Author Archives: Brian D. Butler

Asterisms

While checking out the Kandinsky 1911-1913 show at the Guggenheim Museum in New York, I ran across a new exhibition by NYC-based Mexican artist Gabriel Orozoco titled “Asterisms”. The binary show features thousands of diverse objects Orozoco collected from the … Continue reading →

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Book This Hotel

Open for just over six months, the very cool B2 Boutique Hotel in Zurich, Switzerland is rapidly becoming an aspirational lodging destination for traveling bibliophiles. Situated in the former 19th century Hürlimann Brewery, this “Hotel with a bookmark” has managed … Continue reading →

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Venice Underwater

This week, extensive areas of Venice have been underwater (even more than usual). Severe weather and unusually high tides submerged three quarters of La Serenissima under an extra meter of lagoon water. Here’s what Europe’s most romantic tourist destination has … Continue reading →

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Caught Mapping

In this era of Google Maps, Street View, GPS and satnav systems, most of us take the humble road map for granted. We don’t appreciate the complex and tedious work that was involved in the production of accurate road maps … Continue reading →

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Pity the Holiday Travelers

In less than two weeks the United States will be celebrating our annual Thanksgiving holiday. With more than 42.5 million Americans hitting the road, Thanksgiving week is one of the busiest travel periods in the U.S. each year. This revealing … Continue reading →

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Helvetia’s Traum

Back before the astronomical value of the Swiss franc made long visits to Switzerland cost prohibitive, I was lucky enough to spend some quality time in glorious Helvetia. So, it will come as no surprise that I’m smitten by this … Continue reading →

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Border Land Hides Street Art Museum

Border Land is an odd appellation for a park in the the heart of a city, but Torino, Italy‘s Parco Ignazio Michelotti now bears that name. Situated along the banks of the River Po, just across from the University of … Continue reading →

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Hey Taxi

While traveling in Europe I try to use public transportation whenever possible, however sometimes a taxi is the best option for a time-sensitive trip. A new Finnish start-up booking service called Cabforce offers taxi services in 25 European cities. Users … Continue reading →

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We Still Love NY

Millions of New Yorkers have been impacted by Hurrican Sandy, including the city’s arts community. The Chelsea arts district was particularly hard hit by flooding which devastated many galleries and studios. NYC-based, Chilean-born artist Sebastian Errazuriz has created a series … Continue reading →

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First Book

First Book, a nonprofit organization that promotes reading among children of low-income families, has opened a relief fund to provide books to schools and families impacted by Hurricane Sandy. Every $2.50 donation will provide a new book to a child and … Continue reading →

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