Blow the Bridge!

Dan emailed me today to let me know that the Fulton Road Bridge is still standing after three (?) failed attempts to bring it down on Saturday. Yes, I know. It's big news around here. I sent him this paragraph from Saturday's blog:

I really love the zoo and animals and when things blow up. We have a wonderful, world class zoo here in Cleve. I'm waiting to go after they open the butterfly garden for the summer.

Then I realized:
I managed to mention blowing things up and the beautiful butterfly garden in the same paragraph. Now that's a rare talent, if I do say so myself!

I am truly yin and yang!

New New Coke?

I was at the grocery store early this Sunday morning. I saw Diet Coke Plus. My eyebrow was immediately raised. I was skeptical. Doesn't all the caffeine and junk in Diet Coke "Plus" outweigh the so-called "vitamins and minerals" in it?

Sadly, I do drink Diet Coke and regular Coke on certain occasions, with full knowledge of how bad they are for me.

I am also suspicious because the packaging vaguely resembles TaB from the 70's and 80s. I guess I mean the new TaB energy drink. It's still hard to believe the TaB brand was revived.

I dunno. Come to think of it, they are both suspicious to me. I'm not buying 'em. Literally OR figuratively.

Zoo Blog

I discovered the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo's blog yesterday while reading about the implosion of the Fulton Road Bridge. I really love the zoo and animals and when things blow up. We have a wonderful, world class zoo here in Cleve. I'm waiting to go after they open the butterfly garden for the summer.

Read the zoo's blog:

The Roar Report

I miss implosions. Remember, I used to live in Vegas. Buildings are imploded there on a weekly basis. No wonder I'm so excited about a local implosion!

Channel 19 Video

Here's the link to the Channel 19 video. There's Thursday's segment from TV and a web exclusive of me and Danielle bargain hunting and me talking about Missoni. Friday's segment is also up, where we went super cheap-o shopping at Value City and Cheapie Dillards. Check out Danielle's spectacular red dress!

Speaking in Soundbites

I spent the day today with a team from Channel 19 news shooting the footage for the segments which will be on this Thursday and Friday. Anchor Danielle Serino, the segment producer and camerman and I went shopping undercover for bargains at Value City, Filene's Basement, TJ Maxx, and "Cheapie" Dillards at what used to be Euclid Square Mall.

I was explaining to Danielle exactly why I love hitting these kinds of places. It's because nothing thrills me more than finding that one amazing bargain or that once-in-a-lifetime find - like my $8 Escada jacket from the Salvation Army that I happened upon when I was there hunting for Halloween costume supplies. It's hard to explain why I will sometimes brave the bad lighting, inhospitable conditions, and merchandise all over the floor in order to find something that I truly, truly love and cannot live without. It doesn't happen often, but when it does, it's magical.

My shopping methods are not for everyone, that's for sure. But I think Danielle was convinced when she found a real treasure - a simply gorgeous red Jessica McClintock gown - for under $20 at Dillards. You have to hunt, but when you find something spectacular, it's worth it!!

We finished the day with a seated interview. I forgot how tough it is to speak in soundbites - to narrow your message down to its very essence. Hey, you only have a few seconds to get your point across. It gets easier and easier every time I do an interview, but it's still a strange and surreal world for me. Nothing in my past has prepared me for this, so I'm still just relying on my instincts.

I am pleased to say that I'm doing pretty well so far.

KK on Channel 19

I am excited to announce that I will be on the Channel 19 6pm news on Thursday and Friday of this coming week! A reporter and I are going on a top secret shopping mission!!

As you all know, Shopping is my middle name!!!

(Well, actually, it's Terese - a bit of trivia most people don't know!)

Thanks, 30 Rock

I've recently become a big fan of 30 Rock. It has grown on me all season. I normally watch it online since it is opposite original CSI:

They used some stock footage in last night's episode of none other than beautiful Cleveland, OH shot by my friends at Glazen Creative Studios. Congrats, Tony & gang!!

30 Rock also said some very complimentary things about our fair city.
Watch last night's episode.

I have 2 favorite lines to share from 30 Rock:

Said by NBC page Kenneth to cheer up TV star Tracy Jordan in the episode The Source Awards:
Didn't you tell me to live every week like it's Shark Week?
And that nothing's impossible except dinosaurs?

From last night:
Jenna to Phoebe (hollow bones) and Liz Lemon:
How Sex & the City are we right now? I'm Samantha, you're Charlotte, and (to Liz) you're the lady at home who watches it.

Exercise Etiquette

I went to spin yesterday at my gym. The only previous time I was at the 6pm Thursday class there was a substitute instructor, so I don't know who is the official teacher of the class. I was pleasantly surprised that as we were spinning to warm up, this week's sub for the regular instructor came around to each of us that she didn't know and shook our hand, introduced herself and asked each of us our name.

I was impressed by this as such niceties are so infrequent in our world.

Jo Ann's genuine warmth was greatly appreciated by this spinnin' chick.

Lesson learned.

Pirate Shoes!

I actually did a google search and
FOUND those awesome girls' pirate shoes.

I have never wanted to have disproportionately
tiny feet so badly in my life!

Hot Topic

Wow, I just realized I may have to create a 'Pirates' label for my blog
because I talk about 'em so much. Pirates, rum and style. Ah, I love my life.

Pirate Style for Kids!

Everyone who knows me well knows I love 2 things:
Leopard print and girlie pink stuff (though I am getting better with the pink addiction - I am not Elle Woods!)

Recently, I have also wanted to be a pirate.

Coach Joelle and I were on a field trip today to Whole Foods in Cleveland Heights. We passed by the most stylish 2 year old I have ever seen. She was wearing a black sweater, leopard print pants, and pink shoes with SKULLS AND CROSSBONES !!!

How awesome is that?!!?Of course I needed a pic of said shoes! You can also see a little of the leopard pants :)

This is fashion inspiration for KK!!
Be afraid. Be very afraid.

Arctic April

I felt really good today. I got up, curled my hair a bit (it's getting pretty long), put on "natural look" makeup, which I rarely do when I won't be seeing anyone. Then I worked on a presentation I'm giving twice in the next couple of weeks as well as on my book. Recently, it's embarrassing the state in which I've been writing my STYLE book - no makeup, hair in a scrunchy, track suit, and fuzzy socks.

It started snowing about a half hour ago. Gotta love April in Cleveland.

The Shoe Diet

Wouldn't you just know I would find this?

Can shoes actually help us lose weight? Most definitely, says scientist and author Dr. Isabelle R. Shaw. In her witty, motivational new book, The Shoe Diet, Dr. Shaw gives women something different to think about: weight loss through fabulous shoes. Dr. Isabelle R. Shaw, noted scientist and researcher, has developed a cutting-edge method for losing weight. Using cognitive behavioral techniques, she provides a step-by-step guide to achieving lifestyle modifications—in fantastic heels, no less! Anything worth doing is worth doing in a fabulous pair of shoes!

www.theshoediet.com

A New Program

I'm so excited to host my first Shop Class!

It's going to be a classroom program and then a real-life shopping excursion - what colors, patterns, level of contrast and lines work best for you? What features do you want to accessorize or camouflage? How do you accessorize? What is your fashion personality?

You will get the experience of a lifetime - shopping with your very own stylist!! Learn all my secrets to take with you every time you shop for clothes!!

Lesson from a Bag Lady

I had coffee today with Chris Brondel at Starbucks on Chagrin. She graciously agreed to give some quotes for my book. Chris is a respected licensed career counselor, so her advice will be useful for my readers.

After hanging out with Chris, I strategically went into my favorite TJ Maxx in Woodmere. Someone told me once that it’s the top grossing TJ Maxx in the country. Why? Because they have the market for designer clothes and they get the best of what TJ Maxx has to offer. Only the big city stores – Manhattan, downtown Chicago, etc get the higher-end goods like this store.

Since I have a self-declared moratorium on buying clothes as my body changes a bit and I have no need for anything new right now – I was just there to look.

I’m not buying anything now so I can invest in a few Armani, Anne Klein and Elie Tahari suits before my book tour next year. No reason for new clothes right now, so I’m not buying any. Needless to say, I am NOT happy about this! After all, I have more than enough clothes in my closet to last me the next year!!

I noticed I was very attracted to bright orange-reds today. Even when I went into the housewares section, it was red that kept catching my eye. Hmmm…..I know color psychology. Red means power and confidence, two of my personal favorite attributes – but I’m usually not that into wearing it. Two of the items I was really interested in were orange-red shirts. Wonder what Coach Joelle would say about that?

Since this month is supposed to be Bag Month for the newsletter, I saw someone who gave me an idea.

This particular lady had a long Navajo-style orange knee-length jacket on. I would guess it was probably quite expensive. It had a big and bold pattern on it and was honestly very overwhelming. One would think that was all the accessories she needed, right? Well she complimented this with a lime green faux-snake rather large bag.

What was wrong with this picture?

For one, it was overkill. Too much wild color for one outfit. My biggest problem with it was that the pattern on the bag was fighting with the coat.

I had this same challenge over the winter when I was carrying a rather unusual Kathy Van Zeeland bag. It was both faux snow leopard fur and brown leather and a bunch of gold hardware. A strong piece to be sure. If I wanted to wear anything with a pattern, I needed to have a plain bag at the ready to switch. I compartmentalized my wallet and my little makeup bag I carry, plus my notebook and pen, so I could just drop them into a plain black or brown bag and I was ready to go. I have a lot of wild shoes, and the same thing applied when I wanted to wear my fun shoes.

Plain outfit, plain bag, wild shoes

Patterned outfit, plain shoes, plain bag

Plain outfit, plain shoes, fun bag

Here It Goes Again

I admit, I'm a little slow on this, but I am totally addicted to the OK Go treadmill video. Have you seen it? It recently won some kind of award at the YouTube Awards.
Also check out OK Go's A Million Ways.

Snowy Easter

Now I KNOW I have to spend more time away from Cleveland! There's about 4 inches of snow on the ground with 1"-3" still to come today!!!

And it's APRIL 8th.

I don't get it - no snow for at least the last 2 Christmases - and a blizzard for Easter.

What the??????

Free Night - YAY!

I did end up going out last night. He’s going to love me for calling him this, I’m sure, but Mr. Coach Joelle, Jeff Friedman, spoke last night at the Museum of Natural History on Al Gore’s Climate Project. While I didn’t make it to the event, I met them for dinner and a drink afterward at Nightttown.

Check out Jeff & Joelle's eHarmony Long Distance page.

I met a new friend, Sheri Jeavons, owner of Power Presentations and a good friend of Joelle’s. I had heard a lot about Sheri already and was thoroughly impressed! When I was driving home, I realized I saw her present, I think (!) at a National Speakers Association event in January of ’05. I have to check, but I think it was her!

Sheri said I reminded her of Rachael Ray. That was a nice compliment. (Much better than the one I received last weekend when a new acquaintance said I reminded her of Bette Midler. I totally didn't understand that. But I was extra chatty since I hadn't seen other humans in several days. So maybe that explains it?)

I had a key lime martini at Nighttown (yummy), the time really flew, and Joelle and I had a long chat about some projects we want to work on together. So it was really more of a brainstorming session (self-enhancement cruise!!), but I am always working in one way or another, so that makes sense for me!

What's Goin' On?

as Marvin Gaye sang......

Perhaps this is the wrong time to start this, but I set up a Goodle Calendar for the events I will be attending, planning, or hosting now and in the future.

You can view my calendar here.

There are a lot of things happening in my life right now, so at the moment, I'm only updating with what I'm attending or directly involved in. Later, I hope to add things that are "if's" on my schedule and events that I recommend, even if I can't attend them.

I will put a link on my blog and on my website eventually.

Death Wish

I am serious about hiding out until September and not doing my usual 'networking bimbo' stuff (thanks for the moniker, Mary). This is so tough because underneath everything, I am truly a social butterfly. So therefore, locking myself in my ivory tower to work alone is very annoying!!


And to think I have committed to following this up with at least 3 more books!

Am I crazy??

Wait - don't answer that!

Or maybe I just have a death wish....

Either way, I will be blogging and complaining about it to everyone I know!!!

Confidential to LML:
Keep that flash drive close to your heart, doll!! I believe in you!!!!

Lunch with the Girls

I had a fabulous and eventful day today:

I had a discussion with my editor for Jobpostings Magazine and a big name retail giant may be sponsoring my "Appearance Matters" column! I am very excited to hear that!!

I am planning to join WISE (Women in Sports and Events) since I am working on the pro sports marketing & branding project with Tenth Floor. I am also looking forward to presenting a style program for WISE this coming year.

Wendy, Kelly and I had lunch at the Cheesecake Factory at Legacy Village. We haven't all had a chance to hang out together since.....last June?? It's kind of hard with Kelly in New York for most of the year and Wendy and I are both really busy with our own stuff. I am very excited for Kel to be back for the summer and then graduate next May, we hope! But I am really glad that we had some time to hang out and reconnect.

Wendy the Makeup Junkie, Kelly the trend expert, and I collaborate on my newsletter, styleLink. I was amused that they were so relieved, excited even, that the editorial deadline was pushed back a week for this month as I work to get my new email set up. It shouldn't be quite this difficult. Suffice to say that my DSL and Outlook Express are not getting along right now, and I have to make them get along, like two bratty kids on the playground and I am the playground monitor >:|

We got to do a little shopping. Kel tried on a bunch of clothes, Wendy found a kitsch-y pouch (no comment!), and KK just hung out.

She doesn't get to buy anything awesome and new until her book tour :(

You know that's not going to last!!

KK in the PD

Improving the image
You've seen them while watching TV shows such as Extreme Makeover, Queer Eye for the Straight Guy or What Not to Wear. Image consultants are paid to show people how to create a fabulous impression. They also offer advice that can help people land a job, get a promotion or find someone to love. Kristen Kaleal is founder and president of Kristen Kaleal Image Design, a Cleveland-based image consulting company.

(Read the interview here)