Welcome to my travelogue, short uplifting features highlighting wonderful non-touristy, off the beaten track locales I’ve discovered in my quest to hunt down treasures whether culinary, artistic, jeweled, cultural along the way, that are unique to that very place. Making human connections. Meeting people face to face. In beautiful settings. People are often most memorable of […]
Category: Travel & Tours
Art & Treasures Tours
Amsterdam and the Autocrat, Part I
Peter the Great Portrait Medallion, diamonds, silver and enamel. Courtesy of Sotheby’s Peter the Great of Russia shared my passion for all things Dutch (see previous blog) but took it to a much grander scale. One of Russia’s most important rulers Tsar Peter I was proclaimed emperor and given the epithet “the great” in 1721. […]
Mad About Miniatures
I fell in love with Dutch silver miniatures by chance, the same way I succumbed to Russian imperial works of art. I have no Russian nor Dutch blood whatsoever. But in the case of Russian jewels, it had to do with living in a museum as a teenager surrounded by Russian treasures. More on this […]
Tucson Takeaway 2024
I just returned from my first trip to the amazing gem and mineral bonanza in Tucson Arizona. I had heard about this for years and it was time to go. Little did I realize that it wasn’t just one or two big shows but 43 altogether! Studying the official guide was a necessary first step […]
What Learned in 2019, plus Exciting Events for 2020
After almost three decades in the jewelry business, I’m still learning. In fact, not a day goes by that I don’t discover something fascinating. Here are a few fun facts I gleaned from recent publications in 2019: Did you know that … In the 1660s London was the leading diamond cutting center in the world? […]
From Cambridge to Moscow and Back Home Again to North America
I was leading such a healthy lifestyle in Cambridge UK. I was riding my bike every day, walking everywhere – I was fitter than ever. That is, until I fell victim to the lure of English Cream Teas. For those not familiar, cream teas consist of a pot of tea (never a mug), freshly baked […]
Summer Reflections from a Jewelry, Art & Treasures Dealer on Her Trade
I love all aspects of my work, and the end of the Spring season is the perfect time to reflect on what’s happened and what’s to come – and to share those reflections with you. Here’s what I’ve been thinking as summer kicks into high gear: Buying I recently gave a short talk titled, “How to […]
Russia Comes to London, plus a Special Art & Treasures London Tour Announcement
For those who love Russian treasures London is the place to be. That’s because from May 31 to June 7, 2019 London is celebrating Russian Art Week and Christie’s, Sotheby’s, MacDougall’s and Bonham’s have all put out their top lots to entice worldwide buyers to their London auctions. What you especially need to know is […]
Listen to Marie on the Jewelry Journey Podcast
I’m beyond honored to have been a recent guest on Sharon Berman’s extraordinary Jewelry Journey podcast. What a treat to talk with Sharon about all things having to do with Russia’s rich jewelry history. We had a fantastic conversation and I’m so thrilled to share the episode with you! LISTEN RIGHT HERE Here’s just […]
The City of Light Beckons-See Paris with Marie!
In 2010, I took a year-long, work-related sabbatical in Paris. I was born and grew up there, but this sabbatical changed it all for me. As a little girl, Paris seemed gray, rainy and dreary. My French mom loved it to bits, not me. This time, though – rain or shine – it was […]