Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa — one of the most famous paintings in the world — is shrouded in mystery; from questions around the figure’s identity, to her puzzling, enigmatic expression. Now, at least one of the artwork’s secrets has been revealed, according to a geologist based in Italy. Ann Pizzorusso, who is both a geologist and an art historian specializing in Leonardo and the Renaissance era, believes she has deduced the location of the Mona Lisa using her geological expertise. Three decades ago, Pizzorusso visited the town of Lecco on the southeastern shore of Lake Como in Italy — where she believes the painting is set — to retrace Leonardo’s steps, armed with diary entries and drawings from the artist. “In his notebook he mentions being in Lecco,” she told CNN in a phone interview. “He was working as an engineer.” According to Pizzorusso, the project Leonardo was working on was cancelled, but his geological field sketches remained (one red chalk drawing of a mountain range near Lecco belongs to the Royal Collection at Windsor, London). While Pizzorusso is not the first to have theorized on the location of the Mona Lisa (in 2011, an art historian attributed the painting’s scenery to a small town called Bobbio, while another to Arezzo) she believes she is the first geologist. Previous calculations have concentrated on the arched bridge over the Mona Lisa’s right shoulder. However, Pizzorusso insists more can be gleaned from the unique rock formation in the horizon. “Bridges are fungible,” she said. “If you look in the background, you’ll see pinnacles. It’s a type of erosion that happens in limestone that has fractures in it and breaks off in blocks, almost like a sawtooth pattern… We can show limestone exists in (Lecco). When you look at the Mona Lisa, there’s a series of mountains in the background that have this sawtooth pattern.” Similarly, the body of water behind Mona Lisa is geologically specific, believed by Pizzorusso to be Lake Como — a subalpine glacial lake dating back around 10,000 years. “If you look behind her you have the elongated glacial lakes that have a particular form like fingers,” she said. “Because when the glacier moved it scoured out certain pieces of land.” Despite her confidence, Pizzorusso kept her inkling quiet for 30 years, telling only other Leonardo scholars in casual conversation. She returned to Lecco this week, still assured that “everything added up,” and will now present her findings at a geology conference in the town. While the pairing of earth science and art history may seem disparate, Pizzorusso argues the interdisciplinary approach can enrich the viewing experience of Leonardo’s work. “Botticelli, even Michelangelo did terrible backgrounds because they felt the figures were more important,” she told CNN. “If the background is painted right, it gives you more of an appreciation for nature.” Though Pizzorusso admits she is surprised at the widespread interest. “Maybe (Leonardo) was trying to channel me for the environmental movement or something,” she joked. “It’s a testament to how much people love this painting.” Pizzorusso believes Lake Como, the glacial lake dating back around 10,000 years, is in the background of the Mona Lisa. (titoslack/iStockphoto/Getty Images via CNN Newsource) But the discovery may only lead to more mystery. If the location is Lecco, as Pizzorusso suggests, more questions remain as to why the renowned painter chose that particular spot, for this particular portrait. “We don’t know who (Mona Lisa) is, some believe she was a rich Tuscan merchant’s wife,” she said, referring to a popular historical theory that proposes the figure was based on Italian noblewoman Lisa Gherardini. “Why did he put her in this wild, untamed environment? This is not Tuscany. What was he trying to tell us by putting this serene, enigmatic lady in this rugged, alpine environment?” Said Pizzorusso. “I’m really intrigued as to what his message was to us.”

A Starbucks fan — whose name is Winter — is visiting Canada on a purposeful journey that began with a random idea at one of the coffee chain’s stores in Texas.

“A lightbulb went off in my head,” he recalls. “And I asked myself: Would it be possible to visit every single store?”

That was 1997. There were only about 1,500 Starbucks stores. So Winter started pursuing his goal with the same passion with which he’d once collected coins or comic books.

“Every time I would check a new Starbucks off my list, it would be like when I found that rare issue of a comic book I was looking for,” he says.

After collecting all the locations close to home, a process he calls “Starbucking,” Winter ventured out west.

“I discovered I enjoyed road-tripping,” Winter says.

He also found pleasure in his pursuit’s pre-internet logistical puzzle-solving.

“I actually had to look up Starbucks in the phonebook,” Winter explains. “And then grab a physical map and figure out how to get there.”

Thanks to a frugal lifestyle and a flexible career as a computer programmer, Winter has travelled to more than 19,300 stores in 70 countries so far.

There are currently a total of about 32,000 Starbucks stores in 80 countries.

He just wrapped up a two-week tour through Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, and B.C., visiting dozens of new stores that opened since the last time he visited Western Canada.

“I don’t think it actually occurred to me at the time that it would be a never-ending struggle of not being able to keep up with the growth of the new Starbucks,” he says.

It also never occurred to Winter that, decades later, he’d be regularly caring for his mom who’s living with dementia.

“My mom is my No. 1 priority,” Winter says. “Starbucking has to come second.”

Her fading memory has made his website and social media — which chronicle every Starbucks visit with detailed blog posts and pictures — more meaningful than ever.

“I personally find it very important to document everything I do,” Winter says. “Because I don’t know if, in 10 years, I will remember what I was doing that day.”

Winter has also finished writing a manuscript about his travels and what he’s learned about the benefits of pursuing your own unique path in life with purpose.

“It’s not easy. It takes work every day,” Winter says. “(But) I would define myself in a state of almost non-stop bliss.”

Which is why, 27 years after starting to collect all the stores he could, Winter is now stopping along the way to appreciate as many people and places as he can.

Because like life, Winter says, “Starbucking is about the journey, not the destination.”

Some people love to wash their car, and for others, it’s their most hated chore. It’s a necessity for car owners, so no matter where you fall on the love-hate spectrum, you want a car wash that’s going to give your car a deep clean that lasts. Automatic car washes are at almost any gas…

  When you take your car to the car wash, there are multiple add-ons available, and one common choice is spray-on wax. It may seem like it doesn’t make a difference, but there are some important benefits. And these benefits go beyond how shiny your will car looks. What Are the Benefits of Waxing Your…

Even when you are lucky enough to start with an empty room, it can be overwhelming to design an interior that you can enjoy for years to come. Following some basic interior design principles, you can transform your space into a relaxing room you will be comfortable and happy with. Decide what your focal point will be and build out from there.  For best results, keep proportion and scale in mind as you decorate as well as these tips!

 Deciding on Your Focal Point
Do you have a magnificent bay window with an incredible view?  Is there an ornate mantle that is the reason you fell in love with your home? Or is there something you absolutely MUST HAVE in the room? Situate your furniture around your chosen focal point to create balance and equilibrium. If your room does not already have an existing focal point, create one with oversized art or add an accent point like a free-standing fireplace, they come in a variety of sizes and styles. Symmetrically balance the room evenly so that both sides mirror one another.  This will help your chosen focal point stand out all the more! Use matching accent tables to flank your sofa or use different pieces of furniture to create a copacetic visual impact, like two similar armchairs to balance a sofa.
Repetition for Rhythm
Rhythm creates a flow and helps direct the eye to the differing visual elements in your room. Just as the notes of a favorite song repeat to create the rhythm, repetition in decor will create a rhythm throughout a home. Establish visual interests with a rhythm throughout your space by placing similar colours or patterns at intervals and repeat in artwork, cushions or area rugs.

Perfect Proportion and Suitable Scaling
Who doesn’t love a large, overstuffed chair? But if your room is on the smaller size it may look out of place and make your room seem even smaller than it is. Keep proportion in perspective. Proportion is the ratio between a piece of furniture and the size of a room. Scale is the size of a piece of furniture in relation to the other pieces of furniture in the room. A super large chair will overpower an apartment of loft size sofa or loveseat and create a sense of unbalance in the room.

Have your room humming harmoniously
Creating harmony will enhance how much you will continue to love your finished. Pull the room with a subdued colour palette for a pleasing, harmonious vibe.   together for a pleasing, harmonious look with a subdued color palette. You can also use a single colour for elements that vary in size and shape. Check out our blog on Doing White on White Right! for more tips!

What is the focal point in your room?  What is your best tip to find harmony and balance through your home?