Supernatural Botanicals

So I was hanging out with Tim Gunn the other night…yes, that Tim Gunn, and yes, I was really hanging out with him!  Tim Gunn was in Cincinnati to kick off the SmartTalk Connected Conversation Series at the Aronoff.  Tim packed the house with the VIP reception party prior to the event.  Gracious as ever, he really took the time to meet people, ask them questions, sign portfolios, and even encourage some design students that were hanging on his every word (understandably).  I envision those young fashion design students to be dedicating their early influencers to Mr. Gunn.  Tim was everything a star should be…kind, gracious to his fans, and engaging.

Tim’s speech was equally engaging, as he shared his experiences at Parsons, Fashion Runway, Tim Gunn’s Guide To Style, and Hollywood.  Tim’s style is to “make it work” for your particular body style.  He isn’t trying to push a near-skeletal frame to women, insisting that it’s the only way fashion will work on a woman’s body.  Instead, he personalizes style more to the individual.  And he delivers it all with his unmistakable “Tim Gunn” charm.   He has a confidence that just oozes from him.  Classy, yet not stuffy.  Kind to the core.  Kudos to SmartTalk on thinking out of the box with January’s speaker (first male celebrity ever!)  Join us in February as SmartTalk welcomes Arianna Huffington to the Aronoff in Cincinnati.  Click here for tickets and information.

Tim Gunn will be at Cincinnati’s Aronoff Theater on January 14th for a night of fun and insight with SmartTalk Connected Conversations.   SmartTalk has been bringing women together to experience the power of the spoken word since 1991. In the past several years, SmartTalk has grown into one of the most powerful and entertaining live events in the nation. The core mission of SmartTalk stems from the idea that women are inspired by the heart and voice of other remarkable women. In fact, we became more than just a lecture series but a series of connected conversations. These thoughts, stories and pieces of advice shared face to face create invaluable connected conversations that truly renew, enrich and uplift the spirit.

You have a chance to win tickets to see Tim Gunn!  Simply leave a comment and let us know you want to see Tim!  A name will be drawn at random, and the winner will receive two tickets to attend the show.  Good luck!

Looking for the perfect gift for the fashionista in your life?  SmartTalk will bring the sensational Tim Gunn to Cincinnati on January 14th, and there’s no time like the present to get tickets…and save.  Shop SmartTalk’s Holiday sale for 20% off tickets – starting Tuesday November 18^th.    Simply use “SANTA” to get the discount.  Shop now and save big!

Smart Talk Connected Conversations will host Della Reese in Cincinnati May 17, 2011.  Raised in Detroit, Michigan, Della Reese is a world famous singer, actress and television star.  As well as a spokeswoman for the American Diabetes Association and an Ordained Minister!  Ms. Reese was born Deloreese Patricia and began singing at six years old!  By the age of thirteen she was hired by the late Mahalia Jackson to tour and perform with her.  A generous amount of television exposure followed Ms. Reese’s first recording successes. She was also the first female to host The Tonight Show. She was soon asked to host her own talk show, Della, (making her the first Black woman to host her own show). Her most recent television credit,Touched By An Angel she was able to combine her talent for acting and singing, as she sang the theme song. Della will inspire you with her ability to be more than an entertainer, more than an actress and more than a minister- she is living proof that you can dream larger dreams and watch them come true!

And we have free tickets to see Della Reese on May 17th.  Leave a comment below and let us know you want to go.

Rounding third and heading for home, the Smart Talk Connected Conversations finished it’s fourth in a five part series for 2011 with Alison Levine in Cincinnati last evening.  Alison was the Team Captain of the 1st American Women’s Everest Expedition and Groundbreaking Polar Adventurer; Alison Levine is no stranger to risk-taking.  She’s survived sub-zero temperatures, hurricane-force winds, sudden avalanches, and a career on Wall Street.  Levine was born with a life-threatening heart condition that precluded most demanding physical activities.  After her initial diagnosis she had surgery that changed her life – and climbing stairs soon gave way to climbing mountains.  To learn more about Alison, check out her website, www.AlisonLevine.com. 

As always, Smart Talk hosts another amazing women with yet another amazing journey.  Don’t miss the last speaker in the series, Ms. Della Reese.  She will be at the Aronoff in Cincinnati on May 17th.  For ticket information, see here.  

We had a great time with Soledad O’Brien last night with Smart Talk Connected Conversations in Cincinnati.

The one thing we all took away from Soledad was that she’s one smart cookie.  She is, after all, a Harvard graduate.  Soledad said the inspiration for her to go to Harvard was that all five of her siblings went to Harvard (kudos to the elder O’Briens).   She went on to say that her sister , whom she said was no scholar, just a good student, advised her every step of the way while Soledad was in high school.

At heart, though, Soledad is a journalist and it shines through every time she speaks.  Soledad was on the scene in the aftermath of hurricane Katrina and the earthquake in Haiti.  She did a great job of communicating the intricate details of such massive devastation.  If journalism is your thing, look to Soledad as one of your mentors.

Michelle Rhee is shaking things up in America, and for good reason…our children.  Michelle Rhee, dubbed as a warrior for our kids, is cleaning up schools by firing bad teachers and principals, and standing up to a failing system.  Michelle, is the former chancellor of the District of Columbia Public School system of Washington, D.C., in the United States.  In 1997 she founded The New Teacher Project (TNTP), which in ten years has recruited 10,000 teachers in twenty states. She announced her resignation as chancellor on October 13, 2010, effective at the end of the month. Rhee is the founder and CEO of StudentsFirst, a 501(c)(4) political advocacy organization which works on education reform issues. Michelle will be in Cincinnati with Smart Talk Connected Conversations.

Tickets are available for Monday night’s performance here.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZKTfaro96dg

Cincinnati had the pleasure of hosting Helen Hunt to close out the Smart Talk series for 2010. What an amazing season this was! The season started out with Valerie Bertinelli, who was a bubbly ray of light, Ann Compton, whom I think was my favorite because she was so personable and friendly behind the scenes, Patricia Heaton, who was as funny in person as she is on TV, Lee Woodruff, one of the strongest super-women you could have the pleasure of knowing, and Helen Hunt, who was excellent at public speaking, but was far more shy that I could have ever imagined.

I suppose that you don’t expect shyness from a celebrity who is ultra-exposed. However, shy she was. When Helen spoke of her gorgeous little red-headed daughter, she bubbled over with pride. Helen seems to gravitate towards roles now that are about motherhood, or the angst of not being able to conceive.

One trait of Helen’s that I now want to adopt in my own life is the ability to ignore gossip. Helen says “When someone says to me…I really shouldn’t be telling you this”, Helen replies with “Then don’t.”  Or when someone says “Don’t say you’ve heard this from me, but…”, and Helen replies with “Don’t tell me, I don’t want to hear it!” I found that to stick with me, and again, I want to adopt that way of thinking for myself.

Helen says that she has been working as an actor since she was a child. Fortunately, that has helped her to take periodic breaks from acting in order to do the things she wants…like conceive a child, be an everyday mommy, and write screenplays. The money she had made as a younger person helps fuel her happiness as a more mature person, or, as Helen’s fertility doctor once called her “less young.”

Of all the Smart Talk speakers this season, Helen was the most surprising to me. Painfully shy and extremely introverted, to the point she barely murmured a word backstage. But Helen shined onstage. Her speech was intriguing, funny and engaging.

Helen Hunt

Award-winning Actress, Director and Writer

Few actresses have been praised as highly by critics and the public as Helen Hunt. From her earliest work in Community Theater, to Broadway, PrimeTime and Hollywood film roles, she has been continuously recognized for her outstanding performances.  So, what does this award-winning actor, director, writer and mother do for an encore?  Come share her conversation in her SmartTalk exclusive appearance.  Believe us – it’s as good as it gets. 

Tickets are still available for the Cincinnati show on Wednesday, May 26 at the Aronoff.  Click here for more info. 

The phrase, “tough cookie” comes to mind when thinking of Lee Woodruff.  After meeting Lee, there’s no denying her fighter spirit.  Lee Woodruff was in Cincinnati with Smart Talk Connected Conversations to talk about her experiences over the last few years, and needless to say, this girl has had her fair share of hard knocks. 

Lee’s life turned upside down when she received a call in 2006 that her news reporter husband, Bob Woodruff, (the one with the dreamy blue eyes) had been injured while covering the war while in Iraq.  And we’re not just talking “injured”, Bob was thisclose to losing his life. 

While her Bob lay in critical condition for days upon days, months, in fact,  Lee watched in horror as her beautiful husband’s head swelled to the size of a rugby ball.  She had no idea if he’d wake up again.  Even then, she had no idea if he’d remember her or their children after he did wake up.  Fighting back a tsunami of tears and emotion, Lee asked Bob’s doctor “will he still love me when he wakes up?”  His doctor assured her “yes, he will!” 

Through a long and grueling healing process, Bob Woodruff slowly reemerged to nearly 100% of his former glory.  Physically, he looks unscathed.  Bob is back on the news and looks as gorgeous as he once did.  Lee says his only residual issues remain with word-finding abilities (for instance, he referred to a breast augmentation as a breast explosion.) 

To endure what Bob did and to come back so strong was surely a gift from God, one that Lee clearly acknowledges.  Lee’s faith is what helped carry her through.  And really, when things are catastrophically bad, faith is all you have to cling on to.  And cling she did. 

To fully delve into Lee’s horrific turned joyous experiences, you can read her book, Perfectly Imperfect.  Lee is not only an amazing speaker, but she’s also knows her way around the literary world.  She also has an amazingly fun side to her as well.  I promised her I’d include Flannel Nightgown video (see below.)  The flannel nightgown stems from an incident one night when Bob threw her flannel nightgown over the balcony into the street!   In no uncertain terms, Mr. Woodruff let it be known that he’s not on board with the comfy flannel look. 

To read more about Lee, her work and her life’s experiences, visit her website at www.LeeWoodfuff.com 

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=niiu4MqDVNQ