You Don’t Want to Miss the 2019 NC InflueNCe Meet-Up

I’m excited about the first of many NC InflueNCe Meet-Ups. It will take place on Saturday June 29th at Provident 1898 in Durham, NC. InflueNCe is a one-day blogger/influencer intensive with two panels on social media monetization and pitching brands for partnerships. It will be a day of learning, networking and growing your brand by learning from eight successful panelists who will share their experiences and journey with you. Also, giving you actionable steps to level up!

Yours Truly will be on the “Pitches Get Riches” Panel where I will share how I prepare myself before reaching out to a brand and the step by step process until the actual pitch. I’ll also share the importance of following up with a brand until you get a NO, which most of the time means NOT RIGHT NOW! Lunch will be provided and there will be an after-hours mixer at Unscripted Durham, so we can wind down from a long day of intensive learning.

NC InflueNCe tickets are going fast! Get yours before they’re gone! https://www.tinyurl.com/y3t9gv5c #InflueNCe2019 Click To Tweet

Tickets are going fast! Get yours before they’re gone! The ticket price is less than a one-hour consultation with one of the panelists and you get a whole day with eight of them! Seriously speaking, MY hourly consultation fee is almost double the InflueNCe ticket price. So, let’s put into perspective that you get eight successful panelists that are sharing valuable information with takeaways from 9am-4pm. That’s a no brainer to me!

Leading up to the InflueNCe Meet-Up, The Lux Blog will be scheduling LIVE Facebook and Instagram Interviews with the panelists s that you can learn some more about them before the meet-up and what you can expect on that day. If you haven’t already… Like and or Follow The Lux Blog on Facebook and Instagram to keep up with all things NC InflueNCe and catch the LIVE interviews. I hope you’ll join us! I can’t wait to see everyone and spill the beans on pitching and making Shmoney!

Will I see you at the 2019 NC InflueNCe Meet-Up?

It’s All About Motown The Musical at DPAC

I had an opportunity to see Motown The Musical on opening night at DPAC and I got so much more than I expected. My guest for the evening was Leslie from SobeSavvy and we had a ball! I honestly thought it was going to be a general story line with all the Motown Hits. It was so much more than that. There was so much history in the story line that I walked away feeling like I got a history lesson, concert and overall fantastic story line. If you haven’t gotten your tickets yet, go get them ASAP! Motown The Musical will be at DPAC from Tuesday August 1st through Sunday the 6th.

Motown The Musical is chronicling the journey of Berry Gordy from his youth to becoming a featherweight boxer. Then building Motown Records “his DREAM” and launching the careers of many greats we know like The Temptations, Diana Ross (The Supremes), Michael Jackson, Stevie Wonder, Smokey Robinson, Marvin Gaye and the list goes on. It was apparent that Motown was more than just your average record company, it was a FAMILY! There were so many obstacles to overcome inside and outside of the music industry.

We got a taste of racism and what artists had to go through trying to get their records played on the radio and even during live performances due to segregation. They were able to beat the odds and used their music to spread a message. Think… Marvin Gaye “What’s Going On” or Diana Ross “Reach Out and Touch”. You see the progress that is made once they get booked by the Copacabana in that era. More than 40 classic hits are featured during the performance like You’re All I Need, Stop! In the Name of Love, Square Biz and so many more. We were all dancing in our seats and singing along with the cast.

The cast is AMAZING! Chester Gregory who plays Berry Gordy and Allison Semmes who played Diana Ross were PHENOMINAL. Malcolm Armwood played Marvin Gaye opening night; he’s ECU Alum and no stranger to North Carolina! He was awesome! I enjoyed the entire performance from beginning to end. The choreography, orchestra music and scenes were perfect. They changed seamlessly and kept us all engaged and into the story line. I left learning so much more about Motown than I originally knew and most importantly… NEVER give up on your DREAMS!

Motown The Musical is Directed by Charles Randolph-Wright, Produced by Tony Award® winning Producer Kevin McCollum (Rent, In the Heights, Avenue Q), Chairman and CEO of SONY Music Entertainment Doug Morris and Motown Founder Berry Gordy. If you haven’t snagged your tickets they start at $30 (plus taxes/fees). Tickets are available through DPAC online or through Ticketmaster. You also can visit the DPAC Box Office and purchase your tickets.

Don’t you want to see Motown The Musical and Sing ALL your faves?

Review: Modern Map Art Home Décor Print

I’m in the middle of revamping my work space at home and jumped at the opportunity to review Modern Map Art with a map of any City of my choosing. I currently reside in Durham, NC and have grown to love my hometown being a New York transplant. It was easy to choose a map of the City of Durham to hang on my wall in my redesigned work space. You have a map color choice of white, black or blue. I chose the classic white with black print to match my new “office” color scheme.

There are five sizes to choose from starting at 8 X 10 going up to 24 X 36 being the largest print. The map is so intricate with thousands of lines and different widths representing the size of the roads. The default layout of the prints will be a half inch border all around with the city name centered at the bottom. The frame/matte isn’t included in your purchase. I was able to go to Michael’s and purchase the perfect frame for 40% off the original ticketed price. Good SALE = HUGE win!

I am still in the process of completing my redesign however; my Modern Map Art has been framed and hung on my wall. I used “HANGables” removable wall fasteners from the Velcro Brand so I wouldn’t have to worry about damaging my walls. It was easy to hang up and it will be just as easy to remove. My Durham Modern Map Art will be up for a while so I don’t even need to worry about that right now. Even though I am still working on my space, I enjoy walking in the room and seeing my Durham Modern Map Art hanging on the wall.

The Map(s) are printed on museum-quality posters made on thick, durable, matte paper and uses UltraChrome Ink. They are also printed on archival, acid free paper and also fingerprint resistant. It’s the perfect addition to your home décor and makes a great gift. I framed my poster immediately and it looks PERFECT! I wouldn’t showcase it any other way. Modern Map Art ships worldwide. It usually takes 3-5 days to process and 3-5 days to ship within the USA. 5-12 days for Canada and 10-20 days outside of the USA and Canada.

Bonus: You can message Modern Map Art for custom colors or additional customization.

Modern Map Art can be of your favorite city, landmark or any place you’d like. It’s perfect for remembering travel memories or special moments in your life that happened at a specific place. My immediate second choice would have been where I grew up in Mt. Vernon, NY. I have so many memories and a rich history where I am from. Visit the Modern Map Art website for additional information and inspiration. Ski Maps, Pillows and Phone Cases are also available!

If you could choose, where would get a Modern Map Art poster of?

Xtreme Park Adventures Paintball Experience

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What better way to spend a Sunday Funday than at Xtreme Park Adventures playing paintball with the family. Let me start off by saying this was my very FIRST paintball experience and I didn’t get the dress code memo NOT to wear anything you actually like and to dress down. I should have been ready to get dirty or painted on with old shirts and jeans that I could care less about. I know some of you may think this is common sense but, the way my mind is set up… Lol! I totally didn’t think about it until we got to Xtreme Adventure Park and I saw the way people were dressed to play in the outdoor field.

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I had on a good pair of jeans, knit top, Michael Kors Fall Jacket and Merrell’s Sneakers. I laughed when I figured out I would be in paintball crossfire with this outfit on. Oh Em Gee… How can I forget about my natural kinky & curly hair? I didn’t wear a bandanna, hat or head wrap. Needless to say my hair would also be a casualty of paintball war. On the upside, we had gotten a great deal on Groupon for an all-day field pass for $18/per person. It’s usually $45 for the basic package and $55 for the premium package. There are also other attractions like zip lining, ropes course, laser tag, escape room and more.

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What’s included? You get field entry all-day, paintball gun, mask, hopper, 200 paintballs and one full air tank. You can rent a vest and purchase additional paintballs. The only difference with the premium package is that you get 500 paintballs and air tank with unlimited air refills. If you have your own equipment you will only pay the entry fee and for paintballs. They are a FOP (Field Paint Only) so, no outside paint allowed. Xtreme Kombat Adventures has reasonable pricing and deals for large groups. They also run special promotions on a monthly basis. I can’t wait to catch another great deal!

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There are six people in my immediate family so I am always looking for a great deal. We also love to invite friends and extended family to join us. The more the merrier! After we checked in and received all of our equipment it was time to hit the field. We participated in public field play meaning that there were about 50+ other people we didn’t know participating in this activity. You have the option to purchase two hours of private instruction where it will be just your group. I may consider a private party in the near future for a fun family activity. It’s also great for corporate team building.

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Our Mission: So our mission was to get the “President” from one side of the field to the other. There were the good guys and the bad guys. The good guys were the ones escorting the “President” across the field. The field was full of barricades, trees and rocky hiding places. There was a base that you could rest up at if you got hit before you got back in the game. Good guys had unlimited lives and bad guys had one life. I was a good guy! I did get hit twice and in case you didn’t know, it can hurt a little! I had a blast! Have you ever played paintball? If so, did you like it?

Xtreme Park Adventures is located at 7460 Hwy. 98/ Wake Forest Rd. Durham, NC 37703 (919) 596-6100 for reservations. Visit their website for additional information.

Kinky Boots Opens in Durham at DPAC

I had the pleasure of viewing The Tony Award winning Broadway Musical Kinky Boots at the Durham Performing Arts Center on opening night. To give you a little background on this musical it is based on the Miramax Motion Picture Kinky Boots. Geoff Deane and Tim Firth wrote the motion picture, with music by Cyndi Lauper. Kinky Boots the musical was written by Harvey Fierstein and directed and choreographed by Jerry Mitchell.

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Kinky Boots tells the heartfelt story of two very different individuals who seem to have nothing in common. Charlie and Simon also known as Lola are the two main characters. Charlie’s goal is to save his family business from dying while Lola is an entertainer who ironically inspires Charlie’s Idea that saves his family business.

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As I watched this beautiful story unfold there were many things that stood out to me. One of the biggest things to grab my attention was the stage production itself. The smooth scene transitions and the scenery were flawless. I was able to follow the story and stay engaged along with the stage presence of the phenomenal actors. Secondly, the musical numbers performed were super catchy and though we did not know all the words I know I’m not the only one who found myself wanting to sing along.

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Lola and her Angels captured the hearts of the audience. Lola brought life to Northampton in my opinion. She was an eye opener in many aspects which brings me to the last and most important contribution to this musical. Life lessons and lessons learned. Throughout this piece there were a variety of lessons taught. Following your dreams and letting go of those who have no faith in your dreams, Friendship alongside Acceptance being the number one lesson.

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Accepting yourself, accepting others, and accepting your situation for what it is. This in my opinion is where it hit home for, if not all then most of us. I personally could relate to not feeling like I belong sometimes and Lola is a perfect example of perseverance. Overall this was a wonderful performance, I wouldn’t hesitate to be the first to watch it again. Kinky Boots will be playing at DPAC until Sunday September 18th.

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Disclosure: Contributing writer Briana Snipes received two comp tickets for Kinky Boots in order to facilitate her review of this incredible Broadway Musical.

Visit the DPAC website for additional show information on Kinky Boots and to purchase tickets!

error: Ask And You Shall Receive!!