After an ice bath, a chilli crisp

10 decor trends you can ignore

1. Words like “love", “hope", “peace" and “sweetheart" on your walls.

2. Animal heads.

3. DIY furniture and shelves, pallet crates.

4. Scatter cushions smaller than 50 cm.

5. Free-standing wooden or bamboo stands for towels.

6. Small rugs — in front of a bed or sofa or in an entrance hall.

7. Doormats with words like “Welcome".

8. Themes. Not everything has to match.

9. Pickled fruit bottles for drinks or smoothies.

10. Interiors with everything in white or grey.

Buy

Not “one of the best" but the best blemish balm or beauty balm (BB) cream we've used. It delivers a natural appearance but with enough substance to provide proper coverage. From the Korean cult brand Erborian. It costs R855 in the beauty emporiums of Woolworths' flagship stores and on Woolworths' website.

Give

The Thule EnRoute 4 is a snazzy laptop backpack (30 litres) in which you can neatly organise your freelance life and also quickly transform it for a day-hike. There are multiple compartments for electronics,  including a waterproof one. It costs R4,300 at Thule.

Trends

Pearls for guys: Thanks to Harry Styles, a string of pearls around the neck is the biggest trend for men this season.

For the less daring, wear a neck bandana with your oversized loose denim shirt, or a tie with your loose shirt; otherwise, just wear a loose denim shirt with jeans or shorts. A jacket with Bermuda shorts is also a look.

Denim-on-denim: Mini, midi and maxi skirts in an A-line style; wider Bermuda shorts; wide or straight pipes; cargo pants with large pockets; denim jackets, crop tops and handbags in dark shades of denim. Vamp it up with studs and metal. Wear everything together.

Less, mini, least: Underwear as fashion. Wear bras as tops with unbuttoned shirts and underwear instead of shorts.

Watch

1. The Murdochs: Empire of Influence on Showmax is a CNN production about the rise of media mogul Rupert Murdoch, his influence in the world and the subsequent power struggle among his children. One of the best documentaries we have seen.

2. Togo, on Disney+, tells the true story of a sled musher and his indomitable lead dog who, in 1925, transported a diphtheria serum across Alaska's unforgiving tundra to a small town. The words of the musher, Leonhard Seppala, say it all: “What he lives for, is me."

Make

The best chilli crisp we've eaten comes from The Melting Pot deli at Oak Valley Estate in Grabouw (better than the iconic Lao Gan Ma version you can find at most Asian stores). In Chili Crisp: 50+ Recipes to Satisfy Your Spicy, Crunchy, Garlicky Cravings, a delightful new book by James Park, you get dozens of no-recipe recipes that rely on the cook's good judgment (like potato wedges and chilli crisp, a combination from snack heaven) and a handy formula to create your own chilli crisp. We're #inlove. It costs R472 at Loot (but try a brick-and-mortar bookstore if you can).

Fitness

Ice bath for a dopamine rush

The benefits, according to the motivational speaker Wim Hof: more energy, less stress, better sleep, less muscle pain and a stronger immune system. The body burns energy quickly during and after the cold bath, contributing to faster weight loss.

If you don't live near the cold Atlantic Ocean, you can still enjoy the benefits of an ice bath. Fill a large Tupperware container or two with water and freeze it. Add to a cold bath to turn it into an ice bath.

Aim for 5-9°C, but anything below 15°C is beneficial. Start with 3-5 minutes and build up slowly. Never longer than 15 minutes, and put on warm clothes afterwards.

According to neuroscientist and podcaster Dr Andrew Huberman, 11 minutes a week is enough. Do two to four cold sessions a week for 1-5 minutes for the best results.

Use judiciously, and if you have any illnesses, discuss it with your doctor first.

♦ VWB ♦

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