Drinking mushrooms, paying cash and sexploration: Here’s what we’re anticipating in 2023

01 The sound of silence

“All of humanity’s problems stem from man’s inability to sit quietly in a room alone,” French philosopher Blaise Pascal wrote in the 17th century. Today, we live immersed in continuous noise: the sound of WhatsApp conversations, new email alerts, social network notifications. Silence is now a luxury. As Beatriz Serrano explained in EL PAÍS a few weeks ago, places that shelter us from the hustle and bustle of modern life have become the latest trend: there are now classes that teach mindfulness and meditation without talking, silent retreats, etc... Shhh! Martín Bianchi

02 All-in-one “superapps”

A superapp is a superpower, a design solution that brings multiple services together in one place. Already very popular in Asia, they are expected to take over around the world in 2023. A superapp puts everything at your fingertips: bank transactions, getting a cab, ordering a salmon poke bowl, telling a friend how expensive a salmon poke bowl has become, reading the news, watching a game online, exchanging currencies. Superapps will put an end to the useless apps cluttering your phone screen. Their purpose is to get people to spend their internet hours and money on a single platform. The apps succeed because they offer what internet users want: they save time and offer the convenience of having all services in the same place. Karelia Vazquez

03 Book sequels

When you finish reading a great novel, it is common to feel a certain helplessness, to be a little bit fascinated with the characters and wish you could hear more about them. Several authors are now satisfying their readers’ desires by writing sequels of titles they published years ago. A couple of months ago, Elif Batuman published Either/Or, in which she brought back Selin, the character she introduced in The Idiot. Jennifer Egan’s Candy House picks up where her 2011 Pulitzer-prize-winning novel A Visit from the Goon Squad ended. Elizabeth Strout has written not just a sequel but a crossover of two of the universes she created: in her novel Lucy by the Sea, the narrator of My Name Is Lucy Barton and Oh, William!, leaves Manhattan to settle down in the same town as one of her heroines, Olive Kitteridge. Begoña Gómez Urzaiz

04 Y2K redux

Seasoned users of Vinted and Depop, websites for buying and selling second-hand garments, have long known that the best way to sell a garment quickly is to tag it “Y2K” (short for the year 2000). In 2023, several turn-of-the-century fashion trends will go mainstream, including cargo pants (Hermès and Chanel have produced them, and Danish influencers – who make everything they wear look good – have been wearing them), bustier tops (think Destiny’s Child or Christina Aguilera at the height of their fame) and Mizuno-style running shoes. B.G.U.

05 Real exercise, virtual reality

In 2020, the pandemic forced many to create home gyms. Water bottles became weights, and exercise videos helped people stay in shape. But now comes the next step. Workouts will no longer take place on YouTube but in the metaverse. By putting on virtual reality glasses, users can turn any room in the house into an interactive atmosphere with all the necessary tools for completing a workout; an instructor is even there to monitor you. Now, the best gym truly is at home. Armando Quesada Webb

06 Cocktails that won’t go to your head

People drink mocktails (alcohol-free cocktails) so that they can be teetotalers without giving up their social lives. There are virgin versions of almost all cocktails. Among teenagers, #alcoholfree challenges have been successful, and mindful drinking is being practiced. Data from the World Health Organization-sponsored “Health Behaviour in School-aged Children” (HBSC) study shows that 76% believe that having five or six drinks over the weekend can cause “quite a few problems.” K.V.

07 A diet to tackle the climate emergency

Our diet transcends health and is now a global issue. Gone are the days of giving up this or that food because you want to lose weight; now it’s because the current food system is killing the planet. In many cases, the change starts with taking meat off the daily menu. That’s the reason trends like Meatless Monday have emerged in recent years. But the concern has become more urgent, which is why there is a discussion about the need to learn to produce what we eat, dispense with disposable packaging, and compost waste to use for planting. The conversation about the need to change our diet is growing louder, and we can guarantee that we’ll hear more about the topic in 2023. A.Q.W.

08 Yoga with your four-legged best friend

The year 2023 also promises to be a breakout year for “doga,” or canine yoga. We owe the practice to American Suzi Teitelman, a former actress turned influencer and instructor of spiritual relaxation techniques. Over 20 years ago, after trying her luck with desk yoga and water yoga, Teitelman began to practice Mukti (the liberation of matter) in the company of her cocker spaniel puppy, Coali, a “docile, flexible and empathetic” animal. In recent months, the exercise has become fashionable via TikTok. According to Teitelman’s definition, doga essentially consists of “meditating and breathing in the company of your pet,” based on the assumption that “[the animal] instructs you, not you it, because dogs [already] live the balance, joy and peace of mind to which you aspire.” M.E.

09 Milwaukee comes into its own

In the mid-1990s, a theory began to develop around the idea that the cities of the future were the ones that were currently considered the ugliest. The prophecy seemed to be fulfilled from Bilbao, Spain, to Manchester, England. And now Milwaukee, Wisconsin. National Geographic and Bloomberg have already trumpeted the revival of the midwestern city that lives in the shadow of neighboring Chicago. Both media outlets have listed Cream City as a must-visit destination, owing to its breweries, cultural projects like the Bronzeville Arts Center, and urban development on the shores of Lake Michigan. It’s a friendly and modern city. Xavi Sancho

10 Rock music from back in the day

Get ready to witness the umpteenth resurrection of rock. Yes, rock music, which has been dying almost since the day it was born and exhibited tremendous health even at its worst moments, is making a comeback. Once again, the major musical events of the coming year will be the tours of genre dinosaurs such as Metallica, Bruce Springsteen, Coldplay, Roger Waters, Elton John and Iron Maiden. Even indie rock – with exemplary survivors such as Arctic Monkeys and dazzling newcomers like Wet Leg – is about to have a revival that no one could have predicted 15 minutes ago. M.E.

11 Mushrooms everywhere

Great chefs like Yotam Ottolenghi have long been using mushrooms as an ingredient: it has the flavor and robustness of meat but is also more sustainable, natural and healthier. This year, trumpet, shiitake and chanterelle mushrooms have increased their presence on the menus of fine dining restaurants by up to 76%, according to a study commissioned by the culinary website The Wicked Noodle. But the rise of mushrooms extends beyond cooking. The fungi have become a mainstay in the universe of infusions, rivaling cannabis oil and giving CBD a run for its money. There are even different types of coffee made with mushrooms, which companies like Dirtea have begun to market. The new breed of beverage delivers flavor and energy without the risks of caffeine. X.S.

12 Superstar Barbie

The Greta Gerwig-directed Barbie film will hit theaters in July, but that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Even if the film were never released, the movie would have already been a major event by virtue of the sheer volume of viral content its filming has generated, especially the photos of Ryan Gosling and Margot Robbie dressed as Ken and Barbie. All that was missing was Paris Hilton closing the Versace spring-summer 2023 fashion show in a pink, mini-skirted, sequined wedding dress and Valentino dressing half the celebrities (Anne Hathaway, Zendaya, Lizzo) in pink from head to toe to cement the trend known as barbiecore. The Pantone Color Institute even chose vibrant magenta as the color of the year, further evidence that Barbie is here to stay. B.G.U.

13 The last haven of peace in the Aegean Sea

After a grueling journey through the Aegean Sea, British writer Lawrence Durrell ended up on a remote beach on the island of Patmos in the Dodecanese archipelago. There, he wrote his famous phrase that “Greek sunrises and sunsets put poets out of work.” The Patmos that Durrell knew – pristine and not yet colonized by mass tourism – no longer exists, but one can still find echoes of it in other parts of the archipelago, such as the island of Symi, which features a Byzantine castle and bright coves among the cliffs and cypress trees; the aristocratic mansions of Halki; or the splendid remote port of Kastelorizo, located 800 meters off the Anatolian coast. M.E.

14 Paper money and “cash stuffing”

President of the European Central Bank, Christine Lagarde, announced the demise of cash just when Generation Z has discovered its charms. A new savings hack has gone viral on Tik Tok. The first tip: stop paying with plastic or your phone. Second, take cash out of the ATM and keep it in paper envelopes sorted by expenses (rent, electricity, groceries, recreation). When you run out of cash in the envelopes, you’ve run out of spending money. That new trend is called “cash stuffing.” According to a 2022 online survey conducted among millennials and centennials by the consulting firm Credello, 61% manage their finances by cash stuffing. K.V.

15 “Sexploration”

In 2022, we returned to life in person; we didn’t just go back to the office, we also returned to parties, concerts and crowded venues. After an extended period of virtual romance, we have also returned to face-to-face (and body-to-body) contact in our personal lives. The way we talk, think and have sex are changing. According to a recent survey conducted by Argentina’s online dating app Bumble, 42% of people approach sex in more open and exploratory ways. Some experts refer to that as “sex-ploration.” More than half of the respondents agreed that it is important to discuss one’s sexual desires and needs early on. In the past year, one in five people have further explored their sexuality, and 1 in 8 are considering a non-monogamous relationship. M.B.

16 Natural decor

These troubled times force us to balance our personal lives and collective responsibility. All of our habits leave an environmental footprint, even how we decorate our homes. That’s why sustainable interior design has begun to gain traction. This refers to using ecological, recycled and biodegradable materials, such as bamboo, wool or clay, in interior design as well as employing natural paints that are free of toxic materials and pollutants. Thus, choosing products for our living room or kitchen is no longer a purely aesthetic decision; it also entails reducing energy consumption by designing a space with windows to make the most of natural light. The ultimate goal is to create a comfortable space that is consistent with a sustainable lifestyle. And interior designers are increasingly incorporating this philosophy into their work. A.Q.W.

17 Using natural cosmetics

Natural active ingredients – bakuchiol, also known as “plant retinol,” Vitamin C, etc. – have been creeping into our beauty routines for a while. Now, after the rise of Korean cosmetics and Scandinavian skinimalism, it’s Africa’s turn. One hundred percent natural, organic, pure African shea butter is the new gold. It protects the skin from the extreme temperatures and environments that we are experiencing as a result of climate change. International brands are already using shea butter, along with other active ingredients from Africa such as moringa and baobab oil, to nourish, moisturize and restore even the most sun-damaged, weather-beaten skin. M.B.

18 More Plato, less Balzac

Two years ago, Blackie Books – known for its modern approach to the content and design of its tomes – published a new version of Homer’s Odyssey, with contributions from the likes of Margaret Atwood. Since then, the trend of revising, updating and even novelizing classic Greek and Roman myths has snowballed. Such works have added unique twists and truly modernized classic fables; they go well beyond the traditional historical novel. In 2023, we will continue to see how this trend continues to grow. X.S.