Monthly Archives: December 2011

Gelukkig Nieuwjaar!

Posted on December 30, 2011 by Brandon

New Year’s Eve is a big deal here in the Netherlands. I don’t think it’s a stretch to describe the holiday as the Dutch-equivalent of the Fourth of July. Every year, fireworks officially go on sale a few days before … Continue reading →

Posted in Europe, holidays, Holland | 2 Comments

Europe in Three Minutes or Less # 22 – The Petřín Lookout Tower

Posted on December 29, 2011 by Brandon

Prague has its own Eiffel Tower. Sorta. Watch the video above to learn more about the iconic tourist attraction that Adolf Hitler once tried to have destroyed.

Posted in Czech Republic, Europe, video | Comments Off on Europe in Three Minutes or Less # 22 – The Petřín Lookout Tower

The Infinite Winter Project

Posted on December 22, 2011 by Brandon

When I was sixteen I read a review in Entertainment Weekly about an odd novel by a promising young author named David Foster Wallace. The magazine gave it high marks and, since I considered the writers at EW to be the finest … Continue reading →

Posted in books | 3 Comments

The Ten Worst Christmas Songs of All Tim…er, Recorded Since 1979

Posted on December 19, 2011 by Brandon

By now you’ve probably seen this XKCD comic strip, which has been making the rounds this holiday season. Not only does it take a crack at Boomer nostalgia, it points out the fact that Christmas songs recorded after the 1970s don’t … Continue reading →

Posted in holidays, music, video | 2 Comments

Europe in Three Minutes or Less # 21 – The John Lennon Wall in Prague

Posted on December 16, 2011 by Brandon

Does Ringo have a wall devoted to himself in Prague? Nope. But John Lennon sure does.

Posted in Czech Republic, Europe, music | Comments Off on Europe in Three Minutes or Less # 21 – The John Lennon Wall in Prague

The Wine, Women and Smokers of Cologne

Posted on December 15, 2011 by Brandon

Perhaps more so than any other country in Europe, Christmas is huge in Germany. Gigantic markets devoted to the holiday can be found in nearly every city between Hamburg and Lindau, all of them offering visitors things like exotic meats, … Continue reading →

Posted in Europe, Germany, holidays, vice | Comments Off on The Wine, Women and Smokers of Cologne

Another Stunning Breakthrough in the Field of German Engineering

Posted on December 7, 2011 by Brandon

See this? Do you know what it is? Look closer. Think about it for a second. I can imagine you sitting there, thinking, “Ok, what is this thing?” Then, a moment or two later, it dawns on you and a … Continue reading →

Posted in beer, Germany, holidays | Comments Off on Another Stunning Breakthrough in the Field of German Engineering

In Defense of Reno

Posted on December 6, 2011 by Brandon

For many, Reno is one of those hellish American cities that’s best avoided, a locale who’s glory days are long gone and one that serves as an ideal target for condescending mockery. It might find good company among other burnt-out metropolises … Continue reading →

Posted in United States, vice | 2 Comments

Sallie Ford and the Sound Outside vs. Tom Waits

Posted on December 2, 2011 by Brandon

The bright-eyed and bushy-tailed band played their first gig in Amsterdam at the Paradiso this week. Here’s a few moments from their peppy cover of Tom Waits’ weird/bleak/awesome “God’s Away on Business.”  Not familiar with Sallie Ford? Their current album … Continue reading →

Posted in Holland, music, Portland, United States, video | Comments Off on Sallie Ford and the Sound Outside vs. Tom Waits