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Bruce Chatwin’s “The Songlines”

I have lately spent much time thinking about travel writing as a genre, and was therefore pleased to discover the New York Review of Books has published a portion of Rory Stewart’s introduction to a new edition Bruce Chatwin’s The Songlines. I’ll allow him to explain the significance of Chatwin’s book:

The publication of Bruce Chatwin’s The Songlines in 1987 transformed English travel writing; it made it cool. For the previous half century, travel writing seemed to consist either of grim, extended journeys through desolate landscapes or jokes about foreigners. And the leading figures—such as Wilfred Thesiger or Robert Byron—in their tweed suits were celebrated for neither their prose nor their charm. But Chatwin was as attractive as a person as he was as a writer. The New York Timesreview of The Songlines ran: “Nearly every writer of my generation in England has wanted, at some point, to be Bruce Chatwin, wanted to be talked about, as he is, with raucous envy; wanted, above all, to have written his books.”

I was no exception.

To read more, click here. The new Penguin edition of The Songlines is out now; buy it directly from the publisher by clicking here.

Aug 08, 2012 | Categories: Creative Culture, Travel | Tags: Bruce Chatwin, travel writing | Comments Off on Bruce Chatwin’s “The Songlines”

Web Surfing for Stories on Surfing

My blogging colleague Lauren has posted several highlights from the time we recently spent in Costa Rica. I’ve savored looking through my holiday photos, but when I need an extra shot of fantasy-getaway images, I’ve taken to looking up the “surfing” tag on travel websites. Here are a few to whet your appetite for an end-of-summer surf trip: Condé Nast Traveler, BBC Travel, and “In Transit” at the New York Times. The image above is from the latter site, and depicts Corcovado National Park on Oso Peninsula, just south of Playa Guiones (and Harmony Hotel).

Aug 07, 2012 | Categories: Costa Rica, Surfing | Comments Off on Web Surfing for Stories on Surfing

Franz West, 1947-2012

Franz West, Worktable in aspic, 2008

The Austrian artist Franz West passed away on July 25. Peter Schjeldahl‘s obit in the New Yorker is a poignant and spot on read:

The death in Vienna on Thursday of the sneaky-great Austrian artist Franz West—at the age of sixty-five, after a long illness—saddens me to a degree that I’m afraid needs explaining. The circle of West’s fans to which I belong, while sizable in the art world, is minuscule in the wider American culture, despite numerous shows and public-art installations here, over the years. His art has vastly influenced recent American sculptors, such as the wonderful Rachel Harrison, who invest rough-hewn constructions with exquisite humor. But most critics have given up on highlighting such formal connections, at a time when art talk is bedizened by money and gossip.

What impedes people about West, I believe, isn’t avant-gardish difficulty but a kind of charm that is hard to credit. His very accessibility rouses suspicions, like the too-friendly approaches of an oddly dressed stranger. You don’t learn to like West. You become aware of your resistance to him and take the chance of letting it collapse.

Read on

Aug 06, 2012 | Categories: Creative Culture | Comments Off on Franz West, 1947-2012

Got Wood?

This weekend marks the fourth annual Wooden Surfboard celebration in Australia. In honor of the occasion, we asked Grant Newby, the founder of the day who has a blog about wooden boards, a few questions about this passion:

HB: Could you explain why wood is good?

Newby: I believe people from all walks of life have an attraction to wood and things made from wood, as it has so many great properties. When it comes to surfboards, I would bet that the first guys to jump in the water and surf would have used some driftwood or found shape in wood to body board in on a wave and it has just grown from there. Or to where the ancient Hawaiians and their Alaias started standing up on wooden boards. I just finished building four wooden boards that will not be glassed as I will use lanolin or the natural grease from sheep’s wool to nourish the Paulownia timber I have used. Yes lanolin is waterproof and that helps but it also means I do not have to wax the board either.

HB: Why did you start wooden surfboard day?

Newby: The wooden board day came out of another event that I organise “The Alley Fish Fry.” Which is a gathering of like-minded people getting together at the beach for the day to surf and talk boards. I have had six of those in the first week of March each year. I then started building wooden boards and decided to apply the same concept to the wooden boards. Non-competitive and non commercial, which is pretty rare in any thing to do with surfing. It is really about the shapers and the boards they build for us and we take for granted.

HB: How would you recommend people join your celebration internationally (people who won’t be able to attend)?

Newby: If you have a wooden board, smile and enjoy the ride. If you have built it yourself you will already be smiling as there is no better feeling than catching a wave on a board you built yourself. If it is wood, you also know there is no quick way to build a wooden board. No matter the outcome, there will be a mutual respect from other wooden board builders as it is a test of many skills to pull it off.

Aug 03, 2012 | Categories: Surfing, Sustainability | 1 Comment »

Dropping In with Mark Cunningham

How is your relationship with board surfers in the water?

In Hawaii we’re very tolerant of all forms of ocean recreation. Boogie boarding is crazy popular here. At Pipeline more often than not the lineup is mostly bodyboarders. Some lineups are more suitable for longboarding, certain waves are better for short boards, etc.; but occasionally there’s a crossover, whic is fine, so long as the operator of the craft is competent. The only time people get upset is if someone’s taking too many waves or dropping in. An asshole is an asshole, regardless of what kind of craft he’s on.

—from The Usual interview with Mark Cunningham

Aug 02, 2012 | Categories: Surfing | Comments Off on Dropping In with Mark Cunningham

Pura Vida Raw Foods

Pura Vida's Ca$hew-Buttah Cups

Pura Vida Raw Foods in Playa Guiones is a must! On a recent trip, Frankie—the owner/master chef—treated a group of us to a tasting of all of his delicious concoctions. From dehydrated pineapple chips to his signature “sushi” rolls of compressed and sliced raw organic chocolate and fruit.

And good to know: the Ca$hew-Buttah Cups and Rawlmond Joys are in stock at Robin’s Ice Cream, Organico, and Frankie’s Organic Products in Nosara!

Now let’s get them to NYC!

Aug 01, 2012 | Categories: Costa Rica | Comments Off on Pura Vida Raw Foods

Ostional Wildlife Reserve

A few pictures from our visit to Ostional Wildlife Reserve on a cloudy, overcast afternoon. According to nicoyapeninsula.com:

The beach of Ostional is the scenery for a rarely-seen biological wonder. The week before new moon hundreds, and sometimes hundreds of thousand sea turtles come to one specific mile of beach at Ostional to dig their eggs into the black, volcanic sand.

This black sand beach is about a thirty minute ride north from The Harmony. Read on.