Category Archives: Views

Australia Architecture: A Tour Of Montfort House

The Local Project (May 16, 2023) – Drawn to the coastline of Montfort Beach, Chris McKimm, Founding Director of InForm and home owner, wanted to infuse this surf lovers dream house with an abundance of natural light, sweeping views and open spaces.

Video timeline: 00:00 – Introduction to The Ultimate Surf Lovers Dream House 00:39 – The Beachside Location 00:57 – The History of InForm 01:26 – The Unknown Surf Break of Montfort Beach 02:03 – A Desire for a Home that Blended with the Environment 02:24 – Hitting the Brief 03:02 – The Design of the House and a Walkthrough 03:58 – Create Spaces Safe from the Wind 04:13 – Designing the Garden for Privacy 04:40 – Overcoming the Neighbourhood Challenges 05:22 – A Reflective Material Palette 06:02 – The Most Enjoyable Space in the Home

Positioned on top of a sand dune 600 metres from the ocean, Montfort House is one of seven homes built on the site. Due to a deep knowledge of the terrain and the overall development, Chris delivered a difficult brief to the architects, where he requested a dream home that blends into its environment. Within the brief, there was a necessary request of harnessing the views to the south and allowing the surf lovers dream house to embrace the winter sun that came from that direction.

With a need for the home to be designed with Chris and his family in mind, the architects had to keep in mind that they would predominantly live on site, while their children and grandchildren would regularly visit. To cater to this need, Montfort House has been deliberately zoned to cater to the different aspects of living in a surf lovers dream house. As one begins the house tour, the design starts with stairs that lead up to the front door, which has been complemented with a deliberately large window to the side that offers a glimpse to the southern views.

Travel: A Tour Of Dublin City Centre, Ireland (4K)

Walking With Peter Films (May 15, 2023) – A cinematic walking tour of Dublin City Centre in Ireland on Saturday Afternoon, 13th May 2023. The tour begins in Rathmines in Dublin 6 and includes Camden Street, Harcourt Street, St. Stephen’s Green and more.

The centre of Dublin has a very organic feel to it, with its winding, narrow streets and low buildings. There is only one grand avenue in the centre and that is O’Connell Street. The rest of the streets is much more human in scale. Few buildings in the city centre are more than four stories high and an appealing mix of 18th century Georgian and 19th century Victorian styles dominates most streets in the centre. Life in Dublin’s city centre is charming, slightly chaotic and fairly laid back.

Front Page: The New York Times —- May 16, 2023

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Erdogan’s Grip on Power Is Loosened but Not Broken, Vote Shows

Huge posters featuring President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey hang from buildings in Istanbul on Monday.

Despite a struggling economy, the disastrous earthquakes in February and Turkey’s drift toward one-man rule, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan was in the lead ahead of a runoff.

How to Raise $89 Million in Small Donations, and Make It Disappear

A group of conservative operatives using sophisticated robocalls raised millions of dollars from donors using pro-police and pro-veteran messages. But instead of using the money to promote issues and candidates, an analysis by The New York Times shows, nearly all the money went to pay the firms making the calls and the operatives themselves.

No Degree? No Problem. Biden Tries to Bridge the ‘Diploma Divide.’

President Biden is trying to appeal to working-class voters by emphasizing his plans to create well-paid jobs that do not require a college degree.

Durham Finds Fault With F.B.I. Over Russia Inquiry

The special counsel’s final report nevertheless did not produce blockbuster revelations of politically motivated misconduct, as Donald J. Trump and his allies had suggested it would.

Spring 2023 Roses In Japan: Jindai Botanical GardenS

Japan BackpackersXpress Films (May 15, 2023) – Jindai Botanical Garden is a world-class 42 hectare (105 acre) garden in Chofu City, in the west of Tokyo, that offers seasonal beauty all year round. Jindai Botanical Garden is Tokyo’s main botanical garden, being the only one operated by Tokyo Metropolis.

It has the biggest rose garden in Tokyo, and is famous too for its plum and cherry trees, which blossom in spring. The Garden includes adjacent free-entry facilities like an aquatic plant area and a plant information center.

Jindai Botanical Gardens are creatively designed, immaculately maintained, and are well worth the trip from Tokyo, together with a visit to the neighboring Jindaiji Temple, Tokyo’s second oldest.

Front Page: The New York Times —- May 15, 2023

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Nail-Biter Turkish Election Heads for Round 2 as Majority Eludes Erdogan

Watching election coverage in Istanbul on Sunday night.

After two decades in power, a struggling Recep Tayyip Erdogan has two more weeks to persuade Turkish voters that he should continue as president.

Abortion Showdown in North Carolina May Hinge on a Single Vote

Roy Cooper, the Democratic governor of North Carolina, vetoed on Saturday a bill banning abortion at 12 weeks. The ban was passed by the state’s newly established Republican supermajority in both chambers the previous week.

After the G.O.P.-led legislature passed a 12-week ban, the Democratic governor vetoed the bill. The Republicans could override it, if all their members stay unified.

Jordan Neely Was on New York’s ‘Top 50’ List of Homeless People at Risk

Mr. Neely, who was killed by another subway rider, was on a watch list for a city task force that kept track of the New Yorkers of most

Eric Adams Says He’s a Progressive. Democrats Beg to Differ.

Left-leaning New Yorkers say the mayor is moving the city in a more conservative direction on issues like policing, rent and providing shelter to those in need.

Australia Aerial Views: The Glass House Mountains

Oz Straya Panoramas (Australia) (May 14, 2023) – The Glass House Mountains are a cluster of thirteen hills that rise abruptly from the coastal plain on the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia.

The highest hill is Mount Beerwah at 556 metres above sea level, but the most identifiable of all the hills is Mount Tibrogargan which from certain angles bears a resemblance to a face staring east towards the ocean. The Glass House Mountains are located near Beerburrum State Forest and Steve Irwin Way.

From Brisbane, the mountains can be reached by following the Bruce Highway north and taking the Glass House Mountains tourist drive turn-off onto Steve Irwin Way. The trip is about one hour from Brisbane. The volcanic peaks of the Glass House Mountains rise dramatically from the surrounding Sunshine Coast landscape.

They were formed by intrusive plugs, remnants of volcanic activity that occurred 26-27 million years ago. Molten rock filled small vents or intruded as bodies beneath the surface and solidified into land rocks. Millions of years of erosion have removed the surrounding exteriors of volcanic cores and softer sandstone rock.

Travel: An Aerial Tour Above Antarctica (4K)

Andrew Macdonald Films (May 14, 2023) – Antarctica is the fifth-largest continent in terms of total area. (It is larger than both Oceania and Europe.) Antarctica is a unique continent in that it does not have a native human population.

There are no countries in Antarctica, although seven nations claim different parts of it: New Zealand, Australia, France, Norway, the United Kingdom, Chile, and Argentina.

Travel Guide: The Top 16 Places To Visit In Portugal

touropia (May 14, 2023) – Located on the western coast of the Iberian peninsula, Portugal is one of Europe’s most visited countries due to its idyllic climate, affordable travel costs and exceptional attractions. Portugal’s varied geography ranges from the verdant mountains and vineyards of the North to the glamorous beaches of the Algarve along the southern coastline.

Also belonging to Portugal but lying in the Atlantic Ocean are the archipelagos of Azores and Madeira, known for their lush landscapes and flower gardens. Here’s a look at the best places to visit in Portugal.

Views: 7 Days Of Hiking & Filming In The Swiss Alps

Bashir Abu Shakra (May 14, 2023) – Seven days of hiking and filming in the Swiss Alps. The Swiss Alps are one of the three main geographic regions of Switzerland, the other two being the Swiss Plateau and the Jura Mountains.

The portion of the Alps lying within Switzerland is sometimes referred to as the Central Alps, but more commonly known as the Swiss Alps. The Alps cover 65% of Switzerland’s total land mass, making it one of the most mountainous of European countries.

Although the Swiss Alps cover most of Switzerland, it is a lesser populated region of the country, although it is popular among outdoor enthusiasts for hiking and trekking tours. Some of the most popular long-distance treks in Europe lead through the Swiss Alps

Washington Views: Skagit Valley Tulip Festival 2023

CBS Sunday Morning (May 14, 2023) – You don’t have to travel to Holland to experience fields of tulips. The climate in the northwest corner of Washington State is perfect for the flower, making it home of the annual Skagit Valley Tulip Festival. Correspondent Conor Knighton reports.