The latest: dear old Dad turned a year older this weekend, opting for a quiet family lunch-dinner at an all-time favorite. And after a long week holed up in the office, I was excited to be able to spend the beautiful (cooler!) weekend outdoors, from an après-Sunday brunch stroll with a good friend around the gardens of America’s oldest inn—Longfellow’s Wayside— to strolling into some of Massachusetts’ blessedly historical neighborhoods for rich sweets and nostalgic treats.