RED and Starbucks and November 27

Wednesday, October 29, 2008

Starbucks Joins (RED) to Help Save Lives in Africa

Starbucks and (RED) today announced a multi-year partnership that will give coffee lovers a chance to do good every day.

Throughout the holiday season, Starbucks will contribute five cents from the sale of any of (Starbucks) RED Exclusive beverage (the three beverages that make up the Starbucks popular holiday trio) at all of their US and Canadian stores to the Global Fund to invest in AIDS programs in Africa.

“(RED) is making remarkable progress in the worldwide effort to address AIDS in Africa,” said Howard Schultz, Starbucks chairman, president and CEO. “We have a deep partnership with coffee growing regions in Africa. We are proud to partner with our customers to contribute toward an AIDS-free Africa.”

Schultz joined Bono, co-founder of (RED), for today’s announcement in front of 10,000 Starbucks partners (employees) at the company's 2008 Leadership Conference in New Orleans.

“(RED) is coming to a corner near you thanks to Starbucks. I’m very excited to be able to say that,” said Bono, co-founder of (RED). “The business of Starbucks with roots in Africa and branches all over the world is an ideal fit for (RED). It’s pretty mind-blowing to think that millions of people can buy (RED) going about their daily lives and in doing so raise millions of dollars to fight AIDS in Africa. That’s not a bad hit from your caffeine.”

(Starbucks) RED Exclusive Holiday beverages go on sale November 27, 2008 and continue through January 2, 2009.

posted by Max at 2:56 PM 6 comments links to this post


So cool - it's my birthday, my favorite rockstar/activist and one of my favorite companies!!!

I just know they started it on November 27 in my honor!!!!! Okay, so I'm a little delusional...or, "I'm not crazy, I'm just a little unwell..."

Ha, ha.

Down Blankets

It's been cold here the last few days. I've had the heat on and off over the last few days. But, I finally have had to add the down blanket!

When my husband and I first got married in 1982, we had a queen size bed and the queen size bed linens that went with it. Including the down comforter. It was a nice comforter, nothing fancy but functioned and kept us warm during the Minnesota winters. As is normal and usual for me, I don't typically think about replacing something until it physically breaks. Even when we bought a king size bed, I figured the queen size comforter still worked - we didn't sleep down the sides of the bed so I didn't figure we needed a whole lot of extra width...

So, last year when I finally realized that my down comforter was really leaking what was left of its down, I decided to buy a new down comforter. The Company Store in LaCrosse, Wisconsin makes fabulous down comforters. All different price points, all different weights...I was so excited. I bought a medium weight down comforter for a king size bed. Again, I was so excited! That comforter is fabulous - it is large, covers my bed and me and the hubby but it is so hot!!!!!
Everytime I put that comforter on my bed I end up sweating. I eliminated some of the other covers on my bed thinking that would make a temperature difference...but I am still sweating.

Last night I woke up in the middle of the night, freezing, so I reached for the down blanket. And, when I woke up this morning I wasn't sweating!!!!!

Ahhhh, the important things in a day.

Going to the pool for a run in the pool, gastroenterologist at 3:30 - need to get a colonoscopy, Not for Sale Campaign tonight at 7:30.

Not Much

I woke up this morning at 2:22. Yes, that's right 2:22 A.M. I always have a bit of a panic when I wake up like that - like, what's happening, is something wrong...I lay there awake for about an hour and finally was able to fall back asleep. But then again I woke up at 5:50...Tim was supposed to be up at 6:00 - so I woke him up and got up. Made coffee, took the dog out, took the garbage out and am waiting for the sun to come up at least sort of so I can go for a walk.

I'm not looking forward to the shortening daylight. I really hate the darkness and feel like I have to hibernate. I'm forcing myself to try to find things to do in the evenings. I refuse to sit in my house and watch television all night.

I'm worried...worried about whether the wind will blow my leyland cypress trees over; about whether or not Lesley is doing okay with her teaching job in Taiwan; how Andy is doing with his class work and his music; how long I'll have to wait before I can make Andy's reservations and how much it's going to cost me to pay for Andy to come home for Thanksgiving; worried about Tim and the deal he's in the middle of! I'm worried about the economy, worried about my American Express wine bill (!!!!!!!!) and, so many other things. The thing, I can't do anything about any of those things - frustrating but real!

Weekend was okay - just okay. Cold and rainy on Friday - Tim was home and we stuck around the house reading and working. I did go to yoga and it was awesome. Saturday some errands and then light dinner on the deck...then, Tim turned on the tv and it was all over. By 8:30 I was ready for bed!!!!!!!!!! I hate that. Sunday I went shopping, Tim played tennis. I'm reading a fabulous book - The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo - spent most of the day yesterday in the book. Only a little more but it has been a fun read.

Walk this morning - only 2 miles - but maybe it will clear my head, yoga and maybe lunch with Suzanne, maybe meeting with partners on Mango Tree. Tomorrow ONE meeting with Kristi, Not for Sale Campaign meeting tomorrow night. Wednesday meeting with Phil, Pattersons.

Nuff said, I guess.

Bono and Thursday

http://www.one.org/blog/2008/10/23/video-bono-speaks-at-ca-women%E2%80%99s-conference/

I have no idea how to put that link in without putting the whole damned thing in so, sorry.

Listen, to all five parts. This man is such an inspiration to those of us involved in the movement to eliminate poverty. He reminds me of why I do what I do, why what we do is important. He makes me laugh and he makes me cry. Such a tender, passionate, articulate man.

By far one of the most amazing speeches I have heard him make...and, I listen to a lot.

I've had an amazing week. Monday evening I had dinner with friends - one of them wants to set up a group of women to talk about Mango Tree and the promise of empowering women. Awesome. Yesterday I met a lady who owns her own business making bags out of recycled clothing from Maya women in Guatemala. She is going to introduce me to some of her friends who are working to empower women. She also sent me the email address for a gentleman who is actively working in Colombia - he rescues children from FARC! He is based in Atlanta and travels to Colombia regularly. Amazing! Then, last night, a friend of mine sent me an email telling me that she is interested in making regular contributions from her jewelry business to Mango Tree!

I think this is really, really going to happen. I am so thrilled to know that people believe in us, in me. That they trust me with their money to help people who need help to make their way in the world.

Awesome, awesome stuff.

Walking and Thinking

Took my dog with me on my morning walk...she is so slow and when we get about half way she is finished. I don't think I will take her with me anymore for the whole walk. I will do my walk, stop and get her and take her for a half mile. We did walk about 2.5 miles.

I had my ipod with me as I walked. Started with a little Amy Winehouse, had some U2, Bob Marley, Glen Hansard, Mark Knopfler.

My husband and I have an ongoing discussion on music. He listens to a lot of women vocalists. To me they all sound the same. After a few songs I think they all start to sound the same, I can't tell who's who...most sound whiny to me, he's got a few screechers but none of the women "vocal masturbators." I find that I prefer men's voices - love Bono, Mark Knopfler, Van Morrison, James Hunter, Mick Jagger, the kid who sings for the Arctic Monkeys...the lead singer for the Devlins, Eddie Vedder, and many more...I never get them confused. Never. In fact, I don't think anyone would confuse Bono for Eddie Vedder or Van Morrison for Mark Knopfler. They don't whine, they don't screech and mostly they don't do that vocal masturbation thing. I do like a few of the women - Amy Winehouse, a little Norah Jones (although after about four songs I feel like I need a nap). Just like after too much Neil Young, everybody needs antidepressants!

I wonder if it's a male/female thing - women prefer men's voices and men prefer women's voices, you know, sort of a primal thing...

I put my ipod on random but find myself moving to those voices I prefer...I'm thinking of a playlist of "My Men." Ha, ha!

Playing tennis today. Last match of the season. I'm glad it's over but I've enjoyed playing. What I find interesting is that the level we are playing allows me to make so many errors and still win easily. Last week was the first week I was challenged - but only because I played so bad, and my partner played so bad too! We won but had to play three stupid sets. It was nice outside, a little too windy. Today I play with one of my favorite partners. We have a lot of fun together and that's what I'm all about on the tennis court.

CARE event on Friday was awesome. We had an alumni event for SMU here on Thursday then the CARE thing on Friday. I was so whipped yesterday that it was absolutely awesome to just sit around and do not much. I was starving yesterday. Probably because I hadn't eaten on Friday!

Drank one of our Napa bottles of wine last night - Hagafen Prix Reserve Napa/Sonoma Syrah. It was absolutely delicious. It opened up really nicely and was so flavorful. Loved it.

Busy, busy, busy.

Andy came home from college on Saturday for fall break - he arrived at about 4 p.m. but we didn't get to see him until around 8:30. Reminded me of how much I hate waiting around for people to show up and not having a clue what's going on. It was good to see him. He is enjoying college, making friends, making good grades, singing and doing his music thing. It's awesome. He left Tuesday. I had to take him to the airport about 2.5 hours early so I could go work at the Study Abroad Fair. I'm glad I went to the study abroad fair and it was generous of Andy to be willing to go to the airport early. He got to the Twin Cities around 3 and had to wait for three more hours at the airport for his friend/roommate Nick to pick him up.

I miss going to school. I miss the interaction and the exchange of ideas. It's stressful at exam time but it is amazing to be mentally engaged. Plus, I think I really miss the structure, meeting someone else's deadlines. Oh well. I should try to figure out how to do that for myself. I'm trying to find funding for my nonprofit, right!?

Joe came in Tuesday evening. He brought his fraternity brother, Carl. I fixed them spaghetti and bolognese sauce, salad and bread. We opened one of the bottles of Luna Sangiovese (not the reserve) and sat out on the deck. Yesterday we took Carl to the airport, then Joe and I went to the "new" world of Coke. Then came home for wine deliveries, this time I didn't miss them, and we went to Target for another wine refrigerator. Found one that was less expensive than the one Tim and I bought the other day...The wine bottles are all different shapes so it is hard to fit them all into the cooler. I'm even having to mix reds and whites!

Going to yoga today, trying to get ready for the SMU Alumni event tonight at our home. Tim doesn't get home until 5:00. I think people start arriving then! Oh well. At least I have something pretty concrete to do today. I should be studying for my French class tomorrow!!!!!

Ah, such is life.

Quick and Random

Napa Valley was awesome. We traveled October 2-7. Tim came home on the 1st, washed clothes, took clothes to the cleaners and we left about noon on the 2nd! Quick turnaround.

Coman's met us at the airport - their flight arrived about fifteen minutes ahead of us. We picked up the rental car and went into San Francisco for dinner at a great little place called Tadich's. I had a martini and oysters - the oysters were not raw - creole, curried and rockefeller! Great stuff. We drove out to our hotel. We stayed in the town of Sonoma - at the Lodge of Sonoma - a Marriott property. It was nice but way too expensive for the amount of time we spent in the hotel!

First day (Friday) we started out about 8:30 and went to the Napa vineyards of Sterling, Markham, Martini, Cakebread, Heitz, Merryvale, Sattui, Black Stallion and Peju. Breakfast at Basque Boulangerie, lunch at Oakville Grocery and dinner at Cindy's Backstreet Kitchen. Bought wine at Martini, Cakebread, Merryvale - I think.

Second day (Saturday) we started out taking a hike in Muir Woods then went to some more vineyards in Napa. Visited Luna, Darioush, Hagafen. Bought wine at all of them. Breakfast at Basque Boulangerie, lunch at some deli on the way to Luna, dinner at Go Fish - great sushi rolls.

Sunday we went to Sonoma - Sonoma Sunday! Started out at Chalk Hill, then went up to Ferraro Carano, Zichichi Family Vineyards and Quivira. Finished up at Benziger. Had private tastings/appoiintments at Benziger and Chalk Hill. It was pretty cool. We bought wine at Ferraro, Zichichi and Quivira. Food for the day - breakfast at this really cool croissant place, lunch at Oakville in Healdsburg Went into Napa for dinner at a restaurant that had been written up on some travel site but didn't like the way it looked. So we went to 25 Brix in Napa - it was great. I had mussels and they were in this amazing tomato, garlic and sausage sauce. Good stuff.

Monday Tim had to leave early. We had breakfast at Sunflower Cafe and dropped Tim at the hotel. Then we went to an 11 at Duckhorn (fabulous) - wine and cheeses. Then down to Stags Leap, Robert Sinskey - lunch at Oakville then to Robert Sinskey (great pinots). After Sinskey we met Rick Thornberry at Luna so he could lead the way up to his home. Rick is a friend of Steve's. We went up to his house, which was spectacular, and met his wife and had some hor d'ouevres and tasted his private Cabernet! It was an amazing way to end the evening. We were an hour late for our dinner reservation at Carneros (the restaurant in our hotel). Of course none of us were really hungry so we had salads...it was just what I needed.

Tuesday morning, up early and off to the airport. I got home 9ish that night. No one was home - no kids, no husband and no dog.

Picked Cassie up on Wednesday afternoon. She had a really tough time at the vet. She got very sick - vomiting and diarrhea. Sad and frustrating.

Gotta take shower and get ready for French lessons...