Upcoming Adventures Announcement!

image credit: INCE Europe

Hello! Short update on some upcoming "Atypical Adventures". The first is that I will be going to Rome, Italy for three weeks on duty travel for work. As some of you know, my boss announced he was moving to UNICEF and leaving WFP back in January. His last day is end of March, upon which I will head to Rome to work with my division during the transition. There will soon be a new team in New York and I'm incredibly excited to work with them. I'm also thrilled to be returning to Rome, where I interned back in 2007 for 6 months. Home sweet Rome! Nate will be visiting - he'll be playing while I'm working, but we'll get to spend time together on the weekend which will be great, and he has never been to Italy so it's a new adventure for him!

In May we will be moving apartments and celebrating my little sister's graduation from college! I can't believe she's 22 and grown up! We will also be spending Memorial Day weekend in Denver, Colorado visiting Nate's sister Angie, her husband Ryan, and his nephew Tanner who turned 1 year old in January! In June we will head to Tallahassee for the wedding of one of sorority sisters and close friend Mallory. In July we are going to Niagara Falls and Toronto with my family... and in August we will go to Ireland! Whew! It is amazing to get to travel like we do but it's not without its stresses!

Italy. Colorado. Tallahassee. Niagara Falls. Toronto. Ireland.

Bring it on! Can't wait!

Upper West Side Excitement

At this point it's pretty obvious that I'm excited about moving to the Upper West Side (UWS). So to prepare, Nate and I have been scouting out neighborhoods, walking the streets to see where we want to live. the UWS is actually a very long set of blocks that stretch along Central Park. It starts roughly around Columbus Circle (60th street) and runs up to the mid 90s (around 96th). South of that is midtown, where you'll find Times Square on the west side, and north of it is Morningside Heights, which is where Columbia University is located (and Nate works). It's the ideal neighborhood for several reasons - it's right between where we work (I work in midtown on the east side, so to get to work I would go to Times Square then across to Grand Central). Nate just goes north to Columbia. It will save both of us over an hour of time commuting each day.



In getting to know the area, we've walked the park. Because the Upper West Side is relatively narrow - 5 blocks wide - wherever you live, you are close to Central Park (as close or closer than we are now to Prospect Park in Brooklyn). It makes it really easy to get out and go for a walk outside when the weather is nice, which is also a plus. It also means we don't have to give up proximity to a park when moving to Manhattan.



I love Columbus Circle as well. Our favorite jazz nightclub, Dizzy's, is located in the Time Warner building here. It's just a really fun hub of excitement to me, and it's at the southwest corner of the park. A few blocks north of here is Lincoln Center. On Thursday we went here for a performance by the New York Philharmonic - Mahler's 4th Symphony, one of Nate's favorite pieces.



Before dinner we went to a place nearby with good reviews and it's now our new favorite Mexican place - Rosa Mexicano. Pomegranate frozen margaritas, made-at-your-table guacamole, delicious tacos, and the best of all, Nate's tequila-cream mushroom filet mignon (out of this world good, get it!). It's now our favorite. And me of course with the new camera had to take one of the guac:



We had a great time at dinner, and the concert was amazing (thanks Groupon!) We are also using Groupon for discounts and deals in order to see more of the city. We love it. And seeing the New York Philharmonic is something we'd never done, even in all my family's trips to the city growing up! So it was fantastic to see them, something hopefully we can do again in the future. On Saturday we did more sightseeing in the UWS - starting at 72nd street which still has the old station hub outside:



We've scoured quite a bit of the area and right now our top choice is something close to the park in the lower 80s. It's ideal for us, and not as busy as the lower to mid 70s area, but close enough to get to it. The 80s are well situated as well, with access to 5 subway lines (1,A,C,B,D). We've already checked out a fun coffee shop in the area called French Roast that we might have to return to for their yummy cappuccinos! Can't wait till we live here :) More updates soon!



map credit: mustseeny

DSLR Camera Adventure

Let me tell you, the camera-buying process is not an easy one. For years, one of my hobbies has been photography (mainly annoying friends and family for photos and then documenting my travels). I've gone through a handful of small digital cameras, which aren't bad but were never really up to my standards. In 2009 I realized I wanted a higher end camera and discovered the DSLR cameras from friends who had them in Africa. They were digital, yet the lenses could capture images beyond anything I could have imagined digital was capable of. Unfortunately, the price tag on DSLR kept me from seriously considering a purchase until I was settled with a steady job, something that has only recently happened! In the meantime, I did my research. I looked at a variety of brands and asked everyone I knew for advice, read blogs online, product descriptions and reviews on amazon, the works. For two years! Anyone who knows me knows I'm not the world's MOST patient person... so this has been a long time coming!

I settled on Canon for several reasons. One, I had experience with the brand already, and of the simple digital cameras I had, I preferred the quality of Canon to Nikon. Second, it came the highest recommended by people I knew. Third, when I read the product features on the websites, the Canon cameras had features that were most useful and interesting to me. I looked at the Canon models - obviously the higher end ones were out - I was looking for a solid beginner model that I could also advance with while purchasing lenses, etc. So I didn't look seriously at the Canon 40D or 30D. I looked at Canon XS, XSi, Ti1 and Ti2. The Ti2 was most expensive and was an upgraded version of the Ti1. On closer look, and from people I talked to as well, the Ti1 only had one significant difference from the Xsi - video. This wasn't a priority for me, when I feel I want video I will probably invest in a very small and simple camcorder, but it wasn't something I need now nor did the price difference make it feel worth it to go for it. So I looked mostly at the XSi and XS. The XS is the oldest model and seemed to have some manufacturing issues with it. The Xsi came recommended by a friend as well as it had the more solid product reviews. Price wise it cost a little more, but to me it was worth it. One important note in the product reviews was that most users thought that you could see a real difference based on th quality of lens you used, and that the XSi responded well to increased quality (what I didn't want was so basic a model camera that a more advanced lens wouldn't produce results - I wanted a camera that could adapt as I learned more and invested in new lenses).

Where I probably erred is in going with the kit lens. I wavered on this point steadily and I simply could not make up my mind. For the extra hundred, I decided to go with it and use it until I knew from experience exactly what I wanted. There were just too many other options out there and I really didn't know how to gauge what I would want in a basic lens. After a week's use, I already have a better idea, and when I can I will probably upgrade to a better lens. So what I have is the EF-S 18-55mm f2.8 IS. This sounds like a foreign language and it really is for me too! 18-55 is the zoom. I like the zoom, it's not an exceptional zoom, and at some point I will probably invest in a 70-300mm zoom lens. An example of the zoom in use is below, zoom and macro setting (which hones in on the detail) - this is a tiny elephant statue in my bedroom, it's very small about the length of a business card. This photo is bigger than the elephant is!



So it does a nice job. I am still learning how to make the background blurry or sharp, how to control for lighting and shutter speed. I probably need to take a photo class, but this is an autofocused image that all I did was zoom in and shoot. For autofocus, it does a great job indoors and with people, it does a much poorer job outdoors with landscapes, and at night. This to me is disappointing. You can see below the night image just isn't as sharp, and at dusk a lot of the images come out dark. Part of it I'm sure is user error (AKA me) but I also read similar product review of the lens, so I'm not altogether surprised.



It can get good photos at dusk but it's not a given, what I'm finding is that again, it does a better job with macro. This one of a lamppost is nice, but it is macro, not landscape. Not sure if it is an autofocus issue or what... well I will learn! Based on reading product reviews, however, I am led me to believe I will also eventually need to invest in a wide angle 10-22mm lens. One thing it does well (in my opinion) is color, especially indoors. Compared to my old camera at least, it really captures color beautifully:



It does portraits well, and I think I'll use this lens for portraits and indoors more than I will for outdoors. This leads to a dilemma of where to upgrade first. Should I replace this lens off the bat since I'm likely to use it the most? Or should I plan around what I'm expecting... with upcoming international travel I might rather have a zoom lens. Or perhaps I prefer landscape, for when we're going to Colorado and are planning to go hiking. This is a bit of a dilemma. Wish I could just get them all! Here's an example of a portrait of my adorable sister Jenni:



I love this of her! One last one - macro detail on a decorative egg/shoe in the guest room:

We Feed Back

So… what’s all this about We Feed Back?

Hi Family and Friends,

So if you’ve been on my facebook, or seen me on gchat, you’ll notice a LOT about something called We Feed Back. You’re probably wondering what is this and why is Dana making a big deal about it? It’s a new initiative my organization World Food Programme is launching to increase awareness and engagement in world hunger. It shows that by each of us doing a little, we can achieve a lot!

So what is it? Social networking for social good.

How it works:

It's easy: You choose your favorite food, put it into the Feedback Calculator along with the estimated cost, and then calculate how many hungry children this would feed. The next step is to donate exactly that amount. Or, if you want, you donate multiples of that amount. In this way you feedback more portions of your favorite food.

At this point you are a member of the WeFeedback community. But in order to participate fully, there is another step: share details of your favorite food and your feedback with others. You can do this through your networks, if you ask them to join WeFeedback. They then ask their networks and before you know it, we have thousands of people like you using their networking skills to raise awareness for a great cause.

The power of food

We're taking a new approach to fighting hunger that is social, fun and focused on the positive. We believe food is an amazing force: It is a giver of life, a canvas for creativity and a catalyst for our social lives. If together we can harness the exuberance, creativity and sense of identity people associate with food, we can tap into a powerful positive force for change.

That's why the WeFeedback community is focused on a common love of food and the possibilities it creates to improve lives. If we can do that, then we can do a world of good.

Beating hunger:

WeFeedback is a social media initiative of the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP), the world's largest humanitarian organization (which is where I work!). Each year, WFP brings food to 90 million people so they can move on with their lives, receive an education, find employment and create a better life for their families.

So… who benefits?
We Feed Back benefits school children around the world.
How?

WFP provides school meals to an average of 22 million children each year in 60 countries. Why? Because providing a nutritious meal to children in school is one of the best ways of breaking the cycle of hunger that traps nearly a billion people globally. Here are four things that make school meals such a powerful tool:

1. Incredibly cost-effective: In regions that suffer from hunger, school meals play a vital role in breaking the hunger-poverty cycle. Children only get meals if they go to school regularly. In many programs, attendance also earns a take-home ration that will help sustain the child’s family as well. Just US$5 will provide one month of school meals for a child.

2. Gets poor kids into school: Education takes a very low priority when a family is hungry. Poor households are often obliged to choose between sending the kids to school or to work in fields, streets, factories or sweatshops. With school meals, parents do not have to make that choice. School becomes the best option for securing food. This also helps gender equality in cultures that do not typically educate girls since parents are eager for their girls to attend school for the food benefits.

3. Breaks the cycle of poverty: When children are forced to work, they grow up without an education or proper nutrition, thus increasing the likelihood that they will remain poor and have to keep their children home from school as well. This is how poverty perpetuates itself. School meals break this cycle by giving both kids and parents a chance to focus beyond the next meal and achieve their potential.

4. Creates a sustainable solution: Whenever possible, the food used in these programs is bought locally, helping to boost the local economy. Once a program is running smoothly, our aim is to hand over the program and let it be run locally. In fact, over the past 45 years, WFP has handed over school meal programs to 42 countries where the programs continue to thrive.

Why does all of this matter? That’s easy. Because making the world a better place starts with food. Food fuels education. Food fuels free choice. Food fuels economic independence. Food fuels peace. That’s why WeFeedback and WFP are determined to break the cycle of hunger. We need your support.

It would mean a lot to me if you would check it out! Join my network at http://www.wefeedback.org/supporters/dana-vettel or donate directly from the widget on my blog! Help spread the word about hunger and see how easy it is to help make a difference!



***Source: We Feed Back and WFP websites***

The Mamas Visit!

The mamas visited!!! We had a great weekend – my mom and Nate’s mom both came up from Florida for the long weekend – President’s Day. We had so much fun! They flew in Friday morning while Nate and I were at work and so we met up with them after work for an early dinner at Bar Americain. They had fun drinks (I had a yummy Cosmopolitan) and great food for dinner (lamb chops!) – I didn’t want to leave so early but we had tickets to Wicked! My mom and I saw Wicked on Broadway back in 2006 but were so excited to see it again! Everyone loved it – especially Nate’s mom who liked the different perspective from the classic story in the Wizard of Oz.



Saturday we took our moms to our favorite place for lunch – Grimaldi’s. It has the best pizza I’ve had in the US! After that we walked around the Brooklyn Bridge Park before heading back to the apartment to get ready for our night out. We had dinner and drinks at Dizzy’s Jazz Nightclub (another one of our favorites) and we were joined by my sister Jenni and her friend Nick who was visiting!



After Dizzy’s performance by an amazing group featuring a marimba player, we headed to Times Square and the Marriott Marquis for dessert and wine at the 40th floor revolving restaurant. It’s appropriately called “The View” and Saturday was a clear night, so the view was incredible! We tried to get some great pictures of everyone – there’s a cute one of me and Nate, but then a very funny one of my sister, my mom and me laughing!





Sunday we took in some sightseeing! We went up to the Upper West Side (our future neighborhood) to the Natural History Museum! We walked through the African animals (which reminded me so much of my safari in Africa I got nostalgic!) as well as the upper floors featuring dinosaur fossils reassembled into massive replications. The tee rex was particularly scary! After that my mom and I went up to have sushi with Jenni in Morningside Heights and Nate and his mom returned to Park Slope for Chinese food! That night there was snow so we stayed in – the next morning it was really pretty out.



And Nate had to work, so the girls did some sightseeing – Grand Central Station, the UN, and toured Columbia’s campus with Jenni. We all met for Mexican for lunch, and Nate got the afternoon off, so we headed down to Bryant Park for a little shopping – souvenirs for Eadie. I also got a very funny picture of them in the park:



All in all it was a great visit and we loved having our moms here!