July 1, 2008

How to Play Your Cards Right

Date book? Check.

BlackBerry? Check.

Giant wall calendar starring twelve cuddly kittens dressed as clowns? Check.

Yep, all of your “urgent reminding tools” are present and accounted for. And yet you still managed to completely forget about mom's birthday—well, until she called to make sure you hadn't been hit by a car or abducted by aliens, that is.

There's definitely some damage control in your future, but you can thwart off further slights to your loved ones (and top execs in need of a little brown-nosing) by signing up for a free Jack Cards membership.

This life-simplifying, butt-saving service lets you input any important dates (birthdays, anniversaries, National Boss Day) into their system. Next, select and purchase cards from their broad collection of greeting cards, which range from the pun-ny to the poignant. Right before the big day approaches, Jack Cards will send the appropriate card to you, giving you time to jot down a personal note and add your Joan Hancock before handing it over to the intended recipient.

Gift-giving has never been easier, and you can expect to rack up some major points for thoughtfulness.

Hmmm...maybe you should send yourself some sort of “Job Well Done” card?

July 2, 2008

A Few Smart People You Need to Know (About)

So Wonderful Wednesday's not feeling quite so wonderful, huh?

Feeling the mid-week slump? Looking for a little inspiration? You know, from a few people who are innovative, philanthropic, leaders, pioneers, heroes, artists, and business titans?

Hop over to the Time's 100, a list of the year's 100 most influential people.

Oh, sure. There's the usual suspects. Like Oprah.

But there's also some unexpected people on the list. And you'll find the profilers as compelling as the profilees.

For example, Tina Fey writes about Lorne Michaels. And reading Deepak Chopra's profile of the Dalai Lama is pure enlightenment.

You'll also find some names that sound about as famous as your relatives in Boise. (Craig Venter? Jill Bolte Taylor?) Though not yet household names, these scientists and thinkers are changing the world through their ideas.

Suddenly Wednesday's looking a whole lot brighter.

July 3, 2008

Get Smart (Bargains) about Shopping

With gas prices ridiculously high, suddenly being a gal who likes to cut costs wherever possible is ever so attractive.

OK, so maybe not the clips-coupons-every-Sunday-afternoon type of cost cutting. But religiously tracking your eBay auctions? Definite yes. And waiting to shop until there's a big sale? So there.

Now all you need to round out your new-found I'll-save-whenever-I can self is a great online bargain place.

Simply direct your browser to SmartBargains.com, where steep discounts on everything from apparel to items for the home await.

Billed as “your personal bargain hunter,” SmartBargains provides a filtered, best-of selection of discounted online buys. This streamlined shopping approach means you can easily find the lifestyle essentials you need—bedding, kitchenware, clothing, jewelry, etc.—at the prices you want.

It gets better.

The site includes deals on luxury designer brands like Fendi, Prada, and Chloe, bringing you one giant step closer to the runway looks you crave.

And that, my friends, beats cutting coupons any day of the week.

July 7, 2008

The Bottom Line on Getting a Smaller Bottom

Some businesswomen love to meet over breakfast. Some prefer to meet over lunch. Others find meeting over dinner is most productive.

The bottom line is, we women spend a lot of time conducting business while consuming calories.

And that can make our bottoms, well...bigger.

Never fear. DietFacts.com has come to our rescue.

This incredibly informative website has hundreds of listings with every meal imaginable. And best of all, it is searchable by brand and restaurant.

So now you know that blueberry lemon scone you ate this morning at Starbucks had 450 calories, 21 grams of fat, and 61 carbs. Yikes.

Let's just forget about that little Café Mocha with whipped cream. Anyway, what's an extra 340 calories amongst friends? (Should've gotten the skim...)

But rather than let a little guilt impede your productivity, a smart girl like you will simply search the site for a low cal lunch at one of your favorite restaurants.

Amazing what a little planning ahead can do for a girl.

July 8, 2008

How to Seriously Elevate Confidence in Two Minutes or Less

You have an important call scheduled in two minutes. You want to be productive during that that tiny time gap. Here are some options:

A) tidy up your desk (ho-hum)

B) re-read congratulatory emails on your latest success (always enlightening)

C) get smarter about what's happening on the business news front (takes way too much time)

But then again, smarter is always better. Fine. We'll go with Option C.

It's easier than you think.

Simply go to www.BusinessWeek.com and in the left column just above the fold you'll see Breaking News From the AP – full of the latest info on newsworthy events.

Or head to the middle column and voila! News & Anaylsis.

Find a headline on a subject you know nothing about.

Click, skim, you're in the know.

Confidence seriously elevated.

Although your desk is still a mess, that boost in confidence will surely result in more success and more congratulatory emails.

Note to self: You'll need way more than two minutes to read all of those.

July 9, 2008

Hillary to Breakfast With Barack

So Hillary's out.

And like her or not, there goes our chance to have the first woman U.S. President.

(Although is there a chance for VP? She's having breakfast with Barack in NYC tomorrow at a big women's event... hmmm...)

Not to worry. She won't be the last woman to run for the highest office in our land. And she certainly wasn't the first.

Yes, a whopping number of women have run for President over the years – as many as 35 according to research performed by the National Women's History Museum.

You can see profiles of many of them in the online exhibit “First But Not the Last: Women Who Ran for President.”

Okay, a couple of the candidates sound like complete loons. Others were yeeears ahead of their time.

Yet all showed tremendous gumption and fortitude by sticking their names on the ballot. Because as politically progressive as this country is, when it comes to women holding office, the U.S. sucks...er, uh, (ahem) leaves much to be desired.

Not only have we never had a woman president, in fact, the U.S. ranks 68th in the world in terms of females holding office.

Yes. 68th. Behind countries such as Rwanda, Sierra Leone, and China.

Anyway, back to the subject at hand. The online exhibit is definitely worth checking out.

And if the women themselves don't fascinate you, some of their hairdo's and outfits surely will.

July 10, 2008

Accessory Alert: Summer's Hottest Shades

We know, we know – your future's so bright, you gotta wear shades.

However, that's only one of the many good reasons to treat yourself to some hot new sunglasses mid-summer.

Some others:

• Squinting at the sun = premature wrinkles
  
  
• Your co-workers won't notice you going incognito to Ben & Jerry's on your ‘coffee breaks'
  
  
• They'll hide the dark circles you receive after staying up late to watch Conan on a weeknight.

And there's always the old standby: Because they make you look and feel like a movie star.

So go on with your glamorous self and protect your peepers in these divine shades.

Banana Republic has a great assortment including these Anja Sunglasses: A rectangular shape gives this sleek pair a contemporary edge.

Sunglass Warehouse offers a wide range of styles for every budget. See women's top sellers here.

If you are the type to spend big bucks on your shades, try Selima Optique Brooke, a wayfarer-with-a-twist available in several cool color combinations - think Ray Bans for big girls. Or Marc Jacobs Colorblock Aviators – color-block trend sets its sights on sunglasses with this hip coral and gold pair.

Shop away at zbestglasses.com where you'll find designer shades at discount prices from every designer under the sun (well, almost).

July 11, 2008

It's A Total Shoe In

Just because you have a head for business doesn't mean you can't have an eye for style.

And just because you're supposed to be working doesn't mean your shoe fixation has to fall by the wayside.

It does, however, mean that you don't have a lot of time to play Cinderella in the shoe boutiques you adore.

So how to feed your craving for new shoes and get all that work done at the same time?

That, my dear, is why they invented conference calls.

You see, next time your client in Tokyo is droning away about platform optimization, get online and optimize some platforms, pumps and flats of your own at these hot shoe shopping destinations.

PiperLime.com: Score style tips from guest editors and a huge selection. Believe it or not, fall styles are arriving everyday. See what's new here.

SoleStruck.com: Mass brands like Chinese Laundry and Seychelles are heavy on the trends, light on the wallet. Plus you can view what's on sale by your specific size (look for SALE button upper right corner of their site).

DSW.com (that stands for Designer Shoe Warehouse): Offers incredible style at even better prices. Check out their rewards program where points add up fast to save you even more.

JildorShoes.com: Impressive selection, mid-range prices. Shop by designer. Highlights include BCBG MAX AZRIA and Kate Spade.

July 14, 2008

VIP Note – Gilt.com Launching New Line for Little Ones

Like most parents, you secretly dream that little Baxter-Waxter or Bianca-Annabel will grow up to follow in your footsteps, carrying on a legacy based on your most admirable traits.

Your sharp business acumen.

Your strong work ethic.

Your killer sense of style.

And while it may be a tad premature for the little darlings to submit their applications to the Wharton School of Business – at least until they're out of preschool – it's never too early to bequeath them with an acute appreciation for fashion.

To get them started on the right designer loafer-clad foot, treat them to some kiddie couture at the luxe-for-less (as in up to 70% off) Gilt.com.

Starting tomorrow, Gilt is adding children's wear designers to its roster of upscale labels for men and women!

And because Uptown Scoop is all about helping you be the first on the scene, here's the inside scoop on how to get in on the action:

Access to The Gilt Groupe's top-secret sales are by invite only, so use our Uptown Scoop's special link (click here) to get through the proverbial velvet rope. Sign up and they'll send you VIP invites to some of the best sales on the planet, helping the entire family save on seriously stylish duds.

While you drool over the likes of Tibi and Valentino, the kiddos can roll up to the playground in hip designs from Lucy Sykes, Kico Kids, Hickey Freeman Boys, and Cacharel.

And should Juniorette get her new designer frock a little too close to the finger paints, don't sweat it. They were on sale, remember?

July 15, 2008

Today It's All About You

We spend most days taking care of everyone else at the office.

Help him get the project done on time. (Check.)

Assist him in hiring the right person. (Check.)

Make that report (that he'll probably take credit for) perfect. (Well, almost perfect. Check.)

But today is all about you.

And Catalyst.org, a leading research and advisory organization working to expand opportunities for women at work, is here to help.

Their Research & Knowledge page offers all sorts of information, data, solutions and models that will help you make just the change you need to get wherever it is you're going.

For example, check out the recently released Unwritten Rules: What You Don't Know Can Hurt Your Career.

There's a wide range of topics to choose from including women in leadership, women of color, women corporate officers and women board directors.

That's a lot on women.

Just as it should be. (High fives all around.)

July 16, 2008

A (Do) Good Fix for I've-Got-Nothing-to-Wear

You knew it the moment you woke up.

The I've-got-nothing-to-wear phenomenon. Again.

Ho hum. Getting dressed each morning can be such a bummer.

After all, it can be so complicated to look good and get the right look – all in one ensemble.

For those un-special days (when even your favorite pair of overpriced shoes won't fix the problem), get yourself one of these do-good accessories.

Not only will you get the right look, they're sure to imbue you with that totally glowy, tingly-all-over feeling you get whenever you do good.

(Suddenly looking good seems not quite so important.)

O Bracelets: Handmade by women artisans in Kenya or Rwanda, these woven bracelets hold a jumble of Swarovski crystals. Ten percent of the proceeds go toward a water project in Umoja, a sanctuary for Kenyan women.

Dress for Success Scarf: Purchase this scarf designed by Sean Combs, and help disadvantaged women at the same time.

July 17, 2008

Determined-To-Do-It-Myself

The weekend is fast approaching and no doubt you've got some home improvement projects on your list of things to do.

Bye-bye, Bob the Builder. Hello, Be Jane.com.

Be Jane.com is the ultimate go-to resource for all types of “determined-to-do-it-myself” women, from those who have their own monogrammed tool belts to others who have barely hung a picture. Created for women by women, Be Jane's website is fun and informative, and a paradise with tips and tricks to make your home beautiful.

Want to learn how to install a new faucet in your bathroom, put in backyard lighting or the best way to paint over wallpaper? Jane's your girl. With inspiring stories from real-life Janes, fun videos, and animated tutorials, you're sure to find whatever you're looking for.

Need some ideas? The By Room section is a favorite. Simply pick a room, like bathroom, front entry, home office or others, and lots of projects and relevant info will appear, presto!

Another plus to doing your own home improvements? A hard hat can be the perfect solution to a bad hair day.

July 18, 2008

Little Black Book of Summer Sales

Smart women love designer fashions but hate the price tags.

Therefore, no time for reading today. Must get straight to online designer summer sale shopping.

Uptown Scoop is pleased to present... And ladies, hold your applause ‘til the end (less clapping means free hands for clicking)... drum roll please...

ShopBop (click on SALE in top toolbar) is running their largest sale ever! Hurry now for designer handbags, dresses, shoes and more – all at 30 – 70% off.

Ralph Lauren's Sale of the Summer ends July 31 – you'll find great buys on fashion for the whole family, but the Home Sale is by far the best. Take an extra 25% off for a limited time.

The Neiman Marcus Last Call Sale must not be missed. Take an extra 40% off already-reduced prices.

Sale shopping is fun and easy at Net-a-Porter's Sale Extravaganza. Shop by designer, product or newest reductions.

Jildor Shoes has some fabulous deals going on. (Handbags, too. Yippee!)

July 21, 2008

Find the Greatness in You - 8 Lessons of Leadership

Every now and then a refreshing look at leadership comes around. Here you have one of the best – in the July 21, 2008 issue of TIME.

In this amazing piece, as Nelson Mandela celebrates his 90th birthday, the world's greatest moral leader reflects on a lifetime of service – and what we all can learn from it.

No further introduction required. And may you be inspired to find the greatness in you.

Mandela: His 8 Lessons of Leadership.

P.S. To watch related slide show about how Mandela inspires us – narrated by TIME's managing editor and author of the article, Richard Stengel – click here.

July 22, 2008

Chic for Geek - It's A Whole New Bag

With your classic Kate Spade work tote, functional and fashionable Michael Kors day satchel and sexy evening Lauren Merkin clutch, you may think your handbag wardrobe is perfectly complete (at least for this season, anyway).

And if that's the case, you would be... well, wrong.

Mustn't forget about laptop bags and sleeves. And Kolobags, the divine laptop satchel boutique, is just the place to find your geek-chic-wear.

Since you demand the same flair in your tech accessories as you do in all your fashion, Kolobags is truly a one-stop shop, filled with an ever-changing selection of top labels (Piquadro, Paulpac, Acme Made, Lodis, Melissa Beth, Adrienne Vittadini, Casauri).

A few styles to peek your interest:

The Abbi New York features a quilted design with iridescent sequin accents and leather handles. The large easy access exterior pocket holds other necessities.

The Knomo slim laptop brief with its European design has a nifty three-quarter zip that opens to a soft, quilted interior. Show your true color as it comes in yellow, red, navy, black or taupe.

The McKlein Lake Forest laptop case has a padded removable sleeve and a zippered section for files. Perfect for pulling double-duty.

Geek-chic. Chic-geek. Anyway you put it, these bags are in.

July 23, 2008

Change the World With a Little Help From Your Friends

Free money alert! Free money alert! Five thousand clams, to be exact.

Of course, you will have to do a teensy bit of work to win this $5,000. (Where do you think you are, Vegas?) But it's the sort of work that's right up your alley.

Avon wants to know:

“How would you change the world by empowering other women?”

Submit your idea and you just might win the $5,000. (Then you have to do it – yikes!)

The giveaway is called the “Hello Tomorrow Fund,” and if your heart is beating a little bit faster because this might just be the break you need to launch that project you've dreamed about, then you'll really love this:

The odds of winning are fabulous. That's because Avon is giving away $5,000 every week – and has been doing so since April 15, 2007.

Winners so far? Last week's winner will use her prize to launch Safe Haven, a shelter for female victims of domestic violence. Another sought to empower minority high-school girls to seek careers in math and science, where they're currently under-represented. Another won funding for an inner-city cheerleading program.

Now you can change the world and get somebody else to help pay for it. How great is that?

P.S. Click here to download the Global Impact Report and get inspired!

July 24, 2008

No Time for Sleep? Try This

Those late nights in your office may have earned you brownie points with the boss, but they didn't do diddly for your ratings on the beauty charts.

Now it's almost the weekend, you have big plans to go dancing (even if only from the re-frigerator to the wine glass cabinet), and the raccoon look you saw in the mirror this morning has got to go.

Cucumber slices and other natural beauty remedies aside, we know of one sure fix for hiding those dark circles: Laura Mercier, founder of the flawless face philosophy.

Once you try her Secret Concealer, you'll never even think of trying another concealer. This rich formula hides discoloration and dark circles like nothing you've ever tried.

As another option, choose the delightful Secret Brightener. This color corrector in-stantly opens the eye and reduces dark shadows.

And to seal either deal, use the specially-formulated, not-available-anywhere-else Secret Brightening Powder. When paired with the Secret Concealer, or the Secret Brightener, the two products work together like Electra Woman and Dyna Girl, to do away with those late-night badges of honor.

Two minutes each morning and you'll look like a million bucks. Not to mention, in-credibly well-rested.

And that's priceless.

July 25, 2008

Could be Time to Slow Down and Laugh

Usually on Friday's we go shopping. But today we're taking different (and much cheaper) path to happiness.

Today we're advocating Life in the Slow Lane. So much for all that hard-charging, go-get-em, incredible productivity at any cost mode you were in Monday through Thursday. Give it a rest, girlfriend.

Instead of working today, concentrate on getting a few giggles.

To get you started, check out this Beginner's Guide to Slowing Down.

Then go on and read about the IINDM (International Institute of Not Doing Much) and their declarations about women and multi-tasking. Just-enough-multi-tasking-to-achieve-the-goal, they say. Hmmm... now there's a thought...

And just for kicks, make Comedy Central's Joke of the Day one of your bookmarks. Then spend some time tooling around on their site and reading as many jokes as you can by category (such as entertainment, men and women, news and politics). But be sure to do it s-l-o-w-l-y...

Has this been better than shopping? NOT. But slowing down and laughing more (all the while saving money by not shopping) surely are key ingredients in overall happiness.

July 28, 2008

How Smart Girls Love To Get Ahead

Smart girls love to get ahead.

(Because it's the fastest way to make more money, of course.)

So if you're looking to get ahead, check out the Leadership and Careers section of Forbes.com.

Why Forbes.com? For one, it's Forbes, girlfriends. One of the media destinations for the world's business leaders.

Secondly, the site has a library of some of the best articles you'll find online on leadership and careers.

Not only will you learn the ins and outs of getting ahead, you'll save the expense of hiring one of those fancy-schmancy coaches to tell you what you otherwise can read for yourself.

So, in conclusion, earning more plus saving more means one thing -- more choices. (And more shoes.)

Here's a few great articles to get you started:

America's Most Competitive Jobs

By the Numbers – Women on Top (click through slide show to see what top women earn)

Big Businesses Give Back

Coping With a Bad Boss (hopefully not yours)

July 29, 2008

Desk Candy: What Women Really Want

Men have been asking themselves for generations, “What do women really want?”

(Oh, yawn. They make us out to be so much more complicated than we really are.)

It's simple, in fact. We want:

Love.

More love.

An organized desk.

So next time your guy sends flowers, gently suggest, in the future, he send some of those deliciously smart-looking lacquered boxes from Lars Bolander N.Y. instead.

These modern, elegant (and totally tidy-looking) objets d'art will hold practically anything you need to keep at your fingertips.

They come in a range of sizes – so your knack for making it all match will finally equal your knack for keeping it all together.

As for your old desk organizing objects? File them under “Obsolete.”

A few of options: white with black trim, cream with black diamond inlay, celadon with black trim.

(To see them all, go to LarsBolanderNY, click on Inventory, then Accessories, and scroll down to see boxes.)

July 30, 2008

Better to Give Thanks Than Receive

Enough with the gift cards. And please, does anyone really need another gift basket?

This time, make it something that will touch her (or his) heart and allow you both to make a difference. Give a Charity Checks “giving certificate”.

You select the amount of the gift check, and the giftee picks a charity for the donation. Individual check amounts range from $25 to $250.

So, say you have 10 friends to buy for -- or 10 employees to reward, and you have a total budget of $250. You get the $250 tax deduction, and each of them gets a $25 check to give away to a cause they care about -- soup kitchens, local symphonies, literacy pro-grams, public television or any of 800,000 qualified charities across the country.

In the end, they feel good. You feel good.

You feel especially good because you didn't even have to venture out to the mall.

Now that's a gift worth giving.

July 31, 2008

Affordable Designer Handbags Today, Tomorrow, Everyday

Dear Uptown Scoop Readers, so by now you've probably seen Sex and the City, the movie. But if you didn't, let us tell you about the best part: when Louise tells Carrie how she affords her super-expensive designer handbag. Well, there was that part with the hot guy in the shower, too...but let's get back to handbags.

Anyway, in case you missed the movie, Louise's secret was she rents her designer bag – through Bag, Borrow or Steal. Now, ironically, Uptown Scoop featured Bag, Borrow or Steal in an e-note last summer.

But, since the economy stinks, and we're all looking for ways to save, we thought it worthy to re- run the original piece in its entirety this summer. Enjoy.

It's time you faced the facts. You have a serious case of H.A.S.

Handbag Addict Syndrome.

It's good to say it aloud... I have H.A.S.... slowly so as to appreciate the gravity of the situation.

You tell yourself over and over... I'm a smart businesswoman.... spending the better part of a mortgage payment on one handbag is r-i-d-i-c-u-l-o-u-s. With a capital R.

Still, you struggle.

That's why we're sending you to Bag Borrow or Steal.com. This glorious online service, overflowing with top handbag labels, allows you to r-e-n-t (with a capital R) the latest “It” bags for a fraction of the cost to buy.

Simply pay a nominal membership fee and choose your arm candy. Bags are categorized by designers and rental fees correlate to luxe factor.

Couture styles, featuring runway-ready and red-carpet-worthy bags (think Gucci, Chloe, Chanel), range from $175-$275/month while Diva's (LV, Prada, Botkier) go for $90/month and so on. At $20/month, bags from Trendsetter (BCBG, The Sak, Perlina) are the least expensive.

Hold onto your obsession for as long as you want. When you tire of your latest crush (and you will), just move on to the next hottie du jour.

Ahhh.... isn't H.A.S. rehab ronderful? With capital R's, of course