Lifestyle - Saturday, May 9, 2026

It took 10 years for Naseby to achieve its DarkSky International certification. Now, a night out in the tiny Otago town is like ‘a tour through the history of the universe’ As the last strip of pink on the horizon fades to indigo on the Maniototo Plain in Otago, every word I speak arrives in a puff of condensation. Six hundred metres above sea level, in winter the temperature here can drop to -15C. Spring isn’t much warmer. But the chill is worth it. Standing in the dark in what feels like the middle of nowhere, I’ve come to a paddock not far from the historic mining town of Naseby to stargaze. Even in a country where there’s about 20km of space per person, the Maniototo Plain is sparsely populated. During the 1860s gold rush about 20,000 fortune seekers descended on Otago, but when they eventually moved on, towns like Naseby were left to a sleepy future. Now home to just 140 people, it’s not even a place you drive through. “We’re not on the way to anywhere,” says local Jill Wolff. “You’ve got to choose to go to Naseby.” Sign up for a weekly email featuring our best reads Continue reading...

When Mitch Cairns met Agatha Gothe-Snape, he was instantly charmed. Then an absurd exchange shifted their relationship into something more than friendship The first time I saw Agatha she was saturated, standing in a knee-high bucket wearing a knitted woollen jumper that said Ho Ho Ho on it. Whatever I’d expected to see at the Christmas group show at MOP Projects – an artist-run gallery in Redfern, Sydney – this vision transcended it. As I walked into the hall-like space, it was devoid of any artwork aside from this absolutely beautiful woman standing there with water dripping on to her head. It was 2007 and I was a graduate of the National Art School. People weren’t making this type of work there, so it’s no exaggeration to say the whole image was completely new and arresting for me. She was silent and stationary but so alive. Continue reading...

Al fresco dining awaits. The post The Spring Pasta Recipes That Prove Warmer Weather Makes Everything Taste Better appeared first on Camille Styles .

Plus one of our favorite whiskeys makes headlines, and a very good deal on an adjustable sleep mask This story was originally published in the Filter US newsletter on buying fewer, better things. Sign up here to get early access to it Each week the Filter newsletter cuts through the noise to bring you smart, practical recommendations on how to live better – from what is worth buying to the tools, habits and ideas that actually last. Mother’s Day is less than 48 hours away. Some moms will soon be admiring the fresh flowers they’ve received, or perhaps be enjoying breakfast in bed. Others might be engaging in time-honored mom traditions like asking why you’re still single or suggesting you give the LSAT another try. The 10 best US gifts for new moms, according to a new mom The 17 best Mother’s Day deals for when she says ‘don’t spend too much’ The 23 best Mother’s Day gifts, according to moms, grandmas and one great-grandmother We asked grandmas for their favorite Mother’s Day gifts: ‘A can of salmon with some cottage cheese and a banana’ Continue reading...

The airline said it is looking to create “a more consistent experience” systemwide with the elimination of its express service.

A California nonprofit is brightening hospital stays with music that’s as tumultuous as it is amusing.

We spill the tea on the supermarket bags worth your cuppa – and which should be left to stew • The best (and worst) supermarket coffee My grandma would turn in her grave if she knew I tested these teabags by brewing them in a cup, but that’s how I drink tea mostly. Or at least I did until I met tea specialist Matt Writson , who helped me test today’s teas with the industry-standard cupping process and, afterwards, introduced me to some mind-blowing whole-leaf teas. We studied the appearance and aroma of the wet leaves in an observation bowl, then the colour and clarity of the tea itself, before supping it from small bowls and aerating the tea to maximise its surface area. The bags I tested ranged from 2p to 34p a pop, but when you think about the quality and sourcing of the higher-priced teas, even they are incredible value. We scored them on flavour, structure and balance, plus certification, trading standards and sourcing. I also awarded points to plastic-free bags – it seems the industry is finally responding to the uproar against microplastics, though some producers need to catch up and work without the polypropylene glue that’s still often used to seal teabags. Continue reading...

PM’s wife, accompanying him to the polls, follows a long line of women to mobilise the jacket when stakes are high Not a white flag but a cream blazer was what Victoria Starmer chose to wear to accompany her husband, the prime minister, to vote on Thursday morning. She follows in a long line of women who have mobilised the power blazer at high-stakes moments. Starmer’s, which looks much like a £1,690 ivory Alexander McQueen crepe design, comes hot on the lapels of another. In episode one of the new series of Amandaland , Amanda wears a beige double-breasted iteration in a high-stakes fictional moment: to give a toe-curling talk about her (not shallow) lifestyle brand Senuous as part of careers week at her kid’s school. Earlier in the week, the Princess of Wales launched the Foundations for Life report wearing a creamy beige high-waisted Roland Mouret suit . Continue reading...

Letter writer decided to address son’s friend’s breakfast stinking up the school carpool.

Tell your daughter’s biological grandmother the truth about her adoption story?