7th Annual Unwrapping Holiday Wishes Event Brings Joy to Richmond Children
Now in its 7th year, Unwrapping Holiday Wishes is a collaborative initiative led by the VCU Alumni Association Richmond Chapter The VCU Alumni Association Richmond Chapter, in partnership with Richmond City Public Schools, McDonald’s, and Target to bring holiday cheer to Richmond-area children and support the Children’s Hospital of Richmond at VCU. Annual Unwrapping Holiday Wishes event today at the Target in the White Oak Shopping Center on Laburnum Avenue in Richmond.
Photo by On Three Photography
When: December 10, 2024Time: 5:30 PM – 8:00 PM
Where: Target, White Oak Shopping Center, Laburnum Avenue, Richmond, VA
This annual event will provide over 100 children with a special holiday shopping experience where each individual will be able to spend up to $150 at this event. Each child will be paired with a volunteer shopping buddy to select clothes, shoes, and toys. In addition to shopping for themselves, children will pick out a gift to be donated to patients at the Children’s Hospital of Richmond at VCU.
Meals for the children will be donated by McDonald’s, and Grimace will make a special appearance to add extra holiday cheer.
Dr. Cynthia Newbille, Richmond City Councilmember for the East End 7th Voter District and Cheryl Burke, Richmond School Board Representative for the 7th District, will be in attendance.
Volunteer Opportunity:A few volunteer spots remain for the 5:30 PM shift. Volunteers will assist children in selecting their items and creating lasting holiday memories. To sign up, email Christina at Christina@tfbagency.com. Media:
Media representatives are invited to attend and cover this heartwarming event. Interviews, photos, and additional details will be available on-site. Contact Christina Dick at Christina@tfbagency.com for more information or post-event assets.
“Our alumni are thrilled to join forces with Richmond City Public Schools and our incredible partners to create magical holiday memories for these children.”
Timmy Nguyen, VCU Alumni Association
“This event reminds us of the importance of community, generosity, and giving back during the holiday season.”
Dr. Cynthia Newbille, Richmond City Councilmember for the East End 7th Voter District
Photo by On Three Photography
Fans worldwide can now add McDonald’s new collectible cups to their collection beginning August 13
(CHICAGO – Aug. 7, 2024) – McDonald’s collectibles are as iconic as they come. From toys to vintage posters, plates, merch, games and trading cards, these keepsakes are more than just collector’s items – they unlock some of our fans’ favorite McDonald’s memories. Now, for a limited time, McDonald’s is introducing the global Collector’s Edition with new collectible cups that inspire fans to relive those special moments and create nostalgic joy for a new generation.
Available in more than 30 countries, the Collector’s Edition cups, in embossed glass or tritan plastic, put a fresh spin on classic McDonald’s keepsakes from the brand, Coca-Cola, Mattel, Universal, Sanrio or TY Beanie Babies. Each cup spotlights iconic collectibles from different eras that our fans cherish, like the Grimace Mug in 1976, Pet Lovin’ Barbie in 1999, Shrek from ‘Shrek the Third’ in 2007 and more. Inspired by a variety of iconic characters and collabs, now is your chance to grab these reimagined designs among many others – this time, emblazoned on McDonald’s brand-new collectible cups.
McDonald’s Collectible cups side by side image*Cup availability varies per market
“There’s an undeniable thrill when you snag that one elusive McDonald’s collectible or the final piece to complete your collection. We’re bringing back some of our most-loved keepsakes with a twist, giving fans a memory that they can hold in their hands,” said Morgan Flatley, Global Chief Marketing Officer and Head of New Business Ventures at McDonald’s. “These new collectible cups commemorate some of our most unforgettable designs and global collaborations over the years, allowing longtime fans to relive treasured moments and helping a new generation make their own lasting memories.”
Whether you’re a collector, love the look, or simply feel nostalgic, check your McDonald’s App and/or local participating McDonald’s restaurant to see how you can snag the select Collector’s Edition cups available in your area.
This was one of my favorite Encorpreneur lectures.
“Kelly Lambert is a prominent neuroscientist known for groundbreaking research in brain plasticity and behavior. She and her students use preclinical animal models to learn more about the neurobiology of stress, resilience, depression, parenting, and natural enrichment. She may be most widely known for teaching rats to drive as a way to determine how to unlock the natural healing power of our brains.”
Here’s Dr. Kelly Lambert’s CBS segment: watch
Submit Your Work
McMasterpieces:Call For Entries Themed All Media Show to benefit the Ronald McDonald House Charities in Richmond VA: Entries due 10/31/24!
When I think of McDonald’s restaurants, I often think of iconic elements like the Golden Arches logo, the Big Mac, fries, and the PlayPlaces. It’s also known for its fast service and global presence, making it one of the most recognizable fast-food chains in the world. The smell of fries, the sound of the drive-thru, and the variety of menu items that cater to different tastes are also key aspects that come to mind. What about you? What do you think of when you think of McDonald’s? For our McMasterpieces exhibit, we’re inviting artists to share their unique perspectives and interpretations of what McDonald’s means to them. We can’t wait to see what you create!
Submission Deadline: Extended! 10/31Submission Fee: $15 each up to 3 entries
Commission: 70 % to artists, 30% to CAC with 10% of sales will go to The Ronald McDonald House Charities
Artists Notified by: October 23, 2024, via Email
Artwork Drop Off: Tuesday, November 5, 2024 – Friday, Nov. 8, 2024 by Noon Exhibition Opening: Friday, November 15, 2024, from 5-8pm
Exhibition End Date: Sunday, January 5, 2025
Artwork Available for Artists to Pick Up: Tuesday, January 7, 2025
Ronald McDonald House Charities® of Richmond (RMHC Richmond) is an independent, non-profit chapter of Ronald McDonald House Charities. We provide a “home-away-from-home” for families with children receiving care at local area hospitals throughout the Richmond region. When a child is sick, the entire family needs comfort and support. We believe no family should have to deal with their child’s medical crisis alone.
RMHC Richmond eases the hardship that families caring for sick children often face, through programs that directly improve the health and well-being of children. Through our core programs Ronald McDonald House® and Ronald McDonald Family Room®, RMHC Richmond keeps families with sick children together and close to the medical care their child needs. At leading local hospitals, RMHC Richmond provides unique family-centered care and services through the Ronald McDonald House Sibling Center, Hospitality Cart and Lunches with Love programs. These programs ensure that every family whose child needs access to specialty care in RVA has world-class temporary housing and support services and the opportunity to be actively involved in their child’s care.
And God Said, Let There Be Fries (Italian: E Dio disse, Sia fatta la Patatina) is a striking fresco by John Price, a contemporary artist, drawing inspiration from Michelangelo’s renowned The Creation of Adam. Playful but profound, this piece reimagines Michelangelo’s iconic work. In this latest addition to the McMasterpieces collection, the divine hand doesn’t offer the spark of life—but the perfect, golden McDonald’s fry. 🙌
The painting mirrors the iconic scene from the Sistine Chapel’s ceiling, where God imparts life to Adam, but here, the divine spark is reimagined. Instead of the moment of human creation, we witness the creation of something equally revered in the modern world—McDonald’s fries. The hand of God extends outward, offering a perfectly crisp, golden fry, while the hand of man, mirroring God’s, reaches out, desperate to grasp the divine creation. The gap between their fingers remains, a symbolic nod to the unattainable perfection that McDonald’s fries represent—ever so close yet always leaving us yearning for more.
The golden arches are implied in the divine light, casting a sacred glow over the entire scene, reminding us of the eternal pursuit of satisfaction. This work evokes a sense of reverence for everyday indulgence, celebrating McDonald’s fries as a near-spiritual experience that transcends the mundane and approaches the divine. It captures the moment where the sacred meets the simple pleasures of life, reminding us that sometimes, a fry can feel almost divine.
Did you know that 1 in every 8 Americans has worked at McDonald’s? The artist, John Price, is part of this group. His personal connection to the Golden Arches makes his contribution to McMasterpieces even more compelling.
Growing up in Augusta, Georgia, John’s first job at McDonald’s wasn’t just a paycheck—it was a lesson in life. Facing poverty, with summers without electricity and winters without heat, McDonald’s provided more than just income. When he wasn’t sneaking a Chicken McNugget or two, John was in awe of the order and efficiency he witnessed as a fry cook. “I learned a lot more about structure at McDonald’s than I did at school,” he says. That sense of structure stayed with him, shaping his wide-ranging career—including service in the Army, selling cars, and co-owning a “paint and sip” business.
Today, John has put that discipline into his true passion—art. From portraits to murals to live wedding painting, John’s work captures moments of creativity and meaning. His journey from McDonald’s crew member to professional artist makes his involvement in this project all the more powerful. We think he deserves all the McNuggets he wants for the hard work he’s put into this piece for RMHC Richmond!
We’re so grateful to John and his heart of gold(en arches) for creating this piece and for helping us spread the word that starting today, October 1st, McMasterpieces is now accepting submissions.
🎨🍟 Calling All Artists: Submissions are NOW OPEN for McMasterpieces 🖼️
We are thrilled to announce that submissions are NOW OPEN for the McMasterpieces exhibit, benefiting Ronald McDonald House Charities of Richmond! You have until 10/19 to enter your artwork on artcall.org. Whether you’re a painter, sculptor, photographer, or digital artist, all mediums are welcome, and we are on a mission to gather as many entries as possible.
Why submit?
Your artwork will directly support RMHC Richmond, whose mission is to keep families with sick children together, providing them with a ‘home away from home’ while their children receive treatment. RMHC Richmond offers comfort, care, and critical support for families in need, making a lasting impact on our community.
Don’t wait! Your art has the power to make a meaningful difference, and together we can create something truly extraordinary for an amazing cause. We’re excited to see the creativity and passion you’ll bring to this special project!
McMasterpieces at Crossroads Art Center
Deadline: 10/19
Exhibit Opening: 11/15 – Come see and shop!
Submit now, make your mark, and support RMHC Richmond.
Join our all-star panel as we tackle the exciting world of Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) campaigns in collegiate athletics. With the game-changing introduction of NIL legislation, athletes are emerging as the new MVPs of influence. PR professionals have the chance to step onto the field by strategically championing student-athletes.
From legal hurdles to offering winning strategies to PR power plays, this discussion will be filled with insights on how to navigate the field of NIL campaigns. Attendees will gain a comprehensive understanding of the opportunities and responsibilities in this evolving arena.
Panelists:PR Agency Expert in NIL Campaigns will moderate and share real-life examples of PR strategies and social media tactics tailored specifically for NIL campaigns, including McDonald’s partnership with UVA Athletics and Ronald McDonald House Charities.
Gain legal perspectives and insights on navigating the complex legal landscape surrounding NIL agreements and contracts from an attorney specializing in NIL law.
A representative from an NIL Collective Cavalier Futures: Learn about the collective power and advocacy efforts of NIL groups, and explore collaborative opportunities to connect student-athletes to your brand, company, or cause.
Kellie Booth
Kellie Booth joins CavFutures with three years of experience in sports video production. Her previous roles included Video Coordinator for the Cornell University athletic department where she focused on creative video content and assisted with ESPN live broadcasts. She also served as a content creator for Athletux, an equestrian focused digital marketing agency.
At CavFutures Kellie assists student-athletes with brand-building, social media strategy, and sponsored partnerships. She heads the social accounts and creates content for CavFutures’ subscription service ‘CavClub’ which provides exclusive behind the scenes access to UVA fan’s favorite athletes, offers events, and more. She assists with marketing strategies for the collective itself through a digital, in-home, and in-venue advertising and also connects with local businesses to strategize and execute partnerships with student-athletes.
Kellie is a Charlottesville native, and grew up a UVA sports fan before attending Cornell University for her undergraduate degree. While attending Cornell University, she also captained the Cornell Women’s Varsity Polo team. Additionally, she spent time developing her interest in sports as the Director of Video for the student-led Big Red Sports Network. As a student at Cornell, Kellie studied Sociology with a focus on gender inequity in sports media. Her studies inspired her to pursue a career in athletics and contribute to the growing support for female athletes.
After graduating from Cornell University, Kellie attended UVA and to finish out her collegiate polo career while completing an accelerated master’s program. She received her M.S. in Marketing and Business Management at the McIntire School of Commerce this past August.
Kellie is proud to have returned to her hometown and to remain close to her family in Charlottesville. She lives with her sister and their yellow lab Pudge, named for her and her sister’s favorite baseball player growing up, Ivan ‘Pudge’ Rodriguez. She spends her free time as an assistant coach for Virginia Polo Center high school team.
Tricia Dunlap
During her first career as a high school teacher, Tricia earned national recognition as a James Madison Fellow and National Board Certified Teacher. After surviving a wrenching divorce and multiple floods in 2003, Tricia convinced reluctant local officials to pursue a Hazard Mitigation Program grant that bought out her home and three other chronic flood properties. That two-year odyssey, and a shove from a dear friend (more here), launched her into law school in 2008 as a 40-year-old single mother. She graduated from the University of Richmond School of Law in the top of her class and joined McGuireWoods shortly afterward.
On September 1, 2015, she launched Dunlap Law with a mission to help small business owners thrive. Started without a single client and no outside capital, Tricia’s passion for helping business owners has drawn over 400 clients to the firm which now has five attorneys. Her biggest priority is building the firm’s culture centered on empowerment, education, and empathy with one another and with clients. Tricia is still a teacher.
Tricia’s expertise centers on corporate law. She helps companies and individuals navigate: fiduciary duties, shareholder rights and corresponding corporate obligations, boards of director decision-making or conflict issues, and corporate officer responsibilities. While her experience includes successfully litigating corporate law claims – both direct and derivative – she prefers working through issues without going to court. One of her happiest professional moments came after helping five shareholders work through conflict and mistrust that developed during the pandemic.
If you can’t find Tricia at the office, try searching the unspoiled temperate rain forests of West Virginia’s Potomac Highlands. From age 17 to 20, Tricia lived in Knoxville while attending the University of Tennessee. There, she lived in an 1840’s-era log cabin and fell in love with Appalachia. Today, Tricia and her husband Kenny have a blended family of five fantastic adult children. They are fortunate stewards of 163 acres of mountain forest and meadowlands. They participate in local historic preservation efforts, West Virginia’s Golden Winged Warbler program, and pollinator conservation efforts while they thoughtfully develop the land for their retirement home and as a refuge for future generations.
Christina Dick
Christina Dick is the founder of Tiramisu For Breakfast, a social media-focused marketing and PR strategic consulting firm.
She’s worked with national brands McDonald’s, GEICO, Kraft Brands, Walmart, and sweetFrog, as well as local Richmond startups KINIS Barefoot and The Tooth Brigade. Christina began her career in advertising at The Martin Agency and worked at Capital One and Big River Advertising before launching Tiramisu For Breakfast Agency in 2016.
Christina was named by Richmond’s Style Weekly Magazine as one of Richmond’s Top 40 Under 40 recipients for the class for 2017 and VCU Alumni’s 10 Under 10. She is an adjunct professor of social media at VCU’s School of the Arts and has taught with VCU’s Da Vinci Center. VCU Robertson School. She serves on the advisory board of the VCU Robertson School of Media & Culture, the board of the Public Relations Society of America’s Richmond Chapter, and is the former president of the Advertising Club of Richmond.
Photos by Scott Elmquist
You can also use these for events. We pulled the design elements from this event flyer to create stickers that our guests will be able to use during the event.
Enjoy complimentary margaritas, beer, and tacos, vibe with some vinyl tunes, and get your hands on a copy of the Food Issue and other fun Style Weekly swag!
This is a free event, but RSVPs are required to attend.
Hurry, there are only 200 spots available!
CONTACT:Christina Dick
christina@tfbagency.com
757-509-2346
MEET NASCAR DRIVER BUBBA WALLACE AT MCDONALDS ACROSS FROM RICHMOND RACEWAY ON FRIDAY MARCH 29TH
McDonald’s and Dr. Pepper are teaming up to bring the NASCAR experience to the Richmond Community this Friday, March 29th, at the McDonald’s at 607 E Laburnum Ave, located right across the street from Richmond Raceway. The event runs from 3-5pm. 23XI Racing Driver Bubba Wallace will be at the event from 4-5pm
In addition to having the chance to meet 23XI Racing NASCAR Driver Bubba Wallace, attendees will enjoy live entertainment with DJ Lonnie B and Kelli Lemon and chances to win McDonald’s and Dr. Pepper merchandise. McDonald’s will also have menu offers for the event via the McDonald’s app.
We’re also excited to share this experience with River City Dreams.
River City Dreams works with Richmond’s youth to cultivate a deep love for both sports and the diverse world of S.T.E.A.M. Weaving these elements together, they empower young individuals to dream big, think creatively, and excel in their academic pursuits and in the game.
They will have a chance to meet Bubba, ask him about NASCAR and the sport of racing, and enjoy a McDonalds meal, of course!
iPOWER broadcasting live from the restaurantMcDonald’s & Dr. Pepper giveaways
Bubba Wallace Meet & Greet beginning at 4pm
DJ. Lonnie B. and Kelli Lemon
River City Dreams WHEN:
Friday 3/29
3-5pm WHERE:
McDonald’s
607 E. Laburnum Ave
Richmond, VA
Be more effective with less effort by learning how to identify and leverage the 80/20 principle: that 80 percent of all our results in business and in life stem from a mere 20 percent of our efforts.
The 80/20 principle is one of the great secrets of highly effective people and organizations.
Did you know, for example, that 20 percent of customers account for 80 percent of revenues? That 20 percent of our time accounts for 80 percent of the work we accomplish? The 80/20 Principle shows how we can achieve much more with much less effort, time, and resources, simply by identifying and focusing our efforts on the 20 percent that really counts. Although the 80/20 principle has long influenced today’s business world, author Richard Koch reveals how the principle works and shows how we can use it in a systematic and practical way to vastly increase our effectiveness, and improve our careers and our companies.
The unspoken corollary to the 80/20 principle is that little of what we spend our time on actually counts. But by concentrating on those things that do, we can unlock the enormous potential of the magic 20 percent, and transform our effectiveness in our jobs, our careers, our businesses, and our lives.
George Bernard Shaw put it well. “The reasonable man adapts himself to the world. The unreasonable man persists in trying to adapt the world to himself. Therefore all progress depends on the unreasonable man.”
A good exercise is to work out the most unconventional or eccentric ways in which you could spend your time: how far you could deviate from the norm without being thrown out of your world. Not all eccentric ways of spending time will multiply your effectiveness, but some or at least one of them could. Draw up several scenarios and adopt the one that allows you the most time on high-value activities that you enjoy. Who among your acquaintances is both effective and eccentric? Find out how they spend their time and how it deviates from the norm. You may want to copy some of the things they do and don’t do.
Think about your past achievements that have had the most positive “market” response from others, those that have led to the greatest critical acclaim. What methods worked best for you in the past Which collaborators? Which audience? Looking forward, what could you achieve that would make you proud, that no one else could do with ease?
10 Golden Rules for Career Success:1. Specialize in a very small niche; develop a core skill
2. Choose a niche that you enjoy, where you can excel and have a chance of becoming an acknowledged leader.
3. Realize that knowledge is power.
4. Identify your market and core customers and serve them best.
5. Identify where 20 percent of effort gives 80 percent of return.
6. Learn from the best.
7. Become self-employed early in your career.
8. Employ as many net value creators as possible.
9. Use outside contracts for everything but your core skill.
10. Exploit capital leverage. Two Ways To Be Happier:
1. Identify the times when you are happiest and expand them as much as possible.
2. Identify the times when you are least happy and reduce them as much as possible.
The best way to start being more happy is to stop being unhappy. You have more control over this than you imagine. by simply avoiding situations where experience suggests you are likely to become unhappy. For activities that are very ineffective at making you happy, think systematically about ways you could enjoy them more. If this works, fine. If it doesn’t, figure out how to avoid these situations.
Daily Happiness Habbits:
1. Exercise
2. Mental stimulation
3. Spiritual/artistic stimulation/meditation
4. Doing a good turn
5. Taking a pleasure break with a friend
6. Giving yourself a treat
7. Congratulating yourself
In I’ll Pray for You and Other Outrageous Things Said to Disabled People, Hannah Setzer volunteers to go first and say the things that we all think, but rarely say. Hannah has lived her whole life as a disabled woman and is here to share her story, though don’t think for a second that this is inspiration porn. In fact, Hannah’s disability is the least interesting thing about her!
I’ll Pray for You is full of…parenting fails,
awkward stories, like that time Hannah fell down a manhole,
discovering and accepting your identity, and
fun, eye-opening real-talk from a disabled woman
Hannah is a rebellious writer, a disability rights activist, and a movement enthusiast. She’s best known as the creator of “Feeding Tube Fitness,” where she often overshares most aspects of her life. She is the owner of Hannah’s Handcrafted, a small business making and selling high quality elderberry products. She’s a big dreamer and most recently founded Growing Inclusivity, a nonprofit aiming to build an accessible playground in Virginia. She lives on a mini farm in Virginia with her husband, her partner in all things, her four boys, who are her biggest fans, and her ever growing menagerie of loyal animals. She is here to instill hope that you, too, can chase your dreams (and your chickens) if you want to. This book of essays from her life aims to do just that!
“I reread my proposal I sent to agents years ago, and I love it. I love the girl that wrote it. I’m proud of the girl that wrote it, but she’s no longer me.”
When you take dreams into your own hands, it means a lot of freedom but also a lot of trusting yourself.
Year after year, readers pulled me aside at events and said, “I’ve never had a problem starting. I’ve started a million things, but I never finish them. Why can’t I finish?
According to studies, 92 percent of New Year’s resolutions fail. You’ve practically got a better shot at getting into Juilliard to become a ballerina than you do at finishing your goals.
For years, I thought my problem was that I didn’t try hard enough. So I started getting up earlier. I drank enough energy drinks to kill a horse. I hired a life coach and ate more superfoods. Nothing worked, although I did develop a pretty nice eyelid tremor from all the caffeine. It was like my eye was waving at you, very, very quickly.
Then, while leading a thirty-day online course to help people work on their goals, I learned something surprising: The most effective exercises were not those that pushed people to work harder. The ones that got people to the finish line did just the opposite— they took the pressure off.
Why? Because the sneakiest obstacle to meeting your goals is not laziness, but perfectionism. We’re our own worst critics, and if it looks like we’re not going to do something right, we prefer not to do it at all. That’s why we’re most likely to quit on day two, “the day after perfect”—when our results almost always underperform our aspirations.
The strategies in this book are counterintuitive and might feel like cheating. But they’re based on studies conducted by a university researcher with hundreds of participants. You might not guess that having more fun, eliminating your secret rules, and choosing something to bomb intentionally works. But the data says otherwise. People who have fun are 43 percent more successful! Imagine if your diet, guitar playing, or small business was 43 percent more successful just by following a few simple principles.
If you’re tired of being a chronic starter and want to become a consistent finisher, you have two options: You can continue to beat yourself up and try harder, since this time that will work. Or you can give yourself the gift of done.
1. When you refuse to deal in joy, you don’t quit being emotional; you just funnel all that fury somewhere else. Many a troll was born from the heartache of a goal he dared not finish. Maybe a troll is just someone who lost to perfectionism so many times that he gave up on his own goals and decided to tear down someone else’s.
2. When you make a goal, you make a promise to yourself….if you break enough promises. you start to doubt yourself.
3. Cut your goal in half.
4. Strategic Incompetence. Pick something to bomb.
5.
The new uplifting book from Matt Haig, the New York Times bestselling author of The Midnight Library, for anyone in search of hope, looking for a path to a more meaningful life, or in need of a little encouragement.
“It is a strange paradox, that many of the clearest, most comforting life lessons are learnt while we are at our lowest. But then we never think about food more than when we are hungry and we never think about life rafts more than when we are thrown overboard.”
The Comfort Book is Haig’s life raft: it’s a collection of notes, lists, and stories written over a span of several years that originally served as gentle reminders to Haig’s future self that things are not always as dark as they may seem. Incorporating a diverse array of sources from across the world, history, science, and his own experiences, Haig offers warmth and reassurance, reminding us to slow down and appreciate the beauty and unpredictability of existence.
“The sky isn’t more beautiful if you have perfect skin. Music doesn’t sound more interesting if you have a six-pack. Dogs aren’t better company if you’re famous. P izza tastes good regardless of your job title. The best of life exists beyond the things we are encouraged to crave.”
1. “I used to worry about fitting in until I realized the reason I didn’t fit in was because I didn’t want to.”
2. “Don’t envy things you wouldn’t actually want. Don’t absorb criticism from people you wouldn’t go to for advice. Don’t fear missing parties you would probably want to leave. Don’t worry about fitting in. Be your own tribe. Don’t argue with people who will never understand you. Don’t believe anyone has it all figured out. Don’t imagine there is an amount of money or success or fame that could insulate you from pain. Don’t think there is a type of face or job or relationship that safeguards happiness. Don’t say yes to things you wish you had the confidence to say no to. Don’t worry if you do.”
3. “Words don’t capture, they release.”
4. “When things go dark, we can’t see what we have. That doesn’t mean that we don’t have those things. Those things remain, right in front of us. All we need is to light a candle, or ignite some hope, and we can see that what we thought was lost was merely hidden.”
5. “Forgiving other people is great practice for forgiving yourself when the time comes.”
6. “As the great writer Anne Lamott puts it: “Lighthouses don’t go running all over an island for boats to save; they just stand there shining.”
7. “Silence is pain. But it is a pain with an exit route. When we can’t speak, we can write. When we can’t write, we can read. When we can’t read, we can listen. Words are seeds. Language is a way back to life. And it is sometimes the most vital comfort we have.”
“As the great writer Anne Lamott puts it: “Lighthouses don’t go running all over an island for boats to save; they just stand there shining.”
“Silence is pain. But it is a pain with an exit route. When we can’t speak, we can write. When we can’t write, we can read. When we can’t read, we can listen. Words are seeds. Language is a way back to life. And it is sometimes the most vital comfort we have.”
As a Virginia Commonwealth University student, I often found change uncomfortable, especially as I am wrapping up my academic career. These moments of transition can lead to unexpected opportunities and help in clarifying your career aspirations – in my case an internship that has shown me what I am interested in.
When considering my next steps in pursuit of a career path, I wasn’t exactly sure what I wanted to do. Sounds relatable right? When I was searching for internships, my strategy was to be open to a wide array of opportunities, even those slightly outside my main area of interest. What I looked for most was hands-on experience, as I found this more beneficial than virtual positions.
Luckily, an opportunity presented itself when I received an email about open leadership positions in the Public Relations Student Society of America at VCU. Joining PRSSA and immersing myself in it, spending more time meeting new people and making connections, was a crucial step. It was through my active participation in PRSSA that I came across the internship opportunity with Tiramisu for Breakfast. I realized that if I hadn’t joined, I wouldn’t be in the position I am in now and you wouldn’t be reading this.
When I walked into the Tiramisu for Breakfast office for the first time, I was immediately struck by its energy. There was a lot happening in the space, and I found myself enjoying the process of observing and taking it all in. It was fascinating because the office seemed to reflect Christina’s personality. Right from the start, I could sense that she’s a creative, spontaneous go getter. The layout and decor of the office communicated that vividly. Sitting down and speaking with Christina, I appreciated the casual yet expressive manner in which she communicated. It felt welcoming and engaging, and it set a comfortable tone for our interaction.
Looking back on the week, I attended the VMFA Art Exhibition Media Review for Dawoud Bey’s “Elegy” with Christina. I see now that it was much more than just another event. Roaming through the exhibition and seeing those impactful artworks, I wasn’t just taking in the art; I was also picking up on the subtleties of how media and public relations play out in these environments.
In my first week at the internship, I really got a grip on some key public relations and marketing concepts. I started off by diving into TFB brand guidelines, along with checking out big names like Coca-Cola to keep their branding sharp and consistent. Then, I wrapped my head around the differences between owned, earned, and paid media. Essentially, owned media refers to the channels we manage ourselves, like our own websites and blogs. Paid media is all about investing in ads on platforms like Facebook or Twitter. And earned media? That’s the awesome, free exposure we gain when our content gets shared by others. I also picked up on how payment works in agencies, which typically happens after a contract gets inked, following our proposal submissions. Something new to me was the concept of “spec work,” which is working without guaranteed pay, mostly for pitches. And finally, I got to know about Gantt charts, which are super helpful for keeping track of what needs to get done in a project. All in all, this week was jam-packed with learning, giving me a solid start in understanding the nuts and bolts of brand management, media strategies, and the nitty-gritty of client-agency relationships and project planning.
During my internship, my primary goals are to gain a diverse skill set. This doesn’t exclusively include the specific tasks I was assigned, but also involved observing and learning from the overall operations of the TFB workplace. It was important for me to bring new ideas, consistent effort, and fresh energy to the office.
I am grateful to gain more confidence and clarity regarding my future career path. I wanted the experience to help me feel comfortable in professional settings and more certain about my career choices. Juggling academic responsibilities, work commitments, and personal life was challenging, but it was crucial for my professional development. Most importantly, excited to grow alongside Christina!
Motto of the Week: Be Comfortable with Being Uncomfortable
I’m trying to find the recording to share.
Some of my favorite bits from my notes (from what I could read of my handwriting 🤪) The book is “Seek You: A Journey Through American Loneliness.”
I thought I was prepared because I downloaded the audiobook ahead of the event so I’d know what everyone was talking about… until I got there and it turns out the book is a GRAPHIC novel. Lolol My takeaways:
“Before reading this, I would have told you that lol I was is an issue that comes form outside. I’m not realizing that j have a responsibility in my Lo lines to test vulnerability and authenticity.”
“I don’t think we have an epidemic of loneliness. I think we have an epidemic of a lack of vulnerability and intimacy.”
“We are wired as humans for empathy and connection. How do we return to that?”
“We all get lonely, and in that we are not alone.”
“The longer we are lonely, the harder it is to reconnect.”
“To create community, we need to have a low bar for entry and a high bar for conduct.” 🙌🏻👏🏻
In the q&a, I asked what industries need this message the most. They said policy makers and the media.
My hope for humanity is that we can all find something to love as much as this man on NextDoor loves the Carytown Publix.
I love ArtButMakeItSports on X so much.
We now have TFB tees and sweatshirts in black!
When Malcolm asked me what I wish I knew in my last decade, my mind immediately went to my disappointment in discovering that there is not, in fact, a period of time after acne and before wrinkles; they actually overlap.
Thank you thank you thank you to Malcolm Venable for inviting me to be a part of this article for Shondaland!!!
Not only was it an honor to be included but even if no one else ever saw it, the greatest gift was being prompted to reflect on this!Here’s the section I contributed, but click through to Shondaland.com to read the full article! “Your 30s are different from your 20s! I’m surprised by that. I thought it was just: You are a kid, and then you are an adult. I never thought about how almost all of your life is spent as an adult, and there are so many stages. I look back on the last decade with rose-colored glasses. I kind of wish 30s me could give advice to 20s me. I look back and see myself as brave and generous and creative and kind.
I wish I’d known that my positive attitude was my greatest asset and that I should do everything I could to protect it. I wish I’d known how transient people’s roles in my life were and are. People change jobs, people break up, people grow and change. Someone might be your boss or client one day, and you feel so much pressure to impress them, but then you get in a situation where you’re positioned more as an equal and a friend, and you see them differently. They’re just a person like you and everyone else.
Maya Angelou said, “Each time a woman stands up for herself, without knowing it possibly, without claiming it, she stands up for all women.” Teaching a university class and starting a business in my 20s taught me that my voice has power and that speaking up for what’s right makes other women feel like they have permission to do the same.
I wish I’d known that laser hair removal (and really any beauty treatment that’s going to save me time) is worth it. I wish I’d known to have a default nail color. Just get a ballerina gown dip polish every time. I wish I’d known that I could just get the car I wanted instead of feeling unhappy and self-conscious about driving an old, messy car. I love my little black Buick SUV with beige leather seats. I wish I’d known to spend my money and time on facials and exercise instead of listening to the women at the makeup counters trying to sell me something.
I wish I’d known that I can be the person who goes to early morning exercise classes. I didn’t see the point in waking up early, but I now see those hours as a gift to myself. I wish I’d known that procrastination is not laziness. I needed to look deeper to find the issue instead of blaming it on myself. Was I missing resources? Did I need help from someone or more information? I wish I’d thought without judgment about what was keeping me from doing what I wanted or needed to do.
I wish I’d known that if I didn’t want to be around someone, it didn’t make me a bad person. There was probably a reason something felt off, and it’s fine to trust myself and my instincts.
I wish I’d known that when I can’t stop thinking about something, I should just take action. It’s totally fixable if I make a mistake or regret my decision, but it’s a waste of time to ruminate. I don’t need to feel guilty about really leaning into doing things I love and indulging because it gets harder and harder to get in touch with what you want at your core. It’s not selfish to do what you want; that’s actually what really should be guiding you through life. As generic and clichéd as it seems, being yourself really is the ultimate goal.
I wish I’d known to go see Britney Spears in concert. It doesn’t matter how much it would have cost. I could have figured that part out.”
The McDonald’s and NASCAR teams worked together to create a fan-focused event with Bubba Wallace at the Richmond Raceway McDonald’s the day before the big race.
DJ Lonnie B and Kelli Lemon joined us for music, giveaways, and lots of autographs.
Thanks to all who made this event super fun, including On Three Photography, who helped us capture the event. Thanks to Richmond Times Dispatch and BOOMER Magazine for helping us spread the word!
We’re celebrating Grimace’s birthday!
We know birthdays at McDonald’s have a certain magic. Whether you’ve attended an epic party at the PlayPlace or swapped the fancy dinner for what you were really craving, birthdays at McDonald’s restaurants hold a special place in our hearts.
So, starting June 12th, we’re inviting everyone to create new birthday memories with us… this time, in honor of our very own fan favorite, Grimace.
Starting next week (while supplies last) fans can get in on the festivities with the Grimace Birthday Meal – featuring a limited-edition purple shake inspired by Grimace’s iconic color and sweetness.
The meal also comes with the choice of a Big Mac® or 10-piece Chicken McNuggets®, and our World-Famous Fries®, and of course, we encourage all partygoers to order this meal in the app, via McDelivery or Mobile Order & Pay for an even better party experience.
For those just realizing how little you might actually know about your purple pal… here are a few fun facts about Grimace!
Grimace is from Grimace Island and comes from a huge family – including his Grandma Winky, Aunts Millie and Tillie and his Uncle O’Grimacey.
Our timeless bestie has become a fan-favorite known for his signature fuzzy purple look, friendly and playful personality, love for shakes, and of course – ambiguous nature.
What exactly is Grimace? Perhaps we’ll never know…
We can’t wait to see all the ways you celebrate Grimace’s birthday with us and with our customers!
FEMALE PROMOTER BRINGS FIRST TITLE FIGHT TO RVA
(RICHMOND – MAY 15, 2023) – Liz Cane, the Managing Promoter of River City Promotions, is excited to announce Richmond’s first WBC title fight on Friday, May 19th at The Renaissance Room.
Ermal Hadribeaj, the WBC international super-weight champion from Albania, will defend his belt against Leonardo di Stefano Ruiz at the “Road to Glory” Pro-boxing event in Richmond, Virginia. The event will feature 8 total bouts (7 undercards & 1 main event).
Eric Ash and Marc Cheatham are the commentators for the evening.
Liz launched River City Promotions in March 2023. “The Road to Glory” is the organization’s inaugural event, with another fight scheduled in July 2023.
This is a historic event & a massive opportunity for Richmond, which has never before hosted a title fight. Her hope is that the international attention drawn to Richmond through these events will be massive & put our city on the map as a destination for professional boxing.
Tickets are available now at www.rivercityboxing.com.Don’t miss out on your chance to attend this historical event! TICKETS
DATE, TIME, & LOCATION:
Friday, May 19th, 2023
The Renaissance Roosevelt Ballroom107 West Broad Street Richmond, VA 5:30 p.m.: Doors Open
7:00 p.m.: First Bout Kick-off
PAY PER VIEW
The fights will be available in person or on pay-per-view through FITE TV.
AFTER PARTY
After the main event, River City Roll will open its doors & patio to all event ticket purchasers 21 & above for an exclusive afterparty where all food & drinks will be complimentary. Cocktail attire is highly encouraged.
PARTNERS:“The Road to Glory” will be catered by Sedona Taphouse, with beer distribution from Bingo, Circus Vodka, & bourbon whiskey through Reservoir Distillery. SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS:
Facebook Event
River City Promotions on Instagram
INTERVIEWS & MEDIA PASSES
For questions, interview requests and media passes to the event, please contact:
Christina DickTiramisu For Breakfast Agency
christina@tfbagency.com.
We have a special employee in Ms. Sharon. She made an impact on some of your young customers, who surprised her with flowers as a Thank You. The video of the interaction went viral and was covered by the Good News Network We celebrate the achievements of our valuable crew members through an initiative named “Thank You Crew.” Customers can nominate crew members for great service, going the extra mile – anything that brings a smile to their face when they visit a restaurant. Go to: www.thankyoucrew.com to nominate a McDonald’s employee.
It all started when a little girl named Harper and her siblings delivered flowers to Ms. Sharon, their favorite Crew member at their local McDonald’s.
Ms. Sharon had made Harper’s day by complimenting her outfit, so Harper wanted to show her gratitude with some lovely flowers the following afternoon.
Harper’s mom shared the video on Twitter.
The video got our attention after @GoodNewsNetwork shared it to their followers, and we decided to show Ms. Sharon even more appreciation through the McDonald’s Thank You Crew employee recognition program.
We worked with our friends at WAVY 10 to surprise Mr. Sharon with gifts and kind words from her coworkers and owners Jim and Leslie Wheeler.
We celebrate the achievements of our valuable crew members through an initiative named “Thank You Crew.” Customers can nominate crew members for great service, going the extra mile – anything that brings a smile to their face when they visit a restaurant.
Visit www.thankyoucrew.com to nominate a McDonald’s employee.
Nominate A Crew Member
A photo I came across on Instagram, posted by skin care mogul May Lindstrom, featured a lavender-colored rose beginning to wither and the words “Beauty in every stage.” To me, it perfectly exemplified the industry’s movement away from terms like “anti-aging,” toward a healthier perception of beauty.
From the time I was a little girl, I’ve believed the ability to choose how you appear to the world was empowering. A lot of us learn our beauty tips through trial and error or from the lessons of a mother-figure.
But I’ve always found it helpful to look to women you admire for inspiration and bits of well-earned wisdom. So let’s look in the makeup bags of three women from three different age ranges to see their secrets for staying beautiful. And while we’re at it, I’ll share a few of mine, as well.
Ava, 20sAva McHugh is heading into her junior year at James Madison University. But, fresh off a semester abroad where she experienced Parisian galleries and some amazing Sephoras, McHugh says she has a slightly new perspective on beauty.
Charlotte Tilbury Invisible UV Flawless Primer SPF 50: I like to wear as little foundation as possible, focusing on skincare to get that glowy-skin look. This is moisturizing and feels light on my skin. $55
Gisou Honey Infused Hair Perfume: I discovered hair perfume in France. I love warm scents. This one is very light and it smells like honey. $44
Kérastase Genesis Strengthening Hair Mask: I dye my hair so I have to focus on making it look good and keeping it healthy. I do one of these every week as part of my “Sunday reset.” $64
IT Cosmetics Superhero Elastic Stretch Volumizing and Lengthening Mascara: I’ve used this mascara since 7th grade. I cannot use anything else. $26
Holly, 40sHolly Byrd Miller is an international beauty and branding specialist. She’s the CEO and founder of Makeup by Holly.
Bye Bye Under Eye Full Coverage Anti-Aging Waterproof Concealer: This eliminates all my under eye concerns (great for dark circles and it’s hydrating without looking cakey). $44
Danessa Myricks Colorfix Eye, Lip, and Cheek Pigments: The colors are pigmented, which means a little goes a long way. Small enough to fit in any makeup bag and multipurpose enough to meet most beauty needs. $18
Thrive Causemetics Mascara: This is a favorite because of the maximum length and volume it creates. $24
Morphe The Big Prime Conditioning Lash Primer: Provides additional length and volume, eliminating the need to apply false lashes. When combined with mascara, it gives the appearance of an instant eye lift. $12
Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation: This has been a staple in my makeup bag for years. The foundation looks like your skin, but better. It’s a radiant, natural finish that gives you an airbrush affect. $45
Judi, 50sJudi Crenshaw is a professor of public relations at Virginia Commonwealth University. She has always gone her own way and is definitely not afraid to make a bold statement in every aspect of her life, including beauty routines.
PÜR Botanicals Ice Roller: I ice roll every morning. $13
Perbelle CC Cream: This is the amazing color correcting moisturizer. So light, yet it’s all I need, in terms of makeup. Every woman I know over 50 uses this. $44
GrandeBROW Brow Enhancing Serum: My brows really thinned so I use this serum, it works over time (two months), along with the eyelash extensions. No eye makeup, though. It makes me look clownish. $73
Fenty Beauty by Rihanna Gloss Bomb Universal Lip Luminizer: Really subtle and moisturizing. I wear the clear one every day. $20
SIDEBAR:What’s in my bag?
Charlotte Tilbury Lip Liner in Pillow Talk: Even though it’s almost the same color as my lips, it makes a big difference in making my makeup feel polished. $24
Christophe Robin Purifying Scalp Scrub with Sea Salt: I’ve been using this shampoo for years and love how it gets out leftover residue from products so my hair feels light with lots of volume. $53
Oribe Thick Dry Finishing Spray: A cross between a dry shampoo and a volume spray. I apply this after I dry my hair and before I curl it. I also use it to refresh my “second-day hair” in-between washes. $42
Rosehip Oil: I love facial oils. I find that rosehip is especially great if your skin is prone to breakouts because it sinks in so quickly and feels light. I love that it’s so simple and inexpensive, too. $10
AcneFree Adapalene Gel: You used to need a prescription for this, but it’s now available over the counter. $11
CeraVe Healing Ointment: I use this to “slug,” a final layer of skincare that locks in other products, which I learned from TikTok. $20
Christina Dick is a marketing and branding professional with a passion for beauty and skincare. She owns Tiramisu For Breakfast, a boutique firm based in Richmond.
Read the Article Online
Check Out the Full Issue
McBoo, McPunk’n, and McGoblin – the iconic trio of McDonald’s Happy Meal Halloween Pails that came on the scene back in 1986 – are back!
Get yours through 10/31 or they run out!
Bring your pet to Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden’s Prido’s After Five, a special edition of their Fido’s After Five Happy Hour to celebrate Pride Month
Lewis Ginter Botanical Gardens partners with the Richmond SPCA for Fidos After 5 on these special nights (only): May 26, June 9, 23, July 14, 28, August 11, 25, and September 8 where leashed dogs are allowed. Suggested $2 “pet admission” benefits Richmond SPCA.
5 – 8 p.m. Wine, beer and food available for purchase in the Garden5 – 8 p.m. Live music in the Garden
All dogs must be leashed (no retractable leashes) and current on rabies vaccinations. Please Note: We welcome dogs in the Robins Visitor Center and Conservatory, but ask that they not enter the Kelly Education Center building. Please read our rules and guidelines for visiting Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden with dogs.
Leashed dogs are allowed on Fidos nights only.
Event will be held rain or shine; in the event of inclement weather, the event will be cancelled.
Music
About the band: The Atkinsons meld roots, country, and rock music into their own style of rambling swing rock & roll. Heartfelt story-telling is at the core of the Atkinsons, and it is complemented with three-part harmonies layered over mandolin, fiddle, drums, bass and electric guitars. The band’s influences run the gamut from country, mountain, bluegrass, to straight-up rock and roll music, and the sound ends up being quite a musical stew.
Food & Drink
Food and drinks (including wine and beer) are available for purchase.
The 18th Annual Short Pump Town Center FREE Summer Concert Series returns this Thursday, May 19th with two additional concert dates.
We’re bringing back some of your favorites, Three Sheets to the Wind and The Deloreans plus three more bands will take the Short Pump stage for the first time ever.
The Silver Bullets will kick off the concert series on Thursday, May 19th.
The events begin at 6 in the Main Plaza near the entrance to Crate & Barrel and Pottery Barn. Doors will open at 5.
During the concert, wine tastings will be available for purchase benefiting Henrico CASA. Henrico CASA believes every child deserves a safe home where they can thrive. They stand up for the best interests of vulnerable children in Henrico County who are wrapped up in court cases that allege abuse or neglect as their voice in court, ensuring they have a safe home.
And that’s not all! The two bonus concerts aren’t the only thing new this year. We’re also partnering with the team at The Richmond Times-Dispatch. Kelli Lemon and Will Roye of Virginia Video Network will be your emcees for the series. AND, the RTD’s new Virginia lifestyle magazine, En Forme, is giving away free luxury picnics (valued at $260!) from Picnic RVA. Follow their Instagram to see how you can enter.
Don’t miss out on the fun — no ticket required! See below for the full concert series schedule.
Thursday, 5/19 Silver BulletsThursday, 6/9 Three Sheets to the Wind
Thursday, 6/16 Deloreans
Thursday, 7/7 Mustache the Band
Thursday, 7/21 – Dean Ford and the Beautiful Ones- Prince Tribute Concert Sponsored by Richmond Virginia Orthodontics and Mercedes Benz of Richmond.
For interviews, more photos, and questions, please contact:
Christina Dick Tiramisu For Breakfast Agency 757-509-2346 christina@tfbagency.com
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February 10, 2022 Christina Dick
Tiramisu For Breakfast
757-509-2346
christina@tfbagency.com **MEDIA ADVISORY**
In Partnership with the Capital Area Health Network,
McDonald’s is Hosting a Free Vaccination Clinic in Manchester on Saturday, February 12th, 2022 from 10am-3pm. WHAT
The Manchester neighborhood McDonald’s, in partnership with the Capital Area Health Network, has announced it will hold a COVID-19 vaccination clinic at the restaurant at 708 Hull Street in Richmond.
Vaccines will be free of charge, no appointments are needed, and participants who receive a vaccine will be eligible for a FREE sandwich at this restaurant location. Vaccines will be available for first dose or boosters.
WHENSaturday, February 12, 2022, 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. WHERE
Manchester Neighborhood McDonald’s at 708 Hull St, Richmond, VA 23224 MCDONALD’S SPOKESPERSON
“We believe it is important to support access to vaccines in the communities we serve. By partnering with the Capital Area Health Network at our 708 Hull Street restaurant, we hope to offer a convenient solution for those who wish to get a vaccine or booster,” said Mike Traub, McDonald’s Owner/Operator.
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Thanks to everyone who helped Tiramisu For Breakfast Agency bring the holiday magic for Short Pump Town Center’s tree lighting!
A little girl asked if I was Mrs. Claus and that’s all I needed to hear.
Thanks for capturing everything so beautifully, Chad Williams and Creative Visual Design!
And to…Emcee Holly Byrd Miller
Marketing Manager Courtney Gunia
Caricature Artist Matt Schmidt
Juggler Jonathan Austin
Nutcracker Ballet Shannon McConville and Stavna Ballet
The Salvation Army Central Virginia brass band
String Trio Treesa Gold
Caricature Artist Brandon McPherson
Promotional materials Melany Oakley and Jessie Kieffer Cox Worth Higgins & Associates
Logo marshmallows and cookie kits Candy Valley Cake Company and Keya Wingfield
Roasted holiday nuts Totally Nutz Franchise
Hot cocoa Frost Gelato Short Pump
Balloon art by Balloon Benders RVA
Sound by Omnitech Loring Wiggins
Santa is coming to Short Pump TONIGHT and we’d love to see you there!
Here’s everything you need to know:
Friday, November 19th | 6-8pmMain Plaza, Short Pump Town Center
Cost: FREE Here’s what we have planned for you!
Emcee Holly Byrd Biller
Salvation Army Brass Band led by Captain Melody
SANTA
Nutcracker Ballet Performance by Stavna Ballet
Richmond String Trio
Caricatures by Matt Schmidt and
Jonathan the Juggler
Marshmallow treats and take-home cookie decorating kits by Candy Valley Cake Co.
Roasted holiday buts from Totally Nuts
Hot cocoa from Frost Gelato
Chad Williams of Creative Visual Design will be there to capture the moment!!!
Be sure to thank Marvin, Courtney, Richard, and the whole operations and marketing team at Short Pump Town Center for working to make this Christmas magic come to lift!
Emcee Holly Byrd Miller
Makeup by Holly B Partners Brand & Beauty Experts
Free Tote
With coupons, offers, and freebies from Short Pump Town Center retailers and restautants
Free Mini Bags of Popcorn from Lammar Marie’s Gourmet Popcorn
Free Hot Cocoa from Frost Gelato
Megan Marconyak of Marco Style
Robey Martin
Free Take-Home Cookie decorating kits and Marshmallows from Candy Valley Cake Co.
Free Roasted Nuts from Totally Nutz RVA
Free Caricatures by Matt Schmidt Art and River City Caricatures
Jonathan the Juggler
Free Balloon Art
Salvation Army Brass Band
AND WE’RE BACK‼️ The holiday season is upon us & we’re partnering with @SalArmyRVA to help out angels in our community 👼🏼🎄
Check out the @NBC12 website for info on where you can find Angel Trees around town! pic.twitter.com/IUV2aU28Lf— Sophia Armata (@SophiaNBC12) November 10, 2021
Nutcracker Christmas by Stavna Ballet
Christmas songs from Richmond Strings Trio
360 Photo Booth Gallery
Fall Family Photos Gallery
View this post on InstagramA post shared by Tiramisu for Breakfast (@tiramisuforbreakfastagency)
Fall for Autumn Fest at Short Pump Town Center
Saturday, October 23 | 1–4PMMain Plaza
Cost: FREE
Thanks to everyone who attended!
Let’s have an a-maize-ing autumn this season! Join us for an un-be-leaf-ably good time with an exciting shopping experience featuring giveaways from your favorite stores, live music, festive photo ops, and more fall fun!
Fall Family Photos
VCU Arts alum Wing Chow has hand-painted a pumpkin display (About Wing Chow). We’ve added flannel, straw, pumpkins, leaves, and all the makings of a perfect fall backdrop.
Snap a family photo on your phone and/or get one taken for free by photographer Scott Elmquist and his team!
Throw some leaves in the air and take a fun fall video with our 360 Photobooth by Pretty Visions and More!
Musical Stylings of The Sweet Potatoes Band
Pumpkin art for kids with Whim!
To create everyday magic for littles, Devin Wilson of Whim Children’s company has designed whimsical pumpkin craft art ideas.
We will have plenty of pumpkins for mall patrons, but if you definitely plan to be there help us plan your best experience! The craft itself will only take 10-15 minutes, but give us your best guesstimate of when you’ll visit. We can’t wait to see you!
Sign Up!
Pumpkin Carving Art :
Watch an artist at work in Wei Wang’s pumpkin carving demonstration.
Caricatures by Matt Schmidt Art
Caricatures: Caricatures by Matt Schmidt Art
Donuts, Cake Pops, and Popcorn!
Food: Cake pops, Take-home cookie kits, and apple cider donuts from Candy Valley Cake co.Popcorn from Lammar Marie’s
Today starts a weekend of beauty events and special sales at Dillard’s Short Pump.
I’ve gotten to know the team at Dillard’s through my work with Short Pump Town Center. And it’s been exciting to learn about their big beauty department renovation. One of my favorite makeup artists from Bobbi Brown, Zoe, recently joined the team and helped launch the Bobbi Brown counter there. They’ve also just added CREED, Jo Malone, La Mer, and Perfumes de Marley.
Almost every beauty counter is running some kind of special free gift or event from 10/14-10/16
We stopped by to learn more about all the special things they have planned so that we can help spread the word.
We couldn’t resist adding a little creativity to our promotional photos. We were inspired by Jordan Matter’s 10-minute photo challenge on YouTube (special thanks to my firefighter friend David for sending this to me in a Facebook message a few years ago!) to enlist the help of ballerina Joey of Richmond’s Stavna Ballet.
Stavna Ballet is a local ballet company made up of dancers from all over the country. I recently joined its board.
Each year Stavna hosts a fundraiser gala to support it’s non-profit outreach program, Stavna Reach. This year’s gala is Thursday 10/21.
It’s going to be so fun to get dressed up, see friends and meet new people. Tickets to the gala start at $65. We’d love to see you there!
So, stop by Dillard’s to pick up pick up everything you ned to get dolled up for the gala and take advantage of their free gifts and beauty specials!
Here’s a list of what you can expect:
Free Engraving with your Fragrance PurchaseDate: 10/14
Time: 11 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Date: 10/15
Time: 11 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Description: To celebrate the Grand Opening of our new Cosmetics Department, any large bottle fragrance purchase made on 10/14 will receive free engraving! Perfect for gift giving or treating yourself to a one-of-a-kind perfume bottle.
Exclusions apply. See associate for details.
Dior Show Artist Jose Urdaz
Date: 10/14 & 10/15
Time: By appointment only, 12 p.m. – 7 p.m. & 11 a.m. – 6 p.m., respectively
Description: Celebrate with Dior at the Grand Re-Opening of the Dillard’s Short Pump Cosmetics Department! We’ll be featuring Dior Show Artist, Jose Urdaz, on Thursday, October 14th from 12 PM-7 PM, & Friday, October 15th from 11 AM -6PM. This is an exclusive opportunity to learn the power of makeup from one of Dior’s national artists, plus, discover some of the most coveted backstage tips to reveal your most beautiful self. RESERVE YOUR SPOT TODAY! Space is limited. Contact a Dillard’s Beauty Specialist for details. (804) 253-0182
Lancome National Makeup Artist Ricardo Costales
Date: 10/14
Time: By appointment only, 11 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Description: Dillard’s welcomes Lancôme National Makeup Artist Ricardo Costales in hosting a Master Class Thursday, October 14th. Learn how to Re-Boost. Re-Fresh. Re-Vitalize. your Beauty Routine. RESERVE YOUR SPOT TODAY! Appointments available 11 a.m. – 4 p.m. Contact a Dillard’s Beauty Specialist for details. (804) 253-0182. While booking your appointment, ask about our FREE Lancome Gift. Now through 10/21/2021.
Meet a Kiehl’s Expert
Date: 10/14
Time: By appointment only, 12 p.m. – 5 p.m.
Description: Meet Kiehl’s Expert Suni Norvell for a Healthy Skin Assessment! Discover nature-inspired, scientifically-proven formulas that are powerful yet safe and help improve overall skin quality for visibly healthier-looking skin. Receive a 4-piece set with your purchase of $85. Spend $150 and receive a jade roller PLUS your choice of a Midnight Recovery Concentrate or Avocado Nourishing Hydration Face Mask. RESERVE YOUR SPOT TODAY! Contact a Dillard’s Beauty Specialist for details. (804) 253-0182
Meet an Eileen Fisher Specialist
Date: 10/14
Time: Appointments encouraged, 1 p.m. – 5 p.m.
Description: Join Eileen Fisher specialist, Roy Fiedler, and discover this season’s newest collection. Discover your favorite new styles for the fall and build your wardrobe with pieces made to last. Book your appointment to shop with Roy today! (804) 253-0182.
Meet a Brynn Walker Specialist
Date: 10/15
Time: Appointments encouraged, 1 p.m. – 5 p.m.
Description: Join specialist, Connie Pridemore, and discover the latest fashions from Brynn Walker! She will help you find those perfect additions to your fall wardrobe, with this season’s newest collection. Plus, discover luxurious pieces that are comfortable and sophisticated. Book your appointment to shop with Connie today! (804) 253-0182.
Meet a Dansko Expert
Date: 10/15
Time: 11 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Description: Meet a Dansko® shoe specialist & shop our new Fall Dansko® shoes. Receive an exclusive Dansko® eye mask as your gift with any regular price Dansko® footwear purchase. Quantities limited. While supplies last. Hammitt Trunk Show
Date: 10/16
Time: 12 p.m. – 5 p.m.
Description: Join us for a trunk show with Hammitt & enjoy a metro card case on us with any Hammitt purchase under $500. Any Hammitt purchase over $500 will receive the 40WEST Wallet. Quantities limited. While supplies last.
Princess Meet & Greet
Date: 10/16
Time: 12 p.m. – 2 p.m.
Description: The Snow Princess & The Island Princess are here to meet you! Visit the Dillard’s Children’s Department for a fairytale moment! Meet princesses and take photos for a memory to last a lifetime. Plus, our cosmetics team will be there for perfect princess touch-ups!
Bridge Fall Fashion Show
Date: 10/16
Time: 12 p.m.
Description: Experience a timeless runway experience! Join us for a fashion show featuring the latest designs from Bryn Walker & Ming Wang. See what’s new this season from elegant details to timeless silhouettes. After the show, shop the runway and find your new favorite looks for fall. Call today to book your seat! (804) 253-0182
I’d love to hear about what you get! And feel free to ask questions or for recommendations – I’m always happy to share my favorite things!
Happy shopping and hope to see you at the gala!
Attention Donut Lovers! McDonald’s USA Adds New Glazed Pull Apart Donut to the McCafé® Bakery Lineup
The limited time offering will be available all day long nationwide starting Sept. 1, alongside fan favorite Apple Fritters, Blueberry Muffins and Cinnamon Rolls
(CHICAGO, IL; Aug. 17, 2021) — Your go-to order at McDonald’s® just got a little sweeter. Beginning Sept. 1, we’re adding delicious bites of joy to the McCafé Bakery line-up with a new Glazed Pull Apart Donut, available for a limited time at participating restaurants nationwide.
Popping up just in time for Fall, the light and airy Glazed Pull Apart Donut is a unique twist on a classic donut that fans are sure to love. Coated in a delightful, sweet glaze, the tear apart bites make it both shareable (if you’re into that) and perfect for enjoying throughout the day. Start your morning by dunking your bites into a McCafé Premium Roast Coffee or treat yourself to an afternoon pick-me-up… like all our bakery items, the Glazed Pull Apart Donut is available all day long.
Our Glazed Pull Apart Donut is the first limited-edition offering to join McCafé Bakery. In 2020, we introduced our Bakery line with three delectable treats—the Apple Fritter, Blueberry Muffin and Cinnamon Roll—which became instant fan-favorites. The McCafe Bakery lineup joins our full breakfast menu. From the introduction of the Egg McMuffin in 1971, to Breakfast Burritos (1991) and McGriddles (2003), McDonald’s has been a leader at breakfast for nearly 50 years.
So do-nut delay! Get your Glazed Pull Apart Donut in-restaurant or via the Drive Thru, directly on the McDonald’s App with Mobile Order and Pay or delivered to your front door through McDelivery. And don’t forget to sign up for MyMcDonald’s Rewards* to earn points on every dollar you spend at McDonald’s—unlocking free, craveable favorites across the menu.
* Program available at participating McDonald’s. Excludes delivery. Download and registration required.About McDonald’s USA
McDonald’s USA, LLC, serves a variety of menu options made with quality ingredients to nearly 25 million customers every day. Ninety-five percent of McDonald’s nearly 14,000 U.S. restaurants are independently owned and operated by local business owners. For more information, visit www.mcdonalds.com, or follow us on Twitter @McDonalds and Facebook. www.facebook.com/mcdonalds.
About McCafé
McCafé coffees including lattes, cappuccinos and mochas were added to the U.S. national menu in 2009, and quickly expanded to include café quality frappé beverages, espresso drinks and smoothies as well as limited-time seasonal offerings. In 2020, we introduced the core McCafé Bakery lineup, which features the Apple Fritter, Blueberry Muffin and Cinnamon Roll. We’ve also made McCafé more convenient and accessible, introducing McDelivery, mobile order and pay and McCafé retail lines. For more information, visit www.mcdonalds.com, or follow us on Twitter @McDonalds and Facebook www.facebook.com/McDonaldsUS/
RICHMOND McDONALD’S RESTAURANTS PROVIDE LOCAL JOB OPPORTUNITIES WITH DRIVE-UP HIRING DAY ON TUESDAY AUGUST 24TH, 2021
Job seekers can simply drive up to select neighborhood McDonald’s on Tuesday, August 24th for an on-the-spot interview, no prior scheduling required.
Richmond, VA – McDonald’s in Richmond, VA are hosting a Drive-Up Hiring Day, offering candidates a new, convenient and safe way to apply.
The “drive-up” hiring event will be held on Tuesday, August 24, 2021, from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Interested candidates can drive up to select McDonald’s locations in Richmond and receive an interview opportunity on the spot, no prior scheduling required.
In addition to visiting McDonald’s locations on August 24th for the event, job seekers can also text ‘apply’ to 36453 to start an application via text, or visit McDonalds.com/careers to learn more and apply to a restaurant near them.
Many McDonald’s restaurants offer flexible scheduling, making it easier for employees to manage their schedules. Employees of McDonald’s-owned and participating locally owned-and-operated restaurants can use an app or go online to view their schedule, update availability, request time away, and post shifts for replacement or swapping.
The initiative is just one way McDonald’s is putting the health and safety of restaurant employees first. McDonald’s restaurants have implemented more than 50 COVID-19 safety procedures to protect crew and customers.
From healthcare to IT professionals, teachers to small business owners, lawyers, accountants and politicians – countless career paths have begun at McDonald’s. A job with McDonald’s provides a chance to learn transferable skills on the job, such as teamwork, customer service, accountability and communication, as well as opportunities for advancement.
Contact: Christina Dick757-509-2346
christina@tfbagency.com
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About McDonald’s USAMcDonald’s USA, LLC, serves a variety of menu options made with quality ingredients to nearly 25 million customers every day. Ninety-five percent of McDonald’s 14,000 U.S. restaurants are independently owned and operated by businessmen and women. For more information, visit www.mcdonalds.com, or follow us on Twitter @McDonalds and Facebook www.facebook.com/mcdonalds
Participating McDonalds in Richmond:
5520 W BROAD ST6808 MIDLOTHIAN TURNPIKE
1101 BOULEVARD
7400 HULL ST RD
5925 HOPKINS RD
9006 HUGUENOT RD
9210 MIDLOTHIAN PIKE
13170 MIDLOTHIAN TPKE
411 S PARK CIR
2700 W BROAD ST
15700 WOODS EDGE RD
6850 FOREST HILL AVE
2485 ANDERSON HIGHWAY
2300 WILLIS RD
3309 OAKLAWN BLVD
5214 OAKLAWN BLVD
4914 BOYDTON PLANK RD
1206 COURTHOUSE RD
13131 KINGSTON AVE
104 N COUNTY DR
2139 S CRATER ROAD
5106 NINE MILE RD 4708 WILLIAMSBURG RD
9145 CHAMBERLAYNE RD
4423 S LABURNUN AVE
7059 MECHANICSVILLE PIKE
9193 BARHAMSVILLE RD
432 14TH STREET
2138 POCAHONTAS TRAIL
8060 W BROAD ST
11280 PATTERSON AVE
7527 STAPLES MILL RD
11125 MIDLOTHIAN TPKE
1778 PARHAM RD
7118 W BROAD ST
9751 W BROAD ST
11218 W BROAD ST
11311 NUCKOLS RD
8210 BROOK RD
1800 E BROAD ST
8975 STAPLES MILL ROAD
10201 HULL ST RD
3410 W CARY ST
13011 HULL ST
10300 IRON BRIDGE RD
15175 PATRICK HENRY HWY 4435 COMMERCE RD
4110 HULL ST
14540 HANCOCK VILLAGE STREET
708 HULL ST
22 BROAD STREET
RT 360/17 ESSEX SQUARE
103 S CARTER RD
VIRGINIA STREET HIGHWAY 3
10042 SLIDING HILL RD
201 S WASHINGTON HWY
I 95 & HWY 207
301 W BROADDUS AVE
4188 RICHMOND RD
10000 BROOK RD
2011 CHAMBERLAYNE AVE
607 E LABURNUM AVE
2306 AND 2310 MECHANICSVIL TPKE
After a COVID-caused hiatus, the 17th Annual Short Pump Town Center FREE Summer Concert Series returns this Thursday, August 5th. Three Sheets to the Wind, America’s #1 Tribute to Yacht Rock, will kick off the three-part decade themed series with 70s soft rock hits in their signature, nautical style.
The events begin at 5:00 PM in the Main Plaza near the entrance to Crate & Barrel and Pottery Barn . Wine tastings provided by Cooper’s Hawk Winery & Restaurant will be available from 5:00 – 8:00 PM near the Main Plaza, the proceeds from which will benefit Henrico CASA. Henrico CASA believes every child deserves a safe home where they can thrive. They stand up for the best interests of vulnerable children in Henrico County who are wrapped up in court cases that allege abuse or neglect as their voice in court, ensuring they have a safe home. Funds raised from the wine tastings will provide resources needed to support four additional families over the upcoming year.
103.7 will be on-site with Jackson Scott of “Mornings with Jackson” as emcee.We’re so excited to bring back the FREE Summer Concert Series! It’s been such a tough year, we look forward to spreading a little joy and having some 70s,80s, and 90s-themed fun!
Don’t miss out on the fun — no ticket required!
See below for the full concert series schedule. Thursday, August 5, 5pm-8pm, THREE SHEETS TO THE WIND
Thursday, September 9, 5pm-8pm, THE DELOREANS
Thursday, October 21, 5pm-8pm, UNCLE JESSE
Concert Sponsored by Richmond Virginia Orthodontics
For interviews, more photos, and questions, please contact:
Christina DickTiramisu For Breakfast Agency
757-509-2346
christina@tfbagency.com
Blogger Favorites From The Container Store
*In partnership with The Container Store.
The Container Store is finally in Richmond!
It’s been so cool to see everyone excited about something new in our city.
I’d never been to The Container Store before I heard that they were coming to Richmond. They have soooo many cool things I didn’t even know existed.
I’ll start by telling you some of my favorite things, and you can also scroll through for links to the favorite products as well as details about projects done by other bloggers who worked on the campaign.
It was so fun to learn not only about The Container Store and all they have to offer but learn about all of these women and see their organized creativity in action.
Each of them have different needs/lifestyles, so I think you’ll each find ideas to relate to and projects that inspire you.
I also love that The Container Store Partnered with a local Richmond Charity, The Children’s Hospital at VCU, to benefit from sales during the opening celebration. Here’s a photo of the team with the over $11,000 donation check.
Ps: I cannot do a post without mentioning that The Container Store is dog-friendly. As in, you can bring your dog with you into the store to shop. I think this is the cutest thing.
“At The Container Store, we’re proud to call ourselves animal-lovers! In addition to our wide range of pet food storage products, we also love it when our furry, four-legged customers visit us at our store locations. Our stores have always been pet-friendly, so customers can feel perfectly comfortable shopping with their pets on a leash or in the shopping cart.”
my favorite things
Before I ever went to a The Container Store location in-person, I bought these white lacquer boxes after seeing them online. I keep this next to my couch with skincare products and alcocol wipes. Like a lot of home decor, it’s moved around my house and I’ve used it for a bunch of different things. I looked back at my email to see when I ordered it and found the confirmation and shipping notices from 2017. So in five years, it’s held up pretty great! This is the large size, and it would be perfect for photos.
I love clear, acrylic shelves. these are perfect for adding extra space and they match everything. I hung two next to my vanity/desk to store products and jewelry. These come in several sizes – even one wide enough for displaying shoes.
These laundry baskets from Curver are my favorite. They are super sturdy and don’t crack or bend when you’re moving them around.
(We learned how to roll towels like a fancy spa while we were quarantined)
shop my favorites
Russell + Hazel Acrylic File Sorter & Bookend | $24.99
Russell + Hazel Acrylic File Sorter & Bookend | $24.99
Umbra Brass Metalla Trash Can
curver cream knit laundry hamper
curver cream knit laundry basket
White Lacquered Storage Boxes
White Floating Bookshelf
Elfa Closet Makeovers with The Crystal Press
Catherine Claire and Rebecca are fashion bloggers at The Crystal Press.
They seemed the most excited to hear that The Container Store has custom closets, and we knew that their fabulous wardrobes would be the perfect way to show them off.
Catherine and Rebecca both worked with one of The Container Store’s closet design experts.
It was so cool to watch over Zoom as they compared photos of their spaces with mockups in their design software and then to see the final results look so great.
Check out their blog posts for all the details.
REBECCA’S LOFT OFFICE
CATHERINE’S CLOSET
It was such a breath of fresh air to get to work with The Container Store (who is kind of like the organizing fairy godmother!) in my space.
– Cath Claire, The Crystal Press
shop Catherine and Rebecca’s favorites
Russell + Hazel Acrylic File Sorter & Bookend | $24.99
Black Lacquered Storage Boxes
Stackers Black Classic Premium Stackable Jewelry Box
Elfa Closet System
Acrylic 4-Section Purse Storage Organizer
Fridge Organization with Brittany of Eating Bird Food
Brittany is the nutritionist, recipe creator and blogger behind Eating Bird Food. She’s also the author of Salad Every Day, Fit With Five, and Eat Well with EBF.
Ps: I personally love her recipes. The Chicken Fajita Soup is a favorite and I just tried and loved some of her energy balls.
Of course Brittany’s fridge is a food-lovers dream. Every day, she needs to easily access all kinds of ingredients. She shared a before/after of her fridge organization on Instagram stories, and you can see some of her favorite items from The Container Store below.
I’m so excited to have my fridge completely reorganized. This is one of my favorite organizing projects that I’ve ever done.
shop Brittany’s favorites
The Home Edit by iDesign Pantry Labels Pkg/18
The home edit by Idesign divided lazy susan
Marie Kondo Modular glass containers
Marie Kondo Ceramic & Bamboo Egg Bin
OXO greensaver Herb Keeper
Toy Storage with Ryan of The Blessed Mess Blog
Ryan is a mom who loves her little ones, but not the aesthetic of their colorful toys all over the house. She found the perfect combination of cubbies and bins to keep everything out-of-sight but still accessible.
See all the details and her favorite items below.
RYAN’S PLAYROOM PROJECT
Before these cubbies, we had their toys …strewn all around the table. It was atrocious. But now that we have these new cubby storage bins, everything is kept out of sight, except for the larger items. And they almost feel on display to me.
shop Ryan’s favorites
White Nantucket Stackable Storage Bin
White Nantucket Stackable Storage Bin
Water Hyacinth Storage Cubes with Handles
Pantry Organization with Ashley Nicole
Ashley’s also a mom of two. Her project pick was her pantry, and it was all about efficiency. She figured out exactly what she needed to make hershopping and cooking as stress-free and easy as possible. ASHLEY’S PANTRY PROJECT
My pantry has always been difficult to keep organized because it’s small. However, when The Container Store opened a new location in Richmond, Virginia, I was so excited because I knew they would have exactly what I needed to keep everything organized.
shop Ashley’s favorites
Home Edit by iDesign Pantry Labels Pkg/18
The Home Edit by iDesign All-Purpose Bin
The Home Edit by iDesign All-Purpose Deep Bin with Divider
White Elfa Utility Pantry Over the Door Rack
How To Do Laundry with Kristen Ziegler of Minima
Kristen’s a professional organizer who’s been using The Container Store’s products for years.
Learn all about her “file fold technique” and her “capsule wardrobe.”
KRISTEN’S LAUNDRY TIPS
I use The Container Store’s 15-Dowel Wooden Clothes Drying Rack. I love the warm wood and the way it fits right into my space like a piece of furniture.
shop Kristen’s favorites
Steele Canvas Natural Laundry Cart
Black & Off White Strapping Laundry Hamper
Like-It Mint Round Eco-Plastic Laundry Basket
Marie Kondo Shoji 2-Section Bamboo Hamper
That’s all, folks!
I’d love to hear what you think and what you love from The Container Store.
If you’ve gotten to check out The Container Store in Short Pump, I’d love to hear about it! It’s always fun to see what other people bought. Feel free to reach out!
I love this line from Sister of the Groom on Hulu last night so much I went back to watch the scene again this morning. The sister of the groom and is talking to the mother of the bride. The mother of the bride says: There is a Hindu saying: “relationships are fierce karma.”
“It’s the people who trigger us the most who are sometimes our greatest teachers. They reflect back to us the things that we are not as peace with in ourselves. We think that they are holding us back. But really they are helping us learn how to love deeper.”
It reminds me of Carl Jung’s “Everything that irritates us about others can lead us to an understanding of ourselves.” – Carl Jung.
I love this line from Sister of the Groom on Hulu last night so much I went back to watch the scene again this morning. The sister of the groom and is talking to the mother of the bride. The mother of the bride says: There is a Hindu saying: “relationships are fierce karma.”— Christina Dick (@ChristinaMDick) May 9, 2021
“It’s the people who trigger us the most who are sometimes our greatest teachers. They reflect back to us the things that we are not as peace with in ourselves. We think that they are holding us back. But really they are helping us learn how to love deeper.”— Christina Dick (@ChristinaMDick) May 9, 2021
It reminds me of Carl Jung’s “Everything that irritates us about others can lead us to an understanding of ourselves.” – Carl Jung.— Christina Dick (@ChristinaMDick) May 9, 2021
Photo credit: Doublespace Photography
WHAT:Created by RAW Design, a Toronto-based architectural firm, Prismatica was assembled by a team of professionals from several fields like applied science, technology, art and architecture. Comprised of 25 pivoting prisms that stand at more than 6 ft tall, this art installation looks like a giant kaleidoscope. Guests can enjoy an infinite interplay of lights and colorful reflections as they walk through and manipulate the prisms. Prismatica was first presented as part of the 5th edition of Luminothérapie at the Place des Festivals in the Quartier des Spectacles in Montreal and this year it’s coming to Richmond!
Enjoy warmer and brighter days at Short Pump Town Center with patio dining and unique views of the Prismatica Art Installation that will make for a colorful photo op. Stop by and experience this new and colorful way to welcome spring this year while supporting your favorite Short Pump Town Center eateries. Prismatica will make for the perfect outdoor dining backdrop this spring.
WHY: We want to get people excited about dining and shopping at Short Pump Town Center! Many events have been postponed or canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In order to bring more fun and joy during these unprecedented times, Short Pump Town Center is bringing an interactive art experience for everyone to enjoy as we kick off Spring 2021 . Short Pump Town Center has a variety of local and national restaurants and as weather warms up and spring kicks into full gear, we’re excited to encourage our community to experience them.
In addition to experiencing Prismatica, guests will also be able to take advantage of the extended Dine & Delight program. This promotion supports restaurants and rewards customers during these challenging times. To participate, order $50 or more from a qualifying Short Pump Town Center restaurant, submit your itemized receipt to www.dinedelights.com and receive a digital $20 Reward Card. Offer valid for takeout, dine-in, or delivery.
WHEN:
March 31 – April 27
On Tuesday 3/30, we’re launching the event with a fun kickoff event with giveaways. Each guest who makes a reservation at one of the following restaurants will receive a FREE swag bag with fun surprises inspired by the art including a light-up ice cube, prism cookie, rainbow metallic pen, iridescent/translucent pouch, and a rainbow metallic straw.
WHERE:
In the center of Restaurant Row at Short Pump Town Center! Right in the middle of it all near Baker’s Crust, Lehja, The Boathouse, California Pizza Kitchen, and Firebird’s.
WHO (works credits):
Conception and execution: RAW Design in collaboration with ATOMIC3 Lighting design: ATOMIC3 and Jean-François Piché Sound: Dix au carré Production and technical direction: ATOMIC3 + Louis Héon Production: Quartier des Spectacles Partnership (Montréal, Canada)
For more information, please visit https://www.shortpumptowncenter.com/
For interview requests, exclusive photos and other press inquiries, please contact Christina Dick at Tiramisu for Breakfast Agency at christina@tfbagency.com or 757-509-2346
Photo Credit: Brent Kelly City of Denver
We spoke with a mix of influential community members from across metro-Richmond, making sure to get both demographic and geographic diversity.
Then, we partnered with 6 of those influencers and one professional organizer to create sponsored content.
Our influencer strategy served three purposes:
Feedback: They were our connection to the local community. We solicited feedback to inform our strategy at the beginning and they continued to be a source of feedback throughout the campaign.
Reach/Ambassadorship: We’re able to reach an expanded audience and expose them to The Container Store through the trusted lens of each influencer.
Content: Each influencer created unique, helpful, entertaining content that can be incorporated into multiple channels within our strategy influencing media outreach, mailers, and social media content. Through the influencers, we were able able to highlight multiple product offerings in detail with relatable and relevant advice and instruction.
Keya Wingfield on The Food Network’s Spring Baking Challenge premiering Feb. 22Wingfield, owner of Richmond-based Candy Valley Cake Co., will be among 11 bakers competing for baking glory and $25,000 on the network’s “Spring Baking Championship,” which premieres at 9 p.m. Monday, Feb. 22.
“As a woman of color, I’m trying to bring my culture into everything I do — that’s just who I am,” she said, though she acknowledges it’s been a challenge to find the courage to do that. “My roots are Indian, my training is Virginian [and] I’m combining the two at all times.”
With the Holiday season here, I have created a Gift Guide for the Tiramisu For Breakfast shop. Each of these items I have found from boutiques, Instagram pages, and brands that my friends and I love to shop at.
1. Kerri Rosenthal| Kerri Rosenthal’s paintings are the best. I am obsessed with the bright colors used in all of them.
2. Simply Classic 6mm Stack of 5 | Enewton Design | There’s not a single day where I go without wearing my Enewton Design bracelets. These classy bracelets match with everything.
3. Shop Morley | Aviator Nation| This aviator nation sweat set is the comfiest winter lounge outfit. This set would be perfect for hanging around in the house. Santa brought these for some of my friends this past Christmas.
4. Alison Lou stud earrings | Alison Lou | I am obsessed with stud earrings. I love this mismatch pack from Alison.
5. In My Heart Drippy Heart Art Print | Kerri Rosenthal | I am loving this wall art. My roommates and I want to get it to put in our living room.
6. Opalescene Jacket | Hemline French Quarter | I am so obsessed with this statement jacket. This is the perfect jacket to spice up any holiday outfit.
7. Knotty Bling | This is my friend’s jewelry company. I LOVE this statement necklace. They make any outfit fun.
8. High Waisted Ruffled Pleated Leather Skirt | Hemline Mobil | I want this outfit!! I am obsessed with leather this season so I am loving this skirt.
9. Diamond Uppercase Name Necklace | Lola James Jewelry | This is such a perfect holiday gift. I love how simple yet trendy it is. It is the perfect gift for anyone.
10. Estelle Colored Glass | These wine glasses are a NEED. I love how colorful and cute they are. I want to get these for my roommates.
Dec. 11: Michelle Devereaux Livigne of Driveway Drag Show performed a drive-thru show at the McDonald’s at 9751 W. Broad St. All money raised went to the Ronald McDonald Charities of Richmond.
Photographer’s note: After a year of photographing gun rallies, coronavirus testing and protests, this event was fun to document. The people going through the drive-thru line seemed to get a kick out of the performers dancing to Christmas music in the parking lot. Nikon D850, 24-70 mm lens.
I love listening to Gretchen Rubin’s (author of The Happiness Project) podcast with her sister, Happier with Gretchen Rubin.
The latest episode was crowdsourced from her listeners. She asked them to share their life hacks, and this one was my favorite because it’s so sweet.
Find the marvelous in the mundane:“I started to get annoyed when I realized that my husband was not as committed to keeping the condo organized I would have liked him to be. He has this habit of every night before bed instead of taking off his daytime clothes, folding them up, and putting them away, he will just leave them on the floor by his side of the bed. He even folds them up super neatly but won’t take five steps of the closet and place them on a shelf. I didn’t want to get upset or annoyed every time I saw his clothes on the floor so here’s my hack: I started thinking how can I feel grateful for something that right now makes me feel annoyed and I thought of the marvelous mundane. If something terrible happened and he was no longer here I would probably give anything and everything to be able to walk by our bed and see his clothes folded neatly on the floor and just know he was still here with me that we were going to get in bed together that I could talk to him about my day that we could kiss each other good-night and then wake up to have breakfast together. When I look down again at the clothes on the floor I began to see them differently they were. Now they are a reminder that all the trivial and ordinary things I love and treasure about our life together are still here that we still have each other that we are right in the middle of what will have one day become the good old days. What was an annoyance has now become a reminder to practice gratitude.”
I also loved this one:
Don’t be the first to let go of a hug from your child:When you hug your kids don’t be so quick to let go let them let go first. You may be surprised how long to hug will last physical connection is crucial for emotional health.
Listen to the whole episode here:
PS: If you’re a fan of podcasts and looking for new ones to listen to, you can find a list of my favorite podcasts here.
Businesses that want to break through these roadblocks need to work to build a workplace that invites, welcomes and engages people from many different backgrounds and perspectives. That’s not always easy.
“Culture happens by default or it happens by design, and our default operating code is largely white,” says Tiffany Jana, founder and CEO of Richmond-based TMI Consulting Inc., a diversity and inclusion management consultancy firm.
By recruiting and hiring without intentionally looking outside that default, workplaces often miss qualified candidates. Norms such as preferring candidates from “reputable institutions,” who graduated from the same schools or who offer “a good fit,” rather than making judgments on potential and ability, usually result in workplaces that resemble their managers, Jana says.
To offset this, hiring managers can strengthen and expand their networks. For example, Jana — who identifies as nonbinary and uses they/them pronouns — points out that almost every industry and profession has demographically specific organizations associated with it. “Offer to sponsor a conference,” they suggest. “Build relationships.”
“Culture happens by default or it happens by design,” says Tiffany Jana, CEO of TMI Consulting. Photo by Rashad Hawkins“Culture happens by default or it happens by design,” says Tiffany Jana, CEO of TMI Consulting. Photo by Rashad Hawkins
Another tip: Make sure photos on websites and recruiting materials reflect the organization you want to build. Few people are willing to be the first person like them to join a company, says Jana, who was on Inc. magazine’s 2018 list of the nation’s top leadership speakers.
Once people are on board, experts say, workplaces need to put in place practices that welcome participation and input from all members.
Hiring people without planning for, encouraging and celebrating their active participation is counterproductive and demoralizing, Jana says: “If you can’t say specifically how groups are going to improve your organization, you’re going to ignore them or ill-use their talent and perspective.”
At the same time, managers should be careful not to rely on members of underrepresented groups as spokespeople. Inequity “is a collective problem and needs a collective solution,” says Hall of Virginia Tech. People with “social and political capital” need to be part of discussions rather than asking members of minority groups to solve these problems, she adds.
read the article
I kept running into an issue trying to manage more than five Instagram accounts on my phone without logging in and out of everything. I found this video which worked perfectly to solve the problem. Now, several accounts that I manage are all connected through my main Instagram account, and I’m able to toggle back and forth between all of the accounts.
1. Settings2. Login Info
3. Turn on “One Login” and give permission.
I am Maggie. I am a senior at East Carolina University in Greenville, North Carolina. Currently, I live in a house with three of my best friends, but it wasn’t too long ago that I was living in a dorm. I remember my dorm days well and wanted to share with you some of my favorite things and must-haves to make the best of dorm life.
1. WEST ELM | Auburn Ottoman | One of my most used items in my college dorm room was an ottoman. Since seating is very limited in a small dorm room, these were the perfect way to seat all of my friends.
2. UGG | SCUFFETTE II |Going back and forth between the dorms and the dining hall happens at all hours of the day and night. More times than I can count. UGG slippers were my go-to for these excursions because you just slip them on and out you go. Four years later I still use these UGGS almost every day. Such a useful buy.
3. TARGET | Women’s Cozy Robe | A cozy robe is a must! I didn’t think of this one until I got to school and saw that my roommate had one. You not only need it for getting in and out of the shower but you will end up lounging in it while you get ready for game day!
4. AMAZON | BESTEK 6-Outlet Round Power Strip |In most dorm rooms there are only two outlets. These power strips are a great way to make outlets more available in your room. Another benefit of these particular power strips is how they have a USB outlet attached. Now you can charge your phone without needing a charging cube. It comes in handy when lots of friends are in your room and everyone needs to charge their phone.
5. POTTERY BARN TEEN | Emily & Meritt Pirate Striped Bath Wrap | Many dorm rooms can get hot. Especially if they don’t have AC. This towel wrap is a perfect substitute for a robe, especially during the hot months. I still use my today.
6. POTTERY BARN DORM | Bed Risers, White, 8″ |Dorms are very small so you need to be very strategic on how you store your items in your room. Bed risers are a super helpful way to gain some extra space. This is where you put all the stuff you don’t need to get to often.
7. POTTERY BARN TEEN | Extra Long Bedskirt, 24″ | Going along with the bed risers, this extra long bed skirt is a great way to hide the items you have under your bed. This helps your small dorm room look cleaner and less cluttered.
8. AMAZON | Mesh Shower Caddy Tote|Shower caddies are the best way to store your restroom needs while living in the dorms. Personally, I feel a flexible shower caddy is better than a hard one. I liked this one because you can hang it in the bathroom or on a hook in your room. Less clutter and cleaner in my opinion.
9. TARGET | Non-Slip Velvet Hanger Black |One of my biggest pet peeves is when clothes slip off hangers. My mom sent me off to college with felt hangers and I have never turned back. Felt hangers are so useful because they hold all styles of clothes, no matter what the fabric is.
10. TARGET | Cut Plush Body Pillow Cover |To get more seating space in your dorm use a body pillow. Place it longways along the side of your bed and the wall. This turns your twin XL bed into a sofa. Works every time.
11. AMAZON | Hilife Steamer | One big issue my friends and I had when we lived in the dorms was our clothes would wrinkle quickly due to how small our closets were. None of us wanted to buy an iron because it would take up too much space and was a huge hassle to use. Steamers were the perfect alternative because they were a small, easy to use tool that gets the job done fast and effectively.
12. DORMIFY | Charging Two Tone Lamp with Catchall | Dorm rooms normally have extra bright LED lights on the ceiling. These lights are harsh. A resolution to this is to get a few lamps that have outlets on the sides of them. These will go perfectly beside your bed and can be used to charge your phone.
We know spice is in the eye of the beholder…or in this case, the taste buds. One person’s taste-bud-singeing swelter is another’s “you call that spicy?” That’s why we’re excited to announce a pair of menu innovations arriving to U.S. restaurants this fall to please our spice-seeking customers: Spicy Chicken McNuggets and Mighty Hot Sauce. Both will be available September 16 for a limited time at participating restaurants nationwide.
Breaded with a sizzling tempura coating made of both cayenne and chili peppers, these craveable, dippable and downright-delicious Spicy Chicken McNuggets are joining our classic McNugget line up, and pack plenty of spice and flavor into each bite.
For those who care to dial up the heat, we’ve crafted our new Mighty Hot Sauce, boasting a powerful blend of crushed red peppers and spicy chilis. The new dipping sauce is both our first new sauce innovation since 2017 and the hottest one available at McDonald’s. Trust us – you’re going to want to take a dip.
“This is the first time we’ve introduced a new flavor of our classic Chicken McNuggets in the U.S. since they came to menus in 1983,” said Vice President of Menu Innovation, Linda VanGosen. “As our customers have been asking for Spicy McNuggets for some time now, we couldn’t think of a better time to bring them to our menus. We can’t wait for McNuggets fans to get a taste of these new spicy options.”
Spicy heat, meet cool and sweet.To give fans the sweet, cool relief they might need after experiencing the Spicy Chicken McNuggets heat, we’re introducing the new Chips Ahoy!® McFlurry®. This delicious treat features vanilla soft-serve, caramel topping and Chips Ahoy!® cookie pieces blended throughout. The Chips Ahoy!® McFlurry® will be available in Snack and Regular sizes for a limited time at participating U.S. restaurants nationwide beginning September 16.
Of course, fans can also treat themselves to a delicious moment with a McFlurry® year-round in McDonald’s two classic flavors: OREO® and M&M’S®.
We’re always listening to our customers and are thrilled to bring them delicious twists on two beloved classics this September with the release of our Spicy Chicken McNuggets with Mighty Hot Sauce and Chips Ahoy!® McFlurry®, all available through Drive Thru and McDelivery.
About McDonald’s USAMcDonald’s USA, LLC, serves a variety of menu options made with quality ingredients to nearly 25 million customers every day. Ninety-five percent of McDonald’s 14,000 U.S. restaurants are independently owned and operated by businessmen and women. For more information, visit www.mcdonalds.com, or follow us on Twitter @McDonalds and Facebook. www.facebook.com/mcdonalds.
About McDonald’s USA’s Chicken McNugget Quality
McDonald’s USA, LLC, is committed to serving our customers chicken offerings that meet our high-quality standards. In July 2016, we reached our commitment to serve chicken not treated with antibiotics important to human medicine* a year ahead of schedule. In August 2016, we removed all artificial preservatives, colors or flavors from our Chicken McNuggets.
*Farmers still use Ionophores, a class of antibiotic that is not important to human medicine, to keep chickens healthy.
for the second event in our Summer of Surprises series, we partnered with Casa del Barco to give out 200 free tacos to Short Pump Town Center Guests
Thanks so much to Short Pump Town Center, The Cheesecake Factory, 103.7 Play, Melissa Chase Balloons and Things, and the TFB team (Jocelyn and Kim!) for making the Short Summer of Surprises kickoff a fun and safe event! Thanks to WTVR CBS 6 News and NBC12 for helping us spread the word. See you next Friday 8/14 for free TACOS from Casa del Barco! 🌮 🎈 🛍
We’re so excited to announce Short Pump Town Center as Tiramisu For Breakfast Agency’s newest client! Our first project is the Summer of Surprises, and we really think you’re going to like it 😉
Short Pump Town Center Launches Summer of Surprises Series with Giveaways from the
Retailers and Restaurants of Short Pump Town Center.
WHO/WHAT:
Many events have been postponed or canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
In order to bring a little joy during these unprecedented times, Short Pump Town Center is
rolling out its Summer of Surprises for local shoppers and the surrounding community. Short
Pump’s Summer of Surprises will include a series of giveaways kicking off on August 7th and
running through the end of the month. Enjoy a cheesecake slice from The Cheesecake Factory
as a fun summer treat and add a little fun to your Friday with a free taco from Casa del Barco.
Visitors can stop by Short Pump Town Center’s Main Plaza near Crate & Barrel and Pottery
Barn to grab one of these complimentary treats while supplies last:
Free slices of cheesecake from The Cheesecake FactoryAugust 7th, 1:30 pm – 3:30pm
Free tacos from Casa del BarcoAugust 14th, 1:30 pm – 3:30pm
*giveaways available while supplies last. One giveaway per person. No purchase necessary.
More dates & giveaways to be announced soon! The safety of our staff and visitors is of the utmost importance. Visitors will be required to wear a
mask and practice social distancing.
Visit @ShortPumpMall on Instagram or Facebook for information on each week’s giveaway
WHEN:Free slices of cheesecake from The Cheesecake Factory on August 7th,1:30 pm – 3:30pm
Free tacos from Casa del Barco on August 14th, 1:30 pm – 3:30pm WHERE:
Short Pump Town Center
11800 West Broad Street MORE:
For interview requests and exclusive photos, please contact Christina Dick at Tiramisu
For Breakfast Agency christina@tfbagency.com.
Eric Morehouse of The Morehouse Group in Richmond, Va. admits that one of the biggest challenges REALTORS® face is a lack of trust. Buying a home is a very significant life purchase, and trusting a REALTOR® to be a partner in that transaction doesn’t happen overnight. There’s no single post, ad, or photo that will immediately win over potential buyers or sellers. But, you’ve got to start somewhere. Here are a few tips for starting and maintaining a social media presence that builds trust through consistency and community.
GETTING STARTED
There are a few initial steps you’ll need to take to set your social media strategy up for success.Analyze your current plan
Start by auditing your current social media plan and strategies. Take a look at what’s working for your business, and also what’s not. Examine what you’re posting, and more importantly, how your audience is reacting. Is there any piece of promotion that doesn’t feel true to your values? If you’re just getting started, you might not have much to analyze — and that’s OK.
DO YOUR RESEARCH
It’s important to look to your competitors and othersin the industry for inspiration. This will give you an idea of what’s out there, and will ultimately help you to determine what differentiates you from others in the market. You must also analyze your audience. What are your buyer’s pain points? What are the frequently asked questions? What always comes up in conversations?
EVALUATE YOUR GOALS
Ask yourself: Is my current social media plan helping me to achieve my business goals? This answer will help you decide what adjustments you need to make. What’s important to you? Obviously, showcasing your listings and educating the public on the real estate industry is a must. But what else will you add in to make your approach unique? What about your business do you want highlight? Knowing your goals will help you determine what kind of content you should create and share.Decide what channels you want to be on and why
Do you want to maintain a Facebook and a Twitter account? What about Instagram, Pinterest and YouTube? It’s important to consider your bandwidth — how much time do you have to maintain each of these channels? You don’t need to be on each one of them, but if you’re going to be, you’ll need to dedicate enough time and resources to make the most of it. You’ll also need to consider what channels your audience prefers. Talk to your buyers and sellers about how they use social media. Maybe you’ve traditionally used Facebook to market and connect, but your clients prefer Instagram. Meet your audience where they are. With a good strategy
and proper planning, you can overcome the offenses
to make social media a tool
for marketing success and business growth.
BUILDING TRUST
In marketing, we talk about “touch points,” referring to every interaction your customer/client/audience has with your business/brand. Everything you say or do is a chance to make an impression, or as Seth Godin says in his blog, a “chance to either raise or lower your average.” Use this same strategy with social media to build lasting, trusting relationships with your clients. Here are a few things to keep in mind:
Be consistent: Make sure you seem like the same person on social media as you do in your print ads or at networking events. Social media is your opportunity to reinforce that you are who you say you are on a regular basis.Infuse your personality: Be you! But, remember to resist revealing too much of your personal information.
Be part of your chosen community: Just as you support others in real-life, make an effort to show your support on social media. Dedicate time to commenting, liking, and sharing to reflect the things you care about.
Know what results you want: Are you trying to drive people
to your website, to build awareness, to engage or entertain your audience or to strengthen your relationship with them? If you’re
just posting and sharing to check off a box, that will come across to your audience. Instead, ask for information through comments and replies. Just make sure you know what you’re going to do with the information you receive, and show your audience you appreciate their engagement by continuing the conversation. Make successful client stories work for you: To help buyers overcome the intimidation/hesitation of working with a REALTOR® they don’t know, highlight the stories of those who you’ve already worked with. Your past clients can become advocates for you through testimonials. This tactic has always been a great business strategy, but it’s even more powerful in the age of social media. Want to make an even bigger impact? Encourage your past clients to submit video testimonials and post those on your social media channels.
Analyze and optimize: My favorite thing about social media is the ability to explore new opportunities and improve. Most of us are intimidated by change, but it’s important to try new things and watch how our followers react. Your social media community will give you clues to determine how your content should evolve.
Remember to use social media as a tool to amplify the things you and your business are already doing well. Social media should not be an extra thing you have to do or learn. It should be a tool you can use to make the most out of all of the hard work, energy, and passion you’re putting into all parts of your business. Focus on this, and your clients will see this passion and will trust your expertise to lead them through the home buying and selling process. 360 Photos
Photos have been shared on
Facebook for more than a decade
now, and they are one of the
main ways REALTORS® showcase
their business. Buyers look to
REALTORS® to be their eyes and ears and Facebook’s new 360 photo feature allows you to do just that. Simply take a panorama with your phone or capture a 360-degree photo using a photo app like Google Street View or a 360 camera and then post it to Facebook as you would any normal photo. Facebook then converts it to an immersive 360 photo that people can explore and experience as if they were standing in the space the photo is representing — like a listing for instance.
But you don’t have to use 360 photos just for views inside the house. Get creative and show a 360-view from the bus stop, the neighborhood park, etc. You can also incorporate 360 photos into the other types
of content you share. Think about taking beautiful shots of your community/city to get buyers to picture themselves living there.
Kristina Karlsson, the woman behind the inspiring global success story, kikki.K, shares personal insights from her amazing journey, from humble beginnings on a small farm in Sweden to the 3am light bulb moment that led her to chase and achieve dreams that are now inspiring a worldwide community of dreamers.
Filled with simple and practical magic – and inspiring stories and wisdom from people who’ve dared to dream big – this book will show you how to harness the power of dreaming to transform your life in small, simple steps.
“The job is what you do when you are told what to do. The job is showing up at the factory, following instructions, meeting spec, and being managed.
Someone can always do your job a little better or faster or cheaper than you can.
The job might be difficult, it might require skill, but it’s a job.
Your art is what you do when no one can tell you exactly how to do it. Your art is the act of taking personal responsibility, challenging the status quo, and changing people.
I call the process of doing your art ‘the work.’ It’s possible to have a job and do the work, too. In fact, that’s how you become a linchpin.
The job is not the work.”
“what we choose to focus on and what we choose to ignore—plays in defining the quality of our life.”
“If you see your creative work as a chore, an obligation, or solely as an item to cross off your to-do list, the work will feel that way to you and anybody who interacts with it. On the other hand, if you see your work as a gift, a privilege, an opportunity to share the truth of what’s in your heart with the world, that’s the experience you’ll have with it. Same work, different perspectives.
The creative process—not the result—is the source of our happiness. We feel the joy of being so immersed and engaged in what we’re doing that we lose track of time. We experience moments of creative daring, beautiful magic, and the unexpected surprises that show up along the way. Fortunately, our commitment to and belief in the process is entirely in our control. We can decide to show up, sit down, and create. If we listen to the process of creativity and stay attentive, it can be our gateway to meaning.”
“The reasonable man adapts himself to the world; the unreasonable one persists in trying to adapt the world to himself. Therefore all progress depends on the unreasonable man.” – George Bernard Shaw
The least favorite students were the non-conformists who made up their own rules. Teachers tend to discriminate against highly creative students, labeling them as troublemakers.
“Generosity is, by definition, disinterested.”
“It’s all really very simple. You don’t have to choose between being kind to yourself and others. It’s one and the same.”
“Try this experiment. Start with an ordinary situation such as riding in a taxi, buying paper at a stationary shop, or sitting in the train. Then try exchanging a few words with the taxi driver, making eye contact with the salesperson, striking up a conversation with someone on the train. For some of us, that happens spontaneously; others have to do it deliberately. Be fully present in this brief contact, and expect the other to be so as well. Suddenly a change occurs: Something becomes unblocked and energy circulates. It might not be an encounter of two souls. But it surely will be an exchange of vital energy between two people.”
“Like a kid in a candy store” is one of the most iconic images of joy in our culture, expressing the wild, almost delirious pleasure we take in being let loose in a bountiful world. When I first started hearing about the places that give people joy, I realized that many of them evoke this giddy feeling of abundance: carnivals and circuses, dollar stores and flea markets, and giant old hotels like the Grand Budapest of director Wes Anderson’s imagining. The same feeling also exists on a smaller scale. An ice-cream cone covered in rainbow sprinkles is like a candy store held in your hand. A shower of confetti, a multicolored quilt, a simple game of pick-up sticks, have this irresistible allure.
Even the language of joy is rife with excess. We say we’re overjoyed or that we’re brimming with happiness.We say, “My cup runneth over.” And this is very much how it feels to be in a moment of joy, when our delight is so abundant it feels like it can’t be contained.”
Busy is a decision. – Debbie Millman
Do what you can, with what you have, where you are. – Theodore Roosevelt
Not everything that can be counted counts, and not everything that counts can be counted. – William Bruce Cameron
McDonald’s Celebrates Healthcare Workers and First Responders with Free “Thank You Meals”
In appreciation for the healthcare workers, police officers, firefighters and paramedics who are committed to our health and safety, McDonald’s will offer free Thank You Meals*, between Wednesday, April 22 and Tuesday, May 5, as a token of appreciation for their selfless service.
While the majority of America is staying home, McDonald’s has remained open, with our franchisees and hardworking restaurant employees serving hot meals to communities who need quick and affordable options, especially those on the frontlines such as healthcare workers and first responders. The company is grateful for the ongoing dedication and commitment of McDonald’s employees who enable McDonald’s to stay open to serve our communities during these challenging times.
Each Thank You Meal will be available at no charge via drive thru or carry out at participating McDonald’s restaurants nationwide through May 5. The Thank You Meal, available during breakfast, lunch or dinner, will feature a choice of sandwiches, drinks, and a side featuring small World Famous Fries or a Hash Brown, along with a note of appreciation. It will be served in McDonald’s iconic Happy Meal box, in the hopes of bringing a smile along with delicious food.
Day or night, these frontline heroes can simply show their work badge to receive one of the below Thank You Meal options:
Breakfast
- A choice of an Egg McMuffin®, Chicken McGriddles® or a Bacon, Egg and Cheese Biscuit. All options come with any size soft drink, tea or hot coffee and a Hash Brown.
Lunch and Dinner
- A choice of a Double Cheeseburger, 6-Piece Chicken McNuggets® or a Filet-O-Fish® will be offered. All options come with any size soft drink, tea or hot coffee and small fries.
“As local business owners, we know that our communities need us now more than ever and we’re committed to continuing to serve them,” said owner/operator Bill Barnes . “We are proud to be able support our neighbors who are on the frontlines as first responders and healthcare workers with Thank You Meals.”
During past times of national crisis, McDonald’s has helped and served communities in need, from donating funds to disaster relief efforts to providing food for those impacted by natural disasters. McDonald’s commitment to feeding the nation’s healthcare workers and first responders throughout the current pandemic is a continuation of that dedication. Additionally, McDonald’s local franchises have also been working throughout this crisis to support the thousands of communities their restaurants call home. For example in INSERT LOCAL MARKET, Owner/Operators have INSERT EXAMPLE OF COMMUNITY SUPPORT.
Serving these brave men and women would not be possible without McDonald’s dedicated and unwavering restaurant employees, who are also doing their part to help during this time. McDonald’s employees are the heart of the business, and their health and safety has been, and will continue to be, the company’s top priority. McDonald’s has implemented nearly 50 new safety measures to ensure the well-being of its employees, and continuing to explore additional safety steps in accordance with guidance issued by local and national health authorities including the CDC.
Nearly all McDonald’s U.S. restaurants remain open and are offering convenient and contactless ways for customers to enjoy McDonald’s favorites through drive thru, carry out, McDelivery, and mobile order & pay with our app.
*Thank You Meals offered at participating US McDonald’s 4/22/20 through 5/5/20. Valid ID required. Limit one per person per day. Menu options may vary by restaurant. Visit McDonalds.com for more details.
About McDonald’s Corp. U.S. COVID-19 Relief Efforts
McDonald’s approach to challenging situations is guided by our belief that we are all in this together, and our system has come together in extraordinary ways to help each other, our customers and the communities we serve. In the U.S. we remain committed to leading by example as an organization, which is why we’ve donated $3.1 million in food to support local communities, made commitments to support truck drivers across the country, donated 1 million N95 masks to Chicago and the state of Illinois and donated $1 million to the Illinois COVID-19 Response Fund to ensure non-profits in our home state have the supplies they need during this time. McDonald’s has always been a home base for our communities, and we’re proud to provide calm and comfort to them throughout this crisis. We are here to serve.
“Customers want to know where brands stand on issues. Brands cannot expect to play Switzerland as the rest of the world picks a side. Consumers want the companies they support to harness their power for good, not lay back and let injustices happen.” -Molly deWolf Swenson in this article, which has unfortunately since been put behind a paywall.
Harbor Freight is donating masks, face shields and gloves to hospitals.
LVMH, the world’s biggest luxury company, is switching all of its perfume and cosmetic factories to produce hand santitizer.`
Audible just made hundreds of titles completely free to help during coronavirus crisis.
Being home so much more during this period of quarantine has me exploring different shows and websites. One of the things I’ve loved is Architectural Digest’s YouTube channel and home tours. I especially liked the one from Dita Von Teese. She has really put together a place that she loves that’s completely unique to her.
MONDAY, MARCH 16th RICHMOND VA KEYA & CO Launches a Micro Dining Experience, Delivered To Your Door With Modern Indian Food
It’s Here! From Bombay to your doorstep – the much-anticipated takeout and delivery menu from KEYA & CO has launched.
They say necessity is the mother of invention. In light of the virus imposed quarantine, Keya & Co is making to-go meals available for pick up or delivery! You can order everything from Veg Nan Pizza to her popular Butter Chicken Pop-Tarts to Gulab Jamun Cake Parfaits from You’ll even get free cake pops for the kiddos.
Here’s the message from Keya:
Many of you know me as the owner of Candy Valley Cake Co. In the next two months we were set to cater birthdays, showers, large corporate events, weddings and school events. In light of all of these service workers being worried about a paycheck. We thought this would be a creative way to keep my team going.We’re taking the utmost precaution in preparing these meals and constantly sanitizing and disinfecting our very low-traffic studio kitchen. (Literally -there are only three of us.)
Meals are made for re-heating or cooking, simply pop them in the oven/microwave/stovetop. Each meal comes with written instructions on reheating.
We will also send a free cake pop for the kids in the house!
All meals made Wednesday evening through Thursday morning.
Order cut-off – Tuesday @ Midnight.
Deliveries and/or Pick up available Thursday & Fridays of any given week, between 10am and 6pm.
At the moment we will deliver within 20 mile radius, if you live farther, we’ll be happy to make an arrangement for added delivery fee. Order Online Here
McDonald’s Shamrock Shake® returned on Feb. 19, marking the 50th anniversary of the legendary treat. To celebrate, McDonald’s is taking the Shamrock Shake nationwide for the first time since 2017 and introducing the new OREO® Shamrock McFlurry® for a limited time. This year, customers have two different ways to enjoy the craveable Shamrock taste they know and love — how lucky is that?
- The one and only Shamrock Shake features creamy, vanilla soft serve blended with our unmistakable Shamrock flavor and topped with a whipped topping for a delicious minty treat.
- The new OREO® Shamrock McFlurry is a twist on a fan-favorite, featuring creamy, vanilla soft serve with our unmistakable Shamrock flavor and OREO® cookie pieces blended throughout for a delicious minty-chocolaty dessert that super fans and new fans alike can enjoy.
“We’ve been serving the iconic, cult-favorite Shamrock Shake for 50 years and it’s become synonymous with McDonald’s ever since,” said McDonald’s Vice President of Menu Innovation, Linda VanGosen. “We’re excited to serve up a new way to experience the one-of-a-kind Shamrock flavor in our new OREO Shamrock McFlurry. Our chefs worked to get the perfect balance of OREO cookies and mint for this new delicious dessert. We can’t wait for customers to get a taste this spring.”
Shamrock enthusiasts can experience the luck of the 50th Shamrock Season at McDonald’s starting Feb. 19 at all participating restaurants nationwide for a limited time.
“Every year customers eagerly await the return of the Shamrock Shake — and over the past five decades, getting a sip of this green legend has become a seasonal tradition for many,” said McDonald’s Archivist Mike Bullington. “The shake’s unique history and wide spread passion for this menu item has qualified the Shamrock Shake as a beloved cultural icon. We feel lucky to have such dedicated Shamrock fanatics, and hope to continue the legacy of this legendary treat for many more years to come.”
The anniversary fun doesn’t stop here. Shamrock lovers are in luck, as we’re revealing even more ways to get in on the golden celebration of the Shamrock Shake throughout the season. Stay tuned for more!
The Legacy of the Shamrock Shake
The Shamrock Shake was created in 1967 by Hal Rosen, a Connecticut McDonald’s Owner and Operator who made the delicious, mint shake in celebration of St. Patrick’s Day. It later debuted in select locations across the U.S. in 1970, and was an instant success.
In 1974, sales from the shake helped to build the very first Ronald McDonald House in Philadelphia. The mission began when the daughter of a Philadelphia Eagles player was being treated for Leukemia. Together with with a local McDonald’s Owner and Operator Hal Rosen, McDonald’s founder Ray Kroc, the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and the Philadelphia Eagles, the family raised enough funds through Shamrock Shake sales to help open the first Ronald McDonald House as a way to keep families close during difficult times.
Additional fun facts about the 50-year history of the Shamrock Shake can be found here.
OREO® is a trademark of Mondelēz International group, used under license.
About McDonald’s USA
McDonald’s USA, LLC, serves a variety of menu options made with quality ingredients to nearly 25 million customers every day. Ninety-five percent of McDonald’s 14,000 U.S. restaurants are independently owned and operated by businessmen and women. For more information, visit www.mcdonalds.com, or follow us on Twitter @McDonalds and Facebook. www.facebook.com/mcdonalds.
About Ronald McDonald House Charities
Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC), is a non-profit, 501 (c) (3) corporation that creates, finds, and supports programs that directly improve the health and well-being of children and their families. Through its global network of over 275 Chapters in more than 64 countries and regions, and its three core programs: the Ronald McDonald House, the Ronald McDonald Family Room and the Ronald McDonald Care Mobile, RMHC helps families with sick children stay together, and close to the medical care their child needs at leading hospitals worldwide. RMHC programs not only provide access to quality health care, they enable family-centered care ensuring families are fully supported and actively involved in their children’s care. For more information, visit rmhc.org. Follow RMHC on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.
I love listening to podcasts throughout the day and in the background as I work. I scrolled through my subscription, trying to remember my favorite episodes to share here. I would LOVE to hear your favorite podcasts, too! Shoot me a note here.
Non-Trad Undergrad | I met Sara, the co-host of this podcast, through teaching at VCU. I knew had taken a few years off before going back to school, but I didn’t know until recently when she posted a birthday selfie that announced she’s 41. She’s a Public relations major, and her co-host Jenn is studying English. I love hearing their perspective and how they see college. I was a “traditional” student, starting at VCU and moving into a freshman dorm at the age of 18. In one of my marketing classes, I partnered up with Deb, in her 40s, and we became close friends. Listening to this podcast made me realize I never really thought hard about what it must have been like for Deb. Listening to each episode lets me step into the shoes of students for a few minutes. I’m taking a break from teaching advertising at VCU, but I’m glad this podcast has increased my empathy for students.
Here’s the official show description:
We’re Sara Huffman and Jenn Klee, two non-traditional college students at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) in Richmond, Virginia. All the resources we found for non-traditional students have been about deciding to go (back) to school, but nothing that delved into the nitty-gritty of being on campus every day, sometimes all day, for at least a year. Because let’s face it, being older than your classmates (and sometimes your professors) is WEIRD. We get it. So, enter Non-Trad Undergrad. Our hope is that if you are a non-traditional student like us, you’ll feel a little less isolated, a little more understood, and a little more connected when you listen to NTU. You’re not alone! Rated “E” for some swearing. NOTE: All opinions are Sara’s and Jenn’s and not affiliated with Virginia Commonwealth University.
DOLLY PARTON’S AMERICA | I don’t know that I need to convince anyone to listen to this. Everyone loves Dolly Parton. This is a nine-episode series. It’s fascinating and feel-good. One popular Dolly quote that’s a favorite of mine is: Find out who you are and do it on purpose. I’ve always admired her steadfastness.
GETTING CURIOUS WITH JONATHAN VAN NESS | JVN is one of my favorite people to watch and follow. I love everything about this podcast. The premise is that JVN talks to an expert in a different topic he’s curious about (hence the name). I’ve learned about everything from snakes to sunscreen, but my favorite part is JVN’s unparalleled enthusiasm. This episode with Olympic gymnast Shannon Miller is particularly good.
COFFEE WITH STRANGERS RVA | Local RVA Love. I think this was the first podcast I listened to. Kelli Lemon is an entreprenuer here in RVA and helps make. She films this as a video series with Matt Pochily
DO IT FOR THE PROCESS | I came across this podcast because I love the host, Emily Jefford’s artwork. How magical is this swirly landscape?! Emily talks through what it’s like to run a business as an artist. I dabble in painting, but what I really like about this podcast is thinking about the artists behind all of my favorite work. I think about her episode Creating Authentic Art: Copying in Art often.
HUMANS OF JAMES RIVER | TFB Intern Ava McHugh started this podcast and I’m so proud of her. She was inspired by Human’s of New York. she even learned how to edit the voice of her guests that wanted to remain private. Another exercise in shifting perspective. TEDxYouth RVA
HOW I BUILT THIS | This is another super popular one. I know I’m always hearing people reference this. It’s really cool to hear the stories of some of our favorite companies, straight from the founders. Reminds me of a book Tribe of Mentors. Coming from working at larger companies. I’m used to learning from bosses who worked at large companies. It’s hard to find mentors and people to learn from when you’re first starting out as a business owner. Listening to this podcast helps to serve as a reminder that there are lots of people who have done this before me I liked the Rent The Runway episode.
BEING BOSS | My favorite episode of this one is: Becoming An Enthusiastic Leader.
OPRAH’S SUPER SOUL PODCAST | There are some great interviews on this one PLUS Oprah just launched an archive podcast of some of the most popular episodes of her talk show.
GET BOOKED | Two Book Riot editors chat as they talk through reader questions and requests for recommendations. Readers will talk about a book or category of books they like (think: historical fiction or memoirs) and the two hosts will recommend a book or books that they’d like based on what they read before.
BREAKING BEAUTY | I’ve always been super-interested in the beauty industry. I especially loved hearing from the founder of Isle of Paradise in this episode.
OFFICE LADIES | Eeee! I love this and it’s definitely the most fun podcast on this list. Angela and “Pam” from The Office are best friends in real life. They call this a “rewatch podcast,” and they’re taking you through every episode of the office with their personal backstories.
FOOD PSYCH | This is one of my newest discoveries. Christy Harrison is the author of The Anti Diet, which I mentioned in my last. I love her body-positive message.
CREATIVE PEP TALK | I can’t even begin to tell you all I’ve learned from this podcast. I love it so much. John Mills of Release The Hounds recommended it to me. It definitely takes some getting used to, but I haven’t found anything like it.
YOUNG HOUSE LOVE HAS A PODCAST | My favorite episode is: How Our Lives Together Almost Didn’t Happen. They talked about failures and how they led them to where they are now. They have readers and listeners from all over the world, so it’s really cool to hear when they cover how homes are different in different countries.
HAPPIER WITH GRETCHEN RUBIN | I might’ve unintentionally saved the best for last here. Gretchen Rubin is the author of The Happiness Project, Better than Before and one of my personal favorites, The Four Tendencies. I’ve listened to every single episode from this podcast and couldn’t begin to list everything I’ve learned.
Throughout the years I’ve collected a few online tools and apps that make my job easier. here are my favorites and how I use them:
You can use this site to upload a photo of the art and turn it into an animation! https://sketch.metademolab.com/canvas
TOGGL: Productivity & time tracker.
TELEPROMPTER: The ultimate Mac teleprompter.
THE LIGHT & AIRY PHOTOGRAPHER: Eleven presets specifically formulated to enhance phone photos. I use this with the lightroom app on my phone to edit photos quickly. My friend Devin of Play at Whim turned me onto this.
LIGHTROOM APP: Before I got this app, I was using Instagram to edit my photos. This works if the photos are just for Instagram, but it compresses them so they are either too small or blurry when you go to use them other places. I like my photos light and bright, so I either use presets or adjust the exposure and usually the tint.
PINTEREST AND THE PINTEREST SAVE BUTTON CHROME PLUGIN: I love using Pinterest to store inspiration and ideas.
INSTA VIDEOS DOWNLOADER: Simple tool for downloading Instagram Videos, Photos, Stories and IGTV Videos to your device.
BEAVER BUILDER Easily build beautiful, responsive WordPress pages in minutes. Beaver Builder is a drag and drop WordPress Page Builder. (Beaver Builder is what I use to build this site.)
UNSPLASH The internet’s source of freely useable images. Powered by creators everywhere. The photos on this site are beautiful. I’ve used them for client presentations and proposals. They’re completely free for personal or professional use.
STOCKSY Inspiring stock photos + videos driven by creative integrity.
PICWIZARD: High Quality, Free Stock PhotosStunning library of over 1 million stock images and videos.
Royalty free and safe for commercial use, with no attribution required
PEXELS Free stock photos you can use everywhere. ✓ Free for commercial use ✓ No attribution required.
SHARE NOTES IN ICLOUD With the Notes app on your iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, or Mac, you can invite people to collaborate on your iCloud notes and folders. Then you can partner on projects, plan a trip, make a grocery list, and more.
CREATIVE MARKET Creative Market is the world’s marketplace for design. Bring your creative projects to life with ready-to-use design assets from independent creators around the world. This site is a gamechanger. If you sign up for their emails, you get free downloads in an email every Monday.
PIC SPLITTER This app allows you to split a photo and generate a grid of photo tiles which contain portions of the larger photo. Upload the generated tiles to Instagram to create the illusion of massive photos on your profile page.
YAYTEXT Super cool unicode text magic. Write 𝐛𝐨𝐥𝐝 and/or 𝑖𝑡𝑎𝑙𝑖𝑐 updates on Facebook, Twitter, and elsewhere.
GETMOGI: a free, handy little tool I use for posting emojis when I’m not on my phone.
JOYPIXELS EMOJI KEYBOARD: The world’s leading emoji keyboard extension for Chrome.
COLORZILLA: Get a color reading from any point in your browser, quickly adjust this color and paste it into another program. You can analyze the page and inspect a palette of its colors. It includes a Color Picker, Eye Dropper, and a Gradient Generator. Get a color reading from any point in your browser, quickly adjust this color and paste it into another program. You can analyze the page and inspect a palette of its colors.
FONT FACE NINJA: a browser extension that let you inspect, try, bookmark and buy fonts on any websites.
GOOGLE CHROME KEEP Easily save the things you care about to Keep and have them synced across all of the platforms that you use — including web, Android, iOS, and Wear. Take notes for additional detail and add labels to quickly categorize your note for later retrieval.
Features:• Save URLs, text, and images
• Take notes on saved content
• Add labels to your notes
• Automatically saves to Google Keep
SLIDES GO Free Google slides templates
LOOM Record your screen, voice, and face to create an instantly shareable video
SMALL PDF Easy-to-use PDF tools to Edit, Convert, Merge, Split and Compress PDF files.
FACEBOOK AD LIBRARY Search for any advertiser’s campaigns
how to
APPLE: How to record the screen on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch
BUILT VISIBLE: How To Use Talkwalker Alerts for Journalism / PR outreach
NY TIMES: How to use social media in your career.
TFB: How to Make A Shareable Custom Facebook Profile Frame
MAC OBSERVER: How to use How to Use iOS 11 Screen Recording
AMY LANDINO: The Only Video Equipment You Need: This video just might give you the push you need to start incorporating video into your content strategy and marketing. We ordered the mic she recommends.
APPLE SUPPORT How to scan using your iPhone notes app
RECORD AN IPHONE VIDEO WITHOUT PAUSING MUSIC
Who wouldn’t want a Fairy tan Mother to come to their home and give them glowing skin? We wanted to capture before and after examples of the magic that spray tan can do, so we invited their clients for a photoshoot experience at TFB. TFB interns Karli and Ava worked with Sweetest Stitch Bouqitue on wardrobe-styling and former TFB intern Kim even came back to join us as a model!
Where did you go to school and what did you study?
I studied Theatre Performance at VCU and loved every minute of it. I learned so much and met the most amazing people during my time there. My husband and I were in the same program and started dating when we were in the show Grease together. So many incredible memories. I will forever be a huge fan and supporter of VCU – especially their Arts programs!
What’s your favorite thing you’ve ever made?
When we were in the beginning stages of wedding planning, I drew an illustration of my husband and myself that was only our faces. It started off as something I made just for fun, but then I ended up using the illustration as design inspiration for the entire wedding! I had stickers of our faces made and included them with our Save the Date cards. I was super into iron-on patches and button pins at the time (I was creating a wedding jean jacket that was completely covered in patches and pins) so I ordered button pins of us and we gave them out as wedding favors. I also had the illustration added to our photo booth prints that people took home with them as well. Since creating that simple little illustration of our faces, it’s become my most favorite thing. I even used it again this past Christmas on our cards we sent out to family and friends – I drew Santa hats on our heads and gave us a festive background. This illustration is so special to me because it’s so incredibly personal and it brings me a ton of joy! I also love that I’ve been able to use it over and over again in various ways and I continue to enjoy it every time!
Who do you look up to?
My Dad – He was an amazing creative force – an artist, a singer / song writer / musician, director and playwright. Whenever I make my art I feel incredibly connected to him. He passed away a few years ago, but he continues to inspire and influence so much of my life.
My Mom – She is my first friend and a constant source of support and light for me. She is also my epitome of strength of grace. She taught me how to lead with love, how to laugh, how to carry on, and how to see beauty everywhere, always.
Pink – (Alecia Moore) – She is my icon. I love her energy, her spirit, and her honesty. She showed me you can be strong and brave and a total badass, and at the same time, be kind and open and vulnerable. Her songs are my favorite ‘GIRL POWER’ anthems to turn up all the way. She is also the reason I decided to cut all my hair off – I watched her redefine femininity and claim her power and I wanted to do the same.
What’s your favorite store?
Target. Hands down. I’m there all the time for every reason and for no reason at all.
For specific things : Gap is my favorite for jeans (literally all of my jeans are from there), H&M is my favorite for basics, Muji is my favorite for stylish comfort clothing and accessories, and Madewell is my dream closet (I swoon over everything they make).
What artist do you admire?
I love Lisa Congdon’s work. Her bold colors, vibrant words, and stark images really speak to me. I think she is incredible. I’ve also always loved Keith Haring. Both of them inspire me a lot.
What keeps you fresh? What do you practice and read?
I have the honor of working alongside a ton of ridiculously talented artists. In my freelance and personal work, in teaching at SPARC, and at MILK RIVER ARTS. The artists I’m surrounded by on a daily basis keep me fresh and fuel my spirit. As far as practice, I try to draw or create something every day – sometimes I love what I make, sometimes I hate what I make, but all of it flexes my creative muscles. I also love to watch kids create art – they just DO IT. It’s so refreshing to watch someone work who doesn’t have that crazy inner critic yet. I try my best to learn from them. As far as reading, I have a few books in my queue and this is a great reminder to get to it. Next on my list is UnSelfie : Why Empathetic Kids Succeed in Our All-About-Me World by Michele Borba.
What’s your favorite McDonald’s menu item?
Oh man, there’s nothing like dipping fries into a chocolate milkshake! That’s my forever favorite.
What’s one tip you’d give to an aspiring illustrator?
You’re the only one who can make your art – keep making it – and get it out there into the world because people need to see it. Also, as an artist you are always learning – absorb all the information you can, improve your skills, take on new challenges, and say YES to as many opportunities as possible. Everything leads to something else. And don’t forget to have as much fun as you can. I believe in you. You got this.
What’s in your bag?
My whole entire life, basically. I carry a backpack as a purse most of the time. Currently my backpack includes : my makeup bag full of on-the-go esstentials, a container of hair product (pixie life), my wallet, a notebook and pens, my sunglasses, my phone, my keys, tissues, medications, and a few small snacks. That’s a pretty light backpack day, actually.
What product/item could you not live without?
My iPad Pro and Apple Pencil. The majority of my work is comprised of digital illustrations created directly on my iPad. I love that thing so much. I use it every single day. I’ll never forget the first time I tried drawing on an iPad – my creative world was forever changed. I have the 12.9in version and the large screen size is absolutely amazing. My drawing app of choice is Procreate.
After being inspired by storefronts on my trip to New York during the holidays, I made a faux flower wall display for my office. Here’s how I did it:
I started with Pinterest, looking up different variations. Here’s a link to the board I created. I initially wanted to do my doorway, but then decided on as creeping corner on the 3/4 wall.
My favorite examples had greenery mixed in with the flowers and were shades pink with a touch of purple. I’d bought faux peonies on Amazon before for my Christmas tree and was impressed with the quality, so I searched for a variety that could replicate the arrangements I was seeing on Pinterest. I was so impressed with the quality of everything that I got.
Here’s what I bought:
Light Pink Peonies | Amazon | $9.99
Rose Vine Flowers | Amazon | $11.99 These were the first step. I doubled these over and draped them over nails.
Rose Vine Flowers | Amazon | $11.95 There was no difference between these and the other rose vine flowers- I guess just different sellers/prices.
Light Pink Rose Vine | Amazon | $12.99
Wisteria | Amazon | $35.98 There were SO MANY of these and they look so stunning. I am considering doing these on the ceiling too.
Light Pink Peony Bouquet | Amazon | $9.98 | These look SO real.
I also used a staple gun, wire brads, and wire cutters.
My super-sweet interns Ava and Karli helped put on the finishing touches. A special shout out to Karli for being tall enough to reach the top.
My friend Caroline brought by her fancy dog Finnegan and he fit right in.
Galentine’s Day is all about sharing the love, and what better way to show your love than with a McNugget bouquet?! Keya Wingfield of Candy Valley Cake Company worked with us to design these custom Galentine’s Day bouquets made with real McDonald’s Chicken Nuggets. We also worked with local illustrator Hayden Ireland to create a card with the likenesses of some of our favorite RVA gals in celebration of Galentine’s Day. Learn more about Hayden and her work here.
View this post on InstagramWho needs Valentine’s Day when Galentine’s Day truly satisfies the desires of my heart?! ♥️ Thank you Christina of @tiramisuforbreakfastagency for this delicious nugget bouquet and this card filled with some of the FIERCEST "gals" on the planet! Talk about being in amazing company! Sheesh! I’m lovin’ it…♥️ A post shared by Karla Redditte NBC 12 RVA (@karlanbc12) on
View this post on InstagramThe COOLEST #galentines surprise from #mcdonaldsrva 😍🍟 thank you to the Tiramisu for Breakfast team for thinking of me and for this fabulous arrangement— and my 5th period pals and I were truly grateful for these nugs. 🙌❤️ Make sure you are following @christinamdick and @tiramisuforbreakfastagency to keep up with the trendy and creative work they are doing here in RVA! #somuchlove #girlpower A post shared by Morgan Rhudy (@maoteenva) on
View this post on InstagramI got a chicken mcnugget bouquet from #mcdonaldsrva for Galentine’s Day with a hand drawn portrait of my face alongside some amazing Richmond ladies. @christinamdick, thank you for fulfilling a dream I didn’t know I had. happy galentines day!! 💕 A post shared by Julia Warren (@juliarwarren) on
View this post on InstagramxYes, all things are happening here: 1) A #mcdonaldsrva Chicky Nuggets Bouquet 2) me taking a dip in some sweet & sour 3) @billbevinsrva sporting toasty🍟 socks 4) AND most special of all – a custom #galentines card featuring seriously special gal-pals in #RVA – I’m considering myself in mega-awesome company this Galentine’s Day 🤩🍟🤩🍟🤩🍟🤩🍟🤩🍟 @tiramisuforbreakfastagency you know how to make a gal feel special A post shared by Jessica Noll (@jessicanollrva) on
View this post on Instagram#mcdonaldsrva #mix981richmond #valentines_day A post shared by Kat Simons (@katsimonsradio) on
View this post on InstagramWe delivered our first Galentine’s Day McNugget bouquet was delivered to the one and only @likethefruit! We’re excited to surprise more of our favors #RVA gals week the week! Make your own McNugget bouquet on Thursday! The link to register is in our bio! #mcdonaldsrva A post shared by Tiramisu for Breakfast (@tiramisuforbreakfastagency) on
View this post on Instagram@mchaseradio and @jasmineturnertv loved their McNugget bouquets! Come make your own with us this Thursday! McDonaldRVA.com #mcdonaldsrva A post shared by Tiramisu for Breakfast (@tiramisuforbreakfastagency) on
View this post on InstagramHad the BEST time celebrating Valentine’s this year, but the highlight was the ULTIMATE surprise from #mcdonaldsrva and @tiramisuforbreakfastagency — a McNugget bouquet!! I felt so honored to be recognized alongside such influential women in RVA with this amazing #galentines surprise 😍❤️🍟 thank you @christinamdick, you’re a rockstar! #girlpower A post shared by Morgan Rhudy (@mcrhudy) on
A great team! @tfbagency @ChristinaMDick #McDonaldsRVA pic.twitter.com/vmkqGJ3ifB— Thomas Block (@TBlockRVA) February 14, 2020
Who needs Valentine’s Day when Galentine’s Day truly satisfies the desires of my heart?!
Thank you @ChristinaMDick for this delicious nugget bouquet and this card filled with some of the FIERCEST "gals" on the planet! Talk about being in amazing company! Sheesh! ❤️#rva pic.twitter.com/nKj5pJ8xeG— Karla Redditte (@KarlaNBC12) February 12, 2020
We are having so much fun @tfbagency with these McNugget bouquets for Galentine’s Day!!! pic.twitter.com/3dQcoiiaoS— Christina Dick (@ChristinaMDick) February 12, 2020
My trainer: Are you eating healthy?
Me: Umm yup. Ignore my giant amazing @McD_RVA chickie nugget bouquet 😂😂😂 pic.twitter.com/OA7MHcVSCw— Melissa Chase (@MChaseRadio) February 12, 2020
FROZEN’S Anna & Elsa joined us at McDonald’s this weekend to meet with tiny customers and recruit for Girl Scouts of America. Thanks to Dream Entertainers for being awesome and to all of the little ones who came out!
1. WRITEWITHPARKINSONS.COM An Art Director Created A Font Based On His Mother’s (Who Has Parkinson’s) Handwriting. My friend Tim Roan posted this on LinkedIn. “A lovely Art Director at Lyft created a new font called Shake…it’s his mother’s handwriting…and she’s in early stages of Parkinson’s. All proceeds go to research. Hope you dig it.”
2. LULULUEMON | Wunder Under Lounge Tight In Velvet I got a pair of Lululemon’s new velvet leggings and they’re wonderful. They’re pretty and soft and I don’t want to take them off.
3. TIME | Inside the Unlikely Friendship That Inspired A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood I saw this movie and cried. If you’re not a theatre person or you’d like to cry at home in private, it sounds like it’s coming to iTunes next month. You can watch the film’s trailer here.
4. THEORY | Slip Top In Stretch Silk When I went to New York over the holidays, I got to see my friend (and amazingly talented producer) Alyse. I always ask where she’s being shopping lately because I think she always looks so cool. She talked about Theory and told me about their sale. I bought this slip top in black and in ivory. It’s excellent quality and I’ve already worn them both several times. It looks perfect under a blazer. I’ve been wearing it with my leather leggings.
5. MAY LINDSTROM | The Problem Solver This is my new favorite face mask. I wrote about how it works and why I like it at TiramisuforBreakfast.com.
6. CROWDFIRE | Brands Killing It On Tik Tok and What We Can Learn From Them This is a really interesting and thorough post on Tik Tok. I can’t wait to put some of these tips into practice and launch TFB’s Tik Tok.
7. INSTAGRAM | Lizzo the Cat I love this so much
8. FEAST RVA January Dinner Feast is such a WONDERFUL concept and I always love going to these. Read more about Feast RVA here, and get your tickets here. (they always sell out!)
9. STITCHER | Office Ladies Podcast This is so great. I LOVE listening to podcasts, and this has been a favorite lately. Angela and Pam (Jenna Fischer) rewatch an episode of The Office and talk through behind-the-scenes and share their thoughts, reflections, and favorite parts in each podcast episode. It also led me to read The Actor’s Life, Jenna Fischer’s book. It’s a how-to guide on becoming a professional actor. I like that she shared her personal journey and the things she shares can apply to a lot of careers, not just acting.
1. CREATIVE PEP TALK PODCAST | 20 Surprising and Super Powerful Prompts that will make 2020 the year you do your best work ever. I like to listen to podcasts as I’m easing into work each day and this one from Andy J. “Pizza,” is always super-energizing.
2. ABC NEWS | The Family of the late Steve Irwin is rescuing animals from the Australians wildfires. Here is where you can donate. I did.
3. TFB Favorites Spa Robes A bathrobe you can buy on Amazon that feels like it’s from a fancy hotel
4. TFB | My Favorite Tweets from Little Women One of my favorite things to do after I do or see something that makes me think is to look at what others are saying about it online. It’s so interesting to see how others put into words what I also think or feel or read things I never thought of. I collected a few of my favorites.
5. INDEPENDENT | The Impossible Task
6. PRETTY BIRD PAPER | Great Women Greeting Card I love this and have it framed in my office. I’m thinking about buying a few more to send out.
7. AMAZON | Electric Milk Frother My friend Lauren suggested that I include product recommendations in these emails (You’ll notice I added “buy” to the title) Thanks, Lauren! So, here is one of the best things I ever bought. I have cold frothed oat milk with two shots of spresso every morning. I use Oat-ly or Oat Yeah.
My new favorite face mask is “The Problem Solver” from May Lindstrom.
My friend Jess introduced me to this skincare line. She read about it in Goop.
I first got to try May Lindstrom products when I visited The Detox Market in New York City over the summer.
I ordered The Youth Dew serum/facial oil and the Jasmine Garden facial mist. They include little samples with each order, which is how I got to try The Problem Solver. The sample was enough for me to try it about three times, which I did, and loved it.
Here’s how they describe it:
A jet-black fusion of indulgent and antioxidant-rich raw cacao, activated bamboo charcoal, salts, and exotic spices go deep on a mission to reveal your most radiant self.
The unique formula brightens, heals inflammation and irritation, fades hyperpigmentation, stimulates collagen production, and treats and prevents breakouts.
Usually, masks that are meant to be “clarifying” or acne treatments are drying and not that fun to use. This one smells amazing and does not make my skin feel dry after.
These are the ingredients:
Solum Fullonum (Fuller’s Earth) Clay, Red Moroccan Rhassoul Clay, **Theobroma Cacao (Raw Cacao), Red Alaea Sea Salt (Sea Salt and Red Alaea), L-Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C), Sodium Bicarbonate, Charcoal Powder (Activated Bamboo Carbon), *Vanilla Planifolia Bean, *Lavandula Angustifolia (Lavender) Flower, *Althaea Officinalis (Marshmallow) Root, *** Boswellia Serrate Gum (Frankincense) powder, *Centella Asiatica (Gotu Kola), *Archangelica (Angelica) Root, **Cinnamomum Zealanicum Blum (Ceylon Cinnamon), *Myristica Fragans (Nutmeg), *Syzygium Aromaticum (Clove), *Curcuma Longa (Turmeric), *Capsicum Annuum (Cayenne) Pepper, +Eugenol.
*Certified Organic **Certified Fair Trade ***Wild Harvested +Component of Essential Oil
The site suggests a bunch of different ways to use the mask – mixing it with their Blue Coccoon moisturizer (which I also have a tiny sample of) and their Youth Dew serum. I tried it as a spot treatment for the first time last night.
Here are her mixing tips:
Mist The Jasmine Garden generously when you feel the urge to pick at an oncoming pimple or an active breakout – stop the habit in its tracks.
When you feel a pimple beginning to make its way to the surface, spot treat immediately. Simply blend a small amount of the powder formula with water or The Jasmine Garden to form a loose paste, smoothing over just the area needed. Leave on for 5-60 minutes, up to three times weekly, in addition to your full facial treatments.
The Problem Solver + The Youth Dew is perfect for wet, active pimples that are just coming to a head or that have already come to a head.
The Problem Solver + The Blue Cocoon works magic on painful cystic acne and areas of inflammation – including flare-ups of eczema, perioral dermatitis or other inflammatory conditions.
These blends really get to the core of the breakout and help distressed skin to calm quickly without contributing to dryness or scarring, causing additional trauma to your complexion.
I’m just such a big fan. I especially love how she packages her products. “I believe that every day can feel like Christmas. It starts here, from the moment you receive your treasures and decide that these precious time-outs that bookend our days are fully yours to fill with delight.”
Here’s the founder/creator, May, and a little more about the company:
“We respect and admire our source—the planet—and conduct extensive means to ensure that each of our ingredients are procured with the highest sustainable, ethical, and qualitative standards in mind. Our collection is handcrafted using only the finest exotic and nutrient-rich ingredients that are: organic, bio-dynamic, wild-crafted, cruelty free, sustainable, and/or harvested with social consciousness in mind. These ingredients are not tested on animals, nor are our finished products. We do not sell in any countries that require animal testing.
We encourage environmental thoughtfulness in every step of our production – from the growth, harvesting, and processing of our raw ingredients to the packaging of our products. Our boxes and glassware are recyclable. Our lids are made of recycled paper pulp, and a glue derived from fruits and vegetables. We pack our boxes for shipment with recycled paper materials, rather than plastic or peanuts, send digital receipts rather than paper, and minimize branding collateral that is often tossed upon delivery.”
I love you can buy something that you can really feel good about.
I kept a note in my iPhone to keep track of things my boyfriend mentioned or things I thought of through out the year that would make good gifts. One of them was matching robes. I took jay for his first massage two years ago, and he adapted to the experience verrry quickly.
We love staying at hotels that give you robes to wear in your room.
The Jefferson is a five-star hotel in Richmond. They have beautiful Christmas decorations and a lot of locals make a point to meet friends there for cocktails and make an experience of it. Amid the festivities, I popped into the gift shop and noticed the super-soft robes they sold. I wrote down the brand name and researched to see where I could get some for us. (I didn’t buy them at The Jefferson, because those had The Jefferson’s logo embroidered, and I wanted ours to be personalized). Theirs were the plush-lined microfiber robes from BocaTerry, which were out of stock. So I did a little digging on Amazon and found these from Monarch. They feel just the same and are perfect. I took them to a local embroiderer our names.
These robes are great if you like the kind of robes to lounge around in versus put on to dry off. The outside feels like a nice set of sheets, and the inside feels like a soft plush blanket. I bought a size large for both of us. I meant to order a small for myself. The only thing that’s a little weird about them, which several people mentioned in the Amazon reviews are the shoulder pads. They don’t bother me that much, though.
If you’re looking to make hanging out in y our home feel like a fancy hotel/spa experience, these are perfect. They’d also make an awesome gift.
I thought it would be hilarious to get one for Kitty, too, so I ordered this one that’s meant for newborn baby photoshoots.
Here’s the link to order on Amazon ($90)
I showed this post to my friend Aíne (AWN-ya) as I was writing it because she’s a super smart Master of English and I know she’d seen the movie, too. I was struggling with the point I was trying to make and if this would be helpful/interesting. She talked me through it and I hope you have as much fun going through these tweets as I did putting this together!
I think the point I’m trying to make is that I’m really grateful that because of technology and social media, the experience of seeing or reading something you find interesting can extend indefinitely. Because there’s always someone else talking about. You can see what other people are saying about it, discuss it if you want, read about each character/director/other adaptations – anything you want to know.
My friend Diana got a bunch of us together to go see Little Women yesterday and I loved it. I LOVE when a movie makes you think. This movie made me think about all the other movies I love and vividly remember from when I was a little girl, like these:
One of my favorite things to do after I do or see something that makes me think is to look at what others are saying about it online. It’s so interesting to see how others put into words what I also think or feel or read things I never thought of. I collected a few of my favorites. There was a lot of conversation about relating to Jo vs. Amy:
I love what the director, Greta Gerwig, had to say about seeing Amy in a new light after rereading the book at 30.
One of my experiences of reading the book was actually re-experiencing Amy as a profound character and equal to Jo, and someone that is a worthy opponent in some ways of Jo. And her lines in particular, some of them are lines that stood out to me as if they were written in neon. As if they could have been said yesterday. Like, “I want to be great or nothing.” Which is so ambitious and big, and such a statement from a 20-year-old about art. It’s not a cute pursuit. It’s a completely egomaniacal pursuit in the best way. Or, “I don’t pretend to be wise, but I am observant.” You think, Holy sh*t, this girl sees everything. She knows everything. She can’t necessarily change the world, but she’s going to figure out how to win. And that seems profound.
Another thing she said is, “The world is hard on ambitious girls.” And the world is still hard on ambitious girls. And this is Amy speaking. To me it seems so obvious that she hadn’t been given her due in our collective consciousness. And then the other thing about Amy that I think is telling, and it’s interesting how this has changed, is Amy is a character of profound desires and lust that she has no problem expressing. And I think it’s interesting that for years, the character we hated the most is the character who most expresses her desire.
Jo (Saoirse Ronan) in the film is borrowed from Alcott’s 1876 novel “Rose in Bloom,” about a young woman who goes off to live (and spar) with her seven male cousins:
Women, they have minds, and they have souls, as well as just hearts. And they’ve got ambition, and they’ve got talent, as well as beauty, and I’m so sick of people saying that love is just all a woman is fit for. I’m so sick of it.
Gerwig added her own final line: “But I’m so lonely.”
Do you ever wish you could go back in time and hear a story again for the first time? That tweet about someone walking out when they realize Laurie ends up with Amy made me wonder how I’d react to the story of Little Women if this adaptation had been the first time I’d come across it.
I’m rereading The Tipping Point, for book club. In it, Malcolm Gladwell writes: “A book, I was taught long ago in English class, is a living and breathing document that grows richer with each new reading.”
The same day I watched the new version in the theatre, I rented the 1994 adaptation on iTunes. I remember really disliking the character Amy and being so mad when she burned Jo’s manuscript and also sad when Laurie married her instead of Jo. This time, I feel like I had more of each character to empathize with.
It was interesting to read this hair professional’s criticism of the costuming/hairstyles of the film.
This one isn’t about Little Women but I had to include it because seeing him in this reminded me of this tweet from last year. They do remind me of each other!
There’s also this analysis of the characters’ Meyer’s Briggs classification.
These last three made me laugh.
I just think we’re so lucky to have artists. I think it’s amazing that Louisa May Alcott wrote this book and that Greta Gerwig adapted it and that the actors worked so hard and were clearly so passionate about portraying the characters.
I also love the name Saoirse. It’s so fun to say.
1. ELLIE BURKE | From Compassion to Compassionate Action I just signed up for this 1/11 workshop all about turning your care and concern for the world around you into action from Ellie Burke, who I’m a huge fan of. 2. CNN | McDonald’s employees assist woman who mouths ‘help me’ in the drive thru
The Golden State Restaurant Group, which owns the McDonald’s location she went to, has certified each of its restaurants as a “Safe Place.”
The Safe Place program is a national youth and prevention program for “young people in need of immediate help and safety.
3. TWITTER | The Cast of Jagged Little Pill Ringing in 2020 in Times Square alongside Alanis I saw this musical in New York thanks to my friend Alyse Shorland and it was amazing. I LOVED Lauren Patten’s performance of You Oughta Know.
4. PEOPLE | Powerful Photo Shows Black Medical Students Standing on Former Slave Plantation in White Coats “It was really overwhelming. I hope that I make them proud even in the smallest ways by living out my dream and being able to exercise my freedoms… I kinda imagined this ancestral conversation where our ancestors looked down on us from heaven and said, ‘Look at our babies, they doing so well. I hope they’re happy, I’m so glad they came to see us.’ That kinda stuck with me… We literally are what no one thought we could ever be.”
5. GET BOOKED | 2020 Resolution Reads I’m especially interested in Ross Gay’s The Book Of Delights
- Look Beyond Fine Art Print of a Landscape | $37.00 | Etsy I follow this artist, Emily Jeffords, on Instagram and love her work. I have never seen anything like the way she does landscapes. They feel ethereal to me.
- Ka’iuliani | $30.00 | Haley Mitchell Art This is probably my favorite piece of art that I won. I bought mine from One Kings Lane. They have that kind of clever advertising that follows you around incessantly until you buy something. So, I caved and got this. Mine has a teal acrylic frame, which I love almost as much as the art. I found the artist’s website where she sells smaller, more affordable prints. I think her abstract portraits are so cool.
- Dual Traveler Organizer | $89.00 | Mark & Graham I don’t have one of these, but the quality looks awesome. I didn’t think travel jewelry cases were necessary until I broke a few pairs of big, intricate earrings. I love that this has a structured compartment below and a pouch at the top. Plus. a monogram. I can’t believe I don’t have anything that’s monogrammed.
- Pink Leopard Travel Bag | $30.00 | Dana Gibson Dana Gibson is an artist local to Richmond, and her family created the Gibson Girl. I LOVE the home decor pieces she creates and this pink leopard design is my favorite. I bought a sunglass case in this print, and I think the makeup pouch is awesome too.
- Staffordshire Dog Pin | $7.00 | Stay Home Club I found this little guy at Quirk Gallery inside the Quirk Hotel. I learned about Staffordshire dogs just this year from my friends Lyndee and Jess and now I LOVE seeing them everywhere. I bought a set for my office from Facebook Marketplace, and then pinned this tiny version into a 4X6 mat to hang on my wall at home.
- Rocky Cardhead Ram Head | $16.95 | CBSAFARI I discovered Carboard Safari at The Shops at 5807 In Richmond, and then searched online for a Ram version. I bought the tiniest size, which hangs on my office gallery wall as a tribute to my Alma Mater where I also teach one class a semester, Virginia Commonwealth University. These come in a flat sheet, and you assemble them. I think they’d make a cute stocking-stuffer.
Kim’s Picks:
- Vegan Leather Boots | $189.00 | Alohas Sandals I absolutely ADORE these boots! I’m in love with the chunky block heel with a square toe. Plus, they’re vegan leather.
- Leather Sling Bag | $118.00 | Madewell This bag may slouchy but you can throw so much inside! I love how the handle on the bag is long, so it’s not too high. You can throw in keys, notebooks, lotion, perfume and maybe even sneak in snacks for the movies!
- Large Vintage Mirror | $448.00 | Anthropologie I’ve been searching long and hard for a vintage mirror- and as I don’t have this one in particular, I do have something similar. This one from Anthro is pricy, but if you go thrift shopping or look on the Facebook Market, you may be in luck!
- Knee Boots | $199.95 | Sam Edelman High knee boots are BACK! Again, I’m in love with the block heel. It gives your feet so much more comfort and easier to walk around in. These babies will keep you nice and warm while still looking super chic!
- Tribe of Mentors | $16.79 | Amazon I bought this book for myself for Christmas last year and I LOVe looking through it. It’s so cool to get a peek into
- Over the Top | $16.79 | Amazon LOVED this book. If you want to smile/laugh/cry, this is a great read. I listened on Audible – where he reads it himself. I love everything about JVN, including his podcast. This is my favorite episode, where he interviews Olympic Gymnast Shannon Miller
- The English Home | $29.95 | Amazon This was on a gift guide made by Eclectic Curator, who I love following on Instagram. (I bought these pink crane plates from her) I read most of my magazines on my iPad through Apple News+, but I can’t get access to magazines from other countries. I will pick English Home up sometimes from Barnes & Noble, but it’s always a lot cheaper to subscribe for the year.
- Joyful | $15.37 | Amazon I’ve given our more copies of this book to friends than any other book. I heard about it on the Young House Love podcast (you can see their gift guide here). This book is so fun and inspiring. After I read it, I hung up a bunch of art in my house, got my nails painted neon yellow. It also influenced me to buy more Interior design/art books, which have been great for giving me ideas at work.
- Rain Earrings | $60 | Deepa Gurnani I bought these at Anthropologie and they’re some of my favorite to wear. I lost one of them while I was out to dinner at an Indian restaurant, and had to hunt down a new pair online. It turns out, they come in a ton of colors. I have the red and the black, but I love the white too.
- The Artist Way | $21.55 | Amazon This is such a cool book. I’ve talked about it with people I look up to and several of them had read it. This set comes with a workbook that you can use for the “morning pages” exercises that the author recommends.
- Nagel | $39.93 | Amazon My friend Gretchen (aka the Fairy Tan Mother) introduced me to Patrick Nagel. I hadn’t heard of him, but I’d seen his work. You may know it too. I think it’s so interesting to learn about a new-to-you artist. I tore out the pages of this book to hang them as prints. You could also do this and gift to multiple people.
