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The Morning Report

Five stories worth your time—plus the streamers, books and sounds our editors are loving right now. Every morning.

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For Tuesday, August 11th

$500 spray tans, dropping junk volume for 45‑minute strength and Mitsubishi challenges Toyota.

Golden Hour

Bronze skin is back as a status symbol, and one writer spent $500 on a celebrity spray tan to find out why men are chasing the glow again.

Read at GQ

Making Scents

Citrus colognes have had their moment. Esquire found nine warm-weather alternatives (aquatic, herbal, earthy and spicy) for guys ready to retire the bergamot.

Read at Esquire
I Dropped ‘Junk Volume’ and Cut My Gym Time in Half. Here's My 45-Minute Strategy for Bulding Real Strength

“

So I made the call to try a less-is-more approach: find the smallest amount of training that still let me see and feel progress.”

I Dropped ‘Junk Volume’ and Cut My Gym Time in Half. Here's My 45-Minute Strategy for Bulding Real Strength

Read at Men's Journal

Room for Improvement

Turns out, filling every corner with high-end pieces is exactly the wrong move. Luxury interiors photographer Douglas Friedman on the one design mistake people make with “expensive looking” homes.

Read at House Beautiful

Return of the King

Mitsubishi is bringing back the Pajero, and according to Gear Patrol, the standard model isn't the only rugged revival in the works.

Read at Gear Patrol
 
August’s New Sounds
Lost Weekend
1

Lost Weekend

From Phoebe Bridgers

Available August 14

Bridgers' long-awaited third album leans into her signature intimate songwriting, pairing haunting indie-folk with razor-sharp observations on love, loss and growing older.

Spotify | Apple Music | Website

Hazel Eyes
2

Hazel Eyes

From Sam Smith

Available August 21

Inspired by their relationship with fiancé Christian Cowan, Smith's latest is said to be their most romantic and optimistic record yet, built around lush, soulful pop.

Spotify | Apple Music | Website

Timeless
3

Timeless

From Prince

Available August 28

This posthumous collection assembles 10 previously unreleased recordings spanning nearly 40 years, offering another glimpse into Prince's unmatched creative vault.

Spotify | Apple Music | Website

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For Friday, October 9th

World’s 50 best bars, Finland outdrinks Italy in coffee consumption and Lululemon's weather-defying outerwear collection.

Last Call

Bar Leone in Hong Kong claimed the top spot on Robb Report's World's 50 Best Bars list for the second year running. New York placed four bars on the ranking, and Paris quietly dethroned London.

Read at Robb Report

Vroom

Rivian built a fully operational Ghostbusters Ecto-1 from an R1S, complete with sirens and a roof-mounted radar dish. R1S owners also get a Ghostbusters Halloween Mode starting on October 9th.

Read at The Drive
From Finland to Italy: the World's Biggest Coffee Drinkers

“

Italy ranks high among European coffee markets, but it reaches that level through many small servings rather than large ones.”

From Finland to Italy: the World's Biggest Coffee Drinkers

Read at Quartz

Making Scents

If 'fougère' has always been a mystery on fragrance labels, Esquire breaks down the classic scent family and picks the 10 best bottles worth wearing now.

Read at Esquire

Layer Up

Lululemon's new outerwear collection, reviewed by Highsnobiety, uses 900-fill-power down and PrimaLoft Gold to make winter feel like a non-factor.

Read at Highsnobiety
 
Weekend Streams
Phony
1

Phony

From Hulu

Out October 20

This is a coming-of-age mystery from Nick Paley, with Sam Nivola among the White Lotus graduates filling out the cast. Paley's a largely untested creator, so this rides on the young ensemble and whether the hook holds past the pilot. Worth a look.

Streaming on Hulu

Carrie
2

Carrie

From Prime Video

Out now

Mike Flanagan has built a career on King adaptations that take the source seriously—Doctor Sleep, Gerald's Game—and now he's stretching Carrie into a limited series for Prime Video. More room for the small-town cruelty that makes the book land.

Streaming on Prime Video

Cupertino
3

Cupertino

From Paramount+

Out now

Michelle and Robert King — the pair behind The Good Wife and Evil — turn their satirical aim on Silicon Valley's founder class. Their track record is dialogue that moves fast and institutions rendered as absurd from the inside. Cupertino should be the tech send-up that actually lands.

Streaming on Paramount+

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For Thursday, October 8th

A Murphy bed transforms this camper van’s vibe, Jaguar unveils an EV grand tourer and unforgettable chain restaurant lobster rolls.

Home Away

This cool camper swaps a fixed bed for a Murphy, turning the same square footage into a full lounge, dining area, or near-king-sized sleeping quarters depending on the hour.

Read at Robb Report

Shoulder Check

Reach overhead without your back arching and you'll know your shoulders are good. Men's Health explains why less bench press and more rows might be exactly what your posture needs.

Read at Men's Health
Jaguar Type 01 Launches Electric Era With Four-Door Grand Tourer

“

Jaguar’s challenge is to use recognizable elements of its past without allowing heritage to become the entire design language.”

Jaguar Type 01 Launches Electric Era With Four-Door Grand Tourer

Read at designboom

Telling Time

Shinola shrunk its dive-inspired Duck to 38mm and finally gave it an automatic movement. Here’s why smaller just became the smarter choice.

Read at Men's Journal

Get Crackin'

The lobster roll has officially left the coast. The Takeout found 11 chains, including Luke's Lobster and Mason's Famous, doing the classic justice no matter where you live.

Read at The Takeout
 
Fix Your Sleep

Fix Your Sleep

Most self-improvement efforts fail quietly, not because the ideas are wrong, but because the foundation is unstable. The real levers to fix your sleep are simpler and less marketable than fancy products. Just light, timing and repeatable habits.

Learn more

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For Wednesday, October 7th

Loewe reverses prep style in Paris, what Amazon knows about your body and riding the rails in style.

Prep School

Prep was everywhere at Paris Fashion Week (Ralph Lauren, Miu Miu, Valentino all flew the Nantucket red flag) but Loewe did it best by doing it backward.

Read at Highsnobiety

East Meets West

Beams raided REI's archives, pulled out a forgotten expedition parka, and rebuilt it with the kind of considered Japanese craftsmanship that makes the original look like a rough draft.

Read at Gear Patrol
‘Has Flat Buttocks,’ ‘Cusses When Scared’: Amazon Keeps Shockingly Specific Customer Profiles. Here’s How to Find Yours

“

Has flat buttocks.”

Amazon Keeps Shockingly Specific Customer Profiles. Here’s How to Find Yours

Read at Fast Company

Flex Appeal

Performance denim has evolved. Outside tested the best stretchy, sweat-wicking jeans built to handle a hike, a bike commute, or whatever else your day throws at you.

Read at Outside

All Aboard

The Venice Simplon-Orient-Express is adding a Paris-to-Monte Carlo route in 2027. Think 1920s carriages, a Bar Car and Côte d'Azur coastline views over breakfast.

Read at Robb Report
 
Porsche Design × Hodinkee

Porsche Design × Hodinkee

Out now

Hodinkee and Porsche Design revive the legendary military Chronograph 1 with a lightweight titanium case and a newly developed movement inspired by the Lemania 5100. Limited to just 350 pieces, the all-black watch balances vintage military appeal with modern engineering, resulting in a rugged, purpose-built chronograph that feels remarkably current.

Learn more

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For Tuesday, October 6th

Harley‑Davidson finds its EV footing, James Gray is on a mission to make important movies and a beloved single malt returns.

Vroom

Harley-Davidson's LiveWire spinoff has always made a compelling case for electric motorcycles … it just needed the right audience.

Read at Gear Patrol

Reptile Dysfunction

Jeremy Allen White showed up to the NYC premiere of The Social Reckoning in a custom Louis Vuitton navy suit—faint pinstripes, big lapels, covered buttons—and then let a shiny snakeskin tie do all the talking.

Read at GQ
James Gray Is on a Mission to Make Movies With “A Greater Truth”

“

You’re trying to capture a feeling. That’s more important than anything, because movies are, first and foremost, an unbelievable delivery system for emotion. Everything else is secondary. ”

James Gray Is on a Mission to Make Movies With “A Greater Truth”

Read at Highsnobiety

007

All 25 Bond films are finally streaming in one place again.

Read at Men's Journal

Smoke Show

Laphroaig's beloved 15-year single malt is back on U.S. shelves permanently after a decade away.

Read at Robb Report
 
Fiction
The Occidental Book of the Dead
1

The Occidental Book of the Dead

By T. Geronimo Johnson

Out now

It’s almost impossible to describe Johnson’s latest book, a 672-page puzzle of a novel that keeps changing form while unpacking urgent social issues like police corruption and violence.

Find at Amazon

Passengers
2

Passengers

By Alexander Maksik

Out October 13

Passengers follows Ivan, a lonely man in his seventies, and his estranged daughter Nina as they attempt to reconnect on a trip to Europe. Stranded at LAX by endless delays and cancellations, they confront years of resentment, misunderstanding and unresolved love. What begins as an intimate father-daughter drama gradually becomes an eerie suspense story about family, survival and reconciliation amid collapse.

Find at Amazon

Public Access Afterworld
3

Public Access Afterworld

By Jane Schoenbrun

Out October 27

This highly-anticipated book takes us inside a mysterious realm on the other side of our screens. A dark force that draws victims into its static. An unlikely hero is called to save them and herself from this electric hell.

Find at Amazon

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For Monday, October 5th

Modular furniture that transform living spaces, a sports medicine doctor on peptides and how night owls can improve their sleep.

Room to Move

Dezeen rounded up five modular furniture designs worth knowing about — and the range is wild.

Read at Dezeen

Game On

Lego's life-size PS1 replica has 1,911 pieces, hidden Gran Turismo and Ape Escape dioramas inside the lid, and a $180 price tag. Order fast… the Game Boy set sold out instantly.

Read at Esquire
Before You Try Peptides for Recovery or Longevity, Read This Doctor's Advice

“

A compound producing an effect in a laboratory, showing promise in an animal or accumulating glowing online testimonials does not establish what happens after five or 10 years of human use.”

Before You Try Peptides for Recovery or Longevity, Read This Doctor's Advice

Read at Men's Journal

Worth It?

Expensive and good aren't synonyms. Inc. talked to a luxury insider who broke down the five signals that separate genuine quality from a high price tag.

Read at Inc.

Night Moves

Your chronotype is mostly biological, but small shifts in light exposure and sleep consistency can actually move the needle. No 5 a.m. wake-ups required.

Read at Fast Company
 
MR_BEAMS

MR_BEAMS

You’ve heard of BEAMS, the legendary Japanese retailer. Well, MR_BEAM is the brand’s biannual menswear style book and magazine-format catalog published by the BEAMS team, highlighting its classic and casual menswear lines. And the Insta account offers plenty of stylish inspiration.

Check it out

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For Friday, October 2nd

The celebrity outfits to steal now, fall’s most anticipated bourbon and Michael Jordan’s 1997 Ferrari sells for tenfold.

Star Power

The nine celebrity fits worth stealing this month, from Pierce Brosnan and Josh Hartnett to Sam Rockwell that are doing the heavy lifting.

Read at GQ

Patty Melts

Everyone thinks they can make a cheeseburger—and almost everyone is wrong. Celebrity chefs share small changes that make one dramatically better burger.

Read at The Takeout
One of the Fall’s Most Anticipated Bourbons, King of Kentucky, Is Here

“

Each of these 99 barrels was selected for its exceptional character, and after 14 years of aging, they deliver the bold, complex profile that defines King of Kentucky.”

One of the Fall’s Most Anticipated Bourbons, King of Kentucky, Is Here

Read at Robb Report

Telling Time

G-SHOCK's screwless MRGD5000 costs eight times a Rolex Submariner. Gear Patrol explains why it's harder to laugh off than you'd think.

Read at Gear Patrol

Vroom

Michael Jordan's custom 1997 Ferrari F355 Spider just sold at auction for nearly 10 times its estimated value. Apparently everything the GOAT touches turns to blue-chip stock.

Read at Men's Journal
 
‘The Uprising’ + a Hard Cider
‘The Uprising’ + a Hard Cider
Andrew Garfield says “no kings” in The Uprising, the latest from director Paul Greengrass. The film (available to rent today) tells the story of England's 1381 Peasants’ Revolt, with Garfield playing a fictionalized farmer at the center of it all. While The Uprising’s tale of standing up to tyranny is timely, critics found the film’s execution a little lacking. As the Hollywood Reporter points out, “in typical action-movie leading-man fashion, the Ploughman demonstrates remarkable fighting abilities for someone who’s been working the fields instead of at war.” Still, the film carries a unique folklore twist, ultimately serving as a gritty, realistic origin story for the legend of Robin Hood.

Pair With

‘The Uprising’ + a Hard Cider
An English hard cider, like Aspall, is an excellent pairing. It’s raw and a little earthy, but is easy drinking. Plus, it’s got a nice autumnal vibe.

Also Worth a Watch

‘Lego One Piece’ on Netflix; ‘Scrubs’ Season 2 on Hulu
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For Thursday, October 1st

Omega quietly confirms next Bond watch, Range Rover's sleek 2028 Sport EV and 15 must-try vanilla colognes for fall.

Shaken, Stirred

We still don't know who's playing the next Bond, but Gear Patrol reports Omega has already confirmed what he'll be wearing on his wrist.

Read at Gear Patrol

Land of the Rising Room

Ranking the 16 best design-forward hotels and Airbnbs in Tokyo before you lock in your 2026 trip. Kengo Kuma's moody Edition Ginza made the cut.

Read at AD
2028 Range Rover Sport Electric Is a Sleeker Take on the Luxury EV

“

It puts the same 542 hp as the electrified full-size Range Rover into a smaller, more dynamic package.”

2028 Range Rover Sport Electric Is a Sleeker Take on the Luxury EV

Read at Car and Driver

Hip Check

After 45, tight hips are behind more back pain and lost mobility than you'd think. Here’s the one stretch an NFL trainer swears by.

Read at Men's Journal

Making Scents

Vanilla isn't just for baked goods. Esquire rounds up 15 colognes that prove the note can go smoky, woody, or surprisingly fresh.

Read at Esquire
 
Get a Cobbler

Get a Cobbler

Why are we reminding you to find yourself a local cobbler in your area? Easy. They're our best-kept secret to owning Prada, Gucci and Stubbs & Wootton shoes without ever spending retail.

Learn more

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For Wednesday, September 30th

How to get Jacob Elordi’s perfect goatee, the conversation watch worth pursuing and our cars are sharing way more data than we think.

Face Value

Jacob Elordi just made the goatee cool again. Here’s two barbers on exactly how you can pull it off without looking like a mid-2000s cautionary tale.

Read at GQ

Safari So Good

This $15 million South African villa sits on a 40,000-acre private game reserve with lions outside the windows. The Airbus helicopter isn't a flex. It's the only way to get there.

Read at Robb Report
One of the World’s Coolest Travel Watches Subtly References a Rolex Grail

“

The Club Sport Neomatik Worldtimer Dark dons a new dial color scheme that may look familiar to most watch enthusiasts.”

One of the World’s Coolest Travel Watches Subtly References a Rolex Grail

Read at Gear Patrol

Ticker Talk

Nearly half of U.S. adults have high blood pressure, and middle-aged men are squarely in the crosshairs. Cardiologists offer the eight lifestyle changes that actually move the needle.

Read at Men's Journal

Vroom

Your car is quietly snitching on you. A Northeastern University study found 19 of 21 late-model vehicles sending your data to Alphabet, Amazon, Meta and Reddit.

Read at Road & Track
 
Aimé Leon Dore Capsule Collection

Aimé Leon Dore Capsule Collection

Available now

Aimé Leon Dore's Fall/Winter '26 capsule reworks mid-century workwear staples in chalk and hickory stripe denims. There are trucker and chore jackets, painter pants, bucket and logo hats, all cut from the hardwearing striped fabrics. It’s a straightforward, rugged-leaning drop that mixes the brand's usual vocabulary of Americana downtown polish.

Learn more

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For Tuesday, September 29th

The best stretch routine from top experts, why a renowned car designer picks a rebuilt Porsche and simple health screenings.

Bend, Don't Break

Stretching is the part of your workout you keep skipping. GQ tapped a sports PT and a certified exercise scientist to build a full-body dynamic routine that takes about 10 minutes.

Read at GQ

Mind & Muscle

Yukio Mishima led one of history's most extreme lives. Here’s seven surprisingly practical lessons from his memoir on balancing the life of the mind with the demands of the body.

Read at The Art of Manliness
Why Did One of the world’s Best-Known Car Designers Choose This Weird Little Porsche 914/6?

“

Donckerwolke made his name working on dramatic Lamborghinis, yet [his] 914/6 comes from another corner of automotive design entirely.”

Why Did One of the world’s Best-Known Car Designers Choose This Weird Little Porsche 914/6?

Read at designboom

Coastal Gems

Skip Positano and Santorini. Instead head for these 10 under-the-radar European harbor towns with serious food, local wine and half the crowds.

Read at Quartz

Check Up

Nearly 60% of men skip routine screenings until something goes wrong. Patrick Dempsey makes the case for preventive care, and it's worth hearing.

Read at Men's Journal
 
Podcasts to Queue Up Now
The Retrievals
1

The Retrievals

From Serial Productions & The New York Times

Out now

Serial Productions and the New York Times take on a Yale fertility clinic where dozens of women reported excruciating pain during egg retrievals. The really sad part? They were all repeatedly told it was in their heads. Five episodes of patient, infuriating reporting on how institutions handle inconvenient patients.

Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube

Things Fell Apart
2

Things Fell Apart

From BBC Radio 4

Out now

Jon Ronson traces the culture wars back to their origin points—one strange, small incident at a time. Same method as So You've Been Publicly Shamed: find the person at the center of a fight nobody remembers starting, and let them talk.

Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube

The Outlaw Ocean
3

The Outlaw Ocean

From CBC

Out now

Ian Urbina spent years reporting on the high seas for the Times, and this CBC anthology turns that work into audio: Forced labor on fishing fleets, dumping, killings nobody prosecutes. Grim, meticulous and the rare investigative show that earns its running time. True crime fans will be in heaven.

Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube

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For Monday, September 28th

Dramatic charred timber is having a moment, skeptics explore red light therapy breakthroughs and Booker’s cinnamon rye whiskey defies purist expectations.

Smoke Show

Charred timber is having a serious architectural moment. And Dezeen's roundup of eight shou sugi ban-clad buildings shows exactly why.

Read at Dezeen

Making Scents

Six scents that are less about fragrance and more about memory. One of them will send you straight back to being ten years old.

Read at The Art of Manliness
The Skeptic’s Guide to Red Light Therapy

“

You don’t have to run in biohacking circles to have noticed that red light therapy is having a moment. You could just go to the mall.”

The Skeptic’s Guide to Red Light Therapy

Read at GQ

Know Your Numbers

Dan Plews spent 25 years as an elite Ironman athlete — now he's chasing a podium at Hyrox Worlds 2027 and rethinking everything.

Read at InsideHook

Spice Is Right

The internet called it 'Booker's Fireball' before anyone tasted it. Robb Report's Jonah Flicker gave it a fair shot and came away genuinely impressed.

Read at Robb Report
 
Today in 1928

In 1928

Scottish scientist Alexander Fleming returns from vacation to find mold growing in a discarded petri dish, leading to the accidental discovery of penicillin and the dawn of modern antibiotics. This single moment of untidiness birthed a new age in medicine and has saved an estimated 200 million lives.

(Source: Encyclopedia Britannica)

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