wily wordsmith

About Maria

2008-07-15T17:26:00.000-07:00

Maria de los Angeles is a freelance wordsmith who loves to write about everything tropical ... and then some. As a travel and tourism writer, her main areas of interest are South Florida and the Caribbean -- culture, history, food, lifestyle and the outdoors. Maria also covers the South Florida social media and tech scene.

She is best known as the author of a five-year old popular blog, Sex and the Beach, where she writes "the single woman's guide to chronic living," with an occasional cartoon and video skit thrown in for good measure. On the blog, Maria covers whatever tickles her fancy in a uniquely developed style under her original pseudonym Manola Blablablanik. Sex and the Beach recently won "Best Humor Blog" from the Sun Sentinel and popular vote.

Maria is also a senior writer and forum editor for Miami Beach 411, where she contributes travel pieces on a regular basis and helps forum members with expert local advice on living, relocating, travel and tourism. Maria has been helping South Florida travelers and new residents for over five years.

Other writing gigs have included the Miami New Times online edition, where she penned a column called Silicon Beach about social media and technology as well as contributing to the Calendar and Restaurant guides. She was also a sex and relationships columnist for Citylink Magazine.

Maria has written about Miami for MSN City Guides and has had additional travel and lifestyle pieces appear in print in Caribbean Travel and Life, Columbus Travel Magazine (Holland), Mandarin Oriental hotel books, Miami Living and MAP (Music Art People), to name a few. She has also contributed chapters as a ghost writer for destination guides.

Recently, Maria has started contributing articles about Cuban food and culture at Tiki Tiki Blog. Additional articles about sex, food, spirituality and technology have been featured at Back in Skinny Jeans.

SOCIAL MEDIA

Over the years, Maria has been instrumental in helping develop the local social media scene and community along with others, organizing many tweetups and meetups. Maria has worked as an Online Community Manager for Obopay, a mobile-to-mobile payments company based out of Silicon Valley and currently helps manage the online community at Miami Beach 411.

Currently, Maria is a social media manager and blogger for Reef Road Rum Bar and Restaurant in West Palm Beach.

She also recently helped organize two major Twitter-based events in Miami: Twestival and SxSe. As a social media "concierge," she put together SxSe 2010 soup to nuts, working with hotels and local business sponsors.

In 2009, Maria was 1 of 100 "agents" chosen out of 4,000 for Ford's Fiesta Movement campaign, a massive new media project involving social networking influencers from around the country.

PAST WRITING EXPERIENCE

Maria also has experience in the non-profit sector. She was the Government and Foundation Grants Manager for the New World Symphony and also worked with Miami City Ballet in development. As a translator (Spanish to English), Maria worked with Intervida USA (Spain) on their entire United States campaign. She also worked with various non-profits based in Nicaragua.

Maria has published prose and poetry in numerous literary journals, collections and anthologies. Her creative work has earned several awards as well as a nomination for a Pushcart Prize. She is also the author of Meridian, a self-published collection of stories about traveling alone as a woman in Spain -- the basis for a larger book collection in the future. A tropical gardening enthusiast, Maria also blogs about her volunteering experiences at Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden.

TEACHING

While completing postgraduate coursework in Caribbean Studies, Maria worked as a teacher of record at the University of Miami. During her tenure, she taught composition, film, literature, women's studies and business writing. Maria is currently available for talks, lectures, workshops and individual instruction on writing, blogging and social media for newbies.

In recent years, Maria taught yoga classes after earning her 250-hour Yoga Alliance certification. Although currently on hiatus from teaching, she practices yoga and meditation on a daily basis.

Hands on Small Business

2008-07-14T13:45:00.000-07:00

Hands on Small Business, hosted by the Politics, World and Business Section of Kirtsy and Microsoft Live, is a series of FREE classes offered across the US and Canada.

Each of the five two-hour classes in Miami will cover the following basics:

1. Using Twitter to communicate with audiences and customers. We’ll walk through setting up an account and discuss tactics.

2. Using Microsoft Live to run paperwork and projects. We’ll create new accounts and checkout the online workspace.

3. Using Microsoft Live to build a basic website. We’ll browse the service to see what’s available.

4. Using Kirsty for social bookmarking. We’ll also discuss other ways to promote small business online.

This hands-on, workshop style class is ideal for those with little or no experience in social media and online publishing. Absolute beginners are welcome!

WHAT
Two-hour workshop-style class.

WHEN
The same class will be offered on five different occasions.

Thursday, November 5th 6:30 - 8:30 PM - Register at Eventbrite
Thursday, November 12th 6:30 - 8:30 PM - Register at Eventbrite CANCELLED
Saturday, November 14th 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM - Register at Eventbrite
Monday, November 16th 6:30 - 8:30 PM - Register at Eventbrite
Tuesday, November 17th 6:30 - 8:30 PM - Register at Eventbrite
Saturday, November 21st 11:00 AM - 1 PM - Register at Eventbrite

WHERE

Brikolodge (Coworking Space)
3301 NE 1st Ave, Unit L207
Midtown Building 4
Miami, FL 33137

Brikolodge is great but finding it is a little tricky. Entrance is on the south side of the building toward the back on a stone-paved walk, past a tiny park directly in front of an empty, fenced lot. A glass door leads you to the elevator. Go to second floor and head left (west) in the hallway to unit L207.

COST
Free

PARKING
$1/hour on street, payable at receipt display meters. Use coins or cards. Bills not accepted.

ADDITIONAL DETAILS
If you have a laptop, please bring it so you can experiment online as we go along. Brikolodge offers free wi-fi. Seating at the conference table is limited and will be available on a first-come, first-serve basis. Class participants will have a chance to win a Microsoft Office Small Business 2007, complete software suite, valued at over $400. Bring business cards for the drawing!

Coffee and cupcakes will be served, courtesy of Two Girls and A Cupcake.

ABOUT THE INSTRUCTOR

Maria de los Angeles is best known for her 4 year-old, award-winning multimedia blog, Sex and the Beach. A freelance writer, blogger and online community connector, she is very active in the Miami social media scene and knows first hand how social media can transform lives and businesses for the better.

Her regular clients include Miami Beach 411, where she works as a contributor and forum editor, reaching out to the local community and thousands across the world. Maria also covers tech and social media for the Miami New Times online edition, where she writes a column called Silicon Beach three times a week. Maria is one of 100 Ford Fiesta agents — skilled content producers and social media influencers across the country involved in a massive social media campaign.

She has also worked as an Online Community Manager and blogger for Obopay, a mobile-to-mobile payments service based out of Silicon Valley. Most recently, Maria participated in “LaidOffCamp/FreelanceCamp” giving a lecture on blogging for newbies at the Miami Beach Convention Center. She has ample teaching experience, having worked as a teacher of record in writing, composition and literature during her post-graduate tenure at the University of Miami.

Talks, Presentations, Radio and Workshops

2008-07-13T10:02:00.000-07:00

WEEKLY
Tuesdays, 1:00 - 2:00 PM
Co-Host Social Chats Internet Radio Show
Co-Host: Tonya Scholtz
Topics: Local Event, Places and People plus Social Media
Info: Free

September 17, 2011
Workshop Instructor
Topic: Blogging for Newbies Roundtable - Editorial Strategies
Locaton: Preemo Headquarters, South Miami
Info: By Donation. Registration Required.

November 10, 2011
Guest Panelist
Event: Empowered Women's Summit
Topic: Social Media
Location: Gulfstream Park, King's Hall, Hallandale
Info: Ticket and Registration Required

June 16-17
Sponsored Participant (GM Southeast)
Event: National Association of Hispanic Journalists Conference
Location: Orlando, Florida
Info: Ticket and Registration Required

May 21, 2011
Solo Presenter
Topic: Travel Blogging
Event: SheCon Women's Blogger Conference
Location: Miami Beach Convention Center
Info: Free

May 20, 2011
Panel Leader
Topic: Latina
Event: SheCon Women's Blogger Conference
Location: Miami Beach Convention Center
Info: Free

May 20, 2011
Guest Panelist
Event: Empowered Women's Summit
Topic: Social Media and Blogging for Success
Location: Miami Science Museum
Info: Ticket and Registration Required

April 13, 2011
Guest Speaker
Event: Undergraduate/Graduate Social Media Course
Teacher: Alex de Carvalho
Topic: Blogging
Location: University of Miami, Coral Gables Campus
Info: Private Event

March 31, 2011
Consulting Contributor
Event: Under the Sun Social Media Mixer
Topic: Improving Community Engagement
Location: WLRN Radio Studio, Miami
Info: Private Event

March 5, 2011
Speaker
Event: Wordcamp Miami 2011
Topic: Blogging Basics 101
Location: University of Miami
Info: $30 Standard Attendee. Register at Eventbrite.

March 3, 2011
Radio Show Guest
Event: Fried On Business Show 100th Episode Celebration
Topic: Social Media
Location The Biz Miami 880 AM
Info: Free

February 23, 2011, 9:30 AM - 1:30 PM
Panelist and Lecturer
Event: Miami Dade Chamber of Commerce "Mission Impossible" Business Empowerment Series
Topic: Using Facebook for Small Business
Co-Panelist and Lecturer: Blanca Stella Mejía
Location: Jungle Island, Miami
Info: $10 member; $15 Guest. RSVP 305.751.8648.

December 7, 2010, 11:30 AM - 1:00 PM
Roundtable Panelist
Event: PRSA Miami (Public Relations Society of America) Blogger Roundtable
Topic: How To Pitch To Bloggers
Location: Mercy Hospital Conference Room, Miami
Info: $15 Member; $35 Guest.

November 16, 2010, 7:00-9:00 PM
Panelist
Event: Social Media Club South Florida
Topic: Tourism, Hospitality and Social Media
Location: Mandarin Hotel, Miami
Info: Free and Open to Public. Register at Eventbrite.

November 15, 2010
Guest Speaker
Event: Undergraduate Mass Communications Course
Teacher: Tracey Eaton
Topic: Blogging and Social Media
Location: Flagler College, St. Augustine
Info: Private Event

October 30, 2010, 1:00 PM - 4:00 PM
Panelist and Presenter
Event: Social Media Art Bootcamp
Topic: Blogging and Social Media for Artists
Location: ArtServe, Fort Lauderdale
Info: Open to Public. Registration Required.

September 29, 2010
Guest Speaker
Event: Undergraduate/Graduate Social Media Course
Teacher: Alex de Carvalho
Topic: Blogging
Location: University of Miami, Coral Gables Campus
Info: Private Event

August 24, 2010, 6:30 - 8:30 PM
Talk
Topic: Social Media and Blogging for Your Business
Co-Speaker: Patrick Barbanes
Host: South Florida Freelance Network
Info: Free and Open to the Public

August 7, 2010, 2:00 - 5:00 PM
Workshop Instructor
Blogging for Newbies
Info: Registration and Pre-Payment Required at Eventbrite

July 27, 2010, 6:30 - 7:30 PM
Webinar
Host: Patrick Barbanes
Topic: Awakening the Blogger Within
Location: Really Simple Blogging
Info: Free and Open to Public

May 21, 2010, 1:00 - 2:00 PM
Show Guest
Event: Internet Radio Show
Station: WPBR iRadio Network
Hosts: Tonya Scholz & Dean Bairaktaris
Topic: SxSe Event
Info: Call in 561.641.8882, 866.936.9727, 561.533.6134

April 14, 2010, 6:30 - 9:00 PM
Talk
Event: Life is Art Networker
Topic: Blogging To Promote Your Art and Creative Pursuits
Location: GAB Studio, 105 NW 23rd Street, Miami, FL
Info: Free and Open to Public

April 13, 2010
Panelist
Event: Business Wire
Topic: How To Pitch To New Media
Location: Broward College, Fort Lauderdale
Info: Private Event

April 2, 2010, 1:00 - 2:00 PM
Show Guest
Event: Internet Radio Show
Station: WPBR iRadio Network
Hosts: Tonya Scholz & Dean Bairaktaris
Topic: Social Media and Blogging
Info: Call in 561.641.8882, 866.936.9727, 561.533.6134

March 31, 2010
Guest Lecturer
Event: Undergraduate/Graduate Social Media Course
Teacher: Alex de Carvalho
Topic: Blogging
Location: University of Miami, Coral Gables Campus
Info: Private Event

March 17, 2010
Guest Speaker
Event: Undergraduate Public Relations Class
Teacher: Angie Moncada
Topic: Pitching To Media and Bloggers
Location: Miami International University of Art & Design, Downtown Miami Campus
Info: Private Event

February 28, 2010
Guest Speaker
Event: We Are Silicon Beach Podcast
Topic: Defining Silicon Beach: Technology Community in South Florida
Location: Brikolodge, Midtown Miami
Info: Click here to access podcast

November 5, 14, 16, 17 and 21, 2009
Workshop Instructor
Topic: Hands on Small Business (Twitter, Social Bookmarking and Microsoft Live)
Location: Brikolodge, Midtown Miami
Info: Free and Open to Public, Registration Required

November 2, 2009
Guest Speaker
Event: Community College Social Media Course
Teacher: Alex de Carvalho
Topic: Blogging and Social Media
Location: Miami-Dade College, Downtown Miami
Info: Private Event

June 6, 2009
Presenter and Panelist
Freelance & LaidOff Camp
Presentation Topic: Blogging for Freelance Writers
Co-Panelists: Yvette Ferry, Craig Agranoff
Panel Topic: On Social Media
Location: Miami Beach Convention Center
Info: Free and Open to Public