Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio, aka Bad Bunny, got his name from a photo. “When I was a little boy in school, I had to dress up as a bunny, and there’s a picture of me with an annoyed face … I don’t look mad, but I know, I remember that I was mad … It’s… Continue Reading How did Bad Bunny get his stage name?
The February Share the Plate recipient is Girls First, a tuition free afterschool program for students in 1st – 4th grade. Social and emotional learning skills are taught through arts lessons (dance, music, drama, art). Services are delivered with a trauma-informed approach in Norristown, Philadelphia, and Chester. Share the Plate receives half of all plate… Continue Reading Girls First
Mon Rovîa penned a song about hope, resilience, and trusting in blessings to come, deeply rooted in his own story of escaping Liberia’s civil war as a child, becoming a child soldier, and finding new life through missionaries. His lyrics encourage a positive outlook, viewing life’s journey with optimism, even through hardship, and promoting self-belief,… Continue Reading Big Love Ahead
In 1930, Grant Wood created an iconic image of a couple in front of a farmhouse. This slice of Americana shows a solemn man holding a pitchfork, staring straight ahead; a younger woman, possibly his daughter, is looking into the distance. The models for this painting, American Gothic, were Wood’s sister and his dentist. The… Continue Reading What famous American painting features a dentist?
America’s Research station in Antarctica is located on Ross Island in the Ross Archipeligo. Also on that island is Mount Erebus, an active volcano. It is one of the few volcanos in the world with an active lava lake. The lake has been continuously active since at least 1972, releasing gases and steam. Sometimes the… Continue Reading Where is it too hot to go in Antarctica?
Before 1878, doors were secured with latches or leather straps that fastened onto wooden hooks. But 16-year-old Oswald Dorsey, who was born a slave and freed when he was 8 months old, had a better idea. He created and patented the doorknob. The mechanism in this device moved a rod that slid into the doorframe.… Continue Reading What 1878 invention by a former slave do you use every day?
Restaurants covet receiving Michelin awards. But they are not just for upscale restaurants. Three Philly cheesesteak spots recently received Bib Gourmand awards, a category for casual restaurants: the venerable Dalessandro’s Steaks & Hoagies and two well-regarded upstarts, Del Rossi’s Cheesesteak Co. and Angelo’s Pizzeria. The Bib Gourmand rating is named for the Michelin company’s puffy… Continue Reading What is the Michelin Man’s name?
The song may refer to a white Christmas, but snow can also be pink and is sometimes called watermelon snow. The coloration is caused by a species of ice-loving algae, Chlamydomonas nivalis. This organism contains chlorophyl (green), but also has a carotenoid, which is reddish (think carrots). When the snow melts, the algae activates the… Continue Reading Were you dreaming of a pink Christmas?
Are you looking to practice resistance, to get your feet moving with a protest anthem that addresses a range of social and political issues, including gun violence, reproductive rights, climate change, and racial injustice? Give a listen to March March by The Chicks (formerly The Dixie Chicks)
