Recently, I had the opportunity to experience Complications in Sue, the groundbreaking modern opera produced by Opera Philadelphia with a libretto by Michael R. Jackson and staged at the historic Wilma Theater in Philadelphia. It featured ten composers documenting the life of one woman across ten decades. From the moment the lights dimmed, the production challenged every preconceived notion theater-goers have about what opera should be. But then, an effervescent figure sauntered onto the stage — instantly shifting the energy in the room. 

There’s something about a South Florida icon stepping into a new era that just feels electric, and the newly reimagined Signia by Hilton Diplomat Beach Resort leans all the way into that moment. From the second you walk in, you can tell this isn’t just a refresh, but it’s a full transformation that still holds onto everything people have loved about this beachfront staple for decades, while confidently introducing something more elevated and experience driven.

There are weekends that feel like a reset, and then there are the ones that linger long after you’ve unpacked your bag.

Billy Lewis was 18 when he walked into a gay bar in Cleveland in 1975. A week later, he was back — with a gown, a wig, and a new name. That night marked the start of what would become five decades of female impersonation as Cathy Craig, now a drag legend in South Florida.

There are New York trips, and then there are the ones that stay with you a little longer than expected. The ones where everything just clicks, like the energy, the people, the moments you didn’t plan but somehow needed. The kind of trip where you’re already nostalgic for it before you’ve even left.

Some weekends just feel extra special, and this New York trip had that sparkle. My bestie Sharma and I made our way to Highball, perched above the buzz of Times Square, and it instantly felt like the kind of place where memories are made between sips. With our shared love for classic cocktails (especially a good Old Fashioned and a perfectly balanced Cosmopolitan), we were ready for a night that felt both elevated and completely us.