GOSSIP FROM THE GIRLFRIEND GATHERINGS

Learning from YOU to empower ME !

Making History – Doing Her Own Thing – Jackye Carr Figg

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Today, I want to introduce one of the women in my inner circle who is making some  history in her own life.     She has embraced her entrepreneurial spirit and started her own business “Just Between Friends Gourmet Desserts”.   I sent Jackye a list of questions to answer about her journey for this blog post and below is her response.

DOING MY OWN THING – “I Finally See Me”

Just Between Friends Gourmet Desserts

Jacqueline Figg (aka: JRenee)

I am J Renee owner of Just Between Friends Homemade Gourmet Desserts (JBF) where the care that goes into producing our products yields the quality that our clients continually experience.

We specialize in a variety of gourmet desserts which includes, but are not limited to the Cocoa-Mocha Bar, the Brownie Fusion, Hallelujah Cake balls (one variety) and Apricot Nectar and Citron Torte Bars.  Of course your all time favorites… the lemony 7-Up Cake, the succulent Italian Cream Cake, and the delectable German Chocolate Cake remain best sellers.

In addition, JBF has put our own spin on things and have introduced a different perspective with our products…JBF Dessert Gifts.  Our Dessert Gifts (cake ball trees, cake ball bouquets, cookie bouquets, etc.) are specifically and professionally packaged as “gift giving” ideas and present very well as gifts.  These products preserve well and because they are baked fresh for each occasion they are ready to be consumed upon delivery.

I was motivated to birth this business after my mom passed in 2002 because I wanted to keep a part of her with me.  When we would travel, one of our favorite things to do was to thumb thru magazines and collect recipes.  One of the favorite family recipes is the Mocha Bars which is the recipe that has inspired me to bake and share with others.  When I am cutting the bars I feel that she is a part of the process.  We always enjoyed the response from people once they tasted them and I still get a “big kick” out of that as well as seeing the expression on  faces when the person try to identify the bars with something that they are familiar with.  It’s hilarious!

Strictly self-taught and with out any formal education in baking, I have mastered other techniques and developed flavors that have been instrumental in building our dessert menu.  Our packaging is impeccable and thus far all of our clients have been satisfied.

There are two things I love most about this business…”I Finally See Me” (i.e., independent of others who I thought I had to have in my life to see the success in me) and, secondly, to see the smile on the faces of everyone once they bite into our products…whatever product they order.  I would say to anyone who wants to develop an idea to pray about it first, listen for guidance, develop your passion and be open to change for growth. In this society, remaining the same does not always grow you or your business. However, remaining open not only allows a view from a difference perspective but allows you to glean from other’s knowledge and wisdom.  An example of that is when we entertained the idea of shipping our products to another state.  When we opened our eyes to the fact that shipping nationally was not an unattainable goal, not only do we now deliver locally but we have national recognition and have shipped our products to eight different states as well as international.  That is JBF in a nutshell and we would be please is you would peruse our social media sites and order for your next event.

You can find us at:  www.justbfriends1.com and/or www.Facebook.com/JustBetweenFriendsGourmetDesserts.

Let us “WOW” you with our exhilarating desserts!

Women History Maker – Mollie Taylor Stevenson Jr.

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As we all know, March is National Women’s History Month and, in Houston, we are putting on our cowgirl boots to head on over to the Reliant Stadium for the Houston Livestock and Rodeo Show through the end of the month.     So, with both women history and rodeo in mind, I decided to share with you a history maker right here in my hometown – Houston.    This woman has made a mark in Women’s History and in African-American History as being one of three African-American women inducted into The National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame.   At the time of her induction, Mollie had the honor of her mother, Mollie Taylor Stevenson Sr. being inducted at the same time.    Before her mother’s death in 2003, Mollie and her mother were the only living African-American members of the National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame.

(http://www.cowgirl.net/HallofFameHonorees/Stevenson,Mollie.Jr.html)

(http://www.cowgirl.net/HallofFameHonorees/Stevenson,Mollie.html)

Mollie is well-known in the Houston community as a world-famous cowgirl, historian, and rancher of her family-owned ranch which is one of the oldest African-American owned working ranches in the United States.   The Taylor-Stevenson Ranch has existed for 150 years and is still home to Mollie and some of her siblings.   In 1988, Mollie and her mother established The American Cowboy Museum to educate the young and the old about the contributions of “people of color” to the taming of the West.

Please read more about this female maverick at (http://www.cowboysofcolor.org/profile.php?ID=95)

and her trail-blazing family history at

(http://www.houstonchronicle.com/local/native-texan/article/Historic-ranch-lies-in-Houston-s-shadow-4638390.php)

and

(http://capitolwords.org/date/2002/03/14/E365-2_honoring-mollie-taylor-stevenson-sr-and-mollie-tay/)

I have not visited The Taylor-Stevenson Ranch yet but it is now on my day-trip list and I will “round-up” some of my girlfriends to join me.

In gathering information for this blog post, I read several inspiring information about other inductees in the National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame.   They even have honored Sacagawea who assisted Lewis and Clark!     It is worth a visit so check it out at (http://www.cowgirl.net/AllHonorees.html).

On my next visit to the Dallas/Fort Worth area, I will certainly drop by for a visit!

It’s March – National Women History Month!

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women in business (2)March is National Women’s History Month – a time to celebrate the contributions of women to this country.   This month I will blog about some famous women and their contributions but I will also blog about a few women friends in my inner circle that I feel are doing some unique and fun things.      I have divided them into three categories  – “Creative Cool Women”, “Doing Their Own Thing Women” , and “Informing the World Women”.   Also, this month, I will host a blog interview with author Stacy Overman Morrison on her book “Comfort of Fences”.   Some of my blog readers/friends read the book and submitted some questions for Stacy.   We are all looking forward to her response.

 

So, please stay save my blog site in your “Favorites” and plan to drop by throughout the month.

Girlfriend Gathering Review – Ensemble Theatre – The Meeting

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Imagine……a secret date……a secret place…….a secret meeting.

Imagine……Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.  ………….Malcom X.

Imagine……Talking……..subject……..Civil Rights Movement.

This is the place the Ensemble Theatre took us to with their current production of Jeff Stetson’s play – The Meeting.    This play has been performed to many audiences across the U.S. and several other countries on several continents over the past 30 years.  It has finally arrived to Houston.    I was excited when I saw it in the 2013-2014 season line up for the Ensemble Theatre and the production dates were perfect to make it a part of my African-American History celebration for February.   Of course, I gathered a few of my girlfriends to attend with me.

We were surprised to learn the play was only 75 minutes long without an intermission.   However, after experiencing those dynamic 75 minutes, we understood the reason.    The dialogue of this play was so intense and mesmerizing that any break in the flow of words would have been inappropriate.   The actors Jason Carmichael (Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.) and Mirron E. Willis (Malcolm X) clothed themselves in the essence of these great men and delivered a portrayal that effectively captured the brilliance, dedication and fortitude that each brought to a struggle that impacted their people and their country.    Even though there were vast differences in their approach to the civil rights struggle, we were able to glimpse the similarities in the hearts of these men through the rendering of the playwright and the performance by these wonderful actors.

It is an urban legend that a meeting was planned between these great leaders but Malcolm X was assassinated the week before the scheduled date.   I believe that if it had happened it would have been just as it was in this play.    If you are in or near Houston, please gather up the young people in your sphere and take them to the Ensemble Theatre to witness African-American history in motion.

QUESTION(S):

Are you a history buff?

What do you imagine Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X would have discussed?

The Best Things in Life #5 – Good Love

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Even though there have probably been more than a billion words written on the subject of LOVE, I feel compelled to send my words out into the world about it.   After all, it is Valentine’s Day – heart boxthe day for lovers.   Gifts will be given – candy, flowers, chocolate, jewelry, etc. and romantic dinners will be shared.  The retailers will be thrilled as they count their sales.   But, in my opinion, the best gift for Valentine’s Day cost nothing and should be given often – Good Love.

I believe good love is the aspiration of every couple with the pursuit of it bringing excitement to the relationship.    Good love is specific to each couple and should evolve with their personal growth so that the relationship does not grow stagnant.   Some aspects of good love should always seem elusive because the feeling that you have totally acquired it is the first step in taking it for granted.

And, with LOVE you should never take anything for granted.

Happy Valentine’s Day!

QUESTIONS:

How do you celebrate Valentine’s Day?

What do you think about “good love”?