Ok family, here's the deal. California is full of beautiful rolling hills, mountains, wildlife, and national parks. If you're looking for a vacation spot, it's a great place to visit and even live if you've got the cash flow. But there are some opportunitist who are doing more than just appreciating the natural beauty of Cali. They are making good of God's green earth by planting Marijuana in the state's Central Valley. What a trip! 18 Bay area residents were indicted on conspiracy to manufacture and the manufacturing of 1000 Mary Jane plants. Yummy! Federalis discovered 24,500 plants during a search earlier in the case. So the question is, with the economy down and people getting desperate, when is Obama going to recoginize it and legalize it? Comments welcome....

Hola Salseros,

Were you at the club, dancing the night away, and you encountered a person that surprised you with their presence? Maybe it was an old flame, a former business partner, or even an ex-colleague from work that reminded you of a past offense or bad experience. The moment your eyes met, you felt a flood of negative emotion rising up from deep within you and then in a flash, your Salsa high was gone. No dancing, just red-hot blood full of fire and ice; your mind remembering all the reasons why you broke ties with that person. Looking for absolution from that feeling? Well welcome to The Salsa Socialite©, the lifestyle guide to Salsa food, fashion, and fitness.

It’s not a pretty site or sensation when resentment, anger, or pure hate take over your persona. Your whole physical being harbors that negative energy and the manifestation takes the form of depression, disease, or death. Why are you holding all that energy? What good is it doing you to keep that experience so close to your heart with no benefit? Is there some reason that you desire to continue reliving that fateful time when that person held the lock and key to your happiness? Of course now you’re in a different time and place but somehow just one quick look turned your world upside down and brought you back to a place where life held no joy. What does this mean? You are masquerading. Your freedom is on loan and you are behind on your payments. Stop living the lie and start the life, because it’s passing right before your eyes.

You can feel it. The negativity creeps up inside of you and before you know it, you’re passing it on to friends, family, co-workers, and strangers. This tension creates an environment of disrespect and distrust, feeding violence and retaliation without care or concern, and for what? Is it because you haven’t gotten over the ill treatment that was dealt to you? You think you need payback but what you really want is peace of mind. Where do you find it? Freedom from negativity is found in forgiveness; it is the formula for inner peace and living a fulfilling life without regression into the past.

Forgiveness, the word alone connotes a sense of light, divinity, and peace. On both sides of the coin, forgiveness holds unimaginable value. How much would you pay for forgiveness? To wrong or to be wronged makes no difference. All that matters is the resulting emotions that come from the experience and your reaction to it. It’s fight or flight in every since and the decision time is now. Do you remain in limbo forever like a ghost trapped in time, or do you set yourself free from the cycle of destruction? Ultimately the choice is yours, but to live the lifestyle of a Salsa socialite, it takes full commitment in mind, body, and spirit. Forgiveness is the only path to living this life of luxury, opulence, decadence, and glamour. Your Salsa high is the currency that makes up your millionaire status. Don’t let pain from the past rob you blind.

Now you hold the key to absolution, The Forgiveness Formula is at your feet. See the past before you and respond with a smile because in the past is where you leave it. You do this because you have crossed from the darkness into the light, with the sweet scent of peace filling your lungs, and reminding you that life is here and now. Dance the night away with no worries because it’s more than just a dance, it’s a lifestyle.

Ashanti Altovese
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Hola Salseros,

Have you ever woke up in the morning with that queasy feeling in your stomach from round after round of Cuban Mojitos and your body and feet are sore and tender from 5 hours of non-stop Salsa dancing? Maybe it wasn’t your intention to dance all night long, but you had a long day, your friends called you up, and the next thing you knew, you were in Salsa heaven with live Latin music and sexy people. Why worry? You deserve a night on the town and should sleep in because you’re living the life of The Salsa Socialite©, the lifestyle guide to Salsa food, fashion, and fitness.

It all started with a conversation gone wrong at work. It’s the same story, your boss doesn’t appreciate the work you do, he or she continually asks for more accountability without a new title to your credit or a raise, and the freaking copier just keeps jamming. Your frustration builds and during your lunch break, you pray for a power outage, a sudden case of the Swine Flu, or even World War III to break out! You need anything to get you out of here. But no luck, the clock keeps ticking and so is your patience. Finally it’s time to go home but the rush hour traffic keeps your 7-mile away home within a 2-hour reach. Oh the humanity! What’s next, a traffic ticket from a cop who gets you for going 3 miles over the speed limit because the state is bankrupt and in serious need of funding from cash strapped taxpayers? This is bananas, retarded, and stupid crazy! You need a Salsa fix.

At last your home, tired, and want to collapse into a coma. You decide to check what’s going on for the night on your local online Salsa community. While seeing what’s on the calendar, you begin to move your head to the rhythm and music of Tito Puente’s Triton, a smooth selection of up-tempo Latin Jazz. Your tiredness starts to fade and now you’re up dancing, breaking out into basics, broken left turns, and body styling. Your cell rings and you answer it while humming to the beat of the song. It seems that a group of friends are going out tonight to celebrate a birthday party and you’re invited. You know that your mind and body can’t take it but the sound of friends laughing, birthday cake, and the Salsa birthday dance makes you reconsider. You say yes to a night of Salsa meditation and prepare to free your mind, body, and spirit from stress and negative energy. At the club, friends, Mojitos, and dancing flow through you like blood running through your veins. This is home and you forget the hellish day that preceded the heavenly night.

Now it’s morning and somehow everything from yesterday is a minty green blur. All you know is that you’re not moving a single bone in your body except to call off work and roll over in bed. Oh, the headache, the stomachache, and the foot ache. Is it really already eight o’clock in the morning? Crap…I need a vacation. Yes you do, and preferably one that involves Salsa, sand, and bikinis. No matter if you’re sleeping in, cranky at work, or planning for a Salsacation, remember that Salsa is your relief from the repetitive agony that is corporate America, because it’s more than just a dance, it’s a lifestyle!

Ashanti Altovese
[caption id="attachment_13" align="aligncenter" width="208" caption="Ashanti Altovese - The Salsa Socialite"][/caption]

Hola Salseros!

Kristen Nolan, a personal trainer and professional dancer with 15 years ballet and 6 years Salsa dance experience, is ready to personally instruct you to ultimate fitness with circuit training, motivating words, and fun workouts. Since she can remember, dance and fitness have been a passion of hers and now you can experience her expertise in body movement and exercise at www.KristenFitness.com

With a new business venture in progress, Kristen is inviting 21 lucky people to train with her for 11 months at virtually no cost starting in mid November. If you’re body is sick and you need a taste of her medicine, check out MyHiTechTrainer.com/KristenFitness for a look at her online training sessions where posture and core strength exercises are a dancer’s foundation in strong technique and flawless execution. Email Kristen at kristenfitness@gmail.com to get more details on her programs and prices.

No matter your fitness level, Kristen enforces that consistency in workouts and a nutritious diet is the key to reaching your goals to a healthier you. When she's not training or dancing, Kristen enjoys wine tasting and sampling various cuisines. Her greatest success story is that of Tereasa Montano, a client who never worked out a day in her life and lost 40lbs with a 3-day a week circuit style session. Kristen explains that the holidays are the hardest times for people to stay motivated, but with monthly reassessments and reminders of why they're there to improve their health, she keeps her clients on track and physically fit.

I’m Ashanti Altovese, a professional dancer and your SF Dance Fitness Examiner. Email me at ashanti.griffin@gmail.com for more info on this topic and other dance fitness related activities. Because it's more than just a dance, it's a lifestyle!

Ashanti Altovese

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Danscents!™ is your site for dance, scent, and life. No where else can you find information related to dance fitness, fragrance merchandise, and lifestyle guidance all in one place. Creator Ashanti Altovese delivers you a world of dance food, fashion, and fitness with a hint of luxury and scent. Check out www.danscents.com for a look at the new site!

Ashanti Altovese is a professional dancer, model, writer, and designer from Chicago, IL. Creator of Erotic InnerG®, a meditative dance fitness program for women, The Salsa Socialite©, the lifestyle guide to Salsa food, fashion, and fitness, and Danscents!™, dance-themed fragrance products for women, Ashanti is expanding her business empire and establishing her brand in dance fitness and lifestyle enhancement through dance.