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Cameo Appearances

When you envision a cameo, you may think of a famous actor doing an indie film director a favor by reciting a line or two. Or perhaps an image of a brooch adorning the collar of a Victorian lady comes to mind. But "Cameo Appearances" at the Metropolitan Museum of Art encourages you to view this item simply as art.

The collection, inspired by the recent acquisition of a jasper Medusa cameo, includes 100 examples of hardstone carvings from such stones as onyx, sardonyx andagate. Among them are "Phaeton Driving Apollo's Chariot," circa 1876 (pictured), and such intricate scenes as "A Sleeping Shepherdess in the Moonlight," from the 16th century. The collection also includes cameo glass and explores fakery and the difference between cameos and intaglios. Certainly, the works in this exhibition are ready for their close-ups.

When: Through January 29, 2006. Hours vary, closed Mondays.

Where: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1000 Fifth Ave., New York

Admission: $15 for adults.

Information: www.metmuseum.org.

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72 HOURS IN WASHINGTON, D.C.

America's capital city might have started out a swamp, but now it's a destination for tourists and heads of state alike. Whether you're here to inspect the Constitution or to check out artifacts from the first Apollo mission, we'll help you fit it all in.

BUSINESS IN SEATTLE

Once a relatively isolated provincial town, Seattle is now recognized worldwide as the home of high-tech and as a gateway to Asian trade centers. From the charm of its 100-year-old Pike Place Market to its striking steel-and-glass central library, the city lures many a business visitor back as a tourist.