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Congrats on that super-cute baby you have there! Your little bundle of joy is so precious that it’s practically criminal to deprive your online followers of a constant stream of pictures. But by now, you’ve probably figured out that photographing a baby is harder than it sounds—no matter how adorable they are in real life. Here are a few tips for taking the best possible shots of your little one, so you can stop saying, “The pictures really don’t do her justice.”
Understand the baby calls the shots
Even if you’ve only been a parent for a few days, you already know that baby runs the show now. The baby decides when you sleep, eat, shower, and do all the other normal human things you once did. So it shouldn’t come as a shock that the baby also decides when they’re going to be photographed (if you want decent results, anyway).
If your baby isn’t in the mood to giggle or wear that scratchy tulle outfit from Auntie Diane, it’s not going to happen. Babies don’t care about Instagram; they care about comfort and food. (We could all learn a thing or two from them.)
“They know what they want, and they run the show,” said Aneta DeAngelo, who owns Yellow Lollipop Photography in New Jersey and has been at this for a decade. “Some babies love certain poses; some hate them. The same goes for swaddling, props, etc.”
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Even when a human being is brand-new, that person has preferences. Use your amateur photography session to learn about your baby—and respect their wishes. If the outfit, lighting, or pose is causing discomfort, move along; trying to force the situation isn’t going to do anyone any good.
Go ahead: Follow the trends
Newborn photography, like everything else in the digital era, has its own unique trends and fads. Embrace them because they’ll help make your photographs a timely reminder of what the world was like when your child was small, so you can one day look back and say, “I can’t believe we did that—but everyone did! That was the style, okay?” From naked babies in baskets, to age stickers on onesies, to the monthly let’s-watch-baby-grow-bigger-than-Teddy experiment, these photos are a time capsule.
Libby Brieger, a Brooklyn-based newborn photographer, told Lifehacker that when she started in the business four years ago, “it was popular to dress newborns up in little knit outfits with matching hats, like a baseball player or a ballet dancer or some kind of cute animal. These days, it’s more of a clean style with the baby wrapped or curled up in a blanket, holding onto a little teddy bear and sleeping peacefully.”
Today, you’ll find a seemingly endless array of floor photography mats on which you can place your baby once a month and snap a photo (or 27) to track their age and growth. It’s a huge trend right now, but probably not for much longer, so get in on it while you can.
Model calmness for the baby
If you’re over-excited, the baby will be over-excited, and then you’re not getting anywhere productive. That’s a lesson for parenting, broadly, but it’s especially true when you’re trying to coax a smile out of a suspicious, dressed-up infant.
“Something that surprised me about photographing newborns is that if I was nervous that the babies wouldn’t fall asleep, the babies would not sleep,” Brieger said. “If I was anxious or stressed about the shoot or my day or whatever, the shoot would be a disaster. I realized newborns can sense calmness or nervousness and they, in turn, will feel and act that way, too. These days, I have to really get into a headspace of being very calm and only focusing on the task at hand and being confident that the baby will behave and go to sleep.”
Yes, the baby is in charge, but you can still fake a sense of control! Like a well-curated Instagram feed, babies are all about vibes. Make sure yours are good.
Source online inspo
We’ve already gone over the trend of growth-tracking mats that have taken over Instagram, but there’s a whole wealth of inspiration just waiting for you online—if you can find a moment between feedings and changings to scroll Pinterest, that is.
Sure, there will be times your infant is just looking adorable with no prompting and you’ll whip out your iPhone and take a quick pic. (Make sure you enable the grid on your camera app to frame the shot and switch into portrait mode if you have time!) Other times, though, you’ll be setting up for the shoot, so you might as well look at what others are doing for theirs.
“I am always trying new things with babies,” Brieger said. “Flowers, hearts, teddy bears… I get inspired by images I scroll past on Pinterest or Instagram and I work off those images.”
This article also counts as online inspo, so here’s very specific, solid advice from Brieger: “Never see a baby’s nostrils in the shot. If you see a baby’s nostrils, your angle is wrong. You want to shoot from the top of the head downwards and have your light flowing the same direction.”
That tip is a real winner, by the way; DeAngelo mentioned it, too. If you take one thing away from this how-to, let it be that nostrils in baby photography are a big no-no. Who knew?
“Make sure the baby is well fed and tired before attempting the session,” added DeAngelo. “Choose one blanket and drape it over a couch. Use a wrap or a scarf and drape it over the baby. Position the couch close to a window at about 45 degrees. Angles and light are super important, so check out some of your favorite photographers and try to copy the angles.”
Like every old lady in the grocery store will tell you: Just enjoy it
Unlike so many other photo sessions you’ll have in your life, this one isn’t entirely about amassing likes online. You’re bonding with your child here and capturing memories you can look back on for years to come. Enjoy it! A fun moment laughing with your baby beats a perfectly-framed, nostril-free shot (although you should still try for one).
“Babies are only little for so long, so those moments are fleeting,” said DeAngelo. And Brieger said her favorite part of being a baby photographer is the cuddles—focus primarily on the cuddles and let the rest come naturally.
There’s a lot of talk about bringing Silicon Valley–style innovation to America’s heartland. But when the heartland needs tech, it still comes to Silicon Valley.
On Thursday, John Deere announced that it would acquire Bear Flag Robotics, a Silicon Valley startup that makes fully autonomous tractors for farms, for $250 million.
Bear Flag retrofits regular tractors with sensors, control systems, computers, and communications systems needed to operate autonomously. The company’s tech lets a lone farmer remotely oversee a fleet of robot tractors autonomously tilling a field.
“John Deere putting their stamp on this kind of fully autonomous technology means it’s really coming,” says George Kantor, a roboticist at Carnegie Mellon University who specializes in the use of robots in agriculture. He adds that autonomous tractors are especially important because the machines are used in so many different areas of farming.
Some tractors are already capable of following GPS-guided paths autonomously, but Bear Flag’s tech removes a person from the tractor cab entirely. The company has borrowed innovations developed and commoditized through the self-driving car industry. It uses lidar and computer vision not only to navigate but also to analyze the soil behind a tractor.
“We use AI to analyze sensor input that predicts failure and can see beyond what a human can see,” says Aubrey Donnellan, cofounder and COO of Bear Flag Robotics.
The acquisition is the latest sign that John Deere, founded in 1837, sees automation, robotics, and artificial intelligence as crucial ingredients for the future of farming. The equipment manufacturer paid $305 million to acquire Blue River Technology, another Silicon Valley company that made intelligent weed-killing robots, in September 2017.
“For technologists interested in autonomous vehicle development and robotics, this is a field that is going to develop quite rapidly,” says Daniel Leibfried, director of autonomy and intelligent solutions at John Deere.
Machines have long been used in agriculture, but the industry is now experiencing a surge in new applications of automation, as advances in AI and robotics allow processes to be automated in new ways. Many experts predict that more automation will be needed to meet rising demand for food and labor shortages, and to mitigate environmental damage that can come with more intensive farming.
On some farms, drones now autonomously analyze crops to estimate yields or spot signs of disease. A growing catalog of robots can perform more complex farmwork in the field, including machines that can harvest crops, remove weeds, and milk livestock. Startups such as Iron Ox and Bowery are developing greenhouses where food production is optimized using sensors, robotics, and AI.
Some simple work still remains out of robotic reach. Picking grapes or tomatoes, for instance, might be simple (and low-paid) work for humans, but it is extremely difficult for robots to master.
“Eventually there will be robots that do those kinds of things too,” Kantor says. “And they will need to either be towed by or integrated into the type of autonomous tractor that Bear Flag is making.”
Revenue from agricultural robots is expected to grow 19 percent annually between 2018 and 2026 to $16.6 billion, according to Research Drive, an analyst firm.
Increased agricultural automation could potentially affect employment. Farming still accounts for roughly 2.6 million US jobs, according to figures released by the US Department of Agriculture in October 2020.
But Ali Moghimi, an assistant professor at UC Davis who teaches “precision agriculture,” says robotics and AI are likely to be adopted more slowly in agriculture than other industries because of the complexity and the cyclical nature of farming. But he believes automation is inevitable, not only because it can increase productivity but also because it can help limit environmental damage by, for instance, automatically detecting overuse of nitrogen fertilizer.
“Recent advances in AI are going to be a game changer,” in farming, Moghimi says. “This is the path we have to go down.”
The organization has added an assortment of dishes to its site that takes just a few ingredients and a few minutes to prepare, making it a busy mom’s dream come true. Furthermore, when I perceived how delightful the Frozen Pudding Dots were, I realized I needed to check them out! At the point when I sped up the pudding, it appeared to be sufficiently thick to work in my icing sack rather than a plastic pack, so I fitted on a star tip and checked it out. kraft recipes desserts
The outcomes were phenomenal and made lovely little rosettes with no exertion by any means. They looked so beautiful that I left a portion of the Frozen Pudding Dots plain instead of adding sprinkles.
You can quickly watch this vedio to try out those easy dessert recipes
There are many other extraordinary food hacks on the kraft recipes desserts site, and I can hardly wait to attempt them all. I realize Benjamin will adore the Rancher’s Choice Corn on the Cob formula, and I need to try the Herb Basted Grilled Chicken! In any case, every one of the recipes makes them think in like manner; they’re speedy and straightforward to make! Look at the site for yourself and attempt some fun and simple recipes this month. With the finish of school practically here, you merit a break from extended supper arrangements. And Kraft is here to help!
Very Romantic Cakes
kraft recipes desserts
To dress a cake with romance, we can bet on a creamy butter coating, the so-called buttercream that we can make softer by adding the odd ingredient. The buttercream, raspberry, and mascarpone cake are perfect, colorful, elegant, and very romantic; thanks to the flower-shaped decoration, we will get using a star nozzle. A slightly less pompous but equally refined option with professional pastry is the crunchy mascarpone and raspberry tart. It is a cake with a straightforward base dough on which the creamy cheese and raspberry filling is placed, a fruit that also serves us for the final decoration with a most romantic result. It is a much simpler kraft recipe desserts to make than it seems, as you can see in the complete recipe that we share below.
Ingredients
Milk 50 ml
Sunflower oil 50 ml
Wheat flour 130 g
Sugar 105 g
Get a pinch
Mascarpone cheese 250 g
Forest fruit yogurt 1
Eggs size M 3
Lemon juice a few drops
Raspberries 250 g
Raspberry jam tablespoons 4
Teaspoon powdered gelatin 1
How To Make Crispy Raspberry Mascarpone Tart
kraft recipes desserts
Make the dough, mix the oil, milk, flour, 25 g of sugar, and a pinch of salt in a bowl, stir with a wooden spoon until a ball begins to form. Flour the kitchen counter a little and knead for a minute. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and let it rest in a cool place for half an hour—Preheat oven to 180 degrees. Once the time has passed, spread the mixture between two sheets of material paper, leaving it around three millimeters thick. Cover a removable cake tin and trim any overabundance edges. Cover with the preparing paper that we had utilized and load up with chickpeas or vegetables—Bake for fifteen minutes.
Eliminate and let it temper while the cream is made. For the cream, start by breaking the eggs and save the whites from whipping them to firm snow with a couple of drops of lemon juice. In a bowl, add the yolks, the mascarpone, the sugar, and the berry yogurt. Blend well with the goal that the ingredients are joined. Cautiously add the whites until solid and pour the cream on top of the crunchy base of the mixture—Bake for forty minutes or until firm. Warmth the jam in a pot with a tablespoon of water where the gelatin powder has been broken down.
When the cake has been taken out from the stove and warm, add the stressed raspberry jam and spot the new raspberries on top. Allow it to rest for at least four hours in the refrigerator before taking it. Warmth the hole in a pan with a tablespoon of water where the gelatin powder has been broken down. When the cake has been eliminated from the broiler and warm, add the stressed raspberry jam and spot the new raspberries on top.
Sponge cake with rice flour
Sponge cake with rice flour
If you have to prepare a cake for a celiac guest or try new flavors yourself, we suggest this succulent cake made with rice flour. If there is someone with celiac disease at home, you already know how expensive it is to buy gluten-free pastries. Go ahead and prepare your cakes with variants like this one, made with rice flour.
Too easy! You have to beat the eggs with sugar constantly until they triple in volume. It is then essential to add the rice flour with a fine strainer to sift it not to form lumps. Once baked, sprinkle a little icing sugar, and voila. If you want to continue researching gluten-free pastries, we suggest you try the carrot cakes (lactose and gluten-free), the gluten-free hazelnut pastries, the lemon yogurt sponge cake, or the apple pie with homemade crumble, too without gluten.
Ingredients
Four eggs
120 grams of butter
150 grams of sugar
200 grams of rice flour
650 milliliters of skimmed milk
Powdered sugar
How To Make The Cake With Rice Flour
1. Beat the eggs
Beat the eggs with the sugar until they triple in volume and are whitish. Add the sifted rice flour and mix. Flux 100 g of cheese, add it, and mix.
2. Add tamped milk
Heat the milk, add it, and beat until you get a smooth readiness. Fill a 22 cm round form, lubed with the leftover margarine, and fixed with material paper.
3. Bake the cake
Place the cake in the oven preheated to 180 ° and bake for 45 to 50 minutes. Remove it, let it cool down and unmold it being careful not to break it. Serve sprinkled with icing sugar.
Ideas For a Perfect Rice Flour Cake
Gluten-free flour. There are different types of gluten-free pastry flour on the market, not just rice. You can also use corn or buckwheat, even mix several. But beware! Gluten-free pastry has its tricks to make the doughs look good. It is not helpful to adapt a recipe for wheat flour and put the same amount. Always follow gluten-free recipes to the letter.
Decor. We have decorated this cake with a layer of icing sugar, but you can decorate it with red fruits or chopped nuts.
At room temperature. Before working the butter or eggs, take them out of the fridge for a long time because it works best if all the ingredients are at room temperature.
Super Delicious Double Chocolate Cake
double chocolate cake
The best flavor in double servings. Check it out with the chocolaty flavor of this super delicious double chocolate cake.
Ingredients
2 (4 oz. each) BAKER’S Semi-Sweet Chocolate, divided
1 (for two layers) of flour prepared for chocolate cake
Four egg
1 cup sour cream BREAKSTONE’S Sour Cream or KNUDSEN’s
1/2 cup oil
1/2 cup of water
One large container (8 oz.) COOL WHIP Whipped Topping without thawing
How to make double chocolate cake
Heat oven to 350 ° F.
Chop 2 oz of chocolate; reservation. Beat the following six ingredients well in a large bowl using an electric mixer. Add the chopped chocolate. Pour smoothie into 2 (9-inch) round ramekins sprayed with cooking spray.
Bake the cake for 30 to 35 min. Let them cool in the molds for 10 min. Peel the cakes from the edges of the pans. Turn them over on metal racks; remove the molds carefully. Let them cool completely.
Microwave COOL WHIP and remaining chocolate in microwaveable bowl on HIGH 1-1 / 2 min. Do not forget to stir them in the first min. Let them rest 15 min. so that they thicken.
Stack cake layers on plate; fill and cover with COOL WHIP topping. Decorate the cake with almonds. Keep it refrigerated.
Who says dessert is terrible for you? Here are two faultless and delicious recipes: (KRAFT RECIPES DESSERTS)
Photo by Marta Dzedyshko on Pexels.com (KRAFT RECIPES DESSERTS)
As I arranged for my everyday walk and bowed down to tie my shoelaces, I didn’t care for the inclination. My breathing was hefty and I learned about a tad bit of breath. I knew precisely what the issue was.
I had picked up 11 lbs during this pandemic, and I was at that point nine lbs over my pattern weight. I expected to shed a few pounds. A difficult task for a short individual who realizes how to complete this, however the extension among knowing and doing is a strenuous one. I was at that point doing my night strolls (10% of the part), however, the 90% of the restrained eating had been tossed out of the window. That is the monster I expected to chain and retrain.
A light second and I knew precisely what I expected to do.
I chose to bar red meat, added sugar a lot of substitutes, and permitted myself a little bit of white meat at four meals (between the 21 meals in seven days). I ate everything else reasonably by settling on better decisions (entire wheat flour rather than white flour). There was no removing rice, flour, bread, potatoes, natural products, grains, beans, nuts, cheddar, dairy, and so forth Also, I permitted myself all normally happening sugars; notwithstanding, I don’t care for drinking my calories, so no juice.
These totally delicious, no sugar-added desserts are totally righteous in the event that you are watching your weight
Generally, I returned to myself, in any case, lost in the lowly labyrinth and clamor of all else. I painstakingly read marks of pre-bundled snacks and, generally, cooked for myself.
So here I am, very nearly six lbs lighter, with sugar longings nearly gone, food cravings in charge, and there is no starvation and disavowal included. The emotional episodes and intermittent sensation of despondency (I’m commonly a peppy soul) are inside the typical range, my energy levels have gone up, and the general sensation of prosperity is important.
Since it has just been a fortnight, I can just provide details regarding the progressions I’ve seen up until now, yet this reasonable way of life is effectively viable. I do plan to once again introduce sugar and red meat, inside balance, whenever I’ve accomplished my objective, yet for the present this is working out well.
Today, I’m offering to both of you no-sugar-added desserts that have supported me through my excursion. Irreproachable and totally delicious, here they are, from my kitchen to yours.
(Can substitute with berry of decision and additionally pears)4 cups diced and stripped apple4 cups frozen blueberries¼ cup newly pressed squeezed orange
FOR THE Disintegrate Beating
½ cup moved oats½ cup cooked quinoa
½ cup pecans½ cup walnuts1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground ginger¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
¼ teaspoon ground cardamomPinch of salt
¼ cup coconut oil, melted½ cup cut almonds
½ cup unsweetened coconutBananas
Strategy
Preheat the stove to 400°F. Delicately oil a 9 x 13-inch preparing dish with coconut oil.
Consolidate the apples and blueberries in an enormous bowl. Add the squeezed orange and mix to equally join the leafy foods juice. Move to the heating dish. Cover the dish with aluminum thwart and prepare for around 45 minutes, until the natural product is delicate and bubbly.
In the interim, join the oats, quinoa, walnuts, pecans, flavors and salt for the fixing in your food processor. Heartbeat a couple of times to join the ingredients. Slowly add the coconut oil, while proceeding to beat the blend until it is equally dampened and the nuts are generally slashed. Move to a blending bowl, and mix in the cut almonds and unsweetened coconut.
Take the prepared natural product from the broiler, and sprinkle the fixing blend equally ridiculous. Return the dish to the broiler (revealed) and heat for an extra 20-25 minutes, until the garnish is fresh and gold. For added deliciousness, eat it with cut bananas.
(B) Banana Portion
KRAFT RECIPES DESSERTS
Ingredients
WET INGREDIENTS
5 ready bananas
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla embodiment or concentrate
DRY INGREDIENTS
1 ½ cup entire wheat flourPinch of salt
One teaspoon preparing soda
A touch of cinnamon
Strategy
Crush the bananas. In a different bowl beat the egg, and include vanilla pith or concentrate. Blend in the squashed bananas and put in a safe spot.
Blend the dry ingredients well and overlap into the wet ingredients.
Don’t over blend. Add ½ cup cleaved pecans. Line a portion dish with coconut oil, pour the combination in the readied container and heat in a preheated stove at 350 degrees for 45 to 55 minutes, or until a toothpick tells the truth.
Earlier this summer, when I began planning my family’s first real vacation in two years, I carefully chose which National Parks we’d visit. White Sands, Arches, Bryce Canyon, Capitol Reef, Joshua Tree, and Sequoia National Park easily made the cut—lots of open-air hiking where we could avoid people. We skipped Zion—traversing the crowds and taking the requisite sardined shuttle felt too risky. My kids also really wanted to see Roswell and its aliens, but the main draw was an indoor museum. Though my husband and I are vaccinated, both of our kids are under 12 and therefore unvaccinated. Since the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention had recklessly rolled back its mask recommendations in May, we kept asking, could we visit safely? How many people would be there? How many would be wearing masks?
The main reason for our caution and anxiety was my husband. He takes medication that weakens his immune system. Throughout the pandemic—and especially in the past six months, as restrictions have increasingly loosened—perhaps no other group has been more neglected by Covid guidelines or more forgotten by the general public than immune-compromised people. The only reason my husband agreed to our road trip was that nearly every site was outside. Yet it was hard not to feel on edge every time we stopped at a gas station or entered a hotel lobby and found no one else masked but ourselves.
We wore KN-95s, but we knew that masks offer the most protection when others around you also wear them. While many of my vaccinated friends had begun visiting places like restaurants, bars, and fitness clubs again, our family still did delivery or curbside pickup for most our shopping, and the kids knew movies or arcades were out of the question. The CDC’s mask guidance shift had made basic errands riskier for families like ours. Virtually no one where we live in North Texas wore masks in stores, and with less than half our county fully vaccinated, basic math told us they weren’t all vaccinated.
This lack of consideration for immune-compromised people, from public health authorities and the public at large, is dangerous not only for the more than 10 million people with weakened immune systems but also for public health in general. The Alpha variant, as Science reported in December, almost certainly arose from an infection in an immune-compromised person whose prolonged battle against Covid provided ample opportunity for the virus to evolve. Emerging evidence suggests that other variants, possibly including Delta, could have evolved similarly, and a recent report from the UK warns of the potential for more variants to develop the same way. Our collective national choice not to protect the most vulnerable among us is also likely a choice to prolong the pandemic.
By the time we took our trip in June, preliminary evidence suggested that my husband’s medication probably didn’t stop his immune system from mounting a response to the vaccine, so he likely had some antibodies. But we didn’t know how many, how rare breakthrough infections really were, or how his body might respond to one.
Flash forward to last week: When new data about Delta transmission among vaccinated people led the CDC to tighten its mask recommendations, we felt more anger than relief. We knew you couldn’t put the genie back in the bottle. We saw a small uptick in masking, but most people in our area still aren’t masking, since stores stopped requiring it in May. When the CDC released the data explaining its decision a few days later, worried friends sent me a slew of messages: How likely were they to get a breakthrough infection? Should they stop eating at indoor restaurants? Was it still safe enough to fly?
The uncertainty and uneasiness many vaccinated people have been feeling in the past week is what our family and millions of others with immune-compromised members have lived with for the past year and a half. Except the stakes are higher now for immune-compromised people, given how much more contagious, and possibly more virulent, Delta is.
Despite the CDC’s muddled messaging, the vaccines remain highly protective against severe illness for most people. “Mild” Covid-19 infections, however, don’t necessarily feel mild to those infected. While many experience something akin to a light cold or no symptoms at all, others are laid up in bed for two to four days with an illness “on par with having debilitating food poisoning,” as Susan Matthews recently wrote in Slate. If that’s what some healthy people experience, what does a breakthrough infection look like for immune-compromised people? It could be much more serious, whether they have antibodies from the vaccine or not.
If you’ve ever dabbled in Fitbit’s ecosystem, you might’ve noticed the new Luxe fitness tracker is somewhat of a departure from the company’s usual suspects. Above all else, the Fitbit Luxe is focused on offering a compact, versatile design that’s suitable for all occasions.
While Fitbit is not exclusively marketing the Luxe as a product made only for women, that’s certainly the intended audience. After all, this tracker does offer a rather sleek and feminine aesthetic that many women will appreciate.
With that said, the Fitbit Luxe is an excellent companion for anyone who doesn’t want to sacrifice form for function. If that sounds like you, then you may very well fall head over heels for this stunning device. You’ll still get your fair share of health and fitness tracking features, too. It’s not nearly as robust as the Charge 4 or the Versa 3, but it does a solid job of handling the basics.
Most users will be drawn to the Fitbit Luxe for its captivating design. This is a great alternative if you don’t want to spend the extra money on a women’s smartwatch. Many fitness trackers offer a basic and sometimes bland design that leaves much to be desired, but that’s not the case here.
Health enthusiasts who also love to accessorize and match their jewelry choices to their outfits will have the best of both worlds with the Fitbit Luxe. Upon first glance, some people might mistake this tracker for a piece of jewelry. Fitbit went with a “modern take on traditional jewelry-making techniques using an innovative design process called metal injection molding to create Luxe’s stainless steel case.”
I was pleasantly surprised by the durability factor of the Fitbit Luxe.
Additionally, a metal vaporizing technique was used on the elegant gold and platinum finishes to deliver a premium look and feel. When I first opened the box, I was a bit worried about how well this tracker would hold up during workouts and daily wear. It’s definitely fancy, but I was pleasantly surprised by the durability factor of the Fitbit Luxe. Basic tasks like doing dishes and showering didn’t result in any damage thanks to the 5ATM water-resistance rating.
The Fitbit Luxe bands are interchangeable, so if you’re not sold on the silicone bands that come with the tracker, you can always change them. I wish it was a more user-friendly band system, but it can be a bit tricky. It’s a new system, so no other Fitbit tracker bands will work. Fortunately, there are enough third-party options to pick from that this shouldn’t be an issue.
I appreciated not having to put so much thought into whether my tracker was an acceptable accessory choice on any given day. I attended a formal birthday dinner last month, and the Fitbit Luxe was the perfect companion for my wrist. If I had been wearing something a bit bulkier and masculine-looking such as the Garmin Forerunner 55, I might need to think twice about swapping it out.
The bright display is just as stunning as the rest of the tracker.
You get a bright AMOLED screen that’s crisp and clear. The bright display is just as stunning as the rest of the tracker. As someone who’s worn bifocals for more than half my life, I still had to squint to decipher the tiny text from time to time.
When a notification comes in, you only get so much information given just how small the display is. You won’t have any physical buttons, so all the navigating is done on the touchscreen. This can be tricky with sweaty fingertips during a workout.
Despite its brilliant display, the Fitbit Luxe can still manage to squeeze out about 5 days of battery life depending on your usage. This isn’t too bad, but these days, many cheaper trackers are offering 2+ weeks of battery life. Hopefully, any future Luxe models will come bearing battery life.
Detailed tracking can be enough
Source: Courtney Lynch / Android Central
One of the biggest benefits of buying the Fitbit Luxe is that new and returning customers get access to a free 6-month trial of Fitbit Premium. After the trial ends, Fitbit Premium will cost members $9.99 per month, or you can pay or an annual subscription for $79.99.
Fitbit Premium offers a detailed stress management score, deeper sleep analytics, and over 200 audio/video workouts.
While some users may prefer to skip out on the paid subscription, the 6-month trial might sell you on it. Fitbit Premium offers a detailed stress management score, deeper sleep analytics, and over 200 audio/video workouts. You’ll also have access to nearly 200 mindfulness sessions to help you better manage stress. These include sessions from Deepak Chopra, Ten Percent Happier, Aura, and more.
The Health Metrics dashboard is a standard feature, but with Fitbit Premium, you can track your monthly trends and personal ranges. You’ll also be alerted when one of your metrics is out of range. Premium members will also have access to 60+ new pieces of nutrition content, which includes curated healthy recipes from Fitbit and EatingWell.
Those who are casually tracking their health and fitness might not find these extra perks to be all that appealing. However, if you’re committed to getting the full picture of your health and wellness so you can make necessary improvements, Fitbit Premium will be worth the monthly subscription.
Source: Courtney Lynch / Android Central
The Fitbit Luxe offers 20 goal-based exercise modes.
As for standard features, the Fitbit Luxe offers 20 goal-based exercise modes, advanced sleep monitoring with a sleep score, heart-rate tracking, stress monitoring, Cardio Fitness Score, female health-tracking, and more.
You can choose up to 6 customizable exercises to store as shortcuts on your device. This can be done right from your device, but it’s easier to do from the Fitbit app. Some of the popular options include walking, running, biking, yoga, treadmill, weights, swimming, elliptical, spinning, circuit training, hiking, and more.
You’ll be able to track your real-time pace and distance for walks, bikes, and outdoor runs with your phone’s connected GPS. The data on the screen during a workout is limited to one metric at a time, so you’ll have to swipe through to view a specific metric. This can be a bit tedious when you’re in the zone, so you’re better off reviewing a breakdown of your stats when the workout is complete.
I particularly enjoyed using Active Zone Minutes, which is a fairly new feature across many Fitbit wearables. This feature helps you track your minutes spent in each heart rate zone. You’ll know when it’s time to push harder during an activity. Active Zone Minutes helps make your workouts more efficient while monitoring your progress toward reaching your weekly goal of 150 Active Zone Minutes for improved heart health.
It was very convenient to have quick and easy access to relax guided breathing sessions. While they’re not nearly as detailed as the mindfulness sessions you get with Premium, they get the job done. If you notice your resting heart rate (RHR) is unusually high, try a guided breathing session to bring your heart rate down.
Another feature I found useful is Cardio Fitness Score or VO2 Max.
Another feature I found useful is Cardio Fitness Score or VO2 Max. If you’re not familiar, this metric refers to the maximum amount of oxygen you can utilize during an intense workout. If you’re trying to improve your performance, you’ll benefit from this perk. Tap the heart rate tile on the Fitbit app to view your RHR graph. Swipe right and you’ll receive your detailed Cardio Fitness Score.
This personalized score is determined by your resting heart rate, weight, age, gender, and other personal data. On the Fitbit app, you can see how your score compares to others in your age group. I landed in the fair to average range, which felt accurate. There are also recommendations for how to improve your score. My recommendation for improvement was to increase the intensity of my workouts.
Some other health features include skin temperature tracking and blood oxygen (SpO2) monitoring. According to Fitbit, the latter will be available soon. You’ll be able to cover sudden changes to your health by tracking your skin temperature variation, which could potentially indicate fever or illness.
When it becomes available, the SpO2 sensor will help you monitor the levels of oxygen in your blood, which can alert you to changes to your overall health and wellness. I have grown accustomed to having this feature on my other wearables, so it’ll be nice to take advantage of this data when the sensor is eventually activated.
Very few extras
Source: Courtney Lynch / Android Central
Don’t expect a boatload of extra features from the Fitbit Luxe and you won’t be disappointed. Aside from smartphone notifications, timer/stopwatch, sleep mode, do not disturb mode, and silent alarms, there’s not a whole lot to talk about. Many other trackers (and watches) at this price point at least offer music controls or storage, but not the Luxe.
When asked about this choice, Fitbit stated that the main audience for this device valued other features more. As a result, the decision was made to prioritize other needs, such as “creating a sleek device that’s equal parts fashion accessory and wellness tracker.”
I find the lack of music controls to be an oversight on Fitbit’s part.
While I can somewhat understand this reasoning, even budget-friendly fitness trackers, like the Xiaomi Mi Band 5 and Honor Band 5, have managed to offer basic music controls. Considering these trackers are available for a fraction of the price of the Luxe, I find the lack of music controls to be an oversight on Fitbit’s part.
Any other extras you might be looking for are not available on the Fitbit Luxe, like onboard GPS and NFC payments, for example. You might find these omissions to be fair considering this tracker’s main goal is to be fashionable while also monitoring your health and fitness. With that said, there are devices available in this price range that will provide you with these features.
How much are you willing to pay for a fashionable tracker?
Source: Courtney Lynch / Android Central
The one question you may find yourself asking is how much money are you willing to spend on a fashion-forward fitness tracker that offers basic activity and health tracking? If you’ve been searching for a device that will serve as a gorgeous piece of jewelry while also monitoring key aspects of your well-being, the price may not be a problem for you.
On the other hand, those of us who are accustomed to our wearables offering a few extra perks here and there might be left wanting more. As I mentioned, there are other options to consider at this price point that offer some extra features. If you’re not finding the Luxe’s feature set to be worth the price tag, you might be better off upgrading to an Android smartwatch instead.
Fitbit’s own Charge 4 is cheaper than the Luxe and will give you music controls, Fitbit Pay, and onboard GPS. Is it anywhere near as luxurious as the Luxe? Absolutely not. You’ll have to choose what’s more important to you: features or fashion? I can’t say that I would spend $150 on this tracker, but those who want features and fashion may not mind the price tag.
Bearing all of this in mind, the Fitbit Luxe has achieved its goal of being a fashion-forward fitness and wellness tracker that supports your health goals. It’s a one-of-a-kind device that stands out from other options on the market. You won’t have to worry about having a mediocre design or limited health/fitness tracking perks. If luxurious style plus detailed tracking is your ideal combination of features, the Fitbit Luxe will be worth every penny.
A fashion-focused fitness tracker
Fitbit Luxe
Go fashionable or go home
The Fitbit Luxe makes it so you don’t have to choose between fitness and fashion. Now, you can have both. You get many essential features such as activity tracking, heart-rate monitoring, sleep tracking, stress monitoring, female health-tracking, and more. If you can live without GPS, music controls, and Fitbit Pay, you’ll be pleased with the Luxe.
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Thomas Was Alone developer Bithell Games has released a difficult, sciency puzzle game for the Oculus Quest 2. For anyone looking for a truly challenging experience mixed in with a fun story, Arcsmith is absolutely worth checking out.
HBO Max has a variety of original films and fan-favorite movies streaming now for subscribers, including new releases from WarnerMedia. Here’s a full rundown of the best movies on HBO Max this month.
Vehicles drive past the New York Times headquarters in New York March 1, 2010. REUTERS/Lucas Jackson
Aug 4 (Reuters) – The New York Times Co (NYT.N) reported better-than-expected quarterly revenue on Wednesday, driven by strong advertising demand and a rise in digital subscriptions.
The Times has grown its digital business in recent years by offering a rich library of content that ranges from news and podcasts to crosswords and cooking recipes.
But the company’s subscriber growth has cooled this year as the news cycle slows after an action-packed 2020, while easing of COVID-19 curbs has prompted people to step out and spend less time on its entertainment products.
It added only 142,000 digital-only subscribers in the quarter, its lowest growth in at least seven quarters.
Total revenue in the second quarter rose 23.5% to $498.5 million, compared with the average analyst estimate of $487.7 million, according to Refinitiv IBES data.
Net income attributable to common stockholders rose to $54.32 million, or 32 cents per share, in the second quarter, from $23.66 million, or 14 cents per share, a year earlier.
Reporting by Eva Mathews in Bengaluru; Editing by Aditya Soni
Lightly seared sashimi-grade salmon doused in citrus and mushroom, egg noodles with a chicken omelette, and braised summer veg in a dashi broth
Masaki Sugisaki
Sat 10 Jul 2021 02.00 EDT
Summer vegetable nibitashi
Prep 25 min Marinade 2 hr+ Cook 30 min Serves 4
For the broth 600ml dashi stock, ready-made or from powdered dashi (both are available in large supermarkets, though if you use powdered, follow the instructions on the packet) 75ml soy sauce
100ml mirin
1 tsp (5ml) fresh ginger juice – finely grate 20g ginger, then squeeze to extract the liquid
For the nibitashi 1 medium aubergine, cut in half lengthways and each half cut lengthways into four
15cherry tomatoes, heritage, ideally, for both taste and look 60g mangetout
1 medium courgette, cut into 2cm-wide discs
½ red pepper, stem, pith and seeds removed, flesh cut into 1cm-wide strips ½ orange pepper, stem, pith and seeds removed, flesh cut into 1cm-wide strips ¼ summer squash (about 200g), peeled, deseeded and cut into ½cm-wide strips
Olive oil, for frying
1 tsp (5ml) sesame oil, to serve 2spring onions, trimmed and finely sliced, to serve
Put all the ingredients for the broth in a medium saucepan, bring to a boil, then take off the heat (do not let it bubble and reduce). Score the aubergine flesh all over in a criss-cross pattern, soak in cold water for 10 minutes, then drain.
Meanwhile, bring a small pan of water to a boil and fill a bowl with iced water. Lightly score a cross in the base of each tomato, blanch in the boiling water for five seconds, then transfer to the ice bath. Once chilled, peel and put in the broth pot.
Blanch the mangetout in the same boiling water for a minute, chill in the ice bath, drain and add to the broth. Pour enough olive oil into a large saute pan to come 1cm up the sides, then heat to about 170C (if you don’t have a probe, test by mixing a half-teaspoon of plain flour and a teaspoon of water in small bowl, then drop a little into the oil: if it sinks to the bottom, then floats up to surface after three seconds, the oil is ready).
Fry the aubergine, courgette, pepper and squash in turn, and without overloading the pan, for about two minutes each, until lightly coloured, then remove, drain on kitchen paper and add to the broth pot while they are still hot. Leave the vegetables to cool to room temperature, then put in the fridge and leave to marinate for two hours, or longer (nibitashi is traditionally served cold, but it can also be eaten hot or warm, in which case just heat it up gently after it has marinated).
Ladle the vegetables into deep bowls with a little broth, drizzle with sesame oil, scatter the chopped spring onions on top and serve.
Seared salmon sashimi with ponzu sauce and porcini salsa
Masaki Sugisaki’s seared salmon sashimi with ponzu sauce and porcini salsa.
Prep 10 min Cook 35 min Serves 4
For the ponzu sauce 15g dried porcini
130mlrice vinegar
65mlsoy sauce
45ml fresh lemon juice
10gmirin (or ⅓ tbsp sugar)
For the porcini salsa 2½ tbsp (10g) finely chopped white onion 1 tsp (5ml) extra-virgin olive oil
Sea salt andblack pepper
For the fish 280g sashimi-quality salmon – if you’re not using sashimi-grade fish, you’ll need to cure it for two hours in a brine of 1.2 litres cold water, 60g (or 5%) salt and 30g (2½%) sugar 1½ tbsp (5g) finely chopped chives
1 tsp (5ml)extra-virgin olive oil
Lightly wash the porcini under running water, then drain. Put all the ingredients for the ponzu sauce in a bowl and leave to infuse at room temperature for half an hour. Strain into a bowl though muslin or a very fine sieve, squeeze out the liquid from the drained porcini into the bowl, too, then set both aside.
Meanwhile, make the salsa. Finely chop the drained porcini. Put the onion in a small sieve, rinse under cold running water for five minutes, then drain and mix with the porcini, the other salsa ingredients and two teaspoons of the reserved ponzu sauce, and season to taste.
Next, sear the fish (if you’re using cured and brined fish, drain and dry it first). Have ready a large bowl filled with iced water. Pour a thin layer of olive oil into a hot frying pan and, once it starts to smoke, lightly season the fish with salt and sear all over for just three to five seconds a side. Transfer the salmon to the ice bath for a minute, then lift out and drain on kitchen paper.
Cut the seared salmon into very thin (½mm-thick, ideally) slices and arrange on a platter. Spoon a little salsa on to each slice, then spoon about 50ml of the reserved ponzu sauce all over the fish. Scatter the chives on top, drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil and serve at room temperature.
Cold egg noodles with chicken, omelette and summer vegetables
Prep 35 min
Cook 50 min Serves 4
For the sweet soy vinaigrette 120ml soy sauce
120ml rice vinegar
140ml cold water
55g caster sugar
2 tsp (10ml) sesame oil
2 tsp (10ml) gochujangpaste (optional)
For the steamed chicken 2 x 150g skinless chicken breasts
10g dried kombu
1 tbsp roughly chopped fresh ginger
1 tbsp roughly chopped spring onion greens
50ml cooking-grade sake
1 tsp (5ml) soy sauce
Salt
For the omelettes 3 whole eggs plus 1 egg yolk
1 tbsp caster sugar
1 tsp cornflour
⅓ tsp salt
To finish ½ cucumber
2 large tomatoes
4 large asparagus stalks
240g dried egg noodles
1 tsp white sesame seeds
1 tbsp dijon mustard, to serve
Whisk all the vinaigrette ingredients in a bowl, and set aside.
Butterfly the chicken breasts so they’re an even thickness all over. Put the kombu in the base of a deep tray or ceramic dish, and scatter over half the ginger and spring onion greens. Lay the chicken on top, and cover with the remaining ginger and spring onions. Drizzle the sake all over the contents of the dish, season with the soy and a little salt, and cover with clingfilm or reusable wrap.
Bring a pan of water to a gentle simmer on a medium-low heat, perch the chicken dish on top and leave to steam for 20 minutes. Take off the heat, set aside to cool, then lift out the chicken and strain the kombu, ginger and onion juices through a fine sieve into a medium bowl. Tear the chicken into thin strips, add to the juice bowl and set aside.
Whisk all the omelette ingredients until well combined and the sugar and salt have dissolved. Pour a thin layer of olive oil into a medium nonstick frying pan on a medium-low heat. Pour in a quarter of the egg mix, swirl it around to cover the base of the pan and leave for a minute or two, until set all the way through. Transfer to a board and repeat with the remaining omelette mix. Once all four omelettes are cooked, lay them on top of each other on the board, roll up into a cylinder and cut into thin julienne strips.
Now to finish the dish. Cut the cucumber in half lengthways, use a teaspoon to remove and discard the seeds, then cut the flesh into julienne strips. Blanch and peel the tomatoes as in the nibitashi recipe above, cut into quarters, remove and discard the seeds, then cut the flesh into julienne strips.
Bring a small pan of salted water to a boil, blanch the asparagus for two minutes, then chill in iced water, drain on kitchen paper and slice thinly on an angle.
Boil the noodles according to the packet instructions (timings vary depending on brand), adding a minute to the cooking time. Drain, refresh in iced water (this is what gets them to the right texture), drain again and put on a platter. Pour over half the vinaigrette, then top the noodles with the chicken, omelette strips and sliced vegetables. Pour over the rest of the dressing, scatter with sesame seeds and sesame oil, and serve with mustard on the side.
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From new spins on salads and a gourmet chard sandwich to the ultimate carrot cake, it’s time to make the most of the season’s vegetables
Wed 28 Jul 2021 10.40 EDT
Local shops and supermarket shelves are stacked with prime summer produce. Piles of fragrant, sun-ripened tomatoes, crisp sweetcorn, freshly picked French beans. It’s the perfect time for Nigel Slater’s burrata with peas and basil, Richard Olney’s bagna cauda, or Yasmin Khan’s moussaka. From eastern China to northern Spain, Australia to the US, we have scoured the world for vegetable recipes. We devoured the best books. Whether you make Simon Hopkinson’s classic lettuce, cress and egg salad or bake Claire Ptak’s definitive carrot cake, savour this collection. Literal summer on a plate.
The simplest of lunch or supper dishes, ready in a few minutes
Burrata and peas. Photograph: Jonathan Lovekin/The Observer
A versatile Sicilian stew with many variations – and a handy way to use up leftover veg
Caponata. Photograph: Kate Whitaker
In the 1970s, soufflés were everywhere – now they are a rare beast. Time to celebrate them again
Sweetcorn, rosemary and smoked cheddar soufflé. Photograph: Andrew Montgomery
A celebration of two summer stars, given a north African twist
Courgette, sweetcorn and chermoula. Photograph: Kate Whitaker
Gather the ingredients, season, blitz and serve – couldn’t be simpler
Chilled summer garden soup with nasturtium pesto. Photograph: Anna Hedworth
A great party canapé, if a little messy, so best eaten outside
Bagna cauda – raw vegetables with hot anchovy dip. Photograph: Kate Whitaker
An elegant Aussie twist on the humble chip, baked to perfection
Oven chips with oregano and feta. Photograph: Jonathan Lovekin
A Danish seasonal classic with the salad staple as star – just like grandmother used to make
Roast chicken with sweet-and-sour cucumber salad. Photograph: Kate Whitaker
Flavoursome home cooking, Chinese style – serve with or without meat
Hangzhou aubergines. Photograph: Chris Terry
A refreshing, crisp salad
Noodle salad with sprouted beans and peanuts by Nigel Slater Photograph: Jonathan Lovekin/The Observer
An Italian treat for a perfect seasonal lunch or dinner
Rotolo di spinaci. Photograph: Matthew Donaldson
A zingy way to cook and eat the humble bean – just don’t shrivel the skin too much
Dry-fried French beans with minced pork. Photograph: Kate Whitaker
Dressed green leaves and sunny egg yolks conjure up the lightest summer dish
Lettuce salad with eggs, mustard cress and a creamed dressing. Photograph: Kate Whitaker
Complementary ingredients swaddled in flaky pastry make for a heavenly seasonal tart
Beetroot and feta galette with za’atar and honey. Photograph: Jenny Zarins
A classic dish (minus the meat) that brings back memories of a holiday in Cyprus
Vegetable moussaka. Photograph: Matt Russell
A Greek-style seasonal salad – just like yiayia used to make
Broad bean, dill and tomato salad. Photograph: Kate Whitaker
Served whole, this fish dish makes an elegant centrepiece at dinner
Baked sea bass, courgette and spinach stuffing. Photograph: Jonathan Lovekin/The Observer
This works well for a picnic lunch or as a side with a main meal
Sweet or tangy potato salad. Photograph: Kate Whitaker
An old Spanish recipe takes the humble sandwich and makes it something really special
Swiss chard sandwich. Photograph: Kate Whitaker
A supercharged recipe for this sweet, ever-popular classic
Carrot cake. Photograph: Kristin Perers
The Guardian aims to publish recipes for sustainable fish. For ratings in your region, check: UK; Australia; US
• This article was amended on 28 July 2021 to replace one of the recipes which is no longer available
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