Adventure in New York State

Michael and I had an impromptu mini-day trip today to Orange and Rockland counties in New York State. Our goal was to cram in the summer experiences we didn't have this year, and it was a success!

We discovered some cute little towns: Nyack and Suffern, went to the Orchards of Concklin in Pomona and bought locally grown fruit, drove the alluringly titled Seven Lakes Parkway through Harriman State Park, and took a walk around Lake Sebago.

There's me out in nature!!! So refreshing for a city girl like myself. Even though it was only for a few hours, it definitely helped recharge my batteries.

Who knew that you could get to a state park in about an hour's drive from us? We'll definitely have to return sometime in the fall, hopefully for some apple and/or pumpkin picking to boot.

Michael and I had some tasty eats along the way. In Nyack, we had Lunch Part I at The Runcible Spoon Bakery. We saw how popular the place was (cyclists -- whom we had seen all along the beautiful drive up -- were spilling out of it), so we decided to give it a try. I had a positively scrumptious half wrap sandwich with black bean hummus, red onions, roasted red pepper, and lettuce, and Michael had an egg, cheese, and sausage sandwich on a fresh baked croissant.

Then, after building up an appetite from our walk along the lake, we found a restaurant for Lunch Part II: Doña Maria Mexican Bistro in Suffern. This was a narrow, old-fashioned diner that had been converted into a Mexican restaurant, complete with bold red walls, sombreros, colorful wall hangings, and more. We indulged in delicious brunch fare, including fiery chilaquiles. Mmmm.

It was a perfect day: almost cloudless skies, temperatures in the low 80s, and a buffer day ahead of us and behind us shielding us from work. Unfortunately, Michael is still on call; but thankfully, the pager did not ring.

Soldier update...and how you can help deployed service members

You'll never believe the surprise I got yesterday! I found an email from Spc Timothy Roy, the generous soldier I featured in my last post. Here's what he wrote:

Holly,
I wanted to thank you for linking to the article about me in your blog. It is really neat that it was so well received by so many people. I never figured it would make front page on the DOD and army.mil web pages when they interviewed me. I googled it and it popped up on a handful of sites like yours :) I definitely plan on more volunteer work when I get back from this deployment. Well thanks again and keep up the good work yourself.
-Timothy

I'm constantly amazed at how the internet can bring people together. How great to hear from him!

This reminds me of a resource of which I want to make my readers aware. AnySoldier.com is a website where you can hear first-hand from service members abroad about their lives and what they and their units need.

Some of the entries are short, but other service members write lengthy accounts of what it is like to be over in Iraq (without giving away any security information, of course) and include photos of things like their units, celebrations, etc. It's really interesting stuff!

Here's how it works, according to the website:

We have volunteer Soldier "contacts" on the "Where to Send" page. Click through the names and select the one(s) you wish to support. They list what the folks they represent want and need. We even have a search capability so you can easily identify what the troops need most.

All the Soldiers involved in this effort are military volunteers stationed in areas that are in harm's way. You send your support (letters and/or packages) addressed to them and when they see the "Attn: Any Soldier" line in their address they put your letters and packages into the hands of Soldiers who don't get much or any mail first. Everything is shared.

We have "What to Send", "How to Send" and "FAQ" pages to help you properly send letters and packages, please read these. Be sure to also read our "New & Stuff" and "Success Stories" pages. This effort is 110% voluntary. You send your support, and maybe some stuff, directly to whatever unit or units you want, you don't send us anything.

Take a look! These men and women are working so hard for our country. Please try to remember them this Labor Day!

An inspiring story

My friend, Kristine, recommended I feature this story on my blog. What a role model! I'm just amazed at the depth of this soldier's selflessness.

Face of Defense: Soldier Donates Money, R&R Time to Needy
By Army Spc. Evan D. Marcy
Special to American Forces Press Service

CAMP VICTORY, Iraq, Aug. 27, 2008 – Whether it involves time with their families, their personal comforts or even their lives, the duty of soldiers eventually requires sacrifice. Certain soldiers, though, go beyond that call of duty and give more.

Army Spc. Timothy Roy of 5th Signal Command’s C Company, 44th Expeditionary Signal Battalion, has made it his personal endeavor to provide his time and money for those in need.

During his two-week rest and recuperation leave while serving a 15-month deployment in Iraq, Roy and his parents volunteered their time preparing and serving meals at a soup kitchen and shelter near their home in New Hampshire. He also donated $1,000 to the soup kitchen and convinced a large corporation to match his contribution.

“My parents always taught me to put others before myself,” Roy said.

He also became involved with the Make-A-Wish Foundation by donating $3,000 to grant a wish that was tied to his own interests in computers. His donation was matched with a 17-year-old girl afflicted with lupus, a life-threatening, inflammatory disease. She used the money to buy computer equipment, allowing her to continue her education from home.

“What Specialist Roy did was really remarkable, and shows how much of a good guy he really is,” Army 1st Sgt. John Willis, C Company, 44th ESB, said. “Soldiers usually take deployment money and spend it on themselves. I was surprised by how much money came out of his pocket.”

Roy said he hoped to set an example. “I figured if people saw me giving back, it would encourage them to do the same,” he said. “When they see a soldier trying to give back, when they are already selflessly serving their country, they want to be a part of it as well.”

The specialist said it simply feels good to give. “To know that you can make a profound difference in someone's life is a wonderful feeling,” said Roy. “I got a letter of thanks from the first child and her mother that I sponsored [through Make-A-Wish], and she said she was moved to tears by my kindness. There's no feeling like that; it's hard to put in words how that made me feel.”

[read the whole article here]

Your response is requested!

I can't believe it, but this is my 100th post! I started this blog March 13th of this year in response to my involvement with the great organization, Mayan Families, and as a way to start making a change in my own life. And here I am now!

I would like to thank my readers very much for taking the time to peruse my posts and features. I really appreciate all of the comments and emails I have received. They have kept me going and encouraged me to be the best blogger I can be for you.

Now I'd like to take this opportunity to solicit your feedback. What do you like? What don't you like? What would you like to read here? As I get ready to start my next century of posts, I would really appreciate your thoughts, so I can better tailor the content to my readers' needs and desires.

Please leave me a comment or email me at gonnamakeachange@gmail.com. It would mean a great deal to me.

Thank you again for reading! I've got some exciting features in the works for the weeks ahead, and I can't wait to share them with you!

Feeding the hungry in Guatemala

Ok, I thought I had wrapped up my Celebration of Food/raising awareness for hunger feature for the time being, but I just read some great news on my friend Tricia's blog.

For those of you who have been reading "Gonna Make a Change" for a while, you might remember my June post about Tricia and the Christmas party she is organizing for an orphanage in Guatemala this December.

Tricia's plans are full steam ahead for her Christmas goodwill tour, and you can check out her amazing itinerary here.

Today she posted this:

"Our December trip to Guatemala continues to grow & expand into exciting directions.

I am really excited to share about another organization called Feed The Dream.

Their mission is to establish and oversee nutrition programs that provide food, vitamins, health education, hygiene and enrichment to children under 5 years of age and women of reproductive age in impoverished rural Guatemala.

They have previously donated $10,000 to the feeding program of Mayan Families, and, how awesome is this....they have generously donated $5,000 to the annual Christmas Tamale Basket program, as well!"

How exciting is that?

I am really hoping Michael and I will be able to join Tricia in Guatemala for part of this trip. At this point, it just depends on whether I will be able to get the time off from work. I would so love to be part of this...and record my experiences here for all of you! I'll keep you posted.

Congratulations, Greg and Maggie!

May you live happily ever after!

Celebration of Food recap

To my faithful readers, thank you very much for following my Celebration of Food feature the past two weeks. To those who have just stumbled upon my blog, this is a recap of my posts celebrating the joy of food and raising awareness for the global food crisis.

Here are the links to my Celebration of Food posts.

My intro to the series:

• A celebration of food...for the hungry
  
  

Stories about food:

• Kellari Taverna -- let your imagination take flight


• An airport food experience with CLASS!


• Food dreams in New York


• Tantalizing tapas -- the real experience


• Flavors of Guatemala


• An ode to bread


• The August that changed my food life

Resources and tools about hunger:

• How to find a hunger-related charity


• Fighting hunger in the Philippines


• Recommendations from friends


• Recommended reading

If you haven't made a donation to your favorite hunger-related charity, it's not too late! While my series on this topic is ending for now, the food price crisis is not. Please remember that!

Kellari Taverna -- let your imagination take flight

It's time for me to wrap up my Celebration of Food in honor of the hungry. The purpose of this feature was to celebrate food not as a commodity, but as a special joy of life -- something that helps us to stop and appreciate beauty and taste, relationships, and moments in time. Food is more than just sustenance; it is culture, family, and art. It is the stuff of lifelong memories.

Unfortunately, many people around the world can barely afford even the most basic foodstuffs because of the global food price crisis. My aim with this series was to raise awareness of that fact and encourage my readers to do what they can to help. Even if you only have a few dollars to give, that money can make a real difference, especially in the developing world.

For my final piece, I will tell you about one of my favorite restaurants in New York City, the Greek seafood restaurant, Kellari Taverna -- http://www.kellari.us/.

I believe it was fall 2005/winter 2006 that I first caught a glimpse of Kellari Taverna. I often would walk down 44th Street, between 5th and 6th Avenues, on my way to work, as I liked to pass by the historic Algonquin, as well as the other fancy hotels on the block. At that time, I noticed a storefront past the hotels and closer to 5th Avenue was under construction.

As the days and weeks went by, details started to emerge. First there was the light-colored wood of the facade. Then the large windows started to reveal a black marble bar with blonde wood shelves and wooden wine casks overhead. I was fascintated. Just the hint of this place spirited my winter-weary mind to fantasies of a Mediterranean island.

A sign appeared: "Kellari Taverna," as well as gauzy white curtains at the windows, and a plaque above the door reading "Enter as strangers and leave as friends." When the restaurant finally opened, I passed by after work and saw it in action. I peeked in the door and saw candles, light wood, white walls and curtains receding into the back of the restaurant. At the bar were heaping trays of olives and cheese. I could just imagine the cool taste of a cocktail, sitting there at one of the bar stools.

Even before I ever ate there, Kellari Taverna was a feast for my mind. It was as if, when I passed this tiny pocket of New York, I was no longer even in the US, but rather in a dreamy state where you could imagine the sea and the pleasure of relaxing the evenings away with beautiful people speaking foreign tongues. On my way from Kellari to the bus, I would spend some time in this dream state and think about how I could plan a trip to the Greek islands.

I finally had my opportunity to dine at Kellari Taverna in March of 2006, when I took my Uncle Charles here for his birthday. I don't remember exactly what we had, but I do know that it was delicious. The meal started out with little snacks for the table, including olives, radishes, and a dip for bread. We had a prix fixe meal, and by the time dessert arrived, I could barely fit it in.

The owner came by and asked how we were enjoying our food. He gave us his card, asking us to please contact him if we ever needed anything.

At that time, the restaurant had recently opened, and it was relatively quiet that night. So my uncle and I took some time after we ate to walk around and look around the space in detail. I remember seeing the lavish display of fresh fish by the kitchen, the reds and silvers of their scales glistening on a bed of ice. Aside from the bright light here, everything in the restaurant was bathed in a cozy, yellowish glow. It was indeed that magical place I had imagined. If only I could stay on and on.

I have gone back for drinks and a few lunches since then, including one with my dad a few weeks ago. It was just as good as I had remembered. This time I had the delectable vegetable moussaka, and my father had an elegant salad with grilled shrimp. The only thing was, now this place has been discovered, and it is quite busy.

The prices make Kellari Taverna a special treat, rather than an everyday splurge. But that experience of walking by, peering in the windows, and letting your imagination take flight is both free and priceless.

***

If you enjoyed my Celebration of Food the past two weeks, I ask you to please consider making a donation of money or time to your favorite hunger-related charity. Thank you for reading!

An airport food experience with CLASS!

Hi, all. Sorry I wasn't able to write a post yesterday. I had been in Detroit on a business trip, and I didn't get home until very late.

I'm planning on wrapping up the Celebration of Food focus soon, but I keep getting inspiration for food-related topics!

Last night, I was in the Detroit airport for over three hours. But guess what? It was probably one of the most pleasurable times I've ever spent en route.

Why? I came across a place in the terminal, post-security, called Vino Volo -- http://www.vinovolo.com/. This is a wine lounge featuring wine, small plates, and comfy leather chairs. It is the polar opposite of the typical airport fast food kind of place. Here is culture, beauty, relaxation -- through wine. To add to the experience, the lounge faces huge windows to the west. As I sat there, the sun came through in the most beautiful shades as it began to set.

First I enjoyed a "California Kings" wine flight. Three glasses were brought to me on a narrow metal tray, underneath each glass a description of the respective wine. I got to taste a very nice Merlot, Cabarnet Sauvignon, and Old Vine Zinfandel. With that, I had an order of their tasty ziti gratin, made with three cheeses and truffle oil -- grown up mac and cheese. Then I tried their Italian wine flight and a small chicken sandwich. Mmmm...Montepulciano.

All the while, I was able to sit back and relax, savor the wines, and pretty much forget I was in the airport...except for seeing the travelers gliding by on the moving walkways. I had a great phone conversation with my parents, and I was able to just enjoy the moment.

The atmosphere reminded me a tiny bit of my favorite Italian cafe/restaurant in Berlin, Artusia on Ernst-Reuter-Platz. Artusia was another part of that August of 2002 in Berlin. During the day, when I was researching at the Technische Universitaet library, I would take a break every once in a while at Artusia. They had just opened, so they had a number of wonderful special offers, including Caffe Machiato for 1 Euro. (And this was real Italian coffee -- not Starbucks attempts! Imagine that, priced perfectly for a student!) I met Tanja there sometimes, and occasionally, we would have a light lunch with a glass of wine and an amazingly fresh salad. There I learned the secret for simple, incredible dressing: high quality olive oil drizzled on, followed by balsamic vinegar (from Modena, of course), some salt, and fresh ground pepper. These ingredients were brought to you at the table, so you could dress the salad yourself.

Even though Vino Volo wasn't the same as Artusia, it brought back memories I had not thought of in years. And it was wonderful in its own right. There are branches in select airports around the country, so next time you travel, keep an eye out!

How to find a hunger-related charity

This past week, during my Celebration of Food, I have asked my readers to consider making a donation to their favorite hunger-related charity in recognition of the worldwide food price crisis. I have highlighted a few different charities, but I realize not everyone may have their own favorites picked out...or even know where to look.

So I'd like to do my part to help anyone who is looking for resources.

There are two great websites that rate charities according to various criteria:

Charity Navigator - http://www.charitynavigator.org/ - This site gives charities a star rating, from zero to four, based on organizational efficiency and organizational capacity. This is a great resource for articles, such as "Top 10 Best Practices of Savvy Donors," and lists, like "10 of the Best Charities Everyone's Heard of." You can search for charity keywords or browse by categories for thousands of different organizations.

American Institute of Philanthropy - http://www.charitywatch.org/ - This site also rates charities, but it does not cover as many organizations as Charity Navigator's site or include as many additional articles. AIP, however, emphasizes their independence and their own financial evaluation of the charities, rather than relying on charities' self-reported information. Charities are given a letter score of A to F, and there is an index of "Top-Rated Charities."

Together, I find these sites to be excellent tools to learn about some the different charities that exist, how they measure up, and how to give wisely.