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S Factor is making headlines across the continent! Our queen bee Sheila Kelley appeared on Fox Network News along with a bevy of our lovable New York instructors. Watch what happened... Our lovable lady was also interviewed on the "Suburbs and the City" radio show. It's no wonder Star Magazine has listed her as one of Hollywood's Workout Gurus!

Our Houston Grand Opening continues to spark conversation. The Houston Business Journal and Houston Chronicle are buzzing with excitement over S Factor. Read what the Chronicle's health section loves about us:

The Larchmont Chronicle gave our "Magic of S" event rave reviews. Our fair maiden Ali Baker led host Karli Henriquez and E! reality star Kim Kardashian through some "S" moves on MTV Tr3s' show "Karlyfornia." On the horizon are stories in Women's Day, Houston Bride's Magazine and "Extra" on NBC. Also, our drop dead gorgeous instructor Anjua Maximo will be a guest on TV One's "Baisden After Dark." Stay tuned for more news...

I love holidays, don't you? Love celebration of the human spirit. Love celebration of life, which I guess is kind of obvious, given that I am an S Factor fanatic. And for someone who loves holidays, this time of year is a feast for the soul. My family and I celebrate everything: a little bit of Hanukkah, a lot of Christmas, pieces of Kwanzaa, lots of Yule, just started a couple years back with the Winter Solstice, and I’ve even got a couple of new ones up my sleeve for this year: Diwali and Soyal.

So I absolutely, positively adore this time of year – there's just one problem. Every time the gift-giving season comes around I get all flushed and panicked because I remember once again that I have a man in my life that has absolutely everything he seemingly wants! And has in his opinion, "nothing." Wants everything he sees, and yet wants nothing. Doesn’t like anything. And loves everything. Contradictory, I know, but this is who I have. And when I didn’t have him in my life, when I was a teenager I had someone just like him: my mother. Every holiday season I would rack my brain, soul and spirit to come up with something that she might really love, and it drove me a little nuts every time. You know what I'm talking about, right? I feel pretty sure that everyone on the planet has at least one Richard/mother in her life.

So, what am I going to get my hub-man for Christmas this year!? Don't get me wrong; when it comes to the Great Gift Hunt I am like Artemis with her bow. I am in my element. I am tireless, and my aim is true. I have ideas for the kids, my best friend, my other best friend, my mother (I finally got her nailed down), my sisters, my assistant, my other best friend, even Ruby’s 1st grade teacher (an S Factor intro gift certificate!). Every year I find "the greatest gift they’re ever going to open!" and you can quote me on that one. But I start to think about Richard and slam, bang, I’m stopped in my tracks. This is the point where I start to pull my hair out in clumps, but every year I get through it... somehow.

One year I made up "love coupons." You know, 1 free massage, a head rub, the greatest reflexology on the planet, a baseball game with me by his side (that one was tough). I think I even shared the idea with you guys. He loved them. Used them all up in a month. And man was I tired. One year, I got him a necklace with his kids names in hieroglyphics (he never takes it off, never – cha-ching, a miraculous success!). And of course one year I dudded out miserably with an electric rechargeable scooter. I really thought it was a great gift that he could use around the Warner Bros. lot while shooting, or to tool around the neighborhood, but he used it twice and it has sat in the garage ever since. And then there was the whole body chair massager. That still sits in the corner of his office today. Don’t get me started on that one. So, you can see, I have a challenge ahead of me.

But gift-giving isn't just about checking off everyone on your list, spending a certain amount of money, or fulfilling some obligation "correctly." Sometimes when you get to those really challenging people you have to stop and remember the meaning of giving in general. The point of a gift is not to give a person more "stuff" but to express your love, your deep, intimate knowledge of a person and what brings him or her joy. So, here’s what I suggest for your own personal "Richard" gift-giving challenge (and here’s what I’m going to do). I’m going to create an experience for his gift. I’m going to blow him away and it’s going to cost me hopefully not an arm, leg or torso.

Step One: Throw away all the magazines and catalogs that you’ve relied on in the past. If you have a true Richard in your life, he isn’t going to be as simple and easy as that.

Step Two: This is going to take a little chutzpah and research and access to the internet:. make a list of your Richard’s six favorite things, and get ready to Google. In my man’s case the list goes: me, his son, his daughter, acting, the Yankees, and golf. He’s already got the first four so I search-engined "Yankees camp" and up popped a url for the official Yankee’s Fantasy Camp. It sounded like exactly what I needed: six days of playing on the Yankees' training field in Tampa, Florida, under the eyes of the Yankees' coaching staff and trainers. He’d even get his own Yankees uniform and locker. But hmmm.....no Derek Jeter? No Arod? Without the real players I wasn’t sure this sounded like something he’d fantasized about. And then I then looked at the price tag, $4995. Ahhhhh, that wasn’t going to quite cut it. Click.

Step Three: Persevere! Next I search-engined "the best golf in the world" to see if I could get a hit of something inspiring. I still wasn’t sure what I might come up with. I went through the list of forty of the top golf courses. They were all either in another faraway country that would be very expensive to get to, or in America and members-only. Damn! But I kept on clicking, and number 23 turned out to be a gem of a golf course in, of all places, Oregon! Practically a neighbor! And it wasn’t a members only club! I would just have to call and reserve a tee time for him, and he’d have a magnificent gift. I called and reserved three a tee time for March 27th,– right during my son’s Spring Break from school so they could drive up together. I Map quested a route up to Bandon, Oregon, a mere 865.1 miles that, if no traffic ensues could be gotten to in 13.10 hours. Okay, okay, so it’s a long drive, but I’m trying to create a father-son adventure here, and how adventurous (not to mention expensive) is it to fly up to Oregon to golf? I booked a room at a reasonably priced bed and breakfast and voila, his magical mystery tour of a Christmas gift was complete.

Step Four: Package it up! You can't wrap a reservation, so I printed out the most impressive information I could find on the internet about this apparently amazing golf course. I bought a driving hat that I’m assuming could be worn, yes, while driving the car up to Oregon but also to drive the ball off of the tee (or am I being too femininely literal?). I put the hat in a box with a brand new package of tees, I laid the pages with the reservation tee times, hotel reservation, and Mapquest driving directions on top of the hat, put the lid on the box, wrapped it in the most masculine wrapping paper I could find, bowed it up, and it is a ready and raring to go under that tree. Gotta make sure I have a camera ready to capture his face when he opens it. This time I think I’ve really got him!

When you take the right approach to giving, there's a feeling that comes from it that's infinitely more precious than the gift itself. You have to remember: the holidays aren't about shopping. They're about taking the time to stop and think about each person in your life and ask yourself, "What would bring this person joy?" Ideally, of course, we'd do this every day of our lives, but we're only human, and frankly this kind of hair-pulling hub-man-gifting madness year round would probably make us all gray before our time. But we're not asked to do it every day. We do it only once a year, when the nights are longest and we have to make our own light.

It takes work to be a true source of light instead of reflecting it from a catalog or a magazine, but it's worth it. Celebrate those challenging individuals who remind you the true meaning of giving. Forget about price tags, forget what's fashionable, forget what's "correct." Just be daylight for your loved ones, be sunshine, pour your warmth and radiance into their hearts and watch wild joy blossom there.

With a big, fat, luscious hug!






Traveling during the holidays can be so hard on your body. Try these easy solutions and arrive at your holiday destination smiling.

Bring a pillow. There’s nothing in the security rules that says you can’t bring a full-sized pillow on board. Place it on your tray table and lean forward for a quick catnap.

Stay hydrated. Drink one glass of water per hour of flight. And slather yourself from head to toe with your favorite moisturizer. Don’t forget your lips: keep them soft with flavored gloss.

Fill your iPod or CD case with NEW music. Download the top 10 iTunes hits and your favorite celebrity’s playlist or load up on CD’s from the employee suggestions section of your favorite record store.

Read a book. Not just any book, a book that will transport you from coach to first class. Think poetry, non-fiction adventure or the always satisfying naughty romance novel.

Hang on to your woobie. Don’t laugh! Adults have woobies too. That XL t-shirt you sleep in every night is a woobie. Those thick red socks that are losing their elasticity are woobies. That throw blanket you snuggle up in while watching House is a woobie! If it makes you feel safe and at home it's a woobie. Just don’t tell the person sitting next you it’s your woobie.

And last but not least, this is a given but, allow extra time for traffic delays and long lines. Don’t chance it. Get there early and be the first to check in.

Find more in-flight stress busters at www.Flight001.com.

All over the world, winter months are a time to give thanks, bond with loved ones and prepare for the New Year. Our diverse faith ceremonies encourage warmth, welcome home relatives and honor traditional foods. As winter descends, the cold weather lures us indoors where we recreate spring growth and summer sunshine with colorful lights, flickering candles and fragrant greenery. Rich in history, Soyal and Diwali are winter holidays that celebrate the sun.

Soyal is a Native American custom celebrated by Zuni (Pueblo) and Hopi tribes. The celebration begins on December 21st and lasts twenty days. Creation and rebirth are central themes. The main goal of the ceremony is to charm the sun. Tribe members perform mock battles in which danger is deflected by "sun shields." This symbolizes the sun's ability to overcome winter weather, feed the earth and yield a bountiful harvest. The rituals are meant to catch the sun's attention and lead it back home.

Hmmm...sounds like a female inspired tradition. Sure enough, Soyal festivities are dedicated to the "Spider Woman" and "Hawk Maiden." Ancient tales tell the story of a Spider Woman who saved the Hopi tribe from floods by hiding them in reeds that floated to higher ground. The Hawk Maiden is the mother of the Hopi people. It is through her virtue that future generations may be born.

Soyal celebrations are held in kivas, small rooms often built underground. The entrance is carved into the structure's roof and inside there are benches and a fire pit. Pahos or prayer sticks are fashioned from wood, usually from a tree that has personal significance. A turkey feather is added as well as something to represent another animal you would like to honor. Pahos carvers pray as they work. The end result is shaped like a fork. Chanting, dancing and fasting are rewarded with a meal of sacred morsels.

Diwali is a Hindu and Buddhist holiday originating in India and Nepal. It is also known as the "Festival of Light." The celebration lasts six days in late October or early November. The ceremony honors light as a force able to overcome darkness and persevere through the winter months. It is a time to return home and renew your faith in family through spiritual guidance.

Strong women are also a part of this holiday. One ancient tale tells the story of Lady Satyabhama defeating the evil demon Narakasura. Hearing that the demon was imprisoning women in his palace, Satyabhama stalked and slayed him. Go on girl! The goddess Shakti, "The Divine Mother" is the ultimate embodiment of feminine power. She is thanked for protecting her people from evil. She used feminine charisma to influence male warriors to do her bidding.

During Diwali, the inside of the home is decorated with dozens of oil lamps and candles. The outside of the home is decorated with kolams or sandpaintings. These are traditionally drawn only by women. Kolams are prayers written in flowerlike patterns by laying white rice powder on dark earth. If the prayers are altered by weather or careless pedestrians, they are quickly redrawn. Firecrackers are ignited and a vegetarian meal is served.

Learn how to make a Soyal prayer stick by visiting: http://www.care2.com/channels/holidays/winter_solstice.html
For Diwali gift ideas including oil lamps visit: www.diwalifestival.org



Blond pixie Ana Hyatt is a country girl at heart. She grew up in a small town in Colorado but now calls San Francisco her home. In 2004, Ana was a grad student studying Women's Studies and Social Theory when her friend Melissa McLane asked her if she'd ever heard of S Factor. Already a dancer, Ana was immediately intrigued by the notion of a new type of movement she felt would have a political and cultural impact on the history of women. After attending one of the first workshops held in San Francisco taught by Sheila Kelley herself, Ana was hooked. "I had always been a physical person. S Factor added an element of sensuality to it. There was an unapologetic bold energy that I had never explored. Despite being a well-adjusted and confident person I realized I had been holding back."

A year later, Ana got a call that Sheila and Melissa had joined forces to open a studio in San Francisco. They asked her to move to LA and join the teacher training department. In the middle of a break-up, Ana felt the timing was perfect to make a change in her life. Three months later, she became one of the first official San Francisco instructors.

A lover of 70's soul music, Fuji apples, chocolate cookies and creative children's movies like The Last Unicorn, Ana prides herself on being a free-spirited Pisces. Every morning she enjoys a mug of black tea with sugar and milk while devouring a few pages of whatever novel she is currently reading. The last great book she read, The Handmaid's Tale was especially inspiring. The futuristic story of a society in which women are labeled as "wives, workers or reproducers," solidified her already passionate feminist views. "The book showed me what could happen if we as women don't own our freedom. We can be whatever we want to be. We are not wives, workers or reproducers. There are more than just these roles. If we live in a society that dictates who are we are, we will be reduced to these labels."

As a teacher, Ana continues to be amazed by the close connection she has with her students and how much S Factor becomes a part of their lives. "Our class time together, the studio space, the intimacy really surprises me. Getting a person to let you into their life when they are an adult is rare and it shouldn't be. I really value the connection with my students." Ana recently learned that one of her students is a psychiatrist. "I think it's neat that you can know someone for three years and then learn they're a psychiatrist. There is something beyond our outer identities, our profession and our social status. At S Factor, we get to know each other from the inside out."

When she's not teaching, Ana works with a close friend choreographing a contemporary modern dance piece set to debut in 2008 which she promises will be progressive, provocative and funny. "I love to move. I'm glad there is a space out there for women because it's important."

Dear Sheila,

My name is Gina and I am currently enrolled in a Level 5 class with Anjua out of the Encino location. Frankly, S Factor has changed my life. At 28, I have struggled with being a "curvy" woman since adolescence. Before coming to S Factor, I was very much ashamed of my body and spent much of my life hiding it and wishing I could be different somehow. And women, those whom I should have sought out for comfort and guidance, were my worst fear. I was judgmental around them, and in constant fear of being judged, or seen as the overweight woman that I saw in myself. In less than a year, it already pains me to reflect on where I was as a woman before coming to my first S Factor class.

S Factor has given me back my confidence, allowed a safe environment to grow, as well as continuously encouraged me to fully explore the beauty of my body. On top of that, from my first week at S Factor, I was amazed at how warm and loving the ladies in my class were. Before coming to S Factor, I had NEVER in my life found a place where women come to love and celebrate each other free of judgment - in fact, I probably wouldn't have believed such a place existed!! I love S Factor, and I can't thank you enough for giving me back a love for my body and confidence in myself.

Thank you very much (for everything)!!!

Gina

Check one more item off your shopping list... Give the gift that started it all, Sheila Kelley's S Factor DVD Series. Originally created to spread the "S" gospel beyond the West coast, this set of three DVD's is a collector's item. If one of our studios is not within reach, we'll come to you.

Invite Sheila home for the holidays with: S Factor 1 - The Beginning, S Factor 2 - Intermediate and S Factor Pole Work 101. Display it proudly and show your out-of-town relatives what all the fuss is about.

Own or share 180 minutes of challenging warm-ups, sensual striptease routines and step-by-step pole technique for 25% off the regular price. Click Here to order before Dec 25th and receive our new Water Jewel 34oz reusable water bottle free.



I’d Like You For Christmas- Julie London from the Christmas Classics Remixed cd.

Who says Christmas can’t be sexy? This little ditty by Julie London is a warm, yummy throw back to a whole other era when the holidays had a real aroma of romance. Put this one on and let your spirit dance, your body too!



Elf



If you miss the days when holiday films were heartstring-tugging family events full of childlike wonder and good clean fun, this month we have just the DVD to restore your faith in the modern Christmas tale. In a time when cynicism and "adult" humor often seem to sneak even into children's movies, Elf is a scrumptiously innocent surprise that will make you feel like a ten-year-old on Christmas Eve... and remind you that giving is something done with the heart, not the wallet.

Will Ferrell gives a surprisingly heartfelt (and of course goofy) performance in his role as the childlike and lovable Buddy, a human raised by elves at the North Pole. Though he is surrounded by love and acceptance, Buddy can't help but feel a little out of place as he lags behind in toymaking and towers over all his friends, so he decides to hike all the way to New York City and meet his birth father. What he finds, of course, is a driven businessman (James Caan) who barely has time for his own wife and young son, much less an interloper from the North Pole. Fans of Will Ferrell know how relentlessly he commits to a role, however silly, and the result is that Buddy is a strangely believable character, despite his outlandish history and bizarre habits (like pouring maple syrup on spaghetti!). Buddy has a heart full of love for everyone he meets, whether they deserve it or not, and he makes it his personal quest not only to earn his birth father's acceptance, but also to bring joy and the Christmas spirit back into the lives of the cynical city-dwellers who no longer believe in Santa. Along the way, he even falls in love with a pretty girl, who is won over by the sweetness and purity of his heart.

If you're feeling a little down or have misplaced your Christmas spirit, Elf is the perfect antidote. Watch it, and you'll feel like doing something extra-nice for everyone on your list... even the naughty ones.


Bake Me, I'm Yours... Cupcake
by Joan and Graham Belgrove



There's something sexy about a cupcake. In a way, cupcakes are the ultimate tease. Dainty and innocent in the palm of your hand, they start off modest, hiding inside a paper wrapping, only revealing a curvaceous top.
Then...rather seductively, the curvaceous top beckons the eye with color and flair. You must slowly peel away the layers to taste what lies beneath...

Joan Belgrove and her husband Graham found a way to sweeten up their marriage. The British couple own and operate The Little Cupcake Company.
Their succulent creations are part of a growing trend: cupcakes for every occasion. Quicker and easier to make than full-sized cakes, cupcakes are all the rage. The Belgroves' much-anticipated book Bake Me, I'm Yours...
Cupcake is the culmination of their successful union.

Dessert boutiques called "cupcakeries" are popping up everywhere. Tiny bites of goodness decorated with love are being served by the dozen. Arranged in elaborate sculptures, cupcakes have even replaced wedding cakes.
Joan and Graham Belgrove founded The Little Cupcake Company in 2006. Their mini-cakes come in two mouthwatering sizes: "Little" for a small treat and "Not so Little" for extra indulgence.

In Bake Me, I'm Yours... Cupcake, you'll find page after page of glossy photographs and 100 easy to follow recipe ideas. For the S Factor diva in you, skip ahead to the Show Stopping Outfits chapter. Recipes like "Bling Bling" and "Edible Undies" are sure to wet your erotic creature's appetite. "Bling Bling" embellishes a backdrop of vanilla frosting with sparkling gemlike details. "Edible Undies" are two bite-sized cakes adorned with pink lingerie pieces. Bits of candy and piped frosting bring these designs to life.

Best of all, keep your children busy with decorating games. While you wrestle that turkey, give your little ones a tray of iced cupcakes and bowls of decorative items. For the holidays, think three-dimensional Christmas cookies. Sketch a gingerbread man in chocolate. Outline a Hanukah star in brilliant blue icing. Using colors that symbolize your faith and a little imagination the possibilities are endless.




Singing Bowls

The sound of ringing bells is so Christmas-y. Who can forget the little girl in It’s a Wonderful Life announcing, “Every time a bell rings an angel get its wings!” Singing Bowls are actually upside down bells. Molded from crystalline glass, precious metals and gemstones, each material evokes a different sensation. Mother of Platinum soothes emotions and Ruby attracts soul searing love.

Crafted in Nepal, India, Japan and Korea, singing bells emit rhythmic humming and ringing sounds when struck. The musical vibrations fill a room generating harmony and energy. The bowls come in seven sizes representing the seven chakras. Each size plays a different note. The Heart chakra is represented by an F note and the Sacral chakra, our sexual center is represented by a D note.

Hindus believe sound is the most primitive element of life. And how sound heals human cells and organ systems has been the subject of many scientific studies. Consider how listening to your favorite musical artist moves your hips, dissolves stress and lifts your mood! The bowls use sound vibrations for similar effect.

Listen to the seven singing bowl notes @ http://crystalsingingbowls.com/
audio_listen.htm and feel how the sound vibrations heal your body and mind.

A wide variety of singing bowls are available at great prices on www.ebay.com