Today's Woman May 2011 by Today's Transitions

May 2011

P o w e r

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S t y

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C o n n e c t i o n s

Happiness

…discovered Hair Removal That Works Spring

Salad

! H G U LA Finding the funny in your life

May 2011 articles

Contents

Power I Am Today’s Woman Because… 10 By Lucy Pritchett

About This Issue By Tiffany White

On Our Cover

By Tiffany White

The Life of a Comedian

By Lisa Hurt Kozarovich

Survival Skills:

Be Yourself 14 by Jennifer Thompson

Forget Your Troubles…Come On, Get Happy! 16

by gioia Patton

19 Things

By Anita Oldham

STYLE Catch Sight of the Beautiful

By Barbara MacDonald

She’s Funny

By Tiffany White

Her 13 Inspirations

By Holly Gregor

I Love My…38 By Lucy Pritchett

WELLNESS Hunt for the Perfect Salad:

My Creation from the Garden 42

by Melissa Donald

Weight Loss Challenge 2011 45 by Melissa Donald

Picture Perfect Humor

By Tiffany White

What My Mom Gave Me 48 By Bob Mueller

Get Rid of the Hair

by Cheryl Stuck

CONNECTIONS 4 Things Not to Miss

by Jennifer Thompson and Gioia Patton Wrigley Writes:

Neighborhood Pet-Friendly Shops 56 By Bridget K. Smith

Real or Fake 58 by Tiffany White

CLICK HERE to Read this special online-only article:

(At the end of our regular issue)

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• Caitlin Gaynor’s Dating Dilemmas

Today’s Woman

www.iamtodayswoman.com

2011

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About This Issue

Make Me Laugh

In a world filled

with excessive demands, disappointments, and mishaps you might notice that moments of laughter don’t come as easily for you, but don’t use this as your excuse. If you’ve become comfortable with living in a state of negativity, snap out of it. We’ll give you some foolproof tips on ways to stress less and laugh more. In this issue, we feature 13 women who reveal their methods for making humor a permanent part of their lives. After experiencing a series of major setbacks including losing her job, Jodi White (page 12) turned to a career in stand-up comedy to ease the pain and the payoff has been worthwhile. “If I hadn’t found comedy, I don’t know that I’d have had the strength to deal with completely starting over by myself at 40.” Donna Watts (page 32) refers to herself as a “laugh trainer” whose mission is to make people forget about their troubles for a while and show them how to see the humor in themselves. “I love making people laugh and creating funny pictures with words. Laughter is so valuable to our health.” Read more about our comical women of the month and choose to be responsible for your happiness. Search for funny moments that can inspire a giggle or two. The reward is priceless. — Tiffany White

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Today’s Woman

Cover On Our

Volume 21 8 Number 5

Some goodbyes and hellos from our staff…

Welcome, Rose, to the team!

PUBLISHER Cathy S. Zion publisher@todayspublications.com

ADVERTISING DIRECTOR Susan Allen susan@todayspublications.com

COntributing EDITOR Lucy M. Pritchett

EDITOR Anita Oldham editor@todayspublications.com

Assistant EDITOR Tiffany White

Editorial assistant Jennifer Thompson

tiffany@todayspublications.com

jennifer@todayspublications.com

OFFICE MANAGER Julie Mayberry julie@todayspublications.com

account executive Rose Helm rose@todayspublications.com

SALES DIRECTOR Cheryl Suhr

account executive Teri Hickerson

cheryl@todayspublications.com

teri@todayspublications.com

SenioR page & Graphic Designer Kathy Bolger

SenioR Advertising Designer April H. Allman

PRODUCTION COORDINATOR Kathy Kulwicki

kathyb@todayspublications.com

april@todayspublications.com

kathyk@todayspublications.com

Goodbye, Julie, we have shared many laughs with you over the years! We will miss you!

indsay Boling jumped at the chance to snag a few moments of fun inside the inflatable room of KaZoing Party & Play. It was the perfect break away from her neverending work schedule. A trivia host for Last Call Productions and a tour guide for Louisville Mega Cavern, Lindsay has added the title of comedian to the list. Juggling all three jobs can be exhausting but she says it is a source for good comedy. “Honestly, I really like that they all involve interacting with many different types of people and the fact that I pretty much have a mic in my hand at all times. I wish it was a megaphone instead.” Having the freedom to unleash the sillier side of her personality, she says, prompted Lindsay to pursue a career as a comedian.

Lindsay is wearing: Ralph Lauren jeans, $60; Gianni Bini top, $58; Natasha silver bangles, $58; Natasha silver hoop earrings, $22, available at Dillard’s inside Mall St. Matthews, 5000 Shelbyville Road, 502.893.0311. Makeup artist Holly Oyler

STYLIST Wendy Anguiano

Circulation Manager W. Earl Zion

wendy@todayspublications.com

writer/photographer Melissa Donald melissa@todayspublications.com

For advertising information in Today’s Woman, call (502) 327-8855.

BBB Rating of

Zion Publications LLC 9750 Ormsby Station Road, Suite 307, Louisville, KY 40223 Phone: (502) 327-8855 • Fax: (502) 327-8861 www.iamtodayswoman.com

Photo by James Moses Makeup by Holly Oyler Styling by Wendy Anguiano

Today’s Woman

is published monthly by:

Read about the humorous antics of our other funny ladies in our fashion feature on page 32.

Subscriptions are available by sending $18 to the above address for 12 monthly issues. Today’s Woman magazine is published monthly by Zion Publications LLC and distributed free to the people of metropolitan Louisville and Southern Indiana. Circulation 50,000 guaranteed. The opinions expressed herein are exclusively those of the writers and do not necessarily reflect the position of the publisher. Today’s Woman magazine does not endorse or guarantee any advertiser’s product or service. Copyright 2011 by Zion Publications LLC with all rights reserved. Reproduction or use of editorial or graphic content in any manner is prohibited without permission from Zion Publications LLC.

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Today’s Woman

“

I am Today’s Woman

My mission is to promote health, joy, and world peace starting with peace in myself. Melanie Rudolph

Neighborhood:

Highlands

Certified laughter yoga teacher

AGE: 36

by Lucy M. Pritchett / Photo: Melissa donald

How she started laughing:

My mother died when I was 8, and I didn’t laugh much during childhood or even later as an adult. I attended a twoday class in laughter yoga, and it had a profound effect on me. I became a certified instructor, and in 2008 I started a laughter yoga club in Louisville.

Her mission:

To promote health, joy, and world peace starting with peace in myself.

Her gift:

To share my laughter with others and show that you can add laughter to whatever life brings you. For example, we do an exercise in class that has us laughing at a credit card bill. Today I was running late,

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and instead of stressing out, I started to laugh. It is not that life doesn’t hold surprises, but we can learn to greet them with laughter.

Why laugh?

For health, wellness, and longevity. Laughter helps reduce stress, releases feelgood endorphins, gives a boost to our immune system, and promotes cardiovascular health. Our bodies and minds don’t know if we are laughing from a stimulus or from the joy of living. There are the same physiological and psychological benefits. We laugh at a joke from the outside in. With laughter yoga, we laugh from the inside out.

Jump starts her day:

With at least 20 minutes of laughter meditation. I read inspirational and motivational books and drink tea. I must have about 50 different types of tea. My favorite place in Louisville is the Zen Tea House.

One of her passions: Connecting with seniors. I have three neighbors ages 88, 90, and 92. I laugh with them and listen to their stories.

World laughter:

I love to travel and have many friends internationally. I traveled to India to meet with Dr. Madan Kataria, who founded the first laughter yoga club in 1995.

Stops us from laughing:

Our own restraint. Give yourself permission to laugh. As children we don’t have a laughter agenda...we just laugh. Laughter yoga helps tap into that childlike joy. I used to live so much in my head that I would analyze whether something was funny or not rather than just respond spontaneously.

The world would be a better place if... We could laugh together more.

Laughter yoga meets the first Tuesday of the month at 7 p.m. at the Rainbow Spiritual Education Center; 2701 Lindsay Avenue in Louisville.

Today’s Woman

The Life of a

Comedian By Lisa Hurt Kozarovich

Jodi White

used humor to get her through the difficult times.

For me, it was that “ah-ha” moment in life — “wow, this is what I was meant to do with my life,”

t doesn’t take scientific proof — though there’s plenty to offer — to convince comedian Jodi White that humor can improve one’s physical and emotional health. The mother of three says she’s living proof. As a public speaker with Toastmasters International, White spent week after week giving speeches about the difficulties of her life — her adoption and the 17-year search for her birth family, the tragedies she’d seen children endure as a foster parent, the rejection of divorce. One day a colleague suggested she turn tragedy into comedy. Not long after, the economy collapsed and took with it White’s job as a mortgage broker, her three homes, luxury car, boat, and third husband. Instead of giving in, White got up on stage and took a comedy class. She realized she had found a way to quit crying about her life and start laughing at it, and when she faced her first live audience, they laughed with her. “For me, it was that ‘ah-ha’ moment in life — ‘wow, this is what I was meant to do with my life,’” says White. “If I hadn’t found comedy, I don’t know that I’d have had the strength to deal with completely starting over, by myself, at 40. Comedy saved me.” Today, White’s a full-time, working/traveling comedian living in a “crappy little apartment and sleeping in the car when I can’t afford a hotel room.” And “I’m happier than I’ve ever been.” To keep herself laughing, White says she surrounds herself with positive people, looks for “the funny“ in every situation, and tries to make someone else laugh every day. “I guess the real secret is finding a way to laugh each day. Some people do that through jokes they get in their email, others people-watch at the mall, and some look at their families or kids and find the funny moments. The real challenge is to be in the middle of a horrible day and still laugh,” says White, recalling the December she booked a gig in North Dakota and drove through a blizzard to get there. “The 17-hour drive took 26 hours, we almost slid off the road several times, we slept for two hours in a parking lot and were freezing, and we were almost out of gas and couldn’t find a gas station. Our laughter is what got us through. Sometimes life gets so ridiculous you can either laugh or cry. It’s a choice,” she says.

Janelle Fitzpatrick

Fellow comedian and teacher Janelle Fitzpatrick says she also found comedy at a low point, and what some may consider a late stage, in her life. An out-of-state job blew up in her face, and her house was leased out for the year, so when the 50-year-old heard about the Comedy Caravan’s first ever comedy class, she thought, “My life sucks, and that sounds like fun.”

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Today’s Woman

The first time Fitzpatrick was on stage, she “got the bug,” and comedy became her passion. Oddly enough, her comedy sideline was a good fit with her career as a teacher at a juvenile detention center. “Humor has really helped me in the classroom, especially when dealing with a lot of kids with behavioral problems. When you see them gearing up with anger, you can diffuse that with a little laughter,” says Fitzpatrick. She also gleans material from the classroom for her local shows and regular hosting gigs at the Comedy Caravan. Finding humor is something everyone can do in their daily lives by just opening their eyes, Fitzpatrick says. “Just look at the little things around you. Read funny news stories. Instead of sitting at home watching TV, go to a comedy club. You’ll laugh and feel good,” says Fitzpatrick. “When you have something depressing happening, you can’t change that, but you can find humor in something else.”

Teresa McCammon

Teresa McCammon, a local comedian and nurse, says laughter had always been a part of her life, but she credits comedy with helping her reclaim the part of herself the 41-year-old had lost in the duties of wife, mother, and career. “I got on stage and said, ‘Oh yeah, I remember this person,’” says the selfdescribed class clown who shares some tips to help others bring the funny back. “I love pranks, within reason…that’s the mother in me talking. It’d be fun to make the first of every month like April’s Fools Day. With technology today, there are all kinds of ways you can get a joke of the day sent to you. And go out to a comedy club,” she says. “Louisville has become a great place for stand-up comedy. Besides the comedy clubs, there are lots of restaurants and bars hosting openmic nights, and there are comics putting shows together. I’m always surprised at the people I meet that have never been to a comedy club. Go. You’re going to laugh.”

www.iamtodayswoman.com

2011

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Survival Skills: Be Yourself

Donna Riley

by Jennifer Thompson

hen Donna Riley signed up for a clown class 18 years ago, she thought she was going to spend eight weeks learning the facts about clowns — not how to become one. But when the class presented her with makeup and improv challenges, Donna didn’t shirk away but instead entered the world of clowning. She recently retired as executive director of Leadership Southern Indiana. Now with almost two decades of professional clowning under her belt, Donna shares how this seemingly gag-filled job has fail-safe wisdom for any career.

Rule #1: Keep Your Clown Face On

If you walk into Starbucks in your three-piece suit, no one else there will know exactly where you work or what you do, but if Donna walks into Starbucks in full clown regalia, she is not Donna Riley but her clown character, Tweety. “If you go somewhere in full costume, you stay in character. To go somewhere in half costume would be like asking you to take your own face off.” Donna recalls going to a restaurant with some clown friends after a show while they were still in full costume. Rather than deciding they were “off the clock,” she and the other clowns denied themselves dinner and instead spent their time entertaining the kids, the restaurant workers, and anyone else who came their way. Although they were not compensated for sharing their talents, Donna says it goes against the clown code of ethics to break character, so her job becomes her modus operandi when she’s in costume regardless of how she’s feeling.

Rule #2: Find Your Inner Clown

Donna’s clown persona, Tweety, was born during her first clown class when she learned about the three different types of clown: whiteface, Auguste, and hobo or tramp. She tried on each of the types — makeup, costume, and all — and says that “the whiteface just came out in me.” Whiteface clowns indeed paint their heads completely white, and Donna relates that smearing white paint in her ear is part of her regular routine. Regarding the “personality” of the whiteface, Donna puts it this way: “If an Auguste gets a pie in the face, the whiteface would throw the pie.” Donna speaks of Tweety as a separate person. “She has her own room and her own clothes. She’s much more expressive than I am.” Still, Donna found that taking on the whiteface role of the serious, color-coordinated member of the troupe matches her personality just enough to help her connect with the character but not so much that she can’t break out of her shell.

Rule #3: Become the Butt of the Joke

Clowns obviously create jokes and humor, but Donna’s job takes a great measure of humility because none of her jokes are meant to make her look clever. “You always let the trick or mistake come back on you,” Donna says. While the business world may encourage working women to promote themselves above their peers, the clown world strictly discourages a self-seeking attitude. Another facet of the clown code of ethics is never to draw attention away from another performer, and indeed, Donna and her troupe, Hoosier Slapstix, work not to make one another look good but rather to humiliate themselves in order to make the audience participants smile.

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Rule #4: It’s All About the Audience

Although much of clowning is a performance, Donna says that a clown’s worth is wrapped up photo: Melissa Donald in his or her connection with the audience. Her most memorable moment from her years of clowning is not a routine she developed or a joke she played, but rather, is when she went room to room at a nursing home and shared a hug with a woman who said, with tears in her eyes, that she “just didn’t get enough of those.” “If we let someone else forget about their troubles for a while, that’s when we’ve done our job.” Today’s Woman

Forget your troubles… come on, get happy! By Gioia Patton ~ photos by melissa Donald

This past March at the Brown Theatre, actress Goldie Hawn gave a lecture on the subject of “happiness,” which she’d based on her years of extensive research on the subject. Additionally, my 30-minute phone interview with the effervescent Academy-Award winner resulted in the Arts Insider article: Don’t Worry, Be Happy!, which ran as an online exclusive in the March issue of Today’s Woman (www.iamtodayswoman.com). To that end, and in keeping with this month’s theme, I asked nine local, interesting women what steps they take to bring themselves out of those “feeling blue“ or “one is the loneliest number” kind of days.

Raqia

Bright Veils of Happiness

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Raqia: “Whenever I am having a ‘feeling blue’ day, I make it to my studio, where I sit still for a bit, quiet my spirit, and give thanks for all my life’s blessings, the good and the bad that have made me who I am today. Then I slowly gravitate to my beautiful vibrant-colored silk veils ready to inspire love, laughter, and creativity. I put on some soft music and then take one of the beautiful veils for a dance — stretching my arms out and holding the veil between my fingers with a firm but gentle hold, which allows it to become an extension of me. I start moving around the room, and I spin and spin, lifting my arms up and down…keeping the beautiful-colored veil airborne, moving all my different body parts into harmony with each other. I laugh, cry, hope, dream, and dance with my veils, which brightens my day!”

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I have a distinct memory of meeting the belly dancer/instructor Raqia two years ago just after her performance in the lobby of Actors Theatre (ATL) on the night of ATL’s benefit auction event. And I remain as impressed now as I was then, by not only her talent, but also her vivacious and positive spirit. I’ve made a point of keeping abreast of Raqia’s downtown New Albany dance studio (www.raqiabellydance.com), and attended her December 2010 annual charitable toy drive, Raq’n Around the Christmas Tree, in which she and her students performed 12 different captivating dances. Raqia credits achieving tranquility and inner peace to Middle Eastern dance/ belly dance, which came into her life in 1996 during her search for something to lift her spirits while in a deep depression after being diagnosed with a life-threatening illness which robbed her “selfesteem and confidence.”

Today’s Woman

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Doing What She Loves

It was at the 2010 Taste of Oaks Derby-week charitable event that I met Celeste Rowan-Sullivan for the first time after having a slice of one of her cakes, which was soooooo delicious that I did an immediate about-face to get one of her business cards. Prior to forming Cakes by Celeste (in September of 2006), Celeste worked with elementary school children in the JCPS, although she mentions, “I have been baking for as long as I can remember, and memories of helping my mother prepare cakes for Sunday dessert rush through my mind…the smell in the house always putting a smile on my face.”

Celeste Rowan-Sullivan

Celeste: “The ‘blues’ in my life never can last for very long, as I always review my beginning to where I am now; clinging to my future with this beautiful talent that has been given to me to share. It’s like I’ve said: ‘This is not my job; it’s my passion.’ Cakes by Celeste (celeste.s@insightbb.com) began with word of mouth by family and friends, with my mother, children, sister, and brother supporting my passion every step of the way. Who would have known that a young lady such as myself would have been invited to share her passion in the Taste of the Oaks event two years in a row, baking a Derby creation for approximately 800 guests? There are no ‘blues’…just my heartfelt joy when I see the happiness I bring to others!”

All About the Perspective Twenty-four years ago, Elizabeth Schaaf opened Elizabeth’s Timeless Attire in the Clifton neighborhood (www.elizabethstimelessattire.com), a shop specializing in vintage clothing and jewelry. Such is the high caliber of the shop’s contents that the costumer for the 1992 feature film A League of Their Own (starring Geena Davis), bought out Elizabeth’s entire 1940s era collection of shoes, hats, gloves, suits, and purses for the film’s extras to wear during the shoot at the baseball park in Evansville, Ind. As I live in the same neighborhood as Elizabeth’s Timeless Attire, I’ve frequented it for 21 years. And apart from the shop itself, I’ve always appreciated how upbeat and personable Elizabeth is. The expression “she doesn’t know a stranger” comes to mind when I think of how welcome Elizabeth always makes her customers feel, whether she knows you or not.

Elizabeth: “Both of my parents (who were in their 90s) died within the last few years. And I’ve found that after visiting some of their friends, I immediately have a ‘lighter heart.’ Their ‘old’ friends are so resilient and full of humor and wisdom that after a visit, my own troubles are put into perfect perspective. My sister Sally and I especially enjoy visiting our 99-year-old Uncle Rob, whose favorite sport is Wii bowling. You’ve gotta feel Elizabeth Schaaf happy after that experience! And as for someone who makes me laugh — my husband Joe does an incredible voice imitation of Pepe Le Pew. I’ve struggled with learning French for 20 years, as I go on annual buying trips to Paris, but Joe’s cartoon skunk accent is better than mine! It’s hilarious and frustrating all rolled into one!“

They Love Me, Yeah, Yeah, Yeah

Danielle: “As a full-time working mother of two, I can still have days when I feel completely alone. Something that always keeps me going is my faith in God and my wonderful family. I remember a day that was particularly stressful, and I came home to my husband Nick and our son Danny playing music in the basement. Danny ran up to me and began playing the drums and singing a song about what a great mom I am while Nick accompanied him on the guitar. At that moment, all the stress just melted away. It’s nice to be reminded of how special you are at those moments when stress just overwhelms you. Some Saturdays we’ll decide to have ‘pajama day’ and just hang out and play — letting the chores go. And Danny and I have a tradition of ending each day by singing songs that we’ve made up to one another. I end each day by reading stories to my sons, and Danny has also begun reading to his little brother. Whenever I’m going through something difficult, my mom always seems to know, and she’ll send me a note every now and then that lifts my spirits. The little things we do matter and bring happiness to the ones we love…as much happiness as they bring to us.”

I liked Danielle Waller (Danielle Combs at the time) very much within minutes of being introduced to her in the late 1990s, when she was a young unmarried staff writer for the Voice-Tribune newspaper, and I was a monthly contributor with my celebrity interviews. For the past seven-and-one-half years, Danielle has been the communications manager for the Louisville Science Center. She’s also currently pursuing a master of arts in communications at Bellarmine University. At the time of this interview, Danielle was on maternity leave caring for her newborn son Owen and his brother Danny, age 6.

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Danielle Waller

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Knitting Her Way Out of Trouble When I met Amber Youngblood in 1999, she was the marketing and public relations director for Broadway Series in Louisville region. Right from the start, I thought she was one of the nicest women I’d ever met. So we have remained in touch since her departure from Broadway in Louisville in 2005 to her position (in 2006) as senior director of marketing and public relations for the American Red Cross Louisvllle region. Gayle Walters Warren

Got the Blues? Get Busy

Gayle Walters Warren and her husband Herb own the beautiful Dupont Mansion (www. dupontmansion.com) and Inn at the Park Historic (www.innatpark.com) Bed and Breakfasts located in Old Louisville. It was at a Dupont Mansion-held event celebrating the annual Holiday House tour participants and volunteers where I first met the charming B&B owners a few years ago. The Warrens have long been interested in historic preservation and, including their two B&Bs, have restored six Louisville historic I interviewed Mariya Tarakanova a few properties. Currently, months ago as the cover story of the March Gayle is a member of the edition of Today’s Woman and as the director board and treasurer of the of Flamenco Talk, Louisville’s Hispanic nonprofit Conrad Caldwell House organization with the mission to promote and Museum and president of preserve Hispanic culture through the art of the South Fourth Street flamenco music and dance. Neighborhood Association.

Shopping

Gayle: “When I feel ‘blue’ I usually ‘get busy.’ By that I mean, tackle a project…it could be a new opportunity for our bed and breakfasts, a new program for one of the nonprofits for which I volunteer (i.e., Conrad Caldwell House Museum and the South Fourth Street Neighborhood Association), or the one that really works fast — like call a friend or go visit and ‘love-up’ on my grandchildren (there’s nothing like them!). All these things ‘lift’ me and give me a great feeling of joy and relief.”

Mariya: “As a fashionable yet savvy emancipated modern woman, I feel exhilarated to find a good deal, so shopping therapy can really lift my spirits. And I love the Frasier sitcom. My fiancé and I both find it a great way to relax and unwind. I look forward to my ‘dates’ with this witty, classy, and creative sitcom. I’m also a big fan of the Harry Potter series of books, as they remind me about my own blissful high school years in Saint Petersburg, Russia. I have the Harry Potter collection on audio books and love to have a nice bubble bath and get away into the magical world of wizards and Muggles. Finally, my fiancé has this trick when it comes to making me feel better. He takes my arms and starts moving them up and down, as if making it look like I’m doing jumping jacks. It looks and feels ridiculous, especially when inside I feel sad or overly dramatic (it also works if I’m upset with him.) It always makes me laugh, no matter how hard I try not to. Once I start laughing…the worst is over.“

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Amber: “Even though my role is just one piece of the Amber American Red Cross pie, the Youngblood satisfaction of seeing the direct impact I can play in the organization is both gratifying and rewarding. To that end, though, my job can be quite demanding. To unwind and keep a balanced work/life perspective, I look for new and interesting things to do, try, or explore. I gravitate towards activities that are outdoors, such as biking or golfing, but regularly go to a local gym, take dance lessons, or do yoga. And a few years ago, I took up knitting when I was on a work trip and have taken classes to advance my level of ‘craftiness.’ Sometimes there’s nothing more calming to the end of a work day than creating something out of scratch and giving it to friends and family. I am at my happiest when surrounded by friends and family who have the desire and zest to try new things, whether it’s simply exploring new restaurants or attending events throughout town. Living life to the fullest and staying in the here and now versus worrying about the ‘what ifs’ of tomorrow, keeps me in check and thankful for what I have been blessed with.”

Mariya Tarakanova

Today’s Woman

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Who Has Time to be Unhappy? Karen Mize quite literally contributed to saving my life one winter night some 13 years ago in her role as the Kentucky Center’s house manager when I had a sudden full-blown asthma attack after having rushed up two flights of stairs to make the curtain for a Broadway in Louisville production. The fact that I had yet to be officially diagnosed as an asthmatic (meaning no inhaler!) made the situation particularly dangerous. But Karen, who had noticed me gasping for air, proceeded to very calmly take charge by putting her arm around me after I’d collapsed on a chair in the lobby, then talked soothingly to me while I sipped cups of water and brought my severely labored breathing back to normal. We sat there together in the lobby until she was sure I didn’t need an ambulance and my episode had passed. And we have since become very close to the point that the first thing I do whenever I attend anything at either the Kentucky Center, Brown Theatre, or The Louisville Palace (where she also works in the customer services department) is seek her out for a hug and a few minutes of catching up before curtain. Prior to working at the Kentucky Center and The Louisville Palace, Karen worked in the classroom of the JCPS for 30+ years. She has returned to the JCPS as the coordinator of training for the Every1Reads program.

Karen Mize

Karen: “My answer to what brings me out of ‘feeling blue’ is PEOPLE, PEOPLE, PEOPLE of all ages, and working at Kentucky Center, and The Louisville Palace places me right in the midst of a wide range of folks, including staff, volunteers, and patrons. And being able to share with and assist others with their needs adds a super boost to my day, not allowing much time for ‘blue’ days. My position with JCPS allows me to go into schools throughout the system, interacting through reading, going on fieldtrips, and even sharing the Junior Achievement Program with students. And my family, church family, and friends are always there to lift my spirits. We get together to celebrate one another, enjoy local attractions, and EAT. We simply cannot get together unless we go out to eat, visiting both sides of the river. It introduces me (a non-cook) to a variety of restaurants to draw from later. My ‘lunch bunch’ of ladies fit right into that mode. My love for reading also involves spreading the love for reading by shopping for books as gifts, which adds to the happiness in my life as well.”

Treasure Hunting Owner of the Crescent Hill Trading Company (www.crescenthilltradingco.com), a resale store specializing in urban treasures, oddities, vintage jewelry, and oneof-a-kind home furnishings. I liked Kathy Schmitt from the moment I met her exactly one year ago this month just after she’d bought the store. And not only do I frequent CHTC on a regular basis (I’m crazy about my golden-brown cowboy boots!), but we have also become solid Facebook friends. Prior to being a retail shop owner, Kathy worked as a compensation analyst for Mercer HR Consulting for 20 years.

Kathy Schmitt

Kathy: “I don’t have much time to ‘feel blue’ these days, as I feel especially blessed at this time in my life to own my own business and to do what I LOVE. Happiness for me is going shopping! Not just any shopping (as I never go to the malls), but I love shopping estate sales, yard sales, and antique malls. I get a thrill finding bargains and one-ofa-kind items for my shop. I don’t gravitate to the fine antiques but the unusual items located in the basement and garage…something that needs love. An incredible rush comes over me when I find something that someone once treasured — the odder, the better. My goal, then, is to find that special item a home. That makes me happy! I also buy from individuals, so I never know what will come in the door next. Every day is an adventure. My inventory doesn’t come from a catalogue. What could be better?” GIOIA PATTON IS AN ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT CELEBRITY PROFILER.

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Today’s Woman

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w e

Happenings, news, celebrations, and tidbits that caught Today’s Woman’s eye this month.

1 2

ar e1 9y e ar s ol d!

May your clothes fit perfectly, your hat bring out your eyes, your betting instincts be spot on, and the sun shine bright on May 6 and 7.

Something New

www.LouisvilleDowntown.org for downtown events and entertainment.

Eat Well Downtown

by ANITA Oldham

or many years, Today’s Woman hosted the HER Awards, for the Fregion. many heroines of our community who make a difference in our Here is a letter we received recently from our 2002 Evolving Eve (A person who has accomplished positive change in her life).

“I just wanted to write to you and tell you that I am the ever-evolving eve.

Since I have won that award I have graduated college. I obtained a job that I love working for Jefferson Community and Technical College. I work with young children and college students. I love my job! I moved to Southern Indiana, and I now live on a small 10-acre farm. My children are all in high school. My husband and I are happily married and will be together for 20 years in June. So, I like to think that I am the ever-evolving EVE who never plans to stop growing and changing. Thank you for awarding me that award all of those years ago because it absolutely suits me; it set the path for my life.”

Fleur De Licious, Downtown Louisville’s Fine Dining Week, will be held from May 13-21. Downtown’s finest restaurants will offer a special menu with a choice of an appetizer, an entrée, and a dessert for $35 per person (not include tax, gratuity or beverages). www.ldmd.org for a list of restaurants

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Jeff Ruby’s Maker’s Mark chocolate cake.

Man Issue coming August 2011 Know a man we should feature? Send an email to editor@todayspublications.com and put “Man 2011” in the subject line. 2011

Yours truly, Cynthia Polen

Janet has grown roses for 20 years and now tends 30 rose gardens in Louisville with the help of her sister Ellen Dries. She encourages roses for a garden because of the consistent color, variety, and fragrances available.

A Rosy Job Tending gardens and earning a living: Janet Miller’s life is turning up roses. “I work in a garden. It doesn’t get any better than that,” says Janet, owner of Sisters Rose Care and Garden Services. Her business provides a wide range of garden services, including maintenance on roses every two weeks

Derby Festival’s WineFest: May 3,4 Tickets are $35 Today’s Woman is a contributing sponsor of this event, so, see you there!

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n honor of Lindy Vance Hofmann, owner of Honey Vine Hats and a well-known Derby hat designer, we wanted to run the March 2008 cover of Today’s Woman that featured her hat. She passed away on March 17.

The Twilight Garden Book

Do you find that you have the most time to enjoy your garden in the evening times? This garden design book helps you examine the plants, lighting, and water features that come alive at night (Ball Publishing, $26.95).

It Just Sounds Good

A little excursion to Versailles — only about an hour west on interstate 64 from my office — is perfect for a May day. Woodford Reserve Distillery offers Picnic on the Porch Monday through Saturday, 11a.m. to 3p.m. and Sundays from 1-3:30 pm. from March 31-April 30. (859.879.1812)

Bob Mueller writes about his mother on page 48. I thought you might like to see a photo of her at her wedding, way before Bob could cause his share of wrinkles on her forehead.

May Days on Facebook

Our Countdown to Derby contest giveaway will be ending on May 7, but your chance to win more great prizes continues. Throughout the month, we’ll be giving away tickets to Holiday World, Sun Tan City gift certificates, a $250 gift certificate to Anabel’s Oriental Rugs, and a BandIt Workout System. Go to our facebook page (www.facebook.com/todayswomanmagazine)

On my bookshelf

Sherri Wood Emmons, an Indiana writer, has written a book about a family in West Virginia’s Coal River Valley. It is a captivating book about a dysfunctional loving family that grabs you and surprises you along the way. We have a copy that Today’s Woman will give away on our Facebook page on May 18.

n our Derby issue photo shoots ILorie we got the chance to work with Karnes, a makeup artist

with Blades Salon, and felt inspired by her new initiative. She has a makeup studio inside Blades so she can help anyone look better but also those who have had something happen to them that changed their appearance such as burn victims, cancer patients, or birth marks. “I can offer them a private comfortable setting to get a new look in,” she says. Contact Lorie at her Glitzy Glamour Designs, on Facebook, or through Blades, 502.893.0431.

Find a ghost in Louisville Historic district. Full Moon Ghost Tours will feature beautiful architecture and spooky stories under the light of the full moon. The tours depart from the Visitors Center at 218 W. Oak St. in historic Old Louisville at 9 p.m. and will last approximately 90 minutes. The cost is $25 per person and includes entrance to several reportedly haunted homes, a surprise visit from a neighborhood haunt, and a sweet treat. Call 502.637.2922. Coming Up: Full Moons on May 17 and June 15 (Tours conducted the day of, the day before, and the day after the full moon.)

They got me with the name.

I mean, I LOVE green beans. And what is not to love about organic, local food? Green B.E.A.N. Delivery is now delivering directly to consumers’ doorsteps in this area. The company’s goal is to make healthy and sustainably grown local food more affordable, accessible, and convenient to the community. www.greenbeandelivery.com/kentucky

Mothers – RETREAT!

Louisville native, Lori HadornDisselkamp, is a stay-at-home mom of four kids under the age of 11. She writes a daily blog www.faithfilledmom.com to inspire, encourage, and support other mothers. Along with Jenny Schiller, a marriage and family therapist, Lori has started a retreat series. The first of the series is Relax, Restore, Renew, a one-day event to give moms a chance to retreat from family and kids, to teach them some stress management skills to use in daily life, to allow them to connect with other moms, and to validate what they do as moms. The next one is May 14. You can find more at her website.

Caitlin’s Mom’s Advice: “Be nice to everyone because you never know who may be your future employer.” This month, columnist Caitlin Gaynor writes about mother’s advice. Read the whole thing online at www.iamtodayswoman.com.

Women Leading Kentucky 12th annual Women’s Business & Leadership Conference will be held May 18 in Lexington. The keynote speaker is Dr. Annie McKee, co-founder of the Teleos Leadership Institute and a faculty member at the University of Pennsylvania Wharton School. McKee often states that her journey to becoming one of the world’s top advisers on leadership has been full of risky moves and unconventional choices. McKee tells audiences it is a journey in which she learned to believe in the power of hope. The conference runs from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.; the cost is $175. www.womenleadingky.com.

www.iamtodayswoman.com

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W o m e n ’ s P o w e r B u z z

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CalEndar BPW-Business and Professional Women- New Albany Every 3rd Monday • 5:30pm Tucker’s American Favorites 2045 State Street New Albany Sarah Ring 502.550.9503 BPW-Business & Professional Women- River City Every 2nd Wednesday • Noon Lunch and Program noon-1pm University Club 502.499.4420, www.bpwrc.org eWoman Network Every 3rd Thursday • Noon Wildwood Country Club 5000 Bardstown Rd. Angela Reedus 502.592.8244 www.ewomennetwork.com EWI- Executive Women International- Kentuckiana Every 3rd Tuesday • 5:30pm Louis T. Roth & Co. 2100 Gardiner Lane Roberta Brock 502.581.2059 roberta.brock@pnc.com

IAAP- International Association of Administrative ProfessionalsLouisville Every 2nd Thursday • 5pm 4007 Kresge Way, 2nd Floor Paula Kessler 502.495.5116 Paula_Kessler@kyfbins.com www.iaap-louisville.org Legal Secretaries of Louisville Every 3rd Tuesday • 11:30am Jefferson Club, 20th flr 2000 PNC Plaza Darlene Kelly 502.568.5761 darlene.kelly@skofirm.com www.legalseclou-ky.org MLWPC- Metropolitan Louisville Women’s Political Caucus Every 3rd Thursday • 5:30pm City Cafe 505 West Broadway Angie Wallace akwallace0818@ yahoo.com www.mlwpc.org NAWBO- National Association of Women Business Owners Every 3rd Tuesday info@nawbolouisville.org www.nawbolouisville.org

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pring is a time of new awakenings and increased energy. The cold, dreary gray days of winter are behind us, replaced with longer, warmer days full of sun and possibility. What will you do with this opportunity? Like many women, sometimes I lose my perspective and get caught up in thoughts of what I cannot do. Opportunities I do not have. It’s a terrible game. I’m Addicted

udrey Hepburn once said “Nothing is impossible. The word itself says ‘I’m possible’!” This reminds me of a recent conversation I had with Sadiqa Reynolds over coffee. Sadiqa is a former lawyer and judge who now serves as chief of community building under Mayor Greg Fischer. When she was a senior in high school, a friend’s mother asked Sadiqa what she wanted to do after high school. Despite having impressive grades, Sadiqa hadn’t given her future much thought. “I guess maybe I’d like to be a paralegal,” she answered. “Now why would you want to do that,” she recalls her friend’s mom saying, “when you could be a lawyer?” It was an eye-opening conversation for her then, and serves as a reminder today when talking with her own daughters. “I will not limit my children’s imaginations,” she said. Thanks, Audrey and Sadiqa, for the reminders.

Inexpensive Beauty Products are Possible

New exfoliating cotton rounds feature a smooth side and a rough side for removing dead skin cells.

While browsing through the beauty aisles at Walgreens on Baxter, I stumbled upon a product I first used when I was 13, and haven’t tried since. Witch hazel is a natural astringent and sells for about $4 a bottle. Not only can it be used for cleansing and toning your face, but it also helps reduce inflammation and redness, can be used on bug bites and minor cuts or scratches, can help reduce acne, and helps to reduce razor burn. Walgreen’s carries the Dickinson’s brand, which bills itself as a pore perfecting toner for all skin types. I apply it with a cotton round every morning and night and have noticed an improvement in the look and feel of my skin. My skin feels clean and clear without feeling dry. Since my skin craves extra moisture, I follow this with a hydrating cream. I’ve also used witch hazel on minor scrapes, and despite its 14 percent alcohol content, there was no burning. Some folks don’t care for the natural fragrance, which is somewhere between diluted rubbing alcohol and perhaps musty wood. But if you’re looking for a great multi-purpose product at an affordable price, you can’t beat it. Witch hazel is used in many drugstore and department store products too, from Preparation H to Clinique’s Clairfying Lotion 2. Next time you’re at Walgreen’s, also check out the brand new exfoliating cotton rounds. A store-brand sleeve of 80 rounds sells for about $1.50. One side is quilted and soft, like most cotton rounds, the other side is rough to aid in removing dead skin cells. I bet it’s also great at removing nail polish.

A new find at the Dillard’s makeup counter is the Dior Addict Lip Glow. Advertised as a color-awakening lip balm with SPF 10, the product works with the chemistry of your lips to create a shade that is unique to you. Addict can also be worn over lipstick. If you have a shade you’re a little bored with, smooth this over the top and it will liven up your color and help it stay put longer. Addict feels a bit like Chapstick going on, but is quickly absorbed and leaves your lips feeling great. It moisturizes too! (About $28 at Dillard’s; also available at Sephora.) You’ll want to carry it with you everywhere, as I did. Just be sure to check your pockets before putting your clothes in the wash. I forgot to check and my tube went through the washer and dryer. It didn’t survive. But it also didn’t stain or mark my clothes. That’s a very good thing.

Out with the Old, In with the New If you haven’t taken inventory of your makeup and skin care products recently, you should. Products containing oil can expire and turn rancid — making them not only smell bad, but also creating unhealthy free radicals. Toss those along with any other product that has a past-due expiration date. Sponges and brushes should be cleaned a few times a year. Shampoo and dish detergent both work well. Use a small amount of soap, and be sure to rinse well. I lay clean brushes flat on a thick towel to dry.

And From the Creativity Files… Recently, I attended a reading and discussion of Sena Jeter Naslund’s latest book Adam & Eve (a futuristic telling of the original story). Naslund considers herself a Louisvillian, teaches at both the UofL and Spalding University, and authored the New York Times bestselling Ahab’s Wife and Abundance — A Story of Marie Antoinette. While talking about how she decides what to write about, Naslund offered a new perspective to an adage all writers are familiar with: Write what you know, goes the saying…or what you want to know, adds Naslund. While preparing to write Adam & Eve — a story that combines the search for extra terrestrials, sacred texts, and art — Naslund traveled to see 24,000-year-old cave drawings in the South of France, and to Egypt, where she cruised the Nile.

This Month Look for ways to be inspired. Try something new. Reawaken something that hasn’t been fed in awhile. Take a class. Take a chance. — Barbara MacDonald Comments, questions, and tips are always welcome, email me at Barbara@todayspublications.com

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She’s

Funny Make humor an everyday part of your life — Play along with these comical women who’ve learned to keep the giggles coming.

By Tiffany White / Photos James Moses / Makeup Holly Oyler / Styling Wendy Anguiano / Location: Kazoing Party & Play

onna Watts believes doing comedy routines is about more than generating a good belly laugh from the audience. Instead, she considers laughter a gift that should be given to everyone daily to get them through the stressful situations of life. She has devoted part of her stage time to charitable organizations like Gilda’s Club and Norton’s Primetime Club for older adults. For the performances at Gilda’s Club, “it was a time that people just sat and laughed so they weren’t thinking about the chemo, and at times you could have them laughing at themselves,” she says. Staying connected to humor offstage: “I make my own cards and mail them to people I know. It is my way of being funny and supportive.” What makes her laugh: “My hair, watching the Colbert Report, Jimmy Kimmel, and riffin’ with fellow comics.”

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Donna is wearing: Alice & Olivia green top, $253, available at Clodhoppers, 3727 Lexington Road, 502.891.0079.

Today’s Woman

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She’s

Funny

Karen Kane peasant top, $108; Robert Rose earrings, $18, available at Dillard’s inside Mall St. Matthews, 5000 Shelbyville Road, 502.893.0311. Evat Zoe sandle, $30, Off Broadway Shoe Warehouse, 4600 Shelbyville Road, 502.897.5232.

Holly is wearing:

olly Lynnea can’t imagine living a life without humor in it — and wishes most people would adopt the same attitude. “Life is serious enough, and I think some people take things too seriously. I am all about enjoying life.” The 36-year-old has been doing stand-up comedy for less than a year, but says she’s been a comedian her entire life and aspires to become a writer for Saturday Night Live, 30 Rock, or Modern Family. Last year, she graduated from The Second City, an improvisational school specializing in acting, comedy, and writing. Perks of a comedic career: “Before I was a comic, I would make a comment about something and people would look at me oddly and wonder why I made the comment, and now people think, ‘Well, she’s a comic,’ so they don’t take me as seriously.” Staying connected to humor offstage: “A genuine comic’s intent is not to bring comedy into their life. A comic just lives and observes, and they are just better at telling stories than the average person.” What makes her laugh: “Besides the fact that my biological clock sounds more like the Liberty Bell these days?”

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Her

Inspirations

By Holly Gregor / photos by Melissa donald

airfax Fair is a great storyteller. “I love to draw pictures with words,” says Fairfax when describing the sermons she gives on Sundays as the pastor at Highland Presbyterian Church. For the last seven years, Fairfax has helped her congregation imagine by putting them into the story she has woven connecting the scriptures to life today. “I want people to see that the text I’m preaching is relevant to today. It’s critical. It’s what it’s all about. It’s strengthening for us.” For instance Fairfax recalls the recent tragedy in Arizona when a gunman opened fire on Senator Christine Giffords’ event. “I have to get into the head of that neighbor who took that precious 9-yearold little girl to meet Giffords and was killed. How did she face the parents? Times like that we need scripture more than anything. Nothing human can come close to that grace. God’s word is so beautiful.” Fairfax did not come to the ministry easily. It was during her husband’s terminal illness with cancer that she felt God calling her to serve. “I fought against it,” says Fairfax. Even though she grew up going to First Presbyterian Church in Warren, Ark., she had never heard of a female Presbyterian minister, and she believed the ministry was just for holy people. Laughing, she says, “I also knew ministers had to learn Pastor Greek and Hebrew, and I wasn’t very good at languages.” Regardless, the call kept coming back stronger and stronger. “It was becoming more obvious that this is what God intended for me.” So, at 26 years old, she was a widow with a 2-year-old son. Fairfax saw how God could bring good out of a terrible tragedy. As Fairfax continues to connect the dots as they are shown to her by God, she finds special joy in the connections she has with the people she loves...her parents, her son, the parishioners, her fellow pastors, and always her connection with God. How does she connect with God? “I think it’s spending time with God. If we spent two weeks with each other, we could become really good friends. Likewise you need to spend time with God to know his grace, love, mercy, peace, presence.” What is her favorite way to spend time with God? “My favorite thing is knowing I can spend time with God anytime. I don’t have to drop to my knees or go

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Fairfax Fair to a certain place. I can just reach out and know God is there.” How does God respond? “It’s not always the same. I can be in a massive quandary, not knowing what to do. I keep talking to God and eventually I do know, and then I have a sense of peace. With his responses I realize God has a great sense of humor.” Evidently! God certainly had a sense of humor when Fairfax met her husband-to-be and his last name turned out to be Fair. Fairfax Fair. It is a memorable name. And maybe Fairfax thought God was playing tricks on her when God called her to serve. If that was God’s sense of humor, who is laughing now? Maybe both of them. Note: Fairfax Fair has just accepted a ministry position in Michigan and is leaving Louisville. Today’s Woman

13 Things That Inspire Pastor Fairfax Fair: 1. The love of God. God gives us life, all we have. Our only response can be gratitude. God wants what’s best for us. God is a constant source of strength, peace, and assurance. 2. The Bible. My favorite scripture passage is from Proverbs 3:5-6. “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not unto your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge God and God shall direct your paths.” It reminds us that God cares about us deeply. God is guiding us. God is an integral part of our lives. 3. My son, Walker, because of his work ethic. He is of a younger generation and if the people we leave in this world are like him, we will be fine. 4. My parents, Sam and Fufa Fullerton. They have been married 58 years. That kind of love and commitment to one another is rare. So few people are able to remain true to each other and be so deeply in love with each other...and have their love continue to grow. 5. Coffee. Because I use it so sparingly it gives me a little jolt. I love to drink coffee and just sitting with a friend. It’s a social thing. 6. Pastoral visits. They connect us. I visit if someone is hospitalized. I am there to let them know they are not alone... there is a whole congregation praying for them and pulling for them. 7. Sunny days. They lift your spirits and bring hope. If I have to preside over a funeral, I want it to be on a sunny day. 8. Walks in Cherokee Park. God’s beautiful space inspires me! 9. The Olympics. I like the athletes’ tremendous effort and dedication to do their very best. It also inspires me to see the world come together to work, excel, and celebrate one another’s accomplishments. Humankind can come together! 10. The New Yorker. The articles are so well written. Even if I’m not remotely interested, I read the articles because they just pull me in. 11. Long, hot shower. Sometimes I get stuck, and an answer becomes clear when I am washing my hair. I like spinning out creative things in the shower. 12. Simple acts of kindness. When I see someone go out of their way to help someone and they know they are not going to be paid back, it’s inspiring. We should all take those opportunities; they’re all around us. 13. Colleagues in ministry. We find points of connection and it helps that someone knows what we do in our work. It’s strengthening; we pull each other up and laugh together.

I love my Jacuzzi By Lucy M. Pritchett Photos by Landon Caldwell

Tell me about the inn.

It was built in 1850. There are six suites and a wedding chapel. All the rooms are named for prominent people who lived in the 1800s... Abraham Lincoln, Robert E. Lee, Stephen Foster, Florence Nightingale, Ralph Waldo Emerson, and Charles Spurgeon, a British author and preacher. It has 12-and-a-half foot ceilings, and original hand-carved moldings, and chandeliers.

How long have you and Landon owned it?

We bought it in 2002...five months after we got married. It was already a bed and breakfast when we took possession. That was Derby weekend, and we had a house full of guests.

Let’s move on to the fabulous jacuzzi room.

JANET CALDWELL 40, innkeeper, Mansion Row Inn, 1014 E. Main Street, New Albany Household: Husband Landon, daughter Lexie, 5, and son Dane, 3. Neighborhood: downtown New Albany

This is my favorite suite. I love the expressions on the guests when they see it. There is the marble tub surrounded by six marble columns. The ceiling over the tub is mirrored. The windows are stained glass. I did the faux painting on the walls. Three paint colors and a wadded-up plastic bag for the texture. I was up until 4 in the morning getting it finished for an event.

Do you live in the inn?

We did at first, and then we bought the shotgun house next door and added a two-story addition. We call them the big house and the little house.

Who does the cooking?

That would be Landon. We offer a country-style buffet of eggs, biscuits, sausage, bacon, and fresh fruit. He also has created the landscaping. He added a waterfall, pond, and gazebo. It is beautiful in the summer. I think the guests picture us sitting on the porch swing sipping lemonade, but it is challenging for us to relax.

What is the most difficult part of being an innkeeper? I am a perfectionist. I am always arranging the pillows or straightening something. I don’t like too many trinkets sitting around, as I think they distract from the features of the house. The inn is like our own home. We take pride in how it looks. We want to take care of our guests and make them comfortable.

Even though the jacuzzi is yours, it’s not really yours.

Well, it is my secret spot. When there are no guests, I come here to relax and de-stress. I sip some wine. Light the candles. Maybe watch a movie. I enjoy the ambiance. I feel like royalty.

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Today’s Woman

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S M A R T

S T Y L E S

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2011: The Hunt for the Perfect Salad

My Creation From the Gardens

Story and Photos By Melissa Donald

See page 42 for Melissa’s local asparagus creation.

PAGE 42

t’s May, and that means we are in the heart of springtime! This is the time of year when almost all the area’s farmers’ markets have opened for the season. So, what can you expect to see freshly harvested during the month of May in Kentucky? Asparagus! As a child, I do not remember eating much asparagus until my mother started buying it locally from a couple. I recall the first time I ate their asparagus. Now, keep in mind, I was the child who hated everything green. My diet consisted mainly of water, carbohydrates, and cereal. To my surprise, I was very impressed with this couple’s asparagus. It was small in diameter, crisp, and had a flavor I can’t fully describe. It was fantastic, and that’s a lot coming from a preteen who ate like a bird. At that time, there was very little advertising or attention drawn to buying locally. Perhaps it was because I lived in a farming community, and we were either already buying local, or we were growing the produce ourselves. For some reason this local asparagus tasted better, and because my family wasn’t growing this vegetable, it was nice to have something new, which in turn supported our community. In doing some research on what local produce is available in May in Kentucky, I checked with Creation Gardens, a Louisville food market place for chefs, restaurants, and people like you and me. Asparagus in Kentucky is an early crop. Check out your local farmers’ market for a vendor selling asparagus at www.louisvillecsa.com/csa/marketlist.aspx. Creation Gardens, of course, (like many grocery stores) sells asparagus year-round. So, the next time your meal calls for asparagus and it’s not locally in season, look up Creation Gardens at www.whatchefswant.com to set up an account and learn about their new retail setup. You don’t have to be a chef to shop there.

Approximate nutritional information, including dressing: Calories: 578, Saturated Fat: 7g, Fiber: 16g, Protein: 28g

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Asparagus Quinoa Salad:

½ c uncooked quinoa (soak first in about 2 c water) ¾ c water (for cooking) 1 tsp unsalted butter 1 /8 tsp sea salt 1 bunch asparagus (enough for 4 people as a side dish) — I prefer thin in diameter approximately 2 Tbsp olive oil sea salt and pepper to taste approximately 6 sundried tomatoes (chopped) ½ c blue cheese crumbles 2 Tbsps sliced almonds (toasted) In a bowl, soak the uncooked quinoa for about 15 minutes. Drain the water from the quinoa through a fine strainer and rinse for about 2-3 minutes in cold water. In a medium size pan, add the soaked quinoa, ¾ c water, butter, and sea salt. Place a lid on the pan and bring mixture to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat to low and cook for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let sit for another 10 minutes with the lid on. Quinoa will continue cooking through the steam in the pan. Cooking quinoa in this way turns out slightly al dente, fluffy, and less mushy — give it a try! While quinoa is presoaking, preheat oven to 375 degrees. Wash the asparagus and cut off about ½” from the bottom of each stem and place on a standard size cookie sheet. Drizzle the asparagus with the olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper and place in the preheated oven for about 5-7 minutes — turning once. This time frame is for the thinner asparagus. In a dry small frying pan, toast the sliced almonds on medium/high heat turning occasionally for about 2 minutes. Remove from heat immediately to stop the toasting process. When the asparagus is done, remove from the oven and position asparagus directly on top of a mound of quinoa on a plate. Sprinkle with blue cheese, almonds, and chopped sundried tomatoes. Serve with a lemon/balsamic dressing (optional).

Lemon/Balsamic Dressing: ¼ c fresh squeezed lemon juice 1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar ¾ tsp apple cider vinegar 2 Tbsp canola oil ¾ tsp honey Mix ingredients together well and drizzle on top of salad.

MAY

2011

Today’s Woman

Weight Loss Update 2011 story & photos By Melissa Donald

Read details on Facebook: Tips • struggles • inspiration

ur four women are wrapping up the final month of their weight loss challenge training, and each one has made progress in how she thinks about her body. Next month, we will feature O the big finale, complete with a makeover for each woman. Here is how they are doing this month. lo s t s 39 lb

he positive attitude and strong determination of Nikki Fouch amazes me! During the third month in, Nikki had gallbladder surgery, which set her back a few weeks. Gallbladder problems can be a common occurrence for someone who has dramatically altered their diet and activity level, according to her trainer, Kara Mohr. Two weeks after her surgery, Nikki started doing some Nikki Fouch light walking/ Age: 24 jogging. In the Height: 5’3” Starting Weight: 225 lbs. third week, she Current Weight: 186 lbs. started right Goal Weight: 160 lbs. back up again Occupation: Apple with the Mohr’s (computer) Specialist Bootcamp. Workout partner: Mohr Results Boot Camp

lo s t 10 lbS

Exercise Program: Mohr Results Boot Camp ~ Kara Mohr

www.mohrresults.com; www.mohrresultsbootcamp.com

“I

t has been truly AWESOME working with Merica Koch. These past months have changed the shape of my body, decreased inches, weight, and SADDLE BAGS! I am also trying to incorporate exercise on a daily basis with my girls. Yesterday we had a jump roping contest (minus the rope).” How fun and life changing that Desireé Bush Desiree is bringing Age: 32 her knowledge to Height: 5’11” her family. Jumping Starting Weight: 218 lbs. is one of the best Current Weight: 201 lbs. Goal Weight: 178 lbs. exercises that burns Occupation: Teacher and a lot of calories Owner of Grub-n-Scrub in a short period in west Louisville of time. Desiree is Workout partner: Merica Koch, Coach’s Fitness also working on eating lots of fresh fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. If she consumes a “not-so-healthy item” she eats in smaller portions. Desiree feels wonderful and is also very thankful for what the program has taught her.

lo s t 17 lbs

Exercise Program: Coach’s Fitness Club ~ Personal Trainer Merica Koch

channon has been attending YMCA downtown in their TEAM Training program with trainer Abbie Richard. Schannon says that she really enjoys this program and has seenMae even Pikemore results this month. She has lost more weight, and inches, and is looking forward to continuing with TEAM Training after this program ends. Schannon has learned a lot from this experience. She mentions that Home Cuisine has taught her the importance of smaller portion sizes and how they make a big difference in Schannon Clayton controlling how much Age: 42 you eat. Schannon is Height: 5’9” happy with her results Starting Weight: 256 lbs. and the change that Current Weight: 246 lbs. has happened in her Goal Weight: 244 daily life. Another Occupation: Case Manager for Healthy recent change for her Start Program is that she got married. Workout partner: Congratulations YMCA & Abbie Richard Schannon!

Exercise Program: Downtown YMCA ~ Trainer Abbie Richards www.ymcalouisville.org/downtown

lo s t 14 lbs

nfortunately, Cindy Wohl had to leave the weight loss program early due to her battle with breast cancer. For those of you who have experienced the overwhelming process of chemotherapy, and the medications affiliated with recovery, then you know why Cindy had to leave early. Cindy loved Home Cuisine and very much enjoyed working with all the trainers at Pilate’s Village. She too saw immediate results and says that one day she will get into a bikini! She is looking forward to getting back to Cindy Wohl Pilates as soon Age: 50 Height: 5’5” as she has the Starting Weight: 195 lbs. strength to do so. Current Weight: 181 lbs. In the meantime, Goal Weight: 145 lbs. we all wish Cindy Occupation: Regional Manager for KEEPS a quick and (Kentucky Energy Efficiency smooth recovery. Program for Schools) Workout partner: Pilates Village

Exercise Program: Pilates Village ~ Stacy Hunter Celi www.pilatesvillage.com

www.coachsfitness.com

Mae Pike

All of the food is provided. Food Provider: Home Cuisine ~ owned by Sandy Pike and Mae Pike. Home Cuisine is providing three meals a day for each participant. Home Cuisine, which specializes in preparing fresh nutritious meals, drops off the meals twice a week at Rainbow Blossom where the participants pick them up. www.homecuisineonline.com www.iamtodayswoman.com

2011

MAY

e r u t c i P fect r e P mor Hu

This photo was taken on a trip to Italy last May. We were wandering around Florence when a pigeon landed on this poor statue, who looked pretty concerned. Jolea Brown www.photoswithoutlimits.com

n llectio o c a thered omentsrom We gaf funny mm af o ca earphers. n o t caughal photogr loc

After several unsuccessful attempts to scale the backyard fence, Caleb wonders if he will ever get off of this fence. Charles A. Caudill http://chuckcaudill.zenfolio.com

This is a photo of my daughter, Kate, in the bathtub, that I took for our Christmas cards. Even at 5 months old, she had quite the personality!

This is Maple, the goat. She lives on an organic farm in Northern California where she was treated VERY well. Can’t you tell?

Jessica Powell

Louisvillebabyphotos.com

Melissa Donald www.melissadonald.com

The Elks Lodge in Lyndon was holding an Easter egg hunt for children and their parents. The lodge was like a time-capsule from the 1960s, with wood paneling on the walls — which were plastered with photos of lodge members from the decades gone by. I remember his name was “Bobby” and the older gentlemen at the bar at the lodge took delight in calling him “Bobby-Bunny.” Bobby-Bunny was related to a lodge member who persuaded the young man to don the visage as the Easter Bunny with free (Easter?) beer. The Easter Bunny mask was permanently fixed with a gawkish smile, and its eyes were filled with sugar-coated mania that is synonymous with Easter. The person inside the costume was not on the same wavelength. There he sat, alone in the back room of the Elks lodge, with a beer and a cigarette. He seemed like a nervous wreck at this particular moment caught in time. He was mottled in sweat inside the costume, poor fellow. James Calvert jbcalvert@gmail.com

MAY

2011

Today’s Woman

www.iamtodayswoman.com

2011

MAY

What My Mom Gave Me A lot of times children feel shut out because their parents did not make them feel they were loved. The greatest tragedy is for a child or youth to feel unwanted, unneeded, and unloved.

by Bob Mueller

here are many foundations of a home, but here, let us concern ourselves with the one foundation which is the most important — and that is love. In fact, if a home has this foundation and no other, it still has a good chance for survival. But it can have all other foundations and lack this foundation of love and fall into destruction. Once a man consulted a psychiatrist about the best thing he could do for his children. He had made a list, including such things as: providing material necessities, such as food, clothes, house, and all the others; assuring an opportunity for education; making available religious training; instilling in the children proper social attitudes; and setting a good moral example. The psychiatrist said, “All these are extremely important, but you have not named the most important thing you can do for your children.” The man wondered aloud what was more important than the things he had named. “The best thing you can do for your children,” replied the psychiatrist, “is love their mother.” I think that is a wise statement, because children are alive to the kind of affection there is between father and mother. Nothing gives them a deeper sense of security than to know their parents love each other. Nothing shakes them quite as much as to realize love is lacking between the two adults they depend on the most. My mom, Rita, died recently after a decade of Alzheimer’s disease. Because of this burden, she couldn’t remember, so I remember for her, that love was the foundation of her life. Until Dad had to move to a nursing home with Mom, he used to visit faithfully every day and spend most of the day with his beloved Rita. We all used to ask him, “Why do you visit Mom every day and stay so long since often she doesn’t even know who you are?” He said instantly, “She might not know who I am, but I know who she is.” What a perfect answer for total unconditional love and self-forgetfulness! Our Rita was very sweet, a little salty, and incredibly strong. The care providers at Episcopal Church Home used to call her “sweet Rita” because of her lovely smile and gentle ways. She loved music, taught all of her children how to play the piano, and found inspiration in many a melody. She loved to travel and always was filled with wonder and delight in the beauty of all creation. She showed her saltiness in making us practice the piano, do right, and live up to our commitments. Her strength was the importance she gave her faith, her family, and her beloved husband, Elmer. Her method of enduring her illness for so many years showed her strength and never-give-up attitude. Today we hear a lot about the needs of children and young people. They need a lot of things, such as being listened to and hearing their side, and learning what they are thinking about. They need discipline, but discipline is not enough. I can remember when mother used to get after us kids. She would take me in the bedroom and talk to me. She would leave me sitting on the edge of the bed, but as she would go out of the room, she would turn around and say, “But, Bob, remember, I love you.” That meant more to me than any other thing in life. A lot of times children feel shut out because their parents did not make them feel they were loved. The greatest tragedy is for a child or youth to feel unwanted, unneeded, and unloved. There are some other foundations a home needs, but if we have love — real love — the other foundations will take care of themselves. Without love, no other foundations are strong enough. The ultimate lesson my brother, sister, and I learned from Elmer and Sweet Rita is learning how to love and be loved unconditionally. We have been blessed with love, the foundation of the family.

Bob Mueller is associate vice president of Mission & Stewardship at Hosparus, the community hospices of Louisville, Southern Indiana, and Central Kentucky. He has three books available: Look Forward Hopefully, The Gentle Art of Caring, and his latest, Create a Better World. Find Bob online at www.bobmueller.org and email him at bobmueller@insightbb.com.

MAY

2011

Today’s Woman

www.iamtodayswoman.com

2011

MAY

Get Rid of the

Hair

By Cheryl Stuck

Methods of Hair Removal:

nwanted hair can make a woman feel less feminine and even freaky. Celebrity Kathy Lee Gifford has spoken many times about never wanting her husband to see her annoying facial hair.

Temporary

But today’s woman is lucky because there are plenty of methods for getting rid of unwanted hair. Whether you want to get rid of leg hair or annoying new hairs that crop up due to hormonal changes from childbirth or menopause, there’s a way to do it. We take a look at everything from temporary methods for removing hair to saying goodbye to unwanted hair forever. Local experts say the most popular area for hair removal is the eyebrow, followed by the bikini area, (some women are opting for the “Brazilian,” which totally bares the bikini area from front to back), then underarms, upper lip, and chin. In deciding which method is right for you, you’ll want to consider the degree of pain, from the tingling of depilatories to the ouch-factor of tweezing or waxing. And you need to be aware of possible skin sensitivities, which may cause rashes or burns.

What methods of hair removal have you tried?* Shaving Depilators Friction Tweezing Waxing Sugaring Threading Rotary epilators Electrolysis Laser Prescription topical preparation

• Shave or trim with a razor or electric shaver. • Depilatories are creams or powders that chemically dissolve hair. • Friction uses rough surfaces to buff away hair. • Tweeze with a small metal implement to pluck one hair at a time. • Wax with a cold or hot layer of wax which is quickly yanked off the skin after cooling or setting. • Sugaring is similar to waxing, but with a sticky paste. • Threading is a method of twisting cotton thread and then rolling it across the skin to remove even fine hairs. • Rotary epilators are tools that rapidly grasp hairs and pull them out by the root.

Permanent • Electrolysis passes electric current through the hair root. • Laser hair removal beams an intense heat through the skin to damage an individual hair follicle. • Flashlamp or intense pulsed light uses a filtered light to damage hair follicles. • Prescription oral medications. • Prescription topical preparations. 0

27 14 4 23 18

Shaving Depilators powders that chemically dissolve hair) 50 (creams MAY or2011 Friction (rough surfaces used to buff away hair) Tweezing Waxing

Advisory group members are: Margie Beeler • Susan Boddy • Christie Bollinger • Sherrice Bond • Kim Broecker • Jennifer Brown • Linda Burry • Kimberly Carpenter • Tamella Buss Cassis • Holly Clark • Stacy Cohen • Diane Collins • Pat Cooke • Funmilayo Dixon • Laurie Duesing • Kelly Davis Fleenor • Tanya Franklin • Julie Garrison • Carol Graham • Dawn Hayden • Pam Hayden • Mary Haynes • Gretchen Houchin • Mary Jennings • Alexis Karageorge • Dee Jay Kelly • Tomiko Coates Kiefer • Diane Kissel • Kristi Jedlicki Levenhagen • Melissa Little • Sean Maguire • Geri Manning • Lisa Mattingly • David McArthur • Anne McReynolds • Tara Morris • Maria Munoz • Tina Nuttall • Denise Orwick • Betsy Paulley • Mae Pike • Leesa Richardson • Ticonna Roberts • Cheryl Scanlon • Rhonda Sigler • Burke Stephens • Myrdin Thompson • Deborah Tuggle • Lannette VanderToll • Jessica Walker • Marine Walls • Janie Biagi Watts • Cenia L. Wedekind • Anthony Westmoreland • Cathi Wiley • Kathy Wilkinson • What methods of hair removalWilliams have you •tried? Debbie Allison Young

PAGE 50

*More than one method has been tried by some participants

Today’s Woman

MAY

2011

Our health advisory group’s experiences and feelings regarding hair removal:

“Now that I have completed the permanent hair removal process, I recommend starting with laser. Once those treatments are complete, get any remaining hair with electrolysis. I did it the other way and it took much longer and cost much more.”

Lauren Hatfield, operations and marketing manager for Clique Waxing Boutique, says that when shaping certain areas like eyebrows or bikini lines, waxing gives a sharper line than some other methods. But for eyebrows, some women prefer threading because it removes the peach fuzz that sometimes tweezing or waxing leaves behind. With threading, a cotton string is pulled along unwanted hair in a twisting motion. “Threading is a little more tedious, because the hair is removed in sections,” Lauren says. But she adds that threading is preferred by clients with sensitive skin because it doesn’t use products or medication. Dermatologist Tamella Cassis says that laser hair removal has been scientifically proven to be the most effective way to remove dark hair, but she says, “Laser hair removal does not work for blonde, gray, or red hair.” According to Denise Searcy, laser tech and office manager at Ultimate Vein Care, the laser usually takes 6 to 10 treatments because the hair has different growing stages and you have to get it at just the right time. She also recommends shaving a day or two before getting the laser treatment in order to shorten the distance the laser has to travel down the hair shaft to reach the follicle. But you have to do your homework and be careful to have laser hair removal done properly. Dr. Cassis has seen instances of burned skin — “not done at my office, but I have to take care of patients that it happened to at nonphysician-run offices.” Denise advises to ask friends who have had it done for recommendations.

PAGE 26

PAGE 48

Advice from the experts

Tina Nuttal, Stay-at-home mom and CEO of the household

“I see a lot of women that are distressed by an increase in unwanted hair on their faces, neck, and chest. It can make a woman feel unsure of herself and less feminine. My use of hormonal contraception has affected my hair growth.” Tanya E. Franklin, M.D., OBGYN, University of Louisville

“For me personally, hair removal is like the completion of a sharp, stylish outfit. I believe how you feel about the way you look under your clothes is the foundation to how you feel in your clothes.” Susan Boddy, Independent insurance agent

“I have grown some coarse, dark hairs on my chin after having my son. They are the most irritating thing on my body. These hairs grow in daily, making it a hassle to stay minibeard-free. I routinely wax and tweeze them. Electrolysis was the worst. It was akin to paying to be tortured like a hairy prisoner of war.” Allison Young, LMT, Spencerian College instructor

“Of the methods I have tried, waxing is the most effective. Rotary epilators are very uncomfortable and more uncomfortable than waxing.” Carol Graham, Physician; Urogynecology Consultants

Next month, our group will discuss plastic surgery.

Today’s Woman

www.iamtodayswoman.com

2011

MAY

THINGS

THIS Month

1 #

A Drowsy Chaperone Derby Dinner Playhouse

When  through May 15, various performances Where  Derby Dinner Playhouse, 525 Marriott Drive, Clarksville, In. Contact  812.288.2636 or visit tickets@derbydinner.com or groups@derbydinner.com *Group ticket prices for groups of 20 or more. — Gioia Patton

Da Vinci – The Genius

“Da Vinci – The Genius” features a vast array of full-scale machine inventions crafted from Da Vinci’s personal codices and reproductions of his most famous Renaissance art offering never-before-seen perspectives his work. When  May 14-September 18 Where  Frazier Historical Arms Museum tickets  $18.50/general; $7/children 5-14; free/children 4 and under Contact  502.753.5663 or www.FrazierMuseum.org

Murder in Hollywood: The Case of the Boa Constrictor

Everyone wanted something from the beautiful Sandra Townsend, but who wanted it badly enough to kill? The suspects gather at a wealthy film producer’s fabulous mansion, and you are on the guest list. Can you spot the killer in your midst? When  May 14-June 25, Saturdays @ 6:30pm Where  Hyatt Regency Louisville tickets  $43.95 (includes show, dinner, tax, and gratuity) Contact  502.426.7100

here was such an array of beautiful Louisville gardens and charming homes on the 2010 Kilgore House & Garden Tour that I returned for a second glance the next day. This year’s tour consists of six gardens and three homes; the garden settings ranging from a low-maintenance landscape to a park-like setting of over 40 acres. Renowned artist Peter Williams will be painting in the gardens. There will also be special demonstrations throughout the weekend and a large plant sale. *The annual tour is the fundraiser for the Kilgore Counseling Center, making it possible for Kilgore to continue to provide counseling services regardless of one’s ability to pay. May 21 & 22, 10am-5pm, rain or shine Follow the signs from Zorn Ave. and River Rd. (Exit #2 off I-71.) TICKETS  $30. In advance at Dolls Market, The Curtain Exchange, Dover House & Antiques & Mercantile, St. Matthews Feed & Seed, Second Presbyterian Church, St. Francis in the Fields Episcopal Church, or on the days of the tour at the gardens — Gioia Patton When 

Where 

3 #

Photo: Gioia Patton

ruth be told, I can’t recall the last time I laughed as much during a (newer) theatrical production than I did during Derby Dinner Playhouse’s production of A Drowsy Chaperone, which DDP aptly describes as “a musical within a comedy.” As a matter of fact, the night that I attended a performance, there was so much continuous laughter coming from the audience that I missed a few of the performers’ follow-up lines. Winner of five 2006 Tony Awards (including Best Book and Best Score), the story centers around the narration of an elderly man listening to his favorite Broadway musical (set in the late 1920s) — whereupon the show literally bursts to life in his living room. Everything connected with the production is top-notch, from the costumes, musicians, choreography, and scenery; although special kudos go to cast members Jim Hesselman, Colette Delaney, Kevin Crain, Lexie Dorsett, Philip Bryan, and Matthew Brennan (*whose Cold Feets song and tap dance number with the nervous “groom,” Jeffrey Funaro, brought down the house.)

Photo: Gioia Patton

Not To Miss

Kilgore House & Garden Tour

Abbey Road on the River

2011 marks AROTR’s 10th year as the biggest Beatles Music Festival in the world. And in the seven years that I’ve attended, the good vibrations in the air combined with sitting (or dancing) on the grass while bands (from around the world) perform the iconic music of the boys from Liverpool is such that I’ve never left the closing night festivities feeling anything less than refreshed, uplifted, and at peace. 2011 Festival highlights include recreations of the following (entire) albums: Sgt. Peppers’ Lonely Hearts Club Band, Rubber Soul, Revolver, Help!, Beatles ’65, Yellow Submarine, Let It Be, Please Please Me, A Hard Day’s Night, Abbey Road, and The White Album. When  May 26-30, day and night Where  Galt House Hotel and Belvedere Festival Park Contact  212.378.1980 or www.abbeyroadontheriver.com — Gioia Patton

Martin Lawrence: DOIN’ TIME Comedy Tour

Star and co-creator of one of my favorite sitcoms of all time (Martin, which ran for five seasons 1992-’97), the comic, writer, television, and film star is bringing his one-man DOIN’ TIME Comedy Tour to Louisville for one night only. Take a look at “life” through the eyes of one of the most brilliant stand-up comedians of our generation as Lawrence creates memorable characters, improvs, dances, and jokes about his time, your time, and how everybody’s “DOIN’ TIME in life.” Lawrence’s starring roles in films include: 1995’s Bad Boys and 2003’s Bad Boys II, co-starring Will Smith, Big Momma’s House (2000), Wild Hogs, co-starring John Travolta in 2007, and one of my personal favorites, 2008’s hysterically funny Welcome Home Roscoe Jenkins. May 21 @ 8pm Where  KFC Yum! Center TICKETS  $45.50, $55.50, $75.50 Contact  www.livenation.com or www.ticketmaster.com, in person at the box office, or charge by phone: 1.800.745.3000. — Gioia Patton

When 

If you would like to include your event in our upcoming issue, send it to Calendar@iamtodayswoman.com. Please include a hi-res jpeg image (photo should be 300 dpi at 4x6 size). We must receive your information at least 6 weeks in advance. No phone calls, please.

MAY

2011

Today’s Woman

www.iamtodayswoman.com

2011

MAY

Wrigley Reviews:

Neighborhood Pet-Friendly Shops

D photo: Melissa Donald

You will be greeted by a friendly dog at River City Canoe & Kayak.

By BRIDGET K SMITH

ogs are well known to be one of man’s most loyal companions. In fact, they are soon becoming man’s constant companion. There was a time when only guide or therapy-trained dogs were allowed in public places. But today the words “pet-friendly” are howling big time — pets ARE allowed. From the doghouse to flying ‘”pawsengers” in their own Fido-friendly skies,* pet-friendly businesses are booming. Pet businesses such as PetSmart and Feeders Supply Co. are popular spots with the pet lover in mind and house items galore to feed, pamper, treat, and fully accessorize your pet’s needs. Now that these places are pet-friendly too, your canine can shop with you and beg for everything his tail wags into. But what a special treat to discover the words pet-friendly while walking into neighborhood shops and boutiques right off the sidewalk.

pet-friendly businesses S. Bayly Boutique 107 S. Bayly Avenue Louisville

Crescent Hill Trading Company 2720 Frankfort Avenue Louisville

River City Canoe & Kayak 814 Cherokee Rd. Louisville

The charm is bursting inside S. Bayly Boutique with handmade crafts and one-of-a-kind gifts from local and worldwide artisans. Items from ceramics and glass to woolen handbags, jewelry, and much more can be discovered here. Not only the word art is spoken here — dog is pretty profound too. Cricket is one of the boutique’s dog mascots with endless shopping advice to offer. When three enthusiastic pet owners become business partners, you can be sure to see a four-legged species behind the counter sleeping or milling about the shop as if it were at home. I felt at ease with Wrigley on leash with the extended pet-friendly invitation to come inside. Without hesitation, I began to eye all of the beautiful arts and crafts, but I knew Wrigley was enticed by the huge jar of tasty dog treats outside the front entrance and wanted to know what the treat limit was per dog.

Just a hop, skip, and a jump away is another pet-friendly shop -Crescent Hill Trading Co. Up and down Frankfort Avenue are many shops and businesses but at 2720 Frankfort Avenue you’ll find a unique-antique-kind-of business where the motto is: Your place for urban treasures, vintage jewelry, collectibles, and home furnishings. You’re probably thinking, “Why would I take my dog into an antique shop?” Well, because Jackie said so. She’s the canine concierge. If she doesn’t greet you at the door, she catches up with you in the aisles of the store sooner or later. There is so much to see, and Jackie might even point out what you don’t see. Then quick as a flash, she’s off. Terriers. Gotta love ‘em.

In the Highland neighborhood, you’ll never find yourself “up a creek without a paddle” if you stop in the pet-friendly River City Canoe & Kayak (RCCK) located at 814 Cherokee Rd. Of course the obvious passion that the owners here possess has everything to do with the outdoors and involves lots of water. Fitting that the store mascot is a Labrador with webbed paws naturally suited for all types of water sports. Dogs rock at RCCK! And the major dog rocker is Denali, the female Labrador. If you’re not immediately greeted by her warm gentle hello, she’s probably hanging out in the next room with the rest of the pack — Mavis the boxer mix or Denver the Dachshund. Denali not only makes everyone feel at home, but every canine is her friend too. While I was speaking with an employee about outdoor classes for adventurous women, she quickly jumped at the opportunity to entertain Wrigley and show him around the place. She even offered him her toy, but he refused, all the while keeping his eyes fixed on the wooden paddles for some reason.

Wrigley’s Review: Daily neighborhood walks just went from super to doggone great for me! Imagine a place where they offer you treats before you do anything. I just don’t understand why the artists are starving when they have all of those dog biscuits. Inside scoop: Beware of the dog and cat item room, where my guardian could spend half the day sizing me up for the collars and leashes on display. I kept hearing the word “layaway,” which I ultimately decided meant, “Why put away tomorrow what you can chew today?” Stop, sit, and stay awhile.

Wrigley’s Review: I always try to sneak in, but Jackie finds me. She knows her way around the place, and she gets great traction on the concrete floors as she runs up to greet customers. I wouldn’t recommend walking through if you’re a bull in a china shop, but weather permitting, some wares are displayed outside for viewing. My guardian loves to dig through the treasures here and explains to me that each one has a story to tell. I stood by a wooden chair for 20 minutes, but it didn’t say a word.

*Pet Airways, www.PetAirways.com PAWS (Pet airlines where dogs, cats, and other pets fly in the main cabin — NOT cargo)

MAY

2011

Wrigley’s Review: I wasn’t sure why we were visiting a store with kayaks and canoes hanging from the ceiling. I didn’t think they would fit in my baby pool, but Denali soon convinced me that I should be more adventurous and think outside the pool. She gave me the tour while boasting that she gets to put her paw-of-approval on things like Astral floating dog beds, Chaco dog leashes, and The Under Dog doggie life jacket. That Denali is one lucky dog! P.S. The giant wooden paddles are NOT dog paddles, and don’t lick the water on the walls — it’s called a mural.

Today’s Woman

www.iamtodayswoman.com

2011

MAY

PearlsReal

Fake?

By Tiffany White / Photos by melissa donald

Can you tell the difference between authentic and faux pearls by looking at them? Most people can’t, so we’ll show you how.

IF YOU wear real pearls…

IF YOU wear faux pearls…

It’s easy for people to confuse real and faux pearls, but Brian Merkley, owner of Merkley Kendrick Jewelers (138 Chenoweth Lane, 502.895.6124), says rubbing the surface of the pearls against your teeth is one way to figure it out. “If it is smooth, then it is synthetic, but if it is rough or gritty, that is the natural surface of the pearl.” Cultured pearls, says Brian, are made through a process called nucleation. An irritant, such as a Mother of Pearl sphere or other tissue, is implanted into the mollusk, causing it to coat the irritant as a defense mechanism. The coating of the nacre over the irritant forms the pearl. Japanese Cultured Akoya Pearls (pictured above) carry a hefty price tag, but the time and effort it takes to produce them justifies their worth. The pearls must be two to three years old before an irritant can be placed into the mollusk, and only about half of those will survive the surgical implantation. Ten percent of those mollusks will produce a quality gem pearl.

Let’s face it. Not everyone has the money to purchase a strand of real pearls, but they do have options. Jewelry designer Sara Simpson (1437 Story Avenue 502.589.5557) makes it possible with her line of faux pearl jewelry. “Very few people own a strand of real pearls, and I think it has gotten to the point where people don’t know the difference.” She adds, “So the consumer then thinks, ‘why spend such a huge amount for real pearls when no one knows whether what you are wearing is real or not?’” Sara’s faux pearl necklace (pictured above) was made from a glass base, then repeatedly dipped into a fish scale solution. The repetitive dipping and buffing of the faux pearls gives them the same lustrous appearance of real pearls, but customers have the added benefit of paying less for them. Sara’s pearls range in price from $65 up to $300 and are made from glass or plastic. The versatility of faux pearls, she says, is essential to her because she can create varied pieces that are fashion forward for her customers. “They come in many different shapes, colors, and sizes.” Sara also accessorizes her pearls with natural stones, crystals, gold, and silver. Faux and real pearls require the same type of care to maintain their luster. To clean your faux or real pearls, Sara suggests gently wiping them with a soft cloth after you’ve worn them.

The decision to buy real pearls is a matter of personal choice, but the distinctive quality you get from them, says Brian, is unmatched. “Most people are buying jewelry to mark a significant occasion in their life, and you really can’t do that with something that doesn’t have intrinsic value.” To protect the luster of your pearls, Brian suggests putting on your pearls last. Since pearls are porous, they will soak up the chemicals from lotions, perfumes, or makeup you wear, and cause discoloration. Price: Japanese Cultured Akoya pearls, $4,248, available at Merkley Kendrick Jewelers

MAY

2011

Price: Faux pearl necklace with crystal frog, $245, available at www.sarasimpsondesign.com

Today’s Woman

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o matter where you go for advice, and no matter how many opinions you get, sometimes what Mom has to say is all you need. As much as we may hate to admit it, our Moms can actually be right. Once I got out into the real world, I started to really be thankful for the way my mother raised me. My friends and I were discussing some of the quirky things our mother’s liked to remind us about when we were growing up. These are definitely words to live by. 1. “When you want something, go after it.” My mother always told me that if I was really passionate about something, I had to work for it. Nothing in life comes easy, and no one gained success by sitting back and waiting for it to happen. 2. “Flat is fat.” My friend told me this is what her mother Dating reminded her about in regards to her hair. She always said that Dilemmas flat hair makes your face look fat, so she makes sure to pump up the volume. 3. “Karma.” My mom has always said that what goes around comes around, and I believe it. If you do good and put out positive energy, it will come back to you. 4. “Don’t get married until you’re 30. The way your man drives his car, is how he’s going to drive you through life.” Every time I go to my friend Chloe’s By Caitlin Gaynor house, her mother reminds us about how great it is to be young and fabulous. She says that we should wait as long as possible to tie the knot. 5. “Be nice to everyone because you never know who may be your future employer one day.” My mom was so right about this one. We live in such a small world, and you never know how far your kindness can get you. Maybe the weird girl in high school that no one was nice to now owns a Fortune 500 company, and you want to try to get a job there. People don’t forget kindness, plus being a positive person makes you feel better anyway! 6. “Have fun and play good.” My friend’s mom said this to her before every soccer game. Life is too short to take everything so seriously. Her mom always emphasized the importance of being happy in what you do and having fun. 7. “Say a prayer and everything will work out.” Maybe it was just one of those days, where nothing was going right. When one of my friends heard this from her mom she could relax. She realized that we have no control over some things in life, and we have to just have faith that everything will work out for the best. No matter how old you get, it seems to always apply. It’s true, mothers do know best.