Heather MacDonald-Bossé, In Memoriam

Heather MacDonald-BosséI honestly couldn’t tell you the difference between New Brunswick, Canada and New Brunswick, New Jersey when I first met Heather MacDonald-Bossé oh so many years ago at Canada Media Marketplace in Manhattan. Sure, I had written regularly on the Atlantic Maritimes, but Nova Scotia had the legendary Cape Breton, Newfoundland was home to the fjords of Gros Morne National Park, and PEI was known for its red cliffs, Anne of Green Gables, and an island long bike trail, the Confederation Trail. New Brunswick to me was just an extension of Maine and didn’t seem so intriguing. Yet, Heather’s love of her province was more than just a job dealing with North American media for Tourism New Brunswick. It was her passion. Knowing my fondness for the outdoors, she quickly persuaded me to come sea kayaking at Fundy National Park, walk Hopewell Rocks, go whale watching out of St. Andrews, and eat as much lobster as I wanted in Shediac. I had a memorable week of touring New Brunswick and wrote several stories from my experience. And for most travel publicists, that would have been it. They did their job convincing me to come and I produced a story or two.

But Heather was not your ordinary travel PR professional. She exuded warmth and would share everything with me about her life; her two daughters, one a successful writer, the other a skilled doctor, and her husband, Don, a highly regarded professor of music. She would send me the published short stories from her daughter, a photo of Don with none other than singer Geddy Lee from the rock band, Rush, after winning a teaching award. Share her love of the Boston Bruins and her good friend, the former coach, Claude Julien. In return, I opened up about my life and she remembered everything. “You’re a Red Sox fan, Steve? Why not come back to New Brunswick and fish the Miramichi, Ted Williams favorite place to fish.” Done. “Steve, you haven’t hiked yet on Grand Manan Island, one of the most serene spots in the province.” Okay. “Steve, I know you savor good food and drink. Why not forage for chanterelles with a French-trained chef on the Acadian Route, then have her cook a memorable meal.” Sold!

I would return to New Brunswick over a half-dozen times, almost every other year, whether on a snowmobile from Maine or on a private jet from Logan Airport. I would go solo, bring my wife, or close friends. Heather would always meet us on every one of those trips to grab a craft brew with me in Moncton, have dinner in Saint John or St. Andrews, or have me over to her house in Fredericton. When I heard of her illness last fall, I made the drive out to Fredericton to see her one last time. Facing the inevitable, she still had that sparkle in her eye, still exuded love, and made damn sure I would return home with stories to write.

So Heather MacDonald-Bossé, I raise a toast to you, taken from us far too early this past Sunday, from the same dreaded disease that took my mom prematurely. Thank you for being the consummate professional and rewarding me with a lifetime of memories and stories to tell. But most importantly, thanks for touching my heart. Yes, I will return to Fredericton to finally go to the Harvest Music Festival and see Don’s band perform. And yes, I will continue to write stories about your beloved New Brunswick.

Similar Posts

|

4 More Excerpts from My Upcoming Book, New England in a Nutshell

These entries are excerpted from my latest book, New England in a Nutshell. The book/ebook is slated to published on July 2nd and you can pre-order now at Amazon or at the independent bookstore, Northshire, located in Manchester Center, Vermont and Saratoga, New York. The ebook includes all hyperlinks to listings. The paperback includes front and back cover illustrations from Manhattan-based artist, Sarah Schechter, and a small sampling of photos from Lisa Leavitt, who accompanied me on many of my assignments, resulting in published work for the Boston Globe.

 

Arnold's Lobster, Cape Cod6 Favorite Lobster/Clam Shacks, Including Arnold’s Lobster and Clam Bar, Eastham, Massachusetts

Grab a tray at almost any hour from late morning to closing time at Arnold’s and more than likely you’ll be standing in a line, waiting for lobster rolls and a mound of tender onion rings to bring to nearby Coast Guard Beach, or for a fried clams or lobster dinner devoured at the outdoor picnic tables under the pines. The owner, Nick Nickerson, equates his success with the unyielding desire to find the tastiest seafood around, and if he has to pay extra to the local fishermen, so be it. Scallops that have been collected by fishermen in Cape Cod Bay arrive by 10 am. He prefers to get his clams for steamers at the Town Cove on the Eastham/Orleans border. Clams for frying can come as far away as Rhode Island, but Nickerson prefers the ones that come from sand beds instead of mud flats, stating that the latter tastes like, well, mud. For lobster, he prefers the hard shelled version found on the back shore of the Cape, off Coast Guard and Nauset Beaches. Work off your meal by playing a round of miniature golf next door.

 

Lakes of the Clouds Hut, White Mountains3 Favorite AMC Huts, Including Lakes of the Clouds, White Mountains, New Hampshire

Conditions need to be ideal to walk the historic Crawford Path through the Presidential Range. Once you venture beyond Mizpah Springs Hut to Mount Pierce, you’re above treeline on a ridge walk, entirely exposed to the weather since there’s really nowhere to hide. In decent weather, you’ll be treated to the views of the bald knob atop Mount Eisenhower while walking in a lunar-like landscape. Bordered by velvety green sedge and moss, you’ll find alpine wildflowers in bloom like bog laurel, white bunchberry, and purple fireweed. Then you spot the Lakes of the Clouds hut and its lofty perch atop a 5200-foot ridge with stunning vistas of Mount Washington Hotel below and the Cog Railroad ambling slowly up to the Mount Washington summit. Spend the twilight hours looking at the glorious view and then peering at the twinkling stars above (no light pollution here). The next morning, after a filling breakfast, climb on the hardscrabble rock the last 1.4 miles to the summit of Mount Washington, New England’s tallest peak.

 

Basin Harbor Resort in Vermont6 Favorite Lodgings for Family Get-Togethers, Including Basin Harbor, Vergennes, Vermont

The kids are stand-up paddleboarding near the middle of the lake. My wife is sea kayaking with her siblings and their spouses closer to the shoreline. Steady wind blowing through my hair, I’m at the tiller of an 18-foot sailboat accompanied by Granny Franny and her longtime beau, Saul. To celebrate a special birthday for Fran, my wife’s extended family decided to book a week at the classic family retreat on the shores of Lake Champlain, Basin Harbor. One glance at the lake from the Adirondack chairs perched on a bluff just outside the main dining room and you understand the allure. On the opposite shores are the steep rock cliffs called the Palisades and beyond that, the spine of New York’s Adirondack Mountains. The Vermont side is not too shabby either, a bucolic blend of dairy farms, horse pastures, and their own requisite peaks, the Green Mountains. Come summer, this region is a warm embrace of emerald green fields and blue waters.

The beauty of this type of resort is that everyone, including the kids, has their independence. If Fran and my son Jake want to play a game of tennis, off they go. If Lisa’s brother, Jeff, wants to throw a Frisbee with his son, Micah, after a competitive game of shuffleboard, go for it. We see each other at breakfast, sporadically throughout the day and then meet up for dinner. Yet, most afternoons, we find each other at the small beach, swimming over to the dock, and lounging on chaise lounge chairs with a pint of Vermont’s Switchback Ale in one hand, book in the other. I can’t resist the chance to bike every day. Any avid road biker will tell you that Addison Valley, Vermont, where Basin Harbor Club is located, is easily one of the top five biking destinations in North America. The backcountry roads have very little car traffic, great uphill climbs and downhill runs, and around every bend is another dairy farm, massive red barn, white church steeple, and glorious vistas of mountains and lake.

 

Naumkeag in the Berkshires8 Trustees of Reservations Sites Not To Be Overlooked, Including Naumkeag, Stockbridge, Massachusetts

Formerly owned by the Choate Family of New York before it was bequeathed to The Trustees of Reservations in 1958, Naumkeag is a 44-room Berkshires “Cottage” from the Gilded Age, filled with arts, antiques, and collections around from around the world. But it’s the outdoor gardens that truly inspire, a masterpiece of 30 years of collaborative work by former owner, Mabel Choate, and her dear friend, Fletcher Steele, one of America’s first modern landscape architects. Described by the Library of American Landscape History as a “playground for the imagination,” The Trustees have just completed a 3-year, $3 million garden and landscape restoration project designed to rejuvenate the gardens and bring them back to Choate and Steele’s original vision. The transformation includes the renovation of Fletcher Steele’s iconic Blue Steps, one of the most photographed features in 20th-century American landscape design.

|

Sharpen Your Photography Skills with Robert Kaufman in Boston

Robert Kaufman might not be a household name, but more than likely you’ve seen his photography gracing the walls of hotel lobbies around the globe or on that monthly calendar you look at every day. He’s spent the past 30 years traveling to every nook and cranny in Italy, not merely photographing iconic structures like the Tower of Pisa but more energetic street scenes ripe with spontaneity and whimsy. Also ripe are his collection of Edibles, fruit and vegetables so damn sensual, you want to lick the paper it’s printed on. Now the talented man behind the lens is appearing front and center in a 2-day workshop. On two consecutive Saturdays, October 2nd and October 9th, Kaufman will share the secrets of being a professional photographer these past 30 years. He’ll discuss the technical aspects of your camera before accompanying you on a field trip to get that special photo. Then you’ll analyze your work back in the group. Cost of the 2-day workshop is $199. Call 617-964-4080 to register or visit www.SilverVisions.com.
 

|

Nichole Bernier’s Debut Novel, The Unfinished Work of Elizabeth D.

I’ve had the good fortune to work with talented editors who could tweak your stories seamlessly, only enhancing your voice. I’ve also known editors who were used as staff writers, creating well-crafted stories. But very rarely did I find an editor who could do both jobs well, edit and write. One of the few exceptions was Nichole Bernier, my former editor at Boston Magazine. She was a wonderful editor to work with, sculpting each one of my stories effortlessly. I also looked forward to reading her intriguing work. So it comes as no surprise that Nichole’s debut novel was just released by Crown Books. Actually, when you consider she’s now a mother of five, it’s a marvel that she had time to pen one paragraph, let alone a book The Washington Post recently praised: “Why do we keep secrets from those we love most? Is it possible for mothers and fathers to have it all — work and family? Bernier’s excellent storytelling skills will keep you pondering long after the final page.”
 
Please join me as I plan to hear Nichole read from her book tonight at Brookline Booksmith at 7 pm. Or look at her home page for a list of readings this summer across the country, including Chicago, San Fran, and New York. Here’s a blurb about the novel:
 
Summer vacation with her family was supposed to be a restorative time for Kate, who’d lost her close friend Elizabeth in a plane crash. But when she inherits a trunk of Elizabeth’s journals, they reveal a woman far different than the cheerful wife and mother Kate thought she knew. The complicated portrait of Elizabeth — her upbringing, her marriage, and journey to motherhood — makes Kate question not just their friendship, but her own deepest beliefs about loyalty and honesty at a moment of uncertainty in her own marriage. When an unfamiliar man’s name appears in the pages, Kate realizes the extent of what she didn’t know about her friend — including where she was really going when she died.
 
|

Botswana, Villas in Europe, and Family Trips to New York in October ActiveTravels Newsletter

There was a moment on our second day of safari in Botswana where our guide, Kebby, spotted a leopard. We drove up to a leafless tree where this exquisite animal was perched on a branch, looking intently at the impalas nibbling on grass in the distance. We all grabbed our cameras and binoculars to take in the spectacular sight. After 15 minutes, I was ready to move on, but our guide stayed put. Giraffes passed by, an elephant came close to the land cruiser, startled to find us there, and the leopard moved to another branch. At last, the leopard jumped off the tree and sauntered away in the tall grass.

 
We must have looked at him for at least an hour, a ridiculous amount of time for some one as impatient as me, always thinking of my next activity, deadline, or goal to achieve. But to truly be in the present, clearing your mind of all extraneous thought and worries and simply stare at a leopard, that is really a moment to savor. In fact, it’s the essence of authentic travel. A chance to share a precious moment with loved ones far away from the seemingly endless responsibilities of modern-day lives. Afterwards, I thanked Kebby for staying with the leopard. He noted that it’s often the time he’ll see a kill, when he stays with one predator like a leopard or lion for a long period of time.
 
Take time to pause in your travels this upcoming year, whether it’s over a glass of wine at a vineyard, at the beach with a good thick book, in front of a wonderful work of art, or staring at a leopard in the bush. Be sure to build downtime into your itinerary and not just check off sight after sight. Travel is not a contest but necessary time to nurture an often weary body and soul. The vast wilderness of Botswana’s Okavango Delta, our main feature in this month’s ActiveTravels newsletter, is the perfect place to replenish the well. We also discuss some alternatives to hotels in US and European cities as well as the Caribbean; an outfitter who specializes in grandparent’s trips to New York; a Quick Escape to the home of Halloween, Salem; and a reminder to always check in before your next flight.
 
Enjoy reading and, as always, happy travels!
 
|

Excited to Announce the Launch of the New ActiveTravels Website

After working diligently with our website designer this past year, we are pleased to announce the launch of our new ActiveTravels website. We hope you are as happy as we are with the new streamlined look and user-friendly tabs, now easier to use on your mobile phone as well as desktop, laptop, and tablet. We want to thank those of you who provided testimonials! We also hope members take full advantage of the archives section, where more than 3 years of newsletter content can be found on hundreds of destinations. So if you’re thinking of a new locale to travel, this is a good place to start your research. Please tell us what you think. Thanks again for your continued support as we all make 2016 another memorable year of travel!

 
|

ActiveTravels March Newsletter Now Available

Tuscany is a destination often found on people’s bucket lists. Dreams of the unspoiled, authentic Italy where medieval hill towns, vineyards, olive oil and truffles abound. We’ve paired up with a wonderful Italian tour operator who can offer accommodations in farm houses, villas, apartments, or B&Bs in the region with activities that range from taking cooking classes to guided bike rides on the rolling hills past vineyards, Medieval homesteads, and Etruscan tombs. Also in this month’s newsletter, we disclose our 5 favorite off-the-beaten-path National Parks, lodging clients have enjoyed in Jackson Hole, why you should download the app, Yonder, and a gem of a renovated inn that we came across on a recent trip to Stowe. Enjoy!

 
I’m off to Tanzania tonight for an epic trip with Epic Private Journeys to check out Serengeti National Park and Ngorongoro Crater. We’ll also be visiting more remote parts of the country like the Grumeti Reserves, home to two lavish lodges, a tented camp, and a mobile camp under the design and management of South Africa’s pioneering Singita tourism group. Another private wildlife reserve, Mwiba, is where you’ll find the latest upscale lodging in the country, the Mwiba Lodge, which opened last June and is already gaining acclaim for its 8 canvas-sided suites. I’ll be checking it all out and sending photos on my Twitter account @ActiveTravels. When I’ll return on March 23rd, you’ll be hearing all about it on this page. So stay tuned and stay active! 
 

25 Comments

  1. Steve, we were all touched by your tribute to Heather. She was a wonderful and caring person. She lived her travel media from the USA and in her two years of illness she continued to talk fondly of all of you. Thank you- Don

  3. There are simply no words to follow this tribute Steve, you truly have captured Heather’s essence and it is so wonderful for you to share it with those who knew and loved her and with those who will wish they had..
    God Bless
    Steve

  4. Wow Steve! What a wonderful tribute to such an amazing human being – I worked with Heather in Media Relations and yes she was very passionate about her work. It breaks my heart that she was taken so young.
    Dear Don, Emily and Jessica, please know that my thoughts are with you.
    Much love,
    Diane Rioux

  6. What a wonderful tribute to my friend and former colleague. Thank you, Steve. You describe her well. She loved what she did — always the last one to leave the office in the evening as she went above and beyond for all of her media clients. She will be missed by many around the world. May she rest in peace. Thank you, Steve, for sharing your memories.
    Rose Arsenault

  7. My humble condolences to you and family Don! Wish I could have met Heather, but after reading what Steve had to say, I feel enriched and fulfilled with her life’s passions and know more about her through his description of her. Know that you are not alone and that my thoughts and prayers are with you and yours in this difficult time. May Heather Rest In Peace and know that I care. Shalom my friend!

    1. Jessica, you were blessed to have a wonderful mom who adored you. My heart goes out to you and your family during these hard times but I have no doubt that Heather will be a guiding light in your future. Just take time to reflect, observe, and listen.

  12. Heather gave so much of herself to others and her sense of wonder and curiosity was a gift to everyone she met. Thank you for this glimpse into your friendship.

  13. What a beautiful tribute. Thank you! I had the chance to have my route cross Heather’s while working together, her in Fredericton and me in Paris, promoting our favorite province. We shared the same passion.: Fabulous New Brunswick!! She always had sweet words and would always inspire all of us, with story ideas. Heather, you will be missed, and you are gone to the stars way too early. My thoughts are with your family and friends from Paris. All my love and condoleances.

  14. I’ve known Heather for forty one years, each richer for her friendship. You truly captured her unaffected joy in others, her curiosity and her light. Thank you.

  15. I heard your name so frequently from Heather! Thank-you for such a beautiful tribute to such a beautiful person…you have captured her joy so well.

    Sandy

  16. Such a beautiful tribute to a beautiful person! I adored Heather so much. She was so warm and fun and funny and loving. And boy, did she adore her family! I remember meeting her sweet daughter who was with her in San Francisco. Heather always made you feel special. Like you mattered. May her memory be for a blessing. My heart is with Heather’s family and all those who loved her.

  18. Steve, What a beautiful story in memory of such a beautiful person. Heather will be missed by many and never forgotten. We would love to have you back to visit Fredericton for Harvest and we will all have a toast in Heathers honour while watching Don’s jazz trio play. 💜

  21. I only just now heard of this sad development. I loved dealing with Heather when she brought guests to the Hopewell Rocks for tours. This happened many times over the years. She was charming, caring, warm and the consummate professional. I would bend over backward for her, not because she necessarily demanded it, but because I sensed the passion and genuine enjoyment that she had for her job and I would never think of ever letting her down. I am so sad to hear of her passing.

Leave a Reply