I love water...
Seriously! It’s always been my beverage of choice. So, when I tasted Metromint, an all-natural, unsweetened, mint-enhanced water I knew I found another winner to refresh with.
Metromint, the original mintwater™ uses the natural cooling properties of peppermint to create an instantly refreshing sensation throughout the body. Nothing but all-natural ingredients: pure crystal-clear water and mint grown in Washington’s Yakima Valley. Metromint has no artificial flavoring, no sweeteners, no preservatives and no calories. Imbibe this glorious refreshing mint-enhanced water -- especially this lover’s holiday month!
|
|
|
A Couple's Journey Through Depression
We know Emme as the first plus-size supermodel, role model, mother, and creative director of her own clothing line, me by EMME(tm). Being fortunate enough to know both she and her husband Phillip Aronson for a number of years many of us saw a blissful marriage with the most adorable baby girl. Then Phil was hit by a clinical depression that had crippling effects on their marriage. The only thing that seemed to help was ECT. Undaunted, and with the love this young couple always had for each other they have endured the challenges of depression in a relationship and have emerged a stronger couple.
Their story of hope is told by both voices in their new book: Morning Has Broken : A Couple's Journey Through Depression (24.95) It's a story of hope for those who suffer from clinical depression. For those who have people suffering with depression or perhaps are on the road to recovery this wonderful personal journey leads the reader down the road to recovery and shows that you can find the joy in in each other again as well as in life. Log onto www.amazon.com or check out a bookstore near you.
|
|
“Mommy Style” Fashion Blast
GREAT NEWS! Plus-size expectant moms no longer have to sacrifice style for comfort during their pregnancy. I was thrilled with Fashion Bug’s “Bundle of Joy Plus” collection, which allows expectant mom’s to fill their maternity wardrobe with an assortment of looks while helping them save money as well!
Fashion Bug created a modern and contemporary line of plus-maternity wear that will flatter the plus-size pregnant body. Customers can select from a variety of shirt styles including v-necks, surplice, and feminine camisole tunic tops designed to help them show off their growing bellies with style.
The spring line features pants and skirts in different stretch fabrics including denim, cotton and twill for a complete plus-size maternity wardrobe. So you can select from various belly options including the classic scoop-panel and the no-panel option to keep them comfortable and looking great!
The “Bundle of Joy Plus” collection is available in sizes 1X-3X at select Fashion Bug stores nationwide as well as online at fashionbug.com.
|
Michelle Ma Belle
When Michele Crider arrived at the University of Iowa as an undergraduate music student she had never sung an opera role. Today as an international star, Ms.Crider has performed in the leading opera houses and concert halls across Europe and America.
She won the District Metropolitan Opera Auditions twice. She was a finalist in the Luciano Pavarotti competition and she won one of three first prizes in the Geneva International Music Competition. These accolades set her on the course of what has become a major international career. Michelle has always been driven to achieve and has carved a path to give us a great soprano who truly celebrates her curves, and now relishes the moments she shares with her husband and her youngest daughter's growth. |
Michele Crider (R) with her pianist Kathy Phillips (L)
at the Marina Rinaldi boutique, NYC |
In a professional career of less than 15 years, she has truly become one of the world’s most outstanding female performers of Italian opera, and the object of adoration by an international fan club based in Belgium. Critic Serge Martin wrote, “a real 'Verdian' . . . the American soprano Michele Crider has hardly any competition nowadays. The timbre is ample and brave, victorious in the high range, fascinating in the low: a truly great voice, full and strong, as one seldom hears today.” I was fortunate to attend a performance on her return to the Metropolitan Opera House in New York this past fall as the leading role in AIDA.
Loving Italian opera as well as being an Italian clothing company, the Marina Rinaldi boutique held a special evening celebration honoring her on Madison Avenue as well. She sang a few tremendously famous arias for her enthralled audience of invited shoppers as we drank cocktails and had hors d'oeuvres.
We sat down and talked about how important it is to have clothes that show off your best assets, especially when you are always in the public eye and the luxurious MR evening collection truly does that every time I see a picture of her! (We had shot the same B/W sequin bias cut dress on a model for a makeup story, but somehow on Michelle it suited her to a tee -- and she is not 6 feet tall!)
We chatted about the fantastic season she had, as well as the incredible clothes she chose from the new Marina Rinaldi Collection for her European whirlwind tour that she was off to the next day. Michelle is as vibrant, passionate and effusive as her singing and if you have a chance, I encourage you to pick up an CD or even better – to go to an opera to bask in her truly God-given talent. Dream big ladies! For we are all on our creative life-paths looking for the key to our given talent. For Ms. Crider, she will delight our ears for many decades to come with her voice.
For more on her singing engagement schedule visit michele-crider.com.
 |
Jazz Tones
Michelle Carr is an effusive, curvy petite Juilliard Graduate and I was turned onto her sound from my Pilates Trainer - I was so glad to hear those dulcet sounds of Jazz! Carr is a song writer, master teacher and ball of energy. She will be singing with her band including: Mark Whitfield (Guitar) Lonnie Plaxico (Bass) Etien Stadwijk (Keys) Lionel Cordew (Drums) once more at THE BLUE NOTE in Manhattan on March 13th, 2006 so if you are in town check this sound out!!! Michelle shouts to the world on her blogsite: “We will blaze the joint again! I can not energize my gigs without you. Why? Because music is a wheel. Give and take. Remember, Music and art keeps our souls vital.” You see what I mean ladies?! Check her sound out!!!
Michelle’s debut CD -- CHANGE, is available at Tower Records NYC. |
|
