It is a little long and philosophical, but I think it means something....

http://bit.ly/cDQkAc

My newest Luxist article is on the Hotel Hershey -- and the process of its renvoation --

It is here:

Go here:

http://www.luxist.com/bloggers/susan-kime/rss.xml

There should be about 6 here, plus the one that came out today.

More soon!

And it was a powerful one. I have been to Atlanta, San Francisco, Tahiti and Moorea... but have not written about them.  In January, I became a columnist for Luxist (www.luxist.com) and thus far have written six columns. I have been to Puerto Vallarta and jamaica, and expect to be going to Turks fairly soon. Will write and have images soon.

In the meantime, go to Luxist and click on my name -- there you'll find my most recent articles... just as an aside, my article on Herbert Kohler and his purchase of Hamilton Hall garnered over 20,000 viewers and readers.  Such a surprise! More soon!  REALLY!

The image here is of New York, out my window on Broadway. I was here for about 4 days, and had never stayed in the middle of everything, on Broadway before. But, then again, it was February, and it was in the middle of a terrible economic recession, so the usually busy New York streets were oddly peaceful, and at times almost empty. It was one of those business trips that was accented by one extraordinary event: finally seeing the revival of one of my favorite musicals, South Pacific.

South Pacific was one of my mother's favorites also, and it was the first music I ever remember hearing. She had seen it in New York with the original Broadway cast -- Mary Martin and Ezio Pinza back in the day. She played many of the songs on the piano, and one of her favorites was Some Enchanted Evening. That romantic story meant something far beyond the story itself, something personal, hopeful, that love could still conquer all. To us, the story seems at times somewhat silly, I mean, what Broadway musical isn't.. somewhat silly? But it is the music that moves the story line on, and moved me to tears, through the memory my mother's impassioned singing and piano playing.

What would she have thought of this revival? I wonder if she would have cared that Kelli O'Hara and Paulo Szot were not the living embodiments of her remembered Nellie Forbush and Emile DeBecque? I think she would not have cared at all -- the music still soars, the last hand clasp of Nellie and Emile, foretelling that eventually all will be right with the world, would have been enough for her as it was enough for me. Upon leaving Lincoln Center, I wondered when my mother actually did see South Pacific and what kind of world she walked back into? I melded with my mother's memory that evening, understanding that no matter what year it was,the wind was still brisk and at my back,, the lights were still bright, and hope for more enchanted evenings were still very much alive and kicking.