Discovering Contemporary Art in a City of Masterpieces Taking the scenic route from the Ponte Vecchio back to the Soggiorno Battistero in Florence, the Brawny Sherpa and I become a little lost. Wandering a bit aimlessly, we try to work off cappuccinos and gelato and our overwhelm from the art in the city generally and…
Tag: travel
Postmarked Hyannis
Post Office Tourism in the Land of Kennedy Remember the days when post offices had unique designs? When they weren’t generically and homogeneously crafted buildings designed, if only aspirationally, for some sort of efficiency? Remember when going to the post office and buying a stamp and sending a letter was fun? When the entire event…
If You’re Going to Italy, Bring Delia Ephron
Even if Siracusa Is Not Your Destination, Ephron’s Book Will Delight You I’ve been sucking up just about everything the Ephron sisters put out since I discovered Nora Ephron’s Crazy Salad Plus Nine many, many years ago. It’s no surprise, then, that I pick up Delia Ephron’s latest book, Siracusa, and read it in less…
Should You Just Stay Home?
What to Do When Feeling Threatened by World Events On days when the news seems to be reporting that the world is crumbling, that our own personal peacefulness could possibly be at risk, when certain acts of violence, random or planned, shock more than others, staying in place may look more comforting. I’ll just sit…
Born on the Fourth of July . . . Nathaniel Hawthorne
Nathaniel Hawthorne, author of The Scarlet Letter and The House of the Seven Gables, was born on July 4, 1804, in Salem, Mass. —Lori Tripoli Planning a trip to Salem, Mass.? You might like these posts: Bonus History in Witch City Salem, Where Were You during the Revolution? Don’t Miss in Salem, Mass.: One Over-the-Top Bookstore…
Should You Take the Kids to Murano?
Do youthful adventurers and glass really mix? Will you and your family have fun in Murano, Italy?
ISO Artists before They Were Known
A Visit to the Warhol Exhibit at the Morgan Library Who knew pop artist Andy Warhol used to have to make a living designing book covers? Or that he self-published some books? Seeing an artist’s early works, before he was known, and his practice scribbles trying out different variations of his name, and learning that…
Gawking at Ford’s Theatre
That Creepiness at the Crossroads of Tourism and Assassination Despite living in the District of Columbia for more than a decade, I always dodged visits to Ford’s Theatre, the site of Abraham Lincoln’s assassination by actor John Wilkes Booth. “Too many fourth-graders on a field trip,” I’d mutter, dismissing the long lines snaking outside the…
Peaceful Places to Visit: St. Patrick’s Cathedral
You Don’t Have to Be Catholic to Go In At a moment when the universe seems especially volatile, what with climate fluctuations, terrorist strikes, and police v. civilian discord, even adventuresome travelers can be tempted to stay indoors for a season or two. Certainly, sitting by the fireplace and reading a book has its appeal,…
Grand Central Eagle
Toodling around Manhattan’s 42nd Street before a meeting in midtown, I cross to the Pershing Square Café side of the street and head toward Bryant Park. I don’t know what makes me look toward the taxi stand at Grand Central Station, but when I do, I notice an eagle sculpture that I have never noticed…