Although roughly half the world’s population, women-specific health care is a topic seriously lacking. Conversations regarding symptoms and diseases are largely centered on data that is generalized towards the male population, which can be greatly misleading and inaccurate when applied to females. In honor of October as national breast cancer awareness month, the ladies of The Blue Ribbon of the Music Center organized a strictly female health forum Oct. 12.

An estimated 192,370 new cases of invasive breast cancer will occur among women in the United States during 2009. Of those, an estimated 40,170 women will die from the disease. To raise awareness for the prevalent disease, October has been designated as breast cancer awareness month.

Breast cancer can affect all women, from African American to Latino, caucasian to Asian, all sexual orientations, older and younger, pregnant or nursing. Breast cancer does not discriminate across sex either. It is estimated that 1,910 men will be diagnosed with breast cancer in 2009. Although more rare, it is still a threat as 440 of those diagnosed will die from it.

Official “wedding season” may be behind us, but planning a wedding never goes out of style. Leave it to The Wedding Salon, the nation’s leading event planning agency, to construct an event not to be missed by any bride or planner Sept. 14 at West Hollywood’s The London Hotel (1020 N. San Vicente Blvd.), from 4-9 p.m.

Launched in 2004 in connection with über planner Martha Stewart’s wedding tome, The Wedding Salon is a one-stop shop for all things wedding. 

Adidas closes out summer with a full line of men’s and women’s golf apparel. Perfectly stylish to clothe the inner Tiger Woods or Nancy Lopez, Adidas Golf makes clothing, equipment and accessories functional and accessible because, as their motto proclaims, “golfers are athletes.” All items are available at various Beverly Hills locations including Sport Chalet’s John Wells Golf Shop (Beverly #12, Los Angeles, 310-657-3210) and Bel Air Country Club (10768 Bellagio Rd., 310-440-2423).

Summer is at its peak. What better time to revamp your sunglass selection, then? Your go-to? Destination Sama.

Opened in 2004, Destination Sama stocks designer Sheila Vance’s full-line of Sama eyewear and includes collections by heavy-hitters such as Loree Rodkin and Badgley Mischka.

The current financial climate suggests frugality over frivolity, intimate over grand, quality over quantity. And this sensibility is translating into all sectors of our lives, including event planning. But who’s to say we should stop the party because money’s a little tight? Don’t we need to have fun that much more?

The summer season seems synonymous with health and wellness. Warmer weather and lighter clothing promotes a sense of bettering our bodies and treating ourselves with a little more respect. What better way to treat yourself well than by modifying your diet? The perfect kick-start, then, is with the Blueprint Cleanse.

Nestled in an office space above North Canon Drive, lies a treasure trove filled with vintage baubles and jewels. Inside V Vintage, you will find storied costume pieces from all of the leading labels such as Chanel, Gucci, Lanvin, Christian Dior, Cadoro, Judith Lieber, Goldette, Bottega Veneta and more, all tucked inside the quaint interior.

Looking for a dress recently proved to be incredibly frustrating. Whether the cut be all wrong for my frame, the fabric too heavy for Southern California’s balmy weather or the style just too trendy (or not trendy enough) to justify the price, dress shopping was just not at all fun or fruitful. That is until I stepped into Leona Edmiston at Sunset Plaza.

Nestled behind a semi-hidden entrance on Wilshire, two blocks east of Robertson, lies what is arguably a jewel for Indian fare in Beverly Hills.

Tucked quietly behind a sculptured exterior façade lies Nirvana (8689 Wilshire Blvd.), a contemporary Indian cuisine mecca for those seeking delicious food in a hip, sexy setting.

From the moment guests enter through the large wooden doors that guard Nirvana, they are greeted with fine details such as over-the-top décor in what can be only described as a classy version of a nightclub setting. The lighting is intimate, the tables lit gently with candles and dim red lighting, lending Nirvana a soft glow that oozes sensuality.

With rates of childhood obesity tripling in the last 25 years, a continuing battle, it seems, is what to feed our children. With the availability of so many processed, pre-packaged foods at their disposal both at school and home, it is hard to monitor what our children are eating. Couple that with the never-ending lack of time adults face which further makes preparing a wholesome meal a tougher goal to achieve than ever.

Thankfully there are alternatives to the sugar-laden, nutrient-lacking foods on the shelves. Companies such as Revolution Foods are capitalizing on the lack of availability of such wholesome, organic options and providing parents a way to rest assured that their child is receiving the maximum benefit from their food.

So often children’s rooms are styled on the fly. They are often just a temporary space, waiting to usher the youngster from babyhood into childhood in pastel-washed rooms adorned with kitschy, sometimes tacky, usually child-like design. But who declared this? Who says your child’s room is impermanent? And who says this room can’t transition seamlessly from one era to another with effortless class and design? Certainly not Gail Sedigh of Art For Kids, the most recent addition to the Beverly Hills high-end, fine design scene.

Just off of Sunset Boulevard, nestled in the renowned Sunset Plaza shopping plaza, lies a mainstay in the world of nail care and beauty—Jessica Nail Clinic.

Founded in 1969 by CEO Jessica Vartoughian, Jessica Nail Clinic is a front-runner in natural nail care products. No foreign chemicals, such as formaldehyde and toluene, common ingredients in nail products such as polish, hardener and remover suspected to cause sensitivities and irritation, are present in the complete Jessica nail care line. Nor does Jessica Nail Clinic rely on artificial nail techniques and applications such as acrylics or false nails.

“Treat your body and face, all in one place,” is the motto spoken around Allure Pilates Spa virtually around the clock. It adorns the door, is chimed in on phone calls – it’s the heart of what Allure does, you can say.

Allure Pilates Spa is a state-of-the-art wellness center that caters to the body, face and now the spirit, all housed in one zen-like retreat at the corners of S. Santa Monica Blvd. and Roxbury Drive.

Barry’s Bootcamp is certainly not a misleading name. Upon walking into the West Hollywood gym, clients are instantly bombarded with everything camouflage, including larger-than-life Barry Jay himself, a personality not to be trifled with.

Jewelry is most women’s guilty pleasure. It sparkles and shines, it doesn’t care if you have gained a pound or ten, it doesn’t talk back. But in this economy, with a recession stretching well over a year, spending with abandon is a thing of the past. For Bel Air-based Caldwell Sutherland Designs, you can have stunning jewelry, made of the finest materials and stones, at a price that respectable.