Monthly Archives: September 2015

Be not inhospitable to strangers

Posted on September 11, 2015 by Brian D. Butler

For book lovers around the world, Shakespeare and Company in the heart of Paris is emblematic of the ideal independent bookshop. Even bibliophiles who have never been to Paris feel as though they know Shakespeare and Company. After all, it’s … Continue reading →

Posted in Bookstore Tourism, Europe, Restaurants, Tourism, Uncategorized | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

Van Gogh on parade

Posted on September 10, 2015 by Brian D. Butler

The folks in Zundert, Netherlands are crazy about flowers, Vincent Van Gogh and parades. On the first Sunday of every September they put on a wildly colorful festival to celebrate all three. The event honors the region’s horticultural industry, which specializes … Continue reading →

Posted in Art, Europe, History, Tourism | Tagged , , , , | 5 Comments

Gimme an everything, hold the schmear

Posted on September 9, 2015 by Brian D. Butler

Those of us who were fortunate enough to be raised on authentic New York bagels (Google it) understand why artist Hanna Liden is celebrating the doughy gems with her pop-up sculpture project entitled “Everything”. For the next month, the Swedish … Continue reading →

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Postcards

Posted on September 8, 2015 by Brian D. Butler

Manila-based illustrator Mark Dingo is a huge fan of Wes Anderson films. As an homage to the quirky director, he has created a marvelous collection of postcards that celebrate the locales—both real and fictional—in Anderson’s movies. Mark also has designed … Continue reading →

Posted in Animation, Art, Film, movies, USA | Tagged , , , , | 3 Comments

Everything Except The Castles

Posted on September 7, 2015 by Brian D. Butler

Driving around Iceland this Summer, I was struck by how much wide swaths of the country that reminded me of the stark beauty of the Scottish Highlands. The stunning video below of a recent journey through Scotland shows just how much … Continue reading →

Posted in Europe, Film, Photography, Tourism | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

Apocalypse Now (London)

Posted on September 6, 2015 by Brian D. Butler

Visible just twice daily at low tides, artist Jason deCaires Taylor’s sculptures of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse aim to raise awareness about climate change. Titled “The Rising Tide”, the installation is located near London’s Vauxhall Bridge. The heads … Continue reading →

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

Unconventional Bookselling

Posted on September 5, 2015 by Brian D. Butler

Morioka Shoten & Co. in Tokyo’s Ginza district opened this Spring with a singular approach to bookselling. The tiny, gallery-like shop carries just one title each week. The founder of this enigmatic bookshop model, Yoshiyuki Morioka, has taken curation to … Continue reading →

Posted in Art, Asia, Books, Bookstore Tourism | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Lire Les Signes

Posted on September 4, 2015 by Brian D. Butler

When we visit Paris, most of us are captivated by the grand monuments, amazing architecture and fantastic museums. But some of us can’t walk a block without stopping to gawk at the beautiful signage. It’s not necessary to be a … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Art, Books, Europe, Photography, Public Transport | Tagged , , , , | 3 Comments

Literary gifs

Posted on September 3, 2015 by Brian D. Butler

Santiago, Chile-based art director Javier Jensen has a whale of a time creating understated book cover gifs. Look closely.

Posted in Books, South America, Tech, Writing | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

An Airport For Booklovers

Posted on September 2, 2015 by Brian D. Butler

Bibliophiles may want to consider a stop-over at Tallinn International Airport just to visit the wonderful free library for flyers. Opened two years ago, the library runs entirely on the honor system. There’s no membership requirement, no library card, and … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Europe, Libraries, Public Transport, Tourism | Tagged , , , | 4 Comments