On Friday, I donned my little black dress and my cherry red Fluevogs and moussed my hair for the trip down to Baltimore, where I had the pleasure of joining the fabulous Sophia Nash to benefit the Sixth Annual Jennifer Vido Author Dinner for Juvenile Arthritis.
Every year, author and reviewer Jennifer Vido, who was diagnosed with Arthritis at the age of eight, brings two authors to Baltimore to speak with the wonderful donors and staff of the Arthritis Foundation about writing. I was honored to be asked, and I came away from the evening so very inspired.
First, Sophia Nash is amazing…she’s fun and funny and she drives a fast car. She told a beautiful story about her coming to be a writer at the insistence of her father, who never had a chance to see her first book published, but who I am certain is one very very proud papa these days. And let’s just say this…if you have to choose someone with whom to share a Maryland crabcake sometime…choose Sophia. She’s so fun.
Second, I’ll confess to never having thought of Juvenile Arthritis before, but after hearing Jen’s amazing stories about not only her own struggles with the disease, but also those of the more than 300,000 kids living with JA now, I’m so happy to have had a chance to be a part of this fundraiser. Sophia and I helped to raise nearly $10,000 to help send kids around Maryland to a summer camp specifically for children with JA, and I’m really touched to have been asked to be there.
Now…I’ll admit that since watching the first episode of The Wire, I’ve had a bit of an obsession with Baltimore (I mean, have you seen Dominic West read Pride & Prejudice?) But, unfortunately, Friday’s trip was a quickie…down and back in six hours, and I only saw the train station and a few blocks of a neighborhood that I’m pretty sure inspired parts of Season One. That said, after spending an evening with the fabulous ladies of Baltimore, I am now determined to get myself back for a weekend.
Of course, I couldn’t leave the event without getting Sophia to sign me a copy of Love With the Perfect Scoundrel, which I’m now giving away to you! Comment below and tell me the one place you’ve been where you feel you didn’t get enough time…and I’ll choose a winner on Friday for Sophia’s book!
Don’t forget to leave your email so I can contact you if you win! xo
March 1st, 2011 at 4:56 pm
Definitely London! I absolutely loved it there and I'm itching to go back and explore the parts I haven't seen before. And all the wonderful bookstores (so much better than the ones we have in Holland!). I think it's such a romantic place.
daisyjdebruin(at)gmail(dot)com
March 1st, 2011 at 5:25 pm
Paris. I had an unexpected layover and got to see the airport, but I'd love to go and actually see the city.
March 1st, 2011 at 6:56 pm
Italy! I was there for only a few days since my breaks are short and I really wanted to explore more.
March 1st, 2011 at 7:47 pm
Seattle, WA for me. I was in a long distance relationship with a guy who lived in Washington state. He lived about 2 hours away from Seattle and we went there for a day visit in the summer of 2008. Growing up in South Carolina I'm use to enduring horribly hot and humid summers and going to WA was nice (especially since WA's summer is SC's spring). But yes, Seattle was lovely. It had great views of the harbors and the market was very fun to shop and look around at. But the best thing was the weather. I even got to eat in the Space Needle (which took up the majority of the time). You're probably thinking that I did a lot of things for just one day, but I didn't even scratch the surface of Seattle. I would really love to go there again sometime. :)
cherry_fizz55@hotmail.com
March 1st, 2011 at 8:53 pm
Thanks for supporting and bringing to attention the Juvenille Arthritis Foundation.
I was diagnosed with juvenille diaeties in my teens and without the work and support of the American Diabetes Association the strides that have been made in the field would not have been possible.
Bringing awareness to others about the research and help available for these childhood diseases is vital not only for the health of the children but also so they and their families and get the help and support they need.
Remember you can help by doing something as simple as helping a neighbor by watching siblings while they take their child with a medical issue to the docters.
Thank you for bringing juvenille arthrities and other childhood illnesses to the attention to your other readers.
If you all help just a little it will end up helping a lot of children.
March 1st, 2011 at 9:35 pm
Hawaii! I only stayed a weekend and that was way to short. Would love to go back and stay for at least a week.
marieimy (at) gmail (dot) com
March 2nd, 2011 at 12:29 am
Washington, DC. There's so much to see and we needed more time.
penfield716@yahoo.com
March 2nd, 2011 at 4:10 am
I definitely did not have enough time in Japan. I studied abroad there during college for 10 months and adored it. Japan is such an amazing mix of old and new, and it felt like I was discovering something new every day.
And also thank you for your support of the Juvenile Arthritis foundation. I was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis at the age of 22 (which is hardly a child), and have my lifestyle very altered, so I can only imagine the effects it has on children. It seems for some reason that when people see a young, healthy-looking face, they cannot understand the suffering that arthritis causes. I am sure that your support is very much appreciated.
March 2nd, 2011 at 4:35 am
Haven't been to many places but I would have to say Washington D.C. because there is so much to see and never enough time to do it. I did get the chance to go to Arlington National Cemetery while I was around the area and definitely could have spent a longer period of time there.
Alicia
shortyal2008(at)yahoo(dot)com
March 2nd, 2011 at 7:44 pm
Italy. I spent a week there and that was not enough time. I especially adored Venice and the island of Murano. I didn't have time to explore the Doge's palace or go inside St. Mark's, just spent most of my time eating my weight in pasta. Oy.
aggiegirl11187[at]yahoo[dot]com
March 2nd, 2011 at 9:03 pm
I haven't really had the opportunity to travel but I would love to go to Scotland. I think I could spend a year there and still have it not be long enough.
March 3rd, 2011 at 1:38 am
Former Baltimore resident but traveled a lot while living there and then relocated and never visited… I was just thinking today that I didn't get enough time there!
March 3rd, 2011 at 3:21 am
Good for you! My dad is a pediatrician and JRA specialist.
I'd love to go back to Norway. I had a lot of fun visiting my pen-pal for a weekend but didn't see nearly enough of even Oslo let alone other places.
March 3rd, 2011 at 12:06 pm
I always dreamed of spending more time with my grandmother. We didn't have too many years together but "her house" and yard (with her in it) is definitely a place where I would LOVE to get back to. She had this green soft sofa, and a dark brown round coffeetable stacked full of romance novels :)
A large window overlooking a small garden with a birdfeeder on the wall and a chestnut tree too big for the spot. I can still picture it & remember our happy times together. So, thinking about it, I guess it's more the person then the place I long for.
lotsofgingers AT hellokitty DOT com
March 3rd, 2011 at 4:27 pm
My childhood. I spent so much time wishing I would be older but now I miss being a kid.
secret_gurl69 AT hotmail DOT com
March 4th, 2011 at 3:01 pm
Seattle– we were there for a couple of days, but feel like I could have spent weeks there. Also like the comment about childhood– I wish I could go back to my (now non-existing) elementary school and walk around.
sarahchristena at yahoo dot com
March 5th, 2011 at 1:19 am
Paris. I lived in Luxembourg for a year and made 4 trips to Paris during that time, but I still feel I barely scratched the surface of that city.
lulufrench2004 at gmail dot com
March 5th, 2011 at 4:25 pm
I love Baltimore. Whenever I visit DC, I prefer to stay out there. It's just so beautiful and doesn't really have a fishy smell.
lvsgund at gmail.com
March 10th, 2011 at 8:48 pm
The one place my husband and I visited that we definately didn't get enough time was on a trip to Arizona. We really were on a tight time schedule and had to use some of that to visited relatives In Tuscon and Phoenix but the one special place we wanted to explore was the grand canyon.
Unfortunately time and nature were against us. Granted the drive thru Oak Creek Canyon on our way to the Canyon was beautiful and we loved Prescot on our way back BUT while we were at the Grand Canyon itself it was filled with FOG! Yes we got to see 3 inches of the Grand Canyon after flying from New England and visiting relatives here and there – 3 INCHES is all we saw.
When (or rather if) we can ever save up the money again we hope to make another trip. We got a hint from one the park rangers that in order not to worry about getting fog to go in the coldest part of the winter – I live in New England and you don't travel to Arizoan for cold weather and snow.
Wish me better luck the next time!
April 4th, 2011 at 1:02 am
Acadia National Park, in Maine! I’ve been there a lot with my family but I’ve only had a few days there at a time… nowhere near enough to just sit around and relax and take in the view. My parents are people who like to have us on the go. Someday I’ll go back there and really take some time.
thedarkside.angel at gmail.com