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

1. This swimming pool If you own the book by Kelly Klein, Pools, can you help find out more about the location & status of the place? More incredible pools from the book found here. 2. The Mysterious Private Island Home off the Coast of New York City “A squat, one-story structure on its own…

Drinking Away the Last Hours of Shanghai

Deep in the LIFE archives, I found myself fascinated by a glimpse into mid 20th century China during a period chronicled as “the last days of Shanghai”. It’s a portrait of a city full of Western influence; American neon-lit dive bars on every corner, shops and businesses advertised in English and western ex-pat communities going about their daily lives…

The Vault

My London Pied à Terre

Having grown up a London girl, I always feel too guilty and awkward to stay in a hotel when I go back to visit, so I usually end up crashing on someone’s couch. But London is becoming home to some of the most interesting boutique hotels in the world as of late, which means I’m…

Pssst! You've stumbled across content that is exclusive to Nessy's Keyholders.

There’s a new way to access the really special stuff from Messy Nessy Chic …

Hidden beneath the surface layers of the internet, there’s a place where we keep our most secret addresses, untapped archives, creator’s inspiration, collector’s guides, explorer’s manuals, obscure research and much more… And it’s made for our keyholders only!

Apply now to unlock the Vault

Keyholder Login

Laundry Basket Cars

Your average household laundry basket and a car– two things you’d never put together, but at the turn of the 19th century, apparently it was all the rage… An automobile enthusiast site dedicated entirely wood-bodied cars, Old Woodies, suggests that if you delve into transportation history, “one can find the apparent ancestors of these quirky vehicles:…

Saving Pie Town: The Last Pie-O-Neers of the American Dessert

As the legend goes, PieTown, New Mexico was founded in the early 1920s by a man called Norman, who had filed a mining claim in the area and opened a general store at the desert crossroads where he liked to bake pies made from scratch and serve them to his family or passing travellers. Word spread about…

My Victorian Weekend Escape from the Big City

Just when I think I’ve scoured every corner of AirBnB for their most dream-inducing homes, another one pops up on my radar and my blogger’s fingers get twitching. This one caught my attention because I initially assumed it was a picture of an old haunted house in the woods, which of course would be equally intriguing…

Circus Girl University, Class of ’52

Did you know that there are currently two collegiate circuses in the United States that have year-round programs to teach students how to become circus performers? Maybe if you had known you might have given another thought to your list of college applications… The Florida State University circus program has been going since 1947 and although it…

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

1. This “Swimming” Resort in Bali Now imagine the maid service swimming around with a cart and vacuum cleaner. Found on Villa Seminyak, Bali 2. Beach Chairs of the German Riviera Beach chairs on the North Sea, Germany, known as Strandkörbe’, typical particularly of the island of Sylt. You can buy your own for a little over…

Inside the Deserted Mansions of an American Heiress

She had three sprawling luxury homes at her disposal, but Huguette Clark chose to spend the last 20 years of her life holed up in a New York hospital room. Her father became as rich as Rockefeller from mining copper and founded the city of Las Vegas, but Huguette wasn’t your average American heiress. No one…

The Couple that Wanders the Globe in Search of an Undiscovered Feast

February is the antsiest time of year. It’s the long, cold stretch between the holiday season and warm weather with Valentine’s Day as a half-hearted consellation. Around this time, I usually find myself staring distractedly out windows at the grey Parisian sky so often it becomes a hobby. Not this year! This year, I’m starting at the…