Pollyanna Rhee 이채영
@parhee.bsky.social
Assistant Professor at University of Illinois. Historian of the built and natural environment and ideas around them. I wrote a book about modern environmentalism and its discontents: https://press.uchicago.edu/ucp/books/book/chicago/N/bo246539639.html
I color coordinated with the rug in my office. I’ve been wearing the suits I bought for campus visits to school because 1. they are wool, 2. an easy way to wear layers in the winter, and 3. they make me look ever so slightly put together.
January 26, 2026 at 3:44 PM
I color coordinated with the rug in my office. I’ve been wearing the suits I bought for campus visits to school because 1. they are wool, 2. an easy way to wear layers in the winter, and 3. they make me look ever so slightly put together.
One of the best things I did over winter break was go to the Kerry James Marshall incredibly moving retrospective at the Royal Academy. Art history is for everyone. Art is for everyone.
January 18, 2026 at 12:56 PM
One of the best things I did over winter break was go to the Kerry James Marshall incredibly moving retrospective at the Royal Academy. Art history is for everyone. Art is for everyone.
New Year Korean rice cake soup. Now my mom is napping, my dad is watching Zohran’s inauguration, and I’m in denial about working again by catching up on Selling Sunset. Happy new year to all except ICE, etc.
January 1, 2026 at 7:19 PM
New Year Korean rice cake soup. Now my mom is napping, my dad is watching Zohran’s inauguration, and I’m in denial about working again by catching up on Selling Sunset. Happy new year to all except ICE, etc.
Closing out the year with this early novel by Jane Gardam, a favorite novelist, who died in April.
December 31, 2025 at 9:34 PM
Closing out the year with this early novel by Jane Gardam, a favorite novelist, who died in April.
A very incompetent selfie with Santa sitting at the Laternre restaurant in Baden Baden earlier this month. 🎄🎅🏻🎄🎅🏻
December 25, 2025 at 8:31 PM
A very incompetent selfie with Santa sitting at the Laternre restaurant in Baden Baden earlier this month. 🎄🎅🏻🎄🎅🏻
Already filled a large tote bag with novelty British Christmas potato “crisp” flavors to stun, delight, and horrify people back in the US. I found myself slight taken with turkey and stuffing flavored ones (And shill for the very lovely Pages of Hackney bookstore.)
December 22, 2025 at 3:02 PM
Already filled a large tote bag with novelty British Christmas potato “crisp” flavors to stun, delight, and horrify people back in the US. I found myself slight taken with turkey and stuffing flavored ones (And shill for the very lovely Pages of Hackney bookstore.)
My last day on campus until next year immortalized with a bathroom selfie. Subconsciously celebrating as I realized I’m wearing Christmas colors (I promise the cardigan is green). My unruly hair is getting a haircut for the first time in 9 months next week!
December 8, 2025 at 3:18 PM
My last day on campus until next year immortalized with a bathroom selfie. Subconsciously celebrating as I realized I’m wearing Christmas colors (I promise the cardigan is green). My unruly hair is getting a haircut for the first time in 9 months next week!
The cover of this morning’s New York Post was truly the main content I was waiting for.
November 5, 2025 at 2:15 PM
The cover of this morning’s New York Post was truly the main content I was waiting for.
Standing on a stoop in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn doing shots of Serbian plum brandy before going out for Georgian food is a top tier experience in Zohran Mamdani’s New York.
November 4, 2025 at 2:06 PM
Standing on a stoop in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn doing shots of Serbian plum brandy before going out for Georgian food is a top tier experience in Zohran Mamdani’s New York.
Then I made my hasty retreat back to the Midwest.
November 1, 2025 at 3:37 PM
Then I made my hasty retreat back to the Midwest.
Seven years and two-ish months ago after an early afternoon spent defending my dissertation I went here for a late afternoon beer and a hot dog with friends. 🫡
November 1, 2025 at 2:27 PM
Seven years and two-ish months ago after an early afternoon spent defending my dissertation I went here for a late afternoon beer and a hot dog with friends. 🫡
There are a lot of ways to shop at Costco correctly and this is one of them.
October 25, 2025 at 9:58 PM
There are a lot of ways to shop at Costco correctly and this is one of them.
Two gourds my dad grew which I believe deserve the title of Absolute Units.
October 19, 2025 at 1:29 PM
Two gourds my dad grew which I believe deserve the title of Absolute Units.
Rereading Sarah Igo’s magnificent The Averaged American and reminded of this delightful anecdote about a Gallop poll worker faced with a person with no understanding of the word atheist, and so rephrased a question by asking instead, “Would you vote a sinner for president?”
October 15, 2025 at 2:49 PM
Rereading Sarah Igo’s magnificent The Averaged American and reminded of this delightful anecdote about a Gallop poll worker faced with a person with no understanding of the word atheist, and so rephrased a question by asking instead, “Would you vote a sinner for president?”
I have reached peak adult.
October 3, 2025 at 1:17 PM
I have reached peak adult.
The great Catherine Hall at Illinois last night on private property and empire.
September 25, 2025 at 3:02 PM
The great Catherine Hall at Illinois last night on private property and empire.
Y/N: Should I be allowed to use this exceptionally flattering shot a few weeks ago from Waterloo Bridge as my faculty photo to replace the one taken when I was frantically finishing my dissertation in 2018?
September 24, 2025 at 3:06 PM
Y/N: Should I be allowed to use this exceptionally flattering shot a few weeks ago from Waterloo Bridge as my faculty photo to replace the one taken when I was frantically finishing my dissertation in 2018?
Sunday with this stone cold classic.
September 21, 2025 at 4:42 PM
Sunday with this stone cold classic.
If life or work (“work”) gives you the chance to go for an A++ refreshingly chilly swim in the Atlantic I recommend this pool in Porto.
September 14, 2025 at 11:42 PM
If life or work (“work”) gives you the chance to go for an A++ refreshingly chilly swim in the Atlantic I recommend this pool in Porto.
Excellent topiary alert: If you find yourself in Bedfont, London close to Heathrow you might encounter these yew trees in front of a medieval church trained into the shape of peacocks starting in 1704.
September 14, 2025 at 1:45 PM
Excellent topiary alert: If you find yourself in Bedfont, London close to Heathrow you might encounter these yew trees in front of a medieval church trained into the shape of peacocks starting in 1704.
Got caught out in the rain without an umbrella but was carrying snacks so I was prepared to wait it out. (The doughnut was from St. John’s, iykyk).
September 1, 2025 at 4:42 PM
Got caught out in the rain without an umbrella but was carrying snacks so I was prepared to wait it out. (The doughnut was from St. John’s, iykyk).
Light rainbow over Parliament Hill.
August 31, 2025 at 7:26 PM
Light rainbow over Parliament Hill.
Double rainbow over Walthamstow.
August 31, 2025 at 10:49 AM
Double rainbow over Walthamstow.
Clearly have no sense of moderation when it comes to pastries and cake.
August 22, 2025 at 2:36 PM
Clearly have no sense of moderation when it comes to pastries and cake.