Tag: Raleigh PR

Oh Momma Monday: Starr Ratto, Videri Chocolate Factory

Tracy LathanBlog, In Our Community, Oh Momma Monday, Starting a business, , , , ,

I can’t think of anything sweeter than owning a chocolate factory. Sam and Starr Ratto, owners of downtown Raleigh favorite, Videri Chocolate Factory, made their dream a reality when they opened their doors in the Historic Train Depot back in early 2012. How Starr has managed to help launch and grow the business while starting a family and raising their young son, Salem, is an inspiring story. We recently connected with Starr who shared her secret to “keeping her cup full” along with some of her favorite downtown Raleigh hotspots.

What is your occupation/business?

I co-own Videri Chocolate Factory with my husband Sam.

What inspired you to start your own business?

Sam is born to make amazing chocolate from the bean, and I am born for customer service.

Starr 3

How has your career/professional life changed since becoming a mom?

I found out that I was pregnant 10 days after we opened Videri Chocolate Factory. Ha. My visions of 12-hour days starting a new business quickly became unreasonable. For the first time something physical dictated my ability to do what I had in my mind.

Any tips for juggling work and motherhood?

My best tip is to figure out your childcare plan early. I didn’t do this and struggled the first year trying to make a plan.

Most important thing motherhood has taught you…

You gotta roll with it. Just when I think I have it all figured out, everything changes. Motherhood has also taught me that I sometimes need to take a few minutes for me. I saw a quote the other day that has been rattling around in my head. It says, “You can’t pour from an empty cup.” That really stopped me in my tracks. I let my cup get too empty too often.

Starr 1

Describe your personal style…

When I close my eyes and envision my style, it is somewhere around a 1970 Bonnie Raitt or Maggie Gyllenhaal’s character in Crazy Heart. But in real life it is great jeans and a Videri T-Shirt or something with stripes. My new power shirt is a striped long-sleeved with shirttails sewn on from J. Crew. If I do anything nice, chances are I will wear that!

What is a favorite place you have visited or trip you have taken?

I really love our annual trip to the Northwest Chocolate Festival in Seattle. Not only is it a very exciting week for the business, but Seattle is one of my favorite cities. I love how it feels like everyone there wants everyone else to succeed. This year I stayed two days after the convention totally alone and wandered around and did nothing!

What do you enjoy doing when you have down time?

I really enjoyed watching Parenthood and am sad that it is over. I also took Trapeze class at Cirque de Vol for a year, and that was awesome. Trapeze is so hard that you physically couldn’t focus on anything else for that hour.

What are your favorite Raleigh hotspots?

I can’t get enough of the Pina Colada (and the food of course) at Bida Manda right now. I also have vowed to do most of my Christmas shopping at Flight Raleigh, the new pop-up shop downtown. It is a partnership between two of my already favorite spots, Deco and Edge of Urge.

What are three of your “faves” right now?

I have a vanilla latte every single day at Videri. I finally got a pair of boots with a heel that I can wear all day (Korks at Belk!). I have also promised myself that I am going to indulge in a monthly housecleaner in 2016! Y’all hold me to it.

For an inside look at other inspirational moms, check out these previous Oh Momma Monday posts.

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Photo of the Week: Food-Seen

Cherith AndesBlog, Marketing, Photo of the Week, , , , ,

We love to work with talented partners, and this week, we had the opportunity to celebrate the official launch of Food-Seen by Felicia Perry Photography. An L.A. native on a foray to Raleigh, Felicia is an international award-winning artist who has been capturing life through a camera lens for almost a decade and a half. While she’s photographed her fair share of blushing brides (with features in The Knot and Wedding Wire), Felicia’s expertise now concentrates on the food and beverage scene, seeking to convey the intrigue and emotion of the culinary world.

Felicia snapped this image at Durham Distillery with the assistance of art director Kayte Price. The idea for the photo is to depict a perfectly composed drink in the midst of chaos or “a conniption,” which is the name of the gin.

Congratulations to Felicia and her team!

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Fall Fashion: Palazzo-Palooza

Cherith AndesBlog, Fashion, Trends, , , , , , , ,

Big, blousy and bold. We’re in love with 2015 fall fashion trends—especially the next iteration of palazzo pants. Returning from the 1970s, palazzos range from light-weight, monochromatic culottes to vibrant floor-length dusters. And to our utter delight, these summer staples are staking a claim in our fall wardrobes! Solid, crisp white palazzos pair well with stilettos for an evening soiree, while their floral counterparts can be offset by chunky heels for a workday splash.

Best of all, this trend resurgence allows us to put a fresh twist on one of our favorite spring pieces. Dare to flare or flow with our top three tips to pizzazz up your palazzos this fall.

Image courtesy of Elle Magazine
Image courtesy of Elle Magazine

1. Opt for Tailored Tops: Pair your palazzos with a contrasting fitted top, such as a body suit or a tailored jacket. The loose pants-and-shirt combo of the summer is giving way to a more polished look that offsets flaring pants with snug tops. Bonus: This new combo boosts the dressy factor, making palazzos a staple of both work and evening wardrobes. At Clairemont, we’ve experimented with tailored jackets and fitted sleeveless blouses to accent our own palazzo favorites.

2. Pattern Yourself Perfectly: For holiday parties or upscale soirees, take a hint from CoCo Chanel’s hip-to-waist pants that often replaced a skirt in her resort-wear wardrobe. Opt for soft, winter-white palazzos with sophisticated stilettos for upscale functions. Otherwise? Don’t be afraid to sport patterns this fall! Large floral, mosaic or geometric prints pair well with solid tops and chunky statement jewelry. Bridgette Raes, style expert, lays out a few ground rules for wearing patterned palazzos, including choosing cropped tops and accentuating your waist against the flow of the pants. Take it from local fashion blogger, Whitney Blake: patterns—including palm prints—are big hits.

3. K.I.S.S. (Keep It Simple, Silly): If all else fails, aim for classic, clean and straightforward. While this may seem counterintuitive with unstructured palazzos, the accessories make the outfit. Let the palazzos—whether plain or patterned—form the ensemble’s cornerstone. Simple blouses provide a mellow partner to the statement of the pant, while the “pop” of style should come from the accessory, such as a bright red pump or a sparkling ring.

What top trend are you sporting this fall?

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VIDEO: “Doughn’t” Miss This

Cherith AndesBlog, Clairemont Client News, Restaurant PR + Hospitality PR, , , , , ,

Dessert…as an appetizer? That’s how one diner described Il Palio‘s renowned sea salt and rosemary focaccia bread. A hallmark of Il Palio’s menu, the focaccia embodies all the qualities of regional Italian cooking–simplicity, balance and epic flavor.

Step into the kitchen with Chef Teddy Diggs, executive chef at Il Palio, as he unveils the secrets to this mouth-watering dish and answers the question that everyone keeps asking: how does he get two quarts of olive oil in that ball of dough!?

We love watching an artisan ply his craft!

 

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Marketing Real Estate to Millennials

Cherith AndesBlog, Marketing, Public Relations, Real Estate PR, , , , , , , 1 Comment on Marketing Real Estate to Millennials

The trends of the lease-up landscape have shifted to “empty-nesters”—and not just baby boomers looking to downsize. Millennials, those born between 1980 and 2000, have staked a claim in the market demand for apartments. In response, lease-up offerings have shifted over the past 10 years to accommodate the preferences of these diverse “digital natives.”

Courtesy of Lincoln Apartments
Courtesy of Lincoln Apartments

1. It’s the finer things of life. According to Brian Toomey, director of acquisitions, Banner Property Management, members of the millennial generation grew up amidst the custom finishes, top shelf materials and private luxury bathrooms of their parents’ suburban homes. And although they still crave these high-end touches, millennials can’t afford the high-end price tags, turning instead to apartment rentals. Hence, lease-up developers must design units that feature quality finishes and incorporate leading design trends. Farewell, linoleum.

2. It’s all about the lifestyle, too. Millennials love life and love to live life. They loathe to waste time commuting to a job or—worse—tending to yard work, moments that could otherwise be invested in experiences and relationships. In response, the demand has skyrocketed for apartments located within a short drive, bus ride or bike ride to major employment hubs. Forty-five minute commutes are a relic. Farewell, drive time.

3. And it’s all about commitment—or the lack thereof. Millennials experienced firsthand the real estate market upheavals that wreaked havoc on their parents’ financial standings. As young professionals, members of this generation are more apt to rent their first living spaces right out of college than to scrap and save for a home. Farewell, mortgages.

What does this mean for marketing and PR in the real estate industry?

1. Feature the features. It’s a given that marketing communication strategies for apartments should highlight the amenities. More attention, however, should be invested in showcasing the distinctive design elements of a unit. Craft creative tactics to spotlight custom finishes and quality lifestyle offerings that welcome the millennial buyer as a VIP guest in an upscale apartment.

@FirstLadyLincoln
@FirstLadyLincoln

2. Go the distance to show the distance. Create clever ways to emphasize the accessible commute to nearby employment and lifestyle options. The Lincoln Apartments, one of Raleigh’s newest upscale complexes (and a Clairemont client), is grand opening its luxury development this fall in the heart of downtown Raleigh. Through a creative Instagram account dubbed “The First Lady of Lincoln,” Lincoln and Clairemont staff are showcasing the “Lincoln Lifestyle.” These first-hand snapshots capture downtown Raleigh’s trendy restaurants, festivals, entertainment venues and cultural hotspots–all a short walk or bike ride from the Lincoln’s front door.

(PS: Give it a gander! Check out the “Lincoln Lifestyle” and downtown Raleigh on Instagram at @FirstLadyLincoln!)

3. Live life with them. This tip is beget from years of research + experience + aw, heck, I’m a millennial (sort of). Millennials shudder at overt marketing messages. Since we’re busy digging through paperwork to ensure we haven’t been hoodwinked by legalese, transparency becomes a legitimate PR strategy. Be genuine. Showcase the warm, accessible side of your company—from the quirks of your personable staff to the fun at your company’s parties. Transparency goes a long way to forge trust with the millennial generation as it chooses its first home after graduation.

What tips would you add to this list?

 

 

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