The Días de Gloria cigars are long-standing stalwarts among the many blends from AJ Fernandez. Introduced in 2019, the line is said to have been influenced by the flavor profile and character of the classic Cuban cigars that inspired the prolific blend…

Trip: 57
Nights: 189-190
It was 92F (32C) in RVA. It was 75C (23C) and breezy two hours away in Shenandoah National Park. We chose wisely.
It was a very chill weekend. We arrived around 430 PM on Friday, and after setting up camp, we did some birdi…

Weekend at Loft Mountain Campground
Trip: 57
Nights: 189-190
It was 92F (32C) in RVA. It was 75C (23C) and breezy two hours away in Shenandoah National Park. We chose wisely.
It was a very chill weekend. We arrived around 430 PM on Friday, and after se…

Venice was the final stop on our recent vacation in Italy. The group tour included a two day stay, and we extended our visit by another two. It was fun spending extra time exploring on our own, and we quickly grew surprisingly comfortable navigating th…

During our Italian vacation, we spent two nights in Bolzano, in South Tyrol. Situated at the gateway to the Dolomite Mountains, Bolzano has the look and feel of an Alpine village, with spectacular mountain views in every direction. Making the region ev…

The day almost slipped by unnoticed. Monday marked the second anniversary of my retirement. Unlike that first year, which was heavily shaped by back problems and the surgery that followed, this past year has felt much more normal. The routines have set…

After a record-breaking streak of rainy days, the sun finally shone brightly this weekend. We spent a good part of it attending our 45th (!) college reunion. It was a blast seeing old classmates and even meeting a few people I hadn’t known back then. W…