Vorarlberg Austria is My Next Destination
On Thursday night I’ll fly to Zurich and then drive about 50 km over to the region of Vorarlberg, in western Austria. It’s right on Lake Constance, and it’s a part of the world I’ve never seen. I met these folks at a European travel exposition, and they kept talking […]
Deerfield Decides to Come Together
Deerfield really feels like we’ve taken a turn into a new chapter. For so long, the symbol of our downtown has been the tired old building that once housed Franklin County’s Cable TV channels, which is now for rent. We’ve had a lot of empty stores and sad “now leasing”signs. […]
Dinner with Neighbors at Atlas Farm
It was the perfect evening, still in the 80s, but cooling off, as we headed down a dusty farm road to a big tent you could see in the distance. The occasion was a customer and vendor appreciation dinner at Atlas Farm, the farm store where we buy lots […]
Railroads, Red Rocks and Buffalo Bill
Denver is an inspiring city, the biggest metropolis for 500 miles around the vast American West. I just spent five days exploring and enjoying Denver and the surrounding countryside, and I came away once again, impressed with how vibrant the place is. Last Sunday I joined a group of travel […]
Dollar General Has Deerfield Riled Up
Our town has been energized over the past few months, because of development that suddenly seems to be pushing the limits of the townspeople. First, the big development on Sugarloaf Street was approved, after pretty much token opposition. Nobody could really do much because it was following the town’s master […]
The Sad Demise of Travel Sections and Magazines
Travel publishing and the demise of travel magazines and newspaper travel sections is a topic near and dear to my heart. I have witnessed it, and last month out in San Francisco, I got to speaking with Spud Hilton, the travel editor of the San Francisco Chronicle. Hilton was interviewed […]
Why I Gave Up Driving for Uber
I’m done driving for Uber. Why? Because it comes down not making enough money for all of the efforts, and the fact that when you get a long fare somewhere like Bradley, you usually don’t have the same long fare returning north…so you spend your own gas in an empty […]
Town Meeting in Deerfield 2018
Town Meeting is an annual New England tradition, where budgets and policies are reviewed and voted on by the citizens of Deerfield.
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 […]