I tried out the “TikTok” iPhone photo hack, which is a specific formula for making a photo taken in natural light look like it was taken during the “golden hour,” and I love the effect. The exact formula is: Exposure and brilliance to 100. Highlights to -32. Shadows to -26. Lower the contrast to -30. Brightness to -15. Black point to 10. Saturation to 10. Vibrance to 8. Warmth to 10. Push the tint up to 29. Up the sharpness to 14. Definition feature to 23. Finally, slide the exposure back down to 0.

"One of my absolute favorite headlines from The Onion reads "Mom Spends Beach Vacation Assuming All Household Duties In Closer Proximity To Ocean." I love it so much because that's me. I'm that Mom. And nothing makes me happier. As most of you know, my favorite way to vacation is to rent a beautiful house somewhere I love, surround myself with people I love, and spend the entire vacation pretty much never leaving the house. We buy too many groceries, we eat too much food, and we leave the oven at 350º for the majority of the trip so we're always ready for whatever the day brings." Everything about this article brought me joy.

That thing that made you weird as a kid could make you great as an adult — if you don’t lose it. // What you get by achieving your goals is not as important as what you become by achieving your goals. At your funeral people will not recall what you did; they will only remember how you made them feel. // Recipe for success: under-promise and over-deliver. // It’s not an apology if it comes with an excuse. It is not a compliment if it comes with a request. // Leave a gate behind you the way you first found it. ... plus 94 others. This is a great list!

The Rod of Iron Ministries has become more militant since leader Hyung Jin “Sean” Moon attended the riot at the U.S. Capitol on January 6. Terrifying.

A new book tells the stories of five Dallas neighborhoods shaped by highway construction and racist public policy.

Katie Sturino is the kind of influencer you follow because you wish she was your best friend — and it kind of feels like she could be. To her 580,000 followers on Instagram, she’s earned her stripes as the girl who sticks up to bullies, whether that bully is someone being rude on social media or a top fashion brand with a paltry size assortment. Grab your copy below! 

 

The wealthy and troubled Riva family traditionally hosts the annual end-of-summer party for the locals in Malibu, California. In the long, hot August of 1983, the Riva party is about to get particularly wild. This new book from Taylor Jenkins Reid (Daisy Jones & the Six) chronicles one crazy night in the life of a complicated family.

Winner of the 2019 Mystery & Thriller Goodreads Choice Award for The Silent Patient, Alex Michaelides is back with The Maidens, a tale of scandal and murder at the University of Cambridge. A series of mysterious killings appears to reference the Greek myth of Persephone in the Underworld. An obsessed former student hopes to crack the case. [Release date: June 15]

Two ex-cons team up to hunt down the killers of their two respective sons in this thriller. Complication #1: Ike is Black, Buddy Lee is white. Complication #2: Their sons were married, and both fathers never quite accepted this development. Revenge! Retribution! Redemption? [Release date: July 6]

A new report at Newsweek offers some details about Little St. James, the island in question, and they come from a man who pulled off the jaw-dropping task of trespassing on the island multiple times. Kate Fowler reported on the story of Andy Bracco, also known by the online alias “Place Hacker,” who shared his impressions of his pair of visits there.

Mikayla Nogueira’s candid reviews and makeup looks have garnered her over 5 million followers. I live for her and her voice!

These music makers have wildly different relationships with genre and cultural conventions. They don't look or sound alike or share the same aims or aspirations. That's the point.

It me. I'm Collin. Shockingly, I hate talking about myself but here are the CliffsNotes. 32, Texan turned cruise ship character turned Texan turned Chicagoan turned Texan. Event designer and planner. Interior designer and stylist. Corporate badass. Spotify playlist-makin' fiend. Partner and double dog dad. Cursed with an aggressive gluten intolerance but also a passion for bread and no f*cks to give. Why a newsletter? It gives me a creative outlet with a deadline and my therapist says these things are important. Plus, I love to read, shop, share, and most importantly spend time on the internet. I don't sleep.