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I interviewed Sandra Phillips, the senior curator of photography of the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, for the Bay Area Women's Journal.
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Inspired Living through Informed Choice!
Complimentary Copy,Please Take
One
SF Metro Edition November / December 2007
SandraPhillipsSFMOMA SeniorCuratorPhotography
Article onPage 12
In This Issue:6 Tips to Help You Handlethe Holiday StressCarrie Silver-Stock
Put the Zip Back in YourDoo-Dah!Dr. Sandi Altman
How You Can Get into theRental or Vacation HomeMarket!Allison Sofnas
The Coat - The Great CoverUp!Michele Benza
Good Nutrition is aChoice...Who's Making theChoice for You?Lisa Lewis
How to Make Your HolidaySeason GreenDeborah Burstyn
And much, much more!
www.BayAreaWJ.com
Smart Women Good Choices Inspired Life
TM
The Bay Area Women's Journal™ is pub-lished bimonthly and is available free ofcharge, by subscription and display standsin approved private and public establish-ments and authorized distributors only.
Trademark and U.S. Copyright laws pro-tect The Bay Area Women's Journal™. Nopart of this paper may be reproduced with-out the written permission of the publisher.The Bay Area Women's Journal™ is notresponsible for any editorial comment (otherthan its own), typographical errors fromadvertisements submitted as camera readyor any reproductions of advertisements sub-mitted as camera ready.
If an advertisement does not meet ourstandards of acceptance, we may revise orcancel it at any time, whether or not it hasbeen already acknowledged and/or previ-ously published. The advertiser assumessole responsibility for all statements con-tained in submitted copy and will protectand indemnify The Bay Area Women'sJournal™, its owners, publishers, andemployees against any and all liability loss
or expense arising out of claims for libel,unfair trade names, patents, copyrights andpropriety rights, and all violations of the rightof privacy or other violations resulting fromthe publication by this newspaper of itsadvertising copy.
Publisher shall be under no liability for fail-ure, for any reason, to insert an advertise-ment. Publisher shall not be liable by reasonof error, omission and/or failure to insert anypart of an advertisement. Publisher will notbe liable for delay or failure in performancein publication and/or distribution if all or anyportion of an issue is delayed or suspendedfor any reason. The publisher will exercisereasonable judgment in these instances andwill make adjustments for the advertiserwhere and when appropriate.
The Bay Area Women's Journal™assumes no responsibility for unsolicitedmaterial or reproductions made by advertis-ers. This newspaper will be published by the10th of every other month. Representationsby The Bay Area Women's Journal™COPYRIGHT 2007
PublisherDebbie Josendale
Copy EditorKim Hollett
Staff WriterDeborah Prager Burstyn
PhotographerKathi O'Leary
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WELCOME
There is a new woman in town.She is your mother, daughter, sister,aunt, best friend, mentor or grand-mother, who is intelligent, sophisti-cated, warm and savvy. She is alsoa member of the most influentialmarket when it comes to consumerdecision making, and she is readingThe Bay Area Women's Journal™.
Allow us to introduce you to ourpublication-The Bay Area Women'sJournal™! We are part of a nation-al group of women's journals provid-ing women with insights and infor-mation they can't get anywhereelse. Please take a moment tolearn more about our unique andexciting publication.
Who is our target audience?
The power of our publication liesin its relevance to women today.Did you know that women make80% of all consumer purchases,including everything from autos tohealthcare to electronics? Did youknow that women spend about $5trillion (yes trillion) annually...overhalf of the US Gross DomesticPurchases (GDP)? By targetingwomen's concerns, issues andinterests, the BAWJ will be a pri-mary trusted resource for Bay Areawomen.
What makes us different?
We are dedicated to the educationand community support of Bay Areawomen. Each edition of our freepublication serves as a trusted edu-cational resource within our com-munity.
We know our content is relevant,because you, our advertisers, areour writers. You know what's mostimportant to your clients and we
offer the vehicle for you to tell yourstory directly. You can write yourown article or we can provide awriter to help you get the story ofyour service or product told in a waythat starts a conversation with awoman.
You'll find the BAWJ tuckedaway in a safe place for futurereference, rarely does it ever seethe inside of the recycle bin!
We publish six times a year andthus our shelf life is over six weeks.This above -average performancedirectly relates to the relevant andtimely content included in eachissue. Our readers give our adver-tisers "legs" by relaying informationfound in the BAWJ, and passing iton to friends, who in turn pass it onto others. Our online subscriptionalso provides our advertisers with aviral marketing opportunity. Article'scan be e-mailed everywhere!
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The BAWJ is everywhere awoman will see it; men too, by theway. Free copies can be foundthroughout San Francisco in healthand fitness clubs, salons, spas, cof-fee shops, medical buildings, pro-fessional buildings, grocery stores,bookstores and many more. Andthe list is growing! Our distributionalso occurs at various professionalnetworking and association events.
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Deadline to reservespace in theJan/Feb 2008 isDecember 10, 2007.
The holiday season is here andwith it comes the anticipation ofgood times, family and friends. Thisedition of the BAWJ includes sever-al articles filled with ideas and infor-mation to help you have a fabulousholiday!
This season is also a time forreflection and at the BAWJ we havemuch to reflect on and be thankfulfor. Since our launch, earlier thisyear, we have made many newfriends and received tremendousfeedback and encouragement fromyou, our readers. We are gratefulfor your support. Your feedback andcomments are reflected in each edi-
tion as we continue to evolve tomeet your needs.
We are also grateful for the collab-orative support of our contributors -the professionals, business ownersand service providers who jumpedon board to support a new publica-tion. In each article, you can feelthe passion and excitement theyhave for what they do and theknowledge they want to share.Please let them know you read theirarticle!
We continue to expand our servic-es, reflected most recently by thelaunch of Phase 2 of our website.On our new Subscribe page, youcan easily sign up to receive thecurrent e-edition of the BAWJ, andall of our past issues are availablein the Library section! You nowhave a wealth of information readilyavailable at your fingertips!
Thank you again for allowing us tobe a part of your life in 2007. Welook forward to seeing you in 2008!
And remember, whether you'rechasing a toddler, pursuing a pro-motion or going after adream...here's to inspired living!
Happy Holidays,
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Contents &Index of AdvertisersHealth & WellnessBe Inspired! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4
Circle of Giving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5
Reader Round of Applause . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5
Take Control This Flu Season . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6
GOOD NUTRITION IS A CHOICE ...Who's Making the Choice for You? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7
Caring for the Caregiver . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8
Put the Zip Back in Your Doo-Dah! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9
What Happens When the Plumbing Starts to Go? . . . . . . . . . . . .10
BAWJ Bay Area Woman SpotlightProfile of Sandra Phillips SFMOMA Sr. CuratorPhotography...Extraordinaire! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12
Advice From Sandra Phillips For Aspiring Art Photographers . . . . .13
Business & FinanceWant to Achieve Your Dreams? Learn the Art of Bouncing . . . . . .11
HONK if You Hate Cold Calling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14
Are You or Your Business at Risk for Identity Theft? - The Answer is Another Question: Who Isn't? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15
How You Can Get Into the Rental or Vacation Home Market! . . . .17
BAWJ Non-Profit SpotlightI Think That I Shall Never See a Poem as Lovely as a Tree! . . . .18-19
Lifestyle & LeisureAuthors Page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20
The Coat - the Great Cover Up! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21
Holiday Guide 2007Step-by-Step Expert Holiday Hair Tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22
Sex and the Holidays . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23
Six Tips to Handle Holiday Stress . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24
The Grace of Girlfriends . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25
High-Tech Holiday Newsletters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26
To Take Great Pictures...Get to Know Your Camera! . . . . . . . . . . .27
"ESPRESS YOURSELF" With a LavazzaBLUE Personal Barista System from Café-Razzi . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30
Holiday Gift GivingHow to Make Your Holiday Season Green! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28
5 Museum Gift Shops For Great Holiday Gifts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .29
BAWJ Community Resource Page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .31
The Bay AreaWomen’s Journal™is printed on 100%
recycled paperusing soy ink.
The Bay AreaWomen’s Journal™is printed on 100%
recycled paperusing soy ink.
Please Recycle.Please Recycle.
A Note From The Publisher
By Debbie JosendalePublisher, Bay Area Women’s Journal
WHAT’S INSIDE
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Circle ofGiving
by CarolynJones
BE INSPIRED
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There's a New Woman in Town! Help us Spread the Word!
We are an objective, informative and educational publication.
If you would like to seeour newspaper in yourfavorite location,please contact us at:[email protected]
182 Howard St., Ste. 636 San Francisco, CA 94105
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415.874.8047 866.789.6626
[email protected]@BayAreaWJ.com
By Carolyn Jones
In the photograph, Circle of Giving, I am drawn to the circle, to the way thateach curl gently and gracefully leads into and supports the next. I see thatas one curl gives to another, the curl being given to is able to gain the need-ed support to grow into its own gentle and graceful being, able to give to thenext curl, and so forth. And, just as one curl gives to the next, so was it givento by another before it. Receiving the gift offered becomes a part of the cir-cle.
As I view the Circle of Giving, I am reminded that when we give, a grace-ful flow is created, which forms a never-ending circle of beauty and strength,of giving and receiving. Then, when the circle of giving is established, I seeeach curl in the gate's top arch as a multitude of beings, touching in someway, coming together in harmony and peace."
About the PhotographerIn 2004, Carolyn Jones of Carolyn Jones Photographs, began to photo-
graph gates. Initially drawn to their beauty, she is not clear at what point theybegan to have a much deeper meaning for her. A characteristic of each gatestarted speaking to Carolyn, allowing her to see a virtue, a principle of liv-ing, or a feeling, which grew to have great relevance in Carolyn's life. Theybecame the way in which she wanted, and still strives, to "be" with herselfand the world.
Carolyn's gate collections can be viewed at www.carolynjonesphotographs.com. She can be reached directly at
[email protected] or 415-945-9807.
The Bay Area Women's Journal would like togive Linda Fancher the Reader Round ofApplause! Linda, has called and e-mailed us withseveral great suggestions to expand distribution.She was introduced to the BAWJ by a friend andsays she found the articles relevant and interest-ing!
Linda is married, has a daughter, son anddaughter in law and is excitedly awaiting thearrival of her first grandchild in February. Lindahas lived in the Bay Area since 1967 and is alicensed pilot. She has had a varied career,
teaching for 7 years and then going into sales for Xerox. Linda was the sec-ond woman hired into Xerox's Santa Clara branch, which was predominate-ly men at that time! Currently she runs her own Isagenix distribution busi-ness and is a facilitator for Schools Attuned, a program that offers educatorsnew methods for recognizing, understanding and managing students withdifferences in learning.
Linda says, "I have referenced articlesand resources in the Journal by forward-ing links of the electronic versions thatare online to friends and networks towhich I belong. I am looking forward tothe expansion of the BAWJ throughoutthe Bay Area."
Thank-you, Linda, for your support and encouragement!
About Circle of Giving,the “Be Inspired” Photo
Reader Round of Applause
Linda Fancher
By Dr. Leonor Osorio
As women, we care for everyone inour lives before prioritizing our ownneeds, even at the expense of ourhealth. Rather than setting aside 10minutes for quiet time or a brisk walk,we squeeze in another errand or fireup the laptop. We live our lives on atreadmill, multitasking. Instead ofslowing down, we work harder to "do itall." During flu season, our selflessapproach to life's work can result inserious consequences.
Pneumonia and influenza are theeighth leading cause of death forwomen in the United States. Womenwho "play defense" during flu seasoncan ward off the virus. There are sim-ple preventive habits like repetitivehand washing; andgreater lifestylechanges, such as adopt-ing a healthy, low-fat dietand quitting smoking,which decreases theimmune system's abilityto fight disease of anykind.
Of course, flu seasonpeaks near the holidays,just when life acceleratesinto a frenzy. So finding
time to de-stress and eat healthybecomes even more difficult. But get-ting a flu shot and following basic pre-ventive measures will protect you andyour family from catching a bug thatlands 200,000 people in the hospitaleach winter.
How Flu Attacks
You can't take antibiotics to fight the flubecause Influenza is a virus. It is a high-ly contagious respiratory disease thatinfects 5 to 20 percent of the populationeach year, according to the Centers forDisease Control (CDC). Flu causes mildto severe illness and, in worst cases,death. Thirty-six thousand people diefrom flu each year.
Flu viruses spread from person to per-son through coughing, sneezing andtouching anything that has been in con-tact with an infected person's hands,nose or mouth. You can pass the flu tofamily, friends and co-workers beforerealizing you are sick. Infected individu-als are contagious one day before theirown symptoms develop and up to fivedays after they become sick.
Flu symptoms are abrupt and can besevere. Sudden onset and a high feverof 102 to 104 degrees differentiate the
flu from common colds. Other sideeffects include muscle aches,headaches, a dry cough, sore throatand extreme fatigue. Usually, only chil-dren experience "stomach flu," thoughoccasionally, adults present with nau-sea and diarrhea.
The flu reduces the body's ability tofight off other infections, and complica-tions from flu are the main reason forhospitalization. Those can includepneumonia, ear infection, dehydrationand worsening of chronic medical con-ditions, such as congestive heart failure,asthma or diabetes.
Everyday Prevention
Many flu prevention tactics are thesame "rules" we remind children. Washhands often with hot soap and water.Cover the mouth with tissue when youcough. Use your sleeve if you must; justavoid blocking a cough with your hands,which touch computer key boards, doorknobs, telephones, you name it. Thekey is to avoid spreading the virus. If fre-quent hand washing is inconvenient,alcohol cleaners (hand sanitizer) areeffective. Most of all, if you are sick withthe flu, stay home. Don't risk spreadingthe highly contagious virus to others.
Additionally, there are lifestyle choicesyou can make that will boost your
immune system and help fightflu and many other diseases.If you have a cigarette habit,this is your incentive to quit.And if you tend to reach forsalt or sweets when you feelstressed, replace your junkfood stash with a stock offruit and healthful snacks.
Increasing intake of fruits,vege tab les
and proteins like fish will boost theimmune system and help you recoverfrom illness more quickly.
Perhaps the most difficult preventivemeasure is finding time to de-stress,exhale. Reserve mini-breaks through-out your day (or even just once a day)to meditate, pray, breath deeply, knit,take a casual walk - anything thatrelaxes your mind. This "time off" willhelp restore balance and boost yourimmune system.
Annual Flu Shot
The flu peaks in December andJanuary, persists through March andcan last into May depending on theregion. A flu shot is the best way to pre-vent getting the virus or passing it to oth-ers. Remember, you may carry the virusand not get sick if your immune systemis strong. But you are still contagious,and your children and those close toyou can catch the virus. The flu shot is70 to 90 percent effective and, shouldyou get the flu, the shot will lessen yoursymptoms.
The vaccine contains an inactive virusthat causes the body to make antibod-ies to fight flu. These antibodies developabout two weeks after the vaccine isadministered. That's why the best timeto get a flu shot is in October orNovember, before peak flu season.
Your arm may feel sore from the shotand you may experience minor swellingor redness. This disappears within acouple of days. Flu shots are appropri-ate for children six months or older. Thevaccine is also available in a nasalspray that contains a live, weakenedvirus. This formulation is an option forthose ages five to 49 and women whoare not pregnant.
Beat the Bug 2007
Be sure to check your local clinicsand hospitals for times when theymay be giving flu shots. A small feemay be required, but it's worth thepeace of mind that comes with good
Take Control This Flu SeasonHEALTH & WELLNESS
Leonor Osorio, D.O.
Leonor Osorio, D.O., practicesinternal medicine at FairviewHospital, Cleveland, OH. Dr.Osorio interests include women'shealth and preventive medicine. w
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By Lisa Lewis
According to the Centers forDisease Control and Prevention, 68percent of the total deaths in theUnited States are related to lifestyleand diet choices. Given this dramat-ic and very real statistic, good nutri-tion should become a priority in ourlives now. Not tomorrow, or nextweek…now!
The majority of our poor nutritionand lifestyle issues stem from thechoices we make everyday. Whetherit's to grab a yogurt or a chocolate-chip cookie, every choice we makehas an impact. So, an easy way togreatly reduce our risk of developinglife threatening illnesses is to makebetter choices. Once we decide tochoose differently, we gain an incred-ible amount of control.
As individuals, we must takeresponsibility for our health and makethe necessary changes to ensure ahappy and healthy life. Keeping with
the theme of "choice", we can andshould choose to educate ourselvesin whatever fashion feels comfortableand effective. And, don't feel bad ifconfusion takes over the effort to edu-cate on occasion. Changing habits,especially those related to eatingstyle, will take some time andpatience. So, be your own best friendand when the negative thoughts sur-face, practice positive self-talk. Andwhen you feel it's too difficult to put inthe effort...remember YOU are worthit!
Proper nutrition goes well beyondthe marketing gimmicks of the foodindustry such as low-fat, low-carb orhigh fiber. Much of the $30+ billiondollars Americans spend each yearon fad diets, quick fixes, and gim-micks is misdirected.
In a perfect world, our food wouldstill be rich in all the necessary nutri-ents and our lives would be activeenough to be sure we consistentlyburn more calories than we take in.That may not be the case anymore,but we have many choices that canimprove our health. And, for the mostpart, the choices are easy!
The First Step
The first step is as simple as, well…a step! Exercise and regular activityare key factors in enjoying goodhealth. It is helpful to view the twoseparately. Exercise is self-explana-tory, but activity, although not neces-sarily strenuous, can actually bemore beneficial.
Activity is movement. If we can add
movement to everything we do, wereap incredible benefits. For exam-ple, stand up and or walk in placewhile you are talking on the phone.Don't just sit there. Get up andstretch or evenjump around for2 - 3 minutesevery 20 min-utes or so.Adding simpleactivity to yourdaily routinehelps burn calo-ries. Be cre-ative and theoverall cumula-tive benefit toyour attitudeand your healthwill be lifechanging.
Mix exercisewith propernutrition, andyou are on yourway to better health. It's really thatsimple!
What is good nutrition?
Simply put, good nutrition is balanc-ing your intake of the highest qualitycarbohydrates, fat, protein, vitamins,minerals and water - the six classesof nutrients. This means: (1)Adequate amounts of the essentialnutrients, fiber and energy (calories) -are extremely important. Begin byselecting whole foods that supply theproper nutrients and contain goodfiber. (2) Balance the variety of foodseaten. (3)Control calories by trying totake in less or equal to what isexpended during the day throughactivity and exercise. (3) Nutrientsthat are required in smaller dosessuch as fat, salt and sugar should beeaten in moderation. (4) Select froma variety of foods to keep motivationhigh. (5)Without variety, boredomand then temptation to overeat or eatthe wrong thing sets in.
Does all this nutritional jargon makeyou want to hide your head in thesand and grab a bag of chips? Youare not alone. In fact, given our hec-tic schedules and all the conven-iences meant to accommodate ourbusy lifestyles, it's not a surprise thatwe are in a health crisis in this coun-try and around the world.
We have plenty of food and plenty of
calories, but what we have are emptycalories. We have a lack of propernutrition even while we are sufferingfrom over-consumption. We have toomuch food and too little nutrition. A lot
of chronic diseasethrives in this type ofenvironment -- dia-betes, cancer, heartdisease, you name it.
And, as Buddhasaid, "Every humanbeing is the author ofhis own health ordisease".
Our bodies arefinely tuned instru-ments that requirethe proper mainte-nance to performprecisely and effi-ciently every day.Paying attention toour health now,directly increases
our ability to enjoy vibrant and inde-pendent lives as we age.
I am here to let you know that youcan regain your health and changethe way you feel. It will require acommitment to yourself and the con-sistent energy to make better foodchoices, get more active and takemore thoughtful care of yourself. Inthe end, it will be one of the bestdecisions you've ever made.
Take the time to educate yourselfand work with professionals who canassist you in reaching your healthgoals. Anything worthwhile takestime and patience. Think of it as aninvestment in yourself that will allowyou to reap the benefits for manyyears to come. The improved quali-ty of your life will add a completelynew dimension of joy and satisfac-tion to your life - every single day.
Good nutrition is not a luxury, itis a necessity.
Imagine your life in your healthy,vibrant, energetic body. What wouldit look like? What would you thinkabout when you first woke up to greetthe day? What would it be like tohave the energy to climb the stairsinstead of taking the elevator anytimeyou wanted to? What could you dowith your kids and family? All thesepossibilities are available to you rightnow. It's your choice.
Lisa Lewis
Lisa Lewis is an Independent Associate with Isagenix International. Sheis currently completing the Nutrition and Wellness ConsultantCertification program with the American Fitness Professionals &Associates. Lisa has personally experienced the life changing benefitsthat proper nutrition and exercise have made in her life and has beenprivileged to witness many of her clients, friends and family experiencefantastic results in their lives also. Lisa's vision is to make a profoundand lifelong difference in people's lives and give every person theopportunity to experience vibrant health.
For a complimentary health review, or other to learn more, call Lisa at415-366-7358 or email at [email protected]. Also be sure totake a few moments and go to www.DrSpeaksOut. com to watch ashort but highly informative presentation by Becky Natrajan, M. D.
Who's Making the Choice for You?Good Nutrition is a Choice
HEALTH & WELLNESS
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Caring for an elderly relative isoftentimes a thankless job. Whetheryour relative is suffering fromAlzheimer's or the damaging effectsof stroke or another debilitating dis-ease, caring for an aging familymember can be a trying experience- one that can test both yourpatience and your commitment tothe person you're caring for.
For many caregivers, a typical daycan seem like an exhausting andlonely eternity, one where the per-son you're caring for can neitherempathize with your sacrifice oreven understand the oftentimes direnature of their own condition.
It is especially important to taketime out to care for yourself duringthe holiday season. The followingtips, courtesy of the National FamilyCaregivers Association (NFCA) canhelp to ensure the stress doesn'toverwhelm you:
Take breaks.
Caring for an ill or debilitatedloved one is a full-time and oftendemanding job. Take frequentbreaks, both to relax physically andmentally.
Beware of your possible changing emotional state.
Depression can frequently plaguecaregivers, who many times are leftalone with the difficult personthey're caring for, making it increas-ingly likely they'll begin to look attheir situation as hopeless. If youfeel as though you're growingdepressed, seek help immediately.
Accept help.
Any time a friend or loved oneoffers help, take it. If people are will-ing to help, accept and try and offersuggestions for specific areaswhere they can help.
Educate yourself.
Gaining a better understanding of
your loved one's condition will helpmake caring for them less stressful.It will also help you to better under-stand a doctor's advice.
Trust your instincts.
Since you'll be spending moretime than anyone with your lovedone, don't necessarily take alladvice as creed. If you disagreewith the advice a doctor, physicaltherapist or another caregiveroffers, let them know why and allowroom for discussion. Your instinctswill be right more often than not,since you spend more time caringfor your loved one. Learn to trustthose instincts.
Take care of your back.
Caregivers typically do lots of lift-ing, pulling and pushing, all of whichcan be brutal on your back. Restyour back whenever possible, and ifit's hurting, ask for help.
Grieve for your losses.
Part of what makes taking care ofa loved one so difficult is that manytimes illness comes as a shock, par-ticularly if you're caring for aspouse. You might have dreamed ofgrowing old and doing it together.Now that your spouse has fallen ill,allow yourself to grieve for that lostdream, while also dreaming newdreams.
Realize you're not alone.
In addition to possible family andfriends to talk to, you also havemany others in similar situationsyou can talk to as well. Reachingout to other caregivers can help youbetter realize you're not alone andhelp you share an experience thatotherwise seems quite lonely.
Source: The National Family CaregiversAssociation For more information on caring
for a sick loved one, visit the NFCA Website at www.thefamilycaregiver.org
Caring for theCaregiver
It's especially important duringthe holiday season.
HEALTH & WELLNESS
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By Dr. Sandi Altman
As a gynecologist, I have spent the last20 years "listening" to my patients. Sincemy practice is focused on gynecologyand mature women, versus obstetrics, Ihave listened and learned from mypatients about the many challenges asso-ciated with women's health care, espe-cially in the area of hormonal andmenopausal issues.
As I listen to my patients, I sense inthem the confusion and disappointmentas they lose interest in sex or no longerfeel desirable. Quite often, my patientswonder...what happened to those tinglyfeelings, that sensation of love andromance and the associated rush of sex-ual desire? Where did it go? What hap-pened to my libido?
I have found that when women com-plain about lack of libido, it usually meansthat sex hurts because of vaginal dry-ness. Quite often, it also means thatthere is a lack of romance. The first iseasier to fix, and essential, so let's startthere.
First Things First
Looking at the clinical nuts and bolts, it'sreally not surprising that there is a loss oflibido as we age. Vaginal dryness sets in,intercourse is painful because it feels likesandpaper, and it takes forever to reachorgasm (if at all). It really doesn't seemworth it. In addition to the pain, there isminimal genital sensation, and for all youreffort, you often get a yeast infection.Who, on earth, would pursue this activity?
As an advocate for women's health, Ibelieve that every woman deserves toenjoy the second half of her life withoutthe debilitating symptoms of menopause.With the access we have today to med-ical information and specialists, that isvery possible.
So the first step is to fix the vagina. Thevagina is estrogen dependent tissue, andbad things happen when we lose thatestrogen. In addition to dryness, as weage, the tissue loses elasticity.
Instead of stretching during love mak-ing, the vaginal tissue burns, tears andcan even bleed. Diminished blood flownot only makes reaching orgasm sloweror impossible, but also numbs the sen-sory nerves of the vulva making thesense of touch less effective. The finalinsult is the change in the vaginal ph thatleads to an increase in vaginal infec-tions.
There is good news however! This isone of the easiest problems to solve asa gynecologist. Two weeks of topicalestrogen can turn any vagina back toage 35! There is no reason to suffer.Besides estrogen creams, there arevaginal tablets (Vagifem) and a vaginalring (Estring). These are not systemical-ly absorbed. The only effect is on the tis-sues they touch, which helps to restorelocal estrogen. These products areavailable with a prescription. Over thecounter lubricants can improve dryness,but only estrogen really makes the tissueyoung, healthy and resilient again.
So that's one definition of "loss oflibido." The second definition has lesstangible, and definitely less clinical chal-lenges associated to it. Lack of romance.Plain and simple. So now what?
Next...Romance
Let's start by looking at, and acceptingthe obvious. Men and women are differ-ent. Frankly, we wouldn't want it other-wise. We just need to learn to work with,or around those differences. We learn todo so in many other areas of our lives,so why not in the area of libido levels?
If men want sex, they need to under-stand women need romance. But theremust be communication. Women musttell men over and over again what it is thatconstitutes romance. And then tell themagain.
One patient admitted she had not toldher husband she wanted more romanticgestures. Why? Because, she said, ifyou have to tell him, then it doesn't count.Women want spontaneous flowers, notones that show up because we asked forthem.
As I learned in The Female Brain by Dr.Lorraine Brizendene, men just don't thinklike women do and to be fair, vice versa.If women wait for men to spontaneouslyguess our romantic desires, hell will prob-ably freeze over first.
Sometimes, you just have to make yourown romance, like having an affair withyour husband. What would you do if youwere having an affair? Maybe you'dsneak off to a hotel in the middle of theday. So do it with the guy you married.Take him out to dinner or get room serv-ice in the hotel room. On a Saturdayafternoon call him from the hotel and tellhim to meet you in room 206.
Don't forget to do a little lingerie shop-ping first. You'll get a romance high fromthe planning and he'll float five feet off theground for weeks from being wanted.Then tell him that the next adventure is upto him, or plot together.
Many women, and men, feel theirrelationship is the only one experi-
encing problems and frustrationswhen it comes to the bedroom andlibido levels. So perhaps the follow-ing statistics will put a lot of minds atease.
Studies show that only four percentof pre-menopausal women in their30's and 40's have spontaneous sexthoughts once a week. Forty-threepercent didn't have a sexy thoughtonce all month. And, while newly-weds have sex, on average, 10-12times a month, after seven years ofmarriage that couple is down to threeto four times a month.
Men and women can either retreatto their corners and pout becausetheir partner isn't reading their mindand giving them what they want with-out having to be asked; or we canstart a new dialogue and put our egosaside. As Gail Sheehay says in TheSexy Years, we get 30 bonus years.Wouldn't it be more fun to enjoy themtogether?
Estrogen + Romance = Zip
And today, more than ever before,those 30 bonus years are easily avail-able. Looking for and rediscoveringour libido involves both hormonesand the relationship. With the use ofvaginal estrogen you can "clinically"jumpstart your libido. Add to thatcommunication and a willingness towork with the natural differencesbetween women and men... andbingo...you'll put the zip back intoyour doo-dah!
Has anyone seen my Libido?Put the Zip Back in Your Doo-Dah!
Dr. Sandi Altman
Dr. Sandi, aka The Menopause Maven has been in high demand as aspeaker and teacher on menopausal and hormonal topics since 1992.She inspires and empowers women with cutting edge information andemploys humor and candor to demystify menopause. Dr. Altman pro-vides custom keynotes, break out sessions and educational workshops.
Dr. Altman has been a Board Certified Ob-Gyn since 1985 and is afellow of the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology. Shereceived her B.A. from Tufts where she graduated cum laude and herM.D. from Boston University Medical School. She has been in privatepractice since 1983 with a special emphasis on a woman's transitionthrough menopause.
To learn more, please contact her at: 925-947-5945 or bye-mail at [email protected]
HEALTH & WELLNESS
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By Dr. David Rollins
Honest. Getting your varicose veinsfixed won't hurt any more than gettinga splinter removed. But more aboutthat later. Let's start with a brief reviewof some basic anatomy. Arteries pushblood away from the heart. Veinsreturn blood to the heart (Think of it asa highway system, with arteries goingsouthbound and veins northbound).
Now, since most of the body is belowthe heart, most arteries get a lot ofhelp from gravity. But veins- especiallythose in your legs- have a muchtougher job. An uphill battle, you mightsay. The veins in your legs have topush the blood straight up, which is noproblem when they're young andhealthy. You see, veins have tiny one-way valves that help the blood movestraight up to the next valve, whichmoves it upward again until the bloodreaches the heart. Overall, a prettynice arrangement, except for onething- veins are not indestructible. Andlike any good plumber will tell you--thepipes in the basement usually go first.
The Varicose Vein(Or What Happens When The Plumbing Starts To Go)
You have to remember, your veinsare under constant pressure fromgravity. After all, they work endlesshours, day after day, with no break.Their job is to keep your blood flowing.But, sometimes the pressure gets toogreat and one of your veins begins toweaken. It's walls stretch and dilateuntil it holds more blood than it wasmeant to. This is a varicose vein-anenlarged vein that may begin to stickout like a sore, well, a sore vein.
The vein gets bigger and bigger andholds more and more blood.Eventually this extra weight- remem-ber, most of your body weight is fluid-causes your leg to start aching. Nowyour valves have an even tougher jobthan usual, with more and more bloodto push. Soon the pressure gets toogreat and the valves begin to weaken
and leak. Now your varicose veinbegins to get even bigger and morepainful. And the vicious cycle contin-ues.
The Vicious Cycle Continues
Once a vein becomes varicose(enlarged), it never gets better.Unfortunately, veins cannot repairthemselves like skin can. You can'tstrengthen them with exercise like youcan your muscles. About all you cando is try to avoid standing long hours.(Or wear compression stockings,which help circulation, thus helping theveins do their job better)
If you stay off your feet for a few daysyou may notice that your varicoseveins feel better. But they aren't get-ting better. With varicose veins, there'sjust no such thing as status quo. Eitheryou get them repaired or they continuetheir vicious cycle of getting bigger andmore painful until one of three badthings can happen.
Three Bad Things Can Happen
Phlebitis. Clots form within the vari-cose veins and become hard, redlumps which can be quite painful.
Ulcerations. If the phlebitis is untreat-ed, the clots become bigger until theyput so much pressure on the skin thatit breaks down. You than get an ulceror an opening in the skin.
The varicose vein bursts. The worstof the bad things that can happen.Fortunately, this is quite rare.
The important thing to remember isthat varicose veins are easy to treat,especially in the early stages
The Treatment: Sclerotherapy(Easier Done Than Said)
Sclerotherapy is a simple treatmentdone in the office. It's quick and veryeffective for eliminating spider veins
and smaller varicose veins. A solutionis injected into the veins (yes, we usea needle, but it's a small one, andrarely does anyone complain of pain ordiscomfort). The solution pushes theblood out of the vein, causing the veinto collapse.
Now the blood flows to the better,healthier veins, and circulation isimproved. That's the remarkable thingabout the venous system. There aremany more veins than are needed. Sowhen we eliminate one, the bloodfinds the stronger veins.
Think of it like this: there's an oldbroken down road, filled with pot-holes. Traffic is slow. They build a newroad next to it, and suddenly all thetraffic leaves the old road and flowsquite efficiently down the new road.
Outpatient Surgery(You'll Be Home For Lunch)
If your varicose veins are too largefor sclerotherapy, and we need to dosome minor surgery, you can come inat 8am and be home for lunch. Now,you're probably wondering, is this theinfamous "vein stripping" surgery I'veheard so much about? No, it's not. Itused to be that surgeons simplyremoved the entire varicose vein,
which worked quite well, actually-especially for the surgeon who didn'thave any pain or a long recovery time.
Today, thanks mostly to ultrasoundtechnology, we can see the exactlocation of the varicosities and literal-ly map out the problem areas. Wethen use a new laser technique topermanently close the vein or weremove small sections of the vein, orboth. The incisions are about 1/8 to ¼of an inch and about the width of aneyelash. These usually disappear in afew months, but the really good newsis the varicose veins disappear imme-diately.
What To Do When It's Over
You can take it easy for a few daysif you like, but in reality most patientscan return to work in a few days. Youcan take a walk. Go to a movie. Shopa little. Just don't stand around- that'sbad for circulation.
David Rollins, MD
David Rollins, MD, is a board certified Vascular Surgeon as well asboard certified in general surgery. Dr. Rollins has served as anAssociate Professor of Surgery at Chicago Medical School, Chief ofSurgical Services at the VA Medical Center in North Chicago and asChief of Surgery at St. Vincent Charity Hospital in Cleveland, trainingCleveland Clinic surgery resident physicians, prior to entering into pri-vate practice. His clinical interests include diagnosis and treatment ofall peripheral arterial and venous conditions, including carotid arterydisease, abdominal aortic aneurysms, arterial blockage and varicoseveins.
Everything You Ever Wanted toKnow About Varicose Veins
What HappensWhen the Plumbing
Starts to Go?
HEALTH & WELLNESS
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By Ann TardyAuthor of LifeMoxie! Ambition on a Mission
In spite of past failures, criticisms, anda myriad of character assassinations,Hilary Clinton is aspiring to be the firstwoman President. That's moxie.
After beating the cancer that ravagedhis body, Lance Armstrong trained forand raced in the Tour de France. That'smoxie.
When 16 literary agents rejected best-selling author John Grisham's novel, ATime to Kill, he went looking for the 17thagent. That's moxie.
Moxie!
Moxie is the difference between peo-ple who achieve their dreams and peo-ple who just talk about their dreams. Oneof the essential strategies to creatingmoxie requires us to respond not justreact when things go wrong.
Respond Don't Just React
Whenever you experience a failure,setback, disappointment, or mistake, it'sOK to react; in fact, do your best to sob,sulk, and be defensive. Then stop. Take
stock of the lessons you learned, thenew information you acquired, and thenew paths you discovered. And then tryagain - bounce back.
The Art of Bouncing
Bouncing is picking yourself up, dust-ing off the dirt, and getting back in thegame - the game called your life. Keepmoving in the direction of your beat-the-alarm-clock goal, this time with your les-sons in tow. Bouncing is the relentless-ness and perseverance that has youmove forward in the face of everythinglife throws your way.
My Grandfather
My grandfather was an alcoholic. Hespent most of his life at a bar drinking themoney my grandmother earned. His lifewas a bit of a train wreck. And then at theage of 51 he decided to bounce. Hejoined AA, went to college, became acounselor, volunteered as a school
crossing guard, took up cycling (rode hisfirst century at 70!), and even triedrollerblading before he passed away 38years sober. In spite of his inventory offailures and mistakes, my grandfathermastered the art of the bounce and as aresult, achieved many lifelong dreams.
The Art of the Bounce:
- Be upset - snivel, pout, mope, blub-ber, scream.
- Revisit your dreams - remember theimportant part (the mistake is not impor-tant).
- What lesson did you learn from yourmistake or failure?
- What new information do you have?
- What can you do next with this newinformation?
When the fire in your belly roars with
dreams, care more about accomplishingthem than you do about the fact that youfailed or made a mistake. Greatness canresult from any mistake or failure, aslong as you learn to bounce.
Ann TardyAnn Tardy is the CEO ofLifeMoxie!® Enterprises, the per-formance solutions company.
She is the author of LifeMoxie!®Ambition on a Mission™ 9Strategies for Taking Life by theHorns.
1.888.67.Moxie www.lifemoxie.com.
Want to Achieve Your Dreams?Learn the Art of Bouncing
BUSINESS & FINANCE
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By Deborah BurstynPresented by the Bay Area Women's Journal
Black cape aloft, the model runsalong the beach. She is frozen in timein the photograph displayed on thewall at San Francisco Museum ofModern Art (SFMOMA). Who knewthis was the first fashion photo shootto use live action instead of staticposed studio shots? Or, that photog-rapher Martin Munkacsi created theconcept now standard fashion maga-zine fare?
Sandra Phillips, of course. As cura-tor of the San Francisco Museum ofModern Art, she made sure that thetraveling exhibit of Munkacsi's workmade a lengthy stop here last sum-mer. Room after room in the museumentranced viewers with the early 20thcentury photography master'scelebrity, fashion and photojournal-ism works.
Not content only to procure impor-tant exhibits for the SFMOMA - noeasy feat in the highly competitive artworld - Phillips also receives highacclaim among her peers for creatingimportant exhibits herself.
No less a lofty publication than theNew Yorker devoted several pagesrecently to praise "Revelations," aretrospective of iconic photographerDiane Arbus curated by Phillips. Morethan just a collection of the portraitswe've all come to know so well,Phillips along with co-curatorElisabeth Sussman, also procuredthe photographer's cameras, person-al correspondence and family snap-shots. The show offered the publicthe first real glimpse of the womanbehind the famous photos as well asan opportunity to see the photosthemselves in a biographical context.
As public as her work is, SandraPhillips is a very private person.Although her work is well known inthe art world she herself flies very lowunder the radar. To even find her onemust jostle through a warren of cubi-cles tucked away in the depths of themuseum. She sits behind her desk, avision of pared down chic in a crispwhite shirt and black skirt. Books andprints surround her.
"I always liked museums," Phillipssays with a modest shrug.
A girlhood on the Upper East Sideof Manhattan with a father who wasan architect withRobert Moses,the guy creditedfor designing themodern urbanl a n d s c a p e ,helped point hertoward the artis-tic side of citylife. Fresh fromM a n h a t t a n ' se x c l u s i v eBrearley School,Phillips headedto bohemianBard College to learn to become apainter.
Phillips soon realized that she wasbetter suited to becoming an art his-torian than an artist. After getting hermaster's degree at Bryn Mawr, shemarried an artist and had a son. Butsoon she was back in school.
"We didn't have any money and Irealized that you couldn't do anythingwith a masters'," she recalls. So,Phillips decided to get a Ph.D.through the low-cost New York Citycommunity college system.
"I had to put my son in daycare andcommute two and a half hours eachway by train to get to school. It tookme ten years to get my degree."
Once she had it, she quickly got herfirst job as the curator for VassarCollege's art museum. "It was a won-derful way to learn how to be a cura-tor, because I had to do everything,except hang the pictures on the walls.But it quickly became just too muchto do."
Phillips and her husband had spenta year teaching art at Mills College.Phillips taught a course on photogra-phy and her grasp of the subject didnot escape notice. When the photog-raphy curator of the SFMOMA wasabout to retire, he recommended herfor his job - an unusually high positionfor a woman even in 1987.
Phillips' husband was uncomfort-able at her prestige in the art worldoutshining his - "He decided he didn'twant to be married to a curator,"Phillips says. With her son returning
east for school,Phillips foundherself facing thechallenges of herwork at SFMO-MA on her own.This included re-energizing themuseum's pho-tography depart-ment when theS F M O M Aopened its newbuilding in 1995.
Instead of crumbling, Phillips wasmotivated to succeed.
"I was essentially alone so Ithought, Well, I better really do some-thing now. I also felt a sense ofresponsibility to the field here. I knewit was going to be a struggle but Iknew I wanted to have exhibits andpublications that were original for theMuseum. From almost the time Istarted I was doing a major showevery year and a half with a big pub-lication."
Phillips faces a daunting task of try-ing to please both the eclectic artscommunity as well as the public look-ing for accessible fare. She fuses thedisparate art audiences by exhibitingphotography, old and new, that illus-trates the real world but in a way thatstimulates further thought. Her cur-rent interests include an approach tothe way land in the West has beenexploited and developed, the oppo-site of the way Ansel Adams saw theAmerican Western landscape, aswell as, photography associated withvoyeurism and surveillance.
She explains, "There is a long tradi-tion of taking photos of people whodid not know they were being pho-tographed; the candid camera ideahas a long and important history, onethat has some uncomfortable ramifi-cations in our present society."
Looking back, Phillips has noregrets about leaving New York, anepicenter of the art world.
"Manhattan has gotten homoge-nized and less interesting," sheobserves. "Plus it is so competi-tive with everyone chasing afterthe same money. Here, in SanFrancisco, there is more diversity.It has a vibrant arts community,but is small enough for me to dowhat I want. I have a garden,friends, and I get to do a lot travel-ing."
As much as Phillips enjoys herwork, she firmly believes thatthere will come a time for her tostep aside to make room for a newgeneration. She cites the exampleof Walter Pach. A minor artist,Pach had the good fortune tospeak French and lived in Paris inthe early 1900s, and helped intro-duce the French Post-Impressionists and early Modernartists to America.
"He knew Matisse, he knew allthe cubist painters. He understoodthat generation and brought thework of those people here anddefended it. But then when differ-ent things happened, like surreal-ism, he didn't get it. He hated it.He lost his voice."
She gazes at the photos aroundher office and her voice takes on afirm note. "I don't want that to hap-pen to me."
She explains, "You have a per-sonality that is attuned to a certainera."
Later in the day, Phillips is seat-ed at another desk. It is in one ofthe SFMOMA's main exhibit gal-leries. The desk and Phillips her-self on this particular day (SFMO-MA staff take turns), are part of anart piece called "Indigo Blue." Infront of a platform piled high with18,000 pieces of denim workclothes, Phillips busily erases writ-ing in a book to symbolize the losthistories of garment workers.Museum visitors, even thoseyounger than Phillips, walk bypuzzled or amused. They clearlydon't get it. If Phillips, as she says,is attuned only to the art of a cer-tain era, happily for us that era isnot yet over.
“I had to put my son indaycare and commute twoand a half hours each wayby train to get to school.
It took me ten years to getmy degree.”
Profile of Sandra PhillipsSFMOMA Sr. Curator Photography... Extraordinaire!
BA WOMAN SPOTLIGHT
Sandra Phillips, the internation-ally respected curator of photog-raphy at the San FranciscoMuseum of Modern Art, cautionsphotographers today to avoidbecoming overly digitalized. Hereare some of her words of wisdom:
Photography's real strength isthat it is about the real world -as opposed to painting.Photography is a response to thereal world even if it's just therecord of gray light on a ceiling.That is both its greatest gift andits limitation. If you lose that real-ization, you have lost somethingvery important.
Digital photography doesn'trespect the real world as muchand there is a danger of confus-ing fantasy with reality. There is akind of narcissism that hasemerged in our culture that mayhave something to do with theway we fail to see ourselves in thereal world.
We see a lot of photographyon disk now. Many youngerphotographers have notlearned their craft. You see thisin the quality of prints, whichhas generally declined. Digitalprints are often not as good,not as subtle. I would adviselearning how to print in the oldfashioned way. Learn your craft
and you will be able to under-stand its limitations as well aswhat it does best.
Choose a camera with care.Every camera has its own per-sonality. You get a certain kindof picture out of a Leica asopposed to a 4 by 5 camera.
Visit the museum but also goto galleries. There are excellentwell-established galleries intown that show only photo-graphs. These include theFraenkel Gallery, the HosfeltGallery and the Wirtz Gallery.There are also lots of new littlegalleries in the Mission. We arevery fortunate to have so muchactivity in this area.
Take photography classes.Both the California College ofthe Arts and the San FranciscoArt Institute have very sophisti-cated photography depart-ments.
We are very diligent aboutlooking at new work. Anyonecan submit a portfolio (about 30prints). We look at everything.I've always loved that aboutphotography - it is not elitist.We do a lot of collecting herethat is very broadly based.
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Advice FromSandra Phillips For
Aspiring ArtPhotographers
BA WOMANSPOTLIGHT
By Lori Feldman
In the past 10 years of my salescareer, I have not made one cold call.I know that's blasphemy in the sellingworld. Yet my client base has grown, Ihave a large referral network andenough "deal flow" to turn down busi-ness that doesn't suit my picky cus-tomer profile requirements.
How did I attain this enviable statusas such an independent minded sales-person? First of all, I'm not so inde-pendent; I am quite dependent on thesystem I use to generate my salesleads. My system just doesn't happento depend on cold calling, which I con-sider to be the worst possible use of
my time and the reason so manysalespeople hate it.
Sales organizations report that 70%of all sales cycles last at least eightmonths; 68% of customers stop buy-ing because of neglect; and it takes 12"touches"--up from seven just a fewshort years ago--to convert a prospectto a customer. With these stats, therejust aren't enough hours in a day topropel your pipeline into the strato-sphere using a prospecting systemdependent primarily on cold calling.
If you're like most salespeople, youtypically spend one third of your timeselling (I'm being generous) and two-thirds of your time looking. What wouldit mean to your take home pay if youcould reverse those fractions?
You must have a system that turnscontacts into relationships and rela-tionships into results by automatingyour 12 touches so you cover moreground in a day. To stay on the buyer'smind, without getting on her nerves inthe process, here's my 90-day, no-fail,no more-cold-calling solution:
1. Put all your contacts (customersand prospects) into a marketing data-base to track your touches and man-age your sales opportunities. You can'tmanage what you can't track
2. Buy a prospect mailing list, andsend out a minimum of 1,000 directmailings each month
3. Research what's hot about yourservice. Use http://inventoryoverture.com to conduct keywordsearches that customers use. Seewhat turns up online
4. Write articles as the subject-mat-ter expert in your field (you are!) for thebusiness and trade press, like the BayArea Women's Journal.
5. Post free online press releases
6. Email a "tip of the week" (not asales pitch) to your list
7. Start a pay-per-click lead genera-tion program on Google or Yahoo
8. Call 5 customers/week and ask fortestimonials and referrals
9. Send one testimonial toprospects for 5 weeks, and on thesixth letter, ask them to fax you backa convenient appointment time
10. Sponsor a seminar or telecon-ference with a panel of experts on atopic your customers are dying toknow about
Did you honk because you hatecold calling? Then stop! Prospect ina whole new-and more productive-way.
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Lori Feldman
Lori Feldman is The DatabaseDiva and she teaches salespeo-ple and entrepreneurs how toprofit from their customer data-base using ACT! Software, tar-geted mailing lists and onlinelead generation. . To learn morevisit www.thedatabasediva.comor call 1-800-264-5478.
HONK if You Hate Cold CallingBUSINESS & FINANCE
Ann EvanstonExecutive Managing [email protected]
Let’s get connected. I’d love to learn more about you.
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Connecting and promoting women and their businesses
www.eWomenNetwork.com
contact me to learn more about events in your area
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By Candace Davenport
Thanks to very effective marketingcampaigns which feature catchy tel-evision commercials (big burly guyspeaking in a five-year old girl'svoice), society is keenly aware ofpersonal financial identity theft. Inwhatever fashion, the results can bedevastating at worst, and annoyingat best. And, to make mattersworse, thieves have moved on tobigger and better targets - business-es.
Recognizing and understandingthe different types of identity theft isat least a start in preventing it.Financial identity theft is the typeindividuals are most familiar with andfor which the repercussions are bestunderstood. But, there are four othertypes that can wreck as much ormore havoc on an individual's life.
Driver's License Identity Theft
Driver's license identity theftoccurs when a thief uses your infor-mation and their picture on their dri-ver's license. You may not be awareof the theft until one night when youare stopped for a broken tail light.Imagine your surprise when you getarrested for failing to appear onfelony driving charges in anotherstate.
Criminal Identity Theft
Criminal identity theft occurs whena thief uses your information and isarrested for a crime in your name. Awoman teacher was denied her jobbecause she had a prostitutionarrest on her record. Although shewas able to eventually clear it up inher district, the arrest followed her,leaving her with a criminal recordand no job.
Social Security Identity Theft
In Social Security identity theft, aSocial Security number can be sold
for as little as $25, and used overand over again. Unfortunately, oftentimes the victim gets stuck with a billfor thousands of dollars from the IRSfor failing to pay taxes on other peo-ple's work. It can take years for theIRS to straighten that out.
Medical Identity Theft
The scariest type of identity theft ismedical, where someone uses youridentity and gets treatment or takestests in your name. The upside isthat all that may happen is that youget a bill from a hospital for thou-sands of dollars for treatments younever had. But a potentially deadlyresult may be that your medicalrecords are changed with someoneelse's results. For example, youcould spend years trying to convinceemployers or insurance agenciesthat you are not HIV positive,although your medical records sayso.
In addition to personal identitytheft, a new trend is emerging - theftand or loss of non-public informationabout customers and employees in abusinesses. The newspapers arefull of the stories of huge losses ofprivate information from large corpo-rations, small businesses, universi-ties and the government. Congresshas passed several laws making allbusinesses, including the owners,potentially liable for breach of non-public information.
One such law is FACTA (The Fairand Accurate Credit TransactionsAct), which allows criminal and civilpenalties for businesses and theirowners if reasonable steps are nottaken to protect their informationaldata bases. Congress also estab-lished the Gramm, Leach, BileySafeguard Rule which again puts theonus on businesses to protect theircustomer and employee informationwith a written security plan, appoint-ment of an information security offi-cer and mandatory training foremployees who handle non-publicinformation.
HIPPA (the Health Insurance
Portability and Accountability Act), isa law that most people know asbeing related to doctors and hospi-tals. What they do not know is thatthere is a Security Rule attachedwhich identifies various securitysafeguards required for compliance.Since most all employers have somemedical information on theiremployees, espe-cially if theyoffer a healthplan, theremay beaddi t iona ll i a b i l i t ythat wasnot fore-seen. Ina d d i t i o n ,each statehas enact-ed severalstate spe-cific laws asw e l l .
U n f o r t u n a t e l y,most businesses arenot even aware of either the federalor state identity theft laws and aretherefore open to potential liability.
Two websites which provide excel-lent information regarding identitytheft is the FTC identity theft web-site: http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/microsites/idtheft/, and thenonprofit consumer informationwebsite of Privacy RightsClearinghouse: http://www.priva-cyrights.org/. That website notesthat since January, 2005, through
the end of August, 2007, there havebeen 165,931,742 records contain-ing sensitive personal informationinvolved in security breaches, andthey list every breach.
The FTC stated that it takes theaverage individual approximately600 hours and over $1500 to clean
up an identity theft problem.Since the agencies involved
(i.e., IRS, SSA, DMV, banks)are only open during normal
business hours, thismeans that either you oryour employees have totake time off from workto deal with theseissues. As a result, abusiness' bottom linecan be affected.
Prevention is obvi-ously the bestanswer with bothbusinesses andindividuals takingproactive steps toprotect their person-al information.
Individuals should monitor theircredit reports and businessesshould be aware of what is happen-ing with their employees, as thesemay be early warning signals of abreach. Businesses need to takethe extra step of educating theiremployees (and even their cus-tomers if appropriate), about identitytheft and ways to prevent it. Whilethere is no sure-fire way to preventall identity theft, individuals andbusinesses can take reasonablesteps to mitigate their damages.
Candace Davenport
Candace Davenport is a Certified Identity Theft Risk ManagementSpecialist (CITRMS) who educates and trains individuals, businessesand employees about Identity Theft. Call Candace at 415.302.1410or visit her website www.myidentitytheftshieldsite.com for informationabout the best all around solution to the unique problems identity theftcause for businesses and individuals.
The Answer is Another Question: Who Isn't?
Are You or Your Business atRisk for Identity Theft?
BUSINESS & FINANCE
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By Allison Sofnas
We've all heard it…"We're headingup to our vacation home in WineCountry this weekend." Or, "I need tofind a new tenant for one of my rentalproperties in Monterey." Don't YOUwant to get into the game? It's anexcellent way to round out your invest-ment portfolio because let's face it;simply maxing out your 401k isn'tgoing to cut it once retirement arrives.Plus, there are tax perks involved withowning real estate and it's fun to bragabout your real estate portfolio.
How Much Is It GoingTo Cost Me?
Without speaking with a professionalmortgage broker about your specificsituation, it would be difficult to calcu-late...however, a call to get these fig-ures is free!
Financing for rental propertiesrequires good credit, proof of income,and an average minimum of 10 per-cent down payment for one to twounits and 20 percent down paymentfor three to four units. As long as youbreak even or take a slight loss, itcould be a good investment becausethe value and rents will eventuallyincrease.
What If I Don't Have Time To Search For Properties?
This is when you can hire a compa-ny to find the property, calculate thecash flow, find the tenants and hire aproperty management company foryou. Please contact me if you wouldlike recommendations.
What If I Already Own Rental Property and It Isn't Making Me Money?
Some rental markets are hot,some are not. Savvy investorsare selling their non-performingrental properties and buying inother areas where they can makemoney at their initial investment.
How Do I Buy A Vacation Home Without Breaking the Bank?
There are ways to make thisvery affordable by purchasing asa fractional co-ownership. This isan arrangement where a groupshares the cost and use of avacation property and each ownerhas a percentage of ownership,obtaining a fractionalized loan.This allows each buyer to have
an individual loan with the bank,thus allowing that share to besold separately.
For example, this can make own-ing an attractive $800,000 skihouse in Tahoe, with six peopleinitially contributing 25 percent, areality. That is a $33,000 downpayment for each owner, bringingthe monthly mortgage and operat-ing costs in at a rough estimate of$850 per month, per owner. Eachowner would be allotted up to eightweeks per year allowing a fewspare weeks to rent to offset themortgage. Want to bring that costdown even further? Agree to rentout popular weeks such asChristmas, New Year's and 4th ofJuly at a premium. An excellentwebsite to get more informationabout this is www.dreamslice.com.On this site is a link to Andy
Sirkin's article on Vacation HomeFractional Ownership.
If You're Interested, Who Should You Call First?
A mortgage broker, such asmyself, who is experienced withthis type of financing and can pro-vide you with numbers and Realtorrecommendations to see if thisdream could become a reality foryou.
What If I Don't Have a Lot of Cash Available For ADown Payment?
You can borrow money from yourprimary residence or reduce yourdown payment. Many borrowerstake out a Home Equity Line ofCredit for the down payment on avacation or rental property. Theequity is there so put it to work foryou and maybe this time nextyear, you'll be saying, "Oh I can'tmake your party thisweekend…I'm going to my housein Monterey!"
Allison Sofnas
Allison Sofnas is a Senior LoanConsultant with First CapitalGroup - a mortgagebroker/banker in San Francisco.She has 12 years of experienceand specializes in residentiallending. She has outstandingresources for all types of loansincluding jumbo, TIC, non-owner,hard to qualify income, vacationand fractionalized loans.
Contact Allison at415-440-5626 x 210or email [email protected].
How You Can Get Into the Rentalor Vacation Home Market!
BUSINESS & FINANCE
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Testimonial - “I can't say enough about Allison's outstandingperformance during the purchase of our new home. She
went above and beyond landing a great rate by providing reli-able connections and constant support along the way. We are
high-maintenance clients and Allison exceeded all of ourexpectations with her extensive knowledge and experience inproperty finance. Allison is the dependable resource neededto compete in San Francisco's demanding market. We willdefinitely continue our relationship with her in future real
estate endeavors.” Christina & Kevin B.
By Deborah BurstynPresented by the Bay Area Women's Journal
How many trees has Friends of theUrban Forest planted?
In the 26 years that we've been inexistence, we've planted over 42,000street trees - that's more than all thetrees in Golden Gate Park. We keeprecords on every tree. I can show youthe first trees we ever planted.
What's the survival rate of thetrees?
On our last analysis of trees we plant-ed three years ago, 80% of our treeswere rated good or better on a scale of1 to 5, with 1 being dead and 5 beingexcellent.
Who checks up on how the treesare doing?
We have three trained arborists onstaff. They conduct our maintenanceprogram which involves visiting thetrees at two months, 18 months andthree years after planting.
Do you need to get approval fromthe city to plant trees?
Not usually. About 70% of the side-walk trees are the responsibility of theproperty owner, the person who ownsthe building that the sidewalk runs infront of.
Do you ask the property owner'spermission?
We have to - that's their sidewalkwhere the trees will be planted. So it'stheir choice. We don't just show up andstart sticking trees in the ground.
What type of trees do you plant?
Again, it's your choice, and we offermany dozens to choose from. We willconsult with you on what's a good treefor your site depending on many factors
such as soil and microclimate. We'llwork with you and whatever type of treeyou had your heart set on. But we mightsay that's not a good tree for you in thislocation, but here is one just like it.We'd like to plant native trees butaround here that would give us abouttwo choices. Australian trees work well -there are lots of Australian treesbesides eucalyptus.
Why would someone want a tree infront of their house?
Let's just set aside for a moment themillions of years-long relationshiphumans have had with trees, that a con-nection to trees is probably in our DNA,that they produce oxygen, food and thatwe once climbed trees to escape from
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I Think That I Shall Never See aPoem as Lovely as a Tree!
A Conversation with Kelly Quirke, Director of Friends of the Urban Forest
NON-PROFIT SPOTLIGHT
See“TREES”
Continued On Next Page
Almost every major city in the country has a larger treecanopy than San Francisco. Our tree canopy is 12%,
Portland's is 37% and even LA beats us at 21%.San Francisco is considered to be a beautiful city but itsbeauty is in its vistas - the ocean, bridges, and the hills.When you get down to the streetscape, it's pretty harsh
and windblown with a lot of concrete.
“I went home, sat down and read the paper cover to cover.I never do that. The articles were great.” L.H.
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great...so informative.” S.N.
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Comment from a reader to a BAWJ News Girl, at the FerryBuilding, “Will this always be free?”
News Girl, “Yes!”Reader, “Wonderful, I need some extra copies for my friends!”
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TM
Here is what a few of you had to say.
Thank you so much for your feedback andcomments on The Bay Area Women’s Journal!We love hearing from you! Please continue to e-mail your comments to
[email protected] or call 415-874-8047 and press 3 to be connected to our comment line!
predators, and that trees ask nothing ofus, they just give and we have arche-types such as the Tree of Knowledgeand the Tree of Life.
Aside from all that, a tree in front of
your property will increase property val-ues by one percent and there's a multi-plier effect if the whole street is linedwith trees. And in this town, even onepercent is a lot of zeroes. The value ofstreet trees to San Francisco is about$7.5 million. And of course, the finalmessage from Al Gore in "AnInconvenient Truth" is to plant moretrees.
Will you run out of spaces in SanFrancisco to plant trees?
San Francisco now has about100,000 street trees. There are still127,000 spaces that could use trees.Almost every major city in the countryhas a larger tree canopy than SanFrancisco. Our tree canopy is 12%,Portland's is 37% and even LA beats usat 21%.
San Francisco is considered to be abeautiful city but its beauty is in its vistas- the ocean, bridges, and the hills.When you get down to the streetscape,it's pretty harsh and windblown with a lotof concrete.
Does the city give you funds toplant trees?
The city cut its funding for tree plantingin the early 80s. And that's still going on.About 40% of our funding now comesfrom individuals. There're a lot of peoplein this town who support Friends of theUrban Forest, from all neighborhoods,backgrounds and incomes.
In addition to being a FUF member,what we call Tree Tributes are a waypeople help fund our organization. It's away to give a special gift to someone ata birth or a death or a special occasion.They'll get a card that a tree has beenplanted for the people of San Franciscoin their honor. Mark Leno likes to givesthis as a gift. It's $50 for a Tree Tribute.
How much do you charge the prop-erty owner for a tree?
In the SE area of the city, such asBayview-Hunters Point, trees are free.It is an environmental justice issue toplant trees there because it is under-served. In other areas they can cost$150. But for that you get: concrete cutand taken away, the hole augured, allpermits taken care of, soil augmenta-tion, the tree itself, materials to supporttree: stakes, braces, ties, our consulta-tion on species of tree and follow-up
maintenance and volunteers to comeplant the tree plus follow-up visits fromour arborists.
You'll come over and plant onetree?
Not exactly. We like to have a criticalmass of trees to plant in a neighbor-hood - about 40 at a time. What hap-pens is that someone will contact usabout getting a tree. Then we have vol-unteers do outreach in that neighbor-hood to get more residents on board fora tree planting.
We make it into a big neighborhoodblock party with a potluck at the end ofthe day. Everyone's out there gettingtheir hands dirty. Bicyclists riding byalways yell, "Hey we love you guys."Cars honk and wave. We're well knownin the city. It's fun.
And at the end of day, we leavebehind a growing reminder of what weall did here. The trees and tree plantinghelp create a growing bond in theneighborhood. One resident summed itup well when they said, "Much morethan trees took root in our communitytoday."
For more information on Friends ofthe Urban Forest go to www.fuf.net orcall (415) 561-6890.
NON-PROFIT SPOTLIGHT
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“TREES”Continued From Previous Page
Presidio of San Francisco, Bldg. # 1007San Francisco, CA 94129-0456
phone: (415)-561-6890
www.fuf.net
Small Tree Volunteer EmergencyHotline (415) 561-6890 x403
Over ten years ago, Friends of the Urban Forest(FUF) launched a special program to connectunderserved city youth with trees - and providethem with jobs, too. To date nearly 300 SanFrancisco teens have completed FUF's Youth TreeCare Program, each working an average of 142hours per session.
Up to 12 teenagers can participate in the programat a time. It is offered three times a year, in thespring, summer and fall. For each session there isa team leader who is a teen promoted from a previ-ous session. The teens learn basic tree-care skills
while earning a paycheck of $9 - $10 an hour.FUF estimates that over 6000 trees in SanFrancisco have been maintained by Youth TreeCare participants.
"We offer employment to teenagers fromneighborhoods like the Excelsior, Bayview-Hunters Point and the Mission. We teach themgood stewardship, the fundamentals of tree careand planting and employment skills. The pro-gram meets our twin goals of community build-ing and urban greening," said FUF DirectorKelly Quirke.
Teaching City Kids About Trees
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Welcome to the Local Authors Page!
Acclaimed photographer Phil Borges'new coffee-table book, WomenEmpowered, celebrates ordinary womenmaking extraordinary differences in theworld. A San Francisco-based orthodon-tist for 18 years, Borges sold his practiceto become an artist, taking a leap of faiththat has propelled him across 50 coun-tries. The book features women who takepart in the poverty-fighting projects of theinternational humanitarian organization,CARE, and includes written contributionsby Madeleine Albright, Isabel Allende,Christy Turlington Burns and CAREPresident Dr. Helene Gayle.
Women Empowered is available atBorders and other bookstores. For moreinformation about CARE, please visitwww.care.org.
LifeMoxie! Ambition on a Mission 9Strategies for Taking Life by the Hornswww.lifemoxie.com mox.ie (noun): thelove-your-life, get-anything-you-want,unstoppable way of living. Are you work-ing on turning your big, sloppy, gloriousdreams into reality? Or, have you pushedyour dreams into that black hole ominous-ly known as "someday" as you scramble toput out today's fires? When you need akick in the pants and kiss on the cheek, youneed LifeMoxie! Ambition on a Mission.Learn the 9 essential strategies to creatingyour own moxie and get ready to turn upthe volume on your life! Available atwww.Amazon.com.
An Ordinary Woman’s Spiritual JourneyRevels The Extraordinary!
Quirky San Francisco attorney CheriGreene meets, and instantly connects withtough police officer Gabriel Koomowa.Gabe soon falls seriously ill and Cherifinds herself helping him to survive.Nearing death, he is spontaneouslyhealed, leaving the once logical lawyersearching to understand why.
In her quest for answers Cheri discoversshe has paranormal gifts, and has livedprior lives. She also learns her purpose inthis life is to be a scribe, writing words offuture prediction and prophesy, and wordscontaining answers to time honored ques-tions of mankind.
To order visit www.andiwastold.com.
Marry rich! That's what Alicia Dunams setout to do. But instead of marrying a million-aire, she learned the secrets of becomingone-turning her dates with fame and for-tune into the ultimate wealth-buildingschool. Inside this sizzling new tell-all,Alicia takes you beyond the expensive gifts,exotic trips and lavish dinners to reveal theintimate lessons her Rich Men taught herabout money, life and success. To order,please visit www.goaldigger.com.
Successful model turned author and entre-preneur, Alicia Dunams is a success coachwho inspires "can do" action to help herclients design and live their dream life.
The Powder Box Secrets is a must readbook for every teen girl. Author CarrieSilver-Stock, MSW, LCSW has asked hun-dreds of teen girls to share real stories andsuggestions. This book is chock full ofgreat advice on everything from beauty,boys, family, friends, tough stuff, school,and so much more. Teens will be inspiredby practical tips and the seven secrets everygirls wants to know to be more savvy andsuccessful.
You can order this book today atwww.girlswithdreams.com
LOCAL AUTHORSHave you published a book or an eBook? Do youlive in the Bay Area? Does your topic appeal to
women? Then consider listing your work here to getthe recognition you deserve.
We know it's hard to write a book and even hard-er to spread the word about it. This program has
been developed as a low-cost way to gain therecognition your book deserves! Call 415-874-
8047 or e-mail us at [email protected] to learnmore!
In addition to listing your work in the Bay AreaWomen's Journal, here is another marketing tip tohelp you spread the word. Let your e-mail do the
talking! How? Add the title and subtitle of yourbook to your signature block. It's as simple as that.Now, every time you send an e-mail, you are also
promoting your book!
And of course, don't forget to call the BAWJ to getyour book listed!
Lorena Bathey's story is the story of theevery woman. In Happy Beginnings: HowI Became My Own Fairy Godmother, Ms.Bathey puts a name to the turbulent emo-tions that swirl around such an upheaval asdivorce and gives women the opportunityto identify with issues in their own world.Seeing Ms. Bathey succeed, the readersare empowered to take up their own wandand make their own dreams come true.Ms. Bathey is an author and an inspira-tional speaker that chooses, to further thecause of women today by giving them thestrength to make a difference in their life.
To order go to www.scepter-press.com.
By Michele BenzaSan Francisco's Best Kept Secret -Completely Confidential Image ConsultingFeaturing European Style & Elegance
As the fall season descends upon theBay Area, images of fog, wet weatherand cool nights begin to surface.
Another sign of fall is the changing ofwardrobes. As an Image Consultant,this is one of my favorite seasonsbecause fall clothing styles rarely disap-point me. Many of my clients are readyto pack away the summer gear andbring out their cozy sweaters, scarvesand boots.
This year, it's the season of the coat. Itdelights me to see the coat making acomeback on the fashion runwaysbecause along with elegance, this year'sstyles are chic. I have long admired thewonderful coats designed by Givenchy,the Parisian haute couturier, whose sig-nature clothes were so beautifully wornby Audrey Hepburn in many of her films.
So when my favorite maison de hautecouture in San Francisco was having itssample sale last winter, I was finally ableto realize my dream of owning aGivenchy style coat, a la AudreyHepburn! My clients, too, were thrilledabout the sample sale! (Being able toget first pick at designer store sales isamong the many advantages of engag-ing the services of an ImageConsultant.)
For me, buying a high quality coat withtimeless classic lines is an investment,as it will remain a staple in my wardrobefor many years to come. It also meansnot being a fashion slave and knowingwhat suits YOU best. For instance, acoat with high armholes and a sleek tiewill trim your silhouette and an oversizedopen collar will broaden your shouldersand sharpen the contrast with yourwaist.
And, the coat is a great cover up soyou can hide a multitude of sins under-neath. I throw it over anything I wouldnever want to be seen in outside myhome, then I slip on some flats, grab myfabulous handbag, put red lipstick on et,voila!
Remember those high-waisted coatsAudrey Hepburn wore in Breakfast atTiffany's (1961)? They fell just below theknee and had a single breast button anda scooped or high, wide round collar.They are still the perfect coats to weararound town today and epitomizesupreme elegance and pure sophistica-tion.
How about Catherine Deneuve'strench coat in The Umbrellas ofCherbourg (1964)? That bold and mod-ern coat is still very trendy and inspirescreativity and inspiration. Short or long,with or without a belt, the trench coat is avery versatile garment that can be wornall year round, making it a necessity inyour wardrobe.
Not everyone's budget can includeclothes from top name designers. But,that does not preclude you from admir-ing these treasures and being inspiredand creatively "borrowing" ideas fromthem!
And then, there are gloves. A beautifulpair of gloves can raise "The Coat" to awhole new level. These days gloves
come in so many colors and styles, thereis no excuse for not owning a few pairs.
Today, gloves wear many hats! Theyare functional, fun and an accessory. Goout and buy a couple of pairs; you won'tregret it.
For me personally, my coats andaccessories - gloves or otherwise -reflect my personality and communicateto others that I respect them and myself.They help me present myself as an ele-gant and inspired woman who uses hercreativity to live and enjoy life fully!
Michele Benza
Born and raised in Belgium,Michele Benza is the founder of"Michele Benza ImageConsulting and Posture" a pro-gram that focuses on enhancingone's personal and professionalimage. She is certified in imageconsulting from EuropeanInstitutions and her niche isEuropean style and elegance.Michele is a member of theAssociation of Image ConsultantsInternational (AICI) and is theonly American member of theAssociation Francaise pourL'image Professionnelle etPersonnel (AFIPP)!
With years of experience as anowner of retail fashion stores,esthetician, Pilates instructor andImage Consultant, Michele offersclients a truly unique experience.Her combined talents and servic-es help clients attain ideal pos-ture and to dress appropriatelyfor their body type, lifestyle andage! Michele Benza is SanFrancisco's best kept secret!To learn more call Michele at415-956-3025 or [email protected] or visit herwebsite atwww.michelebenza.com.
Testimonial - “Thank you for accompanying me shopping onWednesday last week. You have excellent fashion style and you are very
pleasant to shop with.
My three suits and Armani sport coat and new Saks shirts were all per-fect. I was confident, and several new opportunities opened up there. I
will schedule another meeting with you before the end of the year.Thanks for your assistance!”
DK, San Mateo
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The Coat - the Great Cover Up!
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Presented by TheBay Area Women's Journal
As you prepare for yet anotheryear end full of holiday events, suchas cocktail parties and corporategalas, what better way to look yourbest than to get the hottest trendsstraight from the celebrities' source?
This year's holiday styles will varyfrom classic/vintage looks to fullsexy "come touch me" hair, sayexperts. Achieving these looks iseasier than you might imagine. Hereare a few insider tips and techniquesfrom stylist to the stars, Billy Lowe,who is known for producing clas-sic elegance to cutting- edgerunway style.
"I've always said the more nat-ural you look, the more beautifulyou'll feel," offers Lowe. "Yourhair is an accessory and aninvestment, so what better timethan the holidays to show offbeautiful, healthy looking hair?"
Short Hair Styles
"Short hair styles look great ona petite lady and are oftendefined by a spiky, edgy look."
1. To style, shampoo and con-dition as usual.
2. Apply a light styling gel andblow-dry hair completely.
3. Use a mattifying wax to adddefinition and texture, and finishwith a light- to medium-holdspray. When using wax, apply alittle to your fingertips and warmbetween your hands. Apply itlightly through the tips of hairand shape as desired.
Soft, Tousled Curls
"This look is just as hot as everfor a holiday trend and will cer-tainly be seen everywhere thisseason. There are several waysto achieve this look, dependingon your hair type, and how muchyou want to see in the way ofcurls or volume."
1. Shampoo and condition hairas normal, and apply a rootboost product at the root toachieve fullness and lift at theroot.
2. Apply a volumizing/shine
serum through to the ends for addedbody and movement.
3. Begin drying the root area first, lift-ing sections up for more volume.
4. Remove 70 to 80 percent of themoisture from the rest of the hair, anduse a round brush to begin drying. Aseach section has been dried, wrap thatsection in Velcro® rollers or in barrelcurls around your fingers and securewith small clips. The smaller the roller(or barrel curl), the tighter the curl. Thelarger the roller, the looser the curl.
5. When all the hair is set, spray with
a light-hold spray and allow 10 to 15minutes for hair to cool down (thishelps lock in shape). Then removerollers or clips and lightly blow out hair(with fingers) using cool air settings onyour dryer for added shine.
6. Finger style, and spray with amedium hold spray as needed. Foradded fullness, take sections at thecrown and sides and tease lightly.
Vintage Styles
"These styles evoke days gone byand can add glam appeal when
stepping out for the holidays orother classy events."
1. Shampoo, condition and blowdry hair as normal. When dry, createa side part.
2. Lightly tease the hair under-neath partings to secure the partand spray into place.
3. Using a medium-barrel curlingiron, curl hair in 1-inch sections tocreate soft ringlets (or corkscrewcurls) throughout the hair.
4. When finished, apply a lightshine spray sparingly. Then use amedium- to-firm hold finishingspray to secure this classic look.
Can't-Miss Tips
"Regardless of look or occasion,these general hair-care tips willkeep your styles looking great."
· Less is always more. Simplepins or clips with simple stones arealways best, though no more thanone or two.
· Too much hair spray causes hairto look flat, dry and flaky and canend up collecting on shoulders,particularly if you're wearing darkcolors.
· For the full-figured lady, wear astyle that adds definition to yourfeatures (especially the jaw line)and one that isn't round. Simplestyles are best for this figurerather than updo's that drawattention to prominent features.
"My No. 1 tip this holiday sea-son is to carry a small stylingtouch-up bag with you," saysLowe. "Keep it in your car for lastminute coiffing before makingyour grand entrance. A touch-upbag can be as simple as using alarge zipper-lock storage bag witha few styling pieces. The contentsshould include a regular or teas-ing comb, travel size hair spray,small clips, and rollers in case youneed a last-minute lift (dependingon the style you're going for).
For more information or styletips, visit www.billylowe.com
Step-by-Step Expert Holiday Hair TipsHOLIDAY GUIDE 2007
HOLIDAY GUIDE 2007
By Katherine ForsytheAh, sex and the holidays: Lingering
kisses on a crowded street; romanticcandlelight dinners with longing looks inquiet corners; hot, groping, passionatesex on a bearskin rug in front of the fire-place. And, you ask, who's doing that?For most of us, sex and the holidays is acontradiction in terms. Too much to do,not enough time. It's not even on the "todo" list.
During the holidays, everywhere weturn, we see images of gorgeous, skinnypeople - some clothed, some not, oozingwith immense rapture and appearing forall the world, to be on the brink oforgasm. Remember the movie WhenHarry Met Sally? You can't help butthink, "I'll have what she's having!"
Sure, our wish would be to have lots oflustful, luscious intimate moments duringthis holiday season. In fact, there can bemoments of tender romance, temptingeroticism, or just plain hot sex - if you arewilling to work at it and you don't expectperfection. To avoid disappointment (ordownright depression), and to insurethat your holiday sexiness meter will
improve, the first step is to lower yourexpectations for a hot holiday. Then, getreal about your intimacy needs duringthis season, whether you are in a rela-tionship or not, and assume responsibil-ity to make them happen.
If you are in a relationship, here aresome tips to make your hot holiday wish-es come true:
Plan it.
Ok. No one wants to plan inti-macy. It ruins the fantasy -and that's the irony duringthe holidays. If you wantthe fantasies - holidayromance, brief inter-ludes, or hot pas-sion, you have toplan it. Talk toyour partner.Don't wait forthings to sim-ply happen.Let go of thefantasy thatyour partnerwill read yourmind.
Adjust your'tude.
Yes, you areexhausted. Everyone is.Try this out, anyway: Ifyour partner initiates sex, andyou don't want to, give it a go -even though you are tired! You maybe surprised. At first, you may feel limpand lethargic. As you stay with it, you
may end up getting turned on, in spite ofyourself. Sex can be a great stressreliever if you let yourself just go with it.
Don't over-react if you don't get what you want.
You bought sexy lingerie, scented can-dles, and an erotic movie. What are yourexpectations? Don't expect your partner
to jump your bones just because of yourfun props. Sometimes it works.Sometimes it doesn't. Relax - go with theflow, and don't get dramatic if thingsdon't go the way you planned.
Know how drugs affect you, sexually.
Sex, booze, and the holidays can be aworrisome combination. Alcohol is adepressant - it can make you sad andsleepy, and it's dehydrating. Keep lubri-
cant handy and know that it willtake longer to reach orgasm.
Especially for singlesduring the holidays:
You have skinhunger.
Everyone does.We all need to betouched. Honoryourself and treatyourself to a mas-sage or a facialonce/week duringthe holidays tonurture yourself.
Be EXTRA good toyourself.
Consider buying yourself anew sex toy for your own private
use. Happy Holidays from you toyou!
Plan your holiday weekends beforethey arrive.
There's an old saying, "If it's to be, it'sup to me". No one will call you to makesure you are not lonely over the holidayweekends. Make plans ahead. It's asafety net.
Don't be pressured because it's theholidays.
Know that your value as a sensualwoman is not based on whether or notyou have sex over the holidays. If youdon't want to, don't.
With a little planning, you can have aglorious, sensual time this season,whether you are single or in a relation-ship. Get real and let go of expectations.Be honest about your needs and bedeliberate in making them happen.
Have a deliciously sensual holiday -designed by you.
Katherine Forsythe
Katherine Forsythe, MSW, is a sex and intimacy educator, as well as communication and relationship coach.She is credentialed by AASECT - the American Association of Sex Educators, Counselors, and Therapists.Katherine is a graduate of the University of Michigan, and holds an MSW with a specialization in humansexuality. She is a graduate of San Francisco State Institute for Human Sexuality. She has been an adjunctinstructor in human sexuality for physicians, at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine.
She provides seminars and individual coaching in relationship building skills, as well as seminars and coach-ing in intimacy and sexuality for corporate and private sector audiences across the country.
In San Francisco, watch for her upcoming seminars in January, 2008, Building Intimate Relationships, as wellas Assertive Communication in Relationships at the Women's Building (www.womansbuilding.org) . Toarrange for Katherine to speak to your group, call her office: 415-934-0001, or email: [email protected]
For more information about suggestions in this article, or to arrange a private session to discuss your person-al relationship or intimacy situation, please call her office: 415-934-0001, or email:[email protected]. The confidentiality of your call will be protected. w
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Sex and the Holidays
Carrie Silver-Stock
The most well-known stressful timein today's society is the holiday sea-son. Every year, scores of articles, tel-evision shows and chat rooms buzzwith ways to reduce the all consumingstress. Yet every year we face theexact the same stress, at the exactsame time, in the exact same way.
I have listed six very simple ways toreduce your stress this season.Practice all of them while keeping inmind that your objective should be toreduce your stress one day at a time.Don't think about tomorrow, next week,or next year.
1) Visualize what you want HolidaySeason 2007 to look and feel like
Have you ever stopped to really thinkabout and visualize what you wantyour holiday to look and feel like?Visualizing what you want is the firststep to creating the perfect momentsand memories. Take a minute to sitdown and listen to your favorite musicor look at holiday lights. Then take fiveminutes and physically write down, inas much detail as possible, what youwant this years' holiday to be like.
2) List your priorities
It's so easy to feel like the holidayseason is a huge list of " I Have
To's". Don't give in this year! If youhave completed step one, take yourvision and really think about what isimportant to you this year. Is itspending time with your children orrelatives? Is it giving to others? Isit just making sure you relax andenjoy the time? Once you haveyour three to five priorities, writethem down and put them in a placeyou look at often. Now, anytime anew activity or request comes up,check and see if it is on your priori-ty list before you commit.
3) Say "no"
So, what do you do when you areasked to have another party forfriends and it just doesn't fit intoyour schedule or priorities? It canfeel impossible to say no when youfeel like others are depending onyou. For starters, always giveyourself time to think about yourdecision. When people makerequests, let them know you'll getback to them. It's very important foryou to make decisions that are inline with your values and priorities.When you do that, you will feel thebest about your decision. Whenyou do say no, try to keep it simple,focused and on a positive note.Stand firm in your decision. Gethelp from a supportive friend androle play your response if you needto.
4) Find a way to de-stress
With all of the extra holiday activi-ties it often feels impossible to keepup your normal exercise or healthyhabits. Make as much time as youcan to do something, anything, evenif it's in smaller increments. If youhave one minute, sit in place andtake a few deep breaths followed bysome shoulder rolls. If you havefive minutes, try some simplestretches. If you have twenty min-utes or more, go for a walk or pick acardio activity that gets your heart
pumping. This will release naturalendorphins and leave you feelinggreat!
5) Create more time
There never seems to be enoughtime to get everything done. Createmore time for yourself by askingyourself these questions: "Is thereanything I can get more help with?Is there anything I can postpone foranother day? When is the best timefor me to do certain activities? Do Iwork best in the morning orevening?
Consider hiring cleaning help forthe month or asking your kids orspouse to chip in. Make a planeach night and pick your actionswisely. Carefully select which tasksto do at your best and worst hours.
6) Be present in the moment
When you decide to l ive yourholiday vision, make sure youare present in the moment. It 'svery easy to get swayed intothinking about your to-do list orother concerns. Not only canothers tell you're not fully withthem, but it wil l diminish yourholiday memories. What use is itto just go through the motions?Make a promise to yourself tostay in each moment and keepyour ult imate vision clearly infocus.
Don't let holiday stress get thebest of you this season. Createyour vision, priorit ize, say yes toyourself, no to others (within rea-son), and enjoy this precioustime with friends and family.
Six Tips to Handle Holiday Stress
Carrie Silver-Stock
Carrie Silver-Stock, MSW, LCSW author of The Powder Box Secrets:Seven Tips to Help Teen Girls Achieve Success, has dedicated her lifeby helping young people for over 15 years. Carrie launchedwww.GirlsWithDreams.com because she believes in empowering teengirls and helping them find their passions and discover their talents. Tolearn more about starting a Girls With Dreams chapter in your area,contact Carrie at [email protected] or 314-374-5795.
HOLIDAY GUIDE 2007w
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Ann GilbertEach year, we add an ornament for our tree. This year the kids will pick
their own. Remembering the past years selection is a fun tradition.
I love giving holiday gifts. I ask myself, what do I love about this person?What do they talk about? What preoccupies them? I want to give a gift thatsays, "I really know you."
We often travel to my mother-in-laws for the holidays. Last year, after com-plaining to a friend, I made a list of the things I would do better. Here iswhat I wrote;
- Call my mom/sisters more while away. - Stay hydrated. (Drink the good wine the week before!) - Bring a good book and my music for my personal cheer. - Schedule a massage (flight with kids; brutal)
At holiday parties my favorite question is, "Now that the year is ending, what did you do or learn this year?"
Ann Gilbert, a Personal and Business Coach, helps people relate with each other and themselves through effective personal strate-gies. She lives in Marin with her husband David and twin toddlers Nick and Owen. She can be reached at:
[email protected] or 415-460-1116.
As women we love to talk and share ideas with oneanother, especially our girlfriends. Ask any woman andshe will tell you there's something special about herfriendships with other women. Girlfriends are there tolisten, to console and to encourage. They inspire us tokeep on keeping on or help us to look at things in a newway.
In honor of the power of Girlfriends, The Bay AreaWomen's Journal is pleased to bring you a new featureThe Grace of Girlfriends.In each edition, we will askfour women to share theirthoughts and wisdom withyou on topics thatare...well...girlfriend talk.So grab a cup of coffee!
In recognition of the holi-day season, we asked fourfabulous Bay AreaWomen the question atthe top of the page.
HOLIDAY GUIDE 2007The Grace of Girlfriends “What are your
favorite ways to make the holidays memorable and stress free?”
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Lorena BatheyHolidays can be filled with immense emotion and frustration. At this time of year your
shortcomings can be amplified. Not in a relationship? What's wrong with you? Don'thave enough money for gifts? Why don't you have a better job? I challenge you to lookat this holiday season as a time to gift yourself.
Buy a tree that YOU like and put your favorite ornaments on it. Create a dinner partyto celebrate with your favorite dishes and people. Or celebrate your holidays lying on abeach because you have always wanted to.
This year do NOT make resolutions, instead make gifts to yourself to do the things thatyou have put off. Stress comes when you try to live your life in ways you do not feel com-fortable doing. So put a bow on YOUR life and determine what YOU want for your hol-iday…..then live that all year long.
Lorena Bathey is an author, speaker, and motivator for Fairy Godmothers everywhere.Her book, Happy Beginnings: How I Became My Own Fairy Godmother (www.scepter-press.com) was her catalyst to teaching women how to create their own real life fairy tales.She is planning a women's retreat to Italy in Spring 2008.
Carolyn KellamsThe holidays are a magical time! I decorate, entertain, go to parties, and have a merry
season. Years ago I stopped buying presents for adults (but still give gifts to children).When I told my friends I was not exchanging presents, I encouraged us to develop tradi-tions where we DID something fun together. To be honest, I don't want to receive a gift Idon't want, nor give one to someone who has everything. Not buying gifts is a huge relief.And, having holiday adventures is fun! I'm a single person.
Five years ago, after continuous social events and weight gain beginning atThanksgiving, I decided to stay home on Christmas day. At first, friends didn't understandmy new tradition. Christmas is my day. I have a roaring fire, my cat Mango and I arecurled up on the sofa and I watch movies. Dinner is fresh crab, sourdough bread, a deli-cious salad, chocolate dessert and Champaign. It's my Merry Christmas!
Carolyn Kellams does Stress and Time Management workshops and tries to practicewhat she preaches!
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Lynda WoodingStress is fear based and by con-
fronting my fears, listening to myheart and getting clear on whatworks or does not work for me cre-ates inner peace. Learning to say'no' and setting boundaries hasbeen one of my lifelong lessons aswell as giving out of love and joyinstead of obligation.
My four sons and I know that wedo not 'owe' each other anythingwhich creates incredible freedom forall of us. Now when we share ourtime or gifts, it is because we wantto…not because we are 'supposed'to. If I do something that I don't wantto do, it throws me out of integritywith my own heart and is a disserv-ice to all the people I love. By step-ping back, taking several deepbreaths and bringing love and grati-tude into my heart, stress has noplace in my life.
Sharing our loving heart withpeace and joy…is our greatest gift.HAPPY HOLIDAYS.
Lynda Wooding is internationallyknown as a professional speaker,author (The Silent Power of YourLove), business & relationship trainer,private coach and currently isDirector of Marketing for SanFrancisco, Butterfly Life Health andFitness Center for Women . She canbe reached at:
[email protected] or (415)-310-9272.
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Presented by CharlotteManz
The postal service certainly hasits share of work during the holi-days. Greeting cards fill the mail-boxes of people all across thecountry and the world. In a selectnumber of those red, green andglitter-covered envelopes arefamily newsletters - creative waysfriends and family members elab-orate on just what's been goingon in their lives for the past year.
Holiday newsletters are a stapleof the season, and have becomealmost as synonymous with theholidays as fruitcake. In fact, onsyndicated reruns of the popular"Everybody Loves Raymond,"you can catch a holiday episodewhere Deborah and Marie battleit out over just what to put intotheir holiday newsletter - withhilarious verbal jabs and trade-mark sarcasm.
Holiday newsletters run thegamut of styles, from handwrittenprose to professional-lookingdocuments complete with graph-ics and captions. Packed withuser-friendly software, homecomputers now allow even novicegraphic artists to put together acreative newsletter in no time atall. And color printers allow you tomass-produce your holiday mas-terpiece in vivid color. However,printing out newsletters is a con-ventional method of spreadingthe news, and the tech-savvymight want to consider another,more up-to-date option instead:holiday CDs.
This year you can keep fellowmerrymakers in the know aboutyour experiences with a CD jam-packed with pictures, stories, ani-mation and music. CDs offer theconvenience of having differenttypes of media all stored in a thin,easy-to-ship format. With every-thing you need to produce theseholiday CDs at your fingertipsthanks to your home or officecomputer, all you need is a littlecreativity, a CD burner and someblank recordable CDs (easily pur-
chased at your local office supplystore) to get started.
Get Organized
First of all, you'll need to decideon just what you're going to putinto your digital newsletter. Scouryour hard drive for photos worthyof sending, printed photos youcan scan in and holiday graphicart that can be used to embellishyour newsletter. Don't worryabout having too many images. ACD has 600 to 700 MB worth ofspace. This is more than enoughfor including a good selection of
pictures you've been collecting allyear.
If you're planning on vocallynarrating your CD, jot down thethings you want to say, so you'llhave a script you can read. Manynew computers come with soundcards. You need only sound-recording software and a micro-phone to record your "soundbites" and store them where theycan be accessed when you'recompiling files for the CD. Youcan also recruit the kids to recordholiday greetings, such as "MerryChristmas," "I Love You" and"Happy New Year" in their sweetlittle voices.
A step up from sound clips aremovie clips. Imagine sending anewsletter, where instead ofdescribing the new pool youinstalled as a result of your hol-iday bonus, you actually showa video of the family diving in!
For the newsletter itself, makean outline of the events duringthe past year you feel are wor-thy of sharing. Did anyone getmarried? Was there a big pro-motion at work? Is there newsof a new baby? Treat friendsand family to the big news (theylikely won't be interested in thesmall details like, "Junior gotan A in Algebra").
Decide on a Format
You can organize your CD in afew ways. One way to do so isto compose your newsletter ina word processing program,with separate instructions foropening up pictures or soundclips you've also burned ontothe disk. Or, you can imbedphoto and sound files into yournewsletter using a program likeMicrosoft Word. The latteroption requires more techno-logical finesse, but it makes iteasier on the recipient who willonly need to open one docu-ment rather than a number ofmismatched files.
CD Completion
Burn your "newsletter" to CD,and repeat the process for asmany digital newsletters as youneed. Print out holiday-inspiredlabels and CD mailing sleevesto complete your project (yourCD burning software will likelyhave added options for design-ing labels and sleeves).Purchase small padded mailingenvelopes and send out yourCDs. Then sit back and expectthe "oohs and aahs" from yourdigital newsletter recipients.
High-Tech Holiday NewslettersHOLIDAY GUIDE 2007
By Kathi O'Leary
Have you ever admired photographsin a gallery and wondered how profes-sionals achieve such impact in theirimages? Or lamented that your photo-graphs are always disappointing?Throughout the year, but particularlyduring the holiday season, amateursand enthusiasts alike will collectivelysnap millions of photos but will seldomproduce a winner. Creating successfulphotos is elusive for all of us for a verygood reason… it is really difficult to do.
Great photography takes a combina-tion of skills: technical, artistic andemotional, and all three must be insync at the precise moment one push-es the camera shutter. As with mostartistic endeavors, it takes a lot ofpractice, not to mention trial and errorto increase your odds of success.
Much like the writer who types a fewlines, crumples up the draft, and triessomething new, the dedicated photog-rapher knows to experiment withdozens, maybe hundreds of images ofa subject to capture just one with clar-ity and visual connection.
Beyond sheer perseverance, thereare three corethings to mas-ter for satisfy-ing photogra-phy. You needto "know" yourc a m e r a ,respect therealities of lightand optics,and followcompos i t i onguidelines thathold true for allr e p r e s e n t a -tional art.
In the cate-gory of "when all else fails, read themanual", please read and apply whatis in your camera manual. Or, take aclass in how to operate your camerainstead of just shooting on "auto" andhoping for the best.
A good photographer is aware ofshutter speed, aperture and sensitivity(ISO) settings, and must also know thequirkiness of a particular camera atwork. Each model, camera body andlens combination will do different
things mechanically and optically. Youmust do the legwork necessary tobecome "one with the camera." Gopractice!
Camera Lenses
Camera lenses have different opticsthan the human eye because there are
so manyshapes, andtherefore eachwill give you adifferent per-spective. Forexample, awide lensbrought tooclose to yoursubject for thatinspired por-trait, will actu-ally result in adistorted facethat has overlywide cheeksand nose.
Using a longer lens and standing backand often above the person will give aslimmer face and put the backgroundout of focus more readily than a widelens. But, avoid towering over littlechildren by crouching down to theirlevel to take a portrait.
Now, while in Yosemite, you mightwant to choose a wide angle lensbecause a longer telephoto lens couldresult in too many things being out offocus, in the foreground or the back-ground depending on where in thescene you focus. And varying theaperture (the hole in front of the cam-era body), will also affect how muchlooks in focus. This is an effect called"depth of field" important to all seriousphotographers. Technically, you con-trol how much is in focus in your photocomposition.
Lighting
Lighting is perhaps the hardest thingto conquer. Good photographers scanfor subjects in "good" light and mayprefer certain hours of the day toshoot. They also know that what maylook evenly lit to the naked eye oftentranslates into a poorly contrastedimage, where the subject is grey anddark and the only detail is in the back-ground. To counteract this commonheadache, point your camera at thesubject's mid-section, lock the expo-
sure reading by keeping theshutter/focus button pressed halfwaydown and then reposition the cameraso you see the person and the back-ground. Better yet, move your subjectinto shade to really minimize contrast.
Today's digital cameras, with theirpreviewing monitors, even show youthe lighting variations in real time asyou pre-focus and point at one thing oranother. In other words, you can oftenfool or over-ride the average and auto-matic readings to get the dramaticlighting you want.
As the holiday season approaches,resolve to take more time and experi-ment with your camera and you justmight surprise yourself and becomethe envy of friends when they look atyour 2007 photo album.
In the next issue of the BAWJ, I willwrite about the "art" of the photograph.
Kathi O'Leary
Kathi O'Leary has been captur-ing eye catching portraits of fam-ilies and professionals in the BayArea for 14 years and has beenteaching photography to studentsas young as 7 for more than 5years. Her portrait studio is onDivisadero St in Pacific Heights.She offers digital photographyinsturction to individuals andgroups and holds weeklongworkshops for kids during schooland summer breaks.
For the holidays, order photoclass gift certificates from Kathistarting at $75- a great compan-ion to a new camera outfit. Andcheck out Kathi's photo partiesfor birthdays and corporate teambuilding events.
You can reach Kathi at415-359-1900 or e-mail, [email protected] or visit her website: www.kathioleary.comto learn more.
Photo Credits: Top Photo by Noah, age 12Bottom Photo by Althea, age 12 w
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To Take Great Pictures...Get to Know Your Camera!
HOLIDAY GUIDE 2007
By Deborah BurstynPresented by TheBay Area Women's Journal
Looking to put more green and sus-tainability into your gift giving thisholiday season? Fortunately, thereare some easy and fun ways to cel-ebrate the holidays in an environ-mentally friendly manner. To helpget you in the "green" spirit, theBAWJ shoppers have done somewalking and talking to come up withour top five gift giving ideas!
1. For the Gourmet or GroceryShopping-Challenged - Showthem you care with a box of fresh,locally grown, organic producedelivered to their door. Every weekfor a year, if they've really beengood. Planet Organics will cus-tomize your box to include onlyfruits, veggies, salad greens or amix of all of the above. And there'salways the "surprise" box option,plus cheeses, crackers, chips, dipsand other organic grocery itemsand gift baskets. Contact award-winning Planet Organics abouthome delivery or gift certificates atwww.planetorganics.com or 1-800-956-5855. Minimum order $32, giftcertificates start at $50.
2. For Tecchies and Teens -Help them power up that nano orsidekick on the go using only sun-shine. But if the fog's in, Solio, theuniversal hybrid solar charger, alsoplugs into a wall socket. Lightweight and portable, Solio canjuice their digital camera orBluetooth whether on the beach oron the slopes. Also compatible withGPS systems and handheldgames. With U.S. headquartersright in Berkeley, Solio is so greenthat the company plants a tree forevery Solio they produce to makethe device carbon neutral. Foradded brownie points - or "greenie"points, order one through NPR'sgift shop and help support publicradio http://shop.npr.org. Or buy itlocally at Flight 001, 525 HayesStreet, 415-487-1001. About $100.
3. For Tree-Huggers and "IDon't Need Anything" Folks - Wethink that we shall never see a giftas lovely as a tree. And an evenlovelier tree is one that is donatedto a neighborhood that needs atree. San Francisco's own Friendsof the Urban Forest or FUF (seerelated story, page 18) will plant atree in honor of your gift recipientfor $50, the basic cost of one oftheir trees. FUF calls them "Treetributes, the gift that grows." Your
recipient gets a card on yourbehalf, you get a letter that thecard was sent and the earth getsanother tree. A win-win. Contactwww.fuf.net or call (415) 561-6890.
4. For the Young or Young AtHeart - What kid needs anotherhunk of plastic - possibly lead-tainted at that? Or another plushtoy animal to collect dust on theshelf? Instead give them a real lifeexperience with real animals that
actually helps the animals. A mem-bership to the San Francisco Zoosupports the Zoo and entitles therecipient to:
· Free admission to the Main Zooand Children's Zoo every day of theyear
· Free admission to Night Tour
· Free Guest Passes to the Zoo
· Free Ride Passes
· Subscription to Zoo Views magazine
· 10% discount at all Zoo shops and cafes
· Invitations to Monthly Members' Mornings
· Free or discounted admission to over 125 zoos and aquariums nationwide
· Free monthly e-newsletter filled with animal information, Zoo news and events
Contact www.sfzoo.org or call(415) 753-7080. Memberships are$45 student, $60 adult and $80 for afamily.
5. For the Fabulously Feminine -Girls just want to have fun. And thatoften means playing with make-up.Here's a brand-new brand that notonly uses no phthalates or other toxinsbut also helps women. PeaceKeeperCause-Metics is the first cosmetic lineto give all of its after tax, distributableprofits to women's health advocacyand human rights issues. $9.99 buys abottle of Peacekeeper Nail Polish in afabric bag woven by native Hmongwomen in Thailand. A Visionary CarePackage costs $16.50 and includesLip Paint, Nail Paint and Unifem LipGloss. Contact www.iamapeacekeep-er.com or buy locally at the OtherAvenue Coop, Elephant Pharmacy,Real Food Coop and RainbowGrocery.
How to Make Your Holiday Season Green!
Here’s how to get started!
Want Big Impact...Think GREEN for
Wrapping and Packaging!With those great gifts, comes lots of wrapping and packaging; and we
mean LOTs. According to Robert Lilienfeld, co-author of the book Use LessStuff: Environmental Solutions for Who We Really Are, Americans throwaway a million extra tons of garbage each week between Thanksgiving andNew Year's Day! So a simple and easy way to have a huge eco-friendlyimpact is to think green when it comes to wrapping.
1. Black and White and Red all over - Recycle newspaper as gift wrap.Black and white print goes well with bright red ribbon. Use a Chinesenewspaper, or the color Sunday comics, for a different look.
2. Brown Paper Packages - Cut open a brown grocery bag and use theprint-free inside as your wrap. Red and white gingham ribbon with a cinna-mon stick or spring of evergreen gives it festive seasonal spirit.
3. Gift in a Gift - Biscotti on end in a mug, a scarf inside a hat, cookiesor tea in a pretty tin, kitchen gear in a basket - you get the idea.
4. Guilt-free Paper - Pretty holiday wrapping paper made from recycledand hemp fibers decorated with patterns in vegetable-based inks are avail-able from www.paporganics.com and www.eartheasy.com Or if you're upfor an art project, you can try making your own from recycled scrap paper.
5. Experiential Gifts - Good things need not come in packages. Give thepriceless gift of creating memories with new experiences. Tickets to theballet, membership to a museum or zoo (see above), dinner or brunch outpromise a wonderful experience and sidestep the impersonal plastic giftcard. This year the Mark Morris ballet update of "The Nutcracker," "TheHard Nut," returns to the Zellerbach. Contact www.calperfs.berkeley.edu orcall (510) 642-9988. Tickets $28-$52
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5 Museum Gift ShopsFor Great Holiday Gifts
HOLIDAY GIFT- GIVING
By Deborah BurstynPresented by TheBay Area Women's Journal
This just in: museum gift shops offeran array of exquisite jewelry, fine sta-tionery, tea sets, classy kids' toys andsometimes even furniture. Better yet,no long lines. And best, all proceedsgo to support exhibitions, programs,conservation and preservation effortsat the museums. How's that for goodtidings? Here’s our favorites:
Museum of the African Diaspora -685 Mission Street, San Francisco,415.358.7200 www.moadsf.org -Hand-woven textiles, bead work andcrafts from global artisans, all throughFair Trade companies and organiza-tions.
Asian Art Museum - 200 LarkinStreet, San Francisco, 415 - 581-3500 www.asianart.org Asian-themed merchandise from aroundthe world including graceful potteryand statuettes, paintings, jewelry,apparel, home décor, books, andmusic. Some handmade one-of-a-kind items plus special pieces avail-able only at the museum for a limitedtime.
SFMOMA - 151 Third Street, SanFrancisco, 415-357-4000www.sfmoma.org Caution: you aregoing to want everything in here foryourself. A stainless steel sleek
Danish-designed cordless doorbellfor $325 or a black graceful flyswat-ter that stands on its own twig-likebase and has a Victorian maskscreened onto its perforated busi-ness end for $12, the home designselection is thrilling. The books,toys, jewelry and posters are noth-ing to sneeze at either.
California Academy of Sciences -www.calacademy.org, 875 HowardStreet, San Francisco, 414-321 -8000. A boxed shark tooth fossil for$7.99 or a clip-on Pocket PlasmaDisk that moves to your music for$19.99 plus many, many more sci-ence and nature toys, apparel pluslots of dinosaur and penguin items.And one can never have too manypenguin items.
The De Young Museum - 50Hagiwara Tea Garden Drive, SanFrancisco. www.thinker.org/deyoung415-750-3600. The new De Young'sgift shop takes up two levels and4000 square feet of space filled withupscale objets d'art and the biggestselection of art books around.Commissioned signature productsinclude porcelain and linen tablewareby Lotta Jansdotter, anodized coppervotives by Octate, jewelry by CarolWebb and Cynthia Gale and stain-less steel bookmarks by MirageSwitzerland. Personally, we'll takethe toile-print matching umbrella($30) and tote bag ($39).
California Academyof Sciences
San Francisco Museumof Modern Art
Asian Art Museum
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Do you want to stand out from the crowd?
If you could speak directly to potential clients ...would you?
Does your market include women?Do you want to be known as the expert in your field and gain instant credibility with readers?
If the answer is yes to either of these questions …
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Make a lastingimpression withgourmet gift baskets,personalized wine,crystal stemwareand wine clubmemberships –perfect ways tothank clients,commemorate keyevents and celebratethe holidays.
Share Itwith Others!
Call Betty Kaufman at 650.714.7009or visit www.winetastingsandmore.com
Don't hesitate ...Give us a call at (415) 874-8047 or (866)789-6626 e-mail: [email protected]
By Kathy Kereszti
What would you do with a spare$1700.00 this year?
On average, that is the amount anindividual in the United States willspend at specialty cafés this year.That breaks down further to$144.00 per month; $36.00 perweek. And that's just money! Whatabout all the time spent waiting inline?
Don't you wish there was a way tobank that extra cash and continueto enjoy your espresso, cappuccinoand latte? Well, there is!
The LavazzaBLUE single-cup ulti-mate espresso system provides afast, easy and convenient way tomake café-quality drinks at home orat the office for a fraction of theprice, saving both time and money.Kathy Keenan-Kereszti, co-ownerof Café-Razzi, a San Franciscobased company and the premierLavazzaBLUE espresso systemdistributor in the state says,"Lavazza is the world's sixth largestcoffee producer. They've sold morethan 600,000 units in Italy alone andbring more than 100 years of her-itage and knowledge to the market.Lavazza pioneered the single-cupsystem back in the early 1980's.Lavazza knows coffee and theyknow the sophisticated market."
Until recently, the Lavazza brandwasn't marketed aggressively in theUnited States. However, since itsarrival in 2005, residential and com-
mercial users across the countryhave fallen in love with the system."Other single-cup systems maymake a decent cup of coffee", Kathysays, "but they fall short on espres-so and cappuccino". Because theLavazzaBLUE system itself controlsthe quality, rather than the personmaking it, you are guaranteed adelicious, consistent, perfect drinkevery time."
Café-Razzi distributes four differ-ent machines ranging from an at-home model to the large two-groupprofessional model for cafés andrestaurants. The company alsooffers numerous espresso blends ofcoffee as well as cocoa and seventeas to satisfy even the mostsophisticated palate.
Flexible lease or purchase andbusiness-to- business plans areavailable as well, in order to meetindividual needs. Café-Razzi proud-ly offers a no-risk 30-day trial aswell as an extended lifetime warran-ty; a package none of their competi-tors can match.
Kathy adds that "with Café-Razzi,in less than a minute, for less than adollar, you can savor the UltimateItalian Espresso"!
For more information go towww.cafe-razzi.com .
“Espress Yourself ”With a LavazzaBLUE PersonalBarista System from Café-Razzi
HOLIDAY GUIDE 2007
KathyKeenan-Kereszti
Kathy Keenan-Kereszti is YourPersonal Barista, bringing theworld of real Italian espressointo your day at home or atwork. After living abroad for15 plus years, Kathy repatriat-ed to San Francisco and co-founded Café-Razzi, MasterDistributors of LavazzaBLUE.
You can contact Kathy byemail at [email protected] or call the Café-Razzi team at 415-920-7294.
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The Bay Area Women's Journal is committed to community support.Part of our "GIVE BACK" program include a free listing of non-profitorganizations serving women and children of the Bay Area. If you
know of an organization that should be included in this listing,please contact us by e-mail at [email protected] or call
(415) 874-8047, toll free (866) 789-6626.
Welcome to the Community Resource PageThis page is dedicated to providing information on local non-profit organi-zations that provide services that are of benefit to our readers. So, whetheryou need help or want to get involved...check out this page.
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COMMUNITY RESOURCES
AnewAmericahttp://www.anewamerica.org
(510) 540.7785 ext 314Carolyn Carr
AnewAmerica's mission is to promote the long-termeconomic empowerment of new Americans - new citi-zens, immigrants, and refugees - and to encourage
their full participation in the political, social and culturalgrowth of America.
Bay Area All Starshttp://www.allstars.org
(415) 986-2565Caroline Donnola
The Bay Area All Stars uses a performance-learningapproach to foster the emotional and social develop-
ment of young people living in poor communities, pro-ducing neighborhood talent shows for young people
ages 5-25.
Catholic Charities CYOwww.cccyo.org(415) 972-1200
Catholic Charities CYO changes the lives of more than40,000 clients annually throughout San Francisco,
Marin, and San Mateo Counties via 33 programs thatserve the poor, the sick, children, youth, families, immi-
grants and seniors, regardless of faith.
Creating Economic Opportunities for Women(C.E.O. Women)
http://www.ceowomen.org/(510) 836-3481
The mission of C.E.O. Women is to create economicopportunities for low-income immigrant and refugee
women through teaching English, communications andentrepreneurship skills, so they can establish successful
livelihoods.
DeafHopewww.Deaf-Hope.org
(510) 267-8800Julie Rems-Smario
DeafHope is a nonprofit organization, established forand by Deaf women in January 2003. Our mission at
DeafHope is to end domestic violence and sexualassault against Deaf women and children through
empowerment, education and services.
Dress for Success San Franciscowww.dressforsuccess.org
(415) 305-9151The mission of Dress for Success is to promote the eco-nomic independence of disadvantaged women by pro-viding professional attire, a network of support and thecareer development tools to help women thrive in work
and in life.
GirlSource Inc.www.girlsource.org(415) 252-8880
Leticia HernandezGirlSource provides meaningful employ-
ment and leadership opportunities forlow-income, high-school-age girls in
San Francisco. Our paid jobprogram offers technologytraining, supplemented by
individual guidance to helpgirls finish high school, go onto college, and launch their
careers.
Golden Gate IntegralCounsel Center
www.goldengatecounseling.org(415) 561-0230
Golden Gate Integral CounselingCenter provides caring, profession-al psychotherpy and counseling ina relationship of trust and repect toindividuals, couples and families.
Our suites are in a beautiful and tran-quil setting near Civic Center BART.
Kellams Associates 501(c) (3)www.Kellams.orgCarolyn Kellams(415) 454-1050
Kellams Associates has taught communication, socialand emotional skills to thousands of teens and adults toprevent teen pregnancy by training teen parents to tell
their peers what having a baby is really like, andFamily Support Seminars.
LifeFlowwww.lifeflow.org(510) 653-3300Deborah Erwin
LifeFlow's on-line programs deal with caring for agingparents and families providing end of life care. Youcan learn about self-care while caregiving, financial
decisions, work/life balance, advance directives, howto downsize and prepare for the move of an elder, and
more.
ProfessionalOrganizations
eWomenNetwork, San Franciscohttp://www.ewomennetwork.com
(415) 513-5733Ann Evanston
The #1 resource for connecting women business own-ers and professionals worldwide. The SF chapter meets
the 2nd Tuesday every month. Guests welcome
German American Business Association(GABA)
www.gaba-network.org(650) 386-5015Caroline Raynaud
The German American Business Association ofCalifornia (GABA-CA) is a non-profit organization thatfosters and promotes transatlantic business, cooperation
and careers by providing a network for German-American and US-German trade.
National Association of Women BusinessOwners
www.NAWBO-SF.org415-333-2130
Barbara Mark, Ph.D."Grow, Thrive, and Lead" with the San Francisco chap-
ter of the National Association of Women Businessowners, where we network with successful, savvy busi-ness women, educate women to grow and sustain theirbusiness and support public policy related women busi-
ness owners.
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