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Tag: art

  • Summer in Minneapolis/St. Paul

    It’s time to start planning your summer travels. If you are looking to travel domestically this summer, why not head to the Twin Cities (Minneapolis/St. Paul)? This urban, cosmopolitan area is a veritable mecca for arts and nature lovers. Here are some ideas for how to spend your time while you’re there. The best part is that they’re all inexpensive (most are free).

    Talk a walk (or canoe, or kayak) around the lakes. Minneapolitans love their urban lakes – Lake Calhoun, Lake Harriet and Lake of the Isles – that are all located in the Uptown area. They are all relatively close to one another (Lake of the Isles and Lake Calhoun are connected), so it is easy to check them all out in one day.  Canoes and kayaks are available for rental at each of the lakes. This is also a great place for a picnic. If you’re looking for good fish dishes, check out Tin Fish at the pavilion at Lake Calhoun.

    Take a walk around Lake Calhoun, one of Minneapolis’ beloved urban lakes.

    Take advantage of Minneapolis Arts Weekend. Each year on a weekend usually in early August, artists from around the country come to the Twin Cities to show and sell their creations. There are three major art fairs in Minneapolis on this weekend.

    Powderhorn Park Art Fair

    Head to this 66-acre urban park to browse the wares of over 200 artists in various disciplines and styles. Food trucks featuring organic goodies provide sustenance for browsing, socializing and shopping.

    Loring Park Art Fair

    Quite a bit smaller than Powerhorn,  Loring Park is located in the heart of downtown Minneapolis. After checking out the creations of 140 artists in a variety of media (including painting, photography, printmaking, handmade paper, wood, jewelry, sculpture, fiber, mixed media and glass), grab a snack from one of the food vendors or try one of the excellent eateries that circle the park. If you still haven’t had your fill of art, head across the street to the world-renowned Walker Art Center.

    Metris Uptown Art Fair

    During the weekend of August 6-7, the streets of Minneapolis’ Uptown area will be lined with over 200 artists’ booths as crowds of fair-goers slowly meander down Hennepin Avenue and Lake Street. As with the Loring Park area, there are loads of great restaurants in Uptown if you need a reprieve from the heat and crowds.

    There are also a variety of excellent art museums in Minneapolis.

    Get to know St. Paul’s Highland Park neighborhood during Highland Fest. Highland Fest usually takes place on a weekend in mid-July. This celebration of summer features a juried art fair, live music on two stages, food, amusement rides, a 5K, a strongman competition and a craft-brew tasting.

    Enjoy live music at the St. Paul Jazz Fest. Each year in June, St. Paul’s Mears Park will fill with jazz musicians and aficionados from around the country. In addition to the myriad live jazz shows over the weekend, you’ll be able to enjoy top-notch street food from some of the city’s best restaurants’ food trucks.

  • Top Reasons to Visit Spain’s Basque Region

    When planning a trip to Spain, many travelers focus on well-known cities like Madrid, Seville or Barcelona. While I have thoroughly enjoyed my travels in each of those places, when it comes to visiting Spain, my heart belongs to the Basque region. The Basque region of Spain (France has one, too) is located on the northwestern coast along the Bay of Biscay. Here are some reasons why you should check it out.

    Less Touristy

    While it’s true that some places in the Basque region attract crowds of tourists (like the surf town of Mundaca during competition season), the region as a whole is much less crowded than some of the more popular tourist attractions in Spain. As a result it is easier to find affordable and eco-friendly accommodations and integrate into the daily lifestyle of this relaxed region.

    Relaxed Pace

    The Basque region is made up mostly of smaller cities and towns that offer a relaxed pace to residents and tourists alike. The beach cities of Gorliz and Plentzia are where the Spanish go on vacation. The major attraction in both these towns is, of course, the beach. You can also venture into Plentzia’s old quarter, an area filled with fascinating architecture that reflects the history of the region. I recommend stopping by the Muxika-Butron tower and the old church.

    A fishing town founded in 1239,  Bermeo is also a wonderful place to spend an afternoon doing some light sightseeing. The town’s attractions include the impressive arch of San Juan (dating back to the 14th century) and the nearby historic quarter, full of more medieval structures, traditional fishermen’s houses, quaint town squares, and the old port. This isn’t an “official attraction,” but I’ll let you in on a little secret– just around the corner from the port there is a mass of large rocks that are perfect for sunbathing and jumping off of to take a dip in the water.

    Excellent Cuisine

    If you enjoy fresh seafood, then you’ll be in heaven in the Basque region. And since most of the best seafood restaurants cater to locals, prices are not as high as one might expect. If you get to Bermeo,  I recommend stopping at Jokin, a traditional Basque restaurant with a great view of the port. I had some amazing squid ink pasta there one sunny afternoon.

    Some of my best culinary memories of the Basque region are of Bilbao (the region’s capital and largest city). Head to the Casco Viejo (older part of the city) around 4pm when the bars put out their pintxos. Pintxos are light appetizers, typically served on small wedges of fresh bread. One of my favorites was the traditional tortilla, made with eggs, potatoes, and plenty of oil. Most of the smaller bars we visited in Bilbao offered pintxos on the honor system. We helped ourselves to the various selections set out on the bar and then paid 1 euro per pintxo before we left. Of course, you’ll need to wash down these savory treats with something cold. Regional specialty drinks include calimotxos (cola mixed with red wine) and picas (light beer mixed with lemonade).

    If you have a sweet tooth, be sure to stop by Chocolates de Mendaro in Bilbao for some rich chocolates, pastries and coffee. This local company, which has been in business since 1850, serves both traditional and cutting-edge sweets (all made with cocoa).

    Jeff Koons' "Puppy" welcomes visitors to the Bilbao Guggenheim.

    Rich Culture

    The entire Basque region has a rich history and culture. However, when I was there I was most focused on the arts scene. One of the best known museums in Europe is the Bilbao Guggenheim. The museum opened in 1997 and to date, the museum has welcomed over 12 million visitors. You can’t miss the building itself, which was designed by world-renown architect Frank Gehry. The architecture is based on the seaside culture of Bilbao, with undulating metal “waves” that reflect the light and lead visitors toward the main entrance. The museum features work by a variety of 20th/21st century artists (Yves Klein, Willem de Kooning, Robert Motherwell, Robert Rauschenberg, Andy Warhol, to name a few).

    Once you get out into some of the Basque region’s smaller towns, you’ll find that most of the history centers on maritime culture and the Spanish Civil War, which greatly affected the region– also quite fascinating.

  • Designing Your Own Art Tour on a Budget

    There are lots of travel companies out there that charge big bucks for “customized” art tours (these are especially prevalent in Europe).

    An art lover who usually travels on a budget, I have often been tempting by these offerings, until I saw the price, that is. While many of these art tours are wonderful experiences, they can definitely take their toll on the old bank account. Not to worry. You can design your own artistic voyage for a fraction of the cost of one of these pre-planned tours. In this post, I give you some tips for designing your own tour on a budget. Besides the obvious financial benefits of designing your own tour, you can truly customize the experience because, well, you’re the tour guide. Another perk is that you can travel on your own schedule and not be tied down to a group.
    • Choose a destination with a rich arts scene. This may seem like an obvious piece of advice, but it’s important that you do a bit of preliminary research on various places to determine whether or not the artistic offerings of a certain area will be enough to hold your interest. Of course, places like New York, Paris, France or Florence, Italy jump to mind right away, but there are loads of other options. For example, Los Angeles has a great museum scene. Berlin, Germany is now considered to be a European arts mecca. And don’t forget about Detroit…yep, Detroit is now home to a thriving arts community. So, you don’t necessarily need to stray that far from home (which can be easier on the budget).
    • Determine your priorities. What do you want to experience? Are you most interested in visiting museums? Then you’ll want to choose a destination that has plenty to choose from. Are you more into the independent gallery scene? Then be sure to choose a destination that is known for its smaller galleries. Are you an artist yourself who is interested in doing bit of creative work while you’re on vacation? Then choose a destination that’s sure to inspire you (and be sure to pack your art supplies). Perhaps you’d like to attend a lecture or class by a famous artist? Find out where these opportunities are being offered. Are you interested in public art? Choose a location that’s known for its public sculpture gardens and murals.
    • Ask like-minded travelers to share in the adventure. Travel is usually more fun (and more budget-friendly) when you can share the experience with a travel partner or a group. Ask some of your fellow art lovers or artists to come along with you. Some of the more obvious benefits include being able to share accommodations and having someone who can help you remember the name of incredible up and coming artist you discovered.
    • Research opportunities at your location based on your art priorities. Now that you’ve established your priorities, the real research begins. Search for museums that suit your tastes. Scour the Internet for galleries and artist co-ops. Identify lectures and classes that will be happening during your trip. I think it’s helpful to organize this information in an Excel file or some other document. Make note of the opening hours of museums and galleries and contact information for all of the places you’re interested in visiting.
    • Make reservations far in advance. If you’re looking to take a class or attend a ticketed artist lecture, it’s best to make reservations or purchase tickets as far in advance as you can.
    • Be ready to roll with the punches. In addition to bringing your passion for art, you should also bring patience and a sense of humor. As with any trip, the best laid plans don’t necessarily guarantee 100% success. However, if you look at mishaps/miscommunications as opportunities instead of disappointments, you’ll get a lot more out of the experience. If a museum is closed on the day you want to attend, think of it as a great excuse to discover some public art around the city. It’s helpful to bring along a smart phone or tablet so you can do research on the fly if you have a change of plans.