Lifestyle - Monday, March 23, 2026

Our kitchen expert spent weeks chopping to find the blades that cut it. Plus, how to travel with kids, and the best tools for a home and garden spring reset • Don’t get the Filter delivered to your inbox? Sign up here Many budding chefs among us have blamed a bad knife for a poor dinner. But how do you know which ones will make light work of slicing tomatoes gossamer thin – and which will leave you hacking away at the waxy skin? Here at the Filter, we decided it was high time to find the best kitchen knives . In collaboration with the newly launched Guardian Food Quarterly, we recruited a professional to put 14 knives through their paces. The professional in question was Ben Lippett , former chef turned home cook and food writer, and author of How I Cook , who describes himself as “opinionated”. “I know what I like, and I’m not a sucker for style over substance,” he writes. The best foundations for every skin type – from glowy to full coverage, tested Everyday essential or kitchen clutter: do you really need an air fryer? The best electric toothbrushes for every budget – tested ‘Alive, fruity and with a soft texture’: the best supermarket frozen peas, tasted and rated Continue reading...

The Japanese town of Fujiyoshida has cancelled its annual blossom festival citing unmanageable amounts of tourists – and it looks like the residents of Notting Hill have similar reservations … Name: Cherry blossom. Age: Ornamental cherry trees belonging to the Prunus subgenus Cerasus generally flower in March and April, in the northern hemisphere at least. Continue reading...

Most dietary guidance relies on lousy evidence. How are we supposed to know what to eat?

My 10-minute, 10 product routine. The post I Tried a Minimalist Makeup Reset—Here’s What Stayed in My Routine appeared first on Camille Styles .

The TikTok trend may be fading, but people of Chinese heritage wonder if an appreciation for their culture will continue after the algorithm moves on Get our weekend culture and lifestyle email I have been Chinese my whole life. Lately, many online have also found their Chinese roots, but not through traditional ancestry tests. Creators are drinking hot water, wearing slippers around the house, using chopsticks, eating Chinese food and wearing red. Taking off in popularity from mid-2025, these videos have racked up hundreds of thousands of views, finding virality first on TikTok, then Instagram and X. Put simply, “People are trying to be more Chinese regardless of what their heritage is,” says Michelle She, a London-based fashion label owner. Sign up for our rundown of must-reads, pop culture and tips for the weekend, every Saturday morning Continue reading...

Tell us about your favourite break in Spain, whether it was by the beach, in the town or deep in the countryside – the best tip wins £200 towards a Coolstays break The issue of overtourism in certain parts of the Spanish costas and islands has made headlines in recent years but the country offers so much to travellers who are prepared to explore a little off the beaten track. We’d love to hear about your favourite Spanish discoveries, whether it’s a perfect beachfront cafe, an overlooked city, an underrated museum or gallery, a beautiful walk or a back to nature experience. The best tip of the week, chosen by Tom Hall of Lonely Planet wins a £200 voucher to stay at a Coolstays property – the company has more than 3,000 worldwide. The best tips will appear in the Guardian Travel section and website. Continue reading...

Supermarket Thai herb and spice kits make this simple to shop for. Then add fragrant coconut milk and vegetables for a delicious family dinner Call me well and truly influenced. I am jumping on the social media trend of roasting noodles in a fragrant sauce for an easy one-tray family dinner. If I was being authentic to my socials, then I would throw a few frozen gyozas in there too (and why not, if you have them feel free to chuck them in), but what I will say is that this is delicious as it is. You can get a fresh Thai herb and spice kit from most large supermarkets these days, which includes the key ingredients you need here – lemongrass, bird’s eye chillies, lime leaves, etc; it also saves you from having to buy them all separately. Use this base as your hero, and think of it as a plant-based core recipe – perfect, but also happy to be finished with some shredded chicken or pork, a soft-boiled egg or even some of those failsafe frozen dumplings on top. Continue reading...

No vehicles, damage inspections and toll confusion can make the entire experience an ordeal.

This parsley salad, with cool cucumber, crunchy toasted walnuts and scallions in a lemon-olive oil dressing, feels like spring on a plate.

As wife presses the letter writer to set boundaries with a clingy friend — and others — he struggles with loss of self.