Monthly Archives: October 2014

Girl With A Pierced Eardrum

Posted on October 22, 2014 by Brian D. Butler

Banksy painted a new piece this week titled “Girl With a Pierced Eardrum”. The parody (or paean) is a take-off on Vermeer’s beloved “Girl With a Pearl Earring”. The work can be found at the Albion Dockyard in Banksy’s purported hometown … Continue reading →

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Paris Museums

Posted on October 21, 2014 by Brian D. Butler

There’s good news for Paris museum visitors; starting in 2015 some of the most popular attractions are expanding opening times to seven days a week. Instead of closing one day each week on Mondays or Tuesdays, the Louvre, Musée d’Orsay … Continue reading →

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See it like a native

Posted on October 20, 2014 by Brian D. Butler

I often get asked advice on how to see New York City. Of course I always suggest the purchase of a good, old fashioned print travel guide book, and the usual websites, too. Recently, I’ve been recommending NYCgo.com which is … Continue reading →

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Nothing beats a good literary map

Posted on October 19, 2014 by Brian D. Butler

Brooklyn Magazine recently published this wonderful literary map of NYC’s hippest borough highlighting books that represent the very diverse neighborhoods of my family’s ancestral homeland. Now they’ve followed-up with a neat map that pairs American states and representative book titles. … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Maps | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

Ah, the aroma of old books

Posted on October 18, 2014 by Brian D. Butler

As a life-long bibliophile, I have always found the scent of old books, antiquarian bookshops and libraries intoxicating. And who doesn’t love the smell of a brand new book? The infographic below explains just what causes those wonderful aromas. If … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Bookstore Tourism | Tagged | 1 Comment

Are You Flying Blah Airlines

Posted on October 17, 2014 by Brian D. Butler

Full disclosure: I did not watch the entire video below. I doubt that you will either—damn, it’s nearly six hours long. But Virgin America’s new video, titled “Have You Been Flying BLAH Airlines”, is both hilarious and excruciating. The questionable … Continue reading →

Posted in Animation, Tourism, USA | Tagged , | 1 Comment

3 Seconds of Art

Posted on October 16, 2014 by Brian D. Butler

The southern Dutch city of Breda is home to a unique art gallery experience. The 3sec.gallery is housed in the formerly dim, grey entrance of the Chassé Parking Garage. Launched in July by the Graphic Design Festival Breda, the clever … Continue reading →

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Boston Night and Day

Posted on October 15, 2014 by Brian D. Butler

Boston is one of North America’s most historic and exciting small cities to visit. Photographer Julian Tryba captured the real spirit of the place in his terrific time-lapse that incorporates day and night shots in every frame. Titled “Boston Layer-Lapse”, the … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Film, Photography, Tech, Tourism, USA | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

Thumbing A Ride

Posted on October 14, 2014 by Brian D. Butler

Alaska Airlines is developing a system which will allow passengers to use fingerprint scans to replace paper documents and identification. The first step in the project, which has already been tested in Seattle, is using print readers to replace boarding passes … Continue reading →

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Vienna Waits For You

Posted on October 13, 2014 by Brian D. Butler

The last time that I visited Vienna I was disappointed (and a bit disoriented) to be deposited at the Wien Meidling station in the far southwest of the city. So I was pleased to hear that the new Wiener Hauptbahnhof … Continue reading →

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