Weekend Round-Up: Bad Gators, Subway Graffiti, and Zissou Caps

Each week, our editors gather their favorite finds from around the internet and recommend them to you right here. These are not articles about watches, but rather outstanding examples of journalism and storytelling covering topics from fashion and art to technology and travel. So go ahead, pour yourself a cup of coffee, put your feet up, and settle in. Image via linked article The Ballad Of Boots And Stumpy, The Bad Boys Of The Birding Center – Texas Monthly I grew up in Houston. Many people outside the Lone Star State don't realize that it very much is a Gulf Coast city, in a similar terrestrial vein to New Orleans. In fact, I remember kayaking alongside alligators in various bayous as a teenager. In my experience, they're generally impassive reptiles – or should I say dinosaurs? – who won't bother you unless you get in their business. In this delightful read from Texas Monthly , author Madeleine Aggeler details the story of a pair of alligators residing in the seaside town of Port Aransas (we called it "Port A" when I was in high school). Boots is our reigning champ, a longtime denizen of the Port Aransas Birding Center who cherishes his position and the premier access it grants him to prey and local fame. Stumpy, on the other hand, is the new face on the block, a ten-footer with only three feet (hence the name Stumpy), who has taken residence in the creek behind a Dollar General after unsuccessful attempts at squatting in the Birding Center (Boots doesn't take kindly to neighbors). The competing desires of Boots, Stumpy, the residents of Port Aransas, and the city's animal control officers all come to a head in this classic Texas showdown. – Logan Baker, Editor, HODINKEE Shop Image via linked article Behind The Scenes At A Five-Star Hotel – The New Yorker The New Yorker wrote about how a pandemic lockdown and partial reopening unfolded at New York City's esteemed Pierre Hotel, but this article would be interesting even during a normal period as a look behind the scenes of a hotel that operates as its own little world. I couldn't help but think of a quote from The Grand Budapest Hotel (see: our next round-up), "You see, there are still faint glimmers of civilization left in this barbaric slaughterhouse that was once known as humanity." During the pandemic, employees of the hotel struggled as unemployment funds dwindled, but this story is a testament to the value of the worker protections for which they bargained over many years. There is also a sense of mutual love and respect between the employees, the hotel as an institution, and its regular guests. A bartender at the hotel's restaurant says that ten of his regular customers had been in touch to check on him. "Despite all the trauma that is going on, they did not forget about me." – Daisy Alioto, Audience Engagement Manager Image via linked article Celebrating 25 Years Of Wes Anderson Movies – Film Stories It's hard to believe Wes Anderson has been making movies for 25 years, and harder to believe that 25 years ago was 1996. That was the year that gave us Anderson's first, and least heralded, film Bottle Rocket , a low-budget romp starring both Wilson brothers as they navigate their lives as two-bit, screw-up criminals – and friends. If you've never seen it, I highly recommend it. It features some of the sharpest writing in any of his films, due in no small part to Owen Wilson's co-writing credit (he also co-wrote Rushmore and The Royal Tenenbaums ). Film Stories, out of the U.K., published this article highlighting all of Anderson's films to-date in celebration of the quarter-century milestone. The story provides a bit of synopsis, mixed with behind-the-scenes factoids. It's never a bad time to return to the world of Wes Anderson, so why not this weekend? – Danny Milton, Editor Image via linked article Martha: A Picture Story – Dazed If you ever find yourself going through classic photos of New York City subways – with whole train cars bombed with graffiti – chances are, they were captured by Martha Cooper. In a career that spans over six decades, she's always had her eyes on the streets, documenting graffiti and the burgeoning culture of hip hop since its birth in the 1970s. I've run into her twice in my life: once at a graffiti crew battle in Chinatown and another at a small painting session with some friends in the South Bronx. It was the latter encounter that made me realize how much a legend like her, who is now in her 70s, will always have her finger on the pulse of the street art movement. It brings me joy to see her recognized in a new documentary by Selina Miles; for all you streaming fans, it's on Apple TV and Amazon . – David Aujero, Video Producer Image via linked article The Great Super Bowl Rings Heist – ESPN "I'm a professional thief, a master thief," says Sean Murphy early on in this brilliantly reported epic from Sam Borden at ESPN . What follows is the kind of story that must be red meat for a Hollywood producer, with larger than life characters, a meticulously planned jewelry heist, and an eccentric motive at the heart of it all: A spurned New England Patriots fan who just wants to pull one over on his rival New York Giants by stealing their Super Bowl rings. Of course, the truth is seldom as tidy as a Hollywood tale, but don't let that stop you from enjoying this sprawling crime drama that started with one of the most incredible and unlikely plays in NFL history . – Dakota Gardner, Managing Editor Lead image by Brad BangEveryone knows Custer died at Little Bighorn. What this book presupposes is...maybe he didn't?