RAM ISLAND LEDGE LIGHTHOUSE TO BE SOLD BY THE COAST GUARD

THE PROPERTY HAS A MILLION DOLLAR VIEW, BUT THE QUARTERS ARE CRAMPED, THE GROUNDS ARE NOTHING TO BRAG ABOUT AND A LOUD FOG HORN BLARES EVERY TEN SECONDS. FOR THE RIGHT PRICE, THE PICTURESQUE RAM ISLAND LEDGE LIGHTHOUSE CAN BE YOURS. THE 72 FOOT CONICAL LIGHT TOWER IN WATERS A MILE OFF THE SOUTHERN MAINE COAST IS BEING AUCTIONED BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. THE PROPERTY ISN'T FOR EVERYBODY. IT'S HARD TO GET TO, LOCATED ON A WAVE-SWEPT ROCKY LEDGE WHERE LANDING A BOAT CAN BE TREACHEROUS. ONCE THERE, A PERSON HAS TO CLIMB A 30 FOOT LADDER TO GET INTO THE TOWER. INSIDE, THE CIRCULAR ROOMS ARE SMALL AND BARE. THE YARD, IF YOU CAN CALL IT THAT, IS A LEDGE THAT IS UNDERWATER HALF THE TIME WHENEVER THE TIDE IS UP. BUT THE VIEWS OF THE RUGGED COAST, THE NEARBY ISLANDS AND THE OPEN OCEAN ARE TO DIE FOR, AND THE LIGHTHOUSE OOZES HISTORY, A REMINDER OF AN ERA GONE BY, WHEN LIGHTHOUSE KEEPERS LIVED IN ISOLATION MANNING KEROSENE AND FOGHORNS TO KEEP MARINERS OUT OF HARM'S WAY. THE COAST GUARD HAS BEEN UNLOADING LIGHTHOUSE FOR DECADES AND NOW HAS AT LEAST EIGHT OF THE FOR SALE IN MAINE, MASSACHUSETTS, NEW YORK, DELAWARE AND WISCONSIN THROUGH AN ONLINE AUCTION RUN BY THE GENERAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATION. IN MAINE, THE GRANITE RAM ISLAND LEDGE LIGHTHOUSE WAS BUILT IN 1905 NEAR THE ENTRANCE TO PORTLAND HARBOR. FOR THE FIRST 54 YEARS, BEFORE BECOMING AUTOMATED IN 1959, THE BUILDING WAS MANED BY LIGHTHOUSE KEEPERS WHO LIVED IN THE OUTPOST FOR WEEKS AT A TIME. WHOEVER BUYS THE RAM ISLAND LEDGE LIGHTHOUSE WILL HAVE TO PRESERVE THE HISTORICAL INTEGRITY OF THE STRUCTURE WHILE IT CONTINUES BEING USED AS A COAST GUARD NAVIGATIONAL AID, COMPLETE WITH A LIGHT THAT FLASHES EVERY SIX SECONDS AND A HORN THAT BLARES EVERY TEN SECONDS. SO FAR ONLY ONE BID, $10,000 HAS BEEN MADE. A TOUR FOR PROSPECTIVE BIDDERS IS SCHEDULED FOR LATER THIS MONTH.

WINDSOR CASTLE TO HAVE VICTORIAN THEME FOR CHRISTMAS

SPECIAL DISPLAYS AND ACTIVITIES AT WINDSOR CASTLE TAKE ON A VICTORIAN THEME FROM 10.DECEMBER UNTIL 5.JANUARY.2011. TO CELEBRATE THE CHRISTMAS PERIOD, THE TABLE IN THE CASTLE'S MAGNIFICENT STATE DINING ROOM WILL BE DRESSED WITH PIECES FROM THE MINTON 'VICTORIA' DESERT SERVICE. THE SERVICE WAS PURCHASED BY QUEEN VICTORIA AT THE GREAT EXHIBITION OF 1851, THEREAFTER TAKING THE MONARCH'S NAME. IT ATTRACTED MUCH ATTENTION AT THE TIME AND WAS DESCRIBED BY THE INFLUENTIAL ART JOURNAL AS BEING OF 'EXCEEDING BEAUTY'. PORCELAIN CUSTARD CUPS, BONBON DISHES AND A CENTERPIECE DECORATED WITH SEASONAL IMAGES WILL BE DISPLAYED ALONGSIDE GLITTERING SILVER-GILT CANDLESTICKS AND FESTIVE FRUIT AND FLOWERS. THE STATE DINING ROOM IS AT THE HEART OF THE CASTLE'S SEMI-STATE APARTMENTS, CREATED FOR GEORGE IV IN THE 1820s AS THE KING'S SUITE OF PRIVATE ROOMS. TODAY IT IS USED BY THE QUEEN FOR ENTERTAINING, IN PARTICULAR DURING ROYAL ASCOT WEEK AND AT 'DINE AND SLEEP' PARTIES DURING EASTER COURT AT WINDSOR. CHRISTMAS TREES FROM THE WINDSOR GREAT PARK WILL BE DISPLAYED IN THE CASTLE FROM 6.DECEMBER. WINDSOR IS CLOSELY ASSOCIATED WITH THE TRADITION OF THE CHRISTMAS TREE, AND PRINCE ALBERT, CONSORT OF QUEEN VICTORIA, IS CREDITED WITH POPULARIZING TREE DECORATION. FESTIVE DECORATIONS, INCLUDING BAUBLES IN THE SHAPE OF A CROWN, CAN BE PURCHASED FROM THE CASTLE'S SHOPS ALONG WITH A HOST OF OTHER UNIQUE ROYAL COLLECTION GIFTS.

TATE BRITAIN REOPENS ROMANTICS AFTER RE-HANG

THIS WEEK TATE BRITAIN'S CLORE GALLERIES HAVE REOPENED TO THE PUBLIC FOLLOWING A MAJOR RE-HANG. ROMANTICS, PART OF THE BP BRITISH ART DISPLAYS, FEATURES OVER 170 KEY PAINTINGS, PRINTS AND PHOTOGRAPHS SPREAD OVER NINE THEMATIC ROOMS EXPLORING THE ORIGINS, INSPIRATIONS AND LEGACIES OF BRITISH ROMANTIC ART. HIGHLIGHTS OF THE NEW DISPLAY ARE EIGHT SPECTACULAR HAND-COLOURED ETCHINGS BY WILLIAM BLAKE WHICH WERE ACQUIRED FOR THE NATION LAST YEAR. FOUND HIDDEN IN A RAILWAY TIMETABLE AMONGST A BOX OF SECONDHAND BOOKS IN THE 1970s, THE RARE WORKS ARE IMAGES FROM BLAKE'S NOW FAMOUS SERIES OF ILLUMINATED BOOKS. ORIGINALLY LEFT TO BLAKE'S WIDOW, THE PRINTS WERE GIFTED TO A FRIEND, AND THEIR LOCATION WAS UNKNOWN UNTIL THEIR REMARKABLE REDISCOVERY. THE CLORE DISPLAYS ALSO FEATURE A NEW ROOM OF LATE WORKS BY J M W TURNER. CHARACTERIZED BY THE EXPERIMENTAL USE OF COLOUR AND THE DEPICTION OF LIGHT FOR WHICH TURNER IS NOW SO RENOWNED, THE PAINTINGS FROM THE SECOND HALF OF THE ARTIST'S CAREER WERE HEAVILY CRITICIZED AT THE TIME. UNDETERRED BY PUBLIC OPINION, HOWEVER, TURNER HEROICALLY FOLLOWED HIS OWN IMPULSES LIKE A TRUE ROMANTIC, CONTINUING TO EXHIBIT THE UNIQUE AND CHALLENGING WORK WHICH WE CELEBRATE TODAY. THE DISPLAY FEATURES MASTERPIECES FROM THE TATE COLLECTION INCLUDING 'NORHAM CASTLE, SUNRISE' AND 'SUN SETTING OVER A LAKE'. TWO ROOMS IN THE DISPLAY EXPLORE THE LEGACY OF THE ROMANTICS. THE FIRST OF THESE PRESENTS THE NEO-ROMANTICS OF THE MID 20th CENTURY, INCLUDING ARTISTS SUCH AS GRAHAM SUTHERLAND AND PAUL NASH, WHO LOOKED BACK TO ROMANTIC BRITISH VISIONARIES SUCH AS WILLIAM BLAKE AND SAMUEL PALMER. THE SECOND WILL EXPLORE LANDSCAPE PHOTOGRAPHY OF THE LAST FORTY YEARS WHICH PARODIES OR PLAYS OFF THE ROMANTIC TRADITION.

BOSTON'S WORLD'S FAIR OF MONEY

IN AN ECONOMIC DOWNTURN, IT MIGHT BE TOUGH TO GET YOUR HEAD AROUND THIS: RARE SHEETS OF $100,000 BILLS, FABULOUS GOLD TREASURES DATING BACK TO THE CALIFORNIA GOLD RUSH ERA, RARE COINS INCLUDING THOSE TIED TO THE FIRST STIRRINGS FOR AMERICA'S INDEPENDENCE AND FEDERAL GOVERNMENT SECURITIES WORTH MORE THAN A BILLION DOLLARS. THAT'S THE BACKDROP OF THE COUNTRY'S PREMIER MONEY SHOW, THE WORLD'S FAIR OF MONEY, WHICH HAS BROUGHT ABOUT 1,000 COIN DEALERS AND HUNDREDS OF COLLECTORS TO BOSTON, SEEKING TO TAP INTO THE SURPRISING RESILIENCE OF THE COIN INDUSTRY. HELD IN A SPRAWLING HALL MONITORED BY ARMED UNIFORMED AND UNDERCOVER POLICE OFFICERS, FEDERAL AGENTS, PRIVATE SECURITY CONTRACTORS, ELECTRONIC SURVEILLANCE EQUIPMENT AND VIGILANT PARTICIPANTS, THE FAIR FEATURES SELDOM-SEN GOLD TREASURES BROUGHT FROM THE SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION'S VAULTS INCLUDING AMERICA'S FIRST $20 GOLD COIN, VALUED BY INDEPENDENT EXPERTS AT $15 MILLION TODAY, AND ITS LAST $20 COIN. IT ALSO INCLUDES SHEETS OF AMERICA'S LARGEST DENOMINATION CURRENCY, THE $100,000 BILL, WHICH IS SAID TO BE WORTH $1.6 MILLION TODAY. THE GOLD CERTIFICATE NOTE, WHICH BEARS PRESIDENT WOODROW WILSON'S PORTRAIT, WAS USED ONLY FOR OFFICIAL TRANSACTIONS BETWEEN FEDERAL RESERVE BANKS. IT WAS NOT CIRCULATED AMONG THE GENERAL PUBLIC AND CANNOT BE LEGALLY HELD BY CURRENCY NOTE COLLECTORS. THE SHOW, WHICH ENDS, SATURDAY, INCLUDES A COMPREHENSIVE COLLECTION OF US PAPER MONEY THAT HAS NEVER BEFORE BEEN EXHIBITED. IT HAS COINS FROM THE MEXICAN WAR OF INDEPENDENCE AND MEXICAN REVOLUTION THAT ARE BEING SEEN OUTSIDE OF MEXICO FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE 1970. THERE ARE ALSO RARE COINS WORTH SEVERAL MILLION DOLLARS. THE SS CENTRAL AMERICAN, WHICH SANK IN A 1857 HURRICANE OFF THE COAST OF NORTH CAROLINA WITH MORE THE 400 PASSENGERS AND 30,000 POUNDS OF GOLD FROM THE CALIFORNIA GOLD RUSH, MADE ITS INAUGURAL APPEARANCE IN BOSTON. THE EXHIBIT FEATURES MORE THAN $10 MILLION IN GOLD TREASURES RECOVERED FROM THE SHIP, ALSO KNOWN AS THE SHIP OF GOLD. OTHER HISTORIC ITEMS INCLUDE ONE OF A FEW KNOWN SURVIVING COPIES OF THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE PRINTED IN BOSTON CIRCA 17.JULY.1776, AND SILVER SPOONS CRAFTED BY PAUL REVERE.

MUMBAI'S TAJ MAHAL HOTEL TO REOPEN

HOLDING COLOURFUL BALLOONS AND FLOWERS, EMPLOYEES PLEDGED ON THURSDAY TO RE-DEDICATE THEMSELVES TO MUMBAI'S TAJ MAHAL HOTEL WHEN IT REOPENS AFTER THE 2008 MILITANT ATTACKS IN WHICH GUESTS AND STAFF MEMBERS DIED. THE HOTEL, WHICH SUFFERED EXTENSIVE DAMAGE FROM A SIEGE LAID BY FOUR HEAVILY ARMED GUNMEN, WAS ONE OF SEVERAL MUMBAI LANDMARKS ATTACKED BY PAKISTAN-BASED MILITANTS. THE NOVEMBER STRIKES, WHICH LASTED OVER 60 HOURS, KILLED 166 PEOPLE. STANDING ON THE GRAND CANTILEVER STAIRWAY, STAFF MEMBERS CHEERED AND TOSSED ROSE PETALS IN THE AIR AFTER CHAIRMAN RATAN TATA GARLANDED A BUST OF THE FOUNDER OF THE TATA GROUP, INDIA'S OLDEST CONGLOMERATE, WHICH ALSO OWNS THE LUXURY TAJ HOTELS. 'THIS FLAGSHIP PROPERTY, THIS VENERABLE OLD LADY, IS GOING TO REOPEN IN THE SAME GLORY, THE SAME SPLENDOR OF MORE THAN 100 YEARS', TATA SAID, HIS VOICE CRACKING, AHEAD OF THE HOTEL'S SCHEDULED REOPENING ON SUNDAY. TATA HAD VOWED TO 'REBUILD EVERY INCH' OF THE ICONIC HOTEL, FOUNDED IN 1903, AND WHICH HAS PLAYED HOST TO MAHARAJAHS, HEADS OF STATE, CHIEF EXECUTIVES, MOVIE STARS AND ENTERTAINERS ALIKE. ARCHITECTS, DESIGNERS AND RESTORATION EXPERTS FROM INDIA AND AROUND THE WORLD SPENT MORE THAN 21 MONTHS ASSESSING THE DAMAGE, THEN RESTORING THE HOTEL, SAID RAYMOND BICKSON, MANAGING DIRECTOR OF TAJ HOTELS. THE HOTEL, WHICH COMBINES ORIENTAL, FLORENTINE AND MOORISH ARCHITECTURAL STYLES IN ITS VAULTED ALABASTER CEILINGS, GRACEFUL ARCHWAYS AND MARBLE FLOORS, HOUSES FINE EXAMPLES OF MODERN AND CONTEMPORARY INDIAN ART, AND NOW, MODERN SECURITY SYSTEMS, TOO. THE PALACE WING, BUILT ON RECLAIMED LAND OVERLOOKING THE ARABIAN SEA, IS A PRIME EXAMPLE OF INDO-SARCENIC ARCHITECTURE, WITH CUPOLAS AND A DOMINANT DOME, WHICH DURING THE 60 HOUR SIEGE WAS ENGULFED IN FLAMES AND THICK SMOKE FROM GRENADES. THE COMPANY SPENT SOME $38 MILLION ON REPAIRS AND RESTORATION, BICKSON SAID. WHILE THE TAJ HAS RETAINED ITS PRICELESS BELGIAN CHANDELIERS, ANTIQUE CHESTS AND SACRED ICONS, IT HAS COMPLETELY REFURBISHED ITS LUXURIOUS SUITES, INCLUDING THE RAVI SHANKAR SUITE, WHERE SHANKAR TAUGHT BEATLE GEORGE HARRISON TO PLAY THE SITAR.

LOUIS VUITTON OPENS IN SANTA MONICA

LAST FRIDAY, LOUIS VUITTON OPENED ITS FIRST LOCATION ON THE WEST SIDE OF LOS ANGELES. LOCATED AT THE NEWLY RENOVATED SANTA MONICA PLACE, BETWEEN 3rd STREET PROMENADE AND THE WORLD FAMOUS SANTA MONICA PIER, THIS MARKS THE 137th LOUIS VUITTON IN NORTH AMERICA. WITH A SURFACE AREA OF 4,139 SQUARE FEET, LOUIS VUITTON SANTA MONICA WILL CARRY AN ARRAY OF WOMEN'S AND MEN'S LEATHER GOODS FROM THE HOUSE'S TRADITIONAL AND INNOVATIVE COLLECTIONS OF LUGGAGE AND CITY BAGS, AS WELL AS THE VERY LATEST IN SHOES, BELTS, SUNGLASSES, SCARVES AND OTHER ACCESSORIES. PROMINENTLY LOCATED ON THE CENTRAL PLAZA OF THE GROUND FLOOR, LOUIS VUITTON SANTA MONICA BOASTS A SWEEPING CURVED GLASS FACADE AND BEAUTIFUL ALL WOOD FLOORING. FILTERING IN NATURAL LIGHT THROUGH SHEET FABRIC PANELS, AND UTILIZING A MIXTURE OF CUMARU, ZEBRONO AND ANIGRE WOODS, LOUIS VUITTON'S NEWEST NORTH AMERICAN LOCATION CAPTURES ALL THE NATURAL WARMTH AND BEAUTY OF ITS LOCAL ENVIRONS. THE INTERIOR DESIGN ALLOWS FOR THREE DISTINCT SPATIAL EXPERIENCES, GIVING UNIQUE CHARACTER TO EACH OF THE DIFFERENT PRODUCT UNIVERSES. THE WOMEN'S AREA HAS A LOUIS VUITTON 'BAG BAR', A VERTICAL DISPLAY OF SMALL LEATHER GOODS, AND A DEDICATED ACCESSORIES SPACE. THIS LEADS INTO AN ELEGANT LOUNGE AREA SHOWCASING WOMEN'S SHOES AS WELL AS RARE AND EXCEPTIONAL PRODUCTS, WHILE THE MEN'S AREA HOUSES LEATHER GOODS, SHOES, ACCESSORIES AND BOTH NEW AND ICONIC LUGGAGE.

NATIONAL MUSEUM OF AMERICAN HISTORY RECEIVES RED HAT DONATION

THE SMITHSONIAN'S NATIONAL MUSEUM OF AMERICAN HISTORY HAS RECENTLY RECEIVED A DONATION FROM THE RED HAT SOCIETY, A WOMEN'S SOCIAL ORGANIZATION THAT FOSTERS A SENSE OF JOY AND SISTERHOOD. THE GIFT INCLUDES A BRIGHT RED FEDORA, THE HAT THAT INITIATED THE FOUNDING OF THE RED HAT SOCIETY, AND A PURPLE FEATHER BOA. BOTH ACCESSORIES WERE OWNED BY SUE ELLEN COOPER, THE FOUNDER AND 'EXALTED QUEEN MOTHER' OF THE SOCIETY; SHE DONATED THEM TO THE ORGANIZATION IN 2002. IN THE FALL OF 1997, COOPER PURCHASED THE OLD RED FEDORA FROM A THRIFT SHOP IN TUSCON, ARIZONA, DRAWN BY ITS LOW PRICE AND ELEGANCE. A YEAR LATER, SHE PRESENTED THE HAT, ALONG WITH A POEM BY JENNY JOSEPH TITLED 'WARNING', TO A FRIEND CELEBRATING HER 55th BIRTHDAY. THE POEM, WHICH READS 'WHEN I AM AN OLD WOMAN, I SHALL WEAR PURPLE, WITH A RED HAT WHICH DOESN'T GO AND DOESN'T SUIT ME', VERBALIZED THE MESSAGE COOPER INTENDED FOR HER FRIEND, THAT GROWING OLDER SHOULD BE DONE PLAYFULLY AND ON HER OWN TERMS. THAT MESSAGE AFFECTED THE LIVES OF THE WOMEN COOPER ENCOUNTERED: THE RED HAT BECAME HER SIGNATURE GIFT, AND ITS SYMBOLISM INSPIRED THEM TO DON THEIR OWN RED HATS. IN 1998, AT A TEA PARTY IN FULLERTON, CALIF, THE RED HAT SOCIETY WAS BORN. NEWS ABOUT THE WOMEN IN PURPLE AND RED SPREAD RAPIDLY, AND IN JUST FIVE YEARS THERE WERE MORE THAN 40,000 CHAPTERS WORLDWIDE. THE RED HAT AND FATHER BOA ARE SYMBOLS OF AN INTERDENOMINATIONAL, INTERRACIAL, INTERGENERATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S SOCIAL ORGANIZATION THAT PROVIDES A SENSE OF COHESION AND STABILITY IN WOMEN'S LIVES. THE MUSEUM RECORDS THE DEVELOPMENT AND RISE OF FRATERNAL SOCIETIES AND ORGANIZATION SUCH AS THE YMCA/YWCA, THE MASONS, BOY AND GIRL SCOUTS AND FIRE-FIGHTING SOCIETIES THROUGH A COLLECTION OF OBJECTS THAT SYMBOLIZE THESE ORGANIZATIONS' MISSIONS.