United States
I am an enthusiastic, versatile, creative freelance writer and digital marketing specialist passionate about social media management, brand building, content creation & management, food writing, travel writing, SEO, editing, and print/ online media.
Sarah Garabadian, Program Director of Boston's A Bed for Every Child, looked like she needed someone to pinch her when TUGG announced the org's big win at the 9th Annual Tech Charity Wine & Tequila Party on April 16th, but Sarah definitely wasn't dreaming.
You may have been swilling pinot for #TeamWine or repping #TeamTequila with a Blood Orange Margarita, but no matter which beverage you were sipping, you were the power behind the success of this year's Tech Charity Wine and Tequila Party. ( Does anyone else think we should just spell it tech-ila?)
We'd like to say a HUGE thank you to everyone who came out to shoot hoops at the 4th Annual Raise the Rim basketball tournament! Congratulations to Fiksu who took home this year's trophy, even though one of their guys wound up in an ambulance at the end of the night.
Yesterday's Resilient Coders session was an emotional one. Executive Director David Delmar, affectionately known as "Del" among the students, had the whole team "endorse" the giant check they received at the 9th Annual Tech Charity Wine & Tequila Party on April 16th. Del sent us this great message to share with you.
Remember that time I told you that four of Boston's top tech CEOs were rolling out of bed on Sundays to go run in snowstorms? Those same four amazing guys finally conquered the 119th Boston Marathon on April 20th, and proved that you've got to have some serious grit to survive those 26.2 miles.
YouthHarbors has finally received the necessary funding to open two brand new sites this Spring. Their first new site is expected to open in the Jeremiah E. Burke High School in Dorchester by the end of January, and the second is slated to open in Lowell High School by the end of March.
On Thursday, January 8th the musical students of Revolution of Hope performed for a crowd of 6,000 at the Baker-Polito Inauguration event at the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center. When was the last time YOU did anything impressive in from of 6,000 people?
With the expert guidance of their coach, award winning trainer & author Erik Hajer, Mike, Brent, Matt, and Fred will train hard to cross that famous Boylston Street finish line on one of the most iconic marathon courses in the country.
On Wednesday December 10th, Generation Citizen was trending on Twitter. Their annual Civics Day at the State House brought tech professionals, students, and community members together for an amazing day of presentations, inspiring speeches, awards, and plans to change the world we live in--not ten years from now, but today.
"In the six months that we've been at this, we've had several major wins: We've run seven cohorts. We're at schools, at community programs, and in lock up. We have support from the BPD, and from TUGG. "We have a fleet of computers, thanks to donations from the community, including TUGG's own FutureChefs, and Silicon Valley Bank.
Career Village has launched it's fundraising campaign to with the goal to provide career advice for students in 50 new high schools. They need all the support we can get, and it all starts with you. You can sponsor a classroom, or even a whole high school-- just head over to http://50for50.careervillage.org/.
On November 17, the Massachusetts Council of Human Service Providers named Boston's Doc Wayne Youth Services "Innovator of the Year" and we're so proud! One of our dynamic portfolio organizations, Doc Wayne works to connect with local young people by way of sports.
Hi TUGGers! How are you? Are you enjoying this beautiful (albeit chilly) weather? I bet you're busy indulging in pumpkin flavored everything and leaf-peeping like a boss. And on top of all that, you survived daylight savings time! High five! You're the best. You knew that, but here's a few more reasons why.
Happy Autumn TUGGers! It's the season of falling leaves, football, and pumpkin pie, and we've got lots to share with you! In this week's newsletter you'll see our fun lineup of upcoming events, exciting community news, and even more great opportunities to give back and get involved.
Today, one of TUGG's awesome portfolio nonprofits, SolSolutions, landed over $50M worth of solar energy projects in Los Angeles, California. This groundbreaking deal will bring solar power and millions of dollars in savings (in addition to other significant educational resources) to schools across Los Angeles.
Tech professionals across Greater Boston are planning to take the day off on Wednesday September 10, but they're not playing hooky. Hundreds of companies-from the Innovation and Financial Districts, to the Seaport-have formed teams of volunteers to donate an estimated 10,000 collective hours of community service, all in one day.
Recently named one of our city's top leaders in Boston's Business Journal's 40 Under 40, Mr. Rob May has led Backupify to establish itself as the leader in backup and recovery solutions for SaaS applications. He takes a grounded, heartfelt approach to entrepreneurship and we were lucky enough to chat with him about leadership, work-life balance, and what it means to give back.
It was only seven o'clock on Wednesday night and folks were already climbing on tabletops. The Somerville Tech Pub Crawl was just getting underway, and although there were still hours of fun ahead of us, energy was high from the start. Here's a recap of the event, and don't forget to check out the photo album.
If you're a Bostonian, you or someone you know has probably applied for a city permit, and it's likely the process wasn't exactly smooth sailing. From entertainment licenses for big events like TechJam and TUGG's Tech Gives Back after-party, to residential permits for small renovations: businesses, contractors, and individuals apply for city permits all the time.
Big news! Our buddy Jay Acunzo over at NextView Ventures has been working hard to bring you TUGG's official podcast! #TechitFwd is a new compelling series that tells the unique stories of Boston's innovative tech companies and social entrepreneurs. Our very first episode, aptly titled Origins, features a fascinating interview with none other than TUGG founder, Jeff Fagnan.
Nobody pub crawls quite like a techie. Join us in Somerville on Wednesday night August 7th for the (free!) Tech Pub Crawl & Scavenger hunt from 6-11pm. For every drink or food item you buy, TUGG's sponsors will donate a portion of the proceeds to Boston's own YouthCITIES.
When it comes to building an effective enthusiastic nonprofit board, John Simon is the go-to guy for expert advice. Mr. Simon and I met for a fascinating Q&A chat about importing ideas, taking risks, and why you don't have to be über experienced to land a leading seat on a nonprofit board.
Boston's tech professionals, CEOs, innovators, and investors all had a chance to relive their athletic glory days on the track, in the gym & dance studio, even on a towering inflatable obstacle course at olympic-style 2nd Annual Entrepreneur Games.
Catie's Closet does more than just supplement the necessities for low-income families; this nonprofit empowers students to choose the items they need AND want, express their style, and stride confidently down the halls ready to conquer that pop quiz.
Even though rolling fog and drizzle greeted us the morning of the 3rd Annual Innovation District Baggo Tournament, fama PR wasn't going to let a little rain stand in the way of hosting a good time for a good cause.
Research shows that students who are empowered with career information make better, more-informed decisions when it comes to their future, specially during high school and college. CareerVillage takes the standard six-hour “career day” that some kids get in school once or twice (if their lucky) and transforms it into a continuous, high-impact experience that gives students personalized advice, valuable guidance, and constant access to practical information.
As if competitive darts, bouncy obstacles courses, and mini golf weren't enough of a reason to get out of the office on Thursday, June 19 also marks the climactic end of Boston's Idea Week, which means a huge party is afoot.
If you don't already know John Simon-co-founder of the GreenLight Fund, Boston venture capitalist with Sigma Prime Ventures, and all-around nice person-you probably should. Raised in Boston's Chestnut Hill/Brookline neighborhood, John Simon graduated from Harvard and earned a Rhodes Scholarship, but his mind and heart have always been focused on helping others.
Literary Publication
"...But today was not 9/11. This was Marathon Monday. I suppose when she closes her eyes, my mother sees explosions all the time. Or maybe, to her, I’ve already died."
Food Writing
" My approach is one of careful attention and seasonality. I try to stay in tune with what my body is craving, and then follow up with something that is both delicious and nourishing. I think about how the food will satisfy me in a whole body/mind sense - aesthetically, nutritionally, ease/complexity of preparation etc.
Because yogurt, even thick greek style yogurt, has a tendency to curdle under high heat, keep this technique in mind when using yogurt to add creamy texture to this and any other soup recipe. When you're done blending the primary ingredients, simply remove the soup from the heat, allow it to cool slightly, then stir in the yogurt.
(Recipe and photos by Krysta Voskowsky) Nothing says "home" like pancakes fresh off the griddle. That's why, when Kristin and I were living together in Indonesia, our sure-fire cure for homesickness was to fry up a stack of traditional flapjacks.
Marie’s tried-and-true pizza dough recipe transports us straight to our favorite New York City pizza place, and her ingenious techniques result in the perfect crispy, thin, foldable crust with a dreamy layer of melty cheese.
Even though the Spring hours are giving us more daylight to work with, most of us are packing more plans into our already busy schedules. It's always a fantastic idea to making versatile meals; delicious dishes that translate from flavorful midweek dinners to awesome work-week lunches mean less time anchored to the stove and more time savoring the fruits of your (minimal) labor.
Some folks believe this strong southern spirit was named after a French royal family. Others swear it was named after the famous street in New Orleans. Either way, bourbon is an American classic that never goes out of style.
Liquid gold. Brunch Heaven. Makes asparagus, eggs Benedict, or anything else taste better than you ever thought possible. Easier to make that you might think.
Are you the kind of Valentine that springs for the element of surprise? Or do you dig dates that require you to roll up your sleeves and get involved? Some couples go all out on February 14th, and others' definition of romance involves sweatpants and Netflix while the kids are at Grandma's.
Hundreds of thousands of cookbooks crowd the shelves of bookstores, libraries, and kitchens across the country, and at times it can seem like the same old recipes and photos are just crammed into different bindings. You've flipped through one cookbook, you've seen them all right? Wrong.
Christmas is only a few days away, and there's nothing that says home-for-the-holidays like a cozy Christmas morning breakfast. With all the wrapping, tree trimming, last-minute shopping, party planning, and prepping for guests, we know you're probably not thinking about slaving over a complicated breakfast menu for December 25th.
Skipping the mall and creating your own unique gifts doesn't mean you have to slave-away like a workshop elf. And because we can't resist a fabulous play on words, we thought your homemade marmalade should be tied and tagged alongside an adorable bauble from Marmalade Designs.
The Thanksgiving table just isn't complete without a steaming basket of dinner rolls-but our love of bread doesn't stop there. Whether you're hosting a harvest feast for two or twenty, this roundup of fantastic bread recipes covers all the courses; pre-holiday breakfast loaves to perfect sandwich breads for stacking up leftover turkey, this list is the best thing since...well, you know.
There's something special about Halloween that brings out the kid in all of us: the spooky movies, outstanding outfits, the festive tricks, and especially the scrumptious treats. But there's no need to limit all the fun of Halloween to the last day of the month.
Once in a while, we come across a cookbook that completely changes the game.Lust for Leaf: Veggie Crowd-Pleasers to Fuel Your Picnics, Potlucks, and Ragers by the dynamic duo of Alex Brown and Evan George (of the Hot Knives blog) brings creative, fun, and sometimes downright crazy recipes to your summer table.
It's no surprise Tessa Arias is a total ice cream expert. This college student turned chef blogger comes to us from a few of the sunniest places on Earth: Phoenix, Arizona, by way of California and Australia.
There’s nothing like a lavish love story based on classic literature to inspire a luscious recipe roundup.
Mildly sweet and moist, this Latin inspired cake is light, fluffy, and soaked in an irresistible sauce made with three types of milk and a splash of rum. Alina’s Tres Leches Cake, with its distinct texture and meringue frosting, is swimming in a pool of deliciousness.
Sarah’s combination of ginger ale and cucumber infused vodka make this cocktail both mild and simple, but it still packs a fizzy kick that’s perfect for patio-sitting and socializing in the sunshine.
Jackie’s little layered desserts are a cool combination of creamy mascarpone and irresistible lemon curd, with a touch of creme fraiche and cookie crunch. These easy parfaits are a perfect addition to your Mother’s Day table.
Shelly’s surprising combination of juicy strawberries and basil take your tastebuds on a tour of the garden, while the chocolate-almond crust and sweetened goat cheese filling make this a delicious (and cute!) tart to serve at this summer’s best backyard gatherings.
Ira’s traditional Indonesian fried chicken is simple to make, yet bursting with exotic flavors, transporting our tastebuds to the lush jungles and black-sand beaches of Bali.
Dianna’s imaginative chocolate bark recipe combines sweet caramel and whiskey-infused marshmallow, topping it off with our favorite vice: bacon. The result is a mind-blowing indulgent candy that satisfies every wicked craving.
Springtime calls for garden-fresh ingredients to brighten our tables and tummies, and Cate’s version of this Vietnamese soup is simultaneously light and hearty with a mild egg-drop style broth and tasty chunks of sweet crab and vibrant asparagus.
Crispy, crunchy, inexpensive, and unconventional, these chickpeas are packed with protein and make for a flavorful side dish, a tasty alternative to snack-time chips, or a vibrant addition to a salad.
Publicity