Causes & Interests
This page is a bit of a mixed bag—for now. Think of it as a space where I share things that fuel me.
I’m still figuring out how to organize it all, but I did a good job of keeping things succinct (for now).
Fair warning… if you see me out in the wild and ask about any of these topics, be prepared. We’re going deep into some serious rabbit holes.
Aviva Garti Mizrachi Memorial Fund
My siblings and I set up an endowment in my Mother’s memory. It provides scholarship funds for youth to attend conferences and conventions related to the development of leadership skills.
The way it works is the principal amount doesn’t get used. Scholarships are granted using only the interest from the fund. That way these scholarships will be available in perpetuity!
We set up the fund with Jewish Nevada. In lieu of flowers at her funeral, we asked that people donate to the fund. That got it seeded. I did that thing on Facebook where you raise money for a cause during your birthday. That raised a decent amount.
Our next target was to get to $30,000 so we could give 4 scholarships a year. This has been both emotional and fulfilling! If you’d like to contribute, here is a link to the page.
That one time. When I was Guy Fieri!
Dori was the one who actually articulated the idea…
To go visit as many Las Vegas steakhouses and answer the often-asked question. Which is the best steakhouse in Las Vegas?
And so Dori, Hayim and Jarrad agreed to routinely visit Las Vegas steakhouses.
Each of them would invite one guest so that the cast of characters would always change.
They would share their experiences rating atmosphere, service, spirit selection, wine, food and overall value.
Smoking
No no. Not that kind of smoking you crazy!
Here’s what happened. My wife bought me a Weber Smokey Mountain for father’s day 2019. My friend Tom Dadon talked me through my first brisket cook. It wasn’t a total disaster, but definitely a learning experience. Then I found Aaron Franklin on MasterClass. That was a game changer. Now I have a Traeger and a charcoal grill too. That’s in additional to the propane grill every grown adult should have. The links below are posts from some of my cooks over the years.
Mole chicken drumstick lollipops.
Herbs de Provence crusted beef tenderloin served with creamy dill horseradish – thing is a damn show stopper!
If you see me around and you want to talk grilling or smoking I’m there for it!
Running
I was one month away from my 40th birthday. Weighed more than I ever weighed. Couldn’t control what was going into my mouth. And had no exercise routine at all.
If I didn’t do something, I would blink, turn 50 and would be overweight and sick. I believed that.
I landed on running. It started as two mile runs when I dropped Nathan off at golf. I would do one mile runs around the house.
October 2020 things got consistent. It wasn’t until December 2021 that I started training for my first 1/2 Marathon.
Here are the major runs I’ve completed. We’ll see what’s on the horizon from here!
Rock n Roll 1/2 Marathon – Las Vegas – February 27, 2022 – 2:02:37
Rock n Roll Marathon – San Diego – June 5, 2022 – 4:32:40
Rock n Roll 1/2 Marathon – Las Vegas – February 26, 2023 – 1:57:44
Chicago Marathon – Chicago – October 8, 2024 – 4:00:02
Long Beach Marathon – Long Beach – October 6, 2024 – 3:51:25
Disney 1/2 Marathon – Anaheim – February 2, 2025 – TBD
Rock n Roll 1/2 Marathon – Las Vegas – February 23, 2025 – TBD
Tools I Used
Guided Runs with Coach Chris Bennett on the Nike Run Club App.
This is a sick feature on the app where a coach speaks to you throughout the run. There are a variety of runs on the NRC app. If you’re starting out, check out the First Run, Next Run, and Third Run. From there check out any of these: First Speed Run, First Long Run, Next Long Run, Just Another Run, Lunch Run, Running For More: Success, Running for More: Connection. The Guided Run feature has been a major factor in my starting to run, and learning a lot about how to run right.
Go to Red Rock Running Company and get fitted. It doesn’t cost anything. They measure your feet. Film you running on a treadmill. Based on various factors they will give you shoe recommendations that will work for you. I selected Brooks Adrenalin. You’ll also want to invest in good running socks. I use Balega, but they’ll have many options at RRR.
The biggest factor in my running success is my running coach. Michelle lives in Las Vegas. Coaching is mostly all virtual via texts, emails, and phone calls. She reviews my goals, puts a plan together, is always accessible and responsive, she checks in on me if I skip runs, provides tips, insights, wisdom and encouragement. Mostly, she is there to keep me accountable to my own goals.