Madison has everything I look for in a Midwestern getaway: A strong arts and culture scene, fabulous restaurants, outdoor relaxation and a few quirky stories. Oh, and the Wisconsin city is the state capital and home to the University of Wisconsin. Read my story in UrbanMatter Chicago: 7 Top Sites to See in Madison here: […]
Ann Arbor is home to the prestigious University of Michigan, a fierce Big 10 Conference athletics competitor. But it’s also rich in cultural attractions, boutique shopping and fine arts. The dining possibilities are outstanding–from local favorites to international cuisine.
You don’t have to be an auto enthusiast to be dazzled by the collection of innovative luxury Italian cars on display at the Frist Center for the Visual Arts in Nashville. It will just happen. “Bellissima! The Italian Automotive Renaissance 1945-1975” presents some of the finest post-WWII Italian-designed and -built automobiles. Among them are 19 cars […]
At first glance, a precise replica of the iconic Parthenon smack dab in the middle of Nashville greenspace seems to be an oddity. But there it is, overlooking the vast acreage of Centennial Park and surrounded by gardens, athletic courts, events shelter, band shell and more. Then you learn the story behind the enormous structure, […]
The Steinway piano on which John Lennon composed “Imagine” is on display at the Musical Instrument Museum in Phoenix, Arizona. So are guitars played by Johnny Cash, Carlos Santana and Adam Levine. And one of the enormous drums played at the opening ceremony of the 2008 Beijing Olympics. They are among the nearly 16,000 musical […]
Downton Abbey, the beloved PBS period drama about the British gentry in the early 20th Century, has come to a close. But the characters live on at the “Dressing Downton: Changing Fashion for Changing Times” costume exhibit at the Driehaus Museum in Chicago. Featuring more than 35 costumes from the show’s first four seasons, “Dressing […]
When the Biltmore House officially opened on Christmas Eve 1895, it was arguably the most magnificent family home in America. It still is today. George and Edith Vanderbilt raised their daughter, Cornelia, here, amid 250 rooms and 8,000 rolling acres near Asheville, N.C. A self-guided audio tour leads visitors through the faithfully preserved French-style chateau […]
