Amici in Italia

A few weeks ago, a friend and I were out enjoying drinks and chatting when the topic of travel came up. We quickly realized we were each hoping for an opportunity to take an autumn trip. Amazingly, independently we had each been thinking about visiting Sicily, a place neither of us had ever been before. … Continue reading Amici in Italia

Lake life

For the majority of my childhood I lived downstate in a small village in Orange County. Greenwood Lake, N.Y. is a former resort area that was centered on the recreational opportunities provided by a 9 mile long lake that spans the N.Y./N.J. border. While it was a great place to grow up, there were certain … Continue reading Lake life

Escape to NYC

You know I don’t do Tik-Tok, right? I certainly understand its appeal, but, in all honesty, I find it to be the crack of social media. All that endless scrolling… I don’t want to spend my hours doing that, not at this point in my one precious life. Because of my Tik-Tok avoidance, I often … Continue reading Escape to NYC

Declaring (personal) independence

In 1996, I was settling into the home we had recently purchased, preparing to start a new permanent professional position and getting ready to start a family. Having all three of those major life milestones occur within a six month window of time, reflectively, seems crazy but, at the time, I was completely unfazed to … Continue reading Declaring (personal) independence

Mermaid Parade ➡️ Mermaid Avenue

You know how summers sometimes get dubbed with a name, “hot girl summer” or “brat summer?” Well, as far as I’m concerned, Summer 2026 is Mermaid Summer. And I’m here for it. Last weekend’s adventures were Brooklyn-centric but, for my second Mermaid event in a week, the destination was northeast - North Adams, MA and … Continue reading Mermaid Parade ➡️ Mermaid Avenue

Maiden voyage

Earlier this month, I bit the proverbial bullet and ordered myself an inflatable paddle board. It was a somewhat impulsive purchase, but one which was approached with a level of forethought. First, I polled friends to learn what they liked about their own equipment and did some online research of various brands to determine what … Continue reading Maiden voyage

Weekend in Brooklyn and, at last, the Mermaid Parade!

Considered by some to be the official start of the summer season, the Mermaid Parade has been drawing crowds to Comey Island for decades. Since I first heard about it from a former student, I’ve wanted to attend this annual Coney Island event and Saturday, I finally got there. I left Albany on the 8:15 … Continue reading Weekend in Brooklyn and, at last, the Mermaid Parade!