Have you ever wondered what writers snack on while they’re working? Then check out this wonderful illustration by San Francisco-based artist Wendy MacNaughton, which appeared in the New York Times Book review earlier this year. You can see more of MacNaughton’s clever work (and buy prints) on her Etsy shop site.
I’m a long time fan of writer George Saunders going back to his short story collections “CivilWar Land in Bad Decline” and “Pastoralia”. If you love great storytelling, whether you know Saunders’ work or not (but you should), this short video interview with the author is a master class in how it’s done.
There’s lots to love in Philadelphia; it has terrific restaurants, seminal historic sites, hip neighborhoods, and world class museums. The best museum in town is the extraordinary Philadelphia Museum of Art. Philly-based, award-winning videographer and journalist Cory J. Popp has just released an exciting new 4k video tour of the museum. Take a look:
I’ve lost count of the number of times that I’ve visited Amsterdam. But some how I always seem to miss the annual Amsterdam Light Festival. Illuminating the wintery gloom, this colorful event features dozens of light installations scattered throughout the city. This year’s festival theme is “Friendship”, with thirty-five sight-specific pieces by both local and international artists.
The installations are now powered entirely by renewable energy and can be visited by self-guided walking tours. And since this is Amsterdam, there’s a long canal boat tour as well, but it costs €20 this year. The festival runs through January 17, 2016.
This wonderful compilation combines some of the oldest film footage shot in Paris between 1877 and 1900, with contemporary video. Created by Yestervid, it also places each location on a map of the city.
The German publishing house Bastei Lübbe and the bookstore chain Hugendubel have teamed up to create a unique way to end re-gifting of unwanted holiday presents. They have come up with a vending machine where booklovers can insert their disappointing gifts and get a book in return. The machines will be set up at Hugendubel branches around Germany during the holiday season. By the way, all of the unwanted presents will go to local charitable organizations.
Now free the prisoners!
This time of the year, most folks in the northern hemisphere could do with a little “luminotherapie”; and none more than the residents of chilly Canada. Impulse is a fabulously fun interactive art installation in the heart of Montreal made of luminous, musical seesaws. Created by CS Design, the marvelous installation, with LED lighting and built-in speakers, is open until the end of January on the Place Des Festivals.
all photos ©Ulysse Lemerise
Paganella is a fairly typical ski resort in the Italian Dolomites, with one exception; it’s also the home of the Biblio Igloo. For the last two seasons, the Trentino Alto Adige resort has sponsored a pop-up library in a specially built tent. Who knew that Italian skiers were such bibliophiles.
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