Networking Mixer, #3 for FWAH
Huntsville, Alabama – The Alabama Fashion Alliance (AFA) will be holding their next Fashion Week Alabama-Huntsville (FWAH) Networking Mixer on Thursday, March 22nd at Mei Wei Asian Bistro, located at 6290 University Drive, from 6pm-8pm. Guests are encouraged to be fashionably dressed, wearing black and white to celebrate the formal launch of the 2012 fashion week t-shirt. FWAH is scheduled for June 9 through June 16. This Mixer is open to the public and there is no cost to attend.
Business features for the March Mixer are Photography by ZamZam, Writer/Blogger Carol Marks, and Make-Up Artist and founder of Stylist Making you Lovely (SMYL), Nancy Finnegan. In line with the FWAH t-shirt launch, the AFA will also be auctioning off an original t-shirt design by Auburn University’s Fashion Design Student, Katie Azzam. Katie is from Madison, Alabama.
As Alabama’s premier fashion event, FWAH invites you to be a part of its success. For more information call 256.585.4452 or visit www.fashionweekalabamahsv.com. Fashion Week Alabama in Huntsville and the Alabama Fashion Alliance is also on Facebook, and Twitter @FWAHsv.
Chef Merle Phillip Interview
♦ Fashion Week Alabama in Huntsville [FWAH] ♦
The Eaves Restaurant and The Budding Chef Cooking School are under one roof. The two are owned and operated by Chef Merle Phillip. I had the privilege recently to sit down with Chef Philip to do an interview. The next FWAH networking mixer will be February 23rd and The Eaves Restaurant will play host to the event.
Growing up in New Jersey, Chef Merle Phillip’s parents were avid travelers and were the ones who gave Chef Merle her love of food. She graduated from the University of Maryland and trained/studied in the New York City area, the Mecca of all things culinary.
So let’s get on with the interview shall we?
When did you start your business?
I started The Budding Chef Cooking School in October of 2008. I wanted to share the love of the culinary arts with others. We started with children and teen classes first. We wanted to teach them to prepare healthy meals, educating them how to make intelligent choices in the kitchen. I’m a strong believer of bending the tree while it is still young. The Budding Chef started to evolve into the catering business as well. Then in February of 2011 we opened our restaurant, The Eaves.
Tell me about some of your recent accomplishments.
The Eaves Restaurant has been on the Top 10 list on Urban Spoon and we’ve been rated one of the Top 10 restaurants in Go Magazine for the year 2011. Most restaurants don’t survive their first year, let alone flourish, so these two accomplishments are very meaningful to us.
What is the key to your success?
I do my job well. I am constantly raising the bar on my staff and myself. By doing my job well, touching every plate, and striving to do better every day. I don’t ever want to get so full of myself where I think I can sit back and relax.
How do you keep current in your area of expertise?
Personally, I keep up to date on industry trends. This year I will attend a professional culinary boot camp. Remain open and learn from people who have achieved excellence. As far as the staff and servers, I consider them having an additional role, our sales force. They share the backbone of the business. We have a training program in place where we continue to cultivate the craft of fine dining.
Community involvement?
I am a member of the Huntsville Chamber of Commerce. I’m a supporter of our local NPR station, WLRH. Wounded Warriors is a philanthropic endeavor near and dear to my heart. I host a special cooking class for the spouses of Wounded Warriors.
Is there anything you have coming up that you’d like to share with everyone? Events, promotions, specials?
The Budding Chef Cooking School kind of took a back seat in 2011 so I want to let everyone know that we will be back in full swing for 2012 with the cooking school. We are filling up our calendar with all sorts of fun classes. One of which I am extremely excited about is called Art with An Appetite. So be sure to get on the schedule for that one! Of course The Eaves Restaurant is also expanding into social events and activities more and more in 2012. We are going to do a series called Dinner & Dancing!
Remember to check out the websites for class information as well as hours of operation for the restaurant.
The Budding Chef Cooking School and The Eaves Restaurant
The Eaves on Facebook
501 Church Street
Downtown Huntsville
256.489.1752
For more information about Fashion Week Alabama in Huntsville you can visit their website at www.fashionweekalabamahsv.com Be sure to LIKE their Facebook page as well to stay up to date on all the news and activities.
Come on out February 23 (6-8PM) for a fun and glamorous networking event.
February Networking Mixer [FWAH]
Fashion Week Alabama in Huntsville Mixer/Networking Event
Fashion Week Alabama in Huntsville (FWAH) will be holding a special Mixer/Networking event in support of Heart Health Month. The mixer will be held on Thursday, February 23 from 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. at Eaves Restaurant, 501A Church Street NW, Huntsville. This event is open to the public. Dress fashionably and wear your red to show your support of Heart Health Month and the American Heart Association.
Business features for the February FWAH Mixer/Networking Event will include Aaron Lacy Photography, Victoria Pennington Model and Talent Management (VPMTM) and Sheer Happiness Salon II.
- VPMTM will give a mini fashion presentation using select agency models. Fashions for the models will be provided by the Style Bar Boutique, 2601 Leeman Ferry, Huntsville, AL.
- Aaron Lacy will debut pictures from his recent photo shoot themed, “Contagious.”
- Khrista Dees of Sheer Happiness Salon II (2519 Bronco Circle, Huntsville, AL) will provide information on her beauty services.
- Auburn University’s Fashion Design Student, Katie Azzam, creates original t-shirt design to auction in support of the Alabama Fashion Alliance’s initiatives.
The Eaves Restaurant will offer an appetizer menu of items that are “fashionably” titled. Appetizers are priced from $8 - $13.
As Alabama’s premier fashion event, FWAH invites you to be a part of its success. Voluntary donations to the American Heart Association will be accepted at the door. Proceeds from FWAH will also go to the Kids to Love Foundation, the John Stallworth Scholarship Foundation and the Studio for Teens.
For more information call 256.585.4452 or visit www.fashionweekalabamahsv.com. Fashion Week Alabama in Huntsville and the Alabama Fashion Alliance is also on Facebook.
FWA Networking Mixer
Alabama Fashion Alliance hosted their first networking mixer to help promote their upcoming event of the year: Fashion Week Alabama (June 2012).
Featured businesses that attended this mixer were…
- Amanda Campbell of Chasing Daylight Photography
- Gail A. Carter - Independent Representative with Silpada Sterling Silver Jewelry
- Marck Estemil - author of “It Is Time.”
I was there to Live Tweet the event and of course to mix and mingle with all the beautiful people. And I did. And it was great. I would say approximately 50 - 60 people ended up attending.
Cafe 153 at Bridge Street was gracious enough to play host to the networking mixer. The upstairs was perfect for this event. Everyone seemed to have a great time, a lot of hand shaking going on, flashing bright smiles, and the chichi was making its rounds.
Enjoy some photos of the event last night….
Will you be at the next mixer?
“The Alabama Fashion Alliance is a group of key professionals, community leaders, business owners, and volunteers that has been formed to work together for the common goal of uniting and advancing the fashion and art industries - - locally, statewide, and nationally!”
Also, if you are interested in being a featured business at one of the mixers, you can contact the people at Fashion Week Alabama - info@fashionweekalabamahsv.com.
Mixers will be held monthly up until June.
Go LIKE Fashion Week Alabama Facebook page to get all the latest and up-to-date information on events and see all the photos.
