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Saturday, December 8, 2007

Discount Jewelry Website for Aventura Residents

Thank you City of Aventura Blog readers for your support in making this blog the most relevant and important blog in the City of Aventura. The purpose of this post is to give our readers a special discount - a thank you gift. It's the first of many, so keep checking back to our site.

We have been covering a wide array of topics and have recently teamed up with several other bloggers to help spread the word about the City of Aventura and to cover several stories. There have been posts in the past regarding Jewelry stores in Aventura and even a spotlight on a Jeweler. During the holiday season Jewelry stores become mobbed with people and traffic; getting to and from those Jewelry stores can make the travel time unbearable.

So when I recently met an executive from an online Jewelry store, I had our Aventura readers in mind. We got talking and I mentioned this blog. He was very interested in how we could work together. It was simple, I asked him to give my readers a discount on his website and I'd let him plug his site for the holiday season. Seems fair, right? He agreed. So here's the plug... http://www.discountjewelryltd.com/ Enjoy the discount!


Discount code for City of Aventura Blog readers:


"AVENTURADISCOUNT" - 2 uses per customer with a $40 minimum purchase


Discount Jewelry Ltd is committed to offering our customers the finest in designer jewelry from world class manufacturers at discount prices. Our goal is that you should not find any piece of jewelry we sell at a lower price, ANYWHERE!


Discount Jewelry Ltd and its fulfillment companies have over 35 years experience in the fine jewelry and precious metals businesses. Our philosophy in this business is straightforward. If you conscientiously strive too offer a beautiful, well made piece of jewelry, at a discounted price, gift boxed, with FREE insured shipping, you will have many satisfied customers.

Discount Jewelry Ltd offers a wide array of fine jewelry; rings, earrings, bracelets, necklaces, pendants, charms, pins, accessories and men’s, in diamond, precious and semi precious gemstones, gold, platinum and silver designs, ALL at discounted prices of up to 65% off suggested retail.

Our experienced customer service professionals will be happy and eager to help you with choosing, answering questions or addressing any concerns you may have about our merchandise. Please feel free to provide us with any feedback you have concerning your shopping experience with us as well as any suggestions to make your future visits to our web site more enjoyable. (You may contact customer service at 1-800-737-5320 or at mailto://customerservice@discountjewelryltd.com).

Please join our long list of satisfied and repeat customers by browsing our web site and making a purchase soon. Visit us on the web at: http://www.discountjewelryltd.com/ or call us at 800.737.5320.

Discount Jewelry Ltd would like to take this opportunity to wish all of our past, present and future customers a wonderfully joyous and healthy holiday season. Bless you all.


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Friday, December 7, 2007

THE GOLDEN COMPASS AMC AVENTURA 24

The Golden Compass is coming out this weekend. This film is expected to be an epic fantasy adventure, thrilling audiences with its amazing story, special effects and graphics. It will be a popular pick at the AMC Aventura 24 movie theatre in the Aventura Mall. Make sure to get to the Aventura Mall early to buy your tickets and to get a good seat. There will likely be a huge line.

In case you are not aware of THE GOLDEN COMPASS film, here's a brief overview as posted on Wikipedia.

"The Golden Compass is a fantasy film based upon Northern Lights (titled The Golden Compass in the US), the first novel in Philip Pullman's trilogy His Dark Materials, and was released on December 5, 2007 by New Line Cinema. The story concerns Lyra, an orphan living in a fantastical parallel universe in which a dogmatic dictatorship, the Magisterium, threatens to dominate. When Lyra's friend is kidnapped, she travels to the far North in an attempt to rescue him."



The film stars Nicole Kidman. Take a look at this clip.



A recent article highlighted the controversy surrounding this film - click here to read about it. The topic was covered on Fox News, take a look at this clip. I suggest we all go see the movie and decide for ourselves.

Thursday, December 6, 2007

Bush unveils plan to help subprime borrowers

In response to Michael's post today about the importance of keeping Aventura residents informed, I thought this mortgage announcement should be posted instantly.

“There is no perfect solution,” President Bush said Thursday as he announced an agreement hammered out with the mortgage industry. “The homeowners deserve our help. The steps I’ve outlined today are a sensible response to a serious challenge.”

To view the entire article click - read more


Bush's mortgage plan

City of Aventura Mortgage Report

Today an article ran in the Miami Herald regarding mortgage fraud. It's vital that our readers know what's going on in the mortgage industry. The City of Aventura is a new town that has experienced recent growth. I'm confident that there are many Aventura residents exploring a first mortgage or refinancing in response to the city's development. This makes mortgage news highly relevant to Aventura real estate and the residents that are buying and selling condos in the area.

I hope you find this article as informative as I did. Enjoy.

Seven more arrested in mortgage fraud

BY MONICA HATCHER
mhatcher@MiamiHerald.com

Seven new suspects accused of mortgage fraud were rounded up by police, as Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos Alvarez unveiled new legislation to increase criminal penalties for people convicted of real estate fraud.

The proposal would allow property appraisers to revalue assessments in neighborhoods plagued with fraud, where inflated values have driven up property taxes for nearby homeowners. It would also create a statewide mortgage fraud task force.

''A lot of people think . . . [mortgage fraud] is just a way of making money, that it's a business, it's an industry. But they are going to find out very differently, '' Alvarez said at a news conference. ``If you've done it, you might be in trouble.''

Launched in September, the Miami-Dade task force is a partnership of lawmakers, law enforcement and business leaders formed to devise ways to combat and prevent the widespread mortgage fraud that slammed South Florida during the real estate boom.

Subcommittees have been meeting over the last several months to craft reform measures, including educational outreach, an industry code of conduct and legislation. The task force recently released a standardized complaint form the public can use to report fraud. State Senators Gwen Margolis, D-Bay Harbor Islands, and Alex Villalobos, R-Miami, and state Rep. Carlos Lopez-Cantera, R-Miami, introduced the measures and said they will back them in Tallahassee next year.

Amid the real estate market slowdown and record foreclosures that have cast a spotlight on questionable loans, police said they had received more than 1,000 complaints of suspected mortgage fraud in Miami-Dade.

Included in the recent spate of arrest is Mariana Navarrete, 44, the registered owner of Confin Home Mortgage & Loan and United Consultants Group, who was arrested last month and accused of recruiting family members to steal the identity of an employee and using it to take out loans.

CONTINUE READING - CLICK HERE


Wednesday, December 5, 2007

China’s Turtles, Emblems of a Crisis

As you all know our blog mascot is the Tortoise. Therefore, when I came across this article in the New York Times I felt obligated to make it a post. It's about the saga of the last two Yangtze giant soft-shells that exist and they are in China. The threatened state of wildlife is a result of pollution, hunting and rampant development. To read the full article in the New York Times, click on "read more."

read more | digg story

Tuesday, December 4, 2007

City of Aventura, Fl. 33180 Fashion Report

Fashion Against Global Warming Available Right here in Aventura, Florida 33180

While many companies begin to “go green,” clothing companies have started taking responsibility for their contribution to the degradation of our environment. One company taking a step forward to raise awarness is C&C California. This corporation realizes the strong influence it has on a large consumer base. C&C California introduced Limited Edition Organic Tees. Their design contains written slogans of simple solutions for the everyday excesses that contribute to global warming.




Help demonstrate that style and sustainability make great partners. There are many boutiques in the City of Aventura that make these great pieces available - start influencing those around you.

Jessie's Boutique
20533 Biscayne Blvd
Aventura, FL 33180
United States of America
305-933-8198

TUPELO HONEY
3585 N.E. 207 ST.
AVENTURA, FL 33180
United States of
305-936-9300

Submitted by: Valerie Kwaterka

I like the idea that fashion and environmental awarness can come together. Like everything else, going to the extreme can get out of hand. Check out the movie clip.

Friday, November 30, 2007

City of Aventura Residents Have a Heart

Aventura residents, Paul and Mercedes Lederman, have given of themselves to help an animal who couldn't help herself. They found LOLA on the streets of the City of Aventura and she was sick, covered in fleas, hungry, and traumatized. Despite her poor condition they recognized the spark of life inside this animal. It took a split second and they rescued this dog. Lola was immediately taken to an animal hospital and she got the care she desperately needed. Her life was in danger and she had over 300 ticks on her. She was in shock when they found her and the theory is that she was broken hearted due to having been separated from her puppies. The vet bills have piled up and she needs further medical attention in order to continue the healing process. They're happy to report that now Lola is happy, healthy, and has a full belly.

Take a look at her transformation.

BEFORE



AFTER

A MESSAGE FROM LOLA'S FOSTER PARENTS -

Lola needs attention, help and we are doing our best.
We are trying to collect some money, to pay all her doctors bills.
We think we found her a home, but meantime we are the foster parents.
we rescued her with all of our love and good intentions, but not thinking of the financial part.
We appreciate if you can start sending this around to your friends and families, maybe with a little help here and a little there, we be able to keep helping her and others.
Thank you all .

To come to Lola's assistance, please send an email to: lolasfund@gmail.com
Please include your name, the amount you wish to donate and we will send you a link to contribute via paypal.


You can also send payment to the following address.
Please send checks or cash to:


3615 NE 207th Street #3103 Aventura, FL 33180
make checks payable to: Mercedes Lederman


I FEEL FORGOTTEN

I feel forgotten; I'm all alone
Where are the parents that I can call my own?
I feel forgotten, aren't you aware
I have no family, only foster care

In the mirror, I'm almost grown
It doesn't mean that I still don't need a home
Where are the people, who should be there?
My aunts and uncles, aren't they looking for me here?

I'm still waiting, you will see,
My mother promised, she would come and visit me
I feel forgotten, lost in the crowd
People wonder, why I'm angry and get loud

I feel forgotten, I want to hide
Why am I out here with no one by my side
I feel forgotten, lonely nights and lonely days
Why even try, no one wants me anyways

THANK YOU PAUL AND MERCEDES LEDERMAN!

Thursday, November 29, 2007

The Top 20 Ways to Come Up With Amazing Ideas

Since I started this blog many people have been asking me how I came up with the idea. Also, several people have been asking me how I come up with ideas for posts. Today I was asked these questions by two different people. So, I'd like to share an article that contains very helpful excercises to keep your ideas fresh.

These are tips and tricks that can be applied to any industry. Please let me know if any of these points help. I appreciate any and all feedback to posts. Thanks. Remember to subscribe to the blog and pass it on.

1. Carry a notebook. Seriously, carry it everywhere. I can’t tell you how many awesome ideas I’ve lost simply because I forgot to bring my notebook. And you know why I can’t tell you? Because I didn’t write them down. Carry your notebook everywhere, always have some kind of writing implement, and write things down immediately. Of course, you may need to pull your car over to avoid an accident … or just start riding mass transit instead, to avoid that problem. Another good article on capturing ideas.

2. Keep a list. I have a simple Google Doc that I can pull up at any time with a few keystrokes (I use AutoHotKey to open all my most commonly used documents and programs instantly). On this list, I write down all my ideas. When I need to write a post, I am never short of ideas. Actually, I have dozens more ideas than I can ever use, so if anyone needs any, let me know. Just $5 an idea.

3. Exercise. OK, you’re going to skip past this one. That’s OK. I’m not saying you have to start exercising to have amazing ideas, but from personal experience, exercise is one of the absolute best ways to come up with ideas. It seems it is literally impossible to go for a run or a walk without coming up with an idea that will knock you on your butt. Which is why I now wear padded running shorts.

4. Driving. There’s something about the mindlessness of driving that allows me to come up with some of my better ideas in the car. To make this work, you have to drive slower than some of the maniacs out there (try it, it’s calming), and ignore the rude antics of your fellow drivers. Concentrate on avoiding an accident, but don’t worry if someone cuts you off or is driving slower than your average toddler can walk. Just stay in your Zen zone, and watch the ideas come to you effortlessly.

5. Read a lot. I’m reading a book every day, several times a day. It might take me a week to finish the book, but that’s because I take my time and enjoy the book. In addition, I’m always reading stuff on the Internet. Reading is one of the very best ways to find new ideas. And yes, you have to read the articles, not just the pictures.

read more digg story

Monday, November 26, 2007

Fairmont Turnberry Isle Resort & Club Sued

A tour company that puts on Passover holidays for Jewish people from around the world claimed that worshippers are being passed over for the glamour of pro golf. Click on "read more" to view the entire article.

read more digg story

Sunday, November 25, 2007

Habitat for Humanity at Greynolds Park

The Greynolds Park Gods were smiling this past Friday because of the Lumpy Sue Music Festival. The City of Aventura has parks, such as Founders Park, but Greynolds Park is in a league of its own. Greynolds Park is one street over from Aventura, off of West Dixie Highway. Click on this link to learn more about this amazing local park - Greynolds Park. I encourage all Aventura residents to embrace Greynolds Park as their own.

The Lumpy Sue Festival has been going on for over ten years and helps raise money for Habitat for Humanity. This year's Lumpy Sue was a great time of music, family, friends, fun and sun. Greynolds Park is the perfect atmosphere for a mellow festival. Everyone who attended added to the positive experience.

There were lots of local musicians sharing their tunes and words of wisdom with the crowd. Everyone enjoyed the music and danced under the sun.







Here's a list of some of the musicians that played.


Yoni
Ellen Bukstel
Andy Waks
Jacob Groten
Mary Huddleston & Michael Waxman
Shauna
Diane Ward
Ratt

One of the greatest things about having the festival at Greynolds Park is the castle. This castle is rumored to have magical powers to make your wildest dreams come true. Visit the castle and see for yourself - the Wizard is there on Tuesday afternoons. Here's a photo of some of the crowd hanging out by the castle while listening to the live music.

This really was a huge success and I'm excited to attend next year's Lumpy Sue Festival. I had a great time with my friends and even made some new ones. I'd like to share a few of the photos I took that day. Hope you get an idea of the great time we all had.




Watch a clip of Habitat for Humanity in action.








As you can tell this Festival was a blast! Everyone had a great time and lots of money was raised for Habitat for Humanity. I'd like to thank all those who were involved in the planning and preparation for this event - THANKS FOR MAKING THE FESTIVAL A REALITY!