Empowered Consumer is a monthly feature offering legal insights on consumer products
Today’s Bloomberg reports that the popular energy drinks we love to get going for an evening out or when we hit the mid-afternoon caffeine deprived wall at work, are actually very hazardous for children’s development.
About 28 percent of children ages 12 to 14 regularly consume energy drinks, according to a study published in the March issue of Pediatrics.
Pediatricians urge parents to rehydrate their children with plain water. Pure and simple and no risk.
A monthly feature that offers stylist tips so you can have the most fabulous, fashionable work wardrobe around!
No matter what industry you work in, there comes a time, well usually several times, when we need to get dressed up for work-related events. Whether you’re attending a company party or a client lunch, here are a few tips to help you look and feel confident.
Client Lunch
This isn’t the day to forgo ironing your blouse or wearing scuffed shoes hoping no one will notice. A polished, professional outfit gives off a sense of confidence, which is exactly what you want to exude to current or potential clients. My biggest tips: wear a blouse with sleeves instead of a tank or shell. Depending on the restaurant, a sleeveless top may be inappropriate, and there’s nothing worse than wanting to take off your jacket and having to sweat through an entire lunch. Also, since you’ll be sitting and eating, wear something comfortable – an a-line skirt or a double knit pencil skirt or dress all give you plenty of room and stretch.
Sustainability: A monthly blog featuring small and big changes you can make to reduce your impact on our planet.
We started defining Sustainability and the meaning of Organic last month – this month I’d like you to look in the painful bright light we shine on ‘Natural’, ‘Green’ and ‘Fair trade’.
Oh, it’s natural so it’s good, right? Not necessarily! The word “natural” is not regulated and has no standard definition. So anyone can basically put the words natural on any packaging without it having to mean anything. Natural products might contain preservatives or other ingredients with environmental concerns.
What about Green? In many folklores and literatures, green has traditionally been used to symbolize nature and its embodied attributes. And today ‘green’ has become the symbolic color of environmentalism, chosen for its association with nature, health, and growth. Not more, not less. Don’t let the savy marketing and package design fool you!
Fair trade: Fair Trade International is a global organization working to secure a better deal for farmers and workers. The Fair trade products are primarily whole foods (rice, coffee, tea, sugar), but be aware that some are composite products. A bar of chocolate for example, can carry the Fair trade label although not all its ingredients are Fair trade. In addition Fair trade does not regulate or say anything about the foods being grown pesticide free or in a ‘sustainable manner’, nor that the products are preservative free.
A USDA organic certified Fair trade product would be your best bet! Look for those next time you buy coffee, tea or chocolate. Stumptown Coffee Roasters and Theo Chocolate are some of my favorites.
Next month I’ll talk to you more about “Genetic Engineering and the secret changes in your food”, a huge topic in the fight for an organic, environmentally sustainable and socially just food future.
Ideas, Concepts and Tips for the Next Generation of Women in the Workplace
Google “why people leave” and you will find pages and pages of the number one explanation, “because of management”. Studies have shown that almost 80% of the working population have no aspirations to be in management. Which means the other 20% are sadists, or delusional. A wise mentor once told me that no great manager ever started out as a great manager. Like parenting, there are a lot of books, but it’s a skill only learned on the job. As someone who has managed and been managed, I have three perspectives that might help those of you struggling with this difficult relationship.
1. Psychologically speaking and IN GENERAL, your relationship with your manager falls under the category of Authority Relationships. Your boss holds the same power in your subconscious as your parents, clergy, police officers and teachers. Your unique pattern of handling these relationships in good times and bad is a powerful unconcious force that you put out there. Be prepared that your manager may not have the skills to know how to handle this. Being conscious of this dynamic in difficult situations is the first step towards defusing a potential issue. Taking a deep breath and grounding yourself in the present reminds your sub-conscious AND conscious brain that you are not a kid and can handle this situation effectively with patience.
So Edible is a monthly feature with recipes and cooking tips to inspire eating fresh home-made food.
Eating fresh healthy homemade food doesn’t have to involve hours of cooking each day. There are plenty of dishes that are a snap to throw together, the trick is having the ingredients in your kitchen. Essentially it’s all about shopping.
Lemon Herb Tabbouleh Salad
“Nice is the New Black” tells us how to Cultivate Your Inner Bitch in a Nice-Girl Fashion.
As women in our current culture, it can become a little confusing as to what true success is. With so many Hollywood bad girls stealing the spotlight over and over again with their outlandish behavior and wild party ways, it can make a girl wonder if investing in a Wonderbra and a pair of stripper heels is the only way to get noticed. However, this list of the Top 10 “Nice Girls” in Hollywood highlights those women who have managed to have amazing, successful careers without sacrificing their self worth.
See if your favorite leading lady made the cut!
1. Mandy Moore
“I don’t want to take fame for granted because that is when you start to think you are better than everyone else. That is when you start thinking that you are someone that you are not.”
From pop princess to Ryan Adam’s wife, Mandy Moore was able to escape the throes of her pop music peers and instead create her album Wild Hope – co-written by saucy songstress Lori McKenna and to secure roles in lighthearted movies like Licensed to Wed. She has been a good girl from the get go, and has never let her beliefs go by the wayside.
2. Anne Hathaway
“I believe I’ve always been a big believer in equality. No one has ever been able to tell me I couldn’t do something because I was a girl.”
From the Princess Diaries to hosting the Oscars, Anne Hathaway has had a career thus far that is the making of a Hollywood legend. Not one to play it too safe she has dabbled in movies with terse subject matter like “Brokeback Mountain” and in “Love and Other Drugs”, but she only blurs lines on-screen and instead spends her spare time working with The Lollipop Theater Network where terminally ill children can screen some of their favorite films.
3. Taylor Swift
“No matter what happens in life, be good to people. Being good to people is a wonderful legacy to leave behind.”
This superstar country-songstress is in the midst of promoting her single “Mean” a song about the ugly affects of bullying, which recently broke into the Hot 100 on Billboard. Aside from throwing benefit rehearsals to raise money for the Memphis flood victims, Taylor isn’t just a good girl, she’s a good girl with a cause. Certainly one to wear her heart on her sleeve, she admits that most of her songs stem from real life. But instead of promoting sex and drugs, she is one of the most guileless love songwriters of our time. Among numerous charities that she is involved with, she has been a part of the Donate My Dress, which helps “girls around the country…who cannot afford the costly experience of going to their prom.”
4. Reese Witherspoon
“Many people worry so much about managing their careers, but rarely spend half that much energy managing their LIVES. I want to make my life, not just my job, the best it can be. The rest will work itself out.”
Her career has spanned two decades, beginning as a headstrong tween in 1991′s “The Man in the Moon”, Reese has been one of Hollywood’s sweethearts since she first hit the scene. Winning an Oscar for “Walk the Line”, Reese has proven to the world that she is more than a talent she is a wonderful role model. Despite a divorce and a string of relationships among Hollywood’s elite, Reese is the single-mom’s poster girl for true success. She has shown that even if life doesn’t turn out the way you planned, you can still be strong, a wonderful mother, and treat yourself and others with dignity and respect.
5. Jennifer Garner
“Beauty comes from a life well lived. If you’ve lived well, your smile lines are in the right places, and your frown lines aren’t too bad, what more do you need?”
Mother and wife, Jennifer Garner has shown the world that her family takes precedence over her career. Always popping up in the magazines at the park with her children sans nanny you can’t help but think how down-to-earth she seems and how lucky Hollywood is to have a wonderful actress as well as person among them.
6. Hilary Duff
“I’m not scandalous. I’m happy with who I am, and I’m happy with the way people portray me. If it’s too normal, than that’s their opinion.”
What began as a career on Disney as Lizzie McGuire, Hilary Duff has since become a wife and has stayed under the radar of the Hollywood buzz. Starting her own fashion line, Stuff, writing a young adult novel, and even producing two films “Material Girls” and “Beauty and the Briefcase”, Hilary has proved that you can do it all without taking it off.
7. Candace Cameron
“Modesty is very important to me. It can be more alluring in the long run to leave something to the imagination. Also, I want to keep some things special for my husband and not have everyone else looking.”
We all know her as DJ Tanner from Full House, but since the show ended in 1995, Cameron has created a full house of her own. After wedding Russian hockey player Valeri Bure, she is still a loving wife thirteen years later is a mother to their 3 children. Having struggled with an eating disorder, she uses her Christian faith and her notoriety to help other girls who struggle and has even written a new book called “Reshaping It All: Motivation for Physical and Spiritual Fitness”.
8. Jennifer Hudson
“In a recent interview, I was asked how I reconciled being a Christian with performing at events for my gay fans. I find it upsetting that some folks equate being a Christian with being intolerant of gay people.”
From American Idol to award winning actress to facing an unimaginable tragedy to becoming the spokeswoman for Weight Watchers, Jennifer Hudson is an amazing woman who has taken her talents and really blossomed into a star. A caring mother to her son, she knows firsthand the deep ache of loss, and in the wake of her family being murdered she founded the The Hudson-King Foundation for Families of Slain Victims in order to help others who have “lost relatives to a violent crime”.
9. Carrie Underwood
“God put us here, on this carnival ride. We close our eyes never knowing where it’ll take us next.”
Sweet as a slice of country pie, Ms. Underwood has never had to resort to scandal or partying to get ahead and instead prefers to live an understated life in the less flash-bulb frenzied city of Nashville. A vegetarian and animal lover, Carrie recently married hockey player Mike Fisher and is soaring high on the love they share as well as a thriving career that shows no signs of stopping.
10. Julianne Hough
I’ve always wanted to sing country music, I`ve grown up with country music. I love how real everybody is, not just the artists, but the fans.
What began as a dancing career on Dancing with the Stars, has become a modeling, acting, and singing combo. Julianne has taken her dreams to the sky and recorded her first country album as well as found love with Hollywood hit-maker Ryan Seacrest. A down-to-earth superstar in the making who openly admits she doesn’t drink or smoke, Julianne a deserving damsel in this developing Hollywood fairy tale.
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Whether you find yourself on the nice girl list or have a naughty side, take the time to create your own set of ethical ideals. Having your own set of standards will always take you far in your career and relationships. In a culture that tries to define women as nothing but sex symbols, we should tip our hats to the women (in Hollywood and in our own backyard) that are reverting this stereotype. This is by no means an exhaustive list, so feel free to weigh in with your favorite!
A good headshot is a valuable sales tool. In my opinion, as a business owner it’s a requirement and for any woman looking to build her personal brand it’s a must-do. Customers and prospective clients want to see who they are working with. Have you ever visited a website searching for a service and not looked for a bio and pic of the person who owns the company? I haven’t. Maybe because I’m nosy and as an entrepreneur I have a unique fascination with other business owners… but I feel that there is tremendous value in having a well taken headshot on your website for people to see.
A photo allows you to make a one on one connection with a potential client without ever 
meeting them. People will be drawn to you over to your competition because they’ll feel like they have a little better understanding of who you are and the type of person you’d be to work with. It creates a first impression. I don’t know the stats, I could make them up, but I won’t…. But I do know from my time studying nonverbal communication at the University of Washington that a large percentage of first impressions are influenced by appearance. Not just by physical beauty but also by the way you carry yourself. You can project confidence and an ability to handle a job through a photograph. A well taken headshot should communicate approachability, leadership, confidence and success.
4 things to keep in mind:
1. Wear appropriate clothing for your industry. In my company photos I chose strategically to wear a fitted jacket and 
jeans. In my industry, advertising, this attire is great because it projects professionalism and also creativity. For your industry, you may be able to go more casual or may need to be more buttoned up. Use your best judgement.
2. Wear bright colors. Even if you feel the need to be more conservative by wearing a black suit make sure to add a pop of color. It adds spark to the photographs and gives the photographer something to work with.
3. Wear makeup. Make sure to spend the extra time on your makeup that morning. Add a few more swipes of mascara and extra powder to your oily spots to make sure you’re looking glam for your shoot. There is nothing worse than getting your pics back with a shiny face. I know, it’s happened to me. So make sure to bring a mirror, oil blotters, extra lip gloss and powder. It’s worth taking the extra moments to ensure pictures you are proud of.
4. Pick a fun outdoor space to have your photos taken. Preferably one that matches your industry. Outdoor shots make for creative and dynamic photos. I shy away from studio headshots because I want to convey creativity in an urban setting. So I had my team’s most recent photos taken at Pike Place Market. There were hundreds of great places to shoot photos. If you want to see examples of my team’s photos click here.
What do you think? Have you had headshots taken that have positively impacted your business?
*The photos in this blog were taken by Amanda Kay Photography
Nutrition & the City is a monthly column focused on non-diet tips to live a vibrant, healthy life.
If you struggle with binge-eating, you’re familiar with that dreadful “oh shit” moment after a binge, when aside from feeling painfully stuffed there’s intense feelings of guilt, shame, regret and hopelessness. What many people don’t realize is that what you do during that vulnerable time after a binge can help set you up for success–or another binge. Waking up from a food coma, it’s common to panic and engage in catastrophic thinking (e.g. “I blew it. I’ll always be out of control with food.”) Reminding yourself of the following facts after a binge can be reassuring and decrease the likelihood that you’ll panic, which is counterproductive:
The facts above are not meant to encourage self-indulgence (which is not self-care) or being overly permissive with food, but rather to help you feel more calm and less hopeless after bingeing, which makes following through with these tips much more likely:
The painful aftermath of a binge makes it easy to want to beat yourself up, isolate and vow to “be good” tomorrow; in other words, set yourself up for another binge. Instead of trying harder, try something different. Experiment with these tips for treating yourself differently after a binge, and notice what happens. I’d love to hear about it.
Dating Dish is a monthly feature that brings you hot dating tips and sassy how tos to keep your dating life sexy.
I recently attended my ten-year high school reunion, and that, coupled with the back-log of Glee episodes I’ve been enjoying from Netflix, has made me rather introspective about those formative four years.
High school had its golden moments, but for the most part, I would wake up everyday praying that it would go faster so that I could graduate and get to college, where life would be perfect (Ha!). My ten-year reunion was something I looked forward to and dreaded in equal parts, and I very seriously considered bailing on it. I mean, high school happened a long time ago. What’s the point of reliving potential awkwardness? Ultimately, curiosity won out, and I went. And I’m really glad I did. It rocked.
The most interesting part of the weekend (because let’s face it: Facebook has taken away much of the mystery surrounding any juicy gossip one previously got at high school reunions), was a conversation I had with a girl I admired then, admired on Facebook in recent years and, after actually catching up in person, very much admire her and the life she’s made now. She was (and still is) one of the kindest, most likable, great people I’ve ever met, and I’ve never heard anyone say a bad thing about her, ever — an impressive feat. Everyone loved her — the cool kids, the cooler kids, the jocks, the nerds and everyone in between. And over a margarita at our reunion, she told me that high school was lonely for her, that she didn’t feel like she had close friends, that she’d always admired me and that she’d always thought I was popular and cool — as in, cooler than her. This was the exact opposite of how I perceived myself. WTF?
We had a good laugh — in mutual relief that those years are behind us and also because in retrospect, it’s really easy to see how dumb it was to spend such massive amounts of time lamenting how we thought we were perceived by others, when what we thought was obviously not even close to how others saw us. I find it very interesting how our personal perceptions of ourselves were (are?) so vastly different than how we’re actually perceived.
Going to my reunion made me think that it’s worth examining (on a regular basis) our perceptions of ourselves and how we want to be perceived, and making sure that those two match. Sure, we never have complete control over how we’re perceived — everyone else is viewing us through their own filters, made up of experiences they’ve had, what intimidates them, what scares them, and what they like or don’t like. But if we set out to outwardly advertise our personalities (and us) with our actions, how we talk and our choices about how we dress, do our hair and what we tattoo on ourselves, we can get a long way towards making sure our outside personas match who we are inside (at least as much as work dress codes and public nudity laws allow us). If we don’t take care to be ourselves and take pride in how we’re being perceived, the chances of us being mis-understood are much higher, and when we don’t express ourselves and hide behind what we think others will want to see, we’re doing everyone a disservice.
If we’re rocking whatever makes us, us, and we don’t get along with someone (i.e. in a dating situation, to tie it back to the point of this blog), it’s not because we’re hiding our true selves and our dates can tell — it’s real; likewise if we really click with someone. In high school, I definitely didn’t match my inside me to my outside me for fear of looking dorky or by being judged. A part of this was a function of my being an immature teenager, a part of it was not knowing fully who I was then, and the biggest part was wanting to be liked and wanting to “fit in”, whatever that meant. My fingers are crossed that another ten years show me that I’m not currently pulling any of the same hiding acts I was then and that I’m now successfully matching my outside and inside me, because that’s what I try to do. But who knows? I thought I had it figured out then too.
Yours in reality checks on memory lane, S
This is me, holding an alligator.
Fit & Fab(ulous!) is the annual fitness-related Girl Power Hour Netowrking event.
The event will include a photo booth, chair massage, healthy cocktails, healthy treats and apps, swag bags, door prizes, your chance to find your perfect “fit and fab” pair of jeans from Vault Denim, healthy cooking tips for girls on the go from featured foodies and other hip and fun elements and specials from our vendors.
The GPH 60 Day Mind-Body Challenge will culminate at this event with 4 GPH Power Team members revealing their “before and afters.” This event is sponsored by Luna and Dr. David Stephens Plastic Surgery. Join other like-minded women to network and build your business and social circles at Girl Power Hour!
Partners include: Pure Barre, Pearl Vodka, Bellevue Wellness, Divine Tan, Aura Photobooth, Vault Denim, Momentum Fitness, Dry Soda, more TBA
Event: GPH Fit & Fab Networking Event
Date: May 19, 2011
Time: 6pm – 8:30pm
Location: Pure Barre Bellevue, 909 112th Ave NE
Cost: $20 Non-Members, $15 Members and Students 21+ w/ID
*Get tickets here.
