Tag Archives: Belgium

The Poetry of Coffee

Posted on February 24, 2023 by Brian D. Butler

As an amateur coffee roaster, I have been accused of being mildly obsessed with the magical elixir. So my antenna is always up for books about coffee. But I was not prepared to stumble upon a one-of-a-kind, single copy poetry … Continue reading →

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Prescribing Culture

Posted on September 29, 2022 by Brian D. Butler

This month doctors in Brussels, Belgium will be able to prescribe visits to local cultural institutions for their patients. Doctors at the Brugmann Hospital, one of Brussels’ largest healthcare facilities, are able to prescribe their patients visits to a number … Continue reading →

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

I have passport envy

Posted on January 28, 2022 by Brian D. Butler

Yesterday, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sophie Wilmès launched the new Belgian passport. A document that is even more secure thanks to new security and personalization techniques. The new Belgian passport will also be recognizable thanks to … Continue reading →

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

Books Saved the Town, Now the Internet Is Killing It

Posted on January 6, 2022 by Brian D. Butler

Four decades ago, the little Belgian town of Redu was revitalized by its transformation into the Village Du Livre. The village that had been shrinking fast as farm jobs disappeared and families moved away. But in the mid-1980s, a group of … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Bookstore Tourism, Europe, Tourism, Uncategorized | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

Le village des sirènes

Posted on November 12, 2021 by Brian D. Butler

“Paul Delvaux: The Village of the Mermaids” by Lisel Mueller Who is that man in black, walking away from us into the distance? The painter, they say, took a long time finding his vision of the world. The mermaids, if that … Continue reading →

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The Great Bibliohoax

Posted on September 6, 2021 by Brian D. Butler

I love a good prank, especially if it is at the expense of the pretentious. While bibliophiles and antiquarian booksellers are not known for their hijinks, back in 1840 an infamous bibliohoax was perpetrated on wealthy collectors, librarians and booksellers … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Europe, History, Libraries | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Why a Duck

Posted on May 2, 2021 by Brian D. Butler

I first discovered the dreamy near Surrealist paintings of the Belgian artist Paul Delvaux at the Musées royaux des Beaux-Arts de Belgique in Brussels many decades ago. I was particularly drawn to his works on trains and train stations. Delvaux was … Continue reading →

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Certainement pas The New Yorker

Posted on March 26, 2021 by Brian D. Butler

Over the years, I’ve seen quite a few attempts to pay homage to the brilliant cover art of the iconic The New Yorker magazine. None compares to the creativity of the project called The Brusseler  from Belgium’s Maison de L’Image … Continue reading →

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The Feast of Venus

Posted on November 22, 2020 by Brian D. Butler

Last year, the Belgian tourist bureau VisitFlanders commissioned the folks at SkullMapping to create a wonderful bit of projection mapping to entertain passengers while they waited for flights at Brussels National Airport. With some clever digital trickery, a cheeky little … Continue reading →

Posted in Air Travel, Animation, Art, Europe, Film, Museums, Public Transport, Tech, Tourism | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

In Bruges

Posted on July 14, 2020 by Brian D. Butler

Most of the world has made unprecedented changes to social, work, school, and travel arrangements as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. One of Europe’s most visited destinations has found a unique way to support the local community during the … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Europe, Museums, Tourism | Tagged , | 9 Comments