Recent days have been filled with some of the worst moments of the year. Multiple acts of gun violence and extreme examples of deranged mental health and family tragedy have occupied the headlines, and my mind, along with the almost unbelievable responses to these situations by the emotional toddler who resides in what is left … Continue reading My (highly subjective) best of 2025 picks
Tag: favorites
Quelle surprise!
The time I spent recently in Montreal was fundamentally sans agenda. Yes, there were a couple of jazz shows for which I had tickets, but we didn’t have as much as a single reservation for dining or specific plans for the majority of the roughly 72 hours we were in Canada. Being wide open leaves … Continue reading Quelle surprise!
The deliciousness of Montreal
Twenty -four hours after I arrived home after a three night getaway to Montreal, I was still at risk of gushing about the experience. The accommodations, the live music, the epic walks and numerous bottles of wine enjoyed, the morsels consumed and the Canadian economy supported - all of it. It was delightful. None of … Continue reading The deliciousness of Montreal
Thankful for…
Yoga classes in dim light that leave me feeling peacefully strong. An Asian riffed soup with baby bok choy, mushrooms, scallions and chicken meatballs. A few nights ahead in Montreal. Two planned evenings of live jazz, a yoga studio, two bakeries, and a bagel place, all marked on my Google map of Montreal. Freshly baked … Continue reading Thankful for…
Thanksgiving, eh?
When one of my sons, a few months ago, suggested that we spend Thanksgiving in Montreal, I immediately ran with the idea. This holiday, which had been my favorite for many years, just doesn’t feel like a celebratory occasion when one learns about the atrocities (far beyond the singular Trail of Tears lesson taught in … Continue reading Thanksgiving, eh?
Saying goodbye to a generation
My Uncle Eamon’s kitchen, Broomall, PA, Fall 1989 The first time I met my Aunt Rosita was at a family wedding. This event marked the second time in my life that I shared space with a relative other than my mother and brother. I had been collected from the airport by Uncle Eamon and Uncle … Continue reading Saying goodbye to a generation
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!






