News Where to stay, what to see when to go.

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HEMISPHERESMAGAZINE.COM | FEBRUARY 2010 directions

WHERE TO STAY / WHAT TO SEE / WHEN TO GO

PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART Cut and Pasted

Long, long before we posted pictures to Facebook and Flickr, a lot went into taking a photograph. But that didn’t stop some Victorian aristocrats from manipulating them and occasionally making collages that incorporated watercolors to fantastical effect. New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art has gathered some 55 of these little-known pieces in “Playing with Pictures: The Art of Victorian Photocollage.” No Photoshop required. metmuseum.org

WE WANT M.O.A.R. // Last year, New York hotel The Marcel at Gramercy redefi ned “hotel cool” when it brought in a “Tattoo Artist in Residence,” a celebrity inker named Mister Cartoon. The hotel is taking its commitment to edgy art a step further with the launch of M.O.A.R. (Marcel Original Art on Rotation) this month. The fi rst artist to have his work shown will be, well, Mister Cartoon. Don’t miss out on his graffi ti-like stylings. hotelmarcelnewyork.com

THE ROADS LESS TRAVELED // Those who have trouble sticking to the tourist attractions will appreciate a new series of travel books making its debut next month. The Back Roads books, published by DK Eyewitness Travel, comprise guides to Italy, France, Great Britain, Ireland and Spain and come complete with pull-out maps to make sure you don’t go off course while going, er, off course. us.dk.com

BARGAIN IN BANGOK // When planning a trip to Bangkok, consider reserving accommodations in the center of things (trust us, a long ride home in a tuk-tuk gets old fast). The Grand Hyatt Erawan meets that requirement—it’s walking distance from temples, palaces and markets—and it also features one the city’s best authentic Italian restaurants. Don’t worry, there’s Thai cuisine, too. The best part? This month, rooms are

20 percent off. bangkok.grand.hyatt.com

SWEET SPOT // The Morton Arboretum outside Chicago turns its attention from trees to chocolate this month. Valentine’s Day dinner and brunch, chocolate facials and various exhibits about the history of cacao processing celebrate everyone’s favorite treat. Brave parents can bring kids to the Candy Garden to explore Gumdrop Pass and Marshmallow

CALENDAR FEBRUARY

6-16

VENICE // While many cities hold a Carnival, only this one plays out like a 10-day Cirque du Soleil, with masked performers taking over the city. carnevale.venezia.it

12-13

PHOENIX // Hoop it up at the Heard Museum’s 20th Annual World Championship Hoop Dance. heard.org

19-21

MADRID //One of Europe’s premiere art fairs, ARCOmadrid, focuses on work from a different country every year. This time around, they’ve narrowed it down to one city: Los Angeles. ifema.es

26-28

NORCIA, ITALY // Indulge your inner gourmand at the Black Truffl e Fair, where the beloved fungus can be found on just about everything. norcia.net

MARCH

9-14

BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND //

Smile for the birdie at the 100th All England Open Badminton Championship. badmintonengland.co.uk