There were plenty of fancy, gorgeous couples hitting the red carpet on Sunday night at the 69th Primetime Emmy awards, but there was one duo that left them all in the dust. House of Cards actor and Emmy nominee Robin Wright brought her daughter, Dylan Penn, as her Emmys date and honestly? It was tough to tell whether these two were mother and daughter or twins.
I'm not sure whether it's because Wright doesn't actually appear to age or because Penn looks so much like her mother (sans the haircut), but it's really stunning how much these two women look alike. Not since Reese Witherspoon and her mini-me, her daughter Ava Phillippe, has there been a celebrity mother-daughter duo that can make you do a double take.
Robin Wright Dylan Penn Twitter
Robin Wright Dylan Penn Twitter
The mother-daughter date duo both chose to go with black form-fitting dresses with gold and silver accessories and accents. Both women also chose to let their long, blond hair go free as they shot us "We're too cool for the Emmys" looks directly at the cameras on the red carpet. God, these women are too cool for the Emmys, indeed.
From the looks of both Penn's and Wright's Instagram accounts, these women are not only mother and daughter, but they're also best friends. Penn is the daughter of Wright and actor Sean Penn and is reportedly following in her parents' footsteps by pursuing acting as well. She and her mother both frequently pop up on each other's social media, where they document their chill time together and even the other events where they take each other as their date for the night.
There are few things in life more decadent and delicious than a masterfully cooked steak paired perfectly with a nice glass of red wine. The aroma of the meat as you cut into it gently wafts upward, making your mouth water before your fork even leaves your plate. We're getting all hungry just thinking about it.
But when your steak-cooking skills aren't on point, things can go horribly awry. The artful scene described above can turn into a charred hockey puck of a meal in the blink of an eye. Luckily, all it takes is a little basic knowledge, and you'll be making steaks that will wow anyone who comes over to your house for dinner.
Here's what you need to know.
1. Grades of beef
Steak intended to be grilled or seared (not braised or for a stew) should be of a high grade, if possible. But what are the different grades of beef, and what do they mean?
Grades are largely based on the amount of marbling, which refers to the amount of fat in the meat. The more marbling, the more tender, juicy and flavorful the meat is. "Prime," with its ample marbling, is the highest grade of meat, followed by "choice" and "select."
Prime meat is also younger than choice or select, which means the meat is usually more tender than that from older cattle.
2. Tender cuts
Some cuts are naturally tender. Sirloin, tenderloin and filet mignon are all perfectly nice at the choice level — there's no need to spring for prime if you choose those cuts. Furthermore, if you use a flavorful marinade, which will help offset the lack of marbling, you can get away with using select-grade beef.
Some cuts can be slightly tough and benefit greatly from the extra marbling in the prime grade. Think rib-eye, strip steak and T-bone. These steaks aren't super tough at any grade, but at the prime grade, they really shine. They do happen to be naturally flavorful cuts, so choice grade can be good (and much less expensive) if you can find a steak with a lot of visible marbling.
Tougher, value cuts, like hanger, flank, skirt and tri-tip steak, are usually marinated before grilling, so you can go with choice grade. If you're planning on a long, slow cook, like in beef stew or pot roast, you can get away with select. But of course, it's not recommended that you choose a tough select-grade steak to simply season with salt and pepper and grill.
4. Marinades
Marinades are a helpful way to not only inject flavor into lower grades of beef but also to tenderize tougher cuts. Flank steak and skirt steak are often marinated with a mixture that includes salt and an acid of some kind, which can help break down the tight protein strands that make the meat tough. For select cuts, a quick marinade can add extra flavor, but don't leave the meat in too long, or it may start to break down. Finally, you really shouldn't marinate prime beef — what's the point of spending the extra money if you can't even taste the meat itself?
There are two main schools of thought when it comes to getting the best sear on your steak.
The first is the initial sear. Get your pan screaming hot, add your steak, and don't flip it until the pan releases it easily, meaning that a nice crust has formed. This usually takes a couple of minutes. Add a pat of butter when you flip it, then finish cooking in a 300-degree F oven if it's a thick cut. It should take anywhere from four to eight minutes to reach an internal temperature of 120 degrees F for medium-rare.
This method works, but it can lead to a steak that's cooked unevenly inside, with a tougher, well-done perimeter slowly fading into a rarer center.
The second method is the reverse sear. The idea here is that you cook the steak gently at a low temperature until it's slightly underdone, then sear it in a superhot skillet with some butter and aromatics. The sear takes less time to develop since the meat is already hot, meaning there's less chance of overcooking the meat while waiting for a good crust to form.
6. How to cook steak
Before you cook, salt your meat on both sides, and let it sit for about 40 minutes to bring it to room temperature.
How to grill steak: Cook the steak, covered, on the cool side of a charcoal grill. When it's a few degrees short of your preferred doneness, move it to the hot side of the grill to sear on both sides.
How to cook steak in a skillet: Add oil to your skillet, and heat it over high heat until smoking. Add your seasoned steak, and cook it until a crust begins to develop. You can flip your steak without disturbing the sear; in fact, it will help your steak cook evenly. Add some butter after the first four minutes, then continue to cook and flip until the steak has reached your desired doneness.
How to cook steak under the broiler: Place a skillet on an oven rack about 4 inches from the heat source, and turn on the broiler about 10 minutes before you want to put the steak in the oven. Once the skillet's hot, add the seasoned steak. Cook for about three minutes or until a crust has formed and the steak doesn't stick to the pan. Flip, and cook for three more minutes for medium-rare or until it reaches your desired level of doneness.
7. Doneness
Doneness ranges from rare (with a red center) to well-done (with no pink in the center). Most purists recommend not going above medium for most cuts, though it's important that cuts with lots of fat and marbling are cooked at least past rare. Otherwise the fat in the marbling won't render at all, and there's no point in getting a well-marbled steak if it's not going to break down enough to make your meat nice and juicy.
Rare: Internal temperature of 115 – 120 degrees F before resting
Letting your meat rest allows its juices to redistribute, making the steak juicier throughout than if you were to cut right into it while it's screaming-hot. Let your steaks sit for about 10 minutes before you cut into them.
9. How to slice it
Different steaks can be cut different ways. But the truly important thing to remember is to cut tough steaks like flank, hanger and skirt steaks into thin slices across the grain. This will break up the long strands of protein that can make such cuts so difficult to chew.
And there you go, your cut-and-dried guide to buying and cooking steak. You'll be amazed at how easy it is now to turn out a flavorful, succulent steak like a pro.
Originally published March 2016. Updated September 2017.
There was no escaping politics at the 2017 Emmy Awards last night, and in most cases, that wasn’t a bad thing — especially when it shined a light on important women’s health issues. From reproductive rights to sexual pleasure as you age to domestic violence, here are some of the most memorable women’s wellness moments from last night.
Nicole Kidman continues to put the spotlight on domestic violence
In Big Little Lies, Nicole Kidman played a woman who dealt with domestic violence in her marriage, and she used her acceptance speech for Best Actress in a Limited Series to address the problem again, noting that she show “shone a light on domestic abuse.”
"It is a complicated, insidious disease,” she said. “It exists far more than we allow ourselves to know. It is filled with shame and secrecy. And by you acknowledging me with this award, it shines a light on it even more.
The Handmaid’s Tale wins big
Hulu’s take on Margaret Atwood’s 1985 book The Handmaid’s Tale took home five Emmy awards last night, including outstanding drama. The fact that the series — which depicts a dystopian world with some extreme limitations to women’s reproductive rights — resonated with so many during this political climate is not surprising, and the Emmy wins, which include Best Lead Actress Elisabeth Moss, cement the show’s importance in current pop culture.
Both Atwood’s novel and the Hulu series center on a reality where widespread infertility means that women who are able to bear children are rounded up, assigned to serve powerful men and their families and are routinely raped, forcing them to become pregnant, thereby propagating the species. In other words, women are reduced to walking wombs — a terrifying concept that is unfortunately not that far from some current politicians’ views. The win for Outstanding Drama increases the visibility of the reproductive and women’s health issues raised in the show. We see you, Offred.
Dolly Parton appreciates a supportive bra
Just before presenting the award for Best Supporting Actor alongside 9 to 5 co-stars Lily Tomlin and Jane Fonda, Parton used the category to reference her ample bosom and the importance of an effective brassiere.
“If it hadn’t been for good support,” she quipped, “Shock and Awe here would be more like Flopsy and Droopy.”
A properly fitting bra can be a game-changer, making Parton’s comments not only useful, but incredibly relatable.
Lena Waithe makes history & thanks ‘LGBTQIA family’
When Lena Waithe and Aziz Ansari won the award for Outstanding Writing in a Comedy Series for co-writing the “Thanksgiving” episode of Master of None, they immediately received a standing ovation. Appropriately, Aziz stepped to the side as Waithe gave a powerful acceptance speech about the episode, which was mined from her own life experiences. She made history as the first black woman to win an Emmy for comedy writing.
“And last, but certainly not least, my LGBQTIA family,” she said, concluding her speech. “I see each and every one of you. The things that make us different, those are our superpowers. Every day when you walk out the door and put on your imaginary cape and go out there and conquer the world, because the world would not be as beautiful as it is if we weren’t in it.”
Both the “Thanksgiving” episode and Waithe’s speech focused on the importance of normalizing and respecting the LGBTQ experience. This may seem obvious in 2017, but for so many people, growing up in an environment that was unwelcoming to their sexual orientation and/or identity is a major blow to their mental health.
Dolly Parton reminds us that sexual pleasure is important, regardless of your age
If we believed what we see on most TV shows and movies, mature women have not only lost any sexual value, but also age into a life of asexuality and patterned sweaters. Luckily for us, we live in a time when Netflix’s Grace and Frankie is on the air, dispelling those rumors one at a time. The idea that women simply lose interest in any sexual pleasure as they age is addressed head-on in the most recent season of the show, where Grace and Frankie go into business together, creating and selling a vibrator designed for people of advanced age who also have vaginas.
Even though she hasn’t been a part of the show yet (Dear Netflix: Please make that happen ASAP), Parton, 71, did not hesitate to reinforce what her 9 to 5 co-stars have been saying all along about remaining a sexual being as you age.
"I'm just hoping that I am going to get one of those Grace and Frankie vibrators in my swag bag today,” she said before presenting the award for Best Supporting Actor in a Limited Series, which went to Alexander Skarsgård for Big Little Lies.
Amber Tamblyn addresses believing women about sexual violence
Although this didn’t happen at the Emmy awards ceremony itself, that morning, The New York Times published an op-ed by actor Amber Tamblyn in which she details her experiences with sexual assault and harassment and the struggle that she and so many women face in order to be believed.
“For women in America who come forward with stories of harassment, abuse and sexual assault, there are not two sides to every story, however noble that principle might seem,” she wrote. “Women do not get to have a side. They get to have an interrogation.”
Last week, Tamblyn took to Twitter to weigh in on the claim that actor James Woods allegedly had relationships with much younger woman, saying that he hit on her in Las Vegas when she was 16. Woods responded by saying she was lying.
While that reaction is so common, it’s hardly news. The fact that Tamblyn stood up for herself — and all of us who were not believed — against men in Hollywood on the day that celebrates achievements on television is significant. I hope her op-ed gave those in the television industry something to talk about later that evening as they were waiting for the Emmy awards ceremony to start and that maybe, this time the message will stick.
Kate Walsh may be familiar with medical jargon after spending years playing a doctor on TV, but as she found out, it’s very different hearing it as a patient.
In an interview with Cosmopolitan, the former Grey’s Anatomy actor disclosed that two years ago, she was diagnosed with a large brain tumor, which ended up being benign. She first went to the doctor after significant periods of exhaustion along with difficulty speaking and exercising.
“My pilates instructor said ‘hey, your right side is dipping,’ and it didn’t feel like I was off, but I looked down and could see it. Then when I was driving, I started swerving into the right lane,” Walsh told Cosmopolitan. “The exhaustion got to the point where I could drink five cups of coffee and still not feel awake or clear.”
Initially, Walsh said that she thought what she was experiencing was tied to menopause, but ultimately went with her instinct to consult a neurologist. Following an MRI, she found out that she had a tumor the size of a lemon in her brain and had surgery to remove it three days later.
Even though the tumor was benign, Walsh said that the whole experience was a big wake-up call for her.
“Those cliché, existential things do happen when you have a brain tumor, like, ‘How do I really want to spend my time?’ I want to be with my friends and family and work on projects that are hugely important to me, and fun, and that make a cultural contribution,” she told Cosmopolitan. “But my health comes first, and I’ve had to change my lifestyle.”
As for her time playing a doctor on Grey’s Anatomy and her spinoff Private Practice, it didn’t help when it came to dealing with her diagnosis and treatment. But in fact, she had the opposite experience.
“I played a real badass on TV, but when it comes to being a patient it’s such a vulnerable experience,” she added.
As a red carpet veteran, Victoria Beckham‘s worked with some of the finest makeup artists in the biz for the past two decades — so clearly, she’s picked up some tricks along the way. The fashion designer spread her knowledge in a new video for Estée Lauder in which she broke down her two-minute eye makeup routine and revealed her trick for making her eyes look bigger.
To get her iconic smoky eye, Beckham starts with Estée Lauder’s Eye Palette in Blanc, Noir, Gris and Bordeaux. After smudging a white and gray shadow on her eyelid with her finger, the former Spice Girl takes the black and smudges it on her hand with a brush to build up the color.
Here’s where her secret comes in: Instead of swiping a straight line under her eye with the brush, Beckham follows and accentuates the natural curve beneath her eye. “Rather than having a straight line, I think it’s nice if you have a little bit of a dip,” Beckham said. “I think that opens out the eye even more.”
Then Beckham takes a slightly larger brush and dusts a medium gray shadow on the crease of her eye, sweeping the powder up toward the brow bone. “This really gives an intense look, but without closing up the eye,” Beckham said.
Of course, getting eyes like Victoria Beckham’s don’t come cheap. The “London Look” product package she uses in the video costs £258, which roughly equates to $334. Her tips for how to make your eyes pop, however, Beckham gave 100 percent free.
La Croix is a well-documented national obsession at this point. I've even started ordering cases of it online since I drink so much of it so I don't have to lug it home myself (shoutout to the rest of you who don't have a car, but are desperate for seltzer at all times). So when they come out with a new flavor (though I'll always remain loyal to Pamplemousse), it's big news.
According to a letter sent to shareholders, the Key lime flavor has a "distinctive aroma and sweet-and-tart flavor," even though it still contains zero sweeteners like the other flavors you love. Even if you usually go for the regular lime LaCroix, this one seems worth seeking out — I mean, a seltzer that basically tastes like Key lime pie sounds like a dream.
And think of what a great mixer it would make too. Either to top off a glass of fruit juice for a fizzy refreshment or swapped for the tonic in a G&T for a lower-sugar cocktail experience.
There's no word yet on when Key lime La Croix will be hitting store shelves, so be on the lookout. In the meantime, regular lime La Croix will suffice, or if you're feeling fancy, why not pick up a bag of Key limes to squeeze into your seltzer all day long?
The internet seems to think that something is brewing between Big Little Lies stars Reese Witherspoon and Laura Dern, and it's not at all friendly. This is, of course, speculative and incredibly problematic to say the least, if only because the speculation is looking to pit two women against one another for no good reason. Because Dern didn't embrace Witherspoon and suddenly that's a sign of a feud? It sounds fishy, folks.
Speculation began brewing on Sunday night at the 69th Primetime Emmys when Dern skipped over Witherspoon as she received congratulations after winning Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited Series or Movie. When Dern was announced as the winner, a curious thing happened: She passed right over Witherspoon.
It's traditional during an awards show, especially one like the Emmys or Oscars where big groups related to a project show up, that the winner might take a moment to get hugs and kisses from their dates or co-stars before going up onstage. Considering the established narrative of how close the women of Big Little Lies are in real life, to see Dern get announced as the winner and move right over Witherspoon to Nicole Kidman (seated in front of Witherspoon) is interesting and noteworthy, but it's not exactly damning proof that Dern loathes Witherspoon, is it?
There are a few reasons right off the bat that there's no smoke, no fire and lots of unnecessary internet chatter about this. First off, Dern's nerves may have gotten the best of her. There's a chance she just kind of quickly hugged the first people she saw before making her way to the stage so she could give her proper thanks. Second of all, there's a chance that maybe Dern and Witherspoon are cool but perhaps they just don't show their affection for one another in that way. There's also reason to believe that the cameras focused on Dern after Witherspoon acknowledge her and congratulated her.
Listen, at the end of the day, there's most likely nothing here; the internet is talking about a problem that simply isn't there. There's no need to blow something entirely out of proportion — however interesting or somewhat shady it may be — when it could risk painting two women whom we otherwise love and who have not been prone to catty behavior in public before this with a broad brush.
McDonald's is always getting flak for their unhealthy food, especially when it comes to Happy Meals, but they've been slowly trying to improve over the years. Happy Meals now have smaller portions of fries or an option of apple slices, Go-Gurt or Cuties tangerines as the side, contain no artificial flavors and come with a choice of juice or milk instead of soda.
Their latest move? Swapping out the juice. While they have been offering Minute Maid 100 percent apple juice, they're transitioning to Honest Kids Appley Ever After starting this November. The new beverage contains 42 percent juice and the rest is water. While some seem to think this is a controversial move, cutting juice with water is actually a common parenting hack to decrease a child's sugar intake.
According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, "[P]ediatricians should caution families that there is minimal nutritional value to fruit juice, and it should be limited to small amounts and generally avoided in infancy." McDonald's switching to Honest Kids will make it easier for kids to stay hydrated with something that tastes good but has 10 grams less sugar than the traditional 100 percent juice offering.
Considering that just a few short years ago, the default beverage option for a Happy Meal was soda, it seems like we've come a long way. Now, how about some healthier options for us grown-ups?
Under the current administration, reproductive health care is under threat of becoming less accessible in America. Fortunately, technology startups are committed to bridging the gap in reproductive health care. CB Insights reports that startups have raised over a billion dollars in recent years to benefit women’s health care. Whether it’s about preventing pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections or educating young people about sexual health, there’s an app for that.
goPuff
HelloGiggles reports the startup goPuff “aims to deliver the drugstore items you need in under 30 minutes” in 20 cities and counting, often as early as 4:30 a.m..
Although the service was created to deliver all different kinds of drugstore products, it also includes birth control, making things like condoms and Plan B accessible from your smartphone even late into the night when most places are closed. In fact, the service’s founders were extremely clear in their intention to make sexual health accessible.
“We hope that by providing the health products and sex positive products women need, women will feel empowered in their daily lives knowing they have consistent access,” goPuff explained in a statement.
MyLab Box allows patients to test for STIs in the comfort of their own homes without needing to schedule an appointment and travel to a physical doctor’s office, Vice reported. The kits, which begin at $79, test for HIV, chlamydia, gonorrhea and the sexually transmitted parasite trichomonas. In addition to urine tests, there are also kits for testing oral, anal and genital samples.
Patients will receive a kit in the mail, which provides detailed instructions for how to draw samples using swabs. If patients have ordered an HIV test, they will also draw blood by pricking their fingertip. Once the samples have been collected, the patient will send the prepaid envelope (included in the package) to a lab to be tested. If the results are positive, patients will receive a call from an STI counselor and a free telemedicine consultation from a local doctor, who can prescribe treatment options.
Some United States residents are in for a treat. In recent years, Planned Parenthood affiliates launched apps for patients residing in Minnesota and California, Vice also reports.
Modeled after Planned Parenthood Care, an online service for patients in Minnesota and Washington, Planned Parenthood Direct-California offers birth control and STI treatment. To obtain up to a year’s supply of birth control, you’ll need to report blood pressure reading. For STI treatment, you can have your prescription sent to the pharmacy of your choice; this service requires a $15 fee in addition to the average cost of your prescription.
A new educational mobile app called Real Talk hopes to teach middle schoolers about their bodies through storytelling, Smithsonian magazine reported. It uses stories from real teens to spark conversations students may be too embarrassed or shy to ask their teachers at school.
The app is a project run by MyHealthEd Inc., a nonprofit that uses technology to transform sexual health for teenagers. Real Talk will launch later this year in the fall and has since received funding from the United States Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Adolescent Health.
When I found out I was pregnant with my first child, I had just started working as a teacher at a Montessori school. I had previously observed at several Montessori schools, including mine, and overall, was thrilled by the unusual teaching approaches. I thought the philosophy was brilliant; I couldn’t understand why every school in the country wasn’t a Montessori school. It was only as my pregnancy progressed that I came to realize the Montessori education wasn't what I wanted for my son.
Montessori is a method of teaching that’s based on self-directed activity, hands-on learning and collaborative play. It’s split into three groups: infant/toddler (which is ages 0 to 3), primary (which is what I was teaching, ages 3 to 6) and elementary (ages 6 to 12). There are usually up to 30 children and two teachers in each classroom. There are plenty of positive aspects of a Montessori education. Children can learn at their own pace and pursue what they are interested in. They aren't beholden to any sort of classroom structure, and they're taught skills that foster independence, such as how to prepare their own food.
When I first started at the school, I loved our classroom. I felt like Alice in Wonderland when she grows too large — everything in the classroom was child-sized, as per the Montessori philosophy, and everything was "real." No plastic cups; the children used real glass cups. No plastic butter knives; they used real sharp knives. The thinking is that if a child drops a plastic cup and it doesn’t break, he will learn that he can drop things and nothing will happen.
Originally, that made a lot of sense to me, but as soon a I thought about giving my future child a sharp knife and glass dishes as a 3-year-old, I balked. Montessori methods that had initially seemed advanced and forward-thinking to me just started seeming unsafe.
Although the Montessori classroom is set up with a lot of interesting materials, for her first year in Montessori school, a child won’t be using any of them. Instead, she will spend most of her time doing what's referred to in the modality as "practical work" — shoe polishing, flower arranging, pouring water from cup to cup, spooning beans, folding clothes, polishing silver, etc. With the price tag that comes attached with Montessori schools, it's surprising to discover that parents spend all that money so their 3-year-old can polish silver all day. If a younger child wants to explore other materials in the classroom, whether they know what to do with them or not, they are told "no, you haven’t had a lesson on that," and are redirected to something in which they have had a lesson — most likely "practical work."
One of the most well-liked aspects of the Montessori method is that the education is child-led. If a child is particularly interested in something, she can focus on that instead of being forced to do things she has no interest in and therefore probably won’t do well (if I could’ve skipped math in school, I absolutely would have). However, I witnessed firsthand just how badly that backfired — one 2-1/2-year-old student, for example, could write her name without a problem, but an almost-7-year-old student in the same class couldn’t write his name at all. His name was only three letters, but because he had no interest in writing, according to the Montessori philosophy, he didn't have to do it. The teachers weren’t supposed to push him on the subject or tell him, "You’re 7 years old; you should probably know how to write your name."
As far as the teacher-involvement goes, I remember literally sitting on my hands to keep from "interfering" with the students. Montessori teachers are not supposed to give approval, give grades or make corrections; they are instead supposed to offer suggestions, encourage and redirect — merely guiding children through the materials, while the children make their own choices. The idea is that this way, a child will be able to feel successful without anyone telling him, “Good job!” Still, I think it’s really important to get positive reinforcement.
Finally, there is no Montessori high school and certainly no college. The biggest complaint I heard from former students was that switching to a “normal” school later in life had become an incredible challenge for them after growing up in the unstructured Montessori classroom setting.
All in all, my experience teaching Montessori taught me that while it is a great form of education for some very independent, very self-motivated children (who don’t need reinforcement or praise and who learn best by hands-on learning with very hands-off adult supervision), it definitely isn’t for everyone. With my due date looming, I left the school with a completely different idea of how I wanted my son to be educated.
Shonda Rhimes continues to amaze us with her forward-thinking vision and tireless work ethic. On Monday, Sept. 18, Rhimes introduced us to her website, Shondaland, which seems to be yet another stepping-stone in Rhimes' push as a leader in media and for women in the workplace. According to Cosmopolitan, Shondaland "promises to be a place for articles and videos about politics, culture, style, health and relationships. There will be interviews, advice columns, essays, and more, brought to you by Rhimes and a team of writers." The site will be perfect for eternal fans of Rhimes and her shows as well as those who are looking for a place to better explore the many worlds Rhimes has created.
According to the site's chief content officer, Jennifer Romolini, the site is an extension of Rhimes' brand and voice, and it should be considered a great gathering space for all fans and newbies to the Shondaland world. "We want to showcase voices and women and issues that we think are important, and that's basically our content plan," Romolini told Cosmopolitan.
Interestingly, while the site will provide original content that explores various areas of women's lifestyle and entertainment interests, the site will also act as a personal space for Rhimes to discuss her work with her fans. Cosmopolitan's initial report includes a mention that Rhimes will be letting readers in on the final season of Scandal as the show comes to a close, which could mean bonus material and features for avid watchers of the show.
In case you were nervous Rhimes would just go into hibernation because Scandal was winding down or her other properties are enjoying a comfortable and successful spot on television, think again. Rhimes is still set on world domination, and her latest endeavor, Shondaland, is emblematic of that.
Stepping out into the limelight for the 69th Primetime Emmys has, in an interesting twist, renewed our interest in This Is Us star Milo Ventimiglia's private life. That's because it was rumored that Ventimiglia brought his girlfriend, Kelly Egarian, to the Emmys despite there being little photographic evidence from the night that they were together. While sources could only confirm to Entertainment Tonight, who first reported on the story, that Ventimiglia and Egarian were seen together, it does fall in line with what we know about the very private couple.
On Sunday night, sources told ET that Ventimiglia and Egarian, who is a marketing coordinator for fashion designer Stella McCartney, were seen getting cozy and cute in full couple-style as they arrived on the red carpet. "When Milo and Kelly entered the theater, they paused at the top of the stairs so that Milo could take a selfie. He seemed to want to capture the moment for them. They then turned around to walk and find their seats with their arms around each other. Milo and Kelly were definitely not hiding that they were here together.”
Milo Venti Kelly Egarian Emmys
Milo Venti Kelly Egarian Emmys
The relationship is definitely a source of curiosity since Ventimiglia keeps that part of his life quite quiet when he is on duty for interviews and other actor-related business. To date, he has not publicly addressed that he and Egarian are together — and chances are he won't ever, which is totally OK because he has the right to his privacy.
ET also reported that Egarian and he were not seen together on the red carpet, with Egarian actually choosing to slip away while he posed for photos at the 20th Century Fox Emmys after-party. The couple was spotted in a group photo at said party, but there were no pictures of the pair hanging out alone.
It's unclear how long Ventimiglia and Egarian have been an item, although they were spotted by photographers for Just Jared in March of 2017. It must be serious if Ventimiglia and Egarian chose to attend a very public event like the Emmys together, seemingly confirming nonverbally that yes, they are indeed a couple.
After months of cheating rumors flying around Kevin Hart, the comedian posted an Instagram video yesterday confirming he had not only made "mistakes" but that because of those mistakes he was being blackmailed.
"You know, I’m not perfect. I’m not going to sit up here and say that I am or claim to be in any way shape or form. And I made a bad error in judgment and I put myself in an environment where only bad things can happen and they did," Hart explained in the video. "And in doing that I know that I’m going to hurt the people closest to me, who’ve I talked to and apologized to … my wife and my kids."
He added, "I made a bad error in judgement and I put myself in a bad environment where only bad things can happen and they did. And in doing that I know that I’m going to hurt the people closest to me, who’ve I talked to and apologized to, that would be my wife and my kids."
kevin hart instagram video 1
kevin hart instagram video 1
According to TMZ, someone was using a video of Hart in a sexual situation with a woman — not his pregnant wife, Eniko Parrish — in order to blackmail the star into giving him or her millions of dollars. The outlet also reports the FBI is involved in the extortion investigation.
Hart said he would rather confess to his indiscretions than be threatened.
TMZ adds the FBI already has a suspect in the case.
It is unclear as of now if Hart knew the video was being recorded. If he didn't then such a recording would be illegal. Add in the extortion charges and whoever is responsible for the blackmail attempt is in a lot of trouble.
Of course, that doesn't absolve Hart, who has recognized he has some things to work on.
"I gotta do better and I will," Hart wrote on Instagram.
Cheating rumors involving Hart surfaced over the summer after he was allegedly photographed with another woman he met at a Miami Beach nightclub. At the time, Hart laughed off the rumors.
kevin hart instagram video 2
kevin hart instagram video 2
According to People, Hart's ex-wife, Torrei Hart, also claimed Hart cheated on her with his current wife, Parrish, prior to their divorce.
Parrish responded to Torrei by writing online, "Their marriage was broken way before I came in the picture. They were separated living in separate homes. I was never a secret."
Celebuzz is reporting West's friendship with host and producer Ryan Seacrest actually has the network seriously considering the Keeping Up with the Kardashians star.
The reboot is in desperate need of star power, after all, since it's reportedly struggled to find judges to secure on the panel.
There is even talk of delaying the show for another season since ABC appears to be scrambling. They've apparently inked a deal with Katy Perry, but their attempts to negotiate with Lionel Richie aren't going well since Richie wants more money than the network in willing to pay. Charlie Puth and Luke Bryan are a few other names the network is reportedly after, but they had some embarrassing setbacks when famous alum Kelly Clarkson and Jennifer Hudson declined to be involved. The ladies opted to join rival singing competition show The Voice instead.
A source who spoke with Celebrity Insider said Seacrest isn't looking to keep the American Idol reboot format the same as before. The source said Seacrest is worried about the show feeling dated, but he thinks having Kardashian on the show would be a "game changer."
"Promotion and social media are now just as important to being a successful artist as singing, and no one knows that world better than his pal Kim," the source said. "People might moan at first that she does not have experience with music but they did the same thing when Heidi Klum joined the panel at America’s Got Talent."
Do you think Kim Kardashian could be the star name that puts American Idol back on the right track?
Williams gave birth to her daughter, Alexis Olympia, just two weeks ago and she's already back in her jean shorts, as she said on her Snapchat, which flaunted her frame in a bathroom selfie.
Image: Serena Williams/Snapchat
Williams' good friend Diondria Thornton spoke to Vanity Fair about Williams' continued conditioning training while being pregnant. "I think she’s getting this itch . . . to see her intensity and her workout — ‘I have to stay fit. I have to get back on the court.’ Very determined to get back on the court."
Williams echoed those statements, "I don't think my story is over yet."
Williams isn't just flaunting pictures of herself. She also busy gushing over her adorable baby girl, who officially got her own Instagram account just five days ago.
serena williams baby instagram pic 1
serena williams baby instagram pic 1
Mom and dad aren't wasting any time getting her in on the social media game, which makes sense since her dad, Alexis Ohanian is the co-founder of Reddit.
Ohanian gushed about his daughter on his own Instagram writing, "Dad life is the greatest. Entrepreneurship is all-consuming, it's sleepless, we call our startups our 'babies,' we are ridiculously proud of them, and we pour all of ourselves into them — but she is already all that and more, she is my legacy."
Alexis Ohanian instagram pic 1
Alexis Ohanian instagram pic 1
Congrats to the happy couple on the adorable addition to the family!
Judge Carrie Ann Inaba could barely contain herself, calling the performance "so good." Arnold and Fisher scored a healthy 22 out of 30 for the premiere. I mean, we can't expect a perfect score on the premiere night... even if they kinda almost deserved it.
Fans are already calling it on the couple making it to the finals this season. This could definitely be Arnold's season to shine after 10 seasons as a professional dancer on the show.
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dancing with the stars lindsay and jordan tweet 1
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dancing with the stars lindsay and jordan tweet 2
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dancing with the stars lindsay and jordan tweet 5
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dancing with the stars lindsay and jordan tweet 6
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dancing with the stars lindsay and jordan tweet 7
Fisher and Arnold didn't just take everyone's breath away because their performance technique was on point. They also have a ton of chemistry. (And by that we mean professional chemistry. Arnold has been married to Sam Cusick since 2015.)
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dancing with the stars lindsay and jordan tweet 4
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dancing with the stars lindsay and jordan tweet 8
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dancing with the stars lindsay and jordan tweet 9
Admittedly, Fisher has a bit of an advantage since he is already a trained performer, having appeared in the Broadway smash hit Hamilton with Lin-Manuel Miranda.
Sodium is a mineral we all need — it’s necessary for proper nerve and muscle function and balances fluid in your cells and blood vessels. But finding the right balance is key, and many of us overdo it.
When I prepare meals at home, I sometimes season my food with salt or soy sauce, and a few years ago, I started to notice something. Every time I dined on these salty foods, I had a horrible night's sleep. I felt bloated, got headaches and had trouble focusing the next day. I didn't feel like I was using an excessive amount, but I noticed a pattern of feeling off and lethargic after indulging in salty foods — even if it was a homemade meal and I knew there were no additives like MSG and I could control the sodium.
We all know too much of anything isn't good for us when it comes to food. But how much is too much sodium? The American Heart Association recommends no more than 1,500 milligrams per day, which is just shy of a teaspoon of salt and roughly two tablespoons of soy sauce.
I talked with Dr. Maria Geyman, a board-certified naturopathic physician, who says Americans eat entirely too much sodium — roughly 3,400 milligrams a day — that's more than twice the recommended amount. And the side effects range from sleep disturbances to kidney stones to heart disease.
According to Geyman, salt is dehydrating and that in itself can affect sleep quality. Heavily salted foods also affect our digestion, so if you are eating things like ranch dressing and wings before bedtime, your body is "focusing on digesting rather than relaxing."
Other short-term effects of eating too much salt include water retention, bloating and drying of the skin. Geyman also adds that people complain of upset stomach after eating too much salt, "especially when paired with high-fat or high-sugar foods," she says.
Lasting effects of high sodium intake are high blood pressure, gastric cancer, osteoporosis and kidney stones. When we take in too much sodium, over time, it can cause the body to hold onto too much fluid and puts a heavy burden on you heart and blood vessels, which leads to high blood pressure or hypertension. And if you are diagnosed with high blood pressure, your chances of having a heart attack or stroke are greater.
While hypertension is genetic and in some cases your doctor will prescribe medication to get you blood pressure back under control, chances are you will need to cut back on foods high in salt, sugar and fat too.
Even if you are not at risk for high blood pressure, lowering your salt intake has great benefits and is healthier all around by reducing puffiness, swelling, nausea and headaches. Because of the many side effects too much sodium can have on our bodies and overall health, keeping an eye on your salt intake is just as important as watching your saturated fats and sugar.
So to maintain a good balance, keeping packaged foods from a box or can to a minimum is key. Most processed food contain huge amounts of added fats, salt and sugar. If we are eating real food and adding salt (or reduced-sodium soy sauce) to our meals for taste, we are already ahead of the game. If you are missing the extra-salty taste a little too much, dried herbs are a great substitute for meat, fish, veggies and even popcorn.
If there’s one thing we’re embarrassingly up front about, it’s just how real our beauty obsession is. And sure, it’s all fun and games when we’re stalking Sephora’s monthly new releases, but when boring shit like rent and groceries come into play, our love for makeup, hair and skin care basically demolishes our budgets. But rather than rein in our product obsession (suck it, self-control), we’re taking a different route. We’ve scoured the market to find the absolute best wallet-friendly beauty brands.
And, guys, we feel like we’ve struck gold, because we discovered 15 crazy-affordable brands (like, $8 for eye shadow palettes affordable) that prove products don’t have to be expensive to be good. Ahead, check out our 15 favorite beauty brands for major bargains and high-quality ingredients.
1. NYX Cosmetics is your one-stop shop for super-cheap but high-quality makeup basics. From $7 lipsticks to $10 tinted moisturizers, it requires major self-control to leave the site with an empty cart.
2. Peach Slices is the new Korean beauty line from Peach & Lily founder Alicia Yoon. Taking a fun, affordable approach to Korean skin care, Peach Slices features an impressive lineup of under-$3 sheet masks (all of which, are designed and packaged to perfection).
3. Kristin Ess offers high-quality minimalist hair care that’s pretty enough to make your Insta feed. The celebrity hairstylist’s line of shampoo, conditioner and stylers is available exclusively at Target. And you know it's got to be good stuff coming from a stylist who works regularly with Lucy Hale.
4. Bourjoisis a French makeup brand boasting lipsticks, liners, primers and shadows — all under $20.
5. Promise Organic proves top-notch ingredients don’t have to break the bank. Available at CVS, the line features gentle skin care products like soothing coconut cleansers and body lotions.
6. The Body Shop offers high-quality, budget-friendly hair products, skin care, makeup and fragrances. We’re obsessed with the chamomile oil cleanser.
7. Pacifica is a vegan, cruelty-free makeup, skin care and hair line with on-point packaging and nonirritating ingredients, with most products hitting the under-$15 mark.
8. Milani is hands down one of our favorite drugstore makeup brands — from creamy matte lipsticks to super-pigmented blushes, they’ve got it all.
9. Verb offers a full line of hair products, all of which are priced at $16. With cool, minimalist packaging and innovative formulas (like the brand’s new Ghost line), Verb leaves your hair looking salonworthy for a fraction of the price.
10. Holika Holika‘s packaging alone will have you sold. The K-beauty line features makeup and skin care that’s too cute (and cheap!) to pass up.
11. E.l.f. Cosmetics is a must for any makeup obsessive. The O.G. of cheap but awesome products, E.l.f. is one of the only places (if not the only place) you can get legitimate makeup for $1.
12. CeraVe is the not-so-secret obsession of Reddit’s infamous SkincareAddiction community. The line of no-frills facial cleansers, moisturizers and SPFs are loved among those with oily and acne-prone complexions.
13. L.A. Girl is a bit of danger zone for any makeup hoarder. With a wide range of under-$10 makeup and nail polishes, "just one more product," usually turns into five.
14. The Ordinary is the Canadian skin care brand blowing up the beauty sphere. The brand specializes in high-quality active ingredients for under $10.
15. BH Cosmetics brings your budget-friendly palette dreams to life — 28 shades for as low as $8, folks.
She won big at the 69th Primetime Emmys for her work on Saturday Night Live, and luckily, Kate McKinnon had someone special at her side to congratulate her when her name was announced: her girlfriend, actor and photographer Jackie Abbott. There's no word from the pair on how long they've been together, although it's fair to say things might be serious if McKinnon brought Abbott as her Emmys date, right? All I know is this couple is totally sweet together, and it's clear that Abbott is always there to support her girlfriend. I don't know about you, but this might be my new favorite Hollywood couple.
But aside from the very public show of affection and support at the Emmys, who is Abbott? Unlike her girlfriend, she's somewhat of an enigma, and we only have her public website to rely on for some key information. Just looking through her site, it's clear she has a lighthearted approach to life and she's dedicated to her work. Here's what else we learned about her.
1. She went to NYU Tisch School of the Arts
Abbott now works mostly in the theater, and it makes sense considering she got her training at one of the foremost drama schools in the country.
2. She worked for Susan Sarandon
On her website, Abbott casually mentions that she used to work for Sarandon, and she trained under Steel Magnolias actor Olympia Dukakis. I wonder if she has any juicy stories about working with either of these powerhouse women, because that is pretty darn interesting.
Abbott mentions that she used to be an Irish step dancer as a child, and funnily enough, one of her performances was held where The Maury Show now films.
4. She has a great sense of humor
On her website, she jokes about how she explored various careers... as a child. "Jackie explored many careers in her childhood, mostly via fingerpainted [sic] portraits," she writes in the third-person on her website.
5. She lists some very special skills on her acting résumé
Abbott lists Argentine tango, clowning and capoeira among her many extracurricular talents. Talk about skills!
6. She & McKinnon seem well-matched based on this quote
Nowhere is this more evident than in the way she says others have described her: "Dubbed a cheeky firecracker by her professors, Jackie is as passionate as she is a goofball."
7. She's very low-key on social media
Aside from Abbott's website, she keeps things pretty low-key. Don't expect to see too many personal photos popping up on Instagram anytime soon, but do check out her photography work over on her professional Instagram for JMA Photography.
You’ve read the pregnancy books. You’ve been to the childbirth classes. You might even have written a birth plan. And you’ve ignored everything you’ve read/heard about pooping during labor because, well, there’s nothing you can do about it anyway.
But however much preparation, deep breathing and Googling you've done over the last few months, you likely still have questions and concerns about exactly what’s going to happen on that life-altering day.
Wherever you feel most comfortable. While the vast majority of women still choose hospitals, a growing number are opting to give birth at home or in birthing centers. According to federal data, in 2012, 1.36 percent of U.S. births were outside a hospital, up from 1.26 percent in 2011.
You want to avoid interventions such as an episiotomy, epidural or C-section.
And/or you want to share the experience with multiple loved ones.
If you are considering a home birth, it’s important to hire a doula, find a midwife who shares your birth philosophy and find a pediatrician who will examine your baby within 24 hours of the birth.
A home birth is definitely not recommended if you are diabetic, have chronic high blood pressure or preeclampsia, have experienced preterm labor in the past, are at risk for preterm labor now or do not have the full support of your partner in your decision to give birth at home.
That said, even if your pregnancy is healthy and low-risk, you may feel more comfortable delivering in a hospital because of the available technology and medical staff.
If you want a more natural birth experience but don't want to give birth at home, a birth center can be a great middle ground. Birth centers offer a relaxed atmosphere, a team of health care providers (which may include nurse-midwives, direct-entry midwives or nurses working with an obstetrician) and the option of returning home shortly after the birth. However, they vary greatly in terms of style and setup, so do your research.
What is a doula?
According to Doulas of North America, a doula is "a trained professional who provides continuous physical, emotional and informational support to a mother before, during and shortly after childbirth to help her achieve the healthiest, most satisfying experience possible."
Unlike a midwife, a doula is not medically trained and doesn’t physically deliver babies. A doula’s role is to provide support to women (and their partners) at the end of their pregnancies, during labor and beyond.
Recommendations from the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists published in February 2017 highlight the importance of having a doula present during birth, stating, "in addition to regular nursing care, continuous one-to-one emotional support provided by support personnel, such as a doula, is associated with improved outcomes for women in labor."
Evidence of the benefits of doulas from randomized trials include shortened labor, decreased need for analgesia, fewer operative deliveries and fewer reports of dissatisfaction with the experience of labor.
Every labor is different. A typical scenario includes five to eight hours of early labor (your cervix gradually opens) followed by two to eight hours of active labor (your cervix opens more rapidly and contractions are longer, stronger and more frequent). Most doctors will advise going to the hospital when contractions are five minutes apart. When you get there, you'll likely be hooked up to an IV to prevent dehydration and to an electronic monitor that measures your contractions and your baby’s heart rate. Your doctor or midwife will do an internal exam to check your progress. On average, the cervix opens about 1 centimeter per hour, but again, every woman is different.
At the end of active labor, you’re fully dilated (10 centimeters) and ready to push — and yes, it's a lottery when it comes to how long this part takes. Some women push their babies out in minutes, while others take hours and may need assistance. When you're ready to push, you'll feel intense pressure in your rectal area, as if you’re trying to pass a bowel movement (and if you do, that's totally fine). Although medical experts no longer recommend a routine episiotomy (a cut to enlarge the vaginal opening) your doctor may advise one if she feels it's truly necessary in order for the baby to be safely born.
Within 30 minutes of your baby's birth, you'll be asked to push again to deliver the placenta, which usually comes out easily. If you've torn or had an episiotomy, your doctor will then stitch you up.
What does a C-section involve?
When you're prepped for a C-section (whether or not it's planned) a nurse will start an IV containing saline solution and in some cases an antibiotic. Unless the C-section is an emergency, the anesthesiologist will administer an epidural so you won’t feel anything below your belly button — though you’ll be fully awake throughout the procedure. Your doctor will drape the area around your belly (you can request a clear sheet if you'd like to witness the procedure) and then cut through the skin, muscles, uterus and amniotic sac.
“You feel almost nothing — maybe a little pressure and some tugging,” says Dr. Gloria Bachmann, chief of the OB-GYN service at the Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick, New Jersey. Minutes later, the doctor will lift the baby out and bring them up to your head for you to see before removing the placenta and stitching you up. The entire process typically takes 40 to 90 minutes.
If you're worried about the pain of childbirth, there are several pain-relief options available to you. If you're at a hospital during early labor, you may be offered a pain reliever such as Demerol or Stadol, but you're likely to have to wait until active labor for an epidural.
If you choose an epidural, an anesthesiologist will numb your lower spine before using a long needle to inject pain-killing drugs. "An epidural is placed on a continual pump, which can be adjusted through the labor," explains board-certified obstetrician and gynecologist Renee Horowitz. "It will block a certain amount of pain associated with contractions, but it will not block the feeling of 'pushing.' Very little actually takes away the feeling of pushing."
Horowitz reminds her patients who are afraid of the pain that "all labors start, but all labors end. There is an end point. It will not go on forever."
No matter how you deliver, it's normal to wear pads for several weeks to absorb the blood-tinged fluid from your uterus as you heal.
If you still have questions and fears about giving birth, education is key, says Horowitz. "Education and being proactive is always important in health care. Anything you can learn in classes is really important, as it takes away some of the fears and anxiety of the 'unknown.' I always encourage my patients to take Lamaze and any other childbirth information classes."
