An explosive Chinese artist comes to New York

The South African vocalists have earned a global following—and racked up Grammy awards—since Joseph Shabalala had a dream (literally) about starting a group back in the 1960s. Highlights along the way have included collaborating on Paul Simon's Graceland and accompanying Nelson Mandela when he accepted the Nobel Peace Prize in Norway. Ladysmith Black Mambazo released its latest album, Ilembe: Honoring Shaka Zulu, in January and has taken its crowd-pleasing blend of Christian gospel and Zulu isicathamiya harmonies on the road. The group sings tonight in Baton Rouge, La., and continues west with stops in more than 20 cities between now and mid-March. An additional concert is slated for the Kennedy Center in D.C. on June 1. Check tour dates and preview songs by visiting rockpaperscissors.biz. While Shabalala, 65, has yet to announce an official retirement date, this tour will be one of his last—he's passing the torch to his son Thamsanqa. MORE MUSIC COVERAGE -Eating on Tour With Franz Ferdinand: An Excerpt from Sound Bites -Andy Palacio: At the Crossroads of Africa and Central America -Musicians Without Borders: Balkan Beat Box -Audio Slide Show: On the Road With Gerry Beckley of America

Frida fans, take note: the largest U.S. show of the painter's work in 15 years opens at the Philadelphia Museum of Art on February 20. Philly is the only East Coast city to host the retrospective, which commemorates the 100th anniversary of the Mexican artist's birth. On view are over 40 of Frida Kahlo's famed self-portraits, spanning her life's work. The show, entitled Frida Kahlo, also features some 100 photographs of Kahlo and her husband, the muralist Diego Rivera, and their family and friends, including André Breton and Leon Trotsky. The exhibition runs through May 18. To score VIP (untimed) tickets, check out the special hotel/ticket packages offered on the museum's website, philamuseum.org. Once you've had your art fix, there are plenty of great local restaurants to keep the flavor of México going. In honor of the show, the chef at Xochitl has created a four-course, $35 menu based on Kahlo's favorite foods, including stuffed poblano peppers and shrimp, cactus, and potatoes in guajillo sauce. Wash it down with a Corazon de Kahlo (Frida's Heart), a specialty cocktail made with pineapple, cilantro, and tequila (408 S. 2nd St., 215/238-7280, Xochitlphilly.com). For a quick snack, grab a taco at one of the city's tasty taquerias. Some good bets are La Lupe, in the Italian Market (1201 S. 9th St, 215/551-9920); Taqueria La Veracruzana in South Philly (908 Washington Ave., 215/465-1440); the Northern Liberties takeaway spot, Taco Riendo (1301 N. 5th St., 215/235-2294), and the Loft District's Jose's (469 N. 10th St., 215/765-2369). For more Philly travel ideas, visit Uwishunu.com, the city's tourism blog. *CORRECTION (2/14): When this item was first posted, it mistakenly said that Philadelphia was the only American city to host the exhibit. But the exhibit was already in Minneapolis, and it heads to San Francisco's Museum of Modern Art June 16–September 28, 2008. We regret the error.

Like a scene out of a sci-fi movie, Heathrow airport in London is requiring some connecting passengers to undergo iris scans and get a thumbprint scan taken. Currently, you'll only be required to do this if you land at Heathrow's Terminal 1 and try to connect to a domestic British flight there. The info is in addition to the photo ID and boarding pass normally required at the boarding gate, according to the Associated Press. British Airways may make this standard security practice for passengers when it opens Terminal Five in March. Here's how it works, according to news reports: You enter a booth and a laser quickly scans your eye's iris, as if it were a bar code on a product. As you move about the airport terminal, you can pass back into a secure area, having your eyes rescanned to prove you're the person you say you are. The information is stored for about 24 hours and not filed away, officials say. UPDATE 1/6/08 at 3:33 ET Fingerprint scans are being introduced in Scandinavia. Specifically, SAS (Scandinavian Airlines Sweden) now allows travelers with luggage to board domestic flights by providing a scan of their index fingerprint, according to Spiegel Online, via Vagablogging.net. EARLIER Continental Airlines may allow cell phones to replace paper boarding passes. PHOTO courtesy of ArtLung via Flickr

The Five Gables Inn & Spa in St. Michaels, one of many charming towns by the Chesapeake Bay, is offering a special package for readers like you (as if reading Budget Travel weren’t reward enough!). If you and a companion stay two nights in one of the inn’s stylish, pastel-colored rooms and book two spa treatments, you’ll receive a 15 percent discount on Aveda products and a $50 credit for dinner at a local restaurant. Bistro St. Michaels and 208 Talbot are among the choices. Rates start at $300 per room for the two-night stay. When Mid-week stays (Sun.-Thurs.) through Mar. 31, 2008. Details Be sure to refer to the Arthur Frommer’s Budget Travel Mid-Week Retreat package when booking. Taxes are an additional 10 percent. Based on double occupancy only. Spa treatments start at $110. Contact 877/466-0100, fivegables.com. St. Michaels, Md., is 40 minutes from the Chesapeake Bay Bridge and less than two hours from Baltimore. For inspiration and tips on what to do in the area, read Crabby in a Good Way, a story about road-tripping on Maryland’s Eastern Shore. RELATED Real Deals, posted online every weekday.