Editor's Pick

Editor's Pick

A Cape Cod Fixer-Upper Becomes a Fantasy Beach House

We always knew interior-designer-turned-apothecary-owner Alison Evans had great taste, but moving across the country to restore a historic home (in under just four months!) takes vision.

We always knew interior-designer-turned-apothecary-owner Alison Evans had great taste, but moving across the country to restore a historic home (in under just four months!) takes vision. Built by a sea captain in the early 19th century, the home hadn't been touched since the '70s, but beyond the layers of dingy linoleum, wallpaper, and carpeting, Alison and husband Jon could envision their dream home. Located in East Orleans, MA, their new hometown is known for its sweet mom-and-pop shops, fabulous farmers market, and the best beaches around — including an exclusive residents beach just a five-minute drive from their home! Keep reading to see some of our favorite design moments in the house and get Alison's tips for starting a decorating project from scratch.

Photos courtesy of Organic Photography

gift guide

Congrats, Graduate! 33 Fashion-Favorite Gifts Worth Giving

Help ease the transition from college to the real world by gifting your recent grad with a present that'll help them as they go about building the adult life they've been dreaming of.

Help ease the transition from college to the real world by gifting your recent grad with a present that'll help them as they go about building the adult life they've been dreaming of. A freshly printed degree and magna cum laude status are nice, sure, but when it comes to nailing the big interview, a perfect pump or smart blazer can be just as important.

workouts

One-Minute Bikini-Body Challenge: Lying Overhead Reach

Banish bra fat and tone your upper back with the lying overhead reach.

Banish bra fat and tone your upper back with the lying overhead reach. It's one of our favorite moves for this hard-to-tone trouble zone. And to make the exercise more fun, we've turned it into a 60-second challenge. We want to know how many reps you can do — safely and effectively! — in one minute. Press play to start the timer.

Be sure to try our other bikini-body challenges: bridge for the backside and three-point plank for the abs and core.

Movies

Cannes Can Be Confusing — We're Breaking It Down

The Cannes Film Festival brings Hollywood's biggest stars to the South of France each year, and aside from its cinematic significance, the festival is known for its elegant red carpet setting, star-studded parties on La Croisette, and all-around glamour.

The Cannes Film Festival brings Hollywood's biggest stars to the South of France each year, and aside from its cinematic significance, the festival is known for its elegant red carpet setting, star-studded parties on La Croisette, and all-around glamour. While Cannes has been an annual event since 1946, its unique day-to-day protocol is still confusing. As a helpful guide, we are breaking down the frequently asked questions about the famous film festival. Keep reading for the FAQs.

Best Dressed

The Week in Style

The models made it to Cannes!

The models made it to Cannes! On a sunny summer's day, a group of gorgeous women including Petra Nemcova, Joan Smalls, Chanel Iman, and Barbara Palvin, among others, stepped onto the iconic film festival's red carpet for the premieres of two films, Cleopatra and Behind the Candelabra. It didn't end there: Dita von Teese showed up in a stunning red dress, and Jessica Hart made a splash in a bright pink gown.

Elsewhere in the world of style, designer Olivier Theyskens hosted a party in New York City for the AIDS Community Research Initiative of America, or ACRIA, that drew the support of his fellow designers Prabal Gurung and Peter Som. Other industry insiders were there, too, including Jenne Lombardo, Leigh Lezark, and Michelle Harper.

A look at those events and more, here in the gallery.

Eco

13 Ways to Breathe New Life Into Stale Bread

Photo: Sarah Lipoff When you get to the last slice of bread and it's not as fresh as you'd like it to be, instead of tossing it, there are ways to transform that crumbling mess into something useful.


Photo: Sarah Lipoff

When you get to the last slice of bread and it's not as fresh as you'd like it to be, instead of tossing it, there are ways to transform that crumbling mess into something useful. After all, why throw away the old when you can upcycle it into something new?

You might be surprised at the various things you can do with stale bread, ensuring you get every penny out of your favorite loaf. Here are several cool uses for stale bread:

  • Artisan bread crumbs: Cube stale bread, and season it for delicious bread crumbs that can be used for topping soups, stews, or fresh salads.


Photo: Leta Shy
  • Happy plants: Dry stale bread in the oven, and then grind in the blender, creating fine bread crumbs. Simply mix with your potting soil or rake into your garden. The crumbs will add nutrients and moisture to your happy plants. While you're at it, throw in some crushed egg shells for a nutrient-happy plant.


Photo: Sarah Lipoff
  • Special bird treats: Instead of tossing dry chunks of bread to the birds, grind stale bread in the blender and leave out in small dishes for your friendly birds. Or mix together equal parts bread crumbs, birdseed, peanut butter, and lard, and roll into rounds. Place in bird feeders for a really special bird treat.


Photo: Sarah Lipoff

Read on for more smart ways to use stale bread.

Editor's Pick

The Ultimate White Dress Guide — Every Style, Every Budget

Like Memorial Day BBQs and Fourth of July fireworks, we count a perfect white dress as a Summer essential.
Best White Dresses For Summer

Like Memorial Day BBQs and Fourth of July fireworks, we count a perfect white dress as a Summer essential. It's the go-to staple that's as fit for a cocktail party as it is for a weekend at the beach. Whether you are replacing an old favorite or need inspiration for a totally new twist, consider this your one-stop shop to finding your perfect white dress — for any body type or budget. From an office-appropriate shift to a special-occasion gown, it's all inside. Click through to find them all or choose your style from the list below.

wild animals

Artistic Pictures of Animals at the Hagenbeck Zoo

From ferocious lions to swimming penguins, this collection of artsy pictures from the Hagenbeck Zoo in Hamburg, Germany, will have you mesmerized.

From ferocious lions to swimming penguins, this collection of artsy pictures from the Hagenbeck Zoo in Hamburg, Germany, will have you mesmerized. The zoo, which opened its gates in 1863 and has been run by the Hagenbeck family since 1907, was the first to use open enclosures surrounded by moats instead of barred cages to create a more natural setting. Encompassing several acres, the park houses animals from all over the world, including tropical sharks, Asian elephants, tigers, and lions. Click through this collection of artistic images that share the amazing beauty of the animals of this zoo.

Hair

Yes, You Can Sunproof Your Hair — Here's How

Hair can take a beating during the warmer-weather months, whether it be from the sun, the chlorine in your pool, or your blow dryer when you try to wrangle your frizz.

Hair can take a beating during the warmer-weather months, whether it be from the sun, the chlorine in your pool, or your blow dryer when you try to wrangle your frizz. Luckily, there are steps you can take to keep your strands in tip-top shape. Kim Vo shares his tips and secrets for keeping your hair healthy this season.

  • Mist facial SPF onto your hair: To give hair "just a kiss of that sunshield," Vo says you should spray a facial SPF "and walk into it like a fine perfume." Be sure to try a product that's lighter and formulated for your face, though; this way, you won't be saddled with greasy hair. We like Philosophy's Here Comes the Sun Age Defense facial sunscreen ($30).
  • Invest in UVA/UVB sprays: For another option, try hair spray with built-in protection. Just look for UVA/UVB filters on the label, and spritz on for instant defense.
  • Seal the hair cuticle: Cuticles are the hard, rounded scales that create the outer layer of your hair, and they often take the brunt of the elements. Damaged cuticles stick up and make the hair look bristly, not to mention give your color a shorter shelf life. That's why Vo stresses the importance of keeping them flat with the proper cuticle-sealing products and tools.
  • Accessorize your armor: Just because you're nurturing your hair doesn't mean you can't get a little stylish. Vo suggests tying a scarf around your head for a fashionable twist on sun protection. Or, embrace the wet hair look by using a leave-in product, slicking back your strands to keep them in good condition.

— Additional reporting by Jaime Richards

TV

Mad Men on Drugs: What Did They Take?

This week on Mad Men, Don and the cool kids in creative decide to get a little help from a "complex vitamin super dose" before a weekend of work on the Chevy account.

This week on Mad Men, Don and the cool kids in creative decide to get a little help from a "complex vitamin super dose" before a weekend of work on the Chevy account. Young-at-heart account exec Jim Cutler brings in his doctor, who proceeds to administer the upper drug into the backsides of the eager staff. The good doctor doesn't even blink twice before giving a dose to Roger Sterling, who discloses his heart condition. Although, we don't get to see what effect the drug has on Roger. I hope we find out next week.

While viewers don't explicitly know what the super dose consists of, we do see its impact. An injured Kenny Cosgrove breaks into a manic tap routine. Stan Rizzo races through the office and comes up with hundreds of "ideas." And Don Draper zooms past doors, talks a mile a minute, and becomes obsessed with coming up with something to say to his mistress, rather than focusing on the Chevy account. At least that's what it seems like he's talking about when he shares his pitch with Peggy: "Let's say I get her face to face. How do I capture her imagination?" So what is this drug that turns everyone into momentary geniuses who actually create sober gibberish? Probably amphetamines — aka speed.

If the Sterling Cooper Draper whatever-they're-called-now staff remind you of the kids in college who got hopped up on Adderall before a big deadline, it might be because they are hopped up on Adderall before a big deadline. Or something similar, at least. "Amphetamine salts combo," the technical term for what is known today as Adderall, was approved by the FDA in 1960. It then went under the name Obetrol. It and similar amphetamines, like dextroamphetamine and benzedrine, were popular at the time as diet pills, study aids, or party drugs. So it seems likely the Mad Men team would call on it increase their alertness and motivation. Other side effects include increased sex drive, which could explain Stan's come-on to Peggy and Wendy Gleason. And we saw quite a few of the negative side effects play out on Don, including fever, sweating, and insomnia.

In the 1960s, amphetamines were also used to stimulate American military men during the Vietnam War. However, they were not popular with many hippies and counterculture figures like The Beatles and Allen Ginsberg, who favored the more mellow drugs marijuana and LSD. Maybe Don Draper isn't all that cool after all.

Source: AMC