Middle East Eye on Black-Palestinian solidarity

Back in 2021, Salam Awad collated a visual history of Middle East Eye on Black-Palestinian solidarity for Middle East Eye: The intersection of Black and Palestinian activism is not a new phenomenon, of course, but rather a reemergence of a historic alliance rooted in the global f … | Continue reading


@cultrface.co.uk | 3 months ago

Watch a Pizza Hut training video from 1991

Wanna know how Pizza Hut was in 1990s Britain, from a trainee perspective? Well, VHS Wonderland has kindly uploaded a training video from 1991 showing new recruits how to treat customers, prepare food, and organise deliveries. It’s cheesy (pun absolutely intended) and so 90s and … | Continue reading


@cultrface.co.uk | 3 months ago

Drone footage of a new volcano eruption in Iceland

Last month, a volcano in southwest Iceland erupted and the above video shows drone footage of the eruption on its second day. Reports say the eruption spewed lava over 100m into the air which meant the town of Grindavik had to evacuate due to seismic activity. The post Drone foot … | Continue reading


@cultrface.co.uk | 3 months ago

‘Pizza Hut’ by Danny Markey

‘Pizza Hut’ is a landscape oil painting by Danny Markey. The work depicts a Pizza Hut restaurant at night and was gifted to the Royal West of England Academy in 2001. The post ‘Pizza Hut’ by Danny Markey appeared first on Cultrface. | Continue reading


@cultrface.co.uk | 3 months ago

New York sour: an East Coast whiskey sour born in Chicago

A New York sour is a cocktail almost identical to a regular whiskey sour apart from one key difference: a float of dry red wine. But according to Liquor.com, the New York sour originated in the late 1880s in a different city: The New York Sour updates the Whiskey Sour recipe (whi … | Continue reading


@cultrface.co.uk | 3 months ago

Zoe Lafferty on Israel’s cultural genocide of Palestine

For The New Arab, Zoe Lafferty examined Israel’s cultural genocide of Palestine and how we must resist it: Erasure of Palestinian history and identity allows Israel to label with ease the people it occupies as “human animals” as global governments call for their murder as if it’s … | Continue reading


@cultrface.co.uk | 3 months ago

Interesting map facts from Atlas Obscura

Atlas Obscura opened my eyes to some “hidden in plain sight” facts about the world map, including how more than 60% of Canadians live south of Seattle and Greenland is more north, south, east, and west than Iceland. The post Interesting map facts from Atlas Obscura appeared first … | Continue reading


@cultrface.co.uk | 3 months ago

Colossal on ‘POKÉMON X KOGEI | Playful Encounters of Pokémon and Japanese Craft’

Colossal on ‘POKÉMON X KOGEI | Playful Encounters of Pokémon and Japanese Craft’: On view at Japan House Los Angeles, the exhibition showcases more than 70 sculptures and installations that recreate the fantastical animated characters from Squirtle to Pikachu in ceramic, metal, f … | Continue reading


@cultrface.co.uk | 3 months ago

Al Jazeera on “afro-dabke”, a cultural fusion dance between Cameroon and Palestine

Al Jazeera on “afro-dabke”, a cultural fusion dance between Cameroon and Palestine: The energetic tempo, the stomping, and the ancient traditions. Dabke has a lot in common with various African dances, so Palestinian choreographer Sharaf DarZaid decided to combine the two. The po … | Continue reading


@cultrface.co.uk | 3 months ago

TIL: Godzilla visited Jamaica

I haven’t seen Godzilla (the 1998 movie, starring Matthew Broderick and featuring a kickass Jamiroquai soundtrack) so I had no idea that the kaiju literally stepped foot on Jamaican soil. He also went to the Caribbean island in the animated series, Godzilla: The Series (in S1E1 a … | Continue reading


@cultrface.co.uk | 3 months ago

Copyrighted works from 1928 enter the public domain today, including Steamboat Willie and Joseph Stalin

Firstly, happy new year to you all. I hope 2024 is even more prosperous than 2023. If you’re a creative or a lover of the arts, today’s events might help with that. 1st January is Public Domain Day as I’ve documented in 2019, 2021, 2022, and 2023. This year, that means that certa … | Continue reading


@cultrface.co.uk | 3 months ago

The top 10 posts of 2023

Back for a third year, I’ve compiled the top 10 posts published this year (see last year’s if you’re interested and 2021’s edition). I’ve actually published music less this year (226 vs. 358) but life happens! Anyway, here’s the top 10: And an honourable mention to 30 facts about … | Continue reading


@cultrface.co.uk | 3 months ago

Yule: a Germanic pagan festival that’s definitely not Christmas

Yule (also called Yuletide in England) is a 12-day holiday celebrated predominately in Germanic countries which takes place on 21st December–1st January. Although the modern version of Yule incorporates Christian traditions, the original holiday related to Scandinavian traditions … | Continue reading


@cultrface.co.uk | 4 months ago

Steven Richter’s Venom sculpture timelapse

If you’ve played the Spider-Man games from PS1 to PS5, you’ll have seen the significant improvements in Venom’s design. Steven Richter decided to marry the PS1 and PS5 Venom’s in one half-and-half sculpture and it’s truly a masterpiece. I never knew why they opted for blue for th … | Continue reading


@cultrface.co.uk | 4 months ago

Grubik’s Rubik’s Cube Solver is a godsend

Grubik’s Rubik’s Cube Solver is a godsend when you buy a Rubik’s cube for your son and he gets despondent when he can’t solve it. I’m hoping it’ll help me practice too. The post Grubik’s Rubik’s Cube Solver is a godsend appeared first on Cultrface. | Continue reading


@cultrface.co.uk | 4 months ago

The Casino (1995) trailer in 35mm 4K

Shout out to FT Depot for uploading the theatrical trailer for Casino (1995) in 35mm 4K. I enjoyed Casino when I watched it in regular SD but 35mm 4K would have been perfect. The post The Casino (1995) trailer in 35mm 4K appeared first on Cultrface. | Continue reading


@cultrface.co.uk | 4 months ago

That time when Sony crowdsourced a new logo—and never used it

For feedme.design, Chris Kernaghan journeyed back to the 80s when Sony, for its 35th anniversary in 1981, did a contest to redesign its logo and why they didn’t use any of the entries: Gathering nearly 30,000 global submissions, including the UK, Europe, North and South America, … | Continue reading


@cultrface.co.uk | 4 months ago

Jasper Joyner’s poem about apple cider vinegar and ‘other magical things’

Jasper Joyner’s poem about apple cider vinegar and other magical things. My mum swears by apple cider vinegar so I know she’ll appreciate it. The post Jasper Joyner’s poem about apple cider vinegar and ‘other magical things’ appeared first on Cultrface. | Continue reading


@cultrface.co.uk | 4 months ago

Foi thong: a Thai dessert with a Portuguese past

I’ve written about the legacy of Portuguese culture in Eastern Asia before (Adopted Portuguese words in the Far East and How to make a Taiwanese Castella) and foi thong is another example to add to the list. Known as fois de ovos in Portugal, foi thong is a Thai dessert made of e … | Continue reading


@cultrface.co.uk | 4 months ago

How to kill a book deal by Cait Corrain

Cait Corrain’s debut novel, A Crown of Starlight, has been pulled by her publisher after allegations of 1-star author-review bombing on Goodreads. What a world we live in! The post How to kill a book deal by Cait Corrain appeared first on Cultrface. | Continue reading


@cultrface.co.uk | 4 months ago

SNL’s Santa Baby sketch is my new favourite Christmas video

I saw a clip of this SNL sketch on Instagram earlier today and had to fish out the full version. Santa Baby stars Ryan Gosling and Vanessa Bayer as a couple at a Christmas dinner party with an unhealthy adoration for Santa Claus. By now, we all know that Ryan solidified his comed … | Continue reading


@cultrface.co.uk | 4 months ago

An eco-friendly Christmas tree by Buro North

Back in 2007, design studio Buro North created this eco-friendly Christmas tree. It was made from environmentally aware ingredients, flat-packed, and sustainable since it won’t shed or otherwise deteriorate. Of course, it wasn’t actually green and many people—myself included—prob … | Continue reading


@cultrface.co.uk | 4 months ago

‘This is skateboarding!’

The famous skateboarding segment from Police Academy 4, starring Tony Hawk, Mike McGill, Tommy Guerrero, and Steve Caballero. David Spade never looked so tall! The post ‘This is skateboarding!’ appeared first on Cultrface. | Continue reading


@cultrface.co.uk | 4 months ago

Greensleeves

Today I learnt that Henry VIII didn’t write Greensleeves and that it was a “romantic myth”: The piece is based on an Italian style of composition that did not reach England until after Henry’s death, making it more likely to be Elizabethan in origin. Alison Weir, Henry VIII: The … | Continue reading


@cultrface.co.uk | 4 months ago

Abolish Sinterklaas. Abolish Zwarte Piet.

Today on Bluesky, I was reminded that the feast of Sinterklaas is tomorrow (6th December). For those who don’t know, Sinterklaas is a Dutch character based on Saint Nicholas (aka Santa Claus). While this celebration involves gift-giving and general festivities (which start tonigh … | Continue reading


@cultrface.co.uk | 4 months ago

What do reindeer eat?

It’s customary to leave out a mince pie and a glass of milk for Santa and a carrot for Rudolph on Christmas Eve night. While I’ll sidestep the part where none of the other reindeer get anything despite doing more work collectively than Rudolph, I wondered: can Rudolph eat a raw c … | Continue reading


@cultrface.co.uk | 4 months ago

yr fave film critic: my new favourite podcast

yr fave film critic is a podcast hosted by The Armchair Auteur aka Dom Griffin. In it, he discussed film news (and often wrestling news), what he’s watched in that week, and answers questions from listeners/viewers with episodes usually coming out every Friday. I struggle to get … | Continue reading


@cultrface.co.uk | 4 months ago

Atlas Obscura on umami’s historic culinary journey

You may know it as monosodium glutamate (MSG) but umami is one of the most popular flavours in the world. Atlas Obscura tracked its journey around the world, its name origins, and dispelled myths over what umami actually is: Umami comes from molecules found in meat (inosinate), p … | Continue reading


@cultrface.co.uk | 4 months ago

The all-Black women aiming to climb to the top of Kilimanjaro in 2024

The Above the Clouds Kilimanjaro 2024 Expedition Team is comprised of Black women and will focus on “fostering connection, community & joy on a journey to the Roof of Africa” as they attempt to reach the summit of Kilimanjaro. You can follow their journey on Instagram. (via Denve … | Continue reading


@cultrface.co.uk | 5 months ago

Tracey Baptiste’s book ‘Mermaid and Pirate’ celebrates Black mermaids

‘Mermaid and Pirate‘ (Bookshop link) is children’s book by Tracey Baptiste and tells the story of a Black mermaid and a Black pirate who become friends who understand each other despite not speaking the same language. Great for establishing the advantages of friendship, especiall … | Continue reading


@cultrface.co.uk | 5 months ago

Recycled plastic used to create tiles and furniture in a restaurant in Bali, Indonesia

The Avocado Factory in Bali, Indonesia features tiles and furniture made from recycled plastic. I love to see recycled plastic use in this way. The post Recycled plastic used to create tiles and furniture in a restaurant in Bali, Indonesia appeared first on Cultrface. | Continue reading


@cultrface.co.uk | 5 months ago

Eddie Bauer CEO Tim Bantle changed company logo to appeal to Gen Z?

In the newest episode of Homogenised Logos, Eddie Bauer has entered the ring by replacing its cursive wordmark with an all-caps sans-serif logo. CEO Tim Bantle’s reasoning was influenced by the younger generation and their apparent inability to understand cursive? Though Bantle a … | Continue reading


@cultrface.co.uk | 5 months ago

An interview with Anni Jyn

I’m honoured to have artist Anni Jyn as my next interviewee. What is your favourite city in the world? Reykjavík. What’s the most unusual item you take everywhere you go? hmmmmm it has to be either a conker in my coat pocket or a keyring I have which is a huge bourbon biscuit. Wh … | Continue reading


@cultrface.co.uk | 5 months ago

YOU SEE HOW THAT SOUNDS, MARY?!

A very funny meme related to Mary and Joseph and his resentment towards her being chosen by God to bear His child (you know, Jesus Christ) and the Immaculate Conception that followed. While none of that is mentioned in the actual meme, it’s worth knowing the context. Shout to my … | Continue reading


@cultrface.co.uk | 5 months ago

Randa Hadi on archives as ‘palaces of memories for collective imagination’

For Futuress, Randa Hadi wrote about (Re)claiming Archives and creating space to cultivate and store memories for ‘collective imagination’: Growing up in Kuwait to a family of storytellers, stories and memories were always told and seldomly written. As a child, I would spend hour … | Continue reading


@cultrface.co.uk | 5 months ago

Hard Drive on the abundance of Spider-Man pictures

Screenshots of the popular video game Spider-Man 2 are now circulating around the internet. Thanks to some stellar art direction and a robust photo mode from Insomniac Games, these screenshots are a marvel — but there’s one problem: There’s TOO DAMN MANY of them. This is NOT what … | Continue reading


@cultrface.co.uk | 5 months ago

Blue Monday Press’s ‘Evergreen Fantasies’ shows beautiful art inspired by The Simpsons

Blue Monday Press released Evergreen Fantasies, an art book inspired by The Simpsons, last year and it’s an awesome collection of visual arts: Evergreen Fantasies is a collection of artwork inspired by The Simpsons in a huge range of mediums from artists from all over the world. … | Continue reading


@cultrface.co.uk | 5 months ago

‘I hate the allegations and I despise the alligators.’

While sifting through Language Log’s archives for blogs on The Element of Style, written and revised by William Strunk Jr. and E. B. White (respectively), I stumbled upon a post titled ‘Room For Debate on Strunk and White‘ by Geoffrey K. Pullum and this funny quote: You know (can … | Continue reading


@cultrface.co.uk | 5 months ago

Chef Tyler put three hot chili peppers into a grilled cheese because why not?

Chef Tyler put three hot chili peppers into a grilled cheese because why not? The peppers were Trinidad Scorpion Butch T pepper (x2 at 1.2m Scoville each) and a Death Spiral pepper (at 1.4m Scoville units; not to be confused with the figure skating element or a type of insurance … | Continue reading


@cultrface.co.uk | 5 months ago

Happy birthday, Carmen Amaya

Today is the 110th anniversary of Carmen Amaya’s birth. She was a Spanish-Romani flamenco dancer and widely considered as the greatest of all time. Her rapid footwork became iconic, earning her fans across Latin America. She eventually settled in Buenos Aires and founded her own … | Continue reading


@cultrface.co.uk | 5 months ago

Wieden+Kennedy are releasing The Brooklyn Way, a book that’s “a love letter to the New York borough”

Wieden+Kennedy are releasing The Brooklyn Way, a book that’s “a love letter to the New York borough”. The post Wieden+Kennedy are releasing The Brooklyn Way, a book that’s “a love letter to the New York borough” appeared first on Cultrface. | Continue reading


@cultrface.co.uk | 5 months ago

Some links on Día de Muertos

Día de Muertos or “Day of the Dead” is a holiday celebrated predominately in Mexico and by people of Mexican heritage around the world. It takes place on 1st–2nd November, although it can stretch as far back as 31st October or as late as 6th November if you live in Yucatan. The h … | Continue reading


@cultrface.co.uk | 5 months ago

A quote by Toni Morrison from ‘Song of Solomon’

Perhaps that’s what all human relationship boil down to: Would you save my life? or would you take it? The post A quote by Toni Morrison from ‘Song of Solomon’ appeared first on Cultrface. | Continue reading


@cultrface.co.uk | 5 months ago

Shout out to Chris Day, Britain’s only Black glassblower

As Black History Month in the UK is coming to a close, I wanted to give another shout out to a Black British person and that is Chris Day. Chris Day is quite possibly Britain’s only Black glassblower (or “certainly the only one that the artist is aware of”). Growing up in the Wes … | Continue reading


@cultrface.co.uk | 6 months ago

Free to buy: the eBook version of ‘The Palestine Laboratory’ by Antony Loewenstein

The eBook version of The Palestine Laboratory: How Israel Exports the Technology of Occupation Around the World by Antony Loewenstein is free to buy on Verso Books! Or you can get the hardback version for £15.19 and get the eBook version free as well. The post Free to buy: the eB … | Continue reading


@cultrface.co.uk | 6 months ago

A ‘Monkey-Themed Banana Holder’ is at the centre of a racism row in Hutto, Texas

Previously on The USA is Not a Serious Country — A Monkey-Themed Banana Holder Is Tearing a Texas City Apart: “I believe the mayor has some racist tendencies that I think should be really alarming to the citizens he claims to represent,” Brian Thompson, one of two Black members o … | Continue reading


@cultrface.co.uk | 6 months ago

Turning banana stems into useful fibres in Uganda

Did you know that you could make fibres out of discarded banana stems that can be “softened to the level of cotton”? I didn’t until the other day, and it’s happening in Uganda. Uganda has the highest banana consumption rate in the world and is Africa’s top producer. In rural area … | Continue reading


@cultrface.co.uk | 6 months ago

I am obsessed with Chef Tyler and his grilled cheeses

YouTube’s recommendation engine throws up all kinds of randomness when you watch enough videos of a certain type. Eventually, it decided to show me videos of some dude making grilled cheeses. And I watched more. And more. And now I’m obsessed. The “dude” in question is called Che … | Continue reading


@cultrface.co.uk | 6 months ago