Cheryl's Art And Music Guide

Since its 2020 Las Vegas opening, AREA15 has offered a variety of experiences, including shopping and dining. Now with a 20-acre expansion, art lovers have a lot more choices. Among the attractions are the Moon Pod , an Apollo spaceship tribute, as well as twin bulldogs made of repurposed plastic. There is also a monarch butterfly digital installation, chainsaw car, and alien-like sculpture named Gilly .  It's no wonder the website calls it ''more art galaxy than art gallery.'' And while no date has been given, the largest Museum of Ice Cream location will open at AREA15 . The Vegas-style installations are to include a sprinkle-filled banana boat canal ride and dessert-themed wedding chapel. 

The first book about Fire Island's rich artistic history was published last month. Andy Warhol, Nan Goldin, Robert Mapplethorpe, Paul Thek , and David Hockney are a few of the creatives featured in Fire Island Art: 100 Years . The editor is John Dempsey , an island history expert and president of the Fire Island Pines Society . He told Out magazine: ''You have some of New York's most creative people gathered in a place of extraordinary natural beauty.''  John will offer more of his thoughts at Manhattan's Rizzoli Bookstore on the second of June.  Joining him will be writer and filmmaker Michael Bullock , whose essay, Fire Island's Art Renaissance, 2010 to Present , appears in the collection. 

Two popular acts are cancelling shows for very different reasons. Post Malone has pushed back the start of his Big Ass Stadium Tour Part 2 with Jelly Rol l in order to complete his new album: actually a double LP, according to https://www.instagram.com/ p/DWzZOO4Dz7V . The first six dates are off, so the stadium tour will begin six weeks later. Meanwhile the Psychedelic Furs have scrapped spring and summer appearances due to a ''serious medical issue in the band.'' Refunds are available at point of purchase, and the music-makers apologized for the inconvenience.   So far they are still expected to play the Darker Waves festival in Huntington Beach, California, on the 14th of November.  Smashing Pumpkins, Simple Minds, Adam Ant, Morrissey, Manic Street Preachers, Soft Cell , the Buzzcocks , and Gary Numan are among the other participants.

State fairs tend to be associated with animal displays and fast food. But they've long been a vital outlet for artists, too.  A mother and daughter, Lillian Colton and Linda Paulsen , have been among the participants. Their crop portraits appear in a catalogue published in conjunction with Smithsonian Books ,  State Fairs - Growing American Crafts , which is also the title of a Smithsonian exhibition running through September 7. The women used materials ranging from pine needles to lima beans for their celebrity portraits. Most are effective, but Lillian's version of Elvis Presley looks more like James Dean , while 'Andy Warhol' strongly resembles John Denver .  Visitors can try making such pieces themselves on the 25th of June, when the Washington, DC, museum hosts an event called Handi-hour . Those who prefer demonstrations can learn about how decoys are made, on the 29th of May.  There's something for everyone, much like the book. One of the most memorable pr...

Layne Staley' s family has released a book of his writings and drawings. Besides lyrics, there's a school essay in which he promoted shorter class days (with no more than half an hour devoted to each subject). He felt that students would be able to focus and learn more this way Layne's mother wrote the foreword, with numerous relatives and friends offering their memories. Fans have contributed, too, creating portraits of the performer. This Angry Pen of Mine  could have been a longer book, had the late songwriter's storage units not been broken into. It is still effective, however, as both his dark and humorous sides are in evidence.  And there's a good deal about Layne's career, as a member of  Sleze  and  Mad Season , as well as the frontman for  Alice in Chains .  Proceeds from book sales are going to the  Layne Staley Memorial   Fund , which assists those struggling with opioid addiction.

It's not unusual for a crowd to gather outside a nightclub. But in 1950, the opening night crush was for a supermarket called   D'Agostino   Brothers .  The photo appears in  New-York-s-Family-Grocer ,  Paul Schmitz 's story of  D'Agostino Supermarkets . The book also features some of the company's most successful promos.  That's particularly true of the slogan, 'If there's no  D'Agostino  near you, MOVE,'' seen in a cartoon of a woman wheeling a wagon of her possessions, followed closely by her dog. There was even a jingle, '' Mr. D'Agostino , move closer to me.'' Also popular were their colorful carryalls depicting produce and other merchandise. Models used the  D'Ag Bags  to take along shoes, clothes and cosmetics.  In later years, the company has invited students to design more environmentally friendly shopping sacks. Trader Joe's  is another chain which has offered fashionable bags. In 2024, they introduced ...