Dunkin' Donuts wants you to try their flavourful coffee FREE this Holiday Season. The first TWO people ...   more »

Here's a little something you can use for the little ones in your family just in time for the Holiday Shopping Season. But, you better take advantage of this blog-only promo soon!

etnies exclusive promotion includes $10 off for every $40 spent on www.etnies.com and free shipping.  The promotional code is “ETNIES FAMILY,” and this promotion will run from Nov. 17 – Dec. 4. 
http://etnies.com/shop/

etnies, one of the leading action sports footwear and apparel brands in the world, is proud to announce the launch of the “Grow with Me” fit system, that will be featured in its etnies Kids line of toddler’s shoes, specifically created with growing feet in mind.

I"m so honored to inform my readers that this humble blog was awarded a "Teen Approved" badge by another influential teen-parenting site: Radical Parenting.

If you have a chance, click on the badge and spend some time with Vanessa Van Peten and her team of teen writers. You'll get parenting advise from the teen perspective!

Thanks to Radical Parenting for choosing my site!

On November 15th, at approximately 5PM 'Manita' (short for little sister in Spanish), my parents 10 year old Dachsund, went out in the ...   more »

How many of us have the organized work desk we see pictured in magazines? Mine is constantly crammed with stacks of files and too many In/Out boxes that never get emptied -- I instead buy another tray in the newest color or design and stack it full of papers to be filed. How about those of you with a garage lined with file cabinets taking up space filled with infrequently to never-used files?

The answer to these common household dilemmas could be the HomeDataGuard Online File Cabinet.

This is how the San Diego company describes the web-based filing system:

"The HomeDataGuard™ Online File Cabinet is a secure easy-to-use online storage service which makes it SIMPLE and NON-TECHNICAL to protect and preserve your most important and personal information.  It’s as close to a physical file cabinet as you can get except it is on the Web, complete with drawers that roll open and tabbed folders.  

It makes disaster preparedness, travel preparedness and legacy management easy and accessible to the least technical people - everything is all in one place, there when and where you need it! 

HomeDataGuard is also establishing a network of HomeDataPro® service providers to service customers who need assistance with paper-based scanning and the digital filming of their possessions or inventory.

Please visit the site at www.HomeDataGuard.com to experience the very simple and easy user interface. "

If you live in a high risk area where tornados, fires, floods, earthquakes or hurricanes can wipe out any important documents in a matter of seconds, one less thing to worry about in these situations would be to dig through files in a hurry deciding what goes and what stays if it’s all safely stored in your cyber files.

I tried the HomeDataGuard system and found it convenient and worry-free. I’ll admit, I initially stumbled a bit with the directions, but after reading the short instructions carefully, I was set. I also found an added feature for those of us trying to go green; the cyber-files could help the environment by decreasing the amount of paper we have stored in filing cabinets. You’re probably already using the convenient paperless statements as I am. Why not ‘file’ them on-line, too.

Take a quick look at the video links for recent interviews on local news channels discussing this prouduct:

        http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e_nB58xWzKI

           http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KD2FZsS0MMI

           http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w8uwfXRWx-Y

And, JUST FOR MY READERS, the makers of HomeDataGuard have a FREE one-year membership for you to try it out ($49.95 value). The first 20 get a full year of service free; #21 and over get a 30 day free trial membership. Simply write "I want one" in the comments with your e-mail on this post letting me know you’re interested in trying HomeDataGuard, and you'll get a complementary code to get you started!

“Hey, Mamarazzi, what would you do if a 19 year old wants to date your 16 year-old daughter?” asked a ...   more »

Today is my husband's birthday. Last week we celebrated our son's 18th birthday.

One one fell swoop I suddenlly have ...   more »

"Dia de los Muertos" is Latin Americas version of Halloween    more »

After moving along on cruise control for a considerable amount of time, the Karma gods decided to descend on our household with a vengeance: Illness, friend drama, hospital visits, and even termites decided to jump on this sinking ship! I'll share a few of these unfortunate events with you so I don't bum you out too much, and I'll save the friend drama for a later post.

The dreaded flu struck our teen in the middle of the night (why is this always so?) robbing us of the sleep and mental strength we'd need to tackle the rest of the problems lurking in the next few days for our cursed family. After Motrin laughed at the kid's high fever, we rushed him to the newly established Coronado Bay Urgent Care facility where the capable Dr. Sadiq administered a cocktail of drugs to help our sickly looking child. Blood shot eyes and pale green skin color required not one, but two IV bags plus an anti-nausea shot to help the poor thing regain control of his body. Two hours later, we came home with a bag full of miracle meds: Tami flu, Z-Pack and pills to hold back the retching reflex. I played nurse the rest of the week-end, and it wasn't as much fun as when I pretended to be one as a child.

A week ago Sunday, we were startled out of our slumber by the frightening sound of the telephone at 7 AM. It was mother telling me dad was in the hospital with excruciating pain. "It's his gallstones", she said. He ate two racks of pork ribs the night before. This little pig-out landed him in the hospital for a week with an infected gallbladder and a future surgery on the calendar. He's back home now, taking antibiotics and waiting for the infection to subside before the doctors can remove the infected organ.

Earlier in the week, our long-time pest control company spotted termites in one of the outer parts of the house. Instead of tenting, we decided to go with Heat Treatment for a couple of reasons: more pet-friendy and less human inconvenience.

Wouldn't you go the pet-friendly termite-eradication route for this cute little pup too?

Moving all the furniture and electronics out of the rooms was required before the techs could pump in 160 degree heat for a steady six hours. "Ha, ha, ha, ha!", laughed the little wood-eating pests when the blast of hot air hit our home. "Well be back!" they said as soon as the mess was cleared up. And they were. Two days later. Now what? I don't know, but the techs are as baffled as we are about the return of the bionic insects. I'll report on this as Lloyd's Pest Control fights the evil-doers 'till death!

So, what is a parent to say when the kids finally ask , "Why is everything going wrong?"

I just chalked it up to bad Karma, told them to be extra nice, and forge ahead.

What do you do when it all seems to be turning upside down?

Why not share your pointers with us...or beware of bad Karma hitting you too!

Panel at San Diego Screening of "Latino in America" Photo Suzette Valle

Time Warner Cable and CNN Presents jointly held a screening of “Latino in America”; a television documentary scheduled for October 21^st and 22^nd on CNN, with journalist Soledad O’Brien. I was honored to be invited to attend and participate in the discussion led by panel members Ruben Barrales, President & CEO San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce, Amalia L. Meza, Judge Superior Court, Central Division (Juvenile Court), Greg Talavera, M.D., Associate Professor Graduate School of Public Health, San Diego State University, and Mark Nelson, Executive Producer, CNN Presents. The event was moderated by Gabriela Frias, CNN en Espanol anchor.

Sitting among distinguished guests in the audience at the Museum of Contemporary Art in La Jolla, CA, for the screening of CNN’s “Latino in America”, I optimistically anticipated a positive outlook about Latinos living in this country. I expected the documentary to start off giving us basic information sprinkled with a bit of history. After all, we’ve heard plenty in the media about the plight of Latinos, the immigration debate, and all the bad stats about Latino students not graduating or making it to college.

When the lights came on, I was disappointed with the stories the reporting team selected; they focused on the sad reality many Latinos are still facing, some from countries other than Mexico, and the awful condition the largest minority in this country is stuck in. The names, places and families depicted in this documentary are typical and found in many cities across the USA, this much is true. What were sorely missing were more contrasting success stories about how Latinos are making it in the USA, legally or not.

The barrios, local Latino leaders looking out for human rights, marches, even the raid at the Panda Express in Tucson, AZ where eleven employees were taken into custody, are nothing new. 

A fresh take on this long-standing issue would have been to highlight the positive stories and successful lives of common Latinos (no, Mr. George Lopez, this does not include you at this point since most Latinos are inspired by celebrities like you and their success), about Latino kids IN college, maybe even in a Ivy League or two; entrepreneurship among Latinos has to be found somewhere other than LA. What about a short tale about parents who are desperately trying to give their children a better life and the sacrifices they are making achieving this? The traditional way of living the American dream is with hard work, and Latinos are not afraid of it. Show this!

Of course, this presentation was a screening and not the two-hour episodes airing over two evenings. But, having watched the first part of this series last night, I’m still tentative about the purpose of this documentary: Is it to tell stories about Latino families to shed light on the largest minority of this country and how they are still struggling to adapt? Or, is to highlight their contributions to the American culture?

When interviewed for the program, Eva Longoria mentioned that one must lead by example. I urge you CNN to make follow-up documentaries about how Latinos are leading their compatriots by example, and assimilating in to the very fabric of this society by contributing in all areas like politics, education, literature, etc.

I hope CNN and Miss O’Brien did not miss an opportunity to start changing the perception of Latinos as uneducated, gang members and welfare abusers.  There are many exemplary Latinos living and thriving in the USA.

The theme of  "Latino inAmerica" is raising awarness about Latinos in the US by trying to answer this question:

"How has America changed Latinos, and how have Latinos changed America?".

Do you think the program answered this question?

Warwick's Bookstore in La Jolla, CA hosted  Senior Vice-President and Publisher Rob Franek, The Princeton Review’s author of  371 Best Colleges, 2010 Edition one of Franek's most popular publications for the college-bound set.

Alex Valle and author Rob Franek

Parents and teens filled the store anxious to get advise on how to choose the right college and navigate the application process -- a necessary evil these days for any teen who wants to continue their education after high school -- from the man who's done all the leg work for the un-initiated.

Rob conducts over 120,000 interviews with college students and visits campuses to obtain vital information and assess each university’s strengths and weakness in a variety of criteria. From the best value category to the infamous party list of schools, 371 Best Colleges offers inside information difficult to find in any one place.

Dorms, food, weather, teacher-to-student ratios, location, tuition, freshman class profiles, etc. it’s all in one essential book!

Among the many tips Rob shared with nervous parents, I’m going to share this simple, but painfully revealing, exercise he had us do at the beginning of his presentation (this was tailored to California applicants):

Write down your top ten colleges.

Now, cross out the Ivy Leagues, UC schools, and USC.

Also, cross out Arizona State and NYU.

Now, do you have two or three colleges left on your list?

In amazement, the entire room only had between these exact numbers of schools left on the list. Why? It’s simple. We’re all applying to the same schools.

Not surprisingly, we left the presentation bewildered and carrying the voluminous book because a change in game plan was now necessary.

If you’re in this same panic-stricken stage of the college application process, it behooves you to get this weighty tome pronto! It will save you many tedious hours of surfing the net to find out stuff (besides the academic requirements to get in to your first-choice college) like which school has the best food or housekeeping included in the dorms.

Thank you Rob!

Who you gonna call?

AAA, of course!

The fall weather is starting to make it's presence felt in our southwest corner of the country, albeit little by little (minus one degree or so a day). It's windy in sunny San Diego today. The temps are in the low 60s which for us So Cal residents means it's time to break out the jackets (though many of us barely own one!).

The day is perfect for a warm bowl of soup. For me, it's another opportunity to take on a challenge of had with myself for a while now: to copy that delicious Nordstrom's Tomato Basil Soup I so enjoy when I go eat there - usually with a good friend.

I've been trying to make the perfect creamy version of this orange vegetable soup for over a year - since I discovered a recipe on the web - and I think I almost have it down. My guinea pigs, (ahem!), family, tell me it's really good!

I want to share it with you today, on this semi-cloudy and breezy day, and maybe you'll try it with your family or friends.

Let me know if it tastes just like the original soup at one of my favorite department stores!

TOMATO BASIL SOUP (7 - 10 servings)

3 T. Olive oil

2 large carrots, sliced

1/2 large onion, sliced

1/2 T. dry basil leaves

1 (28 to 32oz.) can whole peeled tomatoes

1/2 quart chicken broth

1/2 pint heavy or whipping cream

Salt and pepper (more than you think you need!)

Place olive oil in a 6-quart saucepan and heat over medium-high heat. Add carrots, onion and basil and cook 10 to 15 minutes until vegetables are soft. Add tomatoes and broth and simmer 20 minutes.

Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly. Puree soup in food processor, in batches, until smooth; return to saucepan. Stir in cream and heat, over low heat, just until heated through. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper.

For the ultimate comfort food expericene, serve it in bread bowls

Enjoy and stay warm!

Just got this information from the Princeton Review:

"On Monday, Oct. 19, at 7 pm,  Rob Franek, The Princeton Review's national expert on all matters "college" will be in San Diego for a presentation to area teens and parents at Warwick's Bookstore (7812 Girard Ave., La Jolla) on college admissions and financial aid advice in these tough times."

"Rob, who is a former college admissions officer, is lead author of "Best 371 Colleges," the Princeton Review annually published college guide.  In his talk, titled "How to Choose the College That's Best for You – and How to Pay for It," he'll share stats from Princeton Review surveys and his college knowledge (he visits over 50 of them a year), plus his insider advice on what admissions officers look for.   He'll also share advice on how to navigate the financial aid process and get all the financial aid information you need in Princeton Review's annual guide, "Paying for College Without Going Broke".

Anyone want to carpool?

Spending a day kicking the tires at the Nissan Design America Center in La Jolla, California with automotive journalists, car bloggers, Nissan designers and executives reminded me of my younger days as a 16 year old when my father MADE me learn how to take care of my own car. This was not limited to washing and polishing or taking it to get the oil changed, and it was pre-AAA Platinum Memberships and Roadside Assistance programs commonly available today. Needless to say, I was one unhappy girly showing up at the auto shop in a skirt and lip gloss. But, after spending a day test-driving the new 2010 Line of Nissan Sedans, I found I had use for the car-speak I’d learned as a teenager after all.

The walk around started with the pleasing esthetic design of the Altima Hybrid. I must admit, I had not been in an eco-friendly vehicle before, and here’s an anecdote to prove it. Once belted and ready to go, my very charming driving partner, Cheryl-Ann Millsap who flew in from Spokane, WA for this evetnt, and I were the cause of a chuckle or two when after starting the car we couldn’t tell if it had stalled or if the engine was running. We could see the head of design’s concerned look as he approached our car, tapped on the window, and said, “It’s a Hybrid”.

Duh! Definitely, the ultimate ‘quiet ride’ because there were no audible sounds from the ‘engine’ what so ever.

Next, I took a spin in the Altima ‘Coupe’ (this particular model had subdued red leather appointed seating). I could picture this sporty car in my garage once the kids are gone and I can get my driving mojo back!

Later, I moved on to my favorite ride of the day, the Versa. This car’s performance was a welcomed surprise. It is compact, has quick acceleration and smooth gear transitions which were almost imperceptible. I also discovered ample storage and back-friendly seats. A good thing, especially for women who require more of these features due to the long hours spent driving family members to and from various activities. Versa must be short for versatility because this model would be my teenaged son’s favorite too.

The interiors were stylish and comfortable in the three models I drove. The Nissan vehicles had state-of-the-art safety features, USB ports, iPod connectivity, and in some models, Navigation Systems which would not normally be included and are now standard or available for much less than expected. One cool upcoming feature in Nissan cars will even let you know where those sly camera-enforced intersections are coming up. Sweet! (As my teen would claim)

With quiet, smooth rides, generously appointed interiors and many compartments to keep my lip stick available, if car-makers could come up with the perfect design for us women to be able to get decently in and out of a car in a skirt would be a real breakthrough!

Nissan, the Japanese automaker, invited me to spend one night at the W Hotel in downtown San Diego, California for the ...   more »

It's my 49th birthday today, and I'm only one year away from hitting the half century mark. I can tell ...   more »

Who wants to try Starbucks' new VIA instant coffee free?

Well, let's have us a little MKB Trivia fun first, shall we?

HERE ARE THE PRIZES, THE QUESTIONS AND A FEW RULES:

1. I have one Starbucks travel tumbler with VIA samples ($20 value) for THE FIRST PERSON TO ANSWER THE FOLLOWING QUESTION IN THE COMMENT SECTION. PLEASE, DON'T E-MAIL ME THE ANSWERS.

What do Tom Hanks and Starbucks have in common?

2. Two winners will get VIA's three-sample packs by being the first to correctly answer one of these questions in the comment section:

a. Who was my last post on TheWrap.com about?

b. What did I cook after watching the movie Julie and Julia?

Remember to leave me your e-mail so I can get your address (don't leave your address on the blog). One winner per question. I can only mail prize in the US.

Good luck!

Of all the cockamamie marketing ploys I've come across lately, this one has to top them all.

The Pleasant Company and Mattel's marketing brain power came up with the latest American Girl Doll: Gwen Thompson, the Homeless Doll. She's blond, she's wearing a crisp white dress, brand new flip-flops, and like all American Girl Dolls she comes with her own story -- along with the hefty price tag of $95 plus tax.

I've been a supporter of this company's dolls and the historical lessons they provide to girls as young as 4, as well as the collection of books dealing with many a girl issue: body image, friend problems, personal grooming, relationships, gossip, health, education, etc. I've also invested in a couple of the dollies which are now neatly resting in their boxes awaiting the next generation to love and learn with them.

However, Gwen is a different story all together. Her biography includes her father abandoning the family, living in a car, and her mom losing her job. OK, so this is a reflection of our present bad economic times and could represent anyone suffering these woes, but the price tag certainly doesn't reflect this trend, and therefore I find this newest limited edition doll to be somewhat hypocritical.

Also, I just can't seem to reconcile the notion of this doll joining the ranks of the historical characters the doll maker proudly displays at the stores behind glass enclosures complete with period furniture, dinner ware, and girl-doll matching outfits -- all very pricey indeed. What will the company put in Gwen's glass case? I leave this to your imagination.

I've read very differing points of view regarding this down-on-her-luck doll; from indoctrinating little girls to be man-haters, to the potentially offensive material some might read into her biography. Here's a few:

"It seems obscene that a company that prides itself on teaching impressionable children about history and grooming -- you can have your doll's hair done for $20! -- should engage in political preaching. What message is being sent with Gwen? For starters, men are bad. Fathers abandon women without cause. She's also telling me that women are helpless. And that children in this great country, where dolls sell for nearly 100 bucks a pop, are allowed to sleep in motor vehicles. But mothers don't lose custody over this injustice. Because, you see, they are victims, too. " writes Andrea Peyser of the New York Post.

A friend living in New York wrote to me commenting on this very issue, "Shouldn't parents actually model behavior that shows their kids how very privileged they are? Like volunteering for a homeless shelter, or supporting a charity that helps the neediest families? I just don't get it".

Neither do I, my dear.

My beef with the doll and it's maker is this: If you're going to hang the same price tag on traditional dolls and the 'homeless' doll,  then why not donate all the proceeds of Gwen's sale to this very cause or at least find a tie-in to benefit the socio-economic group this toy doll symbolizes.

Here's an idea: For a pre-determined amount of time a child/family spends volunteering to help the homeless, you could donate a percentage to the charity of their choice. Or, as Disney will be doing next year, join forces with a service organization and give your loyal customers a voucher for credit to use in your stores after their time and service has been verified. Disney will be giving their volunteers a free one day park pass for volunteering.

I couldn't agree more with how Amy Jussell of Shaping Youth spells out the contradictory nature the doll and the company represent at his point, "American Girl is sadly just hawking the plight for profit as a new ‘market opportunity’ to add another ‘historical context’ and ‘theme’ to their wares. (sure gives today’s economic downturn a present tense spin of ‘living history,’ through the doll, sigh)"

She goes a step further and suggests to parents, the ones who purchase the expensive dolls, to address Mattel directly:

What can parents do?

Write to Mattel/AG and ask that they (not their customers) set up a fund to benefit real girls and their parents in homeless shelters.

Robert A. Eckert
Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer
Mattel, Inc.
333 Continental Boulevard
El Segundo, CA 90245-5012

It's simple Mattel et al:

Put your money where your mouth is.

Practice what you preach.

Yada, yada, yada.

Get it?

Got it.

Good.