The Diary of Toma Clark Haines
“This is my life. I built this life. You - and only You - have that power.”
Follow the Journey
This is my Republic. My diary. I journal my life. The day-to-day. Lessons learned. I love. I laugh, mostly at myself because laughter is the best medicine. I travel in my imagination, and in reality. I cook. I share recipes for food as well as practical magic. I believe in God, and I believe God hung the Moon and Stars. I believe you have the power to create your own reality — to make your dreams come true. My diary is Eat, Pray, Love (Yourself) meets Elle Decor + a dash of Goop and a pinch of Entrepreneur.
Featured Posts
The Dome of Florence
In my creative Strategy Sessions with clients I often say it takes a village. Brunelleschi led an army of masons and stonecutters, carpenters, blacksmiths, lead beaters, barrel makers, water carriers, and other craftsmen.
End of Summer
In the midst of the Venice film festival we celebrated the final dog days of summer. My friend got a cabana at the @excelsiorvenice
50 or 40
Just as 50 is the new 40, 9pm is the new midnight. I go to bed early. My natural rhythm is to sleep early & wake at 4.
Yes Girl
I am the girl who says yes. And shows up with 2 cats and a gold fish. Don’t invite me unless you mean it.
Dining Alfresco
So much of my life is lived indoors. As much as I prefer to be out in the #antiquesmarket and a lot of what I do is behind a desk.
Lemoncello
When life gives you 🍋 lemons, make lemoncello. @easyjet totally squeezed us like lemons.
Greek Salad
Feta. Tomatoes. Cucumbers. Yellow Peppers. Seeing this pic reminds me that watermelon would have been a fabulous substitute
Found It
After looking for months of looking yesterday I found exactly what I was looking for. A tiny weeny pied a terre in Greve in Chianti.
Che Privilege
“Che privilege!” a friend responds when I text a selfie from a yacht. “My Sunday wasn’t so bad. “ I respond nonchalantly
It Was Hot
For 3 weeks while I’ve been trying to get a repairman to come to my house in the dead of summer.
Dreams to Reality
I always say #dreamsbecomereality. Welcome to Casa Mia. For more than 30 years I’ve dreamed of running a bed & breakfast.
One Pot Wonder
I’m basically camping. I have 1 pan. 1 knife. 1 wooden spoon. And yet I cook myself lunch and dinner. Quail.
Routine Lineup
We interrupt this workcation in Tuscany to tell you about a new skin care line @halo42effect that will be debuting
Tagliolini
Todays #recipe from Tuscany is basically lemon spaghetti but with #Tagliolini. It’s an egg pasta. Thinner than Tagliatelle.
Olive Groves
I walked into the olive grove. No picnic today. Just paints and a book to read in the sunshine.
Conference Call Art
I think I should start a new tab in my stories of the things I draw while on @theantiquesdiva conference calls.
En Route to Greve
I packed my cats and the gold fish leaving my home in Venice behind and came to Greve in Chianti for a working vacation for 2 weeks.
Pappa al Pomodoro
As I am starting to get organized for my return to Tuscany I realize I haven’t yet posted my favorite videos from my last trip.
Verrazzano
The last thing I expected last week in Tuscany was to find the origin of Verrazzano Bridge in NYC. But that’s how travel works.
Mother’s Day
It’s a complicated soup like French Onion. First you gently fry onions. Not too much or too little. Then boil.
Tuscan Mornings
In the morning in Tuscany the cats wake me. “We want to go outside!” The shutters and curtains are closed
