Lisa Niver's Blog: We Said Go Travel, page 83
December 22, 2020
Thank you so much for the conversation!! https://t.co/Gp...
Thank you so much for the conversation!! https://t.co/GpCcJoNfAW
— Mallika Chopra (@mallikachopra) December 22, 2020
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December 21, 2020
My Super Birthday Staycation at Hotel Erwin
[image error]Hotel Erwin, Photo by Lisa Niver
THANK YOU HOTEL ERWIN in Venice Beach, California
[image error]Venice Beach, Photo by Lisa Niver
VIDEO: My October Birthday Staycation at the Hotel Erwin
[image error]High Rooftop Lounge, Hotel Erwin Photo by Lisa Niver
I have always loved High Rooftop Lounge at the Hotel Erwin for celebrating and watching the sunset. For my birthday in October after 222 days in Los Angeles during COVID 19, this is my first time staying in the hotel and it was a spectacular experience.
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All of the team are friendly, professional and following COVID19 procedures. The room was clean, bright and had a balcony where I ate meals I brought in from local neighborhood restaurants.
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It was a gift to sleep steps from the sand and be able to easily walk on the beach for sunrise and sunset.
[image error]Sunset from High Rooftop Lounge, Hotel Erwin
[image error]Sunset from the RedBull Suite, Hotel Erwin, Venice Beach
Thank you for my local safe staycation!
[image error]Panoramic photo steps to the beach from Hotel Erwin by Lisa Niver
[image error]Night time at High Rooftop Lounge, Hotel Erwin
[image error]Venice Beach by Lisa Niver
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Are you ready to book your visit? Stay at the Hotel Erwin on Venice Beach!
HANG OUT BY THE BOARDWALK: “Venice is different. Sure, it’s California, but it’s an area of California unlike any other; an area that Hotel ERWIN has personified since the ‘70s with its eclectic décor, friendly staff, and predominant location right on Venice Beach and adjacent to the world-famous Venice Beach Boardwalk. From day one, Hotel ERWIN has offered guests an experience that could not be found anywhere else, and now, decades later, the hotel is still a go-to hotspot for locals, out-of-towners, and SoCal day-trippers.” CLICK HERE FOR LEANING STANDARDS FOR COVID19
“Sun-seekers, Boardwalk revelers, Venice first-timers and L.A. staycationers unite. Come one, come all, and experience what Hotel ERWIN and Venice is all about. Big on vibe, color, and that cozy beachfront comfort, our rooms come with all the usual goods like free WiFi and big TVs, plus some even have partial oceans views. Rooms with ADA accessible enhancements are available too. Of course, if you wanna see the ocean, just take a step outside. Feeling like a baller? Try a suite. They’ve got kitchens and separate living and dining areas.” ROOMS and SUITES: CLICK HERE
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December 17, 2020
A Chanukah Gift: Sex & Judaism, You’re Welcome!
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“Sex & Judaism, You’re Welcome” is a free online learning program of B’Yachad Together at AJU (American Jewish University) which offers immersive experiential digital learning.
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Laura Berman’s Prescription for Passion: Whether you are trying to keep your relationship healthy, meet new people, or hang out, navigating love and intimacy in this pandemic is no picnic. While we have little sense how it will shape longer term outcomes, such as divorce, marriage and birth rate, we do know there are steps we can take today to help us build new muscles and skills of intimacy which we so desperately need. As part of the series Sex and Judaism (You’re welcome!), Dr. Laura Berman–the world’s leading expert in sex, love and relationships and friend of Oprah–gives us the passion prescription to heighten our relationships.
Read Dr. Berman’s book: Quantum Love: Use Your Body’s Atomic Energy to Create the Relationship You Desire
Dr. Berman recommended her Athena Waterproof Mini-Massager
Facebook Live: Dr. Laura Berman and Rabbi Sherre Hirsch
The Orthodox Sex Guru: Bat Sheva Marcus is on a mission to take the shame, pain, and stigma out of women’s sexual health regardless of their religious practices. As the founder of the Maze Women’s Center for Sexual Health, she is seeing a rise in financial, emotional, and physical stressors that exacerbate and challenge relationships. Dr. Marcus will be in conversation with Rabbi Sherre Hirsch as they discuss how every woman deserves a happy and fulfilling sex life and how to achieve one, even in the most difficult of times.
Bat Sheva defined sex as “any activity for one or more where the goal is orgasm.”
Facebook Live: Bat Sheva Marcus and Rabbi Sherre Hirsch
Using Jewish Wisdom to Guide Healthy Sexual Intimacy: We are surrounded by sex. Sex fills our media, the stories in the news, the lyrics of our popular music, the content of our entertainment. It is all out in the open. But is this good for us? Good for our children? Dr. David Ribner, founder and director of the Sex Therapy Training Program, School of Social Work, Bar-Ilan University, Israel is an Orthodox rabbi and certified sex therapist in Israel and the U.S. will discuss what is “good sex.” How do the traditions of Jewish wisdom guide us toward healthy, ethical,, even holy sex? Dr. Ribner will be interviewed by Rabbi Ed Feinstein of Valley Beth Shalom.
Read Dr. Ribner’s book: I Am for My Beloved: A Guide to Enhanced Intimacy for Married Couples
Find Dr. Ribner on Facebook at Kosher Sensuality
Facebook Live: Dr. Ribner and Rabbi Ed Feinstein
What Skills Do Couples Need Right Now? After eight months in lockdown, every relationship is under pressure. Stress is high, tolerance is low, and everyone is feeling the strain. We welcome Rabbi Raffi Bilek, LCSW-C, to share key takeaways that every relationship needs right now. Join now for this must-hear conversation with Rabbi Sherre Hirsch.
Rabbi Bilek defined domestic abuse as “a pattern of controlling behaviors designed to intimidate or control the other person–it can be physical, emotional, sexual, financial or psychological.”
Both Rabbi Hirsch and Rabbi Bilek said, “You are not alone. We are here to help. If you need help, ask for help.”
Facebook Live: Rabbi Bilek and Rabbi Hirsch
The post A Chanukah Gift: Sex & Judaism, You’re Welcome! appeared first on We Said Go Travel.
December 14, 2020
How Did She Do it? Learning about Writer and Executive Producer, Tiffany Paulsen!
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Thank you to Thrive Global for publishing my article, “How Did She Do it? Learning about Writer and Executive Producer, Tiffany Paulsen!”
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I was able to interview Tiffany Paulsen, writer and Executive Producer of the #1 film on NETFLIX, Holidate. She has made many great movies and is working on many more! Learn more about her below:
Lisa Niver (LN): Hello! I’m so excited to be here today with Tiffany Paulsen, oh my goodness, your career is just exploding! Congratulations on Holidate!
Tiffany Paulsen (TP) Thank you so much. I’m so excited to be here to talk to you.
LN: How does it feel, you’ve had so many successes with the ABC writing fellowship with the Film Academy, but how does it feel of the number one film on Netflix?
TP: Well, It feels flipping amazing! It feels exciting. We all thought we had a little gem there, something really special, but it has really exploded. The reaction has been just overwhelming. We’re all pleasantly surprised, and so thankful that the movie has just done so well.
LN: It’s incredible. I read that it’s number one in 87 countries.
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TP: It was number one in 87 countries and we were number one for about the first 10 days we came out with Netflix. They are bringing out their new projects, especially around the holiday time. We continue to stay number one and continue to stay in the top 10 so that was really exciting. I don’t know if you can quote that we’re still number one now because we’ve been out for almost 28 days now.
LN: Congratulations. I still know that we have a screenshot of you being number one! What did you do to celebrate?
TP: I had a glass of wine and toasted myself. Sadly, to have such a big success in COVID, it hasn’t been the group celebration that we all would have liked to have enjoy. We do have a group text with Emma and Luke and Kristin and Francis and our amazing cast and John Whitesell, our unbelievably fantastic director. We’re constantly in touch and sharing those screenshots. We have that with our little family and we get to stay in touch but it’s unfortunately through text and zoom.
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LN: It is a strange COVID time but even though it’s a time of people feeling so alone and uncertain, obviously your movie struck such a great chord that people are sharing it It’s kind of has a bit of Wedding Crashers feeling and I read an interview where you said it was an anti-Hallmark.
TP: It has the “hallmarks: of the hallmark movies, with the warm fuzzies we look for in those Christmas movies but it has some edges to it and some unexpected moments so it’s definitely not the family and kids holiday movie.
LN: The music with the Easter egg hunt was amazing.
TP: That’s one of my favorites.
LN: I love that and I also loved all the cultural references like when they change dresses and they talk about Carrie. And their dirty dancing moment — it’s this big scene and then they fall. So there’s such good surprises.
TP: It was great that we were able to get the music. I think that was probably 95% of our music budget but that scene only works if you have the actual time of your life. We were so lucky to get that, I think that’s one of my favorite moments in the movie do.
LN: I know you said you were lucky, but I have the feeling that a lot of what’s gone on for you this year has been a lot of preparation. You came to Los Angeles from Seattle to start in acting, and then moved to writing and, and you’ve done a lot of work getting fellowships and being part of this Sony Diverse Directors program. I think you said you were an overnight success but not exactly overnight.
TP: A fifteen year overnight success!
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LN: Can you speak to that a little bit for people about having such a big dream to come to California to Los Angeles and make it. Many people feel like —I gave it three months, and it’s not really working out like so you’ve obviously been very tenacious.
TP: I have. I kind of didn’t really have a backup plan and from a really tiny town in Washington State. My plan was always to get out and be an actor and that was kind of it for me. So if it didn’t work out, I would be making coffee at Starbucks, which would be a lovely career as well, but not quite as exciting, perhaps.
But I set out to be an actor and I started in Seattle and then got to LA as soon as I possibly could. I’m a really good example of how the dream can change. I knew I was going to do something in entertainment. I had a lot of small parts in a lot of big movies. I got to dip my toe in the acting world for a while and then I just decided if nobody ever cast me again, I will write my own movies.
I will direct my own movies and started writing. I got so lucky that one of the, I think the first or second thing that I had written ended up winning that ABC fellowship and that really changed my career path.
I started taking this writing thing a little more seriously and that’s the path ever since.
LN: It’s really incredible and I think it speaks a lot to being willing to take risks, and what you said about changing your dream. Before COVID, I was a travel journalist and now I’m more of a lifestyle journalist and maybe that’s not such a big shift, but it’s a mental shift. Being on set, now you’re also executive producing
TP: Yes, producing and moving into directing as well. I’m writing and directing a movie for Netflix. It’s not announced yet but all our deals are done! That’s really exciting and the next steps in my career I am really moving into. I’ve been so fortunate to have many movies made and now I would like to be on the other side of the camera for those movies. I am really looking forward to that.
LN: That’s very exciting. I know you can’t announce that one but you have announced some other ones. You’re going to be working with Kenny Ortega.
TP: I’m working with Kenny right now, it is such a dream of mine. I have been such a fan of his work since I was at Disney. I worked a lot at Disney Channel and I’ve always followed his career. He’s such an icon. He’s such a legend. He is the one that choreographed the original Dirty Dancing and that Dirty Dancing move.
It’s an honor and a thrill for me to be working with him. We are doing a big holiday Christmas musical which is based on the best selling children’s books, Auntie Claus. It is a really fun journey into the North Pole. It’s going to be fantasy and great original Christmas music with lots of dancing elves and a North Pole unlike any we’ve ever seen! We have rolled up our sleeves and are deep into that one! It’s going to be really exciting and is for Netflix as well.
LN: That’s incredible that in this time where a lot of people feel like nothing’s happening that you’re really experiencing a lot of things are happening!!
TP: I have been so lucky to be so busy. Yes.
LN: At the end of Holidate, which I again I just loved. There were some snippets of the different relationships. I love that it wasn’t just the two main characters. I loved the doctor and how he would show up at different holidays. He was always working and he was so funny. Do you think there might be hope that we might see some of those characters again?
TP: I am hopeful we will! The movie has been so successful. I’m getting emails and DM’s every day asking about a sequel. I have spoken to this before— I do have some fun ideas of where that story would go. I remain optimistic and hopeful. But, we have an extraordinary cast and everybody is very very busy and Emma is about to have a baby, which is so exciting. So we’ll see, I am cautiously optimistic.
LN: I would love to see that! It would be great if you can travel with them! I know you had mentioned in the past that you were looking for more traveling. After COVID if things start opening up, do you have a favorite destination where you want to go?
TP: For first of all, I am dying to get to Hawaii. I was supposed to go to Kauai in March. It got canceled and so I would be really excited to get to Hawaii.
My not so secret dream would be to shoot a Holidate sequel in Australia and take everybody down under. That would be on my shortlist. And Iceland, can I say that— I’m dying to go to Iceland, if I am checking off bucket lists!
LN: You’re very good at manifesting so you should definitely say where you want to go, because it’ll probably happen!
TP: Great. I’d like to manifest my mountain cabin as well. My writer’s retreat in the mountains. I am working on that one too.
LN: I think that’d be great and I know that you’ve done a lot of work with some of the other people that are trying to grow themselves in the industry, judging competitions and mentoring. Is there anything you would recommend to people that hope someday, that they have a number one film on Netflix. Obviously, persistence, but are there specific things that you recommend that people could do?
TP: I always recommend, I mean I’m sitting here talking to you today because I, at one of the lowest points in my life, I had a wedding canceled and I’ve mean multiple things going on.
I popped a script in the mail with 24 hours left before the Disney ABC writing fellowships deadline. And I ended up winning that fellowship and it changed my life.
Prior to that, I had been a finalist in the Nicholl’s fellowships, which is put on by the Academy Awards. It’s one of the most prestigious writing competitions, and getting in the top 25 or Top 50 as a finalist—I had so many calls. People reaching out to me for meetings and to talk about ideas. That’s what prompted me to pitch the idea and write my second script which won this fellowship.
I’m always an advocate for sending your work out to competitions. There’s so many of them that are really quality competitions. With some of them, they will even give you feedback and notes.
If you are lucky enough to even become a finalist in those or win them. People want to read your work, managers want to sign you. My number one thing I always say is competitions.
I also not a big proponent of putting limits on your career like if I don’t get to this goal in three months or in five years… then I will… if I had put limits on my career, again, I probably wouldn’t be sitting here talking to you.
I also had early success. And then I had a long where I was working but I was not getting films made. Putting deadlines. It’s just a big dead end that’s working its way towards you. I say, keep it open-ended, be open to what the universe brings you and be open to changing paths if that shows up.
LN: I think that is always good advice but during COVID and coming into the holidays, many people feel anxious and depressed. So that’s very good advice to never give up! Sign up for competitions.
What about —you’ve gone to a lot of different programs like where you studied at the New York Film Academy. What do you think about people making the time to go to school?
TP: Absolutely. Find programs to go to or I do a lot of master classes. I’m a big proponent of master classes. I’ve been watching Ron Howard. He is an icon of mine. He probably wouldn’t have 22 hours to spend with me but I can watch his class. I have taken Master Class with Jodie Foster how she breaks down a scene and class with Martin Scorsese. I love Master Class.
I did a very short program at the New York Film Academy because I needed somebody to kick me in the butt and force me to make my first short film.
Being a single mom, working non-stop, it was really challenging to go to a longer program. For me, the quick evening filmmaking program where they forced you to make something. From getting that done, I had a short that won some competitions. We were officially entered into Palm Springs International and from that then people started taking me seriously as a director.
All of those little baby steps are just building blocks on opening up your career. I’m definitely an advocate of anything you can do to continue educating yourself no matter what level you are in your career.
LN: Well, hopefully soon you’ll be the one teaching the Master Class.
It’s been a big focus lately See-it, be-it from the Cannes Film Festival and the SeeHer project from the Gina Davis foundation how we’ve really focused on how many women are behind the camera and how many women are in the writer’s room. It’s a really great thing to see you, having so much success.
TP: Thank you. Yes, and I have been really blessed to be surrounded by incredible women incredible producers, incredible women executives, so hopefully I will just continue to participate and create opportunities for other women coming up.
LN: Absolutely. Is there one specific film that inspired you to want to be an actress which evolved into I want to be a writer to I want to be a director? Did you always love film or were you more from the book side? Because I know you, you did the Nancy Drew stories too.
TP: We took the Nancy Drew character and we brought her to Los Angeles. That was my first studio movie with Warner Brothers. I was really writing from a young age. I wrote my first play in the third grade. I remember it very specifically. So writing early on and acting early. I don’t remember not having those goals in my life.
I always looked at and aspire to— I’m such a child of john Hughes, 16 Candles, Pretty in Pink—those movies really shaped me as a writer.
I aspire to hopefully write something as great as John Hughes and Nora Ephron. When Harry Met Sally to me is the epitome of the perfect romantic comedy and to this day, my all time favorite rom com.
It’s so brilliant, ingenious and simple and sweet and smart. Rob Reiner’s direction and Nora Ephron’s writing to me it’s just the perfect movie.
LN: I also love that movie, but I think you have some great scenes that capture a lot of that those feelings. I loved the movie and I loved how so much happened at the mall. I mean that’s a lot of the United States experience.
TP: I know aren’t we all missing the mall right now?
LN: I thought that was amazing. Your success is impressive. And I really appreciate that you say that you’re a 15-year overnight success. People forget that there’s a lot of hard work and like you said, it’s kind of a roller coaster— there was a time when you were working but you weren’t getting films made and it sounds like you never gave up.
TP: No. It wasn’t an option.
LN: Is there anything like a specific mantra or book you read on the days when you think this is the day to quit. Is there something that helps keep you motivated?
TP: I like to clean a lot! When I cannot do it anymore, I will find something to clean and organize.
The messaging that I’ve had, and maybe this doesn’t work early on in your career but I would tell myself, you’ve always worked. You’ve always worked as a writer, you will get that job. You will come up with that great idea that’s going to inspire you to want to work when nobody’s paying you to do it and write that original spec.
And that’s kind of the messaging. Push past this fear, put that fear on the backburner as it’s not serving you. As my grandma always said, it’s not time to worry yet. And keep going.
LN: Thank you for sharing that with us and for making all of these amazing films including turkey drop and Holidate. And I can’t wait to see what happens with Kenny Ortega and when you can tell us about the secret next project. I heard there might be something with 27 dresses.
If people want to follow you, where’s the best place to look for you? Are you on Instagram? Are you on Twitter? Where can people find more about you?
TP: I do Instagram and I’m working on being much better on my Instagram since I’ve had so much fun stuff to post from the movie.
I am @TheTiffanyPaulsen on Instagram, I have a website: TiffanyPaulsen.com
LN: Is there one scene from Holidate, that’s your favorite? That you want to remind everybody to watch Holidate on Netflix? Was there one special moment — you probably love the whole movie!!
TP: I really genuinely love the whole movie. Emma is so brilliant in this. Like you said the mall, the finale at the mall, I think is pretty beautiful, and I have to say I really love the car scene when she is having to drive him when there is an emergency. Spoiler alert. I love the way those two interact in that scene I think it is hilarious. And so much fun. And you don’t get a car chase scene in a lot of romantic comedies.
LN: That’s true and that that was a great one. Find Tiffany Paulson on Instagram and watch the number one film on Netflix Holidate!
Thank you so much for making the time to talk with me. I hope the rest of this year is very fruitful for you, and I can’t wait to watch your next movie.
TP: Thank you so much for having me and taking the time to chat with me. This was super fun. It was so great to meet you.
Have you seen HOLIDATE yet? Watch the trailer:
View this post on InstagramA post shared by Tiffany Paulsen (@thetiffanypaulsen)
View this post on InstagramA post shared by Tiffany Paulsen (@thetiffanypaulsen)
Thank you to Thrive Global for publishing my article, “How Did She Do it? Learning about Writer and Executive Producer, Tiffany Paulsen!”
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The post How Did She Do it? Learning about Writer and Executive Producer, Tiffany Paulsen! appeared first on We Said Go Travel.
December 12, 2020
DREAM CATCHERS: POPS the CLUB Anthology
What is POPS the Club? It transforms the lives of teens with incarcerated loved ones. POPS stands for Pain of The Prison System. 1 in 14 children has a parent who has been incarcerated. POPS gives these youth a safe place to grow and empower one another.
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The mission of POPS the Club is “to create an inclusive space for youth who have been stigmatized and silenced by their experiences with the carceral system. Our clubs build positive self-identity through peer and adult support and understanding fostered by shared experiences. We empower students to achieve their full potential by building a loving community and encouraging self-expression.”
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Dream Catchers, the seventh volume created by members of POPS the Club, is an enlightening and inspiring collection of art, prose, and poetry by high-school students with a unique perspective: they have encountered the pain of the prison system–most have incarcerated loved ones, and some have themselves been in detention. By telling and sharing their stories, they not only start the process of healing but also illuminate a world many of us are unfamiliar with. POPS the Club offers a sacred space where those with incarcerated loved ones can connect with each other, creating a supportive and open-hearted community. Students draw, paint, write, photograph, talk, listen, and share their stories, untangling the web of shame, stigma, and sorrow these young people too often face. This collection represents the work of high school students from Los Angeles, Harrisburg, Atlanta, and New York City.
Excerpt from Dream Catchers:
You Are My Home by Stacie Ramirez
“You having to stay away took away my best friend, my favorite good morning and my favorite goodnight, my favorite hug, my peace, my reason to live, and my happiness. I miss you. I miss your meals, your hugs, your smile, your laugh, your warmth, and our cheesy inside jokes. How could I ever replace you? When you were taken from me, and I was taken from you, what could I do but stay away? You are my home, and I have to stay away from you. It seemed so unfair, so unjust. I was upset at you for so long because you put us in this situation, you let it get this far, and to me you were the only one to blame. But I love you, and I just want to be with you…
[image error]Artwork Childhood by Janna Rae Nieto.
Order your copy from Out of the Woods Press
POPS heals youth hurt by incarceration.
Having a parent in prison or jail is one of the Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) that can undermine the architecture of a child’s developing brain, with lifelong impacts on mental and physical health.
POPS the Club cultivates an inclusive space for youth who have been stigmatized and silenced by their experiences with the criminal justice system. Our clubs build positive self-identity through peer and adult support , and understanding fostered by shared experiences. We empower students to achieve their full potential by building a loving community and encouraging self-expression.
PRAISE FOR DREAM CATCHERS:
“My father was in prison throughout my teens and I so often felt alone. I cannot imagine how different the experience might have been if I’d had a community like that offered by POPS the Club. I wish I could take Dream Catchers and deliver it to my younger self, and with it all the solace, triumph, wisdom, and truth found in its pages. But I need it now too. These are the voices of the two million young people in this country with incarcerated parents—full of heartache, hope, insight, and compassion, and we all should listen.” Tyler Wetherall, author of No Way Home
“As a woman who grew up with an incarcerated parent, I know how challenging being a teenager with a loved one in prison can be. POPS the Club gives high schoolers a voice, offering them opportunities to talk about it, write about it, and feel part of an ever-growing community. This collection of memories, thoughts, and ambitions represents the toll that everyone touched by the system knows. Through their pages, the writers and artists have found a rare form of empowerment.” Deanna M. Paul, journalist
“Through writing and art, discussion and community, POPS heals the stigma and shame so often felt by youth whose lives have been impacted by prison. They are the silent victims of our mass incarceration crisis. POPS should be in every high school in America, and its books, like Dream Catchers, should be in every classroom.” Christina McDowell, author of After Perfect and The Cave Dwellers and coproducer of A Survivor’s Guide to Prison
“I found myself awestruck by these writers and artists impacted by mass incarceration. Their power to observe and to transform not only stigma around incarcerated people but their own pain, shame, and longing into something beautiful and lasting is worthy of much praise and thanks. I’m grateful they trusted us with this work, that we can step into their lives, however briefly.” Michelle Franke, Executive Director, PEN America Los Angeles
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KIRKUS REVIEW: DREAM CATCHERS: POPS THE CLUB ANTHOLOGY
“An inspiring collection of teen-created poems, prose, and artwork that elucidates the hidden world of young adults living in a carceral state. Created by members of the POPS the Club, a national organization for high school students who have been impacted by incarceration (as the children or other loved ones of the incarcerated), the pieces are emotive but not resigned. Readers will connect to many of the major themes, including navigating change, overcoming adversity, advocating for social justice, and questioning one’s place in the world. Divided thematically into 12 sections, the entries show the daily realities and struggles of the student writers as they deftly navigate multiple spaces. Many of the teens’ challenges present as ordinary angst, like navigating school, while others point to deeper traumas, like parents with substance use disorders. Overall, their contributions are lyrical, haunting, and poignant, and the anthology marches toward hope. While the execution of some reflects the contributors’ youth, others, like “Me Nombraron Después de Ella” (“They Named Me After Her”) by Donaji Garcia, stand out for their mature use of metaphor, language, lyricism, movement, and pacing. Other pieces are a call to action, directly confronting the impact of incarceration on families and challenging adults to fix a justice system that is overburdened with imprisoned people while neglecting children’s emotional health. Birds sing outside cages: Overall hopeful selections inspire a desire to rethink justice and enact change. (Anthology. 12-18)”
Order your copy from Out of the Woods Press
The post DREAM CATCHERS: POPS the CLUB Anthology appeared first on We Said Go Travel.
December 10, 2020
How Jew(ish) Are You?
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Thank you to Thrive Global for publishing my article, “How Jew(ish) Are You?”
Reading Matt Greene’s autobiography, Jew(ish): A primer, A memoir, A manual, A plea, during COVID19 Thanksgiving weekend, I thought gratefully about my relationship to being Jewish. Growing up in Los Angeles, California at Stephen Wise Temple, one of the largest Reform synagogues in the world, I had the idea that most people were like me, Jewish. It would come as a shock to learn that Jews were only a small part of the population when I left my LA enclave.
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Greene explains: “We’re very explicit that we’re proud British Jews: we’re proud British people and we’re proud Jewish people.” In fact, his family had been in Britain so long that he had “two great-grandfathers who fought for Britain in the First World War.”
I remember being asked at Hebrew School, if I was an American Jewish Woman or an American Jew or a Jewish American? They wanted us to answer, “What would you fight for? Which are the most important parts of you?” I went to an all girl’s high school and we talked often about Women’s Rights and the ERA. At Hebrew School, we often talked about the legacy of the Holocaust and importance of dating Jewish and increasing the number of Jews in the world.
About growing up Jewish, Greene says, “I hated being Jewish in the way I hated being short. There seemed to be no advantage to be gained.” Greene participated in temple only as long as was required through his Bar Mitzvah, unlike him, I was mesmerized. I loved services, the songs, Jewish summer camp and being in Jewish youth group.
Like Greene, I went on a teen tour to Israel but my experience changed my life and is the reason that I am a travel journalist obsessed with traveling. He was not as impressed. His dad told him: “The thing about being Jewish is you always need to be vigilant. If you think you’re safe, you’re probably being complacent. That’s why we need a Jewish state, so there’s somewhere we can go if the shit ever hits the fan again.” Terrible things have happened to the Jews again and again. The question is what is our responsibility in our time? How will we impact our country and our world?
Greene’s book begins with a discussion of his son who is born to a non-Jewish mother. Once he has a child, he contemplates if belonging to the Jewish tradition is important to him. What does it mean to be Jewish?
He discusses the anti-semitism in England and being the only Jew at college. I went to the University of Pennsylvania in part for the large Jewish community. At Hillel on Shabbat, we had four services going for different types of Jews. Everyone was welcome and I never worried about discrimination there.
When he returns from college, his family asks him, “And do you tell people you’re Jewish?” It can be challenging to navigate being assimilated into society while being perceived as an other. Greene asks, “What is race? What is whiteness? Gone if not forgotten are the days when Jews were banned from clubs and institutions on the back of their Jewishness and like most (but not all) Jews, I benefit from white privilege in ways too many to enumerate and probably in ways I haven’t even noticed.”
When I first started working on cruise ships, there were very few women on the crew. Later, I would realize that I was often the only Jew on my team or even in a crew of 1200. It was the first time I felt so singled out and different. One British Cruise Director told the rest of my team, “Lisa, can’t do that; she’ll be at snip-dick ceremonies.” It took me several beats to understand that he was referring to Shabbat services. I led them on Friday nights and he was talking about Jews. It was not the only time people said anti-Semitic things to me. One crew member told me that I did believe in Jesus. I said, “No, Jesus is when your religion left my religion.” He told me, “If my dad was here, he would make you understand that you do love Jesus.” I said, “Lucky for me, he is not.”
Mostly when I was traveling or working on ships, no one knew I was Jewish. As Greene describes in his book, I could choose to pass as white and not “different.” It is not obvious from my last name that I am Jewish because as Greene discusses about his family as well, our name was changed. There are many choices we make wandering in the world. When traveling in Asia when President Bush was in office, we often said we were Canadians. We did not want to be embroiled in the political drama of that time. We were able to pass. Some people even sewed Canadian flags on their backpacks.
Greene explains: “For whatever reason, for any reason, for no reason at all, to be Jewish is to live with the knowledge that no matter who you are or what you do there are people who will hate you.” For his 34th birthday, Greene chose to participate in the March of the Living in Poland. My trip to Poland, after a semester in Israel, was also challenging. It was hard to walk in small towns and see so many former synagogues and Jewish schools and realize how many Jews were murdered in the Holocaust. The area was full of Jewish life which was decimated in camps like Auschwitz and Birkenau.
As Greene relates, “The year 2020 is a strange time to be a Jew, even, or perhaps especially, a lapsed, secular one. At once we’re witnessing a resurgence of the far right, an uptick in anti-Semitic attacks, a refugee crisis of a scale unknown since the Second World War and, maybe most crucially for the question this book primarily concerns itself with, the end of the generation who witnessed the horrors of the Holocaust first-hand. In this context it seems important to understand what it means to be Jewish – and personally what it means to me that, technically, my son is not.”
Greene shares his search to find a place for himself and his son. He asks his grandparents, “Is my son Jewish?” and they answer together, “Of course, he’s our family.”
[image error]Matt Greene, author of Jew(ish)
We live in complicated and confusing times and I agree with him that we need to recognize persecution and oppression. Greene closes by saying:
“We need to find a way to unite around our common humanity without erasing or downplaying the particularities of any group’s experience. If we’re to confront the challenges that face us as a species and triumph over those who seek to divide and deceive us, we need to realise we’re all in this together. The question of Jewishness is a good place to start. We’re not all Jews but we’re all Jew-ish.”
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The post How Jew(ish) Are You? appeared first on We Said Go Travel.
December 7, 2020
Meet My Friend, Jennifer Faust, Oceania Cruises Ambassador
I was fortunate to work with Jennifer Faust when we were both working onboard Princess Cruises ships. We traveled together on a “Remembering World War II” sailing from San Francisco to Asia. We had many sea days with no sunshine and many antics including becoming the Sunshine Girls. She is now working for Oceania Cruises as an Oceania Club Ambassador.
Jennifer told me: “Choosing to take the risk nearly 22 years ago to work at sea has been an unexpectedly remarkable adventure for me. Having the chance to represent Oceania Cruise has only made my cruise ship career more extraordinary than I could have every imagined. Oceania Cruises has given me the chance to sail around the world a number of times, meet guests and crew from every corner of the globe, and visit captivating and invigorating destinations. I have been so proud to represent Oceania Cruises over the years as it is a product that continues to satisfy and exceed expectations for guests and crew alike.”
Learn more about her in the interview below with Cruise Director Leslie Jon.
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You’re invited to join us for the
next exciting episode of our
OLife At Home Social Series.
This curated series features an
exclusive lineup of luminaries for
candid conversations about their
personal passions and
is hosted by one of our
beloved cruise directors, Leslie Jon.
Watch the episode on Facebook and IGTV for a special conversation with Oceania Cruises’ Oceania Club Ambassador, Jennifer Faust.
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Watch Jennifer Faust on Facebook
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Watch her on Instagram “OLife At Home Social Series Jennifer Faust”
This episode of OLife At Home Social Series is hosted by Cruise Director Leslie Jon. Jennifer Faust is an Oceania Club Ambassador.
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View this post on InstagramA post shared by Oceania Cruises (@oceaniacruises) on Nov 3, 2020 at 11:29am PST
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Jen Faust took these photos while onboard the 2019 Around the World cruise. It was her 4th Around the World Cruise with Oceania Cruises.
Find Jen Faust at her desk hours onboard: “As an Ambassador, we oversee the onboard Oceania Cruises Loyalty Program as well as provide special pricing and savings on future Oceania itineraries for our guests. I have had the amazing good fortunate of sailing onboard 4 Around the World Oceania Cruises as well as experiencing most of our destination enriched itineraries available onboard Oceania Cruises.”
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Petra Treasury Overlook: A self-guided hike brings you to the ultimate panoramic view of the “Al-Khazneh” the Treasury building in the historical city of Petra, in Aqaba, Jordan. Please wear comfortable walking shoes as there is a mile walk within the Siq, the dim narrow gorge that acts as the main artery into the Arab Nabatean Kingdom City of Petra.
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Petra Treasury Overlook: A self-guided hike brings you to the ultimate panoramic view of the “Al-Khazneh” the Treasury building in the historical city of Petra, in Aqaba, Jordan. Please wear comfortable walking shoes as there is a mile walk within the Siq, the dim narrow gorge that acts as the main artery into the Arab Nabatean Kingdom City of Petra.
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Discovering the Majestic Forbidden City: The Forbidden City, in Beijing, China is considered one of the world’s most important palaces and China’s most popular single sight tourist attractions. Its gargantuan size is three times larger than the Louvre Palace, in France. It houses more than 90 palace quarters and courtyards, 980 buildings and over 8,728 rooms. During the 2019 Around the World Cruise, I had the prestigious honor of escorting 93 guests on a 3- day overland excursion of famous attractions in Mainland China.
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Feel the Freeze on the Wall: The Great Wall of China stretches 13,171 miles, is equal to half the length of the Equator, and is the longest man-made structure in the world. While visiting the Wall, there was an unusual snow fall which even our local tour guides had never seen before during this time of the year. Many of us were dressed for the Spring, so this unexpected snow fall provided giggles and shivers for all.
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Terracotta Warriors: This Eighth Wonder of the World, and UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Xi’an Terracotta Army stretches across 6.3 acres with approximately 8,000 military generals, officers, solders, civilians and horses. Comprising of 3 separate pits, this important royal burial site was accidentally discovered by local farmers instead of archeologists.
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Standing at attention along the Great Wall: The Chinese Wall with over 20 million visitors a year (pre-COVID-19), it was built over 6 Chinese dynasties, took hundreds of years to create and is over 2,300-year-old.
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Feeling like a Found Crusader in Petra – The Lost City of Petra is listed as the 7th New Wonder of the World,. Whether walking or taking a horse drawn carriage through the ‘Siq’ or narrow caravans that leads into the Lost City, it creates momentous crescendo as the gorge leads all visitors to the front of the famous Treasury edifice. Poising in front of the Treasury acco
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Smiles, Flowers and Ganesha: One of the best known, most worshipped deities in the Hindi pantheon, Ganesha offers good luck, positive energy and good health to those who believe in him. In India, statues of Ganesha are a welcomed beacon to gardens, restaurants, and hotels. This Hindi god of prosperity, wealth and wisdom also offers a welcomed photo companion while visiting India.
Are you ready to travel with Oceania Cruises and Jen Faust? Book online at Oceania Cruises and sail around the world with her!
The post Meet My Friend, Jennifer Faust, Oceania Cruises Ambassador appeared first on We Said Go Travel.
December 6, 2020
December 4, 2020
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