Thirst Relief Auction for 2009

Ok, I am not a member of this organization and I won't be able to bid this year but I think that what they are doing is just awesome! They are giving other photographers the opportunity to speak and meet some of the top wedding photographer professionals in the industry!

Most of them are offering their time at WPPI (Wedding & Portrailt Photographers Internationl) which will take place in Las Vegas this year. I hope to attend this convention in the future :) For those who aren't able to make WPPI, some of the photographers are offering a phone session, plus all the other goodies you get when you bid on their auction. This is yet, another great tool for beginner photographers to learn more about the industry and I just wanted to spread the love and excitement for those who might be interested :)

Check out Thirst Relief International here http://thirstrelief.shootq.com/ for more information on how to bid. You are required to have an ebay account or set up one to bid. Once you're signed into ebay, you will be able to see all the auctions and also read up more information on each photographer. It's really cool to see all these great photographers donating their time and talent to speak to others. Maybe you'll find your favorite there :)

Random facts

If you have opened up my blog page, then you have been tagged! You must now tell me 20 random facts about yourself. Haha, I actually don't like those emails where at the end of it, you have to forward it to a gazillion more people in order for your wishes to come true or else you'll have bad luck. Seriously!? Well I do want to get to know more about my blog readers, helllllooo anyone out there?? {{{{echo}}}}, and I also want them to get to know me a little bit more. These random facts tags were actually going around my facebook so I decided to also include my blog in it and let her know a few more things about me :) Here we go:

1. I gag everytime I brush my teeth. If I don't gag, my mouth doesn't feel fully clean.

2. I have to have lemon in almost all of what I eat. I can't help it. It goes in my rice, eggs, salad, chicken, fish, in EVERYTHING that's pretty much salty food. I'd use to suck on lemons when I was a little girl and peel all of the pulp until just the shell was left.

3. I was born and raised in NYC, but don't really have that heavy new yorker accent.

4. I have one older sister and 2 more siblings that are from a different mother. One I met a long time ago and now lives in CA and the other, I never met and lives where my dad is from, Nicaragua.

5. My mind is set about not wanting to bring any kids to this world. But if we have 1, then we have to have 2 since I would want my child to have a sibling.

6. Halloween use to be my favorite holiday when I use to celebrate it and go trick or treating. Who doesn't like dressing up?

7. I love hearing other people's stories about how they met each other.

8. I absolutely love road trips but I'd also love to fly to Europe and my first stop would be France and then Switzerland, Italy, Greece, London, Ireland. It's been my dream to see Europe.

9. I love photography and I adore all the tingly feelings I feel when I am snapping away. I love photographing people and their personalities. It's a little hard to explain that feeling but I hope to be able to project that through my pictures :)

10. I love to sing but can't sing

11. I learned french for two years in highschool but now completely forgot it. I may understand a few words when I read them or hear them.

12. I hate misunderstandings and wish I would of handled a few situations a little different from the beginning. I guess you learn to overcome things and move on right? 

13. I love smiling and always try to smile to strangers who are walking pass me. Just a second of eye contact just to make them feel comfortable around you but not long enough to make them feel weird lol

14. I am allergic to apples (thanks Eve)

15. I love homemade food. I secretly wish I could be a great chef. It makes me sad when I realize I have a long way to go to learn how to cook like the woman in my culture.

16. I'm not much of a hard coffee drinker, but I lean more towards tea's and lattes. I know, some people question if I'm even a latina. I don't like spicey foods either. Yea that's questioned too.

17. I hate washing dishes.

18. I never learned how to swim (city girl here) but I can somewhat float lol

19. I am an introvert/extrovert person and sometimes find it hard to translate my thoughts into words so I just stay quiet sometimes lol but I love concerts, music, parties, exploring and having a good time with friends so that's the extrovert in me. 

20. I am like Dory sometimes, I get easily distracted lol

Free makeup

News is going around that several department stores will be offering FREE makeup for 7 glorious days. There is no catch here, and this is no scam. Why? Read the following article clip which also states the stores that will be doing this in the next week:

As part of a class action settlement, $175 million worth of free cosmetics products will be distributed to members of the class for a maximum of seven days, while supplies last, on a first come, first served basis, beginning on January 20, 2009. No rainchecks will be issued. The products will be distributed at stores owned by the Retailer Defendants (see list immediately below).

The stores owned by the Retailer Defendants that will be participating in the settlement product distribution are the following:

Bergdorf Goodman
Bergner’s
Bloomingdale’s
Boston Store
Carson Pirie Scott
Dillard’s
Gottschalks
Herberger’s
Macy’s
Neiman Marcus
Nordstrom
Parisian
Saks Fifth Avenue
Younkers

Anyone who bought certain products at certain retailers between May 29, 1994, and July 16, 2003, will get the free stuff. However, shoppers don't have to have receipts or prove they bought the items; they just have to sign a form stating they purchased one or more of the products between those dates.

Like we would remember what and when we bought makeup back then. I'm pretty sure everyone has so we all qualify :) It ends January 27th, so be sure to get your share. Wish I would have had more time yesterday since I was getting my hair done at the mall. The lines were crazy though, so I'll be coming back this week!

Too bad MAC isn't part of it. I absolutely love their stuff!

A mini photo shoot

For those who don't know yet, I love animals, especially my dog snoopy. He turned two this year and it was time for me to give him some nice portraits. He is so hyper, so I tried the best I can to get some decent shots. The only way I was able to calm him down was with food. I don't think he liked me taking his picture though. He tried ignoring me most of the time and in some he isn't smiling all that much but we did manage to take some really great ones. His ears would perk up every time I clicked the shutter button :) Check them out:

My mom letting snoopy have the rest of the yogurt

This is Toby, not very thrilled about having his picture taken

and this is what my mom has in the front part of the house :)

Happy Tuesday!

Buca di Peppo

We went to a really great italian restaurant here in Daytona Beach. Their walls are filled with pictures, weired pictures, and they have wine bottles stacked in the ceiling. Overall, I loved. The other cool thing about it is that one meal serves two. I had the lemon chicken that day with a side of spaghetti alfredo and it was sooo good! Their overall setting is really laid back and their service is fabulous. Anyone who comes into town and loves italian food, definilty check this place out!

On to the pictures :)

My little collage

Suzie's ring