This week it has been especially difficult to not to fixate on the enormous shitshow that is the U.S. government and the horrific treatment of women and girls in our sad culture. But once again we can find encouragement in the work of progressive American street artists such as Symone Salib. This wonderful piece popped-up this week in South Philly at Broad and Wharton Streets. The images are of the very courageous Dr. Christine Blasey Ford and Dr. Anita Hill.
Something Wicked this Way Comes, Ray Bradbury
This year, Asheville, North Carolina Firestorm Bookstore Co-op celebrated its 10th anniversary. The worker-owned and operated bookshop and cafe is committed to a not-for-profit model with earnings going to local community nonprofit groups and causes. If this sounds radical to you, it’s because Firestorm is an avowed radical bookstore and community center. But the shop is also a full service bookstore and coffeehouse that offers Fairtrade coffees, vegan and vegetarian food.
Firestorm Bookstore is currently at the center of a controversy over the shop’s support for a needle exchange program and distribution of opioid overdose reversal drug Naloxone. The co-op has been acknowledged for helping save at least 62 individuals from drug overdoses.
Seems like the kind of community bookstore and coffeeshop that deserves support. I first visited the bookstore a few years ago at their downtown location, but the next time that I’m in Asheville I will definitely visit Firestorm’s new location.
After living in New York City for five years, writer and comedian Sarah Cooper moved to San Francisco in 2015 and was amazed by the cultural differences between the cities. She decided to turn her observations into tongue-in-cheek illustrations, which she posted on her blog The Cooper Review. Even if you don’t know either city very well, you’ll get the insightful humor of the comics.
You may disagree, but TripAdvisor just named the Musée d’Orsay in Paris the “Best Museum in the World” for 2018. Housed in a stunning turn-of-the-century former railway terminal, this riverside gem hosts an eye-popping collection of European art works dating from 1848 to 1914. The heart of the collection is an enormous cache of Impressionist, post-Impressionist, and Art Nouveau paintings and sculptures. It’s worth a visit to see works by Manet, Renoir, Degas, Cézanne, and Van Gogh.
I would pay just to spend time inside of the beautifully restored railway station. In fact, I once made a return flight to Paris just to visit the d’Orsay when it had been closed due to a strike by museum security staff. Clearly, planning ahead is key to seeing the “best museum in the world”. If your are going, be sure to purchase an open dated ticket online to avoid the box office queues and remember that the museum is closed on Mondays.
The annual Banned Books Week this year has a new theme: Banning books silences voices. But as always, BBW focuses on raising awareness about the constant threat of censorship.
I recently asked TBTP followers to suggest some of their favorite coffeehouses, either from travels or hometown hangouts. Reader Louis R. nominated Treeline Coffee Roasters in Bozeman, Montana. The small batch artisan coffee roasters have been in the game for about five years and recently opened a second shop in the heart of town. For a funky western locale, Treeline Coffee seems to favor a decidedly Scandinavian aesthetic, from a steel barista bar to the laminated wood decor.
Brooklyn-based Louis, who describes himself as a “die-hard single origin coffee bean fanatic”, reports that the brand new Treeline Coffee shop is a great place to savor a freshly roasted pour over in a welcoming atmosphere. He also says that the outdoor seating is perfect for people watching in the popular tourist town. Best of all, menu prices are are bargain compared to East Coast coffee costs.
Travel Between The Pages 