German Expressionism Exhibit at VMFA
| Treats for the Mind - Museums & Exhibitions |
Bold, brilliant, but flat color outlined in black and distorted human forms became the trademark of the German Expressionists. It was a rebellious reaction, a statement against their predecessors, the French Impressionists, who could only think about color through the prism of light. And they were also telling the Cubists to make room. The Expressionists were coming through with an important new art movement, designed to express often violent emotion and personal inner vision.
A major focus on German Expressionism began in the United States about ten years ago when Ronald S. Lauder and Serge Sabarsky founded the Neue Galerie in a historic Fifth Avenue mansion on New York’s Museum Mile. Now, rivaling the breadth of the Neue Galerie collection, the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts has acquired nearly 250 paintings and sculptures, including works on paper, as well as books and print portfolios. Several of the masterpieces from The Ludwig and Rosy Fischer Collection of German Expressionism were unveiled on May 1, 2010 when Richmond’s VMFA re-opened its doors, revealing its stunning renovation and expansion. The entire collection will eventually get its own permanent space.
VMFA Director Alex Nyerges commented that the collection is “so rare that it is almost indescribable. The collection is of not just national but international importance.” International loan exhibitions are a distinct possibility.
New Berlin Hotel
Berlin, July 13 , 2010 – Oversized beds, a buzzing location and a 24-hour mindset combine spectacularly at The Weinmeister Berlin-Mitte, Design Hotels™ member hotel, which opened on July 6, 2010. Situated in the city’s central district, Mitte, this 88-room hotel is from the owners of Lux 11, Tom Tänzer and Elmo Hagendorf. Aimed at business travellers from the music, fashion and creative scene, as well as leisure travellers, the hotel focuses on what is truly important in life: rest, comfort and simplicity. Tänzer and Hagendorf have created a property which is more than a hotel, it’s a whole concept. With a luxury punk aesthetic, round-the-clock services and spacious rooms, guests are certain to feel part of the true Berlin – a creative, large, and thrilling city which never sleeps. “We wanted to create a hotel which reflects the city of Berlin” says Tänzer. “The Weinmeister Berlin-Mitte will mirror the excitement of Mitte’s street life, from the 24-hour clubs to the large gallery spaces. We wanted to capture the essence of modern cool and what it means to enjoy the good life – the hotel will exude style and elegance portrayed with both restraint and opulence.”
Beaches For Baby
Top Baby Beach Getaways(New York, NY July, 2010) FamilyTravelForum.com, family vacation planning resource, surveyed parents and travel experts in June 2010 to uncover this year's Top Baby Beach Getaways for 2010. The 12 baby beach getaways, all in the United States, were chosen for that first family beach vacation when young children need a gentle introduction to the pleasures of sun, sand and waves. "While parents want to share the joys of a family beach vacation with their toddlers, just any beach won't do," notes Fran Falkin, Editor of The Tiny Travelers Network. "Tiny travelers need clean and quiet beaches with soft sand and warm, gentle waters where they can delight in splashing, digging, and chasing seabirds." The recommendations for family beach getaways included several off-the-beaten-path beaches that parents remembered fondly from their own childhoods. Family Travel Forum staff reviewed more than 50 contenders, examining their cleanliness, safety, sand quality, water depth, water temperature, and facilities, before selecting the dozen that met all criteria. During the survey period, all chosen beaches remained unaffected by the BP oil spill that has polluted some of the Gulf of Mexico coastline this summer.
The Top Baby Beach Getaways for 2010 survey recommends the following family beaches, listed by state, with information about family beach getaway facilities at each vacation destination. CaliforniaDana Point Baby Beach Mission Bay Park, San Diego DelawareBethany Beach FloridaClearwater Beach HawaiiPoipu Beach, Kauai Baby Beach, Maui MassachusettsFirst Encounter Beach, Eastham MichiganSleeping Bear Dunes, Empire New YorkFlying Point Beach, Southhampton South CarolinaHuntington Beach State Park, Murrells Inlet TexasMcGee and Corpus Christi Beaches WisconsinWhitefish Dunes State Park - To ensure a perfect first encounter, FamilyTravelForum.com also includes tips for beach baby fun and sun protection in the Top Baby Beach Getaways for 2010.
Lee Gosselin of Youth ReMap Challenge
My preferred method of travel is the open road by either car or motorcycle. Most often I find that road trips make the best vacations. There’s just something about driving that I love and it provides me the transition period to shift my mindset from busy work mode. Speaking of shifting, I am also a “planner”, to put it nicely, so I really have to be mindful not to over organize my vacations. These days I just make a small list of things I want to do and see, then just go with the flow. As for how I travel, I’m all over the spectrum from the beach to the mountains; roughing it to luxury suites; low budget to the occasional splurge; big city exploring to charming small towns. Even still, I try to do a little bit of everything on every trip. I need my vacations to really feed my soul, use all my senses and reenergize. And that means everything from high impact adventure to finding beautiful quiet places to reflect and write. I tend to be a solo traveler, and usually my trips focus around my hobbies, volunteer work, festivals and/or interesting themes. I really enjoy the outdoor and often involve camping, hiking, breath taking scenery, photography, and adventure activities. I’m also a foodie, so good food is a must! However, it’s my upcoming cross country adventure this August that I am most excited about sharing with you. At the Tail of the Dragon
Unexpected Twists and Turns |
I’ve spent most of my life on the go and how I travel is no different. I particularly have a deep rooted spirit for adventure. However, owning a busy Richmond business typically keeps my travels shortened to long weekends. Despite the desire to, I’ve never taken a trip for longer than 6 days. The workaholic in me is proud to share that I do occasionally sneak away for interesting mid-week day trips, which has been a secret of mine until now. 
