National Geographic (December 18, 2023) – As the rivers of the Okavango Basin pump life into an otherwise dry African region, a team of researchers and local communities, supported by the Okavango Eternal partnership, follow the flow every year to determine how we can preserve these vital water systems.
Matteo Bertoli Films (December 18, 2023) – Granada is a city in southern Spain’s Andalusia region, in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada mountains. It’s known for grand examples of medieval architecture dating to the Moorish occupation, especially the Alhambra.
This sprawling hilltop fortress complex encompasses royal palaces, serene patios, and reflecting pools from the Nasrid dynasty, as well as the fountains and orchards of the Generalife gardens.
DW Travel (December 17, 2023) – Wrocław is the hometown of famous YouTuber @evazubeck. For her, it’s also one of Poland’s most beautiful cities. Eva takes us on a tour through the medieval Old Town, up the tower of St. Elizabeth’s Church, and to Ostrów Tumski.
Video timeline:00:00 Intro 00:43 Wrocław’s Gnomes 02:32 St. Mary Magdalene Church 04:17 Hala Targowa 06:00 Traditional Food at Wrocławska 10:12 Ostrów Tumski 11:38 Christmas Market, Old Town 13:00 Neon Side Gallery
Wroclaw’s famous gnomes also make an appearance! She shows us typical regional dishes and some hidden gems, including a visit to the unmissable, magical Christmas market in the Old Town! What’s your favorite of Eva’s tips for Wrocław?
Yurara Sarara Films (December 15, 2023) – Collections of the beauty of Japanese gardens in Kyoto. There are many types of Japanese gardens, from the karesansui dry rock gardens that replicate the flow of water with rocks, to the strolling gardens that are built around a pond. Because of the relation these gardens have with Zen and the Japanese concept of wabi and sabi, they are most often found at temples, so this, of course, means there are many Japanese gardens in Kyoto.
ShotbyDp (December 13, 2023) – A solo film photography trip to California’s Yosemite National Park.
As one of America’s most popular national parks, Yosemite boasts some of the best views, hiking trails, and family vacation opportunities in the country. It was America’s first land dedicated to recreation and enjoyment. Located in central California, Yosemite National Park was established in 1890 and draws four million annual visitors. Almost 95 percent of the park’s 747,956 acres (roughly the size of Rhode Island) is classified as wilderness.
MICHELIN Guide (December 13, 2023) – Situated near the Austrian and Italian borders, Milka boasts a superb location overlooking a crystal-clear lake surrounded by mountains in Slovenia.
The restaurant offers a fine gastronomic synthesis of its region and neighbours, all skillfully interpreted and prepared by chef David Žefran, who makes full use of local ingredients. The cuisine served at Milka is revolutionary: David Žefran has had a major influence here, creating tempting dishes in a delightful “boutique experience hotel” which occupies a restored building transformed into a charming and welcoming space where everything has been carefully designed down to the tiniest detail.
Guests eat well (very well!) at Milka, where seasonal produce is of the utmost importance and where much of the focus is on vegetables and freshwater fish. One of the restaurant’s key philosophies states that “engaging responsibly with society and the environment is much more than simply choosing our suppliers carefully – this philosophy underpins every aspect of our gastronomic experience”.
Assouline Publishing (December 2023) – With a history dating back to the fourteenth century, Mexico City blends indigenous pre-Hispanic roots with colonial architecture and Spanish-baroque influences.
This unique fusion, crafted from local materials like cantera and tezontle, inspires artists and architects alike. Iconic structures like Diego Rivera’s Anahuacalli Museum and Juan O’Gorman’s Cave House proudly embody the city’s rich history.
Today, Mexico City serves as a vibrant backdrop for renowned filmmakers such as Alejandro González Iñárritu, Alfonso Cuarón, and Michel Franco. Discover a city of wonders, where history and creativity come to life.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Born in Mexico City, Aleph Molinari is an editor, writer, art director and photographer. He is the co–editor in chief of Purple magazine, as well as a contributor to Materia Press, Art Observed and other publications. His work focuses on materializing culture through publications, exhibitions and campaigns. Among his projects, he co-curated the Purple Festival at the Palais Galliera in Paris, created a botanical sculpture for Soundwalk Collective and Patti Smith’s exhibition Evidence at the Centre Pompidou, and worked on the programming for Soundwalk Collective’s project The Third Eye at Karl Lagerfeld’s 7L Library. He lives in Paris.
Anfisa Vrubel is an editor, writer and researcher whose work focuses on the intersection of art, culture and politics. Vrubel is an editor-at-large at Art Observed and Purple magazine, where she contributes original features and interviews with artists and top thinkers in the fields of politics, ecology, art and culture. After studying government at Harvard, she pursued an editorial career, working for publications such as The Brooklyn Rail and its offshoot publication, The River Rail, which is devoted to environmental art and criticism. Vrubel grew up in New York City and lives between there and Mexico City.See all books by Aleph Molinari, Anfisa Vrubel.
Christopher Putvinski Films (December 12, 2023) – Christmas 2023 in Vienna, Austria’s capital, which lies in the country’s east on the Danube River. Its artistic and intellectual legacy was shaped by residents including Mozart, Beethoven and Sigmund Freud.
Video timeline:00:00 – Vienna During the Day 1:35 – Vienna at Night 2:41 – My Favorite Architecture
The city is also known for its Imperial palaces, including Schönbrunn, the Habsburgs’ summer residence. In the MuseumsQuartier district, historic and contemporary buildings display works by Egon Schiele, Gustav Klimt and other artists.
The Times and The Sunday Times (December 10, 2023) – Inside Salvador Dalí’s childhood home — and his old haunts. Our writer visits an immersive new museum at the artist’s striking childhood home in Figueres and takes a tour of his favourite spots in northeastern Spain
This northeasterly nook of Catalonia’s Costa Brava, between the Pyrenees to the north and the Mediterranean to the south, was the landscape that Dalí called his “ongoing inspiration” and is a recurring motif throughout his work.
While the Casa Natal Dalí took me on a tour of Dalí’s life, its near neighbour, the gigantic Dalí Theatre-Museum (£15; salvador-dali.org), just five minutes’ walk away, was designed by the maestro himself. It opened in 1974 and showcases his style at its most eccentric, not to say egocentric.
With its pink façade and giant white eggs on its roof, like decorations on a cake, this is where you’ll find not only the Mae West “lips” sofa, but also numerous grandiose paintings and drawings, trompe l’oeils and painted ceilings — as well as Dalí’s tomb in the crypt.