I'm a theater artist and urban planner passionate about bringing people together through creative experiences. I’m Sicilian and Jewish. I was born in Queens, New York and I’ve lived most of my life in New York City!

I love hiking, kayaking, biking, watching jazz shows and going to old time music gatherings. I'm looking for people to adventure outdoors, enjoy some good music with, or just have a beautiful conversation with, both near and far.

I moved from New York into a lovely co-housing community in Southwest Virginia. Co-housing is intentional living that holds onto some capitalist ideals. Our community shares 77 acres of land in common and regularly shared meals together. I’m in a bit of a transition so right now I’m taking my first trip across some of Europe I’ve been to Berlin, Cologne, Brussels, Oslo, Norway, and more! I’m largely based in the UK since mid-August. It’s been fascinating.

A fun fact: I volunteered on a whale research boat for several years. In another lifetime I would be a marine biologist 🐋. To sate this desire, I moonlight as a science communicator. I’m currently working with fish and wildlife scientists to tell the story of an extraordinary minnow (a small fish) common to Virginia’s freshwater streams and creeks called the Bluehead chub.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

New experiences!

Interests

• singing
• theater
• dancing
• education
• yoga
• music
• jazz
• spoken word
• outdoor activities
• hiking
• kayaking
• swimming
• law
• visual arts
• sightseeing
• nature
• social justice
• biking
• museums
• fiddle

Music, Movies, and Books

Currently reading “Me As Her Again” by my writing mentor Nancy Agabian, “Mountains Beyond Mountains by Tracy Kidder, “The Panza Monologues” by Virginia Grise and Irma Mayorga, and Radical Dharma by The Reverend Angel Kyodo Williams.

I listen to a lot of jazz, blues, and old time music. Some of my favorites include Nina Simone, Nicole Mitchell, Cooper-Moore, Elizabeth LaPrelle, and Herbie Hancock.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Just one?
- Backpacked across the Southwest of the U.S.
- Brought joy to healthcare workers during the height of the pandemic through theater
- Built a new kind of chosen family out of the lack of family I had

Teach, Learn, Share

Teach/share: Fiddle, old time singing (Appalachian ballads), Jewish singing (nigunim), how to enjoy singing and accessing your authentic voice, yoga/meditation, and how to backpack. I can also share some insight on, or at least have a good chat about, intentional communities and foraging for wild foods. I can also cook some yummy German, Polish, Sicilian, or Lithuanian foods.

What I Can Share with Hosts

I have a big heart; I love sharing stories and lending my ear for good conversation and deep listening.

Countries I’ve Visited

Belgium, Canada, Denmark, England, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Israel, Norway, Palestine, Scotland, United States

Countries I’ve Lived In

Canada, United States