Sure, Japan didn’t invent skiing. But while Europe was polishing its legacy and America was making it accessible, Japan knew it was blessed with what matters most: powder. It’s known as “Japow,” that uniquely dry, impossibly light snow that forms when Siberian air masses hit the Sea of Japan. With the yen at historic lows … Read more
The Heart Eyes Killer Courtesy of Sony Valentine’s Day is fast approaching, and not long ago that meant romantic comedies and dramas dominating the box office. Since COVID and the streaming boom, however, straight-up romantic comedies (along with comedies in general, save for action blockbusters and kids animation) have become a rarity at the multiplex. … Read more
Casa Wabi Sabino, Fundación Casa Wabi’s not-for-profit exhibition space in Mexico City. Photo: Aldo Ayllon Since its opening two years ago, Casa Wabi’s Mexico City venue has become the definitive launchpad for Mexico City Art Week, drawing a crowd with its highly attended Monday morning art brunch. Founded by internationally renowned Mexican artist Bosco Sodi, … Read more
Clockwise from top left: Ke Huy Quan in Love Hurts; Sydney Park and Selina Ringel in You, Me & Her; Sofia Black-D’Elia in I Love You Forever; Violante Placido and Scott Foley in La Dolce Villa. Allen Fraser/Universal Pictures; Rafael Reynaga; Christine Ng; Courtesy of Netflix Valentine’s Day hasn’t always been a dumping ground for … Read more
Tech billionaires like Mark Zuckerberg, Jeff Bezos and Sundar Pichai attended Donald Trump’s inauguration on Jan. 20. Kenny Holston-Pool/Getty Images As U.S. companies continue to roll back diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) efforts, Big Tech players are scrubbing their annual company reports of commitments to workplace diversity. Recent filings from Meta (META), Amazon (AMZN) and … Read more
Cynthia Erivo. Getty Images for Critics Choice After a nearly month-long postponement, the Critics’ Choice Awards are finally here. The awards show, which honors the best in film and television, was originally slated for Sunday, Jan. 12, at the Barker Hangar at the Santa Monica Airport in California. Amid the devastating Los Angeles wildfires, however, … Read more
Harold Cohen (1928-2016), Untitled (i23-03758); Estimate: $10,000-15,000. CHRISTIE’S IMAGES LTD 2025 I felt a vague sense of disquietude when I received word from Christie’s that it would be hosting the first-ever artificial intelligence-dedicated sale at a major house. Just a little moment of unease. Frankly, it’s hard to shush those quiet biases that make a … Read more
Bountiful research supports the idea that art can be medicine. Observer Studio Art has long been used as an aesthetic aid in hospitals and healthcare facilities, and art therapy has existed since the mid-20th Century. But the practice of prescribing art and cultural activities by providers in clinical settings has spread in recent years under … Read more
Oil and gas companies are backing carbon pricing—not just for emissions reduction, but to create a predictable business environment. Observer Labs In November 2021, U.S. Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm asked the National Petroleum Council (NPC) to conduct a study on the at-scale deployment of low- and zero-carbon hydrogen energy in such economic sectors as power … Read more
The post-Covid high interest rate environment has changed how private equity firms pay their investors. Getty Images Dividend recapitalization, when a private company pays its investors a cash dividend with borrowed money, surged to a record high in 2024. According to PitchBook LCD data, private equity firms raised $30.2 billion in leveraged loans for dividend … Read more