Easter fervour
Three major religions came together as Americans celebrated Easter on April 9, Passover, which ran from April 5 through April 13, and Ramazan. It is the second year in a row that the three celebrations took place on the same weekend. Easter spending was expected to be as high as $24 billion this year, according to the National Retail Federation. The most popular activities included cooking a holiday meal for the family followed by visiting loved ones, going to church or planning an Easter egg hunt.
Stars also took to social media to share moments from their celebrations. The Kardarshian-Jenners revealed a fully decked-out party with baskets, flowers and treats. Kris Jenner shared a photo of cookies bearing the names of all her grandchildren. On the other hand, Heidi Klum posted a photo of herself by a pool in seemingly nothing but bikini bottoms and bunny ears. The comedian, Pete Davidson, and his girlfriend, Chase Sui Wonders, visited Martha Stewart at her farmhouse in New York. Stewart shared a photo of the trio on Instagram.
The president, Joe Biden, and the first lady, Jill Biden, hosted the annual Easter egg roll, a White House tradition since 1878. Nearly 30,000 visitors participated in various activities. Before the day began, the Bidens had breakfast with 40 egg farmers, many of whom are members of the American Egg Board, an organisation for egg producers. This came on the heels of the recent hike in egg prices, which have now subsided. Further, eggs painted by students, each representing 56 states and territories, are being displayed at the east wing of the White House.
Out of tune
‘Cancel culture’ is very much alive and kicking. Last week, Bud Light, the top-selling beer company, teamed up with the Days of Girlhood TikTok star, Dylan Mulvaney — a transgender social media influencer — for the National Collegiate Athletics Association’s March Madness college basketball tournament and released a sponsored Instagram post.
As soon as the post was released, Kid Rock, singer and an avid Trump supporter, posted a video of himself shooting crates of Bud Light beer cans with his semi-automatic gun while screaming “F*** Bud Light and f*** Anheuser-Busch” and wearing a ‘MAGA’ hat. After that, several Conservatives posted angry videos of themselves either dumping the beer down the sink, throwing it into the garbage or vehemently destroying it.
Mulvaney has over 10 million followers on TikTok. A few months ago, Mulvaney along with a small group of activists met with the president, Joe Biden, to discuss various obstacles experienced by the transgender community. The topic is still a divisive one. A 2022 survey by the Pew Research Center found that 38% of Americans believe society had gone “too far in accepting” transgender people, while 36% said it had not gone “far enough.”
Ghost kitchens
Your next food delivery at home may be from a virtual restaurant and you may not even know. Unlike traditional restaurants which have a physical space, kitchen staff and expenses, a ghost kitchen is a virtual website where customers can place online food orders, but have their food prepared by commercial kitchens. The concept originated in the US but has spread all over the world after the pandemic.
The Seattle-Tacoma International Airport has joined the small but growing group of airports that are also home to ghost kitchens with the opening of a chicken-themed restaurant, called Chicky. Passengers can order their food through a QR code, app or the Chicky website and then pick it up from the counter of another airport food vendor. Many top American chains have ghost kitchens. This has created confusion among customers. For instance, TGI Fridays has Conviction Chicken; IHOP has Thrilled Cheese; Applebee’s has Cosmic Wings; and Chuck E. Cheese created Pasqually’s Pizza.
Furry friends
The 127th Boston Marathon took place on April 17, featuring nearly 30,000 athletes from more than 100 countries. This year marks the 10th anniversary of the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing. The race has been estimated to raise $40 million through fundraising.
This year there was additional excitement. Two-fifty dogs gathered at a public park in Boston to honour two golden retrievers: Spencer, who was the race’s official dog, and his niece, Penny. Both passed away this February. Spencer first went viral in 2018 for holding ‘Boston Strong’ flags in his mouth during the rain-soaked race to cheer on runners. Spencer watched the marathon for years from his usual spot on the route near Ashland State Park.
