I made a trip to Abu Dhabi some years ago and wrote about the magnificent Grand Mosque for Luxe Beat Magazine.
The article was published in May 2014. Please click on the link to read the article.
Abu Dhabi’s Beauty: Sheik Zayed Grand Mosque
Category Archives: Travel Journal/Blog
My Too Brief Visit to Natchitoches, Louisiana
Have you ever driven through a city or town and immediately wanted to stop and explore? That’s how I felt when I reached Natchitoches, Louisiana, site of the town in the movie Steel Magnolias. Fortunately, I had a few hours to spend, but the brief visit only increased my desire to return. The destination has much to offer.
Natchitoches (pronounced “Nack-a-tish”) is the oldest community in the Louisiana Purchase territory. Today, it’s the B&B capital of the state including many historic homes that look inviting for a girl’s getaway or romantic escape. The lively riverfront of the downtown district borders the beautifully landscaped Cane River Lake. I stopped into the Northwest Louisiana History Museum, which also houses the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame.
I found the museum’s new (but year long) exhibition impressive: The Murals of Clementine Hunter. “Clementine Hunter is a great example of the creative genius who arises from the most unlikely circumstances,” said Lt. Governor Jay Dardenne at the exhibits opening on March 28, 2015. “After the age of 50, with little more than her own vision and fierce determination, she picked up a brush and painted her way to wide acclaim.”
- Wash Day – The Murals of Clementine Hunter
Most of Hunter’s works document the social life and customs of the African-American community as she saw it. Her early days were spent picking cotton and pecans at Melrose Plantation, and eventually she moved into the Big House to help with kitchen and laundry duties. There her first creative endeavors were sparked; making dolls and quilting. One day she picked up a leftover paintbrush and started painting. She never stopped until a few days before her death at age 101.
- Murals of Clementine Hunter
She painted her memories, so we see an insider’s perspective on life from 1939 to 1988. The murals (removed for renovation from the walls of the African and Yucca House on Melrose Plantation) are large, four by eight feet. The size brings the viewer into the painting, and the primitive style provokes a level of understanding, not intimidation. Hunter often drew women larger than men because she saw them as more important.
I didn’t have time to visit the National Park site in Natchitoches: the Cane River Creole Plantation, which includes Oakland and Magnolia Plantations. I did make it out to Fort St. Jean Baptiste. The full-scale wooden reconstruction sits near the site of the original fort based upon archival research. Many of the interior buildings: a trading warehouse, powder magazine, church, commandant’s house, barracks, guardhouse, and bastions reminded me of those within St. Augustine’s fort. Costumed interpreters portray life during the period when French soldiers lived in Louisiana.
The Cane River used to pass by the fort and downtown district, but the river changed course in the 1830’s. The loss of the former port, bustling with cotton and sugar shipments, also changed the economy of the area. Natchitoches suffered through the Civil War and Great Depression and growth came slow during the industrial age. Tourism is now one of the primary sources of income. Visitors will find appealing shops, restaurants featuring Southern, Creole, and Cajun cuisine, comfortable lodging, museums and many National Historical Landmarks worthy of a tour.
If you go:
Natchitoches lies in Northwest Louisiana, 256 miles or about a 4-hour drive from New Orleans. Spots of interest along the way include Baton Rouge, Plantation Alley, Atchafalaya River Basin, Lafayette, and the Kisatchie National Forest.
Try the meat pies at Maglieaux’s on the Cane.
Don’t Dismiss Grounds for Sculpture in New Jersey
My daughter-in-law Amy thought I would enjoy touring Grounds for Sculpture, a mostly outdoor park near Princeton. So, she made brunch reservations for the family during my recent visit to New Jersey. And, she was right! Amy, my son, the two grandchildren (ages 10 and 12) and I made it a memorable day.
As we were nearing the address, we were greeted by large outdoor sculptures in the surrounding industrial park. I was surprised by this location, but learned the park sits on the former New Jersey State Fairgrounds. The larger than life, 3-D version of Grant Wood’s famed painting, American Gothic, was my favorite.
We parked at Rat’s Restaurant, inspired by Kenneth Grahame’s beloved classic, The Wind in the Willows. The eclectic eatery incorporates whimsical architecture including a variety of secluded nooks, dormers, exposed beams and slanted ceilings. You’ll also find typical indoor and outdoor dining spaces. Walls are brightly painted and covered with artistic murals, or objects’ art. The surrounding gardens make you feel like you stepped into Monet’s beloved French town of Giverny. In fact, the aptly named Monet Bridge crosses over a lily pond just a stone’s throw from the rear patio.
Country French cuisine is the specialty of the house where diners can order off the menu or indulge with the all-inclusive brunch buffet. We chose the buffet including delectable French pastries, stuffed French toast, breakfast meats, eggs to order, quiches, and salads, an array of fresh vegetables and a prime rib and lamb carving station. A sampler of desserts was brought to the table and included small-sized portions of carrot cake, cheesecake, cookies, brownies, and other sweets.
Following the meal, we headed out the back door that leads to one of the entrances. Grounds for Sculpture, located in Hamilton Township, is a 42-acre, well-tended and beautifully landscaped park plus a museum, visitor center, and a few less-pricey cafes. The mission of the park is to let the public experience sculpture in a relaxed setting rather than a formal museum. It succeeds.
Hundreds of people of all ages were strolling the walkways or across the grass. Kids are free to run and even climb on or into some works. Some remain hands-off. One piece is a musical sculpture that calls for spirited banging; Kyra gave a concert! Both grandkids grabbed the lifelike bronze kids linking their hands with the semi-circular work. The whole family momentarily joined the men standing in the Depression Bread Line. A super large copy of Marilyn Monroe’s famous pose with her wind-blown skirt provides provocative photo opts. Don’t forget to bring your camera and make sure to look for the hidden art behind shrubs, off in a corner, or behind a fence.
You will run into many of J. Seward Johnson’s life-size impressionist-inspired sculptures as well as his creations of everyday people. In fact, many of them are so lifelike, you think they are real: a couple pushing a stroller or a teenager napping near the pond. The artworks are castings of living people.
Back in 1984, J. Seward Johnson, philanthropist of the Johnson & Johnson family, New Jersey native and famed sculptor, envisioned a public outdoor art arena. Construction began in 1989 on the site, but none of the rare, beautiful trees or flowering shrubs existed at the time. Public tax-exempt bonds and private foundations associated with Johnson financed the landscaping and sculpture acquisitions. Today you will discover hundreds of pieces in permanent outdoor collections, seasonal exhibitions, and many educational programs.
By all means, if you find yourself anywhere near the Princeton area, don’t miss this unusual, carefree outdoor world of art.
If you go:
Tickets: $15 – adults, $12 – seniors, $10 – students, children 5 and under are free.
