the obamas are coming

Famed Barack and Michelle Obama portraits head to Texas museum

Get ready, Texas: The Obamas are on the move and will be making a temporary home in 2022 at Houston's Museum of Fine Arts.

Okay, technically the real 44th U.S. president and first lady aren’t measuring the drapes for an art-vacation; instead the acclaimed “President Barack Obama”portrait by Kehinde Wiley and the “Michelle Obama” portrait by Amy Sherald will take up residence at the Houston museum March 25-May 30, 2022.

The Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery just announced a five-city tour of the famed portraits and the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston becomes that last stop on the tour, the only museum in Texas and the southwest region. The tour begins in the Obamas' hometown of Chicago and makes stops at the Brooklyn Museum, New York; Los Angeles County Museum of Art, and the High Art Museum in Atlanta before coming to Texas.

The first African-American artists selected for a National Portrait Gallery’s official portraits of a president or first lady commission, Wiley and Sherald’s portraits became instant sensations when first revealed in early 2018.

“We view the country as our community,” said Kim Sajet, director of the National Portrait Gallery in a statement made upon the announcement of the tour. “Since the unveiling of these two portraits of the Obamas, the Portrait Gallery has experienced a record number of visitors, not only to view these works in person, but to be part of the communal experience of a particular moment in time. This tour is an opportunity for audiences in different parts of the country to witness how portraiture can engage people in the beauty of dialogue and shared experience.”

In addition to the paintings, the tour will include an audio-visual element, Portrait Gallery-led teacher workshops, and curatorial presentations in each location. In anticipation of the tour, the Portrait Gallery is also publishing a book in partnership with Princeton University Press. The Obama Portraits will be released February 11.

"Barack Obama" by Kehinde Wiley, oil on canvas, 2018. National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution.

Image courtesy of Kehinde Wiley

"Barack Obama" by Kehinde Wiley, oil on canvas, 2018. National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution.

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lets go camping

Llama ranch near Dallas roams onto America's 50 favorite camping spots

Courtesy of Hipcamp

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A family-owned, llama roaming ranch just an hour outside Dallas was just declared one of America's 50 favorite camping spots in 2026.

The field guide was compiled by online marketplace Hipcamp following a review of campsite ratings from users, regional trends, cultural relevance, and a "spirited debate" of Hipcamp experts. Campgrounds were chosen from 35 different states and organized into seven regions: the Pacific Northwest; California and Hawaii; the Southwest; the Mountain West; the Great Plains and Midwest; the Northeast; and the Southeast.

Llama Land Ranch in Tool, Texas was one of nine total campgrounds featured in the Southwest region. The ranch is the perfect place for families to go on core memory-making excursions like meeting the free roaming llamas or watching out for other wildlife like wild boars. The ranch spans 101 acres, and a 50-foot deep creek also flows along the property lines for fishing and swimming.

"The llamas will come to greet you and so will many more things in this wonderful place," the ranch's listing says. "We are conveniently located in a secluded area, but just a short drive from many local conveniences."

The listing also specifies that the pastures are only mowed three times a year and some of the property is on rough terrain, so campers are welcome to bring their own machetes if they want to explore the area thoroughly.

There are 14 sites available for guests to set up camp, with a mix of tent-only, RV/tent, and RV-only sites. The ranch is also very affordable; sites can be booked for as little as $15 per night.

Many reviewers enjoy getting out into the country to reconnect with nature, and many also praise the ranch's owner, Judy, who says the ranch has been in her family since 1987.

"I went with a group of women for an overnight camp at the pond," one reviewer wrote. "It was so beautiful and a much needed break from city life. The host was wonderful and kind. She was also very accommodating to our group."

A second Dallas-Fort Worth-area campground tucked away in Texas' newest state park was also highlighted in the report. Warbler Ridge Campground, located in Palo Pinto Mountains State Park, was the only other Texas representative on the list.

The pet-friendly campground's listing doesn't offer many details, but it says there are 22 RV and tent campsites for visitors, as well as showers, toilets, potable water, and picnic tables. There are activities galore for visitors, including a 68-acre lake for swimming, fishing, and boating, and over 16 miles of trails for hiking, biking, and horseback riding.

The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department says campsites at Palo Pinto Mountains State Park start at $13 per night (plus a daily entrance fee) for hike-in primitive sites. Walk-in campsites with water are $15 per night and campsites with electricity are $30 per night.

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