All Culture
She needed a notary. How a Holocaust survivor became a friend.A routine notary task blossomed into a beautiful friendship with my neighbor Ann, a Holocaust survivor.聽
These English PhDs helped train Google鈥檚 AI bot. Here鈥檚 what they think about it now.Half a dozen English Ph.D.s who worked on Google Gemini share their experiences training AI with the Monitor.
This Namibian park has skyscraper-high dunes and a spectacular view of dawnA trusty guide in love with the smallest of beings draws attention away from the impossibly high mounds of sand in the Namib-Naukluft National Park.
In Big Sur, smaller wonders take the spotlightBig Sur鈥檚 nooks and crannies, the intricate details I would have missed had I gone looking for the 鈥渂igger鈥� shots, spoke to me.聽聽
Ann Powers was writing Joni Mitchell鈥檚 life story. She found her own.With her new biography about Joni Mitchell, NPR music critic Ann Powers says she wanted to challenge the idea that there鈥檚 only one definitive story of a life.聽
Old-timey organ-grinders try to keep pace with modern Mexico CityThe music of organ-grinders is a 鈥渃lassic sound鈥� of Mexico City. Despite these deep roots, today the tradition is at risk.
The grass wasn鈥檛 greener 鈥� turning my lawn into a garden ate my time and freed my mindSo what if my turf-free lawn is labor-intensive? The zen I find puttering in my garden is priceless.聽
Bangladesh鈥檚 cycle rickshaws bloom with bespoke designs. But for how much longer?On the streets of Bangladesh, designs once painted by hand to adorn聽the backs and sides of cycle rickshaws are increasingly printed by machine.
On D-Day鈥檚 80th anniversary, volunteers knit for victory with 鈥楾he Longest Yarn鈥�The 3D tapestry 鈥� 80 panels stretching 80 meters 鈥� depicts scenes from D-Day and was completed by over 1,000 volunteers from the U.K., the U.S., Australia, and New Zealand.
This Boston artist creates murals that have a message: 鈥榃e鈥檙e still here鈥�With buildings as her canvas, Boston muralist Rixy explores the intersection聽of art and identity.聽
Empty nest, full heart: My adventures in cat-sittingWhen my kids flew the coop, I turned to cats. It turns out caring for cats is a lot like parenting adolescents.聽
鈥楻obot Dreams鈥� review: This animated delight explores friendship and lossWhen an animated film is invested with the full range of feeling, the result is 鈥淩obot Dreams.鈥� The movie is a tribute to the beauty and frailty of friendship, our critic writes.聽
California鈥檚 desert bloom comes alive on nature鈥檚 scheduleFor the intrepid willing to chase down the desert blossoms, an endless carpet of yellow goldfields is the reward.
First LookDOJ sues Live Nation for muscling out competition in ticket salesThe U.S. Department of Justice announced an antitrust lawsuit against the entertainment company Live Nation. Ticketmaster, which merged with Live Nation in 2010, has been blamed for inflated ticket prices by both consumers and artists.
First LookRubs, ribs, and remoulade: Chefs show off their BBQ chops in MemphisThe World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest in Memphis hosts teams from Mexico to New Zealand 鈥� all united by a shared love of the southern town's distinct BBQ style, which brings out a fuller flavor in the pork with dry rubs and sauces.
鈥楤utterfly in the Sky鈥� review: LeVar Burton soars in 鈥楻eading Rainbow鈥� doc鈥淩eading Rainbow鈥� remains a touchstone for generations of American children. But as a new documentary shows, it 鈥� and host LeVar Burton 鈥� means so much more than nostalgia.
A potato masher, didgeridoo, and, uh, six vacuums. Why I rescue trash.Rescuing, repairing, and reusing abandoned items is a lost art and a boon to the environment. It can also spark unexpected adventures.
First LookOnce a 鈥榖edroom pop鈥� crooner, Billie Eilish is wide awake on her latest albumA once-in-a-generation performer, Billie Eilish rewrites the rules yet again on 鈥淗it Me Hard and Soft,鈥� her ambitious third release. It鈥檚 a project meant to be enjoyed in full, rich with sonic depth and emotional maturity.
First LookHalf of this taco stand鈥檚 area is the grill. It just earned a Michelin star.El Califa de Le贸n is one of the smallest restaurants ever to receive a coveted Michelin star. But what it lacks in area, it makes up for in flavor: no one can get enough of its beef tacos, made the same way since the stand opened in 1968.
The Sami people bring on spring 鈥� with reindeer and sleighsFor the Sami, spring isn鈥檛 announced by green sprouts or the chirps of birds. Instead, they sing folk songs around a fire and race reindeer.聽