A Lake Lonely paddle with friends

Last week, the day after the two day heat wave broke, friends and I headed north to Saratoga to spend a few hours on the water. Unlike in years past when we launched from the Kayak Shack on the Fish Creek, we set off from Lake Lonely Waterspots, an unassuming marina with access to both … Continue reading A Lake Lonely paddle with friends

QPL XXI

Yesterday was my youngest son’s 21st birthday, a milestone that came with no small sense of satisfaction. Parenting this kid, the family baby, had not been without its challenges. There had been numerous early miscarriages, (something I’ll forever attribute to the aggressively high radioactive iodine dose I received and my managed state of hyperthyroidism), before … Continue reading QPL XXI

Civitello’s for the win – and the rum cake!

Bakeries in the Capital Region have generally been a disappointment to me since I arrived in Albany in 1988. I recall being confounded that I could not find a source for Sunday morning powdered sugar dusted crumb cake or my beloved black and white cookies.* At the time, there were two bakeries within walking distance … Continue reading Civitello’s for the win – and the rum cake!

The sting of 59

After what was an absolutely fantastic birthday weekend, Monday morning came with an event decidedly less fun - my annual visit to the dermatologist. The appointment, at 7:30 a.m. after the mind blowing David Byrne show at Proctor’s the previous night, had been rescheduled to an earlier date from what had originally been booked. I … Continue reading The sting of 59

Chicago top 10

My (nearly) four days in Chicago went by in the blink of an eye! There was lots of walking, some lounging by the pool, a few historical sites and a couple of tremendous meals and a fair amount of silliness. It was a terrific getaway and I’m already looking for pet sits so I can … Continue reading Chicago top 10

Blowing into the Windy City

Even though I didn’t take a “big” trip this year, I do feel as if I’ve still gotten around a bit this summer with last month’s visits to the Cape and Northampton and concerts both north and south of home. It’s felt good, in spite of the paralyzing heat, to be home and spending time … Continue reading Blowing into the Windy City