1. “Lola” – The Kinks It might be hard to imagine now, but “Lola” was banned by the BBC—not for its lyrical content, but because of a product placement issue. The original version mentioned “Coca-Cola,” and the BBC had strict […]

1. Gelatin-Encased Salads There was a time in the ’50s when housewives were told that the secret to a well-rounded meal was suspending just about anything in gelatin. Veggies, meats, and even hard-boiled eggs wound up inside wiggly, shimmering molds

1. Tom Hanks on Happy Days Tom Hanks showed up on Happy Days as a karate obsessed childhood rival of Fonzie, which already feels like a sentence from an alternate universe. His character, Dwayne Twitchell, was determined to settle an

1. Hiding a Christmas Pickle in the Tree Some families used to tuck a shiny green pickle ornament deep into the branches of their Christmas tree, often without telling guests what it meant. The idea was that whoever found it

1. Canned Ham Loaves These were the kind of tidy, uniform meat bricks that families in the ’60s felt strangely proud to serve, especially when they were glazed with brown sugar or pineapple juice. They were affordable, easy to slice

1. The Crow That Warns of Death Many cultures have long believed that a crow landing nearby is more than just a curious bird, it’s a warning. People once watched their rooftops and fence posts closely, convinced that a single

1. Poveglia Island, Italy Visitors who take a boat near Poveglia often swear the air feels heavier the closer they get, like they’ve stepped into a space the modern world forgot. Some travelers say their watches tick slower or faster