My husband Cameron Brown and I came to know Monica and Roberto through my brother-in-law Patrick Taylor in Toronto. They were travelling in Canada and came to Vancouver. At that time, we had a modest but well located apartment in Kitsilano and they stayed with us. I seem to recall that they came with their sleeping bags, which were needed given the humble accommodations we were able to provide at that time. I remember being in awe of having guests from Italy -- and writers at that! And so I was careful to go out to buy good coffee and to prepare it first thing in the morning. Indeed, they were coffee connoisseurs, and I recall that when they arose, they immediately whisked out their travelling expresso equipment and proceeded to brew their own!
When Monica and Roberto came back to Vancouver years later, they were people of means, that is, they were being paid to stay in a hotel and so our time together was one of touring around together to point out some spots that weren't already in guide books. Regrettably, we did not have a chance to visit Milan and to make use of the beautiful Milan guidebook that we had been given.
I remember Monica as a person with tremendous natural warmth. She was a someone whom, after a very short time, seemed to have been in your life forever. Had we lived in closer proximity, I know we would have had a lively, continuing friendship. I can see from the words on this website that others experienced Monica in the same way. With great affection and respect --

lynne davis