Bella Piatti Italian Restaurant

Bella Piatti Italian Restaurant

by | Apr 18, 2024 | Birmingham, LBN Food

If you’re looking for a seat at Bella Piatti, a high-end Italian restaurant in downtown Birmingham, it’s best to call and make a reservation. The owner, Nino Cutraro, spoke with us about his popular eatery, which often hosts celebrities like Mark Wahlberg, Stanley Tucci and many more. Here you can enjoy authentic Italian dishes like calamari, orecchiette con rapini, tagliatelle bolognese and more, plus weekly specials. You could also take your chances for a prime seat at the bar or on the new outdoor patio, both first come, first served.  

Birmingham Pub

Birmingham Pub

by | Mar 14, 2024 | Birmingham, LBN Food

If you’re looking for a gastropub experience in a fun atmosphere, head to Birmingham Pub. Offering craft cocktails like Pretty in Pink and others made with fresh squeezed juices, along with from-scratch dishes like pierogi and Grey Goose shrimp penne, the pub in downtown Birmingham is a popular destination for lunch, dinner and weekend brunches. Blendi Suvaria, general manager of Birmingham Pub, described a diverse brunch menu that includes everything from lemon ricotta pancakes to omelets and a healthy acai bowl. As it gets warmer, the upstairs bar windows will open up to add to the celebratory atmosphere. Online reservations are available through Open Table.

Sundance Shoes

Sundance Shoes

by | Feb 23, 2024 | Birmingham, LBN Retail

If the shoe fits, share it. Since 1973, Rob Wolk has been styling women with fashion-forward shoes since his first Sundance Shoes location in Northland Mall. In 1985, Sundance Shoes moved to West Bloomfield where his daughter, Katie, started hanging out and waiting on customers at age 3. The father-daughter duo are now business partners and, after 32 years in West Bloomfield, they moved their Sundance Shoes location to downtown Birmingham. Chic women can count on Sundance Shoes for the latest trends in shoes, clothing, handbags and accessories for casual through formal and day-to-night. As Katie Ray Johnston says, “Sundance Shoes is a store for shoe lovers, boho babes, rocker gals and everything in between.”

www.sundanceshoes.com

The French Lady

The French Lady

by | Nov 9, 2023 | Birmingham, LBN Food

Claude Bouly, owner and chef for The French Lady in Birmingham, explained that if you’re looking for fresh French food, her restaurant is the place to be. She sources meat and vegetables from local farmers, which means if there are no carrots available locally, she simply uses a different vegetable. The chef, who was born in Nord-Pas-de-Calais, brings her love of French cuisine and cooking to customers every day except Monday, with dishes like quiche, ratatouille, coq au vin and more. You can also find The French Lady at the Birmingham and Farmington Farmers Market during warm-weather months.

Beauty Specialist Offers Supermodel Treatment in B’ham

Beauty Specialist Offers Supermodel Treatment in B’ham

by | Feb 5, 2020 | Birmingham, Elizabeths Head to Toe, LBN Community Series

Beauty Specialist
Offers Supermodel
Treatment in B’ham

05

FEBRUARY 2020

BY REBECCA CALAPPI

LBN Community Series

Birmingham

For more than 20 years, Jenny Brethen has been trusting Elizabeth Arsov to help her feel vibrant.

“I always leave there feeling like a supermodel,” said Brethen recently. “I have some other friends in the same field, but no, I’m very loyal to Liz. She’s does a great job and she always makes me feel good.”

ELIZABETH ARSOV

ELIZABETH ARSOV

OWNER, ELIZABETH'S HEAD TO TOE

The praise goes to Arsov, owner of Elizabeth’s Head to Toe. Arsov is an aesthetician and makeup artist who has won national acclaim for her work, especially in eyebrows.

She’s been an aesthetician for more than 12 years. Early in her career, a peer realized Arsov’s potential and went into business with her. From there, the business kept growing, culminating in Elizabeth’s Head to Toe.

Getting into the beauty industry seemed natural for Arsov. As a child, her sister and friends would come to her to get their hair braided or their eyebrows done. As she got older, she did makeup for friends, too.

“Growing up, my grandfather had a barber shop and my mom stayed home with the kids and did hair out of the house,” said Arsov. “I’ve been doing eyebrows since I was 11. It was something I was always good at, but I never thought that would be how I could make a living. I just thought it was a hobby. It wasn’t until I was in my late teens, early 20s that I got introduced to people in the industry while I was waiting tables.”

Today, she owns Elizabeth’s Head to Toe. She started the business in 2009 on Woodward and moved into the current building, on 14 Mile in Birmingham, in September 2019.

“I do love my job. I get to make people feel pretty,” said Arsov. “I’d like to think that goes beyond the surface of what that sounds like. We could have people come in who lost a spouse and they want a change. You can change somebody’s attitude.”

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Arsov owns the building where she works, but shares the space with the hair salon Beauty Collective as well as with a spa upstairs.

“The stylists are coming from all different places and have landed here,” said Arsov. “I feel like we’re really fortunate to have this cool work environment.”

 

Elizabeth’s Head to Toe offers services with a strong focus on waxing, brow-shaping and cosmetics. Additionally, there’s a quaint shop area where Arsov artfully displays seasonal fashions for purchase.

Customers come to Elizabeth’s for eyebrow-shaping and –tinting and facial-waxing, including sideburns, cheeks, chin, lip, neck and hairline; services also include eyelash-tinting and eyelash-lifting, which is a perm for lashes. Clients can also get two-week or one-day lashes as well as makeup applications, eyes-only makeup, minifacials and European facials. Serums or masks can be added for an additional cost.

Elizabeth’s also offers body-waxing services for men and women, including for the back, underarms, bikini area and stomach. A Brazilian wax — a more extreme form of the bikini wax — is also available.

“I just want people to feel good. I like people to laugh. I like to keep things light,” said Arsov. “I just want people to be happy. If you’re taking time from your life to come see me, you should feel good about it.”

Acknowledged in Allure magazine as a brow specialist, Arsov’s specialty is giving clients the perfect arch. She uses a combination of tweezing and waxing to shape the brow, but also offers microblading.

“Microblading is a semi-permanent eyebrow,” Arsov explained. “Instead of using a tattoo needle, with microblading you make a series of cuts in the skin and pack it with pigment. It lasts from one to three years, depending on skin type, time in the sun or how aggressive your skin-care regimen is. You can wake up with eyebrows.”

In an industry that thrives on loyalty, Elizabeth’s Head to Toe is rich with customer rapport and Arsov’s caring attitude.

“At the end of the day, you leave there feeling like you got a service and you have a friend,” said Brethen. “She makes you feel good when you leave her. You look good, but you also feel good.”

Elizabeth’s Head to Toe is open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday and from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Wednesday. Closed Sunday and Monday.

130 West 14 Mile Road
Birmingham, MI 48009
248.203.9933

elizabeths.net

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Specialty Paper Shop Provides Creative Spark

Specialty Paper Shop Provides Creative Spark

by | Dec 5, 2019 | Birmingham, LBN Community Series, Paper Source

Specialty Paper Shop Provides Creative Spark

05

DECEMBER 2019

BY REBECCA CALAPPI

LBN Community Series

Birmingham

On a bustling corner in downtown Birmingham, Paper Source stands with hidden delights, gifts galore and elegant creative ideas.

One side of the store is floor-to-ceiling paper in all colors, patterns and textures. Some are elaborate, others are understated. Some are made of trees, other paper is made of stone (you read that right). All of them are gorgeous.

The opposite wall hosts cards for every occasion, the craft area and a demonstration corner.

In between is charming.

BETH CESPEDES

STORE MANAGER, PAPER SOURCE

Originally a seller of fine paper, Paper Source has branched out to become a go-to place for all kinds of things, especially when shoppers are looking for something unique.

“We offer custom printing, wedding invitations, Christmas cards, holiday cards, personalized stationery, custom coasters, napkins and more,” said Beth Cespedes, store manager. “For us, our motto is, ‘Do something creative every day.’ We want to be ready to help with any project walking through the door. For us, it’s creating the experiences. We do a lot of demos because we have a lot of fun things. We really try to interact.”

Those fun things include classes, workshops and demonstrations right in the store. Paper Source offers workshops and private parties — anything from lettering classes each week to an open studio for kids

Sara Allingham is the community service chairwoman and has worked at The Paper Source almost a year after starting as a seasonal employee.

“I’ve always loved the crafty kind of things,” Allingham said. “It’s something I looked forward to coming every day.”

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As coordinator of the classes and parties, Allingham’s enthusiasm can’t help but spill over into her work. She likes the workshops because they givs people the opportunity to create something special.

“It’s so much fun,” she said. “And you get to try out the supplies, so if you like a stamp or a pen, you get 10 percent off.”

If you’re feeling crafty, get together a group of friends and book a private party.

“You choose your curriculum, bring refreshments and BYOB (and) host those, two hours,” Allingham said.

Each private party is two hours and projects could include, for example, creating gift wrap, card-making, making a hot air balloon with Modge Podge (decoupage material), stamping, watercolors and more.

Classes and parties make great ideas for birthdays, holidays and team-building.

Paper Source is also a great place to find a gift.

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“We have unique gifts that could be for man or woman: funny, interesting, with a sense of humor. It goes along with a happy place,” said Cespedes. “We definitely get a lot of chuckles and laughs from people who find things on our gift tables.”

Finding things on the gift tables is half the fun. Anything from Ruth Bader Ginsberg magnets to slime kits are on display. There are items for a woman who likes calm, men who like to grill, the politico in your life or just a little something to make someone smile.

After choosing the perfect gift, either from Paper Source or from another store, customers can pick from a wide variety of gift wrapping and have one of the expert team members beautify their packages. Simply purchase the gift wrap and pay a nominal fee per parcel.

A balloon station in the center of the store is a focal point.

“They’re magical,” said Cespedes. “Balloons always bring a smile to everyone’s face.”

 

Perhaps the best part of a visit to Paper Source is the originality of it all.

“We’re excited we have those things to offer because you can’t experience those things online,” said Cespedes.

Paper Source is open 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Mondays through Wednesdays, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Thursdays through Saturdays and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sundays.

115 West Maple
Birmingham, MI 48009
248-594-4954

papersource.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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