Harboring Hearts

UNTUCKit for Harboring Hearts!

Harboring Hearts — Tue, 01 May 2012 15:00:02 +0000

We are excited to announce a new partnership with UNTUCKit for the month of May! (It is also Stroke Month)

UNTUCKit designs men’s button downs, t-shirts, polos, and henleys that are meant to be worn untucked without looking sloppy.

In honor of our Spring Gala, UNTUCKit will donate $5 to Harboring Hearts for each shirt that is sold in the month of May! Check out their website at www.untuckit.com and enter code HarboringHearts for an additional 15% off.

Memorial Day and Father’s Day are just around the corner (hint hint). Shopping that helps Harboring Hearts – we can get behind that!

Meet Peter Christodoulou

Yuki Kotani — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 14:00:26 +0000

We want to take this opportunity to showcase key people who have been essential in the development of Harboring Hearts. Without the help of our amazing board members, volunteers and interns, we would not be where we are today.

Forward by Yuki Kotani

As our Spring Gala fast approaches, we want to recognize people who have been essential to ensuring that the event would be a success. For the second time, we are holding another exciting event at the Rubin Museum of Art and we want to thank Peter Christodoulou for securing us the venue. The museum is beautiful with amazing Tibetan and Himalayan art work. The peaceful yet trendy ambience has been one of the best venue choices for Harboring Hearts.

We want to thank Peter for his continued support and dedication to the organization. Please read about our amazing volunteer, Peter Christodoulou.

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Name - Peter Christodoulou

Current Occupation - Finance, specifically Asset Management at Credit Suisse

How and why did you get involved with Harboring Hearts? - I have been friends with Michelle Javian, one of the co-founders of Harboring Hearts, ever since I met her at the airport. We were both returning from vacation in Greece, and we shared a few common connections which we discovered while waiting in the taxi line! We continued to stay in touch, and as I discovered Harboring Hearts I immediately took an interest in the organization’s mission and helping out any way I could.

How do you balance your career and giving back so successfully? - My career keeps me quite busy, but helping Harboring Hearts has always been a rewarding experience and it has never been hard to find time to help (especially given how fun Harboring Hearts events are!). I am generally most useful with event hosting and planning, and I am always able to catch up after regular working hours or when my work load is low.

Who or what have been your greatest inspirations in your life, your career, and your volunteer experience? - My greatest inspiration is watching other people with the drive to succeed, specifically in watching others who manage challenging projects from an idea all the way to completion. I see this in colleagues, my closest friends, my fiancée, and my family. I’ve also seen such drive from the volunteers at Harboring Hearts, and it is this drive which is part of the reason I am involved with the organization. Having seen multiple fundraising events worked on by volunteers who truly feel motivated by the organization’s mission, I am myself motivated to make each and every event even better.

What are your favorite memories about Harboring Hearts? - I have been a member of the host committee for various Harboring Hearts events. My favorite was the first event at the Rubin Museum since I helped secure the venue. The space and the turn out made for a fantastic and successful night!

Peter’s Favorites:

Favorite City? New York City
Favorite Food? Italian (especially spaghetti with pesto)
Favorite Activity? Travel
Favorite Music? Classic rock
Favorite Museum? Museum of Moving Image
Favorite Travel Destination? Greek islands
Favorite Movie? A Shot in the Dark (1964)

Striped Sea Bass Stuffed with Lemons, Bay Leaves, and Thyme

Renee Cherkezian — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 15:00:35 +0000

*Fast, Healthy and Divine.*

It is not easy to find a meal that is fast to make, healthy, and tastes absolutely divine. Given my passion for food and cooking, as well as, my background in medicine, and nutrition, part of my mission is to ‘dazzle’ the simple foods, in a subtle, savory, and yet healthy way.

Fish is a great source of omega-3 fatty acids, which clinical studies, have
proven to decrease cardiovascular disease, blood pressure, and triglycerides (lowering LDL, the ‘bad cholesterol’, and increasing HDL, the ‘good cholesterol’) . The lemons, herbs, tomatoes, and arugula salad also contain many vitamins, and minerals, which have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, and numerous ‘healthy heart’ benefits. For example, potassium, found in these foods, is a mineral which plays a large role in treating high blood pressure. The health advantages are tremendous, and the fresh, light, heavenly flavor will transport you to that long sought-after seacoast; even if just for a bite or two

This dish requires only a few key ingredients, and may easily be served within 25 minutes.

2 Servings:

2 1-pound sea bass (scaled and gutted)
2 thyme sprigs
2 bay leaves
2 lemons, thinly sliced
2 tbs olive oil

*Directions*:

1) Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
2) Season the fish with a sprinkle of *salt and pepper.
3) Insert a thyme spring; and a bay leaf.
4) Coat sea bass with olive oil, and *salt and pepper
5) Place fish on aluminum foil, and fold up all sides.
6) Transfer to oven and steam for approximately 20 minutes.

** Use of salt is optional; lemon is a good substitute. This is a low-fat, low-sodium meal. Adjust servings as necessary.

-Courtesy of Food & Wine.

-Please see below for more information on fish, and omega-3.

Spring Gala – May 22, 2012

Harboring Hearts — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 04:00:31 +0000

We hope you will join us at the 2012 Harboring Hearts Spring Gala to be held on Tuesday, May 22, 2012 at the Rubin Museum of Art in New York City.

This year, Harboring Hearts is thrilled to honor Dr. Yoshifumi Naka, Cardiothoracic Surgeon at New York Presbyterian and Associate Professor at Columbia University College of Physicians & Surgeons, and Dr. Donna Mancini, Medical Director, Professor of Medicine and Sudhir Choudhrie Professor of Cardiology at the Center for Advanced Cardiac Care at Columbia University Medical Center. Dr. Naka and Dr. Mancini, along with the entire cardiac team at New York Presbyterian, work tirelessly to provide the best care for their patients. It is because of these efforts that peers recognize them as leaders in their fields.

With special performances by American Idol alum Clay Aiken, The New York Pops, DJs Nick Cohen and Alexandra Richards, this event promises to be an exciting and memorable evening for all! So come and support Harboring Hearts and our honorees and enjoy cocktails, food, entertainment, and dancing.

You can purchase an advance ticket online.

We hope to see you on May 22nd!

Harboring Hearts RSVP

Sponsor

Press

Meet Kristen Lohser

Yuki Kotani — Tue, 27 Mar 2012 14:15:13 +0000

Forward by Yuki Kotani

I met Kristen through Michelle at the beginning stages of Harboring Hearts. She immediately extended her support to our cause and has continued to support us to this day. She recently hosted a Brooks Brothers shopping event at a Long Island, NY mall where a percentage of the purchased goods were donated to Harboring Hearts. Kristen’s giving nature is always on full display as she finds creative ways to help Harboring Hearts fulfill the mission of helping heart patients and their families.

Please read about our amazing volunteer, Kristen Lohser. We thank you for believing in our organization and our mission.

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Name - Kristen Lohser

Current Occupation - Physician Assistant at North Shore Long Island Jewish

How and why did you get involved with Harboring Hearts? - The co-founder, Michelle Javian has been my best friend since college. One day Michelle and I met for lunch and she told me about the idea and I knew with her heart and work ethic it would be successful. Knowing her desire for the charity to thrive was so motivating to me.

How do you balance your career and giving back so successfully? - It can be busy but with a career in healthcare helping the charity seems like an extension of my everyday and is very fulfilling.

Who or what have been your greatest inspirations in your life, your career, and your volunteer experience? - I believe having multiple spine surgeries has been very influential. It has shaped me into a kind and compassionate health care provider. The struggles have taught me not to take anything too serious in life and to help those that are struggling with even bigger healthcare issues.

What are your favorite memories about Harboring Hearts? - My favorite memory was one of the golf outings. It was such a beautiful day and at the event everyone has so happy and having so much fun! It was an opportunity to be with both my family and friends to help spread awareness of such an important mission.

Kristen’s Favorites:

Favorite City? Washington dc
Favorite Food? Pizza
Favorite Activity? Baking
Favorite Music? Coldplay
Favorite Museum? Smithsonian, The American History Museum
Favorite Travel Destination? Zermatt, Switzerland
Favorite Movie? Love Actually

Magic in the Kitchen

Shayla Frandsen — Wed, 21 Mar 2012 19:47:18 +0000

Forward by Yuki Kotani

We are very excited to introduce Shayla Frandsen, our event intern at Harboring Hearts. She comes to us from Seattle and is a recent graduate of Brigham Young University. She is currently studying at CUNY for a Masters in English Literature.

Shayla plays a crucial role in our upcoming May 22nd Gala by assisting Michelle Javian and the event team in any way possible. In addition, she has worn many different hats within the organization and she has been an invaluable part of Harboring Hearts. We appreciate Shayla for sharing her story with us today.

I hope you enjoy her story and heart-healthy recipe!

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Have you ever been to a magic show? The only time I’ve ever been to an actual sit-down magic show in all its glory was when I was about eight or nine years old. It was held in the gym of an elementary school, and (if I remember correctly) I went with my friend and her family.

At one point during the show I was chosen to be a helper in the next trick. I walked up on stage, faced the audience, the magician had me wear a pair of yellow, oversized sunglasses—and that’s the end of what I remember. I can’t remember what trick the magician than did or what happened afterwards—you know how childhood memories go sometimes. Oh well.

In a way, cooking is a lot like magic. The stage is set: in a mixing bowl, pop in a dash of this, a teaspoon of that, close it up in the oven for a few minutes, wave your wand and voila! Chocolate cake. Voila! Warm banana bread. Voila! Pumpkin chocolate chip cookies (a personal favorite of mine).

In her book A Thousand Years Over a Hot Stove, Laura Schenone writes, “Women wield almost mystical strength in their kitchens . . . I have days in my very own kitchen when I am a high priestess of life. Steam rises up from my bubbling pots. Spices dance in their jars like spirits yearning to be set free . . . Outside my kitchen door people clamor with hunger, and I am the only one who can make things right” (page xv). Doesn’t that make cooking sound so…exciting? So magical? Yet sometimes I am so overwhelmed at the idea of cooking a delicious & heart-healthy meal for my husband & I that “magical” is the exact opposite way I am feeling.

It is no secret that cooking & eating heart-healthy food can require lots of time, money, and preparation. If you’re like me, it takes Internet research, advice from friends, and even Yelp to find those heart-healthy recipes or restaurants. Finding the time in your busy schedule to shop for and then cook these recipes is a magic trick unto itself. If you’re also like me, however, you’ve realized that it’s worth it. So take that extra bit of time to figure out how you can be the healthiest you can be, and then work up some magic in your kitchen!

Here is a recipe for grilled ginger salmon (I’m originally from Seattle, so what can I say? Salmon has an extra-special place in my heart!). This cold-water fish is rich in protein and omega-3 fatty acids, meaning it is at the very top of the list of foods that are healthiest for your heart.

Grilled Ginger Salmon

Prep time: 5 minutes

Cook time: 5 minutes

Serves 4.

Ingredients:

1 teaspoon ginger

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1/3 cup soy sauce

1/3 cup orange juice

¼ cup honey

1 green onion, chopped

1 ½ lbs salmon fillets

Directions

1. In bowl, mix the first five ingredients.

2. Place onions in small bowl and chill until ready to use.

3. Gill salmon over medium coals for 10 minutes, turn and grill the other side for 10 minutes.

4. Brush with ginger sauce throughout grilling.

5. Place salmon on platter and sprinkle with onions.

February Food Blog: Vegetable pitas w/ white bean hummus

Pareesha Narang — Tue, 28 Feb 2012 23:18:11 +0000

For Valentine’s Day, I was out with the Harboring Hearts team for a fundraiser at the Ainsworth – so the following day, I decided to cook my mom a (belated) heart-healthy V-day special. Since I’ve been involved in Harboring Hearts, and February is heart month, I felt that the best way to show my mom I love her was by serving a dish that was as delicious as it was nutritious.

And it honestly was – I loved the way the freshly-made white-bean puree / ‘hummus’ gave it a layer of great flavor (instead of a fattening sauce), and it served as an extra dose of nutrition with the vegetables & nuts. Plus – it was so easy to make in the food processor!

Remember: even though February (Heart Month) is coming to a close, you can always show your loved ones that you care by making something heart-healthy & delicious! And don’t forget to remind them to take care of their hearts by getting routinely checked out.

For this dish, I googled what kinds of spices are used together in Mediterranean food and went from there. Giving a bit of thought to nutrition for my health-conscious mom, rummaging through the fridge & pantry, and with a little inspiration from Food Network, I came up with this:

Vegetable pitas & white bean hummus

Whole wheat pita pockets

For the ‘hummus’:

1 (15-ounce) can white beans (cannellini) or chickpeas, rinsed and drained

1 to 2 tablespoons water

handful of grated parmesan (can use manchego or pecorino romano cheese)

2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

1/2 tsp salt

Pinch crushed red pepper flakes

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Freshly ground black pepper
(this is a slightly altered recipe from Food Network for white bean puree)

For the vegetables:

3 cloves garlic, minced
1 onion, chopped
1 zucchini, chopped into quarters

1 red pepper, chopped

1 yellow pepper, chopped

1/2 tsp thyme (add more to taste – didn’t actually measure it!)

1/2 tsp oregano (“)

fresh feta cheese, crumbled

dried cranberries (“craisins”)

Optional: handful mint, chopped

Directions:

Heat olive oil on big saute pan with pinch or two of black pepper. Turn heat low to cook garlic till it releases its fragrance (under a minute), then add onions and cook for another minute. Add peppers, cook for a couple minutes, watching it so it softens only slightly. Add zucchini and cook till desired tenderness. Add thyme, oregano, s&p, stir and add more to taste. Add generous handful of craisins and stir. Remove pan from heat and add crumbled feta (and mint if available) to the vegetables, stirring gently.

Combine the white beans, water, cheese, lemon juice, salt and red pepper flakes in a food processor (I used a blender) and puree until completely smooth, about 5 minutes. While the motor is running, pour in the olive oil and process until fully incorporated and velvety. Season with pepper to taste. (also from Food Network)

Lightly toast the pitas in an oven/toaster. Spoon in some hummus to coat the inside and then add vegetables. Add more hummus and mint to the top if desired, and enjoy!

Note: You can also see this post and more on my personal food blog, http://itsallfoodlove.blogspot.com. Thanks! -Pareesha

Meet Erica Lynn Young

Yuki Kotani — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 17:03:10 +0000

I have known Erica Young since our high school days of running 4x200s on our track & field team. Since relocating to NYC, our bond has grown stronger as we connected over stories about our lives as an entrepreneur!

She has inspired me with her passion for her company/industry and her remarkable business acumen. She has brought the same level of commitment to Harboring Hearts from creating the fundamental structure of our social media strategy to assisting with numerous events.

Thank you Erica for your continued support and for dedicating your time to Harboring Hearts. Read below to learn more about our fabulous volunteer.

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Name – Erica Lynn Young

Current Occupation – Social Media and Higher Education Consultant and Founder of the soon to launch TruthandFashion.com

How and why did you get involved with Harboring Hearts? – The Co-founder of HH, Yuki Kotani, has been a personal friend of mine before we both relocated to New York City. When I heard about HH’s mission (to provide affordable, temporary housing for cardiac patients during a time of need) and the founder’s personal stories of dealing with heart disease, I knew I had to help.

How do you balance your career and giving back so successfully? – It is definitely not always easy. Now that I am launching my second startup and my consulting work is starting to really take off, it seems to get harder and harder to find a balance. The life of a NYC entrepreneur though means that you are incredibly motivated to accomplish your goals; it becomes almost an insatiable hunger. There are certain time periods that are slower in consulting; I try to fill that time by giving back. It is, in a way, how I say thank you for all of the blessings that I have had in my life.

Who or what have been your greatest inspirations in your life, your career, and your volunteer experience? – It is so hard to pick one person for this. I believe different stages of my life have been greatly inspired by different people, not solely one constant as life is always evolving and, especially in NYC, moves faster and faster. I have been fortunate to have some great mentors and friends that have inspired me in so many ways.

I would say that my greatest inspiration is an idea; the idea that anything is achievable. It is what keeps me dreaming, keeps me moving, keeps me thinking, keep me loving. I am inspired by what people can do when they really put their minds to it. I love reading stories about how people championed adversity in their own lives. If you want a change, as Gandhi said, “Be the change you want to see in the world”.

What are your favorite memories about Harboring Hearts? – I have helped Harboring Hearts with their Masquerade Ball, Theory and Jessie James Shopping Events, and the Harboring Hearts Summer Fete. I love looking back at these successful events knowing that are work has directly helped to support heart patients and their families in need. Also, all of the HH volunteers are so ambitious and inspiring. They are a wonderful group of people to work with and really make planning these events such a joy.

Your Favorites:

Favorite city : New York for work, Paris for love, and Istanbul for adventure
Favorite food : Levain Cookies
Favorite activity: Playing Volleyball
Favorite music: My Florence and The Machine channel on Pandora
Favorite museum: MoMa
Favorite travel destination: The place I have not been.
Favorite book: Hard to pick one, but I have always loved “A Moveable Feast” by Earnest Hemingway as I read it at such poignant time.

Heart-Healthy Expo

Harboring Hearts — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 17:38:06 +0000

You are invited to our fabulous Heart-Healthy Expo on Tuesday, February 21st from 6:30-8:30 p.m. at Lolë (24 Hubert Street)!

Please join us for some red wine, dark chocolate, and other heart-healthy treats, as well as a cardio fitness demo by Rogue Female Fitness. You will also get a chance to shop Lolë’s collection (20% of your purchase will benefit HH!). See the flier for all details, and register here: http://www.roguefemalefitness.com/programs/giving-back.

Thanks to Rogue Female Fitness and Lolë for partnering with us for this exciting event.

We hope to see you there! ♥

Press

Eventful
Upcoming – Yahoo
NYC.com
Guest of a Guest
Yelp
Newyork.cities2night.com
NY Daily News
Zvents

Photo credit: Sunny Norton

http://www.flickr.com/photos/63317659@N03/sets/72157629112056640/show/

Valentine’s Day Charity Networking Event

Harboring Hearts — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 14:00:08 +0000

If you are still looking for something to do on Valentine’s Day, embrace American Heart Month with Harboring Hearts and Charity Connector. The two organizations invite you to join them for a Charity Networking Party at The Ainsworth, (122 West 26th St) on February 14th. From 7-9 pm, experience a fun night of drinks and the sounds of a top NYC DJ, all for a good cause! A suggested $10 donation, sold online (http://harboringhearts.eventbrite.com/) or at the door, will entitle guests to $3 selected beer, $5 cocktails and $7 champagne. 100% of the ticket sales will benefit Harboring Hearts (http://www.harboringhearts.org)

Press: