Several times a year, messenger planet Mercury starts to slow down in the sky, creating annoyances amongst us earthlings, as communication and travel starts to go haywire. Yes, it’s that time of year again! Drama, arguments, and chaos abound: welcome to Mercury Retrograde. Hours before Mercury starts its journey backwards, Venus — the planet of love and money who had been retrograde since the beginning of May to June shifts out of its rearward rotation, moving forward. This may cause complications in matters of the heart...

On May 14th, various reproductive justice, health, and rights organizations want us to mobilize across the country. Planned Parenthood, MoveOn, Women’s March, and other organizations are promoting the “‘Bans Off Our Bodies’ day of action” and calling for mass mobilization. 80% of Americans support access to abortion, and yet, the supreme court seems not to be on our side. We are the majority. We can pressure unjust lawmakers to respect the will of the people, just like the Green Wave movement in Latin America. The...

For much of human history, women have been the main keepers and distributors of mycological knowledge. Here, we meet just a few of the female scientists, naturalists, farmers, and healers who have been, and continue to be, inspired and empowered by the magic of mushrooms The mushrooms glisten in the early autumn light like freshly glazed confections in a pastry case. Deep in the forest, each form shines under a fine dew, amplifying the ethereal blues, maroons, and yellows. I move slowly, as leaves softly crackle...

Turn any old piece of furniture into a total tile icon Whether you’ve got a boring table or an ugly nightstand, a little mosaic-style tile and grout is an easy way to give just about any piece of furniture a brand-new look. And it’s way easier than the dramatic finish would have you believe. Tiles are available at just about any home-improvement store, but it’s worth a visit to your local independent tile shop—they typically have more interesting options and will often have leftover tiles from...

The first eclipses of 2022 occur on April 30 at 4:28 PM ET in Taurus and May 16 in Scorpio at 12:15 AM ET. This set of eclipses will help us glow and grow in the upcoming months, as well as pushing us to take responsibility and accountability for our actions in order to evolve. We may change our paths or see matters in a different light, as we are being cosmically gifted with knowledge which will help us become the people we always wanted...

Whether it's a shit work-from-home setup, long hours of crafting, or simply “phone neck,” modern life can really do a number on our bodies. Discovering exercise biologist and mobility coach Alexandra Ellis on TikTok (@aewellness)— and her therapy-ball-based self-massage techniques—is one of the best gifts the Internet has given me. “Rolling,” as she calls it, lets you dig into your sorest spots, relieving tension, improving blood flow, releasing fascia—the connective tissue that basically holds everything in our body together— and getting more “ooey and gooey”...

This crunchy, zesty veggie is the unsung hero of spring snacking   Growing up, the only radishes I knew were the little round red ones that showed up sliced like a pile of nickels on top of my salad. Sometimes I could blame a restaurant for the travesty, but usually it was Mom trying to be fancy. I attempted to like them, but the spicy bite* was too much for me. It wasn’t until a girlfriend of mine introduced me to radish and butter sandwiches that...

Nowruz mobarak y’all! Translation: Happy New Year…y’all! This year, Nowruz (pronounced NO-rooz), or the Persian New Year, lands on Sunday March 20, 2022 (the spring equinox). Every year, pandemic permitting, I trek from Chicago to California to celebrate the holiday with my family. The moment I set foot into my parent’s home, I’m overwhelmed with the smells of Nowruz: hyacinth flowers, wheatgrass, and rosewater sweets. *Sigh*.  Nowruz isn’t just celebrated by Iranians or folks with Persian roots. Actually, roughly 300 million people across the globe celebrate...

Portland’s sex workers get a little love in return from Meals 4 Heels With approximately 54 establishments—or one club per every 12,000 or so residents—Portland, OR, is known for having the most strip clubs per capita in the U.S. That’s one reason why veteran chef Nikeisah Newton, 40, is on a mission to make healthy food more easily available to Portland’s sex-work community, one vegetarian grain bowl at a time. Founded in 2019, Meals 4 Heels  started as a late-night meal delivery service catering to sex...

These sweet crystals, made from sugar cookie dough and topped with royal icing, are the ultimate rock collection—beautiful, colorful, and totally delicious. As a professional cookie decorator, dreaming up unique designs with a hint of realism is my favorite part of the baking process. These edible gems also embody the whimsy of natural shape and pattern, so don’t be intimidated—the process embraces imperfection, making them the perfect project for a first-time cookie decorator. Give them as gifts, add playfulness to any party platter, or use them...