🌍 Culture

• 🦃On Thanksgiving

  Sarah Vowell offers a humorous observation about the irony of Thanksgiving celebrations and American independence.

• 🎶“Gaviota,” performed Amália Rodrigues

  A lovely performance from the late diva of fado, Amália Rodrigues, showcasing the longing-infused essence of this Portuguese music style.

• 🎨Cartonlandia, by Ana Serrano

  I adore the vibrant color and unique spatial qualities in the collage-like sculpture by Ana Serrano.

• 🛩️Noise pollution, 1930s-style

  A whimsical take on historical aerial advertising through an amusing quote about a police amphibian airplane's chase.

• 🎨Frickin’ awesome!

  A reflective look at the balance between cultural giving and more pressing humanitarian needs from Allison Schrager.

• 👸Modelling Snow White

  A look at the evolution of Snow White, from her original design influenced by a live model to her modern, curvier representation.

• 🕊️Hermit-sacristans of this information age

  An exploration of the multifaceted role of hermits in both historical and contemporary cultures.

• 🪑Cheaper than a bottle of wine

  Celebrating the enduring legacy of Thonet's Model No. 14, a chair that revolutionized design and accessibility.

• 🏙️Architecture as anthill madness

  Exploring the enduring artistic fascination with the Tower of Babel, revealing its complex symbolism in architecture and culture.

• 🎨Image vs. presence

  A reflection on the complexities of art and perception from Lawrence Weschler's dialogues with David Hockney and Robert Irwin.

• 🍶Golden Gai, Tokyo

  Exploring the vibrant and historical charm of Golden Gai in Tokyo, where yakuza once ran the bars, captured beautifully in this brush pen drawing.

• 🎹In tune with the times

  From Barry Gewen's review, a deep exploration of how equal temperament has shaped Western music and its cultural implications.

• 🪞Crazy in the same way?

  This analysis dives into how psychotic delusions are influenced by the cultural context of their times, reflecting societal anxieties and technologies.

• 💃Dance Dance Dance!, by Christopher Bautista

  A vibrant capture of movement and expression, this piece evokes the joy of dance. "Dance Dance Dance!", photo by Christopher Bautista, 2008. Based on the context, relevant geolocation coordinates are approximately 34.0522° N, 118.2437° W (Los Angeles, California).

• ⛪Worship first, then farm

  This excerpt explores the revolutionary idea that religious structures may have prompted the formation of early Neolithic societies before the advent of agriculture.

• 💔Geography of longing

  Here's an alternative to the state-by-state maps we're being bombarded with in these latter electoral days

• 🤪You don’t have to be Russian, but it helps

  An exploration of the rich tradition of holy fools in both Western and Eastern Christianity, particularly highlighting the unique manifestations in Russia.

• 🕊️Comic grace

  A reflection on the interplay of grace and passion in human lives and societies, highlighting both their significance and humor.

• 🌍A breath wafted from Paradise over the human world

  An exploration of how spices from foreign lands captivated the imagination of Medieval Europeans.

• 🙏The root of real honor

  A reflection on the sacredness of family and honor, drawing from a profound narrative in _Gilead_.

• 📻A hoax hoax

  A reconsideration of the "War of the Worlds" broadcast reveals that the panic it generated was largely overstated and not nearly as widespread as believed.

• 📚Necessity > custom > obligation > institution

  Luis Soriano's inspiring journey to bring books and education to impoverished communities in Colombia is a testament to the impact one individual can have.

• 🎭The afterlife of Gordon Gekko

  Reflection on the unintended consequences of cultural narratives, particularly in film.

• 🌟Glamour and grace

  This post explores the rich and varied history of glamour, spanning from renaissance art to contemporary culture.

• 🏰Holy Monastery of Simonos Petra, Mt. Athos, Greece

  An evocative reflection on a 13th-century Orthodox monastery that beautifully captures its duality of precariousness and homeliness amidst the twilight. This excerpt highlights the unexpected presence of an orange plastic debris chute, juxtaposing ancient architecture with modernity.

• 🫒Sorting olives

  Witness the olive-sorting process as captured in this poignant image of a Palestinian woman during the harvest.

• 🎨Arabesques

  From a lovely French collection of prints, this piece showcases "Arab art from the monuments of Cairo, from the 7th through the 19th centuries," illustrating a vibrant tapestry of designs over the centuries. Geolocation coordinates

• 🗄️Junk Drawer, Chicago IL, by Paho Mann

  A fascinating glimpse into the hidden chaos of everyday life with a photo of a junk drawer in Chicago.

• 📚Notes from the Archbishop

  The Archbishop of Canterbury dives into the complexities of Dostoyevsky, merging literary critique and theology.

• 📚Best book review opening ever

  A reflection on the sensory experience of books, particularly their scents, as captured in Nicholson Baker's delightful prose.

• 🌍If There Ever Was - A Book of Extinct and Impossible Smells

  Aroma is creatively underutilized, as Robert Blackson explores through conceptual scent art.

• 🐒Gilgamesh for apes

  An exploration of the intersection between animal language studies and human literature, highlighting the effort to enrich primate communication through creative translations.

• 🍚Meghli (Lebanese Rice pudding)

  Meghli, a delightful Lebanese rice pudding traditionally prepared for special occasions, especially to celebrate a newborn.

• 📚Give or take 100,000 words

  An exploration of the complexities of translating literature, especially in the case of Hugo’s "Les Misérables."

• 🎭Miss Piggy Lee

  A deep dive into the origins of Miss Piggy and the art of puppetry from Bonnie Erickson.

• 🌏Spanish Catholic schoolgirl crushes

  In a reflection on the evolution of travel writing, Rolf Potts discusses the complexities of globalization and the shifting narratives in contemporary travel stories.

• 🍳Strawberries and reindeer

  An exploration of the profound significance of cooking in human culture.

• 👫The old 7–13–50–90–150

  Exploring the dynamics of group sizes and their implications for community structure and survival.

• 🐘Babar, Arthur and Celeste

  A glimpse into Babar's adventures from Jean de Brunhoff's sketches, highlighting the moment he takes Arthur and Celeste shopping.

• 🍚Rice and salt and sand

  Joygun Nessa skillfully crafts puffed rice using a traditional Bangladeshi technique, highlighting the delicate balance of fire, rice, and timing.

• 🎨The colourful apartment buildings of Tirana, Albania

  Tirana, Albania, has transformed its urban landscape through vibrant colors and unique patterns on its buildings. An example of this creative approach is highlighted in the following quote

• 🍽️At most, sharing a pudding

  As the French grapple with economic challenges, their beloved tradition of lengthy business lunches is at risk, illustrating a cultural shift that echoes across the channel. "It is seen as the mark of civilised eating, distinguishing well-fed French workers from the English who wolf prawn sandwiches at their desks..."

• 💧Living waters (slightly) reinterpreted

  An exploration of how Jewish feminists have reinterpreted the mikveh, transforming what was once seen as a symbol of patriarchal oppression into a celebration of women's connection to tradition and spirituality.

• 🩴Water bottle sandals, by Kinzénguélé

  This striking representation of resourcefulness comes from Kinzénguélé's water bottle sandals, blending art and practicality in a unique way.

• 🍃Turf-cutting

  A reflection on the contrasts between the art of turf-cutting and its poetic representation in Seamus Heaney's work.

• 🏡Dave, Merredin, Western Australia, by Caitlin Harrison

  I love this pair of landscapes

• 🌌Grand ideas first,  obstacles later

  A critical reflection on the narrative of world-changing meetings and the potential consequences of scientific endeavors, particularly referencing CERN's impact on our understanding of the universe.

• 🍞Perchers, pinchers, turners, swingers

  A delightful exploration of vintage toasters and their innovative designs.

• 🎨No. 8 Rue Franklin, Nantes, France

  A reflection on the juxtaposition of beauty and vandalism in Nantes' architectural landscape.

• 🏙️Dream City, by Paul Klee

  Reflecting on Klee's vision of a timeless cityscape.