It’s a Museum, a Gallery, a Hotel(!): Madrid’s Marvelous Hotel Puerta America

Imagine this. An all-star team of 19 architects comes together to create a sophisticated hotel masterpiece, each designing his/her own floor. This vision becomes a reality at the Hotel Puerta America, easily one of the top hotels in Madrid. Seductive, diverse, luxurious, this is a hotel with personality. Lots of them. It may be a little outside the city center, but who cares—the hotel itself is a destination. Opened since mid-last year, the hotel has great rates for standard rooms, starting at $250.

Lovin the Legion of Honor Museum in San Francisco

This is by far San Fran's most gorgeous museum. The setting alone is well worth a gape. On view from its perch above the Pacific: the GG bridge, the Marin headlands, and the dazzling white cityscape. And standing guard in front: the huge statue of Rodin's Thinker, musing from his seat inside the museum's courtyard. And of course, if you can tear yourself from the view, the museum's permanent collection is pretty fantastic: over 4,000 pieces of ancient and European art. On view now is a fascinating exhibit titled "After the Ruins, 1906 and 2006: Rephotographing the San Francisco Earthquake and Fire," containing over 75 paired photographs of then and now.

Benjamin Franklin’s Tercentenary

2006 marks another big birthday; this time on our side of the big pond. January 17, 2006 is the 300th birthday of Benjamin Franklin—the first founding father to reach this milestone. In honor of this extraordinary man (what career and hobby didn't he pursue?), Philadelphia is hosting year-long celebrations. The most noteworthy is the major international traveling exhibition: Benjamin Franklin: In Search of a Better World, which opens in Philly on December 15, and then travels around to four other museums nationwide, before its final showing in Paris in 2008.

Mozart 2006 in Austria

2006 marks Wolfgang's 250th birthday, and Austria is celebrating in style with an extensive calendar of events. The musical genius will be honored with new museums, operatic performances, extraordinary concert series, festivals and galas, expos and special exhibitions, all across the country. In Vienna--for example-- Mozart's big day will be marked by an open party for the whole city on January 27-29. He will be celebrated all over the city with music, films and readings on a variety of themes-- arranged in to five different tours (Mozart. Friends and Enemies; Mozart. Viennese and Cosmopolitan; Mozart. Art and Love; Mozart. Life and Death; and Mozart. Yesterday and Today). On each tour, visitors experience four different events and a special children's program. My favorite event? The Vienna Boys' Choir will give a concert in St. Stephen's Cathedral on January 27, featuring Mozart's most beautiful works of sacred music.

Remembering Rembrandt: Holland’s 2006 Birthday Bash

After all, the guy turns 400 next year. And the country is going nuts in celebration. Rembrandt 400 is a yearlong party for the artist's 400th birthday. Unique exhibitions and events are scheduled, and travel agents are jumping on the bandwagon with special packages galore. The first of the spectacular exhibitions-- Rembrandt's Mother, Myth and Reality-- opens on December 16 in the Municipal Museum De Lakenhal, Leiden (the artist’s birthplace). In Amsterdam, The Masterpieces opens on January 2, exhibiting 400 exceptional paintings. Why not stake out a room at The Dylan Amsterdam, situated in a 17th century landmark on one of the city's most famous canals? Smack in the city center, but the essence of tranquil.

The Dylan Amsterdam, Official Site

The Dylan Amsterdam, Five Star Alliance

Art from the Louvre on its way to Atlanta’s High Museum

Starting next year, art and sculpture from one of the world's finest collections will be on view at Atlanta's High Museum. This seems truly unprecedented: that Paris' cultural gem has agreed to share part of its collection with another museum for an extended period. The "Louvre in Atlanta Project" is to be launched in January, with an exchange of French and American high school students, followed by the appearance of Louvre exhibits at Atlanta's High Museum in the fall. So much for botched Franco-American relations!

Via CNN

Good Stuff at the Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza in Madrid

Through January 8, 2006, check out the exhibit: Mimesis. Modern Realism. 1918- 45 at the Thyssen-Bornemisza. It focuses on the spread of realism between the World Wars. The whole museum is pretty mind-blowing; a stroll through the permanent collections is like a walk through the best kind of art history class. (Hint: Start on the second floor with the oldest paintings, and work your way down to the 20th century on the ground floor.)

Say Hello to the New de Young Museum, San Francisco

After five years renovation, San Francisco’s de Young Museum reopened on October 15. The transformation is dramatic; the Pritzer Prize winning architects Herzog & de Meuron (along with SF-based Fong & Chan Architects) have created a state-of-the-art facility out of this landmark cultural institution. (The nifty facade is comprised of dozens of unique copper panels!) The de Young has occupied the same beautiful space of Golden Gate Park since 1895. Collections include American art from the 17th through the 20th centuries, and art of the native Americas, Africa and the Pacific.