IT’S NEVER TOO OLD TO BE A RUNWAY MODEL

Let’s get one thing straight: nobody told me I was too old to walk a runway. And if they had, I wouldn’t have listened.

This summer, Debi and I put on our best outfits, took a deep breath, and walked in Day on the Terrace – the Service Club of Chicago’s big summer fundraiser at the Peninsula Hotel. Was I nervous backstage? Absolutely. Did my heart race the second I heard the music start? You bet. But the moment I stepped onto that runway, something clicked – the same thing

that clicks every time I dare to do something a little outside my comfort zone.

Here’s what nobody tells you about modeling later in life: the nerves don’t disappear, but neither does the joy.

Watching Debi work the runway

right alongside me, both of us laughing backstage between changes, reminded me exactly why we started Dare to be Curious in the first place.

be Curious in the first place. Age was never

supposed to be the thing that closes doors. It’s supposed to be the thing that makes you brave enough to walk through them anyway.

And beyond the fun of it, Day on the Terrace matters – every ticket, every step down that runway, supports the Service Club of Chicago’s work in this city we love.

So, here’s our question for you: what’s the “runway” you’ve been talking yourself out of? A class, a trip, a stage, a new hobby? Whatever it is – go put your shoes on!

Always Dare to be Curious,

Sherrill and Debi

One of the things we love most about summer is that it seems to invite a spirit of adventure. Not necessarily the kind that requires a plane ticket or a packet suitcase, but the kind that encourages us to say “yes” a little more often.

Recently, we’ve been enjoying a collection of chic moments and culinary adventures with friends – discovering new restaurants, attending special events, and simply enjoying all the energy that come alive in the city during the warmer months.

It reminded us that curiosity isn’t always about traveling to faraway placed. Sometimes it’s about seeing our own city with fresh eyes.

A new restaurant. A hidden neighborhood gem. A rooftop gathering. A conversation with someone whose story you’ve never heard before. These small experiences have a way of adding color and excitement to everyday life.

What we find especially wonderful is that culinary adventures never seem to grow old. There is always a new chef, a new menu, a new flavor, or a new place waiting to be discovered. Every meal has the potential to become a memory, especially when shared with a friend.

As summer unfolds, we’re reminding ourselves to stay open to unexpected invitations, spontaneous outings, and opportunities to explore. Curiosity keeps life interesting. It encourages us to step outside our routines and embrace the possibility that something delightful may be waiting just around the next corner.

So here’s to summer, to friendship, to chic moments, and to culinary adventures. Most of all, here’s to staying curious – because no matter our ages, there is something new to discover.

THE FIRE HORSE YEAR STARTS NOW…AND WE’RE NOT WAITING FOR ANYONE

The Year of the Fire Horse arrives with rare electric energy. In the Chinese zodiac, this cycle appears only once every sixty years, intensified by the fire element – fueling passion, momentum, courage, and forward motion.

The Fire Horse doesn’t wait for perfect conditions.

• It moves

• It explores

• It shows up

I felt that energy very personally as this new year began.

On January 1, I was invited to a party to welcome the Year of the Fire Horse. Friends got sick, plans changed, and it would have been very easy to stay home. Comfortable. Sensible. Safe.

Instead, I got dressed – and went anyway.

That small decision felt symbolic. Not dramatic. Just quietly determined.

One of the great myths we absorb as we age – especially after 55, 65, or 75 – is that growth slows down, that new experiences belong to other people, other seasons of life.

But curiosity doesn’t have an expiration date.

Walking into that party alone, wasn’t about trying to prove anything. It wasn’t about chasing attention. It was simply about honoring a promise we’ve made to ourselves: to stay curious, to keep evolving, to say yes to life even when it feels slightly uncomfortable.

That’s Fire Horse energy at its best – not reckless, but alive.

There’s something deeply empowering about choosing how you show up in the world as you grow older. Style, for us, isn’t about trends or rules – it’s about confidence, self-respect, and presence.

Getting ready for New Year’s Eve, and again for that January 1 gathering, wasn’t about who might see us. It was about how we wanted to feel stepping into the year ahead.

At any age, style can be a declaration: I am curious – I am still growing – I am still becoming.

Going alone is underrated.

It teaches resilience. It sharpens awareness. It reminds us that our company – our own curiosity, confidence, and openness – is enough.

And here’s the secret: when you show up fully as yourself, alone or not, the world often meets you there.

The Year of the Fire Horse invites us all – especially those of us with lived experience – to move forward with intention rather than hesitation.

This year, we’re choosing:

Curiosity over comfort

Movement over waiting

Confidence over invisibility

Whether you’re 55,65,75, or beyond, this year isn’t about slowing down. It’s about showing up – sometimes alone, always authentically.

Here’s to Daring to be Curious

Here’s to the Fire Horse.

And here’s to continuing to grow – beautifully, boldly, and on our own terms.

This is YOUR Fire Horse Year too. What are you waiting for?

HAPPY NEW YEAR!