Oprah

What Oprah & Obama Will Be Watching This Weekend

Filed under: Events, Charity, Children, Big Givers

No, not the latest bloated-budget Hollywood thriller, but something much closer to home: The Providence Effect, an award-winning documentary about Providence-St. Mel, a small school in Chicago's gritty East Garfield Park that has achieved an incredible 100% college acceptance rate against all odds.

Oprah deserves at least some of the credit; she gave the school $1 million to help fund the educational juggernaut that has been called the future of education. Obama meanwhile visited the school in 1998 and gave an incredible inspirational speech that showed he was destined for the highest office in the land.

The movie centers on the equally inspiring journey of the school's principal Paul J. Adams III, who has challenged the Chicago school system for 30 years with his revolutionary approaches to teaching, and also founded the Providence Englewood Charter School. Of course the Obamas and Oprah have been sent copies to view in their personal screening rooms, but the film opens in select theaters nationwide this Friday.

Tags: Barack Obama, BarackObama, Chicago, education, Obama, Oprah, Oprah Winfrey, OprahWinfrey, school

Oprah's Employees Vacation In Style

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Water, Celebrity Shopping

Working for Oprah certainly has its perks. The AFP is reporting that Oprah Winfrey celebrated her 55th birthday in Barcelona with 1,700 of her employees and their families. The party took place over the weekend at Poble Espanyol, a popular tourist destination with shops, bars and restaurants. Her lucky guests will spend three days in the city before embarking on a 10-day Mediterranean cruise aboard the Norwegian Gem liner sailing to Italy, Turkey, Greece, and Malta. The ship has 11 bars and lounges, 12 restaurants, pool, hot tubs, a beauty salon, spa, casino, cigar club, library and even a bowling alley. Oprah is said to be spending around $5,400 per person on the cruise.

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Tags: barcelona, norwegian gem, NorwegianGem, oprah, oprah winfrey, OprahWinfrey, spain

Oprah Champions The Joys of Private Jet Travel

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Wings

Usually Oprah is the voice of the middle class but this weekend in a speech to Duke University's graduating class, she let her wealth show. She told the students that it's "great to have nice homes." She also loves her private plane and said "anyone that tells you that having your own private jet isn't great is lying to you."

She's right of course and like Robert Frank said in The Wealth Report, it's nice to see someone being honest about the perks of wealth, of which the ability to travel wherever, whenever, in perfect comfort is one of the best. Now we just need to see Oprah say this on her show which she likely will not do for fear of alienating her core audience. With all of the bashing the private jet industry has gotten lately and the resulting fall out, causing the loss of thousands of jobs, the industry could use a little help. The NY Times recently noted that many former private jet users are changing their travel strategies due to both monetary issues and the pervasive feeling that private jet travel is now somehow wrong. Oprah has always had a soft spot for the underdog and right now the private jet industry finds itself in that position.

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Tags: duke, oprah, oprah winfrey, OprahWinfrey, private jet, PrivateJet

Luxury Gift Ideas From The Oprah Store

by Lisa Palladino (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Decor, Jewelry, Celebrity Shopping, Big Givers

In an "of course she does, and I can't believe I didn't know this sooner" moment, I discovered that Oprah has an online store as well as a real one in Chicago. There are indeed some nice items in the Luxury Gift Ideas section that weren't too expensive (but, alas, weren't too original, either). Some go to help a good cause, however, like the Beaded O Bracelets, handcrafted of glass beads by women in Rwanda. Check out the gallery for some other gift ideas from a woman who knows how to gift.

Gallery: Luxury Gift Ideas From The Oprah Store

Tags: gift, gift idea, gift ideas, GiftIdea, GiftIdeas, gifts, Oprah, Oprah store, Oprah Winfrey, OprahStore, OprahWinfrey, Winfrey

The Giving Back Fund Releases Top 30 Celebrity Donors for 2007

by Laura Malesich (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Big Givers

Each year a list of the top thirty celebrity donors is compiled through public records and released. No big surprise as to the top donor -- Oprah Winfrey -- who last year donated over $50 million largely in support of health care and education. The list includes such giving regulars as Paul Newman, Angelina and Brad, and Lance Armstrong and other lesser-known philanthropists including David and Valerie Robinson, Isabel Allende, and Hugh Hefner?! The amount of dollars donated ranges from $50,200,000 to $724,825. Its good to see where some of those big earners spend their money and which causes are getting the celebrity attention.

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Tags: expire-images2009-9-16, giving back 30, giving back 30 2007, giving back fund, GivingBack30, GivingBack302007, GivingBackFund, oprah, oprah winfrey, OprahWinfrey

Charity Of The Day: International Breast Milk Project

by Tracy Chait (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Charity of the Day, Children, Big Givers

Minnesota Mom Jill Youse started sending her own breast milk to Africa in 2006, soon after which she began helping other moms around the country do the same through her organization, the International Breast Milk Project (IBMP). In just the past couple of years IBMP has successfully shipped over 85,000 pounds of milk to infants in Africa, primarily babies fighting illnesses that often abate when breast milk is introduced. Youse set up a program for women who have suffered the loss of an infant through the Madison Cassady Program , so that grieving mothers who still had milk stored in their freezers didn't have to throw it all away. Also distributed in the U.S. to children born prematurely or whose mothers cannot produce milk, donations are made easy for moms. Coolers and the necessary equipment arrive shipped to their doors and are later picked up and sent to babies in need. Even FedEx has chipped in to provide transport for the mothers' milk. Recognized as one of "Earth's Mothers" by Oprah Winfrey a little over a year ago, Youse and IBMP are revolutionizing how new moms think about breastfeeding, convincing them to add a few more mouths along the way.

Tags: Big Givers, BigGivers, Charity, Charity of the Day, CharityOfTheDay, IBMP, International Breast Milk Project, InternationalBreastMilkProject, Jill Youse, JillYouse, Madison Cassady Program, MadisonCassadyProgram, Oprah, Oprah Winfrey, OprahWinfrey

Keyless Deadbolt Uses Fingerprint Scanning

by Lisa Palladino (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Decor, Gadgets

If you've ever fumbled with your keys on a dark night or with your hands full of packages (just like those poor women on Lifetime TV who don't quite get safely inside), you need this.

SmartScan from Kwikset offers the first biometric, keyless technology in a deadbolt designed to fit the décor and standard installation on your residential door. This commercial-grade technology uses biometrics to scan your unique fingerprint, down to the subdermal layer, to unlock your deadbolt without a key.

Fingerprints are read, once users "enroll" in the unit, by just swiping a finger under the sensor. If you're having work done in your home, you can change the normal 24/7 family setting to a temporary access setting that sets days of the week for contractors. Control even more with restricted access that sets time and days of the week, good for regular visitors, such as babysitters or housekeepers. Up to 50 users can be entered, and the administrator can easily enroll or delete users.

This standalone system does not require external wiring and installs like a conventional deadbolt with just a Phillips screwdriver. There's extra security with ANSI Grade 1 security features and back-up key usage. No prices on the Kwikset site, but on Home Depot it's $199.

As seen on The Oprah Winfrey Show. And we know how much Oprah loves her luxury items.

Tags: deadbolt, deadbolt-lock, keyless, keyless entry, keylessentry, kwikset, lock, locks, oprah, oprah winfrey, OprahWinfrey, security

Oprah's Angel Network, Charity of the Day

by Rigel Celeste (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Charity, Charity of the Day

Oprah is famous for being rich, but she's also famous for being generous in her efforts to give back and make the world a better place. Oprah has her hands in a lot of charitable causes, but one of the most successful is Oprah's Angel Network. Started in 1997 as part of a smaller project that took off somewhat unexpectedly, today Oprah's Angel Network has raised more than $70 million dollars towards improving access to education, protecting people's basic rights, building communities, and creating the leaders of tomorrow.

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Tags: charity, charity of the day, CharityOfTheDay, oprah, oprah winfrey, oprah winfreys angel network, OprahWinfrey, OprahWinfreysAngelNetwork

Deborah Lindquist Skull Cardigan

by Star Sutherland (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Apparel, Celebrity Shopping, Green

While watching Oprah today I noticed environmentalist Sophie Uliano was wearing a cardigan by one of my favorite "green" designers. Deborah Lindquist has been the stylist to the stars for years, she has dressed everyone from Paris Hilton and Jessica Simpson to Gwen Stefani and Sharon Stone. Her signature line features the latest, most in demand fabrics like recycled cashmere, paired with today's hottest symbols like skulls and roses. Her style is nonchalant and relaxed, yet classically elegant. Her recycled cashmere cardigan is to die for, it features a skull applique and charming pearl buttons. Fabulous! This must have is available online for $286. Enjoy!

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Tags: cardigan sweater, CardiganSweater, deborah lindquist, deborah lindquist skull cardigan, DeborahLindquist, DeborahLindquistSkullCardigan, oprah, recycled cashmere, RecycledCashmere, shopping

Shopping Oprah's Hand-Me-Downs at the Oprah Store

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Apparel, Celebrity Shopping

In Los Angeles there are few places to buy a celebrity's castoffs but you likely have to be a size two or four but if you are Oprah-sized (sizes 10 to 14) you might want to head to Chicago. Across the street from Oprah Winfrey's studios you'll find Oprah's Closet located in The Oprah Store, a souvenir shop full of Oprah-related accessories. Oprah's Closet features her designer cast-offs with names like Chanel, Prada and Yves Saint Laurent including a large selection of lightly worn shoes. The prices are still pretty high, these are designer duds after all and the provenance has its own value.

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Tags: expire-images2009-4-20, oprah, oprah store, oprah winfrey, OprahWinfrey

Oprah's Favorite Things 2007

by Rigel Celeste (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Celebrity Shopping, Holiday Guides

One of the ultimate compliments that can be paid to a product is a seal of approval from one of the most influential women alive: Oprah Winfrey. Getting on her "Oprah's Favorite Things" list has got to be a nice feeling and a nice boost for sales -- even for already well-established brands and products. It must be nice for Oprah to have people so interested in sharing her personal preferences in everything from electronics to cupcakes that it warrants a whole show. and (generous spirit that she is) she of course gave all these goodies to one lucky live audience in Macon, Georgia. Oh to be part of that group on that day -- they cleaned up!
Gallery: Oprah's Favorite Things 2007

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Tags: celeb, celebrities, celebrity, celebs, christmas, favorite things, FavoriteThings, gift, gifts, holidash, holiday, holidays, oprah, oprah winfrey, OprahWinfrey, shopping

The Vacation Homes of the Stars

by Rigel Celeste (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Estates, Celebrity Shopping

Very few celebrities have only one home -- owning multiple residences in locations around the world is key to keeping any sense of normalcy and routine in their lives. But although first homes are usually in cities like New York and LA to be close to work, where do celebrities like George Clooney, Johnny Depp, and Oprah choose to buy vacation homes? Where do they go when it's entirely up to them and they want to relax?

Well for Clooney it's a waterfront villa in Lake Como, Italy, for Depp it's a 50 acre farmhouse in France, and Oprah prefers her ocean-front ranch in Santa Monica. Where would you live? Check out this list of celebrity summer homes and see who's taste is closest to your own.

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Tags: brad pitt, BradPitt, celine dion, CelineDion, elton john, EltonJohn, estates, george clooney, GeorgeClooney, harrison ford, HarrisonFord, johnny depp, JohnnyDepp, julia roberts, JuliaRoberts, kevin bacon, kevin costner, KevinBacon, KevinCostner, oprah, sara jessica parker, sarah jessica parker, SarahJessicaParker, SaraJessicaParker, summer home, summer homes, SummerHome, SummerHomes, tiger woods, TigerWoods, vacation home, vacation homes, VacationHome, VacationHomes

Patriotic Cakes for the Fourth

by Nicole Weston (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Dining

Fourth of July celebrations call for a perfect ending, whether it is a bold fireworks display or a show-stopping dessert. Since we like to get the best of all possible options, we're inclined to try and combine our dessert and fireworks experience on the 4th. These patriotic cakes clearly rival most red, white and blue displays and are made by Sam Godfrey, who is apparently Oprah's cake designer. One is a Star Present Cake ($69) and the other is dressed up a large Uncle Sam Hat ($99). Both cakes are chocolate caramel flavored and serve 6-8 guests.

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Tags: cake, cakes, food, fourth of July, oprah, patriotic, summer

Oprah's New Plane

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Wings, Celebrity Shopping

We recently mentioned Oprah's home improvements. Ever wonder how she commutes to her California home when she does her show in Chicago? Private plane, of course, and she will soon have a new plane to decorate. It has been reported that she will soon receive a custom-built Global Express XRS from Bombardier Aerospace. The $47-million executive jet has seating for 10 passengers and has a leather interior with designer fixtures for the bathroom and galley. There is an aft stateroom for naps as well as a crew rest area and of course a large main cabin with every amenity Oprah could possibly require.

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Tags: bombardier, global express, oprah, private plane

Oprah's Home Improvements

by Nicole Weston (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Estates

Oprah's $50 million mansion just outside Santa Barbara in Montecito, California, has been nicknamed Oprah's Hearst Castle, due to its size and luxury. The property covers some 42 acres and the house itself is 23,000 square feet. It has 6 bedrooms, 14 bathrooms and, as you might imagine, just about everything else. Some of the improvements Oprah has made since purchasing the house in 2001 include the installation of a massive home theater, building a man-made lake with rare fish and having Montecito sandstone bricks hand-laid in the quarter-mile long driveway. She has also put in a closet the size of an ordinary master bedroom, not for her, but for Stedman to keep what must be a large suit collection.

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Tags: california, closet, estate, hearst castle, home, house, improvements, lake, mansion, oprah, oprah winfrey, renovations, santa barabara

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