Zuryna: Welcome to Operations
Unfiltered, the podcast that
takes you behind the scenes of
influencer and talent management.
I'm your host, Zaina.
Today is a super special episode.
I have a repeat guest, one of my
favorite influencers and content creators
in the Baltimore area and the DMV.
I'm joined by Simone Phillips,
also known as Charm City Table.
We talked about what's on the horizon
for Charm City Table, a few unflattering
social media encounters with some business
owners, and she gave some tips and tricks
for how you can succeed as a content
creator or as a business owner who's
interested in working with creators.
So without further ado, let's
get into this week's episode
of Operations Unfiltered.
So how have you been?
I can't believe it's been.
How many months I, the last time
I talked to you on Operations
Unfiltered was in August.
So I've been keeping up with all
the things, but give me the rundown.
What have you been up to?
How have you been?
It's been crazy.
Yeah.
Good things have been a little
Simone: crazy.
, I don't know.
Things are just , right
now they're insanely busy.
'cause the summer's coming up.
There's a lot of festival planning and
all of that crazy stuff going on, but.
, you know, it's just, , it's been insane.
I feel like I'm losing it right now, but.
Zuryna: I honestly feel the same as
a, as black woman in this, country.
Yes.
That's what I wanted to start off with.
How are you doing mentally, emotionally,
especially in the world of content
creation where so much of your
life is public and it's a lot, so
how are you doing there mentally?
Simone: I feel like I try to be very
. Intentional about the things that I
share and the things that I don't.
So I try to keep, my private
life is still very much private.
I mean, if I was to reveal that,
it'd be a totally different but
the, you know, the food stuff and the
event stuff and it just going around
with my husband who's, you know, mostly
like my go-to person for going out.
That's, that part is going great.
Like I said, it's just, it's just
like managing it all lately,
which is great 'cause it means
things are going well successful.
And like at the beginning
of the year, I feel like.
I had, well, end of the year,
beginning of the year, I had some
very intentional goals mm-hmm.
In terms of, , really driving
up the business side of Yeah.
Table.
So I feel like we're on the right track.
Like when I'm not, you know, me
being the goal oriented sometimes
perfectionist person these days,
I was not always like that.
Feels like I'm behind, but like when I
take time and like look back and look
at my to-do list, look at all the things
that I've accomplished, look at my quarter
one goals, like those are all on track.
So you
Zuryna: know what I love when you're
using this project management language.
'cause you know I'm a corporate
project manager, so when you
say things like we're on track.
I'm a corporate girly.
So when you say things like on
track, like my heart, because I love
hearing creators talk like that.
Simone: A plan.
You need a plan, I get it.
But I feel like, yeah, that's half of it.
Like taking your.
From a hobby on a Instagram,
you know, regular Instagram.
So
Zuryna: truly making it a business and
that's why I have to commend you so much.
And I wanted to pick your brain about
all the things, 'cause you mentioned
event planning and that's definitely
something that I wanted to tap into
because like I said, I've been following
all along on Instagram and I've seen,
yeah, involvement with CIAA weekend
and all the different restaurants
in and around Baltimore, downtown
partnership of Baltimore, I've seen.
Seeing you partner with them.
So what's on the horizon
for Charm City table?
I heard you mentioned
festival season is coming up.
So how are you and Charm City
table gonna embed your expertise
into that, to that realm?
Let us know.
, Simone: yeah, I think it's, it's just more
of, more of the same, I feel like, except.
Bigger and better.
We love it bigger and better.
Yes.
Yes.
Yeah, I've do, I've been trying to do
a lot of work with some of the local
Baltimore organizations and those
kind of, that's been an interesting
path 'cause I've been working with.
Some of them for as long as I've
had my platform or maybe like a year
or two in, and I'm starting to like
think about ways we can work together,
like I said, bigger and better, like
think ways that we can work together
differently that doesn't feel like copy
paste or like the same thing that we've
been doing in the past with the same
thing even other creators are doing.
I feel like.
You have all these creative minds in
the city we should be creating and
coming up with through and exciting.
So I'm rethinking a lot of the
way those things are going.
But as far as like event curation and
mm-hmm you know, now is like I'm in a
space where I know a lot of the business
owners, I know a lot of the small
businesses I've worked alongside them
or with them for something particular.
So I'm like trying to use all of that,
just to make the city look great,
to help these businesses look great.
To make sure everybody is, is paid fairly.
I love that.
Listen, we.
You know, it feels like everybody's
getting something out of the the
deal or out of the collaboration
or whatever it might be.
So I think, like I said, more of
the same, bigger and better as
far as the local organizations.
Then I'm also extending outward
to like national organizations.
Yeah, some very corporate organizations.
To, you know, because I was gonna pick
Zuryna: your brain about that too,
because I know that your rise is really
due to you focusing on Baltimore Charm
City table is your Instagram name.
But I wonder, do you ever sometimes
feel stuck or sometimes do you feel
like maybe I shouldn't focus on
this national brand because that's
why I started Charm City Table?
Or to that point, do you feel
like, Hey I've, I've done
what I can do in Charm City.
Not that I'm done, but I wanna break.
Yeah.
Out and focus out.
What are your thoughts there?
Simone: I think it's, it's a
thing to figure out for sure.
Yeah.
Uh, yeah.
I, it's been such a trip just kind
of figuring out, so when I feel
like when I first started, yeah.
I wanted to stay very hyperlocal.
Yeah.
And then things got very busy, like all,
like, lots of businesses wanted me to
come out and check out their restaurant
and give advice or talk about how to
get more people and, and whatever.
So then I was like.
Well, this has to make money and you know,
a lot of these businesses don't have the
livable wage money to be paying me and
possibly other folks, , to come do this.
So I was like, okay, let's start
doing some brand partnerships.
So I was doing those, but then I'm like.
To, if I'm promoting so many local
coffee, which I, I, I'm gonna say
dunking, I do love working with Dunking.
I do still, still work with them, but
I'm like, yeah, how many Dunking ads
do I wanna be putting up, you know?
. With the calendar year, if I'm also
promoting local coffee shops, so, right.
You know, we still do things
together, just not as frequently.
So I was like, oh, sometimes doing these
larger food partnerships might not.
Just frequently might not necessarily
work for what I'm trying to do.
So then I got really into, for a while,
especially after George Floyd and all
that stuff, a lot of the, now they're of
them, a lot of the bigger organizations
were like, okay, here's some money
to promote black owned businesses.
. Some of them were Latino owned business,
like minority owned businesses.
And so then I was doing a lot of that.
And, that worked out pretty well.
But now that money is like, all right.
Zuryna: And now they're re restructuring
things now and I'm wondering Yes.
No more.
It's no more.
And how is that impacting you directly?
You spoke a little bit
to it, um, briefly, yeah.
But I wanted to know if you've noticed
a, a drastic shift and how is it I can,
Simone: you know, things I feel like it,
maybe it's because I have to plan ahead.
Yeah.
Or maybe it's just like the piece of my
brain that's a little bit of a visionary.
I kind of always, I saw that
drying up maybe like a year
ago, like maybe two years ago.
, the deals weren't as frequent.
You know, then you had to start
doing the whole elevated thing.
Upscale, upscale, upscale.
And I'm just like, well, you know.
People, I'm thinking about
connecting these brands with people.
It's kind of like a silent
recession right now.
Like people don't have as much.
disposable income, um, you know,
upscales, nice date night, whatever.
But that's not always what
people are trying to do.
Um, and I, yeah, people's
Zuryna: pockets are not, are not
running and I wanna have diversity on my
Simone: page.
I've never wanted it to be,
to lean to a certain genre
or type of mood all the time.
I want to show the
range and the diversity.
So yeah, I would say about a
year or two, I kind of saw that.
A little bit and I get them here
and there and this still happens,
but like now I'm more comfortable.
And like I said, I was just always,
I really want the focus to be, small
businesses, small restaurants like.
Where my passion lies.
I feel like if I get too far away from
that, I will be like this, this sucks.
Um, but
Zuryna: yeah.
Simone: But now I
Zuryna: feel like, and honestly
I have to commend you for that
because you've done some great work.
I saw what you did, the, campaign with
the vegan ice cream, shop that you were
part of that.
I absolutely love that.
I actually needed to go visit them,
but . That's why I love your page
is because you are I feel like
you're like a community connector.
Yeah.
Exactly.
That's what I'm, that's
Simone: kind of the point.
That's the whole point.
But now I feel like I'm more comfortable
with, you know, I've had different
meetings with different big corporations,
Pepsi, Amazon, you know, these big
companies, and I'm sort of thinking
about the way that that money can come
into Baltimore, come into to help these
small businesses can help me pay myself.
And all of, those things.
And there are lots of cool
ways to make that happen.
So I'm spending a lot of my time looking
in that direction for, God support
and collaboration where it's not, I.
Necessarily a direct competitor to
the restaurants I'm trying to promote.
But like I, Verizon was one I worked
with a couple times last year, Comcast.
And, working alongside those folks, if
they have some sort of initiative, whether
it be something like a brand deal, whether
it be like, oh, promoting the internet,
or, you know, a grocery store or whatever.
Like Xfinity, they had a partnership
where they had, it was like a grant.
Where they small restaurants and small
businesses could apply for grants.
And so I did a collaboration with them
to make that happen, like to make sure
people were aware that that was going on.
So it's thinking about more things
like that, you know, that are
direct competitors but are still
big companies with a nice budget.
Able to.
Yeah.
It sounds like you're able to find
Zuryna: the synergy, find the
synergy between, you do well.
Yeah.
You gotta find the synergy.
That's right.
Exactly.
And then a million other
Simone: things, like
it's not just one thing.
It's like we said, the event curation.
It's doing those brand partnerships
and you know, some of those behind the
scenes collaborations and meetings, and
sometimes it's event hosting, you know?
Yeah.
Taking the lead and putting something on.
So, you know, it's just
a little bit of a, it's
Zuryna: about It's ever evolving.
It's ever evolving.
Yeah.
But I, the key piece that
you're describing is that
diversifying your income streams.
And that's what I've always been
harping to all of my creators.
Mm-hmm.
Any small business
owners that I work with.
Is that the power of
diversifying your income streams?
And I'm wondering how do
you have the confidence.
To step out on faith because you mean
you started this as a content creator,
sort of like a pseudo influencer.
Yeah.
You're into all these different things.
So how do you have that internal
confidence to push yourself even when you
know it's a saturated market or you've,
I'm sure you've gotten a ton of nos.
Imposter syndrome is so real, especially
as a black woman in this industry.
So just how do you push past that?
And
Simone: I really, Ooh,
that's a great question.
Yeah.
It's really a journey.
I, I like, I keep saying, when I first
started, I was, I was what, 20 17, 20 18.
At this point I was posting photos
and I wasn't showing my face.
Yeah.
And, sharing strictly my favorite dish.
It just kept evolving.
And as I took, , as I could.
Again, looking ahead as I could
kind of see things shifting.
Like for instance, when I started, it
was Instagram, which was all photos.
You know, it was a photo app and Instagram
popped over to reels and took people
with TikTok and reels was a thing.
So I'm like, I love my pictures.
I worked so hard to figure out photography
and like shooting with my iPhone,
like I don't wanna have to do this.
But then I.
If you look back at those videos,
they look absolutely insane, compared
to what people, are putting out now.
And even now, I'm looking
like many movies now.
Yeah.
I'm looking, I'm looking at ways to go
just a little bit more cinematic mm-hmm.
With, um, with my platform and that,
but that's more like Q3, Q4, you
know, I have so much to focus on Don
taking, when I was doing, when I had
started, and it started picking up a lot.
More people started food blogging
and Yeah, becoming a food influencer.
Reviewing restaurants and like reviewers
also were not a big thing when I
first started, and then now reviews.
Eight outta 10, nine outta 10 people
are just super popular these days.
Yeah.
So it was like, okay, how
am I competing with that?
You know?
So people are still listening to me.
I don't want my platform to be nine outta
10 because to me logically like it just.
I get what people mean, but to me
as someone who tastes a lot of food,
yeah, that doesn't always make sense.
Because I'm nine out of 10
is your personal enjoyability.
It's subjective.
Yeah.
I
Zuryna: might like it a
little bit more salty than
Simone: you.
Right.
And I'm like, what is a 9.2?
Like, where does the 0.2
come from?
So it's fun.
Don't, don't hear this is me on it.
I think it's so much fun.
for me, I'm just like, where
would I come up with that number?
I just.
It just wouldn't work for me.
I think
Zuryna: of it as the equivalent
of when someone says, I need
something that's affordable.
Well, what's afford?
Yeah.
Right.
What's affordable is your
I know, it's, it's like
Simone: kind of like, yeah,
doing recommendations.
Like if somebody inboxes me and is
like, I wanna do a birthday celebration,
I'm like, well, you know, you a hookah
birthday person, so you, you know, just,
Zuryna: yes.
That is a very different experience.
Yeah, it's, and to that point, I think
that's another reason why I wanted to
reach out to you, because a while ago
I saw on threads you had an not so
flattering experience in the restaurant.
Was that
Simone: pretty terrible?
Yes.
So
Zuryna: bad.
And so I would love if you could speak a
little bit more to that because you are
such a community, networker and connector,
and it's, it's, you know, offput sometimes
to have those unpleasant experiences.
So if you wanna give us, well, I think, I
Simone: think what we, when we
touched on a little bit, the
confidence, I feel , yeah, it's
just, it is a journey nowadays.
That stuff really it's like
annoying and like, yeah, come on.
Like grow up.
Um, so the story is for
those who are who, dunno.
Long story short, uh, I got, I
was invited to a restaurant, and
this is the thing, again, you're
working with small businesses so
not everybody understands entirely.
How it works, especially with there
different types of food content,
restaurant, content creators, you know?
Mm-hmm.
It is a, it's different genres,
you know, sub genres within Yeah.
The whole restaurant.
So not everybody understands how it
works, and I totally get that now.
I wish they did their own
research, but heck yeah.
So I was invited to a restaurant.
When I'm invited to a restaurant,
usually the, the owners
cover the cost of the meal.
I come in, I taste a few menu items.
I give my opinion.
Usually I want to give it in
person, but you, as you'll hear,
they were very receptive to that.
Um, give my feedback in person
and then if the, the meal, the
interaction is good, it's positive,
then I'll create content around it.
And I'll usually disclose when I'm
invited in my caption so people
know, okay, you know how to weigh it.
You know, it's like, well, she's
invited versus if she went by herself,
she might have a different experience.
So, um, that's kind of how that works.
So this restaurant invited me out.
They offered to cover
the cost of the meal.
I come in with my mom and this.
Restaurant.
So our first dish comes
out and it's not great.
They're wings.
And the chef and his
wife kind of let me know.
This is, these are award-winning.
They won awards.
Oh no.
They were so confident and
when I tasted them, oh no.
And when my mom tasted
'em, I'm not the only one.
We thought they were very freeze or burn.
And I don't know if you know.
How many people are come like know
how to fry chicken, but when you kind
of fry it and don't thaw out all the
way, you know, you can taste the whole
Zuryna: freezer.
Yeah.
Simone: You could taste the whole
freezer and then sometimes that
bloodiness, like that marrow,
whatever kind comes up to the surface.
So the wing is like very dark red and just
gritty and it just, you know, the bone is.
Breaking off into not
a pleasant experience.
Yeah.
Well it just wasn't a
pleasure, texture experience.
It did taste just like a freezer.
Oh.
With a sweet sticky sauce.
So they asked, you know, they came
back over and was like, oh, how?
How was it?
And we were like, oh, well, you
know, this is a little freezer.
You know, we tried to.
We be nice.
It got the word out,
you know, the words out.
They were like, oh, well these
are, and everybody else likes.
And it was, it was kind of like that.
So we like, oh, well, you like the
sauce, you clean it up a little bit.
So we, we were like, okay, like this guy,
like a little sensitive, and his wife had
gone in the back, so like maybe his wife
is the one who, because that's the thing.
Um, I'll keep it brief, but like.
I would say chefs
especially are creatives.
They're artists, you know,
this is their creation.
They can be very sensitive, like most
artists, most creatives about their stuff.
So I, that's not the first time
you dealing with someone who's
like a little bit overly sensitive.
But at the second time, I'm like.
If you're overly sensitive,
if you're particular, you also
need to come with the heat.
If your wings, you woke up this morning,
your wings were frozen, it better
Zuryna: slap.
They better slap.
Go buy some
Simone: new wings.
So you're not, you're like, oh
crap, I forgot to haw these out.
Like, lemme go.
Lemme go to Giant.
Lemme go.
Especially if you were invited.
You're invited.
Caliber, your time to.
Create a great first impression.
I won't know.
This is my first time.
I'll have no idea.
You wouldn't bought
some last minute wings.
Like I genuinely would not.
Mm-hmm.
Um, so we had a couple other dishes.
They were all bad.
The, you know, the restaurant
itself wasn't the cleanest.
And again, it's a whole in new wall spot.
So I'm try not to judge too
hard off of that, but just
the overall experience is bad.
Getting kind of jumped back at.
You know, when I tried
to give feedback Exactly.
Having a not so great meal, every
dish coming out and just being
either low quality or kind of
old, it just tasted like old food.
So yeah.
When we left, I'm fortunate, uh, yeah.
When we left, um, I was like,
oh, I can't put that up.
Like that's, I can't tell people Yeah.
If I had old food.
Yeah.
I wasn't putting their best foot forward.
This was an invitation.
I just don't feel
comfortable putting that up.
So I sent him an email.
You know, it was constructive.
It was professional.
Yeah.
In my opinion.
I posted the screenshots on threads.
You definitely did.
Zuryna: And the corporate girl in me
was like, oh, this is really nice.
Yeah, you actually sent way
longer messages than I would have.
So I wanted be
Simone: kind of, wanted to be
constructive because it a sensitive topic.
Yeah.
I'm not posting the content.
Yeah.
And so they were very devastated.
They just sent the nastiest messages.
They were trying to talk
about my looks and just , yeah.
It was not cute.
If anyone, I don't know
if it's still on thread.
Very angry.
Yeah.
If it's still on
Zuryna: threads, I invite anyone.
It's still on there.
It was not cute.
It was not.
' Simone: cause after a couple of exchanges
I was like, gosh, this is just so rude.
And I just did not want.
You know, a narrative out there because
you don't, I don't know those people.
That was my first time.
Like I've talked to them online over the
years a couple of times, but that was my
first in person interaction with them.
So I'm like, I don't know what
they're gonna off and run, run.
Somewhere on the internet.
I tried.
No, I
Zuryna: commend you completely because
that whole interaction was too much.
My chest was hurting, so they were, yes,
Simone: it was rude.
It was a little disrespectful and
you know, honestly, I hate to say it,
Zuryna: but that's not the
first time, something like that.
And that's why I was like, you have
to give us the tea and, and how you
dealt with it was so professional.
Yeah, I could not imagine.
Yeah.
I think yes.
Usually it
Simone: happens like that.
Like at this point I'm like.
People know my platform, you
know, and people, it's so weird.
'cause again, Instagram and the
whole landscape of social media
changing, sometimes people think all
positive or leaning positive can mean
you're being phony or you're lying.
Yeah.
But you know, there's so much
behind the scenes stuff that's going
on, like having to tell someone
you didn't enjoy the experience.
Yeah.
And so I also felt like
sharing that helped people.
Who might follow it, might understand
how it kind of works behind the scenes.
Like it absolutely does.
I don't post everything that goes.
Yes,
Zuryna: and you really could have, and
I'm, I'm wondering if the restaurant
was, you know, receptive of the fact that
if you posted that negative experience
that could have yielded poor results.
Yes, I could have yelled the poor results
Simone: bashing and I don't like.
I also don't, you know, the
internet is such a wacky place too.
I don't wanna create a space for that.
Like exactly where people just
get on and let their steam, let
that off in the review section of
Constructive, say, enjoy.
This is why.
Fine.
But.
The attitude and the rage, like
that's not what the page is.
Oh, warranty.
I
Zuryna: guess from that experience,
what advice would you give to future
restaurant owners who may have
encountered a review that wasn't the best?
What would you, what
would you say to them?
Simone: Like, if somebody
posts a negative review?
I would just, with it
being so popular, yeah.
Feel like everybody's gonna
have their own opinions.
Reviewers, who just, you know,
might go to a place and post just
like any other feedback or review.
If you're, don't react off of one
negative review, if you're seeing
hearing themes like, okay, this is,
this is maybe something you wanna
take back and have a meeting about and
go back to the drawing board about.
But if it's some one off.
I would just ignore it
or thanks for coming.
Or if it's something egregious,
maybe message them on the side to
see how you can, you know, treat
it like a regular customer review.
It's not, it's not that serious.
Zuryna: Tell the story.
Let's have some decorum.
Yeah.
I, I feel like that's a
lesson that we need to, yeah,
Simone: professionalism
always wins, especially in.
That's what professionalism is for.
It's for when you don't know
people like that and you keep a
certain level of like decorum.
Exactly.
So nobody is freaking out or doing what
those people just talked about did.
The
Zuryna: nosy person in me wants to know,
have they reached out to you since then?
Simone: No they haven't.
No.
The last message they sent when
they were like going off, it
was like the last exchange.
I did block them on Instagram because I
was just like, protect your, they were
like still looking at stories and , I'm
like, why are you still following along?
It's so strange.
Get outta here.
People are weird.
That is, that is
Zuryna: definitely a troll.
Simone: Why?
Oh my goodness.
Zuryna: Well, another topic that
I wanted to pick your brain about
was the different food scenes.
I noticed a couple of your videos you'll
say Baltimore City and Beyond, which
I love, I love when you expand out.
Yes.
Mm-hmm.
So, the debate that I've been seeing
a lot, and I'm interested to see what
your thoughts are, is the, the debate
and the food scene between Baltimore
City food scene, the d mm-hmm.
Food scene, even Northern Virginia.
Yeah.
So I'm gonna ask a, a question.
Who has the best food?
You're gonna say Baltimore City, but who?
Yeah.
Simone: I'm way too biased to be,
you know, but seriously, I do
think it's, it's Baltimore and
I will tell you all exactly why.
It's because I feel like, you
know, of course every food team
has their strengths and weaknesses.
Like I do think there are points.
Where DC especially is a little
bit stronger, um, than Baltimore
in certain areas like volume.
When it comes to volume, like fine
dining for instance, there's a lot of Oh,
Zuryna: absolutely
Simone: you wanna do fine dining.
If you wanna go upscale, you go to DC
and there's like a thousand options
versus Baltimore, there might be like 30.
So, but I do feel like, Baltimore
is the better one just because
of the range, you know?
Mm-hmm.
When it comes to types of food,
when it comes to price point.
Affordability.
When it just comes to having a nice, even
sometimes the more upscale, elevated in
a casual like comfortable environment,
nobody's trying to make you feel super
duper uncomfortable, even when it comes
to like dress codes and things like that.
I, I, I feel like we're, we have a little
bit more, down home, yes, we have a
little bit more of a down home feel.
And we still execute very well.
So Baltimore now is really coming up
when it comes to getting the James
Beard nominations and features in
New York Times and Washington Post.
We have a ton of award-winning restaurants
at this point, and they really hold up
to DC When I used to travel a lot from
my previous job if I went full time.
Mm-hmm.
I did a lot of, San Francisco,
did a lot of Boston.
Yeah.
And I just, I always, and I had
to take clients out to dinner.
That was the whole thing.
So yeah, I, I really did feel like,
you know, the flavor was there, the
execution was there, the quality
is there, in Baltimore food team.
And it's just easier to find when you
think about popping in and grabbing a bite
to eat, I feel like nine times outta 10
you're gonna have a positive experience.
Yeah.
Versus some of the other
scenes where you have to.
I feel like you don't need to know where
to go in Baltimore to have a good meal.
Yeah, that's so true.
Very true.
It's delicious.
Yeah.
Zuryna: Yes.
And I think the, the, the thing that
you mentioned is that community feel.
Mm-hmm.
We are cultural city for a reason.
It's, you know, that's the thing that I
think gravitate and I'm from Houston, so.
Mm-hmm.
Of course that's like.
Big city, food city.
Yeah.
But it's way different, a
different vibe than Baltimore.
So I totally get what you're saying there.
Yeah.
And that's why I love it so much.
I, I absolutely love it.
So now the fun part, you've been
visiting some f fun restaurants lately.
I've been keeping track, but a lot of my
listeners wanna know their work from home.
Girlies there.
Mm-hmm.
Mompreneurs.
What are some good coffee shops
in Baltimore City and maybe
even Baltimore County, your top
two that you would recommend?
Oh man.
Well, I put you on the spot.
Ooh, I'm sorry.
Simone: Uh, no, because I'm
like, you know, the coffee shops
that are great and have great
coffee, but maybe not great hours.
I feel like if you're working,
you definitely want a place that
is nine to five, especially.
Um, so.
I've personally, let me check their hours
before I start hollering out things.
I personally have really been
enjoying Lama's Corner lately.
It's in the Bolton Hill
neighborhood and Oh,
Zuryna: that's my favorite area.
One of my favorite little areas.
Yeah, they're, oh
Simone: yeah, they're, they're shop,
actually, they're open until some
7:30 AM to 8:00 PM What you Oh good.
That's Monday through Friday and
it's just a cute coffee shop.
When I first went, when they
first opened a couple years
ago, maybe it was a year ago.
Year or two ago, um,
their coffee was fine.
Like it wasn't, it was all right.
I didn't care for it.
I'm a big, I'm a bit of
a coffee sno, but lately.
Month or two, and their
coffee is delicious.
They have a wonderful barista now.
I love that.
Does beautiful latte art, so
you can sip a pretty drink.
And have, are you a matcha
girly now, or do you do matcha?
Do they I do.
I love matcha.
I love tea.
I love coffee, but I, I think I'm more of
a, a coffee, more of a cappuccino drinker.
I'm an espresso person, so I'll
do lattes, but I like the, um.
I like the cappuccino balance.
I like a stronger coffee.
I'm, yeah, I, I love that.
I
Zuryna: would definitely take that
recommended look, I'm writing it down now.
I'm gonna take that.
Yes, Lamas,
Simone: it's very good.
It's in Bolton Hill and MCM Street.
And then who else is a, is a
good, oh, you know, uh, Addie's.
Coffee roasters down in Phelps Point.
They have good hours as well, and it's
a larger space, so I feel like it does.
I feel like that's a
popular work from Home Spot.
So it may get a little crowded,
but they have great hours.
Good coffee.
Great wifi, so Yes.
Zuryna: Which we love.
Good.
We love good wifi.
Nice to stay connected.
Yeah, exactly.
So thank you for those suggestions.
Um, the other thing that I
wanted to tap into is my girl.
I'm in my reading era.
I'm in my era.
I got my master's a long time ago and I
swore off reading because I was just over.
I'm tired.
Tired?
Yes.
At your masters.
I got my master's in communication,
so I'm just, I'm the talking girl
of Stevens University Gold Mustangs.
But what is a book that you've read
or that you're currently reading?
It could be an audio book,
Simone: you know.
Yeah.
I
Zuryna: just
Simone: finished up.
I'm my, I did undergrad, in sociology
and a minor in religious studies.
And those are where, oh, you're in
Zuryna: a way different career.
Simone: I know, I know.
Uh, sociology actually very much applies.
That's true.
That's true.
So , I feel like without, I
would've probably crashed and
burned without my sociology.
I'm not even exaggerated.
Because I just understand how
human behavior, social systems,
and how Victoria, I'm like,
okay, this is what this is.
So like, you know, you're right.
Have the forest through the trees
to sort of, I'm telling, getting
there it, and like when I see
people who are like longer here.
Kind of psych them out.
So yeah.
, I am very much, that's kind of
what I read is boring, stuff.
Not necessarily boring.
It's not boring me.
It's
Zuryna: fine.
I'm a case study girl.
I'll read case studies.
Just
Simone: funny.
I read journals like academic Yeah.
Town.
So it's terrible.
But Ey Coat The Message is
the last, , book that I read.
And it's about his travels and, just,
, kind of unpacking social systems and
things like that through his lens.
And he goes to Israel and Gaza and all of
that stuff, kind of documents his journey.
And then he goes to the
south, the American South.
Talked about and kind of compares
and contrasts those experiences.
Um, oh,
Zuryna: I'm gonna have
to add that to my list.
Yeah.
The message immediately.
Simone: Okay.
Yeah, it's really good.
Yeah.
Zuryna: Are you a podcast girl too?
Do you switch between
reading and podcasts or?
I, I used to be such
a podcast girly when I
Simone: did work corporate,
but I don't listen to them.
As often.
But lately I've been listening
to Kiki Palmer's podcast.
On YouTube.
YouTube.
Oh, yes.
I'm tapping.
Zuryna: I'm tapping.
Yes.
Hers is fun.
Simone: I like, she's
such a great interviewer.
I'm like, she asked the questions.
She's,
Zuryna: she's like our homegirl.
Yes.
Simone: She ask the questions
that we're all thinking.
I'm like, oh, that's exactly
what I, and she's very intuitive.
She can kind of read people really well.
I love.
Just the art of her, how
she does her podcast.
And then I've been listening to,
GRS and Eggs podcast, which is one
I found on TikTok, grs and Eggs.
Yes.
These, oh, they were gonna add
that to this, these two guys.
And they're hilarious.
They're very much , kind of like if,
if you dig, like at first people just
be like, oh, this is just laughs.
But if you dig a little bit deeper,
they do talk a lot about, the black
experience, from like their perspective.
But it's, it's hilarious.
It's funny.
The name got, but then it
also kind of gets a little
revolutionary, like, wait a minute.
Okay.
They're preaching.
You know what I mean?
So like, it's like, oh, I, I like that.
Yeah.
It's a really good blend of that.
Like, I just, I feel like I, I usually
listen to it in the morning because
it wakes me up and it's so funny.
Like they are hilarious to me.
Zuryna: Oh, I love that you
gave a ratchet and righteous.
Yeah.
Like dichotomy.
I love that.
Simone: Yeah.
That's me in a nutshell.
Yeah.
Zuryna: Well, you know what I, your
online persona actually really matches
like your, you're like a nice warm
person and I'm sure your other Instagram
cousins and Instagram friends, they
probably wanna meet you touch the him.
So do you have any events coming
up where people can get, you know.
Meet, learn from you.
Um right now all of my
Simone: stuff is very
much behind the scenes.
I'm like up to my ears and like event
curation and collecting all of these,
small businesses and restaurants together
for various events around the city.
So I would say no.
, but like I'm at capacity be
opportunities in the summer.
I feel like hopefully we can
do the movie nights again.
Um, so we're, we're talking about that.
And, um, and that's at the
Baltimore Peninsula, right?
That's at Baltimore Peninsula.
And then I'll be, I have been, I've
done some of it this year, teaching
people like the basics of becoming
an influencer, like a one-on-one.
So we either meet like coffee shop
or we do online, like a Zoom meeting.
And then I just kind of go over
the basics on how, specifically
how to monetize because I feel
like, when I first went full time.
I was studying and seeing
what other people like big
influences and micro influences.
Everybody.
Everybody in between.
I was seeing what they were doing and
the biggest thing that I noticed is
everybody had a business, whether it was
a product line, whether it was a service
line, some people had, a lot of them
had multiple businesses, and these are
some of the people who are making, going
to the Oscars, they getting these huge
brand deals and I'm like, they still have
businesses so they can get steady income.
So we talk about what, , finding a
vision for your platform and leaning
into, coming up with like a business
model to have like consistent.
Zuryna: I love that.
Now, are these publicly advertised?
Like Yeah, put them
Simone: on event,
Zuryna: right?
Yeah.
Come on now.
Somebody follow her on
Instagram and sign us
Simone: those.
I try to do those once a quarter,
so I don't, I haven't playing this.
Upcoming one.
But yeah, once that goes live,
that'll be an opportunity.
So I don't have a date for
that yet, but we'll see.
Zuryna: Okay.
Yeah, stay tuned.
Now, you mentioned some other events.
Can you announce them publicly
or should we just stay tuned for?
You should definitely
Simone: stay tuned for some of them.
I'm like, let me see what, what
can I, what can I talk about?
I mean, come to all, all
the Baltimore events.
Anyway, Artscape is coming
up, I'm doing, oh yes.
And the opening
Zuryna: of the farmer's market.
It now bad with that changing leadership,
how do you think that's gonna impact?
Or do you think it's gonna I have
Simone: no idea.
I'm actually a little nervous about
it, but it'll, you know, as long as,
you know, I feel like when the great
thing, or I won't even say great, but
the interesting thing about working, um.
Alongside a lot of these organizations
is you can kind of see the
underbelly of it and it's, yeah,
nine times out, not that pretty.
And as far as , it can be chaotic and
people are jumping in and jumping out
and, you know, but as long as it comes.
Out to the consumer, to the
everyday people as a well
organized, thoughtful event.
, to me, that's all that matters.
Yeah.
Intent matters as well.
Yeah.
Matters.
Zuryna: I feel like if they're
listening, they should really try to
work with you because I feel like you
are definitely a community connector.
Like I can't, and so yeah, we,
we, I feel like I work well
Simone: with these organizations.
We work so well together.
But it's just when you're dealing with
humans, you know, some people have
the vision, they want it one way, and
then this person wants another way and
it's like, wait, what is the viral?
What is their, so it just kind
of, it's just a lot of pushing.
The waters get muddy.
That's the waters definitely get
muddy, but then usually it comes out
of clean, nice, beautiful product.
I feel like that
horror of.
A lot of the, like lots of moving parts
happen and then a video comes out and it,
Zuryna: the video does not
look like what I went through.
Exactly.
Oh my gosh.
Well this is so.
I love talking with you because
like I said, you truly give a new
energy, a calming energy, and so
talking to you is just the same.
So I I'm glad that comes across.
It does, it does.
And the fun fact, we, I think
we live in the same area.
'cause I feel like I've seen
you a couple of times out and
about, but I'm shy in person.
I'm like, hmm.
Oh my
Simone: gosh.
Please say hi.
Yes,
Zuryna: I do.
Simone: I have, I have
Zuryna: seen you out a couple of times,
but I've seen a couple of influencers and
I'm like, Ooh, I don't wanna say anything.
Oh my
Simone: gosh, yes.
The one thing about most influencers
is they love lots of attention,
so you should, if you scream out
the window, I'm sure they love it.
I
Zuryna: know for next.
Time.
I'll know for
Simone: next time.
Yeah.
Zuryna: But how can everybody
stay connected with you?
What's your Instagram, TikTok website?
If you have it, let us
know all the details.
Yes.
Simone: Yeah, follow me everywhere.
Um, charm City table is,
uh, mostly on Instagram.
But then I'm also on TikTok.
I'm on YouTube shorts,
uh, charm city table.com.
Yeah, those are all the
places you can follow me.
My name's Simone.
So if you see Charm City table
and then Simone Phillips, because
there are a lot of Charm cities.
There are Charm City.
Foodie Charm City.
Yeah.
Charm City.
That's Charm City Vet.
So if you see Charm City
table, we see Simone Phillips.
Simone, that's me.
So yeah, we're talking
all about restaurants.
Fun events.
Event curator connecting master net.
Yeah.
Yes.
Don't call me a master networker.
I know it's part of the job, but I'm
like, I need to get That is a heavy
Zuryna: title.
Oh my gosh.
Well thank you so much.
It's always a pleasure.
Thank you.
Thank you so much for
listening to this episode.
It was a great conversation and I
absolutely will be having Simone
back . But anyway, if you enjoy this
episode, please like, subscribe,
share with your network of friends.
And as always, stay tuned
for the next episode.
I'll see you then.