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Time+Place: Keeping WWII History Alive
There are some history buffs that live and breathe WWII stories. They know the strategies, the battles, the heros and sadly, the carnage. Then there are others like myself. I know some facts from history class, and have been lucky to visit the beaches of Normandy, and some of the war torn areas in France, but as time moves forward, the facts are becoming a bit more fuzzy and the stories I’ve been told are harder to recollect. Sadly, I fear my children will have little understanding of the impact that this war had on the world. When a tour of war aircraft and items from WWII came to our…
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Travel Story: Love Locks – True Romance or Touristy Gimmick?
As the sun dips low on the horizon, the bridge railing begins to sparkle a brilliant gold. Thousands of padlocks fixed to the chain rail illuminate, radiating their “love.” The Pont des Arts is a pedestrian bridge that crosses the Seine River in Paris and it is famous for these “love locks.” Given the sheer number of locks on the bridge, it would appear that all romantics who venture to Paris make the pilgrimage to this bridge to declare their undying love for each other. After scribbling their initials or names on the lock and fixing it in place, their love becomes a permanent fixture in one of the most…
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Art on the Go: Make a Map of Your Stay
Sometimes a visit to a new place can be a whirlwind. You arrive, you tour, and the next thing you know you’re packing up and heading home. Once back, you try to remember what you did and draw a blank! Well here’s a simple art on the go project to quickly pull out the highlights of your trip – sketch a map of your stay. The map of your stay could be of just one day, it could be of a full week or an entire month. It can be of all the restaurants you ate at, all the hotels you stayed in or all the monuments or sites you…
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Culture: Bouillabaisse in Marseille, France
You never forget your first bowl of true bouillabaisse. It’s a meal experience that will stay with you forever! It was a chilly Spring day in March when we ventured to Miramar Restaurant in the historic Vieux Port of Marseille, France. We had left our then infant daughter with a babysitter, and were going to enjoy an adult-only day out. My parents, who have tasted their share of fine dining throughout Southern France were eager to take us to try the “vrai bouillabaisse.” Excited for the experience, and time away from parenting, we jumped at the chance! We headed to the Vieux-Port (old port), to find the restaurant. This area…
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Type+Place: Las Vegas Neon A to Z
I’ve had an obsession with vintage neon signs for a very long time! During my undergrad, I scoured the Southwest on a road trip photographing dilapidated signs and marquees, stopping even at the most inconvenient time to get a good shot. Well, the obsession continues… With a recent trip to Las Vegas, and a visit to the Neon museum, my love for neon grew once again. This time it wasn’t just the neon that fascinated me, it was also looking more closely at the typography and styles. Once home, I knew what I had to do– an A to Z to honor the wonderful letters that are rusting in the…
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On Location: Neon Heaven at the Neon Museum in Las Vegas, Nevada
They flashed and illuminated the Las Vegas skyline for years. They told weary travelers to stop and get some rest. They pointed hungry patrons to grab a bite. They lured eager gamblers to spend their hard earned money. There’s nothing more mesmerizing than a bright neon sign to tantalize your eyes and possibly make you do things you didn’t plan to do. But, at one point, the hotel closes, the restaurant shuts down, or the decrepit casino implodes, making way for something more modern, something new. So where do these iconic signs go to die? Fortunately not all are left for scrap and destroyed. Many headed to a boneyard owned…
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Art on the Go: Sketching on a Foreign Newspaper
Whenever I travel, I love to buy a newspaper or two in the country I’m visiting. Although I’m not much of a linguist, I enjoy browsing through the articles, photos, ads and editorials to try to decipher what is being said. My other reason for picking up a local newspaper is for the paper itself. Foreign newsprint can make a great background to a travel sketch. It adds dimension and a hint of context to the location you are sketching. The process for sketching on newsprint is pretty much the same as sketching on paper. You can easily just tear out a part of the paper and start to sketch.…
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On Location: Iguazu Falls – Impressive Brasil vs. Intimate Argentina
It didn’t take long to sense the rivalry between Brasil and Argentina of which country is the best place to experience Iguazu Falls. It may not have helped to have a Brazilian guide for most of our visit because as you can imagine, he sure had an opinion on this matter. But, being able to explore both sides for myself, from gazing up at the roaring waterfall near the Devil’s Throat to peering over a 40′ drop off from a catwalk, it was pretty easy to decide which side was better. The Rio Iguazu runs between a very small portion of the border of southern Brazil and northern Argentina. Although…
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Pattern+Place: Colorful Kente Cloth from Ghana
Known for it’s bright, bold colors and geometric patterns, Kente cloth is one of the most recognizable textiles from Africa. Kente cloth weaving originated from the Ashanti Kingdom and Akan people of Southern Ghana. Historically it was worn by royalty and prestigious people for important occasions. With the advent of commercially woven cloths, it is now seen on everyday clothing and items which some feel has diluted the cultural importance of the art form. Traditional weaving of Kente cloth is done in very long 4″ strips. Then, the strips are then sewn together to make fabric. The pattern and color usage are are highly symbolic. For instance, black represents maturation…
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Travel Story: The Galápagos Islands – A Family Adventure of a Lifetime
Finding our Sea Legs and Discovering Something to Please Everyone from Ages 8-78 As we stepped aboard our home for the next 8 days, we were greeted with some severe rocking. Up, down, up, down, up down. I looked over at my seasick prone daughter and watched her turn sheet white. Her eyes looked up at me in panic as she turned to disembark. Our welcoming crew, oblivious to the drama unfolding, happily ushered us into the dining room. I took a seat with my daughter at the table nearest to the door. It was pretty clear within minutes that she would not sit there without losing her breakfast, so…
