Many people view Paris as one of the most romantic cities in the world; however, I believe that New York is also a very romantic city especially because I have lived the romance that many or some women dream about.
I am hopelessly romantic and the holidays always bring back those memories I cherish the most. From early on in my life, I was always glued to the television watching those classic holiday movies. There is one movie that reminds me of my late father who was at home with me when my mother was out to a family party. ''It's a Wonderful Life'', is a real classic movie in black & white that I watch every year during the holidays. Among my favourites, a more recent movie that I also love to watch is ''The Holiday'', and no matter how many times I have seen these movies, I still cry my eyes out.
The movies were my inspiration from a very young age that led me to my passion for photography. On a more personal note, I actually see my life like a movie for which I am the director, the producer and the actor. My point is that I believe life has good and not so good moments, but we must turn them into learning experiences so that we can grow and make a difference in our world. Instead of living my life like a victim, that things happen to me in that poor me syndrome, I chose to live my life to the fullest. And this is exactly what I have been doing and to this day, I remain hopelessly romantic and a dreamer, but I no longer dream about a charming prince, I believe in love in all aspects of life!
New York was where my romantic dream of meeting a charming prince became a reality when I met my ex-husband who came to New York on business. I was young and very naive in a different era. He was a friend of my sister and knew my mother as well. There I was on a date with a charming man who was staying at the Plaza Hotel and the first thing he told me when he saw me was, with a surprised look: ''tu ressembles tellement à ta mère'' (you look so much like your mother). After a two-year hiatus for personal reasons, he returned to New York and took me out for dinner at a famous italian restaurant, across Carnegie Hall called Trattoria Dell'Arte. This restaurant was very appropriate for it is designed to evoke an Italian artist's studio with oversized sculptures and drawings and a wall gallery of famous Italian noses. Even more appropriate as it was where he asked me to marry him and, thereafter, our honeymoon took place in Italy. It remains my favourite place in Europe, especially Lake Como, where I will be showcasing my artwork once again in August 2023. Vive l'amour! La Vita è Bella!