Videos

Previews: The Top Five Stories To Watch In 2024

The Economist (December 28, 2023) – What are the stories set to shape 2024? From the biggest election year in history, to how to control AI and even taxis that fly, The Economist offers its annual look at the world ahead.

Video timeline: 00:00 – The World Ahead 2024 00:33 – Vital votes 03:34 – Taxis take off 07:10 – AI rules 10:19 – Industry cleans up? 13:48 – BRICS build

Culinary Arts: Michelin-Starred ‘Yuu’ In Brooklyn

Eater Videos (December 27, 2023) – At Michelin-starred Restaurant Yuu in Brooklyn’s Greenpoint neighborhood, chef Yuu Shimano uses Japanese cooking techniques in French cuisine.

Shimano and his team use theatricality and precision to serve a tasting menu that includes amuse-bouche, wagyu, salade de homarde, and more.

Reviews: The Race To Build America’s First High-Speed Railway – L.A. To Las Vegas

The B1M Films (December 27, 2023) – This new plan for a US bullet train might actually work.

The Los Angeles Times (December 2023) – A high-speed rail project between the Inland Empire and Las Vegas landed a $3-billion federal grant that sets it on track to be open by 2028, in time for the Olympic Games in Los Angeles, officials said Tuesday.

Brightline, a private company that completed the final phase of the intercity rail line connecting Miami and Orlando, Fla., this year, secured the U.S. Department of Transportation grant as part of the historic infrastructure package, Nevada’s U.S. senators said. The rest of the funds for the $12-billion project are expected to be raised through private capital and bonds.

The trip on the 218-mile electrified line from Rancho Cucamonga to Las Vegas will take just over two hours, with stops in Hesperia or Apple Valley, according to Brightline. The trains can reach speeds of 200 miles per hour. The company already has the federal permits, the labor agreements and the land — a swath in the wide median of Interstate 15 — to build the line. Construction is expected to begin early next year.

Road Trips: Tour Of South Island, New Zealand (2023)

Curves Magazin (December 26, 2023) – A epic road trip through the southern island of New Zealand celebrating the 60th birthday of the Porsche 911.

The South Island of New Zealand is renowned for its mountains, lakes and glaciers. The Southern Alps, home to 3,724m-high Aoraki Mt. Cook, run along the entire length of the island. In the southwest is Fiordland National Park, with steep-sided Milford Sound. In the north is Abel Tasman National Park, known for its trails and ocean kayaking. Queenstown is famed for adventure sports like bungee jumping and skiing. 

Architecture: Peninsula House, Victoria, Australia

The Local Project (December 26, 2023) – Nestled into the landscape of Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula and overlooking the ocean, Peninsula House by Carr is a hidden coastal home that inspires a sense of awe and immersion, all thanks to the encompassing landscape.

Video timeline: 00:00 – Introduction to the Hidden Coastal Home 01:34 – A Two Part Brief 02:28 – Experiencing The Layout of the Home 03:20 – An Expanding Floor Plan 04:12 – The Simplified Yet Rural Material Palette 05:39 – Seasonal Changes Influencing Feelings

Peninsula House has a dual purpose: to serve as a space for showcasing the client’s art collection and to become a home that would be both cosy for two occupants and able to welcome visiting guests and family with ease. Considering the placement of the hidden coastal home, with the site exposed to the challenging weather patterns of the Bass Strait, the architecture and intimate interior design were significantly influenced by the prevailing climate conditions. “We wanted to create cosy spaces that feel protected so inhabitants could retreat,” says Lucy Cuthbertson, Associate at Carr and project architect for Peninsula House.

To shield itself from powerful winds, the house nestles into the landscape, strategically incorporating outdoor spaces positioned to receive protection from the elements. Access to the hidden coastal home is through an undulating carriageway, guiding visitors to a picturesque courtyard. Continuing through a long hallway, one encounters a glass wall that frames breathtaking views of the natural surrounds. Peninsula House features a central spine that serves as an art gallery and a formal axis for the house. The public entry is through the art gallery, and this dual access is important for maintaining privacy and facilitating movement.

Switzerland Train Travel: The Glacier Express – Brig To Andermatt (Dec 2023)

AKSense – Zurich Films (December 24, 2023) – The Glacier Express is the world’s slowest and Switzerland’s most elegant express train. This video is between Brig and Andermatt stations.

The entire route takes around 8 hours, the Glacier Express takes you across the Swiss Alps between St. Moritz and Zermatt regions, passing through narrow valleys, tight curves, 91 tunnels, and over 291 bridges including the unique Landwasser viaduct (UNESCO site).

Historical: Saving John Steinbeck’s ‘Western Flyer’

CBS Mornings (December 23, 2023) – After writing “The Grapes of Wrath,” author John Steinbeck explored the Gulf of Mexico in a famous boat called the Western Flyer.

Since then, the boat has inspired adventurers and scientists for generations, but the original ship was nearly lost. CBS News’ Jeff Glor reports on the person determined to give it new life.

Hiking Tours: Torres Del Paine, Patagonia, Chile

Harmen Hoek Films (December 22, 2023) – In November 2023, I hiked the O-trek (including the W-trek) in Torres del Paine National Park, Chile in southern Patagonia.

Video timeline: 0:00 Puerto Natales 0:50 Mirador Base Las Torres (1st time) 3:40 Day 1 – Glacier and Camp Dickson 10:06 Day 2 – Glacier and Camp Los Perros 13:46 Exploring the Puma Glacier 15:45 Day 3 – Glacier Grey and Paso John Garner 21:08 Day 4 – Storm to Mirador Británico 24:35 Day 5 – Sunrise at Mirador Base Las Torres 26:38 Outro with photos

Day 1: I traveled by bus from Puerto Natales, entered the park at Laguna Amarga, and set up camp at Las Torres. I hiked to Mirador Base Las Torres, covering 23 kilometers.

Day 2: I trekked 39 kilometers to Campamento Dickson, passing Rio Paine, Campamento Seron, and Lago Paine, with the glacier Dickson in the distance.

Day 3: I covered 25 kilometers through a stunning forest to Los Perros, passing the Perros Glacier, and did a day-hike to the Puma Glacier on a non-maintained trail.

Day 4: The day started with a climb to the Paso John Garner pass in snow. At top I got a mesmerizing view of the white expanse of Grey Glacier. I followed the trail along the glacier to Campamento Grey, then to Paine Grande campground.

Day 5: despite the rain, I covered 43 kilometers. I hiked up to Mirador Británico and back to Central via Camping Francés and Refugio Los Cuernos.

Day 6, I woke up at 2:30 am and climbed to Mirador Base Las Torres, completing the final 20 kilometers of my 182-kilometer journey through the breathtaking landscapes of Patagonia.