Intern for a Cause: Changing the World

Written by Uptown Liz Marketing Intern Nandini Kavuri

I should probably start by introducing myself: my name is Nandini Kavuri and I am a junior marketing major at Texas A&M University. I have just recently started working as an intern for Uptown Liz and I could not be more excited. I have always been a fan of the Gandhi quote, “be the change you wish to see in the world”. I think it is a powerful statement about the transformation one person is capable of bringing.

It has always been a secret goal of mine to change the world. I never really anticipated how exactly I was going to accomplish this feat; I just knew that it was on my to-do list in life. Now I can’t say that I have come anywhere close to reaching this goal, but I can say that I have decided that I want to make this goal a priority.

As a business major, I spend a lot of time learning about revenue and profit margins. But I love when companies care about more than just their bottom line. I believe that businesses can be financially successful and still be charitable. In fact, it seems like the ideal package. As a consumer I want to know where my money is going and know that it means something.

Coming to college has allowed me to expand my horizons and figure out what I am most passionate about. I have realized that I just want to give back. I have been awarded so many great opportunities in my life and I would love to be able to help others. I believe that working with Uptown Liz is another wonderful opportunity that I have been afforded. I know that working as an intern, I will learn so much more about the company and myself. And maybe I will be one step closer to making my goal of changing the world come true.

A Whale of a Reception: Surfer Jodie Nelson Paddles for Breast Cancer Awareness

Written by guest blogger Natasha Raju

“Let me ask you something. If someone prays for patience, you think God gives them patience? Or does he give them the opportunity to be patient? If he prayed for courage, does God give him courage, or does he give him opportunities to be courageous?” –Evan Almighty

Sometimes we take for granted the signs all around us that show us that God is watching over us and that he truly understands the measures we take in life. If we pray to be inspiring, does God just give it to us or does he give us to opportunity to inspire others?

When Southern California surfer, Jodie Nelson, was stand-up paddling from Santa Catalina Island to Dana Point, she was hoping to inspire her best friend who has been struggling to fight breast cancer. She was helping to raise money for cancer charities and also increase the awareness of the cancer effecting women all over the nation.

God was not the only one on her side that day. A 30-foot minke whale, which Nelson named Larry, swam alongside her board for two of the nine hours she was paddling. “To me it was a total God thing," Nelson said. "We prayed at four that morning that God would reveal his beauty and creation and nature, and allow me to endure this long trek, so for me it's not such a huge surprise that this happened."

Nelson was hoping to raise $100,000 for the Keep a Breast Foundation and Boarding for Breast Cancer, however was only able to raise $6,000. Regardless of outcome, she believes that with the help of Larry, her fundraising efforts will soon help her achieve her goal. "I can't even begin to compare what I did, to what cancer patients are going through," she said. "But I wanted to put myself out there in a dangerous and scary, overwhelming situation; something that was big and just to show people that you can win that battle with that big, scary thing called cancer.

So next time you feel inspiring, look around you … you never know when God is giving you a sign! If you would like to help Jodie with her cause, you can reach her through her page on Keep a Breast Foundation Web site.

And don’t forget to inspire others by giving back at Uptown Liz!

Donate for a Cause: Your trash is someone else’s treasure

Written by guest blogger Natasha Raju

Have you ever felt there are times when you are cleaning the house and realize you might be throwing out old items that are still in good condition, but don’t know what to do with them? I can’t count the numerous times I’ve felt guilty for throwing away clothes or old furniture after doing spring cleaning, mainly because it was less time consuming to just toss it in the trash. However, there is a solution!

Excess Access is an online web site that works with donors and nonprofits in donating and recycling items to help support public charities. They assist their mother organization, the ecological public charity Matter of Trust. Excess Access acts as a database that donates all of their proceeds to charity.

An interesting aspect of their business is that their employees are student interns, work-from-home moms, and seniors. They do not compete for funding that most charities need. Members only have to pay $5 each year to participate in the program!

They have an 81% success rate and have donated $64,266,065 plus in items! Their most popular products include desks, beds, sofas, chairs, kids clothing, toys, office and school supplies, and even hair clippings for oil spill hair mats.

Check out their Web site for more information and know that even though you might be on a time crunch, someone somewhere will gladly love to take your donated items.

And remember, for ways to support causes and shop for your favorite products visit Uptown Liz!

Diet and Exercise Can Reduce Your Breast Cancer Risk

Written by guest blogger Natasha Raju


I will be the first one to admit that sitting on the couch and watching my favorite episode of Lost with a bag of popcorn would be my perfect idea of R&R. The last thing on my mind is hitting the gym after a hard day of work.

According to a recent article, women who change their lifestyle by eating less and exercising more could change their outcome of getting breast cancer. There has been a progress in early detection with mammogram screening and treatments that have slowed down breast cancer but “what can be achieved with screening has been achieved. We can’t do much more,” Carlo La Vecchia, head of epidemiology at the University of Milan, said in an interview.

He estimated that 25% - 30% of breast cancer cases might be avoided if women made the conscious effort to be healthy by changing their eating habits and exercise regime. In many cancer cases, there has been repeated health advice in areas such as diet, smoking, and sun exposure that could play a role in being diagnosed with cancer.

Quick statistics:
- Chance of getting breast cancer is 1 in 8 in women
- Obese women are 60% more likely to be diagnosed with cancer than a normal-weight woman (according to a British study in 2006)

Of course, the three major risk factors in breast cancer, gender, family history, and age, are beyond anyone’s control. However, a healthier lifestyle isn’t.

The American Cancer Society has important recommendations:
- 45 to 60 minutes of physical activity for 4-5 days a week.
- Drinking less alcohol. Having more than two drinks a day can increase the risk by 4 -10%.
- There have been studies on hormone-replacement therapy being linked to cancer.
- Watch your nutrition and find a nutritionist to discover a healthy eating regime.

Carlo La Vecchia is quoted saying, "It's hard to lose weight, but it's not impossible. The potential benefit of preventing cancer is worth it."

And don’t forget, for ways to support breast cancer awareness through shopping, browse products on Uptown Liz.

Brigading For A Cause: Global Brigades Panama Day 2

Written by guest blogger Bethany Bowen

Day 2 started at 7 a.m. and I felt surprisingly well rested; in fact I slept really well the whole trip. After eating breakfast we started driving to the community. It took us about six hours to get there, but the length didn’t matter because it was absolutely the most beautiful landscape I had ever seen. Seriously, pictures don’t do this place justice. There was greenery everywhere, mountains, and random waterfalls.

At the start of our 5th hour of driving we saw a sloth, yes a three-towed sloth, crossing the road. Our driver almost hit it and then we stopped to turn around and go find it. Our drivers called him (we decided he was a boy for some reason) “gato perezoso”, which literally translates to “lazy cat”.

We finally arrived at Rio de Este around two in the afternoon, and tried to get settled in. We were staying in the school; a concrete building with open holes for windows and doors. The people in the village, the Ngobes, were very shy. When I would try to say “hola” they would look at me like I was out of my mind. At this point, I got really nervous about the success of our brigade. We took a tour of the community; most homes were made of wood and had thatched roofs, there were three stores, a volleyball court, and a community building. The children were very curious about the “mirri ginnis”, this is the Ngobe term for Americans, and they started following us everywhere. My friend Scott showed them his camera and seeing themselves on the screen fascinated them. I loved this moment because young kids in America are the exact same way.

Next, we had a group meeting with the community to introduce ourselves and talk about why we are here and what they hope to gain from us. There were a few people in our group that spoke Spanish fluently, but all in all, the language barrier was very difficult. After the meeting we had a Ngobe lesson. A Ngobe man was trying to teach all of us Ngobe, but he was speaking in Spanish. It was so confusing I almost couldn’t concentrate. We did learn basic phrases like "hello", "neontore", and "how are you," "moutouno", and the next day the community seemed to be happy that we were trying.

Turning my black thumb to a green thumb on Earth Day

I have no green thumb. If there’s a term for having a black thumb, I have it. Years of being wiped out with allergies have kept me from becoming one with nature. During spring, my entire face looks like a cartoon balloon in the Macy's Thanksgiving parade.

Don't get me wrong, I love the outdoors. When I leave my house. But until they design Kleenex boxes that match my handbags, I'll be gardending indoors. Hey, watching Nate Berkus do a backyard makeover totally counts.

Enter in Hubby. He has the greenest thumb I know, and loves working in the yard. He calls it his therapy/time away from me. Way cheaper than a marriage counselor. He can tinker in the yard for hours, and sometimes, well most of the time, he boasts about the color of our grass compared to our neighbors. Out loud. Where they can hear him.

I recently read an article that plants help purify the air indoors. Meaning, they help clear out toxins and help with allergies. So I added “get house plants” to the honey-do list. Mr. Martha Stewart jumped on this task. An excuse to spend hours at Home Depot, and find decorative pots to match our house was too much to resist. He also loves the taco stand out front.

Looking at the beautiful plants all around my house, makes me so happy. Not only did the air immediately start to smell different, they have added some “décor” to the house. Tops of cabinets and corners that have remained bare due to my lack of creativity are now brimming with green. I’m kicking Hubby he didn’t do this years ago.

To up the décor and down the toxicity in your home, buy some plants from this list. And leave a comment and let us know which ones you bought.

Photo caption 1: Peace Lily
Photo caption 2: Rubber Tree

Wear Your Fat Pants to The Chef’s Table

I’m a self-proclaimed foodie. I come from a long, line of gourmet cooks, and Liz could have easily been a competitive eater that still looked good in a bikini. Totally unfair. Nothing gets past my palette – nothing. I’m the one at the table that finishes the food on my friends’ plates. And yes, I have done this the first time I’ve met someone. Hey, sharing is caring.

So it completely works out that I have friends who own restaurants (two and counting), and that they are not too embarrassed to have me come in.

This was the case last night, when I went to The Chef’s Table, owned by my friend, Kay Hill, and her husband, the Chef, David. One look at the menu, and I knew I was done for. I wanted every, single thing on there, but there was no way 10 appetizers and entrees would fit at the bar (that overlooks Chef David at work). Considering the place is packed to capacity every night, I had to order only what would fit in my personal space. And my neighbor’s.

I proceeded to order and consume Beer Battered Pesto Fries with Gruyere Cheese, Sauteed Del Rio Botanical Lacinato Kale with Garlic and Malt Vinegar, Beer Battered Halibut Fish Tacos with Chipotle Cream, The All Natural Painted Hills Burger with Carmelized Onion and House Made Pimento Cheese with Dijon Aioli, House Made Banana Tarte with Chocolate and the Bacon Brownie. With cheese on my face and red wine stained-teeth (there were several glasses), my application to The Biggest Loser was the last thing on my mind.

The only thing Chef David did wrong is marry a vegetarian. Watch you talkin’ about, Willis? Well Willis, I’m talkin’ about his super gorgeous, business savvy, yoga instructor wife doesn’t eat meat. Which means she doesn’t sample everything he makes. SHAMEFUL. WASTEFUL. SADFUL.

Oh, Chef David, why? When you could have been just as happy with a less poised, less classy carnivore like myself.

For directions on how to run your rump over to The Chef’s Table, go to their Web site. Reservations and fat pants recommended.

Photo caption 1: Me with a wine-stained mouth with Kay Hill (left).
Photo caption 2: Part (yes, only part) of my fabulous meal.