Last October, I found myself strolling through the cobblestone streets of Rome taking in the sights and sounds of the magical “This is Wonderland” event. It was like stepping through the looking glass in more ways than one. “Alice in Wonderland” is a story we all adore, but did you know that Lewis Carroll’s famous tale was inspired by a potentially dubious love connection with a 10-year-old muse? It invites us to contemplate the delicate balance between innocence and unseen dangers. And just as the origins of “Alice in Wonderland” are hidden and blurred, so too are the potential risks …

October through December is my favorite time of year. I’m that person who decorates for fall in August and drinks pumpkin spice lattes when it’s still 90 degrees. Out of that whole glorious season, Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. Last year, I spent Thanksgiving in Treviso, Italy. I hadn’t planned on still being there that late in the season, but I can hardly complain. With 2020 being, well, 2020, it was a miracle I was in Italy at all. Since Thanksgiving is a uniquely American observance, it had me reminiscing about a magical celebration back home almost 20 years before. …