alaska

With last week's publication of Sarah Palin's new book, Going Rogue, Alaska is once again in the headlines, so it's easy to forget that there's far more to our 49th state than its red-suited former governor. I've been working on a book project in the Bering Strait of Alaska sporadically for the past few years -- above is a photo from Shishmaref, Alaska. These are places where you really can see Russia. And while these locales aren't much for luxury in the traditional sense, they are the places where simply astonishing Alaska Native art is produced -- where artists utilize the landscape to create everything from delicately carved bracelets to bold mobiles, traditional masks to photographs, amber-jewel like kayaks to paintings.

Alaska's natural resources aren't just used for art, of course -- many Native Alaskans still live at least partially off the land and sea. In part, this is to preserve a traditional way of life, but it's also because the price of basic necessities is so high: a dozen eggs can cost as much as $22. In addition to the challenges of preserving tradition that are faced by native communities everywhere, the raw materials of life are in jeopardy because of global warming. This is the part of the United States that is the most dramatically affected by climate change: The state's wintertime climate has warmed by 40 degrees since 1950, sea ice has thinned by 60 percent since the 1960s.

Nine Native Alaskan artists have produced works in response to this fraught landscape, which opens at the Alaska House New York gallery in Soho on December 10th. Working in a variety of media, ranging from mask-making, to skin sewing, to photography, Brian Adams, Susie Bevins, Perry Eaton, Nicholas Galanin, Anna Hoover, Sonya Kelliher-Combs, Erica Lord, Da-ka-xeen Mehner, and Larry McNeil create works that capture this particularly delicate moment for Alaska -- and works that are certainly highly collectible. Check out the preview below to get just a sample of this extraordinary art.

If Dry Ice inspires you to travel to the places where these works are created, Alaska House New York (which is as much of an "embassy" for Alaska as it is an art gallery) has many resources to guide you through the parts of the state that you're unlikely to see on your own. And if you're more of an armchair traveler, check out this thoughtfully curated selection of books about Alaska -- a good place to start is 50 Miles from Tomorrow, by William L. Iggiagruk Hensley. You'll also find a list of online resources, including the very entertaining online newspaper, Alaska Dispatch.

Alaska's first distillery is set to soon release their first vodka, Permafrost. Toby Foster, a former commercial pilot and CEO of the Glacier Creek Distillery is hoping that the Alaska's recent media attention because of Gov. Sarah Palin will help drum up attention for the vodka. Permafrost is made from Alaskan potatoes grown in the Matanuska Valley and Alaskan glacier water. The vodka will be priced at about $50 a bottle to wholesale distributors. Martini Groove reports that the distillery's 750-milliliter bottles are imported from Italy and made of a heavy glass. Because they cost a hefty $6 a bottle, the company is considering offering a return deposit. Glacier Creek Distillery is also green, the ethanol from the distilling process will fuel generators that run the plant and the potato leavings from the vodka processing will be composted.

By now we've all heard about the devastating effects of global warming, (I picture a polar bear trying to find his favorite ice berg that just isn't there anymore). The Alaska Marine Conservation Council (AMCC) is based in Anchorage, and it's members include marine scientists and conservationists, as well as concerned citizens from across the globe. While the rapid loss of ice in the Bering Sea and Arctic Ocean is a main concerns of the AMCC, they also focus on helping the local economy and preserving coastal traditions. Protecting local bays from certain types of damaging fishing practices are also among their efforts to preserve the beautiful coastal area. The AMCC receives much praise for their work and they rely on the growing concern of the general public to help them further their achievements. Visit the website to sign up for their quarterly newsletter, Sea Change to learn more. Simple practices like turning off lights around your house or buying products that have earned the "energy star" are easy ways you can help preserve Alaskas fragile costal environment.

I have never done an estate of the day from Alaska before so I decided it was time to show the state a little love. This luxurious home was built a few years ago and has an ideal location on a hill surrounded by five acres. The home has over 7500 square feet of space with five bedrooms a home theatre room, multiple family rooms and an exercise room with a sauna and shower. The property includes a three-stall horse barn. The home is listed at $2.2 million. After the jump, the ubiquitous travertine floors make their way to the far north.

If seeing the Iditarod Race is on your list of things you want to do in this lifetime, the Millennium Alaskan Hotel has the package for you. They are offering a "Head Start" package which includes two nights accommodations, two tickets to the Iditarod fund-raising dinner, transportation to and from the Iditarod starting line in Anchorage on March 4, 2006 and access to the Iditarod race activities at the hotel such as the Musher’s Champagne Toast. The package also includes complimentary breakfast in-room or in the hotel’s Flying Machine Restaurant, use of the hotel’s health club with sauna, steam room and hot tub and shuttle service to the 5th Avenue Mall. The package is priced at $499 and is available for booking for the dates of March 1 – March 6, 2006. Activities for the Iditarod such as the Musher’s Champagne Toast (afternoon of March 2nd) and the Iditarod Fundraising Dinner (night of March 3rd) begin during that time period. Additional nights at the hotel are available at $139 per room, per night.

[via Travmedia]