Mobile Menu

  • HOME
  • ABOUT
    • TWE & TEAM
    • CONTRIBUTORS
  • PODCASTS
  • INTERVIEWS
    • TWE STORIES
  • BOOKS
    • 20 WOMEN STORYTELLERS
    • 20 WOMEN CHANGEMAKERS
  • SUBSCRIBE
  • CONTACT
  • SEARCH THIS SITE
  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • Menu
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary navigation
  • Skip to footer

Before Header

ENCORE: Scarlett Lewis-A Mother's Journey of Hope and Forgiveness After Sandy Hook

Your browser does not support the audio element.
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • ADVERTISE

TWE Logo 2

The World As We See It

Header Right

  • HOME
  • ABOUT
    • TWE & TEAM
    • CONTRIBUTORS
  • PODCASTS
  • INTERVIEWS
    • TWE STORIES
  • BOOKS
    • 20 WOMEN STORYTELLERS
    • 20 WOMEN CHANGEMAKERS
  • SUBSCRIBE
  • CONTACT
  • SEARCH THIS SITE

The Ultimate Women’s Expo/Los Angeles

October 10, 2011 //  by Stacey Gualandi//  Leave a Comment

Tweet
Share
Share
Pin
Email

Ultimate Women's Expo

By Stacey Gualandi/October 10, 2011

FACEBOOK: Ultimate Women’s Expo

There’s nothing quite like sharing a relaxing spa day with Jane Fonda, Tatum O’Neal, and thousands of other women. I’m totally serious. I recently attended the Ultimate Women’s Expo at the Los Angeles Convention Center, a two-day extravaganza filled with massages, makeovers, shopping, cooking demos, hair styling, celebrity authors and psychic readings…everything under the sun to make even the most stressed out woman take a deep breath.

Massages at Women's Expo
Massages...

It was the second stop on a four-city tour — Phoenix is on tap next — and has become one of the nation’s largest women’s expos to combine shopping, speakers and services for an ultimate estrogen experience, all under one roof.

Cooking Demos
Cooking Demos...

Of course, the big draw was a dizzying list of keynote speakers, which read like a TV rerun of my teenage years:

Dynasty’s Linda Evans, Hart to Hart’s Stefanie Powers, The Brady Bunch’s Florence Henderson, Family Ties’ Meredith Baxter and I Dream of Jeannie’s Barbara Eden.

Stacey and Florence Henderson
Florence Henderson and Stacey

These Hollywood icons – and now best-selling authors – share one thing in common: the wisdom they’ve earned from lives filled with ups, downs, good times and bad, big wins as well as devastating losses. They sold books full of life lessons like it was candy, and I took a handful.

“I hope the words in my book are both helpful and healing,” said Broadway actress, Wesson spokeswoman and, of course, everyone’s favorite Brady, Florence Henderson. She had us all at “Here’s the story…”

Audience at Women’s Expo
Audience at Women’s Expo

She gave a rousing speech on finding the courage to fulfill one’s dreams. She’s glad fans are discovering there is more to her than just Carol Brady, but admits retracing a childhood of poverty and abandonment in her new candid memoir “Life is Not a Stage” wasn’t easy.

“When you’re living it, you don’t really stop and think about what you’re in. The toughest part for me in writing the book was to go back and look at some things that weren’t pretty,” she admitted.

Barbara Eden
Barbara Eden signing books

Barbara Eden says writing “Jeannie Out of the Bottle” ten years after her son’s drug overdose was anything but cathartic.

She said, “I’m happy I did it, but it’s tough to live your life again. I hope whatever I have put in my book is helpful in some way to someone somewhere. I just wish that I had known about things as much as when I was living those things.”

With wisdom, of course, comes age. The consensus at this convention was these stars-with-memoirs have all aged gracefully. And they wouldn’t give up anything now to be younger.

Jane Fonda book“I lost my eyesight, but I’ve gained insight,” said Jane Fonda, who at age 74 claims she’s happier than she’s ever been. Her new book “Prime Time” addresses life after 50, and covers everything from “physics to penile implants.” She recommends that everyone write a “life review” to discover who they really are.

“Real love and intimacy happens when you’re standing on your own two feet. You can’t have intimacy if you don’t love yourself. Look, I came to LA to get a new knee and got a new lover,” she proclaimed.

“Writing your life” was a recurrent theme. At 69, Linda Evans admits her decision to finally pen “Recipes for Life”, her cookbook full of memories, was an incredible adventure. “It took me so much longer than I thought but it taught me so much. I got so many gifts from this book. I want to tell everyone to look back at their life because you can see with new eyes how it led you to where you are now.”

Stacey and Linda Evans
Stacey and Linda Evans

They came to inspire, but many of the speakers took time to enjoy the expo too. Meredith Baxter said, “I think it’s always great when they reach out to women. Women are the moving forces, the biggest shoppers, they are going to move commerce along.”

Attorney-turned-novelist Marcia Clark did some retail therapy of her own after signing her book “Guilt By Association” for fans, as did Stefanie Powers.

Stefanie Powers book

The “One From the Hart” author also had a booth at the Expo to benefit her William Holden Wildlife Foundation. Her message was simple: nourish yourself inside as well as on the outside.

“It all starts from within. We have to empower ourselves on a daily basis even if we never leave the house. I think of it as looking upon ourselves as being as perfect as we possibly can see ourselves to be. It’s only inhibited by our inability to see just how good we can be. Hey, I didn’t say it was easy.”

No one knows that better than Tatum O’Neal, who has written her second memoir “Found, A Daughter’s Journey Home.” She said she was honored to be a part of an event like this and as the final keynote speaker, she spoke openly about sobriety, forgiveness, and above all else, trusting women.

“The people who are going to support me in my life are not going to be the men who are attracted to me, but the women pillars, friends, advocates. It’s going to be those women who are going to get me through my life’s challenges.”

To learn more about upcoming Expo dates, go to the Ultimate Women’s Expo website.

Tweet
Share
Share
Pin
Email

Category: Story of the WeekTag: Barbara Eden, Florence Henderson, Jane Fonda, Linda Evans, Marcia Clark, Meredith Baxter, Stacey Gualandi, Stefanie Powers, Tatum O'Neal, Ultimate Women's Expo

If you enjoyed this article, subscribe to The Women's Eye
and get our latest updates in your Inbox!

You can unsubscribe at any time.

Related Posts

If you liked this post, you might also be interested in these:

Women's Leadership Conference Group Shot/Photo Courtesy WLC

Women’s Leadership Conference Will Tackle Timely Topics While Changing Lives

Lisa See, bestselling author, and Pamela Burke, founder TWE

TWE STORY OF THE WEEK: 2017 Books Not To Miss

Photo: VegasStrong1 photo of Las Vegas First Responders | Photo by Daniel Sundahl

STORY OF THE WEEK: “Vegas Strong” Photo Helps Las Vegas First Responders Heal

Catherine Anaya/Women's Eye--Changemaker Book

“20 WOMEN CHANGEMAKERS” HAS ARRIVED!

Jessica Posner and Kennedy Odebe/Photo from Jessica's book Find Me Unafraid

Jessica Posner and Kennedy Odede Transform Africa’s Largest Urban Slum

Paula McLain; speaking at Book Passage, Aug. 2015/Photo: Pam Burke

Author Paula McLain Reimagines the Lives of Two Remarkable Women

Dr. Christine Carter/Photo: Blake Farrington with her book, The Sweet Spot

Dr. Christine Carter on Finding Your Sweet Spot at Home and Work

Combat Journalist Lynsey Addario at work/Photo from Lynsey

Photojournalist Lynsey Addario On Her Relentless Pursuit of Truth

Hillary Clinton and Kara Swisher at Lead on Conference Silicon Valley, Feb. 24, 2015--Getty Photo

STORY OF THE WEEK: Hillary Clinton Powers Inaugural Lead On Conference for Women

Justices O'Connor and McGregor at Empowerment Luncheon YWCA Phoenix 1/13/15--Photo;: YWCA

An Empowering Luncheon with Justice Sandra Day O’Connor

Elizabeth Smart at Signs of Hope 40th Anniv Dinner for Rape Crisis Center, Las Vegas, Oct. 2014--Photo: Rape Crisis Center

Elizabeth Smart Spreads Message of Hope to Sexual Abuse Victims

Sam Barry and the late Kathi Kamen Goldmark-2009 |

Celebrating Kathi Kamen Goldmark’s Life and ‘Her Wild Oats’

Previous Post: «Anita Hill's New Book: Reimagining Equality Top 10: Anita Hill’s New Book
Next Post: Nobel Peace Prize Winner Leymah Gbowee Talks Women, War and Peace Leymah Gbowee»

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Footer

Inspiration

Many times it takes enormous determination and courage in the face of fear and uncertainty. Leading is about passion. Stand up and do it if something needs changing.

Holly Gordon, Producer Girl Rising

TWE Podcasts

SUBSCRIBE ON ITUNES LISTEN ON SPOTIFY

Search our Archives

  • ABOUT THE WOMEN’S EYE TEAM
  • TWE Radio/Podcasts
  • TWE Interviews & Stories
  • Contact Us

Site Footer

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • RSS
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Copyright © 2010–2022 by The Women's Eye, L.L.C. All rights reserved · Privacy Policy | Terms of Use