Loved this

Makes me almost want to get out my paints. Well, I would just need one colour. So simple yet so effective.

Gabriel Rissi/ Unsplash

Golden Gate Bridge

I remember being so impressed the first time I saw this bridge. Interesting that the colour was accidental.

From: History Facts "The orange color of the Golden Gate Bridge was accidental. San Francisco’s most famous bridge is unmistakable thanks to its brilliant reddish-orange hue, but this color was chosen almost by coincidence. The Golden Gate Bridge was destined to be an ordinary bridge painted in gray, silver, or black until architect Irving Morrow (who worked on the bridge’s lighting and art deco style) championed the unique orange vermillion color. Morrow first suggested the hue after he noticed that some of the bridge was painted with a primer in that color. In 1935, two years into construction, he presented a “Report on Color and Lighting” to the project’s board of directors, suggesting that “What has been thus played up in form should not be let down in color.” He believed the orange complemented the nearby Marin Hills and contrasted with the blues of the sky and sea. In the end, the board agreed, and the bridge was painted from end to end in a shade officially known as “international orange.”

Ah....cellphones

This gave me a chuckle. I guess we'll see a lot of art involving cellphones.

Elena Goukassian 17 April 2024 Share Dindga McCannon in front of her new mural at Rikers Island Photo: Ellie Epstein Dindga McCannon in front of her new mural at Rikers Island Photo: Ellie Epstein A new mural by the artist Dindga McCannon was unveiled today at Rikers Island, the notorious prison island in the East River that hosts New York City’s largest jail. The mural, titled Towards a Brighter Tomorrow! (2024), appears on the exterior wall of the Re-entry Service Center, where recently released individuals can pick up cellphones and naloxone on their way to freedom.

Wine for phones

It's rather sad restaurants have to go to such lengths to get customers to give up their phones but what a great idea. From: Delish "A restaurant in Italy is offering diners a tempting deal if they're willing to take a temporary break from their phones. Customers who are willing to surrender their phones for the duration of their meal will receive a free bottle of wine. The enticing offer comes courtesy of Al Condominio, a restaurant in Verona, Italy. Owner Angelo Lella revealed to The Guardian that he had grown tired of people obsessing over their phones constantly. His fix to the problem? Good wine. “We wanted to open a restaurant that was different from the others,” he said. “So we picked this format—customers can choose to renounce technology while enjoying a convivial moment together. Technology is becoming a problem—there is no need to look at your phone every five seconds, but for many people it is like a drug … This way they have an opportunity to put it aside and drink some good wine.”

Price on transit in Paris doubling in price during Olympics

I think this is not a bad idea given transit in Paris is very reasonable if things are like they used to be. Perhaps things have changed but we were always thrilled by the cheap price on the Metro in Paris as compared to The Tube in London.

Ikea joke

Having assembled various items from Ikea I can really relate. From: Linda's blog

Tell me it's not true

Red Lobster is reportedly considering filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. We've had some wonderful meals at Red Lobster...a great place for lobster lovers. I do remember being a little squeamish picking out the live lobster I was going to have for dinner.

Raeside always gets it right

Gallery: Adrian Raeside cartoon: A chat with the new family doctor Adrian Raeside Apr 16, 2024 4:00 AM

Deadliest creature in the world

And they just seem to love me.

"Based on the number of human deaths per year, the deadliest animal is not a creature that humans usually find scary, such as a lion or a snake. Mosquitos are by far the deadliest creature in the world when it comes to annual human deaths, causing around one million deaths per year, compared to 100,000 deaths from snakes and 250 from lions. Perhaps surprisingly, dogs are the third deadliest animal to humans. Dogs are responsible for around 30,000 human deaths per year, with the vast majority of these resulting from rabies that the dog transmits." Source: Statista

Lou Rota Mother Nature Dessert Plate

I never thought I would get excited by a dessert plate but these attracted me and a pretty good price too. (200) Reviews $20.

Pets of US presidents

Some pretty strange ones for sure.

Here is the whole article with pictures of all the pets mentioned. https://www.dictionaryscoop.com/article/Did-You-Know-The-Stories-Of-These-Iconic-And-Lovable-Presidential-Pets?x_title=1&utm_source=blog&utm_campaign=blog-20240411-treatment

A lovely evening

We had dinner at Donna's last night.It was so nice to be together. Merci beaucoup, chere amie!

NASA and Nessie

From: Nice News This is all quite fascinating to me. NASA and Nessie...who would have guessed they would be linked together. "A large-scale hunt for Nessie will take place this May and June (Image: Loch Ness Centre) The Loch Ness Centre has announced a brand new search for the Loch Ness Monster, and has called on NASA to lend its expertise. In 2023, the newly revamped research centre launched a large-scale hunt for Nessie that saw hundreds of in-person and virtual volunteers search the famous waters of the loch. Following multiple potential sightings and reports of strange noises heard from the depths, it is returning with an even bigger search next month. Set to take place between May 30 and June 2, the Loch Ness Centre is once again looking for budding monster hunters to take part in the search. This year, however, organisers are also asking for experts to lend a hand. As well as scientists and universities, the research centre has called on the pioneers of exploration at NASA to provide equipment and expertise. By using state-of-the-art technology, the Loch Ness Centre is hoping to uncover the mysteries of Loch Ness once and for all.

Cool photos of the eclipse

From: Euronews

At least something is cheap at the Masters

From: Morning Brew "Good morning. The Masters begins today, which means it’s once again time to marvel at the dirt-cheap concession prices at Augusta National Golf Club. The classic pimento cheese sandwich costs $1.50, a chicken sandwich costs $3, and a beer costs $6. Think about it this way: You can get two egg salad sandwiches, a coffee, a breakfast sandwich, a ham & cheese on rye, a chicken biscuit, a blueberry muffin, and a beer for the same price as one honey deuce drink at last year’s US Open for tennis ($22). Of course, it’ll cost you well over $1,000 for a ticket, but that’s not really the point…" —Holly Van Leuven, Matty Merritt, Molly Liebergall, Abby Rubenstein, Neal Freyman

Great news for fast food workers

Good on California. It has always seemed like a pretty progressive state to me.

From: Nice News "$20 That's the new hourly wage for about half a million fast food workers in California. The latest increase — which is $4 higher than the overall state minimum wage — applies to restaurant chains with more than 60 nationwide locations. It comes after a yearslong fight by workers to establish better pay and improve working conditions."

Colourful cities around the world

I will probably be posting more of these.

From: Daily Passport "In a country of colorful cities, San Miguel de Allende still manages to stand out. Nestled in central Mexico’s highlands, San Miguel de Allende was originally an Indigenous Chichimeca village called Itzcuinapan until the arrival of the Spaniards in the 16th century. A Franciscan monk named Juan de San Miguel built a chapel in the village in 1542, and the outpost grew in wealth and power as a market for the silver and tin mined in the region. Today it’s a haven for expats, artists, and tourists drawn to its magnificent and well-preserved colonial architecture — recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site — as well as the city’s vibrant cultural and culinary scenes."

Solar eclipse

I watched quite a bit of coverage of this. It was all pretty interesting.

Comment from Louise Penny. Total eclipse of the sun today!! And we are right in the path of the totality. It's going to last more than 3 minutes here. Visitors from around the world arriving to see it. Am going to Manoir Hovey with friends to watch. Glasses at the ready. Will report back. Everyone very excited, and rightly so.

Great news for young people in France

From: Nice News "French President Emmanuel Macron said last year he wanted a rail pass for all, but after months of negotiations, a scaled-back version has been agreed. Following on from the success of Germany’s Deutschlandticket, France is set to launch its own version this summer. In an interview with AFP on Wednesday French transport minister Patrice Vergriete said an agreement had been found with all regions. The scheme is expected to cost €49 per month and it will be available to around 700,000 young people under the age of 27 this July and August. It will allow unlimited travel on TER and Intercity trains but will exclude high-speed TGV trains."

Tartan Day

This weekend marks the return of Tartan Day. On Saturday, people across Scotland and beyond will be taking part in the annual celebration. Falling on April 6 every year, Tartan Day is all about Scottish heritage and the cultural contributions of Scottish people throughout history. If you have never heard of Tartan Day, don't be too hard on yourself. Despite being entirely dedicated to Scotland, its origins actually lie outside of the country. First celebrated in Canada in 1987, nowadays countries all over the world take part in Tartan Day celebrations. Australia, the United States, and of course Scotland itself are among the places where the holiday is the most widely observed.

Barcode-like memories in chickadees

From: Nice News "If you often have a hard time recalling where you placed your keys or wallet, you’ll be especially impressed by the incredible memory capabilities of black-capped chickadees. The small birds store and retrieve thousands of seeds and insects to eat throughout winter, and a recent study shed light on how they’re able to remember each snack’s hiding spot. ​ Researchers determined that members of the avian species create “barcode-like” memories when they deposit food, and those barcodes are reactivated during the retrieval process. The team arrived at their conclusion by observing chickadees in constructed arenas with various spots for stashing food."

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Aïoli

We were first introduced to this in Brussels and will never forget the wonderful taste. It seemed very strange to us to get a mayo type sause for fries.

"This rich garlic sauce is similar in texture to mayonnaise, and is commonly used in the cuisine of Provençe in France and Catalonia in Spain. Provençal aïoli consists of egg yolks, olive oil, and garlic, while the Catalan version consists only of garlic, salt, and olive oil. Its name comes from ail, meaning garlic, and oli, the Provençal word for oil. Some historians claim that its origins lie in a Roman sauce called aleatum, which was also made with garlic and oil. A sauce similar to aïoli was first mentioned by Pliny the Elder, Roman procurator of Tarragona, in his first-century encyclopedia Naturalis Historia, in which he describes garlic and its powerful medicinal properties.

Solar Eclipse

From: The Desert Sun "As if a solar eclipse weren't enough, observers on April 8 may also get a glimpse of a rare "horned" celestial show, a dazzlingly bright comet with a scary name. A comet designated 12P/Pons-Brooks got the much more interesting name “devil comet” when it had an outburst, a large ejection of dust and gases, in July 2023. On the day of the Great American Eclipse, the devil comet may become visible to the unaided eye, astronomers say. Amateur and professional observers in the Northern Hemisphere will get a unique opportunity to view the comet, which is renowned for its periodic eruptions of gas and dust. "

Easter dinner illustrated

Naomi sent a photo of our wonderful Easter dinner. It looks great and tasted even better.

Paintings by Winston Churchill

I'm quite sure I have posted about this before but I continue to be amazed by his talent.

Easter dinner

We had a lovely dinner with Naomi, Ray, Richard and Grace. Thank you all for making this Easter very special.

New high speed rail projects

I would love to travel on these trains.

https://dailypassport.com/new-high-speed-rail-projects-in-us/

Most stressful airport in the world

I was a little surprised by this. I guess we hit Gatwick at relatively quiet times. "London Gatwick is the most stressful airport in the world London Gatwick, the UK’s second biggest airport, came out as the most stressful airport globally to travel through. Although the number of passengers that use Gatwick is below average compared to other airports, it has one of the highest passenger density scores. Its percentage of annual delays is the second highest of the top ten, and the distance from the city centre - 43 kilometres - is the highest."

Paying to see Venice

I'm sure I've made a similar post but any excuse to post a photo of this wonderful city.

From: Daily Passport "Few places have suffered as much from overtourism as Venice, the famed Italian city of canals. For decades, massive cruise ships have unloaded thousands of passengers straight into the heart of the historic city. Although the largest craft are now redirected to the industrial port outside the historic city center, Venice still finds itself overcrowded with tourists, many of whom only come in for a day or two. Since 2011, Venice has charged overnight visitors tax on the first five nights of their stay. The amount — between €1 and €5 per person a night, varies depending on the style of accommodation, time of year, and area of the city in which visitors stay. But starting in spring 2024, day visitors will start to pay a €5 entry fee."

Alexander Calder

I may have posted this at some point but worth posting again. I just love his work.

Red Petals, Blue Moon 1972 29 1/2 x 43 1/4 in. (74.93 x 109.86 cm) gouache and ink on paper Provenance Perls Galleries, New York Private Collection, Florida, 1974 175,000

Cats will have their way

This cat doesn't seem in any hurry to come down. We've had a lot of train delays in our time but I don't think a cat was ever the cause of one.

Olympics in Paris

I'm sure the French won't let us down and there will be some pretty special and very French happenings. From: The Monocle Minute "It was once customary for Olympic host cities to stage, as part of their Games, demonstration fixtures of some, hopefully, enticing recreations peculiar to the locality (writes Andrew Mueller). In 1908, London offered bicycle polo and duelling; in 1956, Melbourne attempted to interest visitors in Australian rules football; and in 1992, Barcelona served up Basque pelota and roller hockey. This tradition has fallen, sadly, into abeyance and there are no plans to formally revive it for Paris this summer. But in the French capital’s Olympic year, one eccentric local pastime is being revived. Today, for the first time since 2011, the cobbled avenues of the city’s Le Marais district will once again serve as the course around which the Waiters’ Race is run. First held in 1914, the Waiters’ Race is exactly what it says on the tin. Entrants wear formal waiters’ attire and attempt to bolt about 2km carrying a tray bearing a croissant, a coffee and a glass of water as quickly as possible without dropping anything. It is an extraordinary spectacle, not least as it’s the only time you’ll ever see a Parisian waiter trying to do anything quickly. The comeback of the Waiters’ Race, a few months before the Olympic flame is lit, must surely prompt hopes that it is not too late for uniquely Parisian recreations to be added to the programme. Who would not tune in for the 100 metre shrug, synchronised philosophising or freestyle throwing of café chairs at the gendarmes?"

Holi

This looks like it would be a lot of fun.

From: Nice News "Holi, widely known as the Hindu festival of colors, is a joyful annual celebration at the advent of spring with cultural and religious significance. Typically observed in March in India, Nepal, other South Asian countries and across the diaspora, the festival celebrates love and signifies a time of rebirth and rejuvenation — a time to embrace the positive and let go of negative energy. For one of Holi’s most well-known traditions, celebrants clad in all white, come out to the street and throw colored powders at each other, leaving behind a kaleidoscope of pigments and joy. Festivities with music, dancing and food ensue. WHEN IS HOLI CELEBRATED? Holi is celebrated at the end of winter and the beginning of spring, on the last full moon day of the Hindu luni-solar calendar month of Falgun. The date of the festival varies depending on the lunar cycle. Typically, it falls in March, and will be celebrated this year on March 25."

A lovely dinner with Donna

We went to Minerva's last night and even have some leftovers for today.

Donut shops

It seems Canada has more donut shops than the US.

A win for journalists

From: Business Insider "Google was hit with a roughly $270 million fine on Wednesday, in part over how it trained its AI. French regulators say Google went back on its commitments tied to negotiating deals with news outlets in France for their content. The watchdog alleged Google used the journalists' content without telling them in order to teach its AI chatbot Bard — now rebranded as Gemini. Google had promised in a previous settlement to "negotiate in good faith based on transparent, objective and non-discriminatory criteria," which the regulators referred to as "Commitment 1." The regulators said there are still legal questions related to the use of news content to train AI models, but "at the very least, the Autorité considers that Google breached Commitment 1 by failing to inform publishers of the use of their content for their Bard software."

Quite an honour for Satrapi

I love the design and how she gets the Eiffel tower in there.

The Olympic tapestry designed by French-Iranian artist Marjane Satrapi is displayed in Paris, France, March 12, 2024. REUTERS/Benoit Tessier/File Photo Purchase Licensing Rights, opens new tab The artist said she thought she was being pranked when asked to design the piece. "When I got the call, I thought it was a hoax, but it wasn't. I was delighted. I was very delighted, very honoured, very happy but also very stressed," said Satrapi, author of the graphic novel "Persepolis", whose film adaptation won her a nomination at Academy Awards in 2008. The tapestry will be displayed on the Hotel de la Marine in the Place de la Concorde in the French capital from late June. The installation will then be moved to Nice, home of the 2030 Winter Games, after the Paralympics concludes in September. The Reuters Daily Briefing newsletter provides all the news you need to start your day. Sign up here. Reporting by Vincent Daheron; Writing by Julien Pretot; Editing by Lucy Marks

Françoise Gilot's artwork being shown at the Picasso Museum in Paris

"One of Picasso’s muses seems to have had the last laugh. Françoise Gilot famously walked away from the celebrated Spanish artist at the height of his fame (by the mid-1950s, Gilot’s relationship with Picasso had ended—they had two children together, Claude and Paloma Picasso). Gilot died last June in New York at the grand old age of 101. In a surprise twist, her life and art is commemorated in a small, temporary exhibition at the Musée Picasso in Paris. As we noted in our obituary, she was a tireless artist whose output spanned more than 80 years, defying simple categorisation and efforts to define her merely as a footnote in the story of her former lover."

The Booker Prize Longlist

I really haven't heard of any of these. Guess I'm out of the latest in reading these days. The Silver Bone Simpatía Not a River Undiscovered White Nights Mater 2-10 What I'd Rather Not Think About Crooked Plow The House on Via Gemito Lost on Me A Dictator Calls Kairos The Details

St. Patrick's Day in New York

It does sound pretty crazy. "Happy St. Patrick ‘s Day from Crazy New York. Yesterday was the parade which we did not go to because we had an opera to go to and today is the 1/2 marathon on the street in front of our hotel. Huge number of street blockages both days making it difficult to get around. Thousands of people on the streets. Today is last opera and then a nice dinner. Look forward to coming home. Will be in touch. Love Donna" Sent from my iPhone

Happy St. Patrick's Day

Spring Break

I'm glad to see some discouragement for this ridiculous tradition. Wouldn't it be great if the "tradition" was to help people who are struggling in their home communities. From Morning Brew "Heavy is the head that wears the “It’s a bad day to be a beer” hat. Spring break party hub Miami Beach has created an anti-tourism ad and rules to try to deter rowdy college kids from clogging up its beaches this year during spring break season, which starts this week. During two high-traffic weekends, Miami Beach said it would institute $100 parking fees for nonresidents, curfews, DUI checkpoints, beach closures, bag checks, and a much heavier police presence. The city even made a pointed video asking spring breakers to come back only when they’ve grown up a little. The Unwelcome to Miami message comes after the city said it’s seen a rise in violence over the last few years. In 2023, there were two fatal shootings during spring break. Not everyone wants to boot breakers: Civil rights advocates argue the restrictions are an overreaction largely targeting Black visitors, who have increasingly started vacationing in the area over the last 20 years. Meanwhile, some business owners say the regulations are throttling their income as spring break is one of the busiest times of the year. The discouragements might not matter…United Airlines expects this to be the busiest spring break ever, with 21+ million passengers flying from March 8 to April 21.—MM"

So much fun...Stuffed animal sleepover

Another great way to get kids interested in libraries. Description Drop off your favourite stuffed animal for a night of fun at the library. Your fluffy friend will be registered with library staff and they'll make new friends and get a behind-the-scenes look at the library. Don't worry, we'll take good care of them and you'll see photos of all the mischief and mayhem when you pick them up! Drop off: March 19th, 3:45pm Pick up: March 21st, 10:00am

You can't keep lego down...no surprise

https://www.barrons.com/news/lego-steams-ahead-despite-struggling-toy-market-5299615d#:~:text=The%20unlisted%20family%2Downed%20company,percent%20market%20share%20in%202022.