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A bold lip immediately draws the eye, and at New York Fashion Week in February, all eyes were on Costello Tagliapietra’s collection. The models strutted down the runway with a classic red lip, layered in pigmented fuchsia shadow that added dimension as well as vibrancy. The look screamed high-fashion, but its fun twist on traditional lip makeup isn’t restricted to the runway. In fact, it can even brighten up a work outfit. Makeup artist Jen Brown demonstrates the beauty of boldness by creating two looks—one natural, one dramatic—that play off of the Fall 2013 trend. FOR A NATURAL LOOK Bold lips don’t have to be over the top, says Jen, who gave our model Colleen a softer, peachier version of a pigmented tangerine lip. “Sheer lipsticks give a light wash of color without overpowering the look,” she explains, applying a conditioner to Colleen’s lips followed by a coat of Revlon ColorBurst Lip Butter in Tutti Frutti. She finishes with a touch of lip gloss at the center of the lips, lending them “a fuller appearance.” FOR A DRAMATIC LOOK As cooler months approach, many people shy from tangerine’s sunny hue. Not Oscar de la Renta, though. He paired it perfectly with his Fall 2013 collection, which is full of mustard yellow, cobalt blue, and deep plum-colored fabrics. Jen takes a similarly fearless approach to a bold tangerine lip. She delineates Colleen’s lip shape with a “really bright orange lip liner.” Next, she fills in the lines with a Make Up For Ever Aqua Rogue lipstick in Bright Orange, exclaiming that these lipsticks “are amazing” because of their 24-hour, waterproof formula. Finally, she applies a coat of clear gloss for a polished look that pops. To complement this trend with another, see a past tutorial on ponytails. Photo: © Stephanie Bassos, Groupon

Concealed behind a church and sandwiched between houses, East Lakeview’s TimeLine Theatre Company (615 W. Wellington Ave.) is a quiet hive of artistic activity. Actress Mildred Marie Langford buzzes in and out of the theater regularly as a company member and, most recently, as an actor in TimeLine’s upcoming production of A Raisin in the Sun. [See our preview of the show.] Langford, who plays Beneatha, loves East Lakeview’s rows of restaurants. “Everyone has their patios open, and everyone’s just sitting and lounging,” she said. Langford shared her favorite places to grab a bite before rehearsal and good places to bring friends after the show. Wilde (3130 N. Broadway) Without hesitation, Langford named Wilde as one of her favorite neighborhood destinations. Deciding what she liked best about the upscale Irish eatery was more challenging, though. “They’ve got a nice little fireplace,” she said, “so when it’s cold outside you can come in and sit by the fire. It’s just really quaint.” But then we started talking about sweet-potato fries. “Simply made, nothing too fancy, and they’re just really good,” Langford said. “Kind of crispy, which is sort of how I like my fries. They sort of have a texture to ‘em which is really nice.” Wilde’s barkeeps also maintain a rotating list of seven craft beers on tap, as well as more than 80 kinds of whiskey. Soupbox (2943 N. Broadway) For a quick bite, Langford recommended this “nice little hole in the wall.” Soupbox’s array of soups include meaty, vegan, and gluten-free options that are all made in-store—“nothing’s canned,” Langford said. The hearty flavors are mirrored in their rustic presentation. Langford likes coming in off the street to see the “black kettles of soups you can choose from,” and often pairs her bowl with a side of fresh bread. For warm days, Soupbox’s Broadway location sells Icyfruit, the store’s own housemade version of italian ice. Cesar’s (2924 N. Broadway) Known for its ridiculously sized margaritas, Cesar’s is always a good party spot. Groups can take advantage of the restaurant’s festive vibe, two floors of seating, and expansive menu—“anything you can think of, you can get there,” Langford said. Since it’s right across the street from the theater, Cesar’s is also a place you might be able to hobnob with some of TimeLine’s luminary artists and producers. When the theater has events before their shows, “that’s the place they’ll go.” A Raisin in the Sun, by Lorraine Hansberry, opens August 28 and runs through November 17. Click here to purchase tickets. Photo: © Stephanie Bassos, Groupon

If you’ve ever had a zombie, you’ve had falernum. Aromatic and complex, this rum-based syrup draws on spices and citrus to balance the inherent sweetness in most tiki drinks. And as it turns out, falernum’s history—and its construction—are subject to debate. In 1892, Charles Dickens wrote that it was "a curious liqueur composed from rum and lime-juice,” though some sources date its first mention back to 18th-century Barbados. “It’s hard to tell who invented it … or if there’s one standard set of ingredients,” said bartender Mark Brinker of The Barrelhouse Flat (2624 N. Lincoln Ave.). “People were probably just making it and telling each other recipes and then nobody actually wrote it down until it was already in use.” For this reason, falernum’s definition remains loose, but most agree that the syrup rose to popularity in the 1930s as a component in the tiki drinks being served in California. At Don the Beachcomber, which opened in Hollywood in 1934, Ernest Gantt charmed tipplers with his slogan: “If you can’t get to paradise, I’ll bring it to you.” Gantt and his contemporary, Victor “Trader Vic” Bergeron, invented many of the now-iconic drinks that use falernum, including the mai tai, zombie, and three dots and a dash. “Tiki drinks got pigeonholed in the ‘60s and ‘70s as these really gross sweet, supersugary bright blue cocktails,” Mark explained. “You’re supposed to taste the different layers of rum, juice, and spices. It’s supposed to be a complex drink, not just something that’s supersweet with a lot of sugars to mask the booze.” That’s where falernum’s flavor base comes into play—adding spice and herbaceousness to balance the sweetness of these drinks’ rums and juices. Though the ingredient list can vary widely, most recipes include rum, lime juice, cloves, and ginger. Other additions run the gamut from almonds and allspice to peppercorn and lemongrass. Whatever the components, the key to a good falernum is how much depth it adds to cocktails. “Falernum is almost one of those almost cheater tricks,” Mark admitted. “I just know whatever I put it in, it’s going to add so much extra flavor to it.” With this principle in mind, I asked Mark to show me three drinks that showcase falernum’s spicy charm. Here’s what he made: Corn and Oil (creator unknown) What You Need: 2 oz. Cruzan Black Strap rum 1/2 oz. falernum 2 lime wedges, squeezed and dropped in Dash angostura bitters What You Do: Pour cubed ice into a short glass. Add each ingredient in order and stir quickly until cold. Mark’s Notes: “They think falernum originated in Barbados, so it makes sense with Caribbean rum. [It] tastes fairly boozy at first on the rocks—I like to leave it fairly hot and let it water down so it will eventually reach the right point as you drink it, and not be perfect on the first sip and then watery for every sip after.” Jet Pilot (unknown bartender from the Luau Restaurant, Beverly Hills, 1960) What You Need: 2 oz. Coruba dark rum 3/4 oz. lime juice 3/4 oz. grapefruit juice 1/2 oz. falernum 1/4 oz. cinnamon syrup Dash angostura bitters Dash absinthe What You Do: Add ingredients in order. Shake or swizzle on crushed ice in a tall glass. Garnish with a mint sprig. Mark’s Notes: “[The Jet Pilot] supports the falernum with cinnamon syrup, which is a richer, denser syrup, and then you also do a dash of absinthe and angostura, which is a common tiki combination.” Cumulonimbus (Mark Brinker, The Barrelhouse Flat) What You Need: 1.5 oz. Flor de Caña four-year rum 3/4 oz. lime juice 1/2 oz. falernum 1/8 oz. ginger syrup 1/8 oz. St. Elizabeth Allspice Dram What You Do: Shake quickly and roll unstrained into a rocks glass. Top with champagne and garnish with a grapefruit peel. Mark’s Notes: “It’s a riff on a dark and stormy, which is where the name comes from. A dark and stormy would be rum, lime juice, and ginger beer. This uses champagne for the bubbles and gets ginger flavor elsewhere—ginger syrup, falernum, and allspice liqueur (dram). In this one we use a lighter rum to contrast the darker flavors of the falernum, like a Cuban-style light rum.” Mark recommends John D. Taylor’s Velvet Falernum in these recipes, but he also supplied a recipe for a homemade version that uses dark rum and adds even more spices. We’ve also provided loose guidelines for making cinnamon and ginger syrups. Photos: © Stephanie Bassos, Groupon