The PoconoWomen Team

TABLES ARE SOLD OUT!!  SEE YOU THERE!!

Considering a Career Change?

• I’m Graduating from College–Now What?

• How Can I Find Fulfilling Work?

If any of these are questions on your mind, you will not want to miss this evening event at the Shawnee Inn!

Do What You Are Workshop

Learn how to use your Myers-Briggs profile to identify work that leverages your natural strengths and preferences.  Participants will complete the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) and discuss the strengths and development opportunities for each of the 4 preferences.  This is a fun, interactive discussion with no right or wrong answers!  You will walk away with new ideas for your career based on your MBTI profile and will also identify the top 10 things you need in your work to find it fulfilling.

Ideal for career changers, soon to be college grads, and others looking to gain clarity on how to translate their natural preferences in to meaningful, marketable work.  Facilitated by professional career coach Shannon Goodwin of Rise and Shine Consulting and financial advisor Erin Baehr of Baehr Family Financial.  Details below:

Date:  Wednesday, October 27^th, 2010

Time:  5:30-7:30 PM

Cost:  $27 per person (includes light bites and cash bar)

Location:  Shawnee Inn

on balancing her professional life and role as mother…

“It’s hard, because if I’m at work and my kids are home I wish I were with them and sometimes when I’m at home I end up on my laptop working. I’m acutely aware that this phase of being a mom is almost over and I am cherishing every moment. But what ends up getting sacrificed is my personal health – exercising and eating right.”

Erin Baehr. A Woman to Plan For….

Erin Baehr shifted in her seat as we both ordered salads at The Bistro Café on Main St in Stroudsburg.
“Sure, it’s been a hectic year, but I feel like I am a step closer to meeting some of my business goals.” Erin stated.

Erin has been quite busy, getting her new business diggs up and running – a bold step considering the current state of the economy. So I began this interview with the obvious question: What motivated her to make the move?

Q: What motivated you to make the move to your new location at the corner of 8th and Ann Sts in Stroudsburg?
A. Well, there was the 2nd Floor barrier for those who couldn’t manage the steps. Plus I firmly believe that there is a big need in society today for personal financial education. I wanted to be a part of that educational movement and hold workshops and outreach classes. I didn’t have that kind of space in the old facility. Plus I am looking at the time when I will need to add another professional one day, so….

Q: Tell us more about what kinds of activities your plan to hold on the premises that will help us learn good financial planning?
A. I am planning monthly workshops on the 3rd Thursday evening of each month and touching on a variety of topics and quarterly discussions for national economic awareness, etc. We recently held a workshop with the sharing of the IOUSA movie concerning our national debt. There will also be “clinic” days on the 3rd Friday with hourly time slots at a reduced rate, geared especially toward Gen X and Gen Y clients and those starting out with less complex issues. We also plan to have some fun – like a Millionaire game night for women – with wine and munchies, of course!

Q: The obvious question – exactly where is your new office located?
A. 742 Ann St in Stroudsburg, PA.

Q: What sets you apart from other financial planners?
A. I am a fee only planner, which means I operate on a fee for service basis, and I don’t sell any products. My clients pay me directly and use no-load, low fee products for their investments. I’m free to advise them on issues not typically addressed with advisors like cash flow, taxes (I am also an Enrolled Agent) or any other financial decisions they face. I work with some clients on an open access, full time basis and still others, an hour at a time.

Q. Why did you join PoconoWomen?
A. I spent a lot of years isolated as a stay-at-home mom and then commuting to NJ. When I started working locally I wanted to get to know other women close to home. PoconoWomen provided great opportunities to meet a wide variety of women.

Q: How has joining PoconoWomen helped you in your business and your personal life?
A. I’ve met some really terrific, dynamic women through PW – most notable the remarkable Trudie Lear. It’s nice to run into women I know through PW at all sorts of events or just around town. I’ve met new clients through PoconoWomen, made some great professional connections, and learned a lot. We are learning new things all the time!

Q: How do you find balance with all of your other lives – family life, spiritual life and leisure time?
A. It’s hard, because if I’m at work and my kids are home I wish I were with them and sometimes when I’m at home I end up on my laptop working. I’m acutely aware that this phase of being a mom is almost over and I am cherishing every moment. But what ends up getting sacrificed is my personal health – exercising and eating right.

Q: How do you relax at the end of a stressful day?
A. I sit on the couch with a blanket beside my husband and read on my laptop.

Q: Just curious,here– Does your husband watch Sci-Fi movies and Ice Road truckers, too?
A. Yes.  (giggle)

Q: If you could send a message to all women reading this, what would it be?

A. The most important thing for women to do is to make sure that they always maintain the ability to earn a living. Pay attention to your finances! Create an emergency fund where you put a 10% (or more if you can) of your income in an accessible account –like a separate savings account locally (see Holly at KNBT), or in an online savings account like http://www.facebook.com/l/c03175ETtxh2olJ6UD-dW4BYxXg;www.ingdirect.com
This can be done at www.ingdirect.com

Thanks Erin. We wish you well, and I hope to come to your next workshop scheduled for October 27! (See www.poconowomen.com calendar for more details)
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If you want younger, better looking skin, think beyond the sunscreen (but use that too) and tinker with your diet. “Good nutrition is a fundamental building block of healthy skin,” says Leslie Baumann, MD, a dermatologist in Miami Beach. The natural ingredients in food help do everything from speed the pace of exfoliation to protect skin from the UV damage that causes brown spots and wrinkles. Here, 7 everyday foods that are guaranteed to make you glow.

7 Botox-free tips to look younger

1. Romaine Lettuce
Why You’ll Glow: Six leaves provide more than 100% of your DV of vitamin A, which revitalizes skin by increasing cell turnover. The mineral potassium in romaine “gives skin a refreshing boost of nutrients and oxygen by improving circulation,” says Lisa Drayer, RD, author of The Beauty Diet.

Health Bonus: That same serving of romaine contains 45% of the DV of vitamin K, which a recent study shows activates a protein that supports vascular health–making a future with bulging leg veins less likely.

What to eat for whiter teeth

2. Tomatoes
Why You’ll Glow: Eating red helps keep skin from turning red. Volunteers who consumed 5 tablespoons of high-in-lycopene tomato paste daily for 3 months had nearly 25% more protection against sunburn in one study. Even better, skin had more collagen, which prevents sagging. Another reason to toss an extra tomato into your salad: German scientists report that higher skin levels of this antioxidant correlate to fewer fine lines and furrows.

Health Bonus: Research suggests that lycopene may also lower your chances of heart disease: In one study, women with the highest levels of it had a 34% reduced risk.

Reduce redness and irritation in just 12 weeks

3. Strawberries
Why You’ll Glow: A cup has up to 130% of the DV of vitamin C, a potent antioxidant that boosts production of collagen fibers that help keep skin smooth and firm. More C may mean fewer fine lines too: Women with lower intakes were likelier to have dry, wrinkled skin. Early research also shows that ellagic acid, an antioxidant abundant in strawberries, protects the elastic fibers that keep skin from sagging.

Health Bonus: Strawberries may lower your risk of cancer by inhibiting the development of malignant cancer cells. In one study, people eating the most strawberries were 3 times less likely to develop the disease.

Food cures for cancer

4. Apples
Why You’ll Glow: Quercetin, an antioxidant in the peel of many varieties, provides hefty protection from the “burning” UVB rays that trigger skin cancer. A few offering the biggest dose: Monroe, Cortland, and Golden Delicious.

Health Bonus: Eating two or more apples a week for 1 year reduced the risk of dying from heart disease by 15% in one study of 34,000 healthy postmenopausal women. Whatever variety you choose, be sure to eat the peel, the source of nearly all the antioxidants.

28 days to a healthier heart

5. Eggs
Why You’ll Glow: Lutein and zeaxanthin, two antioxidants found in eggs, more than quadrupled protection against the UV damage that leads to lines, brown spots, and cancer in one study on women. Skin was also markedly softer, firmer, and better hydrated.

Health Bonus: Eating just one egg a day significantly increases blood levels of lutein and zeaxanthin (but not cholesterol), which may stave off macular degeneration by protecting the retina from light damage, finds a study in the Journal of Nutrition.

13 power breakfasts for energy

6. Almonds
Why You’ll Glow: “Eating a handful of almonds every day boosts levels of vitamin E, one of the most important antioxidants for skin health,” says Baumann. You’ll get a surge in moisture too–a boon for those prone to dryness.

Health Bonus: Though nuts are high in calories, women who ate them at least twice a week were less likely to gain weight than those who rarely did, in a new study of over 50,000 women.

Best night creams for your skin

7. Walnuts
Why You’ll Glow: These nuts are storehouses of alpha-linolenic acid, an omega-3 fat that’s a key component of the lubricating layer that keeps skin moist and supple. A 1/2-ounce serving of walnuts provides 100% of the recommended daily intake of ALA.

Health Bonus: Eating walnuts at dinner may deliver better shut-eye. Researchers at the University of Texas Health Science Center discovered that walnuts contain melatonin, a hormone that regulates sleep.

This list of beauty tips is from the Editors of Prevention magazine..(www.Prevention.com)

Learn some great tips in a low pressure, high ‘liquid’ environment

Erin Baehr, of Baehr Financial Planning, will be on-hand for the evening’s frivolity. =)

A Members Only benefit: No admittance fee for members. Cash Bar. (Guests can join or renew their membership @ the door!)

To register, contact Trudie today!!

This pilot issue of the magazine features articles on 15 regional non-profit organizations and the writing, photography and design of 25 ESU students.  Pocono Good informs the community of opportunities to participate in volunteer activities, of events open to the public to support charities and nonprofit fundraising, and provides a single referral to resources for people in need.

Through the process of developing this publication, students received their first professional byline and/or publication credit while gaining a better understanding of the problems facing the greater community.

The project to create the magazine was made possible through funding provided by a grant from the office of the provost in response to a proposal by two faculty members, Dr. Susan Bonser in media communication and technology, and, Professor Bill Broun in the English department.   Their proposal was a suggested plan for the new publication, Pocono Good.  It exemplified how the application of an actual student/faculty community service learning project could be designed and implemented in a manner that benefits the community while involving the students in a real world project with the potential to take root.

Bonser taught computer design and Broun taught writing for the web to their magazine-creating students throughout the past spring semester. While learning these skills and developingPocono Good, students also gained significant perspectives on social problems, volunteer organizations and the concepts and history surrounding non-profit organizations.

The NPOs featured in the magazine are: Bushkill Outreach, The Pocono Community Theater, Habitat for Humanity, P.A.T.H., The Angel’s Closet, Mohican Outdoor Center, Poetry Workshop of the Pocono Writers, Animals Can’t Talk Rescue and Adoption Inc., Animal Welfare Society of Monroe (AWSOM), Women’s Resources of Monroe County, Meals on Wheels of Monroe County, Monroe County Planning Commission, Pocono Mountains Film Festival, Angel Food Ministries, and the Eastburg Community Alliance.

“We are pleased Pocono Good met the goals of our initial proposal, offering unique stories of help and hope to our readers while providing students with opportunities to learn about multimedia magazine reporting, writing, and design,” said Dr. Bonser. “In addition to receiving a stipend for their work, each of these students experienced valuable lessons that will surely enhance their resumes as they seek employment during these tough economic times.”

Representatives from each of the 15 non-profit organizations, who were written about in the inaugural issue of Pocono Good, will attend the launch party and will receive a donation toward their organizations.

Bonser, Broun and the students who created Pocono Good are encouraged by the initial response to the magazine and they are seeking ongoing funding support to ensure the publication’s continuation.  They also encourage readers to let them know what they think of the new magazine, and to submit ideas for articles about other non-profit organizations for future consideration at poconogood.com.

For more information about Pocono Good, contact Dr. Bonser at sbonser@po-box.esu.edu or Professor Broun at wbroun@po-box.esu.edu.

Article Courtesy of Pocono Business Journal

Shawnee Inn’s Chef “G” was the hit of the PoconoWomen’s “Power of Ten”  conference as he demonstrated cooking his “Ten Killer Kabobs”. As promised, here are some of the recipes he used to get the delicious results. And they’re just in time for BBQ season!

Ladies! Fire up those grills!

Thanks, Chef G!

Lamb Shish Kabob

Minced lamb                           1 lb

Shallots                                   ½ cup

Garlic                                      1 tbsp

Ginger                                     ½ tbsp

Cumin powder                                    1/2 tsp

Coriander powder                   1 tsp

Cilantro                                   ½ cup

Turmeric                                  ¼ tsp

Egg                                          1 each

Dry bread crumbs                   1 tbsp

Salt and pepper                       to taste

Mix all ingredients together thoroughly to make a smooth paste. Let it sit for couple of hours. Wet your one hand so the meat will not stick on it. Work the meat on a skewer slowly and gently to form an even cylindrical shape over the skewer. Grill to desired doneness. Garnish with more cilantro and thinly sliced onions. Squeeze fresh lemon juice over last minute to serve.

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Catfish Kabobs

Catfish                                                1 lb. (2 inch long pieces)

Cajun seasoning                      2 tbsp

Plain yogurt                             1 cup

Lemon juice                            2 tbsp

Mix all ingredients together to marinate the fish for 3 hours. Skewer and grill to desired doneness. You can also add in few alternate vegetables like peppers, onions and mushrooms to add color and flavor on the skewer.

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Salmon Kabob

Salmon                        1 lb (1.5-inch cubes)

Olive oil                      1 cup

Shallots                       2 tbsp

Garlic                          1 tbsp

Dill                              1 tsp (fresh chopped)

Basil                            1 tsp (fresh chopped)

Lemon juice                1 tbsp

Cracked peppercorn    1tsp

Salt                              as needed

Mix all ingredients together to marinate the fish for 3 hours. Skewer and grill to desired doneness. You can also add in few alternate vegetables like peppers, onions and mushrooms to add color and flavor on the skewer.

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Chicken Malai Kabob

Chicken breast                        2 lb (1.5 inch cubes)

Cashew paste                          ½ cup

Heavy cream                           ½ cup

Scallions                                  ¼ cup

Garlic                                      2tbsp

Ginger                                     1 tbsp

Cumin powder                                    1tsp

Coriander powder                   2 tsp

Salt and pepper                       to taste

Cilantro fresh                          ½ cup

Turmeric                                  1 tsp

Mix all ingredients and let it sit for a day. Skewer the chicken alternating with some fresh vegetables of your choice like peppers, onions, mushrooms…. Grill and cook to perfection. Garnish with chopped cilantro, sliced onions and fresh squeezed lemon juice.

Okay, all you kabob lovers, fire up the grill and 

start kabob-bing!

As a marketing professional, I spend a lot of time analyzing the way clients have spent their money in the past, and how best to maximize every cent in the future. One of the prime resources clients have is their innate ability to sell their product or service, yet remarkably few understand how to do this well.

Integrated public relations tactics are your least expensive and most advantageous method of “getting the word out”. You don’t have to spend a penny to get your business exposure, but you have to put forth the effort. Here are some examples of successful, free means of increasing your client base without the help of a professional:

Your reputation precedes you. Remember that your customers can either love you or loathe you. If they love you, encourage them to spread the word, and maybe even offer a referral gift if you make a sale. Everyone likes to be appreciated.

Press the media for coverage. Both new businesses and established alike miss valuable exposure opportunities daily. If you have something going on, make sure the media knows about it. The tricky part: don’t saturate. The local paper doesn’t want to know about your daily sandwich special (for the business page, anyway) but they would love to know about your fundraiser, donating $1 from each purchase to Juvenile Diabetes research. Here is a great blog post about press release writing, if you can use some pointers.

Socializing pays. This is a two-part tip.

First, networking is your friend. If you aren’t a member of any organizations like the Chamber, you can still get their calendars and attend events at a higher rate. Get out there and make your business personal to people. Meet and mingle so you are the first person they think of when they need your particular good or service.

Second, the web offers vast opportunities to both pique your current clients into a sale, but also to acquaint yourself with new customers. Join social media sites like Facebook and Twitter and keep your clients abreast of your offers. Then ask them to spread the word a la “your reputation precedes you.” It’s fast, efficient and requires no printing charges on your part!

As our economy begins its steady climb back to normalcy, remember that even when you can afford help, you should always have an understanding and awareness of your marketing and your brand. No one sells your business like you; no one knows it better or cares for it more. Take a vested interest in how your company is presented and how you connect with your clients.

Meg A. Watt is a regional marketing and public relations professional. Her company, Megawatt Communications, is located in Stroudsburg, and online at www.megawattcom.com.

Visit PBJ this month for this article and many more!

Photo Courtesy PoconoRecord.com

SWIFTWATER — The idea for Shiro seemed simple enough.

Some hibachis, some drinks, some dancing, some entertainment, and bingo, a new family restaurant and nightclub was born in the Poconos.

Owner Vincent Trapasso, no novice when it comes to building restaurants in the Poconos, thought it was the formula for success — he just didn’t realize how successful it would be.

Because Shiro, on Route 611, has been such a hit, it has to change its name to allow for possible expansion or even franchising, restaurant officials said.

The restaurant welcomes in its new name — “desaki” — with a private event this afternoon at the restaurant.

The name change is to avoid confusion with other Shiro restaurants around the country, Trapasso said.

“We’ve found about 20 other Shiro restaurants in California, Arizona, Texas, New York, everywhere,” he said. “We’ve done extensive research, and there are no other desakis. Certainly not in America.”

Trapasso did not reveal the locations he is thinking about expanding to, but said it would not be another Poconos location.

This is his second restaurant in the region — he was once the owner of the former downtown Stroudsburg nightclub Hoola Hoops, which closed in 2005. He also owned restaurants in other areas.

Right now, desaki is his focus.

Read more at The Pocono Record website.

For much of this time—roughly the last half century—professional educators believed that if they could only find the right pedagogy, the right method of instruction, all would be well. They tried New Math, open classrooms, Whole Language—but nothing seemed to achieve significant or lasting improvements.

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