Terra Cotta Warriors:  Guardians of China’s First Emperor is currently on exhibit at the Houston Museum of Natural Science, and represent one of the greatest archaeological finds of the 20th century.  Since it’s discovery, many have called this terra cotta army the Eighth Wonder of the Ancient World.
I’ve been interested in this exhibit for some time, and not that’ we’ll be starting non-stop service to Houston, it’s moving up to the top of my must-see list.
The exhibit features thousands of terra cotta warriors that were found buried in the tomb of China’s First Emperor, Shi Huangdi.  The warriors were entombed …read more

Paris is a city full of museums, and one of my favorites is the Musée d’Orsay.  While some may prefer the Louvre (and it is full of artistic treasures), my art preferences run toward the Impressionists found at the d’Orsay.  And, for the record, my other favorite Paris museum is the Musée Rodin.
Located in the 7th arrondissement (1 Legion of Honor), along the banks of the Seine, the museum is a former railway station.  It had a number of other “lives” before being turned into a museum that opened in 1986..  It’s soaring glass and iron roof make for …read more

Guadalajara is probably my favorite city in Mexico, with its unique combination of a cosmopolitan city and a historic center.  It is the capital city of Jalisco, and is the second largest city in the country (Mexico City is the largest).  It’s considered the equivalent of our Silicon Valley, with a strong electronics and high tech industries.
Contrast that very modern business core with one of the oldest and most beautiful structures in the city – the Guadalajara Cathedral, a minor basilica that is part of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Guadalajara.  Located in the downtown Centro Histórico (Avenue16 de …read more

Las Vegas may be better known for its vices of gambling and drinking, but the city also has another side – though you really have to hunt it out!
At the Bellagio Gallery of Fine Art you’ll find a new exhibit that combines major contemporary artists with a focus on the 1960-70’s:  “Classic Contemporary: Lichtenstein, Warhol & Friends.”
In a move toward showcasing more recent artists, the Bellagio offers this exhibit that features paintings and sculptures from iconic artists of the Pop Art generation.  In addition to the named artists, Andy Warhol and Roy Lichtenstein (“Mirror”), you’ll also see works from …read more

There are so many great places to see public art, that it’s sometimes easy to pass right by without paying any attention to it.  What a mistake!
I’ve always enjoyed the Mustangs at Las Colinas, a bronze sculpture of nine wild mustangs that are in the Williams Square in Irving, Texas.  Created by wildlife artist Robert Glen, the mustangs are the largest equestrian sculpture in the world, and commemorate the wild mustangs that inhabited Texas.

The mustangs are portrayed bigger than life, roughly one and a half times their true size, and are shown crossing a stream of water.  Fountains on the …read more

This summer,  Taos, New Mexico, celebrates the 40th anniversary of the movie Easy Rider, with its Summer of Love Celebration.
For those of you too young to remember Easy Rider, it is one of the iconic movies of the 60’s. 
It debuted at the Cannes Film Festival in May 1969, and was both a counterculture classic and a warning against the communal lifestyle and use of drugs popular in the era.  It starred Peter Fonda, Dennis Hopper and Jack Nicholson, was produced by Fonda and directed by Hopper, and featured music from Steppenwolf, Jimi Hedrix, the Band, and the Byrds.
Dennis …read more

One of my favorite places in Paris was the Pantheon, a neo-Classical church in the Latin Quarter.  It was modeled after the Pantheon in Rome, and topped with a dome similar to Saint Paul’s Cathedral in London.  Although it was originally an abbey, it now primarily serves as a burial place for many famous French heroes, leaders, artists, and writers.
This beautiful building was constructed as a result of a promise made by King Louis XV in 1744.  He was suffering from a serious and mysterious illness (later believed to be gout), and vowed that if he recovered he would …read more

Japanese artist Itchiku Kubota’s colorful exhibit of painted kimonos is on the last leg of its US tour, opening today in Canton, Ohio. 
Each of these beautiful over-sized kimonos took nearly a year to create, and the 40 in the exhibit make up a life’s work.  Kubota died in 2003, and his family now carries on the kimono artistry.
Kimono: The 20th Century Masterworks of Itchiku Kubota is on display at the Canton Museum of Art (located in the Cultural Center for the Arts, 1001 Market Avenue North), and will run February 8th – April 26th.  This is the last …read more

One of my favorite museums in Paris was the Musee Rodin in the First Arrondissement.
Surrounded by beautiful gardens, this collection of sculptures and other artwork was wonderful.
I took the photo of these hands, and don’t even recall what the sculpture was called.  For some reason, I found them compelling.
Join a group of other travel bloggers who are sharing photos today as part of Photo Friday.  I loved the travel photos, and think you will, too!
 
Photo credit:  personal collection

Permanently docked in Long Beach, California, the Queen Mary represents an bygone era of elegance and style.  A time when it took an ocean liner to cross the ocean.
The Queen Mary served as both an elegant ocean liner and a WWII troopship, but for the last 40 years has been a California attraction, hotel, meeting center, and restaurant (actually three restaurants).  Although suffering from a little ship-worn look the past few years, the once elegant liner is being restored to its former glory with a major capital refurbishing campaign.
The ship is home to a 314 room Art Deco Hotel, …read more