She's done it again!

One of our favorite writers, Patricia Leavy, has a new novel out that is, already, the must-read book of the year. Twinkle is a testament to the humanity in our lives—the joys of love, friendship, and laughter, as well as the challenges of trauma and life-changing events. I started reading it as a gift to myself in the new year, and wished that I had had it to hold in my heart during the last difficult year. 

The much-loved FATHER – Stratis Evangelinelis – of my dear friend and host here in Athens – Christos Evangelinelis died this week after several dignified weeks in which he had the grace and good-will to say "good-bye" to his family, long-time friends, and former students and colleagues. 

Rarely do we come across a book that truly teaches us about ourselves as humans, through the waves that life tosses us amongst. Luckily for us, I'm happy to share a book that does just that - Lisa Overman's new memoir, Healing Through Love: The Journey of Rediscovering Joy. In her book, Overman shares a lifetime of experiences (as memoirs do), but then departs from the standard path of memoir into deep intercultural insight.

While you can celebrate love anywhere in the world (especially if you are with your loved one!), there are some places that just exude LOVE. It might be a romantic setting, a historical setting that exemplifies love, or a location that changed the way we think about romantic love.