Ward off unwanted suitors with Victorian-era 'vinegar valentines'

Lincoln's breakup tips, peaceful places, and divorce colonies. Email not displaying correctly? View in your browser. February 14, 2019 ‘Vinegar Valentines’ In the Victorian era, there was no better way to let someone know they were unwanted than with the ultimate insult: the vinegar valentine. These unwelcome notes were sometimes crass and always a bit emotionally damaging. Read More → Hikikomori News Fed up with sensationalized portrayals, Japan’s hikikomori, or social recluses, are reclaiming their narrative through an insider newspaper that may help participants come out of seclusion. Read more → Kilsyth, Scotland Antonine Wall An unusual line stretching across Scotland’s Central Belt is all that’s left of a 39-mile wall built by second-century Romans. Read more → Lincoln’s Breakup Tips Turns out, our 14th president was more skilled at navigating national unions than personal ones. In letters to his accidental fiancée, Lincoln painted Springfield, Illinois, as a real bummer in hopes that she’d lose interest. Read more → Divorce Colonies From 1891 to 1908, Sioux Falls, South Dakota, became a haven for wealthy men and women escaping bad marriages. The unhappily married made short-term moves to take advantage of the town's relaxed divorce laws, and throw lavish "divorce dinners" celebrating their newfound freedom. Read more → 20 Peaceful Places From the Adirondacks in New York to Sydney’s Wattamolla Beach, Atlas Obscura readers shared their favorite spots around the world to revel in isolation. Read more → Food & Drink Glorified Rice This Midwestern variation on rice pudding was influenced by Scandinavian immigrants and local Native American influences. Read more → Visit AtlasObscura.com · View in Browser · Unsubscribe · See All Newsletters 61 Greenpoint Ave #622, Brooklyn, NY 11222