Mardi Gras Museums: A break from the crowds

by Jamie Rhein on

I’ve been to New Orleans twice, neither time for Mardi Gras, but to absorb the history, aesthetics, Cajun food and music after mornings that began with beignets and coffee at Cafe Du Monde. The Mardi Gras, although months past, did still hang in the air. Two museums are dedicated to highlighting what makes this historical, rich cultural icon mega party so important and interesting.

At Presbytere, once home to Caspian monks, the span of Mardi Gras history from the 1699 is told in themed exhibits. If you wonder how did all this frivolity start anyway, the answers are here. Floats, costumes, masks, historical background information, and interactive displays are geared for all ages. The museum’s Web site calls this a place that kids of all ages will like. The museum is located at Jackson Square in the heart of the city.

Another Mardi Gras themed museum is, Backstreet Cultural Museum located in the oldest African American neighborhood in the city. The museum used to be a funeral home. Today, among other items such as photographs and vintage films, it boasts the largest collection of Mardi Gras Indian costumes which are elaborate treasures. The Mardi Gras Indians have a history that dates back to the 18th and 19th century when runaway slaves sought safety with the area Indians. The costumes can only be worn the year they were made. I’d be interested in going here because of the unique perspective it offers on both African American history and Native American history. Plus, the costumes in their feathered and beaded glory sound fabulous.

Other exhibits are dedicated to the tradition of Jazz Funerals and Social Aid and Pleasure Clubs. Gaining perspective on what makes life in New Orleans interesting and the traditions that have made it famous and unique can be had here.

Jackson Pollock’s studio and house in East Hampton

by Jamie Rhein on

When I was finding out details about Cody, Wyoming for my post on Cody Cowboy Village, I found out that Jackson Pollack was born in Cody Wyoming in 1912 and yesterday (January 28) was his birthday. Jackson Pollock is one of those artists whose work I admire tremendously, but don’t know exactly why.

One of the things I remember about my first trip to the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in New York City is Jackson Pollock’s paintings. A long time ago I took the Foreign Service exam just to see what would happen and found out that there are some things I just don’t know. What I did know, was Jackson Pollock’s picture. There was a photograph of him painting and I recognized him immediately.

To celebrate his birthday, I looked into what mark he made on the world besides his art that you can see in museums. I did think about making a list of museums where you can see his work, but instead am happy to report that his former studio and house is now a museum and study center in East Hampton, New York. The house built in 1879 belonged to a fisherman’s family. Now it’s the Pollock-Krasner House and Study Center and is where Pollock did most of his work from 1946 until his death. Visiting here is one way to soak in the atmosphere and belongings of a person who is certainly one of abstract art’s most energetic contributors. The house is open seasonally. Visits begin again May 1.

By the way, East Hampton is also a gorgeous, trendy place to spend some time, but bring money.

Michael Palin’s travel series “The New Europe” starts Monday

by Jamie Rhein on

This coming Monday Michael Palin’s new seven-show travel series, “The New Europe” starts on The Travel Channel. He’s taking the TV audience through “post communist” Europe to highlight the natural beauty, history and culture of Macedonia, Bulgaria, Slovenia, Hungary, and Bosnia among several others in Eastern and Central Europe (20 in all), many that were behind the Iron Curtain when he was growing up in Great Britain.

There’s an interview with Palin at World Hum about the series. David Farley’s questions brought out an intriguing look into what thoughts go into a travel series in the first place–including the name of it.

“The New Europe” stuck for this series title, even though it’s a term coined by Donald Rumsfeld, of all people. I wonder if Donald Rumsfeld has a travel series in his future.? Or if people are looking for a catchy title they could call him up for his wordsmith magic.” To be clear, the name of the series and the fact that Donald Rumsfeld called this part of the world “the new Europe” while he was U.S. Secretary of Defense is purely coincidental. They have nothing to do with each other, but in the interview with Palin, Farley included the show’s reaction to the sameness and the decision to keep the name anyway.

When deciding what to include and what not to include in an episode, the balance between what will make for an interesting show and what the country’s reaction to its portrayal are taken into consideration. For example, the idea is to show the scope of the region so countries are not necessarily highlighted for the same reason. In summary, people from one country may look at the depiction of another country as having gorgeous scenery, but not that aspect of the their own and feel slighted. It’s heck to be an editor. Someone is bound to feel slighted.

In the Farley’s interview Palin also muses about the difference between Americans’ and Europeans’ ideas about travel and what draws him around the world. The series that airs at 8 p.m. looks like one that won’t disappoint– and I certainly recommend the interview.

Broome Street, memories of place, and Jaunted’s tribute to Heath Ledger

by Jamie Rhein on

Every day I read Jaunted to see what’s happening over there. Heath Ledger was one of the things happening today (January 23) since blogger Juliana was as floored as I was by his death. Her response was to provide an overview of the places Ledger traveled that formed his life as an actor.

If you spend any time at Gadling, you’ll see the theme of place as well. People who travel have automatic feelers for the qualities of a place that make it unique. In one of Jerry’s post on bookstores, he mentioned The Strand. It’s one of my favorite places to go and just a short walk from where my brother lives. My brother has lived in Manhattan for years and over the years of visiting him, I feel like his neighborhood is somehow mine as well. His friends have also lived there for years also, thus our paths have crossed often, and they have added to my scope of what life is like in New York.

When I step out of the subway stop at Union Square to walk to where my brother lives, it feels as if I’ve arrived home. When Broome Street was mentioned the street where Heath Ledger lived, I thought about the many times I’ve walked down Broome Street to Ted Muehling’s marvelous jewelery shop when it was located in this part of SoHo. Ted has since moved to Howard Street, but I can hear the sound that the metal steps made when I walked up to the door at the Broome Street location.

Close by is the The Guggenheim Museum Soho on the corner of Broadway and Prince, but when Ted’s shop was still on Broome Street, The Museum for African Art was one of my favorite stops in the neighborhood. That museum is now temporarily located in Long Island City, Queens.

When I heard Heath lived on Broome Street, I thought of the post I wrote not too long ago how our lives, travel, and the news intertwine to where each influences the other–particularly when we have a personal connection to a place.

If you’ve been to Anne Frank’s house, read her diary as an eighth grader and felt moved, the chestnut tree has a poignancy, for example. It’s not an abstract, far away thing–something that is “over there” with no consequence to our daily lives. When I read Neil’s post about the plans to cut it down, it felt alarming–as if the stars were shifting. I do know that nothing stays the same, but places do in ones memory unless you revisit them and find them changed.

I haven’t been down Broome Street for a few years or so, but it’s still there and it’s altered. Along with the sound of the metal step, and the taste of the rich piece of chocolate that I chose from the box that was on the table in the back of Ted Muehling’s store, I have other thoughts of Broome Street that I never expected. My memory is not quite the same.

Hark! Hear ye these travel tips!

by Aaron Hotfelder on

Rolf Potts, writing at World Hum, adapts a Francis Bacon (1561-1626) essay for the modern era, and provides some “sizzling travel tips” along the way. Bacon’s essay, “Of Travel,” contains wisdom about everything from using a guidebook, to finding a travel partner, to returning home from a journey.

Bacon on Lonely Planet: “Let him carry with him also some card, or book, describing the country where he travelleth, which will be a good key to his inquiry. Let him, upon his removes from one place to another, procure recommendation to some person of quality residing in the place whither he removeth, that he may use his favour in those things he desireth to see or know.”

And some excellent advice to the traveler on returning home with humility: “In his discourse let him be rather advised in his answers, than forward to tell stories: and let it appear that he doth not change his country manners for those of foreign parts; but only prick in some flowers of that he hath learned abroad into the customs of his own country. “

Hear ye these words of Bacon, and heed them.

Peruse the essay of that vagabond Potts here, or ye shall receive 30 lashes to-morrow.