Tag Archives: Culture

Culture, Travel, Videos

Travel: Ten Underrated African Countries (Video)

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Filmed and Produced by: Displore

Africa is the second largest continent in the world in terms of both land area and population, only after the Asian continent. Despite the ignorant thought that Africa is one country, Africa is home to 54 sovereign countries, and might be the world´s most diverse continent with very different and unique culture. The diversity makes Africa one of the world´s most interesting travel destination with several countries to choose from. The first thing most people will think of when planning a trip to Africa is the amazing wildlife the continent has to offer. With over 1100 different types of mammals most choose countries with the “big five animals “, national parks and the most popular countries but Africa has so much more to offer than just the most popular countries.

Architecture, Arts & Literature, Books, History

New Books: ‘Versailles – From Louis XIV to Jeff Koons’ (Assouline 2020)

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Welcome to the most storied palace in the world, the glittering Château de Versailles. Recounting the most important historical, social, and cultural milestones of Versailles, beginning with the original proposal for a modest hunting lodge requested by Louis XIII in 1623, this volume encompasses the expansive property, from the palace and gardens to the Grand Trianon and the Queen’s Hamlet.

From the first great constructions under Louis XIV, to its reimagining by Louis-Philippe in 1837 as a museum dedicated to all the glories of France, Versailles has truly seen many momentous occasions, including diplomatic summits, scientific advancements, and renowned visitors over the centuries, from Mozart, Benjamin Franklin and Queen Victoria to Fred Astaire and the Kennedys, not to mention exhibitions of today’s great artists, beginning with Jeff Koons in 2008.

Lavishly illustrated with archival images and beautiful photography, Versailles: From Louis XIV to Jeff Koons features insightful texts by Catherine Pégard, president of the Château de Versailles, with the collaboration of Mathieu da Vinha, scientific director of the Château de Versailles Research Center, revealing all the stories that have unfolded within this glorious monument.

Complimentary white gloves are included with each purchase from Assouline’s Ultimate Collection. A limited edition vibrant blue tote bag is included with Versailles: From Louis XIV to Jeff Koons.

Books, Culture, Travel, Videos

Design Books: “Handmade In Japan – The Pursuit Of Perfection” (Gestalten)

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After documenting the crafts makers and traditional artisans of Japan for years, Irwin Wong assembled this wealth of unique knowledge and culture in a book. Handmade in Japan is a look into the endless pursuit of excellence, and this film represents some of the individuals featured in the book.

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Culture, Food & Drink, Podcasts, Travel

Culture Podcast: “Wine Windows Of Florence” Date Back To 17th Century

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In the era of social distancing, Italians in Florence have revived the custom of serving wine through pint-size windows in centuries-old buildings.

Year 2020: The covid-19 pandemic arrives. Italy is under lockdown starting March 8th. Everyone is confined to home for two months and then the government permits a gradual reopening. During this time, some enterprising Florentine Wine Window owners have turned back the clock and are using their Wine Windows to dispense glasses of wine, cups of coffee, drinks, sandwiches and ice cream—all germ-free, contactless!

Year 1634: The Black Death or Plague has passed through the city of Florence, leaving death and havoc in its wake. The Florentine scholar, Francesco Rondinelli, writes a report about disease contagion and describes the use of the abundant Wine Windows in the city for the safe sale of wine, without direct contact between client and seller. Diletta Corsini describes this important document regarding Wine Windows and their uses almost 400 years ago.

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Culture, History, Music, Travel, Videos

Travel & Culture Videos: Germany Celebrates 250th Birthday Of Beethoven

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The celebration of Ludwig van Beethoven’s 250th birthday this year is reaching a crescendo in Germany. The composer and pianist was born in Bonn on December 16, 1770, and his musical legacy carries on. In this reel, we meet concert pianists putting a new spin on Beethoven’s work. Susanne Kessel, for one, put out a call to composers for 250 new piano pieces inspired by Beethoven and is now in the midst of performing them. Elsewhere, the duo known as Pianotainment is using humor and serious piano chops to make the work of the likes of Beethoven accessible to all. We wrap up this ode to Beethoven with a visit to a museum full of self-playing musical instruments. And, yes, some of them even play Beethoven.

This Great Big Story was made possible by the German National Tourism Board and BTHVN2020: https://www.germany.travel/beethoven2020

Culture, Travel, Videos

Travel Videos: “Bordeaux, France – A Cultural Guide”

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Bordeaux is best known as France’s wine HQ. But over the past decade, this wonderful old metropolis ten times smaller than Paris has been enjoying a new lease of life thanks to huge investment in culture and transport – that includes a whopping great wine museum. Eve Jackson travels to this UNESCO-listed city to discover its buzzing arts scene with a visit to the Cité du Vin and a tour of the regenerated banks of the Garonne river.

Culinary Arts, Food & Drink, Travel

Travel & Cuisine: “Salina – Italy’s Island Of Wine, Capers & Pane Cunzatu”

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ITALY MAGAZINE (Aug 25, 2020): Here, Michelin-star restaurants are hidden behind the secluded gates of family inns and the best wines are served by winemakers on a panoramic terrace using a vine leaf as a coaster while crystal clear waters are just a step away from the hydrofoils. And, though nothing lands in your lap since you have to climb through ferns and craters and puff along steep slopes to reach the most beautiful places and enjoy a magic sunset in the Pollara bay – it remains totally worth it. 

Pane cunzatu – literally, seasoned bread, is the most famous Aeolian specialty. It is different from the namesake recipe you can find all over the island, which is more similar to a sandwich. Here a huge, round flat loaf’s base is topped with a generous amount of local delicacies, resembling more a pizza.

Once upon a time Salina was considered the “lesser” of the Aeolian islands despite being the second biggest after Lipari with three different comuni of Santa Marina, Malfa and Leni and six volcanoes scattered around its 10-square mile surface. However, it was a place that silently carved out a very special place in the heart of island lovers. It smartly matched its wild nature and untamed spirit with a relaxed and friendly atmosphere offering a dashing bit of otherworldly hospitality.

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Books, Culinary Arts, Culture, Food, Travel

Top New Culinary Books: “Sushi Shokunin” – Andrea Fazzari -“Stunning Images”

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In this stunning monograph, James Beard Award-winning photographer and author Andrea Fazzari profiles twenty of the most celebrated sushi masters on the Japanese food scene. Through a combination of striking photography and intimate essays, each chapter introduces readers to a new master and restaurant, capturing the aesthetics, philosophy, and level of dedication that illustrates their status as the world’s finest culinary shokunin.

In Japan, cooking often bears aesthetic value, and the making of sushi is exalted as one of the finest culinary crafts. In line with this ideal of food as art, the Japanese often employ the word shokunin, loosely defined as “artisan”, to refer to highly skilled sushi masters. Connoting excellence and devotion to one’s craft, this title is reserved for those who approach their work with an artistic eye and seemingly spiritual sense of purpose, or ikigai.

A must-have for sushi enthusiasts—and for anyone interested in fine food culture—Sushi Shokunin is the first book of its kind to the most revered sushi masters and restaurants. Fazzari invites readers to explore the rarefied world of top shokunin who view sushi making not only as a career, but also as a way of life.

Andrea Fazzari is a Tokyo-based James Beard Award-winning photographer and author specializing in travel and the culinary world. Her previous book was Tokyo New Wave. She was chosen as one of “30 Photographers to Watch” by Photo District News in 2004. Her editorial and advertising clients include Travel + Leisure, Departures, Saveur, Cathay Pacific Airlines, and Four Seasons Hotels. 

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Books, Culture, History

Nostalgia: “Gas And Glamour” In Los Angeles

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“I love cars and I love Los Angeles for being a city of cars. Over the last decade or so, I have been intrigued by L. A.’s love affair with the automobile, tracing back to a time when cars themselves were objects of beauty.“

“Those cars are no longer on the streets today but the buildings from that era remain. As an architectural photographer, I wanted to capture L. A.’s car-culture-induced optimism and ambition reflected in polychromatic, starspangled coffee shops, gas stations, and car washes, that once lured the gaze of passing motorists.” (Ashok Sinha)

Ashok Sinha is an architectural and fine art photographer whose large-scale photographs capture a sense of place tied to both natural landscapes and built environments. His photographs have been published by editorial outlets such as The New York Times, Architectural Digest, Interior Design, and exhibited at The Museum of the City of New York, the International Center of Photography, and The Royal Photographic Society.

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