Artworks: ‘The Starry Night’ Viewed Through Van Gogh’s Letters To His Brother Theo (Video)

Vincent van Gogh’s “The Starry Night” has been a visitor favorite at MoMA since it first appeared in our Van Gogh retrospective in 1935 and then was acquired in 1939. To become acquainted with the heart and mind of its maker, there is no better source than his letters. Those to his brother Theo, in particular, reveal his deepest aims and convictions, and his pleasures and anxieties, especially during the last year-and-a-half of his life, working in near-isolation from an asylum in St.-Remy.

Learn more at Virtual Views: Vincent van Gogh’s “Starry Night” https://www.moma.org/calendar/exhibit…

Walking Tours: ‘Corniglia Cinque Terre, Italy’ (Video)

Corniglia is a frazione within the comune of Vernazza in the province of La Spezia, Liguria, northern Italy with a population of about 150. Unlike the other localities of the Cinque Terre, Corniglia is not directly adjacent to the sea.

▼▼Video Timeline Links▼▼ 0:00 – Drone Intro 1:27 – Walk begins 3:48 – Piazzetta Ciapara 4:30 – Via Fieschi 6:38 – Largo Taragio 7:06 – Oratory of the disciples of Saint Catherine 8:20 – Scenic Lookout 13:06 – Terrace of Santa Maria 17:20 – Scenic Lookout & Largo Taragio 18:20 – Via alla Marina (down) 22:19 – Via all Marina (up) 26:19 – Via Fieschi 27:39 – Path out to Viewpoint 28:34 – Viewpoint 32:10 – Church of San Pietro 36:40 – Trailhead 37:28 – Lardarina Steps to Train Station

Morning News Podcast: No Voter Fraud Found, Stimulus Bill Discussion

Justice Department investigating ‘bribery conspiracy scheme’ involving presidential pardon, Attorney-General Barr says no evidence of voter fraud, and couple uses deposit from canceled wedding to feed hundreds on Thanksgiving.

Net-Zero Tech: ‘Buildings Producing More Energy Than They Use’ (Video)

What if our buildings produced more energy than they used? From the United States to Hong Kong, these projects prove it can be done.

zero-energy building (ZE), also known as a zero net energy (ZNE) building, net-zero energy building (NZEB), net zero building is a building with zero net energy consumption, meaning the total amount of energy used by the building on an annual basis is equal to the amount of renewable energy created on the site,[1][2] or in other definitions by renewable energy sources offsite, using technology such as heat pumps, high efficiency windows and insulation, and solar panels.

Space: The Struggle To Detect ‘Asteroid Impacts’

Stephen Hawking thought an asteroid impact posed the greatest threat to life on Earth.

Asteroids are small, rocky objects that orbit the Sun. Although  asteroids orbit the Sun like planets, they are much smaller than planets. Asteroids are small, rocky objects that orbit the sun. Although asteroids orbit the sun like planets, they are much smaller than planets.

Art History: ‘Watercolor In The Renaissance’ (Video)

Focussing on the three types of object featured in the V&A display Renaissance Watercolours: illuminated manuscripts, portrait miniatures and coloured drawings, this film showcases the qualities that made watercolour the medium of choice for many artists during the Renaissance.

A modern-day painting of a pomegranate, using traditional watercolour techniques, by artist Lucy Smith, also demonstrates how watercolour painting remains a versatile medium, ideal for capturing life-like details that help us to record our diverse world.

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Travel & Photography: ‘Wanderlust Europe’ (2020)

Europe offers an astonishing variety of scenic landscapes and some of the most enchanting trails to explore them. Wanderlust Europe takes you from the Scottish Highlands to endless amber beaches of the Baltic Sea, from the Scandinavian tundra, the majestic peaks of the Alps, the pristine peaks of the Balkans, to the rugged coastal mountains of the Mediterranean islands, and along the romantic valley of the Rhine river.

Wanderlust Europe points the reader in the direction of the continent’s most awe-inspiring routes. Offering expert knowledge on how best to experience the wild outdoors, this stimulating manual traverses far-reaching locales in pursuit of breathtaking beauty and a sense of freedom. Combining first-hand tips with informative maps and an array of spectacular photography, this book is a welcome addition to the Wanderlust series and for anyone with an urge to connect with the great outdoors.

With outdoor enthusiast Alex Roddie on how best to experience nature’s majesty, this book offers long-distance trekking, short-day trips, and extended weekend escapades for hikers of all levels. Explore the world one step at a time with Wanderlust Europe.

Alex Roddie is a writer, editor, and photographer who specializes in adventure travel, the outdoor publishing industry, and non-fiction on mountaineering, hiking, nature and the environment. An experienced long-distance backpacker and mountaineer, he has hiked thousands of miles through the Scottish Highlands, English Lake District and Yorkshire Dales, Swiss Alps, Pyrenees, and the Fjells of Norway. He is an active environmental campaigner.

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Walking Tours: Sydney Harbour & Circular Quay

This is the gateway to all the wonderful things that Sydney Harbour has to offer. Circular Quay in Sydney Cove is bordered by the Sydney Opera House and Royal Botanic Garden on one side and the Sydney Harbour Bridge on the other. It’s also the main ferry terminal in Sydney, making it easy to explore one of the world’s great natural harbours.

Filmed on November 24th, 2020.

Dining: ‘New Orleans Magazine’ (Dec 2020 Issue)

New Orleans Magazine – December 2020

Food Lovers Guide

New Orleans is a food town, with a dedicated population that holds on tightly to old favorite haunts, while embracing and celebrating new traditions and new faces. For our annual December list of restaurant, food and drink “bests,” our team…

From the Editor

In New Orleans, we have a special relationship with food and dining (and, of course, imbibing). This year, due to COVID-19, our love affair with food took on especially new meaning, as many of us turned to comfort food, take-out…

Christmas Unwrapped

You can always tell who, in a Zoom meeting, is not wearing a bra. They are the ones you see just from the eyeballs up. My sister-in-law Gloriosa goes to a lot of them meetings, being socially active and all.…

News, Views and Reviews For The Intellectually Curious