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"The haves and have nots" a common reference to the wealthy (the haves) and the poor (the have nots), in regards to financial wealth that is. Clearly one can have an abundantly wealthy life that lacks financial freedom while on the other hand, one can swim in their endless flow of money and have a poor life indeed. Since I didn't grow up with the privilege of financial security, it was always easy for me to accept my financial status throughout my entire adult life as enough. Beginning in my early twenties I always felt like whatever I earned at the time was a welcomed abundance because it was always more than what I had access to in my childhood. I truly think this constant satisfaction with whatever financial state I was in throughout the years kept me from ever wanting to keep up with the Joneses because I knew they were likely to never be satisfied. As I began to work through my professional life and started to collect successful career accomplishments, I realized more and more how financially fulfilled I was despite the potential to earn so much more. In my twenties, I worked insanely debilitating hours that certainly paid off but beginning in my thirties, just around the time I became a mom, I had this idea that working towards more time was more valuable to me than working towards more money. I didn't want to miss out on my children's early lives and was willing to earn less money to have more time with them during those precious toddler years. Now, yes, it is easy to say this when I have a financial cushion and do not have to stress about finances. I can also confidently say that most New Yorkers I know would have never stopped at the point I did because of their innate need for more money and financial success. Yet what I am also saying is that there is a way, at most financial levels, to realize that somehow we mostly have enough money (yes, most people don't realize it but they do) yet so little time to enjoy our lives. So we get tired, or fat, or depressed, or divorced, or drink ourselves to sleep, or drug ourselves into numbness. The numbers for all these ailments are staggering. Would the statistics change if everyone made the time for a daily walk, a quick read of a great book, regular quality time with their kids or spouse? I believe they would. I would even put my money on it. As we approached our mid-thirties I convinced my husband to join me in the pursuit of a life with access to more time together as a family. Had we continued to work at the pace we were working we would have easily tripled (if not more) our bank account and assets. But for what? Why do we have this need for an endless amount of cash even if it means we put our family aside, set our mental and physical health aside, move our dreams aside, and let life pass us by? Why do so many of us New York City folks willingly marry investment bankers and powerful attorneys who work endless hours signing their lives away just to own a five million dollar apartment that merely gives a taste of all the other material goods awaiting those who work their lives away? Time. Everyone's time is limited in this life but some people have the conviction to live their life fully and make the time to live their best lives while the have nots lack the ability to notice that life is whizzing by and finally realize it in their final days as they sit in front of their fireplace, in their mansion, with their doting staff around, that they spent their life working to attain recognition, materialistic accumulation, money, and respect while they have not lived at all. More, more, more. I see it all the time. The need to acquire more, purchase more, brag more, compete more... For what? Didn't Covid teach us to have a deeper purpose in our lives, to have more compassion, to have new perspectives and approaches to living? Yet so many are still not reading the signs and have not detached themselves from meaningless materialism, have not stopped associating their self-worth with their net-worth, have not realized that at some point it is more meaningful to work less even if they earn less in order to live more. Through my lens, and I know I tend to often look through unconventional lenses, but hey, looking at things differently has helped me lead quite a different life over the years, "the haves and have nots" was never a matter of wealth versus poverty to me. I always picked up on the subtle, and not so subtle, cues of how many people who seemingly had the most really had so little, and I knew I never wanted to be like them. When I listen to people speak or read their memoirs or watch their lives unfold as a friend, I never look at what they have or have not in a financial sense. Instead, I look at and listen to what they have to offer in their wisdom, experience, or life lessons. A person's financial success has never ever been of any interest to me. Living in New York City since 1998, we have met extremely financially successful people. Never, ever, ever, did I bat an eye. Because I knew that I had something most of them could never buy: time. That is, time to live my fullest and richest life before the big clock stops ticking. At a certain point in your career track, early on while you are still young, make time to enjoy your life. Assess your values and goals. Are you working your ass off to make mortgage payments each month? Sell the property. Don't be a slave to a house. Are you working endless hours to maintain your high-level title and extravagant lifestyle? Think about your title of Mom or Dad and how you play the most important role in your child's life. They grow up fast. You don't want to miss it. What's on your list of things to tackle "one day"? The only day is this day, so don't push checking off those bucket list checkboxes too long. Life is about creating memories, servicing others, transforming, evolving, impacting, experiencing... not acquiring "stuff". If you are lucky enough to gain fulfillment through your job, embrace that while also being mindful when you get stressed out and when it requires you to put the people and things that you love on hold. Check-in with yourself often and reassess. I hope that by reading this you can ask yourself if you are a have or a have not. Do you have time to enjoy the things you love? Do you have time to spend with the people you love? Do you have compassion for others? Do you have time to serve others in your community? Do you have time for adventures and new experiences that will shape you in new ways? Do you have time to do absolutely nothing so that you can figure out everything? Make time. Please, please, please make time. I am continuously baffled by how so few people have changed during the era of Covid. This pandemic is a HUGE call to change. Change your life, your perspective, your habits, your thought patterns, your gestures. Live your best life and help others live their best ones too. Start today by realizing that you have the time to do one nice thing for yourself AND one nice thing for someone else.

Charleston has always been on our list of places to visit. Now that we have the time and flexibility, we rerouted our road trip to visit this city loved by so many to find out for ourselves what all the buzz is about. Our first day was a major adjustment to the heat. It is unbearably HOT in Charleston in August. I have never been an excessive sweater, but I quickly became one after just five minutes of walking its' streets. Also, it is buggy. One thing we were happy to leave behind on St. Simons Island were the mosquitoes but they must have followed us here because we couldn't seem to escape them! Once we worked out these issues, we quickly fell in love with this picturesque city and its' architecture, people, food, and history. The people here are the nicest, warmest and friendliest folks you will ever meet. The food scene here is outstanding. The city is rich in history. If you are willing to leave the main hub there is lots to see and explore in the less known surrounding neighborhoods. The majority of people wear masks while walking around and everyone wears one while inside public spaces. Hand sanitizers are available everywhere. Social distancing guidelines are followed. They are doing a great job of keeping everyone safe. Their economy, like most, is definitely suffering. This once bustling town has barren streets and empty restaurants. If you can, head over and support this beautiful city for a long weekend. Three nights is ample time to immerse yourself in this wonderful place. Head on over, you won't regret it. Day One: Upon arrival, we checked in at The Spectator Hotel, a luxury boutique hotel that has a central location and offers the best service we have ever received from any hotel. Each room is paired with a team of butlers who within minutes fulfill any need you may have. From the moment you enter the hotel lobby, you are treated like royalty. The staff here is truly unbeatable. Along with designated butlers, guests receive complimentary welcome drinks, complimentary room service breakfast, $25 room credit to enjoy at their 1920's glam bar, a fully stocked fridge with complimentary water and soft drinks (that is always refilled), and a nice variety of snacks that are replenished whenever requested. When we checked in I asked if they had disinfecting wipes that I could use to wipe down the room after housekeeping serviced it (this sounds so bizarre, I know). Since they use a bottled concoction, a butler went to purchase wipes for me, gratis! This is the kind of stellar service you can expect here. There are no facilities besides valet, a lobby, and the hotel bar (which happens to whip up the most perfectly balanced and creative libations) but the decor is consistently sleek throughout the common areas and the rooms are beautifully decorated with great spa products and thoughtful Great Gatsby era touches. After dropping off our luggage, we headed straight for lunch at Fleet Landing. We enjoyed the water views, misting fans, great service, delicious chow, and spacious outdoor patio. They have a great selection of seafood and an extensive vegetarian and gluten-free menu. Once we refueled, we hit the sidewalks and explored Harleston Village. It was fun to pass by The College of Charleston campus, The Wentworth Hotel, Colonial Lake and admire some of the architectural gems along the way. I'm not going to lie, we weren't loving the city at this point. We were underwhelmed by how quiet it was and overwhelmed by the heat. The city felt like a complete ghost town. Charleston is a small city with only 130,000 residents, and I'm guessing we saw twenty of them on our first day in town. Maybe it was the heat or Covid or everyone getting ready for school to resume that kept everyone off the streets, but regardless, it was dead. I asked a local where everyone was and she seemed to think everything was as usual. Hmmm... After walking endlessly in the scorching heat, with not another soul in sight, we started getting pretty cranky. Luckily, we stumbled upon Christophe Artisan Chocolatier on Society Street, owned by a lovely American woman and her French husband, who is the chocolatier. I honestly can't recall a time I have passed an artisan chocolate shop without walking in for a taste or two; it's impossible to resist good chocolate! After chatting for a few minutes, and secretly stretching out the conversation to enjoy more air conditioning time, we opted for the homemade vanilla gelato push-pop and mango sorbet push-pop and boy were we in heaven! They cooled and calmed us down more quickly than they melted. We also tried some of their delicious handmade chocolates. Yum! The owner was quick to remind us that NYC is just as hot in the summer, and since we haven't experienced a summer in New York for a while, especially not while walking around all day, we started accepting the fate of the temperatures ahead. Things were starting to look better, chocolate makes everything better. Chocolate in Charleston changes everything for the best. As we made a turn on to Meeting Street, we realized Charleston was about to get a whole lot cuter. This long street is filled with restaurants, outdoor seating, bars, gelato shops, beautiful architecture, and even some people! As we headed back to the hotel to cool down and get ready for dinner, we admired the lively stretch of outdoor markets on Market Street, sprinkled with a couple of handful of tourists. It was so wonderful to see humans again! For dinner, we checked out Barsa in Cannonborough, an "up and coming" neighborhood in Charleston. Similar to Bedstuy or Bushwick in Brooklyn, this neighborhood seems to be going through some changes and several new fantastic restaurants have opened up to attract more diners and overall visitors. Barsa has a tapas-style menu and a lovely outdoor patio. We ate and ate and ate so much that with each bite we still could not stop eating despite our proclamations that"this will be the last bite". We ordered the Brussel sprouts, croquettes, cheese-stuffed red bell pepper, garlic shrimp, patata bravas, grilled octopus, champignon and cheese toast, and lamb meatballs. Barsa was a unanimous success, both the vegetarians and carnivores in our group were extremely satisfied. Following dinner, we all agreed a long walk was in order. We got lost in the streets admiring the colors and lighting of the homes that dotted the sidewalks wondering who lives in them and wishing to see more locals meandering the streets so that we can get a sense of them. We headed over to Waterfront Park enjoying the many lit up fountains under the bright moonlight. This was a true Charleston moment and a perfect way to wrap up our first day. Day Two: We heard Mt. Pleasant is a nice area to visit and that many families live there for a quieter life away from the city while still being in close proximity. Someone also compared it to Brooklyn so naturally, we were intrigued. To beat the heat, we started with outdoor activities first and started our explorations at the Mt. Pleasant Waterfront Memorial Park, a spotless park underneath the Arthur Ravenal Jr. Bridge with gorgeous water views and inviting playgrounds. These were so enticing that our two younger children finally, after months of avoiding playgrounds, couldn't resist the urge to forget about Covid for a few minutes and just be kids again! From there we drove over to walk across the Pitt Street Bridge. This was a very pretty walk that also boasts beautiful views and has a great vantage point of Sullivan Island across the way. We were curious about Sullivan Island and spontaneously drove over to visit its' main street and drive through the island's neighborhoods. We had big plans to sip on iced lattes and cool down with gelatos but those were nixed by kamikaze mosquitoes that literally attacked us by the hundreds the second our feet hit the grass. We all ran for our lives, back into the mosquito-free zone of our car, and instead, admired the small town from the safety of our car. What a shame, in our quick passing it looked like a super cute coastal town... We crossed the bridge and returned to Mt. Pleasant and passed through a neighborhood called I'on. We liked this area best due to its' close proximity to a small village with a cute vibe, its well-manicured neighborhood that exudes southern charm, and its many green public spaces. We were ready to stretch our legs and fill our bellies after driving around for quite a while and sought refuge at Crave Kitchen and Cocktails for the freshest blackened tacos loaded with aioli and coleslaw, an adorable courtyard, and award-winning macaroni and cheese. This mac & cheese dish was named "the most life-changing mac & cheese in America" by Esquire Magazine. It is nationally ranked as "the top mac & cheese in America" by Yahoo, Travel & Leisure Magazine, and other major publications and has won seven mac off competitions! Whoa! The five of us eagerly scooped up bites and agreed- it was really good, but not amazing. My kids said that the mac & cheese I make every year on Thanksgiving tastes better (insert me doing a happy dance here!). We would have probably really liked it if it wasn't hyped up. Funny how that works out... In any case, we didn't see any similarities between Mt. Pleasant and Brooklyn except that they are both outside of the city's main hub. Regardless, we always appreciate gaining a broad view of the places we travel to and expanding our wanders beyond the typical tourist map. When my fourteen-year-old son expressed interest in visiting Fort Sumter National Monument I was like, "fort what?". He learned about this fort in eighth grade when his class studied the Civil War and was excited to visit the site that he learned so much about. Fort Sumter is where the first shots of the Civil War were fired. There is too much history here to cover but I want to stress what a great excursion this is. The ferry ride was beautiful, and limited to under 30 people total despite its' three large decks and capacity for a couple of hundred folks. The monument is employed by some of the most passionate patriots you will encounter. The original cannons and rooms help the imagination jump into years of bloodshed and battle held at this very spot. If you have the time, check it out. My boys said this was their favorite memory of Charleston. After a very long day of sightseeing and covering a lot of ground, we were ready for dinner at Little Jack's Tavern in Cannonborough. They by far have the cutest, tented outdoor dining space and each table even has its' own bottle of hand sanitizer, nice touch! We gobbled up the veggie burgers, cheeseburgers, and the garlic herbed fries that we ordered but the star of the meal was the garlic knots appetizer. These rolls were perfectly buttery, soft, warm, salted, and garlicky and for an added bonus they were served with a cheese dip on the side. Drooling here. Day Three: Although Charleston started to really grow on me yesterday afternoon, by day three I fell deeply in love with the city. We continued exploring further and discovered several areas and neighborhoods that I could totally imagine living in. We began the day by walking on East Bay Street towards Rainbow Row. This stretch leads to a row of brightly colored, well-maintained homes that lead to a promenade along the bay. I love the idea of spacious homes in the middle of downtown with easy walking access around the city! Just a few more blocks south, we found another beautiful community in South Battery and on Meeting Street. These neighborhoods are all steps away from White Point Gardens whose massive oaks offer abundant shade. I started to envision walking our imaginary dogs here, reading under a two hundred year oak while sipping a local cup of Joe, jogging on the promenade, and saying "hi y'all" to the neighbors who pass me by. Charleston and I shared a special moment on day three. From South Battery, we walked towards Legare Street to further marvel at the gorgeous homes and peek through as many gates as we could to catch glimpses of the most stunning courtyards. The homes in downtown are all built in close proximity to one another but surprisingly some of them have back yards large enough for pools and al fresco dining. We continued to meander and get lost in the mesmerizing streets of colors, landscaping, and character. In this city, you will find examples of Colonial, Georgian, Classical Revival, Gothic Revival, Italianate, Victorian, and Art Deco homes. You can walk for hours and never get bored. Eventually, we hit King Street, known for its' endless stretch of high-end retail shops. I compared this to a very quiet SoHo. Eventually, we found our way back to Waterfront Park to view the Pineapple Fountain during daylight and to stroll through the park one last time. Of course, somewhere along the way, hunger kicked in and we walked quickly towards our reservation at Basic Kitchen for clean, healthy, and nutritious food. We ordered veggie burgers with pickled beet sauce and a veggie salad with free-range chicken. The biggest hit was the tempura-fried cauliflower topped with buffalo sauce. We ordered three of these as we couldn't stop gobbling them up. We were grateful for yet another delicious restaurant with a comfortable outdoor dining option that offered ample social distancing, despite the fact that not many patrons were around. Since our kids have been such troopers with all the sightseeing, we wanted to do something that was especially fun for them. They chose Escape in 60 and we happily complied. Initially, we signed up for the Ransom theme, being urged to solve the clues in time to set "our son, Little Jimmy, free from the kidnapper". We were assured it was age-appropriate and not scary but the second we were all left in that dark room to fend for ourselves, we all freaked out and pressed the exit button as quickly as we could. We are always a circus act wherever we go and I absolutely love it. The staff there were so nice and understanding and immediately switched us into the Egyptian Chamber which was well lit and we had a BIG blast. To wrap things up nicely, we even escaped nine minutes early! Go Team! Our dinner at Frannie & The Fox was the ultimate culinary experience in Charleston and the best way to start winding down our visit. The food scene in this city is amazing. We have not been disappointed once by the staff, decor or quality of food. Everything has been spot on at every restaurant we visited. Frannie & The Fox goes above and beyond by offering a menu of selected choices that are all prepared in a wood-burning fire. We wanted to try as much as we could and we opted for the blue crab fritters, charred corn, wood-roasted summer beans, heirloom tomato toast with whipped ricotta, Margherita pizza, taleggio pizza (white cheese, black pepper, and burnt honey), and wood-roasted half chicken. We were blown away by each bite and left wishing that we had one more night in Charleston. Day Four: On our last day, we set out to Avondale, West Ashley, right outside of downtown, to admire the graffiti art alley and view a slew of murals. Its' not quite Wynwood Walls, but it's a good start in that direction and a great way to support local artists. Magnolia Plantation and Gardens was next on the agenda. You can easily get lost in the 464 acres of this magnificent property that has a steep history in the Lowcountry for over three hundred years. We marveled at the breathtaking landscape with lush foliage, vast gardens, a multitude of swamps, and endless marshes. The countless rows of oaks were whispering their many secrets to those who listened, oh how much they witnessed! Slavery. Wars. Love. Passion. Death. Nevertheless, this has remained to be one of America's oldest and most beautiful public gardens preserved by one family. In addition to the infinite trails the property also has a petting zoo, which is always a big hit with the kiddos! For the grand finale we drove over to John's Island, still, technically a part of Charleston, to dive into Tattooed Moose's mind-blowing blue cheese garlic fries and a yummy outdoor lunch embraced by oaks and to then say hello to Angel Oak, a four-hundred-year-old oak tree that is projected to live five hundred more years. I have referenced ghosts in the south in past posts and have alluded to my personal belief that trees of this stature bear witness to life events that occur around them. When I read that local folklore tells stories of ghosts of former slaves appearing as angels around this tree, I don't doubt it. Secretly we hoped Charleston would lure us into calling it home. We absolutely adore the people and lifestyle in South Carolina. We changed our entire itinerary last minute with an urgency to visit this city in the event that we could possibly move there. In theory, Charleston meets every criterion we want in a place we would consider moving to. Yet, it just didn't feel like a place we could live long term. New York City is hard to compete with and I am not sure whether we could ever fall in love with another city. So, here we go again, on to the next leg of our road trip, in search of a new home or just the solid realization that there is no place like NYC, the place we have called home for the past twenty-two years.

What are the chances that three NYC families from the same building end up, unplanned, on this not-so-known island? There are many reasons this place draws folks from big cities and there are many reasons that it should remain a well-kept secret. Below are some insights on our two very special weeks on the island. When I think of St. Simons Island, I think BEACH. There is so much of it- long, dreamy stretches of endless sand along miles of the beautiful coast. The house we rented was along the ninth street entrance of East Beach, the main beach, with beautiful sand dunes that greet you as soon as you step on the sand. Each morning began with an early walk; flip flops in hand and feet in the water. Similarly, many days ended with sunset strolls admiring the coast's ever-changing colors as the day neared its' end. Depending on the clouds in the sky and the sun's mood, each walk brought a new vista and new discoveries. When I think of St. Simons Island, I think of a laid-back and super chill vibe. This beach town is so unpretentious and the people are so friendly, you can't avoid quickly falling into island time. This island truly follows its' own clock, one with no time. After our morning beach walks, we made a mad dash to Wake Up Coffee. This is probably one of the best coffee shops I have ever been to in all our travels anywhere in the world. They roast their beans onsite, the entire staff is incredibly friendly and their iced lattes are simply creamy, dreamy, and addictive. My husband was hooked on their cold brew. We will have major withdrawal symptoms for sure. On the northern tip of East Beach, you will find Gould's Inlet, a protected nature reserve where several species of birds nest their eggs, and sand bars stretch far into the sea. This is a popular spot for bird watching, fishing and just staring into the infinite blue sky and sea. We also connected with the beautiful wonders of nature through a private beach yoga session with East Beach Yoga. We hoped to have more regular sessions but there was just so much to see and do, and we, unfortunately, were unable to book additional classes. Our instructor, Chrissy, was awesome and flowing through our poses with the wind in our hair, toes in the sand, and waves crashing around us, is unforgettable. Many locals, and visitors, get around the island on golf carts, adding to its' charming appeal. We rented our cart from Golf Cart Rentals. They deliver the carts to your driveway and pick them up too. It couldn't be an easier transaction and it is the best way to explore the area. A highlight of the trip was hopping on the golf cart to search for the seven Tree Spirits around the island. These are faces carved into oak trees by artist Keith Jennings who in the '80s connected with the trees, listened to their whispers, and carved out faces representing the trees' souls. The trees spoke to him. How cool is that? There are maps outlining their locations online or at the Pier Village Visiting Center. We really loved searching for them and equally shared our enthusiasm when finding them. Since the Tree Spirits are dispersed throughout the island, this hunt led us to places we would have not seen otherwise, an added bonus! Pier Village is a popular attraction and has a very well maintained and clean promenade along the coast. Unfortunately, it gets crowded and surprisingly, no one wears a mask. The five of us, always donning our masks, stood out every time we visited, not that we cared. Not only are people unmasked, but they also refuse to give you personal space or follow social distancing guidelines. For this reason, we didn't enjoy this location as much as we normally would have despite its' close proximity to our rental house. Otherwise, we loved Sweet Shop's retro and quirky decor for delicious ice-cream treats. We also got good laughs and giggles from the handwritten anti-liberal signs posted in a local storefront. Whether we agree or not with the rants, coming from NYC we did love hearing a fresh and new perspective. The St. Simon's Lighthouse is a landmark in Pier Village and definitely adds to its' charm. At Pier Village, you can also play miniature golf, sit in a multitude of well-shaded parks, enjoy some delicious food at Barbara Jeans and even spot dolphin pods doing their dainty dance. Fort Frederica National Monument beautifully preserves a town and fort that protected the southern British colony in Georgia from Spanish invasion between 1736-1748. The ruins are very clearly marked and offer great historic context and explanations. This spacious monument is well shaded and no one was in sight during our visit. We had 284 acres all to ourselves. Perfect for social distancing! I was easily taken back to what life in this bustling town with a population of 1,000 must have been like and where the USA would be today if the Spanish made it to land. Hofwyl Broadfield Plantation is another great stop to take in some history and learn about life on a plantation that yielded over 1.5 million pounds of rice per year via the labor of almost 360 slaves. Personally, I found it important to come here, and teach our kids the history of slavery and allow them to have a visual experience of what a plantation looked like and how it operated. Important conversations were had during and after this visit. I believe that preserving these types of plantations is crucial to preserving the accuracy of their history. In terms of food, since we are still a little nervous when dining out, we really limit our visits to restaurants. While on the island over the past two weeks we dined at Coastal Kitchen and Gnats. Coastal Kitchen has an outdoor patio facing the marina and honestly serves the yummiest "dirty oysters", shrimp & grits, and crab cake Egg Benedict ever. The oysters were topped with hot sauce, cream, and caviar. Can you say YUM? This is a must-visit when in the area. Gnats is located in Fern Village, a more upscale area than Pier Village. Despite its' location, the restaurant is very laid back, with great service and a menu mainly offering fresh seafood options. The menu is simple and so is the presentation- everything is served on disposable plates- which I think works brilliantly with its adorable picnic table lined back yard. I loved my redfish sandwich, perfectly grilled and seasoned. We also ordered take out a couple of times from Barabara Jean's that we truly enjoyed. The buffalo shrimp and coleslaw have been on my brain since my last bite. The restaurant is always packed, sometimes with patrons spilling on to the sidewalk, again unmasked and unfazed by the virus. The buffalo shrimp is beyond good, but is it good enough to risk my health? Nope. Take out it is! Also, vegetarians beware: although their menu has a whole list of vegetable sides, they put pork or chicken broth in almost all of them. White rice: chicken broth. Beans: pork. Broccoli: bacon. With two vegetarian children, I know what questions to ask when ordering food, but I never expected that green beans and broccoli would not be vegetarian and not specifically noted as such on the menu. Something to keep in mind if this affects you... A couple of other cute, short explorations we made during our two-week visit that is worth mentioning are Gascoigne Bluff Park, Avenue of the Oaks, and John Gilbert Nature Trails. Gascoigne features twenty-four acres of oaks and the second-largest red cedar tree in Georgia. These trees are massive. It is also the former site of an Indian Settlement. We were so well protected by the trees that kept us impervious to the insanely high afternoon heat. This is a lovely park to have a picnic or stroll along the water under the protection of the vast oaks. John Gilbert Nature Trail is more rustic and raw. It's a cute, very short walk over a marsh with lots of crab sightings and... lots of mosquitoes! Make sure to pack that repellent! Avenue of the Oaks is one of those places that are so stunning, no picture can do it justice. We visited this perfectly manicured, endless stretch of gigantic oaks that seemingly reach for each other, creating an ongoing arch that greets you as you drive through. There is no parking here unless you are staying at The Lodge of Sea Island or enjoying the golf courses at the Sea Island Golf Club. You can drive through with your golf cart or your car, but don't expect to get out and have a stroll or a picnic. It is definitely worth a visit and will leave you, once again, speechless by nature's beauty. We loved the romantically southern environment so much, we slowly drove through on three different occasions. The homes around East Beach each have their own distinct personality but they all share a common beach vibe. We loved driving through the neighborhood, in the golf cart, and seeing the different architecture and lifestyle expressions. I will miss this little island so much! One of my favorite memories on the island is when we randomly bumped into our NYC neighbors. Literally, the very moment we drove into our driveway in our golf cart, they drove past us in their golf cart and noticed our car with a NY license plate parked in the driveway. We just couldn't believe the chances and the timing of meeting like that! The next day we went for an evening stroll at the beach and chatted non-stop for almost ninety minutes. We have been neighbors for TEN years and never have spoken for more than five minutes in passing. That's the power of St. Simons; its' energy creates beautiful connections. For the first time in months of not having any physical social contact, while on the island, we have magically connected to these neighbors, along with yet another neighbor who is staying on the island too, and my sister-in-law came to visit us for a few nights. St. Simons is magical in that way. It brings people together, opens up a whole new world where time does not exist, and forges new memories and friendships- in a place like this, these all become very easy to do.

August is a big month in our home. We celebrate our two sons' birthdays, as well as mine. Our boys eagerly await August, counting down the days several months in advance for their birthdays to arrive. I, on the other hand, have found myself crying as the month approaches knowing that another year has gone by, that my babies are growing too fast, and that with each year that passes, they are one year closer to branching out into adulthood. There have been too many nights when I panicked as I began to fall asleep, fearing that I will not wake up the next morning. I am uncertain as to whether I experienced lucid dreaming or whether I was fully conscious during these breathless episodes as the experience was always a familiar blur the next morning. I would catch myself suddenly gasping for air, whacking my husband mid-sleep as I convinced myself that I was dying, and literally fought my eyes from closing until I could no longer resist sleep. I have never been a particularly anxious person but whenever I have obsessed over time, and how quickly my little ones are growing, I was immediately struck with panic. TIME. What is time? How is it really measured? I cannot quantify it except that it is passing by at lightning speed and I can't seem to catch it despite constantly chasing it, yearning to catch it and grab it and lock it up or feed it to one of the alligators on the island. TIME. Time is one of our biggest assets and blessings, yet so many people abuse it and wake up one day to a life that has passed too fast. I have diligently been aware of this asset and have made it a point to spend my time making memories, experiencing, and learning as much as I am able to. Even with this relentless determination to grasp it and maximize it, it just keeps slipping away. As we approached August last month, my mind obsessively focused on the past four years longing more than anything in the world to have those years back. In four years my oldest son will be leaving home for college. Just four years ago he slept in my bed, had a "kid accent", drew me loving pictures. I couldn't handle the idea that time is taking my kids away from me and thrusting them towards adulthood. They are my lifeline, my purpose, my core. They are every ounce of every memory, and I can't fathom, I just can't begin to imagine, that in just four years one child will be on his way into manhood as the other two slowly follow. This thought is so heart wrenching and cruel that I literally have spent years lamenting about what is unavoidable. This August, something changed. It suddenly clicked. This is the first August I didn't weep. Not a single tear. Spending all these round the clock hours with my kids for the past five months has made me realize that I actually love that they are getting older! We hang out all day long, talk politics, work out together, plan our next trips together...we have been together non-stop since the pandemic. They have become my best friends, my peeps. They have grown into people I truly love spending time with and I seriously have spoken with them more in the past five months than I have talked to anyone my entire life. Time is a gift and if you cherish and nurture it, and if you're really lucky, then it continues to snowball into stronger relationships, more memories, endless laughs. Time used to feel like it was snowballing out of control. These days I literally visualize it collecting great shared moments as it rolls forward into the future, growing larger and fatter with more great memories and experiences one year at a time. I am totally aware that the snowball will crash one day but unlike before, I am not clenching on to thin air. They will grow. They will move out. They will fall in love. They will have their own lives. In the meantime, rather than sobbing about these realities, I will focus on the time we have now in order to further solidify the time we will hopefully have together in the future. Now, later. Yesterday, tomorrow. It's really all a blur. It also really doesn't matter when we realize that our time is limited, yet limitless. No more tears around birthdays. I will now share the same enthusiasm my kids have when they mark another year, except that I won't measure it as a year. I'll just view it as a great reason to bake a special cake.

In 1886, Jekyll Island was purchased to become an exclusive winter retreat, known as the Jekyll Island Club. It quickly became known as “the richest, the most exclusive, the most inaccessible club in the world” and evolved into a sanctuary for the uber-wealthy who enjoyed their winters on this little paradise while rubbing elbows with other prominent figures. As soon as we arrived, I was immediately drawn to this small and isolated island surrounded by sea, sun, and breathtaking landscaping. As we drove through the historic district to scope out the winter homes of the Rothschild, Goodyear, Vanderbilt, and Morgan families, I was simply transported to another era. Although the club no longer exists and instead has been converted to a five-star resort, and the historic vacation homes have been preserved as museums and landmarks, visitors can easily capture the magnetic energy that still exists on the island. (left to right: Crane Cottage, home of Richard Teller Crane Jr and Goodyear Cottage, home of Frank Henry Goodyear) (left to right: Cherokee Cottage built for Shrady Family, The Jekyll Island Club Resort, and Mistletoe Cottage, home of Henry Kirk Porter) For grub, we headed to Zachry's Riverhouse. The food was delicious but even more so I loved its' secluded location near the marina and how it is tucked into a secret nook protected by massive oaks. The outdoor seating was nice and shady. The irony of the house rules was hard to ignore. Signs were posted everywhere reminding people to keep six feet distance yet parties at the outdoor bar were seated directly near one another. We were initially seated at a table too close to others and requested to move, which they happily did which allowed us to enjoy the view and the vibe while vacationing. If you ever find yourself wondering what it would be like to be in Salvador Dali's mind then you must make a visit to Driftwood Beach on the northeast end of Jekyll Island. What you will encounter is so surreal and eerily striking you will be forced to think about life and death. You will suddenly be reminded that even in death there is a striking beauty in what is left behind. I couldn't stop snapping pictures. No matter how hard I tried, I just could not take a single shot that successfully captured this enchanting spot on our vast planet. My kids compared the beach to Iceland, which yes, I agreed. Driftwood Beach, like Iceland, is also otherworldly. Simply described, it's a graveyard of trees on the coast that evoked so many feelings in the five of us. Some trees have branches bent over, stretching long as if to clutch the earth and hang on a little bit longer as they took their last breaths. Others were twisted into works of art, sculpted by Mother Nature herself. Many were reaching towards the sun and the sky calling on the heavens. After some time digesting the scene, it occurred to me that there was so much motion left in their stillness, almost as if the hundreds of trees around us just suddenly froze in time waiting to be awakened. I still can't help but relate to the scene, to the trees. Are we frozen in time during this pandemic? Are we waiting for an awakening individually and also as a human race? Can we push ourselves even further than we already have and stretch and twist our minds and souls into ways we would normally avoid? More importantly, I was left asking myself, what can I do while still alive to leave such a beautiful legacy behind when my time is up. The beach has very large pockets of clay (left picture) buried under the sand. Other than the Dead Sea, I have never been to a beach with so much of this thick mud! The kids loved squishing it and we even molded large chunks into the shape of a head with a face and passed it along playing "hot potato". Good laughs, especially when the head hit the water and splattered us with its' mud guts. We wondered if like the clay in the Dead Sea, this mud had any health properties too. We couldn't find any information on this but we did learn that this clay is actually 40,000 years old from a salt marsh that used to stand where the beach currently is. Pretty cool! Finally, I had to share the photo on the right. If you zoom in and look very closely, you will hopefully see what I saw along the shore. As the waves rolled back to the sea, they left trails that resemble....trees! Do you see the branches? I was amazed by this. It's almost as if the ocean left behind sketches from its' vantage point and etched them into the sand. Yes, I do believe in miracles and magic. These days I have searched for them with even more eagerness. They are really all around us. To see them, you must not only believe they are there but you need to search for them. Go on a walk, get in your car, get on a plane- whatever you do, just get out and explore. And wear a mask.

The weather in Georgia has been unpredictable. The forecast constantly predicts high chances of rain and yet not a single raindrop appears when expected. These false predictions have kept us home the last two days so today, despite the forecast for a very rainy day, we took our chances and hopped in the car to check out nearby Old Town Brunswick after some locals recommended visiting the area. As anticipated, not a drop of rain ruined our plans! We began our explorations at a nameless, small park underneath the Sidney Lanier Bridge, a cable suspension bridge that spans 500 feet and connects Brunswick to Jekyll Island (and beyond). Although the bridge is truly beautiful, we did not find this to be the best vantage point to capture its beauty. About a three-minute walk from this park, near the Coast Guard Station, is a hidden entrance to Earth Day Nature Trail, a small and picturesque nature preserve that is extremely easy to hike, even in Georgia's scorching August temperatures as it is well shaded and under one mile long. The park is home to several bird species and many, many crabs. There are one million fiddler crabs per acre of marshlands in the area. There are 350,000 acres of marshland. Now you do the math but trust me when I say, there are lots of crabs! We ventured down into an accessible part of the marshes and suddenly thousands of fiddler crabs cleared the way for us. It was like witnessing the Red Sea parting! Kids and grown-ups were equally delighted by the close contact with these little crustaceans that boast an extra-large claw. If you look really close, they look like they are smiling! Next, we headed a mile or so to the Historic District of Old Town Brunswick to take in some of the Victorian architecture, Main Street and Hanover Square (one of the two large squares in Old Town Brunswick that retains its original size and shape). Hanover Square is small and quaint with an original fountain in its center surrounded by pretty landscaping. Main Street is an endearing, long stretch of shops and restaurants. Unfortunately, it was a ghost town. Literally, no one was around. We wondered why such a charming town filled with eclectic mom and pop stores, breweries, and well-rated restaurants was so utterly abandoned. Unfortunately, I think this is a result of Covid and that Main Street is just one small example of how small businesses have been severely affected by the way the virus has impacted the economy. However, just 7 miles away in St. Simons Island the streets, restaurants, and shops are packed. It is hard to understand why such a lovely, well-kept strip of shops in a city with a population of 16,000 people has no one drawing them in. Personally, I find Main Street in Old Town Brunswick much better kept and much more appealing than Mallery Street in St. Simons Island yet the former is barren while the latter location is packed. I don't get it. I do feel very sad though for all the businesses that are suffering as a result of Covid and I truly hope that Main Street bounces back to what I can easily imagine was once a sprawling, vibrant and active destination. There is more to see in Old Town Brunswick that we didn't get to during today's visit because we were worried the rain would finally catch up with us. Of course, it didn't until we hopped in the pool. Since we were already wet and have given up on dodging it we welcomed it to join us.

Fernandina Beach, on the northern part of Amelia Island, is just an hour and a half drive from St. Simons Island, GA (our home base for two weeks). We decided to get in the car and in our spirit of exploring, drove south to this coastal town in Florida. Growing up in Miami, we always had friends who vacationed at Amelia, which Conde Nast continuously rates as a top ten island destination in the US. Since we only went for the day, of which we mostly spent at sea, we were not able to fully absorb its' essence but we definitely got a taste of the charming feel of Fernandina Beach and caught a glimpse of its history filled with pirate tales and even rumors of potential treasures still waiting to be found. We began our morning by heading to the pier and meeting our captains on The Windward Sail catamaran we booked in celebration of our son's fourteenth birthday. We were greeted with warm hospitality, albeit it was an unmasked one. Although we had ample space in the front of the boat when we first embarked and sat at the dining table in the rear deck we felt too close to the captains who surprisingly did not wear masks, even when we were in close proximity. Once we took off our shoes, we quickly headed for more space to the front deck where we immediately forgot about Covid for the next three hours that we were embraced by the sea. Sailing past Cumberland Island brought lots of excitement as we spotted some of the island's 200 wild horses. Cumberland Island is part of Georgia, has no residents, can only be accessed by boats or ferries, and has just one inn, The Greyfield Inn, which was also the site of John F Kennedy and Carolyn Bessette's super-secretive wedding. All these romantic and magical vibes washed over us as we glided by admiring the landscape and wildlife. We also passed a runway, built in the water, that the US Navy uses for its monthly submarine docks back on land in the nearby Kingsbay Naval Submarine Base, one of two of the most important naval bases in the US. I was hoping to witness one of the nuclear powered (yikes!) submarines slowly emerge from the water and make its way towards its' base, but no such luck! Can you imagine living with approximately 100 other soldiers immersed hundreds, even thousands, of feet deep for sixty-ninety days at a time? No thank you! Along the way, we sighted the Pippi Longstocking house, Fort Clinch (a massive fort built in 1847), many bird species, and dolphins too. While exploring the US by road is an adventure in itself, there is nothing like getting lost at sea. I have always felt a strong connection to the ocean and find that with it my mind only wanders to gratitude and overwhelming love for nature's bountiful beauty. At sea, there is no plan or agenda. At sea, the wind blows through my hair and takes any uneasy thoughts with it. At sea, when I listen closely, I hear words of wisdom. At sea, inhaling the saltwater rejuvenates me and prepares me to trust what comes next. After disembarking the vessel, we walked over to Centre Street which is full of eclectic and independent shops. Before arriving I read that some folks compare this main street of Fernandina Beach to New England towns. I had a completely different view of it. To me, it resembles a (very well kept) scene out of a Western movie. This was once a stomping ground for pirates and although the stretch of shops is high-end and well maintained, you can easily imagine that pirates and cowboys once perused their way through these streets too. The Palace Saloon, the oldest saloon in Florida, adds to this flavor. Rumors have it that this was the last bar in the US to close during The Prohibition and that it sold ice cream during the prohibition years (that's "ice cream" of course). We had lunch at Kariboo, which was an awesome choice. They have a beautiful courtyard with ample space to social distance and lots of shade. I had a blackened mahi-mahi sandwich that I gobbled up. It was perfectly seasoned and grilled, oozing with spicy aioli sauce and topped with delicious mango salsa. Paired with a glass of well-chilled Sauvignon Blanc, well... let's just say I was one happy diner! And just when we thought it couldn't get better, dessert arrived. We opted for the key lime pie (a must when in Florida!), a chocolate pecan pie, and a strawberry cake. All homemade. All absolutely delicious. I can't believe that I spent twenty-one years of my life living in Florida and never experienced this laid back, chill, and unpretentious part of the state which is very unlike the glitzy and flashy experience I had growing up just a few hours south in Miami. Truth be told, we will never learn about "what is out there" until we get out and explore. I hope that highlighting some of these less known locations will inspire you to get into your cars and explore them as well, or even just areas closer to wherever you are that you would have not normally considered visiting. There is so much out there waiting to be discovered!

Who would have thought that just three miles away from St. Simons Island is a teeny island that makes you feel like you are a world away? Somehow, my husband who is not known to be a "finder" or a planner, found this gem in celebration of my birthday. When he told us to pack for a night for a surprise getaway and we arrived there in ten minutes I was thrown off with excitement along with confusion. Sea Island is part of the Golden Isles of Georgia, which is comprised of St. Simons Island, Jekyll Island and Little St. Simons Island. It boasts five miles of private beaches as well as the Sea Island Resort, a five-star hotel that continuously makes Forbes top destination list. The resort is very exclusive requiring tight security to enter its' gates. As soon as you drive past them, you know that something special lies ahead. Here's a little peek into the property and how we spent 36 hours on this little treasure. We arrived at the resort at 10:00 am, dropped off our luggage, and headed straight to the beach where our loungers, umbrellas, beverages, and snacks were already waiting for us along with a wireless speaker to enjoy some tunes while soaking in the sun (how thoughtful is that?) The shore was pristine with barely anyone around and the glistening water was calling our name. I like my seawater at a very specific temperature: NOT COLD. The temperature of this water is heavenly. We swam with the kids for hours at a time while we chased the waves and marveled at the earth's bountiful beauty. The resort has ample complimentary boogie boards for their younger guests which we thought was another nice touch. We basically spent both days beginning with a few hours on the beach, then headed to one of the property's beautiful pools, and returned to end the day back at the beach after lunch. On our second day, we even spotted a pod of dolphins swimming along their merry way. The long and secluded stretches of sand really made us feel like we were on a remote island in the middle of nowhere. It was perfect. The property is comprised of two main structures and lodging options. We stayed in the Beach Club because of its close proximity to the beach, but nearby Cloisters on the Black River is a gorgeous option too. There are several golf courses, tennis courts, a plethora of activities like Falconry (yup), sailing classes for all ages, and even a shooting school! You can't get bored here. We took advantage of none of these amenities since we were very content with being lazy by any body of water. There are several pools, including a kids' pool with a water slide- a really good one! I must admit I let out a couple of shouts sliding down, especially towards the end when it picked up speed! There is also an adults' only pool with four private cabanas beautifully stocked with toiletries, towels, and beverages. My hubby even coordinated with the staff to decorate a cabana for me with banners and balloons. Speaking of the staff, they are wonderful. Everyone is very friendly, polite and went out of their way to make my birthday a memorable one along with each turn. Our kids were thrilled by the enormous game room filled with arcades, air hockey, and every other game a kid could dream of playing while on vacation. We were even more excited when we heard they were all FREE. Yet another nice touch! Their onsite ice-cream and candy shop is also dreamy. I splurged and treated myself to decadent and perfectly creamy cookies & cream shake with whipped cream. Since we are a group of five we opted for the one-bedroom suite which was enormous, beautifully decorated, spotless, and had two spacious balconies with sea views that kept us connected to the ocean even when we were forced to peel away. We were extremely comfortable and satisfied with our room. Waking up to a breathtaking view was a gift in itself. In terms of Covid measures, the hotel makes it very clear that masks must be worn at all times when walking around the public areas. The entire staff was masked and so were most of the guests. Lounge chairs and dining tables were all spaced at least six feet apart with signs reminding people not to move the furniture around to ensure proper distancing. While waiting in line to enjoy the pool slide, the floor was marked so that no one was in close proximity to another guest while waiting. Servers wore gloves along with their masks. To be extra safe, I wiped every cup, silverware stem, plate rim, etc with alcohol swabs. I also had Clorox wipes handy at all times and used them in the cabana to wipe all areas with frequent hand touching. I feel a little neurotic sometimes, but best to be safe than sorry. Overall, we felt very respected and protected when it came to Covid safety measures. Sea Island Resort is a must for anyone in the general area and even for those farther away. I would totally take a two-hour flight from NYC to visit again and spend several nights on this majestic property. My one complaint is the food quality. Since we did not pack our dressier clothes on this road trip, we could not access the award-winning, jackets required, dining option so I can't speak about this well-known restaurant. The beachside/poolside menu is very limited and feels like everything is prepared in advance and then warmed up before serving. Dinner at Southern Tide was just "OK". We ordered room service for breakfast and were disappointed with the food quality and the take out containers the meals were delivered in. Food-wise, they can use improvement. The suites have large, fully equipped kitchens. I would totally return again, but next time I'll plan to bring some food along and maybe a pair of heels with a nice, summer dress to experience the better dining options. I truly cannot imagine a better way to have celebrated my birthday than to have discovered this little piece of heaven in Georgia!

Yes, I am. I didn't realize this until yesterday. Beforehand I genuinely considered myself pretty selfless and took pride in thinking of ways to make other people's lives better in any way I possibly could. I won't list endless examples. If you know me well, I think you would agree that I am extremely thoughtful of others and very generous with my time, money, love, and encouragement. I genuinely thrive when I make others happy. Then, a couple of nights ago, after thousands of endless hours contemplating failed friendships and ones that are on the verge of fading, I finally learned that I played an equal part in being as self-centered as those very friends that I stopped being friends with for their own selfish tendencies. I frequently find my feelings bruised when people close to me don't support me in the ways that I hope they would, which is usually compared to the ways I would treat them in similar circumstances. There are many times when I considered my closest friends to be selfish, lacking in thoughtfulness and I even convinced myself that they may not care as much about me as I do about them. As my birthday approaches tomorrow, my biggest wish (besides health for me and my family!) is to stop grappling with the way I perceive others feel about me based on whether they "rise to the occasion" of being thoughtful friends by showing their unwavering support and proving that they are equally thoughtful. I feel stuck in a socially and emotionally primitive and immature teenage capsule. How do I transport back into my current adult life and figure out how to get these thoughts out of my mind? I have struggled with these feelings for too many years. Ironically, they have been a part of my adult life far more than they were in my younger years. As I have grown older, I have become more thoughtful, caring, generous, and compassionate with each year that passes. I guess it makes sense that my expectations of others have shifted accordingly and explains why the bar of how I expect to be treated in return has been raised to sometimes suffocating standards. A most recent example of disappointment, resulting from unmet expectations, is when I first mentioned the creation of this blog to approximately twenty people to who I feel closest. I invited them to subscribe, but I was again let down by the lack of support that I anticipated. I genuinely thought that these friends would care enough to follow our journey for the next few months. I mean, these are friends who I've known for years and have had so much history with. Yet, only half of them cared enough to subscribe and follow our experiences, deflating me once more. Do they not care about us? Are they not interested in following my family's whereabouts? Why didn't they subscribe? Do they not want to feel caught up while we are apart? Although some made the effort to text back and share encouraging words, plugging their emails into the "subscribe" tab proved to be too demanding of a task. Others did not respond at all to my invitation. Ouch. This is a teeny tiny example of shattered expectations and the disappointments that escalate as a result. Unfortunately, there are much larger and more hurtful ones that have sadly kept me awake too many nights. I won't delve into those. Regardless, this example highlights how they did not fulfill my needs by subscribing. While it is much easier to blame them for not being devoted or supportive friends, it is pretty transparent that the problem really lies around my ego not getting the boost it hoped for. My gosh, all these years I thought I was selfless and altruistic but I have actually been so self-centered! In giving, I expected to receive the same level of care, attention, and generosity. I was really thinking of myself all along! Having these expectations were a direct construct of me, myself, and I. They were set up to only serve me. Covid's isolation era has mostly kept me away from my friends and social environments for the past five months, giving me ample time to mull over many thoughts and feelings while slowly shedding the destructive ones for good. By having specific expectations of others, I have set them up for failure and put unnecessary weight on relationships that were important to me. I used to convince myself that if I did less, reached out less, invited less, included less, gave less, and even loved less, then I would save myself a future of more debilitating thoughts around this issue because in doing less I would expect less and therefore be disappointed less. How sad would that be though? The last thing I want to do is harden and become bitter or resentful. It would suck if I was no longer the gal who took such good care of others. I strive to change for the better, not the worst. The time has come to eradicate the damaging pattern that comes with expectations. I will no longer accuse others of selfishness because I now realize, that even if they are being selfish if I am thinking of the ways they should be thinking of or treating me, I am being selfish too. Friends are for fun times and good memories. I am so fortunate to have many wonderful memories with wonderful friends. I'll hang on to these aspects. And for those of you who are reading this, thank you for subscribing to my blog :)

My thoughts are obsessively overtaken with themes of gratitude. I am so grateful that my friends and family are healthy, that although I am no longer working due to the pandemic my husband is still employed and that we are able to take this road trip and get away from reality for a bit. This privilege does not ever escape my mind. Accepting these blessings from the universe without returning the favor is just not an option in my perspective. If you are healthy and employed, I hope that you are also giving back in whatever capacity you can. Mooching from the plentiful blessings life has brought my way, would be a self-centered and thoughtless way to live. Those who can help, should. It is our social responsibility to give back to our earth, to those in need, and to our communities. Below are lists of organizations my family has donated to along with ways we have dedicated our time to serve other humans over the past five months. Both helping others financially and with your time are equally important. I hope that the list below inspires you with some ideas of getting involved in the act of helping others. Volunteering: As many of you know, my family has participated in monthly community service events for the past four years, serving a variety of communities and organizations. During the Covid era, it is especially difficult to come up with ways to serve others when everything is shut down and new social distancing guidelines have been put in place. We had to brainstorm and came up with these ways to give back, with our time: 1- Last month I organized a big buddy/little buddy community comprised of a dozen teens who are matched with elementary school-aged kids for weekly zoom lessons to help with academic concepts or just have fun together. While my older son helps his little buddy with math concepts, my younger two children play games like freeze dance with their young, new friends. This has been a positive way for them to help other families entertain, and help, their kids while they struggle to work from home and keep their kids occupied. 2- We have an Instagram page called KindnessCult. My kids either played instruments for other kids to enjoy their music and they also held live, weekly Instagram storytimes for younger kids to enjoy. 3- We made beautiful cards for our UPS and FedEx drivers and left them on our porch thanking them for working during these trying times. Can you imagine if we couldn't get our Amazon deliveries? 4- My husband bought bouquets of flowers and gave them, along with cards we made, to the awesome cashiers at the grocery stores we shopped from regularly. We considered these employees as essential as hospital workers and we wanted to make sure they knew it! 5- We made notes and cards for essential workers thanking them for all their heroic work during these tumultuous times. 6- I called my local precinct in NYC and asked if we could donate money. I was told they cannot accept monetary donations but that having food/meals delivered would be a welcomed treat. 7- We sprinkled our local bay with inspirational and uplifting words that we drew on stones and rocks to hopefully bring smiles to other's faces as they passed by. Donating: Since our kids have been very little we encouraged them to donate 10% of any monetary gifts they have been given. About once to twice a year we gather the donations collected and decide which charities to give to. In addition, my husband and I support organizations that mean a lot to us. Here are the not-for-profits we have been supporting since the pandemic: 1- GreenPeace 2- Pandemic of Love 3- Chabad of Tribeca 4- Jewish Learning Institute 5- Animal Haven 6- Ocean Conservancy Please share with me how you and your family have been engaged in community service during the pandemic and what your favorite charities are. We need new ideas on our end too!

Challah. This bread conjures up so many emotions and memories. No matter where we are in the world, we have challah every Friday night. Since the pandemic erupted, and life slowing down, I have been able to bake challah weekly. When I think of challah, I think of happy children, a table filled with friends and family as we break the bread, little hands of my little helpers picking at the dough and helping me braid, Saturday morning traditions of french toast for breakfast, a kitchen overwhelmed by the aroma of freshly baked bread... Prior to the Covid era, I use to make large batches of challah and freeze them post-baking so that I only had to make them once a month. Nowadays, as I mentioned, I either bake weekly or make enough for two weeks. I know many are intimidated by baking their own challah but it really is not that difficult and if you bake large batches that you can enjoy in the weeks ahead it becomes a less daunting task. You can also make the dough the night before you bake it and let the first rising happen in the fridge overnight, which will save you two hours of rising time the next day. I like to try new challah recipes and always give them my own touch. I like the NY Times recipe along with Torey Avey's recipe. My kids, like most kids, love everything chocolate so chocolate chip challah is a must in my home. Rather than top the challah with chocolate chips, I incorporate them into the dough. I use Ghirardelli 65% dark chocolate chips, approximately 2 cups. I have also put cocoa powder into the flour mix or mixed Nutella into the dough. You can have fun with your own culinary expressions! White chocolate chip/peanut butter was a big hit with the family too. Last year I went to a women's challah making class and I learned of savory challah recipes like scallions and black sesame seeds and zatar. Really, you can't go wrong so feel free to experiment. Consider being creative with your egg wash too. I often add brown sugar to it or honey or maple syrup or agave. You get the point. Challah. May you all be blessed with challah in your lives. Give it a try, you won't regret it!

I can't believe our month in Hilton Head has come to an end. I will forever remember the colors of the island: green and blue. The lush landscaping surrounded by blue seas will be embedded in my memory always. Below I will share some of our itineraries over the month so that you can easily plan your stay here too! First, I'd like to highlight that living here the past four weeks has brought me to a place of mental stillness I have not enjoyed in many years. Unlike other vacations, this one required no planning. We truly mastered the art of "playing it by ear" and "figuring it out" along the way. Our daily one hour family reading blocks have allowed me to read more books than I have in the past year. My three weeks of detox at the start of the trip really allowed me to do some deep thinking and soul searching without trying to avoid some of the frustrations and pain masked by wine at the end of the day. I have also slowly come to realize which friendships are true friendships, noticing the plethora of text-based friendships I have compared to the few relationships where I actually have conversations with my friends. I have redefined the meaning of busy. New Yorkers are extremely busy, even during a pandemic and surprisingly even during a lockdown. I used to be busy too. Now I realize that I created this busyness in order to assimilate to the NYC lifestyle. I literally had conversations with friends focused on how busy we were, they often felt competitive; who is the busiest? Looking back now, this busyness was just as unimportant as the row of Valentino shoes that are now living in my closet unworn and untouched for the past five months. I have learned that life is so much better when I focus on the abundance of time that I do have and when I surround myself with people who are not too busy. Finally, as we are about to embark on the next leg of our road trip, I feel more certain that returning to NYC is not in the best interest of my family right now. It's been quite a journey this month. If I could track my thoughts over the last four weeks in miles, they would definitely outnumber our countless biking mileage. Also, worth noting is that when we first arrived on the island no one, and I mean no one, wore a mask besides the five of us. It was quite eerie seeing droves of people mask-less during the Covid outbreak. How did they miss the memo? People were out and about in large groups, without masks and not following social distancing guidelines. We were speechless. Over the last two weeks, we have seen a huge change in patterns. Now, I would estimate that 50-60% of folks wear a mask on the small path that leads to the beach, in public outdoor spaces, and on the bike paths. Living here has also been a huge contrast from the ubiquitous NYC far left/liberal talk. Hearing anti-democrat rhetoric among people you walk by has certainly caught my attention. I am not insinuating one is better than the other, I just appreciate a new perspective. Itinerary: We rented a house through BestNest by Beverly Serral, a rental service run by Beverly who lives part-time in NYC's West Village. The property is impeccably clean and very well stocked. We had all the cleaning supplies, toiletries, laundry and dishwasher pods, beach gear, and paper goods we could ever need for the entire month. Besides food, we did not have to buy a single item to keep the house running. I highly recommend renting through this company. Before arriving, we ordered bikes for the month from Hilton Head Outfitters. They delivered the bikes to our property before we arrived and they will pick them up on our check out date. Bikes are a must on the island. We calculated at least 150 miles of bike riding over the past month. Sea Pines, the gated community we are in, has 17 miles of bike trails itself. I think Hilton Head Island has 60 miles of bike trails. We rode these bikes twice daily. We rode to the beach, to the Stoney Baynard Ruins, to the golf courses, to Greenwood Nature Preserve Park, to the different neighborhoods, to get ice cream, to get smoothies, to search for alligators, to see the horses at the stable, to Sea Pines Forest Preserve. We just rode and rode and rode and honestly, never ran out of things to see! My husband and I grew up in South Florida where the summers are sweltering hot in August. We expected a hot and humid experience in South Carolina as well. Instead, the weather has proven to be just perfect. The island is well shaded by the oak trees keeping us cool at all hours of the day. The evening temperatures are just right and the days are not too humid. My favorite weather pattern here is the almost daily rain shower- mother nature calling everyone in for a quick siesta. We got caught in the rain on our bikes, on a boat, on a golf cart and with each shower, I felt exhilarated by the warm raindrops that showered our bodies with its' kisses. The rain disappears as quickly as it comes, hopefully, you'll be lucky enough to catch it! We frequented the private beach at Sea Pines. To avoid the crowds we tried to arrive by 9:30 am, which is mostly low tide yielding large stretches of sand and ample space to social distance. The water is beyond refreshing, a perfect temperature especially for folks like me that hate cold waters! A couple of times we visited South Beach in the evening to enjoy the sunset and a different landscape. This last week jellyfish decided to hit the beach and unfortunately, my husband, daughter, and older son each got stung on different occasions. Regardless, we prevailed and kept answering the ocean's beckoning to come into her waters. (The first two pictures below show a less crowded beach early in the morning. The one to the left is what it looked like by 11:30 am, time to go! Below are pictures of South Beach.) Just recently I began to feel comfortable ordering take out. On Saturday nights we ordered food from either Truffles or Chow Daddy because we loved their selection and quality. Over the last two weeks, we began a tradition of running one mile as a family to Lowcountry Produce Market & Cafe to order smoothies. Every Wednesday after dinner we rode over to Salty Dog for the best ice cream I have ever had. It is so good that I grabbed my own scoop each time rather than just snatching a bite from my kids. Besides these places, we really didn't experiment with much food-wise but we absolutely loved everything we had at all of these spots. In previous posts, I mentioned day trips to Savannah, Dafuskie Island, and Old Bluffton. Another favorite adventure was a visit to Pinckney Island, about a twenty-minute drive from Hilton Head. We hiked four miles throughout this natural preserve. Although we didn't spot any gators we did see dozens of different bird species and even deer! Pinckney is a wonderful hiking spot and a great way to connect with nature and your fellow walking partners. I should mention that Hilton Head Island is chock full of wildlife. On a regular basis, we would spot alligators, a plethora of bird variations, deer (I had no idea there would be deer here!), and dolphins. Yes! Dolphins in the wild! One morning we were at the beach and we saw a pod swimming 100 feet from the shore! When you're out on a boat you will see dolphins as often as you will spot birds. To me, this is drawn to the island in itself! (First row of pictures are of Pickney. Others are of wildlife we spotted in Sea Pines on Hilton Head Island). After watching "The Big Year" on a family movie night we thought it would be fun to head over to The Audubon Newhall Preserve, break up into teams and see who can photograph the most types of bird species. Although we failed miserably at spotting birds (the winning team photographed only three birds) we succeeded at finding huge spiders in webs, turtles, fish, and water snakes. Initially, I was afraid to be left alone with my daughter because we read about the massive alligators that live in the pond and roam around, but once I talked myself out of being a scaredy-cat we had a blast walking the different trails in search of wildlife. The coolest part of this experience was the cacophonous singing of the birds. We knew they were all around us but just couldn't quite spot them in the towering trees. Another memorable excursion was a private boat ride to Vanishing Island with Dolphin Tours Hilton Head. Our captain led us to sea alongside dancing dolphins until we arrived at Vanishing Island, an island in the middle of the ocean that only appears during low tide. As soon as we hopped off the boat we knew we were in for a real treat. The first twenty feet or so of sand were filled with starfish. I have never seen starfish move before. They wiggle and move like octopuses as they search for their way back into the water. The sand bar was also filled with sand dollars that the kids loved collecting along the way (we made sure they only picked up the dead ones and only brought two home with them). We were literally standing on a sandbar in the middle of the ocean! Instead of eating our lunch on the boat ride back, we decide to have it picnic style, on the sand bar because when would we ever have the chance again to have lunch surrounded by starfish in the middle of the sea? This is a must-do when visiting Hilton Head Island. Regardless of the multitude of activities the island offers, some of the best moments were spent at home. Every day, after lunch me and the kids spend one hour reading. It is fun to be at a point where we can all share and switch off on the books we are enjoying. After reading they spent thirty minutes of workbook activity time. On Friday and Saturday evenings we continued our family movie night tradition, which we implemented when we were in Long Island at the start of the pandemic. Another fun home activity has been journal writing. Before starting our road trip I bought a journal for each of the kiddos and they write an entry every day. Although they don't believe me now, I know they will one day love looking back at these entries. This blog is my own journal capturing our memories, adventures, struggles, challenges, and evolution during this pandemic. Pool time was also a favorite home activity. Personally, my favorite pool memories were the days my daughter and I swam alone and pretended to swim like mermaids, or played lifeguard, or teacher- she seriously taught me how to do so many things! For example, thanks to her I learned how to do a headstand against the pool wall. This is not so easy since our bodies are buoyant! Of course, the countless meals we have eaten at home together are one of the things I am most grateful for during this pandemic. Since mid-March, we have sat at the dining room table together for three meals a day and miraculously have never run out of things to talk about. Overall, I think we had a great balance of indoor and outdoor time ensuring we were active while having enough downtime at home, which nothing can ever compete with. With all that Hilton Head offers, you can easily spend a month getting lost on the island and in your thoughts. Enjoy!