Single? Maybe. Avoid Online Dating Lies and More

At first glance, you’re impressed with the profiles of several attractive, successful singles. But, what your friend failed to tell you is that what you see online, isn’t always what you get in person.

According to Paul A. Falzone, CEO of The Right One and Together Dating, the largest brick-and-mortar dating service in the world, “Online dating sites are used by the honest and dishonest alike. Men and women use the anonymity of the Web to lie about their age, appearance, name and even gender. For example, cheating spouses will use online dating sites to hook up with someone when they go out of town. It’s important to be aware of the perils of online dating before you get burned.”

Falzone alerts online daters of the red flags which signal potential dates to avoid:

R U free 2nite? The “texter” who has a few seconds to send text messages, but is always too busy or not available to actually chat on the phone or via email. This type likes communication to be kept to a minimum, unless s/he initiates it. Dates are often made and cancelled at the last minute with a variety of excuses used. S/he is often out of town a lot and inaccessible. These are common signs of someone who is not single and/or not being honest with you. Move on. You can do much better.

Beauty or beast? Beware of dishonesty through photo misrepresentation. Note that a good profile usually provides more than one photo of that person. If the photo looks too professional, chances are, it is – and perhaps even “borrowed” from somewhere else. And yes, there are people who deliberately post their high school photo from 15 years ago to attract your interest.

Think you hit the jackpot when you get a nice response with a good-looking photo? One of the ways competing online dating sites draw you in is by responding to you with profiles of “beautiful people” from another dating site. After you’ve clicked over to that site and signed up to meet that gorgeous creature, oftentimes you’ll find they don’t even exist. Save your time and money by responding to those who are members of your dating site.

Little lies. So you recently arranged to meet that single, 6’4”, trim and muscular, brown-haired former college basketball captain whom you found online. Upon meeting in person, you find out that the only thing true in his description of himself was his hair color. Some believe that telling “little lies” on their profile with regard to a couple inches in height or a couple pounds in weight won’t matter. Be aware that those who misrepresent themselves on the “little things” may have no problem lying about “bigger things” such as their marital status and age. Don’t settle for what you read in a profile. Verify the information they have offered by asking about their age, relationship status, height and weight. They may refuse to answer your questions or they may provide different information. Or, everything may measure up. Regardless, you’ll have a better idea of that person’s honesty and whether or not you really want to meet him/her.

The “put down”. Avoid the online profile that disrespects and rips an ex-lover to shreds or simply informs you of those aspects s/he doesn’t want in a date. For example, “looking for someone without issues – unlike my fat, drunk ex.” Or, “if you’re needy, jealous and selfish, look elsewhere”. These are profiles that signal potential anger issues. Statements such as these come from someone who has recently ended a relationship or is emotionally scarred from a past relationship and really not happy. Leave them be. You don’t need to be their sounding board or rebound date. They’re not ready to date now and won’t be until they can move on.

Now catering to more than 300,000 members at over 60 locations throughout North America, The Right One and Together Dating are the largest brick and mortar dating services in the industry The Right One and Together Dating offer a more consistent product, a greater number of potentially compatible mates and added value of flexibility in transferring memberships to another geographic region.

Romantic Locations

The Right One’s offices and affiliates located throughout the United States include: California (San Diego); Colorado (Glendale); Florida (Miami); Georgia (Atlanta); Kansas (Wichita and Overland Park); Illinois (Downers Grove, Rockford and Bloomington); New Jersey (Cherry Hill, Hackensack); Massachusetts (Norwell, Newton, Shrewsbury and Woburn); Nebraska (Omaha and Lincoln); Pennsylvania (King of Prussia, Pittsburgh and Monroeville); Rhode Island (Warwick); Texas (Dallas, Austin); and Wisconsin (Madison, Appleton, Brookfield).

North American locations and affiliates of Together are: California (Encino, Irvine, Los Angeles, Upland); Florida (Palm Beach, Vero Beach); Georgia (Savannah); Indiana (Ft. Wayne, Indianapolis, South Bend); Kentucky (Lexington, Louisville); Louisiana (New Orleans); Maryland (Columbia, Frederick); Minnesota (Minneapolis); Nevada (Reno); New Hampshire (Hooksett, Nashua, Portsmouth and Salem); New Jersey (Bridgewater, Clark, Colts Neck and Lawrenceville); Ohio (Cincinnati); Pennsylvania (Mechanicsburg); South Carolina (Greenville); South Dakota (Sioux Falls); Texas (San Antonio, Beaumont and Houston) and Virginia (Falls Church).

For more information about The Right One and Together Dating, please visit their websites at www.therightone.com and www.togetherdating.com or call (800) 818-DATE (3283).

Pay Attention! the French are not Rude!

In June of 2007 Mrs. Winer and I retired.

When one achieves a milestone, rewards equal to the accomplishment should be given. So on Sept 9, 2007 Mrs. Winer and I arrived in Paris France. For the next 24 days we enjoyed ourselves more than should be allowed by law. We choose this time of the year mainly because it is the ending of the tourist season but before the nasty winter weather. Instead of getting accommodations in downtown Paris, we chose a small comfortable hotel in Maison-Laffitte (ML). The town is about 20 minutes by the REI A line red train north of Paris.

While at times it was a bit inconvenient since we spent the bulk of our waking hours in Paris, it afforded us what we wanted: a quiet refuge from the hectic Paris life. We also love the interaction that comes from repeated visits to a restaurant. Mrs. Winer and I are food junkies. I am the journaler and have a record of all the food we ate, where we ate it and the wines we drank.

After arriving in ML and getting situated I left Mrs. Winer resting and went to a recon mission. The objective was to find a small restaurant that would reflect the cuisine of this area of France. Found it. L’Olivier on Avenue de Saint Germain. Talk about hitting the jackpot. Olivier the owner was the waiter, the maittredi, the floor sweeper and sommelier. The restaurant was very cozy with tables for about 20 patrons. (At another time I will tell you a couple of wonderful experiences we had in Olivier’s.) Suffice to say that we loved the restaurant. We actually ate our way thru his entire menu during our stay in ML.

The following day, September 10 was Mrs. Winer’s “39th” Birthday. I really can’t remember what anniversary it was of that auspicious day. It is best forgotten. She wanted to go to the Eiffel Tower. Since the Old Winer hadn’t figured out the subway system we disembarked from the REI train at the Arc de Triumph and meandered thru the center of Paris in the general direction of the Eiffel Tower. My navigation skills are quite suspect but since the tower is the tallest item on the horizon we managed to find it. (I’m somewhat of a world traveler.) I’ve seen the Space Needle in Seattle, the arches in the Los Angeles airport, the church of the Blessed Family in Barcelona, and the Grand Canyon so I’m not that easily impressed.

Standing under the Eiffel Tower was impressive. Standing on the top was VERY impressive. Mrs Winer had her birthday lunch in the small caf?estaurant located on the second level overlooking the River Seine with its boat traffic and bridges. We then choose (a very weird choice) to walk down the stairs. Mrs. Winer had heard that some famous people had done this and thought it would be a good idea. By the time we got to the ground it was obvious that they were a bit younger than we were. Having climbed a mountain or two in my day, one has learned that going down is actually more difficult than going up. But we made it. That evening for our dinner we went to the supermarket, bought some wonderful French goat cheese, ham, French (what else) bread, an apple, a bottle of 2005 Chateau du Calvaire St Emilion Grand Cru wine for 6 dollars and a bottle of 2005 Domaine St. Antoine Sablet Cotes du Rhone Village for 5 bucks and chocolate for dessert. Brought our purchases to our hotel room and indulged ourselves.

Happy Birthday Mrs. Winer!

At a later time I will tell you about our wondrous 10 days wondering up from Lyon to Paris thru the Boujourlais, Burgundy wine country. We smote with vigor the most pernicious error perpetrated by disgruntled travelers: “the French are rude to Americans especially if you can’t speak French.” The French are not rude! I can disgorge my total accumulation of the French language in about 45 seconds. My Spanish is quite good. My English, as you know, somewhat suspect. We ate in small cafes and fancy restaurants in downtown Paris; in tiny places in the mountain of the wine country where English was grade school at best; we talked to wine growers, to people on the streets, etc and I can say that we did not experience a single incident where we felt badly treated by a French person. Will we go back?…you betcha. Right after our trip to Tuscany and Spain.

Matchmaker Marks 25-year Milestone

DATELINE: NORWELL, MASS…Valentine’s Day is a day for couples, as Brenan McGarrigle knows only too well. The Right One dating service’s matchmaker is celebrating her silver anniversary with the company – on Valentine’s Day.

With approximately 600 marriages to her credit, Ms. McGarrigle has been introducing compatible singles to each other and launching great relationships for 25 years.

Labor of Love

When Ms. McGarrigle first started working with The Right One, she wore many hats, from matchmaker to sales rep and administrator. She worked her way up to District Manager and frequently traveled to the company’s offices located around the New England area. Desiring to spend more time with her family and cut back on traveling, Ms. McGarrigle became a Relationship Consultant at The Right One, and now makes matches, obtains feedback, gives advice and “keeps members positive, hopeful and realistic” about finding “the right one”.

“I started matchmaking right out of school and I can’t imagine doing anything else to make such a difference in people’s lives,” noted Ms. McGarrigle.

Ms. McGarrigle studied to be a social worker in college, graduating from University of New Hampshire with a BA.

According to Ms. McGarrigle, “Being a matchmaker is definitely more appealing. I have the privilege of helping people who have a lot going for them who are just missing someone with whom to share their lives. There really is someone out there for everyone and I love what I do.”

A native of Westport, CT, Ms. McGarrigle resides in Norwell with her husband Tom and children Martin, Cole and Holly. In her spare time, she volunteers at the Norwell schools.

Now catering to more than 300,000 members at over 60 locations throughout North America, The Right One and Together Dating are the largest brick and mortar dating services in the industry The Right One and Together Dating offer a more consistent product, a greater number of potentially compatible mates and added value of flexibility in transferring memberships to another geographic region.

Romantic Locations

The Right One’s offices and affiliates located throughout the United States include: California (San Diego); Colorado (Glendale); Florida (Miami); Georgia (Atlanta); Kansas (Wichita and Overland Park); Illinois (Downers Grove, Rockford and Bloomington); New Jersey (Cherry Hill, Hackensack); Massachusetts (Norwell, Newton, Shrewsbury and Woburn); Nebraska (Omaha and Lincoln); Pennsylvania (King of Prussia, Pittsburgh and Monroeville); Rhode Island (Warwick); Texas (Dallas, Austin); and Wisconsin (Madison, Appleton, Brookfield).

North American locations and affiliates of Together are: California (Encino, Irvine, Los Angeles, Upland); Florida (Palm Beach, Vero Beach); Georgia (Savannah); Indiana (Ft. Wayne, Indianapolis, South Bend); Kentucky (Lexington, Louisville); Louisiana (New Orleans); Maryland (Columbia, Frederick); Minnesota (Minneapolis); Nevada (Reno); New Hampshire (Hooksett, Nashua, Portsmouth and Salem); New Jersey (Bridgewater, Clark, Colts Neck and Lawrenceville); Ohio (Cincinnati); Pennsylvania (Mechanicsburg); South Carolina (Greenville); South Dakota (Sioux Falls); Texas (San Antonio, Beaumont and Houston) and Virginia (Falls Church).

For more information about The Right One and Together Dating, please visit their websites at www.therightone.com and www.togetherdating.com or call (800) 818-DATE (3283).

Great Recipes for Your Cinco De Mayo Party–cheddar Chipotle Dip, Mole Poblano, Golden Margarita

In Mexico, Cinco de Mayo (May 5th) is primarily a regional holiday celebrated in the state of Puebla. It has major significance in that part of the country because it commemorates an initial victory of Mexican forces led by General Ignacio Zaragoza Segu?over French forces in the Battle of Puebla on May 6, 1862.

There is a common misconception that Cinco de Mayo is Mexico’s Independence Day when in fact September 16th is the most important national patriotic holiday in Mexico. In the early hours of September 16, 1810, father Hidalgo, accompanied by several conspirators (Iganacio Allende, Do?osefa Ortiz de Dom?uez to name a few), rang the bell at his church calling on everyone to fight for liberty. This was the beginning of the Mexican Independence War, which lasted 10 years.

In the United States, Cinco de Mayo has taken on meaning beyond that in Puebla, Mexico. Regardless of their own ethnic descent, Americans celebrate St. Patrick’s Day and Oktoberfest (among other holidays) to honor those of Irish and German descent. Similiarly, Cinco de Mayo is celebrated to honor the culture and experience of those of Mexican descent.

Especially in cities with large populations of those of Mexican ancestry, such as Los Angeles, San Fransico and San Antonio, Cinco de Mayo is grandly celebrated. This is the perfect occasion for planning a home theme party so I thought I would help you get started by sharing a few of my favorite Cinco de Mayo recipes.

Appetizer–Warm Chipotle Cheddar Dip

2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese

1 cup shredded Monterey Jack or Mozzarella cheese

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1-8 oz. can whole kernel corn, drained (3/4 cup)

1-4 oz. can chopped green chili peppers, drained

2 teaspoons finely chopped canned chipotle chili peppers in adobo sauce (or to taste)

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1 medium tomato, seeded and chopped (3/4 cup)

1/4 cup sliced green onion

2 tablespoons snipped fresh cilantro

Vegetables, crackers or chips

I found this dip when I was on a low carb diet and was looking for a party appetizer that would work well with vegetables. Something with a robust flavor that would perk up the veggies.

Well this one definitely fit the bill. This appetizer has become a favorite among my friends. It’s served multiple times throughout the year at various parties that I either host or attend.

You can make it as smokey and spicy as you want by adjusting the amount of chipotle peppers (smoked jalepenos) but watch out. You can easily go from mildly spicy to blow-your-face-off hot by adding too much!

Steps to Make Cheddar Chipotle Dip

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Stir together cheeses, mayonnaise, corn, green chili peppers, chipotle chili peppers and garlic powder in a large mixing bowl. Spread mixture into a 1 quart, covered dish.

Bake for 30 minutes until bubbly. Top with tomato, green onion and cilantro. I like to make a pattern out of the toppings so I put the tomatoes all in the middle, make a ring around them with the green onion then sprinkle the cilantro over all.

Serve with vegetables, like red, green and yellow peppers. Tostido and Frito Scoops work well too.

Main Course–Chicken with Chocolate Sauce (Mole Poblano)

4 tablespoons olive oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

6 chicken breast halves, skinless and boneless

1 onion, chopped

1 green pepper, chopped

3 slices canned pimento, chopped

2 tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped

2 tablespoons chili powder (or to taste)

2-1/2 cups chicken broth

1/4 cup slivered almonds

1/4 cup raisins

1/2 teaspoon cumin

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1 teaspoon sugar

Grated rind of 1 orange

2 squares bitter chocolate, chopped

1/4 cup light rum (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a casserole, heat oil and cook garlic for a few minutes to flavor the oil. Add chicken just to brown (it will finish cooking in the oven) and then remove it from the pan.

In the remaining fat, cook onion, green pepper, pimento and tomato over gentle heat for 10 minutes. Add chili powder, blending well.

Add broth, almonds, raisins, seasonings and rind. Simmer, covered, for 30 minutes then add the chocolate and stir until melted.

Add chicken back in and spoon sauce on top.

Cover and bake for 1 hour or until chicken is tender. Warm rum, ignite it and pour over contents of casserole. Allow to stand for a few minutes until flame is extinguished and then serve on a large platter.

Serves 6.

Cocktail–Golden Margarita, Vero Beach Style

1-1/2 oz. Gold Tequila

1/2 oz. lime juice

3 oz sour mix

1/2 oz. Grand Marnier (can use Cointreau or Triple Sec)

Dash of orange juice

Lime wedge for garnish

Salt for rimming glass (optional)

Several years ago, my husband and I were sitting at a cute little beachfront bar in Vero Beach, Florida. The bartender asked us for our order and I wanted to try something new. He told us that he makes a “mean margarita.”

I told him that my experience with margaritas up to that point was not very good. Every time I tried one, they were either so tart that my face would pucker up or the sour mix was so acidy that it burned going down.

He claimed that his “Golden Margarita” would be different. He was right and I have loved them ever since.

To make a Golden Margarita, Vero Beach style:

Dip the rim of a margarita glass in water then salt.

In a shaker, combine tequila, lime juice and sour mix with ice cubes. Shake well. Pour contents, with ice, into the glass.

Gently pour the Grand Marnier and then the orange juice on top of the tequila mixture. Garnish with the lime wedge.

When you take a sip of this drink, first you get the sweet taste of the orange liqueur and juice then you get the tartness of the lime and sour mix. The combination makes a perfectly smooth Margarita.

Now that you know the meaning of Cinco de Mayo and have a bunch of great party recipes, start planning your party now. May 5th will be here before you know it.

The Politics Behind Olympics Games

Among the Greeks, fitness competitions and games were nationalistic in spirit; states were said to have been prouder of Olympic victories than of battles won. Women, foreigners, slaves, and dishonored persons were forbidden to compete. Contestants were required to train faithfully for 10 months before the games and had to take an oath that they had fulfilled the training requirements before participating. At first, the Olympic Games were confined to running, but over time new events were added. The winners of the Olympics were crowned with chaplets of wild olive, and in their home city-states male champions were also awarded valuable gifts and privileges.

As a visible focus of world energies, the Olympic Games have been prey to many factors that have thwarted their ideals of world co-operation and athletic excellence. Like in ancient Greece, nationalistic fervour has fostered intense rivalries that have at times threatened the survival of the games. Although officially only individuals are able to win Olympic medals, nations routinely assign political significance to the feats of their citizens and teams. For example, between 1952 and 1988 rivalry between the United States and the Soviet Union, rooted in mutual political antagonism, resulted in each boycotting games hosted by the other (Moscow, 1980; Los Angeles, 1984).

Politics has influenced the Olympic Games in other ways, from the propaganda of the Nazis in Berlin (1936) to pressures leading to the exclusion of white-ruled Rhodesia from the Munich games (1972). At Munich, nine Israeli athletes were kidnapped and murdered by Palestinian terrorists.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC), which sets and enforces Olympic policy, has struggled with the licensing and commercialisation of the games, the need to schedule events to accommodate television networks, and the monitoring of athletes who seek illegal competitive advantage, often through the use of performance-enhancing drugs. In 1998 a scandal erupted with revelations that bribery and favouritism had played a role in the awarding of the 2002 Winter Games to Salt Lake City, Utah, and in the selection of some earlier venues.

But, regardless of the Olympic Games tensions, it is historically proven that sports have acted as a liaison between nations and have greatly contributed to their evolution. Beginning with the sociological, psychological and physiological aspects of the human nature, sports have gained the praise of people worldwide, as they have contributed to their well being. Group-oriented, since in order to be a winner one has to compete, sport brings people closer together and generates team-spirit along with mind and physical awareness. But, whether or not the contemporary Olympic Games act as an opportunity for nations to learn from one another and cooperate or are just another opportunity for people to engage in competitive and hostile rivalries, only historians of the future will be able to judge with some certainty.

Get Ready for a Journey With Passing Strange on Broadway!

The show Passing Strange on Broadway first appeared in front of the audience at Berkeley Repertory Theatre, located in Berkeley, California, in October, 2006. In the following year, from May to June, it was shown at The Public Theatre in the city of New York. Now, in 2008, the show has had its previews in February at Broadway’s Belasco Theatre.

“Passing Strange” is a story about a young, black musician who is suffocated under the middle-class, church-going environment in South Central of Los Angeles. He wants to breathe life freely. He rebels against his mom and sets off on a journey. He comes across the immoral corner of Amsterdam. Here, he falls in the trap of drugs and sex. From here, he reaches the upheaval, artistic, and political society of Berlin, where it’s a struggle to be ethical and honest. Although, from middle class that he represents, his background is poor.

The entire story is woven around the adventures of this musician, who passes from place to place in strange lands. He also grasps different musical styles from blues, jazz, to rock. Finally, he returns home.

Stew has written the book, penned down the lyrics, and composed music for this Broadway show. His musical partner Heidi Rodewald has also contributed to the fine music of this show. Annie Dorsen has contributed to the direction. Elizabeth Ireland McCann, The Shubert Organization Inc., and Public Theatre have produced the show together. The original production was done by The Public Theatre and Berkeley Repertory. Karole Armitage has given wonderful choreography, while the scenes are designed by David Korins. The light effects are given by Devin Adams and costumes are designed by Elizabeth Hope Clancy.

The show Passing Strange on Broadway is the first musical by Heidi Rodewald and Stew. The show is renowned for its Afro-baroque sound that was patented by the duo in 2000, when the band Stew was formed. The band won two Album of the Year Awards given by Entertainment Weekly for its terrific “The Naked Dutch Painter” and “Guest Host”.

The original star cast includes Rebecca Naomi Jones, Daniel Breaker, de’Adre Aziza, Eisa Davis, Chad Goodridge, Colman Domingo, and Stew himself. A band of skilled musicians joins the star cast on stage. The musicians include co-creator Heidi Rodewald, Stew, Christian Cassan, Jon Spurney, and Christian Gibbs.

The musical Passing Strange on Broadway contains some of the most melodious tunes that seem to come straight from the heart of composers. The lyrics drip intelligence and make you to sit up and think.

Interested in joining the journey of passing from one strange land to another? If yes, then call a number or log online and book your seats at the Belasco theatre. Become a wanderer; take in the culture and music style of each place; let a unique experience grab you with both hands!

The fun musical Passing Strange on Broadway has style and wit that will leave you, wanting more!

10 Worst Autos of the Year

Earlier, The Truth About Cars (TTAC) conducted a survey having its faithful and candid readers as respondents. The survey is all about tracking the Ten Worst Automobile Today (TWAT) from all the vehicles available in the United States within this year. The polls and tallying are closed. Further, the winners are yet to be unraveled. The winners of the 2006 TTAC Ten Worst Automobile Today awards are the following:

On the tenth place is Chevrolet Aveo. The automaker claims that said car is the lowest [new] car in America however; the contents of the vehicle may vary. In the United States and Canada, Aveo is available in both 5-door and 4-door models. Chevrolet Aveo sedan debuted in January this year at the Greater Los Angeles Auto Show. Lincoln Mark LT landed on the ninth place. According to TTAC’s voters, the car is an unholy degradation of the world-famous Lincoln Mark nomenclature. In addition, it is said that the Mark LT is a rolling testament to Dearborn’s short-term, suicidal reliance on bean-counted engineering.

Saab 9-7x entered in the eighth place of the TWAT. Voters say that the car is nothing more than a Chevy Trailblazer with the ignition key between the seats. Subaru B9 Tribeca, a crossover SUV, settled on the seventh place. Some enthusiasts are saying Subaru should not have bothered building an SUV.

On the sixth place is Chevrolet Monte Carlo, which is said to be a wrong wheel-drive engineering joke from the late ’80′s. Next on the line is the Hummer H2. The latter, according to some, is so heavy that IRS will give the purchaser a tax break because you just bought a piece of commercial farm equipment. They further added that it looks like a school bus from behind and a morbidly obese Cherokee from every other angle.

The fourth placer is Chrysler Aspen. Simon and Garfunkel said, “Every way you look at this you lose.” Some of the comments to this car are: It’s ugly. It’s thirsty. It’s slow. It’s badly built. It’s cramped. It’s expensive. Landing on the third place is Buick Rendezvous, which is based on a 1997 minivan.

Jeep Compass landed on the second place. Jeep auto parts that include round headlights and a 7-slot grill made Compass repulsive to TTAC enthusiasts.

Finally, the worst among the worst belong to General Motors. GM Minivans Talk emerged as the TTAC’s accolade as the worst vehicles currently for sale in America. Chevrolet Uplander, Pontiac SV6, Buick Terraza, and Relay that boasts its Saturn auto body parts fall short of pleasing aficionados.

Architect Julia Morgan Broke Barriers, Built Enduring Legacy

Among the pioneers and luminaries named to the California Hall of Fame in 2008 is a woman whose vision and skill make her a giant of architectural genius, though she stood but five feet tall. Julia Morgan’s work adorns California from the Bay area and far beyond, crowned by her most famous work, the design and construction of Hearst Castle that hovers over San Simeon Bay.

An Architect by Birth

Morgan was born in 1872 in San Francisco and graduated from the University of California, Berkeley, in 1894 equipped with a degree in civil engineering. This was likely not the first indication that Julia Morgan was destined to become a groundbreaker for women in a male dominated profession, but it was the springboard for an illustrious career that blazed a path in architectural innovation.

Her skills were finely honed at one of the world’s most prestigious architectural schools, Ecole des Beaux- Artes in Paris. There, pushing the limits of convention, she was twice denied admission. According to Morgan, her rejection was based solely on gender. Finally admitted after placing 13th out of a field of 376 applicants to take the rigorous entrance exam, she became the first woman to graduate with an architectural degree from the world famous school.

A Career Begins

Julia Morgan had a singular focus – architecture suited to the environment that surrounded the building. She was able to successfully blend the strictly classical training she received in Paris with her home-grown love of the California landscape in its many natural variations. . In 1904, she again exerted her individuality and started her own architectural firm in San Francisco. She began to receive commissions and build a reputation. One of her first assignments was a home in Grass Valley, in the foothills of the Sierra, where she built the North Star House in the Arts and Crafts style.

The widespread devastation of San Francisco after the 1906 earthquake caused an interesting side effect as the acute need for rebuilding mitigated prejudice against a female architect. Her own office, on Montgomery Street, was among the hundreds to crumble into ruins. From those years of intense design and reconstruction, Julia Morgan was never at a loss for work and her reputation grew as steadily as did her body of work.

Assertive and Individual

Certainly, one of the hallmarks of Morgan’s hundreds of homes, buildings and public edifices is eclecticism. Armed with her classical education, she was never caught up in a particular trend, design or architectural paradigm. Morgan designed her buildings with consideration for the site, use and the surrounding environment. Her work ranged from extraordinarily ornate and opulent, to simple and functional. She was comfortable working in many architectural styles and considered each commission a newly stretched canvas upon which she’d create a site-specific masterpiece.

The range of Julia Morgan’s work is equally extensive. She built for billionaire magnates such as William Randolph Hearst, but attacked more modest projects with the same dedicated focus. Among her public buildings are YWCA’s, the Riverside Art Museum and the Los Angeles Examiner Building. She also worked extensively on college campuses in Northern California and designed the Mills College Bell Tower as well as buildings for churches and private homes.

She is most widely known for her work with the Hearst family. The crown jewel, of course, is Hearst Castle which is visited by millions of people each year. There, she was remembered for wearing stylish slacks and silk blouses while scrambling quickly into the construction work to make certain the details of her design were being followed and properly executed by craftsmen, carpenters and masons. Julia Morgan dedicated years of labor, love and exceptional creativity to build the vast estate that sits atop “La Cuesta Encantada” – The Enchanted Hill. As visitors from around the world know, it takes many hours to appreciate the 165 rooms, gardens, water features and acres that make Hearst Castle a woman-made wonder on the Pacific Coast.

From Bavaria to Wyntoon

Less well known, but nonetheless breathtaking is the Bavarian Village at Wyntoon, built in the 1930s. This was Hearst’s 50,000 acre getaway that lies in the shadow of Mount Shasta in Northern California. At this heavily wooded site, Julia Morgan felt the pull of Bavaria and Austria, with timbered building sheltered by tall pines and crisp clean air filled with the scent of pine.

To make Hearst’s many distinguished guests comfortable, Morgan designed three guest houses, each three stories tall. There were four to eight bedrooms in each timbered house along with sitting rooms. All looked out to a grassy expanse and backed up to the rushing sound of the McCloud River that meanders through the estate.

True to her love and connection to the natural environment, Morgan used local stone and wood in the construction of the Bavarian Village. The effect remains timeless as steep roofs jut skyward with many gables and faceted windows framed by massive timbers. It is, indeed, as if a small piece of Bavaria was lifted up and gently eased into the California landscape. But, upon closer examination Julia Morgan’s touch of genius took the traditional architecture to new heights. The many artistic touches and unusual conventions that Morgan brought to the Village are entirely unique.

In preparation for building the Village, Morgan and her sister, Anna, traveled with Hearst to Bavaria in 1931. Some experts speculate this visit furthered Morgan and Hearst’s resolve to carry forth the Bavarian theme because they sensed the rise of Adolf Hitler might threaten the survival of Austrian and Bavarian architectural treasures.

The Wyntoon Bavarian Village guest houses were named for fairy tale characters – Cinderella, Snow White, and Sleeping Beauty among others. A noted muralist from New York added his artistry to the outside walls of two of the buildings, painting fanciful scenes of tales from the Brothers Grimm. Among the most embellished was Hearst’s personal home on the property – the Bear House. There, the muralist painted scenes from Snow White and Rose Red over the entire stucco exterior.

As with many of Julia Morgan’s major projects, select artisans – men and women – traveled with her to ply their craft on her projects. Although she never married, Morgan attracted a rich following of friends and colleagues in whom she had confidence and respect for their work. Wyntoon is a prime example of the kind of team work that characterized Julia Morgan’s long and successful career.

An Isolated End

After hundreds of notable projects and widespread recognition of her considerable talent and leadership, Julia Morgan’s last years were spent in self-imposed isolation. With many of her friends and family gone, including Hearst who died in 1951, Morgan felt herself failing. No longer able to work, to express the passion that had fueled her life, she chose to become reclusive. She died on February 7, 1957, leaving behind endowments for aspiring architects, scholarships and an unparalleled body of work.

She also left behind a road – one that started out a rough and cobbled path to be maneuvered by only the most bold and brave of young women. Today, that road is paved and many women architects stand on the mighty reputation of Julia Morgan, a California original.

Elleai D’amore Attempts to Deny Her Famous Identity?

“Model, actress and Rock & Roll glamor girl Elleai D’Amore lands herself in hot water after a failed attempt to temporarily disassociate herself with her famous name catches up with her.” – NYLON Magazine.

In light of rumors Elleai D’Amore is making her triumphant return to the Hollywood Spotlight, a tale of her lonely and desperate attempt to make “regular” friends has emerged, shedding more insight on the down to earth star.

In an attempt to disassociate herself with her famous history, Elleai D’Amore has landed herself in some hot water with a close group of friends due to her conveniently ‘forgetful’ memory in terms of her famous notoriety.

Nineteen year old D’Amore shot to fame in late 2004 when she was booked by a string of international designers to front their various Winter, Spring and Fall lines alongside prestigiously managed top name models and catwalk queens.

After moving from Spain to the United States, Elleai begun to make a name for herself in the European and American markets as a face for major brands GUESS, Louis Vuitton and EKO despite her typically “small” height for a fashion model.

After her rave success in the fashion market, Elleai unexpectedly chose to forgo furthering her modeling career, at the dismay of her fans, suspected to be in relation to her increasing substance abuse (although these suspicions were never confirmed) and romances with “bad boy” male models and surfers.

A 5 foot 6, resident Princess of the Rock and Roll World, Elleai D’Amore, who before her successful campaigns with labels Old Navy, Louie Verdad and Calvin Klein, had only been on television once before (in the audience of MTV’s TRL the previous year) had always maintained that she wanted to “return” to the industry at some point, but never specified her direction. After finishing her final year of school, Elleai chose to ‘take some time for herself’ and focus on her plans for the future.

“Although her popularity never decreased dramatically, the spotlight was off her for long enough that the hype eventually died down, and people began to focus on celebrities that were constantly making headlines,” confirms a source. “Elleai was thankful for this opportunity to ‘disappear’, it was the break she needed.”

But for the highly recognizable Elleai, making friends and maintaining a ‘regular’ lifestyle was seemingly difficult, particularly in her localities of New York City and Los Angeles where she remained a celebrity.

Six months after her final campaign with swim wear brand TigerLily, and after a bold family move to move to Australia (to be closer to a Specialist for her Father’s health), Elleai says she attempted to form relationships with people on the basis of her newfound ‘regularity.’

“In Australia she wasn’t as popular because all of her work was based in America, Europe, South America… She wasn’t huge in Australia. A fair few people recognized her face, die hard fans of the fashion world you could call them, but making friends here without mentioning the “F” factor [fame] seemed like a possible accomplishment,” Confirms a source.

And for some time, Elleai’s plan seemed to roll out glitch free, until her personal MySpace page gained rave attention, accumulating over 1 million comments in an 8 month period from devoted fans worldwide creating suspicions among her new Australian friends as to her true identity.

Websites dedicated to “busting fakes” [MySpace account holders who are accused of identity theft after uploading another users images as their own] such as fakersbusted.com name Elleai D’Amore (alongside Kristin Cavallari, Jessica Alba, Mary-Kate Olsen and President George Bush) as one of the most faked celebrities/personalities online, particularly via the MySpace online community.

In Elleai’s case, this overwhelming statistic also worked against her as she suddenly became caught in the middle of accusations from her Australian friends that she was posing as another person after accounts begun to emerge using Elleai’s pictures, information and even similar MySpace URL’s.

“Her friends were starting to come across accounts that had pictures of her [her MySpace "fakes"] or pictures of her body with someone else’s face photoshopped on top, pictures of her face on someone else’s body, distorted pictures of herself, pictures of Elleai that had been edited so they didn’t look like the original, all kinds of weird appropriations of her pictures. Her friends became distrusting towards her and some even treated her like a black sheep, believing that whatever MySpace account they had found with an edited picture of her was possibly the ‘real’ girl from the picture [suggesting Elleai had tried to adopt the identity of someone else],” Says a friend, “It was a hard time for Elleai. She lost some people she truly cared about because they lost faith in her honesty.”

Another friends says, “…some people started to catch on, searching her name on google to see what came up and then would suddenly find themselves overwhelmed with her name appearing on Fashion Model directories, fansites dedicated to her, blogzines talking about her, pictures, biographies about her, facts, and even gossip,” says a friend, “people were starting to think, “what the hell, Elleai’s famous?” and became annoyed that she hadn’t told them about it. It set her relationships with people back a huge step, she even lost a friend because of it.”

Article to be continued.

The 10 Most Popular Contractors in the USA

Contractors provide different services to business institutions worldwide. These US-based contractors have their own interesting stories of small beginnings before they reached a slot in the top 10 list of the most popular contractors in the USA.

The top 10 contractors in the USA are listed below. Know their humble beginnings and the road they took to become the top 10 most popular contractors in the USA.

1. Lockheed Martin Corporation was established in March 1995 through the merging of 2 great companies, namely Lockheed and Martin Marietta Corporation. They are headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland with about 140000 people worldwide. Lockheed Martin Corporation is a complex technology company that engages in development, research, design, manufacture, and integration of advanced technology systems, services, and products.

2. Boeing is not only the world’s leading aerospace company but also a top manufacturer of commercial jetliners and military aircrafts. It has a long tradition of aerospace management and innovation. It aims to spread its product line and services to meet the needs of their target market. Boeing’s broad range of abilities consists of creating more new and efficient members of the commercial airplane family as well as incorporating defense systems, military platforms, and fighter planes through network-centric operations. It is also into the creation of advanced technology solutions to attain sales across business units and the development of investment solutions for its customers. It is located in Chicago and employs more than 160000 specialists in the industry.

3. Northrop Grumman Corporation is a technology-based company apart from a global defense unit. It boasts of 120000 employees. It also provides innovative products and solutions. It is situated in Los Angeles.

4. KBR is a leading global engineering, construction and services company that supports petrochemicals, energy, and civil infrastructure, especially for various government service sectors. The company is a principal growing end-market services institution. KBR also offers a wide range of services through its upstream and downstream services with its government, infrastructure, technology, and ventures on business segments. It can be found in Houston with about 50,000 numbers of employees. One of its areas of responsibility is the customer’s security and satisfaction.

5. Science Application International Corporation (SAIC) is an application, engineering and scientific company that uses a profound area of awareness in order to overcome different problems that existed. It is constantly and deliberately committed to ethical performance and integrity. SAIC has approximately 44,000 employees serving the customers and has their headquarters in San Diego.

6. Raytheon Corporation located in Waltham, Massachusetts has a total of 73,000 employees. It is a technological company that focuses on homeland security, defense and other government markets all through the world. Raytheon offers state of the art electronics, systems integration and other capabilities, particularly in the areas of effects, via sensing, command, communication, controls and intelligence systems as well as a wide range of mission support services.

7. General Dynamics head the market in business aviation and other information-systems and technologies. It has four major business sectors: aerospace design, combat system, marine system and information systems and technology. The company, which employs more than 81,000 of workers, has its headquarters in Falls Church, Va.

8. With 60,000 employees located in New York, L-3 Communications Corporation serves as a prime contractor in control, communication, command, and government services, along with modernization. It has the broadest specialized products in the industry. It also holds the title as the major provider of homeland defense products and services for a selection of rising markets.

Their headquarters is in Plano, Texas. Having 131,000 numbers of employees, EDS is an advertising campaign company that offers an extensive selection of business and technology solutions, especially in helping their clients develop their business performance. They also give outstanding services and innovation. Plus, they serve as an instrument of successful long-term business relationships.

Computer Sciences Corporation is also listed amongst the best. It is located in El Segundo, California, with about 79,000 employees. One of their purposes is to deliver innovative business and technology solutions which will surely help the commercial and government customers in attaining what they want most. CSC is a leading outsourcing and global consulting company that aims to provide customers the ability to meet their strategic goals and to profit on the usage of advanced technology.

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