All posts by She Seeks Serene

My Journey of Reimagining Life, Love and Education

Preview: The Atlantic Magazine – October 2022

The Atlantic October 2022 Issue:

Ukraine defiant: George Packer, Anne Applebaum, and Franklin Foer on democracy’s front lines. Plus the myopia generation, the Benin bronzes’ contested return, Ian McEwan’s anti-memoir, cursive’s demise, redshirting boys, John Roberts v. the Voting Rights Act, the GOP’s extremist history, and more.

Six months into Ukraine’s defiant stand against Russia’s invasion, The Atlantic is publishing a special cover package devoted to life in the country and the state of the war, with new, on-the-ground reporting by staff writers George Packer, Anne Applebaum, and Franklin Foer. Packer, Applebaum, and Foer are three of the most influential and established voices on the perils of war, authoritarian threats to democracy, and Ukrainian and Russian politics.

Sea Of Galilee Views: A Walk In Tiberias, Israel (4K)

Tiberias is an Israeli city on the western shore of the Sea of Galilee. Its Old City holds important Jewish and Christian pilgrimage sites including the Tomb of Maimonides and Abulafia (Etz Chaim) Synagogue.

Route timestamps: 00:00 Sea of Galilee 07:20 The city of Tiberias 27:14 Rambam’s Grave 31:31 Ancient city of Tiberias

The waterfront features the restaurant-lined Yigal Allon Promenade, a marina and a fish market. South of the city, Hamat Tiberias National Park is home to famed mineral hot springs dating to antiquity. 

Preview: Country Life Magazine – Sept 21, 2022

Country Life’s 21 September 2022 issue is a Cotswolds special, looking at gardens, homes and Oxford’s brief stint as the British capital.

Our great good fortune

Long live the Kings and Queens, says Carla Carlisle as she marvels at the balancing act of our enduring monarchy

A Cotswold capital

Simon Thurley explains how Oxford was fortified during its brief spell as Charles I’s capital city during the Civil War

A concentrated Arcadia

Tilly Ware lauds the dedicated restoration of the many buildings and features of a historic Cotswolds landscape garden

Stella Ioannou’s favourite painting

The artistic director of Sculpture in the City chooses a vivid and compelling British work

Travel & Culture: Visiting Munich’s Oktoberfest

Following a two-year break, Munich’s Oktoberfest is back! Dhruv Rathee and partner Juli visit the world’s largest Volksfest. The 17-day event kicks off with the traditional ‘parade of Wiesn landlords and breweries”.

Video timeline: 0:00 Intro 0:47 What is the Oktoberfest? 1:48 Parade of Wiesn landlords and breweries 2:58 A brief history of the Oktoberfest 3:39 Getting there 4:50 Dirndl and lederhosen 5:52 O’zaft is! – the opening tradition 7:10 Beer tents 8:28 Food 10:17 Rides and attractions 11:29 Tips for families

Dressed in their dirndls and lederhosen, they explore the many rides and attractions on the Wiesn – the field where it all takes place. Along with sampling some culinary delights, they of course have to drop in to one of the famous beer tents.

Plant-Based Meat: Why It Hasn’t Gone Mainstream

As people’s eating habits change and environmental concerns grow, plant-based protein used as a meat substitute has gained popularity. However, some barriers are preventing it from becoming truly mainstream. Watch what needs to be done to truly realize a future with less meat.

Walking Tours: Ravello On The Amalfi Coast, Italy

Ravello has been named the City of Music and is home to the Villa CimbroneVilla Rufolo, the striking Oscar Niemeyer Auditorium and a vibrant cultural scene: Ravello FestivalRavello Concert Society.

Thousands of years of history, an enchanting mountaintop setting on Italy’s most beautiful coastline and views that have captivated countless souls, inspired artists and filled hearts with passion. Yet it’s just the beginning of what you will find in this charming village on the Amalfi Coast. There are still stories to be uncovered along its medieval streets, garden villas and ancient stone pathways.

News: World Leaders At U.N., Israel & Turkey Ties Restored, Trump Probe

The UN General Assembly begins against the backdrop of Russia’s war in Ukraine. Will progress be achieved? Plus: Israel and Turkey’s rapprochement, the latest on the investigation of Donald Trump, Switzerland’s defence deal for F-35 fighter jets and a report from Pitti Fragranze in Florence.

Front Page: The New York Times – September 21, 2022

Russia Signals Annexation of Parts of Ukraine, Raising Stakes in Fighting

Kremlin-backed officials in four partially occupied regions announced referendums on joining Russia, as Moscow tightens its grip and hints at escalation.

Russia’s Invasion Shadows U.N. Assembly Amid ‘Colossal Global Dysfunction’

Presidents Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey and Emmanuel Macron of France used the gathering as a stage to cast themselves as would-be peacemakers in the war in Ukraine.

Art Events: Hilma Af Klint At Swedenborg In London

The Temple: immersive virtual reality experience

Hilma af Klint dreamt of a spiral-shaped building to house her most important works. According to her notebooks, she wanted it to be built on an island in Sweden but the idea never materialized, and the temple remained an imaginary creation – until now. 

More than a century later, af Klint’s vision has been translated into an immersive VR experience. It takes you on a cosmic journey from the Milky Way, through spirals in nature and into a few of the artist’s most important paintings, some of them even coming alive. 

Hilma af Klint sometimes referred to her temple as a church for a new era and at other times called it a museum. The exact meaning remains open to interpretation. At the same time, her paintings were clearly intended to lead the viewer to levels of awareness beyond that of everyday life. Was it really a physical building she had in mind? Or was it a spiritual site – something existing in another dimension? 

Perhaps her temple, simultaneously spiritual and physical, could not be realised because she did not have access to the right medium. She had no knowledge about the technological possibilities that were to come, and the idea remained on paper. Today things are different. Hilma af Klint’s temple, inspired by the teachings of Christian Rosenkreutz, has arrived with the help of VR. You are invited to enter another world. 

Hilma af Klint The Temple was conceived by Daniel Birnbaum and Kurt Almqvist and directed by Marika Stolpe. The experience was produced by Acute Art and published by Stolpe Publishing. Creative Director – Rodrigo Marques. Music – Andrew Sheriff.

Watch video below for more on Hilma af Klint: