Gals' Guide

Chicago is Fast Company's U.S. City of the Year

Yay!

Columbia College Manifest is Today!

Ladies, here is a terrific festival that you need to make time for-in the South Loop:

Blagica Bottigliero, NBC5 Street Team (Video)
Hi Gang. With today's phenomenal spring weather, come on down to the South Loop and check out the premiere annual event for Columbia College: Manifest.

Details: 30,000 people. 50 showcases. 14 galleries. 4 stages. 1 day. Experience Manifest. Columbia College Chicago’s urban arts festival celebrates the work of seniors and graduate students from every department on campus. Manifest 2008 will feature an artwalk & sale, music on four stages, screenings, readings, live radio, Web casts, the TICTOC Performance Art Festival, the Transmission art car exhibition, Spectacle Fortuna's parade of creativity, and special musical guest OK Go.

Oprah's Top Summer Picks 2008 Here You Go, Ladies!

I just watched the  Oprah Winfrey Show while I checked email and thought I'd like her favorite picks for summer. Special guests on the show includes Donald Trump, Heidi Klum and Mary J. Blige. Enjoy!

Weber Grill Genesis EP-310 -$731.49 on sale

Yummie Tummie Tank Tops-$62

The Fit Flop - $49.99 at Macys.com

NARS Botan Kabuki Brush

Rolling Duffle by Toss Designs -$168

The Oprah Magazine Cookbook - $19.77

Garmin Nuvi 250 Portable GPS - $179.99

Mary J Blige 'Growing Pains' CD - $9.99

A Lesson On DatingFrom a GG Reader

Thank you to Jasmine for the contribution:

Secrets Of Love

Article Source Unknown

The First Secret - The Power Of Thought

Love begins with our thoughts. We become what we think about. Loving thoughts create loving experiences and loving relationships. Affirmations can change our beliefs and thoughts about others and ourselves. If we want to love someone, we need to consider their needs and desires. Thinking about your ideal partner will help you recognize her when you meet her.

The Second Secret - The Power Of Respect

You cannot love anyone or anything unless you first respect them. The first person you need to respect is yourself. To begin to gain self-respect asks yourself, "What do I respect about myself?" To gain respect for others, even those you may dislike, ask yourself "What do I respect about them?"

The Third Secret - The Power Of Giving

If you want to receive love, all you have to do is give it! The more love you give, the more you will receive. To love is to give of yourself freely and unconditionally. Practice random acts of kindness. Before committing to a relationship ask not what the other person will be able to give to you, but rather what will you be able to give them. The secret formula of a happy, lifelong, loving relationship is to always focus on what you can give instead of what you can take.

When It's Time to Leave Him

You'll always make mistakes. It's human.  One thing you should never ever disregard is your gut. Trust me.

Whether it's a cordial relationship or something you've got so much time 'invested in', there are so many signs you may miss along the way. 

I know alot of women that have been stuck in a relationship for 2+ years and even though they know he's not the right guy for them, they stick around. Heck, I did.  I didn't want those 2 years to go down the tubes because I saw it as an investment. Big mistake.

When you feel your gut sink and your little voice tells you 'This isn't right' or 'He's not the guy for me', listen to it.  Mistakes women make:

-But the holidays are coming up
-What about all the questions?
-I don't want to be single again! I don't know how to date.

Ladies, take care of yourself and do what's right for your first - always.

Gas is 4 Bucks a Gallon Contact Exxon CEO, Rex Tillerson

I came across the site, ExxposeExxon, believe it or not, on the expressway.  On our way to Michigan, this bumper sticker flashed before my eyes and I couldn't shake it from memory. Fast forward to this morning and I learned that the CEO of Exxon Mobile is going to be on the Today Show tomorrow.  I don't own a car, but my heart sinks every time Michael fills up his car at the gas station. I remember when gas was $.89 a gallon, no joke. It was a long time ago, but $.89 seems like another century ago.

If you are interested in learning more about Exxon's $67 million spent on lobbying or the fact that they made $11.7 BILLION last quarter, send a note thru the ExxposeExxon site and tune in to the Today Show tomorrow. Now, the CEO may be on the highest watched morning show tomorrow, but you KNOW he'll already have canned answers prepared, right?

The Forum is Not DeadNew Tools Coming Your Way!

HI Ladies,

Just letting you know. I'm reformatting the old forum into the new network I'm creating. One stop shopping for all things GG. From blog posts to pictures to forums to get togethers. Announcement coming end of this week.

Thank you for your patience!

Morning WorkoutsTry to Make Them a Habit!

I was dreading the gym today. I didn't want to leave my computer. Projects and tasks were piling up, but I somehow managed to get myself to my local sweat spot - it's literally at the foot of my building.

As I pounded away on the elliptical, I skimmed through Allure magazine (the issue with Hillary Duff on the cover).  A special section on working out caught my eye, namely, the importance of working out in the morning.

The good news? You'll have your workout out of the way, along with focusing on your daily meetings, dates and last minute summer outings.  The bad news? It'll take your body 3-4 workouts before you get in the habit of working out first thing in the morning.

Some tips to help you out:

• put your alarm clock on the other side of the room
• stack your workout clothes, charged iPod, etc at the foot of bed and/or by your front door (depending on if you workout at a gym and have a locker)
• keep an extra amount of bath goodies in your gym locker. This will alleviate the constant packing and repacking.
• eat a quick bowl of oatmeal or an energy bar to give you some energy. Making a smoothie helps, too.

Getting Married and Need Some Ties?Check Out TheTieBar.com

GG Reader, Nicole, told me about this interesting site today.  For those ladies planning your wedding, I know how important it is to 'match' everyone. More importantly, making sure the DUDES match the gals:). Of course, the men must follow what we say, right? :)

Enter TheTieBar, a site that has a dedicated wedding section to enable the wedding party to get the exact tie that goes along with the rest of your colors. $15 for a silk tie ain't too shabby!

Longchamp HandbagsClassy,Efficient and Useful

I was at a meeting last night and ran into my friend, Jen. She was packing up her purse and I noticed it was a Longchamp bag, similar to the image on the left, but blue. I've been a fan of these bag for years. I don't own the brand just yet and I realized it's because  Longchamp limits where they sell their goods. Nordstrom carries them, along with the famous discount site, eBay.  You can also use NexTag to see a listing of who sells Longchamp at any given time.   Why do I love these bags so much?

The Bachelor, Matt Grant, Picks Shayne Lamas:The Young Blonde Actress Wins

Am I judging? Nope.

You know me, I love watching these 'love stories' unwind on 'The Bachelor'. Cracks me up that these men go thru this reality series of sorts to find their ideal matches.  Tonight's Bachelor, a well traveled, 27 year old British financier, decided to propose to Lorenzo Lamas' 22 year old daughter . Oh, I don't know if she's well traveled. I don't care.

It doesn't matter what I think. What matters is that at the end of the day, my former idea of 'The Power Curve' just came true tonight. Older guy goes for the hot 22 year old gal.

Some quotes I heard, "I met this American actress"..Then when Matt proposed, he called her, 'Monkey'.

Heck, if you can fall in love with a guy in 6 weeks on national television, sure, go for it. Ladies, the next time you meet a guy and wonder, 'How can he go for so and so?' Logic is out of the question. Similar backgrounds, experiences, etc. don't matter.

Why a Break 'Back Home' Does a Body Good

There was quite a bit of driving going on this weekend, but it was worth it. I not only saw my Detroit Red Wings kick the butts of the Dallas Stars, I also saw my mom, grandmother and friend's little baby.

There is something about spending time with your family that is not only rejuvenating, but puts life in perspective. I did have the iPhone nearby, but spent a good amount of time talking to my grandparents about marriage, life and how things were 'way back when'.

In this crazy age of tech (which you know I love), don't forget about the quieter times. Don't forget about what it really means to connect to family and friends - either over a dinner table or helping feed a six month old. Or even singing bad disco with your husband/friends/boyfriend on a long ride back to Chicago:).

Thanks and What's Coming Up

Last night's Spring Fling was a success!  The gals that got together had so many terrific ideas for this community we are building - too many to post.

What I can tell you are about the immediate changes you'll see in the next few weeks:

-Calendar posting all events that will serve as a central source for events and happenings (launching in Chicago first)

-Monthly events on Fridays, with a new place each time. In addition to this, the topic will be a 'surprise' until you arrive.

-Look for guest bloggers to contribute their content to the site.

Thanks to everyone who came, participated and made  new friends.  Special thanks to Sittercity.com for hosting us and to my three horsemen, Addie, Linda and Carolyn, for helping with set-up.