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A Look at The Appalachian Trail

The Appalachian Trail was established over a century ago. One admirer is   Mills Kelly , author of  A Hikers History of the Appalachian-Trail .  His new book is full of photos, starting in 1900, before the idea even came about. A group of men in women pose on the summit of Blackrock Summit in Virginia. With straw hats, neckties and long dresses, they look like they are attending a garden party. Another early photograph--circa 1940--depicts square dancing. This was a popular activity at trail shelters, and pre-planned by local trail clubs. Their newsletters even listed the songs to be played. While the music was often recorded, it wasn't unusual for someone to bring along a fiddle. One of the best pictures has a bird on top of a hiker's boot: both creatures are not fazed.  It was probably more uncomfortable to be walking in the street, even if traffic was light (as in an image from 1977). Yet for decades, much of the trail was on a road . . . a far cry ...
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Rock And Brews

''Detroit Rock City'' will soon be more than a hit song.  Two members of  Kiss, Paul Stanley  and  Gene Simmons , are bringing their  Rock and Brews Restaurant and Concert Bar   to Royal Oak, Michigan, next month. There are quite a few other  Rock and Brews , mainly in California and Florida.  The new spot will offer Michigan tap beer, along with a scratch-made menu of American classics like pizza, burgers. wings, and giant pretzels. Other attractions include a live music stage on the second floor with regular performances; a rooftop lounge with DJs; and big screens for game days and other events.  For particulars, you can become a ''roadie'' and sign up for a  newsletter.
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Food Photo Contest

The   World Food Photography Awards   feature  over 25 categories . So images can range from food growing in its natural setting to edibles styled for magazines.  There's even a separate listing for cakes. Cheesecakes and cupcakes are eligible; tarts, pastries, and biscuits are not.  Another is the 'World of Drinks,' which can include coffee, cocktails, and smoothies. Both amateurs and professionals are welcome to enter the competition, which runs through the eighth of February.  The Overall Winner gets 5,000 pounds and the opportunity to be seen at the  Mall Galleries  in London, England. 
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Visual Celebrations of The Unexplained

Those intrigued by unexplained phenomena will appreciate two new books. Both also contain interesting pictures. First Contact: The Story of Our Obsession With Aliens by  Becky Ferreira  includes the construction of the ELT . This stands for Extremely Large Telescope , which is set to begin observations in 2028.  A date has yet to be announced for the Mars Sample Return . There's an illustration, though, of the MSR spacecraft leaving Mars. The moon, of course, is not forgotten. According to a Japanese folk tale and 1891 woodblock print, a princess considered it to be her real home.  Other art--by adults and children who witnessed ''something''--appears in  Atlas of Unidentified-Flying-Objects , written by Andy McGrillen . The most memorable focuses on a pointy eared alien outside a sombrero-shaped craft.  For some reason, the book contains a lot of landscape photos. A welcome exception showcases UFOs from 1977. The lights resemble fireworks, cylin...
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Holiday Designs in Bay Ridge

A homeo wner in Brooklyn, New York, doesn't just decorate for Christmas. Roy Jensen  celebrates multiple holidays. So his latest display--in honor of Valentine's Day--consists of pink lights, hearts, and  Betty   Boop  figurines. It's free to visit. For those who can't make it in person, Roy has posted pictures on his  Instagram page . The Bay Ridge resident is assisted by his daughters. When he bought the property in 1989, he started out with a simple red bow on a tree.  Over the years, the decorations have grown more elaborate. For one Halloween, Roy embellished his front door with handmade silicone masks from a movie prop company and at night, brought out smoke machines . . . and he estimates, as much as 250 pounds of candy for trick-or-treaters!
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Super Bowl Art

Ahead of the Super Bowl, the   NFL   is blending sports and art in the Bay Area. Local artist   Erin Fong , for instance, has created custom letterpress prints. These will appear across game day tickets and official programs.  Erin's work will also be part of a lobby display at  Moscone North , where the  Super Bowl Fan Experience  is taking place from February 3-7. During the evenings of February 5-7, a  Ferry Terminal Building  projection show is to celebrate six decades of the Super Bowl and the culture of the Bay Area. More culture is planned for  The Pearl,  where art installations, performances, and conversations will be offered. The event is called the  NFL Culture Hub , and runs from the fourth to the seventh of February, according to  https://www. sfbayareasuperbowl.com/super- bowl-lx-events . Fans looking for photo opportunities may want to check out the large-format LX roman numerals being installed at several l...
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''Remix'' And ''Relief''

One hu ndred percent. That's how much  Julien's  will donate to charity next month.  This is to be held on the first of February, and is called  Juliens Musicares-Charity-Relief- Auction . So proceeds will go toward disaster relief, mental health services, and addiction recovery programs.  The event takes place a couple of days after  Mariah Carey  is honored as the  MusiCares Person of the Year . In fact, she has donated a  Thunderbird  convertible, used as a prop during her Las Vegas residency, among other items.  More participants will be announced shortly. Meanwhile,  Juliens Remix Auction  features some unexpected items. Richard Chamberlain , for instance, was best known as an actor, but he also created paintings. He was an art collector, too, with pieces ranging from a lava lamp-like glass vase to a Salish carved frog mask. Other options include a faux fur coat worn by actress  Jean Kasem  (the widow of rad...
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