We flew into Rome on our way to drive through Tuscany and only had 36 hours in the Eternal city, so we were very choosy about what we visited. Our first priority for our quick Roman Holiday was not seeing the Sistine chapel, it was staying cool and managing jet lag during our brief stay while still seeing the sights.
Hi friends.
Los Angeles is a sad and scary place to be right now. Our family is fortunate to be in the flats away from immediate danger currently, but we have spent the last day packed and ready to evacuate. The winds have been merciless on the dry terrain, and the amount of the damage is beyond heartbreaking. We know so many people who have lost everything- homes, businesses, schools, who escaped with only their lives and the clothes on their back. It’s currently estimated that more than 50,000 people are displaced and more that 6000 properties, many of them uninsurable, have been burned across more than 45 square miles.
In situations like this, I’m always so grateful for helpers, for those with generosity of spirit, and have had so many conversations about how best to help. Rather than just sharing resources on social and in discussions, I wanted to collect them in one place.
I’ll be continuing to update this post. Please share widely, give generously, and stay safe out there. love, ravayna
The team at @MutualaidLA has built out a comprehensive spreadsheet tracking all of the shelters, food kitchens, evac sites, resources for anyone impacted by these massive wildfires, and cross-referenced them with volunteer opportunities. As the situation evolves, this continues to be one of the most accurate sources.
If you are able to make financial donations, we know from past California wildfires, hurricanes and volunteering experience that directly donating to people is far more powerful and impactful than giving to an organization such as the Red Cross. Evacuees need support now, for gas and lodging and protective gear, to replace clothes and supplies, for medication and meals. Soon, they’ll need to repair, rebuild, and/or relocate.
HERE is an ongoing list of all verified GoFundMe pages. Pick a family or a few to support.
This list specifically collects GoFundMe pages of black families who have been devastated by the Eaton Fire.
If you know a fire victim or evacuee personally, send them direct venmos or PayPal- I guarantee you they will able to use it to protect or support themselves, a displaced community member, or a local fire brigade.
You can also send digital gift cards via email, text, or even via a link via dm.
Local LA resources for victims
World Central Kitchen is feeding firefighters across the county- meal distribution sites are here, and you can donate to support their efforts here.
Many brands are offerring new or replacement product, services and funds. Those brands and their access details are organized here, along with a request email template.
For accurate updates, you can use the app watch duty or CAL FIRE active fire incident map to monitor ongoing fires,
Victims, please apply for disaster relief now through FEMA
And it’s so important to manage media intake and output right now- I’ve seen some wild discourse, so many people unknowingly sharing AI images, misinformation, hot takes and cheap shots. This is a time where grace is a gift, but being factual matters, so please check your sources and your biases as ravaged communities work through tragedy and attempt to continue on.
UPDATES:
As of 1/9, the airbnb and 211 voucher program I previously shared has been exhausted.
We haven’t stopped fantasizing about Cinque Terre since we left- it’s heaven on earth. It’s a popular daytrip from Tuscany or Pisa, and cruise ships dock in Livorno or La Spezia, but I’m going to shoot you straight- if you want the full Cinque Terre experience, you have to stay in one of the towns.
I was doing a little adjusting of my amazon subscribe and save subscriptions and realized this post was long overdue, so here we are.
Like always, full disclosure- I’m an Amazon affiliate, my storefront is here and I may make a small commission on items you purchase through my links.
These are my og pimple patch love, if it wasn’t clear from the purchase history. I’m subscribed to the ten pack, and they offer three and five packs to try a smaller amount. They are thin, comfy to wear and work so well to absorb and protect a blemish. I love these cute ones as well, but when we run out of these CosRX ones, David is promptly ready for a restock.
David and I had just finished singing Asher his bedtime song, and were settling on the couch for an hour or two of work with 90 Day Fiancé on in the background, when I swiped open my email and saw an invitation to the White House. I was already heading to DC to take part in the #trendingup conference, for creators who use their platform for social impact, so I thought it was just part of that, related to our offsite visits, but Joe Biden was I wrong…
This email came from the White House digital team with an invitation to share my thoughts with the team in the West Wing and have a q&a with senior staff. Um what?!? The five-year-old immigrant girl in me couldn’t quite believe what she was reading. The folks at the White House want to hear from me? What a genuine honor… but also like.. really? They had to have seen my many criticisms of their boss online… are they sure they want to hear what’s going to come out of my mouth? My platform may not be massive, but using it to advocate for important causes has long been a priority. So despite imposter syndrome and a case of nerves, there wasn’t a snowball’s chance in hell I was turning this invite from Joe and co down.
Let me be clear, this is not meant to be braggy, but matter-of-fact.
I make INCREDIBLE buttermilk biscuits. Tiny towers of fluffy layers, gorgeously golden. crackly crust on top, tender within. The perfect vehicle for everything from more butter to a whole breakfast sandwich, I spent a full winter perfecting them in college, and it shows.
This past year plus that we’ve spent at home, one of the things that has brought me peace is baking challah. I don’t pretend to be more observant than I am- I bake, often weekly, not always timed freshly for Shabbat, but for joy of cooking and eating, for cultural connection. And in many ways, my baking routine has become meditative for me.
Last Halloween, I mostly only decorated Asher’s room. If you’ll recall, I scored our mantel on marketplace just in time for Hanukkah last year.
So if we’re being technical, this was the mantel’s very first spooky season so I had a very valid excuse for getting excited. If I’m being totalllyyy honest, though, Asher and I were picking up prescriptions at Target while David was in the hospital. I swear I only was going to grab one thing, the garland, and the next thing I knew my cart was full.😬 A little decorating magic ensued…
I needed to do some organizing and more shopping and returning as I figured out our Halloween spooky garden party aesthetic, and then had to do some crafting and customizing myself. None of the bigger freaky floral arrangements that were in store worked in our space, so I made the perfect ones myself.
So happy with the way this all turned out… Cheers to all the fall festivities up ahead!
