Arts & Life

The Fung Wah Biennial celebrates the now-defunct Chinatown bus service. For her performance piece, Sunita Prasad crowdsurfed around the bus.

Arts

Artists Pay Tribute To No-Frills Chinatown Bus, Discomforts And All

6:28pm March 29, 2016

by Pien Huang

The Fung Wah bus was a cheap and not entirely safe way to get between major cities in the Northeast. It's no longer operating, but that hasn't stopped former riders from "recreating" the experience.

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This version of Baked Alaska at Delmonico's restaurant in New York City stays true to the original: a walnut sponge cake layered with apricot compote and banana gelato, covered with torched meringue.

Baked Alaska: A Creation Story Shrouded In Mystery

5:12pm March 29, 2016

by Maya Silver

In March 1867, the U.S. purchased Alaska. This igloo-shaped, torched-meringue dessert came as a fringe benefit. Was it a sweet flash of genius, political satire — or maybe a bit of both?

Close up low section of two girls sitting side by side

'Girls & Sex' And The Importance Of Talking To Young Women About Pleasure

2:59pm March 29, 2016

Author Peggy Orenstein says that when it comes to sexuality, girls hear that "they're supposed to be sexy, they're supposed to perform sexually for boys, but ... their sexual pleasure is unspoken."

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The characters of An African City (from left): Zainab, Ngozi, Nana Yaa, Sade and Makena.

Sex And 'An African City': A Steamy Ghanaian Show You Don't Want To Miss

9:34am March 29, 2016

by Shereen Marisol Meraji

Five African women who came of age abroad make their way back to Accra, Ghana, as adult professionals looking for love — and end up grappling with where they fit into this place they call "home."

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Books
Arts

Murder And Crows In 'Taxidermist's Daughter'

7:00am March 29, 2016

by Jean Zimmerman

Kate Mosse's new gothic thriller uses the concept of taxidermy as a clever skeleton on which to hang its scares. It's a dark and tangled tale that's definitely not for the squeamish.

A batch of sourdough starter can live indefinitely, but it also requires a certain amount of care and feeding. In Sweden, bakers jetting off for vacation can leave their precious starters in the care of a sitter at the airport.

Love Your Sourdough Starter? In Stockholm, You Can Hire A Sitter For It

8:03pm March 28, 2016

by Sidsel Overgaard

A batch of starter can live indefinitely, but it also requires a certain amount of care and feeding. Apparently, that can pose a problem for Swedes and their five weeks of annual vacation.

Shoppers sort through yellow plums at the Union Square Park greenmarket in New York City. A study of retailers in Manhattan finds that organic foods are much more common in affluent neighborhoods.

Organic Foods Still Aren't As Mass Market As You Might Think

4:10pm March 28, 2016

by Tracie McMillan

With Wal-Mart now selling organic food, and Whole Foods testing cheaper stores, it's easy to think organic has gone mainstream. But one study finds organics are still far more common in richer areas.

Arts

'My Golden Days,' An Heir To French New Wave

4:10pm March 28, 2016

by John Powers

Arnaud Desplechin's new film centers on the memories of a middle-aged Frenchman who returns to Paris after years of living abroad. Critic John Powers says My Golden Days is "achingly romantic."

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Adam Hochschild is a cofounder of Mother Jones. His previous books include To End All Wars and King Leopold's Ghost.

Books
Arts

In Many Ways, Author Says, Spanish Civil War Was 'The First Battle Of WWII'

4:06pm March 28, 2016

According to Adam Hochschild, about 2,800 Americans fought in the Spanish Civil War, and some were bombed by Nazis years before the U.S. entered World War II. His new book is Spain in Our Hearts.

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Santino Fontana and Rachel Bloom in Crazy Ex-Girlfriend.

Arts

'Crazy Ex-Girlfriend,' Foolishness, Happiness And Josh Chan

12:35pm March 28, 2016

by Linda Holmes

What began as a tale of pursuit has turned into a story about what it means to meet up with people who appeal to you for complicated reasons.