air flights!

ok ladies.....this is it....i have been tracking the air rates and we are at an all time low....as of this moment from burlington i am able to get:

1 ticket for about 558.- rt with taxes included.
3 tickets for just under 600.- rt with taxes included.

if you have been sitting on the fence, this is the time to act. we will be flying into santo domingo and out of puerto plata.

also, if you, or someone you know that would like to join us, would be meeting us from somewhere else, please let us know, and we will work on trying to get them the same great prices.

it is all coming together, the band line up, the air rates and the entire trip....now, all that is missing is you!

kisses.

a

this just in.....

Merengue FestivalThe Santo Domingo Merengue Festival organized by the Ministry of Tourism is set for July 24 to July 27. The program so far is:
Thursday, 24 July -- Tono Rosario, India Canela, Kinito Mendez.
Friday, 25 July -- Fernando Villalona, Kico el Presidente, Banda Gorda.
Saturday, 26 July -- Pochy Familia y la Coco Band, Querubanda, Eddy Herrera.
Sunday, 27 July -- Sergio Vargas, Giovanny Planco and El Torito.

For the closing night, there will be a simultaneous presentation of merengue bands in the DR and Puerto Rico. In the San Juan Merengue Festival -- Milly Quezada, Hermanos Rosario Grupo Mania, El Prodigio, Joseph Fonseca, Juan Castillo

yeah us!!!! this is not to be missed!

kisses.

a

good morning and happy monday!

i hope the weekend was rejuvenating as well as productive to all. for me, it was a time of organization. physically organizing my surroundings as well as my head. i spent some of my time clearing my personal "mental lagoon", as a friend calls it. i hope it was time well spent and that i can stay strong and true to myself. it is time i begin carrying my head and shoulders taller again. and spring is a perfect time to enjoy that strength and renewal.

i am purchasing my tickets for the dominican today. i thought yesterday, but i continue to check prices and check airlines...but i will do it today. i have contacted 2 friends in the d.r. and i let them know that i am coming to town!!!! and i hope to be coming with hurricane speed! santo domingo watch out! i can not wait to get my hands on some of that food!

yesterday i sent out 2 more press releases re: the trip. so far, no one is picking up on my story.....hhmmmm.....i need to get the word out more globally. any thoughts? last week i sent out my "new" newsletter...i talk about the trip every chance i get...but i need the press, i need publicity....send me your thoughts, as i am open to them.

well, off to run some errands before i am off to champlain college. wish me well as i walk the walk....remember this, if you are going to be freaky around me, run hot and cold, only stand beside me when it suits your needs, then you're off the short list.....i do not have time for schoolyard antics. i am not so needy as to put up with all of that junk. i would rather take care of my business and keep the focus. i wish you well with your walk as well.

kisses.

a

today i became...

the mother of a teenager....aye, aye, aye...how is that possible?

what a day. i had a fabulous zumba class this morning. packed house even with spring break and beautiful weather. and despite the fact that i lost a contact trying to get out of the house and dribbled burrito on my workout top in the car, and was running late...i loved it!

and then i was off to be a mama to a teenager. i did all the right things, and played it cool, so as not to embarrass, not even really be there except to pay for the day!

so, back to the grind tomorrow. well, not really grind. i am enjoying the challenges of this project. but we definitely have our work cut out for us.

but this weekend is all about organizing and grocery shopping. i must get ahead and be ready for the week ahead.

kisses.

a

sorry for you if you had to talk to me last night!

whooooo doggie, was i ever ornery. tired and hungry. didn't eat dinner until 9:30 pm....waaaayyyy to late for me!

busy physically and busy in my head trying to keep all the balls in the air. feeling productive. feeling strong. but, as i have been telling people....i need a boyfriend. someone to talk to. someone to help with the house stuff. someone to cook me dinner! hhhmmmm, sounds like i just need to hire an assistant!?!?

so, it looks like i am leaving for the d.r. on july 16!!!! for 2 and a little over weeks! i am going to let my dance teacher and my friend know right away...make time for me! this is what is going to get me through all of it!

so, gotta run. just sent out my all dominican newsletter. let me know if you didn't get it and are interested. now, i have to run to the grocery and then off to champlain college. we are making great headway on our event, but now the hardwork begins!

kisses.

a

10 weeks and counting...

so, what a week. i hope everyone out there is feeling as high, confident, overwhelmed and positive as i am...let's see how long it lasts, shall we?!

the weather is here! we are magnificent...this is what i wait for the rest of the year, the next few months are the bomb here....and make it all worthwhile. you can't help but feel optimistic. last night a friend and i hit church st and there we ran into all of our other buddies, and it was perfect...a nice night, a drink, laughs, sassiness, release.

i have been teaching my 4 zumba classes for 2 weeks now. i love it. i am loving the morning class the best for now, as it seems ,at that time of day i am focused on zumba, not transitioning from work stuff....the smiles on everyones faces make it exciting.

10 weeks to what, you might be asking? 10 weeks to "celebrate champlain: 50 years on the hill". what a difference a week makes! liquid studio really pulled through with a logo! wow...the tightest turn around time and quality product. curtis 1000, is handling the purls and the printing of the invites. everyone is on point and while stressed, we are still laughing about it.

our events are mapped out. we have a woman from the office, an artist, handling the transformation of the gym into an interactive memory lane that will blow your socks off. we have grippo funk band playing the alum cruise and so much more it is freaky...i also ran into some students on church st last night from the event planning dept and they are down for helping out!

anyway, off to the barn for my kid, trying to learn a new song or two for class tomorrow and yard clean up today!

wishing you much optimism and beautiful weather wherever you might be!

kisses.

a

whew...what a weekend.

can you believe it? i'm out of words!

friday began with a new design client, a meeting for my new event project, then off to a new zumba class for teachers at a local elementary school, and then to set up for the women's expo where we had a booth for zumba.

saturday i spent either talking about or dancing to zumba music at the expo. it will be a long time before i think about participating in another expo. 10 am to 5pm....nothing but zumba....talk, talk, talk....crimeny. and then after a shower and a pretend nap i went to a dj raul dance. i was useless. i could not move, nor talk....i just stood there, useless. so, i left. i'll try again in a few weeks. a lot of my zumba ladies were there though, so that was nice to see.

then today, worked at my desk, taught my class (using as few words as possible!), then off to lunch with my sista, to celebrate her birthday a month late!? then back to the desk, laundry, picking up the house a little and more desk work.

tomorrow i have to hit the ground running. but i am beat already....i did manage to sneak a little nap in today.

be well.

a

dulce fuego designs is flying!!!!

welcome to the beginning of what i hope to be an incredible experience and year.

dulce fuego event planning has been hired by champlain college to coordinate all events for their 50th anniversary on the hill, to be celebrated june 26-28! as well, dulce fuego is coordinating the grand summer fiesta "carnival" for august 30th!

dulce fuego designs has 2 new clients this week alone.

all dominican travel is making great headway on our chick trip to the merengue festival this july.

and lisa cadieux (of liquid studios) and i were in the "b scene" section of the free press for attending the cots benefit dinner, for whom lisa had designed their beautiful program guide!

also, zumba classes are flying and i reconnected with a friend from a class last semester at champlain and she is going to be an intern on our champlain project.

wow.

kisses.

a

when it rains it pours....

or, be careful of what you wish for, as it just might come true....

so, life is pretty full right now, with design clients, new zumba classes and potentially some very decent sized events on the calendar. i have been very focused over the past few months of not backing down re: self promotion. i could be doing a little more, but i have none the less been very steady with my direction and attention to detail....

and here i sit, with an immediate future of overflowing demands.....it could be the most exciting time of my life. or, the most overwhelming.

i will let you know what happens....for now, i just need to remember to carry an umbrella for when it pours!

kisses.

a

keepin' the faith...

so many of us are journey-ing along down the road and lifting our heads about now and thinking..."now what?" please, do not forget....here in vermont we haven't even hit spring yet. the crocuses are coming up, but it is slippery and snowy out there today.

today, in my zumba class everyone was a little quiet and asked what was up...a lady in the front responded "it's grey out there"...my response was, "but it's never grey in here!" and this week that is my focus on all of life....i don't want it turn grey inside my heart or my brain.

i realize how easy it is to lose focus, to feel down, to not see the light at the end of the tunnel, but i am determined to keep the light shining inside. i must remember to feel the warmth even when it is not reflected around me.

i was just saying that my gift is not a gift of beauty or a gift of great intelligence but rather one of energy, and smiles and positivity, even when i am saying or feeling evil things.....

so, here i am sitting at my desk on a friday afternoon keepin' the faith. counting my riches. great health. great kid with great health. great friends. great family. going to see wycle jean tonight with great kid and great friend!!! i am lovin what i am doing...i love teaching zumba. i love all dominican travel and promoting my trips and i love working on these small events and creating a name for myself.

so, on this sort of dismal day remember to keep the light on, it wil remind others to turn their lights on too!

kisses.