Everyone Loves a Parade

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The giant turkey float wearing a blue top hat in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, moving past crowds and tall city buildings.”

Massachusetts: More Parades Than You’d Expect

New Orleans has Mardi Gras — and truth be told, probably a parade for something every other week. They’re America’s party town for sure. But Massachusetts has more parades than you might think. We’ve got the big national ones, yes, but we’ve also got some wonderfully quirky, uniquely‑ours traditions.

A Quick Roll Call of Bay State Parades

Here are the ones that come to mind without much effort:

  1. First Night, Boston (New Year’s Eve)
  2. St. Patrick’s Day, South Boston
  3. Patriots’ Day Parade, Concord
  4. Ducklings Day Parade, Boston
  5. Memorial Day Parades, Every Town
  6. Fishtown Horribles Parade, Gloucester
  7. Fourth of July Parades, statewide
  8. Carnival Parade, Provincetown
  9. Haunted Happenings Parade, Salem
  10. America’s Hometown Thanksgiving Parade, Plymouth
  11. Christmas Eve Parade, Lynn

Championship Duck Boats: Our Modern Victory Marches

And then there are the Championship Parades — our modern‑day victory marches. The crowds gather, the duck boats roll out, and the players ride through Boston like triumphant warriors returning from battle. No chariots, but close enough.

St. Patrick’s Day: Southie’s Biggest Tradition

Boston’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade in Southie is one of the oldest and largest in the country. Bagpipes, marching bands, Irish dancers, politicians shaking hands, and half the city wearing green — it’s a celebration that feels like Boston down to its bones. If you’ve never seen South Boston on March 17, you haven’t truly experienced St. Patrick’s Day.

Patriots’ Day: A Parade You Won’t Find Anywhere Else

See that Patriots’ Day Parade? That one is truly unique. Patriots’ Day is strictly a Massachusetts holiday — and some years we even get an extra day to file our federal taxes because we’re special like that.

Ducklings Day: Boston’s Sweetest Tradition

One of the sweetest parades is the Ducklings Day Parade, celebrating the Make Way for Ducklings statue. It’s traditionally held on Mother’s Day and is pure Boston charm.

Fourth of July: Cannons, Fireworks, and Local Flavor

Everyone has a Fourth of July parade, but we go one better with the concert on the Esplanade, complete with cannons and fireworks. And up in Gloucester, they celebrate with the Fishtown Horribles Parade — a wonderfully chaotic, satirical tradition where floats poke fun at political figures, local issues, and whatever else needs a good ribbing.

Provincetown Carnival: Color, Creativity, and Community

Head to the tip of Cape Cod and you’ll find Provincetown’s Carnival Parade, a joyful celebration of diversity and creativity that the town is famous for.

Salem’s Haunted Happenings: Halloween Done Right

Rounding out the unusual lineup is Salem’s Haunted Happenings Parade. Other places may have Halloween parades, but there’s no place like Salem in late October for witches, goblins, and costumed chaos.

Plymouth’s Thanksgiving Parade: History Marches On

And while America crowds around the TV to watch the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, our own Plymouth — home of the Pilgrims and the first Thanksgiving — holds its America’s Hometown Thanksgiving Parade, a tradition all its own.

Take That, New Orleans

So yes, New Orleans may have Mardi Gras, and Disney may have a parade every time someone sneezes — but here in Massachusetts, we do things our own way. Who else has cannons on the Esplanade, championship duck boats rolling through Boston like returning warriors, and a parade for just about every season? Take that, New Orleans.

 

Tours, Guides and Travel as We Age

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endangered gray wolf

Checking In on the Wolf Hollow Plan

Hi All, Just a quick update on the Wolf Hollow adventure. I’ve been communicating with the Boston branch of GoWithGuide, and I now have contact information for three local guides. I just need to reach out and see what they have to say about a trip to Wolf Hollow.

Rethinking How I Travel

I’ve been thinking a lot about tours and guides. As an older person, I’ve sort of come to the conclusion that if I get back to traveling, it will probably be with senior tours or groups — and I have mixed feelings about that.

I’ve always liked exploring on my own. I don’t enjoy those organized “cattle call” tours where the guide marches you through a set itinerary. If there’s something you want to see and it’s not on the list, too bad. And I’m not sure how much wandering you can really do on a tightly scheduled tour. You know me — I like getting photos that are a little different from the typical tourist shots.

A Great Experience With a Small Guided Tour

We used a tour guide when we went to Pearl Harbor. It wasn’t GoWithGuide — I didn’t know about them at the time — but it was a small group. My sister and I were dubbed “the Sisters.” Our guide entertained us with stories about the morning of the raid and pointed out where the Japanese planes flew in. It gave us a great background before we reached the memorial.

Once we arrived, he turned us loose with a meeting place and a time, so we had plenty of freedom.

Afterward, he even offered to take us to a food truck the locals used. That was fantastic — and an experience we never would have had without a guide.

Why GoWithGuide Caught My Attention

GoWithGuide isn’t just a U.S. company. They’re international. One country I’d love to visit is Ireland, but I always assumed I’d either be stuck on a group tour or forced to learn to drive on the wrong side of the road. Ireland is famous for its tiny, winding roads, and that alone put me off.

Knowing I could have a personalized tour with a local guide opens up the possibilities and makes the idea so much more appealing.

Learn more about GoWithGuide’s personalized tours

It feels like the perfect solution for someone like me — someone who wants the freedom to wander but doesn’t know the territory.

What Comes Next

So next step: asking those Boston guides whether they’re brave enough to take me to Wolf Hollow. If they say yes, it’ll be the perfect chance to try out this whole “personalized tour” idea and see if it really is the right fit for someone like me who loves to wander but doesn’t know the territory.

Affiliate Disclosure

This post contains affiliate links. If you book a tour through my link, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. As always, I only share services I genuinely think you’ll enjoy.

 

“And They Walk Among Us” — Featuring Bizmanic

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“Red wheelbarrow with wooden handles next to a caution sign reading ‘Not intended for highway use,’ highlighting a humorous and unnecessary product warning label.”

Proof That Common Sense Isn’t Common

Have you ever heard the expression “And they walk among us” — usually said with that tone of marvelous disbelief? Then we laugh and shake our heads. How could anyone be so stupid!

Well, I’ve found a creator who has built his entire brand around calling out these moments. His name is Bizmanic, and he has perfected the art of showcasing the everyday absurdities of the human race.

Some of his greatest hits include:

• Are You Smarter Than the Average Customer

• Top 20 Complaints

• Top 10 Entitled Customers

• Top 10 Dumbest Reasons Someone Got Fired

• Complaints From Entitled People Who Went on Vacation

• And the best of all: a list of ridiculous product warning labels

There are probably more, but honestly… aren’t these enough?

Let me give you a few examples of the kinds of stories he tells — and yes, these things really do happen.

Story Box 1 — The Comcast Call

Let me give you an example. This is a story about being a call center helpline representative for Comcast aka Xfinity. You know, that company we all love to hate. Callers are mad before you even have a chance to pick up the phone. I’ve even answered this very same question.  So here it is

I can assure you this really happens. I spent nine years at Comcast, several of them in that same tech‑support queue, and I have personally answered this exact question more times than I can count. Back then, before everyone switched to streaming, the cable box was the only clue people had. Now your smart TV just taps into Wi‑Fi — but if the power is out, nothing works anyway.

Story Box 2 — The Blockbuster Puppy Incident

Do you remember Blockbuster Video? Rows and rows of VHS tapes and DVDs lining the walls.

A customer once walked in, looked around at all the movie cases, and asked:

“So… where do you keep the puppies?”

I still don’t know what movie they thought they were renting, but I sincerely hope they didn’t leave disappointed.

Story Box 3 — The Grocery Store Beef Revelation

Then there was the customer who was shocked — genuinely shocked — to learn that beef comes from cows. This was brand‑new information to them.

Please, for the love of all that is holy, do not let this person do my grocery shopping.

But like I said, the warning labels post was the best. These are the ones that make me question Darwin. Survival of the fittest? If you need these warnings, how are you still walking among us?

A few gems:

• “Do not iron clothes while wearing them.”

• “Not for contact with eyes or genitals.”

• “Remove child before folding stroller.”

So folks, if you want a good laugh and don’t mind someone poking fun at the absurdities of life, you have to check out Bizmanic on Facebook. He’s proof that common sense isn’t common — but at least it’s entertaining.

 

Pillsbury Cruffins

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The Cruffin Man, Pop ‘n Fresh’s Cousin

Do you know the Cruffin Man,
The Cruffin Man, the Cruffin Man?
Oh, do you know the Cruffin Man
Who lives on Drury Lane?

The cruffin has been floating around culinary circles since at least 2013, when Kate Reid of Melbourne, Australia, started making waves with her version. So I suppose we can safely blame the Aussies for adding one more calorie‑packed breakfast treat to our diets.

The word cruffin is exactly what it sounds like — a croissant–muffin hybrid. Traditionally, it’s made by baking laminated dough in a muffin tin. Sounds fancy, but there’s a wonderful shortcut thanks to our old friend, the Pillsbury Dough Boy.

One of the best things Pillsbury ever did, in my opinion, was to take their crescent roll dough and turn it into sheets. No more trying to patch little triangles together to make one larger piece. Now you just pop the tube and roll it out.

I’m a latecomer to the cruffin game. I hadn’t even heard of them until a couple of months ago. Intrigued, I dug around and found a simple, no‑baking‑skills‑required recipe. The original makes 12, but you absolutely don’t have to go that big. You can make just four very easily — perfect for a single person. I’ll give you those tips after the recipe.

Freshly baked cruffin with crisp, swirled layers and cinnamon sugar on a blue plate.

Pillsbury Cruffins

Ingredients

  • ¾ cup granulated sugar
  • 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
  • 3 cans (8 oz each) refrigerated Pillsbury Original Crescent Dough Sheet
  • 6 tablespoons butter, softened

Instructions

  1. Heat oven to 375°F. Grease 12 regular‑size muffin cups with shortening or spray with cooking spray. Place a large piece of heavy‑duty foil on the lower oven rack to catch any butter‑sugar drips. In a small bowl, mix sugar and cinnamon; set aside.
  2. Unroll 1 dough sheet on a lightly floured work surface. Using your fingers, pat the dough to even out the edges and flatten it into a 13×8‑inch rectangle.
  3. Spread 2 tablespoons softened butter evenly over the dough. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of the cinnamon‑sugar mixture over the butter and gently press it in.
  4. Starting with the long side, roll the dough up tightly. Pinch the seam to seal so you have one long log.
  5. With a sharp knife, cut the log in half crosswise to form 2 shorter logs. Then cut each short log in half lengthwise to make 4 pieces.
  6. To shape each cruffin: hold the dough piece with the cut sides facing up. Starting at one end, wrap it into a spiral.
  7. Tuck the tail underneath and place in a muffin cup. Repeat with the remaining 2 dough sheets. Set aside the remaining cinnamon‑sugar mixture for rolling after baking.
  8. Bake 18–21 minutes or until golden brown. Using a fork or small icing spatula, immediately remove the cruffins from the muffin cups and roll them in the remaining cinnamon‑sugar mixture. Place on a cooling rack. Serve warm.

Notes

As you can see in the above picture I rolled 2 of the cruffins backward (or inside out by mistake) they still baked up beautifully. This resipe is very forgiving

  • Granulated sugar gives the classic cinnamon‑sugar flavor, but brown sugar works too.
  • Mix powdered sugar with a splash of milk to drizzle over the warm cruffins.
  • If you’re cooking for one (like me), you don’t need all 12. Use one dough sheet to make four cruffins and grease only four muffin cups.

And that’s the joy of these little cruffins — a fancy bakery moment without any of the fuss. They’re quick, they’re fun, and they make an ordinary morning feel just a little more special. If you give them a try, let me know how your spirals turn out. I’ll be over here humming the Cruffin Man song and brushing cinnamon sugar off my counter.

 

 

San Marino: The Tiny Country Hiding Inside Italy

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A Place I Somehow Missed on the Map

Every now and then, I stumble across a place that makes me stop and say, “Wait… how did I not know this existed?” San Marino is one of those places.

It’s a whole country — a real one — perched on top of a mountain and completely surrounded by Italy. If you blink at the wrong moment on a map, you’ll miss it. Honestly, it looks like someone dropped a medieval fortress onto a cliff and said, “Yes, this is fine. This is a nation now.”

And I kind of love that energy.

A Republic Older Than Most Things in My House

San Marino claims to be the world’s oldest republic, founded in 301 AD. That’s older than most countries, older than most buildings, and definitely older than my patience when Banner decides 3 a.m. is parkour hour.

From everything I’ve seen, San Marino feels like stepping into a storybook:

  • Narrow stone streets curling up the mountain
  • Three dramatic towers guarding the peaks
  • Views that stretch all the way to the Adriatic Sea
  • A pace that seems slower, quieter, and somehow untouched

It’s the kind of place where you wander without a plan and let the scenery do the talking.

The Passport Stamp Moment (and a Few Fun Facts)

I’m not exactly an international traveler — I’ve technically been to Canada (Vancouver, Montreal, even the Yukon) and I’ve been to the Bahamas, but neither ever felt truly international to me. Mexico was the big one, my first real “I left the country!” moment — so the idea of collecting passport stamps still feels like a novelty to me.

One of the quirkiest things about San Marino is that you can walk into the tourist office and get your passport stamped — not because you need it, but because it’s fun. And honestly, how often do you get a stamp from a country that’s only 24 square miles with a population of around 34,000 people?

It’s tiny. Like, “you could accidentally walk out of the country while looking for gelato” tiny.

But that’s part of the charm. It’s small enough to feel intimate, but dramatic enough — perched on Mount Titano — to feel like you’ve stepped into a fantasy novel.

What I’d Do If I Ever Found Myself There

Since I haven’t been (yet!), this is pure daydreaming — but here’s what I imagine:

I’d start at Guaita Tower, the most iconic of the three, because if you’re going to climb a mountain country, you might as well start with the dramatic stuff. Then I’d wander to Cesta Tower, which apparently has a weapons museum. And even though Montale Tower is closed to the public, I’d still stare at it like a tourist who wants to climb everything.

Then I’d find a café with a view — preferably one where I could sit outside, sip something warm, and pretend I’m a character in a European novel.

If You Go (Someday… Maybe I Will Too)

  • Bring your passport — you don’t need it to enter from Italy, but you will want that novelty stamp.
  • No visa needed if you’re already in Italy; San Marino is visa‑free for tourists.
  • There’s no airport — the closest is in Rimini, Italy (about 30 minutes away).
  • You’ll likely arrive by bus from Rimini or by car if you’re road‑tripping.
  • Wear good shoes — this is a mountaintop country; everything is uphill, downhill, or both.
  • Plan for a day trip — though staying overnight means you get the towers all to yourself after the crowds leave.
  • Bring a camera — the views stretch all the way to the Adriatic Sea on a clear day.
  • Expect slow, scenic wandering — this is not a “check off 12 attractions” kind of place.

And whoever gets there first has to tell all. I’ll be waiting to hear from you while I plan my own dream trip.