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Photo courtesy of Celine via Flickr Whether you prefer pop culture-focused titles like “Gone Girl” or you’re a deep-thinking Dostoevsky fan, there’s nothing better than losing yourself in a bookstore. The unmistakable smell of books, the serene ambiance of hushed concentration, and the welcome escape of analogue culture in a digital age continue to make…
Like most Western holidays, Halloween’s origins date to pre-Christian traditions; in this case, the holiday developed out of the Celtic festival of Samhain. Despite its ancient Irish roots, though, Halloween is considered a new American holiday by much of the world — and it is the U.S. that lent the holiday its more modern, recognizable…
Courtesy of Lecates via Flickr When business slows and the game is up for struggling hotels, sometimes there’s nothing for the owners to do but leave everything as is and shut the whole mess down. From ill-advised, Gold Rush-era expansion to miscalculating the willingness of travelers to pay for luxury in the middle of nowhere,…
Plaza Mayor in Madrid; image courtesy of Kyle Valenta. Urban rivalries are no new thing — just ask residents of New York City and Los Angeles in case you’re curious. Throughout our travels, we’ve learned that the desire to prove your city’s superiority isn’t strictly an American thing, either. While we at Oyster.com love both…
On a September evening in 1951, William S. Burroughs misjudged his aim while attempting a drunken party trick, shooting his wife dead. The previous year, the couple had moved to Mexico City to wait out a five-year statute of limitation on a New Orleans drug charge against Burroughs. It was during this time that, at…
Photo Courtesy of Lara Grant Some of my favorite memories from the years I lived in Austin come from the four Austin City Limits Musical Festivals I attended. From world-renowned bands such as Arcade Fire and the Eagles, to legendary artists such as Stevie Wonder and Kanye West, the musical talent I saw at the…
Not sure about you, but for us, one of the great beauties of a hotel stay is coming “home” after a full day and night of exploring a new city, hitting the hotel bar, and stumbling upstairs for a great night’s sleep. And it turns out that hotel bars have done much more throughout the…
Summer days might be waning, but there’s plenty to look forward to. Come fall, it’s all about bonfires, chilly nights, hot chocolate, hayrides, and apple picking. And there are plenty of other ways to kick off the season, too. From September through November, the world hosts an array of festivals, some of which serve a…
In case you’ve been avoiding the internet the past week or so, Harry Potter fans were recently all too excited for the release of the new book “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child,” which was presented on stage in London. And understandably so. After all, they’ve been salivating for another peek into the wizarding world…
Rearrange your next vacation itinerary — we have something stellar lined up: people-watching. From observing locals to surveying tourists, peeking at those that are out and about can be the most entertaining (and eye-opening) part of a trip. Plus, it’s a quick and simple way to feel the vibe of a location. So to help…