Robert DiGiacomo

The sounds of a drum circle beating its staccato rhythms confirmed my arrival in the heart of Woodstock, New York, the Catskill Mountains resort town forever linked to the iconic 1969 music festival. (The actual event took place 90 minutes away, due to a last-minute change).

While Woodstock still trades on its hippie image, it offers much more than a nostalgia trip. Set amid the rolling landscape of the Hudson Valley, the area offers plenty to fill a long spring or summer weekend, from days s...

As businesses transition to a net-zero world, it's become increasingly clear that partnerships within and across all industries are key to addressing the global climate challenge. The manufacturing industry, which generates 30 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions and consumes almost 40 percent of the world's energy, has begun taking critical steps to create joint solutions to meet its electrification and decarbonization goals.1
"Some manufacturers are forming external partnerships and j...

Curate your own Philly cheesesteak tour next time you visit the City of Brotherly Love.
A major chapter in Philadelphia’s food story might have turned out differently if a vendor named Pat Olivieri had stuck to hot dogs. The story goes that in 1930 Olivieri opted to mix things up one day by making himself a chopped steak sandwich on an Italian roll for lunch. He later added cheese and established Pat’s King of Steaks as the standard bearer for the cheesesteak as we know it today.
Whether Oliv...

Chefs Greg Vernick and Drew Parassio source seafood with flexibility and a minimum waste philosophy.

Tips + Trends
Sunbathe, swim, repeat. When you’re considering LGBTQ vacation ideas, there’s nothing quite like a beach destination to relax and recharge. Whether you’re looking to chill all day or party all night –– or some combo of the two –– these seven LGBTQ-friendly beach towns across the United States will roll out the welcome mat and help you feel right at home.
As always, check for travel guidelines and closures before planning your trip.
Miami Beach, Florida
It’s easy to feel the LGBT...

The LGBTQIA+ community faces unique challenges when planning for retirement.

More than 50% of middle-income LGBTQIA+ people say they aren't confident they will sock away sufficient funds for a comfortable retirement, compared to 29% of their straight counterparts, according to the Employee Benefit Research Institute's retirement confidence survey.1 There's also a retirement savings gap between straight Americans and LGBTQIA+ people, who are less apt to have saved $250,000 or more for retireme...

HOW AND WHERE TO ENJOY THE VERY BRITISH TRADITION OF TEA TIME IN LONDON
By Robert DiGiacomo | May 12, 2023 | 5 min read
The Wolseley, a grand café in London’s Mayfair section, checks all the right boxes for the nearly 200-year-old British tradition of afternoon tea. A handsome space with vaulted ceilings and marble floors. Servers in bespoke uniforms gliding around the room. Tea served in individual silver pots. And the centerpiece of this classic experience: a three-tiered silver caddy loade...

Over the past five years, I've become all too familiar with hospitals, nursing homes, rehab facilities and doctors' offices, as my parents, husband and other family members have faced life-threatening diagnoses and needed both acute and long-term care.
As a result, I've had to learn how to navigate the health care system and advocate for my loved ones. I've also found comfort in knowing I'm far from alone in this challenging life stage.
Putting on my "Hospital Rob" hat hasn't always been acce...

Weekend Getaways
Whether for a city adventure or a beach escape, finding a great hotel is the key to making the most of a weekend getaway. These hotels around the U.S. provide all the comforts and convenience you crave, plus that extra something to make your experience even more memorable.
As always, check for travel guidelines and closures before planning your trip.
W South Beach in Miami Beach, Florida
A stay at W South Beach offers a luxe headquarters amid buzzy Miami Beach. The oceanfront...

Insurance can play a key role in promoting and maintaining financial wellness. Namely, it offers a defense against the uncertainties that can catch people by surprise at every stage of their lives. Whether you're concerned about paying your mortgage, covering unexpected medical bills or providing for loved ones if you die or become incapacitated, you can look to insurance as a tool that promotes wealth protection, reduces risk and may even offer tax benefits.1
Here's an overview of some of th...

Do you ever wonder what happens to the leftover supermarket rotisserie chickens at the end of the day? Or all those everything bagels in the case at closing time? Or the extra macaroni and cheese, collard greens, cornbread and other sides at your local barbecue chain?

Unfortunately, much of this perfectly edible food probably goes to waste; more than one-third of the food produced in the U.S. is not consumed, according to the EPA’s 2021 report, Farm to Kitchen: The Environmental Impacts of U....

Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes had one. So did Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie. Kim Kardashian and Kris Humphries did, too.
The three now-divorced couples all had prenuptial agreements. But prenups are hardly just for Hollywood celebrities.
Any couple who brings personal or business assets to the marriage can benefit from a prenup. The most basic of these contracts lists an inventory of premarital assets that in the event of a divorce will remain the property of their original owner.
“Prenups are g...

Everyone needs an estate plan—regardless of whether you have significant property, savings or other investments. An estate plan is a tool to help ensure your financial matters are settled and your wishes will be carried out upon your death.

Due to the limited legal protections, discrimination and prejudice that still exist, LGBTQIA+ individuals often face unique challenges when it comes to estate planning. Here, we'll explore why estate planning is so important for LGBTQIA+ people, what they ...

Death is one of the few certainties, but how you pay for your funeral isn't. To address this afterlife financial issue, the insurance industry offers what it euphemistically calls "final expense plans." The public may know this type of coverage as burial policy or burial insurance. Consumer groups see them as a bad investment.
Whatever their name and reputation, these policies are a type of whole life insurance that are intended to pay for certain expenses related to death, including a funera...