T LOunge for January 8th 2026

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PinThe Stage Cocktail Bar – Hong Kong, China

Darlings, it’s THURSDAY, also known as not one of the worst days of the week. You can do it! You’re in the home stretch now! The first work week of the year is drawing to a close and you only have to procrastinate a few more times until the weekend. We have faith in you. Take a seat and let’s get started.

An ode to Jessie Buckley, the star of Hamnet
The frontrunner for the Best Actress Oscar deserves all of the awards.
Ok, I’ll say it: the Critics’ Choice Awards were a total slog. A sea of tight, poreless faces and laborious, trudging jokes that could not have been more effortfully delivered, it was sometimes hard to remember that we were supposedly celebrating film and the artists who make it. That is, until Jessie Buckley took to the stage to collect her award for Best Actress.
A breath of fresh Irish air, Buckley was all warmth and vivacity as she took to the stage. “Paul, I bloody love you, man,” Buckley said to her Hamnet co-star, Paul Mescal. “I know loads of other women do in this room too – but tough shit,” she went on. “I could drink you like water, working with you every single day. You’re a giant of the heart and thank you so much for making me a little bit more human.”

Meet the fabulous cast behind Netflix’s Agatha Christie TV series, Seven Dials
From Helena Bonham Carter to How To Have Sex star Mia McKenna-Bruce.
Here’s a new TV series to add to your January watchlist: a nostalgic murder mystery adapted from none other than an Agatha Christie novel: The Seven Dials Mystery.
It follows the story of a young woman named Bundle, played by Mia McKenna-Bruce, who opts to investigate the death that occurs in her house after a decadent party. She finds herself tangled up in the world of a secret club, with suspects of multiple murders messing with her mind. Will she get to the bottom of what happened, or will Superintendent Battle (played by Martin Freeman) thwart her attempts at discovering the truth?

53 best breakup songs that will help mend your broken heart
From Ariana Grande to queens of heartbreak, Taylor Swift and Lily Allen.
Breakup songs are so powerful, aren’t they? They get you through a period in your life when you feel there may be no hope in your love life. No matter what stage of the breakup you’re in, there’s something for everyone to relate to and keep pulling you ahead to the other side of single-life freedom.
From heartbroken and sad to angry and bitter… and to simply having the strength to leave the past in the past, failed romances have long served as inspiration for musical artists when it comes to penning their songs. Whether you are in the throes of denial and want your ex back, processing what went wrong or finally moving on, we know full well that we can turn to music to help mend our broken hearts.

Jennifer Garner on Wellness, Work and Why She’s Starting the Year Strong
Jennifer Garner is that rare breed of Hollywood actress who brings depth and humanity to her roles, maintains a down-to-earth demeanour and keeps her private life, well, private. Soon returning to our screens for a second series of Apple’s hit thriller The Last Thing He Told Me, the Golden Globe-winning star tells Emily Cronin how the past decade has shaped her, and why she’s feeling stronger than ever.

‘Marty Supreme’ Might Be Timothée Chalamet’s Movie, But Odessa A’Zion Is Its Breakthrough Star
The film’s breakout star discusses the wild press tour, her memorable improvised line, and why she felt she was ‘meant to play’ her character, Rachel.
‘Oh my God, the blimps? So cool.’ Odessa A’zion is just as amazed as the rest of us by Marty Supreme’s press tour — the difference is that she actually stars in the film. During a quick Zoom call with ELLE in early December, the actress laments that she’s never seen the viral blimp in person, but that evening, ahead of the L.A. premiere, she’ll finally witness one in all its orange glory.
Though Chalamet and his promotional shenanigans were getting all the attention ahead of the film’s release, now that it’s out in cinemas, viewers will finally see what all the hype is about. That’s not only because of Chalamet’s career-best performance as a table tennis pro who believes he’s destined for greatness; it’s also because of his fantastic supporting cast, like A’zion, the undeniable breakout star of the film.

A French Wine Sold Out After Being Spotted in Taylor Swift’s End of an Era Documentary
Swiftonomics is real.
The Taylor Swift effect knows no bounds, including international borders or even tariffs. A particular bottle of wine seen in the background of Swift’s new End of an Era documentary that premiered in December on Disney+ has since sold out online through its U.S. distributor, according to Agence France Presse.
The wine in question is a sancerre white wine from Domaine de Terres Blanches in France’s Loire Valley which normally retails for $40 per bottle in the United States. (That includes a 15% tariff on all wines coming from the European Union.) Made from sauvignon blanc grapes, sancerre is named for the region from where it is made in the Loire Valley.

Iris Perfume Is the Missing Piece in Your Fragrance Collection
A floral for the people.
For most of my life, I’ve been a notorious floral perfume hater. That is, until I started expanding my fragrance palette. Once I started developing my unique olfactive personality and taking a closer look at the scents that I truly love, I realized that many of them have one thing in common: An iris note.
​Iris oil can take years to cultivate, making it one of the more expensive ingredients in perfumery. You may also see it going by its other moniker, Orris or Orris butter. Depending on the formula that it’s added to, one iris note can run the gamut of olfactive expression. On one hand, it can smell earthy and root-like, almost to the point of being a little vegetal or dirty. On another, it can come off as sweet, powdery, and a little like licorice—something that typically takes a very discerning nose to recognize and appreciate.

10 Hair Trends That Will Dominate 2026, From Cool-Girl Shags to Pops of Color
More is more in 2026.
This year, hair is shaping up to be all about bold contrasts. Think precisely-razored lobs in a lived-in espresso hue; bold, auburn-tinted dye jobs on air-dried textures, and pops of pink or transformative teal streaks peeking through a rooty, grown-out blonde.
“Cuts and color will be chosen with longevity in mind—styles that look just as good air-dried as they do styled,” says celebrity hairstylist Dimitris Giannetos. “We’ll see more effortless shapes, like lived-in shags and confident short cuts, designed to grow out beautifully.”
We’ll also see a 1970s revival, following on the heels of the ’90s hair trends repopularized in 2025. “We are moving toward a bold return of 1970s-inspired hairstyles—an era that marked a revolutionary moment in hair,” says Christine Mc Inerney, owner of Stag and Hen Hair Studio.

How to Read Tarot Cards: A Beginner’s Guide
To those who think the practice of reading tarot is an occult art reserved for spook sessions, let’s get this out of the way: It isn’t. Like therapy, meditation, and advice from friends, tarot is meant to be used for one thing and one thing only: connecting more deeply with yourself.
“Tarot is not fortune-telling, it’s coaching,” explains Lori Dyan, an Ontario-based tarot expert and the author of the tarot guidebook Big Deck Energy. “Tarot cards are a tool for personal discovery and self-care. They highlight where you’ve been, validate where you’re at in the moment, and hint at what’s possible. It’s a glimpse into the energetic landscape that supports you in making the best decisions for yourself moving forward. Tarot provides an opportunity to have a conversation with your soul; like a trusted counselor that reflects you back to yourself. Tarot doesn’t do prophecies—it offers agency.”

How The Testament of Ann Lee’s Production Designer Brought the World of the 18th-Century Shakers Back to Life
Sam Bader, who, despite having an extensive CV as a seasoned art director, 3D-concept illustrator, graphic designer, and researcher, has just half a dozen credits as a feature film production designer to his name—none of which match the scale and ambition of Ann Lee. But it was exactly the wide spectrum of disciplines he had under his belt that made Bader the right person to recreate the world of the early Shakers. With the head-spinning array of time periods, settings, and aesthetic styles he’d have to recreate across the film’s multiple chapters, it was a project that would require every ounce of initiative and creative ingenuity Bader possessed.

This Reindeer Farmer Is a Guardian of Norway’s Indigenous Food
From her reindeer farm in Norway, Máret Ravdna Buljo safeguards Sámi culinary heritage and creates some of Hurtigruten’s most delicious new dishes.
Of the eight annual seasons observed by the Sámi, giđđageassi (“spring-summer”) promises a moment of calm. The reindeer calves have been born and taken their first stumbling steps. The snow and ice have retreated, the midnight sun warms the land, and the grazing is good. For the roughly 10% of Indigenous Sámi people across Northern Norway, Sweden, Finland, and Russia who make a living with reindeer, there’s time to catch a breath. But not for Máret Ravdna Buljo who was fielding media after the Norwegian cruise line Hurtigruten announced her appointment as their newest Culinary Ambassador last February. The news, and interest, is evidence of a shift in attitude toward Sámi foodways, which not too long ago were largely either derided or ignored.

We Tried 4 Ways to Roast a Chicken — This Is the Only Method We’ll Use From Now on
There are many ways to roast a chicken, and we determined the absolute best.
One of the first things we learn to cook that feels advanced and even significant is a whole roast chicken. More so than just about any other dish, it straddles that line between rustic and elegant, providing juicy and tender meat, crispy skin, and drippings for a rich pan gravy. But roasting a chicken can be tricky: The non-uniform shape of the bird often causes it to cook unevenly, while the white and dark meat are best cooked to different temperatures. It’s safe to say a well-roasted chicken is exceptional whereas a poorly roasted bird is a massive letdown.

Wes Anderson Enters His Fine-Art Era
With a pair of high-profile exhibits drawing crowds in Europe, the director puts his inimitable aesthetic on display.
More than three decades and a dozen films since making his unusually assured debut with Bottle Rocket, director Wes Anderson is marking a new phase in his artistic career, with buzzy exhibits in London and Paris showcasing his distinctive aesthetic. Anderson’s idiosyncratic, singular style — think of the candy-colored palette of The Grand Budapest Hotel or the saffron hues of The Darjeeling Limited — and his exacting eye for detail are being celebrated in Wes Anderson: The Archives at the Design Museum in London through July 26. Produced in collaboration with la Cinémathèque française, the British iteration of the show reimagines and expands on the 2025 Paris presentation with more than 700 objects, including original storyboards, notebooks, photographs, puppets, models, sketches and costumes from his movies.

Sarah Michelle Gellar: “I Don’t Want to Be 20 Again”
The actor and newly minted Olay ambassador reflects on her influence on pop culture and why she no longer feels the need to prove anything.
More than 22 years after the Everygirl-with-a-stake Buffy destroyed the Hellmouth, r/buffy on Reddit is still ablaze (with 6,700 active members at the time of reporting) and “Buffy Studies” college courses that examine media, feminism, and culture. Of this impact, I shared that I, too, took a Buffy class over the summer between my junior and senior year of high school, and that my best friend’s ringtone has been the Buffy theme song since I’ve known her. “It’s only with time that you can really appreciate the effect that [Buffy] had,” she says, noting a degree of doubt during the early Buffy years—uncertainty that it could withstand the test of time. “But the fact that young kids today are finding that show and finding that it’s speaking to them, that’s when you know it really did something important and you were part of something important.”

Murder most stylish! Mia McKenna-Bruce dazzles in Dior on the February issue of Tatler as she stars in ‘Agatha Christie for the next generation’
Country-house intrigue, Roaring Twenties glamour and a woman of mystery: Netflix’s new Agatha Christie’s Seven Dials casts Bafta-winning actress Mia McKenna-Bruce as an irrepressible flapper sleuth. Julia Llewellyn Smith meets a star in full ascent
Think Agatha Christie, think a between-the-wars world of lavish house parties on sprawling country estates, where Bright Young Things carouse under art-deco lamps and dead bodies are discovered in studies, blood pooling on the hardwood floor.
It was in such surroundings that actress Mia McKenna-Bruce, 28, found herself playing Lady Eileen ‘Bundle’ Brent, the impossibly chic toff-turned-sleuth heroine of Christie’s 1929 novel The Seven Dials Mystery, now a sumptuous Netflix three-parter, billed as ‘Christie for the next generation’ and filmed over last summer in various manor houses between Bath and Bristol.

‘The Housemaid’ Book Series Jumps to Top of Bestseller Lists Following Sydney Sweeney and Amanda Seyfried Movie
Freida McFadden’s “The Housemaid” is back to the top of bestseller lists again following the release of the film adaptation starring Sydney Sweeney and Amanda Seyfried.
The psychological thriller, originally a breakout hit when it first came out in 2022, is set on Long Island and centered on a down-on-her-luck young woman who takes a job as a live-in housemaid for an affluent couple only to unearth a labyrinth of deception and danger. The Lionsgate adaptation is directed by Paul Feig and stars Sweeney as Millie Calloway and Seyfried as the mysterious Nina Winchester. The adaptation released on Dec. 19 opened to a robust $8 million domestic box office on Friday night.

6 of the Best Fruits to Boost Your Immunity This Winter, According to Nutritionists
Help keep sickness at bay with these tasty immune-supporting fruits.
Eating the best fruits for immunity can help keep you healthy, no matter the time of year. But it’s even more important during the winter months because cold, dry air and more time spent indoors can make it easier for viruses to spread and challenge your body’s natural defenses.
By consuming more fruits (and practicing other healthy lifestyle habits, such as regular exercise and adequate sleep), you can reduce your risk of getting sick.1 And while all fruits can benefit health and immunity, some are particularly helpful. Curious? We asked registered dietitians to share their top picks for immune-boosting fruits, as well as ideas for enjoying them.

How to Clean Salt and Slush Stains Off All Your Favorite Shoes This Season
Don’t let winter ruin your best pairs.
Winter weather is tough on footwear. Salt dries into white rings, while melting snow can cause uneven water stains that stiffen leather, dull suede, and discolor fabric. But don’t let winter salt and slush fool you into thinking your favorite shoes are beyond help.
“Salt and water stains are best treated once shoes are completely dry and the right method is used for each material,” explains footwear-restoration expert Devonn Vidal. Before cleaning, let shoes air-dry at room temperature, then gently brush or wipe away loose salt to prevent it from being pushed deeper into the surface. Then follow the appropriate method below based on their material to keep them looking great beyond the season.

24 Must-visit Destinations in Utah—Otherworldly Salt Flats, Bright Turquoise Lakes, and National Parks Included
Red sandstone arches, Dark Sky preserves, and epic ski resorts are among the state’s many standout attractions.
Utah doesn’t get as much attention as some of its neighbors (ahem, Colorado), but the terrain is so stunning and varied that much of the natural landscape is designated national park, national monument, or national forest land. It’s impossible to check out every site the state has to offer in one visit, but certain places stand out.
From desert marked with red sandstone arches to giant, snow-covered ski mountains and bright-white salt flats, there are ample spots to explore beyond the five phenomenal national parks. With that in mind, here are 24 of the best places to visit in Utah.

[Photo Credit: mag-studios.com]

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