Category Archives: Uncategorized

Waving not drowning

Posted on June 17, 2025 by Brian D. Butler

One of the few disappointments during my recent trip to Japan was the unexpected closure of the Sumida Hokusai Museum in Tokyo for renovation. I did, however, get to visit the wonderful, but tiny Ota Memorial Museum that features historic … Continue reading →

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“Don’t touch my bags if you please, mister customs man”

Posted on June 16, 2025 by Brian D. Butler

I recently experienced the whole Customs and Immigration thing for the first time in a year. In the past, I rarely gave it much thought, but now that we’ve had an authoritarian coup, it gives one pause. On that note, … Continue reading →

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I draw the line at canal water coffee

Posted on June 15, 2025 by Brian D. Butler

I’ve been to Venice a few times, but never once considered consuming the murky canal water in any form. So, I was shocked to read that the design studio Diller Scofidio + Renfro is celebrating the Venice Biennale Architecture 2025 by … Continue reading →

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Read the Room

Posted on June 14, 2025 by Brian D. Butler

Den Wolsack with the associated Hofkamer in the garden is a monumental building at Oude Beurs 27 in Antwerp . The street was renamed Wolstraat in the 14th century, and the term Den Wolsack also dates from that period when the wool industry flourished. The current mansion … Continue reading →

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Maps explain so much

Posted on June 13, 2025 by Brian D. Butler

Wen-Jen Deng, “Globalization at table” (2023), embroidery, indigo dyeing, burlap fabric, mixed media.    

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Under Zurich

Posted on June 12, 2025 by Brian D. Butler

When I think of Zurich, biking is not the first thing that comes to mind. However, in the years since I spent time there, a robust bike culture has grown and thrived. Which explains why the new Zürich Stadttunnel  for … Continue reading →

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Funny, Not Funny

Posted on June 11, 2025 by Brian D. Butler

 

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Not to be confused with The Great Gatsby

Posted on June 10, 2025 by Brian D. Butler

I was today years old when I learned about Ernest Vincent Wright’s 1939 novel written without a single letter e. The 50,000-word self-published book Gadsby tells the tale of a determined 50-year-old who rallies young people to revitalize his dying town … Continue reading →

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The Japanese Aesthetic

Posted on June 9, 2025 by Brian D. Butler

Traveling around Japan can be a challenging exercise in deciding what to attend to and where to look. The commitment to design and  to aesthetic solutions to  otherwise banal infrastructural objects is well beyond what we have come to expect … Continue reading →

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O Canada

Posted on April 20, 2025 by Brian D. Butler

  It seems like an opportune moment to feature some classic Canadian travel posters. Stylish posters along with tourism  brochures were produced by Canadian Pacific for its network of railways, steamships, airlines, and hotels. They were generally well designed—and frequently … Continue reading →

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