A Weekend with Avid Hotel Oklahoma City Quail Springs

So this past weekend I took my #OhSoThisIs35 celebration to the next level. All so with the help of IHG’s newest hotel Avid Hotel. I had never heard of Avid Hotel and the reason why, because it is the first hotel of its kind in the world!! Ummmm super cool-but I am so happy I found this beauty.

IHG’s newest brand, avid hotels, is the disruptor that is revolutionizing today’s hotel game. (And if you know me you know I love switching up the game) I am here for it #duh. Oh did I mention that it’s all done at a really dope price. I love that Avid Hotel focuses on bringing it’s key values to life. They are FRESH, FAIR & FRANK . The entire vibe was just what I was looking for and needed. I left leaving so F R E S H.

Right when I arrived I was greeted by the most hospitable & warm front desk agent. And boy was I happy!! I mean it was 32 degrees in OKC. The hubby and I were freezing. But immediately we were greeted by Whitney, who was so helpful and amazing. She gave us the full run down about our home for the next couple of days. She even told us that about the Free Good all around Breakfast. As we as the Market that was open 24 hours (and guess what guys it wasn’t crazy expensive. I may or may not of had a snicker bar or two that weekend)

Did you hear me when I said the breakfast was free. Yes I said FREE. And it just wasn’t little cheap off brand items. I was an ALL AROUND Breakfast. From Boiled Eggs, Muffins, Bagels, Toast, Oatmeal, Yogurt and so much more. There was even a juice bar with any juice your little heart desire. As well as a 24 hour bean-to-cup Coffee Bar. That the husband was really excited about. He is a true coffee drinker. Also if you aren’t a big coffee drinker they had you covered with great selection of teas.

When I arrived to my room I immediately knew this hotel was my jam. I was greeted with a bright and personal room. Yes I say personal because the TV said welcome Bree Iman and a note that told me to Rest Assured- Just right guaranteed WE ARE COMMITTED to great stays and signed by Diana. The room was so comfortable and the walls were not thin. Oh and the blackout shade was heavenly. I swear it was the most comfortable bed I had slept in, in a long time.

The next day I went to check out the gym. I rarely do this, especially while on vacation. But I just knew with everything else being state of art and offering the latest technology. That the gym was going to be something I didn’t want to miss. And I’m so glad I went! It was so cute & had everything I needed. From a treadmill, bicycle, weights and so much more. I was very impressed. They even offered complimentary ear buds to hook up to the treadmill. Super Cool Avid Hotels!

After my quick workout….and I mean quick lol. I headed to grab another day of breakfast which was just as good as the first day. Avid Hotels is certainly a new kind of hotel. It delivers the basics done exceptionally well and as I mentioned at a fair price. This weekend we had all the essentials we needed for everyday travel——-a great night’s sleep, a grab-and-go breakfast and seamless technology.

I loved the fact that it was centrally located. Not far from the airport and with plenty dining and entertainment options all around. From local restaurants to chains you had a selection. Also Top Golf, iFly and the Mall was right there. And for my book lovers you are literally walking distance from Barnes & Noble. Carlos & I were truly happy with everything. We cant wait to visit IHG’s Avid Hotel again and this time bring the boys. Yes! If you are wondering it is perfect for families. They have a pool and we would love to check that out in summer time. Im so excited that we were able to visit the first-ever avid hotels that is now open in Oklahoma City. I really think you should check them out. When you do make sure you tell them that Bree sent you! #duh

xoxoxo,

Bree

Brunch + Build ( A Family Affair)

So remember when I relaunched our website and brand last month...I know you do. Because I went marketing & branding crazy. RELAUNCH....RE-BRAND 3.28.18 was all over my post & insta-stories. I was even able to share our family business relaunch on CW 33 Women's History Month Segment. Well, ever since the relaunch I have been making sure that I have kept my word. I know that our work has evolved, our business & brand has evolved and so have we as a family. And through that "evolving" I had sort of lost sight of what was most important...

FAMILY. 

Sounds bad, right? Yeah, I know. But guess what? It is so easy to do, especially when you are a small business owner. As our business grew, so did gaps in time spent with my husband & children. So did gaps in time spent with other family members and close friends. At times, you get lost in the "hustle" to be blowing and going, so much that you blow past your significant other. Forget to answer that text, forget to do a quick check on, to see how their day is going... Or do they need anything. A while back, I did a long post about it, an Instagram post. It was raw, real and that post took me back to my why, it took me back me to my purpose. 

Family is everything. But, as mentioned before, sometimes we are so busy we forget the importance of family. We forget how easy it is to take time to spend with our family. So, we want to bring that importance of family time back to what we do as well as back to what you do. Which has brought us to our next little family venture:

BRUNCH + BUILD with The Clarke's

BRUNCH + BUILD is a family style workshop for men, women, & children. A workshop that focuses on empowering & uplifting families one DIY project at a time. My husband and I will teach these workshops together. At times, my father will come along for the ride and share his tips. Our purpose behind these workshops is to bring back that quality time spent with your family while doing something fun, creative, different AND affordable. Crafts will range from Farmhouse Benches, Blanket Ladders, Wooden Trays, Chalkboards, Wooden Planters and more. Did we mentioned Brunch would be involved? Oh & Mimosas along with Austin East Ciders may or may not make an appearance. SAY HELLO to Co-ed Workshops. 

I mean, how cool does this sound?! First we have "On the Table" Workshops with a Purpose. Workshops that were made to focus on the true definition of "The Every Girl" A space made for women of all backgrounds, style, race, religion, age and more.  A place where everyone feels welcomed. Where the definition of Women empowering Women is more then a hashtag. MAMA MODE: Celebrating Modern Modern Motherhood are workshops & events that focus on celebrating motherhood. Creating that space where a mama can come to relax, unwind and embrace the ultimate me time. And now we have Brunch + Build with the Clarke's, a space that does not just focus on women, doesn't just focus on moms. But focuses on FAMILY, focuses on Dad, Mom, Children, Uncles, Aunts, Grandparents, Cousins and more! We can't wait to share this new venture with you. We know you will love it just as much as us. Because we know you love family. 

"A man who works with his hands is a laborer; A man who works with his hands and his brains is a craftsman; but a man who work with his hands and his brain and his heart is and artist. 

 

xoxo, 

The Clarke Family

I Don't Drink Coffee

Actually I hate coffee. The Coffee cup I am holding here is empty and just a prop. I dislike coffee, just about as much as I dislike the statement:  I would love to meet for coffee so that I can pick your brain. The amount of requests for lets meet for coffee have just gotten out off control over the past few years. And I am not just saying from long time friends, or family members. I mean from people who I have never met. Individuals I have never spoken to on the phone with. People I don't even know their real name. I only know there instagram handle. 

So, why does this statement bother the shit out of me? Because my time & my expertise are valuable. Recently, I read this statement in the New York Post:

Marissa Vicario, a Manhattan-based certified health coach, concurs.

“As my business has become more successful and my public persona has increased, I’ve increasingly received emails from others in my field who essentially want to do the same thing I’m doing. While I love mentoring, I value my time and expertise and have started to charge. I’ve found that those who value my time and expertise are happy to pay the fee,” she explains.

Ladies and Gents, I am running not one, not two...but three different brands. In addition, I am running behind my twin boys who are in school. And each day I get an email that some fundraiser, carnival, cake walk or sing-a-long is happening. And Volunteers are needed because they are "in danger of cancelling" (Yes this is the voicemails & calls I get) Can we say welcome to suburbia? Ok so on top of business and my boys there is my man. Although he doesn't ever say much, there must be quality time with your husband. Date nights are our jam. We love movies, comedy shows, lounges & basketball games. I also love cooking- homecooked meals for my family are a must and they love it to. Oh and wait, there is this little thing called ME TIME. (ME TIME) you know that time where you want to focus on yourself and not feel guilty about it. You want to soak in the tub for just 10 more minutes. Get your hair and nails done. Ignore that phone call or text message. Yes I have to squeeze all this in. All while working on the above. Then after all this I get a DM, message or email saying. "Let's meet so I can pick your brain." Guess what?!? I don't have time for coffee, I don't have time for you to pick my brain. And if I did have time... Guess what? You would not want to pick my brain. 

Wait, it gets better!! People want to be secretive about why they want to meet up. They never really clarify the reason for the meeting. Never really transparent about why they want to get together. I mean are you picking my brain to start your own business? To grow your social media following, for contacts- what? Lunch & coffee is not equivalent to my contacts, expertise and advice, so I have created a service called ‘Pick My Brain’... This service will launch in May and like everything else I do (workshops, farmhouse tables, mama mode, etc) it will be affordable, purposeful and rewarding.

And please don't get me wrong I am all about inspiring the next person and working with an individual who wants to partner together to create something magical. Meeting with someone who is crystal clear about their intentions. And that shows that this "meeting" is not wasting my time or yours. But please remember I hate coffee, and this coffee cup is empty and just a prop.

Xoxo, 

Bree Iman

Rebrand... Relaunch

03.28.18 a date that has been playing over and over in my head. Why? Because today is the day our Rebrand….Relaunch happens!!! Duh!

Boy, have we come a long way! From building in our garage at our home to opening not one but two little shops where we are able to share our handcrafted farmhouse tables & home decor .It’s so funny that not long ago actually June 22, 2015, to be exact. Our tables we were featured in D Magazine under the “Top 5 Coolest/Strangest finds on Local Facebook Garage Sales” We were deemed the fun/funky finds brought to you courtesy of Highland Park Garage Sale. The editor thought I was a genius to put a sheepskin rug on the bench of the farmhouse table. She found out my name put our email so everyone could see… And the rest is history.

So many people have asked why are you rebranding… Why are your relaunching. Well so much has changed since June 2015. Our tables have evolved, our brand has evolved… We have evolved.  On top of that I have always remembered what I had one individual tell me. Always find your WHY…and stick to that. My husband and I have always known why we started building farmhouse tables. We wanted to bring affordable, chic & lasting furniture to all families. No matter whom they were, how they looked or their economic background. But besides this there was another why that with all that has happened and moving so fast that I forgot. The most important why ever. And that was FAMILY…my family to be exact. This time I wanted to make sure that Lavender & Mint Designs represented my family.  That it showed the “modern family” Which is why you see Kai & Kael show so much more. Why you see we have left the rustic look sort of behind. Yet embracing the Modern Farmhouse.

Our family business involves our entire family. From our sons waiting patiently for us to finish building for the evening. Or picking out their favorite color for their own farmhouse table line. From my father helping Carlos with design questions and even my mom assisting with decor ideas. Lavender & Mint Designs is not just Bree & Carlos; it's our entire family. It is you! Which is why we say “Designed by our family... Inspired by yours".

We hope you will enjoy our new look.  Wait, we know that you will enjoy it. So take a look head to the site now. www.theimanproject.com Fall in Love…because we have.

xoxo,

Bree Iman