This year my 26th birthday was very special.  I decided to give up my birthday in the name of charity. I  invited friends to celebrate by donating to Charity:Water, a non-profit organization bringing clean and safe drinking water to people in developing nations, instead of buying me gifts or taking me out.
I told all my guests what Charity:Water was all about,  how a $20 donation can do a lot of difference for people deprived of water all over the world and the motivation behind the idea, founder Scott Harrison,
After welcoming all my guests and  I had to thank all sponsors who supported my birthday charity event including: International Garden, Omni Wines, Nuchas, The Pelican Hotel, Hulbert Waldrouop, Marlo Weinstein, Ruth’s bakery, Carly Ivan Garcia, Go Green, Smart Energy cocktails, Federico Bergomi, Jerry Jack, The Hugh Bell Studio, No More Tears and Danyelle Demchock. Check it out! You can make a donation to my charity water fundraiser HERE.

On my third day, I went to Ghetto di Roma, one of the oldest ghettos in the world as well as stopped over at the Roma Farmers’ Market. It was very similar one to New York’s Union Square Farmers’ Market where you can find organic fresh vegetables, fruits,  natural products such as Bio-Nutrici.

I took a walk though Palatine Hill where the Roman Emperors once live and now you will find mostly ruins of palaces and homes of some Rome’s richest familes. From there, it was a stones throw away to the Roman Forum, which originally was a marsh, but the Romans drained the area and turned it into a center of political and social activity.  The Forum was the marketplace of Rome and also the business district and civic center. It was expanded to include temples, a senate house and law courts.  It is considered one of the most important archeological sites in the world.

The Colloseum was built in the center of the city of Rome between 70-72 AD, the largest ever built in the Roman Empire. It is considered one of the greatest works of Roman architecture and Roman engineering. It can  seat 50,000 spectators and it was used to be a place for gladiatorial contest and public spectacles.

After a very long day, I capped off the evening  at Hotel Locarino where I relaxed over an apperitivo with some friends.

Watch Part 1 of Rome, Italy HERE!

Watch Part 2 of Rome, Italy HERE!

On my second day in Rome, I wanted to seek out some of the local residents and traditions. I went to a public square and saw many talented musicians and I even witnessed a couple getting married! That was very special.

Then, I was off  The Pantheon, the world’s oldest dome building with the entire roof still in tact built between 25-27 BC  It stands as the most complete Roman structure on earth, having survived 20 centuries of plunder, pillage and invasion. The Pantheon contains the tombs of Rafael and of several Italian Kings. Pantheon is a Greek word meaning “to honor all Gods.”

I walked to the  Fontana di Trevi, the largest Baroque fountain in the city.

A traditional legend holds that if visitors throw a coin into the fountain, they are ensured a return to Rome. Among those who are unaware that a reported current interpretation is that two coins will lead to a new romance and three will ensure either a marriage or divorce. A reported current version of this legend is that it is lucky to throw three coins with one’s right hand over one’s left shoulder into the Trevi Fountain. It may look familiar was also featured in the very famous movie “La Dolce Vita”.

An estimated 3,000 Euros are thrown into the fountain each day. The money has been used to subsidize a supermarket for Rome’s needy.

Watch Rome, Italy  Part 1 HERE

Watch Rome, Italy Part 3 HERE

Of all of the trips that I have taken I have been dreaming of this one for a very long time.  5 amazing days to Rome, Italy, a city rich in cuisine, culture and history.

On my first day I dove right in! First stop: The Colonnato del Bernini (the colonnade of St Peter’s Square), take a look at the Swiss guards (they are the Pontifical Guards in the Vatican City), I drank from running water in the streets of Rome,  and take in the sites at Castel Sant’ Angelo (initially commissioned by the Roman Emperor Hadrian as a mausoleum for himself and his family, the building was later used as a fortress and castle, and is now a museum).

My first dinner was at “Mimi & Coco Wine Bar” and it was delicious! I followed dinner by roaming the streets in search of the best Italian Gelato Rome had to offer.

I felt that Rome was more beautiful at night, the way the lanterns illuminate the narrow cobbled stone streets that are the same today as they were 2,000 years ago. With the he statue of Giordano Bruno in the background, the Colosseum a short walk away, the silence of the city left me questioning what other pieces of history that was hidden in the shadows.

Why water?

Water contributes to poverty alleviation in many ways – through sanitation services, water supply, affordable food and enhanced resilience of poor communities to disease, climate shocks and environmental degradation.

At present, over a billion people have no access to safe, clean drinking water. That is one in eight of us.  Unsafe water and lack of basic sanitation causes 80% of diseases and kill more people every year than all forms of violence, including war. Children are especially vulnerable, as their bodies aren’t strong enough to fight diarrhea, dysentery and other illnesses.

In Africa alone, people spend 40 billion hours every year just walking for water. Women and children usually bear the burden of water collection, walking miles to the nearest source, which is unprotected and likely to make them sick.
Time spent walking and resulting diseases keep them from school, work and taking care of their families.

A clean water project nearby means more than safe drinking water to women and children in developing nations; it means time, freedom and incentive to change their communities.

This is where Charity:Water come into the picture. It is a non-profit organization bringing clean and safe water into the developing nations. The founder, Scott Harrison, got tired of his social life in the US and after facing a spiritual bankruptcy, decided to go to the shores of West Africa where he witnessed the astonishing poverty and documented life and unimaginable human suffering.  There he embraced poverty and started to wear Charity.

Charity:Water served its first one million people at the end of 2009. That’s a major accomplishment, but we have much more work to do. By 2050, the world’s population is estimated to grow by three billion and 90% of this growth will be in the developing world. Unless sustainable water solutions are scaled fast, regions already stressed for safe water sources will be over capacity. We’re expanding our reach to meet these demands and will not stop until every person has safe water to drink.

• $5,000 can build a freshwater well in a village and provide  250+people    with clean drinking
• $20,000 can sponsor a freshwater well and latrines at a school and  serve 1,000+ students. water.
• Each $20 monthly gift can provide one person with clean, safe drinking water for 20 years
• $100 monthly gift can give a family of 5 clean water for 20 years.

So be a part of it, Get Involved! You can be a volunteer or fundraise for a well, bring the charity:water in your campus, donate. For more info on how you can help, you can visit their website:  www.charitywater.org.

I had a beautiful Saturday walking through the West Village in NYC.

While I was waiting to have brunch at my favorite spot, Extra Virgin, I took a stroll on Perry Street.

There was a neighborhood yard sale and you guys know, I love everything vintage! The best part of the street market with this amazing encounter I had with “Doug The Neighbor”.

He had a sign up saying that he was giving  Free advice for $1 so I couldn’t help myself so I got in line and waited my turn.

He was so enthusiastic! First I told Doug my name and he told me about Wyatt Earp’s more famous brother Sherrif Morgan Earp. (referencing the correlation between our first name)

Interesting. So I asked Doug how I could inspire people and this is what he said.

“Smile. Smiling is what inspires people immediately and make them laugh. Save the world one person at a time. When you smile it is infectious and there is one person you have made happier. When inspiring people its all about them. We as individuals have problems and if we can solve just one little problem we have been successful.”

I thought that his advice was simple but totally appropriate. The next time you find someone you know who is feeling down, instead of trying to understand whats making them sad, just make them smile. Plain and simple.

Check out www.DougTheNeighbor.com for more about Doug and his experience in the West Village. He is also the author of “Wade”