Author Archives: Brian D. Butler

What’s On Your Wall

Posted on December 17, 2013 by Brian D. Butler

This time of the year many of us receive corporate calendars as holiday “gifts”. Most are pretty humdrum and unexceptional, but this year the uber hip U.S. hotel chain The Standard has managed to shake things up a bit with an unorthodox … Continue reading →

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I Want a MultiPass

Posted on December 16, 2013 by Brian D. Butler

The MultiPass—named after a personal identification device seen in the sci-fi flick The Fifth Element—is a digital card that will allow users to pay for virtually any type of transportation throughout the UK. Like a digital wallet for travelers, the … Continue reading →

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The Little Prince : A New York Story

Posted on December 15, 2013 by Brian D. Butler

 For seven decades booklovers around the world have been drawn to Antoine de Sainte-Exupéry’s parable of an interstellar traveler, The Little Prince, who comes to Earth in search of friendship, compassion, and understanding. Few readers, however, realize that the iconic … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Europe, History, Libraries, Museums, USA, Writing | Tagged , , , | 3 Comments

Don’t Drink the Water

Posted on December 14, 2013 by Brian D. Butler

Amsterdam is commemorating the 400th anniversary of its iconic canals by selling souvenir sets of Amsterdam Canal Aqua. The four bottle set, which retails for €50, is filled from the Singel, Prinsengracht, Herengracht and Keizersgracht. Each bottle is labeled with … Continue reading →

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Fun With Dones

Posted on December 13, 2013 by Brian D. Butler

San Franciscan Nate Bolt must have some influential friends at the New York Public Library. Either that, or he’s a real fast talker, because someone allowed him to fly a drone equipped with a GoPro camera around the iconic Stephen … Continue reading →

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Don’t Be Rude

Posted on December 12, 2013 by Brian D. Butler

On my recent visits to Paris, I noticed that the Metro was more crowded than ever.But it seemed that Parisians were relatively civil compared to subway riders in NYC, or even London. So, I was a bit surprised to see … Continue reading →

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Mark My Words

Posted on December 11, 2013 by Brian D. Butler

For some bibliophiles the humble bookmark is an essential reading companion. I have some fantastic examples—nearly all gifts of course—but as often as not I resort to bits of paper, folded post-it notes or random ephemera to mark my place. … Continue reading →

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All Aboard the Little Red Bus

Posted on December 10, 2013 by Brian D. Butler

There’s never a dull moment when daredevils of Frenchies’ Flying Circus challenge all notions of what the circus can be. “From Spain to Scotland, Brussels to Brévent, traveling by air, land and sea, they hit the road tumbling, flying, gliding … Continue reading →

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Fun With Maps

Posted on December 9, 2013 by Brian D. Butler

The Belgium-based international crew at Khuan+Ktron are gaining renown for their whimsical, colorful and eccentric work. They’ve built a solid reputation with off-beat typographics, books, posters, infographics, brochures, ad work and lots of magazine covers. This set of marvelous maps is … Continue reading →

Posted in Art, Europe, Maps, Tourism | Tagged , | 2 Comments

A Byegone Sense of Place

Posted on December 8, 2013 by Brian D. Butler

Launched just about a year ago, Wildsam Field Guides travel series just released its new San Francisco edition. Joining Nashville and Austin editions, this terrific travel guidebook is rich in local lore, city heritage, wonderful illustrations—like artist Lisa Congdon‘s Golden … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Art, Books, Maps, Tourism, Travel Writing, USA | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment