Jan 31st, 2012 at 11:00AM:
French star architect Jean Nouvel once gave me a ride home from his studio in Paris' edgy 11th arrondissement. I chuckled to discover that the guru of transparency, glass and steel lives around the corner from me in a 1600s building on the Rue des Francs Bourgeois, the spinal column of the Marais. Old is better?
I was amused but not surprised: after 40 years of blanket gentrification the ...Click on a label to read posts from that part of the world.
culture posts
Paris postcard: Savoring the subversively seductive splendors of the Marais
Jan 31st, 2012 at 11:00AM:
French star architect Jean Nouvel once gave me a ride home from his studio in Paris' edgy 11th arrondissement. I chuckled to discover that the guru of transparency, glass and steel lives around the corner from me in a 1600s building on the Rue des Francs Bourgeois, the spinal column of the Marais. Old is better?
I was amused but not surprised: after 40 years of blanket gentrification the ...Untouched Italy: Exploring Basilicata through a dream
Jan 27th, 2012 at 3:00PM:
While many people go to Italy to explore the wonderful cities of Rome, Florence, Venice, and Milan, there many off-the-radar areas also worth discovering. One of these regions is Basilicata, which Seattle, Washington, filmmaker Matthew Brown captures in this video. The project was part of a Digital Diary competition put on by the Italy Tourism Board, and ended up winning the Grand ...
National Gallery in Budapest exhibits art of epic Hungarian history
Jan 11th, 2012 at 2:30PM:
The Hungarian capital of Budapest is a popular destination for those who love high art and culture. Its sumptuous National Gallery is famed across Europe, and now it's putting on a new exhibition highlighting the nation's history.
Heroes, Kings, Saints - Pictures and Memories of Hungarian History brings together some of the masterpieces of 19th century Hungarian painting. This was a high ...New York Shots: photos captured in new york via disposable cameras left out in public
Jan 5th, 2012 at 4:30PM: New York Shots. What a cool idea. The idea is this: A Tumblr user, a girl named Katie O'Beirne, recently started leaving disposable cameras out around New York City. Tied to a park bench, left at the Brooklyn Bridge. This project has been evolving for a while now, especially thanks to a Kickstarter campaign that collects funds in its honor. It's a beautiful project. It captures people, generally ...Stay at a former military prison turned art hostel in Ljubljana, Slovenia
Dec 22nd, 2011 at 1:00PM: Recently, Gadling's Meg Nesterov talked about 10 reasons to travel to Ljubljana in Slovenia. The country has a lot to offer to visitors, and for those looking for an affordable and historical place to stay, a unique hostel experience, as well.
Hostel Celica, currently an artsy youth hostel, was once a military prison within the military barracks of Metelkova Street, dating back to 1882. Once ...New public artwork imitates the changing mood of the city
Dec 17th, 2011 at 10:00AM:
For the people of Lindau, Germany, there is no such thing as keeping your mood to yourself. At least, not since German artists Julius Von Bismarck, Richard Wilhelmer, and Benjamin Maus installed a "Fuehlometer" (Feel-o-Meter), an interactive piece of public artwork that gauges and replicates the city's mood swings.
The large smiley face is set on top of a lighthouse and changes ...
Ten things adventure travel has taught me
Dec 15th, 2011 at 10:00AM:
The adventure travel bug bit me early, back when I was twenty years old. That was, I shudder to say, more than half my life ago. In that time I've been to many places generally considered dangerous--Somaliland, Syria, Iran--yet I've come through just fine and made lots of great friendships on the road. I've learned some things too. Here are ten things you might want to remember when you go on ...Popular blind French eatery in Europe debuts in New York this month
Dec 5th, 2011 at 11:00AM: The popular French eatery where patrons are served by blind waiters in complete darkness has been a complete success in Europe. On December 9, 2011, the restaurant will try its luck in the United States, making a debut in New York.
Right now, Dans Le Noir has locations in Paris, London, Moscow, Barcelona, and St. Petersburg. While a bit bizarre, the concept is actually educational as well, as ...Artists make childhood dreams a reality with an interactive land submarine
Dec 1st, 2011 at 3:00PM:
While this submarine may not go underwater, it certainly has a lot of features. Five Ton Crane, a San Francisco Bay Area collective arts group, has created a life-sized vessel called The Nautilus in West Oakland, California, that not only has built-in iPad technology, a library, GPS navigation, hydraulic drive controls, a night vision periscope, and a full bar, but also the ability to defend ...
Could you be a Papantla Flyer in Mexico?
Nov 22nd, 2011 at 5:00PM: var src_url="http://pshared.5min.com/Scripts/PlayerSeed.js?sid=577&width=580&height=419&colorPallet=%239FC5E8&companionPos=bottom&hasCompanion=true&relatedMode=2&relatedBottomHeight=60&videoControlDisplayColor=%23006699&autoStart=false&playList=517212023"; if (typeof(commercial_video) == "object") { src_url += ...
American students bring Thanksgiving's message of coexistence to the Middle East
Nov 21st, 2011 at 12:00PM: This Thanksgiving, holiday traditions and messages are going farther than the family dinner table. In fact, they are going all the way to the Middle East as American young adults spending time abroad will be spreading the message of coexistence throughout diverse communities by recreating the Thanksgiving feast from their childhood.
Masa Israel Journey, a project of the Jewish Agency for Israel ...10 best wine hotels around the world
Nov 20th, 2011 at 12:00PM: What's better when you're on vacation than a day at the vineyards? How about wineries that let you stay the night, as well? No more worrying about drinking and driving or figuring out transportation as these ten wine hotels offer guests vino tastings as well as a comfortable place to sleep.
Marqués de Riscal
Elciego, Spain
Situated in the middle of the Vinos de los Herederos de ...From the Bay to Brooklyn: San Francisco, California, Japanese restaurant pops up this November in New York
Nov 19th, 2011 at 2:00PM: Chefs James LaLonde and Ryoji Kajikawa of the Mojo Cafe in San Francisco, California, love creating Japanese-by-way-of-California delicacies for their pop-up restaurant, SloMo SF. On November 18, 19, and 21, 2011, New Yorkers will also get a chance to experience their cuisine through a series of pop-up dinners at Sweet Deliverance in Brooklyn.
These pop-up dinners cost $90 per person and ...Carschooling: Why traveling is the best education
Nov 9th, 2011 at 3:00PM: As someone who loves the way travel affects and evolves language I was immediately drawn to an article by Malea, of the blog "M and J in a Nutshell", on the topic of carschooling. While Malea shares her experience of homeschooling on the road during her family's move across the country I couldn't help but think just how beneficial carschooling could be to not only children, but also parents and ...Destination spotlight: Kokrobite, Ghana, Africa
Oct 16th, 2011 at 3:00PM: For those traveling in Ghana who want to get out of the big, noisy capital city of Accra, Kokrobite is a beach paradise located less than an hour away. The village is easily accessible by tro-tro from Tema Station, Kaneshie Market, or anywhere else you see people hailing a car. Kokrobite can provide both a perfect day trip or an enjoyable weekend stay.
Where to Stay
Whether you plan on ...African music in northern Spain? Gotta love the global village!
Oct 16th, 2011 at 9:00AM:
I've recently moved to Santander, a port in northern Spain. While leaving a major European capital for a small provincial city was quite a leap, Santander has an international feel to it that I like. Being a port, it gets immigrants from all over the world, mostly China, South America, and West Africa.
The West Africans are especially numerous. They man most of the Cantabrian fishing fleet ...
Digital technology meets art with a floating orchestra of ping pong balls
Oct 15th, 2011 at 11:00AM: The Poietic Studio in London in the United Kingdom has combined technology with art in their new exhibit, the Floating Orchestra. Here, 19 ping pong balls come to life, becoming orchestral instruments that increase in volume as each ball rises. By manipulating each ball, you can create your own symphony of music. And, how is this all controlled? By technology, of course, via the touchscreen of an ...
Andy Warhol Museum in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, announced new smartphone app
Oct 12th, 2011 at 3:00PM: The Andy Warhol Museum in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, announced a new smartphone application on Monday that will be available on Android, iPhone, iPod Touch, and iPad. Now, those interested in Warhol's pieces and collections can get an in-depth look at the art in the museum by also examining archival materials, film, source images, video clips, letters, and audio.
The Warhol App will cost $2.99 ...
Exhibit at Austrian Cultural Forum in New York gives a new perspective on beauty
Oct 11th, 2011 at 4:30PM: The Austrian Cultural Forum in New York is currently hosting Beauty Contest, an exhibit featuring 20 international artists focusing their work on their interpretation of beauty. Some of the artists call upon their own experiences being a gay/lesbian, transgendered, or exhibitionist living in eastern Europe, while others comment on beauty's evolution in terms of society. Visitors can expect these ...Austrian pop-up store opens in Nolita, New York, in October
Sep 30th, 2011 at 2:00PM: Austria comes to Nolita, New York, this Fall from October 5-19, 2011, with the Taste of Austria pop-store store. For two weeks, the Openhouse Gallery will be transformed into an authentic Viennese coffeehouse, complete with marble tables, traditional Sacher wallpaper, and Sacher cups, under the name The Sacher Cafe. Along with delicious Austrian food fare, such as the Sacher Torte, a thick, ...
