Occupation:  European Antique and Shopping Expert

The Antiques Diva® is the nom de plume for Toma Clark Haines, an American expat living in Europe whose life story has been liberally sprinkled with Cinderella dust.

As a child growing up in Oklahoma, Toma dreamed of global adventures. While other kids drew houses with picket fences, Toma drew gondolas with men in striped shirts. After studying abroad in London in university, Toma returned home on the range to marry her college sweetheart. After saying “I do,” she immediately began whispering in his ear words of far-away places and before long her dream became his. When a serendipitous opportunity arose, offering them a chance to live and work in Europe, they moved to Paris for 5 years and then Amsterdam for 4. Along with her husband and well-traveled pet Catpuccino, Toma currently resides in Berlin nearby Brandenberg Gate and the Reichstag.

Toma has traveled and antique-shopped in over 30 countries and has learned how to live a life without borders. When she started writing The Antiques Diva® blog in August 2007 she had a vision. She wanted to share secrets from her travels and offer some fabulously fun recommendations of places to flea market and antique shop, stop, eat, or stay. But the recommendations didn’t end there – The Diva began sharing advice on entertaining diva style and telling readers the latest home decorating trends (and creating new ones). Quickly her followers realized, The Antiques Diva® isn’t just a blog, it’s a lifestyle!

Toma started The Antiques Diva® & Co European Antique Shopping Tours where she works with 7 international guides offering 1-day and multi-day “antiques, vintage, home decor and lifestyle shopping tours” in 5 languages and 6 countries – France, England, Italy, Belgium, Holland and Germany.

Basically Loves:  An international public speaker, she writes regularly about antiques, travel and shopping. She’s been involved in numerous women’s organizations, having served as Chairman of The International Women’s Club Amsterdam and Director of the popular Bloom Where You’re Planted expatriation program in Paris, going on to serve as the Director of the Governing Board for that program. Toma has a passion for women’s causes and is actively involved in the expat community, volunteering a significant amount of her time.

Follow Toma on Twitter:  @TheAntiquesDiva
Website:  The Antiques Diva