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JWC Media •

Rizzoli's Holiday Gift Guide

Sheridan Road Magazine explores the luxury, elegance, and historic charm of North Shore’s most pristine neighborhoods. Get a behind-the-scenes look at Sheridan Road’s rich art, cultural, and design scenes, as well as interviews with notable residents.

Sheridan Road Magazine explores the luxury, elegance, and historic charm of North Shore’s most pristine neighborhoods. Get a behind-the-scenes look at Sheridan Road’s rich art, cultural, and design scenes, as well as interviews with notable reside...

Country Magazine Digital Edition

Country Magazine explores Barrington, Illinois—an expansive and affluent suburb known for its serene lifestyle, horses, and rich cultural heritage. With spacious homes and beautifully landscaped properties, this community offers an exquisite living experience just 30 miles from downtown Chicago. Also covering the towns of Inverness and Deer Park.

Country Magazine explores Barrington, Illinois—an expansive and affluent suburb known for its serene lifestyle, horses, and rich cultural heritage. Wi...
Just N Life •

The Cult of Crumbl Cookies: Is Their Success Destined to Crumble?

In all 50 states, Monday means that it is time to secure a pink box of Crumbl cookies. With over 6 million followers on Instagram and 9.4 million on TikTok, people monitor Crumbl’s weekly flavor lineup with a religious dedication — that is, if they haven’t already looked at spoilers. What follows swiftly is an array of influencers reviewing each flavor, garnering thousands and millions of likes and debates in the comments. 


Ever since Crumbl’s opening in 2017, the Utah-born bakery has become...
Just N Life •

Are We Experiencing the End of Cinema?

For those of us who have recently watched a film in a movie theater, there is a noticeable emptiness in each room. Many of us can remember the days when almost every seat was filled. The decrease was gradual until the pandemic when movie theaters took a big hit. Hollywood had a few big summers with Barbie and Inside Out 2, but the movie business is still in poor shape. As of August 1, the Wall Street Journal reported that ticket sales in 2024 dropped to $4.8 billion in comparison to the 2023 box...
Just N Life •

Sleep Better With These Nighttime Routine Habits

You may have heard it before, but sleep is truly the bridge between hopelessness and happiness. Quality sleep is essential for every process in the body including brain function, physical health, and mental health. Despite its importance, everyday chaos distracts people from their own wellness. If you’re looking for a way to improve your quality of life, it’s time to start prioritizing your quality of sleep. Ditch the caffeine overtake and wake up on the right side of the bed with this perfect n...
Just N Life •

Is Friday the 13th Unlucky? Origins, Connections, and "Magical Thinking"

Halloween is spooky in its own right, but occasionally one day comes along that people find equally, if not more, frightening – Friday the 13th, widely known as the most unlucky day of the year. The mystery around this day has left room for wild theories; there is even a diagnosable Friday the 13th phobia called paraskavedekatriaphobia or friggatriskaidekaphobia. Whether a diagnosable fear or a general apprehension, the unsettling date has created significant economic impacts with people refusin...
Just N Life •

Inspiring Confidence with Beauty in Black's Amber Reign Smith

The Tyler Perry universe is expanding, but this time with his first drama series on Netflix, Beauty in Black. The 16-episode series follows two women leading starkly different lives. Kimmie, played by Taylor Polidore Williams, is struggling to make ends meet after being kicked out by her mother and finds refuge in a famed Magic City strip club. Meanwhile, Mallory, played by Crystle Stewart, is a successful businesswoman running her family’s hair care dynasty. The two lives become intertwined in...
Just N Life •

The Benefits of Horror Films: Why Do We Enjoy Fear?

There is a fine line between spooky movies and horror films. Spooky movies are especially popular around this time of year as the leaves change and Trader Joe’s snacks become pumpkin-flavored. Perhaps they feature a chatty ghost or a trick-or-treating family mishap. Horror movies, on the other hand, are a perpetual cultural obsession regardless of the changing of the seasons. They tend to contain gruesome images and an underlying anxiety of not knowing what lies around the corner. Voluntarily be...
Just N Life •

A Scientific Guide To Romanticizing Rainy and Gloomy Days

One of the biggest downfalls of growing up is no longer playing in the rain. As we become adults, dark, rainy days take on a negative association. Plans for a productive day of work or a fun day out with friends are suddenly ruined by a spout of rain. Your immediate instinct is to stay in and hibernate from the outdoors. Ultimately, the weather is out of our control — we are, however, fully in control of how we respond to less-ideal weather. Rather than falling more into the gloom, reverse the n...
Just N Life •

Remembering Hollywood Star and British Legend, Dame Maggie Smith

This past weekend, the world lost Dame Maggie Smith, a prolific actress and British icon, at the age of 89. Many know her for her biggest roles as Professor McGonagall in the Harry Potter franchise and Violet Crawley in the hit series Downton Abbey, yet Smith leaves behind an illustrious career spanning over seven decades. Her witty charm, wise demeanor, and strong onscreen presence bore both comedic and dramatic roles. We look back at these roles to celebrate the figure who spent a lifetime ins...
Just N Life •

Hulu’s 'Tell Me Lies' Tells Hard Truths About Toxic Relationships

Portraying toxic relationships in television and film is a challenging task. In a form that is inherently romantic, many films risk romanticizing too many aspects of a narrative. It Ends with Us recently drew criticism for missing the mark, focusing on floral outfits and advertising it as a romance when the real storyline followed the subject of abuse. To take on such a fragile, nuanced topic requires careful attention. Recently taking on this challenge is the new series Tell Me Lies. Tell Me Li...
Just N Life •

Must-Watch Films from The Venice Film Festival

Venice is known as a city on water with winding canals and breathtaking architecture. And, from August 28th to September 7th, it hosted the annual Venice Film Festival. Hollywood’s biggest actors and filmmakers gathered to attend parties in gorgeous casinos and gardens, participate in interviews, and gather to discuss the world of film. The festival has become the most vied-for place to premiere new movies. From sequels to well-known duos making a reprise, this year’s most anticipated and buzz-w...
Just N Life •

The Dare is Sparking an 'Indie Sleaze' Comeback

Dancing, decadence, big boots, and bad decisions—2024 has reentered its Indie Sleaze Era. Before jumping into the intricacies of the music and investigating the up-and-coming artist The Dare, we must reminisce on the early 2000s club scene.


The term ‘Indie Sleaze’ was coined in 2021 in reference to the early 2000s, where the vibe was carefree, glamorous, and even a bit grimy. The music scene traces back to the New York City Indie scene where bands like The Strokes and Yeah Yeah Yeahs had a ch...
Just N Life •

Camo Hats, Guac Bowls and Flip Flops: What is the Deal With Political Merch?

“Brat Summer” has infiltrated many elements of present-day culture, but no one could have anticipated it infiltrating the political sphere, particularly within the presidential election. Kamala Harris has used the “brat summer” effect to her advantage to target younger audiences and spark involvement in the campaign with political merch.


Gen-Z was sent into a frenzy when the Kamala Harris media team took this theme to the next level and released a camo trucker hat embroidered with orange thre...
Just N Life •

The Cult of Diet Coke: Nostalgic or Harmful?

There is a distinct societal divide between those who love Diet Coke and those who do not. Its distinct taste and aura placed the soda at the top of the American beverage hierarchy. Diet Coke elicits images of Americana, frivolity, and glamour. As Addison Rae’s recent hit “Diet Pepsi” captures, diet soda has slowly transformed into an unofficial emblem of young audiences through social media. Diet Coke is more than a beverage—it is essentially a cult.


Coca-Cola was invented back in the 1800s....
Just N Life •

"The Instigators" Review: Matt Damon and Casey Affleck Make Felons Lovable

This review of The Instigators includes spoilers.


Through life’s uncertainties, one thing you can count on is a Damon/Affleck crossover. Their most recent project, The Instigators directed by Doug Liman, was released on Apple TV on August 9.


Rory (Matt Damon) and Cobby (Casey Affleck) meet as two distinctly different criminals hired to complete a seemingly simple heist against a wealthy and corrupt politician. When the plan goes awry, they only have each other, and occasionally Rory’s ther...
Just N Life •

Amber Shana Williams Reflects on Tamar's Journey in the Hit Series "The Chosen"

The NABJ Convention held in Chicago from July 31st through August 4th saw thousands of members and colleagues from across the industry gather to network, chat, and educate. One of the stand-out featured artists was actress Amber Shana Williams who reflected on her role as Tamar in the hit series, The Chosen. The series is a historical drama based on the life of Jesus Christ and those who knew him, with anticipation of its fifth season coming out soon.


As a fictional narrative, The Chosen fill...
Just N Life •

A Recap of Semicolon Bookstore's Event for "The Supremes at Earl’s All-You-Can-Eat"

On Michigan Avenue, visitors take photos in front of the River, and Chicago residents rush to their next destination. Yet, tucked away in the center of 400 N Michigan is Semicolon Bookstore—a bright oasis for book lovers. About 50 people gathered on August 12th in the brand new space for a book event with Edward Kelsey Moore to celebrate his novel, The Supremes at Earl’s All-You-Can-Eat, adapted into a Hulu film this August.  


The modern bookstore is spacious and polished with pops of color a...
Just N Life •

Tina Mabry and Edward Kelsey Moore Discuss New Movie "The Supremes at Earl's All-You-Can-Eat"

Over a sweltering hot weekend, Chicago was bustling with crowds heading to Lollapalooza or the NABJ Convention. But on the 7th floor of a building in River North, author Edward Kelsey Moore and director and screenwriter Tina Mabry sat overlooking the busy street, filling the room’s peaceful quiet with laughter and discussion. This warm energy is embedded in their joint project, The Supremes at Earl’s All-You-Can-Eat coming to Hulu at the end of August. The tale follows three friends from Plainvi...
Just N Life •

The Woman Behind the Olympian: 10 Memoirs Written by Female Olympic Athletes

The term “Olympian” denotes supreme excellence. In ancient Greek theology, the Olympians were the major deities, who with power and strength, presided over human life. This ancient connotation adds to the almost elusive and inhuman way the public treats the athletes who enter the Olympics. They are celebrated for their victories and mercilessly shamed for their failures.


Through literature, Olympians have taken their narratives back into their own hands. They have written memoirs that humaniz...
Just N Life •

Recent Lawsuit Begs the Question: How Healthy is 'Healthy Soda'?

The healthy food world is filled with buzzwords. Over the past year, the newest in-demand concept has been “functional beverages.” Brands like Olipop and Poppi have advertised themselves as prebiotic sodas guaranteed to improve your gut health — but these miracle claims led to a recent lawsuit. All the controversy surrounding these brands begs the question: Is ‘healthy’ soda truly healthy? And most importantly, can it cause harm?


For the first 50 years, soda was essentially tinctures and toni...
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