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…

Has Paris overlooked one of its most gifted artists of the Belle Epoque?

We all know Toulouse-Lautrec, but how about Georges Bottini? You won’t find a single plaque or street name commemorating his memory, but if there were any artist eponymous with life in bohemian Montmartre, it’s him. He was a true creature of the Montmartre underworld, an artist whose colourful and expressive snapshots inspired Picasso. So scoot…

13 Things I Found on the Internet Today (Vol. 676)

1. New National Museum of… (fill in the blank) invites contemplation on the role and pervasiveness of US museums The Pittsburgh-based artist Jon Rubin’s latest public project, The National Museum, considers the pervasiveness of museums across the country, the narratives they present and those they exclude. The project occupies an abandoned storefront at 604 Wood Street…

Muse du Jour: Gabriella Crespi

Hit pause on reality for a moment and step into the fabulous shoes of a bohemian design diva whose life reads much like a fairy tale. With looks straight from the glossy pages of Vogue Italia; classy, sassy, smart, uber-talented and spiritually-minded. Gabriella Crespi is one of those designers who isn’t necessarily a household name,…

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,…

A Breezy Hike through Laurel Canyon’s 1960s Music Mecca

Imagine popping out for groceries and running into The Doors frontman Jim Morrison or Canadian rocker Neil Young, maybe scoring an invite to Joni Mitchell’s house for dinner or a BBQ at Jimi Hendrix’s. If you’d lived in a small community in the Hollywood Hills in the 1960’s, the idea wasn’t so far-fetched. Throw on…

13 Things I Found on the Internet Today (Vol. 675)

1. A record of 1960s Lebanese life, long hidden from view At the height of his popularity in the 60s and 70s, Studio Shehrazade, run by local man Hashem El Madani, would have up to 100 customers a day passing through in the upmarket Shehrazade building, in the port city of Saida. Not only did…

The Messy Nessy Personality-Curated Gift Guide

“Remember, the big stores don’t do ‘a little Jig’ when they make a sale. Make someone ‘jig’ this year.” I’ve always put a lot of thought into finding unique gifts at the holidays and if you’re a long-time reader, chances are we probably share similar tastes. So without further ado, let’s go gift-shopping… For the…

Virtually Unknown in the West, But She’s an Icon of the Arab World

The best way to make fast friends with a taxi driver in the Middle East? Ask them a simple question: “Fairuz or Umm Kulthum?” Sensational diva, singer, songwriter and actress, affectionately called ‘Egypt’s fourth pyramid’ and ‘mother of the Arabs’, Rolling Stones magazine ranked Umm Kulthum at number 61 of the 200 greatest singers of…

A French Youtuber went to Visit China’s Fake Paris for Himself

It’s been over a decade since we first blogged (yes, back when we called it blogging) about the European clone towns of China, including the city on the outskirts of Shanghai built around a fake Eiffel Tower with a replica Champs Elysées and rows of Haussmann-inspired Parisian townhouses. The gated community of Tianducheng, built in…