Go!

A friend of mine created this PSA a couple years ago, and I recently looked at it again when we met up last week to talk to another friend who's creating a new not-for-profit. While the two guys (a surfer and a diver) discussed best water photography gear, I thought about the alignment of passion and purpose, in addition to the essential ingredient of just going for it.

A lot in things in life essentially say 'it can't be done'. When you start to believe them is when you learn the answer to the question of what's holding you back. In this spot, athlete Darwin Holmes, transforms fear into joy.

Sporty Spice

My niece Ellie made this for me as a housewarming present, and my sister told me it took her a few days to use her hands to create the mermaid, let various parts dry, and then finish the fine details. I took a picture of it to show Ellie who then said "I really like seeing my work."

I'm going down to South Florida to see everyone for Easter next weekend but yesterday Ellie turned 8, and it sounds like she had a pretty good birthday week!

Ellie tends to operate at two speeds only - awake and asleep - and has that great kid quality in being very present in all aspects of her life. When I'm in Florida I can't tell you the amount of times I am just starting to wake up when I hazily see Ellie staring at me who then demands immediately "Can you tell us a magic dolphin rider story?" The magic dolphin riders are stories that involve the inflatable dolphins which the kids play on up in Nova Scotia, though of course they end up having lots of adventures that involve pirates, buried treasure, rescuing someone, sometimes flying to New York, Florida or California, and most often escaping the clutches of the nasty sea witch (typically yours truly).

Here's a picture of the magic dolphin riders and the sea witch herself in the midst of a tale. Ellie is the one saying Charge! -- which is very much the type of little girl she is. Her big sister Katy often sends very thoughtful emails, asking questions, sharing a thought or two, wanting to know how I am doing; Ellie's tend to have flashing crabs, have one funny line, and she likes to call me on Skype repeatedly when I'm in the next room in Florida. She seemed to love the Christmas video I made for them the most, playing the song about 10 times in a row until we were all really sick of hearing it.

My sister has said before to me several times "Ellie will gray me" as Ellie has the energy of a little puppy, loves to practice soccer in the house, likes to keep all sorts of little treasures in her room (my sister keeps a very neat house). It wasn't a big surprise to any of us that she was the first cousin to break a bone. She's had a cast on her wrist for a month though it didn't deter the big pirate birthday party, where there was a found map and buried treasure discovered on the beach.

Ellie is the one in the tropical looking pirate hat and blue board shorts. My brother in law is in the boat telling the crew of little girls what to do next.

Big sister Katy (distancing herself a bit from the 7 and 8 year olds) is carrying the shovel.

While buried treasure was found, the biggest treat was yesterday when Ellie got her cast off right before school - just in time for spring break next week.

While Ellie is high on action, low on downtime, one thing she's always liked to do is "I love you" game. You might say to her, "Okay Ellie, gotta go, talk to you later, I love you." She will then say immediately "I love you MORE." This will go on repeatedly until you tire of it...but who tires of that?

The great thing about little kids is that they just say it.

The new beach trail

The Brooklyn Heights promenade begins a block from my street, on Remsen street, but like a little hibernating bear waking up for spring, I haven't been on it for at least two months.

I went out this morning to check out progress of the new park, get some exercise, look for new buds on trees. There weren't many people out but I was there likely a good hour after most of the morning warriors who work on Wall Street. Some of the buildings on Columbia Heights and the early mansions on Remsen Street and Pierrepont are beautiful to look at, as well as the sunlight hitting the buildings of Manhattan. One of the piers had a Charlie Brown Christmas tree aspect to it -- I remember Stacy ("Tough Love") commenting before that it didn't seem worth saving. Crains were in motion and men and hard hats were busy driving around. New life below.

Like San Francisco's Ferry Building or New York's Highline, I love seeing abandoned urban spaces transformed into something new and beautiful.

When I got home to shower, smoothie blend and get ready for work, I saw the pretty print that a friend just got for me as a housewarming gift from a local designer on Etsie. The truth of the sentiment makes me smile.

Water

Yesterday was World Water Day, and many of the conversations were about plastic in landfills and oceans.

Several months ago I accidentally met Scott Harrison, the founder of Charity: Water, though had no idea who he was and what Charity: Water was all about. Scott and I talked about surf breaks in San Clemente, and I remember thinking he looked a bit like Leonardo DiCaprio. When I returned home and looked at their website over the weekend I was intrigued about Scott's U-Turn in life, where he essentially gave up the life he was promoting nightclubs to models and hedge fund guys, living as a New York City 'influencer' (a popular marketing term) and stepped into a role that ultimately influences thousands if not millions more.

About six weeks ago, I attended a panel on digital marketing for causes at the Robin Hood Foundation, where the majority of the audience worked in development or marketing for not-for-profit companies. When the question was asked what organization among their peers they admire most -- the majority of the room acknowledged the marketing brilliance of Charity: Water, an organization that was started without any experience or endowment, when the founder first simply gave up his birthday to raise money for clean water for others. It reminded me of nearly every conversation I've been in with clients where every brand wants to be like "Apple", a company that has again topped Fortune's Most Admired Company list from a CEO survey.

On both cases, it has to do with innovation, and reinvention. When you have a few minutes, Scott's story is worth watching.

Luxury Lab - Scott Harrison of charity: water from charity: water on Vimeo.

Spring Equinox

Spring Equinox was last Saturday, when the sun shines directly on the equator and the length of day and night are nearly equal in all parts of the world. It also a day that felt like everything was right in the world as well.

I managed to leave the roof deck and welcomed spring last weekend with about 8 million of my fellow New Yorkers who were also outside -- walking, running, strolling, laying, cafe-ing, playing, and just enjoying.

There was something about seeing winter white legs and barren tree limbs in the bright sunshine that held the promise of the season ahead.

A friend in the Bay Area once mentioned something about the 'monotony of the California sun.' In Southern California, there's an ad agency called "72 and Sunny", which also reflects the temperate environment. Well, I'm not a cold weather person whatsoever, so I handled the monotony just fine thank you, though am truly enjoying the feeling of spring, and rebirth, happening right now.

There's such magic and promise in beginnings.

ps. Remember the Brooklyn Bridge Park -- the construction site on the waterfront I never thought would actually be finished. Amazingly, the first part of the park is actually opening today! The patch of green nearest to the Brooklyn Bridge has its official ribbon cutting this morning. The site right below my apartment building still looks like it has some work to finish but wonderful to see rebirth happening on the waterfront as well.

Bliss

I'm back in New York and happy to report that spring is really really here! I heard the birds chirping six flights up, and I feel like chirping myself.

In many of my favorite places -- California coast, South Florida, Eastern Long Island, Nova Scotia -- some sort of deck, fresh air, sunshine, and body of water figures very large in my imagination. Coffee and smoothie in the morning, glass of wine in the late afternoon. Enjoying.

Creating 'the list' of what makes you happy is something that has served me well, in somewhat miraculous ways, through the years. Back in August when I decided to relocate across the country instead of up the 405 and saw some famed New York style apartments (in my price range) and was faced with the reality I wasn't moving to Santa Monica, I thought I'd have to forgo what I really wanted the most -- outdoor space.

It's taken me six months and a handful of days but this morning finally got to have coffee on the roof deck, and it was heaven. The picture above was taken from my perch on the bench earlier this morning. I missed yoga class but think that my morning was far better for my prana.

ps My niece Katy emailed yesterday and said "thank you for writing about me in half of your blog" and told me she was 9 and 11/12th not 9 1/2 and wondered why I didn't share the picture of her pink and green braces that her mom sent to me. The answer is that I posted it before I received the picture, but thought I'd share it now as it makes me smile. When you have to wear braces, may as well add some color, have fun with it and just rock the big smile anyway!

St. Myrna's Day

My sister told me that my niece Katy woke up with a big smile on her face this morning and said "Happy St. Myrna's Day!"

My sister added that in addition to the green eggs she made the kids for breakfast (that looked strange but tasted good), Katy is pretty impressed that her braces are half green as well as half pink -- between the green braces and wearing green clothing today, she really can't get pinched! (Colored braces, by the way, are now the thing to have when you're 9 1/2....)

So while I don't think I have a drop of Irish blood in me, growing up we were all Irish by Association as our small town of Clare was named after County Clare, Ireland. The Irish theme is carried out with Irish street names, gift shops bearing lots of clovers and leprechauns, Shamrock Lake, a big St. Patrick's Day festival with a road race and green beer....as well as a "Half Way to St. Patrick's Day" festival that falls annually on September 17th.

My mother's birthday also fell on St. Patrick's Day, which she always dubbed St. Myrna's Day. Between a small town being what it is and my mom being who she was -- everyone knew this. A prominent fixture in Clare is the marquee of the Doherty Hotel, right on McEwan Street, a well known hotel in the midwest that has been run by three generation of Dohertys. For several years, A.J. Doherty would put "Happy St. Myrna's Day" on the hotel marquee in honor of my mother's birthday.

The original birthday princess, my mother loved being social, having fun, and had a true joie de vivre. My father once told me that my mom would get about 40 birthday cards in the mail every year -- "As an adult," he laughed. Everyone in Clare celebrated St. Myrna's Day.

A couple months ago, Greta sent me a thoughtful sympathy card when my Aunt Ruth passed away and added "Just think of the party in heaven for St. Myrna's Day this year!" No doubt, a big one.

Happy St. Myrna's Day everyone!

The Dog Days of SoCal Spring

Diva was enjoying our after work cocktail hour in the garden last night, that seemed so utterly easy and familiar to me (minus the hot tub and fire pit).

Today is my 6 month anniversary of moving to New York, though I am currently in leafy Bel Air, enjoying a spectacularly beautiful spring day, and the past 48 hours of QT with great friends...and trying very hard to remember why I left!

Leaving Las Vegas

Three days and nights with your environment being confined to Expo West, the Doubletree, the Anaheim Convention Center and Disney can be two days and nights too long. For such a 'healthy' show I always feel the opposite of that when I leave.

An afternoon in Laguna, fish tacos with Jane, and a beach walk on Victoria Beach was the perfect antidote!

Ro-Sham-Bo

A couple weeks ago during the mad dash of leaving for Florida I said to Jason, "When we get on the road, have a question to ask you." Jason immediately said "Sell!", with a smile. (I had to ask him where to get emissions test for my car).

Trader mentality aside, Jason is a really quick decision maker - a trait I admire.

March 16 is my 6 month anniversary of being in New York. I will be in California. A few of you may recall - with some rolling eyes - the 'path to the decision' of moving back to New York, that started with a 6 month start and stop on the west side of LA. Ultimately it wasn't because I didn't love California (I do!), it was finally listening to that voice inside that was prompting me to move East. When I finally decided, or listened, I moved very quickly.

A lot of people asked me over the winter how I liked winter. (I really, really don't). And how I was adjusting (some days great, some days I question why I moved). And if I like New York better than California (no, but its never been an either or thing with me). If I'm feeling settled (starting to get there). If I'm happy to be back with family and friends (of course!). If I'm where I am supposed to be right now (yes).

Before heading down to Disney Land last night, I spent a beautiful afternoon in Santa Monica, enjoying long shadows, succulents, and hearts dancing in the trees with some iced tea that somehow always tastes better in California.

As I was talking to a good friend later, I had to laugh when I looked up and suddenly saw this.

The Girl Effect

A good friend just announced that two twin baby girls, Lily and Clare, have entered the world this morning, and I am overcome with joy for them.

I'm on East Coast time in Santa Monica, awake early in a pretty and very low key neighborhood hotel called The Ambrose. We have meetings in LA before heading down later to Expo West in Anaheim.

One of our meetings is with Oprah Winfrey's new network, so I was on the site this morning, doing some background research and it never fails to amaze me the impact Oprah has made on the world. Certainly there is the "Oprah effect" that happens when she endorses a product you're involved with, but I believe there's a more profound effect that she's contributing to.

A few years ago I remember seeing something in Entertainment Weekly's Hot Sheet, that reflected Oprah's place on a Forbes Power list: When aliens land on Earth and say 'take us to your leader', they'll take them to Oprah. As I have been bouncing back and forth between the coasts, literally and in my head, one thing that stands out the most (in addition to the weather!) is that New York and Los Angeles are such different cities in terms of prestige and what's valued most. Broadly speaking, New York can be about what you do, where you went to school, what organizations you're involved in, your success in whatever industry you're involved in. Los Angeles can be about what you look like, what type of car you drive, what your home is like, who you know.

On both cities' measures of success, however, it would be so unlikely to fathom that an overweight African-American woman from the Midwest would ever be the phenomenon that "Oprah" is, and stands for...which is really not about any of the items above, its about being being your best self.

And despite superficial differences of New York and Los Angeles, and what's important in other regions of our country, I believe Oprah resonates because she's like us, like our country -- flawed, makes mistakes, learns as she goes, changes her mind, however she reflects to the masses the underlining philosophy that Everyone has value.

As a contrast to this, last week the Economist had a cover story on gendercide "What happened to 100 million baby girls" which literally made me sick to my stomach, and I couldn't finish the story. Here's a wonderful video called "The Girl Effect' which is being shared around the world. All great changes that need to be made on the deepest humanitarian level outward must first begin with the idea. And that is what I know for sure.

Welcome to the world Lily and Clare. Can't wait to watch you grow.

Ah!

New Corona commercial?

Okay, perhaps my winter white feet are a giveaway... This was taken last weekend on the roof deck, where I enjoyed a little sunshine, as it really, really does feel like spring is finally here. Next month the harbor will be beautifully full of boats, as sailing season will begin again.

I look at the Brooklyn Bridge park-in-construction on the waterfront right below my apartment, and while it does seem like they still just move dirt piles around, I am starting to see kayaks, sailboats, soccer, tennis...Life!

Look at the way the sun is streaming in this cafe I went to yesterday. Unmistakable spring sunshine, warming all of us. I have the urge to quite literally hug some trees, lay down and smell grass, go to a plant nursery, stick my hands in a lot of dirt, go on a huge walk, and be very, very close to the water. The Jetta needs a road trip and Montauk seems to be whispering to me. After I come back from the Pacific, its time to make friends with the Atlantic again...

Spring has always been my favorite season. It makes me feel like this!

Peace, Love and The Fringe

I'm flying to California later this week to attend Expo West, the largest trade show in the natural products and organics industry. Though...it's really more than a mere trade show.

First time I attended Expo I had just relocated from Northern to Southern California. Between the disorientation from the strange new land of The OC and the sights, tastes, smells and people from Expo, I really felt like I fell down the rabbit hole. I remember going to the after show party at the Marriott the first night, taking it all in, and someone whispered to me, "It's just like the Star Wars bar, isn't it?"

Below I have a few photos from past years...mullet wigs, capoeira, semi naked Brasilian carnaval dancers, reggae bands, boys sporting their favorite hats, ritualistic gourd passings, plenty of facial hair....little different vibe than, say, what's going on at 52nd and Park.
















Beyond the surface level of the show, what's really happening is that this is a gathering of manufacturers and consumers that have tried to raise the bar in the type of products they create, and create higher standards in the way they conduct business. All the funkiness aside, you can't help being inspired, and that inspiration guides you in the everyday choices you make as a consumer.

Expo West is the epicenter of a community where organic farming, Fair Trade ethics, sustainable supply chains, conscious packaging choices and strange new food began. You'll often hear heated discussions around GMOs, plant-based protein sources, helping poor communities around the world where the ingredients are sourced and learn about new products that promote health and vitality that essentially try to change the world for the better. Steve Demos, one of the early pioneers in the industry who created Silk Soy milk (based on a vision he had in a cave in India in the 70's around creating a product that is 'good for me, good for you, good for anyone who touches it' - that also is profitable) dubs it, fondly, "The Fringe."

I recently finished a book that a friend wrote called "Starting Over", which is thought-provoking essay that analyzes world and business events from the past decade, and gives guidance on business opportunities for the future. One of my favorite parts is the last chapter, where he states, "And there are the really big problems, which could be big opportunities" then quoting a professor from the University of Houston: "If you say we've got this huge crumbling infrastructure in Africa -- maybe the world gets together and says 'We need to really do something about this.' We beat back fascism in the 1940s and created tremendously prosperous societies from the ruins of those countries. We beat back communism in the 1980s. So today the problems of poverty and lack of resources are huge, but that might mean that the world gets together and says, 'We can fix this.'"

That thought has been part of the DNA of The Fringe for the past 30 years.