February 11, 2026 - The Louvre heist with Elaine Sciolino, Vince Petryk of JP Licks, and Mahesh Daas
About The Episode
Last spring, the Louvre looked untouchable, with a couture exhibition and a grand renovation plan led by director Laurence des Cars. Then came a cascade of crises, including a brazen jewel heist that stole $100 million in French Crown Jewels, along with strikes and a damning security audit. Journalist Elaine Sciolino joins us to discuss the turmoil. Elaine Sciolino is the former Paris bureau chief for the New York Times and a bestselling author. Her latest book, “Adventures in the Louvre: How to Fall in Love with the World’s Greatest Museum,” is out in paperback this March.
Winter doesn’t slow down New England ice cream fans, and J.P. Licks has new flavors to prove it. Founder Vince Petryk talks about February specials, including Strawberry Cookies ’N’ Cream, and the company’s community programs like its Girl Scout cookie partnerships and sock drive for Rosie’s Place. To learn more go here.
Mahesh Daas returns for our feature “AI: Actual Intelligence” with fresh, off-algorithm insights. This month he looks at reconstruction—from replicas of Thoreau’s Walden cabin to rebuilding communities after the California wildfires. Mahesh Daas is president of Boston Architectural College and the co-author of the graphic novella about artificial intelligence, titled “I, Nobot.”
