Things to Do: Getty Villa Malibu, Pacific Palisades, California

Located a few miles west of the Getty Center, the hilltop Getty Villa is modeled after the Villa dei Papiri, a 1st-century Roman country house in Herculaneum, near Pompeii, that was buried by an eruption of Mount Vesuvius. It houses the Getty collection of ancient Greek, Roman, and Etruscan art. Polished marble in huge variety adorns floors and walls throughout. My favorite display holds a mummified ibis that is inside an intact human mummy whose head covering bears a painted portrait of the deceased. Interior and outdoor gardens are a delight, and performances are sometimes scheduled in an outdoor semi-circular theater. Kids gain insight in a hands-on Family Forum space and with free Art Detective cards that encourage them to find specific art pieces to solve a mystery. Informal tours run throughout the day, and an audio player can be rented. The Cafe serves casual Mediterranean fare--the grilled portabella sandwich is The Best--and has spacious indoor and outdoor seating. An espresso cart is also an option, and picnic lunches are available by advance order (www.getty.edu/visit/see_do).
Getty Villa Malibu  17985 PCH/Surfview Dr., 1 mi. N of Sunset Blvd., in Pacific Palisades, (310) 440-7300. Thur-M 11-5. Free; parking $15 cash; no neighborhood parking; bus info 800-266-6883. No pets.

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image c2010 Cassidy Meyers

Things to Do: Rubin Museum of Art, NYC

Situated on a leafy side street within a contemporary building, this museum is dedicated to displaying Himalayan art. Begin on the top floor, and walk down via the dramatic central circular staircase. Helpful resources enhance a visit and include magnifying glasses on each gallery floor. Free lunchtime performances and entertainment are sometimes scheduled.
Enjoy fragrant and tasty Himalayan fare at The Café @ RMA. The menu includes a daily rice bowl with savory topping, handmade traditional momo dumplings, and freshly baked samosas.
Rubin Museum of Art (RMA) 150 West 17th St., (212) 620-5000. M 11-5, W 11-7, Thur 11-5, F 11-10, Sat-Sun 11-6, closed Tu. $10, students $7, under 12 free.

 
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Misc.: top 10 North American cities for live music

The Society of American Travel Writers (SATW), the world’s largest organization of professional travel journalists and photographers, recently polled its members to come up with the “Top 10” best North American cities for live music.
Not really a surprise, New Orleans is #1, and NYC is #2.

View my little movie about "Jazz in Washington Square" here.



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image of chess players in Washington Square, c2010 Carole Terwilliger Meyers

Good Eats: East Broadway Bakery, NYC

This kosher bakery still has that Old World feel and uses no butter or milk in its array of pastries. Choose from bubkes, streudels, and ever-popular black-and-whites. The actual baking is done in Brooklyn.
East Broadway Bakery 363 Grand, Lower East Side, (212) 228-1110.

 
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Travel Articles: bucket list train rides

Check out my article in yesterday's San Francisco Chronicle.

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/01/10/TRQU1BDJML.DTL

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image of "El Chepe," c2009 Carole Terwilliger Meyers

Sights to See: Concordia+Malpica+Copala, near Mazatlan, Mexico

Known as the land of the serpent, the entire colonial village of Concordia is dedicated to manufacturing handmade mahogany and cedar furniture, bricks, and clay pottery. Sights include a cathedral and busy plaza with a giant rocking chair. An annual horse parade takes place in January around the time of the Festival of St. Sebastian, when I visited last year. I saw more than 200 horses, some stinky and many prancing, with men riding them while smoking, drinking beer, and holding toddlers. My group stopped before Concordia in Malpica, a tiny town with a church, tile-maker, and bakery (I selected a delicious caramel-stuffed empanada).

From Concordia, we continued to Copala, a 400-year-old former mining town in the Sierra Madre Mountains that is famous for its pottery. A walk tour through the old cobblestone streets passes the old prison, the San Jose Church dating back to 1740, the charming town square, and the town’s colonial-style homes with red-tile rooftops. Kids sell geodes found in local hills as well as hand-carved replicas of their village. Daniel’s Restaurant is in a gigantic open-air palapa and is famous for its banana coconut cream pie; rooms are also available starting at $22 and “skyrocketing to $30."


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image of Malpica bar, c2009 Carole Terwilliger Meyers

Misc.: photograph collection--spectacular images of Hawaiian waves

This surfer's photography career began in 2007 when his wife wanted a nice piece of art to decorate a wall.


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Misc.: 5 common travel mistakes – and how to fix them

Elliott tells you how not to get taken advantage of in your travels this year.

http://www.elliott.org/the-travel-critic/5-common-travel-mistakes-and-how-to-fix-them/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+elliottorg+(Elliott)


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Good Eats: Kossar's Bialys, NYC

Bialys, bulkas, and pletzels are all made here from the same Middle Eastern bread dough; the malt bagels are hand rolled and kettle boiled.
Kossar’s Bialys 367 Grand, Lower East Side, (877) 4-BIALYS.

 
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image c2009 Carole Terwilliger Meyers