About the Author
I write and blog about art history, architecture, and interior design. And, you guessed it, I write fiction, too. Writing and painting are my two passions. These days, my main focus (between writing projects) is to complete my painting project, entitled Images of Coney Island for a show at the end of 2016.
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Recent Blog Posts
- New York City’s Grid
René Rivera, lives in New York City 2017 It’s easier to determine in Manhattan since all the blocks here are designed on a numbered grid. From Street to street, it’s 20 blocks to a mile. So from say, 40th and 3rd avenue to 60th and 3rd, it’s one single mile. ... read more - What’s in the Garden?
Palais de Versailles Sunlight filled the palace’s cavity, shimmereing on the decorative gold moldings. A distant sound, barely perceptible, echoed. Marie Antoinette, in her flimsy nightdress, caught her breath. What could that be? The sound came again. Secret column She looked around, she saw no one, nothing, but for her reflection. Tall mirrors, short mirrors, wide mirrors, all framed in glittering gold. Her widened eyes ... read more - Those Bumpy, Tumbly, Cobbly Cobblestones
If the shoe fits (into the cobblestones) wear it. Women do it in Italy, in France, in Canada and in the USA. In fact, I saw them do it in Portugal last summer. They do it all over the world. Yep. Women walk in high heels on cobblestones. My good friend, Gigi, grew up in Portugal, and her Mama and family are still there. So ... read more - Revolutionized Boston
ChartHouse from our room in CustomHouse (Marriott) It’s been two-hundred-and-fifty-five years of ChartHouse’s existence in the Gardiner Building on Long Wharf in Boston harbor. It’s been one week since Tom and I dined there—and we can’t wait to go back. ChartHouse originally served as the office of Thomas Hancock and subsequently, his nephew, John Hancock. Once referred to as “Hancock’s CountingHouse,” it’s the oldest building on Long ... read more - Beating Heart of the City
New York City Hall, a beauty in classicism with its touch of Palladio! I studied interior design and architecture many moons ago, but my passion has not wained. New York City Hall is featured prominently in my upcoming book The Unforgettable Miss Baldwin. The cornerstone of City Hall was laid in 1803. Construction was delayed after the City Council objected that the design was too ... read more - Give Me The Artist At Seven (The Painter’s Keys)
(Originally published on The Painter’s Keys – April 20, 2018) Artist and Purpose Guidance Coach Sam Kaczur recently put out a call on social media asking her friends, many of them artists, the following question: “Around the ages of 6-10, do you have a memory or pivotal moment in your life that you feel set the trajectory or tone for your future?” She offered some ... read more - Reverse Shopping
Sometimes “Reverse Shopping” can lead you down a rabbit hole. So I do this thing sometimes where I buy something and then I realize I don’t need it or it doesn’t fit my life/home/style and so I return it. I just returned a bunch of paint canvases at my local art supply store and got a $400 dollar store credit. It was past the date ... read more
