I am not embarrassed at all to admit that I have spent an inordinate amount of time thinking about things in the Lord of the Rings universe such as : who is in charge of trash collection; and what are the tax rates; and who collects the taxes and decides how the revenue is spent. Well, I recently stumbled on an enlightening article online at Goldwag's Journal on Civilization titled "The Moral Economy of the Shire." It's a surprisingly good read even if you are not a LOTR fanatic.
Like many a curious adolescent, my introduction to the writing of Vladimir Nabokov was by way of his controversial novel Lolita . Much later, I got around to reading some of his other less salacious works such as Transparent Things and Ada or Ardor. By far my favorite (other than Lolita) has always been Pale Fire, but to be honest, I found it to be somewhat confusing. The excellent article at UnHerd by the novelist Mary Gaitskill titled "Don't be terrified of Pale Fire Nabokov's masterpiece has a complex but huge heart" helps to unravel the intricate plotting of the book.
Who could possibly resist an article titled "What Frida Kahlo Kept in Her Bathroom" ?After artist Frida Kahlo's death in 1954, her husband, painter Diego Rivera, blocked off two bathrooms in their home, La Casa Azul, on the condition that they not be opened until at least 15 years after his death.
In 2005, La Casa Azul, now part of Museo Frida Kahlo, invited fellow legendary Mexican artist Graciela Iturbide to photograph the space and the belongings inside.
You see for yourself right here.
I am not an artist, but I live with one, so I am constantly exposed to art supplies and materials of all sorts. The marvelous video below from Business Insider's series Still Standing, is an endearing look at La Maison du Pastel, a 300-year-old Parisian company that makes pastels for artists by hand. Back in its golden age, the company supplied the likes of Monet & Degas but fell into neglect near the end of the 20th century. The newest generation of ownership has restored the company and they now offer over 1,900 different pastel colors.
What could possibly be more fun than a Dutch bicycle orchestra riding on a summer's day in the Netherlands.
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