Give Someone a Birthday Surprise

Today is my grandmother's birthday. She'll never say how old she is, but I can tell you she's in the 85-89 age demographic.
When I graduated from college almost 20 years ago and got a job at a well-known ad agency as an Assistant Account Executive making $25,000 a year, she couldn't have been prouder. "Someday" she said, "you'll come pick me up in a stretch limousine to take me out to dinner."

Don't get me wrong, I am repulsed by limos, but for my Nonna, a raised poor immigrant, this has been her dream for the past 60 years and it was about time I made it happen.

Limo picked us up at her place and she was surprised at seeing each of us one by one (we all casually mentioned earlier in the week we had other plans this weekend). First me with my parents, then my brother & his wife, then at the restaurant, my sister and her family, each of us wishing her a happy birthday and handing her one red carnation (her favorite flower) as we saw her.

When we kissed and hugged good-bye after a delicious dinner at Shun Lee Palace, Nonna said it was the best birthday she ever had. And that says it all.

Climb A Mountain

I'm fascinated and awe-struck by mountains. Maybe it's because I grew up on the beach (Long Island, NY) where we don't have many (or any) mountains. Maybe it's because I spent 6 months living in Denver, CO, where I climbed 6 "fourteeners". Or maybe it's just because mountains are amazing. The sheer sight of them makes me smile.

I've been freezing on the highest peak in Texas (Mt. Guadalupe), rock scrambling on the highest peak in Maine (Mt. Katadin), and just downright enjoying my way up the highest peaks in New York (Mt. Marcy), Colorado (Mt. Elbert) and New Hampshire (Mt. Washington). In 1997, I even trekked for 3 weeks through Nepal, singing, laughing and photographing my way from hilltop to hilltop.

But nothing could ever prepare me for my latest climb a couple of weeks ago - Mt. Kilimanjaro - the tallest peak in Africa and tallest freestanding mountain in the world at 19,340 feet (5,895 meters).

At midnight on our 5th day we started for the summit. Imagine a 7 hour, extremely steep hike in the freezing cold (literally it was about 10 degrees) and pitch dark (headlamp only) without sleeping or eating the night before. Needless to say it was the hardest thing I've ever done, but we were rewarded with a brilliant sunrise and spectacular views from the top of the world - amazing!

I'm so grateful for a strong body & mind, financial freedom and a unquenchable sense of adventure that allowed me to do this trip

of a lifetime.

Cherish Grandparents

It was most certainly below freezing at the starting line and coming off of being sick, I knew I wouldn't be setting any personal records in last weekend's 4 mile race.

Seeing my grandparents after mile 1 was just the boost I needed... There they were - sole spectators, standing out in the park all bundled up, cheering loudly.

My grandmother is the woman who asked me in all seriousness the night before my second marathon, "So, do you think you'll win?"

I replied in all seriousness, "No Nonna!! Not this year, not next year, never. I can assure you that I will never win a marathon!" She could not accept this and in her thick italian accent said, "Don't ever say that. You can do anything you want to do. Anything!"

9 marathons later, I still have yet to win one, but I thank my amazing grandparents for being out there in the cold, forever cheering me on and helping me believe that I can do anything I want to do. Anything!

Help a Sister Out

Holiday season is here and with it comes so many wonderful things, but I must admit, the consumerism can be a bit depressing at times. Do we really need more stuff?

What if... instead of buying THINGS for our loved ones, we gave them the gift of "helping a sister out"?

Equality Now is an international human rights organization dedicated to action for the civil, political and social rights of girls and women. They have done AMAZING work on so many issues including human trafficking, female genital mutilation and domestic violence. Check out their website at:

equalitynow.org

If you can't donate financially, there are other ways to help like participating in their letter writing campaigns.

Women for Women International helps women from war-torn regions overcome poverty and tragedy. Two years ago I sponsored a "sister" in the Congo, and this past year a "sister" in Serbia. In addition to supporting financially, volunteer opportunities are also available:

womenforwomen.org

NOW (National Organization for Women) is here on the ground in the USA, and dedicated to eliminating sexism. Now THAT'S something I want for Christmas.

Happy holidays to all!

Get into Halloween

You got to love NYC on Halloween. By day it's fun watching a sea of small dragons, witches, ghosts and goblins.

By night the adults come out in full force. I spent the evening riding the subways and loitering in train stations, documenting the night. Fred & Wilma, Bernie Madoff, cats, devils, zombies, pirates, various super-heroes and even the swine flu were mixing and melding as the subway cars swayed to and fro.

Trick or treat?

These are a few of my favorite shots.

Practice a Random Act of Kindness

Midtown NYC pizza place late one September evening:

Random stranger enters the joint at the same time I do, but rushes in front of me.  I, being cranky from hunger and yet another 12 hour workday, roll my eyes as I watch him "cut me" and approach the counter.

Random stranger:  "I'd like a slice for me and a slice for her" (pointing at me)

Me:  "No, I'd like one of the cheeseless ones over there" (pointing to the cheeseless pie)

Slices go into the oven around the same time.  Random stranger and I have a short but nice conversation about the pizza in Boston and how it's pretty good too.  

Slices come out of the oven at the same time.  

Random stranger to cashier:  "I'm paying for hers too" (pointing to me and taking out his wallet)

Me:  "What?  Wait, no that's okay." (taking out my wallet)

Random stranger:  "No, really.  I insist."

Me:  "What?  Wow!  This has never happened to me!!  That is SOOOO kind of you.  Well at least let me get your picture for my blog."

Random stranger (while laughing and literally running down the block with pizza in hand):  "No way, no picture!!"

Visit a National Park

Spent the last few days of summer on vacation in Alaska - a dream of mine for many years... The national parks were calling me and on this trip I got to visit two of them:

- Kenai Fjords National Park where we kayaked

- Denali National Park where we hiked

Highlights included bears, moose, salmon, seals, eagles, sea otters, a wolverine, porcupine, bears eating salmon, seals eating salmon, glaciers, mountains and amazing fall colors (up north in Denali).

Always great to get back to nature, camp out in the wild and breath the fresh air.

YUM!!!!!