Healthy lifestyle
A healthy lifestyle is one which helps to keep and improve people's health and well-being.Many governments and non-governmental organizations have made big efforts in healthy lifestyle and health promotion.
Mental Health
Mental health can be considered a very important factor of physical health for the effects it produces on bodily functions. This type of health concerns emotional and cognitive well-being or an absence of mental disorder.
Public health
Public health can be defined in a variety of ways. It can be presented as "the study of the physical, psychosocial and socio-cultural determinants of population health and actions to improve the health of the population.
Reproductive Health
For the UN, reproductive health is a right, like other human rights. This recent concept evokes the good transmission of the genetic heritage from one generation to the next.
Health
Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being, and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.
samedi 13 avril 2019
I Ate Dessert Every Night For a Week to See How It Would Affect My Weight Loss - Here's What Happened
I want to start this article off by saying people should eat whatever they want to, whenever they want to. There are no "good" or "bad" foods, just foods that are more nutritious than others. Nothing should be "off-limits," and if you're trying to lose weight (that's great if that's your goal, but don't feel pressured to!), you shouldn't deprive yourself.
OK, now that we got that out of the way, I should admit that I am one of those people on a weight-loss journey. Not because I'm trying to achieve a certain aesthetic or because I feel pressured to - I didn't even try to lose weight before my wedding! - but I noticed my weight creeping up the last couple years. Since I have PCOS, I'm more at risk for developing insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes. I want to get my health under control, and also be a little lighter so I can power through my workouts (less weight to try and pull during pull-ups!) and be more agile.
I've been using a calorie-tracking app to track my food and I aim to stay within a calorie target each day. Since starting this journey, I'm down 10 pounds - slowly, but surely. Since this isn't a specific diet and my only goal is to hit a specific calorie target, no foods are "off-limits." This gives me room to enjoy my favorite foods (in moderation, of course) and never feel deprived.
I should also admit that I'm not a huge sweets person: cake doesn't tempt me, I couldn't care less about cupcakes, and I would rather have a slice of pizza than a piece of tiramisu. But I do like something sweet after dinner, and if I told myself dessert was completely off limits, it would make me crave it more, leading to an unhealthy binge and probable weight gain. So I wanted to enjoy dessert every night for a week and see if that had any impact on my weight loss. Turns out, there's a method behind this way of thinking.
Registered dietitian and ACSM-certified personal trainer Jim White recommends his clients enjoy 150 calories of whatever they want at the end of the day, even if they are trying to lose weight. "Everyone needs a little break from dieting, and I feel 150 calories each day of discretionary calories won't break the bank, especially if it's budgeted in," Jim explained. "Think of it like the carrot at the end of the day." He added that the end-of-day treat doesn't necessarily have to be dessert; it can be a glass of wine, a small bowl of chips, or a mini bag of popcorn. It will help you get through each day and help you stick to your plan.
Jim said if you can budget for this 150 calories within your daily calorie target, it won't have an impact on your weight-loss goals at all. But even if you go over by 150 calories every once in a while, it won't totally derail your progress. With those words of wisdom in mind, my experiment began.
What I Ate For Dessert
A big part of this experiment was being able to eat the sweet foods I enjoy. A handful of berries wasn't going to cut is as dessert if what I was really craving was a piece of chocolate. So I made it work, and was just careful to measure out portion sizes. I'm a big fan of Skinny Dipped Almonds, and made room for a serving (about 15 almonds) of the Chocolate Peanut Butter and Dark Chocolate Mint flavors. I love chocolate and peanut butter, as well as chocolate and mint together, so eating these chocolate-covered almonds was enough to satisfy my sweet tooth. Each serving had about 150 calories, 12 grams of fat, 11 grams of carbs, and seven grams of sugar.
My other go-to treat was dark chocolate peanut butter cups from Trader Joe's. I buy the little packs of the wrapped ones from the checkout line and keep them in my freezer. Each piece is big enough and sweet enough to be satisfying. One peanut butter cup is about 67 calories, four grams of fat, seven grams of carbs, and six grams of sugar. I was usually satisfied after one or two pieces. Other desserts I reached for were a square or two of 72 percent cacao dark chocolate (67 calories, 5.7 grams of fat, 5.6 grams of carbs, and 3.3 grams of sugar per square) or a tablespoon of chocolate peanut butter from RXBAR (90 calories, 6.5 grams of fat, 4 grams of carbs, and 1.5 grams of sugar per tablespoon) with an apple.
Since I knew the nutritional information for everything I was eating, I was able to factor it into my daily calorie budget. But even if I didn't necessarily allot for dessert that day and went over my daily calorie target with dinner, I still treated myself every night before bed.
What Happened After I Ate Dessert Every Night For a Week
My weight fluctuates like crazy and the scale continues to surprise me - I could gain three pounds overnight or lose a half a pound after a weekend eating nothing but pizza and Aperol spritzes - so I wasn't sure what would happen after my week of eating dessert. But after weighing myself one week after starting my experiment, I was down a little over two pounds! It was a pleasant surprise and a reminder that I can still eat the foods I love and am craving without impeding my progress.
I should also note that, in general, I weigh myself every few days. I have a fraught history with the scale - I used to weigh myself obsessively every day - and while the number on it used to have a huge impact on my mood (positively and negatively), I no longer tie my happiness to what the scale says. If it's a higher number than I'm expecting, I acknowledge that and move on with my day.
What I Learned
When I would try (unhealthily) to lose weight in the past, I had an all-or-nothing mentality. I would cut out everything I considered "bad," including sweets and dessert, all in the name of losing weight. I could last for maybe a week or two, but would crave sweets and salty carbs so heavily. Inevitably, I would not only give in to my cravings, but go on a full-on binge buying candy from CVS or giant cookies from the bakery.
By eating a little bit of something sweet each night after dinner, I was able to honor my cravings without going on a sugar binge. It was enough to satisfy my sweet tooth and leave me feeling good before bed - no sugar rush or inevitable crash and stomachache like after a dessert binge.
Sometimes I don't crave something sweet after dinner, in which case I'm totally satisfied with my evening meal. But other times I do, and I know that if I reach for one of my go-to desserts, I shouldn't beat myself up about it. I can enjoy the foods I love and still stay on track with my goals.
This "Handbalancer" Can Do Crazy Things Upside Down and Even Gravity Is Like, "What?!"
Is nailing a handstand one of your lifetime goals? Well, meet your new inspiration. Morgan Rose Moroneyhas "Handbalancer & Coach" in the description on her Instagram account, and these videos prove she is the real deal. She must spend more time on her hands than on her feet! If you want to learn how to master a handstand, looking through these videos will prove to you that practice makes perfect strong, stable, and beautiful!
10 Healthy Breakfast Sandwich Recipes to Jump-Start Your Day
For many of us, breakfast is easily the most anticipated meal of the day - especially if there's something delicious and satisfying involved. Everyone loves a good breakfast sandwich, even though they don't always have a reputation for being healthy. Luckily, there are many ways to make one so. Here are 10 healthy breakfast sandwich options, from open-faced avocado toast to lightened-up egg wraps.
vendredi 12 avril 2019
Don’t Let Marie Kondo’s Appearance Mislead You, We Need More Female Asian Role Models
The following post was originally published on Medium.
Unless you've been living under a rock, you will have heard of the Japanese organizing consultant Marie Kondo. Since her decluttering makeover Netflix series dropped at the start of the year, the general hysteria, especially in America, has been palpable - even her name has become a colloquial verb, to 'Marie Kondo' your home. On watching the show, my knee-jerk reaction to her as presenter, character, and Japanese woman wasn't something to be particularly proud of. I found her annoyingly cute and perfect - something about her whiter-than-white cardigan, her pristine eyelashes and the tone of her spoken Japanese. I saw her as a caricature of patriarchal norms and a symbol of the submissive Japanese woman. Threatened, I joked that she was some sort of OCD sociopath that would obsessively cleanse her body as soon as she left the chaotic Americans' houses.
But Marie Kondo is a fierce force to be reckoned with. Alongside TV show Queer Eye, Tidying Up with Marie Kondo has successfully reinvigorated the tired home-makeover genre with the KonMari method, a mindful decluttering exercise that asks homeowners to purge any possessions that no longer "spark joy." Right now, Marie Kondo is the biggest Japanese export, a phenomenon with legit business credentials. In 2015, she was named in Time Magazine as one of the 100 most influential people, she has sold more than 11 million copies of her book Spark Joy worldwide, and there really can't be many non-English-speaking Japanese women presenting their own Netflix series (she has a translator on the show.) If that isn't impressive enough, there are plans for a lifestyle-based e-commerce site, KonMari, that has the potential to rival Gwyneth Paltrow's Goop.
"Why, when there aren't many female Asian role models out there, hadn't I welcomed her with open arms?"
Why, when there aren't many female Asian role models out there, hadn't I welcomed her with open arms? And why, especially when I consider my personal MO to be cute and fierce, was I threatened by this feminine version of a successful businesswoman? As a half-Japanese, half-English woman, having had my initial judgement, I was curious to unpick the underlying bias from both my Asian and white sides - to understand not only why the show didn't "spark joy" in me but also to unpack my negative visceral reaction to her.
My Japanese childhood provided me with a more traditional set of values than life in England. Back in the '90s, when I was at secondary school in Nagoya, like most teenagers, I was doing my best to blend in, feeling the pressure to be more feminine and a cuter version of myself. The word cute is synonymous with Japan, so much so that you may well already know the word, kawaii, but a term you are less likely to know is "burikko," which refers to women who fake their cuteness to attract the opposite sex. The performance usually involves being ditzy, talking in a high-pitched voice, and sometimes even acting younger or babyish. The popular girls at school would use this word to bully other girls. At the time, we were young, confused, and trying on different versions of ourselves, but now I realize we were competing, even demonizing instead of supporting each other, and all of this to impress some boys. The Japanese patriarchy dictates what a woman should be, and from a young age as girls, we are taught by society that being cute or feminine are valuable assets. As my Japanese mother used to say, "Being funny won't help you meet a suitable husband." Of course, there is nothing intrinsically wrong with choosing to be kawaii or enjoying cute things, but my initial judgement of Marie Kondo has partially stemmed from my upbringing in Japan and Japanese sexism: something of the burikko mentality has stuck, making me suspicious of the motivation behind ultrafeminine women.
It wasn't just Marie Kondo's hyperfemininity; I was also intimidated by just how perfect she was. Japan is a nation of perfectionism, known for its immaculate attention to detail and precise levels of organization. From an education system that requires pupils to clean their own classrooms to a train network that always runs on time, an upbringing in Japan provides one with an organically instilled and innate sense of organization, cleanliness, and tidying. However, this exemplary standard to be perfect has its downfalls, putting immense pressure on its people. As a mixed-race Asian friend of mine who grew up in Tokyo put it, "It's incredible to consume and enjoy the heightened perfection in Japan as a lazy white person, but it can be too much pressure to live as an Asian person." Nowhere does this idea of perfection manifest itself more strongly than in the Japanese patriarchy's idea of the woman, and therein lies another unconscious bias for me. Marie Kondo's appearance represents a sexist standard of perfection - petite, pretty, and polite - that I have and always will struggle to keep up with.
My British upbringing didn't do anything to help me find Marie Kondo's brand of femininity appealing either. In my 20s, I was influenced by career self-help books Nice Girls Don't Get The Corner Office and Sheryl Sandberg's book Lean In, which advised women that to advance in one's career, being nice or likeable wasn't going to earn you a seat at the table. Certainly, the experience of my early career, working in the male-dominated music industry, was that being "girlie" was anything but a useful asset if you wanted to be taken seriously. Although Sheryl Sandberg was a feminist icon at the time, she was also accused of being elitist, and looking back, I also see her ideas were aimed predominantly at white feminists, not at WOC and certainly not feminine Asian women. It wouldn't be for another decade, until the likes of Ali Wong and Constance Wu started coming through, that I really found my cute-yet-fierce Asian role models.
There is also appeal in America for the perfect feminine Japanese woman described above, but to understand the organizing consultant's success stateside and my final Marie Kondo bias, there is more to this trope than first meets the eye. The key to the KonMarie method's connecting in America lies in the collective subconscious connection that many non-Asian people hold of a "spiritual" east. Early features from the New York Times and Wall Street Journal picked up on the spiritual side of her organizing and created a fresh narrative for her, manifesting her as the Asian personification of the Western phrase "Cleanliness is next to godliness." While the spiritual side of her organizing was mostly ignored in Japan, in America, her background of working several years as an attendant maiden in a Shinto shrine has made for an authentic story and an unlikely crux to her charm. Even Marie Kondo herself, according to this Forbes Japan interview, was surprised by her rise to fame in the States, but when asked how she broke America, she also puts it down to the interest in the spiritual aspect of her work. Although any references to this spirituality within the actual TV show are fairly muted, the potent combination of the media's narrative and the "oriental" fantasy trope have made her an authentic superstar. Earlier this year, Marie Kondo appeared on American TV show The Late Show with Stephen Colbert and just like in her TV series, where homeowners would kneel, as if praying, taking a moment to show their gratitude toward their homes, she joined the host to meditate on Colbert's appreciation for the studio. Colbert jokes saying "I don't understand what you are saying when you say it . . . but I would follow you to a cult compound and never leave," and while this is all fairly harmless, part of me, mainly my Japanese side, feels uncomfortable that the organizing consultant is being painted as some sort of magical sage with mystic cleansing powers. It's not just Colbert here, and even though I can see that these tropes have actually aided Marie Kondo to carve out a niche for herself in the dominant culture, I can't help but feel uncomfortable as on a level they are simply racist.
Having said all this, I won't let Marie Kondo's appearance mislead me. I choose to see through my initial judgements of the ultrafeminine woman, the perfect woman, the patriarchal woman, and the "oriental" woman because I won't let the veneer of these sexist and racist biases prevent me from seeing the fierce Asian woman that she is. I am again reminded that I need to support not criticize, admire not compete, as women are entitled to look like and be whatever version of their successful selves they want to be. Marie Kondo is making room at the table for Asian women next to the Sheryl Sandbergs and Gwyneth Paltrows of the world. So join me in welcoming in this cute, fierce business lady, because after all, we need more diverse role models and leaders.
The Wedding Day Photo Checklist: Pin Now, Save For Later
It'll all go by so fast. Walking down the aisle, swaying to the first dance, and waving goodbye in the getaway car are memories you'll want to remember for the rest of your wedded life. We compiled the ultimate list of must-snap wedding day moments and created a nifty checklist that you can pin, print out, and give to your photographer before the festivities begin.
Having this idea list on hand will ensure that all the T's are crossed and I's are dotted when it comes to your wedding photos. If you're on the road to marital bliss, then pin or print out our ultimate wedding day photo checklist to ensure the big moments are captured. Download it now!
Pre-Wedding Primp & Prep
- Wedding dress portrait
- Bridesmaids getting ready
- Bride getting dressed
- Groomsmen getting ready
- The bridal portrait
- The first look (if not during the ceremony!)
- The rings
- Bride's bouquet
Ceremony
- Vows/altar backdrop
- Floral arrangements
- Family at the ceremony
- Bride walking down the aisle
- Groom watching the bride walk down the aisle
- The vows
- Any ceremony traditions
- Ceremony landscape
- The first kiss
- Couple walking down the aisle together
-Additional reporting by Lisette Mejia
Meet Katie Bouman, the 29-Year-Old Who Made It Possible to See a Black Hole
ICYMI: On April 10, the first official image of a black hole was released for all of us to see. According to the National Science Foundation, the photo - which shows a black hole in the center of the Messier 87 galaxy sitting 55 million light years away - is a result of a massive effort coordinated by researchers all around the world and their cultivation of "five petabytes of data." It's an incredible feat, as many have already pointed out, but none of it would have happened without Katie Bouman, a 29-year-old MIT graduate who created an algorithm to make obtaining a photo of the massive void possible.
According to a TEDx Talk that the former computer science student gave back in 2016, trying to photograph a black hole is similar to trying to take a picture of an orange on the surface of the moon - it's difficult and would require a telescope the size of the Earth itself. Since that isn't possible, Bouman sought out an alternative method that involved developing a network of telescopes scattered around the globe. Watch the video above to get a look at how Bouman led the charge on testing out ways to make it possible to see something "that, by definition, is impossible to see."
This Year's Go-To Tropical Vacation Spot Is Baha Mar in the Bahamas
More than 10 years in the making not to mention $4.2 billion in investments, the Baha Mar Resorts in Cable Beach near Nassau in the Bahamas are the newest tropical adventure you're seeing over and over again on your Instagram feed.
The Baha Mar holds three hotel brands - the Grand Hyatt at around $350 a night, SLS Hotels starting at $500 a night, and Rosewood Hotels & Resorts from $700 a night - each with its own set of amenities offering more than something for everyone. Highlights across all three brands include 10 incredible swimming pools, outdoor bars, colorful luxury cabanas, more than 20 restaurants, a spa, a children's club, luxury shopping, and access to stand-up paddleboards and kayaks, water hammocks, floating lounges, and snorkels.
There's also a 100,000-square-foot casino overlooking the ocean (the largest casino in the Caribbean), and an animal complex called The Sanctuary, home to wildlife including green sea turtles, stingrays, nurse sharks, more than 50 species of reef fish, and a flamingo habitat, where a chief flamingo officer is said to take care of the birds. Sounds straight out of a movie, but it's real - just peep ahead for photos of the Instagram-friendly resort.
Does Cannabis Make You Creative? It’s Complicated
The following post was originally published on Miss Grass.
A woman smokes a joint at the DOPE Cup in Portland, Oregon, on October 4.
"This is quite good. I might be a creative genius!" is what my friend mumbled to me - internal monologue clearly up to max volume - when we were about 18. She was finishing off the piece de resistance that was her contribution to the lower third of an "exquisite corpse" drawing, doodled with me and another friend on a notepad. Whether or not the drawing itself was good (it wasn't) isn't the point. The point is she thought it was good. The weed she'd smoked had obviously loosened her up; made her more creative. Like my friend, most of us take that kind of assumption as a given. But the story of cannabis and creativity isn't so black and white.
Jenna Habayeb is the CMO of Canndescent, a premium cannabis company whose just-released Stylus pen (that resembles a gorgeous writing pen) is a THC vaporizer made for the creative process, complete with the tagline "Write your story." Aside from the literal meaning, Habayeb says, "It's about the idea of self-discovery and choosing your effect to create your own journey or story." And when it comes to her own journey with cannabis as a tool to unlock creativity, she believes "cannabis really helps with that, and when it comes to being creative it expands and opens your mind. It's like it unlocks this stream of curiosity and questioning, which is so great for the creative process and just pushing you to think outside the norm."
She continues: "I find that I get interesting, creative ideas that I can apply to a whole range of different aspects of my life and work." Habayeb is far from the only one with that hot take. Steve Jobs said smoking cannabis made him feel "relaxed and creative," while the great Maya Angelou said "walking on the streets became high adventure, eating my mother's huge dinners an opulent entertainment, and playing with my son was side-cracking hilarity." Then there are creatives like Susan Sontag, Martha Stewart, and even William Shakespeare, apparently. Blazers, all.
"It's not an accident that I include the option of a glass [of wine] or some quality cannabis during most AllSwell workshops," says Laura Rubin, the founder of AllSwell, a passion project that sees her hold journaling workshops, host creative excursions, and more - all with therapeutic self-expression as her North Star. She, too, believes induced states can lower our inhibitions, meaning we're more likely to freely express ourselves without judgment. Recently, in partnership with Miss Grass and Canndescent, Rubin hosted a creative journal-writing workshop that was designed to do just that - and the rave reviews spoke for themselves.
"If you're all locked up, worried about your output being great, it can prevent you from making anything at all," Rubin says. "That's, in part, where writer's block comes from. Removing a self-critical filter with some help in the form of a substance ally can help jump-start that process."
Jade Daniels of Portland-based weed-positive creative agency and brick-and-mortar store, Ladies of Paradise, agrees. "Some of my best work has come when I've been super stoned," she says. "I find myself thinking of things in depth and contemplating situations and ideas when I'm high that I normally wouldn't consider sober."
Her business partner, Harlee Case, echos her sentiments: "I basically can't write music without smoking weed. To be careful and careless at the same time, I have to be high. Consuming cannabis lets me trust my instincts and really let my heart lead." That description of being both careful and careless is something anyone who's smoked flower and gone about creating something - anything - will understand immediately. At once, there's focus and fluidity. Vigilance and carefree decision making. The perfect creative storm.
If it sounds dreamy, that's because it is. But, as anyone who's been there can also attest to, it's not all strokes of genius and prolific artistic output when you get high. You could also get sidetracked. Or find that elusive part of the brain responsible for productivity has fallen asleep on you, metaphorically if not quite literally. It's a delicate dance between creative bursts of inspiration, and koala-like desire to simply hang TF out, with no art-making or great American novel-writing necessary.
Rubin knows what I'm on about: "For some folks, they can be most creatively productive in a near-monastic state of [sober] simplicity because the fewer the distractions, the clearer the channel. There's no one-size-fits-all recipe. I think there are as many relationships to cannabis as there are people, and those ebb and flow based on where individuals are in their lives."
Mennlay Golokeh Aggrey is the author of The Art of Weed Butter and an interdisciplinary cannabis entrepreneur legally working with marijuana since 2005. She knows all about the "double-edged sword" that can be stoned creativity. "I cannot smoke a fatty joint and expect to write a masterpiece," she says. "Unless it's CBD flower. Otherwise I'd get too caught up on its perfection and might not get as much down on paper. I can, however, design (websites, graphics, vignettes) beautifully when I'm high."
What's weird is that even science kind of agrees. Despite many, many studies into the link between cannabis and creativity, the jury is more or less still out when it comes to the implications for the stoned auteurs among us. Some evidence even points to the possibility of the high artiste trope as being just that; a stereotype. Weed may not make you as creative as you think it does.
Take the results of one 2012 UK study. According to the team's findings, getting high on the reg may actually decrease creative thinking skills; however, they're quick to add, cannabis's effects vary depending on an individual's personality. But that's not the full story either (thank goodness).
A 2017 study from Washington State University found that creative people are simply more likely to enjoy getting high. The researchers suggest: "While mainstream media has propagated the idea that cannabis expands the mind and enhances creativity, our results show that the link between cannabis and creativity is largely a spurious correlation driven by differences in personality (i.e., openness to experience) that are related to both cannabis use and augmented creativity."
As primary author of the study and graduate instructor in psychology at Washington State University, Emily La France tells me, "openness to experience" is a personality trait. "Being very open to experience makes a person more willing to try different things and seek out new experiences," she says. "Individuals who are very open to experience tend to be more likely to try mind-altering substances, such as cannabis; they also tend to be creative."
She adds: "There is some evidence from previous research - not my own - that acute states of intoxication induced by cannabis (or alcohol) may enhance some forms of creative thought. So, there may be some truth to the idea that intoxication from cannabis (or alcohol), may help people generate ideas when they are working on a problem."
Further supporting cannabis's case as a tool for creative thinking (if not output) overall is the fact that a study conducted in 2010 showed that marijuana's "primary property" is its ability to increase the "hyper-priming process." What's that, you ask? Just the process your brain goes through when making connections between two similarly unrelated things.
What they're describing is the golden, sacred "Aha!" moment. THC fans know it well. It's the ability to connect the dots. To see one thing and make comparisons to another. You know, to view the world through the lens of an artist. Daniels, with no awareness of the study, sums it up by saying, "Being high opens up your mind and makes you think about things differently, and with that openness and free thinking allows you to create and execute ideas in elevated ways."
And if that's not creative, I don't know what is. "Ideas come to mind under the effects of cannabis that normally wouldn't be present," she continues. "Thoughts and actions are executed differently when you're high, and I find myself feeling more artistic and creating something with new ideas and ways outside of the norm."
Of course, this doesn't mean that you need cannabis to be creative. Far from it. As La France puts it, "Just because there is a link between cannabis use and creativity certainly does not mean that all individuals who use cannabis are more creative than those that don't. Furthermore, I believe you can increase your creativity throughout your lifetime through practice, critical thought, and by seeking out new experiences."
On the flip side, if you're looking to explore using THC-based cannabis products (like the new Stylus) for the first time, go slow and experiment. "Everyone is creative deep down. Cannabis is a tool to unlock it," says Case. And if you're looking for specific ideas, Daniels is your gal. "I'd recommend smoking before doing activities or grabbing some materials to collage, paint, or write and seeing where your mind takes you," she says.
Aggrey has similar advice. "It's arrogant for me to tell non-cannabis users what to do with their lives," she says. "However, if there is a moment in time when they feel comfortable trying cannabis for the first time, in a safe and comfortable space – I'd recommend they try something creative during that moment. Just to assess how it feels."
She continues: "Honestly, I am creative whether I'm high or not. And sometimes I'm not creative. That's just the way it works. Personally, it's about where my biorhythms are at and if I'm in a good place mentally – rather than if I've consumed cannabis."
So can we definitely state that there's a link between cannabis and being more creative? It's complicated, friends. Despite findings around openness to experience and the hyper-primer process, there's no statistical case for the creative benefits of cannabis overall - and a little evidence to say that in some cases, it might have a slight negative effect.
But that's the thing about creativity; it's elusive as hell. The ancient Greeks thought a goddess had to visit you (which rarely happened, presumably) just to get a glimpse of authentic inspiration.
Capturing the essence of creativity is not unlike trying to describe a really good high. You can try, but you won't be doing it justice. Anyways, "measuring" creativity in a scientific lab is fascinating, but possibly a little antithetical to the cause. If you're the kind of person that ~feels~ creative when high, then maybe you are. And even if you aren't, at least having a really good time. More power to you.
Hang Out With Some of Disney's Most Chilling Villains at Disney World's After-Hours Spectacular
When the princesses are away, the villains will play. Disney's most dastardly villains are creeping out from the shadows of Disney World and taking over the Magic Kingdom this Summer in a chilling, late-night spectacular - and you've never seen Maleficent like this before.
Disney villains are the characters we're supposed to detest, but what if they had control over the happiest place on Earth? As part of the park's annual Disney After Hours event from June 6 to Aug. 8, guests are invited to walk on the wild side and experience the Magic Kingdom through the eyes of Disney's most nefarious crew - but what kind of dark magic do they have hidden up their sleeves?
During the park's limited-time event, Hades and Meg from Hercules will set the stage of Cinderella's Castle ablaze in an all-new production called Villains Unite the Night, with special guest appearances from Jafar, Dr. Facilier, and Maleficent. Guests will also be able to experience special villain-inspired enchantments on rides like Space Mountain and Pirates of the Caribbean, as well as enjoy low wait times on 20 of the Magic Kingdom's most popular attractions. Dibs on the Haunted Mansion!
The coolest part? Maleficent's dragon will be creeping through the park in parade float form and breathing fire wherever she goes, making for a sinister surprise and some amazing selfies. As for the food? There will be desserts, drinks, and dishes inspired by The Red Queen, Cruella de Vil, Maleficent, Hades, and Dr. Facilier, and even Emperor Zurg will be available to guests who attend this special event.
But there is one important thing to note: while all of our favorite villains will be entertaining guests into the wee hours of the night, they will not be available for character meet and greets during Disney After Hours. The event runs from 10 p.m. to 1 a.m. on select nights, but park guests are invited to enter as early as 7 p.m. to enjoy some food and fireworks before the true show begins. Tickets go on sale on April 29 and can be purchased in advance for $139 per adult or child, plus tax, or purchased on the day of the event for $144 per adult or child, plus tax.
Tickets are limited, so swipe 'em up ASAP, and check out the full date list for the Villains After Hours event ahead:
- Thursday, June 6
- Thursday, June 13
- Thursday, June 20
- Thursday, June 27
- Monday, July 1
- Thursday, July 11
- Thursday, July 18
- Thursday, July 25
- Thursday, Aug. 1
- Thursday, Aug. 8
This Married Couple's Steamy Canyon Photo Shoot May Cause You to Sweat Profusely - It's THAT Hot
There are many ways to celebrate your love for your spouse after the wedding, and this couple decided to express their devotion to each other with a passionate photo shoot. Andrea and Logan's shoot was even more dramatic thanks to a stunning canyon setting in Page, AZ. Andrea wore a white plunging bodysuit with a cape, a sexy twist on the bridal gown and veil, while Logan looked sharp in black suit and tie.
"The couple then celebrated their love on top of Horseshoe Bend with a steamy day-after session," said photographer Victoria Taylor. Andrea wore a red dress with thigh-high slits and a plunging neckline as they posed for the hot and heavy shoot. For her final outfit, she changed into a little black dress with lace detailing and embroidery. The happy couple popped a bottle of Champagne as they overlooked the breathtaking view of the canyon. See all the photos now, and have some cold water handy!
40 Minimalist Engagement Rings For the Simple Bride-to-Be
Sometimes, less is more when it comes to engagement rings. Brides-to-be wanting to keep things simple without sacrificing style will love the minimalist route. The more subtle ring makes a statement nonetheless, and it's often a more romantic declaration of love. From dainty-banded solitaires to unique cuts and colors, the options ahead are all awe-inducing. See the 40 rings ahead for inspiration.
24 Fun and Frugal Bachelorette Party Destinations
The bachelorette party is one of the many fun traditions that the bride-to-be generally partakes in - it's essential to get together with some of your girlfriends and spend some quality time before the big day. Lonely Planet travel experts Heather Dickson and Emily Matchar weighed in on the must-visit vacation spots that will give you a bang for your bachelorette bucks.
This Stylish Table Lamp Shows Your BFF You're Thinking of Them With 1 Simple Touch
When I was 2,000 miles away from home during college, my hometown best friend and I would write letters to let each other know we cared. Sure, we had texting and we could technically call each other whenever we wanted, but it was always nice to add a more personalized touch when we communicated.
Texting and phone calls aside (because sometimes there's just not enough time), there's an easy way to remind your BFF that you're thinking of them. From across the world or even just across town, this Long-Distance Friendship Lamp ($95) lights up whenever your best friend is thinking of you - all it takes is one touch!
So how does it work? Each lamp is connected to its partner lamp via WiFi and reacts to a single touch, lighting up both your lamp and your best friend's lamp at the same time. It's kind of like when E.T. touches his glowing finger to Elliot's hand to show that they're friends - minus the extraterrestrial drama. Available individually ($95) or in a set of two ($190), these colorful mid-century lamps can also be paired with the original Friendship Lamp, so you and your bestie can send a little light (and a little love) each other's way while maintaining your own personal styles.
Even though it may feel like you're light years away from each other, the Long-Distance Friendship Lamp, found exclusively on Uncommon Goods, can be set to cycle through a rainbow of different colors, no matter how far apart you are. It can also be set to a different color for your best friend, mom, dad, grandma, partner, or anyone that you love, because it's always nice to remind the people we care about that we're thinking of them. Like the Friends theme song always reminds us, friends will be there for you 'cause you're there for them, too.
Keep reading to see a video of these supersweet lamps in action, then head over to Uncommon Goods to grab a set for you and your BFF.
120 Zodiac Sign Tattoos That Will Make You Go Starry-Eyed
Do you read your horoscope every day? Are you interested in what the stars have aligned for you? If you're looking to get new ink and totally into studying the stars, chances are a zodiac tattoo would be perfect for you. We found the most beautiful designs for every sign in the year. Check them out and get inspired!
- Additional reporting by Lauren Harano
60 Brother-Sister Tattoos For Siblings Who Are the Best of Friends
Siblings are the BFFs you're born with. If you're close with your brother or sister, these tattoo ideas will inspire you to permanently honor your bond. Whether you want something small and simple or silly and statement making, we've got examples perfect for everyone. Check them out and see if you can convince your sibling to get inked!
- Additional reporting by Lauren Harano
Why the Women in My Family Don’t Scrub Floors
The following post was originally published on Medium.
Whenever my 20-year-old son comes to visit me in California, the third thing he does (after requesting his favorite home-cooked meal and rolling around with the dog) is drive over to Target to buy a new mop.
The kid has never once seen me wash a floor. Because I never have. Neither have my mother and grandmother.
Mother and Gran were awesome cooks, haphazard launderers, and one-step-ahead-of-the-health-department housekeepers (like me) - but their vigilance about making us kids wipe our feet or remove our shoes before we entered the house wasn't about cleanliness. It was about race. And gender.
When my mother graduated from high school in 1955, it was Gran's fervent wish that she find a job where she could "sit on her ass" all day long. She didn't want her daughter stuck in a factory, on her feet for hours, sweating out the Summers and freezing through the Winters, tolerating white men's wandering hands and white women's racist jokes.
And factory jobs were plum! Gran's older sisters were all maids, nannies, and washerwomen for affluent white ladies on the west side of town. I remember my Aunt Beulah, well into her sixties, standing outside in the snow, waiting for the bus to take her to her "day work." I remember my Aunt LaVerne coming home in tears about something I didn't understand - the mister "being mannish" - and being warned not to tell the uncles.
No, Gran wouldn't have that for her daughter. It was bad enough to put up with constant racial and sexual indignities, but actually having to wash their dirty dishes or clean their toilets? In her mind, scrubbing the floor was the worst of these chores. It exemplified degradation and subservience as a black person and a woman. Getting down on your hands and knees was the Line That Would Not Be Crossed.
One day, Gran came home from work and Mother was excited to tell her she'd spent the day with one of the aunts helping to clean some lady's house. She showed Gran how she'd helped Auntie in the kitchen. "Get up off that damn floor!" Gran yelled, "and don't you ever get down there again."
That"s how the story came to me, decades later.
Gran made Mother take typing and shorthand in high school. "It's going to get better for colored girls someday," she'd say. "And you'd best be ready."
Although my mother went to college much later as an adult and became a professor, after high school she worked as a stenographer and secretary. She landed a government job - helped in part by her light skin and straight hair. She put my father through law school by "sitting on her ass" and typing.
"A man who expects a woman to scrub his floor will expect her to kiss his ass."
When they got married, the story goes, Gran pulled my father aside and said, "A man who expects a woman to scrub his floor will expect her to kiss his ass. My daughter won't be doing neither one. Best you know that from the git."
At the time, the concept of work was vastly different for black and white women. These were the '60s and '70s - the era of The Feminine Mystique and the rise of Ms. and NOW. The work of black and white women remains an unresolved point of tension, a flashpoint of entitlement and class warfare, privilege and economic equity.
Historically, black women have rarely had the luxury of choosing to be a homemaker; their husbands were systemically prevented from the education and training necessary to become high earners. Labor unions were closed to blacks. Few fields were open - ministry, for example, or enlisted military service. Black men who built their own businesses were targets of harassment, violence, or outright lynching. For black women - and poor women of every race - working was a matter of survival. Too often, this work was menial, unsafe, and underpaid. It wasn't even close to the fulfilling careers black women dreamed of.
"Feminism is for rich white women who have black maids cleaning their toilets and too much time on their hands," my mother would say, well into the '80s. "Black women have always worked. When did we ever have a choice about it?"
Mother never once called herself a feminist - even while she demanded entry to all-male academic associations and fought for equal access to science and math departments for women students at her college. Not even as she exposed gender-based pay scams at a local union and joined the picket line protesting gender-based hiring at the police department.
Back at home, my father washed the floors and then my brothers. After my divorce, Dad or my youngest brother would come to my apartment just to mop the kitchen. My sons took over the job almost as soon as they could hold a mop.
My only daughter got married a few weeks ago to a kind and thoughtful man. When they moved in together last year, I pulled him aside. "My daughter does not wash floors. Ever." He gave me a hug. "Oh, Mom," he sighed. "I'm well aware."
When my son went back to Chicago after his last visit, he left me a newfangled cool mop thingy that sprays the cleaner out and sucks it back up. "You know, Mom," he said. "It's not 1955. You don't have to get down on your knees to wash the floor. You don't even have to get your hands wet."
I just shrugged. I don't wash floors. And neither will his future daughters.
These Instagram-Worthy Spots in Tokyo Will Make Your Followers Insanely Envious
The capital of Japan is eclectic, colorful, and anything but conventional, making it a treasure trove of photo opportunities. There's hundreds of things to do and see (as well as eat) when you visit Tokyo, but for those seeking the best Instagram shot possible, a few spots stand out from the rest. From gardens to temples to massive shopping centers, Tokyo offers a wild mix of history and modernity, and we're here to help you capture it all. Read on to see the most Instagram-worthy visitor spots for a 'gram that's worth a thousand likes (and memories!).
It's Party Time! These 47 Bridal Shower Games Will Get Your Gathering in Full Swing
When it comes to the bridal shower, nothing breaks the ice better than a good game. To keep it easy on the maid of honor, we found affordable and printable games that are sure to be a hit. Take your pick from Mad Libs that offer humorous advice, a guilty game of "he said, she said," or even a couples' bucket list for the adventurous bride. Whatever you choose to print or play, these games will get the party started and memories flowing - just in time for her big day!
- Additional reporting by Emily Bibb
Your iPhone Tracks Your Frequent Locations, So Alexa, Play "Somebody's Watching Me" by Rockwell
The more I learn about the iPhone, the more I feel that it's capable of doing pretty much anything. It can help you track your sleep, get your life together with the help of its apps, and even acts as a mini portable scanner (I know, how is this even possible?!). This popular smartphone is nothing short of impressive, so you can only imagine my amazement when I only recently found out that it tracks your most frequent locations and logs them.
If you're like me and interested in finding out where you've been lately or where you spend a lot of your time, all you have to do is go into Settings on your iPhone, tap on Privacy, and tap Location Services. From here, scroll down to System Services, and then tap Significant Locations (it may read as "Frequent Locations" if you have an earlier iOS). It will then show you the places you've frequented recently - in my case it was a lot of grocery stores, such as Trader Joe's, a juice cafe, and my coworking space.
Of course, not everyone may want to have their most visited locations tracked on their phone. If you'd rather not know, there's an easy way to opt out of this feature. All you have to do is go to Significant Locations under System Services and make sure the green tab is swiped off to the left.
60+ Seafood Recipes to Get You Through the Lenten Season and Beyond
Many Catholics abstain from eating meat on Fridays during Lent and get creative with fish dishes instead. Whether you celebrate the Lenten season or not, keep things interesting with a delicious seafood spread. From Asian salmon kebabs to the easiest baked lemon salmon to crispy coconut shrimp, these recipes will provide plenty of inspiration.
- Additional reporting by Laura Marie Meyers and Lauren Harano
Let's Go Flower Chasing - Top 10 Destinations to See Spring Flowers Around the World
While many people go "leaf peeping" in the Fall, now is the time to plan your trip to view the world's most gorgeous flowers in the springtime. There's no better way to celebrate the season than by appreciating the blooming gardens around the globe. Some of the world's biggest and best Spring flower fields range from top international destinations to small towns in the United States. From flower festivals to travel-worthy gardens, we've rounded up the 10 best destinations to visit this Spring to see gorgeous flowers.
Epcot's Vanilla Blueberry Cronuts Look Like a Treat Straight Out of Alice's Mad Tea Party
In celebration of the Spring weather, Epcot is hosting its annual International Flower and Garden Festival and, of course, it's all about the food. While the festival has welcomed a variety of food booths that share absolutely mouthwatering treats, the Taste Track food cart might have just won us over with this must-have Violet Vanilla Blueberry Croissant Doughnut (better known as a cronut). Look at that blueberry icing!
Complete with candied violets and real blueberries on top, this delectable dessert is also stuffed to the brim with lemon pastry cream, so it's no surprise that it's gotten rave reviews from those lucky enough to try it. "Nothing like a Violet Blueberry Vanilla Croissant Doughnut to make a trip to Disney even more magical," said Instagram user Chasing Doughnuts. "Two weeks later and I'm still thinking about this violet blueberry vanilla cronut I had at Flower and Garden 😍," Instagram user melthemermmm added. So messy, but so worth it.
Available for $6.50 at the Taste Track food cart, the flaky croissant-doughnut combo is definitely a next-level Disney dessert. Epcot's International Flower and Garden Festival runs through June 3, so stop by to taste a blueberry vanilla cronut of your own, and see photos of the amazing dessert ahead.
Breakfast-Lovers, Rejoice! Maple Creme Oreos Are Finally a Thing - or So We Hope!
When I think maple, my mind goes straight to syrup and breakfast food, specifically pancakes and waffles. According to Delish, Oreo has embraced its own love for breakfast by reportedly creating a Maple Creme Oreo. So this means we can eat cookies for breakfast now, right?
Instagram user Junk Banter was lucky enough to come across a package of these sweets, which will be made with golden cookies and maple-flavored creme filling. Yum!
While Junk Banter said we should expect the cookies later this year, possibly in late Summer or early Fall, we know we have a lot of questions in the meantime. Will the maple-flavored Oreos be purely sweet or will they have a slight buttery taste to create a flavor combination reminiscent of pancakes? Will I eat one cookie or all three rows before I've decided I've had enough? And will a maple-bacon Oreo be next? Hopefully these delicious-looking cookies will be released soon so we can find out!
100+ Affordable Gifts For Young Women - Give Her What She Wants For Under $50
It can be hard to figure out what to give people in their 20s as a birthday present, graduation or housewarming gift, or just a simple "thanks for being my friend" treat. They are still trying to figure stuff out, and it can be hard to pin down exactly what a young woman would really want. With so many major changes happening in their lives, what kind of gift would be suitable for millennial women? Keep reading to find out.
- Additional reporting by India Yaffe and Lauren Harano
20+ Thoughtful Gifts For Women in Their 40s - All $40 or Less
What do you give a woman who has life figured out (for the most part)? The woman in her 40s would appreciate something elegant, practical, meaningful, or - better yet - a combination of all three. So not to worry, because we did the hard work and found a handful of picks, and they're all under $40. Keep scrolling to shop our favorites.
- Additional reporting by Emily Co
You Can Win a Sleepover at the Freakin' Louvre Museum, and I'm Wholeheartedly Shook
If you grew up obsessed with the Night at the Museum movie series, you're going to flip out over the latest news from Airbnb. The company just launched a contest that allows two lucky people to stay overnight in the Louvre Museum to see if the sculptures really do come to life once the sun goes down. Yes, the Louvre, as in that superfamous monument in Paris that houses some of the world's most renowned works of art, including the "Mona Lisa." This may sound too good to possibly be true, but it's very real and most definitely a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity if I've ever seen one.
Airbnb's Night@ franchise is hosting the contest in honor of the Louvre Pyramid's 30th anniversary, granting one winner and their guest up-close-and-personal access to the Paris museum's masterpieces - without all the usual selfie-stick-toting tourists around. On April 30, the two art-lovers will first be greeted by an art historian who will guide them on a personal tour of the grounds (which is something that only the likes of Barack Obama, Beyoncé, and JAY-Z have done, BTW). Following the tour, the pair will then enjoy a drink while sitting in front of Leonardo da Vinci's one and only "Mona Lisa" painting (cheers, Mona!), and chow down on dinner in the presence of the "Venus de Milo" statue. To cap the night off, the contest winners will lounge and sleep under the museum's Instagram-famous glass pyramid in a mini lookalike version.
I'm sure at this point your eyes are wide in disbelief and you're wondering, "OK, how the heck do I enter this contest?!" All you have to do is visit airbnb.com/louvre before April 12 and answer the following question: why would you be the Mona Lisa's perfect guest? Easy enough, right? Before brainstorming your answer, check out a sneak peek of what the experience will look like below, and you'll definitely feel inspired to come up with the most creative answer possible.
11 Multipurpose Beds That Offer Extra Storage Space - For Less Than $400
Living in a small space, especially one with bad closets, can be frustrating. To help maximize your living area, we suggest trying a bed frame that offers extra space to keep things organized. Whether it has shelves for books or drawers for clothes, the more the better. We scoured the internet and hunted down the 11 best picks available right now, so all you have to do is shop. The best part: they all cost less than $400. So what are you waiting for? Keep scrolling to check out our favorite space-saving picks - you won't regret it.
Grab Your Friends, Grab Your Inflatable Cornhole Set, Have a Blast!
If you grew up in Ohio like me, you called it cornhole, but even if you know the Summer staple game as bean bag toss or soft horseshoes, we can all agree it's fun. The classic outdoor game, where you toss a cloth bag filled with corn at a target to try to get it in the hole and knock your opponents' bags off the playing field, has ever only had one problem: The wooden scoring platforms required for the game are heavy and a pain to bring to a friend's house for a BBQ or pool party. That's not an issue anymore.
Urban Outfitters is selling a lime green Inflatable Glitter Bean Bag Toss Game ($39) that's not only giving us glitter inflatable chair vibes (those every '90s child owned), but also making our lives easier this season by making it easy to take the game with us anywhere, even into a pool. It's available for pre-order online now and at select Urban Outfitters stores, so click through, check it out and toss it in your bag.
20 Fabulous Desserts Starring Spring's Cutest Candy (Peeps)
Let's face it: it's easy to get carried away and snap up package after package of adorable marshmallow Peeps. The good news? People love to make creative things with them as much as they enjoy eating them. We've searched the web for the cutest ways to play with Peeps and rounded them up here. From a Peeps milkshake to Peeps s'mores, keep reading to see the most interesting ways to use up this Easter sweet.
- Additional reporting by Camilla Salem and Sabrina Park
This Pastel Lemon Cheesecake Will Add Sunshine to Your Disney Day (and Instagram Feed)
Hei! (That's "hi" in Norwegian.) We're just dropping by to report that a bright new dessert has come to Epcot's Norway. Available for a limited time at the Kringla Bakeri Og Kafe, the specialty treat consists of layers of lemony cheesecake in various pastel colors above a buttery graham cracker crust and is topped with whipped cream, sprinkles, and four chocolate eggs. It's basically springtime personified. And if you're wondering if the $6 cheesecake is pretty sweet, the Disney Food Blog delivered a resounding, "YES. But worth it." Need we say more? Enjoy photos ahead.
Is Your Home in Need of a Fixer Upper? Take a Look at Magnolia Home's Spring Collection
It's no secret that HGTV couple Chip and Joanna Gaines have been in high demand since the conclusion of their show, Fixer Upper, back in 2017. The pair are a match made in heaven, not only due to their quirky and fun relationship, but also for their ability to turn any home into a charming, modern farmhouse - or you know, whatever style their client is looking for. Since the end of their show, it's needless to say the renovation dream team has kept busy, as they've recently agreed to design one of Jennifer Lopez's homes, have written three books, and are managing their massive Magnolia brand, all while producing new decor through their Hearth and Hand line at Target. The list goes on, but one thing is clear - people love the Gaineses.
We browsed their Magnolia website to check out their Spring collection, and, in the name of shiplap, we promise it's lust-worthy. Scroll through all of their desirable rustic products ahead!
Drop 1 of These Flavored Sugar Cubes in a Glass of Champagne, and You've Got a Mimosa
It's not exactly hard to make a mimosa, but these cool sugar cubes make it even easier. A company called Teaspressa makes flavored sugar cubes that instantly turn a glass of Champagne into a mimosa, so you don't have to worry about buying different kinds of juice. The pretty sugar cubes, as first pointed out by Delish, are available to shop online and come in a variety of flavors, including strawberry, raspberry, and peach. It's also worth noting that Teaspressa makes a whole bunch of cubes to flavor tea, coffee, and even cocktails - just drop one into your drink!
You can find the mimosa sugar cubes on Uncommon Goods or directly on the brand's website, and if you have plans to host a brunch or a bridal shower, this just might be the perfect touch. Since they come in such cute packaging, they make for a great gift option, too. Shop the unique bar accessory ahead!
The 10 Coolest Discounted Gadgets From Amazon's Top-Secret Overstock Section
We've got a shopping secret we'd bet big money you don't know about. Amazon has a hidden overstock section filled with thousands of discounted products. There are all sorts of unique items, but it's the clever gadgets that have truly captured our attention. Shop through the most genius stuff we could find, and invest in a few fun products for yourself.
This Game of Thrones Jewelry Line Is Full of Lions and Direwolves and Dragons, Oh My
When you play the game of thrones, you must decide where your loyalties lie. Ahead of the season eight premiere, eco-conscious lifestyle brand Alex and Ani are encouraging Game of Thrones fans to wear their house pride on their sleeves, or wrists, in this case. The brand's new, limited-edition jewelry collection is inspired by the three most prominent houses of Westeros - House Stark, House Targaryen, and House Lannister - so it looks like Cersei and Daenerys won't be the only ones looking like royalty anymore.
The 18-piece collection features everything from expandable charm bracelets to gemstone necklaces inspired by the show's most iconic characters - of course, the Sansa bracelet is rose gold. Each handcrafted accessory ranges from $39 to $59 and represents the empowering values of the houses. "Unbowed, unbent, unbroken," as House Martell would say. While rings won't be available on the site until later this month, you can shop the fire and ice Alex and Ani collection ahead.
28 of the Most Instagrammable Foods at Disney World
Sure, Disney World is one of the ultimate vacation spots, thanks to thrilling rides and adorable Mickey Mouse merchandise. But true Disney fans also know that the theme parks are known for their delicious - and often visually stunning - food.
While Disney World has a plethora of great restaurants with fantastic offerings, there's also are a variety of food carts, snack stands, and casual eateries where you can find items to both satisfy your park hunger and brighten up your Instagram feed. While the list of the best ones includes plenty of park standards - think Mickey pretzels and ice cream bars - you'll also find Disney movie-themed delights and nods to trends (hello, rose gold cupcake!). If you're a dedicated foodie or just like capturing all your Disney eats for Instagram, keep reading for the resort's most photogenic snacks.
Franzia Is Releasing Mini Wine Boxes Called - Wait For It - Little Franz
Franzia basically just released a line of the juice boxes from your youth . . . except with wine, of course. The adorably named Little Franz screw-cap boxes contain 500 mL - yes, that's over half a bottle - of Franzia's Rosé, Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio/Colombard, or Crisp White wine, for $3.49 per box.
The mini boxes were included in the recently released Franz For Life campaign, which parodied the Golden Girls theme song. All of this appears to be an attempt to speak to millennial consumers and, hey, it's working! In a statement, The Wine Group Chief Marketing Officer Jeff Dubiel said, "The brand's largest demographic segment is millennials. We want to be sure we're growing with our customers at all stages of life." Check out the funny campaign, as well as the Little Franz boxes, ahead.
130 Ways to Save Money and Still Have the Wedding of Your Dreams
Although many of us dreamed of our wedding when we were young, I'm betting that, as kids, we weren't able to process how much the big day costs. It's only after we've become adults and deal with grown-up stuff like school loans and 401(k) contributions that the true cost of a wedding really hits home. Going into debt because of a wedding isn't exactly the most romantic way to start a marriage, so read on for suggestions to help you save money on your wedding.
Demi Lovato's Bob Haircut Is Fresh, Sleek, and Oh-So Perfect For Spring
Demi Lovato just did some major Spring cleaning - on her hair, that is. After growing her hair out for quite some time, the 26-year-old star chopped it into a fresh, blunt lob that's now officially at the top of our hair inspiration board. The "Confident" singer revealed her transformation on Instagram Stories, sharing before-and-after snaps to prove just how drastic the change is. Whereas her hair used to extend well past her shoulders and had rust-colored ends, it now hits just above her shoulders and is one uniformly dark hue.
Amber Maynard Bolt of LA-based Nine Zero One Salon is the hair guru responsible for Lovato's sleek chop. "Demi has been feeling great and wanted something to represent that," the master stylist said of Lovato's new look in a press release. "She's been wearing extensions and growing her hair out for a while, so this was a nice change up." We couldn't agree more! Keep reading to see more snaps of the singer's shoulder-length hairstyle, and if you're still hungry for more hairspo, check out all the other stars who've recently taken the plunge and cut their hair into a blunt bob.
If You Have Short, Wispy Lashes That Point Downward, You’ll Love This $7 Mascara
I was stunned every time I looked into the eyes of the first guy I ever dated. We were 15, I spent what seemed like hours doing my makeup for our dates, and somehow, his lashes were always prettier than mine. They were thick, long, and curved upward so that they framed his bright blue eyes perfectly. Mine, on the other hand, had always been straight, thin, and pointed downward.
The most recent love affair I've had though is with CoverGirl's Lash Blast Active ($7). Housed in an orange tube (one that is so bright, you'll never have trouble finding it in your purse), you'll find the ultrablack formula that the brand touts as being "sweat-proof, smudge-proof, and clump-proof." The first time I ever swept the plastic wand through my lashes, they were instantly lifted and looked as though I had clamped down on them with a eyelash curler very gently. The bristles of the spoolie combed between each eyelash, separating and lengthening. The subsequent sweeps further elongated my lashes and upped their volume.
The end result is longer lashes that won't ever smudge or feather throughout the day - and I mean the entire day. It stayed on for a full eight hours at the office, and even through my post-work jog.
Sure, my relationship with that boy was fleeting, but I'm confident that the one I have with this mascara will be more long-term.
Like a Shot of Sunshine, This $4 Mask Brightened Up My Complexion in Just 10 Minutes
The Dearpacker Black Ginseng Gold Hydrogel Mask ($4) is the full package: it gave me an unmatched sensory experience and a complexion boost that lasted until the next day.
I say that even though my first few minutes with it were a little messy. After ripping open the pouch, I made the mistake of not being careful when pulling the two-piece mask out, as all of its excess serum dripped from its pouch onto my lap (don't worry, it was an easy cleanup). I placed both jiggling parts onto my face, making sure to press it against the contours of my features. I was pleasantly surprised to find that it adhered to my skin, and I was able to walk around the room with it on.
In the 10 minutes I had it on, I felt incomparably relaxed. The cooling effect that comes with its hydrogel texture felt soothing, as the dry areas of skin on top of my cheeks felt less irritated. I also had peace of mind knowing it wouldn't slip off and make a mess. When I peeled it off, my skin was moist with leftover serum, which I proceeded to pat into my skin. In 20 minutes, my face was visibly brighter and more moisturized - so much so, that the effect lasted until the next morning. See the mask, ahead.
Articles
