Steampunk events: what is steampunk?

by Elizabeth Seward on

You might not know what ‘steampunk’ means and maybe you have never attended steampunk events. I didn’t know what the term meant until a few months ago whilst wasting time on Etsy, only to discover that ‘steampunk‘ is a category for jewelry and other handmade things. With further research, the definition of ‘steampunk’ unveiled itself to me. Steampunk is, as Wikipedia so eloquently puts it: “a sub-genre of science-fiction, fantasy, alternate history, and speculative fiction that came into prominence during the 1980s and early 1990s. Steampunk involves a setting where steam power is still widely used (usually Victorian era Britain or “Wild West“-era United States) and one that incorporates elements of either science fiction or fantasy. Works of steampunk often feature anachronistic technology, or futuristic innovations as Victorians might have envisioned them, based on a Victorian perspective on fashion, culture, architectural style, and art. This technology includes such fictional machines as those found in the works of H. G. Wells and Jules Verne, or the contemporary authors Philip Pullman, Scott Westerfeld, and China Mieville.“The manifestation of steampunk culture is often first seen in fashion, but the rules of steampunk fashion are loose and, according to most sources, open to interpretation. Victorian-era clothing meets robotics and electronics initially comes to mind. Pair these things together to work up a mental image and perhaps, in doing so, you will find you’ve been a steampunk all along and didn’t even know it: welded-together jewelry pieces thick with metal and parts of other things (clocks, piping, tools, etc.), corsets, top hats, floor-length gowns, button-down vests, goggles, leather straps, chains, and, in general, a mix of old-style with new-style. Ring any bells? Remind you of anyone you know?

For a term that’s been around so long, it’s a wonder more people don’t know it off-hand. Once we escape from the make-believe worlds wherein steampunk notions are traditionally held, there’s an appealing reason to take notice of the steampunk subculture in everyday life, especially during our travels. Steampunk, if the aesthetic appeals to you, can help direct your travels. Below are some resources for finding steampunks and related activities to help guide your 2012 travels.

Steampunk Events

1. The Steampunk World’s Fair
May 18-20 in Pascataway, New Jersey
The purported world’s largest steampunk festival will be infiltrating Pascataway, New Jersey. With Absinthe tastings, live music, performance art, and specially-brewed teas, The Steampunk World’s Fair 2012 is bound to put on a show to remember.

2. The Anachronism NYC
Follow these guys for updates on their exciting steampunk events in NYC. Burlesque, sideshow, vaudeville, live music, fire-dancing, and art are all part of what make these events successful in New York. Their website currently promises an update on the next event at the end of February, so stay tuned.

3. Steampunk Chicago
Game nights, movie trips, parties–Steampunk Chicago organizes it all. If it’s steampunk enough and happening in Chicago, these guys are all over it.

4. Coal City Steam
The Coal City Steam website brings steampunk event listings from all over the USA together. Check out the site’s event listings for a country-wide scope on steampunk happenings.

5. Tor
Tor.com has a good events section for steampunk activities taking place in the USA and Canada (and perhaps beyond).

American Airlines commercial from 1981 makes us sad

by Mike Barish on

“Full service no matter what you pay.” That’s what flight attendant Betty Lynn Fischbach promises in this 1981 ad for American Airlines as she places a meal on the tray of an economy class passenger. Was that meal delicious? Probably not, but it was free. And a skycap opened the cab door for an arriving passenger. That’s pretty swell. Low fares? American Airlines has ’em! Oh, 1981, we miss you (except for the assassination attempt on Ronald Reagan, the walkway collapse at the Kansas City Hyatt Regency that killed 111 people, and the air traffic controllers strike).

An inspirational bike ride across America

by Jessica Festa on



This video is more than just one man’s trip biking across the United States. It’s a philosophical look into what makes life itself such an incredible journey. The filmmaker, Ryan Van Duzer, began his expedition using a quote from Helen Keller as his inspiration: “Life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all”. Beginning in San Diego, California, he made his way toward Tarpon Springs, Florida, cycling from town to town and asking people what they loved most about life. Throughout the video, you will meet unique individuals and hear an array of answers while also getting to see the diverse landscapes of the United States.

Transmongolia – Part Four: Traversing the Steppe

by Stephen Greenwood on

Transmongolia: Part Four – Click above to watch video after the jump

*After an extended hiatus (we blame the whole getting lost in the desert thing) Transmongolia is back. Click here for our previous coverage of the 2011 Mongol Rally.

Other than a complete break down or having to wait days for a spare part to arrive, there are few things as disheartening on the Mongol Rally as driving in the completely wrong direction for hundreds of kilometers. After recovering from a near-disastrous rendezvous with the Chinese-Mongolia border, our humble ambulance regained its eventual path toward Ulaanbaatar.

With a scheduled welcome party arranged in Mongolia’s capital just a few days away, we hurried to get back on track as fast as possible; while gradually losing more members of our convoy with every deep pit and poorly spotted rock in the road.

The end was in sight, but the final sprint across the steppe would still test the endurance of our newly formed friendships and our overworked engine.


Transmongolia – Part Four: Traversing the Steppe

As we ventured out of the Gobi and into the Mongolian steppe, the landscape shifted to sloping grasslands and sizeable hills that seemed small in comparison to the Altai range that we had grown accustomed to.

The steppe signaled several things for our battered rally team: that our journey was nearing its end and that our contact with large towns became more and more frequent. We no longer were concerned with filling up our jerrycans with the maximum levels of fuel and stocking up on food, water, and other necessities at every establishment we crossed.

With the moderate temperatures of the steppe, and the knowledge that we had only a few more nights under the vivid stars of the Mongolian wilderness night sky, we slept out in the open – with only sleeping bags, neighing horses in the distance, and the constant wind whipping across the hills.

It was bittersweet to know that we’d be back in the familiar grasp of a rapidly modernizing city in just days – one that for me, would now be revisited with an entirely new perspective.

For more information about the Mongol Rally, including how to sign up for the 2012 rally or tips for entrants outside the EU, visit the Adventurist’s website – or view the Adventurists’ 2011 trailer here!

Transportation was made possible by the scholars & gentlemen at the Adventurists. No editorial content or opinions were guaranteed, and nor was anyone’s safety or hygiene.

Video of the day: skateboarding in South Asia

by Elizabeth Seward on

Visualtraveling – ‘Holy Cow’ from Patrik Wallner on Vimeo.

Visualtraveling created this ten minute film piece titled ‘Holy Cow’ with footage from travels centered around skateboarding in South Asia. The documented journey took place over the course of a month. This video features, primarily, awesome shots of skateboarders boarding in cool places, doing neat things with their skateboards–the kinds of things I most certainly do not know how to do. The video also features non-skateboarding things. Stunning landscape shots, interesting architecture, bright colors, unique cars and other vehicles, and crowds of spectators complete this ‘skateboarding’ video which, like so many skateboarding videos, is equally functional as a travel video.