Dispatches from the Mid-Atlantic: Cinderella Ate My Breakfast
by columnist Madeline Karp, I did not have the chance to make my mom breakfast in bed this Mother’s Day. I had to go to Philadelphia to be a princess. The Please Touch Museum hosts an annual Mother’s Day Princess Brunch for Centennial Guild Members (i.e.: platinum level, or those who pay for the highest [...]
Dispatches from the Mid-Atlantic: Museum Professionals 360°
by columnist Madeline Karp, If you’re friends with me on Facebook, then you may know that I spent Sunday morning at the Stainton Society’s Annual Brunch, which featured CNN journalist Anderson Cooper as a guest speaker. The Stainton Society is an Atlantic City-based medical philanthropy group and the annual brunch is their big fundraiser for [...]
Dispatches from the Mid-Atlantic: No Fairy Godmother Required
by columnist Madeline Karp Last April, in a fit of ridiculousness, I declared myself Her Royal Highness, Madeline, Ice Princess of Pittsburgh and All Western Pennsylvania. My friends rolled their eyes, sighed, and obliged until the Pittsburgh Penguins were knocked out of Stanley Cup contention in the first round, thereby ending my reign supreme. This [...]
Dispatches from the Mid-Atlantic: Playground v. Playpen
by columnist Madeline Karp I had the good fortune to spend Passover with my cousins this year. Being closer to Philadelphia now, we don’t see our New York family members as often, so we jump at the chance to spend time with them. Especially if we know one of the babies will be there. I [...]
Dispatches from the Mid-Atlantic: Meet the Museum!
by columnist Madeline Karp, Welcome to Dispatches from the Mid-Atlantic’s new series Meet the Museum! where we interview museum professionals in the Mid-Atlantic region to get a feel for who they are and what they’re up to. Today, we’re talking to the Please Touch Museum’s new Manager of Visitor Services, Patrick Wittwer. Tell us a [...]
Dispatches from the Mid-Atlantic: Dream a Little Dream
by columnist Madeline Karp Working for a children’s museum, I am all about supporting the hopes and dreams of young children. Kids tell me them all the time. I hear dreams of being an astronaut, a firefighter, a doctor, a professional athlete. I hear dreams about being able to read chapter books or tying shoes [...]
Dispatches from the Mid-Atlantic: Flower Power
by columnist Madeline Karp I will never forget my first flower show. I had made it through my very first winter in Boston and was terribly, terribly depressed. Even though it was technically springtime, there were no leaves on the trees, a foot of snow on the ground, sweaters filling my closet and two pairs [...]
Dispatches from the Mid-Atlantic: Historically Fashion Forward
by columnist Madeline Karp I have dreams of wearing a big hoop skirt. I’m talking like a BIG, Scarlett O’Hara hoop skirt. Sometimes a corset, or a bustle; on occasion knee britches and a man’s coat from the Revolutionary War, but tailored to fit and flatter a woman’s figure. I’m a fan of the First [...]
Dispatches from the Mid-Atlantic: To Make Good Use of Dr. Seuss
by columnist Madeline Karp For those of you not up on your children’s authors, this weekend marked the 99th birthday of beloved children’s author, poet and illustrator Theodor Geisel a.k.a. Dr. Seuss. The Please Touch Museum celebrated by reading Dr. Seuss’s best-loved books at story time, by making Seuss-esque self-portraits with children in the art [...]
Dispatches from the Mid-Atlantic: A Novel Idea
I love novels. I hope to publish one someday. I read them constantly. I use the margins to write notes cheering characters on, or chastising them for behaving badly. I give novels to friends. I organize them on shelves first alphabetically, then when that gets boring thematically, then yet again by cover color, height, or [...]