‘Greeks’ Exhibition to Open June 1 at National Geographic Museum in Washington, D.C.

More Than 500 Greek Artifacts Make Final Stop on 4-city Tour

Female Figurine © National Archaeological Museum, Athens. Part of the National Geographic’s The Greeks—Agamemnon to Alexander the Great at the National Geographic Museum in Washington D.C.

“The Greeks—Agamemnon to Alexander the Great” spans 5,000 years of Greek history and culture, presenting stories of individuals from Neolithic villages through the conquests of Alexander the Great. This unprecedented exhibition features more than 550 artifacts from the national collections of 22 museums throughout Greece, making it the largest exhibition of its kind to tour North America in 25 years. The Greeks makes its final of two U.S. stops, and its only East Coast appearance, at the National Geographic Museum, where it opens to the public on June 1.

Relief of the “Youth Crowning Himself”- This relief shows a young athlete placing an olive wreath on his head. This image has become a symbol of Athenian democracy, which arose around the 5th century BC. Going forward, people would no longer be subject to the will of the gods, but instead would be masters of their own fate. © National Archaeological Museum, Athens. Part of the National Geographic’s The Greeks—Agamemnon to Alexander the Great at the National Geographic Museum in Washington D.C.

The Greeks was developed by the Hellenic Ministry of Culture, Education and Religious Affairs (Athens, Greece), The Field Museum (Chicago, USA), the National Geographic Museum (Washington, D.C., USA), Pointe-à-Callière, Montréal Archaeology and History Complex (Montréal, Canada), and the Canadian Museum of History (Gatineau, Canada).

Statue of a Soldier, Known as “Leonidas” This statue is thought to depict the Spartan king Leonidas, whose troops battled the Persians in 480 BC. Grossly outnumbered, the Spartans fought valiantly. Though eventually defeated, the battle gave hope to the Greeks that the massive force of Xerxes could be beaten back. © Archaeological Museum of Sparta. Part of the National Geographic’s The Greeks—Agamemnon to Alexander the Great at the National Geographic Museum in Washington D.C.

“The Greeks is the largest and most comprehensive exhibition of Greek history and culture to visit North America in a generation,” said Kathryn Keane, vice president of Exhibitions at the National Geographic Society. “From their Bronze Age beginnings to the height of classical civilization, the Greeks and the traditions they founded continue to have a profound impact on our lives today.”

Fragment of a Grave Stele © National Archaeological Museum, Athens. Part of the National Geographic’s The Greeks—Agamemnon to Alexander the Great at the National Geographic Museum in Washington D.C.

The exhibition contains more than 500 magnificent artifacts, many of which have never been displayed outside of Greece. Curator favorites include iconic stone figurines from the Cycladic Islands; gold funerary masks and other treasures from Mycenae; classical marble statues from the Acropolis Museum of Greek poets, athletes and heroes; and brightly painted ceramic vases featuring scenes from Greek mythology and daily life.

“Mask of Agamemnon” (Replica) When unearthed in the late-19th century, archaeologists believed this to be the death mask of Agamemnon, the mythical king of Mycenae. © National Archaeological Museum, Athens. Part of the National Geographic’s The Greeks—Agamemnon to Alexander the Great at the National Geographic Museum in Washington D.C.

Museum visitors will experience the exhibition through the eyes of the ancient Greeks. Some are well-known even today — Oysseus, Homer, Agamemnon, Leonidas, Socrates, Pericles, Philip II and Alexander — with their achievements recorded in epic poems, historical writings and mythological stories. But many of the people featured in the exhibition remain unnamed and known to us only through the archaeological record: a priestess of Mycenae, a warrior of the Iron Age, two noble women of the Archaic period and an athlete of the classical era. The objects buried with these individuals provide insights into their lives and the roles they played within their respective families and societies.

Votive Relief Offered to Asklepios In the center of this relief, Asklepios, god of medicine, leans on his staff, around which a snake is coiled. This symbol still represents medicine today. © National Archaeological Museum, Athens. Part of the National Geographic’s The Greeks—Agamemnon to Alexander the Great at the National Geographic Museum in Washington D.C.

Woven throughout the exhibition are the inventions, innovations and institutions that provide the foundation for much of Western culture. Scholars today trace the origins of modern democracy; the Olympic movement; and Western philosophy, poetry and theater back to Greece. Even many of the monuments of Washington, D.C., owe their architectural style to the mathematicians, builders and sculptors of ancient Greece.

Alexander the Great Bust Sculpted shortly after Alexander’s death, this marble bust depicts him in the flower of youth. © Archaeological Museum of Pella. Part of the National Geographic’s The Greeks—Agamemnon to Alexander the Great at the National Geographic Museum in Washington D.C.

In addition to this exhibition, National Geographic is producing a three-hour series “The Greeks,” which will air nationally on PBS in late June. A rich complement of publications and public programming related to the exhibition will also be announced in early May. Special events will include an engaging Nat Geo Live event featuring Caroline Alexander, author of the recently published and critically acclaimed English translation of “The Iliad.”

More information about The Greeks at the National Geographic Museum can be found here: http://events.nationalgeographic.com/exhibits/2016/06/01/the-greeks-dc/.

The National Geographic Museum (1145 17^th Street, N.W., Washington, D.C.) is open every day (except Dec. 25) from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Admission is $15 for adults; $12 for National Geographic members, military, students, seniors and groups of 25 or more; $10 for children ages 5-12; and free for local school, student and youth groups (18 and under; advance reservation required). Tickets may be purchased online at www.natgeomuseum.org; via telephone at (202) 857-7700; or in person at the National Geographic Museum, 1145 17^th Street, N.W., between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. For more information on group sales, call (202) 857-7281.

The National Geographic Society is a global nonprofit membership organization driven by a passionate belief in the power of science, exploration, education and storytelling to change the world. We fund hundreds of research and conservation projects around the globe each year. With the support of our members and donors, we work to inspire, illuminate and teach through scientific expeditions, award-winning journalism, education initiatives and more. For more information, visit www.nationalgeographic.org.

Seth MacFarlane to Perform at Encore Theater at Wynn Las Vegas

Seth MacFarlane to Perform at Encore Theater at Wynn Las Vegas

Four-time Grammy nominated singer Seth MacFarlane will bring his renowned talents to the Encore Theater Stage at Wynn Las Vegas for a two-night engagement at 7:30 p.m.on April 29 and 30. Tickets are on sale starting today at 10 a.m. PT.

Four-time Grammy nominated singer Seth MacFarlane will bring his renowned talents to the Encore Theater Stage at Wynn Las Vegas for a two-night engagement at 7:30 p.m. on April 29 and 30. (PRNewsFoto/Wynn Las Vegas)

Seth MacFarlane is a creator, writer, director and singer of some of today’s most popular content, garnering two Emmy Awards, four Grammy Award nominations and an Academy Award nomination for his work in television, music and motion pictures. He has traveled the world to sing with renowned orchestras, such as the BBC Proms, the National Symphony Orchestra, and the Los Angeles and New York Philharmonic. He has released two successful albums and his third, No One Ever Tells You, debuted at number one on the iTunes jazz charts this past October. MacFarlane also created the hugely successful television shows Family Guy and American Dad, executive produced the Emmy-winning Cosmos: A Space Time Odyssey, the Starz’ original show, Blunt Talk and the new Fox animated comedy Boardertown. His directorial debut, TED, is the highest grossing original R-rated comedy and he has since gone on to write, direct and produce A Million Ways to Die in the West and TED 2. Next up for MacFarlane is Illumination Entertainment‘s animated musical family comedy, Sing, in which MacFarlane voices Mike, a small mouse with a big Sinatra-esque voice and an arrogant attitude. The film hits theaters December 21, 2016.

Tickets start at $75 (plus tax) and can be purchased at the Wynn Ticket Office, by calling 702.770.WYNN or at www.wynnlasvegas.com. Show is recommended for ages 13 and up. Guests under the age of 18 must be accompanied by an adult.

Wynn Las Vegas logo. (PRNewsFoto/Wynn Las Vegas)

Wynn and Encore Las Vegas are two luxury hotel and casino resorts on the Las Vegas Strip operated by international resort developer Wynn Resorts and the recipient of more Forbes Travel Guide Five Star Awards than any other independent hotel company in the world.

Wynn Las Vegas opened onApril 28, 2005 and has been recognized as the best resort in Nevada on Condé Nast Traveler‘s “Gold List” for seven consecutive years. The resort features 2,714 lavish guest rooms and suites, more than 111,000 square feet of state-of-the-art casino space, 14 casual and fine dining restaurants, a spa and salon. Wynn Las Vegas is home to Le Rêve – The Dream, the aquatic and aerial theatrical experience named Best Show in Las Vegas for five consecutive years, and Steve Wynn’s ShowStoppers. a production with 35 singers and dancers and a full 31-piece on-stage orchestra composed of quintessential numbers from some of the most celebrated composers and lyricists to ever grace American theater stages.

Encore, an expansion of Wynn Las Vegas, opened on Dec. 22, 2008. Featuring an additional 2,034 all-suite accommodations, a 72,000-square-foot casino, five restaurants and a spa and salon, Encore is located adjacent to Wynn Las Vegas. Combined, the two resorts boast four distinct nightlife and day club experiences, including Intrigue debuting April 2016, approximately 283,000 square feet of meeting space and 98,000 square feet of retail space.

MacFarlane’s 75-minute show will be accompanied by a live, onstage orchestra, including members of Steve Wynn’s Showstoppers orchestra.  MacFarlane’s baritone voice will perform classic songs and hidden gems of the ’40s through ’50s swing era, as well as offering unique arrangements and orchestral interpretations.

Crystal Unveils Bombardier Global Express XRS As Part Of Crystal Luxury Air

Crystal’s Air Service to take off in April 2016

As Crystal Cruises continues forward with the largest brand expansion in luxury travel and hospitality history, the company officially revealed the newest addition to its fleet in a lavishly outfitted Bombardier Global Express XRS jet. The aircraft will enter service for the award-winning company on April 3, 2016, designed to accommodate just 12 guests in ultimate comfort. The new Crystal Luxury Air fleet will compliment itineraries for guests traveling on all things Crystal, offering the option to fly privately on their Crystal vacation.

Crystal Cruises Logo (PRNewsFoto/Crystal Cruises)

“Crystal Luxury Air will open tremendous possibilities for luxury travelers seeking the next level of ease and exclusivity during their journeys,” says Crystal president and CEO, Edie Rodriguez. “And in the spirit of all things Crystal, and ensuring we offer customization to our guests, Crystal Luxury Air allows our travel agent partners and guests the ability to truly customize their vacation experiences to privately fly to combine our cruise, yacht, river, residence, and air experiences.”

The Global Express jet has been extensively refitted with three spacious cabins, which will accommodate business activities, relaxation and sleeping quarters. The forward cabin boasts four executive wide club seats with foldout tables for dining or meeting; mid cabin is configured for conferences, with seating for five and workstation and cabinet; the aft cabin offers a three-person divan that can be transformed to a large bed. A nicely appointed galley is located forward, featuring a cold air chiller, high temp oven, microwave and Aerolux Nespresso machine.

Crystal’s Global Express Jet (PRNewsFoto/Crystal)

Technical amenities include a wide range of electronic video supplies, and laptop imagery on all cabin monitors, XM Radio, surround sound, a 31.5″ LCD TV, high speed internet and in-flight phone service.

Chartered flights aboard Crystal’s Global Express jet are now available for booking and will fly guests virtually anywhere in the world, with a max flight range at just under 12 hours per leg. The line will also add a Boeing 777 to its growing fleet in 2017 and 787 Dreamliner in 2018. Crystal charter aircrafts will be operated by Corporate Flight Management DBA Crystal Luxury Air. For more information, contact a travel professional or call 615.534.8633.

For more information and Crystal reservations, call your travel agent of Crystal Cruises at 310.785.9300, or visit www.crystalcruises.com

National Geographic Magazine’s April 2016 Issue Features 10 Different Covers for the First Time in Publication’s History

Documenting the World’s Animals, One Picture at a Time.

Multiple Covers Celebrate Photographer Joel Sartore’s “Photo Ark” Project

In a publishing first for National Geographic magazine, the April 2016 issue has 10 different covers featuring the work of well-known National Geographic photographer Joel Sartore. U.S. subscribers will receive one of the covers at random in their homes, and print newsstands similarly will offer a selection of the covers.

©National Geographic Top row, from left: waxy monkey tree frog, hippopotamus, Reimann’s snake-necked turtle, snowy owl, Malayan tiger. Bottom row, from left: Brazilian porcupine, southern three-banded armadillo, Indian peafowl, mother and baby koalas, Coquerel’s sifaka.

The April covers highlight the National Geographic Photo Ark project, a multiyear effort with Sartore to photograph all captive species and inspire people to save these animals before they disappear. For many of Earth’s creatures, time is running out. Species are disappearing at an alarming rate. To motivate people to care and help stop the crisis, Sartore is creating intimate portraits of an estimated 12,000 species of birds, fish, mammals, reptiles, amphibians and invertebrates. To date, he has photographed nearly 6,000 animals. Once completed, Photo Ark will serve as an important record of each animal’s existence and a powerful testament to the importance of saving them. 

(National Geographic magazine’s “Every Last One” feature (April 2016 cover story):http://on.natgeo.com/1WkPr6h)

Greenbottle blue tarantula, Chromatopelma cyaneopubescens, Lincoln Children’s Zoo, Nebraska

The 10 published covers feature portraits of the following animals: waxy monkey tree frog, hippopotamus, Reimann’s snake-necked turtle, snowy owl, Malayan tiger, Brazilian porcupine, southern three-banded armadillo, Indian peafowl, mother and baby koalas, and Coquerel’s sifaka. Sartore shot the cover images at a number of locations, including Rolling Hills Zoo, the San Antonio Zoo, Zoo Atlanta, Raptor Recovery Nebraska, Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo, the Saint Louis Zoo, Lincoln Children’s Zoo, the Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital and the Houston Zoo.

Bat star, Patiria miniata, Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium

Blue-spotted emperor butterfly, Charaxes cithaeron, Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium

Chinese Flying Frog,mRhacophorus dennysi, Phoenix Zoo

Chinstrap penguin, Pygoscelis antarctica, Newport Aquarium, Kentucky

Pink-sided tree frog, Agalychnis litodryas, Pontificia Universidad Católica del Ecuador

Roanoke logperch, Percina rex, Conservation Fisheries, Inc., Tennessee

Sand cat, Felis margarita, Chattanooga Zoo

Eastern subterranean termite, Reticulitermes flavipes, Dallas Zoo

With so many animals to choose from, the magazine staff had a difficult time selecting the 10 to use on the covers.

Fennec Fox The smallest foxes in the world have enormous ears to cool them down as they traverse sand dunes in the Sahara, where they are common. Their cuteness makes them attractive to the wild-pet trade.

“We wanted species diversity, from the charismatic and cute to the often overlooked. A mix of engaging characters that started to hint at the scale of Joel’s project was key,” says Susan Goldberg, National Geographic Partners editorial director and National Geographic magazine editor in chief.

Crystal Cruises Announces The World’s Largest Megayacht “Crystal Endeavor”

Brand New Vessel Optimized For Expedition Cruising To Feature Extreme Amenities And “Toys,” Massive Penthouse Suites And Thrilling Global Itineraries

Months after the successful launch of Crystal Yacht Cruises 62-guest Crystal Esprit, and in response to traveler’s feedback and enthusiasm, Crystal Cruises is again upping the ante with the world’s first purpose-built polar class megayacht. Measuring 600 feet (183 meters) long, the 25,000 gross ton new build with 100 guest suites will be the largest and most spacious megayacht afloat.

Crystal Cruises Logo (PRNewsFoto/Crystal Cruises)

During a special press event at the 2016 annual SeaTrade Cruise Global convention in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., Crystal’s President and CEO Edie Rodriguez announced the introduction of the line’s first-ever expedition megayacht, Crystal Endeavor, which will debut in August of 2018. Named after Captain James Cooks’ research ship “HMS Endeavour,” which discovered Australia and New Zealand nearly 250 years ago – the newly built vessel will be designed for global expedition in Arctic, Antarctic and tropical conditions.

In summer 2015, Crystal embarked on the most significant brand expansion in the history of luxury travel and hospitality, introducing three new classes of cruising – the recently launched Crystal Yacht Cruises (December 2015), Crystal River Cruises (July 2016), Crystal Exclusive Class Ocean Cruises (late 2018), and Crystal Luxury Air (April 2016). Crystal Endeavor voyages will open for booking in late 2016.

“With Crystal Esprit, we discovered there are many guests, young and young at heart, who enjoy sports at sea and discovering remote islands, and as the interests and age of luxury travelers increasingly vary, we will continue to expand our collection of luxury travel options,” says Rodriguez. “Luxury means something different to virtually everyone, and we strive to meet and exceed the wishes of the discerning modern luxury traveler. Crystal Endeavor will cater to a particularly daring audience, one who values luxurious comfort and amenities as much as life-changing adventures.”

Crystal announces plans for new megayacht, Crystal Endeavor. (PRNewsFoto/Crystal Cruises)

The megayacht will be the first purpose-built Polar Code compliant yacht in the world with a PC6 Polar Class designation. As such, Crystal Endeavor will be able to cruise in Polar Regions during the summer and autumn in medium “first year” ice which may include old ice inclusions. She will also be fitted with the state-of-the-art offshore dynamic positioning technology, with computer-controlled systems to automatically maintain the ship’s position with its own propellers and thrusters. This will enable the megayacht to float atop coral reefs and other underwater wonders without utilizing anchors, which can damage the terrain or other underwater wonders in waters too deep for anchors.

With the state-of-the-art offshore dynamic positioning technology, Crystal Endeavor will cruise in the Arctic; then follow the route of migrating whales along the coast of the Americas and Europe to Antarctica during the winter. Along the way, she will visit remote islands in the Atlantic and the Pacific Oceans, which cruise ships seldom call or cannot access. With a Remote Operated Vehicle (ROV, used extensively in the offshore industry), expedition cruises will also be organized to see sunken galleons, warships and passenger ships, such as the Titanic at 12,500 feet.

The 200-guest capacity Crystal Endeavor will offer extreme adventures by air, sea and land with a complete range of “toys” which are not commonly found on today’s megayachts, including two helicopters and two landing pads for flightseeing expeditions, as well as two, 7-person submarines, eight electric amphibious zodiacs, jet skis, wave runners, kayaks, fishing facilities, paddle boards, snorkeling and scuba equipment, recompression chamber, dive support tender and a multi-person ATV. To further deliver guest experiences distinct from any other expedition vessels, Crystal Endeavor will be equipped with SEABOBs – the world’s most technically advanced and powerful underwater scooter – that allows you to move gracefully underwater.

The standard guest suites will measure a minimum 400 square feet (including balcony), larger than all current expedition and luxury cruise ships, while the yacht’s two Owner Suites‘ will each boast a whopping 3,122 square feet (1,615ft(2) interior and 1,507ft(2) balcony), making them the largest guest suites of any megayacht afloat. Owner Suites’ guests will enjoy a master bedroom and two guest bedrooms, indoor and outdoor living areas, private conservatory, garden and outdoor Jacuzzi, private spa and gym outfitted with sauna, steam room and treatment room. The Owners Suite can be connected to a penthouse suite (806ft(2)) for a combined square footage of 3,928 feet (2,227ft(2) interior and 1,654ft(2) balcony), – surpassing any current and future build accommodations at sea.

The Academy Adds Diverse Voices To Its Leadership

Three Members Added To Board Of Governors; Six Members Also Added To Board Committees

Following up on her January 21^st announcement regarding the lack of diversity in the Academy membership, The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences President Cheryl Boone Isaacs today appointed three new governors to join the Academy’s 51-seat Board of Governors. Reginald Hudlin (Directors Branch), Gregory Nava (Writers Branch) and Jennifer Yuh Nelson (Short Films and Feature Animation Branch) were confirmed by the current Board members for three-year terms, effective immediately.

“I’m proud of the steps we have taken to increase diversity,” said Boone Isaacs. “However, we know there is more to do as we move forward to make this a more inclusive organization.”

The Board also appointed additional Academy members to each of the six Board committees that provide oversight to specific Academy areas.

• Actor Gael García Bernal joins the Awards and Events Committee, chaired by First Vice President Jeffrey Kurland.
• Cinematographer Amy Vincent joins the Preservation and History Committee, chaired by Vice President John Bailey.
• Producer Effie Brown joins the Museum Committee, chaired by Vice President Kathleen Kennedy.
• Executive Marcus Hu and Animator Floyd Norman join the Education and Outreach Committee, chaired by Vice President Bill Kroyer.
• Executive Vanessa Morrison joins the Finance Committee, chaired by Treasurer Jim Gianopulos.
• Producer Stephanie Allain joins the Membership and Administration Committee, chaired by Secretary Phil Robinson.

The Board also reaffirmed its January 21 resolution to make sure Academy voters are active in the motion picture industry. In the meeting, the Board decided that each branch executive committee will determine specific criteria for active voters based on the guidelines established in January. Active voters are defined as:

• those who have worked in the motion picture industry in the last 10 years;
• those who have worked anytime during three 10-year periods whether consecutive or not;
• members who have won or been nominated for an Oscar®.

The branch executive committees will meet every two years—starting this spring—to review their members and determine any potential reclassifications. The committees also will adopt an appeals process for members who may lose their voting privileges.

Now the hard work begins….

Woodford Reserve® Releases 2016 Kentucky Derby® Bottle

Equine Artist Thomas Allen Pauly’s Painting Featured On Commemorative Bottle

Woodford Reserve®, the Official Bourbon of the Kentucky Derby®, is honoring this year’s “Run for the Roses”™ with the release of its 2016 Kentucky Derby commemorative bottle. This year’s limited-edition Woodford Reserve Kentucky Derby bottle features artwork from award-winning equine artist Thomas Allen Pauly.

Woodford Reserve release its 2016 Kentucky Derby commemorative bottle. This year’s limited-edition Woodford Reserve Kentucky Derby bottle features artwork from award-winning equine artist Thomas Allen Pauly. (PRNewsFoto/Woodford Reserve)

Woodford Reserve has been the “Official Bourbon of the Kentucky Derby” for the past 18 years. It also sponsors a Grade I stakes race, The Woodford Reserve Turf Classic, which runs on Kentucky Derby Day, May 7, 2016, and has become one of Thoroughbred racing’s premier turf events with a $500,000 purse.

Since 1978, award-winning artist Pauly has painted some of the finest horses and jockeys in the world and is the Official Artist of American Pharoah – Triple Crown Winner. The artist is well respected in the equine industry where he travels around the world photographing his subjects in their natural settings. Primarily working with oils and watercolors, his artwork is known for its accuracy, energy, sentiment and celebration of equine achievement. His work has been displayed throughout the world at fine art galleries, on television and in books. He is a contributor to various racing charities and organizations as well as a devoted supporter of The Permanently Disabled Jockeys Fund (PDJF).

His painting “Barreling Down” is featured on the front of the Woodford Reserve bottle. The image on the bottle features a closeup, impressionistic look into the big race as two thoroughbreds and jockeys are neck and neck. The bright blue sky of a spring day in Kentucky shines through in the background as the horses race towards the finish line.

The bottle’s neck band features crisp black and Woodford Reserve’s signature copper color with the Kentucky Derby 142 date and Thomas Allen Pauly’s signature sealing the top of the bottle. A neck tag provides details about the product and the artist.

“Woodford Reserve is honored to collaborate with an artist of such high caliber for this year’s commemorative Derby bottle,” said Jason Kempf, Woodford Reserve brand director. “His years of experience, esteemed skillset in painting and passion for the equine industry correlate perfectly with the Kentucky Derby.”

Woodford Reserve is crafted at the historic Woodford Reserve Distillery, tucked in the heart of thoroughbred country in Versailles, Kentucky. A National Historic Landmark, the Woodford Reserve Distillery represents craftsmanship with a balance of historic heritage and modern practices. To learn more about Woodford Reserve, visit us www.woodfordreserve.com or check us out on Facebook at www.facebook.com/woodfordreserve.

The commemorative liter-size bottle will be available nationwide on shelves in March. The suggested retail price, depending on market, is $43.99.

Watercolor Your Baby’s World

The New Babybjörn Spring 2016 Collection, The Watercolor Collection, Celebrates The Playful, Colorful Imagination Of Children

A new collection from BabyBjörn has arrived. The Watercolor Collection is designed to encourage more play and creativity and was inspired by the playfulness and fun-loving ingenuity of children. Three simple elements are used: imagination, water and colors to create a fantasy world in watercolors. BabyBjörn designers, who are children at heart, created these colorful, water-loving creatures to inspire playfulness and imagination throughout the collection.

The Watercolor Collection is a limited edition line of our best-loved products including the Baby Carrier One, Bouncer Balance Soft and Travel Crib Light in five new colors. The new watercolors include: Coral Crab (coral), Little Gray Seal (light gray), Great Blue (dark blue), Ice-Blue Fish (light blue) and Turquoise Turtle (turquoise) and available now through September 2016.

“We know that children are naturally curious, and we can all take inspiration from their creativity and imagination in our everyday lives. Anything is possible in children’s play; an orange dot is a crab and a dab of paint is a blue fish,” says Karin Hoxter, Art Director at BabyBjörn. “Our Watercolor Collection celebrates children’s creativity and encourages everyone, children and grown-ups alike, to paint their own imaginary world.“

The multiple-award-winning Baby Carrier One is a big hit with parents who want a flexible, comfortable, ergonomic baby carrier with many options. The baby carrier is suitable for babies from newborn to 3 years old, and the sturdy waist belt and padded shoulder straps make it comfortable for hours of happy carrying. With four front- and back-carrying options, there is a position to suit every stage. 

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The Bouncer Balance Soft is a modern take on the company’s classic bouncer that’s been rocking contented babies for more than 50 years. It’s great for both rest and play from newborn up to the age of 2. The child’s own movements make the bouncer rock, so no batteries are required.

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Travel Crib Light, which was re-launched in 2006, is a safe sleep space that’s easy to set up and fold away, at home or on the road. This lightweight and cleverly designed travel crib is perfect for small and great adventures. The thick, sturdy mattress makes it comfy to sleep in, and the crib’s airy mesh fabric is extra soft, allowing parents to see their sleeping tot.

All products in this collection are made from cotton and mesh fabrics so they are gentle on skin and completely safe for baby to chew. These items are approved in accordance with Oeko-Tex Standard 100, Class 1 for baby products. It is the strictest textile standard in the world, free from any hazardous or allergenic substances.

More information is available at www.babybjorn.com.

Eric Clapton The Live Album Collection 1970-1980 : 4 Album, 6 Piece Vinyl-Only Box Set

March 25^th will see the release of all of Eric Clapton’s live albums from his recording period with Polydor/RSO, 1970-1980. A vinyl-only title, Eric Clapton – The Live Album Collection 1970-1980 is a companion set to the January, vinyl-only box set release of all of his Polydor/RSO solo studio albums spanning the same period. Similarly, each album here has been newly remastered and pressed on heavyweight vinyl. Capturing live concerts in New York, California, Rhode Island, Tokyo and London, the collection includes Clapton’s 1973 concert at London’s Rainbow with an all-star line-up featuring Pete Townshend, Steve Winwood, Ronnie Wood and Jim Capaldi. 

ERIC CLAPTON THE LIVE ALBUM COLLECTION 1970-1980 4 ALBUM, 6 PIECE VINYL-ONLY BOX SET AVAILABLE MARCH 25th, 2016.  (PRNewsFoto/Universal Music Enterprises)

Eric Clapton, who recently celebrated his 70th birthday this year, needs little by way of introduction, as a renowned solo artist in his own right as well as a member of the Yardbirds, Cream and Derek and the Dominos. He is the only three-time inductee to the Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame and is one of the most important and influential guitarists of all time. He has been the recipient of 17 Grammy Awards, 1 Brit Award and 1 Bafta.

1. Derek & The Dominos – Derek & The Dominos In Concert (00602547509475)
   – Live double album, recorded in 1970, released in October 1973.
   – Recorded at the Fillmore East in New York.
   – Features – ‘Why does Love Got To Be So Sad‘, ‘Let It Rain‘ and ‘Bottle Of Red Wine‘ amongst others.
2. Eric Clapton’ Rainbow Concert (00602547423634)
   – Recorded at London’s Rainbow Theatre in January 1973.
   – All star line up includes Pete Townshend, Steve Winwood, Ronnie Wood and Jim Capaldi.
   – First live performance where Eric used his famous Stratocaster guitar “Blackie”.
   – Features – ‘Badge‘, ‘Presence Of The Lord‘ and ‘Pearly Queen‘ amongst others.
3. Eric Clapton – E.C. Was Here (00602537590940)
   – Recorded in 1974 & 1975 at the Long Beach Arena, California, London’s Hammersmith Odeon and the Providence Civic Centre, Rhode Island.
   – Peaked #14 in the UK chart and #20 in the US Billboard chart.
   – Features – ‘Have You Ever Loved A Woman‘ and ‘Drifting Blues‘ amongst others.
4. Eric Clapton – Just One Night (00602547504968)
   – Recorded at the Budokan Theatre, Tokyo, Japan.
   – Certified gold, the album reached #2 in the US and #3 in the UK.
   – Features – ‘Cocaine‘, ‘Rambling On My Mind‘ and ‘Wonderful Tonight‘ amongst others.

The Elton John AIDS Foundation (EJAF) Announces New Awards for Grant-Making Partnership with The Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation (ETAF)

$330,000 In Grant Awards Focus On The Aids Epidemic In The Southern United States

“Join us in speaking out, taking action, and contributing to our efforts to achieve a world without AIDS.” – The Elton John AIDS Foundation (EJAF)

The Elton John AIDS Foundation (EJAF) announced a second year of grant awards made in partnership with The Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation (ETAF). With the support of $100,000 in funding from The Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation, EJAF has awarded $330,000 in grants to five organizations addressing the AIDS epidemic in the Southern part of the United States. EJAF is excited about the continued impact this partnership will have in advancing the fight against HIV/AIDS in the Southern United States where it is needed most.

Elton John AIDS Foundation logo (PRNewsFoto/Elton John AIDS Foundation)

At the Elton John AIDS Foundation (EJAF) they believe that AIDS can be beaten. They act on that belief by raising funds for evidence-based programs and policies, and also by speaking out with honesty and compassion about the realities of people’s lives. Elton John created EJAF over twenty years ago, first in the United States in 1992 and then in the United Kingdom in 1993. Through hard work and with the help of a wide range of kind and generous friends and supporters—and the annual Elton John Oscar Night Viewing party held in Los Angeles, the two foundations together have raised more than $349 million over the past two decades to combat stigma, prevent infections, provide treatment and services, and motivate governments to end AIDS. The U.S. foundation focuses its efforts on programs in the United States, the Americas, and the Caribbean, while the U.K. foundation funds HIV-related work in Europe,Asia, and Africa.

The Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation (ETAF) logo

“Poor access to HIV testing and good healthcare, as well as pervasive inequality for people most vulnerable to the disease, continue to make the U.S. South an epicenter of today’s AIDS crisis,” said EJAF Chairman David Furnish. “This is particularly true for LGBTQ individuals and Black Americans living in the Southern states. A recent CDC report has projected that, if HIV infection rates remain unchanged, half of all Black gay men will test positive for HIV at some point in their lifetime, as well as one in four Latino gay men, and one in eleven white gay men.  By making these grants, both Foundations commit to relentless advocacy and investment until we see meaningful and lasting change in the course of this epidemic.”

The projects being supported include:

– A Birmingham, Alabama center providing a safe, supportive, and affirming space for LGBTQ youth;

– A Georgia-based advocacy center focused on the impact of HIV/AIDS on young black gay men;

– A Jacksonville, Florida organization providing young LGBT people with access to pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP);

– A Memphis, Tennessee program supporting the needs of Black gay families; and

– An Atlanta-based community organization engaging transgender people of color, the larger LGBTQ community, and supportive allies to advocate for the end of policies that criminalize HIV/AIDS.

Elizabeth Taylor established The Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation (ETAF) in 1991 to support organizations delivering direct care and services to people living with HIV and AIDS, often to the most marginalized populations. Today, ETAF also provides funding for HIV prevention education and advocacy programs throughout the world, including existing organizations creating new and innovative techniques that help spread awareness of HIV prevention and treatment to targeted communities. To date ETAF has granted $17 million to more than 675 organizations in 44 countries and 42 states in the U.S. 

The path that Elizabeth Taylor paved continues through the work of ETAF. She arranged for ETAF to go on in perpetuity with the operating costs paid for by her Trust. Therefore, 100% of every dollar donated goes directly to helping people affected by HIV/AIDS. To advance the founders’ vision of helping the most marginalized people within the AIDS community, Ms. Taylor’s friends and family are working together as ETAF Ambassadors to help keep the issue of HIV/AIDS top-of-mind for the public. (To learn more or to make a donation, please visit www.elizabethtayloraidsfoundation.org.)

“Far too many people are denied equal rights and equal access to health care in this country, especially in the Southern U.S.  This partnership helps to address the serious inequities that exist in the provision of education, diagnosis, and treatment for the people most vulnerable to HIV/AIDS,” said ETAF Managing Director Joel Goldman. “At The Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation, we are thrilled to join the Elton John AIDS Foundation to help right this imbalance and address the needs of the hardest-hit areas and populations in the U.S. South.”

“In the 1980s when the AIDS epidemic began, Elizabeth Taylor was the brightest star in Hollywood, one of the greatest celebrities in the world,” said EJAF Founder Sir Elton John. “But she was also willing to get her hands dirty.  She stood up for gay people when few others would, and she got right into the nitty-gritty of AIDS policy and fought for the cause, without a moment’s hesitation or thought for her own reputation.  Elizabeth was my dear friend, and she remains one of my heroes. I am extremely proud of EJAF’s partnership with The Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation to help carry her great legacy forward.“

For more information, please visit www.ejaf.org. American Airlines is the official airline of the Elton John AIDS Foundation.

Greg Louganis to Be Honored By Point Foundation

Olympian is the Second Honoree Announced for April 11 Point Honors Gala in New York

The Point Foundation , the nation’s largest scholarship-granting organization for LGBTQ students of merit, will present five-time Olympic medalist Greg Louganis with the Point Legend Award, which recognizes an individual who has achieved greatness in their professional career and unapologetically supported the LGBTQ community. The award will be presented to Louganis at the landmark Fifth Avenue New York Public Library April 11. The event begins at 6:30 p.m.

Greg Louganis (PRNewsFoto/Point Foundation)

“I am deeply honored to be receiving the Point Legend Award this year,” said Louganis. “Point Foundation’s service to help LGBTQ youth overcome all the obstacles, challenges, prejudices that I myself endured is so inspirational. To see these young men and women get the opportunity to obtain higher education degrees truly touches my heart and I am so proud of each of them. I look forward to cheering them on, both scholars and mentors on this very special night.”

The Point Foundation empowers promising LGBTQ students to achieve their full academic and leadership potential – despite the obstacles often put before them – to make a significant impact on society. Point Foundation promotes change through scholarship funding, mentorship, leadership development, and community service training. (www.pointfoundation.org facebook/pointfoundation |twitter/pointfoundation Instagram/pointfoundation| #PointHonors )

Some of Point’s 85 current scholars and 217 alumni will be present at the event to share with the audience their inspiring stories about how they have overcome challenges to get their higher education degrees.

“Greg Louganis is rightfully an icon of perseverance and courage for so many people, as well as a person with a genuine magnanimous spirit,” said Jorge Valencia, Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer of Point Foundation. “Greg has participated in a number of Point events, and our scholars and alumni are always inspired by what he has to say and the example he has set as an LGBTQ advocate and athlete. With the Summer Olympics fast approaching, it is a fitting time to honor Greg with the Point Foundation Legend Award.”

Pete Nowalk (PRNewsFoto/Point Foundation)

As previously announced, Pete Nowalk, Executive Producer and creator of ABC’s “How to Get Away With Murder” will also be honored at the gala with the Point Leadership Award. Celebrity participants include Michelle Collins, Jack Falahee, Billy Gilman, and Conrad Ricamora. Additional celebrity attendees to be announced.

SPONSORS OF POINT HONORS: 
Presenting Sponsor: Wells Fargo
Premier Sponsors: Hilton Worldwide, HSBC, Janssen Therapeutics, James Cummings and Justin Mohat
Principal sponsors: Citi, Coach, Philippe Brugère-Trélat and Mitchell Draizin
National Media Sponsor: The Advocate and Pride.com
Local Media Sponsor: Gay City News

HOST COMMITTEE: Salman Azhar, MD; Philippe Brugère-Trélat and Mitchell Draizin; Claudia Caine and Linda Naylor; James Cummings and Justin Mohatt; Ron Falcon, MD; Brent Feigenbaum and Frank Morgan; Shelley and Robert Fischel; Herb Hamsher, Jonathan Stoller, Judith Light and Robert Desiderio; Peter D. Lease andEdward J. Wood; Bruce Lindstrom; Michael Mahoney; Clay Petre; Lisa Rosenblum; Ron Rudolph; David Steward and M. Pierre Friedrichs; Richard Ziegelasch and Patrick Campion

Talenti® Gelato & Sorbetto Unveils Six New Flavors For 2016

Nutty, Savory And Sweet Profiles Lead This Year’s Flavor Journey

Talenti® Gelato & Sorbetto — the best-selling gelato in the United States based on retail sales results for 2015 annual sales period ending 12/19/2015— is unveiling six new flavors for 2016. Talenti, the company, began as a gelateria in 2003 and has since grown into the best-selling packaged gelato in the United States. A wholly-owned subsidiary of Unilever, Talenti is committed to using artisanal methods and uses only the finest, carefully sourced ingredients — Belgian Chocolate, fresh whole Tahitian vanilla beans from Papua New Guinea, select coconuts from the Philippines, and real Argentine dulce de leche are just a few of the many fine ingredients used to create Talenti gelatos and sorbettos.

Talenti(R) Gelato & Sorbetto (PRNewsFoto/Talenti Gelato & Sorbetto)

Talenti is committed to using only the good stuff when creating their multitude of sorbetto and gelato flavors. Farm-fresh milk and fine, pure cane sugar are blended with ingredients sourced from around the globe, and locally, whenever possible. With this, the company uses artisanal cooking methods designed to create robust flavor profiles and experiences. The end result is scooped into the signature Talenti clear, recyclable, resealable and BPA-free containers. Sorbetto options are also part of the ever-evolving product line.

Talenti(R) Gelato & Sorbetto unveils six new flavors for 2016 including Chocolate Sorbetto, Coconut Almond Chocolate Gelato, Key Lime Pie Gelato, Peanut Butter Pretzel Gelato, Vanilla Caramel Swirl Gelato and Wild Blackberry Gelato. (PRNewsFoto/Talenti Gelato & Sorbetto)

Beginning this month, the new varieties will appear in grocery store freezers and include delicious, hand-crafted flavors just in time for the warmer spring and summer months:

– Chocolate Sorbetto: No milk? No problem. A sophisticated cocoa sorbetto that delivers a smooth, simple and rich chocolate taste.

– Coconut Almond Chocolate Gelato: Coconut shreds, semi-sweet chocolatey flakes, and salted roasted almonds all blended into coconut gelato.

– Key Lime Pie Gelato: Refreshing key lime gelato with a textured graham swirl and graham cracker pieces.

– Peanut Butter Pretzel Gelato: Peanut butter gelato with a peanut butter ripple and chocolatey peanutty crunchy pretzel balls.

– Vanilla Caramel Swirl Gelato: Classic vanilla bean gelato with a generous swirl of decadent Talenti dulce de leche.

– Wild Blackberry Gelato: An elegant blackberry gelato with a smooth blackberry swirl.

“We’re always finding ways to innovate our flavor lineup, and we’re really proud of these inventive twists and fresh flavor combinations,” said Josh Hochschuler, founder of Talenti. “This year’s flavors are made with real ingredients you can see — like coconut shreds, layers of graham crackers and ribbons of peanut butter — and we’re excited for our fans to discover these latest creations.”

The newest flavors will debut at this year’s Natural Products Expo West show in Anaheim, Calif., which ends this weekend. Consumers can find the new Talenti flavors at major retailers nationwide for a suggested retail price of $4.99-$5.99. For a full list of Talenti products and to find retail locations

The Met Breuer Opens to the Public on March 18, 2016 Expanding The Met’s Modern and Contemporary Program

Inaugural Season Features Mix of Visual Arts and Performance, Including:

• Unfinished: Thoughts Left Visible, major thematic survey featuring unfinished works of art from the Renaissance to the present day;
• Monographic exhibition of Indian modernist artist Nasreen Mohamedi;
• Continuous in-gallery performances by Artist in Residence Vijay Iyer (through March 31, 2016), a newly commissioned sonic experience by Pulitzer Prize-winning composer John Luther Adams, and an all-day performance in The Met’s three locations of the U.S. premiere of Karlheinz Stockhausen’s composition KLANG;
• Forthcoming exhibitions in 2016 season include rarely seen, early photographs by Diane Arbus (opening July 2016);
• Mid-career retrospective of the contemporary painter Kerry James Marshall (opening October 2016), with a complementary “artist’s choice” installation of works from The Met collection;
• Inhabiting Marcel Breuer’s Architecture, an exhibition of newly commissioned architectural photographs of four iconic Marcel Breuer-designed buildings (opening November 2016)

Since it was founded in 1870, The Met has always aspired to be more than a treasury of rare and beautiful objects. Every day, art comes alive in the Museum’s galleries and through its exhibitions and events, revealing both new ideas and unexpected connections across time and across cultures. Furthermore, millions of people also take part in The Met experience online. The Met presents over 5,000 years of art from around the world for everyone to experience and enjoy. The Museum now lives in three iconic sites in New York City—The Met Fifth Avenue, The Met Breuer, and The Met Cloisters.

The new Met logo (www.metmuseum.org)

On March 18, 2016, The Metropolitan Museum of Art will launch its inaugural season at The Met Breuer, its new space dedicated to modern and contemporary art. Housed in the landmark building designed by the renowned Bauhaus architect Marcel Breuer, The Met Breuer program invites visitors to engage with the art of the 20th and 21st centuries through a range of exhibitions, commissions, performances, and artist residencies all uniquely presented through the global breadth and historical reach of The Met’s unparalleled collection and resources.

“The reopening of Marcel Breuer’s iconic building on Madison Avenue represents an important chapter in the cultural life of New York City,” said Thomas P. Campbell, Director and CEO of The Met. “Whether frequent or first-time visitors to our Fifth Avenue building or The Met Cloisters, we look forward to welcoming everyone to The Met Breuer, which provides an unparalleled opportunity to experience modern and contemporary art through the lens of the global breadth and historical reach of The Met’s collection.”

The Met Breuer (www.metmuseum.org)

Sheena Wagstaff, the Leonard A. Lauder Chairman of The Met’s Department of Modern and Contemporary Art, added: “With the launch of The Met Breuer, we are honoring the history of this beloved building and embracing its significance to the cultural landscape of our city as we infuse it with The Met’s curatorial spirit for the public to enjoy. For our inaugural season, we have developed a far-reaching program that explores themes that stretch across history, geography, and art forms. Great works of art can transcend both time and place, as our program powerfully demonstrates.”

Under the direction of Campbell, Wagstaf has developed the curatorial program at The Met Breuer in partnership with departments from across the Museum, including Photographs; European Paintings; European Sculpture and Decorative Arts; Drawings and Prints; Arts of Africa, Oceania, and the Americas; the American Wing; and Concerts & Lectures.

The Met Breuer’s program will spotlight modern and contemporary art in dialogue with historic works that encompass the full range of The Met’s vast collection. The building will host both monographic and thematic exhibitions, as well as new commissions and performances. The two inaugural exhibitions at The Met are Unfinished: Thoughts Left Visible, a cross-departmental curatorial initiative that brings together works by some of the greatest artists of all time, from Titian to Louise Bourgeois, who experimented with a non finito style; and the largest exhibition to date dedicated to Indian modernist Nasreen Mohamedi. Additionally, a music installation by Artist in Residence Vijay Iyer will activate The Met Breuer’s Tony and Amie James Gallery in the lobby throughout March.

Photography is also a cornerstone of the program at The Met Breuer, including a presentation of early photographs by Diane Arbus, opening in July that will be drawn from The Met’s Diane Arbus Archive; and a series of commissioned architectural photographs that will document four seminal public buildings designed by Marcel Breuer, opening in the fall. Culminating The Met Breuer’s inaugural season, the first major survey in the United States of Kerry James Marshall, whose work asserts the place of the black figure within the narrative of Western painting, will go on view in October.

These programs will take place within an iconic building that has been restored with architect Marcel Breuer’s original vision in mind, supporting an integrated experience of art and architecture. Restoration work was completed under the guidance of Beyer Blinder Belle Architects & Planners LLC to maintain the unique character of the building’s signature attributes—including the textured concrete surfaces, bluestone floors, and bronze fixtures—with special consideration given to respecting the patina of history within the space by preserving the aesthetic of weathered areas. In addition to undertaking this extensive cleaning and restoration work, The Met also collaborated with the Whitney Museum of American Art to upgrade the building’s infrastructure systems. To enhance the building’s sunken garden, The Met commissioned landscape architect Günther Vogt to create a site-specific design and installation that includes Quaking Aspen trees planted along the west perimeter.

The Met gratefully acknowledges the following lead contributors to The Met Breuer: Daniel and Estrellita Brodsky and Howard S. and Nancy Marks; The Carson Family Charitable Trust, Tony and Amie James, and Anthony W. and Lulu C. Wang; Cheryl and Blair Effron, Mark Fisch and Rachel Davidson, Mr. and Mrs. J. Tomilson Hill, Eliot C. and Wilson Nolen, Samantha Boardman Rosen and Aby J. Rosen, Bonnie J. Sacerdote, and Alejandro Santo Domingo; Stephanie and Peter Brant, The Eli and Edythe Broad Foundation, Ann Cox Chambers, Mr. and Mrs. Jeffrey W. Greenberg, Mary and Michael Jaharis, Michael B. Kim and Kyung Ah Park, Leonard A. Lauder, Ann Tenenbaum and Thomas H. Lee, The Dr. Mortimer and Theresa Sackler Foundation, Barrie and Deedee Wigmore, and two anonymous donors.

Major corporate support for The Met Breuer is provided by Sotheby’s. A detailed history of the Breuer building is available on The Met’s website.

Annual Spring Dallas Metro Antique Postcard & Paper Americana Show and Sale Comes To Plano, March 18-19

Large crowds of enthusiastic collectors are anticipated when the Annual Spring Dallas Metro Antique Postcard & Paper Americana Show and Sale hits Plano, TX, Friday and Saturday, March 18, March 19, 2016. This is the 2016 edition of the Dallas Metro Postcard Spring Show and Sale, produced by Jim Taylor and CourthouseSquare.net. The Spring Dallas Metro show involves buyers and sellers from across the U.S. and nearly a million antique postcards, vintage paper Americana, ephemera and antique photography.

The show is located in a new venue this year: Comfort Inn and Suites Plano East, 700 Central Parkway East, (Exit 29, East side of Expressway, 3 blocks north of South Fork Hotel on Expressway frontage road, just behind new Furr’s Cafeteria, LaQuinta) Plano, TX 75074

In addition to postcards, vintage paper sellers from around the country will be there with a wide selection of old valentines, die-cut Victorian Scrap, Western Americana, military and Native American photos.

Vendors are bringing original historical photographs of Texas, Missouri, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Civil War, Western American, Route 66, mining, sports, political, maps, Native Americans, rodeo, movie, railroadiana, Oklahoma and Indian Territory, Victorian era, Kewpies, 101 Ranch, Border War and thousands of other topical and state view postcards. Other historical paper memorabilia and ephemera are also for sale.

Available at the show are archival postcard supplies and reference volumes, plus free Barr’s Postcard News issues while supplies last. Vendors buy collections and accumulations as well as give free appraisals of most all vintage postcards, old photographs, and paper ephemera as time allows.

“Our Spring show includes educational displays of antique and collectible postcards from many of the attendees, competing for a “Best of Show” award, and promotion of the Dallas Postcard Club membership.“

“Early bird” admission cost, available at 9 a.m., Friday is $6 and covers both days. Regular admission is $4 per person, and is available at 10 a.m.; it too covers both days.

Show times are 10 a.m. – 6 p.m., Friday, March 18, and 10 a.m. – 4 p.m., Saturday, March 19; with 9 a.m. early bird. Free parking is available.

Spring Into Action With Special Rates At Newport Beach Marriott Hotel & Spa

Hotel in Newport Beach offers discounted room rates on select March and April dates in 2016

So long, winter! Newport Beach Marriott Hotel & Spa invites travelers to embrace the warm Southern California weather by heating things up during select dates this spring. The Newport Beach Marriott Hotel & Spa at 900 Newport Center Drive in Newport Beach, California is near Fashion Island, Newport Bay Nature Reserve and Newport Beach. The hotel features 16 floors with 512 rooms, 20 suites, 4 concierge levels, 30 meeting rooms with 25,000 square feet of total space, 2 restaurants, a fitness center and outdoor pool.

Newport Beach

Knowing that savings are always in season, the premier hotel in Newport Beach is offering Hot Dates in March & April, allowing guests to take advantage of discounted rates when they book a stay during the following 2016 dates: March 4-6, 10, 12-16 and 20-31, and April 1-3, 10-11, 14-18 and 22-29. With room rates starting as low as $209 a night, there’s never been a better time to savor the sights and sounds of Southern California with a quick getaway. So grab a beach bag and your favorite travel partner before this deal is gone.

The Wedge at Newport Beach

Crystal Cove State Park

Situated just minutes from pristine beaches, world-class shopping, premier dining and world-class entertainment, the state-of-the-art Newport Beach hotel offers an adventure for every interest. Head to Newport Landing to start the day at sea. Featuring everything from fishing excursions to whale watching tours, this popular attraction is the perfect spot for enjoying an authentic California experience.

Luxury Suite – Living Room

Luxury Suite – Bedroom

King Guest Room

When back on land, take advantage of the hotel’s complimentary bike rentals and ride to Balboa Island. Discover the rich history of this scenic family-friendly destination at the museum, explore the water by paddleboard, or spend an afternoon shopping for everything from candy to couture.

Concierge Lounge

Guests craving a little retail therapy can head across the street to Fashion Island, home to high-end retailers and one-of-a-kind boutiques. After shopping the day away, grab a bite at one of Fashion Island’s stylish eateries, or enjoy dinner and drinks with a show at the full-service movie theater.

Spring is Blooming in Westchester County

 

Now that spring is almost here, it’s time to get out and explore Westchester in New Yok state. Sing along to the best of the Beatles at The Fest for Beatles Fans, taste signature dishes from restaurants at the Hudson Valley Restaurant Week and Taste of Ridge Hill and even participate in team building exercises with Escape the Room, all right there in Westchester County.

“As we wait to greet spring’s arrival, Westchester welcomes visitors from near and far to experience all that our county has to offer,” said County Executive Robert P. Astorino. “From the return of the beloved Fest for Beatles Fans to interesting exhibits and exciting performances, we have something for everyone.”

Here are a few of the upcoming events:

Great Performances

– Come together – The Fest for Beatles Fans is back. The festival celebrating Beatlemania is back in Westchester for the second year in a row. From April 15-17 Beatles’ fans young and old will gather at the Hilton Westchester in Rye Brook for the three-day extravaganza, featuring musical guests who have performed with members of the Beatles. One of the largest gatherings of Beatles enthusiasts in the nation, Beatlefest was founded by the ultimate Beatles fan, Mark Lapidos, 52 years ago in New York City, with support from original Beatles members. For more information and to buy tickets, please visit http://www.thefest.com/2016-fests/buy-tickets/.

– Directed by David Wasson, Westchester Broadway Theatre’s production of Man of La Mancha runs now through May 1. Set in 17th century Spain the musical blends tragedy, romance, comedy and adventure to tell the story of Miguel de Cervantes’ wrongful imprisonment during the Spanish Inquisition. For show times and ticket prices, please visit http://www.BroadwayTheatre.com or call (914)-592-2222.

– Experience a matinee or evening performance of Westchester Broadway Theatre’s production of Tony Kenny’s Irish Celebration on Monday, March 14. The concert mixes Irish music, folk songs, comedy and Irish dancing, starring one of Ireland’s most celebrated artists, Tony Kenny. For show times and ticket prices, please visit http://www.BroadwayTheatre.com or call (914)-592-2222.

Sheep Shearing Fest at Stone Barns Center 

– The 12 Annual Celebration & Fundraiser will take place on Saturday, April 30 from 10am-3pm. Watch as the Stone Barns’ farmers shear their flock and try carding, combing and felting wool before herding the sheep to pasture. Other family-friendly activities, crafts, live music and food round out the fun. Tickets are now on sale. All proceeds support the Stone Barns Center. For more information about the festival and for information about tickets please visit: http://www.stonebarnscenter.org/visit/sheep-shearing-fest.html

Team Building 

– The latest team building craze is now open in Scarsdale at The Center@862. Participants must work together to Escape the Room, by solving various puzzles and finding hidden objects – all in 60 minutes. For more information, contact (914) 722-8358 or visit http://www.thecenter862.com/

Bites & Beverages 

– The Hudson Valley Restaurant Week begins on March 7 and runs through Sunday, March 20. For two weeks, diners will enjoy meals and affordable deals at more than 200 restaurants throughout the Hudson Valley, including more than 100 in Westchester County. Organized by The Valley Table Magazine, Hudson Valley Restaurant Week features prix-fixe, three-course dinners ($29.95) and lunches ($20.95). For the list of participating restaurants, visit http://www.hudsonvalleyrestaurantweek.com/home.php

– On March 31, feast on signature bites and beverages during the Taste of Ridge Hill, from the restaurants at Ridge Hill from 6pm-9pm. Participating restaurants include 5 Napkin, Havana Central, Texas de Brazil, Angelo’s Family Style Italian, Lefteris Gyro and Elevation Burger. A portion of ticket sales will benefit the Food Bank for Westchester. Tickets must be purchased in advance at http://www.Ridgehill.com/info/tastofrh.

For the Birds 

– From now until June 19, ornithologists can visit The Nest, An Exhibition of Art in Nature, at the Katonah Museum of Art. The provocative display incorporates contemporary art, relics from the natural world and items of material culture that showcase the similarities between human and animal behavior. The exhibit, located in the Beitzel and Righter Galleries, raises questions about the survival of birds and their habitats in our ever-changing ecosystem. For more information, please call (914) 232-9555 or visit http://www.katonahmuseum.org/exhibitions/TheNest/.

Book a hotel-stay in Westchester County 

– All Book Early and Save reservations made at least five days prior to arrival are entitled to 15% off the best available rate at Doral Arrowwood. These reservations require a non-refundable $50 deposit. Book now at http://www.doralarrowwood.com/ or by calling (844) 214-5500.

– Healthy package, Staying Fit at Radisson New Rochelle, offers a large bottle of flat or sparkling water and an assortment of fresh seasonal fruit and granola bars delivered to the room. The hotel also has an onsite fitness center to get guests ready for spring. Rooms are available from $169. Please visit http://www.radisson.com/new-rochelle-hotel-ny-10801/nyrochel or call (914) 576-3700 for more information.

To stay current on Westchester happenings, check out http://www.visitwestchesterny.com or call (800) 833-9282 FREE.

SB Watches Launch New Re-Designed E-Commerce Website

SB, a line of stainless steel, modern design watches is launching it’s newly re-designed e-commerce website. The new website gives customers a more sophisticated and simple shopping experience, showcasing the exceptional design and quality of each timepiece.

SB 40mm Pink Dial

The new website will feature the four SB watch collections in an all new format. The mens and ladies watches are 40mm and 36mm. They feature simple and solid color dials with either leather straps, stainless steel mesh bracelets or stainless steel link bracelets. You can also purchase these watches with or without a diamond bezel. Prices start at $275 for the SB mens and ladies watches.

SB Stair Crazy Watch

The SB Select collection features original limited edition designs created by New York industrial artist, Fredi Brodmann. Fredi Brodmann was born in Vienna in 1956 and was originally a renowned cartoonist. Brodmann has been designing the SB watch collections in collaboration with owner Raphael Cohen. Together, their amazing vision has produced a fine and exciting line of wrist watches.

SB Watch with Black Dial

The most recent collection to be born from the minds of Brodmann and Cohen is The Metropolis collection, made with passion and attention to details. The case is made from 3 parts with an assortment of striking dials. Just added, is the newest Metropolis timepiece: Countdown, which features a completely glow-in-the-dark dial and rugged leather strap.

All SB watches are equipped with a stainless steel case, buckle and back as wells as a fine Swiss quartz movement. Each watch also is water-resistant to 165 feet, has a scratch-resistant sapphire crystal and carries a 2-year warranty.

Out In The Vineyard Partners with Chateau St. Jean to Donate Iconic Winery to Gay Wine Event to Help End HIV in Sonoma County

Legendary Sonoma Iconic Winery to Host Twilight T-Dance at Out In The Vineyard’s Gay Wine Weekend In Sonoma to Benefit Face to Face, Sonoma County AIDS Network.

Photo credit: outinthevineyard.com

 

Out in the Vineyard is pleased to announce Sonoma’s Iconic winery, Chateau St. Jean, will open it’s doors to the LGBT community and host the 2016 Twilight T-Dance AIDS fundraiser event, Saturday, June 18, 2016. (Out In The Vineyard is an experiential Wine Country Event and Travel company promoting positive LGBT lifestyles and offering exclusive, luxury events in Sonoma & Napa Valleys and tours to international wine regions for the discerning gay traveler and their friends.)

Photo credit: outinthevineyard.com

 

The Twilight T-Dance is the signature event of the 3 days long annual AIDS fundraising event, Gay Wine Weekend, in Sonoma Valley, benefiting Face to Face, Sonoma County AIDS Network. The annual Gay Wine Weekend is held in Northern California’s magnificent Sonoma Valley, home to some of the world’s most prestigious wines and wineries, featuring world class wine and culinary delights. 500-600 LGBT wine lovers from across North America will travel to Chateau St. Jean Winery for a VIP wine reception and dance into the sunset to the hip beats of an internationally famous DJ out in the vineyards of Chateau St. Jean. Gourmet food trucks will also be on hand, where guests can purchase delicious wine country cuisine to pair with Chateau St. Jean’s award winning wines.

Photo credit: outinthevineyard.com

 

Founded in 1973 in the Sonoma Valley, Chateau St. Jean is the quintessential Sonoma winery. Chateau St. Jean produces an extensive portfolio of Sonoma County wines as well as vineyard designated wines, limited production Reserve wines, and the flagship Cinq Cépages Cabernet Sauvignon. Winemaker Margo Van Staaveren, who was named “Winemaker of the Year” for 2008 by Wine Enthusiast Magazine, has been with Chateau St. Jean for over 30 years. Chateau St. Jean is the first Sonoma winery to be awarded the prestigious “Wine of the Year” award from Wine Spectator Magazine for its 1996 Cinq Cépages, a Bordeaux style blend of “five varieties” and has long been recognized as a leader in vineyard designated wines.

Photo credit: outinthevineyard.com

 

Since its inception in 1983, Face to Face has worked with the challenges that Sonoma County faces as a result of the HIV/Aids epidemic. Their mission is to “provide compassionate care to people living with HIV/AIDS and their loved ones, and prevention education to the entire community.” Through their educational programs, prevention clinics and compassionate counseling, Face to Face has committed themselves to supporting and working with individuals with HIV/Aids to help the entire Sonoma County community.

Photo credit: outinthevineyard.com

 

Out In The Vineyard has contributed over $130,000 dollars to Face to Face, Sonoma County AIDS Network since the launch of Gay Wine Weekend in June 2011. “This gives us the greatest pleasure of all,” says co-founder Gary Saperstein. “After everyone goes home, we get to stop and take stock that with so many people’s help, we are able to raise the much needed funds for this great organization.”

Photo credit: outinthevineyard.com

 

“Having Chateau St. Jean open is doors to the LGBT community and donate their legendary winery to help us raise money for support services to those living with HIV/AIDS and to stop HIV in Sonoma County is a testament to how dedicated they are to our community” says Out In The Vineyard co-founder, Mark Vogle .“Growing up in rural Sonoma County as the AIDS epidemic exploded in the late 1980s and early 90s, and witnessing the backlash against the victims of this horrible disease, I could have never imagined this kind of support. It’s incredibly generous.”

Photo credit: outinthevineyard.com

 

GAY WINE WEEKEND 2016 EVENTS:

Friday, June 17th

VIP Welcome Reception

3:00 – 6:00 PM – MacArthur Place Hotel

Exclusive to Gay Wine Weekend guests staying at the luxurious host hotel & VIP Pass holders have exclusive access to this year’s VIP Reception & wine tasting at Gay Wine Weekend’s Official Host Hotel. (MacArthur Place is offering special Gay Wine Weekend Rates, starting at just $299 per room. Standard rates start at $425. THAT’S A $129 SAVINGS PER NIGHT! 2 night minimum required on all rooms.)

The United States Mint Strikes National Park Service Coin

The United States Mint (Mint) opened the doors of its San Francisco facility to the media for a ceremonial striking of the 2016 National Park Service (NPS) Proof Clad Half Dollar.

“Every day, across the Nation, the Mint connects Americans through coins, and in 2016 it will be our great privilege to connect America to the legacy of the National Park Service and its distinguished service to our country since 1916,” said United States Mint Chief of Staff Elisa Basnight.

The strike ceremony offered a behind-the-scenes glimpse of the coin’s production prior to its release March 24. In addition to Ms. Basnight, participants included Tom Leatherman, NPS superintendent for the Eugene O’Neill National Historic Site, John Muir National Historic Site, Port Chicago Naval Magazine National Memorial, and the Rosie the Riveter/World War II Home Front National Historic Park; David Jacobs, plant manager of the Mint’s San Francisco facility; NPS junior ranger Fisher Tomlinson; and NPS park ranger Betty Soskin. Soskin, who is 94 years old and the oldest full-time ranger, is assigned to the Rosie the Riveter/World War II Home Front National Historic Park.

Clad Obverse
Designer: Barbara Fox
Engraver: Michael Gaudioso
Description: features a hiker discovering the majesty of the wilderness and a small child discovering a frog hiding in ferns, celebrating the diversity and breadth of the National Park Service. Inscriptions are “LIBERTY,” “2016,” “IN GOD WE TRUST,” “1916” and “NATIONAL PARK SERVICE.”

 

The obverse (heads side) of the 2016 National Park Service Proof Clad Half Dollar features a hiker discovering the majesty of the wilderness and a small child discovering a frog hiding in ferns, celebrating the diversity and breadth of the NPS. Inscriptions are “LIBERTY,” “2016,” “IN GOD WE TRUST,” “1916,” and “NATIONAL PARK SERVICE.” The obverse was designed by United States Mint Artistic Infusion Program (AIP) artist Barbara Fox and sculpted by United States Mint Sculptor-Engraver Michael Gaudioso.

Clad Reverse
Designer: Thomas Hipschen
Engraver: Charles L. Vickers
Description: features the National Park Service logo. Inscriptions are “UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,” “E PLURIBUS UNUM,” “HALF DOLLAR,” “STEWARDSHIP” and “RECREATION.”

 

The coin’s reverse (tales side) features the NPS logo, with the inscriptions “UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,” “E PLURIBUS UNUM,” “HALF DOLLAR,” “STEWARDSHIP,” and “RECREATION.” The reverse was designed by AIP artist Thomas Hipschen and sculpted by United States Mint Sculptor-Engraver Charles L. Vickers.

Gold Obverse
Designer: Don Everhart
Engraver: Don Everhart
Description: features John Muir and Theodore Roosevelt with Yosemite National Park’s Half Dome in the background. Inscriptions are “LIBERTY,” “2016” and “IN GOD WE TRUST.”

Gold Reverse
Designer: Don Everhart
Engraver: Don Everhart
Description: features the National Park Service logo. Inscriptions are “UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,” “E PLURIBUS UNUM” and “$5.”

 

The 2016 National Park Service Proof Clad Half Dollar Coin is part of a three-coin program authorized by Public Law 113-291 to celebrate the centennial of the NPS. As required by the public law, the Mint will mint and issue 100,000 $5 gold coins, 500,000 $1 silver coins, and 750,000 half dollar clad coins in proof and uncirculated qualities.

Silver Reverse

Designer: Chris Costello

Engraver; Jim Licaretz

Description: depicts a Latina Folklórico dancer and the National Park Service logo, representing the multi-faceted cultural experience found in America’s national parks. Inscriptions are “UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,” “E PLURIBUS UNUM,” “$1” “HERITAGE,” “CULTURE” and “PRIDE.”

Silver Obverse
Designer: Joseph Menna
Engraver: Joseph Menna
Description: features Yellowstone National Park’s Old Faithful geyser and a bison. Inscriptions are “LIBERTY,” “NATIONAL PARK SERVICE CENTENNIAL,” “IN GOD WE TRUST,” “1916” and “2016.”

 

Surcharges collected from the sales of each coin—$35 for each $5 gold coin, $10 for each $1 silver coin, and $5 for each half dollar clad coin—are authorized to be paid to the National Park Foundation. The funds are to be used for projects that help preserve and protect resources under the stewardship of the NPS and promote public enjoyment and appreciation of these resources.

The Mint will begin accepting orders for the 100th Anniversary of the National Park Service Commemorative Coins Program March 24 at noon Eastern Time.

The United States Mint was created by Congress in 1792 and became part of the Department of the Treasury in 1873. It is the Nation’s sole manufacturer of legal tender coinage and is responsible for producing circulating coinage for the Nation to conduct its trade and commerce. The United States Mint also produces numismatic products, including proof, uncirculated, and commemorative coins; Congressional Gold Medals; and silver and gold bullion coins. The United States Mint’s numismatic programs are self-sustaining and operate at no cost to taxpayers.

New Gummibär Easter Baskets Now Available

Gummybear International is pleased to announce that for the first time ever, pre-assembled Gummibär Easter Basket Gift Bundles will be available for purchase! The Gummibär Easter Basket is the perfect gift for Easter this year. Gummibär, everyone’s favorite dancing and singing gummy bear character, is the most successful independent recording artist on YouTube, with more than 5.2 billion views across the Gummibär YouTube Network. The official YouTube channel for Gummibär has recently surpassed over 1 million subscribers. He is the first independent artist to join the YouTube one billion views club for surpassing a billion views with his hit video “The Gummy Bear Song.”

Filled with over $70 worth of fun Gummibär goodies, items featured in the baskets include:

• A Gummibär Singing Plush Toy Keychain
• A bag of Gummibär Gummy Candy
• A bag of Gummibär Sour Gummy Candy
• A set of 6 Gummibär Surprise Easter Eggs
• A “Party Pop” CD
• An “I Am Your Gummy Bear” CD
• A Gummibär USB Flash Drive
• A Gummibär Emoji Sticker Set
• A Gummibär Pen
• A Gummibär Pencil
• A Reusable Gummibär Shopping Bag

The Gummibär Easter Basket Gift Bundles are available exclusively at The Gummibär Shop at http://www.gummybearshop.com, for only $49.99 – a discount of more than 25% off the cost of the items when purchased separately.

“Open Plan” Experimental Five-Part Exhibition At The Whitney

Beginning February 26 and running through May 14, 2016, the Whitney Museum of American Art will present Open Plan, an experimental five-part exhibition using the Museum’s dramatic fifth floor as a single open gallery, unobstructed by interior walls. The largest column-free museum exhibition space in New York, the Neil Bluhm Family Galleries measure 18,200 square feet and feature windows with striking views east into the city and west to the Hudson River, making for an expansive and inspiring canvas. Five artists have been invited to present solo projects in response to the space, lasting from a few days to just over two weeks. They include installation and performance artist Andrea Fraser; painter Lucy Dodd; sculptor and earth artist Michael Heizer; jazz composer and performer Cecil Taylor; and video- and Academy Award-winning filmmaker Steve McQueen.

“The Whitney’s fifth- floor gallery was conceived as an unparalleled exhibition space to inspire artists and curators, as well as our visitors, with its openness and flexibility,” remarks Scott Rothkopf, Deputy Director for Programs and Nancy and Steve Crown Family Chief Curator. “To celebrate the end of our inaugural year downtown, we wanted to reveal this space for the first time in its entirety and give artists the opportunity to respond to the site with new projects or to display work from the collection that we couldn’t have previously shown. The featured artists span a broad range of ages, mediums, and approaches, and we’ve asked them to respond to the space with a light touch and without interior construction in order to lend Open Plan a lively and experimental spirit.”

The consecutive parts of the exhibition are scheduled as follows:

OPEN PLAN: ANDREA FRASER

FEB 26–MAR 13, 2016

Andrea Fraser’s (b. 1965) provocative work spans performance, institutional critique, video, and audience engagement. Open Plan: Andrea Fraser will present her site-specific project, Down the River, which uses audio recorded at a correctional facility to bridge the social, cultural, and geographic divide separating museums from correctional facilities. Since the mid-1970s, the United States has seen a parallel boom in museum and prison construction, with some states, such as New York, recently reversing this trend with prison closures. Fraser’s sound installation seeks to reflect on the parts we play in sustaining these disparate institutions.

Public seminars on Down the River occur daily on the third floor: Monday–Friday at 2 pm; Saturdays and Sundays at 1 pm.

Open Plan: Andrea Fraser is organized by Deputy Director for Programs and Nancy and Steve Crown Family Chief Curator Scott Rothkopf and assistant curator Laura Phipps.

Lucy Dodd (b. 1981), installation view of Wuv Shack at David Lewis Gallery, 2015. Courtesy the artist and David Lewis Gallery, New York. Photograph by Jenny Kim.

OPEN PLAN: LUCY DODD

MAR 17–MAR 20, 2016

Lucy Dodd (b. 1981) turns the gallery into a site of artistic exploration and live action for her Open Plan presentation. Before the exhibition opens to the public, Dodd will create a new large-scale painting utilizing unusual materials like fermented walnuts, kombucha scoby, hematite, yerba mate, and pigments she has collected in her travels. The new painting will be surrounded by recently made shaped canvases that are intended to evoke sails or waves and respond to the gallery’s river views. By bringing her studio activities into the gallery and inviting musicians to perform, Dodd fosters what she calls “a space of ritual action and improvisation demanding a longer and broader engagement on the part of the audience.”

Open Plan: Lucy Dodd is organized by associate curator Christopher Y. Lew.

Photo Credit: Michael Heizer (b. 1944), Actual Size: Munich Rotary, 1970. Six custom made aluminum projectors with steel stands and six black and white slides mounted between glass, Dimensions variable. Whitney Museum of American Art, New York; Gift of Virginia Dwan 96.137. Photograph © Museum Associates/ LACMA, CA

OPEN PLAN: MICHAEL HEIZER

MAR 25–APR 10, 2016

Michael Heizer’s (b. 1944) large-scale earth works have redefined the parameters of sculpture. He will be represented at the Whitney by his 1970 installation, Actual Size: Munich Rotary, a full-scale photographic documentation of the horizon from inside an 18-foot-deep hole that Heizer dug in the earth in Munich, Germany. Comprised of six black-and-white glass slide projections, six custom-made steel projectors, and six steel pipes with wood platforms, this vast projected work re-images the depression as seen from its center. This is the first time this iconic work in the Whitney’s collection will be shown in New York.

Cecil Taylor in rehearsal at the Whitney Museum, November 2015.

OPEN PLAN: CECIL TAYLOR

APR 15–APR 24, 2016

Pianist Cecil Taylor (b. 1929) is one of America’s most innovative and uncompromising living musicians. A pioneer of free jazz whose work draws on a myriad of different musical styles conveyed through radical improvisation, he will take up residence in the fifth-floor gallery along with friends and fellow performers. This residency will feature a series of live performances amid a retrospective environment that will include documentation of Taylor’s career, including videos, audio, notational scores, photographs, poetry, and other ephemera.

Open Plan: Cecil Taylor is organized by curator and curator of performance Jay Sanders and Lawrence Kumpf, artistic director, ISSUE Project Room, with senior curatorial assistant Greta Hartenstein and Andrew W. Mellon Curatorial Fellow Lauren Rosati.

Steve McQueen (b. 1969), ​End Credits, 2012. Sequence of digitally scanned files, sound, continuous projection

OPEN PLAN: STEVE MCQUEEN

APR 29–MAY 14, 2016

Steve McQueen (b. 1969) is a visual artist and filmmaker, whose films include Hunger, Shame, and 12 Years a Slave, which won the Academy Award for Best Picture. McQueen’s project for Open Plan will center on a newly expanded version of his work End Credits, which presents documents from the FBI file kept on the legendary African-American performer Paul Robeson.

Open Plan: Steve McQueen is organized by Deputy Director for International Initiatives and Senior Curator Donna De Salvo, with curatorial assistant Christie Mitchell.

Major support for Open Plan is provided by the Philip and Janice Levin Foundation and the National Committee of the Whitney Museum of American Art. Significant support is provided by The Brown Foundation, Inc., of Houston and Donald R. Mullen, Jr. Generous support is provided by Diane and Adam E. Max. Additional support is provided by Joseph Rosenwald Varet and Esther Kim Varet, and the Performance Committee of the Whitney Museum of American Art.

The Whitney Museum of American Art To Present Two-Floor Exhibition In Celebration Of The Portrait

Human Interest: Portraits from the Whitney’s Collection Complete The Reinstallation Of The Whitney’s Collection In Its New Building

The Selfie, often seen as the height of narcissism in what is essentially an increasingly narcissistic world, is the modern version of what has long been a celebrated art form throughout history: The Portrait. Portraits are one of the richest veins of the Whitney’s collection, thanks to the Museum’s longstanding commitment to the figurative tradition, championed by its founder Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney.

The mysterious power and fascination of the portrait—and the ingenious ways in which artists have been expanding the definition of portraiture over the past 100 years—are celebrated in Human Interest: Portraits from the Whitney’s Collection, to be presented at the Whitney Museum of American Art this spring. The works included in this exhibition propose diverse and often unconventional ways of representing an individual. Many artists reconsider the pursuit of external likeness—portraiture’s usual objective—within formal or conceptual explorations or reject it altogether. Some revel in the genre’s glamour and allure, while others critique its elitist associations and instead call attention to the banal or even the grotesque.

Drawn entirely from the Museum’s collection, the exhibition features more than 300 works made from 1900 to 2016 by an extraordinary range of more than 200 artists, roughly half of whom are living. The show will be organized in twelve thematic sections on two floors of the Museum, with works in all media installed side by side. Floor Six, predominantly focused on art since 1960, opens first, on April 6; Floor Seven, which includes works from the first half of the twentieth century alongside more contemporary offerings, will open on April 27. The exhibition will remain on view through February 12, 2017.

Once a rarified luxury good, portraits are now ubiquitous. Readily reproducible and ever-more accessible, photography has played a particularly vital role in the democratization of portraiture, and will be strongly represented in the exhibition. Most recently, the proliferation of smartphones and the rise of social media have unleashed an unprecedented stream of portraits in the form of selfies and other online posts. Many contemporary artists confront this situation, stressing the fluidity of identity in a world where technology and the mass-media are omnipresent. Through their varied takes on the portrait, the artists in Human Interest: Portraits from the Whitney’s Collection demonstrate the vitality of this enduring genre, which serves as a compelling lens through which to view some of the most important social and artistic developments of the past century.

Barkley L. Hendricks (b. 1945). Steve, (1976). Oil, acrylic, and Magna on linen canvas, 72 × 48in. (182.9 × 121.9 cm). Whitney Museum of American Art, New York; purchase and gift with funds from the Arthur M. Bullowa Bequest by exchange, the Jack E. Chachkes Endowed Purchase Fund, and the Wilfred P. and Rose J. Cohen Purchase Fund 2015.101. Image Courtesy of the artist and Jack Shainman Gallery, NY.

Many iconic works from the collection will be included by such artists as Alexander Calder, Marsden Hartley, Edward Hopper, Jasper Johns, Alice Neel, Georgia O’Keeffe, Cindy Sherman, and Andy Warhol. In addition, a number of major new acquisitions will be exhibited at the Whitney for the first time, including Barkley L. Hendricks’s full-length 1976 portrait, Steve; Urs Fischer’s 2015 towering candle sculpture of Julian Schnabel (making its debut); Joan Semmel’s painting of two nude lovers, Touch (1977); Henry Taylor’s depiction of Black Panther leader Huey Newton (2007); Deana Lawson’s striking color photograph The Garden (2015); and Rosalyn Drexler’s Pop masterwork Marilyn Pursued by Death (1963). The exhibition will extend to the Museum’s outdoor galleries on Floors Seven and Six, the latter of which will feature Paul McCarthy’s monumental bronze sculpture White Snow #3 (2012), also a new acquisition.

Following is a selection of several of the sections in which the exhibition will be divided:

PORTRAIT OF THE ARTIST

Edward Hopper (1882‑1967). (Self‑Portrait), (1925‑1930). Oil on canvas, Overall: 25 3/8 × 20 3/8in. (64.5 × 51.8 cm). Whitney Museum of American Art, New York; Josephine N. Hopper Bequest 70.1165. © Heirs of Josephine N. Hopper, licensed by Whitney Museum of American Art

On the seventh floor, the section “Portrait of the Artist” brings together self-portraits with portraits of artists and other members of the creative community, a moving window into the way artists see themselves and their relationships with one another. On view will be Edward Hopper’s iconic self-portrait in oil in a brown hat, as well as a pair of drawings by Hopper and Guy Pène du Bois, each depicting the other and made during a single sitting. Other works depict artists with the tools of their trade—Ilse Bing is seen in a photograph holding the shutter release of her camera; Mabel Dwight uses a mirror as an aid in drawing herself; Andreas Feininger photographs himself regarding a strip of film through a magnifying glass. Other works in this section include Cy Twombly photographed by Robert Rauschenberg; Jasper Johns by Richard Avedon; Georgia O’Keeffe drawn by Peggy Bacon; Edgard Varèse sculpted in wire by Alexander Calder; Langston Hughes photographed by Roy DeCarava; Berenice Abbott by Walker Evans; Yasuo Kuniyoshi by Arnold Newman; and a double portrait of Joseph Stella and Marcel Duchamp taken by Man Ray.

Rachel Harrison (b. 1966). Untitled, (2011). Colored pencil on paper, Sheet: 19 × 24in. (48.3 × 61 cm). Whitney Museum of American Art, New York; purchase, with funds from the Drawing Committee 2012.81. © Rachel Harrison

EARLY TWENTIETH CENTURY CELEBRITY AND SPECTACLE

In the early decades of the twentieth century, a spectrum of new, popular leisure pursuits—vaudeville, theater, cabaret, sporting events, and above all, motion pictures—thrust performers and entertainers into the public eye as never before. For the crowds that flocked to see them, the stars of these entertainments became larger-than-life figures, and an array of media outlets, from tabloid newspapers to glossy magazines to radio, sprang up to broadcast their exploits to captivated audiences across the nation. Artists eagerly delved into these new phenomena, creating portraits that stoked the public’s growing fascination with celebrities. At the turn of the century, painters such as Howard Cushing and Everett Shinn investigated the changing terms of fame and glamour as flashy public spectacles eclipsed Gilded Age refinement. Following World War I many artists joined in the commercial opportunities offered by the booming entertainment industry—particularly photographers, whose easily reproducible images carried a special air of authenticity. Foremost among them, Edward Steichen pioneered the aesthetic of the “closeup” in his stylish magazine portraits of movie stars and other luminaries, such as Marlene Dietrich, Dolores Del Rio, and Paul Robeson. Other photographers such as James Van Der Zee, Toyo Miyatake, and Carl Van Vechten called attention to vanguard performers whose race or ethnicity placed them outside the mainstream, challenging the sanitized imperatives of popular culture.

Toyo Miyatake (1895‑1979). Michio Ito, (1929). Gelatin silver print, Sheet: 14 × 10 7/8in. (35.6 × 27.6 cm). Whitney Museum of American Art, New York; purchase, with funds from the Photography Committee 2014.241. © Toyo Miyatake Studio

STREET LIFE

Under the rubric of “Street Life” the exhibition presents artists who took to the pavement with their cameras, photographing subjects as they encountered them, sometimes surreptitiously. These images, which often capture fleeting, serendipitous moments, present a counterpoint to the premeditated, sedentary sitter of historical portraits. At the turn of the last century it became clear that the camera could become an apparatus for the indictment of a society’s ills and a group of socially aware photographers became activists in addition to observers of the urban environment. An early work in the exhibition, Lewis Hine’s Newsies at Skeeters Branch, St. Louis, Missouri (c. 1910), exemplifies this type of politically motivated street photography. Other works documenting the spectacle of urban life include Walker Evans’s subway photographs; Helen Levitt’s images taken on the streets of Yorktown and Spanish Harlem; and examples from Garry Winogrand’s Women Are Beautiful portfolio. Artists featured in this section also include Diane Arbus, Robert Frank, Lee Friedlander, and Nan Goldin. The tradition of street photography is carried through to more recent works by Dawoud Bey and Philip-Lorca di Corcia.

PORTRAITS WITHOUT PEOPLE

Is likeness essential to portraiture? The works in this section, spanning the past one hundred years, ask this question as they pursue alternate means for capturing an individual’s personality, values, and experiences. Often, the presence of the individual or his or her character is implied through objects and symbols that resonate with hidden meaning. Gerald Murphy’s Cocktail (1927), a bold, Jazz Age still life suggests a uniquely autobiographical approach: the accoutrements of a typical 1920s bar tray were based on Murphy’s memory of his father’s bar accessories and the cigar box cover shows a robed woman surrounded by items that allude to Murphy himself, including a boat (he was an avid sailor) and an artist’s palette. Marsden Hartley’s Painting, Number 5 (1914–15), a portrait of Karl von Freyburg, uses German imperial military regalia to stand in for the presence of the officer with whom the artist had fallen in love. In Summer Days (1936), Georgia O’Keeffe adopted the animal skull and vibrant desert wildflowers as surrogates for herself, symbols of the cycles of life and death that shape the desert world she made her home. Jasper Johns’s portrait of a Savarin coffee can full of brushes stands for Johns himself; and James Welling’s portrait of Philip Johnson’s Glass House in New Canaan, CT, may be viewed as a sort of portrait of the famous architect. In a number of works in this section, body parts or personal possessions may allude to the subject, such as Jay DeFeo’s teeth; Alfred Stieglitz’s hat; and Ed Ruscha’s shoes. Forgoing likeness in favor of allusion and enigma, these artists expand the possibilities of the portrait, while also acknowledging that the quest to depict others—and even ourselves—is elusive.

2016 International Home and Housewares Show Report: KitchenAid Unveils Fresh New Colors and Exciting New Products At Housewares Show

KitchenAid, the pioneer in bringing color to countertop appliances, is adding new stand mixer colors, finishes, and accents to its palette of over 85 color variations. In addition to the new shades Ocean Drive and Silk Pink, new finishes include Matte White, Matte Gray, and Matte Black. An additional color, Hot Sauce, will be available in a suite of four appliances including the new Artisan® Mini Stand Mixer, Hand Mixer, Hand Blender, and Food Chopper.

“With today’s constantly evolving kitchen design and color trends, consumers have many more options for creating accents and focal points throughout the kitchen,” says John McConnell, design manager of small appliances for KitchenAid. “Our colorful countertop appliances can help enliven a kitchen space by offering fun and easy ways to weave new trends and personal style statements into existing décor.“

The KitchenAid(R) Artisan(R) Series Stand Mixer in Ocean Drive (PRNewsFoto/KitchenAid)

The newest color addition to the Artisan® Series, Ocean Drive, is the brand’s first-ever stand mixer color chosen by fans out of 24 other choices during the KitchenAid “A Color for Every Cook” sweepstakes held in March, 2015. The sensual hue has a luminous and glossy finish, perfect for adding a lively yet sophisticated touch to any neutral kitchen space. It will be available for the Artisan® Series stand mixer ($429.99) beginning in July.

Silk Pink

Silk Pink is the latest color to join the Kitchenaid® Artisan® Design Series Color Collection. The creamy hue adds a touch of silky sheen to countertops and a soothing ambiance to any kitchen space. It is suited especially well with white kitchen finishes or light colored countertops. It will be available for the Artisan® Design Stand Mixer ($459.99) beginning in August.

The KitchenAid(R) Artisan(R) Series Stand Mixer in Ocean Drive (PRNewsFoto/KitchenAid)

The KitchenAid(R) Artisan(R) Series Stand Mixer in Ocean Drive (PRNewsFoto/KitchenAid)

Matte Grey

The new finishes joining the KitchenAid® Artisan® Series are the brand’s first foray in increasingly popular kitchen décor trend of understated surfaces, and will be offered in Matte White, Matte Grey, and Matte Black. All of the soft, non-glossy hues pair well with dark, minimalist countertops and black stainless appliances, and can also serve as a neutral asset to bolder and more colorful kitchen schemes. All of the finishes will be available for the Artisan Stand Mixer ($429.99) beginning in July.

Hot Sauce Suite

Hot Sauce, the brand’s newest color to be featured on a suite of countertop appliances, adds a hint of spice to this year’s lineup of new hues. Fierce and fiery, the shade lends a dynamic element to any kitchen space, pairing especially well with neutral tones and stainless steel appliances. Hot Sauce will be available for the new Artisan® Mini Series Stand Mixer ($399) in June, and the 3.5-Cup Mini Food Processor ($49.99), 2-Speed Hand Blender ($59.99), and 5-Speed Hand Mixer ($59.99) in September.

KitchenAid® Upgrades Stand Mixer Attachments, Adds New Bowl Option

As they have since the brand’s iconic stand mixer was introduced in 1919, the engineers and designers at KitchenAid® have been busy coming up with new ways for cooks to customize and enhance the versatility of this kitchen essential. This year, the brand is introducing a new, textured ceramic bowl and upgrading three of its popular stand mixer attachments, the spiralizer, the pasta press, and the pasta roller and cutter set.

“On its own the stand mixer is an incredibly versatile machine, particularly for those who love to bake,” notes Beth Robinson, senior manager of brand experience for KitchenAid. “By simply adding attachments and bowl options, it becomes a powerful, customizable tool for baking, cooking and simplifying food preparation.”

New KitcheAid Ceramic Bowl

New Ceramic Bowl

Designed to complement any of the many available stand mixer colors, the new ceramic bowl combines a unique embossed diamond pattern with a Matte White finish. Made with a durable, non-porous, chip-resistant ceramic, the bowl is dishwasher and microwave safe and features a convenient pouring spout and comfortable handle. The ceramic embossed bowl joins a collection of 5-quart ceramic bowls available in Glacier, Majestic Yellow, Onyx Black, Purple and White Chocolate. Glass bowls available for tilt-head stand mixer models include hammered glass, frosted glass, and clear glass finish options. The bowl, which fits all 4.5-quart and 5-quart stand mixer models, is scheduled for availability in July 2016 at a suggested retail price of $99.99.

Spiralizer Blades

The newest of the stand mixer attachments, the spiralizer, adds two new blade accessories to the existing five blades, increasing its versatility to offer thirteen combinations of spiralizing, slicing, peeling and coring of fresh fruits and vegetables. The new thin blade set offers cooks the ability to create ultra-fine angel hair zucchini noodle strands for a healthy alternative to flour based pasta, and delicately thin fruit and vegetable slices and spirals for bright, seasonal garnishes. Available in April 2016, the new thin blade set will carry a suggested retail price of $39.99. The complete spiralizer attachment with all seven blades is scheduled for availability in April 2016 at a suggested retail price of $149.99. The original spiralizer attachment featuring five quick-change blades will continue to be offered at $129.99.

Pasta Making Attachments

The popular pasta making attachments for the stand mixer have been given a sleek, updated look. Crafted of premium, commercial-style stainless steel, the new pasta roller features eight settings, allowing for more precise control over desired pasta sheet thickness. Upgraded pasta cutters can accommodate larger batches of spaghetti, capellini, and fettuccini. The 3-piece pasta roller and cutter set attachments will carry a suggested retail price of $249.99, the 2-piece cutter sets for $149.99, and the new pasta roller can be purchased separately for $99.99.

The new Gourmet Pasta Press also features an updated design and offers six interchangeable pasta plates for making fresh spaghetti, rigatoni, fusilli, large macaroni or small macaroni. A built-in wire cutter offers increased precision in cutting pasta to desired lengths. The attachment’s sleek and convenient storage case allows for quick and convenient storage of the parts while not in use. The gourmet pasta press is scheduled for availability in July 2016 at a suggested retail price of $189.99.

American Whiskey Comes Home: Philadelphia Hosts the American Whiskey Convention. A Celebration of All Things Whiskey

Up until prohibition, Pennsylvania was at the heart of American Rye whiskey production. Pennsylvania grew the grains, distilled the spirits and distributed whiskey to the entire nation. Today, there is an American whiskey renaissance happening, and once again, Pennsylvania is taking center stage.

Whiskey Comes Home: American Whiskey Convention (PRNewsFoto/Delaware Valley Fields Foundation)

On March 25th, Philadelphia is hosting the country’s most exciting distilleries as they highlight their best bourbons and American whiskeys. Organized by the Delaware Valley Fields Foundation, the American Whiskey Convention will draw distillers from all over the country to showcase their bourbons and American whiskeys. Citizens Bank Park, home of the Philadelphia Phillies, in Philadelphia PA is the backdrop for this celebration of American whiskey. Working together with farmers and other local non-profits, the Foundation hopes to bring attention to the vital role of small farming in their respectiver communities. (Purchase tickets here.)

The event is more than a grand tasting. On hand will be local farmers and malt houses to talk about the role they play in the production of whiskey. Artisans will demonstrate their whiskey-related creations. Master distillers Herman Mihalich, of Dad’s Hat and Dave Pickerell, the man behind Whistle Pig and many others, will host discussion classes for whiskey connoisseurs. Sarah Milne, of Heaven Hill, will hosts a Whiskey 101 tasting for those who are new to whiskey. Mixologists from TwistedTail will be teaching attendees how to make great whiskey cocktails. The on-site Victory Special Order Lounge will highlight whiskeys not found on PA liquor store shelves.

Herman Mihalich is both founder and distiller of Dad’s Hat Pennsylvania Rye Whiskey. Originally from Monessen, Pennsylvania, Miihalich’s ’s family roots led him to establish Mountain Laurel Spirits in Bristol back in 2011. He has led the way in reviving Pennsylvania’s rich rye whiskey heritage with straight rye whiskeys that have recreated a true Pennsylvania style that had disappeared for over two decades. All of their grain is locally sourced and he has been instrumental in supporting rye farming and grain development in Pennsylvania.

Dave Pickerell nicknamed as the “Johnny Appleseed” of the American craft whiskey movement. After 14 years as master distiller with Makers Mark, Pickerell has become a consultant for many small craft distilleries. He has had a hand in establishing award winning American whiskey brands such as Whistle Pig, Hillrock Estates, Corsair, and even George Washington’s Rye Whiskey, which was recreated using 18th century techniques at the newly restored Mt. Vernon distillery. He is a chemist, an engineer, an educator and a fountain of knowledge for the American whiskey industry.

“We’ve been fortunate to work with so many great partners – the distillers themselves, the Phillies, Sugarhouse Casino, Victory Motorcycles, PLCB and so many more. It has been a collaborative effort to create this spectacular event that puts Pennsylvania and Philadelphia back at the center of the American Whiskey map,” Fields continues.

Whiskey 101

This is a class designed for the whiskey newcomer. Its a great starting point for anyone interested in whiskeys and bourbons. Learn the differences between different types of whiskey. Learn how its made, how to smell and how to taste it. This class is a great introduction for anyone who wants to learn more about whiskey but didn’t now where to start.

Bloomberg Businessweek Announced First List of Bloomberg Businessweek Design 2016 Headliners

Speakers and Headliners Include Yves Béhar, Stephen Burks, Stewart Butterfield, Dominique Crenn, Craig Dykers, Rosanne Haggerty, Daniel Libeskind And More

Bloomberg Businessweek announced the developing lineup of speakers for Bloomberg Businessweek Design 2016, its fourth annual design conference, to be held on Monday, April 11, 2016, at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts in San Francisco, CA. The day-long event will bring together the world’s top designers and business leaders to explore how design makes the world better, smarter, cooler, and more innovative.

Bloomberg Businessweek Design 2016 will be on April 11, 2016 in San Francisco (PRNewsFoto/Bloomberg Businessweek)

Bloomberg Businessweek Design highlights the intersection of design, technology and business, and draws attendees from every industry that relies on design to help clients and consumers reimagine how we experience the world —app development, ecommerce, graphic design, data visualization, genomics, art, architecture, fashion, cuisine, urban planning and more.

The all-star presenters confirmed for Bloomberg Businessweek Design 2016 to date include:

VICKI DOBBS BECK Executive in Charge, ILMxLAB @ILMVFX
YVES BÉHAR Founder, fuseproject and CCO, Jawbone @yvesbehar
IDA C. BENEDETTO Co-founder, Sextantworks @idamantium
NEAL BENEZRA Director, San Francisco Museum of Modern Art @SFMOMA
JANINE BENYUS Co-founder, Biomimicry 3.8 @JanineBenyus
BAIJU BHATT Co-founder, Robinhood @bprafulkumar
STEPHEN BURKS Principal/ Creative Director, Stephen Burks Man Made
STEWART BUTTERFIELD Co-founder and CEO, Slack and Co-founder, Flickr @stewart
JANE CHEN Co-founder and CEO, Embrace @embracewarmer
JAMES CORNER, Founder and Director, James Corner Field Operations @fieldoperations
DOMINIQUE CRENN Chef and Co-owner, Atelier Crenn @dominiquecrenn
CRAIG DYKERS Founding Partner and Executive Director, Snøhetta  @snohetta
MARIA GIUDICE Vice President, Autodesk @mgiudice
ROSANNE HAGGERTY President and CEO, Community Solutions  @cmtysolutions
GEORGE HOTZ Founder, Comma.ai
DANIEL LIBESKIND Principal Design Architect, Studio Libeskind @DanielLibeskind
HELEN MARRIAGE Co-founder and Artistic Director, Artichoke @artichoketrust
MICHAEL ROCK Founding Partner and Creative Director, 2×4 @2×4
BRAD SEWELL Founder, Campaign @campaign_living
OSKAR SMOLOKOWSKI CEO, Impossible Project @Impossible_HQ
PAUL TAZEWELL Costume designer @paulgtazewell
KEN WONG Lead Designer, ustwo @kenwongart

…and more to be announced soon

“Design is central to business,” said Ellen Pollock, editor of Bloomberg Businessweek, who will emcee the conference. “Designers are consummate problem-solvers, devising elegant, often profitable, solutions, which makes them business people’s natural allies. At Bloomberg Businessweek Design some of the world’s best designers and most forward-thinking business executives can learn from one another how to create beauty, efficiency and value.”

Bloomberg Businessweek Design 2015 Magazine Cover

The April 11, 2016 issue of Bloomberg Businessweek – available in print, online, and on tablet and mobile devices – will be a special double Design Issue devoted to the presenters and ideas that will come to life at the conference. Bloomberg Businessweek Design 2016 will be covered across various Bloomberg platforms, including www.Bloomberg.com, Bloomberg TV, Bloomberg Radio, Facebook, Twitter (@BW, #BWDesign2016), and the Bloomberg Businessweek+ app. 

Bloomberg Businessweek has been internationally recognized for its innovative design and surprising covers, winning numerous distinctions from The Society of Publication Designers, Creative Review, ASME (American Society of Magazine Editors), D&AD (Design and Art Direction), Type Directors Club and Art Directors Club, among others.

Information about Bloomberg Businessweek Design 2016‘s speakers, schedule and ticket purchases can be found at: www.bloombergbusinessweekdesign.com/. Follow conference developments at #BWDESIGN2016.