If you go to Rome, don’t buy water. You won’t need to. All you need is a water bottle, no matter how hot it is or how much water you drink. That is because fresh spring drinking water is free and plentiful all over Rome, no matter where you are. Hear that Detroit? It’s a human right. There are approximately 2,500 of these fountains throughout the city…Most of which were created in the 1800’s but the concept dates back to Roman times. The modern ones are called Nasoni (see the

More pictures from the Appia Antica. I really can’t recommend this as part of a roman itinerary enough. Go on a Sunday when there are less cars. The Appia Antica is after all still a road used today. From Trastavere take the 3b bus to the Piramide and from there get on the 118 bus. You can get off at any point after the Porta San Sebastiano. Right before you get to the Catacombs of San Callisto there is a stop with a bike rental shop where the bikes are in good shape. I did n

Pictures of my final days in Roe, walking all over the city and a final picture of me painting along the Tevere (Tiber River).

Frustrating morning. I made it out to the Parco Aquedotti early like planned, and then could not find a place to paint. The path was either too narrow or in full sunlight (horrific to paint in). It was a gorgeous spot and I will do some paintings in the studio from here. But not what I had planned for the day. Back in Trastavere and going to check out the market in Testaccio and maybe find a place close to my apartment to paint this afternoon.

I missed the Forum last time I was in Rome….I kind of didn’t think it would be that interesting….I was so wrong! I could spend days wandering around here and will definitely budget drawing time here next time I’m in Rome. I wish I had time to draw while there, but I didn’t realize how much I would love it. The scale of it is staggering, not just for land area covered but for the sheer size of the buildings and the structures and knowing that only a small portion of them remai

The Giardini degli'Arancia is one of the most beautiful spots in Rome. Sitting atop the a hill in Testaccio, the garden is a popular place for lovers and wedding photos. Next to the Garden is one of my favorite churches, Santa Sabina. Built on top of the ruins of a temple to the Goddess Juno. And one of my favorite fountains in Rome is also here.

Working on my first painting in Rome. In Testaccio. Note the Segway tour passing on the right. This is the third one to pass in 20 minutes.

After dropping off my stuff at the apartment I needed to get a few things for the next day! The absolute top order of priority was a visit to the art supply store since I didn’t bring any medium with me on the plane. I’m a few blocks from a great little store…I want to buy EVERYTHING! But I was good and restrained myself! And yes, the proximity to this store was a factor in my apartment choice! Next I needed to eat something! I was going to get a gelatin but then I found a fo

Flying over to Northern Europe this time of year means that even on a night flight it never gets fully dark. I took the first image at 2:00 am off Greenland. When I was a little girl and going to visit the grandparents I loved to stay up and watch the sunrise on this flight…which might be why I don’t sleep on planes even to this day! When I got to Copenhagen the first thing I had was a piece of Weinerbrød and a cup of coffee. Weinerbrød is the classic Danish breakfast pastry

Art and Homes Original Oil Paintings can bring life and vibrancy into homes when decorating. I recently loaned some paintings to a design friend for a house that was being staged for sale. Here are the results!