LAPLAND LAKE

IN FALL 2013, MY BOYFRIEND KEITH AND I ARRIVED at Lapland Lake Nordic Vacation Center in the southern Adirondacks for the first time. We were greeted by a black-and-white cat, Little Bit, as well as Kiva, a Karelian bear dog, who bounded onto the scene, his tail wagging. Along with our welcoming party, the bright foliage, the rushing stream in the background, and the smell of pine signaled that we were home.

Then again, Keith and I both knew Lapland would be “our place” before we ever left our apartment in Brooklyn. After combing through lists of places to stay in the Adirondacks, we surprised each