Bump to baby on the beaten expat track
My favorite chai recipe:
New Paltz, NY, is a picturesque village in Ulster County (Hudson Valley region), just under an hour’s drive from NYC. We spent the weekend at a farmhouse before moving on to the hotel where I was attending a work meeting for three days.
This is the second year I attended a meeting held at Mohonk Mountain House, in the Mohonk Preserve that’s set in the Shawangunk Mountains. It’s the dead of winter, with very few activities and most of the trails closed due to ice. But it’s such an isolated, idyllic environment that the winter solace makes it so peaceful, notwithstanding the creepy “institution” vibe the setting gives!
On the weekend before we went to Mohonk, we stayed nearby in a farmhouse that we found through AirBnB. We had a lovely host at her fantastic historic farmhouse and barn, where the kids got to feed the chickens and observe some wildlife. I’m a fan of the hosting platform now!
It’s been a while since I posted. The NYC existence is more hyper-paced and complex than life was in Asia! On the one hand, there’s endless resources, not to mention a good network of similarly-minded families. I love the seasons, the snow and Christmas! Then on the other hand, I’ve never met so many medicated people before (e.g., Xanax)! Not sure if that’s a reflection of the circles I end up interacting with..? I’m sure the political situation has no small impact on this. For sure, the US environment is shockingly different after 11 years abroad, but it’s a more sobering change than a positive one. Anyway.. back to the cheerier topic of the holidays. We’re under a cold spell this past week but, unluckily enough (or maybe luckily!), we didn’t get any snow compared to the massive deluge that most of the Northeast experienced these past five days!
We were able to squeeze in the tourist trawl – past the Bloomingdales windows, through the five star hotel lobbies, down Fifth Avenue, taking in the windows of Bergdorf Goodman and Saks. Each of Bergdorf’s windows was designed by one of the city’s museums. So gorgeous – and then there’s Sak’s poshly decorated facade, complete with light show and blaring Christmas music you can hear from blocks away. We ducked away from that and into Rockefeller to show the kids the big tree. You’d think the crowds would be thin in this bitter cold but it isn’t. Fun times..
Happy holidays!
For World AIDS Day 2017, my colleague and I attended the NASDAQ Opening Ceremony, which was followed by a panel discussion on Global Leadership in HIV Testing. The event was hosted by OraSure Technologies and its global partners in the fight against HIV and AIDS – UNITAID, PSI, and UCLA.
Photos below are all courtesy of the NASDAQ:
Reposting this useful video from the HIV Prevention Justice Alliance:
President-elect Trump pledged during his campaign and at his transition press conference to address the skyrocketing price of drugs, joining bipartisan calls for action. However, drug pricing is incredibly complex and hidden behind an impenetrable curtain of secrecy. Are there any solutions to high drug prices that could be implemented quickly by the new administration and Congress?
The Fair Pricing Coalition (FPC) along with other various organizations and individuals signed a letter declaring that the upward spiral of drug prices are too high and will further prevent HIV and hepatitis C (HCV) patients from accessing life-saving drugs.
This webinar announces the release of “Tackling Drug Costs: A 100-Day Roadmap.” The report provides a roadmap that can be implemented quickly on the heels of growing bipartisan support for measures to control the skyrocketing costs of prescription medications.
Featuring the co-authors of the Tackling Drug Costs: A 100-Day Roadmap:
Sean Dickson, Senior Manager, Health Systems Integration, National Alliance Of State & Territorial Aids Directors Tim Horn, Deputy Executive Director of HIV and HCV Programs, Treatment Action Group
Also announced during this webinar: the release of “Tackling Drug Costs: A 100-Day Roadmap” by the Fair Pricing Coalition. The report provides a roadmap that can be implemented quickly on the heels of growing bipartisan support for measures to control the skyrocketing costs of prescription medications.
‘Tis the season. What do you do with all the sticks and rocks and pine cones that the kids drag in throughout the year? And the toys they’ve outgrown but have a special place in your memory? Repurpose and get creative with the Christmas decor, that’s what.
