About me

Hola, Oi, Salut, Saluti! I’m a chef, tutor, teacher and writer—and homestay host. I studied education and psychology, worked with children, then started and ran my own catering business for 20 years in Boston. We catered at Harvard, MIT, weddings and many other events—up to 600 people! I started hosting international ESL students in my home in Boston in 2009. In October of 2022 I moved to St. Petersburg (next to Tampa,) Florida. I bought a home with a view of a lake, and watch the birds—and sometimes turtles—splash in the water. The dining room table faces the sunset, and there’s also a screened-in patio where we eat and can sit outside. Like most Florida homes, there is central air-conditioning. I enjoy hosting because it allows me to see my culture through the eyes of foreigners, and I know a lot about some of those cultures—especially Brazil, France and Italy—since I lived in those countries. I have taught ESL and cooking classes to children and adults, and have designed my own curriculum and program, so I often help my homestay guests with their English. I’m still exploring my new home in sunny St. Petersburg—restaurants, shops, markets, museums, parks, beaches. I look forward to your living in my home, and exploring with me. Get hungry!