Extra, extra: Travel news roundup

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.

On Wednesday, the European Commission proposed mandatory fingerprinting for all foreign visitors to most states in the European Union. Americans and other visitors who don't need visas may have to touch fingerprint scanners on their way through immigration, says the Wall Street Journal. What's more, even though we still will not need to apply for visas, Americans may have to fill out an online form with their name, destinations, and how their travel ticket was paid for, before departing for a E.U. country, says the International Herald Tribune. The info would be checked against EU visitor blacklists. Eventually, the EU may require digitalized facial images, too. The plan is expected to be approved this year. But it will not go into effect until 2015—if approved as expected, says Reuters. Here's a map of participating E.U. countries. Britain, Ireland, Cyprus, Romania, and Bulgaria might opt out of the plan. The U.S. already requires Europeans to submit fingerprints (for all 10 fingers) when crossing our borders. Japan already requires fingerprints and photos of visitors, says The Washington Post. Data systems in the U.S. and Europe will store passenger data for 13 years, including e-mail addresses, phone numbers, and the credit card info you used to purchase of flight tickets, says Time. EARLIER Air France experiments with replacing e-tickets with fingerprints. Heathrow airport begins using iris scans for some travelers.