and her prized possessions
Photography by Katherine Bish
Anyone who has ever spent time at Plaza Frontenac has seen Rena Abrams. Always immaculately coiffed and in couture, she can be spotted by her signature accessory, her glasses. She owns dozens of pairs, which she has collected over three decades. As the marketing director for Plaza Frontenac—a position she’s held since 1992—Abrams strolls the hallways, keeps tabs on the newest stores and stays on top of the latest trends. But the bulk of her prized possessions date back to the time her parents left Greece for a new life in America or are sentimental things gifted to her by her husband or two daughters.
1 A Cartier tank watch, given to her by her husband on their 25th wedding anniversary.
2 Her eyeglasses collection.
3 Her 18-year-old red Saab convertible, known as Sparky.
4 The Vogue magazine collection Abrams started in college, with issues dating back to the 1920s. “It’s a way to understand history through social culture and fashion,” she says.
5 The wood-burning stove located in the center of her home.
6 Artwork created by her two daughters when they were young.
7 Her mother’s Greek recipes for a variety of dishes, including spanakopita.
8 An initial ring owned by her husband Todd that Abrams has been wearing for the past 27 years as her wedding band.
9 A set of gold rings her parents bought on their journey to the United States from Greece in the early 1950s.
10 The shepherd’s staff her father brought to the U.S. when he and Rena’s mother emigrated from Greece. Abrams keeps it by her front door to signify that “ancestors are always welcome."
