That Time I Had To Give Away Concert Tickets

I was recently given tickets to the Demi Lovato, Christina Perri and MKTO concert. Unfortunately, I had to give them away due to my work schedule but since I was given them to review the night on my blog, I was sure to pass them along to a friend who would enjoy them...Isaac. He has done a guest post in the past for me and since he's the only Demi fan I think I know, he seemed like the perfect choice. Here's his hilarious account of the event...

I’ll be honest: I’m not really a big “pop diva” fan. I’m not gaga for Gaga, I don’t listen to Katy Perry, and (looks around nervously)…I really don’t care about Beyonce. But occasionally I’ll make an exception and go to a big concert. One of those exceptions is Demi Lovato (it also helps when I get tickets from a friend).

Demi recently kicked off her world tour and one of the first stops was here in Pittsburgh, where she performed at the Petersen Events Center in Oakland. Due to some bus mishaps and general unfamiliarity with the Center on my part, my friend and I missed the opening act, a group called MKTO that seemed pretty cool for the 20 seconds I got to hear them. We were then taken to our lovely seats, which faced the side of the stage. We were close to the action but all picture attempts usually ended in blurriness.

Her second opener was Christina Perri, who I know of but don’t listen to. She opened with “Jar of Hearts” (“Oh, her.” I said to myself.) and then did her more recent songs. She sounded really great and the audience loved her. Even though I still don’t think I’ll be buying her albums anytime soon, I’ll give props and will openly testify that Christina Perri sounds great live.

Also before Demi came on she had a sort of motivational speaker. I forget his name, but he was a young man who’d lost his legs and told his incredible story of not letting that stop him from accomplishing things. He kept using the lyrics from Demi’s ballad “Warrior” as a mantra and kept telling everyone in the audience that they were warriors. Looking around at the crowd of teenage/college-aged girls taking duckface selfies, I have to respectfully disagree, but I get his intent.

Seriously, everyone in that crowd was so young. Which I had expected, but still it was jarring to look around at everybody. I am 25; I felt 47. The only people there older than me were the dads that had accompanied their daughters and looked miserable for 3 hours. By the end of the night I was frantically looking for my daughter, and then I would remember I don’t have one.

Anyway Demi put on one heck of a show. She kept things simple, with four backup dancers and two backup singers accompanying her. Unlike that Miley Cyrus with her “Look at this little person! Look at this bear! Look at my tongue! So much is happening!!!” routine. She had great energy for all her “dance” numbers, including the great single “Heart Attack” and “Let It Go” from Frozen. A surprise cover of Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” was also fantastic, especially since it took place after a quick costume change (girl was looking great all night).

But as fun as her fast-paced numbers are (my friend calls them “Club Demi”), my favorites are when Demi just sat on a stool with a piano and a guitar and belted out some ballads. Whatever jokes you want to make about a former Disney Channel Star (and you can make a lot), you have to admit that this girl’s got talent and she’s a pro. Her powerful voice soared above the audience during her power ballads like “Warrior” and “Skyscraper”, which never fails to move me in some way. I can’t remember all the songs she sang (girl has four albums) but she rocked them all and the crowd loved it.

So yeah, I’ve crossed “See Demi Lovato in Concert” off the bucket list I didn’t know I had. I’m very thankful to Chelsea for passing me along her tickets. I had a fabulous time at a concert that’s much bigger than the ones I usually go to. I’ve been told my hearing will return by Monday.

Fashion Forward Fridays: Zooey Collection

Made on Polyvore.

I'm sure it comes as no surprise to anyone that I love Zooey Deschanel, so when I heard she was releasing a clothing line with Tommy Hilfiger this week, I was all over it. Although the collection, to Tommy from Zooey, only allows for sizes 0-14 I am still in love and wanted to be sure to make mention of it for a Fashion Forward Fridays post. Below I've included some of my favorite pieces of this beautiful, and obviously very Zooey-inspired, collection. Think mod, Peter Pan collars, pleats and nautical themes. Zooey is calling it "modical" which, you'll see, fits the collection perfectly!

All photos from Tommy Hilfiger.

What are your favorite pieces from this collection? Oh, and if you're looking for some more fashion, head on over to Sara's blog where I am guest posting today! You should remember Sara from this year's Fashion Week, and today I'm on her blog with three looks inspired by the novel, The Fault In Our Stars, so head on over and check it out! And have a great weekend!

This is NOT a partnered/sponsored post, I just really love this collection and wanted to share it.

I'm Not Here & Welcome New Friends!

Screenshot of my post on Sarah's blog.

Hello everyone! I am guest posting over on Sarah's blog, Coming Unstitched, today, while she enjoys her first few days of mommy-hood. You might already know Sarah, or remember her from when she guest posted here during my Fashion Week. Anyway, check out my post over there. I created three style boards on Polyvore for Valentine's Day, inspired by three classic romance movies, each one from a different decade. I'm pretty proud of it, so please head over there and let me know your thoughts!

As for those of you who are over here visiting from Sarah's blog, welcome!

I hope you stay a while and get to know me and begin following along with Chels & the City.
 I suggest checking out some of my latest posts and heading over to my About page to learn more about me and this little space of the Internet. Hopefully you like what you see and we can be friends!

About | Why I Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Bloglovin

Guest Post: Isaac Crow of The Fool Speaks

Another guest post for you today - from one of the first people I met when I moved to downtown. Isaac and I started working together at the Public Theater at the same time which was encouraging because it's always nice to have someone around who knows just as little as you do in a new job. We quickly became friends, because of his ability to put-up with my dramatics and our shared love of food, shitty television, and a dry sense of humor. If you've been reading my blog for awhile, then I'm sure you've heard Isaac mentioned at least a few times. His blog, The Fool Speaks, is a mixture of everyday ramblings, potential stand-up material, and an interesting outlook on the world around him. 

You'll want to check it out if laughing is something you like to do. 

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Why Am I Here?" by Isaac Crow

When I tell strangers that I live in Pittsburgh I'm usually asked "why'd you move out there?". This is a difficult question for me to answer, at least if I don't want to come off as an asshole.

See I was born and raised in Moundsville, WV (that's in the northern panhandle if you don't know). I grew up on a small beef farm and I more or less had a good childhood. Parents were great, had good friends, all that stuff. But I was not meant to live on a farm. Frankly I was not meant to live in Moundsville.

Now I'm not bashing Moundsville, don't get me wrong. I know a lot of truly fantastic people there. But I knew after college that I was not going to live there my whole life, like my father has and many other people have. Living in Moundsville felt (to me) like arriving at a party after mostly everyone else had left. There is not much life there; a Walmart, some major chain restaurants, and a lot of bars. My mother tells me they might get an IHOP there soon. Which is great, but an IHOP is nothing to look forward to.

So when college was over (I went to WVU, if you're wondering. I'll talk about that on my own blog one day) I decided I would not stay in Moundsville past the summer. There were no future goals; the goal was simply to get out and decide what to do after that. My friend had a house in Pittsburgh and she graciously allowed me to move into a spare room, something I hope I'll be able to repay her for one day (I did pay rent, I was referring to repaying the act.).

After a few numb months of unemployment, I landed two part-time jobs, both in customer service. Roughly 3 months after getting these jobs, my car had a major malfunction and "died".

That was a major turning point for me, losing that car. I didn't know what to do; I'd had a car since my sophomore year of college. Well I did what I had to: I bought a bus pass. Most people would consider that moving downward, and I suppose it is. But for me it was liberating: a car was something I relied on in West Virginia. I needed it to go anywhere. But here in Pittsburgh I could travel just with my own feet and a pass. I felt oddly independent because of it, and I lost weight to boot.

So I had two jobs, lost my car, and was living in a city most WVU fans despise. So, friends of my grandparents want to know, why?

Well let's start with food. It's a petty thing to start with, but I love food and Pittsburgh has delivered on that front. When I work downtown we have a regular pizza place, Milano's, that we go to for slices during work. It's not the best pizza in the world, but the point is I have a regular pizza place and it's NOT Domino's. I can also find Chinese restaurants that aren't buffets! Just hit up a City Paper or something and see all the food options, they're never-ending. In Moundsville there are two "Mexican" restaurants and they're owned by the same people (and somehow one of them is worse than the other).

Now let's talk entertainment. Tomorrow I'm going to see a show down at Altar Bar in the strip district. Next week I may go to The Moth at the Rex Theater in the south side. When fall roles around and my job at PPT resumes I'll have a lot of good plays I'll be able to see. Parades seems to happen every other month and there's always a fun convention going on downtown (get it furries!). There's always something to see in Pittsburgh and while I'm not the biggest social butterfly, it's nice to at least have the option.

Also, Pittsburgh exposes me to a wider diversity. It would seem very ignorant to say "I moved to Pittsburgh because I wanted to see black people." but keep in mind if I did just want to see black people I would have a difficult time in Moundsville. I'm not going to pretend that Pittsburgh is free of racism and prejudices, but the fact that every day I see people of any race or religion is tad more exciting than the all-white cast of Moundsville.

My sexuality was also a factor in my moving, because being gay in a small town in West Virginia is something I am not brave enough to attempt. The other evening I was walking to my friend's apartment up the street to watch TV. I ended up walking behind a gay couple, about my age, that were holding hands as they walked. I followed them for a few blocks and we passed a few people. Nobody sneered or yelled or did anything to point out the fact it was an all-male couple. Again, not saying  Pittsburgh is some homophobic-free utopia, but the thought occurred to me "you wouldn't see this is Moundsville." And if you did, I shudder to think of how it would end.

Wow, reading all this back to myself it seems that when people ask me "why'd you move to Pittsburgh?" I should just say "Because I fucking hate Moundsville." Again please know that that's not the case. I had lots of fun times in Moundsville. On my moving day I actually cried because I knew I'd miss my family so much

Chelsea never asks me to do her Fashion Fridays. I got this gem at the Strip.

I realize the reasons I gave above could be applied to any big city (and who knows, in a few years I may be in a different big city). But there are other reasons I like Pittsburgh: I've made some really great friends here. I've learned some new words, "jagoff" being a personal favorite. At one point I lived within walking distance of a movie theater, which was just an awesome thing. Not to mention the city keeps me supplied with things to yak about, either by going to see things and reviewing them or simply inspiring me to talk. So there it is: my long answer to a question most of you didn't ask. But the next time a friend of my Nana's from church asks me "Why'd you move to Pittsburgh?" I'll probably grin and say "It's just fun there."

Sorry if there was more swearing in that post than you're used to around here. 

Sometimes it just helps to make the point and I love Isaac too much to tell him to censor himself. 

Except I will make fun of him for that shirt, especially because the font it's in is Comic Sans. Yuck.

Anyway, hopefully you all enjoyed his story and will check out his blog as well! Happy Tuesday!

Guest Post: Lagelle

I know you lovelies expect to see some fashion here on Fridays so I asked my blogger friend, Tye of Lagelle, who is also from the Pittsburgh area to guest post today, as to not disappoint you all! I hope you enjoy meeting her today and her outfit - she always does such a great job with remixing great unique pieces and I really enjoy her style! Happy Friday!

---------------------------------------------

Tye in her cute, layered look, getting ready for a Pittsburgh Autumn!

Hello Chels & the City readers!  It's lovely to meet you here, I'm Tye a local Stylist and blogger for Lagelle living in our great city of Pittsburgh! Thank you to Chelsea for allowing me to guest blog post for her while she's getting acclimated to her new job, I know we all wish her the best on her new position.  

I'm getting excited about Fall and being able to layer up with scarves and sweaters.  I scored the scarf I'm wearing in this post on Ebay, well it was a score because I wanted this scarf and it was sold out company wide at Madewell but it wasn't the best of prices. I pride myself on being frugal but now and then I'll treat myself to something I really want.

Chelsea asked me to answer two questions one being: Why I blog?  Initially I blogged to market my Lagelle accessories but it was becoming a chore until I decided I was going to have fun and be consistent no matter what.  I've learned that having a great blog takes a lot of work and consistency.  I continue to give my best and grow as I go along.

Photos provided by Tye.

The other question is: What is my favorite thing about Pittsburgh?  Well everyone that knows me knows that I'm obsessed with vintage and what better place to pick for some vintage goodness than our fabulous thrift stores.  Pittsburgh has the best thrifting hands down.  I love finding vintage gems, it can be like looking for a needle in a haystack but when I do I'm overjoyed!  I need to write a book about my pickings & findings (seriously).  I've found some unbelievable treasures throughout the years and for a fraction of the retail price. Often items are not even used, that's awesome!

It was great chatting with all of you today. You can checkout my personal style blog and connect with me here. Bye for now! - Thank you, Tye, for guest posting today and I hope all of you have a great, relaxing and, of course, fashionable, weekend!

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!

------------------------------

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!

Guest Post: D&T in the 'burgh

As I start my first week into the "career world" I'd like to introduce you all to some of my favorite Pittsburgh bloggers. First up is DeAnna and Tony of D&T: in the 'burgh. They happen to be the sister-in-law and brother of one of my Seton Hill favorites (Hi, Tina!) and when they started blogging, I instantly started to follow along. I love that they put so much detail into their writing, that it makes you feel like you were at some of these restaurants with them. I also love the variety of places they review, but all showcasing great Pittsburgh cuisine. First, is a little bit to get to know them and then you can continue reading to their review of The Porch at Schenley. Enjoy!

Why do we blog? The original thing my wife and I wanted to do was to, I guess “catalog” our favorite meals and restaurants we have enjoyed in the area. Then we had friends and family constantly asking us about our favorite restaurants and bars, so we decided to create a blog for them to follow along and see where we go. Now as we move forward we are trying to find new and creative ways to show people where to eat and drink in the ‘Burgh. On occasion we will also do a local activity that doesn’t revolve around dining, just to change things up.

What is our favorite thing about Pittsburgh? We would have to say it’s the love and loyalty that Pittsburgher’s have for the city. People love this city, they care about this city and they support others who want to make Pittsburgh better. They support locally owned businesses whenever they can. When they aren’t in Pittsburgh they are usually talking about how great they think it is here. Few cities have a population that is so passionate about their hometown. You may take a person out of Pittsburgh, but you can’t take Pittsburgh out of the person.

The Porch at Schenley - all photos provided by D&T.

Review of The Porch: On a sunny summer day in Pittsburgh the list of places to go are endless. We opted for a lunch date in Oakland at one of our favorite restaurants, The Porch @ Schenley. The Porch hasn’t been around long; a couple of years, but it is already on the short list of restaurants we recommend to people who are looking for a new and exciting place. Most people are unaware of the fact that The Porch is owned by the Eat ‘n Park Hospitality Group (along with Six Penn Kitchen downtown). The location of The Porch is ideal, right in the center of Oakland; you can walk to the Cathedral of Learning, Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Hall & Museum, Carnegie Museums of Art & Natural History, University of Pittsburgh, Schenley Park and Phipps Conservatory. You can spend a whole day in this area and only see half of what is has to offer.

The building is gorgeous, its “green roof” is both beautiful and functional; growing many different fruit, herbs and vegetables right up above you. The kitchen is open with a beautiful pizza oven front and center. The walls are mostly windows allowing you to people watch or just stare out at the amazing surroundings.

The restaurant is wide open and lively; but not so loud you can’t get some studying done if you happen to be a student. You walk in, grab a menu, and then you step up to the counter and place your order. After ordering you take your numbered sign and grab a table. The service was good but not great, being that you ordered already the server just brings out the food once it is ready. They tend not to check in too frequently, which didn’t bother us at all. Some people who have negatively reviewed this place were unaware of how ordering worked and apparently also like their server to be at their constant beckon call (quick FYI, we are not fans of urbanspoon or yelp, its just people complaining over tiny little things, most of whom have no idea what they are saying). We don’t think Porch has to change a thing, they system is working great. Now to the best part, the FOOD! Everything here is made in house, the bread, the sauces, desserts, veggies, hell they even have honey bees on the roof and are producing their own honey. You can tell this when you bite into the food, its fresh, flavorful and handled with care.