I was born to a Northern Italian family in Albuquerque that has owned bars, restaurants, and other types of businesses in the city for five generations. At 5, I was one of those kids with a veal cutlet and diluted red wine at Sunday dinner. By 8, I could hunt mushrooms with my grandfather in the Jemez mountains and store them for his annual fall sausage-making. And by 12, I could mix a cocktail for the grown-ups and help plan a dinner party. Besides food and family, my other great love? Art history - often mocked as America's least bankable college major. My parents were horrified.
Undaunted, I earned my undergrad degree in that very subject in the Midwest and moved to Chicago. By 26, I had my dream job in development at the Art Institute of Chicago, where I went on to co-direct the campaign for the museum's Modern Wing expansion. In my 20 years in that amazing city, crafting small, beautiful events for my donors and VIPs became a labor of love - not to mention a key part of my job.
In early 2016, I moved back home to New Mexico with my husband and son to reunite with family and rediscover the magic of sunshine. There's a lot to miss about Chicago, but nothing compares to repaying all my family and friends' love the way God intended - with some awesome food...Also I'm not going to lie: burning the snow shovels comes a close second.
Undaunted, I earned my undergrad degree in that very subject in the Midwest and moved to Chicago. By 26, I had my dream job in development at the Art Institute of Chicago, where I went on to co-direct the campaign for the museum's Modern Wing expansion. In my 20 years in that amazing city, crafting small, beautiful events for my donors and VIPs became a labor of love - not to mention a key part of my job.
In early 2016, I moved back home to New Mexico with my husband and son to reunite with family and rediscover the magic of sunshine. There's a lot to miss about Chicago, but nothing compares to repaying all my family and friends' love the way God intended - with some awesome food...Also I'm not going to lie: burning the snow shovels comes a close second.