Why A Pineapple

Posted on November 18, 2014 by Brian D. Butler

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Airbnb is one of the best known brands in travel these days, but for some reason they’ve decided to go retro and publish their very own print travel magazine. The publication, which is called Pineapple, will be issued quarterly, without advertising, at $12 an issue (€9 in Europe). Content will be created by Airbnb hosts, guests and freelancers. The inaugural issue for Winter 2014 will focus on London, San Francisco and Seoul.

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The name Pineapple refers to the historical use of the fruit as a symbol of hospitality in colonial America.

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Books Everyone Should Read

Posted on November 17, 2014 by Brian D. Butler

Writer and designer David McCandless created this challenging infographic for his new book Knowledge Is Beautiful. How many have you read ?

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Library Trip

Posted on November 16, 2014 by Brian D. Butler

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This award-winning animated short by Norwegian students Tord Torpe and Magnus Nyquist is a psychedelic celebration of the library at the Bergen Academy of Art and Design.

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Starry Night

Posted on November 15, 2014 by Brian D. Butler

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Bike riding at night can be exciting and liberating, but often just dangerous. Now thanks to Dutch designer Daan Roosegaarde nocturnal trips can be magical. He has created a beautiful new illuminated bicycle trail in the town of Nuenen near Eindhoven in southern Netherlands.

The world’s first phosphorescent bike trail is coated with special paint that glows at night and is charged by energy from solar panels. The lighting design is an homage to Van Gogh’s painting “The Starry Night”. The artist lived and worked in Nuenen between 1883 and 1885.

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Peak Experience

Posted on November 14, 2014 by Brian D. Butler

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Folks with any degree of acrophobia may find the new Tissot Peak Walk bridge at Les Diablerets, Switzerland a wee bit daunting. Opened on October 25th, the first suspension bridge to connect two European mountain peaks is 107 meters long and just 80 centimeters wide. Promising incredible views of the Alps, including Mount Blanc, the Eiger, Jungfrau and Matterhorn, the bridge will be open year round (weather permitting) and is free. So, if you’re in the Montreux area, swing on by.

Posted in Europe, Tech, Tourism | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

A Moment Abroad

Posted on November 13, 2014 by Brian D. Butler

I love this stunning time-lapse video of the Czech Republic, Austria and Germany, and I think that you will love it too. Moment Abroad was shot and edited by Los Angeles-based cinematographer Andrew Walker.

Posted in Architecture, Art, Europe, Film, Photography, Tech, Tourism | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

A Really Long Train Ride

Posted on November 12, 2014 by Brian D. Butler

I love a long train ride, but I don’t know if I’m up for the Trans-Mongolian/Trans-Siberian Railway trip from Beijing to Irkusk. Maybe I’ll just settle for this very condensed version of the 4,500 mile journey below.

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Now we see through a glass darkly

Posted on November 11, 2014 by Brian D. Butler

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London-based photographer Nick Turpin transforms images of boring London bus rides into poignant and compelling portraits. The uncanny synthesis of foggy windows, interior lighting and otherworldly, but natural color turns Turpin’s photos from documentary to moving works of art. The painterly portraits in his “Through a Glass Darkly” series are simultaneously intimate and anonymous. You can see more at his website.

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all images © Nick Turpin

Posted in Europe, Photography, Uncategorized | Tagged , | 1 Comment

Don’t feed the donkey spongecake

Posted on November 10, 2014 by Brian D. Butler

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If you’ve ever been confused by a foreign language idiomatic expression during your travels, you’ll enjoy “Idioms of the World”. Artist and illustrator Marcus Oakley incorporated some of his favorites for this infographic that he created for the HotelClub travel website.

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Reality Simulator

Posted on November 9, 2014 by Brian D. Butler

This wonderful short film explains why literature matters and what books do for us. The animation is by Marcus Armitage and Ignatz Johnson Higham with voice over by Alain de Botton, who wrote the script.

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