"Choose to focus your time, energy and conversation around people who inspire you, support you, and help you to grow you into your happiest, strongest, wisest self..." - Karen Salmansohn
Photography by Miss Bri Michelle Photography
I really, really do love my girls...
One thing I have never shied away from is supporting other women. I remember being in my adolescence and losing some of my best girlfriends for the pettiest of reasons. I learned the ways of women who were unhappy with certain aspects of their lives and how they would sabotage, or attempt to, in seeing that another had what they wanted. Not only are those Mean Girls’ days over (thank God !), but I’ve had the most pleasant experiences with meeting and building a rapport with some of the most incredible and inspiring powerhouses, many of which I have the pleasure of calling my closest friends.
The love and support from these women is incomparable; No longer are we entertaining discussions of petty gossip, now it’s “Did you see what she’s getting into lately?”, “How can we support and encourage her to keep going”, “Is there anything you need?”, “I’m proud of you!”
Jealousy in friendships has always been detrimental; There are those “friends” who are plotting on your demise before you even truly get started, often because they can see your potential and can’t see their own. Thankfully for my friends, especially these two women, my experience is quite the opposite.
I recognized the power of supporting your sister very early on. I remember the intense emotions I felt when my best girlfriend was graduating with her Bachelor’s degree. I burst into tears the moment I saw her graduation photos, and while I had all of the pride in the world for her, I had the slightest tinge of jealousy. I was “so” far behind and I wanted it to be me. Not instead of her, but beside her. I was jealous of her progress and inspired simultaneously, I knew I needed to catch up. I needed to be there for her so that if ever she needed me, I could keep up. From then on, I would encourage my girlfriends to keep going, then I would get up and go get it myself.
Now…that we’ve done the work to get us to a level we would be happy with (for the current moment), we continue to encourage, edify, celebrate, and do it all again with the next endeavor. The conversations I have with these Bourgeois Boss Ladies is incomparable. Can we discuss new business ventures and how to best market? Done. Want to talk trauma and healing? Got that. Am I allowed to be vulnerable to discuss my fears of investing? Absolutely. From talking business, to religion, to generational cycles, to relationships, and in all how we can better improve ourselves for the next generation is all we do. These women are truly Queens in all that they do. And of course, were honored by the Bourgeois Hostess, while calling each other Fabulous, Pretty, and Beautiful, all at the same time <3
In many instances there are not enough words or hours to ever express the gratitude of having such incredible and powerful women in my circle. I am so thankful for the beautiful business women on my team to push past fear or self doubt, and be completely supported in every endeavor possible. These girls’ nights are so pivotal in the success of a woman; In having that outpour of love, I believe there is no way I could fail. They are the support and accountability partners of my dreams. And fun!!! So of course we took a night off (while still creating content) and spent hours over a very Bourgeois continental brunch at our Pretty in Pink Pajama sleepover.
While not to be a once a year endeavor, we knew that we needed to be celebrated and pour our love for one another for this year’s Valentine’s Day. We held our Galentine’s celebration with our own rendition of pink pajamas and corresponding table decor and food to bring on all the elevated feels.
For decor we stuck with pink and gold variations, and because my girls deserve, I pulled out all of the best glassware and serve ware. We had a blend of fresh and faux florals throughout the condo and set the mood further with rose scented candles. Cocktail hour was bright and pretty, with a textured pink tablecloth and rustic white accessories, but once we got to the bottom of our first glasses, we turned up.
We got deep with richer tones of burgundy and dark, hot pinks to match how much deeper the conversations were about to get. Tableware included glass, white and gold, with couch pillow cases in all shades of light pink to burgundy to tie the theme together. We enjoyed laughs and insight as we delved into more heated discussions into business and personal, and we tapped into more than just the wine.
I am always a fan of food, and make it a point to be the Bourgeois Hostess who does the most without having to do the most. A continental brunch is always a great idea, and the execution is the key part in making it memorable. The best thing is to get snacks that can be pre-made with quality. From your favorite local bakery or farmer’s market, these as well as other goodies may be accessible, but from our local grocery store (Wegman's) we enjoyed:
Sweets
White Chocolate Covered Oreos (you can also make your own with chocolate candy melts)
Vanilla Mini Cupcakes
Orange Cranberry Scones (highly recommended!)
Charcuterie
Sweet Cream Butter (Cubed and softened, set out an hour or two before serving)
Croissants, Toasted
Assorted Cheese Board
Blue
Gruyere
Brie
Pepperoni
Prosciutto
Raspberry Peach Champagne Jam
Sweet Honey Mustard
Fruiterie
Blackberries
Blueberries
Red Grapes
Strawberries
Sweet Sapphire Grapes
As we’ve mentioned in the 2020 Vision Board Continental Brunch article, I often enjoy adding new elements to my hosting menus, especially my charcuterie boards. Whether a new fruit or spread, to allow your guests a unique experience that they can remember is always key. This event was especially special because my one good girlfriend, as fabulous and Bourgeois as she is, had never experienced a cheese board! It was an honor to introduce her to something new, and guide her through.
For this board by adding the sweet sapphire grapes (a black, long, sweet, seedless grape that will be sure to spark a conversation), the ladies could enjoy a new variation while comparing to a familiar fruit, the red grape.
Similarly, by adding the raspberry peach champagne jam to the board to pair with the fruit, cheeses and other goodies, it truly was heavenly. And for her first charcuterie experience, my girlfriend loved it !
We also featured our favorite Black owned wines, and offered a variety of choices for this magical evening. We enjoyed:
Wine
McBride Sisters - Black Girl Magic Rosé
McBride Sisters - Red Blend
McBride Sisters - Sparkling Brut Rosé
No matter what their taste, we had something for everyone that each lady could enjoy. We started with the Red Blend, and as the night progressed we ventured into the Sparkling Brut Rose'.
The night was full of love and admiration. We vibed to a mix of new and old school R&B, we exchanged gifts, talked business ideas and expansion so much that I was bursting at the seams to get these ideas implemented and carried out (you can actually see the vlog as well as how Mel curated an incredible gift bag, cocktail, and how she continued the celebration in a self-care goddess bath using roses from the event afterward on her YouTube here). Three creative minds coming together to see your vision further than you could ever imagine awakened something inside of me; I was filled with so much energy that we stayed up until 7:00 the next morning.
The next morning we kept the theme going with another continental brunch with leftover fruit and cheese, and added breakfast pastries complimentary of our fave (you guessed it, Wegman’s), featuring:
Breakfast Pastries
Cherry Pie
Blueberry Scones
We added to our Black owned brunch with Boss Blend Coffee’s Hazlenut blend, and topped with Dash of Dacy’s Cinnilla Sugar seasoning. Of course we also popped that McBride Sisters’ Sparkling Brut Rosé as our mimosa substitute as well as the still Black Girl Magic Rosé. We had such a great time vibing that we looked up and next thing you knew it was nighttime all over again. We had the absolute best time, and I fully attribute that to the women sitting to each side of me.
My girls really are like THAT though.
Bri is a multifaceted Boss Lady with multiple brands and endeavors under her belt. Need a photographer? She’s your girl. Need a website? She’s on it. Need to boss up your business and connect with likeminded, Bourgeois Boss Ladies tapping in to their femininity? Yup, that too.
No matter the need, in all things Boss, she did that and then some, and can get you where you need to be. & If she doesn’t, she definitely has the contacts you need in her rolodex. She is thee one and only, the Fab and Ambitious Miss Bri Michelle.
Bri - Instagram: @MissBriMichelle
Here is her very own Pretty Plug interview so you can get to know more about her Fabulous, Ambitious, Boss Lady activities.
Melondy is also a Renaissance woman, who will excel in any business venture she sets foot in. Need a plug for your boutique merchandise and packaging? She’s got you. Need a personal stylist or direction in a photoshoot? Been that. Need a place to stay or to get focused content? The Air BNB hostess who always does the mostess. She is the plug’s plug and knows the people and steps you need to make the move you’re looking to make. She is thee one, thee only, Pretty Hustler herself, Melondy.
Mel - Instagram: @PrettyHustlerHQ
Here is her interview with Bri so you can get to know more about her Pretty Hustler activities.
I pray that you can experience full, complete, inspiring relationships like the ones I have built with these women. While we celebrated ourselves for Galentine’s, these girls’-night-in fellowships are necessary. Cheers to this being a recurring event to celebrate each other and enjoy the company of fellow Black women living in luxury. We deserve.
