A second-grade class and a fourth-grade class from Windsor Locks, Connecticut, chose the winning names for two new snowplows at Connecticut’s Bradley International Airport.
The winning names: Snowbelle and Blizzard Wizard.
The story of how Salt Lake City International Airport saved its World Map
This is a great story of the heroic effort to save an iconic world map at Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC) first installed in the 1960s.
When the new terminal was being built, the map was removed and word was that it was too complicated to save it and that the map wasn’t coming back.
But it did!
🍿🎬Pop some popcorn. Break out the tissues. And watch this video about how we saved our beloved World Map.
What was believed to be impossible is now a reality at #TheNewSLC. On your next trip through SLC, visit the World Map in Concourse B Plaza. Take a picture standing on your… pic.twitter.com/kDidqAewif
Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC) unveiled Phase 3 of its SLC Redevelopment Program, which includes the Central Tunnel, Concourse B Plaza, 12 concessions, 5 Delta Air Lines gates and new art and history installations.
Central Tunnel
The key new element is the Central Tunnel connecting A and B Concourses featuring a large-scale art installation by Artist Gordon Huether titled “The River Tunnel.”
This art installation reflects the rivers that flow through the state’s mountains and canyons. Huether even provides a Spotify playlist with more than 100 songs for the artwork.
As passengers exit The River Tunnel, they enter the Concourse B Plaza where there is an extension of The Canyon and the Northern Light oculus art installations by Huether.
Northern Light weighs 3.1 tons and is fabricated from 500 glass rods and 300 dichroic glass panels.
World Map returns
The Concourse B Plaza is now home to The World Map that once graced the floor of Terminal 1 in the original airport.
The World Map was created by Dallas stoneworker Julius Bartoli based on drawings by Ashton, Evans & Brazier and installed in Terminal 1 in 1960.
And a dinosaur!
A secret until opening day, SLC has made space for “Ally the Dinosaur,” a gift from the Natural History Museum of Utah (NHMU).
The replica fossil skeleton of Allosaurus fragilis—Utah’s state fossil—is the quintessential Late Jurassic carnivorous dinosaur. The giant animal roamed Utah’s landscapes 150 million years ago and is now one of the most popular dinosaurs worldwide.
New Concessions
This new phase at SLC includes a dozen new concessions as well.
Dining options include Bambuza Vietnam Kitchen; Freddy’s Frozen Custard and Steakburgers; Maggiano’s Little Italy; Sunday’s Best; The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf; and Thirst.
Shops include Cotopaxi; iStore Express; Relay; Travel Right; The Canyon; and Weller Book Works.
The River Tunnel is NOT filled with water
Contrary to what the airport announced on April 1 (April Fools Day), the tunnel is not filled with water.
And it does not have Disney-type boats instead of moving walkways with paddles provided to passengers who want to row their boats.
New artwork to greet passengers at Salt Lake City Int’l Airport
Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC) already has several large-scale artworks by artist Gordon Huether, including the 400-foot Canyon (above).
Coming soon: the completion of his 90-foot outdoor art piece echoing the mountain peaks for which Utah is famous.
SFO Airport is celebrating Dia de Los Muertos
San Fransisco International Airport (SFO) is celebrating Dia de los Muertos (the Day of the Dead) with an altar, a mural, and live cultural performances through November 7 in Harvey Milk Terminal 1 and Terminal 2.
In Harvey Milk Terminal 1, look for the “Tree of Life” altar created in partnership with the Mission Center for Cultural Arts, and feel free to add the names of your loved ones to the altar.
In Terminal 2, artist Adrian Arias will paint a mural titled “Ancestral Hummingbird with Moon,” influenced by his Peruvian background.
Celebrating Dia de los Muertos in Harvey Milk Terminal 1 with a beautiful altar created by the Mission Cultural Center for Latino Arts. Honor your loved ones – write their name on the notes and place it on the altar. #SFOCelebrates#DiaDeLosMuertos#FlySFOpic.twitter.com/Yc03HxdZ9Z
— San Francisco International Airport (SFO) ✈️ (@flySFO) October 18, 2023
Pittsburgh International Airport’s new terminal progressing nicely
We were proud to have @ACE_Fitzgerald make the first official drive up the Departures curb at our new terminal this morning. Along with PIT CEO Christina Cassotis, he gave the media a tour so everyone could see our incredible progress. See for yourself ⬇️ #airport#aviationnewspic.twitter.com/rACLzdrwZa
— Pittsburgh International Airport (@PITairport) October 16, 2023
The company that offers airport passengers XpresSpa, now with massage and manicure service in 26 locations in 13 airports globally, and ExpresCheck for airport COVID testing, is rolling out a new brand.
This one is called Treat. And it is an upscale airport spa and wellness concept with medical services, state-of-the-art testing, “and a holistic approach to physical and mental well-being.”
The menu of services includes:
Relaxation services such as manual massage and hydro massage
Self-guided wellness services such as visual decompressions with VR goggles, meditation room, workouts
Health services such as IV drips, injections, consultations with providers for acute illnesses, mental health coaching
Wellness products to help combat fatigue, relieve stress, boost stamina and promote healthy systems such as adaptogenic herbs and supplements, teas, and tinctures
Women’s health products that support reproductive health, pregnancy, and intimacy
Beauty and hygiene products such as hydrating masks and lotions, soaps, shampoos, and hand sanitizer
Travel products such as compression socks, eye masks, pillows, and blankets.
To schedule an appointment or to see what specific health services are offered and what the charges are, you’ll need to sign up for a free membership on the Treat website or the Treat app.
We took a look at the price list for medical services and found $50 for a flu vaccine or a vitamin injection and $175 to be seen for a wide range of other issues, including eye problems, cold/flu symptoms, sinus infections, wound care, allergic reactions, and pregnancy or STD testing.
The fee for IV therapy or a COVID test is $250.
Under the Wellness Services tab, you’ll find showers (30 minutes for $35), yoga ($30-60), as well fees for meditation time, and a wide variety of fitness programs.
Current Treat locations are Terminal 4 at New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK), Terminal 4 at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX), and Concourse B at Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC).
If you try it out before we do, let us know what your experience is like.
Barnes spent a year photographing and collecting specimens from over 150 plants growing in the Sharker Heritage Society’s herb garden, which is on the site of the first Shaker settlement in the United States.
The herb garden, and historic Shaker ‘gift’ or ‘spirit’ drawings, are the inspiration for the images and prints Barnes created during her year-long project going on view at Albany International Airport on July 16. There’s also a companion site-specific installation at the Shaker Heritage Society, which is a short walk from the airport.
At the Shaker Heritage Society’s 1856 Drying House, Barnes’ installation includes temporary murals on the exterior of the historic brick building. The images are stark blue and white silhouettes of herbs in bloom climbing the outside of the red brick walls. Inside, there are prints on fabric and hanging bunches of herbs from the garden. The murals and the installation will remain on view through summer 2023.
For the installation at Albany International Airport, Barnes made eight cyanotype paintings on paper with plants collected from the Shaker herb garden. (Cyanotype is an old photographic printing process that creates dark greenish-blue prints.)
These paintings are reproduced on aluminum panels that will be on view for three to five years in the pedestrian corridor linking the new south parking garage with the ticketing area.
On July 16, ALB Airport will also debut a six-month-long exhibition, called Planting Utopia, in the post-security Concourse A Gallery with artwork, preparatory sketches, and a documentary video about the collaboration.
(All images courtesy Albany International Airport)
