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Kim Kardashian, one of the most famous women in the world, has shared some rare, intimate thoughts about her love life. The reality star revealed that she “needed to heal” before starting a new romance. Now, she is dating Formula 1 driver Lewis Hamilton.

Kardashian —worth $1.9bn according to Forbes and with 344m Instagram followers— confessed in a Zoom interview with The Times’ Style Magazine that she needed time for herself following the end of her marriage to Kanye West in 2021. “I was really single for five years. I needed to heal.”

The reality star, who currently has a new mansion under construction in California, also admitted that she has become accustomed to criticism. Her distinctive style has made her instantly recognizable: at the 2021 Met Gala, she wore a skin-tight black Balenciaga gown that completely covered her face, yet everyone still knew it was her. “I have a really thick skin,” she added.

In the interview, she also opened up about her personal life. After her divorce, Kardashian dated comedian Pete Davidson, but has largely remained single since then. “And that felt great. I could focus on my kids and projects that I really wanted to be involved with. I really felt no rush. Like, I really didn’t feel empty. I felt like I needed my time.”

“I wanted to completely heal and just work on myself. I wasn’t ready to open up. I really wasn’t even thinking about it. The universe works in your favor when you just allow it to,” she said.

For Kardashian, those five years became an important period of personal growth.
During that time, she also continued growing her primary business, the shapewear brand Skims, which she co-founded with Jens and Emma Grede.

“It started with a simple idea,” Kardashian explained. “I’ve always loved wearing shapewear but the colour choices were two options, black or a really light, nude colour.”

“I would always dye my shapewear in the sink with tea bags to find something matching my skin tone, so I thought it would be brilliant if there was this range of almost a dozen neutral colours,” she said.

Michael McDonald had the melody for a song the Doobie Brothers recorded in 1977, but he was missing one important thing: the lyrics. The solution came from an unexpected collaborator, Carly Simon, who turned his musical idea into a song that would become a Top 10 hit for her. The story behind “You Belong to Me” is a surprising meeting of two major 1970s artists—and a reminder that sometimes the song everyone knows starts with a very different version.

“🚤 Part 110 of the most streamed yacht rock hits! 391: ‘You Belong to Me’ by The Doobie Brothers 🎶 A timeless classic that takes you straight to the smooth waves 🌊 Stay tuned for more Yacht Rock hits! 🌟 #YachtRock #SmoothWaves #DoobieBrothers #ClassicHits #YachtRockVibes SmoothTunes”

Written by Michael McDonald and Carly Simon, “You Belong to Me” is a smooth soft-rock song that brought together two distinctive singer-songwriters of the 1970s. McDonald had written the melody but had no complete lyrics. Doobie Brothers producer Ted Templeman suggested that McDonald send the musical idea to Simon. A cassette tape of the melody was delivered to Simon, who handwrote the lyrics and returned them to McDonald. The two never worked on the song together in person, but their separate contributions came together to create a memorable hit.

Related: 1986 Song Inspired by ‘Itsy Bitsy Spider’ Became Carly Simon’s 12th Top 40 Hit

A #YachtRock classic written by #MichaelMcDonald with David Sanborn on sax on the record. Recorded in 1978, here is #CarlySimon live. #SoulMusic #SoulMusicVibes #70sSoul #BlueEyedSoul #TheSoulMixtape

The Doobie Brothers recorded a version of the song for their 1977 album Livin’ on the Fault Line, but it was never released as a single. Simon recorded the song for her 1978 album Boys in the Trees. Her version became a hit, reaching No. 6 on the Billboard Hot 100. The song found another life in the 1985 film Desperately Seeking Susan.

Despite holding very different places in ’70s soft-rock culture, Simon’s lyrics and McDonald’s melody blend seamlessly, thanks in part to Simon’s gift for storytelling and her ability to keep the song’s tone firmly within the yacht-rock genre.

While Simon’s version of “You Belong to Me” became a major hit single, the Doobie Brothers’ recording has continued to find an audience over time. The story behind the song is a fun reminder of how unexpected collaborations can shape the music we still love. And with the Doobie Brothers’ version offering a fresh way to hear a familiar song, it’s worth revisiting the track that brought McDonald’s melody and Simon’s lyrics together.

Related: Bob Dylan Wrote These Lyrics in 1967 and They’re Back on the Charts Thanks to ‘Ted Lasso’

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If it feels like everyone you know is suddenly slurping authentic ramen in Shinjuku or wandering through the neon glow of Shibuya, you aren’t imagining things. American travelers are heading to Japan in record numbers right now. In fact, fresh booking data from Citi Travel shows that Tokyo has officially claimed the crown as the platform’s number-one international destination, leading an overseas surge where more than a third of all bookings are heading abroad.

Now, turning that dream trip across the Pacific into reality just got a whole lot cheaper if you carry the right credit card.

Citi ThankYou Rewards is officially adding Japan Airlines to its roster of airline transfer partners. Even better, Citi is kicking off the new relationship with a limited-time 30% transfer bonus to JAL Mileage Bank that runs through October 24.

Related: A Points and Miles Expert Reveals Why 86% of Us Are Wasting Travel Rewards

That extra cushion makes a noticeable difference for your points balance. If you hold an annual-fee card like the Citi Strata Premier, every 1,000 ThankYou Points you move will yield 1,300 JAL miles during the promotional window, before settling into a permanent 1-to-1 ratio once the deal wraps up. Cardholders with no-annual-fee products like the Citi Double Cash can also get in on the action, getting 910 JAL miles per 1,000 points right now compared to the standard 700 miles down the road.

For points-and-miles fans, having direct access to Japan Airlines is a game changer. JAL is part of the Oneworld alliance, but booking their award seats in the past often required jumping through hoops with partner programs like American AAdvantage or British Airways Avios. A direct line to JAL’s own loyalty engine typically unlocks much better seat availability on their nonstop flights departing from hubs like New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, and Boston.

Related: I’m a Travel Advisor—This Is the Destination I’ve Booked the Most in the Past Six Months

Beyond the long-haul journey—which happens to feature some of the best service, food, and legroom in the skies—JAL miles are also fantastic for booking cheap domestic hops across the country. That makes it easy to land in Tokyo and quickly connect down to Kyoto, Osaka, or the beaches of Okinawa without burning through your vacation savings.

Just remember the golden rule of award travel before making a move: point transfers are permanent, so always log into your JAL Mileage Bank account to find open award seats on your target travel dates before transferring your Citi points. If you find the seats you want, locking them in with that 30% cushion is one of the smartest redemptions you will find all year.

Related: The No-Annual-Fee Card in Your Wallet Might Have Just Become Your Best Travel Companion

Sister Wives fans are having a field day online after Janelle Brown re-shared a nostalgic snapshot that directly tapped into one of the TLC show’s most infamous storylines.

The former plural wife took to Instagram to highlight one of her “favorite” family moments, an idyllic porch scene filled with grandkids she first posted in March of this year. However, fans couldn’t help but notice that it served subtle shade toward the family vision Robyn Brown claimed she wanted several seasons ago.

Brown captioned the photo, “This is still one of my FAVORITE pictures of the entire year. Everybody on the porch at the same time. It doesn’t happen as often as it used to, and I’ve stopped taking it for granted when it does.”

The snapshot featured a crowded family gathering, including Mykelti Brown Padron, her husband Tony, and their daughter Avalon, along with Maddie Brown Brush and her husband, Caleb. Rounding out the group were Christine Brown Woolley’s son, Paedon Brown, alongside Savannah Brown.

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Viewers were quick to catch the porch detail, immediately connecting it to Robyn’s emotional Season 18 breakdown. During that pivotal Sister Wives episode, a tearful Robyn famously wept over the family’s unraveling, confessing her ultimate dream was to spend her golden years sitting on a porch alongside her sister wives, children, and grandchildren.

Fans were quick to respond to Janelle’s share. They jumped right on her messaging, sharing their own take on the family photograph.

“I love this for you!!! You got the porch with your kids and grandbabies and she got the 6 pack abs lol,” declared one follower.

“Robyn wishes she can have this one day,” claimed a second viewer. A third fan wrote, “Perfect dig to Robyn!”

A final Sister Wives viewer penned, “Mic drop.”

Robyn Brown’s breakdown was caught on camera during Season 18, Episode 14, when Meri Brown informed Kody and Robyn that she would not renew the lease on her home in Flagstaff, Arizona. She told them she intended to move to Utah, where her bed and breakfast was located.

Season 21 of Sister Wives, the first without Kody and Robyn Brown’s participation, airs its first episode on October 4 at 10 p.m. ET on TLC.

Related: ‘Sister Wives’ Teaser Confirms What Fans Knew About Kody and Robyn Brown All Along

Taylor Swift has chopped a few more inches off her hair, showing off a noticeably shorter look on social media. After wearing her blonde hair past her shoulders in recent months, the pop star has opted for a shoulder-length cut with plenty of layers and soft curls.

In a photo shared by the Taylor Nation Instagram account, Swift appears with significantly more layers than she had at the 2026 MTV VMAs last Sunday, where her straightened hair fell past her collarbone. This time, she embraced a bouncier, wavier style that puts her natural texture front and center.

The singer opted for an elongated, wavy bob while keeping her signature bangs, one of the most recognizable features of her longtime look. Swift has previously joked about her natural curls, referring to them as her hair’s “factory settings.”

The shorter cut isn’t entirely unexpected. Swift had already taken several inches off her hair in August, perhaps a welcome change during the final stretch of summer. Now, as fall gets underway, she’s gone even shorter, trading some of that length for extra movement and volume.

In the new photo, Swift paired the fresh hairstyle with a natural beauty look featuring pink lips, long lashes and subtle eyeliner. She wore a lilac knit sweater with brown trousers, finishing the look with a black leather belt.

Swift’s August haircut had already marked a noticeable departure from the waist-length blonde hair fans had grown accustomed to seeing. Just weeks later, she’s taken the transformation another step further while still holding on to her signature bangs and blonde color.

And the new look comes as Swift celebrates another career milestone. Her projects Patient Zero and The Life of a Showgirl: The Encore have both entered the Official U.K. charts at the same time.

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While fall might not seem like the perfect time to buy outdoor furniture since colder weather is on the way, it can actually be a smart time to refresh your patio. End-of-season sales often bring outdoor pieces down to lower prices, giving you a chance to prepare for next spring and summer without paying full price. You might not use the set right away depending on the weather where you live, but planning ahead can help you save while getting your outdoor space ready for next season.

One option worth considering is the Flash Furniture 5-Piece Patio Set. Right now, it’s on sale for 32% off at Amazon, bringing the price down from $317 to just $216. The set includes everything you need for outdoor dining, making it an easy way to create a dedicated spot for meals, drinks, and gatherings without having to shop for each piece separately.

Courtesy of Amazon

The five-piece set includes a rectangular table and four patio chairs, giving you enough seating for a small group. The chairs feature aluminum slat backs, curved arms, and plastic floor glides that help protect surfaces like concrete and decking from scratches. That makes the set especially useful for hosting outdoor meals, casual get-togethers, or family dinners when the weather cooperates.

The table measures 55 inches long by 31.5 inches wide and 27.5 inches tall, giving four people plenty of room to sit comfortably around it. Each chair measures 21.5 inches wide, 24 inches deep, and 28.5 inches tall. The chairs arrive fully assembled, so you won’t have to spend your first afternoon with a pile of hardware before you can start enjoying them.

Related: These Solar Wind Chimes Make Any Yard Look ‘Magical,’ and They Start at $10

The table combines a ripple-effect tempered glass top with a contrasting black steel frame, giving the set a sleek look while remaining practical for outdoor use. There’s also a built-in umbrella hole if you want to add shade on sunny days. The chairs are lightweight and feature integrated arms, while their stackable design lets you pile up to 22 chairs high when they’re not in use, making them much easier to store in a garage, shed, or other storage area.

One reviewer shared, “This was a great buy — not only a good price, but comfortable, sturdy chairs. The glass table looks elegant, the set feels solid, and it’s been perfect for our outdoor gatherings.” Another reviewer highlighted the “stylish design,” adding, “The entire set looks great on the patio and the chairs stack up nicely if they need to be stored. It is built to last yet is very light to move around.”

• Shintenchi 4-Piece Patio Furniture Set, From $100 (was $130) at Amazon
• Qsun 3-Piece Rocking Patio Bistro Set, From $60 (was $100) at Amazon
• Relax Tree 5-Piece Aluminum Patio Set, $800 (was $1,400) at Amazon

For a stylish, practical outdoor dining set that you’ll be glad to have when it’s time to enjoy your patio again, the Flash Furniture 5-Piece Patio Set is worth a look. And with Amazon’s current 32% discount, you can save $100 on the complete set and have your outdoor dining setup ready for the next stretch of warm weather.

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

When Celebrity Cruises announced it was officially entering European river cruising, travelers didn’t just take notice—they practically broke the internet.

The inaugural 2027 season of Celebrity River Cruises sold out its priority access in a blistering six minutes, with standard cabins vanishing almost as quickly. For an industry often defined by quiet, understated tradition, the frenzy proved something big: travelers were craving a fresh, modern shakeup on the water.

Now, that viral concept is officially turning into steel and water. The fleet’s very first ship, Celebrity Compass, completed its float out at the Zwijnenburg shipyard in the Netherlands, touching water for the first time as exterior construction wrapped up. The vessel then glided 50 miles downriver to TeamCo Shipyard in Heusden, where interior outfitting begins ahead of her August 2027 debut.

While a shipyard float out might sound like inside baseball, for travelers lucky enough to hold a reservation—or those eyeing the newly opened 2028 deployment—it’s the clearest sign yet that river cruising’s biggest disruptor is on its way.

Related: Celebrity River Cruises: Ships, Sailings, How to Book

For decades, European river cruising followed a very specific playbook: formal dining rooms with a single rigid dinner seating, traditional brass-and-wood decor, and decks that shut down shortly after sunset.

Celebrity is essentially taking the sleek, resort-style design that made its ocean Edge-class ships famous and shrinking it down to fit through historic locks and low stone bridges.

The standout feature turning heads is the Magic Edge—the first-ever cantilevered dining pods on a river vessel, allowing guests to dine suspended directly over the water with 360-degree views of riverside castles and vineyards. The top deck also scraps the typical running track for an infinity-edge plunge pool and expansive outdoor lounges.

Related: Celebrity River Cruises Announces New Premium City Extensions for European Sailings

Inside, the amenities look far more like a boutique luxury hotel than a standard longship.

Every single stateroom across five categories will feature a true king-sized bed—a rarity on river ships where pushed-together twins are the norm—alongside intuitive built-in storage and spacious balconies.

Foodies will find eight distinct dining and lounge venues, including beloved ocean favorites like the lively flair bartenders at the Martini Bar, panoramic cocktails at the Sunset Bar, and specialty pastries and espresso at Café Al Bacio.

Perhaps the biggest game changer for daily rhythm? The ship will offer complimentary breakfast room service and flexible, all-day dining access, giving guests the only 24/7 meal options on the river. If you return late from wandering the cobblestones of Vienna or Budapest, you won’t have to settle for a bowl of fruit—you can actually order a hot meal.

“With Celebrity Compass, we’re reimagining river cruising… combining elevated design, exceptional hospitality, and destination-rich experiences to create a journey unlike any other on the river,” said Laura Hodges Bethge, president of Celebrity Cruises.

Having gotten an early look at the hull taking shape in the shipyard, along with a first look at the sleek room designs and the corresponding ultra-insider shore excursions, I can safely say this ship is setting a whole new standard. It seamlessly translates everything travelers love about Celebrity—from world-class dining to chic, elevated design—into an intimate river cruise setting, delivering an experience that feels truly unique in the European market.

Related: Can Celebrity Reinvent the River Cruise Excursion? We Tested Its Hands-On New Approach in Amsterdam

Nicole Kidman has given audiences plenty of memorable movie and television moments over the years, but her connection to pop music goes back decades, too. In 2001, she teamed up with Robbie Williams to record “Somethin’ Stupid,” which spent three weeks at No. 1 in the U.K. and became that year’s Christmas No. 1. Official Charts.

Now, without even trying, the Oscar-winning actress has found herself at the center of one of pop music’s biggest viral hits. “Nicole Kidman,” a song by 22-year-old Slovak singer ADÉLA, has become a major streaming success.

The track reached No. 2 on Spotify’s Daily Top Songs Global chart on Sept. 21, while another ADÉLA song, “Ain’t in LA,” was at No. 3, according to Universal Music. “Nicole Kidman” also climbed to No. 22 on the Billboard Hot 100.

The track appears on ADÉLA’s debut album, PRIMA, released Sept. 4. The album itself debuted at No. 4 on the Billboard 200. ADÉLA had already made history earlier in the summer when “Ain’t in LA” made her the first Slovak artist to enter the Billboard Hot 100.

But what did Nicole Kidman do to inspire all of this? The answer involves Eyes Wide Shut, a Golden Globes party and a very tight corset.

ADÉLA told W Magazine that she had recently watched Eyes Wide Shut and become obsessed with Kidman when she was invited to a Golden Globes event. After getting dressed up for the party, she found herself wearing an especially tight corset and suddenly thought, “I feel like Nicole Kidman right now.”

ADÉLA later explained to Capital that Kidman represented exactly the kind of glamour she was feeling that night. “This is glamour. This is Nicole,” she recalled thinking. That moment ultimately became the idea behind the song.

When a fan asked Kidman about ADÉLA at the London premiere of Practical Magic 2, the actress said she knew who the singer was and revealed that she planned to see her perform in Nashville. The following day, Kidman made her TikTok debut with a video soundtracked by another ADÉLA song, “Ain’t in LA.”

Magic brought me here ✨ #PracticalMagic2 @practicalmagicmovie

ADÉLA turned Kidman’s Hollywood glamour into a song, and now Kidman herself is embracing it. Nearly four decades into her career, the actress has unexpectedly become a pop muse for a new generation—without having to sing a note this time.

Before John Denver became a household name with “Take Me Home, Country Roads,” he was a struggling folk singer trying to make his mark as a songwriter.

In 1969, he recorded a quiet, deeply personal love song called “Follow Me” for his debut album, Rhymes & Reasons. While Denver’s original version flew under the radar, the song caught the ear of folk music icon Mary Travers, who was stepping out on her own following the split of Peter, Paul and Mary.

Travers chose “Follow Me” as a lead single for her 1971 solo album Mary. Her version transformed Denver’s delicate acoustic ballad into an emotional 1970s radio classic.

Her version peaked at No. 56 on the Billboard Hot 100 in July 1971. It remained on the charts for 11 weeks.

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Grunge reported that Travers specifically sought out Denver to provide content for her first solo release. In 1966, as part of Peter, Paul and Mary, he wrote their hit “Leaving on a Jet Plane,” which the group recorded for their 1967 LP, Album 1700. The song reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, becoming their only hit to reach the top spot.

Denver contributed three of his compositions to Travers’ LP. These included “Follow Me,” “Rhymes and Reasons” (from his 1969 debut LP), and “Circus,” penned by Denver with Joe Kuehn and Laurie Johnson.

In an interview with The New York Times, Denver explained the inspiration behind the lyrics to “Follow Me.”

“I couldn’t afford to take (ex-wife) Annie with me on tour,” Denver said. “And I had been on the road for two and a half months.”

He continued, “I wrote the chorus somewhere in Iowa, but I couldn’t do anything with it. Then one afternoon in Washington, D.C., I wrote the rest of it. Paul Stookey [Peter, Paul and Mary] told me once that you’re not so much the writer of a song as you are the instrument of what wants to be written.”

Denver added, “You can make going on the road a hassle or not. I have a road manager, a bass player, and myself. We buy tickets to carry our instruments on board. Now we can afford to rent a sound system at the show.”

He concluded, “None of it is a hassle, because I love being up onstage and singing to people, even more than living in the Rocky Mountains, because onstage I can go back to the Rockies and take people with me.”

When John Denver re-recorded “Follow Me” in 1974 for his smash Greatest Hits album, the vintage song finally reached his millions of fans worldwide. But it was Mary Travers who first took a chance on a rising songwriter and gave the tender ballad the early spotlight it truly deserved.

Related: 1975 Country Masterpiece Made Unforgettable by John Denver, Still Ranks Among the Absolute Best

The Social Reckoning is a companion film to the 2010 drama The Social Network, which starred Jesse Eisenberg. The new film was written, co-produced, and directed by Aaron Sorkin, who revealed in an interview with Entertainment Weekly that he tried hard to get Eisenberg to sign on for the new film. However, the actor refused.

“I knew what the studio was offering him to do it, but money does not motivate Jesse,” Sorkin said. “It’s infuriating. If anything, money is a disincentive for him. It’s admirable. He’s very concerned about raising his kids with too much money.”

Related: Ethan Hawke Said His 2001 Film With a 77% Rotten Tomatoes Score Had the Greatest Impact on His Life

Sorkin went on to explain that he spent three days trying to convince Eisenberg to reprise his iconic role. “This is the only time I’ve written myself an outline,” Sorkin revealed. “I don’t do it for the movies, but I did it for my conversations with Jesse. It was arguments for why he should do it. They included, ‘We already know you’re gonna be great because you were already once.’ You know, ‘Here are the great moments that you’re gonna get to play in the movie.’ And I laid it out for him.”

He continued, “I do remember Jesse saying at one point during the third or fourth back and forth, ‘You have come closer to changing my mind than I thought you were going to.’ So I was pleased about that.”

Sorkin also revealed the reason why Eisenberg wasn’t interested in appearing in the new film. “He just doesn’t like being conflated with Mark Zuckerberg anymore,” he explained. “He doesn’t like that he kinda resembles the guy physically; that role is probably what he’s most known for.”

Related: Carol Burnett’s Costar From Her 1990 Sketch Series Recalls an Emotional Run-in With the Legend

The Social Reckoning is about the 2021 Facebook whistleblower scandal. It stars Mikey Madison, Jeremy Allen White, Bill Burr, Wunmi Mosaku, Billy Magnussen, and Betty Gilpin. Jeremy Strong is playing the role of Zuckerberg in the film.

The Social Reckoning will be in theaters starting on October 9.

Can you believe we’re already at the mid-season finale of Crossroad Springs? Now in their sophomore season, the show has been a hit for the Great American Family. The series will take a break for holiday programming and return in early 2027. You can catch previous episodes on Great American Pure Flix with a valid subscription.

Read on for more about this week’s mid-season finale of Crossroad Springs and don’t forget to check out the Parade exclusive sneak peek.

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Great American Family

In “The Waiting Game,” last week’s episode of Crossroad Springs, after Sunday service at Cowboy Church, the Hamiltons face mounting pressure over their herd expansion when Willis (Shaun Johnston) jumps at the chance to buy prized cattle before the family’s permit officially arrives. The risky arrangement forces James (Jonathan Stoddard) and Aunt Amy (Kate Drummond) to lean on faith as they wait for paperwork that could determine the ranch’s future. At the medical clinic, Janet (Emily Alatalo) and Eric’s (Franco Lo Presti) growing connection is interrupted by a patient overflow from Cedar Rock, bringing Daniel Newman (Jesse Hutch) into Janet’s day and stirring unexpected jealousy in Eric. Elsewhere, Maggie’s (Brittany Underwood) Food Pantry inspires Charlene (Sarah Cleveland) to contribute, leading her to Aunt Amy’s garden and a surprising new sense of belonging in Crossroad Springs. But Charlene’s growing comfort is shaken when she learns Jackson (Jefferson Brown) has been secretly appraising their Houston home, raising new questions about why the Newmans really came back to Crossroad Springs – and what else Jackson isn’t telling his family.

Related: Hearties, You Need to See This—Our Exclusive ‘When Calls the Heart’ Finale Sneak Peek Teases Nathan’s Next Move

Great American Media

In “Best Laid Plans,” this week’s mid-season finale of Crossroad Springs, tensions rise across Crossroad Springs as old wounds, new choices, and family loyalty collide. Jackson and Daniel continue to clash over control of Newman Ranch, forcing Charlene and Alexis (Hailey Fauchere) to intervene before the divide causes lasting damage. Their plan brings the men together through Alexis’s love of riding and the shared memory of Henry Newman, opening the door to a rare moment of honesty between uncle and nephew. At Red Oak Ranch, James is visited by Michael (Matthew Edison), his pastor friend from Chicago, who asks James to officiate his wedding and reminds him of the life and ministry he has built at home. Tina (Erin Agostino) wrestles with whether to invite her distant father to Thomas’s first birthday and is surprised when he responds with hope. Janet and Eric’s attempt to remain “just friends” becomes too painful to maintain, leading Eric to make a life-changing professional decision. But as the Hamiltons secretly move cattle back onto their land before receiving county clearance, Jed (Matt Wells) discovers the truth – setting up consequences that could threaten the ranch.

Related: Everything You Need to Know About Crossroad Springs

The mid-season finale of Crossroad Springs, streams first on Thursday, Oct. 8 on Great American Pure Flix. It will have its broadcast premiere on Sunday, Oct. 11 at 8 p.m. ET on Great American Family and GFAM+.

Not sure if your cable or satellite provider carries Great American Family? Check their Channel Finder here.

Check out this Parade exclusive sneak peek from the mid-season finale of Crossroad Springs.

Jefferson Brown

Jefferson Brown

Hailey Fauchere, Jefferson Brown

Sarah Cleveland, Hailey Fauchere

Jefferson Brown

Jefferson Brown, Sarah Cleveland

Shaun Johnston, Jonathan Stoddard

Great American Family

Kate Drummond

Great American Family

Jon McLaren

Great American Family

Jonathan Stoddard

Great American Family

Shaun Johnston, Jonathan Stoddard

Great American Family

Kate Drummond

Great American Family

Crossroad Sprin

Great American Media

Barack Obama and Michelle Obama celebrated their 34th wedding anniversary on Oct. 3, more than three decades after they tied the knot in Chicago in 1992. The occasion gave the couple another reason to share their love for each other on social media, with both posting romantic tributes to mark the milestone.

Barack shared a sweet photo of the couple together, with his arms wrapped around Michelle’s waist as they smiled at each other. He accompanied the picture with a short but heartfelt message.

“Happy anniversary, @MichelleObama! I’m still the luckiest guy in the world to be with you,” he wrote in the post, making it clear that 34 years of marriage haven’t changed how he feels about his wife.

Michelle returned the sentiment with an Instagram post of her own. Instead of choosing a single photograph, she shared a compilation of photos and videos looking back at their life together and the close bond they have shared over the years.

The memories included moments from their years in the White House as well as more personal snapshots from the couple’s life beyond the presidency.

“Loving you just keeps getting better and better!” Michelle wrote in the caption. “Happy anniversary, @BarackObama. Here’s to many, many more years of joy, laughter, and memories to come 💕.”

Barack and Michelle first met in 1989 at the Chicago law firm Sidley & Austin, where Barack was working as a summer associate and Michelle Robinson was assigned to be his adviser. According to the Obama Foundation, Barack asked her out more than once before she eventually agreed to a first date.

Three years later, the couple married in Chicago. They went on to welcome two daughters, Malia Obama, born in 1998, and Natasha “Sasha” Obama, born in 2001.

Their anniversary tributes come after both Barack and Michelle have been unusually open about the work behind their decades-long marriage. In 2022, Michelle even acknowledged there was a roughly 10-year period when she “couldn’t stand” her husband, using the story to make a larger point about how long relationships inevitably go through difficult stretches, especially while raising children.

Packing for a trip usually comes down to one exhausting game of sartorial balance: finding pieces that feel comfortable enough to survive a six-hour transcontinental flight, yet look polished enough to step straight off the jet bridge and into a lively bistro without needing an emergency hotel outfit change.

For seasoned travelers, there is one pair of pants that has earned nearly mythical status for pulling off that exact magic trick: the Brooklyn Ankle Pant from Athleta.

Backed by thousands of glowing five-star reviews—17,000 to be exact—and a fiercely loyal word-of-mouth following across airports, these lightweight wonders are famous for refusing to wrinkle in a carry-on, shedding spilled coffee, and feeling remarkably silky against your skin. The only drawback? Because they are a perennial best seller, full-price styles rarely see deep markdowns.

Related: I Lived Out of One Suitcase for a Year—These Are the Only 3 Travel Pants You Need

Athleta

That changes this week. Athleta just launched its biannual Friends and Family Sale, slashing 30% off sitewide through Sunday, October 6. That drops the beloved Brooklyn Ankle Pant down to just $59—and it’s not the only travel-ready piece seeing rare discounts.

Whether you have a cruise on your fall calendar, a weekend train getaway, or simply want to refresh your everyday capsule wardrobe, here are the standout pieces worth snagging before sizes sell out.

The hype around the Brooklyn Mid Rise Ankle Pant comes down to its featherlight fabric. Cut from a silky, breathable stretch-twill weave, it moves like athletic wear but hangs with the clean lines of tailored trousers. The flat, ribbed waistband doesn’t dig in while you are trapped in a middle seat, and the slightly tapered ankle lets you wear them with crisp white sneakers by day or slip into leather loafers and a structured blazer for an evening dinner. Best of all, they pack down to practically nothing in your suitcase.

Related: 8 Stylish and Comfortable Airport Outfit Ideas for Seniors

If you’re looking to streamline your carry-on setup, the Anytime Backpack (marked down to $99, plus 30% off and an extra 10% taken off at checkout) keeps all your travel essentials organized and within arm’s reach. Crafted from an ultralight, durable fabric with a crisp crinkled texture, it features a built-in trolley sleeve that slides seamlessly over your rolling luggage handle. With dedicated storage—including a padded laptop sleeve, internal mesh pocket, and handy side water bottle pocket—it transitions effortlessly from terminal navigation to weekend getaways.

For travelers who love a little more volume and fashion-forward ease, the Endless High Rise Barrel Pant (down to $71) brings the coveted relaxed horseshoe-leg trend to high-performance fabric. Featuring a supportive high-rise waistband and deep, functional pockets that actually hold a smartphone, they look effortless paired with a slim-fit knit top and comfortable walking sandals for days spent browsing European galleries or cobblestone market squares.

Rounding out the sale are cozy essentials like the Forever Fleece Classic Full Zip for breezy boarding gates and the buttery-soft Salutation Stash Leggings, but with inventory moving quickly through the weekend, you will want to claim your go-to sizes before this rare sitewide event wraps up.

Related: 8 Best ‘Comfy But Polished’ Travel Pants for Women Over 50

Peter Krause appeared in Carol & Company alongside the incredible Carol Burnett. The sketch series, which ran from 1990 until 1991, lasted for two seasons. Krause recently spoke with Esquire about his time working with the legendary actress and an emotional run-in that he had with her in the hospital a decade later.  

“I was at Cedars-Sinai, where my son had been born, and I was getting the house ready and getting ready to bring him home,” he said. “I went to the elevators, the doors opened up, and Carol Burnett walked out.”

Related: ‘The Office’ Star, 60, Speaks About His Disappointment in Not Becoming a Movie Star: ‘I Was the Weird Guy’

He continued, “She asked me what I was doing, and I said, ‘Oh, I just had a child. I’m here to pick up my son and bring him home.’ She very quickly said, ‘Congratulations!’ and gave me a big hug and a kiss. It was later that I found out that she was there at the hospital to visit her daughter Carrie, who, a short time later, passed away.”

Carrie Hamilton, which was one of Burnett’s three daughters, died in 2002 at the age of 38.

“In her graceful manner, she congratulated me and then moved on,” Krause said. “She’s a really beautiful person, and I’m really grateful that I got to have the time with her that I did early in my career. I would say it set me up for success and deepened the work ethic for me.”

He continued, “Carol was very sharp, very accomplished, but a very humble woman when I met her. I learned a great deal from her in terms of what it meant to be professional. I’m grateful that I had that early on.”

Related: Ethan Hawke Said His 2001 Film With a 77% Rotten Tomatoes Score Had the Greatest Impact on His Life

Krause played Nate Fisher in Six Feet Under and Adam Braverman in Parenthood. He also appeared in The Truman Show and Beastly.

Burnett, who is now 93, is still working. She recently appeared in Better Call Saul, Hacks, and Palm Royale.

Ethan Hawke is known for starring in hit films like Dead Poets Society and Training Day. However, when he recently spoke with the BBC and was asked about which film had the greatest impact on his life and career, he named a lesser-known project that some fans might have never seen.

“If I had to pick a film role that changed my life, it would be Tape,” he said. “I would say that film was my entrance to adult acting. I was about to turn 30 years old, so I was becoming a grown-up.”

Related: Michael Douglas Reveals He Had a Secret Romance With ‘Romancing the Stone’ Costar Kathleen Turner That They Lied About for 40 Years

Tape was a 2001 indie psychodrama starring his wife at the time, Uma Thurman, along with Robert Sean Leonard. The low-budget film was about three high school friends who discuss painful memories from their past. The film, which was rated R, currently has a 77% critic score on Rotten Tomatoes.

Hawke explained that the film, which was shot in only six days, was made with new technology, which was exciting to him at the time. “And it was when digital video was a brand-new technology,” he said. “[Director Richard] Linklater and I were really excited about how this new form was going to change movies. We got to work in a very different way than we’d ever done before because of the way these cameras worked. There was no laziness. No one really wants to see a film set in one room. We knew we had to be laser sharp, precise and funny.”

Related: Will Arnett, 56, Makes Rare Comment About His 28-Year Age Gap Relationship With Emma Marciano, 28

He continued, “I did Tape right before Training Day, and I remember feeling so grateful that I’d had that experience, because Denzel was the most remarkable artist I’d ever worked with. His imagination is so powerful, and his charisma is so all-engaging. Training Day put everything I had learned to the test.”

Hawke most recently starred in The Weight, which came out earlier this year.

First made famous by Anne Murray in 1969, Gene MacLellan’s “Snowbird” landed on Elvis Presley’s radar in 1970.

The King of Rock and Roll recorded the song as part of his LP Elvis Country (I’m 10,000 Years Old). The album was his 30th of original material, according to Elvis.com.au.

The website wrote, “Even the cover wasn’t the usual headshot of a smiling Elvis, concert pose, or movie still. In their place was a sepia-toned photo of a very familiar-looking young boy. A smaller black-and-white photo, which included the parents, revealed that the unsmiling child was Elvis Presley, aged two. Clearly, Elvis was trying to do something that he had never done before, revealing something about himself in the process.”

“Snowbird” was one of a list of songs on the LP including “Make the World Go Away,” “Funny How Time Slips Away,” and “I Washed My Hands in Muddy Water.” The Anne Murray hit was reimagined on September 22, 1970, at RCA’s Studio B, Nashville.

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Despite its beloved status today, Elvis rarely performed “Snowbird” live. He sang it on stage only a handful of times during his Las Vegas engagements in early 1971.

According to the website Setlist, Presley played the song three times. The first date recorded was January 1971, and the final two performances were in mid-February, both at the International Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada, where he had a residency.

The entertainer regularly rotated through songs during these intense weeks of performances. Therefore, it wasn’t unusual for some songs to be performed during several shows and then dropped in favor of another.

Presley’s Las Vegas residency consisted of two shows per night (an 8:00 PM dinner show and a midnight show), seven days a week. Each engagement was several weeks long and his performances took place twice a year.

Although Presley didn’t chart with “Snowbird,” the song was a massive hit for Anne Murray. She took the song all the way to No. 1 on the Adult Contemporary charts, and peaked at No. 8 on the Billboard Hot 100. She also reached No. 10 on the Billboard Country Chart with the introspective song.

Elvis Presley’s recording of “Snowbird” remains one of the most delightfully unexpected hidden gems of his 1970s catalog. While we may never know why the King opted to keep the fan favorite off his concert setlists during the height of his Las Vegas era, the mystery only makes the beloved studio track feel that much sweeter.

Related: Elvis Presley’s Longtime Love Shares Rare Photos of Their Private Life Together

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Few spaces exude as much coziness and warmth as the kitchen. It’s the heart of the home, a space where loved ones gather to enjoy good company and good food. The design choices you make amplify that ambiance, making the room feel even more welcoming. This is why so many have embraced the cottagecore trend in recent years.

If you love the idea of introducing homey, rustic elements to your own kitchen, The Pioneer Woman Daisy Dinnerware Set nails the aesthetic with its pretty floral pattern and delicate scalloped edges. Consisting of 12 pieces, the collection is currently just $30 at Walmart in your choice of beige, blue, or pink.

Courtesy of Walmart

The set includes four dinner plates, four salad plates, and four cereal bowls, each saturated with rich color and etched with white artwork. It has a vintage quality that feels appropriate for any lived-in kitchen, whether your preferences lean timeless and traditional or more overtly farmhouse-influenced.

Each piece is made from melamine, a highly durable yet lightweight material. While it isn’t completely indestructible, it’s generally one of the most break-resistant dishware options available. If you live in a busy household, have children, or simply don’t want to risk damage, this set makes a sensible choice. A customer with arthritis even mentioned that it’s easy for her to carry these dishes due to their reasonable weight.

Courtesy of Walmart

It fits right into the charming Pioneer Woman sensibility, too — a country-inspired look defined by soft colors, pretty florals, and details that liven up the table without feeling like too much. These pieces from Ree Drummond’s popular home line blend right in, complementing other elements you might find in a cottagecore kitchen like earthy palettes, apron-front sinks, and breezy curtains. Everything comes together in the sweetest way.

Courtesy of Walmart

The set boasts over 1,000 five-star ratings from shoppers, with many people praising the “fresh and beautiful” design and noting that the dishes are “very substantial.” Another reviewer dubbed them a “cute addition to the kitchen.”

Related: The Pioneer Woman’s ‘Gorgeous’ 12-Piece Scalloped Stoneware Dish Set Adds Heirloom Charm for Just $30

Whether it’s time for a kitchen refresh or you just want to warm up the space with one special detail, The Pioneer Woman Daisy Dinnerware Set is just the right choice for a quick shift in direction. With its down-to-earth vibe and $30 price, it’s an affordable option you’ll use for years. Grab it now at Walmart in the color of your choice!

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Alicia Silverstone is celebrating her 50th birthday. The Clueless star was born on Oct. 4, 1976, in San Francisco, California, and 50 years later she remains one of the most recognizable faces of ‘90s pop culture.

Silverstone’s career started early. During an appearance on Dax Shepard’s Armchair Expert, she revealed she got into modeling by age eight, and was hired for her first acting job—a Domino’s Pizza commercial—at age 14.

“The modeling thing was not for me. I didn’t like it,” Silverstone said. “My dad, he took me to the theater all the time. So, I loved the theater. …I moved to L.A. when I was 14 because I’d gone to do this thing, this acting camp for the summer …and we did a showcase, and things started happening, and I didn’t understand what was happening, but things were happening.”

RELATED: 1976 Top 10 Hit Song Led to Career-Defining Movie Role

What was happening was that Silverstone was getting noticed. As a teen, she appeared in a 1992 episode of The Wonder Years before making her film debut in the 1993 movie The Crush at age 16.

Soon after, Silverstone became a music video queen, starring in three Aerosmith music videos for the songs “Cryin’,” “Amazing,” and “Crazy.” Silverstone once revealed that video director Marty Callner saw her in The Crush and cast her in the “Cryin’” music video.

“He liked what he saw in the movie,” Silverstone told Rolling Stone in 1995. “And what he saw was a good actress, not a pretty girl. It’s about what you have inside.”

“Aerosmith made a hell of a lot of money off that video,” she added of the first of her three Aerosmith videos. “Their sales tripled or something. They would have been crazy not to ask me back.”

By the mid-‘90s, Silverstone was a superstar, starring in the 1995 comedy film Clueless as Cher Horowitz, a rich girl with a heart of gold. The film was a box office smash.

“Clueless was the first comedy I ever did,” Silverstone told Vogue. “I was the lead in this, and I had sixty-four costume changes, so I didn’t have a life. … I didn’t expect any of the reaction that we got. It was a lot… at the time I didn’t know anything about what I was stepping into.”

From there, she starred in The Babysitter, played Batgirl in Batman & Robin, and went on to carve out a prolific acting career spanning over 30 years. Silverstone is also an animal rights activist, an author, and the mother of a son, Bear Blu, 15, from her marriage to Christopher Jarecki.

Silverstone has also seemingly found the fountain of youth. The actress has been vocal about aging naturally, telling Byrdie magazine in 2025 that she doesn’t do Botox or fillers and instead credits her decades-long plant-based diet for her youthful looks.

“All of a sudden, my nails got really thick and strong. My hair got really thick. My eyes got all white,” Silverstone said of the results of her changed diet. “I feel like it really works with aging well.”

“I have lines,”  she added. “As I age, I’m aware that I don’t look like everybody else. But I don’t lose sleep over it. I don’t prioritize it that much… And I don’t think anything that you put on is going to do what the inside does — that radiance, that glow, that joy.”

Related: 1995 Hit Ranked Among the ‘Greatest Romantic Comedies of All Time’ Became a Career-Defining Classic—But it Almost Didn’t Happen

Between multi-day ticket prices creeping higher by the season and the nickel-and-diming of parking fees, and express queues, planning a theme park getaway to Central Florida can quickly feel like an exercise in budget acrobatics. If you’ve looked at ticket calculators lately and felt your jaw hit the floor, SeaWorld Orlando is offering a very refreshing breath of fresh air.

The park has officially opened sales for its 2027 Annual Pass, and they’re rolling it out with what might be the most accessible payment plan in the business: starting at just $14 per month with zero down payment required.

To put that into perspective, $14 is less than the cost of a single quick-service lunch inside most major parks—yet it unlocks a full 12 months of unlimited visits, seasonal festivals, and serious wallet-saving perks.

Related: SeaWorld’s New 2026 Ride Will Be the World’s First of Its Kind

“A SeaWorld Orlando Annual Pass is more than park admission… it is an invitation to discover something new every month,” said Brad Gilmour, park president of SeaWorld Orlando. “Our 2027 program gives Pass Members even more ways to enjoy the park, with year-round benefits, special appreciation experiences and meaningful moments for the entire family—from the debut of Ocean Discovery Days in January to the return of Miracles during this year’s Christmas Celebration.”

The pass structure is tailored to chip away at all the sneaky extra costs that usually bloat an Orlando trip. Depending on the tier you choose (from Bronze up through Platinum), benefits include free general parking—which alone saves you around $30 every time you pull up to the toll plaza—up to eight free guest tickets to bring friends or family along on select dates, and tiered discounts on in-park dining, merchandise, and animal encounters.

Related: Disney World Just Revealed 2027 Ticket Prices and One Park Is Hitting a New Peak

What really sweetens the deal for annual passholders, though, is the sheer density of SeaWorld’s festival calendar. Park admission includes access to heavy-hitting food and cultural events year-round, including the fan-favorite Seven Seas Food Festival (which comes with free live weekend concerts), Mardi Gras, Viva La Música, and summer’s nighttime Electric Ocean. For the upcoming holidays, the park is also bringing back its beloved nighttime presentation Miracles during SeaWorld’s Christmas Celebration, with pass members getting exclusive early preview times.

Outlet Amusement Today is already calling the new lineup SeaWorld’s “best benefits ever”—and it is easy to see why. Pairing a $14 price tag with zero down payment and free guest tickets gives theme park fans a way to skip sky-high gate prices all year long.

If you grab the pass now, SeaWorld is extending its Pass Member Appreciation momentum right through October: new and current passholders get an immediate bonus free guest ticket, $10 in “SeaWorld Bucks” to spend in the park, and discounts on Howl-O-Scream admission.

Whether you live within driving distance of I-4 or you’re a frequent snowbird looking for an easy, coaster-packed retreat that won’t blow your annual vacation budget, this $14 monthly pass might just be the savviest value in Orlando right now.

Related: SeaWorld and Busch Gardens Are Turning Two Iconic ’90s Horror Films Into Haunted Houses

In 1970, Three Dog Night had a major hit with “Mama Told Me (Not to Come)”—but it wasn’t an easy sell.

The song, penned by Randy Newman, features a catchy piano riff, rock and blues rhythm, and lyrics about a mother’s warning. “Mama Told Me” became Three Dog Night’s first No. 1 hit on the Billboard Hot 100, and remains one of the legendary band’s signature songs 56 years later.

But originally it was not a favorite of bandmates Chuck Negron, Danny Hutton, Michael Allsup, Jimmy Greenspoon, Joe Schermie and Floyd Sneed. It was lead vocalist Cory Wells who pushed hard to record the song.

“’Mama Told Me (Not to Come)’ was a tune that I had been doing before Three Dog Night, when I still had my old group in Arizona,” Wells once said of the song, per Super Seventies. “I used to buy all these bizarre records… and one of them was a Randy Newman album. On it was ‘Mama Told Me,’ and I became a tremendous fan.”

“When I brought the song to the other guys, they didn’t like it,” he continued. “They hated it. Matter of fact, it took me three albums for them to accept it. I kept saying, ‘Please listen to this song. It’s a hit song. Man, will you please listen to it?’ And they said, ‘Cory, it just doesn’t have it.’ …I pushed so hard for ‘Mama Told Me.’”

The band finally agreed to work on the song and added what they wanted to it, and the rest is history.

In an interview posted by Mix Online, Hutton recalled not loving the song—at first.

“I don’t remember when I first heard ‘Mama,’ but Cory says that he tried to get us to record it for three albums before he was able to wear us down!” the singer shared. “Randy’s publishing company used to send us a lot of demos, but to tell you the truth, I wasn’t bowled over when I heard the song for the first time.”

“When we fleshed it out in rehearsal, it started to come together, but besides Cory, the rest of us remained lukewarm until we actually got down to tracking it. By the time we’d finished making the record, though, we knew we had something special,” he added.

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Interestingly, Newman hadn’t been a Three Dog Night fan at first either. According to Songfacts, he initially thought of them as a “teeny bopper” band but later thanked them for recording their version of his song.

Wells once said that after “Mama Told Me (Not to Come)” hit No. 1 on the charts, Newman called him and said, “I just want to thank you for putting my kids through college.”

Wells died in 2015. More than five decades after convincing his bandmates to record the song, “Mama Told Me (Not to Come)” remains a career-defining classic for Three Dog Night, a beloved fan favorite that has stood the test of time.

Related: 1971 Three Dog Night Song, Rejected by The Carpenters, Became a Hit That’s Still Loved 55 Years Later