It’s a facet of our modernity that as long as we are alive (and eager), there will be birthdays and gifts to celebrate our life. Through the actions of friends, and my own inventive birthday planning, an evolution of the ‘birthday party’ is gaining momentum. Why not choose to commemorate our existence in this world by celebrating our presence in a community? Some of my favorite celebrations take the original intention of gift giving beyond the immediate friend circle, and

Gift giving is a practice that’s fun for all parties and occasions. There’s the anticipation, and then the joy, of seeing someone’s face moved by your gift. Why not make the treasure hunt of finding the perfect present, brighten and change many lives. A young budding activist would cherish the gift of membership to an organization supporting their humanitarian passions. While they cannot be exchanged, knowledge and inspiration are pivotal gifts. Giving money is not nece

Imagine your body as the canvas, your mind as the brush, and the fabric is your paint. When it comes time to reevaluate your wardrobe, a little creativity can be key (and I don’t mean figuring out how fit more in your closet). I recently took a pass at cleaning out my old looks and realized there were items I had barely worn, and others I had nearly worn out, but neither I could let go. Swap-o-rama-rama is a clever community clothing swap that encourages creating new, kale

Just as every piece of food is life, capable of giving life, there are chefs who seem to have the gift of bringing food to life. Fallen fruit engages people in the cultivation of local treats, but food preparation sparks another kind of interactive interest in what we eat. EATALY’s veteran “Vegetable Butcher”, Jennifer Rubell, is illuminating the appeal of everyday (and some extraordinary) vegetables by easing the chore of slicing and dicing. Customers of this New York Ital