C&C Houston Style Summit

This past Saturday, Create and Cultivate hosted a Style Summit here in Houston. As a fan of anything C&C does (in August I’m heading to the Chicago conference), I made sure I was in attendance for this event. My friend Bethany of @twentysomethingplus came to town for the even as well and that was a blast having here come all the way from Boston to hang with me and hear from our favorite influencers. C&C goes all out no matter how small the event. Here’s a recap of the weekend.

Friday

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How cute is this romper from Vogue Society Boutique? Shop it here

I picked up Bethany from the airport around 4 and we headed straight to the Galleria. C&C had a happy hour at Coach for all of the summit attendees and we weren’t going to miss that! Of course, it’s not C&C without champagne and the bottles were poppin’ in Coach. Can I just be honest? I hadn’t stepped foot in a Coach store in years. I am impressed by the rebranding that Coach has undergone. I actually have my eye on a few items at Coach. Birthday is coming up you guys… just saying.

If you ever get the opportunity to go to any C&C and they have a happy hour on the schedule, make sure you go! The networking is well worth it, and you get the opportunity to make a friend and hang out with. Luckily I had Bethany this time, but when I went to LA, I was solo and didn’t know a soul – but I met Alyssa and she was my buddy the following day…and I eventually met Bethany at the conference as well. Seriously, C&C produces great networking and new friendships.

Saturday

Saturday morning Bethany and I headed out early to the Galleria, because the first 150 guests got a swag bag. Needless to say, we were first in line because we were gonna make sure we got a swag bag and a front row seat – and we did. This year’s style summit featured one of my favorite bloggers, Courtney Kerr. I love her approach to everything. She is literally my blogger goals. After she spoke, I actually was able to snag a pic with her and I’m pretty sure I told her I loved her twice. But that’s not a lie so… there’s that.

Courtney Kerr of Kerrently
Meggan of Somewhere, Lately

 

Elizabeth Chambers Hammer was the keynote for the afternoon, and she said something that I really admired. It was something along the lines that as a for-profit company you need to incorporate not-for-profit elements. I probably butchered that quote (sorry Elizabeth) but it was something along those lines. But seriously, I need to make a road trip to Dallas to BIRD Bakery  cause the cookies are delicious and now I need to taste the entire menu. Is there a way we can set this up? Like mini versions of everything? Except for the chocolate chip cookies..I’ll take the full size of those. Yeah? That PB&JJ sounds amazing.

Overall, the style summit left me READY for Chicago at the end of August. They have announced Shay Mitchell and Jennifer Hudson as keynote speakers, and Ashley Tisdale, Olivia Rink, Whitney Port, Blake Von D, Koya Webb, Maxie McCoy and so many others will be there as speakers as well. Oh yeah, get ready. I was so happy I could show Bethany a small part of Houston. Maybe I can get her to come back during Rodeo season. Bethany, what say you?!

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Bethany @twentsomethingplus

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Wimbledon, World Cup, WHAT?!

Okay you guys. So I dunno what is happening with me this year but I can’t get into ANYTHING. We are well into the World Cup and usually I’m excited about major sporting events like the WC, but I barely made it through one game. Some friends have said, “It’s cause the US isn’t in there”, but that really has nothing to do with it. I thought I would snap to when Wimbledon started but for the first time probably EVER, I had to google, yes GOOGLE, whether or not Serena Williams won her match on Wednesday. Um, what?! No, I haven’t been busy doing other things. My mind has been everything but. So let me fill you in on what’s going on and what’s coming up.

Okay. So, first and foremost, I have been doing some teacher work over the summer. I have been revising and writing curriculum for secondary English teachers for the district I work for, so that has taken up some time – and been a little stressful, but that’s beside the point. While I had been looking forward to a work-free summer break, I wouldn’t be me if I literally had nothing to do for two months. In addition to teacher stuff, I have tabled my thesis and opted to take a capstone course in the fall to finish off my graduate studies. In order to do that, I am having to do some prep work until then. Mainly, just some extra reading, but we all know this ain’t no beach read. It’s a little tedious. But there’s some good stuff coming up.

If you remember, back in February I attended the Create & Cultivate conference in LA. Well, C&C is having a Style Summit here in Houston – so I will be in attendance. It is a free event – you just need to RSVP – so if you are here in the Houston area, check it out! The summit is July 21st at the Galleria in the Saks wing. Say hi if you see me!

Shortly after the style summit, I am headed back to New York towards the end of the month (my usual trip) and will be hitting of course Yankee Stadium a couple of times. I am sitting in two different areas of the stadium, so be on the lookout for a post on those game day experiences.

At the end of August I’m headed to Chicago or the first time for the Create & Cultivate Chicago conference (can you tell I love C&C?!) and I’m headed to Wrigley Field to see the Cubs take on the Reds!

I’m really excited about what’s to come over the next couple of weeks. It’s going to be fun and I’ll be sharing all the good stuff over on Instagram so you got to remember to follow me @thegamedaystylist

Danielle

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DK’s Summer Bucket List

These NBA Playoffs are insane! The Rockets have me all kinds of nervous, and LeBron is being…well LeBron. Can’t wait to see who makes it to the Finals. I, of course, am pulling for a Houston/Cleveland Final. I’m not ready for basketball to be over in Houston yet – but with the NBA Finals approaching, so is the end of the school year and it has been a long one – and I mean, LONG. So that I AM looking forward to. It’s time for a well-deserved 2-month break. Before anyone says teachers have it easy, I dare you to try a week in the classroom. ANYWHO. Between Hurricane Harvey taking out the first three weeks of school, and an ice storm cutting the first week of the Spring semester, I am ready to shut the door on this school year. Not only am I looking forward to relaxing and getting some sort of workout routine back, I’m ready to tackle my list of things I want to do. So here is my Summer To Do List. Some things I haven’t done in a long time, or are brand new to me. Torchy’s Party Deck at Minute Maid Park? Count me in!

  1. Kayaking at Discovery Green: Downtown Houston has its own charm and I have yet to hang out down there unless I’m going to Minute Maid, Toyota Center or another concert or show. You would think that being from the area I would know the ins and outs, but really, I don’t.
  2. Golden Nugget Lake Charles: I hear the pool is a lot of fun, and the food is good.
  3. Ditch Starbucks – and check out a new coffee shop
  4. (Re)Start BBG: Kayla Itsines is having a workout here in Houston! Yes, Kayla herself will be at NRG Center on June 3rd and it’s free! Check the @sweat Instagram account for details on how to register.
  5.  Read TWO New York Times Best Sellers: My reading has been very limited in the past couple of years. The only books I have read were either for grad school or teaching purposes. I used to read ALL the time – I got that trait from my dad. I need to start reading again. Sound off on your recommendations in the comments, please!
  6. Concert in the Woodlands: Okay this is something I have done multiple times, but I feel like summer isn’t complete without a concert at Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavillion. It’s always fun sitting on the lawn for a concert.
  7. Miller Outdoor Theater: Miller Outdoor always has something going on. Want to gather some friends for a picnic.
  8. Day Trip to Pleasure Pier in Galveston
  9. Float Pool Bar in Galveston
  10. Kemah Boardwalk
  11. Purge my Makeup Bags: I have probably fifteen nude lipsticks…I don’t even wear them all…
  12. Torchy’s Party Deck at Minute Maid
  13. Organize My Closet: This one makes me laugh…it’s always a summer item.
  14. Try New Restaurants: Moxie’s Grill and Bar is at the top of the list, in addition to Dunlavy (yes I know I’ve never been), Caracol, Grace’s, Hungry, Prohibition and a slew of others. I know none of these are exactly new. I just haven’t checked them out.
  15. Snooze for Brunch: Okay everyone in their mom (including mine) has been here but me.
  16. Hike all of Brazos River Park: Willie will love me forever. That pup can walk for hours.
  17. Visit a Museum
  18. Jurassic World Fallen Kingdom – It comes out June 22nd. I’ll have this one checked off on…June 22nd.
  19. Day Trip to San Antonio: I want an Adult Trip to Six Flags (did you know they have bars there now?) and some chips and salsa, and margaritas…everything I ever do points to food…
  20. Cooking Class at Sur La Table: Okay this I have never done, but I have wanted to for so long. If you wanna join me, let me know in the comments.
  21. Run a 5K: I feel like there are tons of fun runs in the city during the summer. I haven’t done a race since the Spartan last year. Time for another test…but can it not be 100* out when I actually do it?

This list may seem short, but I also have three trips planned: LA, New York (per usual) and Chicago for Create & Cultivate. Come one Summer, I’m ready for you! Be sure you are following along on Instagram @accordingtodk ! Watch my IG Story, all of the good stuff is in there.

XOXO

DK

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Be Authentic: Create and Cultivate LA 2018

Holy Moly! What a whirlwind of a weekend in Los Angeles. I thought I was going to be able to see some friends and hang out, but honestly, if I wasn’t at the conference, I was laying down! I will say, Friday morning and afternoon I got some work done on my thesis and had a little time to just chill before the madness began.
I had original plans to stay downtown close to the conference but decided to stay in Playa Vista in a house. Best decision ever. Not only was it gorgeous (duh), but it’s in quite possibly the cutest neighborhood ever. Every morning I walked (yes, walked) to Starbucks and Whole Foods for coffee and a few things I’d crave for the day. The less than five-minute walk to Starbucks was awesome. The hour it took to get everywhere was NOT. I mean, seriously, what the hell? And why?! What is the deal?
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Outside of Starbucks. There were firepits for those chilly mornings. It was 40 degrees every morning in LA. I was ready for the 80s…boy was I mistaken.
Anyway, about the conference…
The happy hour at Rolling Greens was so much fun. We had all the rosé and opportunities to mix and mingle with fellow attendees. Since I was flying solo this trip and obviously had no clue what I was doing, this gave me the opportunity to meet people to hang out with. I ended up meeting Alyssa who is an excellent photographer. I know from personal experience. 🙂 **ahem header photo** We ended up running around the conference together.
Conference Day
I had a VIP ticket and I’m kinda glad I did, cause the swag bag at the end was insane! It was a heavy bag, even for me, and I pride myself on lifting pretty heavy in the gym – thank you very much! Anyway. We started with check-in and breakfast. I had a Noosa and granola with champagne, of course! This was another perk of VIP – you got alcohol all day. General Admission wasn’t served until 7 at the happy hour.
The day was jammed packed with speaks and sessions and lunch and of course, shopping. I attended three of the morning sessions. There were more, but I wanted the opportunity to walk around some of the pop ups without all of the crowd. The first I attended was Body Positivity, followed by “Never Not Posting” with one of my personal favorites, Brittany Xavier of Thirfts and Threads. Now give me a minute to explain. I first stumbled upon Thrifts and Threads early last year. I loved Brittany’s vibe and presence on both Instagram and her blog. I also connected with her hi-lo approach to fashion. As someone who loves mixing high-end accessories with moderately priced outfits, her blog was right up my alley. I could go on and on about Brittany for days, but to not sound like a weirdo I’ll stop. But one more thing, I showcase her in my thesis and she’s an inspiration and I love her! Okay, I’m done. One more thing, I did get to meet her and talk to her in the VIP lounge.
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Brittany Xavier @thriftsandthreads and me! I gotta get my posing down. lol. I was cheesing super hard.
The next panel session I went to was Keeping It One Million. With speakers like Julia Engel, Arielle Vandenberg (adore her), Nina Dobrev, Aimee Song and Maria Hatzistefanis. I was not missing that. These women have at least a million followers each. Yeah, they’re the truth and had so many insightful things to share. After this final panel session and a failed attempt at reserving a seat for the keynote speakers, I headed back out to the pop-ups once again and ran into (well let’s be honest, I just went up to her) Collins Tuohy Smith. What a doll! She’s just as sweet in person as I thought she would be – and genuine! She was there with her friend Megan and we chatted for a few minutes about the conference and regular blog struggles. Considering I’m a newbie in this game, it was definitely comforting to chat with experienced bloggers to only find out they have the same issues as I do. A little while later was the main event: The Keynote Speakers.
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It was so nice meeting @collinstuohysmith in between my stages of hungry and HANGRY.
Here’s where my VIP really came in clutch. The first few rows were reserved for VIPs so I was very happy to be in the third row. First up was Lauren Conrad and Hannah Skvarla with Sophia Rossi. I purchased my ticket when only Lauren had been announced as a keynote. So I was already excited to see her. As someone who is the same age as Lauren (and a former Laguna Beach and Hills lover), I felt a personal connection. Who didn’t cry when LC cried those famous mascara tears, was disgusted at Spencer and always wanted a BFF a la Lo? Was that just me? Am I alone? Anyway, hearing about the development of The Little Market was inspiring and eye-opening. I love how all of the merchandise is handmade by women from different countries, refugees and those right here in the US. LC is a Boss Babe to no end.
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Lauren Conrad and Hannah Skvarla share how they started The Little Market.
Next up was quite possibly my favorite celebrity (and last announced speaker) Chrissy Teigen. She reminds me of that fun bestie that you just laugh and be silly with, but will always speak her mind and build you up. Chrissy – along with Jen Atkin – talked branding, speaking her mind and gave a little hint at her next collaboration. I figured out what it was (she dropped plenty of hints) and I can’t freaking wait! Little does Chrissy know, we are actually soul sisters and long lost best friends. Of course, I had to take a pic of her.
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Chrissy Teigen and Jen Atkin share a laugh on how much Chrissy deletes before posting!
After the first two keynotes, we had to exit the room for happy hour. Here’s where things got a little annoying for me. We hadn’t had a meal since about 11. While there were plenty of snacks and booze for me to consume, baby girl wanted a meal. It was now 7 pm and I was ready for something a little more filling. Lunch (which was around 11 am) had some options available, but I had a nice gluten-free cobb salad with some lemonade from Flower Child. Needless to say, I was starving and the line for food was pretty long. I ended up meeting more cool kids while waiting on some tacos and nachos (score) and of course they ran out before we go there. They were down to chips and no queso (people kept calling cheese. Ummm excuse me? The Texas in me was a little offended) and no tacos. Sigh. Popcorn and and a cocktail it is. By the time I grabbed a few more snacks, it was time for the final keynote.
So I didn’t get as close to the final speaker, but I was in about the 8th row. They added chairs (I think) for this one…because of course everyone wants to see Mrs. Kim Kardashian West.
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Kim Kardashian West
Kim K was the second announced keynote, and I will say I had mixed feelings. She has built an empire, but come on, really? Kim? What’s she gonna tell me to do? Post more selfies? Eye roll. Oh, but I was wrong about her. I will admit it. I was taking notes from Miss Kim, yes I was. There were a few things that she said that I need to heed. To sum it up cause I don’t wanna misquote, you can’t be lazy, don’t make excuses and you have to put in the work. Overall, Kim had some meaningful things to say and I enjoyed hearing her take on life and managing a business. After all, the girl does have a bazillion business ventures.
After Kim spoke, we celebrated the close of an amazing day with a shower of pink, white and gold confetti, turned in our badges, picked up our swag bags and swiftly exited. The VIP swag bag was massive and extremely heavy. If you saw my Instagram Stories, you saw me struggle a little to pick it up. May I also add that I had picked up several freebies, and did a little shopping throughout the day so I was already weighted down. So the addition of this bag provided my weight training for the day. I had so much stuff I had to get creative with my packing. But it ALL came back to Houston. Maybe just not in the original packing. That FabFitFun box I scored as a VIP (oh yeah I got one), I ended up unboxing it all in order to keep my now checked bag under 50 pounds.
A few things that kept being brought up over the course of the day from all of the speakers, it doesn’t happen overnight, be authentic and consistent. Those are the three things I’ll be keeping in mind as I continue this new journey that is According To DK.
Check out Create and Cultivate to see if there’s a pop up happening near year. Next up is Austin at SXSW. Anyone up for a road trip?

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