Lisa Niver's Blog: We Said Go Travel, page 75

Saint Vincent Volcano Disaster Relief

FROM GO FUND ME: Saint Vincent Volcano Disaster Relief

The La Soufrière volcano in the small Eastern Caribbean island of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines erupted on April 9th 2021 for the first time in 42 years. 

This natural disaster has displaced tens of thousands of people from their homes and has uprooted families as they have been forced to leave everything behind and flee St. Vincent and the Grenadines with just a back pack to seek refuge in neighboring countries like Barbados, Dominica, Antigua & Barbuda and Saint Lucia. Many were already impacted economically by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The UWI Seismic Unit said the eruption is ongoing and it is a culmination of the seismic activity that began on April 8th. Plumes up to 20,000 ft are headed east.

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Evacuations continue by land and sea, and explosive eruptions are likely to continue over the coming days – weeks. 

Invest Caribbean  – the global private sector investment agency of the Caribbean, along with its partner, The Ritzury Group in Barbados, are pitching into action to help financially support the many Vincentian families, students and children who have been displaced and are now in need of urgent financial support in the islands they have fled. 

Invest Caribbean, the the global private sector investment agency of the Caribbean. The company is US-based company founded by Caribbean immigrant, journalist, entrepreneur and advocate in 2011 and its focus is on empowerment of Caribbean people.

The proceeds  of this disaster relief fundraiser will go towards:

1. Financial support for Vincentians forced to leave their country for 3 months post disaster.

2. Financial support for households in neighboring countries who have opened their homes to displaced Vincentians.

3: Financial support for on the ground organizations helping to supply urgently needed items for the survival of the evacuees. 

Funds are needed immediately to assist with urgent needs.

Please help us to help now! 

Short Term Relief: In the form of immediate necessities- food, water, non-perishables including canned goods and juice, toothpaste, toothbrushes, toilet paper, soap, deodorant, shampoos, sleeping mats, blankets, feminine hygiene products, masks, water tanks, portable potties, field tents, field kitchen, respirator masks with filters, goggles, reflective vests, hygiene kits, baby diapers, hand sanitizers, manual can openers, buckets, masks, mosquito repellent, first-aid kits, and antibiotic ointments.

Medium Term Relief: Housing, relocation, clean up efforts, humanitarian aid.

Long Term Relief: Financial aid for affected persons who have fled to neighboring countries, financial aid for families still in SVG, care of elderly, care of students and access to continued education. The goal is to help financially support the long-term needs of many Vincentian families, students and children who will be displaced for months to come.

ICN + Ritzury will provide full transparency in all monies raised, including video documentation of donations. Operational costs will be the only monies deducted from any raise to cover shipping and any other needed logistical support of our partners in this effort.

BBC: St Vincent volcano: Eruptions likely in coming days, experts warn

[image error]INFORMATION : University of the West Indies Seismic Research Centre[image error]

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Are You Dreaming of Italy? #WeAreInPuglia

[image error]Lisa Niver biking Pista ciclabile della Liguria 2016

I used to travel to Genoa to see my friends every year—except due to COVID I have been in Los Angeles since March 9, 2020 which if you are counting is now 400 days. Visit Puglia shared these treats to encourage me to dream of my return to Italy!

[image error][image error][image error]For a marvelous Monday, smell the perfumes of AquaPulia  

In 2017, pharmacists and fragrance creators Maria Elia Perta and Paola Azzarone started AquaPulia to tribute their homeland’s unmistakable scents. The academic years in Rome and Bologna pushed them to cultivate and deepen the shared passion for galenic formulation, the ancient Greek discipline of preparing and compounding medicines using multiple ingredients. It’s the meeting with fragrance designer Claudia Scattolini that initiates Maria Elia and Paola into the world of perfumes and prompts them to create AquaPulia. Based in Vieste, the company has a small laboratory where essences turn into sincere exaltations of the world-renowned Apulian landscapes, history, and culture. While engineers Agostino and Matteo Silvestri are in charge of AquaPulia’s structural design, the two co-founders constantly experiment with essences in pursuit of a clear vision: Fragrances are an extraordinary vessel to crystallize memories of places and situations in people’s mind and soul. The Adriatic sea that roars to the Mistral and speaks of ancient fishing machines; centuries-old olive trees, sanctuaries, and fortresses; enchanted forests, dry stone walls, and expanses of wildflowers. Every story the land, sea, and air of Puglia is captured in the distinctive notes of the AquaPulia perfumes. 

[image error]Tormaresca, Minervino Murge[image error][image error]For a terrific Tuesday, savor the olive oil of Olio Intini

About 20 acres of olive groves nestled between Alberobello and the Itria Valley make up the kingdom of Olio Intini. It is one of the most prosperous and fascinating areas of Puglia, where strong diurnal temperature variations and the typical, rich clay soil contribute to giving oils great structure and exceptional phenolic compounds. The strictly family-run olive business breathes life to a wonderful variety of cultivar, each of which boasts unique peculiarities and constitutes the base of the eight Intini labels. Amongst these, Cima di Mola earned the company the prestigious Presidio Slow Food for its strenuous commitment to protecting and voicing the true colors of this Apulian region. Biodiversity, faithfulness to the land, and genuine passion make Olio Intini one of the most awarded companies in the world for the premium quality of its oils.

[image error]Bari Photo by Carlo Elmiro Bevilacqua[image error][image error]For a wonderful Wednesday, sip Puglia in Rosè

The Puglia in Rosé Association is the first-of-its-kind organization of Apulian rosè wine producers.  Headquartered in Bari, the Association works in synergy with local wineries and institutional partners to safeguard and promote Apulian rosè wines in the global market. Thanks to exceptional pedoclimatic factors and a long-standing tradition of winemaking that traces back to Magna Graecia times, Apulia is the main Italian producer of rosè, and one of the finest in the world. This story of excellence gems from family-run small businesses that have decided to give back to the beauty of their native land by investing in it, and devoting their life to sharing Apulian wines with the rest of the world.

Puglia in Rosè has made it its goal to intercept the ever-growing demand for premium, sustainable wines across the globe by activating several commercial and educational operations, including promotional events, conventions, wine tastings, and trade shows, and financial missions both within Italy and internationally. 

[image error]Vendemmia Photo by Giuseppe Tricarico

Central to Puglia in Rosè is a respectful and harmonious bond with the territory, which is at the heart of producing exceptional organic and biodynamic wines. While the former is the result of a philosophy based on the relationship with the land, the latter takes into account the impact moon phases have on the life of the vines and the grapes. This enhanced care results in the total absence of chemical substances and sulfites in the production process, and wine enthusiasts becoming more and more enamored with Apulian rosè worldwide.

[image error]Trani Cattedrale Photo by Franco Cappellari[image error][image error]For a tasty Thursday, taste Bio-Orto and Panificio Di Gesù

Bio-Orto: The tenacious character of the Passalacqua family traces back to the mid-1900s, when grandmother Giulia and grandfather Pietro would still drive cattle from the mountains down to the Tavoliere delle Puglie following the centuries-old noble, stout art of ‘transumanza’. The transition from nomadic herding to sedentary agriculture came naturally. Dedication and hard work allowed them to purchase the fertile soils that are still home to BioOrto’s production of vegetables and fruits and extend as far as the eye can see. Since its inception, the company was already a mature organization pursuing farsighted ideas that dad Nino was able to put into perspective, and that still inform his children Giulia and her husband Mirko, Tiziano, and Nino Jr. in their strategic roles. It is precisely this harmonious combination of genuine family attachment to tradition with a resolve for research and innovation that has made BioOrto a premium household name in Europe when it comes to organic fruit and vegetables.

Panificio Di Gesù: Ciacche se mange josce? Tre cause andiche; scuèrze, pèjne, e meddiche.

What are we eating today? Three ancient things: crust, bread, and breadcrumbs.

This Altamura idiom is the emblem of a city and the history of an ancient oven: the Forno Di Gesù.

Uncle Luca, born in 1934, would hop on his bike and bring the bread to the prisoners of Camp 65. He baked it himself in a small home-made oven, as it was customary at the time. Wheat was still considered a luxury good only a few could afford and was transported by the ‘trainieri’ (specialized delivery men) from the countryside to the city mills for grinding. Back in the 1930s, each household had its grain storage and would bring the precious cereal to the local mill for grinding roughly every two months. With the flour thus obtained, the bread dough was kneaded at home and carried to a community oven for cooking. Here, bakers shaped it into the characteristic crossed cut (called ‘scquanète’), and marked each loaf with the initials of the head of the family.

[image error]Capitolo Photo by Leonardo D_Angelo [image error][image error]For a fabulous Friday, let art steal your heart with Ceramiche Carella Ostuni

It was the early 1970s when the Carella family came to realize that ceramics were more than mere kitchenware commodities: They had an innate potential to be refined furnishing elements. That’s precisely why they inaugurated the first showroom in Ostuni, the Città Bianca, featuring a collection of various masterpieces and ceramic artifacts that would later be exhibited throughout the US. In 1977, the family challenged the common logic of the time. Driven by Nonno Peppino’s tenacity and desire to dream, they resurrected the tradition of the terracotta whistle by organizing the first-of-its-kind National Trade Fair of the Terracotta Whistle. In the following years, they started promoting conversations about design and involved local craftsmen in helping them create the eponymous lines of ceramics and whistles. In the 2000s, during an important phase of growth for the business, thanks to Antonella’s sensibility and Angelo’s determination, Ceramiche Carella Ostuni began producing ceramics in their own production laboratory. It was the first in the Città Bianca and it is, to date, the only one. Every day, the lab witnesses a magical process: Water, earth, and fire give life to ceramics through the sheer passion the team pours into their craft. In recent years, Marco has joined his parents Antonella and Angelo in managing the company, supervising communication, quality control, and customer relations. As Marco puts it, “To us, crafting and selling ceramics is the truest way to tell our story, and reveal our beloved Puglia to the world through one of its most excellent traditions.”

Feel the fabric of Holystic t-shirts

When launching Holystic in 2016, co-founders Bodhi (designer and ‘creativity pusher’) and Dan (‘biodynamic’ business hunter) had a clear vision: They wanted to elevate t-shirts from ordinary garments into sensory vehicles that allow the wearer to embark on an adventure through the unconscious. Bodhi and Dan’s five-year journey around the world takes them to South America and Asia to research myths, trends, symbols, and archetypes that stimulate the soul in different cultures. Realizing the power of sight, smell, and touch (the three most ancestral senses) in unlocking the inner self, they conceive Holystic as a harmonious synthesis of opposites: Female and male, spirit and matter, good and evil, mundane and religious. More recently, the creative team has welcomed Annalisa and Visavì, who continue to implement the company’s visionary concept of hearty and sustainable Made-in-Italy luxe. Holystic T-shirts are entirely made of fine bamboo fiber sourced from the most pristine areas of the planet, where its cultivation takes place without pesticides, fertilizers, and resource waste. Because bamboo plants boast a higher-than-average photosynthetic index, their fiber provides excellent breathability and thermoregulation. Also, all t-shirts are designed to be 100% biodegradable and antibacterial, while protecting the skin from UV rays, like precious jewels that embellish and shelter the body and soul. 

#weareinpuglia #pugliaPromozione #regionepuglia

[image error]Mattinata Baia delle Zagare Photo by Paolo PetrignaniWhen the borders open and it is safe to travel, I will see you in Puglia! Ciao and Grazie!

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Surviving COVID Like a Superhero

Thank you to Thrive Global for publishing my article, “Surviving COVID Like a Superhero.”[image error]

Lisa Genova is not only a neuroscientist but also a gifted storyteller and has explained the experience of many debilitating diseases through her books from Alzheimer’s disease in Still Alice, traumatic brain injury in Left Neglected, autism in Love Anthony, Huntington’s disease in Inside the O’Briens and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) in Every Note Played. She allows us to experience the challenges her characters face in their diagnoses. Her past books share  family drama with a side of medical science.

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In her newest book, Remember: The Science of Memory and the Art of Forgetting, Genova explains how we choose what to remember and forget and that “our brains have evolved to remember what is meaningful.” If we pay attention to where we park our car, we can find it again. Like Genova, I have left a parking lot in a rush and been unable to find my car again for some time. I try to stop and take a photo so I can find it again without stress.

[image error]Lisa Genova

Genova explains how memories change our brain and the four steps to create a memory. You have to put the information into your brain (encoding), weave the information together (consolidation), store that woven information(storage), and fetch the woven information when you want to access it (retrieval). But most importantly we must pay attention.

She explains about types of memory like muscle memory which allows us to drive a car, ride a bicycle and eat with chopsticks, semantic memory, which is the facts you know about your life or the Wikipedia of your brain and episodic memory which is personal and always about the past.

How can we remember more? Genova suggests trying something new, experiencing what is happening around you without your phone, getting in touch with your feelings as emotion helps encode memories,  reflecting on what happened so you retain your memories and keeping a journal to jot down your experiences. 

I loved when she explained that forgetting is not evil. I recently reconnected with someone from my summer camp days decades ago and felt embarrassed at how little I can recall but Genova says we cannot remember everything. 

“Forgetting isn’t always a regrettable sign of aging, a pathological symptom of dementia, a shameful failure, a maladaptive problem to solve, or even accidental…An optimally functioning memory system involves a finely orchestrated balancing act between data storage and data disposal: remembering and forgetting.”

Do you want to improve your memory and decrease your risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease? 

Genova shares the science and the strategies which include eating well, exercising regularly, meditating daily, and sleeping for eight hours a night.

I was surprised to read that: “insufficient sleep puts you at a higher risk for heart disease, cancer, infection, mental illness, Alzheimer’s, and memory impairment.” I knew that chronic stress led to increased health risks but did not realize how powerful 7 to 9 hours of sleep was for increasing memory consolidation and decreasing risk of many diseases.

How can you decrease stress, sleep more and create more memories?

One of the best ways to feel more centered and calm is to try mindfulness meditation. During COVID, through the UCLA Senior Scholars Program, I took Professor Marvin Belzer’s amazing class on mindfulness meditation at the UCLA Mindful Awareness Research Center (MARC). MARC has an app called “UCLA Mindful,” which is free and has meditations by Diana Winston, the incredible director of MARC, which I highly recommend. MARC also offers reasonable evening and weekend retreats with renowned teachers like Giselle Jones and Matthew Brensilver from SpiritRock.

Over the last five years, I have also loved listening to the 21-Day Meditation Experiences led by Deepak Chopra and Oprah Winfrey from the Chopra Center. There is a 20-minute audio meditation each day and a series of thought-provoking reflection questions designed to anchor the teachings with a centering thought and mantra. I often listen to them on walks in my neighborhood and before COVID, I would listen as I walked up and down the terminals of airports waiting for my flights. 

I recently started using Insight Timer and I particularly like the meditations with Tibetan Singing Bowls, however, there are 80,000 guided meditations so it seems to really have something for everyone!

I hope that you find ways to decrease stress, increase joy, sleep more, move your body, eat well and REMEMBER as much as you can. Each one of Lisa Genova’s books has taught me something new which helps me build my memory and be resilient so I can live my best life! Happy reading, meditating and having new experiences!

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