1. The gym that said no to new year’s resolutions.

Equinox, the luxury fitness chain where memberships cost more than your car payment, just pulled the ultimate mean girl move: closing their doors to new members on January 1 (in 2023 and 2024). Their reason? "We don't speak January" — which is marketing speak for "we’re too cool for your resolution." It’s like the bouncer at an exclusive club, but instead of checking IDs, they’re checking commitment levels. The strategy caused exactly the kind of social media meltdown you’d expect, with some calling it "exclusionary" (um, yes, that’s literally what they did) while others praised it as marketing genius.

The campaign, by agency Collins, challenges the churn of January gym sign-ups — most of which fade by February — and celebrates the truly devoted. The results? A record-breaking January for traffic, sales, and conversation. While I think it was successful at sparking a conversation, it struck me as more negative than empowering — not exactly what I’d expect from a place focused on wellness. Still, whether you love it or loathe it, Equinox’s strategy proves that sometimes, breaking the rules means rewriting them in your favor.

2. Furniture to shred on.

What if your desk turned into a skate ramp? Zenga Bros did exactly that with their high-end "Skate Break" furniture series. It’s just as bonkers as it sounds: a boardroom table that splits into a pyramid ramp (finally, a way to make quarterly reviews exciting), a lamp that transforms into a rainbow rail (interior designers, you good?), and — my personal favorite — a camper van dubbed the "Ramper Camper" that unfolds into a mobile skate park. It’s like IKEA had a fever dream after binge-watching Tony Hawk videos.

Canadian skateboarder Andy Anderson has been putting these pieces to the test, proving that yes, you can actually shred on that $5,000 chair your spouse thinks is "just for sitting." Just don’t tell your insurance company about your new "multi-configuration rejuvenation station."

3. Check-in, make out.

From castles to pink whales, photographer François Prost captures the colorful, kitschy facades of Japan’s love hotels. During a road trip from Tokyo to Shikoku, captured these unique roadside lodgings, designed to evoke romance, fantasy, and escape. The playful, Disney-like exteriors — equal parts quirky and meticulously curated — reveal a fascinating slice of Japanese culture. These "boutique hotels" (the polite term for places that rent rooms by the hour) are such a massive part of the landscape that estimates suggest there could be as many as 40,000, each trying to out-quirk the next.

Prost, who previously documented American strip clubs from Miami to LA, highlights architecture that blends local flair with escapist fantasy, using consistent framing to showcase their bizarre beauty. Whether it’s a ship-shaped inn or a floral paradise, these hotels turn indulgence and whimsy into an art form. Prost’s new book, launched via Kickstarter, celebrates the creativity and humor behind these iconic designs, inviting us to see these spaces as both cultural artifacts and eye-catching curiosities.