The Gatekeepers Are Gone

I get lots of questions about how I've been able to build The Broke Socialite brand.  While I am always eager to help, my schedule simply does not allow me to take the time for all of the one-off conversations that I'd like to have.  In the past, I've done Empire Building 101 virtual courses which is a case study of the steps that I have taken to create a viable business model with the investment of $0 and a lot of sweat equity.  As soon as I can, I will resume the courses.  What I will say is that your destiny is your own to create; especially in the realm of social media.  If I've said it once, I've said it a million times: there are no rules...mostly.  Now is a great time to reinvent yourself, create your own brand and fulfill your vision.

My friend, Lamar Tyler, has created a web series called "The Gatekeepers Are Gone" and he speaks truth.  I encourage you to subscribe, reflect on your vision and determine what you're willing to do (or do more of) to be more successful.  If a country girl like me can do it, so can you! Enjoy!

The Disney Dream Inaugural Cruise - Day 1

Happy New Year!

And a Happy New Year to you all!

Things in The Broke Socialite-ville are moving at the speed of light. There are some changes on the horizon (all good, of course) and I hope that you are looking forward to the bounty that 2011 will bring us all.

On this first business day of 2011, I am spending a bit of time with one of my mentors, James Andrews.  One of the things we'll talk about is how I can take your loyalty and marry it with my passion to create a better community for YOU! I am so excited that I can hardly stand it.  I'll also spend some virtual time today with my creative design team.  Yes...The Broke Socialite will soon receive a facelift.  It's high time.

What is at the top of YOUR list to achieve in 2011?

lavish! Spawned A Cool DIY Project

Meet my new BFF, Brian Kelsey, of Kelsey on The House.  Brian is a DIY Enthusiast and blogger who has a very cool post-lavish! project up his sleeve. Check it out!

It WAS lavish!

Mr TBS and I at the lavish! Opening Night Party

Moi in the Smilebooth at the Oh-So-Swanky Rue + HGTV parTAY at lavish!

LaPlates and I partnered for these great commemorative plates, cups, notepads for lavish!

Truth be told, I am still very exhausted from the planning and execution of lavish!, the FIRST lifestyle bloggers' conference ever.

My dear friend, Ginny Branch Stelling, of My Favorite Color Is Shiny said it best: "lavish! is the best thing to happen to Atlanta since EVER!" Ha! Don't you love it?  Over 150 lifestyle bloggers converged upon our fair city from as far away as Seattle and New York.  Some of our favorites like Anne Sage, Cassie LaValle, Nichelle Stephens, Grace Bonney, Johnica Reed and Brian Patrick Flynn graced us with their presence and REMARKABLE content.

If you followed the Twitter stream over the weekend (and beyond), you'll see that the community rallied behind this event in full force.  There is not enough space on these internet waves for me to express the level of thanks and gratitude to all of the sponsors, speakers, attendees and volunteer staff.  We'll talk about each of these categories of wonderful people over the course of the next couple of weeks.

I had an opportunity to meet the editor of the first blog that I ever stalked read, May December.  Melissa C Morris is a pioneer in the lifestyle blog arena and an icon amongst the preppy blogger set. She was just as I had imagined her all of these years: pretty, brilliant and HILARIOUS.

There have been LEGIONS of blog posts written since everyone returned to their home offices last week.  I thought I might share a few.  The official pictures will be here in a few days; I can't wait to post them.  Until then, enjoy the recaps from the blogs below:

May December

Camille Styles

Professor Diva Diaries

Blu Label Bungalow

Amid Privilege

Reasons and Roses

Alan and Val

Blue Eyed Yonder

Confetti Style

Smilebooth Photos from the Rue + HGTV soiree at lavish!

Enjoy!

Gone Fishin'....lavish! Style

As many of you may know, I decided to create a conference experience for those of us lifestyle bloggers. This conference, lavish!, has certainly become my baby.  I was pregnant with the idea for the longest time and now I am preparing to give birth.

It has been a very long 9 months; sometimes it felt like it would NEVER get here...other times I felt that I wasn't sure of what I'd gotten myself into. Well...the TEN DAY count down begins tomorrow and that's good news.

In order to execute very well, I'll be away from the blog until December 13.  Who knew there'd be soooooooo many moving parts? So, readers, I beg your patience and solicit your prayers.  I'm grateful for the vision and my support team of other wonderful bloggers, brands, family and friends.

P.S. Don't you LOVE the official conference tee designed by My at Springcart?

See you after lavish!

Preparing For The Holidays: The Make-Up Edition

Emmy-award winning, celebrity makeup artist (and MY girlfriend...I'm so proud), Nyssa Green

I'm always chatting about my stable of fabulous girlfriends.  I never mean to be a braggart but they are all so smart, talented and beautiful.

Enter Nyssa Green...one of my dearest friends.  You know the type: the girl who's seen you at your WORST and still loves you? Mmmmhmmm....she'd be THAT girl.  Nyssa and I met *cough* nearly 15 years ago and it has been amazing to watch her transform from a hobbyist make-up junkie to an agency-owning, Emmy-award winning makeup artist who travels all over the world..ahem..beating down faces.

Nyssa is ALWAYS getting on to me about makeup (or my lack thereof).  I just don't like it! I have always been a lipgloss, blush, mascara and I'm good kind of girl and that drives her up a wall.  Frankly, I just don't have time for a lot of products.  One of these days, I'm going to actually reveal my makeup bag and you'll see how HORRIBLE I really am.

Until then, I wanted to share a series of tutorials that Nyssa pulled together for Southern Living magazine and SouthernLiving.com.  She covers everything from party makeup tips to constructing an easy (yeah, right) smoky eye.  Click here for the details.

How are YOU with makeup? What's your regimen? Any favorite products to share?

I Get By With A Little Help...

Fabulous lamp, isn't it?

Well...I wasn't convinced I needed it. Only $40, the twinkle in my eye was drawn to it but I couldn't justify my taking the plunge.  It was my "style" (Check.) and could be easily married in my office project or in our family room. Then I talked myself out of it. Blech. The white lampshade (and that dreadful plastic which covered it) threw me off.

I picked up my phone and called my sister from another mama, Annette. I sent her a quick text of this photo and the possibilities unleashed.  What about covering the shade in a deep burlap or a charcoal gray?, she insisted suggested. The lamps were BORN (and I grabbed 'em).  Thank goodness for friends; especially friends who are celebrity stylists, right? Ha!

What type of shopper are you? Confident in your decisions? Or do you sometimes need a little nudge?

One Of The Reasons I Do What I Do...

Congratulations to my dear, dear friends over at MamaLaw for building their empire! I love y'all!

Thanks, Ronnie and Lamar, for capturing what's been in our hearts for so long.

Headed to South Beach!

I'm headed to South Beach today to share in Blogalicious '10. It's been a crazy week (read: sinus infection/mostly bed-ridden) but I'm looking forward to meeting some of my favorite bloggers and reuniting with the folks I met last year.

See y'all on Monday!

Put A Little Muscle In Your Hustle: Tory Johnson's National 'Spark+Hustle' Tour - 2 DAYS TO SAVE BIG!

Self-made woman and Good Morning America's Workplace Expert, Tory Johnson 
(aka My Sister From Another Mama)
P.S. She made this t-shirt on her own....such a hoot!

Calling all of you who want to PROFIT from your PASSION: 


*tapping you on the shoulder. Yes. YOU!*

I've earned the reputation of being a "straight-no chaser" kind of girl and I surely consider it a badge of honor.

For that reason, I'm going to cut to the bottom line about Tory Johnson's Spark + Hustle Conference which will travel to LA, Tulsa, Dallas, New York, Chicago, Boston, Orlando and, finally, Atlanta.  Listen to me carefully: attending the conference this past summer CHANGED MY LIFE.  Not much on frills and empty cheerleading but heavy on strategy, tactics and MONETIZING passions, Tory is the real deal, y'all.

As a Spark + Hustle alumna, I have built relationships that CONTINUE to lend to the success of my empire.  Tory and her team continue to ensure that we are all equipped with the resources that we need to be put 'muscle in our hustle'.  From CEOs to solopreneurs, we were exposed to some of the most dynamic and RELATABLE testimonies that we could implement IMMEDIATELY.  No sitting around and scratching our heads about what to do next, most all of us were catapulted into the realm of further action with our businesses.

Like most of us, Tory was thrown into survival-mode after losing her job just over a decade ago.  She has gone on to build her very own multi-million dollar empire from a mere $5000. If she can do it...If I can do it...SO CAN YOU.

In addition to the education that you'll receive at Spark + Hustle, there are GRAND plans to celebrate the ONE YEAR anniversary and reunion.  Tory partnered with yours truly to share one of my private The Broke Socialite Does...Sugar Coma soirees with attendees that was a BLAST! We're partnering again to create other unique after-hours social and networking opportunities. Y'all KNOW how much I love a good soiree, right?  What's more? You'll have direct interaction with Tory. She's accessible and I've seen her sit up until well beyond midnight to ensure that every S+H attendee has a clear plan/path to EARNING MORE MONEY!

Tory and her team want to help me help YOU.  In Atlanta, for example, to the tune of about $50/month, if you register now, you can take advantage of a payment plan that allows you to comfortably INVEST IN YOURSELF.  If you ACT NOW, you can save $100 off the regular registration through 9/30.

There are limited spaces available; do not let this opportunity pass you by. Can you really afford NOT to be there?

Giveaway: A Full Conference Pass To Blogalicous 2010 - South Beach

I'm really excited to have been asked to speak at Blogalicious 10 this year.  In its sophomore year and produced by MamaLaw, the conference is a celebration of the diversity in our blogosphere.  Last year was remarkable.  The sessions, the connections that were made "in real life" and the entertainment/parties were breathtaking.

If you haven't considered attending, you really should.  There are no limitations on who can attend: you do not have to be a woman or a person of color.  I only recommend a passion for social media and a desire to have a good time!

The wonderful ladies of MamaLaw have invited me the opportunity to host a giveaway of a full conference pass from October 8 - 10, 2010 in Miami to one of my readers.

Here's how it will work:

• Comment directly to this post and express a desire to attend Blogalicious 10 and/or tweet "@brokesocialite is giving away a pass to @beblogalicious! http://bit.ly/doudyD " for a maximum of two entries.
• All entries must be made by September 8th at 11:59 PM EST.
• You must not already be a ticket holder to Blogalicious 10.
• The winner will be chosen randomly and has 24 hours to respond to the initial notification of award.  If not, another person will be selected.
• Upon confirmation of award, the winner must register for the conference no later than September 12.  Instructions will be provided by MamaLaw.
• Winner is responsible for all expenses related to travel and hotel accommodations.
• The Broke Socialite Media will not be held liable for any claims, delays and/or misunderstandings related to this giveaway. 

Good luck, y'all!

Shameeka, OMGka!

Me and some of the girls!

Mr TBS holding down the fort/corner

The fabulous barista!!!

There's a cocktail.

Now there's an ice cream.

All that's missing is a street name.

My friends over at Jake's Ice Creams have created an ice cream in honor of my birthday month.  It's called "Shameeka OMGka" and O-M-G! When I got the call, I could hardly believe it.  An eponymous tub of ice cream?  Jake challenged me to come up with the ingredients and it wasn't an easy task.  Mr TBS wanted me to do something that included my two favorite pastries: pecan twirls and honeybuns.  While it was a great suggestion; 'twas a bit too boring. Yaaaaaawwwwwwnnnnnn.

I opted for a concoction of my favorite candy bars: Snickers, Reese's Cups and Butterfingers.  Mixed in a vanilla base with salted caramel? Heaven.

Mr TBS and I decided to pop over to Jake's on Sunday for a scoop.  The tub was halfway gone (folks had been purchasing scoops all day)!  We were joined by some of our dear friends including the blogosphere's FunkiDivaGirl, The Key Influencer and Lucky+Lovely.  Oh, we had a blast!  Jake has made mention of adding the flavor to the menu...we'll see! Swing by and ask for it and, oh, THEY SHIP!

As we wind down the dog days of summer, what would YOUR signature ice cream flavor include and what'd be the name?

We Came. We Sparked. We Hustled. A Vlog.

Resources (No need to wait until next week. Someone may need them NOW!)

Women For Hire

Spark+Hustle

Tory Johnson - Facebook

Staples

Jane Falter

My Skin Concierge

True Southern Elegance

Success Not Sabotage

Beverly Lewis

Golden Parachutes

Authentic Beauty

What's YOUR passion?

What Shall You Take To The Beach? A Primer To "Doing" Martha's Vineyard Or Any Shore!

Unfortunately, I've been working so much this summer that I've not QUITE made it to a beach yet. Note to self: rectify that soon.


If I can't have fun yet, my friends certainly should (but damn them for going without me).


One of my favorite bloggers and all around most stylish peeps has been at Martha's Vineyard for the past week.  In preparation for her trip she wrote a delightful post about the things that you musn't be without when traveling there.  I contend that you can utilize this list over the next month as you squeeze in that laaasssstttt trip to the beach.

Meet the dear Kalyn Johnson. You'll learn more about her here soon but she writes a delightful blog called Possess Your Style.  She is, hands down, one of my favorite people ever.

Check out her beach-centric recommendations here.

What's YOUR must have for the beach?

The Broke Socialite Does...Freeze! Part 1

In addition to shoes, I have another weakness. Ice cream. Not just any old ice cream, though. While butter pecan will go down as my all-time favorite, I love funky ice cream flavors.  Until recently, I'd gone exclusively to creameries like Ben and Jerry's for my fix but I'm discovering other creameries, gelateria and brands are ramping up their brands.

This past Saturday, I held another one of my The Broke Socialite Does tours.  It was called FREEZE! and was dedicated to all things ice cream, popsicles, sorbet, gelato, milkshakes, et al.  It was absolutely dreamy; especially in 90 degrees weather.  I wish I could relive this experience everyday.  We started out at No Mas Cantina where we were treated to brunch and iced dulce de leche.  They also whipped up a spicy mango ice cream (a tourist enjoying her cone above) with juuuuuuust the right kick.

Our next stop was The Mercantile, which hosted one of their ice cream vendors, Westside Creamery. Swoon!  Owner Maggie Rentz served up a variety of flavors including Georgia Peach, Coconut Key Lime sorbet, Rasberry Framboise Sorbet (above), Blueberry Marscapone and a few others. No coveting necessary; they ship!

Very little wrong with starting off a Saturday with a root beer float.  Parish Foods & Goods hosted us at their upstairs bar and we all sipped on the Abita Root Beer Float which was divine.  So very refreshing!

One of the most anticipated stops was The King of Pops.  This guy? In a word: wow.  Having reinvented himself after being laid off over a year ago, Steven whips up organic popsicles in a variety of exotic flavors and peddles them for $2.50 each at a popular street corner in Atlanta. Genius, right?

These ladies WERE enjoying blackberry mojito and strawberry lemonade popsicles.

Before heading back to UrbanPl8 for lunch, our final stop was Paolo's Gelato.  We had a great tutorial about gelato and Paolo's process.  In addition to the Atlanta location, there is also one in Charleston.  My favorite? Green apple. Simply divine!

There is really too much to share in one post...so part 2 will be your Friday read. 

What's your favorite brand/flavor of ice cream/frozen treat?

How To Be The Perfect Host & Guest aka I Am OB-SESSED With Harriette Cole

Let me see.  My obsession with Harriette Cole began nearly 15 years ago when I came upon her manual of manners, How To Be: A Guide To Contemporary Living for African Americans (but truth be told, most of the content transcends race and is just good, old-fashioned home training).  I have enjoyed following her career as a tastemaker, journalist, lifestyle guru and all-around bon vivant.  Harriette recently transitioned back from Creative Director of Ebony magazine to running her own empire again.  In my head, we are girlfriends.  She offers the best tips in a recent appearance on The Today Show.

What is your favorite gesture when you are a host and/or guest?

I'm Giddy Today!

One of the perks of my job...remember, this is a job for me now...is meeting some of the world's most fabulous people.  Today, I get to exercise that privilege and I'm so excited that I can barely hide it.

For nearly a year and a half, I've been following and chatting with one of the most dynamic women in style, fashion and retail on Twitter.  I'm not really sure how we connected but when we did, I felt like she was a sister from another mother.  We ragged on reality shows together virtually and she taunted me with pictures of The Empire State building ('cause she lives in NYC, you know).  I got tickled when she'd appear as an expert on CNBC or Fox because surely the night before we'd just been talking about something waaaayyy less serious (like the tacky Real Housewives of Wherever) that the latest retail numbers.

Meet my friend Hitha Prabhakar!  Isn't she adorable? As it turns out, we're meeting up for a cocktail tonight.  She has to be one of the hardest working women in the fashion industry.  I admire her chutzpah and her charm.  Keep up with her blog here.  As I am The BROKE Socialite, I can only utilize her blog for inspiration. For now.

Have you met anyone from the social media dealings lately? How? Who? Isn't it the best?

The Broke Socialite Does...My First Full 5k Race

Last Saturday was an extremely rewarding one as I actually finished my first full 5K race.

I'd been invited to participate in a remarkable experience by my dear friends, The Blog Rollers.  Having created a campaign called "Race and Relax" under their "Run, Wifey,Run" division, they invited twenty women to get moving and prepare for the Virginia-Highland Summerfest 5k here in Atlanta.  Though I've done better with my activity levels these past couple of months, I can't exactly say that I did all that I should to condition for the race but I surprised myself.  My completion time is not all that important.  I'm just glad that I did it and that I completed it.  There were runners of all ages and stages in our group and it was so wonderful to see everyone cheer the other on.  Having been a serious basketball player EONS ago, I found that my old self kicked in when it came to to the race.  I ran about half of the route and walked the other.  This is a tremendous feat for me. Trust me.

After the race, we all enjoyed a fabulous brunch, fellowshipped and hauled off our glorious swag.

I am grateful to have been invited and am so appreciative of the sponsors: The Cherry Marketing Institute, Walt Disney World Resort, ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex, Pampered by Adrienne, Maria Bailey and BSM Media, Wine Sisterhood, NuDad, and Eistein's Atlanta.

You a runner much? Done a 5k? Beyond?

Modern Manners-ish FRIDAY: What Would YOU Do?

Due to this week's holiday, our regular installment of Modern Manners Monday got a tad off schedule.

Who says I can't make it Modern Manners-ish Friday to make up for it today?

My dear friend, Tiffany In Houston, posted this question on Twitter last afternoon and it begs me to wonder what you think about it?

"Should an intern at a prominent law firm carry a Birkin bag to work?"

Won't you weigh in? This should be fun!