Here's to Girlfriends

And what is so rare as a day in June?

Then, if ever, come perfect days;
Then Heaven tries earth if it be in tune,
And over it softly her warm ear lays;
Whether we look, or whether we listen,
We hear life murmur, or see it glisten.
James Russell Lowell

The flower for the month is the rose and the gem is a pearl. What could be more perfect (and romantic) than roses and pearls? Okay, orchids and diamonds are certainly in the running, but a bit ostentatious, don’t you think? June is also the month for new beginnings, like graduations and weddings.

I can afford to be in a romantic mood – I’m writing this while listening to the sounds of the surf and feeling a cool ocean breeze. I know it’s 104° in Las Vegas. I’ll be there soon enough. How do you keep your cool? Send your thoughts to me now for the July issue. We’ll need it!

The Wonders of the World Wide Web

Recently my husband and I were talking about a friend who used to sell encyclopedias. We wondered if anyone does that any more, now that everything you ever wanted to know – and more – is just a click or two away. For instance, several years ago I was hosting a baby shower. I wanted games that were fun and different so I thought I’d search on the web. My husband was skeptical – he thinks (or thought; now he knows better) that the Internet was only for “serious” applications. Ha! I found some great (and also some stupid) games with no trouble at all. Searching is easier than ever. I just type exactly what I want, like “stupid baby shower games” into my search engine and I’m rarely disappointed.

With increasing frequency, the information is found on one of two websites, about.com or ehow.com. I don’t know who comes up with all this stuff, but there are lessons in everything from to How to Tie a French Knot to How to French Kiss. Possibly too much information!

As long as you’re searching anyway, you might as well be doing some good. If you would like to contribute your two cents worth to charity, use goodsearch.com. Powered by Yahoo, over 36,000 non-profit organizations are signed up to receive benefits and they will be happy to add your favorite if it’s legit. For instance, I added My Hope Chest and Project Shero, organizations founded by two of my favorite girlfriends, and headquartered right here in Las Vegas.

Happy Birthday to Me!

Have you noticed a trend among women, especially those over forty – to plan and execute their own birthday parties? It’s a control thing. Nobody wants to blow their big day by leaving it up to someone who may not make it as special as it deserves to be.

My own philosophy about birthdays: Any day that involves cake and presents can’t be all bad. If it’s a “signature birthday” – the ones that end in a zero – pull out all the stops. Here are some party policies from a few of my girlfriends:

  • Only invite people you like
  • Only invite people who are fun
  • Invite a few people you don’t know well but wish you did
  • Good food, good friends and good music make for a good time
  • If you have a lot of stamina (and a lot of money) throw two parties on the same day – an afternoon event for families and an “adults only” evening bash.

My friend Carolyn Muse Grant (CMG) hosted her own 60th birthday party last December in the spacious home of her friends, Dee & George (those are good friends to have). The invitation said “wear black and/or purple” and I thought maybe we were having a mock funeral for her youth. Wrong! Each female guest was given a purple feather boa as she entered and there was nothing funereal about that party! BTW, the invitation did not say “no presents”. “Of course I want presents!” she said. “What’s a birthday party without cake and presents?” (A woman after my own heart.) Speaking of cake, Beth Schwartz (of Las Vegas Luxury fame) got the recipe from CMG’s mother for her favorite Red Velvet Cake and made dozens of wonderful cupcakes. What a great friend and a great gift!

Alisa Savoretti, owner of retroHome.com, threw herself a “retro” birthday party. Alisa is sure she was meant to live – and party – in the 1920s and for one wild night, she did!

There is a group of Las Vegas ladies who don’t want presents or big parties. (They all have plenty of “stuff” including money.) Whenever one of them has a birthday, the others chip in and make a significant donation to a charity chosen by the honoree. Now that’s what I call “Grande Dames”.

If the creative sparks aren’t flying, check online for ideas at evite.com or plumparty.com. For a once–in–a–lifetime experience, Debbi Somers (somersfurniture.com) can replace every stick of your furniture for one night only, and make your home resemble Pure or Tabu. (For those of you who don’t get out much, those are Vegas nightclubs.) As they say at L’Oreal, “after all, you’re worth it”.

Best Friend

Last month marked the end of an era and there are not too many people in Southern Nevada who realize how amazing it was. During the time I have been in Las Vegas (thirty years) many people have tried and failed to produce a quality publication for women. There was one tabloid that managed to hang on for a few years. There were a couple of guys who looked like characters from a Damon Runyon story who thought they knew what women wanted. I even remember one that lasted for only a month! Not until Paige Fleming launched Nevada Woman was there a true magazine for and about women in Nevada. She defied all odds and succeeded in publishing a glossy, four–color, perfect bound magazine month after month and year after year. On the third anniversary of the magazine, she brought hundreds of women together for the first Woman to Woman luncheon, featuring the dynamic Dr. Ruth as keynote speaker. The annual event has grown in popularity, with each successive one outdoing the last. There are always a few surprises at each luncheon, but this year’s was a bombshell – after twelve years Nevada Woman will cease publication.

I met Paige when she first started – actually even before the publication of the first issue. She came to my place of business, having copy after copy of the prototype cover printed for her media kits. Secretly, I thought she didn’t have a snowball’s chance in the desert of making it, but I underestimated the determination behind that beautiful face.

Every woman in Nevada owes Paige a huge “thank you” for her courage and tenacity and her refusal to ever compromise the quality of Nevada Woman. Wherever life takes her, she will always be THE Nevada Woman. (By the way, I still have my copy of that first issue.)

A note from Paige: “It has been an honor to meet so many fabulous women over the years. The announcement was a sad one, but the mission and goal of the magazine should serve as an inspiration for women to follow their hearts to achieve great things.”

Do you have a “best friend” you’d like to share with the rest of us? Please send her story to letstalk@herestogirlfriends.com. (Be sure you get her permission first!)

Where the Girls Are

  • Thursday, June 7: Opening Reception for Sculpture & Pastels by Las Vegas artists Sharon Gainsburg and Wendy Westover, 6 – 9 p.m., at The Gallery at Summerlin; 9330 W. Sahara Ave., Suite 180. RSVP to scannon@thegalleryatsummerlin.com
  • Sunday, June 10: My Hope Chest will hold the second annual Hope's Angels "Run For the Hills" Biker Poker Run sponsored by Henderson Harley–Davidson & other local businesses. For more information, visit myhopechest.org.
  • Monday, June 11, National Association of Female Executives (NAFE) breakfast, 8:30 – 10 a.m. at the Wild Horse Golf Club, 2100 Warm Springs Rd. For information and reservations, contact Amy Frost, amy@authenticsuccessteams.com.
  • Monday, June 11, Direct Selling Women’s Alliance meeting at Transformations, 1725 S. Rainbow Suite #25; 6:30 registration & networking, 7 p.m. program featuring guest speaker, organizational expert Brenda Prinzavalli, “Balancing Work and Life”. For information & reservations, contact lanetta@savesyoutime.com or mydswa.org.
  • Thursday, June 14: Women’s Democratic Club of Clark County luncheon, 11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m. in the Social Club next to the Main Street Station. Guest speaker will be Jill Derby, newly elected state chair of the Democratic Party. For information or reservations call 615-4522 or email womensdemoclarkcounty@gmail.com
  • Thursday, June 21, Moms in Business Network luncheon 11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m., at Lawry’s the Prime Rib; Guest Speaker, Carole Devon of Positively Kids. mibn.org
  • Tuesday, June 26: NAWBO/So. Nevada; luncheon program includes recognition of the outgoing Board and celebration of a new NAWBO Board year; 11 a.m. – 1 p.m.; Panevino Ristorante; nawbosnv.org.
  • Tuesday, June 26: Women’s Chamber of Commerce of Nevada hosts a mixer from 6 – 8 PM at the Stirling Club. There is no charge but you must RSVP no later than 6/22/07 by calling 733-3955. For details visit womenschamberofnevada.org.
  • Friday, August 3: the four Las Vegas minority chambers of commerce will host the inaugural Women of Color Conference: “Empowering Our Future”. The participating chambers include the American Indian, Asian, Latin and Urban chambers. The all-day event will take place at the Cox Pavilion on the UNLV campus. Women of all ethnicities, professions and social backgrounds are invited to participate. For more information and reservations, visit lvwomenofcolor.com.
  • Every Saturday, weather permitting; Carris Care Center leads a “Yoga Walk” through Calico Basin. Contact Iris Dortch, iris@carriscares.com or 636-1555.

Send announcements about events for women to letstalk@herestogirlfriends.com, as straight email text or MS Word attachments. Please, no PDFs, photos or graphics. They won’t be published and it slows me down!

Cheers!
Carolyn Stephens
herestogirlfriends.com
PS. Now that I’ve got three months worth of eZine experience, I think I’ll make a few changes to the way things are done. Before the next edition I plan to do a little remodeling so that more information is on the website and less in the monthly blast.


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