This February I was asked by Elle UK to shoot twenty girls in Manchester for a street style feature, the article came out in the May issue of Elle and is all about Sport Luxe!

Above is a selection of shots that I can now share with you from that snowy two day shoot!

MONTICELLO – The University of Arkansas-Monticello’s Community Education plans to offer a class to teach participants to make festive treats Dec. 6. from 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. in the Baptist Collegiate Ministry building.

Holiday Treats
Instructor:  Beth Thompson
   Want to make festive treats for the holidays but don’t have all day?  Join Beth and learn to make quick, easy treats that are sure to be a hit.  Students will also learn simple ways to dress up their treats for gift giving.  Participants will leave each class with a few sweets to enjoy at home, so be sure to bring a container for them. A $15 supply fee will be paid to the instructor at each class meeting.

   Please register by noon Dec. 4 to secure your spot. To register, email dickson@uamont.edu or call 460-1327.

   Payments can be accepted in the Advancement Office, Suite 104 of the Administration Building. Credit and debit card payments can be accepted at the Cashier’s Office.

On a final perfect August night, moments before the main 2012-13 season kicks off, Shaking The Tree signaled that this tradition is alive and well by opening a terrific, taut 51 minute production (and perhaps something longer?) of Caryl Churchill’s FAR AWAY in their studio on SE Stark. Direction is by Samantha Van Der Merwe.

Patricia Hunter, Annabel Cantor, Beth Thompson and John San Nicolas. Photo: Sheri Earnhart.

It takes nothing away from the first tier of big (SW) Broadway houses to note that the excitement, energy and especially the intimacy of Portland’s smaller performance venues is hard to replicate in the more established theatres.

And when the show is this good, there’s no better place to be than the front row (or couch?) of a close Portland space, elbow to elbow with an audience that could fit into one PCPA elevator and still leave room for the espresso cart.

From the opening moments of FAR AWAY, we know something is up. Young Joan (Annabel Cantor), staying perhaps against her will in what appears to be a country cottage with Harper (Patricia Hunter), has been seeing some things out in the barn that seem, well, a little off. After all, “If it’s a party, why was there so much blood?” Harper tries the “all is well” approach, but Young Joan’s not buying it and neither are we.

Eventually it’s clear there is a war on – or worse – out there. Countries and even animals and the earth itself must chose sides. But in this compact work we’re mostly in here, sharing space with four characters and their quotidian routines as whatever it is (surely nothing good) ravages the universe. Churchill cleverly probes the microscopic to suggest the evil macro forces afoot.

Later on, Older Joan (Beth Thompson) and Todd (John San Nicolas) work through the day in a hat studio, revealing tidbits of the ongoing Orwellian nightmare with pithy lines like: “I’m tired of sitting at home watching trials.”

Often you can’t do close ups in theatre. But when you are this close to the action, long wordless moments work well. San Nicolas and Thompson are skilled at infusing a tiny gesture or glance with an entire storyline you instantly get and thus don’t even have to see played out. They extract the maximum from a sidelong glance or a dropped hat. Both are in top form here.

Welcome to Churchill-ville. We’re in the land of THE HAND MAID’S TALE, of 1984, or Bergman’s SHAME, or THE STAND or any number of other dystopian tales.

Yet Churchill’s play feels as fresh as if she were the first to set foot in the genre. And when the mystery of the hats becomes clear, it’s a theatrical master class in “show, don’t tell”.

No one could accuse Churchill of being an optimist, but with this strong offering from Shaking The Tree to close out summer, the new season is off on a bright note.

-Win Goodbody

Studies you may have recently seen in the news are now announcing what Target Metabolism has been saying for years… Weight loss depends on Calories In verses Calories Out….period!

In the 1990′s, Americans were encouraged to cut out most fats in a fat-free diet. As a result, manufacturers added a lot of sugar (carbohydrates) to food to make it taste good. We believed as long as we ate “fat free”, we could have as much of it as we wanted! As a result, the obesity rate in America sky-rocketed.

In this decade, Americans have been encouraged to cut out carbohydrates. The fad-pendulum has swung to the opposite end of the spectrum. So now instead of making fat-free foods, the same manufacturers are making “carbohydrate free foods”! And guess what? We’re buying them! Those manufacturers have capitalized on our willingness to try to “trick” our body into weight loss for TWO decades.

Our results prove this… weight management is a factor of “calories in” verses “calories out”…period.

You cannot trick your body into losing weight forever. You cannot starve your body of a specific nutrient forever. You must feed it ALL the necessary nutrients, INCLUDING fats and carbohydrates… but your total caloric intake must counter your total caloric output according to your weight management goals!

Your Team at Target Metabolism is ready to help you lose weight with FDA-approved technology, a Registered Dietitian, massage therapy, and continuous support. We would love to meet you!

Not a gamblin’ gal? Don’t worry! We’ll have experienced players on hand prior to the tournament for a quick and easy tutorial.

Bet on:

Friday, June 19, 2009

Cristina Walters’ home in Dana Point (Directions provided upon registration)

5:30 – 6:30 p.m. Check-in and poker lesson

7:00 – 9:00 p.m. Networking and charity poker tournament

Perfect your hand by participating in this truly unique event. REGISTER TODAY! Deadline to sign-up is Friday, June 12.

$40 per guest (includes tournament entry fee, $1,000 in poker chips, a light dinner & beverages)

A portion of the event’s registration fees will go to the top three poker players’ charities of their choice!

Participants will enjoy pre-game hors d’oeuvres and socializing, as a welcome style of scoring winning connections among their peers in Southern California.

Women wishing to participate in this opportunity to make contacts can register online at MeetWomenWhoWin.com. The price per guest is $75, which includes a game ticket, hors d’oeuvres and non-alcoholic beverages. Space is very limited, so register before the shot clock runs out.

Women Who Win in the Sport of Business was co-founded by sports enthusiasts and business professionals Cristina Walters, Leslie Bonifay and Beth Thompson. Mixing sports with networking opportunities in a casual and friendly environment, Women Who Win fosters powerful relationships amongst executives and philanthropists alike. For details on this growing business-networking group, visit MeetWomenWhoWin.com or call (949) 363-7974.

Participants will enjoy pre-game hors d’oeuvres and socializing, as a welcome style of scoring winning connections among their peers in Southern California.

Women wishing to participate in this opportunity to make contacts can register online at MeetWomenWhoWin.com. The price per guest is $75, which includes a game ticket, hors d’oeuvres and non-alcoholic beverages. Space is very limited, so register before the shot clock runs out.

Women Who Win in the Sport of Business was co-founded by sports enthusiasts and business professionals Cristina Walters, Leslie Bonifay and Beth Thompson. Mixing sports with networking opportunities in a casual and friendly environment, Women Who Win fosters powerful relationships amongst executives and philanthropists alike. For details on this growing business-networking group, visit MeetWomenWhoWin.com or call (949) 363-7974.

Participants at all golf levels can soon hone their winning drives from two of Strawberry Farms’ female golf professionals, while networking with women of various fields, who share an interest in sports.

Take a swing at making connections by participating in this exclusive event, and register online at MeetWomenWhoWin.com. The guest fee is $65, which includes private golf instruction, equipment rentals, hors d’ oeuvres and non-alcoholic beverages. Space is very limited, so early registration is encouraged.

Women Who Win in the Sport of Business was co-founded by avid sports enthusiasts Cristina Walters, Leslie Bonifay and Beth Thompson. Mixing sports with networking opportunities in a casual and friendly environment, Women Who Win is designed to foster professional relationships amongst women at all career stages. For details on this growing business-networking group, please visit MeetWomenWhoWin.com or call (949) 363-7974.

Participants at all golf levels can soon hone their winning drives from two of Strawberry Farms’ female golf professionals, while networking with women of various fields, who share an interest in sports.

Take a swing at making connections by participating in this exclusive event, and register online at MeetWomenWhoWin.com. The guest fee is $65, which includes private golf instruction, equipment rentals, hors d’ oeuvres and non-alcoholic beverages. Space is very limited, so early registration is encouraged.

Women Who Win in the Sport of Business was co-founded by avid sports enthusiasts Cristina Walters, Leslie Bonifay and Beth Thompson. Mixing sports with networking opportunities in a casual and friendly environment, Women Who Win is designed to foster professional relationships amongst women at all career stages. For details on this growing business-networking group, please visit MeetWomenWhoWin.com or call (949) 363-7974.

According to Principal Cristina Walters, “In today’s dynamic marketplace, it’s necessary to not only offer clients superior service and competitive pricing, but to provide them with strategic marketing solutions that result in measured success.” Walters elaborates, “As marketing and new media rapidly evolve, so too does the focus of our agency. We continue to remain true to our core competencies, while offering proactive solutions through integrated marketing communications.”

With more than 20 years of advertising and media management experience in both agency and corporate environments, Thompson directs innovative strategy and execution for C&M Communiqué’s diverse client base.

A graduate of UCLA, Thompson spent seven years in account service with a leading Orange County advertising and public relations firm prior to joining South Coast Plaza’s management team as its marketing manager. She later returned to the agency side and directed marketing and media campaigns for such notable clients as: Taylor Woodrow Homes, The Grove/Los Angeles, South Coast Plaza, St. Regis Resort and CommerceWest Bank, before joining C&M Communiqué in 2005.

Walters continues, “It gives me great satisfaction to promote a peer who has contributed so much to our agency and whose level of service and breadth of knowledge will undoubtedly continue to surpass the expectations of our clients and associates.”

A testament to her accomplishments at C&M Communiqué, Thompson has proven her reputation amongst some of the nation’s most recognized homebuilders, including D.R Horton, Lennar, Pulte Homes and Trimark Pacific.

Comments Lennar Advertising Manager Amber Jillard, “Beth’s an invaluable asset when creating, managing and implementing a comprehensive media plan. I am impressed by her organization and extensive media relationships.” Jillard concludes, “When negotiating the best value for a client, she far exceeds expectations.”

Concurs Kirk Chittick, vice president of sales and marketing for Trimark Pacific, “It’s very comforting to know that there is someone like Beth looking out for you. She has vast experience in all types of markets, a wide range of knowledge, and has developed excellent working relationships that come together to make my job easier and much more effective. Beth is wonderful when times are good, and we couldn’t make it through the tough times without her.”

Since 1992, C&M Communiqué has provided a full range of marketing services to Southland builders and industry associates. According to Walters, a 23-year industry veteran, “Particularly in today’s challenging market, our steady growth is a credit to an ability to succeed as a full-service agency with the myriad advantages of a boutique-style firm. Clients of all sizes further appreciate the responsiveness and accountability that a smaller agency delivers.”

Forming the most recent strategic partnership with C&M Communiqué is Lennar, which is relying on the agency to oversee media planning and buying tactics for its Great Park Neighborhoods at the former El Toro Marine Corps Air Station.

In addition to its work in the business sector, C&M Communiqué supports Special Olympics Southern California and local student scholars. For more information on C&M Communiqué, call (949) 363-7974 or visit CMCommunique.com.