Our Zoom Date with a Paris Catacombs Explorer

Welcome to our Q&A with the fabulously entertaining Alexander J.E. Bradley – an artist and urban explorer whose mastery of the Paris catacombs has led us down many a rabbit hole (you may recall our trip to his underground catacombs cinema to watch The Rocky Horror Picture Show one Halloween). If you missed the live…

The Complicated New World of Voyeurism

The saying is we’re ‘living in strange times’, right? But just how “strange” are we willing to admit we’re becoming too? The nature of the worldwide lockdowns has us all looking out of our windows significantly more, searching for something or someone to uplift, inform or entertain us. As we applaud front liners with our…

13 Things I Found on the Internet Today (Vol. CDXCVI)

1. A Human Torpedo, 1967 They were used as secret naval weapons in World War II. The basic concept is still in use. The Italian Navy experimented with a primitive tiny sub carrying two men as 1918 and this craft did have some success. The first truly practical human torpedo was the Italian Maiale (nicknamed the “pig” because…

5 Uplifting Ways to “Take Yourself Out” during Lockdown

Treat yo self! With some of us going into our second week of lockdown, here at MNC, we’re trying to find ways to get excited for the weekend by finding alternatives to our outdoor adventures and social soirées. Picking up where we left off with our 20 Things to Do at Home instead of Banging…

Dream about Dressing Up Again with a Century-Old Fashion Magazine

What will you wear to your first social event when the lockdowns are over? Are you daydreaming about that moment yet? When you finally get to open your closet and put together an outfit that doesn’t involve a stretchy-pant combo. Here’s hoping this worldwide confinement will change fashion for us and bring us back to…

Sex Worker Brides & the Rise of “Millionaires” in the Twisted Tale of a Forgotten Economic Crash

Once upon a time, in pre-revolutionary Paris, French prisoners were set free under the condition that they married prostitutes and emigrated with them to Louisiana. The newlyweds were chained together, escorted to the port and sent to the land of the free. This bizarre and little-known anecdote of history comes from the story of one…

13 Things I Found on the Internet Today (Vol. CDXCV)

1. The longest car in the world (100 ft long, 26 wheels, jacuzzi & diving board, king-sized water bed & helicopter pad) It was called “The American Dream”, built by California custom car guru Jay Ohrberg… began life in the late 1980s at Ohrberg’s Hollywood Cars shop. Ohrberg selected a golden 1970s Cadillac Eldorado as a…

I Visited 18 Countries Today, How about You?

Not to brag, but I went all over the world today – before I’d even stopped for lunch! In these unprecedented times, when one of our greatest passions – travel – is taken away from us, it calls for a back-up plan. And that my fellow explorer, is armchair travelling. In addition to falling down…

13 Things I Found on the Internet Today (Vol. CDXCIV)

Or should I say, 13 Distractions I Found on the Internet Today? As always, we’re here to be your weekly escape from it all, whether that be through armchair travel, whimsical miniatures, or all the stories of strength and beauty from yesteryear and today… 1. These Incredible Miniature Greenhouses All created by Lady Jane. Check…

Your “Keep Calm & Stay Happy” Weekend Playlist

Let’s make a pact this weekend. A move to keep calm, carry on (funny how that suddenly doesn’t sound so cliché again, right?), and remember to see La Vie en Rose. That’s precisely why I’ve whipped up a little “Keep Calm & Stay Happy” playlist for your pleasure and relaxation, filled with all the melodies…