As a relatively long time reader and occasional commenter I hope your readers can help me with an interesting, but really quite depressing, question.
My Dad has been diagnosed with Gastric Cancer. He's having surgery Tuesday to remove his stomach. (think of it like uber gastric bypass surgery) If he recovers well he'll probably have 6 months to a year. Before the cancer gets bad again.
We're making a bucket list for travel. Right now we've got the Grand Canyon and Vegas, although specific ideas for those would be appreciated. He likes museums, art being amongst them. We were in LA and he went to the Gene Autry museum. If we go to Vegas we're talking about the Liberace museum. He knows a ton about art (specifically Asian art) but any well designed museum will do. He's also very well travelled (5 continents). We're based out of NYC.
Obviously, dinner at The French Laundry (or similar) is a no go.
I'd love to get ideas from everyone.
Monday, August 22, 2011
WE TAKE REQUESTS: Via commenter Kate:
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Ahh, I'm so sorry, Kate. A few thoughts:
ReplyDelete* My absolute favorite national park that I've ever visited is Yosemite. Just truly, truly gorgeous.
* In Vegas, make sure to hit the Bellagio---it was my favorite casino, visually.
* In DC, there are a number of great museums, many of which are free. But probably my favorite for art is actually the Phillips Collection, near Dupont Circle.
* There is so much to see in Chicago---the Art Institute is great, but so are the other museums, and many of the museums are in the Grant Park/Millenium Park area, near some great public art. I'd also highly recommend the architechtural boat tour: http://caf.architecture.org/page.aspx?pid=574
Concur - condolences. And admiration that you're seizing the opportunities.
ReplyDeleteIf you want to see the country, I'd recommend going to the Canyon via I-80 through CO and then cutting south through CO/UT. You can drive Glenwood Canyon - I-80 west of the great divide and the prettiest stretch of highway in America - and swing past Zion in Utah. Tremendous.
If you can do SF area, I liked the Schultz museum, but that might be b/c I love Charlie Brown. Muir Woods was awe inspiring. And drive the Bay Bridge and Golden Gate - they're monuments to what we can accomplish.
A neat tour, if you can swing it, is the gargoyle tour in the National Cathedral in D.C. A lot of cool history in that building, they talk about all the stained glass windows, you see Darth Vader. And Jenn's right about Philips - the Smithsonian's can be a little sterile.
One other thought - if you follow baseball, there are some cathedrals worth visiting - Fenway, Wrigley, Kauffman and I personally love Pittsburgh. If not - meh.
I'm so sorry to hear about your Dad, Kate. I think what you're planning is wonderful. A few thoughts:
ReplyDelete* In Vegas for an art lover, the Bellagio is the hotel to visit. They have a beautiful gallery, and the Chihuly glass flowers on the ceiling in the lobby are beautiful. (And the fountain show out front are pretty cool, too.) We also enjoyed a day trip out to Hoover Dam when we were out there.
* I second Yosemite, and there's lots of trails there that you can do with someone in a wheelchair or who can't walk far. It's a good place to combine with a trip to San Francisco, which always has something interesting going on at the Legion of Honor Museum.
* For a local trip, have you been to Storm King, up near Beacon, about an hour north of NYC? It's a beautiful, fascinating outdoor sculpture park and makes for a great walk on a fall day. Also, it's near the Dia: Beacon, which is a great museum.
I'm so sorry about your dad, Kate.
ReplyDeleteI would second the recommendation for Zion National Park and/or Bryce Canyon National Park in Utah -- both truly spectacular. You've already done LA so I don't know if you'd want or be able to go back, but the Getty museum there is great.
San Francisco's another place I'd recommend, there are a ton of good museums in Golden Gate Park, plus a really beautiful Zen garden. Plus it's just a beautiful city and he could see the redwoods at Muir Woods or drive to the top of Mt. Tamalpais for a terrific view of the whole city, including both bridges and Alcatraz.
Oops, this is me.
ReplyDeleteI don't have any suggestions, but I just wanted to send my condolences. I'm sorry if this offends anyone's sensibilities, but cancer fucking sucks. Looking forward to reading everyone's suggestions and hearing what y'all decide to do. My thoughts are with you and your family.
ReplyDeleteI wholeheartedly agree with Yosemite. It's landscapes that photos don't do justice to, you have to be there. (It's the same sentiment I have about the Grand Canyon).
ReplyDeleteI second DC, because the art museums are fantastic.
For the great outdoor, there are a lot of great vistas not far from you. Have you ever heard of The Gunks (http://www.gunks.com/)?
I am sorry for your Dad and your family. I wouldn't want to die without setting foot in Rome and Florence one more time (I thought a lot about that after my heart stopped beating on October 21, 2010 for 12 minutes). I know it's trite, but two of the places I feel closest to a belief in God are when looking at the impossible works of Michelangelo, specifically the cieling of the sistine chapel and the David in Florence. Seeing that a man did those things makes me believe at least while I'm looking at them, that there must be a God.
ReplyDeleteSending hugs your way, Kate.
ReplyDeleteI'd say that the most important thing is time together and the road adventures that you'll have!! I think there is no better museum than the USA. Having seen 47 states so far, I recommend the Black Hills, Yosemite, the living art of Route 66 and everything in between. Of course, in the bigger cities, get to the museums.
Oh, Kate, my condolences. I don't have a lot to offer other than what those have put here (especially the Bellagio for your Vegas visit, Chicago's Art Institute, and hitting D.C. if possible.)
ReplyDeleteI also just recently visited Melbourne and the National Gallery of Victoria there is fantastic - both terrific Aboriginal art as well as wonderful art from almost every era by great Australian painters, most of whom I was unfamiliar with. I don't know if traveling abroad is going to be a part of your agenda, but there is a ton of beauty in Australia -- gorgeous monuments and gardens and parks everywhere.
Maret, When we went to Australia as a family in 2002 (it was my post Bar Exam trip. My parents gave my husband and I 270,000 frequent flyer miles to do anything we wanted with...when we decided to go to Australia and New Zealand they decided to join us) and were in Melbourne the National Gallery of Victoria has just closed for renovations! We so so ticked off. Otherwise we've done Sydney, Cairnes, Melbourne, Adelaide, and Uluru (with a stop over in Alice Springs). I'd love to go again, my Dad would not. Thanks though.
ReplyDeleteKate, I'm so, so sorry...my thoughts and prayers are with you and your family.
ReplyDeleteHow about coming down to Philly and visiting the museum? Fairmount Park has a lovely Japanese tea house, too.
I want to thank everyone for their suggestions so far. My Dad has pretty much been to every major city in the US (I think St Louis might be an exception) and we have family in DC, Philly and Boston, so those are probably not going to be on the agenda. Jenn's suggestion of the Phillips Collection is a great one, mostly because that is one of his favorite places to visit in DC.
ReplyDeleteYosemite is a great suggestion, as is Storm King, which I have never even heard of, but we looked into the Great Smokey Mountains and read about it while I was with him yesterday and his response was "Nature, Ick." so National Parks shouldn't be the only way to go.
Keep those suggestions coming though. I think he'll enjoy reading them. He's going in for sugery tomorrow.
And thanks for all the warm wishes.
That would be surgery, not sugery.
ReplyDeleteGreat rcommendation, but to avoid confusion, it's I-70.
ReplyDeleteand my prayers are with you and your dad, Kate.
So sorry your family has to go through this, but it's wonderful that you have some time left.
ReplyDeleteSeeing the northern lights has always been on my own bucket list -- and you don't even have to be in "nature" to do it, heh. There are accommodations -- small hotels, B&Bs -- where you can watch them from your comfy bed.
A second on the architectural boat tour. It's my go-to for out-of-town guests.
ReplyDeleteAs far as Vegas, the Liberace Museum closed in October. A small, but unusual museum in Vegas is the Atomic Testing Museum.
ReplyDeleteAnother interesting Vegas experience might be a trip to one of the many gun ranges in town. At The Gun Store, they even have a reasonably priced Zombie Package.
(What better way to face mortality, than to hunt the undying?)
Have you guys been to Barcelona? I thought it was an amazing, beautiful city, with interesting little museums and amazing Gaudi architecture.
ReplyDeleteWe once spent a week driving down the Mississippi River Delta from Memphis to New Orleans. We saw folk art, listened to blues music, ate at Morgan Freeman's restaurant, and generally explored Southern culture. It was a pretty great trip, and felt adventurous and a little off the beaten tourist path.
This might be too "Nature, Ick," but I loved traveling to Chile, especially to Torres del Paine, the national park. The glaciers are amazing and the light is beautiful. It's not an easy trip, but there are probably lots of other great ways to see glaciers and get the same experience (Alaska, maybe?)
One of my bucket list items is a safari in East Africa. The closest I got was a trip to Johannesburg and Capetown - Jo'burg doesn't go on a bucket list, but Capetown is beautiful.
I would put a lot of the performing arts on my own list -- Shakespeare at the Globe in London, splashy Broadway musicals, ballet in Russia, opera in Italy.
One of my favorite travel moments was going to the baths in Budapest and swimming in steaming hot water, outside, in December, with piles of snow around me.
And for other exotic destinations, Bali, Indonesia, remains one of the most beautiful places I've ever been. (And I went there before Eat Pray Love, so there!) I'd go back, not just to the beaches, but to Ubud, and I'd drink coffee and look at the mountains and rice terraces and dream.
If you add Santa Fe to your itinerary in the southwest, you could go to the Museum of International Folk Art. I was there many, many years ago, but remember liking it very much.
My heart is with you, your dad, and your family.
And that anonymous guest was me.
ReplyDeleteWe did the overnight train from Moscow to St. Petersburg and it was like something out of the movies, especially in the snow.
ReplyDeleteMy Dad is talking about going to Russia, but the Russian far east where he worked for many years. He has a good friend who is in need of a car. He has decided he will fly out to visit the friend and show up with car keys to her new car. I love my Dad, that's just the kind of guy he is.
ReplyDeleteFor when you're back home in New York, and travel becomes more tough, there are some fabulous exhibits that you guys can check out:
ReplyDeleteAt the Met:
* There's an exhibit opening on September 7th called "Art of Dissent in 17th Century China"- if your Dad is into Chinese history, it's one of the biggest collections of art after the collapse of the Ming dynasty. Also on Nov. 1st the new Islamic gallery is opening, and the photos look stunning- the wall mosaics were handmade by crafstmen from Fez. And the Cloisters are lovely any season, but especially in the fall when the leaves change.
At MOMA:
Not sure if he's into modern art, but there's a de Kooning retrospective that's coming up, and the "Talk to Me" exhibit is supposed to be very intriguing as well.
At the Morgan Library:
If you can't make it to the Lourve, the Morgan is hosting 80 drawings from their collection Sept. 23rd. They're mostly from the French revolution from what I understand.
And I agree with gretchen- there's a ton of performing arts that I'd put on my bucket list. I just saw Porgy and Bess in Boston with Audra McDonald- it's supposed to make its way to Broadway in the fall, and the performances were gorgeous. The ending's controversial (it's been altered by the writer and director), but Audra McDonald and Norm Lewis brought the house down. There's also a screening of "Carmen" in Lincoln Center plaza on Sept. 1st, and the Elevator Repair Service (who did an AWESOME and daring 9-hour production of the Great Gatsby last year) is doing "The Sun Also Rises".
But most of of all, I hope you guys just enjoy each other and your time together. Your dad is lucky to have a daughter that loves him so much.
Louvre, not "Lourve"! Rats.
ReplyDeleteMy real hope is that he makes it to see The Book of Mormon, which we have tickets for...on May 20, 2012.
ReplyDeleteThis post hit rather too close to home, since over the last few years several members of my extended family have faced, and one is now facing, the same situation. You have my deepest sympathy.
ReplyDeleteMy parents are each still healthy (so far) but the last few years has led them both to realize that they may not be able to travel for much longer.
My father, who sounds like he has similar interests to Kate's, has decided he wants to go to Berlin. He's never been and wants to see the archeological collections on Museum Island (the Pergamum altar, the Ishtar gate, the head of Nefertiti, medieval statues at the Bode), to spend a day at the two big art museums near Potzdammer Platz, and also to spend some time checking out the art galleries in trendy East Berlin. In the meantime, this summer, he went to San Francisco for the first time and discovered the city's many charms, most already mentioned by folks here.
My mom took her bucket list trip earlier this year, going to Angkor Wat. The heat and the humidity were a little difficult for her, but getting to spend several days wandering around centuries-old ruins and priceless temple carvings was everything she hoped.
As for my own suggestions, I'm not sure I have much to add to what's already been said. One nice thing about living in NYC is that you're already surrounded by sights that other people travel around the world to see. I think, of all of them, I would walk across the Brooklyn Bridge again. There was something beyond my power to express in walking suspended hundreds of feet above the water, with cars rushing below and cables spinning above, and Manhattan spread out before. Or to quote someone who can write: "Unto us lowliest sometime sweep, decend/And of the curveship lend a myth to God."
I'm so sorry, Kate. Spending this time in ways he'll enjoy and you'll enjoy being with him sounds like a thoughtful and lovely idea.
ReplyDeleteHave to agree about Barcelona in general and the museums in particular (and the Gaudi architecture, which is like a museum, in various places about the city, and then Parc Guell is basically a concentrated outdoor museum of his more fantastic [in the literal sense] work). Also the Picasso museum was pretty amazing, and I'm not generally one for museums of a single artist. There's also a Miro museum (which didn't excite me as much), some more art museums, and the Museum of Chocolate which wasn't there when I was there, so I have to go back.
In Figueres (I think), which is a driving day trip from Barcelona, they have a Dali museum which is supposed to be incredible.
Kate, I'm so sorry!
ReplyDeleteIf there's one thing I'd want to see again before I went, it's the Giant's Causeway. It's such a profound place to sit and have a good solid think.
Kate, my thoughts are with you and your dad and whole family as well. I'm not sure what level religion plays in your lives, but there are a lot of amazing things to see, even in a secular vein, in Israel. Egypt too, for that matter. My grandfather took me to both when I was 13, and it's a trip I'll never forget.
ReplyDeleteI would be honored to serve as a personal tour guide in Chicago if you like. The Architecture Boat Tour is indeed awesome.
ReplyDeleteI'm so sorry to hear it Kate. Cancer does, indeed, fucking suck.
ReplyDeleteIf he hasn't been to Iceland, you should go. I loved my visit there, especially because it doesn't look like everywhere else, and because it's wildly different in every season. I really want to go back. If you do go, I'm happy to give you all my notes on it.
And I think everyone should visit Israel. Amazing country, even if you're not religiously connected to it, with tons to do and see.
Kate, so sorry for your father's diagnosis. I hope your trips bring you all much laughter and warm times together as a family.
ReplyDeleteI am so sorry your family is going through this.
ReplyDeleteI would suggest Vancouver, which is a beautiful city that is easy to get around, and early fall is one of the best times to go. There are plenty of wonderful museums, a ton of public art, and a very substantial East Asian presence there.
I also agree with the suggestion of Berlin although I haven't been there, but because it's on my bucket list of places I would go for the art.
Phil and I honeymooned in Budapest which was fabulous--cosmopolitan, good museums (not really world-class, but lots of wonderful stuff from the Ottoman Empire and Hapsburg era), delicious food, not over-touristed, and a wonderul cafe culture that is perfect for people who are well enough to do some tourist things but might welcome an extended break over coffee in the afternoon.
Angkor Wat is also beyond spectacular if you like that sort of thing.
kate, my condolences to you and your family.
ReplyDeletemy parents did a big central-europe and baltic sea vacation last summer, and they absolutely loved prague and tallinn, estonia. if you're already thinking russia, either or both of those cities might be fun add-ons.
Thirding on the overnight train from Moscow to St. Petersburg (though it was still called Leningrad when I did it).
ReplyDelete$^@#*&, you're right. I-80 runs north. My apologies.
ReplyDeleteIf you go to St. Louis, they have an awesome not art museum but museum of made art called the City Museum that is TOTALLY AWESOME, but might be difficult to navigate if you have mobility difficulties.
ReplyDeleteOh, yes, my husband went to Tallinn over twenty years ago, and it's still on his top list of cities he loved.
ReplyDeleteHi Kate I don't really have anything to add to the request except my condolences for to you and your family.
ReplyDeleteI always champion my home, Chicago, but I'm from Kansas City originally and love that too. I think people don't realize how awesome it is and how many great things there are there. It was a major town during the 20s, 30s and 40s and because it wasn't really afterwards, there are vestiges of that former glory still around.
ReplyDelete- The Negro Leagues museum is a MUST for ANY baseball fan. So amazing, and inspiring.
- 18th & Vine for Jazz
- Lunch in Union Station- fully restored to its 30's glory
- BBQ at Gates, Arthur Bryants and Oklahoma Joes
- Terrific Theatre for a small city, including the newly opened Kaufman Center for the Performing Arts. Architecturally gorgeous.
- Pioneer & Oregon Trail museum in Independence
- Harry S. Truman's house.
Also, my condolences. I'm incredibly blessed to be the daughter of an AMAZING man who conquered esophageal cancer, despite being given a 4% chance. It's a hard road no matter what and your dad is lucky to have you by his side to make the remainder of his life outstanding.
ReplyDelete