The Chartres Cathedral, France

After wandering through the narrow streets of Chartres, France in our rented Smart Car and taking pictures of the quaint houses that seemed to be out of a fairy tale, the Chartres Cathedral gradually exposed itself through the trees as we wound closer. I was enjoying sight seeing with my head and camera out the window but I really came to Chartres to see the Chartres Cathedral.

The Ambience of Chartres France

...Driving through the quaint French town of Chartres and trying to find the Cathedral was part of the fun. Though its tall steeples can be seen from most points in town, the winding roads lead us up and down the narrow streets in a round-about way before making it to the entrance of the door....more

American Portraits Book Giveaway

To win a beautiful, brand new copy of American Portraits:

Go to my blog, MuseumChick.com

In the comments section, answer the question, “What country/countries are your ancestors from?” I am many generations American and blended with Native American ancestry and ancestors from Ireland and Puerto Rico.

I’ll pick one winner, at random and announce them on New Year’s Day. Good luck! But if you don’t win, don’t fret, you can always get the book here.

If you have a Twitter account, would you please re-tweet this post to give others a chance to enter. Thanks!

I Love This Site for Smart Holiday Gifts

Every holiday I find the most unique and fun gifts. While purchasing a few educational finger puppets online I stumbled upon a fantastic website for unique holiday gifts for all those smart and interesting people in my life. I can’t believe I didn’t know about this website sooner and I had to share it with you.

The website is dun dun dun…

Shakespeare’s Den and their motto is, “Smart gifts for intelligent people”. I love that!

I already found my family gifts from here.

in Machu Picchu

This man still gives me nightmares.

Two years ago I was hiking in the Andes for the holidays. On the train to Machu Picchu, this festive sock headed man was on the train from Cusco to Agua Calientes. In New York City if a man is on a train wearing a sock mask you should run but here, in Peru, this man was entertainment. Walking up and down the train wearing some traditional Peruvian clothing, he randomly scared some and bewildered most passengers. more...

Beacon, New York Yard Art

On my hunt for unique furniture and while discovering street art in Beacon I came across something I never saw before...

...yard art.

Street Art in Beacon New York

Beacon is an awesome day trip for those New Yorkers looking to escape the city crunch and concrete. Main St. in Beacon is home to many coffee shops, antique furniture stores and my favorite place to eat there, the organic restaurant/cafe, Homespun Foods.

and Sculptures in Giverny France

There was enough sand in the artist's backyard to think there must have been a beach around. A little red sign reading "Sculptures de Sable" lead to a small yard where the artist proudly showed off his massive sand creations.

Monet Gardens in Giverny France

On the way back to Paris from our loop around the west of France, our last stop was in Giverny. Since it is only about an hour away from Paris, we had plenty of time to explore the home, studio and gardens of one of the most famous artists in the world.

Gone With The Rain in NYC

I can’t believe it, I stepped right on the artist’s work! I’ve heard about Hani Shihada, New York’s only remaining sidewalk artist, but never walked over one of his works until now! Walking out of Central Park on 76th Street, I spotted a Shihada just laying on the street.

Art and a Croissant in NYC's Central Park

The autumn day in Central Park was too nice to just see the Balto statue and Darcy insisted that I take him to stomp around in the fallen leaves on his new leash so, who can say no to that cute puppy face?

So we explored NYC Central Park in the colorful autumn...

Darcy Has a Crush- Balto in Central Park NYC

I caught the last nice weekend in NYC before the cold wind reminding that winter is near started to pick up. Darcy has been begging to see the Balto statue and now that he is walking on a leash I wanted to take him to the only nature NYC knows, Central Park. I hiked him through the paths and fallen leaves crossing over to the east side of the park where the Alaskan Malamute sled dog has been immortalized in bronze.

Cycladic Art and the Greek Islands

By the end of the three weeks I spent finding love in Israel and trekking in Delphi over the summer, I was in need of a vacation from my vacation. That may sound ridiculous but let me explain- since most of my itinerary involved trekking in 100+ degree heat and I tend to do more traveling then actual vacationing by the end of two weeks I was in need of a vacation. So knowing this about myself, I scheduled the last part of our trip to be relaxing in the Greek Islands- first Santorini then taking the ferry to Mykonos.

Valdes in the City

One sunny afternoon I was taking my cousin to experience the best burger in NYC and right across from PJ Clark’s, shining in the sun, was this Manolo Valdes sculpture. I recognized it right away after my roadtrip through the Loire Valley and to the Château de Chambord in France.

Puppies Can Appreciate Art at Lincoln Center

One place with great energy is Lincoln Center. Living very close to it, I walk by a few times a week. One night I thought it would be more fun to walk through the Josie Robertson Plaza and gaze into the large windows of Avery Fisher Hall instead of walking around. I was in awe of how magical the building's aura was at night. It made me want to find out more about the architecture of Lincoln Center and the art inside...

Could You Wait 1000 Years...

...what I discovered there is this sleek, stainless steel sculpture. No, it's not a spaceship, it's a time capsule- the New York Times Capsule. It was designed by...

Meeting a Charioteer at the Delphi Archaeological Museum

The Delphi Archaeological Museum is right next to the Delphi ruins and...it has air conditioning. I hung out here extra long because it was the afternoon, super hot and the ruins offered no shade. So, although I was excited to explore the ruins, I was in no rush to leave the museum too soon. Not to mention that it is clean, modern and informative about the ancient artifacts from the area of Delphi that archeologists have uncovered and used to learn about what happened on this land over 2000 years ago.

My Oracle Prediction- You Will Love Delphi Greece

To beat the congestion from the steamy city heat in Athens, Mr. MuseumChick and I decided to take the bus up to the holiest site in ancient Greece- Delphi. I was looking to explore a little bit of the Greek countryside and to have my future predicted by the Delphic Oracle in the Temple of Zeus and Mr. M was looking for tasty, authentic moussaka.

The New Acropolis Museum in Athens

So here's the scoop on the brand spanking new Acropolis Museum in Athens, Greece; it's well designed, kept beautifully clean, and makes the relatively small collection of ancient Greek artifacts that the Greeks possess (given that most of the best ancient Greek artifacts have been scattered around the world at this point) look bigger and more extensive than it actually is but there are no pictures allowed in the museum (a rule I hate). So, I'll show you as much as I could get on my recent visit this August, while still respecting the museum's policies.

Visit the New Acropolis Museum with me!

Street Art in the Palestinian Territory

I snapped frenetically without much hesitation on a quick day trip to Bethlehem in the Palestinian Territories. Knowing I likely would not be back and one day was just too short to get a sense of the cultural art, I caught what I could of the lively street art to share with you. Being on a bus most of the day did not give me many opportunities to get the pictures I would have liked but I was able to experience and get closer to the colorful and mostly political street art that lined the walls of the border crossing.

The Manolo Valdés Exhibit : Château de Chambord, France

Like Deredia in Rome, people usually either love or hate this kind of exhibit where modern art meets an old settings. Personally, I love it. I thought the Manolo Valdés exhibit at the Château de Chambord in France was dynamic because of the setting in this historical Loire Valley Château.

My visit to the Manolo Valdés exhibit at the Château de Chambord

Kids’ Book Review: The Very Funny “Miss Lisa”

As a short departure from my usual stories, I will be putting up reviews of kids’ books that I think are entertaining for adults and kids as well as educational. If you’re not interested or don’t have kids, don’t worry, I will be back to my typical posts next time. But for those with your own kids or have kids in your family, I think you will find these books very entertaining.

FYI-I didn’t receive any compensation for this book review. I personally stumbled upon this book and think that it is something parents as well as kids will find entertaining as well as being educational.

The book is called Miss Lisa and it’s from the Musée du Louvre publishing. The French edition is called Mademoiselle Lisa. The text and illustrations are by Delphine Perret and for kids approximately 3-35 years old.

It’s so clever and hilarious, your kids will love it and so will you!

Bastille Day Celebration in Paris 2010

Bastille Day in Paris kicked off with a parade down the Champs Élysées...

As it got closer to 11pm, massive crowds (even larger than I saw on New Year's Eve) started to form around the Eiffel Tower and on the bridges for a clear view of the Trocadéro, where the fireworks would be displayed. The video I shot of the fireworks finale doesn't do the show justice. The whole show was about 30 minutes long with theatrical displays of music, lights and a tremendous amount of fireworks. It was the best fireworks display I've ever seen.

My first Bastille Day celebration in Paris

Road Trip Loire Valley France!- Château de Chambord

Planning for my spring road trip through France's Loire Valley began with the Château de Chambord. The famous Château de Chambord was the reason I got in a Smart Car and took off through the sprawling fields of poppies and pastures, along the way waving at the superb butter producing cows. Mr. MuseumChick was in it for the wine.

See the Château de Chambord with me!

Charles de Gaulle at the Hôtel de Ville in Paris

The other day I was in Paris, venturing to the Musée de Louvre's late night opening. Walking from the artsy Marais district to the Louvre I passed the Hôtel de Ville. The regal Hôtel de Ville usually has people gathered around in front enjoying the weather and this time I spotted a picture of Charles de Gaulle done in a collage of small portraits to make the one big portrait of de Gaulle.

Showing Patriotism on the 4th of July with French Wine and Cheese (and a US Capitol Building Post)

When everybody at home is gorging themselves on BBQ hamburgers and hotdogs while waiting for fireworks, I'll be celebrating the United States Independence Day from Paris with wine and cheese (because hotdogs are hard to find).

Thinking of home during the Fourth of July prompted me to recall my visit last February to Washington DC and the Capitol Building with my aunt and cousin. My history buff cousin organized getting us a tour of the Capitol Building (my first time there) and later that day we museum hopped at the largest museum complex in the world, the Smithsonian.

My visit the US Capitol Building...

Bordier's Maison du Beurre in St. Malo France

Posting about butter and cheese may be a stretch for a MuseumChick blog post but the topic is about culture (pun intended). Besides, it's my blog and I'll derail if I want to! But, I'm not posting about my awesome French butter experience just because I want to. I also know you would like to hear about where the best butter in the world is found and how it is made (who doesn't like to talk about great food?). I don't have to test all the butter in the world to know that Jean Yves Bordier is the master of butter making and I found a whole Maison du Beurre of his amazing lactose products in St Malo, France.

Hiking the Trail to the Castle Neuschwanstein :Bavaria, Germany

One of the most beautiful places in the world, that I have ever been, was an easy day trip from Munich, Germany. Through the Bavarian Alps, the Castle Neuschwanstein towers on a mountain above the quintessential Alps towns of Hohenschwangau and nearby Füssen. It was an easy journey from Munich.

My hike to the Castle, Neuschwanstein…

Krakow Poland's PhotoMonth Event

This was my first time visiting Poland. It was an impromptu decision. I was going to Germany and Poland happens to be their neighbor. I love pirogies, wanted to visit Auschwitz and wanted to learn more about Poland than pirogies and Auschwitz. I arrived just in time for the final week of Krakow's PhotoMonth Event. Being one of Poland's oldest cities and a UNESCO world heritage site, Krakow is a dynamic setting to display contemporary artists photographs at various locations around the city. PhotoMonth is more than a month of photo exhibits; it's accompanied by workshops, outdoor events, concerts.

I decided to check out the exhibit at the Bunkier Sztuki Contemporary Art Gallery. I followed the bright red banner, announcing PhotoMonth, up to the art galleries crowded cafe to the entrance of the Bunkier Sztuki.

For my visit to Krakow’s Contemporary Art Gallery during PhotoMonth…

The Neues Museum in Berlin

I know what you are thinking…how could she be exploring the Neues Museum when the Currywurst Museum is right down the road! As intriguing as the invention of hotdogs slathered in spicy sauce is, I skipped the Currywurst Museum and went to Museum Island, stranded in the middle of the River Spree in Berlin, to visit one of their four great museums, the Neues Museum, famous for its Ancient Egyptian artifacts and the Nefertiti Bust.

Visit the Neues Museum in Berlin with me…

Random Richard Serra in Berlin

Here on the southern end of Tiergarten Park in Berlin, Germany, right in front of the Berlin Philharmonic (that yellow, musical looking building in the background) is what I found…

The Deutsche Guggenheim Berlin Smells

Were you expecting an outrageous building? I was. This could probably be mistaken for a Deutsche Bank if you don’t look closely for the banners marking it the Deutsche Guggenheim.

I didn’t get an outrageous building to show you but I did get a fantastic exhibit from NYC based artist, Wangechi Mutu, Deutsche Guggenheim’s newly crowned Artist of the Year 2010. Her solo exhibit, My Dirty Little Heaven re-creates a ghetto, similar to one in Mutu’s native Kenya.

Check out my visit the Deutsche Guggenheim to see Mutu exhibit on my recent trip to Germany.

A Fancy Fat Feline in NYC (A Hidden Modern Sculpture)

While I was in NYC I was too busy to stop at the usual suspects (ie- the Met, Guggenheim and MoMA) to catch the latest exhibits. But something I really wanted to show you- it's a little-known sculpture on the the upper east side by a very famous modern artist...

Hidden between these trees at 900 Park Avenue and 79th Street, gleaming in the sun, is...

The "Last Stop" for WW II soldiers- Piermont, New York

On a day trip to Piermont, New York I found this statue dedicated to the men who fought and died in WW II. The statue is called “Last Stop USA” and is appropriately placed in the last spot US soldiers would step foot on in the USA before embarking to Europe- off of the Piermont pier. 40,000 US troops per month passed through to board ships headed for the shores of Europe, many of whom never came home.

My blog post on the Last Stop USA WW II memorial statue

Top 10 Things to do in Nyack, New York (the best day trip from NYC)

There are so many other fun things to do in beautiful and historic Nyack, New York that you should know about. I should know...I lived here for a few years. So I compiled my top 10 list of fun things to do (because I know you love Top 10s! lists)


My Top 10 Fun Things to do in Nyack New York

An Edward Hopper Fan’s Pilgrimage to Nyack, New York

To cure any homesickness that might have occurred, I have managed to return to the US twice already this year. In between all the social events I made it to my old stomping grounds of Nyack, New York.

If you haven’t heard about Nyack, then you are missing a very quaint and historic town that is a short trip from New York City, about 25 miles north of Manhattan. You can explore this town’s great restaurants, bustling streets, scenic views and trails along the Hudson River, an abundance of parks for lazy picnics and my one of my favorite small art galleries and historic homes, The Edward Hopper House Art Center.

Visit my blog post about the Edward Hopper House Art Center in Nyack

Musée Rodin at Night in Paris

The Musée Rodin is housed in the former Hôtel Biron, built in 1730 by architect Jean Aubert, and displays works of sculptor, Auguste Rodin. Personally, I'd rather spend my time roaming around the garden than the actual museum. The vast garden is a calm oasis in the center of Paris and displays Rodin's bronze works. Since the garden is not usually open at night, temporary fixtures illuminated his famous pieces creating a magical presence in the otherwise dark garden.

During the Night of Museums Event in Paris I visited the Musée Rodin to view Auguste Rodin famous bronze works.

5 Tips for Visiting Museums with Kids

I think most museums are appropriate and stimulating for children (depending on the child’s interests and attention span) regardless of whether it is labeled a “children’s museum”. Some museums I’ve visited are especially kid friendly (I use my husband as a tester).

Since getting children to museums in order to enhance their art and culture education is so important, I have put together 5 tips to help make it a little easier for you to get your children involved with museums…

The Perfect Date Place in Paris

The "Sewers of Paris Museum" sounds much nicer when you say it in French..."Musée Des Egouts de Paris", but that can't detract from the fact that this museum is in the actual sewer!

I decided to visit this weird museum after reading about it in an article "the world's weirdest museums" and realizing it's just a five minute walk from my apartment. Haven't you ever wanted to pay to go into a sewer (sarcasm insert)?!

Well, if you don't want to pay to go into a sewer then you can visit the Musée Des Egouts in Paris for free on my blog!

Experiencing World Travel with Lonely Planet Bloggers

You might have noticed the “Lonely Planet Featured Blogger” badge on my MuseumChick blog and wondered, “what does she do with Lonely Planet?”

Well, I'll tell you! When I collaborated with Lonely Planet it meant that posts from my blog would be fed to the Lonely Planet website for their readers. This meant more exposure for my blog, that fancy badge on my site and the (surprise) best part--connecting with other Lonely Planet Bloggers, experiencing world travel through their blogs and exchanging ideas for new collaboration projects.

So, if your passport is getting dusty or you're an experienced traveler, you will enjoy meeting my new friends, the other Lonely Planet Bloggers, who share their world travel experiences.

A*RT!? Happens…Paris: You’re Late? Blame Dali

Rounding the corner off of Boulevard St Germain onto Rue Saint Jacques in Paris is this unassuming, very cool and bizarre piece from surrealist master Salvador Dali.

The story behind this sundial is…

Surrounded by Quicksand and History at Mont St. Michel: Normandy- Part Deux

I headed to the Musée Historique located right outside the exit of the Mont Saint Michel abbey. Small alleys and stone walkways lead around to the Musée Historique. The museum was small, and in my opinion, overpriced at €9 per person, but I was only here for one day and didn’t want to miss the dungeons and old treasures housed there.

Visit my blog for my story about this dark and interesting museum at Mont Saint Michel!

Surrounded by Quicksand and History at Mont St. Michel: Normandy, France

When I decided to move to Paris my biggest fear was that I expected to get very homesick. But, after living here for the past eight months one of my biggest surprises has been that I haven’t! That’s not because I don’t love my family and friends or think that the USA is a great place to live- it’s because that since moving to Paris there hasn’t been much time that passes that someone doesn’t come here to visit!

Just last week I spent nine days touring my aunt and cousin around Paris and then we took a side trip to Normandy to visit a very impressive UNESCO World Heritage Site site, Mont Saint Michel.

To read my story about my visit to Mont Saint Michel please visit my blog www.MuseumChick.com.

A*RT!? Happens…in Paris

Living in Paris has taught me that I don’t have to go to the museums to find art- Paris has taught me to find art in everyday things. This has inspired me to start a series of posts at my blog, MuseumChick, called A*RT!? (Art) Happens, about random art spotting in unconventional places.

Here are some of the unconventional places where I find art in Paris…

Braving Storms for the Dead Sea Scrolls in Jordan

It was perfect timing for a storm…when I was on top of the highest point in the city of Amman, Jordan…the Citadel mountain. Wind and heavy rain was spraying from everywhere so the umbrella couldn’t help. Oops! Then there went the umbrella...but it didn’t matter because I was already soaked. I made a run for it. Straight to the Jordan Archaeological Museum’s steep staircase, running past the Roman ruins of the Citadel. I would have to see them later. I know, this may seem a little dramatic but I was on a mission to see the Dead Sea Scrolls.

My story of the Jordan Archaeological Museum at my blog!

I'm Not Always So Serious: Comic Strip, Brussels

Everywhere you turn in Brussels you can see the proud comic strip heritage. Around the city there are comic scenes scaling the side of 6 story buildings, Tin Tin overload in the stores and an entire museum dedicated to comic strips- The Belgian Comic Strip Center/Museum. This museum is perfect for children (and nerdy husbands, like mine). Also, the Comic Strip Center is located in the The Waucquez Warehouses, designed by Belgian Art Nouveau architect, Victor Horta.

To follow my visit to the Comic Strip Museum in Brussels...

Too Much Belgian Beer? Go to the Memling Hospital Museum in Bruges

Planning an escape from Paris to Belgium started with a visit to Brussels, meeting artists and visiting the brand new Magritte Museum. Then Mr. MuseumChick and I couldn't decide if we should we do a day trip to Bruges or Antwerp?

The photogenic city of Bruges won and we planned our search for the best beer, the ultimate chocolate and the most fragrant sugar waffles we could find. And in between taste-testing all the sweets I made a visit to the most curious museum...a medieval hospital turned museum.

The Memling Sint-Janshospitaal Museum (St. John's Hospital) is the odd combination of a museum, a 13th century hospital and Baroque church. It is the oldest preserved hospital building in all of Europe and the museum inside gives the visitor a look at this medieval hospital ward in the time it functioned.


Visit this bizarre museum with me at www.MuseumChick.com

No Paint Allowed: Paris

Salon du Dessin Contemporain- That’s the fancy french way of saying The Contemporary Drawing Fair. That is where I was this weekend...

It was raining off and on, as usual in Paris, and I really hate getting dressed up to go out in the rain but I did have a free pass to visit the The Contemporary Drawing Fair at the Carrousel du Louvre, and I hate not taking advantage of free things…

My visit to the Salon du Dessin Contemporain...

Artifacts of the Cairo Egyptian Museum

On my recent trip to Egypt to visit the ancient tombs and temples, my highlight was my visit to the Cairo Museum. Two sprawling floors house the mummified bodies of the famous pharaohs, treasures from King Tutankhamun's tomb and artifacts of ancient Egypt. It would take more than one trip to see all that the Cairo Museum offers.

My recent visit to and pictures of the Cairo Museum.