Social Media Digest

Urban dining escape

"Wildeat" has recently become a popular lifestyle trend among young people in China. This term has garnered over 9,000 posts on the Chinese lifestyle-sharing platform Xiaohongshu, and videos with the tag have amassed 1.65 million views on Douyin, China's version of TikTok.

As the name implies, wildeat involves dining outdoors, but it differs from a traditional picnic — the focus is on the "wild" rather than "eat". It's about enjoying a basic meal while embracing the wildness of the surroundings, providing a sense of freedom and relaxation. This can involve making hotpot outdoors or bringing portable food to a nearby park.

Whether it's the previously popular "citywalk", which refers to wandering in a city, or the current trend of wildeat, young people use these coined terms to express their desire to temporarily escape urban life and embrace nature.

"In the past, people might have pursued a more refined lifestyle, adding many elements to their lives to find happiness. Now, it's quite the opposite. They are more focused on making life simpler, freer, and more relaxed," psychologist Xu Chengwei told Zhejiang Online.

Paws in the air

Are you concerned about traveling by plane with your dog? A new airline designed specifically for dogs might be the solution you need.

Bark Air, initiated by Bark — a brand specializing in dog food and toys — in collaboration with a jet charter service company, completed its inaugural flight on May 23. The flight, which traveled from New York to Los Angeles, carried six dogs and 11 people, including passengers and crew.

On the website of Bark Air, the company emphasizes that the airline "is focused solely on the comfort and happiness of the dog first, and human second".

To ensure ample space for the dogs, it would not book the plane to full capacity. Additionally, the aircraft will feature calming aids for these VIPs (very important pups). Onboard, the dogs can enjoy a variety of beverages, including water and bone broth.

"No dog should fly in a crate," the company said on its website.

Of course, this journey comes at a cost. According to NPR, a flight between New York and Los Angeles for one human and one dog (or one human and two dogs collectively under 50 pounds) costs $6,000, while a regular one-way flight from New York to London is priced at $8,000.

"We have pretty clear ways of bringing those prices down if the demand is there, and that's what we aim to do," co-founder and CEO Matt Meeker told NPR. "We want to make this affordable and accessible for as many dogs as possible."