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July 27, 2009 |
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People
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Melinda Lewis - Get Togetha
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Melinda Lewis, Founder
GetTogethablog.com
Entrepreneurship is "hard, delicious work," according to Melinda Lewis, who likens it to her former days as an elementary school teacher. The biggest difference is predictability. After starting and stopping a few blogs for fun over the past couple of years, Lewis took a step back to figure out what she was really passionate about. She finally hit the jackpot with Get Togetha--an online destination for interior design and inspired finds. The 30-something decor junkie noticed the universe of home decor blogs and e-zines lacked flavor, so she launched Get Togetha in 2008 as a contemporary voice on stylish interior inspiration and ideas on how to undo the craptastic. Lewis is still taking us to school--she's authoring two e-books about blogging for black women and becoming an entrepreneur, set for release in September. Look for GT's series of conversation cards for chic home entertaining soon thereafter.
Introducing Melinda Lewis...on commandments, manipulation, and who's invited to her next dinner party.
Hometown: Harlem, NY
Lives in: Harlem, NY
Currently reading: "Domino: The Book of Decorating" by Deborah Needleman. It's my go-to decor bible
Next read: "At Home with White" by Atlanta Bartlett and Karena Callen
Recent discovery: A blog called "The City Sage," and a new small biz blog by the New York Times called "You're the Boss."
Best business decision: Trusting my gut so I can never be manipulated by my ego
Favorite hotel: The W
Favorite entree: Porterhouse Steak from Peter Luger
Favorite getaway: Paris
Indulgence: A glass of Viognier or Prosecco with a pear slice
Inspired by: B. Smith
Three people you'd invite over for dinner: Oprah, President Obama, and Donna Karan
Lusting after: Jonathan Adler furniture
Best investment: Two chairs scored on a trip to Senegal
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Fresh
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GeniusRocket: A Crowd of Ideas
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Ever have a great advertising idea but feel like it would take a genius to actually bring it to life? GeniusRocket is an online community of more than 11,000 whizzes ready to help. They can generate the creative media necessary to bring your business to life or breathe new life into an already established one. GeniusRocket handles anything from Web tutorials to campaign ideas to slogans and company names, and provides its clients with more than one option to choose from. Here's an example: A company in need of a logo sends a request which is forwarded to several logo design experts within GeniusRocket's online community. Those "geniuses" each create a design that they feel best represents the company. After reviewing the submissions, the client can ask for changes and choose which design best fits their needs. Projects range from $300 to $2,000, depending on complexity. To give your business a new outlook on life visit
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Enculturation
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Major Drama
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Dinner and a movie is so passe. We went scouting for some silver screen pairings that go above and beyond. Here's what's showing now in Charlotte and Chicago.
The North Carolina Museum of Art in Charlotte presents a concert and a movie on August 8. Cinephiles get to experience Cadillac Records, chronicling the story of Chess Records and the brassy Etta James (played by Beyonce). The film also highlights the work of the label's two most famous blues artists, Muddy Waters and Howlin' Wolf. On hand to celebrate their legacy are Hubert Sumlin and Bob Margolin, guitarists who toured with the blues greats and who will be performing a tribute prior to the screening. (August 8, 7 p.m. General Admission, $15. ($12 Members))
 Chicago's Gene Siskel Film Center kicks off the 15th Annual Black Harvest International Festival on August 7. Running through September 3, Black Harvest is the Midwest's largest festival of the African and African-American experience on film, with more than 40 features and short films to be screened. Topics include little-known civil rights stories ("Scarred Justice: The Orangeburg Massacre 1968"); comedy ("Black Dynamite", the popular blaxploitation parody that opened to rave reviews at this year's Sundance Film Fest); the immigrant experience ("In The Land of Opportunity"); controversy ("The Nine Lives of Marion Barry"); and more. Festival passes can be purchased for $50, which entitles tickets holders to six movies for the price of five. Tickets for individual showings can be purchased for $10. ($7/students, $5/members).
(August 7 - September 3. Gene Siskel Film Center of the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, 164 N. State St.)
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