In the 1930s, the National Association of Real Estate Boards (the predecessor of NAR) witnessed a growth of women working in real estate and an increased participation of women at national conventions, as women were becoming aware of their potential in and importance to the industry.

Today, Women’s Council is a nationwide community of 16,000 real estate professionals who include many of the best and brightest in the business. The backbone of WCR is its network of more than 300 local and state chapters with volunteer managers trained to position their groups as a business resource in their REALTOR® communities.

WCR has grown to be the twelfth largest U.S. women’s professional organization and has one of the most successful communication networks in the NAR family. Chapters include real estate professionals who support the objectives of WCR and are interested in serving the industry, the community and fellow REALTORS®.

The Women’s Council of Realtors’ Mission Statement is – “We are a network of successful REALTORS® empowering women to exercise their potential as entrepreneurs and industry leaders”.   They work toward their mission by establishing themselves as a reliable source of knowledge committed to both the personal and professional success of their members.  They have been trusted by professional Realtors for more than 60 years as bearers of professional and personal excellence.  WCR provides programs to build relevant skills and has built a referral network generating 100 million commission dollars annually.  WCR strives to be the premier organization for individual achievement. 

Click Women’s Council of REALTORS® for more information.

Are you feeling discouraged in your OC job search?  And while it is certainly understandable that discouragement might replace optimism as the emotion of the day, it’s not time to give up the search.

Harvard University labor economist Lawrence Katz thinks it could take half a decade or more just to get to the employment levels we had two years ago. Still, he expects that during this new decade, the U.S. economy will eventually create 15 million new jobs, with the unemployment rate falling to around 5 percent.  But what is interesting is in what fields the jobs will be located. 

Katz says the U.S. has experienced polarization of the labor market. It results in strong job growth for the high-paying jobs and the low-paying jobs at both ends of the labor market, but less growth in the middle to replace the well-paying manufacturing jobs the U.S. is losing.

Dixie Sommers, assistant commissioner for the Bureau of Labor Statistics, recites a list of the 10 occupations that the BLS expects will provide the greatest number of new jobs over the next decade.  These include:

1. Registered Nurses
2. Home Health Aides
3. Customer Service Representatives
4. Food Preparation and Serving Workers
5. Personal and Home Care Aides
6. Retail Salespersons
7. Office Clerks
8. Accounts
9. Nursing Aides, Orderlies, and Attendants
10. Postsecondary Teachers

Orange County Resource Guide wants to help you in your OC job search.  Find help on how to write a resume as well as searching for available jobs by category or Orange County city.  And always remember…

“It’s not what you achieve, it’s what you overcome.  That’s what defines your career.”  ~Carlton Fisk

Prepare your Pet  with a Pet Sitter or Boarding Kennel

Spring Break is quickly approaching.  We look forward to reconnecting with family and friends or taking a much needed break from our busy lifestyles .  But with  travels in the near future, have you thought about what you are going to do with your pets?  Pets are such an important part our families, but sometimes for a variety of reasons it just make sense to leave them behind.  Happily, there are options. Some swear by boarding their pets.  Others want the security of knowing their pets are in the comfort of their own homes.  Here are a few benefits of both options…

Hire a pet sitter:

• Reduced stress to your pet as they stay in an familiar place
• Tailored care
• Less exposure to illness from other animals
• Personal attention, play time and love 
• No guilt from imposing on family members or neighbors
• No transportation concerns
• House sitting bonus
• Crime deterrent- newspapers and mail are brought in.

Use a boarding kennel:

• Kennels are run by professionals who have the skills, experience, and time to properly care for your pet.
• Secure, welcoming environment
• Playtime each and every day
• Receive plenty of attention
• Many offer grooming services so your pet is fresh and clean upon your arrival to pick them up

Whether you ultimately choose a pet sitter or a kennel, be sure to do your research.  Visit the kennel, interview the pet sitter.  Ask about insurance and hidden costs.  Check references.  Your furry, feathered, or scaly family member deserves the best you can offer.  To get started to learning about your options in Orange County, visit  Pampered Pets at Orange County Resource Guide

Dana Point Festival of Whales 2010
March 6,7
March 13,14
Festival of Whales Parade –   Parade begins promptly at 10 am with a route along Pacific Coast Highway from Selva Road to Golden Lantern in Dana Point.  FREE shuttle service to and from Harbor parking lots will be available. Arrive early, enjoy breakfast harborside, board the free shuttle and then spend the day visiting all the great events located throughout the Harbor and Dana Point Plaza.  Parade entrants are encouraged to embrace the Festival’s theme of Magical Migration when designing parade floats and costumes.

Street Faire  – Hosted by the Dana Point Chamber of Commerce, beginning immediately after the Festival of Whales Parade at Dana Point La Plaza Park,  Pacific Coast Highway North at La Plaza, 10am- 5pm.  It’s a family event, with fun for everyone.  FREE shuttle service from most Harbor parking lots to Dana Point La Plaza Park.

Ocean Institute –  During the festival weekends the learning labs will focus on new discoveries in marine mammal research and allow visitors to explore a variety of fascinating phenomena unique to the magnificent whale. Families will have the opportunity to listen to underwater whale sounds to discover how they communicate, enjoy hands-on activities, learn from special speakers each day of the festival and create fun children’s crafts. Public hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission price is $6.50 for adults (13 yrs+) and $4.50 for children (3 -12 yrs); Children 2 and under are free. Members are free.

Harbor Music Series – Presented by the Dana Point Harbor Association in the Jolly Roger Courtyard in Dana Wharf and Harpoon Henry Grassy Area near Mariner’s Village 12 – 3 pm.  Enjoy a variety of musical styles and sounds.   FREE 

And this is just a very small sampling of the many exciting family friendly activities.  There is so much more going on both weekends in Dana Point.   Learn more about the Festival of Whales and other family activities in and around Orange County.

So Cal Solar wants to know “How Green Are You”. Tell us your story on what you do to impact the environment in a positive way. No impact is too small or large and we want to hear about it to share with the world and continue increasing awareness. If you recycle we want hear about it. If you have a solar electric system we want to what your system’s environmental impact has done. If you stopped using plastic bags we want to know how you adjusted from plastic to eco-bags. If you do it all WE WANT TO HEAR ABOUT IT!!!!

Bringing environmental awareness to our readers is a top priority for So-Cal Solar Inc. That is why we have decided to run a contest and hear how our readers have changed their lifestyles to help the environment. The “How Green Are You” contest will be from February 22-March 17, 2010.   Details of the contest can be found on http://tinyurl.com/ygktxgr.

Another great way to express your environmental savvy is to patronize green businesses.  Every step toward reducing our carbon footprint is a step in the right direction.  Make your first step by visiting Going Green in OC!

Orange County weekend events should include community service.  The mission of The Orange County Rescue Mission is to “minister the love of Jesus Christ to the Least, the Last, and the Lost of our Community through the provision of assistance in the areas of guidance, counseling, education, job training, shelter, food, clothing, health care and independent living communities”.   Take a look at just a few of the services:

• The Village of Hope: a transitional housing program for homeless men, women, and children.
• Hurtt Family Health Clinic: provides highly accessible, preventative, primary and specialized healthcare to homeless and underserved.
• Hope Family Housing Program: designed to provide a final phase of transition for homeless men, women and children in large families.
• House of Hope:  the only program in Orange County for women and their children, offering free transitional housing.
• Double R Ranch: the ranch offers emotional support as well as educational opportunities, vocational training, and recreation to those in need.

Volunteer needs are great and vary from helping with children’s programs to stocking the warehouse. Donations of food, clothes, cleaning supplies, and gift cards are always appreciated.

Here is an actual account of a volunteer experience:
On Sunday, February 21st, nine teenagers with four adult leaders from the Trabuco Trailblazers 4H Community Service Project converged upon the Village of Hope at the Orange County Rescue Mission to provide an afternoon of fun for the children living there.  The Trailblazers spent the afternoon in the Children’s Dream Center, a 6,000 square foot center located on the Village campus.  It only took a few minutes for the Trailblazers to jump in and start connecting with the kids.  They started out providing laps for the kids to sit in during story time.  Moving on to crafts, they assisted the children in making St. Patrick themed bookmarks.  It quickly appeared that just as many shamrock stickers were decorating the children as were decorating the bookmarks.  Snack time, always a big hit, came next.  Lastly, both organized play with a parachute as well as a good old fashioned game of tag rounded out an afternoon of fun.  When it was time to say goodbye, there were plenty of hugs to go around.  The Trailblazers arrived at the OC Rescue Mission thinking that they were changing lives.  When they left, they felt as if it were actually their lives that were changed.

The Volunteer Center of OC has information about The Orange County Rescue Mission as well as many other worthwhile volunteer activities in Orange County.  It’s time to step up!

When looking for an Orange County dentist, it is imperative to search out one who utilizes the most up to date technology.  Dr. Bin Hoang is one such dentist.  Dr. Hoang can restore damaged teeth in a single appointment using a high-quality ceramic material that matches the natural color of other teeth using CEREC®, an acronym for Chairside Economical Restoration of Esthetic Ceramics.

How does the instrument work?

CEREC® uses CAD/CAM (Computer Aided Design / Computer Aided Manufacturing) technology, incorporating a camera, computer and milling machine in one instrument. Dr. Hoang uses a special camera to take an accurate picture of the damaged tooth. This optical impression is transferred and displayed on a color computer screen, where Dr. Hoang uses CAD technology to design the restoration. Then CAM takes over and automatically creates the restoration while the patient waits. Finally, Dr. Hoang bonds the new restoration to the surface of the old tooth. The whole process takes about one hour.

What does this innovation mean for a patient?

A tooth-colored restoration means no more silver fillings discoloring smiles. The filling is natural-looking, compatible with tissue in the mouth, anti-abrasive and plaque-resistant. Dr. Hoang no longer need to create temporaries or take impressions and send them to a lab. Because of this, the traditional second visit has been eliminated. The CEREC® has over a decade of clinical research and documentation to support the technology. The restorations have been proven precise, safe and effective

Read this outstanding review from a satisfied customer:

“I am continually amazed at the state of technology as it relates to advancements in the field of dentistry.  The “while you wait” crown is such a time-saving device – and a very cool thing to observe.  As I sat in the chair, the dentist worked his magic with a cad-type of program.   He deftly molded a perfect rotating polished white 3-D crown graphic from what started out looking like a “sand-castle” version of my tooth–all with the clicks of his mouse.  When finished, he sent it to the printer–er I mean CEREC crown-manufacturing machine–where we watched in awe as 2 tiny diamond-drills popped out from each side and rapidly carved my crown out of a rectangular chuck of square ceramic–all according to the parameters he had drawn.  All that was left to do was to pop it into my mouth and glue it down to the (previously-prepared) area. So much nicer than having to squish that yucky clay-like mold stuff for 5-minutes and then have to spend a week without steak–while wearing a temporary crown.  No double visit, no temporary crown, no molds – just the instant gratification that our society has come to expect.  It sure is a nice change from the old days.”

Are you looking for the best quality dental care in south Orange County, California?  Welcome to San Clemente’s Radiant Smiles Dental Care.

Valentine’s Day is celebrated by sweethearts around the world every February 14th.  Candy, cards, flowers, gifts, and candlelit dinners help to make this romantic holiday special.  But the original St.Valentine was not a particularly romantic figure in that he himself could not marry

According to legend there are three different persons thought to be the Valentine for whom we now celebrate this amorous holiday.  But most generally credit St. Valentine to be the priest who served during the third century in Rome. The emperor had decided that during this tumultuous time in history, single men made better soldiers than those with families. Therefore he made it illegal to marry, a decision in which Valentine took issue. He bravely disobeyed the emperor by continuing to perform marriages.  The emperor did not look upon this flagrant disregard for his power favorably and sentenced Valentine to death.

The custom of celebrating on February 14th was thought to have begun in England and France during the Middle Ages.  Half way through the second month of the year, the birds began to pair – a romantic notion. It was also suggested that February 14th coincided with the death of Valentine and thus it was celebrated in his memory. But either way courtly love began to flourish.  In England during the 17th century, cards between young lovers began to gain popularity and by the 18th century it was common for friends and lovers to exchange cards or hand written notes.

Fast forward to current times:

• 188 million Valentine’s Day cards are exchanged annually, making Valentine’s Day the second most popular greeting-card-giving occasion according to the research done by Hallmark.
• Valentine’s Day is the number 1 sales day for florists.
• There are 27,484 jewelry stores in the United States (in 2007)
• The best way to find the best restaurant in Orange County is to use OCRG’s Dining Guide

Happy Valentine’s Day!

Orange County Weekend Events are many, but in  today’s fast paced world, the dream of rest and relaxation stays just that, a dream. You want to be in control of your life, but how?  Work, family, friends, volunteer work, there just isn’t enough time in the day.   With all the choices available you today, there is one choice that will help you carve out time in your day.  A personal concierge service is just what the doctor ordered.

What  service does a concierge provide?

* help with shopping for a personal gift
* waiting for a home delivery
* planning and catering that special event
* arranging pet sitting while you are out of town
* checking on a homebound loved one 

Basically, if it is on your “to do” list, a concierge service can help with it.  Many concierge services are available seven days a week, 24 hours a day so it is important to shop around.  But all services are designed to be flexible to your needs and your deadlines. With just a call or an email, you will receive an estimate of the fees and the time needed to accomplish your task. Often the best rates come when you purchase weekly, monthly or annual packages. Be sure to ask whether there are any obligations, membership or enrollment fees involved in using their services. Best of all, you only use the services when needed.

It’s time to take control and regain the balance you crave both in your business and family life.  To find companies specializing in concierge service, click HERE. Now all that is left is planning what are you going to do with all your extra time.

It’s not too late to take advantage of this great offer in Newport Beach!

The City of Newport Beach, Southern California’s Premier Dining Destination, invites you to “Savor The Flavor” of the OC’s first and favorite Restaurant Week kicking off January 22 – 28, 2010. Close to 75 ofNewport’s finest eateries will participate for a full week in this citywide culinary celebration, serving up discounted price-fixed lunch menus at $15 or $20, and dinner menus at $25 or $35.

And for more choices in dining destinations, visit the OC Dining Guide!