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What's in Our Queue? ‘Paradise' and More

What's in Our Queue? ‘Paradise' and More

New York Times23-04-2025
I'm a housing reporter, covering New York City's affordability crisis. I tend to be unpredictable with my choices around TV, books or music, but I'm often looking for something that feels meaningful.
Here are five things I've recently enjoyed →
I am a fan of Sterling K. Brown and James Marsden, and they're both great in this gripping show. I went in cold and think that knowing nothing about it made each episode that much more shocking and enjoyable. Just know there's murder and post-apocalypse vibes (and maybe a little nerd-ing out over housing).
I am a sucker for coming-of-age movies. This one, about a Taiwanese American teenager growing up in the 2000s in Fremont, Calif., felt so similar to my own story: I grew up just a few miles away, a child of Indian immigrants. I particularly enjoyed all of the scenes involving AOL Instant Messenger.
Every day, this account streams from a water tank in the Chiricahua Mountains in southern Arizona, capturing all the critters that stop by for sips. I love not knowing what will pop up. I've spotted many Pyrrhuloxias, roadrunners and javelinas. On one morning, it was a thirsty great horned owl.
I initially avoided this movie because I'm not a cat person. My mistake. This story of how this cat and all its animal friends navigate a massive flood is well-paced, thought-provoking and visually beautiful. The lack of dialogue feels grounding. Stay for the capybara's heroics.
I read a lot about neuroscience, mindfulness and behavior because I want to better understand how readers process and act on what we, as journalists, produce. This podcast ties many of these concepts together, and suggests many of us need to rethink what we know about addiction, willpower and resilience.
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Rabbits With Tentacles, And 17 Other Freaky Animal Pics
Rabbits With Tentacles, And 17 Other Freaky Animal Pics

Buzz Feed

timea day ago

  • Buzz Feed

Rabbits With Tentacles, And 17 Other Freaky Animal Pics

You know when you see a photo so strange, it makes you cringe all over, but yet you simultaneously can't look away? Well, that's exactly how I feel when I see photos of weird animal mutations, or especially strange animal species. They just feel uncanny, And because everyone's been talking about the rabbits with tentacles lately — more on that in a sec — I figured, hey, may as well compile a whole post full of freaky animal photos. If you're in need of a distraction, I'm your gal today, because these photos are so shocking, they'll definitely take your mind away from everything else. So here we go! Prepare to be a bit disturbed. Here is the "Frankenstein rabbit," or rabbit with tentacles, as spotted in Colorado. The reason for the mutation is they're infected with the "mostly harmless" Shope papillomavirus. Here is a walking fish from Mexico. They're actually aquatic salamander, not fish, and their technical name is "axolotl." Here is a leafy seadragon, found on the coasts of Australia. They belong to the same family as the seahorse, but they're experts at camouflage, unlike seahorses. Here is a star-nosed mole. They're semi-aquatic, so they're part-land, part-water animals, and they're found in parts of North America. People have called their nose "the nose that sees" because of how powerful it is. Here is a close-up of a two-headed snake. This one is really rare, and it's the cause of a birth defect, when an embryo doesn't totally split. If we ever get Rep TV, can this be on the cover, please?! Here is a blue dragon sea slug, also called a blue glaucus or glaucus atlanticus. They live throughout the Atlantic, Indian, and Pacific Oceans, and float on their backs. Most interestingly, though, they look almost iridescent. Here is a skinny pig; it's like a guinea pig, but with almost no hair. These guys exist due to a genetic mutation, and they've only been around for less than 50 years. Here is a glass frog from Columbia and Central America. They're also called transluscent frogs, because you can see their internal organs through their skin. Here is a long-horned orb-weaver spider. Yes, that's a real name, but it's also called the macracantha. Either way, it's pretty freakin' terrifying. Here is a — get ready for this one — warty frogfish. Yes, look at that skin! These ones are found in the Indo-Pacific region. Here is a close-up of a fennec fox. They're nocturnal animals from North Africa, and they use their unusually large ears to combat the heat. Here is a Chinese mitten crab, or Shanghai hairy crab, named for its hairy claws. They're native to the Yellow Sea, but it's also the "only freshwater crab found in North America." Here is a raccoon dog from eastern Asia. Believe it or not, these are technically part of the dog family, and they're mostly nocturnal. Here is a frizzled hen, most often characterized by its wild hair. People think they originated in Asia, along with the frizzled chickens. Here is a four-eyed fish; it's technically called an anablep. Their eyes are essentially split in half, so they can see above and below the surface of the water at once. Why? To hunt prey, of course. Here is a sea cucumber — a real animal, if you can believe it. They're essentially found all over the world, and are frequently compared to starfish and sea urchins. Here is a gulper eel, slash pelican eel. It's not often spotted by humans, hence why this photo is a digital illustration. But the scariest thing about them is their mouth, which can swallow MASSIVE prey — like, way bigger than their size. Wasn't that fun? Now, animal lovers, tell me: What's a rare animal species or mutation that's honestly kinda terrifying to look at? Tell me in the comments below, or in this anonymous form! And for more interesting animal posts, follow BuzzFeed Canada on Instagram and TikTok!

Here's What to Order at San Jose's Late-Night New Indian Pizza Player
Here's What to Order at San Jose's Late-Night New Indian Pizza Player

Eater

time2 days ago

  • Eater

Here's What to Order at San Jose's Late-Night New Indian Pizza Player

is a writer and recipe developer living in San Jose, California. His work has appeared in KQED, Serious Eats, Food & Wine, Metro Silicon Valley, The Kitchn and more. A pickup window in Downtown San Jose is slinging Indian-inspired pizzas topped with samosas, vegetable manchurian, and palak paneer. There's also saucy tikka masala wings and masala fries loaded with cheese and green peppers. The window sits directly on the sidewalk and catches the eye with a large menu and striped awning. Downtown San Jose isn't known for its late-night dining scene. Most open signs flicker off by 10 p.m. But Mazala Pizza, which opened in late 2024, is open until 3 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays making it an ideal spot for an early breakfast after a night out. In May 2019, Jay Patel opened a modern Indian restaurant in Chicago called Moti Cafe. A year later, the pandemic hit — he transitioned to a takeout-centered concept named Mazala Pizza to stay afloat. The name blends the Hindi words maza (fun) and masala (spices). The menu was built around Indian flavors combined with dishes that lend themselves well to pick up or delivery like pizzas, tacos, and burritos. The venture was a success and Mazala Pizza has since expanded to several locations in Illinois and one in New Jersey. Octavio Peña The San Jose pickup window opened in November 2024. This marks the young company's first location on the West Coast, bearing a slightly different menu from their previous location Their California location removes tacos and burritos in favor of sandwiches and wings. It's connected to San Jose's downtown food hall which is a hybrid between a ghost kitchen and an actual mall food court. There isn't much of an ambience, but there are tables for enjoying your meal. Thankfully, you're a short stroll away from San Jose State University where you can plop down for a picnic on the lawn in front of Tower Hall. Keep in mind that the dining room closes at 9 p.m., so if you're stopping by for a late night slice you will need to find somewhere else to take your feast. Here's what to order. Indian-inspired pizzas Mazala Pizza isn't the first to make pizzas infused with Indian flavors, but they bring a distinctive approach that draws inspiration from multiple facets of Indian cuisine. Many of the flavor combinations are inspired by chaat, Indian street food. Others are creative riffs that play with elements of fusion in a smart, flavorful way. The palak paneer pizza, for example, is made with a spinach-based sauce that has that same leafy green flavor you would get in a pesto pizza. A highlight is the samosa smash pizza stacked with crushed samosas and sev (crunchy noodles) on a bed of cheese and tikka masala. It's drizzled with mint and tamarind chutneys which add contrast in the form of freshness and tanginess. Another notable option is the masala elote pizza speckled with charred corn kernels heavily seasoned with masala. The pizzas are served in personal naan size or as a 12-inch thin crust or pan crust. At $22, a 12-inch samosa smash pizza is the smartest order. Sandwiches and wings The Tikka masala chicken at Mazala Pizza. Octavio Peña Keeping up with pizza shop tradition, Mazala Pizza offers a selection of wings to gnaw on between slices. The sauces the wings are tossed in are the same used in the pizza — that includes a spicy firecracker sauce and tikka masala sauce. If you prefer to keep your fingers sauceless, you can get fried chicken in sandwich form. The vegetarian options aren't an afterthought here. There's a sandwich made with a slab of paneer coated in panko and deep-fried. Both variations feature pickled onions and a medley of chutneys. Momos Mazala Pizza also offers momos stuffed with vegetables, chicken, or paneer. They're available either fried or steamed. You can get them topped with any of Mazala Pizza's signature sauces plus a sprinkle of green pepper, onions, and sev. The fried version provides a better textural experience as the crisp exterior provides contrast to the sauce. A solid option are the moti momos coated in a zesty mayo-based sauce. Mazala Pizza (82 East Santa Clara Street, San Jose) is open from 11 a.m. to midnight, Sunday through Thursday, and from 11 a.m. to 3 a.m., Friday and Saturday. Eater SF All your essential food and restaurant intel delivered to you Email (required) Sign Up By submitting your email, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Notice . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

From the scarf dress trend to kolhapuri sandals, Western fashion has to stop rebranding South Asian culture
From the scarf dress trend to kolhapuri sandals, Western fashion has to stop rebranding South Asian culture

Cosmopolitan

time2 days ago

  • Cosmopolitan

From the scarf dress trend to kolhapuri sandals, Western fashion has to stop rebranding South Asian culture

Last year, as many people will remember, LA-based brand Reformation released flowy silk dresses and co-ords in a range of colours, with the addition of thin, matching scarves. The brand then repeated the designs within its collection in collaboration with American influencer Devon Lee Carlson. This look, which sees the scarf draped at the neck, was labelled as by many online as "Scandinavian" or "European". But this drew quick criticism from the South Asian community, who condemned the repackaging of a trademark South Asian outfit to a Western ensemble. The scarf in question resembles a dupatta, a long piece of fabric traditionally worn by women throughout South Asia, sometimes draped over their shoulders and across their necks, or used to cover their heads. Reformation's version of this outfit was the catalyst in an ongoing debate surrounding South Asian fashion inspiration in the Western marketplace. In the past year, I've seen designer labels and high-street brands alike mirroring the aesthetics of South Asia in their garments. E-tailer Oh Polly followed in Reformation's footsteps with a scarf look of its own, as did high-street fave Mango (one South Asian creator on TikTok ironically deems this the 'dupatta apocalypse'). Luxury brands have used South Asian templates for recent collections, too, cementing this 'trend' of cross-cultural style. Take Pharrell Williams' Louis Vuitton's Spring/Summer 2026 menswear show, where the designer paid clear homage to India in everything starting from the theme, which was inspired by Wes Anderson's The Darjeeling Limited. India seeped into the textiles, the runway's set design, and even the music, featuring a track co-produced by iconic Indian composer AR Rahman. Around the same time came Prada's leather sandals, which models sported down the runway during the label's SS26 men's show. But these sandals looked exactly the way Kolhapuri chappals, worn by millions of Indians, do, causing an outcry from India and leading Prada to apologise and acknowledge the sandals are "inspired by traditional Indian footwear made in specific districts in Maharashtra and Karnataka, India." While Pharrell laid out the blueprint for his collection (although the guestlist and show's casting were perhaps not as representative of his inspirations as they could have been), people pointed out that Miuccia Prada and Raf Simons, co-creative directors of the brand, failed to do the same. All of this is to say that South Asian culture is having a real moment within the global fashion scene. But the larger issue? That credit, context and even collaboration aren't being considered. Across social media, some have deemed this appropriation. Others accuse these brands of cultural erasure. The aesthetic resemblance between these items and outfits, created by Western brands, is uncanny, as South Asians are pointing out. And while many say this is a testament to the rich history of aesthetics from the subcontinent, it is also the time for recognition to be given. When South Asian-inspired clothes are now being called "trendy" and even referred to as "European" because of the majority of people wearing them, both the original context and culture are being dismissed. South Asia itself is vast and nuanced, with an array of countries, religions, traditions, handicrafts, and ways of living. This is often forgotten, both by the West and by the fashion industry. While workers in South Asia face gruelling conditions labouring for Western brands, these brands, in turn, fail to recognise or credit the influence of their subcontinent in their aesthetics. These controversies are illustrating the need not only for acknowledgement, but for an uprising. For one thing, Western designers who 'borrow' or catch inspiration from aesthetics across the Indian subcontinent should explicitly say so. For another, and perhaps most importantly, Western designers have the opportunity to collaborate with or directly hire South Asian designers. The Indian fashion industry, for example, is flourishing in size and reach, as I wrote about last year. The world is increasingly seeing the wealth of talent and options coming straight from the country itself. That makes this viral discourse all the more hard to digest. As fashion industries in South Asia skyrocket, it seems like the right time to turn our heads and appreciate all that these designers offer, from authenticity to craftsmanship to art bound by history. So the next time a 'Scandi scarf' catches the collective attention of TikTok, we should be quicker to identify and nod towards the roots of these designs. The West should be doing that themselves without a reminder. I don't believe that creating South Asian-inspired fashion is exactly the problem, and neither is wearing South Asian-inspired clothing designs. Erasing the political and complicated history of borrowing cultural aesthetics – and sanitising them in the process – is.

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