Legendary entertainer Julie Andrews will receive the American Film Institute’s lifetime achievement award in 2020. In addition to her theatrical career, Andrews has published more than 30 children’s books with one of her daughters, writer and arts educator Emma Walton Hamilton. John Yang sits down with Andrews and Hamilton to discuss how the star focused on family even during her Hollywood heyday.
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New History Books: “Dreams Of El Dorado” By H.W. Brands Offers “Broad Scope” To American West
From a Wall Street Journal online review:
The so-called winning of the West is one of the fundamental dramas in American history, and Mr. Brands makes the most of his subject by quoting extensively from the participants’ own accounts. In his chapters on Lewis and Clark, he cites the explorers’ descriptions of the daunting cataracts on the Missouri and Columbia rivers and their reaction on reaching their goal.
In “Dreams of El Dorado,” H.W. Brands has made his job even harder by taking on such a broad swath of western history, from Thomas Jefferson’s seminal purchase of Louisiana, in 1803, to Theodore Roosevelt’s sweeping measures to conserve western resources and landscapes, more than a century later. That’s a lot of history to crowd into just over 500 pages—as Mr. Brands no doubt appreciates, since his own books on Texan independence and the California Gold Rush were each somewhat longer than that.
To read more: https://www.wsj.com/articles/dreams-of-el-dorado-review-mountains-rivers-and-deserts-11572015889
Top Exhibitions: The Hudson River Museum Features Watercolorist James McElhinney
From a Hudson River Museum release:
James McElhinney: Discover the Hudson Anew presents the painter’s sketch books and prints related to the River in a comprehensive showing for the first time. A video program, animating turning pages, will allow visitors to see additional sketchbook paintings. McElhinney says he wants his art to demonstrate “that constructive dialogue between humanity and nature is alive and well, while underscoring how art provides durable and dynamic modes of engagement.”
Big ideas often come in small packages. James McElhinney has journeyed around the world with a pocket-size sketchbook and watercolor tin, communing with nature, and stopping to observe and record the glorious views around him. Fourteen years ago, during a period of convalescence, he used a sketchbook and watercolor to paint views from his hospital windows. That pragmatic decision was pivotal for the artist. He fell in love with the mobility and intimacy of this small-format media, which can be packed into the lining of a hiking vest, following in the footsteps of historical expeditionary artists. Since then, he has engaged in pictorial conversation with the Hudson River, always with materials on hand.
To read more: https://www.hrm.org/exhibitions/discover-the-hudson-anew/
Travel: Restored Hotel “Les Bains”, Paris Hosted Marcel Proust & Émile Zola Over Century Ago
From a The Spaces online review:
French literary greats Marcel Proust and Émile Zola visited Les Bains after its opening as a bathhouse in the late 19th century. Decades later in 1978, designer Philippe Stark transformed the place into a nightclub, welcoming a different calibre of guests through its doors. David Bowie, Mick Jagger and Karl Lagerfeld were among the people to make a splash at this Paris institution.
The new Les Bains hotel, revamped by architect Vincent Bastie, features a restored grand entrance that stays true to its Haussmannian roots. Designers Tristan Auer and Denis Montel were drafted in to design the interiors, while outdoor areas have also received an update, including the courtyard, opened up to draw in more light.
Les Bains, the iconic Paris nightclub, has reopened as a 39-room hotel five years after partygoers last enjoyed a drink and a dance. It’s the latest chapter in the life of the 1885 Haussmannian building, which has played host to a who’s who of the creative world.
Les Bains will retain its famous party spirit when the bar, club and restaurant open later this month. And the likes of Jagger and Bowie might still feel the need to let their hair down when they step onto the dance floor, which mimics Stark’s chequered design from 1978.
Top New Travel Books: “Epic Journeys – 245 Life-Changing Aventures” (National Geographic)
From a National Geographic online release:
Travelers are dreamers who act on their inspirations. The new National Geographic book Epic Journeys: 245 Life-Changing Adventures is for the people who go beyond their comfort zones to experience the wild beauty of the natural world. The book features adrenaline-fueled forays to all seven continents. (See the most breathtaking national parks around the world.)
While the spirit of exploration spans the globe, being an intrepid traveler doesn’t have to mean summiting Mount Everest or surveying icebergs in Antarctica. Some of the planet’s wildest places—launchpads for all sorts of discoveries about the world and yourself—are in North America’s national parks. We’ve selected 15 mind-blowing adventures to inspire your inner explorer.
To read more: https://www.nationalgeographic.com/travel/national-parks/15-epic-national-park-excursions/
Health Surveys: “World Alzheimer Report 2019” Reveals The Attitudes And Perceptions To Dementia
From the The 2019 World Report:
At the core of the 2019 report are the results of a global survey, commissioned by ADI and undertaken by the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE). Almost 70,000 people globally engaged with the survey, making it the biggest of its kind ever undertaken.
LSE developed the survey to target four key groups:
(1) people living with dementia, (2) careers, (3) healthcare practitioners and (4) the general public, with analysis being provided in three categories: knowledge, attitudes and behaviour.
In the survey analysis we highlight the behavioural element first, giving prominence to the voices and experiences of people living with dementia as direct assessment of actual behaviour is central to discrimination and is the closest representation of the true impact of stigma on people living with dementia.
Read the report: https://www.alz.co.uk/research/WorldAlzheimerReport2019-Summary.pdf
New Camping Products: “Mock One” Portable Folding Hammock
- Mock ONE V2.0 – Portable Folding Hammock with Stand
- Use anywhere – No trees. No problem!
- Includes sun shade, under basket and hammock carry wrap
- Person weight limit: 250 lbs
- Person height limit: 6’4″
- Weight: 14.5 lbs
- Opened Size: 67″L x 25”W x 31”H
- Folded (carrying) Dimension: 11″L x 6″W x 33″H
- Fabric: 210T parachute nylon (Stronger than 75D Nylon)
- Frame: Durable Coated steel free standing hammock frame
Website: https://republicofdurablegoods.com/products/mock-one
Modified Classic Cars: Lisbon-Based “COOL & VINTAGE” Built A Cult Following For Its “RestoMod” Land Rovers
From a Classic Driver online article:
Of course, Cool & Vintage is one of hundreds of companies building Land Rover ‘restomods’, but it’s forged its premier reputation for two reasons: the unparalleled quality of its work and its aesthetic positioning. “I’ve always thought that the Land Rover is among the greatest pieces of industrial design, so it was never my intention to mess around with it too much. We try to stay true to its shape and its history while adding our own creative twist, which could be anything from a bright colour to a more aggressive stance.” Ricardo initially wanted to fuse his vision of the quintessential beach car with a southern European summer vibe.
Over the last seven years, Cool & Vintage has created an aesthetic for its tastefully modified classic Land Rovers that is instantly recognisable among its cult following around the world. We thought it was high time to pay a visit to its Lisbon hipster haven…
Sun-drenched beachscapes, beautiful surfing girls and the most immaculate old Land Rovers you’ve ever seen – it must be Cool & Vintage. This vision of fantasy has garnered the Lisbon-based restoration company, which has been putting its unique twist of Defenders and Series models since 2012, something of a cult following Land Rover buffs and hipsters alike.
To read more: https://www.classicdriver.com/en/article/cars/visiting-cool-vintage-ground-zero-custom-land-rover-culture
Top Political Podcasts: Mark Shields And David Brooks Discuss Latest In Washington (PBS)
Syndicated columnist Mark Shields and New York Times columnist David Brooks join Judy Woodruff to discuss the latest political news, including trends around the federal judges President Trump is appointing, the Department of Justice’s criminal probe of the Russia investigation, how the impeachment inquiry is evolving and campaign anxiety regarding 2020 Democratic candidates.
Technology: “PrinCube” Is The World’s Smallest Mobile Color Printer
From a YankoDesign.com online review:
The PrinCube sits on the throne of being the smallest (and the lightest) handheld color-printer. With a swift motion of your hand, the printer rapidly prints out one line at a time, measuring up to 0.56 inches in thickness. PrinCube’s multi-line feature lets you extend your prints by printing up to nearly 10 feet of content line after line. The wireless printer conveniently pairs with any device like your phone, tablet, or even laptop over a Wi-Fi connection, and each individual ink cartridge can handle approximately 415 A4 pages worth of printing before replacing. The battery on PrinCube’s pretty remarkable too, with the ability to print for 6 continuous hours before needing a recharge via the Type-C port in the PrinCube’s size.
https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/princube-the-world-s-smallest-mobile-color-printer#/
It looks like a block roughly half the size of a spray-paint can. In fact, that’s how you would hold the PrinCube too. Grab it with one hand and run it across any surface and the PrinCube performs a neat, seamless, colored inkjet-print on it. The PrinCube isn’t just small, it’s hand-held, wireless, and incredibly versatile. It can print on materials your desktop printer doesn’t even dream of. Paper, cardboard, wood, metal, cloth, working on flat, textured, and even curved surfaces. You could literally give yourself temporary tattoos too because the PrinCube even prints on the skin (it’s safe, if I may add).
