendy. Actually, after he listed all his shopping destinations to me, he said, "Oh, geez, I sound like a total prep," and followed that up with, "but that's what I am!" And flashed his killer smile. (So cute.)

He said he likes to keep up with what is on trend at the moment...budget permitting. He said that GQ is his place to go for inspiration and likes to dress like the models, if his student limits allow him. And for men, or women, looking to amp up their style, AJ said to turn to the magazines, like he does, for some ideas. "GQ for guys and Marie Claire for women are great resources to see what the "experts" say you should be wearing," he said. But AJ also insists that no matter what is in style this season, you have to wear the clothes, not let them wear you, and that no matter what you're wearing, you have to be comfortable and that way you'll be confident in whatever you have on that day.

As for AJ's favorite magazine, GQ, calling Pittsburgh the third-worst-dressed city in America, he said that he does not agree with them. He said, "I cannot speak for Pittsburgh as a whole, but here in downtown, with all the business people and large student population, this is an area that has a lot of fashion sense." He also said that he thinks that fashion sense definitely stretches to Lawrenceville and Shadyside and some other places around the city where he's been. But quickly added, "if GQ came here on a game day, then shit no, nothing but black and gold."

Hard to pretend you're not "preppy" while wearing Sperry's.

Don't you love a guy who is cute and funny!? (I'm trying to help a brother get a date here if you couldn't tell lol) Anyway, hope all of you have a great weekend! Enjoy the sunshine today, Pittsburgh and keep it fashionable!