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Author Archives: Brian D. Butler
Amsterdam is Magical
I’ve had the good fortune to visit Amsterdam many times, in every season. While I love balmy summer days hanging in cafes along the atmospheric canals or lounging in Vondel Park, there is something truly magical about the city in … Continue reading
Free Airline Ticket (really)
The catch to getting your free air ticket is that you first have to purchase and play a game. Get Packing is a limited edition board game from JetBlue airline which comes with one free round trip ticket anywhere JetBlue flies. The … Continue reading
Library of the Future
h/t Tom Gauld
Escape Velocities
This week Arizona State University’s Center for Science and Imagination published Visions, Ventures, Escape Velocities: A Collection of Space Futures, a free digital book collection of fiction and nonfiction about space exploration. The free book, which was funded by NASA grants, is … Continue reading
Posted in Art, Books, ebooks, Tech, USA, Writing
Tagged exoplanets, Mars, Science, Science fiction, space exploration
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Rationalizing Airport Security
During the last two weeks Amsterdam’s Schiphol International Airport has been testing a novel approach to airport security screening. The Personal Security Pass pilot project aims to demonstrate that it’s possible to reduce wait times and make passenger security screenings … Continue reading
Posted in Air Travel, Europe, Public Transport, Tech, Tourism
Tagged airport security, Amsterdam, Schiphol
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Reasons to use a guidebook
As a former travel guidebook author, I am biased in favor of old-school print travel guidebooks. Not that I am completely averse to digital travel literature; I use e-book guides too. But print guides are easier to highlight and annotate, … Continue reading
Posted in Books, Maps, Tourism, Travel Writing
Tagged Beadeker's, Fodor's, Travel Guidebooks
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Coffee Makes The World Go Round
Folks who know me will vouch for my life-long love of coffee. For the most part, I’m a coffee purist; I tend to stick with simple and direct caffeine delivery systems. Give me a doppio espresso, a Red-Eye, or just … Continue reading
Posted in Asia, Europe, Middle East, Restaurants, South America, Tourism, USA
Tagged affogato, Coffee, coffee shops, espresso
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The Matter of Jerusalem
During the last few days, Jerusalem has once again been at the top of the world news. The clever short film below, which was inspired by a new exhibition on medieval manuscripts at Oxford’s Bodleian Library, reminds us that the … Continue reading
Posted in Art, Books, Film, History, Libraries, Maps, Museums
Tagged Bodleian Library, Israel, Jerusalem, medieval manuscripts, Oxford
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A few fomas and some granfaloons
During my adolescence, I was strongly influenced by reading Kurt Vonnegut’s brilliant novels. His thoroughly original mash-up of science fiction, satire, dark humor, and political commentary resonated with my angsty teen self. Over the years, I’ve collected and sold a … Continue reading
Posted in Books, USA, Writing
Tagged Breakfast of Champions, Cat's Cradle, Kurt Vonnegut, Mother Night, Sirens of Titan, Slaughterhouse Five
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Travel Between The Pages 