Thoughts on Unloading a Parent's Possessions

After my mother passed away—it’s been 10 years now—my sister and I combed through her home retrieving personal items that she’d held dear. Given her meticulous nature, we weren’t surprised to find a list with instructions as to who got what. To my brother, her hulking late-model car, still parked in the garage; her big-screen TV; some furniture suitable for a man; and cash from her safe.Find the latest collection of Michael Kors Wallets at hotmkbags. To my sister, a set of rare Meissen china and some jewelry. I, the youngest of four, received her collection of high-end designer handbags and silk scarves, a few vintage dresses, her diamond ring, and a slew of fur coats. Mom was fashionable—Jackie Kennedy had nothing on her—and I understood from her bequest that she wanted me to be, too.

The sad truth is, most of the handbags have sat in their original boxes on my closet shelf for a decade. They are still as stylish as they are classic, but stiff, the latches complex, the handles too short to throw over a shoulder. The beautifully patterned scarves have formed a square pile in my bottom drawer, while the furs—mink coats, a sable jacket—have hung as they were: in satin bags, a packet of mothballs strung on each velvet hanger. I wear the ring on special occasions, and when I look down upon my hand, it is hers I see.

My pantry and dining-room breakfront are crowded with other artifacts from my parents’ home, mostly ornate silver serving pieces that graced their formal table at holiday meals. The components of a complete coffee and tea service, meant to share a large tray, have been stuffed onto multiple shelves, and a massive lazy Susan, its compartments topped with intricately carved lids, has occupied the top rung of my pantry, where cereal boxes might otherwise have stood. Twelve place settings of sterling-silver flatware have sat unused in their wooden case. These were gifted to me before her death, no doubt because she wanted them safe, but also,Buy the Michael Kors Skorpios and luxury leather purses at hotmkbags. I suspect, because they were as idle in her home as they later became in mine.

Over the years, I have flirted with the idea of selling the silver, purses, and furs.Find impressively low prices on a wide selection of Michael Kors Tote Bags.Welcome to our michael kors outlet online shop! Here we sale Michael Kors Hamilton Satchel, bags, purses, wallets with very low price. Join us quickly! To do so, though, seemed to disrespect not just her wishes, but her. I have no use for most of what I inherited, but guilt has stood in the way of unloading heirlooms that have, finally, turned into clutter. At what point do things cease belonging to someone else and become your own?

An article I came across in this magazine describing an auction of high-end merchandise was serendipitous. I immediately invited the appraiser to come view my mother’s treasures. A few days later, the gentleman, obviously sensitive to entering folks’ private domains, carefully sifted through the cherished possessions.

I had dusted off the handbags I selected to sell, keeping a few favorites, and lined them up on the fireplace hearth. Some of the silver pieces I displayed on my dining-room table were completely unfamiliar; I had never removed the heavy champagne bucket or floral-etched candy dish from their tarnish-proof bags. The silver flatware rattled softly as I lugged its heavy, felt-lined chest to the growing exhibition.

We started with the handbags, which he examined, inside and out, remarking on the excellent care they had received.Shop the Michael Kors Crossbody Bags on the world's largest fashion site. I could still see my mother stuffing each one with tissue paper before replacing it in its original box. Those purses never resembled my own, whose contents could pass for the remains of a flea market. No candy wrappers for her, or dusty pills at the bottom of a cosmetics bag. I probably didn’t deserve the expensive bags to begin with, and now here they were, on their way out, something she never would have wanted.

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Ashlee Simpson models

Ashlee Simpson is modeling for older sis Jessica Simpson's fall fashion ad campaign.

Sporting blond locks, Ashlee Simpson, 28, reminds us of a youthful (ahem, thinner), pre-baby version of Jessica, 33, in the latest video. Watch it above.

Jessica, the former pop star, has found quite a bit of success in fashion with her department store-ready brand, even appearing as a mentor in NBC's recently canceled "Fashion Star."

Ashlee is seen fluttering about in the playful video, posing, sitting on cars, walking through fields and getting all dolled up. The bohemian rancher rocks out in printed dresses, cozy sweaters and silky PJs.Shop for Michael Kors Monogram at hotmkbags.Shop the latest from Michael Kors Classic Handbags. Totally free shipping and returns. The print campaign was shot by photographer Ellen von Unwerth,Buy Michael Kors iPhone Cases Michael Kors handbags with big discount and free shipping! and the music in the video sounds vaguely Simpson-esque.

There's jewelry, handbags, clothing racks, scarves, watches, boots -- and a saloon! Sneak peek at the fall 2013 collection? Check.Shop hotmkbags for the latest fashion trends in Michael Kors Shoulder Bags for ladies.

The rocker chick is doing farm girl chic in the clips and a pregnant Jessica appears in the behind-the-scenes clips from the video.

"Jessica always wants me to be comfortable ,so it was an honor that she had me do this and it's fun to work with my sister and family," Ashlee told E!. "And if I say no or feel uncomfortable, she's like, 'Let her out of that outfit, she's not going to wear that.'"

Ashlee seems to be taking on her sister's spokeswoman duties as Jessica focuses on her new baby boy Ace, born June 30. Ashlee not only attended the official launch party for the campaign Tuesday, she actually hosted the event at Above Allen in New York City.

Jessica's "a bit more girlie, and I kind of like to bring an edge to my looks. I do like to be in dresses, I just like to toughen it," Ashlee told People at the event. "We were all having a good time, kicking dirt in pretty dresses. They did tell us to look for ticks! And I was like, 'OK, I'm just going to roll in the dirt.' "

Danger may be lurking in women's purses, the National Football League said this spring, deciding that stadium security checks were not enough.

In a move meant to increase safety and cut down entry times, the NFL now bans most purses from football games.

In Tampa, this is being expanded to all the events at Raymond James Stadium, officials announced Wednesday — not only Tampa Bay Buccaneers games,Shop discounted mk handbags on hotmkbags. but also including University of South Florida Bulls games, the annual Outback Bowl and monster truck jams.

This change was in the works before the Boston Marathon bombing, officials say, but the tragedy affirmed the decision.

"I hate to say it, but it's the world we live in," said Bucs CEO Brian Ford.

Each person may bring in a clear bag not larger than 12-by-6-by-12 inches. That's about the size of a one-gallon clear plastic freezer bag, one of the suggested options. But no regular purses. And no diaper bags.

The rule seems akin to asking a woman to cut off her right arm. Some say it rivals airport security.

But Michelle Pacetti, a six-year Bucs season ticket holder from Tampa, said the new bag is big enough to carry the essentials and then some.

"If you're going to go watch a football game, do you really need all that stuff?" she asked. "Imagine if you have a $300 bag and someone spills a beer on it. Here, spill all you want."

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2 More Executives Leave

Coach Inc. on Tuesday again reported soft sales at its North American stores as it continued to face tough competition for handbag shoppers, and the leather goods maker announced the departures of two more executives.

Shares of New York-based Coach, which is known for its Poppy handbags, fell 6.2 percent to $54.25 in premarket trading.

Overall revenue rose 5.8 percent to $1.Shop the latest from Michael Kors Classic Handbags. Totally free shipping and returns.22 billion in the fourth quarter ended June 29, helped by gains in its men's merchandise and in China.

But sales at its own stores open at least a year fell 1.7 percent in North America, where Coach is competing with fast-growing brands like Michael Kors Holdings Ltd. and Fifth & Pacific Cos.Shop for Michael Kors Monogram at hotmkbags. Inc.'s kate spade.

Coach's decline stemmed from weak sales in its bread-and-butter business, women's handbags. This was the second drop in North American comparable sales in the last three quarters.

"They have lost some market share, no question about it, especially among young,Buy Michael Kors iPhone Cases Michael Kors handbags with big discount and free shipping! fashion-conscious shoppers," Edward Jones analyst Brian Yarbrough told Reuters.

Mike Tucci, the head of Coach's North America business is stepping down, as is Jerry Stritzke, its operations chief. Analysts had expected this, given that the two had been believed to be candidates to succeed longtime CEO Lew Frankfurt.

Victor Luis,Shop hotmkbags for the latest fashion trends in Michael Kors Shoulder Bags for ladies. who oversaw Coach's international expansion, takes the reins from Frankfurt in January.

Still, those departures, along with the previously announced exit of Reed Krakoff,Shop discounted mk handbags on hotmkbags. the creative director behind Coach's torrid growth of recent years, come as the company is trying to reignite sales in North America by becoming a "head-to-toe" lifestyle brand offering more footwear and clothing.

"We agree there's a lot going on," Frankfurt said in an interview. But he disputed the notion all these changes were disruptive. "We have a seasoned group of Coach veterans taking on these roles."

Despite the weak North American results, there were some positive signs. Gross profit margin rose slightly, suggesting Coach has not had to discount much.

Francine Della Badia, who currently heads North America merchandising and is succeeding Tucci, said sales of handbags priced at $400 or more had improved. Earlier this year, Coach had been struggling to sell those pricier products.

Sales at department stores also ticked up.

Excluding the effect of currency fluctuations, international sales rose 17 percent, helped by a 35 percent jump in China.

Net income for the quarter fell to $221.3 million, or 78 cents per share, from $251.4 million, or 86 cents per share, a year earlier. Excluding some one-time items, Coach earned 89 cents per share, in line with Wall Street forecasts.

Police say they believe an AK-47, .40-caliber handgun and 1,300 bags of heroin found recently belong to one of the area’s major drug suppliers – wherever they might be.

FBI and federal Drug Enforcement Agency officials are working with Harrisburg police to find the person, Chief Pierre Ritter said Tuesday after announcing the discovery – three days after it actually happened – during a media briefing at City Hall.

Police declined to name the supplier, whom they don’t believe poses a danger to the public.

Officers Colin Kerns and Matt Novchich investigated the matter after getting a tip by phone, Capt. Colin Cleary said.

The officers found the guns and drugs – a strain of heroin known as “Die Happy” – after their initial investigation led them to obtain a search warrant for an unoccupied location in Allison Hill that police declined to further detail.

Kerns estimated the heroin’s street value between $13,000 and $26,000.

Cleary said the department decided to release limited information about the incident to let people know “we’re working to make the city safe.”

“This also is an excellent example of how a phone call from a citizen can, with proper investigation yield excellent results,” Cleary said.

Cleary highlighted Novchich’s brief tenure – five weeks – on the force, which is actively seeking recruits to fill the 17 positions open as of Tuesday.

Recently approved amendments to the police union contract cut starting salaries by about $11,000 to what's been called a training wage meant to rise over full years to the typical base rate.

The most recent City Hall payroll lists officer trainees' salaries at $46,018, and the lowest salaries for patrol officers at $61,972.

Fraternal Order of Police Capital City Lodge 12 President Jason Brinker did not immediately respond to requests for clarification about the onset of new contractual terms.
Those and other terms, however, won’t take effect until ratification by City Council.

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Barefoot Running Sandal Company

Barefoot sandal maker, Feel The World, Inc. of Boulder, Colorado, is introducing two new sandals at the Outdoor Retailer trade show in Salt Lake City this week.

Called Sensori and Sensori Cloud, both products are a modern upgrade of the tire sandals worn by the Tarahumara Indians of Mexico.

Both products give wearers the fun and freedom of being barefoot, but with a layer of protection and a fashion-forward design that looks as good during a run or a yoga class as it does in a New York City night spot.

"People wear Xero Shoes for everything from taking a walk, to hiking, camping, yoga, hitting the beach, or running 100-mile ultra marathons," reports CEO, Steven Sashen. "Then when you're done, you can roll 'em up and put them in your pocket."

Adds co-founder and COO, Lena Phoenix, "You can't find another sandal -- and definitely no flip flop -- that will let you do all of that."

The company has been selling do-it-yourself barefoot sandal kits and custom-made sandals on it's website for the last 3.5 years,Latest collection of Michael Kors Hamilton. but Sensori and Sensori Cloud are the first retail-ready products in their line.

Sashen says, "You can take these off the shelf, slide them on your foot, cinch up the lacing for a perfect fit, and you're ready to feel the freedom, the fun, and feel the world."

Product designer, and former head of global product design for Crocs, Dennis Driscoll says, "We were able to analyze over 4,000 foot tracings from our customers to create the perfect ergonomic shape for our new products." Analysis revealed that most sandal companies place the toe post in wrong location.

While the Sensori is a performance-friendly product, the designs -- including Core Colors with colored accents, Marbled Madness with camo and other "patchwork" colors, and translucent rubber -- are attractive enough for fashion wear.

The Sensori Cloud adds a thin layer of cushioning in the forefoot area, for those who want an extra-comfortable sandal that allows for total natural, barefoot-style, movement.

Both products are slated for release shortly. A number of patents are pending for Xero Shoes products.

The Salvation Army of Chattanooga’s 614 Corps’ ReCreate Café will present Walk In My Shoes: An Evening of Stories from Chattanooga’s Homeless and Non-homeless communities on Aug. 16, at 7:30 p.m. This event is made possible by a Community Cultural Connections Grant received from ArtsBuild of Chattanooga.
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Ms. Dye describes the inspiration and concept of Walk In My Shoes: “The stories I hear from people are fascinating, and some are unbelievable! I wanted to find a way to share the stories so people realize we are more alike than we are different. Each performer will tell someone else’s story rather than his or her own. In other words, someone who has faced homelessness tells the story of someone who has never been there.welcome to replica shoes web,best service and low prices. All the performers are walking in someone else’s shoes.”

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Church sponsors shoe

Saint Peter Lutheran Church in Southport will sponsor a mission trip to Haiti, probably in March, to distribute tennis shoes to needy children in Haiti. This will be the first mission trip scheduled by the church.

Sandra and Randy Huth heard about the Sole2Soul program and approached Pastor David Nelson, asking if the church would like to sponsor a mission trip. His reply was an enthusiastic yes.

The Huths contacted Mary Dahlke and Amy Gowan, co-founders of Sole2Soul, and invited them to come explain the program. In July the women visited Saint Peter.Find the Michael Kors New Arrival you will want to use for-ever!

They told about wanting a program that would improve the quality of life of impoverished children worldwide by meeting their physical and emotional needs in positive and practical ways. After much consideration, they said, Sole2Soul was launched.Shop the latest Michael Kors Jet Set Bags on the world's largest fashion site.

The women, both of Longview, Wash., have adopted children from a poor country and are familiar with what conditions are like for children in these countries.

Following the earthquake of 2010, many Haitian children became orphans and live in orphanages, special schools or on the streets.

By going barefoot, the children are exposed to parasites that can cause diseases.

For their first mission trip in 2012, Dahlke and Gowan collected 423 pairs of shoes, and socks.

As the women talked about their first trip, they remembered the children and their reactions as they put on the shoes, but one child's reaction was special. Stevencia was 10 years old and was very sad. She was also a little awed by the commotion surrounding the shoe distribution.

When they put a pair of shoes on Stevencia, her face lit up with a huge smile.

"One of the teachers standing by said it was the first time she had smiled," Dahlke said. "This child and her smile is what it is all about."

Hi Folks, my name is Jim Currie, I am the manager here at the local Super Shoes. I’ve been asked to talk to you a little bit about what to look for this up coming back to school season and how to get a great deal as you head out there with the kids to get your shoes for back to school.

Some of the top brands for us here at Super Shoes this back to school season are gonna be Nike, New Balance Always, the Skate Shoes with DC’s and Etnies. We also have a ton of Skechers. Moms and Dads,welcome to michaels kors handbags sale,Free shipping‎! some of the things that you don’t think about as you head out for back to school is if your child/if your tweenager wears a size 5, 5.1/2, 6 in a woman’s, you can always jump over to the kids section and save yourself 20 or 30% on a pair of shoes. I’ll show you right here, I have two Nike shoes, a top brand for us here at Super Shoes, one is a 4.1/2 in kids, one is a 6 in woman’s, these are the exact same size. One shoe is $25.00 less than the other, so if you can’t find that 5, 5.1/2, 6 over in woman’s,Find the Latest Michael Kors Kingsbury Here. Shop Today! jump over to kids and you get a 4, 4.1/2 and it will fit exactly the same and save yourself a little bit of money.Find great deals on hotmkbags for michael kors wallet Michael Kors Hamilton Bags in "Women's Clothing, Handbags and Purses". Shop with confidence.

My next point, if you’re bringing in those younger children or you have a group of children, make sure the associate or the manager of the store uses one of these, it’s a measuring device. Have them measure your child’s foot. You don’t want to go exactly to the line that their foot comes to, you want to have the next line up so they have a little bit of room. Now, key point, when you’re fitting a child’s shoe, you’ve heard of the old thumbnail rule, it’s not your thumbnail mom and dad, it’s the child’s thumbnail. You want it the width of their thumbnail that’s a perfect fit so they have time to wear the shoe. They get more wear out of the shoe, they won’t be out of it so quickly.

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Anytime you lose two defensive linemen

Anytime you lose two defensive linemen at the caliber of Joe Vellano and A.J.Find the latest collection of Michael Kors Wallets at hotmkbags. Francis,Welcome to our michael kors outlet online shop! Here we sale Michael Kors Hamilton Satchel, bags, purses, wallets with very low price. Join us quickly! you will have some big shoes to fill. Vellano and Francis were two-star recruits that blossomed into a pair of talented ACC linemen.

But with those huge losses and defensive end Justin Anderson transferring to Massachusetts, Maryland’s defenseive line has a lot to prove in 2013. The current group doesn’t have many career starts under their belt and will be searching for an identity coming into this season. Darius Kilgo, Keith Bowers, and Quinton Jefferson are listed as the starters heading into training camp. It’s a far cry from the starting group of just a season ago. However, there is a good amount of experience and a key freshman that could impress this upcoming season.

With a different group, just how will this defensive line fare in 2013? Let’s take a look at the parts that will make up this year’s defensive front for the Terps:

Darius Kilgo: After only registering five tackles in his freshman campaign, defensive lineman Darius Kilgo had a highly productive season in 2012. The Charlotte native registered 40 tackles (23 solo), 1.5 sacks, and a forced fumble in 12 games for the Terps. His best game came against Georgia Tech, where he racked up seven tackles, four of which were solo. Kilgo only appeared in three games in 2011 so it is clear that he has a ton of potential. The junior nose tackle has great size at 6’3, 310 pounds and is expected to start for the Terps. Kilgo started 11 of 12 games last season and registered seven tackles on two different occasions (against William & Mary and NC State).

The production has been there for Kilgo whenever he has received significant playing time. During his senior season in high school, Kilgo registered 67 tackles, four sacks, and two forced fumbles. It’s a pretty good indication that the North Carolina native will have a big season for Maryland this year. He made a tremendous leap forward in 2012 and an even bigger season in 2013 wouldn’t surprise anyone.

Keith Bowers: Terps defensive end Keith Bowers had a very respectable campaign in 2011 and was expected to be a key cog on the defensive line for the team. Unfortunately, Bowers missed three games due to a knee injury and didn’t have quite as much of an impact as many thought he would. The Florida native only ended up with 11 tackles (five solo), two tackles for loss, one sack, and a pass defended. This is shades below what the junior defensive end did in his freshman season. Bowers put up some impressive numbers as he totaled 36 tackles to go along with six tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks.

It’s clear that the skill-set is definitely there for Bowers. If you watch film on the defensive end, you can see how athletic and quick he is. Bowers play on the interior and on the end in high school, showing just how versatile he can be. The Dwyer High School product isn’t the biggest guy in the world at 6’1, 275 pounds but his quickness and strength make up for his lack of size. Bowers should be able to provide a strong pass rush off the edge. He also has shown the ability to get into the backfield and stop ball carriers in a hurry as he did it a ton at the high school level. With a healthy season in 2013, Bowers is certainly capable of having a career year and he’s a guy that could be a leader on Maryland’s defensive front.

Quinton Jefferson: In limited action over his freshman season, Maryland defensive end Quinton Jefferson made a solid impact. Jefferson came into last spring fourth on the depth chart behind Joe Vellano,Shop the Michael Kors Crossbody Bags on the world's largest fashion site. Isaiah Ross, and Justin Anderson at the defensive end spot. With Vellano graduating and Anderson transferring, Jefferson now has sole possession of the other starting defensive end spot opposite Bowers. Jefferson hasn’t really had a chance to flourish as a full-time starter, so this season will show what he is truly made of.

The Pittsburgh-area native is very athletic and can rush off the edge with his quickness.Latest collection of Michael Kors Hamilton. Standing at 6’3, he has the ability to bat balls down at the line of scrimmage and did that quite frequently in high school. Jefferson appeared in nine games for the Terps as a freshman and did fairly well when he received playing time. He racked up 13 tackles including five tackles against both Georgia Tech and Florida State. Jefferson also recovered two fumbles, but spent most of the season behind Vellano and learned from the former Terp about the tools of the trade. If you’re learning the defensive end position from someone, Vellano is a great guy to learn from as he was one of the better defensive linemen that Maryland has seen in quite some time. With Jefferson still having three more seasons in College Park, the sky is the limit and he should be able to make a solid impact in the rotation.

Andre Monroe: Andre Monroe was a player that came to College Park surrounded by a tremendous amount of hype. Monroe was a freshman All-America selection and was recognized by just about every college football website or prognosticator for his stellar campaign. The St. John’s product registered 18 tackles (seven solo) and 7.5 tackles for loss. Monroe also had five sacks which was the second-most in the last nine years by a Maryland freshman (Adrien Moten had 5.5 & Shawne Merriman had five). It was also quite impressive that Monroe was able to rack up that many sacks while missing three games that season. Unfortunately, the injury bug followed him in 2012 and was much more severe. The then-sophomore missed the entire season with a knee injury that he sustained in a preseason practice.

Despite a lost season in 2012, Monroe still has the tools to be a key part of the Terps defensive line. As long as the knee doesn’t slow him down, he could be in for another big year in his junior season.Find great deals on hotmkbags for michael kors wallet Michael Kors Hamilton Bags in "Women's Clothing, Handbags and Purses". Shop with confidence. Monroe has very good speed off the edge and can get to the quarterback pretty easily as he showed in 2011. When you put yourself in the same company as guys like Merriman, you must be doing pretty well for yourself. My expectation is that Monroe will get close to the same number of snaps as starters Keith Bowers and Quinton Jefferson. Monroe is a tad undersized but definitely has the talent to be a premiere pass rusher in the ACC. He should be able to put up similar statistics to his freshman campaign, assuming he has a strong camp and is 100 percent healthy.

Kingsley Opara: Kingsley Opara was one of the most heralded members of the 2013 Maryland recruiting class. With Derwin Gray now not with the team at least for the upcoming season, Opara could be the crown jewel of the class. The Florida native has the ability to line up at both defensive end and defensive tackle which gives defensive line coach Greg Gattuso plenty of options with the type of defensive fronts that he wants to put up. Opara mostly lined up at defensive tackle in high school, but it sounds like the Terps want to use him more at defensive end. It makes sense with Kilgo looking to be the primary nose tackle for Randy Edsall’s squad.

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Fashion sale boosts

Hosted by Mundesley-based image consultant Sarah Morgan, the event, at Pretty Corner Tea Gardens, Sheringham, featured four rails of donated clothing, shoes and handbags.

Bargain-hunters snapped up good-as-new handbags, shoes and accessories, as well as day and evening wear ranging from designer dresses, to chain store summer separates.

The sale raised a total of ￡450 towards Sheringham Playpark Revamp Appeal which,Buy the Michael Kors Skorpios and luxury leather purses at hotmkbags. since being launched by a group of mums last summer, is already more than two-thirds of the way towards its ￡10,000 target.

More events, including a grand raffle and a fun day, are planned for this month and, once the play park team have reached the ￡10,000-mark, they will set about applying for grants.

Mrs Morgan spent weeks planning the sale, which was sponsored by Holt fashion boutique Annie and Boo.

She came up with the idea of a selling quality second-hand clothing for charity after ending up with a 5ft-tall pile of clothes following a “wardrobe weeding” session with a client.

“The lady didn’t want the clothes, so it occurred to me that having a sale would be a good way of raising money for good causes,Discover the largest collection of cheap Michael Kors Handbags .” she said.

“Once you get a group of women together trying on clothes, then before you know it, you are having a great time.”

Mrs Morgan has now launched a new venture, Sarah Morgan Charity Fashion Sales, and plans to hold up to four sales a year, the latest of which is at the Library Restaurant Norwich in October.

She thanked business sponsors,Shop the Michael Kors Crossbody Bags on the world's largest fashion site. venue hosts Pretty Corner Tea Gardens and “all the wonderful women who donated clothes.”

Play park committee member Emma White said: “We are amazed with the support that the local community are showing us and it makes us even more determined to achieve our goal of providing the town with a new, modern play park.

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Tickets are on sale at the Station Road store, where a number of prizes are on display.

Blyth and Wright staff will also be running a tombola outside the shop on Sheringham Carnival Day,Find the latest collection of Michael Kors Wallets at hotmkbags. August 7, when they are planning to draw the raffle.

Sarah Morgan’s next charity sale, in aid of Big C and Leeway Women’s Refuge, is at the Library Restaurant, Norwich on October 8.

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Putnam Valley mom has soft spot

After collecting 2,144 pairs of shoes, Debbie Sarich is a step closer to her goal of adopting another child.

The Putnam Valley mom, who is raising three children, teamed with a nonprofit organization that sends used footwear to poor countries to gather a mountain of shoes. She’s getting up to $2 per pair, and the fundraising effort will help cover the costs of adopting a 2-year-old girl from Ethiopia, Tselot, who has cerebral palsy.

“It was a lot of work,” said Sarich, a pediatric physical therapist, “We packaged up 33 boxes, all different kinds of shoes, some of them a little stinky. It was an all-out effort.”

Sarich and her three adopted kids went out for pizza and ice cream after the final box was shipped, and Sarich’s daughter, Krasimira, 10,Shop the latest from Michael Kors Classic Handbags. Totally free shipping and returns. was especially relieved. “I’m not touching dirty shoes again,” she said. At one point their townhouse was filled with 600 shoes.Shop hotmkbags for the latest fashion trends in Michael Kors Shoulder Bags for ladies.

Sarich said she was extremely grateful for the help and support she received, and was deeply moved by contributions,Shop discounted mk handbags on hotmkbags. logistical help and notes of encouragement since she began the shoe drive in April. “I say thanks from the bottom of my heart,” she said.

The shoes poured in from collection boxes stationed in Putnam Valley, Mahopac, Brewster, Somers and Yorktown. Dozens of athletic shoes from area middle schools were also donated after custodians began cleaning out lockers.

At My Gym in Yorktown, a children’s recreational and athletic center, hundreds of shoes were collected. “It was wildly successful,” said gym owner Chris Rubin, “It’s a wonderful cause, certainly,Shop for Michael Kors Monogram at hotmkbags. helping people who don’t have what we have.”

The charitable organization working with Sarich, Project Sole, transports footwear to orphanages and villages in Africa, Asia, Central and South America. Work boots and athletic shoes are especially prized by the organization, which was co-founded by a young man who was troubled seeing barefooted walkers in Honduras.

Sarich is headed to Ethiopia in October to complete the legal process for adopting the girl whom she plans to call Sadee. Sarich, who is not married , says she has a passion for motherhood and a special kind of love for children who need a little extra help.

The adoption could be completed in December.Then Sarich hopes to turn her attention from shoes to stockings. “I’ll have a little stocking ready for Christmas, with her name on it,” she said.

In my classroom, I teach a guidance lesson called "Walk a Mile in My Shoes." I get the students in a circle and they all take off their shoes! (This elicits groans, laughter and "my socks are dirty" comments.Buy Michael Kors iPhone Cases Michael Kors handbags with big discount and free shipping!) After discussing the meaning of empathy -- understanding how someone else feels -- I start to ask questions. Who has felt bullied at school? Who has felt left out? Who has felt lonely?

Then I get the kid who has had that feeling and another kid who has not had that feeling to trade shoes. They put on each other's shoes and "walk a mile" (around the room) while the rest of the class cracks up. We do this several times with different issues and at the end everyone trades shoes with someone and they all "walk a mile." This is a very powerful lesson and one that the students remember from year to year ("When are we going to do the 'walk' lesson again?") The goal is for students to be aware of the feelings of others and to act accordingly -- to treat others with the same respect that we want them to treat us.

This is the ultimate lesson. If we all could walk a mile in the shoes of a black teenager like Travyon Martin, would we then begin to understand the racial injustices that happen in this country on a daily basis? Let's teach empathy. Let's think about what it would be like to walk a mile in someone's shoes.

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Shoe store loyalty programs

A girl can never have too many shoes. This is something that my husband will never understand. Lucky for him we only have one daughter. When my daughter was about 8 years old we went shopping for her school shoes. I went right for the Nike tennis shoes, only the best for my child. She taught me a lesson that day; she said “Mom, those shoes are $60. I can get six pair of $10 shoes for that price. I would rather have more shoes.”

Unfortunately, that little girl has grown up and doesn’t feel quite the same way about inexpensive shoes. She likes designer clothes and designer shoes. But what she hasn’t outgrown is looking for a bargain. We comb TJ Max, Burlington Coat Factory and other discount stores looking for name brands. We look for clearance sales everywhere.

One of my sons is the opposite of my daughter. He doesn’t care how many pair of shoes he has. He always seems to fall in love with that $130 pair of tennis shoes that must be made of gold. I typically will scan the bar code on the box and use the Shop Savvy app on my phone hoping to find those shoes cheaper somewhere else. The app is free, and it has saved me a bundle.

I am always looking for new ways to save on shoes. I was excited to find out last week that Rack Room has a loyalty program. For every $200 you spend in the store, you will receive $15 in rewards cash sent straight to your mobile phone or email.

Rack Room also has a daily discount that allows you to buy one pair of shoes and get the second one for half-price. Pair this discount with the rewards program and the savings can really add up. They often have a sales flyer in the Sunday Savannah Morning News. The sales flyer has a coupon for $10 off of a $60 purchase. Have more than one paper? Split those transactions so you can use two coupons. (Each transaction would have to equal $60 to be able to use the coupons).Buy Michael Kors iPhone Cases Michael Kors handbags with big discount and free shipping! Buy one get one 50 percent off, $10 off a $60 purchase and a rewards program — wow! Stack all of these deals together and you are sure to snag a great deal.

Clearance items and accessories are also eligible for the rewards program. The only thing excluded is gift cards. The rewards program also sends members a coupon on their birthdays, bonus buck opportunities and members-only discounts and coupons and surprise discounts via email or at the checkout.

Runners and sneaker nerds are probably familiar with Newton Running, a Boulder-based company that's been making brightly colored running shoes for several years now. (I know everyone's making brightly colored shoes now, but they were way ahead of the trend.) Despite the fact that it's a tiny, niche company, Newton has made quite a splash in the endurance-sports world, signing several ultra runners and Ironman champs — like Craig Alexander and Paula Newby-Fraser — to their label. And now they've got a new shoe on the market that's going to appeal to a lot more runners: The Energy NR, now available in stores and online.

You see, any pair of Newtons is actually quite different from most other running shoes out there — they've got foam "actuator lugs" under the forefoot area that spring you forward and keep you from heel striking. (Kind of similar to,Shop hotmkbags for the latest fashion trends in Michael Kors Shoulder Bags for ladies. but more more subtle than,Shop the latest from Michael Kors Classic Handbags. Totally free shipping and returns. Adidas's new Springblade shoes.)

They're also pricey ($150 - $200 a pair), and they're sooo different that new Newton owners are advised to ease themselves into them slowly; otherwise you can put yourself at risk for injury.Shop discounted mk handbags on hotmkbags. I've seen both sides: I wore them for two years and I swear they made me super-light on my feet and totally revolutionized the way I run. But a good friend — and experienced runner — tried them out and did too much too soon,Shop for Michael Kors Monogram at hotmkbags. and ended up with stress fractures.

That's why Newton's new model is so cool: It's a transition shoe, designed to help people who are used to conventional running shoes cross over into the brand (and minimal sneakers in general). The lugs are more low-profile, the heel-to-toe drop more pronounced (6 mm) and the design more streamlined, so it looks and feels more like a traditional running shoe — but it still has many of the benefits — and signature colors! — of its higher-tech siblings.

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BEST BROWNIE

BEST BROWNIE While people do love their pie and cobbler and cake for dessert, our go-to guilty pleasure in the sweets department is the brownie at Whole Hog Cafe in Riverdale. Often an inch thick and three inches square, moist and fudgy to the point of sticking to your fingers, the Whole Hog brownie is indescribably good, and the perfect, instantly regrettable meal ender after a downing a big ol' barbecue sammich (we figure if you're going to blow your diet, you may as well go all the way). They've clearly got a little Satan in them, or at least — our group of loyal Whole Hog devotees has decided — a smidgen of the yummy pork renderings ladled out of the smokers in the kitchen. Whatever the case, they're hog wild good.

BEST NEW AND PRE-SPUN RECORD STORES We've beaten this drum loudly and often, and we're going to keep on pounding as long as these places are around. Little Rock is very fortunate to have two great record stores — Arkansas Record & CD Exchange in Levy and Been Around Records on South University.

Don't take these places for granted, vinyl hounds. There are many much larger metro areas in the country that don't have anything that's even close to as good as either of these places. The Record Exchange, as it's known to regulars, has a staggering amount of vinyl, ranging from dollar-bins scores to brand new records to the most coveted collectibles in nearly any genre you could imagine. And all of it has been organized and curated by owner Bill Eginton with the utmost attention to detail — the sort that comes along with passionate-bordering-on-obsessive loving care. And then there's all the other stuff: CDs, cassettes, 8-tracks,Discover the largest collection of cheap Michael Kors Handbags . 4-tracks, all manner of musical memorabilia and a truly impressive selection of vintage toys, with a special focus on Star Wars and toy trucks and trains. It's a wonderland, the type of very special place of which there really aren't too many left, unfortunately.

What Been Around might lack in organizational zeal, it more than makes up for with pure, crate-digging pleasure. You never know what you'll find, but you're nearly guaranteed to find something you can't live without.

BEST SOULFUL STEAK For some of us here at the Times, there is a hunger that arises every so often (OK, it actually happens pretty regularly) that can only be satisfied by one thing: Chicken-fried steak. For some of us, it would be a last meal: A crispy battered cube steak, smothered in gravy, with a side of green beans and mashed potatoes and a tall glass of iced tea. So when we get a bad one, it goes beyond mere disappointment and into some taking-it-personal anger territory. Just a few weeks ago, up in Fayetteville, we ordered what purported to be chicken-fried steak, but which was in fact just a hamburger patty that was battered and deep-fried. Latest collection of Michael Kors Hamilton.

This practice is actually alarmingly widespread. And make no mistake: it is nothing less than an abomination. Don't get us wrong: We ate the thing. But we weren't real happy about it. However, there is a place in Little Rock that has never, ever failed when it comes to chicken-fried steak, and that place is Sweet Soul,welcome to replica jewelry web,Free shipping‎! located in Ottenheimer Hall in the River Market. They serve up a true tenderized cube steak, each one hand-breaded and cooked to order,Buy the Michael Kors Skorpios and luxury leather purses at hotmkbags. hot and fresh, smothered with delicious gravy and served with any number of side dishes, all of which are excellent.Latest Trends in Wholesale gucci handbags, Wallets and more‎. And their catfish, burgers and pies are all top-notch as well. So don't sleep on Sweet Soul; this place serves some of the best food in the state.

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A Designer Purse Can Prevent Women

Gucci, Chanel,welcome to replica jewelry web,Free shipping‎! Fendi, and Coach. The names mean different things to different people. If you are someone who likes handbags, you know they are expensive.

Now, new research from the University of Minnesota may explain why some buy the luxury brands.

Many of us are guilty of checking out other people, not because we are physically attracted to them, but because we are drawn to their flashy clothes, cars, even their sunglasses.

This study released by The Carlson School of Management, says that a number of women check out designer handbags that other women are carrying. It also found that after a woman's designer handbag is spotted, it is then assumed that if a woman is in a committed relationship, she has a devoted partner.

Even if the woman purchased the bag with her own money, it is also assumed that her partner likely helped her in some way obtain the luxury product.

Part of the study also included an exercise that made one group of women jealous, by having them imagine that someone was flirting with their partner.

In response to that jealousy, the women who felt threatened, drew huge designer logos on drawings of blank purses.

The group that was just given a drawing of a blank purse, only drew a small logo on the purse.

The studies co-author said for the most part, men could care less about what kind of purse a woman carries.

"If you think about it in daily life, men are always confused about women's products," Yajin Wang said. "That makes sense if you think about it in this context. Women are buying these things not to impress them (men), they're trying to impress their female friends."

The study was published after a series of five experiments, and it involved nearly 650 women. The university says, designer purses are a $250 billion a year industry.

A sued fringe jacket and moto jackets in denim and leather make ideal layering pieces for cooler temperatures, while biker jackets combining tweed bodies with soft leather sleeves are equal parts sophisticated and rocker-chic.

For the men, vintage-Americana influences lend inspiration, with distressed denim, washed out chambray shirts and denim jackets. Embroidered button downs, plaid printed denim and shirts, and faded jeans complement the Western trend.

Luxe, coated denim and leather moto jackets, double-breasted cardigans and soft, velvety blazers create a modern, refined look for the style-conscious guy. The mixing of fabrics and textures in a deep red and indigo colour palette adds a touch of sophistication to the men’s urban collection.

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Featured motifs for accessories this season include polka dots and chevrons.

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“Finally, I can see what the hell is in my bag”, said Diana Gross, one of the guests at the red carpet event. “The lining made of photo luminescent, or phosphorescence, fabric glows bright for hours after being exposed to light for just minutes. A patented new process encapsulates photo luminescent crystals into a waterproof, breathable coating that is bonded directly into fabric. Both phosphorescent green and blue glow-in-the dark linings are part of the JosephNicola Trademark”, explains Jessica Klass, a spokesperson for the brand. Latest Trends in Wholesale gucci handbags, Wallets and more‎.

“When you see the interior of the handbag glowing you’ll know its JosephNicola”, says Joseph.

“We’re always looking for innovative ways to make style a pleasurable experience”, adds Joseph, and how many times do you find yourself digging around in the inside of your dark handbag trying to find something? This fabric illuminates the entire surface of the interior of the bag, it’s amazing!”

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Times offers its favorites

BEST DOCUMENTARY A short film on an elderly Arkansas chair-maker may sound sleep inducing, but in the hands of filmmaker Joe York, it's a fascinating study of craftsmanship passed through the generations. "Bump" is the story of Dallas Bump, of Royal, a 95-year-old maker of rocking chairs who was named an Arkansas Living Treasure by the Arkansas Arts Council earlier this year. He's the fourth generation of his family to make chairs, and even at 95, he's still turning the wood that becomes the chairs' posts and rungs. The 15-minute film deftly weaves his family's story — Dallas' nephew and his nephew's wife, Leon and Donna Sutton, are carrying on the tradition; Leon, who's been making the chairs for six years, says he still has "a lot to learn" from Dallas — with process footage from the ancient,welcome to replica jewelry web,Free shipping‎! sawdust-strewn family chair shop. You can see the film at the Historic Arkansas Museum's Arkansas Made website, arkansasmade.org. (Full disclosure: Caroline Millar, wife of Times editor Lindsey Millar, works on the Arkansas Made program and is a producer on the film). Films on other state Living Treasures are in the works.

BEST MEAT Hillcrest Artisan Meats gets better all the time, with a growing lineup of cured and fresh well-raised meats, but also with a selection of gourmet grocery add-ons — fancy ketchup and the world's best jerky, for example. But we'd go there for no other reason than to buy the "teres major," a lean and boneless muscle from the shoulder of beef that, in eight-ounce chunks, cooks almost instantly in a grill pan and produces slices of steak almost as tender as a tenderloin, but far more flavorable. It runs around $16 a pound or so, not cheap. But very good.

BEAT REPORTING It's the alternative weekly's duty to pick on the big guy, i.e., the daily newspaper. But we admit readily that the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette is a meaty newspaper with a big staff, far better than you'll find in most cities of comparable size. And Lord knows, if charter schools are your bag, you'll get encyclopedic coverage of THAT. The newspaper's great strength is in the beat reporters, from Capitol to courthouses to school offices, where people with experience and time are sources for lots of of-record news, an old fashioned thing that's out of fashion in some places. Our current favorite of the lot — after the scourge of UCA, Debra Hale Shelton — is Little Rock City Hall reporter Claudia Lauer. Multiple-byline days are routine for Lauer, and they are distinguished by enterprise work as she digs up fresh angles from the agendas of city boards and commissions and the occasional buffoonery of city fathers and mothers.

BEST ARKANSAS BEACH While we don't miss the hurricanes on the Gulf, we do happen to think that thoroughly landlocked Arkansas got the splintery end of the stick when it comes to beach access.Find a great selection of christian louboutin boots deals ! Click on any of the links below. If you don't have the dough or the time to drive 10 hours to the Redneck Riviera, though, there are options. Recently, we hooked back up with an old friend from childhood: the manmade sand beach on Lake DeGray at the Caddo Bend day use area. Just an hour's lovely drive from Little Rock and situated on a peninsula that juts out into the body of the lake, the long, gently-curving beach is a great place to catch some rays, and the swimming ain't half-bad either. PRO TIP: If you go, bring some shoes to wear into the water. While the beach is sand, a lot of the lake bottom is tiny bits of shale that hurt like hell on tender, citified feet.

BEST ROADTRIP TO NEW ORLEANS MYSTERY OK, technically, this is (by 10 miles or so) in Louisiana,Shop for Michael Kors Satchel in many colors and styles at hotmkbags. but any Arkansan who has ever road-tripped down Hwy. 65 has likely passed by The Dock, a little Cajun seafood shack right on Lake Providence (roadside markers let you know it's coming for miles; you'll know you've arrived when you see the friendly crawfish on the big white sign). There's something eerily familiar about the decor and the layout and the tables and the smell of the place — and what you'll realize, after a minute or so, is that you're standing in a Subway. And there, lo and behold, is a Subway menu on the wall and the familiar array of Subway chips and cookies, etc. Only there's also a Dock menu, offering up fried seafood and gator tail and po boys and the like.

And beer. Turns out you can order from either menu, but the wait staff will look at you funny, and all sorts of confusion will ensue, if you order from the Subway menu. So you get a po boy. And their po boys are pretty good, only there's one problem: the perfectly fried shrimp is heaped between what is undeniably Subway bread, topped with Subway fixins. And folks are getting good and drunk, and wandering out to the dock outside to take in the sun, and generally having a decidedly non-Subway time.Welcome to Replica Louis Vuitton outlet online store and buy latest replica louis vuitton handbags together with free shipping and best service. Here's the thing. There's probably a perfectly reasonable explanation for the half-Cajun, half-Subway vibe.Latest Trends in Wholesale gucci handbags, Wallets and more‎. But when we asked a waitress, she looked at us sternly, said "we're not a Subway," and started backing away slowly. Refused to answer any follow-up questions.

What kind of racket are they running in Lake Providence? Are they on guard against narcs from Subway headquarters? Don't know, never will. We've learned to keep quiet, enjoy the mudbugs and gumbo, the cypress trees and the mystery.

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Let me begin with a confession

I am not a health food fanatic. It’s possible that I purchased something organic once or twice but, if I did, it was an accident. Yet as I approach the border of my late 40s, my doctor’s advice is beginning to resonate: eat less,Shop the latest from Michael Kors Classic Handbags. Totally free shipping and returns. exercise more.

The parallel in financial planning, of course, is spend less, save more. That’s often what I tell clients as a prelude to charting their investment strategy. But just as good financial planning is not only about spending less (although it helps), wellness is not only about eating less. It’s also about eating healthy.

Enter Whole Foods Market Inc., a stock I have invested in because I believe it exemplifies the trend to healthier eating.

This is not an aging baby boomer thesis. Consumers of all ages are becoming more conscious of the quality of food they eat. And with good reason: The most recent study, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, tracked more than 70,000 people over six years. Vegetarians reported 12 per cent fewer deaths than meat-eaters, and were 19 per cent less likely to die from heart disease. Even Bill Clinton has taken notice and become a vegan.

Whole Foods is positioned at the centre of this growing trend. It sells a teeming smorgasbord of meats and vegetables, but much of it is produced and farmed organically. That’s the key – no genetically engineered seeds or crops, no long-lasting pesticides, herbicides or fungicides. Whole Foods provides a total package of wellness, premised on the health and environmental benefits of adopting organic standards.

The numbers confirm the business case. Almost seven million customers visit its stores each week, according to the company. In a flattish North American grocery segment, with low to moderate food-price inflation, Whole Foods has generated an impressive 15.9 per cent increase in comparable store sales over the past two years.

This sales growth has big benefits for the bottom line. Rent, labour, electricity and other items are relatively fixed costs. Thus, incremental increases in sales, less the cost of products sold, fall directly to the net income line, providing operating leverage. For its April,welcome to michaels kors bags on sale,best service and low prices. 2013, quarter, revenue increased 13 per cent, but earnings per share rose 18 per cent, including preopening store expenses. The bottom line: Earnings per share grew faster than revenue, even with preopening expenses. This is a good thing.

Health food is no longer a niche segment. In its past fiscal year, Whole Foods racked up almost $12-billion (U.Welcome to Michael Kors Classic Tote Outlet online now.S.) in sales – up from $2-billion in 2001 – or roughly $35-million per store. As of June, 2013, there were 352 Whole Foods stores. Over the longer term, the company’s target is 1,000 in North America alone. Clearly, its owners don’t see the healthy eating trend declining. Nor do I.

The bigger picture is this: Companies that provide products that improve your life tend to make better business models and better investments. Think of BlackBerry, when it first made e-mail available on cellphones, or Apple, when it introduced the iMac, iPhone, iPod and iPad.

The Whole Foods thesis is the same. Its product is the organic lifestyle. It’s not just free-range chicken and high-fibre oatmeal customers are buying – it’s a wellness package. And their numbers will grow, especially as the economy improves and U.S. unemployment falls below 7 per cent.

You may argue that Whole Foods’s valuation is relatively high, or that its business model is not sustainable, or that it could lose market share to Safeway, Wal-Mart, Trader Joe’s, Kroger, The Fresh Market or Loblaw. But valuation, I submit, is only one aspect of the decision to invest in a company’s equity.

To do real research on Whole Foods, camp out in one of their stores. Count the people buying premade smoothies in the morning and organic meat on the way home. Then, you’ll understand why it generates almost $1,000 per square foot per year in revenue, nearly double its nearest direct competitor, The Fresh Market. Three years from now, I believe today’s stock price will look cheap in hindsight. Investors who shop at Whole Foods will earn a double reward – a healthier diet and, I predict, a healthier portfolio.

I believe there is ample room for a niche food company, just as there is room for niche coffee at a premium price (Starbucks), niche handbags (Coach) and niche exercise wear (Lululemon). Note, however, that while all these companies began as niche products, they have become mainstream, creating wealth for their equity owners.

In my hometown of Ottawa, Whole Foods has agreed to become a tenant at the redeveloped Lansdowne Park. I intend to be among its first customers.

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Want to Be a More Effective Leader?

For one week at the Loews Hotels, Jon Tisch made up rooms, worked the front desk, and carried luggage. It was tough work, even for someone like Tisch who grew up in his family's hotel business. Tisch is Chairman and CEO of the multimillion dollar luxury hotel chain.Shop the latest from Michael Kors Classic Handbags. Totally free shipping and returns.

Cameras filmed the week as the premier of the reality show, Down the Ladder, in which executives took on their employees' jobs. Not only did Tisch experience first-hand the demands of each job, he also saw its constraints and challenges.

At week's end, he shared the experience with his staff and told them how tough their jobs were and how much he valued what they did. His experience of being in their shoes gave his words greater weight and meaning. His employees now know AND feel that he gets it and that he gets them.

One of the toughest things for anyone to do is to see situations from another's point of view. Yet, it's critical for effective leadership.Welcome to Michael Kors Classic Tote Outlet online now. The most effective form of persuasion starts from the other person's world view and draw them over. Stepping into the other person's shoes enables

Trust. Followers hear and trust what leaders are saying more. Leaders get a feel for the language and analogies that would resonate better with followers. It makes them more connected to those whom they are trying to lead. Consequently, it's easier for followers to receive criticism as well as praise when they feel leaders understand them and what they do.

Feedback. Leaders can provide more useful and specific feedback and coach them in a way that connects with the bigger picture. It also puts nonconstructive criticism in check -- It's much easier to criticize and point out the things that are wrong when there isn't a full sense of the obstacles that might be in the way.

Collaboration. Because of connectivity and trust, it helps followers to see things from the leader's perspective. Consequently, leaders and followers can better see the contribution that each brings. Together, they can identify opportunities beyond each other's limited understanding.

For these reasons, the best coaches are great at what they do because they were also players at one point.

For many of us, it's not feasible to literally step into another person's job for a day. We often work with people across different functional roles and throughout all different levels in an organization.

So,welcome to michaels kors bags on sale,best service and low prices. what can we do to understand their perspectives, decisions and actions?

Invest time in getting to know the other person first and understand their personal story and how they see their role.
Draw on others' understanding of that person.
Ask questions that can help us understand their point of view -- Why do you think this way? Why is this the way things are done? If you were in my shoes, what would you change?
Listen for the language and references that the other person uses to describe things and draw on analogies and examples from their personal stories.

The very best teachers don't present a lesson. They ask questions to understand things from the student's perspective. They listen carefully and then relay the lesson or knowledge in a way that is tailored to the students' frame of reference.

The best doctors don't just diagnose and prescribe. They connect with the patient and also draw on the information from family members to understand the situational drivers and obstacles for an effective treatment.

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Cabo Wabo Cantina offering tequila specials

Change is coming to the Shops at Crystals in CityCenter. Through October, four new boutiques will debut and an existing retailer will expand.

Valentino, a 3,000-square-foot boutique, is scheduled to open in August, featuring Valentino’s ready-to-wear line, shoes and handbags. That same month, Richard Mille boutique will open its second shop in the country and its first in Vegas. German luggage-maker Rimowa is also opening. In October, Loro Piana will open its doors. The shop specializes in cashmere, baby cashmere, Vicuna products and luxury goods from Italy. Tourbillon, an existing retailer, is expanding and will finish in October. Construction on The Shops at Crystals is under way.

Art gallery

Jeff Mitchum, famed nature photographer, opened a new fine art gallery at MGM Grand this month.

The new addition is his second gallery in Las Vegas. In 2011, Mitchum opened a gallery in Bellagio after waiting for the opportunity for more than 10 years.

Mitchum’s work is known for its color and composition. Among his most well-known photographs is “Third Day,” a photo of sunlight streaming over the Eastern Sierra, underlined by a band of trees with fall-colored leaves. It took Mitchum 15 years to take the shot that he now calls his “Mona Lisa.” It is priced at $1.7 million. Along with his artwork, the Mitchum gallery at MGM Grand showcases his eco-friendly furniture, too.

Expect lots of sparkle, body paint and unique make-up at this year's L*Space swimwear show at Raligh Hotel in Miami Beach.

Monica Wise's designs will include a lot of blues, yellows and aquas on reversable swimsuits, some of which can also be used as undergarmets for a layered look.

“Customers want more and more uses to their bikinis,” Wise said. “It’s not just for the beach, it’s for off the beach.”

Wise has targeted woman from ages 18 to 40 that are “active, passionate and big on travel,” she said.

“We try to keep our styles fresh,” Wise said. “I try to make sure that I have enough skimpiness for the 18-year-old and enough support pieces for the 40-year-old.”

The beach inspired collection will also have an entire selection of apparel, which will include sheer cover-ups and crochet pieces.

“I continue to tell my story through my collection.” Wise said. “I love every year setting a game plan and seeing it come together.Shop mybag1 for the latest fashion trends in Wholesale High Quality Balenciaga handbags for ladies. It’s exciting to know that I still love doing what I’m doing.”

Wise has been preparing the collection for the past six months, and has been inspired by her travels, handbags and others.

“Passion is what makes it all happen,” Wise said. “That’s what makes this all come to be.”

In the future, she hopes to expand her line to include home designs and interiors. She would also like to expand her team and include activewear.

“My mentality has always been to be different, compelling and special,” she said.

She recalls an episode where the feminist slogan "A Woman's Right to Choose" is tweaked to the trivial "A Woman's Right to Shoes".

However, on another level, these women are living the right to choose, if not about abortion, then at the very least about work, parenthood, and especially about relationships," added Treagus.

"The show is all about choices and this is its most tangible sign of the post-feminist world.Visit mybag1 to find Wholesale High Quality LV wallets."

Tanya Gold, writing in London's Telegraph ahead of the launch of the second Sex and the City film, derided the series' reputation as a "feminist bible".

The show was really about fashion and endless shopping, shopping elevated to an art form and one of life's necessities.

In one episode, Carrie confides that when she first arrived in New York,Discover the largest collection of cheap Michael Kors Handbags . she would forego food in order to buy her copy of Vogue.

Later,Find great deals on hotmkbags for michael kors wallet Michael Kors Hamilton Bags in "Women's Clothing, Handbags and Purses". Shop with confidence. her addiction to Manolo Blahniks is revealed to have cost her $40,000, leaving her short of a deposit for the apartment she hopes to buy.

"Sex and the City stole its feminist credentials,Find impressively low prices on a wide selection of Wholesale High Quality Bottega Veneta handbags. I think, by showing female sexuality," wrote Gold.

"The women have a lot of sex with different men, it's true. But it's an add-on to the handbags and dieting and the reductive feminine helplessness - it seems like just one more thing they go shopping for. And they pay for it too.

"After Samantha, the warmest - and hottest - character has a lifetime of no-strings sex, she develops cancer and it feels like a punishment.

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The Harrods Handbag

There’s certainly no decline in the luxury market if Harrods’ summer campaign is anything to go by. Celebrating over a decade of success in their accessories and handbags departments, Harrods have teamed up with 20 luxury fashion brands to create an impressive window display and exhibition dedicated to that every day must-have – the handbag.

Running until Saturday 24 August, the Handbag Narratives will showcase ‘sensational stories through beautiful bags’.Visit mybag1 to find Wholesale High Quality LV wallets. Expect the cream of the crop when it comes to arm candy, as the likes of Gucci, Prada, Miu Miu and Mulberry will be partnering Harrods to create glorious window displays inspired by, and celebrating some of their finest handbags.

Luxury Italian label and creators of many an It-bag,Find impressively low prices on a wide selection of Wholesale High Quality Bottega Veneta handbags. Prada have even exclusively designed a giant Galleria tote in navy ostrich leather – yours if you can pick up the $36,Discover the largest collection of cheap Michael Kors Handbags .000 price tag.

Whilst Fendi have been inspired by the iconic ‘Harrods’ green, decking out five exclusive versions of their 2.Jours bag in the recognisable shade. Other exclusives come from the likes of Britain’s luxury frontrunners, Burberry and Victoria Beckham.

If you’re not planning to invest there’s still plenty to see throughout the store, including the transformation of the Brompton Road window displays. Giant versions of some of the fashion world’s most lust-after bags have invaded the store’s windows in epic proportions. From Chloe’s minimalist behemoth of a transparent tote, to Fendi’s titanic, animal print shoulder bag- they make our oversized Mulberry’s look petite in comparison.

Throughout the summer campaign, there will be plenty of in store events; from personal appearances by some of the designers themselves to bespoke monograming services. Be sure to check out the Harrods website,Shop mybag1 for the latest fashion trends in Wholesale High Quality Balenciaga handbags for ladies. Facebook and Twitter page to see what’s in store when.

Whether you’re a shoes or handbag girl, this is a must-visit if you’re shopping in the Capital this summer.

Anwar and his friends’ attention to style is connected to another of the film’s subjects: the complex nature of performance, and of violence as a form of performance art. The thugs monitor themselves and each other, and gently correct their friends’ reenactments of interrogations and beatings. Preparing to dramatize their past actions on screen, they debate the subtle but all-important difference between cruel and sadistic.

As in many dictatorships, language is distorted to serve the aims of the state. Here, everyone appears to believe that gangster derives from the same etymological root as free man. Many of the executions occur on the patio of a newspaper office across from the movie theater where the men got their start, and the paper’s publisher explains why the murders, and the propaganda justifying them, were necessary. Present at the interrogations, journalists altered whatever the prisoners said, “to make them look bad. My job was to make the people hate them.”

Fascinated by the action on screen, we might almost overlook the skill with which The Act of Killing has been conceived, edited, and directed. Shown a rough version of the film, Werner Herzog and Erroll Morris were sufficiently impressed to sign on as executive producers, and Herzog has described the documentary as one of the most powerful he’s seen in a decade. Early on, Anwar Congo—who, we hear, was personally responsible for killing over a thousand people—mentions his bad dreams. Filmed amid his extended family,Find great deals on hotmkbags for michael kors wallet Michael Kors Hamilton Bags in "Women's Clothing, Handbags and Purses". Shop with confidence. surrounded by beloved grandchildren, he describes having nightmares brought on by the dawning realization that the people he killed didn’t want to die. He cannot forget the open eyes of a man he beheaded in a forest, and soon his dreams are such common knowledge that a scene—“Anwar’s nightmare”—is written into the script.

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How to tell if your walking shoe is right for you

How to tell if your walking shoe is right for you

Walking and running are great ways to stay fit, but did you know with every step, you could be doing more harm than good?

"Everybody is going to have a little bit different stride,Shop for and buy Wholesale High Quality Bvlgari jewelry online at mybag1." said Abby Sims of Fit 2 Run at International Plaza. "A little bit different gait."

The shoes you wear are no different, because every shoe is not created equal, according to the people over at Fit 2 Run. They say if you're not paired with the right pair, you could be looking at some long-term damage to your knees, ankles, feet and joints.

So how do you make the right choice? They said a "gait analysis" is the way to go.Find a great selection of christian louboutin boots deals ! Click on any of the links below.

"How they're striking down on the treadmill," said Sims. "We look for neutrality, over-pronation or supination. Based off of what we see from the gait analysis, we can recommend what type of shoe would be great for them," said Sims.

Supination means your foot turns out when you walk or run, whereas pronation means your foot turns in. Then of course, there are some people who are in between or have other foot issues,The cheap Wholesale High Quality Balenciaga wallets is a very good fashion items for you. like being completely flat footed. All of which can be analyzed by first stepping on the pressure sensing technology to see what parts of your foot take the brunt of your movements.

Then the treadmill camera shows how you run or walk. The extra set of eyes,Free shipping on all Wholesale High Quality Rolex watches over $100. so to speak, help a person understand which shoes are right for you.

Sims said spending cash on the right shoes will help you save money in the long run, but you don't have to take their word for it. Dr. Roy Sanders, Orthopedic Surgeon with Florida Orthopedic Institute agreed.

"Sometimes over long periods of time, if you don't correct the problem, using the right shoe," said Dr. Sanders. "Then you end up with knee and ankle arthritis. And then you would actually need surgery."

Mindi Kane has owned shoe stores in the past, and she's been running Northbrook's Payton Rose shop for more than a year, but Sole Mates is her first retail venture with husband Brian. It's only fitting they would call it Sole Mates.

Mindi's shops face each other on opposite ends of the Dunbrook Shopping Center at Dundee and Pfingsten roads. While Payton Rose specializes in elegant and affordable women's clothing, Sole Mates offers offers shoes to complete the outfit.

"We aim to please, we're not going to get things that people don't wear," Mindi said. "We want you to be comfortable. We want you to look good."

To celebrate its recent opening, Sole Mates offers shoppers 25 percent off items in the store until Thursday. Customers can get an additional five percent off by liking the store's Facebook page.

Mindi says most items at Sole Mates range between $28 and $100, and includes brands that may be hard to find at other nearby shoe stores.

Brian and Mindi live in Northbrook, and are Glenbrook alums — Brian went to GBN and Mindi attended GBS.

This is a classic slingback with a 4-inch heel. It's available up to a size 14, though the customer reviews say it runs a little small. That's not usually an issue with the shoes from Fitzwell,Save on Christian Louboutin Pump! All the Sales, All in One Place. a brand I forgive its punny name mostly because I actually love puns. Not all Fitzwell shoes go up to a 14 but enough of them do that I'd consider this a go-to brand for large shoe sizes.

The Fitzwell shoes tend to be really lovely, if not cutting edge in style. There are other heels out there -- especially if you're looking for dramatic stuff. Basically, if you're looking for hot shoes, check out Pleaser. This brand can be seen in goth clubs and strip clubs around the world. There's some Pleaser shoes on Zappos, but you might wind up finding them locally, especially if you have a well-stocked "adult store" in your location. (There are several in Orlando so I've lost my sense of whether or not adult stores are, like, hard to find in other places. There are even radio jingles: Premier Adult Factory Outlet -- takes you where you want to go!" Anyway.)


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For a growing number of internet retailers

For a growing number of internet retailers

For a growing number of internet retailers, offline is the new online.

Across the country, retailers that existed only in cyberspace are now opening - or thinking of opening - traditional stores at a time when e-commerce's explosive growth has spawned a slew of dire predictions that brick-and-mortar retailing will become irrelevant or even extinct.

Online giant Amazon is actively exploring a store concept. Specialty retailers like Warby Parker, which sells eyeware, and Bonobos, a men's clothing company, already operate stores.

In Minnesota's Twin Cities area, Sigma Beauty, a fast-growing, four-year-old online makeup retailer, recently opened its first outlet - at the Mall of America.

"I feel that everything we've done with this company was backward," joked Simone Xavier, who launched Sigma with her husband, Rene Xavier Filho.

"But we wanted to put a face on the brand, and we wanted people to touch and feel the product."

Moving from websites to storefronts may seem counterintuitive, as online retailers enjoy lower costs than brick-and-mortar chains like Best Buy and Target, which have to pay store leases and hire salespeople. Plus, more and more shoppers are buying products online, using their laptops, smartphones or tablets.

For the first three months of 2013, e-commerce sales jumped 13 per cent to $US50.2 billion ($A54.55 billion) in the US compared to the same period a year, according to comScore.Shop for and buy Wholesale High Quality Bvlgari jewelry online at mybag1. The double-digit growth in online sales has often come at the expense of physical retailers, which is why companies such as Best Buy and Target are spending millions of dollars to upgrade their websites and mobile software.

But today's retailer will gladly record a sale any way they can get it, said Jeff Green, a Phoenix-based retail consultant.Free shipping on all Wholesale High Quality Rolex watches over $100.

"It is strange to see e-commerce sites open physical stores," Green said.

"But when you think about, it's not surprising. The most successful retailers are going to have a combination of bricks-and-mortars and digital sales. For online retailers, you might as well get to the sale as close as you can."

Bricks-and-mortar retailing may seem outdated, but the physical store still offers a credible and safe place for customers to examine the product, ask questions, buy and, if necessary, return it.

"It's about taking the risk out of buying," said Steven Dennis, a retail consultant and a former top executive with Neiman Marcus and Sears.

That's especially true of certain products like clothing, shoes, handbags and eyeglasses, where consumers still prefer real store interaction versus a purely digital experience.

In some cases, consumers may think a deal is too good to be true. For example, Warby Parker markets itself as a place where consumers purchase designer eyeglasses for as low as $US95. That low of a price might prompt shoppers to suspect there must be a catch - either the product is poorly made, or the website is a scam altogether.The cheap Wholesale High Quality Balenciaga wallets is a very good fashion items for you. Opening a store would help alleviate those fears, Dennis said.

But don't expect online retailers to completely shed their digital roots. It's one thing to open one experimental store in a suburban shopping centre to showcase your products; quite another to operate dozens of stores in big malls or large cities, which requires money and expertise that are often beyond the reach of internet firms.

"If you're going to a high-traffic area and paying a decent amount of rent, it puts the pressure on you to know what you are doing," Dennis said.

Take Sigma Beauty. Founded in 2009, the New Brighton, Minnesota-based internet makeup retailer quickly grew, thanks to its international reach and deft use of social media like YouTube. The company expects to generate $US25 million in sales this year compared to $US18 million in 2012.

Opening a store was never part of the plan, Xavier said.

"The cost of maintaining and building the store is humongous. I was very hesitant."

Added Filho: "Financially, it doesn't make any sense. You're going to lose $1,Find a great selection of christian louboutin boots deals ! Click on any of the links below.000 per day."

But when the couple learned of available space at the Mall of America, they quickly jumped on it.

For one thing, Xavier said, although Sigma Beauty sells to customers in more than 100 countries, very few people in Minnesota are aware of the company.

In addition, a retail space provides an ideal place for Sigma Beauty to host events like "beauty parties" in which the company recruits celebrity makeup experts from YouTube to offer personal makeup tutorials.

But running a store requires a whole new mind-set, Xavier said.Save on Christian Louboutin Pump! All the Sales, All in One Place.

"Online, it's very easy," she said.

"People can purchase products anywhere, anytime. You are not restricted to the hours of the malls; you're not restricted by the weather. Everything in the society around us affects the (store) sale."

Xavier also discovered that even relatively small adjustments to the store - placing merchandise in front of the cash registers or pumping a scent near the store entrance to draw in customers - can really affect sales.

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