Monthly Archives: November 2013

Literary Coffee

Posted on November 20, 2013 by Brian D. Butler

Gianluca Biscalchin is an accomplished food and cookbook illustrator, and you may have seen his wonderful series of author illustrations called “Scrittori”. Now he has created this marvelous graphic (see below) called “Literary Coffee”. Enjoy:

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All Aboard Starbucks ?

Posted on November 19, 2013 by Brian D. Butler

In my dotage, my last remaining vice is a serious coffee habit. And, while I try and patronize indie coffeeshops whenever possible, I’m still an unashamed fan of Starbucks. The global coffee colossus is now launching a felicitous collaboration with … Continue reading →

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Cycle City

Posted on November 18, 2013 by Brian D. Butler

I freely admit that I’m a big hypocrite when it comes to using my bike for transportation rather than recreation, but I do admire the people of the Netherlands for their steadfast resolve to replace automobile travel with bicycling whenever … Continue reading →

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Nous Sommes Dangereux (vraiment)

Posted on November 17, 2013 by Brian D. Butler

Here in the United States we are accustomed to overwrought travel warnings issued by our State Department on foreign travel. To be fair, most of the governmental travel alerts and notices are based on some reasonable concerns. Now I hear … Continue reading →

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Virtual Venice

Posted on November 16, 2013 by Brian D. Butler

When it’s overrun by cruise ship passengers and daytrippers, Venice can seem more like an Italian Disney World than the true gem that it is to those who love the city. But if you visit out of season, or just … Continue reading →

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Paris is so cliche

Posted on November 15, 2013 by Brian D. Butler

Designed by Paris-based illustrator Simon Sek of the design collective LesAnimals, Cliché-sun-Seine is a very clever series of twenty graphic works based one common clichéd element for each Paris arrondissement. Native Parisians, or even regular visitors may quibble with Sek’s … Continue reading →

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Not Just Hapsburgs

Posted on November 13, 2013 by Brian D. Butler

This Spring, I made it back to Vienna (Wien) after a very long absence and immediately wondered why it took me so long to return. It’s a stunningly beautiful and historic city that is well worth a visit. Whether you’ve … Continue reading →

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Books Not Blogs

Posted on November 12, 2013 by Brian D. Butler

According to the World Travel Market 2013 Industry Report, British travelers still prefer old-school print travel guide books to online sources for trip planning and vacation research. The report, based on a survey of 1001 travelers, showed that 59% of … Continue reading →

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F. Scott Redesigned

Posted on November 11, 2013 by Brian D. Butler

The release of Baz Luhrman’s bastardized film version of F. Scott Fitzgerald‘s masterpiece The Great Gatsby this year stirred renewed interest in the iconic Jazz Age author’s novels. And, of course, we saw a number of new print editions of Fitzgerald’s … Continue reading →

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The 24 Hour Library Is Coming

Posted on November 10, 2013 by Brian D. Butler

The library system in Norman, Oklahoma has recently introduced a library vending machine that offers library patrons 24 hour access to a selection of books and other media. The machine allows library members to scan a card and choose from … Continue reading →

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