WHAT TO SEE IF YOU'RE IN PHILADELPHIA FOR 24 HOURS AND LOVE ART

Philadelphia is well known for its important role in American history. But, what about if you love art and have a day to visit? Rest assured, there is plenty of great art to see. Let’s go!

PHILADELPHIA ART MUSEUM

The Philadelphia Museum of Art is well known for the great collection it houses. It definitely holds its own compared to its better known neighbors in New York City and Washington, DC. The 240,000 works inside cover 2,000 years of history, including pieces from the ancient world, medieval times, the Renaissance, the Impressionist movement, modern art all the way to the contemporary. From Cezanne and Van Gogh through Picasso, Cy Twombly, all the way to Sam Gilliam. One of my personal favorites are the works by Constantin Brancusi that I never forget to visit. The museum also has a wonderful collection of Asian art, including a little tea house and zen garden where you can just feel the stress sliding off your shoulders.

The architecture buffs will also appreciate the recent renovation led by Frank Gehry which added a new North entrance and a number of new galleries and public spaces.

Last, but not least, there is also a little treat for the Rocky film franchise lovers. Yes, these are the steps to run up and do your best Stallone impression. You can even take a selfie with the plaque that is embedded in the pavement at the top.

RODIN MUSEUM

Headed from the Philadelphia Art Museum back to Center City? Don’t forget to make a stop at another little gem, The Rodin Museum (good news: your art museum ticket will get you a free entrance here, too). Housed in a small pavilion surrounded by a beautiful garden and guarded by none other than The Thinker out front, the museum is home to many smaller versions of the artist’s famous works - from Balzac portraits, to his famed studies of human hands. More sculptures are sprinkled throughout the garden, including The Three Shades, and The Burghers of Calais. Stop by. All together, this is one of the largest collection of Rodin’s sculptures outside of Paris. In the spring and summer, this place is delightful.

BARNES FOUNDATION

If you like impressionism, post-impressionism and modern art, you must make this one of your stops. And, get ready to be overwhelmed. You will not see this many Renoirs side by side on a single wall anywhere else. The collection was built by Dr. Albert C. Barnes (1872-1951), who believed that art had the power to improve and change lives. Having enjoyed early career success, he started collecting art at age 40, and over three decades, amassed an impressive collection of works by the world's most important artists, including Renoir, Cézanne, Matisse, Modigliani (my personal favorite) and Picasso. Today, experts estimate the value of the collection at 20-30 billion dollars.

Originally housed in a special-purpose built mansion in Merion, Pennsylvania, the Barnes Foundation was moved to its current location in Center City Philadelphia in 2012. It was not without controversy. Detractors still point out that moving the collection from a neoclassical building in Merion to a postmodern raw stone and glass building designed by Billie Tsien undermined the vision Dr. Barnes laid out in his will. The curators defend themselves by saying that inside it is as if the dimensions of the old gallery were perfectly copied. It was also mandated: In order for the judge to approve the gallery move, the foundation promised to keep the dimensions of the original galleries and to replicate the quirky "ensembles" of paintings, furniture and metalwork the same way that Albert Barnes originally conceived and arranged them. Even the burlap on the walls looks the same. However, the architects found a way to incorporate natural light into almost every room. This accentuates the colors in images - a big improvement.

Be ready: When you walk in, you will be overwhelmed by the sheer amount of art. Where else in the world can you find five Renoir paintings sharing the same wall with several Picassos, Matisses, Modigliani and maybe two Degas paintings? All this next to African masks, Native American jewelry, Greek antiques... And that's just one wall in one room... and believe me, there are many rooms where you can admire a similar collection. You won't see anything like this anywhere in the world. Go see it. Even this thoroughly contemporary art lover approves.

FIRST FRIDAY

If you're in town during the first Friday of each month, don't miss a chance to explore Philly's incredible art scene, First Friday. This is when the galleries around the city throw their doors open and art lovers pour through many of the galleries in the Old City Arts District. The 40-plus galleries that are scattered between Front and Third, and Market and Vine Streets, show everything from contemporary works in various mediums to ceramic arts. It's a refreshing way to unwind after work or start the weekend out with something different when you're in town.

NEED TO PUT YOUR FEET UP? A COUPLE OF PLACES TO STAY

And, since you may need to put your feet up and relax somewhere for the night after all that art, here are a couple of my tips for places.

KIMPTON PALOMAR. Plopped right in Center City near Rittenhouse Square, the hotel is built in the former headquarters of the American Institute of Architects. And, to go with he theme, it has incorporated art and architecture into the experience, with contemporary art by Philadelphia artists throughout the property. The rest of the accommodations are pretty nice too, with Frette linens, L’Occitane amenities, marble vanities and recycled glass tiles in the bathrooms.

WM MULHERIN’S SONS. And now for a slightly different experience. If you like industrial chic, this small boutique hotel in Fishtown may be the right destination for you. There are only a few rooms but they feature exposed brick, arched windows and clawfoot tubs. And, if that’s not enough on its own, there are some bonus points: lots of great eateries and music venues are nearby for your enjoyment

So, have I tempted you yet? Hop on the train or in the car, Philly has much to offer!

MEET ME - AND SOME ART - IN MADRID

Madrid is known for its football team and among the artsy crowd for its Prado museum. But there is so much more to this sprawling modern metropolis. Contemporary art lovers will be pleased to read that there is plenty to see. The extra bonus? A lot of the best galleries are within easy walking distance from one another, and located in fun, lively neighborhoods that offer plenty of opportunity to take a little coffee break in-between.

Just remember not to plan your trip for the morning after a key Real Madrid win in the Champions League like I did - unless you love wandering the city among many completely inebriated yet deliriously happy madrileños! I think I got at least one marriage proposal from a complete stranger :)

Football calendar checked? The coast is clear? Let’s put on our walking shoes and let’s go!

EHRHARDT FLORES

Founded as The Heinrich Ehrhardt gallery in 1980, the gallery first introduced German art to Madrid. Now rebranded is Erhardt Flores and located in the cool Malasaña neighborhood, the space shows young Spanish artists such as Julia Spínola and Secundino Hernández, along with many others such as Emanuel Seitz, Michael Beutler, Peppi Bottrop, Herbert Brandl, André Butzer, Mauro Cerqueira, June Crespo, Björn Dahlem, Helmut Dorner, Laia Estruch, Günther Förg, Fernando García, Thilo Heinzmann, Imi Knoebel, Stefan Müller, Kiko Pérez, Guillermo Pfaff, Tobias Rehberger, Ulrich Rückriem, Sarmento, Emanuel Seitz, Gonçalo Sena, Rosa Tharrats, Thomas Zipp, Otto Zitko, Jan Zöller. Tucked away in an unassuming courtyard next to a couple other galleries, this raw and industrial space could be easy to miss, but do yourselves a favor and stop by. It is definitely worth a visit.

GALERIA LA COMETA

Just a few steps away, you will find possibly my favorite Madrid gallery, Galeria La Cometa. According to its own website, the gallery was founded 36 years ago with the purpose of contributing to the development of the local art scene.

The small but light and airy space pulls you in and stands out as a little modern oasis in the otherwise more traditional residential area of Calle San Lorenzo. Push through the glass doors, however, and voila! Interesting art beckons. When I visited, the gallery was showing mesmerizing paintings by Kmilo Morales. I got lost in the wonderful sea of blue and almost bought one piece on the spot. I wish I could have bought the whole wall!

The gallery also represents works by Adam Goldstein, Adrián Gaitán, Alejandro Ospina, Alejandro Sánchez, Ana González, Carlos Castro, Daniel Nyström, Fernando Pinto, Gustavo Pérez Monzón, Jim Amaral, Juan Baraja, Juan Jaramillo, Nadir Figueroa, Olga de Amaral, and Ricardo Cárdenas, I bet you will always find something interesting here.

GALERIA ELBA BENITEZ

Just a stone’s throw from La Cometa is Elba Benitez. Don’t miss it. The gallery showcases artists working across a range of media – installation, sculpture, video, photography, painting, and performance — trying to tap into the ever changing moods and directions of the art world. Its artist roster is impressive as well - Ignasi Aballí, Ibon Aranberri, Miriam Bäckström, Carlos Bunga, Cabello/Carceller, Alejandro Campins, Alejandro Cesarco, Juan Cruz, Fernanda Fragateiro, Hreinn Fridfinnsson, Carlos Garaicoa, David Goldblatt, El Ultimo Grito, Cristina Iglesias, Joachim Koester, Isa Melsheimer, Vik Muniz, Ernesto Neto, Nicolás Paris, Jorge Ribalta, Francisco Ruiz de Infante, Francesc Torres, and Oriol Vilanova. The gallerists are always up for giving an impromptu tour and telling you all about the artist’s perspective. I can see why it’s popular.

JUANA DE AIZPURU

Walk over to the Chueca neighborhood nearby and you will find another great place, Juana de Aizpuru. Just keep your eyes peeled. The signage is easy to miss, the space itself is located on the second floor, and I walked past the building a couple of times before finally realizing where it was. Thank goodness for the persistent GPS that kept “rerouting” until it convinced me that yes, I was, in fact, in the right spot!

The gallery’s founder is recognized for her inspiring leadership in contemporary art promotion; she was also the creator and first director of the ARCO international fair. and helped to seed a national interest in contemporary art. The artists represented by he gallery include Eric Baudelaire, Mirosław Bałka, Pedro Cabrita Reis, Rui Chafes, Luis Claramunt, Jordi Colomer, Cristina De Middel, Jiři Dokoupil, Fiko Federico Guzmán, Alicia Framis, Philipp Fröhlich, Sandra Gamarra, Cristina García Rodero, Carmela Garcia, Dora García, Alberto García-Alix, Pierre Gonnord, Joseph Kosuth, Glenda León, Rogelio López Cuenca, Cristina Lucas, Yasumasa Morimura, Albert Oehlen, Markus Oehlen, Tim Parchikov, Fernando Sánchez Castillo, Andrés Serrano, Montserrat Soto, Wolfgang Tillmans, and Heimo Zobernig. During my visit, I saw a cool modern interpretation of a “wishing well” - the artist encouraged you to write down and “leave your fears behind”. Not a bad idea, if you ask me. So, of course I did. Why not?

REINA SOFIA

Is that all? Of course not. If you’re the kind of person who prefers “one stop shop” even for your contemporary art, then Reina Sofia is the place for you.

Yes, there is The Prado. And it’s fabulous. But Reina Sofia is just as good and it was just what the doctor ordered on the hot summer day when I visited. Why is that, you ask? Well, to start, the ground floor pulls you in with a lovely oasis filled with the works of Richard Serra. From there, you can take the Ian Ritchie-designed modern steel-framed glass elevators to the upper floors and lose yourselves among the giants of modern and contemporary art - from a completely unexpected paired-down works of Salvator Dali, Robert Motherwell, Michelangelo Pistoletto, Gerhard Richter, to Pier Paolo Calzolari and Donald Judd. And, yes, that rather iconic piece by Picasso, called “Guernica”.

If you need some fresh air after battling the crowds for a glimpse of that world-famous Picasso, find a bench in the leafy courtyard and admire one of Alexander Calder’s mobiles. It is wonderfully relaxing.

TOTEM - THE ART OF LODGING

While I often focus on art over everything else in my musings here, every now and then a hotel comes by and claims a spot among the favorite memories of the trip. That was the case of hotel Totem. Located in a beautifully renovated 19th-century building located in Madrid's "Golden Mile", Totem was designed to make me love everything about it. My overworked self started relaxing the minute I stepped into the dark modern lobby where I got a warm and friendly welcome from the staff. Minutes later, I sat on the comfy sofa in the bar/library filled with cool objets d’art and artsy books. Heaven!

And it got better from there. My room, while not huge, was everything I could have asked for. A wonderful fluffy white bed, classic mid century furnishings, a cool modern sofa, a muted color palette that was as if the architect read my mind! My only challenge was getting myself motivated to leave this wonderful pied-a-terre to go explore the city outside. If you want a wonderful, calming place to stay, this place is wonderful.

So, have I convinced you to visit Madrid yet? I think you should :)