Land of Opportunity...

These past few weeks have been a whirlwind for me (hence the lack of writing).  Every once in a while I think it necessary to observe and get involved.  While work has picked back up, my social life has found itself bouncing from events to lectures to tastings to runs.  In one word: exciting.  I consider myself very fortunate to live in a city where one night you're joining a marathon and the next evening you are at a book launch for a new comic about Isadora Duncan.  Only in New York.

So please allow me to take a quick moment to put everything together - because that is what I do, I find the through line. 

I had been feeling lazy, as if I'd completely abandoned my inner athlete.  In order to get her back, I started running.  Just a little bit each day; but getting my butt out there, more or less.  To keep myself motivated, I joined The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's Team In Training.  Now, I will run a marathon (26.2 miles) on May 3rd and raise $2,600 for a wonderful cause.  The night I signed up I was speechless - the energy of hundreds of people gathered for the same reason.  Talk about finding a new community - not to mention being part of it.

Here is a link to the donations page!  If you can give, please consider. It is a great cause and we've all been effected by cancer in one way or another. 

Wednesday, was the Isadora Duncan book launch.  An incredibly illustrated comic book about the Mother of Modern Dance, with the forward by Lori Bellilove (whom I've had the opportunity to work with on several levels).  The author, Sabrina Jones, read an excerpt, Lori danced and we drank champagne.  I am still in awe and inspired by what I had witnessed front row.  What a truly artistic evening. 

Thursday evening I attended a Food & Pop Culture class at the Institute of Culinary Education (ICE).  Fascinating conversation, people, and topic.  It was primarily geared toward the power of marketing food & food personalities to society, and was a nice refresher of my college marketing classes.  I thought the most interesting dynamic, however, aside from the lecture, was the audience: all women (various ages and backgrounds).  The lecturer, Fabio, is a professor of Pop Culture & Food at NYU and is the correspondent to an Italian Food Network.  

Friday night?  I drank wine.  Lots and LOTS of wonderful, beautiful, round, sparkling, dark, light, full bodied wine.  Wine from Italy, France, California, Spain, & South America.  Wine for every meal, wine for every time of year or time of day.  We danced with the owners until 1am to lively Spanish music, dj'ed by Pandora.com.  My favorite was this South American red, with braille on the label, and the bottle was from the 1800's (not the wine inside, but the actual bottle).  Do I remember the name?  Nope, not a chance.  But I do know that they saved me several bottles.  I also fell in love with Gigondas, which is a Granache blend from France.  If ever the essence of relaxation had been bottled, Gigondas is it. 

You may be asking yourself: but, Kendra, how does this all fit together?  It's easy.  It's taking advantage of opportunity; living for today.  We all say that we want to do this and experience that - frankly, I'm tired of saying it.

While this hasn't been the Media-Harvest you are used to, it is better (in my opinion).  Directly from the source.  Seeing things, feeling them, tasting them, interacting with them, etc.  

Happy Thanksgiving, darlings!