October 11, 2021

Tattoo Historians One of the challenges facing tattoo historians today is that many owners of historically significant material don’t come forward to share their finds, out of fear that scholars and the public would dismiss the subject as superficial or repulsive. Undeterred, every year these historians are documenting rare tools and designs and uncovering provenance trails of tattooed body parts that were put on public display—often amid great controversy. While the modern practice of tattooing itself has gained wide appeal, its multifaceted, multicultural origins and dark sides are still being exposed.  READ MORE → GASTRO OBSCURA Top 20 Places to Eat and Drink An underwater restaurant with a view. A bar built around a gilded tower full of gins from around the world. A bistro whose signature stew has been bubbling for half a century. Our Gastro Obscura page is a global guide featuring some 750 unique places to eat and drink. Each member of the team has their favorites: places we either visited and loved, or aspire to visit one day. Here, you’ll find 20 staff picks, ranging from a volcanic pizzeria to an auto shop slinging al pastor tacos. We hope you love them as much as we do! SEE ALL → BRUNSWICK, GEORGIA Brunswick Stew Monument A great debate rages between Brunswick, Georgia and Brunswick County, Virginia. The feud is over which region originated the concoction known as Brunswick stew: a tomato-based Southern dish that was originally made up of beans, vegetables, and squirrel, rabbit and opossum as the base proteins (though these days, it’s usually pork or chicken). Brunswick, Georgia, has a bold claim to fame—a large pot on a pedestal is engraved with the claim that it was the first container used to make the stew. Your move, Virginia. READ MORE → FRIGHT CLUB In Search of Nímbulos The nímbulos are child-like spirits that are said to live in the forests around Cerro de la Muerte, Costa Rica’s Mountain of Death. Rooted in Indigenous folklore, stories of the nímbulos have evolved in the telling. Spanish incursions in the 16th century tinged them with elements of Catholicism; more recently, concerns about climate change and deforestation have infused the tales with eco-activism. As the landscapes change, the stories change with them, reflecting and influencing the experiences of local people. Now, stories told of the nímbulos echo the plight of the region’s endangered and threatened species—they must be actively protected or face extinction. READ MORE → GASTRO OBSCURA EXPERIENCES Dig Into This Culinary Collection Tucked away in the stacks and study rooms of The New York Public Library (NYPL) you’ll find much more than books. And in this online experience, we'll give you the opportunity to feast your eyes on some of the most interesting culinary items culled from the collections of the New York Public Library! With the guidance of an expert NYPL staff member, we'll explore a selection of mouth-watering menus, curious cookbooks, and rare food and drink recipes. LEARN MORE → New Hampshire and The Devil Since the time of European settlement, Satan seems to have lurked around every corner of the Granite State. In the era of witch hunts, terrified townspeople accused their elderly neighbors of speaking with the Devil, and local lore has it that the stones around a frothing waterfall in the woods once served as Satan's kitchen, where he cooked a pot of beans with the flames of Hell. For those who still do want to raise a little hell, New Hampshire has plenty of spots for devil-dealing. READ MORE → PETERSBURG, VIRGINIA The Tombstone House Though it may look like a typical stone house, the foundation of this house has macabre origins. The building was constructed in 1934 from the bottom half of government-issued marble tombstones that previously topped the graves of Union soldiers in Poplar Lawn Cemetery. Is this an example of waste not, want not, or waste not, haunt-not? Only the owners would know. READ MORE → SPONSORED BY BANFF & LAKE LOUISE TOURISM The Grizzly House Established in 1967, this family-owned-and-operated restaurant in Banff, Alberta, has changed with the times—from a coffee shop that catered to Beat poets and musicians to all-night discos. Today, The Grizzly House still winks to its swinging past, but also offers unique fare for its patrons, from exotic fondues to its wild game. LEARN MORE → Carved Camels Deep in the northern Arabian Desert, in a sleepy farming community, huge red boulders rise out of the sand. The farmers already knew that the boulders abutting their fields were something special. When they looked closely at the towering rock edifices, they could just make out enormous, life-sized carvings of camels and hooved, horse-like animals. The carvings are actually more than 8,000 years old, making them the oldest large-scale animal reliefs anywhere in the world. And for millennia, the site had sat largely undisturbed. READ MORE → GASTRO OBSCURA TRIPS Sacred Granaries, Kasbahs and Feasts in Morocco Delve into the rich culinary history of Morocco, from its ancient granaries and local markets. Enjoy home-cooked meals and learn the secrets of Berber cuisine through hands-on cooking lessons. All while experiencing the treasures Morocco is best known for: the beautiful Sahara Desert, the gorgeous Atlantic coast city of Essaouira, the UNESCO World Heritage Site Kasbah Aït Benhaddou, and solemn mosques. LEARN MORE →