Stupid Guest Tricks

Steve Biko’s 70th Birthday



Black is beautiful. Steve Biko knew this fully well, and fought to spread this message across South Africa at the height of the apartheid movement in the 1960s and 1970s.

While in medical school, Biko co-founded the Black Consciousness Movement, which rejected apartheid policies and encouraged black people to take pride in their racial identities and cultural heritages. Biko famously said, “Black Consciousness is an attitude of the mind and a way of life, the most positive call to emanate from the black world for a long time.”

In February of 1973, the pro-apartheid government banned Biko for anti-apartheid activism. Under this ban, Biko wasn’t allowed to speak to more than one person at a time, was forbidden to speak in public and to the media, and was forced to stay in a single district. In spite of this, Biko continued to form grassroots organizations and organize protests, including the Soweto Uprising in June of 1976.

On the 70th anniversary of Biko’s birth, we remember his courage and the important legacy he left behind. Thank you, Steve Biko, for dedicating your life to the pursuit of equality for all.

Holidays 2016 (Day 1)



‘Tis the season for song! Wintertime brings with it a number of traditions, but few as old or joyful as caroling. Dating back thousands of years, the original carols were songs specific to certain regions, and shared by wandering minstrels on their travels between towns. It wasn’t until the early 1800’s that the practice of caroling as we know it, spread across England and western Europe. During this time, cities began hosting outdoor orchestras that played songs for people to sing along with as they walked by.

Today’s Doodle features a merry crew of carolers, with a certain triangle player waiting for his moment…..

Holidays 2016 (Day 1) Warm Climates



Warm up your singing voice and get ready to bring some summer cheer! Today's Doodle celebrates the season with our festive chorus of melody-makers. What better spot to set up than under a shady palm tree with your loved ones? From this family of letters to you, happy holidays!

Holidays 2016 (Day 2)



Happy holidays! This is the perfect time of year to cozy up to the window with your favorite blanket or mug, and watch the snow fall. While you’re there, sketch a foggy doodle or two (or five) of your own.

Holidays 2016 (Day 2) Warm Climates



It's the season for fun in the sun! Head to the beach and make sand angels, with starfish and shells providing a festive backdrop. Whether you're relaxing by the seaside or gathering at home with family and friends, we wish you very happy holidays.

Holidays 2016 (Day 3)



‘Tis the season! During this festive time of year, there’s nothing quite like cozying up in front of the fireplace with family and friends. Here’s to a day filled with love, warmth, and mugs of hot cocoa.

Holidays 2016 (Day 3) Warm Climates



‘Tis the season! During this festive time of year, there’s nothing quite like lounging around with family and friends. Here’s to a day filled with love, joy, and plenty of cheer to go around.

Franz Sacher’s 200th Birthday




In the world of baked goods, few cakes have the culinary status–or intriguing backstory–of the Sacher-Torte, first concocted by the Austrian confectioner, Franz Sacher, in Vienna in 1832.

Perhaps destiny had a hand in its creation. Sacher was a 16-year-old apprentice honing his craft in the court of Austrian state chancellor, Prince Metternich, when the kitchen was tasked with creating a special dessert for the prince’s fussy guests. On the day of the dinner, the chef became ill, and the tall order fell to Sacher.

The trainee whipped up a chocolate cake topped with apricot jam and bittersweet chocolate icing. It was a hit with the prince’s guests, but it wasn’t until Sacher’s son Eduard refined the recipe decades later, that the Sacher-Torte became a Viennese sensation.

Today, the dessert is a signature of Café Sacher in Vienna's Hotel Sacher (and other locations in Austria). The authentic recipe for the Original Sacher-Torte remains a deep, dark, delicious secret.

Our Doodle honors Sacher’s 200th birthday with an animation of his famous cake, illustrated Viennese style with a pot of coffee. With each “bite,” the torte slices slowly disappear, leaving barely a crumb.

Paco de Lucía’s 69th Birthday



Today’s Doodle pays tribute to the masterful strumming of Paco de Lucía, who would’ve been 69 today. Regarded as one of the world’s greatest guitarists, the musical virtuoso is credited with modernizing flamenco and bringing it to the international stage.

Born Francisco Sánchez Gómez into a family of musicians in southern Spain, he was fascinated with the guitar from an early age. Although he received his first lessons from his father, it was his mother, Lucía, who inspired his stage name. After winning his first international flamenco competition at the age of 14, de Lucía went on to collaborate with Camarón de la Isla, one of the genre’s most celebrated singers. In 1973, he released one of his career-defining songs, Entre Dos Aguas, which received international acclaim.

De Lucía spent many years touring the world, introducing new instruments to the genre, like the Peruvian cajón, and infusing it with jazz and other styles along the way. His revolutionary approach to flamenco left an indelible mark on music both in Spain and beyond.

Winter Solstice 2016 (Northern Hemisphere)



Summer Solstice 2016 (Southern Hemisphere)