Upsides to the Down Economy/ The "Second Time Around" Fashion Show

Once a year I attend a fashion show in memory of my grandmother, Julia Rice. It is the "Second Time Around" Fashion Show and is put on by the Franklin C. Bush Chapter of the Women's Cancer Association of the University of Miami. We all worried when my grandmother retired as Administrator of the Floridean Nursing Home that she would be bored and wouldn't have enough to do. She volunteered at the Bargain Box- a thrift store that raised money for cancer, and was one of their most dedicated volunteers. The year after she died (2002), they asked my sister Kelley to model in the fashion show in memory of my grandmother and we have gotten a table every year since.

They have a boutique to shop in before the show, featuring jewelry, clothes, shoes and accessories at basement bottom prices, a raffle with great prizes (including cash), lunch (with wine) and the main event- the fashion show. The fashion show features gently worn items hand-picked to feature on the runway and, let me tell you, there are some great buys! There was a fur that had been appraised at $12,000 that sold for under $500. I needed a formal dress for a black tie event that weekend and got one (that Kelley modeled) for $30! I bought another Anne Klein classic black dress for $15 and some rhinestone earrings for $5. You can't beat that! So, for as long as I'm breathing, I will be attending this fashion show and supporting a great cause.

Upsides to the Down Economy/ Eat Your Water

We all know we need eight glasses of water a day, right? But a new book, The Water Secret, is purporting that we need to EAT our water. Instead of just guzzling the clear stuff, eating fruits and veggies high in water content is essential for cellular re-building. Foods that are high in water are generally low in calories and energy-dense, filling up your tummy so you can avoid feeling deprived and hungry while dieting. Which foods have the most water in them? You can probably guess by the weight of some of them, when you pick them up, but here they are.

Veggies

1) Iceberg Lettuce (pretty much no nutrients though, so try Romaine or Spinach instead.)

2) Celery Negative calories to boot. The crunching outweighs the calories= negative calories.

3) Zucchini

4) Radish

5) Tomatoes

Fruits

1) Strawberries

2) Grapefruit

3) Watermelon They don't call it watermelon for nothing.

4) Cantaloupe

5) Oranges

So, there you have it. Start eating your water and see if you don't feel younger and more hydrated (and skinnier!).