Today marks the halfway point of winter, which is a more cheerful way of noting that January is behind is and rather than just running down the clock of our years, we are barreling towards longer days and for some of us, brighter climes.  Groundhog predictions aside, this week also brought us the super blue blood moon - Andy was up for his ride that morning as usual and I poked my head out onto the back deck with him to take in the sights since we had a good view of the astronomical display.  I put all my crystals out to charge despite my cynical lack of belief in moon magic or benevolent Universe vibrations under the "why not" system - the added bonus is that it drives Andy crazy and thus amuses me.  Crystals as plant holders below in case you like the look of them but don't need them to cure your mystical illnesses.  Celestial events aside, did everyone have a good week?  Are we all planning Iggles-themed Super Bowl extravaganzas?

Golden Milk!  Or turmeric tea, or whatever you might want to call it.  I bought a pre-blended mix a months ago that I really love mixed up with any type of warmed milk, but you can also check out this recipe and make it yourself at home if you don't feel like investing in fancy powders.  It's got all sorts of supposed magical properties but excluding those, it's also just delicious and a pretty color.

Have you heard about the Nutella riots in France? That's a real thing that happened.  Get it together, French people.  That stuff is sort of gross. And in today's breaking news, France is now considering banning food discounts.

We are hosting a small Super Bowl Party this year, despite my annual protestations, and there will be cheesesteak on hand but no clam chowder given this firmly Philadelphia household.  Three cheers for the myriad ways Philadelphia and Boston are expressing this rivalry, including matcha donuts and a ban on cream cheese.

I've been working on trying to reduce time wasted on the internet immediately upon waking up.  It's a battle I'm still losing, but when I can get a few internet and email free hours in the morning, life is so much better.  Loss of attention span is one of the main problems of our age, no?

When we were traveling to Japan two years ago, a seatmate warned me that I better not be carrying any mood stabilizers in my bags because any brain altering substance was banned in the country and I could be arrested on sight.  To wit, here as some tips on flying with any of your medications.  Really a good idea to just keep a copy of your prescription on hand any time you're getting on a plane.

Jessica Valenti on how reducing abuse isn't going to ruin romance because feeling threatened or coerced isn't actually romantic or sexy at all.  An immensely culturally complicated issue that I'm continually pleased to see being discussed.  For myself, I might note that women who persist in the belief that they can only be attracted to aggressive "alpha" males might also want to spend some time examining that.

The New York Times loves Los Angeles so much, and that totally makes sense because New Yorkers love Los Angeles so much.  Five Things to Do in LA from a recent travel section, which covers a couple of our mainstays (and favored brunch spot Birdie) over on Fig.

Brands like H&M and Zara have taken a lot of flack for being fast fashion, stealing ideas, and myriad other things.  Good news that these mall favorites are making entrees into sustainable fashion.

Hoops!  I love em.  I haven't worn them as much as I used to because my favorite pair broke, but if I need to feel empowered and authoritative, I pull out the hoops - the bigger the better.  Turns out this is a big load of cultural appropriation.  Better that we know these things, but I can't quit them, because they are straight up the most perfect earring design.  Check the below out from Nordstrom if you're in the market.

I've been rewatching "Gilmore Girls" (and I'm sure I've mentioned this a half dozen times already).  I'm just pushing into Season 6 and looking forward to getting through 7 and into the new episodes.  This "McKinsey Interview"  from The Hairpin cracked me up.  I am past the point of being amused by their all-junk-food-diet and utter lack of exercise.

I am the worst person about wanting to turn every hobby into a money making venture.  Here is Ann Friedman reminding us all why this is a bad idea.

The secret sexual history of the barre class!  I take these classes now and again in LA - notably and hilariously by the woman quoted at the end of the article as being the keeper of this "sex history."

Jenny Anderson for Medium on how one of the core problems in our gender relations can be summed up in the way we talk to teenage girls - as opposed to teenage boys - about issues around "sexting."  A nice illumination of way viewing sex as something to be attained versus withheld and pleasure meant purely for one gender.

And last but not least, this amazing but brief story on the female horseback librarians (read it again and delight with me!) who helped bring books to rural areas in 1930s.  Obviously marking this down for further research immediately.