Like many of its millions of adoring viewers, I was hooked on “Euphoria” — HBO Max’s exhilarating teen drama — by the first three minutes of the pilot episode. I voraciously consumed the first two seasons, enthralled by the hallucinatory images, stirring soundtrack and ridiculously good-looking cast. I didn’t know if I necessarily wanted to be friends with the troubled characters I saw on screen, but I did know one thing: I wanted their makeup. From the imagination of head makeup artist Doniella Davy, “Euphoria’s” iconic makeup is bold, unconventional and enchanting. Characters wear tears of glitter, razor-sharp winged liner, daring eyeliner and artfully arranged gemstones.

Comedian Daniel Sloss hasn’t reached the level of celebrity at which he’s recognized on the streets of Houston — yet. But whether or not Texans can identify the 31-year-old Scotsman from his critically acclaimed standup specials “X,” “Dark” and “Jigsaw,” his double-digit appearances on Conan O’Brien’s talk show or his hundreds of performances around the U.S. and worldwide, they tend to be delighted to meet Sloss, anyway. Mostly because of his accent.

The year was 1993: Bill Clinton had just been elected president, Tag Team's "Whoomp! (There It Is)" was climbing to the top of the charts, and the CD-ROM (compact disc read-only memory) had barely hit the market when a company called Interotica released the very first interactive porn CD-ROM. The adult game, called "Nightwatch Interactive," let players control a voyeuristic security guard who could navigate between TV monitors to peep on sexy scenes unfolding around the building.

Once upon a time, way back in the '90s, the iPad hadn't been invented yet, Boy Meets World was still on the air, and interior playgrounds at fast food restaurants weren't regarded as foul dens of germs and discarded heroine needles. During this magical age, children frolicked in ball pits and slid down slides in the playscapes of restaurants like McDonald's and Burger King. Meanwhile, their parents chatted nearby, knowing their kids were fenced in and playing someplace "safe."

These days, scrolling through my Facebook and Instagram feeds means navigating a minefield of targeted ads for pricey, high-end beauty products. One ad for a Korean face mask claims to banish wrinkles and under eye circles. Another for a pair of magnetic eyelashes declares it will cut the time spent on my beauty routine in half, while still another ad for an at-home microdermabrasion wand promises to make me irresistible to hunky firemen.

In the days leading up to February 14, grocery stores swarm with roving heart-shaped nylon balloons, mail carrier routes clog with orders of imported roses and lifesize teddy bears, and partners throughout the land scratch their head wondering what would be an astounding gift for their loved one. And the internet floods with Valentine's Day origin stories. (But not as good as this one!)

It's the understatement of the century to call 2020 a tough year, but it was especially troublesome for California-based singer-songwriter-slash-music-journalist Jake Kussmaul. In addition to being hindered by the same obstacles as the rest of us—that is, social distancing requirements and a decidedly unsexy sense of gloom and doom—Kussmaul's romantic prospects were limited further by the fact that he was born with cerebral palsy and uses a wheelchair to get around.

In the mid-80s, a curved, plastic hair accessory started popping up on the heads of ponytail wearers across the country. It was called the banana clip, taking its name from its skinny, banana-like shape. The versatile clip featured small teeth and snapped in place on one of its hinged edges to hold your hair together in a voluminous updo that kept your hair out of your face and cascaded down like a waterfall.

I’m an avid climber, devoted yogi and clumsy-but-no-less-determined kickboxer — but so help me, I’ll turn around and drive home if I arrive at the gym and realize I’ve forgotten my headphones. How can anyone expect me to be up in the gym just workin’ on my fitness without “Fergalicious” pumping into my ears? I’m a firm believer (and I know I’m not alone) that a solid pair of headphones is about as essential to a good workout as a hair tie and deodorant. But they can’t just be any old pair.

As IKEA founder Ingvar Kamprad once quipped: “It’s difficult to do business on an empty stomach.” It’s the pearl of wisdom that inspired Kamprad to add a cafeteria-style restaurant at the first IKEA furniture store in Älmhult, Sweden back in 1960. These self-service cafeterias served up traditional simple, Swedish fare at low prices, reflecting the IKEA philosophy of functional-and-affordable furniture.

For the newly sober, sex can be weird and awkward but also bedframe-shaking.

From wooly ushankas to trendy toques to playful pom-pom beanies, the options for keeping your head warm this winter are virtually endless. But a hat does more than keep your noggin toasty: It can also serve as a stylish winter fashion accessory, an eye-catching conversation piece and a quick solution to a bad hair day. Choosing the right winter hat for you and your needs calls for a bit of soul searching. Are you after something bold and frilly or chic and understated? Fashionable or functional? Affordable or super affordable?

A design trend that embraces decoration, color, contrast, eclecticism and layers, maximalism is, essentially, everything minimalism is not. It’s oversized paintings and heavily patterned upholstery. It’s family heirlooms and kitschy souvenirs. It’s wall murals and oversized neon lights. It’s metallic finishes and richly veined marbles. It’s Dolly Parton advent calendars and… well, you get the idea.

On a Tuesday in October 2015, McDonald's made a move that would change the course of culinary history forever. Before that fateful day, the hangry and hungover would have to scramble out of bed and speed to their nearest McDonald's. For you see, there was once a time when McDonald's stopped selling their prized Egg McMuffins at exactly 10:30 a.m. every day. Millions would miss this draconian deadline, and head home, empty-handed or worse — with some miserable non-breakfasty alternative, like the Filet-o-Fish.

A billion lifetimes ago before the COVID-19 pandemic, I used to hop from country to country, working remotely as a writer while lugging around all of my earthly possessions in my backpack. Since backpack space was limited, I only brought the essentials: a few items of clothing, a toothbrush, a ukulele and — of course — my trusty AeroPress travel coffee press. Like any dedicated (read: neurotic) coffee drinker, I wasn’t willing to risk the possibility that my Airbnb might not have a working French Press. And so, from Lisbon to Phnom Penh to Guadalajara, I could count on one thing to remain consistent: my morning cup of coffee.

Since their joint suicide in 30 B.C., Antony and Cleopatra's tomb has remained hidden somewhere in Egypt — but researchers may now be closing in on where the storied queen is buried.

It would be remiss to write a blog highlighting the work of BIPOC artists without taking a moment to reflect on the events and conversations of the year. Propelled by the momentum of protests following the horrific deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, Rayshard Brooks, and Dominique “Rem’mie” Fell, the world is protesting, watching, listening, trying, speaking out, making mistakes, and — hopefully — changing.

From baby food to juice cleanses, diet trends rise and fall with time and scientific advancement. But while many nutrition fads have been discredited or forgotten, others have withstood the test of time and nutrition science scrutiny. Counting macros (short for “macronutrients”) is a nutritional strategy long favored by bodybuilders that has recently gained mainstream popularity.

Soft, horizontal and hidden away in your bedroom, the mattress typically sees more action than any other piece of household furniture. As a reoccurring presence in your lovemaking, your bed can either enhance or hinder sexual activities based on factors like bounce, sagginess, squeakiness and type.

Remember when we had to stifle giggles at the sight of someone talking on a pair of wireless earbuds? Well, technology has advanced quite a bit since the first bluetooth headphones hit the market in 2004, and now, no one will mistake you for a crazy person conversing with thin air when you’re talking into a pair of Bluetooth buds. In fact, if those headphones happen to be a brand-new pair of Apple AirPods, they might even be a little envious.