There in the kitchen she sits, perfectly coiffed, dressed in one of her favorite Chico’s outfits: royal blue pants with a microfiber tank in teal and an artesian embroidered jacket in shades of blue and teal. Her face has smile lines from decades of a life well lived. And as you listen to her talk, for a moment, you forget she’s lived practically an entire century.

Having just celebrated her 99th birthday, rather than gifts or tangible things, Clara Marcantonio wants something simpler: to ride in a bright red convertible, wind in her hair without a care in the world. She says her secret to longevity is staying active and adapting to change. Turning 99 seems to have little effect on this energetic mother, grandmother and great grandmother. “If I have to write it down or someone mentions it, I say to myself, ‘Oh, my goodness … really ... 99 … where did the years go?”