The view from Mount Royal

Montreal is the most European, cosmopolitan city that I’ve seen in North America but one of the best and most unusual aspects about this stylish metropolis is that it boasts a mountain smack in the middle of the city.  Okay, some people might refer to it as a hill but at 764 feet, Montreal’s Mount Royal offers the best place to grab panoramic views of the city. Read More »

Tile and supplies

For interior design fans and art lovers in general, a visit to Ann Arbor, Michigan’s Motawi Tileworks  supplies lots of hands on fun and loads of art history. Founded by artist siblings Nawal and Karim Motawi in 1992, this shop and studio sells one-of-a kind tiles as well as provides workshops for visitors to create their own. Read More »

A display of hand-crafted carvings at the African Festival of the Arts

Every Labor Day weekend, thousands of  Chicago visitors travel to a bustling African village and experience the richness and diversity of the continent.  Expensive plane tickets and complex itineraries aren’t even required because this village is conveniently located on the lush grounds of historic Washington Park, in Chicago’s Hyde Park neighborhood. This 22nd annual event is Chicago’s largest neighborhood festival and attracts 300,000 attendees during four days of festivities. Read More »

The festival underway

The spirit of Montreal, Canada is vibrant and electric. It grabs you immediately and inspires you to explore this lovely and complex city. Although Montreal hosts scads of festivals, the one that truly embodies the free-spirited vibe is the Mount Royal Tam Tam Festival or Les Tam Tams  Du Mount Royal. Tam Tam means drum in French, which is the main language you’ll hear in Montreal, although most people speak English as well.  You’ll see very version of this percussive instrument played by every kind of person at this weekly Summer festival. Read More »