Friend Friday - Baby Steps of Blogging

1. How has your blog changed over the months/years you've been blogging?

I've technically been blogging since 2003 when I started a Xanga account and a lot has changed since then.  I was only blogging to do so and to pretty much chit chat with the internet, not really to build a name.  It has changed because now I want to be established as a "blogger", become a known name in blogging so that means cultivating an audience, making sure to sound knowledgeable, but most of all remaining easy to relate to.  

2. What was one thing you did wrong in the beginning and how have you changed that?

Before, I didn't  try to build myself as a brand and now I know to consider myself as a business or any other popular brand.  Getting myself out there, mingling, socializing, and most of all getting Socialite Dreams out there.

3. When you visit a blog what's the greatest turn off? The thing that makes you close the tab?

Mainly loud music....I often check blogs at work and loud music blaring just screams amateur to me, and it detours me from being able to view it at work in the off chance that I have my volume on still. 

Also, I personally don't like going to a blog that has posts where you have to click to "read more".  I have a lot of blogs that I keep up with and unnecessary clicking annoys me

4. How did you find your voice?

I'm just the same sarcastic, funny, cool Von and if people like it, then they like it, thankfully.  I have a degree in writing/journalism and have developed that voice via blogging and magazine writing.  

5. If you had three pieces of advice to give to a new blogger what would those be?

Cultivate relationships with other bloggers

Get out there and mingle with the fellow dwellers of your city

Be courteous and respectful of those who have established themselves before you.

*friend friday was established via Modly Chic.   I'd like to hear your answers to the questions as well :) 

Friends and Family Sale at Sephora

The friends and family day sale at Sephora is coming up later this month and you know that I couldn't be happier about that news!  What to get, what to splurge on?  So many awesome things are begging me to buy buy buy!  Product junkie goes RAAAWR!  

They extend an offer for 20% off every year and I already have my list together for what I want to buy, do you?  What are you going to get?? Let me know so that I can see if I want to add any of it to my list ;)

My Sephora Must Haves:

1. A new Clarisonic face brush head: these need to be replaced every 3 months or so, and it's about that time so new brush head here I come!  These brushes are amazing for cleansing the skin of all makeup traces that you may not even see is still on your skin.  Loves it!

2. A Stila Kajal liner in emerald green!  This will add a beautiful pop of color for the lower waterline, brown peepers will rejoice!  Their liners are creamy, so easy to apply onto that sensitive waterline without having to scrape and pull it onto the skin. 

3. I am a bit obsessed with Korres products lately because they are healty/natural and work wonderfully!  I'm always raving on their thyme and honey moisturizer, so now it's time to add their Milk Proteins foaming cream cleanser to the product basket of wonders.  

Those are my MUST HAVES at the moment, always up to add something else to the mix! What are you snagging at the sale?  

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Natural Hair Help Guide

Whether transitioning, getting the big chop, rocking a TWA (teeny weeny afro) or sporting protective styles, cataloging all of the natural hair information out there in order to formulate a plan and goals that work for YOU can be a daunting task! 

Noemie Lenoir

There is so much information out there that it can become hard to even know where to start or what will work for you!  I'm not an expert by any means, but I have been natural for almost 2 years and can share some information that has helped me along the way that may help you as well :)  

The first step in my opinion is to gather together some basic products that will let you then be able to do the second step which is sticking to a hair care regimen.  I am a product junkie when it comes to ANYTHING in life which is why my nail polish drawer is overflowing, makeup drawer practically can't open from the strain of it all, and the hair basket should keep my hair plied with product for years BUT there are some general products that I would have told newbie natural me to start with as the basics:

1. A sulfate free, gentle shampoo for once a week washes to rid your hair/scalp of product buildup.  Trader Joe's Tingle Tree helps my scalp because my poor head is quite finicky, and there are lots of awesome gentle shampoos out there like the ones by these brands: Curls, Blended Beauty, Pure Life Aloe Shampoo. 

2. A few oils purchased from any grocery store or health store that will seal in moisture for your hair and give it some shine: Virgin Coconut Oil, Extra Virgin Olive Oil (evoo), jojoba oil, castor oil

3. A really thick conditioner for deep conditioner treatments (Aubrey Organics Honeysuckle Rose, Jessicurl weekly deep treatment) and a conditioner that is super slippery for detangling (Vo5 Moisture Milks Passion Fruit Smoothie, Herbal Essences Hello Hydration)

4. A leave in conditioner that you love. (Kinky Curly Knot Today, Giovanni Direct Leave-in)

5. A styling product or two doesn't hurt.  Some natural hair favorites are Blended Beauty Curl Styling Butter, Kinky Curly Curling Custard, and EcoStyler Olive Oil Gel.

6. Wide tooth shower comb for detangling and maybe a denman brush

7. A satin sleep bonnet and or a satin pillowcase (cotton soaks the moisture out of your hair, don't sleep on a cotton pillow case with no type of hair protection!)

*A really great way to accumulate some of these products all at once is to buy kits put together by the companies that often include a shampoo, conditioner, styler, and leave-in!  This was the way that I started, with a 4a hair type kit from Curlmart.com.  Some others include the Curls.biz kits, and Blended Beauty Sample Kits. 

Tracie Thoms

Now that you have some products, a regimen should be decided so that your hair can thrive!  I highlighted a moisture retention regimen on my blog previously that I feel is helping my hair to stay supple and healthy. Kimmaytube has a great video telling her wash day ritual that I will incorporate and feel is a very good set of steps for lovely hair!  She's grown hers well over the past years so she knows something, lol: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P1FQ79FD2VY

Black women CAN grow long, healthy hair, especially when natural.  

Keeping your ends healthy will be key in retaining length so be sure to seal the ends with a bit of oil often, wear protective styling to hide your ends away (buns, two strand twists pinned back, cornrows, braids, wigs), trim out split ends, and moisturize daily to keep hair lush and single strand knots away.

There are some great blog and youtube resources out there to help you in your journey!  Some of my favorites: 

http://newlynatural.com/blog/

http://www.curlynikki.com/

http://bglhonline.com/

http://www.tightlycurly.com

http://www.youtube.com/user/kimmaytube

http://www.youtube.com/user/rusticbeauty

http://www.youtube.com/user/Longhairdontcare2011

As well as cool books about natural hair and caring for it:

Thank God I'm Natural

Grow It

Good luck to you on your natural hair journey and feel free to share any tips that you have or ask any questions and I'll try my best to help you out :D  

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Hump Day Hotties - EyeCandy Wednesdays (Brooding Hotties)

A brooding hottie can make us think that he is artistic, intelligent, or the ever sought after bad boy type!  This Wednesday, Socialite Dreams is all about the brooding hotties who make us drool with their sultry expressions and hard to get ways.  Yummy yum!

Johnny Depp: this man has been driving us wild for decades!  What a delicious piece of eye candy

 

Guy Pierce: Does this guy even smile?  He's ALL about the brooding lol

Benicio Del Toro: He was a special request vote by many on twitter as a brooding hottie!  I say they were right, he can do the "look" well ;)

 

Saved the best for last, my future husband James Franco. 

Who are some of YOUR favorite hotties?  Gets your engines revving?  share share! (For previous hump day hotties posts, click here)

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I'll Have What She's Got

Most of us have someone whose tiny waist or big hair or gorgeous smooth skin we covet.  Who are some of the celebs that you've been a bit green with envy over, try to emulate, or are influenced by?  I'll start with some of mine (no this doesn't isn't meant to be self deprecating, I love some things on ME, just seeing what celeb bits and pieces you admire):

-My hair porn goes to Corinne Bailey Rae...that girl has some gorgeous big curls that just looks divine to me!  Can't wait until mine grows out for a couple of years so that I can wear it big like hers, yowsa!  

-Naomi Campbell is crazy as all hell, but she exudes a panther like essence that is pure power and sexuality, from her gorgeous eyes to those long legs killing it on the runway in a walk that made her famous (and has a song!).  I wish that I could have her strut and the attention grabbing oomph that accompanies it.

- I used to have total booty envy for Vida Guerra in College because it's so round and cute.  Met her in LA and it's just as perfect in person!  As long as I stay on my squat game, not a bad booty to covet!

Me and Vida:

-Spectacular skin goes to the beautiful Jessica White.  There's a reason this girl is the only African American model with two cosmetic contracts (Covergirl then Maybelline).  She is super stunning!

-The most awesome eyes have to go to Adriana Lima.  That girl gives a smoldering look like no other and they are a gorgeous shade...contender for best boobs too:

Angelina is a SUPER close second with the eyes to me

-Most perfect orbs (boobs) goes to the sweet yet sexy Scarlett Johansson.  

-Last but not least by any means, I love the image of glamour that Diana Ross has maintained for 40 years and her diva-tude.  Like they say, history doesn't remember the nice girls.

So, what are some traits that you admire?  Some body parts that you desire?  Envy worthy bits and pieces?  

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The Definition of Insanity...

Is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.  Most of us know that and yet we all have some thing that we do even though the results aren't always what we want.  Whether it's going out with the same types of guys and then wondering why it never works out, sticking with the same type of skincare regimen and not getting the results that you want, not working out yet expecting to drop pounds, etc.  What is your "I do this all of the time, it doesn't work, and yet I STILL do it anyway" crutch?

One of mine is the wearing of cornrows.  My scalp HATES cornrows in any fashion and yet I just recently took out a sew in that needed cornrows, wore them as a protective style for a while multiple times, and just tried to excuse away the irritation that it brought to my scalp.  "Oh, well maybe I wasn't cleaning them right or putting enough moisture....maybe if they aren't so back heavy they won't hurt...maybe it's just product buildup that caused my scalp to break out."  Sound familiar, the excuses to continue something that you KNOW isn't working?  All because I wanted something "easy" that I didn't have to bother with or a cute new style via the sew in.  Needless to say, I've finally caught on that THEY DON'T WORK FOR ME and I won't be getting them done any more; there are countless other protective styles that my scalp/hair loves much more.

 MUST.SAY.NO.

So what is something(s) that you repeatedly do even though you KNOW it isn't working for you?  Any beauty product that you can't seem to kick out of the regimen even though it's useless?  Always go for the same color even though you KNOW it's unflattering to you?   Come on, spill the deets! 

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Socialite Adventures - A Day on Rush

Rush Street in Chicago is an awesome area to hang out in with amazing shopping like Prada, Hermes, Sabon, MAC; great food places like Carmine's, Luxbar, Gibsons; and some of the best cars you'll see cruising around the city (does anybody out there drive anything other than a Bentley or Mercedes?  I haven't seen any other type of car)!  

My mom and I decided to head down there today since the weather is PERFECT (approx. 75 degrees with a light breeze) for dinner.  We like to try new restaurants all of the time, so both of us agreed on Hugo's Frog Bar & Fish House since we'd never been there and we'd heard that the food was good. 

Wearing the AWESOME Thank God I'm Natural t-shirt from the lovely Chris-Tia, can be found here: TGIN T-Shirt Blinged Out

The bread came and was some yummy raisin bread with a light sweet taste, so I had high hopes for the rest of the meal because I ate it and don't even LIKE raisins!  

 

After devouring some of that, I decided on ordering a Lobster Roll (challah bread filled with chunks of lobster, a pink spicy mayo, lettuce, tomatoes) with a sauteed garlic spinach side while Mama went for fried Tilapia sliders with dill tarter sauce and crawfish macaroni.  

The lobster roll was just okay to me.  The lobster chunks were large and plentiful which I can certainly appreciate and the bread is AMAZING, but the sauce was only decent and nothing in each bite excited me like the sauces at Zocalo that I talked about.   I give it a C in taste 

The sauteed spinach was quite yummy, but tastes like every other plate of sauteed spinach with garlic that I've had.  Really can't go too wrong with that, but it was definitely tasty because the garlic wasn't overwhelming.  Solid A for the spinach.

Mom's Tilapia sandwiches were the best thing that we ate at the restaurant, crunchy and fresh tasting.  The dill tarter sauce added some creamy pop to the bite and it was needed with the fried coating and breading.  I give the sandwiches an A.

As soon as this arrived, I said that it looked like Kraft deluxe macaroni.  It wasn't how I expected it to be at all, thinking that it'd be much more high end type macaroni like we've gotten in other restaurants (was that american cheese in there? blech).  The crawfish addition was appealing since we like lobster macaroni but other than that, NOT impressed.  C- 

All in all, we are glad that we tried somewhere new to check it off of the list, but won't be recommending or going back any time soon.  The restaurant was wholly underwhelming since we'd heard good things before.  Oh well, not sure of their taste level lol.  

Verdict?  Not Socialite Approved.

Walking down the street afterwards, I dragged mama into the store to show her the pink princess version of the gorgeous velvet grey/brown/taupe shoes that I purchased in New York.

Wouldn't you know it, they are now ON SALE!!!!  $35 instead of the $50 that I paid for them, so you KNOW I had to get the pink too :D  Soooo happy about that:

Shoes & Boots by Aldo

Loves 'em!  Velvet is super in this season and everyone gushes over the grey pair that I have, so bringing these beauties out will be fun too!  

While walking, readers, the heavens shone light onto the most welcome, exciting site I've seen in a LONG time!!  What is it you ask?  CUPCAKES!! And not just any cupcakes but THE cupcakes to have: Sprinkles!  Sprinkles is the first cupcake boutique in the world and was originally only in Los Angeles, where I've dined on the sumptuous treats a couple of times.  NOW they have opened a Chicago boutique!!!   If I have any Chicago readers, run don't walk to 50 e. Walton for some Red Velvet cupcakes and the many other flavors :D  Nom Nom Nom!!  Socialite Approved FOR SURE.

Have you ever had Sprinkles cupcakes?  What is your favorite dessert indulgance?  

Okay chicadees, this concludes another socialite adventure!  Until next time, I bid you adieu

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Chicago Natural Hair Meetup

Black Girl Long Hair ( www.bglhonline.com ) blog host Leila held her 4th Chicago Natural Hair Meetup today on the west side of Chicago and it was a great time!  The turn out was very good.  It was great to see so many full luscious heads of natural hair, all types from gorgeous locs to kinky twists to baa (big ass afros) to twas (teeny weeny afros) and every type of curl in between.  Babies, women, men, kids, boys and girls were out in full force, rocking the awesome curls they were born with!  

Can I just say, there are some fierce clothes wearing naturals out there?  I mean some super cool creative looks.  And the products were awesome, like vintage record disc earrings and blinged out t-shirts (I bought a crystal embellished Thank God I'm Natural t-shirt from the beautiful and sweet Chris-Tia, author of Thank God I'm Natural )

Thank God I'm Natural Tee

Met up with my twitter homegirl Tammy ( @mztamz ) who had a table to get the word out about Vote Naked Illinois, which is basically an initiative to let people know that they can vote from home (naked if they want, lol) through mailed ballots and then mail them back easy peasy.  People can bring the ballot application to a Vote Naked event (or drop it in the mail themselves), and enjoy company of like minded people, have a fun happy hour, dance, or do whatever the event is. 

 Anyway, here are some of the pics from the event, hope that you can check out a cool meetup in your area!

look tutorial for the makeup coming soon from request

Tell me, have you ever gone to any blogger meetups of any kind in your city?  Would you?  How was it if you have?

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