2025 - Fall
Excerpt – Sip & Shop 2025
Our 5th annual Sip & Shop felt like a celebration of friendship and tradition. This year my longtime friend Traci joined us—someone who’s been part of our lives since we first moved to Canandaigua nearly 30 years ago. After a long, laughter-filled brunch at Simply Crêpes with boozy coffees and mimosa flights, we wandered downtown, visiting every boutique and giving a little business to each shop we passed. The day was less about shopping and more about honoring the rituals and friendships that have carried us through decades of adventures
Creative Journey - A wildly creative, electrifying night with DakhaBrakha at the historic Smith Opera House — music that felt like art, ritual, and storytelling all at once.
Kindred Spirits - A magical storybook-themed baby shower filled with joy, warmth, imagination, and family — a celebration that felt like stepping into the first chapter of a new life.
Kindred Spirits - A Halloween getaway to historic Gettysburg — Gettysburg at Halloween feels like stepping into a historic ghost story wrapped in small-town fall charm — atmospheric, playful, and quietly magical.
The Wild Life - A two-hour rural ride to Keuka Lake — complete with hills, dogs, a flat tire repaired by a Mennonite family, and a crop-dusting plane that felt way too close for comfort — followed by a sun-soaked boat day with friends, food, wine, and small-town exploring. A perfect Fall in the Fingerlakes adventure.
2025 - Summer
Bike to Seneca Lake, mostly via the Ontario Pathways Trail. Solitude in natural beauty of my 2 favorite settings - forest and water.
A five-day bike tour from my home in the Fingerlakes to Niagara-on-the-Lake with my bike buddy Holly — 150+ miles of canal paths, small towns, Niagara Falls, wine country, and the joy of crossing into Canada on two wheels.
A joyful Quebec family reunion on Lake Baldwin, where Bailey met the whole extended family for the first time. We spent the day kayaking, swimming, playing games, enjoying a pig roast, and reconnecting — then took the long scenic route home through Vermont and the small towns we once loved.
A glamorous long weekend in Saratoga Springs with Catherine — boating on Canandaigua Lake, road-tripping to the Roosevelt Hotel, dressing up for a bougie day at the racetrack with brunch at the 1863 Club, celebrating Diane’s birthday with cupcakes, and wandering the charming streets of Saratoga before heading home.
A week-long supported bike tour through the Finger Lakes — familiar roads, peaceful miles, light social moments, and a quietly empowering reminder of my strength, autonomy, and commitment to vibrant aging.
A long weekend in Boston for Meredith’s bridal shower — biking the city, dinner at Faneuil Hall with family, celebrating Kevin and Meredith, and enjoying a warm, meaningful few days in Brookline.
2025 - Spring
A spring getaway to Hershey and Gettysburg — staying at the historic Londonderry Inn, meeting Trace and Shayna for dinner, exploring downtown Hershey and the Gettysburg Battlefield, hosting a cozy Indian takeout dinner with friends, and celebrating Jai’s birthday in a meaningful, relaxed gathering.
The Wild Life - A rainy but peaceful solo bike tour from Pittsford to Niagara-on-the-Lake — crossing into Canada via the Peace Bridge, meeting my brother near the Falls, reuniting with Serge and Lisa for wine, dinner, and relaxation at Harbour House, and wrapping up with two days in Buffalo
2025 - Winter
Wander the World - A determined, rain-or-shine birthday adventure through Costa Rica — from night walks in the Monteverde cloud forest to ocean views in Manuel Antonio, ziplining, snorkeling, gourmet farm meals, and tropical relaxation, all shared with Catherine and Karen. The trip ended in Dallas with visits to Grapevine and the Fort Worth Stockyards — and miraculously, my badly sprained ankle healed by the time I got home.
Winter in St Petersburgh Florid - a chilly but beautiful month in St. Petersburg — biking through coastal towns, visiting museums and performances, escaping to sunny Hollywood for a long weekend, welcoming Ben and Bailey for beach days, and sharing a condo full of quirks, laughter, and unexpected memories with my siblings and Serge.
2024 - Fall
Winter biking in the Finger Lakes — riding through quiet, frosty landscapes with new cold-weather gear, hauling my sturdy bike trailer for errands, and learning to love the stillness and strength of cycling all season long.
Decking the House for the Holidays - Nov 2024
A whirlwind double-wedding weekend: hosting Trace and Shayna’s backyard wedding after a summer of renovations (and a last-minute plumbing disaster), losing and miraculously finding a cherished family necklace, dancing late into the night — then driving to Saratoga Springs the next morning to celebrate Kevin and Meredith’s elegant golf-club wedding. One long, unforgettable celebration of love and family.
2024 - Fall
Winter biking in the Finger Lakes — riding through quiet, frosty landscapes with new cold-weather gear, hauling my sturdy bike trailer for errands, and learning to love the stillness and strength of cycling all season long.
Decking the House for the Holidays - Nov 2024
A whirlwind double-wedding weekend: hosting Trace and Shayna’s backyard wedding after a summer of renovations (and a last-minute plumbing disaster), losing and miraculously finding a cherished family necklace, dancing late into the night — then driving to Saratoga Springs the next morning to celebrate Kevin and Meredith’s elegant golf-club wedding. One long, unforgettable celebration of love and family.
2024 - Summer
Cycle the Hudson Valley – August 2024
A multi-day group ride along the Empire State Trail from Troy to NYC with PTNY. Slept indoors on gym floors, volunteered at the e-bike charging tent, crossed the Walkway Over the Hudson, toured Val-Kill and the CIA, enjoyed concerts, survived a rain-out day, and finished the final stretch into NYC with a dead battery — supported by new friends, especially Holly. A joyful, challenging, unforgettable adventure.
Black Diamond Trail Ride — Ithaca, NY
Biked the scenic Black Diamond Trail with bike club members, adding extra miles by exploring Ithaca and enjoying lunch at the lakeside Ithaca Farmers Market. A peaceful, beautiful summer ride through one of the region’s most iconic outdoor spaces.
Cape Cod Weekend & Meredith’s Bridal Shower — Jul 2024
A girls’ weekend on Cape Cod with Diane: staying at the Lighthouse Inn, biking the Cape’s beautiful coastal trails, cocktails with Meredith’s sisters, and celebrating her bridal shower before a fun night out. A perfect blend of friendship, celebration, and seaside adventure.
Shayna’s Tea Party Bridal Shower — Canandaigua, NY - June 2024
Hosted an Edwardian-inspired tea party bridal shower in a historic home with floral dresses, fancy hats, antique tea cups, a high-tea menu, and a costumed fortune-telling medium. A whimsical, elegant celebration welcoming Shayna into our family with love.
2024 - Spring
A Spontaneous Escape to Hawaii — Two Weeks of Wonder with Jai
In the middle of a chaotic home construction project, I dropped everything and flew to Hawaii to meet Jai. A spontaneous two-week escape that became a healing adventure across Oahu and the Big Island.
Building a New England Connected Farmhouse Addition
(Spring–Fall 2024)
A two-story barn-style addition, a race against a wedding deadline, and the fulfillment of a lifelong dream for multigenerational living — this was the year I built our New England connected farmhouse addition
2024 - Winter
Winter at the Beach — A Month in Hollywood, Florida
A sun-soaked month in Hollywood, Florida with my siblings — biking the Broadwalk, daily breakfasts at our favorite café, exploring downtown, visiting friends, and escaping the stress of home construction for warmth, movement, and connection.
2023 - Fall
Holidays at Home — Our First Christmas With Shayna
A quiet, cozy Christmas at home with Trace and his fiancée Shayna — cooking, movies, games, gifts, and the beginning of new family traditions.
Toronto vs. Buffalo — KeyBank Center Showdown, December 2023
A border-town rivalry brought to life: brother Chris from Toronto, lake-town hockey memories, and a 9–3 Sabres shellacking — all from seats behind the Leafs box in Buffalo.
A Halloween Night on the Hill — Costumes, Hayrides, and a Porch Party
A festive Halloween with Trace, Shayna, her mom, and our friends — costumes, a haunted hayride at Lincoln Hill Farms, and a cozy porch party full of laughter, dancing, and fall magic.
2023 - Summer
New England Ports Road Trip — A Dream Journey for Serge
A New England coastal road trip created as a dream gift for Serge — filled with ports, lighthouses, small villages, hurricanes, bike rides, and the charm of Bar Harbor, Portland, Salem, Provincetown, and the Cape.
Biking the Auburn & Lehigh Trails with Roxie
A sunny ride along the Auburn and Lehigh Trails with Roxie — lunch on the trail, a little nostalgia at RIT, and gratitude for the beautiful paths right in our backyard.
Chautauqua Gran Fondo — A Summer Ride Around the Lake
A gorgeous summer weekend in Chautauqua: staying at the lakefront Chautauqua Harbor Hotel, biking the Gran Fondo, and soaking in the beauty of one of New York’s most scenic cycling events.
The Chicks (formerly the Dixie Chicks) at Constellation Brands – Marvin Sands Performing Arts Center (CMAC) on August 11, 2023.
Diane’s 60th Rodeo — A Saratoga Celebration
A cowboy-themed 60th birthday in Saratoga Springs — complete with a glam makeover, rainstorm laughter, family joy, and the unforgettable moment when Diane learned she would soon be a grandmother.
Bike the Erie Canal — July 8–16, 2023
In July 2023, I completed my first major group bike tour: PTNY’s eight-day, 400-mile Cycle the Erie Canal ride from Buffalo to Albany. It was a beautiful mix of history, adventure, and small-town charm as we visited museums, wetlands, lift bridges, and canal-side villages along the way. Although I brought my camping gear, I chose hotels most nights to stay rested for the miles ahead. Each day offered something new—scenic trail sections, friendly riders, and unforgettable stops in towns like Seneca Falls, Syracuse, Rome, and Schenectady. It was the perfect introduction to long-distance bike touring and one of my most meaningful summer adventures.
Building the Peace Cabin Garden — A Sanctuary of Stone, Soil, and Stillness
Benjamin and his team created a meditative garden around our Peace Cabin, complete with flagstone paths, sculptural elements, and plantings that transform the space into a living sanctuary.
Fourth of July on Canandaigua Lake — Our Annual Floating Family
Our long-standing July 4th tradition at Kershaw Park and on Canandaigua Lake — boats, floats, food, and a whole community of friends celebrating summer together.
2023 - Spring
I spent six days in Asheville, North Carolina on a Trek Travel cycling getaway, riding a comfortable Trek Verve+ e-bike through the Blue Ridge Mountains and exploring Asheville’s vibrant downtown. The three-day guided bike tour included scenic climbs on the Blue Ridge Parkway, peaceful routes through Pisgah National Forest, and rolling country roads along the French Broad River. I stayed at The Foundry Hotel, a beautifully restored historic property that became the perfect base for both adventure and relaxation. It was the ideal mix of challenging rides, Southern charm, and slow, luxurious evenings in one of the most artistic cities in the South.
My first solo bikepacking trip — 62 miles out, 40 miles deep in the woods, a fall, a repair, and a test of grit.
We spent a beautiful spring weekend in Boiling Springs, PA with Shayna for her first wedding dress shopping trip, and we turned it into a full luxury getaway. We stayed at the Allenberry Resort—an unexpected gem that I’ve returned to many times since—complete with peaceful grounds, an onsite spa, and incredible dining. After brunch in Carlisle and a joyful morning of dress shopping, we indulged in massages and facials for a full spa party. It was a relaxing, meaningful weekend filled with good food, laughter, and the excitement of watching Shayna begin her wedding journey.