Anchors Away
There are no longer any survivors alive, nor is there any footage of the disaster itself, but the sinking of the Titanic on April 15, 1912 in the frigid waters of the North Atlantic continues to engage people as if it were breaking news. The Denver Museum of Nature & Science is host to a traveling show, “Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition” (through January 6, 2008), that presents to the public more than 300 artifacts recovered from the sunken ship in 1987, including a 4,000-pound section of the hull, dining room china, silver dollars, a pair of cufflinks, a pocket watch, wall telephone, a (still corked) bottle of wine, even the top of a tube of toothpaste. Visitors, too, can enter life-size recreations of first- and third-class cabins, as well as the veranda from which guests had stood gazing at the dark horizon awaiting help that came much too late (1,523 passengers and crew were lost and 705 saved). At the time, the Titanic was the largest moving object built by man—stretching more than 882 feet, rising 11 stories, and capable of carrying 3,547 passengers. Despite such grandeur, the ship sank on its maiden voyage. For tickets, Copyright RMS Titanic, Inc. dmns.org, or call 303-322-7009.

All in the Family
Most families with five siblings might expect a bit of sibling rivalry. But in the case of the Brown family of Alpine, Utah, brothers and sisters Desirae (28), Deondra (27), Gregory (24), Melody (23), and Ryan (21) instead have decided to make beautiful music together around the world. Known as The 5 Browns, the brothers and sisters are all world-class concert pianists who have, to date, had two #1 CDs on the Billboard Classical Charts, with appearances on Oprah, 60 Minutes, The View, Good Morning America, and with laudatory reviews in every major American newspaper. (Given the way they look, each of them could easily compete on America’s Next Top Model.) While their performances continue to make classical music history everywhere they perform, they made academic history early on by being the first family to simultaneously study at The Juilliard School. This October, The 5 Browns release their newest CD, “Browns in Blue” (RCA Red Seal; $18.98), which goes beyond shades of just brown and blue to include the full color spectrum of classical music, including works by Chopin, Gershwin, and Debussy. As one reviewer has said, “It turns out that the family that plays together stays together.”

Rooming with the Best
As far as we know, no guest of New York’s Algonquin Hotel has ever complained of seeing a ghost, this despite the fact that several choice rooms are filled with the memorabilia of past legendary stars, composers, and writers who resided or spent considerable time there, including Noel Coward, Dorothy Parker, and the composing team of Lerner & Lowe. Last spring, the Algonquin dedicated “The Andrea Marcovicci Suite,” making the celebrated cabaret singer the only living person to have her own suite at the hotel—one in which guests can stay. For more than 20 years, Andrea has been making scheduled appearances at the hotel’s sophisticated Oak Room, where she has kept alive what is often known as the Great American Songbook. The New York Times has described Andrea as “a latter-day hybrid of Audrey Hepburn, the most gracious, elegant and beautifully spoken of Hollywood princesses, and Mabel Mercer, that ruefully witty, all-wise, healing muse of a thousand romantic sorrows.” Guests who book the Andrea Marcovicci Suite can revel not only in the hotel’s decidedly plush comforts, but also in the pleasure provided by artifacts that document the continuing accomplishments of the singer. On display in the suite is the hat Andrea wore in the Broadway production of “Lady in the Dark,” framed magazine covers that have featured Andrea, memorabilia from her landmark concert at Carnegie Hall, and other items. In addition to her ongoing appearances around the country, Andrea recently released a new CD, “Kurt Weill in America” (Andreasong; $18.99). To reserve the Andrea Marcovicci Suite at the Algonquin Hotel, call 212-840-6800.

Paris-Perfect
Although the Paris skyline is dominated by the Eiffel Tower, several miles east of the city, in the suburb of Vincennes, another landmark rises high above the landscape, that of the Château de Vincennes. After a 10-year-long renovation, the 14th-Century castle with its 150-foot-high keep, or donjon (among the tallest in Europe), has reopened to the public. Charles V had the castle built between 1361–80 as both a place to dwell and as a repository for his art and manuscripts. Centuries later, Louis XIV made some additions to the castle, before taking up full-time residence at Versailles in 1671. Visitors to the château can tour the original apartments, view the medieval manuscripts collected by Charles V and the silverware he used, and see some of the prison cells (yes, the château took on that role, too) occupied by the likes of the Marquis de Sade. Musical and theatrical performances, medieval jousts, and outdoor film screenings are planned for the remainder of the year. For more information, www.chateau-vincennes.fr

Miami Masterpiece
The Louvre has Leonardo da Vinci’s “Mona Lisa.” The Art Institute of Chicago has Georges Seurat’s “A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte.” And now the Miami Art Museum (MAM) has its own signature work, a sculpture that the museum’s director, Terence Riley, calls one of the “landmarks in MAM’s history.” Last December, Jeffrey Loria, owner of the Florida Marlins, gave to the museum a work entitled “Femmes au Perroquet” (“Women with a Parrot”) by Fernand Léger (1881–1955), estimated to be worth $2 million. “Because of Jeffrey’s remarkable generosity, visitors to MAM will be able to see exactly why Léger is considered one of the great Modernist European artists of the twentieth century,” remarked Mary Frank, president of the museum’s board of trustees, upon receiving the bronze sculpture. The bold white, black, and red sculpture is an amalgam of the abstract and the realistic, forever imbuing it with a mystery and complexity visitors can ponder.

Heart of Texas
Texas has never been known for its modesty—it seems that everything that happens in the state is done on a bigger-than-real-life scale. The Second Annual Heart of Country Texas Antiques Show (Oct. 11–13) is not only one of the nation’s most popular and well-attended shows, but also one of the premier venues for fine antiques. More than 150 dealers from around the country converge at the Gaylord Texan Resort & Convention Center in Grapevine, Texas (15 minutes from Dallas and Fort Worth). For serious buyers, the best strategy is to buy a ticket ($25) to the Earlybird Walking Tour on Oct. 12. An expert guide leads a group through the maze of dealers, pointing out everything from the mechanics of tall-case clocks and the glazes on vintage yellow ware to the stitching on Amish-made quilts and the carvings on Windsor chairs. This is the chance for buyers to make their deals and their purchases before the gates open to the public an hour and a half later. Other special events include the Pumpkin Preview Party (Oct. 11) and two special exhibits, one highlighting vintage hats and another that showcases blue and white quilts. For information, heartofcountry.com or call 800-862-1090.

Atlanta Sings
At the Atlanta Opera this fall, it’s not only the productions that will take center stage, but also the stage itself. The company’s 28th season opens September 29 at the brand new Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre in northwest Atlanta, the first major performing arts center to be built in metropolitan Atlanta in more than four decades. Beginning this season, all Atlanta Opera productions will be performed in the centre’s 2,750-seat John A. Williams Theatre, which will also be the regular venue for Broadway shows, ballet, and symphonic and popular concerts. Atlanta Opera’s general director, Dennis Hanthorn, has devised a program for 2007–08 that includes a new production of Puccini’s “Turandot,” a second new production of Engelbert Humperdinck’s “Hansel and Gretel,” the city’s much-anticipated premiere of Carlisle Floyd’s “Cold Sassy Tree,” and a traditional production of Mozart’s “The Marriage of Figaro.” The opera season runs through May. The Centre, a $145 million facility, is located at 2800 Cobb Galleria Parkway, at Akers Mill Road. For tickets and schedules, atlantaopera.org or call 404-881-8801.

Colorful Pages
Blue has been voted America’s favorite color. Purple is perhaps the most powerful color. Yellow is the color that makes most people happy. Orange is thought of as a friendly color that stimulates conversation. And green creates a sense of balance and harmony wherever it’s used in the home. Such are some of the many conclusions about color that Robin Strangis conveys in her new book, Color Idea Book (The Taunton Press; $19.95). Strangis, a noted interior designer based in Minneapolis and the popular interior design columnist for the Minneapolis Star Tribune, believes that “color makes the world a more beautiful place.” And she sets out to prove her point by arranging the chapters of her book by color to show how different hues create different effects. Before we apply that first roll of paint to a white wall, Strangis helps us visualize the color and suggests the right furnishings and treatments to use in the room. Whether your home has an open plan or is marked by many distinct rooms, Strangis shows ways to unify spaces with color—as well as distinguish them. Strangis admits to having witnessed numerous color trends (you know the lines—“Orange is the new red,” and “Blue is the new black,” etc.), “But one thing remains,” she writes. “Color impacts our lives in many different ways, and it can create a home you feel proud of and welcome in.”