Footnotes to a Conversation, September 23, 2024

“You need to let the little things that would ordinarily bore you suddenly thrill you.” – Andy Warhol

Armchair Travel: Destination Madrid

Tourist guidebooks will list the top 10 sites in any city of your choice, no matter where it’s situated. But there is so much more to discover if you dig a little deeper. The Making of Madrid is written by Felicity Hughes, a British writer and tour guide based in Madrid. Her blogposts share historical footnotes, introductions to lesser-known neighbourhoods, as well as suggestions for a romantic weekend or a lengthy layover. [The Making of Madrid]

I also follow Vittles Magazine and a recent post is about Madrid’s love of crisps (aka potato chips) and the tiny family-run shops where you can buy them. [Vittles]

Knight Errant

I’ve been working freelance for a number of years so I was delighted to learn the original meaning of the word was literally knights who were free to use their lances in the service of the people who paid them. “Unattached to any lord or manor, they were military adventurers who followed the money.” Alas, the term doesn’t date back to medieval times. It was introduced by Walter Scott in his novel Ivanhoe. [Susie Dent, Word Perfect]

Corduroy is Making a Comeback

Corduroy’s origins are unclear, but its first appearance was probably in the north of England in the late 18th century and is referred to as Manchester cloth in parts of Europe. Warm and hard-wearing, it was adopted by factory workers, farmers, and the Women’s Land Army during WWII. It was hugely popular in the 1960s and ‘70s. A photograph of Ringo Starr wearing a corduroy jacket helps to explain why the president of the Board of Trade called The Beatles the “saviours of the corduroy industry”. [Kassia St Clair, Elle Décoration]

Diddling: To Pass Time Aimlessly / To Cheat or Swindle

Have you read The Murders in Great Diddling by Katarina Bivald? If not, I highly recommend it. A huge cast of entertaining characters, several different intertwining plot lines, and even advice on how to write a book or organize a mystery and crime festival.

Announcing the release of the book in the US, Katarina Bivald said,

“I’ve always said that the best thing about being a writer is that it’s a socially acceptable way to have imaginary friends as an adult. I spend years talking to the characters in my head, getting to know their hopes and fears and many, many quirks. And then, one magical day they’re out there for everyone to get to know … There’s nothing like it in the world as hearing other people talk about your imaginary friends as if they’re real for them too.” [Katarina Bivald]

Footnotes to a Conversation is a weekly Monday feature covering an assortment of topics that I’ve come across in the preceding week – books, art, travel, food, and whatever else strikes my fancy. I also post occasional articles on other dates, including frequent book reviews and travel tales.

If you share my love of nature, check out EcoFriendly West, an online publication encouraging environmental initiatives in Western Canada, and Nature Companion, a free nature app for Canada’s four western provinces.