Gwyneth Paltrow on The Huffington Post

"Iron Man 2" Trailer: WATCH THE VIDEO

2009-12-16T23:59:26Z

The trailer for the summer 2010 sequel to "Iron Man" is out and you can watch it below.

"Iron Man 2" reunites Robert Downey Jr as Tony Stark with Gwyneth Paltrow as Pepper Potts. The film also adds Scarlett Johansson and Mickey Rourke and swaps in Don Cheadle for Terrence Howard. Like the first it is directed by Jon Favreau.

The movie is out May 7.

WATCH:

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Jesse Kornbluth: The Talented Miss Highsmith: The Worst Person Who Ever Lived Makes for a Great Biography

2009-12-07T11:01:03Z

She kept 300 snails as pets. She drank a quart of gin a day. She considered robbery worse than murder. She left the United States to live in Europe because of what she called "the Negro problem" -- by which she did not mean discrimination against Negroes, but the civil rights movement that had Negroes demanding their rights.

A houseguest once left her window open; she threw a dead rat inside. She took tips left on restaurant tables. She'd drive 60 miles to get a cheaper spaghetti dinner. She called Hitler's extermination policy a "semicaust," because only half the world's Jews died.

She thought that "life didn't make sense without a crime in it." Her idea of happiness was to write a murder. At 1:30 in the morning, standing in a lover's apartment, she didn't hesitate to make a booty call to another woman. "I am a man and I love women," she wrote. She liked young blonds, very made up.

A mental health professional, observing her for only a few minutes, pegged her as a psychopath. Another writer described her as "a black cloud." Her own assessment: "If I were to relax and become human, I could not bear my life."

No wonder, then, that Joan Schenkar begins The Talented Miss Highsmith: The Secret Life and Serious Art of Patricia Highsmith like this:

She wasn't nice. She was rarely polite. And no one who knew her well would have called her a generous woman.

Why would you even think of reading 600 pages about such a monster?

Well, because Highsmith wrote a half dozen books -- among them Strangers on a Train, The Talented Mr. Ripley and a wonderfully sexy, though never graphic, lesbian novel called The Price of Salt -- that will be read as long as readers like fiction that equally thrills and chills.

Or you could just be a lover of biographies and sense that, in Highsmith, you will encounter a train wreck of a person like no one you've ever encountered -- and, as if you were a pedestrian looking up at a would-be jumper on a terrace, you won't be able to tear your eyes away.

Or, simply, you want to read a book that is original in form, authoritative in its evidence, and dazzling in its writing. And because I am now leaving description for praise, I should disclose: Joan Schenkar has been a close friend for 35 years. Her value to me is not that she is steady and loyal and easy to be with; it is exactly the opposite. Ms. Schenkar is steely and demanding; she sets the bar high and brooks no fools. I caffeinate before I see her, spellcheck before I hit SEND. In return I get tough-love criticism, dark humor, ideas I find nowhere else. She strikes me as the ideal biographer for Highsmith: brave, original and scary smart -- like Highsmith, but without the defects.

But I'm almost falling into a trap. Unless we are very young or lifelong fools, we do not look to artists -- or their biographers -- for our role models. Their work is enough. And Highsmith's work is a triumph of will and talent over circumstance and pathology -- or perhaps an astute mixture of all of that.

I'm going to skip over Highsmith's twisted relationship with her mother, her antipathy for her father and her early efforts to get somewhere as a writer to the core of her art and personality -- her obsession with love as an urgent, alpha emotion destined to end badly. Like murder.

Consider her first novel, Strangers on a Train, which quickly became one of Alfred Hitchcock's better movies. You know the set-up: If each man commits a murder for the other, there will be no incriminating clues -- the anonymity will yield two perfect crimes. This is, says Schenkar, "the quintessential Highsmith situation: two men bound together psychologically by the stalker-like fixation of one upon the other, a fixation that always involved a disturbing, implicitly homoerotic fantasy."

In Highsmith, there's no real artistic development; this "double" plot is one she uses again and again. And it works just about every time, because who else writes -- approvingly -- of "the unequivocal triumph of evil over good"? Her villains aren't exactly villains to her. They're escape artists. That is, everything she wasn't.

Oh, but she tried. Through obsessive sex --- she once seemed to have five lovers on the hook. Through alcohol. Through a push-pull relationship with her mother. And, most of all, through her writing, her one reliable way of feeling like herself.

Highsmith filled 38 notebooks and 18 diaries, 8,000 unpublished pages. With few exceptions -- she pretended she didn't spend seven years writing stories for comic books -- these are pivotal. As Schenkar notes, "She ratted herself out every chance she got." Schenkar should know. She read every notebook and diary and unearthed a staggering number of Highsmith's lovers. (You're thinking: It takes an obsessive to write a biography of an obsessive. Almost. I'd say: It takes a biographer who has equal parts empathy, imagination and artistry.)

It would be perverse, after all that research, to reduce Highsmith to a conventional biography. So Schenkar abandons chronology. Instead, she backtracks, skips ahead, loops around to trace themes and obsessions in Highsmith's life and work. The result is very much like an amusement park ride, with high-speed turns and dizzying descents. And that would not be perverse but correct: A writer like no other gets a biography like no other.

[Cross-posted from HeadButler.com]

Gwyneth's Gift Suggestions: Non-Toxic Dolls & Ethnic Portraits

2009-12-03T13:49:06Z

Just in time for Christmas shopping, Gwyneth Paltrow has issued her gift ideas via her newsletter, GOOP.

This year the items are all personalized--if you were having a hard time matching your gift to your recipient's skin color, Gwyneth can help.

And if you enjoy Gwyneth's pre-holiday advice, get ready for her cleansing guidance, sure to reappear after the holidays derail her usual macrobiotic diet.

Here are some $69 yarn dolls. Pricey, yes, but "totally non-toxic and non-polluting."

For just $139, this hand-stitched stocking can have your child's name on it.

Starting at $98, these prints are good for when you want to comment on a child's ethnicity.

You can read the whole newsletter and order gifts here.

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Gwyneth, Aniston, Salma & More Spend Thanksgiving in Morocco (PHOTOS)

2009-11-27T12:34:57Z

A few of Hollywood's biggest stars spent Thanksgiving at a black tie Moroccan bash instead of eating turkey dinners.

Gwyneth Paltrow, Jennifer Aniston, Salma Hayek and more turned out at a party celebrating the reopening of the La Mamounia hotel in Marrakesh, Morocco on Thursday night.

Some, like Juliette Binoche and Orlando Bloom, aren't American so it was just another Thursday to them. But, in addition to Paltrow and Aniston, American actor Adrien Brody also chose an appearance paycheck over a family dinner.

SCROLL THROUGH PHOTOS:
Jennifer Aniston:

Adrien Brody:

Gwyneth Paltrow:

Orlando Bloom w/girlfriend Miranda Kerr and Paltrow:

Juliette Binoche:

Salma Hayek:

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Marjorie Hope Rothstein: Ex-Shopaholic's Survival Tips

2009-11-14T13:57:41Z

Yesterday, at the last minute, I decided to go to the movies. I searched through the reviews and nothing seemed to hit. The opening of the long awaited "2012," the doomsday scenario or latest version of Armageddon, was compelling, but my gut said, "No." There are lots of scary, Halloween films and other mainstream blockbusters. I'd already seen the good ones, like "Men Who Stare At Goats," and I was quite content just to stare at George Clooney for a couple of hours.

Then this movie trailer jumped off the computer screen, "Collapse." It is an Indy documentary about a guy who used to be a cop (LAPD) and because of his strong integrity, decided NOT to become part of the government cover up in drug trading for fun and profit. He then followed his gut and became an investigative reporter, seeking out the hidden clues on black ops and the undertow of secret government operations. For over 82 minutes I sat spellbound while Michael Ruppert was interviewed, up close and personal, about all the details of the last 30 years of examining world affairs and politics, especially where the US is concerned. His ability to foresee the current global financial collapse was uncanny, yet now he is pushing the envelope even further and revealing some bitter pill that is much harder to swallow. Many of the topics you may already know about, like how we've reached "Peak Oil" and all the easy ways to get it are used up and how it takes more energy to get it. We're using up more energy to access the oil thus wasting it on acquiring the energy more than usage. More realistic than a blockbuster film, I chose to see this movie for truth, not fiction. However, most people will probably go to see "2012" because that pill is easier to swallow and obviously closer to fiction than truth. "Collapse" is eye-opening and perhaps if you drop a little dose of his hard to swallow pill, you may expand you mind.

As an X-Shopaholic, it stirred my thoughts to practical ways to deal with glimpses of a less than ideal imminent future. So what's a girl (woman) to do right now to be prepared? If we are really running out of oil and oil by-products, then super-durable rubber soled shoes are going to be almost as valuable as gold. OK, I'm not a survivalist, but concerned about having the right (wardrobe) necessities for the upcoming doomsday scenario. Now you don't have to run out and buy up all the survival stuff just yet. But it may be a good time to start new habits, especially if you have teenage daughters who are being brainwashed by the media to look like sex kittens at 14.

Look, there probably won't be any kind of total disaster, like Armageddon, and maybe the worst-case scenario will be major power outages, so we may have to survive for a couple of days without Starbuck's and cell phones.

Here are a few thoughts about changing your fashion habits today to be prepared:

1. Shoes! Stop buying stilettos and start stocking up on good, sturdy hiking boots and durable workout shoes. Check out Zappos or REI online to familiarize yourself with the styles and options. Even trendy new Nike's are OK. Forget those amazing new metal-heeled Gucci that made popular by Gwyneth and other fashionistas. Here's some advice straight from the world-wide-web, from pinkstilettoshop.com." If you own metal-heeled Gucci stilettos you are identifying yourself with a cutting edge fashion mogul every time you wear your stilettos out of the house. Of course, this comes with a price tag. Gucci fashion items are among the most expensive in the world. Parents whose daughters wear metal-heeled Gucci stilettos face a double bind. On the one hand, they fear their daughters are growing up too fast. However they don't want to say no especially if there is significant peer pressure to own a high status item. In addition, metal-heeled Gucci stilettos can bankrupt the family. A mother may be tempted to purchase counterfeit Gucci items such as a purse, but a pair of knockoff shoes is much more difficult to come by. Of course, in an ideal world there is enough money to go around and both mother and daughter can each have a pair."

2. Jeans! OK, so it does make sense to have those True Religion jeans. Even Calvin Klein's new 2010 spring collection is hinting at a new trend for "Clean, Precise, Minimal". This is just the beginning of the wave. Think Utilitarian, (can still be sexy and fashionable). But in the future we may have to stock up on 'smart clothes' with nanotechnology to make sure we're covered for all kinds of weather conditions. After all, it may be too hot in the summer and too cold in the winter, so having clothes that are designed to beat the heat or frost resistant would be a good idea. Now high tech is meeting high fashion. There are smart textiles that are stain resistance showing up in Brooks Brothers shirts and Nordstrom Ties. Eventually these fabrics will be so resilient, they will never wear out! Even our stylish President wore a suit of armor during his inauguration. While most of this stuff is being designed for the military (the forever wars in Iraq and the mid-east), keep an eye out for this new technology to be showing up soon. Here's a recent blog from ZDNET.com:" Chinese and U.S. researchers have developed a carbon nanotube-coated smart yarn, which can conduct electricity and be woven into textiles to detect blood or to monitor health. According to one of the lead researchers, today's smart textiles, which are made of metallic or optical fibers, are fragile and not comfortable. So the team combined two fibers, one natural and one created by nanotechnology, to build a new kind of smart textile. If a soldier wearing clothes made with this fabric was wounded, his mobile phone could alert a nearby patrol to save his life."

3. Workout Wear: Think super stylish Lululemon (the hippest body hugging yoga wear from Canada) Avril Lavigne wears Lulu. Brooke Shields wears Lulu. Felicity Huffman, Jennifer Garner, Courteney Cox, Kate Winslet, and Kate Hudson wear Lulu. OK, so it's worn by celebs, but it's still a great brand. The next generation of workout wear is on the horizon, Be on the lookout for workout gear featuring heart rate monitoring and motion sensors, some are now in stores, and "smart clothes" that fend off insects and mask cigarette smoke are in the pipeline. Check out Xbionic brands that cool when you're sweating and warm when you're freezing. . Don't laugh at Ed Begley Jr., we may all be moving towards a self-powered, off the grid mentality. Australian researchers are working on developing shirts that will generate electricity whenever the wearer moves. These shirts would directly power mobile telephones, portable music players and other small electrical appliances. Before you go thinking science fiction, know that $4.4 million was recently awarded by the Australian Defense Department and researchers expect the tech to be available in about five years.

It's not a time to panic, just open your eyes, wake up, be aware and informed. Go beyond the tabloids and mind candy magazines and see what's really happening out there. Stay tuned for more to come.

Gwyneth Paltrow To Play Transsexual Nicole Kidman's Wife In 'The Danish Girl'

2009-11-08T05:49:10Z

Gwyneth Paltrow will join Nicole Kidman in The Danish Girl, an adaptation of the David Ebershoff novel about the first post-operative transsexual. The tome tells the story of the relationship between transsexual Einar Wegener and his wife. Kidman will play Einar and Paltrow will play the wife Greta

Charlize Vs. Gwyneth In Metallic Front-Wrap Minis (PHOTOS, POLL)

2009-11-05T11:19:03Z

Charlize Theron attended "The Road" premiere Wednesday night in two new trends, metallic and wrap. Last week Gwyneth Paltrow wore a Roland Mouret blue metallic belted mini that wrapped, while Theron's Dior dress was silver. Gwyneth wore platform booties, Charlize flats.

Hot Celebrities Create Green Websites

2009-10-19T12:23:02Z

And this is one trend we didn't mind spotting: hot actresses are starting green websites left and right. With the launch of the most recent addition from Alicia Silverstone, we thought we'd take a peek at what lies beneath the glitz and glamour.

Gwyneth Paltrow Delivers Investment Advice In GOOP

2009-10-01T08:20:32Z

Gwyneth Paltrow's weekly newsletter GOOP landed in inboxes around the world Thursday morning, and this time she's looking out for subscribers' wallets.

She writes:

Here, a collection of thoughts on the topic of investing from two bankers, a money coach and an accountant. Some illuminating concepts, histories and practical advice for the layman in these uncertain times.

Love,
--- Gwyneth Paltrow

In the past she has dished out recipes, travel recommendations, exercise tips, book picks, and spiritual guidance, but this is first foray into the market.

Rather than proclaim any expertise herself, she enlists four others. She includes a lesson in market basics from a Hong Kong-based fund manager named Rod Rehnborg, tips from a self-billed 'Money Coach' named Lynnette Khalfani-Cox, college saving advice from CPA Stuart Gelwarg and lastly, a 'market commentary' from a Wealth Manager name Michael Tiedemann.

Sign up for the newsletter here if you dare, and read this week's below and then respond.

Basics of Investing

By Rod Rehnborg

Given stories of gigantic "ponzi schemes," bank failures, and obscene Wall St. bonuses, the thought of handing over your hard-earned money to the financial industry is not very appealing. And, as a result, most people I meet wonder what to do with their shriveled, shrinking, nest egg.

Of course, the answers to that all-important question are as numerous as there are nest eggs out there. Nevertheless, it may make sense to "hit the reset button," and reflect on the very basics of investing.

1. Why do we save?

A generation ago, people use to save towards the purchase of a good (TV, car, washing machine, home...) but this changed with the advent of the credit card, the auto loan and second mortgages. Instant gratification was invented and we could pay for the goods AS we enjoyed them, not BEFORE. The birth of consumer loans also meant that there were now only two reasons to save: 1) for a rainy day and 2) for when we grow old and can no longer work but still need to consume.

In other words, the most common reason we save today is to pay for something much later (i.e.: retirement). Thus, the important thing is to have the money we save now grow in such a way that it will match up with the cost of those things we will want to pay for later. There are two things to consider: 1) how much our investment is going to grow and 2) how much the price of the things we will want to pay for in the future will be.

The price something will be in the future depends largely on how much inflation there will be. If our savings do not earn the same percent return as the inflation rate, then we are actually growing poorer even as we save. So the first question we, as savers, should ask ourselves is what the likely future inflation rate will be.

2. Inflation -- what causes it?

Basically inflation is determined by how much money is available in the economy. And this amount of money is largely determined by how much people get paid for work and how easy it is to borrow money. Since wages have not gone up much in recent years, and the current job market is terrible, and given how hard it is to borrow money because of the financial crisis, there is not much chance that inflation will increase in the next year or two at least. In fact, the bigger worry right now is DEFLATION.

What's the problem with deflation? The big problem with deflation can be easily understood by looking at a home financed with a mortgage. If you borrowed money for a house and the house drops in value because the cost of everything is dropping, you still owe the same amount of money but the house is worth less. When we enter into deflation, all people want to do is save money to repay debt. Economists call this the "paradox of thrift" in that savings is a "good thing," but if everyone saves at the same time, then it can have negative effects for the overall economy.

So, what is the best way to save for the future in a deflationary environment? That's pretty easy: just leave your money in the bank and watch its purchasing power grow as the prices of everything else fall. A very forward thinking Japanese person in 1990 who was planning to purchase a house in 2009, only needed to leave his or her money in the bank as house prices just hit a twenty-four year low in Japan!

In order to fight off deflation, the US government is scrambling to bail out financial companies in the hope that they will lend more, and is also coming out with "stimulus packages" of government spending to pump into the economy so that more people get wages. In turn, all this government activism is raising the fear that inflation could rise dramatically in the future. Why? Because governments around the world are promising to pay for lots of things; and the way governments pay for things is either by borrowing the money by selling bonds or, if not enough people want to buy this government debt, by printing actual money to buy their own debt. But for the moment at least governments are losing the battle against deflation as people are paying down their debt faster than the government can print money and inject it into the economy.

Let us now look at some main types of investments to see how they fit into the inflation/deflation picture.

Stocks Stocks are simply a way to own a piece of a business that will be earning profits that should on average grow at or above the rate of inflation. When you buy a stock you are essentially passing your extra money forward to someone else who needs it and who will hopefully be good stewards of it by using it to invest in the equipment and people and other assets required to grow their business.

Bonds A bond is just a loan to either a government or company. The main concern with bonds is whether the borrower will be able to pay you back and what interest rate will you receive. Now, there is a big debate about US Federal government bonds (a.k.a."treasuries"). These bonds have no risk of you not getting your money back since the government can always raise taxes or even just print money to pay you back. However, it is by no means certain whether government bonds will be a safe investment or a horrible one - it all depends on whether there is inflation or deflation. The current interest rate you receive on bonds is very low, but you will be happy with even a small return on your money if there is deflation and the cost of living drops. It seems that buying government bonds now is really a game of chicken, and best left to professional speculators, which is ironic since government bonds are supposed to be among the safest of investments.

Commodities Commodities are goods that we, as a society use in our daily lives (like oil, gold, food, etc.) a.k.a. "stuff." The idea is that the prices of this "stuff" will rise in line with inflation and if you think the world might be running out of "stuff," then maybe the prices will rise even faster than inflation. When talking about commodities, it's important to keep in mind that demand for most of them will fluctuate in line with the economy. So when the economy is strong, there is generally more demand for "stuff" like oil and copper. The one commodity that is different from the others is gold. Gold has for ages been used as the ultimate store of value, since aside from its good looks it is extremely hard to dig out of the ground and thus there is never going to be any meaningful increase in supply of it. There is also not much practical use for it either so its predominant purpose is as a money substitute. While in theory gold should hold its value against inflation, the reality is that historically gold has just barely kept up with inflation and has performed much worse than stocks and bonds over the long term. If you are determined to invest in something that will hold up amidst inflation, consider a vegetable garden or solar panels. The money spent on creating a source of food and electricity for yourself will pay off handsomely if inflation drives food and energy prices higher.

Hedge funds Recently, it seems like hedge funds are vying with terrorists for public scorn, but let's have a quick look at what they actually do. Most hedge funds use those basic assets discussed above, but do things with them so that the return is different than the assets themselves. The result is that the returns that hedge funds deliver will be different than what you would receive if you owned the stocks, bonds, or commodities themselves. Investors give hedge funds lots of money to manage because investors value the diversification provided by hedge funds. There is actually a useful social purpose for hedge funds in that they help keep money flowing around the financial markets so that companies with good ideas can raise money to expand their businesses even when financial markets are weak.

So that's a brief and totally non-comprehensive overview of some of the issues worth considering amidst all the chaos and emotion of investing these days. There are no easy answers, although a mix of stocks, hedge funds, and vegetable gardens seems sensible to me.

Rod Rehnborg manages an investment fund for institutional clients at Marshall Wace GaveKal. His specialty is "market neutral" investment strategies in Japanese stocks that deliver returns with low correlation to the stock market. He is based in Hong Kong.

Top 10 Tips for Saving Money and Investing Wisely

By Lynnette Khalfani-Cox, The Money Coach

In these tough economic times, we all need to think about how to save more, or earn more from our hard-earned dollars.

Granted, it's not always easy to save -- especially if you've never been taught how to do so. It can also be difficult to sock away money for the future when you're concerned with paying this month's bills. Still, everyone can benefit from stashing away a little extra cash. Here are 10 tips on how to do just that -- painlessly and without needing to have an MBA in finance.

Tip#1: Just Ask

I'm always amazed at how readily people automatically whip out their wallets - or their credit cards - to get a product or service they want, without thinking at all about whether they can get want they want cheaper, or maybe even free. To make saving money a way of life, remember the phrase: "Just Ask!" For starters, ask yourself three questions:

* Can I get it free?
* Can I get it for less?
* Can I get it in exchange for something else?

Believe it or not, we're quickly moving toward a free nation: free music downloads, free news and information, free offers for everything from cosmetics and luxury goods to legal aid and complimentary meals.

If something you want isn't available free, that doesn't mean you can't get it for less than the full asking price. Just be prepared to negotiate - in a nice way, of course. Most people think the price tag they see advertised is "written in stone." The truth is that you can negotiate nearly everything - from clothes in a department store to medical bills. Ask for a discount if you pay cash. Always ask "is that the best price you can offer?" And don't be afraid to let retailers know that you're looking for a deal. There's no shame in asking: "Will this item be going on sale soon?" If the answer is "Yes," wait to buy it until the sale occurs.

Can't find a freebie or a discount? Then it might be time to barter. Instead of paying for goods and services, offer to exchange your talent (maybe it's cooking, dentistry, braiding hair, teaching piano or whatever) to others. Even if you can't offer a service, you may have something of value to barter. That's the whole idea behind the increasingly popular home exchange services, for instance, where you get to swap homes with someone in a far-flung country (free of charge), in exchange for letting them temporarily reside at your place.

Tip #2: Embrace (Don't Hate!) Being a Budget

Thanks to the recession, more Americans are finally getting back to the financial basics - including doing something that most individuals dread: budgeting. If you don't yet have a budget, or if your current budget is constantly out of whack, take heart in knowing that you're not alone. In fact, 70% of all Americans don't have a working budget. Perhaps that's not so surprising considering most of us didn't learn how to budget at home or in school. Be honest: When you think about being "on a budget" do you inwardly loathe the idea, wishing instead you had so much money that you could spend on anything you want? Or do you automatically assume that having a budget means drastically changing your lifestyle, because there will be a lot of things you can't buy, do, or have? If so, you must banish those negative thoughts and misconceptions. First of all, even millionaires have budgets.

Realize also that creating a budget - and living with it - doesn't have to be so restrictive. Nor does it mean a complete end to all spending or having fun. In fact, a well-prepared budget will have certain "treats" built into it. And it's precisely these "treats" - certain rewards that you give yourself every month - that will help you stick to your budget. Think about a budget as your own personal "Spending Plan". With a "Spending Plan," you establish priorities about what to do with your money - and what not to do with it. In other words, with a "Spending Plan" you'll no longer be making an endless series of impulse purchases (both large and small). Instead, you'll finally control your money, instead of letting your money control you.

Besides giving you power and control over your finances, and helping you save money, a skillfully crafted budget:

* Keeps you from living paycheck to paycheck
* Allows you to save for future goals and dreams
* Helps you avoid going into debt
* Reduces the stress and worry about paying for bills

When you look at these benefits of having a budget, or a "Spending Plan," it's clear that you should embrace the concept, not fret over it.

Tip #3: Boost Your Credit - and Earn $1 Million

In one of my books, The Money Coach's Guide to Your First Million, I explained how having great credit can help you save or earn over $1 million in your lifetime. How so? People with perfect credit get the best interest rates and terms on everything from business loans and student loans to credit cards and mortgages. They also land better-paying jobs and more frequent promotions. Moreover, they save money on a host of financial products that are tied to your credit score - such as life insurance and auto insurance.

Anyone living in today's society knows that it can be a drag to be turned down for credit - or even denied a job just because you have bad credit. So what should you do? Learn how to boost your credit standing by knowing the ins and outs of how your score is determined by Fair Isaac Corp., the company that calculates your FICO credit score.

(Get your FICO score at www.myfico.com). FICO credit scores range from 300 to 850 points; the higher your score the better. You've got "Perfect Credit" if your score is is 760 or higher. Under Fair Isaac's credit scoring model, your FICO credit score is based on five primary factors:

* 35% of your score is based on your payment history
* 30% of your score is based on the amount of credit you have used
* 15% of your score is based on the length of your credit history
* 10% of your score is based on your mix of credit; and
* 10% of your score is based on inquiries and the new credit you've taken on

Knowing these facts, here are some guidelines to help you maximize your credit score.

* Pay Your Bills on Time
Even if you can only make minimum payments, that's better than being late with a bill because late payments of 30 days or more can drop your FICO score by 50 points or more.
* Don't Max Out Your Credit Cards
In general, try to keep your balances to no more than 30% of your available credit limit. For instance, if you have a card with a $10,000 credit line, make sure you don't carry a balance of more than $3,000 on that card. If you can pay off your credit cards each month, that's even better. But if you can't, it's better to spread out debt over a few cards, to maintain lower balances, rather than max out any one card.
* Keep Older, Established Accounts Open
It feels good to pay off a credit card and finally get that statement showing a zero balance. However, if you pay off a creditor, don't make the mistake of closing that account because 15% of your FICO score is based on the length of your credit history. The longer a credit history you have, the better it is for your score.
* Avoid "Bad" Forms of Credit
I'm sure you've walked into a department store and been offered 10% off - or some other discount - just for opening up a credit card with that retailer, right? Did you take the bait? If so, realize that you might have hurt your credit score. Here's why. The FICO scoring model rates some forms of credit more favorably than others. For instance, the presence of a mortgage on your credit report will help your score, but too many consumer finance cards (i.e., the cards issued by department stores and retailers) can hurt it. For this reason, do yourself a favor and say "No" to those credit card offers from stores you patronize. Just use a major credit card - like a Visa, MasterCard, American Express, or Discover Card - if you need to use credit to make your purchases.
* Only Apply for Credit When You Truly Need It
Just because you get a pre-approved offer in the mail, or some telemarketer calls you to solicit for a credit card, doesn't mean you should accept it. You should only seek out credit when you absolutely need it because taking on too much new credit - or even just applying for it - will lower your credit score. Each time you apply for a loan - whether a credit card, an auto loan, a mortgage, or a student loan - the lender pulls your credit report and generates an "inquiry" on your credit file. That inquiry remains there for two years.

And a single inquiry can lower your FICO score by up as much as 35 points.

Tip #4: Go Ahead and Shop - Just Don't Forget To Take These Three Things

People who are watching their wallets should always go shopping with three things: a budget, a buddy, and a stopwatch. The budget is your pre-determined amount of how much you can afford to spend in cash. If you do use credit, set a maximum that you can pay off in two or three month's time maximum. Your buddy's job is to keep you accountable. She's the girlfriend who's going to go with you - to that boutique you love, to the mall, or wherever - and remind you not to overspend and go into debt. It's also her role to get you out of the stores once you've hit your limit. And here's where the last "must take" shopping item comes into play.

You can do a lot of damage to your wallet and to your credit cards by spending hours upon hours in the mall or shopping all day long. Instead, trying setting a time limit on your shopping excursions. A good way to do it is to use a ticking stop watch - or any kind of device with a bell, timer, beeper, or ring tone - that you can set for a fixed, brief period of time. A good time limit is 1 hour; 2 hours maximum. You can set your stop watch so that it "rings" in one hour, and then you have a verbal/auditory reminder that it's time to put and end to the shopping for the day.

Tip #5: Turbo-Charge Your Savings

You've probably heard of employers that offer a matching contribution when you put money into a 401(l) retirement savings plan at work. Well, a 401(k) isn't the only way to turbo-charge your savings. You can also get a matching contribution for your savings by opening an Individual Development Account, or IDA.

People who are low to moderate income earners are eligible to sock away money in an IDA, which is a savings account designed to help people develop fiscal discipline and reach goals, like saving for college, buying a home, starting a business, or paying for retirement. (And don't be fooled by that term "low income." Millions of individuals and families - even white collar workers -- will be considered "low income" because they recently lost a job, took a pay cut or have had their work hours reduced).

These IDAs also turbo-charge your savings, because with an IDA, for every dollar you save, you get a $2 or $3 matching contribution. That's like getting a 200% or 300% return on your money - risk free! What's the catch? With most IDAs you have to agree to save for a set period of time, at least 1-year. Some require 5 years of savings or more. But let's say you can afford to sock away $200 a month. At the end of the year, that's $2,400. With an IDA that has a $2 to $1 match, you'll get an additional $4,800 put into your account. The money comes - no strings attached - from corporations, government agencies, and non-profits. You can locate an IDA in your area by visiting: www.idanetwork.org.

Tip #6: Don't Invest In the Stock Market Prematurely

At my financial workshops, or via email, I sometimes get people questions from people wanting to know where they should invest $5,000 or some other chunk of money they have burning a hole in their pocket. All too often, these people haven't even taken care of the financial basics: like paying off credit card debt, establishing at least a 3-month cash cushion, purchasing life insurance and disability protection, and drawing up a will. Until you've handled these five financial basics, you're not yet ready to risk money on Wall Street. Let's say your buy $1,000 worth of stock and then three months later your have a financial emergency of some sort. With no "rainy day" fund, you'll be forced to sell your stocks to raise cash. Under this scenario, you'll be paying higher taxes, since you owned the stock for less than one year, and depending on the stock's performance, you might also have to sell at a loss.

Tip #7: Focus on the Process of Investing - not Products

If you've ever read a financial magazine, you've undoubtedly seen headlines like "The Best Mutual Funds You Can Buy" or "The 10 Stocks You Must Own Now!" These kinds of stories cause many to focus on the wrong thing when it comes to investing. To become a successful investor, don't obsess over products - i.e. which is the so-called best stock, bond or mutual fund. Instead focus on the process of investing. You'll reap your riches in due time if you can master the five-phase process of investing:

* Strategizing to meet your own personal goals and needs
* Buying the right investments for the right reason at the right price
* Holding and monitoring the investments in your portfolio
* Selling investments at the right time, for the right reason, in a tax-efficient way; and
* Picking proper financial advisors for help

Tip #8: Avoid Get Rich Quick Schemes and Fads

When you are ready to invest, do yourself a favor and stick to tried and true investments, like stocks, bonds or mutual funds. Save money by not wasting it on get-rich quick schemes and fads. Even steer clear of constantly playing the lottery as so many people do - with dreams of getting a big payout.

Consider the story of Jack Whittaker, a West Virginia businessman who became famous when, on Christmas Day 2002, he won $315 million in the multi-state Powerball lottery. At the time, it was the largest jackpot ever won by a single winning ticket in U.S. history. Sadly, Whittaker's life has taken a major downturn since his big "win." He has had numerous legal problems and family tragedies, and much of his fortune is gone. Among his family woes: his only granddaughter, Brandi, was found dead of a drug overdose at age 17. She had reportedly been receiving $2,100 a week allowance from her grandfather. Also, in May 2005, Whittaker's wife, Jewel, filed for divorce after more than 40 years of marriage. She said winning the lottery was "the worst thing that ever happened" to the couple. The lesson: don't rely on the lottery or other such schemes as your pathway to wealth.

Tip #9: Don't Bet the Farm

Overconfidence can be the death knell to your investment strategy. No matter whether you're investing in the stock market, or in a new business venture, it's always a bad idea to put all your eggs in one basket and to risk everything. Smart entrepreneurs and smart investors don't "roll the dice" and risk everything. They take risks - but they're calculated risks. Don't gamble it all: 100% of your savings, your credit, putting your home up, etc. in the hopes that you'll create a successful business or that one investment will pay off in spades. Instead, be willing to invest in your business, or in a company that you've researched, but don't do so foolishly, at the expense of everything else.

Tip #10: Select a Good Financial Team

Unfortunately, the recent rash of financial scams reminds us all that you can do practically everything right - including working hard, saving and investing your whole life - and still wind up penniless if you don't have trustworthy financial advisors in your corner. Consider what happened to the victims of Bernard Madoff - who created the largest Ponzi scheme in U.S. history and was recently sentenced to 150 years in prison for his misdeeds. As an investor, you've got to do your homework to stay away from the "ins" and the "uns"

* the inexperienced
* the incompetent
* the unprofessional
* the unskilled
* the unscrupulous

To find a reputable investment advisor, start by using the BrokerCheck service of FINRA, the consumer protection agency also known as the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority. Reach FINRA at www.finra.org or by calling 800-289-9999. They'll give you background information on any broker or brokerage firm you're thinking about doing business with. FINRA can even tell you if a broker or investment advisor has ever been sanctioned or fined by securities regulators. These are obvious red flags. Also get references and check them, and insist on getting Parts 1 and 2 of your advisor's ADV form. An ADV form will disclose whether an investment advisor went to school, how much professional experience they have, and whether they've had an negative disciplinary history from state or federal regulators. In addition to a broker or investment advisor, having a qualified accountant and a good certified financial planner, can help you reach your financial goals.

Lynnette Khalfani-Cox, The Money Coach®, is a personal finance expert, television and radio personality, and the author of numerous books, including the New York Times bestseller "Zero Debt: The Ultimate Guide to Financial Freedom". She has appeared on such national TV programs as "The Oprah Winfrey Show", "Dr. Phil", "The Tyra Banks Show" and "Good Morning America". She has been featured in the "Washington Post", "USA Today", and the "New York Times", and can frequently be seen as a guest commentator on CNN and FOX Business Network.

For more information about Lynnette, or to sign up for her free personal finance newsletter, visit her website and blog at: www.TheMoneyCoach.net. Lynnette is also on numerous social networking sites, including Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn.

Section 529

By Stuart Gelwarg

Many Americans graduate from college and start their first jobs inundated with paperwork about their company's retirement plans. These plans provide great tax benefits and are a great way to save for the future. If they don't sign up for the company retirement plan, American taxpayers are typically reminded at tax filing time about starting an IRA. But nowhere along the line is there that human resources department, or tax return instruction booklet screaming out to you about saving for college.

Sending children to college is likely the biggest expenditure one has in the raising of children in the U.S. and the Internal Revenue Code has an underutilized provision in it to help families cover the cost. Section 529 of the Internal Revenue Code provides for College Savings Plans, commonly known as 529 plans that yield great tax benefits. Contributions to the plan grow annually without being taxed. When funds are withdrawn, if the funds from the account are used for qualified secondary education costs (including college and university tuition, housing, meal plans, and text books), then none of the income from the account is taxed. While there is no federal deduction upon funding the plan (some states such as NY allow for a small deduction), the fact that the income can be used tax-free is a substantial benefit.

I personally ended up saving for three years of my children's college tuition, and the fourth year tuition was covered by the income and tax savings of the plan. This is even after the horrendous losses sustained from last year's economic meltdown. (Prior to the meltdown, a good part of their graduate school had been covered as well). In New York (minimums can vary state to state) you can deposit as little as $25 or as much as $13,000 per donor per child. I use the term 'donor' because not only parents can give to these plans, but grandparents, friends, and others. While more than $13,000 per year per child is possible, I don't recommend you consider this option without consulting your accountant as there may be gift tax ramifications in exceeding that amount. A married couple depositing the maximum annually for their child can have that child's education at our most expensive private universities fully funded before that child is seven years old. Even depositing far less than the allowed amounts can fully fund a child's education well before age 18. You can check out how to open a plan with your local investment advisor or go online.

Stuart Gelwarg is a CPA and a partner in the firm of Altman, Greenfield & Selvaggi, LLP.

Market Commentary

By Michael Tiedemann

We are at a fascinating point in history and have recently witnessed some remarkable and unnerving events in world markets. Never before has global wealth been so intertwined and capital markets been so linked. The problems within the Banking system, first materializing in 2007, spread to virtually all asset classes and created a global systemic deleveraging never seen before. Governments across the globe stepped in and began supporting the financial system in the 3rd and 4th quarters of 2008, especially the large financial players, in an effort to prevent a complete collapse of the system. From that point, virtually every central bank in the world has been injecting liquidity into the capital markets to revive their economies and help support asset values. At no point in history prior to this has there been a globally coordinated effort to pump liquidity into the financial system without apparent concern for the unintended consequences which may follow.

At the top of the list of these potential consequences is inflation. So, how does one invest to keep up with and beat inflation over time? Historically, investing in a blend of equities and commodities, with an appropriate amount of high quality bonds (treasuries, municipals and corporate) has achieved the goal of growing wealth and beating inflation over time. In our view, this approach remains sensible, with a few wrinkles. We develop portfolios by allocating assets to two basic types of investments: those that are protective of principle and those that put principle at risk in order to provide excess return. The allocation between these investments depends on the goals of the individual investor.

Within the risk bucket, we divide the world into three categories: corporate (both credit and equity), commodity and interest rate. We believe that a diversified portfolio should have exposure to both corporate debt and equity of businesses that have high levels of free cash flow and that distribute that free cash flow. Examples include consumer staples companies (low debt/high cash generation), investment grade bonds and dividend yielding stocks. These investments will typically lag in markets such as the one we have just been through these last six months (i.e., sharp rallies) but will buffer portfolios in times of stress, as the dividend yield becomes more important to the total return (as it was in the 1970s). Other elements to consider in diversified portfolios include commodities and gold. An investment in gold provides some inflation protection as well as some protection against a weakening U.S. Dollar, in effect, preserving purchasing power for U.S. investors. Exposure to commodity-related equities in sectors such as water, infrastructure, agriculture and other resource-based materials (oil, copper, etc.) give portfolios a healthy dose of economic cyclicality and inflation protection to balance equity exposure and allow participation in a global recovery. International equities (including the emerging markets) are the best way to participate in widespread global growth due to the wealth effect being created currently in emerging market countries. These investments will also provide some diversification away from the U.S. Dollar. This demographic trend, made possible by the increasingly wider availability of credit in these regions, will become very powerful in the years to come.

On the protective side (traditional fixed income), we favor short term treasuries (1-3 years) and believe that holding some cash (5-10% of portfolios) remains sensible. We are concerned about lower-quality municipal bonds because tax receipts are going to be slow to recover and because state and municipal budgets have yet to be reigned in to reflect this reality. The situation in California bears watching very closely.

Ultimately, much of the nation's debt bubble has now shifted from consumers to the Federal Government, likely leading to a continued devaluation of the U.S. Dollar, higher interest rates or both. In general, we are conservatively positioned, yet positioned for what we believe will be an inflationary outcome as the unintended consequence. We favor corporate risk that 1) generates and distributes free cash flow (consumer staples, dividend focused equity managers) and 2) will protect and thrive in a recovery or inflationary environment (commodity based equities). We are not comfortable taking much interest rate risk, as inflation is a real threat, preferring to own shorter term bonds (both treasuries and high quality corporate bonds). We believe that Gold and international equities will benefit from a weaker U.S. Dollar and long-term growth trends of the emerging markets. These components all translate into a portfolio designed to protect assets in volatile markets while still creating value and compounding assets through carefully placed bets and prudent allocations to risk assets.

Michael Tiedemann is a Senior Managing Director and Chief Investment Officer of Tiedemann Wealth Management. For more information, please visit www.TiedemannWealth.com.

Celebrity Yearbook Photos: Whose Is Most Embarrassing? (PHOTOS, POLL)

2009-09-22T14:11:07Z

Before they were famous, some of these celebrities were impossibly poised and well-groomed for high school. Some of them were as awkward as your average teenager. Click through the photos and vote on whose yearbook pics are the most embarrassing.

Do you still have your old yearbooks? Are you brave enough to let everyone see your high school pictures? We're making a slide show of readers' yearbook pictures and would love to include you.

Here's how it works: hit the participate button, enter your name as the title, leave a brief description, find the location of your high school on the map, upload your photo and hit submit. Thank you!

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One For The Table: Detoxing And Cleansing With Gwyneth

2009-08-19T17:04:33Z

For years, as both my husband Chad's and my weight have yo yo'd, I've begged him to diet along with me but we've never been able to be in sync with our willingness to trudge the road of deprivation. Until now. We email each other from different rooms in the house. (And they say Great Britain is in danger of having the laziest people in the world.) The subject line in his email to me read: "yes, or no".

It had a link to a newsletter called Goop, written by Gwyneth Paltrow. I know most so-called "celebrity diets" have to bear up under a lot of scrutiny. After all, what qualifies someone like Marilu Henner to give herself the moniker of "health pioneer" when her children's cookbook, in the words of health writer Sally Fallon, "contain guidelines that are more likely to produce a variety of pathologies, including some kinds of eating disorders..."?

Well, Gwyneth merely presents what she's learned from Dr. Alejandro Junger, a cardiologist and 'leader in the field of integrative medicine'. I've never heard the term 'integrative medicine' but it seems remarkably intuitive in the context of wellness.

Also, this program is not a diet. It's a Cleanse.

Paltrow's narrative as she puts forth her own augmentation of the "Cleanse" as it's called, is charmingly self-deprecating, empathic towards the reader and encouraging.

She lets us all know that she's tried the hardcore cleanses in the past and they've kicked her ass, even though they've worked. And she discovered that those kinds of fasts could actually be bad for you. So she takes the bullet for us and we can just dismiss the ones out of hand that leave you looking like that emaciated guy from the movie Seven (hey, she was in that) and we can look all tough, as though we might have even considered it.

I must say, I'm a veteran of diets and I'm somewhat knowledgeable when it comes to nutrition but some things were new to me. The cleanse keeps you hyper hydrated, but not in an obnoxious, drink eight ounce glasses of water a day way. Who is ever that thirsty, for fuck's sake? I was introduced to coconut water and smoothies and fruit and vegetable extractions and soups that not only satisfied my hunger, but they tasted delicious! The hydration served a very important function besides hunger abatement. It prevented me from having that coffee withdrawal headache that I fear so much. The food was so satisfying, that before I knew it, I had eliminated dairy, sugar, caffeine and wheat from my diet. Completely!! Never before has a system been able to defeat my cunning network of denial and rationalization.

Now, since this is a detox, I gotta tell you, there were some really dramatic side effects in the beginning. Since I knew to expect them and knew what they meant, the fact that they were somewhat unpleasant at times was downright uplifting. For instance, both my husband and I, at various times felt body aches, exhaustion, and lower back pain. After drinking something called Super Greens (a delicious juice from my extractor consisting of celery, fresh ginger, kale, pear and lemon) I immediately experienced a jolt of pain running through what I'm pretty sure was my spleen, but could have been my liver. Maybe those organs were jumping for joy? Chad said at one point, he felt like needles were stabbing him on both sides of his pelvis.

We must have been pretty stuffed with poison, that's all I can say. But this was short lived and after only a few days we felt invigorated, calm, well rested and yes, by golly, we lost weight. Other symptoms of progress involve elimination but that would make people way too happy to read about, so I'll just let them experience it for themselves. There are some foods conspicuously missing, like strawberries, potatoes, bell peppers, asparagus and tomatoes. That's what I meant when I said I thought I was knowledgeable. Evidently, some of these are in the family of nightshade and can cause inflammation. I tell you, this stuff is deep.

Gwyneth Paltrow recommends Dr. Junger's book in order to understand the science behind all of this and I'm in the process of reading it now. Some of it is annoyingly redundant, but the brass tacks of it are fascinating and worthwhile. I've subscribed to Paltrow's newsletter, which is abundant with topics of fashion, food, activities, spirituality etc. What a gal. Thanks Gwyneth.

--By Laraine Newman

Gwyneth Paltrow Snubs Scarlett Johannson On 'Iron Man 2' Set

2009-08-18T13:50:17Z

Gwyneth Paltrow is not making any new friends these days.

The actress recently wrapped filming on "Iron Man 2" (due to hit theatres in May 2010), where she wasn't a crew favorite, FOX411 has learned.

Sisters Or Mother And Daughter? Hot Hollywood Moms (PHOTOS, POLL)

2009-08-16T09:40:47Z

The apple doesn't fall far from the tree for these mother/daughter pairs. But which of them could pass as sisters? You decide.

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Abby Elliott Spoofs Gwyneth Paltrow's Cooking Lesson (VIDEO)

2009-08-14T10:43:29Z

Last month Gwyneth Paltrow sent out an 8-minute video teaching her GOOP fans how to make a roast chicken. In it she extols the virtues of fleur de sel, and talks about her love of cooking. Of course, this laid back lesson was ripe for a parody and Funny or Die took up the cause with the help of SNL's Abby Elliott.

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Gwyneth Paltrow Makes Chicken Goop.com with Abby Elliott from Abby Elliott

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Gwyneth Paltrow Dons Sparkles And Slashes

2009-07-30T11:38:03Z

Gwyneth Paltrow was a walking billboard for cleansing at the Children of the City 'Champions of Hope' benefit in New York City Wednesday night.

Paltrow, who recently finished filming "Iron Man 2" glowed in a black and sparkling mini dress by Preen and black booties, with a red kabbalah string around her wrist.

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Gwyneth Paltrow Vs. Kate Gosselin: Who Wore The Hairdo Best? (PHOTOS, POLL)

2009-07-27T16:50:37Z

You probably never thought they'd be mentioned in the same breath, but oh well.

More than a decade before Kate Gosselin's 'do entered the public consciousness, Gwyneth had a similar cut for "Sliding Doors."

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Amanda Christine Miller: Where to Find the Best Vintage Clothing on the Web

2009-07-23T19:53:00Z

To look totally unique, vintage clothing is the way to go and some of the best vintage pieces can be found online at sites run by expert curators who pick through the trash to find real treasure. Wearing vintage clothing sets you apart from the crowd and it's fun to play with pieces from different eras, mixing a Victorian day dress with a hippie fur vest. When you wear vintage, you can be sure you won't look like anyone else. Here is a roundup of some of the best sites.

1960's Long Pucci Dress from Shrimptoncouture.com

www.shrimptoncouture.com is to vintage clothing as net-a-porter.com is to designer duds; and is a well-designed site featuring vintage clothes, "reworked vintage clothes," modern collectibles, and a LookBook highlighting perfect party dresses from all eras. Not only does Shrimpton Couture accept returns (minus a 10% stocking fee or a full store credit), but also generously has a layaway service; the perfect vintage dress only comes around once while a paycheck only comes around once every two weeks. Cherie Federau, who runs the site as an extension of her own closet filled with items she has collected or would purchase, has very high standards. Each item is in flawless condition, the gold standard in a community overrun with moth holes and stains. Federau says 1970's maxi dresses, one shoulder dresses and 1950's "cupcake" silhouettes have been flying out the door. "There is an appeal to girls to have a dress that no one else has, whether it is for daytime or for special events. I try to find dresses that have a very special look and feel to them; that makes them stand out." Clients include Rebecca Romijn, Courtney Love and The Boston Museum. Federau's site is truly unique: you can find a 1960's Geoffrey Beene coat ($975) or a 2006 Alexander McQueen dress ($1,800), believed to be highly collectible in the future.

RSVP Dress made from Civil War era lace lined with ombre silk mousseline and deco era buckle from Shrimptoncouture.com

She also sells reworked vintage by designers such as The Glamourai, RSVP, Lousie Black and Reverie NYC who take period clothes and jewelry that are damaged or otherwise unwearable, and modifies them in a contemporary way. "This is an exciting direction that becomes more relevant as we look at ways to recycle and use resources more efficiently," says Federau. "These designers are committed to either restoring or reworking only pieces that are damaged." The results range from a 1930's beaded dress ($698) by RSVP, who reworks beautiful antique textiles, to a Summer Bouquet Bib ($325) by The Glamourai, whose necklaces capture the eclectic, chunky styles that have been seen on runways from Lanvin to Marni. In early August, Shrimptoncouture will add one more designer's capsule collection to her site, Norwegian Wood, who also designs for Topshop and whose work centers around fringe necklaces and body harnesses.

1970's Black Vinyl Courreges Evening Dress from Enokiworld.com

www.enokiworld.com has been selling vintage clothing and accessories since 1999, the dark ages of online shopping. Madeline Meyerowitz, who owns and runs the site, moved to the Midwest from the East Coast, where she was a professional cook, and started attending garage sales with the intention of collecting mid-century dinnerware. But rather than finding items by Eva Zeisel, she found Hattie Carnegie, Mollie Parnis and Rudi Gernreich. The rest, as they say, is history. Her inventory is now global, coming in from Paris, Spain and Israel, and is expertly curated, ranging from a 1970's black vinyl Courreges evening dress ($1150) to a 1980's monogram Louis Vuitton diaper bag ($795). While most online sales are final, Meyerowitz has a unique return policy that distinguishes her site from the competition, "We have a generous return policy because we completely understand that no matter what the item looks like on paper, it is never final until you get to try it on and see yourself from all angles." Enokiworld's prices are reasonable and her best sellers are designer handbags because, "they're not contingent on how small your waist and hips are."

Gold Deco Dress and Lame Lace Cape from Victorianbedouin1

One of the best places for vintage is www.eBay.com, which can be hard to navigate owing to massive volume. A great seller is Christine Davis, also known by her screen name as "Victorianbedouin1." Davis has been collecting clothing and textiles for twenty-five years and considers her eBay business as a "karmic loop of old things." She specializes in clothes that are both wearable and collectible ranging from 1910 - 1970 and claims, "Everyone looks fantastic in a '50's New Look dress; and always invest in a '50's era coat which never goes out of style." Current items for sale include a 1920's Liberty of London gold lame cocoon coat ($2,200) and a 1960's fuchsia pink lace mini dress ($225). Although all sales are final some of her prices are negotiable. She says the trick to knowing what to buy is to heed the "need it/don't need it balance scales that all women possess." Davis can also be reached at victorianbedouin@gmail.com.

1970's Suede and Leather Gucci Coat from Decades

Gwyneth, J. Lo and Rhianna get their vintage from www.decadesinc.blogspot.com. Items for sale include a 1958 Christian Dior white tulle evening dress to a 1970's suede and leather Gucci coat. Prices are not listed because, explains owner Cameron Silver, "The goal is to create an interactive relationship with each client for a one-on-one shopping experience not dissimilar to shopping in our Decades flagship store in Los Angeles." Silver's collection, often seen at awards shows and movie premieres around the world, come from the closets of some of the chicest women around the world and includes Hermes Birkin bags. Sigh.

All sales are final with both Decades and Victorianbedouin1 on eBay, but the joy of working with renowned dealers and sellers is that they are honest and fair and always have the best stock. They are patient and understand that whether you are purchasing a $3,000 coat or a $125 dress, it's an investment in a rare work of art.

Gwyneth Paltrow's Cooking Lesson (VIDEO)

2009-07-23T15:04:27Z

Watch out Barefoot Contessa!

Gwyneth Paltrow has sent out an 8-minute video teaching her GOOP newsletter subscribers how to make her version of fast food - a roast chicken, potatoes and a farmer's market salad.

In the video, seen below, a casual Gwyneth chats about her love of cooking and food while de-boning a chicken, peeling and parboiling potatoes and throwing together a salad using fresh, local ingredients.

Paltrow says she learned to cook with her father, with whom she would watch cooking shows. She learned to wash a chicken from her grandmother. She also said she sometimes lies awake in bed thinking of food and cooking.

Two weeks ago her GOOP mailer extolled the virtues of her recent 21-day cleanse.

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"Iron Man 2" Stills: Gwyneth, Scarlett, Downey & More (PHOTOS)

2009-07-22T14:34:47Z

The movie is not out till May 2010, but below are new stills from the recently wrapped "Iron Man 2," starring Robert Downey Jr, Gwyneth Paltrow, Mickey Rourke and Scarlett Johansson. The film also stars Don Cheadle, who takes over the role of James Rhodes, played by Terrence Howard in the first film .

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Charlotte Hilton Andersen: Food Allergies Are the New Eating Disorder

2009-07-21T16:27:37Z

I think this little guy can safely rule out peanut allergies. Although he may have seen a few too many KISS shows...

As a Woman with Uneasy Relationships to Food, let me tell you: the easiest way to restrict your diet is to take out a whole group of foods. And nothing cuts food pushers off at the knees like a moralistic food resistor. Sure you can always decline that burger by saying, "I'm trying to eat healthy" but how much better -- and less arguable -- is it to say, "I'm a vegetarian. Don't you know that cows are the number one polluter of groundwater? And besides, red meat consumption is linked to a 30-50% increase in colon cancer." Not only do you not have to eat the burger -- probably they will never offer you meat again -- but you put the focus back on the person by making them answer the lose/lose: Which do you hate more -- me or the planet?

Don't get me wrong -- I'm not saying that all vegetarians have eating disorders (nor am I saying all vegetarians are militant jerks). But I am saying that vegetarianism has long been used by anorexics the world over as a way to hide and distract from their disordered eating. This is a point that my family and I still talk about, a decade after my sister and I "went veg" as a way of not eating. Me, I eventually went back to being (mostly) a vegetarian for a host of health, moral and spiritual reasons without being disordered about it. My sister, on the other hand, while she sympathizes with vegetarianism has said that she fears returning to it will cause a resurgence of her long-overcome eating disorder. Then there's my brother: current vegetarian, never eating disordered, and happy about both.

But in the ever-evolving world of "not dieting" food restricting, things are always changing as people come up with new ways to perpetuate the old behaviors. The current fad? Food allergies. As with many trends, these things seem to start with celebrities. Everyone from Elizabeth Hasselbeck to Rachel Weisz to Geri Halliwell claim to be gluten intolerant. Victoria Beckham and Orlando Bloom, among others claim to be allergic to dairy. And then there is Gwyneth Paltrow who pretty much avoids everything except water (we call that a "cleanse" these days in case you missed the memo).

A 2006 study of general practitioners found that almost all had seen a rise in patients saying they had a food allergy after watching a celebrity interview on the subject. The doctors said that 94% of those patients had no idea of the difference between an allergy and an intolerance. "Food allergies and intolerances can be serious for individuals who are affected. Whilst it's encouraging that awareness is improving, it's crucial that people don't jump to conclusions based on what they've heard or read. Excluding particular food groups can upset a balanced and healthy diet."

A 2009 study reported in the LA Times states, "Only about 25% of people who think they have a food allergy will actually have one." Adding, "And the twice-as-high rates of peanut allergies and four hundred percent increase in those who suffer from celiac disease has got to have more to do than just increased awareness and more frequent testing."

To add to the psychosomatic aspect of self-diagnosing food allergies, it turns out that the blood tests that many (most?) doctors rely on to diagnose them often aren't correct either. Apparently the only true way to test for a food allergy is to have the person - under close doctor's supervision - gradually eat more and more of the suspicious food. I can't see anyone, patients or doctors, thinking that is a fun idea. (Is that an EpiPen in your pocket or are you just happy to see me?)

So now the question becomes why would anyone who is not a clinical hypochondriac want to have a food allergy or intolerance? Any person who is deathly allergic to nuts will tell you how miserable it is just trying to buy food at the grocery store, much less eat out. It severely restricts what, where and how you can eat. And that, I think is the key to their meteoric rise. It's one more way to give yourself a reason to not eat something or more likely an entire group of somethings.

Do all people with food allergies or intolerances have an eating disorder? Absolutely not. But are some people using the allergy/intolerance umbrella as a reason to restrict food? I'm betting yes. And it's not just celebrities.

So, do you think I'm nuts? Or have you seen someone who suddenly became gluten intolerant overnight, treating it as the newest diet fad?

P.S. Want to see vegetarianism from "the other side"? Check out this hilarious video! Seriously, even I laughed and I'm a vegetarian (when I'm not pregnant):

Note: If you are reading this via e-mail or a reader, click thru to see the video blah, blah, blah.

Gwyneth Paltrow Cleanses Again: Three Weeks of Smoothies And Salads

2009-07-09T15:48:57Z

Many of us equate summer holidays such as the Fourth with unfettered eating and drinking--not so for Gwyneth Paltrow, who is now on the heels of a three-week-long 'Clean' detox program as she simultaneously films "Iron Man 2."

"I feel pure and happy and much lighter (I dropped the extra pounds that I had gained during a majorly fun and delicious "relax and enjoy life phase" about a month ago)," she wrote to subscribers of her GOOP newsletter.

The cleanse, developed by Gwyneth's doctor and detox diet specialist, Dr. Alejandro Junger, consists of two liquid meals a day with a solid one (no processed foods, dairy, sugar, etc) in between.

Gwyneth is no stranger to resting her digestive system. She suffered through the Master Cleanse's lemon juice, maple syrup and cayenne pepper regimen last year and more recently shed some self-reported extra holiday weight with Dr. Junger's 'Clean' program.

Apparently she was pleased enough with the results to use the same detox program again this time around. "I followed it to the letter and I can report that it worked wonders," she wrote.

You can find more Gwyneth wellness wisdom and details of the cleanse here.

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Global Campaign Calls On G8 Leaders To 'Make Their Mothers Proud', Fight For Maternal Health

2009-07-07T09:00:19Z

A global campaign backed by international figures including Naomi Campbell, Claudia Schiffer, Emma Thompson, Gwyneth Paltrow, Yoko Ono, Wendi Murdoch, Christiane Amanpour, Annie Lennox and JK Rowling is being launched this week calling on G8 leaders to keep their promises on maternal health.

With only one day to go to the G8, campaigners are publishing full page adverts across G8 countries in newspapers with a combined circulation of over seven million.

The adverts show the G8 leaders pictured with their mothers, as in a family photo album. They are simply asked to make their mothers proud, by working together to honour previous pledges of action.

Christiane Amanpour said:
"In Ireland, one woman in 40,000 dies in childbirth. In Afghanistan, it's one woman in 8. We are here to say that it is simply no longer ok."

Yoko Ono said:
"Families, communities, and whole societies, are built on the mother-child relationship. There are simple actions that G8 leaders can take to support this most vital human bond, with massive benefit across the world."

Naomi Campbell said:
"There has been a risk for women in childbirth since the world began. But in 2009, for a woman to die because she doesn't have the medication to stop pre eclampsia - medication which costs 20p - is simply, morally, ethically, and deeply, wrong. Eight world leaders in Italy this week have the ability to stop this outrage. We urge them to take this preventable, tragedy seriously."

JK Rowling said:
"Today we are asking the G8 leaders to ensure that every child across the world grows up with the vital support of their mother, as they did."

Gwyneth Paltrow said:
"It is one of the great scandals facing our generation. While we are worrying about rising taxes, there are women dying in childbirth for the lack of a sutre-stitching kit which costs a couple of pounds. It's simply no longer acceptable that we ignore this disgrace."
Emma Thompson said:

"The statistics surrounding maternal mortality are tragic. How can we begin to resolve any of the problems facing the developing world if we cannot first save the lives of these women?"

Annie Lennox said:
"The fact that 80% of these deaths are preventable means there is no excuse for a delay in reducing them. I hope the G8 leaders prioritise this issue at the summit in Italy this week."

Brigid McConville, Director of the White Ribbon Alliance in the UK, said:
"We know how to prevent women dying in pregnancy and birth; we must invest in many more health workers. Now is the time for world leaders to deliver on their promises"

The advert has been created by Saatchi and Saatchi London, and freud communications, and published under the auspices of the White Ribbon Alliance, as part of its ongoing campaign to continue raising international awareness about the nearly 600,000 women who die needlessly each year in pregnancy and childbirth, worldwide. For more information, go here. The advert is being published in Wall Street Journal, The Times (London), Evening Standard, Die Welt, Toronto Globe and Mail, La Stampa, Le Monde and Novaya Gazeta.

In Japan in 2008 G8 leaders did pledge to fill the gap in funding for 4 million health workers. However mechanisms and funding to support this promise have not yet been developed, which has meant that since the last G8 536,000 mothers who could have lived, have died (according to WHO/UNFPA/UNICEF/World Bank). And yet, some countries have made progress towards achieving the goal, despite the current worldwide economic downturn. Prime Minister Brown has committed to fulfil his promise of spending £7billion to tackle the issue of maternal mortality, and President Obama has proposed a plan to invest $8.6 billion in development work to include reducing maternal mortality and children under 5.

Millennium Development Goal 5 is the goal to reduce maternal mortality by 75% by 2015. Yet it is the most neglected of all the MDGs, with no reduction in deaths for 20 years. The White Ribbon Alliance is a rapidly growing global movement with members from all walks of life in 140 countries, now successfully pressing for change at every level. We now have the best chance in many years to save the lives of millions of women - who are central to all development - if health workers are trained and retained across the world.

G8 Maternal Health Ad -

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Gwyneth Paltrow Talks About How Spain Changed Her Life

2009-07-01T14:55:26Z

NEW YORK — Gwyneth Paltrow speaks almost perfect Spanish _ and she does it with an Iberian accent.

The Oscar-winning actress says she traveled to Spain as a teenager, fell in love with the country, and embraces the culture to the point that she visits at least once a year and makes sure her young children, Apple and Moses, also speak the language.

Jamie Frevele: Gwynnie: In Which She Defends GOOP

2009-06-10T09:19:17Z

I thought since Gwyneth Paltrow was on "The Tonight Show" promoting her Crisco-covered legs and her blog GOOP that I might join in the fun. Behold, my first sketch, currently running on Funny or Die.

Gwynnie: In Which She Defends GOOP - watch more funny videos

Gwyneth Paltrow: Her 'Sensitive Thug' Son, Oily Legs And Butt Exercises (VIDEO)

2009-06-05T22:22:34Z

Gwyneth Paltrow (with remarkably shiny, oiled-up legs) joined Conan O'Brien Thursday night, and the two bonded over their kids and did some butt exercises. (An hour later Jessica Biel was working out with Jimmy Fallon)

Both have 3-year-old sons, and Gwyneth described her son Moses as a "sensitive thug" rap lover who likes the music of "Uncle Jay," known to most people as Jay-Z. She said how the toddler loves the video for "99 Problems" (lyric: "and the bitch ain't one") and thinks "any white person is his dad" and all rock music he hears is that of dad, Coldplay singer Chris Martin.

In the second segment (legs having been wiped down and appearing less shiny) she talked about her website/newsletter GOOP.com and the exercises she has there to boost your butt, which led to a demonstration by Conan and a butt grab.

WATCH FIRST PART (Shiny legs and kids):

WATCH PART 2 (less shiny legs and butt crunches in the last minute):

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