A weekly round-up of my favorite preservation related stories from around the web and in the news. Click on the title of each story to jump through to the original article/blog post.

Sorry for the radio silence on Brick + Mortar this week! I’ve started a couple of new exciting projects and getting them off of the ground has been taking up a lot of my time. I’m hoping to get back to a regular schedule next week. Thanks for your patience and, as always, thanks for reading!

Want to Take a Trip to 1940s New York? Step into Mishkin’s Drugs – Scouting New York

“When people think of New York’s classic pharmacies, the Kiehl’s stores, founded in 1851, are usually the first to come to mind. But what I love about Mishkin is that it’s managed to survive without feeling like a museum piece, or worse, a historical gem repurposed with hollow modern flare and minus the wear and tear of decades that is its soul. In other words, take this scene: an old wooden ladder on wheels. A stooped-over hulk of a radiator. A rusting stamp machine. A dirty white-tiled floor. This shouldn’t exist in the 21st century, save for some nostalgic store recreation.”

WWII Lard Washes Ashore – BBC

“Staff at St Cyrus nature reserve said four large, barrel-shaped pieces of lard have appeared on the shore. The fat is believed to have escaped from the wreck of a merchant vessel that was bombed in WW II. Scottish Natural Heritage said the lard was still a brilliant white and smelled ‘good enough to have a fry up with.'” – This has to be one of the weirdest things I’ve ever heard!

New Frescoes Found at Colosseum – AP

“A long-delayed restoration of the Colosseum’s only intact internal passageway has yielded ancient traces of red, black, green and blue frescoes — as well as graffiti and drawings of phallic symbols — indicating that the arena where gladiators fought was far more colorful than previously thought.”

Dr. T.T. Wendell – The Kentucky Historical Society’s blog History Burgoo

“Born in 1877, the son of former slaves, Dr. Wendell hailed from Nashville, Tennessee. Within the same city as his birth, he received both his medical and pharmaceutical degrees from Meharry Medical College. Soon after receiving his degrees, he and his wife, Mary Alice, along with their two children, relocated to Lexington where he set up an office. This move marked the beginning of a long, successful career, as well as a new chapter in Lexington’s African-American Community.”

Three Months by Car – Preservation and Place

Maria from Preservation and Place has begun a new project, Three Months by Car.   The blog chronicles the journey of her grandmother and two friends  who embarked on a three month long road trip in 1929.  The girls, all in their early twenties, traveled 12,353 miles  cross country.  “They autocamped, stayed in hotels, and occasionally stayed with relatives. Taking $450, they returned home to Bridgeport, CT with 47 cents.”  To learn more about these amazing women and the journey they took, check out Three Months by Car!