News / Author / Rachel Lopez

Rachel Lopez

Rachel Lopez is a a writer and editor with the Hindustan Times. She has worked with the Times Group, Time Out and Vogue and has a special interest in city history, culture, etymology and internet and society.

Articles by Rachel Lopez

A complete unknown: Rachel Lopez on how we met new needs in the pandemic

Even the more fortunate among us felt a kind of need we'd become unaccustomed to: Needs that couldn’t be met. Isolation also meant we had to fend for ourselves.

The arts helped keep humanity from falling apart. (Above) A still from the Broadway play Hamilton, which was released on streaming platforms in 2020.

Art and Culture

Updated on Mar 08, 2025 12:57 PM IST

ByRachel Lopez

Swan song: Why we need to bring back the big movie soundtrack

We’ve hummed to My Heart Will Go On. We know Happy from Despicable Me. Bring back the movie song, it might just help movie sales in a streaming era

Remember when Christina Aguilera, Mýa, Lil’ Kim and P!nk sang Lady Marmalade for Moulin Rouge?

Brunch

Updated on Mar 07, 2025 04:55 PM IST

ByRachel Lopez

Click bait: When to go beauty shopping online and when to hit the stores

The best beauty deals are online. But stores are where you can test and try. Here’s when to hit up an IRL aisle and when to Add To Cart

When it comes to makeup, buy it in person. Lighting, good staff and testers make all the difference. (ADOBE STOCK)

Brunch

Updated on Feb 07, 2025 05:18 PM IST

ByRachel Lopez

Listicle: 10 Instagram accounts that feel like a warm hug

Leave the doomscrolling for next week. Start 2025 on a light note, with 10 of the happiest spots on Instagram

Uyen Ninh and her German boyfriend – now fiance – are everybody’s favourite Internet couple. (INSTAGRAM/@UYENNINH)

Brunch

Updated on Jan 03, 2025 03:40 PM IST

ByRachel Lopez

Chase the cormorants to find new havens: What Rachel Lopez learnt in 2024

A weekend at a museum, a place of blissful nothing... there are secrets waiting, and sometimes brand new designer wear, if you go where the Reels don’t.

Make an afternoon of scouting for Soviet-era art at Moscow’s metro stations. (Image: Rachel Lopez)

Art and Culture

Updated on Dec 28, 2024 03:38 PM IST

ByRachel Lopez

A class apart: Rachel Lopez lists her favourite high-IQ podcasts of 2024

Tune in to... decode the US economy through chicken, dive into new depths with data, see the Indian independence movement like you never have before.

The 12 episodes of HT Smartcast’s 1947: Road to Indian Independence rush past like a story half-remembered, but they’re also packed with beautiful detail and fresh research.

Art and Culture

Updated on Dec 28, 2024 03:09 PM IST

ByRachel Lopez

Rachel Lopez picks her favourite read of 2024

On the conversation Black American parents have with their kids to prepare them for a world that will be unkind to them because of the colour of their skin

Of Black Americans telling their children about everything from microagressions to how to survive police encounters (Henry Holt and Co.)

Books

Updated on Dec 27, 2024 03:39 PM IST

ByRachel Lopez

Listicle: 10 stage-to-screen adaptations that we can’t stop watching

Stage musicals can go quite wrong as they jump to screen. These 10 films had song and dance, but none of the cringe

Wicked is a tale of friendship and revenge, a commentary on identity and power.

Brunch

Updated on Dec 13, 2024 03:14 PM IST

ByRachel Lopez

Iconic fashion designer Rohit Bal dies weeks after final show

On November 1, 2024, Indian fashion lost its magician. Rohit Bal, who was battling a heart ailment, died at a hospital in Delhi

Fashion designer Rohit Bal presented his last collection “Kaaynaat: A Bloom in the Universe” as a part of the FDCI x Lakme Fashion Week, in New Delhi on October 14. (ANI)

India News

Updated on Nov 02, 2024 08:51 AM IST

BySomya Lakhani, Dhamini Ratnam, Rachel Lopez, New Delhi/mumbai

6 cities. 60 menus. Secret sauces. Taboo treats: Here’s what India eats now

We scanned more than 60 menus. We found: A new bird is flying in, pricing's magic number, everyone wants local, seasonal, unusual. One word remains forbidden

We examined more than 60 menus from Delhi, Mumbai, Goa, Chennai, Bengaluru and Kolkata to see what the county is eating. (Malay Karmakar)

Brunch

Updated on Mar 22, 2024 04:06 PM IST

ByShirin Mehrotra, Tanisha Saxena, Rachel Lopez

Women, babies, growth: ‘Not a switch that can be turned on and off’

Poonam Muttreja, director of Population Foundation of India, on the tendency to blame women for dips in population, and the challenges that lie ahead for India.

We need to plan migration policies and invest in rural communities once India approaches or hits peak population, Muttreja says.

Art and Culture

Updated on Mar 04, 2024 01:04 PM IST

ByRachel Lopez

The countdown begins: What the coming dip in global population means for us all

Nations around the world are facing population declines. The projected global dip is a first for humans, in recorded history. Can we do more to prepare?

Art and Culture

Updated on Mar 01, 2024 11:15 PM IST

ByRachel Lopez

Listicle: 10 fits to rock on the red carpet at the Oscars

Celebrities at the Oscars face dress code rules, loopholes, and styling battles. They go to great lengths to look good, with Botox, pills, and Spanx.

Angelina Jolie's 2012 dress was full length but one slit showed off her entire leg.

Brunch

Updated on Feb 02, 2024 04:41 PM IST

ByRachel Lopez

We’re not making it up: Fiction will really change your life. Here’s why

Fiction is really the genre that changes lives. Novels build imagination, boost empathy, make us wiser. Facts can only go so far

The Underground Railroad, offers a better understanding of American slavery than most history books.

Brunch

Updated on Jan 12, 2024 03:15 PM IST

ByRachel Lopez

Rachel Lopez picks her favourite reads of 2023

A novel inspired by Fleetwood Mac that follows a fictitious 1970s band through their music, drama and eventual breakup

Books

Updated on Dec 29, 2023 05:40 PM IST

ByRachel Lopez

New robes for Red Square: India shines at Brics+ Fashion Summit in Moscow

The showing could be a game-changer for Indian handloom and traditional crafts in Russia, a market currently devoid of large luxury brands.

Designers, retailers, franchise dealers and creative professionals at the Summit’s B2B showroom. (BRICS+ Fashion Summit)

Art and Culture

Updated on Dec 23, 2023 09:45 PM IST

ByRachel Lopez

Listicle: Meet 10 women named India who shine in their diverse fields

These 10 women called India are authors, actors, designers and even Playboy models. As Independence Day approaches, see how they’ve lived up to the name

India Amarteifio plays young Queen Charlotte in Netflix's Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story.

lifestyle

Updated on Aug 11, 2023 08:16 PM IST

ByRachel Lopez

Purse-pective: What your wallet says about you

Do you struggle to find things in your wallet? Or are you super organised? Here’s what that says about your personality

In a cashless world, owning a money clip means you have smartly diversified storage. If the clip’s just for carefully-arranged bills, there’s probably a separate one for business and for credit cards. (Shutterstock)

lifestyle

Updated on Aug 06, 2023 11:55 AM IST

ByRachel Lopez

The Brunch round-up: The week and how it made us feel

Loving Konkona Sen Sharma’s direction, confused about new colours and cheering for the South Park boys

Casa Bonita, a 50-year-old Mexican restaurant in Colorado, US, owned by South Park TV show producers Matt Stone and Trey Parker, has finally abolished tipping.

lifestyle

Updated on Jul 07, 2023 09:17 PM IST

ByHT Brunch Team

The glow-up gripe: When did makeovers become so complicated

Apple, pear, cornet, lollipop. Quiet luxe, colour matching, zhuzhes, half-tucks. Dressing well is a mishmash of competing rules. No wonder we’re upset

lifestyle

Updated on Jul 20, 2023 02:32 PM IST

ByRachel Lopez

Refine your palette: How to develop your own interest in art

Don’t let galleries, abstracts and jargon intimidate you. To build your own taste in art, start small, stay with familiar words and build on your experiences

Damien Hirst’s spot paintings may seem simplistic. But consider for a moment why an artist would do it, and how it differs from Yayoyi Kusama’s work, which also features dots.

lifestyle

Updated on Jul 25, 2023 07:58 PM IST

ByRachel Lopez

Listicle: 10 things about dining out that we used to love

From maroon interiors to finger bowls, 10 things we miss from the once-posh restaurants of our childhood

It didn’t matter if the restaurant served Indian or Chinese or both. The faux-leather upholstery was maroon. The shiny table runners were maroon.

lifestyle

Updated on Jul 19, 2023 07:48 PM IST

ByRachel Lopez

Here’s how: To get more books and reading into your life

To break free from the constant scroll of memes, start with straightforward writing and pick a subject that already interests you. Focus on enjoying books

Start off by reading what’s already in your comfort zone. Mesmerised by the futuristic details in The Martian? Andy Weir’s novel has even more to unpack.

lifestyle

Updated on Jul 21, 2023 05:47 PM IST

ByRachel Lopez

Making up the words: Fictitious bands to add to your playlist today

What happens when made-up groups play original tunes, in films and TV series? The fantasy feels more real, and dream records are born. Our pick of the best.

Songs by the fictional band Daisy Jones and The Six, from the show of the same name, have topped real-world Billboard charts

lifestyle

Updated on Aug 03, 2023 01:57 PM IST

ByRachel Lopez

Tryna take short-cuts with English? Prolly a good idea

If you’re still hung up on proper grammar and usage, get out of the way. Language is trying to evolve

John Leguizamo, who is hosting The Daily Show, recently joked that he wants to play Gwyneth Paltrow if a show on her ski-accident trial is ever made. Grammarians attacked his English instead of heeding his critique of racism.

lifestyle

Updated on Jul 21, 2023 06:06 PM IST

ByRachel Lopez

Listicle: 10 of our favourite high-school clichés

They don’t make American high-school clichés like they used to. Here are our most treasured from film and TV

She’s wanted. She’s hot. She’s everything you’re not. Even outside of practice, the cheerleader is always in uniform and a high ponytail.

lifestyle

Updated on Jul 24, 2023 07:10 PM IST

ByRachel Lopez

Can paper straws save the world? Weighing our green choices

It’s the little paper straw against a planet slowly destroying itself. Do our little switches really add up to big differences for Earth?

Switch to a bamboo toothbrush and wood-stem cotton swabs, by all means. But remember that addressing the climate crisis is more than a consumer choice. (Shutterstock)

lifestyle

Updated on Jul 25, 2023 04:40 PM IST

ByRachel Lopez

Fanning an old flame: Chef Gaggan Anand on his India dreams

The chef is in India, serving up meals at ₹50,000 per head for an event. Does this mean it's time for his first restaurant here?

‘I’ve conquered my fear of trying new things. I’ve taken my risks with Indian cooking. The Indian restaurant industry, however, is as rigid as when I left it,’ Anand says. (Raj K Raj / HT Photo)

lifestyle

Updated on Aug 04, 2023 04:47 PM IST

ByRachel Lopez

A timeline for therapy

When should you seek professional help? Any time is a good time, but some milestones call for a helping hand

Grief, anxiety, depression, divorce, abuse, addiction and phobias are difficult. But therapy can help in smaller ways too. (Shutterstock)

lifestyle

Updated on Jul 24, 2023 07:15 PM IST

ByRachel Lopez

Outdated etiquette? Just don’t give a fork

Good behaviour shows refinement. But some rules are sexist, ageist and classist. Here are the manners you don’t need to mind

Etiquette consultants like Sara Jane Ho (left) believe that good social behaviour puts everyone at ease, but that way of thinking may be outdated. (Netflix)

lifestyle

Updated on Jul 25, 2023 04:32 PM IST

ByRachel Lopez

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Rachel Lopez

Rachel Lopez is a a writer and editor with the Hindustan Times. She has worked with the Times Group, Time Out and Vogue and has a special interest in city history, culture, etymology and internet and society.

Even the more fortunate among us felt a kind of need we'd become unaccustomed to: Needs that couldn’t be met. Isolation also meant we had to fend for ourselves.

We’ve hummed to My Heart Will Go On. We know Happy from Despicable Me. Bring back the movie song, it might just help movie sales in a streaming era

The best beauty deals are online. But stores are where you can test and try. Here’s when to hit up an IRL aisle and when to Add To Cart

Leave the doomscrolling for next week. Start 2025 on a light note, with 10 of the happiest spots on Instagram

A weekend at a museum, a place of blissful nothing... there are secrets waiting, and sometimes brand new designer wear, if you go where the Reels don’t.

Tune in to... decode the US economy through chicken, dive into new depths with data, see the Indian independence movement like you never have before.

On the conversation Black American parents have with their kids to prepare them for a world that will be unkind to them because of the colour of their skin

Stage musicals can go quite wrong as they jump to screen. These 10 films had song and dance, but none of the cringe

On November 1, 2024, Indian fashion lost its magician. Rohit Bal, who was battling a heart ailment, died at a hospital in Delhi

We scanned more than 60 menus. We found: A new bird is flying in, pricing's magic number, everyone wants local, seasonal, unusual. One word remains forbidden

Poonam Muttreja, director of Population Foundation of India, on the tendency to blame women for dips in population, and the challenges that lie ahead for India.

Nations around the world are facing population declines. The projected global dip is a first for humans, in recorded history. Can we do more to prepare?

Celebrities at the Oscars face dress code rules, loopholes, and styling battles. They go to great lengths to look good, with Botox, pills, and Spanx.

Fiction is really the genre that changes lives. Novels build imagination, boost empathy, make us wiser. Facts can only go so far

A novel inspired by Fleetwood Mac that follows a fictitious 1970s band through their music, drama and eventual breakup

The showing could be a game-changer for Indian handloom and traditional crafts in Russia, a market currently devoid of large luxury brands.

These 10 women called India are authors, actors, designers and even Playboy models. As Independence Day approaches, see how they’ve lived up to the name

Do you struggle to find things in your wallet? Or are you super organised? Here’s what that says about your personality

Loving Konkona Sen Sharma’s direction, confused about new colours and cheering for the South Park boys

Apple, pear, cornet, lollipop. Quiet luxe, colour matching, zhuzhes, half-tucks. Dressing well is a mishmash of competing rules. No wonder we’re upset

Don’t let galleries, abstracts and jargon intimidate you. To build your own taste in art, start small, stay with familiar words and build on your experiences

From maroon interiors to finger bowls, 10 things we miss from the once-posh restaurants of our childhood

To break free from the constant scroll of memes, start with straightforward writing and pick a subject that already interests you. Focus on enjoying books

What happens when made-up groups play original tunes, in films and TV series? The fantasy feels more real, and dream records are born. Our pick of the best.

If you’re still hung up on proper grammar and usage, get out of the way. Language is trying to evolve

They don’t make American high-school clichés like they used to. Here are our most treasured from film and TV

It’s the little paper straw against a planet slowly destroying itself. Do our little switches really add up to big differences for Earth?

The chef is in India, serving up meals at ₹50,000 per head for an event. Does this mean it's time for his first restaurant here?

When should you seek professional help? Any time is a good time, but some milestones call for a helping hand

Good behaviour shows refinement. But some rules are sexist, ageist and classist. Here are the manners you don’t need to mind

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