I got together with two friends of whom I worked with previously; Michelle & Chris. They are both doing wonderfully & it was so awesome getting together with them and catching up. One friend is a graphic designer extraordinaire & my other friend who used to be my boss is an amazing marketing director, manager… anything. Both women are exceptional human beings and talented, business-savvy individuals. As I sat there, I thought, “Magnificent….” I felt so honored to be sitting and sharing my time with them. One hour soon turned to three hours and it was beginning to get dark outside. I never thought that my previous job would provide me with so much wealth – as I see these ladies have had a huge influence on the way I manage my own business as a flamenco artist. I was quite taken aback as I sat there and came to this realization. On a separate side note: I don’t frequent Paradise Bakery & Café often but, I have to say their Ham & Brie Panini is quite impressive!

Brand New CBJ Ring Tones!!!

Song	Download	Price
El Mar Mediterraneo		$1.99
Rosas Rojas (Tangos)		$1.99
Eastern Eyes (Bulerias)		$1.99
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For additional information on Chris Burton Jácome please visit:

www.chrisburtonjacome.com

I get asked often about my diet & my exercise regime. My husband suggested I add a disclaimer to this so I will. But, before I do, I thought that I might share some personal dietary information with you. I call my diet, marriage. Yes, that’s right, marriage. Now, I am happily married and since I’ve been married I’ve lost weight and for the most part, kept the weight off. Did I anticipate this? No, not at all. But, what I do believe is that when a person smiles and laughs more somehow things will fall into place. I believe it is important to surround yourself around people that make you feel good. I have a lot of different friends. And overall, they are generally positive, upbeat individuals. I notice the more I enjoy the people I am with the more I attract other enjoyable people into my life. I’ve also noticed that as I’ve matured and have gotten to know myself better, the quality of the relationships in my life have improved. In addition to this, I try to drink a gallon of water a day and I do my best to stay away from sweets (as recommended by my chiropractor). I try to have a salad at least four or five times a week and I know if I increased my vegetable intake I’d probably have more energy than I do now, but I also have to say that I enjoy taking naps as it is one of my favorite hobbies. So, I guess it all balances out…. I suppose the flamenco dancing takes care of my exercise regime. Oh, the Disclaimer: Please seek the counsel of a medical practitioner before incorporating any of the above recommendations as it has been proven by the medical community that they are smart and know what they are talking about…. Unless, of course, they are wrong, and so then their suggestions are not recommended.

Dakota Dragon

Dakota

So I was hanging out with a friend for lunch yesterday and we starting talking about babies, you know, the brand new little people with the soft skin and cute expressions. The conversation took me back to the time when my younger sister gave birth to her now almost four year old son. I was in the delivery room with her. Most of my friends had told me it would be a magical experience, “It’s the miracle of life!” My sister was in labor for about 26 hours or so & it was the most traumatizing experience for me!! I thought she handled it very well. I was nauseous, dizzy and wanted the whole thing to just end. “Put the woman out of her misery!!!” Some of that day is blurred… a survival mechanism, but I remember thinking very strongly that day: I will never impose this kind of deliberate pain on myself… Do I feel terrible saying this, “No.” Why? Because I’m not ashamed to admit that the entire experience scared the living hell out of me. Don’t get me wrong, I feel very privileged that she even wanted to share the experience with me & my nephew is cute & his skin is soft and… well you know, the adorable expressions…. I mean just re-telling the experience to my friend got me flustered. It’s left quite an impression on me…. for life.

Excerpt from the original production, LEVANTO. CALO FLAMENCO, based in Phoenix, AZ, is the rising star in the U.S. flamenco scene. This dance and music ensemble keeps audiences on the edge of their seats with its Broadway-styled presentations. Following the themes and elements of this traditional art form, CALO FLAMENCO’s unique and entertaining presentation style has gained critical acclaim from the press and audience members alike.

Every morning my process is: I get out of bed from my evening slumber, put on a sweatshirt (because I’m normally cold – even in July – in Phoenix), fill up a 32 oz. container of water that I will hopefully consume prior to my first and fantastic cup of coffee, pull my hair back into a ponytail & turn on my computer. I go into my inbox and there waiting for me is an email from Foundation for a Better Life. Their link: www.forbetterlife.org. It’s normally the first email I open up. I tend to be half asleep, but I can hear the birds chirping away outside and my enthusiasm builds…. and I read the quote of the day and I’m inspired! What a great business. This is a wonderful feature that Foundation for a Better Life offers. They are just spreading kindness in the world through the power of email. It’s absolutely wonderful, fabulous, SENSATIONAL!! I generally keep a various amount of inspiring thoughts & happy affirmations posted in various locations of my house and in my car. It’s a great way to continuously feed the positive vibrations to my brain! In addition, I find myself constantly inspired by the people in my life. This truly is a magical world!

Stop by tonight and catch an awesome show at Cezar’s!

This past Tuesday, April 15^th I had the opportunity to perform with some great artists (Chris Burton Jácome – flamenco guitarist, Martín Gaxiola – special guest dancer, Olivia Rojas – singer & Casey Blake – stage manager & lighting designer extraordinaire) at a concert located in Green Valley, AZ. We all had a GREAT time and ended up stopping at Hooter’s in Tucson to conclude the evening. Great spicy chicken wings!

For more info on Chris Burton Jácome visit: www.chrisburtonjacome.com

For more info on Martín Gaxiola visit: www.caloflamenco.com

I dance at the Hyatt at Gainey Ranch in Scottsdale, AZ with Mosaico – a wonderful flamenco group. I’ve had the wonderful opportunity to work with some very talented artists at this venue and crossed paths with a talented dancer by the name of Toni. We only worked on stage a few times but she has an exciting venture ahead of her as she is relocating to Madrid, Spain! Here are a few picks after the Saturday Night, April 12th Performance.

I came across Alison Mackie through my myspace page and she is currently a myspace friend. She published a book entitled: The Gypsy Chronicles and I believe pretty soon she’ll have another book coming out entitled The Big Trick. I ordered her book through amazon.com and was surprised to find that it was autographed by her. What a nice bonus surprise. I thoroughly enjoyed this book! Two thumbs up, baby! I was captivated by the characters. It is the perfect bed time book for adults. Mackie is such a colorful writer and from the moment I opened the book I was mesmerized and taken in by the narrative. To learn more about Mackie visit her website at www.thegypsychronicles.com