By Katrice
Last night I marked My Vicarious Life 2nd birthday with a Social Soiree at the LOFT at Castleberry Hill. What a spectacular evening! Thank you to everyone who came out to help me celebrate and to The MVL Social sponsors — Atlanta Tribune: The Magazine, Avon, Shea Moisture, Color Me Beautiful, Beautiful Textures and Blackberry. I could not have done it without you!
Toy Matthews
Swag courtesy of Avon and Shea Moisture
And more swag. Love these clutches from Color Me Beautiful
Me with Ebony Janice Moore and Yolanda Mines
K Thuy Ng, Charis Finesse and Tao C
Natasha Davis-Bowen and Ann Keys-Spencer
Tasha Robinson, Dea Win, Shawntel Asemota, Alaina Garrett and Kristen Cottrell-Henderson
The winner of a Color Me Beautiful tote giveaway
The winner of a Blackberry Play Book
John Stephens, LaToya Stephens and Myleik Teele
By Katrice
When I first met Chavaz Knowles by phone, we had a brief exchange about the pronunciation of my name. He was asking for Ka-trice and I was answering, "this is Kay-triss." After a moment, we came to conclusion that I was who he was looking for and began an easy conversation as if we'd known each other for years. Chavaz, the CEO of ADvanceYour Future {a consulting company for today’s discerning business professional}, had discovered me via MVL on Google. That alone was enough to make my day. But, he was actually calling to request an interview for ADvanceYour Future's February newsletter.
We chatted about everything from my career as editor with Atlanta Tribune: The Magazine, to my choice in movies, MVL and even my thoughts on natural hair. I'm excited to share the feature here.
Thank you Chavaz and ADvanceYour Future!
We chatted about everything from my career as editor with Atlanta Tribune: The Magazine, to my choice in movies, MVL and even my thoughts on natural hair. I'm excited to share the feature here.
Thank you Chavaz and ADvanceYour Future!
By Katrice
BLOUSE $79.95 | SILK SHORTS $49.95 | SANDALS $59.95
I haven't been keeping up with the details of the Marni/H&M collection as closely as I have some of the retailer's collaborations in the past. But, that all changed when I received the lookbook in my inbox this morning. So many gorgeous pieces. Here are my favorites.
SILK CARDIGAN $79.95 | SHOES $99 | SLEEVELESS JACKET $99 | SILK SCARF $19.95
WOOL CARDIGAN $69.95 | SOCKS $9.95 | SWIMSUIT $39.95
T-SHIRT $19.95 | SEQUIN COLLAR $19.95 | SUNGLASSES $19.95
WOOL CARDIGAN $69.95 | SILK DRESS $99 | LEGGINGS $39.95
PANTS $79.95 | LEATHER TOP $149 | SEQUIN COLLAR $19.95
By Katrice
Isla Jacket
The inspiration: Rock n' Roll.
"I had been listening to The Doors a lot last fall and started really beginning to notice how women, today more than ever, embody the essence of rock and roll through subtle yet persuasive interpretations of style.” - Sachin Ahluwalia
For A/W ’12, Sachin+Babi honed in on that innate confidence which spoke loudly throughout the collection, applauding the tough exterior of the modern woman while showcasing her sensitive femininity through a delicate balance of textures, fabrics and silhouettes. The designing duo paid extraordinary consideration to the natural shape of a woman, allowing the body to contour the collection. Leather fitted tops with lattice embroidered ponte skirts, rabbit fur trimmed jackets with croc embossed leather skirts, floor length dresses of organza and tulle and helped, create a collection that radiates the power of a woman with a sensitive twist.
"Think — Jim Morrison and Kate Beckinsale had a love child in 2012."
Alba Top | Jayden Pant
Blaire Dress
Cynthia Top | Hunter Legging
Nice Dress
Noah Jacket | Hayden Pant
Julia Top
London Top | Hunter Legging
Noah Dress
Serenity Dress
By Katrice
I am excited to share my feature on ForHarriet.com as a part of it's Black Girls Blogging series.
I am excited to share my feature on ForHarriet.com as a part of it's Black Girls Blogging series.
Black Girls Blogging is a new feature on For Harriet that explores the ways Black women share their voices and build community online in a social media sphere that provides them opportunities to define who they are and what they hope to become.
Thank you, For Harriet!
Thank you, For Harriet!
ForHarriet.com is a blog community for Black women 25-65 run by its publisher and editor-in-chief, Kimberly N. Foster. In an effort to provide new, diverse perspectives on what it means to be a Black women in the 21st century, our content is written primarily by women who do not consider themselves to be writers or academics. We encourage our readers to share their opinions and engage in honest, open dialogue about the issues that affect our lives. All opinions are welcome except those which promote hate, intolerance, or oppression. Our mission is to inspire, educate, and entertain our readers.
By Katrice
While I did not know Whitney Houston personally, I feel as though I have suffered a great loss in her death. She lived and triumphed ... and struggled in the public eye and beneath the immense pressure of judging masses. Today, I am compelled to pay a small tribute to her because she shared with us a gift that not only inspired but changed lives. And though, with her passing, the flowers we offer in her memory will be for naught, I hope — as we always do in these times — that her death will teach us to live each day with a stirring fervor and to give the very best of ourselves as if our very lives depend upon it.
"When I dare to be powerful — to use my strength in the service of my vision, then it becomes less and less important whether I am afraid."
- Audre Lorde
While I did not know Whitney Houston personally, I feel as though I have suffered a great loss in her death. She lived and triumphed ... and struggled in the public eye and beneath the immense pressure of judging masses. Today, I am compelled to pay a small tribute to her because she shared with us a gift that not only inspired but changed lives. And though, with her passing, the flowers we offer in her memory will be for naught, I hope — as we always do in these times — that her death will teach us to live each day with a stirring fervor and to give the very best of ourselves as if our very lives depend upon it.
"When I dare to be powerful — to use my strength in the service of my vision, then it becomes less and less important whether I am afraid."
- Audre Lorde
By Katrice
Jessica Simpson Morgan Clutch | $58
By Katrice
{source}
We're in the midst of production for our March issue at the magazine, which will mark Women's History Month. And in my preparation, each year over the past five, one woman's work and contributions to humanity are always at the forefront of my mind as I consider the direction we will take editorially: Harriet Tubman.
I became incredibly interested in her around the first Superwomen's edition of Atlanta Tribune that I was responsible for coordinating. In that issue, I dedicated my column to thanking several women who had been empowering influences in my life; and each since, there has been someone I found deserving of the same acknowledgement. I can't say enough that I believe in giving flowers to the living. As the years progress, my feelings on how I honor women — on the whole — evolve and I am meticulous about keeping things fresh and relative. And this year, my aim is that every woman who picks up the magazine feels that she is also being honored ... because she is. Each individual triumph is a victory for collective.
And so, in my everyday pursuits, I take to heart the opportunity that I have to be great because of the sacrifices of women like Harriet Tubman. Women who I believe were motivated by the 'dream' of something and someone beyond themselves ... someone like me. I take very seriously my opportunity to commit to giving with the same fervency and unselfishness because it is absolutely conceivable that I am the benefactor of Harriet Tubman's {and many others'} faith and sacrifices. I say all the time that much of what has happened in my life thus far has been my living out the blessings of my elders. I believe that.
If you have any doubts, just read Harriet's bio:
If you have any doubts, just read Harriet's bio:
Harriet Tubman is perhaps the most well-known of all the Underground Railroad's "conductors." During a ten-year span she made 19 trips into the South and escorted over 300 slaves to freedom. And, as she once proudly pointed out to Frederick Douglass, in all of her journeys she "never lost a single passenger."
Tubman was born a slave in Maryland's Dorchester County around 1820. At age five or six, she began to work as a house servant. Seven years later she was sent to work in the fields. While she was still in her early teens, she suffered an injury that would follow her for the rest of her life. Always ready to stand up for someone else, Tubman blocked a doorway to protect another field hand from an angry overseer. The overseer picked up and threw a two-pound weight at the field hand. It fell short, striking Tubman on the head. She never fully recovered from the blow, which subjected her to spells in which she would fall into a deep sleep.
Around 1844 she married a free black named John Tubman and took his last name. (She was born Araminta Ross; she later changed her first name to Harriet, after her mother.) In 1849, in fear that she, along with the other slaves on the plantation, was to be sold, Tubman resolved to run away. She set out one night on foot. With some assistance from a friendly white woman, Tubman was on her way. She followed the North Star by night, making her way to Pennsylvania and soon after to Philadelphia, where she found work and saved her money. The following year she returned to Maryland and escorted her sister and her sister's two children to freedom. She made the dangerous trip back to the South soon after to rescue her brother and two other men. On her third return, she went after her husband, only to find he had taken another wife. Undeterred, she found other slaves seeking freedom and escorted them to the North.
Tubman returned to the South again and again. She devised clever techniques that helped make her "forays" successful, including using the master's horse and buggy for the first leg of the journey; leaving on a Saturday night, since runaway notices couldn't be placed in newspapers until Monday morning; turning about and heading south if she encountered possible slave hunters; and carrying a drug to use on a baby if its crying might put the fugitives in danger. Tubman even carried a gun which she used to threaten the fugitives if they became too tired or decided to turn back, telling them, "You'll be free or die."
By 1856, Tubman's capture would have brought a $40,000 reward from the South. On one occasion, she overheard some men reading her wanted poster, which stated that she was illiterate. She promptly pulled out a book and feigned reading it. The ploy was enough to fool the men.
Tubman had made the perilous trip to slave country 19 times by 1860, including one especially challenging journey in which she rescued her 70-year-old parents. Of the famed heroine, who became known as "Moses," Frederick Douglass said, "Excepting John Brown -- of sacred memory -- I know of no one who has willingly encountered more perils and hardships to serve our enslaved people than [Harriet Tubman]." And John Brown, who conferred with "General Tubman" about his plans to raid Harpers Ferry, once said that she was "one of the bravest persons on this continent."
Becoming friends with the leading abolitionists of the day, Tubman took part in antislavery meetings. On the way to such a meeting in Boston in 1860, in an incident in Troy, New York, she helped a fugitive slave who had been captured.
During the Civil War Harriet Tubman worked for the Union as a cook, a nurse, and even a spy. After the war she settled in Auburn, New York, where she would spend the rest of her long life. She died in 1913.
Biography source, PBS.
Tubman was born a slave in Maryland's Dorchester County around 1820. At age five or six, she began to work as a house servant. Seven years later she was sent to work in the fields. While she was still in her early teens, she suffered an injury that would follow her for the rest of her life. Always ready to stand up for someone else, Tubman blocked a doorway to protect another field hand from an angry overseer. The overseer picked up and threw a two-pound weight at the field hand. It fell short, striking Tubman on the head. She never fully recovered from the blow, which subjected her to spells in which she would fall into a deep sleep.
Around 1844 she married a free black named John Tubman and took his last name. (She was born Araminta Ross; she later changed her first name to Harriet, after her mother.) In 1849, in fear that she, along with the other slaves on the plantation, was to be sold, Tubman resolved to run away. She set out one night on foot. With some assistance from a friendly white woman, Tubman was on her way. She followed the North Star by night, making her way to Pennsylvania and soon after to Philadelphia, where she found work and saved her money. The following year she returned to Maryland and escorted her sister and her sister's two children to freedom. She made the dangerous trip back to the South soon after to rescue her brother and two other men. On her third return, she went after her husband, only to find he had taken another wife. Undeterred, she found other slaves seeking freedom and escorted them to the North.
Tubman returned to the South again and again. She devised clever techniques that helped make her "forays" successful, including using the master's horse and buggy for the first leg of the journey; leaving on a Saturday night, since runaway notices couldn't be placed in newspapers until Monday morning; turning about and heading south if she encountered possible slave hunters; and carrying a drug to use on a baby if its crying might put the fugitives in danger. Tubman even carried a gun which she used to threaten the fugitives if they became too tired or decided to turn back, telling them, "You'll be free or die."
By 1856, Tubman's capture would have brought a $40,000 reward from the South. On one occasion, she overheard some men reading her wanted poster, which stated that she was illiterate. She promptly pulled out a book and feigned reading it. The ploy was enough to fool the men.
Tubman had made the perilous trip to slave country 19 times by 1860, including one especially challenging journey in which she rescued her 70-year-old parents. Of the famed heroine, who became known as "Moses," Frederick Douglass said, "Excepting John Brown -- of sacred memory -- I know of no one who has willingly encountered more perils and hardships to serve our enslaved people than [Harriet Tubman]." And John Brown, who conferred with "General Tubman" about his plans to raid Harpers Ferry, once said that she was "one of the bravest persons on this continent."
Becoming friends with the leading abolitionists of the day, Tubman took part in antislavery meetings. On the way to such a meeting in Boston in 1860, in an incident in Troy, New York, she helped a fugitive slave who had been captured.
During the Civil War Harriet Tubman worked for the Union as a cook, a nurse, and even a spy. After the war she settled in Auburn, New York, where she would spend the rest of her long life. She died in 1913.
Biography source, PBS.
By Katrice
I attended 'Fro Fashion Week at Hotel Melia in Atlanta for a few hours on Saturday and saw some of MVL's favorite folks {Myleik Teele of curBOX, Felicia Leatherwood of Loving Your Hair With Natural Care, Ken Burkeen of Huetiful, Tia of If I Were a Brit Girl, Trina of The Baby Shopaholic, and Eboni - The Fashionista Next Door}. I've been trying to get to the celebration of natural hair, beauty and style since first hearing of it last spring. Naturally Me! Media LLC hosts a phenomenal presentation of workshops, vendors and events centered on natural hair as a lifestyle. Some workshops included: Transitioning to Natural Hair, How to Make Your Own Coconut Oil, and Thermal Straightening. I was only able to attend Design Essentials' class previewing it's new Natural Line and demonstration of the products, which feature a lot of butters and oils to help maintain texture by giving you the weight and moisture you need to enhance your natural curl. I also looked in on one by Kynx and best of all — spent some time in my host Shea Moisture's Total Body Spa. Yes, Shea Moisture was offering an introduction to all of it's luscious products, 30-minute massages and light manicures. After a long week, I needed that in my life. I even got some tips from another MVL friend Chimole Williams of Shea Moisture on how to get a better twist out finish with the Curl Enhancing Smoothie.
I attended 'Fro Fashion Week at Hotel Melia in Atlanta for a few hours on Saturday and saw some of MVL's favorite folks {Myleik Teele of curBOX, Felicia Leatherwood of Loving Your Hair With Natural Care, Ken Burkeen of Huetiful, Tia of If I Were a Brit Girl, Trina of The Baby Shopaholic, and Eboni - The Fashionista Next Door}. I've been trying to get to the celebration of natural hair, beauty and style since first hearing of it last spring. Naturally Me! Media LLC hosts a phenomenal presentation of workshops, vendors and events centered on natural hair as a lifestyle. Some workshops included: Transitioning to Natural Hair, How to Make Your Own Coconut Oil, and Thermal Straightening. I was only able to attend Design Essentials' class previewing it's new Natural Line and demonstration of the products, which feature a lot of butters and oils to help maintain texture by giving you the weight and moisture you need to enhance your natural curl. I also looked in on one by Kynx and best of all — spent some time in my host Shea Moisture's Total Body Spa. Yes, Shea Moisture was offering an introduction to all of it's luscious products, 30-minute massages and light manicures. After a long week, I needed that in my life. I even got some tips from another MVL friend Chimole Williams of Shea Moisture on how to get a better twist out finish with the Curl Enhancing Smoothie.
After a few minutes chatting with Tarin Boone, the CEO of Naturally Me Media and founder of 'Fro Fashion Week, my experience on the whole made sense. One of her main intents when organizing the event was that brands would have an opportunity to really engage with customers. Done.
I'll definitely be back in September.
I'll definitely be back in September.
By Katrice
1 Charles Phillip Silvey Tassel Suede Loafers, $150 | 2 Essie Set In Stones, $8 | 3 Archie Grand "Shopaholics I Met And Liked" Notebook, $10 | 4 House of Harlow 1960 Gold Sun Cocktail Ring, $66 | 5 Multi Block Stripe Blazer, $100 | 6 NARS Galion Polish, $18 | 7 Tan Perforated Crossbody Bag, $50 | 8 Today's Outfit Tee, $12.95 | 9 Ray Ban Classic Wayfarer, $150
By Katrice L. Mines
Theatre De Champs-Elysees
Paris in the springtime sounds cliché until you spend a few days in the French city during the season of bloom. Is it possible for the air to feel fresher or the colors to be more vibrant according to your locale? I believe so. Could a traveler be romanced by architecture and cityscapes? I'd say, yes. Is there a chance that one pastry could change your palate for all desserts? Yes, it absolutely is. That is, if you're in Paris. Paris is everything you imagine, and then the more. It is the more that beckons jetsetters and leisure travelers time and time again. One visit to the centre of European culture and you know that it can’t be your last. Why? Because Paris is always Paris.
“Le Grande”
Central to the city's most prized attractions, including the renowned Opéra Garnier, Intercontinental Paris - Le Grande is 10 to 25 minutes by taxi to virtually anywhere interesting of a tourist's choice in Paris. Within the hotel, however, is enough to keep one lavishly occupied if it is respite they seek. Guests can drop their bags and head straight to the hotel’s one-of-a-kind retreat I-Spa by Algotherm for the Jetlag Massage, and end with the Douche Multi-sensorielle, a special shower cabin immersion of water sprays, fragrances, lighting and scents. For in-house dining, Café De La Paix – open for breakfast, brunch, lunch and dinner – boasts a fine dining experience à la an inexpensive gourmet menu. List its brunch atop of your Parisian dining agenda. It is, in a word, decadent. Imagine the choice of fresh seafood, sautéed vegetables, breakfast meats and waffles, and an elaborate dessert buffet of fashion pastries. Perfectionné.
Mint Chocolate Ice Cream
Concierge tip: Try La fameuse soupe à l’oignon gratinée (traditional French cheese-topped onion soup).
The Opera District
Le Grande is neighbor to the historic Opéra Garnier and within a five-minute taxi ride to the Louvre Museum, while juxtaposed with modernities like Opera Metro Station and the famous Galaries Lafayette Department Store, Zara, vintage shops and, of course, a cathedralesque Apple store where passersby can stop in and use customary self-service stations. It is worth the price of admission to Paris, to spend some time on foot. Galaries Lafayette, in the heart of the city, is 753,000 square feet of retail bliss from American Apparel and Louis Vuitton to private styling appointments with leading designers in La Suite Galeries Lafayette.
La Suite’s spacious apartment design offers lounge areas, a 180-degree view of the city skyline, dressing room and outdoor terrace overlooking Paris and Montmartre – all bonuses to its mélange of personalized services. Upon departure, regular guests of La Suite receive details on a selection of studios of up-and-coming artists, prime fashion boutiques and must-see exhibitions. A finishing touch that whispers: Luxury is in the details.
La Suite’s spacious apartment design offers lounge areas, a 180-degree view of the city skyline, dressing room and outdoor terrace overlooking Paris and Montmartre – all bonuses to its mélange of personalized services. Upon departure, regular guests of La Suite receive details on a selection of studios of up-and-coming artists, prime fashion boutiques and must-see exhibitions. A finishing touch that whispers: Luxury is in the details.
Concierge Tip: Visit Le Passage. Built in the 19th century, the hidden treasure sits behind a door that’s easily missed. Inside, two buildings -- lining a tiny covered street -- house shops of antiques and quaint restaurants. For souvenirs, visit the streets in front of the Louvre.
Cuisine
Le Maison Blanche (gourmet)
Though it is surely the culinary experience that attracts Parisians and travelers alike to La Maison Blanche, one glimpse of the lit Eiffel Tower against the night sky as the outer backdrop to its minimalist but chic dining room will surely make it a favorite. Maison Blanche’s chef Sylvain Ruffenach interprets consulting chefs Jacques and Laurent Pourcel’s Michelin starred cuisine – producing out of the essential values of “curiosity and instinct.” At the turn of each season, its menu changes naturally as only seasonal fruit and vegetables comingle with the chefs’ selection of fish and meats. “Our guests deserve the perfect plate, with just that right balance between colors, texture and taste,” explains Ruffanach. His credo: Precision cooking, the quality of the product, a purified presentation, the choice of the seasoning to unfold the flavors.
La Fontaine de Mars (bistro)
Concierge Tip: To achieve your ideal meal, consider what specifically you are looking for in a dining experience -- whether gourmet restaurant or a bistro. Determine criteria in advance, from your budget to dress code.
Insider Experience
4 roues sous 1 parapluie is your answer to experiencing the breadth of Paris in a day. Offering individual and group tours, the 2CV (a Citroen-style) jaunt about the city can be nearly as specific as any traveler requests. During a three-hour guided excursion, planned to assure a robust and carefully curated effect, I took in Champs-Elysées, the Eiffel Tower, Moulin Rouge, Notre-Dame de Paris, Montmartre, the Arènes de Lutèce, Invalides, Place Vendôme and more than I could take note of while trying to photograph the stately stone facades that make the city so grand. 4 roues sous 1 parapluie’s Essential Paris packages are prime. The 2CV tour company is winning with knowledgeable and astute guides who are prepared for any and every question riders may have. Three-hour packages begin at about $100 per person. {View the full spread in Atlanta Tribune: The Magazine.}
