Thanks to the people who have made this possible…

(if you don’t see your name up here but you donated - don’t worry, we’re working on it!)

Helen Levi:  Hevi has been mastering her craft of ceramics for food justice over the past four years and we hear is only a prototype away from a bottomless, all-you-can-eat, marry-poppins style bowl that will feed us all! 

Lola Kirke & Jonathan Rosen:  Every love song you’ve ever heard was written about these two - for real.  Both born during an eclipse they each play a guitar made from the same Ash tree and can play a tune that would fill your heart and feet with some happy whiskey stuff.

Nick Page:  Jack Kerouac once told me that On The Road is actually a biography of Nick Page and that he had to “tone it down” to make it more believable to the general public.  This is true.

Marlo Barrera:  Born in the Bayou of Louisiana, Marlo’s got the biggest mouth you’ve ever seen and you should listen to everything that comes out of it, cause you’re gonna learn something, son.  The Mississippi starts in her head and runs to her waist - she laughs a lot, and it sounds good and makes you think “hey, I should laugh more often”.  And then you do.

Lilly Struggles: What James Cameron didn’t tell you is that when he got to the bottom of the ocean, Struggles was already there set up with an easel and painting the illustrious Yeti Crab.  She’s got double eyelids for the hydro-pressure and sips Oxygen out of a big gulp.

Edan Lepucki: a walking, talking, teaching, sour skittles pack of sweet consideration and lethal wit.  Edan spends her time alchemizing love and learnedness into objects both baby and novella sized.

Megan Day: Wikipedia is an email address that goes straight to Megan’s brain and she rifles back a complete dossier on Proust’s early work so you can write your decent paper.  She must also be an efficient packer, because the amount of fun she fits in to her small personhood is astounding.

Dan Falch: My last European adventure was with Dan about 3 years ago - and was one of the impetus’ for the We’ll be Heroes trip. Permanently unflappable and unfairly cool, Dan is what you’d get if James Dean and Buddha had a love child.  He’s like the Fonz’s older, more chilled-out brother.

Aaron Strick: Aaron Strick knows how to do everything that you want to do and has done everything that youve wanted to do.  Korea? check. Designing a flash game where you run away from an Octopus? check. Hes got an unfair combination of technical know-how and exuberant creativity and the only way that were okay with it is because it comes packaged in such a sweetheart.

Jane Hart: Most people dont ask “how are you?”, they say it.  Not Jane.  When she asks it she means it and if youre not absolutely tip-top then well be damned if she wont do her best to make it so.  Mother Theresa apparently said that her greatest accomplishment was being voted “Most Likely to be like Jane Hart” in High School, we agree.

Adrian Cabrero: Adrian has the demenour of a ninja and the looks of a conquistador - which is enough to make anyone weak in the knees. On top of that he knows his way around a camera like a preacher on a pulpit.  You should also ask him about the time that he won NYCs Most Beautiful Eyes contest, but you didnt hear it from us.

Craig McNamara: What can we say? If it werent for Craig we wouldnt be here.  He introduced our parents, kept our Dad safe on their South American motorcycle tour and has always encouraged our wild sides.  From 4th of July bootleg firework shows to launching a mini catapult through a kitchen window, Craig has always been a gatekeeper to that Utopian land of adventure and fun.

Theo Anthony: Theo once had the nickname, Newper.  As in, New Cooper - I guess because were both tall.  Well, it may be true but only in so much as an T83 is the new abbacus or Homo Erectus is the new Neandrathal.  This man is a marvel of engineering; tall, handsome and too talented to make anyone with a shred of anxiety entirely comfortable.  All hail Theo.

Peter Rogers:  Scaler of mountains, singer of operas, hitchhiker, ice climber, Peter is a champion of adventure.  Before leaving he encouraged us to remain present in our adventures and commit to the time on the road - counseling we needed desperately before embarking on an aimless journey without even having solid plans in our daily lives.  A mentor and a role model, we couldn’t ask for more in an uncle.

Marcia Weese:  A fellow sufferer of creative overdrive - Marcia has managed to do what so many struggle with, to channel her talents into whatever medium she lays her hands on and make it beautiful and successful.  We couldn’t ask for a better influence for this trip whether it be in the pursuit of self-knowledge or the quest to find beauty in the world.

Dennis Roberts:  A wizard, a genius - a madman.  Dennis has managed to live in the two most soul-crushing cities in America (LA and NY) and remains a force of light and freewheelin’ fun.  I heard from a mutual friend that he doesn’t actually need to where glasses (20/20 vision of course), he wears them because to stare into his eyes is to fall in love with him and he really wants to just keep us all in the friend zone.

Noah Youngs:  Mostly known for his seminal research on protein folding algorithms mostly conducted in a underground laboratory he had built by a freelancing team of retired cold war scientists, Noah decided to dedicate his life’s passion to fantasy writing from ORC perspectives.  He recently published a trilogy following BloodBlood a young orc in Sauron’s arms.  With a higher IQ than 30 dolphins, mor heart than 40 overbearing mothers, Noah continues to astonish the world with his creative talent from his small kingdom in the East: NYC.

David Gumbiner:  Nick named “the hearth” for his uncanny ability to gather wonderful people in warm places, David Gumbiner is the godfather of at least 15 future children.  With the deepest caring eyes imaginable and a beard thick enough to loose your entire hand in, David excels at both voracious snuggling and inspirational speeches.  There is no better man(person).  This is true.  

Claire Rabkin:  Claire will weave a blanket out of branches and tea leaves and cashmere and wrap up everyone you’ve ever met in it.  She spends her days teaching kids how to paint Mona Lisas with kitchen tools and her nights watering all the wildflowers in Berkeley.  You can thank her when you see her.

Sasha Birman:  Built like a romanian olympic swimmer with the posture of ballerina, Sasha is the high lord of his synagog in New Orleans, LA where many a world traveler has sought shelter.   With an undying curiosity for learning Sasha passionately studies Japanese, Italian, French and other worldly languages.  He is absolutely brilliant with a pencil and uses his talents to defend those being dismantled by the world’s injustice.   King story teller, Loving friend, Beautiful human…Beware: You might fall in love with his cooking.

Amelia Muller:  We met Amelia in the muggy, buggy, hot-as-hell south this past spring.  At the time she was Maid of Honor, but we were later told that the title is in fact, a year round one.  We’re not experienced with the process of merging families but luckily we didn’t have to figure out how it’s done because as far as Amelia was concerned - we already were, and always will be.  That’s just how she is: generous with her love.

Kay Blonz:   Kay Blonz has the unique super power to envision immense amounts of aesthetic beauty and then somehow through secret reserves of will power and focus, build insanely beautiful spaces, objects and atmospheres.  The strength and sensibility of a New Yorker with the pace and presence of a Californian, she is someone to know and respect.

Susan Rosen: Once known known as Shy Wildflower, she’s a healer for both body and soul - making you feel at home no matter the time or day with a big hug and a warm loaf of delicious banana bread.  Selfless and genuine, I couldn’t imagine a more loving mother for my home away from home.

Finn Yarborough:  Finn’s life is the one that you catch yourself daydreaming about when you’re stuck in traffic on the way home from work; beautiful in every way complete with sheep shearing and a pair of twins named Elke and Beowulf.  We had the honor of attending Finn and Kate’s wedding and it set the bar for sharing love with friends and family.  

Sarah Bluestone:  My mom once said that there are friends who won’t pick you up at the airport and there are friends that will, Sarah’s the latter.  Sarah cares about your feelings and you will know it through the love, food and fun she hurls your way.  She can eat the worlds sorrow, turn right around spit out an eloquent explanation of why it kicks ass.

Blaine O’Neill:  Every utopia you’ve ever imagined, every eventual ‘better world’ that comes after the apocalypse - Blaine is the President, Clan Leader, Sultan or King of said world.  He manages to know everyone you’ve ever wanted to meet, have experience doing everything you’ve wanted to do and remain a fiercely optimistic man who believes in the power of friends having fun with big ideas.

George Upton:  Hugging George Upton feels like being carried by your parents and tucked you into you bed while you pretend to be asleep.  He is a love ball covered in a thick coating of brillance and creativity, doused in raw life energy like a burrito mojado.  

Ray Park & Lucy Knops:  When New York has just about done you in and you feel like there’s only cold hard bitterness and depression in the world you see Ray and Lucy.  Indefatigably loving, generous and thoughtful I’ve never met two people more creative with the time they spend and more committed to sharing their constant excitement with those around them.  Know these two, you will be a happier, better person for it.

Aleksandra Wolchasty:  Alex and I met in Copenhagen where we worked together under the tutelage of a master craftsman learning to design timber-framed lobster pots.  I ended up failing out of the program (something about “structural integrity”) whereas Alex managed to end up the most successful lobster trap fabricator in Scandinavia.  She’s one no nonsense, salt of the earth, queen of the sea, badass babe.  

Pat Farrell:   Rule-breaker, authority-questioner, art-maker and god mother.  Pat knows what we only remember on our best days: that it kicks ass to be alive and be able to share our time with so many wonderful people.  Pat moves through the world in a whirlwind of color, patter, love, laughter and bubbly water sweeping up all those that cross her path with her energy and love and winning over those that try to tell her “Ma’m, you can’t touch the paintings” or “Excuse me miss, shoes must be worn in the restaurant at all times”.  We learned everything we know about getting into (and out of) trouble from Pat.

John Scharffenberger:  Picture the two things you like most in the world…got it? It’s champagne and chocolate right? yeah, we thought so.  John knows what you want and wants to share it with the world whether its opulence both sweet and bubbly or a delicious meal shared with wonderful friends.  Insatiably inquisitive, permanently chill and always the most fun at the party - John’s, simply, the man.

James Brandt:  Our friendship with James was forged in the alkaline dust-storms of the Black Rock Desert.  A man of laughter and music, who leads easily with a smile (we’d follow him anywhere) and celebrates those around him in everything they do James is a fierce cuddler, freaky-deeky dancer and demigod of the fun-to-do.

Judith Belzerer & Michael Pollan:  From parties on Martha’s Vineyard to dinners in the backyard our times with Judith and Michael tend to orient themselves towards people gathering around food.  They stand as an example of how one can live in pursuit of truth and beauty, can commit energy to their beliefs and still be able to enjoy an afternoon in the sun.  After all, whats the point of having a passion if you can’t share it with others?