Gateway Thrill

An Undulating Thrill

Douglas Small | Aeon | 4th October 2024

Cultural history of cocaine. In the 1880s, it was fashionable as pain relief and as a stimulant. It was so popular that the cost per ounce briefly exceeded that of gold. Its anaesthetic properties had knock on effects: tattoo artists flourished, now that the pain of being inked could be easily numbed. By the 1920s, though, it had become "a frightening and corrupting source of addiction" (3,300 words)

What’s In A Gateway?

Kerri Culhane & Yin Kong | Urban Omnibus | 2nd October 2024

Chinatown neighbourhoods are often marked by a gateway built in a traditional Chinese architectural style. Along with other signifiers like culturally relevant businesses and bilingual street signage, these edifices help make clear an otherwise ill-defined boundary. Manhattan’s Chinatown is about to get such a structure. Should it look like a traditional paifang, or something new? (3,200 words)