Meet the Boston Celtics artist in residency!
The artist in question in none other than Monique Aimee, and tens of thousands of copies of her work have already been given out to the Boston faithful during the 2024-25 NBA season. From a passion for drawing on her iPad to having become the artist in residence for the winningest team in NBA history, it has been quite the journey for her.
The folks behind the "CBS Boston" YouTube channel put together a clip about her. Take a look at the clip embedded below to hear what they had to say about what it is she does, and how she got the gig.
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USA Today
20 minutes ago
- USA Today
ESPN: Contract extension between Kevin Durant, Rockets might not happen this offseason
ESPN's Tim MacMahon on the Rockets: 'By all appearances and by what I've heard, they're not going all-in on an extension for Kevin Durant.' As they navigate various luxury-tax and apron thresholds under the NBA's latest Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), the Houston Rockets are bracing for an expensive payroll in the 2027-28 season. That future season is particularly tricky for the Rockets, since it's likely to be the first year of a maximum-salaried contract extension for rising star Amen Thompson and potentially the final season of a two-year extension for aging superstar Kevin Durant. But that two-year extension, if it comes, might not be for as much money as many around the league had anticipated. From Friday's episode of ESPN's The Hoop Collective podcast, Tim MacMahon said: By all appearances and by what I've heard, they're not going all-in on an extension for Kevin Durant. That doesn't mean it won't happen. There have been rumblings of 'Hey, KD isn't going to push for the full max.' I don't know that the Rockets are going to put anything on the table that's close to the max. I think the Rockets... it's not ideal, but I don't think they would panic if they go into the season with Kevin Durant just on the expiring deal that he's on. Even if the Rockets didn't come to terms on a contract extension with Durant, they would still have Bird rights to retain the perennial All-Star entering 2026 free agency. It's worth noting, of course, that Durant is far from the only player that Houston is showing restraint with. The final two seasons of Dorian Finney-Smith's new contract with the Rockets, starting with that aforementioned 2027-28 campaign, are non-guaranteed. Newly signed extensions with Steven Adams and Jabari Smith Jr. will both decline in annual value between 2026-27 and 2027-28. Fred VanVleet signed a new contract this offseason for a maximum of two years, with the final year being 2026-27. It's possible that by 2027-28, Reed Sheppard could be ready to take the reins at point guard, full-time. So, there's nothing unique to Durant that is making the Rockets hesitant. They're simply being disciplined across the board as they prepare for a rising payroll in the years ahead. And in the second-apron landscape of the NBA, it could serve them well. In Friday's episode, ESPN's Tim Bontemps explained why: The Rockets have done an outstanding job of understanding the new economic environment that the league is in. Teams have to be much better about negotiating every dollar on deals. As we've seen over the past couple years, deeper teams are probably going to have more success with where the league is headed. You have to mind your Ps and Qs when it comes to these contracts, and not be giving out extra money on deals to where you wind up in the second apron sooner, and you have all these difficult financial questions. The Rockets have done a remarkable job of showing fiscal discipline and restraint all the way through. And I think if they can continue to do that, they're going to have a real advantage over the competition, because we've seen other teams not do that. And I think it's going to bite them later. The Rockets have also shown discipline in acquiring and retaining numerous first-round draft assets in future years, which could help them fill out subsequent rosters with young role players who are on relatively inexpensive, rookie-scale contracts. The good news for Houston is that by the 2028-29 season, which is when Durant will be 40 years old, the financial pressures should ease some. Historical patterns would suggest that he's likely to either retire or be on a downward career trajectory by that time, which would lead to the future Hall of Famer either coming off Houston's salary books entirely or playing at a much-reduced rate. And if Durant somehow defies the usual aging curve and still produces at an All-Star level at 40 years old (similar to LeBron James today with the Los Angeles Lakers), that's a good problem to have — and one the Rockets are happy to worry about in 2028, should it occur. For now, they're doing their financial planning based on more realistic scenarios. And that requires being disciplined across the board, even with Durant. More: With unique contract structures, Rockets working to mitigate 2027-28 financial crunch
New York Post
20 minutes ago
- New York Post
How Shams Charania's top ESPN job has impacted his personal life: ‘Had to walk out on dates'
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Skift
20 minutes ago
- Skift
Grocery Store Tourism Is One of Travel's Most Overlooked Cultural Experiences
Travelers are making a point to hit grocery stores abroad, where local snack hauls, often inspired by TikTok and YouTube, offer an authentic taste of place and culture. A bag of shrimp chips, a perfectly wrapped onigiri, a tin of Portuguese sardines. They're just snacks, but for many travelers, these small purchases are becoming cultural souvenirs in their own right. Grocery stores are emerging as unexpected windows into local culture and daily life. For travel marketers and brands, it's a trend worth watching: Videos of traveler snack hauls and local product discoveries shared on TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube are becoming powerful new forms of destination storytelling. In these videos, creators often take viewers inside grocery stores and local markets in cities like Tokyo, Seoul, Oaxaca, and Paris or showcase their purchases after returning home, spotlighting hyperlocal snacks, seasonal specialties, and quirky packaging. These videos regularly rack up millions of views, with followers asking for exact store locations, aisle recommendations, and shopping tips as part of their travel planning. The trend reflects a broader shift in traveler priorities — especially for younger travelers — toward deeper forms of cultural immersion. For hospitality and destination leaders, it's a cue to pay attention to the everyday food rituals, local ingredients, and retail spaces that shape how a place feels and tells its story. The Grocery Store as Cultural Theater Market hall in Guanajuato, Mexico. Marie Volkert / Reiseblog, Worldonabudget In Japan, konbini (Japanese convenience stores) like Lawson and FamilyMart are everyday essentials that also offer a glimpse into Japanese culture. Far from their American counterparts, Japanese 7-Elevens are known for their high-quality offerings, like freshly made egg salad sandwiches, premium bottled teas, and an array of seasonal sweets. Across all konbini, travelers can typically find products such as beautifully wrapped onigiri, sakura-flavored KitKats, and limited-edition desserts like mochi-filled daifuku or custard puddings shaped like anime characters. In Los Angeles, the upscale grocery chain Erewhon has become a destination. It's part wellness temple and part social scene, with smoothies like the $20 Hailey Bieber 'Strawberry Glaze Skin Smoothie' and snacks ranging from mushroom and cola-flavored adaptogenic sparkling water to activated charcoal lemonade. In Paris, Monoprix and La Grande Épicerie spotlight the city's refined approach to everyday indulgence. Travelers can find artfully packaged madeleines, truffle-infused potato chips, and entire aisles dedicated to regional cheeses, mustards, and aperitif-ready snacks that capture the flavor of French daily life. The appeal lies in the mix of the familiar and the surprising. Spotting a favorite global brand reimagined for a local audience or stumbling upon a hyper-local specialty not found on restaurant menus can be a small but delightful moment of cultural connection that turns an ordinary errand into a memorable experience. TikTok Made Them Buy It: Global Snack Culture Goes Viral TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram have turned niche snack discoveries into viral sensations with global reach. Short-form TikTok videos and Instagram Reels showcase quick, visually engaging snack hauls, while YouTube creators often dive deeper into storytelling around local flavors and food culture. Products like Korean banana milk, Thai Lay's in unusual flavors, and artisanal tinned fish from Lisbon often gain viral attention and are shared, reviewed, and sought out by travelers. This wave of snack-based storytelling has grown so large that it's influencing retail strategies and foot traffic of local markets and grocery stores worldwide. It's also reshaping traveler behavior, sometimes shifting purchases away from typical souvenirs toward thoughtfully chosen pantry staples that carry aesthetic appeal or cultural meaning. A display of popular snacks at a local shop in India. by Zoshua Colah, Unsplash Finding Authenticity in the Mundane Grocery stores and markets offer a more unfiltered snapshot of daily life that restaurants alone often can't provide. Prices hint at economic realities, packaging reveals design sensibilities, and seasonal items reflect what a region values at a given moment. In a travel landscape where cafes and dining concepts increasingly blur together, grocery stores offer a rare sense of authenticity. Writer Kyle Chayka, who described the phenomenon in his classic piece 'Welcome to Airspace,' said, 'Restaurants, hotels, and cafes have often become so overdetermined by algorithmic trends that anything more normal or outside the modes of trendiness feels more real. Cultural uniqueness might lie more in a very mundane space now than in a hyper-online, self-aware, designed space such as a restaurant. Dan Frommer, founder and editor of The New Consumer, agreed. 'Grocery stores generally cater to locals, and often to all income groups,' he said. 'They primarily sell products used in daily life, as opposed to gifts or souvenirs.' 'It's economical, fun, and a real window into how people really live in Rio, Tokyo, or Stockholm. And when every coffee shop starts to look the same, what's a more authentic cultural experience than that?' Skift founder and CEO Rafat Ali has also written about 'the flattening of food cultures,' describing how tourism shapes what gets cooked, served, and remembered. 'Generations grow up assuming that the distilled version served to tourists is the real thing,' he wrote. He argues that the best way to push back is by slowing down, digging deeper, and paying closer attention to everyday food rituals. grocery shopping in Paris, France. by Alana Harris, unsplash The Strategic Opportunity for Travel Brands With grocery stores and snack culture emerging as meaningful travel touchpoints, brands have a unique chance to weave local products throughout the traveler journey. Hotels can reimagine the minibar as a curated snack shelf, featuring quirky, regional products and ingredients. At the Andaz Maui at Wailea Resort, for example, guests can find local staples in their mini bar, like Maui Style chips, Cook Kwee's Maui cookies, Maui Brewing Company Island Root Beer, and Aloha Maid juice. Takeaway snack boxes with products chosen by local tastemakers can also become narrative tools that package a place through flavor. Meanwhile, tourism boards and destination marketers can partner with local grocers and markets to create itineraries that blend education, exploration, and edible souvenirs or highlight local products, snacks, and unique grocery stores or markets in their campaigns. For example, Korea Tourism Organization recently shared a TikTok video showing the top five must-try Korean snacks, including corn soup-flavored Kkobuk Chips, Kkotgerang (crab-shaped seafood crunch), and Nuneul Gamja potato sticks. They can also collaborate with content creators to produce snack-focused city guides or behind-the-scenes videos that showcase how regional favorites are sourced, made, or enjoyed. Digital content is helping transform these everyday moments into shared online experiences. Brands can tap into these conversations by sharing their own stories about local products, flavors, and food rituals through social media videos, influencer partnerships, and curated itineraries that connect them with a destination and inspire future travelers. Grocery store tourism may sound like another short-lived TikTok trend, but it taps into something essential: the desire to know a place through its everyday rituals. For today's travelers, culture lives not just in museums or must-visit restaurants, but also in the snack aisle, the checkout line, and the small choices that shape everyday life. Alison McCarthy is Content Director of SkiftX, Skift's in-house custom content agency. She writes about the cultural shifts reshaping how and why we travel.
