disegno Karina Gentinetta

I'm not really sure as to where or how to begin my story. I've tried several ways but none seem to be quite right. I guess the question that I need to ask myself is, "how did I get here." No, not here blogging (although that is a good question too, I may add), but rather here, owning and running a french furnishings shop on beautiful uptown New Orleans, surrounded by beautiful pieces of what I consider "treasures" and pursuing what was once an impossible and absolutely crazy dream. I mean, I was, am, a lawyer. I graduated from Tulane University and then proceeded to Tulane Law School and went directly straight to what was expected of me -- practicing law in a rather large and prestigious law firm in downtown New Orleans. I became a partner (one of only 3 women partners at my 80-something lawyer firm) by the time I was 36 and things were going relatively well.

But then, on August 29, 2005, my world changed. In just one stormy night, Hurricane Katrina took everything -- my home, my life-long possessions, my security -- everything, except my creativity and my ambition to not be defeated. As I began to rebuild my world with limited resources and amidst a devastating reality of sheer destruction, I began to discover the beauty and glamour of vintage finds. My surroundings became a melange of beautiful things that time had forgotten and tossed away. From vintage European grainsack pillows to chippy and tattered antique French settees, my one-of-a-kind furnishings and accessories are timeless and elegant. Each piece is a jeweled treasure in its own right. A former law partner and litigator, I reinvented myself post-Katrina -- finding enough courage to resign from the stressful practice of law to spend more time with my family and the things I love to do.

So that, in short, is how I got here. Now, the journey begins. I reside in Lakeview, New Orleans, in my rebuilt Victorian style cottage, with my husband, A.J., my two beautiful children, Liam and Roma, and my three dogs, Satchmo, Thelma and Louise.

I look forward to sharing with you through this blog my journey from this day forward.


My new home post-Katrina.