Who knew that the Christmas market was still going. After Christmas even!
The gang’s all here.
And the sun sank.
And the lights glowed.
Heidelberg at Sunset
January 17, 2026
travel christmas market, claudia, gem, germany, heidelberg, markus, romey 1 Comment
Chilly Nights at Home with Two Fires
December 23, 2025
fire bar, dogs, fire, home, romey Leave a comment
When it gets really cod, we light the wood stove.
Family Gathers for Dead Turkey Day
December 23, 2025
cooking, farm, food dad, dead turkey day, iulianna, iulie, leiden, romey, sweet tooth, thanksgiving, turkey Leave a comment
After all that prep, it’s time for a feat. Leiden’s first thanksgiving.
It all starts bright and early.
Family gathers
The long table is set.
The turkey comes out of the oven.
Feast time.
Sweet tooth between generations.
Winding down
Final fire
Mattress Factory
November 12, 2025
art, museum, photography andy warhol, art, art collective, art museum, betty, gem, mattress factory, modern art, museum, pittsburgh, romey, warhol, yayoi kusama 1 Comment
We visited the Mattress Factory for the first time on our zillionth trip to Pittsburgh. This time we had our dear friend Betty along for the ride.
The upstairs rooms have some excellent stuff…they also have this.
But you can skip right over it and get to this.
Betty is still in Billy mode
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Yayoi (without the wait)
These illusions were incredible. They have something to say about human perception.
Our surveillance monitor
Pinacoteca de São Paulo in the Thunder
September 23, 2025
art, fashion, film, photography, politics, travel 1960s, art, art museum, brazil, gem, Pinacoteca de São Paulo, romey, São Paulo, travel Leave a comment
What do you do when you are in São Paulo on a thunderous rainy Monday (the day that much is closed)? Seek out the Pinacoteca, and experience some art. Visit both sides with a sprint between rainstorms.
The space is beautifully assembled of old and new in contrast. The curation follows this concept and lacks only professional lighting. Brazil could use some NY light people in all of its museums.
Two views.
The exhibits are spotty, but there are always jewels to be found.
Some of the sculpture is exquisite.
Romey in a pink box.
This is not art!
Channel Emily.
And then brave the rain, walking through the huge unfamiliar trees of Brazil.
Arriving at the Contemporary building just as the power flickers and the clouds unleash.
Enter the late ’60s and the dissolution of dictatorship. Yankees out of vietnam.
BLUM!
Then have a late lunch while you wait for the rain to abate. Banana milk punch for the win.
Esperanza Spalding in Brazil
September 22, 2025
art, concert, travel audio, brazil, christian, concert, esperanza spalding, fabio, live music, romey, São Paulo, shotgun app, travel 1 Comment
When we were looking for a concert to attend Saturday night in the São Paulo Spring, we were surprised by the pickings. Not much going on even though the city is huge. A conversation in Brazil with a young show producer told the tale of why, the gist of it being that a post COVID explosion of creativity is drawing to a close and the performers are exhausted. But the constraints led us directly to an exceptional treat—Esperanza Spalding in Brazil.
Magical.
We did require some help from our new friend Christian (a USP fresh out Ph.D.) who was able to use the local shotgun app to get tickets. I tried that earlier from the US with no luck since the app required a Brazilian citizen ID number.
In a small world phenomenon, we ran into Fabio Kon and his wife while waiting in line to get into the venue.
It was nice to spend some time with the locals. LOL. Here are some pictures and videos of the show.
There was some waiting around to do from 8pm to 10pm, but it was all worth it.
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We were, in fact, in Brazil…as you can hear.
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A commentary in AI and jazz. Computer speed and human speed compared.
When we got back to the rosewood after the show, we had a late night snack at 1:30am.
Welcome Leiden Romine Michael 8.12.25
August 21, 2025
who knows baby, chief, family, grandchild, grandkids, iulianna, iulie, leiden, leiden romine, lindsey, odessa, romey 2 Comments
Two generations of moms. Romey, Odessa, and Leiden with Iulie.
Day one. Little sister arrives.
Day one visit required some mac and cheese and chicken nugget sustenance. Not to mention a breakfast of captain crunch (tell no one).
This time we remembered to bring the rose we made.
Little brother will be loved by all.
Iulie in August
August 21, 2025
animals, cute, farm, who knows bubbie, farm, grandaughter, iulianna, iulie, maybeline, moonshine, romey Leave a comment
returning from a walk
Iulie has spent lots of time with us this summer. Something that we cherish. She is all farm girl, taking walks, picking vegetables in the garden, visiting the chickens, and playing with the dogs.
Iulie named the poulets: marshmallow, chocolate, graham and cracker.
We are reading The Book of Three together this summer.
Goofball.
But under the soon to be second grader is a little girl.
Iulie Turns Seven
August 1, 2025
cute, dance birthday, birthday cake, bubbie, iulianna, iulie, odessa, romey, romey's mom Leave a comment
Life goes on, especially if you are a little girl. We celebrated Iulie’s birthday in the kitchen. But first some quality time with bubbie recharging batteries.
The morning came bright and early.
After presents at home we headed over to see great grandma and share some homemade strawberry cake.
5.25.25 = The Big Wedding
August 1, 2025
photography, wedding, who knows 5.25.25, gem, pictures, romey, wedding Leave a comment
What an experience! Romey and Gary got married in Pittsburgh on 5.25.25 at the Andy Warhol Museum. We hosted 100 of our dearest friends from nine countries who all stayed at the Hotel Monaco Sunday evening. Hilariously, only one guest was from Pittsburgh (though nobody who came to the wedding lives in Pittsburgh now).
The grand 5.25.25 wedding picture repository lives. We have organized our pictures into nine salient chunks as follows:
0. baseball – a Pirates game on Friday night 5.23.25
1. spacebar – quasi-spontaneous fun and cocktails in Pittsburgh
2. warhol – excellent art with excellent friends
3. ceremony – the heart of the matter
4. rooftop – pre-reception cocktails with a piper and some kilts
5. reception – dinner and dancing featuring DJ Williams
6. side quests – before and after
7. kilts – yes, there were lots of kilts
8. primary colors – post ceremony people
See the 5.25.25 button above.
