Nicole Pensiero

It was a chance to visit a new place in the U.S. and reconnect with an old friend.
But I never could have imagined how enthralled I would become with Utah’s capital, Salt Lake City, sometimes referred to as the “Gateway to the West.” Until this particular trip, I’d never been all that taken with the American West; it had more than 20 years since I’d visited anywhere near the Rocky Mountains (Denver, to be exact).
But this unique city helped me see this part of the world with new eyes. From th...

Winter was slipping by without a longed-for getaway to the tropics, so we decided to “lean into” the season and find a nearby getaway to make the bitter weather seem tolerable, if not outright enchanting.
And while snowy landscapes and bare trees have never been my thing, we succeeded. Our visit to a beautiful, historic resort in the Poconos provided a mid-winter lift that might last straight through to spring.
The Poconos is always an easy choice for a quick getaway from New Jersey — for goo...

Nearly 25 years after David Gray released his career-making, home-recorded album, "White Ladder," he's gearing up for the release of new music and an international tour.
For this 13th album, "Dear Life," and accompanying tour, Gray is going big — the tour kicks off on Jan. 24 in Boston and is scheduled through early sum...

While we hadn’t really pondered it in advance, jetting off to an island two days after the November election ended up being a double win: we escaped both the cooling temperatures and the 24-7 news cycle, turning off our brains for a few days. To me, that’s what a Caribbean getaway is all about anyway: forgetting about your day-to-day life, while relaxing in the sun and floating in a turquoise sea.

For this autumn getaway, we knew we wanted someplace warm, relaxing and very sunny. We s...

Travel story about a fall visit to West Point, NY, and the mid-Hudson region of Orange County.

TRAVEL story: TravelWorld International Magazine, Winter 2025. Feature on Madrid during the holiday season.

The hard-and-fast rules so many of us grew up with regarding expressing gratefulness have become fuzzier with each generation, but giving thanks still matters

By Nicole Pensiero

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December 10, 2024

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Living

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Growing up in the 1960s and 70s, I learned it wasn't enough to just say thank you for a gift when I received it. Whether it was a my birthday or a once-in-a-lifetime event like my First Holy Communion, my mother insisted I send a handwritten note to the gift giver. I still remember h...

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Nicole Pensiero | For NJ Advance Media

As much as I enjoy cruising, the idea of taking a longer ocean journey – say, 10 or 15 days – never crossed my mind, until some friends took a lengthy cruise around the South Pacific and came home raving.

The prospect of exploring several European countries in one visit -- without lugging baggage or having to deal with planes, trains, and automobiles – soon took hold. It was then just a matter of picking an itinerary and deciding how long to cruise.

A...

Travel story for Newark-Star Ledger/NJ.com about a 2-week long European adventure by ship.

Anyone who's traveled to the picturesque small town of Jim Thorpe, Pennsylvania, — sometimes called the "Switzerland of America" — has undoubtedly heard of the famed Olympic athlete the town is named for.
Less known, however, is the story of how Native American Jim Thorpe came to be buried there — a place he had never even visited — and the ongoing struggle by several of his family members to have his body returned to his native Oklahoma.
On Thursday, the Penn Museum in Philadelphia will host...

There are typical glass paperweights and then there are the works of glass art created by Paul J. Stankard. One of the most influential artists to emerge from the Studio Glass movement, Stankard crafts three-dimensional sculptural works with all elements produced individually in glass using a technique called flamework. His pieces — in which flowers, leaves and natural elements like honeybees seem to float in glass — can be seen in more than 75 museums around the world.

Travel story for monthly publication, Mullica Hill Neighbors, published by Best Version Media.

Popular Queen Tribute Band Killer Queen Returning to Collingswood's Scottish Rite Auditorium in late September

By Nicole Pensiero
Playing an iconic rock star like Freddie Mercury onstage isn’t easy –but it is fun. Just ask Patrick Myers, who plays that part in the English tribute band Killer Queen.
He’s been “Freddie Mercury” for more than three decades -- far longer than the...

A friends' road trip to the mountains provides fun and relaxation

There are many wonderful things about New York State’s beautiful Catskills region, including its easy proximity to New Jersey. Just a few hours on the road and you are in another world — surrounded by mountains and abundant nature, fun little shops, and many dining choic...

They are billed as the “ultimate tribute” to The Beatles. And indeed, California-based band The Fab Four has earned major kudos since its start more than 25 years ago.
The group, which plays the Collingswood’s Scottish Rite on Saturday, July 27, was founded by Ron McNeil (John Lennon) and Ardy Sarraf (Paul McCartney), who met by chance at a Beatles convention in California in 1997.
When Sarraf, portraying Paul McCartney in a Wings tribute group, performed the Wings’ hit “Coming Up” for a soun...