Posts

We don’t know about you, but with the state of the world right now, we could definitely use some Navarro Cheer “mat talk.” In lieu of providing every last one of you with a personalized speech from hype-man extraordinaire Jerry Harris, we’re thrilled to report that Spotify has the next best thing: the Navarro Cheer Team’s playlist. By now, you’re no doubt acquainted with Netflix’s runaway hit Cheer, a documentary-style series that follows the coaches and cheerleaders at Navarro College in tiny Corsicana, Texas....

Can you imagine anyone other than Harrison Ford playing Dr. Henry Jones Jr. in the Indiana Jones franchise? And can you imagine anyone other than Tom Selleck staring as Thomas Magnum in Magnum, P.I.? Well, little did we know, but Selleck nearly was cast in the lead role for 1981’s Raiders of the Lost Ark and may have very well taken on the part of Indiana Jones, were it not for a contract he had signed for Magnum, P....

It’s always a good day to celebrate our nation’s veterans. When the surf is up and the sun is shining, it’s a good day to hop in the water and get to work. At least such is the case for Andy Manzi, who founded Warrior Surf Foundation (WSF) on Folly Beach, South Carolina, in 2015 to help veterans find healing and strength as they engage in free surf therapy, yoga classes, and more wellness-centric offerings....

We’re not kidding when we say our TVs have been working overtime these days. And then the Perry Mason reboot hit HBO, and boy are we surprised our television sets haven’t combusted. Since the series debuted last month, we’ve definitely been glued to the edge of our seats to soak up each episode of the captivating new series. The original series first aired on CBS from 1957 to 1966 and is based on the fictional character created by Erle Stanley Gardner....

We all need more Reba McEntire in our lives these long, trying days. Well, good news, fellow fans, the country superstar’s team is ready to deliver on that front: This Friday, July 17, at 7 p.m. CST her 1994 Reba: Live special will stream for the first time exclusively on YouTube for all to enjoy. The show was filmed at the Omaha Civic Center in Omaha, Nebraska, and is filled with hits like “Walk On,” a cover of Aretha Franklin’s “Respect,” “They Asked About You,” and of course “Fancy....

All good bakers understand that baking is just as much science as it is art, which means it has rules for success. Each ingredient and every step in a cake recipe has a specific purpose, beyond flavor alone. Unlike most non-baking recipes where a little more or less of this or that is no big deal, when it comes to cake, making substitutions, leaving things out, or taking shortcuts often results in unexpected and unintended (if not disastrous) outcomes that can’t be discovered until it comes out of the oven, when it’s too late or difficult to remedy....

Whether you’re deep frying a turkey, hanging a magnolia wreath, or stuffing stockings with fresh oranges, there’s no question that a Southern Christmas doesn’t always look like a snowy New England postcard. But it doesn’t make the season any less magical for Southerners and their families. In fact, it makes the holidays all the more special. Use one of these inspiring Christmas quotes about family to sign a greeting card, DIY a sign for your home, bestow wisdom on your children, or just make your family smile....

Don’t look now, but Kentucky’s Horse Country is about to get a whole lot more glamorous. Bespoke Campgrounds, a $3 million, state-of-the-art glamping site is coming to the Bluegrass State. The buzzy new travel destination, set on 31 beautiful acres in charming Williamstown, also happens to be the first majority Black female-owned glamping site in the region. “We wanted to create a destination with Camp Bespoke where there is a little something for everyone!...

Pampering may look a little different these days—but even if you’re taking a temporary hiatus from the salon, that doesn’t mean you need to swear off self-care completely. Brands like Olive & June and Revlon are making it easier than ever to re-create salon services, like professional-level manicures, pedicures, and blowouts, in your own space. And now, your bathroom facials can get an upgrade too thanks to Conair’s True Glow Facial Sauna System, which you can buy at Walmart....

If ever there was a year where we needed Dolly Parton, and we needed her in big doses, it would be this year. Thankfully, the Smoky Mountain Songbird has been very busy despite the challenges the coronavirus pandemic has given all of us. Now, we will get to reap the benefits of all of her hard work because this holiday season, Parton is giving us oh so many gifts. Her brand-new book, Dolly Parton, Songteller: My Life in Lyrics, in bookstores November 17, a new Netflix Christmas movie, Dolly Parton’s Christmas on the Square premieres November 22, and if that wasn’t enough, Parton is bringing us her first holiday album in 30 years, A Holly Jolly Christmas....

Ashley Adirika applied not to one, but to all eight Ivy League schools her senior year of high school. Adirika told CNN that when Ivy Day finally came around on March 31, she sat at her computer with a tab open for each school. The Florida teen and her family watched with delight as all eight revealed the same message: accepted. The chances of being accepted into one Ivy League university is about three to eight percent....

Have you ever heard that using a dull-bladed knife is more dangerous than using a sharp one? That is true and using the wrong type of knife for the job is also a bad idea. Buying the proper knives for your kitchen does not mean you have to buy an entire boxed set at one time; all your kitchen knives don’t even have to be the same brand. Whether slicing a tomato or peach for a summertime main dish salad, mincing garlic, or boning fish, there is a perfect knife for the job....

We’ve had a ton of rain this year in north-central Alabama, but I know dry weather awaits. The average high temp is already in the 90s and won’t drop below that for months. Thus, one of my main goals for selecting annuals and perennials for my front border is picking ones that will take the heat without needing a lot of water. As you can see from the photo above, I’m planting around an established framework of three ornamental grasses and grass-like plants – yellow ‘Everillo’ carex, powder-blue ‘Elijah Blue’ fescue, and blue-green Coolvista dianella....

At Hales Bar Marina & Resort in Haletown, Tennessee, guests can watch the sun rise and set over beautiful Nickajack Lake from their own personal floating cabins. Located two hours from Nashville and 15 minutes from Chattanooga, Hales Bar Marina & Resort is as rich as history as it is in views. Situated on the site of the former Hales Bar Dam, this Tennessee River Valley landmark has been a popular vacation destination since the 1970s....

If there’s ever been a year to plop down on your couch, warm up the hot cocoa, and settle in for a Christmas movies marathon, it’s this one. Thankfully, the holiday filmmaking whizzes at Hallmark have risen to the occasion to provide viewers with a wonderful array of Christmas and holiday-themed flicks. While Hallmark previously released its schedule for Christmas movies on the Hallmark Channel and Hallmark Movies & Mysteries, the network has now announced a slate of new holiday content for its on-demand streaming service, Hallmark Movies Now....

From individuals to massive corporations, so many people across the country are mobilizing to provide help as the coronavirus pandemic escalates. And whether hurricanes or government shutdowns, Chef José Andrés, who founded non-profit World Central Kitchen with his wife Patricia Fernandez de la Cruz, is no stranger to stepping in to provide food to communities in need. Since 2010, their charity has worked to deliver meals to the hungry following disasters of all kinds....

Former University of Georgia football coach Vince Dooley died Friday at his home in Athens. He was 90 years old. As news of his passing rippled through college football, tributes to Dooley poured in from all sides. Friend and fellow coaching legend Nick Saban issued a heartfelt message in his memory Friday. “Vince Dooley was one of my favorite people in the world and a wonderful friend to the entire Saban family,” Saban said in the statement....

Growing your own produce is all the rage nowadays. You may have toyed with the idea of growing your own, but decided that picking up your produce from the grocery was the ideal way. Think again! Associate Garden Editor Rebecca Bull Reed shares the reasons she grows her own, and tips for beginners. Reasons to Grow Your Own Vegetables PriceThe most significant reason to grow your own produce is the price....

Chefs, cookbook authors, Instagram baking influencers, even our Test Kitchen Professionals are always espousing the necessity of unsalted butter. It gives you more control over the flavor profile, they say. You don’t want to add extra salt, they preach. But then why does salted butter even exist, you wonder to yourself in the dairy aisle. We get it. That’s why we’re here to break down this butter bifurcation. It all comes down to what you’re cooking....

Grandmothers are founts of wisdom, with seemingly endless supplies of well-timed quips, gracious responses to not-so-gracious comments, and recipes for casseroles that could feed armies, and freeze well to boot. It’s no surprise, then, that we’re constantly calling our grandmothers for thoughtful hostess tips or channeling them whenever we have to whip up clever solutions to unexpected party conundrums. Here are some of the best hostess tips we’ve learned from our family matriarchs....