Almost Convincing

Posted on August 13, 2014 by Brian D. Butler

Rob Whitworth and JT Singh were commissioned by a state-run tourism agency to produce this fascinating time-lapse video of Pyongyang. Of course they were closely chaperoned during shooting and much of the city was off-limits for their cameras. Still, it’s an interesting glimpse at the belligerent nation’s mysterious capital.

Posted in Asia, Film, Tourism | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

The Definitive Guide to Banned Books

Posted on August 12, 2014 by Brian D. Butler

the-definitive-guide-to-banned-books-vol-1_53d8b22652f80_w640

Posted in Books, Freedom of Speech, History, Writing | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Time Is Honey

Posted on August 11, 2014 by Brian D. Butler

honey-bank-installation

The French art collective Parti Poetique has created a project dedicated to raising awareness throughout Europe on the alarming decline in bee populations. Known as the “Honey Bank”, and using the clever tag line “Time is Honey”, the project allows folks who are concerned to create bee savings accounts. In return for cash invested in saving bees, depositors get a promise of future returns paid in honey. The Banque du Miel installations are popping-up in France, Britain, Switzerland and the Netherlands.

255604_2_800

 

Posted in Art, Europe | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

Library Inside Out

Posted on August 10, 2014 by Brian D. Butler

LIOBanner600

This month, the New York Public Library is celebrating the joy of reading with its “I Read Everywhere” program. Readers, writers and librarians are being asked to share photos of their favorite summer reading spots with the hashtag #ireadeverywhere. The NYPL also has brought reading to the street with an outdoor reading room on the plaza of the iconic Stephen A. Swarzman Building at Fifth Avenue and 42 Street.

I_read_0

NYPLTABLE14

readoutside14

Posted in Books, Libraries, USA, Writing | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Art Everywhere (almost)

Posted on August 9, 2014 by Brian D. Butler

1280px-Nighthawks_by_Edward_Hopper_1942

Inspired by the UK Art Everywhere project, the Outdoor Advertising Association of America launched Art Everywhere US this week in Times Square NYC. The program will be placing posters and billboards of fifty eight curated paintings at sites throughout the U.S.. You can view the selected art works here and see maps of installations here. The project even included Edward Hicks’ iconic work “The Peaceable Kingdom”, which was literally painted up the street from my house in 1846.

Brooklyn_Museum_-_The_Peaceable_Kingdom_-_Edward_Hicks_-_overall

ChildBath

tooker1-articleLarge

Ocean%20Park%20No_%2029

early-sunday-morning

whistler-whitewoman

Posted in Art, History, Museums, USA | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Change at Crossroads for Casterly Rock

Posted on August 8, 2014 by Brian D. Butler

thrones-kingslanding

Designer Michael Tyznik has produced a set of terrific maps imagining a fully developed Westeros rail transit network. If you’re not a George R. R. Martin fan, this will mean nothing to you. If you are, check out all of the maps and buy your own prints right here.

thrones-westeros

thrones-north2

thrones-world

thrones-key

Posted in Art, Books, Maps, USA | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Vienna Hangout

Posted on August 7, 2014 by Brian D. Butler

1207_Flederhaus_flederhaus04-600x400

The Flederhaus is the newest addition to Vienna’s wonderful Museum Quarter education and entertainment district. Based on a pun of the word fledermaus, which means bat in German, the Flederhaus is an open five floor structure containing 28 hammocks free for all to use. What a great ideaafter visiting the sites in central Vienna just hangout and chill.

vienna-flederhaus-hammock-house_house-of-hammocks_heri-salli_3_collabcubed

 

Posted in Architecture, Europe, Museums, Tourism | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

Gifs Go Wild

Posted on August 6, 2014 by Brian D. Butler

3

The prankster street art duo known as In Return (aka Guus ter Beek and Tayfun Sarier) have taken their latest project to the streets of London. “Gifs Go Wild” consists of framed animated installations attached to bus stops, light poles, mail boxes and trash cans.

2

Posted in Animation, Art, Europe, Tech | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Stockholm’s Neoteric Travel Guide

Posted on August 5, 2014 by Brian D. Butler

taxi2_0

Stockholm’s popular cab company Taxi Stockholm has created a website for visitors that aims to offer a novel approach to the city travel guide. Taxi Trails uses data from thousands of cab trips to highlight spots where people are actually going in Stockholm. The site can be searched geographically to find popular destinations. Users can also see where residents of specific neighborhoods, such as Södermalm, travel to by taxi. There are links to actual street views, information on restaurants, bars and tourist attractions, and of course you can book your own cab through Taxi Trails. In mobile app is in the works as well.

taxi4_0

taxi3_0

 

Posted in apps, Europe, Tech, Tourism | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

Louvre’s New Attraction

Posted on August 4, 2014 by Brian D. Butler

sipa-00689172-000023

This summer the Louvre is featuring an extra added attraction for visitors who linger in the Carrousel and Tuilerie Gardens—a herd of rats. Not quite as cute and cuddly as the cast of Ratatouille, these rodents have proliferated throughout the gardens to the extent that they are brazenly approaching picnickers and waiting for leftovers in broad daylight.

sipa-00689172-000021

The museum has engaged a private pest control firm to address the problem, but in the meantime tourists will have to share the lawns and gardens with the rats.

sipa-00689172-000007

sipa-00689172-000010

sipa-00689172-000006

photos © Xavier Francolon

 

Posted in Europe, Museums, Tourism | Tagged , , | Leave a comment