Did Elvis have a Secret Fetish for Vampires?

In our usual perusal of the internet’s nethers, we kept finding trails that pointed to a darker side of the “King of Rock & Roll”, notably, to a dame of darkness named Maila Nurmi, who pioneered the campy-vampire-starlet schtick in the 1950s, paving the way for the likes of Elvira. Who, speak of the Devil,…

Olympia Le-Tan transformed “Don’t be a Tourist” Books into Clutch Bags!

As an author and purveyor of curiosities, if there was ever a collaboration to be had, this was always it! So it is with great honour that we reveal the Olympia Le-Tan x Don’t be a Tourist Limited Edition embroidered Clutch bags, now available for curious collectors at OlympiaLeTan.com.

The Quest for the Irish Atlantis Is a Thing

Every seven years, it emerged from the mist. The isle of “Hy-Brasil,” aka the ancient Irish Atlantis bound to the whims of the sea, revered by locals as the home of their pagan gods, or else, as the outpost of a lone magician and his castle – the rumour mill never stopped churning. Nor did…

Before Disneyland Paris, there was Human Roulette and Drag Balls at the Lost “Magic City”

Dragons curled up under the bridge. Toboggans splashed Parisians in to the Seine, benches twirled, and wine flowed freely. It was a Saturday afternoon like any other at the “Magic City” of Paris, the long lost fun fair that was the nation’s very first parc d’attractions. As such, it was quite literally the gateway to…

13 Things I Found on the Internet Today (Vol. CCLXXIII)

1. Porto Flavia, Italy, a sea harbor and former mining hub A tunnel approximately 600 metres long, dug out of the rock by the miners, appears halfway up a cliff, offering a breathtaking view of the captivating Pan di Zucchero sea stack, a 132-metre natural monument shaped over time. Today it’s open as a museum. 2. The…

Sleeping in the Archives: The Met’s Forgotten Fashion Brands

I’ve been digging through the archives of the Met Museum again. You’d be surprised how many fascinating stories of dormant fashion brands are buried in there. They ceased to exist for a variety of reasons, but many of the individual designs kept in the collection reveal a direct path of inspiration for well-known designers today.…

When Sex & Kitsch Collide: A Brief Compendium of Weird Retro Tubs

It’s time to take a breather circa 1975, courtesy of the best bygone, groovy bathrooms – which would be nothing without their larger-than-life tubs. These babies were the heart of the retro restroom. We’re talking tubs with jets, and psychedelic tiles; tubs with matching shag rugs, and enough space for everyone to unwind at your…

Liberating Paris with Mixed Reality

Vive la resistance! Join me 600m below Paris to liberate the city in a special new “Don’t be a Tourist” episode with Microsoft. Discover a WWII bunker deserted for decades and relive the liberation of Paris with HoloLens mixed reality technology through the eyes of French resistance fighters in the underworld.

Why Teddy Bears Are Invading Paris

They came quietly. Massive teddy bears, popping up along Paris’ boulevard des Gobelins to cozy up in a bookshop, or relax en terrasse. Week after week, they seemed to multiply as if by magic, inciting joy and mystery in the otherwise humdrum 13th arrondissement. A little over a year later, and the nounours des Gobelins…

The ’90s are Still Alive & Well at this Totally Ace Airbnb

Jauntily hung Friends posters, VHS movies, gel pens, furniture that looks like it’s been taken straight off the set of Saved by the Bell, and nonsensical – but absolutely necessary – squiggly lines on every surface. We love the 1990s more than Cher Horowitz loved her Alaia handbag, so naturally, we lost it when we…