Nowhere else in Rome can give such a clear idea of the city’s layering and millennia of cultural riches than this wonderful church. The very lowest level remains largely unexplored, dating back to Republican Rome, probably the 2nd century BC. At the deepest excavated level there are 1st-century AD buildings, including an early house of … Read more
Chinese New Year Hong Kong’s most celebrated festival is a riot of neon and noise. Skyscrapers on both sides of the harbour are lit up to varying degrees depending on the vicissitudes of the economy, fireworks explode over the harbour, shops shut down and doormen suddenly turn nice, hoping for a handout of lai see … Read more
John Winthrop (1587–1649) Acting on a daring plan put together by English Puritans in 1629, Winthrop led approximately 800 settlers to the New World to build a godly civilization in the wilderness. He settled his Puritan charges at Boston in 1630 and served as the governor of the new Massachusetts Bay Colony until his death. … Read more
Chinese With a history of revolution, migration, organized crime and incessant trading, the witty and streetwise Cantonese are the New Yorkers of China, and make up the majority of Hong Kong’s population. There are also large communities of Shanghainese, Hakka (Kejia) and Chiu Chow (Chaozhou) people. Chinese fisherman Chinese chequers British Colonial power may have … Read more
1630: Boston Founded Under the leadership of John Winthrop, English Puritans moved from overcrowded Charlestown and colonized the Shawmut Peninsula. Permission was granted from its sole English inhabitant, Anglican cleric William Blaxton. Their city on the hill was named Boston in honor of the native English town of their leaders. 1636: Harvard Created Boston’s Puritan … Read more
Museo del Prado The world famous gallery is housed in Juan de Villanueva’s Neo-Classical masterpiece – an artistic monument in its own right. The relief over the Velázquez Portal depicts Fernando VII as guardian of the arts and sciences – it was during his reign that the Prado opened as an art gallery. Its strongest … Read more
Gagosian Expect big names and equivalent price tags at this blue-ribbon gallery with three locations, one uptown and two Chelsea addresses with the lofty spaces necessary for exhibiting large-scale art. Damien Hirst, Anselm Kiefer, Richard Serra, and Cy Twombly are among the contemporary artists represented. 980 Madison Ave (& Chelsea: 555 West 24th St & … Read more
Plaza Dos de Mayo On 2 May 1976 a young couple climbed on to the statue of Daoíz and Velarde and performed a striptease in front of a boisterous crowd of youngsters celebrating on the square. This was one of the first manifestations of the movida (scene), a period of hedonism, enthusiasm and creative energy. … Read more
Metropolitan Museum of Art It would take weeks to take in all the treasures of this mammoth, ever-changing museum that includes a collection of more than 3,000 European paintings. The Greek, Roman, Cypriot, and Asian halls attract many of the museum’s visitors, and the Joyce and Robert Menschel Hall for Modern Photography is also well … Read more
Outdoor drummers Kite flying A major hobby among gents of all ages, especially popular on public holidays when the skies above the city’s parks and squares are crowded with fluttering birds, dragons, lions, and laughing Buddhas. Kite flying Mahjong Like gin rummy it’s all about collecting sets or runs to score points, only mahjong uses … Read more
Musée d’Orsay Musée d’Orsay Musée Picasso A favourite of Parisians and visitors alike. The beautifully restored Hôtel Salé in the Marais is a splendid setting for this extensive collection of paintings, sculptures, drawings and other works by Pablo Picasso (1881–1973), including works from his Cubist period. Large sculptures also adorn the garden and courtyard. The … Read more
Chinese New Year Also known as Spring Festival, Beijing’s favorite holiday is celebrated with a cacophony of fireworks, let off night and day across the city. There are also temple fairs with stilt-walkers, acrobats, and fortune-tellers. Everyone who can heads for their family home, where gifts are exchanged and children are kept quiet with red … Read more
Musée du Louvre French and Italian sculpture, Greek and Roman antiquities and paintings from the 12th to the 19th centuries are just some of the highlights of the world’s largest museum . Mona Lisa, Musée du Louvre Musée Carnavalet Housed in a grand Marais mansion, this museum presents the history of Paris. The collection includes … Read more
Unless stated, all restaurants accept credit cards, recommend reservations, and are open for lunch and dinner. Charlie Trotter’s One of Chicago’s top gourmet eateries, and one of the nation’s best, Charlie Trotter’s serves the exquisite and rarefied fare of its eponymous chef. The menu changes daily but expect creations such as venison loin with semolina … Read more
Tower Prisoners Sites of imprisonment Bishop of Durham The first political prisoner to be held in the White Tower was Ralph de Flambard, Bishop of Durham. Locked up by Henry l in 1100, he was seen as responsible for the unpopular policies of Henry’s predecessor, William ll. Henry Vl During the Wars of the Roses, … Read more
Ford’s Theater The theater where Lincoln was shot in 1865 , has been restored by the federal government. It is now a memorial to the music- and theater-loving president. Ford’s Theater Decatur House Stephen Decatur was a renowned naval hero when he built this Federal-style townhouse in 1818, but he was killed in a duel … Read more
Benaroya Hall This bastion of culture is the city’s first venue designed exclusively for music performances. It is also home to the Seattle Symphony. The 2,500-seat Mark Taper auditorium is known for its superior acoustics. Another 540-seat hall is used for smaller concerts. 200 University St 206 215 4747 www.seattlesymphony.org Benaroya Hall McCaw Hall In … Read more
Grace Cathedral San Francisco’s own Notre Dame combines Italian Renaissance with a lot of American originality . Grace Cathedral Mission Dolores Photos and a diorama offer a stirring impression of what life was like for the Native Americans who built this Spanish mission in the 18th century . Cathedral of St. Mary of the Assumption … Read more
Montage Deer Valley Park City, Utah “Our connection with nature is primal,” says Anne Bramham, a leading educator of Spa Montage’s Surrender program.” Composed of the same substances as the dust of the earth and the stars in the sky, we are infinitely bound to the elemental forces that drive our physical, emotional, and spiritual … Read more
Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya Discover Catalonia’s rich Romanesque and Gothic heritage at this impressive museum, housed in the 1929 Palau Nacional. Striking medieval frescoes – many culled from ancient Pyrenean churches – are the highlight. Fundació Joan Miró The airy, high-ceilinged galleries of this splendid museum are a fitting resting place for the bold, … Read more