Holiday Gift Guide!!

We’re heading into the holiday season this week (the most wonderful time of the year). Sure there’s a whole month left to shop, but the reality is it’s time to start thinking about gifts.

So, from today until the last minute possible I will be posting gift suggestions for everyone: kids, parents, siblings, friends, even the dog!
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We all have women in our lives — mami, hermana, tia, prima, BFFs! Gifts for pampering are always appreciated!

It's easy to feel pale and lifeless during the winter, especially when you’re not in a warm tropical country. Mystic Tan's Shimmer FACE is the perfect cure for your winter-face blues.

Shimmer Face adds a sophisticated, healthy-looking glow and is the perfect highlight for cheeks, forehead, eyelids and decolletage.
Retailing at just $26 for 2.5 ounces, Shimmer FACE makes a great pre-holiday treat for you and a great stocking stuffer for all the special women in your life. Mystic Tan's Shimmer FACE can be found at Sephora (http://www.sephora.com/) and Barneys New York (http://www.barneys.com/) and online at Beauty.com.
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Give those tired/dry hands and feet a special treat with Scandle Helping Hand or Sole Survivor treatment packs. Each pack contains a pair of special moisturizing socks or mositurizing gloves (one size fits most) and a 4oz Travel Tin (infused with tea tree & lemongrass essential oils). Simply massage Scandle oil into the skin and wear socks or gloves when relaxing for the ultimate spa treatment! ($23.95)

Relax and indulge with this specially formulated multifunctional 2 in 1 product! Add a few scoops of our specially formulated & natural dead sea salt to your bath and experience the theraputic benefits of a salt soak for your body or combine them with the soothing oil from the Scandle Body Candle to transform the salts into a a gentle warm exfoliating salt scrub for skin. Comes in 8oz jar with scoop. Refills are available! ($17.95)

Both available at http://www.scandlecandle.com/.

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Let the shopping begin!

Latino Celebrities Lend a Helping Hand

On December 4th -7th, 2008, big names in sports join David Ortiz in the Dominican Republic for the Celebrity Golf Classic. This fund raising event directly supports the David Ortiz Children's Fund - dedicated to linking pediatric critical care to children in New England and the Dominican Republic.

Celebrities attending include: Red Sox teammates Tim Wakefield, Justin Masterson, Jed Lowrie, Julio Lugo, and Manager Terry Francona. MLB stars, Alex Rodriguez, Mariano Rivera, Miguel Cabrera, Vladimir Guerrero, Ryan Howard, Jimmy Rollins and Hanley Ramirez will also tee it up, along with sports legends, Bobby Orr, John Havlicek, Luis Tiant, and Jim Rice.

The Celebrity Classic will be held at Sanctuary Cap Cana, a 176-suite, beachfront resort with spectacular island suite accommodations. The tournament will be played at the Punta Espada Golf Club, a Jack Nicklaus signature course and one of Golf Digest's Top 100 Greatest Courses outside the United States.

David Ortiz became involved in 2006 when he learned of the International Hospital for Children (IHC), a non-profit organization linking pediatric critical care services to children in developing countries. He was particularly inspired by the Dominican HEARTS program, a collaborative effort initiated by IHC and Heart Care Dominicana with a consortium of 6 U.S. health focused international organizations. This consortium is dedicated to training and empowering Dominican doctors and nurses at Cedimat Hospital in Santo Domingo to care for the cardiac needs of Dominican children.

Keep up the good work!

It was only a matter of time

I honestly did not expect this to occur this soon, but In The Heights will be on the silver screen as well as the Broadway stage. Universal Pictures announced yesterday that it has acquired the rights to produce a feature film based on In The Heights. The musical has exhilirated audiences on both on and off Broadway since February 2007 and won four Tony Awards this year.

I have yet to see the musical and now I really need to get my butt there before it hits the screen.

Latino voters reshape the American electorate

Early exit poll data suggest that Latino voters had a significant impact on the Presidential race in key states, according to an Election Day analysis conducted by the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials Educational Fund. The NALEO Educational Fund a leading organization that empowers Latinos to participate fully in the American political process, from citizenship to public serivce.


The NALEO Educational Fund analysis reveals that Latinos contributed to Senator Barack Obama's narrow victories in Virginia and Florida. In Virginia, where the reported margin of victory as of this writing was 120,299, the NALEO Educational Fund estimates that about 67,000 Latinos voted for Senator Obama. In Florida, where the reported margin of victory as of this writing was 178,745, the NALEO Educational Fund's analysis estimates that about 548,000 Latinos voted for Senator Obama.

According to NALEO Educational Fund Executive Director Arturo Vargas, "In 2004, President George W. Bush gained victories in Virginia and Florida. Four years later, Latino voters have helped transform these states into 'purple' ones, where party loyalties will become less predictable. Latinos are reshaping the future of the political landscape."

Just putting that info out there for anyone who doubts the Latino influence in this country.
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Los votantes latinos tuvieron un impacto significativo en la carrera presidencial en los estados clave, según un análisis del Día de las Elecciones conducido por el Fondo Educativo de la Asociación Nacional de Funcionarios Latinos Electos y Designados. El Fondo Educativo de NALEO es una organización dedicada a promover la participación de los latinos en el proceso político de Estados Unidos, desde la ciudadanía al servicio público.

El análisis del Fondo Educativo de NALEO revela que los latinos contribuyeron a las victorias del Senador Barack Obama en Virginia y Florida.


Según Arturo Vargas, director ejecutivo del Fondo Educativo NALEO, "En 2004, el presidente George W. Bush consiguió victorias en Virginia y Florida. Cuatro años más tarde, los votantes latinos ayudaron a transformar estos estados en 'morados', ni rojo ni azul, donde las lealtades partidistas pasarán a ser menos predecibles. Los latinos están redefiniendo el futuro del panorama político".

History in the making!

Boy am I glad to be around for this. Barack Obama was elected the nation's first black president in a historic triumph. Huge crowds gathered in Grant Park in Chicago and in Harlem to cheer Obama and await his first public speech as president-elect.

Obama and running mate Biden will take their oaths of office as president and vice president on January 20, 2009. Obama and company have a great task ahead as leader of a country that is in recession, and fighting two long wars.

Best of luck in the next 4 years!!!!!!

A little incentive to vote tomorrow!

Just a friendly reminder that tomorrow is finally election day.

As a little incentive, Starbucks is giving voters free tall (12-ounce) cup of coffee. Voters can show their state’s “I voted” sticker for proof. There is a limit of one cup per customer. The company says in areas where there is no proof of voting, the give away will be done on the honor system.

Ben & Jerry's also wants to encourage voters by giving them a free scoop of ice cream. Go to a participating scoop shop on November 4th from 5-8pm, and you'll get a free scoop of ice cream.

Don't forget to vote!!!