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If moving to a new place is part of your retirement plan to stay active and avoid the "third year slump", you may be trying to figure out where you’ll want to spend your new chapter. There are plenty of cities in the U.S. that not only have great options like affordable housing and access to healthcare, but are actively recruiting new residents. 

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Greenbrier Valley, West Virginia

We know that West Virginia is the cheapest state in the nation for retirees, but did you know that Ascend West Virginia will actually pay you to move there? Qualifying applicants (people still working remotely) will receive $12,000 to spend, including toward the purchase of a new home.

If you’re semi-retired or pre-retired and want mountain living with plenty of arts, culture, and outdoor adventure, Greenbrier Valley is part of the Ascend program and offers a lot to anyone who wants to spend their days in an active small town.

Brookings, Oregon

If West Coast living is a dream of yours but you don’t love the price tag, consider Brookings, OR. The home prices hover around $475k, a little steep, but it’s a coastal town that sits in a microclimate, which is temperate nearly year-round. 

Oregon has committed to becoming an age- and dementia-friendly state, and there’s no state income tax on Social Security benefits. However, it heavily taxes other forms of retirement income. Traditional 401(k)s, IRAs, and private pensions are taxed as ordinary income at some of the highest state rates in the country (up to 9.9%). For a retiree with a large nest egg, Oregon can actually be a high-tax destination.

Related: Foreclosures Are Spiking in the Most Popular Retirement States

Pawnee City, Nebraska

It may not be Leslie Knope’s Pawnee, but this Nebraska town is offering transplants up to $60,000 toward the down payment of a home to move there through its Vision 2030 program. But there is a catch. It is a zero-interest deferred loan aimed at working transplants, not a free cash gift for retirees.

The Parks & Recreation department offers a pool, parks, youth sports, outdoor activities, and a rare 9-hole sand green golf course.

Pawnee City also has access to great healthcare, a low cost of living, and a welcoming and friendly community.

Washington, North Carolina

This small town is a certified Retire NC area that combines outdoor activities with arts, culture, and great food. Washington sits on the Pamlico River, which flows into the larger Pamlico Sound, which in turn borders the Outer Banks. You’ll get coastal living without coastal prices.

Retire NC boasts that the state is “the ultimate retirement destination for affordable yet rich quality of life.” Between affordable homes and plenty of activities, Washington seems to be proving that statement.

Related: Seniors Are Rethinking These 3 Popular Retirement States—Here’s Why

There are towns and cities all across America that want retirees to move within their borders. Your third chapter is a new adventure, and if you choose to move to one of these towns, that’s exactly what you’ll get. 

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice.

Have you ever woken up at 5 a.m., anxious about your finances and how you’re going to afford this month’s bills? If so, you aren’t alone, but having money anxiety can actually make you poorer. Here’s how you stop it even if you’re broke.

Related: Real Estate Mogul Barbara Corcoran's Take on Saving Is Pretty Much the Exact Opposite of Dave Ramsey's

The Cycle

Your bills are piling up, and your credit card payment is due. Earlier in the month, you maxed out your card to get a great pair of shoes you’ve been craving. It made sense at the time. You told yourself you deserved a little treat because life has been so stressful lately. But now you don’t have enough in your budget to pay your credit card off, and you’re even more stressed. It’s a cycle. 

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Break Up With Anxiety

This cycle of spending and avoidance is actually causing you more anxiety and keeping you poor. The best way to break it is to open up to both yourself and a trusted confidant. Take the following steps to help yourself step out of the endless loop.

1. Tell someone you trust about your money problems. Research shows that simply talking about money issues can help alleviate some of the stress.
2. Look at all your financial accounts. Open your bank and credit card statements. Make a list of all of the expenses you’ll need to pay this month and how much you have coming in.
3. Make the smallest payment first. You’ll feel better having whittled down your debt even a little, suggests 24/7 Wall Street. 
4. Approach debt with a payoff method. The snowball method that Dave Ramsey preaches is similar to many other debt payoff strategies. Start with the smallest amount you owe and work at paying it off while maintaining minimum payments on everything else. When the first debt is paid, apply the payoff amount plus the minimum to the next. Keep going. 
5. Take a breath and consider purchases before you make them. You should wait as long as possible to make sure it’s something you really need. 
6. Give yourself a break. Allot your financial planning to a specific day and time every day or week, whatever you need, and refuse to think about your finances until that specific period. You’ll help reduce your overall anxiety knowing you’ve dedicated mental space to tackling the task. 

Related: Dave Ramsey Sounds the Alarm on 401(K)S and What So Many Americans Miss

You’ve Got This

Financial anxiety is very real, especially in a shaky economy, but dwelling on it can keep you stuck in an endless loop that leads to poor decisions. If you carve out a little space for your finances and take action, you’ll be sleeping soundly in no time. 

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice.

If you plan on firing up the grill quite a bit this season, Costco has a variety pack that brings plenty of flavor to summer cookouts in one convenient box.

The Kinder’s Signature Grill Pack is back, featuring USDA Certified Organic seasonings and barbecue staples that work for everything from burgers and ribs to grilled chicken and vegetables. Whether you’re hosting backyard parties, planning easy weekend dinners, or looking for a quick way to upgrade weeknight grilling, this bundle covers just about every flavor profile you could need.

You can see it in this May 28 TikTok from @discovering_costco.

@discovering_costco

If you’re going to be grilling this summer, this sauce and seasoning variety pack is great at Costco! #costcodiscoveries #grilling #bbq #costconew #costcodeals

♬ OPALITE X SUGAR ON MY TOUNGE - Jeremiah Custodio

Included in the $26.99 grill pack:

• Original BBQ Sauce
• Sweet & Tangy Dipping Sauce
• Buttery Steakhouse Seasoning
• Butcher’s Burger Blend
• Grilled Chicken Seasoning
• All Purpose Seasoning

One of the biggest standouts in the box is the Buttery Steakhouse Seasoning, which combines cracked pepper, herbs, garlic, and real dairy butter for rich steakhouse-style flavor. On Kinder’s website, one shopper called it “the best steak seasoning in the market, hands down.”

The Butcher's Burger Blend is another grilling staple included in the pack. Made with black pepper and garlic, it's designed for burgers but would also work well on steaks, meatballs, roasted potatoes, and even eggs.

The Grilled Chicken Seasoning is another versatile option that works well on chicken cooked on the grill, in the oven, or even in the air fryer. Made with sea salt, garlic, and herbs, the seasoning is designed to give chicken a deeper flavor without much effort. One reviewer wrote, “This seasoning is AMAZING!! It is just like you have spent HOURS roasting a chicken in your oven!”

Related: New Costco Dessert Is Light, Fluffy, and Perfect for Summer

Kinder’s All Purpose Seasoning is also included in the pack and features a blend of sea salt, garlic, spices, and chilis designed to work across beef, pork, chicken, and vegetables. According to the brand, it’s made for grilling, roasting, smoking, or baking, making it one of the most versatile options in the box.

The Original BBQ Sauce also adds plenty of flexibility. According to Kinder’s, the sauce is sweet, slightly smoky, and designed for dipping, basting, brushing, or drizzling. It works just as well on ribs and burgers as it does with fries, sandwiches, or meatloaf.

Meanwhile, the Sweet & Tangy Dipping Sauce could easily become the bottle that disappears first during cookout season. It sounds perfect for everything from chicken tenders and nuggets to wings, fries, and grilled sandwiches.

With grilling season fully underway, this Costco pack makes it easy to experiment with different flavors without buying every seasoning separately.

Considering several of Kinder’s seasonings retail for around $6.49 individually online, the Costco bundle ends up being a solid value. With Father’s Day right around the corner, it would also make a fun gift for anyone who loves spending time at the grill.

There’s a very specific type of optimism that happens inside Trader Joe’s. You walk in thinking you’re grabbing "just a few things," and suddenly you’re standing in front of a pyramid of appropriately themed summer items, wondering if you should grab one of each "just in case."

The FOMO is real (and so is dismissing your shopping list entirely). But we know all too well that TJ's is the kind of store where seasonal products disappear without warning, shoppers become emotionally attached to oddly specific snacks and entire Reddit threads are devoted to tracking down frozen pastries and candy clusters. It's a whole personality, OK?

Summer is especially dangerous territory for Trader Joe’s fans because the seasonal lineup always leans heavily into nostalgic desserts, citrus flavors, easy freezer meals and quirky snacks that somehow sound either completely questionable or absolutely life-changing (and let's be real, often, they end up being both!). And because so many of these products are limited-time releases, longtime shoppers know there’s no such thing as "grabbing it next time." It's now or never.

This month's lineup of the best Trader Joe's finds for June 2026 is huge, featuring everything from Detroit-style pizza and garlic shrimp chips to strawberry cream cheese, Norwegian flatbread and key lime pie-inspired grahams. There are also several products already generating major buzz online and empty shelves in stores.

Whether you’re stocking up for summer road trips, beach weekends, lazy brunches or late-night snack runs, these are the products shoppers are racing to grab before the season disappears.

Related: 31 Things You Should Always Buy at Trader Joe’s (If You Can Find Them)

The 18 Best June Trader Joe’s Finds1. Verdant Veggie Variety

Courtesy Jessica Wrubel

Make weeknight dinners easier with the new Verdant Veggies, a frozen vegetable blend packed with peas, kohlrabi, green beans, yellow beans, sugar snap peas and yellow carrots.

The mix is lightly seasoned with onion, garlic, fennel, turmeric and lemon peel, making it an easy shortcut for quick summer dinners. Reddit fans are already finding creative ways to use it beyond a simple side dish. “I added this to some pasta with goat cheese and it was amazing,” wrote one Redditor.

Find it for $1.99 (16 ounces) in the freezer section.

2. Uncured Ham & Swiss Cheese Pockets

Courtesy of Jessica Wrubel

Fans are already obsessing over these buttery Uncured Ham & Swiss Cheese Pockets made with flaky croissant dough and filled with savory ham and melted Swiss cheese.

Sold frozen with two pastries per box, the pockets can be heated in the air fryer, oven or microwave for a quick breakfast or lunch that feels straight out of a café bakery case. “Loved em!” said one Instagram fan.

Find it for $4.99 (6 ounces) in the freezer section.

Related: The 18 Best Brunch Buys at Trader Joe’s, According to a Superfan

3. Detroit Style Uncured Pepperoni Pizza

Courtesy of Jessica Wrubel

The Detroit-style pizza craze has hit TJ with a rectangular frozen pie featuring crispy cheese-lined edges, uncured pepperoni and a thick, pillowy crust baked in an oven-ready tray. The pizza also includes mozzarella, Parmesan and Romano cheeses along with a garlicky tomato sauce for an especially indulgent frozen pizza option.

“I'll run 8 extra miles for that, I'm getting one tomorrow,” joked one Redditor. Find it for $7.99 (24 ounces) in the freezer aisle.

Related: 9 Secret Hacks for Scoring the Best Deals in the Trader Joe’s Meat Aisle

4. Raspberry Yogurt Candy Clusters

Courtesy of Jessica Wrubel

Trader Joe’s has another potential candy obsession on its hands with these Raspberry Yogurt Candy Clusters, combining raspberry yogurt coating with pretzel pieces, crispy rice, vanilla sandwich cookie chunks and rainbow nonpareils (could it get any better than that?!).

The sweet-and-salty clusters are only available for a limited time, which has already prompted shoppers online to stock up before they disappear. “I can’t stop eating them,” admitted one Instagram fan. Find it for $3.49 (7 ounces) in the candy section.

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5. Sweet & Sour Gummy Worms Candies

Courtesy of Jessica Wrubel

If you're craving candy but want a lower-sugar version of a classic gummy worm, check out the new Sweet & Sour Gummy Worms Candies. Made with allulose, erythritol and monk fruit instead of traditional sugar, it's the kind of candy you can feel good about, should you eat the entire bag.

The worms still deliver the tart, chewy texture gummy fans expect while using fruit and vegetable juices for color rather than artificial dyes. Find them in the candy section for a limited time.

Related: Trader Joe’s Shoppers Warn New Gummy Worms Come With One Surprising Side Effect

6. Red White & Blue Cookie Bites

Courtesy of Jessica Wrubel

Get into the patriotic mood a bit early with these Red White & Blue Cookie Bites featuring vanilla cookie chunks coated in cherry, lemon and raspberry-flavored candy shells.

The colorful bites are designed for summer get-togethers and poolside snacking, and fans online are already warning shoppers that they’re dangerously easy to devour by the handful. “They were sooo good. Kind of addictive, easy to keep eating and eating. I demolished the box sooner than I should have lol,” wrote one Reddit fan.

Find it for $4.99 (10 ounces) in the snack aisle for a limited time.

7. Key Lime Pie Inspired Grahams

Trader Joe’s has essentially turned key lime pie into a snackable cookie with these Key Lime Pie Inspired Grahams, featuring crunchy graham crackers coated in a sweet-tart key lime yogurt candy shell.

Summer citrus snacks tend to develop cult followings, and shoppers online are already praising the balance of tangy lime flavor in these seasonal treats. “These are so damned good! I was afraid they weren't going to be ‘limey’ enough, but I was wrong,” wrote one Redditor.

Find it for $4.99 (8 ounces) in with the cookies beginning this month.

8. Brioche Style Pancakes View this post on Instagram

Make the last few weeks of school day mornings a little easier with the new Brioche Style Pancakes, which come packaged in four individual two-pancake packs ready to eat straight from the bag or warmed in the toaster.

Because the pancakes already have a rich, slightly sweet brioche flavor, many shoppers are treating them more like bakery pastries than traditional pancakes. “Anything brioche is a win. Breakfast sandwiches,” commented one Instagram fan.

Find it for $3.99 (9.88 ounces) in the bakery section.

9. Strawberry & Corn Flake Cake Muffin & Loaf Cake Mix View this post on Instagram

If you're a fan of the sweet-and-salty dessert combinations, look no further than the new Strawberry & Corn Flake Cake Muffin & Loaf Cake Mix featuring dried strawberries along with a crunchy corn flake topping packet and red sanding sugar for extra texture and color.

The resulting muffins or loaf cake feel especially designed for summer potlucks, brunches and backyard gatherings. “I’m cautiously optimistic because Trader Joe’s has tricked me before with combos that sound questionable and somehow slap,” joked Trader Joe’s influencer @traderjoesaficionado. Find it for $4.49 (17.71 ounces) in the baking aisle for a limited time.

10. Main Squeeze Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Courtesy of Jessica Wrubel

Shoppers are already comparing this new Main Squeeze Extra Virgin Olive Oil to trendy squeeze-bottle olive oil brands online. The Mediterranean-imported EVOO comes packaged in an adjustable squeeze bottle designed for easier drizzling, pouring and cooking, though some shoppers online are debating whether olive oil belongs in plastic packaging at all.

The oil itself is described as grassy, peppery and versatile enough for everything from sautéing and roasting to dipping bread and finishing pasta dishes. Find it for $10.99 (25.36 fluid ounces) now.

Related: I Tried 9 Trader Joe’s Olive Oils and Ranked Them Worst to Best

11. Garlic Shrimp Chips

Courtesy of Jessica Wrubel

A poppable, garlic-forward version of classic shrimp chips, available at TJ? Yes, please! The airy, crispy snack that's popular across many East and Southeast Asian cuisines is now available at your local Trader's.

The chips deliver savory umami flavor with light seafood notes and a melt-in-your-mouth texture that fans online are already praising. “They taste good. Light and airy crunch, pleasant light seafood flavor,” wrote one Redditor. Find it for $3.99 (3.5 ounces) in the snack aisle.

Related: I Tried 15 Different Brands of Potato Chips and Found a New Favorite

12. Whipped Strawberry Flavored Cream Cheese Spread

Courtesy of Jessica Wrubel

The seasonal strawberry obsession continues with this airy Whipped Strawberry Flavored Cream Cheese Spread made with strawberries, dried strawberries and strawberry flavor blended into whipped cream cheese.

While bagels are the obvious pairing, shoppers are already spreading it onto waffles, toast and graham crackers or simply eating it by the spoonful. “So good. Been eating spoonfuls of it,” admitted one Instagram fan. Find it for $2.79 (8 ounces) in the refrigerated section.

Related: I Tried Trader Joe’s Body Butter To See How It Compares to a Popular Firming Cream

13. Flat Taffy

Trader Joe’s is bringing old-school boardwalk candy energy to stores this summer with its new raspberry-flavored Flat Taffy. The red, white and blue candy is soft, chewy and intentionally nostalgic, made by a supplier that has been producing candy since 1920.

The seasonal sweet feels especially designed for Fourth of July parties, poolside snack tables and summer movie nights. The initial run was riddled with too-sticky packaging, so it was pulled from some shelves, but it should be back ASAP. Find it for $1.19 (0.75 ounces) in the candy aisle for a limited time.

14. Lefse Norwegian Potato Flatbread

Courtesy of Jessica Wrubel

Try a Scandinavian-inspired summer option with the new Lefse Norwegian Potato Flatbread made primarily from potato flakes and wheat flour.

The soft flatbread is flexible enough for both savory wraps and sweet dessert-style fillings, and shoppers online are already experimenting with everything from smoked fish to gyro meat. “I bought this at Trader Joe’s today for the first time and it is delicious!” wrote one Redditor.

Find it for $3.99 (13.22 ounces) in the bakery section through July.

15. Honey Butter Cashews

Courtesy of Jessica Wrubel

Honey and butter join forces in Trader Joe’s newest sweet-and-salty snack: Honey Butter Cashews. The roasted cashews are coated in a crunchy candy shell flavored with rich butter and sweet honey notes, creating a flavor combination that already has a major following in several international snack markets.

“These are amazing, going to buy several more bags,” wrote one Reddit fan. Find them in the nuts and dried fruit section for a limited time.

Related: Here's What Happens to Your Body if You Eat Cashews Every Day, According to Dietitians

16. Lemon Flavored Wafer Cookies

Courtesy of Jessica Wrubel

Trader Joe’s is adding a bright citrus twist to its popular wafer cookie lineup with these Lemon Flavored Wafer Cookies imported from Italy.

Thin crisp wafers are layered with lemon crème and cut into bite-sized cubes for easy snacking, and shoppers online are especially praising the balance of real lemon tang with sweetness. “I appreciate that these cookies focus more on the lemon flavor rather than the sugary taste,” wrote one Redditor.

Find them in the cookie and snack aisle now.

17. Taco Seasoned Gouda Cheese

Courtesy of Jessica Wrubel

The June Spotlight Cheese is this Taco Seasoned Gouda made in the Netherlands with taco-inspired spices including jalapeño powder, cumin, onion, garlic and oregano blended into creamy Dutch Gouda.

The cheese works equally well sliced for snacking, shredded over nachos or melted into quesadillas and tacos, making it especially useful for summer cookouts and easy weeknight dinners.

“This stuff is phenomenal!” wrote one Reddit fan. Find it for $12.49 (one pound) in the cheese section for a limited time.

18. Crispy Rice Bars

These are flying off the shelves faster than employees can stock 'em. TJ's take on the classic marshmallow cereal treats is here with its new Crispy Rice Bars featuring toasted rice and marshmallows bound together into individually wrapped chewy snack bars.

Because they come pre-packaged, the bars feel especially convenient for lunchboxes, sports practices, summer camps and road trips where easy grab-and-go snacks become essential. Find them for $2.99 per box (if you can) beginning this month.

Up Next:

Related: The 15 Best Korean Groceries to Buy at Trader Joe’s, According to a Korean-American Recipe Developer

Despite becoming a wedding-day staple, Billy Idol's 1982 anthem "White Wedding" was actually written as an anti-marriage song.

After accepting the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2026 American Music Awards, Idol acknowledged the irony of how "White Wedding" has been embraced over the years. When People asked why the iconic track was absent from his AMA performance, he replied, “'Well, 'White Wedding' was a bit of an anti-marriage song, but people get married to it. So there you go. They changed that, the meaning of that.”

He added, "It's funny, but it's great. I'm glad people have enjoyed it. Whatever they've used it for, I'm glad they've enjoyed the music and I've had a great time."

Breaking down the lyrics, the song is actually about Idol's girlfriend, who wants to marry someone else. Some people wondered if the song was about Idol's sister because of the lyric, "Hey little sister, what have you done?"

Idol told Absolute Radio that his sister actually served as part of the inspiration behind the song. “I just thought, ‘what about if she was pregnant?’ That would be a shotgun wedding,” he said of his sister Jane Broad, who was getting married at the time. “I started to think about it in a negative way … like, what about if I was some avenging brother who was coming back to — I don’t know, wreak some sort of vengeance.”

He added, “It just gave me a way in to write that song,” he said. “Also, I was starting my career again, and in a way that’s what I’m singing about as well.”

The taboo nature of becoming pregnant out of wedlock during the '80s was reflected in the music video. “I thought about all the different people and all the times past when that was such a taboo thing,” he shared, via American Songwriter. “I thought about that, the taboo nature and the convention and the wedding being such a celebration but then it turns into something like a shotgun wedding. Then it went on from there.”

Big hair, massive vocals, and a presence that could shake the walls of the Grand Ole Opry, Wynonna Judd is country music royalty. For more than four decades, the fiery hitmaker has delivered powerhouse performances, rock star swagger, and enough Southern soul to fill an entire jukebox. As she rings in 62 years today, there’s no better time to reflect on the remarkable career and enduring legacy of one of country music’s most unmistakable voices. 

View this post on Instagram

As a teenager, Wynonna became one-half of what would become the most commercially successful duo in country music history. Alongside the late and legendary Naomi Judd, Wynonna dominated the ’80s as part of The Judds, scoring 14 No. 1 singles between 1983 and 1991, beginning with “Mama, He’s Crazy.” 

Blending traditional country, Appalachian folk, bluegrass, pop, and blues, The Judds helped bring country music back to its roots, while still sounding fresh for mainstream radio. Naomi’s lean and warm harmonies balanced Wynonna’s deep, growling vocals, creating the razor-sharp chemistry that made the duo famous. 

Following countless sold-out shows, major awards (including five Grammys), a heartfelt farewell tour, Naomi retired from the stage in 1991, leaving Wynonna to spread her wings with a solo career. Reinventing herself with a mononymous title and a rock-and-roll edge, Wynonna became an instant success.

Her solo debut single, “She Is His Only Need,” shot straight to the top of the country chart, quickly followed by “I Saw the Light.” Before long, Wynonna had racked up five solo chart-toppers, including what is perhaps her biggest hit, “No One Else on Earth,” a feel-good country-rock anthem that cemented her status as a full-fledged rock star. 

In May 2022, The Judds were inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame. The ceremony was one of the most emotional moments in music history, as Naomi had passed away just one day earlier, leaving Wynonna and sisterAshley Judd to accept the honor through tears. 

“I didn’t prepare anything tonight, because I knew Mom would probably talk the most,” Wynonna said in her acceptance speech, cheekily rolling her eyes. “I’m going to make this fast because my heart’s broken, and I feel so blessed. It’s a very strange dynamic to be this broken and this blessed.”

Always a renaissance woman, Wynonna has also successfully crossed over into television, philanthropy, publishing, and competition shows, while maintaining a multigenerational touring career. The New York Times bestselling author has sold more than 20 million records and continues to command stages across the country, with upcoming appearances alongside Brandi Carlile, Melissa Etheridge, and Maggie Rose.

Happy birthday, Wynonna. There is truly no one else on Earth like you.

Related: 1976 Arena-Rock Anthem Still Hits Like the First Time 50 Years Later in New Video

Not every chart-topping hit becomes a classic, but Captain & Tennille's "Lonely Night (Angel Face)" has remained a favorite with listeners for nearly five decades.

The song, released in 1976, was a grooving tune with an infectious rhythm that was impossible to ignore. Beneath its catchy melody, however, was a story of heartbreak that connected with listeners and helped make it one of the married musical duo's most enduring songs.

"Lonely Night (Angel Face)" peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard charts in March 1976. It remained a steady presence on the Hot 100 for 23 weeks in total.

The song was a cover of a Neil Sedaka original, featured on the couple's 1976 album Song of Joy. Sedaka's original was included one year prior on his 1975 LP The Hungry Years.

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For a song built around heartache, "Lonely Night (Angel Face)" is wrapped in a smooth, easygoing sound that defined 1970s soft rock. Tennille brings the story to life as she looks back on a lost relationship, reflecting on the love and memories that linger long after a couple's romance has died.

According to Britannica, Toni Tennille teamed with keyboardist and producer Daryl Dragon in 1970, performing as Captain & Tennille in small Los Angeles clubs. They broke through in the industry on the strength of a Tennille-written song, “The Way I Want to Touch You,” in 1973. 

RELATED: ’70s Teen Idol Robby Benson: Where He Is Now?

Two years later, in 1975, they had a mammoth hit with "Love Will Keep Us Together" from the album of the same name. They married that year, and Tennille's original song was re-released, hitting No. 4 in November.

The LP Song of Joy followed, and a trio of hits helped propel Captain & Tennille into pop superstardom. Along with the Sedaka-penned "Lonely Night (Angel Face)," the couple hit the charts with a cover of Smokey Robinson's "Shop Around," and a remake of the 1972 Alan Ramsey folk song, "Muskrat Love."

Captain & Tennille remained popular as a duo throughout the 1970s. They worked independently of one another in the music business in the decades that followed.

Daryl Dragon and Toni Tennille divorced in 2014. He died in 2019.

Related: 1979 Pop Smash Hailed From a Coming-of-Age TV Movie That Turned a Rocker Into a Teen Idol Overnight

Nearly 46 years after its release, AC/DC’s “Back in Black” is making its way up the music charts once again.

The classic rock song has re-entered Billboard’s Hard Rock Streaming Songs chart at No. 25 for the week of May 30, marking its 275th overall week on the music chart.

Known for its blistering three-chord opening guitar riff, “Back in Black” was first released in July 1980 as a single from the Australian rock band’s album of the same name. The Back in Black album was the first to feature new singer Brian Johnson after the sudden death of the band’s previous singer, Bon Scott, in February 1980 from acute alcohol poisoning.

According to iHeart, the surviving AC/DC bandmates started working on the Back in Black record with Johnson days after Scott’s funeral and recorded it less than three months later.

The title track, written by Johnson along with founding band members Angus and Malcolm Young, was penned in tribute to Scott. In a video interview in honor of the Back in Black album’s 40th anniversary, Johnson recalled that the writing process was difficult so soon after Scott’s death.

“I remember ‘Back In Black’ was particularly difficult because the boys were saying, ‘Listen, we want this song in memory of Bon, but we don’t want it to be sad or maudlin – we want it to be a good thing and a positive song,’” he shared. “So it was tough, but I think we managed it pretty good. It’s kinda slow, but it’s got a great riff."

“Back in Black” remains one of the greatest rock songs of all time, and the Young brothers’ simple riff is one of music’s most recognizable. Over the past four decades, the song has been featured in commercials, movies, and played as a hype anthem at sporting events.

In 2026, BBC Music’s Classical Music ranked “Back in Black” as one of the greatest guitar riffs of all time.

“In the riff Angus Young conjured up for 1980’s ‘Back In Black’, it’s as much about the space he creates than the notes he hits,” the outlet noted. “It’s a monumental piece, which appeals well beyond the band’s traditional hard rock audience – when it’s used to welcome sports teams onto the pitch, the entire crowd pound their hands and stomp their feet in celebration.”

Related: 1987 Rock Anthem, Once Called ‘Dreadful’ by Bandmate, Took 28 Years to Hit No. 1

For a generation of ‘80s teens, Cyndi Lauper’s “Time After Time” captured the ache, hope, and uncertainty of growing up in a way that felt instantly personal. However, little did they know that the title came from a long-forgotten sci-fi movie.

In a 2015 interview with the Wall Street Journal, Lauper discussed writing her first No. 1 hit. She revealed a little-known detail about the song, adding some context to its creation.

"Time After Time" hailed from Lauper's debut LP, She's So Unusual. The album was a smash, remaining on the Billboard album charts for over 20 months consecutively.

However, when writing the songs for the LP, Lauper and Rob Hyman weren’t focused on creating a lasting musical legacy. They were simply trying to build a cohesive album. Lauper later admitted that the title of her most beloved song came to her while flipping through TV Guide, where a movie listing sparked the inspiration.

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She told the Wall Street Journal, "I was so happy when Rob wanted to write together. We started by putting together a list of song titles."

Lauper continued, "I thumbed through a TV Guide Magazine. One movie title seemed good, a sci-fi film called 'Time After Time' from 1979. I never meant for it to be the song’s real title. It was just supposed to get me thinking."

She added, "Rob had just the chorus—a good melody but no words. As I danced to what Rob played, I started thinking about up and down, lost and found: 'If you fall I will catch you, I will be waiting / Time after time' and 'If you’re lost you can look and you will find me / Time after time.' It sounded odd at first, but when I sang it, I realized what I was talking about. They were pieces of my personal life."

Hyman said the song, which was meant to be an upbeat tune, took a darker turn. He explained, "As Cyndi sang, she and I realized the song was darker and more intense than a bouncy, happy song."

"When we slowed it down, the song became heartbreaking. There was suddenly so much emotion in the song. I was going through some relationship issues, and Cyndi had similar experiences, so we both felt it."

Additionally, the pair told Rolling Stone that they were happy that they were able to take what Lauper called "real life things" and put them in the song.

More than four decades later, "Time After Time" still stands as one of the 1980s’ most enduring love ballads. What started as a passing moment of inspiration in a TV guide page ultimately became an unforgettable music memory.

Related: Rock Hall 2025: Cyndi Lauper Reveals the Female Trailblazer Who Shaped Her Fearless Career

Game of Thrones star Emilia Clarke is opening up about the effect of never winning an Emmy during her time on the hit HBO fantasy series. Despite being nominated four times for her performance as Daenerys Targaryen between 2011 and 2019, she never took home an award.

“I’m embarrassed to admit that not winning an Emmy was a really significant thing,” she told Variety in a new interview about her first Lead Actress nomination in 2019. The Brit lost to Jodie Comer for her performance as Villanelle in Killing Eve.

“Everyone’s over ‘Game of Thrones’ now — you’re old news," the 39-year-old admitted, the moment made her feel. She skipped all the afterparties and went straight home that night. The next day, Clarke vowed never to “behave that way again.”

“I do not like that person,” she thought, and took it upon herself to redefine success. “Because clearly I have a 13-year-old’s idea of success.” 

When Emilia lost out on her fourth Emmy Award, her fans took to social media in disgust, with many pointing out that she returned to work after suffering a brain aneurysm.

Clarke has been open about “cheating death” after surviving multiple brain aneurysms, which she recently spoke about on the “How to Fail” podcast. “It became this thing where I just couldn’t look anyone in the eye,” she said to host Elizabeth Day earlier this month. “It just cuts you off from the outside world because you’re walking around knowing that your body has failed you.” The near-fatal health scares came in 2011 and 2013, and took place while Clarke was filming Game of Thrones.

Since appearing in Game of Thrones, Emilia Clarke has had a succesful career on stage and screen. The actress starred in hits like rom com Me Before You, Solo: A Star Wars Story and Last Christmas. She is currently promoting her new TV series, Ponies, where she plays a housewife who becomes a CIA operative after her husband is killed in the line of duty.

If you love The Lincoln Lawyeras much as Mickey Haller loves his birria tacos, you'll be thrilled to know that production on Season 5 is already underway. Unfortunately, it also marks the end of the hit Netflix series.

On May 13, 2026, the streamer announced that the upcoming fifth season of the legal drama will be its last, with creator Ted Humphrey and co-showrunner Dailyn Rodriguez promising "the satisfying finale Mickey Haller deserves." While saying goodbye to L.A.'s slickest defense attorney and his cast of characters won't be easy, the good news is that Season 5 is shaping up to be absolutely bonkers.

For starters, fans will finally get answers about the half-sister Mickey never knew he had. If you haven't finished Season 4 yet, she made a jaw-dropping debut in the finale's closing moments. Played by How I Met Your Mother star Cobie Smulders, Emi Finch isn't just dropping by for a visit. Instead, she's the spark that ignites Mickey's wildest case yet. And don't worry—Becki Newton (Lorna), Jazz Raycole (Izzy) and Angus Sampson (Cisco) are all back too, with Scream icon Neve Campbell set to reprise her role as Mickey's ex-wife Maggie McPherson.

Throw in a stacked roster of new cast members—including Battlestar Galactica's Tricia Helfer, L.A. Law legend Corbin Bernsen and Orange Is the New Black star Diane Guerrero—plus a plot pulled straight from Michael Connelly's bestselling novel Resurrection Walk, and Mickey's final ride is ready to go full throttle.

Here's everything to know about The Lincoln Lawyer Season 5—from the latest release date news to the new and returning cast—and of course, to the wild case that will close out Mickey Haller's story for good.

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Will There Be a Season 5 of 'The Lincoln Lawyer'?

Yes, in May 2026, Netflix officially confirmed that Season 5 of The Lincoln Lawyer will be the final season of the hit legal drama.

And the hit series is definitely going out on a high note: The Lincoln Lawyer has racked up more than 171 million views since 2023. Not bad for a show that, six years ago, was effectively canceled when CBS pulled the plug a month and a half into the pandemic. Netflix swooped in, picked it up and turned it into one of its biggest legal dramas ever.

When Does Season 5 of 'The Lincoln Lawyer' Come Out?

While Netflix hasn't announced an official release date for Season 5 of The Lincoln Lawyer, we know they're filming it on location in Los Angeles right now. Based on production timelines from previous seasons, we're predicting that the final season will drop sometime in early-to-mid 2027—most likely between February and April.

Here's the math: Production began in Los Angeles on March 13, 2026 and filming is set to wrap on July 9, 2026. Past seasons have spent anywhere from four months (Season 3) to seven-and-a-half months (Season 4) in post-production. If Season 5 follows the Season 4 timeline, a February 2027 premiere would mirror the show's most recent launch window almost exactly.

For reference, here's when every previous installment hit Netflix:

• Season 1: May 13, 2022
• Season 2, Part 1: July 6, 2023
• Season 2, Part 2: Aug. 3, 2023
• Season 3: Oct. 17, 2024
• Season 4: Feb. 5, 2026

Related: How to Visit ‘Lincoln Lawyer’s 15 Iconic Los Angeles Locations — From the Bradbury Building to the Beach!

Lorna (Becki Newton), Mickey (Manuel Garcia-Rulfo) and Cisco (Angus Sampson) will all return for Season 5.

Netflix

Who Is in the Cast of 'The Lincoln Lawyer' Season 5?

The Season 5 cast of The Lincoln Lawyer is the show's biggest ensemble yet—blending every fan favorite from the original Haller and Associates team with a wave of exciting new recurring guest stars.

Of course, Manuel Garcia-Rulfo is back as Mickey Haller, the L.A. defense attorney who works out of the back of his Lincoln Navigator and has a famously well-known weakness for birria tacos. Also returning is Becki Newton as Mickey's ex-wife-turned-paralegal Lorna Crane, Jazz Raycole as driver-turned-investigator Izzy and Angus Sampson as private investigator Cisco. Finally, Cobie Smulders is now a series regular, playing Mickey's mysterious long-lost half-sister Emi Finch.

Recurring guest stars returning for Season 5:

• Neve Campbell as Maggie McPherson, Mickey's ex-wife and a fierce prosecutor
• Krista Warner as Hayley Haller, Mickey and Maggie's daughter
• Angelica Maria as Elena Haller, Mickey's mother
• Gigi Zumbado as Grace, Izzy's girlfriend and paralegal-school classmate

New Season 5 recurring guest stars:

• Battlestar Galactica alum Tricia Helfer as Brooke Miller
• L.A. Law legend Corbin Bernsen as Richard Finch
• Orange Is the New Black star Diane Guerrero as Natalia
• The Testaments star Nate Corddry as Jimmy Finch
• The Sticky actor Chris Diamantopoulos as Frank Silver
• Shameless alum Steve Howey as Brian Cunningham
• Mayans M.C. star Richard Cabral as Benny Perez
• Bosch alum Amy Aquino as Judge Olivia Alcott
• Search Party star Angela Trimbur as Felicia
• Blue Beetle actress Elpidia Carrillo as Muriel Perez
• High Desert star Keir O'Donnell as DDA Lucas Peralta
• Patty Guggenheim as Allison Finch
• Iker Garcia as Rafa Wagner
• Teresa Maria as Tina Perez

Did you see that four of the Season 5 cast members share the last name Finch? Emi (Smulders), Jimmy (Corddry), Richard (Bernsen) and Allison (Guggenheim). That makes it feel like Mickey's newly-discovered family tree will very likely become a major engine of the season's central case.

Related: ‘The Lincoln Lawyer’ Season 5 Is Filming — But Who Is Mickey Haller’s Sister?

What Book Is Season 5 of 'The Lincoln Lawyer' Based On?

Season 5 of The Lincoln Lawyer is based on Resurrection Walk—the seventh novel in Michael Connelly's bestselling Mickey Haller book series. It was published in 2023.

In the book, Mickey takes on a habeas corpus case for Lucinda Sanz. She is currently serving time for the murder of her ex-husband, who was a sheriff's deputy. The deeper Mickey digs, the more he uncovers a massive web of corruption.

If you're looking to read every book in Connelly's Lincoln Lawyer series, here's the full list:

• The Lincoln Lawyer (2005)
• The Brass Verdict (2008)
• The Reversal (2010)
• The Fifth Witness (2011)
• The Gods of Guilt (2013)
• The Law of Innocence (2020)
• Resurrection Walk (2023)
• The Proving Ground (2025)

What Is Season 5 of 'The Lincoln Lawyer' About?

According to Netflix's official Season 5 logline: "Mickey Haller's world is upended when the half-sister he never knew existed, Emi, comes to him with a plea to help free a wrongfully convicted woman. In a season defined by blood ties and buried secrets, Mickey takes on a grueling habeas petition to overturn a six-year-old murder conviction, but the deeper he digs, the more nefarious the forces arrayed against him become."

Meanwhile, the rest of the Haller and Associates team isn't sitting on the sidelines. The stakes also rise for Lorna, Izzy and Cisco as each of them takes on high-profile challenges of their own. Translation: This is a full ensemble farewell, not a Mickey-only goodbye.

The show is also making one big change from the book: In Resurrection Walk, it's Mickey's half-brother Harry Bosch (yes, that Harry Bosch) who pulls Mickey into the case. But because Amazon owns the rights to Bosch's character, Netflix gave the "long-lost sibling" twist to Emi Finch instead. The result? Mickey gets a half-sister who's about to upend everything.

Related: ‘Bosch’ Prequel Series Announced: ‘Start of Watch’ Tells the Origin of the Iconic Detective

What Happened at the End of Season 4 of 'The Lincoln Lawyer'?

Spoiler Warning: This section contains major spoilers for Season 4 of The Lincoln Lawyer. Skip ahead if you haven't streamed it yet!

Season 4 of The Lincoln Lawyer was the most personal chapter of the series to date—and it ended with one of the biggest cliffhangers in the show's run.

In Season 4, Mickey is both the defendant and the defense.

Netflix

Mickey himself stood trial after being framed for the murder of former client Sam Scales. He traded his tailored suits for an orange jumpsuit, faced a life sentence and ultimately walked free—but not without significant cost.

Then, in the finale's closing moments, a stranger approached Mickey with a bombshell revelation that flipped his entire world upside down. That stranger? Smulders' Emi Finch—and her arrival is the entire engine of Season 5.

How Many Episodes Are in Season 5 of 'The Lincoln Lawyer'?

Season 5 of The Lincoln Lawyer will consist of 10 episodes—matching the episode count of every previous season except Season 2, which was split into two parts.

Co-showrunner Dailyn Rodriguez confirmed in March 2026 that she's directing Episodes 5 and 6, titled "Sucker Punch" and "Chemistry Problem," while series creator Ted Humphrey is directing Episode 1.

Is There a Trailer for Season 5 of 'The Lincoln Lawyer'?

Not yet. With production set to wrap on July 9, 2026, a teaser trailer for Season 5 of The Lincoln Lawyer likely won't drop until late 2026 or early 2027. Netflix typically releases first-look footage around two to three months ahead of a season's premiere. As soon as it's live, we'll drop it here.

Where to Watch 'The Lincoln Lawyer'

All four previous seasons of The Lincoln Lawyer are currently streaming exclusively on Netflix. Season 5 will also premiere exclusively on Netflix.

Want to catch up before the final season? Start with Season 1 and binge your way through—each season has 10 episodes (except Season 2, which was split into two parts of five). If you haven't seen any of the show yet, I'm jealous you're getting to watch for the first time!

Related: Next Up:

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Looking to transform your patio or porch into a charming retreat for the summer? Solar lights are an effortless way to elevate the aesthetic and atmosphere of your home’s outdoor space. Instead of giving your backyard an expensive overhaul, try adding Walmart’s Pasuto Hanging Solar Lantern to your space first. 

There’s no better time than right now to snag this solar lantern because it’s currently on sale! Normally retailing for $18, which is already a fantastic price, it’s now marked down to just $15 with a limited-time flash deal. This solar lantern is available in three whimsical styles, including a hummingbird design, a butterfly version, and a sunflower pattern. 

Pasuto Hanging Solar Lantern, $15 (was $18) at Walmart

Courtesy of Walmart

Shop at Walmart

This solar lantern is adorned with cutouts all over the surface and has a hollow interior, allowing light to pass through and cast detailed shadows all over. Featuring a nature-inspired design that oozes with cottagecore charm, the light and intricate shadows will create a magical atmosphere and transform your backyard into an enchanting oasis. 

One style features dainty hummingbirds fluttering around in a field of flowers, creating a buzzy scene that’ll bring your home’s outdoor space to life. With a bit of space left on top, this lantern features three rows of delicate flowers to fill the emptiness and complete the design. The second style boasts butterflies floating around scrollwork leaves. It’s finished with ornate diamond patterns at the top. The third design showcases sunflowers, leaves, and mini butterflies and dragonflies that fill up the entire surface. 

Sustainable and environmentally friendly, this lantern only relies on solar power. It’s equipped with a solar panel on top and needs around six to eight hours of sunlight to charge up. When it gets dark outside, the light will automatically turn on and illuminate your space for up to 10 hours. The light is multicolored, including every color of the rainbow. It’ll bring whimsical charm and playful energy, instantly perking up your space.

Pasuto Hanging Solar Lantern, $15 (was $18) at Walmart

Courtesy of Walmart

Shop at Walmart

“This is the most beautiful light,” one reviewer said. “It works beautifully, the colors are bright, and the forms of the butterflies and flowers are great.” 

Depending on your preference, you can either hang this lantern up using the included handle or set it on a surface. If you place it on the ground or on a table, it’ll create sharp and clear shadows. However, if you suspend it in the air, the shadows will fill up more of your space. You can hang it from an overhang, pergola, or awning, or dangle it from a shepherd’s hook if you want to place it in the middle of your lawn or garden. 

Related: Amazon's 'Uplifting' $28 Sunflower Lamp Is a Cheerful Accent for Desks, Shelves, and Night Tables

Made of metal with a gold copper finish, this lantern has a vintage-inspired aesthetic. Ideal for year-round use, it has an IP65 waterproof rating, which means that it’s able to withstand rain and snow. The metal is rust-resistant, ensuring that it’ll remain in pristine condition in any weather. 

Shop More Deals 

• Qoosea 2-Pack of Solar Flower Lights, From $16 (was $30) at Walmart
• Gooingtop 4-Pack of Firework Stake Lights, $19 (was $25) at Walmart
• Mehoom 4-Pack of Fairy Light Solar Lanterns, From $22 (was $38) at Walmart

Once you add the Pasuto Hanging Solar Lantern to your space, you’ll want to hang out on your patio every single night. Don’t hesitate to head to Walmart and snag it while it’s on sale for just $15. Be sure to hurry, because it’ll only be at this sweet price for a limited time, and this is a deal you won’t want to miss. 

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

Danny Bonaduce shared new details on the reason why one of his original Partridge Family co-stars was fired after one season.

In a May 2026 interview on the Pop Culture Retro podcast, Bonaduce, 66, was asked about Jeremy Gelbwaks, the actor who played his little brother Chris Partridge on the first season of the music-themed ABCsitcom in 1970. After the first season, Gelbwaks disappeared from the show, and a new kid, Brian Forster, appeared as the pint-sized Partridge Family drummer.

On the podcast, Bonaduce claimed that “everybody” had issues with Gelbwaks during Season 1 of the hit sitcom. “He was, in my estimation, he was a terrible kid,“ Bonaduce said. “He didn't know his lines. He wouldn't, you know, practice the drum, whatever it was.”

Bonaduce, who was just 11 at the time, explained that he did “the only thing” he knew how to do.

“One day we're at the table reading,” he recalled. “We're all sitting around, everybody's being a grown-up because everybody's got a job to do. And he kicks me under the table. And being a true Bonaduce… I just reach over the chair, blasted him, and down he went. And he came up bleeding and crying and screaming. And I felt pretty good about it, to be honest with you. But then it happened another time or two, and then finally they said, ‘Well, one of these guys has to go.’ And luckily, they picked him.”

“It wasn't contentious,” Bonaduce added. “It was physical violence. And he did not, he wasn't good at it. I was good at it.”

Bonaduce played middle son Danny Partridge on the ABC sitcom from 1970 to 1974. In addition to him and Gelbwaks, the original cast also starred Shirley Jones, David Cassidy, Susan Dey, Suzanne Crough, and Dave Madden.

Jeremy Gelbwaks in 1970.

Photo by ABC Photo Archives on Getty Images

As an adult, Gelbwaks had a rare reunion with his former co-stars to mark The Partridge Family’s 25th anniversary. During the 1995 reunion on The Danny Bonaduce Show, Bonaduce did not share the on-set fight story, and instead said to Gelbwaks, “You stopped playing on The Partridge Family because your father moved. Your father was in the service, right?”’

Gelbwaks confirmed that the family moved out of the Los Angeles area.

Bonaduce then asked his former co-star if he had read David Cassidy’s tell-all book, C’mon Get Happy. Bonaduce read a passage from the book that described Gelbwaks as “rather obnoxious” and “hyperactive” on the set of the classic TV sitcom.

Without missing a beat, Gelbwaks pointed to Bonaduce and replied, “Apparently, there was only room for one of that kind on the show.”

More than 50 years after his brief stint on The Partridge Family, Gelbwaks lives in New Orleans, Louisiana, and has worked as a management consultant and director, per Nola Musicon.

Related: ‘Partridge Family’ Star Danny Bonaduce Gives Rare Update on Susan Dey and Shirley Jones

My favorite parts of cruising involve the quiet moments of calm hidden right beneath the surface—but you have to know exactly where to look. After stepping foot on more than 50 cruises, I've perfected a five-step playbook for unlocking an oasis of quiet luxury, even on a mega-ship’s rowdiest weekend sailings. By snagging a great deal on a massive, popular vessel like Royal Caribbean's Utopia of the Seas, you can use your savings to customize your own journey full of elevated splurges. While it's famously billed as a nonstop "weekend party" ship, these five insider strategies make it easy to curate an elevated, peaceful escape.

Related: You'll Have Two More Royal Caribbean Icon Megaships to Sail By 2030

Step 1: Seek Under-the-Radar Spaces Onboard Recharge and relax at the Solarium. Credit: Royal Caribbean

Uncovering calm, elegant moments amid the ship’s fast-paced energy is entirely possible—you just have to know how to outsmart the deck plans.

• Sneak into the Cantilevered Wings of the Solarium The main pool deck is going to be packed, especially on a sea day. Skip the dense crowds and head straight to the Solarium, the adults-only sanctuary located forward on Deck 15. It features heated pools, sweeping ocean views and premium loungers ideal for a quiet afternoon. For the ultimate zen hack, walk all the way to the forward port or starboard edges of Deck 16. You’ll find hidden, cantilevered "wings" that hang directly over the side of the ship. You can claim a plush, padded lounger here, rest all day and look straight down at the ocean passing beneath you—completely free of charge.
• Claim the Pool Deck’s Secret Periphery You can still enjoy the ship's energy and live music without being trapped in the center of the lounge-chair gridlock. Head to the peripheral overlooks at the very back of the ship on Deck 16. Royal Caribbean tucks clusters of comfortable chairs here that you can turn to face directly backward, giving you a private view of the ship's massive white wake. Even better? The Wipe Out Bar is just a 30-second walk away between the surf simulators, and you can dart down the stairs to Deck 15 for a quick plate of tacos at El Loco Fresh or a soft-serve cone at Sprinkles.
• Splurge on the Suite Sun Deck If you want to completely separate yourself from the crowds, upgrading your cabin class is worth every penny. On Oasis-class ships like Utopia, the private Suite Sun Deck is a restricted hideaway featuring ultra-plush loungers, shaded clamshell daybeds and attentive, dedicated bar service. If you happen to sail on newer ships like Icon or Star of the Seas, this elevates into The Grove—a massive, two-story retreat boasting its own private pool, whirlpool, suspended daybeds and an exclusive al fresco Mediterranean dining venue.

Related: Royal Caribbean Just Revealed the Newest World's Largest Cruise Ship—and It Has a Three-Story Treehouse

Step 2: Schedule Off-Peak Activities for a More Relaxing Experience The ship's spa is a destination for peace and pampering. Credit: Royal Caribbean

When it comes to curating a quieter, more luxurious escape aboard Utopia of the Seas, timing is your ultimate secret weapon. By strategically booking treatments at the Vitality Spa during port days or late afternoons, you can dodge the sea-day crowds and turn the thermal suites into your own private oasis.

• Book on a Port Day: When the ship docks and thousands of passengers head ashore for excursions, the onboard spa turns into an absolute ghost town. Not only will you have the thermal areas and relaxation lounges almost entirely to yourself, but cruise lines almost always drop exclusive, port-day price cuts on signature treatments.
• Embrace the Late Afternoon: If you do stay on board, skip the morning rush and book a slot in the late afternoon right as guests are heading back to their staterooms to get ready for dinner. Fewer people means maximum tranquility and uninterrupted bliss.
• Lean Into the Contrast: Slipping away for a restorative massage or a quiet steam session is the ultimate way to reset your battery. It provides the perfect, high-end counterweight to the fast-paced, high-energy party atmosphere Utopia is famous for.

Related: Only 3 Ships Made the 2026 Cruise 'It List'—and One of Them Is Disney

Step 3: Splurge for More Space and Exclusivity

For travelers craving an elevated stay, booking into the Royal Suite Class is the ultimate way to access a seamless "ship-within-a-ship" experience. Upgrading to Sky or Star Tier status instantly bypasses the midship congestion, granting you exclusive entry to Coastal Kitchen—the suite-only restaurant blending Mediterranean and California flavors—alongside the private Suite Lounge and the multi-level Suite Sun Deck, featuring its own plunge pool and dedicated bar. It requires a premium investment, but the lack of crowds makes it money well spent.

If you aren't booking a top-tier suite, you can still engineer a restful oasis simply by picking the right neighborhood balcony. Avoid the high-energy Boardwalk or noisy pool-facing cabins; instead, book a Central Park View Balcony on Deck 10 or 11. You’ll be positioned directly over a lush, open-air garden of 12,000 live plants where acoustic musicians play softly at night, giving you a posh, boutique-hotel vibe right in the middle of a mega-ship.

To map this out perfectly, don't try to book blindly online—partner with a specialized cruise travel advisor. A great agent knows the exact deck plan blind spots to avoid, handles the logistics of matching your cabin to your vacation goals and can often leverage their consortia relationships to score you group rates, hidden upgrades or suite deals you didn't even realize were within reach.

Related: Is This the Best New Cruise Cabin for Families? A Look Inside the Norwegian Luna

Step 4. Be More Intentional With Your Planning

A long weekend sailing on Utopia of the Seas feels instantly more elevated and intentional when you treat your daily schedule as a curated game plan. Map out your days and evenings to prioritize exactly what you want to see and do—and let the ship’s app be your ultimate secret weapon.

Since the ship’s pools and whirlpools are notoriously slammed in the middle of the day, plan to hit them during the peaceful early morning hours or right after sunset when the decks completely clear out. For midday escapes, look to the app to prioritize low-key daytime enrichment activities that most weekend warriors completely overlook—like morning watercolor painting workshops, digital photography seminars or relaxed, small-scale trivia sessions.

At sunset, the ship’s energy naturally ramps up, but you can easily map out a late-night flow that keeps your pace entirely calm. You can leisurely stroll through the open-air Boardwalk or the Promenade to enjoy the sights and sounds of the ship, grab a seat for a movie under the stars, or try your luck in the spacious casino. Better yet, bypass the rowdy main strips altogether and duck into the Schooner Bar for a sophisticated piano lounge set, or grab a cozy booth at The Mason Jar for some relaxed, live acoustic country music.

Related: Is River Cruising Only for Retirees? 5 Surprising Truths from a Cruise Pro

Step 5. Make Reservations At Specialty Restaurants A fine-dining experience at 150 Central Park on Utopia of the Seas. Credit: Royal Caribbean

If you want a more memorable dinner on Utopia of the Seas, specialty dining is absolutely worth the extra cost. While the Main Dining Room is included and convenient, the ship's specialty restaurants offer a much more distinctive experience with elevated menus, immersive atmospheres, and meal choices that make dinner feel like a high-end vacation highlight in itself. Because I was traveling with just my husband and wanted a truly romantic, intimate vibe for our dinners together, I opted to skip the main dining rooms entirely during my three-night cruise and dine exclusively in specialty venues.

Instead of the standard cruise rush, we tucked into 150 Central Park, a chic, gourmet dining pick located right in the park neighborhood that serves up incredible multi-course menus with hyper-attentive tableside service. We also booked a date night at Chops Grille, Royal Caribbean's hallmark steakhouse, which delivers a beautifully polished atmosphere alongside premium cuts of meat and popular favorites like their signature lobster tails and thick-cut bacon. Finally, we spent an evening at Giovanni’s Italian Kitchen & Wine Bar, a massive two-story venue featuring a delicious menu of authentic pastas and rustic pizzas, complete with gorgeous outdoor seating options out on the starlit Central Park terrace. Looking back, I am absolutely thrilled we stayed exclusive to specialty venues—it made us feel like we were dining at upscale, boutique restaurants on land, offering far more privacy and menu personalization than you'll ever find in the main dining room.

Related: I've Been on 50 Cruises—Here's Why I Actually Book The 'Most Crowded' Week of the Year

Your Next Weekend, Elevated

With a few thoughtful choices, even a high-energy party ship can feel calm, refined and intimate. While I’m an experienced cruiser, party cruises are not usually my style. Still, I found it easy to create moments of tranquility, romance and quiet luxury on Utopia of the Seas. Quieter mornings, relaxed lounges, peaceful corners and unhurried dinners made the experience feel polished and personal. Because there is so much to do on board, I loved having the total freedom to ignore the typical timeline and completely shape the cruise around my own personal style and preferences.

Related: I’ve Been On 50+ Cruises—These Are The 5 Best Weeklong Sailings To Book Right Now

Despite it being only a short-lived romance, Madonna recently revealed that John F. Kennedy Jr. was the "best d–k down."

While promoting her new “Confessions II" album, Madonna was joined by playwright Jeremy O. Harris, Bob the Drag Queen, dancer Ivy Mugler, designer Raul Lopez, and ID’s Marcello Gutierrez for a playful Q&A when Lopez asked her: “Who was your best d–k down?” Page Six reports.

Keeping the list to only "dead people," Madonna said, John F. Kennedy Jr., which left jaws on the floor. “Everyone says his d–k was crazy and he was a good f—k," Lopez said, adding, “You’re the third person I’ve heard say that."

Madonna shared, "So, you know it's true."

Then Mugler wondered if "Italians do it better?" Surprisingly, Madonna gave it up for "Puerto Ricans, Dominicans, Brazilians, Jamaicans," but added that sex might not be as great "if you have a bad relationship with your mother."

Madonna also revealed her favorite post-coital meal as being "club sandwiches" or a "grilled cheese." 

John F. Kennedy, Jr. and his wife Carolyn Bessette Kennedy (Photo by Justin Ide)

In the late '80s, Madonna and Kennedy had a brief romance where, apparently, “She came on to him, and it was flattery," a friend shared in An Intimate Oral Biography, via People. Perhaps most surprisingly, Kennedy later asked Madonna to pose for the cover of his political magazine, George.

“John had this idea of having Madonna pose on the cover as his mom,” Terenzio said. “We would dress her in a suit, her signature sunglasses. And a pillbox hat sitting on a stack of books," RoseMarie Terenzio, one of the book's authors, said.

But posing was not in the cards, and Madonna sent him a fax, writing, “Dear Johnny boy, Thanks for asking me to be your mother, but I’m afraid I could never do her justice. My eyebrows aren’t thick enough for one.”

They were best friends since they were teenagers. Together they wrote some of the greatest songs the world has ever known. In 1971, they tried to destroy each other, one record at a time.

By the time Paul McCartney released Ram in May 1971, The Beatles had been done for just over a year. Those wounds were still very fresh. The lawyers had moved in and buried inside that new album was a line John Lennon just couldn't ignore.

"Too many people preaching practices / Don't let them tell you what you wanna be."

Those lyrics were a shot aimed directly at Lennon and his wife, Yoko Ono, at their protests, their activism and the whole new life they'd built together. The insult was subtle enough to deny, yet sharp enough to hurt.

Lennon wasn't in the mood to ignore it or let it go.

"It starts off with 'too many people going underground. That was your first mistake. You took your lucky break and broke it in two,'" Lennon said later. "Now, if that doesn't mean what it says, I don't know what."

So Lennon sat down and wrote back his reply.

"How Do You Sleep?" came out swinging. Lennon was hurt and went after everything, calling McCartney's solo work "muzak," suggesting the only song he wrote worth remembering was “Yesterday”, questioning how anyone, especially a star of that caliber, could live with themselves after falling so far. With George Harrison on slide guitar, Klaus Voorman on bass and the cameras rolling, Lennon recorded one of the most brutal take down songs one musician has ever aimed at another.

Photo by Fox Photos on Getty Images

But between takes, he went even further.

Caught on film and later surfacing in the 2000 documentary Gimme Some Truth, Lennon wrapped up a take, smirked, and said exactly what he really felt, on a version that never made the record:

"How do you sleep, ya c**t?"

Related: 1980 John Lennon Radio Interview, Recorded the Day of His Murder, Captured His Final Message

It wasn't a lyric in the song. It wasn't part of a performance. It was just one man in anguish saying the quiet part out loud.

What It Was Really About

Years later, Lennon was honest about where all of it came from.

"I wrote it in immediate response to his album," he said. "I thought I should answer all of this. But then I thought, no, it's going to get crazy. We'd be talking through newspapers at each other."

Photo by John Pratt on Getty Images

Then he said something more revealing.

"After the Beatles ended, I was insecure," Lennon admitted. "I'd be thinking, maybe Paul wrote everything. Maybe I didn't do anything. I'd look through the songs and think, well, I did write that. Okay. I'm alright."

@thebeatles

Only letdown was the cops showing up “Don’t Let Me Down” • Apple Corps, Savile Row • 30 Jan 1969 • © Apple Corps Ltd

♬ Don't Let Me Down - Rooftop Performance / Take 1 - The Beatles

That's not actually anger at all. That's fear and insecurity.

McCartney saw the situation exactly for what it was.

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"If somebody didn't genuinely love somebody," he said, "they wouldn't go to those lengths to lash back. He was hurt. It was his way of defending himself."

Lennon eventually said as much himself.

"It was just a moment of anger," he said in reference to the song. "You put it down and then you look back at it."

Photo by Michael Ochs Archives on Getty Images

The most moving part of the story came out after Lennon was gone. Ono pulled McCartney aside and said exactly what he needed to hear.

"He did love you," she told him.

Lennon was gone before they ever got the chance to say any of it face to face.

Two men in a feud that shook the entire music world. Lyrics and songs were used as weapons against one another. But underneath all of the drama and hurt remained a friendship that neither of them ever fully walked away from.

Many songs became timeless anthems that never hit No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, and Earth, Wind & Fire and the Emotions' duet, "Boogie Wonderland," is definitely one of them. The dance track is an instantly recognizable smash that has lived on for several decades after its release, despite not earning a position in the top spot on the charts.

Ranked at No. 25 on Ultimate Classic Rock's list of the 30 "Greatest Duets in Rock History," the track was written by Allee Willis and Jon Lind, with production by Maurice White and Charles Stepney. Released on March 20, 1979, as a single and as part of a full album on May 6 of that year, the infectious tune tells the story of a lonely woman who uses the disco to disguise her misery.

Despite becoming an upbeat dance-floor staple, the undertone of the song is "surprisingly dark," as described by UCR. “It's not a happy song at all,” songwriter Willis explained in 2008, per Song Facts. “It's really about someone on the brink of self-destruction who goes to these clubs to try and find more, but is at least aware of the fact that if there's something like true love, that is something that could kind of drag them out of the abyss.”

"Willis conceived of the lyrics in response to seeing the movie Looking for Mr. Goodbar," American Songwriter reported. "The Diane Keaton film depicts a schoolteacher who tries to paper over her pain and feelings of insecurity with alcohol, drugs, and sex."

Still, it became one of the bands' most iconic hits of all time, peaking at No. 6 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 2 on the Hot Soul Singles chart. Additionally, it earned two Grammy nominations, one of which it won for Best R&B Instrumental Performance.

In a 2025 Instagram post, the song's enduring influence was highlighted by @goldenerastories, where fans quickly filled up the comments section with praise for the timeless dance banger.

"Song was So 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥," one wrote, while another noticed, "It look like a big ole party on that stage!"

"This is a roller skating classic!!" a third exclaimed.

Related: 1978 Era-Defining Classic Became a National Smash Hit, Despite Never Reaching No. 1

When I hear the distinct melody of an ice cream truck driving down the street, I'm immediately transported to summer in the 1980s. I'd hear the sound in the distance and stop everything I was doing to see if it was getting closer—and if it was, I'd immediately beg my mom or dad for money. And if no one was home, I'd scour every crevice for loose change like it was a matter of life or death.

Once I had just enough quarters, nickels and dimes, I'd sprint out of the house and start waving my hands like a maniac to make sure I was spotted. Then, it was time to consider the vast options: Was I in a Snow Cone sort of mood or interested in something richer, like a Choco Taco? And what would be my backup if I didn't have enough change? My seven-year-old brain would start thinking about more cost-effective options—like a Push-Up Pop or Screwball. While some are still around today, others have quietly disappeared—taking with them a piece of every '80s kid's childhood.

In honor of summer 2026—and three new nostalgic flavors from 5-hour ENERGY® (Firework Freeze, Raspberry Cooler and OrangeSicle)—I'm taking a walk down memory lane. Get ready to transport back to chasing down that treasure-filled truck with 16 ice cream truck treats that defined summer in the '80s.

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16 Forgotten Ice Cream Truck Treats That Defined Summer in the '80s1. Screwball

Photo by MediaNews Group/Boston Herald via Getty Images on Getty Images

The Screwball tasted like an Icee, but just a little thicker and came in a cone-shaped plastic cup. You had two flavors to choose from: cherry or blue raspberry. And don't forget the bubblegum ball waiting for you at the very bottom, leaving you with a little something extra after you finished the frozen treat.

Fun fact: The Screwball was specifically designed to solve a common '80s ice cream truck problem: the Bubble Play dilemma, where the gumball would fall off the popsicle before you could finish—or even fell off when you unwrapped it. With the Screwball, the gumball was safely trapped at the bottom—genius!

2. Rainbow Snow Cone

Photo by The Washington Post on Getty Images

A Rainbow Snow Cone wasn't just a treat—it was a statement. Crushed ice piled into a paper cone, drenched in stripes of red, blue and green syrup. Honestly, the flavors barely mattered because it was mostly just sugar, but the colors? Iconic. By the time you finished it, your tongue was a different shade entirely. And if you were like me, you inhaled the syrup immediately, only to be left with a cone full of flavorless crushed ice.

3. Candy Center Crunch

Good Humor

This super sweet chocolate fudge treat felt like an upgrade from the traditional Chocolate Eclair or Nestle Crunch Ice Cream Bar. That's because while it had vanilla ice cream dipped in a chocolate crunchy shell, it also had a solid bar of chocolate right in the middle! I'll never forget the jealousy pouring out of my veins when my sister got one and showed me the surprise center. After that, it entered the rotation of my ice cream truck order list.

4. FrozFruit Bars

Wells

I don't know about you, but anytime I got the FrozFruit bar, I felt grown up and fancy. No frozen gumballs to be seen—instead, it had real fruit chunks inside. FrozFruit came in its famous clear packaging and you could choose from flavors like raspberry, strawberry, coconut—each one bursting with bright, refreshing flavor. It was basically the healthy ice cream truck option and a treat at the same time, making it the perfect treat to beat the summer heat.

Grown-Up Swap: That same vibrant, fruit-forward nostalgia is exactly what 5-hour ENERGY bottled up in their brand-new Raspberry Cooler flavor—sweet, tangy berry notes with a smooth, frosted finish that feels like a frozen summer dessert in shot form. It's available now exclusively at 7-Eleven and Speedway locations.

5. Push-Up Pop

The orange sherbet Push-Up Pop was the original portable ice cream truck dessert. The cardboard tube, the little wooden stick that pushed the sherbet up as you ate it, the slightly tangy citrus flavor that always melted faster than you could eat it—pure '80s magic. Bonus points if you remember the sticky orange ring it left around your mouth—and will admit to accidentally eating tiny pieces of paper to get just one more lick.

6. Chipwich

Photo by Greg Vote, VStock LLC on Getty Images

The Chipwich was definitely one of the more elevated options available at the truck. Vanilla ice cream sandwiched between two big, soft chocolate chip cookies. And the extra chocolate chips rolled around the edges? Chef's kiss. A regular ice cream sandwich could never. If you were able to find a Chipwich with chocolate ice cream, it was a major W.

Fun fact: The Chipwich was invented by a New York City lawyer named Richard LaMotta. He got his start selling them via a guerrilla marketing campaign in 1982—hiring 60 pushcart vendors in pith helmets and khaki uniforms to walk Manhattan and sell Chipwiches for $1 each. They sold all 25,000 the first day!

7. Orange Creamsicle

Popsicle

As a kid, orange creamsicles were definitely underrated—more so reserved for what your mom asked for as she was handing you a couple dollar bills before you sprinted out the front door. But as an adult, I get it. Super refreshing and less sugar than pretty much anything else on the menu.

5-hour ENERGY gets it, too. They just launched an entire flavor in its honor: OrangeSicle opens with a punch of fresh, juicy orange balanced by smooth vanilla. It's a love letter to the original and has as much caffeine as a 12 oz. cup of premium coffee.

5-hour ENERGY

8. WWE Ice Cream Bars

If you had brothers—or sons—this one will certainly ring a bell. Made by Gold Bond Ice Cream, these vanilla ice cream bars featured a frozen "cookie" lid with a hand-drawn portrait of a different wrestler. Options included Hulk Hogan, Randy "Macho Man" Savage and the Ultimate Warrior.

9. Bomb Pop

Photo by Ronda Churchill on Getty Images

The red, white and blue rocket-shaped popsicle is hands-down the most patriotic ice cream truck treat ever invented. Cherry, lime and blue raspberry in three perfectly stacked layers—it's been a summer staple since 1955. The Bomb Pop's original missile-shaped design was actually inspired by Cold War-era nuclear tension—the creators leaned into the patriotic, atomic-age aesthetic on purpose and Americans couldn't get enough.

Grown-Up Swap: If you want the adult version of this nostalgic treat, 5-hour ENERGY just launched Firework Freeze—a cherry, lime and blue raspberry shot inspired by the iconic ice pop. It's available now in stores nationwide and on Amazon.

Related: Why Is It Called a Bomb Pop? The 70-Year History Behind America’s Favorite Summer Treat

10. Strawberry Shortcake

Photo by Cindy Ord on Getty Images

My mouth is actually watering thinking about this one. Creamy vanilla ice cream with a luscious strawberry center, coated in a layer of pink-and-white strawberry shortcake crumbles that somehow stayed crunchy even after freezing. That crumb coating was everything—and if any crumbles fell off the stick into the wrapper, you better believe you were licking it out. (I eventually learned to lick the wrapper right after opening, so my true last bite was pure perfection with no hints of paper or plastic.)

11. Bubble Play

Photo by The Washington Post on Getty Images

The Bubble Play was a cherry-flavored ice pop shaped like a baseball glove, with a baseball-shaped gumball planted right in the middle. The cherry flavor was a homerun, but everyone had a different strategy while consuming it. Eat around the gumball until you got to the very end? Pull the gumball off and keep it wrapped tightly in your other hand? Just never immediately bite into the frozen gumball or you might break a tooth!

12. Ice Cream Sandwich

Photo by Roberto Machado Noa on Getty Images

The OG. A rectangle of vanilla ice cream wedged between two soft, slightly chocolatey, but totally unique cookies that always stuck to your fingers no matter how careful you were. By the end, the cookies were softer than the ice cream and your hands were a sticky chocolate mess. Worth it every time—and back then, they were made with actual ice cream and not ultra-processed, so they actually melted.

13. The Great White

Good Humor

Sharks went from scary to sweet when Good Humor launched The Great White. It was a lemon-flavored, but white-hued ice pop molded into the shape of a great white shark. It would weirdly get stuck to your tongue like the pole incident in A Christmas Story, but after that, it was smooth sailing. Sadly, these quietly disappeared from ice cream truck menus during the early 2000s.

14. Super Mario Bros. Bar

Gold Bar

Before Mario was an Oscar-winning movie franchise, he was a cherry-flavored ice pop. Made by Gold Bond Ice Cream, the Super Mario Bar was molded into the shape of Mario's iconic mustachioed face—including his iconic red cap with the letter M. The perfect touch? Making the pink gumball his nose, right above his cherry mustache.

15. Choco Taco

The Choco Taco was simply iconic. Vanilla ice cream and layers of fudge tucked inside a folded waffle-cone "taco" shell. Only this taco's fixin' was a chocolatey-peanut combo that made it a full-on dessert event in your hand. In addition to being on most ice cream truck menus, it was also available at select Taco Bell locations. The Choco Taco was discontinued in 2022 and it continues to be desperately missed. In February 2024, Taco Bell teamed up with ice cream co. Salt & Straw to bring back their own version, but sadly it was a limited-time offering.

The Choco Taco lore continues: A U.S. Senator tried to invoke the Defense Production Act to keep production going—and Reddit co-founderAlexis Ohanian publicly offered to buy the rights. (Sadly, neither attempt worked.)

16. Tweety Bird Pop

Photo by Albany Times Union/Hearst Newspapers on Getty Images

The Tweety Bird pop was the ultimate ice cream truck score for any '80s kid who loved Saturday morning cartoons. Shaped like Tweety's adorable little yellow head and flavored with a mix of zesty orange and sweet cherry, it came complete with two blue gumball eyes that were supposed to make Tweety look wide-eyed and curious. However, the end result was the opposite—frozen Tweety looked dazed and confused!

Related: Next Up:

These days, there are more ways than ever to enjoy your favorite music. And with analog formats like vinyl records and cassette tapes making a comeback, it’s easier than ever to explore different eras and experience music as it was originally released.

If you’re the type of audiophile who likes to jump between formats, Costco has just the thing for you: the Aiwa Backtrack Retro Boombox. Built to resemble the classic boomboxes of the '70s and '80s while offering Bluetooth, CD, AM/FM and cassette playback together, this throwback party essential is ready to straddle your shoulder as you strut down the block.

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Aiwa Backtrack Retro Boombox, $179.99 at Costco View this post on Instagram

We’ve come a long way from the days of boomboxes and portable cassette players, but that doesn’t mean we can’t still enjoy those formats today. Retailing for $180, the Aiwa Backtrack Retro Boombox combines multiple playback options in one unit, bringing retro style and modern performance right to your fingertips.

Even better, this device features all the bells and whistles you’d expect from a premium music player, including 40-watt sound output with bass boost, classic VU meters, a modern LCD display and treble and bass controls. On top of that, you can record music directly to cassette or USB/SD card, connect external devices via AUX or use the USB/SD and headphone ports for additional playback options. It also includes dual mic inputs with volume control and echo effects for karaoke-style use.

Related: Aldi's $13 105-Piece DIY Tool Kit Is a Lifesaver Around the House

“Well, looks like I gotta make a trip to Costco,” one fan wrote in response to a post shared by @costcowonders. “I need this because I’m a 70s teenager,” they joked.

“Don’t ask to borrow my CD’s and cassettes,” another fan chimed in, while a third said: “Don’t tempt me with a good time!”

Others continued to echo the sentiment, with one fan calling the boombox “dope,” another simply announcing “I need one” and a third aptly labeling it a “throwback.”

Available in-store only with an iconic black and gold colorway, this sleek and powerful boombox also features AM/FM radio with a classic analog tuner plus both wall-powered and battery-powered options to ensure hours of playback. All you need to get started is either a standard wall outlet or six D batteries.

With those features in mind, along with a built-in carry handle, two 5-inch bass speakers and two 1-inch tweeters, it’s no wonder shoppers are rushing to snag one for themselves. Don’t miss out on this iconic find while it’s still around, and while you’re there, check out Costco’s massive backyard pool to keep the party going.

Related: Shoppers Are Racing to Buy Costco's Versatile 12-Piece Cookware Set

Growing up, I would spend summers at my grandmother's house, where I would be awake until the early morning, desperately trying to sleep while she snored with the TV on at full volume. It wasn't until I got older that I learned the secret joy of falling asleep to Netflix or a movie. Though, of course, it's one thing to doze off mid-Bridgerton episode, it's another to need to have the television as background noise in order to get some shut-eye.

Part of the reason it was hard for me to fully understand why some people need a show on if they're trying to snooze is that, as a serial TV lover, I always want to stay up to find out what happens next. How am I supposed to go to bed watching Survivor 50 when there's still a Tribal Council to get to? Wouldn't it be easier to have a white noise machine? After speaking with Dr. Patricia Dixon, a clinical psychologist, however, I learned that falling asleep to a TV show is very different than a sound machine.

While white noise can drown out sound, a show or film offers people something to focus on, which certain types of people really need if they're going to get any rest. Ahead, she shares seven traits of people who need to have the TV on to fall asleep, whether it's bad or unhealthy for you and how to break the habit (if you need to).

Related: ‘I Tried Green Noise for 14 Nights of Sleep—Here’s What Surprised Me the Most’

Why Do Some People Go To Sleep With the TV On?

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There are many different reasons people like to sleep with the television on—anxiety, fear, noise sensitivity, to name a few—but the function of the TV, across all these motivations, is the same: to keep the brain occupied.

“The TV drowns out their thoughts,” Dr. Dixon explains, adding that white noise, while helpful when it comes to disguising any bumps in the night, simply can't do the same.

Related: If You Can Relate to These 9 Phrases, You Might Have High-Functioning Anxiety, According to a Psychologist

Do people with ADHD need a TV on to fall asleep?

People with ADHD are not a monolith. That said, some people with ADHD do, in fact, need a TV on to fall asleep.

“The way that the ADHD brain works is that it tends to thrive in multitasking where the brain is going in multiple directions—getting it to stay still is the hardest part,” Dr. Dixon explains. “If the TV's on, there [are] multiple things happening in the background that might help somebody with ADHD fall asleep versus silence.”

Is It Bad or Unhealthy To Sleep With the TV On?

According to Dr. Dixon, sleeping with the TV on isn't necessarily bad or unhealthy. However, it can be, especially for those who suffer from insomnia or have other sleep problems. For them, she says, “the suggestion is always to drown out noise, drown out any source of light— anything that could be a distraction from the silence of calling asleep.” A television show can definitely cause you to focus on what's happening on-screen rather than catching some z's.

Is Falling Asleep to a Show a Trauma Response?

The short answer: yes, sleeping with the TV on can be a trauma response.

“For some people, if they have experienced some level of trauma, they might have a hypervigilance to any noise,” Dr. Dixon explains. “So if the TV's on, it drowns out any other background noises that might make them alert or in a state of fear.”

Related: How To Stop Worrying That Someone Is Mad at You, According to a Psychologist

7 Common Traits of People Who Fall Asleep With the TV On, According to a Psychologist1. Lonely

For those who live alone, Dr. Dixon says, watching TV can be “a distraction against loneliness.”

“For example, I have an older woman that I work with, and she lives by herself, and she says she cannot sleep unless the TV is on," she adds. "And part of it is one of the reasons why she's in therapy—because she struggles with feelings of loneliness. And so in her house, especially at night, if there's no noise in the background, it makes it blaringly loud for her to know that she's alone.”

2. Anxious

“I think that for a lot of people, when they're like, ‘I can't fall asleep unless the TV is on,’ it tends to be because they experience high anxiety or constant thoughts that keep them from being able to fall asleep,” Dr. Dixon states.

The TV, then, works as a welcome distraction.

“Having the TV on in the background makes their brain focus on that instead of the thoughts that are worrying them or causing them anxiety,” she adds.

3. Overthinkers

Have you ever spent a sleepless night questioning all your decisions? Then, congratulations, you might be an overthinker, and you should maybe try to sleep with the TV on tonight.

“When people need the TV on,” Dr. Dixon says, “It's because they might be worried about something or thinking about something or overthinking about something.”

Related: Psychologist Says if You Check the Menu Before Arriving at a Restaurant, You Likely Have These 8 Traits

4. They have very busy days

People who are very active and busy during the day sometimes have trouble winding down and shutting out the world come nighttime.

“Some people need to zone out to something,” Dr. Dixon explains, adding that TV can help focus a person's energy so they're able to tune out after a long day.

The noise from a show or movie can also keep very busy people from lying awake in anticipation of all the things they have to do the next day.

“Instead of them having multiple thoughts of the things that they should be doing or need to do for the next day, there's something that's happening to where they don't have to focus on the other things they could be doing,” she adds.

5. Multitaskers

Putting on Netflix to go to sleep can also be relaxing to multitaskers, Dr. Dixon reveals, because it is, in itself, a way to incorporate multitasking into your bedtime routine.

“They're like, ‘Between falling asleep and watching TV, let me do them both at the same time,’” she explains.

Multitaskers are also busy, she notes, so having the TV on while they fall asleep might be “their only way to be able to watch TV.”

6. They're not watching for the plot

Falling asleep with the TV on always carries a risk of FOMO, which is why Dr. Dixon suspects that those who need the TV to fall asleep likely aren't pressing play on shows they're really invested in. In fact, she says, “When TV is something that is keeping a person up because they're so invested in the show, that's when it becomes an unhealthy thing, because it's blocking them from actually sleeping.”

7. Extra sensitive to noise

“People who have very high sensitivities to noise—so they'll hear cars or their neighbors, or they'll hear something that alerts them and causes them to be hyper-vigilant” sometimes need the TV on to fall asleep because it won't surprise them, Dr. Dixon shares.

“The TV isn't an alert because they know it's the TV, so they find comfort in that versus other noises,” she states.

Related: Psychologist Says if You Always Add ‘LOL’ to the End of Your Texts, You Likely Have These 7 Traits

How To Break This Common Habit

If you want to break the habit of sleeping with the TV on, Dr. Dixon suggests focusing on a new nighttime routine.

“It might be that they develop a different routine every night of consistently turning the TV off at the same time,” she tells Parade. “Perhaps engaging in something like either reading or journaling in order to wind down and slow their mind, or at least empty out the thoughts that might be there.”

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

There's also meditation, yoga or a stretching routine—all worthwhile activities that can help quiet the mind before bed.

Some people need the TV to sleep because of the vibrations of the sounds, in which case Dr. Dixon suggests trying humming instead.

“Their own humming might be a way of detaching from the TV and then self-soothing to bring the same type of calm,” she states.

Up Next:

Related: Psychologist Says That People Who Rewatch the Same TV Show Over and Over Again Have These 7 Traits

Source:

• Dr. Patricia Dixon, PsyD, is a clinical psychologist who specializes in talk therapy, coaching, and sound therapy. She is also a professor.