Q. If band class battles are any indication, we should all have triangles and glockenspiels in our music nooks. Which instruments are young people most excited to take home and play? . A. In 2022, London’s Royal Philharmonic Orchestra surveyed 1,000 students from the ages of 6 to 18. Did

Q. We gentlefolk – reader, writer – are nothing but a delight. But, what habits do other people find annoying in their partners? . A. Hammonds surveyed 2,000 Brits on the partner habits that rankle the most. Their results? Top ten most annoying habits according to couples i.    Not

Q. What are we supposed to do with fruit pits, seeds, and unexpected little bones when we’re eating out? . A. Perhaps you, too, have had that moment of horror when diner eyes are on you and your teeth crunch into some inedible innard. Now what? It’s hard to resist

Q. For those lucky enough to avoid the summer rush: which destinations are exciting travellers right now? . A. Get ready Tulum and Cancun, Mexico (with its new international airport), and Mallorca, Spain. So says recent research coming from Expedia, who analyzed hotel and flight searches… . 2024 US. Trending

Q. Some animal species seem like they wouldn’t give much thought to the collective nouns we silly humans assign them. “A bloat of hippopotamuses?  Stand there for a minute.” 🦛🦛🦛 Birds seem like they would care. What are some collective nouns for birds, and how do we think they would

Q. Happy National Dog Day! This one’s for you, Chloe. Ever the Queen. 🐶👑 Many of us try our hands at drawing our beloved pups in pencil, pastel, paint. Some of us have little to no success. Which lucky dogs have been captured by artists of renown? . A. Bring

Q. For me, it’s the crackle of the kitchen radio, the  clack of Dad’s typewriter, the steam hiss of Mum’s vintage iron, the minor third trill ring of a rotary phone call that best be for me. What are some nostalgic sounds that you miss from your childhood? How many

Q. It’s summer, it’s school vacation, and some of us are merrily embarking – or not-so-merrily being dragged – on camping trips. One delicious highlight/distractor for all? S’mores. Where did these gooey campfire treats originate? . A. In 1927, Loretta Scout Crew published the first known recipe for s’mores in

Q. First came the telegenic majesty of the Olympics. Let’s jog by the Louvre. Let’s volley on a makeshift beach by the Eiffel Tower. Let’s straddle impeccably groomed horses over jumps at the Palace of Versailles. (⛔️ Let us all, however, keep our swim trunks hidden until we are well

Q. We’re lost in new worlds, we’re learning, we’re finally hearing from long-distance loves, we’re plotting the next stage of our lives. How have artists captured the wonder of reading over the centuries? . A.   Anonymous. A Man Reading. 1660 . Johannes Vermeer. Woman Reading a Letter. 1663 .