PHILADELPHIA: Brian Dwyer holds the Guinness World Record for largest collection of pizza memorabilia. He’s also the driving force behind Pizza Brain, which he calls the first pizza museum in the US
The quirky Philadelphia establishment is part art gallery, part restaurant. It’s a place to enjoy a slice or two of artisan pie while looking at pizza-related photos, records, knickknacks and videos.
“We thought it was a funny idea, and we started doing some research,” Dwyer said. “And when we discovered that nowhere on earth was there a physical place, a monument built to pizza, we said, ‘This is going to be huge.’“
Hundreds of people turned out for the Sept. 7 grand opening.
One wall is covered with framed pizza-related photos and magazine covers; another boasts dozens of vinyl records, like the soundtrack to “Mystic Pizza.” Display boxes show off pizza-bearing figurines from Homer Simpson and Spider-Man to the Tasmanian Devil and Pillsbury Doughboy. A cluster of small TVs plays pizza-related shows.
Dwyer, 28, said he had some pizza mementoes a couple of years ago when friends decided to create an art exhibit called “Give Pizza Chance.” Reaction was so positive that he continued collecting, becoming the world-recorder holder with 561 items in July 2011.
He now owns a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles “Pizza Drop” arcade game and Star Trek Enterprise pizza cutter.
A few months later, Dwyer quit his supermarket job to work on Pizza Brain full time. He and his team bought the rowhouses and raised some dough online — more than $ 16,500 — through the crowd-funding website Kickstarter. Grassroots publicity and social media created major local buzz.
Dwyer said he was caught off-guard by the response. He calls pizza “the great equalizer.”
“I think that’s why pizza is so powerful — it’s inherently communal,” Dwyer said. “Pizza is one of the few things that everyone can agree on.”
Speaking of which, what about the food? The menu offers pies with an array of artisan ingredients and offbeat toppings including beef brisket, pulled pork and meatloaf.
On his first visit last week, customer Sean McGettrick played it safe with a plain slice garnished with basil leaves. He gave it a thumbs-up and pledged to return.
Inside Pizza Brain, world’s first pizza museum
Inside Pizza Brain, world’s first pizza museum
Arab designers shine bright at the Golden Globes
DUBAI/ LOS ANGELES: Arab designers dressed a handful of stars at the 83rd Annual Golden Globes on Sunday, with talent from Lebanon, Egypt and Saudi Arabia among the designers to be featured on the awards ceremony red carpet.
Show host Nikki Glaser took to the red carpet at the event in a baby pink gown by Lebanese designer Zuhair Murad.
The outfit, one of many costume changes for Glaser on Sunday night, hailed from his Resort 2026 collection.
For her part, Kylie Jenner was spotted at the awards ceremony in a custom-made silver gown by Saudi couturier Mohammed Ashi, the founder of Paris-based label Ashi Studio.
Irish TV personality Maura Higgins looked elegant in a figure-hugging black gown with a textured golden shawl-like accessory by Dubai-based Egyptian designer Marmar Halim.
Timothee Chalamet and a sea of other stars also said goodbye to color at this year's Golden Globes, opting instead for black.
Ariana Grande left behind her “Wicked” character's signature pink color for a black Vivienne Westwood couture dress but brought back her ponytail. Other notable celebrities in black included Ayo Edebiri, Selena Gomez, Miley Cyrus and Mia Goth.
Edebiri chose a black off-the-shoulder Chanel dress embellished with jewels on the shoulders from Matthieu Blazy’s Métiers d’Art 2026 show.
Celebrities held onto their gowns and watched their steps as they posed for photos on high stairs that served as the red carpet. Like the Met Gala, they lined up at the bottom and had to perilously climb their way up.
The 83rd Golden Globes gives a glimpse into how celebrities will showcase their original take on fashion as the awards season progresses. Since 1944, the show has honored the best in film and television.
The carpet, at The Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, California, is a chance for nominees to make a statement, though some are beholden to fashion houses who pay them as ambassadors.
Several, including George Clooney, wore Giorgio Armani. The fashion world lost Armani in September, but his eponymous brand lives on.
“It was nice to see so many attendees, including Julia Roberts and Kate Hudson, wearing the brand and pay tribute,” said Véronique Hyland, fashion features director for Elle.
Stars also shone in metallics. “Sentimental Value” actor Renate Reinsve twirled on the carpet in a shimmery silver tasseled dress by Nicolas Ghesquiere for Louis Vuitton. Her co-star Elle Fanning's Gucci dress was embroidered with Norwegian flowers in honor of their Norwegian drama film.
