Help for making an informed decision...
2nd Thoughts: Mashed Cauliflower
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| Denise Mari, Founder Organic Avenue |
Friday, June 1, 2012
2nd Thoughts: The Miracle Dress reappears on the red carpet at Cannes
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| Long 2012 Short 2011 |
Saturday, March 31, 2012
2nd Thoughts: "Miss Representation" is a must see!
Thursday, November 3, 2011
2nd Thoughts: More women startups needed. It's our duty!!
As women become more financially independent and self reliant, it’s curious
that there's one area where we are lagging and that's in starting our own
companies. Add to that that we make up almost half of the work force and more
than half of college enrollments and it’s even harder to explain why only 35%
of startups are women led. The reasons
and some proactive steps to correct this imbalance were recently reported In a
paper by the Ewing
Marion Kauffman Foundation and
featured in Fast Company last month.
There’s no shortage of organizations and resources available to women in this area as referenced in our post, “All Alone at the Water Cooler.” It requires a lot of determination and sticktoitiveness to say the least. And I can tell you from experience and as described by a brave pair who applied for their first funding and have lived to tell us the good and the bad on Huffington Post this month that the rewards can be great and the learning unmeasureable. You’ll also find the 10 Reasons Women Make Better Entrepreneurs there as well. Something to think about, especially if you’re not finding the work you want and/or are tired of working for someone else. Startups are the best source of new job creation. So look at it this way; it's our duty to at least consider this option to help save our economy. Women, let's Occupy the Entrepreneur Space!
There’s no shortage of organizations and resources available to women in this area as referenced in our post, “All Alone at the Water Cooler.” It requires a lot of determination and sticktoitiveness to say the least. And I can tell you from experience and as described by a brave pair who applied for their first funding and have lived to tell us the good and the bad on Huffington Post this month that the rewards can be great and the learning unmeasureable. You’ll also find the 10 Reasons Women Make Better Entrepreneurs there as well. Something to think about, especially if you’re not finding the work you want and/or are tired of working for someone else. Startups are the best source of new job creation. So look at it this way; it's our duty to at least consider this option to help save our economy. Women, let's Occupy the Entrepreneur Space!
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| Reprint - Fast Company |
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
2nd Thoughts: Kogan's "Shutterbabe," a modern wartime love story
Some “Shutterbabe” reviews:
“Shutterbabe, like all good war stories, is flashy and exciting, but it also tells the story of a tenderhearted woman who traded war’s excitement for that of family life.”
—The New York Times Book Review
“Shutterbabe zooms in on passionate self-discovery…a lively travelogue that keeps the reader interested.” —USA Today
“A sharp and heartfelt eyewitness guide to international conflicts, obscure social movements, injustices and half-forgotten uprisings of the 1980s and early ‘90s…Shutterbabe has all the makings of a spectacular memoir. Kogan has led a fascinating life (a half-life, really), lived it fully and with gusto, reflected on it with intelligence and humor, and written about it, sometimes humbly, always lucidly.” —Chicago Tribune
Monday, October 10, 2011
2nd Thoughts: What to Wear for your 2nd Wedding
fashion designer. When Nancy Shevell married Beatle heart throb Paul McCartney, his daughter Stella McCartney designed her dress. Shevell glowed in a white crepe sheath with covered buttons and long sleeves. The shoes were vegan.
Monday, September 12, 2011
2nd Thoughts: Life is like a dance.
Wednesday, August 23, 2011
Deep Teal, a strong, blue-toned green, suggests ocean depths and the color of the sky as daylight descends into darkness. A great standard when used with Cedar, its color-wheel neighbor, Deep Teal is also a unique counterpoint to Honeysuckle.
The fashion world has declared teal the top color for this fall. “It has a very upscale connotation,” says Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute, the world-renown authority on color. “People with more discriminating tastes tend to choose that as a favorite color. It’s great to have something to interrupt that land of beige.”
Theyskens’ Theory color blocked (Combining clothing pieces of different solid colors that support and complement each other…no prints here.) a teal sweater with a navy coat and gray slacks…nice. Forest green or a deep purple could mix work nicely with teal too.
Not to cloud the picture but PureWow tells us that Kelly green is the color for the next season. Hm, I always thought Kelly green should be reserved for St. Patrick’s Day and even then only if you have nothing in forest or olive in your closet but that’s just me. Although Phillip Lim did some beautiful emerald green shoes for the season so I could be wrong. There’s also been wool coats in all shades of orange (Burberry and J.Crew) on the fall runway that look like fun. And Net-A-Porter wants us to mix red with white and black. So you can’t be blue everyday!
Wednesday, July 26, 2100
2nd Thoughts: The ONE credit card you can't leave home without
During this high season for travel, many credit card companies are enticing new members with special privileges. By using their card, you may be able to avoid airline fees for checked luggage, waive foreign transaction fees on your purchases and even speed through security clearances as easily as the Dutchess of Cambridge. American Express Platinum will pick up the membership cost to Global Entry, the EZ pass for pre-approved travelers facing lengthy reentry lines.
Despite Amex's longstanding advertising slogan, its card may not be the right one for you to take on vacation. To determine which card is the one and only for you, you'll need to decide if you are a mileage hound, an occasional flyer, a worrier or a penny pincher. Traveler, know thyself: http://travel.nytimes.com/2011/04/24/travel/24praccredit.html
Wednesday, July 13, 2011
2nd Thoughts: Life is like a dance.
A friend is cleaning out her office and figuring out what she’ll do next. She described her first life as Dirty Dancing, one of “youth, discovery and other people’s expectations.” Then came the Tango when she was able to passionately embrace an adventure of her own creation. Questioning her agility, she’s thinking it’s now time for a Waltz.
The dance metaphor is a perfect one to help define one’s next life moves as long as we don’t slow down too much. Dancing is aerobic and keeps you fit and flexible. Zumba and Pole Dance classes are taking over at local health clubs. It relieves stress as well and you don’t have to have natural rhythm to enjoy the benefits. (See Psychology Today article.) Both the Mayo Clinic and the New England Journal of Medicine report that dancing is good for the brain as well in warding off dementia because it combines the physical and the mental.
Have no one to dance with? Check out dance groups all over the globe at meetup.com. My friend says she needs to find the “moral equivalent of Tango.” Salsa anyone?
The dance metaphor is a perfect one to help define one’s next life moves as long as we don’t slow down too much. Dancing is aerobic and keeps you fit and flexible. Zumba and Pole Dance classes are taking over at local health clubs. It relieves stress as well and you don’t have to have natural rhythm to enjoy the benefits. (See Psychology Today article.) Both the Mayo Clinic and the New England Journal of Medicine report that dancing is good for the brain as well in warding off dementia because it combines the physical and the mental.
Have no one to dance with? Check out dance groups all over the globe at meetup.com. My friend says she needs to find the “moral equivalent of Tango.” Salsa anyone?
Wednesday, August 23, 2011
2nd Thoughts: Fall Fashion Flash
Teal is the new black or beige - depending on your perspective - for Fall. The trends are all not all out yet but here’s some early takes on The Fall Color. 
Deep Teal, a strong, blue-toned green, suggests ocean depths and the color of the sky as daylight descends into darkness. A great standard when used with Cedar, its color-wheel neighbor, Deep Teal is also a unique counterpoint to Honeysuckle.
The fashion world has declared teal the top color for this fall. “It has a very upscale connotation,” says Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute, the world-renown authority on color. “People with more discriminating tastes tend to choose that as a favorite color. It’s great to have something to interrupt that land of beige.”
Not to cloud the picture but PureWow tells us that Kelly green is the color for the next season. Hm, I always thought Kelly green should be reserved for St. Patrick’s Day and even then only if you have nothing in forest or olive in your closet but that’s just me. Although Phillip Lim did some beautiful emerald green shoes for the season so I could be wrong. There’s also been wool coats in all shades of orange (Burberry and J.Crew) on the fall runway that look like fun. And Net-A-Porter wants us to mix red with white and black. So you can’t be blue everyday!
Wednesday, July 26, 2100
2nd Thoughts: The ONE credit card you can't leave home without
Despite Amex's longstanding advertising slogan, its card may not be the right one for you to take on vacation. To determine which card is the one and only for you, you'll need to decide if you are a mileage hound, an occasional flyer, a worrier or a penny pincher. Traveler, know thyself: http://travel.nytimes.com/2011/04/24/travel/24praccredit.html
Wednesday, July 13, 2011
2nd Thoughts: Parisian Chic
Inès de la Fressange, 54, ex-runway model, former face of Chanel, onetime muse of Karl Lagerfeld is now author of a best seller, "Parisian Chic: A Style Guide," that offers yet another take on how to dress, shop, eat and act like a true “Parisienne.” Some of her lessons to master the “offbeat look à la Parisienne:”
- jeans with gem-encrusted sandals, not sneakers
- a pencil skirt with ballet flats, not heels
- an evening dress with a straw handbag, not a gold clutch
- a sequined sweater with men’s trousers, not a skirt
- a tuxedo jacket with sneakers, not femme fatale stilettos
- a diamond necklace with a denim shirt
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| Parisian Chic |
Man’s blazer
Trenchcoat
Navy sweater
Tank top
Little black dress
Jeans
Leather jacket
Sunday, April 3, 2011
2nd Thoughts: Spring Fashion Trends
Finally it's time to shop for our Spring Wardrobes. Here’s some agreement on trends to look for:
TRENDS
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Nordstrom’s
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Neiman Marcus
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Harper’s Bazaar
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Squidoo
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X
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X
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X
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X
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Whimsical/Floral Prints
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X
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X
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X
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X
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X
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X
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X
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X
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X
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X
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X
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X
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Kitten Heel Pump
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X
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X
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X
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X
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X
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X
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X
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X
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X
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X
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Bright Color Shoes
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X
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Saturday, March 19, 2011
2nd Thoughts: Considering a new smartphone?
Need to upgrade to a new smartphone but which format to buy? As of this past January, the Google Android is in the lead:
Thursday, March 10, 2011
Learn how to brew this aromatic tea best:
Thursday, March 10, 2011
2nd Thoughts: Smell the Jasmine
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| Photo by Svetlana Blasucci |
1. Place enough pearls (jasmine infused tea leaves hand rolled into tiny balls) to cover the bottom of the cup with a single layer.
2. Start heating about 2 to 3 cups of cold, filtered water to 140-160F. When these tiny bubbles cover the bottom of the pan, pour the water into the guywan or covered tea cup.
3. Cover and wait about a minute until the pearls begin to open, then watch as they settle, stroking the liquid with the lid.
4. In 2 to 3 minutes your first sip is ready. Kick back and relax preferably by a babbling brook or roaring fire or a comfy couch!
3. Cover and wait about a minute until the pearls begin to open, then watch as they settle, stroking the liquid with the lid.
4. In 2 to 3 minutes your first sip is ready. Kick back and relax preferably by a babbling brook or roaring fire or a comfy couch!
