Every summer our family looks forward to seeing friends and family who plan their vacations around "Saratoga: The Summer Place to Be". Saratoga is a terrific vacation destination and when you live here you have the good fortune (in our case) of seeing friends and family who would otherwise be traveling elsewhere if we lived in a less exciting local.

One year my husband's good friends from Ireland stayed for a week of fun and frivolity. We played tourists as well and just lounged by the pool. It was the ultimate staycation for us.

Most years, high school friends who've moved away (that used to be us) return for the traditional day at the track, trek downtown to see "who's out" and consume a myriad of food and drink choices old and new. It's always a good time.

Tonight we enjoyed a visit from friends who live in Southern California who also have a two year old. Unlike most of our friends our age, we collectively embarked on the joys of parenthood at the forty-year mark. As our children played amazingly well together tonight, we cooked steaks on the grill, steamed fresh BJ Farms corn, sampled red wine and Guinness and caught up on the last year. One of us had a job change, but most of the conversation was admittedly centered around our children. What are they eating, how are they sleeping, what milestones did they reach since we saw each other last.

Over the years the conversations may have changed, but one thing has stayed the same: Saratoga is a terrific place to live year-round, but if you don't live here you most definitely find your way back during the most thrilling six weeks of the year. Summers mean Saratoga, for us anyway.