D'ANDRA SIMMONS
BRAVO REAL HOUSEWIVES OF DALLAS CEO ULTIMATE LIVING
THE GOOD
My skincare line, Hard Night Good Morning and my nutrition line Ultimate Living, really grew due to people watching my Instagram and Facebook Live videos that highlighted a particular product each week during lockdown/ quarantine that started in the Spring of 2020. People understood that I was not only just a face attached to a product, but also an owner who’s passionate and knowledgeable about her companies and their products.
I spent a lot of time going within and centering through meditation. I found answers within by working with my Shaman and friend, Darrin Davis, who you will see on BRAVO's Real Housewives of Dallas. I really wanted to explore my feminine, compassionate side and I’m a work in progress…but at least I’m working on me!
I reached out to family members that were estranged for many years, and that journey will unfold on this season of RHOD. I am proud of myself for making the effort.
THE ADD
I had to cancel a big trunk show tour we had planned with Dillard’s due to COVID-19. I am hoping we can reschedule this when the vaccination plan has been executed, and I may start to make more personal appearances.
THE BUZZ
We have 2 new products in the Ultimate Living nutrition line. LKB, which is a cleanse for the liver, kidneys and bladder that everyone needs after 2020! And a Brain Balance formula, which is so very important after experiencing coronavirus. People are reaching out to us who have had side effects of memory loss and cognitive decline because of COVID-19. This product has been formulated with natural ingredients that are proven to support cognitive/memory function. It is extremely helpful for these type of issues and for people with anxiety, ADD and ADHD. It is an astounding product! We have also added CBD to our Miracle Pain Cream. I cannot wait to launch this new product as it is more effective! Last, we are working on some new products in my skin care line, Hard Night Good Morning, and we will start the process of being certified in the EU this year. We have so many customers that reach out to us from other countries and I am very excited to be able to offer the skin care line to them hopefully later this year.
I am excited about sharing more of my love of cooking online. I was working on a YouTube cooking show, but it was sidelined due to my ankle replacement surgery. I am excited to pick that back up in a few months. In the meantime, I will continue to create unique recipes and share them online with my followers. It is hard to cook standing on one leg, but I am sure I can make it work! All in good time! Everything works out the way it should. I really believe that!
@DAndraSimmons @UltimateLivingD @HardNightGoodMorning
PHOTOS COURTESY | D'Andra Simmons
THE GOOD
Personally, COVID forced our family to come together for almost 3 months. It’s one of the most special times we’ll ever have had, spending almost 3 months quarantined together, my boys, my wife and I. Though it’s a horrible reason to have gotten the time together, without COVID, we would never have been able to have three months together, it was truly a blessing in disguise and I absolutely treasure it. I did five times more home cooking than I’ve ever done in my entire life. My wife, Polly even started her own sourdough starter, Bob, though now deceased (I may be responsible for his untimely death) during COVID, which she really enjoyed, and she remains to have clean scans today which we are so grateful for.
Professionally, one month before COVID became a world pandemic, I founded MingsBings, which has been a dream of mine for many years. I fully got to focus on only MingsBings and proudly 9 months later we made our first online sale, which I never could have done if my restaurant were open. Plus, my Blue Dragon team and I were incredibly proud to have been able to serve thousands of meals with the Lee Initiative.
THE ADD
We did not get to shoot Simply Ming season 18 last June. I’m totally psyched to be able to announce we will be shooting that we are filming next month in a 2-medium format - we’ll be livestreaming on my Facebook and then later you’ll be able to view episodes on PBS and Create. Simply Ming @ Home will be so much fun and you’ll even see one of my boys join me here and there, I’m really looking forward to this season.
THE BUZZ
I’m really excited about starting to film Season 18 of Simply Ming. I’m excited to continue teaching through virtual events where I send food to people’s homes which has been a lot of fun. Finally I’m so psyched to see MingsBings continue to grow with new flavors. It is truly my pivot and I loved every part of the process.