Have you ever wanted to visit a museum in another city, but didn’t have the time or airfare? The Art Institute of Chicago offers a virtual visit through its web site, www.artic.edu/aic, allowing you to view images of many of the paintings and sculptures that make up the museum’s permanent collection and featured exhibits. Brief information about the artists and significant details about the work can also be found on the web site.

From the home page, click on “Education” and then “Online Learning” to view:

• Works by impressionist and post-impressionist painters, click on “Art Explorer”.
• Major works from the museum’s collection, click on “Art Access”.
• Video or narrative lectures on art conservation, color science, and light science, click on “Science, Art & Technology”.
• Ancient Egyptian, Italian or Greek art, click on “Cleopatra Exhibit”.

The Art Institute of Chicago’s web site, www.artic.edu/aic, is a great place to view images of famous works, look up information about an artist, or just visit a collection housed far away. For those that want to stay on top of everything, you can even sign up for an e-newsletter. Another great resource is the “Online Resources” section where you can learn about ancient Egyptian, Greek and Roman art, and Art Access where you can study art history. Enjoy!

Reviewed by R & RC Staff Member - Jennifer Runden

Fresh Thinking. Fresh Living.

Budget Living is a stylish guide to living well on a limited budget; in fact, their tagline reads: “Spend Smart. Live Rich.” Budget Living is a smorgasbord of ideas: think Martha StewartLiving, Ready Made, and Lucky in one serving. Creative Budget Living staffers and readers offer their often amusing, sometimes bizarre, but totally doable money-saving tips, ranging from raiding church dumpsters for partially-burned candles to pawnshop shopping -- it’s doubtful that Lucky would ever feature that -- to fashioning kitchen window valances out of half-aprons.

Their ideas aren’t always cheap or free, but it certainly inspires one to shop and save creatively. The August/September issue is brimming with suggestions for spending smart and living rich:

• “On Fashion” features snob-worthy purses that don’t equal one month’s rent
• “On Beauty” profiles lip-plumping glosses that’ll sting your lips but not your wallet
• “Cheap Sheet” offers concrete advice on getting out of credit card debt
• Feature articles on apartment swapping with like-minded tourists
• How to host a clambake for less than $20 a person

If you consider yourself resourceful, then don’t miss out on this resource. Your wallet will thank you later.

Reviewed by R & RC Staff Member - Kirstie Harless

A Crash Course In Dressing Like The Stars

If you are like me your favorite part of any award show is watching your favorite actor or actress arrive on the red carpet. The editors of Us Weekly have created a book called Secrets of Celebrity Style, which captures all the best looks and shows all of how to look more stylish and pulled together. The book is divided into four sections: Timeless - The Look Of Celebrity Style, Star Style – Five Ways To Make It Yours, Occasions – Living With Celebrity Style, and Strategies – Thinking Like A Stylist.

“Thinking Like A Celebrity Stylist” features the following chapters:

• Any-figure style
• Bump Chic
• Your Age Style
• Shoes & Bags
• Style Pitfalls

Secrets Of Celebrity Style is generously illustrated with lots of great celebrity photos and is well annotated as well. One of the most interesting features of this book is called “Anatomy of a Gown”. This is where the authors take a classic red carpet look and analyze it. For example we have the white Carolina Hererra that Renee Zellweger wore to the 2004 Oscars. They examine the dress in terms of fit, draping, the train and the giant bow detail on the back as well as the hair and jewelry that Renee wore with it. A key theme of this book is how to wear clothes to your best advantage regardless of your figure flaws, age or budget. The expert advice offered is sound and applies to anyone wanting to look their best.

Reviewed by R & RC Staff Member - Monika Earle