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Bryce Gruber
This Beauty Staple is Now Doc-Approved for Pregnancy
That myth that retinol is off-limits for pregnant women? Just a myth, it seems. Pregnant women have long been told to abstain from all skincare retinoids out of fear they could negatively impact fetal development, but widely-respected doctors are now saying it's all a misconception -- and people really need to learn the difference between retinol and other retinoids.
'Midtown isn't coming back this year' according to NYC brokers
The long-awaited Midtown Manhattan comeback may take longer than expected. An ordinary weekday afternoon just before the pandemic hit would've seen more hustle and bustle in the streets of Midtown than any other major American city's busiest day. The essence of Manhattan was laid in her dizzying supply of humans with places to go -- until the humans emptied out. In fact, hundreds of thousands of Manhattanites, mostly from well-to-do zip codes like those in Midtown, fled the city in the days and weeks following New York's first round of COVID-19 battles. They haven't returned, and now the streets are bare (and filled with garbage mountains).
Baby cages? They used to be common!
Don't be tempted to think this is the weirdest chapter in history, because babies were literally kept in NYC apartment window cages through the 1930s. The 1930s weren't known for particularly peaceful, run-through-the-fields-without-so-much-as-a-worry feelings (we had just come off the first World War and were quickly finding ourself in the subsequent one), so it probably won't completely shock you to learn that loving, seemingly normal middle class-ish mothers in Europe and North America found themselves popping their babies in cages that would leave them all but dangling from apartment windows. Why? In the name of fresh air, of course.
Shoppers Are Loving These Walmart Hidden Gems
Walmart's website is a shopper's paradise. If you've been relying on Amazon for your online shopping, it's time to take a more serious look at Walmart's selection. "Prices at Walmart might be lower than those at Amazon, so I always suggest that shoppers compare prices before checking out, says smart shopping expert Trae Bodge. "Walmart also has a dizzying number of proprietary brands, including Athletic Works, Equate, Mainstays, and Hometrends, and some of them are very good. At Walmart – or at any multi-brand retailer – private label brands are always worth a look because the retailer will have more wiggle room with pricing than they would with an external brand."
Semi-Secret Le Creuset Sale is Getting Pro Chefs Really Excited (and you can access it too)
We found Le Creuset best sellers for up to 50 percent off retail. If you're looking for something to get excited about today, let it be Le Creuset's semi-secret sale section where dozens of the iconic brand's best sellers have been marked down by up to 50 perfect off. Chefs and food experts around the world have long held this cast iron cookware brand in the highest regard, and for good reason. The iconic kitchenwares rarely go on sale, leaving food experts clamoring for the remaining sku -- and you can get it in on the action.
Pickles & books? One LES business is changing the local landscape with an unlikely combo
Many brick and mortar businesses are shuttering, yet one new store focused old books and new pickles is adding life and character to New York's Lower East Side. Combining old books with new pickles? It's just the crunchy dash of savory flavor New Yorkers need in an era that's mostly doom and gloom, and breathing new life into a harrowed corner of downtown's Lower East Side.
Ulster County residents to receive $500 per month for one year
A lot of local residents are getting excited. If you could use some extra cash, assistance, or even a lifeline this year, Ulster County may swoop in to be that hero for 100 very lucky residents. The county is planning to give a universal basic income of $500 per qualifying, chosen resident per month for a full year under a pilot program intended to study the impact of a guaranteed income on lives and behaviors.
Proud Denver Residents Crafted Today's Holiday (and the world is loving it)
Did you know today is Random Acts of Kindness Day?. It's true! Today is an official American holiday known as Random Acts of Kindness Day, and Denver, Colorado-area residents should be especially proud today. After all, it was their hard work and dedication that turned this thoughtful idea into a worldwide sensation devoted to do-gooding deeds.
Manhattan's Trash Problem Worsens, Here's Why
The trash is piling up and residents are furious. Anyone who lives or works in Manhattan at this point can tell you there is likely a mound or two of garbage outside their front door. That's hardly unusual for the once most-bustling burough, but with city funds and resources stretched to their limit, it looks like those piles of garbage are only getting worse and lingering for longer.
Smuckers New Unicorn Magic Shell Tastes Like Cupcakes & OMG
We're here for this unicorn-themed upgrade on a classic ice cream topping. Homemade sundaes are more popular than ever, and Smuckers Magic Shell has definitely been revived as the classic childhood favorite everyone suddenly needed to give us a crunchy, cool dose of happier days nostalgia. Fans of the brand's original chocolate flavor will be happy to know the next generation of Magic Shell lovers are about to be treated to a sweet, out of this world new flavor: Unicorn.
Parking Lot Fights at Trader Joe's, Shelves Stripped Bare
The scene at Trader Joe's in Paramus was anything but tropical today. If you're one of the millions of North Jersey residents who shop the Bergen County area and rely on the usually-wonderful Trader Joe's of Paramus, you may have been suprised by today's chaotic parking lot scene, especially long outdoor lines, and bare shelves.
Do you want a baby boy or girl? These genetic factors could determine your offspring's gender
Having a son or a daughter isn't a game of chance, it seems. Thinking of having a baby, or are you already pregnant? It seems the gender game doesn't depend on chance or luck, after all. A research study of hundreds of years of family trees found that a man's genes play a role in his production of male or female-producing sperm, and that men inherit a tendency to have more sons or daughters from their own parents. The long and short of it? A man with many brothers is likely to produce many sons, while a man with many sisters is likely to have more daughters.
Are you doing this for your dog? Most people fail at this VERY important health habit
Have a dog or two at home? You need to read this. With dog ownership at an all-time high thanks to more than half of American households calling at least one pup their furry best friends, it's more important than ever to understand exactly how to keep the Fidos and Furballs of our hearts healthy and happy for years to come. Dr. Danielle Bernal, a veterinarian and experienced dog mom herself, breaks down one of the biggest issues plaguing canine health in every corner of the country.
Wild Peacocks Roaming the Hudson Valley? Residents Squawk with Excitement
Did you know semi-wild peafowl have been roaming Ulster County for years?. It's true, and for the thousands of new Ulster County, New York residents who now call the area home since the pandemic, it may seem stranger than fiction. Just about every local has been known to spot wild turkeys and the occasional pheasant, but peacocks? They're hardly native to the Hudson Valley region.
$20K for a pound of whale puke? People are getting rich off it.
Whale vomit is one of the world's most expensive substances, and it's more common than you think. If this sounds like a joke, it's not, and people are really getting rich from finding chunks of whale barf in the open ocean and occasionally washed ashore on ordinary beaches. The trick, it seems, is knowing what to look for.
'Stop feeding dogs dry kibble!' celeb vet's warning to dog owners
It turns out dry kibble for dogs could be doing more harm than good. If you're one of the 76 million American households with one or more dogs, there's a good chance you're feeding Fido dry kibble most of the time. The dry dog food industry is worth over $5 billion USD annually, so it's no that suprise dog food companies, retailers, and investors are doing their best to spin the narrative that dry kibble is a godsend for canine health and an absolute-essential for optimal health. In reality, anyone with a bit of logic can burrow to the bottom of the idea that dry dog food is a relatively new shelf-stable concept that hardly mirrors the evolution of domesticated dogs over the past several thousand years, if not more.
Lose weight with this no-exercise trick backed by research
Researchers found eating this easy hack could help you shed up to 16 pounds. If you're looking for yet another effortless weight-loss hack like this one that lets you shed pounds in your sleep, you're in luck, because research has identified possibly the easiest trick yet-- and it's free, effortless, and you can eat all the same foods.
Galentine's Day is more important than ever, some fun ideas to get in on the love
This one's for the girls. If you're not already familiar with Galentine's Day, the I-love-you-BFF celebrating holiday is, according to Urban Dictionary, celebrated on February 13, the day before Valentine's Day, and was designed with the sole purpose of cheering hip-hip-hooray for the lady friends in your life whether they're single, attached, or in complicated relationships. Basically it's a big "hey, you're the best friend evurrrrr" declaration holiday and a sort of polite middle finger snub to the conventional roses and chocolates everyone says we're to expect the very next day from a traditional Valentine. You can, of course, have both. The more love, the better-- which is why Galentine's Day is more important than ever.
Toss that charcoal toothpaste! Dentists list surprising worst oral offenders
Seemingly 'healthy' behaviors are actually nightmares for oral health. Here's a startling fact: Ninety-one percent of Americans over the age of 20 have had cavities at some point in their lives. What's even worse is the 27 percent of adults over 20 have untreated caries, according to a report by the American Dental Association. Sure, a great deal of those cavity-stricken patients may not have adequate access to quality dental care, but many dentists also believe common American lifestyle habits and foods may be fueling the fire.
NEVER say these things if you want your relationship to last, experts warn
Leading love experts weigh in with the words you should NEVER say if you want to keep your relationship strong. Despite coupling looking more attractive than ever thanks to social distance and the innate desire to form human bonds, the National Center for Health Statistics reports that marriage rates have hit an all-time low. The national marriage rate fell from 6.9 to 6.5 marriages per 1,000 people in the last studied year on record, following a long, slow decline since the 1980s. Given the lower-than-ever marriage rates and steady divorce rates, you may be wondering: what gives? People still want to find and maintain love, but it seems like toxic words could be making it harder than ever, and ruining the good relationships we have built.
Bryce Gruber
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Bryce Gruber covers women's lifestyle content and news ranging from shopping to travel, beauty to parenting, wellness and delicious eating. Find her at @brycegruber on social media, and across a variety of women's lifestyle and parenting topics at TheLuxurySpot.com, Readers' Digest, Bravo, Today's Parent, Chatelaine, FASHION Magazine and on your TV screen through national talk shows. She lives and works in New York's Hudson Valley with her five small children.
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