omnium-gatherum

Posted on November 11, 2023 by Brian D. Butler

Using survey data, responses from community boards & city council members, and over 37,000 responses from NYC residents, a team at the NY Times has made a detailed map of the 350+ distinct neighborhoods in NYC.

This map shows the 50 countries in the world where you can (mostly) drink the tap water. But: “Fewer than one billion people have a tap at home that issues potable water.”

A Saint of your Own Province

“To gain your own voice,
forget about having it heard.
Become a saint of
your own province
and your own consciousness.”
– Allen Ginsberg

I have been luck enough to have seen the Northern Lights three times while visiting Iceland, but missed them in Alaska and Canada. But it turns out that the best place for viewing the Aurora Borealis in Canada is Yellowfish. Nestled in Canada’s Northwest Territories, Yellowknife is not just a gateway to the vast wilderness of the Arctic. It’s also one of the most mesmerizing spots on Earth to witness the spectacular Northern Lights, or Aurora Borealis. See more: Moss and Fog

Shakespeare Insult Kit

by 

We have a wooden tea canister from Japan that we picked up on our travels many years ago. So, I was intrigued by this wondeful video of an 89-year-old craftswoman from Japan who makes wooden tea canisters together with her son. It all starts with a tree trunk.

 

 

Posted in Art, Asia, Books, Maps | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Books for Cooks

Posted on November 10, 2023 by Brian D. Butler

We have dozens of cookbooks collected over the years, but rarely open them these days. Instead we just Google recipes like Philistines. Still, I’d love to stop in at Books for Cooks the next time that I’m in London.

In 1983 Heidi Lascelles came up with a tasty concept for a bookshop with an in-store kitchen that could put cookbooks to the test. Each day a different cookbook would be selected and recipes from that book would be cooked and served for lunch to customers. Regular customer Eric Treuille frequented the shop hoping to get the attention of a staff member named Rosie and before he knew it, they would eventually take over running the store together. Eric has been in the business long enough to know what makes a book special. Having cooked hundreds of recipes from different cuisines, tell him what you’re looking for and he’ll be able to recommend the right book in a heartbeat.

NB: if the video fails to launch in your browser, please visit our homepage.

 

Posted in Books, Bookstore Tourism, Europe, Film, Restaurants, Tourism | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Everybody loves a booktree

Posted on November 9, 2023 by Brian D. Butler

London’s St. Pancras Station has inaugurated the 2023 holiday season with a wonderful Christmas booktree. Created in collaboration with Hatchards  the 12 meter tall installation is not just a festive centrepiece; it’s a literary wonderland inspired by British authors.

The booktree features a whimsical design with a winding staircase and 270 shelves adorned with over 3,800 hand-painted books, including timeless classics like Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol” and C.S. Lewis’ “The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe.”

Within this majestic tree are eight cozy reading nooks where train travelers can immerse themselves in the magic of the holiday season, figuratively and literally. Each booth is equipped with speakers that allow visitors to select a five-minute excerpt from an audiobook, exclusively provided by Penguin Books. They can choose from a selection of sixteen different audios, featuring authors like Charles Dickens, Beatrix Potter, Zadie Smith, and more.

Wendy Spinks, Commercial Director at St. Pancras and HS1 Ltd, said: ”This year’s St. Pancras International Christmas Tree is an ode to the wealth of literature that transports us to exciting and novel worlds. From real-life travel experiences to the fantastical lands of our imagination, we hope that festive visitors feel the magic and are inspired to pick up or gift their loved ones the most timeless gift of all, Books.”

 

Posted in Books, Bookstore Tourism, Europe, Public Transport, Tourism | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

“The Fall”

Posted on November 8, 2023 by Brian D. Butler

“The Fall”

by

Russell Edson

There was a man who found two leaves and came indoors holding them out saying to his parents that he was a tree.

To which they said then go into the yard and do not grow in the living-room as your roots may ruin the carpet.

He said I was fooling I am not a tree and he dropped his leaves.

But his parents said look it is fall.

 

Posted in USA, Writing | Tagged , | 4 Comments

All Parts Matter

Posted on November 7, 2023 by Brian D. Butler

I recently stumbled upon this excellent infographic from TheBookDesigner.com. As a collector and bookseller, it can be problematic at times describing the contents of a book. This is particularly the case when it comes to antiquarian titles. It’s essential to be on the same page—excuse the pun—when providing details about a book’s contents.

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Everybody Has A Podcast

Posted on November 6, 2023 by Brian D. Butler

Maps.fm is a clever project that lets you use a world map to select podcast episodes that are about or related to a specific location on the map. Want to instantly be able to access every single podcast ever recorded about Manhattan or Iceland ? Maps.fm will suck you into the podcast universe with its goldmine of choices. It’s a great resource if you’re planning a trip or just want to while away a hour or two. I like the idea that you can quickly and easily access individual podcast episodes without a deepdive into the entire catalog.

 

Posted in apps, Maps, Tech | Tagged , | 1 Comment

Signs, Signs, Everywhere A Sign

Posted on November 5, 2023 by Brian D. Butler

Before my recent trip to the Portuguese island of São Miguel, I checked out what typres of road signs I could expect to encounter. Still, I was surprised and confused by some of the traffic signs along the islands windy, mountain roads. Many were related to agricultural vehicles and farm equipment, but some were just baffling. To create his short film SIGNS, filmmaker Daniel McKee spent months collecting images of thousands of road signs from around the world, then arranged and animated them in a logical sequence. The music by Resonate complements the videos’ driving pace.

 

Posted in Car rentals, Europe, Film, Tourism | Tagged , | 1 Comment

The Final Caturday of the Year

Posted on November 4, 2023 by Brian D. Butler

Cursed cat peed on my book

 

Posted in Art, Books, Libraries, South America | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Another Option For Booklovers

Posted on November 3, 2023 by Brian D. Butler

A few months back, I signed up for a trial membership to the online “co-op bookstore” Tertulia and then promptly forgot about it when its emails went straight to my junk mailbox. However, this week I saw two references to the project and decided to take another look.

It’s an intriguing concept : “Inspired by the informal salons (“tertulias”) of Spanish cafes and bars, Tertulia is a new way to discover books through all the lively and enriching conversations they inspire. Tertulia serves up book recommendations and book talk from across social media, podcasts, and the web — all in one app which incorporates seamless book purchasing. If a book has moved someone enough to get them talking, you can find it, buy it, and share it on Tertulia.”

There’s an interesting co-ownership element to the project, in which members who pay a fee to get access to books at a discount, free shipping, etc, also have a putative stake in the co-op ownership which allows for a say in governance decisions and an eventual share of any profits it might one day make. A quick read of the fine print reveals that any profit sharing is far from likely as it doesn’t kick-in until $100 million in sales. Still, it’s a possible Amazon alternative, although in the U.S. and the UK, Bookshop.org at least benefits indie booksellers.

 

Posted in apps, Books, USA | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

Slip on your museum shoes

Posted on November 2, 2023 by Brian D. Butler

I have visited hundreds of museums in dozens of countries, but I don’t recall ever being required to wear special footwear. However, I recently stumbled on this old New York Times story about the practice. From the New York Times: “Some museums don’t want you clomping around in your street shoes, damaging their famous floors. So they offer specialized footwear.” Have you ever worn museum slippers ?

Posted in Museums, Tourism, Travel Writing | Tagged , , | 2 Comments