I ride the train often, and on one of my regular routes we pass a train yard where you can see rows and rows of cars waiting for maintenance. Some look brand new while others look like they’ve seen better days. As we pass I always wonder what they do with the ones they want to retire. Well Animal Magazine points our attention to the fantastic photography of Stephen Mallon. In his work he documents the submergence of hundreds of NYC Subway cars. According to Animal, “They were ferried and dumped in the Atlantic Ocean to get reenacranted as articial reefs…” Below, you can find a few pictures from Stephen’s collection, but visit Animal for the full gallery. Also, Stephen has a show coming up September 10 – 13 at the Front Room Gallery in NYC. Check it out if you’re in town.

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People watching is one of my favorite travel activities. In fact, a friend and I were just discussing our enjoyment of parachuting into an unknown place and sitting there for hours watching locals. So, if you’re like us get ready. Design firm, Studio Weave just completed a 324 meter bench in the UK’s Littlehampton. Serving both art and function, the bench can seat 300 people and there’s word that it may be extended to 621 meters shortly. It also consists of two bronze shelters that house the spiral turns and twists that make this installation really beautiful. Click Read More to view additional information and photos.

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The last time I visited Amsterdam I fell in love with the city. It helps I have friends there, but its quiet energy will capture the heart of the biggest skeptic. The canals, the architecture, the people – it all got me. Many times I’ve tried to explain what makes Amsterdam so special, but my words fall short of what I felt when I visited. Then, late the other night my friend Nalden emailed me an amazing gallery of photos. Each picture nails it. Pim Hendrikson’s photography evokes the subtle unexplainable spirit that lives in Amsterdam. If you have the opportunity to go, I definitely recommend it. Click read more to view a sampling.

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On a trip to Portland I stopped by Floating World Comics – the city’s premiere comic book store. Whether you’re a fan, collector or someone searching for a little inspiration, you have to stop by and check them out. And, while I’m sure “Comic Book Store” is a badge they wear with pride, when I visited I got a sense the shop represents way more. On this day I watched people queue up outside and wait patiently for the store owner, Jason Leivian to open up. Luckily, I snuck in early to watch Jason’s pre-open routine. He’s a hurricane of energy and knows exactly what he’s doing. After everything was arranged he spared a moment to discuss with me how it all started and what makes Floating World special.

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We’ve been plotting to make a trip to Iceland for ages. There’s something mysterious and exciting about the destination. I remember being at a barbeque one summer and a friend of ours was selling everything he had so that he could go there to quietly make music outside the din of NYC. That was my first memory where I thought I have to check this place out. The second is the following video by Inspired by Iceland.

Sure there’s been tons of news about Iceland’s volcano, ash and how to pronounce its name. But I think the Inspired by Iceland project does an excellent job of redirecting this media coverage to all the positives. As they describe it: “The eruption in Eyjafjallajökull has given Iceland media attention like never before. The downside of course is that people are nervous about coming to Iceland at the moment. Some think that the whole land is covered with ash and that Iceland is in a state of emergency. The truth is that only a very small part of Iceland is being influenced by the eruption. This is of course a big challenge for Iceland because tourism is a big and important part of the Icelandic economy. For that reason the Icelandic state has teamed up with the tourism industry to get the true message across about Iceland.” Click Read More for additional information and to watch the video.

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We’ve been following the artwork of Barry McGee for quite some time. Over the years he’s become a favorite of ours and we’re really impressed with his latest project (pictured above) for the Oakland Museum of California. They released a fantastic video chronicling his installation, which also provides a little background on the thought process behind it. Click Read More to watch the video.

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Food lovers get ready. Humble Bites comes to you live & direct from the talented mind of Brittany Kleinman. This isn’t your typical foodie destination, Brittany and her cast of contributors mine those special dishes you might have missed along the way and present them in a way that is both accessible and encouraging. You’ll want to make everything you see.

As they describe: “Humble Bites is about unpretentious food from different cultures that deserve recognition. Like a language, food has many dialects, accents, and translations. But at the root of its differences, remains a basic need for personal and cultural expression. Humble Bites explores the personal connection between place and food and how that influences what we pass on from our own kitchens. While not all the food we talk about is “traditional,” it is very much authentic to the street corner or cook it came from.” Check them out daily.

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