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Whether you're catching up with a friend, grabbing dinner with another couple or trying to fill the awkward silence in a Zoom call before everyone else arrives, having a meaningful conversation can sometimes feel tricky, to say the least. Depending on how much or how little you want to share, answering questions from the person (or people) you're with can be a bit of a balancing act of being polite, forthcoming, charismatic and classy.

That's why one etiquette expert has shared a technique that "classy people" often use while chatting with another individual. This clever approach allows you to share only as much personal information as you're comfortable divulging before skillfully getting yourself "off the hook" to say more. So, whether you're introverted, simply not in a talkative mood or you're just looking forward to getting to know someone else better, this might become your signature move.

And this method doesn't give off a negative, dismissive vibe, either. Instead, it will likely leave the other person feeling seen and valued. A win-win.

Find out what she recommends doing, along with specific examples of this technique in action. Plus, two more expert-backed tips to keep in mind for an extra classy interaction. Spoiler alert: It's important to prioritize authenticity.

Related: This Phrase Makes You Instantly Approachable, Psychologist Explains

Catherine Falls Commercial/Getty Images

Classy People Often Use the 'Bounce Back Technique' in Conversations

When you're answering a question, etiquette expert Laura Windsorpreviously told Parade that she recommends using the “bounce back technique” by giving your response and then immediately putting the spotlight back on the other individual.

“A truly classy and charismatic person has the ability to focus the attention on other people and make them feel like they are the most important person in the room,” she explained.

This can look like asking specific follow-up questions that don't elicit only simple yes or no responses. Instead, they provide a level of thoughtfulness that can be heart-warming for the recipient and allow them to share their opinion or experience in a deeper, more meaningful way.

Related: Psychologist Says the 1 Phrase That Instantly Shuts Down a Nosy Person Isn’t What You Might Think

Examples of this technique in action

• "My weekend was great, thank you! What did you do for fun?"
• "I loved that movie! What did you think of it overall?"
• "Yes, the kids are getting so big! Are yours getting into any sports or hobbies these days?"
• "The summer has been busy, for sure. I've seen photos of some of your recent trips—what's been the standout so far?"

Related: You Won’t Hear Emotionally Intelligent People Use This 1 Phrase With Friends, Psychologist Says

2 More 'Classy' Tips To Keep in Mind

Here are a couple of other things "classy people" tend to do while chatting with someone else.

1. Pay attention to your body language

Psychologist Dr. Gayle MacBride, Ph.D., LP, previously shared tips with Parade on how to be more charismatic, and paying attention to nonverbal cues was a big callout.

“Use your body language to tell the other person that they are the most important thing to you right now,” she explained. “Leaning your body in a little toward the other person communicates that you are fully engaged.”

2. Make sure your compliments are genuine

Sometimes, we try to fill the silence of a conversation by pointing something out like, "I love your earrings" or "Great job with your presentation." However, it's important to be aware of your own motivations for praising someone else. If you're simply trying to "win points" or get on someone's "good side" for your own gain, it would be classier to bite your tongue.

“When someone does this just before or right after asking for a favor or a need to be met, their compliments can be/feel [not genuine],” Dr. Denitrea Vaughan, PsyD, a LPC-Supervisor who specializes in coping skills, relationships and self-esteem, previously told Parade.

She added, “When compliments and affirmations are not genuine, they can come across as patronizing and reduce a person’s motivation and self-confidence."

Similarly, using the "bounce back technique" is "classy" when its done in a genuine, authentic way—not as a performative or fake approach.

Up Next:

Related: This Phrase Is How ‘High-Class’ People Say Goodbye, Psychologist Explains

Sources:

• Laura Windsor, a UK etiquette expert who received training from a former member of The Royal Household of Her Majesty the Queen, and a trusted advisor to international royal families and celebrities
• Dr. Gayle MacBride, Ph.D., LP, a psychologist with Veritas Psychology Partners
• Dr. Denitrea Vaughan, PsyD, a LPC-Supervisor who specializes in coping skills, relationships and self-esteem

Back-to-school season has a way of sneaking up on families, turning the final weeks of summer into a blur of shopping, organizing and planning.

A new promotion from Welch's® Fruit Snacks and TaskRabbit is giving parents a chance to hand off some of those chores, and hopefully reclaim a little more summer.

The companies have launched a limited-time "Homework Pass," which gives the first 1,000 families who claim the offer a $150 TaskRabbit credit to use toward back-to-school prep.

The promotion went live at 12 p.m. ET on Aug. 6, and the offer is available on a first-come, first-served basis. Families can claim the pass through the official Homework Pass website.

The credit can be used to outsource eligible back-to-school tasks, from organizing the pantry to helping with school-supply shopping. The idea is simple: Let someone else tackle some of the to-do list so there's more time for families to enjoy the last stretch of summer together.

And according to a new national survey commissioned by Welch's® Fruit Snacks and conducted by Talker Research, many parents could use the extra help.

The survey found that 77% of parents wish they had more time with their children before the school year begins, while 66% said the final weeks of summer are less fun because of back-to-school preparation.

Even more parents—61%—said back-to-school errands and to-dos often take priority over making summertime memories. One in three parents said summer feels "over" as soon as back-to-school shopping and planning begins.

The survey also found that about half of parents would outsource some of their back-to-school preparation if they had the opportunity.

That's where the Homework Pass comes in.

Parents who are able to claim one can use the $150 TaskRabbit credit to get help with some of the tasks competing for their attention, potentially freeing up time for those final summer outings, family dinners or simply a few less-scheduled days together.

Because only the first 1,000 families are eligible for the offer, parents interested in the promotion will want to check the official Homework Pass site as soon as possible to see whether passes remain available.

RELATED: Costco’s Kirkland Olive Oil Costs Nearly Half as Much as a Popular Name Brand

After completing his book The Martian, novelist Andy Weir began working on what he called "an epic space opera" tentatively titled Zhek. After writing 75,000 words for Zhek, Weir opted to abandon the project and start a different novel entirely. Years later, elements from Weir's space opera made their way into his 2021 novel, Project Hail Mary.

Project Hail Mary was a massive success and immensely critically acclaimed upon publication, with a coveted starred Kirkus review calling it "an unforgettable story of survival and the power of friendship—nothing short of a science-fiction masterwork." The book debuted at number three on the New York Times bestseller list in 2021 and stayed there for nine weeks. It has reappeared on the paper's bestseller list over the years on multiple occasions.

In 2021, both billionaire philanthropist Bill Gates and former President Barack Obama included Project Hail Mary on their lists of favorite books of the year.

The audiobook, narrated by Ray Porter, has been equally as acclaimed. In 2022, the audiobook took the top spot on the  New York Times Audio Fiction Best Seller List, which it held for three weeks. Recently, Amazon's Audible put out their list of the "The Top 100 Audible Essentials of All Time" and put Project Hail Mary in the number one spot.

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Project Hail Maryfollows Ryland Grace, a junior high science teacher who wakes up from a coma to find himself on a spacecraft called the Hail Mary flying towards an unknown star. Grace comes to realize he is on a one-way suicide mission to save Earth’s sun, which is being destroyed by a mysterious space matter/microbe called Astrophage. While heading toward the one star not being consumed by the Astrophage, Grace encounters an alien he comes to name Rocky, whose home planet is facing a similar fate due to Astrophage. The two begin to work together to save their respective humanities and find the solution in the vast universe in a story of resilience, friendship, and what it means to find hope.

The physical version of Project Hail Mary is available wherever books are sold, and the audiobook is out now and available for download wherever you get your audiobooks.

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Related: Best-Selling 1965 Science Fiction Epic Ranked Among ‘Best Books of All Time’

Ella Langley's "Choosin' Texas" has spent 16 weeks atop the Billboard Hot 100, tying the song with three of the longest-running No. 1 hits in the chart's history.

The 27-year-old country singer's breakout smash now shares its 16-week reign with Mariah Carey and Boyz II Men's "One Sweet Day," Luis Fonsi, Daddy Yankee and Justin Bieber's "Despacito," and Morgan Wallen's "Last Night." All four songs rank among the small handful of tracks to ever hold the top spot for that long, putting Langley in genuinely rare company for an artist still early in her mainstream chart career.

"Choosin' Texas" first reached No. 1 back in February, unseating Harry Styles' "As It Was" before briefly losing the top spot to Bad Bunny's "DTMF." Since then, the song has returned again and again, racking up six separate runs at No. 1, including its current six-week streak that's been unbroken since the week of July 4.

Along the way, Langley briefly matched Styles' own record for the seventh-longest-running No. 1 in Hot 100 history, before pulling ahead into new territory entirely.

If "Choosin' Texas" holds its spot for three more weeks, it will tie the outright record for the longest continuous run at No. 1, currently held by Lil Nas X and Billy Ray Cyrus' "Old Town Road" and Shaboozey's "A Bar Song (Tipsy)," both of which spent 19 weeks at the top.

Only one song has ever climbed higher: Mariah Carey's "All I Want for Christmas Is You," which returns to No. 1 seasonally and has now logged 22 total weeks at the top, though not in a single continuous stretch. That figure is expected to grow again this holiday season, and some industry watchers believe it could eventually reach 25 weeks.

With "Choosin' Texas" still holding strong, fans and industry watchers alike are now waiting to see whether Langley's breakout hit will soon stand alone among the biggest chart runs in Billboard history.

Panera Bread is giving Lexington, Kentucky, shoppers a pretty tempting reason to check out its newest bakery-cafe.

The restaurant opened its newest Lexington location in the Hamburg area on Friday, Aug. 9, with a special offer for some of its first customers: The first 50 guests on opening day and the first 50 guests the following day could receive a year's worth of free Panera meals.

The new bakery-cafe is located on Alysheba Way and welcomed its first guests at 5:30 a.m. on opening day, according to local Lexington news outlet WTVQ.

The giveaway is centered around Panera's popular You Pick Two meal, which allows customers to combine two menu items, including options such as soups, salads and sandwiches.

That means 100 lucky customers had a chance to walk away from the grand opening with a pretty valuable perk for the year ahead.

And these kinds of grand-opening giveaways have been known to attract serious crowds. Panera has used similar promotions at other new locations, with the company offering free You Pick Two meals for a year to early guests at grand openings. In one recent promotion, Panera specified that the "year" certificate represented 12 free meals—one per month—rather than unlimited meals every day.

For Lexington residents, the timing made the new restaurant's opening especially appealing. Panera operates dozens of locations throughout Kentucky, but the new Hamburg bakery-cafe gave local customers another option for the chain's sandwiches, soups, salads, bakery items and coffee.

While the year-of-free-food promotion was limited to the first 50 guests each day, the new Panera location is now part of the company's growing restaurant footprint.

RELATED: Costco’s Kirkland Olive Oil Costs Nearly Half as Much as a Popular Name Brand

I have a banana problem in my house. As a mom of four, bananas are a hot-ticket fruit that we always have around. But while I regularly buy five bunches or so a week, it can be hard to calculate exactly how many my family with go through between all the smoothies, peanut butter bananas and just eating the fruit as-is. As a result, I can often end up with more of them than I need.

While I have my go-to banana bread recipe, I'm always looking for ways to expand my repertoire. Naturally, I was excited to stumble across a viral banana bark recipe on TikTok. The recipe comes courtesy of Crowded Kitchen on TikTok and it's blowing up online, thanks to how easy it is to make with stuff you probably already have laying around your place.

Apparently the people in the comments are in a similar situation to me. "You had me at 'take your overripe bananas' (I cannot make anymore banana bread!)," one person wrote. Another joked, "I need more space in my freezer."

I still love my banana bread, but this quick and easy no-bake banana bark seemed like a good fit for hot summer days when I want to have a cool treat on-hand that isn't hard to pull together. I wasn't disappointed. Here's what I found while making the viral snack.

Related: Here’s What Happens to Your Body if You Eat Bananas Every Day

Courtesy Korin Miller

The 4 Ingredients You Need for Viral Banana Bark

You only need a few ingredients for the viral banana bark recipe:

• Ripe or overripe bananas
• Dark chocolate
• Peanut butter
• Peanuts

@crowdedkitchen

Peanut Butter Chocolate Banana Bark! 🍌🥜🍫 I know this one is all over social media, but this is a much better way to do the bananas instead of slicing them into rounds. The perfect snack!! I don’t measure anything. Just smush the bananas until they form a nice, flat layer, then spread as much PB on as you want. Freeze until the PB is solid, pour melted chocolate on top and top with peanuts (optional) immediately before the chocolate sets. Enjoy!! (Obvi keep it stored in the freezer)

♬ original sound - Crowded Kitchen

Related: Here’s Exactly What To Do To Keep Bananas Fresh

How To Make the Viral Banana Bark

To start, you'll want to round up the ripe or overripe bananas in your place. Lay down parchment paper, peel your bananas and smush them between two sheet pans to create a flat bottom.

Courtesy Korin Miller

Smear peanut butter on top and pop it in the freezer. While your base layer is freezing, melt dark chocolate on a stovetop.

Courtesy Korin Miller

Once your base layer is frozen, pull it out of the freezer and spread your now-melted dark chocolate on top.

Courtesy Korin Miller

Add peanuts on top of your melted dark chocolate layer, and pop your bark back in the freezer.

Courtesy Korin Miller

Once it's frozen, slice up your bark and serve it. Anything that's not used right away can be stored for later.

Related: The #1 Change I Noticed When I Ate a Banana Every Day for a Week

Have Extra Bananas? Here's How To Scale It

The recipe doesn't offer any specifics around measurements when it comes to toppings, making it easy to scale the recipe to the number of bananas you have around your place.

While Crowded Kitchen's recipe suggests using three bananas as a base, I've also done it with five bananas. You'll get the best balance of flavors if you eyeball your layers. You'll want to make sure you have a peanut butter layer that's about half the width of a pencil, regardless of how many bananas you use. The chocolate layer should be equally thick.

Related: Tired of Waiting? Here’s Exactly How To Ripen Bananas—Fast!

In general, you'll likely get the best results by using 3/4 cup of peanut butter and 3/4 cup of dark chocolate for three bananas. From there, you can add a 1/4 cup of each for every additional banana.

One thing to consider: The chocolate hardens quickly on top of the frozen peanut butter layer, making it important to put your peanuts on top fast after applying the chocolate layer. Otherwise, the peanuts won't stick to your bark.

Courtesy Korin Miller

Easy Substitutions: Make It Nut-Free or Vegan

You have a few options if you prefer your bark to be nut-free. You can use a seed butter, like sunflower seed butter, pumpkin seed butter or soy butter, and you can also put fun sprinkles on top instead of peanuts for an added crunch.

If you follow a vegan diet, just make sure that your dark chocolate is actually vegan. While many dark chocolates are, in fact, vegan, some companies will add animal products, making it crucial to read the label.

Courtesy Korin Miller

Storage Tips: How To Prevent It from Melting

I learned a few storage tips along the way, both how to keep your bark from melting and how to keep it fresh:

• Keep your bark in the freezer. Once you slice your bark, put it back in the freezer in a sealed container. (A freezer bag or glass container with a lid works great here.)
• Use parchment paper between layers of pieces. Otherwise, you run the risk of your bark pieces sticking together in your freezer.
• Consider adding coconut oil. A small amount of coconut oil (think: a teaspoon) can make your chocolate layer a little harder and less likely to melt quickly.

Up Next:

Related: The Shockingly Easy Way to Make Banana Bread 10x Better

Meghan Markle is back on the red carpet with Prince Harry amid her war of words with Martha Stewart.

Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, 45, and her husband, Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, 41, hit the red carpet to attend the David Foster Foundation's 40th Anniversary Celebration in Victoria, British Columbia, on Friday. Smiling brightly in a one-shoulder dress, Markle's stunning presence came amid a bit of controversy over statements shared by domestic goddess Martha Stewart.

Vito Amati / Getty Images

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What Did Martha Stewart Say About Meghan Markle?

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Stewart, 85, a legendary entrepreneur, opened up in a revealing new interview about a recent event she attended where Markle was also spotted. But the Martha Stewart Living tycoon had a few thoughts when asked about Markle’s culinary endeavors.

“I had dinner with Meghan Markle the other night. We were both guests at a dinner party in California. And she had just gotten back from the palace. I didn’t talk to her really more than to say a couple words, but I know she was talking about it,” Stewart told PEOPLE.

When asked what she thought of Markle stepping into the cooking show space, Stewart didn’t mince words.

“If you’re an actress, it’s hard to then transition to a princess and then from a princess into a homemaking guru on a television show. It doesn’t sort of follow. So go from there,” Stewart continued, referring to Markle’s Netflix show, With Love, Meghan.

A Source Refuted Stewart's Claims

Despite what Stewart said, a source who attended the same party said that Stewart's claims that Markle was speaking about the palace were untrue.

“I sat next to Meghan at the dinner party, and this account of what happened is simply untrue,” the source told PEOPLE. “Meghan didn’t talk about her European vacation other than to say the family had a great time.”

The source added that “Meghan has always been a fan of Martha’s and enjoyed getting to meet her briefly at the dinner."

  Stewart Has Spoken About Markle Before

Last summer, Stewart shared her thoughts on Markle during another interview.

“Meghan, I don’t really know very well, and I hope she knows what she’s talking about,” Martha told Yahoo Lifestyle. “Authenticity, to me, is everything, and to be authentic and knowledgeable about your subject matter is extremely important.”

Still, Stewart made it clear that there’s plenty of space in the market for her successors.

“I don’t mind. Good luck,” she noted.

Related: Martha Stewart Is Throwing Shade at Meghan Markle’s Cooking Show

Talk about a major ’80s flashback!

Viewers tuning into The Shards are doing a double-take over one of its leading men, Graham Campbell, whose striking look is a dead ringer for a young Christopher Atkins in The Blue Lagoon. As fans are doing a double-take over the similarities between both actors, Atkins is weighing in on the chatter—and his reaction might surprise you.

The actor shared a social media post from the AngelBoy76 Instagram page. It shared a side-by-side set of photos that showed just how similar in looksr Campbell is for Atkins.

On his official Instagram, Atkins captioned the image, "Look what someone sent me. So cool. Love it. Shards, new on FX."

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Fans of the actor couldn't believe the similarities. They shared their remarks in the post's comments section.

"Kudos to them but there’s only one Christopher Atkins," remarked one follower. A second penned, "The OG is always the best though."

A third Instagram user wrote, "I just saw a post about this! You’re the OG!!!!" A fourth fan added, "In episode 1 of The Shards, a character pulls up to a movie theater, and it’s showing Blue Lagoon in big letters on the marquee."

The Blue Lagoon made Atkins a major teen idol in 1980, launching his signature sun-kissed, heartthrob look into pop-culture history overnight. He co-starred alongside Brooke Shields in the film, which went on to become one of the top ten highest-grossing movies of 1980 and earned him a Golden Globe nomination for New Star of the Year.

Now, more than four decades later, fans are thrilled to see that iconic ’80s aesthetic enjoying a brand-new second act on screen.

FX's The Shards is Bret Easton Ellis’s television adaptation of Ellis’s 2023 semi-autobiographical novel that drops viewers straight into the sun-drenched, paranoia-soaked luxury of 1981 Los Angeles, California.

The series centers on a fictionalized 17-year-old version of Ellis (played by Igby Rigney) as he navigates his senior year at the elite Buckley prep school. On the surface, it’s all gated wealth, high-society parties, and glittering privilege.

Yet beyond the designer clothes and exclusive parties, the show is actually a dark psychological thriller. A shadowy serial killer named "The Trawler" is hunting down high schoolers across Los Angeles, with the bloodshed slowly closing in on Bret’s tight-knit group of friends.

Cast members include Igby Rigney as Bret Ellis, Homer Gere as Robert Mallory, Kaia Gerber as Susan Reynolds, and Evan Rachel Wood and Wes Bentley as Liz and Terry Shaffer. The ensemble also features Hayes Warner as Debbie Schaffer and Graham Campbell as Thom Wright, rounding out the tight-knit circle of prep school elites at the heart of the mystery.

The Shards made its official debut on August 5, 2026, with a two-episode premiere. The nine-episode drama airs weekly on FX and is available to stream on Hulu and Disney+, leading up to its season finale on September 9.

Related: Rarely Seen ’80s Teen Icons Reunite for Beloved ‘The Pirate Movie’ Screening

Diane Keaton will be remembered for her legendary performances on film across multiple genres, from her dramatic turns in The Godfathermovies and The Family Stone to her comedic roles in Annie Hall and The First Wives Club. More than an actress, Keaton was also a style icon whose signature hats, gloves, and menswear-inspired suits became as much a statement as they were her uniform.

Keaton’s Father of the Bride co-star Kimberly Williams-Paisley is keeping the actress’ memory alive by purchasing a few of Keaton’s signature accessories at auction, including the film legend’s infamous “NO MORE WAR” hat. Williams-Paisley shared the news, along with comparison photos of herself wearing Keaton’s pieces, in hopes of keeping Keaton’s memory and message alive.

In a post shared to her own social media Friday, Kimberly Williams-Paisley, who played Keaton’s daughter Annie in the Father of the Bride movies, shared photos of herself wearing Keaton’s infamous hat, which carries a message near and dear to Keaton’s heart.

Williams-Paisley wrote:

“Recently I bought this hat and gloves from the Diane Keaton auction. I’m so happy to have some of her iconic style with me. While my friends and I were carefully unpacking these items and getting ready to shoot this, a gorgeous, gigantic bald eagle landed in a nearby tree, stayed for a moment and then flew off (see video). THIS IS SO RARE!! It definitely felt like Diane’s energy was around us! The hat says, “NO MORE WAR,” and she’d added a skull and crossbones. So, I’m passing along her message. 👑✌🏻❤️🕊️ (this is part one of two☺️)”

Diane Keaton’s ‘No More War’ Hat View this post on Instagram

The hat is unmistakably Diane Keaton. The actress was able to elevate fashion into a statement, whether it was a literal statement like “NO MORE WAR” or her willingness to use style to express herself.

Diane Keaton was famous for her style, often wearing dark, menswear-inspired suits, turtlenecks, gloves, and hats. Before her death in October 2025, Keaton had amassed a collection of more than 40 hats, making them one of the accessories most associated with her. From her Annie Hall style to her real-life wardrobe, hats and Diane Keaton went hand in hand.

That makes Williams-Paisley’s purchase of one of Diane Keaton’s most famous hats even more important. This wasn’t just a slice of Hollywood memorabilia; this hat was personalized by Keaton herself.

Fans Were Emotional Seeing Diane Keaton’s Hat Again

No surprise, fans were emotional seeing Williams-Paisley take on Diane Keaton’s style and message.

“This gave me chills,” wrote one emotional fan. Another added, “This touched my heart so much.”

Keaton and Williams-Paisley’s Father of the Bride co-star George Newbern also responded, writing, “I love this Kim. I have been thinking about Diane so much lately.”

Diane Keaton’s Style Was About More Than Clothes @okay.ronnie

Diane Keaton setting it straight #fyp

♬ La Lecon Particuliere - Bof La Lecon Particuliere - Francis Lai & Christian Gaubert

Long before personal style became a social media buzzword, Diane Keaton understood how powerful it could be to develop a look that belonged entirely to you.

Keaton’s menswear-inspired suits, gloves, and hats became synonymous with her, but they also made a statement with every wearing.

Diane Keaton challenged traditional gender norms and was a reminder that personal style is about being comfortable enough with yourself to dress for yourself.

Her signature style is most associated with the film Annie Hall, but Ralph Lauren, who dressed Keaton for the film, credited Keaton’s own style as the inspiration for the character’s look. That style will forever be associated with Diane Keaton, a trailblazing legend who used fashion and style to define who she was.

Fittingly, one of her most personal pieces is now being celebrated and reworn by the actress who portrayed her daughter on film and became a friend in real life.

It’s almost as though Keaton chose the hat’s next owner herself.

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August is one of the best times to bring sunflowers indoors, and you don’t need a fresh bouquet to do it. The Sonoma Goods For Life Ceramic Sunflower-Shaped Tray at Kohl’s is currently just $10, down from $15, with code TAKE20. Its warm yellow petals and dark brown center look like a sunflower in full bloom, making it an easy way to bring some late-summer color into your home as you start to transition toward fall decor.

The tray is made from ceramic and measures 6 inches wide by 6 inches deep and 0.88 inches high, so it’s small enough to tuck onto an entryway table, dresser, or coffee table. The petals are raised and shaped rather than simply printed on, which makes the whole piece look more expensive, and it can be easily wiped clean.

Sonoma Goods For Life Ceramic Sunflower-Shaped Tray, $10 (was $15) at Kohl’s

Courtesy of Kohl's

Shop at Kohl's

It’s especially fitting for this point in the summer because sunflowers are still very much in season, but the color also works beautifully as fall gets closer. You could place it beside a vase of fresh flowers now, then pair it with warmer autumnal accents later in the season. And unlike decor covered in pumpkins or obvious seasonal sayings, a sunflower doesn’t have to be packed away once fall ends. The cheerful yellow can brighten up a dresser or side table even in the middle of winter.

One shopper said it’s a “handy dish for trinkets or keys,” and praised its “pretty sunflower design,” while another said they “love it,” adding that it “will add a nice touch to my fall decor.” Both reviewers also gave the tray a perfect five out of five stars.

Related: Kohl’s 'Cute' and Whimsical $13 Sunflower Bowl Set Adds a Little Sunshine to Every Snack

Another perk is its compact size. Since it’s only 6 inches across, you don’t have to rearrange an entire tabletop to make room for it. It’s also decorative enough to leave empty, so you’re not buying something that only looks nice when it’s being used for storage.

Shop More Deals

• Celebrate Together Fall Woven Sunflower Basket, $19 (was $30) at Kohl’s
• Celebrate Together Fall 2-Piece Sunflower Dip Bowl Set, $13 (was $20) at Kohl’s
• Celebrate Together Fall Beaded Sunflower Placemat, $19 (was $30) at Kohl’s

At this price, there’s no reason to wait until fall is fully underway to bring it home. Grab the Sonoma Goods For Life Ceramic Sunflower-Shaped Tray at Kohl’s while the code TAKE20 still brings the price down to just $10.

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Viva logistical challenges, or blue dot fever.

If you bet on Morrissey actually showing up for a scheduled concert this year, the house may have just won again. The former Smiths frontman has canceled his four-night residency at the Wynn Las Vegas' Encore Theater, just a week before the shows were set to begin, citing vague "unforeseen logistical challenges." Many fans had already booked flights and hotel rooms specifically to catch the run, only to learn Friday that the shows were off entirely.

Given Morrissey's recent track record, though, longtime fans might argue the real gamble was expecting the residency to happen in the first place. According to Rolling Stone, the singer has built something of a reputation over the past couple of years for scrapping shows on short notice, and the reasons have ranged from medically specific to downright bizarre. His California dates were called off due to a reaction to prescription medication. A St. Louis show was axed the same day over the flu. One gig in Spain was reportedly canceled because nearby festival noise left him "sleep deprived" to the point of a "catatonic state." All told, Morrissey pulled the plug on 22 scheduled shows in 2025 alone, with another 10 postponed.

View this post on Instagram

As for what specifically derailed the Vegas run, details remain vague. Morrissey's own website still lists the shows as scheduled, even as the Wynn has already scrubbed them from its entertainment lineup and Ticketmaster confirms the cancellation directly to ticket holders. His last live performance was just a week earlier, on August 1 in Portugal,  offering no real clues as to what went sideways in the days since.

For fans still holding out hope, Morrissey's next scheduled stop is mid-September at Chicago's Riot Fest. Whether that one actually happens, though, might be the safest bet in Vegas: don't count your chickens (or your Encore Theater seats) until showtime.

Donna Mills played Abby Cunningham on Knots Landing for nine seasons and won the Soap Opera Digest Outstanding Villainess award three times. In a recent Entertainment Tonight interview the 85-year-old looked back on the steamy bed scenes with costar Ted Shackelford and had one word for them. "Steamy." She also had a verdict on what filming them was like. "Fun. I can't deny it." And she has something to say about Playboy not putting her on the cover in 1987 because she wouldn't pose nude. "I was pissed."

@tamronhallshow

Donna Mills is proving that age is JUST a number. At 85, she’s embracing every moment and reminding us (including the haters) that anything is possible at any stage of life! #donnamills #ageisjustanumber #aginggracefully #agingiscool #agingbackwards

♬ original sound - Tamron Hall Show

When Entertainment Tonight asked how steamy the scenes with Shackelford were, she didn't hesitate. "Steamy." Then she elaborated. "I mean, look at Ted," she said. "Get into bed with that body — and he's such a sweetheart. He really is. It was fun. I can't deny it. It was fun." Shackelford played Gary Ewing, whose complicated on-screen relationship with Abby kept viewers hooked for years. Abby was the woman every other character underestimated right up until she got exactly what she wanted. Sound familiar?

Mills won Outstanding Villainess in 1986, 1988, and 1989 and Outstanding Actress in a Leading Role in 1986. She joined the show in its second season in 1980 and stayed until 1989, then returned for the series finale in 1993. At 85, she's reviewing the experience with the warmth of someone who has absolutely nothing to prove.

The same self-possession ran through every detail of her 1987 Playboy pictorial. She brought her publicist and hairdresser to the entire photo session. Their job was to make sure nothing was shown. "No boob, no butt, no everything was covered," she explained. "Sexy as hell, 'cause the legs were showing, and it was all draped and stuff like that, but nothing really was showing."

Related: 1985 'Rocky IV' Hit, Written on a Hotel Room Wurlitzer While Touring With REO Speedwagon, Was Blocked From No. 1 by an AIDS Charity Single

She and Playboy had arranged that she'd be on the cover. Then Playboy said no. The reason: she wouldn't pose nude. "If you're kind of holding a little bit back," she said, "it's much sexier." She's been proving that point since 1987. "I was pissed," Mills said. She didn't change her approach.

The October 1987 Back to Campus issue featured Brandi Brandt on the cover. Mills appeared inside in her non-nude pictorial. Two years later, she got the November 1989 Playboy cover. Same philosophy. No nudity. On her own terms. The woman who played TV's most famous control freak had controlled the situation completely.

The Woman Who Always Did It Her Way

The 1987 Playboy shoot and the OnlyFans account she launched in July 2026 are 39 years apart. The philosophy's identical. Control everything. Show what you choose. Don't apologize.

CBS Photo Archive / Getty Images

Mills has been doing it her way since the beginning. She started alongside Clint Eastwood in Play Misty for Me in 1971. She joined Knots Landing in its second season and stayed nine seasons before leaving in 1989. The show ran until 1993 across 14 seasons on CBS. More recently, she appeared in Jordan Peele's Nope in 2022 and on Doctor Odyssey. She hosts the We're Knot Done Yet podcast with Joan Van Ark and Michele Lee. And at 85, she's on OnlyFans. "Sexy as hell but nothing was showing" has been her approach for 50 years. The platform's new. The philosophy isn't.

Donna Mills played the most controlling woman on prime-time television for nine seasons. In real life, she brought her publicist and hairdresser to a Playboy shoot to make sure nothing was shown. She was "pissed" when they refused to put her on the cover. She got it two years later. On her own terms. At 85, she's calling the bed scenes with Ted Shackelford fun, and she's not taking it back.

She hasn't changed. Neither has Abby.

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Katie Holmes is hitting the red carpet with her new boyfriend, artist Jason Bard Yarmosky, and the couple is looking very happy together.

The beloved actress, 47, rose to stardom as Joey Potter on the WB teen series Dawson’s Creek. She went on to roles in films like Batman Begins and Thank You For Smoking, and became prime paparazzi fodder thanks to her 2006 marriage to Hollywood icon Tom Cruise. While that relationship sold endless tabloids and made Holmes a paparazzi target, even after their 2012 divorce, the devoted mom of Suri has done her best to eschew the prying eyes of the camera. That's why it's quite notable that Holmes stepped out with Yarmosky at the 2026 Guild Hall Summer Gala in East Hampton, New York.

With their arms around each other, Holmes leaned in on Yarmosky's shoulder with a smile on her face. Elegantly dressed in a strapless white dress, the beauty looks mighty happy with her new love, whom she started seeing in July.

Sonia Moskowitz / Getty Images

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Holmes Showed What Goes Into Her Makeup Routine

While Holmes generally avoids social media like the plague, she broke her rules to share an intimate video of her makeup routine. Starting with no makeup on, Holmes described her cosmetics routine as she stood in her bathroom, in front of the mirror. With natural lines and wrinkles like the rest of the world, fans found her particularly relatable.

View this post on Instagram Fans Praised Her For Aging Gracefully

Looking bare-faced and beautiful, commenters were quick to praise Holmes for aging gracefully.

“I love how Katie is letting herself age gracefully like many of us. We get to see her being her truly beautiful self,” one person shared.

“Love her so much for not doing surgery. She looks stunning ❤️,” another person shared.

“Our 90s Queen! An icon! Beautiful then and beautiful now. So natural and aging gracefully!” someone else chimed in.

What is Katie Holmes Up to These Days?

Last summer, Holmes reunited with her Dawson’s Creek costar Joshua Jackson for Happy Hours, which she wrote, starred in, and directed. The dramedy, which is a trilogy, was described to Deadline as a “story about two people (Jackson and Holmes) navigating their relationship within the challenges of 

careers and family responsibilities and the pursuit of love, despite life’s inevitable obstacles. It’s a character-driven dramedy that explores the emotional journey of young loves who reconnect as adults, with the connective thread of shared joys, loss, and hope.”

Related: Katie Holmes and Her Mom Are the Cutest Red Carpet Duo

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It's been over two decades since The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown first hit bookstores. Back then, no one could have predicted what kind of impact it would have on the literary world.

The 2003 novel has continued to be a successful book to this day, but especially so when it first came out in spring of that year. It quickly became the must-have, must-read book of the century.

Brown is known for his dramatic thrillers, but his work especially came to light upon the publishing of The Da Vinci Code. Since then, it's been translated into 44 languages and has sold more than 80 million copies worldwide, per Audible.

Despite its success, the novel has also met its fair share of criticism, due in part to what scholars say are historical inaccuracies as well as backlash to what some call a reinvention of Christian history.

In fact, it's been banned in several countries, including India, Pakistan, Lebanon and Samoa, due to its depiction of religious content and alleged inaccuracies, according to the Banned Library podcast.

Nevertheless, the mystery thriller is one of the best-selling novels of all time. Take a trip down memory lane to unpack some of its most important moments and why it remains an important staple on the bookshelf today.

Related: 27 Best Audiobooks Narrated by Celebrities, According to Librarians

The 2003 Publishing Phenomenon: What Was the Mystery Novel of the Summer?

By August 2003, The Da Vinci Code still held its place on bestseller lists across the country. And it remained there for many months later—the book spent over two years on TheNew York Times bestseller list, including 57 weeks that it sat in the #1 spot, per Audible. It's not hard to know why, given its gripping plot, controversial story and its setting at one of the most famous museums in the world, the Louvre.

By the end of 2003, it had sold more than 5. 7 million hardcover copies around the world, making it that year's #1 fiction bestseller, according to Publishers Weekly. In comparison, the fiction book that held that spot prior, The Bridges of Madison County by Robert James Waller's, sold over 4.3 million copies.

The mystery novel was certainly a publishing phenomenon. Librarian Anaiah Erdtsieck says that might have to do with its exciting plot.

"The work’s fast pacing kept its readers hooked, especially those who might not normally be long-form readers," she tells Parade.

Related: 45 Best Nonfiction Books of All Time, According to Librarians

Is ‘The Da Vinci Code’ Based on a True Story? Unpacking the Controversy

The Da Vinci Code's plot-line follows Robert Langdon, a Harvard University professor of symbology who is put up to the task of solving the murder of a curator at the Louvre, an "historically inspired thriller that takes readers on a tour of European art," explains Erdtsieck.

"When a murdered body is found in the pose of the Vitruvian Man by Leonardo da Vinci with an eerie summons for the professor, Langdon is thrust into a quest for clues alongside the deceased’s granddaughter, police cryptographer Sophie Neveu," she reveals.

As the professor seeks to uncover the message of the dead man, he trails through the continent with pursuers on his tail, "whose sole mission is to keep the secret from getting out, no matter if that leaves Langdon dead or alive," says Erdtsieck.

Whether The Da Vinci Code is a true story or firmly fiction is a controversy that has kept the story alive for years.

If you ask Erdtsieck, the book employs historical and religious concepts that are all too common to people, whether they grew up with them or learned them in school, and then begs the question: "What if?" she says.

"What if the holy grail were to be found? What if the Catholic Church is hiding centuries-old secrets? What if Jesus actually had descendants? This is the stuff of legends and the kinds of questions religious skeptics want us to be asking," she explains.

In the Associates for Biblical Research, author David Witmer debunks many religious ideas in the book, and states that "none of the concepts of The Da Vinci Code are new; Brown’s novel is a contemporary compilation of legends circulating for centuries."

Some of those concepts, he writes, include a lack of historical evidence that Jesus married Mary Magdalene, or that the books "San Greal" documents aren't actually real.

However, in a PhilStar Global interview in 2006, the book's author, Dan Brown, says that while elements like the characters themselves aren't real, the "artwork, architecture, documents and secret rituals depicted in this novel all exist."  

Erdtsieck agrees and says that much of the novel's art pieces, locations and historical details are in fact accurate. She believes that "this is what makes the story his protagonist Robert Langdon unravels so compelling."

"That real facts and evidence are used to speculatively re-examine history in a new light, even if the ultimate findings have not been corroborated," she says.

Related: 11 Multi-Genre Books That Will Absolutely Wreck Your Productive Week

Symbology and Codes: The Formula That Kept Millions Turning Pages

There are so many reasons to love The Da Vinci Code, and to perhaps find yourself reading it over and over again. But what is it that makes it such an addictive read? While symbology isn't a real profession you can go into or study at Harvard, per Slate, it's not hard to crack this code.

Erdtsieck says the book's success is due to many elements, but one theory she has is that its success is actually quite similar to the Indiana Jonesmovies.

"To use a film metric, both are four-quadrant pieces of media—works of popular art that appeal to four major demographics in the market: under-age-25 women, under-age-25 men, over-age-25 women and over-age-25 men," she explains.

There's a huge fascination with conspiracy theories, not just among Americans, but anyone who might gravitate towards a novel like this one.

In that case, it allows readers to get a sense of something exciting to unravel and ponder deeply upon, building "upon popular knowledge," reveals Erdtsieck, while also "giving readers a taste of world travel and exploration."

"This led it to a wider audience than simply those who would already pick up the latest adult thriller novel," she states.

Related: We Asked 4 Librarians, ‘What’s the Best Murakami Book?’—And They All Said the Same Thing

The 'Robert Langdon' Books in Order

Robert Langdon isn't just the protagonist in The Da Vinci Code. The Robert Langdon novel series follows him in these six novels by Dan Brown. He's portrayed as a Harvard University professor of symbology, but the fictional plot lines differ. Here are the books in order:

1. 'Angels & Demons' (2000)

Amazon

2. 'The Da Vinci Code' (2003)

Amazon

3. 'The Lost Symbol' (2009)

Amazon

4. 'Inferno' (2013)

Amazon

5. 'Origin' (2017)

Amazon

6. 'The Secret of Secrets' (2025)

Amazon

Related: Librarians Are Calling This New Novel the ‘Best Book’ to Read Before Bed

Where To Watch ‘The Da Vinci Code’ Movie Today

In 2006, the moment many fans of The Da Vinci Code had been waiting for came to fruition: the novel was finally turned into a film. And not just that; it was the first of three eventual movies in the Robert Langdon film series.

The Da Vinci Code stars Tom Hanks as Robert Langdon, with Hanks playing the same character in all three of the franchise's films. Audrey Tautou, who plays cryptologist and Langdon's mystery-solving partner, Sophie Neveu, only appears in the first movie.

Again, this is the first film out of three, with film icon Ron Howard as the director for the whole trilogy.

With the success of The Da Vinci Code as a movie, it makes sense that they went the franchise route. They chose to adapt Brown's debut novel, Angels & Demons, the second in the trilogy of movies, produced three years later in 2009. Hanks stars alongside Ewan McGregor as Fr. Patrick McKennaor. Then again in 2016, they released the final film, Inferno, with Felicity Jones playing a doctor who helps Langdon (still Hanks) in his big escape.

Curious where you can stream the films? Down below, find where you'll conveniently be able to watch them.

'Robert Langdon' FilmWhere To Stream

'The Da Vinci Code'

Rent on Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV and Fandango

'Angels & Demons'

Rent on Amazon Prime Video, YouTube, Apple TV and Fandango
Free on Tubi until Aug. 31, 2026

'Inferno'

Rent on Amazon Prime Video, YouTube, Apple TV and Fandango

Up Next:

Related: How Rich Is Your Favorite Audiobook Narrator? Ranking the 15 Highest-Paid Readers in 2026

Source:

• Anaiah Erdtsieck is a school librarian and is on Instagram and TikTok as @lookshesbooked.

As a lifelong pizza fanatic, my love for pizza knows no bounds. And while I have my go-to New York City slice that I can turn to any day of the week, I’ve always maintained that I’m just as happy eating the average school cafeteria pizza as I am enjoying something fresh out of a brick oven from my local pizza joint.

If we’re talking strictly nostalgia, however, school cafeteria pizza still holds a very special place in my heart. Also known as sheet pan pizza, this decades-old style has remained a staple in schools across the country, offering an efficient, affordable and practical way to feed hundreds of students a day rather than stretching and baking individual round pies.

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In an attempt to recreate some of my fondest childhood pizza memories, I turned to the Quantity Recipes for School Food Service book, a USDA guide created to help schools prepare reliable large-scale meals for students. Inside, I found a recipe for Pizza with Ground Beef Topping, and I immediately knew I was on to something great. With fond memories from my own school cafeteria days freshly unlocked and an approachable recipe in hand, all that was left to do was bring it to life.

Here's what happened when I made retro school cafeteria pizza at home. Read on to see how easy it was, how to make it even better and if it still lives up to the hype.

Ingredients for Retro School Cafeteria Pizza

Courtesy Nathan Hutsenpiller

Considering this recipe was originally designed to make 100 servings across five sheet pans, I went ahead and scaled it down to work for a single half-sheet pan so you’re not left with an army’s worth of food.

To get started, you’ll need one pound of pizza dough, either store-bought or homemade, along with 1 pound of ground beef, 3 cups of shredded mozzarella cheese, 1 yellow onion, 6 ounces of tomato paste, garlic powder, black pepper, dried basil, dried oregano, dried marjoram and dried thyme.

If you want to simplify things even further, which I’m always a sucker for, swap the individual dried herbs for Italian seasoning to get a similar flavor profile with fewer ingredients.

How to Make Retro School Cafeteria Pizza

Courtesy Nathan Hutsenpiller

While the recipe is pretty straightforward, a couple of prep steps are important to make the process feel smoother. Start by letting the pizza dough come to room temperature for about an hour. While you wait, brown the ground beef in a skillet and drain the grease before adding ¾ teaspoon of garlic powder and cooking for an additional five minutes.

From there, stir in half a diced yellow onion, 6 ounces of tomato paste, ¾ teaspoon of black pepper, 1 ½ tablespoons of Italian seasoning and 1 ⅓ cups of water, then bring the mixture to a simmer for 15 minutes while you preheat your oven to 475°F.

Courtesy Nathan Hutsenpiller

Once ready to assemble, grease a standard half-sheet pan or similar-sized baking sheet and stretch the dough to fit. This may take a little patience, as the dough may require some extra stretching to fully reach each corner. Personally, I opted for a slightly smaller 15.4-inch by 10.3-inch pan, which gave me a slightly thicker crust but made it easier to stretch my store-bought dough end to end.

Related: 10 Classic Betty Crocker Recipes Every Millennial Grew Up Eating

Courtesy Nathan Hutsenpiller

For the first layer, sprinkle roughly 1.5 cups of shredded mozzarella over the pizza dough. Next, layer on the ground beef mixture and spread it out evenly, making sure to cover the entire surface area of the pizza. As a finishing touch, add another layer of mozzarella cheese on top, being as generous as you need to satisfy your own cheesy preferences.

Finally, toss the sheet pan in the oven, bake for 15 to 18 minutes, and wait for the crust to become lightly browned and the cheese bubbly. When ready, remove the pan from the oven and let the pizza cool for five minutes before slicing and serving.

What I Thought of Retro School Cafeteria Pizza

Courtesy Nathan Hutsenpiller

With every new recipe, I always have a certain level of nervousness going in, even when I have experience making similar dishes. But when I opened the oven for a quick check halfway through baking, I was immediately reassured by the visual display and delicious aroma seeping out into my kitchen.

Prep time and assembly are really the only challenges this recipe presents, but both processes are more than easy to master and experiment with. And while I am partial to a good pepperoni pizza, this cheesy ground beef alternative instantly brought back nostalgic school cafeteria memories, hitting the mark exactly as I thought it would.

Tips for Making Retro School Cafeteria Pizza

Courtesy Nathan Hutsenpiller

If you want to make your own at home, keep these three tips in mind.

1. Don’t rush the beef mixture.

While the dough and cheese on their own are certainly delicious, the beef mixture is what gives this pizza its wealth of flavors. Once the meat is browned, don’t just add the tomato paste, water, and seasonings and call it a day. The 15 minutes of simmer time is crucial to unlocking deeper flavors because it lets the tomato paste, herbs and seasonings fully blend into the beef.

2. Be patient with the dough.

Pizza dough can be both tricky and frustrating to handle. Whether you make it from scratch or use store-bought, giving it time to come to room temperature is key for this recipe. The proofing process helps relax the dough and makes it easier to stretch, but you might still need to work it into the corners of the pan with your fingers and palms until it holds its shape. Be patient and keep at it; you’ll only get better with time.

3. Get creative with the toppings.

Now for the fun part. This is about as basic as a pizza recipe gets, which also makes it a fun starting point for experimentation. Give it a Tex-Mex twist with a blend of cheeses rather than just mozzarella, and add toppings like jalapeños, diced peppers, onions or even a drizzle of hot sauce for an extra kick.

You can also experiment with the amount of cheese you use for an extra-cheesy result, or switch up the pan size for a thicker or thinner crust.

With a new pizza recipe in your Rolodex and plenty of ideas for making it your own, you’re now ready to bring a little nostalgia to your next meal or scale things up and create your own 100-serving school cafeteria pizza masterpiece.

Related: I Tried Trisha Yearwood's Lemon Squares—and They're Everything a Summer Dessert Should Be

Kate Beckinsale is speaking out on Instagram following a wave of criticism regarding her weight loss.

The British actress, 53, is known for films like Pearl Harbor, Serendipity, and The Aviator. Typically active on social media, the star wiped her account of all posts, except for a flurry of Instagram Stories in which she shared the rampant criticism she's received about her body.

In response to one cruel post, Beckinsale shared that she's been dealing with crippling grief and health issues.

"You take a break from Instagram for several months following the death of your mother, delete all of your posts and explain in some considerable detail about why you may have lost weight including the fact that weight loss is one of the very first physical signs of bereavement…I think people might be broken," wrote Kate. 

(Instagram/Kate Beckinsale)

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What Illness Does Kate Beckinsale Have?

In addition to struggling with her grief, Beckinsale noted that she has an autoimmune disease called Master Cell Activation Syndrome, Hello! shared.

"Fairly chaotic discussion of mast cell disease and mast cell activation syndrome which more and more doctors are becoming aware of given that a lot of people with long Covid have developed it unfortunately for them- but fortunately for the community," Beckinsale explained.

What Is Mast Cell Activation Syndrome?

The Cleveland Clinic describes mast cell activation syndrome (MCAS) as "a rare condition caused by overactive mast cells. It leads to repeated episodes of severe symptoms that can affect multiple parts of your body. These episodes may include swelling, hives, trouble breathing, diarrhea and vomiting. In severe cases, MCAS can cause life-threatening anaphylaxis."

Opening Up About Her Grief

Stephane Cardinale - Corbis / Getty Images

Last December, Beckinsale opened up in a series of now-deleted Instagram posts about her difficult year, which included a lengthy struggle with grief.

Beckinsale shared that she had “survivor’s guilt" after her mom, July Loe, died in July 2025. Her stepdad, Roy Battersby, had just died in January 2024. That tied into the death of her father in 1979. 

“At the age of 5, I watched my 31-year-old father die of a huge heart attack. Then I watched my stepfather die. Then I watched my mother degenerate and die in such an incredible amount of suffering. And I will say, it doesn’t make you feel very hungry,” Beckinsale shared, Parade previously reported.

The star noted that she had received a flurry of “nasty” comments about her weight.

“I don’t know if there’s some kind of survivor’s guilt… It’s not like anorexia where you’re starving, and it’s a kind of willpower thing. It’s like your body has closed. I think it’s shock and trauma,” she continued. “I think watching, especially alone, the people that you love the most dearly suffer and have horrific, sometimes violent, awful deaths, really makes you not hungry.”

Related: Fans Rally Around Kate Beckinsale As She Opens Up About Weight Loss Amid Grief

Joan Benoit’s 1984 Olympic marathon is one of those performances that only gets better with time. Benoit became the first woman to win an Olympic marathon gold medal and created one of the most dramatic finishes in Olympic history.

On August 5, 1984, America’s Joan Benoit stood at the starting line in Los Angeles for the first-ever women’s Olympic marathon. The then-27-year-old athlete had undergone knee surgery just months before and had to fight her way onto the U.S. Olympic team. When the race began, Benoit employed a controversial strategy: She took the lead early and quickly distanced herself from the field.

Joan Benoit Ran Alone for 21 Miles @athletichybrid

She ran alone for 21 miles with history on her shoulders 1984: First time women were allowed to compete in an Olympic marathon. Joan Benoit made a bold early move and disappeared from the pack. She crossed the line and shattered a barrier that had existed since the Olympics began. One race. One woman. History made forever JoanBenoitSamuelson 1984Olympics WomensMarathon FirstEver Trailblazer WomenInSports OlympicHistory runner MarathonLegends

♬ original sound - athletichybrid - athletichybrid

For 21 miles, Benoit ran alone, at one point building a 51-second lead. The gap between her and her biggest competition, including Norway’s stars Grete Waitz and Ingrid Kristiansen, continued to grow as both held back in the Los Angeles August heat and smog. At one point, Benoit’s lead over her rivals approached two minutes.

Benoit would later admit that even she doubted her bold strategy. Worried she might lead for much of the race only to get caught by the competition late, she questioned herself but continued to run at her own pace.

The race finished with a dramatic ending fit for a race taking place on the edges of Hollywood. After running 26 miles essentially alone, Benoit approached the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum still in the lead. The 77,000 spectators inside the Coliseum could see the American runner approaching the stadium’s entrance, but then she disappeared into the tunnel leading into the stadium.

Related: 2018 Olympic 'Moulin Rouge!' Ice Dance Routine Featured a Lift That Looked Like Pure Magic

Joan Benoit Disappeared Into the Tunnel

For a painfully long few seconds, Benoit was completely out of sight, leaving the audience in the stadium and those watching from home unsure if she would emerge from the tunnel still in the lead.

Then Benoit emerged from the tunnel, still in front.

The crowd responded with an overwhelming roar as Joan Benoit entered the stadium, bounding toward Olympic history.

Benoit’s disappearance into the tunnel was brief in duration but seemingly endless for those waiting to see their hometown hero become the first-ever woman to win an Olympic gold medal in the marathon.

Benoit crossed the finish line in 2:24:52, winning the first women’s Olympic marathon and beating Waitz by a full 1 minute, 26 seconds.

Joan Benoit’s Gold Medal Was About More Than a Race @growingbolder

Joan Benoit Samuelson may be the most inspiring female distance runner ever. In 1984 she won gold in the first Women’s Marathon ever held at the Olympics. In 2019 at the age of 61, she completed the Boston Marathon within 30 minutes of her very first time, exactly forty years ago. Joan shares with Growing Bolder what she believes it takes to stay in the race at any age.   Click the Link in Bio to watch our full story on the inspiring distance runner.     #Marathon #Run #Runner #olympian #Lifeadvice

♬ The Champion - Lux-Inspira

Benoit’s gold medal performance was about more than another Olympic victory. It was the first Olympic women’s marathon, won by an American at an Olympics hosted by America. It was also a major milestone for women’s sports.

For decades, women had been excluded from the Olympic marathon because of archaic beliefs that long-distance running was bad for women’s health. The 1984 Olympic marathon marked a major turning point for women’s sports, and Joan Benoit became the face of that change.

That’s what makes rewatching Benoit’s cinematic finish so powerful today. She wasn’t simply running toward a gold medal. Joan Benoit’s disappearance into the tunnel symbolized the race itself as she ran into a moment that had never existed before.

From Title IX in the early 1970s to women finally being included in the Olympic marathon in 1984, the era marked a time of momentum for women in sports, with Joan Benoit striking gold and becoming the enduring face of a movement.

Related: Olympic Skating Legend, 62, Who Created Magic at the 1988 Winter Games, Can Still Make the Ice Sing

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Reese Witherspoon is thanking fans and loved ones for their support after her father, John Draper Witherspoon, was rushed to the hospital Friday. John, 84, was found face down on the concrete by the pool of his Nashville, Tennessee, condo. And now, a difficult time in her parents' marriage has resurfaced.

Sources tell Page Six a resident spotted John from their balcony and called downstairs to alert the doorman. “The doorman and building manager rolled him over and they said, ‘Dr. Witherspoon, are you OK?’” the source noted. “He blinked his eyes, and that’s when he was rushed to the hospital.

The Oscar winner released a statement to her Instagram Stories later to give everyone an update, writing, “Earlier today, several outlets reported that my dad was taken to the hospital after a fall. I want to let everyone know that he is fine now. He is being taken care of by wonderful doctors and nurses. Thank you to everyone who reached out,” she added. “It means the world to our family.”

John has been seen publicly throughout the years in support of his daughter’s blossoming career. He cheered her on from the audience when she won her Oscar for Walk the Line at the 2006 Academy Awards. He was also in attendance at her Hollywood Walk of Fame ceremony in 2010.

John served as a lieutenant colonel in the United States Army Reserves. He specialized in ears, nose, and throat. He and his wife, Mary Elizabeth (aka “Betty”) wed in 1970. She also worked in the medical field as a nurse. They raised their family together in Nashville. 

The couple began living separately in the ‘90s. Things became contentious in 2012 when Betty hit him with a bigamy lawsuit. She demanded John’s new marriage to Tricianne Taylor be annulled, arguing that John had failed to divorce her before marrying again, and that she only learned about his new “bride” through the press. She also said she still loved her husband despite his addiction struggles and infidelity, the New York Post reported.

In a separate filing, Betty obtained a restraining order against Taylor. The order preventing Taylor from using their last name Witherspoon, including obtaining lines of credit or living on property owned by John. Betty also alleged that John had a major spending problem and was a hoarder, noting that she and Reese didn't lend him money for his frivilous spending. She also revealed that despite being separated and living a part for two decades that they still talked regularly and spent time togetehr at family functions.

By 2018, they’d reconciled. She told a magazine that they’d been back together for “quite a while” and were “still married,” People reported at the time.

When it comes to bringing order to a space, there are all sorts of creative ways to keep your essentials neat and easy to access. And whether you need a complete storage overhaul or a simple extra shelf to help tie a room together, you can always rely on your local Five Below to drum up some useful, clever tools for the job.

Take this 3-Tier Metal Rolling Cart, for example. Sporting a sleek, minimalist design paired with an affordable $20 price tag, this multi-level storage cart is a lifesaver in spaces that need it most. Complete with an easy-access design and smooth-rolling mobility, it's a no-fuss way to add some much-needed storage to a room without breaking the bank.

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3-Tier Metal Rolling Cart, $20 at Five Below

Five Below

Available in stores while supplies last, Five Below's 3-Tier Metal Rolling Cart brings versatility to your organizational efforts, with a mobile design that makes it easy to transport from room to room. Featuring locking caster wheels, it offers plenty of freedom in spaces like classrooms, arts and crafts rooms, workshops, garages or salons, where keeping tools of the trade on hand and within reach are just as important as having a clean workspace. 

Even better, you can choose from Black, Pink and White colorways, each designed with mesh-floored baskets making up each tier and a retro-inspired shape forming the cart's curved frame. With clean lines, a sturdy build and plenty of room between each shelf to allow for items to be stored and accessed comfortably, this cart offers loads of flexibility to make the most of any room.

Related: Target's Sleek New $10 Organizer Is a Dorm Room Must-Have

Five Below

As for its overall footprint, this cart is ideal for small spaces, standing 29.9 inches tall, 17.9 inches wide and 12.2 inches deep. Compact enough to tuck under some desks yet spacious enough to handle plenty of creative storage needs, it even offers a max weight limit of up to 11 pounds per shelf, giving you a little more freedom to load up each tier with whatever you need.

Whether you need one in the kitchen for extra pantry storage, in the bathroom to hold toiletries and makeup, or in the office for desk supplies, this clever little cart is sure to help you realize your organizing goals. Just be sure to snatch up your favorite color quickly, as supplies will not last long depending on where you live.

While you're at it, check out Five Below's new $15 boho area rug and $10 cordless lamp for more home upgrade inspiration. 

Related: Hobby Lobby's Rustic $42 Accent Table Is So Popular, One Shopper Bought Four

We may be well into August, but it's never too late to fire up the grill. With football season and Labor Day inching closer, there's even more reason to stock up on McCormick's three new seasonal seasoning blends.

Tongue-twister? Definitely. Tongue-tingling? Even more so.

Grill masters across the U.S. will likely be eager to try the latest additions to McCormick's Grill Mates collection:

• Jalapeño Lime
• Sesame Chili Fusion
• Salt, Pepper, Garlic & Truffle

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These new seasonings may just stop you in your tracks, convincing you to savor the last days of summer instead of rushing into PSL season.

All three flavors will be sold exclusively at Walmart, ranging from bold heat and bright citrus to rich garlic and truffle notes. Whether you grab one or all three, each offers a different way to elevate your next meal — all for just $1.97 each.

While they're obviously suited for burgers, steaks and chicken, the blends can also be sprinkled over veggies, pasta, stews and even popcorn for an easy flavor boost. That's right — you can level up your snacks too.

Don't let the Grill Mates name fool you. Flipping burgers may come to mind first, but rather than sticking with traditional smokehouse and barbecue flavors, McCormick is branching into more adventurous combinations.

Related: Fireball Launches 5 New Flavors With Less Heat Than Its Signature Cinnamon

Jalapeño Lime adds citrus and heat, Sesame Chili Fusion brings Asian-inspired notes, while Salt, Pepper, Garlic & Truffle transforms a simple pantry staple into something a little more gourmet. Air-fried french fries, anyone?

This lineup may be the secret weapon behind your Labor Day cookout, but McCormick has 10 other new flavors to add to your spice rack, too.