Join Us in Celebration of T-Boy Society of Film & Music’s Writers’ Polls

By Ed Boitano

This March marks the seven-year anniversary of T-Boy Society of Film & Music’s writers’ poll. The ten below are among our favorites, but there will be more to come. No doubt you’ll notice that virtually every introduction states, this allows us to see a different side of our esteemed writers who’ve been regularly delivering original content; an original content that readers can only find on T-Boy. Redundant, yes; but an important reason why.

Destinations of the Heart

*The Beeve Foundation in Fiji offers free cataract surgery to a populace whose eyes have been ruined by the sun.*
Photograph courtesy of the Beeve Foundation.

Many Fijians I spoke with could not remember when they had vision and were spellbound when the day after surgery they gazed at Dr. Beeve with better than 20/40 vision. – Richard Carroll

See Writers’ Picks Here: Places in the Heart

Favorite Destinations for Music

By Ed Boitano

*Mozart’s birthplace (Geburtshaus) in Salzburg.* Photograph courtesy of Salzburg City Tourist Office © Tourismus Salzburg.

My dinner concert at Stiftskeller St. Peter was adorned with arias performed by candlelight between food courses, prepared with traditional recipes from Mozart’s era. – Ed Boitano

See Writers’ Picks Here: Visiting Domestic or International Destinations for its Music

Favorite Food Destination Cities

By Ed Boitano

different types of pasta on display in Bologna — A shop selling delicacies for the palate in Bologna, Italy. Photograph by Deb Roskamp.

There is a reason why Bologna is referred to as “The Fat One.”– Deb Roskamp

See Writers’ Picks Here: T-Boy Society of Film and Music’s Favorite Food Destination Cities

The First International Destination You’d Visit in the Post Pandemic World

By Ed Boitano

Dylan Thomas' boathouse in Laugharne, South West Wales — *The converted boathouse in Wales where Dylan Thomas lived with his family.* Photo courtesy of Deb Roskamp.

We planned a fun trip to explore Wales and the Channel Islands. Of course, Covid got in the way for the past two years. So, the United Kingdom will be my next international destination. – James Boitano

See Writers’ Picks Here: The First International Destination You’d Visit in the Post Pandemic World

T-Boy Society of Film & Music’s Favorite Museums

By Ed Boitano

Nobel Prize Museum, Stockholm, Sweden — The Nobel Prize Museum located in the heart of Stockholm’s Old Town (Gamla Stan), showcases the discoveries and creativity of the Nobel Laureates. PHOTO COURTESY OF ÅKE ESON LINDMAN.

In the reading room, I found copies of volumes by Nobel Literature Laureates and a cozy place to page through them. – Susan Breslow

See Writers’ Picks Here: T-Boy Society of Film and Music’s Favorite Museums

Top North-American-English Language Travel Novels

By Ed Boitano

“U.S.A. Trilogy” by John Dos Passos’ comprises of “The 42nd Parallel” (1930), “1919” (1932) and “The Big Money” (1936). The books were first published together in a volume titled U.S.A. by Modern Library in 1937.

Dos Passos’ political and social reflections in the novel are deeply pessimistic about the political and economic direction of the United States, but a few of his characters manage to hold onto their ideals through the First World War. – Allan T. Smith

See Writers’ Picks Here: The T-Boy Society of Film & Music’s Top Five North-American-English Language Travel Novels

Best Directorial Film Trilogies

By Ed Boitano

Tom Hardy takes on the role of Max in Miller’s “Mad Max: Fury Road.”

Film is, to me, the trickster. I think I can be around a thousand years and never understand the process. – George Miller

See Writers’ Picks Here: Best Directorial Film Trilogies

Favorite Man-Made World Wonders

By Ed Boitano

Space Needle, Seattle — *Seattle’s Space Needle constructed for the 1962 Century 21 Exposition – Seattle World’s Fair.* Photograph by Deb Roskamp.

As a first-grader, each day at recess I would rush out to my elementary school playground and watch the construction of Seattle’s Space Needle, marveling at its new growth and futuristic space age splendor. Little did I know that my maritime town, seemingly hidden in the northwest corner of the U.S., would become a world-class city for the rest of the planet to see. – Ed Boitano

See Writers’ Picks Here: The T-Boy Society of Film & Music’s Favorite Man Made World Wonders – Traveling Boy

Friendliest Destinations in the World

By Ed Boitano

Taizé Community, France — The Taizé Community is an ecumenical Christian monastic fraternity in France, composed of more than one hundred brothers, originating from about thirty countries across the world. PHOTO COURTESY OF DAMIR JELIC via WIKIMEDIA COMMONS.

The Taizé Community in France stands for peace, unity, kindness, and reconciliation and as far as I know is the only monastic tradition officially recognized by all three historical branches of Christianity: Orthodox, Catholic, and Protestant. During only a week there, I was told by many people of vastly different backgrounds and religious beliefs that Taizé is one place they truly feel at home. – Alex Brouwer

See Writers’ Picks Here: T-Boy Society of Film & Music’s Friendliest Destinations in the World

Favorite Beach Destinations

By Ed Boitano

Red Beach Crete, Matala, Crete — Matala’s Red Beach in southern Crete can be reached by water via small boat, kayak, or by hiking about 25 minutes from Matala. PHOTOS COURTESY OF ANDREE STEPHAN VIA WIKIMEDIA COMMONS.

Jump forward to the 1960s, when Matala became a troglodyte mecca on the hippie circuit and Joni Mitchell sang, “The night is a starry dome, And they’re playin’ that scratchy rock and roll, Beneath the Matala moon.”– Stephen Brewer

See Writers’ Picks Here: T-Boy Society of Film & Music’s Favorite Beach Destinations

Look for Part ll in the near future.