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Allison Hatfield

@poodlehatfield

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Poodle in human form. I will lick your face.

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What started as a vision to create welcoming spaces, meaningful connections, and unforgettable experiences around the mahjong table has grown into something far bigger than we ever imagined. Seeing our story in the pages of Mahj the Mag is a milestone we’ll never forget.

This feature isn’t just about us—it’s about every member of the Black Girls Mahjong, Too! community who has pulled up a chair, learned a new game, traveled with us, celebrated with us, and helped build a movement rooted in joy, culture, friendship, and belonging.

A very special thank you to @kathybwise, Founder of Mahj the Mag, for believing in our vision and giving our story a place in these beautiful pages.

Thank you to @poodlehatfield, whose words captured the heart of our mission with such care, and to Zach Wolfe whose stunning photography brought our community to life in every frame.

To everyone who has supported Black Girls Mahjong, Too.—whether you’ve attended an event, cheered us on from afar, or shared our story—this moment belongs to you, too.

✨ Want to read the full story?
Grab your own copy of this issue of Mahj the Mag and see why everyone is talking about Black Girls Mahjong, Too.! Even better, use our exclusive 10% OFF discount code available in our Linktree and bring a copy home for your coffee table (and maybe one for your favorite mahjong partner, too 😉).

We’re just getting started…

See you at the table.

🀄 Do the Mahj Thing™.

#BlackGirlsMahjongToo #BGMJ2 #MahjTheMag #MahjongLife #MahjongCommunity taken in Atlanta, GA by @poodlehatfield

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3 months ago

"The hardest reservation in travel right now isn't a luxury hotel suite or a Michelin-starred restaurant — it's a seat at a Mah Jongg table." We couldn't agree more! Thank you @dallasnews and @poodlehatfield for this feature! by @poodlehatfield

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4 months ago

I had no idea just how much hormones were running — and ruining — my life until they weren’t anymore. Too often, I’ve only realized negative impacts long after the fact. That’s another story. This story for Timeless in Texas is about managing your way through menopause. Gen X brought this life stage out of the shadows, and women of my generation have demanded attention and are sharing answers. Thanks to @charlestonhousegyn and @trainer_kristen for your expertise. by @poodlehatfield

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5 months ago

Telling the stories of creative women bringing beautiful things into the world has become my niche. @mili_suleman is one of those women. Her intentional textile company @kufrilife helps preserve the art of hand-looming and gives other women a place to create. Read the @dmn_abode story online now. by @poodlehatfield

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6 months ago

“Gardening can be a metaphor for life: After careful planning and thoughtful timing, it can still throw you a curveball. Alex Snodgrass knows this. Last year, she watched over a particular beefsteak tomato in her backyard garden for weeks. Each day it grew a little larger, a little riper. Anticipating that fruit was one of the best slices of summer — until a coyote claimed it. ‘I was so pissed,’ she says of the morning she discovered her tomato missing a single, perfect bite. She’s guessing about the coyote part, but either way, her tomato was toast. If only she’d picked it the day before.”

Recently, I talked with Alex Snodgrass about her greenhouse for an Abode cover story. What I didn’t tell her is that I was in teacher training with her sister at BodyBar ages ago. I remember overhearing Madison — who I now want to interview about her farm — tell someone about The Defined Dish when they first launched the site, and I remember thinking the world didn’t need another food blog. The joke has ALWAYS been on me when it comes to blogging. I can only imagine my life if I’d realized what I was onto in 1999. My great downfall as a journalist is underestimating where I sit on the trend curve. Oh, well! Greenhouses and tacos for everyone, please! by @poodlehatfield

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7 months ago

The one where I quit my job last Friday. #careeropportunities by @poodlehatfield

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a year ago

While working three jobs, I still called myself unemployed. That explains a lot about me. I will be forever grateful to @danielsanchez for suggesting that @rebeccasherman_papercity give me a call about a new project at @d_magazine. It changed my life. by @poodlehatfield

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a year ago

The one where I eat all the things, work 24 hours straight, and fall on the sword of journalistic standards. My salary was an even $50k. Mark and Hal definitely got their money’s worth from me, and I got a boatload of experience. I also got some great friends out of the deal: @brenniehaha @danielsanchez @johndunn_bjj @heathershirleyphillips @stephinitelyme @auntalex99 by @poodlehatfield

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a year ago

AI wasn’t a thing in 2003, when I worked on a coffee table book — my first of a few! — for a bank in Fort Worth. This was a fun side project that nearly landed me a VP title. Not one person has thought I was worthy of a VP title since, except that Philly writer who basically called me vanilla pudding in print. I’ll tell you that story. Don’t worry! by @poodlehatfield

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a year ago

The opening of a Pilates studio in Gulf Shores (finally! Hurray!) has had me thinking about my foray into teaching. It’s so much harder than it looks, and I have so much empathy for these new instructors finding their confidence. I still get emails about this story in D Magazine from new teachers and students. That’s one thing that never happens with a marketing job. No one ever searches out your email years later to tell you how much the copy on that one button on that one website resonated with them. Never. by @poodlehatfield

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a year ago

Nothing but nothing makes me feel more alive than reporting a story. Every single time I do it, I think the exact same thing @lucywrubel did after her first DJ gig: “God, I’ve gotta figure out how to do that again.” Meeting this fellow poodle lover and Gen X dynamo lit me up for days. by @poodlehatfield

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a year ago

At Magnolia Media Group, I got to marry my love of pets and magazines—and I got to work with the extremely talented @auntalex99, who has left this world for one I hope is covered in puppies. This wasn’t my actual role at the company but it was great fun. by @poodlehatfield

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2 years ago