Today's Woman September 2011

SEPTEMBER 2011

e l l n e s s

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Take the Wheel!

Find Your Courage, Find Your Happiness, Find Your Life!

Way To Go Woman!

Honorees

C o n n e c t i o n s

About This Issue

By Anita oldham

September 2011 articles

Contents

Power I Am Today’s Woman 10

6

By Lucy Pritchett

Survival Skills: Helping Start Opportunities 12

By Jennifer Thompson

19 Things 14

By Anita Oldham

Finding Your Inner Tiger

20

By Jessica Smith

Way to Go Woman Honorees 26

10

By Kathryn Grundy

Cheering and Jeering

66

By Cathy Zion

30

STYLE

Catch Sight of the Beautiful

34

By Barbara MacDonald

I Love My…Home Office

By Lucy Pritchett

38

A Journey Down the Aisle: Bridesmaids and Bridal Showers 40

By Lauren Williams

13 Inspirations

44

By Holly Gregor

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WELLNESS

Your 24-Hour Energy Plan

54

By Sandra Gordon

Find Your Inner Happiness

56

By Bob Mueller

Up Close and Personal: Claudia Coffey 58

By Gioia Patton

Who’s Watching Out for Your Health? 62

By Cheryl Stuck

The Hunt for the Perfect Salad

66

By Melissa Donald

Who Am I?

68

By Darian Eswine

CONNECTIONS

4 Things Not to Miss

70

By Gioia Patton

Makeover Supplement

46

Just Ask Joyce

72

By Joyce Oglesby

Real or Fake: Leather

74

By Tiffany White

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Today’s Woman

About This Issue

Channel Your Inner________ (fill in the blank)

Be yourself — just more so. In this month’s issue we want you to reach deep down and pull out the golden assets you don’t always acknowledge and might not even know were there. Look for the good. Look for the different.

Look for the funny. If you aren’t sure how to do it, flip through this issue’s pages to read the stories of 22 women who have taken chances in order to live a life closer to their best life. Since they — and you — have a few more years, we think life can keep getting better. Not always in a smooth, easy ride kind of way, but by taking the roads less traveled, falling in a few ruts, and pushing yourself up the hills. Come along with us as we keep discovering who we are and what we can be.

— Anita Oldham

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Today’s Woman

Volume 21 8 Number 9

We asked our staff… What have you tried that’s new to you or learned about yourself lately?

I tried Wii personal trainer game and was ready to quit after five minutes.

Cover On Our

Snorkeled and kayaked for the first time!

PUBLISHER Cathy S. Zion

EDITOR Anita Oldham

publisher@todayspublications.com

editor@todayspublications.com

COntributing EDITOR Lucy M. Pritchett

Editorial assistant Jennifer Thompson jennifer@todayspublications.com

Spicy sushi! By accident, but it was good.

ADVERTISING DIRECTOR Susan Allen

cheryl@todayspublications.com

susan@todayspublications.com

That I like scary movies. account executive Rose Helm rose@todayspublications.com

SenioR Advertising Designer April H. Allman april@todayspublications.com

Started collecting antique, wind-up, chiming, and cuckoo clocks.

OFFICE MANAGER Jacklyn Walker

account executive Teri Hickerson

jacklyn@todayspublications.com

teri@todayspublications.com

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Wine tasting with appetizer sampling class.

Whipped Vodka, yummy!

SALES DIRECTOR Cheryl Suhr

Assistant EDITOR Tiffany White tiffany@todayspublications.com

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nowing how to bring her greatest strengths to the surface has contributed to Claudia Coffey’s success on a professional and personal level. The WHAS-11 TV news anchor is enjoying the ride of her life with her son Jack.

Read more about Claudia on page 58.

— Tiffany White

SenioR page & Graphic Designer Kathy Bolger

writer/photographer Melissa Donald

PRODUCTION COORDINATOR Kathy Kulwicki

melissa@todayspublications.com

kathyk@todayspublications.com

kathyb@todayspublications.com

INTERNS: Kathryn Grundy kathryn@todayspublications.com Jessica Smith jessica@todayspublications.com

Makeup artist Holly Oyler

STYLIST Wendy Anguiano

Circulation Manager W. Earl Zion

wendy@todayspublications.com

Reprints are available!

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Call Jacklyn, (502) 327-8855, ext. 10, or email us at reprints@todayspublications.com with details and specifics.

Photo by Melissa Donald.

Makeup and hair

by Chris Avery from Shear Artistry Salon and Spa.

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

Today’s Woman

is published monthly by:

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

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.

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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.

Today’s Woman

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I am Today’s Woman

I try to build a passionate life in terms of noticing the natural world, caring about people, and claiming space each day to know myself.”

Neighborhood: East Jefferson

by Lucy M. Pritchett / Photo: Melissa donald

AGE: 47

Tavia cathcart

~ Executive director, Creasey Mahan Nature Preserve

Other job titles:

Author, poet, photographer, editor, interpretative naturalist.

An interpretative naturalist:

I help people connect on an emotional level with nature. I want to arouse their curiosity and interest in nature and make it relevant.

Working on:

A new book, Wildflower Wisdom. It will feature in-depth stories of 150 of the most common wildflowers in the Appalachians and Southeast region including how they got their names and anecdotal stories from our elders.

Other books:

Wildflowers of Tennessee, The Ohio Valley and the Southern Appalachians with Dennis Horn and, most recently, Bernheim Arboretum and Research Forest with Sharon A. Receveur.

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Household: Dog, Buddy

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2011

Why wildflowers:

We have a lot to learn from them, such as why they have developed as they have, the type of soil they grow in, how they attract pollinators, and how they survive harsh winter storms.

Ultimate goal:

To encourage people, children especially, to look at the natural world. When you take time to stop and look and learn to recognize flowers, it is like looking into the face of a friend.

Jump starts her day:

I feed my wild birds. I go through 40 pounds of birdseed a week.

I wander in my garden, which is made up of drought-resistant and deer-resistant plants. On my back porch, I read in a devotional, write in my journal, and have my coffee.

Pet peeve: Litterbugs.

Activity with the kids at the nature reserve:

To teach them to use all their senses — we go on an Unnatural Nature hike. I hide 40-some items that wouldn’t be found in nature: a pipe cleaner, stuffed animal, a wooden toy. They are to spot and keep count of the ‘unnatural’ things. The first time, they see maybe 10. Then I give them the ABCs of observation: look above, behind, change your perspective, and look down. The second time along the trail, their count of items doubles.

Favorite flower:

The bloodroot, a white flower with a yellow center. It flowers for a single day in early spring. It survives vicious weather — snow, winds, and rain. It teaches us a poetic lesson to live each day.

and Oldham County

What people may not know about her:

I lived in a log cabin off the grid in the High Sierra Mountains for seven years. There was no electricity or running water and my only source of heat was a wood stove. I wrote and studied botany. I lived among the bears and the mountain lions. My neighbors — my nearest one lived four acres away — were people who wanted to live consciously.

Scariest moment:

I awoke in the night to find a bear in the bedroom. It had just walked right in through the door. It was December and the bears were coming down from the colder mountain tops. I did the only thing I could think of: I growled at him and jumped up and started waving my arms. He turned and left. (Read more about Tavia’s bear story on our facebook page at www.facebook.com/todayswomanmagazine).

Today’s Woman

Survival Skills: Helping Start Opportunities

Lauren Goldberg “I

f you want to talk about survival skills, look at these women,” says Lauren Goldberg. The women Lauren speaks of are refugees from Burundi, the Dominican Republic of the Congo, Somalia, Burma, and Bhutan. Some of them arrived in Louisville after surviving devastating losses and long stints in refugee camps. And although they usually don’t come to America with much, many do come knowing how to farm. And that’s where Lauren steps in.

She is project coordinator of the Refugee Agricultural Partnership Program (RAPP), part of the Kentucky Office of Refugees division of Catholic Charities.

RAPP provides plots of land for approximately 90 families to grow food to feed their families and even to sell. Lauren works to bring together organizations throughout the city to provide resources for the participants as they start their new lives.

Rule #1: Become a Student

Rule #2: Ask for Big Things

photo : Melis sa Dona ld

Lauren studied international relations at Prescott College before she started working for RAPP in June of 2009. And although she has a bachelor’s degree and has an interest in food systems, Lauren says she is still a student of the refugees she works with.

“I learn something new every day,” she says. “They have an extensive agricultural knowledge. They’re experienced and confident, which shows a whole different side since they’re usually the ones having to learn a whole new culture and language.”

University of Kentucky’s agricultural program and Americana Community Center have provided training classes for RAPP, but Lauren has to make sure the training is helpful and relevant to the participants. For example, the participants don’t necessarily need to learn about American pesticides because they have techniques they’ve used their whole lives to keep pests away, making further training unnecessary and confusing.

“It’s important to ask what they need and see what they’ve used in the past,” Lauren says. “We want to keep it a participantdriven program and focus on what they actually want and need.”

RAPP is funded by a federal grant that supports legally resettled refugees, but money doesn’t mean much if there aren’t resources available to make long-lasting farms.

“When I first started working here, I kept thinking ‘what’s the “partnership” part of Refugee Agricultural Partnership Program?’” Lauren says. “Then I realized it was getting other people involved to make it happen.”

Lauren’s day involves everything from making sure the hoses on the farms aren’t leaking to searching for grants and enough land to provide for RAPP’s 90 families. Right now, RAPP participants farm on the land of a church off Southside Drive, in the 7th Street Community Gardens in Shively, and most recently in Americana Community Center’s gardens. Lauren also calls herself a production assistant when she is getting UK’s agricultural department involved for technical advice on the farms. But taking on such big and diverse roles doesn’t intimidate her at all.

by Jennifer Thompson

Rule #3: Listen — Even if You Don’t Speak the Same Language

Many participants of RAPP don’t speak much English or any at all, which requires Lauren to communicate with them through gestures, interpreters, or other participants. Still, Lauren emphasizes listening as one of her most important survival skills — no matter how long it takes or by what means the message comes across.

Working with other cultures also requires her to be flexible about the definitions of familiar words. Lauren had been working with the refugees for several months before one participant pointed out that when people referred to their uncle or cousin, they didn’t necessarily mean a blood relative — which sent Lauren back to the drawing board on who was actually a part of which family.

And just like at any workplace, a language barrier doesn’t always mean you’re speaking two different languages; sometimes it means the way people speak to one another.

“Like the Burmese — they are extremely polite, so it’s hard to try to find out their real opinion,” Lauren says. “But other cultures might be a lot more straightforward, and I have to remember they’re not trying to be harsh — they’re just expressing what they need to express. And they probably have to remind themselves of the same thing when they’re talking to me.”

Lauren has encountered some atypical cultural experiences along the way.

“I was at one family’s apartment, and a man in his 60s or 70s came into the living room wearing a woman’s long purple jacket from the ‘90s, and you could tell he was just so proud of that coat,” Lauren says. “At first I was taken aback, but when I thought about it, our own standards of dress are completely arbitrary anyway — and you know, it really was a beautiful coat.”

Lauren says that this incident is just one example of how important it is not to have assumptions based on your own cultural experiences and not to filter everything through your own idea of how life should work.

If you are interested in volunteering or donating garden tools and supplies, you can reach Lauren at lgoldberg@archlou.org or 502.365.4713.

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Today’s Woman

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

ar e1 9y e ar s ol d!

by ANITA Oldham

I don’t Have to

I love to tell other busy parents about new options available for feeding the family, and we just found out about Home Cuisine’s family dinner meal plan. Three familystyle dinners each serves a family of five, costs $135, and can be picked up at any participating Rainbow Blossom location.

Each meal adheres to The American Diabetes and American Heart Association guidelines and is made without the use of white flour, sugar, canned ingredients, or trans fats.

Contact: 502.896.0666 or www.homecuisineonline.com.

Royalty?

Are you

The Kentucky Derby Festival is looking for candidates to comprise the Royal Court and reign over the 2012 Kentucky Derby Festival.

Applications are available now on the Derby Festival’s website at www.derbyfestival.org with a deadline of October 14. The court is open to single, female residents of the metropolitan area. Read all the details online.

But you might be inspired to check online if you know that each member of the Royal Court will receive two $1,000 scholarships — one from The Fillies, Inc., and one from the Kentucky Derby Festival Foundation. In addition to other sponsor gifts, each woman receives a complimentary wardrobe.

Gioia Patton, our arts & entertainment celebrity profiler, recently interviewed Dog Whisperer Cesar MIllan, the world’s foremost canine rehabilitation specialist prior to his visit to Kentucky Center’s Whitney Hall, on September 23 at 8pm.

He is a best-selling author, much-in-demand public speaker and branded pet care product designer/entrepreneur as well as the star of the long-running hit television series Dog Whisperer with Cesar Millan. Here’s a sampling of the questions she asked him.

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In your experience, who’s harder to train/rehabilitate — the dog or its ‘clueless’ owner and why?

I don’t consider myself a dog trainer. I consider myself a trainer of people and a rehabilitator of dogs. There have not been any cases where I believed I could not help the dog, but there have been cases when I thought I might not be able to help the owner. Bandit was a Chihuahua whose owner, Lori, would not impose discipline — even when Bandit snapped at and bit her fourteen-year-old son! She refused to acknowledge that her own weak energy was creating a situation in which Bandit had asserted dominance and was acting as her protector. She thought that by babying Bandit, she was creating the best environment for him, and it was not an easy task convincing her that the opposite was true. In the end, she allowed me to help her; when I heard from her last, all three of them were living quite peacefully! Read her entire article online at www.iamtodayswoman.com. Contact: 502.584.7777 or www.kentuckycenter.org for more information about Millan’s show.

University of Louisville vascular surgeon, Andrea Yancey, MD, spent two weeks treating wounded American soldiers transported from Afghanistan and Iraq to the U.S.Army’s Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany.

This month, be at ACTORS THEATRE OF LOUISVILLE’s first play of the season

Sense & Sensibility which runs until September 24.

“I now have a better understanding and enhanced respect and appreciation for our military,” said Dr. Yancey, a member of the Society for Vascular Surgery. “Their mental and physical toughness and capacity for resilience were hard to comprehend. In spite of their injuries, they never complained or asked for pain medicine.

They did not want to inconvenience anyone.”

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The Dog Whisperer

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cook!

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Today’s Woman

www.iamtodayswoman.com

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Celebrate The Frazier History Museum’s seventh birthday on Founder’s Day 2011, September 3 from 10 am to 4 pm. The annual street party, which takes place in the 800 block of West Main Street, includes inflatables, educational crafts, games and activities, as well as food, the Louisville School of Rock and live performances by the museum’s costumed historic interpreters — and most of it is free! www.FrazierMuseum.org or call 502.753.5663.

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Bars to Walls

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What Happens at Whitehall, Stays at Whitehall

Whitehall will host the 4th annual Vegas in the ‘Ville on September 24. This event features Las Vegasstyle games (played for real money), chips, tables, and entertainment, including a Texas Hold ‘em tournament, beautiful showgirls, delicious upscale bar food delights

by Austin’s, thirst-quenching specialty cocktails, and an exclusive silent auction. New to this year’s event will include a celebration at Rio de Janiero’s world famous Carnival festival with Samba dancing, fire spinners, and colorful costumed servers. www.vegasintheville.com.

Proceeds benefit Whitehall.

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One of our former cover girls Rachel Ross hosts her annual benefit to support the work she is doing in Romania to help children. The organization is called Forget Me Not Ministries and the event is October 1 at St Mary’s of the Knobs Catholic Church. Contact Lois at 812.923.7718 or www.fmnministries.org.

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— Tiffany White

2011

Forget Me Not Ministries

Louisville’s Evelyn Strange was one of 10 women throughout the nation installed to the 2011 National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO) Board of Directors. Strange, who will serve as national chair, is president of AES, Advanced Electrical Systems, Inc., a full-service industrial and commercial electrical contracting and engineering firm. Way to lead, Evelyn.

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Inspiring kids to reach their fullest academic potential has been a lifelong desire of Jefferson County Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Donna Hargens.

“I knew since grade school that I would be a teacher…I never bought into the idea that other things were important, I just wanted to help students.” Hargens, who was the interim superintendent of Wake County Public Schools, N. Car., for 10 months, has maintained this same attitude throughout her career and says the decision to take the job with JCPS was easy when she realized their goals were identical. “I had read about how important education was to the community and this was a big deal.” Knowing she is working with people who don’t only say they want to improve the educational system but take action to make it happen, says Hargens, puts her at ease. In her free time, she exercises and reads. “I am reading Breaking Night by Liz Murray, a story about a homeless student who goes to Harvard. I love reading inspirational stories like this.”

SEPTEMBER

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Women Leaders in Insurance will host a luncheon on October 11 featuring Gloria Herndon. Check it out at www.wliconference.com

Rachel and Izabella, (now age 8).

Meet Dr. Donna Hargens

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It’s an art show of creations by inmates at 13 Kentucky prisons. The show is the brainchild of Kathy Salomon, a Kentucky probation/parole officer as well as a graduate student at UofL. View the show at UofL’s Hite Art Institute Galleries until September 25.

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Happy Birthday

Today’s Woman

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PANDORA PRODUCTIONS

“THE THEATRE COMPANY THAT TAKES YOU BEYOND BROADWAY”

opens its season on September 8, with the musical-drama

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A MAN OF NO IMPORTANCE

Check out their whole season at http://www.PandoraProds.org.

Tickets are a reasonable $16-$20 per show and the whole season? $75.

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When Aging Parents Resist Care

t’s a daily struggle — you’re trying to provide the best care and accommodations for an aging family member, and you’re met with resistance, tears, hurt feelings, and deepening confusion. You and your siblings could be trying to decide whether a parent needs to be moved to a long-term care facility or a relative’s home, or maybe you’re talking about hiring an in-home service to assist with bathing or mealtime.

Whatever the case, your parent can feel their independence is being taken away as you try to make decisions about the future, and you may feel like no option you suggest will satisfy them.

If your parent is opposed to a certain option (like moving to a residential care facility), be prepared to compromise.

There are many options available to ensure your parent is cared for and maintains his or her quality of life.

Whether you decide to hire a full-time, live-in caregiver, or look into an adult day program and arrange for meal delivery services, it’s important to remember that you have options.

Sometimes it’s necessary to bring a neutral third party into the discussion to mediate issues that arise. The Alzheimer’s Association employs trained care consultants equipped to lend a listening ear and offer suggestions to appease everyone involved.

If Dogs Could Talk, Would Mine Choose Peanut Butter?

I think maybe the cinnamon crunch cookies sound the best. But what will be Max’s favorite flavor? It is the story of another healthy cookie being made right here in Louisville, but these cookies are for both you and your pet to share.

So the back story is that these two high school English teachers adopted a pug named Winston. The little dog became part of the family and “Winston always wanted what we were eating,” said Melissa Little. But Melissa and her husband, Sean, discovered that many of the “people” foods that they were sharing with Winston were harmful. And, so Little Eatz was born. Little Eatz makes three different types of cookies composed of You can find the cookies at Feeders Supply and Whole healthy ingredients including oats, carobs, Foods as well as other places. We hear the biggest cinnamon, and peanut butter. problem is that many people don’t want to share the cookies, so the dogs might not be getting their fair share.

More Lynda Lambert?

We’ll be there!

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The next 100 Wise Women forum on September 14 will feature Lynda Lambert of Mainline Communications: 102.3 The Max. Presented by Today’s Woman magazine and Leadership Louisville Center, the 100 Wise Women forums connect emerging women leaders with experienced, successful women. Register at www.leadershiplouisville.org.

Brooklyn Rundfunk Orkestrata

He won a spot in our man issue first…Seviche’s chef/ owner Anthony Lamas won the title of Extreme Chef on the Food Network show’s season finale. He was on the Wild Wedding Cook Off episode.

— by Teri Shirk, President of the Greater Kentucky & Southern Indiana Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association

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The Greater Kentucky and Southern Indiana Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association will hold the 22nd annual Walk to www.iamtodayswoman.com End Alzheimer’s in Louisville on September 10.

This year, 11 Walks to End Alzheimer’s will happen in Kentucky and Southern Indiana. Go to www.alz.org/kyin or call 502.451.4266.

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The Hills Are Alive

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September 22 at 8 p.m. at Bomhard Theater Tickets are $25. 502.584.7777, www.kentuckycenter.org

Get Rid of Old Gadgets

I am thinking of the old stuff my family can take to the Target store. Target now has an in-store program through NextWorth (www.NextWorth.com). Consumers can bring their old gadgets — cell phones, iPads, Nintendo DS systems, and more — directly to the store to receive credit toward a purchase or a prepaid Target card. Check www.Target.NextWorth.com to find the local stores.

Today’s Woman

Finding Your Inner

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“Courage is swallowing your pride.”

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fter a combined 11 years at American Commercial Lines in Jeffersonville, Brooke Egan’s professional life jerked to a stop when she was laid off the morning of February 21, 2011. The former senior corporate counsel drove home, lay on her laundry room floor, and cried.

Three months later, after turning down a job offer in Nashville, Tenn., she started practicing law at Tilford Dobbins Alexander, PLLC in Louisville.

Brooke, 39, said learning to swallow her pride and realizing what was most important gave her the courage to start her new endeavor.

“Pride is the biggest thing that takes a beating — I think the pride of having to say, ‘What am I going to do tomorrow? How am I going to earn money?’” Brooke says. “I really took stock in my life in a way I probably hadn’t before.”

After talking with her husband and three young children, Brooke says she soon realized this change was overdue for her family, and she started seeing her layoff as an opportunity.

The first challenge of her transition came in a tempting job offer from Nashville, Tenn. The risk of turning it down caused Brooke and her husband to evaluate what was most important in their lives.

At the end of the day, Brooke realized she didn’t want to move her family away from their relatives and friends.

“It’s important my kids see their grandparents and have their friends, to be in a community where people are looking out for you,” Brooke says. “Louisville has that.”

After establishing her family focus, Brooke decided to pursue a career where she would have more control over her destiny. Her years of experience in corporate law gave her the confidence she needed to venture out.

“I had to swallow my pride again and go knocking on doors,” she says. “I had to say, ‘I have zero clients today, so take a chance on me.’

Fortunately, Tilford said yes.”

Since she started in May, Brooke has been working to raise her business from the ground up. She says she loves her ability to serve a broader group of clients, especially small businesses and individuals, at exceptional billing rates.

She also says her risk-taking is worth it.

“It’s not an overnight fix,” she says. “It’s going to be a lot of work, and I’m going to do that work every day and chip away at it. I felt like I had personally failed, then it turned out that I wish I had done this years ago, and I’m so much happier now.”

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Chasing after their dreams, and occasionally showing a little claw…

by Jessica Smith / photos by melissa donald

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“Courage is listening to your intuition.”

“We wanted to have this new chapter of our life,” Stephanie says. “It’s all about making choices. We put all of our hopes and resources into starting this business, and so that’s always a nervewracking thing.”

But Stephanie says trusting her intuition gave her the courage to move across the country.

“When we were searching for the place we wanted to live in and looking at criteria on the Internet, I thought, ‘We’ll know where we’re supposed to live when we see it,’” Stephanie says.

“And there has never been a time when I thought we made the wrong decision or thought we should move back.”

Since settling in Louisville, Will’s business has flourished, and Stephanie has worked about a year as a communications manager for 21c Museum. They just bought their first house in the St. Matthews area and are rebuilding their network of friends and support.

Stephanie says she’s glad she and Will were proactive in their decision to move to Louisville.

“No one is ever going to present an opportunity to you in life on a silver platter,” she says. “You can’t just sit and hope that you’re going to wake up and something is going to be different the next day. You know the right answer — you just have to believe that you do.”

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tephanie Greene, 30, knew it was her husband Will’s dream to start his own Vanguard Cleaning franchise in a new city. On a Southwest Airlines flight back to their San Francisco home in 2007, the two pored over the plane’s distinctive cocktail napkin, which lists each U.S. city included in the airline’s route.

“Where do you want to go?” Will asked.

We’ll know which city is right when we see it, Stephanie thought.

The couple had been living together in San Francisco for six years, and they knew they were ready for a change. Seeking more affordable living and proximity to family, the Greenes had the option — and the challenge — of choosing a new life in one of hundreds of U.S. cities.

They looked at Albuquerque, N.M. They researched Kansas City.

They talked about Dallas and Madison, Wis. But it wasn’t until they visited Louisville that something fell into place for Stephanie.

“We just really fell in love with the architecture, the green space, art scene, music,” Stephanie says. “Louisville just has a vibe of ‘you can be yourself here.’”

So the Greenes left everything — their friends, their West Coast comfort zones, and all their connections — and moved to Louisville in April 2010 to start the new franchise.

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W

hen Anastasia Weis-Cullen decided to abandon her 10-year career as an attorney to open a bakery, some of her own family members told her she was nuts.

But nuts were what gave Anastasia the drive to see past her naysayers.

Two of Anastasia’s three children, Christian, 8, and Gabriella, 6, have peanut and tree nut allergies. Gabriella’s allergies are so severe that she can’t even eat something that was made in a place where peanuts or tree nuts are present without a life-threatening reaction. That rules out any store-bought or bakery-made cookies, bread, cupcakes, chocolate, and ice cream.

As her children began attending preschool, Anastasia knew they would never able to eat cupcakes for Valentine’s Day or cookies at snack time. So she began baking allergy-safe treats at home and bringing them to her children’s group events.

She started getting more and more requests for her special pastries. And what began as an endeavor to include her kids in sweet-toothed celebrations soon became an opportunity for the internationally known attorney to change her life direction.

“It was one of those things that if I hadn’t done it, I always would have wondered what would have happened and regretted not doing it,” Anastasia says. “I’d been an attorney for 10 years, but I was not completely happy being an attorney. I didn’t want to be 80 years old looking back and saying I hated every day going to work.”

Anastasia, 44, had taken risks before.

Born in Louisville, she’d followed jobs to Columbus, Ohio, and to Cincinnati. She’d lived in Paris and Geneva, Switzerland.

She’d worked on international law cases from the streets of Chicago.

But becoming a baker would require a new courage: She’d have to go back to school.

At age 41, Anastasia enrolled in Sullivan University’s baking and pastry program.

“I was the old fogey lady,” Anastasia says with a laugh. “I was out and working before some of the other students were born.”

After earning her degree, Anastasia opened Ooh La La! Bakery on Plantside Drive in November 2009. The bakery is the only one in Louisville that specializes in peanut- and tree nut-free products, and we’re talking much more than sans-nuts chocolate chip cookies. Anastasia and her team have whipped up such fresh delicacies as watermelon mint and margarita cookies and heirloom tomato tarts. The bakery has been so successful that Anastasia is currently in the process of expanding to a larger location near I-264 and Brownsboro Road.

“Courage is a little bit of insanity.”

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Looking back, Anastasia says she’s glad she took the risk.

“I’m a creative person, and people are much happier to see you show up with cookies than a legal brief or summons,” she says. “I just think it’s much better for my personality.”

It all comes back to the nuts. Anastasia says believing in herself and in what she was doing gave her the courage to forge an entirely new career.

“When you see a kid’s face and they’re just so happy because they’ve gotten the first birthday cake they’ve had in a lifetime — I just want to give it to them free,” Anastasia says. “That will always be a part of what we do. That was the reason we started to begin with.”

Today’s Woman

www.iamtodayswoman.com

2011

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25

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oman

Our

Way to Go

honorees are taking the initiative, making the

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hristine Durrett, 37, is an attorney and partner at De Renzo Durrett, PLLC. Christine volunteers at the Legal Aid Society Pro Se Divorce Clinic and is a member of several legal associations including the Louis D. Brandeis American Inn of Court.

ennifer Fabel, 32, opened her business A Fabulous Me Fitness, LLC in May, 2011, and has been a ZUMBA instructor since 2009. She is also a member of Supporting Heroes and a devoted supporter of the Crusade for Children.

Can you point to a personal or professional milestone in your life?

The birth of my twin sons in March 2007. I had been married for 11 years and a practicing attorney for seven when the boys came along. I was driven on a path and settled into a life that was flipped upside down. Priorities changed. I needed the flexibility and control that I could only derive from starting my own firm. So, in September 2007, I quit my stable job at an insurance defense firm and hung out a shingle. In 2008, I firmed up with my friend and colleague, Amy De Renzo, and I’ve never looked back!

Describe yourself in one word. Irreverent.

I feel most gratified when…

All the plates keep spinning. I’m balancing a lot — family, church, and work — so when everything works out how it’s supposed to, I’m like, “Look at me…”

What’s your secret to keeping everything balanced?

Prioritize. Prioritizing is the main thing…but also having a good support network around me.

Why is it important to belong to civic leadership associations?

The ability to give back to the community in one way or the other, the ability to improve society through those organizations. KJA sort of goes politically; Inn of Court is like a think tank, we sit around and think about things; LBA actually is practically helping out in the community, so it’s an overriding theme of giving back. It’s nice to actually get to help the little guy, not all lawyers are greedy.

Describe yourself in one word: Fun What’s unique about your ZUMBA studio?

That I know of, A Fabulous Me Fitness is the only ZUMBA-only studio so far in Louisville. And I think it’s a friendly place. My girls feel like my friends more than my clients or my students. It’s like a big group of girlfriends getting together and laughing and dancing and having fun. It’s more of a place that they can come to relieve stress, and that’s what I think is special.

So ZUMBA is your form of stress relief?

Oh, yeah. I can have the worst day ever and as soon as the first song starts, I feel better. It really is a big support system. When any of us have a bad day, we come in and we feel better, just kind of sweating it out.

What drives you to stay motivated?

Professionally, I stay motivated because I have to be there for them. My students or friends, my ZUMBA chicks look to me as a motivator, and I need to be motivating so they can continue to press on. There are days when I just don’t feel like doing it, but I know I have to get up and do it. That’s what motivates me — motivating them.

I feel most gratified when…

Someone in my ZUMBA class tells me that they now look forward to exercising and that I have made a difference in her life. I know that it is a business, but these girls are more like friends to me than “clients” so their goals are my goals too!

The things I am working on right now are…

Working to finish my personal training certification, continuing to work on ways to make my business the best it possibly can be, spending as much time as I can with the ones that I love and making sure to show them how much I appreciate their love and support…oh, and working on some NEW kick-butt ZUMBA routines!

What is your mantra? Get it done.

I would feel successful if …

My kids graduate college without student loans and I can retire in comfort before the age of 70.

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Today’s Woman

tough decisions and always putting their community first.

By Kathryn Grundy / Photos by Melissa Donald / Makeup by Holly Oyler

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tephanie Fellon, 34, serves on the board of directors of Gilda’s Club Louisville, the Board of Governors at the Speed Museum, and is a member of Mockingbird Valley Preservation Alliance.

onica Hunter, 32, started New Dimensions Christian Church and Outreach Ministries with her husband, Chad Hunter, in 2008. In addition to her involvement with the ministry, she is a 6th grade language arts teacher at Noe Middle School, CARE teacher leader, and coordinator for the Girls Going Places program.

I feel most gratified when…

I am able to see the work I do in the community making a difference in the lives of others.

What’s rewarding about working with Gilda’s Club?

I think it’s such a great organization, for one. And I’ve been involved from the very beginning. We did a lot of fund raising and work before Gilda’s Club actually opened, for about three years, to make sure that it was going to be a really good service for Louisville. It was such a good feeling when it finally opened to know I had a hand in this.

And now?

I love meeting the people down there and seeing how Gilda’s Club gives back to the community, and seeing how what we do with fund raising really makes a difference in the lives of people going through cancer.

What are some of the challenges you encounter?

Time is always a challenge. I know that just having a baby, well, a toddler now, and a husband, and just life, it’s hard fitting it all in. It takes a lot of time and balancing and juggling all those commitments.

How do you juggle everything?

Delicately…I think it’s important to prioritize what you really want to work on, and what things really mean something to you so you’re not giving a little bit to everyone, but focusing on what matters most to you. You either should be having fun or learning. That’s kind of my mantra.

Describe yourself in one word. Even-tempered or organized, one of those two, but some people might say funny.

Do you have a person you admire most?

I would say, in Louisville, Lindy B. Street, and I blame her for getting me into all this, but I do really admire her. There are just so many women doing amazing things. It’s hard to pick just one. I could say Oprah but my husband would laugh me out of the house.

Describe yourself in one word. Driven I feel most gratified when…I come into contact with women with jagged backgrounds, and I positively influence them into striving for greater and better.

What is something you love about your work?

We started our women’s ministry a while ago, but I revamped it recently and since May we’ve grown from about five women to 36 women. I really take pride in motivating women, especially when you come into contact with someone who has a similar background. My background is not the best, but I took what was put before me and I used that to achieve and to go further in life. I get a lot of women who say, “I can’t do that.” And I don’t know if God allows me, but I can see into women and see what they’re going to be good at, whether they’re going to a great communicator, whether they’re going to be able to lead.

I like the fact that I’m able to see where they are and see what they’re able to become. I really love that.

Do you consider yourself a mentor?

Yes. I feel like all of the women, even if they’re 60, I feel like all of them are my children. I feel the need to be there for everybody, like I’m there for my kids.

How do you stay motivated?

One thing I do is I set goals. I know what I want to do 20 years from now, and so I set yearly goals. Goals really drive me to succeed and press forward because I would never be able to achieve what I want to achieve without first seeing what I want to do.

What’s next for you?

Hopefully I will able to work at the ministry full time. We also want to start a charter school for lower income families in New Albany, Ind., which is unheard of, so that’s one reason I’m going to school to get my educational leadership for my third degree.

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oman Way to Go

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egan Jean Laughlin, 25, is the educational coordinator as well as a direct support professional at Dreams with Wings. She presides over the Adult Literacy Program and the Health and Wellness Program, which empower adults with developmental disabilities.

aime Lynne Patterson, 36, founded the law firm of Schmitt & Patterson, PSC with a colleague in 2009. She represents individuals who are seeking Social Security benefits, often during dire medical, financial, and emotional circumstances. She serves as vice chair of the Social Security Section of the Louisville Bar Association.

How has your tenacity helped you achieve your goals?

I started working in the field of psychology when I was 18, and you can’t really work in this field until you’re 18. So I dove in as soon as I could and the first jobs I had were at a several psychiatric facilities, which were extremely trying emotionally and physically. To me, there was a lot of tenacity in that because, when you’re going to work and coming home with black eyes and bite marks, you know some of the uglier sides of a field of study that you love. You have to be willing to stick to it even when it’s really rough, and a lot of the time, those not-so-fun parts lead to something really rewarding.

What is rewarding about your work?

I know that sounds really cheesy, but I get a hug every day, and I have 30 people that are so excited to see me at our day program. Just knowing that you’ve really made some sort of positive impact on somebody and you can see it.

Describe yourself in one word: Compassionate.

What challenges do you face?

Our big thing is community integration. We want our folks to be part of their community, to be seen doing really positive things. You know they have jobs, they go to school, they’re getting married. So the hardest part is seeing people react to us negatively in public. There’s an aspect where I do want to protect them from that, but then they also need to experience it, so that they can become a little bit stronger and a little bit thicker-skinned, and also so they can show people that those stigmas aren’t true.

The things I am working on right now are…

I am applying to Spalding University for entrance into the Psy.D. program.

I hope to have acquired my Ph.D. in clinical psychology by the time I’m 31. I want to be a practitioner in the field, I want to do counseling and psychotherapy, and I want to be able to teach at a university level.

What inspired you to become an attorney?

I was a paralegal for a really long time, and I decided I was going to make a fortune as a lawyer. Right? Well I make very little money. But, it’s ideally suited to me because I like to help people, and people have rights. There were times in my life when I was so young and I got kicked around by the system, and made to feel bad about myself and my child, so I like to make sure people’s rights are respected. It’s just part of who I am, because I’ve always been that way. Everybody ends up with their calling in life.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of your work?

Knowing that whether the person won or lost, that at least everything that had to be explored was explored. I like to make sure that I know I did everything I could do to help them get a fair trial, a fair hearing, that that was obeyed.

I feel successful when…

I see the happy home in which my children live.

Something you’re proud of?

When I passed the bar in 2008, even though I had never practiced law a day in my life until then, I felt like I had accomplished everything that I wanted to accomplish as a teenage mom.

Describe yourself in one word. Stubborn.

What’s the story with this chicken?

I had read online about people who had chickens as pets, and I researched a lot about it. I had been going to the flea market in Elizabethtown to promote my law practice, and they sell chickens there, and I went ahead and bought Her Honor for $8. That’s the best thing about Kentucky, that it is such a mix of the country and the city, and striking a balance. I mean look at her, how could you not have a chicken?

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Today’s Woman

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ennifer Simpson, 35, is chair of Prom Project Ministry at Northeast Christian Church, an outreach program that has provided prom attire to over 1,000 girls who wanted to attend prom but lacked monetary resources.

ulie Weihe, 31, works for Louisville Gas & Electric and is a canine coach for the Kentucky Humane Society and an important voice for shelter animals in the Louisville community.

What drives you to volunteer?

I have found that if you have more, you can give more. I grew up privileged, and I never had to go through the financial struggles that a lot of families now are going through, and I have always felt extremely grateful and blessed. I just feel like I have to give back, I love to give back, and I get more by giving. And I have especially found that through this ministry.

I would feel successful if… the teens that Prom Project touches truly understand what it means to feel God’s love. I am astonished at the many layers of individuals whose lives are touched through this ministry, myself included. Prom Project isn’t just about getting that perfect princess dress to a girl.

Our volunteers are continually moved in ways they never expected.

The gift one receives through serving others can’t be replaced with a tangible object. Success comes from lives that are touched and transformed. I occasionally get to witness a full-circle story about a teen and a mom. These particular stories are the reason why we do what we do.

Describe yourself in one word. Resourceful.

Who do you admire most?

I can’t say a person, but I am a fairly new Christian, so it all just goes back to God. I know that sounds like a cliché, but that’s really where the heart of our ministry is. We just show these girls God’s love through a dress.

I would feel successful if…

The general public were educated about and participated in the many programs available through a variety of animal welfare agencies. Most people don’t realize that you can get a wonderful healthy pet through a local shelter. Even more people don’t know that there are breed specific rescues to adopt from if they want a particular type of pet. I would love for people to understand the importance of spaying and/or neutering their pets.

What’s one of the toughest parts about your work with KHS? I have to learn to control my emotions, with anything that I care a lot about, especially with the animals. I know that I can’t save them all, but there are times when I can’t save one and I’m sad, but just to see one get adopted makes it worth it.

I feel most gratified when…

When someone I have been in contact with adopts an animal from a shelter or rescue. It pleases me when people spay and neuter. I love hearing the success stories about the animals that get adopted and how much love they provide.

Could you describe yourself in one word? Passionate If you could have super powers, what would you want your super powers to be?

That is awesome because I have actually thought about this question — my husband is a big superhero fan. Mine, no surprise, would be the ability to talk to animals, communicate with animals. I would be like ‘don’t go out in the road!’ Oh, I’ve thought that through way too much.

www.iamtodayswoman.com

2011

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29

Cheering and Jeering

by Cathy Zion / Publisher

I

t’s great to read about the amazing achievements of our Way to Go Woman! honorees in this month’s issue. These young women are excelling not only professionally but, more importantly, in their unified support to improve the lives of others.

And there is more reason to cheer.

The 2011 Competitive City Report prepared by the Greater Louisville Project cites various measures of how Louisville is faring in relation to 14 peer cities.

Jumping off the page of statistics was the headline, “Young women lead the way.” Of women between the ages 25-34, 39 percent earned bachelor’s degrees or higher compared to only 33 percent of men the same ages.

However, it’s going to take a continuing trend in educational attainment to enable women to compete for the jobs they’ll need for them to not just survive but begin to thrive.

So say the findings of a recent study released by Women4Women and conducted by Wider Opportunities for Women and the Center for Social Development at Washington University which developed the BEST — Basic Economic Security Tables — index as a measurement of the basic needs that workers require for economic security.

Funded by a grant from the W. K. Kellogg Foundation, the Kentucky study involved analyzing more than 400 family types in each county of Kentucky. The results are concerning and eye-opening.

For a single mother with two children in Jefferson County, the BEST index shows that the mother should earn nearly $50,000 a year to provide for her family requiring her to find a job making $23.60 per hour. According to the US Census Bureau, over one third of families with children in Jefferson County live in households headed by a single-parent who earns only $25,000 annually or half of what the BEST index cites as sufficient.

Only one-third of all jobs created by 2018 will earn more than is required to meet the income threshold for our family of three as set out by the BEST index. Registered nurses fare the best at $27.94 per hour while food preparation and child care workers earn less than $10 per hour.

Only 35 percent of Louisville residents are employed in professional or technical occupations, which typically boast a higher pay.

Securing a job in a high-paying career opens the door to economic stability and education is the key to that door.

What can you do? It is imperative that we encourage women entering college to work toward a degree with economic returns. The percentage of women receiving degrees in engineering has fallen to 17.8 percent according to the American Society of Engineering Education. While increasing, women still receive only one-third of all MBA degrees according to Note: “Benefits” include unemployment insurance and employmentbased health insurance and retirement plans.

Business Week.

Credit: BEST Index It’s also critical to support organizations which are trying to help women earn a college degree like Family Scholar House (www.familyscholarhouse.org), Mom’s Closet (www.momsclosetinc.com), and Women4Women (www.women-4-women.org).

These are not just women’s issues but family and community concerns. Each of us has a responsibility to help however we can whether engaging public policy, raising money, or volunteering.

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Today’s Woman

— This is an Advertisement —

your

presents

Professional Connections Calendar Your go-to spot for professional networking and career-building opportunities around Louisville BPW-Business and Professional Women- New Albany Every 3rd Monday • 5:30 p.m.

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 • 5:30 p.m.

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 • 5 p.m.

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 Bristol Bar & Grille 614 West Main Street Alice Harris 502.595.2310 #339 aharris@louisvilleprosecutor.com www.legalseclou-ky.org MLWPC- Metropolitan Louisville Women’s Political Caucus Every 3rd Thursday • 5:30 p.m.

City Cafe 505 West Broadway Angie Wallace akwallace0818@yahoo.com www.mlwpc.org

National Association of Women in Construction Every 2nd Monday • 5:30 p.m.

Call for meeting location Patty Stewart 812.288.4208 #121 Network Now Every 2nd Friday • 11:45 a.m.

Hurstbourne Country Club Lee Ann Lyle 502.836.1422 lee@lalcomputers.com Take It To Fame Network Every 2nd Tuesday • 6-7:30 p.m.

Location Varies; check website Sharon Wimberly 502.500.9394 takeittofamenetwork.com WIN- Women in Networking Every 2nd Wednesday • 11:15 a.m.

Oxmoor Country Club 9000 Limehouse Lane Monica Jakoby monica@corporatetechsolutions.com

NAWBO- National Association of Women Business Owners Every 3rd Tuesday info@nawbolouisville.org www.nawbolouisville.org

WIN- Women in Networking II Every 3rd Wednesday • 11:30 a.m.

Fern Valley Conference Center 2715 Fern Valley Road Kim Fusting 502.267.7066 kimins@bellsouth.net WIN- Women in Networking III Every 2nd Tuesday • 11:30 a.m.

Buca di Beppo 2051 South Hurstbourne Pkwy.

Laura Morriss 502.599.4917 LMorriss@userinc.com WIN- Women in Networking IV Every 3rd Tuesday • 11:30 a.m.

Breckinridge Inn 2800 Breckinridge Lane Lindsey Davis 502.727.9003 info@win4louisville.org Women’s Council of Realtors Every 3rd Thursday • 11:30 a.m.

Wildwood Country Club 5000 Bardstown Rd. Kathy McGann 502.552.3090 jshaber@venturetg.com

All listings are on a per month basis. To list your meeting free of charge in the calendar, email or fax us your meeting date, time, location and contact phone number and website to info@todayspublications.com or 502.327.8861. Deadline for inclusion is five weeks prior to issue date (e.g. June 25 for August issue).

Spotlight On Education Career Goals …

The School of Communication offers an undergraduate major and minor in Communication and, together with the School of Business, offers a Master of Science degree in Business Communication.

Whether a traditional-aged student or an adult learner, Melissa invites you to explore how Spalding can assist you with your career goals.

Melissa Chastain, PhD Chair, School of Communication

30 32

September SEPTEMBER

2011

Melissa Chastain, PhD, Chair, School of Communication Spalding University • Office: 502-585-9911 ext. 2312 • E-mail: mchastain@spalding.edu — This is an Advertisement —

Today’s Woman today’S

Sponsored by:

www.iamtodayswoman.com

2011

SEPTEMBER September

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he makes natural beauty, spa, and baby products that are certified Kentucky Proud — but this local entrepreneur didn’t come to Louisville looking for new possibilities — she came here to hide.

About five years into her new identity, and before he had found her again, Alyssa and her husband welcomed a precious little baby girl named Alaina.

Soon they discovered she arrived with allergies and eczema. The pediatrician prescribed a steroid cream, advising Alaina’s parents that she may need it for life.

Having a relative with various skin ailments they attribute to long-term steroid cream use, Alyssa sought out a more natural option.

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Soon she found something that worked — Wherever Body Cream by Vintage Body Spa, at the time available online through etsy.com or at craft fairs throughout the region. A short time later, Alyssa learned that the Covington, KY woman who owned the business was selling it.

“I came home and told my husband that we are not losing this cream, it works that well. We’re buying the company!”

Alyssa laughs as I ask what her husband thought of that declaration.

“He knows I’m determined and motivated, so he quickly agreed.”

PAGE 36

A new baby and a new path is born

It was daughter Alaina’s skin sensitivities that lead to Alyssa buying and expanding Vintage Body Spa.

o

Catch Sight of the Beautiful

Story and photos by Barbara MacDonald

“You need to go underground, to disappear,” the woman said over the phone. It was the probation officer for her abusive ex-boyfriend calling to let her know that despite 18 months in jail, he was still threatening her life.

The relationship, she says, was “nightmarish.”

She knew he was capable of and willing to carry out his threats.

The woman hearing those words no longer exists — she heeded the advice, moved out of that state, changed her name, and cut all but five very close friends and immediate family members from her life. She had to, to save her own.

Last year, more than seven years after the old her ceased to exist, Alyssa Middleton was living a new life here in Kentucky, with a family, career, and joy. Then one day she opened an email she thought had been sent by her husband, only to discover it was him. He had found her. He wanted her to hear his side. She owed him, he wrote.

The emails continued. He proved he’d really found her by revealing her new name, giving her new address, even describing things about her life that only someone watching would know.

But this isn’t a story about a victim of domestic violence, nor is it about a woman living her life underground and afraid.

This story is about a survivor who has taken that old life and turned it into something beautiful — with a loving husband, two great kids, work she’s passionate about, and a simple purchase that has changed the course of her life forever and one she hopes will allow her to help other women dealing with abusive partners or attempting to pick up the pieces after their escape.

“I want to be an example that life goes on,” Alyssa Middleton says over a bowl of minestrone soup at Ghyslain on Market. “There will always be bumps in life —and some are much bigger than others — but nothing can’t be overcome or turned into a positive.”

Today’s Woman

www.iamtodayswoman.com

2011

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PAGE 34

o Catch Sight of the Beautiful

Vintage Body Spa Spawns Eco Baby Botanicals Giving Back — Behind the Curtain Under her direction the last four years, Vintage Body Spa has increased its online presence, added products, begun wholesale and private label ventures (under private labels, Vintage Body products are used in spas worldwide) and will soon add skin care products WHEREVER Body Cream™, for the face, $16 (Available locally at expectant mothers, Koch and Company on Dixie Highway) – Ultra rich lotion and a men’s line. made with organic aloe vera.

Absorbs quickly.

A Sampling of Vintage Body Spa Products:

Rhassoul Clay, $15 – Clay from the Atlas Mountains in Morocco, this centuries old beauty treatment aids in rejuvenation, detoxification, and toning of the skin.

Can be used as soap, skin conditioner, shampoo, or face/body mask.

Talc-Free Baby Powder, $10 (Available locally at Mama’s Hip on Bardstown Road) — Organic Arrowroot powder absorbs moisture while lavender and chamomile calm and soothe.

Alyssa explains the natural ingredients in her Eco Baby line to Shannon Stone of Mama’s Hip.

Alyssa’s Favorite Ingredients

• Shea – Deeply moisturizing.

• Rooibos tea extract – High levels of antioxidants and beneficial for skin problems like acne.

• Watermelon Seed Oil – Lightweight, non-greasy, penetrates skin well and is ideal for aging/sun-exposed skin, sensitive skin, eczema.

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On the Vintage Body Spa website, Alyssa thanks the many police officers, nurses, judges, and therapists who helped her during her darkest days. To pay it forward, Alyssa launched Behind the Curtain, an initiative that donates a portion of her sales as well as products to non-profit organizations that help women escape abuse. In the past she’s worked with Louisville’s Center for Women and Families and hopes to continue that relationship.

As she looks ahead, she sees herself working directly with women like her. This year she’ll move the manufacturing side of her certified Kentucky Proud products to a larger facility where she can train and employ other women needing to start over.

“It needs to be a safe place. I want to offer them job training, budgeting classes, and secure child care, a place where they won’t have to worry.”

Sitting across from Alyssa, with her pixie-like haircut, minimal makeup, and a confidence that belies her past, I ask if she’s concerned about sharing her story publicly. After all, her abuser knows how to find her and still sends long, rambling emails that make it clear he is still a threat. She pauses, then confides she chose her seat at the table because it places her back against the wall, a position that makes her feel safer.

“He’s already found me,” she says slowly, carefully choosing her words. “There’s no need to hide anymore. It’s liberating in a sense, but I still look for exits and escape routes.

It’s sad that these things have become second nature for me; you try to move on, but it’s always there.” Alyssa stays current with self-defense training and continues to work with law enforcement and the courts to keep herself safe.

Alyssa still hasn’t made contact with the friends and family she cut from her life when she made her escape eight years ago, and doesn’t know if she ever will. All of this has been hard on her parents, whom she admits still struggle with her new identity. This isn’t the life she planned as a young girl, but she’s happy and content and feeling stronger every day.

“I have a lot of growth left to come. I made a definite choice, I gave him too much of my life already. I let him consume too much of me. In a perfect world I would never let him enter my mind. He would be that inconsequential.”

If you are a survivor of domestic or sexual violence, you can get help 24 hours a day/365 days a year by calling The Center for Women and Families toll-free crisis line at 877.803.7577.

For more information about Alyssa’s products and a list of local and regional retailers, visit Vintage Body Spa and Eco Baby products at www.vintagebodyspa.com

Today’s Woman

www.iamtodayswoman.com

2011

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37

Bellarmine University Women’s Council Designers’ Show House (September 10-25). Here’s what Kristen says about the room she designed:

“

I have one of the upstairs full bathrooms. It is a lovely, light filled room with a double vanity. Here is where vintage will meet modern-day casual. A Carrara marble vanity and chrome and porcelain fixtures were the starting point for me. Above the beadboard walls, I plan to use a modern vine patterned wall covering. A custom shower curtain in an ivory linen fabric and a sheer soft shade over the window will add softness.

Hints of luxury will be seen in crystal details, a touch of animal print, fluffy white towels, and smooth snow-white ceramics. The overall calming color palette includes ecru, warm tans, charcoal blue-grays, glossy white, and a hint of sparkle.

“

I love my Home Office What a great space. I love your huge desk/table.

What about these fabulous guest chairs?

You like to spread out, then?

I like how the office is separate from the family room area but also connected.

It serves as a desk and a worktable. It was originally a dining room table that I stumbled upon at Charlotte’s Web. I like a nice big workspace. It is 44 inches wide and 64 inches long. With its three leaves, I could add another 36 inches.

Well, I like having my samples and folders around me, but I still work in a little pile right in front of me.

Sort of like a squirrel digging in.

And the lamp?

I always have to have a lamp on my table. I must admit I have a lamp fetish. Lamps are like earrings; many can work, but it’s what you like. This one combines function and personality. The woman, sitting on a mirrored vase, is of resin that looks like carved stone.

Kristen Pawlak 44, interior designer Owner of Decorating Den Interiors Neighborhood: Owl Creek Household: Husband Ralph, and sons, Jacob, 15, Matthew, 10, and Luke, 4; brother and sister Beagles, Max and Rosie. www.kristenpawlak.decoratingden.com

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2011

By Lucy M. Pritchett Photos by Melissa Donald

My eye is caught by a distinctive blue box from Tiffany & Co. What’s in it?

I received a first place award in the home office category at the annual Dream Room Competition held by Decorating Den. The engraved plate/award came from Tiffany’s.

You say this office is a work in progress.

What is coming next?

Well, I have kept the palette neutral, and I plan on having custom cabinets built. And I plan on hanging up my awards and inspirational quotes that mean something to me. Since I am a big coffee drinker, there will be a coffee bar. Oh yes, and a leather office chair for me.

They are occasional chairs from the ‘70s made of wood and cane. They sat in my dad’s office and originally were covered in blue velvet. I had them redone in the cheetah fabric. I just love them. They are very comfortable.

Yes, my husband built out a wall so the office is private but on the other side is the family room with television and music so I can still feel part of the family while I work. I also have a work room that holds fabric samples and other items off of the family room.

What about accessories?

I like to have things around me that remind me of family. I like to use animal prints, and I especially like birds. Owls are very in right now. On vacations, I am the one who hits the consignment shops and antique stores looking for unusual items to bring home.

What is the best part about having your office in your home?

I thought about renting an office, but I truly do love the idea that I can look into things at any hour. I can access my work at 11 p.m. if I want.

Check out the Bellarmine Show House from September 10-25. Kristen decorated one of the full bathrooms upstairs in the showhouse.

Today’s Woman

www.iamtodayswoman.com

2011

SEPTEMBER

39

A Journey Down the Aisle:

Bridesmaids & Bridal Showers

By Lauren Williams

I know that being a bridesmaid is supposed to be an honor, but in a way, it’s like a punishment. I’m basically asking my closest friends to attend all my wedding events, to spend upwards of $100 on a semicute dress that they will most likely never wear again, and to stand awkwardly and fully attentive at the wedding ceremony. My goal has been to make my bridesmaids feel as comfortable as possible throughout this entire process, and most importantly on my wedding day. Yes, I know my wedding day is about Mike and I, but if my bridesmaids aren’t having fun then I didn’t do my job.

Lauren and Mike are in the midst of their Do-ItYourself wedding planning.

The Dresses

Everybody knows that when you look good, you feel good. I want all of my bridesmaids to look and feel good in their dress and in the amount of money they chose to spend, which is why each bridesmaid chose their own style of dress, and I chose the color. Allison’s long legs would make a short dress look a little questionable, while Mary’s petiteness would have been swallowed in a long flowy gown. To tie the eclectic mix of dresses together while still keeping the main attention on me, I kept the color the same for each dress. I chose Wine as the color — a romantic fall tone and a nice contrast to the plant bouquets.

Originally, I wanted my sister Allison, who is the maid of honor, to wear white with a wine sash, but no one responded to that well, so she’s wearing wine too.

Bridal Showers

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2011

I am having a few more parties closer to the wedding. Mike’s family is throwing me a shower, our friends are having a cookout and swim bridal shower for Mike and me, plus two other soon-tobe-married couples.

I am also having a bachelorette party.

PAGE 42

fiancé, Don. Food was served, gifts were opened, and my anxiety level stayed low.

o

I hate being the center of attention. I still get anxious and shy when all eyes are on me. So when my aunts mentioned that my newly engaged cousin Emily and I have a joint shower, I was all over that idea.

My first shower was held at the Butterfly Garden at Dolfingers — a dainty tea room perfect for a bridal shower. Each table had photos of Mike and me as well as Emily and her

Today’s Woman

PAGE 40

o

MEET My BRIDESMAIDS BRIDESMAID Mackenzie Berry:

BRIDESMAID Ashley Thielmeier:

BRIDESMAID Erin Pierce:

AGE: 22

AGE: 22

Job: Volleyball Coach

Status: Taken

Job: Full Time Student/

Almost a Radiologic Technologist How I met LAUREN: When I went to Beechland Youth Group. I was in 6th grade and she was in 7th grade Interests: Hanging out with my family and boyfriend, watching movies, reading, taking x-rays, being outdoors, and traveling My Motivation in life: Knowing God has a great plan for my life and is using me in ways that even I don’t understand. thoughts on marriage: I have never been married, so this might change for me one day. But today I think that marriage is looking past the wedding and seeing a lifetime together built on God’s love. It is selfless and irrevocable, it’s putting the well-being of your spouse above or equal to you and trusting him to do the same. Marriage is hard work, but if done for the right reasons, I believe that is it one of the things that makes life worthwhile.

Status: Single

Job: Summer Camp

Counselor/Future Teacher How I met LAUREN: Freshman Year of College (technically) Interests: adventures, making things, laughing, movies, karaoke nights My Motivation in life: To achieve the personal growth needed to experience a life full of success and happiness. thoughts on marriage: Marriage is a life-long adventure you share with your best friend. It can be a beautiful thing one day and an ugly mess the next. When a spouse is chosen wisely, I feel that marriage can last a lifetime. In today’s society it is way too easy to “quit marriage.” All too often, when a couple hits a rough patch, they throw in the towel; however, the beauty in the bond of marriage is that the hard times, just as much as the good times, are what strengthen two people in love.

Status: Single AGE: 23

How I met LAUREN:

She has been my neighbor since… forever!

Interests: I love coaching, going to the park, hanging out with friends, and renting red box movies My Motivation in life: Knowing that I am giving 100% in anything I do in life. thoughts on marriage: I think it is something special to share with the person you love through good times and bad times, through thick and thin, and at the end of the day, still love no matter how crazy life can get.

MAID of honor Allison Williams

BRIDESMAID Cindy Kramer

BRIDESMAID Mary Ancheta

BRIDESMAID Rachel Mauser

AGE: 17

AGE: 23

AGE: 23

AGE: 23

Status: single

Job: student/Jewish

Community Center- child care worker How I met LAUREN: I met Lauren sometime in 5th or 6th grade when I realized someone else besides my parents lived with me.

Interests: Hanging out with friends, working out, singing, baking My Motivation in life:

Knowing that I’m free to achieve whatever goals I set for myself, and getting to learn and grow along the way thoughts on marriage:

It’s a great thing, you just gotta be sure and pick the right person.

Status: Married

Job: Master’s Student

(high school/college math teacher) How I met LAUREN: We met at 4H camp. We were paired as canoe partners and when our canoe flipped over, she swam me to shore because I couldn’t swim and was terrified of lake water.

Interests: I like to hike, camp, play Nintendo 64 video games, and do math.

My Motivation in life: To have fun with those I love and to be able to make a difference. thoughts on marriage: I’m newly married so I don’t have all the answers, but I hope we never stop trying to get to know each other, never stop trying to make each other laugh, and never stop communicating our thoughts, dreams, and hopes. Yes there are going to be rough patches, we have already had some, but with communication, willingness to listen, and commitment, we can get through whatever comes our way.

There is no one else I would rather share my life and grow old with than my husband.

Status: Taken

Job: Receptionist

(aspiring for greater things) How I met LAUREN: We became close through a few mutual friends that repeatedly caused us to run into each other. The first time we actually spoke, she made me laugh so hard, I just had to become her BFF. Interests: Anything that gets me all creative and inspired.

My Motivation in life: To strive for fulfillment without ever really achieving it. If that makes any sense. thoughts on marriage: Love is a special thing to witness and something to be grateful for. Whether that love leads to marriage doesn’t really matter to me. I just like to see people genuinely care for each other.

Status: Single

Job: I just graduated from Murray State University in May, and I received the Windgate Fellowship from the Center for Craft, Creativity, and Design, which is funding my art and travels for the year.

How I met LAUREN: Lauren and I were both art majors at Murray State University. We ended up in class together, and quickly became friends. We later both decided to pursue degrees in painting, and had studio spaces next to each other.

We were also the only two students in our painting class to stretch our first canvases backwards, which we bonded over during our time spent re-stretching them. She was also the best roommate ever.

Interests: I love making art, especially painting, printmaking, and book arts. I also love to explore the outdoors. I camp, hike, sail, and kayak. I love trying new things and exploring new places.

My Motivation in life: I want to create art and community, and make changes that I am proud of. thoughts on marriage: I think that marriage is a wonderful, and beautiful commitment that is a great thing for many couples, but not for everyone. I do hope to get married sometime in the future, but I would like to wait until I have my own life and goals figured out first.

NEXT MONTH: F lowers, Decorations, and the Details 42

SEPTEMBER

2011

Today’s Woman

www.iamtodayswoman.com

2011

SEPTEMBER

43

Her

Inspirations

By Holly Gregor / photos by Melissa donald

osing a job can be frightening. In Babs L Freibert’s case, it was the

inspiration that prompted her to ask God, “What is my purpose?” She got her answer when two words came back: health coach. Only she didn’t know what that was. Then, several weeks later while attending a health seminar, the woman running the program told Babs she would make a great health coach.

There it was again! This time not only did she know what it was, but the woman told her where to go to study — Duke University. And that’s exactly what Babs did.

Over the course of her life, health had been of interest to her. Following college is when Babs became more serious about her health.

Gone were the days of wheat and dairy...and guess what, the pounds dropped off, even though that was not her intent. She also started working on healing her spirit from a difficult childhood. “I learned several years ago that you’re as sick as your secrets,”

Integrative Health Coach

BABS Freibert

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13 Things That Inspire Babs Freibert:

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says Babs. This healing process led her to complementary wellness methods such as reiki, acupuncture, meditation, and seven years ago Babs became a reiki master.

Having recently completed Duke University’s Integrative Medicine Health Coaching Program, Babs is now living her purpose. Her new business Illuminous Living (www.illuminousliving.com) promotes heath and spiritual transformation. Show Your Glow is her tag line.

The coaching process includes spending one hour a week talking, much like you would talk to a therapist. “We all know what we need to do to be healthier, yet there are always obstacles. I am able to get in touch with that and the magic begins,” explains Babs.

Babs’s favorite part about being an integrative health coach is watching the transformation. “I can see my clients evolve. I can hear it in their voices, they become stronger. It’s subtle, but powerful. They glow...it’s their spirit shining!”

1. Barrett and Bartholomew. My children are my beacons. They have taught me to love more, laugh harder, and persevere through the toughest of times. Their light guides me back home if ever I lose my way. I marvel at their sense of adventure (skydiving, climbing Mt. Rainier and Grand Tetons). Even their musical repertoire has broadened my horizons. 2. Prayer and meditation is my time for talking and listening to God. Inspiration abounds from silence. My career path and many other insights have come from listening to the quiet voice within. 3. The cabin is our sanctuary. Twenty-one years ago, George, my children’s father, and I resurrected this log cabin from Green County. It sits on 20 acres of pure natural beauty. Here we connect with wildlife and add to our wonderful memory book. George is now buried out there among the lake, barn, trees, and wildflowers he planted. As he so eloquently said, “The cabin is about giving something back…nothing more.” 4. Princeton is the small Western Kentucky town where I was raised. Visiting my roots grounds me in my journey. While love and acceptance from the people there are my foundation, it is their humor and memories we share that keep me centered. I can always count on a welcome home hug and a glass of the best iced tea ever! 5. Bif and Bo, my four-legged friends, are a huge part of my life.

Bif, the dog, who died recently, gave us 14 years of love and laughter. He reminds me to keep a sense of wonder and playfulness. Bo, the cat, reminds me to be totally in the moment, take time to nap and not worry about what others might think. 6. My clients are my true inspiration. It is a special gift to watch an “Aha” moment spread across their faces as they begin the metamorphosis and emerge as their authentic selves. Each week reveals a subtle shift. As I watch them disengage from lifelong obstacles, it makes my heart spring with joy and respect. 7. Time with friends. Whether spending time with old friends or making new ones, my heart swells each time a connection is made. I am blessed with so many who have always been there for me…no matter what! Their unconditional love, encouragement, and support are so inspirational! 8. Farmers’ markets. Strolling through a farmers’ market on a Saturday morning not only nourishes my stomach but my spirit as well. Seeing the gardeners and farmers beam as they show off their handgrown goods really touches my soul. In our world of genetically modified food laden with dyes and chemicals, it is so refreshing to know that real food still exists. My hat goes off to those that work hard to produce quality food. 9. My front porch. Sitting on a front porch may be a lost art, but not at our house. We eat meals there all spring and summer long. It is the perfect place to read, catch up with neighbors, and watch the stars and moon. This is where I allow myself to just be… 10. Poetry totally moves me! In just minutes, my daughter can create deep, heartfelt prose that not only inspires but amazes me. Mary Oliver’s Wild Geese and The Journey are two favorites. One line from Rumi, the Sufi poet, has become my mantra. “Out beyond the wrongdoing and rightdoing, there is a field. I will meet you there.” This reminds me to embrace and accept others exactly where they are without judgment. 11. Peacocks. The illuminous color of their feathers is the inspiration behind my business name, Illuminous Living.

A bird of renewal, the peacock will shed its feathers in order for new ones to grow.

Likewise, we must let go of some things in order to transform. Symbolically, the peacock represents integrity, compassion, and spirituality. 12. Journaling Having been a scribe since high school, I go through a journal every three months writing letters to God. As I get my thoughts and feelings out of me and onto paper, I gain a new perspective and feel so much better! 13. Praying Mantises One recently landed on my shoulder. As we gazed at each other, I knew it was telling me to be still. Psalm 46 says, “Be still and know that I am God.” Messages from above are always there but we must be still enough to hear and see them.

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2011

Transform...

Makeover Galore AN ADVERTISING SECTION

Find the professionals you need to help you …

improve your bod y, your skin, your health.

Page 44 Today’s Woman 2011 maKEoVER GaLoRE

Healthy Solutions

AN ADVERTISING SECTION

When Chuck and Cyndi Bent, of Louisville, decided to lose weight and live healthier a few years ago, Chuck did the research to find the weight-loss program that best met their needs and provided the safest way to make a lifestyle change. They had friends that had been successful on Healthy Solutions. He found that Healthy Solutions, at the Baptist East Milestone Wellness Center, offered just what they needed — a weekly hour-long class, lots of coaching support, an exercise plan and a practical program that was suited for long-term commitment. Healthy Solutions is one of the many programs offered by Health Management Resources (HMR), a national weight management program.

Kristin Brill, HMR Healthy Solutions’ Program Director, explains, “We teach a behavioral modification program with the focus on long-term lifestyle changes, including complete nutrition, increasing vegetables, BEFORE fruits, drinking more water, increasing exercise and eating frequently. Our goal is to improve health by helping you not only to lose the weight, but most importantly, protect the weight that you lose by providing long-term support after weight loss.”

Cyndi and Chuck had both tried diets. Cyndi had been dieting for so long that her body was starved for food, making it difficult to actually lose the weight.

She had to learn to eat more to lose the excess pounds. Cyndi and Chuck both wanted something they could do together to support each other. The couple found the Healthy Solutions program to be just what they wanted.

“Some people just accept the fact that metabolism changes due to aging,” says Chuck, who has lost 100 pounds. “Diets are designed to fail.

You can’t go back to your previous behavior and be successful. Milestone teaches people how to lose weight and maintain that loss. This program has changed my life and its quality by helping me lose excess weight, require less medication and have more energy.”

Cyndi agrees that quick fixes won’t stay with you. She lost 58 pounds on the program and says that she and Chuck now watch what they buy, cook and eat. She went from a size 18 slacks to a size 6.

“If your goal is to lose weight and be healthy, try Healthy Solutions,” she advises. “Chuck and I love what we are doing!”

Two programs are available — In-Clinic Class support or an At-Home Self-Directed option. Both have had extensive research and have the best results of any weight management program.

The focus is on staying full and satisfied with a lot of variety. Try the weekly free program orientations at the Baptist East Milestone Wellness Center to see how this would be a good fit for you.

www.baptistmilestone.com (502) 896.3900 x124

750 Cypress Station Dr. Louisville, KY

AFTER

Today’s Woman 2011 maKEoVER GaLoRE Page 45

Tummy Tuck

AN ADVERTISING SECTION

Breast cancer survivor Trina Amos wanted a tummy tuck for a long time. “I had been unhappy with my figure after pregnancy,” Amos, 47, said. “Diet and exercise were just not enough.”

She had already been a patient of plastic surgeon Dr. Bradon Wilhelmi, so she talked to him about the procedure. “After having my reconstruction done by Dr. Wilhelmi, I trusted him completely,” Amos said. “I had a lot of questions. He was very thorough in explaining the operation to me. I decided to have him do my tummy tuck because I knew he would do a good job.”

For Dr. Wilhelmi, this level of service is the standard of care for his practice.

His patients’ needs always come first. He brings a unique perspective to his cosmetic surgery practice at University Surgical Associates (USA) because not only is he a plastic surgeon, he is also the Chief of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery at University of Louisville. As a nationally renowned academic surgeon, he stays at the forefront of plastic surgery techniques and advances to impart this knowledge upon the next generation of plastic surgeons, as well as his patients.

“Not only do we perform plastic surgery, we regularly lecture and publish scientific articles to teach others around the world about our cutting-edge plastic surgery research and techniques,” said Dr. Wilhelmi, who is board certified in plastic surgery. “Our patients benefit from the advances we achieve in our research. Thus our patients are afforded the latest, most innovative treatments available.”

Amos said she feels this makes him a better doctor. “He is constantly learning, teaching and training others,” she said.

“It makes him a cut above the rest.”

BEFORE

Amos said the way Dr. Wilhelmi treats his patients stands out most in her mind.

“I know I can get a good doctor, but not everyone treats their patients as well as he treated me. He makes you feel like a member of his family,” she said.

In addition, Amos said she had a wonderful experience with USA. “I cannot say enough good things about University Surgical Associates,” she said. “They have taken such great care of me.”

Most importantly, Amos said she is very pleased with the results of her operation. “I am very grateful he was my doctor.

I got excellent results. It was the best thing I have ever done for myself,” Amos said. “I love the way my clothes look and fit now. If you look good, you feel better about yourself.”

Amos advises others thinking about having a tummy tuck to explore their options. “I am a big advocate of doing your homework,” she advised.

“If you want to do it, you should. Do it for yourself.”

Plastic Surgery AFTER

EAST END Old Brownsboro Crossing Norton Medical Plaza, Ste. 200 Louisville, KY 40241

DOWNTOWN 401 E. Chestnut Street Suite 790 Louisville, KY 40202

(502) 595.6629 • www.USAPlasticSurg.com Page 46 Today’s Woman 2011 maKEoVER GaLoRE

Dr. Bradon Wilhelmi Board Certified Plastic Surgeon

Skin Transformation

AN ADVERTISING SECTION

Salem, Indiana resident Diana Robinson, 54, who works for the State Highway Department and spends a great deal of time in the sun, began to notice sun spots and wrinkles on her face. “My face looked tired, and I wanted to freshen it,” she explains.

Noticing changes in the skin over time is normal since it is affected by aging and lifestyle factors, such as sun exposure, alcohol and cigarette consumption, diet, exercise and even by facial expressions. Loss of collagen is the key factor in the visible signs of aging, as the skin becomes looser and less firm. The cheeks droop, nasolabial folds become prominent and wrinkles around the mouth and eyes appear.

Robinson wanted to soften those wrinkles and erase the sun spots, preferably with a nonsurgical, affordable method.

She contacted Tina Geary, nurse practitioner and owner of Azure Skin and Wellness Centre, for a solution.

After assessing Robinson’s skin and the issues she wanted to treat, Geary used a small amount of Botox® and filler to treat the volume loss around Robinson’s eyes.

Then Geary recommended that she experience the triniti™ Skin Series, which is a complete skin program involving FotoFacial lasers that do color correction, skin tightening and a wrinkle reduction treatment.

AFTER

“The laser wrinkle reduction and skin tightening process was not painful at all,” says Robinson. “It felt like a little pinch and the area was just a little red. I was able to go right back to work, so there was no down time, and there was no pain medication to take. My sun and age spots were also removed so that my skin now has an even tone.

Over the past 2-3 years I had budgeted up to $1,000 per year for improving and maintaining my skin. In the past I have tried Pearl and Titan laser treatments that were not as effective as Azure and their laser treatments.”

Robinson’s treatment was completed in 3-5 easy visits of about 15 minutes each, spaced a few weeks apart. While at Azure, she had three different areas of her body (thighs, arms and stomach) treated with VelaShape™, which is the only safe, effective and virtually painless FDA-cleared nonsurgical medical solution for body reshaping and cellulite treatment. It creates a gradual smoothing of the skin’s surface with a noticeable reduction in cellulite. She is very pleased with the results and now just does maintenance treatments. Robinson used Obagi skin care products, including the Obagi Nuderm System, for the best skin care possible.

BEFORE

“I am very pleased with the results.

The fine wrinkles are gone, and my face is fuller,” she says. “My treatments took 5-10 years off. I can tell the difference, and my friends have also noticed. I look refreshed and may only need one touch-up treatment per year to maintain the results. I have told many of my women friends (812) 923.2884 and coworkers about the skin treatments I received at Azure 408 LaFollette Station Center Skin and Wellness Centre and Floyds Knobs, IN recommended they try it. www.RestoreReviveRefresh.com It’s worth it!”

Today’s Woman 2011 maKEoVER GaLoRE Page 47

AN ADVERTISING SECTION

Bariatric Surgery

Jennifer Rahe had struggled with weight problems her entire life. “I needed to deal with my weight issue for myself and my health,” Jennifer says. “I wanted to lose weight and keep it off.” So, in March 2009, the Scottsburg, Indiana resident entered Clark Memorial Hospital’s Bariatric Weight Loss program and it has changed her life.

After having the gastric banding procedure, Jennifer went for weekly weigh-ins, took vitamins and exercised three times a week. She has now lost 85 pounds and can run long distances without stopping, tie her shoes and do other activities without getting out of breath.

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“We want all of our patients to be as successful as Jennifer,” says Carolyn McKee, RN, bariatric coordinator for Clark Memorial Hospital’s program. To help patients be successful in overcoming weight problems the program includes a laparoscopic gastric banding procedure and a free comprehensive follow-up program, which consists of weekly consultations. In the weekly consultations, patients learn lifestyle changes, are weighed, measured, and evaluated for exercise, water consumption and appropriate food portions.

If the patients reach a plateau in their weight BEFORE loss, then the bariatric nurse can determine why and recommend a course of action. In addition to these features, a free monthly bariatric support group, facilitated by a registered nurse, allows program participants to share experiences, challenges and victories and hear about a specific weight-loss topic.

“The patients who lose the most are the ones that come in weekly,” says McKee. “The band is a tool, and it is only as good as you use it. The followup is the key to success and changing your lifestyle is not easy.” Jennifer would agree that changing your lifestyle is not easy, but states it is easier with help. “You may think you are alone in losing weight, but you are not,” she says, smiling. “In this program, you have more support than you will ever know. If I didn’t make it to a meeting, they called me to check on me.

I always recommend this program to others.”

Prospective patients are encouraged to attend the free educational seminars for information about the weight-loss procedure, other treatment options, program requirements, potential risks and necessary lifestyle changes. Seminars are held on the second Thursday of each month at 6:30 p.m. in the Conference Center on the lower level of Clark Memorial Hospital. Reservations can be made by calling 812-283-2087.

AFTER (812) 283.2087 1220 Missouri Ave. • Jeffersonville, IN

www.clarkmemorial.org Page 48 Today’s Woman 2011 maKEoVER GaLoRE

Exilis ™ Therapy BEFORE

AFTER

AN ADVERTISING SECTION

“at 46, I had some fat that exercise wouldn’t treat,” says Al Appel about the love handles that he wanted to lose. “I had been walking and using gym equipment, but I was worried about hurting my back with twisting and turning since I had a disk replaced.” appel chose to have the area treated at Aesthetic Alternatives with Exilis™, which is an FDa-approved nonsurgical therapy using radio frequency energy for fat reduction contouring and tissue tightening anywhere on the body. Safe radio waves heat the skin and target fat cells, speeding up the metabolic activity of the fat cells, causing them to shrink. It also stimulates and strengthens the collagen network, resulting in improved skin laxity and texture.

During the initial consultation, we will discuss the level of skin improvement and shaping you want to achieve with the treatment. aesthetic alternatives will carefully examine the skin and your medical history to determine if you are a good candidate for the Exilis™ therapy. together we will discuss your expectations and decide on the best treatment for you.

the areas on men that respond most frequently to Exilis™ therapy include breasts, “love handles,” abdomen, face, jowls and neckline. In women, those areas are the face, jowls, neck, décolletage, arms, “bra fat,” thighs, hips, breasts, buttocks, stomach and knees. the number of treatments recommended depends on the results the patient desires and the condition and area to be treated. the best results are possible after only four sessions. Since the effects of the therapy are gradual, patients may not see the final results for 2-4 months.

Exilis™ therapy is done in the medical office and lasts 30-60 minutes. Slight redness may be present for a few hours after the therapy session, but disappear as the skin cools. the therapy requires no anesthesia, numbing creams, support garments or after care.

AFTER

the physicians and staff members at aesthetic alternatives are experienced and ready to answer any questions about Exilis™ therapy.

Patients are excited about the results they have received from this painless, noninvasive treatment. our patients love it because skin-tightening and body shaping with Exilis™ means: • no downtime, no pain due to controlled, gradual heating.

• Reasonably quick treatment sessions.

• treats all areas of the face and body.

• Scientifically proven and clinically tested worldwide. al appel is a believer in Exilis™. after the therapy, appel went from wearing a snug size 36 slacks to a comfortable, attractive size 35. “when I was on the beach in Cancun recently, family members thought I had lost weight,” says appel. “I am delighted with the results of my treatment at aesthetic alternatives.”

For consultation, call (502) 625.2214.

A Division of Associates in Dermatology, PLLC

Downtown • 310 E. Broadway; Ste. 101 EaSt EnD • 4121 Dutchmans Lane; Ste. 405 nEw aLBanY • 2241 Green Valley Road

www.associatesindermatology.com www.lookbetternow.net Today’s Woman 2011 maKEoVER GaLoRE Page 49

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• Transitioning Your Wardrobe from Summer to Fall (Sept. 28) • Must-Have Holiday Looks (Nov. 16) Each night features appetizers, desserts, wines and other beverages, “what’s hot” tips for expanding or updating your wardrobe, modeling and a 20% discount on items purchased during the class. Fee:$39.

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“I wanted to take a moment to thank you, Cathy Zion, and the entire staff of Today’s Woman for the fantastic job you have done with our advertising. We do intake polls with new patients, and while many do come from word of mouth and referrals from plastic surgeons, a large portion have come to us from the ad in your magazine.”

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2011

Today’s Woman today’S

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Your

24-Hour

Fantasy: You downsize your to-do list, ignore your computer

and smart phone, and delegate your responsibilities as a mom, daughter, wife, sister, coworker, boss, or volunteer.

Reality: You’ve got more to do than ever, with hundreds

Energy Plan

By Sandra Gordon

morning 7 AM:

Let in the light

When you wake up in the morning, your circadian rhythm, an alertness cycle, peaks. Cells in your brain that influence vigilance fire rapidly. “They tell your brain: ‘Get going! Get things done!’” says Alejandro Chediak, M.D., medical director of the Miami Sleep Disorders Center. Still, it generally takes an average of about 25 minutes to go from groggy to fully awake. To speed the process, open the shades and turn on the lights. When bright light enters through your eyes and travels to the suprachiasmic nucleus — your brain’s internal clock — it triggers alertness at any time of day. Morning light exposure is especially important, though, because it sets your 24-hour circadian cycle so you’ll be sleepy at bedtime.

8 AM: Eat

protein for breakfast

Breakfast raises blood sugar (glucose), which fuels your brain and body. But a low-fiber carb-fest of donuts or a plain bagel, can cause glucose to spike. A subsequent surge in the hormone, insulin, will then pull too much glucose from your system. “Glucose peaks and valleys can make you feel tired,” says Douglas J. Paddon-Jones, M.D., a nutrition researcher at the University of Texas. To stabilize that energy-zapping hormonal roller coaster, pack a protein punch at breakfast. In fact, Dr. Paddon-Jones recommends 25 to 30 grams at every meal, in addition to high-fiber carbs like oatmeal and healthy (unsaturated) fats. Easy grab-and-go protein picks include lowfat cottage cheese (11 g/4 oz), a tall Starbucks nonfat latte or a cup of skim milk (10 g), a Luna bar (8g/bar), low-fat yogurt (7 g/6 oz), or an egg (6 g).

9 AM:

Get your first caffeine fix

Caffeine is as potent as breakfast to get you going. According to a recent study in the International Journal of Neuroscience, those who consumed a 440-calorie breakfast or 200 milligrams of caffeine (roughly two cups of coffee) had more mental energy and performed better on two separate computerized cognitive tests than those who didn’t have either. But don’t gulp down your daily dose in one sitting. A study involving U.S. Navy Seals found that an average of 300 mg of caffeine (equivalent to three cups of coffee) consumed throughout the day is optimal for mental and physical performance.

10 AM to 12 PM: Tackle A-list

to-do tasks

All morning, your circadian cycle is on the rise, so take advantage of your natural alertness and tackle your most mentally-challenging projects before lunch, whether it’s organizing your child’s toy room or doing a first draft of a report at work. Need a motivation lift? Get another 100-mg hit of caffeine or head to a window or a bright light. Studies show that even just 50 seconds of light exposure throughout the day can jolt your brain and make you feel more attentive.

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of e-mails flooding your in-box, homework to help with, loads of laundry piling up, parents to look after, and a new puppy to boot. Sound familiar? Then maximize your energy level by tweaking your daily habits.

afternoon

12 PM (or so): Eat protein,

high-fiber carbs for lunch

Your goal is to keep your blood sugar constant. So it’s time to eat again, especially if it has been at least three hours since your last meal. What’s for lunch?

Ideally, it’s lots of vegetables, lean protein, whole grains, fresh fruit, and a small amount of healthy fat.

Need ideas? How about sliced turkey on whole-grain bread with a smear of mayo and a pear with a glass of skim milk? Others: Whole-grain crackers, baby carrots, one-half cup hummus, and an orange; a whole-grain roll, 1 cup lentil soup, grape tomatoes and a peach.

Don’t skip lunch no matter how busy you are.

1 PM to 3 PM:

ab a N short nap…

From 1 to 3pm, your circadian rhythm will take a dip whether you eat or not so you’ll feel a natural drop in alertness. “The need for a short nap is actually part of our hardwiring,” says Dr. Chediak. So nab at least 20 minutes of shut-eye if you can.

…or another dose of caffeine

If napping isn’t an option, a 100-mg caffeinated beverage can help you power through the slump.

Blood levels of caffeine peak about 30 to 45 minutes after you’ve consumed it. Another option: Light exposure (again) or physical activity. At any time of the day, exercise will pep you up because it increases your body temperature and the release of epinephrine, the adrenaline level in your brain. Even a walk around the block or a few on-the-spot push-ups can help.

3 PM: Take a water

break

By now, your circadian cycle is rising again so now’s the time to dive back in to mentally-demanding projects if you haven’t already. Need a motivation boost? Try drinking some water. Being mildly dehydrated — losing 1 to 2 percent of your body weight, which can happen if you go for long periods without drinking can sour your mood and contribute to fatigue and confusion.

4 PM: Sniff

rosemary

To help yourself power through the rest of the afternoon, keep a bottle of rosemary essential oil handy and give it a sniff. In a recent study in the International Journal of Neuroscience, subjects who sniffed a cotton ball doused with the essential oil reported feeling more alert with corresponding brain activity to back it up.

evening 5 to 6:30 PM:

et in a major G workout

A vigorous workout will initially make you tired because it depletes glycogen, the stored form of carbohydrate in your muscles and the liver, and muscles require energy for repair. “But in the long run, as you build up more muscle and stamina, exercise gives you more energy,” says Susan Roberts, Ph.D., author of The “I” Diet. Ideally, it’s best to get a major fitness fix in this time window-four to six hours before going to bed. “Falling asleep is easier when your body is internally going from warm to cold. That happens about four to six hours after exercise,” Dr. Chediak says.

6:30 to 7:30 PM:

Eat dinner

Eating dinner now is important because you’ve just exercised. “Eating within 30 minutes of working out helps your muscles refuel and repair so you won’t feel depleted the next day,” says Carlson.

It also ensures that you won’t go to bed on a full stomach, which can interfere with a good night’s sleep — the ultimate fatigue fighter.

7:30 to 9 PM: Wind down with

a hot bath or power up with a cold shower

Now is the perfect time for a hot shower or bath. Like exercise, hot water raises your body temperature. As it falls, you’ll feel sleepier so you’ll be primed to hit the sack in an hour or so. On the other hand, if you need to burn the midnight oil, take a cold shower. A study of 149 resident physicians found that showering was one of the main strategies they used to cope with on-the-job fatigue.

9:30 PM to 7 AM: Get your

zzzs

By around 9:30pm, your circadian (alertness) drive plummets and the pressure to sleep, which builds up the longer you’re awake, is strong. Go with it and hit the sack. “Even just a single night of disrupted sleep or a few hours of chronic sleep loss each night can influence how vigorous and how alert you feel the next day,” Dr. Lieberman says. Aim for seven to nine hours of solid shut-eye each night and go to bed at the same time every day.

Today’s Woman

www.iamtodayswoman.com

2011

SEPTEMBER

55

Find Your Inner Happiness

by Bob Mueller

A

person who is at peace with himself, who has faced her own fears, who has perspective and the right priorities in his life, and who likes her own company — just how much evil will such a person cause? Would it not be more likely to find him and her causing joy, creativity, and goodness?

Happiness is available to you, whether or not you are practiced at it. It is not something that external circumstances create. It is something that you allow. Happiness is something that is spread.

It gives me the greatest possible joy to imagine you sharing the following list with the people you love, adding to it, making it your own, encouraging one another, applauding one another, and delighting in the other’s increasing happiness as much as your own.

Socially:

Happiness is available to you, whether or not you are practiced at it.

Find and focus on the positive qualities of other people.

Value simple pleasures.

Think and speak positively about yourself and others.

Be the friend you would most like to have.

Practice tolerance through deeper understanding.

Choose work and friends that support your integrity.

Physically: Exercise every day.

Appreciate and relish the gifts of your health, body, and senses.

Sleep and eat well.

Take regular breaks.

Cultivate beauty in all your environments.

Emotionally: Express gratitude. Find increasing reasons to be grateful.

Think well of yourself and give yourself plenty of reasons to do so.

Pay attention to what’s uplifting — and be uplifted!

Regard your life as a gift.

Cultivate tolerance, patience, and good humor.

Practice forgiveness.

Spiritually: Relish the wonders of nature on a daily basis.

Believe in something greater than yourself.

Practice kindness and live kindly.

See yourself in others and others in yourself.

Spend time with people who inspire you.

Celebrate and create beauty.

Learn to meditate and still your mind.

Read what’s uplifting and listen to music that soothes.

Explore prayer, especially simple words of gratitude.

Happiness is contagious. It spreads quickly when shared freely. When it catches up with us, the cares of the day are immediately lightened. We have lessons to learn in this life, and we have essential contributions to make, contributions that will ease another’s burdens, foster happiness in another’s heart. Likewise, someone else’s lessons may well encourage our own happiness.

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.

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Today’s Woman

Up-Close & Personal

interviews & photos

By Gioia Patton

Claudia Coffey

The Right Place…

The Right Time

T

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Beginning September 12, Coffey’s newest role at WHAS-11 TV will be co-anchoring the weekday news with Reneé Murphy in the 4-5 p.m. time slot, recently vacated by The Oprah Winfrey Show. “I’m so flattered that the station would promote me to this position!” she enthuses, adding that she hopes the new position means “that viewers will get a chance to know me a bit more.”

Her Inner Power: When I ask Coffey which of her reporting/ writing/producing/television hosting/anchoring skills is the strongest or weakest, Coffey, whose higher education also includes a masters in International Relations from Georgetown University, muses “My greatest strength is that I’m equally proficient in all areas. (You) have to be able to do it all, and I think that’s why I’ve survived so long in this business and been led to so many cities. As a reporter, you’ve got to know about the story you’re reporting on — from having done so much research that if the teleprompter breaks down or you get cut off from your news station, you can continue speaking about the story. And a lot of (people) mistakenly believe that anchors merely read the news that’s been written for them. You don’t just read the news…in fact we do a lot of the writing, as well as the rewriting, of the possible 20 stories (in each newscast) ourselves,” she explains. “The anchors also have to be very familiar with each story in advance because, if the teleprompter stops or the video doesn’t show up, we have to be able to very calmly say a sentence or two about that story and then move on with a ‘we’ll get back to that story in a minute’ remark,” she says.

Coffey reveals that she’ll continue to consistently critique her (own) work “I will still do it…still watch my tapes and newscasts and listen to how I worded things, or how fast or slow I was talking. I’ll also watch how I handled live shots or how I reported a story. I’m in a constant mode of tweaking.”

Her Inner Survivor and Sympathetic Ear: When recalling the everyday expenses of living on Washington D.C.’s Capitol Hill, Coffey groans then says: “The money I spent on Jack’s daycare alone was equivalent to sending a child to a private school in Louisville.” Today, Coffey and her 4-year-old son live blissfully on the Coffey family farm located in southeastern Jefferson County.

PAGE 58

The Networker: “One of my dad’s big life lessons to me when I was growing up was ‘meet as many people (in your business) as you can and always stay in touch with them,’” Coffey begins. “And every step of my career has been because of a networking opportunity… every step,” declares the Assumption High School graduate, who in just three years earned dual undergraduate degrees in Political Science and Journalism at Indiana University in Bloomington. “From the time I was an intern at WHAS Radio (the summer after her freshman year at IU,) I made sure I kept in touch with John Asher, Terry Meiners, Wayne Perkey, and Milton Metz. And from the time I was an intern at the WHAS TV station the following summer, I kept in touch with Rachel Platt,” she adds. “Also, I’d always send tapes to (people) that I’d met throughout my various television jobs in Milwaukee, New Orleans, Little Rock, Greenville, Miss., and Washington D.C., asking ‘How am I doing?...am I improving?’”

It was thanks to networking, Coffey believes, that she was finally able to move back to her beloved hometown in the winter of 2010 after having spent 14 years working in those aforementioned cities.

“Networking was how I got hired by WHAS-11 as a weekday reporter and weekend anchor (her first day being April 1, 2010.)

And part of it, I hope, was because I used to work in Milwaukee at the NBC affiliate with Andy Treinan, who’d since become the WHAS-11 morning co-anchor with Rachel Platt,” she mentions. Just prior to moving back to Louisville, Coffey had been working as a reporter in Washington D.C. at the local FOX affiliate. But when her contract was almost up in the winter of 2010, although she knew FOX wanted to re-sign her, “I’d already set my sights on returning to Louisville and getting a job at WHAS,” she recalls. “So I sent Andy a message on Facebook asking if he knew if the station had any openings. And when he replied that there was, he encouraged me to very quickly contact the station’s news director with my reel.”

Coffey pauses a moment, laughs, then adds: “As a matter of fact, my other job in Washington D.C. (where she worked as a freelance correspondent for CBS Newspath — covering several major national and international news stories) was due to a contact I’d kept from my time working in New Orleans, as this man turned out to be the main person who hired for CBS news!”

“My dad Ernie worked at Ford Louisville Assembly Plant until his death in 1998, and this was his F-150 1974 pickup truck. And even though it needs a lot of work, I just adore it and would never part with it. It kind of keeps me centered and grounded, and it’s going to be Jack’s when he grows up.”

— WHAS-11 TV news anchor Claudia Coffey.

o

he theme of this month’s issue started as “channel your inner Diva, Networker, Sympathetic Ear, Survivor, Power.”

Although, when I told my editor I’d chosen WHAS-11 TV news anchor Claudia Coffey as my local interview subject for September, the only category I thought the divorced mother of one would fit was “channel your inner survivor,” as Coffey’s 4-year-old son Jack suffers from a rare electrical heart condition called long QT syndrome.

Apparently, I really underestimated Coffey, because by the time the good-natured Louisville native had concluded not one… not two…but three phone interview sessions (imagine having your interview tape not record anything…followed by your tape recorder breaking!), I realized that between Coffey’s personal and professional experiences, she fit four different categories.

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2011

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“It’s only a mile away from my (German) mother’s home, and also overlooks, not a subdivision, but Floyds Fork 21st Century Park!” she enthuses.

Coffey created a website, www. claudiacoffeyheartproject.org, to bring public awareness and also up-to-date legislative news for those families with children suffering with long QT syndrome — which can cause fainting, seizures, and even death. On a personal level, Coffey says she talks constantly with her son’s doctors, “who really encouraged me to let him be a little boy by being allowed to run around and play with his friends. I have to learn to let him do that, (although as a precaution, Coffey keeps a defibrillator at home). The doctors also encouraged me to get Jack interested now in the (type) sports and activities that he could realistically continue doing once he’s in middle school and high school. So we introduced him to taking weekly golf lessons and to playing the guitar, both of which he loves doing.”

Her Inner Diva: So who’s the real Claudia Coffey? Is it the fake-eyelash, tailored-suit-wearing, beautifully-coiffed, glamorous woman we see on TV? Or is it a freshly scrubbed nature girl?

“My friends always laugh when they come to my home because I hardly ever wear any makeup.

I’m just really low key,” she explains, adding “in the summer I’m dressed (at home) in shorts and flip-flops or t-shirts and jeans. I’m much more of a homebody…a very laid back person than (people) probably recognize. And Jack and I can most likely be found on my days off, sitting on our kitchen floor playing NASCAR,” mentions the newswoman, who in the course of her career has interviewed everyone from movie stars Owen Wilson and Ben Stiller, to Senators Howard Dean, John Kerry, and John Edwards during the 2004 Presidential Election.

Before letting her go, I just had to ask Coffey two final questions: ‘If it was solely up to her, would she remain at WHAS-11 until the end of her news career? And was it sheer will or destiny that finally brought Coffey’s career home to Louisville?’ “(They’re) never going to get rid of me.

They’re going to have to carry me out feet first!” she replies mock dramatically to the first question. “And I think it was a little bit of both sheer will and destiny,” she begins in response to the second. “But I honestly believe in things happening for a reason. And I think of all those years that I tried to get back home and it never worked out. And it finally did at the perfect time of my life…where, more than anything, this has been wonderful for my son. And for it to happen at this point and time…yeah, my hard work paid off, but more than anything, I think it was like God brought me home,” she concludes.

“And God brought Jack home so he can live a wonderful life here.”

Behind the Scenes Interviewing AN Arts Insider Exclusive

By Gioia Patton

Ugh!...Huh?...

Wow! EmmyAward winning reporter and Louisville native Claudia Coffey names her most difficult, weirdest, and favorite interview subjects to date.

Most Difficult Interview: “(Laughs) Britney Spears, who at the time was about 20-years-old and had just come out with her second album.

(Sighs) It was very difficult because her reps made (interviewers) submit their questions prior, and I was like ‘are you kidding me? I cover political campaigns and you want me to submit my questions for Britney Spears… prior?’ They then got back to me, having crossed through the questions they didn’t like. (Pause) People always think entertainment reporting must be so much fun,” she adds. “But this interview was soooo difficult (sighs) and I was also threatened with having my tape taken away from me if I dared to ask any questions about Justin Timberlake, whom the public was just finding out was Spears’ boyfriend. I was shocked, because the whole interview (situation) was so tightly controlled… from the questions…to the way she looked…to the number of handlers around her. Our sit-down interview took place backstage in a theater where she was to perform that night, and must have taken two hours, because, first of all, we had to wait for her, then the interview was repeatedly stopped and started because either her hair-weave was showing….or she needed lip-gloss applied…. or she was chewing gum. I’d also been told just before the interview ‘sometimes Britney doesn’t understand the (questions) being asked so you’ll have to repeat them.’” Now laughing uproariously, Coffey concludes: “All the while I was thinking to myself ‘this is hysterical….if (people) only knew!’”

Weirdest Interview: “At the time I interviewed NFL running back Ricky Williams, he was going through a tough time in his career with the New Orleans Saints, so he’d only do interviews with his helmet on. So naturally I had trouble not only seeing him but also understanding him. (Laughs) It was all very bizarre.”

Favorite Interview: “So many faces come to mind, but after thinking back through the different cities where I’ve lived — I recall (in Milwaukee) being very impressed by Deanna Favre, wife of (then) Green Bay Packers’ legendary quarterback Brett Favre. When I interviewed Deanna, who’d recently been diagnosed with breast cancer, she was hosting a luncheon for breast cancer survivors. She was in the midst of going through the chemotherapy and radiation process herself at that time, and I was so impressed by her strength. I kept thinking ‘she must be exhausted!’ but there she was taking the time to not only encourage other women who were either going through it or who had survived cancer, but taking the time to talk with me as well. I was so impressed by her composure, and her outlook was one that was so positive,” Coffey adds. “Deanna was an incredible inspiration to me and I kept thinking ‘wow…I don’t think I’ll ever complain again.’”

Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg: “I interviewed the two outside of the World War II Memorial, where they talked about their upcoming HBO project The Pacific. They are the biggest stars and names and most down-to-earth people I’ve ever met! My all-time favorite interview!

Gioia Patton is an Arts & Entertainment celebrity profiler and concert reviewer.

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www.iamtodayswoman.com

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Who’s Watching Out for Your Health?

According to WebMD, the following five health care screening tests may save a woman’s life: Check your heart Check your blood pressure, cholesterol levels, and blood fats (triglycerides).

Women over 50 are also encouraged to have their C-reactive protein (CRP), Homocysteine, and lipoprotein(a) (LP(a)) checked.

Pap Test Annually, schedule a Pap test beginning three years after becoming sexually active or by age 21, whichever comes first. After age 30, if three Pap tests have been normal, the woman may be able to have the Pap test every two to three years.

Mammogram At age 40, a mammogram is recommended every year or every other year; after age 50, annually. If a woman has a family history of breast cancer, she should have her first mammogram at 10 years younger than the age her relative was diagnosed.

Colonoscopy Beginning at age 50 and every 10 years afterward.

Skin exam Every year after age 18. A dermatologist will look at your entire body, looking for unusual moles, brown or red spots. You can also do a self exam monthly, looking at yourself with a hand mirror for signs of change.

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While nothing can take the place of good advice from a primary care physician, more and more individuals are taking a proactive approach to their health care by researching symptoms on the internet and scheduling screenings for diseases they’re concerned about, sometimes without consulting a physician first.

By Cheryl Stuck

WHO DO YOU SEE REGULARLY? Primary care physician Gynecologist Chiropractor Other specialist I don’t see anyone regularly 0

5

10

15

20

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

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Today’s Woman

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o

Would you ever go on your own without a doctor’s recommendation, and pay out of your own pocket, for any of the following screenings?

Stroke Heart Mammogram Lungs Gynecologist Hormone specialist Other None of the above 0

At Priority Radiology in New Albany, business manager Dawn Hayden said that her company’s protocol for mammograms is for patients to have an order from a physician.

But cancer and cardiovascular screenings don’t require a doctor’s referral. Hayden stressed that it’s preferable for the patient to have a doctor involved in case a test result is positive and needs follow-up.

Hayden is finding that many patients are making health care decisions based on cost, but family history also motivates some to screen for cancer or heart disease, even though they may have to pay out of pocket for the tests. She said that insurance generally does not cover these precautionary screenings, although a mammogram may be covered if the patient is age 40 or over, or if symptoms are present, like a lump or discharge in the breast.

With health insurance coverage shrinking, Hayden said, “We have more and more selfpay patients every day. And because we’re an outpatient facility, we can afford to charge less than a hospital.”

Costs can vary dramatically from place to place, but as an example, Priority Radiology charges the following for these screenings, including a reading and consultation with a radiologist the same day: • $75 Cardiovascular screening. Done by ultrasound, arteries are examined in the neck, abdomen, and legs to reveal calcifications causing blockages in those areas. This screening does not find blockages within the heart.

• $175 Lung cancer screening. A CT scan will detect any active disease in the chest.

Results of The National Lung Screening Trial recently published on the New England Journal of Medicine website found that low-dose helical computed tomography (CT) screening for lung cancer reduces deaths by 20 percent due to earlier detection and treatment.

• $148.50 Mammogram. Further costs may be incurred if something is found and additional testing is needed.

Next month, our group will discuss breaking health rules.

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2

4

6

8

10

12

Here are some thoughts from the Today’s Woman of Wellness Health Advisory Group who take the initiative to screen for their own health: “I go to a dermatologist and a migraine specialist.

I didn’t need a general practitioner to make an appointment or refer.”

Myrdin Thompson, Immediate Past President, 15th District PTA, on the district board as the 4th Vice President Communications and Kentucky PTA Reflections Commissioner.

“I went to Norton’s Women’s Heart Center to get a heart disease risk profile done recently. It wasn’t recommended by my doctor, but I just felt I needed to know my numbers.”

Debbie Williams, project manager for AquaPro Painting

“When I turned 40, I knew I had to have different screenings, like a mammogram, pap smear, blood glucose, and others. I did it without a recommendation.”

MARIA ANGELICA MUNOZ, Physical Educator

“My facility is now offering lung cancer screenings and cardiovascular screenings. I am finding that more and more people are taking charge of their health and are very interested in these screenings. The typical patients interested in screenings are ones who have family history of a particular disease. The ones who need the screenings the most because of their current health (eating habits, smokers, high blood pressure, etc.) are the ones who avoid any type of screening.”

Dawn Hayden, Business Manager, Priority Radiology

“My insurance requires referrals for specialists. But I would be willing to pay out of my own pocket for screenings for stroke, heart, mammogram, lungs, gynecologist, or a hormone specialist.”

Ticonna Roberts, Information Researcher/SRN

Today’s Woman

www.iamtodayswoman.com

2011

SEPTEMBER

65

2011: The Hunt for the Perfect Salad

Science Hill’s Kentucky Bibb Salad

W

Story and Photo By Melissa Donald

hat do you know about….you? Well, now is the time to listen to your gut, your intuition, and your inner knowing, just like Ellen Gill did many years ago when she knew early in life that she wanted to be a chef. Around the age of 10 years old, Ellen started waiting tables in her mother’s restaurant in Louisville called The Scallion. Working with food and in this type of environment felt natural to her, so it made sense that Ellen would choose a degree in the culinary arts. Now, fast forward to 1988 when chef Ellen returned to Kentucky to work full time in her family’s restaurant at Science Hill Inn in Shelbyville.

Being a newcomer to Kentucky, I first learned of Science Hill last year when I met the Gills outside of their culinary setting. Both Ellen and her mother Donna were dressed in their chef coats, and I inquired as to where they worked. They each gave me a business card and said I must visit Science Hill.

I recently did and tasted the Science Hill’s Kentucky Bibb Salad. When available, this salad uses the buttery, light, and beautiful Kentucky Bibb lettuce. When this lettuce is not available, Ellen uses a hydroponic Bibb lettuce, to keep this wonderful salad on the menu year round.

Loaded with all sorts of protein and fiber, this salad is worth the drive to Shelbyville on a beautiful September day (closed Mondays). If you go by the rule of including a lot of different colors on your plate, then you will be very pleased with the color, flavor, and generous portion of this salad. My salad included what looked like a whole head of Bibb lettuce, asparagus, egg, turkey, country ham, bacon, artichoke, hearts of palm, beets, black olives, cheddar cheese, tomatoes, and cucumbers. I was stunned and in awe of the enormous size and color spectrum on my plate. This salad includes a basket of homemade biscuits and corn bread. I could barely finish.

Like so many chefs, Ellen is no exception in including local items into her culinary creations. Thinly sliced and full of flavor, the ham used in the salad — Father’s Country Ham from Gatton Farms in Bremen, Ky. — is a delicious addition.

When available, Kentucky Bibb lettuce, tomatoes, and cucumbers are from Ellen’s home garden, and the beets are purchased at a farmer’s market in Louisville.

Top the whole salad off with Ellen’s house dressing, a mix of her homemade blue cheese and Italian dressings. The sharp, tangy flavor associated with blue cheese is subdued with the slightly sweet Italian dressing. This is a light blend that nicely accompanies the other elements in this salad. I used very little dressing, approximately 11/2 tablespoons, as I wanted to fully taste all the other flavors in the salad without overpowering them. Keep in mind that a little bit goes a long way.

So, the next time you want to get out for a short while and you are channeling something nutritious and delicious, then head to Science Hill and check out the Kentucky Bibb Salad. You will leave full and fully satisfied.

Science Hill Inn — 525 Washington Street; Shelbyville, KY 40065 • 502.633.2825 — reservations are recommended Approximate nutritional information: Calories - 250, Total Fat - 12g, Fiber - 6g, Protein - 17g.

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Today’s Woman

www.iamtodayswoman.com

Who

Am I?

By Darian Eswine

W e all have those moments where we would rather be anyone in the world but

ourselves. I am the type of person who is constantly trying to change something about myself; anything to make myself feel better, have more confidence, or just improve who I am. The key word here is improve.

We think we can improve ourselves, give ourselves upgrades like pieces of technology. We think so much about it that our mind soaks it up and begins to believe it. This idea of self-improvement spurs us on to trying different looks, actions, friends, interests, and personalities. We start acting like who we want to be instead of being who we are.

I believed in this idea for the longest time. I would make slight changes to my personality to make my friends happy or to be more fun. The fun factor is a key issue for me. My sister died when I was 12, and I lost the majority of the lighthearted child in me and matured in an extremely short span of time. I became a very serious person. I started trying to be more exciting and fun because I thought that was how my friends wanted me to be.

The problem with trying to change who you are for others is that it involves too much pretending. We cannot truly change who we are, so in essence, we are play-acting who we want to be, not really changing. True change comes

naturally; it isn’t forced.

I never realized the difference or the degree of the crime I was committing to myself until my trip to Germany.

I will be in my fourth year of German at Floyd Central High School this year and we had the opportunity to participate in an exchange program through an organization called the Friendship Connection. Participants are matched to other students based on interests and age. My German student’s name was Julia Winter. She came in March to spend a month with me, and I traveled on June 14 to begin my month with her. Her family lives in a small city near the Rhine called Miehlen, Germany, consisting of about 2,000 people.

I could sense a new-found peace on my first day there. I do not know if it was being away from my daily routine or being away from friends, but something in me was calmer. I did not know anyone but Julia so the first few days were extremely awkward, but the longer I was there, the more I understood conversations and the more I started to speak in German. Everyone was patient with me, and they made sure I was included, but they also gave me the choice to do what I was comfortable with.

The first day, I went to Julia’s dance class with her. I am really shy, and I didn’t know anyone so I decided not to dance. Instead I sat on the steps and started writing. That is when I had this epiphany about improvement. I realized it was OK if I wanted to sit in the corner instead of dancing. It was OK whatever I wanted to do as long as I was

comfortable with it and as long as I was being me.

The author, Darian (right), with friends in Germany, taken on a bridge in Frankfurt.

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Other events gave me a tight grasp on the concept; we played a game in sports class and at first I did not join because I am not good at sports and I don’t play in front of people. Eventually, I decided to join in and I picked up the ball and threw it at someone.

I missed by about half a mile. A couple of the girls laughed at me, but not in a mean way. They were all laughing at each other.

I realized that I was the one in the wrong. I had never given my friends the chance to get to know any part of me I did not want them to see. I had censored my personality, and it was my fault alone that I felt the need to improve myself. True friends will accept us for who we are; all of us, all the time, in any situation.

My sister died. It happened. I can’t pretend it didn’t, I can’t pretend I don’t think about it constantly, and I can’t pretend that it hasn’t changed who I am. We all have life experiences that shape us into the people we are. That is the magnificence of being unique. The moment we try to change ourselves, we push back all uniqueness.

It is a shame when one is not allowed to truly know a person because of the mask they hide behind.

There was a beauty I experienced in Germany. It was not a lack of improvement, but a lack of forced improvement.

Miehlen has maintained a peace through its traditional architecture and untouched landscape. Different cities vary on scales of modernity but they all maintain the same sense of style — a sense of poise and grace.

They face ever-changing times along with the rest of the globe. Appearances change, but the core remains the same. It’s a feeling that cannot be explained or understood. Germany was just another life experience that made me who I am now, at this very moment. It taught me how to be myself.

People are people. You are you. I am me.

Some things in life carry their own unique greatness without any need for improvement.

2011

Today’s Woman

www.iamtodayswoman.com

2011

SEPTEMBER

69

4

THINGS

Not To Miss

THIS Month

1 #

Katy Perry

with special guests Janelle Monáe and DJ Skeet Skeet

Thank you KFC Yum! Center for existing. It’s the reason this pop sensation added Louisville to her California Dreams 2011 World Tour.

Perry’s Grammy-nominated album Teenage Dream is the first album in more than six years to yield four #1 songs on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, (Teenage Dream, California Girls, Firework, and E. T.), and the first by a solo female artist since Mariah Carey did so with her debut album in 1990-1991.

— Gioia Patton

When  September 10 @ 7:30pm Where  KFC Yum! Center, 1 Arena Plaza, 201 West Main St. tickets  $38 and $48 Contact  The box office or any Ticketmaster outlets or www.ticketmaster.com

American Girl Kickoff Event

Join guest speaker and award-winning author Lisa Yee for American Girl activities, door prizes, and of course the announcement of our Today’s Girl award winners!

When  September 16 @ 6-7:30pm Where  Barnes & Noble at The Summit tickets  Free Contact  502.629.5437

Bark in the Park 2011

Bring your dog to the park for the Animal Care Society’s 8th annual fundraiser. Kick off the morning with the Woof to Walk, and later enjoy dog-themed crafts, contests, vendor booths, and much more. Proceeds benefit the ACS no-kill animal shelter.

When  September 17, 9am-3pm Where  Seneca Park cost  admission is free, Woof to Walk: $25/early registration, $30/day of event Contact  www.animalcaresociety.org

2nd Annual Evening of Hope Gala

Join us for an evening benefitting the Scarlet Hope Ministry, a nonprofit whose mission is to spread the hope and love of Jesus to women working in adult entertainment. Live music, silent auction, hors d’oeuvres, dinner and dessert, and testimonies of lives changed. Formal attire appropriate.

When  September 23 @ 6:30pm Where  Galt House Grand Ballroom tickets  $75 Contact  www.scarlethope.org

WhoDunnit Murder Mystery Theater’s Halloween in Haiti: The Hanged Man Sings

Was it murder, suicide, or voodoo magic?

Ask this theater company’s characters a question and they must tell the truth— unless you ask if they are the murderer, of course. Unravel the mystery of Chauncey Farqueson’s hanging by collecting clues, interacting with the characters, and trying to figure out who did it When  September 10-October 29 @ 7pm Where  Hyatt Regency Louisville tickets  $43.95 includes dinner, show, tax and gratuity Contact  502.426.7100

Gaslight Festival

Support local artists and experience live music on historic Gaslight Square. The three-day arts and craft celebration will showcase craftsmanship, commercial exhibits, food and beverage, and more fun festivities.

When  September 16-18, 6pm-10pm Where  Jeffersontown Gaslight Square admission  Free Contact  502.267.1674

2 #

The Three Musketeers Louisville Ballet

Premiered at the Australian ballet in 1980, The Three Musketeers is one of Andre Prokovsky’s best loved ballets and follows the original story of Alexandre Dumas’s classic novel. Says artistic director Bruce Simpson, “This is a tongue-in-cheek look at the adventures of the 17th century trio. Lots of fencing with a filmatic look — almost like a silent movie. The ballet is entertainment of the first order coupled with demanding choreography and stagecraft. From Johannesburg to Louisville, the ballet has proven to be an audience favorite.” Not performed in Louisville since its company premiere in 2005.

— Gioia Patton

September 16 @ 8pm and September 17 @ 2pm and 8pm Kentucky Center, 501 West Main St. tickets  single tickets from $27-$97 Contact  The LB box office 502.583.2623 or visit www.kentuckycenter.org When 

Where 

Carmen

The tragic French opera will grace the stages of the Kentucky Opera. Against the backdrop of Seville, the mysterious cigarette girl known as Carmen will win the love of Corporal Don José only to throw it all away.

When  September 23 & 30 @ 8pm, September 25 @ 2pm Where  Kentucky Opera tickets  $35-$78 Contact  502.584.4500

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.

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Today’s Woman

Win More Stuff!

This month, we’ll be giving away a $50 gift certificate to Boutique Serendipity and a BandIt Body Workout System. Go to www.facebook.com/todayswomanmagazine for details.

4 #

3 #

Sense & Sensibility

Actors Theatre of Louisville

ATL’s former longtime artistic director Jon Jory is the adaptor and director of this production, which is making its ATL debut. Based on the novel by Jane Austen, it tells the encompassing story of betrayal, forgiveness, redemption, and the search for true love. Jory directed Austen’s Pride and Prejudice at ATL during its 2008-09 season.

— Gioia Patton

Church Basement Ladies Derby Dinner Playhouse

Inspired by the books of Janet Martin and Suzann Nelson, including the best seller Growing Up Lutheran, this hysterical musical comedy is a celebration of church basement kitchens everywhere and the unsung women who work in them. The cast includes longtime DDP favorites: Cary Wiger, Janet Essenpreis, Tina Jo Wallace, Michelle Johnson, and Rita Thomas.

— Gioia Patton When  thru September 25, evening and matinée performances Where  Derby Dinner Playhouse, Clarksville, In. tickets  Single tickets from $34-$43 Contact  812.288.8281 or www.derbydinner.com.

Fully handicapped accessible.

August 31-September 24, evening and matinée performances Where  ATL, 316 West Main St. tickets  $35-$69 Contact  502.584.1205, or www.actorstheatre.org When 

2011 Downtown Living Tour

Ever wondered about the downtown living experience?

Learn all about it as you tour downtown Louisville’s housing, education options, eateries, and other attractions.

Conclude the evening with a happy hour where downtown business owners and neighbors will be present to chat about what living downtown is really like.

When  September 17, 10am-5pm th Where  Meet at the Brown Williamson Tower at 4 and Liberty Street cost  Free Contact  502-583-1671 or www.ldmd.org

Fleur de Lis Sailing Regatta

This two-day sailing event will benefit the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. Bring a chair and enjoy a picturesque afternoon watching the sails from the waterfront.

When  September 9-11 Where  Great Lawn Harbor admission  Free, donations accepted Contact  502.939.2080

Souvenirs of Europe: An Early Kentucky Artist Collects

The works of one of Kentucky’s most important early artists are being featured at the Speed Art Museum. Oliver Frazer (1808-1864) was born in Fayette County and spent parts of his adult life abroad. The etchings and engravings from his travels in France, Germany, Switzerland, Italy and Belgium will be on display.

When  Now until September 30 Where  The Speed Art Museum tickets  Free with admission Contact  502.634.2700 or www.speedmuseum.org www.iamtodayswoman.com

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I feel like I have one foot in the door of my parents’ home and the other in my own home. My parents have always been controlling and constantly continue to meddle in my life. They make me feel as though I don’t have the ability to run a household on my own, much less make any decisions. Now that I have a child, I feel completely smothered by my mom. I respect my parents and really want to honor them, but it is beginning to grate on my husband.

The tension between us has grown because of our new addition, but I believe it would be better if my parents would let us be a mommy and daddy by ourselves. I know my mom; she won’t take kindly to being asked to bow out. How can I set boundaries without hurting feelings?

Q:

Joyce: Moms have the best intentions for the most part, but for some, cutting apron strings is never intended to be factored into the equation.

There might be several issues at play here. Your mom may not have a life apart from you and needs to develop one. It could be she’s unhappy in her own life and plans to live out her dreams vicariously through you. Or, now that she’s a grandmother, she feels she has squatter’s rights. Regardless, she is stuck in overprotective gear and needs a quick shift.

It is time to get tough with Mom. But, tenderness will be important in keeping peace. She may initially be hurt, angry, and/or offended, but if you keep your words and tone in control, when the lights come on in her new dark

Q:

Do you believe an emotional affair is adultery? It feels like a betrayal to me, but my husband contends they are just friends and nothing more. While I want to believe him, it hurts my feelings that he seems more open to sharing conversations on Facebook and texting with her than he does talking with me. Nothing is private; he allows me to read all texts and FB comments. He tells me I am making too much out of it and that my insecurities are showing.

Perhaps he’s right, but shouldn’t my feelings count, too?

ONLINE

Q:

Just Ask Joyce

By Joyce Oglesby

world, she’ll appreciate how you handled the situation.

Let her know that you love her, you appreciate how she has always been there for you, but she must trust that she has done an adequate job in teaching you life skills.

Explain that it is now your turn to be a good mom and wife, but you can’t be your best when she interferes.

Encourage her to turn her attention to her husband now. He needs her. She can be a great grandmom, but it has to be on your terms. She must respect your household. Let her know your marriage depends on it.

She must understand and value your plea. If she doesn’t, that part of it is out of your control. You can only control your actions, and it is time you learned how good that can feel.

Joyce: What you are experiencing would feel that way to most women. It should not only hurt your feelings, it should wave huge red flags. A husband who loves his wife will respect, honor, and protect her above all else. Your husband wouldn’t risk damaging the bond you two created if these were in place. It’s good that you have no secrets, per se, but how long will that last? If you are uncomfortable with this relationship, it should cease immediately, no questions asked. Not only is it inappropriate, it runs the risk of putting your husband in a compromising situation.

Your insecurities are valid. If the tables were turned, I can assure you his concerns would be showing as well. Facebook casualties continue to mount daily, even though some “connections” started out very innocently.

Encourage ways to begin developing stronger communication between the two of you. Many couples find themselves in a stale marriage and allow it to go unattended until the two eventually become strangers. Your feelings do count, but if they don’t matter in his book, you have more to be concerned with than what seems obvious. You have the benefit of the texts and Facebook conversations. Figure out what conversation is intriguing him and learn the language. Remember: you have the advantage over the other woman. He shares your bed at day’s end. Keep it that way by making sure you spice up your marriage now, while it’s not too late. Soon, the only question you will need to ask him is: “Your pillow or mine?” (Visit justaskjoyce.com and get your copy of my book. It’s sure to enhance any marriage.)

I was raised in an abusive home. In my case, it was my stepmother that was emotionally abusive, while my dad sat back and let it happen. I have not seen or talked to my father in several years. I struggle with what God would want me to do about this. On one hand, I would love to talk to my father, and possibly have a relationship. On the other hand, I know I do not want a relationship with my stepmom. It frightens me that to get back into a relationship with my father might possibly be risking even more hurt and failure. I believe he resents the distance I’ve allowed to come between us. In your opinion, what should I do?

(Go to www.iamtodayswoman.com for answer to this question.)

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2011

Today’s Woman

www.iamtodayswoman.com

2011

SEPTEMBER

73

Leather Real

or

Fake?

By Tiffany White / Photos by melissa donald

model: Taylor Collins

When you can find a great leather jacket that looks fabulous on you, the question of whether it is real or fake doesn’t matter.

IF YOU wear real leather Nick and Lynn Boone, owners of The Leatherhead (1601 Bardstown Road, 502.451.4477), agree that faux leather is a nice substitute, but if you are looking for comfort, genuine leather is their top pick. “Real leather breathes and provides a more comfortable fit for the people who are wearing it,” says Nick. He adds, “It puts you in a certain category.” The biggest difference between the two, according to Nick, is that faux leather is made from plastic which eventually affects its appearance and texture. “Faux leather tends to get stiffer and stiffer over time. Real leather is soft and will remain this way as long as you condition it.” The Leatherhead, which only sells genuine leather, offers several types of leather jackets including: Cabretta lamb skin, cowhide, calf suede, and lamb suede.

Taylor is wearing Scully leather jacket, $399, available at The Leatherhead

IF YOU wear faux leather The timelessness of a leather jacket makes it a great addition to your wardrobe, but if the price is too high, try faux leather. “Good quality faux leather can look like the real thing and people who are very pro animal don’t feel uncomfortable about wearing it,” says Michelle Tasman, marketing and advertising director for Rodeo Drive (2212C Holiday Manor Ctr., 502.425.8999). Though the affordability of faux leather is beneficial for frugal shoppers, explains Michelle, customers should be selective about the type they buy. “Based on touch, you can tell whether it is good or bad faux leather. Bad faux leather looks and feels like plastic. It feels crunchy, doesn’t have the rich texture and isn’t pliable.” To maintain the appearance of your faux leather jacket, Michelle suggests reading the garment label for care instructions.

Taylor is wearing faux leather jacket by Luii, $175, available at Rodeo Drive

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Today’s Woman