1. Aerial photographs of 1960s communal dining areas in Singapore’s social housing
A series by local creative Jonathan Tan found on Creative Boom.
2. For 2,000 years, the waters of the Euphrates have washed over these Roman mosaics in Zeugma, Turkey
When plans for new dams on the Euphrates meant that much of Zeugma would be forever flooded, it spawned an ambitious excavation project sponsored by the Turkish government, the California-based Packard Humanities Institute and American universities. The excavations discovered homes, public buildings and market squares that contained one of the largest and most important collections of Roman mosaic art ever found. Ultimately, a decision was made to build a museum to preserve and display the extraordinary mosaics from what has been called “one of the most important cultural heritage sites in Turkey.”
Zeugma Mosaic Museum contains mosaics from the site, and is one of the largest mosaic museums in the world.
3. The River Stone Collector
For over 50 years, Luigi Lineri has walked along the Adige River in Northern Italy in search of stones. The stones he collects are brought home and categorized by shape: human profiles, animal heads, tools, etc.
Find his website here.
4. A Private Canyon Cliff House for your Next Getaway
Book it on Airbnb.
5. A Volkswagen Campsite in Lebanon’s Countryside
More information found here.
6. The mansion in The Royal Tenenbaums is on the market for the first time since 1999
Back when he was shooting the film, Anderson rented the house … for six months, using it for both interior and exterior scenes (all three of the children’s bedrooms were apparently in the turret — the top floor Richie’s, then Chas’s, then Margot’s). The current interiors mix lots of original woodwork (the staircase, plus all of the wall paneling and window casings) with some updates (the kitchen has all-black cabinetry and the bathrooms are renovated in white and gray). But a few rooms still feel vaguely Wes Anderson-esque, like the dining room, which is plastered in red-and-gold wallpaper, and the powder-blue living room.
Here is the listing, found on Curbed.
7. A Man and his Fox
8 . Cicada, Stages of Conventionalization
Hugo Froelich, Keramic Studio Magazine, 1905, found on Tumblr.
9. An Anti-Smoking Sign 100 Years Ago outside Illinois (at a time when smoking was generally considered healthy)
Found on Reddit
10. A Crossing Sweeper
A common sight on the streets of large cities during much of the 19th century, a crossing sweeper was a person working as a street sweeper who would sweep a path ahead of people crossing dirty urban streets in exchange for a gratuity. The predominance of horse-drawn vehicles—and the general uncleanliness of urban streets—entailed certain difficulties in crossing intersections. For example, the long dresses of many elite women might easily be soiled by horse droppings (among other forms of refuse). Crossing sweepers, by sweeping the pavement ahead of a person crossing the street and creating a path that was referred to as a “broom walk,” thus offered a service, particularly to the more affluent. This practice was an informal occupation among the urban poor, primarily during the 19th century. It was the focus of fairly intense study and commentary, and attitudes toward the presence of crossing sweepers on city streets varied greatly among urban residents, ranging from appreciation for their work to feelings that they were a public nuisance. Crossing sweepers also found their way into 19th-century fiction and artwork, including a novel by Charles Dickens and a popular painting by William Powell Frith.
Found on Wikipedia.
11. Inside the last matriarchy in Europe
On the little island of Kihnu, seven miles off the coast of Estonia, women run the show. The island still functions as one of the last matriarchal societies left in the world. Historically, Kihnu’s men spend most of the year fishing at sea in order to provide for their families back home. In their absence, the women lead the community of 400 strong, cultivating a vibrant folk culture while protecting and preserving their ancient traditions.
Watch a short video about their culture.
12. Inside the Costume Department at Warner Bros Studios (with Huell Howser)
13. An Auction of Parisian Relics
A sale of the ultimate collectors items for Paris lovers, 18 May 2021, 1pm Paris time, at the famous Drouot Auction house (also open for digital bidders).
A sale of the ultimate collectors items for Paris lovers, Tuesday 18 May 2021, 1pm Paris time, at the famous Drouot Auction house (also open for digital bidders).
Browse the lots here. Visit the salesroom here.