Julia Child’s kitchen has arrived at the Smithsonian and they are unpacking and cataloging it in view of the public. The accompanying website chronicles the documenting, dismantling and packing up of the kitchen, its 12,000 objects, and some of Julia’s memories as well. The two month process included much measuring, videotaping, and an unhealthy amount of dishwashing as the staff took care not to carry back any organic matter along with the items.

Missing a note or two in a solo performance would be embarrassing enough, but violinist Thomas Zehetmair missed his entire performance with the Philadelphia Orchestra last week. Thinking the performance was in the evening, the violinist went out for an afternoon walk, then opened the paper only to find on its pages that he was supposed to be on stage. It was an understandable mistake, considering that it was a Friday afternoon concert, not a typical Sunday matinee.

Less forgivable, perhaps depending on your perspective, was the trouble members of the St. Petersburg Philharmonic caused on a flight from Amsterdam to Los Angeles. Crew members booted them off the plane in Washington D.C. for their drunk and disorderly behavior. They were not allowed back for the second leg of the flight and had to spend the night in D.C. Someone must have had a time finding hotel rooms for 100 musicians, many of them inebriated. Chances are good, however, that they were able to get to L.A. in time for their performance. (both stories via Obscure Store)

I’ve posted many entries about how a Frontline program about diamonds and DeBeers’ control of the market opened my eyes to the myths behind the marketing of this sparkly gem. More recently, the media attention towards “conflict diamonds” has not appeared to have dulled the engagement ring sheen. And you may have noticed that jewelers now advertise their own unique brands and cuts of diamonds in order to differentiate and control their product. National Geographic’s March issue features “Diamonds: The Real Story.” From the excerpts on the site, the article appears to cover much ground, from DeBeers’ latest marketing tactics (promoting that sparkly ring in China) to the historical significance of Indian royal jewels, and the shady journey from mine to consumer including the sometimes stressful shaping of rough stone into perfectly polished gem.

The American Theatre Organ Society is striving to preserve the culture of the theatre pipe organ. Their site’s Story of the Theatre Organ describes the origins, design, downturn, and rebirth of the powerful instrument that accompanied the rise and fall of the old time movie palaces. The SF Bay Area has “more world-class theater organs than any area in the country” and David Hegarty has played them all. He appears almost daily at the mighty Wurlitzer in San Francisco’s Castro Theatre and twice a week at Palo Alto’s Stanford Theatre. I’ve enjoyed the grand nostalgia of Stanford’s glorious organ many times.

In 1943, Monterey County’s Board of Supervisors passed a resolution which “‘vigorously’ protested the release of Japanese from internment camps, citing the lack of ‘provision for adequate surveillance and control’ and the potential for ‘serious sabotage and difficulty in defending our shoreline in the event of an attack.'” A historian researching the history of Japanese in the area discovered the old resolution and on Tuesday the present day board plans to rescind it.

The actors who portray the evil nerd troika in Buffy have their very own Science Fiction Weekly interview. They describe how they got the roles, express a little disappointment in not being included in the musical episode (two of them sing), and speculate on their character’s motives. The conclusion? “Together we’d make the perfect guy.”

America the Bountiful celebrates the history and diversity of American cuisine by chronicling ten foods: beef, chicken, turkey, pork, potatoes, corn, greens, wheat, beans, and apples. Each is attached to a corresponding period in history. Apples are brought to Calfornia during the Gold Rush. Chickens were egg producers, cooked only for special Sunday dinners until after World War II. The site is hosted by the Culinary Archives & Museum at Johnson & Wales University.

A rash couple picked out a 2.03-carat diamond ring at Tiffany’s at the Stanford Shopping Center on Wednesday and then ran out the door with it. Perhaps the $42,800 ring was a Valentine’s Day gift for the thieving bride-to-be. Perhaps it will pop up on eBay. Does the couple that steals together stay together?

The NY Stock Exchange opening bell is often rung by visiting company executives celebrating IPOs or anniversaries, but on February 14th a robot became the first non-human to ring the bell. Humanoid robot Asimo represented Honda Motor Company. Traders on the floor took little notice.

Happy Valentine’s Day! Enjoy this online exhibit of Vintage Valentines from the West Virginia University Libraries.