T LOunge for January 20th 2024

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PinLe Café Restaurant – Saint-Tropez, France

It’s MONDAY, darlings! Now more than ever, it’s a time for hunkering down somewhere, shutting out the world, and letting this place be the oasis from reality we intend it to be. Settle back on a pile of pillows and await your distractions. We’ll be right with you.

This Mexican Beach Destination Is a ‘Magic Town’ Known for Laid-back Vibes and Incredible Whale Watching
Here’s what you need to know to plan a trip to Loreto, Mexico.
A slew of new resorts on the horizon means there is more to love in Los Cabos than ever. But the area’s built-up, busy coastline is increasingly tempting visitors northward on the Baja Peninsula, toward Costa Palmas and towns like Todos Santos for a truly tranquil escape.
Nestled along the Sea of Cortez, called the “Aquarium of the World” by Jacques Costeau for its breathtaking biodiversity, the tiny town of Loreto checks every box for the ideal laid-back beach town retreat. “There’s not a single major international chain in Loreto, which speaks to how faithfully it has conserved its original, local charm,” says Sandra Felix, commercial director of Visit Baja California Sur. It is one of the region’s few pueblos mágicos, “magical towns” known for immense history and culture, and it’s peppered with boutique hotels and locally owned eateries, all just steps from the oceanfront.

This Island Has Underwater Wineries, the Cleanest Swimming Water in Europe, and Bioluminescent Caves — Plus 2,726 Hours of Sunshine a Year
Your sunny island vacation awaits.
With bioluminescent caves, azure coves, and underwater wineries, Hvar pulled me in the moment I stepped onto its buzzing dock. “As you approach the island of Hvar by boat, you’re immediately captivated by the striking contrast of vibrant blue waters and lush green landscapes adorned with vineyards, olive groves, and pine,” said Ante Lacman, owner of Lacman Family Winery on Hvar. “And this stunning scenery is complemented by a rich tapestry of history and culture.”
Located in the Adriatic Sea, the Mediterranean island is about an hour away from Split via ferry. You could spend most of your time here on water, and I certainly tried — flying over frothy waves by boat to reach the gin-colored waters of the Pakleni Islands, discovering a private pebbly beach at a family-owned bistro, and waving to sunbathers nestled in pockets of craggy cliffs.

It’s the workout of the moment – 6 indoor walking workouts for beginners that promise to boost fitness in no time
Name an easier workout for beginners. We’ll wait.
While here at MC UK we don’t subscribe to the “New Year, new you” way of thinking, we do endorse building meaningful, sustainable habits all year round. And we understand that for many of us, January brings fresh motivation to build more movement into our daily lives, and we are so here for it. But the reality is that a few weeks in, things can start to feel more challenging to maintain – and that’s where indoor walking workouts for beginners come into their own.
As luck would have it, indoor walking workouts are not only a great place to start, but they’re also bang on trend right now; at the time of writing, the search term is at breakout on Google – and with good reason.

As a brown lip liner addict with olive skin, this is my holy grail pencil for the 90s supermodel look
This one is just *chef’s kiss*
The 90s revival shows no sign of slowing down, and I’m so glad. As someone who is incredibly nostalgic for the era (well, what I can remember from my five years in it), my forever beauty icons have been the decade’s cohort of supermodels: think Naomi Campbell, Christy Turlington, Cindy Crawford, Tyra Banks, Shalom Harlow and Carla Bruni.
What did all these women have in common? Being generally stunning, yes, but also their brown, over-lined lips — an image that promptly became emblematic of 90’s makeup. It just so happens that this look is also a non-invasive route to fuller, plumper-looking lips, especially if you top it off with a clear gloss.

The ‘marquise layers’ haircut will frame your face like no other
Here’s how they’re done…
Named in honour of the marquise shape (which falls somewhere between a diamond and an oval and is leading engagement ring trends), the hairstyle brings some major face-framing action that encircles eyes, cheeks and lips to bring definition, structure and attention to some of our favourite features. The layers come to a point at the forehead and chin, then softly cup cheeks to create a marquise frame that adds covetable bounce and movement.

The Modern Pixie Is The A-List Haircut Taking Over For 2025
Iris Law, Emma Stone and Renée Zellweger are the poster girls for the pixie 2.0
If 2024 was the year of the bob, then 2025 is shaping up to be the year of the pixie cut. The notoriously bold short crop, which became a symbol of rebellion when it was first popularised back in the 1950s, is enjoying a moment in the spotlight, with hairstylists predicting it to undercut the world’s fascination with the chin-length bob in the coming months.
‘The pixie haircut has experienced a resurgence in popularity due to its blend of timeless sophistication and modern versatility that aligns with current fashion trends,’ agrees Hershesons hairstylist, Elliot Bute, who says that haircuts are becoming far shorter, choppier and bolder for the season ahead.

The 10 Best Superfoods To Boost And Strengthen Your Immune System
It’s time to restore your body’s defence mechanism
Hands up if you’ve been feeling under the weather. Chalk it up to the after-effects of a jam-packed party season or the dip in temperatures but supporting and boosting your immune system has never felt more important than right now.
If, like us, you’ve been mainlining oranges and green salads in a bid to feel better, it’s time to take a closer look at how much difference your diet makes when it comes to strengthening your immune system. Are ‘superfoods’ real or simply a passing wellness trend? We spoke to the experts to find out.

Why Renée Zellweger “Needed to” Stop Acting for 6 Years: “I Got Healthy”
As she returns for a fourth Bridget Jones movie, the Oscar winner reflects on her time away from the spotlight.
Now, as Zellweger returns to her beloved film series with the fourth Bridget Jones movie, Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy, she is reflecting on her time away from the spotlight. Speaking to costar Hugh Grant, who plays perennial bad boy bachelor Daniel Cleaver in multiple Bridget Jones films, for British Vogue, Zellweger said she felt she needed to stop acting for a period of time: “I was sick of the sound of my own voice. When I was working, I was like, Oh my gosh, listen to you. Are you sad again, Renée? Oh, is this your mad voice? It was a regurgitation of the same emotional experiences.”
When asked how she spent her Hollywood hiatus, Zellweger said, “I wrote music and studied international law. I built a house, rescued a pair of older doggies, created a partnership that led to a production company, advocated for and fundraised with a sick friend, and spent a lot of time with family and godchildren and driving across the country with the dogs. I got healthy.”

The Women on the Frontlines of the Los Angeles Wildfires
They are firefighters and aid workers, chefs and booksellers—and they’re all on a mission to show up for their community.
The Los Angeles wildfires have been burning for over a week, killing at least 25 people and burning nearly 40,000 acres. The two largest fires, the Palisades Fire and the Eaton Fire, razed entire neighborhoods in the Pacific Palisades and Altadena. Thousands of Angelinos are displaced as they manage the aftermath of losing their homes and businesses.
But in the past week, as desperation and destruction gripped Southern California, everyday Angelinos, desperate to help, have stepped up to help their community.
We spoke with people working tirelessly across Los Angeles, organizing spreadsheets of aid, rescuing pets from burned-out structures, feeding weary fighters, and treating patients dealing with respiratory issues, to learn more about the work they’re doing—and what comes next.

A Highly Subjective Ranking of the Best Girl Scout Cookies
Are You Team Thin Mint or Team Samoa?
When I think about my days as a Girl Scout, I don’t remember selling too many cookies, but I sure do remember eating a lot of them. That’s probably because my parents bought up most of my supply, meaning our pantry was stocked with boxes upon boxes of Thin Mints and Samoas well beyond the usual cookie selling season of January to April.
Whether you’ve been a Girl Scout yourself or jump at the annual chance to support your coworker’s cousin’s daughter, odds are high you have opinions on their cookies, which are (surprise!) not made by 10-year-old girls but by two licensed bakers: ABC Bakers and Little Brownie Bakers. (That’s why the names of certain cookies can vary by region.) When I asked Food & Wine staffers to name their favorite Girl Scout cookies, responses were swift, and divided.

This Is the Most Popular Grocery Store in America — and It’s Probably Not What You Think
A market research and analytics firm released new data featuring grocery stores those living in the U.S. love most. Here’s what it found.
We’ve covered it here a few times, but groceries are quite the hot topic these days. Be it for increasing grocery store prices, helping you find the best deals on groceries across the United States, or for the recalls that have made headlines in the last few months. But there is a little bit of fun news in here, too, that you can debate about with your friends: Which grocery store, exactly, is America’s favorite?

Jamu, an Ancient Indonesian Tonic With Turmeric and Ginger, Is More Than a Simple Beverage
Passed down for centuries, this cure-all drink is having a moment.
Indonesians swear by jamu. Families have their own recipes carried on from one generation to the next. Spices, roots, and herbs such as turmeric, ginger, and tamarind are traditionally ground into a thick slurry with a mortar and pestle, then consumed as either a shot, warm drink, or a chilled refresher.
Jamu experienced a resurgence in Indonesia during the pandemic, as more people turned to food and drink that offered health benefits. It can now be found across the country, and jamu cafés, like Acaraki and Suwe Ora Jamu, opened by young artisans and entrepreneurs, have popped up across Indonesia. And the St. Regis Bali Bar has a cocktail loosely based on jamu, fortified by Beefeater gin.
Eggo Is Entering Their Fashion Era With a Delicious Shoe Collab
Yes, I’m talking about the waffles.
How do you like your eggs in the morning? Scrambled, sunny side up, maybe with a Eggo waffle or two on the side? Not flirting with you, just asking because there’s a cool new collab in town and it’s truly good enough to eat.
Thanks to an unexpected partnership between Eggo and Brunch (the apparel brand, not the delightful mid-morning breakfast experience), you can now slip your feet into all of that nostalgia and retro goodness in slipper form.

Tiara of the month: the dazzling diamond diadem beloved by the Duchess of Buccleuch and worn to two coronations
Vreda Esther Mary Lascelles often wore the Diamond Belt Tiara, which is part of a sizeable collection belonging to the Scottish Peerage of Buccleuch
The Diamond Belt Tiara is the most significant of a reputedly sizeable collection of heritage tiaras belonging to the Scottish Peerage of Buccleuch. The seat is now headed by Richard Walter John Montagu Douglas Scott, 10th Duke of Buccleuch and it was atop his grandmother, Vreda Esther Mary Lascelles that the Diamond Belt Tiara was predominately spotted.

The scintillating histories of the Mitford sisters, as Unity’s diaries are revealed for the first time
We re-examine the scandalous and scintillating histories of the most famous ‘Bright Young Things’ from British society
A new project, Outrageous, will delve into the lives of the Mitford sisters, promising to ‘bring the full, uncensored story’ of the family’s scandalous exploits to life, according to the show description. The series – which will be based on Mary S. Lovell’s biography, The Mitford Girls and air on BritBox in 2025 – will star Bessie Carter (best known for her role as Prudence Featherington in Bridgerton) as the much-loved author, Nancy Mitford; other cast members include Anna Chancellor as the Mitfords’ mother.
Now Unity’s diaries have been released for the first time, detailing her relationship with Adolf Hitler. Here, we delve into the histories, legacies and impact of the Mitford sisters.

Sex Scenes in Movies Are Back, but They Aren’t Exactly Sexy
Instead, these moments in “Anora,” “Babygirl,” “Challengers” and more involve complex power dynamics that speak volumes about their characters.
Every so often a tedious debate crops up on social media: Are sex scenes even necessary in movies? Gen Z, we are told, want to see fewer of them. And yet the answer is clear if this awards season’s contenders have anything to say: Yes, sex is crucial to cinema.
The films in the conversation are full of sex. “Anora” revolves around a sex worker, and showing her on the job is central to the narrative. “Babygirl” is all about a woman exploring the desires that she finds shameful. Even “Nosferatu” is largely about sex: Robert Eggers’s retelling of the classic vampire tale centers on the lusts of the undead count’s prey, Ellen.
But none of the sex scenes in these and other recent movies are emotionally clear cut. Whatever titillation they might inspire comes with an asterisk: The directors are using the moments to explore complex power dynamics between characters.

What to Know About the Ban on Red Dye No. 3 in Food
What does the science say about its health effects? What foods will be affected? And other common questions about the newly banned additive.
For over a century, food and drug manufacturers have added a synthetic chemical to candies, pills, shakes and more to color them a vivid cherry red.
That will end soon. The Food and Drug Administration this week banned the use of Red Dye No. 3 in food, citing concerns that the common dye could cause cancer in rats. Drug manufacturers who use Red Dye No. 3 have until Jan. 18, 2028, to reformulate their products; food manufacturers have until Jan. 15, 2027.
“It’s a great first step for the U.S., but frankly we’re just really behind,” said Dr. Sheela Sathyanarayana, professor of pediatrics at the University of Washington who studies environmental exposures that affect children’s health. The European Union, Australia and New Zealand have banned most uses of Red Dye No. 3 in foods.

6 Types of Sugar and When to Use Each for the Best Results
Our sweet guide covers everything you need to know.
There are so many kinds of sugar on supermarket shelves that it can be confusing. What should the different types be used for? Which ones are similar and when can you sub one for another? It’s helpful to understand the varieties, since each type and grain size has unique talents for creating certain confections and drinks. Here’s a rundown, from the most common to less well-known.

How to Get Red Wine Stains Out of Your Couch, According to Experts
With a little know-how, red wine spills can be cleaned effectively and permanently.
What better place to enjoy a glass of red wine at the end of the day than on a comfy couch? It’s the perfect spot for curling up with a book and a glass of Cabernet, but bringing wine to your cozy nook comes with its hazards. Anyone who has ever spilled red wine on their couch knows what a cleaning nightmare it poses. While you might foresee an inevitable glaring stain in your future, fear not: It turns out that with a little know-how and the right materials, red wine spills can be cleaned effectively and permanently.
We consulted cleaning experts for their tried-and-true methods for how to clean red wine off of a couch. Read on to learn about a number of handy and effective ways to lift red wine from even the lightest and brightest of fabrics.

[Photo Credit: lecafe.fr]

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