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Well, I was close. Last week I predicted that Maya would embrace her dark side on this week’s episode and she did, somewhat. As she, Alejandro and Sylar drove through a gap in the border and were blocked off by Minuteman-like armed civilian vigilantes, Sylar urged her to willingly kill the gringos so the three could get away. Against the wishes of a pleading Alejandro, she did. Hurrah! Now that they’re in the U.S. of A, maybe everyone can take a shower (was all that faux stage-sweat seriously necessary?), change clothes and dare we hope, have an actually interesting storyline. Here’s hoping.

I’m constantly on the hunt for the perfect pair of jeans. After what seems like hours in fitting rooms trying to find them, I always end up leaving empty-handed. I had heard about National Jean Company for years, so when they finally opened their first Manhattan location on the Upper East Side, I knew I had to go investigate for myself. Denim specialist, Jean Luc Quevauvilliers, greeted me at the door and helped me begin my search for the perfect pair. He evaluated my body type and with his extensive knowledge about fits and styles, he knew which jeans would work for my body and which jeans wouldn’t. I was very impressed by Jean-Luc’s expertise and the amount of options–some 3,000 pairs of jeans–the store had readily available. Among those jeans are over 20 premium denim brands. He picked out four pairs for me to try on and just like that, I found them! It was the quickest jean experience I’ve ever had in my life! “The Honey” by Joe’s Jeans fit my every curve. The cut had a “bootie fit,” which lifts the butt, giving it a flattering look. I loved the way I looked in them, but the only problem the length–too long for my petite frame. To my surprise, Jean Luc explained National Jean Company’s complimentary tailoring policy. To make your jeans fit specifically to your shape, the store sends your jeans to a tailor, who, when finished with the alterations, sends the jeans back to the store for you to pick up. The process takes about a week, but the wait is well worth it. I know that I’ll be going back to National Jean Company for my denim and Jean Luc is now my go-to guy for all my denim dilemmas. I recommend everyone going to see for themselves just how amazing it is. Don’t worry if you aren’t near New York City, there are locations in the midwest, northeast, and mid Atlantic., and of course, online! For store locations near you just visit www.nationaljeancompany.com.- Melissa Rodriguez

Sneaky, sneaky Jennifer! Homegirl pulled out her best “hide-the-bump” outfit ever last night on “Dancing with the Stars.” She even had me second-guessing those persistent pregnancy rumors, which really aren’t rumors anymore, are they?

The mama-to-be knows how to keep us on our toes, though. A flowy–but not too tent-link–grey tunic covered any hint of a barriguita, and Jenny knows that since she can’t show off her famous midriff, she’s gotta put a lot of leg on display. Did anyone notice her recent trend of thigh-high boots and short-shorts or mini-dresses to distract from her expanding middle? Very clever, Miss Lopez, but you can’t hide from us forever!

The performance itself was pre-taped over the weekend due to a “family emergency,” which sent Jenny unexpectedly back to the Bronx. All things considered (including the fact that she’s clearly about five months pregnant), Jennifer turned it out on the show. She performed her new single “Doing it Well,” and old favorite “Let’s Get Loud.” We got a fair amount of dancing from her, enough to make me want scream at the pregnant lady on TV to stop jumping up and down so much.

We’ll play the game for now, Jenny, but pretty soon we’re going to start betting on your due date. My money’s on February 18th!

Want to look fabulous and not break the bank? I have the perfect solution!You can score great finds at your local thrift and vintage stores. These hidden treasures are chock full of clothes, shoes, and accessories that are unique and one of a kind. That’s not all they offer either. If you want to get rid of some of last year’s clothes to make room for new ones, some of these places will actually buy them from you! Some of these shops also donate a portion of their profits to shelters and relief organizations, so you can be stylish for less, and make a difference. Here are a couple of my favorite finds across the U.S.:

1) Buffalo Exchange; www.buffaloexchange.com : At this store, clothes and accessories are bought, sold, and traded. They always have new merchandise to choose from, as well as low prices. There are over 25 locations in the country, they can be found in cities like New York, L.A, Las Vegas, and New Orleans.

2) Red White & Blue Thrift Store; 12640 NE 6th Ave Miami, FL (305) 893-1104: Well-organized and huge! They sell everything from housewares to children’s clothing. Best deal? Their 95 cent T-shirts.3) Goodie Two Shoes; 1111 South Congress Avenue Austin, TX (512) 443-2468: This shoe and accessories store focuses on stylish, quality items that definitely won’t break your budget. The store has an interesting section of home décor from across the world. You can accessorize not only your wardrobe but your living room too!

4) Wasteland; 7428 Melrose Ave, Los Angeles, CA (323) 653-3028: Wasteland keeps their store packed with apparel from almost every decade. It¹s easy to find trendy, innovative pieces that can really make your wardrobe this season. They sell designer labels, which can be a little more expensive than the other items, but with the money you save, I think you can splurge just a little!5) No Relation Vintage; 204 First Ave. New York, NY (212)228-5201: Here you can browse racks and racks of great vintage dresses all for about $20. The store has a great collection of bags, everything from vintage Louis Vuitton to swanky evening clutches. No Relation is the perfect place find chic, authentic items. —Victoria Sanchez-Lincoln

Do you love vintage as much as we do? Share your finds!

So, the only glimpse we got of the twins—or, rather, twin—this week, was in the preview of next week’s show. We briefly see Sylar warning  Alejandro, “when I get my powers back, I’m going to kill you.” Now, Alejandro doesn’t speak English, but the expression on his face made it clear that he got the message. The person we don’t see in the preview is Maya. Which is great, because that means I  can concoct a  scenario for her until next week. Ready? Here’s what my twisted mind would like to see happen:

At the Mexico/U.S. border, la migra busts the threesome, and for once, Maya’s not scared, but actually purposely conjures her evil powers of soul-suckage on her own! She kills all the guards (thus enabling thousands of ilegales to walk right through the border without having to go through the desert, bonus!), sucks all the powers out of Sylar and runs off on her own, free to wreak havoc, which is what she’s really subconsciously wanted all along—ever since her father abused her as a kid and she HAD to develop a deadly power to get away from him (come on, you didn’t think the gooing eyes were really an accident, did you?). Before a shocked Alejandro runs off after her to try to restore balance to the world (those poor guards!), Sylar issues his warning.

Tune in next week as we see if the “Heroes” writers had the guts to put some guts into this story!

The writers of “Grey’s Anatomy” must have read this article, because this week’s episode featured the knock-down, drag-out fight between Callie and Izzie that we’ve been waiting for since May. Well, almost. A “Mean Girls”-style cafeteria fight might have been healthier for these two than the weepy, schizophrenic exchange that actually went down. Let’s recap:

We left off last time with George breaking the (obvious) news to Callie: he slept with Izzie. He fails to mention that he has also supposedly fallen in love with her, and blames Callie for his cheating ways because she supposedly coerced him into marrying her when he was at his most vulnerable. Whatever, George. At the top of last week’s episode we are still in Callie and George’s apartment, but it’s about twelve hours later, and neither Callie nor George have moved a muscle. Callie’s still staring into space (maybe suffering some kind of post-traumatic stress?), and George is waiting for her to say something, anything. Her only words for him are, “I forgive you.” What??! Hold the phone, Callie. You forgive him? He cheated on you with your employee and you forgive him? Ay, chica…

Anyway, Callie goes on to say that she understands that George has had a tough year and that he made a mistake, but that they took vows. It should be noted that she can’t even look at him while saying all this. That must be an interesting spot on the carpet, Callie.

Next thing we know, Callie runs into Izzie in the hallway at Seattle Grace. Awk-ward! Callie asks Izzie to meet her in the cafeteria at noon. She ends the conversation with an ominous “Be there.” Izzie goes all blanquita (even more than usual) and within minutes, all of Seattle Grace is abuzz about the girlfight about to go down.

At lunchtime, Izzie rolls up her sleeves and starts practicing her punches to an audience of interns, residents, hospital workers and in-patients, talking about how she’s from a trailer park, and “where did Callie learn to fight, boarding school?” Chica, please. Callie would own your skinny ass.

Speaking of Callie, she walks in at the dot of noon, sees all the people standing around, waiting for bloodshed, gets all hurt that Izzie would think she wants to mess her up when all she wants to do is “talk,” and storms out in tears. Um, I love you Callie, and I know you’re feeling like una pobrecita right now, but if the woman who’s husband I slept with demanded I meet her somewhere at noon, I would also think it’s to rearrange my face.

Hallway confrontation #2: Izzie stops Callie and tries to apologize, giving her best puppy-dog face for forgiveness. Callie starts to walk away, but then stops, turns around, says some stuff and calls her a “traiterous bitch,” which almost makes me want to jump out of my chair and clap. Finally, some real emotion from Callie in this episode! Callie tells Izzie that what she did to her was even worse than what George did, because she’s a woman and its not cool to play another woman like that. Uh, I lost you there, Callie. I’m no fan of Izzie, but isn’t it un poquito worse that your husband cheated on you?

After her blows with Izzie, and yet another horrible day involving a patient, Callie cracks and revokes her forgiveness from George. She goes back to her empty apartment, sits on the edge of the bed—exactly where we saw her at the top of the episode—and shuts off the light. Like anyone who’s ever been hurt by a man, my heart breaks a little for Callie.

OK, so the twins are still on the run and now they have Sylar with them, after discovering him passed out (or faking it) on a Mexican road (just how did he get there from the middle of the jungle?). I have to say this is an improvement, as of course, Sylar is one of the most complex, interesting characters on the show, and our greedy little bad boy (love the waxed eyebrows, by the way) might just be tempted to drive a wedge—literally—between the sibs to absorb their powers. In other “Heroes,” news: Thumbs down on taking the lamest character on the show (Parkman) and thrusting him into the middle of a big storyline. I’m sorry, but Lame-os’ dad is Nightmare Man? Word? Thumbs up to the whole love-triangle storyline involving Claire, West the Cute Flying Boy, and Dad. It’s a pretty clever exploration of the Electra complex (think Oedipus complex, but with dad and daughter instead of mom and son). Claire feels forced to choose between following the call of her teenage loins to date West and her loyalty to Dad, who like any papi, doesn’t want his little girl to date for her own protection. Of course, the show’s writers took a typical teen scenario (Dad being afraid of being replaced by another man) and upped the stakes—Dad could literally die as a result of her getting with West. Good stuff bound to pay off big later on in the season. I especially love how our wholesome Claire knows how to spin a tale and wrap her dad around her fingertips. Now that’s power.

The chicas of primetime should consider forming a lonely hearts club. Betty Suarez (Ugly Betty), Gabrielle Solis (Desperate Housewives) and Dr. Callie Torres (Grey’s Anatomy) are all going through major drama in the love department.

The award for most heartbreaking storyline goes to Dr. Callie, hands down. After a horrible start as Chief Resident at Seattle Grace, Callie has been avoiding the news she knows is coming: her husband (whiny George) cheated on her with one of her residents (equally whiny Izzie). Not even an attempt at having a baby seems to be helping matters (as if having a baby with a man who doesn’t love you would ever make him love you. C’mon, Callie!). I don’t know who I’m more upset with in this scenario: George for actually having the cojones to blame Callie for his infidelity because she asked him to marry her in his moment of vulnerability, or Callie, for putting up with George’s bullsh*t. Things finally came to a head last Thursday night when George came clean about his indiscretion. We have this to say to Callie: you’re better off without him, m’ija. He’s not all that. And we have the best cure for your broken heart: some on-call room nookie with Dr. McSteamy!

Desperate Housewive’s Gabrielle Solis has her own way of dealing with disobedient men: flirt with other men. In last night’s episode, when her affair with Carlos isn’t going as planned (namely, instead of leaving his girlfriend, Edie, he actually proposes to her), Gabby turns to the nearest available Y chromosome, which happens to be new- neighbor Katherine’s husband Adam, and turns on her sex appeal full force. Is it just me, or did it seem that Gabby was unnaturally sticking her rear out in every frame? We get it, Gabs. You’re sexy. Carlos gets it, too, and actually breaks a glass when he sees Gabby laying the honey on Adam at Susan’s otherwise-boring charades party. When Gabby spills wine on Adam’s shirt and starts rubbing it out in, ahem, other places, Katherine decides she’s had enough, and reveals to the congregation that Gabby has a history of going after off-limits men, including her underage gardener. This is news to no one except Gabby’s politician husband, Victor, who’s only concerned with how this is going to effect poll numbers. As he taps away on his Blackberry (maybe texting Antonio Villaraigosa for scandal control advice?), Gabby runs to find Carlos, corners him in the bathroom, and tells him their affair is still on because he got mad enough seeing her flirting with another man that he broke a glass. Que romantico.

In the world of non-twisted and manipulative relationships, Betty Suarez is suffering her own broken heart over Henry, accountant-slash-Charlie’s possible babydaddy. While Henry attempts to determine the true paternity of Charlie’s baby, Betty makes sort-of friends with Mode’s new Sandwich Guy, played by Freddy Rodriguez. Now, Latina.com’s fall TV preview spoilers said Betty will have a new love interest this season—could it be Sandwich Guy? Ay, I hope not! SG is rude, obnoxious, not-cute and wears too much jewelry. Don’t do it, Betty! You’re better off alone than with a guy who tells you how many sun-dried tomatoes to put on your sandwich!

We’ll have to wait several weeks to see how things turn out for Gabby, Callie and Betty, but here’s hoping they dump their respective muchachos and engage in some serious female bonding. Maybe over tea on Wisteria Lane? Or in the cafeteria at Seattle Grace? Oh, who am I kidding. Men = drama, and I love drama.

This Fall season’s MUST-have shoe has to be the oxford. This classic, menswear inspired shoe now has a feminine twist and comes in different styles, so it’s easy to find one that’s perfect for you. There are endless color combinations, as well as options that include wedges, platforms, or even stiletto heels. The oxford is the perfect example of what I’ve seen on the runway this season: A mix between the masculine and feminine.
My two favorite oxfords are Stuart Weitzman’s “Mendoza Platform Bootie” and Christian Louboutin’s “Lapano Loafer Bootie.” They’ve updated this classic oxford style in an edgy new way to make it extra feminine. I love the shiny patent leather and the zipper or eyelet detailing which make them stand out even more. These oxford shoes are not just for wide-leg pants, so don’t be afraid to try them with a pencil skirt or trapeze dress. If you’re going to invest in anything this season, make it this one!

P.S. Check out more of our picks for fall’s best shoes in the October issue of Latina. -Victoria Sanchez-Lincoln

Breaking beauty news this morning on all the morning shows: the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics found that painting the town red, as in the lip color of the season, might not be your best beauty bet. According to the reports, 61% of over-the-counter red lipsticks manufactured in the U.S. contain a percentage of lead deemed unsafe for human consumption. The testing, which was done by Bodycote Testing Group laboratory in Santa Fe Springs, Calif., points the finger at two brands: L’Oreal and CoverGirl with the highest amounts of lead. Ouch. L’Oreal responded with: “Each and every ingredient used in our products has been thoroughly reviewed and tested by our internal safety team made up of toxicologists, clinicians, pharmacists, and physicians. All the brands of the L’Oreal Group are in full compliance with FDA regulations . . . and the requirements for safety in the more than 130 countries in which our products are sold.” Procter & Gamble, the parent company of CoverGirl also issued a statement, pointing out that it takes “very rigorous scientific process” in evaluating its products and the ingredients used to make them. P&G stands behind the safety of our products because of the standards we set and the rigid requirements imposed by our industry,” the company said.

I’m always a little skeptical about research studies that come out of late. Truly, depending on who is funding it, will determine which way the “results” are skewed. And with the new crop of organic products propping up, we can’t help but wonder are the findings real or are they hype? What do you think? -Maria McKenzie