Visit Baltimore Museum of Art's New American Wing

Photo from BmoreArt

I am ashamed to say that I have never visited the Baltimore Museum of Art. Reading about it for this blog makes me even more ashamed. It has:

• 700 works by Henri Matisse
• free admission
• paintings by Pablo Picasso, Paul Cézanne, and Vincent van Gogh

But with the new opening of the American Wing after a two-year facelift, and the re-opening of the original entrance to this beautiful Classical Revival building (the entrance was closed in 1982 because it was not handicap accessible), I now have lots of motivation to visit. According to their website "state-of-the-art lighting, new herringbone wood floors, and a new palette of colors for the walls and ceilings," have enhanced the American Wing. A display I'm excited to see:

"...[A] stunning, light-infused gallery featuring outstanding examples of Louis Comfort Tiffany's decorative works and those of his colleagues and competitors. See vibrant stained-glass windows, towering columns adorned with mosaics, an elaborate mantelpiece, and stunning, silver objects."

Oooooh. Can't wait.

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Baltimore Museum of Art

10 Art Museum Drive, Baltimore, MD 

Hours: Wednesday–Friday, 10 a.m.–5 p.m. Saturday–Sunday, 11 a.m.–6 p.m.
Monday–Tuesday, Closed

Admission: Free

For more info: http://www.artbma.org/

Go See Old 97's. My Brother Said So.

My brother, professional choreographer Michael J. Lopez, sent me a photo that Old 97's posted today.

It's apropos for the blog because:

• The caption for this 20-year-old photo is "Seems like yesterday," a sentiment we all feel when we see pics from two decades ago.
• They're a freaking awesome alt-country-Americana band coming to play Washington D.C.'s The Hamilton Dec. 30 and 31.
• My brother is much cooler than me and when he highlights something, everyone should pay attention. 

When my brother saw this picture of me and the Old 97's lead singer, Rhett Miller (who is also a fantastic solo artist), he called me a "funky mofo." Which is awesome. Go see them play. You might get called a funky mofo, too.

Apply for Your 1 Minute of TV Fame on DIY Network

I get as gaga over being on television as anyone; my husband and I were essentially the wallpaper for a news segment filmed at Catoctin Creek Distillery, and I took pictures of myself and spread them all over social media.

So I thought it was fun when I got an email from a producer looking for DC/Virginia/Maryland homeowners to feature on the DIY Network TV show, "I Want That." The show feels like a turbo-charged catalog, with 1-and-half-minute segments of homeowners trying out products for the home and garden. Apparently, you get to keep what you try!

Click here to find information about how to apply. 

We might go for it; my son is an amateur (but award-winning!!) filmmaker, and I know he would get a kick out of watching the filming process in our home. Who knows? We might get a nifty bug zapper out of it or something.

NYC Wine Bars

So my aunt in Kansas sends me a email here in D.C. about possible wine bars to visit in New York City. Isn't that just the sweetest thing ever? Especially when the wine bar list is accompanied by the following words:

"I thought you’d like this info for your terrific blog.  I’m enjoying it so much! Love, Aunt Cathy."

So, in honor of my aunt Cathy, who's hoping I get a weekend away soon for wine-bar hopping in NYC (I hope my husband is reading this), and who also thinks my blog is "terrific," I share with you a useful little summation of wine bars to visit in NYC from Bottlenotes.com.

Click photo to see the full list

Little Dancer at the Kennedy Center

Little Dancer, a musical about the young and strong-willed ballerina Edgar Degas immortalized in his famous sculpture, Little Dancer Aged Fourteen, opens this weekend at the Kennedy Center and tops my list of "I hope to I get to it," before the show ends Nov. 30. Ballet doesn't usually lure me, but the fact that this is a musical about this beautiful statue, about a place and time that wasn't easy on a young girl, certainly does. If nothing else, I'm making a goal to see the statue, which is on display at the National Gallery of Art until Jan. 11.

Tysons Fall Harvest

Today I'm introducing a new category to my blog: "I Will If I Can," a Thursday post about a fun event or activity I hope to get to on the weekend if my busy life allows it. Maybe you'll have better luck than me!!

This Saturday and Sunday, in a continued effort to make the Tysons Corner area livable as well as workable, the Tysons Fall Harvest Festival will offer kid-fun activities like a hay maze, a petting zoo and pumpkin carving, and an adult-fun wine and beer garden offering 75 beers and wines. Horton Vineyards, Arterra Wines and Willowcroft Farm Vineyards will be there, as well as Mad Fox Brewing and Woodchuck Hard Cider.

If you haven't tried out the Silver Line yet, this will be the perfect opportunity to do so. The Tysons Corner stop lets out right at the event space between the Tysons Corner Mall and the Galleria.

Image from Tysons Fall Harvest website

Heading to any fun events this weekend in the D.C.-metro area? Any events you'd like to promote or support? I'd love to hear about them on my Facebook page. Let's create a list of fun weekend "to-dos" for folks!