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The Herald Scotland
07-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Herald Scotland
I went to the Empire State Building and found out about her Big Ben relationship
If you're anything like me, then every movie scene, TV clip (hello, Sex and the City ) or song you've heard that shouts out 'New York' plays all at once when you're standing at the top of the 1,250ft tall structure. The grandeur of the skyline is unbeatable – and in my excitement, I grab my phone and Instagram the moment as Ol' Blue Eyes Frank Sinatra would say, I feel I've made a brand-new start of it in New York, New York. You see, there's something about having a head for heights in the city that never sleeps. @uktoday_ New York, New York! What's a tour of the Empire State Building like? #empirestatebuilding #newyork #traveltiktok #usa🇺🇸 ♬ original sound - UKToday 🇬🇧 Newsquest Surrounded by skyscrapers, our guide says you can see up to 80 miles – including parts of six states – on a clear day such as today. Looking out on the vast panorama of the city, I start to make out other iconic landmarks such as the Statue of Liberty and Central Park. But the Empire State Building is more than iconic – she is an icon in herself. Yes, that's right, the landmark's pronouns are she/her and – wait for it – I'm told she's been in a relationship with Big Ben. Confused? Well, I learned that it's a part of cleverly crafted content for the Empire State Building's TikTok account, which is run by talented Gen Z-ers. Last year, they caused a storm online by posting satire clips of both landmarks in an on-and-off relationship. Not only has this opened the door to some big brand attention in the comments, but it's also helped younger generations get to know more about the building and its history. When the Empire State Building was completed in 1931, it was the tallest skyscraper in the world, and William F. Lamb designed the building in just two weeks. It took one year to build and provided jobs for some 3,400 workers at the time of the Great Depression. Upon entering the building, you're greeted by a lavish Art Deco interior, and a sense of overwhelming pride comes across my friend, who is a true New Yorker and is accompanying me on the tour. (Image: NQ) Like the building itself, the attention is in the detail, from the employees striking colour-coordinated uniforms to an interactive statue of King Kong's hand that you can stand in the clutches of for a picture. Walking through different sections of the tour on ground level, I start to piece together what a feat of engineering this truly is and a labour of love for all those involved. In one section, there are panoramic screens that give an insight into what daily life was like for workers before the tour's timeline takes us nearer to the modern day. Anyone who is anyone has been to the Empire State Building, I'm told, and from its countless appearances in popular culture – it's easy to see why. Its most famous role is undoubtedly in the 1933 film King Kong, and there's even a dedicated cinema-like room you can walk through before stepping into the elevator to the first viewing deck on the 86th floor. Stepping out onto the 360-degree platform, it's hard for your first words not to be simply, 'wow'. Inhale, exhale and take it all in. The Empire State Building was a thrilling experience. (Image: Clare Butler) The city's Chrysler Building looks small in comparison to where we're at, and everything looks somewhat like a snapshot on a postcard. The 102nd floor can be added on to the tour as an extra, and it's worth it to say you've completed the full experience and seen the city from every vantage point. The floor-to-ceiling windows give enhanced views, and the hustle and bustle of life on the ground on Fifth Avenue seems to have disappeared. Now, everything is so tiny in comparison to where we are. Our guide tells us that she never tires of standing at the top and that she spots something new on the skyline every single time she steps out. And I love that notion. If you could bottle the feeling at the top of the Empire State Building, I believe it would be a bestseller. Fear of looking down? Then don't. Look ahead. Look out at the vast range of possibilities that lie before us and take that top of the world feeling home with you – as it's in moments like that I feel we can leave with a renewed state of mind for all that's to come. A shift to an Empire State of mind, you may say. How much is a trip to the Empire State Building? I was fortunate enough to visit the Empire State Building as part of a press trip, however, there are a variety of tickets you can purchase. A trip to the Empire State Building costs approximately $44 for an adult to visit the 86th floor observatory, and the price increases to $79 for access to both the 86th and 102nd floor observatories. There's also a $5 booking fee. You can also purchase an Express Pass for skip-the-line access, and seniors and children pay slightly reduced fees.
Glasgow Times
26-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Glasgow Times
Lush 95p Butterball bath bomb - taking baths back to 1995
The first bath bomb I ever bought was from Lush - or possibly from the company before - Cosmetics To Go. As a teenager in the 90s, cruelty-free, quirky bath and body products were few and far between. So, when a catalogue of great products arrived I'd send over a cheque with my hard-earned pocket money I'd stock up. When I saw the deal - alongside the other 30 bath bombs they have put out to mark their birthday - I couldn't resist getting some to try, with my kids - a new generation of Lush fans - to see if we could bring back 1995 one bath at a time... So, how good can a Lush 95p bath bomb really be? The answer, we found, is pretty spectacularly good. While not the biggest or the sparkliest, Butterball (usually £3) is a brilliant bath bomb that leaves skin sweet-scented and silky soft. While my daughters Bea and Lizzie love the more dramatic and unusual designs of Lush's weird and wonderful bath bomb collection, they also loved this perfectly simple little white offering, that's soothing for sensitive skin, with its pieces of Fair Trade organic cocoa butter. We tried it in a bowl to see it close up, before pouring the whole lot into the bath and topping up with warm water. The whole room was filled with a comforting vanilla fragrance and the super-moisturising cocoa butter melted into the water perfectly. @uktoday_ We tried the Lush butterball bath bomb, down to 95p for a super limited period to mark its 30th anniversary. These testers said it was awesome - here's why… ♬ Ready - Official Sound Studio Would you buy it again? Yes, I wish I'd bought 10. For 95p (and actually for £3) it's a great deal. It's worth noting that the offer is available in stores only, and until stocks last - I suspect they will fly out, so be quick. Obviously, you have to buy another bath bomb to get the deal, but that's no hardship - apart from choosing which one to buy. Here's the full list of 30. The ones below are the ones we chose (my favourite is the Supermilk - usually a hair product, and my favourite Lush scent of all time). Moonshine bath bomb (£6) (Image: Jade Wright) This was the girls' favourite as it's so pretty. The golden sun and blue moon merge together for a gorgeous green soak. Super Milk bath bomb (£7) (Image: Jade Wright) Lush's best-selling Super Milk is now available as a bath bomb for World Bath Bomb Day. This viral scent is a blend of creamy coconut milk powder and sweet almonds. Celebrate 30 Bathbomb (£5) (Image: Jade Wright) Pop the champers open and celebrate with the scent of uplifting Brazilian orange and zesty lime oil in the shape of the big 30. Recommended reading: About World Bath Bomb Day Lush was first awarded the trademark for bath bombs on 27th April 1990 after being invented by Lush Co-founder and Product Inventor, Mo Constantine in her shed in 1989. Although previously unknown, the term 'bath bomb' is now so widely adopted it has been added to the Oxford Dictionary and has become a global sensation. All hand-pressed in Lush's own manufacturing sites across the world, Lush sold over 40.5 million last year (that's 48 sold every minute). I didn't buy them all, but sometimes it feels like it.
South Wales Argus
25-04-2025
- Entertainment
- South Wales Argus
Lush 95p Butterball bath bomb - taking baths back to 1995
The first bath bomb I ever bought was from Lush - or possibly from the company before - Cosmetics To Go. As a teenager in the 90s, cruelty-free, quirky bath and body products were few and far between. So, when a catalogue of great products arrived I'd send over a cheque with my hard-earned pocket money I'd stock up. When I saw the deal - alongside the other 30 bath bombs they have put out to mark their birthday - I couldn't resist getting some to try, with my kids - a new generation of Lush fans - to see if we could bring back 1995 one bath at a time... So, how good can a Lush 95p bath bomb really be? The answer, we found, is pretty spectacularly good. While not the biggest or the sparkliest, Butterball (usually £3) is a brilliant bath bomb that leaves skin sweet-scented and silky soft. While my daughters Bea and Lizzie love the more dramatic and unusual designs of Lush's weird and wonderful bath bomb collection, they also loved this perfectly simple little white offering, that's soothing for sensitive skin, with its pieces of Fair Trade organic cocoa butter. We tried it in a bowl to see it close up, before pouring the whole lot into the bath and topping up with warm water. The whole room was filled with a comforting vanilla fragrance and the super-moisturising cocoa butter melted into the water perfectly. @uktoday_ We tried the Lush butterball bath bomb, down to 95p for a super limited period to mark its 30th anniversary. These testers said it was awesome - here's why… ♬ Ready - Official Sound Studio Would you buy it again? Yes, I wish I'd bought 10. For 95p (and actually for £3) it's a great deal. It's worth noting that the offer is available in stores only, and until stocks last - I suspect they will fly out, so be quick. Obviously, you have to buy another bath bomb to get the deal, but that's no hardship - apart from choosing which one to buy. Here's the full list of 30. The ones below are the ones we chose (my favourite is the Supermilk - usually a hair product, and my favourite Lush scent of all time). Moonshine bath bomb (£6) (Image: Jade Wright) This was the girls' favourite as it's so pretty. The golden sun and blue moon merge together for a gorgeous green soak. Super Milk bath bomb (£7) (Image: Jade Wright) Lush's best-selling Super Milk is now available as a bath bomb for World Bath Bomb Day. This viral scent is a blend of creamy coconut milk powder and sweet almonds. Celebrate 30 Bathbomb (£5) (Image: Jade Wright) Pop the champers open and celebrate with the scent of uplifting Brazilian orange and zesty lime oil in the shape of the big 30. Recommended reading: About World Bath Bomb Day Lush was first awarded the trademark for bath bombs on 27th April 1990 after being invented by Lush Co-founder and Product Inventor, Mo Constantine in her shed in 1989. Although previously unknown, the term 'bath bomb' is now so widely adopted it has been added to the Oxford Dictionary and has become a global sensation. All hand-pressed in Lush's own manufacturing sites across the world, Lush sold over 40.5 million last year (that's 48 sold every minute). I didn't buy them all, but sometimes it feels like it.
