Yep, you've guessed it. The sun has finally decided to appear, with the temperature set to be the hottest we've seen since last August in much of the UK. It was as high as 27C in London on Thursday and is expected to reach 25C on Friday and to continue into the weekend. This is unusual for April – considering it was still freezing just a couple of weeks ago – and this hasn't gone unnoticed on social media.
The sun is out in Britain. The nation flocks to parks to drink cans of fruity cider and get sunburn as is tradition. A man takes off his shirt in public as a display of dominance but looks like a pale ham mannequin, as is tradition. A 99 with a flake is £60.
People are losing their minds over the so-called heatwave, with #WarmestDayOfTheYear trending on Twitter and people greeting the weather in typical British fashion: with humour.
We may put our winter coats away every spring, but it seems the novelty of being able to ditch them never wears off.
I feel like every time #WarmestDayOfTheYear is trending in the UK we should get the day off. Not because it's warm, but because of the sheer panic in people's eyes. pic.twitter.com/1qvXTlkvj7
Why is #WarmestDayOfTheYear trending?! Of course it's the warmest day of the year. Every day for the foreseeable future has the potential to be the warmest day... because so far this year it has been WINTER.
Not everyone has been able to join in the fun, however, with the temperature in Scotland lower (cooler than a respectable 20C in parts). Hey, at least they've got a sense of humour about it.
Many people experience a boost in their mood and energy levels when the sun comes out and it's finally warm enough to laze about in rooftop bars and let their legs see the light of day. But not everyone's experience of spring and summer is sunshine and roses.
Seasonal affective disorder (SAD), a type of depression related to changes in seasons, is most commonly associated with the cold, dark autumn and winter months, but many people instead experience "reverse SAD", whereby they feel particularly low during spring and summer.
It's unclear what proportion of people with SAD experience it in "reverse", but research has put it between 10 and 40%, says Laura Peters, head of advice and information at Rethink Mental Illness. The causes are also less clear compared with SAD associated with the winter months, which has been linked to changes in melatonin, serotonin and the body's circadian rhythm caused by lack of sunlight.
While research into the triggers of reverse SAD is sparse, theories abound. "It could be due to people staying up later during summer, which can interrupt their sleep-wake patterns and change their mood," suggests Peters. "Or it could be down to increased melatonin production because of increased sunlight."
The signs of reverse SAD are often different from those of SAD experienced during the winter months, which often include low energy. Reverse SAD symptoms are most often agitation and irritability-related, which may be mild to begin with at the end of spring but become more severe as summer progresses, says Isabel Leming, senior technician at Smart TMS. These might include trouble sleeping (insomnia), poor appetite, weight loss, agitation or anxiety.
If the symptoms of reverse SAD sound familiar, rest assured that you're not the only one whose mental health is adversely affected by warm, sunny weather. Disorders like anxiety can also be triggered and worsened by the "good" weather and the pressure to be constantly happy and enjoying the sunshine.
Seeing everyone having fun in the sun during summer has made my depression worse because I couldn't enjoy it.
"Mental health in summer can be hard," says Eleanor Segall, 29, a mental health blogger and freelance writer, who has been on lithium since she was 25 following a serious manic episode. "I struggle with the heat – my medication dehydrates my body anyway so I have to continually drink water and try to stay out the sun at midday. I burn like a tomato.
"In the past when I've been low, seeing everyone having fun in the sun during summer has made my depression worse because I couldn't enjoy it."
Zoe Thomson, 22, an office administrator, was diagnosed with depression and generalised anxiety at 19 and says the heat and humidity make her feel claustrophobic and so trigger her anxiety. She says the worst thing about mental health struggles in summer is "feeling left out" and feeling the pressure to be happy and "joining in with everyone else's fun".
"I just prefer the colder seasons and my depression can’t go away for the summer. It doesn’t work like that. It makes me feel like an outsider because I’m the only one not praying for the season to never end."
It's a similar story for 19-year-old student Alice Wardman, who has had depression and anxiety for a few years. "The warm weather can sometimes help my mental health, but it's mostly short-lived. I don’t feel ‘better’ in the sun."
Most often, it means feeling pressured to be sociable when she doesn't always want to be. "The worst thing is having friends want to go out and take trips when all you want to do is stay in bed. I feel too guilty saying no, so go anyway as they're so keen and I don’t want to feel like I’m letting them down."
Mental health issues don’t just stop because the weather is nice, they continue just as if it were a miserable day.
Olivia Callaghan, 25, a mental health advocate who works in retail, lives with bipolar disorder, anxiety and bulimia, and has self-harmed in the past. She also cites the "pressure to have a good time in the sun when all you want to do is to crawl back into bed and sleep" as a burden. "People can’t imagine you being depressed when the weather is lovely, but mental health issues don’t just stop because the weather is nice, they continue just as if it were a miserable day."
It's also a difficult time of year for Callaghan because she has self-harm scars. "Wearing summer clothes is hard because I feel a tad scared to show my scars in case I’m met with stares or comments."
Ricky Thamman, 39, a graphic designer who hosts a mental health radio show called Mentally Sound, lives with anxiety and depression and says the heat is a "trigger", stopping him from being able to control his symptoms. "I feel faint and it brings on palpitations, leading to faster breathing and anxiety attacks. I regularly carry water and freeze gel, sometimes freeze spray used to treat sports injuries.
"The most difficult thing is not being able to enjoy summer like everyone else, not being productive, and the difficulty in getting from A to B, which affects day-to-day things like work. I don't socialise, travel, or go out in general in high temperatures." He still experiences anxiety during winter, but this isn't weather-related.
If you think you might be suffering with reverse SAD, show yourself the same compassion and care you would if you had any other mental health issues. "Like all depressive disorders, it's important to speak to your GP," says Peters. "They may prescribe medication or talking therapies. It also helps to eat well, do some exercise and make sure you get enough sleep."
Alternative treatments for depression, such as transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), which modulates brain activity and is approved by NICE, can also be used to treat SAD, says Leming. She also recommends blocking out as much natural light as possible when trying to sleep if you're suffering with insomnia as a result of reverse SAD.
If you are experiencing depression and need support, please call Mind on 0300 123 3393.
Last week, The Sunday Times Middle East Correspondent Louise Callaghan was reporting from a refugee camp in northern Syria. She describes talking to a woman with chemical burns on her arms, whose 7-year-old twin daughters were pale, listless and coughing a lot. Their clothes reeked of chlorine. Like the other Syrians from the area of Douma who Callaghan talked to that day, they gave individual, corroborating testimonies about a chemical attack on 7th April, most probably carried out by the regime of President Bashar al-Assad on his own population.
If life in the camp was bad, says Callaghan, grimmer was the life that the people of Douma had left behind: “They have been under siege for four and a half years and their homes have been relentlessly pummelled by bombing and chemical warfare,” she explains to Refinery29 over the phone. “This time dozens of people died because they didn’t realise that gas was coming.”
Since the attack on 7th April, Syria has been in the news more than usual. Many claimed the chlorine attack was “fake news”, designed to legitimise Western intervention in Syria. UK Prime Minister Theresa May decided to join France and the US in launching a response attack on Syrian chemical weapons bases, without consulting parliament. Donald Trump sent a series of typically wild tweets in the lead-up to the response strike, stating that the US’ relationship with Russia, Syria’s political ally, has never been worse. And this Wednesday, after access had been blocked for almost two weeks, inspectors were finally allowed into Douma to evaluate whether a chemical attack had taken place, only to be shot at and evacuated.
Caroline Lucas, the leader of the UK Green Party, has maintained before and after the Western strikes on Syria last Saturday that they were a mistake. She warns: “With the [UK] government refusing to rule out further strikes, there's still a real risk that our actions in Syria could spark further violence and civilian casualties.” The British government claims the strikes were “successful” but Lucas believes that, “as yet, there's no evidence that the strikes achieved anything significant in military terms, despite giving the Syrian and Russian governments a big propaganda opportunity.”
Seemingly backing up Lucas’ point is the fact that, last April, the US struck an alleged Syrian chemical base. “These recent strikes were bigger than last year’s, hitting three targets instead of one,” Callaghan explains, “but as with last year’s strikes, I don’t think this is going to permanently stop the regime from launching gas attacks on its own citizens. The regime has a long record of acting with impunity.” She points to a video posted on the Syrian presidency’s Twitter account the morning after the strikes, of Assad walking into work holding a briefcase: “It was to show that things are, quite literally, business as usual.”
Rana Khalaf is a PhD researcher at the Humanitarian and Conflict Response Institute, University of Manchester, with a focus on Syrian civil society. “When it came to the strike I think the reaction of local Syrians was not huge. It looked like a power message sent from the US to Russia, but nothing about Syrians,” she says. “A few weeks before that strike a much higher number of people were dying and there was no response. So the two key messages Syrians got is that the regime is staying, because obviously the strike didn’t aim to remove the regime itself. And the second message is that Syrians can be killed, just not by chemical weapons.”
Since the strike from the West, Trump has said that he is “locked and loaded” for more attacks. Meanwhile, in the UK, MPs have been very publicly arguing over what a resolution to the Syrian conflict might look like. Jeremy Corbyn has said that the decision over military action lies with the United Nations. Caroline Lucas has been adamant that tough action shouldn’t mean bombs and bullets.
“For a start, that must mean cracking down on Russia, Syria’s bloody-handed ally,” Lucas tells Refinery29. She suggests hitting Putin where it hurts: the Russian economy, with both unilateral sanctions (imposed by one country on another), like a crackdown on Russian money and property in London, and multilateral (international) sanctions, targeting the wider economy. “US sanctions against Russia are finally beginning to have an effect,” she says. “New US sanctions on seven oligarchs, 17 top officials and 12 companies led to tens of billions of dollars in losses on Russian markets on Monday, and the rouble recently suffered its biggest daily fall in over three years.” Although it’s worth noting that sanctions risk mass job losses, Lucas says "we need to double down on these actions".
As for peace brokering conversations in the UN, there is currently a deadlock. On Wednesday, Russia refused a draft resolution on Syria. “Clearly the UN isn't able to act in a unified way on this issue – in part because both Russia and the US are unwilling to compromise,” adds Lucas. “I'd actually like to see the UN security council reformed so it better reflects world opinion, and isn't just a talking shop for nuclear-armed states. In the meantime, the UN should be trying to get all relevant parties around the table for discussions on how to broker peace between the region’s key players: Iran, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Kurdish leaders and Israel.” To be a diplomatic leader, and set an example for the world, she adds, Britain must “immediately end the hypocrisy of selling arms to Saudi Arabia, and be clear about our opposition to Israel’s recent violence against the Palestinians”.
Photo: DELIL SOULEIMAN/AFP/Getty Images
When asked about the idea of UN reform, Khalaf says: “I don’t know what ‘UN reform’ means because the very premise the UN is based on is problematic to start with; it’s based on working with states and institutions, not with people.” She points to the system of vetos, which allows Russia and China to block action on Syria. Sometimes vetos are ignored – but apparently not in the case of an intervention that could prevent humanitarian abuses in Syria. She adds that, on the ground in the country, the UN is somewhat limited to working in regime-controlled areas and will not work with highly politicised civil society groups.
As for what would happen, hypothetically, were Assad deposed, Callaghan says there is the question of who or what would replace him. “Iran and Russia want the survival of the regime because they court their interests – most simply put, Iran’s political reach across the Middle East, and Russia’s strategic military base in the Syrian town of Tartus – so they don’t want Assad replaced with someone pro-Western,” she explains. And as for the West? “Conflicts spring up in Syria all the time, but if Assad was deposed tomorrow it could become more unstable, giving rise to groups like ISIS. I’m not saying it wouldn’t be a good thing if he were deposed, just that these are some of the arguments against regime change.”
Khalaf says it is thought by many Syrians that countries in the UN talks have, for now, agreed that Assad is there to stay. But while there is no clear diplomatic solution in sight, Caroline offers a reminder: “All too often the plight of Syrians themselves is forgotten in discussions on the conflict. If Britain wants to help people in that country directly, we can do so. That's why I’m calling on the government to take more refugees directly from Syria – to give them a chance to start a new life here.”
Khalaf agrees that Syrians themselves are often those who are left out of the conversation. The way security is perceived on the ground in Syria is different from how international actors see it, and depends largely on each community's situation and which part of Syria you are in. “Although humanitarians talk about securing locals’ livelihood, we keep seeing double standards in the sense of what matters most, and usually it’s foreign interests,” she says.
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If you went to Uni, chances are your student days involved plenty of cheap alcohol, pesto pasta and trying to accrue as many freebies as possible at the freshers' fair. It's unlikely you whiled away your days swigging champagne, buying designer outfits or having your life admin ticked off by a personal assistant.
Being a student in much of the UK in 2018 is financially challenging/crippling for most. With yearly university fees at £9,000 (and the interest rate on loans due to increase this year) and maintenance grants having been completely replaced with meagre loans (to the detriment of the poorest students), students can expect to rack up more than £50,000 worth of debt, according to the Institute for Fiscal Studies.
According to the latest Student Money Survey, 84% of college goers worry about making ends meet, with the biggest chunk of their monthly spend (£394 on average) going towards rent (surprise, surprise), followed by food (£126) – in other words, bare necessities. Half of students have experienced mental health issues as a result of money problems, while a similar percentage say it affects their relationships (42%), diet (61%) and presumably their health as a result, and even their grades (34%), the very reason they're racking up astronomical levels of debt in the first place.
It's understandable, then, that many students need to scrimp and save and spend as little money on unnecessary extras as possible. Living a "luxury lifestyle" is the last thing on their minds.
That's why we were intrigued by a company called The Luxury Student, a concierge service and private members' club for students in London. Founded by 26-year-old Aileen Gilani, it aims to offer "a truly unique service for those who seek the finer things in life whilst studying in London", and to help them receive "a VIP experience everywhere they go".
More than 80% of its 500+ members are international students and bloggers, who, the company says, tend to be "more interested in luxury brands", while the gender split is more even than you might expect, at 60%-40% female to male. It offers three levels of membership, with the most comprehensive package costing £400 for six months and entitling students to the following perks:
• A Nespresso machine as a welcome gift. • A "virtual personal assistant", which can help with everything from proof-reading assistance to managing deadlines and timetables. • Invitations to private store events on Sloane Street. • Exclusive offers from luxury brands, such as the members-only "lifestyle management and concierge club" Quintessentially Travel. • Complimentary access to members-only apps, such as the invitation-only "VIP lifestyle app" Urbanologie and The Influence Room, "where brands and people of influence meet for mutually beneficial partnerships." • Membership to Quaglino's restaurant in Mayfair. • Access to Albert's Club, a private members' club in South Kensington. • Launch products from luxury brands (such as drinks and travel brands), and more.
The company says one of the most common requests from members on the most expensive membership is to get them into "exclusive restaurants and bars" in London, along with private styling sessions with luxury brands like Jimmy Choo and Burberry on Sloane Street in Chelsea. All of which sounds a far cry from the SU bar and discounted ASOS orders of our student days.
Meera Mawkin, 20, a second-year neuroscience student at King's College London, joined the club in January during her second semester of university because she "wanted to experience something a little bit more glamorous and luxury than just the ordinary university lifestyle". So far, she has attended private viewings at Jimmy Choo, been invited to social drinks and has, of course, received her free coffee machine.
Meera admits to having a penchant for "the luxury lifestyle" but says she wouldn't describe herself as wealthy. "I've particularly enjoyed the social drinks event. I think it was the fact I could dress up in my sparkly jumpsuit and heels and take lots of lovely pictures. It was a great evening and a great bonus for my social media feeds."
She insists that "it's not just about the discounts, etc. It's more about the experiences, meeting new people and enjoying a night away from the hustle and bustle of university life." Meera has even enlisted the service to help her arrange her 21st birthday dinner in June.
When asked whether she thought paid-for services and private members' clubs perpetuated social-class divisions among students, she says The Luxury Student "isn't actually that expensive". "Bear in mind that a student might spend over £50 on average a month on alcohol, and £80 on gym memberships, so this price isn't elitist." She pays £50 a month on her standard membership.
"I actually think the membership joins together the people who can afford luxury and those who might not be able to afford luxury," she adds, although she admits that not many of her university friends are members.
When we start university, we automatically think it's all about going out and going for the 'cheaper alternative'.
On the issue of elitism, the company's founder, Aileen Gilani, reiterates that members aren't selected based on how much money they have. "We just want students to join who love the [luxury] industry," she tells Refinery29. "We do ask members to complete a profile which gives us an idea of where they go out, what they spend on the most and what sort of brands they like, but that's more for us to try and connect them to the brands."
Students are "the most powerful target market in the luxury industry," she believes. "When we start university, we automatically think it's all about going out and going for the 'cheaper alternative', but actually I wish someone could have guided me to spend my money on more quality experiences – even going to get your hair blowdried – instead of buying what you would usually buy on a night out."
Thousands of students across the country poured into streets, parks, and public squares to call for an end to gun violence in the second school walkout of the year on Friday. After the February shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, FL, young activists are demanding measures such as banning assault weapons, universal background checks, and a minimum age of 21 on all gun purchases.
The National School Walkout began with a moment of silence for school shooting victims, and continued with rallies, educational and volunteer activities, and voter registration. Students have made it clear that young people are registering to vote en masse, and that they will vote out every politician who is beholden to the NRA.
Lane Murdock, a 16-year-old high school student from Connecticut, organised the nationwide event. In an interview with Refinery29 in March, she explained why she decided to hold the walkout on the 19th anniversary of the Columbine High School massacre in Colorado, in which two shooters killed 12 students and one teacher.
At the time of the 2012 Sandy Hook shooting, Murdock was very young, but she said it had a major impact on her. "I can't remember a lot from that age, but I do remember the specific moment of seeing my mom crying on the couch," she said. "Not a lot has changed since Sandy Hook, and that's actually why I chose the Columbine date — because not a lot has changed since Columbine." There has been no major congressional action since Parkland, though some cities and states have introduced restrictions.
There was a school shooting in Ocala, FL, on Friday, just minutes before the National School Walkout was supposed to start. One student suffered non-life-threatening injuries, while the suspect is in custody.
On Friday, many students risked disciplinary action to march. Some found themselves among few — or were the only — kids in their schools to do so. But they came out in thousands, marching everywhere from the US Capitol to Chicago's Grant Park, to Downtown Los Angeles. Ahead, some of the most powerful signs from the historic protests.
The Tribeca Film Festival held a screening of Scarface in celebration of the film's 35th anniversary, with key players from the movie ready to answer burning questions about Brian De Palma's iconic gangster movie. Per Vulture, however, one question from moderator Jesse Kornbluth struck a nerve with members of the audience. That question was: How much did Michelle Pfeiffer weigh while working on the film?
"As the father of a daughter, I am concerned with body image... In the preparation for this film, what did you weigh?"
Kornbluth stated that "this is not the question you think it is" as fans in the audience booed the odd question. The Murder on the Orient Express star, however, chose to answer it, as delicately as possible. She explained that being thin was "part of the physicality of the part" (she played a woman addicted to cocaine), but added that it was not easy to maintain such a body weight. She told the crowd:
"You know, the movie was only supposed to be a three- or four-month shoot. I tried to time it so that as the movie went on, I became thinner and thinner, and more emaciated. The problem is, it ended up going six months... I was starving by the end. The one scene, the end of the film, where I was thinnest, it was always [pushed back]. I literally had members of the crew bringing me bagels because they were worried about how thin I was getting. I was living on tomato soup and Marlboros."
"It is true that a gentleman should never ask a woman about her weight. But that was not my question. It is a comment on the knee-jerk political correctness of our time that no one would be shocked if you asked Robert De Niro about the weight gain required for his role in Raging Bull but you get booed — not by many, but by a vocal few — for asking Michelle Pfeiffer about the physical two-dimensionality required for her to play a cocaine freak in Scarface."
Except, that's not the question Kornbluth asked: He asked the specific number on the scale that Pfeiffer weighed during Scarface. Kornbluth's explanation doesn't exactly fit in with his framing the question around "body image" — if this was truly about the physicality of the role, why go there?
Kornbluth is not wrong that men are often celebrated for undergoing physical transformations for a role. (See: Matthew McConaughey in Dallas Buyers Club.) It's just not what he asked Pfeiffer about — at least not initially. The saddest thing about it is, the question he did ask just feels like a waste. You have Pfeiffer, on stage, ready to talk about Scarface — and that is what you focus on? Come on now.
There's so much more that Pfeiffer could say about being a working woman in Hollywood — or even about the pressure to look a certain way to embody a role. While this question from Kornbluth may not have meant to offend, it sure as hell was boring.
The '70s is one of our favourite decades to look back on, even for those who weren't alive when the electric era of Studio 54 and punk was in full swing. Brimming with inspiration at every turn, it's no wonder we get nostalgic.
Music was on fire, no matter which group you were affiliated with: disco from Chic, Donna Summer, The Pointer Sisters and Sister Sledge; folk from Joni Mitchell, Bob Dylan, Fleetwood Mac, Janis Joplin and Nick Drake; rock'n'roll from Blondie, The Rolling Stones, Patti Smith and The Velvet Underground; and punk from the Sex Pistols, The Clash and Iggy Pop – arguably, there hasn't been a more eclectic and exciting decade for music.
It isn't just the soundtrack of the time that makes us so nostalgic – the style, too, is still referenced and reworked today. Think jewel-toned velvet, bookish cord blazers, broderie anglaise blouses, and bell bottoms; we owe a lot to the fabrics and cuts of the '70s.
Imagine our delight, then, when we stumbled across the Instagram account 70s Babes. Dedicated to our favourite people of the time, from the gender-shirking Prince and David Bowie to outspoken icons like Liza Minnelli and Grace Jones, there's a plethora of photographs to inspire your style. Whether you look to the bohemian romance of Stevie Nicks' twirling kimonos or the disco-ready glamour of Jerry Hall's sequin-embellished ensembles, there's a model, musician or It Girl to learn from.
The creator of the account has even made a playlist of the best tracks from the 1970s, so you can listen while you scroll. Ahead, we've selected our favourite get-ups from the decade, from leather jacket-clad punks to flares-and-all disco freaks. We'll meet you in Beyond Retro.
Farrah Fawcett hung on every teenage boy's bedroom walls in the '70s – but we're more interested in her teaming of Nike Cortez and flared denim.
We adore Joan Didion for her brain and words, but the literary genius was also a sharp dresser, making the most Céline-esque minimalist outfits come alive.
This 1970 Harlem shoot by Jack Garofalo could easily be 2018 with that red vinyl mac.
If you haven't seen Cabaret, then you must – just look at the beauty of Liza Minnelli, from the beaded dress and directional fringe to her babydoll lashes and metallic green manicure.
Blondie may have been known for her animal-print dresses and way with a fuchsia eyelid, but this soft-focus shot of her in a cute peachy knit is a keeper, too.
It wouldn't be the '70s without Grace Jones - who knew what to do with a sequin get-up.
The face-covering sunnies, the fur jacket, the short bangs – Donna Summer, we love you.
Who knew denim hotpants could look so cool? We're nabbing this tie-front floral blouse for festival season, too.
Ali MacGraw's college campus style in Love Story is our autumn/winter go-to. Must find a camel coat with an oversized stiff collar.
Look to Angela Davis and Toni Morrison for casual workwear this spring.
Model Jerry Hall brought an unshakeable glamour to Studio 54 in gold lamé dresses, fringed minis, and high-as-they-come heels.
This wouldn't be out of place in a Reformation lookbook. Spring aim: find some dusky pink flares.
Will we ever look as chic as Charlotte Rampling in a simple black turtleneck dress? Doubt it. Also, without the layered, whooshing hair of the decade, the '90s would never have had 'The Rachel'.
Model Jean Shrimpton was a huge part of the '60s Carnaby Street scene, but we'd be remiss to overlook her more bohemian '70s get-ups.
Joan Jett, a rip-roaring punk with the pin-covered leather and chopped-in mullet to prove it.
To say our connection to Earth is a great relationship gone very wrong is an oversimplified statement, obviously, but it's not a far stretch: Record high temperatures, increasing acidity of ocean waters, and shrinking ice sheets are just a few of the negative changes scientists attribute to human activities over the past century.
The short film We Need Space, released to coincide with Earth Day, depicts this disintegrating relationship. Its stars are not professional actors or climate scientists; they're women working on the frontlines of our exploration into space, building the engines and rocket parts that will soon depart Earth for other atmospheres.
If this casting choice seems confusing, you need only look at NASA 's vision for the future to make sense of it: "We reach for new heights and reveal the unknown for the benefit of humankind." According to NASA, learning about what's out there can help us improve our relationship with this place we call home.
This Earth Day, Refinery29 is recognising the film for shedding light on the realities of climate change, and celebrating the female engineers who are working to explore other planets, so we can know more about our own. Ahead, three of the women in the film speak about their experiences in the space programme, from the misconceptions others have to what makes them unlikely employees.
We Need Space is an original short film exclusive to Refinery29.
designed by abbie winters
Julia Levy, 25, Propulsion Development Engineer, Virgin Orbit As told to Refinery29
“When I graduated, I started working at Northrop Grumman, but it was super slow-paced and old spacey. Six months later I transitioned to Virgin and I’ve been here for almost three years now. A lot of people imagine movies where mission control is all these men in white short-sleeve button ups with shaved heads and that’s space. Maybe it was that way at one point, but it’s not anymore.
“I started as an entry level engineer working on the first stage engine, the big one that blasts you off from the ground or, in our case, from the 747. I’ve transitioned to a position on the second stage engine team where I’m responsible for one of the main engine components. I’m also one of three people on our team who goes out to Mojave for a period of time and tests things.
“For any test campaign, you have the people who are in charge of making sure your tanks are full and there aren’t any leaks in plumbing and then you have an engineer who is responsible for the thing you’re testing. In our case we’re testing the engine. I’m an advocate for the engine throughout the process so it’s my responsibility to make sure the engine is healthy and we’re collecting all the data we want to collect. Then, I review all the data to make sure everything looks good and we don’t suspect anything is broken.
“Even though I’m an aerospace engineer, maths is my weakest subject; I lean heavily on my writing and communication skills to coordinate with my team and keep my projects moving forward. I do better with managing products than managing people so I can definitely see myself working as a programme manager. But I’d love to be an astronaut, someday. I think there is a romantic aspect to space travel. Most of the iconic pictures that we see from space are of the earth. We’re obsessed with getting off the earth but looking back at it, too. We’re ready to move on and explore but at the same time we’re never going to lose our ties to earth.”
designed by abbie winters
Eshwari Murty, 25, Microdevices Engineer, NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory As told to Refinery29
“I have completely blue hair and tattoos and piercings, so when people first meet me or look at me I feel like it’s really easy for them to assume that I’m not a NASA engineer. If someone just saw me walking on the street that is not what they’d peg me for at all.
“I’ve been on a bunch of different projects since joining JPL. I started off in the microdevices lab, where I worked on creating sensors for harsh environments. If you’re doing any sort of planetary science you need to make technology that’s going to work in an environment where it’s 500 degrees or really high pressure or the atmosphere is super acidic, so stuff we use on earth wouldn’t necessarily work on Venus, for example.
“Now I’m working on the Mars 2020 rover. I like the idea of creating something that is going to be put to use immediately. The Mars rover has a bunch of different instruments on it so the whole team is split up working on all of these different instruments. I’m focused on two of them: Moxie, an instrument that is going to convert the Mars atmosphere into oxygen; it’s kind of like a proof of concept thing — if we were to live here, we do have a mechanism to create oxygen? The other one is called the EDL camera. It’s a series of cameras that are going to capture the whole landing process of the rover.
“I really like my job but I also have a lot of interests outside of that, too. People overlook those and when I tell them what my other hobbies are they’re surprised I do stuff that’s so unrelated to my career. I do improv comedy, and I’m a dancer and rock climber. I’m starting to be a freelance photographer, too. [When you’re working in the space programme] people think you’re extremely smart and brilliant and must know everything. I get that a lot and it makes me really uncomfortable because it’s absolutely not true.”
designed by abbie winters
Nimisha Mittal, 32, Spaceflight Operations Test Engineer, NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory As told to Refinery29
“A lot of my friends just associate my work with being an astronaut. It’s very different — at JPL, we primarily work with robotic spacecraft. I’m not an astronaut, and I don’t intend to go into space.
“I started out working on the Mars exploration rovers which was amazing because that was the mission that inspired me to want to work at NASA. When I was in high school they were just sending those rovers up to Mars and I was watching the coverage of the mission on TV all the time. Just the fact that they were still going by the time I got to JPL was incredible to me.
“I began as part of the tactical operations team. Even though these robots are incredibly smart, they need to be told almost on a daily basis what to do. I was part of a team of engineers that met every day to decide what we wanted the rover to do on a particular day. I was also working on the Cassini mission to Saturn, helping plan the sequencing for that spacecraft.
“Right now I’m working on the InSight mission to Mars. It’s being launched in three weeks and is supposed to study seismic activity on the surface of Mars. It’s a small one compared to some of the other ones I’ve worked on because it’s a lander, meaning it will sit in one place and listen for Marsquakes. But for me, the best part of the InSight mission is getting the opportunity to work with some of our European partners, and share in the excitement of working towards a common dream.
“It’s definitely an exciting job, but just like any day-to-day job, it’s easy to lose sight of the bigger picture. On a daily basis, it just feels like a regular job — a really good one, but it’s not exciting all the time. It’s not what people like to hear, but it’s just the reality of any job, I think."
Word on the street is that brands are embracing sustainability. Some are going fur-free, too. Today, it's more common than ever to find round-ups of ethical fashion brands in your favourite publications (including on sites like this one), as fast- to mid-level and luxury labels are attempting to bring more transparency to their pre- and post-production processes. And while that's certainly progress, we may never reach the goal of a quality/quantity equilibrium — at least, not in our lifetime. In fact, by 2030, the industry could reach a standstill — with natural resources becoming so jeopardised that any move towards a more sustainable future will be near impossible.
But after polling some of the world's top ethics and sustainability organisations, there's another sector of the industry that deserves more attention and resources: child labour. While you're reading this, over 218 million children are hard at work — 73 million of those are working in hazardous conditions that "directly endangers their health, safety, and moral development." Crazy, right? Not really, when you take into account that consumers — you and me — contribute to this number with every £15 pair of jeans we buy. And when those jeans are hand-dyed by very tiny hands, that discount actually comes at a much higher cost.
While it's much easier to track the life of clothing once it's already made, retracing its origins is another story. That's why transparency, at every level, is crucial. And though we may never know just how much of the industry's clothing is made by children, here's what information is currently available.
The Three T's: Trust, Transparency, & Time Getting a brand to allow an institution like the International Labour Organization into its supply chain — and making it down to level where one might find children sewing and harvesting cotton — isn't easy.
"This requires trust building between different partners (brands, factories, NGOs, trade unions) and time to really get better insight in the supply chain — beyond the first tier — and into outsourcing. These partnerships take time and often start by a joint effort to conduct in-depth research in the sector to find out the key issues and in-depth knowledge of the reasons why children are working," says Jolijn Engelbertink, head of business and human rights at the Stop Child Labor coalition.
"It's important to note that ensuring that there is no more child labour in your supply chain takes time. An important first step is that a brand acknowledges the fact that there is child labour in its supply chain; only then can the work begin on how to address this."
Photo: Mohammad Ponir Hossain/NurPhoto/Getty Images.
There's No Checklist, Because A Checklist Is Impossible In theory, a visual guide to spotting a piece made through child labour sounds like a great idea. Several clothing brands feature tabs on their websites dedicated to elaborate flow charts depicting a supply chain that starts in a sustainable mill somewhere in the mountains of Europe or Asia. But in order for those to exist, companies need to be more open about their process from start to finish.
"A garment itself won't be enough to establish its production. We can't see from the way it's made if there is exploitation in its making. It’s up to the brands to publicly disclose its supply chain, which factory it was made in and where the raw materials are sourced," says Orsola de Castro, co-founder and creative director of advocacy group Fashion Revolution. "The public can be vigilant, use the hashtag #whomademyclothes, and, from their answers (or lack of) determine if they are satisfied that what they are buying is made in dignified conditions, with supply chain workers protected by unionisation, and further than that, any disclosure on the provenance of the raw materials with which it is made."
Fashion Revolution's co-founder and global operations director Carry Somers adds that most fashion brands have little or no supply chain transparency at all, down to raw material level: "Child labour is still rife within cotton fields, as well as in ginning and spinning, so how do consumers know that they aren’t supporting child labour with the next cotton garment they buy? Most fashion brands have child labour within their supplier code of conduct, but many brands are failing to take steps to ensure their policies are put into practice."
Photo: Mohammad Ponir Hossain/NurPhoto/Getty Images.
"Made In The USA" Doesn't Always Mean Better It's just as crucial to understand which auditing companies and methods are being used in analysing the supply chain as it is to know where our clothes come from. For example, “Made in Italy” or “Made in the USA” does not guarantee that garments are safely produced, while “Made in China" or “Made in Bangladesh" is not necessarily indicative of lesser standards. There are very good factories in developing countries just as there are very bad systems (sweatshops, low pay, and unsafe conditions) in countries we might consider above suspicion.
"Different countries have different legislations in terms of what child labour consists of. In Myanmar (as in the United Kingdom until 40 years ago), the legal age for work is 13, so although this might not be acceptable to us as consumers, it is nevertheless legal in certain countries," de Castro explains. Newly drafted laws such as the Modern Slavery Act in the U.K. and a "duty of vigilance " or "duty of care" law in France aims to curb this.
"It can also be imagined that homeworkers employed for embroidery or beading (skills that are often delegated to communities of homeworkers) might potentially be using children, or younger family members, but that in itself is very, very difficult to prove. We need to encourage transparency, vigilance, and openness so that organisations working on the ground have the tools to check and act promptly if abuse and exploitation is detected."
Adds Engelbertink: "Where a product is made does not say much about the conditions in which it was made. Even in European countries working conditions can be abominable and children can be found working. The label only mentions the first tier of production, so clothing that is produced in a low-risk country can still have its textile colouring, spinning, or other parts of the process done in other countries or areas where the use of child labour is much more likely."
Photo: K M Asad/LightRocket/Getty Images.
Gender Matters, Age Doesn't It's hard to adequately measure, but studies show that young boys are at greater risk of being subjected to hazardous work than girls, but the recording of domestic child labour of young girls goes widely under-reported.
Nearly half of child labour victims are are aged five to 11.
Photo: Mehedi Hasan/NurPhoto/Getty Images.
So, What Can We Do? Honesty — from top to bottom — is key. But it's only the beginning. To put it into perspective, there are more international organisations that work to end child labour across the globe than there are institutions that teach designers, both up-and-coming and established, how to produce clothes ethically and sustainably.
The first step: Check whether the brand you're shopping is connected to or a member of a certification of sustainability initiative (one great resource, the app Good On You that makes clocking a brand for its impact on people, animals, and the planet ridiculously easy and engaging, can be found right in your phone) and go from there.
"Ensuring that the supply chain is mapped and published will give brands and consumers the understanding of who their manufacturers are and what are their practices in relation to subcontracting," adds de Castro. "[Transparency] doesn't lead to best practice. It will not prevent child labour or any other abuse, human or environmental, but public disclosure is important to apply vigilance and scrutiny along the supply chain to ensure that if there are deep rooted problems, they can be addressed openly and swiftly. The fashion supply chain is notoriously murky and human rights abuses thrive in secrecy and opaqueness."
Photo: K M Asad/LightRocket/Getty Images.
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On Sunday morning, over 40,000 people will line up in Blackheath to begin the gruelling 26.2-mile route of the London Marathon. The annual event is known for attracting runners in quirky costumes - over the years, we've seen people pounding the pavements dressed as Teletubbies, Wombles, and even a kind of human loo roll. With expected temperatures of up to 24C on marathon day, frankly they're all a lot braver than I am.
But two women will be running this year's marathon in just their underwear to make an important point about body image. Writing on their fundraising page, journalist Bryony Gordon and model Jada Sezer say they're taking on the course in just bras and knickers "to prove that curvy girls can".
The aim, they add, is to show "that exercise is for everyone" and "that you don’t have to be an athlete or a clean eating obsessive to get out there and shake your ass".
Appearing on ITV's Good Morning Britain yesterday, Gordon and Sezer told viewers that they struck up a friendship after meeting at a wellness weekend. When Sezer expressed surprise that Gordon had already run the London Marathon, Gordon asked her to run this year's event with her.
Gordon and Sezer then explained that they decided to run the marathon in just their underwear to dispel the false assumption that slimmer equals fitter, and to show the reality of what most healthy women's bodies look like.
"Elite athletes run in little crop-tops and tiny little shorts, why can't we?" Sezer noted.
"I thought running was something other people did," Gordon added. "I really thought that if I went out and ran, people were going to laugh at me. Of course, no one cares. It's really empowering to learn what you can do with your own body."
Very best of luck to both of them tomorrow, and indeed to everyone running the marathon. Let's hope the temperatures are a little cooler than expected.
The average house price in London has fallen year-on-year for the first time in nearly a decade, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) has revealed.
From February 2017 to February 2018, the average price of a residential property in the capital dropped by 1.0% - equivalent to around £5,000.
However, the London property price situation is a little more complicated when analysed borough by borough, The Guardian reports.
Tower Hamlets (which includes trendy neighbourhoods like Hackney Wick and Bethnal Green) saw the biggest year-on-year fall: a hefty 7.9%.
Hammersmith and Fulham (-5%) and the City of London (-4.4%) also saw significant slips, but outer London boroughs Redbridge (+8.9%), Havering (+4.2%), Bexley (+4.1%) and Bromley (+3.8%) all posted notable increases.
Overall, according to the ONS report, the average house price in the UK has risen 4.4% year-on-year. The areas that experienced the highest price hikes from 2017-18 are the West Midlands (7.3%), East Midlands (6.3%), Scotland (6.2%), South-west (4.9%), North-west (4.8%) and Wales (4.8%).
Despite the London price drop, the average house price in the capital - an eye-watering £472,000 - remains more than double the national average of £225,000.
Commenting on the latest UK property price stats, Thomas White of leading economists PwC said: "Regionally, the picture remains mixed, with London diverging from the rest of the country. Compared to this point last year, prices in London have decreased by 1%, the first time a year-on-year decline in average London prices has occurred since September 2009.
"We broadly expect current market conditions to continue, projecting UK wide house price inflation to be around 4% in 2018.”
Get ready to hit the brakes, stargazers. Mars-ruled, action-oriented Aries had its time in the sun, but as of today we're officially in down-to-earth, sensual Taurus season. The sign of the Bull might sound rough and tough, but the Taurean Bull is a lover, not a fighter. In fact, when we imagine people born under Taurus, the only bull that comes to mind is Ferdinand — gentle, big-hearted, and reliable.
But, that is not to say that all Tauruses are the same in likes, dislikes, and quirks. Some might be more in tune with their ruling element, earth, which would make them more cautious and rule-abiding, while others might be more influenced by their ruling planet, Venus, and those are the Tauruses who love rom-coms and pricey bath bombs.
Whatever sort of Taurean energy you might channel, this is your time to shine, dear Bull. Read on to learn more about each personality type within your sign.
Slow and steady wins the race, right, Taurus? Unlike fellow earth sign Capricorn, who's far more occupied with the end result of their hard work, you're much happier punching your card and making gains in your career gradually. You firmly believe that no task is too small to do well. And you probably have a specific workflow you like to stick to — come to think of it, you probably live by a well-honed routine in and out of the office. The worker bee type of Taurus finds comfort in the familiar and expected. It's only in these conditions that you feel most yourself and, in turn, most inclined to succeed.
The Hopeless Romantic
The Taurean definition of love is driven by a deep belief in commitment, comfort, and a willingness to be a little over the top, even after years of being together. On one hand, that means you're a sucker for poetry and hand-holding, and you probably dream of sharing a home with your partner. On the other hand, the premium you place on loyalty may prompt you to get possessive if your partner doesn't spend all their time with you. Luckily, your sensible ruling element, earth, keeps you from getting too carried away in any sort of fairytale fantasy: Even the mushiest Bull understands that real life doesn't always warrant elaborate, heart-wrenchingly romantic demonstrations. Besides, your partner offering you a glass of wine at the end of the day can be just as hot.
The Leisurer
Your ruling element and ruling planet make you drawn to the finer things in life. To put it another way, you might splurge from time to time. This doesn't mean you're an impulse shopper, Taurus — more accurately, you make careful, calculated purchases that you know will pay off, like a luxurious bedspread or a fine bottle of whiskey. In your mind, your preference to spend time in your home (as opposed to abroad or in other people's homes) all but justifies furnishing your living space with finery. Comfort and beauty are inextricably linked to this leisurely type of Bull, and you aren't ashamed to call your latest shiny buys "investments." Knowing your eye for quality, they very well may last a long time.
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You swore you'd only stay for a couple but ended up in the McDonald's queue at 3am, praying Uber wasn't on surge. The morning after a big night out is always the worst: your head hurts, your mouth is as dry as the bottom of a budgie's cage, and your dignity's as long gone as the £50 you blew on house white and tequila shots. There's only one thing for it: comfort TV in bed.
When you're (ahem) a little bit hungover, you don't want complicated costume dramas or nuanced Netflix docs. You want comedies and reality shows that are easy to digest and deliver every time. With this in mind, here are 10 failsafe options guaranteed to improve your mood as your body gradually rids itself of last night's sins*.
*Alcohol... all the alcohol.
Absolutely Fabulous
Jennifer Saunders' sitcom is perfect hangover viewing because it's consistently funny and comfortingly familiar. You don't have to be an Ab Fab stan to appreciate jokes stemming from Edina and Patsy's total abdication of responsibility, daughter Saffy's understandable exasperation or the glamorous absurdity of the fashion world. Plus, there's something reassuring in the knowledge that however hammered you got last night, you won't have drunk as much as Edi and Patsy.
This reboot of a semi-forgotten noughties makeover show has been 2018's breakout Netflix hit. Yes, it's about a gaggle of gay guys giving a succession of (mostly) straight blokes a glow-up, but it's also about emotional growth. The best episodes show men who are really stuck in a rut confronting their insecurities and embracing their best authentic selves. If you drank gin last night, Queer Eye will make you cry. If you drank something other than gin, Queer Eye will probably make you cry, too.
Though Channel 4 has now shown more than 70 episodes, First Dates is still satisfying viewing. That's partly because the First Dates restaurant (and more recently, hotel) is probably the only place where people still have a proper, no-googling-first blind date. But it's also because it's completely lovely watching those first sparks of romantic attraction. Maybe you didn't get lucky last night, but hopefully someone on First Dates will. (And yes, it's totally acceptable to fancy Fred, the maître d’.)
Created, written by and starring the brilliant Michaela Coel, Chewing Gum is one of our generation's freshest sitcoms. Coel plays 24-year-old Tracey Gordon, a Beyoncé-obsessed London shop assistant who's sexually repressed and desperate to become more worldly. Coel's scripts explore issues of race, class and gender politics without skimping on hilarious one-liners or sublime moments of slapstick. If you want to ease your hangover guilt by watching something substantial but also very entertaining, Chewing Gum is ideal.
Basically X Factor for drag queens, this is currently the best reality show around. RuPaul's Drag Race is fabulous because it challenges traditional notions of masculinity and femininity, never loses its sense of humour, and features relatable contestants who've often overcome major obstacles. Oh, and if you forgot to take off last night's face, seeing the queens create their intricate and outrageous beauty looks will definitely make you reach for the makeup remover.
This long-running reality show has endured because its premise is simple but brilliant: a couple is given enough money to pay for their wedding, but only if the groom arranges every detail without input from the bride. It's sometimes very funny, sometimes surprisingly touching, and always comforting when you have dry mouth and a thumping headache. Because however messy your life seems today, at least you don't have a wedding to attend – or, heaven forbid, plan.
A sitcom about a fictional town-planning department might sound dull af, but it's actually an addictive delight. Playing super enthusiastic bureaucrat Leslie Knope, Amy Poehler leads a terrific ensemble cast that includes Aubrey Plaza, Aziz Ansari, the scene-stealing Retta and a pre-Hollywood Chris Pratt. Parks and Rec is the rare show that manages to be sweet and well-meaning throughout without dropping its joke count. When you're hungover, it's almost like a hug and a giggle with a lovely old friend.
There have now been 41 series (!) of Come Dine with Me, but the format's still holding up. Cooking inspo and snooping around people's houses is part of the fun, but it's the judging that makes this show. Somehow, there's always one contestant who vastly overestimates their culinary prowess, and another whose scores in the cab home are rather harsher than anyone anticipated. And when an overcomplicated main course turns into a total disaster, you'll feel even smugger as you enjoy your simple, hangover-blitzing tea and toast.
At the end of March, the first seven series of Great British Bake Off – ie. every BBC episode – were added to Netflix. Having it on demand is a lifesaver after a big night out thanks to the firm-but-fair, grandmotherly presence of Mary Berry. In real life, she'd probably raise an eyebrow, then fix you a Berocca anyway. Factor in some endearingly rubbish puns from Mel and Sue and it's a winner any time you wake up feeling like a sunken Victoria sponge.
Do millennials know any TV show better than Friends? This ingrained familiarity makes it a go-to show when you're hungover: you probably know where to find your favourite episodes, but if you cba searching, the first one you find will be just as funny. Just try not to get into an argument with your flatmate about which of the six is the best character. Because, well, it's obviously Rachel.
Shh — hear that? It's the sound of a quiet week. After much upheaval and excitement, the heavens slow down long enough for us to catch our collective breath. The tougher aspects from Mars, Saturn and Pluto start to ease up and Mercury is finally speaking in a language that most of us can comprehend. On 22nd April, Pluto joins Saturn and turns retrograde until 30th September, giving us an opportunity to examine how we use power to either destroy or transform. Retrogrades are just review periods, so Pluto will be bringing back stories from late December 2017 and January 2018 to ask if you can wield your power with more efficiency this time around. And here's the thing: You can do it better, because now you have the wisdom of experience on your side to help.
Venus leaves the hedonistic comfort of Taurus for chatty and curious Gemini on 24th April and will stay there until 19th May. This transit will feel like a much-needed breath of fresh air after living under relatively airless skies since the middle of February, when Venus was in Aquarius. As an element, air helps to transmit ideas. It adds levity and a dash of detachment so that we may exchange information without feeling bound to one point of view or another. Let Venus in Gemini break up some of the heat and heaviness that you’ve been living under. She'll invite you to be playful, curious and even a bit mischievous as you go about your life. Smile! Laugh! Socialise! Tell a few quick-witted, bawdy jokes to lift the energy around you. Let the air of lightheartedness carry your spirits once again. You deserve it. We all deserve it.
Taurus April 20 to May 20
Ah, finally a quiet enough week for you to get your senses under control, Taurus. It felt like the sky was falling last week, but this week is a lot quieter. Pluto, the planet of power and the unconscious, joins Saturn in reviewing your worldview and philosophies. I know it seems excessive to have so much attention being paid to what your beliefs are, but trust me, Taurus, once Uranus enters your sign in May you’ll understand why. In any event, don’t panic.
You're the hedonist of the Zodiac, the one who teaches the rest of us how to indulge in our senses, so here's your chance to do what you know and delight in your pleasure and what feels good. Doing so will give you a better understanding of yourself. Venus will move into Gemini on the 24th, where she becomes a chatty, curious gal who wants to talk to you about your values. Luckily, Venus won't just ask the questions — she'll help you find more clarity about what you believe in, too. Here's her secret: If it sounds like fun and delights your senses, give it a try. Venus will be spending time in your house of self-worth and money, so it's all about what feels good. Just be mindful and keep a budget so you can enjoy the rest of your season in style. Have fun exploring, Taurus!
Illustrated by Abbie Winters.
Gemini May 21 to June 20
Let the good times roll, Gemini! It’s not quite your season yet, but Venus, the planet of love, money and beauty, is in your sign until 19th May, so you get to love up on yourself something fierce. Allow Venus to remind you that you are indeed the sparkly, curious, flirtatious and (at times) controversial mischief-maker that people adore. After the heaviness of the last few weeks, now's a good time to attract new friends and potential partners in crime to your table.
When Venus spends time in your house of self, it urges you to learn how to love and respect yourself first. Take care of and nurture your body first. Beautify yourself and feel good about who you are. However, while you’re working on your shine, be certain to maintain ample quiet time and rest up before your birthday season commences. Consider it time to reflect as the sun lingers behind the scenes in your house of the unconscious, going over the highlight reel of the last year. Soon you'll be asked to look forward and backward: Meditate on what you’ve accomplished so far, then ask yourself what you’d like to do next.
Illustrated by Abbie Winters.
Cancer June 21 to July 22
Your relationship lessons are going to be around for a while, Cancer. Take time to consider how you can be an authority within them and how they could change for the better. In other words, let go of the idea that this will be a quick fix. That said, Venus will give you a chance to nourish your heart and suggest you be of service to others. Imagine for a second if Ebenezer Scrooge had volunteered at a soup kitchen or donated funds to a school in need, what possibilities could have existed for him. Maybe he would’ve realised that there’s no such thing as being rejected and that love comes in many forms.
Now, I’m not saying that volunteering automatically makes people decent human beings, but the act of caring for the disadvantaged can connect us to a love that transcends our own lives and that’s what you need to indulge in, Crab. Find a way to tap into the love that threads through all things, whether through acts of service, meditation, art, music or prayer. In doing so, you’ll refill your compassion capacity enough to do more heavy lifting with your intimate partners and, in turn, be reminded that they’re doing the work right beside you.
Illustrated by Abbie Winters.
Leo July 23 to August 22
One way to escape the funk of the last few weeks, Leo, is to get by with a little help from your friends. Come 24th April, Venus is taking her focus away from your career and reputation, and turning toward your friendships and the organisations that you love. Who you choose to hang out with can give you helpful hints about what you truly believe in, since your friends tend to share the core life principles that you do.
So do some research, go out after work, and engage in both thoughtful and frivolous conversation with those around you. See what lights you up — and what makes you want to burn the world down. If you find yourself feeling bored and uninspired, then perhaps that’s a sign to find new people and wishes to invest in. You’re here to radiate warmth, Leo, so find others who help you to do just that. Think less about who looks good (or who makes you look good) and more about who stokes your curiosity and love for life. The long-term goal is to have a life philosophy so solid that you can do just about anything with it, so go out there and find some co-conspirators who'll motivate you to greatness.
Illustrated by Abbie Winters.
Virgo August 23 to September 22
You have so much work to do, Virgo, but you’re going to have fun while you do it. After the spectacular that was #Beychella, there's no denying how good it looks when you pour your heart into your craft and then broadcast into the world. It’s absolutely no accident that Queen B happens to be a Virgo, so, yes, the bar is high for you and the rest of your signmates, but you are fully capable of meeting it. You might not be in the business of dancing and singing for two hours straight, but you do know attention to detail and refinement. Allow Saturn and Pluto retrograde in your house of creativity to help you one-up yourself.
Push a little harder. See how far you can go when you push beyond your own fears. Consider this period of time a working stage rehearsal and dress the part, as Venus will be up high in your chart for all to see. Make beauty and grace part of your selling point — dazzle and flirt with us, show off your talents as you work out the bugs. It'll make your final set that much better.
Illustrated by Abbie Winters.
Libra September 23 to October 22
Remember when we said that love awaits you, Libra? Well, it does, but you may have to chase it down while Venus runs wild in your house of travel and expansion. Venus in this house loves the wider world, people from foreign lands, and opportunities to learn new things — she wants to expand her mind and her horizons. Back in the day, that meant having to book a plane ticket or sign up for combing through the stacks at your local university, but now that could simply mean watching a few episodes of a David Attenborough doc or googling your favourite obscure topic.
After all the pushing and pulling you’ve been doing in your partnerships, Venus wants you to see how people around the world show love, connect with each other, and even resolve conflict. Sometimes we find wisdom when we allow ourselves to look at the world from another perspective. If you’re invited to attend lectures, cultural events, or a dinner at that new Ethiopian spot, say yes. You just might find the answers (or at least a few clues) that will eventually lead you to heal and experience love in a new way.
Illustrated by Abbie Winters.
Scorpio October 23 to November 21
Psst, want to know a secret, Scorpio? People actually like you a lot. Why? It's mainly because you seem to know what people need and want before they even know themselves. That kind of laser beam perception and intuition is your superpower. The trouble arises when you use it to manipulate people, getting them perpetually hooked on your presence and subtly puppeteering them into giving you what you want. That’s supervillain-esque behaviour — and a major no-no, Scorp.
This week, allow Venus to teach you the art of being genuinely intimate with the people you meet. Let them open up to you on their own terms. All you have to do is hold space, be honest and guide them gently. That's how you get close to another human being, minus the villainy. Remember that this is all practice for you as Saturn and Pluto rehash the ways that you can both teach and communicate with authority. If people want to treat you to lunch or fund your next venture, that’s a completely different story. Just make sure they’re doing it of their own volition and not because you Jedi-mind-tricked them into doing so.
Illustrated by Abbie Winters.
Sagittarius November 22 to December 21
You’re looking good out there, Sag! Even though you may feel like you don’t have your life together just yet, don't stress — it’s the intention and the effort that counts. Pluto has joined Saturn in his retrograde status to help you review where your self-worth and diligence can be improved. If you keep showing up every day despite constant setbacks and disappointments, know that the tides will eventually turn in your favour, so try to learn from the tutoring for now.
That said, you look good when you work hard and your eau de responsabilité is wafting in the air, catching the attention of quite a few people, ooh la la! Venus is checking you out from where it resides in your house of partnership, so don’t be surprised if a few people ask you out for some one-on-one time. Please say yes — you need to be reminded of how awesome you are. It’s not about arriving at the destination of “my life is all sorted out and perfect,” it's about enjoying the journey and laughing along the way. Besides, the people want to hear about your many misadventures in adulting. You've got a story worthy of the bestseller list, Sag.
Illustrated by Abbie Winters.
Capricorn December 22 to January 19
The energy is quiet enough for you to take a breather, Capricorn. Try going back to basics: Find the joy and the playfulness in your daily routine to help relieve some of the pressure you’ve been under lately. The sun in Taurus will be shining its light in your house of creativity and romance, calling on you to twirl under the cherry blossoms (literally and figuratively). The prime of spring is a wonderful time to fall in love with yourself — or maybe someone else, if you’re feeling brave.
Venus will ask you to fall in love with self-care and your home life this week. Freshen up your fitness routine: Add more dance freestyles in your bedroom each morning and finally say yes to that hip-hop class your gym rat friend has been begging you to try. The point is to take care of yourself not from a place of duty and obligation (which tends to be your modus operandi), but from a place of joy and pleasure. It feels good to return to a clean home, a cooked meal, and sweet hugs and kisses at the end of the day. Play harder, Capricorn, it’s good for your health.
Illustrated by Abbie Winters.
Aquarius January 20 to February 18
This week should feel a lot better, Aquarius, enough to maybe go outside to enjoy the flowers and chirping birds. But know that there’s no pressure to venture out of the house just yet. If bunny slippers and sun streaming through your window is all that you can take, that’s fine, too. However, you’re starting to get a creative pinging in your soul thanks to Venus entering into your house of creativity, children, and romance. It's time to fall back in love with the projects and ideas that have been collecting dust on your mental shelves.
If you’re still feeling a little low, I highly recommend spending time with kiddos. They’re the best creators around and will happily show you how to tap back into your happiness and creative spirit. With Saturn and Pluto reviewing your unconscious fears, maintaining a sense of joy is important, Water Bearer. Know that you aren’t being punished — you’re actually being relieved of your burdens and all the thoughts that weigh on you. But in order to be free of them, you have to look at them for what they are: False Evidence Appearing Real (F.E.A.R.). It's a slog, I know, so turn up the music, bust out the watercolours, and marathon a few dozen episodes of Steven Universe (it’s medicine, I swear). You’re going to make it, just keep believing.
Illustrated by Abbie Winters.
Pisces February 19 to March 20
Let’s do some deep nurturing work, Pisces. You seem cranky after all the fuss of the last few weeks. Like Dorothy says, there’s no place like home and that’s precisely where Venus is sending you as she visits your house of home and roots this week. If spending time at home makes you feel anxious and unsettled, it's because you’re an energy sponge, little Fish. When your environment is a mess, you’re a mess right along with it, unless your energetic shields are on super high.
So instead of walking around feeling spaced out and fragile, take some time to take care of your home and, by extension, you: Grocery shop (or order in if you’re feeling extra tired). Clean the tub so you can spend time in water (your favourite conduit for great ideas and inspiration). Fluff your pillows and spray them with lavender before lighting tealight candles and incense. For goodness' sake, put your phone on silent and just relax so you can create the good vibes that you’ve been desperately craving. Remember, equilibrium is never going to come from outside of you. Even when the world is going crazy around you, you can go home and restore your soul.
Illustrated by Abbie Winters.
Aries March 21 to April 19
You get to take a mental holiday while Venus is visiting your house of short travel and communications. It’s been a trying few weeks, so keep your interactions super light and playful. Plan a few day trips to places that strike your fancy. Dust off your Kindle and finally finish Game of Thrones, which you had to abandon when the mega bosses in your life came knocking. Make time to hang out with your siblings or the close friends you’ve known since your school days. It'll feel so freeing just to catch up, get them up to speed with all your adventures in boss-hood, and laugh at how insane your life has been of late.
You're in a cool-off period where you simply get to enjoy whatever makes your mind feel like it's being gently stretched. If you’re looking for a more rigorous use of Venus in this house, sign up for a local class that adds to your skill set. I hear Mandarin is an excellent language to learn in today’s world, Ram.
Illustrated by Abbie Winters.
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Transport for London (TfL) has come under fire this weekend after an offensive, body-shaming message was posted on one of its service information boards.
The handwritten message, which appeared as the 'quote of the day' on the board at Blackhorse Road Underground Station in northeast London, read: "During this heatwave, please dress for the body you have... not the body you want!"
A photo of the message was shared on Twitter yesterday by Michael Hawkes, a London-based food and travel blogger.
TfL has since apologised to Hawkes directly, tweeting at him: "Sorry that this was put up at Blackhorse Road. We've flagged it up to the station who've now removed the message. Thanks for letting us know about this."
As Londoners and anyone who uses the Tube regularly will know, many stations on the network use their service information boards to post humorous, lighthearted and inspiring quotes. In the wake of the March 2017 Westminster terrorist attack, stations including Tower Hill, Oval and Tooting Bec sought to unify commuters by posting rousing messages of defiance.
North Greenwich Underground Station, where concert-goers alight for the O2, is known for posting witty messages referencing the song lyrics of the artist performing that evening. This Celine Dion-themed post from last July is especially creative.
But this weekend's poorly judged "quote" at Blackhorse Road isn't the first time in recent memory that a TfL noticeboard message has been off the mark. In February, on the 100th anniversary of women winning the right to vote, Colliers Wood station in southwest London displayed an embarrassing sexist (non) joke.
These slip-ups suggest that every "thought of the day" post should at least be double-checked before being shared with the public. A witty underground station message can put a smile on a grumpy commuter's face, but an offensive one can really put a dampener on someone's day.
“Thank you Coachella for allowing me to be the first Black woman to headline. Ain’t that ‘bout a bitch?” Beyoncé told the crowd at the end of her instantly iconic set during the first weekend of Coachella in April 2018. Bey’s boundary-breaking, record-making, internet-shattering performance, and her callout at the end, drew attention to a larger problem. It’s 2018, and she was not only the first Black woman headliner but just the third woman to headline the festival since it started in 1999. That’s where we’re at with gender representation at the highest-grossing music festival in the world. You know, the one that dominates your Instagram timeline for two weekends every April, making you (and millions of other people) regret your life choices if you don’t make your way to Indio, CA.
Festivals are a lucrative game. In 2017, Coachella made $114 million in profit for parent company Goldenvoice and AEG — growing sevenfold since 2007 when it expanded to two weekends. One of the company’s other festivals, Desert Trip, holds the record of most profitable festival in history, raking in $160 million in 2016. They have expanded their portfolio of festivals since the launch of Coachella and now also present Stagecoach, Firefly, FYF, Hangout Music Festival, Splash House, Tyler the Creator’s Camp Flog Gnaw Carnival, Panorama, and Arroyo Seco Weekend. Lollapalooza’s parent company C3 have found the festival to be lucrative enough that they expanded it into Brazil, Paris, Berlin, Chile, and Argentina as well as presenting Austin City Limits, In Bloom, Voodoo Music + Arts, and more. Bonnaroo’s parent company, Superfly, are also behind Outside Lands and are launching a new festival called Grandoozy this fall in Denver, CO, after an inaugural go at launching Lost Lake in Phoenix, AZ, last year. And those are just the biggest firms who make the most money in the music festival game, all of which charge attendees hundreds of dollars (or thousands if you go for the VIP and experience upgrades) for a ticket.
We all agreed that if we're looking at multiple artists for the same slot, all other things being equal, we're going to go with a woman, a minority, or an artist who is unexpected.
What we can learn from Beyoncé’s Coachella set (which follows Lady Gaga's 2017 performance, and Björk’s double headlining sets in 2002 and 2007) is that there is an appetite for woman (and diverse) performers at festivals. The lineups, which were originally centred on predominantly male rock acts, have evolved to suit the desires of an audience who prefer to see pop and hip-hop acts. But their lineups don’t reflect it. Lollapalooza has Camila Cabello, the woman who broke a billion streams on Spotify and was one of the few women to dominate pop radio airplay in 2017, on the fifth line of their list of performers and has zero female headliners this year. Neither does Bonnaroo. Neither does Sasquatch. Neither does Firefly. Neither does Boston Calling. Neither does Hangout. Neither does Ultra. Neither does Stagecoach. Neither does In Bloom. Neither does BottleRock. Neither does Warped Tour. And so on, and so on...
Festivals want the freedom to book lineups for their specific audiences without restrictive regulations. Musicians don’t want to be booked to meet a quota — no one wants to be on the stage just because they’re female. But when the statistics show us that bookings up and down the lineup at festivals are so lopsided in favour of men, it is clear the founders and bookers have to take a look at what that is — and take action to fix it. Whether that means giving women a bigger role in decision-making when it comes to booking festivals, asking booking agents to consider representation in their negotiations (and fight harder for their female clients), or checking their implicit bias.
Or, as Fortress Festival founder Alec Jhangiani says: “If you do have a very lopsided lineup, which many variables can affect, I think it does show some sort of bias if that is what keeps coming out year after year after year.”
With Beyoncé serving as the sole woman headliner among the biggest music festivals in 2018, a trio of smaller, but influential, festivals are making more headway when it comes to featuring female acts. And that makes sense, given that 51% of the festival-going audience are female.
Janet Jackson will headline FYF Fest.Photo: Ryan Pierse/Getty Images.
FYF Fest in Los Angeles (July 21 and 22) will carry on under the auspices of a woman booker, Jenn Yacoubian, this season after founder Sean Carlson was accused of sexual misconduct by multiple women in November (Carlson denies some of the allegations and admits to others, calling his behaviour "inexcusable"). Goldenvoice has worked in partnership with FYF since 2014, and after cutting ties with Carlson before the accusations became public, bought out Carlson’s stake in the festival in February. Now that FYF is fully under their control, with Carlson out of the picture, they’ve made a strong statement by announcing a female booker along with dual woman headliners (Florence + the Machine and Janet Jackson) and a lineup that is close to 50% women and mixed-gender groups, with a nearly even split between the two and one gender-nonconforming act, Lawrence Rothman.
Should a festival caught up in a #MeToo scandal look to rehab its image? That wasn’t the plan for FYF, and Yacoubian says the heavy female tally on the lineup doesn’t signal a rebranding or change. “Having a large female representation on the bill is unquestionably important to us, but was not the mission in our bookings,” Yacoubian tells Refinery29. “We wanted to put forward the best lineup possible this year, and we truly believe we accomplished that with two incredibly strong and iconic female headliners and a multitude of other wonderful artists.” Yacoubian promises “we’ll always be inclusive,” but prefers to stay away from a “rigid formula.”
Coming off of a festival season where women were so overshadowed by men, another festival felt it was imperative to incorporate inclusivity into their bookings. Ramtin Nikzad and Jhangiani, founders of Fortress Festival in Fort Worth, TX (April 28 and 29), made diversifying their lineup a priority and ended up with a bill that is close to 50% female and mixed-gender groups. “There was a conversation we had early on in the booking process where we all agreed that if we're looking at multiple artists for the same slot, all other things being equal, we're going to go with a woman, a minority, or an artist who is unexpected and not already widely included in all the festival lineups,” Jhangiani tells Refinery29.
While Fortress Festival’s overall numbers are good for gender parity, the bulk of non-male acts on their lineup are further down the bill. “We looked at three female headliners during the booking process, too,” Nikzad explains, citing logistics as the reason they ultimately ended up with two male headliners this year. “It’s just not as clean-cut of a process to determine your breakdown from the beginning.” Jhangiani adds that the order of the lineup is “oftentimes, if not almost always, dictated by the artist’s booking agency, especially when you're booking several offers from the same agency.” Booking agents are dictating quite a lot of the “who goes above whom” conversations and have as big a role to play in making the lineup as diverse as the festival-going audiences. Part of their negotiations on behalf of artists includes where their name goes on the poster announcing a festival’s lineup. It begs the question, is St. Vincent or Camila Cabello’s booking agent pushing for her as hard as they’re pushing for the men they represent?
L.A. Pride (June 9 and 10) is a festival with a strong female presence also featuring two women as headliners. In addition, their headliners, Tove Lo and Kehlani, consider themselves bisexual, putting a spotlight on an underrepresented area of the LGBTQ+ community. While sexuality wasn’t a litmus test for the bookings, it was an excellent bonus for their brand. L.A. Pride President Chris Classen acknowledged that Pride events have long been associated with a white male version of LGBTQ+, and that their goal is to reflect the diversity in the real world and in the LGBTQ+ community.
Camila Cabello will play Lollapalooza 2018.Photo: Kevin Mazur/Wire Image.
“When it came down to choosing our talent, we wanted to make sure first and foremost that it was reflective of the community,” L.A. Pride marketing lead Shayne Thomas tells Refinery29. “Once we started digging, it became clear that there was a beautiful story unfolding based on the sheer number of women that we booked into our big top spots who represent various aspects of the LGBTQ spectrum as well as different diversity groups that are reflective of our community and Los Angeles.” And, Thomas continues, the Pride audience has no problem embracing strong women; they love their divas.
L.A. Pride’s full lineup hasn’t been announced, but Classen and the festival programming lead, Gregory Alexander, also revealed that they have embraced and planned to shine a light on trans performers this year as well.
Like FYF, the people behind Fortress and L.A. Pride want to book the best festival that people in the area will buy tickets to attend. Everyone Refinery29 spoke to rejected the notion that having woman headliners or a 50% female lineup might dissuade ticket buyers, or that audiences connect better with male performers. At the same time, none of them supported the idea of a mandatory gender parity rule like that recently established by several festivals in Europe. Reaching gender parity at festivals is an idea that, in theory, everyone is on board with. Coachella drastically increased its acts up and down the bill with women in 2018, after years of being dinged in the media over the issue. At the very least, festivals are moving in the right direction by upping the number of women playing, unlike the music industry itself, where in 2017 women saw a sharp drop in their representation in popular music, songwriting, and production — when the numbers were already staggeringly imbalanced.
Festivals are moving in the right direction, thanks to pressure exerted by their audiences and the media. But they will face an uphill climb to gender parity if the larger music industry doesn’t continue to create careers for more women in music who can headline a festival — and what most women want is to see themselves reflected on the stage and in the lineup. Specifically, in the largest, marquee-billing font atop the lineup poster. But Coachella can’t book what doesn’t exist, no matter how many women they might nurture on the lower tiers of their lineup.
I don't really date. It's not by choice, or anything, it just so happens that most of the guys I click with usually just want to Netflix and chill — or just chill. And we all know what that means. That being said, I was pleasantly surprised when my cute Tinder match invited me out on a real date: an afternoon at the museum.
As soon as I got his text, I racked my brain — and wardrobe — for the perfect outfit. Meaning, I sent no fewer than six dress or top-and-jean combos to my group chat until I got approval across the board. With my outfit locked in I moved onto my makeup. I like looking like myself for my first few dates with a new guy... just a little better. You're not about to accuse me of catfishing.
In that vein, I figured it'd be the perfect time to try Becca's newest Shimmering Skin Perfecter Highlighter since the Chocolate Geode shade is a rich bronze, rather than gold. (For the record, gold is also a beautiful option, but can be tricky to wear without the help of a professional makeup artist.) This bronze is novice-friendly: It didn't require a lot of blending and didn't look ashy — it just blended right in. Chocolate Geode is powder, but melted into my skin and hugged my cheekbones, giving them great definition (especially because I had contoured, too). What's more, it doesn't have much fallout, even when I applied it with a fan brush.
Teamed with the brand's Chocolate Geode Glow Gloss, I felt like a goddess. I didn't put on too much highlight for the museum — two swipes was more than enough shimmer for daytime. But when we go out at night, I'll most definitely be layering it on liberally. How do I seem so sure, you ask? We already have another date planned. So was it a lucky charm or a confidence booster? Who's to say, but this will be a date day — and night — mainstay from here on in.
Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector Pressed Highlighter in Chocolate Geode, £32, available at Space NK
The cast of Stranger Things begins filming its third season on Monday and we’re a bit taken aback by what could be a whole new look for Eleven. On Millie Bobby Brown’s Instagram page, the actress posted a selfie alongside Stranger Things producer Shawn Levy sporting a cute bob. “And so it begins,” she wrote, hashtagging Stranger Things3.
While we’re not certain if this IG picture is showing off Eleven’s new look or was just a quick snap taken during a table read, we do know the kids of Stranger Things are headed to high school, which means their hair and clothes are getting another ‘80s revamp.
According to Vanity Fair, a whole year has passed since we last saw the monster hovering over Hawkins High in season 2. Eleven made her big reveal at the school dance, which means she’s officially out of seclusion. Does that mean Eleven is joining Mike, Will, Lucas, Dustin, and Max in high school in season 3? Maybe. If she does, she’ll have to fit in with the crowd, so that leaves her with basically two options: ‘80s preppy or ‘80s goth. She would get to keep her slicked-back hair look if she opts for the latter, but that school dance finale suggests she may be headed to Molly Ringwald territory instead.
Season 3 will also find new faces in the mix, including actors Cary Elwes ( The Princess Bride, SAW), Jake Busey ( The Predator, Ray Donovan), and Maya Hawke — daughter of Ethan Hawke and Uma Thurman. Variety reports that we’re also going to see more of internet favorite Priah Ferguson, who plays Erica Sinclair, Lucas’s sister.
Stranger Things season 3 is expected to be released either at the end of 2018 or early 2019.
I think I learned more about Lykke Li's life from one mention in Rolling Stone's profile of Harry Styles last year than I have ever known about her, outside of what she records for her albums. She is a hardcore Artist with a capital A. And it would be irrelevant that she's partnered with super producer Jeff Bhasker (Beyoncé, Lady Gaga, Rihanna, Katy Perry, Bruno Mars, Ed Sheeran, Drake, Jay Z, Kanye West, seriously the list goes on, and we could do this all day) or that they have a baby together, except that he produced one of the two new songs she dropped this week. If you think he took her in a more commercial direction, reader, then I suggest you go listen to the track (he did not; it would be impossible to push Li down any path she doesn't intent to tread). If anything, it sounds seamlessly like Li's work. And that is why I recommend "deep end" to you this week. On it she collaborates with Rostam (late of Vampire Weekend), and it is one of the few times in her catalog when I've heard the influence of someone outside of herself seep in. I feel Rostam in the vocal phrasings on the chorus particularly, the electronic drum line that rides near the top of the track, and in the keyboard bit that travels up the scale to punctuate the chorus. The rest is pure Li. Knowing both of their work, it's jarring to feel the fingerprints of another on a track by an artist who I've always regarded as being a loner. I like it, though. They're a good match.
Priscilla Renea "Gentle Hands/Heavenly"
Hey, who is your favourite Black female country artist? If you're having a hard time coming up with one because country music has generally been unwelcoming to minorities, and exceptionally so to Black people (and Black women moreso than anyone), well take a listen to Renea. Country music is already infusing a lot of the elements of hip-hop (don't get me started on hick hop) that Renea plays with, they're just doing it more ham-fistedly. In Renea's track, I hear a reverence for the blues (that stop down on each brush of the guitar where the player taps the body of the instrument with their knuckles is one of the elements I'm talking about here) that makes up both the rhythmic basis of hip-hop beats and is related to the style of instrumentation in folk that is the reason we have country and western style guitar. In short, she's more legit than half the stuff on country radio right now.
Kelsey Lu "Shades of Blue"
I like morose music. I like the Cure, I like Death Cab, I like Fiona Apple, I like things chock full of emotion that make me want to cry because they're cathartic. That's where I'm at with Kelsey Lu, whose music makes me want to sway around, a glass of wine in hand, with mascara-kissed tears rolling down my face. Look out for my Instagram live video later.
Becky G & Natti Natasha "Sin Pijama"
Becky G has been on the cusp of happening for what feels like decades now. But it also felt like whoever was working with her was trying to stuff a size 9 foot into a size 6 shoe. The elements of pop stardom have all been there with her all along, but trying to water her down and take everything interesting out of her has not worked. With the remarkable rise of Latin music, it feels like Becky G can finally have her day. And it looks like the masses agree: This video went to No. 1 on YouTube's trending chart (besting Ariana Grande's hotly anticipated new single) the day it was released.
After my first job at MTV working as a music programmer, I can't stop trying to matchmake people with music they might like. So, I wrote a book calledRecord Collecting for Girlsand started interviewing musicians. The Music Concierge is a column where I share music I'm listening to that you might enjoy, with a little context. Follow me on Twitter or Facebook, or leave me a comment below and tell me what you're listening to this week.
Over the years, the perennially popular Bali has become a little too popular, with parts of the Indonesian island definitely cowering under the weight of mass tourism. Although no secret, there's one spot that's far more laid-back than its nearby coastal neighbours, Seminyak and Kuta.
Once just a tiny village overlooking the Indian Ocean, Canggu has emerged as the hippest destination in Bali. Wind inwards and you're surrounded by lush rice fields; gravitate outwards and you'll hit stretches of sandy beaches. Pulling in everyone from surfers and health-conscious vegans to backpackers trailing around Indonesia and expats working remotely at one of its slick co-working spaces, Canggu has everything: you can take a meditation course, learn to surf, splurge on a colourful kaftan at one of the industrial-style boutiques or simply hang out by the pool at your oh-so-affordable homestay.
Be warned though, it won't stay like this. While it's hip and trendy now, there's building work on every block as Indonesians and expats alike cash in on Canggu's surging popularity.
How to get there
You can fly to Bali from UK cities such as London, Manchester and Aberdeen, with a quick stopover in the likes of Singapore and Dubai. Once landed, grab a taxi from Denpasar to Canggu. Depending on traffic, the journey should take around 45 minutes.
Photo: Andrew TB Tan/Getty Images.
What to do
Hit the waves
Boasting a dramatic coastline, Canggu is a picture-postcard spot for some serious relaxation. However, with its world-class waves, why not join surfers from around the world at Echo Beach and Batu-Bolong? If you've never surfed, you can join one of the throng of companies showing novices how to mount a surfboard, and catch and ride a wave. Many companies will pick you up from your hotel and drop you off at a surf school. Some of the most popular include Surf's Up Schoo l and Up 2 U.
Perfect your downward dog
A spiritual haven, enlightenment seekers have been descending on Bali for decades. Canggu also attracts yogis, with many staying in retreats or simply visiting studios to practise their warrior pose. Offering five classes a day, including hatha yoga and fire hatha, The Practice is one of the latest yoga centres to open its doors in Canggu. It also runs workshops focused on confidence-building and meditation, as well as life and business coaching sessions.
Photo via @thepracticebaliyoga.
Where to stay
Como Uma Canggu
Fresh from opening in February, Como Uma has quickly emerged as one of Canggu's hippest places to stay. It's not surprising. With ocean views and a cool beach club, plus enough swinging chairs and stylish loungers to fill up your Instagram, the group's latest outpost (it already has two hotels in Ubud) is the perfect place to crash if you're willing to throw a few bucks at your accommodation.
The Slow
Think of The Slow as a tropical version of the Ace Hotel chain. There's a rotating monthly exhibition next to the lobby, a store selling premium labels, and a restaurant with a popular brunch menu. The design-led bedrooms have a minimalist concrete vibe but plenty of greenery, giving a nod to the tropical surroundings. Book a ground floor room to bag your very own private pool.
Kubudiuma Villas
If you're craving a bit more R&R and wish to sleep away from the busy thoroughfares – but still be walking distance from the beach – head out west and opt for Kubudiuma Villas. Surrounded by palms, the dreamy wooden bungalows feature four-poster beds and outdoor bathrooms (perfect for star-gazing while taking an alfresco shower). Plus there's a pool to dip in when the Balinese heat becomes too much. For those with tight purse strings, it's incredibly good value for money.
Where to eat
Crate Cafe
An industrial-style café overlooking a lush rice field, Crate Cafe on Jalan Batu Bolong is one of the hippest places to hang out in Canggu. Attracting the coolest locals, expats and remote workers, Crate Cafe is notable for its nutritional yet delicious dishes, such as huge super bowls packed with tofu, spinach and quinoa, and popular smoothie bowls brimming with fruit like acai, frozen banana and dragonfruit with a sprinkle of chia seeds. It closes early though (5pm).
Betelnut Cafe
Head up the wooden stairs and pray there's space to squeeze you in at this perpetually packed neighbourhood hangout. Betelnut Cafe can probably claim to have one of the best menus in town – there's traditional Balinese food such as bowls of gado gado (piles of veg like spinach and beansprouts topped with an egg and served with peanut sauce), while Mexican lovers can dig into everything from nachos to tacos stuffed with tofu and sour cream. It's all pretty healthy and tasty – standard for Canggu.
Beachgarden – In The Raw
Another restaurant that caters to those who prefer courgetti to a big bowl of pasta, vegan-friendly Beachgarden – In The Raw serves up super healthy and delicious food that still manages to tantalise your tastebuds. Think buttermilk pancakes covered in coconut palm syrup or raw pad Thai. The drinks menu is just as impressive: many styles of tea from Taiwan to West Java, and a wide range of fresh pressed juices to keep you quenched.
Photo via @betelnutcafe.
Where to drink
Old Man's
Old-time favourite Old Man 's is a surfing hub located at Batu Bolong. Its sprawling beer garden with strings of fairy lights and DJs playing the beats until 1am keeps the joint packed pretty much every day of the week. Alternatively, head there earlier and grab a cocktail or sink an Indonesian Bintang beer while you watch the sun go down.
The Lawn
The Lawn is currently one of Canggu's coolest places to hang out. Splash all your rupiahs on a bed for a day-long chillout, otherwise just rock up at the tables or lie horizontal on its 500-square-metre lawn while taking pics of the beach-front infinity pool. Order a mojito as the sun sets or do as many of the expats do and spend the day there between surfing sessions. Be warned though, it's the kind of place where you'll find yourself dancing to '90s R&B grooves at 11pm.
Sand Bar
When everything closes in Canggu, the party heads to Sand Bar. Located mere metres away from Old Man's and The Lawn, Sand Bar is little more than a thatched-roof shack on the beach with beanbags strewn in front of it. But you won't be sitting down for long; it's all about grooving barefoot on the cool sand, alongside hundreds of fellow travellers and locals.
Photo via @thelawncanggu.
Where to shop
Canggu Bazaar
Located on Pantai Batu Bolong, every Sunday Canggu Bazaar throws open its invisible doors and invites shoppers to browse its stalls, which are stocked with everything from dip-dye dresses and sunglasses to handmade bracelets.
Haze & Glory
An industrial-style airy space with lead pipe shelves, Haze & Glory is worth popping into on your way to the beach. Its flagship store offers vintage-inspired clothing alongside handcrafted jewellery.
Wanderlust
When in Bali, why not upgrade your swimwear? Boutique Wanderlust has stacks of hangers filled with simple yet beautiful swimsuits and bikinis in bold colours.
Where to get pampered
Spring Spa
Everything about Spring Spa screams style. The white minimalist lounge is home to a health bar serving up fresh juices and teas, while the courtyard features a landscaped garden and a long freshwater pond. Its treatment menu is equally impressive, with everything from pedis to manis to lengthy pampering sessions, such as a hair rescue package involving hair wash, hydration mask and a hot stone massage, on offer. Perfect if you want to spruce up your tresses after a day at the beach.
Goldust
Step into Goldust and for a moment you'll forget you're there for the R&R and be swayed by its boutique stocked with pretty beach kaftans, resort wear, woven bags and jewellery that you'll want to squeeze into your suitcase. Upstairs lies the popular spa, which attracts the masses with its manicures that include coconut oil treatments, eyebrow tints, and massages. The real winner is its signature 24k gold facial, which leaves skin radiant. It's garnered a loyal following, especially among those who can't resist a selfie of their face covered in gold.
Photo via @spring_spa.
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