HAPPENING

The creative genius is powerful and shows up in many ways, shapes and forms.

Sometimes it is a romantic composition born of an upright piano in New York City. Other times, it is a podcast coming straight from my very own creative source. Then, there are other moments of genius, the ones that make us crack a smile, chuckle a bit, or break out in sidesplitting laughter.

On this episode of HAPPENING, Stand-Up Comic, Comedy Writer, Actress and Filmmaker, Kendra Cunningham, tells us how a joke is born and brought to the stage.

We discuss what it takes to fight the resistance that tries to keep us from getting creative, whether it is writing that book, starting that business, auditioning for that big role, or telling that joke.  

Ultimately, it comes down to a series of “P’s,” including the words “purpose”, “plan,” and “passion,” just to name a few.

What is it that you are trying to ignite and bring to life? Whatever it may be, requires a lot of hard work, dedication, and Sparking Your Creative Genius.

This is the first episode of a three-part series dedicated to making creative dreams a reality.

HAPPENING features an original piano composition by Chad Young - “Delusions”

Listen to HAPPENING to find out how Ashley, Toby, Aris, and Kaleb find peace and joy in their days

Jeff finds peace and happiness by skating in Central Park

One of my favorite moments of the day is when I walk my dog in Central Park. It is pretty early, usually a time between seven and nine o’clock in the morning.

The park is typically quiet, allowing me time to set personal intentions. I try my best to enjoy the surroundings, currently gorgeous blue skies, crisp fall air, and some crunchy leaves collecting along the walk paths.

This is my moment of peace and joy in the city. I call it The Sweet Spot.

How do you start your day? Where do you find peace and happiness? What’s your Sweet Spot?

For Kanan Kapila, it’s a series of poses, deep breaths and mindfulness. She holds a Master’s Degree in Social Work from Fordham University, she’s also a licensed therapist, and Founder of The Vastu Yoga , in the Tri-State area.

On this episode of HAPPENING, Kanan discusses the benefits of having a regular routine. She talks about her love of yoga and meditation, while describing the many ways her daily practice has enriched her life.

As a trainer, she has bear witness to those desperately seeking to transition from one stage of life onto the next. She has seen tears and wide smiles as those around her transcend.

Kanan says practice does make perfect—a perfect you. For those caught up in the commotion or chaos of life, there is a way to slow down and find peace and joy in the everyday. She says we are born with joy and just have to claim it.

Now is the time to embrace your thoughts, connect with your body and bring real change into your life.

On this episode of Happening, we discover how clutter affects our physical space and well-being. It can be debilitating and limit our personal and professional growth, while being a source of stress, tension, and anxiety in our lives.

Andrew Mellen is known as the most organized man in America. His work has been featured in O Magazine, GQ, Better Homes and Gardens, HGTV, NBC and ABC.

He says now is the time to change our relationship with all of our stuff. Changing the way we think, feel and talk about stuff can help us clear out the clutter.

Yotam Ottolenghi’s Crunchy & Marmalade Salad

Ingredients: (Dressing) 2 tbsp soy sauce, 1.5 tbsp lime juice, 4 tbsp bitter orange marmalade, 2 tbsp sunflower oil (Salad) 2 cups sugar snaps, 2 cups snow peas, 5 large radishes, 2 spring onions, salt & pepper (Topping) 1/2 cup salted peanuts, 2 tbsp of sunflower seeds, 1 tbsp black sesame seeds, 1 tbsp white sesame seeds, 1/2 tsp hot chili flakes, pitch of sea salt

Prepare: • Start with the dressing, blitz the soy, lime juice, marmalade and pinch of salt until fully combined, slowly pour in the oil until the mix emulsifies, then pour contents into a large bowl, add snow peas, sugar snaps, radishes and spring onions, mix well and set aside

Now make the topping, put the nuts, seeds and chili in a small bowl, stir to combine and set aside

Spoon the dressing over the salad, sprinkle over the crunchy topping and serve at room temperature

Peach Burrata Salad (Courtesy of Lena Gladstone)

Ingredients: Burrata cheese, peaches, proscuitto, and fresh basil (Dressing) champagne vinaigrette and olive oil

How does a grilled spicy miso portobello burger sound? Does it make your mouth water? How about grilled chicken shawarma on skewers or Peruvian chicken? Now, imagine both of these dishes charred to perfection with dark and crispy lines.

You don’t have to be a gourmand with a refined palate to recognize and appreciate a sensational meal. It simply takes the perfect aroma and flavor to ignite your senses. That’s exactly how my fascination with cooking began about a year ago. Since then, I’ve been carried away by the execution, presentation, and taste of food—something I call, Culinary Rapture.

On this episode of Happening, I chat with Author, Registered Dietician and Nutritionist, Mia Syn. Women’s Health Magazine named her a top nutritionist to follow on Instagram.

She’s someone I got to know over the past year. We often work together in the media while talking about food, diet and overall wellness.

This time, we’re teaming up to discuss delicious dishes, nutrition, and a few of our favorite recipes. Mia brings a science-based approach to her easy to make meals, while I romance my food preparation over a glass of red wine.

Whether slicing and dicing vegetables, or grilling up your favorite protein, we get lost in our shared love affair of all things food and flavor.

Cucumber Delight

Ingredients: 1 cucumber, 1/4 cup of low-fat cream cheese, 1/4 cup of fresh avocado, tbsp of lime juice, black and white sesame seeds

Prepare: Slice cucumber down the middle and pull apart, run a spoon through each center—removing the seeds, fill up the inside with low fat cream cheese, top with fresh avocado and a splash of lime juice, sprinkle black and white sesame seeds

Summer Rolls

Ingredients: rice paper, lettuce, cucumbers, carrots, purple cabbage, avocado, and mint (Peanut Sauce) 1/4 cup peanut butter, 2 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil, 2 tbsp rice vinegar, 1 tbsp maple syrup, 1 tbsp water, 1/2 tsp ginger, 1/2 tsp garlic

Nearly half of U.S. adults say dating is harder now than a decade ago. Add in a global pandemic and some may say it’s virtually impossible. I recently chatted with a woman who disagrees and says it’s VIRTUALLY possible.

A 2019 Stanford University Study finds 65% of gay couples and 39% of straight couples met online three years ago. Which means dating apps and sites can work, but what does it mean during COVID-19? Should singles slow down from all the left or right swiping, or is LOVE, UNINTERRUPTED and DATING DURING THE PANDEMIC IS POSSIBLE?

Andrea Syrtash is a dating and relationship expert. She’s a published author with such works as Cheat On Your Husband (with Your Husband): How to Date Your Spouse, He’s Just Not Your Type (and That’s a Good Thing): How to Find Love Where You Least Expect It, and It’s Okay to Sleep with Him on the First Date: And Every Other Rule of Dating, Debunked.

You’ve also seen her on GMA and the Today Show. Let’s just say… she has some street cred.

We discuss how video has transformed the dating landscape—opening the door to better communication and representation.

Andrea provides virtual and outdoor dating ideas, while tackling questions about physical contact, including kissing and other forms of intimacy.

If I’ve learned anything, it’s that slowing down, asking questions and learning about another person is a great way to build a solid foundation based on value structure.

Love can be uninterrupted, and dating during the pandemic is possible. 

Staying fit during the COVID-19 pandemic has been a struggle for many people. Some have headed back to gym, while others have opted out, preferring stay-at-home options. However, one thing remains—even during these uncertain times, physical fitness is key to living a healthy and happy life.

The CDC finds more than 4 in 10 U.S. adults are obese, and 60% have at least one chronic disease. With so many things affecting or challenging our overall well-being, STAYING FIT IN THE NEW NORMAL is more important than ever.

I recently chatted with Fitness Expert, Harold Gibbons. He’s a trainer at my favorite gym in New York City, Mark Fisher Fitness. His mantra is “Fitness Is Freedom,” and I’ve personally watched him liberate people into a life of wellness.

His mission is to help others claim ownership of essentials, like examining exercise, physical activity, and fitness as tools of empowerment to enrich the quality of their lives.

If I’ve learned anything from Harold, it’s that we are still able to work toward a healthy and happy life outside of the gym environment. We just have to get creative.

Being mindful is key, it’s important to think about what you eat, set a plan for when you want to exercise, follow through and then be sure to do it again, and again, and again. 

Harold says make it fun and offers many stay-at-home options to keep your body active and in shape.

We may be living in uncertain times, but we can still most certainly invest in our health, fitness and overall well-being in 2021.

Harold Gibbons is dressed as a carrot during a Mark Fisher Fitness exercise class. I’m dressed as a tomato, as we celebrate Harold’s love of salads. He even has a salad challenge.

I shedded the big, red costume in order to properly swing some kettlebells, burpee and bear crawl my way to fitness glory during the Mark Fisher Fitness Snatched in Six Weeks progam.

Corey Towers helps demonstrate Self’s 53 Bodyweight Exercises You Can Do at Home.

About 30 million workers are collecting jobless benefits. That's roughly 1 in 5 people looking for ways to standout and land a new job.

As the country starts opening back up for business, now’s the time to be focusing on tactics and strategies to MAXIMIZE YOUR CAREER POTENTIAL IN TIME OF COVID-19.

I recently chatted with Vicki Salemi, career expert for Monster, and author of Big Career in the Big City and The ABC's of College Life. She has a passion for empowering people in their careers—helping many build up and flex their business muscle. Vicki says in order to achieve the big gains, it’s important to shift your professional perspective.

Vicki has 15 years of experience in corporate recruiting and human resources. Her personal website says that she lives to empower job seekers with insight and first-hand knowledge from the halls of HR. She provides tips to help capture the eye of recruiters and HR executives.

If I’ve learned anything from Vicki, it’s that now’s the time to take small steps with big goals in mind. Sometimes an entry-level or part-time job leads to a much larger opportunity. Never forget that transferable skills can transform your career path.

Most importantly, be bold—build and engage with an online community of colleagues and people who want to see you succeed. Having a well thought out plan is the best way to maneuver the current business landscape and help you MAXIMIZE YOUR CAREER POTENTIAL IN TIME OF COVID-19.

Over the past few months our pets have grown used to having us around. As more states reopen from COVID-19 shutdowns, many pet owners will be returning to the workplace. It’s time for Pet Prep, getting our fury loved ones ready for new routines.

I recently chatted with Dr. Justine Lee, doctor of veterinary medicine. She’s the author of It’s a Cat’s World, You Just Live In It, and It’s a Dog’s Life, But It’s Your Carpet. She’s also host of the ER Vet at Pet Life Radio podcast. We discussed all the things pet owners need to think about before heading back to the workplace, including separation anxiety, common triggers that upset pets, and a few easy ways to transition into new routines.

I also had to ask Dr. Lee a few questions about COVID-19, now that most of the country is seeing an increase in the number of infections. I was curious what that meant for our pets? She has some important things to say about social distancing and nose-to-nose contact.

COVID-19 definitely changed our daily routines. That’s why it’s important to come up with a back-to-work pet preparation plan ahead of time. It will help ensure a smoother transition for you and your pet.

The Anxiety and Depression Association of America finds 40 million adults are living with anxiety in the United States.

Between the outbreak of COVID-19 and human rights movements like Black Lives Matter, many people may be feeling even more uneasy.

I recently chatted with Dr. Sera Lavelle, Ph.D, founder of New York Health Hypnosis & Integrative Therapy. She has been written about in Elle Magazine and Allure, and helped hundreds of people overcome their difficulties. We dove into the deep end of the pool, so to speak, discussing ANXIETY IN TIMES OF UNCERTAINTY.

Stress, tension and anxiety, is a combination many of us have become familiar with over the past few months. The doctor and I talked about how important it is to balance between “real – worry” and “emotional – worry.” It’s one way to stay on track and keep ourselves from spiraling out of control with anxious thoughts.

Dr. Lavelle also offers guidance regarding fears associated with financial loss, heading back to work, using mass transit, and how to deal with family and friends with different stances regarding health and social issues.

Everywhere we look there seems to be turmoil; cable news, social media feeds, and websites - there’s no escaping dramatic headlines. These days, fear and anxiety can be overwhelming and cause strong emotions. Coping is a must, if we’re going to stay healthy and of sound mind. There are ways to manage the everyday exposure to worrisome news about both, COVID-19 and Black Lives Matter.

According to 2019 statistics, LGBTQ+ adults globally held a combined buying power of more than 3.5 trillion dollars. That gives the queer community a great deal of economic power.

June is Pride Month, a time many brands market toward LGBTQ’s, but this could also be a time companies give off the impression that they only “ride the rainbow,” and outside of Pride celebrations, they’re gone, silent and invisible to the LGBTQ+ audience.

I recently chatted with Matt Wagner, vice president of client services at Target 10, a New York City-based agency that applies LGBTQ+ consumer insights to brand strategy. He was in Hells Kitchen, one of the most active gayborhoods in New York City. You’ll even hear a few sirens blaring in the background.

We discussed everything from how companies can authentically engage with LGBTQ's, what brands can do beyond marketing, and who should use the term queer or LGBTQ+.

Talking the talk and walking the walk, two things that are essential for any brand to make a lasting impression on the queer community. June is Pride Month, a fantastic time to wish LGBTQ+ colleagues and friends a Happy Pride. It’s also a perfect time to review your marketing plans to see if you’re selling or celebrating the LGBTQ+ community. To everyone listening, be loud, be proud, be heard. Happy Pride.