Hello Divas! I came across this video of Dave Ramsey discussing his "Debt Snowball" method. Take a look at the video and let me know if you think the Debt Snowball is a good strategy for eliminating debt. Is is a go, or a no?
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Martini Break!!!
This week has been CRAZY! I cannot believe it’s already Thursday. The weekend is practically here, so it’s time for a new martini recipe to get it started right! Before I present this week’s recipe, I want to take a moment to recognize a major accomplishment. This past Tuesday marked the Martini Chronicles’ four-month anniversary! I know it hasn’t been that long, but it has definitely been a long time coming. In honor of this milestone, I wanted to extend special thanks to certain individuals who have supported me along the way, and have helped to make the Chronicles a must-read blog. So, here I go!
Thank you SMH, @KellySBeaty, @ManWifeDog, @KelzUncensored, @cacalderon, @muscle_law, @DivineBlue00, @MzNYCEsq, @Bee_Genuine, @LadeeSings, @A_GameNitaJ, and @Harlem4Dais! Did I miss anyone? If I did, blame my head and not my heart…I am truly grateful!
And now, I present to you……the Mango Martini! Thank me later!
Ingredients
3 oz of Your Favorite Light Rum
1 oz of Mango Flavored Rum
1 oz Rose’s® Lime Juice
1 Teaspoon of Sugar
1 Cup of Fresh Mangoes (You can get them already prepped at the supermarket)
Mango Slices for Garnish
Ice
Recipe
1. In a blender, puree mangoes in a blender with the sugar. Mixture should be smooth, yet thick.
2. In a shaker, combine rums, lime juice, mango mixture, and ice. Shake!
3. Strain mixture into a chilled martini glass.
4. Garnish with mango slices.
Preparation Is Key!!!
"By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail."
How many times have you heard this saying? I’ve heard it more times than I can count, and it never gets old. In fact, I take it heart. As Professional Divas, I believe that it is important to prepare and plan for the work week in order to maximize productivity. As you may already know, I am a big proponent of balancing my personal and professional lives to achieve a well-balanced life. What you may not know is that every Sunday, I sit at my dining room table and plan my week. I plan what I will do each day at work, as well as what I will do before and after work. It may sound strange, but actually seeing what I need and want to accomplish each week makes me more efficient. Maybe it is psychological, but it works for me! In the spirit of sharing, I wanted to let you in on my planning process.
First, I make a list of all the tasks I need to accomplish during the week at work. I then make a separate list of the tasks that I want to accomplish. There is a difference, and distinguishing between the two makes it easier to prioritize tasks.
Second, I make a list of those things I want to accomplish before and after work. This varies from week to week. I like to go to gym every day before or after work, so I typically plan for this. I also like to cook at least 3 times a week. I definitely make time to work on my blog, and network with my fellow bloggers.
Third, I list any “extracurricular” activities that I plan to participate in during the week. It may be an after work happy hour, or a Yankees game, or a family get together.
Once I have my lists together, I begin to plan my week. I actually break out my notebook and pen, and write down my weekly schedule (real old school like!). I first add my extracurricular activities, along with the time I plan to attend the specified event. I then add the task I need to accomplish at work, and then those thing I want to accomplish before and after work. Finally, I add the tasks I want to accomplish at work where time permits. These things are not mandatory, but if I can get them done, I win!
And there it is! It usually takes me about 30 minutes to an hour to crank out my plan, but it makes a world of a difference when my crazy work week starts. I understand that this form of preparation may not be for everyone, but I emphatically believe that some form of preparation and planning is necessary. After all, failure to plan is planning to fail. And Professional Divas should never plan to fail!
Have a fabulous and productive week!
Beyonce's New Song - Do We Like?
Hey Divas! Here is the audio for Beyonce's new song Run the World (Girls). What do you ladies think? Is is hot or not? Let me know!
Martini Break!!!
The Orange Icicle Martini
Happy Saturday Divas! I have to apologize to you ladies immediately, as it is already Saturday, and I have not posted a martini recipe for you this week. As I was sitting in my living room on Thursday night preparing to post my fabulous Orange Icicle Martini recipe, the most ridiculous thing ever happened…..my computer crashed!
You heard me right! The screen went blue, and some weird writing popped up! I called my sister, who has a degree in Computer Science, and she told me that was the blue screen of death. The Blue Screen of Death! Really though! I was devastated! I immediately began thinking of those items on my computer that I hadn’t backed up elsewhere, and how I would have to “restart” my entire computer…
You know what? That fiasco is perfect material for a separate blog post. For now, I want to share my recipe for the Orange Icicle Martini. It tastes soooo good, and it is perfect for the springtime after work happy hours. Try it out, and let me know what you think.
And now I present to you the much anticipated (at least in my head) Orange Icicle Martini!
Ingredients
- 2oz of Your Favorite Vodka
- 2oz of Amaretto Liqueur
- 1oz of Orange Juice
- Orange Slices for Garnish
- Ice
- Ice
Recipe
- In a shaker, combine vodka, amaretto, orange juice, and ice. Shake!
- Strain mixture into a chilled martini glass.
- Garnish with an orange slice.
Now, I can predict that the bartender at the happy hour won’t know what you’re talking about if you ask for an Orange Icicle Martini. But this recipe is simple enough…just tell him (or her) what you want! Try it out! And Drink Responsibly!
Diva Spotlight
Charli Penn-Watkins
Greetings Divas! And welcome to the inaugural installment of The Martini Chronicles’ Diva Spotlight! Each week, I will have the honor of introducing some of the most dynamic and successful professional women in various sectors of the business world. I completely believe that fabulousness should not be contained. In fact, I love to highlight the accomplishments of my fellow Professional Divas who are dedicated to being the best at what they do. Are you excited!?
Without further adieu, let’s meet our very first Professional Diva. Her name is Charli Penn-Watkins, and she is absolutely amazing! Charli is a Social Media and Digital Commerce Manager from Bloomfield, New Jersey. She earned her B.A. in Sociology and Anthropology from Spelman College (GO JAGUARS!), and her M.A in Journalism from University of California at Berkeley. Additionally, Charli is the Founder of a highly successful blog, Man Wife & Dog, which provides advice to married couples and animal lovers. We put Charli in the “Haute Seat,” and here’s what she had to say:
I'm a writer with a passion for social media so my company hired me to manage all social media and online representation of their many home brands. Essentially I write the product copy, manage the product representation with all retail partners online, and create all the social media marketing efforts and campaigns (i.e. Facebook and Twitter).
I've worked as a journalist and online specialist for over 10 years. Prior to being at my latest post I was the Online Managing Editor for TheKnot.com and WedddingChannel.com. I've managed Alloy.com and CollegeClub.com and worked for magazines like Seventeen, Black Beat, Right On!, Rolling Stone, and Glamour.
What professional accomplishment makes you the proudest?
Those that are not attached to any employer but rather my own personal professional endeavors. Right now I would say the advice blog I've launched for married couples and animal lovers called Man Wife and Dog is my pride and joy and what I'm most proud of.
That it's better to come home and hustle for your side projects and personal dreams in the evenings when you're younger and not married because you have more energy and more time to yourself without having to balance so much.
What is your advice for women who would like to enter into your profession?
So much of what I've learned about journalism and writing in general has been hands on and through connecting with other talented people in my industry. Internships, freelancing, and networking are EVERYTHING in the media business.
How do you balance you career with your personal life?
I don't sleep much. It's very important to me to be present in my marriage, there for my friends and family, and constantly moving towards my entrepreneurial efforts. I've found that balancing them all unfortunately leaves very little time to rest.
What do you do in your spare time?
Work on my books, enjoy quality time with my husband and family, and practice a little amateur photography too.
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| Mr. and Mrs. Watkins |
My marriage, for sure. God blessed me with the presence of an amazing man in my life who loves me and supports me. We've managed to create a union and a bond that's so special and so healthy and sometimes I just glow thinking about how proud I am of "us".
Where do you see yourself in the next 10 years, professionally and personally?
Professionally: The CEO of Charli Inc., working for myself as published author, successful blogger, voice over artist, and public speaker. It's important to me to write my own check to me, and not to have to depend on someone else to pay me for my abilities. Personally: A baby isn't in our near future but we sure better have two by then. I'd also like us to be proud home owners and working together to slowly customize our home to make it our dream come true. We also plan to travel a lot more before the babies come.
What else do you want our readers to know about you and/or your career path?
That sometimes the road less traveled really is the best one to take. So many mentors and friends told me it was silly to go and take two years off and get a master's degree in journalism and then those same people thought it was even sillier for me to take a marketing job instead of a pure journalistic position. When I look at where many of those same people are today who followed the other path, I truly believe I'm much happier career-wise. Plus, so much of the success that I've had lately has been directly related to those "ill-advised" decisions I once made. Go figure!
Candy-apple baby! I order it everywhere I go and if they can't make me one I usually leave.
And there you have it! Special thanks to Charli for agreeing to be featured in the Diva Spotlight. If you have any questions for Charli, please leave her a comment. Also be sure to check out Charli’s blog Man Wife & Dog.
Martini Break!
The Kamikaze Martini
This past weekend, I had the pleasure of celebrating the birthday of one of my best friends…and it was fabulous! The club was small, the people were nice, and the drinks were great! I, of course, only had orange and cranberry juice because I was driving (responsible me!). Additionally, I came to the club with the intention of purchasing a couple of shots (or more) for my friend in honor of her birthday. So when the bartender asked me what I wanted her to make, I immediately thought of the Kamikaze. The Kamikaze was one of the first shots I learned how to make while in bartending school, and it has always been a favorite of mine. Remember I told you Divas that I get inspiration for my martini recipes from everywhere…and tonight’s recipe is no exception. I decided to transform the classic Kamikaze into a martini. Risky…I know, but I’m a DIVA! And I will do it….watch me! And now, the Kamikaze Martini.
Ingredients
3oz of Your Favorite Vodka
1oz of Triple Sec
1oz Lime Juice
1oz Orange Juice
1 Teaspoon of Sugar
Cherry for Garnish
Ice
Recipe
1. In a shaker, combine vodka, triple sec, lime juice, orange juice, sugar, and ice. Shake!
2. Strain mixture into chilled martini glass.
3. Garnish with a cherry.
There you have it. Told you I could do it! Now go and enjoy, and have a fantastic weekend! And Drink Responsibly!
Professional Diva Must Haves.....
Nude Pumps
My name is The Pro Diva, and I have a shoe fetish…..there I said it! The jig is up! I love shoes…all kinds of shoes. Sling backs, wedges, sandals, boots, booties…I love them all! I think I may have a problem (just kidding).
Like many Professional Divas, I have a variety of different styles of shoes that I like to wear in the workplace. Usually high heels; sometimes a little funky to jazz up a traditional suit; many different colors and styles. It is well settled that black, brown, and navy blue pumps are the “go-to” shoes for many professional women. But is there room in Corporate America for a new “go-to” shoe? I think there is! The nude pump has become increasingly popular amongst professional women; mainly because it harmonizes so well with traditional and modern business wear. You can find nude pumps in so many different shapes, styles, and colors that it is almost impossible not to discover one that suits you. And I am absolutely positive that you have several outfits in your closet that can benefit from the fabulousness that is a nude pump.
If you have not already done so, do yourself a favor and invest in a great pair of nude pumps (or two). They are elegant, chic, and stylish…which coincidentally are just a few of the qualities that define a Professional Diva. Now go!
