GFS in Dallas: Homebound

As much as I loved my trip to Dallas, I was kind of ready to go home. I could never be a celebrity. I got sick of living out of a suitcase and eating out every night. The one thing I wanted when I got back to Houston was a homecooked meal, and to watch tv in bed and have nowhere to go. I see why people like Prince don't tour alot..he wants to sleep in  his bed! I don't know that for a fact but he's a friend in my head and friends usually think alike.

I met some wonderful people in Dallas, people that I will surely keep in contact with. Before I left, I grabbed a fab statement necklace from Juanette because the necklace haunted me every night since I saw her wear it!

(You have to see it on...you can see Juanette wearing it in the post GFS in Dallas: Day 1)

One of the highlights (outside of meeting the Dallas bloggers) was finally making it to Buc-ee's! Do you guys have a Buc-ee's? I've traveled across Texas from time to time and I've always seen it...I thought it was just a truck stop. But oh no boo, Buc-ee's is anything but a truck stop! It's a movement! I don't really know how to describe it except that it's kind of like Wal-Mart meets Chucky Cheese meets a gas station meets a Deli Shop sponsored by CRACK! It was overwhelming!

It's the only place that you can get Jalopeno Cream Cheese in a jar, turkey jerkey, homemade Butter Pecan Fudge,  a DR. Pepper ICEE and the cleanest restrooms ever all under ONE ROOF! I'm a Buc-ee's believer! If you ever see one, stop and go in! You will never look at truck stops the same!

I was on the chartered bus on the way back home and I was reading my new book by Chastity Garner called "The Curvy Girl's Guide to Style". One person saw it and wanted to see it and by the time I got back to Houston, half the bus was asking about the book. That's when I was all like "Umm hmmm girl, my homegirl wrote this here book!" Totally pimping out the book! Chastity, the book was very popular among the curvy teachers I roll with!

Next stop? Norfolk, VA and Washington Dc in a few weeks!

GFS in Dallas: Part 2

Day 2 of my Dallas trip got even better. Erin from Work with You've Got contacted me and wanted to meet. I've been following Erin's blog for some time and she's a friend in my head anyway, so of course I agreed. She invited Tina from T Minus, T Plus and I invited Juanette again...and off we went to Vickery Park.

When Erin arrived we immediately embraced. But it was a different kind of embrace! She kept stroking my skin and I kept stroking her hair! We were both cracking up! Tina was a doll and I can't really tell you everything that we talked about because it was nonstop but we covered everything from wanting to buy a Smart car (Erin) to wanting to karate chop a wedding photographer (Tina) to being invited to a wedding where you were asked to bring $65 to eat for being a "plus one"!(Juanette)

(Juanette and Tina)

You would have thought that we all have known each other for years! I thoroughly enjoyed myself and the grilled chicken sandwich that I ate! At one point, it felt like a convention in the bar because Juanette whipped out the BEAUTIFUL jewelry that she sells, Tina whipped out her new computer and Erin demonstrated how she makes her JEWELRY! What was my contribution you ask? Hell, I brought them all together...I was the PIMP of the whole operation! That's gotta count for something right?!?

Of course we took pictures of ourselves because that's what we do.

(I'm wearing my pretty dress from Anthropologie and my Lamb Shoes. I can't get enough of the nude shoe look!)

Tina noticed that I stayed in a pose even while positioning the camera...I'm always ready. (Not really, it's weird that I take pics for a blog because I was that kid that would always jump out of pictures when I was younger...still will in most situations. Hmph. I need to examine that further one day:)

So here is what you need to know about each of these ladies.

Erin- Mad Funny...like needs a reality camera to follow her funny. She makes her own jewelry! And it's pretty jewelry too. She also takes note that everyone in our group dropped a cuss word or two! Oh...her hair....luscious!

Juanette- CREATIVE and multi-talented. Chick sells beautiful jewelry, a natural hair efficiando, she is a Dallas stylist for hire and the best Dallas thrifting tour guide! PS...that red dress she is wearing is really a skirt that she hiked up and threw on a belt!

Tina- is a lawyer, recently married who just went to the Lane Bryant conference as part of a focus group and got major free swag!

Me- I'm a Pimp. I bring people together! Praise the Lawd! HA

Part 3 up next...

GFS in Dallas: Part 1

I was in Dallas for a week and I made the most of every moment...thriftily speaking that is. I knew that Juanette from Fashion-nette was in Dallas and we have chatted through emails before so we agreed to meet. Since I'm all about thrifting, I could tell through Juanette's blog that we had the same style so I knew she would know the spots.

(This pic was taken after hours of thrifting! We were both exhausted!)

When I got to town...I went to my meetings and scurried to the hotel to meet her. This is how the conversation went.

Me: Hey girl, I'll be ready around 6pm.

Juanette: Okay. I'l be there but I'm kind of sick so I hope you didn't dress up.

Me: (looking at what I had on) Nah, I just have on a skirt and some wedges. Nothing special.

Juanette: Okay. I've got a cold so I'm not gonna be all jazzy.

Me: Okay. (thinking about changing into some jeans and flats but didn't feel like ironing)

Fast forward 15 minutes.

I get my butt in the car and this chick looks like she just stepped off the pages of Essence magazine! Really Juanette? Sick...really? Why do you have on make-up Juanette? Why do you have on that beautiful maxi dress? Why do you have on heels Juanette? This is not the look of I'm So SICK! She was trying to catch me slipping YALL! When I'm sick, I have on a tee and jeans and maybe a cute sandal...usually a cap pulled over my head...not beautiful earrings and a PRADA bag on my arm!

I am wearing the Zebra wedges by Sam Edelman. Remember when I wore that dress from ASOS here? The dress came in that printed fabric. I just stuffed one of my large clutches inside it to make it sturdy and voila...a new clutch!

As soon as  I get in the car, I gave her a not so secret "side eye". Ummm hmmmm. I see how you are Juanette. You wanted me to be the ugly duckling? No boo, no!

This was literally the first time we have ever met and you would swear that we've known each other few years. She didn't hesitate taking me anywhere at all! She took me to some hidden gems and I found some awesome pieces that I will show you later.  The funny part is the thrift stores didn't have dressing rooms. You would've turned around wouldn't you? Nope. Not us. Juanette showed me her corner of the store in the back and all you saw were shirts flying, zippers breaking, hips squeezing! I had to prove to her that I could hang.

We had a blast and she was so willing to take me anywhere. This girl is crazy talented...I will tell you more about that in the next installment of GFS in Dallas: Part 2 along with Erin and Tina. I also met, Chastity a new author of a fab book! That will be in Part 3!