Expo packs 'star power'

Ladies, hand-stamp some party invitations and pour yourself a Skinnygirl Margarita - Martha Stewart and Bethenny Frankel are coming to town.

The two entertainment superstars will be the featured guests in July at the third annual She: An Expo for Women, organized by the Chattanooga Times Free Press.

"We are excited to bring such star power to Chattanooga with this pair of strong women," said Times Free Press President Jason Taylor. "Both women have accomplished so much in business and entertainment. They both have impressive stories to share."

Stewart, 69, a wildly successful businesswoman, decorating diva and original do-it-yourselfer who went to prison in 2004 in an insider trading case, has rebuilt her entertainment empire in recent years. Most famous for her Martha Stewart Living and Martha Stewart Wedding brands, she is a best-selling author and syndicated television host.

Tennessee has a spot in her heart, Stewart said - several friends live here and one of her first public appearances was in Nashville.

"Over the years, I have had the opportunity to visit Tennessee on numerous occasions, and I have always had a wonderful time," Stewart said. "Chattanooga is such a beautiful Southern city, and the expo sounds very interesting. I'm happy to be a part of it and am very much looking forward to my visit in July."

Frankel, 40, worked for Stewart in 2005 on "The Apprentice: Martha Stewart," a spin-off of Donald Trump's reality show "The Apprentice."

Frankel came in second and went on to star as one of the original five in the reality show "Real Housewives of New York City."

She since has written best-selling books on cooking and exercise, and created the Skinnygirl brand of low-calorie cocktails.

"I'm excited to come to Chattanooga because I love to meet new fans from across the country and I have gotten a lot of requests to come visit Tennessee! I can't wait to see everyone!" she said in a news release.

Upcoming Events