Category Archives: Stories

Views: Jasper Johns & Paul Cézanne – Unfinished Art

What was Jasper Johns’s reaction to seeing Paul Cézanne’s The Large Bathers? Curator Carlos Basualdo recalls standing in front of the painting and Johns’s fascination with the finished and unfinished aspects of the artwork.

“Jasper Johns: Mind/Mirror” is on view through February 13. http://ow.ly/lZkg30s4V3s

2022: Top 5 Stories For The New Year (The Economist)

What will be the biggest stories of 2022? As the pandemic continues to wreak havoc across the globe, President Xi will cement his power as leader of China, tech giants will coax more of us into virtual worlds and the space race reaches new heights. The Economist is back with its annual look at the top stories of the year ahead. Film supported by @TeneoCEOAdvisory

Timeline: 00:00 The World Ahead 2022 00:40 China revels in democracy’s failings 04:11 Hybrid working becomes the new normal 07:48 The metaverse expands 11:26 An African fashion boom 14:12 The space race picks up

Travel: Ten Best Road Trips In The World (Condé Nast)

Our list of the 10 best road trips in the world covers everything from Alpine mountain passes and arid desert drives in western America, to lush forests in Japan and India, and the rugged coastlines of Norway and Scotland. 

Blue Ridge Parkway, USA

Afton to Cherokee, 469 miles (755km)

Just over three hours southwest of Washington DC lies the start of the most phenomenal scenic byway that carves its way through the lush, mountainous forests of Virginia and North Carolina. 

Great St Bernard Pass, Italy

Turin, Italy to Montreux, Switzerland, 143 miles (230km)

For movie fans, this road is a must-drive after it was immortalised in the iconic opening scene of the original Italian Job, starring Michael Caine. The film opens with a Lamborghini Muria dancing its way over the Great St Bernard Pass, which, aside from a few safety improvements, is still as unspoilt and spectacular as it was back in 1969. 

The Carretera Austral, Chile

Puerto Montt to Villa O’Higgins 770 miles (1240km)

Patagonia is a place that should appear on everyone’s bucket list. This remote, pre-historic wilderness is made of mountains, lakes, forests and fjords, which can all be absorbed from the comfort of a car driving down Chile‘s Southern Highway (Route 7) – the ‘Carretera Austral’. 

The North Coast 500, Scotland

Inverness to Inverness loop around Scotland’s coastline, 516 miles (830km)

One of the best road trips the United Kingdom has to offer is the North Coast 500. As the name suggests, the 500-mile route loops its way around Scotland‘s rugged northern coastline, taking in everything from white sandy beaches to mountains and remote fishing villages. 

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History: Quarry Bank Cotton Mill In Styal, UK

At the beginning of the Industrial Revolution Quarry Bank Mill became one of the most important Cotton Mills in England. Samual Greg embraced the Industrial Revolution to create a powerhouse of the Cotton Milling industry.

180 years after the end of the Industrial Revolution this Cotton Mill is still intact and in full working order. Maintained by the National Trust you can take a day tour of this fascinating Cotton Mill and find out about the Greg family, his workers, including children as young as 8 and the community he created in the village of Styal. You can see the machinery in operation and learn how the fluffy cotton plant is turned into a workable yarn as the volunteers run the machines and show you.

Greg built his family home on the grounds of Quarry Bank Mill, you can view the property or visit the darker side with the apprentice house, home to up to 90 children, working in the mill in return for food and board.

Timeline: 0:00 Intro 1:08 What to see at Quarry Bank 2:01 Cotton Industrial Revolution 2:25 Samual Greg builds Quarry Bank 3:32 The Great Wheel 4:09 Process to make cotton yarn 7:31 Quarry Bank House 10:26 Styal Village 11:53 Apprentice House (Child Labour) 16:44 Steam Power comes to Quarry Bank 19:02 The Gardens

Morning News: Omicron Variant, Travel Columnist Career, Mistletoe History

Christmas – America’s mixed response to the Omicron variant comes down to geography, WSJ’s Scott McCartney looks back on his career, and why do we kiss underneath a parasite.

Classic Car Stories: A 1955 Aston Martin DB2/4 At The 1956 Monte Carlo Rally

In 1955 this glorious Aston Martin DB2/4 Mk1 was purchased new by Ken Carter, a former Works driver for the Cooper racing team, who acquired this very car to compete in the 1956 Monte Carlo Rally with his friend Robert Ropner. Join Commander Timothy ‘Tiny’ Brompton-Belcher RN and Aston Martin specialist Dylan Miles and take a journey back in time with this wonderfully historic Aston Martin

Previews: New York Times Magazine – December 26