Author Archives: Brian D. Butler

Pound Sterling Gets Pounded, But London’s For Free

Posted on October 4, 2022 by Brian D. Butler

The headlines bemoaning the precipitous slde in the value of the British Pound have created an itch for me and many other Anglophiles to get back to London posthaste. While that’s not quite feasible at the moment, I of course … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Art, Europe, Museums, Tourism, Travel Writing | Tagged , | 1 Comment

Our Libraries

Posted on October 3, 2022 by Brian D. Butler

‘Our Town’s Libraries’ which Tom Gauld drew for the @nytimes recently… Speaking of libraries, he has a new book out titled REVENGE OF THE LIBRARIANS and he is visiting Brooklyn NY, Philadelphia PA, and Columbus OH with it in the … Continue reading →

Posted in Art, Books, Libraries | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Welcome to My Garden

Posted on October 2, 2022 by Brian D. Butler

Welcome To My Garden is a wonderful initiative where average folks open up their yards and gardens for free camping. Created in Belgium during the Pandemic, the peer-to-peer scheme is aimed primarily at hikers, bike travelers, and backpackers. People who … Continue reading →

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

Post Cards From The Future

Posted on October 1, 2022 by Brian D. Butler

The very trippy short video below titled “Convergence Station” was created by Andreas Nilsson for Meow Wolf’s Denver art center of the same name.  

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Joy is not made to be a crumb

Posted on September 30, 2022 by Brian D. Butler

Don’t Hesitate by Mary Oliver If you suddenly and unexpectedly feel joy, don’t hesitate. Give in to it. There are plenty of lives and whole towns destroyed or about to be. We are not wise, and not very often kind. … Continue reading →

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Prescribing Culture

Posted on September 29, 2022 by Brian D. Butler

This month doctors in Brussels, Belgium will be able to prescribe visits to local cultural institutions for their patients. Doctors at the Brugmann Hospital, one of Brussels’ largest healthcare facilities, are able to prescribe their patients visits to a number … Continue reading →

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Here Be Monsters

Posted on September 28, 2022 by Brian D. Butler

The Carta Marina (Latin for map of the sea) is the earliest known map of the Nordic countries with details and place names. The map was created over a 12 year period by the Swedish cartographer Olaus Magnus (1490–1557) and the first … Continue reading →

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

get up because a woman is here rising

Posted on September 27, 2022 by Brian D. Butler

Watching the courageous young women and men in Iran rise up against their oppressive fundamentalist government I was reminded of the tragic Persian poet Forough Farrakhzad. Sometimes referred to as “the Persian Sylvia Plath,”  although she was a contemporary of … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Freedom of Speech, Writing | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

Why Did The Beatles Cross The Road

Posted on September 26, 2022 by Brian D. Butler

The Beatles released the Abbey Road album in London, on this date in 1969. I’ve been thinking about the album after hearing Her Majesty referenced about a dozen times during the last two weeks. If you can’t find your copy, it’s all on YouTube now. … Continue reading →

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How Random Is This

Posted on September 25, 2022 by Brian D. Butler

New York City’s amazing Metropolitan Museum of Art is probably my favorite museum in the world and I’ve been to hundreds. It’s also one of the most visited museums in the world with nearly 2 million guests annually. The Met … Continue reading →

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