With all this darkness in the world I needed some light. When you are down, and getting up seems too much, reach for the next highest emotion.

I remember after Charlie Hebbo when the Parisians went to the Champs Elysee and drank champagne saying their spirit wouldn’t be killed by terrorists.

With incredibly dark conversations happening this morning around business and the coronaviris I felt like I needed some champagne for breakfast today.

Instead I have an appointment to go get my cats their passports so they can travel to America with me for a few months during my visa renewal process - but I felt this photo was the emotion I wanted to feel right now.

When you are down, and getting up seems too much, reach for the next highest emotion. I am a very very lucky girl.

Last night I dined in Venice with 3 of my best friends and we laughed and sang til midnight. Walking to dinner I noticed that in this city which is a ghost town at the moment - the cafes on the Piazza San Marco were full. They are giving “buy one spritz get one spritz free” and like they Parisians did, the Venetians are coming out to reclaim their lives and their city. We - the locals of Venice - own this city right now. Last night in the piazza San Marco I saw something I’ve never seen before. Two of the grand cafes were filled not with tourists but locals. I wave and greet a friend. Another calls out and invites me for a spritz, but I’ve got dinner plans. I smile and say tomorrow! Domani! As I look over my shoulder before crossing into Castello - I see the square was filled with the orange glow of Aperol in glasses all raised in toasts.

Saluti!

We will be okay. This virus might be changing the world, but I know these people.

This photo is old - it was taken a few years ago in Berlin by Susanne Ollmann but it captured my spirit this morning. Cheers!