Have you seen the latest Dunkin' Donuts television commercial featuring Rachel Ray? Well, you ain't gonna either. It's been pulled. According to Conservative Fox News journalist, Michelle Malkin, the scarf Rachel Ray was wearing on the television spot resembled a kiffiyeh, which is Middle Eastern garb that is "popularized by Yasser Arafat and a regular adornment of Muslim terrorists appearing in beheading and hostage-taking videos."

Malkin also called the scarves "distinctive hate couture."

Dunkin' Donuts Senior Vice President for Communications Margie Myers went on the defensive and issued their "We're not terrorists!" statement saying the scarf "was selected by a stylist for the advertising shoot. Absolutely no symbolism was intended."

Then, they pulled the ad.

Hmmm...first it was Obama's flag pin (or lack thereof), then Hillary's statement using the assassination of Robert Kennedy to defend her decision to stay in the race against Barack Obama. Now this? When are the REAL issues going to be discussed? What do you think?

It has been four years since the HBO series Sex and the City has been off the air. This Friday is the premier of the Sex and the City movie, and I'm VERY excited.

"We can't remember the last time a movie has created so much anticipation among female moviegoers from their 20s through their 40s," said Harry Medved, a spokesman for Fandango, the online movie ticket site.

Medved said many women seem to be planning to go in groups. "We are getting a surprising number of requests for group ticket sales from women planning 'Sex and the City' get-togethers," he said.

The Arclight Cinema in Hollywood, a movie theater I frequent is promoting a 21+ screening of the movie, offering the following:

Party Package Includes: One regular admission 21+ ticket, a reservation in the ArcLight café/bar, two cocktails (featuring SKYY cosmopolitans & martinis), savory & sweet heavy appetizers*, a "Sex and the City" fedora and logo martini glass, all taxes and gratuity included.

Party tickets are available for the all inclusive price of $60 and may be purchased online by clicking here and selecting one of the 21+ Party Show dates and times listed above. Admission restricted to those age 21 and over; valid ID required.

*The menu will include mini NY style pizzas and hot dogs, Chinese noodles in mini-takeout boxes with chopsticks, grilled summer vegetables, babaganoush and hummus with pita chips, pastry bites and Susina cupcakes.

YUM!

I underestimated the calling of the show and found that opening weekend was SOLD OUT. I'm still going to see it...but without all the bells and whistles featured at the Arclight.

According to this article, 94 percent of ticket buyers for the movie were women.

"This movie really will be a paternity test for R-rated female-driven romantic comedies," said analyst Jeff Bock of box office tracker Reel Source. "There haven't been a lot of movies like this." Bock predicts the movie will have a strong opening weekend, then a big drop-off. "There's no getting around that this is a film oriented to women and gay men," he said. "It will be very hard to get past that, especially with a lot of testosterone-driven films out there this summer.

Yes, there are many "testosterone-driven" films, such as Iron Man and Indiana Jones, so Sex and the City would be considered the ultimate "chick flick" movie.

"Sex and the City" could be "a different kind of date movie" -- a date among girlfriends: "This should be a major bonding ritual."

I plan to bond with my girlfriends (Erika!), while watching this movie! What about you? Is there any interest in watching the movie? Do you care where Carrie, Miranda, Charlotte and Samantha are in their lives? And what about Mr. Big?

A few years ago when Sex and the City was still on, I watched an episode where Carrie had to write about the latest fad...trapeze school. Well, it took a few years, but Trapeze Fitness has found its way to Los Angeles.

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to fly through the air on a trapeze? Well now you can take a swing at it, at the Santa Monica Pier at a new trapeze school. It's about more than just fun and fitness. It can also help you overcome certain fears.

Yes. According to this article (and television news story), you can actually get fit by "flying in the air with the greatest of ease..."

Trapeze fitness is touted as the a stellar workout for upper body, lower body and core strength. Nowhere did I read the part about plummeting to your imminent death...

Despite my fear of heights, I'm intrigued...but also a bit horrified.

What do you think about this latest fitness fad? Would you consider trying trapeze fitness? What are the craziest diet and fitness fads you've tried or heard of? What were the results?

I had the opportunity to review Maggie Again, written by John D. Husband.

Life is idyllic for four rural Indiana teenagers until one of them, Maggie, moves to New York City with her parents in this time-warp yarn set in 1926 and 1984. When Maggie's three friends hop a boxcar to visit her in New York, their journey takes a mystical turn, catapulting them to the year 1984 and, eventually, back again. On their return to 1926, they try to manipulate events in their favor, only to find that "time" is a fickle chronicler of events -- which wreaks havoc with their best intentions.

The book was very entertaining and easy to read; in other words, I LOVED IT!  In the story, Maggie leaves her rural country town of Cobblers Eddy in 1926, to move with her family to New York.  There, her father becomes a stock broker who makes a fortune selling and trading at Wall Street.  Then, the Great Depression comes, and they lose everything.  From 1926 through 1984, Maggie lives her life.  She gets married, then divorced, she has a child who dies in Korea, and she has a job that she eventually retires from.  Then, in 1984 she reunites with her three friends from 1926, and she has to catch them up on world events.  The Great Depression, music, television, war, the peace movement, assassinations of John F. Kennedy, Robert Kennedy, and Martin Luther King, Jr., cars, airplanes, and everything else.  Somehow, Maggie manages to return to 1926, when she was 16 (with 74 years of life experience).  

It was such a fun book to read and I will miss the characters.  After reading the book, I wondered how my 16 year old self would feel about my 38 year old life? Would I approve of the life I'm leading now? Is this what I imagined my life to be? What would my 38 year old self tell me at 16 to possibly change the course of my life? One thing I know for sure is "postpone working for a while and GO TO SCHOOL! You have the rest of your life to WORK!!"

What about you? What would your younger self feel about your current self? Would you approve of the life you're leading now? Is your current life what you imagined it would be? And if you had the chance, what message would you give your younger self?

Betty Crocker sponsors a yearly cookie recipe contest, called "Bake Life Sweeter".

Contestants were asked to use one of the nine Betty Crocker Cookie Mix flavors and to get creative using additional ingredients, decorations and serving ideas.  

I've included Lynette Spence's winning recipe for "Cinna-Spin" Cookies.

Cookies
1 pouch (1 lb 1.5 oz) Betty Crocker® sugar cookie mix
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 egg, slightly beaten
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
Glaze
1 cup powdered sugar
2 tablespoons milk
1/4 teaspoon vanilla

1. Heat oven to 375°F. In large bowl, mix cookie mix and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon. Stir in butter and egg until soft dough forms.

2. On piece of waxed paper, shape 1 tablespoon cinnamon into a line about 5 inches long. Using floured fingers, shape 1 tablespoon of dough into a rope 5 inches long. Press one side of dough rope into cinnamon.

3. On ungreased cookie sheet, coil dough rope tightly, cinnamon side facing center, into cinnamon-roll shape. Press end of rope into roll to seal. Repeat with remaining dough. Place cookies 2 inches apart on cookie sheets.

4. Bake 7 to 10 minutes or until edges are light golden brown. Cool 1 minute; remove from cookie sheets to cooling rack. Cool completely, about 15 minutes.

5. In small bowl, mix glaze ingredients until smooth. Drizzle over cookies.

High Altitude (3500-6500 ft): Decrease butter to 1/3 cup.
Prep time is 1 hr 10 min, and the recipe makes 2 1/2 dozen cookies!

The web site includes other fabulous recipes that received honorable mentions. I'm planning on making the winning cookies for Mother's Day.

Please, share YOUR recipes for baked goodness. Give this single mama options for baking! I just bought a new cookie sheet that I'm DYING to use!!

According to Perez Hilton, Beyonce's clothing line, House of Dereon, is introducing a new kids line.

To celebrate the launch, B has come out with this ad featuring young girls dress like.....and looking like.

Work the lipstick and blush, babies!

Hmmm...thoughts?

Before experiencing the joy that is pregnancy, I heard stories of weird cravings. Ice cream and pickles, anyone? When I was pregnant with Karina, the cravings were very real. Initially, it was crushed ice, then it was frozen snickers bars, and it finally culminated to hot dogs...and no, it couldn't be just any hot dog, it had to be from Pink's, and it had to have chili and bacon. AND I had to have it when I craved it; if that meant getting into my car at 2am...so be it. Sure, I craved the standard pickles too, but I never mixed them with ice cream.

When I was pregnant with Cristian, the cravings were different, but still there. With Cristian, I craved Mexican chile sauce and it had to be HOT. I could eat spoonfulls of it. Straight. Yup...I'm that Mexican.

I also had food aversions. Before having my kids I LOVED In-N-Out Burgers; and yet, when I was pregnant with each of my children I couldn't even smell them! Another aversion was eggs...and oddly enough, both my children LOVE In-N-Out burgers AND eggs. So, do these cravings and aversions mean anything?

Some people say that craving ice means that you're low on iron. Some alternative medicine practitioners believe that a shortage of vitamin B can trigger a craving for chocolate. But if people craved what the body needed, wouldn't we all be eating more fruits and vegetables, instead of...say, cement or dirt?

So my question is, did you have any interesting cravings during your pregnancies? What were the theories you heard associated with your cravings? Did you indulge your cravings? Please share!

With summer being just around the corner, I've decided to explore different and interesting ways to get in bikini-ready shape. This is how I discovered Zumba. I accidently came across a free class at my local park and initially thought it was some kind of party. I soon came to realize that it was an exercise class that only felt like a party. I stood there and watched and let me tell you, it looked like A LOT of fun. I soon signed up for the class.

Zumba was founded by Miami-based dancer and choreographer Alberto 'Beto' Perez and combines Latin rhythms with cardiovascular exercise to create an aerobic routine that looked like SO MUCH fun! In fact, the word ZUMBA is derived from a Colombian word meaning to move fast and have fun.

Zumba fuses hypnotic latin rhythms and easy to follow moves to create a dynamic workout system that will blow you away.
Our goal is simple: We want you to want to work out, to love working out, to get hooked. Zumba Fanatics achieve long term benefits while experiencing an absolute blast in one exhilarating hour of caloric-burning, heart-racing, muscle-pumping, body-energizing, awe-inspiring movements meant to engage and captivate for life!

Today was my first class and I had a ball! It was hard, I was sweaty, and there were many times I wanted to just walk out of the room...but the music was loud, the moves were fun and my sister (Erika's mom) was with me. I didn't want to let her (or myself) down.

After the class, as my sister and I were walking to my car, I was deep in thought and realized that I learned a few things about myself:

1. I can't dance.

2. I jiggle a bit too much.

The goal is to learn these dance moves so that I don't feel as if I have two left feet, make my Latin roots proud...and jiggle a little bit less.  :)

I can't wait for next week! Two Zumba classes! I swear, the only thing that would make this class better is a Martini bar in the corner! What about you? Have you heard of Zumba? Could this be something that you would consider trying? And finally, what type of exercise program works for you?

I don't have very many female friends. The ones I do have I've had for over 10 years, and have been with me through thick and thin. But, our relationships are not as "tight" as they once were. I remember the days when I would be on the phone for hours, just planning our next night out. Yeah...those days are pretty much over. We are all in different stages of our lives, and our paths are not crossing the way they once did.

My friends are amazing women, but lately we don't seem to have much in common. We do make it a point to get together a few times a year, but as time passes...it just gets harder and harder to find the time to schedule a night out. I often hear how important it is to maintain outside adult relationships, to assist with the objective of not losing YOU. So, does the fact that I enjoy hanging out with my kids make me a freak? Don't get me wrong, I enjoy a good "Girls Night Out" as much as the next person. In fact, the picture I've attached is from a recent night out with Erika. We got together to see Margaret Cho's stand up...and we had a great time. So I do manage to get out and spend time with amazing women...but lately, most of these women seem to be members of my family. Is that bad? Do I need to step out of the protective bubble of my family and sustain the relationships I've developed over the years?

What about you? How important are adult relationships to you? How old are the friendships that you've been able to sustain and...how do you do it? Also, how often do you get out without your kids for a "Girls Night Out"?

The other day, Karina asked me an interesting question that sparked a discussion on preference, safety and personal care. She asked at what age would she have to see a gynecologist. I answered, "I'm guessing it'll be when you're 18, or when you become sexually active...whichever comes first." She asked, "Then it should be a female doctor...right?" I answered, "Well, it should be whatever you're most comfortable with."

Then I began to think about MY experiences. I've always suffered from irregular periods, severe cramping, and ovarian and fallopian cysts; so I saw my first gynecologist when I was a shy 16 year old virgin, so I specifically requested a female doctor. She was very unsympathetic, and pretty much accused me of being a baby. I mean, if SHE could handle HER cramps, then why couldn't I? When she inserted the speculum, she became irritated at my pain and discomfort, and when I advised her that I was a virgin, she said..."Not anymore!"

That was the last time I specifically asked for a female doctor. Since then, my gynecologist have been primarily male...and much more sympathetic. When I was pregnant with Karina, I chose an older male Obstetrician. As a man, he didn't know first-hand what it felt like to be pregnant, go into labor, have a miscarriage, have a period, or even what cramps felt like. So, every little pain I had, he took seriously and never dismissed.

I spoke with Erika about this topic, and she forwarded comments that were on the Orange County Register message board about this very subject.

I'm glad you had a good experience with Dr [name redacted]. My experience was drastically different- waiting for every appoint for at least an hour (reception told me they sometime triple book appt times), never having an opening at a time that was convenient for me, then having [Dr's name redacted] tell me my labor was nothing compared to hers when she had her twins after I'd been pushing for three hours (apparently, she's notorious for this as the nurses were joking about it when I told them what happened).

I'm not saying that all female doctors are less sympathetic. I'm just sharing my personal experiences.

What were your experiences like? Do you have a preference when it comes to choosing your doctor? Does gender enter into your equation?

John Deaves abandoned his daughter Jenny when she was just one year old. Father and daugher reunited after 30 years, and just two weeks later...had sex.

"John and I are in this relationship as consenting adults," Mrs Deaves told the Nine Network's 60 Minutes tonight.

"We are just asking for a little bit of respect and understanding."

Yes, you read that right; they're in a "relationship". They also have a nine-month old daughter, Celeste.

Jenny stated that soon after reuniting with her father, she began to see him as a man first, and her father second. But wait. She still saw him as her father...right? Ew.

"I was looking at him, sort of going, oh, he's not too bad," she said.

"Like you might look at a man across the bar at a nightclub."

And what does daddy have to say? "I knew it was illegal, of course I knew it was illegal but you know, so what."

After reading this article, I have SO many questions. Why would they go public with this? How can you be sexually interested in your child/parent? What are they going to tell their daughter, who's also Jenny's half-sister? What does Jenny's mother think about this? And finally, is there really a shortage of good men in Oz?

What do you think?

This Thursday, my little family and I (along with my father) leave for my much needed vacation to New York. I've never been, so I'm very excited. We have tickets to see Gypsy (with Patti Lupone) on Friday evening, and plan to visit the museums, central park, the Empire State Building, and the Statue of Liberty. Any other suggestions?

How's everyone today? What's up with you?