Read it and weep, boys: It's officially hot rodent summer. Plus:

Take It From a Woman: We Want Rat Faces and Dad Bods

BY LOGAN MAHAN

My most recent romantic escapade involved an intoxicated woman running up to my date on the street and informing him that he looked like “that one guy from Challengers.” I wasn’t sure which of the two actors in the sexiest movie of the year she was referring to, but I had quietly thought he bore a resemblance to both of them. The validation from a random (albeit drunk) woman satisfied me immensely, not only because this corroborated my own private assumption, but because I knew I was out with an enviably attractive man.

In case you haven’t heard, it’s a hot rodent summer. I’m aware that this sounds beyond offensive, but it’s true: the internet is thirsting after famous men who look like vermin.

Earlier this week, we asked you about your favorite wellness tips. Over half of you picked spending more time outside, 20% of you said meal prepping, 16% said reading before going to bed and the rest of you picked not tracking your sleep.

Should Chefs Be Allowed to Copyright Their Dishes?

“Often enough, I’m talking to start-ups in the food industry, and they tell me they have a unique recipe from their grandma and that they’re going to make millions,” says Valentin Chelnokov, the CEO of New Jersey’s Zina’s Fine Foods. “So I’ll ask about the recipe, and they’ll say they can’t share it with me. What if I steal it? That’s the way the food industry is thinking now. Yet the reality is that from packaged foods to restaurant dishes, there’s very limited protection for food.”

That, of course, doesn’t stop the question arising. Why isn’t pulling together various ingredients (the medium) to make a specific meal, perhaps arranged in specific way on a plate (your finished “creative work”), worthy of protection in law? “We’ve developed many recipes and seen attempts to copy them, some of them very bluntly,” Chelnokov says. “We haven’t lost business, but we’d like to call them out.”

IN THE NEWS

The global spirits industry is officially “tumultuous.”

A recent expedition discovered the wreck of Ernest Shackleton’s last ship.

Some Boeing and Airbus jets may contain mystery metal.

High-end watches inspired Bugatti’s new hypercar.

The 8 Most Interesting Things We Drank at Bar Convent Brooklyn

The 2024 edition of Bar Convent was held in Industry City, and it’ll take you the full two days to see all 230 exhibitors and 52 educational sessions. According to BCB, more than 550,000 drinks and spirits samples were poured during those two days in mid-June, and 5,300 people attended (it felt like many, many more).

BCB is a trade show, sure, but it’s also a great chance to mingle with the drinks world and try a few things you’d never get to taste in your local bar or liquor store. With the spirit (ha) of discovery in mind, we’re only highlighting new(ish) brands and bottles that caught our eyes and palate.

Mido Introduces Two Celebratory New Ocean Star Models

In 1944, Swiss watchmaker Mido introduced its Ocean Star collection, a series of highly water-resistant watches that would form the basis of the brand’s dive watch production in the coming decades.

Now, in celebration of 80 years since the launch of the original Ocean Star, Mido has released two new models that up the aquatic ante: The Ocean Star 600 Chronometer is the brand’s first deep-diving watch that’s water resistant to 600 meters, while the Ocean Star GMT Special Edition gives its handy traveler’s complication an ocean-themed bent.

The 5 Best Independent Bookstores in Los Angeles

Life in L.A. can be fast-paced, hectic and stressful. To help combat it all, it’s possible you turn to working out, hiking, brunching or grabbing beers with friends. But allow us to suggest another remedy: visiting a local bookstore. These serene spaces are good for the soul, and all but guaranteed to smooth away the edges of your anxiety (so basically they’re an alternative to popping a beta blocker). Luckily, from the East Side to the ocean, L.A. has plenty of top-tier independent bookstores perfect for slowing down, getting inspired, reconnecting with your local community and, of course, finding your next favorite book.