Category Archives: Toni O
Morning Glory Momma
Here’s my mom washing her 1959 Chevy. It must have been around 1968 and sometimes people would tease my mom because her car was so old and stylistically dated. And when they did, she would simply say “It’s what I … Continue reading
Still Lingering
My mom died a year ago but, for me, she’s more alive than ever. My parents divorced when I was six months old. My dad just disappeared and all the responsibility of raising me was left to my mom. And … Continue reading
Back to Rome
Once back in Rome and far away from Revolutionary France, I felt safe again. But that feeling quickly disappeared in 1798. It was a February morning and I was climbing down the Spanish Steps when an overpowering noise like thunder … Continue reading
Fantasies
Versailles—where too much is not enough. At first I was dazzled but it didn’t take long for the Rococo style to wear me out. All that theatrical exuberance, all those asymmetrical curves, all those volutes and festoons made me dizzy. … Continue reading



