Monthly Archives: December 2012

We Remember

Posted on December 21, 2012 by Brian D. Butler

I am not resigned to the shutting away of loving hearts in the hard ground. So it is, and so it will be, for so it has been, time out of mind: Into the darkness they go, the wise and … Continue reading →

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It’s A Very Dickensian Christmas

Posted on December 20, 2012 by Brian D. Butler

Following an extensive eight month, £3 million restoration and redevelopment project, London’s Charles Dickens Museum reopened on December 10th just in time to celebrate a Dickens Christmas and to top-off the Dickens 2012 Bicentenary year festivities. The beloved author’s Bloomsbury … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Europe, History, Museums, Tourism, Writing | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

A Christmas Miracle (almost)

Posted on December 19, 2012 by Brian D. Butler

The English North Yorkshire town of Malton seems a likely place to figure in a Charles Dickens tale and this year it does. When residents of the old Roman town learned that a rare specially bound and signed copy of … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Europe, Writing | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Crime and Punishment

Posted on December 18, 2012 by Brian D. Butler

I was gobsmacked by Polish filmmaker Piotr Dumala’s extraordinary animated version of Dostoyevsky’s classic novel. This pared down version of the story is told without dialog and takes place entirely at night. Trained as an painter and sculptor, Dumala has … Continue reading →

Posted in Animation, Art, Books, Europe, Film | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Polar Express

Posted on December 17, 2012 by Brian D. Butler

Last weekend a passenger on a Szczecin to Warsaw Poland regional train got a very chilly reception when she visited the train’s lavatory. She was shocked to discover that the toilet was encased in a three-inch thick block of ice. … Continue reading →

Posted in Europe, Tourism | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

A Tale of Two Bridges

Posted on December 16, 2012 by Brian D. Butler

I can’t explain my interest in brilliantly designed bridges and I don’t feel the need to explore it. So, here’s a tale of two more way cool new bridges in Europe. Designed by Amsterdam-based NEXT Architects, this stunning span connects … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Europe | Tagged , , | 3 Comments

I Heart NYC and These Maps

Posted on December 15, 2012 by Brian D. Butler

London-based artist and illustrator Jenni Sparks has created a new series of fantastic hand-drawn maps of New York City. The cleverly amusing maps include elaborate images of iconic neighborhood and borough hangouts that no tourist wants to miss. If you … Continue reading →

Posted in Art, Maps, Tourism, USA | Tagged , | 2 Comments

I Want To Go To There

Posted on December 14, 2012 by Brian D. Butler

Just in time for the release of the first edition of the Hobbit trilogy, Tolkien nerds can now lift a pint of Gaffer’s Ale at the very same tables as Gamgees, Tooks, Brandybucks and Bagginses. The Green Dragon Pub in … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Film, Tourism | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

No Pine Scent Whatsoever

Posted on December 13, 2012 by Brian D. Butler

For decades, the Flemish city of Hasselt, Belgium has erected a lovely, traditional Christmas tree in the city’s Grotemarkt main square. But this holiday season has brought a charmingly novel approach to the tradition. Working with local residents, the Belgian … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Art, Europe | Tagged , | 2 Comments

Nothing Beats A Good Book

Posted on December 12, 2012 by Brian D. Butler

Pundits have been writing obituaries for print books and libraries for years. But a recent study by the Pew Foundation suggests that even as e-readers proliferate print books and libraries remain popular in the United States. This neat infographic demonstrates … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, ebooks, Libraries, Uncategorized | Tagged , | 1 Comment