start of summer... on "ends" and "beginnings".

There’s nothing like a change in seasons to serve as a catalytic kick in the pants to one’s routine, but who am I kidding? As I stumble eagerly to my car at the crack of dawn, the sky pitch-black, the air thick with the song of robins and the hum of insects (whose identity has evaded me since childhood), I know that truthfully this was a long time in the making.

​In the time since folding my old blog, my life is at once the same and drastically altered. I’ve become a parent, taken on personal and professional opportunities beyond my wildest dreams, gotten to know amazing people, and cemented a life in this place not simply as a happy observer but an engaged participant. I may never be the next Walt Whitman or host a show on the Travel Channel, but if I write something that resonates with another person or inspires someone to try something new locally, then this little blog has served its purpose.

But I digress… back to 4:15 am and bleary-eyed amongst nature’s sound effects in Suffolk County, it’s time to start what will be part of this summer’s rhythm: a quiet morning and exercise routine. In this case, my travels will take me on a regular basis to Williamsburg. After cobbling together time to do some informal research, I’ve put together something that will take me throughout the Island and allow me be home before my family get up for the day. (Another perk of summer’s pace and summer’s weather… this is a big part of why I find the change of seasons and routines welcome.)

With charming neighborhoods known for their beloved coffee shops, I’ve decided to explore as many as possible during my summertime sojourns. After morning exercise, The Hungry Ghost (721 Metropolitan Ave, 917-909-1918) pulls me in with its name (and wins me over with its proximity to the BQE). The slick, communal layout beckons customers to linger and converse, but today’s stop is one of immediacy, purely for refueling purposes. Latte is fair, service is fast to accommodate the start of the morning rush, and almond croissant is exceptional--- rewardingly airy and flaky.

So while this blog will focus primarily on life further east ---the beaches, water, wine country, farmland, and quaint micro-cultures that have captured my heart and imagination--- who can forget that two formidable boroughs lay claim to the westerly start of geographic Long Island? If Montauk is “The End”, then surely Brooklyn and Queens are “The Beginning”.

I’m also looking forward to “beginning” this new blogging journey with you.