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Restaurant Review:

I’ve decided to add restaurant critiques to my blog, since I feel my experienced food pallet could provide some interesting opinions.  Recently, I have made it my mission to dine at as many new restaurants as possible, when I do in fact choose to eat out.  This past month, I have been to:

Pump Room:  The Pump Room is a Chicago classic located in the neighborhood of my childhood.  The original restaurant actually hosted my father and stepmothers’ wedding reception 25 years ago!  I had spent time in the Library, which I really enjoyed for cocktails and apps, but had yet to eat there, until recently when I went with my mom for my birthday.

I felt the ambiance was nice and I enjoyed the décor of the room, but felt it could have been a tad brighter so it wouldn’t have so much of a gloomy feel to it. I found the wine pour to be stingy for the cost, but the server made up for it, by having the bartender adjust it accordingly.  I loved the cheese bread sticks and the tuna tartar appetizer. Not only is the tuna super fresh, but it has a bite to it making you crave more.  My entrée, the fried organic chicken with Sweet Corn and Chili Glaze, was a little dry.  I felt the entire experience was overpriced, but would give it another try. 

Elate:   Located in River North, Elate features seasonal, American cuisine.  I encourage all restaurants to follow this recent trend of cooking seasonally and organically.  The food tastes fresh and I just feel like I’m eating “greener”.  We started with a flatbread that was full of flavor and spice (sausage, giardiniera, and mozzarella cheese). The muscles were garnished with pancetta, which gave them a smoky-like flavor, which I loved.  Lastly, we enjoyed the short-rib, which for me is almost always great when cooked to perfection, which it was.  I hear they have a great brunch, which I look forward to trying. In all honesty, my favorite thing about my dining experience at Elate was my hot date!

Tavernita:  The crowd is primarily 25-40, young professionals seeking the next “hot” spot in River North.  Loved the Hamachi and highly recommend the corn pudding, which I hear is becoming a staple dish already!  We coerced our server into getting information about a fellow diner my single girlfriend found attractive!  He was fun and totally engaging (my friend ended up going home with a phone # post dinner).  Although I enjoyed the food and would like to try other dishes, I’m not in any rush to go back.  There are too many other places I have yet to explore.

Publican: This meat packing restaurant, which has been around for about 3 years (this was my first time), follows the ever-so-popular trend of “share plates.”  I was surprised to see how busy it was for a Tuesday in January, which gave me hope that the economy could be improving???  Or maybe it’s just a reflection of the unseasonal warm weather!  The seating, however, is communal, which I am not always a fan of, with table options for larger parties.  If you’re adventurous with food and if you like pork, which I do, then you will enjoy the pig options.  I would definitely go back, but if I’m gonna get my pig-on, I prefer The Purple Pig (unfortunately they don’t take reservations).

It’s on Fridays such as today, when the snow is falling and there’s a chill in the air, that we often find ourselves in a rut and unsure about what to do with your weekend.  You want to spend time with friends, but you don’t want to be outside, you don’t want to spend money since you’re wiped out from the holidays, and you’re sick of smelling like a stale bar.

So, what can ya do?  I am lucky to say that I have experienced one of my first-of-the-winter, in fact, the-first-ever, real “game night” at a friend’s house a couple of weeks ago.  At first awkward and not knowing what to expect, we pondered which games to play over tacos, chips and salsa, deliciously made by the host.

After dinner we gathered around listening to Pandora debating between poker, Catch Phrase and Taboo.  When choosing games, I suggest choosing something interactive and fun so that everyone can get involved and ultimately, have a good laugh.  We played Taboo and Catch Phrase and honestly laughed the entire time.  And yes, one of my teammate’s winning points was because she knew our host’s middle name is “diamond” when translated in English!

We may have spent more time trying to figure out how to play the game (until we read directions!), and making our own rules up as we went, but once we figured it all out we didn’t want to stop playing.  If you’re one to be competitive or get nervous, no need to be.  I was paralyzed by fear of messing up on my first round, and I did exactly that, mess up!!!  It was actually really funny, especially when everyone was at a loss for acceptable words (see directions).  Overall, a great time, and agreed by all who attended it was more fun than hanging out at a bar!

SO, if you’re unsure of what to do on a snowy, January Friday, I highly recommend organizing a game night.  Be ready to laugh and have a good time.  Obvs, great company is a must!  Happy playing….

The term, “ombré”, a French word meaning shaded or graduated in tone, is used in the hair world to describe a technique that achieves a dark-to-light color that starts darker at the root, then blends into lighter highlights mid-shaft and gradually gets lighter to the ends.

A continuing trend from last year, this is a fashion-forward way to color your hair with little maintenance.  For most of us, bi-weekly blow-dries and long salon visits are a fantasy of the past (miss those days).  Not only can it be costly, but also time consuming, an area of concern to a many of us working women, mothers, students, etc who try to fit too many things in a day.  At least I fault myself for this more often that I wish to admit!

In an era of convenience and coupons, clients are looking for ways to stay fashionable and trendy in quick and cost-efficient ways.  The “ombre” technique fulfills these requirements.  It’s low maintenance because the roots are meant to look grown out allowing you to go longer between color appointments.  Instead of monthly highlight appointments, you might wait 2-3 months.  If you have a tendency to have dry, dull hair, you can always get a glaze (very quick appointment) between highlight appointments to maintain shine and cover grays!

Ask your Colorist at Charles Ifergan (or the salon of choice, which should be Charles Ifergan if it’s  not already!) to explain further!

Here’s a list of celebrities who are also fans of the popular ombré color technique:

Drew Barrymore (Actress/Producer)

Rachel Bilson (Actress)

Sarah Jessica Parker (Actress)

Lily Aldridge (Victoria’s Secret Model)                                      Shenae Grimes (Actress)

Whitney Port (Reality TV Star)- Recently had her styled at Charles Ifergan!

You would think that having grown up with a father as a hair stylist and practically living at a hair salon, that I would have mastered the art of using a curling iron. This, my friends, is not the case! As you can see from this picture, I burned my neck by barely brushing my neck with the iron that was set to 450 degrees! And yes, it’s a burn mark, not a hickey, although it can easily be mistaken for one, thus adding to my pain. SO, I researched the internet to figure out what to do when you burn yourself using a curling iron:

1. Gently wash the burn with cold water using an antibacterial soap or a gentle facial cleanser.
2. Ice the area for about 15 min (ice should be wrapped in paper towel or clean wash cloth).
3. According to research done by the New York Times, Honey has antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties that help speed healing. Spread a thin layer of honey over the burn, which will also help soothe it.
4. An Alternate to using honey is to apply vitamin E or Neosporin.
5. Apply a sterile, non-stick bandage over the burn to protect it from infecting. Gauze works well if you have it.
6. Take ibuprofen to help the swelling go down and relieve pain.
7. If your burn blisters, DO NOT pop it. It needs to pop on its own since its nature’s way of healing the skin.
8. Although tempting, avoid putting makeover over the burn to hide it; it can make it worse by spreading bacteria and oils into the fresh wound/burn.

For those of you who do not believe that it’s not a hickey, I’ve also included how to treat one!!!

1. First and foremost, do not allow someone to give you one; unless of course it’s on a place not visible to anyone else!
2. On the first day, twice daily, apply an icepack to the hickey for 15 minutes to help keep the bruise from spreading.
3. Massage the hickey for a couple of days to break down the blood clots so they are reabsorbed into your bloodstream.
4. Apply arnica (found at most health food stores and can be used on all bruises) twice daily to the hickey. It should help reduce swelling and minimize the appearance of the hickey.
5. Other tips I found are:
a. Apply a layer of toothpaste to the hickey for several minutes then remove with a warm wash cloth. Wait 24 hours and repeat the process.
b. Chill a spoon under cold water; a warm spoon is useless. Put a lot of pressure with the spoon on the hickey. You should see results after a few minutes of doing this.

Whether worn on a headband, a dress, a corsage, or even used as a pen, feathers have long been seen as a glamorous accessory with a sort of vintage sophistication.

First introduced to fashion in the Middle Ages (1066-1482), feathers were used to display a high social standing, especially when the wealthy wore them on their headdresses. Feathers later became increasingly popular with cabaret dancers in Paris, causing feathers to become a symbol of seduction.

As always, people have been flirtatious with the use of feathers, and now the biggest fashion trend for summer is feather hair extensions!  They are beautiful and edgy, but don’t damage the hair.  They’re a fun way to add excitement and decoration to your hair.

Charles Ifergan Salons offers Feather Hair Extensions for $15/ Feather.  Please call the location of your choice to schedule your appointment.

I love makeup!  I suggest using it, but using it right!  To be honest, up until my mid-20’s I wasn’t one to wear much makeup with the exception of blush and lipstick.  Blush is by far my favorite type of makeup. If you’re a Chicagoan, like I am, then your skin most likely does not see the sun for 6 + months (especially this year) causing it to look drab, grayish, pale, lifeless!

Blush provides color and life to your drab-like winter skin tones.  Having olive-toned skin, I tend to become an ugly shade of grayish-green, so I have become addicted to blush, bronzers and now makeup highlighters/illuminators, labeling me as the “blush queen”.   I have to admit that I have been caught in many public bathrooms “blushing-up” my friends and occasional stranger to whom I am desperate to make-over!

In the winter, I like to use a tinted moisturizer.  When choosing a tinted moisturizer, make sure to pick a product with a thinner consistency.  Personally, I don’t like foundation, so for me, I stay away from the tinted moisturizers that have a thicker consistency.  I use Soleil De Rose by Terry (available at Barney’s New York)

I follow by using a bronzing powder.  Refinery29.com suggests you “go about two shades deeper than your natural coloring, and don’t dust bronzer all over the face, which can make you look dirty,” says Carmindy. “Instead, strategically brush it on in a C formation. Start at the temples and sweep along the sides of the face and under cheeks for a more natural glow. You can add a slight sweep across forehead, nose, and chin at the end, but very lightly.”

My favorite bronzers are Arbonne (arbonne.com) And Bobbi Brown (most department stores, Bloomies)

I then follow with blush, along the cheeks bones, then lightly across my forehead and nose to create a tanned look.  If you like a lot of blush, like I do, then I suggest picking one that a lot of pigment.   I use NARS Taos:

I just started getting into highlighters/ illuminizers, which help to create that Jennifer Lopez type all over glow.  The highlighters help to add contour by putting emphasis on the bones of your face.  I highlight the cheekbones by placing a small amount along the bone and follow up to the temple.  I take whatever is left over on my finger and lightly brush the bridge of my nose.  Next I apply the highlight underneath the brow bone, or the arch of the eyebrow. Start from about the middle of your eyebrow and sweep the brush underneath the natural curve of your brow. Be sure to blend well, this will keep a hard line of highlight from forming under your brow, and keep you natural.

My favorites are the Mineral Silk Radiance Powder in color Seychelles (available at Charles Ifergan Salons) or the Foundation Stick in color Luminizer (also available at Charles Ifergan).

Another highlighter I use is Nars, Copacabana (available at Barney’s New York).  You need a very small amount of this product.  Another way to use it is to use it along the bone of your shins, on your legs.  This will make legs look more muscular and add a little sparkle!  Great to use on tanned/ summer legs!

How often have you smudged your freshly manicured nails or toes? Too often than not, right?  Do  you feel like you spend more time at the nail salon waiting for your nails to dry before you can feel like a normal functioning person again?  How many times in the winter have you waited over half an hour to allow your toes to dry, only to discover later that you’ve once again smudged your toe polish?!?!  The disappointment I feel at the sight of my poor smudged nails is so saddening and at times frustrating, thinking I just spent all this time, I don’t already have, waiting for my polish to dry.  In a world where time management is key and everything is being created to make life more convenient, I knew I had to find an alternate solution to smudged toe and finger nails. 

At the suggestion of a friend, I tried a no-chip manicure.  I must say, I’m hooked.  Although the actual process of the manicure takes longer than a regular manicure (1 hour vs. ½ hour), your nails are completely dry at the end!  NO waiting time at all for nails to dry, so essentially the timing is the same!  You can use your hands immediately!  Dig into your purse to pay or search for car keys, text on your cell phone, return to work without worrying about smudging your nails.  The cost is generally around $35, but the up-keep is approximately every 2-3 weeks, depending on how quickly your nails grow.

Not only is it amazing for your hands, but I also tried the no-chip on my feet.  LOVED it for winter, because again your immediately dry allowing you to put your socks and shoes on without fear of smudging.  It can be a bit costly, $50 +, but worth it in the winter!!

Some people ask, does it really not chip?  How is it dry upon completion?  Choosing from an array of colors, each layer of gel is brushed onto the nail then placed briefly under an ultraviolet lamp, allowing the gel to harden, rendering it invulnerable to environment aggressors or your busy work and social life! 

Have any further questions?  Just “Ask Chloe” on the Charles Ifergan Facebook fan page. 

http://www.facebook.com/ CharlesIferganSalon