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If you’ve been sitting on a stash of Chase Ultimate Rewards points waiting for the perfect moment to deploy them, your patience just paid off in a big way.

Chase has quietly rolled out a massive, first-of-its-kind 100% transfer bonus to IHG One Rewards. Valid until July 30, 2026—after which it drops down to a still-respectable 70%—this 2-for-1 offer means that transferring 10,000 Chase points instantly nets you 20,000 IHG points.

While points influencers and standard loyalty purists frequently warn travelers to steer clear of hotel transfers that aren't Hyatt, they are missing the bigger picture. When you know how to look at the math, a double-point windfall like this completely rewrites the script on what your points budget can actually buy.

Related: 8 Hyatt Hotels That Quietly Just Got Cheaper With Points

View this post on Instagram Why the "Haters" Have It Wrong

The immediate reaction across most travel blogs has been to ignore the deal because a single IHG point traditionally carries a lower cash valuation than a transferable Chase point. But focusing strictly on generalized "cents-per-point" theories ignores real-world execution.

Writing for the Daily Drop travel newsletter, author Mike Dodgehighlighted a scenario at the newly opened Voco hotel in Times Square, which can often be booked for a modest 22,000 IHG points per night:

"Show me one example of a hotel in Manhattan that can be booked for fewer points using any of the other UR transfer partners. Yeah… I thought so. Look. Don’t focus too much on “cents per point value.” It’s an okay way to measure value between points and programs, but at the end of the day, just book the deal that works for you, your trip, and your points budget. If you can transfer 33,000 points and get four nights in Times Square at a new hotel, screw everyone who tells you not to book that."

As Dodge notes, if you happen to pair this 100% transfer bonus with a co-branded IHG credit card—which automatically unlocks a fourth night free on reward stays—the savings multiply exponentially. A four-night stay that would normally require 66,000 IHG points drops to a conversion rate of just 33,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards points. That breaks down to less than 9,000 points a night for a brand-new hotel in the middle of Manhattan.

Related: How to Score Elite Hotel Status in 2026 (Without the 50-Night Grind)

The Allure of Elevated IHG Luxury

Beyond the raw math, IHG’s portfolio has quietly evolved into one of the most compelling options for travelers who appreciate thoughtful, upscale design. Brands like Kimpton and InterContinental have shifted heavily toward a distinct, design-forward focus that makes each property feel like a localized boutique experience rather than a generic corporate stay.

Even better, upgrading to a club-level room grants you entry to an exclusive lounge experience complete with complimentary premium breakfast, afternoon tea, and an evening happy hour with high-end small bites and drinks.

For PortMiami cruisers, that convenience is a major perk in South Florida. The InterContinental Miami sits right on the Downtown waterfront next to Biscayne Boulevard. If you book a port-facing room, you can simply look out your window on embarkation morning to catch a glimpse of the cruise ships docked across the bay at Dodge Island.

Related: Sneaky Cruise Perks Hiding in Your Travel Credit Cards

How to Maximize the Fall Travel Window

Because these all-time-high bonuses are snapshot opportunities, having a steady pipeline of transferable points is the only way to capitalize on them before the July 30 deadline.

If you're looking to top off your account or prepare for the next promotional window, Chase currently has elevated welcome offers running across several of its premier cards, including rare 100,000-point sign-up bonuses. Additionally, the bank has released targeted spending offers for the quarter, allowing select its co-branded card holders (like Marriott, IHG, Hyatt, and United) to earn up to 7x bonus points on everyday categories like grocery stores, gas stations, and restaurants.

Whether you're looking to book a chic autumn long weekend or secure your pre-cruise lodging in Miami, this 100% transfer window proves that sometimes the best loyalty strategy is the one that gets you exactly where you want to go for the lowest possible price.

Related: Chase's Newest Airport Lounge Will Feature a First-of-Its-Kind Whiskey Lounge

An exciting week of twists and turns is ahead for fans of the CBS soap opera The Young and the Restless as Victor makes promises to his wife, while his son Nick makes a startling confession to his ex-wife. A shocking discovery sets one son on a quest for the truth, and someone is just simply trying to find common ground with their opponent; all this and more is coming up on Y&R.

Check out spoilers for The Young and the Restless for the week of July 20, 2026, below.Monday, July 20, 2026- Episode #13422

Jack Abbott (Peter Bergman) causes another rift between Victor Newman (Eric Braeden) and his wife Nikki Newman (Melody Thomas Scott), Adam Newman (Mark Grossman) makes a promise to Sally Spectra (Courtney Hope), while Nick Newman (Joshua Morrow) holds Matt Clark (Roger Howarth) accountable for his actions.

Tuesday, July 21, 2026- Episode #13423

Diane Jenkins Abbott (Susan Walters) helps her husband Jack on his road to recovery, Kyle Abbott (Michael Mealor) and Victoria Newman (Amelia Heinle) trade secrets, and Traci Abbott (Beth Maitland) takes a big risk to help her family.

Wednesday, July 22, 2026- Episode #13424

Victor makes a promise to Nikki while she receives an update about her health, and Phyllis Summers (Michelle Stafford) keeps tabs on Matt Clark.

Thursday, July 23, 2026- Episode #13425

Nick makes a confession to his ex-wife Sharon Newman (Sharon Case), Audra Charles (Zuleyka Silver) and Sally explore their options; Chelsea Lawson (Melisa Claire Egan) and Adam make a power move to impress Victor, but will it be enough?

Friday, July 24, 2026- Episode #13426

Billy Abbott (Jason Thompson) and Sally discover that Jill (Lauren Koslow) is keeping a secret, meanwhile, Cane Ashby (Billy Flynn) strikes a hard bargain, and Devon Hamilton Winters (Bryton James) finds common ground with Ashley Abbott (Eileen Davidson).

Brand new episodes of The Young and the Restless airs weekdays on CBS and streams weeknights on Paramount+.

David Jonathan Hammond, known as Didz Hammond, is an iconic backup vocalist and bassist who was a part of two successful bands, The Cooper Temple Clause and Dirty Pretty Things. In 2002, he was named one of the coolest people in the world by the popular British music magazine, NME.

When asked why he chose to play the bass out of all the instruments, Hammond told The Londonist, “The bass is like the guitar but with only four strings, so it was like the guitar but easier – which it is to some extent. There’s something iconic to the guitar. You get that almost as much with the drums. But you certainly don’t get that with the bass! It was literally like: ‘Well, this is easier and I can stand up there and be in the music rather than just being the listener.' We used to swap instruments quite a lot in The Coopers and, arguably, I was the fourth or fifth best bass player in the band.”

Related: 1982 Rock Hit, Recorded by an Icon and His 14-Year-Old Daughter, Became an Unexpected Anthem

When the band broke up in 2007, two years after Hammond had already departed, he told NME, “I’m a bit gutted about it, but I just think it’s more of a time for celebration. There’s a lot of good bands around now that have taken up the gauntlet that we had initially anyway, so all is not lost, bands come and go, and hopefully some of them, like the Coopers, will inspire a lot of people and hopefully change people's lives. So you know, I’m proud to have been a part of it.”

Hammond joined Dirty Pretty Things in 2005. When speaking about the differences between the two iconic bands that he’s played in, he said, “In Dirty Pretty Things, I had a lot of space to play melodically and complement the actual song. There was less room for that in the Coopers. It was something I lapped up. It was a real learning curve for me.”

Related: 1985 Rock Hit Became a Powerful Anthem, Despite Being Written for One of the Worst Movies Ever Made

Some of the biggest songs from The Cooper Temple Clause include “Promises, Promises,” “Waiting Game,” and “Who Needs Enemies?” Some of the biggest songs from Dirty Pretty Things include "Deadwood" and “Bang Bang You're Dead,” which peaked at No. 5 on the UK Singles Chart.

Freddy Cannon, a rock and roll singer who is best known for his hits including “Palisades Park” and “Tallahassee Lassie" has died at the age of 89.

His death was announced by longtime friend and iHeart Radio producer Tom Cuddy, who said it occurred before Cannon was scheduled to do " what would have been his final interview” on July 11. Variety further reported that Cannon died at a hospice facility in California after recently being diagnosed with cancer. He was working on music right up until his hospitalization.

“Freddy didn’t do ballads,” Cuddy said. “Dick Clark once told me that every time he hosted an oldies concert, he asked Freddy to open it, because he knew Freddy would get the audience on their feet with up-tempo rock and roll.”

Cannon's hit “Tallahassee Lassie” made it to No. 6 on Billboard’s Hot 100 in 1959, followed by “Way Down in New Orleans” reaching No. 3 on the Hot 100 that same year. “Palisades Park” in 1962 went to No. 3 on the Hot 100. He also was known by his nickname, “Boom Boom”

Cannon's representative further told Variety that Cannon holds the record for the most appearances on Dick Clark’s “American Bandstand,” with 110. He had many other famous fans, including Mick Jagger and Led Zeppelin’s Robert Plant, as well as author Stephen King, who mentioned the singer in four of his books, including 11/22/63.

In 2011, Cannon released his autobiography Where the Action Is.

He is survived by his children, five grandchildren, and seven great grandchildren.

“We would like to thank everyone for their love and support throughout our dad’s life,” his daughter said in a statement, per Deadline. “He will be remembered as a rock ‘and’n’ roll icon. His music will live forever in our hearts.”

When David Lynch'sBlue Velvet premiered in 1986, it shocked audiences with its unsettling blend of suburban Americana, psychological horror and noir mystery. Four decades later, the landmark film is still widely regarded as one of the greatest American movies ever made, and its unforgettable score is getting a deluxe anniversary celebration.

Varèse Sarabande announced that Angelo Badalamenti's iconic Blue Velvet Original Motion Picture Soundtrack will return on Sept. 4 in honor of the film's 40th anniversary. Fans can pre-order the soundtrack now in several limited-edition vinyl variants, alongside a CD reissue and a new 48-track deluxe digital edition.

The release celebrates far more than a beloved soundtrack. Few films have grown in stature over the past four decades quite like Blue Velvet. In 1989, Rolling Stone critic Peter Travers named it the greatest film of the 1980s, calling Lynch's surreal thriller "a visionary masterpiece" and writing that "many more now rightfully regard Blue Velvet as the most influential movie of the Eighties." He added that "the decade saw no film more boldly original or better attuned to the perversity lurking behind the bland facade of Reagan America."

The film's reputation has only continued to grow. The BBC rankedBlue Velvet No. 60 on its list of the 100 Greatest American Films, while the American Film Institute named it the eighth greatest American mystery film ever made. AFI also included it on its 100 Years...100 Thrills list and ranked Dennis Hopper's unforgettable Frank Booth among cinema's greatest movie villains.

Starring Hopper, Kyle MacLachlan, Isabella Rossellini and Laura Dern, Blue Velvet follows college student Jeffrey Beaumont after he discovers a severed human ear in a quiet North Carolina town, uncovering a disturbing criminal underworld hidden beneath its picture-perfect surface. The film earned Lynch his second Academy Award nomination for Best Director and has since been embraced as one of the director's masterpieces.

The anniversary soundtrack also marks the beginning of one of film history's most celebrated creative partnerships. Blue Velvet was the first collaboration between Lynch and composer Badalamenti, whose haunting music became inseparable from the director's dreamlike storytelling. Their partnership would continue through Twin Peaks, Wild at Heart and Mulholland Drive, with Badalamenti earning a Grammy for the unforgettable Twin Peaks theme.

According to the label, Badalamenti's score "served as his career breakthrough" after Lynch asked him to compose music for the film. The collaboration began with "Mysteries of Love," performed by Julee Cruise with lyrics by Lynch, before expanding into the film's atmospheric score.

"She made that song float and David went absolutely nuts," Badalamenti recalled in a 2019 interview with The Believer. "And then he asked me to do the score for the film."

The new release includes the original 14-track soundtrack on vinyl and CD, while the digital deluxe edition expands the collection to 48 tracks featuring alternate cues, previously unavailable score material and additional recordings from the film. Limited-edition vinyl pressings will be available in exclusive colors through retailers including Barnes & Noble, Urban Outfitters, Amoeba Records, Books-A-Million, Brooklyn Vegan and independent record stores.

Forty years after its release, Blue Velvet continues to influence filmmakers, musicians and audiences alike. Now, one of cinema's most celebrated collaborations is returning to vinyl for a new generation of collectors.

Related: 1969 Classic Just Named the Greatest Movie Soundtrack of All Time

Alysa Liu's ESPYS look had fans doing a double take, and it wasn't just because of her incredible dress.

The Olympic figure skater turned heads in a custom open-back dress by Louis Vuitton that revealed a large tattoo at the base of her spine—a piece of ink that, according to Liu, has been with her for years and carries a deeply personal meaning.

Speaking to People at the July 16 TIME100 Sports Gala, Liu explained that she got the tattoo when she was 18 alongside her best friend. 

Photo by ANGELA WEISS / AFP

"It's not a secret," the 20-year-old said, before revealing that the design includes hidden details unique to the pair. "There's, like, little things here and there that are really personal to us in the design," she shared.

“I never knew she had a back tattoo,” one person shared on Instagram.

Another wrote, “Her back tattoo is beautiful,” while a third said, “Gorgggg🔥.”

Photo by Theo Wargo/WireImage

While the tattoo may have surprised fans seeing it for the first time, Liu said it's simply never been all that visible until now. Her gown for the 2026 ESPYS featured a dramatic low-cut back that put the artwork fully on display as she accepted the award for Best Breakthrough Athlete.

READ MORE: Alysa Liu Ditches Her Alt-Grunge Look for an Unexpected Minidress and the Internet Is Obsessed

The award show marked another milestone in what has already been a whirlwind year for the figure skating star. At the 2026 Milan Cortina Olympics, Liu made history by capturing gold in both the Women's Singles and the Mixed Team events, earning her a place as one of the breakout athletes of the Games.

She's also becoming a fixture in the fashion world. Earlier this year, Liu made her Met Gala debut in another Louis Vuitton creation—a deep red ruffled gown that showcased a more glamorous take on her signature striped hair.

Joe Caldwell was known for his work on the television series Dark Shadows, a gothic, supernatural soap opera that aired from 1966 until 1971.

The news of Caldwell’s death was confirmed by Bob Issel, who released a Facebook post saying, “I'm sad to report that Dark Shadows writer Joe Caldwell (age 97) passed away yesterday morning (July 13th) after suffering a massive stroke. Joe, who was born on Oct. 2nd, 1928, first joined the Dark Shadows writing staff in May of 1967, and is credited along with good friend and fellow Dark Shadows writer Ron Sproat, as developing the character of Barnabas Collins.”

Related: ‘M*A*S*H’ Actress Dead of Natural Causes at 93

Caldwell wrote for the ABC show for 63 episodes. The character that he co-created, Barnabas Collins, was played by Johnny Depp in the film version of Dark Shadows, created by Tim Burton. The character was also recently mentioned in the hit Apple TV show, Widow’s Bay.

During an interview with Reactor Mag in 2013, Caldwell spoke about the creation of the character. He said, “We felt the audience wouldn’t connect with Barnabas if he didn’t seem like a real person, with real problems…we were always trying to figure out a way to make the stories better, more engaging, more ordinary. In a way, we almost wanted to make you forget he was a vampire sometimes…or as we used to say, ‘Stop me before I suck more!’”

Related: ‘Doogie Howser, M.D.’ Star Dead at 73

As reported by Variety, “In addition to Burton’s adaptation, Warner Bros. Animation recently announced that it is reanimating the ’60s cult show as an adult animated series. It is currently in development and will blend gothic, horror and supernatural genres.”

Caldwell published a 2025 memoir called In The Shadow of the Bridge, which details the “important chronicle of the changing tide of artistic and gay life in New York City in the shadow of the plague years.”

As Caldwell said, “Writing is a process of revelation, but also restraint. I like to present things to my imagination and see if there’s something exciting there. If there’s not, and it’s all intellect, then it’s not worth it.”

If your idea of relaxing by the pool involves putting on a pair of headphones to listen to a thrilling serial investigation, your next vacation just found you. Virgin Voyages has officially announced the return of its highly anticipated, adults-only True Crime Voyage.

Setting sail on March 20, 2027, the specialized five-night Caribbean itinerary aboard the Scarlet Lady is a direct encore to the cruise line’s inaugural true crime sailing, which completely sold out. Operating round-trip out of Miami, the cruise will call on Grand Turk and Virgin’s exclusive private island retreat, The Beach Club at Bimini.

The line is once again partnering with iHeartMedia, the country's top podcast publisher, to transform the ship into an interactive playground for amateur sleuths.

As SJ Walker, UK Director of Sales for Virgin Voyages, noted, travelers are looking for entertainment that breaks the mold of a traditional beach getaway: “The evidence is clear: our Sailors have a killer appetite for experiences they simply cannot find on an ordinary holiday. Bringing back our True Crime Voyage with a completely new line-up gives fans the chance to get closer to the voices behind the stories, while still enjoying everything they love about Virgin Voyages, from exceptional food and entertainment to the freedom of a premium, kid-free escape.”

Related: I Sailed Virgin Voyages With My Adult Children—Here's What I Loved and What I Didn't

The Roster: Clinking Glasses with Your Favorite Hosts

Podcast junkies can now trade the isolated screen experience for intimate, real-world interactions. Instead of just listening to a pre-recorded track, passengers will be treated to live, interactive studio tapings in the ship's main theater, dedicated meet-and-greets, and specialized panels. The 2027 lineup features an entirely new collection of high-profile hosts, including:

• Disgraceland: Hosted by Jake Brennan, this fan-favorite series dissects the wild, dramatic history and criminal underbellies of legendary musicians.
• Buried Bones: Tracing the dark corners of history, journalist Kate Winkler Dawson and retired cold-case investigator Paul Holes break down real, historical True Crime cases using modern forensic insight.
• Wisecrack: Bringing a lighter, genre-bending spin to the ship's schedule, this narrative podcast mixes meticulous crime storytelling with standup comedy.

Related: Virgin Voyages Just Leaked the Most Exclusive Ticket at Sea

Interactive Sleuthing at Sea

The immersive element extends far beyond the stage. Throughout the five-night voyage, the ship’s dedicated "Happenings Cast" will steer themed entertainment options, including custom crime trivia sessions and mysterious interactive events designed to put your own investigative skills to the test.

For travelers who have always dreamed of starting their own broadcast, the ship is also hosting specialized, behind-the-scenes "How to Podcast" masterclasses. These workshops will feature first-hand advice from leading audio producers on how to conceptualize, research, and edit compelling true stories.

Given that the inaugural themed sailing packed out the ship well in advance, travel insiders are warning that cabins for this particular spring break departure will likely vanish quickly. Cabins are officially live and open for booking on Virgin's website, meaning you can lock in your spot for the ultimate mystery at sea before the trail goes cold.

Related: Virgin Voyages Just Handed the Keys to Its Flagship to 1,000 Content Creators

Vikki Carr turns 86 today, marking more than six decades since she became one of the first artists to bridge American and Latin music audiences.

Born Florencia Bisenta de Casillas-Martinez Cardona in El Paso, Texas, Carr broke through in 1967 with "It Must Be Him," which reached No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 and earned her three Grammy nominations. Her first win came years later, and she recalled finding out in total isolation. "I was in New York watching the Grammys all by myself... it was the greatest moment of my life. I went to scream, and there was nobody there!" she told classicbands.com.

Throughout the 1980s and '90s, Carr became a major force in Latin music, winning two more Grammys and releasing a string of gold and platinum Spanish-language albums. Her 1991 duet "Cosas del Amor" spent more than two months at No. 1 on the U.S. Latin charts.

Carr has long described her career as a bridge between cultures. "What I had wanted to do in my career all along was to kind of be the bridge between those of us that are born in the United States and where our roots are," she said, "and to try and unite the two and then share our music with the world."

Beyond the charts, Carr has sung for five sitting U.S. presidents: Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford, Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush, and Bill Clinton, as well as the Queen of England. In 1971, she also founded the Vikki Carr Scholarship Foundation, which has funded college educations for Hispanic students for over five decades.

More than 60 years after her first hit, Carr says she's finally stopped apologizing for who she is: "My whole idea is I'm going to be who I am and have always been, not having to apologize for it."

Ask anyone who's ever been to Nantucket, Massachusetts, and they'll probably tell you it has a special place in their heart—as someone from the North Shore of Boston, it definitely has mine. Just an hourlong ferry ride from the Cape, the "Gray Lady" has become frequented by celebs, politicians, and one-percenters alike, but it hasn't lost its easy, lived-in charm thanks to the 400-year-old cobblestones, weathered gray-shingled houses and seventh-generation residents that stand unimpressed by the Patagonia-vest set. I've gotten to visit numerous times—once, a decade ago, to interview the Queen of the Beach Read herself, Elin Hilderbrand—and more than a few times on my own. A lot has changed since then (including her smash hit The Five-Star Weekend leaping from page to screen), but the island's magic remains exactly the same. Each time, I've received recommendations from islanders, hotel staff, tour guides, restaurant owners and friends, and along with those, I have also compiled my own hit list of the best things to do in Nantucket. Here's a shortlist of things to see and do should be lucky enough to visit.

Related: 13 Best Restaurants, Breweries and Bars in Nantucket

How do you get to Nantucket?

The easiest way to get to Nantucket is by high-speed ferry. You can book a one-way or roundtrip fare from Hyannis on Hy-Line Cruises. You can also get there via Seastreak Ferry from New Bedford or even New York City. There are regularly scheduled flights on major carriers out of Nantucket Airport. Or if you've got a dog in tow (and can shell out big bucks) Tradewinds offers private and shared charters.

What is the best month for visiting Nantucket?

June, July and August are high season. Weather temperatures peak at the 70s or 80s, and the fog mostly burns off as the sun's rays beam through any clouds. However, you'll still be met with the occasional cold front or sprinkles, so bring layers. "Sweater seasons" May and September may be my favorite time of year to visit as crowds thin, making it easier to get ferry seats, restaurant reservations, and a spot on the beach. Even at the start of September, the weather stays sunny and in the 70s. 

1. Get a good spot on the ferry

If you're traveling with kids or dogs or both, you may want to try to line up early to secure either a spot inside at tables, or up on the first-floor deck (if you so choose.) While it's windy, many prefer the deck for the ocean breezes and first-rate views of Cape Cod, the Atlantic, and the first views of Nantucket. If you're on the 7:05 p.m. ferry, the "golden hour" sunsets can't be beat.

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2. Decide where to stay

Nantucket has an array of beautiful, impeccable small boutique hotels in town, plus options in 'Sconset and Madaket, but you'll want to plan far ahead since they often sell out and prices top $1,000/night and upwards in the summer months. Some of the most popular are The White Elephant, redesigned The Cottages at The Boat Basin, and, right now, Wes-Anderson-esque The Faraway(people do drinks on the Sister Ship patio to get the vibes). Same with AirBnBs—plan far ahead. I've stayed at 20-room Greydon House, right across from The Nantucket Whaling Museum, and it's my new favorite above all. Easily walkable to everything in town and clearly designed with an editorial eye and love of Nantucket's seafaring history, the rooms are decorated with planked walls, Indian block print sheets and hand-painted Portuguese tiles, and the effect is pure cozy, coastal cool. The historic mansion has an adjoining Venetian tapas restaurant, Via Mare, and sea-shanty-style bar and you can even use free Fujifilm INSTAX cameras to take photo reminders of your trip.

Related: The Cape Cod Town Known for Its Famous Oyster Fest Is an Ideal Quiet Fall Escape

3. Stroll downtown

Quaint cobblestone streets greet you upon disembarking at the wharf. The walk to Main Street features jewelry shops, fudge (Aunt Leah's award-winning penuche is a must-try), and plenty of Nantucket gear (even for your pup!) Further down, you'll find preppy boho-inspired boutiques such as Milly & Grace, Nantucket classics Lily Pulitzer and Vineyard Vines and For Now. For exquisite home finds see Nomad. 

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4. Learn some history

The Whaling Museum is more than a local history museum—it's an experience. "Life Aboard a Whaleship" vividly retells what the whaling trade was like in the early 1800s, and the costs of the whale oil trade will never leave you. Other must-see exhibits include the sinking of the whaleship Essex, which inspired Herman Melville's Moby Dick, a restored 1847 candle factory and even a 46-foot sperm whale skeleton. 

Related:17 Things to Do in Brewster, Massachusetts

5. Check out an art gallery

Nantucket has long been known for its artist community, and a walk down Main Street will lead you to art galleries featuring everything from classic sea oils to modern art. Quidley & Company has collected works from emerging painters, installation artists and collage artists, including Jojo Anavim's pop art collages and Scott Fraser's contemporary realist works melding unique objects and influences from 20th century artists in inventive ways.

6. Spend time at the bookstore

What's a beach vacation without a juicy beach read? When in Nantucket, you must start with one from Queen of the Beach Read herself and famous islander Elin Hilderbrand. She's been known to make stop-ins to sign her latest novels at Nantucket institution Mitchell's Book Corner. You'll also find her own Nantucket guide, The Blue Book, the ultimate island guidebook, which contains the best recommendations (including references from her novels!)

7. Hit the beach—and the beach bar

Jetties Beach is one of the most popular for many reasons, namely its convenient, close-to-downtown location (easily walkable in 15 minutes, or you can grab a bus at the Whaling Museum or even a NanTukTuk), it requires no long hikes up and down dunes to get there and boasts all-day Sand Bar at Jetties Beach for island vibes incarnate. Don't miss summertime frosé and buck-a-shuck oysters from 3 to 5 p.m.!

8. Bike around the island

Biking is one of the most fun ways to explore the island. You can rent a bike or scooter at Nantucket Bike Shop (you can just walk up and rent a bike for about $50 a day). The 1 to 2-hour trip to Cisco Brewery and Bartlett's Farm is a popular one, but if you've got half a day, you can take Polpis Road to Siasconset ('Sconset) for views of the climbing rose-covered cottages and beach bluffs, and take photos at Sankaty Head Lighthouse.

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Related: 10 Best Things to Do in Aruba

9. Have a pint—or three

Cisco Brewery is notorious for its afternoon party scene—enjoy live music while sipping a large selection of craft brews, including its famous Whale's Tale Pale Ale. If crowds are already lining up, you can also head to Nantucket Vineyard and Triple Eight Distillery, also on Bartlett Farm Road. Don't forget to try a "Figawi Wowie" — a blueberry vodka lemonade named after the famous Memorial Day sailing race.

Related: Could This Be the Viral Latte Worth Traveling For This Summer?

10. Visit a lighthouse—or three

For that classic coastal New England Instagram shot, you're going to want to visit one of the lighthouses on the island. Brant Point Light House, closest to downtown and visible by ferry, is stunning, especially at sunset, as is Sankaty Head Lighthouse. The most hard to reach, Great Point Lighthouse is only accessible by Jeep or foot over seven miles of sand (and you've got to know what you're doing since you can quickly sink!)

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11. Take a tour

Beyond the shops, the beaches and beautiful scenery, Nantucket has a deep and rich history going back to colonial times—and long before. Gail's Tours'2-hour minivan excursions offer a good overview of the island from a seventh-generation native. Nantucket Island Tour's Westender Tour takes you further afield, including the beautiful beaches at Madaket. Nantucket by Waterhas adult-bevy sunset cruises.

12. Walk the Bluff

If you've got time on the island, the 'Sconset Bluff Walk is def worth some space on your camera roll. Starting at Front Street, you can meander down the narrow footpath past gray-shingled cottages with flowering shrubs—it's especially pretty during hydrangea-peeping season! It's about two miles long, so grab a canned beverage or two, a sandwich from Claudette's, and have a picnic at Sankety Head Beach. 

13. Have a sandwich

Everyone loves The Lemon Press for the freshest smoothies, salads and grain bowls, but my all-time favorite is a curried chicken salad sandwich or B.L.T. from Provisions when you're fresh off the ferry. PR maven Courtney Dwyer, who reps the Nantucket Wine & Food Fest, recommends Fresh Nantucket: "Literally the best sandwiches on the island—the Island Mambo is to die for. Pro tip: go to Fresh, then head to Steps Beach."

Related: 24 Best Things to Do in Salem, Massachusetts

14. Have a cone

The best ice cream on the island is also controversial. The Juice Bar reigns supreme, with lines down the block each night to prove it. They've got 40 flavors of homemade ice cream from Cookie Dough to Crantucket, plus fun new creations like Cookie Monster each day. But for slow-churned fans,Jack and Charlie's maple walnut on the walk to the ferry is perfect and you can lick while you wait.

15. Try some sushi or shellfish

Lola 41 is notoriously the best sushi spot on the island (and also my favorite.)Cru, right on the wharf, is "iconic" says Dwyer, and the place to see or be seen. (If you can get a reservation, champagne and oysters are divine.) Another relative newcomer and sister to bar Yoshi, O bar, located at 7-8 Old South Wharf, has an all-day raw bar menu, seasonal cocktails and a 10-seat bar with incredible views of the north side of the marina and Straight Wharf.

16. Or some upscale coastal eats

The Pearl and Boarding House, locally loved Nantucket fine dining institutions, were forced to go dormant after the pandemic but reopened under new management for the 2023 season, and thankfully their legacy lives on (see menu favorites like wok-fried lobster and tuna crispy rice.) Millie's in Madaket has glorious ocean views at sunset and delicious Baha-style fare. Make reservations (or try the relatively new Millie's at the Rotary!)

17. Sing at a piano bar or to a live band

The Chicken Boxwill sound familiar if you're a fan of Hilderbrand's beach reads. "Nantucket isn't necessarily known for its nightlife but this one spot is the go-to on the island!" says Dwyer. "They often have the best cover bands (i.e., the Joshua Tree)—I swear I thought U2 was really playing, but they also get big acts too, like The Revivalists." Piano sing-a-long bar The Club Car is also iconic for Hilderbrand fans.

Related: The Hidden AmEx Travel Perk That Unlocks Summer’s Most Gatekept Beach Towns

Neurosis teased fans with a major update ahead of the legendary band’s scheduled 2026 tour appearances.

Following their return this year after last performing together in 2019, the long-running avant-garde metal group continues its return to the stage with shows booked for July, September and October.

With a mix of festival appearances and headlining performances lined up, Neurosis announced a special two-night hometown headlining run at The Fillmore.

In an Instagram post, the band shared the details of the shows, including the dates and venue.

“Neurosis will be playing two nights at the historic Fillmore in San Francisco on October 16th and 17th to celebrate their return to the Bay Area,” the caption read.

As anticipation builds for the upcoming performances, the metal band announced that tickets for its two-night headlining run are now available to the general public.

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The performances follow the release of their comeback album, An Undying Love For A Burning World.

The California-based band’s thirteenth album was released in March, marking its first record in 10 years since Fires Within Fires was released in 2016.

Following the release of the eight-track studio album, Neurosis revealed what prompted the band to reunite and perform again after years of being apart.

Scott Kelly of Neurosis performs at UC Theatre in 2018

Miikka Skaffari/Getty Images

"We need this, perhaps more than ever, and we suspect we are not alone,” the band’s statement reads, cited by Louder Sound, “The trials and tribulations in our personal lives and as a band, combined with simply trying to navigate the insanity of our society, with the stress, anxiety, and isolation that come with it can be excruciating. Add to that the existential confusion and sorrow of the climate crisis and the sixth mass extinction.”

Moreover, the band said creating music and performing has always been its outlet and believes now is the right time to reunite and continue expressing itself through music.

"It is enough to cause you to completely lose your mind if you can’t find release or catharsis,” the band added. “This strange emotionally charged music has always been our method of trying to survive this and this is what we’ve always been singing about. When you have spent a lifetime engaged with these energies and utilizing this form of expression to purge and purify, it feels detrimental to our well-being to let it sit idle and neglected. This was now or never."

In the wake of its return, Neurosis is set for festival appearances, including Fire In The Mountains in Montana, a guest appearance at Acid Bath's headline event in North Carolina and a two-date headlining show.

Neurosis 2026 Tour Schedule

July 25: Blackfeet Nation, MT @ Red Eagle Campground (Fire In The Mountains)
Sept. 5: Asheville, NC @ Hellbender by The Orange Peel (w/ Acid Bath, Melvins and Kylesa)
Oct. 16: San Francisco, CA @ The Fillmore
Oct. 17: San Francisco, CA @ The Fillmore

Melissa Gilbert is looking ahead after sharing disappointing career news—and she's doing it with a message about keeping the "fire" alive.

Days after revealing she wont be returning to When Calls the Heart, the actress shared a post on Instagram featuring the phrase, "There may be snow on the roof, but there's still fire in the furnace," before expanding on its meaning in the caption.

"I just heard this phrase yesterday. I think it sums things up pretty well," Gilbert, 62, wrote in the Instagram post shared on Sunday, July 19. "Some of us may be older but it doesn’t mean we’ve lost that spark."

She went on to explain that the "fire" she was referring to wasn't just about romance. "The 'Fire' doesn’t only symbolize sex, despite my choice of music here. The 'Fire' is a passion for life. It’s curiosity and adventure. Most of all it’s about being old and wise enough to know how to use and appreciate all of it. So whatever it is you have 'Fire' for, go get it."

View this post on Instagram

The uplifting post arrived shortly after Gilbert confirmed she won't be returning as Georgie McGill for Season 14 of When Calls the Heart.

Addressing questions from fans on Instagram, Gilbert revealed the decision wasn't hers. "Many people have asked if I will be returning to When Calls the Heart this coming season," she wrote. "The answer to that is no I will not. I am told this is due to 'budget issues.' That said, I wish all my sweet friends in Hope Valley a wonderful and successful season 14."

READ MORE: Melissa Gilbert Shares Emotional Update About Loving Life ‘Even When It’s Hard’ Amid Timothy Busfield’s Legal Woes

Gilbert joined the Hallmark series during Season 12 as Georgie, a former Mountie forensic investigator whose romance with Bill Avery (Jack Wagner) quickly became a favorite among viewers. The role also marked a return to the frontier-style storytelling that first made Gilbert a television icon on Little House on the Prairie.

Gilbert's departure also comes during a difficult chapter in her personal life. Last year, she stepped back from work after her husband, actor and director Timothy Busfield, was indicted in New Mexico on four counts of criminal sexual contact with a minor. Busfield has denied the allegations, pleaded not guilty, and is scheduled to stand trial in May 2027.

Christopher Atkins recently spoke at a Q&A panel at the Fanboy Expo in Knoxville, Tennessee. The actor, 65, claimed that he was meant to be the lead in Footloose, but he lost the role because of his drinking. During the panel, he explained how he had a meeting with filmmakers before they officially cast him in the film, but it didn’t go as planned.  

“I was a mess back then. I was partying it up way too much, and they called me in,” the actor explained, as reported by PEOPLE. “I said … ‘I can’t go in right now. I’ve been drinking and carrying on.’ And they said, ‘No, they need to see you.’ And I went in and I just blew that audition … I mean, it wasn’t even an audition — I had the part, but I was so messed up that they said, ‘Yeah, we’re going to have to pass on this guy.'”

However, he added that he is now “almost 40 years sober.”

Related: ‘Lost’ Actress, 42, Quietly Divorces Husband of Nearly 10 Years

Footloose was released in 1984, starring Kevin Bacon and Lori Singer. It was a box office success that became one of the highest-grossing films of the year. The songs “Footloose” and “Let’s Hear It for the Boy” were both nominated for Academy Awards.

During the Q&A panel, Atkins also spoke about his iconic role in The Blue Lagoon, which he starred in alongside Brooke Shields. “I’d never done anything before,” he said. “Never wanted to be an actor — only wanted to play baseball. That was my dream. I ended up modeling for Ford modeling agency in New York City and auditioned for The Blue Lagoon … And I kept getting called back and called back and called back. And then [after] a couple months, I didn’t hear from them …  And then all of a sudden I got another call back.”

Related: 1976 Classic John Wayne Western, Which Was His Final Film, Had an ‘Intense’ Feud on Set

The star explained that he was only 18 when he appeared in the film. “I didn’t know what a camera looked like,” he said. “I had no idea what a mark was, and I knew nothing. And I had to jump on an airplane and fly all the way to Fiji.” He added, “But it changes your life, because all of a sudden you’re nothing and then you’re on every single grocery store magazine.”

If you or someone you know is struggling with addiction, help is available 24 hours a day through the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Hotline at 1-800-662-4357.

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The start of a new season is the perfect time to refresh your bedding. If the lighter, longer days have you craving a fresher, softer look in your bedroom, Macy's has an array of summer-ready bedding sets discounted right now. French countryside and Paris-inspired designs are especially trendy for summer, bringing relaxed elegance and charm. Right now, Macy's has a gorgeous comforter set on sale that beautifully captures this romantic aesthetic.

The $100 Elodie 8-Piece Comforter Set has been slashed to just $40 in every single size. You can shop this deal in twin, twin XL, full, queen, king, and California king sizes for a complete bedding refresh that includes everything you need to upgrade your space.

Elodie 8-Piece Comforter Set, $40 (was $100) at Macy's

Courtesy of Macy's

Shop at Macy's

This eight-piece set includes one comforter, two standard shams, one bedskirt, one flat sheet, one fitted sheet, and two standard pillowcases. However, if you're shopping for a twin or twin XL bed, those sizes include just one sham and one pillowcase.

The comforter's reversible design lets you switch between two coordinating patterns, giving you two fresh looks in one set. One side has a Parisian motif with gold Eiffel Tower silhouettes and delicate pink roses on a white background, and the other is adorned with crisp white and light gray stripes. 

The sheets and pillowcases are all light pink, while the shams boast the same French-inspired theme as the comforter, and the bedskirt matches the striped side of the comforter. Each piece is made from 100% polyester and is machine washable, so it's easy to care for. Reviewers noted that the set holds up well when washed and dried without pilling or fading.  

Shoppers said this "pretty" set looks "super cute" and feels even better. One reviewer compared the luxurious feeling of curling up in this bedding to "sleeping on a cloud." Plush filling inside the comforter has a light and airy loft that shoppers say gives their bed a "fluffy and beautiful" look. 

Related: Pearls Are So on Trend in 2026, and Macy’s $7 Earrings 'Add the Perfect Amount of Sparkle'

Give your bedroom a cloud-like upgrade for less with the Elodie 8-Piece Comforter Set while it's on sale for just $40. We rarely see large bed-in-a-bag sets marked down this low!

Don’t miss future deals! Sign up for Parade Picks to receive our commerce team’s curated selection of discounts and sales, twice a week.

By the time Genesis released their thirteenth album, they'd achieved several hits, but a number one had proved elusive. Songs like "Follow You Follow Me," "In the Air Tonight," and others brought them success and fans, but no chart-toppers. That all changed with their 1986 title track, "Invisible Touch." While the album would produce five hit singles, "Invisible Touch" was their first -- and only -- U.S. No. 1 hit.

"Invisible Touch is my favourite Genesis song and it came more or less out of nowhere," singer Phil Collins told The Guardian in 2014. "We would arrive in the studio every day and just start playing. One day Mike Rutherford played a riff on the guitar, with an echo, and I suddenly sang: 'She seems to have an invisible touch – yeah!' It came in to my head fully formed."

A Friendly Rivalry

Ironically, Peter Gabriel's "Sledgehammer" was the song that dethroned "Invisible Touch." Gabriel was the band's former lead singer. Collins claimed that the band had no idea.

"If we had been, we’d probably have sent him a telegram saying: 'Congratulations – bastard,' he said.

When Gabriel decided in 1975 to quit the band that he'd founded, the remaining members, Collins, Rutherford, Tony Banks, and Steve Hackett, were determined to prove that they could succeed without him. The subsequent album was the first with Collins, who had been the band's drummer, as lead singer. A Trick Of The Tail charted higher than any of their previous albums.

Unfortunately, "Invisible Touch" spent a mere week at No. 1 on Billboard's Hot 100 before Gabriel's "Sledgehammer" swooped in and knocked them off.

No Hard Feelings

With hits like "In Your Eyes," "Solsbury Hill," and "Don't Give Up," Gabriel had a successful solo career after leaving Genesis. Despite some tension when he first left, they've all claimed that there were no hard feelings. In fact, Banks, Rutherford, and Collins even reunited with Gabriel for a full show in 1982. Gabriel was struggling to get out of debt that he'd accumulated while putting together the WOMAD (World of Music, Arts, and Dance) festival.

“Whether or not he felt he needed our help to get himself out of trouble, it made sense to us,” Collins wrote in the band's biography, Genesis:Chapter and Verse. "t certainly was not a condescending gesture.”

Toranaga UK, the thrash metal veterans, are kicking off the last quarter of the year with a high-profile live appearance at Onslaught's The Force From Hell European Tour 2026.

The quartet, fronted by lead vocalist Mark Duffy, guitarist Liam Mulpetre, bassist Richard Doney and drummer Toby "The Wall" Wallace, has been announced as part of Onslaught's 40th anniversary tour celebrating the band's second album, The Force.

The upcoming 18-date trek promises fans a series of fun-filled and unforgettable nights fueled by high-energy performances and old-school metal intensity as the tour storms through major cities like Verona, Paris, Lyon and Kraków across eight countries.

Andy Rosser-Davies, Sy Keeler and Jeff Williams of Onslaught during live performance at The Garage, London in 2011.

Kevin Nixon/Metal Hammer Magazine/Future via Getty Images

Joining as a special guest, Toranaga UK is back on the road for the upcoming European tour following  a run of German shows, including an appearance at the Full Metal Osthessen festival earlier this year.

Adding to the excitement, The Prophecy 23 will also take the stage as one of the supporting acts.

View this post on Instagram

Following the announcement, Duffy expressed his excitement about sharing the stage with fellow thrash metal bands once again.

"This is a great opportunity for us to go out on tour supporting the mighty Onslaught along with The Prophecy 23 on their European tour," the vocalist shared, as cited by Blabbermouth. "We had a few support shows with Onslaught last year and they are great guys, we are stoked to be playing alongside with them on this tour."

As the band prepares for a jam-packed October, the band has secured a major milestone after signing with Fireflash Records and will now join the label's roster of classic and modern acts such as Wolf, Ruthless, Holy Moses, Mezzrow, Signum Regis, Furies, Vanaheim and others.

With their new label on the horizon, Toranaga UK, through Duffy, confirmed that they are in the "final stages of recording and mixing our new album."

Moreover, Duffy also hinted that the upcoming tour will give fans a sneak peek at the band's upcoming material.

The Force From Hell European Tour 2026

Oct. 8 – Arnhem, Netherlands – Willemeen
Oct. 9 – Hoogeveen, Netherlands – Het Podium
Oct. 10 – Kortrijk, Belgium – DVG
Oct. 11 – Sittard, Netherlands – Poppodium Volt
Oct. 12 – Paris, France – Petit Bain
Oct. 13 – Lyon, France – Rock'N'Eat
Oct. 14 – Verona, Italy – Damage Inc. Club
Oct. 15 – Nova Gorica, Slovenia – Mostovna
Oct. 16 – Vienna, Austria – Escape
Oct. 17 – Jablunkov, Czech Republic – Rock Café
Oct. 18 – Kraków, Poland – Klub Zaścianek
Oct. 19 – Dresden, Germany – Chemiefabrik
Oct. 20 – Heilbronn, Germany – Machinenfabrik
Oct. 21 – Osnabrück, Germany – Bastard Club
Oct. 22 – Düsseldorf, Germany – Pitcher
Oct. 23 – Freiburg, Germany – Crash
Oct. 24 – Geiselwind, Germany – Music Hall
Oct. 25 – Esch-Belval, Luxembourg – MK Bar

Related: Supergroup Reimagines Hit Song 56 Years Later

For millions of television viewers growing up in the late 1970s and early 1980s, Michael Landon and Melissa Gilbertshared one of the most believable father-daughter relationships in TV history. The actors’ on-screen chemistry on Little House on the Prairie seemed so genuine that many fans assumed the two were as close in real life as they were on screen. In many ways, they were, but they were also exceptionally skilled actors who created the bond needed for such a believable relationship. Judging by Gilbert’s Little House on the Prairie screen test, that chemistry came quickly and with little effort.

Melissa Gilbert was just 9 years old when she was cast in Little House on the Prairie to play the spirited youngest member of the Ingalls family, Laura Ingalls. In her screen test, Gilbert’s innate acting ability was on full display. The test was completed in a single take, with the ending of the scene entirely improvised—a testament to the actors’ instant trust in one another and Gilbert’s remarkable talent at such a young age.

View this post on Instagram Michael Landon Helped Shape Melissa Gilbert’s Career

Though Michael Landon did not personally discover Melissa Gilbert, he played a major role in the production of Little House on the Prairie, including the casting process. As the series’ star, executive producer, writer, and director, Landon became one of the most influential figures in the young actress’s life from the very beginning.

Melissa Gilbert has remained active within the devoted Little House fan community and has often spoken about Landon’s role as both a mentor and a co-star. Gilbert has said Landon treated the young cast like his own family, creating a supportive environment that helped many child actors grow up in Hollywood without losing their sense of childhood.

Their Bond Extended Beyond Little House on the Prairie @littlebonnethead

Love that he called her that in real life, not just on the show. Also sorry for the bad camera angles! Loved the story so I had to share! #littlehouseontheprairie #lepetitemaisondanslaprairie #michaellandon #lauraingalls #halfpint

♬ original sound - Little Bonnethead

Off camera, Landon became a father figure to Gilbert in ways that extended far beyond casting. While he encouraged professionalism, he also used humor to keep long filming days light. Gilbert has often credited Landon with teaching her not only how to perform in front of a camera but also how to confidently navigate the entertainment industry, laying the foundation for a career that has spanned more than four decades.

When Little House on the Prairie ended in the early 1980s, Michael Landon and Melissa Gilbert remained close. Landon continued to serve as a mentor and friend rather than simply a former co-star.

Melissa Gilbert has often described Landon as a second father and one of the biggest influences on her life, sharing that the relationship they built during the series never truly ended.

Why Their Relationship Still Resonates With Fans

That lifelong bond began with a simple screen test, one in which a young actress was gently shepherded into the bright lights of Hollywood by the man she would come to know as both a mentor and the beloved “Pa” to generations of Little House on the Prairie fans.

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For families who love the comfort of a classic holiday tradition but secretly dream of trading winter slush for tropical trade winds, the ultimate winter getaway just came into view.

Disney Cruise Line has officially pulled back the curtain on its upcoming Very Merrytime Cruises schedule, detailing a lineup of seasonal transformations, deck-side celebrations, and festive character interactions that turn a standard Caribbean sailing into a floating winter wonderland.

Setting sail across the fleet for a limited window, these specialized holiday voyages are designed to bring the signature, nostalgic charm of a classic Christmas straight to the open ocean. Whether you're traveling with a multi-generational family crew or simply looking for a stress-free way to spend the holidays without cooking a single meal, the focus is on wrapping traditional holiday warmth inside a sun-soaked cruise itinerary.

Writing for the Disney Parks Blog, contributor Rachel Paige highlighted how the seasonal shift transforms the entire atmosphere on board from the moment you walk through the doors:

"From the moment you step into the atrium lobby, you’ll find yourself surrounded by dazzling decorations, a massive, brilliantly lit Christmas tree, and garlands that stretch across the railings. It instantly sets the stage for a holiday escape where every single detail feels incredibly thoughtful."

Related: The Multi-Gen Family Guide to Navigating Disney World's New Holiday Season

Tree Lightings and Snowy Deck Parties

The entertainment schedule for the Very Merrytime sailings is built entirely around shared family experiences, kickstarting the festivities the very first night of the cruise with the Mickey’s Tree Lighting Ceremony. Guests gather in the central atrium to join Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, and their friends for a lively sing-along that culminates in lighting the ship's towering, multi-deck Christmas tree.

Later in the voyage, the action moves up to the open-air pool decks for Santa’s Winter Wonderland Ball. This high-energy deck party features Broadway-style musical performances, appearance updates from the man in red himself, and a specialized effects show that coaxes an actual flurry of snow to fall directly over the deck while the ship sails through the warm waters of the Caribbean or the Bahamas.

Related: The Reason Disney Is Ending a Popular Holiday Tradition After 27 Years

Festive Characters and Holiday Treats

Disney Parks Blog

A Disney cruise is defined by its characters, and the holiday sailings introduce entirely new seasonal wardrobes for the ship's permanent residents. Characters like Goofy, Pluto, Donald, and Daisy will roam the decks in customized, winter-themed attire, offering unique photo opportunities that you won't find during standard summer sailings.

The ship’s culinary teams are also getting in on the transformation, rolling out specialized holiday menus in the main dining rooms alongside a rotating selection of seasonal treats across the decks. Passengers can expect custom-decorated holiday cookies, specialized warm chocolate beverages, and festive gingerbread displays designed by the ship's pastry chefs.

Related: Disney Treasure Review: Is It the Perfect Family Cruise Line Ship?

A Holiday Escape to Lookout Cay and Castaway Cay

The seasonal storytelling doesn't stop at the gangway. Sailings that call on Disney's private island destinations in the Bahamas—including the classic Castaway Cay and the brand-new Disney Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point—will find the beach resorts fully decked out in their own specialized holiday trim.

Island visitors will greet a tropical iteration of the holidays, featuring island-themed Christmas trees, festive photo backdrops framing the turquoise water, and seasonal music playlists blending holiday classics with local Bahamian rhythms.

Because holiday sailings are traditionally among the most popular and quick-to-sell-out weeks of the entire cruise calendar, travel experts recommend looking at dates and stateroom options early. If you've been searching for a sign to shake up your traditional winter routine, this floating holiday celebration might be the exact reason you need.

Related: 15 Included Extras That Make a Disney Cruise Worth Every Penny (Including One Most Passengers Skip)

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This past winter, my husband Chris and I got some terrible news: the coffee shop right around the corner shut its doors. We had gotten used to making almost-daily stops for coffee—to or from school pick-up, on the way to run errands, as a "treat" on stressful days, you name it. Without any warning (to the dismay of our town's Facebook group), the location simply closed.

We tried buying nicer beans for our basic drip coffee pot. We placed an order for Blue Bottle's specialty NOLA instant coffee packets to help us drown our sorrows (if only they lasted longer in our house!). We continued to bemoan our bad luck. Then, I was asked if I'd like to try out KitchenAid's Fully Automatic Espresso Machine With Iced Coffee that was launching in May. The timing couldn't have been better.

Well over a decade ago, we bought ourselves a manual espresso machine, but we hadn't touched it in years. (Actually, besides trying it out one or two times myself, I only enjoyed coffee drinks from that machine when Chris made them, because I found it too intimidating.) I've really never been savvy with any type of kitchen appliance or gadget, so the "fully automatic" and "built-in grinder" promises attached to this new machine really intrigued me. Would it be a good espresso machine for beginners (or, ahem, exhausted working moms)?

I also started wondering about the cost per cup of espresso using this at-home option vs. going out. Could it actually help save me money in the long-run if I didn't splurge on a $7.50 latte at the local coffee shop further down the road every time I wanted a pick-me-up?

So, after opening the (especially large) box that arrived this spring and clearing our countertop for this new home barista setup, Chris and I got to testing...and we've made hundreds of lattes, Americanos and coffees ever since. Is KitchenAid's espresso machine worth it? Here's my honest review after using it for the last 12 weeks.

Related: The Brazilian Way To Make Coffee 10x Better

Courtesy Kelsey Pelzer

12 Weeks Later: The TL;DR Verdict

Honestly, my husband and I both give this machine 5/5 stars. After 12 weeks of daily testing, we both agree that this KitchenAid espresso machine is worth the money, especially for beginner home baristas, individuals who are busy with work or kids, or individuals who have a more laidback routine but want to have an elevated coffee experience without leaving their home.

We've been blown away by its performance and still talk about how impressed we are almost every single day. I've especially enjoyed the convenience of the AutoMilk System that steams the milk and the user-friendly touch-screen that walks you through every step—from choosing a beverage to doing a quick clean between uses (you really can't mess it up, trust me).

Although it is an espresso machine, I'd also like to note that in the last 12 weeks, we have not made drip coffee from our regular coffee machine—we've solely used the KitchenAid unit for both espresso drinks and drip coffee, and have been thrilled with the results of both.

Shop the Fully Automatic Espresso Machine KF4 With Iced Coffee at KitchenAid

Courtesy Kelsey Pelzer

Model Differences

KitchenAid's newest espresso machine comes in three different models. Here's what to know about each one (I've been using the KF4 model).

KitchenAid Model

Features

Best For

Price

KF2

- 6 preset drinks (including iced coffee and iced espresso)
- Panarello auto steam wand to manually steam and froth milk
- QuietGrind and IntelliGrind technology

Great for individuals who like a more hands-on approach, and don't need a huge menu of drink options

$799.99

KF3

- 15+ preset drinks
- AutoMilk System to automatically steam and froth milk (milk container sold separately)
- QuietGrind and IntelliGrind technology
- User profiles (up to 4 people) for saved personalized drink preferences
- 2.4" color display touchscreen

Great for individuals and families who want an at-home cafe experience but don't need as much customization

$999.99

KF4

- 20+ preset drinks
- AutoMilk System to automatically steam and froth milk
- Comes with milk container
- QuietGrind and IntelliGrind technology
- User profiles (up to 4 people) for saved personalized drink preferences
- 3.5" color display touchscreen

Designed for users who want the most choice, customization and convenience

$1,299.99

Related: I Tried 11 Popular Cold Brew Concentrates To Find the One You Should Stock in Your Fridge

Courtesy Kelsey Pelzer

Pros and Cons of KitchenAid's Fully Automatic Espresso Machine With Iced Coffee

Here are some important things to keep in mind.

Pros

• Before you make your first drink, the machine asks you to use a water test strip to determine your water hardness level.
• You can make both hot and iced coffee (and espresso) drinks (a first for the brand).
• The IntelliGrind technology grinds all the beans without you needing to make any manual adjustments, and if you need to add more beans in the process of drink-making, it lets you know on the screen and then continues after you've filled it up.
• There is a separate spot to pour in already-ground coffee if you don't want to always purchase whole beans.
• The AutoMilk System (in the KF3 and KF4) makes the perfect frothy espresso drink, balancing the milk and espresso effortlessly. I've used manual steamers in the past, and have found them pretty finicky (and also harder to keep clean).
• Thanks to the QuietGrind technology, making drinks isn't noisy at all. My husband will often surprise me in the middle of the day with another cup, which I didn't hear from a couple of rooms away.

Cons

• Although the brand says it's "25% smaller" than its larger KF6, KF7 and KF8 units, the espresso machine's depth still might seem pretty hefty, depending on your available counter space. Still, the width is impressively narrow, which helps.
• This is barely a con, but because so many other elements of the process are truly automatic and, therefore, "brainless," you do still need to remember to check your water level (and/or milk level) before starting the process of making a drink.

Related: We Had Coffee Experts Rank 13 Instant Coffee Brands, and You Can Buy the Winner at Target

Courtesy Kelsey Pelzer

The Daily Workflow: Making a Drink at 6:30 a.m.

Over the past 12 weeks, Chris and I have made coffee at many different hours of the day—including in the early morning before getting our kids ready for school.

The steps are simple and clear, which I've appreciated as I've often still been rubbing my eyes when I drag my feet into the kitchen in the dark:

• The first thing I do is grab our milk container from the fridge and attach the milk system hose to it.
• Then, I click "Caffe Latte" on the touchscreen, and the checkmark that shows up after.
• It quietly grinds the beans, pulls the milk, and I have my beverage roughly within a minute.
• Immediately after, it recommends having you empty the coffee puck tray and drip tray, and then doing the "easy milk rinsing" that involves just moving the hose from the milk container back to the appropriate area of the unit, and clicking on the checkmark.

I appreciate how mindless the process is because, let's face it, I'm usually not fully awake and alert until my second cup.

Courtesy Kelsey Pelzer

Maintenance and Deep Cleaning: The Unglamorous Truth

The idea of cleaning any appliance really bums me out. I know it's necessary, but it feels like a herculean task. And for a machine that contains multiple areas to store beans, a water tank, milk system and all of the various systems that help differentiate between lattes, cappuccinos, Americanos, iced coffee and more, I can only imagine the intricacies of the inner-mechanics.

Besides the "easy milk rinsing" and removal of any water or "coffee pucks" that's done after each beverage (I've included a photo example of what this looks like below), there are options to deep clean—either with descaling or focusing on the milk system or brew unit.

Courtesy Kelsey Pelzer

Fortunately, the deep cleaning processes really only take about 10 minutes or under, and are easy to follow since you're given step-by-step instructions on the screen itself.

About a month in, we got a notification on the touchscreen that we should do both a deep milk cleansing and brew unit cleansing for the first time.

Deep milk cleansing

With the deep milk cleansing, it has you run a cleaning solution through the milk tube which rinses it out. It doesn't come with a cleaning solution, but Chris did a search on YouTube and saw that people recommended a little bit of light soapy water with Dawn dish soap.

You stick the end of the tube in the soapy water and put a large container under the machine (where you would normally put a cup of coffee). We ran another round with just plain water after.

Brew unit cleansing

For the brew unit cleansing, it gives you detailed instructions on the screen, and instructs you to pull out the brew unit itself (Chris likens the process to how it feels when removing an ink cartridge from a printer). It tells you to rinse out the unit, and then tells you to insert a cleaning puck in the unit (the box comes with two cleaning pucks), put it back in and then it runs a clean cycle. It's super easy.

Since then, we've received the brew unit cleansing notification only one additional time.

Descaling

Within these last three months, we have not seen any alert that's recommended the descaling process, so we have yet to try this out. The owner's manual says that we can expect to see a notification on the screen when descaling is recommended.

One more thing to note: If you ignore the maintenance notifications, a bubble in the top right corner will remain to remind you.

Related: ‘I’m a Registered Dietitian Who Swapped Regular Coffee for Mushroom Coffee for a Week—Here’s What Happened’

Is the Price Tag Justified?

Looking at a $1,299 price tag can be intimidating, to say the least. However, with everything that this machine does (and with such ease!), it's a justified amount. The drinks are professional quality at the touch of a button, truly.

I wanted to calculate my ROI by comparing the machine cost to what was previously my weekly drink cost of stopping at coffee shops. While I love supporting local businesses (and still do/will!), I also love saving money.

It would begin to save me money in less than a year, so with that insight and the convenience of having cafe-style drinks with a tap of my finger, I believe the price tag is absolutely worth it.

By calculating your own ROI, you can see if it would be worth purchasing for your own home.

Buy at KitchenAid

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In 1981, Red Rider released their biggest song, ”Lunatic Fringe.” Written by Tom Cochrane for the album As Far as Siam, the haunting rock classic wasn’t a Billboard chart hit in the United States, but it was all over the radio—enough so that the Canadian rock band is considered a one-hit wonder in the U.S. 45 years later.

Moody and intense, the guitar-heavy track featured a dark and defiant warning about hate, intolerance, antisemitism and political violence.

But “Lunatic Fringe” was almost never released.

Speaking on New York’s Q104.3, Cochrane revealed that his management team initially balked at the cinematic song, but he moved forward with it after the tragic death of John Lennon. The Beatles legend, who was one of Cochrane’s biggest influences, was murdered on Dec. 8, 1980, outside of his New York City apartment.

"I remember at the time, everybody was saying, 'You can't do this,’” Cochrane recalled of “Lunatic Fringe,” per iHeart. “Management...was saying, 'Just write some pop songs, will you? Let's get on with making some money.'"

Cochrane admitted he almost abandoned "Lunatic Fringe"—until he learned of Lennon’s death.

"I thought, for better or for worse, [Lennon] was a guy who wore his heart on his sleeve and always called it the way he saw it,” Cochrane explained. “And I said, 'I don't care. The song is gonna go down, and we're gonna record it, and we're gonna release it.’ So I stood by my principles on that, and of course it became the biggest hit that Red Rider ever had."

“Lunatic Fringe" climbed the charts in Canada, played all over the radio in the United States, and was later featured in the 1985 movie Vision Quest. Cochrane went on to have a massive solo hit with the song "Life is a Highway,” but “Lunatic Fringe” still held a special place in his heart.

Decades later, Cochrane looked back on the song during an appearance on Behind the Vinyl.

“’Lunatic Fringe,’ man, that was a big, big song for Red Rider," he said. "It just kept gathering momentum and kept going, and to this day, it still gets a ton of airplay, especially in the States, on classic rock radio. …This song was magical.”

But he noted that it wasn’t an easy song to record.

“Sometimes you wonder whether a song is, whether you can't kill it with a stick," Cochrane shared. “I don't know about the song, because we recorded it once, the tape fell apart… Never been that depressed in my life… it turned out it was on the master, so we had to totally re-record the song.”

“I remember when I demoed the song…everybody at that time, management, everybody's saying, 'What are these lyrics? These are way too heavy for rock and roll. Why don't you just get down to writing a pop song?,'" he recalled. “And I thought, no, this is important to say. The song speaks out against racism, it speaks out against a number of things.”

“[John Lennon’s death] just hit me like a ton of bricks, and I thought, here's a guy that always wore his heart on his sleeve, and I thought...these lyrics are going to stand,” he added. “And I didn't think the song would see the light of day because it was just so different, so unique. And it did.”

Cochrane added that he felt “very lucky and blessed” to write songs that have stood the test of time.

“And ‘Lunatic Fringe’ is one of them,” he said.

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