‘The Unholy Trinity': Better Than a B-film but Not by Much
Dating back to 1894, the Western is among the oldest of all movie genres. A mainstay through the 1950s, Westerns fell out of favor at the end of the Golden Age of Hollywood in the mid-1960s, but never completely disappeared. Thanks to the efforts of filmmakers like Sergio Leone, Clint Eastwood, Sam Peckinpah, Kevin Costner, Quentin Tarantino, and Taylor Sheridan, Westerns hold on, even if only by a thread.
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Time Magazine
a day ago
- Time Magazine
We Are Drinking So Much Matcha That Supplies Are Running Out
Matcha tea, a powdered Japanese green tea, has become a cultural phenomenon in the West, so much so that its popularity has resulted in a global supply problem. Western consumers have thirsted for the health option in recent years, a trend skyrocketed by social media—especially through Tik Tok. At the same time, Japan has experienced a mass tourism rise in the post-pandemic years—in 2024, Japan welcomed a record-breaking 36.9 million international visitors, surpassing the previous record of 31.9 million in 2019 — leading to many mass tea companies and local vendors to report shortages of supply. Back in October 2024, two well-known matcha companies—Ippodo and Marukyu Koyamaen—limited and/or stopped selling certain kinds of matcha, citing short supplies. 'Dear customers, We have been receiving an unexpected high volume of orders during the past few months. Taking production scale and capacity into consideration, we regrettably announce that availability for all Matcha products, regardless size and packaging type, will be limited from now on,' Marukyu Koyamaen's website still reads. Matcha comes from the same plant that many different teas come from— the camellia sinensis. The camella sinensis leaves can be made into green tea, oolong tea, and black tea. Though matcha originates from China, it has become closely associated and rooted in Japanese culture. Matcha is a type of green tea, but the processing, form and taste differs significantly, and is made specifically from tencha, a shaded green leaf tea. Matcha also only makes up a small amount of Japanese tea production—just 6%—according to the Global Japanese Tea Association. Yet, the demand has skyrocketed. And as a result, prices have also soared. According to Forbes, the matcha market is expected to hit about $5 billion by 2028, an expected growth of more than 10% since 2023. Further, the Japanese agriculture ministry has reported that the 2024 tencha output was over 2.5 times higher than 2014. The question is whether increased demand, small farmers trying to meet this demand, and a crop that is heavily dependent on weather patterns can keep up, even as the spring matcha harvest attempts to make up for the shortages of the past year. This year, though, the Kyoto region of Japan, which accounts for a large percentage of tencha harvest, was hit with a hot and dry harvest season, say farmers in the area. In 2025, Zach Mangan, founder of Kettl Tea, a Brooklyn-based company specializing in high-quality teas imported directly from farms in Japan, called this year's harvest a 'high-quality but lower-yielding harvest' in a blog post in May of this year—the kind of harvest that will boost demand and lower availability, potentially raising prices even further. Read More: The Surprising Reason Your Groceries Are More Expensive According to the Global Japanese Tea Association, the average price for tencha in late April reached 8,235 yen per kilogram, which is 1.7 times higher than last year's average. And according to producers, that can only be expected to continue. 'Over the past year, demand for matcha has grown beyond all expectations,' Ippodo updates customers on July 18. 'Unfortunately, supply constraints are likely to continue.'
a day ago
Ziad Rahbani, Lebanese composer and son of icon Fayrouz, dies at 69
BEIRUT -- Ziad Rahbani, a visionary Lebanese composer, playwright, pianist and political provocateur, died on Saturday, at the age of 69, according to the state-run National News Agency. The death was confirmed by a person close to Rahbani who spoke on condition of anonymity. The cause of death was not immediately clear. Born in 1956 in Antelias, near Beirut, Ziad was the eldest son of legendary Lebanese singer Fayrouz and late composer Assi Rahbani, one half of the famed Rahbani Brothers. From a young age, he showed signs of prodigious talent, composing his first musical work at just 17 years old. Raised among artistic royalty, his world was steeped in music, theater, and political consciousness — a combination that would define his life's work. His mother, considered to be the most famous and esteemed performer in the Arab world, performed some of his compositions at her sellout concerts, blending Lebanese folklore with Western syncopation and phrasing. Lebanese President Joseph Aoun mourned Rahbani's death as a national loss, describing him as 'not just an artist, but a complete intellectual and cultural phenomenon.' In a statement, Aoun praised Rahbani as 'a living conscience, a rebellious voice against injustice, and an honest mirror reflecting the suffering and marginalized.' He highlighted how Rahbani's fusion of classical, jazz and Oriental music 'opened new windows for Lebanese cultural expression' and elevated it to global levels. 'Ziad was a natural extension of the Rahbani family, which gave Lebanon much beauty and dignity,' the president added. While his parents helped construct a golden era of Lebanese musical theater steeped in idealism and nostalgia, Rahbani charged onto the scene with irreverent satire, unflinching political critique and jazz-inflected scores that mirrored the chaos and contradictions of a Lebanon at war with itself. 'I admire the music of composers like Charlie Parker, Stan Getz and Dizzy Gillespie,' he once said. 'But my music is not Western, it's Lebanese, with a different way of expression.' Rahbani's music reflected the hybrid heritage of Lebanon, which until the civil war erupted in 1975 was a cultural melting pot where East met West. But it was also deeply rooted in the traumatic events of the sectarian strife, the bloody street battles between rival militias and three years of violent Israeli occupation after the 1982 invasion. His breakout play, Nazl el-Sourour (Happiness Hotel), premiered in 1974 when he was only 17 and portrayed a society disfigured by class inequality and repression. The tragicomic narrative follows a group of workers who hijack a restaurant to demand their rights, only to be dismissed by the political elite. With this bold debut, Rahbani revealed his enduring theme: that Lebanese society was fractured not only by war but by entrenched power. A leftist Greek Orthodox, Rahbani also wrote plays and satirical radio shows centered on his violent environment that mock the sectarian divisions of his country. Rahbani's subsequent plays solidified his reputation as the voice of the disenchanted. In Bennesbeh Labokra Chou? (What About Tomorrow?), he plays a jaded bar pianist in post-civil war Beirut who drifts through a surreal landscape of broken dreams, corruption and absurdity. The work features some of Rahbani's most poignant music and biting commentary, including the famous line, 'They say tomorrow will be better, but what about today?' Prime Minister Nawaf Salam also mourned Rahbani's loss, describing him as 'an exceptional and creative artist—a free voice who remained true to the values of justice and dignity.' More than just a playwright, Rahbani was a composer of staggering range. He infused traditional Arabic melodies with jazz, funk and classical influences, creating a hybrid sound that became instantly recognizable. His live performances were legendary, whether playing piano in smoky clubs in Hamra, one of Beirut's major commercial districts that harbors a multifaceted identity, or orchestrating large-scale productions. His collaborations with Fayrouz, especially during the late 1970s and 1980s, ushered in a darker, more politically charged phase in her career. Songs like Ouverture 83, Bala Wala Chi (Without Anything), and Kifak Inta (How Are You) reflected Ziad's brooding compositions and lyrical introspection. Rahbani came under fire from Arab traditionalists for his pioneering efforts to bridge the gap between Arab and Western culture with music. In recent years, Ziad appeared less in the public eye, yet his influence never waned. Younger generations rediscovered his plays online and sampled his music in protest movements. He continued to compose and write, speaking often of his frustration with Lebanon's political stagnation and decaying public life. Rahbani is survived by his mother, Fayrouz, now 90, his sister Reema and brother Hali.
Elle
2 days ago
- Elle
Forget Leopard—Cow Print Is the Surprising Trend of Summer
Every item on this page was chosen by an ELLE editor. We may earn commission on some of the items you choose to buy. What is the bellweather for the latest summer trend, you ask? It's not about how many runways feature this design, nor about the virality of it on TikTok. Apparently, the way to know the Next Big Thing is to check if a Kardashian toddler has been spotted wearing it. And since True Thompson (Khloé Kardashian's daughter, for those not in the know) was recently seen donning the now-sold-out Prada Galleria Cow Print Bag, it solidifies what we should have already known: The era of leopard is over, and we have now entered into Cow Print Summer. We're no strangers to wearing animal prints. From snake to zebra, we've seen nearly every faux exotic in stores and on the runways. But in a post-Cowboy Carter world, where Bella Hadid is now a rodeo star and cowboy boots still reign supreme, it should come as no surprise that we've moved past big cats and arrived at bovine prints at last. From Holsteins to Guernseys, cowhide prints (or the real deal in hide form) have made their way to our shoes, bags, jeans, and belts. Whether you opt for a classic black-and-white print or something scattered with neutral browns and tans, the cow print trend is surprisingly simple to incorporate into your wardrobe. A standout bag or pair of sneakers paired with simple blue jeans is enough to do the trick, but you can also opt for a cow print dress if you want to beat the all hat, no cattle allegations. While Western wear is a quintessential summer vibe, cowhide—especially in coat and boot forms—is a trend we expect to spot well into the fall. So, you can officially say goodbye to shearling accessories and leopard spring skirts. Here, find some of our go-to moo-worthy picks if you want to explore the trend. Every product featured on is independently researched, tested, or editor-approved. We only recommend products that we stand behind, and the merchandise featured on our site is always driven by editorial and product testing standards, not by affiliate deals or advertising relationships. Any content created in partnership with advertisers is marked as such.
