Latest in Lifestyle
Refinery29
25 minutes ago
- Entertainment
- Refinery29
Why Love Island USA Watch Parties Feel Like A '90s Throwback
An audience of 130 people cheered infectiously at the big screen as they enjoyed cocktails, bar food and conversation with strangers at 275Park in Brooklyn, a venue typically used as a comedy club. This may sound like the scene from fans watching the NBA Finals, but instead, the crowd was locked in for a Love Island USA watch party thrown by Peak and Pace on Monday night as the highly anticipated Casa Amor episodes began. 'It's usually just me screaming at the TV, but doing it with other people just made it,' said Morenda Jebo, 31, who has been watching Love Island for the past three years. 'I'm not the only one who feels this way.' Since Season 7 premiered in early June, Love Island USA has become appointment TV, racking up more than 1 billion minutes viewed. According to Deadline, about 39% of viewers are new to the franchise. Night after night, conversations flood timelines, FYPs, and group chats with real-time reactions and recaps of the drama that ensued in Fiji, where the show is filmed. On social media alone, the show has generated 54 million interactions across Instagram, Facebook, X and YouTube. As a result, Love Island watch parties have been in high demand and are popping up in cities across the country. 'It's basically watching sports, but for reality TV,' attendee David Gilstrap said, an attendee who'd never seen the show before last Friday when his homegirls convinced him to start watching all of the reality show drama. He enjoyed it so much that he ended up binging the latest season over the weekend and pulled up to the party alone, ready to watch, holler at the screen with strangers and make new friends. That's music to Peak and Pacer founder Owen Akhibi Herrera's ears. Herrera started Peak and Pace as a run/walk club to bring people together in a healthy way after his first year moving to New York. Over time, it evolved into a community dedicated to trying new things together, including skiing, hiking, and, now, watching Love Island USA together. ' The parties are a great example of how pop culture moments still drive real-world connection. ' 'It's a cultural moment, and it gave us an opportunity to bring our community together in a fun and unexpected way,' the founder said in a Zoom interview. '[The show] sparked so many different conversations online, and we saw the opportunity to take that digital energy into a real-life thing.' Peak and Pace announced the watch party just 24 hours before the event and packed the venue to a max capacity of 130. Herrera said they will host watch parties at 275Park every Monday for the rest of the season. Meanwhile, on Friday evening, Tyra McAdam also hosted a Love Island USA watch party at RumBar, a Black woman-owned bar in Brooklyn, where she works. Tired of watching the show on her phone behind the bar, she surveyed her TikTok followers to see if they'd be interested in joining a watch party. After receiving more than 26,000 views, 2,700 likes and hundreds of eager comments, that was enough for her boss to sign off on approval for McAdam to start creating Love Island -inspired cocktails for the event. ' Love Island is just the catalyst, but what they're really after is that authentic connection that only happens when you're actually in the same room, fully present with each other. ' 'The girls were like, 'I want it to be where the boys are watching sports games watching Love Island,'' she said. 'It's such a community, and it's such a girly thing. It's so feminine.' She credits the show's real-time reactions and the audience's ability to vote and influence what happens in the villa, making it perfect to watch in a sports bar setting. 'I like that it comes on every day, and we all have to watch it at the same time,' McAdam said. 'It's not like on Netflix, and you watch something before someone else. It's almost like back in the days in the '90s, we all had to watch the show at the same time.' On Eventbrite, hundreds of Love Island watch parties have been listed. Roseli Ilano, the platform's head of community and trends, said in a statement the parties are a great example of how pop culture moments still drive real-world connection. "Young people are craving shared experiences where they can have those immediate reactions together—the gasps, the debates, the collective investment in something happening right now,' Ilano said. 'Love Island is just the catalyst, but what they're really after is that authentic connection that only happens when you're actually in the same room, fully present with each other." A common thread between Herrera and McAdam's parties: They're building welcoming, inclusive and intentional spaces that prioritize joy and connection for Black audiences who can come out and have a great time near their own neighborhoods. Though Gilstrap admits the show stresses him out and the cast makes awful decisions, he's having more fun watching Love Island USA than he did watching the NBA Finals. He's already considering attending another watch party before the season ends. 'The fact that you get to hang out with your friends and then talk about it, that's what makes it fun,' he said. 'That's what keeps me watching every night. It's purely not like the content of the show. It's because I get to hang [out] with my friends and kiki with my homies. That's what keeps me coming every single time.'
Vogue
29 minutes ago
- Entertainment
- Vogue
Zara's Sale Is On! Shop Our Favorite Pieces for Summer
One of the best times of year is when Zara's sale hits, and we went straight to their newly refreshed markdown section to find the best sale items to complete your summer wardrobe. These are the coveted items our editors immediately added to their carts for checkout—a mix of trend-forward silhouettes and everyday essentials—all up for grabs at up to 40% off. Vogue's Favorite Zara Sale Items for Summer Of course, summer dresses are heavy on our minds and there are loads to choose from. You'll find crisp, white poplin options for effortless day dressing and dreamy floral maxis, inspired by our love for all things bohemian this season, which happen to make the perfect wedding guest dresses for all those summer nuptials you might be attending. In the sale, there is something for every upcoming occasion, whether that be packing for vacation or outfitting for a sweaty commute, en route to the office. As for easy, everyday essentials, we are loving printed skirts for a maximalist touch, balancing them out with minimalist basics like halter tanks and tube tops. And don't forget the extras—there are some on point, heeled flip-flops and woven bags that truly capture the feel-good mood of summertime ease. A word to the wise—these steals are already going fast. When they're gone, they're gone—so grab all the best Zara sale items here, to fully stock your closet for summer.
The Province
30 minutes ago
- Lifestyle
- The Province
Recipe: Garlic yogurt sauce is the condiment you need to meal-prep. Here's why
Having this delicious topping waiting in the fridge will tip the scales ever so slightly toward a home-cooked meal over takeout. Garlic yogurt sauce is the condiment you need to meal-prep. Photo by Raj Thandhi Reviews and recommendations are unbiased and products are independently selected. Postmedia may earn an affiliate commission from purchases made through links on this page. When someone says meal-prep, what do you think of? If it's hours upon hours in the kitchen followed by a sink full of dishes, I can relate. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Exclusive articles by top sports columnists Patrick Johnston, Ben Kuzma, J.J. Abrams and others. Plus, Canucks Report, Sports and Headline News newsletters and events. Unlimited online access to The Province and 15 news sites with one account. The Province ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on. Daily puzzles and comics, including the New York Times Crossword. Support local journalism. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Exclusive articles by top sports columnists Patrick Johnston, Ben Kuzma, J.J. Abrams and others. Plus, Canucks Report, Sports and Headline News newsletters and events. Unlimited online access to The Province and 15 news sites with one account. The Province ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on. Daily puzzles and comics, including the New York Times Crossword. Support local journalism. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors In theory meal-prep is a great idea, but sometimes I just can't commit to all the pre- and post-work it requires. If you have similar feelings, let me introduce you to a new take on meal-prep. Condiment-prep. I think we can all admit that condiments make a meal. In fact, sometimes they're better than the actual dish we're putting them on. So, on the weeks where I feel like I have zero energy or capacity left to cook, my weekend meal-prep consists of nothing more than a killer condiment. The simple act of making one quick sauce, salsa', or dip can change my weeknight dinner plans, exponentially. Having this delicious topping waiting in the fridge will tip the scales ever so slightly toward a home-cooked meal over takeout for me. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Let me demonstrate my theory using my ridiculously good garlic yogurt sauce as an example. This simple mix of yogurt, good olive oil, garlic, lemon and some fresh herbs has multiple uses. Too hungry to cook a single thing? Dip some nice crusty bread in the sauce and call it a night. With a tiny bit of energy, you could boil a box of pasta, top with the same sauce, toss and enjoy on the couch. If you're feeling really motivated, grill some chicken breasts, make a side of quinoa, add a dollop of said sauce, and you have a great weeknight meal. I call this garlic yogurt sauce because it's so pourable, but it works equally well as a dip for veggies. It's also a very forgiving sauce, so if you don't have parsley in the fridge you can add whatever herbs you do have, or even use dry herbs. Go ahead and get creative with it. Garlic Yogurt Sauce 2 cups (500 mL) thick yogurt (Indian dahi or Greek yogurt work well here) Juice of one lemon 2 garlic cloves 1 cup (250 mL) finely chopped parsley 1/2 tsp (2.5 mL) salt 1/4 cup (60 mL) extra virgin olive oil Place the yogurt in a large bowl, whisk well to remove lumps. Add in all the other ingredients, whisk to combine. Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Makes about 3 cups. Read More Vancouver Canucks Vancouver Canucks Vancouver Canucks NHL Vancouver Canucks
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Nikkei Asia
34 minutes ago
- Business
- Nikkei Asia
Sampling the best of Seoul's booming cafe culture
Located in Seoul's Mangwon-dong neighborhood, HHSS is a quiet, minimalist cafe with a homey vibe, enhanced by the languid presence of the resident cat. (All photos by David D. Lee) DAVID D. LEE SEOUL -- In South Korea, where homes are rarely used for social gatherings, cafes offer more than just caffeine -- they serve as go-to spots for meeting friends, blind dates, group studies and other social activities. When the first Starbucks branch opened near Seoul's Ewha Womans University in 1999, it marked the beginning of a local revolution in cafe culture. The American franchise now runs 1,900 of the country's 100,000 cafes -- which is roughly double the number of convenience stores.
SBS Australia
35 minutes ago
- Lifestyle
- SBS Australia
SBS Japanese Weekly News Wrap Saturday 28 June
Independent news and stories connecting you to life in Australia and Japanese-speaking Australians. Ease into the English language and Australian culture. We make learning English convenient, fun and practical.
