New public artwork imitates the changing mood of the city

by Jessica Festa on

For the people of Lindau, Germany, there is no such thing as keeping your mood to yourself. At least, not since German artists Julius Von Bismarck, Richard Wilhelmer, and Benjamin Maus installed a “Fuehlometer” (Feel-o-Meter), an interactive piece of public artwork that gauges and replicates the city’s mood swings.

The large smiley face is set on top of a lighthouse and changes expression as the people of the city do. How it works is a digital camera set along the water takes photos of peoples’ faces, which are then sent to a computer program to be analyzed. Once the mood is determined, the artwork will either show a happy, sad, or indifferent expression.

Want to see what the Feel-o-Meter looks like in action? Check out this video.

Ten things adventure travel has taught me

by Sean McLachlan on


The adventure travel bug bit me early, back when I was twenty years old. That was, I shudder to say, more than half my life ago. In that time I’ve been to many places generally considered dangerous–Somaliland, Syria, Iran–yet I’ve come through just fine and made lots of great friendships on the road. I’ve learned some things too. Here are ten things you might want to remember when you go on your own adventure trip.

1. Always shake out your boots before putting them on.

2. Never trust a fat man in a thin country.

3. The more obscure the language, the more people will appreciate you trying to learn it.

4. If you’re a First Worlder visiting the Third World, it doesn’t matter what your social status is back home, here you are rich and everyone knows it.

5. You are far more adaptable than you think.

6. Being there doesn’t make you special. How you handle yourself determines that.

7. Treat the old with respect, the young with affection, and everyone as an equal, and any culture worth visiting will welcome you.

8. You are not a member of the tribe and never will be. That’s not an insult, simply a fact.

9. You can’t fix all the world’s problems, but there are many little things you can do to push it in the right direction.

. . .and most important of all. . .

10. No matter what country you’re in, the majority of people are decent. Many folks who have never been anywhere believe this, and that speaks well of them, but the only way to really know it’s true is to go and check.

I have, and it is.

Popular blind French eatery in Europe debuts in New York this month

by Jessica Festa on

The popular French eatery where patrons are served by blind waiters in complete darkness has been a complete success in Europe. On December 9, 2011, the restaurant will try its luck in the United States, making a debut in New York.

Right now, Dans Le Noir has locations in Paris, London, Moscow, Barcelona, and St. Petersburg. While a bit bizarre, the concept is actually educational as well, as people get to have a unique dining experience while learning what it’s like to be visually impaired. Dining at Dans Le Noir is also, in essence, a live show, as guests are entertained by the staff and space.

So, how does it work? After being welcomed in the bar area and signing a waiver, guests choose a surprise dinner menu based on their dietary restrictions. For example, if you’re a vegetarian who doesn’t eat meat or fish you would choose the “Green” menu. This also means that you will not be choosing your wines but will be guided by the restaurant’s French wine expert, Christophe Garnier. Before being led into the pitch black dining area, lockers are available to put your possessions (you are not permitted to bring in anything that gives off light), and guests are advised to use the restrooms for safety reasons. From there, a guide will lead you into complete darkness, where you will spend the rest of the night eating, drinking, and talking without being able to see a thing.

Sound like fun? Click here for more information. Also, if you’d like to make a booking for the restaurant’s grand opening in New York, click here.

Artists make childhood dreams a reality with an interactive land submarine

by Jessica Festa on

While this submarine may not go underwater, it certainly has a lot of features. Five Ton Crane, a San Francisco Bay Area collective arts group, has created a life-sized vessel called The Nautilus in West Oakland, California, that not only has built-in iPad technology, a library, GPS navigation, hydraulic drive controls, a night vision periscope, and a full bar, but also the ability to defend against enemies with a Harpoon gun water cannon that shoots up to 13 gallons per minute.

The retro-futuristic art installation was built in line with the idea of steampunk, meaning that the submarine is a design of the past with the future in mind. Alan Rorie, one of the Five Ton Crane artists who also happens to have a Ph.D in Neuroscience from Stanford University, explains it perfectly by saying, “Let’s imagine that technology was a little bit more advanced in the Victorian and Edwardian time. What would that be like?”

While there is an emphasis on technology, the artists also make sure to focus on craftsmanship, creating a look that appears hand-built (because it is) instead of machine-made.

This isn’t the first big kid’s toy that Five Ton Crane has created. Other pieces include a gigantic tree house and the Raygun Gothic Rocketship, which is currently on display along San Francisco’s Embarcadero waterfront. If you dreamed about it as a child, chances are Five Ton Crane will make it a tangible reality.

For a better idea of the project, check out this video:

The Nautilus submarine from Oakland North on Vimeo.

Could you be a Papantla Flyer in Mexico?

by Jessica Festa on

Do you think you could handle having one leg tied to the top of a shaky 30 meter pole while you hang limply from the top? How about then being quickly spun in circles as you slowly fall to the ground?

The feat is known as the Danza de los Voladores de Papantla, or Dance of the Flyers. The ritual, which is thought to have been used to call on the gods during times of drought, is best associated with the town of Papantla, Veracruz in Mexico, where it still takes place. There are five people who take part in the dance, including four flyers and one person who stands at the top of the tall pole dancing and playing a flute and drum.

We’ve seen the thrill seeking travelers of Fuel TV‘s “Strangers in Danger“, Mike “Rooftop” Escamilla and Zach “Catfish” Yankush eat live octopus in Korea, and tonight we’ll get to watch as they do the Dance of the Flyers, a feat which seems to scare them even more. Check out a clip of what you can expect here or watch the full episode tonight (and every Tuesday) at 10:30 E/P.