Lisa Niver's Blog: We Said Go Travel, page 15

BRAVE-ish wins Hearten Book Awards First Place for Uplifting and Inspiring Non-Fiction

Thank you Chanticleer Book Reviews! My memoir, Brave-ish, is a 2023��HEARTEN Book Awards��First Place Winner for Uplifting & Inspiring Non-Fiction and Memoir!

THANK YOU to Chanticleer Book Reviews and Hearten Awards and to each person who has read my memoir! See more BOOK AWARDS for Brave-ish below:

BRAVE-ish is a Nonfiction Gold Book Awards Winner BRAVE-ish is a winner: 2024 Literary Titan Gold Book Award Goody Business Book Awards: Memoir/Self-Help Zibby Awards: Best Book for The Strong Woman

For the Hearten Book Awards–I was on the short list, then the long list, then a semi-finalist and then a finalist and now a 1st place category winner! What an honor to be considered for my memoir, Brave-ish!

My Podcast, Make Your Own Map, won 2nd place for Diversity in TV/Streaming at the NAEJ Awards
My website is #10 on the top 100 Travel Lifestyle Blogs and Websites I am also the #3 Top Travel Influencer for 2024 for Afluencer as well as #10 of Female Influencers Brands Can’t Get Enough of for 2024! I want to send a special thanks to my awesome literary agent, Chip MacGregor and my phenomenal Post Hill Press editor, Debra Englander! This team has believed in my book from the very beginning. I am deeply grateful! And here is a new review from Midwest Book Review: THANK YOU for all of your support. My AUDIO BOOK of Brave-ish narrated by ME is now available!

Brave-ish was also a Hearten book awards finalist, Long List, Short List and now WINNER!! YAHOOO–celebrating all the steps to success!!

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BRAVE-ish Birthday! Niver’s September News 2024

September News 2024 with Lisa Niver & We Said Go Travel:

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY MEMOIR! September is ONE YEAR since my book, BRAVE-ish: One Breakup, Six Continents and Feeling Fearless After Fifty, was published. Thank you for showing up for my events, watching my videos, being excited for my awards and of course reading and reviewing BRAVE-ish!

Thank you to Hadassah for my great birthday celebration at Small World Books.

I loved celebrating in Los Angeles at Luxe Sunset Boulevard Hotel. We sipped champagne in a cabana by the pool and strolled through Getty Center to look at the art and sculpture.

CONGRATS to Eric Roberts on his new book, Runaway Train. It was great to meet him and his Dancing with The Stars partner, Britt Stewart, at Barnes and Noble at The Grove, where I had my BRAVE-ish book event this summer.

One of my favorite things in Los Angeles is to go to The Hollywood Bowl! See my videos from concerts with John Fogerty, The Princess Bride, Ricky Martin, Barbie The Movie, Back To The Future, Star Wars, Tchaikovsky and Pink Martini!

Do you love to learn new things? This summer I took my very first soapstone carving workshop from Frederick Spence in Winnipeg, Canada before my Polar Bear Walking Safari. I loved seeing the polar bear appear out of the sandstone. Looking for a class to take? See below for my Travel Writing class.

Want to travel more? Take my Travel Writer 101 class on Udemy. Thank you to NPR for including BRAVE-ish Thank you to JourneyWoman, Soul of Travel and  Christine Winebrenner Irick for including BRAVE-ish in “Eight ���Soulful��� Travel Books.” Thank you to Conde Nast Traveler for including BRAVE-ish as a TOP TEN BOOK PICK!

Do you LOVE my book BRAVE-ish? PLEASE WRITE A REVIEW!! Click here to go directly to rate or review BRAVE-ish on Amazon–but you can do anywhere you bought your book! THANK YOU to The Benjamin Franklin Awards for this lovely review of my memoir.

You can find my book on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Simon & Schuster, Post Hill Press, Target, Walmart, BookShop, BAM! and wherever you get your audiobooks! People always ask me where is it best to buy my book. I recommend you go into or call your favorite local book store and ask them to order it for you and pick it up IN THE STORE! You never know what other treasures you will find. Any bookstore can order my book because my publisher is Post Hill Press and it is distributed by Simon and Schuster. My friend in New Zealand just ordered my book to her local store! Brave-ish is available all over the globe!

Learn more about my events: click here and my articles here THANK YOU for watching my podcast! It has now been seen and heard in 51 countries on 6 continents!

WATCH my podcast, “MAKE YOUR OWN MAP: Are YOU ready to be BRAVE?” on Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, YouTube Podcast,  Google Podcasts, Audacy, Audible, Anchor, Pandora & iHeart Radio

I loved being in Winnipeg and taking my first ever soapstone carving workshop with Frederick Spence

Can you believe that I walked with Polar Bears?!?! See my videos from my Polar Bear Walking SafariWHERE CAN YOU FIND MY TRAVEL VIDEOS?

Here is the link to my video channel on YouTube where I have over TWO MILLION views on YouTube! (now at: 2,210,000).

Thank you for your support! Are you one of my 4,390 subscribers? I hope you will join me and subscribe! For more We Said Go Travel articles, TV segments, videos and social media: CLICK HERE

Find me on social media with over 150,000 followers. Please follow  on TikTok: @LisaNiver, Twitter at @LisaNiver, Instagram @LisaNiver and on Facebook, Pinterest, YouTube, and at LisaNiver.com.

My Podcast: “Make Your Own Map!”

Inspired by Fortune Cookies:

“Your journey through the pages of life is just beginning���

celebrate each chapter with joy, for the best is yet to be written.”

Do you love audiobooks? My memoir, Brave-ish, is available on all audio platforms! Did you know that authors have to audition to narrate their books?

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Totally Terrific Travel Mom Media Beach Bash

Thank you to Emily, The Travel Mom, for an unforgettable media gathering in Fort Lauderdale at the #TravelMomBeachBash! The travel community came together at Pelican Grand Beach Resort in Fort Lauderdale for epic fun under the sun. It was beyond amazing to be with such a vibrant and talented group to celebrate an absolutely magical weekend.

The festivities kicked off with the theme “TROPIC Like It’s HOT.” Attendees donned their best tropical attire and reveled in a day filled with excitement and relaxation by the beach. The lively decorations, delicious refreshments, and engaging activities created an atmosphere that truly embodied the spirit of a tropical paradise.

Saturday’s theme, “CHASING RAINBOWS,” continued the fun at the stunning Pelican Grand Beach Resort. The resort’s breathtaking views and luxurious amenities provided the perfect backdrop for celebrating life’s colorful moments. Every part of the day was filled with joy and inspiration, from engaging conversations to serene moments by the ocean.

A huge thanks to our fantastic sponsors who made this event even more special:

JSX for the unforgettable party and the generous gift! Aaron and I absolutely loved our flight to Napa with your hassle-free, crowd-free, ultra-comfy public charter air experience and did a TV segment about it for KTLA!MSC Cruises for adding that extra sparkle to our dining experience. I���m looking forward to setting sail with you soon!

Emily, your dedication to creating memorable experiences for everyone involved is truly admirable. The Beach Bash was not just a getaway, but a reminder of the beauty and joy that travel brings into our lives.

Here’s to creating more fabulous memories together! Cheers to new adventures and endless sunshine!

TRAVEL MOM BEACH BASH at Pelican Grand Beach Resort

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What an unforgettable night in Fort Lauderdale at #travelmombeachbash! The travel community came together for some epic fun under the sun, and it was beyond amazing! Huge shoutout to @TheTravelMom for gathering such a vibrant and talented group to celebrate an absolutely magical night on the roof at Pelican Grand Beach Resort. Big thanks to @flyJSX for the party & gift! @Gokokotravel and I loved our flight to Napa with your hassle-free, crowd-free ultra-comfy public charter air experience and @msccruises.us MSC Cruises @msccruisesofficial for adding that extra sparkle to our dining experience. Looking forward to setting sail with you. Here’s to creating more fabulous memories together! Cheers to new adventures and endless sunshine!

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I had the best time with so many amazing friends at The Travel Mom Beach Bash at Hunter’s Rainbow Lounge Visit Lauderdale Party with DJ Adora. I���m so grateful to be part of such a vibrant, inclusive and loving community. Here���s to celebrating love, diversity, and friendship!

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SO MUCH FUN at #travelmombeachbash! When one weekend away feels like a whole summer at camp! Thanks to The Travel Mom & Visit San Antonio in the Lazy River!

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Sunrise over #TravelMomBeachBash

I love to watch the sun rise over the sea and feel the promise a new day brings. The #TravelMomBeachBash was absolutely amazing, bringing together a fantastic community for networking, dancing, and endless fun. I am incredibly thankful for the overwhelming support for my memoir. My heart is bursting with gratitude and excitement.

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Happy Caribbean American Heritage Month! Celebration #travelmombeachbash

Fire dancing on the beach #travelmombeachbash

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2023: The Travel Mom���s Marvelous San Diego #CampTravelMom was MAGNIFICENT! Emily and I joined Sandals Resorts at Staples Center for an incredible night of music by Elton John!Elton John���s Final Night at Staples Center for Farewell Yellow Brick Road Tour

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Brave-ish: Benjamin Franklin Awards

Happy 1st Birthday to BRAVE-ish! Thank you for all of your support for my book.

Here are the reviews of my book from the Benjamin Franklin Awards 2023 – Memoir

A memoir that is an inspirational travelogue guaranteed to get the most timid individual net surfing exotic locales, Brave-ish is a unique journey of discovery and independence. There are moments that will have the reader ready to come to the author’s rescue, and there are times when they will cheer her next little victory. This memoir is a guidebook for people who feel they “can’t do” or “don’t have the guts” and need to see that you don’t have to get it all right at��once….baby steps! The front cover art is intriguing, the coloring is eye-catching. The back cover reveals just enough to hook the potential reader. This book��is memoir, but it is��so very much��more. It works very well as an atypical travelogue and an inspirational piece for anyone needing to find the courage to say that they deserve better.��

Benjamin Franklin Awards 2023 – Memoir

Part memoir, part chick-lit, and part coming-of-age story (even though the age is 50), Lisa Niver���s Brave-ish is an always fun and often serious look at the way a woman can both fall into a terrible relationship and then emerge from it stronger than ever. Set across an international backdrop, Niver���a nearly obsessionist world traveler and writer���provides a travel-based memoir that still manages to be about her much, much more than it is about travel. The book,��set basically into two sections (Fred and post-Fred, if you will), is well written and well organized. The voice always hits just the right notes and the book moves along at a solid and readable pace. It is a wonderful read and one I thoroughly enjoyed.��

“Inspired and inspiring, articulate and descriptive, “Brave-ish: One Breakup, Six Continents, and Feeling Fearless After Fifty” by Lisa Niver is a deftly crafted and inherently fascinating read that is part travelogue, part memoir, and part self-help.” Midwest Book Review

“Niver is a master at being humble, an everywoman with fears and challenges, while taking her readers around the world in quite a powerful and magical way. Her drive and persistence is not only inspiring, but an honest glimpse into what it means to be human: to learn, take joy, and find the people, places, and purpose she needs to grow.With her signature zest, wonder, and grace, Niver takes us on her journey of self-discovery, inspiration, and perseverance. Brave-ish is so much more than a memoir…it is a guide to growing with both humility and curiosity, and shows us the power of inner strength, friendship, community, and drive. This is a beautiful memoir about finding self, about slowly moving past trauma, and about the immense influence that travel has to heal and inspire. This book? Pure magic.” — Dr. Jessie Voigts, WanderingEducators.com

���Brave-ish is an invitation to confront the unfamiliar, to discover resilience in openness. Lisa Niver���s memoir is not only a revealing journey into her own experiences but also a reflective look at the adventurous spirit that resides within us all. It appeals to anyone drawn to the unknown and serves as a poignant reminder that often, the most significant adventures are those that take place within ourselves.��� — Literary Titan

���Niver has the reader ride a wave of up and down emotions included with action and adventure that would rival any of Hollywood’s movies. Surviving a disastrous, abusive marriage that she did not see until it almost caused her demise. Being brave enough to get out from under the abuse, she starts and new life and thrives��� Niver wants to be fearless after fifty and tries things that would make a seasoned professional squeamish and any woman over fifty clinging to the safety of her bed covers. Her courageous behavior clearly indicates that is fearless. Niver���s story shows us her portrait of life and her philosophy of life. Brave-ish is a story of survival that speaks to any woman and lets them see what can happen if you let go of your fears, expectations, and perceptions.��� — Nonfiction Book Awards

���Lisa Niver, author of Brave-ish, is the heroine of her own story and if this weren’t her own story, it would be a wonderful fiction/fantasy novel; but the truth is it’s not imagination. At its core it’s a story of survival and growth after near tragedy.��� — Nonfiction Book Awards

MORE REVIEWS at https://lisaniver.com/brave-ish-reviews/ GET YOUR COPY

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Conde Nast Traveler: BRAVE-ish TOP TEN BOOK PICK

Thank you to Conde Nast Traveler, Women Who Travel BookClub and Blane Bachelor for including BRAVE-ish on your 10 New Books We Can���t Wait to Read This Fall last year!

Brave-ish: One Breakup, Six Continents, and Feeling Fearless After Fifty by Lisa Niver

One of the books high on my fall reading list is Brave-ish: One Breakup, Six Continents, and Feeling Fearless After Fifty, by Lisa Niver, an LA���based journalist. I can’t wait to dig into Niver’s honest account of how she transformed her life at age 47 by committing to doing 50 new things by the time she turned 50: diving with sharks and pulling 3-Gs while bobsledding, to name a few. I love inspirational books, especially when travel, adventure, and gutsy women are involved, so this is right up my literary alley. ���Blane Bachelor, contributor

Thank you Blane and CNTraveler for the honor of being including on this list! Thank you to Conde Nast Traveler Women Who Travel Podcast! What an honor to share my story on their Valentine���s Day dispatch. ���It���s fun, it���s candid, it���s certainly not hallmark.��� Women Who Travel Podcast: Your Love and Travel Stories: Tales of breakups, hookups, and more in honor of Valentine���s Day.

Love doesn���t sleep just because you���re traveling. This week, in honor of Valentine���s Day, we���re dedicating an episode to our listeners��� stories, from tales of a windswept singles resort, to a fling in a Toronto hotel, to a surprising encounter in China. Whether you love or hate this holiday, or love to hate it, we promise this episode will be a fun one.

START LISTENING at 18:48 for my storyhttps://embed.podcasts.apple.com/us/p...

From MY FLING AT THE FAIRMONT:��by Lisa Niver

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Balagan and Belonging: Navigating Life���s Chaos in a New Homeland with Jennifer Lang

In Landed: A yogi���s memoir in pieces & poses, Jennifer Lang vividly captures the trials and tribulations of returning to Israel–the country where she and her French husband met and married–a move driven by love, compromise, and the search for peace within her family. As Jennifer wrestles with the overwhelming disorder of an unfinished home and the emotional upheaval of emigration, she also reflects on the deeper meaning of belonging and the sacrifices made for the sake of shalom bayit, or peace in the home. Her story is a powerful testament to the resilience required to find balance amidst the chaos of life���s biggest transitions and to live in one of the most volatile regions of the world.

Jennifer Lang, an American-born writer and yoga teacher, has called Israel home since 2011, where her life and writing have been deeply influenced by the land’s rich history and spiritual energy. Her second book, Landed: A yogi���s memoir in pieces & poses, masterfully weaves her experiences of life in Israel with her journey of self-discovery through yoga. I���m thrilled to join Jennifer on March 20, 2025 at Zibby���s Bookshop, where we���ll discuss our latest books, share stories of transformation, and explore the power of storytelling in navigating life���s challenges.

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ABOUT  Landed: A yogi���s memoir in pieces & poses

American-born Jennifer traces her nonlinear journey���both on and off the yoga mat���reckoning with her adopted country (Israel), midlife hormones (merciless), cross-cultural marriage (to a Frenchman) and their imminent empty nest (a mixed blessing), eventually realizing the words her yoga teachers had been offering for the past twenty-three years: root down into the ground and stay true to yourself. Finally, she understands that home is about who you are, not where you live. Written in experimental chapterettes, Landed: A yogi���s memoir in pieces & poses spans seven years (and then some), each punctuated with chakra wisdom from nationally-acclaimed Rodney Yee, her first teacher.

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Excerpt from Landed: A yogi’s memoir in pieces & posesBalagan

Two months after the God Talk with the girls, the day after we land in Israel, we step inside our windswept-gray front door of our house in Raanana. I gasp. The late August heat suffocates me like a tight wool turtleneck. 

���Alors?��� Mari asks.

What do I think of a place I���d seen once, eight months earlier, in the country for my nephew���s wedding, when a realtor and I stood in the foyer and my shoulders softened, saying: ���You don���t know our story, but I don���t want to move here, yet can picture living within these walls.���

She had no clue that three years earlier, we���d spent what I dubbed The Year of Living Differently in this city, to stretch our children���s Weltanschauung beyond the red-white-and-blue flag. She had no idea that we���d arrived whole and left divided; Mari and Son aching to stay, Daughters and I eager to go. She had no inkling that I���d agreed to return for ten years���from the eldest entering the army to the youngest exiting the army.

Call it payback to my husband for living in my homeland for the 15 years.

Call it shalom bayit [i] or peace in the house.

Call it compromise���

���You really want to know?��� I ask Mari.

My thoughts are vicious and biting like a rattlesnake.

The girls race from room to room, shouting to each other, their voices bouncing off the stone walls, reiterating what I already know: it���s a mess.

We���ve arrived in time for the Jewish New Year but long before the house is livable. Construction workers roam every room. Hefty tools litter the tiled floors. The kitchen countertop is MIA. New appliances stand forlorn in the barren space. Layers of grime cover every surface. Outlets malfunction. Paint splotches spot windows and walls.

He puppy-dog eyes me.

���Aze balagan[ii]!���

Mari and I speak a linguistic hodgepodge���French, English, Franglais, Hebrew, Hebrish���depending on mood.

���You might want to sleep on an air mattress, but the kids and I will stay elsewhere.���

I morph from upbeat into kvetch as I emigrate from New York to Israel.

Mari drops it. He neither confronts nor cajoles in his usual way. Living in America was never his fantasy, returning to Israel, never mine. My surrender came with conditions. At the top of my list: let me be.

ZIM

Days later, a mammoth truck carrying our red clay-colored container reverses into our driveway, its seven stars and three letters recognizable from afar. Six weeks earlier, it decamped from the Port of New York, heaving with our material possessions, leaving me to stare at our stripped century-old New York Tudor, the only one that ever felt like home in the 21 years of our mobile marriage, and sob.

Here, halfway around the world from my American-girl-reference point, the movers taunt us with ready-or-not-here-we-come. We���re far from ready. Inside is a wreck, but outside, the sun broils me.

Mari and I watch them unload. A boy vrooms on his skateboard. A high-hanging date tree provides insufficient shade. A couple emerges from the house next door. I await the ordinary onslaught of questions: Where are you from? Do you have kids? What do you do?

After trading names and professions, the salt-and-pepper-haired veterinarian with an unmistakable Israeli accent says they raised kids on Long Island.

���I can���t believe you came here when we dream of living there,���he says.

I cackle to cover my desire to cry.

Mari and I exchange a long-married-couple look: save me.

A mover asks where to put our dining room chairs. Mari directs the swarm of stocky men air-traffic-control style. I dash inside to indicate what goes where:

Our sofa, mattresses, desks, nightstands, and flat-screen TV are encased in bubble wrap like King Tut. Cardboard boxes of books and photo albums along with Container Store bins of Legos and American Girl dolls tower above us.

As movers schlep in and out, I recall my children���s favorite bedtime story, a Yiddish folk tale called It Could Always Be Worse. The tale of a man who lived with his mother, wife, and six children in a one-room hut. Miserable, he ran to the rabbi, who instructed him to take in the chickens then the goat and lastly the cow until the chaos became unbearable, and his rabbi then told him to free the animals one at a time at which point the family slept peacefully and the man relished the relative quiet.

While these burly men heave and ho, I think about the civil war raging in Syria���a mere 500 miles north���realizing how fortunate we are: immigrants by choice, completely intact.

[i] The Jewish religious concept of domestic harmony and good relations between spouses

[ii] Originally a Persian word, balchan morphed into balagan as it migrated from Turkey to Russia to Lithuania to Palestine during the late 19th century

more information https://israelwriterstudio.com/events/

SAVE THE DATE: March 20, 2024

Join us at Zibby���s Bookshop for an evening with two remarkable Jewish authors, Jennifer Lang and Lisa Niver, as they explore the complexities of identity, family, and the challenges of building a life in a new land. Jennifer will delve into her latest book, Landed: A Yogi���s Memoir in Pieces & Poses, sharing her experiences of moving from New York to Israel, and the struggles and surprises of navigating a new life. Lisa will discuss her memoir, Brave-ish, reflecting on her own journey of transformation and resilience. Don���t miss this opportunity to hear from two powerful voices as they share their stories of balancing love, compromise, and the search for belonging.

About Places We Left Behind: a memoir-in-miniature

When American-born Jennifer falls in love with French-born Philippe during Israel���s First Intifada, she understands their differences: she’s a secular tourist, he’s an observant immigrant. Determined to make it work, they spend the next 20 years rooting and uprooting their growing family, each in search of a place where they can feel home and whole. In Places We Left Behind: a memoir-in-miniature, Jennifer puts her marriage under a microscope, examining commitment and compromise, faith and family.

MORE ABOUT JENNIFER LANG:

From Jewish Women’s Archive: Q & A with Jennifer Lang, Author of “Places We Left Behind”

Canvas Rebel: Meet Jennifer Lang

Jennifer Lang on INK IN YOUR VEINS

1455 AUTHOR SERIES | Jennifer Lang discusses Home Family & Faith in her memoir PLACES WE LEFT BEHIND

92nd Street Y: An American Ex-Pat in Israel: Jennifer Lang in Conversation Rabbi David Ingber

The Writers Center: Virtual Craft Chat with Memoirist Jennifer Lang

Israel Writers Studio: a home for English-language creative writers

Jennifer Lang with Blair Glaser at Zibby’s Bookshop

A Bay Area transplant in Tel Aviv, Jennifer Lang runs Israel Writers Studio. American by birth, Israeli by choice, and French by marriage, she is celebrating Places We Left Behind: a memoir-in-miniature (2023) and Landed: A yogi’s memoir in pieces & poses (10/15/2024). Her prize-winning essays appear in Baltimore Review, Under the Sun, Midway Journal, and elsewhere. She holds an MFA from Vermont College of Fine Arts and was an Assistant Editor at Brevity Journal. When not at her desk, she might be walking along the edge of the Mediterranean or on her yoga mat–practicing since 1995, teaching since 2003. Find Jennifer at israelwriterstudio.com, on Instagram and Facebook.

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Become Your BRAVE-ish Self!

Are you ready to change your thinking and live Brave-ishly?

SEE YOU SEPTEMBER 19, 2024 at Small World Books, Venice Beach, California
Join Adira Hadassah as we enjoy the evening with the inspiring and motivating award-winning author, Lisa Niver with giveaways worth over $700.

Ready to transform your mindset and embrace a Brave-ish life? Join us for an unforgettable evening with the inspiring and motivating award-winning author Lisa Niver, hosted by Adira Hadassah. We���re celebrating the 1st birthday of her empowering memoir, Brave-ish, on Thursday, September 19, 2024! Don���t miss this opportunity to meet Lisa, hear her incredible journey, and get your very own signed copy of Brave-ish. It���s more than just a book���it���s a guide to courage, growth, and living life to the fullest.Mark your calendar, bring a friend, and come celebrate with us. Let���s make this night one to remember!

DATE: Thursday, September 19, 2024

TIME: 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm

REGISTER: https://events.hadassah.org/LisaNiverauthorevent

Registration includes a copy of BRAVE-ish which Lisa will sign for you $36 Member ��� $40 Non-Member

LOCATION: Small World Books, 1407 Ocean Front Walk, Venice, CA 90291

QUESTIONS: email gayejacobs@gmail.com

over $700 in GIVEAWAYS: PADI e-Learning scuba class valued at up to $312. I absolutely LOVE scuba diving! Travel Writer 101 class on Udemy valued at $150 Holocaust Museum LA  one year membership valued at $100Ms. Magazine book: 50 years of Ms.Jennifer Lang’s book: Places We Left Behind: a memoir-in-miniature –and SAVE THE DATE: Join me to talk about her new book, Landed, at Zibby’s Bookshop March 20, 2024.Books from my publisher, Post Hill Press: Shanda by Letty Cottin Pegrebin, The Upstander by Jori Epstein, The Letters Project by Eleanor Reissa and Surviving the Survivor by Joel Z. Waldman

As seen in the print Jewish Journal for the week of Sept 13

MORE ABOUT BRAVE-ish

Although Lisa Niver has traveled in far-off locales from Vanuatu to Nepal and received numerous accolades for both her writing and her top ranked website, what people don���t realize is that this began from the wreckage of a rotten romance.

Newlywed Niver was on the adventure of a lifetime. She had quit her job, rented out her condo, and was traveling around Asia. To the outside world, Niver was a woman living out her dreams of exploring ancient ruins in Cambodia and seeing orangutans in Borneo. In private, she was keeping a dark secret. But, when she found herself lying on a sidewalk in Thailand, looking up at the sky in severe pain, she knew things had to change. At age forty-seven, Niver found the courage to set course on a new life.

Feeling like a failure, pushing fifty, and moving home to her parents��� house to start again from scratch, Niver started taking one tiny ���brave-ish��� step at a time to take her life far away from the old one and into the adventurous world of travel writing. These small hurdles led to the challenge of trying fifty new things before turning fifty. From diving into shipwrecks, swimming with sharks, bobsledding at 3 Gs, to indulging in wild escapades, Niver found herself traversing the world on a journey of reinvention, personal growth, and discovering what it actually means to be ���brave.���

While Brave-ish chronicles Niver���s inspiring expeditions to distant corners of the world including Myanmar, Cuba, Morocco, Kenya and Mongolia this is more than a travelogue. Niver���s story is a testament to the resilience of the human spirit and the power of perseverance. Brave-ish inspires readers to dream big, take risks, and embrace the unknown to create a life filled with wonder and excitement, even when courage seems elusive.

MORE EVENTS: https://lisaniver.com/events/
Sign up for Lisa’s class: TRAVEL WRITER 101 on Udemy

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Eight ���Soulful��� Travel Books

Thank you to JourneyWoman and Christine Winebrenner Irick for featuring BRAVE-ish in “ Eight New ���Soulful��� Travel Books by Women to Add to Your Reading List “ Women authors inspire others to embark on their own travel journeys

by���Christine Winebrenner Irick, originally published on SoulofTravel.com

The Soul of Travel Podcast guests have published an incredible lineup of books that will inspire you to travel, heal, and live life to the fullest.���These women continually show up in big ways to shift the narrative around who is travelling. The result: Getting more memoirs and travel stories written by women on bookshelves around the world and inspiring future generations of travellers.

These books cover themes such as solo travel adventures, personal growth, finding joy in everyday experiences, mindful travel, impactful global movements, and self-discovery across different cultures and continents. Grab one or two (or all of them) and toss them in your bag to take on your travels, camping, or sitting poolside this summer.

Travel books by women to inspire new journeys1. Jen Ruiz: 12 Trips in 12 Months: Make Your Own Solo Magic

Jen Ruiz, also known as Jen on a Jet Plane, is a lawyer turned travel blogger who decided to send out her twenties with an epic challenge.��� She shares her journey in��12 Trips in 12 Months: Make Your Own Solo Travel Magic. Read more about Jen���s work and listen to her episode���here.

2. Beth Santos: Wander Woman

Beth Santos is the founder of Wanderful, an international community and social network with the active participation of over 40,000 women and gender-diverse people of all ages and backgrounds.

Wander Woman: How to Claim Your Space, Find Your Voice and Travel the World, Solo��is a little bit of a travel guide and a whole lot of soulful advice to inspire your solo travel adventures. Buy Wander Woman here. Read more about Beth���s work and listen to her Soul of Travel episodes���here���and���here.

3. Nikki Vargas: Call You When I Land

Call You When I Land, by Fodor���s editor Nikki Vargas, includes all the makings of a great story: heartbreak, adventure, uncertainty, romance, and even murder. Her journey is relatable, vulnerable, and inspiring. Listen to her recent episode���here and about her book��Wandress��on the��Soul of Travel Podcast���

4. Lisa Niver: Brave-ish: One Breakup, Six Continents, and Feeling Fearless After Fifty

Lisa Niver was nearly fifty when she found herself moving back in with her parents and starting over. She began taking one tiny ���brave-ish��� step at a time which led to the challenge of trying fifty new things before turning fifty. In her memoir,��Brave-ish: One Breakup, Six Continents, and Feeling Fearless After Fifty��she shares these adventures and her growth along the way. Listen to Lisa���s episode���on the��Soul of Travel Podcast here.

5. Maria Baltazzi: Take a Shot at Happiness

Maria Baltazzi���s book draws lessons from her life as a television producer, her travels, world events, and media that we all know and love. Each chapter teaches on what Maria calls ���The Happiness Essentials,��� all to help readers discover a life they love. Maria shares that her book is for anyone early in their wellbeing journey, and everyone looking for a new perspective to living a happier, more purposeful life.Find���Take a Shot at Happiness��on Amazon here. Listen to Maria���s episode on the��Soul of Travel Podcast���here.

6. Kat Medina: The Joys of Jetlag

When Kat Medina discovered that she could unlock a life of joy through adopting a traveller���s mindset, she created a guidebook to help travellers do the same. She encourages readers to find the awe and amazement in everyday life from the grocery store to journeys halfway around the world. Find��The Joys of Jet Lag��here on Amazon. Listen to Kat���s episode on the��Soul of Travel Podcast���here.

7. Dr. Anu Taranath: Beyond Guilt Trips

One of the most profound and perspective-shifting texts available regarding mindful travel, Dr. Anu Taranath speaks from her own experiences and expands the journey to unpack thought-provoking questions about who we are when we travel, how we interact with the people and the world around us, and how we navigate our differences with compassion, connection, and grace. Buy��Beyond Guilt Trips��here. Listen to Anu���s episode on the Soul of Travel Podcast��here.

8. Celeste Mergens: The of Power of Days

In The Power of Days, author Celeste Mergens shares the stories of the struggles and triumphs that led her to create Days for Girls. This global movement supports women and girls with menstrual health education and sustainable menstrual solutions You���ll be moved by the power of impact created by individuals and communities aligned by a shared purpose. Find���The Power of Days��on Amazon here. Listen to Celeste���s episode on the��Soul of Travel Podcast here.

Thank you to Christine Winebrenner Irick for including me in her��Soul of Travel series! Find me in Season 2 ~ Voices Of Women Episode 15: January 25, 2021

WATCH HERE: Lisa Niver on Soul of Travel

Soul of Travel interview series features conversations with tourism professionals and travelers sharing their stories; their heart, soul, and passion that drives them to be a part of the travel community.

Show notes: I hope you enjoy this lively conversation with Lisa Ellen Niver, M.A. Education. We discuss her travels, which have taken her to over 100 countries on 6 continents, and how she brings these experiences to the classroom and programs for We Said Do Good. We also dive into her recent article for Teen Vogue, ���How a Swimming Lesson From Olympian Markus Rogan Changed My Life��� and I look forward to diving in (pun is probably intended) to this experience. We also talk about saying ���yes��� to opportunities and asking for what we want!

SPOTIFY:

���You crave to be the person you are when you travel when you come home.��� In this lively episode, ‘Diving Journalist��� Lisa Niver shares tales of her epic moments of travel, including 7 years at sea and a walk across Asia ��� amongst other incredible things. This episode will transport you to Thailand, the Galapagos, and more, and connect you to the question: ���why do I travel?�����

WATCH ON FACEBOOK:

https://www.facebook.com/watch/live/?ref=watch_permalink&v=247246466836283

WATCH ON STITCHER
https://www.stitcher.com/show/soul-of-travel/episode/we-said-go-travel-with-lisa-niver-84407742

The post Eight ���Soulful��� Travel Books appeared first on We Said Go Travel.

Family Travel: What To Do In Orlando If You���re Not Doing Disney

By Holly Cassandra Corbett

Most people equate a family trip to Florida with Disney. Orlando is, after all, known as the Theme Park Capital of the World and is the most visited destination in the United States. Yet Orlando and surrounding Lake County are filled with dining, entertainment, and nature adventures that are worth a trip in their own right. In fact, there are so many family friendly-activities that this part of the Sunshine State tops the list as a fun and convenient destination to take kids. Here is how I spent three days in Orlando and nearby Lake County with my 9-year-old daughter���and made memories that will last a lifetime.

The lobby of hotel Landy. Photo credit: Holly CorbettDay One: Orlando And Wild Florida

We arrived at the new Hotel Landy, short for Orlando of course, which is conveniently located about 20 minutes from the airport and less than 10 minutes from Universal Studios. The kinetic design of the hotel, featuring geometric shapes and curving lines, was inspired by ��milie du Ch��telet, a mathematician whose work led to the development of roller coasters. 

The place had so many kid-friendly amenities that we could have happily spent four days just lounging at this hotel. After dropping off our bags in our king room with floor-to-ceiling windows and views of Orlando, we set out to explore, playing air hockey in the game room and doing some exercises together in the light-filled fitness center. My daughter and I then changed into our swimsuits and headed to the hot tub and pool area. In addition to the resort-style pool, we found a beach-style courtyard complete with lawn games (we love a good corn hole competition), seating areas, and a food truck called ���Liquid Sunshine,��� which offers small plates such as fish tacos along with a variety of craft cocktails.

Adventuring In Wild Florida Giraffe feeding at Wild Florida. Photo Credit: Holly Corbett

Though we didn���t want to leave the oasis of Hotel Landy, we drove about 45 minutes south to Wild Florida for a nature adventure. And we were happy we did: this unique excursion to the headwaters of the Florida Everglades could easily take an entire day. The three main things to do here are taking an airboat tour, walking around Gator Park, and driving through the animal safari. 

Though you can make your way through Wild Florida in any order, I���d recommend starting driving through the 170-acre Safari Park that���s home to exotic animals such as zebras, bison and antelope���and that ends with a pit stop where you come face to face with a giraffe on the feeding platform. 

Next walk around Gator Park, where you can see more than 200 exotic and native animals including sloths, capybaras, and bobcats. Don���t miss the twice-daily feedings of Crusher, an American alligator who is more than 13 feet long. There���s also a covered playground for kids to burn off energy and the Hawk Swamp for bird lovers, where you might spot an owl if you���re lucky. When you work up an appetite, Chomps Grill offers fried gator nuggets as well as more kid-friendly options such as hot dogs and sliders.

Wild Florida airboat tour. Photo Credit: Holly Corbett

The highlight of our adventure was taking an hour-long airboat ride through the Everglades. Rather than merely reading about wildlife such as eagles and alligators in a textbook or watching YouTube videos, my daughter got the thrill of seeing the animals in their natural environment as we skimmed atop the swamp, marshes, and rivers. Our watchful captain spotted a mother and baby alligator near a nest made of mud and plants, and was happy to answer many questions from passengers about the alligators��� habitat and eating habits (apparently father alligators have been known to eat their hatchlings). 

On that note, we wrapped up our adventure and drove back to Hotel Landy for an alligator-free meal at the hotel���s signature restaurant, ��milie Bar & Lounge (also named after the mathematician) to refuel with dishes such as fig and burrata and steak frites.

Day Two: Winter Park And Disney Springs

My daughter and I started out day two by driving north towards Winter Park, one of the 14 districts in Lake County, which is aptly known for its parks and lakes as well as picturesque shopping district, farmer���s market, art festival, and sidewalk cafes.

Photo Credit: Holly Corbett

But first, we grabbed a cheddar biscuit sandwich plate and artisanal doughnut at The Glass Knife, a cafe and cake shop that features a long communal table at its center displaying a collection of colorful glass knives. Those glass knives belonged to the owner���s mother, a local baker, whose memory and recipes inspired the cozy yet elegant cafe.

Winter Park Scenic Boat Tour Photo Credit: Holly Corbett

Next up we had a relaxing hour learning the history of Winter Park, Central Florida���s oldest community, with a Winter Park Scenic Boat Tour starting on Lake Osceola. We listened to the captain, who was quite entertaining, share some scandalous tales of the wealthy Easterners who founded the community in the 1800s, while he expertly navigated through narrow man-made canals connecting the Winter Park chain of lakes.

The rest of the afternoon was spent doing one of our favorite things, getting lost. Park Avenue is made for wandering, with tree-lined blocks bordered with more than 100 specialty shops, salons, and restaurants. We found gifts for our family at the Rifle Paper Co., tried handmade chocolates at Peterbrooke Chocolatier, and window shopped at the women���s clothing boutique The Impeccable Pig.

Disney Springs

While we didn���t visit Disney World���s theme park, we did continue our wandering streak later that evening at Disney Springs, an outdoor shopping, dining, and entertainment area bordering the theme park. The walkways were buzzing with shoppers, and we ducked into the Summer House on the Lake, a light-filled California-style eatery with a beach house feel and outdoor seating overlooking the lake. You don���t have to sit down to order a homemade cookie from the cookie bar, and you might want to take some home with flavors such as sea salt chocolate chip, fudge bomb, and berry oatmeal.

Photo Credit: Holly Corbett

Later that night we did experience the magic Disney World is so famous for that infuses storytelling with heart, and combined it with thrilling acrobatics, by going to a performance of Drawn To Life By Cirque de Soleil at La Nouba Theater in Disney Springs. As we were waiting for the show to begin, it was clear that the audience were co-creators of the experience along with the actors: My daughter got selected to go onstage with about a dozen other children to draw a piece of art that was projected onto a big screen for the rest of the audience to see. 

Once the lights dimmed, we couldn���t take our eyes off the actors��� sheer physicality as they gracefully danced and performed breath-stopping stunts. But it was the spirit of the story itself that truly drew us in: The plot focuses on a pre-teen girl who finds a half-finished collection of sketches left behind from her deceased father, who was an animator. She embarks on a journey into her imagination, where she is joined by a cast of funny muses and also a dark character who might be described as her inner critic. After trying to run away or battle her inner critic for much of the show, the girl finally decides to face and embrace this dark character. It is only by facing her fear that she is able to overcome her creative block and bring the animation to life���an important lesson for children and adults alike.

After the finale and joining the crowd in a standing ovation, we headed back to our home base at Hotel Landy, ready for bed and sweet (Disney) dreams.

Photo Credit: Holly CorbettDay Three: Southern Hills Farms And Mount Dora

On day three we left the city behind and drove west to Clermont towards open fields and big blue skies to visit Southern Hill Farms. This is a third-generation family farm that lets visitors pick crops such as blueberries, strawberries, and peaches. The idyllic farm off a dirt road in Lake Country has become a destination for tourists and locals alike, a place for people to be out in the fresh air and sunshine and close to the earth and the crops.

Photo Credit: Holly Corbett

Besides being able to pick fruit, there are also u-pick sunflowers and zinnias. But what makes Southern Hills Farms a popular agritourism hub is that there are dozens of activities to awaken all of your senses, from tasting fresh-baked muffins made with the farm���s own blueberries, to listening to live music under one of the covered pavilions, to smelling the homemade sugar scrubs (my favorite is the lemon lavender) in the onsite market, to touching the sand in the onsite playground’s sandbox, and seeing the view of the farm from above while riding the Berry Trouper in the Kids Zone.

Then it was time for the final leg of our trip and to check into our next hotel, the Key West Resort on Lake Dora in Tavares (known as ���America���s Seaplane City��� because of the number of seaplanes making splash landings) and grab a quick lunch next door at Puddle Jumpers.

Photo Credit: Holly Corbett

Our final activity was heading to the quaint town of Mount Dora, which hosts more than 30 art, music and food festivals a year, to join Premier Boat Tours for a two-hour eco-tour of Lake Dora and Harris Chain of Lakes. The pontoon boat drifted through canals and under hanging cypress trees, where we spotted a rare soft-shelled turtle sunning itself on a fallen limb and an endangered egret standing regally in the mangrove. 

We celebrated a vacation well spent with dinner at my favorite restaurant of the trip, The Goblin Market in historic downtown Mount Dora. The owners named the restaurant and bar after Christina G. Rossetti���s 18th century poem, which they read together in college while they were dating. The walls of the three intimate dining rooms are lined with bookshelves and art, the ceilings are lined with wooden beams, and the feel is that you are in someone���s living room. 

Over my daughter���s favorite drink, a Shirley Temple, we talked about our favorite trip moments because it was too hard to pin it down to just one. There is a reason Central Florida is one of the country���s most popular family-friendly destinations. I hope our vacation in the Sunshine State will be etched into her mind as one of her happy childhood memories, because it will forever live in mine.

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BRAVE-ish on NPR

Thank you to Giovanna Rossi for interviewing me on The Well Woman Show for NPR! 324: How To Be Brave With Lisa Niver – The Well Woman Show

Giovanna Rossi interviewed me to discuss my book ���Brave-ish: One Breakup, Six Continents and Feeling Fearless After Fifty�����and “The transformative potential of embracing change. The importance of setting bold goals for personal growth. Strategies for overcoming fear and self-doubt, and much more!”

Listen Podcast

324: How to be Brave with Lisa Niver

By��Giovanna Rossi��|��November 30, 2023��|

https://player.captivate.fm/483dd2b1-3063-4607-9816-f9bb72f8e37b

“Hello well women! On the Well Woman Show today I interview Lisa Niver. Lisa is the author of Brave-ish: One Breakup, Six Continents and Feeling Fearless After Fifty and an award-winning travel expert who has explored 102 countries and six continents. Discover her articles in publications from AARP: The Magazine and AAA Explorer to WIRED and Wharton Magazine, as well as her site WeSaidGoTravel. For her print, podcast, digital and broadcast segments, she has been awarded five Southern California Journalism Awards and three National Arts and Entertainment Journalism Awards. Niver is also the host of the award-winning podcast Make Your Own Map.”

We discuss today:

The transformative potential of embracing change.The importance of setting bold goals for personal growth.Strategies for overcoming fear and self-doubt.

The books she recommended were:

Hidden Potential: The Science of Achieving Greater Things by Adam Grant��

50 Years of Ms.: The Best of the Pathfinding Magazine That Ignited a Revolution by��Katherine Spillar��

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A post shared by Lisa Niver (@lisaniver)

Giovanna���s episodes about turning fifty: Part 1 Part 2

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A post shared by Giovanna Rossi, MSc (@wellwomanlife)

The WWS is thankful for support from Collective Action Strategies ��� a consulting firm that supports systemic change so that women and families thrive, and by the Well Woman Life Movement Challenge Quiz at wellwomanlife.com/quiz

If you���re in burn out or major transition, this is YOUR time to figure out what is holding you back from making the changes you need to make in order to live your fullest, most joyful life! The cause of all our challenges (personal or professional) can actually be rooted in the lack of Internal Superpowers and/or External Supports. Our Well Woman Life Framework tells you which stage of the WWL Cycle you���re in and what to do about it so you can truly live your best life.

When women and girls are healthy, successful and thriving, the community as a whole thrives. Well Woman Life supports women to achieve their highest level of fulfillment and well-being. We are women doing something innovative in order to make a difference in our lives or in the lives of others, and maintain a sense of well-being while doing it all! Whether it���s personal, physical or sexual health, juggling life and work, professional development or financial success, emotional or spiritual wellness, a Well Woman is passionate about achieving her highest level of health and well being.

I met Giovanna on Women’s Equality Day 2023 in Los Angeles at the Take the Lead Conference when she was presenting “Be SELF-ish: How to set boundaries without sacrificing your career.” Kathy Spillar of Ms. Magazine accepted the Leading Media award at the conference and was also a guest on Giovanna’s NPR show.

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