2013 nov_dec influencer issue

| tastemakermag.com | NOV-DEC

TASTEMAKERVol. II Issue 6 November / December 2013

BeautyTips

From The Pros

Four Great Neighborhoodsfor Millenials

Anatomy of a Modern Suit

TheInfluencers


TASTEMAKERNOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2013

Makeup pros share simple tips to enhancing your natural beauty.

Insured is the New Cool

Millennials Need a Break

Anatomy of a Modern Suit

One to Watch: Stephen Rider

Neighborhoods for Millennials

Influencers FeiFei Sun and Justin

Tanner at the Four Seasons Atlanta Hotel. 21

The 2013 Ford Escape inspires a delicious culinary tour around the city of Atlanta.

11

14

18

45

50

Car Review48

7 BeautyContents

Cover and content photo by Darnell Wilburn

Are you following us on Instagram? Our page is full of amazing photos dipicting todays hottest topics in fashion, beauty, entertainment and lifestyle.

Get Social With Us Don’t forget: Comment, pin, tag and tweet us. We love hearing from our readers and followers!

On Tastemakermag.com

CONTENTS DIGITAL

Tastemakermag.com is a great place to stay up to date on your favorite celebrities, lifestyle topics and happenings around Atlanta. We had the pleasure of interviewing Jennifer Lopez, Keith Urban, Harry Connick, Jr. and Ryan Seacrest while they were in Atlanta for American Idol auditions. Be sure to check out the interviews here.

photo credit: Tastemaker Magazine

American Idol Does Atlanta

Looking for holiday inspiration for hosting your Thanksgiving party or need ideas for a sparkly night on the town? We have over 20 boards filled with design goodness to help you unleash your inner pinner.

Re-Pin for Inspiration

The MillennialsOur new twitter chat is coming in January and we want to hear from you! Email us:

[email protected] and let us know what topics you would like us to discuss during our lunch time twitter chat. We’ll be discussing every-

thing from beauty to finances during #themillennial series.

@tastemakermag

TASTEMAKER

PUBLISHERTiffini Gatlin@theatlgo2girl

[email protected]

LIFESTYLE EDITORAndrea Janise@atlfoodwriter

[email protected]

HEALTH EDITORMonica L. Ponder

@[email protected]

ART DIRECTORDarnell Wilburn@darnellwilburn

[email protected]

FEATURE EDITORFrancie Salters

[email protected]

PHOTOGRAPHERChanda M. Scott

@7dcms

INTERNBriana Augustus@journalisticbri

[email protected]

CONTRIBUTORBernetta Knighton

@bernettastyleCont

ribut

ors

Growth.photo by: Chanda M. Scott

One word sums up this issue for me. Inspired! When planning the influencer issue with my

team, I was most intersted in the un-derdog. You know the one that has an amazing story, but for whatever reason no one really knows about it. Our group of infuencers (Page were chosen for the immeasurable about of drive they have to leave an impact on their respective community. As an entrepreneur myself, learning about what lights the fire that fuels each our influencers passion, in-spired me to want to do more. I actually felt I wasn’t doing enough; go figure. As an entrepreneur one of the issues I suffer from is not knowing how successful I am. Let me explain. When I worked in corporate america, I knew how effictive I was by how well my em-ployees performed. Even further than that, I had managers who would give

me periodic reviews based on my per-formance. Their feedback helped me re-alize the areas in which I needed to do better, as well as the areas in which I was the strongest. My problem is, I get so im-mersed with work that I forget to assess how well I’m doing; or maybe not do-ing. I don’t think any of our influencers know this, but each one gave me valu-able advice, and helped me realize that without a personal assessement, you can’t determine how far you’ve come or better yet how much further you need to go. It’s been three months since baby Malikai made his en-trance into the world. Looking at the above pic-ture reminds me that you don’t stay little forever–you grow. To all my featured in-

fluencers–thank you for the unspoken reminder to administer my personal assessment so I too may see how much I’ve grown.

Tiffini Gatlin, Publisher

Letter from the Editor


Reading your healthcare manual is similar to reading the IRS tax rules - daunting. Similar to the tax code, you really only want to know how can certain things ben-

efit you. By not reading everything, it’s possible to miss out on valuable information that could save you money. In recent years, more and more individuals have had to f o r g o health insurance because of the cost. The Affordable Care Act is a set of health insurance reforms that started in 2010 and will continue to roll out in 2014 and beyond.

On October 1, 2013, a new way to get health coverage rolled out: the Health Insurance Marketplace. This has never been done before and ex-citing to see in action. There are plans

offered by private companies that will allow you to compare your options based on price, benefits, quality and more. There will also be a chart that informs you whether you can qualify for Medicaid in addition to the Children’s Health Insurance Program.

Program. More people will finally be able to save money on private insurance. This is great, because so many people are self-em-ployed without insurance. Once your plan is

selected, coverage starts January 1, 2014.

Did you know that not having health in-surance might cost you in the near future? With the new Affordable Health Care act, most Americans are now required to pay health insurance or pay a fine.

By Bernetta Jackson-Knighton | Monica Lindsey Ponder

Insured is the New CoolThe Health Insurance Marketplace & Affordable Care Act

Everything You Need to Know to get Started

Doctor: What seems to be troubling you? Patient: Well doc, it’s my wallet...


5 Things Millennials Need to Know About the Insurance Marketplace

Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Tennessee recently surveyed a group of Mlllenials to assess the most common ques-tions about the insurance marketplace. Here is what they found and the answers:

• Cost: Millennials were most concerned about monthly cost, but also about out of pocket cost and deduct-ibles. The new website addresses how the health care law provides tax credits to eligible participants. Low monthly premiums and zero deductibles were top-rated priorities.

• Coverage and Quality: Millennials were concerned about buying a plan that offered quality coverage and were unaware of the differences in the plans that will be sold on the Marketplace. The plan options will be available by level, and each level will offer a different set of benefits. Please reach out to a state enrollment navigator of your local community health center if you’d like to talk through your options further.

• Marketplace Information: The most often asked questions were “How can I get the best deal on a health plan?” and “How can I access the financial assistance?” Though the ability to confirm eligibility and apply for tax credits opened with the Marketplace Oct. 1, the educational website gives shoppers resources and the ability to lookup terminology and potential options.

• Tax Credit: All age groups were interested in learning more about the tax credit (financial assistance). Infor-mation on how the credit will be calculated and the options are available beginning Oct. 1, 2013 and shop-pers can start on this website. Explanations of the tax penalty for not having insurance are also addressed.

Eligibility: The new website will direct shoppers on the process to determine eligibility. Those that already have coverage through their employer or who are Medicaid-eligible generally do not qualify for tax credits on the Marketplace.

BEAUTYNATURAL BEAUTY

When it comes to beauty...I believe in en-hancing and not trans-forming. To achieve this natural look I used Bobbi Brown’s Skin foundation in and Golden Honey (5.5) and the Bobbi Brown foun-dation stick in Honey (5) as concealer. Ella’s face was set with Bobby Brown’s loose powders in Orange and Pale Yellow (under the eye are and in the T-zone). Mac’s eyeliner in Fascinating opens the eyes and bring a subtle brightness to the face. Eyeshadows were kept in a neutral pal-let. Using taupes/ soft browns, and highlight-ing shimmers from MAC. I used MAC’s eyebrow pencil in Spiked, and L’oreals Voluminous Lash in black for mas-cara. A dab of NARS blush in GINA, MAC’s gloss in Oyster Girl and Oh Baby mixed, and MAC’s highlighting bronzer in Gold Deposit and wah- lah! ;)

Melanesia | Makeupmelanesiahunter.com Ella Adair | ModelDarnell Wilburn | Photo

Andrea:Make Up For Ever hd foundation , natural,brown shimmer shadow with Make Up For Ever aqua blk wa-terproof gel liner, blush honey jasmine, lips soft coral color.

Ebonee:Make Up For Ever foun-dation, orgasim blush. Lips med. Brown liner with natural lip color

Keka Heron | MakeupKekaHeron.comAtlanta + NYC Ebonee | Factor ModelDarnell Wilburn | Photo

Steps: 1. Make sure you prop-erly prep your skin with a good moisturizer, and face primer afterwards. 2. Know your skin type-- oily or dry-- and choose the best foun-dation for your skin. 3. For your eyes, choose a color close to your complexion with a hint of shimmer,. Next, using a very blck eye liner, line your eyes close to the lash line. For more dramatic bring out and create a car eye, add mascara to top & bot-tom lashes. 4. For your cheeks choose a color that will warm your complexion it can vary from soft pinks to deep plum. 5. to finish add Bronzer to give your face that beautiful glow.

Keka Heron | MakeupKekaHeron.com ATL + NYC Andrea | ModelDarnell Wilburn | Photo


Where are you from...New Castle, Delaware. It’s a beautiful thing. I was raised with my sisters by my grandmother and mother.

Your college days....I’m a More-house man. I majored in finance because I love learning. I was able to fulfill that analytical part of my-self.

The acting bug...(At Morehouse) I was longing for something else and I always thought about acting. So I took the intro to acting class offered on Spelman’s campus. It was the

first time in my life that I’d found a conduit to really express myself.

Your first film role...In The Great Debaters I played the second de-bater on the team against Wiley College. It was an incredible proj-ect and a great opportunity to be around like minded people. A real passion project for me.

Landing the part...I went in and read for Lee Daniels for the role. His family is from Philadelphia and I grew up 15 minutes away from Philly. So we grew up very simi-

lar. When you book things it’s not just because of your acting, it’s also about who you are. Atmosphere on the set...it’s a syn-ergy that Lee creates that allows everybody to feel comfortable. One minute we were cracking up, the next minute we were serious, the next minute you’re falling out laughing. But what I love about Lee is he never calls you by your name (on set). He always calls you by your character’s name. It con-stantly keeps you in that frame of mind which is so brilliant.

The real Admiral Rochon......I got a chance to meet him and share in his experiences as the chief butler for President Bush and President Obama. It wasn’t the largest part in the movie but it’s one of the most memorable.

What you desire in a woman... I am single, let it be known! I want someone who has a great person-ality, can make me laugh, has the ability to talk about anything, and allows me to be myself.

One To Watch STEPHEN RIDERBY FRANCINE SALTERS

Stephen Rider the single, sexy breakout star from Lee Daniels’ The But-ler, talks about his role as Admiral Rochon and what he’s looking for in a woman. Not only is this Morehouse man easy on the eyes but he’s an intel-lectual, outstanding actor with a great sense of humor.You’ve seen him in other films such as The Great Debaters and Safe House starring Academy Award winner Denzel Washington. Get to know this risen star.


Contrary to what other generations may think of us, Millennials are hard working - and we work hard to make sure that others

know and see our value. According to the Huffington Post, 59% of Mil-lennials have at least a college degree – with an average student loan debt of $26,600. Over the last 28 years, tuition expenses have increased 538 percent. This has made college nearly unaf-fordable and created high demand for those student loans and, with a na-tional job crisis looming, many Millen-nials have to use student loans just to attend college and are working harder post-graduation just to find stability, establish their careers, and have a piece of the ‘American Dream’. This reality can leave many of us stressed and burdened.Sometimes, we can get into that “hamster on a wheel” mode where we’re going, going, going without a break. It

can be difficult to turn our batteries off when we’re con-stantly thinking about that endless to-do list. To avoid the

dreaded destination of “burnout”, take a getaway where you can de-clutter your mind of its stress for a few hours.

Modern office workers are sometimes called “workaholics,” working long hours and taking few breaks. Studies within the last few years have shown that skipping breaks or lunch can ham-per productivity and even increase mortality. There are a number of ways you can take breaks at work that help your concentration, physical fitness and mood.

Taking routine breaks leads to more happiness, satisfaction in relationships and better produc-tivity at work when we return to our routines. So basically, taking a breather is a win-win situation whichever way you look at it.

Millennials: Ever Feel the Need to Escapeby Dion Short Metzger, M.D. | Monica Lindsey Ponder, MS, MSPH

Dion Short Metzger, M.D.

Continued >


• Schedule your break time into your daily work schedule. Block out 2 to 5 minutes to move around between every hour to 90 minutes of work. Working on a computer can distort your perception of time, so use your cell phone, email calendar or a kitchen timer to ensure you take the breaks.

• Schedule a 3 to 5 minute break every 30 minutes, if you work at a desk and have a bad back or repetitive stress injury. Sitting for longer than 30 minutes places unhealthy stress on your spine, which can result in muscle atrophy and vertebral disc problems.

Leave your work area when you take a break. Do not sit at a desk and check your email or social media sites. Stand-ing up and walking around increases circulation to the muscles, which can improve your comfort level through-out the day.

• Evaluate your need for ex-ercise. If you are lacking the 30 minutes of cardiovascular exercise per day that doc-tors recommend, then walk-ing outside or around the office in 5, 10 or 30-minute intervals can help your heart as well as your productivity.

Plan work breaks according to your personality. Gauge what will best benefit you - time with people or time alone. If you are extroverted and energized by time spent talking with others, ask col-leagues to take a short break with you. Scheduling a break with another person will en-courage you to be on time for the break period. If you are introverted and seek peaceful alone time, this can include getting out of an office build-ing or locating a peaceful cor-ner of an office.

5-Minute Breaks Are Okay

The Centers for Disease Control has shown that even taking five-minute breaks--whether you sit at a desk, do heavy con-struction work, or anything in between--can have several benefits. Short breaks can help increase your concentration, alert-ness, and work speed. They can help lower stress and your risk for on-the-job accidents, soreness, musculoskeletal disorders, and eyestrain. Short breaks are also linked to having a smaller waistline, lower body mass index (BMI), and lower triglyceride levels.

Below are examples of some activities you can do in five minutes or less to benefit from rest breaks1. Take several short breaks throughout the day (about every hour). Make sure they include some movement.2. Take a short walk away from your workstation.3. Stand up and stretch or walk in place at your desk without looking at your computer monitor.4. Get out of your chair whenever you take phone calls at your desk.5. Change positions at your workstation.6. Have a drink of water or a light snack.

Do You Find it Challenging to Pull Away? Even though you know you should? Try these tips:


StyleMIXING AND MATCHING LOOKS ANATOMY OF A MODERN SUIT DRESSING YOUR DENIM


Embrace versatility in your wardrobe. I often like to put a twist on my suits so I can go out without looking like a stiff. I mean guys will spend hundreds of dollars on a suit and rarely get any use out of them outside of the 9-5.

Here I took the jacket of a suit I’d normally wear to work and turned it into some-thing more casual cool just by rolling up the sleeves.

Couple that with a black henley shirt and matching monk strap shoes.

Christopher Thai | Writermodernartandstyle.com Darnell Wilburn | Photos

“Layering is vital to

an upscale man’s

wardrobe.”


Lapels. Much like your suit and tie, your lapels should be slim. Remem-ber, notched not peaked.

Shoes. The right pair does indeed make the man and nothing says classic like the oxford. The modern take on this staple comes in a plethora of colors and textures.

Pants. The modern pant should be free of pleats, slender and have little or no set-tling at the bottom. It’s ok to cuff.

Fitted. It’s obvi-ous that times have changed. Today’s style calls for a more slim, tailored look. That goes for shirts too. Baggy should be dropped from your vocabulary and closet.

Darnell Wilburn | Words + Photo | Drew Stephenson | Model | Chelsea VonChaz | Stylist

Length. The jacket shoulder should meet with your shoulder not exceed it. The arm length should meet or fall just above your wrist-- Go ahead, show a little cuff. The bottom of the jacket should not wear like a skirt.

Two Buttons. Trends are for suckers. There was a time when sporting 3 or more buttons was consid-ered in style. That time has since expired.

Belt. Optional.

Anatomy

No well respected gentlemen would survive without a suit in his closet.

It’s the cornerstone of our wardrobe. A great suit can last for 5 years easy. But let’s be honest, there comes a time when it’s out with the old and in with the new.

No matter how great that suit was, whether its the fit, style or condition, at some point it’ll become imperative that you’ll have to repeal and replace.

If you’re in the market for a new suit, here are a couple things that you may want to keep in mind.

Zara Suit + Shirt + Shoes: $430 DKNY Tie: $40

of a Modern Suit

STYLE WOMEN

Give Your

—By Tiffini GatlinEmbellished tees

Denim Life with

Shop Bop just gave us all a reason to rush over to their site with their collection of embellished tees. T-shirts never looked so good overlayed

in lace, sequins, leopard and jewels. Now, you can give your denim a bit of a lift by pairing them with a tee; which makes getting dressed for a day of running errands– effortlessly chic!

SPARKLE, TEXTURE, COLOR

ADDISONAstor High Lo Top$148

BCBGMAXAZRIAKatelin Top$298

DKNYMetallic Crepe$325

Josh Goot Muscle Tee$395

Rebecca TaylorEmbellished Short Sleeve Tee $325

Torn by Ronny KoboNiva Neoprene Top$170

Haute HippieBeaded T-Shirt$245

Rebecca TaylorEmbellished Short Sleeve Tee $325


From political movers and shak-ers to the influencers that artisti-cally shape our community, we’ve rounded up 20 of the most driven tastemakers under 40-years-old that have inspired us in 2013.

Shot exclusively at Four Seasons Atlanta Hotel Hightlighting Four Seasons Signature Bartenders.

Photo by Darnell Wilburn

The InfluencersTASTEMAKER magazine presents


The InfluencersThe Influencers


Brothers Emmanuel, 23, and Phillip, 21, Hudson never thought they’d became you-tube sensations after taking their older brothers up on a challenge to create a video

funnier than theirs. Out of boredom, the two took their brothers up on their challenge and created Stanky Breathe Fine Girls. But, It wasn’t until 2009, when the Hudson brothers made their first youtube video, Default Pics Be Lyin, an ode to girls who mis-represnt themselves in photos on social media, that the Hudson brothers began to get national attention. Since, the two have a cult like following of millions of fans who crave the finger-snapping, lip-popping,

rapping characters they portray in their videos .

Although they swear never to surrender to being known as just comedians, they quickly real-ized how to turn their funny parodys into a profit-able business. They attribute much of their success to being able to keep their content clean, which gives them mass appeal and longevity in the business. Today, you can catch Emmanuel in the upcoming movie Ride Along starring Ice Cube and Kevin Hart, ABC’s Nashville with Hayden Panettiere and MTV’s Wildn’ Out with Nick Cannon. Despite their new found fame, the brothers vow to be committed to what first got them discovered--Youtube.

Emmanuel + Phillip HudsonEntertainers


Andrea SmithGrady Health Foundation

At 36-years-old Andrea Smith is one of the most powerful and influential tastemak-

ers in Atlanta, but with her busy schedule this may be the first she’s heard of it!

As the Director of Development for Grady Health Foundation, she is responsible for the planning and management of major do-nor gifts and events for the Grady Health System. Under her watch she’s successfully implemented a $1.7 million dollar major gifts campaign and has worked with her team to successfully complete a $325 million capital campaign that has allowed Grady to create new trauma and stroke centers, reduce patient wait times and other improvements to the hos-pital.

When Smith isn’t working to raise millions of dollars for the city’s most well known hospital, she’s making a difference in the community as the President of the Atlanta chapter of Healthcare Businesswomen’s Association, and focusing her efforts on end-ing the commercial sexual exploi-tation of girls and human traf-ficking with the Junior League of Atlanta. Hey Andrea, in case you haven’t heard--you’re a big deal!


Brandice HendersonFounder of Harlem’s Fashion Row

When Brandice H e n d e r s o n started Harlem’s Fashion Row, a

platform for designers of color in fashion, she didn’t know the im-pact would soon become a move-ment. Giving a more prominent voice to designers of color, HFR attracts global style influencers like Bethann Hardison and June Ambrose to the front row and Henderson has secured brands such as Smartwater to buy into her vision.

Although success continues to follow Henderson’s brainchild, she’s convinced that HFR is only part of the solution, but not the solution to getting more design-ers of color represented in the market and sold in major de-partment stores. When looking ahead, Henderson sees HFR as a company that provides revenue generating opportunities for de-signers, as well as a strong media source with an agent for their la-bel at some point. Henderson isn’t the only one who believes in her brand. She attributes much of her success to her husband, who is also her business partner, as well as close friends. In 2014, Henderson says HFR will own the digital space by offering fashion lovers an opportunity to buy the clothes they see on the HFR run-way—which is unlike any other fashion show you’ll experience.

Photo Credit: Paper MagazinePhotographed by: Jacqueline Di MiliaStyled by: Luigi Tadini


Most kids grow up loving the golden arches of McDonald’s. When Chris Johnson, 36 , went to college at Stan-ford University, Johnson’s parents

bought a McDonald’s in South Carolina. After hear-ing his parents talk about how tough it was to run their business, Johnson graduated and used his eco-nomics degree to sell real estate as an office leasing agent. In fact, one of Johnson’s first clients was Face-book, putting the social media giants in their first office space. Within five years Johnson’s parents pur-

chased two more McDonald’s that were running suc-cessfully. Wanting to hone in on his entrepreneurial side, Johnson decided to apply to become a regis-tered applicant and was accepted. His trainer was his now wife Farhat. Not to be out done by his par-ents (he’s really not competing) In 2009, the couple purchased their first McDonald’s in Buckhead, their second store in June 2012, built a new location this summer on Druid Hills and bought two stores in Stone Mountain. Johnson continues to be one of the youngest owner/operators in Georgia.

Chris + Farhat JohnsonMcDonald’s Owners/Operators

photo credit: Chanda M. Scott

Valeisha Butterfield-Jones The Butterfield Group

Find a way or make one. That’s the motto every Clark Atlanta University student learns at some

point prior to graduation. Valeisha Butterfield-Jones got it and applied it! For more than six years Jones worked as the Executive Director for Russell Simmons’ Hip-Hop Summit Action Network--an opportunity she says catapulted her career. Back in 2007, Jones co-founded Women in Entertainment Empowerment Network (WEEN), a global non-profit organization of women and men committed to supporting, promoting and defending the balanced, positive portrayal of women in entertainment and society. The organization currently has more than 86,000 members.

The daughter of United States Congressmen G.K. Butterfield and North Carolina State Legislator Jean Farmer Butterfield, it was only natural for Jones to fall in love with politics. Jones served in the Administration of U.S. President Barack Obama from 2009-2011 as the Deputy Director of Public Affairs for International Trade and again in 2012 as his National Youth Vote Director. Jones later started her own firm The Butterfield Group, a political consulting firm that bridges the gap between celebrities and politics. These days, Jones prioritizes her career and finds delight in being a mom to her 1-year-old son and a wife to her husband, NBA star Dahntay Jones.


Former Atlanta Falcons tight end Reggie Kel-ly didn’t stop at making his legacy football, instead, the Mississippi native capitalized on his passion for good food, put his money

where his mouth is and along with his wife Sheila, created Kyvan Soul-food Selections, a collection of sauces, salsas and spices sold in Wal-mart and on Amazon.com. Named after his daughter Kayla and son Kavan, Kelly says his business is an extension of his southern roots. Kelly is far from the typical

celebrity riches to rags story. in fact, based on his bucket list of things to accomplish, he very well may be the poster child for how players should transition their life after sports. What’s next for Kelly? Well, he’s just getting started, but who knows--maybe another book? A few restaurants,? An NFL coach? Anything is possible for Kelly who lives for possibilities. We know whatever the venture, he’ll do it with as much integrity as he had on the field and as much heart as he has in Kyvan Food Selections.

Reggie KellyCo-founder Kyvan Foods


Caren West Caren West PR

Ask Caren West, and she’ll probably tell you that some of the most brilliant ideas are born

while living in an apartment, surviving on air sandwiches and cheap beer. That’s where Caren West PR, a full-service graphic design, lifestyle, events and public relations firm in Atlanta was start-ed almost eight years ago with partner Chad David Shearer. Lit-tle did she know, her award win-ning firm would represent global brands like Gucci, Cole Haan and Barneys. Some of the city’s most swankiest events are executed by Wests’ team and despite CWPR’s boutique firm made up of two employees, a slew of interns and a couple of dogs, they’re known for managing events with as many as 300,000 attendees to private after parties for celebrities.

A self-proclaimed workaholic, having fun to West means work-ing until 2 a.m. striving to do things her competitors aren’t; like that time they became the first firm in the country to create an iPhone app. When she finds time to take a break from work she blesses her closet with yet another luxe handbag, throws an impromptu party on her rooftop or frolics around on the beach. Lucky for West she’s found a ca-reer that she absolutely loves, but if ever the PR thing doesn’t work out she could always go back to being a horticultural technician; but that’s another story you’ll have to ask her to tell you about when you see her out networking.


Taylor Ballard is a college student by day at the University of Houston and a blogger by night chronicling her love for all things pink, fashion, event planning, reality tv and

pop culture on Pretty Pink Living . Years ago students were vying for limited Resident Assistant positions and work study, now, they’ve turned to blogging. Ballard is a trusted source for 20 something millen-nials who are looking for the 411 on peer reviewed

products before they spend their hard earned cash. Brione is an advocate for shopping on a budget. As the oldest of five sisters Brione knows a thing or two about being frugal but fly and has been featured on shows like Good Day Houston to share her personal style perspective. Ballard continues to be an inspira-tion to her peers, proving that it’s possible to be a scholar while creating your own opportunities.

Taylor B. Ballard Pretty Pink Living


Justin Tanner Legislative Analyst

As one of leading young Af r ican-Amer ican fundraisers in the country noted by the

New York Times , Justin Tanner, 34, was the only Georgian under 40 to raise over $500,000 for Pres-ident Barack Obama in the 2012 presidential election cycle.

Tanners influence, persistence-and track record aided in him becoming a member of Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed’s political team. Tanner’s position as Legis-lative Analyst is to help influence major policy decisions that have an impact on local Atlanta citi-zens and people throughout the region.

Last November, the Vanderbilt University Law Student and grad-uate of Howard University spread his influence past the peach state. Tanner helped to select and lead a group of key stakeholders from Georgia’s civic, business and phil-anthropic communities to the White House for a working meet-ing on resolving the fiscal cliff dis-pute.

With Tanners exhaustive list of accomplishments, it’s hard to imagine what he’ll do next. For now, the bachelor has his heart set on stabilizing his career and starting a family.


Sarah MisailidisIMPACT

S arah works as the Communications Direc-tor for IMPACT a 501(c)(3), nonprofit or-ganization founded by a group of young professionals to foster civic engagement, to

increase knowledge in the political and legislative processes, and to enhance economic empowerment opportunities for other young professionals ages 18-40. Under Misailidis’s leadership, Impact expanded to New York connecting millennial tastemakers to

Capital Hill. During the 2012 presidential election, Impact led two successful panel discussions at both the Republican and Democratic National Conven-tions.

With Misailidis’s experience in PR, she’s been in-strumental in taking ideas and running with them—online. Through political involvement, IMPACT fa-cilitates and supports the engagement of their peers in politics, policy development and advocacy.

Jasmine Lawrence Founder EDEN BodyWorks

Jasmine Lawrence is arguably every girl’s modern day shero and undeniably one of the hardest working woman

we know! At the tender age of 13, Lawrence created EDEN BodyWorks due to a chemical relaxer that went bad at the age of 11; and to fill her need for affordable, all natural hair and body care products.

Despite being a millionaire with a company whose products span the United States in stores like Wal-mart, Kroger’s, Sally’s and Walgreens; Lawrence left her Williamstown, N.J. home to become a yellow jacket at Georgia Tech in Atlanta, GA, where she received her engineering degree. Now at 22, in addition to owning her own company, Lawrence is a Program Manger at Microsoft for the Xbox One; a role she says is most challenging.

Lawrence has shared her success with the likes of Oprah, but tells us that being an entrepreneur takes more than just having an idea that will make money. It involves pushing yourself to your limits, sacrificing and learning fast from failures. It’s both a rough and rewarding road to travel. Ultimately living your dream is worth it and the experience is life changing. Anything is possible.


Lamar Dixon is the Senior Business Devel-opment Coordinator at Duane Morris LLP, one of the 100 largest law firms in the coun-try. That’s his day job. At night, the mar-

keting guru focuses on enhancing Atlanta’s night life for professionals who are looking for something dif-ferent.That’s when he and a couple of friends from Baltimore started Just Different, an organic experi-

ence for a community of people who want to social-ize, mix mingle and party without all the hype that comes along with going to the club. Dixon calls the move risky but not reckless. The trio approached the W Hotels with their idea. The outcome? They pro-duce a series of specialized FREE events at one of the swankiest hotels in town, going against the grain of what people expect nightlife in Atlanta to be.

Lamar Dixon3 Chords


Marie D. Leggette The Curvy Fashionista

When Marie Denee Leggette created The Curvy Fash-ionista , a fashion

blog for plus size women, nearly five years ago, she never thought TCF would turn into a business catering to over 50,000 women flocking to get daily style inspira-tion. Leggette quickly began to garner the attention of major con-sumer brands such as Chevrolet. In 2011, Leggette participated in the launch of their Chevy Cruze and was chosen as their national “Fashion Cruze-arati”. Perhaps that was the push she needed to approach Nordstrom to host a se-ries of events that later put their plus-size ‘Encore’ department on the radar of curvy women. In September, Leggette and 12 other bloggers from around the world were flown to Milan by Marina Rinaldi, the plus size luxury sister brand to BCBG Max Azria, to shoot a fashion campaign. While there, Leggette was asked to be photographed for Maria Claire Italia--her most coveted project to date. In De-cember TCF will celebrate five years of success and Leggette re-flects on how far she has come. “Getting messages from my read-ers are what motivate me to do more. Knowing that I’m help-ing one woman see herself with options--that means so much to me.”


E vita G. Kaigler is an Atlanta Attorney who focuses on music and entertainment. Evita specializes in contract drafting & nego-tiation, education, lectures and consulting.

Kaigler graduated from the University of Georgia with a Bachelor of Arts degree, then from Emory University School of Law with a Juris Doctor Degree. Evita is so driven to uphold “music integrity” that she recognized the need to enlighten and educate

others like herself—especially current and future At-torneys bitten by the entertainment bug.

In an effort to give back, Kaigler founded Future Music Attorneys (FMA); a National program for students who are striving to become music attor-neys.The program is currently at 270 students na-tionwide. With over 6,000 social media followers, Kaigler uses her digital influence to continue to in-spire the next generation of Attorneys.

Evita G. KaiglerEGK Law Offices


FeiFei SunFreelance Writer

FeiFei Sun is ahead of her time. At 27-years-old, she has done in her career what some millennials

her age only dream of doing. Af-ter her last year at Savannah Col-lege of Art and Design in Atlanta, GA, she moved to New York to work for Vanity Fair Magazine as an editorial assistant, covering fashion, culture and photography. After two years, Sun decided to change gears and transition into politics. She started working for Time Magazine and covered the 2010 mid-term elections, but shortly after the elections decided although passionate about poli-tics, she didn’t want to make a ca-reer out of writing about it. Sun started contributing to cultural topics and in September 2012, was tapped to launch and edit the Time’s Style Blog.

After a visit to Atlanta last May to cover a story about SPANX CEO Sara Blakely, Sun decided to re-turn to her southern roots and was relocated by Time Magazine to Atlanta.

Intrigued by people with unique stories, Sun is planning a January launch of her own site “Making it Atlanta” dedicated to the cool people she’s met in Atlanta, how they’ve made it and a glimpse at their path to success.

The reality is, she’s the new At-lanta connecting the dots to the amazing people, places and things that puts Atlanta in a lane of its own.


Melanie Hernquist is known in Atlanta for producing all the pretty things in life and being lucky enough to make it her career. Her whimsical personal-

ity has led her to create some of the most memo-rable life moments for brides, with her designs be-ing graced on the pages of wedding magazines and featured throughout the web. Hernquist was also the brains behind creating the mini mag for Curl-

Box, the fastest growing subscription box service for women featuring the industry’s top hair care brands.

Turning her love for all things sparkle into a busi-ness, Hernquist joined Stella & Dot as a star stylist and is on the cusp of making history as their first Af-rican American director. Today, Hernquist leads and empowers over 65 women as independent stylists for Stella & Dot, creating the ultimate home based busi-ness for today’s modern woman.

Melanie Hernquist Stella & Dot


Karen Civilkarencivil.com

It’s something about Karen Civil that makes people want to know immediately who she is and what she does

when she steps in a room wear-ing a pair of six inch Louboutins, a body conscious bandeau dress, a ridiculously perfect red lip and long black hair that flows down the spine of her back. She com-mands the attention of some of the industry’s most sought after hip hop moguls and has a niche for putting up and coming talent on the radar of their future fans. Yet, she remains as civilized as her brand suggest and feeds her fascination and love for the digi-tal side of the internet by being a beast at curating content at karen-civil.com and helps artists, like Lil Wayne, establish their online presence.

Dubbed a digital renaissance woman, don’t try to nail Civil down to doing just one thing. In addition to creating content, she runs her own marketing company called Always Civil Enterprise, is working on her first book, and just hosted her annual Live Civil Brunch where she brings together thirty-plus powerful women to celebrate success. One thing’s for sure she’s very busy—but always civil.

| tastemakermag.com | NOV-DECPhoto Credit Christopher Brewer


Atlanta has some of the best restaurants in the country (we can de-bate about this all day

if you want) and if you’re looking for a place to satisfy the most per-snickety of taste, you might find yourself reading food reviews from EaterAtlanta.com, a nation-al site dedicated to food. If you’ve ever wondered who the voice is behind Eater Atlanta, it’s 24-year-old Sonia Chopra.

A native of Atlanta, Chopra was the perfect candidate to take over and grow the sites readership, taking the blog from a mere af-terthought, to a trusted digital source when trying to find the 411 on anything food related in the city.

Chopra calls this her first real job, setting the record straight that even though some of her content is straight no chaser, nothing is personal; she’s just reporting the facts.

When she talks about the revo-lution of the dining scene in At-lanta her voice elevates. You can get a sense of how in touch she is with the food community.

When she’s not dishing on what’s hot and what’s not, Chopra is likely hanging out at Paper Plane in Decatur enjoying a craft beer and taking in a good dish.

Sonia Chopra Editor, Eater Atlanta


As a young girl Mara Maddox could remem-ber tearing out fashion pictures from Vogue and Elle magazine’s and being inspired by cutting edge fashion’s, so it’s no shock that

when the position of PR Manager for Bloomingdales, America’s only nationwide, full-line, upscale depart-ment store, Maddox had to snag it! For the past nine years Maddox has represented Bloomingdales stores in Atlanta and is responsible for local initiatives that

not only engage their customers but further enhance the image of the designers they house.

As a community leader, Maddox uses her influence for social good, sitting on the board of directors for groups such as Girl Talk, Inc. Maddox continues to be an example to working moms who desire to have a cool career without sacrificing their family. She doesn’t claim to have it all figured out, but what she’s figured out so far has put her at the top of her game.

Mara Maddox PR Manager Bloomingdales’s Atlanta


We were first drawn to U.K. based illus-trator Kuldip Ghataora after peep-ing his amazing drawings of singer and songwriter Alicia Keys and her

husband Swizz Beatzs on instagram and we had to know more about his work. Known as the ILLestra-tor across all social media platforms, persumably because his designs are super sick (in a good way), Ghataora gets his inspiration from his love of comic books and the hours of cartoons he’d watch when he was a child. Taking notes from famous artists like Georges Suerat, Ghataora has created his own sig-nature look using none other than a pack of col-

ored pencils. Incorporating art in his everyday life, Ghataora can’t look at anything without wondering who the creation was made by, why they made it and purpose for the piece. With such an overwhelming response to his work, Ghataora is setting his sights on placing his artwork in traveling exhibitions for an opportunity to connect with his fans in person rather than on screen. When asked what continues to fuel his desire to draw he says, “I’m just a Lon-doner who bought a pack of colour pencils one day and began drawing. I had no idea that people would find me an inpiration, but believe me it is the best thing anyone can every say to you.”

Kuldip Ghataora Illustrator


Le Méridien § French Flair with a Modern Twist §

Who wants to bothered with annoying traffic and pesky per diem parking fees when you can enjoy modern day living with a French twist at the new $20 million dollar renovated Le Méridien Atlanta hotel in Perimeter. That’s just what I did a couple of weeks ago, when I opted for a stay-cation at the first Le Méridien hotel to open in the Atlanta metropolitan area and one of nine new Le Méridien hotels slated to open within the year. Located across from Perimeter mall and a block away from other fabulous dining and entertainment options, I was greeted by the chatter of guests mix-ing and mingling in the Le Méridien Hub, which re-interprets the traditional lobby into a social gath-

ering place for creative millennials to converse, de-bate, and exchange. Before checking into my room, I couldn’t help but be intrigued by the decor and learned that there are large-scale artwork in high impact areas to reset the mind and stimulate dialogue and curiosity.The renovated space, that was once home to the W Hotel Perimeter, has 275 spacious guest rooms and suites along with an outdoor pool, fitness center, spacious 12th floor club lounge, and 10,000 square feet of state-of-the-art meeting and event space.After settling into my 800 square foot room, the concierge called and reminded me of my 7:00 pm. dinner reservation at the hotel’s ground-floor res-taurant featuring an eclectic menu of globally

If you are a coffee drinker, you’ll be excited to experience Le Méri-dien’s new Master Barista pro-gram that rolled out in October. By the end of the year there will be a Master Barista in place at all Le Méridien hotels, including Le Méridien Atlanta Perimeter. Le Méridien Master Baristas will lead coffee-related initiatives and

standards at each hotel as well as a serve as lead coffee cultural ambassadors. The Master Barista program is just the latest addition to a series of buzzed about coffee initiatives Le Meridien has imple-mented over the years. In 2011, Le Méridien reinterpreted the tradi-tional hotel lobby and introduced the Le Méridien HubTM – a social

gathering place for creative people to converse, debate and exchange, taking the brand’s award-winning Arrival Experience and Coffee Culture to the next level.

inspired cuisine where I was told fresh seafood is flown in daily and prepared by Chef Lee. Lee brings his passion for international flavors, an aspect the Dunwoody dining experi-ence was lacking according to Leigh Allen, food and beverage director at Le Méridien. Although I didn’t have any seafood, the steak was equally as delicious; be sure to pair your steak with the truffled macaroni and cheese and try the cheesecake for dessert.

When you choose to book a reserva-tion at Le Méridien you are constant-ly reminded of all the details they considered in their build out. From including all the departure numbers from the flights out of Hartsfield In-ternational Airport located by the el-evators to the artwork on the wall that mimics the highways of Atlanta to the conscience decision to eliminate the balcony’s in each room in an effort to give guests more space to enjoy.

Le Meridien 111 Perimeter Center W

Dunwoody, Ga 30346770-396-6800

• Outdoor Pool• Fitness Center

• 12th Floor Club Lounge• 10,000 sq ft meeting

space

• 275 Spacious guest rooms

• Barista Master Program

L e Amenities

Day 1 : Craft Beer Wrecking Bar Brewpub

Barley is one of the main in-gredients used in the making of beer. Both barley and wheat are in the grass family where the stem of the plant is used in the making of wheat straw. In-spired by the wheat straw ma-terials used in the Ford Escape,

I grabbed some friends and ventured out to Wrecking Bar Brewpub for a craft beer and to get a lesson on beer making. 292 Moreland Ave NE Atlanta, GA 30307 www.wreckingbarbrewpub.com

2013 Ford Escape:

A Culinary Car Review

LIFESTYLE REVIEW

The 2013 Ford Escape’s sustainable mate-rials inspire a fun and delicious weekend in the city

By Andrea Janise | Lifestyle Editor

The reinvented 2013 Ford Escape has traded in its old parts for more eco-friendly

materials in its manufacturing. By using sustainable materials such as soybeans, wheat straw and sugar, Ford has managed to recycle product waste from part-ner companies and challenge it-self to use renewable materials that are safer for the environ-ment as part of a more global strategy to reduce their carbon footprint.

A whopping 85% of materials used to build the Ford Escape are recyclable, and many are also ed-ible! Soybeans have been made into soy foam used for seat cush-ions. Wheat straw is transformed into interior door panels and re-inforcements for plastic storage bins. Sugars made from sugar cane, corn and beets are being transformed into biodegradable plastic parts, while coconut fibers are helping to make plastic parts lighter and used to reinforce molded plastic instead of harm-ful substances like petroleum.

I had the opportunity to test drive the 2013 Ford Escape and visit a few of my favorite Atlanta eateries to highlight how Ford’s use of sustainable materials can inspire a fun night out on the town. By focusing on the food-based renewable materials, I visited a local brewpub, a neigh-borhood restaurant and a popu-lar bakery. Check out my itin-erary and see for yourself how the Ford Escape can be a part of your environmentally conscious lifestyle.

Continued >


Day 2 : Restaurant The Drafting Table

Edamame is one of the healthiest foods you can snack on, and the folks at The Drafting Table do the Asian vegetable justice by grilling it and serving it nice and hot. Inspired by the soy-beans turned into soy foam for use in the Ford Escape’s seat cushions, I zipped over to the Old Fourth Ward res-taurant to order an appetizer before heading off to run er-rands.

349 Decatur Street Atlanta, GA 30312 www.thedraftingtable.net

Day 3 : Bakery Alon’s Bakery & Market

Sugar takes on many forms, but in the Ford Escape it’s reconfigured and used to reinforce many of the plastic parts of automobile. I love dessert, so I headed over to Alon’s Bakery & Market to check out their sugar confections. From old fashioned candy to an assortment of handmade chocolate truffles and mouthwatering confections, I found a variety of treats to satisfy my sweet tooth.

4505 Ashford Dunwoody Rd NE Atlanta GA 30346

www.alons.com

The 2013 Ford Escape has tons of bells and whistles. From an EPA es-timated 33 mpg on the highway to the available foot activated lift gate, the convenience and eco-friendly technology make this SUV a great option for anyone in the market for a new car (MSRP $22, 470). For more information on the Ford Escape visit: www.ford.com


Andrea Janise | Lifestyle Editor

As young homeown-ers and renters enter the housing mar-

ket, more emphasis is being placed on intown locations full of character, entertain-ment and shopping withiwwn close proximity to local attrac-tions. With millennials want-

ing bike-friendly streets, eth-nically diverse neighbors and restaurants that they can walk to, it’s all about being close to downtown Atlanta, but still maintaining a neighborhood identity. Check out these four areas that provide the perfect blend of those characteristics.

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for MillennialsGreatFour

N e i g h b o r h o o d s


This family friendly neighborhood is

home to the Atlanta Zoo, Cyclorama, Oak-land Cemetery and the fourth-largest park in At-lanta– Grant Park, known for its Sunday farmer’s market and seasonal festivals. With casual res-taurants and bars within walking distance and a quick drive to all major interstates, Grant Park’s mix of 20th century bun-galow’s and affordable fixer-uppers makes this historic neighborhood attractive to those look-ing to settle down.

With the addition of the beltline and

Historic Old Fourth Ward Park—a beautiful 17-acre walking path, playground and skate park, plus a hot spot for festivals— this area has been on the rise for the past few years. Home to Sweet Auburn Avenue and the birthplace of MLK Jr., this once vibrant commu-nity is quickly turning back into a thriving destination attracting both hipsters and young entrepreneurs into new condominium de-velopments and renovated housing. With Ponce City Market arriving, a commut-er trolley being built and the steady line-up of cool bars and restaurants along Edgewood Ave, Old Fourth Ward already has many mil-lennials calling it home.

The ultimate live/ work/play district has be-

come one of the perfect destinations for millenni-als who want to be able to enjoy shopping, dining and entertainment right outside of their front door. Located in the heart of midtown, Atlantic Sta-tion is filled with upscale high-rise apartments and contemporary condos with amazing views of the city. With 138-acres of mixed-use development includ-ing world-class shopping, a movie theatre, grocery store and a growing list of restaurants, Atlantic Station has everything you could want and more at your fingertips.

Located near Atlanta’s west end, Castleberry

Hill is one of the city’s most popular art districts. Formerly an industrial epi-center, its mix of renovated warehouses and abundant loft space has strongly wel-comed artsy and cultural types. Wander into galler-ies and studios during the popular Art Strolls and pop into neighborhood eater-ies sprinkled throughout the district’s easily walk-able streets. Just a short distance to Phillips Arena, Georgia Dome and Atlanta University Center, Castle-berry Hill has become one of the best neighborhoods for millennials.

Atlantic Station

Castleberry Hill

Grant Park

Old Fourth Ward

Fall is one of the best times of the year, and with the addition of seasonal ingredients like pumpkin, nutmeg and other spices, you can sip on refreshing and flavorful beers that are only available for a limited time. Be sure to try these three delicious craft brews before they are gone.

3Craft Beers to Enjoy

This Salt Lake City brewery takes pride in its variety of beers. For those wanting a lighter style ale, Uinta Punk’n blends pumpkin, vanilla and seasonal spices to balance the refreshing fall flavors, but with less potency at 4.0% ABV. www.uintabrewing.com

This dark, copper colored beer has all of the flavors of fall in a glass. It starts

off with a sweet, cara-mel malty backbone and maintains a slightly bitter finish at the end. Boasting an ABV of 8.6% with intense notes of pumpkin and nut-meg, this imperial ale does not disappoint. www.stbcbeer.com

The nation’s biggest micro-brewer has always done a great

job honoring the globally celebrated beer event–Ok-toberfest. Adams’ version is slightly hoppy, with a medi-um-body and a malty finish. With an ABV of 5.3%, this lager is perfect for sipping in the changing fall weather. www.samueladams.com

During the Changing SeasonsBy Andrea Janise

Southern Tier Pumking

UI NTAHarvest Pumpkin Ale

Samuel Adams Octoberfest

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WN clockwise:

1. Mimi Faust and daughter Ava at the Global Winter Wonderland.

2-3. Cynthia Bailey and Robert “Middleman Fresh” Flood host the Atlanta Beauty + Fashion show at Wal-mart Cascade.

4. V-103’s Big Tigger with Clark Atlanta University Students for the Affordable Health Care panel.

5-7. Grand opening of Lacoste in Atlanta’s Lenox Square Mall.

photo credit: Chanda Scott + Calvin Lionel

2013 nov_dec influencer issue

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