RI Confidential: What's Blogging Got To Do With It?
Last night was the annual RI Monthly Best Of RI celebration at PPAC. I was fortunate enough to be in attendance...as a winner for Best Local Lifestyle Blog 2015 no less. Huge thanks to everyone who voted for #PattyJDotCom. I mean it's such a thrill (and an honor) to be included. That being said, I thought it would be fun to give you a behind the scenes glimpse of what goes into getting ready for Best Of, so here goes: Today's post is all about three things you do, when you're a blogger, to prep for one of the biggest parties of the entire year.
1. I Woke Up Like This...NOT!
No one loves shopping for skincare and makeup more than I do, but whenever I have a major event - like last night's Best Of - I make sure to hire a professional. It's the only way to guarantee I don't end up looking tired or washed out (I have this nasty habit of not applying enough color or concealer when doing my own makeup.), especially in photos. (Lots of photos were taken last night...more about that in a sec.) And Robin McAloon, seen here with me, is one of my go-to artists because she knows exactly how to make me look like a more glam version of ME, without making me look like I'm wearing layer upon layer of foundation, powder and eye shadow. That's a sure sign of a talented makeup artist btw.
Robin also did my makeup for the photoshoot for the launch of PattyJ.com last October. To see the blog about that, click here.
2. Say Cheese & Crackers
Ashley taking my - and Tom's - picture
Question: If you walk around Providence, RI, wearing sunglasses, heels and an LBD (aka, Little Black Dress), with a photographer trailing you, taking your picture, people will think you're:
- delusional
- obnoxious
- someone "they" should know
- all of the above
Answer: If you said 4. all of the above, you're a winner, winner, chicken dinner.
Truth is though that if you have a blog in 2015, you need to have a talented, professional photog doing your pics. In most cases, an I-Phone just isn't going to cut the artisanal mustard. That, however, does not stop the weird looks or double takes Ashley, my photographer this summer, and I get whenever we're out and about doing the blog thing. And a few fish eyes (that) we were on the receiving end of last night as well...'It's ok people, I'm a blogger.'
3. Fringe Matters
Speaking of black dresses, cannot stress this last part enough - Next time you find a fabulous dress, you better buy it! Whether you have an occasion coming up or not. Hang it in your closet, so when an event comes up, you have it. Or risk running around all frantic and neurotic the week before a big party, searching high and low end for a red carpet worthy one. Odds are you probably won't find one then...I beat the odds somehow though, finding this black halter style with fringe at the bottom (kind of a flapper-meets-Tina-Turner-circa-1984 vibe) and having my size rush overnight shipped to my door. A friend assured me that was definitely GOOD KARMA (Hi Tracey!) and I tend to agree.
My family and I wrapped up the night at nearby Providence Coal Fired Pizza, on Westminster, where I may or may not have celebrated Best Of by eating half of a margarita pizza. (In case you didn't already know, let me tell you now that pizza eating, along with coffee drinking and smart phone checking every 2-3 minutes, is a key part of the blogging life.)
Ciao For Now,
Patty J
Photo Credits: All photos by Ashley Farney. To see more of her work, click here.