Tag Archives: Paris

Down and Out in Paris

Posted on February 3, 2022 by Brian D. Butler

In 1928, a former Colonial police officer and aspiring author named Eric Arthur Blair moved from his London home to Paris in order to buckle down and launch his writing career. The move didn’t work out so well, but it … Continue reading →

Posted in Europe, History, Maps, Tourism, Writing | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Five For Friday

Posted on September 10, 2021 by Brian D. Butler

I just discovered this never before published novel by Simone de Beauvoir. It seems that it was deemed “too intimate” to be published during her lifetime. Inseparable has been described as a story of the power of female friendship and … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Europe, Film, movies, Uncategorized, USA, Writing | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Midnight Train From Paris

Posted on July 1, 2021 by Brian D. Butler

Many years ago, when I took my first big European trip, I managed to stretch my travel budget by traveling at night by train. More often than not, I simply tried to sleep in a regular compartment, however when the … Continue reading →

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Symptoms of Hibernating

Posted on June 25, 2021 by Brian D. Butler

Anais Nin : “You live…sheltered, in a delicate world, and you believe you are living. Then you read a book…or you take a trip…and you discover that you are not living, that you are hibernating. The symptoms of hibernating are … Continue reading →

Posted in Art, Books, Europe, South America, Writing | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

Paris on the Precipice

Posted on May 21, 2021 by Brian D. Butler

As the lockdown comes to a close in Paris, the French street artist JR celebrates  its most iconic landmark by transforming the Esplanade of Trocadero into a monolithic chasm. Check out the video below on this fabulous project that was … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Art, Europe, Tourism | Tagged , , , | 3 Comments

Mystery, History & some Cartography

Posted on April 14, 2021 by Brian D. Butler

One of the joys of being vaccinated against Covid-19 has been the ability to return to bookstore browsing. On my most recent visit to our local indie bookshop (shout out to Newtown Bookshop ) I picked up a copy of … Continue reading →

Posted in Art, Books, Europe, History, Maps, Writing | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

The Best of France

Posted on April 3, 2021 by Brian D. Butler

Like many North Americans, I had a romantic notion of France before I actually visited. Growing up with a Francophile Mother who spoke fluent French, read French literature, and played Edith Piaf and Charles Aznavour records daily, I was conditioned … Continue reading →

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Paris For Free

Posted on March 30, 2021 by Brian D. Butler

Every time that I visit Paris, I go to the Louvre. In fact, on some trips I have gone twice in a week. It doesn’t look as though I’ll be popping in to France’s most iconic museum for quite a while. … Continue reading →

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Walk This Way

Posted on March 24, 2021 by Brian D. Butler

Most of us have not had the option to travel during the past year, so we have to make do with any virtual alternative that comes along. Until it’s safe again, you can almost satisfy those travel urges with City … Continue reading →

Posted in Africa, Asia, Canada, Europe, Film, Middle East, South America, Tourism, USA | Tagged , , , , | 7 Comments

Help Save a Paris Landmark

Posted on November 2, 2020 by Brian D. Butler

I have had the pleasure of visiting Paris many times over the last 40 years. And ever time that I’m in Paris the iconic bookstore Shakespeare and Company is one of my first stops. Even if you have never been … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Bookstore Tourism, Europe, History, Libraries | Tagged , , , | 6 Comments