Elsewhere

Then & Now: An Interactive Look at Downtown Cincinnati’s Past: coolness.

RR Interviews: Zan McQuade of the Cincinnati AnthologyPt. 1 and Pt. 2: an informative, two-part interview about this book, which includes a contribution by yours truly.

Rare Neon Signs on Display at the History Museum at the Castle: an awesome exhibit opened this week in Appleton, WI.

Malls Fill Vacant Stores with Server Rooms: creative reuse in places like Fort Wayne, IN and Jackson, MS.

Taylor Swift Explaining New York Vocabulary Is Beyond Cringeworthy: T-Swift was recently named the NYC Ambassador, and this is her latest foray into “realness.”

Rome’s Rebel Lake Is a Parable of the Contemporary Commons: a long read, but a great story of grassroots urbanism.

Shopfront Elegy: photos of ghost signs and storefronts, in London and beyond.

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Open Walls Baltimore

Located in the Station North neighborhood of Baltimore, Open Walls Baltimore is a collection of about two dozen public murals by street artists from around the world, curated by Gaia.

The New York Public Library by Carrère and Hastings

The architecture firm of Carrère and Hastings designed the Beaux Arts main branch of the New York Public Library, which opened in 1911 at 42nd St. and 5th Ave. in Midtown Manhattan. The building was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1965.

Ave Maria Grotto by Brother Joseph Zoettl

Located on the grounds of the St. Bernard Abbey in the small town of Cullman, AL, the Ave Maria Grotto is an installation of over 125 miniature buildings, mostly Catholic cathedrals and monasteries, with a few secular structures [like the Leaning Tower of Pisa and the Alamo].

Crumpled City Maps by Emanuele Pizzolorusso

How cool is this? Designed by Berlin-based Emanuele Pizzolorusso for Palomar, Crumpled City Maps are soft, yet hard-wearing, waterproof and meant to be creased and crumpled. Unlike traditional paper maps which can be awkward to deal with, these maps can easily be crammed into your pocket or the special carrying pouch, without having to worry about refolding it along the original creases.

Monopoly Here and Now: The World Edition

Monopoly has a simple, effective formula that works with varied themes [apparently even the Junior Disney Princess Edition]. I’ve just learned that, earlier this year, people voted for cities to be included in the new Monopoly Here and Now: The World Edition. 20 top cities were chosen out of the pool of 70, with 2 more earning spots on the board as a result of write-in votes.