I can’t with this Granta thing, I do not have the spoons to process that a storied name in literary fiction has issued a “we asked Claude” statement

Great article by Kristin Hansen for Fodors, on why you should visit Minneapolis now to support its immigrant-owned restaurants, shops and hotels: www.fodors.com/world/north-... Strong example of using tourism for good.

Here’s Why You Should Visit Minneapolis Right Now

Fodor's provides expert travel content worth exploring so you can dream up your next trip. The world is a weird and wonderful place—we want to show you around.

fodors.com

You will be visited by three spirits

Castaignede@castaignede.bsky.social · 9mo ago

You will be visited by three spirits

Can’t unsee the kerning here, so I guess Asda wants us all to have a M ER RY CHRIST MAS, whatever that is.

Bluesky has figured that my Britishness might mean I consider The Archers more of a trending topic than DOGE being disbanded (btw, I don’t listen to The Archers, and I think US politics hugely affects the rest of the world, but the fact it applied this bias did tickle me).

If there’s one thing you read over the weekend, it should be this devastating and profound essay - just don’t expect to finish it with dry eyes, or without shaking your fist at RFK Jr. #Longreads #RecommendedReading

The New Yorker@newyorker.com · 10mo ago

Tatiana Schlossberg, the daughter of Caroline Kennedy, had just given birth when she was diagnosed with a rare form of leukemia. She writes about her fear of adding another tragedy to her family’s life. https://newyorkermag.visitlink.me/LKMkhZ

Catch up with @davidolusoga.bsky.social’s Empire series on BBC iPlayer if you can. He sums up the British Empire’s far-reaching exploitative consequences and complexity; thorough, harrowing, and honest. Loved the interviews with everyday people whose identities have been shaped by Empire, too.

Commiserations with Maris on having to deal with the anti-vaxxers, but this is a great read:

Maris Kreizman@maris.bsky.social · 10mo ago

I wrote about the anti-vax conference that was taking place at my hotel during the Texas Book Festival. lithub.com/amid-the-mah...

Flashback to when I crashed the Pope’s first papal balcony address in Rome (2013), and took terrible photos. I’m agnostic, but it was amazing to be in the crowd. I was also impressed with the speed of the local traders in getting Papa Francisco-branded merchandise out. #PopeFrancis

Lush book talk last night from Danielle Giles, discussing her debut novel, at @smallcitybookshop.bsky.social. Mere has a beautiful cover and endpapers. The book is set in 990AD and it looks to be a great historical read. Straight to the top of my TBR pile! @panmacmillan.bsky.social #Books

What They Found is a must-see documentary from Sam Mendes, using footage and testimonies from two soldiers who filmed the liberation of Bergen-Belsen. Sobering and terrifying, but important to watch if you can - catch up on BBC iPlayer. #WhatTheyFound

Daisy is an integral part of Flicks, and has captured the magic of this gem in the city.

Daisy Steinhardt@daisysteinhardt.bsky.social · 2y ago

🔴New: I wrote about the cultural oddity that is my beloved @20thcflicks.bsky.social. For @lwlies.com. lwlies.com/articles/20t...

From Dylan’s Cafe Wha? to Sabbath’s Crown pub and Keith Richards’ Cafe Baba, here’s my pick of the cafes, bars, pubs and clubs tied to rock and metal music: www.rollingstone.co.uk/music/inside... Written for @rollingstoneuk.bsky.social #Music #TravelWriting

Inside the world’s most iconic clubs, cafes and bars for rock and metal music

Get ready to turn it up to 11 at some of the world's greatest rock and roll watering holes...

rollingstone.co.uk

I wrote about Leicester’s Estonian diaspora and its vibrant British-Estonian community, for @leicester.news.web.brid.gy, featuring insight from @saagifletch.bsky.social and @emmaturner75.bsky.social: www.leicester.news/flying-the-f... #Eesti #Estonia #Leicester

Flying the flag for Leicester’s Estonian community

For some in Leicester, yesterday wasn’t just a normal day in February: it was a celebration of their heritage. 24 February is Independence Day in Estonia, and Estonians are a big part of Leicester’s v...

leicester.news

Last weekend I popped up to Ullapool, in Scotland, to see one of my oldest friends get married. Here’s a glimpse of the landscapes (and the local spirits) up there. #Scotland

#IMM2025 in numbers: 18 appointments with travel PRs. 4 cups of coffee (and counting). 2 amazing pairs of leopard print loafers spotted. Countless potential story ideas sourced. @travmedia.bsky.social

Looking forward to #IMM2025 next week, with the chance to meet plenty of tourist boards and travel companies to talk about potential feature angles. Living outside the London bubble means I don’t always make it to events, but this one is always worth it! @travmedia.bsky.social

The new issue of Breathe magazine has my seven-page feature on art and craft travel in Estonia - printmaking and street art in Tartu, sustainable fashion and design in Tallinn, etc. @visittallinn.bsky.social @mfaestonia.bsky.social #Estonia #TravelWriters

Just accidentally caught a party political broadcast from Nigel Farage (urgh) for Reform UK (double urgh) where Nige said Britain has the world’s oldest parliamentary democracy. The Alþingi, or Althing, in Iceland - founded in 930AD - would like a word. #Politics

a close up of a woman 's face with her eyes closed .

Alt: a close up of a woman (Zendaya)’s face with her eyes rolling in disgust.

media.tenor.com

This is well worth a read - despite the rise in unisex clothing and toiletries, there’s still gender politics at play when it comes to packing for travel. I’d argue that thin privilege and health privilege are also factors (travelling as a plus-size woman with a shedload of medication here).

Sharon O'Dea@sharonodea.com · 2y ago

Packing light isn’t just a skill. It’s privilege. For women, societal pressures to look polished and youthful make carry-on-only travel much harder than it seems. In this blog-rant, I unpack the gender politics of hand luggage 🧳 www.linkedin.com/pulse/packin...

Also these 'home working isn't real working' bulkshit articles never touch on how much flexible working helps disabled people to get and keep a job. Funny, that.

The Ranty Highwayman@rantyhighwayman.bsky.social · 2y ago

Lord Rose can shove his opinion up his [redacted] until he sees stars. I completed a set of drawings for a project yesterday while very much sat at my desk at home. That's apparently not real work. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Yet again proving my argument that rock and metal acts do the most for fan mental health.

Rolling Stone UK@rollingstoneuk.bsky.social · 2y ago

New Order share new version of ‘Blue Monday’ charity t-shirt for CALM

You’ve got until tomorrow to catch my feature on European culture hotspots for 2025 in @theneweuropean.bsky.social, including Alpes-Maritimes, Leuven, Tallinn, and Zaragoza. #Travel

Probably good and fine that independent artists and makers of all flavours have to largely depend on a social media ecosystem that is increasingly comically evil

I’ve got a stinking cold and I’ve been left to fend for myself today, but I’m excited to start this travel book later. Anyone else got some literary escapism to enjoy? #JoinIn

Christmas Films That Never Were… (card courtesy of the inestimable @pollyallen.bsky.social)

Accidentally found the greatest Christmas gift that I want to keep for myself: a Frank Lloyd Wright Usonian home model in children’s building blocks. It’s designed by James Paulius; I’m thrilled to be in the correct age category to use it (6+). www.areaware.com/products/blo... #Architecture

Travel writers, this webinar is coming up tomorrow, and it’s free (though you can make a donation when you sign up): travelwritingwebinars.com/product/free... feat. @amandacastleman.bsky.social, @charukesi.bsky.social, @jenrosesmith.bsky.social and Meera Dattani. #TravelWriting

The Twitter vs. Bluesky argument often centres around politics but for me this is way more important. De-prioritizing links, "link in bio" BS, and all the other ways Twitter, FB, IG, TikTok, etc., try to wall off their platforms is so antithetical to the idea of an open and connected internet.