Author Archives: Brian D. Butler

Little Free Libraries

In the winter of 2013, PEN, alongside the Architectural League of New York and IDEAS CITY Festival, commissioned ten emerging architects to design their take on the idea of the Little Free Library. On May 4, the ten little libraries … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Art, Books, Libraries, USA, Writing | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Venice, City of Readers

A group of 100 authors in Italy have organized as Venice, City of Readers and have issued a manifesto protesting the disappearance of Venice’s bookstores. The writers, including Italian and international authors, gathered at the historic Salone della Libreria Sansoviniana … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Bookstore Tourism, Europe, Libraries, Tourism, Writing | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

Can’t Ask for A Better Hotel

We all know by now that a significant percentage of online travel reviews are bogus, but a group of pranksters in the UK have raised some serious doubts about TripAdvisor‘s screening process. Last week an unidentified group of jokesters posted … Continue reading →

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One Day One Artist

Les Bains, the once popular and now defunct nightclub, has been empty since 2010. But while it awaits renovation, the owner Jean-Pierre Marois has allowed dozens of street artists to turn the 19th century building into an art gallery. The … Continue reading →

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Food Tripping

Finding healthy food on a road trip in the U. S. is usually a big challenge. Now there’s a really helpful app that meets that challenge. Food Tripping uses GPS to enable travelers to locate the closest farmers’ markets, health … Continue reading →

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Who Will Save Our Books

I have never read any of his bestselling blockbusters, but I’m now a big fan of author James Patterson for this full-page ad that he placed in the New York Times Book Review. Patterson wants to know “Who will save … Continue reading →

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All the Beer in China

The always entertaining and informative website Buzzfeed created this clever video that demonstrates how much food one can purchase with the equivalent of $5 US in various countries around the globe. “How Much Food Can You Buy For $5 Around … Continue reading →

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Avoid Eye Contact

New York City subway riders have one more reason to avoid eye contact now that thirty more subway stations and platforms are equipped with both wireless voice and data services. Travelers can connect to free wifi (see below), use mobile … Continue reading →

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Bigger Than London

The coming New York Wheel, which is scheduled to launch on the New York Harbor in May, 2016, will dwarf both the famous London Eye and the Singapore Flyer. The 625-foot tall Ferris wheel, which will be situated near the … Continue reading →

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Good Gravity Here

Former shoe salesperson and current Google staffer Bri Hand created this wonderful, whimsical tourism ad campaign inviting extra-terrestrial travelers to drop by and visit Earth. The campaign consists of audio broadcasts and print advertizing that extolls the virtues that make … Continue reading →

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