I am loving this weather in the northeast – cooler days, almost cold nights, leaves are peaking and winter is around the corner. Couple that with a good book, such as the Gay Science, and voila! Heaven! Who knew Nietzsche would provide such solace to a soul searching for meaning in the world? Well, I guess somebody out there in IDSVA curriculum development… Europe seems an ocean away, but here are some observations by your fellows of what we did, what we saw and who we met. Also is a short piece about the Brown residency and an interview with our new director, Simonetta Moro. Enjoy the memories, introduction and look forward to more news on the blog!