Thursday, December 11, 2008

Editor's Letter: January / February 2009

Happy New Year…..

Jumping right into 2009 without taking a breath or missing a beat, we wonder what this New Year will bring—financial stability, better health, more family time? These are some of the resolutions we make each New Year and resolve that this will be the year they are accomplished. But, what if we also resolved to do some fun things for ourselves? What would happen if we resolved to treat ourselves to monthly massages, bi-weekly pedicures or golf lessons? Would the earth spin right off its axis?

This issue is all about you and all about golf. We’re excited to announce that January and February brings us the PGA tour season, the FBR Open and the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am. We thought it quite fitting not only to highlight how to better your game, but also how to maximize networking on the golf course and naturally, how to look fashionable in the latest golf attire.

For many women, it’s not easy to focus on themselves. We are traditionally the nurturers and caretakers, and as such, tend to put the needs of others first and sometimes completely forgo their own needs. Our “Women with Heart” article exemplifies such selfless behavior. This feature presents women who selflessly put their community first and are making Arizona a better place to live and a place to be proud of. We are honored to feature Judy Mohraz, Linda Pope, Lydia Lee, Ina Manaster, Sarah O’Meara, Yvonne Fedderson and Kristin Sandquist in our magazine.

We’re also excited to bring you the history of International Women’s Day and how strong, independent women 100 years ago paved a brighter future for all women. We’re delighted to introduce you to Pnina Becher, one of the most skilled pianists in the world. Her story is touching and inspiring. We’re also happy to welcome the new and much anticipated light rail system, bring you the ins-and-outs of how it works and how it may affect your commute.

With all the activity and excitement going on around us, we need to remember to take a little time out to enjoy ourselves. We’re sharing strategies to help manage and lessen stress, highlighting luxury bath products every woman should pamper herself with, revealing weight loss secrets and showcasing the benefits of a do-it-yourself facial.

Once you complete some of the most pressing items on your “to-do” list spend some time enjoying yourself! Tackle feng shui and your home, jump on the Verde Canyon railroad then have your cake and ice cream too at some of the hottest spots around town. This year, look forward to many exciting articles and features in Phoenix Woman as we continue to be your focused, fun and fiercely local magazine.

Wednesday, November 26, 2008

Arizona’s Family and the Salvation Army Christmas Angel Program

JOIN US! Arizona’s Family and the Salvation Army Christmas Angel Program
azfamily.com / 3TV / Phoenix Woman magazine

More than 50,000 Arizona children count on the Christmas Angel program every year to give them the only gift they might receive this holiday. This year the Salvation Army’s Christmas Angel Program will need more gifts than ever to meet the growing need.

The families of these children, some of which are single mothers, all have incomes that are well below the federal poverty level—many have special hardships. These children look forward to opening presents on Christmas morning and should not carry the burden of wondering if Santa is coming this year.

Phoenix Woman magazine supports the efforts of the Salvation Army and 3TV and has vowed to help increase awareness and community support of this wonderful program.

Phoenix Woman magazine will give away a FREE signed copy of the magazine with 3TV’s Tara Hitchcock’s signature on the cover to each person who participates in the Christmas Angel program. There are only a limited number of signed issues—first come first serve.

Phoenix Woman and 3TV will be at the Fiesta Mall, Macy’s Court, Lower Level in Mesa on Monday, Dec. 1 from 4:30 p. m. to 6:30 p.m. handing out the signed magazines and encouraging people to take part.

The program is easy. Where ever you see a Christmas Angle Tree, stop and grab a tag. You'll find sizes for clothing as well as toy requests for your Angel Child on the Angel Tag you select. You purchase the gift and bring it back unwrapped to the Christmas Angel Tree center at the mall. It’s that easy!

Just look for the Christmas Trees as these participating Malls:

- Arizona Mills, Entrance 4
- Arrowhead Towne Center, Dillard’s Lower Level
- Chandler Fashion Center, Sears Court Lower Level
- Desert Sky Mall, Sears Court
- Fiesta Mall, Macy’s Court Lower Level
- Metro center, Macy’s Court Upper Level
- Paradise Valley Mall, Center Court
- Prescott Gateway Mall, Barnes & Noble
- SanTan Village, Food Court
- Scottsdale Fashion Square, Macy’s Lower Level
- Superstition Springs, Macy’s Court Lower Level

Select an angel of your choice, register with one of our volunteers and then go shopping. Return your gifts by the date listed on the tag so they can be delivered to the child on time. You'll receive a receipt when you return the gifts. Please leave the pleasure of wrapping these gifts for the child’s family. You may include wrapping paper if you wish! Please know that your package may be the only new item your angel receives this Christmas.

Thank you for helping brighten the holidays for Arizona's Families.

For more information on the Christmas Angel program, or other ways you can help the Salvation Army, please check their website or call 602-267-4100.

www.salvationarmycares.org

Tuesday, November 11, 2008

The latest issue of Phoenix Woman magazine was featured on Good Morning Arizona ...




Monday, October 13, 2008

New Friends!

One thing is certain! The buzz surrounding the new Phoenix Woman is undeniable. There’s a renewed energy and excitement we are truly humbled by. We also deeply appreciate the many people helping us grow the magazine to be bigger and better—this list includes our loyal readers, advertisers and contributors. It wouldn’t be possible without you.

We have seen this incredible growth in the number of our subscribers—up 40 percent; we have seen this with our increased visitor hits on the web—up 62 percent; and we are seeing this with increased interest in Valley participation. Hello Tara Hitchcock! She keeps saying what an honor it is for her to be our “cover girl,” but actually, the honor is ours.

The entire interview process with her was a joy. She welcomed our photography crew into her home and was a great sport about a last minute in-studio photo shoot where she poked fun at her inability to “pose.” We hope you enjoy her story as she goes “unplugged” and “off the record” with us.

We also want to thank our new friends at ASU, U of A and NAU for helping us identify some of the most influential women scientists in our state.

Kandi Haupt from OneEleven Companies contributed a story on growing your business through the use of a business coach. After a two hour inspirational sales session with her, she is now, incidentally, our business coach as well.

This holiday season is brimming with charity events and too many social gatherings to mention. But, I’m going to try anyway. I was moved to tears at the Second Annual Schechterle Scholarship Ball Sept. 20 sponsored by the 100 Club of Arizona. We are honored to have Sharon Knutson-Felix, the executive director, contribute her personal story of tragedies and joys.

It was also a great honor to partner with and support the Sleep America Charities Golf Tournament on Sept. 16 and the Rocky Mountain Emmy Awards on Oct. 4. We were in the presence of greatness at both events.

As we head into this holiday season, with a giving heart and an open checkbook, why not do it in high-style? For this, we turn to Rolf, Zethina, and Marshalls for their expertise on hair, make-up and holiday fashion—three articles you will enjoy.

Once gussied-up, make your entrance into Heart Ball on Nov. 22—it’s one of our featured stories graciously provided by Arizona Highway’s star Robin Sewell. Then head over for a little Alice Copper fun at his Annual Christmas Pudding fundraiser on Dec. 13—another fabulous event and fabulous article you must read.

Enjoy the holidays, enjoy the events, be safe and enjoy the magazine. Thank you again to all of our new friends!

Jessica Parsons
Editor

Tuesday, September 9, 2008

Editor's Letter: September / October 2008

These are exciting times for the staff at Phoenix Woman. You’ve no doubt noticed our new cover design, but that’s only part of the story. In line with the magazine’s commitment to our readers and advertisers, this new renovation is designed to make Phoenix Woman more stimulating, more current … and more fun! As the new editor, I'm delighted to share our bright new ideas with all of you.

Always striving to excel in our industry and to lead the way in highlighting women’s issues, the new Phoenix Woman will continue to offer exclusive features, including profiles of notable Valley women. Our Life section has been revamped to include more articles on fashion, beauty, entertainment and the home as we continue to keep you up-to-date on both trends and best-kept secrets in dining, travel, health, fitness and local events.

You’ll find articles in Phoenix Woman’s Fortune section on careers, business and financial matters, while a new section called Discovery will expand your horizons regarding the arts, technology, science and women’s heritage.

October is both National Breast Cancer Awareness Month and Domestic Violence Awareness Month, two topics close to every woman’s heart. In this issue, you'll love our timely cover story on Governor Janet Napolitano, who is both a breast cancer survivor and an impassioned crusader against domestic abuse. And when she's not running our state or pounding the pavement on behalf of important causes, she's focused on fun—and a few surprising passions.

“Fitness Fun-atics: Say Goodbye to Boring Workouts” will give your social life a lift as well as your fitness level. Another feature of interest focuses on how one Valley woman's struggle with domestic abuse led her to found an innovative “Girl’s Night Out” gathering to bring awareness and hope. You may also be inspired by “Art for the Cure,” an ongoing endeavor by Phoenix Art Museum that coincides with Susan G. Komen’s Race for the Cure.

If everyday life has you feeling overwhelmed or just out of breath, our article on “smart home” technology may be the story for you. Home automation is all about ease and convenience. And don’t miss this issue’s fall fashion and hair trends in which we discover that sometimes making a positive change is simply a matter of adding a new twist to a comfortable classic. It’s a lesson we at Phoenix Woman have already taken to heart as we continue with our commitment to bring you Arizona’s “focused, fun and fiercely local” women’s magazine.

Dive into our pages and enjoy!


Jessica Parsons, 
Editor

Friday, July 25, 2008

Famed Authors To Participate in Eighth Annual National Book Festival

The Librarian of Congress and Mrs. Laura Bush Invite Book Lovers of All Ages to Celebrate Reading on the National Mall on Sept. 27

Washington, D.C. – The 2008 National Book Festival, organized and sponsored by the Library of Congress and hosted by Mrs. Laura Bush, will be held from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 27, rain or shine, on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., between 3rd and 7th streets. The festival is free and open to the public.

Among some 70 authors and illustrators participating this year are Tiki Barber, Marc Brown, Warren Brown, Kimberly Dozier, Arthur Frommer and Pauline Frommer, Philippa Gregory, Steven Kellogg, Brad Meltzer, Salman Rushdie, Bob Schieffer, Daniel Schorr, Alexander McCall Smith, Paul Theroux, Dionne Warwick and recently named Poet Laureate, Kay Ryan. Jon Scieszka, a children’s book author recently named the National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature by the Librarian of Congress, will be among the authors presenting in the Teens & Children’s Pavilion.

“I invite you, your friends and your family to join us on Sept. 27 as we all celebrate our shared love of reading,” said Librarian of Congress James H. Billington. “Come and be a part of this wonderful national experience.”

"There are activities for all ages at the National Book Festival,” said Mrs. Bush. “Readers can explore genres from history and mystery to romance and cookbooks. Children can meet their favorite storybook characters. And visitors can learn about the extensive resources offered by the Library of Congress.”

The festival authors, illustrators and poets will talk about their work in pavilions dedicated to Children, Teens & Children, Fiction & Mystery, History & Biography, Home & Family and Poetry. PBS characters and NBA/WNBA players will appear at the festival including NBA Legend and Hall of Famer Bob Lanier. Each year, players participate in the festival by reading their favorite children’s books aloud with the help of students from local area schools as part of “NBA Cares.”

The Pavilion of the States, sponsored by the Institute of Museum and Library Services, will highlight reading, literacy and library promotion activities in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and several American trusts and territories.

The Library of Congress Pavilion will feature a variety of family-centered activities illustrating the depth and breadth of the Library’s extraordinary collections available online. It will also offer a sampling of interactive activities available through the recently launched Library of Congress Experience.

Presentations by young poets and artists will be a new feature in the Teens & Children Pavilion. Each of the K-12 students presenting will be a winner in the River of Words environmental poetry and art contest sponsored by the Library's Center for the Book.

A presentation by four of the more than 100 authors and illustrators who contributed to the volume "Our White House: Looking In, Looking Out," sponsored by the National Children's Book and Literacy Alliance, will be featured in the Teens & Children Pavilion. Those writers are Mary Brigid Barrett, Steven Kellogg, Katherine Paterson, and Jon Scieszka. (The book, with an introduction written by David McCullough, is published by Candlewick Press, 2008.)

Downloadable podcasts of interviews with popular participating authors will be placed on the Library’s Web site at www.loc.gov/bookfest.

The artist for this year’s festival is beloved children’s author and illustrator Jan Brett, whose poster of animals and birds on the National Mall will be available at the festival. Brett, who has written and/or illustrated more than 30 books and has more than 33 million books in print, will be among the authors and illustrators speaking in the Children’s Pavilion.

The 2008 National Book Festival is made possible with generous support from Distinguished Benefactor Target; Charter Sponsors AT&T and The Washington Post; Patrons the Institute of Museum and Library Services, the James Madison Council and the National Endowment for the Arts; and Contributors Barnes & Noble, the Library of Congress Federal Credit Union, Marshall and Dee Ann Payne, NBA/WNBA, PBS, Penguin Group (USA), Scholastic Inc. and US Airways.

The Junior League of Washington will again provide hundreds of volunteers, joining Library of Congress volunteers in assisting those attending the National Book Festival.

Participating Authors – National Book Festival 2008

Monday, June 2, 2008

Summer is here!

The triple digit temps have arrived and I am already looking for cooler weather weekend destinations.
I would love for our readers to share their hot weather escapes.

Kristine

Monday, May 12, 2008

A big Thank You to Zuva Gallery for hosting over 15 Refugee Mom's for a celebration in their honor. Kaley O'Kelley; weather anchor for ABC-15 was also honored for her continuous support for women and women's issues in the valley. The Zuva Gallery awarded Kaley a beautiful sculpture titled "Mother and Child."
Each Refugee Mother was given a gift bag loaded with gifts by the following sponsors:
The Phoenix Suns
The Arizona Rattlers
ASU
Walmart
Albertsons
Bashas
Salon Mila
el Pedregal Shops at the Boulders
Starbucks
Stefan Mann
Ben and Jerry's
b desings international
Biltmore Pro Print

What a great event....we even got to meet a few of the artists.

Kristine


Thursday, May 1, 2008

Happy May Day!
The new Spring issue of PW is in and you won't want to miss reading about 4 local ladies who are tackling second careers.
Tomorrow is the 5th annual Phoenix Women's Sports Association dinner. You can still purchase a ticket to hear keynote speaker, Diana Nyad, World Champion long distance swimmer tell her amazing stories of achieving success.

You can also catch a few of our PW staff out on the green, golfing for UMOM. If you hear FORE...look for Tiffany.

Sign up and join our Blog....we love hearing from you!

Have a great day.
Kristine

Friday, March 14, 2008

Women in Business Event

Thank you to all the PW readers who joined us on March 13th for the Business Journal's "Women in Business" conference. What a great event and tradeshow. We love meeting our readers and advertisers and appreciate the comments. Keep on talking to us....