News

We need 5 cups of their coffee potion ASAP.

Picture, this, Miami 2020, you and your best friend are boarding a Golden Girls-themed cruise ship, ready for one of the best weeks of your life. This actually could be you! Next year, a cruise based on the popular ’80s TV show will set sail from Miami, Florida and you can book your trip right now. Flip Phone Events is hosting Golden Girls At Sea: A Golden Girls Fan Cruise, a 5-night Western Caribbean cruise that leaves on February 24, 2020.

When you’re not feeling well, it doesn’t matter how old you are, it is nice to snuggle up with something soft and warm. If that happens to be a stuffed animal, there is no shame here, there’s a reason everyone loves stuffed animals! They can be extremely comforting and soothing. Experts have even said it is totally normal for adults to sleep with stuffed animals, as they are considered transitional objects that can give us a sense of comfort.

Did you grow up thinking your hometown was kind of boring? Or maybe you thought the name was silly and hated it? Well, at least you didn’t grow up in a town that is literally named Boring. That’s right, Boring is a town name in the state of Oregon. Can you imagine telling people that is your hometown? Thanks to Estately, we now know some of the weirdest named towns in the U.S. Estately is a national real estate company.

Set sail in 2020!

If your tropical houseplants aren’t warming you up enough this winter and you’re pining for a full-blown paradise of your own, then you’re in luck. No, summer isn’t coming early, but there is a free beach vacation sweepstakes open now. A private island off the coast of Placencia, Belize, called Kanu is currently up for grabs as part of the VRBO’s Win the Island Sweepstakes.

The most magical place on Earth is about to go intergalactic: Word on the design streets is that a Star Wars hotel is coming to Disney World in Orlando, and this collision of fantasy worlds undoubtedly has space geeks and theme park enthusiasts pumped. The new luxury resort at Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge theme park will be the first of its kind, and true to form, Disney has plans to go all out (of this world) with the hotel design.

It is officially happening! “Queer Eye” season three is less than a month away. The Fab 5 took to social media to announce the amazing news, finally telling fans when we will get new episodes. Carly Rae Jepsen has a new song, “Now That I Found You,” that’s also tied to the promo for the new season of “Queer Eye” and we’re already dancing along to the music.

Are you the friend that everyone turns to when the group has a question about Harry Potter? You’ve seen all the movies so many times, you can’t even count, you reread the books every year, and you’ve made the trek to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. You are *the* Potterhead in your group. If so, chances are, you already own a Harry Potter-inspired board game. There are quite a few on the market. Well, get ready to add to your collection!

Do you love Wayfair’s prices but you’re not crazy about purchasing furniture online? It can be a bit of a risk. You never know if it’s going to actually look as pretty as it does in the picture. Not only that, you run the risk of getting pieces of furniture that require a lot of work to put together. We’ve all ordered a coffee table before that looked simple enough to assemble, only to need two friends to come over and help us out after the fact.

If you’ve ever commuted by train, bus, or bike or regularly hike with your dogs, then this genius new hybrid to-go container will no doubt solve one of life’s pressing problems—by combining your water bottle and travel coffee mug in one. No longer do we have to literally juggle beverage containers while trying to channel an octopus, or choose between life-giving caffeine and hydration.

We’re seeing more and more dream jobs where the lucky employee gets paid to travel the world. There’s usually some unbelievable perks, and most require skills like photography and social media content creation—but this gig is different. That’s why the latest dream job we spotted really stands out. One woman is hiring a personal designer to travel the world by her side.

Everyone jokes about running to Target to buy “just one thing” but you wind up spending $200 without even realizing it. There is such a thing as the “Target effect” which is the reason why we overspend when shopping at Target. The marketing and design team at Target have created a layout that guides shoppers through an assortment of products the retailer wants us to buy.

If you love to binge-watch HGTV and roam the aisles of Target on your weekends off, there’s a new collection you’re going to want to check out. We’ve already gotten Hearth & Hand from Chip and Joanna Gaines and now another HGTV star has brought their design style to Target. Leanne Ford, of Leanne Ford Interiors and “Restored by the Fords” on HGTV, is shedding light on the Target collection. When it comes to design, Leanne says, “Lighting is everything.

Why is pretending to be a princess and drinking afternoon tea only meant for children? Tea parties are one of the best parties to be invited to. And getting to dress up like your favorite princess is an added bonus! If loving Disney princesses means we’re still kids at heart, we’ll gladly accept that fate. Especially if it means we get to drink tea out of porcelain cups! Pottery Barn has been steadily adding items to their stores that kids and adults love.

Valentine’s Day is less than a week away and if you haven’t gotten a card for your loved one yet, you’re going to want to get on that ASAP. Stores everywhere have an assortment of cards to choose from, including heavily romantic cards, cards full of puns, cards based on movie franchises, and more. If you’re looking for something magical to share with your loved one, the wizarding world is exactly where you want to look.

Do you take roughly 500 photos when you go on vacation? And then spend the following 10 weeks after your trip sharing “TBT” pictures on Instagram? No shame here, we all are guilty of doing this, at least once. Everyone likes to show off their best side on the ‘gram. If this is something you think you’re a pro at, you might just be able to get a job out of it.

Everyone hates baggage fees, whether they’re unexpected or not. But clearly, the airlines know how to make a bundle off them: In 2017, US airlines collected $4.6 billion in checked baggage fees. Enter: LugLess, a new travel startup that offers a cost-competitive alternative to checking bags. The company is hoping that customers are willing to part with the traditional baggage-checking model in order to score cheaper luggage shipping rates.

Pour yourself a glass of kale juice, because Netflix is about to get Gooped. The lifestyle company, helmed by patron saint of jade eggs and juice cleanses, Gwyneth Paltrow, has inked a major deal with Netflix to create a docu-series that will air this fall. Split into 30-minute episodes, the program will be hosted by Paltrow and other members of the Goop team, and will discuss “issues relating to physical and spiritual wellness,” Variety reports.

This April we will be celebrating our 15th birthday. For me, it will be a celebration of growing, doing better and better work over the years, and staying true to our mission.

Dear Readers, Welcome to the first monthly installment of our Letter from the Editor — my chance to speak directly to you about what’s going on at Apartment Therapy. I’ll be writing the first Monday of the month to give you updates on what to expect. This past year or so has been a bit of renovation for us, in both technology (you might have noticed a refreshed front page) and growing audience (we reach millions of you each month!).

There is an interesting belief that people are either dog people or cat people. But any general animal lover knows the more the merrier! Why limit yourself to just one species when you can appreciate them all? However, some people do tend to stay away from cats for a somewhat valid reason, though I personally ignore it. Cats can really aggravate allergies. You’ll meet people who cannot even go in the same room as a cat for 30 seconds without practically bursting.

For some people, it might be a little too early to think of Christmas. But at the Hallmark Channel, it is never too early to plan for Christmas. In 2018, they released 22 new holiday movies. Clearly, over at the Hallmark Channel, they are putting in a lot of work when it comes to Christmas. If that is your favorite channel to curl up on the couch with a cup of cocoa and watch during the holiday season, you’re in luck.

Is there anything that smells worse than a wet dog? Probably, but it is not a smell that you want to linger in your house. After a bath, every dog has a moment of intense “zoomies” where they sprint around the house and get their wet dog smell on just about everything. As much as we love to watch our dogs run around and act a little crazy, there is a way to avoid this smell getting on your couch, bed, and carpet. Now, your dog obviously can get wet from more than just a bath.

Now that it is officially February, we’re due for some winter weather. The end of January saw a polar vortex sweep the U.S. that had temperatures plummeting into the -50 and -60°F range. There were 100-degree differences in temperatures between Florida and the states impacted by the frigid cold snap. With this cold weather comes a lot of ice. In order to combat ice on sidewalks and roadways, rock salt is thrown down on the ground. As any pet owner knows, rock salt is an enemy to dogs.

Harry Potter fans, get ready to dip into your little sacks of money and pull out all of your Knuts, Sickles, and Galleons. You’re going to need some money for the newest addition to Warner Bros. Studio Tour London. It is official, you can now visit Gringotts Wizarding Bank! Warner Bros. Studio Tour London opened “The Making of Harry Potter” back in 2012, as a way to preserve set pieces from the Harry Potter films for fans to experience for many years to come.

Quite simply, January was a tremendous month. We finished with the strongest audience numbers in over two years (take out Thanksgiving on Kitchn). You’d have to go back to 2016 to see regular month numbers that topped this past month. Excellent job. The only thing I really have to say is – stay the course. Clearly, the many hours of work that have been put in over the last year are beginning to pay off.

Super Bowl LIII is this weekend. If you’re not a diehard Patriots or Rams fan, you may not be too hyped up. It’s even possible you forgot the big game is coming up this weekend. You’re forgiven because there’s still time to whip up a Sunday afternoon fiesta, complete with decorations and themed snacks. Pinterest has plenty of clever and chic ideas to help you elevate your Super Bowl party decor, no matter who you’re cheering for this year.

The internet tells us plenty of ways to improve your morning cup of joe: carefully monitor the coffee to water ratio, don’t use water that hasn’t boiled yet, and a number of other tips. But there’s one thing coffee-making connoisseurs fail to point out: let someone—or something—else do all the heavy lifting. This nifty coffee brewing alarm clock will wake you up and get you caffeinated.

The best way to ensure your Valentine’s Day goes smoothly this year is to get prepared well ahead of February 14. That means no attempting to make last-minute dinner reservations or frantically perusing the picked-over cards at your favorite drugstore. On the other hand, you should definitely put some sincerity, time and effort into selecting a suitable card for your sweetie, and there’s a Valentine’s Day card pack to make the choice a little easier.

Going on vacation can be one of the best things that your family does together—you can make memories that will last a lifetime. As much fun as traveling can be, the flight costs to your destination can be crippling for a family, especially ones with multiple kids. Children over the age of two are charged a full-price ticket by most airlines, and even if that 3-year-old is going to demand to sit in your lap the entire time, you often will have to pay for a seat for them on the plane.

As January turns into February, it would seem that the harsh cold weather is here to stay. One day we have temperatures in the 40s, and the next, it’s a frigid 5 degrees. With these fluctuating temperatures comes dry skin and brittle, damaged hair. The winter weather can even take a toll on those who don’t color or use heat tools, or those who already have silky hair. One way to combat dryness is using a hair mask to help keep your locks hydrated.

All aboard the train that will get you away from the hustle and bustle of every day life—for free! Amtrak is on the hunt for one lucky winner to do just that, as part of their new social media residency. The program, deemed #AmtrakTakeMeThere, is looking for someone who is savvy with social media, can connect with followers, and most importantly, they can package and share their Amtrak travel stories to the world.

Have you ever had one of those days where you needed to take a long shower to rinse all the annoyances of the day off of your skin? Of course, you have, we’ve all been there. Sometimes, when you need to decompress at the end of a bad day, on top of that long shower, you might also need a drink. But having a drink in the shower or bath isn’t always exactly convenient. The steam from the hot water makes the ledges in your bathroom slippery.

Now that January is almost coming to a close, after what feels like 60 days and not 31, that means Valentine’s Day is just around the corner. Maybe you buy for your significant other or your galentines, or maybe you like to treat yourself on February 14th. If you’re a Harry Potter lover or someone close to you is, you’re going to want to check out these gifts that are currently on sale.