Lexington, Mass – An official holiday in Massachusetts, Patriots’ Day commemorates the start of the Revolutionary War. On the third Monday in April, Bay Staters celebrate with historical reenactments, patriotic parades and pancake breakfasts. Events take place in Boston, Lexington,…
Some travellers come to Boston to follow The Freedom Trail past famous sights from the US’ colonial and Revolutionary history. Others wander around the hallowed halls of the Boston Public Library and the red-brick buildings of Harvard University. But Boston’s hidden history is rich and…
A small peninsula jutting into the harbor, Boston’s North End is one of the city’s oldest and most storied neighbourhoods. Puritans from England settled the area, followed by waves of other European immigrants whose red-brick homes still crowd the narrow,…
Charlestown, Nevis – I took myself on a tour of Alexander Hamilton’s Nevis. And then I had the Hamilton! soundtrack in my head for the rest of the day. (Not a bad thing.) Anyone who has seen the musical Hamilton!…
Basseterre, St Kitts – I made up a driving tour through St Kitts history. The tour skirts the northern perimeter of island, taking in the most interesting historical sights. The first stop is the ruins of the Wingfield Estate, a…
Bodega Bay, California – Everybody knows that Alaska used to belong to Russia. But most people don’t realize that the Russians were actively exploring, hunting, trading and settling the Pacific Northwest, starting in the late 18th century. Yes, settling–like Russian…
Somerville, Mass – Our last trip pre-pandemic was a mini road trip to New York City, where we celebrated Daddio’s birthday and went to see Phantom of the Opera. Within days of our return home, schools closed and the state…
Somerville, Mass – Things are starting to get real! Our book, The Tsarina’s Lost Treasure, now has a website AND a few book reviews. Most recently, Jerry and I gave an interview on The Tsarina’s Lost Treasure for the excellent…
Somerville, Mass – What? Why yes, that is Publisher’s Weekly calling our book a “meticulously researched history” and an “intriguing portrait of an art world mystery.” (It doesn’t really rhyme in the review. That was my unintentional poetic flare.) Read…
Somerville, Mass – Way back in 2013, I wrote about embarking on a new project with Daddio. We had this crazy idea to write a book together–not a guidebook, not an academic book, but a narrative nonfiction book. About a…