I do not know why it took me so long to make it to Boston. And it’s a city — from photos and online resources — I underestimated for its size, green spaces and cultural experiences. In (less than) 24 hours, I barely dabbed my toe in the city’s energy and arts. I hustled as much as possible to take in energetically and visually what time and transport allowed. It is the first of many trips to this city, I hope; but one I marked as a personal favorite and one of which taught me more about American history, art and culture than any other place. Some highlights noted here, and I hope to add to the list over time and opportune visits.

Until 2024, I had not experienced a New England summer — its clear blue, massive skies, rocky coastline, and bustling waters — but had seen many paintings of the area, particularly Maine, by admired regional artists as Adele Lemm and internationally acclaimed artists as Edward Hopper. I grew up in the Mississippi Delta and attended Ole Miss. It wasn’t until my mid twenties while living in New York City that I heard the term, “summering.” In Manhattan that term, among my peers, meant shared summer house in the Hamptons. When I moved to Charleston “summering” reemerged and meant long week stays in the North Carolina mountains or in a quaint port town along the New England coastline, most easily accessible by sailboats from the Charleston harbor.