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West Coast 'sister city' a Great Getaway

This article was originally posted on The Vancouver Sun and was written by Andrew McCredie.

Alcatraz from Treasure Island

Okay, first thing I learned here is never, I mean never, refer to it as 'Frisco.'

City by the Bay, no problem. The Paris of the West, sure. Even Baghdad by the Bay passes muster. But not Frisco, as I discovered on a number of occasions when uttering the F-word to the locals during a recent weekend getaway to San Fran. Who knew?

Second thing I discovered, much to my relief, is that despite not a theme park to be seen, a well-earned reputation for all things romantic, and a counter-culture history not exactly suited for young minds, San Francisco is a great place for kids.

This was my first time visiting the cosmopolitan city with children in tow, and before landing at San Francisco airport on Friday morning - less than two hours flight time from YVR - I was a bit concerned that my nine-and 11-year old, though well-travelled, might not appreciate our three-day visit to this Vancouver-esque city.

GoCar Tours San Francisco

As it turned out, the entire weekend was spent doing kid-friendly activities, and a dizzying 60 hours later while thumbing through a well-worn tourist guide awaiting our flight back to YVR on Sunday, I realized we could have spent another few before exhausting the preteen "things to do list."

They're not official sister cities, but Vancouver and San Francisco have much in common.

There's that over-arching West Coast vibe, from the tolerant and friendly populace to the wide variety and high quality of the food.

There's the climate (insert rain joke here) and the geography.

Moving Masterpieces: Houston Art Car Parade

Photo Credit: Houston Art Car Parade on Facebook

As far as big parades go, the West Coast has its baskets of Pasadena roses and the East Coast has all those flowery bonnets strolling down Fifth Avenue in New York City. But it’s down south, in Houston, where you’ll find the streets blooming with one-of-a-kind “art cars.”

Befitting its Texas-sized roots, the Houston Art Car Parade was the first Art Car parade in the world, and to this day it remains the largest.

This year’s weekend of activities, taking place May 10-12, will celebrate the arty auto-pageant’s 25th anniversary and, as in years past, parade-goers will have a chance to witness a collision of imaginatively decorated wheeled-wonders, from classic cars and motorcycles to giant monstrosities that will have you wondering not only what they are, but how they make it down the street. This parade even has a bit of a “green” thumb, with human-powered vehicles including bicycles, roller-blades and skates of different stripes and sizes participating in the event.

Photo Credit: Houston Art Car Parade on Facebook

So how did Houston end up as the Art Car parade capitol?

In a city that prides itself on art for young and old alike, this particular spectacle started back in 1984, when The Orange Show Foundation, a Houston art center dedicated to preserving and promoting visionary art environments (read: quirky folk art spaces), commissioned the “Fruitmobile,” recognizing that the art car is a mobile visionary art site. This led to the first annual Art Car Parade, co-sponsored with the Houston International Festival in 1988. The parade has grown into Art Car Weekend, attracting participants from around the world and including a series of events that celebrate this art form.

Photo Credit: Houston Art Car Parade on Facebook

The weekend’s festivities kick off with what is widely regarded as one of Houston's wildest parties of the year, the “Art Car Ball.” It’s a chance for fun-loving parade-goers to dress up in their own costumes with moving parts that light up or beep and just might rival a few of the cars out on the street. And to take the party into high gear this year, the one and only Dirty Dozen Brass Band will be providing what’s sure to be a high-octane performance.

This is one place where you can toot your own horn all weekend long—as long as it’s on wheels!

High fashion at Met Gala kicks off new exhibit

Opening Thursday, the Met's Spring 2012 Costume Institute exhibition, Schiaparelli and Prada: Impossible Conversations, explores the striking affinities between Elsa Schiaparelli and Miuccia Prada, two Italian designers from different eras, who never met.

Inspired by Miguel Covarrubias's "Impossible Interviews" for Vanity Fair in the 1930s, the exhibition features orchestrated conversations between these iconic women to suggest new readings of their most innovative work. Iconic ensembles will be presented with videos of simulated conversations between Schiaparelli and Prada directed by Baz Luhrmann, focusing on how both women explore similar themes in their work through very different approaches.

George Hoyningen-Huené (Russian, 1900–1968) Portrait of Elsa Schiaparelli, 1932. Courtesy of Hoyningen-Huené/Vogue. © Condé Nast

Guido Harari (Italian, born Cairo, 1952) Portrait of Miuccia Prada, 1999 Courtesy of Guido Harari/Contrasto/Redux

Last night, in a star-studded gala and 'the' fashion event of the year, the Costume Institute Benefit celebrated the opening of the exhibition at the Met Gala 2012. For a complete red carpet review of the Met Gala, visit Elements of Style.

Ashley Greene

Camilla Belle