All Culture
In a WordMay Day meanings, from holiday to distress callIn the U.S., May Day was thought to be too “communist.” So President Dwight Eisenhower declared May 1 as “Law Day,” to “celebrate the rule of law.”
The case for running an analog errandShopping, banking, and book-borrowing can be done digitally — but at the cost of kind words and friendly smiles along the way, our essayist writes.
First LookStreaming services find unlikely outlet: Big-screen movie theatersAs streaming services grew and the pandemic kept people at home, the future of the movie theater industry was unclear. But Amazon and Apple are increasingly leaning into big-screen releases, and moviegoing is approaching pre-pandemic levels.
FocusCan a soccer team revive hope in a Welsh city? Welcome to Wrexham.Can a soccer team in Wales boost the morale and prospects not only of fans, but a whole city?
In Pictures: On Kolkata’s trams, a journey through the city’s ‘soul’Despite being well past their heyday, trams in Kolkata, India, still offer a window into the city unlike any other.
Are you there book lovers? It’s me, Margaret.What makes a young adult novel that deals honestly with puberty endure across generations of women?
First LookIt's tricky, exciting, and it's a new trend: Longboard dancingThey don’t just swoop, twirl, and carve – they feel the music. Meet longboard dancers, the latest cool trend to emerge across Southern California. Its riders see themselves as an inclusive community that has found a way to express joy after a wet winter.
What is art? A New Hampshire bakery stands up for its muffin mural.Where is the line between art and advertising? A New Hampshire bakery’s mural has inspired a debate among the residents of Conway about private property and public art.
A lesson in fences and freedom from Royal the horseMy life felt bound by domestic chores, our essayist writes. Then a friend asked, “What do you do for fun?”
In a WordThe origins of ketchup – or catsup – run through ... fish sauce?The 18th century was “a golden age for ketchup,” with versions made from oysters, mushrooms, walnuts, mussels, and even fruit.
Urban dirt biking: Riding the line between culture and crimeUrban “bike life” aficionados are looking to decriminalize their sport and find room to ride their dirt bikes legally.
First LookHearts overwhelmed: Mexico exhibit celebrates a lost societyA new exhibit hosted by Museum of Templo Mayor in Mexico City marks the 45th anniversary of the discovery of a monolith depicting the Mexican lunar goddess, Coyolxauhqui. The finding sheds light on Mexica civilization before the Spanish conquest.
When Nike met Michael: ‘Air’ is a slam dunkIn their latest collaboration, “Air,” Matt Damon and Ben Affleck take on Nike’s wooing of Michael Jordan. The movie is “eminently worth watching” says Monitor film critic Peter Rainer.
In a WordThe seasons of ‘hot feet’ and ‘distant thunder’Until around 1500, the period from roughly September to November – fall – was named for what was going on with the crops, not trees. It was "harvest."
He listens. He improvises. Meet the ‘music doula.’When creativity feels unlimited, accessible to all, it flows more freely. How has one musician found a way to lead artists to that comfortable place?
In a WordNot just winter, or early spring, but ‘mud season’The Russian "rasputitsa" is famously daunting, having helped protect the nation from invaders for centuries.
Awash in a sea of shampooI have fulfilled this role, the consumer of my wife's rejected shampoo, for my entire married life, our essayist writes.
‘The Lost King’: One sleuth’s quest for the truth about Richard IIIThe hero of “The Lost King,” based on a true story, finds a way to amplify her subject’s voice – and her own.
On Broadway, saying goodbye to ‘Phantom’What does it take to have longevity on Broadway? Catchy songs help. But as the departing “Phantom of the Opera” shows, so does a relatable story.
New chapter for racially diverse bookstores: Steady growth, wider reachBook-loving dreamers of color are opening an increasing number of new spaces for diverse stories and clientele.
