Museum-worthy teapots and the demand for “microdramas”

Tis the Season for “Snow Graffiti”

@snowgraffiti

Christmas window Created using snow graffiti spray #christmas #snowgraffiti #artist

We’re used to seeing graffiti artists display their multicolored masterpieces on the sides of buildings. Typically, they spray acrylic paint to complete their tags or murals on public spaces. Artist Scott Wilcock (aka Snow Graffiti) is a different type of graffitist though. He works exclusively with snow spray.

The UK-based snow spray and airbrush artist has made a name for himself with his unique approach to working with an unconventional medium. Though snow spray is most commonly used to mimic snow and the light frost on windows, Wilcock takes it a step further. He transforms windows into magical scenes, capturing a level of realism that’s hard to believe. Luckily, he shares his process on countless projects on social media, legitimizing his artistry for non-believers.

@snowgraffiti

#sephoraalışverişim Christmas day up North #christmas #artist #snowgraffiti #snowart

Using his very own brand of snow spray (aptly called White Snow Spray), Wilcock sprays, scrapes, and shapes his milky-white murals on glass, leaving passersby and onlookers in awe. Of course, his busiest time of the year is around Christmas (and bookings begin on August 16 each year), but Snow Graffiti also creates window displays for birthdays, funerals, and store events. He’s even done one for The Queen’s Jubilee!

BravoCon is Back

If you’re a Bravo fanatic, surely you know that BravoCon took place over a long weekend in Las Vegas. This smorgasbord of Bravo-lebrities is a highly anticipated event and 2025’s edition delivered. We got everything from a long-awaited brother-sister reunion between Theresa Giudice and Joe Giudice to the return of “The OG of the OC,” Vicki Gunvalson.

Gunvalson, the original Real Housewife, has been off our screens for a few years, but was sweetly invited by Andy Cohen to return for season 20 of The Real Housewives of Orange County. Her disbelief and shock was palpable in a moment that makes us remember just how much these reality TV stars feel like family. It meant a lot to us because it meant a lot to Vicki.

Whether you were annoyed at the news that Lala Kent is joining The Valley or were excited to hear that Jeff Lewis is returning to Bravo in a reboot of his classic Flipping Out, there was something for everyone. We’re particularly thrilled by the announcement of The Real Housewives: Ultimate Road Trip and are already thinking up our dream cast, as well as the newest addition to the Real Housewives franchise — Rhode Island. The cast reveal has a bunch of fresh faces, as well as some familiar favorites to get you invested.

@bravotv

🚨BREAKING FROM #BRAVOCON 🚨 In a state this small, there are no secrets. Here’s a first look at the Real Housewives of Rhode Island… coming... See more

To get your BravoCon fix, take a look at Vulture’s recap of BravoCon, watch clips on YouTube, and check out complete panels on Peacock.

• 🫖 It’s teatime in Cambridge, MA. A group exhibition titled Boston: A Tea Party is honoring the hospitable teapot. Mobilia Gallery invited artists “to use their brilliant, innovative, technical skills and materials to create their own unique interpretation of the teapot as long as it featured a handle, a lid, and a spout.” And these artists do not disappoint!

• 🧶 Ever wish you could carry your smartphone in a knit sling that costs $230? No? Well… Apple has created one anyway. Called the iPhone Pocket, this 3D-knitted crossbody or shoulder bag (depending on the length you select) is the latest Apple money-grab. Of course, if $230 seems too steep, they have the shorter, $150 version… (Is anyone really buying this?)

• 🪙 After over 230 years, the U.S. penny is no longer in production. The U.S. Mint pressed the final 1-cent coin last week in Philadelphia. Nothing has been worth 1¢ in a long time, but now it definitely won’t be. So does this mean that wishes at water fountains will cost us at least 5 times more?

• 🪂 Astrophotographer Andrew McCarthy captured an absolutely stunning image of a skydiver nosediving in front of the remarkably detailed solar flares of the sun. (Honestly, it’s real images captured by humans like this that make us wish that AI would stay away from the arts so that we can appreciate just how special this is.)

• 🖼️ A long-lost 18th-century painting of Saint Francis of Assisi, stolen from a Mexican church on January 6, 2001, has finally been returned after the Art Loss Register flagged it during an attempted auction. According to the church’s Padre Teodoro García Romero, the recovery of the 6-foot-tall painting “is of inexplicable significance to the faith of local people and restores part of the Teotihuacan community’s history.”

• ⚖️ U.S. Border Patrol agents staged an armed group photo shoot in front of Cloud Gate (aka The Bean) in Chicago and the artist behind the famous artwork, Anish Kapoor, has publicly expressed his disgust. In fact, he says he’s considering legal action for including his artwork in their picture.

• ☂️ Designer Eduardo Baroni turns the modest umbrella stand into a work of art with his cleverly designed piece called Justin Case. The punny piece of functional wall art adds a pleasant pop of color to any foyer and even has an ingenious rain catcher at the bottom that’s easily removable.

@ktx.maiskates

w @𝐚 TOKYO DRIFT 🏎️🛞 📸/ lmk #skaters #skateboarding #texasrinkrats #rollerskating #skate

• 🎙️ After years of staying quiet, Smallville alum Allison Mack breaks her public silence to address her time in the NXIVM cult on the new podcast Smoke Screen: My Life in NXIVM. The result is both uncomfortable and riveting, as Mack attempts to reconcile her role in the group’s crimes with the person she says she’s become.

• 👻 Betty Boop, the 1930s cartoon icon, is getting a gruesome makeover: Betty — a horror adaptation reimagining the Jazz Age flapper as a haunted starlet — is heading to the American Film Market with VMI Worldwide. Expect curls, chaos, and probably a killer eyeliner scene.

• 🎥 It’s official: Black Panther 3 is Ryan Coogler’s next project. Details are under wraps, but Coogler’s return signals Marvel’s rare commitment to keeping creative continuity alive. With Shuri’s story still unfolding and the multiverse hovering, fans are already theorizing how the franchise can evolve without losing its soul.

• 🍄 IGN’s breakdown of the first Super Mario Galaxy trailer is an overload of nostalgia. From Rosalina’s Luma cameo to a blink-and-you-miss-it nod to Mario Kart Wii, this new installment looks like a love letter to the franchise’s cosmic years.

• 📱 TikTok-length storytelling is no longer fringe — it’s booming. Variety reports that SAG-AFTRA actors are pushing for union coverage as “microdramas” (one-minute serialized shows) become a lucrative new space for branded content and fast storytelling. They’re soap operas for the scroll era.

• 🚫 The FCC Chairman stirred controversy by reposting Donald Trump’s demand that NBC fire Seth Meyers. It’s a surreal crossover of politics, media, and social media, blurring the line between official statements and online trolling. Yes, this actually happened.

• 🎬 Two highly anticipated live-action films have released sneak peeks: The Legend of Zelda and Moana. The first has only unveiled three photos, but some behind-the-scenes footage has also been leaked. As for Moana, Disney has released the first official teaser trailer.