Book & Culture Club

Posted on November 5, 2014 by coffeeandtacos

I find it so dang cool that I have been a part of my book club in Dallas for four whole years. I have written about book club time and time again because I love it with my whole heart. We have read great books and enjoyed time together around the table, building a sweet little community that I cherish so much. I feel so grateful for the time we’ve spent together. Because of the experiences we have together on a monthly basis (born out of our shared love for books), many of us have traveled together, set up double dates with our manfriends, babysat each other’s children (and dogs), and offered a shoulder to cry on. We’ve become a tribe.

Last week Melanie, Elizabeth, and I met at Allison’s house for dinner. We brought cookbooks, per the meeting’s theme, and pored over recipes, snapping pictures with our phones so we could remember lists of ingredients and cooking directions. We drank wine and ate Allison’s quinoa salad with autumn vegetables and popcorn studded with pretzels and M&Ms. While we read and drank and ate, we chatted about things we’d like to do as a group in the future – attend lectures, take cooking classes, see documentaries, visit special museum exhibits, go to plays. And suddenly a new facet of book club was formed – culture club.

Our idea is this: instead of simply reading books and meeting in one another’s home on a monthly basis (which, don’t get me wrong, we still love), we’ll choose titles to read on our own and then pick fun activities in Dallas that we can do as a group. Occasionally we’ll regroup in a home, gathering around the table for great food and fun conversation (about life and love and travel and recipes and the books we’ve read), but we’ll be out and about more, experiencing so many of the exciting things that our sweet city has to offer.

So next month we’ll be reading Amy Poehler’s memoir Yes Please (I can’t wait to get my copy!) and meeting for cocktails somewhere holiday-ish and fun. In January, rumor has it that we’ll snag tickets to see The Book Club Play (because, c’mon, it can’t get more fitting than seeing a play about a book club – talk about culture and books combining!), and in February, several of us have already committed to seeing the one and only Ina Garten speak at SMU. So many fun things are on the horizon!

I love watching our amazing group of women shift and grow, both as individuals and as a club. So onto new things, friends – three cheers for book & culture club!

Image via Brett & Jessica Donar for Camille Styles

The Harvest

Posted on October 9, 2014 by coffeeandtacos

Tonight is a highly anticipated evening – the harvest. Last fall I wrote in detail about the harvest, an annual gathering that Korena, Laura, and I have as we gather around the table, welcome autumn, share a delicious meal (which always includes tasty appetizers, a robust salad, Korena’s incredible roast, and something sweet for dessert), drink good wine, and spend time together. It’s funny – even though the three of us frequently get to do fun things together together, whether as a trio or as a group at Girls Night In or with our manfriends, there’s something so special and sacred about celebrating the harvest together. This evening will mark our fourth year (count ’em, four years!) of enjoying the harvest, and I absolutely cannot wait.

I have to borrow some words I wrote last year about our special evening to close out this post because I think they perfectly encapsulate how I feel about our sweet tradition:

So tonight we’ll meet for the harvest – we’ll talk and laugh while enjoying a juicy roast, the namesake salad, and champagne, all around Korena’s table. As I wrote in an e-mail the day after the first harvest, it is a gathering of ladies, a “woman’s night in: a harvest of blessings, a feast prepared by hunters and gatherers.” (I might have gotten slightly carried away there, but you get the point.) It is a reminder of how our friendships have grown, how our lives have changed, how our dreams have been realized, and how dang lovely it is to have a night in together around the table.

To the harvest!

Photo via Moments and Memories

Swiss Avenue Historic District

Posted on October 8, 2014 by coffeeandtacos

I’m back from Nashville and I have so much goodness to share from my time in Tennessee! But first, it’s back to the grind. Actually, I’m super excited to be back at work in Dallas because I’m enrolled in a really interesting grant writing workshop at the Center for Nonprofit Management. I’ll share some of the input that I learned here on the blog next week!

The Center for Nonprofit Management is located in a sweet little oasis tucked away in Deep Ellum. Though this hip neighborhood is known to be more on the industrial, up-and-coming end of the neighborhood spectrum, the Center is located in a nook with a different vibe – on Swiss Avenue, a historically beautiful tree-lined street that is home to a host of gorgeously restored homes. The best part? Thanks to The Meadows Foundation, these beautifully maintained properties are now where many local non-profit organizations are based. Is that a sweet deal or what? Now I’m dreaming of Touch A Life having an office space in this pretty part of town…

Donate Your Denim

Posted on September 25, 2014 by coffeeandtacos

I was in the market for some new black jeans so I headed over to Madewell’s website a few days ago to take a look around. Jeans can be a difficult item to shop for, so a few years ago when I realized that Madewell made the most perfect pairs I had worn in a long while, I pledged a vow of exclusivity right then and there (and I haven’t turned back since). For those of you who may be wondering, this is definitely not a sponsored post – I just love these jeans so much that I want to write about them on my own accord.

While snooping around the site, I discovered that Madewell is currently hosting a promotion where you can bring in old jeans that you no longer wear, donate them, and receive $20 off on a pair of new jeans from the store. Amazing, right? Madewell is partnering with Blue Jeans Go Green, an organization that repurposes denim to use it as housing insulation for those in need. Here’s a blurb from Madewell’s blog post about Blue Jeans Go Green that I thought was really descriptive and fascinating:

“Founded in 2006, Blue Jeans Go Green got its start working on projects in areas affected by Hurricane Katrina. They sent denim insulation to Habitat for Humanity projects in New Orleans, Baton Rouge and Mississippi. Fast forward to today and they continue to work with Habitat for Humanity affiliates around the U.S. to bring denim insulation to areas that need it most. It takes approximately 500 to 1,000 pairs of jeans to create enough insulation for one average U.S.-sized home (approximately 2,300 square feet). Lesson here? More is more, so bring ’em in.”

So great, right? Head into Madewell to trade in your jeans today! (And then buy a pair of these because I just did and they are perfect. Actually, I might need to go back for one more pair…)

Bites, Sips & 31 Bits

Posted on June 25, 2014 by coffeeandtacos

I’m so sorry for my absence in posting during the past couple of days! I’ve been home sick with a lovely little summer cough & cold combo but I’m back in action today, mostly in thanks to a powerful cocktail of antibiotics and steroids (ah, the joys of modern medicine). So! On to the Bites, Sips & 31 Bits recap…

As you know, Lauren and I concocted the idea of hosting a party to raise awareness for 31 Bits, an amazing organization that provides Ugandan women with the opportunity to sustain themselves with careers they love. I am so happy with the ambiance that we created at my house for the party through our homemade coffee filter garland, the beautiful 31 Bits jewels, Allison’s darling floral arrangements, tons of delicious treats, and a build-your-own Prosecco bar inspired by our friends at Forth Chicago. We had a great turnout – so many amazing women came over to check out the jewelry and hear the story behind the brand. It was a beautiful, motivational evening surrounded by good food, great friends, gorgeous baubles, and overflowing libations. All in all, it was a fabulous night!

The Yellow Conference

Posted on June 9, 2014 by coffeeandtacos

I’ve felt extremely productive today, partly in thanks to my cozy early morning coffee date with Kyla & Kristen and the gloomy June weather we’re experiencing in Dallas (which always makes me better at hunkering down and tackling my to do list compared to when it’s sunny and beautiful outside). After knocking some things off my list, I sought out some new places for inspiration, contemplating ideas that I could turn into reality in order to generate something new and exciting not only within the realm of my job but also in the world of my extracurricular creative pursuits. While reading a few blogs during my lunch break, I stumbled upon The Yellow Conference and was totally inspired by the concept:

The Yellow Conference is a gathering for creative women who desire to ignite passion and bring goodness to the world through everyday living.

This conference was created for you. The women who know that they were built for a greater purpose. The earth shakers and ground movers. Come learn from like minded individuals who are out there making a difference, and learn how you too can do the same. Come to get inspired and leave with practical advice on how to make your dreams a reality as a woman living in today’s modern world.

Our desire is to help you live a life filled with passion, one you are proud of. To fight for goodness, fight for love, and spread it throughout the world. Come to discover more about yourself and how to use your uniqueness to live inspired and passionately throughout your days.

I mean, totally awesome, right? (Insert me slow clapping here.) I passed this on to some friends as well as to my boss/mentor, Pam – all of us are chomping at the bit to register for the conference. I know a few of the speakers (one is Darling Magazine’s Editor in Chief, Sarah Dubbeldam) and I would love the chance to get to meet new & inspiring people in one of my favorite places (Los Angeles, of course). Stay tuned – I’m hoping we can make something work…this is right up my alley!

Image via Design Loves Company

31 Bits

Posted on May 22, 2014 by coffeeandtacos

In June my fabulous friend Lauren and I are hosting a party to benefit 31 Bits, a super cool cause-oriented company that sells fabulous jewelry & accessories. Here’s what 31 Bits is all about, per their website:

Our model is to empower people through the fashion industry. We work with our beneficiaries in Uganda to create fashionable, quality products. They earn an income enabling them to provide for their families. We care for them holistically through counseling, health education, finance training, and business mentorships. After five years in our program, our beneficiaries are ready to graduate. A graduated beneficiary has her own business and is educated, health, and confident. She is empowered. And guess what? Everything we do is funded through product sales. That means every time you make a 31 Bits purchase, you have a direct impact on women’s lives in Uganda.

Lauren is on the precipice of launching her own company called Else Agency (website coming soon!). With a background in fashion merchandising, Lauren has worked in showrooms for the likes of Ella Moss and Splendid. She loves fashion and style but she grew a little weary of doing something that didn’t have a direct impact on bettering the world. Lauren and her husband (Patrick, of wedding video fame!) are amazing travelers, dear friends of ours who went to Ghana with me last summer. They are incredible servants in their church community in Dallas and they have a heart for using their talents and skills to make the world a better place. So Lauren started dreaming of starting a company that would allow her to work as a fashion rep for cause-oriented groups, companies like 31 Bits. She’s already scored accounts with 31 Bits and Sseko and when her business launches itself into the world wide web, I have no doubt that she’ll be well on her way to obtaining more amazing like-minded clients.

But I digress! When Lauren told me about her new life plan, I wanted to celebrate, and what better way to do that than by hosting a party to benefit one of the companies she represents? 31 Bits makes it unbelievably easy and fun to host a party on the company’s behalf – the sign-up process was simple and quick. Lauren and I have already started dreaming about all of the fun details of the party (which we’ve aptly called Bites, Sips & 31 Bits – catchy, right?), including a build-your-own Prosecco bar that we knew had to be incorporated into the scheme of things the minute we spotted it online. Tonight Lauren is coming over to help me make this super cute coffee filter garland that will serve as decor at the party, and we’ll drink bubbly and giggle and probably watch the wedding video a time or five. I can’t wait!

Image via 31 Bits

Garage Sale Fundraiser

Posted on May 15, 2014 by coffeeandtacos

Today I did a bit of heavy lifting along with some sorting and organizing and shifting and moving for a garage sale that my friend Jessica and I are hosting in September. We’ve signed up to participate in a Fence Fundraiser campaign to help Touch A Life build a fence around their Care Center in Ghana, a beautiful space where formerly trafficked and exploited children are free to live, grow, and heal. As the Director of Project Development for Touch A Life, I can confidently say that this Care Center is making an enormous difference in the lives of the children in Ghana, and also (maybe even especially) in the lives of our U.S.-based staff (myself included) and supporters.

I love the idea of hosting a garage sale to raise money for a cause – you simultaneously get to declutter your home while making a difference in the lives of others. We’re starting our collection process early, gathering tons of goodies that we hope people will be anxious to buy. Our families and friends have our sale on their calendars (September 6th!) because we are going to need all the help we can get.

The best part? You can host a sale, too! Sign up at Touch A Life’s website to have your own garage sale to benefit this project. Gather up your gently used items, collaborate with your family and friends and community, and commit to hosting a sale that will raise money to support some of the most beautiful children on the planet. Join us, won’t you?

Coffee & Tacos

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