It’s baseball season in Cincinnati
By: Joe Anthony

You know spring has truly arrived to the Tristate when you start to smell peanuts and hotdogs in the air. Baseball is especially important to our town as the oldest team in professional baseball – your Cincinnati Reds – prepare to take the field for a 139th season. (more…)

Where to find a fashion bargain this spring
By: Amy Provisor

A new season, a new “must have” fashion. We all want to look stylish without breaking the bank. Luckily, there are several places around town to shop where that is possible. (more…)

Grocery shopping made quick & simple
By: Melissa Davis Haller

You’re on the way home and only have a few minutes to spare before feeding the troops and heading out to practices and meetings. But milk is a must-have for tomorrow’s breakfast routine. Thank goodness that grocery retailers — who’ve perfected megastores offering an endless array of products – have a renewed focus on convenience. Because of this, you’re able to grab milk from a refrigerated section right near the checkout and go. No need to head all the way to the dairy section. (more…)

Being single is a state of mind
By: Amy Whisenhunt

Being a “single woman” is the new hot topic on the media circuit today. Especially with the U.S. Census Bureaus’ announcement that 51 percent of the female population is unmarried. Why the increase? You probably already know – women are waiting longer to get married, the divorce rate is up and there are simply more individuals choosing to remain single. And even though this information is history in the making, most single women would agree that being single is not about statistics—it’s a state of mind. (more…)

Protect your home with a spring tune-up
By: Gary Sullivan

The urge to spring clean usually hits us with the first hint of a warm day. This is a checklist that should be done each year to help maintain your home. Or, if you would rather be outside enjoying the weather, most handyman services can be used. (more…)

It’s Time to Get Organized!
By: Kelly Clark

This spring turn the old adage “a place for everything and everything in its place” into a way of life for you and your family. The following rules and products will get you started: (more…)

Take your typical day and make it better
By: Amy Livingston, MSHN, CNC and Dr. Gretchen Dyer

Bzz! Bzz! Bzz! Susie rolls over to shut off the pounding noise from the alarm clock. It’s 6AM. Time to get her family up and moving.

Susie is 42 and mother to three active children. Once, she was an athletic woman, working out a few days a week. But since her children have entered sports and her husband is on the road a lot, she has little time for herself. She has gained 10, well, maybe 20 pounds over the last five years. She feels tired and is always running from one activity to the next with barely a chance to breathe. (more…)

Just Add Water!
By: Hilary Beauchamp

Everywhere we look, water surrounds us. About 70 percent of the earth is covered with water. From indoor pluming to swimming pools to drinking fountains, clean water is a luxury and a necessity. Here are some ways to bring more water into your life and reap the healthy benefits of this beautiful product of nature. (more…)

Cleanse your body with a vegetarian diet
By: Leigh Russo

Spring is a time of new beginnings and fresh starts. There is no better time to start a new diet and shed those winter pounds by indulging in all the fresh springtime foods.

Young leafy vegetables help detoxify the body by “cleaning” the liver and gallbladder. Arugula, chard, dandelion and kale are a great way to add a taste of spring to your meals. All four can be served as salad, steamed or sautéed and are full of vitamins and minerals. Try incorporating some sweet vegetables like beets, onions and parsnips. These root vegetables taste great cut into pieces, tossed with olive oil and roasted in the oven at 400-degrees until crisp. (more…)

Health insurance – Decisions, decisions.
By: Patty K. Scott, Senior VP and Managing Director First Financial Bank Wealth Resource Group

These days, we are all seeking ways to reduce the cost of health care but maintain quality. Health insurance is becoming more expensive. HMOs lower costs, but offer limited choices. What else is out there? Plenty, but the challenge is understanding the options. (more…)

With these trends for the upcoming season
By: Amy Provisor

Flowers are getting ready to bloom and spring is just around the corner. Are you ready to move from winter’s utilitarian fashions to spring’s floaty frocks? Be all set for that first warm, beautiful day by preparing your wardrobe for the spring fashions now. (more…)

What you need to consider before that first bell rings.
By: Susan Farber, M. Ed.

Deciding on what type of school is best for your child is often a challenge. As a parent, there are a number of things to keep in mind when trying to plan for your child’s education. Here is a checklist of questions to contemplate when you begin the school selection process: (more…)

Tax credits are available for many types of home improvements including adding insulation, replacement windows, and certain high efficiency heating and cooling equipment. The maximum amount of homeowner credit for all improvements combined is $500 during the two year period of the tax credit. This tax credit applies to improvements made to your primary residence from January 1, 2006 through December 31, 2007. Visit www.energystar.gov for more information, including a product listing.

Zoom in on Zoo Blooms
By: Staci Giordullo

And you think YOU’VE got landscaping issues. Imagine tending to 75 acres of manicured landscape, including the planting of 80,000 tulip bulbs every fall, just to dig them up in the spring after they’ve bloomed? That’s exactly what the horticulture department at the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden is responsible for every year. It is a task that overwhelms us at the mere thought, and yet Deb Zureick and Lynn Lutz , two members of zoo’s hardworking team, wouldn’t trade it for anything in the world. (more…)

A heart to heart with Cheryl Ladd
By: Staci M. Giordullo

A vibrant personality coupled with her grace and beauty are just a few of the reasons why Cheryl Ladd remains a star in Tinseltown. Cheryl, 55, has come a long way from her days as one of “Charlie’s Angels”. She is the author of Token Chick: A Woman’s Guide to Golfing with the Boys, an autobiographical tale recounting her experiences with golf. Friday nights on NBC, her smile lights up the small screen starring opposite James Caan in “Las Vegas”. On a personal note, Cheryl and her husband, Brian Russell, have reason to celebrate as they recently welcomed their first grandson to the family. (more…)

Kim Borcherding, Symmes Twp.

It was Go Red’s signature red dress that caught her eye. Kim first heard of the Go Red for Women campaign while she was visiting a friend in Oklahoma City and instantly knew it was something she wanted to be involved with. Getting the message out that heart disease is the number one killer of women in the United States is very close to Kim. Her father suffered a massive heart attack at the age of 49 and lived the next 20 years of his life with only half the use of his heart muscle. Witnessing her family go through such an ordeal ignited her passion to increase awareness of this deadly disease. (more…)

By: Vivian Moore

One of the best things about the beginning of a new year is the feeling of new beginnings. Most of us will make a list of new years resolutions, the question is if we will ever get around to them. Usually, the biggest challenge with resolutions is the lack of instant gratification. Like most, we want to make a decision and see immediate results. (more…)