Riding The Red Rocket
When I lived in central Toronto, I relied on the “Red Rocket” – to get to the subway system, to get to work, to get to friends and fun. What’s […]
How Not To Experience Venice
What were my impressions of Venice from my first visit? Crowded, hot, smelly, wet. On a July morning in 2005, my husband, son and I had taken an early train […]
Celebrating Main Streets
What’s “Main Street” in your town or city? You know… the street where the parades are held, where the restaurants are clustered, where the boutiques are plentiful… and usually where […]
Instantly Smitten
From my first visit, Italy has blown my mind, captured my heart, tingled my taste buds, and confounded my other senses! But for some reason, I hadn’t dedicated a Mini […]
Living La Vida Local
Thanks to many art shows highlighting Canada’s 150th anniversary of confederation, I’ve been painting many local scenes, and it’s been such an eye-opening and gratifying experience! I paint a lot […]
Venetian Alarm Clock
How do you know when it’s time to get up in Venice? When the gondoliers welcome the morning with opera arias at full voice! By chance, I’ve rented apartments that […]
Paris Love Lockdown
My heart to you is given, Oh, do give yours to me. We’ll lock them up together, And throw away the key. (Frederick Saunders) In 2015, the railings on a […]
Dawn By The Lake
Recently, I participated in an arts and crafts show in an area north of Toronto called Muskoka, and for that show I painted this Mini of a lakeside chair at […]
A Foodie in New York
I love travelling to New York City to eat! In a city this size, there are always new cuisines and restaurants to discover, not to mention the food halls and […]
The Doors of Orvieto, Part 2
Did I mention I took dozens of door photos in Orvieto, Italy? Think I did. So you know more door paintings of Orvieto were coming soon! I went on a […]
Celebrating The Weekend Getaway
Do you have that one weekend getaway spot that you tend to visit again and again? For us, it’s a small town an hour and a half away called Niagara-on-the-Lake. […]
Artists’ Paradise
If you find yourself on a ferry visiting the 5 villages of the Cinque Terre in Italy, do yourself a big favour and stay on the ferry heading south! At […]
Poppies for Matilde
On my spring trip to Italy, I learned about a fascinating Italian woman named Matilde di Canossa. A powerful leader, an accomplished soldier, an ardent negotiator, a devout Catholic, a […]
The Doors of Orvieto
How is it possible that one town can have so many picturesque doors? On a sunny Sunday morning this past May, I headed out from my B&B in Orvieto, Umbria […]
The Power of Stories
Selecting a subject for a Mini Vacations piece is usually influenced by the story connected to it. Sometimes the story is based on my experience of being in the place […]
Meanwhile… On A Typical Street Corner
When you are waiting for the light to change at a street corner, do you look around… I mean, really look around? I have to honestly say that before I […]
