Archive of ‘Blogging’ category

Birmingham’s Arlington Historic House is looking to serve up a new image

By Chanda Temple

Diners made their way past shiny silver chaffing dishes, selecting freshly made items during a Saturday morning Christmas brunch at the historic Arlington Historic House in Birmingham, AL.

They filled their plates with French toast, homemade strawberry syrup, roasted root vegetables and more. But the star of the morning was the Creole-seasoned shrimp and cheese grits.

Sauteed in butter and spices, the shrimp sizzled with New Orleans flavor and flair.

“The shrimp was good and soft, but they were a little … spicy. And I liked that,” said Alice Riddle Bailey, 85. “It reminded me of stuff I used to do at home.”

Her daughter, Deirdre Pierce, agreed. “They had a good taste to them. I liked the spice.”

And while Arlington is making impressions with its food, it’s also making moves to revamp its antebellum home image through a series of programs that target the African-American community. The Christmas brunch was part of the Harmony and Heritage monthly food program, where people eat while connecting over history and creative ideas. More is planned in 2025.

Alice Riddle and Deidre Pierce

“Hearing about the new programs makes me feel good because, in the past, we felt that Arlington was a place that Black people shouldn’t come to,” said Pierce. “But now, it’s a different feeling, which is good.”

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Life stuffed with flavor: The Little Bougie Foodie’s inspiring burger journey

By Chanda Temple

When Alice Goldsmith was diagnosed with a brain tumor in October 2019, doctors told her it was inoperable. They gave her two years to live.

Alice refused to take that as the final answer. She did research until she found a doctor in the Bronx with a different outlook. And on March 12, 2020, Alice had a new beginning.

She underwent a successful surgery, but the tumor, which was the size of a quarter, had left her unable to multi-task the way she used to do when she worked for an insurance provider in metro-Birmingham. She wondered what she’d do next.

Since she loved to cook, she left her desk job and decided to work with food. On Oct. 7, 2021, The Lil Bougie Foodie truck was born.

“My friends would tell me that my food was so bougie (another word for fancy),” Alice said. “I’m a presentation person, and I would make these meals with different colored peppers and red or white onions. One friend would say, ‘Hey Bougie!’ And I would say, ‘I’m not bougie. Just a little bougie.’ ”

The name stuck.

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Your gifts will make room for you

By Chanda Temple 

Have you ever received news so good that it eft you weak in the knees? That happened to me today after receiving a text from a friend.

Her text: “I just saw this. Very cool to see you guys on this list.” She was referring to Birmingham News photojournalist Tamika Moore and me making the “50 Black Southern Belles in Lifestyle: African American Tastemakers of the South.”  After reading  her message, I was like, “Wait! What! Really?”

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How Coca-Cola is helping women get in the game of running a successful business

Eyvon Austin

Coca-Cola knows a lot of its consumers are entrepreneurs, which is why it started an online program in 2011 to give female business owners resources to help them break through barriers in business. Coca-Cola rep Eyvon Austin was in Birmingham today to discuss the program, which has a goal is to empower 5 million women around the globe by 2020.  (Photo: Chanda Temple)

 

 

 

By Chanda Temple 

In between a DJ cranking out beats and hair stylists creating coiffures at the Sixth Annual Natural Hair and Health Expo today, several hundred attendees were getting down to business – the business of being in business for themselves.

“If you are not at the top of your game in business, find someone who is,” said Eyvon Austin, programs director of supplier diversity for Coca-Cola North America. She was one of several speakers present to discuss how to be better in business. One way of doing that, Austin says, is to check out Coca-Cola’s STEP program (Supplier Training and Empowerment Program). It offers free, online training and resources to help women business owners with leadership, financial management, advocacy and more. The plan is part of the company’s bigger initiative, the 5 by 20 campaign, which aims to empower 5 million women around the globe by 2020.

“We hope that by providing these free tools and resources, it will give the next entrepreneur an opportunity to say,  ‘Hey, I can make this. I can do this,’ ” Austin said. “And then that empowers them to give that same level of empowerment to others.”

During part of her presentation, Austin discussed six ways women can transform their leadership in business. A main point: It comes from within.

Coca-Cola was one of the sponsors for the Sixth Annual Hair and Health Expo at the BJCC on March 11. (Photo by: Chanda Temple)

Coca-Cola was one of the sponsors for the Sixth Annual Hair and Health Expo at the BJCC on March 11. (Photo by: Chanda Temple)

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Stop waiting for everything to be so dang perfect

 

Hard word takes dedication.

Hard word takes dedication.

 

 

By Chanda Temple

As women, we feel the need to have everything perfect. And if it’s not perfect, we won’t proceed. That even comes down to our blogs. If our websites are not perfect, if our photos are not perfect, if our products are not perfect, yada, yada, yada, we won’t launch it. We’ll keep it close to the vest and wait until it’s perfect before we share it with others.

Well, stop trying to make everything so dang perfect. “Sometimes, good is good enough,” a woman said on a blogging webinar I tuned in to tonight. ‘’The most important thing is to act.”

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How to go from lady blogger to boss lady? Get focused

Have you identified your target reader for your blog? They will become your biggest cheerleader.

Have you identified your target reader for your blog? They will become your biggest cheerleader. So get focused and start nailing identifying your ideal reader today.

By Chanda Temple

Today is Day 3 on how to make money with your blog. We’ve already looked at how important it is to get serious and get creative with your blog. Now it’s time to get focused.

Javacia Harris Bowser, founder of See Jane Write in Birmingham, Ala., recently held a workshop on this very topic. One way to get focused is to know your reader, she says.

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How to go from lady blogger to boss lady? Get serious

See Jane Write Birmingham founder Javacia Harris Bowser give tips on how to go from lady blogger to boss lady. (Photo by Chanda Temple.)

See Jane Write Birmingham founder Javacia Harris Bowser give tips on how to go from lady blogger to boss lady. (Photo by Chanda Temple.)

By Chanda Temple

You have a blog and now you’re wondering how to make money from it.

Will you get rich if companies post their ads on your page? Will you get “discovered” simply because you post cool content? 

Good theories but it takes more than these concepts to get paid. It also takes networking, hard work and a strategic plan for your blog, according to blogging expert Javacia Harris Bowser of See Jane Write Birmingham. She led a workshop today on how to go from lady blogger to boss lady. For the next seven days, I will highlight one of her tips. Today’s tip: Get Serious.

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Whoo hoo! I’m featured as ‘Member of the Month’ on See Jane Write

See Jane Write is a powerful blogging, business and branding support group in Birmingham, Ala. So glad to know founder Javacia Harris Bowser.

See Jane Write is a powerful blogging, business and branding support group in Birmingham, Ala. So glad to know founder Javacia Harris Bowser.

Javacia Harris Bowser, the mastermind behind the Birmingham, Ala. blogging group “See Jane Write,” has selected me as “Member of the Month” for June 2015. I’m so honored.

I’m still blushing but that won’t stop me from doing this shameless plug right here. Check out my profile story and Q&A and with her on seejanewritebham.com.

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