Travelogue: Boston, Massachusetts

 

Travelogue: Boston, Massachusetts

Aug. 22-25, 2026

 The family decided to stay local for our August vacation; we weren’t in the mood to fly anywhere, so we chose historic Boston, another urban jungle like my beloved New York City. My sister Bheng, Jordan, and I shared a room, and my sister-in-law Nel and her daughters Charlene and Camille shared another room at the MidTown Hotel by Sonesta. It had been exactly two months since my brother passed away, so the road trip was part of our healing. It was time to create more memories.

Boston, the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Massachusetts, is the cultural and financial center of New England, a region of the Northeastern United States. It is a 3-hour, 27-minute drive from Queens, so we planned stops along coastal Connecticut.

Boston is near major universities like Harvard, MIT, and Tufts, in the cities of Cambridge and Somerville, known as the Brainpower Triangle. I even bought a “Wicked Smaaht” Boston T-shirt, which was meant to be spoken with the Boston accent, dropping the ‘r’. Do you know that “wicked" is a regional intensifier meaning "very"? Quite coincidental that we watched the Broadway show “Wicked” the day after we returned to New York.

Boston has many medical and research facilities (Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston Children's Hospital, Dana–Farber Cancer Institute, and Joslin Diabetes Center).

 

ITINERARY

I’m impressed by how the “Kids” (I know they’re grown, yeah) exerted so much effort to vet the tour stops and research the restaurants. Jordan created a whole spreadsheet of potential attractions and restaurants, with the girls suggesting a few, complete with popular menu items, but the adults just gave up and told them, "We'll go wherever you want to go."

No ChatGPT chart, but real-deal travel plans with travel coordinates figured out. Typical Millennials and Gen Z’s. I am 100% sure that they studied as hard in College, right? They just chuckled mysteriously at this question.

 

ATTRACTIONS

Duck Tours- part bus/part boat, an amphibious vehicle that drives down a ramp into the Charles River. This is easily the most enjoyable excursion we had. The Duck Tours traverse historical landmarks and unique neighborhoods that make Boston a city of firsts, the birthplace of freedom, and the “Cradle of Liberty” because of its role in the American Revolution. The 80-minute tour includes the 20-minute river ride.

The conDUCKtours certainly made it fun. We were lucky to have the delightful and unforgettable Papriqqa (double Q), a vivacious person with multi-colored braids, a wicked sense of humor, extensive knowledge of her dear Boston, and a great memory for names. She got some volunteers to steer the boat as we descended into the Charles River, with the view of the Boston and Cambridge skylines. She was certainly popular, as several tourists on the street waved at her. She also got us to yell "Quack, quack" on cue. My son said I was too enthusiastic. She taught us how to pronounce "Harvard"", and also demonstrated several heart signs that younger kids had shared with her.

 

Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum

25 Evans Way, Boston, MA 02115

This art museum was founded in 1903 by Isabella Stewart Gardner, an American Art collector, patron of the arts, and philanthropist. Her collection included 7500 paintings, sculptures, tapestries, and decorative arts. Her will strictly detailed instructions on how to display her art.

I was thrilled to be surrounded by great art from Rembrandt, Michelangelo, Botticelli, Degas, Whistler, Raphael, and Titian.

The central courtyard is a photo-op opportunity with rotating seasonal floral displays and lush foliage. The 6-foot-tall starry blue-and-white chimney bellflowers are breathtaking.

 

 

Boston Public Library-

McKim Building at 700 Boylston Street in Copley Square

Opened in 1852, this is the first free, publicly funded municipal library in America with over 20 million items (books, maps, manuscripts) on display.  The architecture is spectacular; it almost felt like a grand European palace with massive stone arches, a grand staircase, and stunning murals by John Sargeant and de Chavannes.  There are collections of watercolors and drawings by Thomas Rowlandson and some early editions of Shakespeare.

I am a bibliophile, so I can imagine myself spending hours and hours in libraries like this and, of course, the New York Library.

 

Boston Garden

The first public botanical garden in America, this is an oasis in the midst of the urban jungle with beautifully manicured lawns and seasonal trees and flowers. With benches facing the pond, we enjoyed people-watching as all kinds of people promenaded along the path, some with dogs, and some with children. Near the pond, some ducks promenaded too, probably watching people too. It’s funny that they also poop on the grass, with some lifting their back leg.

For $15 a person, you can also ride the Swan boat for a 15-minute ride around the pond.

 

 

Elephant Migration Exhibit

Along Commonwealth Avenue (from Arlington Street to Fairfield Street in Back Bay)

This free public art exhibit features 100 life-sized elephant sculptures along Commonwealth Avenue from August 8 through September 13, 2026. They are on a global journey from East to West in the United States; they stopped in New York last year.  

The anatomically accurate wood sculptures were made from a repurposed invasive plant called Lantana camara by Indigenous artisans Southern India.

“The Great Elephant Migration is a global fundraising adventure to amplify Indigenous knowledge and inspire the human race to share space.”

https://thegreatelephantmigration.org/

And yes, since this is a fundraiser, you can buy the elephants (Calf, Adolescent, Matriarch, or Tusker) with prizes ranging from $8,500 to $22, 500. Sorry, the calves are sold out.

 

Other attractions:

Acorn Street in the historic Beacon Hill neighborhood- famous for its IG-worthy pictures of charming, picturesque Federal-style brick row houses, original cobblestone streets, antique cast-iron street lanterns, colorful doors, and vibrant floral window boxes. It is cited as the most photographed street in the United States.

Freedom Trail- I opted out of this 2.5-mile hike, but my niece Charlene (a history buff) powered through with the journey on an audio-guided tour. The walking tour, marked by a distinctive red line starting from Acorn Street, passed through16 significant historical sites, each telling the story of America’s illustrious past and quest for independence.

Piers Park- 

This is a beautifully landscaped park and a 600-foot pedestrian promenade, with a waterfront view of the Boston skyline. Sorry, Boston, nothing beats the Manhattan skyline.

FOOD TRIPS

Travel affords us the luxury and the excuse to enjoy the local restaurants. No fast food restaurants for us. If you look up the definition of “foodie” online, you might see my son’s and nieces’ names. They treat our food trips as adventures, as experiences to try new dishes, flavors, and cooking styles from various cultures. The way these young ones plan their food trips, you would think you're going on an important mission for the country.

Here’s a list of the restaurants we tried:

1.      GG at Home, Niantic, Connecticut. A quick stop with delicious sandwiches and baked goods. However, rain prevented us from exploring the beachwalk.

2.      Yunnan Kitchen- authentic Chinese cuisine from the Yunnan province. Great ambiance.

3.      Mahaniyom-  Thai food. Awarded the Michelin's Bib Gourmand and Northeast Cities Exceptional Cocktails Award. Served tapa-style, the food was great, especially beef massaman, pomelo salad, and chive cakes.

4.      Lolita Fort Point- modern Mexican-inspired cuisine. The décor is a little odd for me, with red candelabras and skulls for vases. The pink cotton candy was a surprise treat.

5.      Saltie Girl- a chic, nautical-yet-contemporary atmosphere. My favorites are clam chowder, pistachio tiramisu, lobster roll, fried artichoke, and the caviar dip. A little pricey.

6.      Jana Grill, Watertown, MA- Easily our favorite of the restaurants. They serve Mediterranean, Armenian, Lebanese. and Georgian cuisines. We demolished the food right after it was served. The Assorted Khorovats & Losh-Kebab Plate served on a charcuterie board was the best.

7.      Kuya Jay’s Ube Café, Somerville, MA. An unexpected trip out of Boston into Somerville to find the Ube café. The open market that we were planning to go to closed early. The café's co-owner, an Italian husband of a Filipina, was enthusiastic about the food in the Philippines. He was quite exuberant about Filipino culture and expressed his desire to expand Filipino food culture here in Boston. He said he has many non-Filipino customers who could not believe how food as purple as it was could taste so good. I loved the Ube Macchiato. We also met a family bringing their daughter to start her studies to become a lawyer at Harvard. Very impressive. The father said he had to delay his retirement to support her daughter’s studies since the family lived all the way in California.

 

Of course, the trip would not be complete without driving by Harvard University, the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States. Its prominent alumni include former Presidents Barack Obama and John F. Kennedy. Noted dropouts include Bill Gates and Mark Zuckerberg.

 

My Bucket-list Concert Reviews

 

Bucket-list Concert Wishes

A few years ago, I listed several concert wishes on my Bucket list. Goals manifested, thank God. Prayers answered. In the past three years, I watched Andre Rieu, Jin of BTS at his solo concert, and BTS on their comeback tour.

André Rieu is a Dutch violinist and conductor who founded the Johann Strauss Orchestra in 1987. “Rieu's concerts are more than just musical performances - they are experiences full of emotion, joy, and community. He brings people of all ages and cultures together to enjoy the sheer beauty of music. With his positive personality and humorous manner, he has managed to modernize the classical music scene and imbue it with a fresh, vivacious vibe.”, as written on his website. So very true.

BTS is actually the biggest musical group in the world right now. They are a global phenomenon. They are so successful that they represent roughly 0.3% of their country's total Gross Domestic Product.

The BTS supergroup released their new album on March 20, 2026, to huge critical and popular acclaim. They broke major streaming records in the US with their latest album and the biggest group debut of 2026 on Billboard. The group held free concerts in South Korea before embarking on a global sold-out tour across North America, South America, Australia, and Asia, including the Philippines; their last concert will be in Manila in March 2027.

Grammy What?

Seven men from South Korea whose music transcended the label of Asian pop and have recently opted out of the Grammys because they prefer their music to be "heard and loved for what it is, rather than being divided by region or language". They are topping international charts, have collaborated with other global singers, have broken streaming records, and are massively famous across all social media. Surely they deserve to compete in the Main categories, not be contained or limited to just an Asian category?

 

BTS Arirang concert, August 2, 2026

MetLife Stadium, New Jersey

Let me begin my superlatives: the most amazing, most invigorating, and, due to the adrenaline, most exhausting.  The sold-out Aug. 2 BTS concert at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey was the loudest concert I ever attended; the whole stadium was shaking, and the floors beneath me were vibrating as the ARMY jumped and sang along through the set list. The 80,000-strong crowd stood the whole time, except for the short breaks. 

Thank you to Debbie and her daughter Camille for convincing me to shell out money so I wouldn't be watching from the very rear. At least, we wore our BTS jerseys with our biases' names on the back, with matching clear bags. 

RM, Jin, Suga, J-Hope, Jimin, V, and Jungkook returned as a group after their military duties in South Korea. This comeback, after 4 years, is unprecedented in how the world welcomed them with a smash album and sold-out concerts. The New York Times declared, “BTS is possibly the biggest act in the world since Michael Jackson."

The two-and-a-half-hour show went by very fast; BTS's frenetic dances and the dancers were matched by the crowd as we jumped and swayed, our matchsticks turning the whole stadium purple.  The stage was spectacular, inspired by Korean architecture, with an open layout providing 360-degree visibility, and an amazing fireworks display at the end. The massive screens zoomed in on the smooth, poreless faces of the BTS members to the audience's delight, especially when my Jin winked at the camera.

The setlist included most of the songs in their latest album “Arirang”, but there were also classic songs that even the newest fans would know, like “Dynamite”, Butter, and the explosive “Mic Drop”. BTS also gets to try out two surprise songs each show that their DJ would choose for them; perhaps a way to tease the fans and remind them that BTS has a massive discography of songs since they debuted in 2013.

I felt inadequate when I couldn't sing the lyrics verbatim. My friends sat two rows in front of me. The ladies on both sides of me knew the lyrics to almost every song, even the Korean lyrics to Mic Drop, Fire, and the folk song Arirang (shivers when the whole audience turned Korean for a moment). At least, I knew the fan chant and could do a few choreographies on Dynamite, Idol, and Swim. I didn't take any selfies, but I took so many videos that were unfortunately marred by my off-key singing and vigorous jumping. 

I loved the massive smash-up of “Fire” and “FYA,” and the siren voice in “Like Animal.” “Body to Body” morphed into the traditional folk anthem "Arirang". Billboard asked, "How many artists could pull off having a room of thousands serenade them with a traditional folk song in the crowd’s non-native language? “Into the Sun” was a perfect ending for a perfect show.

Jin is still my ultimate bias, but those 6 other men are my bias-wreckers. Ugh, one concert is not enough. I am now going through PCD (post-concert depression).

Yeah, they do not need a Grammy. They've transcended it. It felt good to sing "Aliens" and "Not Today." “All the underdogs in the world/ A day may come when we lose/ But it is not today/ Today, we fight.”

 

JIN of BTS, July 30, 2025

Prudential Center, New Jersey

When someone asked me what the first thing I would do when I retire would be, I answered without hesitation that I would attend Jin's upcoming solo concert in New Jersey. This Jin concert is my retirement gift to myself. 

Fresh from his discharge from the military after 18 months of service, Jin threw himself into keeping the BTS name alive while the other members were still fulfilling their commitment. Jin held a hugathon with his fans, carried the Olympic torch in the Paris Olympics, co-starred in a Netflix variety show (Kian's Bizarre B&B), launched his solo variety web series, participated in fashion events, and released two albums.

Jin’s solo world tour, the RUNSEOKJIN_EP. TOUR, was quite unique, nothing like any other concert I’ve seen where the stars would just perform their songs. The concert showcased his top-tier vocal talent, but also his delightful sense of humor and personality, not afraid to be both silly and sexy at the same time. The show was widely acclaimed by critics, and as 20,000 fans cheered loudly and energetically at the Prudential, it was quite obvious that this show was not traditional, but infused with that charming personality. Simply Jin.

Rolling Stone UK gave him a five-star review for the London show and hailed him as “a one-of-a-kind entertainer who brilliantly blended high-energy pop-rock vocals, live band instrumentation, and interactive variety-show comedy with his fans.”

Jin was simply excellent; he didn't phone in his performance, but gave it his all, with bulging neck veins and deltoids, too. Mr. WorldWide Handsome winked, smirked sexily, and blew us his trademark kiss. 

Jin skillfully engaged the fans with audience challenges like Sing Along ARMY, Connect ARMY, then donned an Alien costume to sing the surprising hit with the viral dance challenge, “Super Tuna”, then proceeded to tease/bully the fans with their version of the high-pitched song “Moon”.

The songs were culled from his back-to-back mini-albums “Happy” and "Echo” with additional songs from BTS like “Dynamite”, “Butter”, “Mikrokosmos”, and the emotional “Spring Day” which the fans continued to sing the chorus long after Jin stopped singing. 

For someone so conservative, he teased his fans by showing his shoulders, then finally shed his coat and gifted us his Dorito-like physique. His voice was steady, even with all the running on the stage; I would have huffed and puffed. My sister swooned at his majestic image; I screamed much louder, wielding my BTS Army lightstick in tempo. The audience was energetic and sang mostly off-key (oh, that was me). 

Jin carried his solo concert with aplomb, with no choreography, except for Super Tuna. He brought the concept of his TV series RunSeokJin with his hilarious games and fan interactions.

My favorite tracks: Epiphany (this song got me into BTS), I Will Come to You (Jin on the piano, flawless voice), Nothing Without Your Love (because he took his jacket off), Rope It (who'd think he'd go Country?), and Astronaut, which he sang lying down (just because). What the heck, I loved all his songs.

“I Will Come to You” is a poignant ballad sung by Jin with gentle and yearning emotion. He wrote it while he was on military duty. He came back and fulfilled his promise to the BTS Army after his military discharge.

ANDRE RIEU, Sept. 18, 2023,

UBS Arena, New York

"Volare!" Oops, I didn't even realize I was singing loudly until my other seatmate gave me the side-eye. Andre Rieu and his 60-piece Johann Strauss Orchestra in concert!!! Bucket list item checked. 

Never mind that instead of an open-air concert under the glittering Austrian skies with the majestic Schonbrunn Palace in the background, the venue is the UBS Arena in Elmont, NY, and my "sky" is the NY Islanders banners in the rafters. But as soon as the music started last night, I just imagined that I was in a more magical place. The vivid, spectacular backing screen and the elaborate costumes of historical romances created an ambiance you don't see at grungy metal rock concerts. The music was still the same joyous celebration: classical music mixed with pop hits, waltzes, movie soundtracks, and rousing, foot-stomping gospel.

Andre is a consummate showman, and even at 73, he cut a dashing figure as he played the violin, conducted the orchestra, and hammed it up with the audience. My favorite parts were many. I loved the 102-year-old veteran who played the saxophone; I was teary-eyed as Andre introduced the young soldiers (now veterans) who liberated Holland. The enthusiastic crowd sang along to "I Will Follow Him"; if you heard my voice in the recording, I apologize. 

The three sopranos sang a beautiful rendition of "The Rose", the tender, melancholic rendition of the Amanda McBroom composition, made famous by Bette Midler in her 1979 film. The clarinetist/bagpiper Manoe provided comic relief; the camaraderie between her and Andre was a joy to watch. 

As Andre himself predicted, the aisles filled out with dancing couples who waltzed as the iconic masterpiece "Blue Danube" played. How romantic. 

The Modern King of Waltz delivered a grand, spectacular, and fantabulous production. Even my Gen Z niece Charlene loved the show.  

I have done my share of concerts over the years, mostly Filipino singers like Lea Salonga, Marcelito Pomoy, and the REO Brothers. 

There are more items on my Bucket list: Pink, Bruno Mars, Andrea Bocelli, Morisette Amon, and SB-19. 

Remembering my brother Cesar

 

It has taken me a while to sit down and write my tribute about my brother, Cesar, or Toto, as we call him. I have accepted the fact that he has passed, and even though I am comforted that he is no longer suffering, the ache in my heart remains. I am thankful that he remained a member of the Church of Christ (Iglesia ni Cristo) to the very end.

His family (wife, Ronilda, and daughters, Camille and Charlene) is doing well, but I know they still cry at times. Who wouldn’t? My siblings (Edwin, Allan, and Bheng) and my son Jordan are still grieving.  I still see him in my mind and feel him in my heart. There are still random moments when my tears just flow, a memory catching me by surprise.

In the family of two sisters and three brothers born to Cezar and Marina Cerrudo (both deceased), he was the eldest boy. The quietest one, but as he'd shown with his Master's degree in Economics from De La Salle University and his job as a computer programmer at the Philippine Central Bank, he was also smart. He was into chess, Jeopardy, and trivia. He immigrated with his family to New York in 1998. He was a deacon and group overseer in the Iglesia ni Cristo, Forest Hills locale. 

We are thankful to have been there at his bedside at the last minute. He fought a good fight, both as a dialysis patient for 5 years and in his last valiant fight in the ICU at Queens Hospital. He passed away on June 22, 2026, at the age of 65. He would have been 66 years old on July 14, 2026.

Cesar Cerrudo, Jr Obituary

My sister-in-law Nel spoke about Cesar at the funeral, "I want to thank God for the strength He continuously gives us... I just want to mention some good traits of Cesar, especially to those who do not know him personally. I want to tell everyone that my husband was a good man... kind-hearted. For 34 years of our marriage, I have never known anyone who was wronged or cheated by him. Not only was he a good man, but he was also a good cook! He cooked pancit and spaghetti better than me."

Grieving is an individual process, and for our mental health, we cope differently. My catharsis is writing about it to release pent-up emotions, to support healing, and to put into words what I could not articulate at his interment. I wanted a tangible way to remember him. I choose to honor and celebrate him and to commemorate the good times.

This is how I will remember my brother Cesar. 

I will remember that naughty smile, always a smirk, with his twinkling eyes, as if he was getting ready with his dad jokes. Corny they were, but sometimes his deadpan delivery made us smile, and sometimes laugh out loud.

I will remember that his favorite word to annoy the family was Secret” when we were asking questions. So, whenever he tried to eavesdrop while we were giggling about make-believe gossip, we told him, “Secret.”

I will remember how he loved to sing karaoke, with his two favorite songs by Martin Nievera and Marco Sison. He always scored 100% in karaoke; I believe it’s because he sang those songs loudly.

I will remember how we both cheered for the New York Mets, him carrying his passion for them through the very end. We chose his funeral flowers, orange and blue, to represent his love for the Mets.

I will remember how he cooked his chicken adobo ad nauseum. In fairness, he cooked really well. I will remember the quiet ways he loved his family; his love language was food, so he was the cook of the house, until he couldn’t anymore.

I will remember how he tried to perform his duties as a deacon and as a group overseer in the Iglesia ni Cristo, until he couldn’t because of his chronic kidney condition requiring dialysis.

I was two years older than him, and, like regular siblings, we always had our petty fights, trying to outsmart each other. I will miss that, but I will not miss how he came home after dialysis feeling weak, dizzy, and nauseous. I will not miss how he stopped making dad jokes in the last month. I will not miss how he cried when he could not go home for my mother's funeral when she passed in 2024.

I wish I was a little more patient, a little kinder, a little more caring, all the "shoulda, coulda, woulda", but I hope he knows that we all love him. He has seen how we advocated for him while he was in the hospital, asking questions and pushing for more.

We comfort ourselves with the thought that he fought the good fight, finished the race, and kept the faith. As we navigate our lives without him, those left behind will need to take care of one another. I know that the Almighty God will give us the strength. I am praying that his memories live on, and that we remember him with a smile in our hearts. 

"Death leaves a heartache no one can heal, love leaves a memory no one can steal."- Richard Puz

Travelogue: Day trips from Queens- Storm King, Briermere Farms, Harbes Orchard, Branch Brook Park, Untermyer Gardens, Wave Hill, Sleepy Hollow, Lavender by the Bay

 

 

Have car, will travel. A quick day trip away from the skyscrapers and the busy sidewalks is a vacation in itself. It is an intentional getaway to recharge your batteries. I would not dare call it a digital detox because I do use my phone to capture beautiful scenery for posterity. 

Maybe, when there is time for a longer staycation by the beach with no tight itinerary, and I can disengage from my trusty Samsung, that would be great. In the meantime, these day trips feed my heart and soul.

 

Storm King Art Center, Orange County, New York

Oct. 28, 2024, 1h 19m from Queens

The vibrant autumn colors at the Storm King Art Center are a perfect backdrop for large-scale contemporary outdoor sculptures as they rise majestically up into the sky, dwarfing all the humans. It is absolutely worth the trip.

This past Saturday, throngs of people descended on this 500-acre open-air museum in New York's Hudson Valley, home to the largest collection of contemporary outdoor sculptures in the United States by renowned artists like Maya Lin, Alexander Calder, and Mark di Suvero. It was peak season for the Autumn leaves to reign supreme. The tram ride takes you to all different stops where you can hop on and off to explore and hike the trails.

Some of the sculptures are difficult to discern, so you can create stories about these different works of art in bronze, metal, and aluminum. I did not avail myself of the audio guide. My imagination ran away with my interpretation of the sculpture: I saw intussusception, a dog, a Trojan horse, an elephant, R2D2, and Squiggles. No disrespect intended.

The "Luba" by Ursula von Rydingsvard resembles a petrified tree. This is a cedar-wood sculpture with cast bronze and graphite. Interesting fact: my son knows her late husband, to whom this sculpture is dedicated.

My favorite is "Fallen Sky," an artful rendition of spherical stainless steel pieces embedded in the earth, nestled in a hole left by an uprooted tree. 

The five Ionic stone pillars (salvaged from an old mansion along the Hudson River) stood like a vanguard on the crest of the hill, where you could see the vast display of sculptures. It's my second time seeing these pillars, but they continue to mesmerize me as I imagine myself as a queen greeting my loyal subjects. Yeah, I know, delusions of grandeur. And my self-mandated foliage pictures, ✔️ checked. 

 

 

Briermere Farm and Harbes Orchard in Long Island's North Fork area

Sept. 21, 2024- 1.5-hour drive from Queens

 

 

 

 

Day trip to Briermere Farm, Harbes Orchard, and Greenport in Long Island, New York. Our last summer hurrah before Autumn comes. Briermere Farm is a fruit farm and bakery with a long line of people lured by the sweet aroma of cookies, bread, and pies (fresh blueberry cream, raspberry peach, and cherry cream). You will gain weight just inhaling the aroma of the baked goods. The farm also had a colorful display of sunflowers and exotic flowers (I don't know their names) that beckoned me. The visuals and the aromas trigger my serotonin.

Then, just a few minutes away is the Harbes Orchard, a pleasant, family-friendly farm with your pick of apples: Fuji, honey crisps, Gala, and Granny Smiths.  The farm also offers pumpkin picking and a Robin Hood–themed corn maze, kids’ activities, and live music from 12–5 on weekends and holidays. There was open seating and live music, with apple-cider doughnuts.

We also explored Greenport, a waterfront community in Suffolk County on the North Fork of Long Island. The New York Times labeled the village as a low-key alternative to the Hamptons. Nothing was low-key this weekend, with the tourists enjoying the street fairs, live music, and the yachts and boats at the marina. We later learned that there was a Maritime festival and parade, and that explained the men and women dressed as pirates and mermaids. It was a fun time.

 

Branch Brook Park, New Jersey

April 7, 2024, 47-minute drive from Queens

 

Branch Brook Park in New Jersey is home to over 5,300 flowering cherry blossom trees in 18 varieties, more than Washington, D.C. It was the annual Cherry Blossoms Festival when we visited, and throngs of people descended to celebrate the rites of Spring with a breathtaking explosion of colors, from snow white to baby pink to vibrant pink.

Spring is my second favorite season. Nature is awakening after hibernating in winter. A rebirth, new beginnings. Flowers are blooming, the birds are chirping, the days are longer, and the nights are shorter.

As Charles Dickens said, "It was one of those March days when the sun shines hot, and the wind blows cold, when it is summer in the light and winter in the shade." It is already April, but the flowers are still in bloom. And what better way to end the day than to go to Max's Restaurant?

 

 

Untermyer Gardens Conservancy in Yonkers, Westchester County

Oct. 28, 2023,  1-hour drive from Queens

This time, we didn't have to travel far to see the Fall foliage. The Untermyer Gardens Conservancy in Yonkers, Westchester County, is a historic 43-acre public city park (free admission and parking) offering breathtaking views of the Hudson River and the Palisades.

Those with knee and hip problems should beware, but it was all worth the minor aches and pains if you want to do some gorgeous photo shoots. We saw a lot of pre-nups, pre-baby pictorials, and probably an occasional TikTokker. The Temple of Love, featuring a rock-and-stream garden and a small waterfall, evokes a fairy-tale setting.

The Vista is a must-see.  The descending 136-step staircase leads you down to the Overlook, where two majestic Roman marble columns frame the spectacular scenery. I will not pretend that I walked down those steps (hehehe). Jordan said it was really nice to walk down between the trees, with just a glimpse of the columns, and then, when he got to the bottom of the steps beyond the canopy of the trees, voilà, the panorama was dramatically stunning (hence the name). Like unwrapping a gift.

The Walled Garden was closed due to a private event (darn), a Halloween event featuring people arriving in costumes. There was a pregnant lady, or was it just a fake belly hanging out like it was ready to burst?

We ended up at the Hapag Filipino Restaurant in Yonkers. No pineapple juice for me, but the food was yummy: Sinigang na pork, tortang talong with corned beef, Ukoy without shrimp, and yes, taho (silken tofu, sago or tapioca pearls, and a simple brown sugar syrup).

 

Wave Hill Public Garden and Cultural Center in the Bronx

May 29, 2023, 34-minute drive from Queens

Wonderful afternoon spent at the Wave Hill public garden and cultural center in the Riverdale neighborhood of the Bronx. It is an oasis tucked away in the Hudson Hill section of Riverdale with a spectacular view of the Hudson River and the Palisades.

This 28-acre garden boasts a pergola overlooking the Hudson, surrounded by magnificent trees and flowers, creating a horticultural paradise featuring an alpine house, greenhouses, and a cultural center. If you’re a birdwatcher, there are 127 species of birds, including ruby-throated hummingbirds, great blue herons, and bald eagles.

This last-minute trip is such a revelation to me. I have lived here in New York since 1983, and yet I am still discovering some gems, a peaceful escape, in my own city.

 

Sleepy Hollow and Tarrytown, New York

Oct. 23, 2022- 45-minute drive from Queens

We went for the Fall colors and the Hudson River, perfect ambiance for self-reflection.

Sleepy Hollow and Tarrytown are adjacent villages in Westchester County along the eastern bank of the Hudson River.

Sleepy Hollow, formerly named North Tarrytown, officially changed its name in 1996 after Washington Irving’s classic 1820 story, The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. It is a charming town with a reputation for being spooky, especially during Halloween, for the Headless Horseman.

Tarrytown is the cultural hub, with local boutiques and children’s bookstores along Main Street. The Lyndhurst estate is a Gothic Revival house that serves as a filming location for The Gilded Age.

 

Lavender by the Bay, Calverton, Long Island

July 5, 2021, 1 hour and 15 minutes from Queens

Happiness is... celebrating nature's beauty amid fields of lavender blooms, with the clear blue sky above and the aromatic breeze calming heart and soul. The fragrance fills the air and cleanses my spirit. Lavender is calming, as scientific studies have shown that the natural compounds linalool and linalyl acetate interact directly with the nervous system to lower cortisol levels. No wonder these multi-purpose perennial lavender plants are widely used for aromatherapy. Doing my Ujjayi breathing in a field of lavender.

The best month to visit a lavender farm is July, with the massive French lavender fields at their vibrant peak.

I wanted to end the day at the Purple Yam restaurant, but it was closed for the holiday.  I had to settle for the purple Ube ice cream.