Often referred to as the Grande Dame of Death, La Calavera Catrina (the “elegant skull”)—or, simply, La Catrina—is frequently seen throughout the streets of Mexico during the Day of the Dead, or Día de Muertos, celebrations. You’ve likely seen the face before: an eerie meld of macabre and charm; fear and poise. But from where did this deathly figure emerge? What does she stand for? And why has she become such a ubiquitous part of Mexican culture?
To celebrate Mexico’s Day of the Dead (Spanish: Día de Muertos), Mattel is releasing a second special-edition Barbie doll. With her traditional calavera (English: skull) face-paint, floral-updo, and skull-and-flowers-patterned lace gown, this gorgeous doll encapsulates the celebrations of this time.
As we adapt to a new normal to help prevent the spread of COVID-19, outdoor enthusiasts are finding ways to get back outside safely. Being outside isn’t just good for your physical health, it can help combat feelings of anxiety, stress, and worry brought on by the uncertainty of the global pandemic. As long as we’re following guidelines set out by local governments and keeping the wellbeing of ourselves and our neighbors in mind, it’s possible to get your much-needed fix of mountain air.
When searching the centuries for suitable examples, Alice Liddell is perhaps not the most likely of literary muses. Few children are. But it was her natural charm and, most significantly, her wondrous sense of curiosity that endeared her to Charles Lutwidge Dodgson, better known by his pen name, Lewis Carroll. In fact, little Alice proved to be such an inspiration to the budding English writer and mathematician, that had the two not been introduced during the mid-1800s, the world of “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland” might never have come to be.
Amy Jandrisevits makes dolls. And not just any dolls—handmade craftworks that are exact look-alikes for children who are physically different. Like other innovators before her, she came up with the idea for her unique side business after noticing a lack of diversity among similar products on the market—stuffed figurines with vacant, lifeless plastic eyes peering out from toy store shelves. She took it upon herself to change all that.
As the rest of the world continues to power through the COVID-19 pandemic, a delightful and intoxicating respite has returned to Italy — one of the planet’s most ravaged and earliest hit countries — in the form of tiny windows scattered throughout the luscious Tuscany region. The surprise awaiting imbibers on the other end of the opening is vino, pure and simple. A staple beverage that is ubiquitous to Italy; presented, with discreet charm, in a historic display that seems to indicate that things, finally, might just be returning to normal.
The current state of the world has us all screaming for a gateway to the past. Since we haven’t quite figured out that whole time machine thing, the world’s last Blockbuster store in Bend, Oregon, is here to save the day.
There are only a handful of private residences that have the name recognition and cultural significance of Graceland. It’s not the White House or Buckingham Palace, but as an architectural wonder and symbol of one of the planet’s most popular and innovative musicians, this Memphis mansion has certainly earned its standing amongst royalty.
There are unique living spaces, and then there’s Bruce Campbell’s humble abode. Nestled deep within the expansive forests of Hillsboro, Oregon, resting atop the nettled-strewn ground, sits a massive airliner. No, it’s not just the hollowed-out hull of some twisted fuselage from a bygone crash landing. This airplane is supposed to be there. Well, maybe not supposed to be there, but its presence in the woods is definitely by design.
The National Civil Rights Museum is an intricate complex of historic buildings in Memphis, Tennessee. At the heart of this structure, located at 450 Mulberry Street, is the Lorraine Motel, a site which, despite its unassuming name, has become the unintentional epicenter of one of the most important moments in American history. The significance of this humble-looking motor lodge is immense.
