My goal for today was one of the most mythologized landscapes in the US, the Hudson River Valley. The valley is a classic glacial river valley, and very pretty. It has inspired artists and writers for hundreds of years, and even gave its name to a painting movement (the Hudson River school, which romanticized the American landscape). Given its close proximity to New York City, the wealthy started building homes here as soon as the early 1700s. The tread really took off during the Gilded Age, when there were over 75 grand estates along the river. Most are gone at this point, but 15 that remain are open to the public as historic sites. Unfortunately, most only operate during the tourist season, which are definitel... read more

MassMoCA Today I plan to see art, and lots of it. I started at the museum across the river from the Porches Inn, MassMoCA. The museum began life as the Arnold Print Works, which became the largest manufacturer of printed cloth in the country. Thanks to many factors, they went bankrupt in the depression, leaving a very large empty mill complex behind. Sprauge Electronics, which made capacitors and other components, then took over. They ran the place for the next fifty years, becoming the cornerstone of the North Adams economy in the process. Unfortunately, they could not cope with competition from Asia (most electronic parts are now made in China and Taiwan) and were forced to close the mill in 1986. North Adams faced the real possibility of becoming a ghost town. Re... read more

Today, I woke up at the Fox Pond Bed and Breakfast in Marblehead. I had moved out of my apartment over the weekend, and needed a place to stay. I chose this place because it was the closest bed and breakfast to Boston that was affordable, and it has very good reviews. It’s roughly a ten minute drive from downtown Salem, which was very convenient for getting food before watching the Oscar broadcast the night before. Fox Pond is owned by an architect and marine painter. The rooms are decorated with his pictures of boats and seashores. His family has lived in the Boston area for over 300 years, and several ancestors fought at the Battle of Bunker Hill. There are portraits of some of them in the main rooms of the house. The owner loves ... read more

Travel, like life, rarely goes exactly as planned. On this trip, I got something quite different than expected, initially worse but ultimately far better. This weekend, I planned to hike the White Mountains in October foliage for the first time in several years. The hiking time to a vista and back nearly matches the amount of daylight available this time of year, so I need to camp out the night before. Lots of other people have the same idea, so spots must be reserved months in advance. That means taking a risk with the notorious White Mountain weather;the range sits where three weather systems collide and has some of the worst weather in the world. On the drive up, it appeared I had rolled snake eyes. Rain was falling in sheets, from a wave of thunderstorms ... read more

Today was a pretty bittersweet day. My trip is almost over. It was way too short, but it’s all I could afford this year. I still had one day left and I intended to make the most of it. Last night, I commented how my hotel could serve as the set for a 70s horror movie. Well, when I went to settle my account this morning, I found a police cruiser parked in front of the entryway. I have no idea why it was there, because I didn’t ask. I quickly paid my bill and got out of there. First thing, I needed some food. That’s surprisingly hard on a Sunday in King of Prussia, which is all office parks. What it does have is the Court and Plaza of King of Prussia, the largest mall ... read more