Lydia's Weekly Lifestyle blog is for today's African girl, so no subject is taboo. My purpose is to share things that may interest today's African girl.

This week's contributors: Lydia, Pépé Pépinière, Titi, this week's subjects: Fashion Recap of 2024, Artificial intelligence, Canoe Beach Sushi & Grill Bar, Pate à choux bakery, Cooking oils, and Food or garbage food?

Fashion Recap of 2024. As we turn the page on another exhilarating year in fashion, it's time to reflect on some of the most unforgettable moments of 2024. This year was a tapestry of creativity, innovation, and bold statements, as designers pushed boundaries and challenged conventional aesthetics. Here’s a recap of the trends, events, and memorable looks that defined the fashion landscape in 2024. Sustainable Style Takes Center Stage: Sustainability was not just a buzzword in 2024; It became a cornerstone of the fashion industry. High-profile designers like Stella McCartney and Gabriela Hearst showcased collections made entirely from recycled materials. The impact of eco-conscious fashion was felt both on and off the runway as consumers increasingly opted for brands that prioritized sustainable practices. The rise of “slow fashion” continued to encourage wardrobe longevity, with vintage and thrift shopping becoming mainstream. Emphasis on sustainability. Brands may have focused on environmentally friendly materials and production practices and this could include recycled fabrics and organic cotton in sportswear collections. Fashion meets sports: Athleisure: The athleisure trend, which combines athletic wear with casual clothing is likely to continue to thrive. This includes stylish leggings, joggers, and sports bras that can be worn both in and out of the gym. Bold Colours and Patterns: Bright colours, unique patterns, and eye-catching designs in sportswear have gained in popularity, reflecting a desire for individuality and self-expression through clothing.

Artificial intelligence. The name says what it is, artificial intelligence, not real human intelligence. I find it quite handy to use it through WhatsApp (Meta AI), you can read up on lots of things. But beware, be very much aware. The first warnings are coming up, people start relying on it for medical advice, you should not. I recently checked if egg yolk increases good or bad cholesterol, it told me to be moderate on eggs and it told me that eggs are good for me. The fashion school Ecole Guerre Lavigne, which I mentioned last week, now called ESMOD (l'Ecole Supérieure des Arts et Techniques de la Mode) was described as a war school in the vineyards (guerre is indeed war, and vigne is wine yard). The best one was when I wanted to check if cassava fish contained a lot of omega-3 fats, and it told me that it was not sure that if you feed cassava to fish whether the omega-3 in the fish would increase, but I should try. Any takers?

Canoe Beach Sushi & Grill Bar. (19 Paul Weijers Street/4th Circular Road, Cantonments, Accra) opened not long ago and that was a nice addition to our Accra restaurants. Although we have an extensive continental shelf (that part of the sea that is not very deep, fish like that) and hence we catch a lot of fish (about 500,000 tons per year), to find fresh fish in a restaurant is rare. Canoe Beach having its own fishing boats and a fish shop as well nicely filled that gap. My guest wanted to eat fresh fish, thus the choice was easy. The white fish salad we had was excellent, marinated raw fish with several spices and salads and nice contradicting slices of orange, and then came our main dishes, grilled grouper and grilled snapper, a disaster. Old, dry, oily, and tasteless, we ate about a quarter, paid our bill and left. The bill was also a surprise, my guest had asked for the cheapest vodka which went for 100 GHC a shot. The fish was about 400 a plate, they add the taxes afterwards but when you read the menu that is not very clear. Nope, not recommended at aaaall.

Pate à choux bakery Dade Street, Cantonments, Accra, is just around the street from Canoe Beach, and to get rid of that old oily fish taste in our mouths we bought a Danish strawberry cake, though it tasted more like plums, and a browny cooky. Both are quite nice, but not cheap either, 155 GHC for the 2 and no change (5 GHC). We ate a little and had the rest the next day.

Cooking oils. Here's a new one, rumour is out that cooking oils extracted from seeds can cause gut cancer. It was known that some oils contain a lot of omega 6 fat and some a lot of omega 3 and it is generally assumed that we are taking in too much omega 6 and too little omega 3. For example, palm oil (Frytol is in fact palm oil) contains a lot of omega 6, and soya oil more omega 3. So if you could afford it you would go for the “better” oils. But now some research suggests that sunflower and canola oil cause gut cancer. And I read some articles claiming that that research was flawed. Of course there are big interests at stake, if you are a major dealer in sunflower oil you'll fight back if someone says something bad about it. One of the problems is that these days most things we eat contain some residues of agrochemicals, so whether it is now the seed oil or some chemical that is causing problems remains to be seen.

Junk Food or Garbage Food? Ultra Processed Foods (UPFs) are often used in what we used to call Junk Food, like pizza, beef burgers, fries, and biscuits. They are industrial formulations made from a mixture of ingredients, often with added sugars, refined starches, modified proteins and trans fats (fat molecules that have been changed). The general thinking these days is that these UPFs are not good for our health, and neither is Junk Food. But to keep it interesting there is now a new term for Junk Food: Garbage Food. This is not to be confused with garbage sales and garage sales. Try to buy fresh food rather than the packaged stuff. And make your own cookies, it is not difficult.

Lydia...

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