Category: STORIES
-
Tuscany | Rooms with a View
Driving up the Tuscan mountain was like being on an amusement park ride…a mixture of fear and exhilaration, as I maneuvered treacherous hairpin curves and dodged speedy Italian drivers coming towards me. The road ended at the top of the mountain, in a village called Coreglia Antelminelli. I was spellbound.
-
My Milano
When I mention to people how much I love Milan, they usually frown and say, “But it’s so cold and industrial.” Even a travel writer recently wrote, “I only go to Milan for business,” implying that there would be no other valid reason for going there. All I can say is, they don’t know my…
-
The Danish Art of Hygge
Danish people are generally reserved. They’re not unfriendly, but they don’t really go out of their way to engage you. Because of this trait, it’s surprising to learn one of the most significant words, and traditions, in Denmark, is hygge.
-
Déjeuner in the Dordogne
On a sunny day in the Dordogne, the proprietors of Le Vieux Chai Antiquités enjoyed a pleasant déjeuner in the shade. In a fortuitous stop on my journey, I made new friends and acquired a treasure trove of vintage monogrammed linens.
-
A Stitch in Time
Once upon a time, I was a costume designer. But first, I was a shy seamstress working in the costume shop of the Guthrie Theatre in Minneapolis, dreaming of becoming a costume designer. At the time, I struggled with the strict orders and high standards of the legendary costumer for whom I worked. It wasn’t…
-
If it’s Europe, it must be Fashion Week
I’m in Paris and it’s fashion week. I didn’t know it would be fashion week when I booked my trip, but I should have guessed…because in the past year, without planning it, I’ve hit fashion week wherever I go.
-
Paris | Cèpes on Rue Temple
When I stopped to photograph these sublime mushrooms in Paris yesterday, my friend, Betsy, remarked, “Don’t you just want to decorate a room with those colors?” I absolutely do!
-
Tuscany | Passing-through Place
For one precious week, I was a part of the life of a charming village called Coreglia Antelminelli, on top of a mountain in Tuscany. Surrounded by the Apennine mountains, Coreglia Antelminelli has, for over a thousand years, overlooked the Serchio valley from a cliff that turns pink at sunset, in the shadow of a…
-
Paris | Capturing the Mona Lisa
The paparazzi stand before her 10 deep…elbowing to move forward, arching onto tip toes, and holding their cameras above the crowd. After about fifteen seconds a new crowd emerges, having rushed past Caravaggios, Raphaels, and Bellinis, but seeing only the signposts that lead them to her.
