The Ritz Hotel Heir who Taught Hemingway How to Fish

Hemingway was an erratic character – one we associate with the greatest novels of course. His short, precise prose about his image of manhood are thick within the canon of American literature: women, hunting, liquor, and fishing. So you know that story about old Hem liberating the Ritz in 1944. The one where he famously rolled…

All Aboard the Giant Hippie Bus from London to Calcutta

Once upon a time, you could buy a ticket from London to Calcutta for less than the cost of a ticket from Paris to Rome. The year was 1957, baby boomers were still teenagers on the loose and flower power was on the rise. The Albert Travel double decker bus (originally called “Indiaman,”), left from…

Time Machine Art Show: Surrealist Exhibition of Paris, 1938

The 30’s was a booming, sensational time for the bizarre and avant garde – a high time for the flashing waves of surrealism before the dawn of the Second World War. Dali and Miro were still painting, Duchamp was on the scene, and Man Ray was producing photographs like the world had never seen before.…

Have you heard about the world of Habibi Funk?

Perhaps you remember the feeling of unearthing a really great gem at the record store – a forgotten band from another time with an original sound that sends those feel-good electric impulses to your brain. Habibi Funk is one of the few indie record labels bringing the sound of the Arab music world to the west,…

A Sapphic Sartorial Study of Lady Troubridge

Rest assured, the roots of fashion have never really been straight. Weaving in and out of contemporary culture, lesbians have been creating sapphic waves of influence on the mainstream style codes for generations; quietly, but surely. You know Una “Lady Troubridge” Vincenzo, even if you don’t think you do; her unmistakably sleek bob, the tux, the…

A Brief Compendium of Secret-ish Oddball Clubs and Societies

Clubs – organized groups of individuals sharing common interests or goals – have existed for centuries. The concept can be traced back to ancient times when people gathered for mutual support, sharing knowledge, and communal activities. They reflect our innate human desire for a sense of belonging, collaboration and shared experiences, but also, the allure…

The Wicked Society Magazine of the Gilded Age

Before the devil wore Prada, there was a Civil War veteran, a so-called “pasha of the Gilded Age,” who was one of the most vilified characters in magazine publishing. Arising out of nowhere like our beloved Gatsby, William d’Alton Mann became the kind of person all society people wished to emulate (in practice). He was well read,…

Being Bad with the Bouzingos: The First and Naughtiest of the Bohemian Subcultures

To be a Bouzingo was to be a part of a counter-culture group that wouldn’t go down in history, but would give birth to bohemianism as we know it. A mere footnote of the Belle Epoque, and yet this group of young and wild creatives of late 19th century Paris defined and changed the avant-garde…

Good Luck to the History Teachers who tackle the Narrative of Native Americans in Uniform

From the earliest colonial conflicts to the present day, the participation of Native American tribes and nations in American military campaigns spans a complex tapestry of alliances, conflicts, and shifting loyalties. But in our collective knowledge, so much of it is simply history unaccounted for. When we’re taught about that time America nearly split in…

The Unsung Artistry of 20th Century American Bath Ware

I came across some gorgeous vintage sinks on the gram and got to thinking about American bath ware. All too often overshadowed by Europe’s long history of artisanal and design talent, we forget that American design is largely responsible for the transformation of the home bathroom. So grab a luffa, throw on some slippers and…