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Travel is often thought of exclusive to the wealthy.But f*ck that noise. There are deals. There are hostels. Your adventures are never quite as expensive as they seem at first glance. If they really are that costly, stay closer to home and travel your state. Roadtrip. Hit a national park.

Washington, D.C.-based travel blogger Marissa Strang knows that anyone can create a life full of travel and exploration and she’s dedicated her career to educating people about how to make travel more accessible while holding down a nine-to-five job.

“I’m on a mission to empower others to make their travel dreams a reality,” she says. “No matter what you look like. No matter what your socioeconomic status. No matter your age. I’m a strong believer that anyone — yes, absolutely anyone — can and should revel in the joys of seeing the world.”

To that end, Strang shares insightful travel tips and resources with her followers, from one-of-a-kind city guides and destination inspiration to budget-friendly travel hacks for aspiring travelers. And her favorite U.S. destination is one of the country’s oldest cities, Boston — a hub for history, delicious grub, and sightseeing.

If you’re planning a trip to the Northeast, Boston needs to be on your itinerary. So we asked Strang to share her expert guide on where to eat, stay, drink, and play while you’re in Beantown.

WHY BOSTON?

One of the coolest things about Boston is that it’s steeped in history! America’s City of Firsts tells the story of the beginning of our country — with America’s oldest restaurant, first public market, first public park, first public school, first subway system, and more. Aside from being steeped in history, I love the layout of the city, and their seafood scene is insane!

What’s one thing that every first-time visitor should see or do in Boston?

Be sure to check out Little Italy! Walking into the North End feels like stepping right onto a movie set. The neighborhood is filled to the brim with authentic Italian ristorantes, pizzerias, and bakeries. One of the most hailed spots in the neighborhood is Mike’s Pastry, dubbed the “Home of the Cannoli.” Turns out I don’t like cannolis very much, but people who do like them rave about how good they are. Keep in mind they’re cash only!

For the best pizza in the North End, head over to Regina’s Pizzeria on Thatcher Street. They’re slinging up greasy, cheesy, tasty goodness that any pizza-lover would regret missing.

Best way to take in the history of the city?

The best way to experience the core history of Boston is by taking a walk through the past. The iconic Freedom Trail is a 2.5-mile walk, snaking its way through to 16 major sites relating to the city’s founding and the Revolutionary War. You know that little part of your brain from middle school history class that goes off when you hear “Boston Tea Party” and “Paul Revere”? These stories, and more, come alive on the Freedom Trail tours.

You’ll stop by America’s first public park, the site of the Boston Massacre, the Massachusetts State House, and more. I recommend taking a free tour with Free Tours By Foot (just make sure to tip your guide!). Alternatively, you can walk the trail on your own with the online brochure as your guide.

Where to get the best lobster roll and clam chowder?

If there’s one restaurant I’d proclaim a “must-eat” in Boston, it’s Union Oyster House. Having opened in 1826, the eatery has been serving up traditional New England seafood for over 160 years. It’s officially the oldest continually-operating restaurant in America and a National Historic Landmark. Perched upon cobblestone streets, the authenticity of the building is preserved with its classic brick façade and antique interior. You can slurp oysters at the famous semi-circle bar, sit at John F. Kennedy’s favorite booth, and stroll the two floors of artifacts and oddities that pepper the walls.

Don’t forget to try the creamy clam chowder (with a dash of Tabasco, of course) and the lobster rolls!

Three must-stop locations for a Boston bar crawl?

Saloon for beautiful speakeasy vibes, The Beehive for an artsy feel, and Earnest Drinks if you like boozy frozen cocktails!

Coolest hotel or place to stay in Boston?

Tucked away in the Seaport District neighborhood is the Aloft Boston Seaport District hotel. Known for its modern design, bright flashes of color, and tech-forward amenities, the hotel gives off a buzzy and colorful vibe. Upon walking into the hotel, you’re greeted by high ceilings, mural art, a grand industrial staircase, and polished concrete set in an open-concept lobby.

It was a really awesome stay with great customer service, and centrally located too!

A must-see museum in Boston?

Don’t forget to visit the site of the world’s largest art heist – seriously, there’s a Netflix documentary about it and everything! Every room at the Isabella Stewart Gardener Museum is a work of art, meticulously curated to delight the senses. Over a dozen rooms, passageways, and galleries are nothing short of spectacular. Not to mention, the heart and soul of the museum: a spectacular courtyard featuring ancient Roman sculptures and lush greenery.

Whether you’re an art aficionado or just like to look at pretty things, the Gardener Museum is a must-see stop!

Best time of year to visit?

Between June and October! If you want to avoid the biggest crowds, go right after the summer around August and September, when kids go back to school.

From the start of his career, Peter Dinklage has always challenged stereotypes about people with dwarfism. In his first screen appearance, in the 1995 indie comedy Living in Oblivion, he played an actor furiously railing against filmmakers who cast him in a lazy dream sequence. The award-winning actor can currently be seen in a revamped musical version of Cyrano de Bergerac. And he’s using his press tour to, among other things, point out that such laziness is still in full effect.

On his recent appearance on Marc Maron’s podcast WTF (as caught by Variety), Dinklage — who has no qualms about calling people out — tore into one of Disney’s next live-action remakes, namely the one for the company’s first feature-length film, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. It stars West Side Story‘s Rachel Zegler, which is a big get for Latinx representation. But so far they have yet to announce if they’re doing anything with the seven gentlemen who come to her aid.

“There’s a lot of hypocrisy going on,” Dinklage told Maron. “Literally no offense to anyone, but I was a little taken aback when they were very proud to cast a Latina actress as Snow White. But you’re still telling the story of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. Take a step back and look at what you’re doing there. It makes no sense to me.”

He went on:

“You’re progressive in one way but then you’re still making that f*cking backwards story about seven dwarfs living in a cave together, what the fuck are you doing, man? Have I done nothing to advance the cause from my soap box? I guess I’m not loud enough. I don’t know which studio that is but they were so proud of it. All love and respect to the actress and all the people who thought they were doing the right thing. But I’m just like, what are you doing?”

Again, Disney has yet to reveal more details about how extensively they’re reworking the movie that eight-and-a-half decades ago made the company bigger than all its animation house rivals. Dinklage said he’d love if they put some “f*cked-up, cool or progressive spin on it.” They may do the latter but Disney is probably not the company to do “cool,” let alone “f*cked up.”

(Via Variety)

Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson calls his company Seven Bucks Productions because that’s how much money he had in his pocket when he was cut from the Canadian Football League at the age of 23. It was at that moment he decided to pursue a career in professional wrestling, where he quickly became one of the most popular wrestlers in WWE history.

Then he became an actor and has been the star of some of the highest-grossing films of the past 20 years.

Johnson attributes his success to the incredible work ethic that his father taught him. As a wrestler, before every match he prayed for “the strength to leave it all in the ring—whether I was wrestling in flea markets or sold-out stadiums.”

That type of dedication and effort begins with a person’s attitude. Johnson recently shared a simple trick that he uses to reframe every situation into a positive experience. He replaces the phrase “I have to” with “I get to.”

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This type of reframing is used by people who practice positive psychology, so Johnson probably didn’t come up with it on his own. But it’s great that he can use his tremendous platform to share it with people who may be unfamiliar.

He shared this simple but powerful advice on his Instagram page.

See on Instagram

I’ll share a little philosophy with you guys that’s helped me achieve some success over the years.

When it comes to hard work and things I’m passionate about – years ago, I stopped saying “I have to” and started saying “I get to”.

Big psychological shift on how you approach the daily grind of shit we gotta get done

I “get to” train hard and push myself to the breaking point.

I “get to” get my ass kicked and come back stronger.

I “get to” be the hardest worker in the fucking room.

Because when you “get to” do the things you love – it’s a privilege.

Try switching “have to” to “get to” and start to feel that grind, gratitude & growth.

Johnson’s philosophy doesn’t just work for people who need the motivation to bench press 450 pounds. It can be used to change any situation into something you’re doing begrudgingly to an opportunity for growth. Focusing on the negative aspects of a situation prevents us from seeing opportunities or simply enjoying the moment.

For example, I “have to” write a paper for class can be easily reframed as I “get to” work to improve my writing skills and learn about something new. You could “have to” go to the DMV or you could “get to” spend 45 minutes reading a book while you wait.

Gillian Behnke, founder and CEO of Mom Camp, does a great job explaining the concept for parents on Thrive Global.

“One simple change of a word can help to reframe it and remind you that there is potential benefit in every situation,” she writes. “What might feel like an inconvenient favour at first might actually bring another person joy, and as a result, bring you joy in the process. I get to help someone who needs me.”

This change in perspective is also a way to practice gratitude. Studies show that gratitude opens the door to new relationships, improves psychological health and improves our self-esteem.

So next time you have to do something you dread, take a minute to find a way to reframe it as an opportunity for fun, growth or an opportunity to challenge yourself.

Back in November, fans of the Mighty Ducks franchise received some bad news: Emilio Estevez, who starred in the original 1993 movie and who had returned for the Disney+ TV revival, would not be coming back. At first it was reported that it the reason involved the show’s vaccine mandates. Estevez later denied that, saying it was a “good old fashioned contract dispute” and saying he was not “anti-vaxx.” But he’s still out and the show has only now found the show’s replacement male lead.

As per The Hollywood Reporter, Josh Duhamel — handsome dude, Transformers franchise alum, and star of the undeservedly jettisoned Jupiter’s Legacy — is going to fill the void left by Estevez’s untimely departure. He’ll play Gavin Cole, a former NHL pro who now runs the “super-intense” summer hocky institute where the Ducks wind up in season two. But he’s no drill sergeant. As per THR, Cole is a combination of “inspirational, charming and hardcore.”

When his departure from the show was announced, Estevez revealed that he tested positive for COVID in the early days of the pandemic and that he spent the remainder of 2020 suffering from long COVID symptoms. Despite this, he still semi-reluctantly reported to work on the show that fall. Estevez was vague about what exactly caused him to drop out of the show’s second season, and though he repeatedly claimed he wasn’t against vaccinations, he did cryptically declare he was “anti-bully.”

The first seasons of The Mighty Ducks: Game Changers, with Estevez, streams on Disney+.

(Via THR)

Cardi B won her libel case against YouTube blogger Tasha K today, according to TMZ. Tasha — also known as Latasha Kebe — was found liable on three claims of libel and ordered to pay at least $1 million to Cardi B for alleging Cardi had been a prostitute and a drug addict and had contracted an STI. Cardi sued Tasha in 2019 after the vlogger refused to delete the videos in which she made the claims. Tasha countersued, but her own case was struck down, and after a week-long trial in which Cardi claimed Tasha’s comments made her suicidal, Cardi emerged triumphantly.

With her libel case out of the way, Cardi might just be able to turn her attention to the impending release of her highly anticipated sophomore album, which she said is coming sometime this year. Earlier this month, she showed off the studio where she’s supposedly recording the new album, joking that it was “ghetto.”

Meanwhile, her own experiences probably informed her recent defense of other stars from internet bullying. Last year, she defended both Lizzo and Lil Kim from online trolls, and earlier this year, she spent some time trying to refute claims from fellow rapper Cuban Doll, who accused her husband Offset of infidelity (again).

And just like that, Damon Albarn has sincerely and, uh, swiftly, apologized to Taylor Swift for some pretty thoughtless comments about her songwriting. In an interview with The Los Angeles Times, Damon put his foot in his mouth by implying Taylor doesn’t write her own songs, mostly by bringing up her practice of collaborating with others. Yet, he spent the bulk of his next answer praising Billie Eilish for her songwriting, all the while noting that she almost constantly collaborates with her brother Finneas?

Swift can and did defend herself vehemently, and one of her most frequent collaborators, Jack Antonoff, also got into the mix, calling Albarn a “herb” and encouraging him to “maybe… shut the f*ck up?”

He was echoing the feelings of plenty of Swifties at that point, but only a few minutes later, Albarn himself responded, apologizing with a bit of hedging that he wa trying to have “a conversation about songwriting” and claiming his point was “reduced to clickbait.”

“I totally agree with you,” he began. “I had a conversation about songwriting and sadly it was reduced to clickbait. I apologise unreservedly and unconditionally. The last thing I would want to do is discredit your songwriting. I hope you understand. – Damon.”

The Los Angeles Lakers have had a rough past month as they’ve floundered around at or below .500 for most of January, unable to string together wins to climb the standings in the West.

LeBron James is carrying an immense load for L.A., putting forth some of the most gaudy offensive numbers of his career, but without much help around him, the Lakers star has not been able to do anything but keep the team treading water. There is some good news on the horizon for James and the Lakers, as Tuesday night they’ll likely be getting reinforcements in a big way, as Anthony Davis was upgraded to “probable” on their Monday evening injury report ahead of their visit to Brooklyn to face the Nets.

Davis has missed a little more than a month after spraining his MCL in December, and while it remains to be seen what level he’ll be at immediately upon return and how many minutes the Lakers will be willing to play him initially, his return is the first bit of positive news in some time for the Lakers. The team has been dealt some ugly losses in recent weeks, which have turned up the heat under head coach Frank Vogel and led to some eyebrow raising rotation choices, most notably the benching of Russell Westbrook down the stretch of a loss to the Pacers.

With Davis back, they can start trying to piece together some wins again, with the expectation of more moves to come in the next few weeks before the trade deadline.

Mateo Manousakis is not your average soccer fan. From the time he was 4 or 5 years old and attending practices with Vasili Manousakis, his father who coaches in South Africa’s Premier Soccer League, Mateo’s passion for the game was apparent. But Vasili had no idea what a sensation his son would become.

Young Mateo has spent the past several years leading the Cape Town City Football Club in pregame chants and dances, and videos of him have gone viral. Few kids would have the gumption to serve as the front man for a professional sports team coming down the tunnel, and few teams would consider an 8- or 9-year-old such a part of the team that they happily follow his lead. But that’s just what happened with Mateo at Cape Town City F.C.

“I didn’t expect it at all,” Vasili, who served as assistant coach for the team, told IOL in 2018. “I think, here at City, it’s just the amazing team spirit that took him in; he has the love and respect from the players, he can feel it, it’s real, and they always want to see him.”

Watch this video of Mateo leading the team down the tunnel to the Awuleth’ Umshini Wami chant, a Zulu language “struggle song” that was popularized during the anti-apartheid movement, to see why:

So much confidence and composure in such a little guy. It’s like he was born to be a coach.

Over the years, Mateo has developed a relationship with the team’s players and has also become a bit of a celebrity among Cape Town City fans. Videos of him leading the team in such pregame rituals have been widely shared and enjoyed on social media.

#MondayMotivation goes to Mateo Manousakis for battling it out with Thuso Phala! nnThereu2019s no limit to this boyu2019s energy!n#iamCityFCpic.twitter.com/YTyb0X3rMg

— Cape Town City FC (@Cape Town City FC)
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It was recently announced that Vasili Manousakis is leaving Cape Town City for another team, so the future of Mateo’s relationship with the team is a bit up in the air. But even if he isn’t able to continue leading the team in their pregame rituals and dance with them on the sidelines, he has created some awesome memories for everyone involved.

And he’s created some uplifting entertainment for us all to enjoy. Well done, Mateo, and good luck wherever you land.

Welcome to Euphoria Style Watch, your number one destination for where to buy the latest episode’s best outfits. Last night’s episode “Ruminations: Big and Little Bullys,” is probably the funniest the show has ever been. Between Rue’s high-as-fuck Sinatra-backed morning routine to Cal’s run-in with Fez to that Oklahoma bathroom scene and that damn backpack — episode three brought us more laughs than it did drama, maybe for the first time in the history of the show.

Also, shout out to this scene.

That scene’s existence alone makes up for the weird decision to start the episode with a lengthy backstory for a character absolutely nobody likes. A character who is an actual criminal we might remind you, and not in the cool Fezco/Ashtray way.

Anyway, that’s getting too deep into the plot and that’s not what we do here. We’re all about the outfits, and last night’s episode had a lot of good ones. Let’s dive into the five best!

Jules —Charlotte Knowles Yellow Halcyon Long Sleeve

Jules has been treating the new guy, Elliot, with the same level of suspicion as we the audience ever since he first arrived on the show, but she definitely let her guard down last night and it turns out the two characters have some pretty strong chemistry. We’re sure this is going to create all sorts of problems between Jules, Rue, and Elliot as the season progresses and we’re even more sure that out of the three, Jules will remain the best dressed.

Last night she had a lot of great looks but the stand-out was definitely this sheer long sleeve from Charlotte Knowles’ SS20 collection which Jules paired with black knee-high boots. Who amongst us hasn’t dressed up this much to sit in a dusty attic while Dominic Fike plays guitar? The shirt features contrast stitching, an all-over floral print, and a mock neck.

Find the Charlotte Knowles Yellow Halcyon Long Sleeve-t-shirt here.

Elliot — Fruit of The Loom x Vintage 1995 Rodeo Attitude ‘Thought You Could Ride’

Speaking of Elliot, does this dude ever not wear a faded graphic t-shirt with red-squiggly writing on it? Seriously, Elliot has one look, and you can probably find an equivalent at any thrift store in your area. We have to admit though, there is a certain allure about Elliot. Maybe it’s because we don’t know anything about him, or maybe it’s that damn Apple logo face tattoo he’s rocking, whatever it is, it’s working for him.

Elliot’s seemingly random t-shirt is actually part of a vintage collection from Fruit of the Loom known as “Rodeo Attitude.” The actual shirt is a little tough to find (like Rue, Elliot rocks actual vintage ‘90s pieces) but a few exist on aftermarket sites like Grailed and Ebay. If getting your hands on the exact piece is too tough, just wait it out or grab one of the other readily available Rodeo Attitude shirts.

Find the Fruit of The Loom 1995 Rodeo Attitude ‘Thought You Could Ride’ t-shirt here.

Rue — Hoodie/Sweats Combo/Oversized T-Shirt

While most of us look at Rue and see… a mess, in her head she’s listening to Frank Sinatra and dashing through life like Fred Astaire in his prime and if that doesn’t make you love her character, I don’t know what will. For once, Sunday night saw Rue rocking actual attainable clothes, not expensive and super rare vintage pieces that are impossible to find.

The hoodie is a simple Hanes full-zip fleece, which could be found just about anywhere, and the pants are by Online Ceramics and feature Haunted Wagon graphics over the left leg. Rue also wore a pretty dope Oversized Varsity sweater by New York-based label Danielle Guizio during Lexi’s fantasy documentary.

Find the Hanes hoodie here, and the Online Ceramics sweats at aftermarket sites here and here. Find the Oversized Varsity Sweater here.

Maddy & Cassie — Sunglasses and Swimwear

Maddy will forever deserve a permanent place in this weekly series as she is Euphoria’s reigning fashion queen, but we have to spread the love a bit this week and include Cassie in there too who tried her hardest to conjure up some of that Maddy magic. Still, I think we can all agree though that Cassie is at her best when she’s not trying to be Maddy (unless you’re Nate) and this pool scene really captures each character’s unique style. I’d like to point out once again that the most preposterous thing about this show is how much time Maddy spends in the pool even though by the show’s timeline we’ve just entered a new year.

Maddy is wearing vintage steampunk-inspired Jean Paul Gaultier sunglasses with a Demi One Piece by Miaou and Cassie is wearing rose-tinted rimless rectangle frames by Laspor with a Kenzie Top by 347.

Buy the Jean Paul Gualtier sunglasses here, the Laspor frames and here, the Miaou one-piece here and the 347 bikini here.

Fez — Ralph Lauren Rugby

This one is a tough one to source and unfortunately, we’re going to have to admit defeat. While we can’t find this actual shirt, we know for certain that this is a Ralph Lauren zip-up lion logo rugby shirt, but can’t find the actual shirt with the “Polo 1967” branding above the left breast. But… come on, Ralph Lauren rugby shirts are a dime a dozen, there isn’t anything particularly great about this one and you’re likely to find one that better fits your own personal style by not trying to cop this exact colorway.

I promise this isn’t keeping me up at night, I’m a normal person who doesn’t obsess over a fictional character’s hard-to-find shirt.

If you’re curious as to what Fez was rocking, now you know! Shop vintage Ralph Lauren rugby shirts here.

Well, it was just an ordinary Monday afternoon and then Damon Albarn (Gorillaz, Blur etc.) had to go there. In a new interview with The Los Angeles Times, Albarn proved his ignorance of Taylor Swift’s vast catalogue by claiming she doesn’t write her own songs. Now, if there’s one thing Taylor is famous for, it’s basically…. writing her own songs, so she immediately sprang to her own defense over what has been a sore subject.

Yes, the myth that pop stars are artificial and not involved in their own process is still persisting, especially in the minds of older generations, who tout a certain rockism over poptimism. Luckily, it isn’t just Taylor who knows about her capabilities, but all the people who have had the pleasure to work with her along the way. One such artist is none other than Jack Antonoff, Bleachers frontman and frequent producer and collaborator of Swiftian anthems. And yes, he’s just as pissed as Taylor was about the debacle of Damon’s accusation.

“I’ve never met Damon Albarn and he’s never been to my studio but apparently he knows more than the rest of us about all those songs Taylor writes and brings in,” he began, with a definitive “Herb” to finish it off. Then he added: “If you were there … cool … go off. if not … maybe …. shut the f*ck up?”

Considering just how many artists have praised their great experience working with Taylor on songs, odds are this is just the beginning of voices chiming in with support for her. But of course, Jack got there first — that’s what good friends do.