A weekend getaway

Michael ArenellaOrchestra leader, singer, and fashion plate Michael Arenella has a thing for the past.

Arenella plays the music of the 1920s and the ’30s and wears clothes and drives cars that match.

A poster for the Jazz Age Lawn PartyThis weekend, he and his Dreamland Orchestra will again be featured at the annual Jazz Age Lawn Party on Governors Island, an event he founded some years ago. It takes place on both Saturday and Sunday.

If you’re within striking distance of New York City, you should it make it a point to be in attendance. The forecast calls for lovely weather, relatively speaking, the music will have you tapping your toes, at the very least, and you’ll be surrounded by hundreds of folks in vintage finery. (If you own no vintage finery, you might be advised to ask yourself why not, but don’t let that prevent you from attending the lawn party. Why, there will even been vintage clothing dealers on the premises, so you can kill two birds with one stone.)

A bright light too soon extinguished

If you knew Diane Naegel, the doyenne of NYC’s vintage community, you’ll most definitely not want to miss this event, and if you didn’t have the pleasure of having Diane in your life, “Night Owls” may give you just a wee taste of what you missed.

Either way, we encourage you to come commemorate and celebrate a life well lived.