St. Peter's Children Hospital

Saturday morning was one of the most beautiful blessings. We visited the children at St. Peter's Hospital and brought a special friend, Batman!! It was an inspiring morning filled with happiness love and hope. It will be impossible to forget the excitement in the faces of the children when they saw Batman. There is no greater joy than making children smile!!! Mari Twins xoxo

 

Wendy Williams

Fall Fashion Remix!!! We had the most amazing time on the Wendy Williams Show. Wendy created a Fall Fashion Show depicting day and evening looks by using some of the same articles of clothing. Stylist Katrina Szish chose a long hemline Maxi Skirt from Victoria's Secret to give us a day and evening look. For the edgy daytime look, the maxi skirt was paired with a chunky white sweater and a leather motorcycle jacket. The leather jacket gave it a little kick of Rock Star to the outfit. Accessories included a sequenced bag, oversized ring, and black booties. For the evening glamour look the maxi skirt was paired with an oversized burgundy sequence top. It laid softly to the side to expose the shoulder, which provoked a subtle sex appeal. Accessories included a metallic belt to define the waist, sparkling ring, open toe heels and clutch. The trick to the maxi skirt is that it should always be long enough that the hemline skims the floor. Your shoe or foot should only expose when walking or sitting. Thanks again to the Wendy Williams Show for having us participate on their Fall Fashion Remix Runway!!!!!! Mari Twins xoxo

iViveH2O

Behind the scenes while filming for iViveH2O!!! This web series focuses on the accomplishments of the Latino Community in the New York/New Jersey area. It covers entertainment, music, fashion and culture. In addition, iViveH2O holds an annual Fashion Show benefitting Casa Esperanza for Women and Children. For the latest on Latino News be sure to check out www.iviveh2o.com Mari Twins xoxo

Holiday Children Retreat

Loving our Sunday School Students!!! So excited to be preparing these little ones for their First Communion. Blessed to have celebrated the last Sunday of Advent with them!!!! They truly deserve a Christmas filled with love and happiness!!!! Mari Twins xoxo

Christmas of Hope Fundraiser

The Holiday and Giving Season is here!!!!! We were fortunate to attend Christmas of Hope. This event hosted by Handfuls of Hope benefitted children in Catalina, Dominican Republic. It was a night of mingling, eating, caroling and more importantly raising funds for the Handfuls of Hope Educational Program. We were received with a warm welcome and so many members eager to tell us about their experiences with this organization. We praise Handfuls of Hope for all the hard and charitable work. We are inspired by their diligence and their desire to make the world a better place!!!! For more information on how you can also help, please visit www.handfulsofhope.org. Mari Twins xoxo

How to Avoid Holiday Weight Gain

¡Pernil, arroz con gandules, potato salad, baked zitti, pasteles,  y la lista continua sin fin! Let’s not forget turkey, stuffing, lasagnaand although we have consumed every last bit of our holiday meals there is always room for dessert! We are all aware that the holidays mean that gaining a few pounds is inevitable and some of us have tried a few tricks like eating smaller portions or skipping dessert. But what happens when Abuela’s pernil is served and she insists on giving you a second serving? Saying no to Abuela’s pernil, which she prepared with so much love and excitement, is not an option. Abuela will definitely not understand when you inform her that this year you are skipping dessert. You simply must try her secret recipe tres leches that the entire family is raving about. In addition to our own family festivities, we visit our extended family and the family of our significant others. Sometimes we find ourselves eating full meals in a short period of time. We must not look at food as ourenemy; some of the best memories during the holiday season is being among loved ones and enjoying delectable food. Here are some ideas that will help you balance the consumption of your favorite holiday meals.

Limit your tasting while preparing your holiday meal, especially if you are doing all the cooking.  Keep the number of times you taste to pre and post seasoning.

If you are making more than one stop on a specific day, schedule to arrive early for lunch and plan to arrive late fordinner. This will allow you to space out the day better and help you have more control of what you are eating.

Invite family members or friends to take a stroll around the neighborhood and use it as a time to enjoy the décor from the other houses. This will also help burn some calories.

Drink Water! Water is a great substitute for higher calorie beverages.

Offer to bring a vegetable tray, a salad, or a low calorie dessert.

Indulge more in conversation than in food. Have the older members of the family tell stories of when they were young. This can become a new family tradition and help keep focus away from the food.

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After a full day of indulging on great holiday food plan to make a date with a friend the following morning at the gym. This will allow you to reconnect with an old friend and exercise at the same time.

Experts agree that portion control is the key to maintaining weight during the holidays. However we are from a culture where the holidays are filled with an array of foods and desserts and sometimes saying “No, Gracias” is not an option. We must be proactive and take the steps necessary to create some balancein our food intake during the holidays.

For more Holidays Tips Check Out www.modernlatina.com

 

Mari Twins xoxo

Maribel & Marisol Joven

Born in New York City from Ecuadorian and Spaniard Parents, Maribel and Marisol Joven, better known as the Mari Twins, serve as positive role models in their community.  They are passionate about their culture, health and wellness, education and fashion. Currently residing in New Jersey, Maribel and Marisol have successful careers in the Education and Healthcare fields.  Maribel and Marisol’s efforts to better the well-being of others or create awareness can be found in their volunteer work. The Mari Twins are proud to represent the Icla DaSilva Foundation, Literacy Volunteers of America, Handfuls of Hope, and are Sunday School Teachers at their local church.  These young ladies are also involved in pageantry. Maribel is the current Ms. Latina Galaxy and former Ms. Belleza Latina International 2013. Marisol is the current Ms. New Jersey Belleza Latina. They are proof that through hard work, dedication, and passion anything can be accomplished. In addition to their professional responsibilities and spending time with family and friends, their other interests include travelling, music, movies, reading and concerts. The Mari Twins think it is important to inspire, educate, motivate and support others. They strongly believe that anyone can achieve their goals.