Happy Hour w/ A.J. & Jane

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Comment by Jane Ali on October 30, 2012 at 6:08pm

Join us on November 8th at Mad River Bar & Grill from 6-9!

Comment by Jane Ali on January 5, 2010 at 10:06am

Bringing Back Tradition
by AJ Ali

This past Christmas something magical happened. No, not like when I was six when my teenage brother Abbey, who I shared a room with, convinced me that Santa was flying off in his sleigh high into the early morning sky. Now that was magical. Several years later I figured out that the sleigh I thought I saw was probably the reflection off of a high-flying jet airplane soaring away to some far off land at 25,000 feet. To a drowsy-eyed young boy eager to believe in all of Christmas wonderment, that most certainly was a sleigh and Santa and his reindeer were most apparent, very real and highly magical. In fact, the magic has never worn off and it is still one of my most treasured moments.
My brother Abbey passed away from cancer in 1998, but his spirit, through countless magical moments and several traditions, lives on. For example, Abbey had a tradition of giving away toys to the children in the neighborhood – and he always gave me the best toys. Somehow he always knew exactly what would be special. Or maybe they were so special because they came from him. Now that I’m an adult old enough to have lived through several personal recessions and I have a daughter who is almost, almost, old enough to have children of her own, I realize that he wasn’t just helping the kids, he was at times also helping the parents who couldn’t afford to buy their children toys. “Toys from Abbey” was a great tradition that my brother started and this year, my vow is to bring that tradition back in his honor by quietly helping families who will get a lot of magic out of a simple toy given with love.

The magical thing that happened this past Christmas was all about bringing back tradition. I read a list of things that a man should do to honor his wife and family, to let them know they are loved and that they are special. One of those things was the establishment and protection of traditions. I’ve given that article a lot of thought lately and one of my goals in 2010 is to strengthen traditions.

My wife and I have our own secret handshake. Ironically, it ends with us saying something silly that my brother used to say. Tradition.

For decades, my mom made my brother his favorite cream pie on his birthday and, of course, I loved it so much that over time she began to make two pies -- one for us and one for him. When he passed away, she continued that tradition on my birthday until she finally gave up the secret recipe to my wife, who continued carrying the torch. Tradition.

I have a friend who, years ago, asked me to go along with him to the airport to exchange money. So now, when we haven’t talked for awhile, one of us will pick up the phone, call the other, and say “Hey, what are you doing? Wanna go to the airport to exchange some money?” We laugh heartily, and catch up on life. Silly tradition.

My wife and I used to make a Christmas brunch that consisted of fresh fruit salad, muffins and my special touch, Huevos Rancheros. The brunch is simply good food washed down with fresh coffee, juice and mimosas for those who really wanted to get into the spirit of things. I stopped doing my Christmas brunch a couple of years ago though. We had moved to California, which also meant we moved away from beloved family and friends that had become fixtures at our east coast brunch. After Jane went through breast cancer and coupled with us not being around the same people, we just let that tradition slip away. It was so much preparation. We weren’t in the mood. Whatever the reasons, we didn’t do it. Every year around Christmas time though, we would get calls from friends and they would say, “I sure do miss your Christmas brunch!” Tradition.

Well, after five years of being in California, Jane and I moved back to the East Coast. It was supposed to be a short visit, that turned into a longer visit, that became my own personal Welcome Home Roscoe Jenkins moment. Turns out, it wasn’t so much the food they missed, it was more about the tradition of friends and family sharing a special time together. So this Christmas, after much prodding from our friend William, we brought back the brunch. This time I cooked my specialty at his house and everyone pitched in on the rest. It was a big hit, everyone had a great time, we reminisced about old times, created some new memories and shared the love that makes traditions special. And the Huevos Rancheros, they tasted better than ever.

© 2009 A.J. Ali

A.J. Ali
Writer - Producer - Host
Business and Personal Development Consultant
Co-Founder, Marathon of Miracles/Survivor Celebration
Co-Author, The True Champion's 30-Day Challenge
Chairman, Eclipse Sports & Entertainment, LLC
PH: 443-463-5009 - FX: 928-395-5184
www.marathonofmiracles.org - www.survivorcelebration.com - www.ontheteewithajali.com
http://twitter.com/aj_ali - www.eclipsesports.com - www.praisepartners.com

Comment by Jane Ali on December 6, 2009 at 2:45pm

Holiday Gift Giving With a Twist
by A.J. Ali

Is this a season to be jolly or is it a time to grunt the words “Bah Humbug” whenever we find ourselves standing beneath the mistletoe? There are a lot of reasons for us to look at our glasses as half-full right now, but let’s not. Instead, let’s raise our glasses and toast to what we have before getting the bartender to fill it up again for another fabulous round. In the literal sense, that means a rich and melodious Napa cabernet for me. I love my California wines. In the figurative sense, it means toasting to what good came out of 2009 (such as serious attention to healthcare reform – finally!) and looking forward to a great 2010 now that we know that the rules have changed and we can all adapt to being more frugal and smarter with our corporate and personal decision-making. For now, let’s not let the Grinch steal Christmas, or any other holiday. This year, we can choose for the holiday season to be as joyous as ever because the real reasons for the holidays have nothing to do with the amount of change in our pocket and everything to do with the amount of change we can create in the world. The currency of the holidays is added up in giving, thankfulness, love and renewal. I have a suggestion for us all. Instead of the typical holiday party with friends, lots of great food, festive beverages and décor, let’s add to all of that a bit of hope and giving to those who are truly in need.

Jane and I recently got together with a couple dozen friends at the home of www.PerfectNetworker.com founder Ken Rochon and his lovely wife Nellie for a little holiday cheer in Ellicott City, Maryland, where we put that thought into action. Instead of just making it about fun, we made it about purpose. We had the fun, we had the food (compliments of Chef Matthew Butler of Chef’s Creations) and we also had a good friend donate a free 7-day trip to Belize for one lucky raffle winner. The trip, courtesy of Jan Ahlman at Sueno, del Mar (www.dreambelize.com), was won by Patrick Ahern, one of many people who took time out after dinner to listen and participate in a presentation by Jane and I about our Marathon of Miracles cancer prevention and wellness nonprofit. The presentation started with a very short video about one of our programs and was followed up with our “Vision of Hope,” or what we want to accomplish in that community in 2010. We finished up with an invitation to everyone to participate together in impacting the lives of people going through cancer. Literally everyone in the room gave testimony about a friend or family member affected by the disease and all shared stories about how they would help. There were tears of joy throughout the room. The presentation took only 20 minutes of the 2 ½-hour party, but it was most assuredly the highlight of the entire evening.

We all left feeling as if we had not only had a great time, but we also had hope for the holidays and a sense of purpose not quite commonly found at most holiday parties. It was both uplifting and fun. I encourage everyone to consider just how much meaning it would bring to the world if we all would add a twist to our holiday party and join each other in giving the gift of hope to people in need within our community. We may not be able to make much sense out of some things going on today, but for 2 ½ hours with friends, you can give each other a gift that will last a lifetime – the gift of hope and the shared experience of caring for others. I encourage you to reach out to your friends, get someone you know to donate a resort package or spa treatment to give away to a lucky guest, pick a cause that everyone can feel good about, get a chef to prepare some delicious food, bring wine to share, and have a party that will express the true joy of the holidays. I promise it’ll be a time to remember. May God bless you.

© 2009 A.J. Ali
A.J. Ali is a freelance writer and co-author of “The True Champion’s 30-Day Challenge.” His wife Jane is a breast cancer survivor. A.J. and Jane are the Co-Founders of the Marathon of Miracles (MOM) wellness and cancer prevention nonprofit, based in Malibu, CA. Find out more about their wellness work to end cancer and offer hope to survivors at www.survivorcelebration.com.

Comment by A.J. Ali on December 3, 2009 at 6:16am

Last night, I was in Maryland and Jane was visiting her sister in South Carolina, but that didn't stop me from having some healthy fun. My sister Inga and I went to a fantastic place in Columbia, MD called Victoria Gastro Pub (www.victoriagastropub.com). It's my favorite haunt in Columbia because it makes me feel like I've escaped to Georgetown without having to deal with all the traffic. The GM/Owner Tori and her dad and partner Randy and family are awesome. They are longtime friends and I went to school with several of their relatives. Tori's place is THE PLACE to go if you're in Columbia. The Happy Hour is indeed happy and it's double fun because it's two hours. Complimentary passed appetizers from 5-7 and drink specials. Don't miss the incredible selection of beers on tap and their great wine list. Last night, my sister and I shared an apple walnut salad, Kobe beef burger, oysters (or as they say in Maryland, "oyeschtures") and a beautifully crafted Malbec that was priced just right. It was a great evening of food, fun and fine conversation. There's an energetic and friendly vibe at Victoria, which starts with the family being there every night hands-on and continues right on through with meals prepared to perfection and a friendly and knowledgeable staff. Our conversation was about Inga setting up True Champion's Challenge talks in the D.C. area starting in January, so stay tuned to www.30DayChallengeBook.com, www.ontheteewithajali.com or right here for more info on those talks. As always, don't worry, be happy!