BEST Of 2011 Andra Hall's(Cami Cake owner) Holiday Gift Exchange!

At the end of every year I like to post some of the “Best Of ” from 2011. It’s fun to go down memory lane and look through my archives of all the events I covered, invited out to or simply just went to hang out. This year I was recognized in my community, awarded several times and more! It has been a crazy year, I must say! I learned to pin on Pinterest, grow my followers on twitter and use tumblr! I have met some fabulous people and some folks that I was not too happy to meet. I have gained some true friends and comment stalkers as well lol. I feel as though I have grown a lot with my ventures. I got a chance to travel to Jamaica! The very first time I had EVER been out of the country! I not only visited Jamaica once but twice in a month, they loved me lol.

Trip to Jamaica

Pinterest Meet & Greet at West Elm

Newest Cast Member (Atl Housewives) Marlo Hampton's Viewing Party

Reginae Carter's Cinderella Ball

Dreamer's Academy Brunch with Mickey

S.T.E.P.S Events 15th Anniversary Party

Girls Night Out Atlanta Marriott Marquis

Soul Train Awards 2011

Top 25 Women of Atlanta

Haute Travels Presents...Sam Fine

Nubia Clothing Soft Launch & Jay Z,Kanye West Concert!

T.I.'s A King Of Oneself” Brunch

135th St. Agency 5th Annual BBQ

Meet & Greet At Louis Vuitton with NFL Girls

FrankSki's Grand Opening

Launch party of the Playboy series on NBC hosted by Rolling Out Mag

Ludaweekend always fun!

Kandi's sex toy launch party, lawd!

Jeffrey Cares Fashion Show featuring Jason Wu

Zip lining across N.Georgia

Bronner Bros Hair show

Denim Deshields slumber party

 

Cymias signing party with Young Money

Attack The Block Movie Meet & Greet/ Luncheon

sister 2 sister girls night out

Bloggers Night Out Williams-Sonoma

Jacob Lattimore's meet & greet at Metro Pcs

Meet & Greet with the cast of The Help

Glam it Up event hosted by Marlo Hampton

Goodwill Hunting,I love Thrifting event

Vibe Mag Ultimate Blogger Event hosted by winner Kodak Boi

Cynthia Bailey grand opening of The Bailey Agency

Girls Night Out Canvas By U

Girls Night Out, The Terrace Hotel

Segway'n through Atlanta

Devyne Stephen's 40th bday

The body shop makeover day

Purple Ribbon Kidz Launch party

Great Food Truck Race Food Network in Atlanta Hodge Podge from Cleveland my hometown!

Strength of Nature dinner

My 43rd Birthday party on Lake Lanier

Creekland Middle School Career Day

Garden of Eden Fashion Show hosted By Cynthia Bailey

Manolo Blahnik launches at Saks at Phipps

Actress Victoria Rowell Benefit Luncheon

Eagles Island

Hello Stiletto shoe party

Media Dinner for Jumping The Broom with Pooch Hall & Meagan Good

Layfayette 148 fashion show at Saks

Braxton's meet & greet

Female Success Factor

Annual Local Legends Scholarship Luncheon

Fun Day at the State CapitalFun Day at the State Capital

Essence Magazine Launch Party for The Next R&B Star

5th Annual Fine Art & Fashion to Benefit NBAF

House of Guerlain at Disney’s Epcot French Pavilion at Disney

Wild Africa Trek at Disney

Wedding Soiree Book Launch Party

Macy’s,Ebony,and Fashion Fair Cosmetics Honor Eunice W. Johnson

The Root presents…Young,Fabulous & Female in Atlanta

Elly B Customer Appreciation event

Chambord Flavored Vodka presents Cupid’s Countdown

Bloggers day at Fuego Mundo

Bags by Chilli Trunk Show

I enjoy my job and meeting new people, it makes me really happy! It makes my job so worth wild! People still ask me today what do you do actually? It’s hard to say but I work in media, I’m a fashion and beauty editor of a few magazines,blogger,red carpet correspondent and I’m all things social media, how about that lol. I have seen me look at hot mess and really nice and in between! My weight has fluctuated between a 12 and 14, I see it in my pics lol.All in all i must say its been a learning experience and I wouldn’t change anything in the world. I hope that my life,family and friends stay safe going into the new year! I love you guys and thanks so much for reading and hanging in there with me from the beginning of my lil blog five years ago! Take care and look at these photos I found! I can’t believe this year is over this weekend, it went by so fast! Enjoy! xoxo

Trumpet Awards 2011

Victoria’s Secret private viewing of the V-Day Collection

4th Annual Doggies on the catwalk

Lisa Wu's B-day party

Chilli's viewing/pj party

Pacci restaurant blogger day

Yes, it was that time again for the Bronner Brothers hair show held at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta. It was wall to wall people that came out to learn about what was trending in the hair and beauty industry. There were workshops,demos,performances,vendors and more that came out. Its always fun to stop by booths that carry your favorite product and stock up as well as watch hair battles on stage with Glen Jackson. “Should she stay or should she go” is what Glen yells at the participating crowd. They raise their hand or applaud Apollo style for what hairstyle they like the best. It is very entertaining to watch.

I made my way over to FHI Heat to get my hair done. I arrived looking a mess but they did a great job with my hair using a ceramic iron that made my hair soft and silky. Then I headed over to The Look By Joi who did my face. I must say this young lady knows her makeup! She did my face so fast and it was a very elegant look.

Should she stay or should she go!

I liked many hairstyles that were walking around. The new hairdo seems to be the colored mohawk. It looks feathery with cut layers with added colored hair pieces. It kinda reminds you of a rooster from looking at it from a side angle.Lots of ladies were also wearing sparkly eyeshadow made with minerals.Many vendors were selling mineral makeup. Nails trends seem to be mitch mach nails. They paint two nails then decorate, then the other nails are of other colors and designed in a whole other color.

I was up in the Clairol VIP Celebrity Lounge conducting interviews with guest that came by. I got a chance to chat with Dondria who has a new album coming out plus we discussed fashion,beauty and hair.

Singer Jacquees was the sweetest as I got a chance to hear his vocals,really good! Ray Lavendar was looking good telling me about his upcoming movie where he plays Sam Cooke.We all got a chance to hear him sing, “A change is gonna come”. I was blown away! He is not just handsome but can sing too ladies, wow! LisaRaye McCoy & Lisa Wu Hartwell also arrived in the lounge for a few candid shots. Both looked fabulous. Malcolm Jamal Warner then entered the lounge and I got all giddy as we talked about his new sitcom, Reed Between The Lines, a new show on BET. He will be playing a Psychologist and said, yes it is kind of “Cosbyish” but that we need to see that sorta show today.

Me,Jacquees,FreddyO

Me,Dondria,Kodak Boi

Bloggers Kodak Boi and Freddy O held it down with me as we interviewed the celebrity guests. I had a fun filled day and I tried my best to stay in my heels but it was not happening for me, as I switch out my pumps for flip flops and packed up. Pink Suga was tired but we will be returning today for more fun and action! I would like to thank The Look By Joi, FHI Heat,Clairol,Jamahl King, and Kingsmen Media.

Pics by Kingsmen Media & Paras Griffin

Bronner Brothers held their Winter Show over the weekend and I was able to catch some of the show. I saw live hair demos going on, vendors from all over the world selling their products, hairstylists taking mental notes and more. If you were a professional hair stylist coming to learn how what was the latest hair styles or what the latest and greatest products, this was the place to be! My favorite was seeing all the latest makeup trends! Glitter and sparkly eyes are all the craze! Thats the look I saw from seeing all the models walking around and watching makeup artist work their magic!

I learned a lot and saw new utensils to try, new hair products,eye candy along the way and more! I was able to stock up on some lashes too! I got 12 for $20.00 from Kiss, that was a deal. They were also doing nails, hair styling,lashes and makeup. Bronner Brothers always have the best shows in Atlanta and this one will go on till tues. Later this summer they will have an even bigger show, so check their site for details.

www.bronnerbros.com

Yesterday Pia and I traveled back down to the Bronner Brothers hair show again. It was more packed than the day before omg! Everybody and their friends and neighbors were out in full force! The day before was calm compared to yesterday! Glenn Jackson was doing a hair battle again and this time the models could walk! I didnt stay to see the whole competition but from a glimpse on the tv monitors it was great times over there.

Jason from documentary Good Hair

Getting a beat down lol

I saw a huge crowd gathered around Keisha Cole’s mom getting her weave done. I was blank starring and wondering what all the fuss was about lol. Then I saw Chance from Real Chance of Love or whatever that reality show was called, that I never watched. His hair was gorg but the attitude was terrible(too Hollywood,sit down)!

Vivica Foxx and Slim

Model/Reality Star Cynthia Bailey

Ms. Noelle Robinson

R&B artist performing Donny Hathaway song

Jazzy Pha

Hairstylist/Reality Star Derek J

We then went up to the V.I.P. lounge and some celebs came out like Cynthia Bailey and her cute daughter Noelle, Jazzy Pha, Vivica Fox and her boo Slim and other people in the entertainment business.

Erica,Me and Alicia

William McCray and I line dancing

Pia and I hanging out!

Later on we were invited out to the Design Essentials Anniversary party held at the Twelve Hotel at Atlantic Station. We had a great time and all the parties were fab! Check out the pics and I would like to thank April Love and Jamal King for the invite!

Hair show models…colorful!

Posed up,thats how you do it!

Love that design,get it!

Cuteness!

Dress is hauteness!

Cute models by hair battle

I just got back from the Bronner Brothers hair show and let’s just say a sister feet is tired! Whew all yall cousins came out and showed out! I don’t know where to start and I suffer from A.D.D. so it was too much going on and a lot to see. The usual fun vendors was back like Clairol, Motions, Creme of Nature, Mizani,Sally’s,Dudley and ofcourse Bronner Brothers. There were a lot of  newbies in the house too.

Creme of Nature new models, perty!

I’m telling Pia! lol

She has her very own product line!

Ummmmm!

Demonstrations going on all day

Nailed,yikes!

Gimme these, pinktastic!

What makes the Bronner Brother shows so exciting is all the people watching! There is crazy sights to see. If you want to catch everything under the rainbow, you have to come to the best hair show in the world!

Enzo Milano

I also stopped by a booth called, Enzo Milano. They were doing live demo’s on a new curling iron that you just wrap your hair around and it gives you a Beyonce style wavy curl. Brett did my whole head in under 7 minutes.I came in straight and left curly! I loved the body it gave me. The pink curling wand was $80.00 at the show but usually retails for $125.00. They are a new company based in Los Angeles.

Brett is hottness! Tee hee!

There were also live performances going on everywhere. I saw singer Priscilla Divine and I loved her lil back up dancers, cute! She has a song out about hair weave, but I really couldn’t hear all the lyrics lol.

This year was just as good as last year if not better. Glenn Jackson is a regular M.C. that does the hair competition/battle. You may know him from Tv One doing hair show documentaries. He was in rare form as usual and a delight to chat with lol. He does a Golden Scissors Award  in D.C. yearly,which is a huge success. This year he booted off the whack hairdo’s and crowned the winners with $1,000 dollars.

The Legendary Glenn Jackson,Glen Jackson(thats how u say it)

Student Competition

Strike a pose,catch it! lol

There was a student competition and professional competition. Glen’s commentating will have you in stitches. You have to be there to get the full effect. His favorite line is, “Should she stay, or should she go!” The crowd picks the winner by applauding and then the D.j plays Beyonce’s song, To the left, to the left and your excited off the stage Apollo style, hilarious.

This year, a young hair model in the professional competition worked the stage. Glen Jackson kept calling her Las Vegas, because she posed every time she got! Shy…I dont think so. You cant be that way when trying to win money, hello! You have to know how to walk and work the hairdo and stage! It was I think 8 competitors that got narrowed down to 2. When it’s the last two, then those two have to battle. The other model was so shy and couldn’t really walk, and Las Vegas ate her for lunch.

Should she stay? Or should she go? That’s a mean side eye lol

Ms. “Las Vegas” as Glenn Jackson liked to call her (on the left)

Yeah! Ms.Las Vegas won! Werk!

Ofcourse contestant #6 won with a land slide. The Bronner Brother’s show is going on till Monday Aug. 10th, so you still got time to get your tickets. Today I saw Dwayne Eubanks and Darrin Henson from MTV. Actress Monique was in the house too but I had just missed her.

V.I.P. Celeb Lounge at Bronner Bros, very plush

Choreographer Darrin Henson

Reality Star/Salon Owner Dwight Eubanks

Sheree Fletcher creator of WhoopAsh!

I stopped by (Will Smith’s Ex) Sheree Fletcher’s booth,who has a new WhoopAsh product, she is so sweet!  The V.I.P. lounge will be so fun tomorrow so check back with me to see who stopped by!

For more info please visit: www.bronnerbrothers.com