Jenny Elliott

Jul 23, 2024 | atlasobscura.com | Jenny Elliott

A fleet of old arcade machines line the upper landing at Abbey House Museum in Leeds, England. Among them stands a curious 1934 glass-fronted automaton. The diorama within perfectly renders a museum in miniature. Tiny artifacts pack display cases. To one side, a pocket-sized crimson sarcophagus is covered in intricate hieroglyphs. Yet, that’s not what draws the eye: Slumped in a chair, a small corpse stares blankly out from the scene.

Nov 22, 2023 | inews.co.uk | Jenny Elliott |Sophie Lam

“Tartu is the birthplace of much of Estonian culture,” says designer and illustrator Kalle Paas, as we set off on a morning walk through the compact city, two hours south of the capital Tallinn. It feels like a bold claim, given that we’re gazing at a shopping mall. Paas explains that Tartu was once a prosperous medieval stronghold, until its location amid rival Swedish, Russian and German empires took its toll. In the end, though, it was the great fire of 1775 that devastated the ancient core.

Sep 7, 2023 | atlasobscura.com | Jenny Elliott

There’s a low hiss, a spark, then a momentary brilliant blaze. The outline of red velvet seats, ornate moldings, and a sweeping balcony emerge from the shadows, all now illuminated by an apricot glow. “I think of it as waking up the building,” says Wendy Cook, Head of Cinema at the Hyde Park Picture House, as she stands in the empty auditorium, long lighter in hand. Cook has worked at this small neighborhood cinema in Leeds, England, since she began selling sweets here 20 years ago.

Jul 17, 2023 | msn.com | Jenny Elliott

“The name ‘Vltava’ comes from the old Germanic for ‘wild water’,” says tour guide Michal Pavlík, as he punts us along a languid meander in the river that carves through the Czech town of Český Krumlov, around 110 miles south of Prague. “As you can see, it’s very wild,” he adds, nodding towards a family of ducks gliding past. It’s then I realise I’m not only sitting alongside a skilled timber rafter but also an aficionado of another prized national pastime: deadpan joke delivery.

May 30, 2023 | falstaff.com | Jenny Elliott

Over the last couple of decades, Prague’s food scene has undergone a transformation, with an array of inventive, elegant restaurants springing up around its historic centre, as well as creating a buzz in its leafy neighbourhoods. Which is just as well, as after a day spent revelling in Prague’s many picture-postcard sights, you’ll no doubt be craving a top-notch meal.