‘Love your selfie’ at new Allentown photo studio, featuring more than a dozen interactive themed booths

On the flip of the twenty first century, most People had been creating their movie at native digicam retailers and pharmacy chains’ photograph facilities, solely to be in the end upset by not less than just a few footage of closed eyes, blurry photographs and fingers blocking the lens.

Quick ahead 20 years, quickly advancing cellular phone expertise permits people to seize numerous crisp photographs with a mess of filters, settings and enhancing capabilities, leading to desired outcomes instantaneously.

On the Lehigh Valley’s latest photograph studio, The Selfie Expertise, which opened in late April at 1115 Union Blvd. on Allentown’s East Aspect, you may take these abilities to the following degree with greater than a dozen interactive themed cubicles.

Selfies, that are photographs that an individual takes of oneself, will be perfected in units that embrace colourful synthetic flowers, big enjoying playing cards with inflatable cube and a clawfoot bathtub with clear plastic balls made to appear like bubbles.

There are even cubicles made to appear like you’re touring on a flight, preparing in entrance of a light-up make-up vainness and getting caught in a storm with lightning behind clouds.

Props similar to chairs, plush doughnuts and light-up hula hoops can be utilized in any sales space, and prospects can customise their lighting with dimmers and LED ring lights that hook up with telephones by Bluetooth.

Visitors merely dock their cellphone on the sunshine stand and maintain a wi-fi clicker to “take the right selfie,” proprietor Lashonda Howard stated.

“We already know that we take our personal greatest footage,” Howard stated. “So, on this case, your cellphone’s display is going through you so precisely what the pic goes to appear like earlier than you even snap it. You can also take movies for TikTok.”

Periods are $30 for a hour or $15 for half-hour, however Howard usually runs flash gross sales similar to this weekend’s promotion of $5 for half-hour. Skilled and novice photographers are free with a paid consumer.

Howard plans to vary the cubicles’ themes each few months to maintain prospects coming again for brand new experiences. Potential future themes embrace a marshmallow room, banana room, phone room, New 12 months’s Eve occasion room, snow globe, kissing sales space and ball pit.

“Whether or not you’re trying to market your clothes line, have a date night time or simply have enjoyable with family and friends, this facility will encourage you and mean you can create no matter you need,” Howard stated.

The Selfie Expertise, which additionally will be reserved for bachelorette events and different non-public occasions, is open 4-8 p.m. Thursdays and Fridays, 3-8 p.m. Saturdays and 3-6 p.m. Sundays. Data: TheSelfieExperiencePA.com.

Not removed from The Selfie Expertise, HIT Health Boxing, a boxing facility providing 10-round bag and core coaching lessons, held a delicate opening Monday at 1247 Airport Street, in Allentown’s Airport Plaza.

Proprietor Joe Grisafi spent the previous a number of months renovating a former Nice Wine & Good Spirits retailer, which moved to the close by Airport Middle in January 2021.

The ability presents one-hour lessons, the place instructors lead individuals by 10 rounds of high-intensity bag, energy and core conditioning.

“Whether or not you’re trying to get ripped and match, launch every day stress, construct confidence/self-worth, burn energy, or simply trying to have a good time whereas burning fats, we’re right here that will help you obtain your targets,” a message on the enterprise’ web site reads. Data: hitfitnessboxing.com.

From boxing to burritos, La Cocina del Abuelo, a family-owned eatery providing genuine Mexican delicacies similar to tacos, tostadas and quesadillas, opened about two months in the past at 621 W. Hamilton St. in downtown Allentown.

The house beforehand housed different eateries, together with Blondie’s Cupcakes & Sizzling Canines and Manhattan Pizza & Deli.

La Cocina del Abuelo, which imply’s “grandpa’s kitchen” in Spanish, is owned by Easton’s Greenberg H. Lemus.

The restaurant, with seating for round 25 prospects, presents breakfast dishes similar to pancakes, French toast, breakfast quesadillas, huevos rancheros, veggie omelets and chilaquiles (crispy tortilla chips smothered in a spicy inexperienced sauce topped with beans, cotija cheese and crema).

Lunch and dinner highlights embrace nachos, tortas, tacos, tostadas, chicharron and burritos and burrito bowls. Clients can also get pleasure from snacks similar to shrimp ceviche and guacamole and chips, together with do-it-yourself desserts similar to flan and churros with Nutella. Data: 484-274-6325.

About 4 miles west of The Selfie Expertise, the Lehigh Valley Mall in current weeks welcomed two new eateries — NYC Gyros and Indian Chunk — on the Whitehall Township mall’s decrease degree close to the primary entrance.

Coming quickly are 4 different companies: And Pose Selfie Salon, Higher Life With Bry, Hamsa Exoticz and Rivals Indoor Battlefield.

NYC Gyros, providing a fusion of American and worldwide cuisines, opened about three weeks in the past between within the former Frites house, between Asian Dynasty and Chick-fil-A.

Proprietor Veronica Santana, who grew up within the Bronx earlier than shifting to New York’s Orange County as a young person, stated that she is aiming to serve “quite a lot of meals from quite a lot of cultures.”

Menu highlights embrace American staples similar to burgers, scorching canine, rooster tenders and boardwalk fries; Latin American favorites similar to rice and beans, pernil (roast pork) and tostones (fried plantains); and Greek choices similar to NYC Gyros’ namesake dish, accessible in lamb or beef.

Indian Chunk, providing genuine Indian delicacies, opened Could 4 within the former Wetzel’s Pretzels house subsequent to Verizon Wi-fi.

The takeout eatery, operated by Tejas Mary, presents standard platters (served with basmati rice/naan) similar to rooster biryani, rooster tikka masala and paneer butter masala.

Different menu highlights embrace snacks similar to vegetable samosa and vegetable pakora; desserts similar to gulab jamun and malai matka kulfi (conventional Indian ice cream); and drinks similar to mango lassi and Indian-style tea.

Throughout from Indian Chunk, Higher Life With Bry, providing pure and handmade physique, dwelling and cleansing merchandise, is tentatively set to open its first storefront in late August, proprietor Bryanna Tomkins stated.

The enterprise, which has been working through a mall kiosk for the previous a number of months, presents domestically made merchandise similar to physique scrubs and washes, lotions, important oils, soy candles and melts, foaming hand cleaning soap and all-purpose cleaner.

“All of our merchandise are utterly pure, and all of our scents come from our important oils,” Tomkins stated. “Our prime musk scent is black sea, and our prime mild scent is mango coconut.”

Round two dozen scents can be found, together with different musk choices similar to sandalwood and oakmoss and amber; different mild choices similar to citrus agave and cactus flower and jade; and seasonal picks similar to contemporary grass and pineapple sage.

Different companies coming quickly to the mall embrace Hamsa Exoticz, providing uncommon, unique and retro snacks from world wide, which is opening on the decrease degree close to Barnes & Noble; And Pose Selfie Salon, that includes selfie backdrops and themed rooms, which is opening on the higher degree close to Macy’s; and Rivals Indoor Battlefield, a family-friendly leisure facility the place company use Nerf Rival weapons to shoot their opponents.

Lower than a mile south of the Lehigh Valley Mall, Jordan Parkway Diner, a Fifties-themed diner providing breakfast, lunch and dinner every day, is predicted to open in a couple of month at 1162 MacArthur Street, proprietor Ledo Wally stated.

The constructing, subsequent to a newly transformed Dunkin’, beforehand housed different eating institutions, together with Lehigh Valley Diner, Salt & Pepper Household Restaurant and, most lately, Mayuri Indian Delicacies.

“It’s going to be like the nice outdated days,” Wally stated. “We’ll offer traditional American delicacies and luxury meals, together with an old-school really feel with traditional automobiles on the partitions and plenty of brilliant colours.”

Wally, who lately leased an condo in downtown Allentown, has operated eating places since 2003, most lately opening Dad’s Storage Grill & Burger Home in Mechanicsburg, Cumberland County, seven years in the past.

At Jordan Parkway Diner, he’s planning to supply an assortment of made-to-order dishes, together with hand-held objects similar to burgers, sandwiches and wraps, together with entrees similar to meatloaf, pork chops, prime rib, turkey over stuffing, haddock and crab muffins.

He enlisted a longtime chef of the lately closed Nick’s Diner in Allentown to steer the culinary workforce, which additionally will probably be getting ready all-day breakfast choices similar to egg platters, omelettes, pancakes and French toast. Clients additionally will get pleasure from desserts, together with muffins, pies and chilled treats similar to sundaes, milkshakes and floats (made with Hershey’s ice cream), Wally stated.

As my colleague Evan Jones lately reported, Wind Creek Bethlehem introduced Wednesday that it has rebranded two of its signature eating places.

Emeril’s Chop Home and Burgers and Extra by Emeril have modified their names to Chop Home at Wind Creek and City Desk, respectively.

In a information launch, Wind Creek stated, “the rebrand will present company a chance to expertise two, brand-new menu units that had been curated by the property’s in-house culinary workforce.”

Chop Home at Wind Creek’s new menu will boast “a contemporary, upscale twist on the traditional American Steakhouse,” serving steaks, seafood, signature creations, and handcrafted cocktails, the discharge stated.

City Desk’s new menu will embrace prime beef burgers, cauliflower steak, gumbo, truffle-honey glazed fried rooster, premium chops and extra.

Lastly, J. Morgan Salon Firm, which has been providing hair and facial waxing companies in Easton for greater than a decade, is predicted to open its third space outpost throughout the subsequent few weeks at 3770 Dryland Method, Suite 600, in Decrease Nazareth Township, co-owner Jamie Thomas stated.

The brand new salon, dubbed J. Morgan Salon North, will probably be between Jersey Mike’s Subs and Kay Jewelers within the Decrease Nazareth Commons.

Thomas, who handles the enterprise aspect of the corporate, and his associate, Jayson Morgan, a stylist with almost 30 years of expertise within the discipline, initially opened J. Morgan on Easton’s School Hill in 2010 earlier than shifting the salon to its present downtown Easton spot at 252 Spring Backyard St. in 2013.

The duo then expanded the corporate in February 2020 after they opened a second location, J. Morgan Salon West, on the Madison Farms advanced in Bethlehem Township.

The Decrease Nazareth salon will provide hair companies, together with chopping, balayage, blowouts, highlights, shade correction and extensions, together with facial waxing.

Retail Watch, showing each weekend, retains monitor of retail and restaurant information within the Lehigh Valley. Contact Ryan Kneller at 610-820-6597 or retailwatch@mcall.com.