Monthly Archives: August 2019

Arts & Literature, Reviews

Boomer Interviews: Singer Patty Smyth Talks About Her Nearly Four Decade Career (Podcast)

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From a Cincinnati Public Radio WVXU interview:

Patty SmythPatty Smyth & her band Scandal will appear on PNC Pavilion‘s stage with Rick Springfield and Greg Kihn on Friday, September 6th at 7:30 which also features a pre-show wine tasting.

Elaine began their conversation mentioning that she saw Patty (now 62)on tour with John Waite many years ago.  They discussed the members of her band, multi-generational fans, and a new recording that’s coming out in January.  Patty also mentioned that she calls New York City home with her kids and husband tennis legend John McEnroe.  They also mentioned her self-titled 1992 album (that went gold), the song “Hands Tied,” and covers of “Whole Lotta Love” and “Piece of My Heart” that she probably won’t be performing this tour.

To read interview: https://www.wvxu.org/post/patty-smyths-tour-rick-springfield-greg-kihn#stream/0

Arts & Literature, Reviews

Top Photographers: Christian Vizl Shot The World’s Oceans In Black & White For Three Decades

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From a MyModernMet.com online article and interview:

Silent Kingdom A World Beneath The Waves Christian VizlI have always loved the ocean and also photography. I started taking pictures as a teenager and was very inspired by black and white masters like Ansel Adams and Henri Cartier-Bresson, but didn’t combine these two passions until 2010 after a dive I did with an underwater videographer friend. During this trip, we made an immersion when he suddenly gave me his camera and left. After a while, I turned it on and loved the feeling of having a camera underwater. That’s when I decided to buy my first underwater camera…

Award-winning underwater photographer Christian Vizl has been inspired by the ocean since childhood. Born in Mexico City, his career spans more than thirty years and in that time he’s earned an international reputation for his artistic documentation of life underwater. In particular, he’s recognized for his powerful black and white underwater photographs, which harness light and shadow to reveal different aspects of marine life.

https://www.christianvizl.com/index

In his new book Silent Kingdom, published by Earth Aware Editions, Vizl shares his vision of the underwater world. Schools of fish, sea lions, jellyfish, and manatees all get equal treatment in the book. Vizl manages to capture the elegance of life below sea level by using his keen eye for symmetry and composition.

To read more click on the following link: https://mymodernmet.com/christian-vizl-silent-kingdom-underwater-photography/?utm_source=email&utm_medium=link&utm_campaign=newsletter&utm_term=2019-08-29

Food, Reviews

Top Restaurants: Winvian Farm In Connecticut Is “Seed-To-Table Dining”

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From the Winvian Farm brochure:

Each dining area is dramatic in contrast and each is designed to harmonize with thecuisine created to suit that space—breakfast on the sunny Terrace, tasting menus in the Private Dining Room, light snacks in the casual Solarium to name a few. The Seth Bird House and The Smith Ell are freely accessible to all of Winvian’s guests, whether to play some games, sit by the fire with a hot toddy or chat with like minded souls.

Winvian Farm Restaurant Connecticut exterior

Far from the madding crowd, in the Litchfield Hills, lies a quiet getaway. Set on 113 acres and bordering extensive woods and lakes, Winvian was created to recharge and indulge. A place like this is difficult to describe for it lacks nothing. Winvian aspires to host you with no airs but graces, no extravagance or opulence, only warmth and treats. The  cuisine, the wines, the spa and the team are as unexpected as the experiences that
one ultimately enjoys.

Website: https://www.winvian.com/

Architecture, Exhibitions, Travel

Top Events In Europe: “Open House London 2019”, Free Entry To City’s Top Buildings On Sept. 21-22

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From a TheModernHouse.com article:

Open House London 2019 collectionsRunning the course of a weekend, from Saturday 21st to Sunday 22nd September, Open House London gives the public free access to over 800 buildings in all of the capital’s 32 boroughs, ranging from the iconic (10 Downing Street, Barbican Centre) to the prosaic (a tour of Southwark Integrated Waste Management Facility, anyone?). To help you plan your weekend, here’s our edit of what to see at Open House London 2019.

https://openhouselondon.org.uk/

Goldfinger’s London
In the 53 years Hungarian-born Ernő Goldfinger spent in London, from his arrival in 1934 to his death in 1987, the man who unwittingly gave his name to one of Ian Fleming’s villains (so notorious was his temperament) made a profound and lasting contribution to the city’s built environment. Any exploration of his legacy should begin with a trip to the home he built for his family in Hampstead, 2 Willow Road, an efficient, well-proportioned modernist vision crammed with artworks by Duchamp, Moore and Ernst.

To read more click on the following link: https://www.themodernhouse.com/journal/what-to-see-at-open-house-london-2019/?utm_source=The+Modern+House+Newsletter&utm_campaign=510c9ffe5f-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2018_08_18_07_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_1141c98ca6-510c9ffe5f-95015105&mc_cid=510c9ffe5f&mc_eid=7dc3496ab5

Arts & Literature, Culture, Travel

Cultural Destinations: The Huntington Library Launchess Centennial Celebration September 5

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From The Huntington Library news release:

The Huntington Library and Gardens 100th CentennialThe Huntington’s Centennial Celebration kicks off on Sept. 5, 2019, with a special event for press and Southern California civic, higher education, and cultural leaders—a number of whose institutions are also celebrating significant anniversaries. Huntington President Karen R. Lawrence will host the celebration, sharing key news announcements and highlighting plans for the centennial year and beyond. The formal program will include a panel discussion with thought leaders on some of the big ideas shaping the future, brief presentations by Huntington leadership from each collection area, and a special musical performance interpreting sheet music from the Harold Bruce Forsythe collection. Public visitors will enjoy music in the gardens by Todd Simon and members of his Angel City All-Star Brass Band from noon to 2 p.m.

The Sept. 5 event will set the stage for a yearlong series of exhibitions, public programs, new initiatives, and more—inviting people with a range of interests to engage with the venerable institution’s collections and the connections they offer while exploring the interdisciplinary ideas that will shape the next 100 years. The Centennial Launch’s program reflects the interdisciplinary lens of The Huntington’s incomparable collections.

To read more click on the following link: https://www.huntington.org/news/centennial-celebration-sept-5

Travel

Top New Travel Videos: “Scotland In Motion” By Casper Rolsted (2019)

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Filmed, Edited and Directed by: Casper Rolsted

Music: Peter Nanasi

Scotland In Motion Travel video by Casper Rolsted 2019

In this film about the Scottish Highlands you will experience places like Glencoe, The Storr, Quiraing, Fairy Pools and many other places on the Isle of Skye.

Scotland In Motion Travel video by Casper Rolsted 2019.JPG

The shots are made in May 2019 where I had the pleasure to travel around the Scottish Highlands for two weeks. I had the pleasure to experience the spectacular Isle of Skye with a sunrise at the Storr, a long hike and lot of mist at the Quiraing and the beautiful Fairy Pools. In Glencoe I experienced the lakes Glencoe Lochan and Lochan Urr, Glen Etive with amazing still water, had an interesting and demanding climb to the top of Ben Nevis which is the highest mountain in UK and finally made a timelapse at the Glenfinnan Viaduct with the steam train known from Harry Potter.

Scotland In Motion Travel video by Casper Rolsted 2019.JPG

Website: https://casperrolsted.com/

Technology, Transportation

Future Mobility: The FLIT – 16 Folding E-Bike’s Great Design Is “Engineered To Perfection”, Great Utility

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From a YankoDesign.com online review:

FLIT-16 Folding Electric EBike ProfileThe e-bike surprisingly doesn’t look like one, especially given that the rear-wheel motor is concealed from view, and the Flit’s cylindrical battery was designed to beautifully slide into a hollow space inside the bike’s frame, hiding it from view. The bike has a unique way of also integrating suspension into it that allows the rear wheel to easily absorb any shock brought about by cycling on roads, pavements, or even rocky, gravel-y paths. Engineered to perfection by Dave Henderson, who’s background includes being an engineer at Jaguar Land Rover, the Flit-16 maximizes rigidity within a minimal design that further reduces down thanks to its three main hinges that allow you fold or unfold your e-bike in just 10 seconds. 

Touted as a new generation of foldable e-bikes, and with enough awards to prove just how ground-breaking it is, the FLIT-16 is the good old electrically assisted bicycle in a brand new avatar. Designed to help you ‘flit’ across the city from A to B, the bike comes fitted with a 220W Bafang rear hub motor that boosts your ride for up to 50 kilometers (30 miles) on a single charge. When you’re not riding it, the bike folds down at two separate points to become small enough to store under your table, yet still retaining its ability to be wheeled around wherever you go.

Read more: https://www.yankodesign.com/2019/08/30/the-flit-16-is-a-foldable-electric-bike-that-can-fit-under-your-chair/