Disney Imagineering are using the term ‘conjured architecture’ to describe the magical, fluid, and organic appearance of the animated villians and their lairs. A look they are trying to capture in upcoming villain-themed land in their theme parks.
In looking at their inspiration media, it seems they’re utilizing organic flowing patterns found in art nouveau styles. Read more here or on the Disney Parks blog.
Riisitunturi National Park, in Finnish Lapland, is well known for its iconic, snow-laden forests, where trees become “sculptures” under the immense weight of accumulated snow and ice. The phenomenon is known as tykky.
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Continuing a trend of re-creating interesting places to stay, Marriott has paired up with Harper Collins to re-created the iconic bedroom from the children’s book “Goodnight Moon” at the Sheraton Boston Hotel. Now you can stay there – if you can manage to get a slot before it ends April 25, 2026.
The Mount Zao Snow Monsters are not real snow monsters. They are an unusual natural phenomenon called juhyo which occurs on Mount Zao in Japan from late December to March. Maries’ Fir trees are evergreen conifer trees indigenous to the central-northern mountain regions of Honshu. They endure blazing summer heat and then bitter winters. Each winter Siberian winds travel across the North Japan Sea and batter the mountain with 6-9 feet of snow which glazes the fir trees with freezing condensation to create these strange creations.
They become a tourist attraction both day via cable car and when illuminated at night.
In the winter, if the conditions are right, you can get a wonderful adventure through some lake-side ice caves. Unfortunately, due to non-existent or unstable ice conditions, the last time you could visit these caves safely was 2015.
The National Park Service, however, has a wonderful website for checking status and learning more about them.
Back in 2016, The Art Institute of Chicago built a life-size rendition of his popular painting Bedroom in Arles to promote an exhibition called Van Gogh’s Bedrooms. The room was available for rent on Airbnb.
It was only offered a very short time and was immediately completely sold out for the whole run, but if you’re interested in an alternative, how about a version in the actual Arles, France?
Slip through a door labeled ‘speakeasy’ in San francisco’s Bayview, and you’ll be transported into a red-carpeted restaurant that looks like it fell out of the 1920’s. What makes this place different is that it’s run for, and by, at risk San Fanciscans ages 16 to 22. The idea spawned from a gang prevention effort in the notorious Mission District. The question the founders asked: “What if we created our own restaurant so we could not only make a little money to keep it going, but no longer be dependent on the state or philanthropy?” Then they could give kids jobs and learning opportunities.
They enroll about 50 students per year in a two year program that teaches them restaurant skills like cooking and serving – and pays them. They then get externships in the hospitality industry. Eddie Blyden is Old Skool’s head chef and director of culinary education. He even encourages them to make their own recipes that are sometimes served as specials.
Old Skool also won a $350,000 grant from Chick-fil-A. The nonprofit just inked a deal to bring on award-winning hospitality group Hi Neighbor, the visionary behind restaurants 7 Adams, Trestle, The Vault Steakhouse and Mama Oakland, as a consultants.
This seems like a much better system than simple handouts as it gives young people a way out as well a real purpose and skills.
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Mike Saxton, the owner of the Portland-based FreePlay Gaming Arcade, has decided to shutter the arcade after just six months of business. Turns out, the business model simply doesn’t work. The arcade needs to make £500 per day each weekend to reach the break-even point, yet it’s making less than half that. Some weekdays he makes zero.
Sadly, I think the retro arcade craze has definitely peaked and is waning. People have full access to games on handhelds, home consoles, and even their phones. Nostalgia runs in waves, and it seems the revival of 80’s and 90’s arcade games has peaked and is now subsiding.
Romano FPV takes his drone on an epic flight from Chamonix (1030m) to Aiguille du midi (3842m) in the French Alps.