Lisa Niver's Blog: We Said Go Travel, page 19

Passover 2024: The Four Difficulties

Today is Shabbat HaGadol which marks that the Passover seder is soon to start. Rabbi Yoshi shares about the four questions in the seder which is actually called the four difficulties. Every year at this time we are reminded that our people were once slaves. This year, I will continue to pray for the release of all the hostages, “Let My People Go,” and for peace and safety in Israel, on college campus, at home and everywhere in the world. I truly wish that Next Year we will all be in Jerusalem together.

Four Difficulties for This Year���s Seder

BY RABBI YOSHI ZWEIBACK, Stephen Wise Temple

Our tradition interestingly calls this part of the seder the ���Four Difficulties��� (�������� �������������� – Arba HaKushiyot), not the ���Four Questions.��� It���s really just one question, ���How is this night different from all others��� with various challenges (difficulties) pointed out, i.e., ���On other nights we eat both leavened and unleavened products. Tonight, only unleavened.��� This year, the questions���and difficulties���seem even heavier. In this moment of collective pain and sorrow, I want to suggest four ���difficulties��� that are particularly resonant in 5784/2024.

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WATCH: Columbia student @edenyadegar spoke at a Congressional hearing investigating antisemitism at her university, embodying courage and tenacity even as she and her fellow Jewish students increasingly face anti-Jewish bigotry on campus.

Today is 196 days since our captives were taken from us. Over six months into this terrible war, we continue to mourn those murdered on October 7 and the hundreds of fallen soldiers who have made the ultimate sacrifice since then. We sympathize with the more than 100,000 Israelis who are still internal refugees. We are still shaken from the trauma of this past Shabbat afternoon when we waited in fear to see how Iran���s unprecedented attack on Israel would unfold. Each day, we hear another story of how our children are being forced to confront virulent antisemitism and anti-Israel rhetoric on their college and high-school campuses. We are tired. We are in pain. How do we not give in to despair? How do we hold on to hope?

After a few initial days of solidarity and sympathy, it seems that the world has forgotten why we are even fighting this war. But for Hamas, the cease fire that existed on October 6 would still be in place, and the suffering that has been inflicted on our people (as well as their own) would not have occurred. We feel at times isolated, an embodiment of the text from the Book of Numbers that describes our ancestors as: ���a people that dwells apart, not reckoned among the nations.��� At such a moment, how do we acknowledge these feelings without forgetting that we have real friends, true allies who have stood with us through hard times and who will, God willing, be there for us in the future? 

The struggle we are engaged in is no sprint, it���s a marathon. If history is a predictor of what will unfold going forward, we will need the strength, courage, and resilience to stand up for ourselves in the face of antisemitism for many generations to come. In the face of double-standards, demonization, and delegitimization, we will need to defend Israel continually. Recently, Franklin Foer argued in��The Atlantic��that the ���Jewish vacation from history��� is over.��In such a time, where can we find the��koach (������������ – ���energy, strength���)��to continue to build Jewish community and embrace our glorious, 3000- year-old heritage? How will we nurture the resilience we need in the face of real enemies who seek our harm to stand up for our inalienable rights as Jews and human beings to liberty, autonomy, happiness, security, and life?

I don���t know about you, but in addition to sadness and pain, I have felt a great deal of anger well up inside of me over these past six months. When I hear story after story of the victims of October 7, those who survived the trauma, and those whose lives have been upended as a result, I sometimes feel rage. In our traditional Haggadah, we ask that God ���pour out wrath��� on those who seek our harm. It���s an understandable response to thousands of years of antisemitism that has resulted in pogroms, massacres, and even Holocaust. But I fear that anger and hatred will ultimately consume us and distort the essence of who we are as Jews, a people described by our tradition as ���compassionate ones, the descendents of compassionate ones (�������������������� ������������ ��������������������).��� Our essential nature is to be loving, good-hearted people. There are times for anger and wrath but our default must be love, empathy, and compassion. How do we remain a loving, kind-hearted people in the face of the very real hatred that is directed towards us?

Let���s just acknowledge that these four difficulties are a lot. Like most of you, I would guess, I���d rather just return to the traditional ���Four Questions.��� They are easier: why do we eat matzah and maror, why do we dip our foods not just once but twice, and why do we recline while eating? The difficulties above are much harder, more nuanced and more painful.

But sometimes, often really, history acts on us and we have no choice but to respond.

The kushiyot (questions) of October 7 and its aftermath cannot be ignored. They are, tragically, part of a pattern of challenges going back at least until the time of the Pharaoh who knew not Joseph. And perhaps that���s part of the way we manage all of these new/old difficulties. As we sit at our Passover tables and retell the story, we remind ourselves of the many experiences of redemption, liberation, and joy that have been scattered throughout the moments of oppression, trauma, and pain.

We have crossed through narrow spaces before and made it to the Promised Land. We have experienced deliverance in our own lifetimes: 1948, 1967, and perhaps even this past Saturday evening. No matter the difficulties: �������� ������ �������������� ���������������������� (od lo avda tikvateinu) ��� we have not yet (nor must we ever) lose our hope.

May this festival of our freedom be one that inspires in us and all Israel strength, resilience, determination, compassion, love, and tikvah.

Shabbat shalom and Chag Sameach, Rabbi Yoshi

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The Zoe Report: My Post-Divorce Wardrobe Helped Me Channel My Inner Child

Thank you The Zoe Report! What an honor to have my article, ���My Post-Divorce Wardrobe Helped Me Heal My Inner Child,��� go live during OSCARS weekend! Thank you Angela Melero for the incredible opportunity and superb edits.

My Post-Divorce Wardrobe Helped Me Channel My Inner Child

There have been many points in my life in which I have had to begin again. Even though I have changed careers and cities multiple times with success, this time I felt broken and unsure about the next steps. After 18 months of��adventure, an odyssey across Asia that was meant to be a shared dream with my husband of five years unraveled into a nightmare ��� and divorce.

My partner and I were both lifelong travelers: I had previously worked for Club Med and Princess Cruises and he had been in the Peace Corps. After meeting online, we spent a year backpacking together and came home engaged and ready to put down roots. Despite a beautiful wedding and promises to cherish and respect, we found ourselves fighting frequently. I thought that if we were back on the road, things would get better. Sadly, even amidst a beautiful exotic landscape in Thailand, he was still constantly angry and all of that aggravation was focused on me. That is, until I left abruptly, calling an end to my epic trip and��marriage.

At 47 years old, feeling adrift in a sea of hopelessness, I realized I had to return to the United States alone. The key components to my old life in California had been dismantled before departure ��� I had quit my job as a teacher at an elementary school in Los Angeles, sold my car, and handed my condo keys to a new tenant.

I literally had to start from scratch ��� in more ways than one.

Upon returning to California, I was in a state of shock and reeling from the breakup. After wearing the same few T-shirts from my backpack for months, I thought I would leap at the opportunity to reimagine my existing wardrobe and find fresh ways to wear the pieces that had served me for years. But when I tried to get dressed to go out, I felt frozen. I was not sure what to wear or if anything even looked good on me anymore. After hearing so many times from my ex that I looked ugly, fat, and old, choosing clothes felt impossible as I was insecure from the constant criticism. While some things fit me properly, in my mind nothing looked good on me. I hated anything that reminded me of him and his critiques. I felt stuck somewhere in the space between my old constantly-criticized self and my undiscovered single one.

However, I managed to get two new jobs upon my return: writing for USA Today and teaching at Nickelodeon. These new gigs meant I needed a new car��� and something to wear to work. But the latter meant I would have to unlearn some dressing habits and behaviors I had developed in my toxic marriage.

You see, after I got married I stopped wearing short skirts or overly revealing tops. At first, it had seemed like a small thing to comply with my husband���s preferences as a way to tone down his jealousy. However, as time went on, his controlling nature expanded beyond my wardrobe to everything from my hair and weight to even the friends I spent time with. He also hated when I bought anything new because he claimed that money should be saved for our next trip. Splurging on the occasional going-out dress or trendy pair of jeans was just not a luxury I partook in. And while regret can certainly consume you in times like this, I knew it was a futile thing. I can���t change the past or the decisions I made in my marriage. I needed to focus on my future and make different choices ��� starting with my clothes.

In my quest for reinvention, I recall a conversation I had with a fellow teacher, Sarah, before I left for my trip. I just loved her clothes. My uniform for school was typically casual��streetwear��from an athletic store while she often opted for breezy long skirts and vibrant tops in fun color palettes that felt so fresh and youthful, but also professional enough for the classroom. I learned that much of her clothes actually came from Limited Too, a popular clothing retailer for tween girls (that has since shuttered). While this may seem like an odd sartorial choice for an adult woman, I was intrigued to see if I could channel the same youthful energy, without a controlling partner to hold me back. I journeyed to Justice, a similar yet more current version of Limited Too, dragging my friend, Amy, into the mall to help me shop. When she first discovered my shopping mission, she looked at me aghast and said, ���Are you kidding me? I buy clothes for my 8-year-old niece in here!���

Luckily, she humored me while I combed through the racks and skimmed through the fun bright clothes with sparkles. When we first arrived, the rainbow of colors seemed overtly overwhelming and childish, but I refused to be deterred. I gravitated toward items with hearts and messages of love and joy. You see, my pre-divorce wardrobe was void of such color and exuberance, but I was ready to let carefree dressing re-enter the chat, even if it meant starting my journey at a tween store. Yes, I was concerned about what people would say about my kiddy clothes but there was also a defiant voice telling me I needed to stop giving other people real estate in my head. If I liked how I looked and felt comfortable and joyful in my skin, that needed to be enough.

Similar to the shopping sprees of my youth, this unconventional errand was a giggly good time. The clothes were playful and while I knew my ex would have said they were ridiculous, he no longer had a vote. My inner kid was finally smiling again ��� big, authentic smiles. Changing my clothing was a way to impress upon myself and others that I was fully in control again.

At the end of it all, I settled on a shirt with a butterfly emblem on it, as it reminded me of a symbol I had loved since I was a child. Caterpillars crawl on branches but after metamorphosis, they can fly ��� I like that. When I went to check out, the woman at the register asked me, ���How old is your daughter?��� I replied, ���These are for me!��� She seemed a bit flustered that I was in a tween store shopping for myself at my advanced age, but quickly recovered and said, ���Enjoy your new clothes.��� In the end, I bought an armful of items and my face hurt from smiling so much.

���Changing my clothing was a way to impress upon myself and others that I was fully in control again.���

This experience reminded me that life doesn���t need to be so serious ��� it can have more ease and joy. Fast-forward 10 years later and I still have a goofy, impish sequin T-shirt collection, but I also have a more grown-up closet full of jewel-toned V-neck designer dresses that show off my hourglass figure without shame or insecurity.

I���ve also since written a memoir,��Brave-ish: One Breakup, Six Continents and Feeling Fearless After Fifty, and for speaking engagements promoting the book, I find myself reaching for sleek pantsuits that feel both of-the-moment and timeless. For formal events and the occasional red carpet (my��podcast��was recently honored at the National Arts and Entertainment Journalism Awards in Los Angeles), I love a dramatic floor-length gown ��� especially one with a high slit ��� and glittery heels for an old Hollywood glamour moment.

I no longer needed to concern myself with anyone���s disapproval. I feel comfortable in my skin and clothes again. I know what looks good on me and I let go of my worries and the repercussions of someone else���s whims.

While the imbalance in my relationship had made me question my choices, I found my way again. I took the time to rediscover what I liked and started over to save myself. My road has been unconventional and sometimes so are my shopping choices. But they���re mine all the same.

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After Lisa Niver���s divorce, she went through a full style transformation: ���When I tried to get dressed to go out, I felt frozen. After hearing so many times from my ex that I looked ugly, fat, and old, choosing clothes felt impossible as I was insecure from the constant criticism.��� �����@lisaniver��details her experience building a post-divorce wardrobe, and how a shopping spree at Justice led to rediscovering her independence. ���

On The Zoe Report Facebook:

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BRAVE-ish: Best Book for the Strong Woman Zibby Awards 2023

Thank you to Zibby Owens, Zibby Media, Zibby’s Bookshop and the Zibby Awards! I am so honored that my memoir, Brave-ish: One Breakup, Six Continents and Feeling Fearless After 50, is a finalist for their “BEST BOOK FOR THE STRONG WOMAN” for 2023! Learn more about my book on my site, LisaNiver.com, and at Simon & Schuster

I was honored that Zibby interviewed me for the nineteenth season of her podcast, Moms Don’t Have Time To Read, about my memoir, Brave-ish.

Zibby for joined me on my podcast, Make Your Own Map, to talk about her book!

Zibby’s Bookshop hosted a live event for my book with Chris Palmeri from Bloomberg!

THANK YOU TO THE ZIBBY-VERSE!

You can read my book as a paperback, digital e-book or listen to the audiobook –and YES! I am the narrator! Remember small steps lead to BIG changes!

2023 Zibby Awards Runner-up: Best Book for The Strong Woman
2023 HEARTEN Book Awards Finalist for Inspiring & Uplifting Non-Fiction
2023 WINNER: Goody Business Book Awards: Memoir/Self-Help
Featured in Conde Nast Traveler Women Who Travel Book Club: 10 New Books We Can’t Wait to Read this Fall
As seen in��Forbes��Best New NonFiction

CLICK HERE FOR TO PURCHASE

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Brave-ish on Arizona Family TV

I loved being interviewed on Arizona Family TV. Thank you to Jaime Cerreta for inviting me on her show for a segment called: “Becoming Brave and Fearless Over 50” to talk about my memoir and doing 50 DARES before 50 after my divorce.

Jaime Cerreta, 3pm 3TV News Anchor KTVK 3TV/KPHO CBS5, interviewed me about becoming brave and my memoir, Brave-ish: One Breakup, Six Continents and Feeling Fearless After Fifty on Feb 15, 2024.

What did we talk about? WATCH HERE and see below for more details: Taking small risks can build big confidences! Try a class like salsa dancing or a different flavor of ice cream.

I was so scared at a dude ranch in Tucson and took beginner’s class TWICE! How to go from CITY SLICKER to COW GIRL!

Go kayaking in the Galapagos–this was one of my bucket list dreams and it came true after my 50 Dares!

DARE #50: Sky Diving in San Diego It is okay to START OVER! It is hard to try again when you feel stuck—you can give yourself a chance and you can have HELP! Check out my memoir for more ideas!

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180 for 180: Take Action TODAY for Israel

Take Action for Israel and Bring Our Hostages Home

April 3 marks 180 days since the horrors of October 7th. Every one of us can do something. We are hoping to collect 180,000 signed letters that will be hand delivered to the White House on Wednesday, April 3rd in support of our brothers and sisters in Israel.

This initiative, ���180 for 180,��� was launched by the OU (Orthodox Union) and is supported by the Zionist Rabbinic Coalition, an organization for which Rabbi David Woznica serves on the Leadership Team. We strongly encourage you join us in this important project. 

Click here to write your letter of support which must be received by the end of today.��� Stephen Wise Clergy Team

SIGN THE 180 FOR 180 LETTER

�������������� ���������������� �������������� … ������������ �������������� �������������������������������������They [the children of Israel] cry and God listens���God is close to the broken-hearted��� (Psalm 34:18-19).

Last Tuesday, I read former Israeli hostage Amit Soussana���s testimony about the horrific sexual assault she endured at gunpoint by Hamas terrorists during her captivity in the tunnels under Gaza. And I cried. I cried and cried until my eyes were red and weary. I called my best friend. I texted my brother. I hugged my husband and my babies. And still, for the rest of that day, I cried. Nothing could comfort me except the thought of Amit reunited with her family and the hope, the feeling, the trust that God is by my side���maybe even cries with me���when I weep.Tears stream through our sacred texts. Hagar cries in anguish when she is separated from Abraham (Genesis 21). Abraham wails for Sarah at her grave (Genesis 23). We cried together at the rivers of Babylon when we remembered Zion (Psalm 137). We even read about the city of Jerusalem weeping bitterly for our suffering (Lamentations 1). And Joseph, whose story takes up more biblical verses than any of the previous patriarchs and matriarchs, cries often: he sheds tears for his own pain, for the secrets and lies that eat away at his brothers, for the grief his father endures. We cannot get through our shared story without crying, without releasing our sadness. And just like in the story of Noah and the flood, when the water stops, we can perhaps experience moments of hope, calm, and peace. Our tears are precious and help us ease our heaviest pains. May our darkest days be washed away by our unshakeable hope for a better next chapter for our People, for all the peoples of God���s earth. May we see all our hostages safely returned to us, a most sacred day when���God willing���we can weep in joy. ��� Cantor Emma Lutz

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Didn���t sign yet?! Thats ok! It takes just 1 minute of your day to sign a letter and add your name to the 180,000 letters that will be hand delivered to the White House TOMORROW, the 180th day since October 7th.

Visit ou.org/180 to sign a letter NOW!

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Iconic Sailing: Niver’s March News 2024

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

I am grateful to all of you who have supported my book journey and all of my writing over the years. It has been amazing to be in different cities and meet people who are interested in my memoir, Brave-ish. Thank you to everyone who has come to my events and bought my book and I am so excited for this next chapter with more TRAVEL TV!

I loved sailing on the brand new Icon of the Seas. I worked for Royal Caribbean on Rhapsody of the Seas as Youth Staff decades ago and I loved it. Thank you The Jet Set TV, Nikki Noya & Bobby Laurie for allowing me to share about Royal Caribbean International’s brand new ship, ICON OF THE SEAS on your travel TV show.

Thank you to the INCREDIBLE & ICONIC production team — Option A Group, Lisa Williams, Sam Harris, Jason Mangini and Patrick Gruss for this amazing segment. See more of my Iconic adventures in these videos:

My Post-Divorce Wardrobe Helped Me Channel My Inner Child

Thank you The Zoe Report! What an honor to have my article, ���My Post-Divorce Wardrobe Helped Me Heal My Inner Child,��� go live during OSCARS weekend! Thank you Angela Melero for the incredible opportunity and superb edits.

Thank you to Chanticleer Book Reviews for including my memoir as a FINALIST for the 2023 HEARTEN Book Awards for Inspiring & Uplifting Non-Fiction. Thank you to Literary Titan for this marvelous 5 star review of my memoir!

Brave-ish by Lisa Niver is an engaging memoir that masterfully interweaves the challenging dynamics of a marriage at a crossroads with vivid accounts of solo travel and self-exploration. The narrative transports readers from the lively streets of Thailand to Fiji���s serene landscapes and into the opulent heart of Monaco, all while offering an introspective look at Niver���s personal journey. READ THE REST and now BUY MY MEMOIR as a paperback, digital book or audiobook!

Becoming Brave and Fearless Over 50

THANK YOU to Arizona Family TV and Jaime Cerreta for interviewing me about becoming brave and my memoir, Brave-ish: One Breakup, Six Continents and Feeling Fearless After Fifty.

Did you know I travel with a hula-hoop? Watch my segment on REACH TV Where Next with Kelly Blanco.Thank you for your support for my Brave-ish book tour! I was honored to be invited to speak in Mexico at the Women’s Travel Fest. I loved staying at the Grand Hyatt Playa Del Carmen and then visiting Tulum for the first time and staying at Conrad Tulum. For my last night I was at the Hilton Cancun. Enjoy my videos from my adventures!I will be speaking in Salt Lake City, Utah at the Women in Travel Summit on April 12 about my award-winning memoir, Brave-ish! Learn more about my events: click here and my articles here Thank you to the PENN GAZETTE for sharing about my memoir!

Lisa Niver C���89, travel writer and author of a new memoir, Brave-ish: One Breakup,Six Continents, and Feeling Fearless After Fifty, writes, ���I am so grateful for the overwhelming support and love at my booksigning event at the Penn Bookstore on Nov. 10! A heartfelt thank you to the campus organizations, especially the Pennsylvania Gazette, whose enthusiasm and promotion made the evening truly special. Myalumni friends and family filled the room, and the warm reception filled my heart!

THANK YOU for watching my podcast! It has now been seen and heard in 44 countries on 6 continents!

USA   India Canada   Ireland Puerto Rico   UK    Italy   Australia  Philippines Singapore   New Zealand Portugal Saudi Arabia Switzerland Hong Kong    Mexico   Japan  Fiji Seychelles France Latvia   Netherlands   Kenya   UAE Cambodia Israel Guatemala Germany Uruguay Bangladesh Spain Panama Thailand Uganda    Greece   South Africa  Costa Rica  Bosnia and Herzegovina   Sri LankaRomania Pakistan Ghana  Slovenia Cayman Islands

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 my photo shoot on Royal Caribbean’s newest ship, Icon of the Seas! Photo by Roy Riley WHERE 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: 2,105,500).

Thank you for your support! Are you one of my 4,260 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!”

Fortune Cookie SAID:

Let your wanderlust guide you to new horizons and unforgettable adventures.

In your travels, may you find not just places, but pieces of yourself waiting to be discovered.

Do you love audiobooks? My memoir, Brave-ish, is available! AND!!! I am the narrator! Did you know that authors have to audition to narrate their books?!!?

Every Shabbat since Oct 7, I have posted on social media about the hostages. I hope that before Passover, they will finally be returned to Israel. Bring Them Home.

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Brave-ish: 5 Star Review from Literary Titan

Thank you to Literary Titan for this marvelous 5 star review of my memoir!

Brave-ish by Lisa Niver is an engaging memoir that masterfully interweaves the challenging dynamics of a marriage at a crossroads with vivid accounts of solo travel and self-exploration. The narrative transports readers from the lively streets of Thailand to Fiji���s serene landscapes and into the opulent heart of Monaco, all while offering an introspective look at Niver���s personal journey.

In Brave-ish, Lisa Niver emerges as a relatable figure, akin to a close friend who has weathered significant challenges yet maintains a sense of humor. Her candor in discussing the emotional aftermath of her marriage and the subsequent steps toward recovery is both striking and inspiring. The memoir goes beyond the excitement of adventures like shark diving and car racing in Vegas, framing these experiences as pivotal moments in Niver���s path to healing. While the memoir at times delves deeply into the emotional aspects of her life, potentially overshadowing the more light-hearted, travel-centric narratives, it is precisely this vulnerability that lends authenticity to her story. The book skillfully blends reflective thought with the excitement of global exploration. Niver doesn���t just pass through destinations; she fully immerses herself in them, extracting meaningful insights from each experience, whether confronting fears or embracing different cultures. She is the approachable protagonist of her own story, exemplifying that true bravery often lies in perseverance.

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.

When a womans marriage falls aprart she makes a choice try 50 new things before turning 50. Brave-ish is an engaging #memoir that interweaves the challenging dynamics of a #marriage at a crossroads with vivid accounts of solo #travel and self-exploration. https://t.co/rETnzyHQEP pic.twitter.com/jzuMRFu5up

— Literary Titan (@LiteraryTitan) March 8, 2024

Click here for more about BRAVE-ish and Lisa Niver

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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.

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Family Travel On The California Coast: The Portofino Hotel & Marina

Photo Credit: The Portofino

As a travel writer who has set foot on all seven continents and co-authored the memoir The Lost Girls: Three Friends, Four Continents. One Unconventional Detour Around the World, I felt certain in my twenties that if I ever had children of my own one day, I���d step into the role of Chief Adventurer, corralling backpack-touting little ones to far-flung locales around the globe.��

Fast-forward to reality, and to my children who are now 10 and nine years old: The farthest plane ride we���d ever taken from our home in Upstate New York was to Florida to visit my mother.

I promised myself this winter break���which is typically cloudy and cold in the Northeast���that instead of nagging my kids to get off their devices for seven days, we would be breathing in fresh ocean air and moving our bodies outdoors. 

I���d been California dreaming, and the seaside sanctuary that is the Portofino Hotel & Marina in Redondo Beach���only about 20 minutes south of LAX���has the combination of nature activities and urban comforts that makes for an ideal family getaway. One cross-country plane ride later, and we had arrived.

The Portofino Hotel & Marina History

When I embarked on my travel writing career more than 15 years ago, the field was still largely dominated by men. ���Adventurous��� and ���risk taker��� were terms that weren���t traditionally used to describe women. That���s why I was so inspired by the story of the original founder of the Portofino Hotel & Marina, Mary Davis, one of the country���s first female race car drivers. Davis opened the hotel in 1962, and it later became the final destination for the New York-to-California car race known as the Cannonball Run (a race that inspired the 1981 film by the same name starring Burt Reynolds). ‘Risk’ and ‘adventure’ could have been Davis��� middle names, whose life story also included joining the Marine Corps during World War II, managing cigar bars and opening Hollywood restaurants, and sailing a yacht around the world.

Photo Credit: The Portofino

The 161-room Portofino Hotel & Marina is now part of the Noble House Hotels & Resorts collection, and recently underwent a multi-million dollar renovation���without losing its Southern California charm. Built on a peaceful peninsula in the South Bay, the property is both elegant and cozy. It���s adorned with gauzy white drapes, nautical design touches in shades of beach-glass green and ocean blue, and layers of textures, such as overstuffed pillows beckoning guests to sink into window seats overlooking the bay.

The hotel entry opens into the waterfront ���Living Room��� lobby that is at once intimate and spacious. Floor-to-ceiling windows let the light in and open to expansive views of the ocean. In the center of the ocean-facing wall is a stone-lined fireplace where guests can curl up in the arm chairs placed before it with a book or a drink. The walls are covered in that calming beach-glass green shade, with multiple crystal chandeliers hanging from the ceiling and reflecting the shifting light throughout the day. Couches, overstuffed chairs, and coffee tables are artfully arranged in front of each of the windows and throughout the room to encourage gathering. At the far end is a bar where guests can order sunset cocktails.

Photo Credit: Holly Corbett

The guest rooms also reflect the nautical theme with mirrored glass decor and rugs and pillows in various shades of ocean blue. We stayed in an oceanside room with two double beds and a private balcony. My kids loved standing on the balcony to watch the very-vocal colony of sea lions that called a floating dock in the bay their home. The kids even spotted pods of dolphins performing acrobatics as they leapt from the water.

Where to Eat And Relax At The Seaside Resort

Maybe it���s the aptly-named Living Room lobby or the friendly staff, but the Portofino Hotel & Marina did feel like a home away from home. The receptionist listened intently to my daughter sharing how she and her brother named the duck nestled on the same dinghy in the marina each morning, Federick III. When my son left his jacket on the couch in the Living Room lobby where we had been enjoying live music, the guitarist stepped out of the performance to return it before we reached the elevator. More than one dog-walking local stopped to ask us if we needed help as we wandered the path in front of the property, freely offering suggestions on places to visit. 

Photo Credit: The Portofino

Though we didn���t have to leave the hotel to find things to do: The kids enjoyed swimming in the heated pool while I took a dip in the hot tub overlooking the bay. The onsite gym has cardio machines, such as Pelotons, as well as weights, and the hotel also has yoga classes on its schedule. 

Photo Credit: Holly Corbett

Across from the lobby entrance is the free-standing, marine-facing BALEENkitchen, complete with outdoor fire pits. The restaurant also offers room service, which is a nice option to have when you want to get jet-lagged children in for an early night. The seasonal menu features local California produce, such as the porcini dusted scallops with farmer’s market vegetable succotash ragout for dinner, or the ���mom���s garden omelet��� for breakfast. Fear not, the kitchen also serves up truffle fries that will have your kids asking for seconds. For parents, the cocktail menu includes drinks with names such as ���Life is Peachy��� and ���Forbidden Fruit,��� as well as alcohol-free options infused with CBD oil aptly called ���At Peace Collins.�����

Photo Credit: Holly CorbettFamily-Friendly Activities On The California Coast

The location of the Portofino Hotel & Marina is ideal because there is also plenty to do in the surrounding area so renting a car isn���t necessary. Right next to the Redondo Beach marina is the Redondo Beach Pier. Just a five-minute walk, the pier features seafood markets such as and restaurants with outdoor patios such as e, as well as a variety of souvenir shops and activities like whale-watching excursions.

With Hermosa and Manhattan beaches just a few miles to the north, the Portofino Hotel & Marina is situated next to an oceanfront bike path that runs more than 27 miles along the California Coastal Trail, all the way up to Malibu. Their onsite Dockside Activity Center has complimentary cruiser bicycles as well as e-bikes for rent. If you can���t find a bike small enough to fit your children, you can follow the sidewalk to the street where you���ll find the veteran-owned Marina Bike Rentals for kids��� bikes or bike trailers for those too young to ride.��

Photo Credit: Holly Corbett

A favorite part of our trip was taking out kayaks from the onsite activity center to paddle out to see those sea lions up close. For more adventurous types, the activity center also offers paddleboards, scuba, deep-sea fishing and boat charters.

From experiencing wildlife encounters to listening to live music to biking along the beach to tasting fresh seafood, we made plenty of memories during our first-ever cross-country trip. If you���re looking for a family-friendly vacation that combines convenience with adventure and relaxation, the Portofino Hotel & Marina is a (California) dream.

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BRAVE-ish is a Hearten Uplifting and Inspiring Non-Fiction FINALIST!

Thank you to Chanticleer Book Reviews for including my memoir as a FINALIST for the 2023��HEARTEN Book Awards��for Inspiring & Uplifting Non-Fiction. MORE BOOK AWARDS: 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 NOW a FINALIST! 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!

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Reflections on My Israel Solidarity Mission

By Felice Williams

At Stephen Wise Temple Shabbat Services on February 16, 2024, members of the congregation who had traveled to Israel with Senior Rabbi Yoshi Zweiback shared about their solidarity mission.

When the opportunity arose for a visit to Israel with Rabbi Yoshi and Jacqueline, I realized that the timing worked and I jumped on board, as I wanted to lend support (and assistance) to the Israeli people, whom I hold dear to my heart, and to bear witness to the pain and suffering that was inflicted upon them on-October 7th. In addition, I have been consumed by concern about our country���s biased and one-sided media coverage of the post-10/7 events toward Israel, as well as the resultant shocking rise in anti-semitism that has reared its ugly head across the world, really, seemingly in support of a terrorist group���s senseless, brutal attack on a civilian population. How could this be? Certainly not in our freedom-loving country! It feels to me that I have been living in an alternate universe since returning home from a vacation last October 23rd. Ah, but that���s another topic, for another conversation���

Rabbi Yoshi asked me to reflect upon our Temple���s Solidarity mission and to recall an experience that particularly impacted me. To be honest, I am having difficulty selecting just one, and have decided to focus on my most-significant take-away from our trip. 

Many have asked me, ���Why would you go to Israel during a war?��� It quickly became evident that to bear witness was the very least we could do. October 7th completely shook me to my core. The unspeakable violence we witnessed that day and the unimaginable misinformation, hatred and propaganda that has taken hold around the world and in our own country, woke up many of us in the diaspora. We were profoundly impacted by our experiences, each one of us in our Stephen Wise contingent. Everywhere we went, every person we spoke with, from the brave and resilient farmer in the Gaza envelope, Uri, whose daughter-in-law lost her sister and her husband during the massacre at Kibbutz K���far Aza nearby, leaving behind 10-month old twins, to the IDF soldiers and Nova Music Festival victims recovering from their injuries in the Gaza War, to Barak Benjamin, an evacuee of Moshav Netiv HaAsara (and brother-in-law of our tour guide), currently residing with his family in a hotel in Tel Aviv for the past four months, to relatives of the hostages at Captive Square, in Tel Aviv, each person we encountered thanked us for being there, for helping and supporting them and told us, repeatedly, how our support gives them strength and how much it meant to feel our presence and know that Jews around the world supported them. It gave me a great deal of comfort to be there for them at this difficult time when so many of us feel so helpless and reminded me how important showing up can be! Many asked us how we were doing with the terrible increase in anti-semitism in America (they were worried about us)! 

What I found was a brave, resilient, proud, resolute, and hopeful, yes hopeful, people, who love and celebrate life, family, and community, even now, and who only want to live in peace and harmony with their neighbors. I���m trying to figure out how I can do more to help, in some small way, to correct the inaccurate perceptions and deceptive news reporting of the reality of the situation there, because I really don���t understand how most western news outlets can be so anti-Israel, and seemingly forget, in their reporting, that there was relative peace in the region on October 6th. I realize that we are all mishpuchah, us Jews, that there is an unbreakable bond between us and that this trip to Israel communicated that in a meaningful and impactful way. What I also found was a wonderful group of new friends who I was blessed to experience this journey with, several of whom are here tonight, and came away with shared memories of a lifetime together. 

Am Yisrael Chai!

Stephen Wise Temple and Schools proudly support the State of Israel and the Jewish people���s right to self-determination. Zionism and��ahavat Yisrael, love of the people, land, and State of Israel, have always been central to who we are and what we do as a community. This has been true for the almost 60 years of our history, and never more so than since October 7, 2023.

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