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Jewish Journal

Connect. Inform. Inspire.

November 26, 2025

Lenny and Adaeze Rosenberg: NYBD & Bakery, “It’s a Sweet World” and Italian Rainbow Cookies

Food, Podcasts, Taste Buds With Deb /

All bakeries are international. Think about it: they bring together sweet treats from different cultures – and full of history.

New York Bagel Deli and Bakery – aka NYBD and Bakery – has taken the international part to an even greater level. Owned by husband-and-wife team Lenny Rosenberg and Adaeze Nwanonyiri Rosenberg, NYBD Bakery combines Lenny’s Jewish, baking and restaurant roots with Adaeze’s Nigerian culture and design (interior, exterior, presentation) expertise.

“It’s a really classic bakery that’s based with Jewish products, but also is multicultural,” Lenny told the Journal.

The duo, who also own Bea’s Bakery, as well as star in “It’s a Sweet World on JLTV” and have a cookbook by the same name – with recipes from their bakeries, decided it was time to bring their bakery biz to the Westside.

They acquired the location, 2216 Wilshire in Santa Monica, across the street from Whole Foods, from a friend who had a bagel shop there for 30 or 40 years.

“My job was to take a preexisting store that Lenny and I purchased and give it that pop when people come in,” Adaeze told the Journal. ”It [had] an iconic type of New York feel and energy, [the] inside was beautiful, but … I wanted to make it more exotic looking.”

Among their updates, they added booths, classic and newer photos on the walls and a bakery case, filled with beautiful international treats, representing all the colors of the rainbow.

“We wanted to merge cultures; that’s what we’re all,” Lenny said. “We realized, going through all the bakery products that I’ve made over the years, they’re all multicultural: rainbow cookies are Italian [that recipe is below], Danish are from the Danish … almost every single recipe is from another culture.”

These foods all have a story behind them, along with cultural significance. For instance, the kola nut in their red velvet cupcakes are from Adaeze’s Nigerian background, and it is as significant in their rituals as breaking bread (challah) is in the Jewish culture.

When asked to play favorites with treats, Adaeze is into the gluten-free chocolate-dipped almond horns. Lenny’s is rugelach, a bite-sized Jewish pastry he grew up with as a kid; something he used to make in his father’s bakeries.

“It brings back a lot of memories for me,” he said. “And it’s the simplest tastiest item.”

Adaeze said she discovered with baking that everything needs to be on point.

“Do you truly love doing it? Are you doing it just to do it? Does it, does it taste like it’s been rushed? Does it taste like it’s coming from the heart and soul?” she said. It makes a difference in the result.

And when you are baking, Lenny explained, always follow the recipe and be patient. Also, realize you may make a mistake, but that’s okay.

“Our book makes it very easy to follow the recipes,” Lenny said. “[But] if you make a mistake, you just back up a little bit and you try to rectify it – whether it’s with a little less flour, a little bit more sugar – and have some fun with your recipe.”

He added, “It may not come out perfect, it may not come out right, but it’ll come out.”

And in most cases, even if you mess it up, you can still eat it.

Whether you are embracing different cultures or getting ready to bake, it’s important to be open-minded, curious and always willing to learn

“Our brand is It’s a Sweet World,” Adaeze said. “Always think positive … live, laugh and eat.”

Learn more at ItsASweetWorld.com and JLTV.com, get “It’s A Sweet World” at your favorite book store and follow @Its_a_sweetworld and @nybdbakery on social media.

For the full conversation, listen to the podcast:

Watch the interview:

Italian Rainbow Cookies

Ingredients

1 cup granulated sugar

8 oz. almond paste

3 sticks sweet butter, softened

3 whole large eggs

¼ cup whole milk

2 tsp almond extract

2 cups all-purpose flour

¼ tsp red food coloring

¼ tsp green food coloring

½ cup raspberry jam

1 ½ cups semisweet chocolate chips, melted

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 325 F, and grease three 9-by-13-inch quarter sheet pans with cooking spray, then line each with parchment.
  1. In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the sugar, almond paste and 1 stick of the butter. Mix until smooth and lump free, being sure to break down the almond paste as best you can. Add the remaining 2 sticks of butter and continue to mix until smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
  2. Gradually add the egg yolks, followed by the milk and almond extract. Mix until combined. Add the flour and slowly mix until combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Once the flour is combined, set aside.
  1. In a separate bowl, whip the egg whites until they form stiff, fluffy peaks. Fold the whipped egg whites into the flour mixture to form a smooth batter, then divide equally between 3 bowls.
  1. Stir the red food coloring into the first bowl of batter until evenly pink colored, then stir the green color into the second bowl of batter until evenly green colored, leaving the third bowl untouched. Keeping the batters separate, evenly spread them into the greased and parchment-lined quarter sheet pans, and bake, rotating halfway through, until set, 10 to 12 minutes. Then let cool completely.
  1. Once cooled, spread half of the jam to cover the surface of the green cake and place the undyed layer, making sure the parchment is discarded, directly on top, sandwiching the jam. Repeat this step by spreading the remaining jam on top of the undyed layer and placing the pink layer directly on top of it, discarding the parchment.
  1. Cover the cake with plastic wrap and top with another sheet pan. Weigh down the layers with heavy plates or cans, and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or overnight.
  1. Remove the weights and plastic wrap. Spread half of the melted chocolate over the top of the cake and refrigerate until set, 30 minutes.
  1. Once solid, flip the cake onto a cutting board, discarding the bottom layer of parchment, and spread the remaining melted chocolate in an even layer over the surface.
  1. Return to the refrigerator and chill until set, 30 minutes.
  1. Once set, trim the cake into a 7 ½ by 10 ½ cake form, reserving all trim for snacking or rainbow cookie ice cream (see the recipe). Cut the cake into 1½-inch squares, then serve.

Yields 40 rainbow cookies.

Debra Eckerling is a writer for the Jewish Journal and the host of “Taste Buds with Deb.” Subscribe on YouTube or your favorite podcast platform. Email Debra: tastebuds@jewishjournal.com.

Lenny and Adaeze Rosenberg: NYBD & Bakery, “It’s a Sweet World” and Italian Rainbow Cookies Read More »

A Moment in Time: “Being Thankful for the Ability to be Thankful”

'A Moment In Time', Blogs /

Dear all,

My Grandma Anne used to begin every single morning with the words, “Modah Ani L’fanecha — Thank You, God.”

Long before I understood Hebrew, I understood her intention. She taught me—without ever sitting me down for a lesson—what it means to greet each new day as a gift, and to approach each morning as an invitation to choose goodness.

As I’ve grown older, her simple practice has become one of my deepest sources of grounding. No matter what is unfolding in the world around us—whether the news feels heavy or our personal lives feel uncertain—I return to her wisdom.

I remind myself to give thanks for the day in front of me. To give thanks for the chances I am given. And to give thanks for something even more fundamental: the very capacity to feel gratitude at all.

On this Thanksgiving Day, may we each take a moment in time to pause, to breathe, to take honest inventory of our lives, and to offer gratitude for the quiet miracle of simply being here.

Ron, Maya, and Eli join me in wishing you and all you love a very happy Thanksgiving,

With love and shalom,

Rabbi Zachary R. Shapiro

A Moment in Time: “Being Thankful for the Ability to be Thankful” Read More »

Celebration of Thanksgiving by Observant Jews

Poetry /

After an un-yomtov (an unbirthday for a Jew who’s unreborn) Thanksgiving,
and seeing what I thought was yet another Maureen Dowd NYT column,
I’m looking forward, two years later,  to enjoy another.
Doubtlessly Ms. Dowd will, once more redoubling, vent
against the undoomed doubled US President,
pouring her prophetically predictable
scorn against a man who’s unindictable.

What profiteth it any journalist to write
so many words against a man they can’t indict?
But the column had been written by her witty brother,
and didn’t bother me because, just like  his sister’s,  it was hardly solemn.
I hope that Maureen pardons this old turkey-poet, post-un-yomtov most forgiving …

as I believe the world should be to Israel,
compelled to kill so many human shields
above the tunnels where Hamas terrorists
were, and continue to be, hiding,
remembering on Thanksgiving
the far too many Jews,
who as calamities in these killing fields
helped save the world’s lone Jewish state
from woe its foes are thanklessly still woe-betiding,
while in the United States
Jews who are religiously observant
now celebrate the fact that it supports
both God and Israel,
of both a most obedient servant.

On 11/27/24, erev Thanksgiving 2024, I wondered whether Rabbi Moshe Feinstein and the Rov, Rabbi Joseph Soloveitchik,  were correct when identifying Thanksgiving as a secular holiday when reading a message that Abraham Socher, the editor of  Jewish Review of Books, had published:

There is an interesting discussion among twentieth-century American halakhic authorities about whether one should really celebrate Thanksgiving, though none of them seemed to have worried that it would lead to underage mixed dancing on the bimah. Their concern was the prohibition against following the ritual practices of non-Jews (chukkot ha-goyim). Rav Moshe Feinstein thought it was ok because it was a national celebration that was not based on religious beliefs (he might’ve had second thoughts if he had studied the lyrics of “We Gather Together,” though he wouldn’t have objected to its picture of Divine Providence).

I read the following information in Wikipedia:

“We Gather Together” is a Christian hymn of Dutch origin written in 1597 by Adrianus Valerius as “Wilt heden nu treden” to celebrate the Dutch victory over Spanish forces in the Battle of Turnhout. It was originally set to a Dutch folk tune. In the United States, it is popularly associated with Thanksgiving Day and is often sung at family meals and at religious services on that day.

Since “We Gather Together”  is popularly associated with Thanksgiving Day and is often sung at family meals and at religious services on that day, I wonder whether identification of Thanksgiving as a secular holiday may be mistaken.

Gershon Hepner is a poet who has written over 25,000 poems on subjects ranging from music to literature, politics to Torah. He grew up in England and moved to Los Angeles in 1976. Using his varied interests and experiences, he has authored dozens of papers in medical and academic journals, and authored “Legal Friction: Law, Narrative, and Identity Politics in Biblical Israel.” He can be reached at gershonhepner@gmail.com.

Celebration of Thanksgiving by Observant Jews Read More »

A Bisl Torah — A Jewish Thanksgiving

A Bisl Torah /

Thanksgiving is very Jewish. A festive meal where we proclaim thanks for the blessings we have? That’s called Shabbat. Jews know Thanksgiving because it’s a holiday we essentially celebrate every week.

The sage Ben Zoma would teach about the difference between being a grateful and ungrateful guest. An ungrateful guest looks at what the host provides and declares, “He only gave this and that.” A grateful guest looks at what the host provides and declares, “Wow. He gave this and that. How blessed am I.”

Jewish thanks is transitioning from mindsets of mental scarcity to mindsets of appreciation and wonder.

Each week, not only on Thanksgiving, we can remind ourselves what it means to be a guest, both at the dinner table but also in this world. We can look at God’s gifts and declare that we only experience this and that. Or we can look at God’s gifts and declare, “How blessed am I.”

May it be a Jewish Thanksgiving… this week and beyond.

Shabbat Shalom

Rabbi Nicole Guzik is senior rabbi at Sinai Temple. She can be reached at her Facebook page at Rabbi Nicole Guzik or on Instagram @rabbiguzik. For more writings, visit Rabbi Guzik’s blog section from Sinai Temple’s website.

A Bisl Torah — A Jewish Thanksgiving Read More »

California Man Faces Up to 15 Years for Threat to ‘Blow Up Every Synagogue in a 20-Mile Radius’

News, United States /

Elijah Alexander King, 36, who allegedly threatened to bomb every synagogue within a 20-mile radius, was arraigned on Tuesday on a three-count federal indictment, the U.S. Justice Department said.

The resident of San Luis Obispo, Calif., near the coast some 100 miles northwest of Santa Barbara, was charged with three counts related to making threats and conveying hoaxes.

The defendant, who pleaded not guilty and who had been in federal custody since Nov. 6, is set to go to trial on Jan. 13, the department said. He is to be released on bond.

He is accused of making the threat that “I’m gonna blow up every synagogue in a 20-mile radius” on social media on Aug. 28, using what the Justice Department said was an email address and phone number that “he is known to use.”

Shortly after posting the threat, King wrote that “this is a real threat. Send the police and report me for terrorism,” and some 10 minutes later, he searched on his phone for synagogues nearby, the Justice Department said.

Even after police had King sent to a hospital for monitoring, he kept posting on social media, according to the Justice Department, including writing that “I got arrested and put on a three-day psych hold for my posts against the Jews.” He also allegedly shared someone else post saying that there is a need for “Jew control” not “gun control.”

King has also posted “antisemitic rhetoric, including praise for Adolf Hitler,” and messages with “images of weapons, including a handgun, knives and mace,” and has sent “numerous” racist emails and voicemails to the police detective who placed the pyschiatric hold on him, the Justice Department said.

King faces up to 15 years in prison for the charges.

California Man Faces Up to 15 Years for Threat to ‘Blow Up Every Synagogue in a 20-Mile Radius’ Read More »

What Happens If Thanksgiving Shows Up And You Don’t Feel Grateful?

Editor's Note /

Many of us will go around our Thanksgiving tables tomorrow with expressions of gratitude. It’s the American day of thanks. It’s what we’re expected to do.

Gratitude itself is one of life’s great virtues, one that social research has found connects directly to happiness and well-being.

Indeed, we all have something to be grateful for. No matter how bad things get, no matter how much we’re struggling, we know things can always be worse.

We can always find something—something—to be grateful for.

It’s the silver lining theory of life. The glass half full. Looking at the bright side. The cliches are endless.

But what if you’re not in a thankful mood this year? Should you feel obligated to show gratitude just because it’s an American tradition?

And should you feel guilty if you don’t?

It’s a little like going to a New Year’s Eve party and feeling obligated to show you’re having a great time, even if you’re not.

If everyone at your Thanksgiving table expresses gratitude for one thing or another, will you rain on their parade by abstaining and pleading the fifth?

Gratitude has become so ingrained as a virtue that the lack of gratitude— what some may call ingratitude— is seen as an unsavory character trait. How ungrateful of you! How entitled!

And yet, we live in a society where individual choice is enshrined as a sacred right. Should we not allow for that individuality, even if it may intrude with a beautiful annual tradition?

What if someone has lost a close friend or family member recently and can’t bring themselves to express any feeling of gratitude?

Or what if someone is so dismayed by the state of the world they don’t want to “fake” feeling grateful?

Or what if someone can’t stop thinking about the many in our nation who go hungry and can’t afford a table of plenty?

Sure, they may all have things to be grateful for, but maybe they’re just not in the mood to express them.

“Trying to force gratitude often creates negative emotions,” psychologist Jennifer Gerlach writes in Psychology Today. “Sometimes, we don’t feel thankful. Individuals experiencing depression, grief or trauma may find it particularly hard to access this.”

Instead of a binary choice of yes or no to gratitude on a day like Thanksgiving, Gerlach offers a mid-point around the idea of appreciation.

“I’ve found appreciation to be a more helpful construct,” she writes. “I think of appreciation as opening ourselves up to enjoy all the good there is to be enjoyed. A gratitude list could certainly be part of that.

“But appreciation is more. It’s facing reality, noting both the pleasant and the unpleasant. It also encompasses mindfulness, as we have to be in the present moment to appreciate it.”

It’s true that adding some “bad” to the good doesn’t really fit the unabashed cheerfulness we like to bring to Thanksgiving. After all, we do enough noting of bad stuff during the year—why not devote one day to only the good stuff we’re grateful for?

Well, because of human nature. Because a mood is a hard thing to fake. Because some people are just not inclined to suppress their sentiments.

Showing appreciation for the pleasant and the unpleasant, and being mindful of both, may break with the pure Thanksgiving tradition. But it may also encourage those who don’t feel grateful to engage honestly with the spirit of Thanksgiving– without pleading the fifth.

And that’s something to be thankful for.

Happy Thanksgiving appreciation.

What Happens If Thanksgiving Shows Up And You Don’t Feel Grateful? Read More »

Thrilled and Grateful: A Two-Time National Arts & Entertainment Journalism Awards Finalist

Blogs, Commentary /
I’m thrilled to share that I’ve been named a two‑time finalist for the National Arts & Entertainment Journalism Awards, nominated for Podcast Host of the Year and for my episode on Make Your Own Map: “Tara Schuster Isn’t Afraid to Go There—And You’ll Be Glad She Did” (J7. One‑on‑One Interview, Arts/Culture Personalities, Radio/Podcasts, J1. Anchor/Host). Over the years, I’ve received 42 nominations and 11 wins—each one a wonderful acknowledgement of the storytelling and connection I aim to create. The awards gala will take place on December 4 at The Biltmore, an evening that celebrates journalism, creativity, and community. I’m deeply grateful to the Los Angeles Press Club and to Diana Ljungaeus for her outstanding leadership and support of the organization and its members. I’m especially thankful because these nominations aren’t just acknowledgments of a single conversation or segment—they represent the ongoing work of listening closely, asking honest questions, and creating space for others to share their stories with vulnerability, humor, and heart. Tara’s episode was exactly that—real, brave, and generous. Being recognized for it reminds me why I started this podcast: to help us all make our own maps, to take the next step even when the path isn’t clear, and to celebrate the power of storytelling to connect, inspire, and heal. It’s energizing to be recognized alongside so many exceptional nominees—writers, broadcasters, journalists, and creators whose work changes the world one story at a time. These nominations reinforce my commitment to producing thoughtful, engaging content that resonates far beyond the microphone, and to honoring the voices and experiences of the people I’m privileged to interview. Here’s to celebrating all the nominees, honoring our collective voice, and continuing to lift each other up in the work we do.

J. RADIO/PODCASTS

J1. Anchor/Host
  • Lisa Niver, Make Your Own Map Podcast, “Make Your Own Map: Are YOU Ready to be BRAVE?”
  • Scott Feinberg, The Hollywood Reporter, “Awards Chatter”
  • Caroline Feraday, KCLU Radio, “Disney earworm about global unity getting a new lease on life”
  • Jeff Goldsmith, The Q&A with Jeff Goldsmith, “The Q&A with Jeff Goldsmith, Agatha All Along, Andor S2, White Lotus”
  • Michael Schneider, Clayton Davis, Jazz Tangca
  J7. One-on-One Interview, Arts/Culture Personalities
  • Lisa Niver, Make Your Own Map Podcast, “Tara Schuster Isn’t Afraid to Go There—And You’ll Be Glad She Did”
  • Justin Chapman, Apple Podcasts, “Well Read with Justin Chapman (featuring Gerry Adams)”
  • Austin Cross, LAist, “A Beloved Character From Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood of Make-Believe Turns 80”
  • Caroline Feraday, KCLU Radio, “The rise of the Nazis with a side of dancing: Cabaret comes to town!”
  • Deborah Zara Kobylt, YouTube, iHeart Radio Podcasts, “Tom Dreeson talks about life on the road with Sinatra & discovering his dad was his uncle”
LINK https://open.spotify.com/episode/03II4EZFU4jhdWrzVzJOWJ Make Your Own Map Podcast Make Your Own Map Podcast on Spotify

WINNER: Southern California Journalism Awards 2025

I’m incredibly honored and grateful to share that at the 67th Southern California Journalism Awards, hosted by the Los Angeles Press Club, I received my first-ever First Place award — in the Lifestyle Feature category for my podcast, Make Your Own Map — and was also awarded Third Place for Online Journalist of the Year. These honors mean the world to me — not just for the awards themselves, but for what they represent: years of storytelling, reinvention, and the courage to keep creating across new platforms.
This year, I was named a five-time finalist, and throughout my career, I’ve now received more than 40 nominations from the Los Angeles Press Club. I’m proud to have been recognized for work in broadcast, print, digital, television, and podcasting — a full-circle moment for someone who believes in telling stories that move, inform, and inspire. As a TV host, travel journalist, and creator of both We Said Go Travel and the Make Your Own Map podcast, I’ve built my career around curiosity, connection, and the joy of saying yes to new adventures.
Whether I’m interviewing changemakers, exploring new destinations, or writing about reinvention, my goal has always been to encourage others to explore boldly, ask big questions, and — most of all — make their own map. Thank you to the judges, the Los Angeles Press Club, and to everyone who has supported me on this journey. I’m so grateful — and excited for what comes next.
2025: 5 Finalist Nominations. 4 Categories. 1 Storytelling Heart. I’m honored and thrilled to be named a 5-time finalist in the 67th Southern California Journalism Awards, presented by the Los Angeles Press Club. With more than 2,500 entries submitted—breaking all previous records—this year’s awards spotlight the most impactful storytelling across media. My work has been recognized in four categories—spanning podcasting, TV, travel, and digital journalism—and reflects my continued passion for sharing powerful, meaningful stories of place, purpose, and people making a difference. From TV segments and podcast episodes to lifestyle features, each piece honors the culture, connections, and experiences that move us. Lifestyle Feature (Podcast) “How Alex Jimenez Transformed Her Passion into a Thriving Travel Community” On Make Your Own Map, Alex opens up about building Travel Fashion Girl and Women’s Travel Fest into vibrant communities for women travelers. Her entrepreneurial journey and empowering message earned recognition in this lifestyle storytelling category. Lifestyle Feature (Podcast) & Travel Reporting (Podcast) “Neville McConachie’s Tales of the Giant’s Causeway” This episode, also from Make Your Own Map, was recorded as part of my Jet Set TV travel special on Ireland—recently honored with a Telly Award. Neville’s storytelling brought the magic and mystery of Northern Ireland’s Giant’s Causeway to life and earned recognition in two categories. TV/Streaming/Radio Feature Icon of the Seas – The World’s Largest Cruise Ship Featured on The Jet Set TV, this segment explored Royal Caribbean’s record-breaking ship. It’s a story of innovation, scale, and the joy of cruising—nominated in a category alongside some of the industry’s best travel broadcasters. Online Journalist of the Year I’m especially proud to once again be a finalist for Online Journalist of the Year, honoring the full spectrum of my digital reporting, interviews, and multimedia storytelling. This is my 3rd finalist nomination for Online Journalist of the Year! I’m incredibly grateful to The Jet Set TV team, my podcast guests, and the editors and collaborators who help bring these stories to life. Thank you for traveling this journey with me—can’t wait to see what’s next!

5x Finalist! Travel, TV & Tales That Made the Judges Take Note

A6. ONLINE JOURNALIST OF THE YEAR, Independent/Freelance

Lisa Niver, Freelance  Nico Lang, Queer News Daily Lyndsey Parker, Freelance John Regardie, Freelance Aitana Vargas, Freelance

B4. TRAVEL REPORTING

Lisa Niver, Make Your Own Map, “Neville McConachie’s Tales of the Giant’s Causeway” Angela Boisvert, Matt Bass, Tamara Gould, Nathan Masters, Kathy Kasaba, PBS SoCal, “Lost LA: Hiking Trailblazers” Ruksana Hussain, Fodor’s Travel, “How to Behave When Visiting Sites of Remembrance” Michele Stueven, LA Weekly, “ON THE HORIZON 100 Years of Filmmaking in Utah” Susan Valot, KCRW, “‘Just as special as Disneyland,’ backyard trains draw crowds”
https://youtu.be/MTL8SJY2fQk
Interview on Spotify

K4. LIFESTYLE FEATURE

Lisa Niver, Make Your Own Map, “How Alex Jimenez Transformed Her Passion into a Thriving Travel Community” Lisa Niver, Make Your Own Map, “Ireland: Neville’s Stories at Giant’s Causeway” Jonathan Bastian, Andrea Brody, KCRW, “The Serviceberry’: Robin Wall Kimmerer’s guide to the gift economy” Caroline Feraday, KCLU Radio, “A master whiskey distiller from Scotland is putting Oxnard on the map” Juuso Määttänen, Annenbergmedia, “Eli Everfly helps up-and-coming L.A. wrestlers get ahead”
How Alex Jimenez Transformed Her Passion into a Thriving Travel Community
https://youtu.be/MYfJ85W6058
Interview and Transcript on We Said Go Travel: https://www.wesaidgotravel.com/alex-jimenez/ Interview on YouTube : https://youtu.be/MYfJ85W6058 Interview on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/0W9KbQczTmsWAHOeqmEgHq?si=6MLcVTqkQOaqSBTmCyJd4g

L21. TV/STREAMING/RADIO FEATURE

Lisa Niver, The Jet Set TV, “Lisa Niver Onboard Icon of the Seas” Samantha Bergeson, IndieWire, “Hallmark Holiday Stars Won’t Be Ignored by Hollywood Anymore: ‘I Treat Each Production Like a Martin Scorsese Film’” Mesfin Fekadu, The Hollywood Reporter, “‘Abbott Elementary’ and The Glow Up of Janine Teagues” James Hibberd, The Hollywood Reporter, “How ‘The Chosen’ Creator Turned the Bible Into Binge TV” J. Kim Murphy, Variety, “Welcome to ‘Ren Faire’: Lance Oppenheim’s HBO Docuseries Follows a Festival Trapped in a Real-Life Game of Thrones” The Jet Set TV: Lisa Niver takes us onboard the ICONIC Icon of the Seas
https://youtu.be/kN89NZeBv5o
Jet Set Correspondent Lisa Niver set sail on the World’s Largest Cruise ship to give us a look inside! Thank you The Jet Set TV, Nikki Noya & Bobby Laurie for allowing me to share about Royal Caribbean International’s brand new ship, ICON OF THE SEAS on your travel TV show. Thank you to the INCREDIBLE & ICONIC production team — Option A Group, Lisa Williams, Sam Harris, Jason Mangini and Patrick Gruss for this amazing segment. Thank you to TEAM Ketchum –Aaron Kokoruz Jessica Milton Spencer Bullard Amanda Gadaleta Alonso–for another amazing adventure, especially saving me a spot on Crown’s Edge 🙂

Lisa Niver won a 2025 Telly Award for her Travel TV special about Ireland which aired on The Jet Set TV!

https://youtu.be/h1rIvYuti6U
Lisa Niver has won many awards including a TELLY! From 2017 to 2025, in the Southern California Journalism Awards and National Arts and Entertainment Journalism Awards, she has won eleven times and been a finalist forty times for a variety of broadcast, print, podcast and digital categories.
  • 2025 Winner: 1st place Lifestyle Feature for Make Your Own Map, “Ireland: Neville’s Stories at Giant’s Causeway”, 3rd place Online Journalist of the Year
  • 2025 Winner: Silver Telly Award for Celtic Charm travel special!
  • 2025 5x Finalist: Southern California Journalism Awards for Online Journalist of the Year, TV/Streaming/Radio Feature, Lifestyle Feature (Podcast) & Travel Reporting (Podcast)
  • 2024 Winner: National Arts and Entertainment Journalism Awards Diversity in the Entertainment Industry
  • 2024 4x Finalist: National Arts and Entertainment Journalism Awards finalist for Online Journalist of the Year, and for three of my podcast interviews with Beth Santos, Wanderful, Carolyn Ray, JourneyWoman, and Samantha Brown, Places to Love.
  • 2024 2x Winner: Southern California Journalism Awards for podcast segments with Samantha Brown, Places to Love, and Tony Phelan, A Small Light
  • 2024 6x Finalist: Southern California Journalism Awards for Online Journalist of the Year, Podcast Host and for my podcast interviews with Andrew McCarthy, Samantha Brown, Tony Phelan and Christie Tate
  • 2023 Winner: National Arts and Entertainment Journalism Awards Diversity in Entertainment
  • 2023 3x Finalist: National Arts and Entertainment Journalism Awards
  • 2023 2x Finalist: Southern California Journalism Awards for Travel Reporting and Podcast Interview
  • 2022 Finalist: Southern California Journalism Awards for BOOK CRITICISM
  • 2021 Finalist: National Arts and Entertainment Journalism Awards for Commentary Diversity/Gender and Commentary Analysis/Trend — Film
  • 2021 Winner: Southern California Journalism Awards for TECHNOLOGY REPORTING
  • 2021 Finalist: Southern California Journalism Awards for BOOK CRITICISM
  • 2020 Winner: National Arts and Entertainment Journalism Awards for Book Critic. See all of Lisa’s book reviews here.
  • 2020 Finalist: National Arts and Entertainment Journalism Awards for Book Critic
  • 2020 Winner: Southern California Journalism Awards for print magazine article: Hemispheres Magazine for United Airlines
  • 2020 Five Time Finalist: Southern California Journalism awards
More about Lisa Niver: https://lisaniver.com/awards/

Have you read my memoir, BRAVE-ish? My book has won 10 awards!

2025 International Impact Book Awards—Travel 2024 Gold Medal – Inspirational – North American Book Awards 2024 Gold Bookfest Award – Nonfiction Memoir Travel 2024 Gold Nonfiction Book Award – Nonfiction Authors Association 2024 Literary Titan Gold Book Award – Non-fiction 2024 Silver Bookfest Award – Nonfiction Self-Help Inspiration 2024 Readers’ Favorite Honorable Mention – Non-Fiction – Women’s Genre 2023 Hearten Book Awards First Place Winner – Inspiring & Uplifting Non-Fiction 2023 Zibby Awards Runner-up – Best Book for The Strong Woman2023 Goody Business Book Awards Winner – Memoir/Self-Help Featured in Conde Nast Traveler Women Who Travel Book Club: 10 New Books We Can’t Wait to Read this Fall As seen in Forbes Best New NonFiction

Thrilled and Grateful: A Two-Time National Arts & Entertainment Journalism Awards Finalist Read More »