March 31, 2023

UNUSUAL ART PLACES  Hidden Caravaggio Art  There’s a rare ceiling painting by Caravaggio, the 17th-century “rebel artist,” lurking in a Roman villa. Not that you would know, though—the painting has received remarkably little attention from art historians. It’s probably not even the most news-worthy element about the notorious villa, which is currently the focal point of an inheritance feud between old-world aristocrats and a Texan princess. The Caravaggio painting just happens to be here. Wild.  READ MORE →   AMUSEMENT PARK HISTORY Luna Luna In the summer of 1987, the world’s first art amusement park, Luna Luna, opened in a lush, green park outside Hamburg, Germany. Some 250,000 people visited that summer to marvel over and even ride dozens of fairground amusements designed and built by some of the era’s most influential artists, including Salvador Dalí and Jean-Michel Basquiat. It abruptly shuttered after only a few years and stayed uncared for until 2019, when rap superstar Drake decided to try bringing Luna Luna back to life. READ MORE →   SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS Rube Waddell's Grave George “Rube” Waddell was born in Bradford, Pennsylvania on October 13, 1876. He was one of the best pitchers in the history of professional baseball, but today he is mostly remembered for his unconventional behavior and antics, both on and off the field. READ MORE →   GASTRO OBSCURA COURSES Writing the Food Memoir In this generative memoir-writing workshop led by award-winning writer Gina Rae La Cerva, we’ll use the subject of food as a starting point to explore our inner worlds. We’ll access deep memories, connect to our childhoods, examine our heritage, and reflect on our personal growth. Whether you want to write a restaurant review, a reflection on your favorite food memory, or the life history of a family recipe, get ready to cook up some piquant prose. ENROLL NOW →   GASTRO OBSCURA Fortune Cookies are Japanese Fortune cookies—that sweet treat served with a side of pithy wisdom—are such a staple in Chinese-American restaurants that many diners are surprised to learn they are not from China. Often described as an invention of immigrants in California, they can in fact be traced back to Japan, where bakers still make the original version, known as tsujiura senbei oromikuji senbei. READ MORE →   MALACCA, MALAYSIA Hang Li Poh’s Well (Perigi Raja) This well was a significant source of water for the city-state of Malacca in the mid-15th century, and it is said that it has never dried up even during the worst droughts. The well, however, is far from solely being a provider of life-giving water. It also brought death in 1511, when warriors of the sultan of Malacca poisoned the well and covertly killed some 200 Portuguese colonizers. READ MORE →   THE ATLAS OBSCURA PODCAST A Delicious Mission with Cheuk Kwan In this episode of The Atlas Obscura Podcast, filmmaker and writer Cheuk Kwan shares a round-the-world meal: three courses, three incredible places, three stories of Chinese immigration.   CRYPTIDS GALORE The World’s Best Hometown Monsters What’s the world’s best cryptid? Opinions vary. (On our end, there’s a hot debate between Mothman and Bigfoot.) For some, an unusual rock, unexplained crop circles, a footprint, or some hair are all the evidence they need that there are creatures unknown to humanity, hiding in the woods, lakes, and mountains. Here are 25 places to (potentially) see yetis, sea monsters, Sasquatch, and other cryptids. READ MORE →   SEAFOOD A Rock That’s Alive Pyura chilensis looks just like a rock. Anyone swimming by this Chilean sea creature might not give it a second glance. But slice into its bumpy carapace and you’ll hit slimy, tomato-red flesh that oozes clear blood. Coastal dwellers enjoy fresh, diced piure in ceviche with onion, coriander, and lemon juice. READ MORE →