Gal on the Go: Ultimate Boss Guide to Charlotte, North Carolina
Queens in the Queen City.
CREATE & INNOVATE in collaboration with Marriott Hotels
photo credit: Taylor Heery Photography
What more do you need from a trip than amazing coffee and a perfect spot to lay your head? Something to fuel you as you traverse a new city? And a pillow to catch you at the end of a well spent day?
That's just what Coco & the Director (above) provides-- the coffee part, at least. It's a locally sourced coffee shop right inside the lobby of the Charlotte Marriott City Center, which recently celebrated its grand opening. And we got our fill of expertly roasted beans, the most tech-savvy lobby we've ever seen, and boss women in the Queen City when we headed to Charlotte last month.
Like our past City Guide's, we met and profiled women who are at different points in their careers, each with a different focus and personal definition of success and balance. Women who have made the decision to strike out on their own-- and haven't looked back yet. Queens in the Queen City, if you will.
LAUREN HOOKER, FOUNDER ELLE & COMPANY
photo credit: Julia Fay Photography
Lauren Hooker started her design business Elle & Company in 2014, after reneging on a childhood pact she made with herself to "never, ever own a business."
"My dad owned a gym in our small hometown when I was growing up, and after seeing all the stress and time he poured into that venture." She says she swore up and down that she wouldn't follow suit. Instead, she pursued her life-long passion for design, nabbing a BFA in Visual Communication Design from Virginia Tech. From there she landed a design position at a startup. But her boss, a 45-minute commute, and lack of creative freedom left her feeling lackluster about her position. "So," she says, "I did what any creative who hates their day job would do; I started freelancing."
It was during this time she felt the freedom that comes with owning your own business.
Since then, Elle & Company has grown from a design studio to a business resource for creative entrepreneurs. "I love what I do," says Lauren. She's also the current household #breadwinner while her husband Jake, is back in school.
Lauren says, "I'm happy to be the 'breadwinner' of our family during this season. I know Jake would do the same for me if I ever chose to go back to school.
More crazy than being the sole provider these past 3 years is that my business has not only been supporting us, but it's allowed us to pay for his schooling and save for our future. It's been a huge blessing."
Even though she's found herself in this role, Lauren says she never imagined she'd be an entrepreneur. "I'm a workhorse, but I've never considered myself a visionary.
Over these last three years I've come to learn that there's two kinds of entrepreneurs: those who were born entrepreneurs and are always looking for the next business idea, and those who were born creative and want to start a business to carry out their ideas on their own terms. Jake is a natural-born entrepreneur; I'm a natural-born creative. We make a good team."
"I'm a workhorse, but I've never considered myself a visionary."
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This past year she's been able to bring on two part-time assistants, increase her prices, and focus on some passive income streams. And Charlotte is the perfect place for Lauren as she continues to grow. "I'm a southern, East coast girl, through and through. Charlotte is a good mix of southern charm and city life. It's clean, it's growing, and it's close to both the mountains and the water. We love it here."
She's sharing her favorite spots in the city below.
Best spot in Charlotte to hear live music: Neighborhood Theatre
Grab a morning cup of coffee: Not Just Coffee
Grab an afternoon cup of coffee: Amelie's Bakery (see above images)
Tourist spot in Charlotte that’s a guilty pleasure: Romare Bearden Park
Tourist spot that you’ve never visited: U.S. National Whitewater Center
Your favorite spot in Charlotte to sit and be still: Freedom Park
Favorite date night spot: Napa on Providence
MARSHA BARNES, FOUNDER THE FINANCE BAR
photo credit: Julia Fay Photography
Marsha Barnes started her career in the banking world, a place that provided her great opportunities, but the finance guru says that her true calling is much different than a banking setting. "There is a huge gap and percentage of people who are under-served on their financial journey," Marsha says.
"The world of personal finance is very similar to gaining levels of education, you begin with the basics and navigate your way up depending on your situation. I wanted to close that gap."
So she created The Finance Bar, a mobile finance station designed to service everyone stressed about their financial standing. The idea came about specifically to "not exclude anyone," says Marsha. "It allows me to travel to organizations, corporations and educational institutions and connect with people in a non-traditional financy type of way."
She also recently launched her Coaching Suite, what she calls a much more intimate experience than the mobile unit. At the suit she's offering 1:1 support for singles, couples and entire families that need guidance.
Marsha wasn't always so money savvy. "As a young lady I wanted all the things that I knew my money could buy. When I received my first promotion in the corporate world the first thing I wanted was a BMW and I didn't earn BMW type of money back then. I wanted my title at work to match my lifestyle. Totally the wrong thinking process. Terrible actually."
"I wanted my title at work to match my lifestyle. Totally the wrong thinking process."
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But she is keen on sharing her know-how and how-to, especially during the spendiest season of all. "During your down time stop and think about the life that you truly desire for yourself. Is it to vacation more, create your own business, spend more time with family?" she asks. "Believe it or not, money affects a lot of what we do in life. Be mindful of your dreams-the holidays will come and go but will your dreams?"
Here's a list of Marsha's favorite and financially smart places in Charlotte. (Why spend $$ when you can hit up a spot for free?)
Favorite spot to have a cup of morning coffee: Not coffee, but definitely hot-chocolate at the bookstore with my husband.
Best location to watch the sunset: On my porch.
Grab a post work drink with a friend: Jade Asian Fusion
The one place in the city where you’ll splurge: Books-A-Million
Where you can get the most bang for your buck: The library. It's full of free learning.
Favorite spot to sit and be still: The library and my porch.
Awesome neighborhoods you got to explore while taking the mobile hub on the road: Any neighborhood in my community. You never know what people are experiencing unless you are willing to meet them "where" they are.
HOLLY HOLLINGSWORTH PHILLIPS, CO-OWNER THE ENGLISH ROOM
photo credit: Julia Fay Photography
"I often want to scoop it all up. I am a true shopaholic and I am thrilled to have the job that pays me for it," explains Holly Hollingsworth Phillips, co-owner of The English Room, an interior design business originally run by Holly and her mother, Nancy Hollingsworth.
"My mother does not accept the word 'NO,'" says Holly. "She is persistent to a fault sometimes. That has served me well to get things done and maneuver difficult situations."
It's something Holly's been actively doing for over 20 years. Immersed in the world of design at a young age, Holly went on her first buying trip to Europe at 12.
She also learned to be "kind to everyone you meet. The subs and people who do lots of the actual install make this business happen," explains Holly. "Those relationships should be cherished and well-respected."
They are relationships that she's built over the last 20 years, but don't think that makes her unadaptable. "Access online has broadened knowledge and sources for everyone-- clients and designers alike," she shares. "I have a love/hate relationship with Pinterest because the client can peruse ideas for days and get so confused. Yet, it has become an integral tool for me with secret boards for each project. It is a way for clients and I to share ideas easily."
Iris Apfel is another huge influence on the designer. A woman who Holly says is a true design icon. She has been, "an interior designer, a textile designer, a business owner, a shopaholic and she has now become a fashion icon. I respect her desire to not be swayed by trends bit to dress for herself," Holly says. "I have always abided by her 'more is more and less is a bore' philosophy."
"I have always abided by her 'more is more and less is a bore' philosophy."
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Things have also changed a bit since she was 12 browsing antiques in faraway places, but the travel component of her work has not. To get into travel mode Holly says, "I research like nobodies business! I cull my design friends for their knowledge of the location. I research travel guides for each location ad nauseam to find all the best spots prior to a trip. I make a Pinterest board. I map everything on Google maps and make a very set itinerary." And yet she's remains open spontaneity. "Plan and over plan so you can go with the flow and relax knowing you didn't miss a thing."
Don't miss anything on Holly's list of her favorite spots in Charlotte below.
Best spot in Charlotte to be inspired: The Mint Museum
Grab a morning cup of coffee: At home, my husbands coffee is the best. Love Amelie’s in Noda or Little Spoon for a weekend treat.
Grab an afternoon cup of coffee: Starbucks because it is 100 yards from my office. I wish Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf was in Charlotte.
Tourist spot that’s a guilty pleasure: Pinky’s Westside Grill - Get the Pimpin’ Fries smothered in pimento cheese…worth the heart attack.
Tourist spot that you’ve never visited: Nascar Hall of Fame
Best under the radar shopping spot: Hidell Brooks Gallery for incredible art, Sleepy Poet for an occasional random design score.
Find amazing vintage: Slate Interiors
Your favorite spot in Charlotte to sit and be still: Foxcroft Wine Company with great bottle of Cali Chard and cheese plate.
A restaurant that has amazing food: Kindred in Davidson is by far the best restaurant in the area!
A restaurant that has amazing interior decor: Kindred or Reid’s for chic french bistro style…or Halcyon at The Mint Museum. (This is not Charlotte’s forte…I would love to design one chic interior.)
Be sure to check back on our final stop of the year with Marriott Hotels. Up next: we are heading to Seattle, WA.
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Gal on the Go: The Ultimate Boss Guide to Atlanta
Creating careers and finding inspiration in the city of trees.
CREATE & INNOVATE in collaboration with Marriott Hotels
photo credit: Kathryn McCray Photography
When we chose Atlanta as the next stop for Create & Cultivate, there were more than a few good reasons. As a growing hub for diversity and tech, Atlanta has also been named #5 in the best cities for female founders with 44.3% of female-owned firms in the city. #nobrainer.
So it felt natural when we headed to Atlanta this past month in partnership with Marriott Hotels to profile female entrepreneurs and business women living in the City of Trees. Like our San Francisco City Guide, each woman is at a different point in her career. Each with a different focus and personal definition of success and balance.
We stayed at the Marriott Marquis in downtown (Hunger Games anyone?! see elevator shot above) and explored the city, hit up Barcelona Wine Bar, chatted work/life balance, what it means to have a job that puts you up in the air, and why ATL is the place to be.
MATTIE JAMES, FOUNDER, MATTIEOLOGIE
photo credit: Chris Payne
Mattie James, lifestyle and business blogger at Mattieologie has broads in Atlanta. Fans and women who listen and take the career advice she doles our seriously (as they should).
When we met up to grab coffee at the brick-lined Octane near Georgia Tech, one woman couldn't help but approach her. "Are you Mattieologie?" she asked with excitement.
It was not only a reminder of how bloggers and influencers become their brand-- at least via public perception, but also served as a reminder that dishing out career advice is a big responsibility.
Mattie knows this. It's not only something she's "comfortable with" but also says that her "intentions are whole-hearted." She wants her followers and readers to know that "that power will always belong to them. I'm simply just a guide."
When she first started Mattieologie she was working a full time job and blogging simultaneously. "I think having a full time job and tackling blogging at a full time level is exactly that. Working two jobs. You have to wear the employee hat - where you answer to management or a supervisor - and then the entrepreneur hat where the last decisions are on you." Pulling double duty was something that forced her to be a better blogger. "It made me take myself seriously," she says.
"The better version of myself is the only person I'm trying to keep up with."
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Like many working women Mattie says she "danced around the idea" of leaving her 9 to 5 instead of giving herself a hard deadline. She says she really made the decision, "subconsciously when I had a baby." But then she was "Luckily let go in June 2015 and got really focused."
The child of immigrant parents who both worked, Mattie learned plenty of lessons about entrepreneurship growing up. "My mom did Mary Kay for years and was incredibly successful at it. The thing I admired most about her is that she dominated both at work and at home. She created a balance that made me believe you could do it all. My dad has such incredible work ethic which I think he passed on to me and my sister. They made us believe in the American dream." Her sister has also been bit by the entrepreneurial spirit.
Today Mattie is a working mom who says that balance means "making it work by any means possible. And that balance looks different every single day. There are days when I'm an amazing mom, fantastic blogger but dropped the ball as a wife. Tomorrow is another day. Hopefully the day you get it right."
She calls Atlanta "a city of balance." And is always loving on "the food, the people, and the feeling."
Favorite spot to get coffee: Octane off of Marietta St.
Grab the perfect shot: Whiskey Blue at the W Buckhead
A spot in the city that has special meaning to you: Fox Theatre. Where me and Hubs had our first date.
Your favorite spot in the city to sit still and be creative: Condesa Coffee
Restaurant you can go to time and again and always leave satisfied: Gio's Chicken, Little Italia
Go when you want to be alone: Brash Coffee
Go when you want to be with friends: Edgewood - Mother, Sound Table, Noni's and other cool bars
Tourist spot that’s a secret guilty pleasure (that everyone should visit): Centennial Olympic Park
COCO BASSEY, FOUNDER, MILLENNIELLE
photo credit: Kathryn McCray Photography
Coco Bassey is at the point in her career where Mattie James once found herself. She's working two full time jobs-- what she calls her "professional job" and her "personal brand."
It's important to Coco that she succeeds at both.
"I've found that working with people who support my vision on both fronts is what has really helped me. My blog is still a solo project, but I have a really supportive family who knows what I'm trying to do." She says she asks herself every day if it's time to focus full time on one or the other but feels like, "everything I've learned in my professional career has really contributed to Millennielle's success. I'd love to keep my double life going for as long as I humanly can... until one or the other takes absolute precedence."
As a woman and student of the world, having lived in five different countries, Coco has learned a lot about business and building relationships from being mobile and adaptable. The current secret to her hustle is "no days off," but that doesn't mean it's not a challenge. She also knows a lot about challenge. She started Millennielle during a time of particular hardship.
"When I started my blog back in 2013, I was just a few months out from a thyroid cancer diagnosis and treatment," she says. "I had to leave my job out of school because of visa issues, and I was going through a break-up that affected me a lot more than it probably should have — probably because of the former two." She says it felt like "nothing was working for me," but one of her escapes was "admiring the digital spaces girls just like me had created for themselves by way of blogging and/or starting up small businesses."
"The most successful women I've known have never played it safe," she says, "which is so inspiring to me, because sometimes I feel like I could do so much more to make my mark! What I've discovered though, is that risks come in so many different forms, so I try not to be too hard on myself and just take things one day at a time.
"The most successful women I've known have never played it safe."
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With Millenielle, Coco's goal has always been "to to be a representative voice of all millennial women" and share her unique perspective. "There's only one me with my own story to tell!" she says. "I'm a firm believer of concentrating on bettering myself and reaping the rewards of the work I put in, instead of focusing on what the next person is doing. I think that's what any business-savvy person does to keep their head above the water — comparison is the thief of joy."
Coco didn't take to Atlanta right away, saying "it took a long time for me to fall in love with this city. Growing up in cities like Prague and Berlin I thought living in the South was not for me." And yet, the City of Trees kept pulling her back in and she finally made the decision to "bloom where I'm planted."
"You may have to dig a little," she notes, "but there really is so much to love about ATL."
Favorite spot to get coffee: Brash Coffee in West Midtown has the smoothest coffee I've had in a long time, and I love the quirky shipping container situation that they have going on
Go shopping: The Shops, Buckhead Atlanta (featured above)
Take a business meeting: Bread & Butterfly in Inman Park
Favorite neighborhood and why: This is a tough one, but I would have to give it to West Midtown. It's where most of my favorite restaurants are located and I love that the neighborhood hasn't lost its personality, even though it's right in Midtown!
Meet up with other bloggers: Bartaco! Fun cocktails and delicious tacos... who can resist?
Your favorite spot in the city to be creative: Ponce City Market
Go when you want to be alone: Home :)
Go when you want to be with friends: My closest friends live out of town, so whenever I'm looking to have a good girl's weekend out, you'll probably find me at the airport checking in for a weekend getaway!
Listen to live music: Although I do love a good music festival, arena concerts aren't my favorite. I love smaller intimate gigs, so The Tabernacle is my favorite!
TISHA THOMPSON, VICE PRESIDENT, PUR COSMETICS
photo credit: Kathryn McCray Photography
Tisha Thompson didn't start out in the beauty department at PÜR, but in finance. The now VP tells us, " I was an Accountant at the company in the early stages of PÜR getting started. At the time I was a freelance makeup artist doing weddings and music videos, etc and one day shared my side gig with management and much to their surprise they said hey lets give her a shot on the marketing team. I then shifted over right as PÜR was in the middle of 6 test stores and now 4000 stores around the globe later I am so excited to be apart of such an amazing brand and team."
She has a proven track record of driving profitability while implementing innovative beauty solutions in a saturated market place-- innovative being the key word. She understands how important it is for a brand to be able to pivot and shift. "PÜR has really reinvented itself in the last year," she says. She's talked about getting the "branding right," which for Tisha means "staying relevant while staying true to who you really are. For us at PÜR it's so important to not chase the next 'trend' and try to be the most 'trendy' brand but is it important to be on trend." It's a fine balance, but a challenge she's up for and once she understands has to include social responsibility.
"I recently read a stat that said 58% of women started wearing makeup before the age of 18," she says. "With so many women starting to wear makeup at such a young age I think its critical that we remain socially responsible as a brand and provide the best high performance products that are the very best for your skin. Being socially responsible and helping women feel beautiful as we say one compact at a time will naturally lend itself room to be apart of women's day-to-day and therefore a critical part of their lifestyle."
"With so many women starting to wear makeup at such a young age, it's critical that we remain socially responsible as a brand."
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When it comes to Atlanta as the HQ for PÜR, Tisha has this to say: "Atlanta is such an inspiring city. What I love the most is that it’s a very diverse city and so much like the PÜR customer we are able to serve so many different kinds of people of all different races and skin tones. As the complexion authority we have products for all women."
Favorite spot to head after you’ve gotten your makeup done: I love getting dolled up when I go out to any of the many events always happening in Atlanta. PÜR is the official makeup sponsor the Atlanta Hawks Cheerleaders and the Atlanta Falcons Cheerleaders and so I love to attend the games all dolled up so I can tell people this is what the cheerleaders are wearing.
Go-to spot in the city when you need to relax: Relax what is that? I always say I will relax when I am dead. But if I ever need a moment I generally go and get a massage. There are so many good ones but I particularly like Spa Waverly at the Renaissance Atlanta Waverly Hotel.
Favorite location to have a glass of wine: It’s a little out in the burbs as we say but it's amazing. It's called The Gifted Ferret located in Woodstock, GA. They do FREE wine tastings every Saturday and I really enjoy going to learn about new wines.
Guilty pleasure “tourist” spot: The Georgia Aquarium. I really love to go and take family or friends that come to visit because it's really spectacular.
The one thing about ATL that lives up to its reputation: Nightlife & Music. The night scene is a very vibrant in Atlanta. There is always somewhere cool to go and listen to great music and have a great time.
Best spot for coffee: Café Intermezzo. I love the vibe!
Best spot on a Sunday: Sunday is reserved for family time. I love to go for walks with my family and just enjoy the day.
LYNNETTE COLE, DIRECTOR EDUCATION GLOBAL RETAIL, PUR COSMETICS
photo credit: Kathryn McCray Photography
For more than 16 years Lynnette Cole has been a beauty expert and TV personality, working to empower women to be their best selves. She never expected to be in the beauty industry, but the former Miss USA 2000 is now focussed on on being a global ambassador and makeup educator. "I didn’t have any 'makeup experience'," she says, "but I have always had a love and passion for beauty."
"Growing up my parents always told me, you can be and achieve anything you put your mind to. I’ve always known that I wanted career that combined my passion & drive to make a difference and I’ve always known that I wanted to work for a company that invests in training and growth. In many ways PÜR “ticks” all the boxes."
"Growing up my parents always told me, you can be and achieve anything you put your mind to. "
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"Since I’m not one to be still," she says, "the beauty industry is a good fit because it’s constantly changing and evolving. Being a part of the PÜR team has been a great training ground in so many was, being able to travel to different countries doing what I enjoy is a bonus!"
PÜR's home base is in Atlanta, but Lynnette lives in Florida and travels for the company. When we met up she was about to go wheels up to Australia. "For me," she says, "traveling has always re-energized my creativity and inner spirit. Being a global brand, it’s important for us to travel and connect with our PÜR Beauties around the globe! Travel also provides invaluable insight, education and hands-on learning."
That's not to say jet lag and long flights don't take their toll, but there are ways Lynnette manages to #travelbrilliantly. "The one thing that helps me adjust to a 15-hour time difference is adapting my 'home' routine to my travel routine. I get up at 6am, no matter where I am around the globe, exercise and drinks lots of water! But I must give credit to my amazing team! Without them, I’d be a mess!"
As an entrepreneurial woman on-the-go Lynnette advises young business women to "keep educating yourself and broaden your social and intellectual reach by reading, listening to podcasts, watching documentaries, networking and having a mentor. There is so much to gain from someone else’s knowledge and expertise. AND be generous with your success by mentoring and lifting others.
"Success is happiness," she says. "Becoming successful is a combination of hard work, preparation and opportunity. Maintaining success is like a relationship, it requires attention, care, nurturing and respect."
"Maintaining success is like a relationship, it requires attention, care, nurturing and respect."
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The first spot you go when you fly in from Florida: My first stop is always the office!
Favorite spot to head after you’ve gotten your makeup done: I think anytime you pamper yourself and get your “makeup done,” you instantly feel a little pep in your step! I always tell my clients, “don’t waste this look (makeup), call your friends and go out for at least a cocktail”! Personally, I love treating myself for a blow-out at Dry Bar!
Go-to spot in the city when you need to relax: Wherever my friends gather! Recently it’s been Hearth for some “guilt free” pizza!
Favorite location to have a glass of wine: I love trying new places. I’m really excited to try the new French Bistro Le Bilboquet! The Le Boeuf Bourguignon has my name all over it!
The one thing about ATL that lives up to its reputation: Being raised in Tennessee, I appreciate Atlanta’s southern charm and I love the food!
HEIDI DAVIS, NATIONAL SALES DIRECTOR, PUR COSMETICS
photo credit: Kathryn McCray Photography
As the National Sales Director, Heidi Davis brings PÜR over 25 years of prestige beauty and skin care experience. She's mother of four but also travels for work. Like Lynnette home base for Heidi is not in Atlanta, but she flies in from Ohio. Of the constant movement Heidi says, "I am a gypsy by nature. I have lived in NY, Miami, Orlando and Atlanta before settling in Ohio to raise my family. Traveling keeps me sane."
Her trick for managing travel days and jet lag is "work," but she says she "often won't buy the in-air wifi so people can't reach me, but I can respond to them."
"I easily bang-out 100+ emails if they aren't coming back in. I take mild amusement knowing when I do connect that my team gets 50 emails in five minutes. Is that a little twisted?" she laughs, "I have to keep them on their toes."
She says that traveling and "being in the air 50% of my time teaches you a lot. You learn to maximize on your time. Prioritize and put first things first. You know to pack light and to expect the unexpected. I have a mantra - a delayed flight is the universe's way of slowing you down and saving you from something, sometimes yourself.
"I have a mantra - a delayed flight is the universe's way of slowing you down and saving you from something, sometimes yourself."
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She's worked for what she calls "uber-hype brand Urban Decay," but made the decision to leave after the birth of her second baby ten years ago. "I was the National Sales Director," she says, "and was beginning to feel that Urban just wasn't my lifestyle anymore. Brands are a lifestyle. Your career is a huge part of that lifestyle. I wanted to be part of something that was more me. A brand that was healthy, good for you, with great messaging that empowers women and addressed real life beauty concerns. Representing green eyeshadow called Acid Rain just was no longer "my thing".
Of the company Heidi says, "We are a true family at PÜR. We leave no man (or woman) behind here. It is a rare and beautiful thing."
The first spot you go when you fly in from Ohio: Typically for coffee. I get on the earliest flight into town so this is a must. We don't have Caribou Coffee anywhere near me in Ohio and it is a lovely change of pace from Starbucks.
Where you go to recharge: As a frequent traveler I love to recharge at those crazy little massage kiosk things they have in the airport. I will take a massage everywhere and anywhere I can. Atlanta airport by the way is one of the best in the country. Shopping, food, etc.
Favorite spot to have dinner with a colleague: We all love and frequent South City Kitchen. I am a huge fan of shrimp and grits so this is a must for me.
Favorite spot in the city to meet someone new: Chops Lobster Bar is a great place to socialize and I have always had a great time at The Tavern at Phipps. Their Tavern Chips are fun to share over a few post work cocktails.
Secret guilty “tourist” spot pleasure: Tourist spot...You have to go to the Georgia Aquarium. It's amazing!!
Favorite ATL neighborhood: Buckhead. I can shop, eat, and see my secret celebrity crushes all within a few miles of each other.
Best place to grab a great bite when you’re in a hurry: I don't care what anyone says... Chick fil A biscuits with cheese are amazing and I could eat them daily. My fast and furious guilty pleasure.
The one spot in ATL you’d recommend to anyone: Breakfast at The St Regis - It's the St Regis, need I say more?
Create & Cultivate is visiting 4 more cities across the United States in partnership with Marriott. For our next city, we're heading to Miami.
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Gal on the Go: The Ultimate Boss Guide to San Francisco
Five female entrepreneurs and business women are sharing their behind-the-San-Fran secrets.
CREATE & INNOVATE in collaboration with Marriott Hotels
Photo credit: Milo Cho
We headed to San Francisco this past month in partnership with Marriott Hotels to profile five women working and living in that glorious city by the Bay. Each woman is at a different point in her career. Each with a different focus, personal definition of success and balance, various insights, and secrets to share about the city.
We stayed at the newly renovated San Francisco Waterfront property (see above photos and the ceiling glass in the Great Room), talked best spots for coffee (obviously), their favorite place to sit and be still in the midst of the daily grind, and tourist locations that are their guilty pleasure. Spoiler: three of them have never walked the Golden Gate Bridge.
APRIL GARGIULO, FOUNDER, VINTNER'S DAUGHTER
Photo credit: Andrea Posadas
She's a designer, wine maker, and now skin care expert, but the through line of April Gargiulo's career has always been "businesses that are focused on quality and expression at the highest level."
April founded Vintner's Daughter an active botanical face oil "designed to be a powerhouse of multi-correctional activity." She calls it her desert island product (and has the skin to prove it). "It address all of my skincare needs (acne, discoloration, elasticity, tone and clarity) at the highest levels and without toxins. It's the product I would never go without. Interestingly, because we addressed my skincare needs at such a foundational level, Active Botanical Serum is able to correct a multitude of skin issues; from rosacea to acne."
It's also a face serum for the busy working woman who doesn't have the time for a multi-step skin care regime every night. 6-8 drops, 30 seconds of pushing and pressing per the serum's instructions, and you're glowing. "I am a business woman," she notes, "who is focused on creating the most uncompromisingly effective skincare made from the world’s finest ingredients."
Or simply: "Put Vintner's Daughter on, drop the mic, and walk away."
"Put Vintner's Daughter on, drop the mic, and walk away."
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Who: April Gargiulo, Founder, Vintner's Daughter
Where: March, the first stockist of her product, Lower Pacific Heights
Favorite spot to find the perfect chair: Hedge Gallery or Almond Hartzog
Where she'll grab a glass of wine with a career peer: The Progress
The facialist to whom she entrusts her skin: A Facial Massage from Julie Lynge. Her hands are magic.
Where she'll take a client dinner: Octavia
Favorite spot to grab coffee with a friend: As Quoted
If she could choose to sit and be still anywhere in the city, it would be: Wood Line. An installation by artist Andy Goldsworthy in the Presidio.
Tourist attraction in SF she's never visited: I’ve never walked across the Golden Gate Bridge.
ANGELA TAFOYA, EDITOR, LONNY MAG
Photo credit: Anna-Alexia Basile
Lonny Mag is an SF-based interior design publication that focuses on accessible design, but as the news and apartment prices tell us, SF is a very expensive city, even for successful, young professionals. In line with Lonny’s mission, Angela has found a way to enjoy "the culture and essence of the city by the Bay" even in the face of it's higher price tag. "I try to be mindful of little things during the week I can cut back on. While on-demand services are certainly convenient, I try to limit my use (only for times of dire need). Also, we lived in a pretty fair-priced storefront-style home in the heart of the Mission for years. We made it work (quite well actually) and just made some DIY adjustments to make it perfect for our needs. It was great, we were able to live in an awesome neighborhood and didn't have to pay the outrageous prices."
She still trusts her "tried-and-true written agenda" when it comes to organizing her editorial calendar, saying, "it's yet to let me down." And yes, if you're wondering if working for an interior design publication gives her the itch to re-do her house all. the. time. The answer is yes. "And, I succumb to it," she says. "I am actually in the process of redoing my house right now."
Who: Angela Tafoya, Editor of Lonny Magazine
Where: Four Barrel and Le Point, the Mission
Best place to stock your first “adult” kitchen: Gus's in the Mission. It's a relatively new, family-owned grocery store with plenty of local purveyors and an amazing bakery and sandwich shop inside.
Go for a solo outing: On my free days, which don't happen too often, I love grabbing a blanket and a magazine and lounging at Precita Park. Soaking up the sun and just doing nothing for an afternoon is very freeing. I also love walking down Valencia Street and popping into some of my favorite shops like Le Point, Voyager, and Mira Mira.
If she could sit and be still anywhere in the city it would be: An August or September evening, dusk, and I would be atop of Bernal Hill watching the sunset, soaking in the palatial view of the city — reflecting on my day.
Piece of furniture she's pining after: A fuchsia Hans Olsen Settee chair spotted at De Angelis. "It's a little bit outside my price range," she says, "and let's be honest, not super practical but — a hot pink sofa? Who can resist?"
"Atop of Bernal Hill watching the sunset, soaking in the palatial view of the city — reflecting on my day."
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Tourist attraction in SF she's never visited: I've never actually stopped at the Golden Gate Bridge lookout point. Who am I?
SF tourist attraction that's a guilty pleasure: The Painted Ladies, of course!
Have a glass of wine with a career peer: Mission Cheese. I love to grab a glass of Rosé and a cheese plate and sit on the patio.
ELIZABETH SPIRIDAKIS OLSON, CREATIVE DIRECTOR, AFAR MEDIA
Photo credit: Anna-Alexia Basile
Elizabeth Spiridakis Olson works for a company focused on travel. So it's only natural that, time to time, she would want to get out of the office and jump into the photos, Mary Poppins style. "I dream about it a lot!," she says. "I get especially excited when we are working on stories about big cities, my favorite kind of travel. Places like Copenhagen, Tokyo, Lisbon, Budapest, and Berlin." But as new mom to a 5 ½ month old and the Creative Director for all of AFAR Media, a getaway isn't the easiest. "Today I had a meeting to finalize the cover for the issue we are closing right now, had a planning meeting for the January cover, approved layouts for this issue, met with my digital designer about some new projects, plans and changes for our website and our mobile app, and checked in on the progress of an AFAR-branded retail situation that is in the works."
Each of her days is a little bit different, which, she says "is nice."
"There are photo edits to look through, color to approve, shoots to plan, digital planning meetings, and more." But even in the face of a hectic work/life she says it's so important to "be someone that others like to work with. Most of my jobs (long stints at Details, T, and Bon Appetit) came from recommendations from people who had worked with me before."
"Be someone that others like to work with."
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Who: Elizabeth Spiridakis Olson, Creative Director AFAR Media
Where: AFAR Offices, Financial District
Best place to go for a solo outing: Temescal Alley in Oakland. Does vintage shopping and eating donuts count as a good solo outing??? [Ed. note: yes.]
Have a glass of wine with a career peer: Over lunch and pizzas at Cotogna
Get dessert: Humphry Slocombe for a cone of secret breakfast
Favorite spot to have a client dinner: Tosca!!!
Best thing on the menu in her opinion: Cacio e pepe and the pony bottles of Miller High Life
Favorite spot to grab a cup of coffee with a friend: Bartavelle in Berkeley, at the Blue Bottle that is attached to the Heath building, or Craftsman + Wolves in the Mission
Tourist attraction in SF she's never visited: I’ve never actually walked across the Golden Gate Bridge. I want to but it seems so WINDY all the time and...a LOT of walking?
SF tourist attraction that’s a guilty pleasure: Alcatraz and Haight Ashbury
If she could sit and be still anywhere in the city it would be: I love the new SFMOMA. There are a lot of beautiful galleries to sit in and take a minute to yourself.
AMANDA HOLSTEIN, FOUNDER, ADVICE FROM A 20-SOMETHING
Photo credit: Andrea Posadas
Amanda Holstein runs the popular modern advice column/blog, Advice from a 20-Something where she shares the ups and downs, inns and outs of being, well, 20. For avid readers don't worry, she's already purchased the domaine, Advice from a 30-something, where she'll likely be sharing her journey on the next phase of her life. For now though, she lives in the Polk Neighborhood in SF and she focusses on sharing real content. "I love that what I'm working on is my own. It makes me work that much harder knowing that this thing I've created is an extension of me and I feel so much passion for it," she says. She's part of a generation that's forged a path for themselves. They're influential and early adapters. "I love being my own boss, coming up with what to work on every day, and feeling true satisfaction as a result of my own hard work."
"I love that what I'm working on is my own. It makes me work that much harder."
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Her way to weed out what to share and what not to is fairly simple. "My blog is all about offering real life, down-to-earth advice to twenty-somethings," she explains. "I make sure that everything I decide to share falls under that umbrella. I always ask myself, 'Would this content be helpful to a typical twenty-something?' If not, then I don't share it."
Who: Amanda Holstein, Founder, Advice From a 20-Something
Where: Saint Frank Coffee and Cheese Plus, Historic Russian Hill
Favorite spot to grab a cup of coffee with a friend: Saint Frank! I love the decor, the vibe, and the coffee, of course.
Go for a solo outing: Crissy Beach — even if it's chilly, it's a beautiful place to walk and enjoy the view of the Golden Gate Bridge.
An unexpected doorway to take a good blog photo: The carved wooden doors outside of Reverb on Polk St.
Have a glass of wine with a career peer: Union Larder
Tourist attraction in SF she's never visited: Alcatraz! I'm dying to see it but it's always booked!
SF tourist attraction that’s a guilty pleasure: Lombard Street — I actually live on Lombard St about three blocks from the famous zig-zag part of the street and it really is a site to see!
EMMA BROOKS, GRAPHIC DESIGNER, OAKLAND
Photo credit: Milo Cho
Emma Brooks, known to the internet and Instagram as Emma Dime, is an Oakland based Graphic Designer whose work is the stuff of design dreams. Crisp, simple, and unexpected, she spends her days in her home office working for clients as well focusing her efforts on a new design shop Hands-On, which she recently launched with a good friend that lives in Austin, TX. "We're virtually working together every single day so that has created a new kind of working environment for me."
According to Emma the best part of her job is freedom. "The freedom to take on jobs that excite me. The freedom to control my own schedule. The freedom to shift gears at any moment in time. I could go on and on." That doesn't negate the difficulties of freelancing. "I definitely get a case of the lonelies from time to time," she says, "and when the work load is heavy I'll disappear for a few days at a time and get lost in all of my projects." She also knows that just because there is a freedom in working for yourself, you should likewise expect to "Work hard. Work as hard as you possible can and then work some more."
"Work hard. Work as hard as you possibly can and then work some more."
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"My lack of balance can be frustrating at times," she says, "but I love what I do."
Who: Emma Brooks, Graphic Designer, Oakland
Location: Her Oakland Home/Office
Go for a solo (Oakland) outing: I love to cruise Temescal Alley. It's got everything you need — coffee, food, shopping, and great people watching! I usually get a coffee at The Cro Cafe first and then I'll browse Ali Golden, a local designer that has quickly become a favorite of mine. Crimson always smells good and is covered in thriving plants. Homestead Apothecary is where I pick up my sleepy time tea. Esqueleto has a great rotating jewelry and art selection. On a good day, I'll hit up Bakesale Betty for the lunch of my dreams - a fried chicken sandwich with coleslaw. Yes please!
Have a glass of wine with a career peer: Ordinaire is top notch. They have a great selection of natural wines from France, Italy, Spain, and California. The staff is super pro and super fun too!
Get a new book: Book/Shop in Temescal Alley carries an incredible selection of rare books. They also have small batch furniture, artwork, lighting, and other small goods. Issues is great for magazines.
If someone comes to visit the one spot she has to show them: I've been spending a lot of time up near Stinson Beach and Muir Woods - it's about an hour north of San Francisco. It has a small town vibe, surrounded by gorgeous trees, fog, and the ocean. It has lots of hiking trails that weave through some of the most beautiful California terrain I've seen to date. You're allowed to have a bonfire on Muir Beach so I always make sure to bring food, booze and a few blankets. It's always the perfect end to a day full of hiking and exploring.
Favorite spot to have a client dinner: Penrose — California cuisine in an environment that feels like... Paris! Every time I go there, I fall more in love with the space. It's magical.
Favorite spot to grab a cup of coffee with a friend: Boot & Shoe Service has great coffee, the BEST granola, and a cozy ambiance. It's also walking distance from Lake Merritt so if you want to grab a coffee and keep moving, you can head over to that path. Trouble Coffee just opened up by my house and is also a must. Their cold brew will have you jazzed for days!
Tourist attraction in SF she's never visited: I still haven't been to Alcatraz. I want to spend more time in all of the museums and parks — especially the MOMA, now that it's reopened.
SF tourist attraction that’s a guilty pleasure: The boat rides that go out onto the bay. If you go over to the obnoxiously crowded Fisherman's Wharf, you can catch one for pretty cheap. There is nothing like seeing San Francisco and the Golden Gate Bridge from the water - especially on a clear sunny day. Foggy days are cool too. You really can't go wrong.
If she could sit and be still anywhere in the city it would be: Somewhere by the water. In the East Bay, it's Crown Beach. My husband and I have started going there for a couple of hours every Sunday. In San Francisco, it's the west side of the city that looks out onto the ocean: Land's End and Ocean Beach.
Create & Cultivate will be visiting 5 more cities across the United States in partnership with Marriott. For our next city, we're heading to Miami.
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