Posts

There’s nothing worse than a fruit fly floating around in a just-poured glass of white wine or waking up with a mosquito bite smack-dab in the middle of your face. And don’t forget about the horror of painstakingly researching whether you have a termite infestation or just happen to be the lucky host of a family of flying ants (you’ll never unsee those Google Images results). Bugs have their place in our yards and gardens, but pass through our thresholds and they are persona non grata....

Located in North Carolina’s famed “Research Triangle,” Durham is a small, atypical Southern city. A vibrant international community composed of brainy students, young technology and science entrepreneurs, and retirees from all around the world make The Bull City a progressive and creative place. Durham has a revitalized downtown that honors its tobacco-rich history. Old brick factory buildings and warehouses house modern lofts, theaters, and trendy restaurants. Groovy hotels, craft cocktail lounges, and small boutiques scattered around downtown’s few blocks are easily accessible on foot....

With its gorgeous beaches, fresh seafood offerings, and kid-friendly attractions, it’s no wonder that Nags Head, North Carolina, has long been a go-to destination for family beach vacations. People began coming to the barrier island town in 1830, when it was established as North Carolina’s first tourist colony by a planter who wanted to get his family away from the malaria that was so prevalent in his home fields. And they’ve been coming ever since, seeking time in the sun and sand under their toes....

Let’s hear it for the newly grads! While graduations are mostly being done virtually this year in the wake of the coronavirus crisis, that didn’t stop iHeartRadio from creating something special for these deserving students across the country. Last month, the free broadcast, podcast, and streaming radio platform announced that they were putting together a series of commencement speeches from luminaries across several fields—John Legend, Ryan Seacrest, Angie Martinez, Jimmy Fallon, and Katie Couric, to name a few—with country star Tim McGraw among the ranks....

At the ripe old age of two, one Georgia youngster already has the makings of professional motivational speaker. What might be the most adorable pep-talk in history transpired last month when D’Anthony Ward took his son Taj to a park in Lawrenceville. The idea was to give the energetic toddler some space to run and play while their family was in the middle of a move. “He loves to climb on things and as soon as he got to the playground climbing wall, he got up there and wanted me up there,” Ward recalled to Today....

Walmart stores across the nation may be in for a bit of a facelift if their incubator store in Springdale, Arkansas is any indicator. In an attempt to elevate the in-store shopping experience, Walmart is launching “Time Well Spent”. The new store design encourages shoppers to touch, feel, and try items through experiential displays that show off some of the store’s most exciting items. In a viral TikTok video posted by user sydneyratcliff_8, viewers got to preview what they may soon see in their local Walmart stores....

Whether it’s your own kids or ones you’ve borrowed, cooking with youngsters is one of life’s greatest pleasures. The joy on their little faces as they learn how to make pizza dough for the first time or as they discover the secret ingredients in mom’s prized baked apples. The excitement when they taste test uncle Bob’s chili. The pride that beams from them as everyone gathers around the table for a meal they helped prepare....

This spring, we’re perhaps more grateful than ever for the devoted teachers across the country who are doing so much to ensure students excel in the (virtual) classroom amid the coronavirus pandemic. Even though classrooms may be closed for the remainder of the school year, these devoted men and women are going above and beyond to ensure that the education of our youth continues. How grateful are we for this? Words can’t measure....

The tiny house movement has been taking over for a few years now, and we think they’ll always have their charm. Moving into a smaller home isn’t as much of a sacrifice as you think. You’re scaling back on physical square footage, but you’ll save big in other areas. An 800-square-foot house might sound claustrophobic (especially if more than one person is planning on living in the home full-time), but it’s the ideal amount of space for homeowners looking to downsize....

Remember when we all got new Easter dresses for the Sunday service? (It’s among the Easter traditions we should bring back, along with hats and gloves. And shoes. Let’s never forget new Easter shoes.) The practice of buying new Easter clothes has deep roots, reaching all the way across the pond. There are references to it in English literature—including Romeo & Juliet. According to North Carolina’s WFMY News 2, some people have long believed that wearing new clothes on Easter brings good luck: “It’s like eating collard greens and black-eyed peas at New Year’s....

Robert Brantley was recently the victim of the world’s cutest ambush. The professional shooter from northern Louisiana was on his way to the range last week when he spotted a tiny kitten on the side of the road. He had no idea it was actually an adorable decoy. Brantley hopped out of the car and started filming. “Look — kitty, kitty,” he can be heard calling to the kitten in a now-viral video (below)....

Echo the color of the house.For a more cohesive look, every window box should contain plants that have foliage or flowers that complement the house or surrounding garden. It’s the same principle you use when matching flowers to a pot, framing a painting, or even choosing a shirt and tie. Choose the best plants.Try mixing plants that cascade from the sides with mounding ones that give heft to the center....

With shopping malls across the country shuttered due to the coronavirus pandemic, Americans have found themselves longing for a very specific sensation: the irresistible smell of fresh Auntie Anne’s pretzels amid cavernous marble corridors. “We heard from our guests loud and clear that they are missing our hand-rolled, golden brown pretzel snacks, and quite frankly, we’re missing our guests, too!” Heather Neary, president of Auntie Anne’s, said in a press release....

I grew up in a house that always had multiple dogs, which means there was always a lot of pet hair hanging around. My parents started out as Lab and Golden lovers, but then they found the breed that’s beloved by so many: Newfoundlands. There’s nothing quite like the gentle giant nature of a Newfoundland, and once we got Angus – a goofy mass of black fur who’d rather have us chase him around the house than go into his crate – we were hooked....

Once the holiday joy of the winter season comes to a close, so many of us are ready for the next, itching for spring. We’re all too eager, not necessarily for April’s showers, but definitely for May’s flowers. However, with spring still out of reach, that’s far too long to wait for our highly-anticipated florals. To speed up the process, head out to your dwindling winter garden, and bring bits of it back inside....

Raise your hand if you’ve ever gone into the pantry to grab ingredients for dinner, only to find the potatoes you were going to mash now have “eyes.” Sure, they’re a little odd looking, but are they safe to eat if you want those mashed potatoes anyway? Or should you just go ahead and send them to the dumpster? The long and short of it is that—yes!—sprouted potatoes are usually safe to eat....

From Dolly Parton’s Swarovski-crystal bedazzled four-string Appalachian dulcimer (a folk instrument) to Tim McGraw’s motorcycle, this Christie’s online auction to benefit the ACM Lifting Lives COVID-19 Response Fund has a dizzying array of memorabilia from our favorite country stars. And even if you’re not bidding (the starting bid for Parton’s dulcimer is $10,000), window shopping “NASHVILLE: An Auction to Benefit ACM Lifting Lives COVID-19 Response Fund"—which kicked off yesterday and runs through October 29—is quite the treat for country music fans....

Dolly Parton is no stranger to grief. The country legend lost three close friends in less than two years: Loretta Lynn, Noami Judd, and Kenny Rogers. In a recent chat with Hoda Kotb on Today, Parton discussed what it’s been like to lose so many loved ones in close succession, and how she uses “good memories” to get her through the hard times. “With Loretta, she was very dear to me, like a sister,” Parton said....

Is there any substance on the face of the Earth that when swallowed as a dietary supplement won’t allow you to run a four-minute mile at age 90, recite the Greek alphabet backwards with ease, and help you sleep eight hours every night? One look down the vitamin and supplement aisles of grocery stores would tell you apparently not. It makes me think some folks start the day with a bowl of pills and capsules instead of cereal....

Russel Versaci knows new old houses. As the author of two books on the subject, he’s an expert on the details that instill new buildings with historic charm. But he also understands the importance of modern materials and floor plans. Seeing a void in the new homes market, Russell designed a series of factory-built homes called Pennywise to deliver classic style at a lower cost and less build time than traditional construction....