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“If I Had a Hammer” was originally written by Pete Seeger and Lee Hays in 1949. It gained popularity in 1962 when it was covered by Peter, Paul, and Mary, becoming their first big hit. It reached No. 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. It also won Grammy awards for Best Folk Recording and Best Performance by a Vocal Group.

In Songwriters On Songwriting: Revised And Expanded, Seeger said, “The way I sing it now, what I often do is joke with an audience. I point out that you can sing it the way I wrote it or the way Peter, Paul and Mary rewrote it or half a dozen other ways, and they all harmonize with each other. I say, ‘This is a good moral for the world.’ As a matter of fact, I’m convinced that musicians have got a more important role to play in putting a world together than they’re usually given credit for. Because musicians can teach the politicians: Not everybody has to sing the melody.”

“If I Had a Hammer” was written as a protest song, with the hammer meant to symbolize fighting injustice and promoting love. As Peter Yarrow told Performing Songwriter, “It is a song of empowerment, and songs that empower with the sense of elasticity so they can relate to the world as it evolves also will remain with us.”

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He continued, “Today’s music, generally, the content is very superficial. Whereas when you looked at the songs that were sung then, they became the soundtrack of the changing consciousness of the nation, to one that aspired to freedom and equality and to the residual realities of slavery and the inequities suffered by African Americans in our country, and it became the music that in many ways consolidated the hearts and spirits of people in the movement, like the anti-war movement, the women’s movement, the anti-apartheid movement, the environment.”

He added, “That’s why it was so important. If you went to the Civil Rights March of ’63, you would have heard Peter, Paul and Mary singing ‘Blowin’ in the Wind’ and ‘If I Had a Hammer.’ You would have heard Bobby Dylan sing, and Joan Baez.”

Peter, Paul, and Mary broke up in 1970 to pursue solo careers, but they later reunited. Some of the band’s biggest hits include “Leaving on a Jet Plane,” “Puff (The Magic Dragon),” “500 Miles,” and “Blowin’ in the Wind.”

Nicole Kidman makes a surprise appearance in singer Troye Sivan‘s newly released music video for “She’s the Best,” stepping into the role of the glamorous, mysterious woman at the center of the singer’s latest visual — and instantly becoming one of the video’s biggest talking points.

When the video dropped on Friday, August 14, it quickly racked up 700,000 views on YouTube.

Kidman, 59, turns heads from her very first scene, wearing a figure-hugging black dress beneath an oversized black coat, leather gloves and dark sunglasses. In one memorable sequence, she confidently strolls down the street with a cigarette before entering a nightclub where Sivan, 31, performs alongside a cast of drag artists, including RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 15 winner Sasha Colby.

“She’s walking down the street with her little thin cigarette / Great smile, and a c-m stain on her dress / DJs from Wednesday to Monday / Don’t ask, she’s not taking any f–king requests,” he sings.

The nearly four-minute video plays like a stylish short film, with Kidman serving as Sivan’s glamorous muse. The pair eventually share a flirtatious dance on the club floor, while later scenes feature Sivan performing in drag as the video celebrates confidence, femininity and self-expression.

Fans were quick to embrace the collaboration.

“Nicole Kidman in a Troye Sivan video was not on my bingo card but I really love it,” quipped one fan in the comments.

“The way NIcole Kidman simply refuses to turn down any project,” wrote another.

The collaboration also marks a reunion for Kidman and Sivan, who previously starred together in the 2018 drama Boy Erased. Sivan recently told Rolling Stone that Kidman is the embodiment of the “divine feminine,” admitting he wasn’t sure she’d agree to appear in the project before she enthusiastically signed on.

“She’s the Best” serves as the lead single from Sivan’s upcoming album of the same name, which drops Oct. 9.

Calling all artists, teachers and anyone with a sketchbook collecting dust: August is shaping up to be a very good month to stock up on art supplies.

Michaels is celebrating its first-ever Fine Art Month with a month of savings on the supplies artists actually use, from paint and brushes to canvases, markers and sketchbooks.

The deals are available throughout August at Michaels stores and online, making this a particularly good time for students getting ready for a new school year, beginners trying out a new medium or experienced artists looking to replenish their supplies.

Among the offers shoppers can find:

• Thousands of deals on art supplies, including paint, brushes, canvas, markers, sketchbooks and more
• Buy 2, Get 2 Free on select canvas
• Buy One, Get One 50% Off on select sketchbooks and paper pads
• Deep discounts on premium brands, including Liquitex, Winsor & Newton, Faber-Castell and POSCA

The Fine Art Month deals cover plenty of familiar artist favorites, so shoppers can stock up whether they’re painting on canvas, sketching, experimenting with acrylics or adding some color to their next project.

And there’s an especially good reason for art teachers to shop during the promotion. Educators can stack the Fine Art Month offers with Michaels’ everyday 15% teacher discount, making August an ideal time to replenish classroom supplies before students return.

With thousands of offers available throughout the month, Michaels’ first Fine Art Month gives artists a chance to save on everything from everyday essentials to premium supplies, all while getting ready for their next creative project.

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Ben Affleck is celebrating another trip around the sun!

After a year marked by both personal heartbreak and professional momentum, the Oscar winner has plenty to celebrate as he turns 54 today.

The Good Will Hunting star is in the midst of the busiest chapters of his career. This fall, Affleck returns to Netflix with Animals, a gripping thriller premiering October 9 in which he wears multiple hats as star, director, co-writer and producer. The film reunites him with longtime creative partner Matt Damon through their production company, Artists Equity, and stars Kerry Washington as the parents of a kidnapped son. 

Away from the cameras, the past year brought significant changes. Affleck finalized his divorce from Jennifer Lopez earlier this year, and in July, he and brother Casey Affleck announced the death of their mother, Chris Anne Affleck, who died at 83 after battling pancreatic cancer. According to her family, she was able to attend her grandson’s high school graduation — her final wish — just days before her passing. 

Even amid those challenges, one of the brightest updates in Affleck’s life came from someone who knows him best.

Last month, ex-wife Jennifer Garner publicly praised him while discussing their three children, Violet, 20, Fin, 17, and Samuel, 14. Garner explained that now their kids are older, Affleck has stepped up in a way that has allowed her to take on new acting projects.

“Their dad—ex-husband [Affleck]—has become this incredible co-parent,” Garner told People. “He’s wonderful. He takes care of them. He’s a great partner in that way. And that’s very freeing.” 

For his part, Affleck is taking his over-50 status in stride. In a 2022 interview with the Los Angeles Times, he reflected that the happiest 50-somethings he knows have one thing in common.

“The common thread I’ve found from the people I know who’ve turned 50 who are the happiest is that they’ve stopped worrying so much about what other people think,” he told the outlet. “I think that’s the gift of that age. When you hit 30, you think, ‘Now I’ve figured it out,’ then you hit 40 and you’re like, ‘I had no idea.’ Now, when I think about being in my 20s, I wonder, ‘How was my brain distinguishable from a gorilla’s at that age?’”

Fans finally know more about who’s who in Marvel Studios’ and director Jake Schreier’s upcoming X-Men movie as Kevin Feige and Sadie Sink (Stranger Things) stepped out at D23: The Ultimate Fan Event to add more names to the superhero line-up, and Parade was there for the reveals.

Sink, who was revealed to be Jean Grey in Spider-Man: Brand New Day, the massive summer hit blockbuster, had Feige name her as the upcoming X-Men team’s founding member. The actress shared, “It is so wonderful to be here and to finally be able to talk about this character after months of speculation.” She and Feige then continued to reveal who else would be joining the latest batch of young mutants as they joined on stage.

• Kit Connor (Heartstopper) as Cyclops/Scott Summers
• Christopher Abbott (Wolfman) as Professor X/Charles Xavier
• Samara Weaving (Ready or Not 2) as Emma Frost
• Inde Navarrette (Obsession) as Rogue
• Maya Boyd as Storm

Showing up via a recorded video message was Adam Driver, who sent the Honda Center audience into a frenzy by saying, “Kevin and I have been talking for years about maybe joining the Marvel Cinematic Universe. And I think we finally found the perfect film at the perfect time. So I’m very excited to be playing Mag…. Nope. Even better. Nathaniel Milbury,” he confirmed, referring to the X-Men antagonist, Mr. Sinister. Sorry, Magneto fans, that role remains up for grabs!

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It’s interesting to note that these actors will debut in their own MCU film on May 5, 2028, while also following up on the upcoming appearance of the original Fox-era movie X-Men in Avengers: Doomsday later this year. Driver and Abbott both broke through on Lena Dunham‘s television show Girls and reunite in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Newcomers Inde Navarrette and Kit Connor have been buzzed about since their big debuts, so it’s exciting to see them so quickly snatched up for Marvel franchise futures. Boyd joining as Storm is intriguing, as she’s an unknown, but having the younger figures rounded out by seasoned genre contemporaries Weaving and Abbott makes this line-up feel like a solid and fresh start. Feige noted at the end of the announcement that there’s more casting to come to round out the film.

Fans who tuned in weekly for the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s television turn on Disney+ with the retro sitcom stylings of WandaVision and fell in love with Wanda (Elizabeth Olsen) and Vision (Paul Bettany) will be excited to know that the superhero genre mash-up hijinks will continue.

At D23: The Ultimate Fan Event, audiences got their first look at VisionQuest, which will finally answer the questions we’ve been wondering about regarding Vision’s whereabouts since the finale of WandaVision. The follow-up to Agatha All Along has been confirmed to be the final arc in the story that began with Wanda and Vision’s arrival in Westview.

In VisionQuest, he’s back, and as Bettany shared during the panel, he’s got a lot on his mind too: “This Vision is beginning to ask a rather more complicated question. What, or perhaps who, is he? And what is it that makes us actually human?”

He added that a familiar voice will be added into the mix. “Ultron is back! And apparently we’re going to figure out his manager together, so obviously that should go extremely well!” he said, revealing James Spader has joined the cast as Ultron in the flesh, as part of the world his AI offspring has mapped out on a journey back to the MCU, since Vision’s been MIA for so many major things, like his wife’s death.

Related: Elizabeth Olsen Reveals The Thing She Hated Most About ‘Multiverse of Madness’

Spader shared this about this return, “Frankly, I can’t believe it took you so long to turn to me,” he teased Bettany. “Everyone knows Ultron has long been fascinated with humanity.”

In the trailer, we got to see that Vision’s been recollecting all of his existences while in hiding alongside James Spader as a fatherly and bearded Ultron in corporeal form. While Vision questions if his family was real, Ultron argues against that notion and suggests that perhaps they were. As he seems to help Vision find a path to a real child he has out there, we still don’t trust him since, well, he did try to wipe out all of humanity in Avengers: Age of Ultron (No need to watch it if you haven’t). The VisionQuest trailer ends with Ultron telling Vision, “Free us all, and save your son,” and surely there’s nothing in it for the seemingly reformed bad guy turned father figure, right?

Decide for yourself and watch the trailer below for VisionQuest coming to Disney+ on October 14.

The D23: Ultimate Fan Event kicked off its weekend festivities with some major announcements across the studios under the mouse house during the Disney Entertainment Showcase, but one of its biggest surprises is a ’90s dream come true.

Stars of the 1997 cult classic, Lisa Kudrow and Mira Sorvino, took the stage to announce Romy and Michele 2, a sequel to Romy and Michele’s High School Reunion. Dressed as their characters, they teased the story that brings these iconic businesswomen back to the big screen.

“People keep asking what we’ve been up to.” Sorvino said as Romy. “Should we tell them, Michele?”

Without skipping a beat, Kudrow as Michele responded, “Okay, yeah, it’s been a minute, but I mean, we’ve been like super busy. Fashion is still our life,” she shared as the fashionista with a penchant for oxygenated adhesive alchemy.

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“And we still own our very own boutique in Beverly Hills,” Sorvino teased fans, giving clues as to what the iconic bestie duo has been up to. Looking at each other as if no time has gone by, she continued to supply more details we are eager to see play out: “We’re entering a whole new phase in our lives. We’re thinking maybe it’s finally time to find true love.”

“That’s right, yeah, but will we find it? You’ll just have to find out,” Kudrow added as the two stood before the sequel’s new title art which nods at their creators of the post-it note lore.

Before their presentation ended, there was a very clever meta moment where the duo addressed the sequel’s change of studio, as the original film was a Fox release: “Oh my gosh, Michelle, do you know what this means?” Sorvino asked in character.

“Oh my god, we’re officially Disney princesses,” Kudrow responded, nodding to their new Disney live-action studio distribution through Twentieth Century Studios.

Romy and Michele 2 is coming soon! D23: Ultimate Fan Event is happening this weekend in Anaheim, CA.

Before Ahsoka Season 2 shows a single battle, it shows a mentor checking in on his old student. That’s the moment Lucasfilm chose to open its long-awaited teaser, debuted Friday night at D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event in Anaheim.

Season 2 opens with Anakin Skywalker‘s voice asking Ahsoka what troubles her, just as Anakin spoke to her in the “world between worlds” in Season 1. Rosario Dawson, Hayden Christensen and Eman Esfandi joined series creator Dave Filoni onstage at the Honda Center to unveil the footage in front of a crowd that greeted it enthustiastically, nearly three years after the Season 1 finale left Ahsoka and Sabine Wren stranded in another galaxy.

Christensen, reprising Anakin for a bigger role this season, described training young Ahsoka in flashback and guiding her adult self in the present. He told the crowd Anakin pushes her toward the most important question in her life, whether she still considers herself a Jedi at all. Dawson promised bigger battles and a returning threat in Grand Admiral Thrawn, now openly waging war on the New Republic after his Season 1 escape.

The trailer also introduces Rory McCann, known to many as Sandor “The Hound” Clegane on Game of Thrones, in the role of Baylan Skoll following Ray Stevenson‘s 2023 death, continuing the character’s search for a power capable of ending wars.

The teaser lingered on a shot of statues depicting the Mortis Gods, the Father and the Son, on the planet Peridea, a nod to one of Star Wars’ most mythic story threads and a hint that Ahsoka’s search for home may intersect with forces beyond Thrawn’s Empire remnant. Lucasfilm paired the footage with new poster art at the panel, giving fans their first extended look at redesigned costumes for both Ahsoka and Anakin.

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The trailer also confirms their allies Hera Syndulla, Ezra Bridger, Zeb Orrelios and Chopper will face Thrawn directly in the more familiar reaches of the galaxy, setting up a two-front conflict for Season 2.

For a series that drew criticism for its pacing and visual style in its first outing, the reaction to the new action-packed footage suggests Lucasfilm listened. One fan creator summed up the teaser in three words: more Anakin, more Sabine, more Chopper.

Ahsoka Season 2 will premiere on Disney+ on January 20, 2027, a month ahead of Star Wars’ 50th anniversary theatrical re-release.

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Disney fans just got their first major look at what’s next for Anna, Elsa, Kristoff and Olaf. According to the latest D23 announcements, it sounds like Frozen 3 is going to be anything but a quiet return to Arendelle.

During D23 on Friday, Disney unveiled new footage and details from the highly anticipated sequel, including a major milestone for Anna and Kristoff, a mysterious new villain and new music performed by the returning voice cast.

The biggest reveal? Anna and Kristoff are getting married.

Their wedding, teased as a major part of the upcoming movie, doesn’t exactly go according to plan. A mysterious new female villain crashes the celebration, setting the stage for another adventure involving Anna and Elsa.

And there’s apparently plenty of new music on the way.

Kristen Bell, Idina Menzel and Josh Gad took the D23 stage to perform songs connected to the new movie.

Bell, 46, and Menzel, 55, performed a reworked version of “Frozen Heart,” while Gad, 45, debuted a new Olaf song called “Ooooh, Samantha,” suggesting the lovable snowman may have a romantic storyline of his own.

The original voice cast is returning, with Bell as Anna, Menzel as Elsa, Jonathan Groff as Kristoff and Gad as Olaf. Oscar-winning songwriters Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez are also back for the sequel’s music.

Disney also revealed that the new adventure will take the characters beyond the familiar world of Arendelle, with Elsa embarking on a mysterious journey of her own.

Fans will have to wait a while to see how it all unfolds. Frozen 3 is currently scheduled to arrive in theaters on Nov. 24, 2027, just in time for Thanksgiving.

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Pat Priest was filming 1967’s Easy Come, Easy Go alongside Elvis Presley when she mentioned, almost in passing, that she needed a car. Presley didn’t hesitate, and offered up his own 1965 Cadillac convertible, black leather seats and all.

She laughed it off at first, telling him she could never afford one of his cars. Then he named a price. “He said $3,000, and I said sold,” she’s recalled. “I wrote him a check.”

Today, Priest turns 90, marking a milestone nine decades in the making.

She’s best known for stepping into the role of Marilyn Munster on The Munsters in 1964, taking over from original actress Beverley Owen just 13 episodes into the show. Marilyn was the joke at the center of the whole family: a normal, pretty blonde surrounded by a Frankenstein’s monster, two vampires and a werewolf, treated by everyone around her as the “ugly” one. Priest carried the role through the rest of the series, helping cement Marilyn as one of the show’s most memorable running bits.

Priest also picked up guest roles on Bewitched, Perry Mason, Death Valley Days and The Mary Tyler Moore Show, and moved between film projects including Looking for Love opposite Connie Francis and the horror film The Incredible Two-Headed Transplant with Bruce Dern.

In 2001, she faced a difficult chapter when she was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. She completed treatment at the Mountain States Tumor Institute and was later declared in remission, putting the toughest role of her life behind her.

She eventually stepped away from acting entirely, trading Hollywood for a career restoring and selling homes in Idaho, where she lived for over two decades. These days, Priest spends her time reconnecting with fans at nostalgia conventions and Munsters revivals held around the country, greeting generations of viewers who grew up watching her on-screen.

Talking Heads’ “Burning Down the House” reached No. 9 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1983, but the classic rock song never reached No. 1. More than four decades later, it remains one of the band’s best-known songs and was ranked among the greatest classic rock songs that never topped the chart.

A 1983 rock song that stopped short of the top spot on the Billboard Hot 100 is getting another look as one of the greatest classic rock songs ever made.

Talking Heads’ “Burning Down the House” was ranked No. 4 on Collider’s list of “The 10 Greatest Classic Rock Songs That Were Never No. 1 Hits.” 

Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images

Released in July 1983 by Sire Records, “Burning Down the House” was the first single from Talking Heads’ fifth studio album, Speaking in Tongues. The song became the group’s biggest U.S. chart hit and helped mark the band’s commercial peak.

Despite its strong chart run, the song had to compete with major artists of the period, including Michael Jackson and The Police. Its unusual mix of musical styles also helped set it apart from many other rock songs of the era.

Collider placed “Burning Down the House” fourth on its list, noting that Talking Heads could be considered part of the classic rock world even though the group was also known as a new wave band. 

“Burning Down the House” also reached No. 6 on the U.S. Rock Top Tracks chart, No. 8 in Canada and No. 5 in New Zealand. It was their only U.S. Top 10 single and their highest-charting hit in North America.

The track also showed the group’s ability to cross radio formats. According to Collider’s ranking, it found an audience on stations ranging from classic rock to hard rock.

But the song’s success was not the same everywhere. It reached only No. 94 in Australia and did not chart in the United Kingdom.

The track came from Speaking in Tongues, an album that reached No. 15 on the Billboard 200 in 1983. The album became an important part of the band’s commercial breakthrough.

The song began as a jam involving bassist Tina Weymouth and drummer Chris Frantz. Frantz had recently seen Parliament-Funkadelic perform at Madison Square Garden and came into the session energized by the group’s music.

During the jam, Frantz repeatedly shouted “Burn down the house!” The phrase came from a P-Funk audience chant. David Byrne liked the line and changed it to “Burning down the house,” which became the song’s title and chorus.

Byrne later developed the lyrics using phrases that fit the rhythm of the music. The song was not written as a traditional story with a clear beginning, middle and end. Instead, Byrne used connected phrases and ideas to create the song’s mood.

The story of “Burning Down the House” did not end when its chart run finished.

In 1984, an extended live version became one of the highlights of Stop Making Sense, the Talking Heads concert film directed by Jonathan Demme. The movie captured performances from the band’s 1983 tour in support of Speaking in Tongues.

Stop Making Sense later became an important part of the band’s legacy. In 2023, the concert film returned to theaters in a restored version for its 40th anniversary. The release included screenings in IMAX theaters and later conventional theaters.

The renewed attention also helped introduce Talking Heads’ music to another generation.

In January 2024, Billboard reported on a tribute project celebrating Stop Making Sense. A24 Music announced Everyone’s Getting Involved: A Tribute to Stop Making Sense, featuring new versions of songs from the original soundtrack.

Paramore recorded a new version of “Burning Down the House” for the tribute album. The project also featured artists including Miley Cyrus, Lorde, The National, Teezo Touchdown, Kevin Abstract, Jean Dawson, girl in red, BADBADNOTGOOD, Blondshell, Chicano Batman, Money Mark, Toro y Moi and others.

Talking Heads themselves had a long history before and after the song. The band formed in New York City in 1975 with David Byrne, Chris Frantz and Tina Weymouth, later adding Jerry Harrison.

Their early work grew out of the New York punk scene, but the group soon developed a sound that crossed several genres. Their work with producer Brian Eno on albums including More Songs About Buildings and Food, Fear of Music and Remain in Light helped expand their musical direction.

By the time Speaking in Tongues arrived in 1983, Talking Heads had developed into one of the most recognized groups of the era.

“Burning Down the House” was nominated for Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal at the 1984 Grammy Awards. Its music video received a nomination for Best Special Effects at the 1984 MTV Video Music Awards.

Talking Heads eventually ended their run as a band, announcing their breakup in December 1991. The four core members later reunited for their 2002 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction, where they performed “Life During Wartime,” “Psycho Killer” and “Burning Down the House.”

In 2023, the members appeared together again for events surrounding the 40th anniversary of Stop Making Sense. The renewed interest in the film and the band also brought their music back into the spotlight.

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If you’ve been daydreaming about a tropical escape where turquoise Caribbean waters meet lush tropical jungle, your dream Mexican getaway just got a whole lot more seamless.

Tucked into a secluded private bay just north of Tulum, the award-winning Conrad Tulum Riviera Maya has officially introduced a brand-new, ultra-luxury all-inclusive package. Known for its sleek, eco-chic architecture, five oceanfront pools, and deep connection to local Mayan heritage, the sanctuary is giving travelers the best of both worlds: five-star luxury, elevated chef-driven dining, and the carefree ease of an all-inclusive stay.

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Unlike mega-resorts that feel disconnected from their natural surroundings, Conrad Tulum was intentionally built into a dramatic coastal landscape where mangrove forests open directly onto calm, protected waters.

Every single one of its 349 rooms and suites features a private balcony complete with a relaxation plunge pool, framing panoramic views of either the tropical greenery or the Caribbean horizon. When you aren’t lounging on the white-sand beach, you can wander between five distinct outdoor swimming pools (complete with dedicated quiet zones and vibrant family spots), or retreat to the cenote-inspired Conrad Spa, where treatment casitas are nestled directly into the jungle canopy.

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The real centerpiece of Conrad Tulum’s new all-inclusive offering is a complete reimagining of resort dining. Instead of channeling guests through a single dining hall or endless buffet line, the package unlocks unlimited dining and drinks across the property’s acclaimed portfolio of signature restaurants and bars.

Guests can sit down for an intimate dinner at Ukai, where master chefs prepare artfully plated sushi and fresh sashimi, or savor bright coastal Mediterranean flavors and regional seafood at Maratea. For bold, fire-kissed dishes, Kengai serves up creative Asian cuisine, while the resort’s Michelin Guide-recognized concept, Autor, delivers an unforgettable culinary showcase. During the day, you can graze between three beachfront chiringuitos—Crudo, Carbon, and Leña—for freshly caught ceviche, grilled bites, and ice-cold craft beers with your toes in the sand, before heading to Chaak Bar for evening agave tastings and handcrafted cocktails.

The package also bundles in 24-hour in-room dining, a daily restocked minibar, premium wine and spirit selections, and complimentary non-motorized water sports like ocean kayaking and paddleboarding across the bay. Plus, for those traveling with family, kids and teens under 14 stay and dine complimentary when sharing a room with adults.

Related: One of Riviera Maya’s Most Popular All-Inclusive Resorts Just Unveiled a Huge Upgrade for Families

While it’s tempting never to leave the property, the resort’s location puts you right at the heart of the Riviera Maya’s most magical sights.

You’re just 20 minutes from the world-famous cliffside Tulum Mayan Ruins, a short drive from swimming in crystal-clear underground cenotes, and within easy reach of the bohemian boutiques, beach clubs, and art installations that make downtown Tulum so iconic.

Whether you want to spend your morning paddleboarding across the bay, exploring ancient ruins in the afternoon, or sipping hibiscus mezcal cocktails by the pool as the sun dips below the palms, this elevated all-inclusive package makes unwinding completely effortless.

Related: 10 Breathtaking ‘Travel Dupes’ to Swap for Overtouristed Cities

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Small bedrooms come with their own set of decorating challenges, especially when your closet is already overflowing. Fortunately, you don’t need a massive wardrobe to create more room for your clothes. Walmart currently has a 2-in-1 dresser with an attached clothes rack that makes it easy to add storage without taking over your space.

The Edx Dresser With Hanging Rack has four fabric drawers with wooden fronts on one side and a clothing rack on the other, giving you a spot for folded clothes, hanging pieces and even shoes. It’s currently on sale for $37, down from $70, making it a wallet-friendly pick for apartments, nurseries, guest rooms and other small spaces.

Courtesy of Walmart

Measuring 11.4 inches deep, 29.9 inches wide and 43.4 inches tall, this dresser makes the most of vertical space. At nearly 44 inches tall, it offers three times more storage than the average four-drawer dresser, making it a practical option for cramped bedrooms, nurseries and studio apartments. 

Its four-drawer configuration includes two large and two medium-sized drawers, which can be used to organize clothing and smaller essentials. The drawers accommodate up to 60 t-shirts, 40 pairs of pants and more than 200 pairs of socks. There’s also open space underneath for several pairs of shoes.

The steel frame clothing rack has room for more than six adult coats or about 15 long-sleeve shirts and can hold up to 50 pounds. Its reversible design also lets you install the rack on either side, making it easy to customize the setup to fit your space. The dresser also includes an anti-tip kit to help keep it securely in place. 

It comes in three colors: black, white and rustic brown. Prices vary by color, but you can snag any option for under $45. For shoppers who need more space there’s also a six-drawer version for $74 that includes an LED backlight.

Walmart shoppers said the dresser was easy to put together and had plenty of room for clothes. One reviewer who purchased it for their son said it made his room “better than before” because it could hold so many items. Another described the dresser as “sturdy” and “good quality.” 

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For as low as $37, the Edx Dresser With Hanging Rack is an inexpensive way to add multiple types of storage to a small space. Head to Walmart while it’s still in stock and on sale!

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In 1967, one of pop music’s greatest songwriters handed a secret weapon to a television cast that cemented their place in music history.

Carole King’s sharp songwriting handed The Monkees their most iconic sound with the tune “Pleasant Valley Sunday.” The track surged to No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100, turning the quiet anxieties of modern suburban life into an enduring pop-rock anthem.

The song celebrated its 59th anniversary in July 2026, leading Micky Dolenz to reflect on its legacy. On Instagram he wrote, “This month in 1967, The Monkees released “Pleasant Valley Sunday.”

Dolenz continued, “Written by the extraordinary Gerry Goffin and Carole King, the song reached No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 11 in the U.K., and somehow, it still feels just as much fun to sing all these years later. Do you remember where you first heard ‘Pleasant Valley Sunday?’ Tell me your story in the comments.”

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Fans were quick to respond to Dolenz’s post. They shared their recollections in its comments section.

“Post Cereal put a 45 on the back of boxes of selected cereals. It was a box of Honey Comb cereal with the record stamped in plastic on the cardboard. To play the 45, I had to cut a square out of the box with the 45 in it and put it on the record player. Fun memory. The record itself was blue, and I only got a few plays out of it,” shared one follower.

A second fan wrote, “San Clemente, California. Every week we watched The Monkees and discussed the episode in the schoolyard the next day.”

“I used this song as my example of a ballad for an English class in high school and my teacher gave me an A,” recalled a third Instagram user.

A fourth social media user concluded, “My family was taking a road trip vacation through the Eastern states the summer of 1967. My mother had a new car, a ‘67 Chevelle Malibu, and we’d dial in the local top 40 AM radio stations. More often than not, we’d see a little town called ‘Pleasant Valley,’ and my sister would launch into this song. This was played a lot, and the Beatles’ single ‘All You Need Is Love.’ Great memories.”

Per Songfacts, Goffin and King wrote this song about the street they lived on, Pleasant Valley Way, in West Orange, New Jersey. Medium reported that the song hailed from a time when King and Goffin had found success writing top 20 hits for artists such as The Shirelles, Little Eva, The Drifters, Bobby Vee, and The Righteous Brothers. However, Goffin was reportedly unhappy with suburban living.

The outlet excerpted King’s biography, A Natural Woman, which explained Goffin’s distaste for a quieter way of life. “Gerry did not enjoy living in the suburbs, an opinion he vigorously documented in a song called ‘Pleasant Valley Sunday.’”

While many 1960s tracks fade into history, “Pleasant Valley Sunday” remains celebrated by modern music fans. From commentary on contemporary suburban culture to its placement on modern classic rock playlists, the song’s biting commentary and iconic guitar riff continue to resonate with today’s listeners.

Related: 1968 Monkees Box Office Flop, Co-Written By a Three-Time Oscar Winner, Shattered Their Squeaky-Clean Image Forever

One of Elvis Presley‘s most successful commercial singles climbed to the top of the charts exactly 66 years ago today.

On August. 15, 1960, the King of Rock and Roll’s mega-hit “It’s Now or Never” began what would turn into a five-week run at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. It also had a massive run on the UK charts, spending 8 consecutive weeks at the top (plus an additional week when it was re-released in 2005).

The song sold more than 20 million copies, making it one of the best-selling singles of Elvis’ entire career.

According to American Songwriter, Elvis was inspired to record the track after hearing the Italian standard “O Sole Mio” while in Germany during his 2-year Army service. He reached out to his publisher, Freddy Bienstock, with the idea of covering the song, and Bienstock then got in touch with songwriters Aaron Schroeder and Wally Gold, who reportedly penned the English lyrics in just half an hour.

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Elvis is said to have struggled in the studio while recording, as Schroeder said, “Elvis wanted everything to be right; almost to the point of having tears in his eyes because he—Elvis—felt himself to be struggling to get the result that he envisaged in his head.”

Ultimately, Elvis’ insistence on making the recording absolutely perfect paid off. Not only is “It’s Now or Never” one of the biggest commercial hits from Elvis’ own catalog, but it’s also one of the best-selling physical singles in music history.

According to Far Out Magazine, Elvis’ “Now Or Never” is tied for the No. 5 best-selling physical singles of all time, along with USA for Africa’s “We Are the World” and Whitney Houston‘s “I Will Always Love You.” The top four songs on the list include Bing Crosby – ‘White Christmas’ – 50million

These are the Top 5 best-selling physical singles of all time, according to Far Out Magazine (2022): 

1. “White Christmas” Bing Crosby, 50 million
2. “Something About the Way You Look Tonight”/”Candle in the Wind (1997)” Elton John, 33 million
3. “In the Summertime” Mungo Jerry, 30 million
4. “Rock Around the Clock” Bill Haley & His Comets, 25 million
5. “I Will Always Love You” Whitney Houston, 20 million
6. “It’s Now or Never” Elvis Presley, 20 million
7. “We Are the World” USA for Africa, 20 million

Related: 1972 Ballad Made Famous By Elvis Presley Became a Grammy-Winning Hit for a Country Icon 10 Years Later

Bridget Fonda thought she was just getting started. In a 1992 interview promoting Single White Female, the actress looked ahead to a long Hollywood career, hoping she would eventually make a film as lasting as The Grapes of Wrath, Coming Home or Easy Rider. More than three decades later, her comments carry a striking sense of hindsight.

At the time, Fonda was proud of her family’s Hollywood legacy but determined to find her own path. The daughter of Peter Fonda and niece of Jane Fonda, she acknowledged that carrying the famous surname could be daunting. “I try not to think of it because it can weigh up on you,” she said in the interview with Bobbie Wygant. “I found in school, that came up in my mind and it started to become daunting,” she recalled, explaining that she ultimately decided to let her own instincts guide her career.

Still, Fonda hoped she could eventually create something that would stand alongside her family’s most celebrated work. “I’m proud of my family,” she said. “And I hope that I’ll do something that can stand out the way that the films my dad and my aunt and my grandfather did.”

She was also looking far into the future, telling Wygant, “I’ve got a ways to go, hopefully I’ll be working for a long time,” before adding that she hoped to find “the film that really changes somebody’s life.”

Instead, Fonda’s acting career lasted roughly another decade. After marrying composer Danny Elfman in 2003 and welcoming their son in 2005, she stepped away from Hollywood to focus on her family and embrace a quieter, more private life. Years later, she made clear she had no plans to return, saying it was “too nice being a civilian.”

Even at the height of her career, however, acting could take an emotional toll. While discussing Single White Female, Fonda admitted the role had been difficult to film. “It was a tough summer, emotionally,” she said, explaining that she had gone through a lot while making the movie. “As much as I was excited to get it out of myself, it’s just like you’re exercising some fears and things and at the same time you sort of just get drained.”

As we get older, it’s completely natural for our bodies and skin to display signs of aging. We primarily see this on our faces and necks, but it’s also fairly common on our hands.

On the hands, mature skin can manifest as wrinkles, loose skin, dryness, roughness and more noticeable veins and tendons, per the American Academy of Dermatology Association. These features can sometimes result in the hands looking a bit bonier or smaller.

Again, these changes to the hands are totally normal. However, if you are unhappy with how your hands are evolving as you age, there is one easy and natural way to flatter your hands: with a manicure.

But what type of manicure is best at elongating mature hands? As it turns out, there are a few nail shapes, lengths and colors that are up to the task.

To learn more, we spoke with Jacqueline Pham, a New York-City based nail artist and celebrity manicurist for Color Street. Pham’s nail art has been featured in magazines including Vogue and Allure, and her celebrity nail clients include Tiffany Haddish and Nick Jonas.

Keep reading to learn more about the three nail shapes of “old money nails” that can help elongate mature hands and make them look extra beautiful.

Related: Anne Hathaway’s ‘Clean Girl’ Nails Are the Manicure Trend Everyone Is Asking For Right Now: How To Recreate the Look

Besides aging, the American Society for Dermatologic Surgery (ASDS) notes a few activities that can accelerate signs of aging on our hands: smoking, unprotected sun exposure and fast weight loss.

To prevent your hands from displaying signs of aging, the ASDS recommends keeping your hands moisturized with a product containing vitamin C, as well as using sunscreen on your hands whenever you go outside during the day.

Related: 25 Minimalist Nail Ideas That Are Subtle Yet So Stunning

An “old money” sensibility or fashion sense involves being subtle in your display of wealth.

So when it comes to an old money manicure, you’ll want to do your nails in a natural, clean and delicate way that evokes quiet luxury. This manicure simple and subtle and avoids bright colors and funky designs.

Related: 9 Nail Colors That Look Especially Good on Women Over 60, According to Manicurists

Here are the shapes that are especially flattering for aging hands, according to a nail artist.

Mariia Demchenko / Getty Images

“If your hands have become more delicate over the years, soft almond is one of the most flattering shapes you can choose,” Pham tells Parade. While an almond nail comes to a point at the end, much like an actual almond, a soft almond nail involves filing the point into a softer, more rounded tip.

“This shape naturally elongates the fingers because of the gently tapered shape,” she explains, adding that this look is “refined,” and “gives the ‘old money’ or ‘quiet luxury’ aesthetic that works for mature hands.”

To achieve a soft almond nail at home, use a glass nail file to “file the sides slightly inward and soften the tip into a rounded point,” Pham says.

The best color for a soft almond manicure, she explains, is a sheer pink or creamy nude. Or, you can even pair it with a classic French manicure.

Related: Why ‘Safe’ Nail Colors Can Actually Make Mature Hands Look Older

Inessa Bologova / Getty Images

Whether your nails are long or short, oval is a classic shape that can help elongate the fingers.

“Oval nails visually lengthen the nail bed while keeping the hands looking soft and elegant,” Pham explains. “The shape never goes out of style and is true understated elegance, complementing every nail length.”

Plus, oval nails are pretty easy to do yourself. Just “round the tip evenly while keeping the sides slightly tapered,” she says.

For an oval manicure, she recommends a soft shade, such as ballet pink, ivory or beige to “keep it simple and classic.”

Related: How To Get the Perfect Princess Nails, According to a Professional Nail Technician

Mariia Demchenko / Getty Images

If you like the look of square nails but aren’t sure about going quite so rigid, try squoval nails.

“Squoval nails combine a square shape with softened corners for a clean, polished finish,” Pham explains. “This classic shape gives mature hands a sophisticated appearance without looking trendy.”

To achieve squoval nails, start by filing straight across the tip of your nail to create a square shape. Then, “gently round the corners” using a glass nail file.

Pham advises using a classic ballet slipper, rosy beige, greige or glossy nude shade for a squoval mani.

Up Next:

Related: 35 Best Mint Green Nail Ideas for a Stylish, Eye-Catching Manicure

• Jacqueline Pham, manicurist and nail artist.
• What Can Make My Hands Look Younger? American Academy of Dermatology Association.
• Aging Hands. American Society for Dermatologic Surgery

Courtney Love has a new record almost ready to go, and a health scare behind it that she’s just now opening up about.

In an Instagram video posted Friday, Love, 62, gave fans a long-awaited update on her upcoming album. It’s finished, she said, and she put everything into it. But getting there wasn’t easy. Back in 2019, while traveling in England, everything fell apart at once. “My body just exploded,” she said.

What followed was a stretch in and out of hospitals that she never talked about publicly at the time. Love said she dropped to around 100 pounds and lost all her hair. At one point, doctors told her plainly that she wasn’t going to make it. But she didn’t buy it.

Love explained that her instinct to push back against bad news traces all the way back to childhood, when she says adults would try to convince her that what she was seeing wasn’t real. That same stubborn streak, she said, is what kept her from accepting the doctors’ prognosis in 2019. Somehow, against the odds they gave her, she pulled through.

“I’m healthy, which is amazing,” she said.

Love didn’t specify what caused the health crisis, and she’s kept those details private even now, focusing instead on what came out of it. Much of her time in the hospital, she said, doubled as writing and recording time for the album she now considers some of her most personal work.

Looking ahead, Love said touring and performing are what she wants most. “I want to tour more than anything,” she wrote in the post’s caption. “And I want to sing. That’s what keeps my soul and body happy.”

Six years after doctors weren’t sure she’d survive, Courtney Love is not only still here, she’s getting ready to get back on stage.

It’s hard to imagine Pharrell Williams‘ “Happy” sounding any other way. The upbeat song became one of the biggest hits of the 2010s, but before Williams, 53, released it himself, another famous singer had already recorded a version.

CeeLo Green recorded “Happy” before Williams ultimately decided to release the song himself.

Williams wrote the song with Chad Hugo and produced it for the soundtrack to the 2013 animated movie Despicable Me 2. The track was eventually released as part of the film’s soundtrack and became the centerpiece of Williams’ solo career during that period.

But the song could have taken a very different path.

Green recorded a version of “Happy,” and Williams has said he originally intended for the singer to release it. According to reports, Green’s label ultimately decided against releasing his recording.

That opened the door for Williams to put his own version of the song out into the world, and the rest is pop music history.

“Happy” became a worldwide phenomenon after its release in 2013. It topped the charts in numerous countries and spent 10 weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the United States. The song was also nominated for Best Original Song at the 2014 Academy Awards.

Its success went far beyond the charts. The song became closely associated with Despicable Me 2, while its accompanying music video (which featured people dancing and singing along to the song) helped turn “Happy” into a global cultural moment.

Williams also received four Grammy nominations for the song at the 2015 Grammy Awards, including Record of the Year and Best Pop Solo Performance.

Green, meanwhile, had already established himself as a major singer and songwriter through hits including “Crazy,” his Grammy-winning collaboration with Gnarls Barkley, and “Forget You.”

It’s impossible to know whether “Happy” would have become the same worldwide sensation with Green behind the microphone. But knowing that he recorded the song first gives one of the 2010s’ most recognizable hits a very different backstory.

RELATED: 1909 Music Pioneer Leo Fender Created the Iconic Guitar That Changed Country Music

If you consider yourself a true thrill-seeker, your ears probably perk up whenever the self-proclaimed “Thrill Capital of the World” makes a big move.

Six Flags Magic Mountain in Valencia, California, has officially kicked off vertical construction on its next major roller coaster. The park shared a sneak peek of the milestone in a teaser video across its social media channels, showing heavy construction cranes and equipment rolling onto the cleared site of the former Golden Bear Theater.

While Magic Mountain has kept the official ride details close to the chest, public construction permits filed last year reveal that the park is planning the world’s very first installation of a Vekoma Thrill Glider model.

Related: Six Flags Great Adventure Announces Return of Fan-Favorite ‘Wild Ride’ for 2026

For local enthusiasts, seeing physical steel go vertical comes as a welcome relief after months of quiet site clearing. Theme park expert Robert Niles of Theme Park Insider notes that the prolonged development timeline had some fans wondering if the coaster had hit a wall.

“The slow pace of development for the ride fueled speculation that perhaps Six Flags was stepping away from the project,” Niles pointed out, explaining that after watching lengthy delays on nearby attractions like Knott’s Berry Farm’s MonteZOOMa overhaul and Universal Studios Hollywood’s Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift, “local fans have developed a heightened sense of skepticism about new local roller coaster projects.”

Thankfully, that waiting game is paying off across the region. With MonteZOOMa back in action, Fast & Furious in soft previews, and Magic Mountain officially raising steel, Southern California’s coaster renaissance is full steam ahead.

While Six Flags has not yet revealed the attraction’s official name, theme, or debut date, the company recently hinted that a formal announcement about the project is right around the corner. Already boasting a world-record lineup of 20 coasters, Magic Mountain’s latest addition is set to push that historic count even higher.

Related: Six Flags Is Turning ‘Final Destination’ Into a Maze—With a Gruesome Twist