In recent years, niche European words have become popular with English speakers all over the world as they capture perfect sentiments of universal feelings that not every language has a word for. First, of course, there was the French bon apetit (aka “enjoy your meal”); then came sprezzy (Italian slang for “stylishly messy”); then the […]
Cool Ideas
The 11 Best Birthday Cake Bakeries in Los Angeles
If you’re looking for an amazing birthday cake in Los Angeles, you’ve come to the right place. The City of Angels is increasingly regarded as one of the best culinary cities in America, and this is especially true when it comes to bakeries and celebrations. Like New York City, Los Angeles is a place where […]
A Simple Breakdown of The 5 Love Languages
About 25 years ago a marriage counselor named Dr. Gary Chapman wrote a now-iconic book called The 5 Love Languages (which, yes, you can buy on Amazon). Over two decades later, new generations of people continue to discover his concept of “the five love languages” and apply them to their lives and relationships. What is […]
This Cool Scientific Survey Accurately Identifies Your Character Strengths
I was first directed to the VIA Character Strengths Survey in the course of taking Dr. Laurie Santos’ class, The Science of Well-Being, which is the most popular course ever offered in Yale‘s 300-year history. As part of an initial happiness assessment, Professor Santos directed us to this character strengths test as part of a […]
The 8 Best Places to Get Birthday Cake in Chicago
Chicago is increasingly regarded as one of the best culinary cities in America when it comes to bakeries– and birthday cake in particular. It used to be that New York and LA were the only major cities putting cake artists on the map, but the advent of the TV series Cake Wars, social media, and […]
The 7 Best Natural Eczema Shampoos of 2025
It’s hard to find an all-natural eczema shampoo that works to calm itch and inflammation without chemicals. Luckily, natural anti-itch shampoos are becoming more of “a thing”, especially among online shoppers. Accordingly, natural beauty brands are responding with earth-friendly and pregnancy-safe natural eczema remedies that get better every day. Unfortunately, most over-the-counter anti-itch and anti-dandruff […]
5 Beautiful Affirmation Decks For Those Seeking More Peace
Affirmation cards, or affirmation decks, are thoughtful first-person statements that encourage positive thinking, calm, and confidence. They help you ponder ideas that leave you with a feeling of more peace, calm, and clarity than before. When either read aloud or recited silently in your mind, they encourage a positive shift in mood, energy, and intention. […]
The 6 Best Reef-Safe Zinc Sunscreens of 2025 (Most Effective + Elegant Formulas)
Reef-safe zinc sunscreen– which always contains physical UV blockers rather than chemical SPF– is better for coral reefs because these formulas don’t contain avobenzone, oxybenzone, octinoxate, octocrylene, octisalate, or homosalate– six active chemicals that are known to be toxic to precious marine ecosystems. (And they’re not great for the human endocrine system, either!) It’s important […]
How Cold Therapy Became a Pop Culture Phenomenon: Ice Baths, Cold Plunges, The Wim Hof Method & Beyond
Amid the discerning consumers of post-pandemic wellness culture– in which the prospects for future thriving look increasingly like things we used to do in the past— ice baths and cold plunges are having a pop culture renaissance. I first heard about cold plunging almost ten years ago, when the talking heads in the New York […]
15 Delightful Gifts for Yoga-Lovers (Eco-Friendly + Stylish Props)
I know I know: you don’t need another gift guide. But sustainable yoga gear is all the rage among today’s yoga lovers. This gift guide for eco-friendly yogis spotlights all the latest, coolest gifts for yogis that make the practice more fun. Whether you’re shopping for yourself or trying to find some nice swag for […]