Picture yourself at a cemetery, picnicking on a warm, bright Sunday–not the typical image of cemeteries in October, right? (Or any month, for that matter.) Yet that’s how urban residents during the 19th century spent their weekends before the City Beautiful movement kicked in and established open spaces for citygoers to enjoy. Up to that point, urbanites used the cleared land of cemeteries for activities we now associate with public parks. Continue Reading More »

Walking into the HQ of the Conflux Festival in the East Village, it’s easy to believe you’re at an arts festival. The white walls display squares of paper adorned with graphic designs and text in inoffensive fonts, and there are attractive and creatively dressed women and men sipping wine and the ubiquitous cheap beer that has become an unfortunate staple of art gatherings nationwide. Continue Reading More »