Thank you, thank you ... you're far too kind 💜

Jul 18, 2018

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#WednesdayWisdom

"To own the abundant life that's waiting for you, you've got to be willing to do the real work. Not your job. Not your career profile. But heeding your spirit, which is whispering its greatest desires for you." — Oprah Winfrey

Morning Musings

About a year or so ago, I had the crazy idea to throw a party to commemorate July 14, my Chicagoversary -- the fateful day I relocated from Charm City to the Windy City and my life changed forever.

Along with acknowledging my Chicagoversary, I wanted to celebrate my fifth blogaversary. Despite having blogged since 2010, LT in the City as you know and love it today didn't take shape until I moved here.

And more than an anniversary party, I wanted the event to have meaning. So I committed myself to hiring all women vendors; creating a swag bag full of goodies and discounts from women-owned businesses; and donating a portion of the proceeds to Polished Pebbles, the mentoring program for Black girls 7-17 I've been volunteering with since I moved to Chicago. It was truly a girl-powered event!

Party planning was certainly a labor of love (hosting a party for 50+ people, securing sponsors and promoting it on top of a demanding full-time day job AND side-hustles is no walk in the park), but it was so worth it.

Much love and many thanks to everyone who came out to celebrate with me, y'all were amazing! And to all of the hard-working businesswomen who contributed to the event's success, I appreciate your support.

And last, but certainly not least, a special shout-out to my husband and friends who made my party dreams a reality.

Whether it was going to three different florists the morning of the party to find the perfect peonies; flying in from New York City; serving as an impromptu bartender; driving all over God's creation to pick up party goods; running registration or stuffing swag bags, I appreciate you showing up.

Recently, Buzzfeed ran an article about showing up for friends. It's something I take seriously in my relationships, but to be honest, the feeling hasn't always exactly been mutual.

So I appreciate every single one of you who showed up (and showed out) more than you'll ever know. I love you from the bottom of my heart. Thank you.

Love,
L'Oreal

ICYMI

I've been so caught up in party prep that I forgot to share my recent feature in Voyage Chicago. In this interview, I talk about my career journey, starting my blog and more.

Links I Love

My Latest Obsession

Yes, the party was Saturday and I'm STILL obsessed with this beauty from Bon Vivant Cakes. As soon as I met the founder, Emily Nejad, at a networking event and saw (and tasted) her work, I knew that I had to have one of her colorful creative custom cakes for one of my own celebrations.

And I was not disappointed (and neither were my guests, for that matter, or my coworkers who enjoyed leftover cake earlier this week). Each cake is truly a work of art ... you can tell Emily puts her heart and soul into everything she makes. And did I mention it was delicious?! It's rare to find a cake that tastes as good as it looks these days and Emily has mastered that skill.

Now Hiring

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for The Create Daily
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Classifieds

Don't miss Gals That Brunch's inaugural brunch at AceBounce this Saturday! Ticket includes bottomless mimosas, endless bar bites, ping-pong and more.

Love trivia? Love supporting a good cause? Don't miss the Chicago Literacy Alliance's second annual trivia night hosted by the Literassociates on July 21! Use the promo code GUEST to save on tickets.

Want to reach more than 8,000 ambitious millennial women (and a few good men)? Learn more about LT in the City Classifieds here.

Well, that's all folks. I hope you enjoyed this edition of LT in the City Weekly! Be sure to follow me on the Interwebs using the buttons below or simply click "reply" to tell me what you think. Thanks a bunches!