She Put Bohemianism on New York’s Front Page

No magazine has a cover style as distinctive, enduring and charming as that of The New Yorker. With its unmistakably unique title font and with almost a century’s commitment to using original artwork on its front cover in every weekly edition since 1925, it’s arguably the most influential magazine ever when it comes to culture,…

The Third Man Guide to Vienna

Vienna is rightly regarded as one of Europe’s most elegant capital cities, resplendent with Baroque architecture and built upon centuries of the Imperial grandeur and wealth of the Hapsburg Empire. A city where visitors can spend a weekend marvelling at the Lipizzaner horses performing precise equine ballet at the Spanish Riding School before visiting the…

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

1. Croatian “Licitar” ornaments (biscuits made of sweet honey dough) From ‘Le Mode du Pain’, 1984, found on Print SF. More about Licitar on Wikipedia. 2. A Love letter from 1913 that opens up into an art gallery Alfred Joseph Frueh to Giuliette Fanciulli, found in the Smithsonian Archives. 3. The work of Marguerite Zorach,…

The Fiat King and his Forgotten Dolce Vita Island

For the world’s billionaires — from Richard Branson to Bill Gates — owning an island is one of the most extravagant ways to flaunt your wealth. But while many envision a private oasis all to themselves, the so-called “King of Italy” bought his island to build the most exclusive, state-of-the-art resort. He envisioned it as…

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NYC Inspiration & Events Guide for Spring 2022

Spring in New York City is the loveliest time of the year when the air smells fresh, rent gets more expensive, and already active New Yorkers become even more adventurous. We can thankfully spend this Spring (mostly) maskless, but keep in mind that you do have to wear a mask on the subway and inside…

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Behind the Curtain of the 1940s Chinatown Nightclubs that Shattered Asian Stereotypes

Picture a night out in 1940s San Francisco. You’re in a glamorous nightclub with a floorshow. A sequined dancer does a pas de bourrée on her toes while her tuxedoed partner wows the crowd with multiple drop splits. Then a singer with a warm bluesy voice belts Some of These Days. Finally, a nude dancer…

A Brief Compendium of Non-Human Graveyards

Ever wonder where the non-human things go to die? Wisconsin’s Graveyard of Fun Welcome to the FAST Graveyard. Yes, you read that correctly, FAST as in Fiberglass Animal Shapes and Trademarks. FAST Fiberglass L.L.C. is located in Sparta, Wisconsin in the Upper Midwest and has been making fiberglass statues since “the late 1960s or early…

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

1. “Cushion” by Jeffrey Shaw 1969 The Cushion was one of many inflatable ‘event structures’ that were conceived of as provocative sculptural interventions within the everyday urban environment. Placed on a street in Amsterdam, where it blocked traffic, this gigantic, soft pillow provided both a ludic spectacle and inducement for the onlookers to participate. Such an artwork…

Her Comics were Everything Jim Crow America Never Wanted Black Women to Be

In the comic strip Torchy Brown from Dixie to Harlem, a spunky Black teenager leaves her Mississippi home for the bright lights of Harlem. She’s glamorous, ambitious, clever, and so self-assured that when she sees a sign pointing one way for COLORED and another way for WHITE, her response is, “I’ll just pretend I can’t…

The Camp Culinary Adventures of TV’s First Celebrity Chef

You can’t beat a bit of Fanny, especially in the kitchen. Overshadowed by modern day macho MasterChefs, Fanny Cradock paved the way as the first ever celebrity chef and remains one in a million, like a dish you can perfect just once and never recreate. Spicing up British TV from the mid-1950s-70s, folks tuned in…