Life

Hear ye, hear ye: The Crown season 2 is now available on Netflix. While the world was caught up with royal engagement fever, you probably forgot that the period drama was returning for another ten episodes. Here’s what you need to remember from season 1 and what we can expect from season 2 (spoilers ahead, but not really because it’s based on true events, you know?).

Anybody who says they enjoy flying just hasn’t flown enough. There aren’t enough audiobooks and podcasts in the world to make waiting at a crowded gate for a delayed flight with a 10-percent battery feel like a good time. But what does go a long way in making a miserable airport experience a, well… less miserable airport experience are modern amenities— everything from free wifi to creepily accurate wait time trackers.

These plants will be everywhere in 2018, according to Pinterest.

While the frenzy around it has cooled slightly, we are still very much living in The Golden Age of Television, aka Peak TV. And while I look forward to telling my robot grandchildren that I lived through the years when they put The Good Place on air, there is a downside to living in such a content-rich time, and that is having to say goodbye to some of our favorite (and not so favorite) shows.

Great Britain (and the rest of the world, for that matter) can’t wait to hear wedding bells for Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. And as expected, the couple, who started dating back in July of 2016, have already set the wedding industry afire with predictions for what their royal celebration will include. But there are some details we know are already nailed down (including the just announced date!): His Royal Highness Prince Henry of Wales and Ms. Meghan Markle will marry on 19th May 2018.

Netflix quietly handed us all another gift in the form of Christmas Inheritance, their latest original holiday movie, starring Eliza Taylor (The 100) and Jake Lacy (Carol, Obvious Child). If you were pleasantly surprised by last month’s so-bad-it’s-good A Christmas Prince, you might be able to get into the spirit of Inheritance. Taylor plays Ellen Langford, the daughter of a wealthy retail owner (What do they sell? Gifts. There’s no need to be any more specific than that).

People have tried to decipher what our dreams mean since the beginning of time, and now, researchers are taking a look at why we have them. A new study published last month takes a look at one particularly stressful dream pattern: the recurring nightmare. Occasional bad dreams are one thing, but recurring nightmares can signal something else, according to a study published in the journal Motivation and Emotion.

Now is the time when year-end book lists abound, hardcovers are gifted at family holidays, and your favorite writer announces that they’ve got something in store for 2018. But even if it feels like there are too many books and never enough time, that could actually be a good thing. “Antilibraries”, those collections of books we own but never get to, can keep us intellectually curious and humble.

I want to read more. I really do. But it’s easy to let myself off the hook, with all the responsibilities that come from having a gaggle of young children, a house to care for and work to do. But I also know that reading — good, solid, offline reading — adds a dimension to our lives that only books (or e-books) can offer. Let’s determine to find a way to make more time for them in the coming year.

“Twas a long time ago, longer now than it seems, in a place that perhaps you’ve seen in your dreams,” opens the 1993 classic The Nightmare Before Christmas. Going opening night as a kid felt like a dream; seeing it at 10pm and getting the Kids’ Combo blurred reality’s edges in the best sugar high, up past my bedtime kind of way. For some people, Die Hard is their edgy holiday movie.

After overindulging at a networking event in November (who thought it was a good idea to slip me those extra beer tickets?), I decided to swear off drinking until my birthday in January. It wasn’t until I posted my promise on Facebook that I realized I’d instated my ban in what is perhaps the booziest time of the year: the holiday season. Rather than deleting my post and giving up, I decided to go for it anyway.

Whether you’ve recently kickstarted a new workout plan for the New Year, you’re trying to exercise more, or you’re just trying to keep up with your current habits, one thing is certain: you cannot forget about recovery. In fact, physical therapist David Jou and co-owner of MOTIVNY, says that recovery is just as important as the exercise itself. A good way to get started is by being more aware of your body, your muscles, and how everything works together when you work out.

Don't let crowded gyms deter you from fitting in a workout.

Hello stranger! It’s time for another installment of Beauty Bucket List, a series in which we roll up our sleeves to do some hard and fast testing of cult beauty products, because just hearing about how great something is isn’t good enough for us.

Ever heard that it takes 21 days to form a habit? Turns out, it may require longer than just three weeks for your New Year’s resolution to become second nature. New research shows that it takes 66 days on average to form a habit — busting the old 21-day myth.

Everyone seems to be talking about “kids these days” and their addiction to technology. Yet, where’s the accountability for adults? With many of us checking our phones up to 85 times a day, it feels like we could all use a bit of an intervention. So this is exactly what I decided to do. I vowed to give up my phone for a week with just three simple rules: 1. No cell phone or social media for a week in any way. 2. No cheating. 3. Seriously, no cheating.

Like many people, I fell down a Wikipedia rabbit hole while watching The Crown. So what’s a history nerd to do? Pull together a chronological watch list to help sort out the history of the monarchy in dramatic order, naturally. As a lover of costume dramas, I was well versed in period films and TV series depicting the British royal family long before Claire Foy and Matt Smith captivated the world with their performances as the young Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip in The Crown.

Amazon’s new original series darling, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, just took home two Golden Globes, and this weekend, you can watch the accoladed series for free – with our without an Amazon Prime membership. Per the retail and streaming giant, anyone can watch the series at no cost starting this Friday at 12:01 a.m. local time, right up until 11:59 p.m. local time Monday.

The show that just took home the Golden Globe for Best Drama TV Series doesn’t come back until April, but Hulu recently dropped a teaser trailer for season two of The Handmaid’s Tale. Here’s a breakdown of what might be to come for Offred and company in season two, based on a cruel, less-than-90-seconds of footage. As is to be expected, below are spoilers for season one.

There’s nothing worse for a bookworm than hearing about a must-read debut, only to find you’re the 105th person on the waitlist at your local library. In the interest of keeping you, and your bookshelves, ahead of the curve, we’ve outlined some of 2018’s most-anticipated releases and debut authors so you can start requesting your holds now.

It’s almost time for mid-season replacements, that wonderful time of year when all the second-string sitcoms sub in for the ones that got cancelled already. Over at ABC, they’re taking a chance on Alex, Inc., a show based on a podcast. The whole thing may sound very meta, but get used to the small screen borrowing from its increasingly popular audible cousin. After all, 2 Dope Queens just landed a series of HBO specials. Alex, Inc.

Even the most focused and organized people let their resolutions slip—it’s so common that a “holiday” has even been invented to let people ditch their resolutions without shame. But we want to challenge you to try something else: Restart Your Resolution Day. Now that you’re back in a normal routine, revisit that goal that’s starting to make you feel guilty and recommit.

Whether you live in an area that’s prone to thunderstorms, hurricanes, earthquakes, tornadoes, or any other number of natural disasters, if the power goes out, we all have the same questions: How long can we still eat the food in the refrigerator or freezer, and what should we keep or pitch after the power comes back on? Here’s a guide to help you both monitor and know what to do with food when there’s no electricity.

Whether you call them your besties, squad, or BFFs, they’re your closest friends and you love them more than anything. And just like anyone you truly adore, it’s only natural to want to spoil your squad on Galentine’s Day. However, sometimes, okay most of the time, our budgets aren’t nearly half as big as our hearts — and squads. And because you might have a bunch of gals to buy for (lucky you!

Sorry, creepers: Instagram is once again “borrowing” a feature from Snapchat. The photo app is reportedly testing a screenshot alert notification for Stories, so you can no longer save photos undetected. The feature was reported yesterday by TechCrunch when people took to social media to share the new feature. Good bye freedom to screenshot IG stories. ? Thank you, Instagram for the warning. pic.twitter.

It’s a brutal winter. The world outside can be a horrible place. Can you blame anyone for wanting to cancel their plans, stay in, sleep late and watch TV all weekend? It’s self care, after all, and we can all get behind that. I mean, it feels good to get cozy and binge on, well, pretty much any shows out right now. And who among us doesn’t need some more shut-eye?

Let’s preface this by stating clearly that there is absolutely nothing wrong with sex or TV. They’re both fantastic when enjoyed with a loving partner (or by yourself). But whether your relationship is brand new or you’ve been together so long you’re inadvertently starting to dress the same, building intimacy as a couple is important. And real intimacy, well, that can sometimes take more than just a little Netflix and chill.

Are you a card-carrying member of Exfoliation Nation? Then you need to know about the Italy Towel, a sandpaper-esque mitt worshipped by skincare fanatics. If you’re one for falling down the rabbit hole that is internet skincare sites — Reddit’s Skincare Addiction is a personal fave — then you may have seen the abrasive and (often) electric green-colored towel before.

Trading Spaces‘ Genevieve Gorder is prepping to trade some vows. And when the beloved TLC show returns to airwaves in April, her new fiancé will be making an appearance too. Just a few days ago, Gorder announced her engagement to designer and builder Christian Dunbar, PEOPLE confirmed. “It takes a pretty big love to interrupt a beautiful life…this one was undeniable,” said Gorder, 43. “So off we go to the dance again.

If you’ve ever sipped on a velvety, chewy glass of red wine so delicious that you thought to yourself, “Wow, I could take a bath in this,” then you just might be ready to try the Medieval self-care regimen we didn’t know we were missing — but are totally here for now.

Everyone’s favorite ’90s working class drama is making a comeback, and to celebrate the return of Roseanne ABC is taking New York City commuters on a a nostalgic immersion experience — complete with retro afghan blankets — as a literal hype vehicle.

March 8 is International Women’s Day, and it’s a great opportunity to support an organization that helps women, such as Kiva, WAGGGS, or another great non-profit. Once you’ve done your part, relax with some women-led TV. While the Oscar winners this year were still pretty dude-heavy, you can lift up women’s profiles in TV by streaming and supporting women-helmed projects. Cinematography work by women is amazing, but rare.

For me, a new month means a new TBR pile, and I always look to my favorite bookworm, Reese Witherspoon, for what to add to my list. “Reese’s Book Club,” a community of almost 400,000 on Instagram, selects a new read each month and often brings in the author for exclusive interviews. Our March Book Pick, #EroticStoriesForPunjabiWidows, has something for everyone: It’s a mystery, a romance, a family drama… and yes, it’s ? ? ?!

Fixer-Upper superfans have been anxiously awaiting the news of Chip and Joanna Gaines’s fifth child’s sex, going as far to speculate that it’s a little girl named Evie. But the truth has finally come out, and it looks like it’s due to quick comment Chip made while at a golf tournament. “Alright, alright.. if we’re going to announce the gender of our #5th child. It might as well come from my new friend #Gage! Take it away my man.

As ladies around the world and the men who support them stand up in unison to celebrate International Women’s Day today, Google’s famed Doodle is doing what it does best — shining the spotlight on unsung but important stories through its homepage.

My house has never looked better than it did in the third trimester of my pregnancy. My kitchen cabinets and bedroom closet were organized, my carpets and counters were clean, and my living spaces were decked out with the latest mid-century pieces from Target and CB2. As I deep-cleaned and primped my home prior to the baby’s arrival, I knew exactly what was happening: I was nesting. (And then the baby came, and all bets for a clean or well-designed home were off.

Pets belong on the bed. At our house anyway, and at many of yours, I bet. In fact, surveys on the topic show that around half of pet owners let them sleep on the bed. As for us, our little guy Truffle starts out wedged between my pillows and my husband’s, but at some point in the night moves to curl up to my back, a solid, warm little brick that’s surprisingly immovable for 16 pounds.

Louisa May Alcott’s famous novel Little Women is a moving story of four sisters—Meg, Joe, Beth, and Amy—growing up during the Civil War. The popular story inspired many adaptations, including movies, musicals, operas and children’s books. Now, to celebrate 150 years of the March sisters, Little, Brown Books for Young Readers has partnered with Tapas Media to give the beloved story a modern and more inclusive update.

Chloe Benjamin, who lives in Madison, Wisconsin, spent years writing her epic novel The Immortalists, an emotional story about four siblings who learn the exact dates of their deaths from a mysterious fortuneteller. As Varya, Daniel, Klara, and Simon grow up and grow apart, this knowledge drives distinctly different journeys and forces each to question whether we control fate—or fate controls us.

Leni Zumas’ novel Red Clocks is one of the most talked-about of 2018, celebrated for telling a complex, thoughtful story about five strong women grappling with motherhood in vastly different ways. Her central characters—a biographer, a daughter, a wife, an explorer, and a witch-like mender—find their paths intersect as reproductive rights undergo major governmental regulation.

Stretching is critical component of physical fitness and overall health. “It keeps the muscles flexible, strong, and healthy, and we need that flexibility to maintain a range of motion in the joints,” according to experts at Harvard Health. “Without it, the muscles shorten and become tight. Then, when you call on the muscles for activity, they are weak and unable to extend all the way. That puts you at risk for joint pain, strains, and muscle damage.

Did you know one of America’s most loved 90s pop icons is at the helm of her own Hallmark Channel movie franchise? Jewel, who continues to successfully pull off going only by her first name despite transitioning into an acting career, is the lead in her third Fixer Upper Mystery, which premiered this month, following two previous 2017 movies in the series.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are bucking tradition. According to royal history, the chosen wedding dessert should be a fruitcake. But luckily for their boatload of wedding guests, Harry and Meghan have decided to eschew tradition and go with something a bit more trendy. The couple are going with a lemon elderflower cake. Kensington Palace announced the delectable treat news in a tweet on Tuesday, saying “For their wedding cake Prince Harry and Ms.

Netflix can be pretty tight-lipped on their viewer data (with the exception of occasionally trolling its users on Twitter), but now they are reporting that there’s one horror movie on the streaming platform that many viewers are just too scared to finish. The 2017 horror movie Veronica is one of the scariest movies on Netflix. Set in 1991 Madrid, Veronica is about a teen girl who finds herself besieged by an evil supernatural force after she plays Ouija with two classmates.

Is it just me or does it seem like astrology is everywhere? Not that I’m mad about it—I check about four different sites every Monday and look forward to our Home Horoscopes every month. I was talking to my friend Emily the other day, a true astrology believer, about getting back into the online dating game when she whipped out an astrology card to check on my compatibility with a guy I’d matched with.

Clairee, Ouiser, M’Lynn, Annelle, Shelby. If these are names of women who are as dear to your heart as any real-life girlfriends, then pack your bags for a trip to the real-life Chinquapin Parish—known to locals as Natchitoches, Louisiana. Where the Eatenton home from Steel Magnolias is now an actual bed and breakfast, with bookings available.

I like to think I’m a pretty savvy Amazon shopper. I regularly surf for Lightning Deals and take full advantage of Subscribe & Save and no-rush shipping discounts. So I’m a little shocked I didn’t know about this well-kept secret sooner. Have you heard about Amazon Trade-In? Amazon’s Trade-In program lets you turn in used items in exchange for Amazon gift cards and discounts.

Tonight is the series finale of Fixer Upper, and if you’re in denial, you’re not alone. Jo took some time today to reflect on the end of the show over on Magnolia’s blog. While the power couple aren’t exactly disappearing forever, deciding to end their hugely popular HGTV show last fall came as quite a surprise.

I recently spent hours examining every yogurt label I could find to determine which yogurts have the least amount of sugar. I was focusing on toddler yogurts for this story for Kitchn about low-sugar yogurt brands, but it got me thinking about the yogurts I eat, too. It was shocking, truly, to discover most yogurts have a ton of added sugar. I had frequently heard this was the case, but I assumed it was the “dessert” yogurts like strawberry cheesecake or cookies and cream.

Grads everywhere may be thumbing through Oh The Places You’ll Go!, which is all well and good, but we think Gilmore Girl-turned-author Lauren Graham has written the next classic for high school and college graduates. Her small-but-mighty book, In Conclusion, Don’t Worry About It, was developed after she gave the commencement speech at her high school in 2017 and realized she had some valuable advice for young people on the cusp of new chapters.

Confidently flashing a smile can indicate confidence and friendliness, and make a strong first impression. So it’s totally normal to chase whiter, brighter teeth by turning to a professional for treatments or reaching for a package of whitener at the drugstore.

If you haven’t yet caught up on Hulu’s original series The Handmaid’s Tale, you’ve got a couple weeks to check it out – season two starts April 25, when the first two episodes of the 13-episode season will drop. Episodes will air weekly after that, just like season one did. Because the new season takes place after the original source material—Margaret Atwood’s 1989 book—ends, we don’t know what’s outside of Gilead.

Waking up with linen lines imprinted on your face is no fun, but it’s hard to resist the urge to snuggle into a soft, cozy pillow at night. Especially since you’re, you know, asleep. But sleep-you doesn’t necessarily know what’s best, which is why she needs awake-you to be the voice of reason. And for both your sakes, it’s time to pull out those satin pillowcases you stuffed inside the closet long ago.

It’s a big, exciting step in a relationship, but moving in with a partner can also be a minefield of new complications. Just ask Meredith Goldstein, the Boston Globe’s Love Letters columnist who’s been answering readers’ relationship questions with a familiar warmth and comedic candor since 2009.

More nights than I care to admit, I work into the wee hours of the morning, slinging words so I can pay for important things like Netflix and magnetic eyelashes. When I finally drag my tired body toward the bedroom, I have just enough energy left to brush my teeth before crashing. But as I fall asleep to the symphonic range of my husband’s snoring, I often wonder just how bad it is for me to skip washing my face. Is the good skincare fairy going to come down and bop me on the head?

Financial wizards will tell you that there’s no time like the present to reign in your spending and get a grip on your budget—but it’s their job to say that! Setting a food budget (that you can stick to) isn’t exactly a cake walk. In fact, it’s kinda the opposite. To help you get on the right track, we asked 10 (super-relatable) home cooks for their best realistic food budgeting advice that you can implement right now.

Look, I’m all about a complicated, deep, character-driven novel that makes you feel a range of emotions, most of them kind of dark, but that’s not what May is about. May is about finally being able to be outside (provided you’ve taken your allergy medicine) and enjoying long walks in the park, drinks in backyards, and light, fun books you can bring to the beach or the pool. And the book you should bring with you this month is Hey Ladies!

The recent saga around Brooklyn 99, FOX’s critically-acclaimed darling about a New York City police precinct, felt like a roller coaster for fans. The network cancelled it in advance of its sixth season, only for it to be scooped up at the 11th hour by rival network NBC. Fans rejoiced on Twitter, the platform on which they’d been cursing FOX for days prior. It’s a story with a happy ending (PS, NBC, can you resuscitate Happy Endings while you’re at it?).

One of the most intricate, continuity-conscious series out there is a former Disney Channel cartoon disguised as a children’s show. Gravity Falls ran for two perfect seasons between 2012 and 2016, centering around a fictional Oregon town with twin siblings, Mabel and Dipper Pines, and their great-uncle Stan.

I always tell my kids that we don’t always get to choose our feelings, but we get to choose what we do with them. Sometimes those emotions, though, can be so strong that they feel impossible to overcome. This is where it helps to fake it ’til we make it: Acting as if we feel a certain way can cause us to actually feel that way. It’s science.

Memorial Day is around the corner, so we’re officially allowed to start planning our summers, wearing white jeans… and updating our TBR lists. One of our favorite bookworm communities, Goodreads, used their 75 million members to compile the most anticipated books of summer.

Move over, hygge. There’s a new unpronounceable #lifegoal in town for 2018, and though it does have some roots in Scandinavian tradition it’s now the Austrians who are claiming they have the real secret to happy living—with gemütlichkeit. According to the Oxford Institute, gemütlichkeit is a German-language word that sums up as “quality time” and is used to convey the idea of a state or feeling of warmth, friendliness, cordiality, and good cheer.

When you’re on the go all the time, it’s easy to be overly (almost accidentally) wasteful. Not-so-eco-friendly disposables—think plastic bottles of water, tissue, and shopping bags—often become the go-to when we’re running around in a rush. That’s why it pays to stock up on compact, eco-conscious items ahead of time, so they’re already in your bag in a pinch.

A good documentary has the power to make you look at the world differently, and if it’s really impactful, might change the way you live your life. Case in point: Sustainability documentaries—like ones that educate viewers about the global effects of excessive trash and waste. Watch one stellar documentary about the importance of sustainability, and we can pretty much guarantee you’ll start thinking twice about all the stuff you throw away in a day.

When it comes to taboo life advice that one can actually use in their 20s and 30s, beloved humorist and author David Sedaris dishes out some of the best. (Hello, that cautionary-tale tip from Me Talk Pretty One Day that keeps us all from trying on thrift store jeans before they’ve been washed, amiright?) On The Late Show with Stephen Colbert this week, Sedaris shared a peek of the commencement address he gave at Oberlin College—and his strong feelings about candles.

Life can get crazy. That’s why it’s important to take mental breaks from daily stress throughout the day. And while for some of us that might mean watching a mindless reality TV show or playing a silly iPhone game, there are also some more enriching ways to spend your downtime, when you feel so inclined. The next time you’re feeling overwhelmed by work or family, try calming yourself down with a more cerebral distraction.

Period sex is a highlight of what I, personally, consider the most miserable 3-5 days of the month. Because of my birth control, it’s been about a year since I’ve had an actual period, but the previous fifteen years of intermittent anguish are burned into my memory: cramps, mood swings, anxiety attacks, ruined underwear, bloating, acne, and spotted sheets, to name just a few symptoms. But sex on my period?

Summer: the season where you neglect Netflix to spend more time outside—or, the time when it’s too hot, so you stay cool and comfortable on your couch. Either way, if any of your faves are on the list of July’s expiring titles, you might want to make a date with your (streaming) device. Sadly, the 1994 version of Alcott’s March sisters will snowball fight out of our queues in July, but it could be the impetus you need to check out the recent PBS/Masterpiece adaptation.

You may be tempted to cut down on screen time this season to enjoy the outdoors, but Netflix wants to make that as hard as possible. Here’s what’s coming to the streaming service in July. Everything leaving Netflix in July Everyone’s favorite rambunctious redhead returns for a second season of the Netflix/CBC reboot. Jerry Seinfeld is back, and picking up more comedians in cars to get coffee.

The latest celebrity engagement between Pete Davidson and Ariana Grande solidifies the official comeback of the disputed pear-shaped diamond engagement ring. On June 15, the Saturday Night Live star posted a black-and-white photo on his Instagram account with his hand positioned under Grande’s left hand and on her ring finger sparkled a $93,000 rock. His caption: “u know what you’d dream it be like? it’s better than that.

You’re just getting home after a long night, or you’re rushing to work in the morning, and you think: A quick rinse with mouthwash will be the same as brushing my teeth. Sound familiar? Unfortunately for you, that logic isn’t quite right. While mouthwash can be a helpful addition to your oral hygiene routine, it should never be a replacement for proper dental care, says Dr.

If you like puns, crafts, and craft-related puns, then we have a pretty great way for you to spend two minutes. In a video to promote their new crafting competition show, Making It, former Parks & Rec costars Amy Poehler and Nick Offerman challenge each other to a DIY-themed pun-off. “Y’all thready for this?” starts Poehler. “Don’t be spoolish,” Offerman dishes.