I love music. I love all kinds of music. But music in context. I’m not going to blast you with opera singing when you’re trying to eat...

We’re a bunch of weirdos. Some topics will set off reflexive defenses and meat eating is one of them. If you’re a meat eater and you’re...

The items my performer parents accumulated in their long careers sometimes travel down to me in the form of mysterious poster tubes. I...

I wanted to take a moment to plug the upcoming NYC classical concert this July called The Dream Unfinished. This is going to have a...

I’ve spent a fair amount of time in castles. Although, technically, many of these are considered manor houses. I have many childhood...

Chicago suburbs, 1950s, USA Maria Baroni with grandmother Elise & mother Helene. Just a little touch of glamor of you on this fine day....

Some vacation photos when my mother was on break from the opera and exploring New Orleans. Some vintage Mod and late 60s style on...

I grew up in a talented family that holds the idea that talent runs in a family as a form of destiny. My grandfather, Roger, was a cold...

One of my fellow opera nerds made a joke by saying, “Meet you at Maxim’s” and I was transported to Art Nouveau Paris. Only, I could hear...

How do adults make new friends? I’ve come to realize that even though I complain about making new friends I’m well versed in how to do...

Well, I guess I’m in the minority of people who dislikes the new comedy Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt. It feels weird to be on the outside of...

This is a public shaming. My friend has a genetic disorder and experienced the worst possible customer service when she flew Frontier...

Achieving vitality and focus are of paramount concern, but instead of calm self assurance people seem frazzled. Part of the answer, I...

I’m doing a production of Madama Butterfly and the set and costume design are what I’ve dubbed “impressionistic” Japanese. We hint at the...

With a photo of Elise from from a few years prior to that same time period. My grandmother was a very talented artist. The whole family...

You’ll find a lot of actors have a side gig as vocalists. You might assume it’s because they’re egomaniacs, but the little-spoken fact is...

I was poking through archived photos from my travels in Europe and came across one of the best candid shots — on the grand canal headed...

When a family movie features science and technology I look forward to taking the eldest to see it as much as she looks forward to going...

Virtually everyone I know, in a virtual manner, has renamed themselves Charlie this week. #jesuischarlie The gruesome murder of staffers...

It’s hard out there for a skeptic. On the one hand, we know that things like acupuncture are placebo effect and don’t really work, but...