Venice BEYOND Amazing, Great News on My Green Card, and Check Out the Billy Strings’ Tour!

Venice BEYOND Amazing, Great News on My Green Card, and Check Out the Billy Strings’ Tour!
Good Morning and Hello Friday!!
  • Venice was POWERFUL. I’ve been trying to figure out exactly why I ended up feeling so completely content and fulfilled on this trip. I’ve traveled to a myriad of amazing places but something about Venice (the beauty, the vibe) was in perfect harmony with how I’m feeling about my life at the moment. Every day as I wandered around this beautiful city I felt grateful to be able to take in all the city has to offer from its architecture to its canals, the art, the food, and the overall gioia di vivere of the Italian people.
  • Some of the joy is, I’m sure, the result of being able to travel internationally again (first time in over 2 years). But I was also keenly aware of how fortunate I was to be in a position to plan such a beautiful and indulgent trip for myself.
  • Much gratitude also to my amazing travel agent, Pablo Cruz, who planned perfect flights and hotels. And to my Venetian friend, Kiki, for joining me for 2 days, helping me get the lay of the land.
  • This was my first time back at the Biennale since 2013. It was WONDERFUL to again take it all in while roaming the Giardini and the Arsenale.
  • Much has changed for travelers to Italy over the last 10 years. All for the better in my opinion (see below).

Please scroll down for more on Venice, the green card situation, and my next major trip. I’ll be looking for recommendations and tips.

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Downtown NYC has Never Been as VIBRANT. So Many New Hotels, Restaurants, Clubs, Galleries, Stores!

Downtown NYC has Never Been as VIBRANT. So Many New Hotels, Restaurants, Clubs, Galleries, Stores!
Clockwise from left: Lobby Lounge at Nine Orchard Hotel, super buzzy Ray’s Bar, the new Moxy Hotel on Bowery
  1. Another jampacked week. Highlights include my first visit to Rockwood Music Hall — fabulous, and only a 5-minute walk from my house, can’t believe I’ve never been. Also checked out two new restaurants on the Bowery (#2 and 3 below), and saw Chris Rock‘s SOLD OUT show at Radio City Music Hall. An epic week!!
  2. What’s especially impressive about NYC at the moment is that it retains its vibrancy despite the uptick in crime. Entrepreneurs and companies are opening new businesses at a phenomenal rate. In my opinion, these business owners (small and large) get ALL the credit for keeping the city humming (certainly NOT the politicians, living in their rarified bubbles with security details). I say, take away the pols’ taxpayer-funded SUV’s and drivers and let them get around on the subway and the streets like regular New Yorkers and we’ll see how quickly order is restored.

Please scroll down for more on what’s happening in NYC as well as travel, entertainment, and a question about your favorite brands to see how they stack up vs. those of Gen Z.

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The Latest and Greatest from NYC, Austin, and Phoenix

The Latest and Greatest from NYC, Austin, and Phoenix
  1. So many entertainment discoveries this week! I must admit that for me, the most positive thing about COVID was getting rid of my TV and cable. In their place, I got deep into podcasts and I just love the discovery journey they’ve set me on. It’s exhilarating, and so easy, to pursue anything you’re curious about whether it’s new music e.g. Samara Joy who I was lucky enough to see again this week (#2), or 19th Century mausoleum architecture and the history of the first American musical (#1).
  2. I’ve also noticed how Western culture is having an outsize impact on fashion and entertainment. Even where we want to travel. More people than ever are heading to Western parts of the country, e.g., Marfa, Bozeman, Phoenix, Austin, Nashville (see #6).
  3. And finally, it’s Oktoberfest season. Time to hoist beer steins, listen to accordion music and instagram all those pumpkin spectacles around town (#8).

And with that, please scroll down for this week’s top discoveries.

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Thrill of the Week: Alice Waters!! PLUS Greg Garcia On Leading a Life Full of New Adventures

Thrill of the Week: Alice Waters!! PLUS Greg Garcia On Leading a Life Full of New Adventures
  1. The #1 thing that happened this week (Wednesday night to be precise) is that I got to meet, and sit next to, the one and only Alice Waters. I’m writing this a day later and I am still buzzing. (#1 below)
  2. Also, watched a few podcasts that resonated with me in MAJOR ways and provided important lessons on experiencing life more fully (thank you Greg Garcia #2 below).
  3. Casey Neistat moved back to NYC! I’m a big fan of his and his vlogs – all paeans to the city (#3 below). I’ve never found anyone whose views of NYC so exactly mirror mine, from his outsize loyalty to the city (in good times and bad) to his praise of the city as his muse.
  4. Other topics covered this week: the Indian renaissance (# 7), upcycling clothing (#6), and a reality check on mortgages from someone who was happy to get one at 9% back in the 90’s (#9).

And with that, please scroll down to check out this week’s latest.

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Spotlight on Austin Pt 2, Retail Getting Groovy, and Feast of San Gennaro is Back!

Spotlight on Austin Pt 2, Retail Getting Groovy, and Feast of San Gennaro is Back!
Clockwise from Top Left: Texas Football, Field Of Light, Feast of San Gennaro
  • TRAVEL has been a highlight for me over the last 6 months. When I flew back from Austin this week, I was struck by how stress-free and fun this travel experience had been versus the trepidation I felt last March on my first post-pandemic trip (also to Austin coincidentally).
  • This most recent AUSTIN trip was not only fun but also extremely productive with countless new discoveries (#1 – 5) including my first-ever football game.
  • RETAIL is also getting its groove back. Not sure how sustainable it all is but at least people are experimenting with new formats and trying new things (#6 – 8).

Please scroll down for the week’s highlights.

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US Open Outrageously Good this Year. And OMG, I Fixed My Printer (So Proud of Myself!)

US Open Outrageously Good this Year. And OMG, I Fixed My Printer (So Proud of Myself!)
Good Morning & Hello Friday (from Austin!)
  • EXHAUSTED!! I’m a huge tennis fan as some of you might know. This week I have been up until 1 or 2 am every morning watching some of the most brilliant tennis I’ve seen in a long while. The most thrilling match was between Carlos Alcaraz of Spain and Jannik Sinner of Italy. It was epic (longest match ever in US Open history). We will be watching these two young men battle it out for years to come (#1 below)
  • Tired or not, I did make it to Austin where I had an amazing dinner at Launderette last night. AND, with the encouragement of the wait staff, cooked up a spontaneous plan to attend my first EVER football game (UT vs. Alabama!). So excited!!!

And with that, please scroll down for all the major happenings of the week (#1-3), along with a slew of great, but random, trends (#6-10).

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Could Never Imagine Being 73 – But Indeed I Am. And So Far, So Good!

Could Never Imagine Being 73 – But Indeed I Am. And So Far, So Good!
Good Morning & Hello Friday!!
  • I turned 73 this August while in Bozeman and it got me thinking about what’s made this stage of my life so (surprisingly) wonderful. Everyone’s situation is obviously different with health and finances playing a key role but I do believe there’s much we can do to make our “senior” years super fun and exciting (#7 below).
  • While on the subject of exciting, I also have some stellar new travel plans (#2 and #3). If anyone has any tips or recommendations for either destination, please let me know!!
  • And there are also, of course, “new and trendy” discoveries (#4, #5, #6).

And with that please scroll down for the week’s highlights.

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Snapshot of America: Bozeman! What to See, Eat, and Do

Snapshot of America: Bozeman! What to See, Eat, and Do
Good Morning & Hello Friday!
  • I’m back in NYC but still daydreaming about Bozeman (also this is the first time I’ve covered the same city two weeks in a row but hey, when you’re as cool as Bozeman, that happens!).
  • A few facts: Bozeman is tiny with only 56,250 residents (up from 37,300 in 2010). The population skews young (median age is 28) but seems even younger because of all the MSU students in town. Only 10% of the population is over 65. From what I saw, no matter the age, all the locals are outstandingly fit and outdoorsy!
  • Bozeman is in the midst of an entrepreneurial boom. Everyone I chatted with was enthusiastic about the opportunities, from my Afghan immigrant Uber driver to the building contractor I met at Plonk (the hip wine bar in town) to designers and creatives – some making techy outdoor gear (Evergoods), some creating gorgeous one-of-a-kind cowboy hats!
  • John Mayer calls the area home. I had no idea until the gazillionth person asked me if I was in town for John Mayer’s concert. I did a little research and discovered that he’s been a resident of Paradise Valley (near Livingston, a 30 min drive from Bozeman) for over a decade. When the recent floods devastated his community, Mayer helped out with a fundraising concert.

And with that, please scroll down for some of my favorite spots in one of America’s coolest towns.

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