Monday May 21, 2012
Tomorrow, May 22, the Art Institute of Chicago will open the doors on a new exhibition devoted to the works of Roy Lichtenstein. Featuring 130 paintings, drawings, and sculptures, "Roy Lichtenstein: A Retrospective" is the first major exhibit centered on the American Pop artist's distinctive works since his death in 1997.
The Art Institute of Chicago has an excellent website and blog where you can learn more about the works on display during this blockbuster exhibition. "Roy Lichtenstein: A Retrospective" will be in Chicago through September 3 and will move on to the National Gallery of Art in Washington, DC, from October 14, 2012-January 13, 2013.
Related articles:
Friday May 18, 2012
In its 35th year, International Museum Day, the brainchild of the International Council of Museums, encourages young and old to get out and explore a museum. There are thousands of museums in the United States and I've profiled or listed quite a few on this site.
Browse the list below for links to and profiles on some of the best museums in the United States (note: this list is hardly exhaustive - this is a huge subject to cover!). You can also get ideas from my U.S. Museums Twitter list, which follows more than 300 museums across the USA.
Thursday May 17, 2012
I like to highlight relevant travel apps for USA travelers on this blog every week or so. This week, I take a look at two apps that help air travelers during the most trying part of flying - getting through the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) screening area.
The FlyRights app has been getting a ton of press since its release a few weeks ago. Created by the Sikh Coalition, whose constituents have complained about racial profiling while traveling, the FlyRights app allows any air traveler to file a complaint in real-time if he feels he has been subject to unfair profiling or additional screening by the TSA. In fact, according to ABC News, the first complaint filed with the app was by a non-Sikh woman who felt the TSA unfairly singled her out for traveling with breast milk.
Meanwhile, just figuring out all of the regulations regarding screening, allowable carry-on items, etc., are confusing and ever-changing (or, at least, it feels that way). The My TSA app is a practical app that involves real-time, crowd-sourced updates on security checkpoint wait times and provides a search function to help passengers figure out what they can and can't bring through the security checkpoint.
Check out the article My TSA and FlyRights Smartphone Apps, where I've discussed both of these apps in detail.
Do you think these are apps you may use? Leave a comment or get in touch with me on Twitter.
Tuesday May 8, 2012
Are you likely to travel to a city for the sole purpose of dining in a critically-acclaimed restaurant? Have a look at the James Beard Award Winners and the USA's Michelin Restaurants, which are, for all intents and purposes the best restaurants in the United States for 2012.
Last night, the final round of the James Beard Foundation Awards (JBFAs), which honor excellence in American dining, took place in New York City. While the food world was already hip to the winners of the 2012 James Beard Awards, the rest of the world now has a new roster of restaurants to put on their must-visit list. Included on the list are Chicago's Next, which won for Best New Restaurant, and San Francisco's Boulevard (pictured above), which won for Outstanding Restaurant, a distinction given only to restaurants that have displayed consistent service and excellent quality for 10 years or more.
In November 2011, I provided you with the most recent list of the Michelin-starred restaurants in the USA. Restaurants with Michelin stars are considered to be the very best restaurants in the world. Presently, Michelin gives star ratings to restaurants in three areas of the United States: New York City, Chicago, and the San Francisco/Bay Area. However, as the dining scene improves across the nation, perhaps Michelin will expand its USA focus to Seattle, Austin, Boston, New Orleans, or Washington, DC.
