Women To Watch: Trend Tracker® With Martha Stewart
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MIAMI (CBSMiami) -- For this edition of "Women To Watch," Trend Tracker® Tara Gilani tracked down Martha Stewart, the lifestyle guru's guru.
Martha Stewart is one of the best known and most admired women in the world. Martha is the queen of lifestyle trends, innovations, products and advice.
In Miami for the South Beach Wine & Food Festival, Gilani chatted with Martha at the SoHo House following a VIP celebration of her newest book called, "Clean Slate."
"This one is important to all of us because we want to make sure we fulfill our obligation to create healthy, good food for as many people as possible," said Martha.
This is Martha's 84th book. Gilani congratulated Martha on the huge feat.
"Well," said Martha. "We're not afraid of change. We're not afraid of evolution. We're not afraid of altering our approach in many different areas. This is how we keep current. As the world changes, one has to change."
How does she create all those products and all that content? How does she stay relevant? Her motto is her mantra.
"When you're through changing, you're through. That doesn't mean you throw away everything that you've been taught before. What we're trying to do at Martha Stewart (Martha Stewart's both an adjective, a company name and my name) you try to teach evergreen information, information that will never go out of date. It's the same with recipes, food, decorating. Things change. Things evolve and we want to always be in the forefront. We're not trend followers. We're much more trend setters at our company," said Martha.
Martha is all about "the people."
"If you have a good response," she said," you get it on social media, through voluminous correspondence with readers and viewers and internet users, you know that you're responding to a need and a desire and that's how you know you're relevant."
She does a lot, all of it actually. Gilani asked her what she likes best.
CLICK HERE to watch Tara Gilani's report
"I like a lot of different kinds of things. Personally, gardening a tremendous amount. I enjoy changing my homes around. This year I got the decorating bug. I'm making an open porch, so I can have a new sun room and guess who it's for? Not for me, for the dogs and the cats and the canaries."
Martha's newest inspiration? Her two grandchildren.
"That has actually helped change my approach to many things. I'm putting in a basketball court."
Gilani asked,"What does a Martha Stewart basketball court look like?"
Martha replied, "I have a courtyard in front of my greenhouse, just the right size for a half court."
"I have this vision that there's going to be some sort of amazing shrubbery," said Gilani.
"Oh it already has a horn-beamed hedge," said Martha.
Gilani then asked what a horn-beamed hedge is.
"Hornbeams are beautiful trees that grow into hedges if you plant them close to each other and trim them, so they have to be constantly sheared. They're crinolated. They go up and down like this. Perfect wall, balls can't get through it," said Martha.
"I think Miami Heat, you need to call Martha Stewart; update that thing," said Gilani.
"Yeah, they need some help," said Martha.
"They do need some help, yes," agreed Gilani.
Martha is all about mentoring.
"When I do parties, I see so many former employees with really great jobs," said Martha.
"Well, they're lucky that they were trained by the best," said Gilani.
"Sure and then they're poached," said Martha.
Think you know everything about her?
"I bet people don't know I am a serial TV series watcher. I might stay up an entire night and watch Olive Kitteridge for example. Four hours of pretty depressing stuff but extremely well acted."
Gilani asked Martha,"When are you happiest?"
"Taking the two grandchildren to something unusual and interesting. I recently took Jude and Truman, who are 2 and 3, to the Metropolitan Museum. The 2-year old loves mummies. He had never really seen the gigantic Sarcophagi at the Met."
Martha Stewart, from the heart, answered the Trend Tracker®'s round of questions:
I am... "curious."
I want... "a happy, long life."
I will... "make a mark in this world."
I won't... "compromise."
I promise... "to be a good grandma, always."
For more on Martha Stewart, you can follow her on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
For more editions of Women To Watch, click here.
