Welcome to

THE BLOG

Max, Now And Then

Portrait-of-Italian-model-Massimo-Schwartz

.

I do have some photos of when he was a little piddley-pop (1-5 years old), but they are just film and need to be scanned. Eventually, I will get to all that as well. So for now, let me share with you a personal post in which I introduce you to my one and only nephew (given that his sister is my one and only niece) Massimo, or Max as we have always called him.

Like the rest of my family, Max lives in Italy. He is 23-years-old and attending university in Varese, while doing odd jobs on the side. Massimo is also a trained athlete and was a champion rower in the Italian team for several years, until an alleged glitch in his heart had the doctor stop him from racing. I say alleged because after second and third opinions and further tests, it all turned out to be a “oops, maybe the first doctor did not see very well”, or possibly a growth spurt.

He continued to train, though not as hard, and still coaches the younger kids, including his sister Greta, whose story will be for another time, when I have a chance to photograph her as well.

.

Portrait-of-Italian-model-Massimo-SchwartzPortrait-of-Italian-model-Massimo-SchwartzPortrait-of-Italian-model-Massimo-Schwartz

Portrait-of-Italian-model-Massimo-SchwartzPortrait-of-Italian-model-Massimo-Schwartz

.

These are a series of images I captured quickly around the garden while I was there last June. What he needed where images where you actually see his eyes, so that is what I focused on. He is indeed a pro at the broody look, but he does smile occasionally. 😉

.

Portrait-of-Italian-model-Massimo-SchwartzPortrait-of-Italian-model-Massimo-Schwartz

.

The four square images below are my favorite ones from his Instagram stream (you can follow him at @massimo_schwartz if you like), and taken by his sister, aka my niece Greta (her IG stream is @gretaschwartz01 and is all about rowing).

.

Portrait-of-Italian-model-Massimo-SchwartzPortrait-of-Italian-model-Massimo-Schwartz

.

The two images that follow are from a shoot I did of him and Greta a few years ago (not that many, I must say), way before he sprouted. Massimo looks a little like his mother, and A LOT like his father, my brother Paolo, whom you can see in this post. He sounds a lot like his dad, too, and sometimes, when I am FaceTiming with my Mum and he happens to be there and I hear his voice, I mistake him for my brother. Massimo also looks a lot like my Dad’s father, though with a more beautiful imprint. I never met my grandfather, but I do have a photo of him.

.

Portrait-of-young-Italian-model-Massimo-SchwartzPortrait-of-young-Italian-model-Massimo-Schwartz

.

When he was just a little younger than these two images above show, and I was still living in Italy, I introduced him to Harry Potter and we went to see the first couple of movies together – followed by either pizza or (sigh!) McDonalds (for him). The way I got hooked into HP was: I saw the first four books in Italian at a bookshop and thought I would buy them for him. I took the books home and became curious to find out what all the hype was about. I picked up the first book, opened it and was hooked within the first couple of pages, at the first mention of Muggles (Babbani in Italian). I ended up reading all four books before handing them to Max, which did not take too long given that I could not put them down and was up reading till 4am almost every night.

.

Massimo-Schwartz-paddler-canoe-Lago-di-Varese-Italy

.

I close this series with one of my favorite images of Massimo on his canoe at sunrise on Lake Varese. This is an image from a video he shot himself during a training session using his GoPro. You can watch the video on YouTube here.

.

I hope you have enjoyed this little photo story. For more on my family, you can meet my parents in my The Princess and The Cowboy post, and their schizo dog in my Snura, Rider of the Storm one.

.

.

2 comments
Add a comment...

Your email is never published or shared. Required fields are marked *

  • Diantha10/07/2018 - 4:10 pm

    Good looks runs in the family! Thanks for sharing your family with us!ReplyCancel

    • Monica Schwartz10/07/2018 - 4:16 pm

      Thank you, Diantha. And you are welcome! xoxoReplyCancel

Sign up for my Newsletter

Subscribe-to-Life-Out-of-Bounds

In the Kitchen

Recipes-for-Spring

Free Gifts

Free-Wallpapers-widget
Summer Solstice 2025
ShinrinYoku-Invitations-Widget

Support this Blog

Buy-Me-A-Cup-of-Tea-and-support-this-blog-donation

Latest Posts

Currently Reading

Current-Reading-List-April-24

Healthy Living

Color-and-wellbeing
Shinrin-Yoku-forest-bathing-forest-therapy

Popular Posts

Explore

Travel-and-explore-California
Travel-and-explore-Hawaii
Travel-and-explore-Italy

Featured Posts

Cute Wigglers

Photo-stories-of-cute-dogs

Don’t Miss

Support this blog with a donation

Follow me on Instagram

Happy Mother’s Day to all the Mothers and to all those who have been mothering in some way.
Here is mine. She no longer looks quite like this, though this is how I think of her and I am sure this is how she thinks of herself.

The main thing is that she is still with us, despite all the challenges. I get to talk to her every day and will be spending more time with her in a few weeks. That is a blessing I don’t take lightly. 
🩷🌸🩷
M
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
#loob_portraiture #mothersday #environmentalportrait #inthegarden #beautifulwoman #Italianmothers #portraiture #portrait #mothersday2025 #mothersdayweekend #mothersdayflowers #motherlove #motherdaughterlove #motherdaughterbond 
.
.
.
© Monica Schwartz - all rights reserved.
For those who have missed it or who don’t get my newsletter, there is a new post on the blog in which I share about my personal experiences with various holistic treatments and therapies on my wellness journey.

It is the 5th installment in my Self Help series, which begins with chapter one and dealing with panic attacks. You can easily find the previous 4 once you get to this newest one. The link is in profile under “latest post”, or you can comment WELLBEING below and I will be happy to send you the link directly.

Don’t you just love peonies?
Love and blessings,
Monica
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
#loob_selfhelp #holisticwellbeing #mindfulness #healthyliving #anxietyrelief #deepbreathing #peonies #stilllifephotography #fineartphotography #selfcarepractice #mindfulpractice
Good Morning!

The official rose month is just around the corner, and there are already roses blooming everywhere in my neck of the woods. Yesterday on my walk I literally stopped and smelled the roses: heavenly!

I wanted to let you know that the new Calendar Wallpaper will be coming your way tomorrow, and on Friday I will be publishing a new post, which will be first announced in the newsletter coming your way on the same day. 

So you might want to keep an eye on your inbox, and if you have not yet subscribed and would like to, you can easily do so at the link in profile, or you can comment SUBSCRIBE and I will message you the link directly.

Blessings and love,
Monica
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
#loob_nature #roses #gardendesign #gardenflowers #gardenlovers #iloveroses #flowerslover #mayroses #mayflowers #mymomentswithflowers #gardenphotography #naturephotography #gardenlife #homesandgardens #gardentherapy #shinrinyoku #naturehealsthesoul #newsletter #nothingisordinary #springweather #mindfulpractice #earthmedicine #breathedeeply #sacrednature #theitaliangarden #naturalliving #natureloverforlife #countrylife #naturewalk #roseseason 
.
.
.
© Monica Schwartz - all rights reserved. Do not reproduce in any way without written permission.
Good Morning!

This exquisite Classic English kitchen in Southeast London caught my eye as it popped into my inbox a few days ago. 

I have not shared any home design inspiration for some time, for all the same reasons why I had not posted or sent out newsletters for sometime. But make no mistake: my love for interior design and architecture has not dulled one iota. Actually, it is even stronger.

Take a look on the blog (link in profile under Latest Post) for images, story and description of this moody-done-right kitchen.

Wishing you an easy rest of the week!
xoxo
Monica
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
#loob_homedesign #kitchendesign #interiordesign #classicenglishkitchen #oldhouseappreciation #homerenovation #oldhouselove #historichomes #houseportrait #kitchengoals #kitchenremodel #georgianhome #kitchendesignideas #kitchendesigner #kitchendesigninspiration #londonarchitecture #kitchendesigntrends #moodyinteriors #moodyinteriorstyle #darkandmoodyinteriors #moodyinteriorsuk #moodyinteriorsdoneright #copper #homedecor #madeinengland #kitchencabinetry #customkitchens #copperkitchen #kitchencolorscheme #kitchencolorsideas 
@devolkitchens