Jaunted

Celeb Travel

Super World Travelers Always Looking for Souvenirs

June 5, 2008 at 9:00 AM | 0 Comments

Good luck putting that in your checked bag: Brad Pitt toured Art Basel in Switzerland yesterday and dropped over $1 million on art. Apparently the brand new soon-to-be father has a bit of the nesting impulse; chief among his purchases was a $293,000... table.

He also picked up a lamp and some chairs. (You can feast your eyes here.)

It's easier to bring giant art in through the airport than, say, perfume in a four-ounce bottle bought outside security. But you might want a refresher on duty-free rules. Not that Super World Travelers need to handle that kind of thing--they have staff.

Related Stories:
· Rumored Maternal Travel: Angelina Jolie's Twins Born in France? [Jaunted]
· Super World Travelers coverage [Jaunted]
· Celeb Travel coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo with festival director Ambra Medra: Celebritymound]

Switzerland Travel

Something Shifty About the Shift Festival

October 31, 2007 at 9:15 AM | 0 Comments

In Basel, Switzerland, the Shift Festival has just wound up. It's a new festival for the electronic arts, which they plan to hold every fall from now on. The theme for this year's festival was "access", but access to the exhibits seems to have got a bit out of hand.

That's because there was a theft at this year's Shift Festival. A group of artists from Vienna working under the name of Ubermorgen had created an exhibit involving a book--the Abbie Hoffman classic "Steal This Book"--placed inside an incubator. Apparently the exhibit was supposed to praise those who fought for literary freedom by celebrating a hacking operation on Amazon.

Perhaps not surprisingly, somebody did steal the book. Shift Festival organizers have decided not to press charges but hope the thief will return the stolen book. We can't wait to see what crazy things get shifted or lifted at next year's Shift Festival.

Related Stories:
· Shift Festival [Official Site]
· Thief Accepts Invitation [Independent Online]
· Fall Culture Travel in Basel [Jaunted]
· Switzerland Travel coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo: shiftfestival]

Fall-Culture-Travel-Map

Fall Culture Travel :: Tinguely Museum and Unser Bier in Basel

October 18, 2007 at 10:00 AM | 0 Comments

You don't have to stay at home just because the leaves are changing. Follow along on our Fall Culture Map to discover what's happening this autumn.

If you're not quite an art gallery fan but need to get inside during a fall day in Basel, Switzerland, then try the eccentric but well-renowned Jean Tinguely Museum. Initially created by the (allegedly) crazy artist Tinguely, it's a collection of unusual sculptures, decorations and other kinds of artwork, a large proportion of which were created from junk. The artwork also tends to move, make noises, jump, clatter and generally surprise you. Rotating exhibitions from like-minded artists keep the Tinguely a fascinating place to return to, too.

In the center of Basel, there's also a Tinguely statue and sculpture set, all designed to function as a fountain. Weird things spray water in unexpected places, and you'll usually find a bunch of tourists taking pictures.

Afterwards, back near the central train station in the Gundeldinger District, you'll find the simply-named brewery Unser Bier, which translates to "Our Beer". You'll have to time your visit right as Unser Bier is usually only open to the public on Thursday and Friday nights (the rest of the week it's often booked for private functions), but it's such a sweet Swiss success story that you've got to try it. It's a microbrewery that opened just a decade ago but is quickly grabbing market share from people who want to buy strictly local beer--that tastes really good.

Related Stories:
· When Garbage is More Than Garbage [Jaunted]
· Tinguely Museum [Official Site]
· Unser Bier [Official Site]
· Fall Culture Travel Map [Jaunted]
· Fall Culture Travel Coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo: tbonejuju]

Museums

When Garbage is More Than Garbage

July 14, 2006 at 9:25 AM | 0 Comments

How can we describe the displays at the Tinguely Museum in Basel, Switzerland? Are they useless junk, masterpieces, or somewhere in between? Sadly, our opinion doesn't matter, because those experts have already declared the strange sculptures of Jean Tinguely to be valuable.

Housed in a comically curving building on the Rhine, this collection of moving junk sculptures is not your typical art gallery. From rusty wrecks of farm equipment to broken rocking horses and discards from an automobile factory, everything has its place here. You'll either love it or wonder why the hell you forked out 10 Swiss francs for the pleasure. But rest assured, you'll definitely remember it.

The message clearly is--don't tell your mother we said this--never throw anything away. Stick it all together, say it's art, and you'll soon be able to buy your own yacht. And don't forget to give us a cut of your profits.

[Image via fastfoodthought/Flickr]