SARAH BRIGHTMAN—COSMONAUT
THE WOMAN loved by the Phantom of the Opera has fallen in love with space tourism. And not just the concept, but the actual thing. Classical crossover/musicial theater soprano Sarah … Continue reading
THE DANUBE
THE BEST travel books offer historical nuggets and personal insights as well as trip details. Nick Thorpe’s The Danube is a fine example. Why upriver? Thorpe says he’s following a … Continue reading
MY NATION—AND I MEAN MINE: MICROCON 2015
FROM TIME to time, people complain that they could do a better job of running things than the incumbent politicos. And, for a select few, they do just that. These … Continue reading
ブリヂストン美術館—BRIDGESTONE MUSEUM OF ART
SHOJIRO ISHIBASHI chose the name Bridgestone for his company in 1931 for two reasons: His surname is literally ishi (stone) bashi (bridge); and he liked the British sound of its … Continue reading
THE WORLD’S MOST EXPENSIVE CITIES
LIKE MANY, I am curious about lists of extremes, the most this, the least that. And, being as I am something of a city dweller (as opposed to living rurally), … Continue reading
SHAKESPEARE COUNTRY—1914 AND TODAY
I HAVE claimed that old guidebooks are useful for travel today. (See “Baedeker’s Handbooks for Travelers,” http://wp.me/p2ETap-ki.) What was worth seeing a century ago is still worthy of attention today, … Continue reading
SUSHI GAME
寿司が大好きです! Sushi ga daisuki desu! I love sushi! This artful Japanese presentation of vinegared rice, seafood and other delicacies offers a variety of tastes; a sushi bar offers a congenial … Continue reading
CASTLES—ROB’S, LUDVIG’S, SCOTTY’S AND WILLIAM RANDOLPH’S
NOT COUNTING my visits to castles actually occupied by royals (I’ve been to Windsor), I’ve visited four castles, each memorable in a different way. One of its owners I’ve known … Continue reading
NEW ENGLAND 1915
UNLIKE SOME places, New England has few signs that read “Fine dining since 1993.” Things in the northeast corner of the U.S. have a permanence that encourages perusal of old … Continue reading
JUST AN OTAKU KINDA GUY
YOU MIGHT think Japanese trends would be ephemeral and, thus, my favorite guide on otaku, published ten years ago, would be hopelessly out of date. No, I’ve given this a … Continue reading
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