Artful Traveler

By Monique Burns Strolling along the Huangpu River, through the venerable district known as the Bund, is one of the great pleasures of visiting Shanghai, China’s dazzling coastal metropolis.  Not only do the Bund’s ornate 19th and early 20th-century buildings form a stunning visual tableau, but they offer fascinating insights

Reviewed by Marc Kristal Photography has become so commonplace, ubiquitous, and off-hand that it can be hard to absorb the fact that once, once upon a time, it was new. Salt & Silver: Early Photography, 1840-1860 is a reminder of that transformative moment. The exhibition, at the Yale Center for

By Monique Burns In Shanghai, China’s futuristic metropolis midway between  Hong Kong and Beijing, stroll the Huangpu River promenade and marvel at supertall skyscrapers like the Oriental Pearl Tower, the Shanghai World Financial Center, and the Shanghai Tower, the world’s second-highest. Then turn your gaze toward the west bank and

  by Kim D. McHugh   My eyes are about eight inches from the edge of a rug with a colorful, Southwestern pattern. I’m specifically looking at six or eight tight rows of yarn, an indicator that it an excellent reproduction of a Navajo rug, but not truly Navajo. My tutorial is compliments

By Bill Triplett Quick, what do the Rolling Stones, Foo Fighters, Keith Urban, Lady Gaga, Billy Joel, Bryan Adams, Stevie Wonder, Bruno Mars, Bon Jovi, the Black Keys, Metallica, Iron Maiden, Sting, Charles Aznavour, Elton John and a ton of other musical heavyweights have in common? At one point or

By Everett Potter I first came across the work of landscape photographer Charlie Waite some 30 years ago when he published a book called The National Trust Book of Long Walks with the now legendary writer Adam Nicolson. It was a terrific piece of work and still retains pride of place on

Story and photos by Kim D. McHugh I am leaning over a long, glass topped display case admiring four similar Native American bracelets. To my untrained eyes they look virtually identical, each appearing to be made using silver and turquoise. But to my surprise, I’m told by the proprietor of

By Bobbie Leigh You don’t need to travel 5,000 miles to experience  tropical Hawaii. All it takes is a snap 20 minute ride on Metro North from Grand Central Station to the New York Botanical Garden (NYBG).  Georgia O’Keeffe: Visions of Hawai‘i  is the Garden’s enthralling new  exhibition of the flora

Story & photos by Julia Maris/Semel At the foot of the Alps nestled between France and Switzerland, Piemonte’s beautiful landscapes and history are no longer guarded secrets. The northwest province of Italy incorporates the perfect triangle from Turin to Biella and Alba. The easily-driven route offers remarkable wine, centuries-old traditions

By Bobbie Leigh Unknown Tibet, The Tucci Expeditions and Buddhist Painting, a remarkable exhibition at the Asia Society Museum tells a virtually unknown story about the “father of Tibetan studies.” Giuseppe Tucci, brilliant scholar and linguist, is one of the least known and the most learned explorers of Himalayan culture