Art Dubai, Courtesy of Katrin Greiling

While there I created a Monocle 24 radio dispatch about the fair and a lot of the people involved and visiting. It was my first time contributing to the radio station, which has a stellar line up of programs.

The dispatch aired on Monocle’s Culture show with host/editor, Robert Bound. Click HERE to listen.

I had never been to Budapest before, and so it was odd that I felt instantly connected to the city. As it turned out, I spoke with my father while I was there, and it seems my grandfather lived and studied in the beautiful city before WWII. Even before hearing this news, I was thinking about him almost daily.

I never met my grandfather, but he was enormously courageous. I am sure he would have been inspired by what was happening in the city while I was there.

I traveled to Budapest to cover the March 15 protests, which took place all across the city. It was fascinating to see how each of the country’s political parties and civic groups celebrated the day. I made it to several hotspots, and reported about it for Foreign Policy.

Read all about it HERE.

Photo courtesy of Index.hu

To read the story click HERE

The photographs shown here were taken by Leon Chew.

Now is an excellent time for those longing to understand the history of the LA art scene to visit the city as the Getty Foundation and Research Institute just launched Pacific Standard Time: Art in L.A. 1945–1980, “a series of over forty concurrent exhibitions across Southern California” beginning from the fall of 2011 through 2012 “that documents the emergence of Los Angeles as an international nexus of contemporary art after World War II.”

Read all about the city’s art scene HERE

The picture above is taken by the story’s wonderful photographer, Noah Webb.

I had a chance to visit the South Korean city of Gwangju last year for the city’s biennale (10,000 Lives curated by New Museum’s Director of Exhibitions, Massimiliano Gioni). Soon after, I headed to Seoul and explored the city’s art scene. While there, I met with several gallery owners, including the owners of One & J, who really helped elucidate the story of the city’s art scene.

The experience helped tremendously when telling the story of the talented Ayoung Kim for Departures magazine’s Asia issue.
Click HERE for a link to the article.

For a recap of my trip to Gwangju, listen to my podcast broadcasted on Art International Radio in 2010.

I am in Paris getting ready to speak at a conference called the Girls 20 Summit (www.girlsandwomen.com). I have been asked to talk about how ‘girls can use their voice for political change’. The invitation from the organizers–The Belinda Stronach Foundation–first came about because of my work with Words for Change.

The conference is a chance for 21 young women from countries represented in the G20 to talk to organizations such as the World Bank, the United Nations, Newsweek and Intel. Its a concerted effort by many of the panelists to show that there are changes being made to make this world a place that supports and involves “one of the globes most incredible resources–girls and women.”

Other topics that will be discussed during the two day conference includes:

“Girls and Women as economic engines”
“If I knew then what I know now”
“The commoditization of girls and women”
“Using your platform to empower girls and women”

For those who missed the talk, click HERE to see it

April 7, 2000 image of Istanbul, Turkey courtesy NASA

I traveled to Istanbul in honor of the openings of the Istanbul Biennial and Art Beat, a new art fair happening in the city. A lot of the cultural action seemed to be distinctly in line with those happening in the political sphere. Here is an account of what I saw for Monocle, from one of my favorite cities in the entire world.

standing on the steps of the Asterix & Obelix set

Read all about it HERE in a post I just finished for Bon Appetit.

Kabul as seen from the hills above

I had a chance to have lunch with Saad Mohseni (CEO of the Moby Group) in Dubai en route to Kabul recently. It was great to have time to ask this very busy man all about his work and childhood over a meal. It was seriously enlightening as well as touching to hear about some of his earliest memories in Afghanistan and how the country has changed since.

To read the article out in this month’s Monocle, click HERE.

Also a fantastic article written by Kristen McTighe appeared in today’s International Herald Tribune/NY Times about Sidi Moumen and the Words for Change program.

Click HERE to read it!

Head here to read what I discovered.

A fun trip to the uptown Park Avenue restaurant for a new installation from Creative Time was how this article came about. I had a chance to have some time with the artist, Janine Antoni, and chef Kevin Lasko as they walked me through their new project called ‘In & On’. It was not only delicious but stunning to see. And to top it all off each of the dishes the two created come with a body product designed by Fat and the Moon, a new skincare company based in Brooklyn.

Read all about it HERE.

The show runs till September. Check it out while you can!

My trip to Haiti this year was one of the most interesting of my career. I was so struck with the beauty and tragedy of Port au Prince–a city that is filled with some of the warmest people I have ever encountered. I went down there to meet with FOKAL, a group who is trying to make a small portion of the city into a heritage site. The reason for their determination is because of a small collection of Gingerbread homes are here. As you can see from the pictures taken by the very talented Sasha Bezzubov, they are beautiful buildings that have, unlike their neighbors, remained standing after the January 2010 earthquake.

Click HERE to read the article.

Here is a picture of me in front of the city’s most famous Gingerbread–the Oloffson Hotel.

This April, Vogue published my account of how I ended up in Morocco and my in-depth work with the children. Its currently on newsstands now, so go out and buy it!

We are currently seeking donations (all of which are tax deductible) to plan my return trip.

Now with all of the unrest in the region a trip like this is more important than ever.

Courtesy of Robert Goff Gallery

Mary Angela Schroth is truly one of the most ambitious people I have ever encountered. Her passion for the arts is truly awe-inspiring. I had the opportunity to write about her for this month’s Wall Street Journal Magazine, as she is in the process of bringing Iraq back to the Venice Biennale this summer. To read about her gallery Sala 1 click HERE.

And for my article head to the WSJ site also on newsstands this weekend!

Click HERE to read a story I wrote about my time at the fair for Monocle.

Dressed as an Odalisque, 1976 Photo: Firooz Zahedi

On a recent trip to Los Angeles I had a chance to meet with Linda Komaroff, PhD, curator of the museum’s Islamic art division. She walked me through a new exhibit that was about to be put up in honor of Elizabeth Taylor’s first and only visit to Iran in 1976. The pictures, taken by photographer Firooz Zahedi, were so stunning–rich with color and imagination–that I had to write about it.

Here is an article for Vogue about the exhibit, which will take place from February 26 till June 12 at LACMA.

I wrote this story before receiving the heartbreaking news that Ms. Taylor had passed away. She will always be a real inspiration and I feel lucky I had this chance to write this story.

My Syrian great grandparents came straight from Aleppo to the Lower East Side–after, of course, the authorities on Ellis Island changed their name around a bit from Missrie to Mazria. So to say that the LES holds a special place in my heart would be an understatement. My grandfather’s first home was on Essex Street. And then there is Katz’s Deli. No relation, of course, but still, telling me about their WWII slogan–’Send a salami to your boy in the army’–was one my grandfather loved recalling.

So, then, that brings me to this story. Joel Mesler and several other bright young things have created a dynamic gallery district in the heart of the LES. Here is a story I wrote about Joel and his new Untitled gallery.

And here is a picture of me with my grandfather…just in case you were wondering.

I was 12 and with braces…and, yes, looking slightly awkward..but very fashionable, I think!

Standing in the background is my father as this was the opening party for Paper Chase in its Hollywood location circa 1989: www.paperchase.net

And now for a fun bit of trivia, we were actually standing in the room that is now the location for the Eighth Veil gallery: www.eighthveil.org