Keeping in Touch, by Nathaniel Hartshorne: A Tribute
I got a wonderful letter addressed to all of my sisters and me, from old family friend Susan Schreiber. She was enjoying the copy of “Keeping in Touch” the book written by my father Nat Hartshorne with his letters, tributes, and other writings. She said it so well. “Dear All […]
Extravaganja 2018
Extravaganja has been around for 27 years. It started on the Amherst Town Common, and two years ago, they outgrew the space and now it’s held every April 20, or so, at the Tri-County Fairgrounds. I had never been to the fest before, so yesterday my curiosity got the best of […]
Skatalites Bring Old School Ska to Hawks and Reed
I can’t resist a band with horns. Cool, funky horns, and old-school sounds, that’s the Skatalites, the original Jamaican pioneers of ska music, which eventually became reggae. It’s not that often you can see a legendary band like this, and in the intimate confines of Hawks and Reed, it’s especially […]
San Mateo County: More than Silicon for Visitors
You might think that San Mateo County is all about Silicon Valley, and is only a business destination. But this week has proven that wrong, as we set out to explore first the coastline, and then to some small towns in the Santa Cruz mountains. There are a whole lot […]
Goats Make Life Better at Harley Farms
Goats have a way of calming people and making them feel at ease. We learned a lot about goats today when we paid a visit to a local legend–Harley Farms in Pescadero. We met Suzy, a local resident who helps out at the farm giving tours that are offered Friday […]
In Pacifica, Julie Cox Created a Surfer’s Oasis
It’s been a few years since I last drove down to Half Moon Bay and the western half of the big peninsula that starts at the top with the city of San Francisco. We spent a great day exploring some cool places like Pescadero, Pacifica, and Half Moon Bay, both […]
Barbary Coast: A Pot Shop with a Smoking Lounge
After our cocktail reception, I joined a young colleague named Will McGough for a jaunt to a local dispensary. I helped Will get his start in travel writing back about ten years ago, and he’s been a success and now lives in Hawaii. We went to our respective ATM machines […]
Chez Albert: When a Decadent Lunch is On the Menu
A decadent lunch at Chez Albert never disappoints.
Nathaniel Hartshorne: Writer, Editor, Actor, Husband and Father
Nathaniel Hartshorne September 18, 1926 –March 28, 2018 Nathaniel Hartshorne, a longtime resident of Blawenburg, died peacefully in his home on March 28, following a brief illness. Nat was born on September 18,1926 in New York City to Robert and Esther Hartshorne. He attended St. Paul’s school and Hamilton college […]
Nathaniel Hartshorne, Making Plans to Remember Him
Dad died on Wednesday, March 28, 2018. It’s done. The long-awaited end, which we like to think of as the perfect end. Surrounded by family, not in pain, awaiting his death and departing the brief life of an invalid. He wasn’t going to let that last long. He told us […]
Why Do We Wait Until Death to Share Feelings?
I’m back from another weekend visit to sickbay in Blawenburg, where my poor dad continues to struggle with his declining health and the impending end of his long life. Nat Hartshorne is the last remaining brother, and many people I know have told me they are not ready to accept […]
The Hartshorne Family Crest Ring
My father has always worn this ring. It’s a gold version of the Hartshorne family crest, and it was made for all of dad’s brothers and for him when he was in high school. My dad rarely, if ever, took this ring off. Once he lost the ring, and it […]
Waterville Valley: Skiing with the Big Boss
We arrived in Waterville Valley, New Hampshire on a Sunday afternoon and it began snowing. A perfect event for our day of skiing with Tim Smith, the GM of this impressive operation that includes an entire village, a school, a big mountain all surrounded by the White Mountain National Park. […]
The Looming Transition: Telling Dad How We Feel
I’ve been quite consumed with a huge transition taking place in my family. Our patriarch, Nat Hartshorne, is in hospice and battling lymphoma, and we’ve been visiting and calling and trying to imagine our lives without Bumpy, who has done so much to make each one of us proud, and […]
Doing My Duty As a Good Son
It’s my turn, and I’ve been on deck for many years. For the past few days I’ve been taking care of my parents, who are 86 and 91, and for the eldest of the two, my dad, a tough bout with cancer that’s bringing pain and discomfort. I am the […]
Our House Is Empty Without a Cat
It’s a Saturday morning in February and the beginning of Mary’s week-long school vacation. So even though it’s 10:45, I’ll let her sleep in, as she warned me she would want to do. No worries. I am doing favorite Saturday morning puttering, getting the mail, making the grocery lists and […]
Beyond Burger: The Secret to the Taste is the Heme
I’ve been talking up a new product I found at Whole Foods, that I had read about perhaps two years ago in Wired Magazine. It’s a new hamburger made from plants that truly tastes exactly like a regular beef hamburger. It’s incredible, you expect it to taste the way most […]
Snow Days Make Being Prepared Essential
Today is another certified snow day. Even UMass is closed, and for that I’m grateful because I agreed to speak at my friend BJ Roche’s class about Media Entrepreneurship. I’ve postponed until next week, which is a relief. Today the snow is coming down in teeny tiny flakes, unlike the […]