Description: To the Aztecs, certain psychoactive mushrooms were known as teonanácatl, a Nahuatl term commonly translated as “flesh of the gods” or “divine flesh.” These mushrooms held an important place in ritual and ceremonial life, where they were consumed to induce altered states associated with visions, divination, spiritual communication, and religious revelation. Early Spanish chroniclers described mushroom ceremonies involving feasting, music, dancing, and visionary experiences, although their accounts were often filtered through a strongly hostile Christian perspective toward Indigenous religion. Following the Spanish conquest, colonial authorities attempted to suppress many traditional practices, including the ceremonial use of teonanácatl.
Description: Released by Exidy in 1976, Death Race was an early arcade driving game that became infamous for its gleefully macabre premise. Loosely inspired by the 1975 cult film Death Race 2000, the game put players behind the wheel of crude on-screen cars and challenged them to run down fleeing humanoid figures known as “gremlins,” which let out a shriek before being replaced by tombstones. The stark black-and-white graphics were primitive even by late-1970s standards, but the violent concept generated considerable controversy and sensational press coverage. That notoriety helped make Death Race one of the earliest video games to spark a public debate over violence in electronic entertainment, cementing this simple arcade game's place in history.
Description: The Chester Teapot is one of America’s great pieces of roadside Americana, a giant teapot-shaped building that has become a beloved landmark of Chester, West Virginia. Originally constructed around 1900 as a large wooden barrel for advertising, it was transformed into a teapot in 1938 by local businessman William “Babe” Devon, who added the distinctive handle, spout, and lid to promote his pottery-related business. Located near the Ohio River, the unusual structure once operated as a roadside refreshment stand and drew the attention of motorists traveling through the region. Restored and relocated over the years, the Chester Teapot survives as an eccentric reminder of America's love affair with oversized novelty architecture.
Description: Dead of Night debuted in 1973 as part of the Bronze Age revival of horror and supernatural comics. The anthology reached newsstands with a December 1973 cover date and initially drew heavily on eerie pre-Code stories, bringing tales of haunted houses, ghosts, ghouls, monsters, and supernatural revenge to a new generation of readers. With lurid covers, shadowy artwork, and wonderfully melodramatic titles, Dead of Night captured the feel of classic pulp horror while fitting comfortably alongside other creature-based titles of the era. The series lasted just 11 issues, from December 1973 through August 1975.
Description: Kansas sits at the heart of America, a place of wide-open skies, rolling prairie, wheat fields, cattle country, and small towns connected by long stretches of highway. Its central location and deep agricultural roots have made the state a natural symbol of the American Heartland—a crossroads where farming, ranching, railroads, and trucking have kept the country moving for generations. From grain elevators rising above the plains to thunderstorms building on the distant horizon, Kansas embodies a rugged, unpretentious vision of middle America, shaped by hard work, open space, and the seemingly endless road ahead.
Description: Cerveza Superior is a historic Mexican lager whose roots stretch back to the late 19th century, when it was introduced in Orizaba, Veracruz. Marketed for generations as a premium beer, Superior became recognizable for its elegant branding and the famous “Rubia de Categoría” advertising character — a glamorous blonde woman who appeared on signs, calendars, trays, and other promotional material throughout Mexico. The beer developed into one of the country's classic old-school labels and remains part of Mexico’s brewing heritage, remembered as much for its colorful vintage advertising and distinctive identity as for the pale, refreshing lager itself.
Description: For more than six decades, the Silver Moon Diner stood at 235-20 Hillside Avenue as a beloved landmark in Queens Village, New York. Housed in a classic 1950s prefabricated, stainless-steel-clad diner, the Silver Moon served an expansive all-day menu of American comfort food, Greek specialties, and traditional breakfast favorites. Generations of neighborhood regulars filled its booths, while its unmistakable old-school atmosphere drew plenty of hungry travelers passing through the area. Sadly, after decades of serving the community, the Silver Moon Diner closed its doors for good in 2018, leaving behind an empty corner and countless memories for those who once called it their neighborhood diner.
Description: Government Issue, often shortened to G.I., emerged from Washington, D.C.’s first wave of hardcore in 1980 and became one of the scene’s longest-running and most adventurous bands. Led throughout its existence by the irrepressible John Stabb, the group debuted with the ferocious Legless Bull EP in 1981 and spent the rest of the decade refusing to stand still. While their earliest material delivered the short, fast blasts associated with D.C. hardcore, later records expanded into melodic punk, post-hardcore, metal, new wave, and psychedelic territory. This design is based on the explosive Make an Effort 7" from 1982, which should be required listening for every hardcore punk fan.
Description: Haida Gwaii is a remote archipelago off the northern coast of British Columbia, Canada, known for its rugged wilderness, rich marine life, ancient forests, and deep Indigenous heritage. Formerly known as the Queen Charlotte Islands, the islands are the ancestral homeland of the Haida people, whose culture, art, and traditions have shaped the region for thousands of years. Towering cedar and spruce forests meet rocky beaches and windswept Pacific coastline, while bald eagles, black bears, whales, and other wildlife thrive throughout the islands. Haida Gwaii’s isolation has helped preserve both its remarkable natural environment and its unique cultural identity, earning it a reputation as one of the most beautiful places on earth.
Description: Founded in 1978, BMX Plus! became the longest-running BMX magazine in history, documenting the sport from its formative years through its final issue in 2015. For an incredible 37 years, the magazine never missed an issue, chronicling the evolution of BMX racing, freestyle, bikes, riders, and the culture surrounding them. Surviving well into the internet age was an accomplishment in itself, especially for a publication devoted to such a specialized market. Even more impressive was BMX Plus!’s ability to maintain its enthusiasm and consistent quality throughout its remarkable run, leaving behind an invaluable record of BMX history. This one is based on a mid-80s design that the publication sold by mail order with an unmistakable '80s style.
Description: By the late 1960s, Trumpets had become a familiar sight on American drag strips, where their lightweight construction and powerful parallel-twin engines made them ideal platforms for serious competition. Racers heavily modified Bonneville and Tiger-based engines with high-compression pistons, hotter cams, enlarged carburetors, specialized exhausts, and increasingly exotic fuels, often installing them in stripped-down, purpose-built drag frames. These British-powered machines competed in everything from relatively conventional classes to wild twin-engine dragsters capable of tremendous speeds during an era when British motorcycles battled American iron and increasingly powerful Japanese machines for drag-strip supremacy.
Description: In 1964, Magilla Gorilla #3 from Gold Key Comics posed an important question: if donkeys and elephants could run for office, why not a gorilla? Magilla promptly threw his hat into the political ring, setting off a comical rivalry with his fellow cartoon characters. The producers of The Magilla Gorilla Show embraced the gag and expanded it into a mock presidential campaign timed to coincide with the real 1964 election between President Lyndon B. Johnson and Senator Barry Goldwater. The promotion featured cartoon candidates campaigning alongside their real-world counterparts, and while Johnson may have won the actual election, Magilla and his cartoon friends ran a spirited campaign—and really, isn't giving it your best what it's all about?
Description: Cröonchy Stars began as a fictional Swedish breakfast cereal that made numerous television appearances alongside one of the world’s favorite celebrity chefs. In 1988, Post decided to turn the gag prop into a real product, bringing Cröonchy Stars to supermarket shelves as a cinnamon-toast-flavored cereal made up of crunchy, star-shaped pieces. Although consumers didn’t exactly hate it, the cereal never became the hit Post had hoped for and disappeared from shelves less than a year later. Much of the cereal’s appeal came from its deliberately absurd packaging, which proudly stated that batteries were not required and that it didn't contain artificial colors or doorknobs. Along with the usual ingredients and nutritional information, the side o
Description: Politithon ’70 was a groundbreaking, live four and a half hour public-service broadcast staged in Florida during the 1970 election season. Produced by Miami public television station WPBT-TV, the live statewide television and radio special aired from the Miami Beach Auditorium on October 28, bringing together candidates for every statewide office and giving voters a chance to hear directly from the people whose names would appear on the November ballot. Hosted by veteran broadcaster John Daly, the marathon program explained the duties of each office, allowed candidates to make statements and answer questions submitted by voters, and also examined the seven proposed amendments to the Florida Constitution.
Description: Formed in Dorset, England, in 1988 under the name Lord of Putrefaction, Electric Wizard established a crushing sound, blending slow doom metal with heavy, distorted '70s acid-rock vibes across nine studio albums, with Come My Fanatics… (1997) and Dopethrone (2000) widely regarded as landmarks of the genre. While 2007’s Witchcult Today never quite received the appreciation it deserved, it retained the band’s obsession with the occult, witchcraft, horror, and cannabis. The album wrapped these familiar themes in a smoother, less abrasive strain of doom without sacrificing its enormous riffs or sinister atmosphere. The result may be Electric Wizard’s most accessible record, packed with memorable hooks and several standout tracks.
Description: Dallas, Texas, earned the nickname “Big D” during its rise as a major financial and cultural center in the decades between the world wars. Fueled by booming oil, banking, cotton, and commerce, the rapidly expanding city developed a reputation for ambition, prosperity, and doing things on a grand scale. The nickname was appearing in print by the 1930s and gained even greater national recognition with Frank Loesser’s song “Big D” from the 1956 musical The Most Happy Fella. Whether you have a soft spot for the Big D or simply believe everything really is bigger in Texas, this vintage ’80s Dallas design celebrates the city in suitably oversized style.
Description: The Whistlin’ Wolf Club is a fictional 1940s nightclub owned and operated by Slick Joseph “Wolfie” McWolf, better known simply as Slick McWolf. A familiar face from the theatrical shorts of the Golden Age of American Animation, McWolf appeared in a variety of roles, sometimes as one of Droopy’s chief adversaries and other times as his unlikely friend. Whatever the role, one thing remained constant: Wolfie’s famously uncontrollable reactions. Whether spotting an attractive dame, witnessing something unbelievable, or simply being caught off guard, his eyes had a habit of practically launching from their sockets. That wild, exaggerated response became one of the era’s most memorable cartoon gags.
Description: Rocket from the Crypt (RFTC) emerged from San Diego’s thriving underground scene in 1990, blending the raw energy of punk and garage with old-school rock ’n’ roll, soul, and a distinctive horn section; the band developed a sound that was loud, swaggering, and instantly recognizable. In late 1995, RFTC dropped their fourth studio album, Scream, Dracula, Scream!, and supported it with an extensive headlining tour throughout 1996. The record received many positive reviews in both mainstream and underground music press, and it began getting regular play on alternative rock radio and music video channels. Based on artwork from the '96 tour, this 'first contact' design's colorful retro comic-style interstellar relations scene.
Description: After running Fun Magazine, the publisher's created a new title in 1990 that would be able to go head-to-head with the long-established Detroit alt weekly, Metro Times. Like Metro Times, Orbit was free at newsstands throughout southeast Michigan, but unlike its progressive, left-leaning rival, Orbit would leave politics at the door, focusing instead on Detroit arts, culture, humor, and entertainment. Orbit Magazine ran nearly a full decade before closing their doors in 1999, but they'll never be forgotten, especially their smirking mascot, Orby.
Description: Garehime Music Co. was a longtime fixture of the Las Vegas music scene, tracing its roots to 1924, when Jacob “Jake” Garehime and his wife, Edith, opened the Garehime Music and Jewelry Store. A musician and skilled piano tuner, Jake initially specialized in selling, rebuilding, and repairing pianos before expanding into records, sheet music, radios, organs, and musical instruments. By the 1940s, its North Third Street store featured a large record department and listening booths popular with local teenagers. Garehime Music later moved to Sahara Avenue and continued serving generations of Las Vegas musicians before closing in 1988.
Description: Carrols Drive-Ins was one of the homegrown fast-food success stories of upstate New York, rising alongside the great American burger boom of the 1960s. Herbert N. Slotnick obtained the exclusive Carrols license rights for New York in 1960 and built the Syracuse-based operation into a familiar sight across the state, serving inexpensive hamburgers, fries, shakes, and other drive-in fare. Early promotions offered hamburgers for just 15 cents, and by the mid-1970s Carrols had grown into one of the Northeast's largest regional fast-food chains, with more than 150 restaurants. Facing increasingly fierce competition from national chains, Carrols struck a franchise agreement with BK in 1975 and began converting its restaurants.
Description: Batten Heads of Romulus, Michigan, was a specialty performance-engine company known for developing serious racing hardware during the 1970s and 1980s. Operating under names including Batten Heads and Batten Corporation, the company became particularly associated with high-flow cylinder heads and other components for American V8 engines. Its offerings included lightweight aluminum heads for small-blocks and competition-oriented heads featuring large ports, raised exhaust passages, and specialized valvetrain arrangements. Batten's engineering expertise extended beyond hot rods and drag racing; the company also became involved in sophisticated racing and experimental engine programs, including development work for the Big Three.
Description: Hard Ticket to Hawaii is a 1987 action B-movie written and directed by Andy Sidaris and the second installment in his loosely connected series of films later known as the Bullets, Bombs and Babes series. Set amid the tropical scenery of Hawaii, the story follows DEA agents as they stumble upon a diamond-smuggling operation and find themselves battling heavily armed criminals, while a bizarre subplot involves a giant, cancer-infected snake loose on the island. Packed with gunfights, explosions, martial arts, gratuitous nudity, ridiculous dialogue, and some spectacularly over-the-top action—including the infamous skateboard-riding assassin—Hard Ticket enthusiastically embraces everything that made ’80s direct-to-video flicks so rad.
Description: The Regnu di Sicilia, or Kingdom of Sicily, was established in 1130 when the Norman ruler Roger II was crowned king in Palermo, beginning a kingdom that would endure in various forms for centuries. Sicily’s most enduring emblem is the Trinacria, an ancient symbol consisting of three bent legs radiating from a central Gorgoneion, or head of Medusa, representing the island’s triangular shape and its three great capes; later versions also incorporated ears of wheat symbolizing Sicily’s extraordinary agricultural fertility. The symbol has ancient Greek roots and appeared on Sicilian coinage long before the medieval kingdom, while its association with Sicilian banners became especially important during and after the Sicilian Vespers of 1282.
Description: Old Dutch Beer made its debut in 1941 in Findlay, Ohio, where it was brewed as an affordable regional lager during the golden age of independent American breweries. With its distinctive Dutch-themed branding and familiar red, white, and blue labels, Old Dutch developed a loyal following throughout Ohio and neighboring states. The brand later found a new home in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where production continued after its Findlay brewing days had ended. Like many once-popular regional beers, Old Dutch eventually disappeared as consolidation reshaped the American brewing industry, but its colorful cans, bottles, signs, and advertising remain favorites among collectors of vintage breweriana.
Description: During the 1970s, Nippondenso was one of Japan’s major manufacturers of spark plugs and electrical components, supplying parts to the country’s rapidly expanding motorcycle industry. Nippondenso plugs were used by Japanese manufacturers both as original equipment and as replacement service parts. As Japanese motorcycles earned a reputation for reliability and increasingly sophisticated high-revving engines, dependable ignition components became essential, and Nippondenso competed closely with other manufacturers to stay out front. Its spark plugs became familiar sights in motorcycle shops, dealerships, racing pits, and toolboxes around the world, helping establish Nippondenso as an important name in the golden age of Japanese motorcycles.
Description: Record Mirror was a British weekly music magazine that chronicled the rapidly changing pop landscape from its launch in 1954 until its closure in 1991. One of the earliest British publications devoted specifically to popular music, it covered everything from rock ’n’ roll and the British Invasion to punk, new wave, disco, synth-pop, and dance music. Alongside interviews, reviews, photographs, and industry news, Record Mirror became particularly valuable for its extensive record charts, eventually publishing the official UK charts used by mainstream media. During the '80s, it developed an especially strong reputation for covering club culture and emerging scenes, giving space to genres and artists that received little attention elsewhere.
Description: A Better Version of Me is the third studio album by American indie rock band Rainer Maria, released in 2001 on Polyvinyl Records. Building on the emotional urgency of the band’s earlier work, the album found the Wisconsin trio refining their blend of intricate guitars, shifting dynamics, and deeply personal songwriting into something more expansive and assured. Caithlin De Marrais and Kyle Fischer’s intertwined vocals remain at the heart of the record, giving its songs the conversational tension and vulnerability that had become a Rainer Maria signature. While still rooted in the Midwest emo scene from which the band emerged, A Better Version of Me pushed beyond the genre’s conventions with an increasingly sophisticated sound.
Description: Van meets, often called “truck-ins,” became a defining part of America’s custom-van craze during the 1970s. Inspired partly by hot-rod gatherings but infused with the decade’s counterculture, thousands of vanners would descend on campgrounds, fairgrounds, and open fields to show off wildly customized machines covered in murals, metalflake paint, spoilers, side pipes, mag wheels, shag carpeting, wood paneling, and elaborate interiors. Events ranged from local weekend gatherings to enormous national truck-ins featuring van shows, live music, games, cruising, camping, and plenty of late-night partying. Van power forever... boogie on, baby!
Description: Mofo the Psychic Gorilla is a classic magic routine by Penn & Teller. In the bit, a fake gorilla on stage claims to have gained psychic powers from scientific research, with Teller speaking offstage as the voice of Mofo. A volunteer is chosen from the audience, and Penn tells him to write a number on a sheet of paper. Keeping the volunteer's attention directed away from Mofo, Teller clunks down his microphone, trudges out as if he’s bored, takes a look at the volunteer's number, goes back, and announces the number in the authoritative voice of Mofo. During the '90s, 'Mofo Knows' was the name of the duo's newsletter, though for some reason, Mofo was now a psychic chimpanzee sponsored by 'Mofo's Life Support Systems.'
Description: Living wild, free, and dangerously isn't about reckless self-destruction—it's about refusing to let fear, routine, or the expectations of others dictate how you experience life. It means chasing the open road, embracing uncertainty, taking chances that make your pulse race, and collecting stories instead of regrets. It's the attitude of those who would rather wear out than rust out, who find beauty in late nights, loud engines, forgotten highways, and horizons that never seem to end. Freedom comes from trusting yourself, accepting the consequences of your choices, and living boldly enough that every scar has a story. In the end, the greatest risk isn't living dangerously—it's playing it so safe that you never truly live at all. Gimme danger
Description: Lightspeed Electroid Albegas (Kōsoku Denjin Albegas) is a Japanese super robot anime that aired from 1983 to 1984. Set in the year 1999, the series follows three gifted teenagers — Hotaru, Daisaku, and Tetsuya — who each pilot a separate robot that can combine to form the mighty Albegas in humanity's fight against the alien Derinja Empire. Blending high-energy mecha battles with school-life comedy and colorful science fiction adventure, the series showcased elaborate transformation sequences and a distinctive three-robot combination gimmick that really resonated with viewers. Lightspeed Electroid Albegas remains a favorite among fans of classic 1980s mecha anime for its memorable robot design, vibrant animation, and nostalgic action.
Description: Founded in Birmingham, Alabama, in 1962, Owl Package Liquors built its reputation around a simple promise: when everyone else was closing, the Owl was still open. Catering to shift workers, musicians, restaurant employees, and other self-proclaimed "night owls," the store became a favorite late-night stop for beer, wine, and spirits throughout central Alabama. Its distinctive owl logo and glowing storefront signs made each location easy to spot after dark, and its friendly service earned a loyal following. As the business grew, Owl Package Liquors expanded into multiple cities across the state while maintaining its reputation for convenient late-night hours and a well-stocked selection. Although the chain eventually disappeared, it remains
Description: Unicorns have long been one of the most beloved fantasy creatures among children, and many girls are especially drawn to their magical charm. With their shimmering manes, sparkling horns, and stories of kindness, courage, and imagination, unicorns inspire endless daydreams and creative play. Symbolizing a world where anything is possible, unicorns continue to capture the hearts of many girls by celebrating wonder, friendship, and the joy of believing in a little everyday magic. This early '90s Unicorn Kingdom design features a whole herd of unicorns frolicking in the clouds along a rainbow path leading to their fantasy castle.
Description: Founded in 1988 in the village of Piermont, New York, Piermont Pictures Video was a neighborhood video rental store that embodied the golden age of the VHS era. While they carried all the latest releases, Piermont's biggest strength was its extensive library of over 4000 titles that included cult classics, foreign films, hard-to-find independent titles, and everything in between. Like many independent video stores, Piermont Pictures Video offered a personal touch that larger chains couldn't match, including knowledgeable staff making recommendations and regular customers discovering hidden gems on every visit. The shop became a popular destination for movie lovers throughout Rockland County. Although the rise of DVDs, mail-order rentals, an
