Soaking up the last bit of the East Coast sun, and in celebration of Andrew’s 26th birthday, a bunch of us took the Metro North train from Grand Central terminal to Hudson Valley, New York for the annual Oktoberfest celebrations. After a brisk walk through quiet country woods, we arrived at Bear Mountain State Park and saw grown men in bright lederhosens flapping arms to polka music. More importantly, steins bigger than our heads were frothing with German beer.

There was no place Andrew (or the rest of us) would rather be.

“Every last one of them voted for Obama. I just know it.” –Overheard at Cayuga Lake in Upstate, New York.