As time rolls on, we’re constantly updating our styles, reevaluating what makes us happy, and finding new and better ways to function. That includes the things in our homes. That’s why a stroll through the house is the first on our list of New Year’s preparations. With 2023 so close that we can nearly touch it, it’s due time to take stock of the things at home that we’d be happy to leave behind in 2022....
For a small town, Wetumpka, Alabama, has its fair share of Hollywood history. In their series Home Town Takeover, Ben and Erin Napier tackled a dozen major renovation projects. The one we were most excited about, however, was a restoration of Wetumpka’s most recognizable house. That’s right y’all, the Napiers worked their magic on the Big Fish house. As previously reported, Tim Burton’s iconic 2003 movie starring Ewan McGregor and Albert Finney was filmed in and around Wetumpka....
Initially starting as a studio project in 2018, the Black Pumas’ buzz around Austin proved their sound belonged on stage. The duo released their self-titled debut album a year later and have never looked back, earning four Grammy nominations and performing at the Presidential Inauguration. Get to Know Black Pumas Singer/songwriter and California native Eric Burton was busking and couch surfing across the west coast before settling in Austin, Texas. There he met guitarist/producer Adrian Quesada, who had already won a Grammy with the Latin-influenced Grupo Fantasma....
Susanne Hudson knows boxwoods like Rod Blagojevich knows hair. More than 400 of these venerable shrubs decorate her garden in Douglasville, Georgia, and she says you’re missing the boat if you don’t try growing them in pots. Here are just a few of her reasons. Why Boxwoods are Perfect for Pots Boxwoods in pots are living sculptures. These evergreen shrubs combine rich green foliage with a dense, rounded, formal shape that changes little over time....
Charles McGee, one of the last surviving Tuskegee Airmen, the first all-Black unit of the WWII Army Air Forces, died Sunday morning in his sleep at his home in Bethesda, Maryland. He was 102 years old. “McGee was a living legend known for his kind-hearted, and humble nature, who saw positivity at every turn,” his family said in a statement. “He spent the last half century inspiring future generations to pursue careers in aviation, but equally important, he encouraged others to be the best they could be, to follow their dreams, and to persevere through all challenges....
Can Chrissy Metz be any more talented? We didn’t think so, and then we tuned into her Grand Ole Opry debut in Nashville, Tennessee this past weekend, and we were duly floored. (In case you didn’t know, the This Is Us TV star is also an accomplished singer, signed with Universal Music Group Nashville earlier this year, and is hard at work on her debut country music album.) Along with Gospel Music Hall of Fame member CeCe Winans and country singer Tracy Lawrence, Metz appeared on the Grand Ole Opry’s 4,934th consecutive Saturday night broadcast on Saturday, July 25, hosted by Bobby Bones and guest hosted by Natalie Stovall of Runaway June....
Duke University football player Chance Lytle is an excellent example of why you should never judge a book by its cover. Beneath his 6-foot-7, 329-pound exterior lies the voice of an angel. During a team meal on Sunday, the 24-year-old offensive lineman shocked his teammates by belting out a few lines from a familiar Italian opera. A video shared to the team’s social media pages shows Lytle smashing Andrea Bocelli’s “Con te partirò....
There’s nothing ordinary about the three-bedroom house at 1774 Tinsmith Circle in Lutz, Florida. As it turns out, those unique topiaries are more than a bold landscaping choice—they’re a nod to the residence’s role in Edward Scissorhands, the Tim Burton classic starring Johnny Depp. And now, this quirky 1,432-square-foot piece of Hollywood history can be yours for just $699,900. After purchasing the property in 2020, the current owners turned a portion of the residence into a free museum they dubbed “Scissorland....
It’s back, y’all! Krispy Kreme is celebrating the holiday season by resurrecting its annual “Day of the Dozens” on December 12. Treat yourself, your loved ones, and everyone on your Nice List to a dozen Original Glazed doughnuts for just $1 with the purchase of any dozen at regular price. Simply buy any dozen—including the limited-time Holiday Collection, featuring the new holiday-inspired Festive Tree and Present doughnuts, as well as the popular Santa Belly Doughnut—via takeout, drive-thru, or in shops to unlock this sweet deal....
As fall rolls in and Mother Nature puts on a show of autumn colors, die-hard leaf peepers know there is one very special place to see the fall leaves: On a train ride through the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Travel deep in the heart of the Smokies through tunnels and valleys into a remote part of North Carolina to witness maples, poplars, and oaks on full autumn display. With a stop for lunch and plenty of photo backdrops, a train excursion is a good way to avoid traffic, sit back, relax, and access fall in the Smoky Mountains....
We’ve all accidentally over-seasoned a dish before, especially when it comes to salt. What was meant to be a casual sprinkle into the pan turns into a regrettable hailstorm of crystals and a potentially unbearable meal. So much more are the woes to those who over-spice their food. It’s debatable, the greater of two evils: Soup so salty it’s like drinking the ocean? Or a dish so spicy it’s like you’ve touched a torch to your tongue?...
One of the oldest tree species on the planet is the ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba). This deciduous tree is called the maidenhair tree, a conifer living fossil. Though these trees once grew wild in North America, they are now native only to a few parts of China. Buddhists beautified their temple gardens for centuries with ginkgoes, some of which are over a thousand years old. Admired worldwide, individuals plant these slow-growing trees to showcase their fan-shaped leaves that turn bright yellow in the fall....
I am fortunate in that I don’t have any health or dietary issues that cause me to restrict which foods I eat - as long as that eating is done in moderation, of course. Like most people, I can very quickly overindulge when my favorite carbs and sweets are placed before me but, for the most part, I approach my daily food choices with a sense of balance. Which is probably why I had never embraced the cauliflower rice craze; when folks were going grain free, slashing carbs and passing off ground-up cauliflower for rice, I shuddered....
In supermarkets throughout the United States, eggs are typically kept in refrigerator cases, and after returning home from a shopping trip, most American home cooks transfer their egg cartons straight from their shopping bags into their fridges. But anyone who’s ever studied abroad or traveled in Europe tell you that refrigeration isn’t the norm for egg storage in that part of the world. Which raises the question: Is it unsafe to keep eggs at room temperature?...
If there’s one thing we love more than HGTV, it’s juicy details about what actually goes on behind the scenes on our favorite home reno shows. From staged moments on the Property Brothers to the fate of the furniture on Home Town, HGTV hosts have been known to lift the curtain now and then. And the reveals, though hardly shocking, rarely disappoint. The most recent personality to share some dirt is Hidden Potential’s Jasmine Roth....
Beach life sounds like a nice life right about now. Especially amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, accompanied by lockdowns and social isolation, many have realized that settling down in a beach town with its calming vistas and easy access to nature, is very desirable. Perhaps that “one day” dream of moving to the beach from the suburbs has become something you’re pursuing now. Perhaps lengthy stay-at-home orders in the city has made you reevaluate your urban life....
The NBA Finals are down to two teams. The LA Lakers and the Miami Heat may be battling for the ultimate prize—the NBA 2020 Championship, but as far as we’re concerned, Houston Rockets’ Russell Westbrook just earned MVP. Brad Townsend of the Dallas Morning News tweeted that he heard Westbrook left housekeeping at the Grand Floridian hotel in Orlando an $8,000 tip as he departed the NBA bubble. In addition to the reported gift, Townsend said, “Moreover, I’m told, he left the room virtually spotless....
Grandma always stuffed the turkey, and her mother before her did, too. But should you? We don’t often buck tradition, but this may be one topic where we disagree with grandma. Not only do we think cooking the dressing separately makes for a tastier side dish, but we also believe the turkey turns out better without it in the cavity. We know the name “stuffing” implies that it’s stuffed in the turkey, but it’s not necessary and can be somewhat dangerous to do....
You don’t need to be a landowner or have the know-how of a master gardener to grow a thriving herb garden. As long as you provide good soil and the necessary sun and water, plants such as rosemary, basil, and sage grow well in pots right outside your kitchen, providing a source of fresh flavor for your main dish salads, pesto, and vegetable dishes. Do your homework, of course, to learn the specific needs of each different herb – some prefer direct sunlight, some need more shade, and some (talking about you, lavender) simply have a hard time tolerating the humidity here in the South....
Made popular in the 1960s with the help of prominent figures like Jackie Kennedy and Mary Tyler Moore, the flip hairstyle was one that defined the decade. Women would spend a significant amount of time and effort to create the perfect flip and make sure it lasted all day. The process started with freshly washed hair, included plenty of styling product, and of course the right set of rollers. Figuring out which way to roll each section of hair and how to properly brush out hair after it was dry took a good bit of practice and skill....
