This week's selection. Enjoy.
Keep Calm and Carry On: A History
The BBC looks at the surprising recent popularity of this simple five-word message, one of three posters designed by the wartime British government in 1939 to steady the public's resolve and maintain morale. Two-and-a-half million copies of Keep Calm were printed, to be distributed in the event of a national catastrophe, but remained in storage throughout the war, where they sat forgotten until 2000, when a copy was discovered in a box of books bought at auction by Stuart Manley, a bookseller from Northumberland. And the rest, as they say, is history. If you'd like your own poster, do head over to lovely Victoria of sfgirlbybay's Etsy shop, where you can purchase a Keep Calm poster in the original red (as I did), or in one of a whole range of beautiful colours — there'll be a Tiffany Blue version in stock next week! Via Andrew (thanks!)
Lost in Paris
An intriguing home in the heart of Paris, covered (and I mean covered) in dense vegetation. From Wallpaper, via things magazine.
Romantic Novel of the Year
If you're looking for something to get you in the mood for Valentine's Day, have a look at the shortlist for this year's Romantic Novel of the Year award. This year's winner is Julia Gregson, for her novel East of the Sun, about three young women travelling to India in the last days of the British Raj.
Simon Doonan's Style
Fun words of wisdom from the fab creative director of Barney's.
Top 100 Foods to Improve Your Productivity
A nicely designed chart that tells you which foods are tops for improving your health and energy.
1709: The Year That Europe Froze
Fascinating piece of climate history about a year that still holds the record as Europe's coldest. The consequences were severe — in France, three months of deadly cold ushered in a year of famine and food riots, while in Scandinavia the Baltic froze so thoroughly that people could walk across the ice as late as April. In Switzerland, hungry wolves crept into villages, while the Venetians skidded across their frozen lagoon. Brrrr! Via New Scientist.
Antique Typewriters
A great visual archive of antique typewriters from the Martin Howard Collection. It's interesting to see how the designers of these early models wrestled with the form of a typewriter — and several of these definitely look next to impossible to type on! Via Design Observer.
Gee, That Food Looks Terrible!
Fun Flickr pool of vintage food photography and ads from the 1950s, '60s and '70s, much of which appears to be radioactive...
The beautiful dining room photograph is from Domino, via sfgirlbybay.