Hallie Erminie Rives , an American writer , described how Anastasia ate chocolates without taking off her white opera gloves at the St. Petersburg opera house when she was 10-years-old . Hallie Erminie Rives , a best-selling American author and wife of an American diplomat , described how 10-year-old Anastasia ate chocolates without bothering to remove her long , white opera gloves at the St. Petersburg opera house .