Category Archives: Views

Art & Architecture Tour: Château La Coste, France

Château La Coste is a unique mix of contemporary art, architecture, and wine culture. A succulent cocktail for the eyes and the tastebuds.

Across 200 hectares (130 of which are full of grape vines), vineyards, chestnut forests, and olive tree fields spread as far as the eye can see into the Provençal horizon. It’s an invitation to take a walk for a veritable symphony of the senses, magnificent enough to have its own name – the Promande Art & Architecture.

The path – about a two-hour walk – will take you through a series of artworks and installations from contemporary artists invited to work on site. Just off the path, sitting atop a vast lake, admire the immense spider created by Franco-American artist Louise Bourgeois. Sitting at the top of the hill, next to the chapel created by Tadao Ando, raise your eyes and take in the great red Murano glass cross, imagined by Jean Michel Othonel.

The jaw-dropping surprises will lead you to the center of a forest, where you’ll find yourself face-to-face with foxes – but don’t worry! The creatures are cast in bronze, borne of the talent of American artist Michael Stipe.

Tours: Brooklyn Botanic Garden Bonsai Museum

Eastern Leaf Films (June 12, 2023) – A walking tour of the Brooklyn Botanic Garden’s Bonsai Museum. The museum is curated by David Castro, who does an amazing job of caring for the trees and their presentation.

Brooklyn Botanic Garden’s world-class bonsai collection is displayed in the C.V. Starr Bonsai Museum. Some of the trees are well over a century old, with many still cultivated in their original containers.

The display changes with the seasons, and as many as 30 specimens are on exhibit at any given time. More than 400 temperate and tropical bonsai trained in classic modes such as the windswept, slanted trunk, rock clinging, and forest styles are included in the collection, one of the largest on display outside Japan.

The New York Times – Tuesday, June 13, 2023

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NATO Members Use a Major Air Exercise to Send a Message to Russia

Lt. Gen. Ingo Gerhartz, second from left, of the German Air Force at the military air base in Wunstorf, Germany, on Monday.

More than 200 planes from 25 countries gathered in Germany for the largest-scale war games in decades, held with an eye on the war in Ukraine.

Fear and Mayhem as Russia’s War Comes Home

Attacks from Ukraine have killed at least a dozen Russian civilians and displaced thousands. But they have not fundamentally changed the calculus for Vladimir Putin.

Silvio Berlusconi, a Showman Who Upended Italian Politics and Culture, Dies at 86

He introduced sex and glamour to Italian TV and then brought the same formula to politics, dominating the country and its culture for more than 20 years.

JPMorgan to Pay $290 Million in Settlement With Epstein’s Victims

The proposed deal would settle a suit on behalf of victims who were sexually abused by Jeffrey Epstein, over claims the bank ignored warnings about him.

Travel Tour: Iseltwald On Lake Brienz, Switzerland

Jeka Traveler Films (June 12, 2023) – Iseltwald is a small fishing village that’s situated on the edge of Lake Brienz – one of the most stunning turquoise lakes in Switzerland. It’s part of the Jungfrau Region in Bernese Oberland and is not too far from the increasingly popular town of Interlaken.

Filmed on June 1, 2023

Travel Guides: A Tour Of Geneva, Switzerland

Attaché Travel Films (June 12, 2023) – What a great time we had filming in Geneva, Switzerland. I’m joined by my dear friend Paul Papadimitriou, a native Genevan, as we explore everything Geneva has to offer.

Video timeline: 00:00 – Intro 00:59 – Transport 07:10 – Sponsor 08:09 – Food 16:40 – Money

Paul offers many insider tips for making the most of your time in this Swiss city, including all the delicious food offerings that Geneva has to offer; Swiss chocolate, fondue, and…bison?!

Travel: The Most Popular Hikes In Britain (2023)

The Guardian (June 12, 2023)The nation’s 10 favourite walks this year were calculated by OS through data collected from its OS maps app between April 2022 and April 2023.

Walkers descend the path from Whernside.

 1. The Yorkshire Three Peaks, North Yorkshire

A true hiking adventure, test yourself by clambering the peaks of Ingleborough, Pen-y-ghent and Whernside and down again during a day-long challenge. You’ll walk past aqueducts, lakes, rivers and moorlands and witness stunning North Yorkshire scenery throughout. The views from the summit of Whernside during sunset are a sight to behold. 

A view from the Chilterns.

2. Bottom Wood Route, Chilterns, Oxfordshire

The walk starts by taking you through a conservation area surrounded by woodland and a nature reserve. Roam through fields, along wide country tracks and underneath canopies of ancient trees with most of the walking in the countryside and very little along roads.

View on Grasmere to the Langdale Pikes walk

3Grasmere to the Langdale Pikes, Lake District

The circular route from Grasmere to Pavey Ark, one of the Langdale Pikes, and back offers the perfect combination of relatively easy terrain underfoot and outstanding views throughout. Highlights include the views from near Blea Rigg up Langdale Valley to Bowfell, and down the Great Langdale valley towards Windermere.

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The New York Times – Monday, June 12, 2023

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Why the Battle for Supremacy in Asia Begins With China’s Coast Guard

Philippine Coast Guard personnel in an inflatable boat speeding past a Chinese Coast Guard cutter near a disputed shoal in the South China Sea in April.

Beijing’s patrol vessels often resemble warships. Now other nations are trying to compete with tougher coast guards of their own.

Trump Indictment Shows Critical Evidence Came From One of His Own Lawyers

Along with the notes of M. Evan Corcoran, left, prosecutors drew upon text messages from a number of Donald Trump’s employees and a recording made of him by an aide.

M. Evan Corcoran, who was hired to represent the former president after the Justice Department issued a subpoena for classified documents at Mar-a-Lago, could be a key witness in the trial.

The Grand Canyon, a Cathedral to Time, Is Losing Its River

The Colorado River, which carved the Grand Canyon over millions of years, is now in crisis from climate change and overuse.

Faceless, Nameless and Dead by the Dozen in a Train’s Cheapest Cars

In India’s worst railway disaster in decades, nearly all of the 288 dead were in three crowded cars where passengers stand for long stretches.

Travel: Top Places To Visit In French Polynesia (2023)

Ryan Shirley Films (June 11, 2023) – I recently returned from exploring the islands of French Polynesia and I want to share with you my favorite places & experiences, from the towering mountains of Mo’orea to the overwater bungalows in Bora Bora.

The archipelagoes of French Polynesia are the Society IslandsTuamotu ArchipelagoGambier IslandsMarquesas Islands, and Tubuai Islands. The capital, Papeete, is on Tahiti, French Polynesia’s largest island, in the Society group.

Travel & Photography: The Isle Of Skye In Scotland

Andrew Lanxon Photography (June 10, 2023) – The Isle of Skye in Scotland is famous for being a playground for landscape photography and in this week’s video, I find out why.

I explored some of the island’s most famous landmarks, including the Old Man of Storr, Talisker Bay and Neist Point lighthouse, while venturing further to find more hidden gems like Loch Coruisk.

This video is a diary of my time on the island, aimed at being part travel documentary, part photo inspiration for those of you wanting to visit the island for yourself.

The New York Times – Sunday, June 11, 2023

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With Probes of Russian Lines, Ukraine’s Counteroffensive Takes Shape

Ukraine is using its new arsenal of Western tanks and armored vehicles in what is expected to be one of the largest military operations in Europe since World War II.

Trump’s Case Puts the Justice System on Trial, in a Test of Public Credibility

Polls suggest that former President Donald J. Trump has made headway in persuading his supporters — and perhaps others — that any allegations against him are just political.

The former president’s efforts to defend against multiple felony counts by discrediting law enforcement pose a grave challenge to democracy.

The Failed Affirmative Action Campaign That Shook Democrats

Voters outside the Alameda County Courthouse casting their ballots in the 2020 election in Oakland, Calif.

The Supreme Court will soon rule on race-conscious college admissions, a core Democratic issue. But an analysis of a California referendum points to a divide between the party and voters.

Ted Kaczynski, ‘Unabomber’ Who Attacked Modern Life, Dies at 81

Alone in a shack in the Montana wilderness, he fashioned homemade bombs and launched a violent one-man campaign to destroy industrial society.