Since old churches tend to be large, you could in theory convert one into housing, and live in it. If you own thousands of books, a big empty building is just what you need! But a very large sturdy space … Continue reading
Category Archives: History
Highlights of Florence, the city of arts, with Thor and me. NOTE: Since travel is still on hold with the pandemic continuing, I’ve started a new blog series offering a virtual vacation and time-travel to my first big trip with … Continue reading
Your virtual Italy vacation continues with Thor and me as we hit highlights of the magnificent collections in the Vatican Museums. NOTE: Since travel is still on hold with the pandemic continuing, I’ve started a new blog series offering a … Continue reading
Even disused, a church is a large-volume public space. So it’s relatively easy to convert them into restaurants, bookstores, even brewpubs — there’s Church Brew Works in Pittsburgh. But this one is creative. The church of Santa Barbara in Llanera, … Continue reading
Join me for a celebration of Easter on my first trip through the Greek islands. NOTE: I’ll resume my Virtual Italy Vacation posts next week with the Vatican Museum. This week, I’m revisiting memories of my first backpacking trip around … Continue reading
I was rereading Benedetta Craveri‘s biography, Madame du Deffand and her World, and when I hit the chapter about her St. Joseph’s convent salon, the parallels between the eighteenth century French salons and the evolving blogosphere gave me this mental image of one … Continue reading
Your virtual Italy vacation continues as Thor and I visit St. Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican in Rome. NOTE: Since travel is still on hold with the pandemic continuing, I’ve started a new blog series offering a virtual vacation and … Continue reading
You got yourself an old worship space. Certainly the place was designed with the best acoustics achievable at the time. Lots of seating, too. And with luck there’s plenty of parking. Does that say theater to you? It does to … Continue reading
Your virtual Italy vacation continues as Thor and I ramble across the Tiber River to Rome’s Trastevere district, and more. NOTE: Since travel is still on hold with the pandemic continuing, I’ve started a new blog series offering a virtual … Continue reading
From the Sublime to the Macabre! Your Italy virtual vacation continues with the beautifully preserved Pantheon and a chapel decorated with Friars’ bones. NOTE: Since travel is still on hold with the pandemic continuing, I’ve started a new blog series … Continue reading