There have been many Pretty Little Liars story lines I've supported over the years, including everything Haleb, except for when they broke up. There have also been many story lines that I haven't supported, including anything Spaleb or Emison. Well, it looks like there is a good chance that my list of "Things I Hate About PLL" will grow if it turns out Alison is pregnant with Emily's baby.
Now that Tuesday's Season 7A finale revealed Ali is indeed pregnant (and presumably to late Elliot Rollins/Archer Dunhill), fans are really starting to hop on the theory bandwagon that Ali is somehow carrying Emily's fertilized eggs.
Remember at the beginning of Season 7 Emily donated her eggs for money and then A.D. stole them? Seeing as A.D. is willing to go above and beyond to make the Liars' lives miserable, he/she/they could have very well taken Emily's eggs, fertilized them and then implanted them into Ali while she was unconscious at Welby.
During a conference call Wednesday with reporters after the 7A finale, I. Marlene King said Ali's pregnancy will impact all of the Liars, but "especially Emily." She also noted that "nothing is average on PLL" and that "everything is spectacular" in relation to the nature of Ali's pregnancy. What the heck does that mean? She could easily be hinting at the possibility of Ali essentially carrying Emily's baby.
That might make Emison fans happy, because it could be a way to bring them together. On the other hand, there are those who might take major issue with that story line. You can include me in the latter. Just saying the words "Ali might be carrying Emily's baby" makes me cringe.
Not only is it disturbing, but this is just too crazy for PLL. I mean, when is too far too far and too much too much on this series? If this story line does come into play, the biggest issue I have with it is that it's a major violation of a woman's body. Neither Ali or Emily made the decision to get pregnant, but someone else took control of a major life decision for them. Specifically, Ali's body has been violated. It is a woman's right to control her own body and for someone else to step in and take that control away is a complete violation.
Here's hoping Ali and Emily having a baby together does not come to fruition, because that is one PLL story line I cannot get behind. To say I will be extremely disappointed if it does happen is an understatement.
The America's Got Talent judges have a knack for angering audiences this season. Whether they're courting their favorite singers in hopes of landing lucrative record deals (as Simon Cowell has been accused of doing) or chasing each other through the audience and trying to soak one another, they're constantly getting on viewers' nerves. Tonight, they did it again, but this time, the problem wasn't their immature behavior, it was the poor reasoning behind their Wild Card decision.
I found some of America's choices for the finale questionable, but I can at least understand why viewers made the choices they did. I'm far less sympathetic toward the judges, who appeared to completely leave talent out of the equation when making their big decision tonight.
Image: NBC
I'm not trying to say that the act the judges chose for their Wild Card was boring or unimpressive. I love juggling, and juggling with dangerous objects is even better. I wasn't particularly impressed by the astronaut stunt with the three judges, but I do think that the guys of The Passing Zone are generally good at what they do. That being said, they could be terrible jugglers and I honestly still think Howie Mandel, Heidi Klum and Mel B would vote for them, as long as that vote comes with a guarantee of torturing Simon Cowell.
That's right — three of the judges chose an act merely because they desire revenge on their fellow judge. Obviously, Cowell didn't like this idea, but I think he's mostly just annoyed that one of his favorites didn't go through. Yes, I will be interested to see how Cowell reacts to The Passing Zone's antics, but no, I don't think that possibility merits a Wild Card vote in and of itself.
Image: NBC
My issue with this season's batch of judges is that they don't always take the show seriously enough. I like to think that they understand the full extent to which this show impacts lives, but I'm not always sure they do. Why else would they chase each other around the auditorium instead of provide feedback? And why else would they make a decision based on their wish to torture somebody? If they really took the show seriously, they would choose the act they find most impressive, regardless of what that means for Cowell.
Orlando Bloom has turned everyone on Twitter into a group of thirsty teenagers. He’s currently on vacation with his girlfriend Katy Perry and decided that it was too hot to wear clothes. Bloom went about his day, laying on the beach, paddleboarding and all the regular things you would do on a beach vacation, except he did it completely naked.
Of course, paparazzi found the pair and started snapping as many pictures of the couple as they could. And even though you can’t see anything R-rated, people are going crazy over the pictures.
You can see some of our favorite reactions here.
Orlando Bloom reaction
Orlando Bloom reaction
Two people who aren't losing their minds over the photos? Bloom and Perry. A source commented to Us Weekly that, "[Bloom] finds the whole situation amusing." He even joked about the size of the censor bar the NY Daily News used to cover him — don't worry, he approved.
The source claims that Perry was equally unperturbed by the whole ordeal. "This isn’t something that would annoy her,” the source adds. Do we smell a girlfriend of the year award?
But Bloom's ex-wife, Miranda Kerr, also had a thing or two to say about the photos, and it turns out the pair are on such good terms that he even sent over a little text to let her know that his manhood was making the headlines.
During an interview on Australian radio program The Kyle and Jackie O Show, Kerr revealed that while Bloom may have played it cool in public, he was actually pretty embarrassed about the whole thing.
"Oh, my God ― he texted me and he was like, 'Um, I'm really embarrassed. Some photos are coming out. Just thought I should let you know,'" Kerr said. As for her response? "I was like, 'Hmm... right, what were you thinking? Seriously, what were you thinking?'"
She also joked that Bloom should be the recipient of one of her Bonds Swim swimsuits, so there isn't a repeat of these photos in the future — we're not sure fans would thank her for that though.
Of course, as it usually does when something major happens, controversy has started already. Fans are debating whether or not people should be so interested in the photos and demanding uncensored versions.
It's a reaction to the recent gross phenomenon in which celebrities’ nude photos get leaked to the public. People have started fighting back, shaming anyone who looks at or publishes their private photos. So now there’s a whole group of people shouting double standard.
And it makes sense. But there's one key difference.
Bloom is naked on a public beach. No one hacked into his iCloud or even took a shot through the window of his hotel room with a telephoto lens. He was hanging out for anyone to see. (I know, I’m sorry for the pun.) The nature of these pictures and where they were taken does make it a little different.
On the other hand, I can totally see where he thought he was safe enough to get naked in front of his girlfriend, trusting that it wouldn’t end up all over the internet. It’s totally naive, but I get it.
I think for the NY Daily News to release the pictures, but only the censored version, is the right thing to do given the circumstances, and it’s definitely a conversation we should all keep having. Where is the line between sharing news and invading someone’s privacy?
Last October, Criss Angel's 2-year-old son, Johnny (who he shares with ex-wife Shaunyl Benson), was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia. He's currently in remission, and Angel has decided to share his journey with the hope of raising awareness for the cause.
Speaking during an interview with People magazine, Angel gushed about his son, referring to him as "a bundle of love and the truest form of magic."
Speaking of his son's battle with cancer, Angel shed light on how he was first diagnosed, explaining, "He was having fevers that come and go and nosebleeds, and then we realized that something wasn't right, and that's when he was diagnosed with pediatric cancer, specifically ALL."
The family went through an incredibly difficult time, but Angel now believes that what Johnny went through was "because there is a greater purpose for me."
He explained during the interview how the situation left him feeling helpless, and he started to think about all the children and families he'd met during his work with kids and how they must have felt. He felt he had to take this awful news and do something positive with it.
This led him to the decision to make a documentary, titled 1095 (the number of days that Johnny will be treated for), about Johnny's journey, an opportunity to show how the illness affects not only the sufferer but the entire family. Its aim is to offer hope and remind others that they are not alone in the world.
"We wanted to have that for other families who might get that unfortunate news, so at least they can watch how we coped with it, how we dealt with it. And the emotions that arise, like, 'I would rather it be me than my son,'" Angel said of the decision to create the film. "My son is supposed to outlive me, and many of these kids don't outlive their parents."
It's a beautiful reason to make a documentary, and one that will hopefully serve as a small semblance of comfort to those going through similar situations.
While Angel is thankful for the success he's enjoyed in his career, he believes it was "self-gratifying" and without purpose, adding that what happened to Johnny "really made me feel like it wasn't by accident — this was for a purpose. It was to help other children that don't have a voice."
If you want to find out more, you can visit Criss Angel's HELP (Heal Every Life Possible) page.
Whether the cap on the cayenne was loose or you misjudged your hot-sauce-to-hot-food ratio, there's no rule that says you have to throw out an over-spiced dish. This even applies when your definition of spice is different from your guests' definition — like when you're serving your prized curry to a "blander" audience. You can turn back from the gates of hell when you've made a dish too spicy with a few quick fixes that most professional chefs keep up their sleeves.
If you can't take the heat, here's how to turn it down a notch:
Image: SheKnows Design
Pro tip: Some of these hacks will even work if you're eating out and realize you've been served something too spicy to handle.
1. Add acid
Image: Serenethos/iStock/360/Getty images
Although not an obvious firefighter, acid can work wonders to reduce heat. Depending on the dish, try adding some citrus juice (lemon or lime works best with most flavors), vinegar, chopped pineapples or tomato juice or sauce.
2. Add veggies
Image: shaunl/iStock/360/Getty images
Some people swear by adding shredded carrots or cubed or shredded potatoes to temper heat. The sugar in them helps to fight the heat, while their porous texture may help to absorb some of the spice.
It may sound nuts (pun intended!), but adding peanut or almond butter or tahini (a sesame seed paste) can go a long way toward toning down that piquant dish. Of course, this will work much better in a spicy coconut curry than it would in a spicy salsa.
4. Add sweet
Image: Gabor Izso/E+/Getty images
Sugar can help counteract the spice in a dish. Try adding a teaspoon of sugar, a spoonful of honey or even a squirt of ketchup to tone down the heat. Be careful to add only a bit at a time so you don't end up with dessert.
If the hot dish in question is a chili, sauce or anything that can take being thinned down, then add a ladleful of broth or other mild liquid. This will spread out the heat more per serving, thus diffusing it.
There's a reason sour cream is so common in Mexican food and that Indian cuisine abounds with yogurt sauces (called raita) — dairy tempers spice. Stir in a tablespoon at a time of yogurt, sour cream, milk, coconut milk (a great nondairy alternative) and/or a mild cheese like Parmesan to counteract overly hot flavors.
Make more
If you have extra ingredients on hand and don't mind a double batch, you can add more of every ingredient except the spicy one to diffuse the heat. The same amount of spice in a bigger dish will be less piquant.
How to prevent it: To prevent making an overly spicy dish in the future, be sure to add just a little bit at a time, and taste as you go. Don't measure out spices over the dish to prevent them from spilling. If using hot peppers, taste a little bit first to get a sense of how hot it is.
Originally published July 2012. Updated September 2016.
Oh, John Legend. We think we understand what you're trying to say, but you may have just gone about it in the wrong way. Legend took to Twitter this week to weigh in on San Francisco 49er Colin Kaepernick's recent decision to sit out the national anthem at games in protest — and irked a ton of people in the process.
"I am not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of color," Kaepernick told NFL Media of his decision, and Legend seems to agree, though he's not using quite the same words.
In his recent tweets, Legend takes "The Star-Spangled Banner" to task for its racist lyrics — fair enough — but goes on to shame the song for being "weak."
He added in a not-so-humble brag about his ability to sing said national anthem.
John Legend Tweet 2
John Legend Tweet 2
And this is where Legend went wrong. With the offhand comment about his being "like, one of the best" at singing the anthem and making his argument about the technicality of the song, he trivialized the deeper meaning of Kaepernick's protest — and his own discovery of the racist lyrics.
John Legend Tweet 3
John Legend Tweet 3
"Did you know that John Legend is good at singing the Star Spangled Banner? Like, one of the best. (Insert eye roll)," wrote a People magazine commenter.
Adding fuel to the fire is the fact that Legend has performed — and profited from — the national anthem numerous times in the past.
John Legend Tweet 4
John Legend Tweet 4
"If he really feels this way, he needs to stop singing it when it's requested of him and he should've turned down all past requests. I love how he will pat himself on the back for his 'talent' but never refused to sing it or make a big deal of it until now," another commenter wrote on a People magazine thread.
It is Legend's right, however, to voice his opinion about the national anthem, just like it is Kaepernick's right to choose to not salute our flag. Whether or not you like their reasons, that is, after all, what our country stands for.
Halloween is inarguably one of the raddest days of the year, for adults and kids alike, because of the costumes. And the candy. And the parties. (And did we mention the candy?) But a lack of planning and preparation happens to the best of us, and before you know it, Halloween can sneak up on you. Here's what to do — and what to wear — when shopping for a Halloween costume has totally slipped your mind.
You can start by doing what our generation does best, thanks to Pinterest. Create. And make things pretty. But yes, mostly create. We can MacGyver any situation and make mountains from molehills with just a little inspiration.
You'll be surprised how many costumes you actually already have in your closet. The outfit ideas below are easy and fun — but really clever, too! So even though they're last-minute, they don't have to look last-minute:
No one is ever too old for Hello Kitty. Here are the basics you'll need for this costume — but you can really have a lot of fun with this one. Think cute skirts, tall platforms and sparkly makeup.
Pink bow or yoga headband tied in a bow (Suddora, $5)
If you're really strapped for time and your closet selections are limited, try Regina George from Mean Girls. Here's everything you'll need (and your tanks can really be any color):
I love this one. You can take it so many different ways, depending on what you have. We've outlined what you'll need to be a party leopard, but think pandas, giraffes and lions, too!
Forget Heisenberg — go for the real Walter White that we know and love from Breaking Bad. Head over to your boyfriend's closet for a little help on this one (except for maybe the underwear...).
If you're a girl for pearls, then this one is for you. Pull out your inner Holly Golightly from that first scene in Breakfast at Tiffany's with just these few items.
Yes! You can be a unicorn! Now's the time to pull out that old bridesmaid dress you wore once, try that hair chalk kit you bought last year and tie your hair into a bow.
Minions and their popularity are taking over the world. So, why not join in? Heck, for this one, you could dress up as a minion and your friend can be the unicorn (above).
The first part of The Real Housewives of New York reunion special signed off with a bang. I will be honest — I was a little bored for the first half, because all we got were the same old complaints about Dorinda's boyfriend and a whole bunch of clips of Ramona being single and fabulous. It's not that I don't love seeing Ramona being fabulous, but I was hoping for some serious drama. Luckily I didn't have to wait for Part 2, because the ending of Part 1 was when Bethenny really shined.
See, if you have been watching, then you know that Luann and Bethenny constantly accuse each other of dating married men. Lately Luann has been the accuser, because Bethenny's new boyfriend was in the process of going through a divorce when they started dating, and Bethenny was also in that same situation. If we are speaking in technicalities, then sure, they both are still technically married, but that's clearly not the way the world works. Separation has to come before divorce, and it's the part where the couple is obviously not together in their minds anymore.
During the reunion, the whole thing came up, and Luann would not let it go. She even continued to speak to Jules, Sonja and Dorinda while Bethenny was trying to explain how she and her boyfriend got together. Andy had to basically tell her to shut up and let him hear Bethenny speak. Bethenny explained that she has actually spoken with her boyfriend's ex-wife and that everything is totally fine with everyone involved. She was not the cause of their divorce, and she and her boyfriend did not get together before they were separated. Luann just kept harping on about the whole thing, and honestly, I was shaking my head in my living room, because Luann should know by now that Bethenny is an amazing savage and will not have her name dragged through the mud. She was poking the bear, man.
Suddenly Bethenny got fed up (along with the rest of us) and pulled out her cellphone. Andy asked who the hell she was calling in the middle of filming the reunion, and she replied, "My boyfriend's daughter." Drop the mic, and bow down. Luann immediately backtracked and tried to say, "I am not speaking with his daughter. We're not doing this," because she obviously knew she would be caught in all of her slanderous glory. Bethenny called her boyfriend's daughter on live television and asked her point blank whether she or anyone in her family thought that Bethenny had gotten together with her father before he was separated from her mother. The daughter answered pretty calmly that there was absolutely no way that had happened, and she even said, "I speak for all of my siblings."
The best part about it was that Luann said, "Of course she will side with you." Why would a child side with their father's new girlfriend as opposed to their own mother or father? Luann, you are reaching for the stars, but there is just nothing there. Give this one up, and stop trying to make yourself feel better about your stance that "men leave willingly."
Do you think Luann needs to stop claiming that Bethenny broke up a family? Let us know what you think about this situation in the comments!
The more we hear about Blake Shelton and Gwen Stefani's plans to get hitched later this year, the more we're starting to realize that this could actually happen! There's just one report we're kinda hoping isn't true: Shelton's wedding gift.
Apparently Shelton has some big — and we mean big — plans for his wedding gift to Stefani, and no expense is being spared because according to Daily Mail, he's in the process of getting a Hawaiian-style lake house built in Tishomingo, Oklahoma. The property has three hut-style guest rooms complete with grass roofs, a swimming pool (which has its own bar), and then the main residence.
Tishomingo is also rumored to be the place where the family (Shelton, Stefani and her three young sons) will base themselves after they've tied the knot.
As for what the Tishomingo locals think about the pair settling down in their quiet community? Well, apparently they couldn't be happier and have already fallen in love with Stefani (whereas they failed to warm to Miranda Lambert).
A neighbor also shared their thoughts on the couple's new home, telling Daily Mail, "We've seen Blake here several times. He wants it finished in time for their wedding as the ideal gift for Gwen. It's going to be a place to have some fun when they're not at his ranch. He's been keeping an eye on how his property is coming along, making sure everything is perfect. It's a Hawaiian-style place with lots of character." They added that Stefani and her boys have been to the property just once, but appeared to be excited about it and look forward to the finished product.
Hey, if they're happy then who are we to complain? But it's a pretty lavish wedding gift, and it just seems like a bit much. Don't get us wrong, we love Shelton and Stefani as a couple, but Shelton might want to rethink his wedding gift and opt for something a little less quirky and expensive. Not that Stefani won't appreciate it, and not that the offer isn't super-generous, but Shelton doesn't really need to make such a grand gesture to prove his love, right?
In fact, Season 12 Bachelorette contestant Luke Pell thought he had the position nailed down. He had his bags packed and everything.
Pell spoke to Us Weekly to explain how everything went down with ABC's last-minute change of heart.
“We were all satisfied, had agreed to the contracts and everything was moving forward,” Pell explained. “I was checked in to my flight to come to LA. I got a call from producers Sunday night at about 10 p.m. They said ABC had decided to quote-unquote go in a different direction. I was supposed to fly out Monday morning at 9 a.m. I had my bags packed and everything. Most dramatic Monday ever!"
And the airline ticket wasn't the only thing Pell and the show had already planned for his entrance into Bachelor Nation as the next Bachelor.
"We had planned for intro filming and had planned to have my sister come on for a date and give advice as part of the show," Pell admitted. "I met with the wardrobe guys. Everything was moving forward. Everyone on the production level was expecting it to be me, as well."
Despite the last-minute switch, in which ABC decided Viall was a better fit for the title, Pell said he doesn't have hard feelings.
"I’ve come to accept the decision. From all my years in the military, I’ve learned that some things are out of my control. I put it in the past, and I’m moving forward. It was a huge surprise, but the element of surprise and unexpected decisions is what the show thrives off of."
Personally, while I loved Pell during JoJo Fletcher's season of the show, I definitely think Viall will be a better fit. After all, Viall is a veteran of the show at this point. He vied for Andi Dorfman's affections on Season 12 of The Bachelorette and Kaitlyn Bristowe's love in Season 11. Both times he was the runner-up, walking away heartbroken. Now, he's appearing on Bachelor in Paradise, and though it seems that he's found a relationship with Jen Saviano, clearly things don't work out in next week's finale.
The forth time may be the charm for Viall, and personally, I'm rooting for him to find love this time around. Neil Lane can only lend the man so many rings, after all.
As for Pell, he's planning to look for love on his own and taking control of his own destiny from here on out.
"I don’t want to wait in the wings for what decisions they can make for my life. I want to head back into taking control of my own destiny."
He added that he probably wouldn't agree to do the show if producers approached him again.
Do you think Luke Pell should have been the Bachelor or was Nick Viall ultimately the right choice?
It sure seems like Lindsay Lohan's (ex?) fiancé needs to study up on the lyrics to Justin Bieber's song "Sorry" because something tells us he is going to need to sing them after he takes a little look-see at Lohan's Instagram page.
Lohan and Egor Tarabasov recently cooled things off after a huge public fight early last month in Mykonos, where they were photographed in a physical altercation.
"Egor drank too much and he went crazy," Lohan told the Daily Mail of the event.
None of us know what their fight was really about, but one thing's for sure: Lohan is holding her ground and not taking Tarabasov back until she gets an apology. But that doesn't mean she's above posting some risqué social media pics to make Tarabasov grovel.
The past week she has been posting seductive photos of herself with cryptic captions and hashtags like #noboyfriend and #stillneedimsorry that seem to reference Tarabasov.
Lindsay Lohan Instagram 1
Lindsay Lohan Instagram 1
"Like Eminem said 'patiently waiting,'" she captioned one photo.
Lindsay Lohan Instagram 2
Lindsay Lohan Instagram 2
Rumors circulated that Lohan had reunited with Tarabasov last week when she shared a photo on Snapchat in which she was wearing her engagement ring.
Our only advice to Lohan? Drop the tags and references to Tarabasov in the captions your photos. She looks smokin'-hot and should just let the pictures speak for themselves.
This is the first update we've gotten on Lohan and Tarabasov's relationship since their explosive fight, and honestly, it's kind of disappointing to see that Lohan is still hung up on him. There have now been multiple instances in which Tarabasov has allegedly gotten physically aggressive with Lohan, so it's obvious these two are not good for each other.
It's every nervous mom's worst nightmare come to life — you're anxiously waiting for your child to walk off of an airplane and into your arms, but when the plane lands, your 5-year-old isn't one of the passengers. And what's worse, there's a little boy holding his passport who's not him.
Such was the frightening case for Maribel Martinez as she waited for her son Andy Martinez Mercado to arrive home last month. Andy had been on a family vacation in the Dominican Republic and was supposed to fly home to his mother in New York as an unaccompanied minor. But while at the airport in the Dominican Republic, he and his passport were somehow mixed up with this other young boy who was traveling to Boston. JetBlue sent Andy on the flight to Boston and the other little boy was put on the plane to New York, both with the wrong passports.
JetBlue has given Martinez a flight credit of $2,100 and a $475 refund for her trouble, but at this time she is still seeking legal damages against the company for negligence and emotional distress. She says she first believed her son was kidnapped when he didn't arrive as scheduled. The other family involved in the incident has not been identified.
The airline has issued a statement acknowledging the situation must have been distressing for the family and saying the airline took steps to correct their mistake as soon as they realized the error. While saying "I'm sorry" is always nice, it's still shocking that two kids were supposedly under the watchful eye of airline staff throughout their entire flights and no one on either flight in all those hours ever thought to ask either of the boys their name and realize that it didn't match the name on the passport or ticket.
Names aside, no one thought to ask Andy if he was excited to go to Boston, and presumably he would have said he was going to New York and vice versa for the other young child. How well are kids on flights monitored exactly?
When you're entrusting a minor to an airline, you do so thinking they will first and foremost make it on the right plane, but also that they will checked in on during the flight. It doesn't appear like that happened at all, since this massive mistake wasn't uncovered until Mom herself was presented with the wrong child. Sorry JetBlue, you may have the most legroom in coach, free Wi-Fi and televisions in the seat-backs, but all the free bags of chocolate chip cookies in the world can't make up for this one.
Luckily, both boys are safe and unharmed. And while this is in no way their fault, it's a good lesson for parents too.
As much as we want to teach our children to be quiet and respectful, there are times when we should encourage our kids to use their voices to speak up for themselves. If your child is ever in a situation in which they will be traveling unaccompanied, make sure they know which adults are there to help them, and tell them it's absolutely OK to tell those adults their name loudly and proudly, just to make sure everyone's on the same page... and the right plane.
Some people who were walking on the trail stopped to watch us slowly ride by, my daughter, granddaughter and me, on our rented horses following Amanda, our guide. They waved at us and told us to have a good time but seemed to find three women and a 10-year old girl on a horse trail in a part of San Diego County as something unusual and worth watching.
And immediately, it flashed in my mind that I should somehow tell my granddaughter that this is what makes life the richest - being watched rather than being the watcher. Being on the horse instead of hanging back and thinking that riding a horse is something that only other people do. And maybe I didn't even have to tell her this. She'd gotten on her horse with no fuss even though she was scared. She's got game, I thought to myself. That's big.
For many years, our family would take a hike along the Au Sable River from the falls to Lake Superior. There would often be a few children in the river, sometimes kids standing on rocks at the top of the falls. We would stop and watch them. One part of the river was especially intriguing: A small shelf of rocks hid a recessed area where kids could hide, and once nestled there, they could watch the waterfall from the inside out. It was magical.
Time after time we would walk alongside the kids in the river until one day, for no particular reason, we decided to get in the river. My kids climbed the rocks, stood above us with water cascading around them, hid in the magical place. All the while I thought, "This is so dangerous, why are we letting them do this?" But it wasn't really. Nothing ever happened. They were just in the river. And now there were people watching them be in the river. Moms with their handbags and dads with their cameras would stand at the railing and watch; their kids would ask if they could take their shoes off and get in, too, and their parents would say no. No, you can't go in the river.
But they could see that actually it was possible to go in the river. There were people already in the river and they were having a good time. They were just like them. But they weren't.
It took me telling my kids that they could go in the river for them to go ahead. Until I did that, they thought the river was off limits, that only other people could go in the river. When I took that limit off them, it freed me as much as them. I sat in the magical place and watched the water fall from the inside out. I stepped from one smooth rock to the next, sat on the cool outcroppings and waved to the people behind the railing wearing shoes. I felt like Jane waiting for Tarzan to swing by. It was luscious.
As we ambled along this afternoon, I studied my granddaughter's back, how she was sitting on her horse. The guide was holding a lead but my granddaughter was holding the reins. She wasn't ready to take off on her own but she was getting the feel of it, like sitting in a car behind the steering wheel and holding the gear shift and touching all the buttons. Not today but next time or maybe the time after that, she would be in charge of the horse. She would really be in the river.
Thinking about that made me really happy.
Most of what I know other people figured out a long time ago, including the fine but deep dividing line between the doers and spectators. Fear has often made me a spectator. As that becomes less so in ways that have nothing to do with horses or rivers, I'm very glad for the change and wish it had come sooner.
The unofficial end of summer, Labor Day weekend is an ode to all those who know the value of hard work. The Labor Day weekend was created to honor all you hard-working people with the most precious gift: time off.
Various people cherish the three-day weekend because of the barbecuing, partying and wholesome family fun. But then there are those who understand what this holiday is really for... shopping. Here are some deals that are sure to make your three-day weekend just that much better.
Sears: The store is boasting 40 percent off Kenmore appliances, 60 percent off select mattresses and 50 percent off tools and accessories through Sept. 11.
Best Buy: Need a new TV? Best Buy has everything you need for a home theater on sale this Labor Day. All major appliances are 35 percent off.
Last Minute Travel: The travel site is offering up to 65 percent off for Labor Day.
Kenneth Cole: The Kenneth Cole online sale is up to 60 percent off with an extra 30 percent in celebration of Labor Day. Sale ends Sept. 9.
Children's Place: Another online-only sale, Children's Place is up to 50 percent off this weekend.
Macy's: Take an extra 20 percent off at Macy's this Labor Day with promo code DEALS. Offer ends Sept. 5.
Ulta Beauty: Take 20 percent off your whole order for Labor Day at Ulta Beauty. Promo code 405959. Sale ends Sept. 3.
Neiman Marcus Last Call: Save 30 to 75 percent off Neiman Marcus Last Call attire. Offer ends Sept. 6.
JCPenney: Take $10 off $25 throughout the site. Promo code LABORDAY. Offer ends Sept. 5.
Kohl's: Save 20 percent of every $100 you spend at Kohl's. Promo code SEPT20. Deal ends Sept. 5.
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You wanna know why Naya Rivera's hair is so big? It's because it's full of secrets. Well, it was... all of her secrets are out now. In a new book titled Sorry Not Sorry: Dreams, Mistakes, and Growing Up, Rivera tells some juicy gossip that would even make Regina George cringe.
The book doesn't officially release until Sept. 13, but a loyal Rivera fan got their hands on an official copy a bit early, and they aren't hesitating to spill all the juicy details.
As expected, Rivera isn't holding anything back when it comes to her former Glee costar, Lea Michele. Though she doesn't ever name Michele by name, Rivera makes it pretty clear who she is referring to when she calls out a certain "diva" cast member, according to the author of naya-rivera.com.
"I guess you can throw a bitch fit, lock yourself in your trailer and stall production, yet still allegedly find the time to leak stories to the press," Rivera says in the book, via naya-rivera.com, in reference to the long-standing rumor claiming that Rivera had been fired from Glee because she had gone off on a producer.
Rivera also doesn't have great things to say about her ex-fiancé, Big Sean, and even says she walked into his home one night to find him hanging out with Ariana Grande — who he later started dating after they had called off their engagement. Rivera also talks about how she found out her engagement was officially off via the internet.
Not everything in the book is gossip and bad news. Rivera also talks about how plastic surgery was the best choice she ever made and how she stands by her decision to this day.
"As soon as I went back to school, [the boys] all practically fell over themselves rushing to see who could hold the door open for me," she writes in the book, via People magazine. "People have a lot of opinions about plastic surgery, but more than ten years after I got my boobs, they still make me happy when I look in the mirror. It might have even been the best $8K I've ever spent."
But Rivera doesn't want you take take any excerpts from the book out of context.
"The point of a book is to read a story from start to finish and deduct your own opinions and conclusions from it as a whole," she wrote in a recent Facebook post.
Naya Rivera Facebook post
Naya Rivera Facebook post
Rivera's book hits shelves Sept. 13 and is available for order here.
The temperature hits 95 as I reach the back end of a neighborhood that blends into bay side cliffs. My plan is a forty-five minute run, about a third of which will be up hills that make the panhandle of Florida feel like a mountainous oven. Sweat and sunscreen pour down my skin as I struggle with a sub-nine-minute pace. A yardman whose shirt is completely soaked stares at me as I labor past him.
“It’s got to be 100 out here,” he says, shaking his head and wiping his red face. “Why are you running?”
I smile and answer him truthfully. “Because I can,” I say. What I don’t say is that I couldn’t yesterday and I might not be able to tomorrow.
I didn’t mean to wait until 11:00 a.m. to start my run, but as is often the case, I didn’t sleep well. One of the cruelest tricks of chronic pain is insomnia. Most nights, I can’t sleep because I can’t get comfortable. The previous night was no different. I managed about an hour of sleep before a dull ache in my hips gave way to a burning, stabbing sensation that demanded a position change. I pushed aside the huge pillow under my knees, a prop to keep my low back comfortable. I flipped to my stomach and scooted down to rest my face in the massage cradle I recently affixed to the end of the mattress. Lying on my stomach relieves my back and hip pain but turning my head is hell on the bulging discs and tight muscles in my neck. I mostly solved the issue by installing the massage cradle, although my bedroom looks more than ever like a medical office. A collection of rollers rest near foam blocks, stretching straps, orthopedic pillows, and two TENS units.
On the run, the road steams under the sun and the air looks wavy. Odors, good and bad, are heightened in the heat. Gardenia bush, good. Yesterday’s seafood dinner in a garbage can, bad. I take in all the smells and the sounds of my run and pull off my hat in the shade to let the wind cool my head until I reach the next patch of sun. I’ve acclimated to running in the heat, but I’m still careful, so I stop at a park to cool my face and arms in the water fountain after gulping as much as my stomach can handle. The playground equipment is deserted, and a black snake shines like patent leather next to the sidewalk. One more downhill will take me into a swamp. I’ll enjoy slightly cooler temperatures and dancing dragonflies along the water before following the asphalt home. I observe every detail with appreciation reserved for someone who knows it may be the last time I get to run this route, or run at all.
I’m a lifetime athlete who’s completely unable to accept my temperamental body. As time passed and diagnoses piled up—fibromyalgia, cervical dystonia, degenerative disc disease, sacroiliac joint instability, psoriasis—I fought each one with every trick and tool offered by countless professionals. There were times when my life was reduced to medical appointments. I can’t play soccer anymore, had to give up tennis and sold my road bike for a grandma cruiser because my neck won’t allow an aerodynamic position. I quit a high-paying job in a nursing home because I can no longer lift patients. Through pain and unpredictable health, I almost always managed to run, even if it meant having to stop to pivot my body to look for traffic because my neck muscles had spasmed so hard I couldn’t turn my head.
When a pain management doctor told me to sign up for spinal injections, start heavy medications, and stop running, I complied for six months. Those six months were a miserable blur of procedures and mind-numbing medications. Most frustrating was that the injections, pills, and lack of exercise didn’t make a dent in my symptoms. I was rapidly on the path to painkiller addiction without pain relief. When I almost set my house on fire while cooking dinner in a haze of pills, I changed course. I weaned off the meds, cancelled future procedures, and bought a new pair of running shoes.
Ospreys circle overhead as I run up the hill away from the swamp. Their wings make shadows on the road and I imagine what it’s like to fly as I watch my shadow plod along the steep asphalt.
“This is a beautiful day,” I say to the birds, and I mean it. The sky is a brilliant blue and the oak trees offer a stunning display of bright new growth. An SUV driver looks at me like I’m a maniac as he drives past. I realize I’m smiling and talking to wildlife. I feel great — and grateful.
If you saw Kanye West’s “Famous” music video and thought, "I wish I could be there in bed with all those fake naked celebrities,” you’re in luck. Over the weekend, in a special two-night event, the “Famous” celebrity sculptures were put on display at Los Angeles’ Blum & Poe gallery. Because life-size replicas of naked celebrities are art, apparently.
Directly following the event, rumors emerged that West was selling the sculpture — including all 12 celebrity lookalikes, the bed and sheet — for $4 million. A rep for Blum & Poe has dismissed rumors in a statement to E! News, saying, “Unfortunately that was misinformation — the work was never for sale, is not currently for sale, and a price has not been discussed nor agreed upon.” So, you can’t pay to actually own a piece of the “Famous” video, but it’s likely that West will take the sculpture on the road. Before West’s art show comes to a city near you, we have some questions to ask.
1. Is it legal? Did celebrities approve the creation?
West’s “Famous” sculpture features life-like silicone sculptures of 12 celebrities: Taylor Swift, Rihanna, Chris Brown, Caitlyn Jenner, Amber Rose, Anna Wintour, Ray J, Bill Cosby, Donald Trump, George W. Bush and, of course, West and his wife Kim Kardashian. While it’s possible he got approval from a handful of the real celebrities, it seems obvious he mostly just went ahead without giving anyone a courtesy call (Taylor Swift and Kim Kardashian will probably reveal all at some later date).
Logically, there’s just no way Trump or President Bush would approve of being portrayed naked in a giant, celebrity orgy. Also pretty unlikely are Cosby, Wintour, Ray J and Swift (especially given her response to the song itself). The bottom line is, the only people we know for sure who agreed to have their naked likeness in the video and displayed at Blum & Poe are West and Kardashian.
2. Are the sculptures anatomically correct? Do they have genitals?
Other than the nudity clearly visible in the video — Kardashian’s famous derrière, Rose’s breasts, etc. — are the sculptures anatomically correct? Putting aside the fact that there’s no way the celebs featured provided West with their exact measurements, it would make sense that the sculptures wouldn’t be entirely detailed. After all, portions of each are covered by a carefully draped white sheet, obscuring the view of the complete body. According to CNN, the sculptures were commissioned to be “anatomically correct.” So, in other words, yeah, it’s likely they have genitals, though it doesn’t seem that anyone provided a mold.
3. How did West decide what the bodies would look like?
Kim Kardashian tweet on
Kim Kardashian tweet on
Kardashian, Ray J, Rose, Rihanna and Chris Brown have posed for thousands of photos, a lot of them scantily dressed. So, it’s not hard to imagine how West and his team of artists set about ensuring the precision of the celebrity sculptures. But what about Swift, who has never posed nude publicly, or Trump? To ensure that the sculptures were as accurate as possible, West had a team of celebrity stylists, consultants and analysts who spent hours studying photos and Instagram accounts to get proportions as accurate as possible. The figures were then rendered via computer animation and later created from silicone. Details were reportedly hand-sculpted, with the additions of freckles, tattoos and even human hair meant to create a truly life-like replica.
We’re not going to be able to answer the question of what makes something art based on West’s “Famous” video, but it seems fair to wonder about the artistic value of his piece. “The work alone is extraordinary and completely succeeds as a sculpture and multi-media installation,” Blum & Poe cofounder Tim Blum told CNN of the piece. After all, the sculpture is more than just a creepy rendering of naked celebrities. The piece uses mechanics to create soft breathing motions — each sculpture’s chest moves slowly up and down, as if in deep sleep. It does seem, then, like a work of modern art.
5. Is Taylor Swift cool with it?
Taylor Swift responds to Kimye video
Taylor Swift responds to Kimye video
I’m going to go out on a limb here and say no, she isn’t. Swift has not commented on West’s decision to show the work. In fact, she’s refrained from commenting on anything Kimye-related for the past month and a half, ever since she famously asked to “be excluded from this narrative” of her alleged feud with West.
According to The New York Times, someone form West’s team confirmed that the sculpture is “on its way to its next location.” Where and when it will pop up next, nobody seems to know for sure, but just like West, it’s not going away anytime soon.
7. Does this really deserve our attention?
Kanye West
Kanye West
Here’s the thing with West’s sculpture: It’s ethically suspect. Honestly, it gives me the creeps. The fact is, whether it’s their real bodies or not, most of the celebrities depicted in this voyeuristic art installation did not give their consent to be viewed this way, specifically not for profit, which, let’s face it, is what all of this boils down to. For someone like Swift, who carefully curates her image, West’s “artwork” seems to directly defy her control and autonomy over her body. For whatever reason, Swift has chosen not to pose naked for the public eye, and West should respect that. Other celebrities, like Rose or Rihanna, have gotten naked for the public, but they were always in control of how, when and why they decided to disrobe. West’s “Famous” sculpture disregards that choice, and that leaves a bad taste in my mouth.
At the end of the day, Kanye West is going to do what he’s going to do, but that doesn’t mean I need to care about it. And this is one of those things I’m choosing not to care about.
I'm pretty much apple obsessed from September through November, but my penchant for apple picking (and spending way too much money at the farmers market) means I have to do a lot of apple peeling and coring every fall. Honestly? It's a pain in the ass. But after trying out a few of these different methods for peeling and coring, you can discover which easy technique works best for you. I'm a melon baller gal when it comes to coring, and find that a paring knife will usually do the trick to peel apples for a small job. For everything else? I'll try out the tips and tricks below.
To core, cut your apple in half horizontally, then use a rounded-edge knife, like a butter knife, to cut around the core and pop it out of your apple half.
Use a metal melon baller to scoop out the core, starting at either the blossom or stem end of the apple. You can cut the apple vertically in half first for easier access to the core.
melon baller to core apple
melon baller to core apple
4. Spoon out the core
Cut your apple in half vertically, then use a knife to cut off the blossom and stem ends of your apple. Then, use a spoon to scoop out the seeds and any tough fibers lurking within each apple half.
spoon to core apple
spoon to core apple
5. Use an all-in-one device
If you cook with a lot of apples (or have an enormous kitchen with lots of storage space), consider the all-in-one apple peeler and corer. You stab the apple onto one end of the machine, then use a hand crank to spin the apple against a peeler blade. Some of these devices slice the apple too.
If you're peeling and coring a huge amount of apples, you can use a power drill in conjunction with your all-in-one device to rapidly peel apples with no cranking. If you have apple trees on your property and process many pounds of apples each year, this could be a lifesaver for your wrists.
drill to core apples
drill to core apples
7. Ye olde vegetable peeler
Using a vegetable peeler on apples can be a little tricky because of their rounded shape. The key? Peel the apples vertically from stem to blossom rather than horizontally.
Real talk: Sadie Robertson always has the cutest boyfriends. Shortly after breaking up with two-year boyfriend Blake Coward earlier this year, Robertson started seeing another cutie: Trevor Knight, a college football player at Texas A&M University. Unfortunately, the seemingly perfect pair have already called it quits.
The couple reportedly only dated for one month, but I don't hold that against Robertson. She's only 19! One-month relationships are common among college-aged young adults. I know I've had them! Plus, there's Instagram photos of the pair together as far as back as June on Robertson's account and April on Knight's account.
photo from 10 weeks ago sadie robertson and boyfriend
photo from 10 weeks ago sadie robertson and boyfriend
Robertson opened up about the breakup when she was questioned about Knight during an interview with Fox411.
"Me and Trevor actually just broke up," she told Fox411. "It's OK, it's fine."
The reality star went on to tell Fox411, "I can say even after we broke up, he's a great guy and I think he's doing amazing things in his career."
So, why did the pair call it quits? Robertson said in statement to Us Weekly, "Trevor is a great guy, but our schedules are just so busy right now. He's in the middle of football season, and I'm about to start my tour, so the timing just didn't work."
The pair first connected over social media, bonding over their Christian faith and the mission trips they had both taken to Haiti.
photo of sadie robertson and trevor knight instagram
photo of sadie robertson and trevor knight instagram
Before Robertson and Knight started officially dating, the pair attended a Justin Bieber concert together back in April just as friends. Where can I find a cute guy that will take me to a Bieber concert?
Robertson and her family rose to fame on the popular reality show Duck Dynasty. Robertson is also known for competing on Season 19 of Dancing with the Stars.
OK, so Nicole Franzel is messing with us, right? On Thursday's new episode of Big Brother, her plan to evict Michelle from the house worked, and the six people remaining in the house are now James, Natalie, Paulie, Victor and, of course, Nicole and Corey. Last week, Nicole and Corey formed a foolhardy alliance with Paulie and Victor in order to guarantee them all the Final Four, which led all of America to ask, "Nicole, are you freaking kidding?"
The vote for eviction was tied — two for Paul and two for Michelle — and so it was up to Nicole as Head of Household to break it. Not shockingly, she picked Michelle, saying that it was for the sake of strategy. In her interview with Julie Chen before she headed off to the jury house, Michelle reiterated that Nicole was "the most boringest" of all the Heads of Household, but also wondered why Nicole didn't understand that keeping Paulie around just meant that he was going to win the game. I don't get it it either. Paulie is the biggest threat in the house, and he and Victor seriously have each other's backs. Has there been a conversation off-mic that the audience and the producers missed, during which Nicole divulged her secret plan to neutralize Paulie and his minions? (Unlikely, since Michelle had her mic off for about eight seconds on Thursday before the voice from above told her to put it on.) Also... how would Nicole do that? Short of causing him physical harm? Does she have some serious dirt on Paulie or Victor that she can leverage?
If Nicole does have some kind of genius nefarious plot, it had better involve dumping Corey, because while he might be pretty, he is not strategic. Remember that care package he got from America, which included a thong? It also contained a $5,000 bribe, to be given to anyone in the house who Corey thinks could help his game. This week, that money went to Victor, who promised to vote to evict Michelle, which he was obviously going to do anyway. It would have been super interesting if he'd taken the money and voted Paulie off, but that didn't happen and it was never going to, so it was essentially wasted. If Corey and Nicole were smart, they would have made sure the money went to either James or Natalie. There's about to be a new Head of Household (after the remaining contestants finish pushing eggs through chicken wire — yes, that is seriously the challenge), so perhaps by this time next week, the Final Four will be a thing of the past, and with it will have gone Nicole's "strategy."
