The New Fania Anthology Series Starts Now!

Celebrating the timeless gems of its vast catalog – a real treasure trove of classic Afro-Caribbean music – Fania is launching a new ... Read More »]]> Fania Records is releasing Anthology albums for two of the greatest salsa singers of all time. The works of Héctor Lavoe and Rubén Blades have been reworked and remastered for the ultimate sound. You can also win one of these Anthology albums in an exclusive giveaway for our readers! Read below for information on the giveaway, to listen to a song, and to find out more about each artist.

The New Fania Anthology Series Starts Now!

Celebrating the timeless gems of its vast catalog – a real treasure trove of classic Afro-Caribbean music – Fania is launching a new series of two-disc retrospectives focusing on the label’s biggest names.

Our new Anthology series hand picks the most representative tracks of a given salsa star on two discs, accompanied by a booklet with rare photos and extensive liner notes in both English and Spanish. The first two releases pay tribute to the artistry of mercurial singer Héctor Lavoe and socially conscious troubadour Rubén Blades. Both of them created some of their best work in collaboration with trombonist, composer and producer Willie Colón.

The Héctor Lavoe Anthology includes all of the singer’s greatest hits, as well as a significant number of key album tracks. Highlights include the epic Afro-Caribbean workouts “Periódico de Ayer” and “El Cantante,” composed by Tite Curet Alonso and Rubén Blades respectively. Lavoe’s throaty vocals shine on these bittersweet narratives, embellished by an orchestration featuring string ensembles – taking tropical music to unsuspected levels of pathos and sophistication. The collection also features the Fania All Stars collaboration “El Rey De La Puntualidad” and the mega-hits “Che Che Colé,” “Calle Luna Calle Sol” and the Johnny Pacheco singalong “Mi Gente.”

The Rubén Blades Anthology spans the first 15 years of the Panamanian master’s career, focusing on the genre-defining Siembra album – for the longest time, salsa’s best selling record. Showcasing Blades’ eclectic personality, some of the songs find the singer collaborating with Ray Barretto (“Canto Abacuá”), the Fania All Stars (the Tito Rodríguez standard “Los Muchachos De Belén”) and returning to the studio for a fascinating version of his own “El Cantante.”

The Anthology series will delight salsa fans looking for definitive retrospectives of the genre’s biggest names.

Click Here to buy the Rubén Blades Anthology on CD or as a digital download today.
Click Here to buy the Héctor Lavoe Anthology on CD or as a digital download today.

Click Here to listen to the CD on Spotify or Here to listen to samples of Héctor Lavoe and Here for Rubén Blades on iTunes.

Click Here to visit Fania Records Facebook page.

Chic Galleria is giving away BOTH Anthology CDs (ARV $33.96) to one 1 lucky person.

Tweet it! I entered to win Héctor Lavoe Anthology CD and Rubén Blades Anthology CD from @Faniamusic on @ChicGalleria http://bit.ly/cYr8Gq

To enter, after visiting Fania.com, leave a comment below letting us know why you would like to win these CDs.

Entries will be accepted until midnight EST, May 11th. A winner will be chosen at random and announced in this post. Good luck!

Congratulations to our winner Kat Riley!

Nicolas Mirabelli is a college graduate from the University of Washington with a degree in English. His passions are creative writing, movies, music, comedy, and adventures. He connects his passion for movies and writing and writes screenplays in his spare time and hopes to become a successful screenwriter. You can follow him on Twitter here, or Facebook here.

Michael Todd true organics are made in the United States using unique and potent premium ingredients from organic farms for effective, results oriented organic skin care solutions tailored to individual skin types.

What you put on your skin matters. You want to use products ... Read More »]]> Lewis Hendler, co-founded scunci International, the world’s best known hair accessory brand. When the company was sold in 2005, Lewis acquired start-up cosmetics company Michael Todd Cosmetics as a platform for a new approach to skincare. Lewis changed the name of the company to reflect his skin care philosophy … and today’s Michael Todd true organics was born.

Michael Todd true organics are made in the United States using unique and potent premium ingredients from organic farms for effective, results oriented organic skin care solutions tailored to individual skin types.

What you put on your skin matters. You want to use products from nature that nourish the skin the same way quality fresh unprocessed food nourishes your body. Plants and fruits grown with chemical pesticides and fertilizers do not get to be called Michael Todd true organics.

Michael Todd true organics state on every package the precise percentage of organically grown plants and fruits used and if it is vegan so you know just what you’re getting. We never “water down” our products by adding water. And, we never, ever, use parabens, triclosans, sulfates, phthalates, synthetic dyes or fragrances, mineral oil or other petrochemicals to avoid health concerns.

Chic Galleria is giving away 1 Jojoba Charcoal Facial Scrub, 1 Charcoal Detoxifying Facial Mask, 1 Cleanse and Tone One Step Cleanser / Toner, 1 Rooibos Tea Gel Eye Treatment, 2 Antiox Serum with DMAE and Alpha Lipoic Acid, 1 Concentrated C Antioxidant Moisturizing Serum, 1 Tropical Fruit Enzyme Exfoliant Scrub, and 1 Liposome Antioxidant Moisturizer with DMAE and Hyaluronic Acid (ARV $455) to one (1) lucky person.

Tweet it! I entered to win @MichaelToddSkin True Organics products worth over $450 on @ChicGalleria http://bit.ly/cYr8Gq

To enter, after visiting www.michaeltoddtrueorganics.com, leave a comment below letting us know why you would like to win these products.

Entries will be accepted until midnight EST, April 24th. A winner will be chosen at random and announced in this post. Good luck!

Congratulations to our winner Debra F (fairydancer40)!

I was so excited when I was gifted a beautiful scarf from Lolly (pictured below) in my favorite clothing color: mustard. I don’t know what it is about mustard but ... Read More »]]> A new clothing boutique was recently brought to my attention: Lolly. Lolly is not exactly new, just new to me. I was so excited to see all of their gorgeous clothing. From bohemian tops and skirts to beautiful, beachy dresses, this store has this spring’s most adorable designs. I’ve found a few items I’d love to have for my honeymoon. Lolly is making me wish I weren’t saving my money so frugally!

I was so excited when I was gifted a beautiful scarf from Lolly (pictured below) in my favorite clothing color: mustard. I don’t know what it is about mustard but I find it absolutely fabulous. It goes with almost everything! I especially love it on my new scarf from Lolly. The scarf is so lightweight and gorgeous. I can’t wait to wear it!

As strange as it may seem, my fiancé came up with the idea that wearing the scarf as a sarong on the beach in Hawaii would be so cute. It may sound odd, but it would actually look amazing! It’s so thin and light that it would be perfect to double as a sarong. My fiancé is officially a genius. Although the winter is over, this scarf is still super thin and perfect for any breezy occasion.

I’m so happy to announce that for (1) lucky winner, we will be giving away another scarf from Lolly which is pictured below (ARV $64). With animal print and tie-dye appeal in a Purple/Pink/Mauve color combo, this scarf is perfect for any season!

TO ENTER:

Visit Lolly and comment below on your favorite item

Entries will be accepted until 11 pm EST, TODAY ONLY, April 16. A winner will be chosen at random and announced in this post. Good luck!

Feel free to connect with Lolly on Facebook, Twitter, and the Lolly blog!

Send out a Tweet! Chic scarf #giveaway today ONLY from @LollyClothing on @ChicGalleria bit.ly/cYr8Gq

Remember, you can get our giveaway announcements via email by signing up for our newsletter (upper right corner of this page).

Congratulations to our winner Jane H (tomhoh) !  We know you will LOVE this scarf!

Kaitlin Vocker is the Style and Beauty Editor for Chic Galleria and loving every minute of it. She is a graduate of Louisiana Tech University with a Bachelor’s degree in Marketing. In her spare time, she runs her own blog www.secretivestyle.com! You can also follow her on twitter @secretivestyle or Facebook.

Marie Claire, a member of Hearst Media,  is ... Read More »]]>

Long time Chic Galleria readers know that I’m a HUGE fan of the reality TV show, Project Runway.  I’ve interviewed numerous designers who have been featured on the show including Sweet P Vaughn, Kevin Christiana, Rami Kashou, Christopher Straub, Althea Harper, Qristyl Frazier, Jillian Lewis, Ben Chmura, Michael Costello, April Johnston, Peach Carr, Kristin Simms, Nick Verreos, Mondo Guerra, Jason Troisi, plus my dear friends Suede Baum, Jack Mackenroth, Malan Breton and Leanne Marshall.  I’ve had the privilege of meeting Tim Gunn and have received invitations to view these talented designers’ latest collections.

Marie Claire, a member of Hearst Media,  is a current sponsor of Project Runway and Project Runway All Stars. Joyce Corrigan, contributing editor at Marie Clarie has teamed with Joanna Coles, Michael Kors, Tim Gunn, Nina Garcia and others to write the book Outfit 911.

Marie Claire Outfit 911 has the 411 on wardrobe essentials, whether you’re heating things up for an all-night beach party or dressing to impress in the boardroom. Filled with inspiring images of the most fashion-forward celebs, this style safety manual showcases time-tested tips from the magazine’s editors as well as the design world’s most astute gurus like Tim Gunn, Michael Kors, and Donna Karan. And these accessible, classic pieces are adaptable to a range of ages and budgets.

Featuring a cute design and an eye-catching package, Marie Claire Outfit 911 is the answer to every woman’s prayers. Joyce Corrigan is a contributing editor at Marie Claire and has appeared as the magazine’s style expert on Good Morning America, Fox News, CBS This Morning and MSNBC, She was also a key player on two reality shows-VH1′s The Shot and Style Network’s Running in Heels. Corrigan lives in Bedford, New York with her husband, TV director and cameraman Gary Corrigan and their son.

Marie Claire is the fashion magazine with character, substance, and depth for women with a point of view, an opinion, and a sense of humor. Each issue is edited for a sexy, stylish, confident woman who is never afraid to make intelligence a part of her wardrobe. The median age of the one million readers (newsstand/subscribers) is 37 with a HHI of $81,000. Total readership per month is 3.9 million.

Purchase: Marie Claire Outfit 911: Fabulous Fixes for Every Fashion Emergency

Chic Galleria is giving away a copy of Marie Claire Outfit 911 (ARV $24.95) to one (1) lucky person.

To enter, simply comment below if you’d like to receive this book.

Tweet! Outfit 911 #giveaway today ONLY from @MarieClaire on @ChicGalleria http://bit.ly/cYr8Gq

Entries will be accepted until 11 pm EST TODAY, April 2nd. A winner will be chosen at random and announced in this post. Good luck!

Remember, you can get our weekly giveaways via email by signing up for our newsletter (upper right corner of this page).

Beth B. Anderson is the creator and CEO of Chic Galleria Publications, LLC.  Follow her on Twitter @ChicGalleria, Facebook or Pinterest. Questions? Email beth@chicgalleria.com

Congratulations to our winner Tonnie Dosser!

Blissful Bites: Vegan Meals That Nourish Mind, Body, and Planet

Christy Morgan/The Blissful Chef will show you the way to bliss with delicious recipes, cooking classes for any skill level, a blog filled with helpful information and tips, and tasty alternatives that are free of processed foods, totally plant-based and good for you. We are on a mission to show that clean food can be delicious, easy to make, and will ... Read More »]]> Today’s Meatless Monday giveaway is courtesy of Christy Morgan – The Blissful Chef and Lindsay Nixon -  Happy Herbivore. They are offering 1 of our lucky readers copies of their cookbooks!

Blissful Bites: Vegan Meals That Nourish Mind, Body, and Planet

Christy Morgan/The Blissful Chef will show you the way to bliss with delicious recipes, cooking classes for any skill level, a blog filled with helpful information and tips, and tasty alternatives that are free of processed foods, totally plant-based and good for you. We are on a mission to show that clean food can be delicious, easy to make, and will bring more energy and bliss into your life!

What you’ll find here is helpful information for those flirting with plant-based diets, and everything to do with living a eco-friendly, cruelty-free life.  Visit http://theblissfulchef.com

Purchase the book: Blissful Bites: Vegan Meals That Nourish Mind, Body, and Planet

The Happy Herbivore Cookbook: Over 175 Delicious Fat-Free and Low-Fat Vegan Recipes
Healthy, Low-Fat Recipes, Easy-to-Find Ingredients, Simple Directions

Nutritious meets delicious! Prepare a healthy meal for you and your family tonight! All the recipes are plant-based (vegan), low in fat and use wholesome ingredients. Every time you enjoy one of these recipes your body will thank you – and your taste buds will too!

Finally, a cookbook with ingredients you already have in your pantry. You won’t find weird, bizarre ingredients that have you driving all over town in this book! All the ingredients are normal “everyday” ingredients you have on hand or can buy at the regular grocery store.

No time? No problem. Most of the recipes whip up in 20 minutes or less. You also won’t find any convoluted or confusing directions with these recipes. Everything is easy to make with simple, straight-forward directions. You’ll fall in love with cooking when you see how easy it can be!

Visit http://www.happyherbivore.com

Purchase the book: The Happy Herbivore Cookbook: Over 175 Delicious Fat-Free and Low-Fat Vegan Recipes

Everyday Happy Herbivore: Over 175 Quick-and-Easy Fat-Free and Low-Fat Vegan Recipes

The success of The Happy Herbivore Cookbook inspired Lindsay Nixon to create a follow-up book with new 175 recipes that celebrate her everyday, no fuss cooking style.

Focusing on recipes that bring tasty back to quick-and-easy, with this book you can cook three healthy meals from scratch every day like Nixon does — in minutes!

Try a world of flavor in minutes. Lindsay’s got a bit of everything in this cookbook: comfort foods, cajun foods, international dishes, stir-frys, smoothies and more!

Visit http://www.happyherbivore.com/

Purchase the book: Everyday Happy Herbivore: Over 175 Quick-and-Easy Fat-Free and Low-Fat Vegan Recipes

Chic Galleria is giving 1 copy of ALL THREE cookbooks to one (1) lucky reader! (ARV $60)

TO ENTER just leave a comment below.

Entries will be accepted until 11 pm EST tonight! (Monday, February 13). A winner will be chosen at random and announced in this post.

BONUS (don’t forget to leave a comment for each one you did!):

Follow @theblissfulchef on Twitter and Like The Blissful Chef on Facebook.

Follow @happyherbivore on Twitter and Like Happy Herbivore on Facebook.

Follow @ChicGalleria on Twitter and Like Chic Galleria on Facebook.

Send out a Tweet!

Chic #meatless giveaway today from @theblissfulchef on @ChicGalleria http://bit.ly/xVfyVv

Send out a Tweet!

Chic #meatless Giveaway today from @happyherbivore on @ChicGalleria http://bit.ly/xVfyVv

Good luck!

Remember, you can get our giveaway announcements via email by signing up for our newsletter (upper right corner of this page).

Congratulations to our winner Claire McKeon!