Going back to places that loom large in your youth triggers memories, of course – but also a deep well of feelings. The person you were then, their experiences, and their dreams rush back to reinhabit body and mind. When you are blessed to have good memories, that swell of nostalgia can be reinvigorating. It prompts you to examine your life’s path and consider the choices that have shaped it – and the choices that will chart your journey into the future. Such was my trip to Cape May, NJ this past week for a short 3-day post-election vacation with…

To me, a professional dance performance is one of those life-affirming experiences that makes me sigh with pleasure and bubble up with joy. Dance is the amalgamation of so many art forms – music composition, musical performance, choreography, dance, lighting, costuming, staging – all finely melded together to elicit emotion, tell a story, and make a point better than with words. Daniel and I were lucky enough to see a performance of the Dance Theatre of Harlem in New York City last weekend. Oh, my word! Just awe-inspiring. In their 55th season, the company showcased some of the finest ballet…

For the longest time, I’ve been daydreaming of a weeks-long trip into New England to see all the things I’d love to see in one swoop instead of running up and back any number of times. I have a short list of sights to visit, and started to map out possible hotels and B&Bs that could be home base for a few day trips. I’ve called it my Museums, Main Streets and Meandering Tour to capture that I want to take in a bunch of museums and historical sites (and mansions!), shop some lovely small-town Main Street galleries, and meander…