Melinda Balling, an executive senior sales director with Mary Kay Inc., a national cosmetics firm, recently took possession of her 13th pink Cadillac at Santa Fe Chevrolet Cadillac.

The auto is in honor of her career achievements, which include generating sales of more than $1 million in retail sales last year.

"The new Cadillac comes in pearlized pink — a color unique to the Mary Kay Career Car Program," said a statement from Mary Kay Inc.

In commenting on her flourishing sales, Balling said, "There's no recession in cosmetics. "It's a recession-proof business."

A native Santa Fean, Balling represents the No. 1 sales unit in New Mexico, which also ranks among the top in the nation.

Balling can be reached at 989-4526.


Mike Engeldinger has open a new business, Mike's Music Exchange, in the La Tienda shopping center in Eldorado.

"My vision is to promote local music here in the Eldorado/285 corridor, linking local artists to the community and the community to its artists," Engeldinger said in an e-mail.

The exchange is a four-part business, consisting of a live music venue, a recording studio, an instructional space and a small instrument store.

"We currently have the music venue up and running with regular live events and recording and are finishing up construction on the instructional space and instrument store, hoping to be fully up and running by the end of February," Engeldinger said.

For more information, visit mikesmusicexchange.com.


Yearning for a spinach pie, lamb kebab, a falafel sandwich or couscous?

Casa Blanca restaurant will be able to help.

The Mediterranean/African/Middle Eastern restaurant, 207 W. San Francisco St., at Burro Alley, serves all of the above and more.

"A lot of people are liking our food," said Majed Hadmdounis, owner of the business. "We're getting a lot of positive feedback."

Prices start at about $8 for the sandwiches and top out at $20 for the couscous platter.

Hours are from 8 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. seven days per week.

The phone number is 982-0601.


The December numbers are in, and Santa Fe's hotel/motel occupancy rate produced a bit of a surprise — December 2009 (44.9 percent) was actually higher than December 2008 (42.8 percent).

That's according to the Rocky Mountain Lodging Report.

It was the first time the occupancy rate for a month in 2009 was higher than the same month in 2008.

Could this be the start of a new popularity wave for Santa Fe? Let's keep an eye on it.