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The Seattle Seahawks are bringing a major piece of Seattle music history to their home opener. 

The reigning Super Bowl champions announced that Soundgarden will perform during halftime when the team faces the New England Patriots on Sept. 9 at Lumen Field.

The performance will also feature Taylor Momsen, the singer of The Pretty Reckless, on vocals, along with Pearl Jam guitarist Mike McCready. The game will be a rematch between the Seahawks and the Patriots after Seattle defeated New England in Super Bowl LX.

The Seahawks shared the halftime announcement on Instagram. 

McCready will have another role during the event. Before the game, the Pearl Jam guitarist will perform the National Anthem on behalf of the Washington Innocence Project, per Billboard.

Photo by Gilbert Flores/Billboard via Getty Images

Soundgarden is one of Seattle’s best-known rock bands and was a major part of the city’s grunge movement during the 1990s. The group is known for songs including “Black Hole Sun,” “Rusty Cage,” “Fell on Black Days” and “Burden in My Hand.”

Momsen has performed with Soundgarden’s surviving members several times since the death of singer Chris Cornell in 2017. According to Far Out Magazine, she previously joined the group at the 2019 I Am the Highway: A Tribute to Chris Cornell benefit concert.

In November, Momsen also performed with Soundgarden during the band’s Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction. She sang “Rusty Cage” and “Black Hole Sun” as the group celebrated its place among rock music’s most honored acts.

Soundgarden’s surviving members have only performed together a limited number of times since Cornell’s death. In 2024, Thayil, Cameron and Shepherd reunited for a charity concert in Seattle under the name Nudedragons, an anagram of Soundgarden. Singer-songwriter Shaina Shepherd performed as the lead vocalist during that event, according to Louder.

The Soundgarden halftime show is only one part of the Seahawks’ plans for Sept. 9.

Before kickoff, the team will hold the Salute 250 Kickoff Concert featuring country star Luke Bryan. The concert is scheduled to begin at 2:30 p.m., three hours before the game starts.

The Seahawks will then take the field against the New England Patriots at 8:20 p.m. ET. As the defending Super Bowl champions, Seattle will open its season against the same team it defeated to win Super Bowl LX.

The event also arrives as Soundgarden continues work on its planned final studio album. The surviving members are mixing songs that feature vocals recorded by Cornell before his death.

Drummer Matt Cameron said the band is working on recordings made with producer Terry Date. The planned project is expected to include eight tracks based on material the group worked on during several sessions before its final tour with Cornell in 2017.

Soundgarden released its last studio album, King Animal, in 2012. The band’s earlier releases helped shape the sound of 1990s grunge, with Badmotorfinger and Superunknown becoming key parts of its history.

Related: 1972 Hit by Alice Cooper Ranked Among ‘Greatest Classic Rock Songs’ of All Time

In 1978, the Police were emerging in the British punk rock scene when they recorded their debut album, Outlandos d’Amour. But one of the singles from the album didn’t immediately impress bandmates Andy Summers and Stewart Copeland.

“Roxanne” was the Police’s breakthrough single. Penned by Sting, the song featured elements of reggae, rock and tango—a departure from the punk/new wave scene the band was playing in—as well as unconventional lyrics about falling for a prostitute. The single reached No. 32 on the Billboard Hot 100 in early 1979 and became a signature track for the band.

Sting had been inspired to write the song after seeing prostitutes in Paris while touring with punk rockers The Damned. He imagined falling in love with one of the women and penned the ballad, but his bandmates weren’t so sure about it and were embarrassed to play it for their manager.

“We were a bit embarrassed about ‘Roxanne,’” Summers once told Classic Rock. “Because this was the raging punk scene, where everything was at furious speed. And we had this kind of ballad.”

RELATED: 1979 Rock Classic, Reimagined from 1975 No. 1 Hit, Remains an Iconic Breakup Anthem

Copeland agreed, telling The Bob Lefsetz podcast in 2024 that he originally considered “Roxanne” to be  a “throwaway song.”

“We were struggling and starving and going nowhere for about a year and a half, and [Sting] wrote it without any agenda,” the drummer recalled. “It was certainly not a Police song because we were still theoretically a punk band.”

“I gave it a drum beat that was kind of bass-ackwards and made it into a Police song,” he continued. “It wasn’t punk-o-rama, but it was still a rock song, even though it was kind of a lament.”

While Sting’s bandmates were wary, it was the Police’s manager, Miles Copeland, who saw the real potential in “Roxanne.” He took a recording of the song to A&M Records, and it was picked up by radio stations in Texas and Boston.

“Roxanne” became a hit in the U.S., but the song had a little more trouble in the UK. The BBC initially refused to allow the song to be played on air, according to American Songwriter. The band advertised “Roxanne” as “banned by the BBC” in the hopes it would attract fans.

Sting took offense over the BBC’s stance, noting  that “Roxanne” “wasn’t a smutty song in any sense of the word.” “It was a real song with a real, felt lyric, and they wouldn’t play it on the grounds that it was about a prostitute,” he said, per the outlet.

Despite the initial drama over the song, “Roxanne” became a career-defining classic for the Police and remains one of the band’s most beloved songs nearly 50 years later.

“Before ‘Roxanne’ we were just an unknown band with no legs at all,” Summers told Classic Rock. “Then everything seemed to accelerate. It went like a rocket once we started going. That was the really thrilling part of The Police’s history. It was an amazing experience.”

Related: 1979 Rock Track Recorded by The Sweet Was Rejected for a Movie Before Becoming Another Band’s Final Hit

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Maintaining a tidy space can be a tricky task when you don’t have sufficient room to stash those odds and ends. Luckily, there are some great organization solutions on the market that can add both style and functionality to your home. In the Lark Manor Alicyn Cabinet, shoppers have found a structurally sound storage spot that not only provides five drawers’ worth of space, but also adds a striking touch to any room.

Normally retailing for between $400 and $600 at Wayfair, the cabinet is marked down to only $89 in the blue model right now ahead of Labor Day. There are also white, green, and gray options reduced to between $90 and $100, so you’ll score a great deal no matter what. The drawers are suitable for anything from linens to toiletries to office supplies. Thanks to its practical-meets-polished look, it blends seamlessly into a variety of interior designs.

With its tall silhouette, it exudes a clean and streamlined appearance. The vertical profile makes it especially ideal for tucking into more narrow spaces, while the paneled drawer fronts provide a little visual intrigue with their textured finishes. Each of the drawers has a simple cutout handle, making it super easy to slide them open and find what you want. There’s a charming, farmhouse-style vibe about the design, but it’s still sleek and modern enough to work in a more updated space.

Measuring 40.1 inches high by 15.7 inches wide by 11.8 inches deep, the cabinet weighs just over 19 pounds. It’s constructed from durable, manufactured wood that not only looks as good as the real thing, but offers the added advantage of being waterproof. Shoppers said it’s “very well made” and praised the quality of the “sturdy” build, with one writing, “The pieces were very nice craftsmanship and went together easily.” Most people found that assembly was a straightforward process.

Reviewers also said they appreciated its versatility. It’s adaptable enough to work in virtually any room, whether it’s used for self-care essentials in the bathroom or clothes in the bedroom. Others said it’s a great organizer for crafting supplies, jewelry, and office supplies. “It has enough space in every cabinet. It looks cozy and coquette just like the photo! Definitely recommend if you’re looking for something that doesn’t take up much space,” a shopper shared.

Related: Wayfair’s ‘Plush’ Corduroy Cloud Couch Is a Modular Marvel With 2 Storage Ottomans, Now 71% Off

Storage systems don’t have to stick out like sore thumbs, as the stylish Lark Manor Alicyn Cabinet shows. If you’ve been on the hunt for a cabinet that bridges the gap between form and fashion, this is a smart choice. Don’t miss it in your preferred color while it’s still on sale for as low as $89 at Wayfair ahead of Labor Day.

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Jelly Roll had a wild answer when asked about his dramatic weight loss: cocaine.

The country star and rapper made the joke during his late-night monologue while guest-hosting Jimmy Kimmel Live, poking fun at the explosion of Ozempic and other GLP-1 weight-loss drugs before setting the record straight. Jelly Roll said he lost the weight through diet and exercise—and joked that, while he’s proud of doing it the old-fashioned way, he also feels like someone who bought a horse and buggy right before cars hit the market.

Producers cued a recent Fox News segment in which an anchor claimed Jelly Roll had a bad case of Trump Derangement Syndrome, adding, “They should put a warning label on Ozempic.”

Feeling the need to clarify how he lost 300 pounds, Jelly Roll snarked, “First of all, Jesse, I’ll have you know Ozempic is the only drug I haven’t tried. I know it sounds unbelievable, but I lost weight the old-fashioned way. Cocaine.”

He quickly clarified that he was joking, explaining that he started getting in shape before the GLP-1 craze took off.

“And I’m kind of proud of the fact that I did it through diet and exercise,” he said. “But I also kind of feel like a dude who bought the last horse and buggy day before they started selling cars.”

Staying on the subject of weight loss, Jelly Roll then pivoted to how his monologues have gone viral over the past week, joking about the reaction to his jokes about President Donald Trump.

“I can’t believe out of all the jokes I’ve told the past few nights, the one that really seemed to make people mad about what I said about the president was when I said he was overweight,” he said.

“I thought fat on fat crime was okay!”

Jelly Roll then offered his own prescription for how Trump could shed some pounds.

“If I can lose all that weight, he can too. And in fact, there is a new medication on the market designed specifically for him,” he said.

Cue the joke ad for the faux drug: “Donjaro, a once-daily injection that goes right into your presidential ass, and reduces cravings so you can get right back to the executive orders that matter most. Side effects may include drowsiness, irritability, confusion, bruising of the hands, massive cankles, and orgasmic grunting.”

For millions of travelers, planning a marquee vacation has traditionally meant braving the peak summer rush between June and August. Yet peak-season travel often comes with steep compromises: packed cobblestone alleys, sweltering heatwaves, booked-solid dining rooms, and exorbitant room rates.

According to luxury travel designer Duncan Greenfield-Turk of Global Travel Moments, the savviest travelers avoid the summer crush entirely. By shifting getaways into the fall shoulder season, you get the absolute best version of world-class destinations—warmer seas, softer light, accessible tables, and a relaxed local energy that simply does not exist in July.

“Shoulder season is when the doors quietly open,” Greenfield-Turk explains. “The suite that was impossible in August reappears, rates soften noticeably from mid-September, and the restaurant that would not take you suddenly can. For anyone who wants the best of a place, October is the insider’s month, better value and better access at once.”

Related: 4 Best Affordable Shoulder Season Travel Destinations

While coastal New England draws legions of summer road-trippers, Greenfield-Turk points to historic Newport as the town that undergoes the most dramatic seasonal upgrade.

“Newport is the one that transforms the most I feel,” says Greenfield-Turk. “Once the summer squeeze lifts you can finally get a table, park without a battle and walk the Cliff Walk with the mansions almost to yourself.”

Beyond the sheer convenience, autumn brings an entirely different atmosphere to the Rhode Island coast. “The October light is softer, the sea is still warm from summer (and personally I think still pleasant enough to swim should you so choose), and the whole town relaxes or for want of a better word breathes,” Greenfield-Turk notes. “It goes from pretty and packed to genuinely elegant.”

Related: The New England Fall Road Trip Travel Experts Swear By

Visiting Italy‘s postcard-perfect Amalfi Coast in September or early October offers a night-and-day difference compared to midsummer gridlock.

“The Amalfi Coast in September and early October is vastly better than in August although it is still busy,” Greenfield-Turk shares. “The sea is at its warmest, having banked all summer’s heat and the crowds and the cruise crush have thinned, from a recent trip it feels very much like the locals come out of their shells and get their charm back after a punishing peak.”

For travelers, that shift means an elevated stay from start to finish. “Same light, same swimming, none of the scrum, and more importantly, the hotels finally have room to look after you properly at a price that need not break the bank,” he adds.

Related: We Asked 3 Travel Experts for Their Top European Summer Picks

With travelers increasingly fleeing sweltering summer temperatures across Southern Europe, the Nordic region has surged in popularity as the premier cool-weather retreat.

“As Southern Europe swelters, the Nordics come into their own in early autumn,” says Greenfield-Turk. “Norway, Iceland and Swedish Lapland turn crisp and golden, the summer coaches have gone, and from late August the Northern Lights begin.”

The appeal of swapping beach umbrellas for crisp northern landscapes is showing up in booking data, too. “It is the rare trip that feels both restorative and quietly thrilling, and the clearest sign that travellers are now chasing cool and calm rather than heat,” Greenfield-Turk notes. “It also happens to be our fastest growing destination for the 3rd year in a row.”

Related: Unexpected (And Affordable) European Cities Trending in 2026

For an under-the-radar European escape that summer tourists consistently overlook once September ends, Greenfield-Turk recommends heading straight to the sun-drenched heel of Italy’s boot: Puglia.

“Puglia in October would be my first choice,” Greenfield-Turk reveals. “The heel of Italy holds its warmth long and the crowds have mostly gone home, this is also the start of olive harvest season, the masserie are at their most generous, and you can have a whitewashed hill town or a long empty beach largely to yourself. All the soul of the Mediterranean without the usual circus.”

Related: Why a Small-Ship Voyage Is the Best Way to Experience the ‘Quiet Mediterranean’

To maximize ideal weather before seasonal winter shutdowns begin, Greenfield-Turk emphasizes that timing your trip down to the exact week makes all the difference.

“For the Mediterranean, mid-September to mid-October, before the coastal hotels start closing for winter at the end of the month,” Greenfield-Turk advises. “For the Nordics, early to mid-September for autumn colour and the first Northern Lights.”

Ultimately, the blueprint for a perfect autumn getaway remains universal. “The trick everywhere is to go just after peak, when the weather holds but the crowds have gone,” says Greenfield-Turk.

Related: The Exclusive Women’s Travel Retreat Where No One Knows the Itinerary—and Every Single Detail Is Taken Care Of

Dolly Parton’s 1977 hit “Here You Come Again” became one of the most important songs of her long career, helping the country star reach a wider audience without leaving her country roots behind. T

he song topped the U.S. country singles chart for five weeks, climbed to No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100, and became Parton’s first major pop crossover hit.

The success also made the song a major milestone for Parton. “Here You Come Again” became her first gold record and her first single to sell one million copies. It later earned a Grammy win, while the album of the same name became her first major crossover success and her first album to reach the Top 20 of the Billboard 200.

Photo by Tom Hill/WireImage

The song was also unusual for Parton because she did not write it herself. Known for creating many of her biggest classics, including “Jolene,” “I Will Always Love You” and “Coat of Many Colors,” Parton instead recorded a song written by legendary songwriting team Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil.

Released in September 1977 as the title track of her album, “Here You Come Again” became a career-defining moment that showed Parton could connect with both country and pop listeners.

Before the song reached Parton, “Here You Come Again” had already taken an interesting path. Mann and Weil wrote it, and it was originally recorded by B.J. Thomas before it eventually landed in Parton’s hands.

Parton was already a successful country artist, but she was also looking for music that could help her reach a broader audience. Still, she had one major concern: she did not want her move toward pop music to make her country fans think she was leaving them behind.

Cynthia Weil later recalled that Parton worried the song might sound too polished for her usual audience.

“Gary Klein, I think, was producing Dolly Parton, and he heard it, and he loved it. Dolly, who was so gracious and adorable thanks us every time she sees us, for the song,” Weil told HuffPost. “At the time, she felt it might be a little too slick and might cost her some of her country fans. But she was talked into doing it and now she’s thrilled that she did.”

Parton’s manager, Sandy Gallin, also spoke about her hesitation years later.

“She said a monkey could sing this song and have a hit with it,” Gallin said in 2016. “And she was very nervous that it would turn off the country market, which she was very loyal to. There was no way she wanted to ever let anything insinuate that she may be turning her back on the country audience.”

Her concerns shaped the final recording.

Producer Gary Klein said Parton wanted a steel guitar included in the arrangement so listeners could still hear a clear country sound.

“She wanted people to be able to hear the steel guitar, so if someone said it isn’t country, she could say it and prove it,” Klein said. “She was so relieved. It was like her life sentence was reprieved.”

“Here You Come Again” spent five weeks at No. 1 on the U.S. country chart. At the same time, it crossed over to pop audiences and reached No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100, making it Parton’s highest-charting single on the all-genre chart at that point in her career.

The song’s success gave Parton a major breakthrough beyond country radio. The album Here You Come Again also became her first major pop crossover release and her first to enter the Top 20 of the Billboard 200.

The recording later earned Parton a Grammy Award, adding another major achievement to a song that had once made her nervous about losing the audience she had worked so hard to build.

Nearly five decades later, “Here You Come Again” remains one of the rare major Dolly Parton hits that she did not write herself. That fact makes its success stand out even more in a career built on Parton’s own songwriting.

The song also continues to be recognized among Parton’s best recordings. In The Guardian’s list of her 10 greatest songs, “Here You Come Again” appeared alongside major classics such as “Jolene,” “I Will Always Love You,” “9 to 5,” “Coat of Many Colors” and “Islands in the Stream.”

For a performer whose music crossed generations and genres, the song became one of the clearest early examples of how Dolly Parton could move between country and pop without losing her identity.

Related: Ella Langley Mourns Death of Country Icon Dolly Parton

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The moment I slip on a denim jacket, I know fall has officially arrived here in Texas. While cool weather makes its presence known in other parts of the country well before it does in my neck of the woods, needing a jacket is what cements the arrival of the new season for me. And when it comes to denim jackets, there’s no brand I’d rather wear than Levi’s. The jean company introduced its first jacket in 1905, and since then, has absolutely perfected the art of easy-to-wear style.

While vintage Levi’s jackets will cost you a pretty penny (if you can find them), plenty of modern versions won’t drain your bank account. In fact, one style is currently on sale at Amazon for a whopping 65% off, so you can snag a classic denim jacket for fall at an even more affordable price. Normally retailing for $90, Levi’s Riveted Original Trucker Jacket is now priced as low as $31. It’s available in sizes X-small through X-large, and prices vary slightly by size. 

Courtesy of Amazon

Dubbed “soft” and “stylish” by Amazon reviewers, this jean jacket is made from 100% cotton. It features a subtle line of sparkling rhinestones along the front and back yokes, adding a touch of western-style flair to the iconic design. A medium-dark wash keeps the style looking modern, while the pointed collar and copper-colored buttons evoke the retro-inspired vibes that made Levi’s original denim jackets so popular. 

This timeless jacket has a structured silhouette that ends right at the hips. Roomy pockets on either side are perfect for stashing your phone and lip gloss or tucking your hands to keep them warm. As versatile as it is chic, you can wear this denim jacket over a sundress for extra coverage or layer it with sweaters and jeans when it’s cold out. 

• Levi’s 90s Trucker Jacket, $70 (was $90) at Amazon
• Levi’s Sawyer Western Shirt, From $42 (was $70) at Amazon
• Levi’s 94 Baggy Wide Leg Jean, From $50 (was $85) at Amazon

Related: Costco Is Selling ‘Flattering and Comfortable’ Levi’s High-Rise Jeans That Are Too Cute to Pass Up

For classic fall style at an unbeatable price, snag the Levi’s Riveted Original Trucker Jacket while it’s on sale at Amazon for as low as $31. This is a denim deal you won’t want to miss!

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. 

In November 1981, Olivia Newton-John took the ultimate risk, trading her clean-cut country-pop image for a provocative anthem that pushed boundaries.

“Physical” sparked a commotion among radio stations across the country, which pulled the track from their playlists for its suggestive lyrics. Still, the moral outrage surrounding the song only fueled its momentum.

Over a historic 10-week run atop the Billboard Hot 100, “Physical” became a commercial smash. It dethroned Daryl Hall and John Oates’ “Private Eyes” and trapped Foreigner’s rock masterpiece, “Waiting for a Girl Like You,” in the No. 2 spot for nine straight weeks.

What began as an attempt to change Newton-John’s image from country-pop princess to sophisticated icon became one of the most unexpected controversies in 1980s music. Her early career was based on squeaky-clean country crossover hits like “If You Love Me (Let Me Know)” and Grease’s “Hopelessly Devoted to You.” However, Newton-John was eager to embrace a bolder sound.

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“Physical,” written by Steve Kipner and Terry Shaddick, was the song she was looking for. It was initially pitched to both Rod Stewart and Tina Turner before Newton-John decided to record it.

The song’s memorable video jumped on the era’s exercise trend, borrowing its look from the workout craze made famous by Jane Fonda and Richard Simmons, per Billboard. The outlet wrote, “She donned spandex, a headband and a more economical, Princess Diana-reminiscent haircut in the video, while the motivational speak of aerobics classes informed — and offered plausible deniability for — the song’s otherwise sexually forward chorus hook.”

The result was a hit unlike any other Newton-John had previously had. She told Entertainment Weekly in 2017, “I recorded it and then suddenly thought, ‘Goodness, maybe I’ve gone too far!’ It was a bit raunchier than I realized.”

She continued, “I called Roger [Davies, her talent manager] and said, ‘We’ve got to pull this song!’ He said, ‘It’s too late. It’s already gone to radio, and it’s running up the charts.’ I was horrified! I said, ‘Oh, wow…um…yeah…okay…well, maybe we should do a video, and it should be about exercise—yeah! That’s it! Let’s make it about working out!'”

The strategy didn’t diffuse the controversy; it supercharged it. The ban created an irresistible curiosity and drove millions of fans to record stores.

In 2021, the singer and actress told Entertainment Tonight she was “honored” that “Physical” held such a pivotal place in pop music history. However, she never believed that the racy tune would remain so beloved.

She explained, “I’m honored and the people still love the song 40 years later,” she notes. “I’m thrilled for Stevie [Kipner] because he wrote it and I never dreamt in my life that ‘Physical,’ 40 years later, people would still be loving it. I feel very lucky.”

However, Olivia Newton-John was far from done with the charts after her historic Billboard run. She quickly proved “Physical” wasn’t a fluke by dropping back-to-back hits in 1982, “Make a Move on Me” and “Heart Attack.” She closed out 1983 with “Twist of Fate,” the theme song from the feature film Two of a Kind, a romantic comedy that reunited her on-screen with her beloved Grease co-star John Travolta.

Related: 1975 John Denver Heartbreak Hit Hid a Collaboration With a Crossover Country Superstar

On Aug. 27, 1961, Yolanda Adams was born in Houston, Tex., and went on to become one of the most defining voices in gospel. In fact, the four-time Grammy winner is recognized as “the first lady” of her music genre: The First Lady of Modern Gospel. Today, Aug. 27, 2026, the iconic singer celebrates her milestone 65th birthday.

After graduating from Texas Southern University, Adams worked as a teacher and model in Houston before trading in the chalkboard for the microphone. And the rest is history. The “Open My Heart” artist won her first Grammy in 1999 for Best Contemporary Soul Gospel Album for Mountain High… Valley Low, and made history as the first gospel artist to win the Grammy Award for Best Gospel Song in 2005 with her inspirational track “Be Blessed.”

Since beginning her career in the ’90s, Adams has been nominated for 16 Grammy Awards in total.

Music aside, Adams has also appeared on-screen in acting roles, portraying a preacher in 2016’s Ride Along 2 starring Kevin Hart and Ice Cube, and more recently, lead matriarch Denita Jordan in BET series Kingdom Business.

Related: ’70s Music Legend, Original Member of Iconic Soft Rock Band Turns 78

Earlier this month, the Christian entertainment figure chatted with WBRC 6 News about her continued life mission to share her faith through her music. “The world is my ministry, and it’s not just the four walls of the church,” she expressed in a video interview. “I have sat with all kinds of beautiful people, and if I am supposed to walk in and represent God, that’s what I’m going to do.”

“God so loved the world that He gave—so the first thing that I can give is my presence,” she added.

“The Battle Is Yours” songstress was inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame in 2017, and named one of the Top Gospel Artists of the 2010s by Billboard, where she has scored five No. 1 albums on Billboard’s Top Gospel Albums chart.

Next, ’70s Rock Legend, Founder of an Influential Band From Cleveland, Turns 79

The first episode of Heated Rivalry‘s first season takes place almost entirely at a lakefront cottage in the words (idyllic, much) and is honestly one of the episodes that broke the internet.

Within weeks, thousands of viewers had decided they need to go to that exact spot. This hockey romance, created by Jacob Tierney from Rachel Reid’s Game Changer novels, premiered in late November 2025 and became an almost overnight sensation, growing nearly 400% in viewership in its first seven-day airing window.

It even won a Peabody in April. And that cottage, belonging to Shane Hollander, is actually set in Quebec on the show, but it was actually filmed somewhere really special, and quite unknown—Lake Muskoka, two hours north of Toronto.

“Shane’s cottage could’ve been anywhere, and it would inspire travel to that place. The influence of Shane and Ilya’s love story is just that strong,” says Jayne McCaw, president of Jayne’s Luxury Rentals. Thankfully though, for those who love the town of Muskoka, it’s garnered so much interested to this beautiful hidden gem.

Muskoka is a region of more than 1,600 lakes spread across six small communities, and it has been Ontario‘s summer escape for a little over a century. “The show introduced Muskoka to a huge new audience adn made the destination such a big part of the story,” says Val Hamilton, executive director of Muskoka Tourism. “We saw Expedia and VRBO searches for Muskoka increase 35% this summer, international visitation is up 34% in 2026, and Discover Muskoka reached 1.4 million people on social media in the last two weeks,” she says.

What visitors want once they arrive has surprised Hamilton the most. “There is definitely interest in filming locations,” she says. “But people really want the broader Muskoka story, like the best swimming spots, historic cottages to rent (and visit), quaint towns, and docks they can get the perfect Insta backdrop.”

Related: Popular Heated Rivalry Cottage is Now Available on Airbnb

Season two of the famed show filmed over summer 2026 and arrives to screens next spring (2027), which gives a relatively long runway in order to explore the region ahead of the air dates. Barlochan Cottage was even listed on AirBNB this spring for a handful of weekend dates and sold out instantly.

The region has also been really busy, aside from the show. Muskoka Skybar opened in August on the roof of Muskoka Bay Resort‘s new hotel wing in Gravenhurst—complete with infinity pools, chef-driven tapas, and views over a breathtaking 300-foot cliffside drop. Getting here is easier now too. The Ontario Northlander train, out of service for more than a decade, is returning with stops in Gravenhurst and Bracebridge, about three hours from downtown Toronto for under $70 roundtrip.

As excited as some locals are for the new attention, some are a little more reserved. “I think there are two camps of people,” McCaw says. “The Muskoka residents that love it, feel the same way I do, very passionate about wanting to share Muskoka with the world. However, there’s the other camp though, where people just want to keep this hidden gem hidden, and have this secret place to retreat to.”

Related: Heated Rivalry Author Rachel Reid Defends Book vs. Show Change

There are two types of places to stay in Muskoka: the private-dock, boathouse rental the show is set in, and the resorts and inns that have been hosting visitors for years. Both are great options, it all depends on the experience you’re trying to have. McCaw books the first, and she’s candid about why. “To get the true privacy shown on the show, it will likely cost you about $5,000 for a private cottage rental in the summer,” she says.

However, don’t let that price point scare you away from your own Heated Rivalry fantasy. “Many people have the perception that Muskoka is only luxury, but there are actually more than 100 accommodation options at a wide range of price points,” she says. “Plus, summer is our busiest season, so we recommend booking early, particularly for the weekends.” For hotels and resorts, the JW Mariott Rosseau sits at the high end of luxury, while the Windermere House and Sherwood Inn give you that small-town lakeside vibe. Deerhurst in Huntsville is great for families, and have a ton to keep kids of all ages occupied, from a full-size rock climbing wall, to a heated pool, arcade, indoor treehouse playhouse, and more.

The two main towns are about twenty minutes apart, so plan to drive between them for your dining experiences. Don’s Bakery in Bala has fed cottagers and lakeside visitors since 1947 and recently went back to its original scratch recipes (so it’s an order to get the scone buns). Mrs. H’s, a fish-and-chips stand near Wahta Station, is worth the stop just for the halibut alone. Tulo’s Taqueria in Port Carling has a dazzling rooftop bar for margaritas and doesn’t take reservations. Crossroads in Rosseau is smaller and more formal, and books weeks in advance. Butter tarts are the regional order wherever they’re made in-house, and Muskoka Brewery in Bracebridge has a taproom if you want to drink something local, like the popular Detour session IPA or the Tread Lightly Lager. If you want to blend your love of beer with a cozy stay too, book a night at the Beer Spa, which is a full-service retreat-style resort centered around craft brewing.

There is so much to do in every season here, whether you’re on the water in July or on a trail in February. The RMS Segwun, North America’s oldest operating mail steamship, still runs cruises out of Gravenhurst. The Kee to Bala, a lakeside concert hall built in 1942, is one of Canada’s best-loved live music rooms, just check the calendar before you book your dates. Bracebridge has waterfalls downtown and a Saturday market with more than 40 vendors. For hiking, the Huckleberry Rock Lookout Trail near Milford Bay is a 2.5-kilometer loop you can do in under an hour, with panoramic views of Lake Muskoka and some of the oldest exposed rock on earth underfoot. If you want to work harder, Strawberry Point is a five-kilometer route that mixes country road and woods and rewards you with the same lake at the end.

Kawartha Lakes, Ontario. Directly east of Muskoka and 90 minutes from Toronto Pearson, the Kawarthas offer the same cottage and boating life along the Trent-Severn Waterway for less money, with historic lock towns like Bobcaygeon and plenty of dockside dining.

Magog, Quebec. Seventy-five minutes east of Montréal, the villages around Lake Memphrémagog have walkable main streets, farm-to-table restaurants, and small inns. “The lakes in these regions are less concentrated than the Muskokas, so I would assume the feeling of remoteness is even stronger,” McCaw says. She also suspects it’s where the show’s writers pictured The Cottage in the first place.

Related: 14 Charming Small Towns That Feel Straight Out of Stars Hollow

Ella Langley is giving one of Shania Twain’s biggest songs a new moment nearly three decades after it first became a hit.

The country star recently shared a piano cover of Twain’s 1998 classic “You’re Still the One” on TikTok. Langley kept the performance simple, accompanying herself on piano while putting her own emotional spin on the song.

“I’ll never get over this song,” Langley captioned the video.

The performance quickly reached the song’s original singer. Twain responded in the comments, writing, “So flattered ❤️Loved getting to connect at ACMs xx.”

Photo by Jason Kempin/Getty Images

The exchange shows how “You’re Still the One” continues to connect artists and listeners 28 years after its release. The song was already a major crossover hit in 1998, and it has found a new life through covers and performances by artists from different genres and generations.

I’ll never get over this song @Shania Twain #cover

The cover also fits Langley’s history of sharing songs she loves on social media. She has previously posted versions of Freddy Fender’s “Wasted Days and Wasted Nights” and George Strait’s “Fool Hearted Memory.”

Her love for classic country also appeared on her album Dandelion, which reached No. 1 on the Billboard 200. The album included her version of Kitty Wells’ 1952 classic “It Wasn’t God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels.”

“You’re Still the One” first appeared on Twain’s 1997 album Come On Over before becoming one of the defining hits of 1998.

The song was written by Twain and her then-husband and producer, Robert “Mutt” Lange. It was inspired by criticism surrounding their relationship and the belief from others that their marriage would not last.

In a 1997 interview with The Spokesman Review, Twain explained the personal meaning behind the song.

“Mutt and I are an unlikely pair,” Twain said. “There’s been talk in the tabloids that we’re divorcing, but we are very happy. We love each other in every way. We have a great creative relationship and a great personal relationship. We feel as strong as ever, and ‘Still the One’ is sort of my own personal victory song about the marriage.”

The song’s message reached far beyond its original story.

After Twain and Lange later divorced, she explained that the meaning of the song had changed because listeners had made it part of their own lives.

“I think the biggest value of ‘You’re Still the One’ is that it’s become the people’s song,” Twain told The Line of Best Fit in 2023. “Because it no longer applies to Mutt and I.”

She added, “With songwriting, I think a lot of the time you have to sort of let your original meanings go, because the meaning of a song can evolve so much once it’s out there. Once you give it to the public, they make it their own. They have their own reasons for loving it.”

That may help explain why the song has lasted for 28 years.

“You’re Still the One” became a crossover success after being released to pop radio. It reached No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 and also topped the Hot Country Songs and Country Airplay charts. The song became Twain’s most successful single on the Hot 100 and spent nine non-consecutive weeks at No. 2.

The hit also earned two Grammy Awards for Best Country Song and Best Female Country Vocal Performance.

The song’s success helped make Come On Over one of the biggest country albums ever. The album spent 50 weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Country Albums chart and became the best-selling album by a female solo artist in the United States.

Over the years, “You’re Still the One” has continued to inspire artists. Harry Styles and Kacey Musgraves performed it together in 2018, while artists including Prince, Kelly Clarkson, Teddy Swims, Christian Lee Hutson, Julia Jacklin, boygenius and others have also performed or recorded versions.

Related: Country Star Ella Langley’s Second-Best Hit Song Was Written in 30 Minutes

In 1967, Chip Douglas was playing bass for The Turtles when Michael Nesmith walked up to him at the Whisky a Go Go with an unexpected proposition: He wanted Douglas to leave the band and become the new producer for The Monkees.

There was just one small problem. Douglas had never produced a record.

Related: Last Surviving Member of ’60s NBC Phenomenon ‘The Monkees’ Opens Up About His 3 Late Bandmates: ‘It’s Like They’re Still There’

That unlikely career move worked out pretty well. Douglas would help The Monkees take greater control of their music, produce some of their most enduring songs and become so closely involved with the group that he later described himself as “the fifth Monkee for a while.”

On Aug. 27, Douglas celebrates his 84th birthday.

Born Douglas Farthing Hatlelid in 1942, Douglas began his career in Hawaii before making his way to California and joining the Modern Folk Quartet. He later spent time with the Gene Clark Group before joining The Turtles on bass in late 1966.

Douglas’ brief tenure with The Turtles nevertheless included one enormous record. He played bass and created the arrangement for “Happy Together,” which became the band’s first and only No. 1 hit, knocking The Beatles’ “Penny Lane” from the top of the Billboard Hot 100.

It was while Douglas was still with The Turtles that Nesmith came calling.

Douglas later recalled that he was at the Whisky a Go Go when Nesmith approached him and said The Monkees needed a new producer. Douglas couldn’t quite believe what he was hearing.

Related: Micky Dolenz Shares Rare ‘Monkees’ Photos to Mark Show’s 60th Anniversary

“I haven’t the slightest idea how to produce a record or anything,” Douglas remembered telling Nesmith in an interview with Monkees Live Almanac.

According to Douglas, Nesmith wasn’t concerned: “Never mind. I’ll teach you all you need to know.”

Douglas left The Turtles and quickly found himself at the center of a pivotal moment in The Monkees’ history. The group had been fighting for greater control over its records and wanted to prove that its members were musicians rather than merely actors fronting music created for their NBC television series.

Douglas produced Headquarters, the 1967 album on which Nesmith, Micky Dolenz, Davy Jones and Peter Tork famously took a much larger role in playing their own instruments. Douglas also played bass and contributed the song “Forget That Girl.”

Related: Two Monkees, One Heavenly Birthday: Last Surviving Monkee Shares Moving Tribute

The gamble paid off. Headquarters reached No. 1 on the Billboard albums chart before being displaced by another little 1967 release: The Beatles’ Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band.

Douglas’ fingerprints were all over what came next.

He produced “Pleasant Valley Sunday,” the Gerry Goffin and Carole King-penned hit that reached No. 3 on the Hot 100. Douglas played bass on the recording and devised its distinctive opening guitar figure, which Nesmith played.

He also produced the group’s 1967 album Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn & Jones Ltd. and helped bring one of The Monkees’ signature songs into their orbit.

Related: Last Surviving Member of The Monkees Micky Dolenz Releases New Music 60 Years After First No. 1 Hit

Douglas introduced the band to former Kingston Trio member John Stewart, who had written a song called “Daydream Believer.” With Douglas producing, The Monkees recorded it with Jones on lead vocals. Released in 1967, “Daydream Believer” became the group’s third and final No. 1 hit in the United States.

Douglas also helped create its B-side, “Goin’ Down.” He recalled that the track grew out of a jam after the musicians recorded “Daydream Believer,” with Douglas playing walking bass. Dolenz ultimately recorded the song’s rapid-fire lead vocal in one take.

For Douglas, however, his relationship with The Monkees went beyond sitting behind the control board. He played alongside them, helped arrange their music and worked with them as they tried to establish their musical credibility.

Looking back on the possibility that he might once have become an actual member of The Monkees, Douglas concluded that things probably happened the way they were supposed to.

Related: Micky Dolenz Reflects on the Year the Monkees Outsold the Beatles & Rolling Stones — Combined

“I was better off being the producer,” he said. “I kind of was the fifth Monkee for a while there anyway.”

Douglas and The Monkees eventually went their separate ways as the four members increasingly pursued individual musical interests, but his association with them didn’t end there. He returned to work with Dolenz on “Steam Engine” in 1969 and reunited with Dolenz, Jones and Tork for the 1976 holiday recording “Christmas Is My Time of Year,” which Douglas co-wrote with The Turtles’ Howard Kaylan.

His post-Monkees résumé also included another famous voice of the era. Douglas produced Linda Ronstadt’s 1969 debut solo album Hand Sown…Home Grown.

Nearly six decades after that extraordinary run in 1967, “Daydream Believer” and “Pleasant Valley Sunday” remain among The Monkees’ most recognizable recordings. And Douglas’ unlikely path from The Turtles’ bass player to first-time producer put him right in the middle of the moment when The Monkees fought to show the world there was much more to the band than a television show.

Related: Last Surviving Member of ’60s NBC Phenomenon Opens Up About His 3 Late Bandmates: ‘It’s Like They’re Still There’

The death of Tim Curry has left fans mourning one of the most distinctive performers of his generation. Now, newly reported 911 dispatch audio is offering a brief glimpse into the emergency response at the actor’s Los Angeles home on the night he died.

Curry, best known for playing Dr. Frank-N-Furter in The Rocky Horror Picture Show and Pennywise in the original It miniseries, died Aug. 25 at age 80. His longtime manager, Marcia Hurwitz, confirmed that he died peacefully at his home in Toluca Lake. A cause of death has not been publicly disclosed.

According to audio reviewed by the Daily Mail and reports from other outlets, emergency personnel were dispatched to Curry’s home at about 11:23 p.m. after a medical call. The dispatch was described as an “ambulance death investigation,” and Curry was pronounced dead at the scene.

The Los Angeles Police Department has said there was no indication of foul play.

The newly reported audio doesn’t establish what caused Curry’s death, but it provides a somber look at the final emergency response involving an actor whose work had remained part of pop culture for decades.

Curry suffered a major stroke in 2012 that left him partially paralyzed and dependent on a wheelchair for mobility. He later spoke candidly about his recovery and the profound changes the stroke brought to his life.

Despite those challenges, Curry continued performing, particularly through voice work and appearances with fans. He also returned to the screen in recent years, including a role in the 2024 horror film Stream.

In his 2025 memoir, Vagabond, Curry wrote about his health struggles and recovery, while maintaining the sense of humor that had become one of his trademarks.

Curry’s career stretched across theater, film and television, earning him three Tony nominations and a Daytime Emmy.

But his most enduring characters may be the ones that could never quite be separated from him: the outrageous Frank-N-Furter, the sinister Pennywise and the flamboyant characters he played in everything from Clue to Home Alone 2.

His death at 80 marks the end of a career that lasted more than five decades. And while the newly released dispatch audio offers a glimpse into the final hours of his life, the details of Curry’s death remain private.

RELATED: Tim Curry Once Shared the Mindset That Helped Him Through His Hardest Years

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You can’t put a price on your comfort, especially at night. Bedding can make a huge difference, affecting everything from your body temperature to how well you sleep. Fortunately, with the breathable Gogreen Duvet Set, you’ll notice that from the first use. The three-piece set is 47% off, and comes with a duvet cover and matching pillowcases, providing an easy bedding makeover with the option for year-round use.

It’s also available at an incredible price, too.. You’d normally pay as much as $43 for the king-size set at Walmart, but right now you can snag it in the gray stripe, flamingo, green leaf, and light pink flower patterns for only $18. There are several seasonal varieties available, too, including holiday-friendly deer and penguin motifs.

Courtesy of Walmart

Featuring a soft polyester outer layer, the duvet cover contains a polyester fill that lends it just the right amount of weight. The effect is light and cooling, so it’s an excellent choice for the warmer months. At the same time, it’s substantial enough to keep you comfortable even when layered over a blanket during fall and winter, too.

The pieces are built for the long-haul. The cover’s wrinkle-resistant finish won’t shrink when you toss it in the washing machine — just use cold water and dry on low heat to protect its integrity. The patterns have a watercolor-inspired finish that gives each design a light and airy look. They’re subtle and just slightly blurred, so the effect on your bedroom’s aesthetic is more relaxed and understated. Adding one to your bed is a simple way to refresh the room without overwhelming the space.

Several shoppers confirmed the material is “so soft,”, while one reviewer commented that it adds a “stunning and elegant” feel to their bedroom. Another person commented on the “very cute and colorful” pattern. A few people also noted that they appreciated the concealed zipper, as well as the four corner ties to keep the insert secure.

• Kaqinu Down Alternative Pillow Set, $23 (was $40) at Walmart
• Casacomoda 5-Tier Bookshelf, $50 (was $74) at Walmart
• Vasagle Maezo Side Table, $36 (was $70) at Walmart

Related: Walmart’s ‘Sturdy’ $20 Folding Tray Table Set Is Perfect for TV Dinners, Crafting, and Game Nights

Whether you’re updating your bedroom for fall or looking for something new to help you sleep more comfortably at night while adding a protective layer to your bed, the Gogreen Duvet Set is a phenomenal value. Don’t miss it while it’s on sale in your preferred pattern!

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.

If you’ve ever walked into Costco intending to buy olive oil and paper towels only to walk out $350 poorer, your next vacation budget might come as a welcome shock.

Margaritaville at Sea just rolled out a limited-time Labor Day Flash Sale featuring 60% off cruise fares fleetwide through September 8, 2026.

Between the 60% fare discount, $50 deposits per person, and promotions where third and fourth guests sail free in the same cabin, select five- and six-night sailings aboard the Islander out of Port Tampa Bay drop to astonishingly low rates. For less than the price of a single weekend grocery haul, travelers can spend six days sailing the Gulf of Mexico, lounging poolside with a frozen cocktail, and exploring Belize or Progreso.

For travelers looking to stretch their dollar even further, sailings aboard the line’s Palm Beach-based vessel, Paradise, drop rates even lower. With new 5-night Dominican Republic and Bahamas itineraries starting at just $249 per person (taxes and fees included), a multi-country island escape costs less than a single trip to a wholesale club.

Related: This Wallet-Friendly Cruise Is the Sun-Drenched, Good Vibes Getaway You Need

The flash sale comes loaded with extra perks, including complimentary stateroom selection within purchased subcategories and free cabin upgrades on select departure dates. For families and friend groups sharing a room, the third- and fourth-guest free perk brings the average nightly cost down to sheer pocket change.

The 60% savings also extend well beyond this year, covering future voyages aboard the cruise line’s upcoming flagship, the all-new Beachcomber. Beginning in January 2027, the ship will make its official debut from PortMiami, sailing four- to eight-night journeys across the Eastern and Southern Caribbean.

Related: I Cruise Every Month—Here Are My Secrets to Scoring Luxury Deals on a Budget

Whether you want to jump on Paradise from Palm Beach for a quick weekend in the Bahamas or take a full six-day getaway out of Tampa on Islander, the post-Labor Day shoulder season is proving to be one of the cheapest times of the year to trade the checkout line for the lido deck.

Related: I Cruise Every Month—Here Are My Secrets to Scoring Luxury Cabins for Cheap

It’s been more than a decade since we checked in on Madeline, Celeste, Jane, Renata, and Bonnie. At least, in novel form. We head back to Pirriwee Peninsula after 12 years away with the September pick for Reese Witherspoon’s book club.

The Reese Book Club pick is Big Little Truths by Liane Moriarty. It picks up a decade after the drama of Big Little Lies, so the characters grow up along with us. As we deal with the drama of our own teenagers, so do the five moms who found comfort and support in each other during some harrowing events.

Big Little Truths promises to deliver something from the perspective of the adults and the teenagers. The children of the five women are dealing with their own high school drama. They’re struggling with adolescence and trying to fit in at high school. However, things take a dark and sinister turn when a mysterious man starts lurking around the school.

Suddenly, the entire beach town is thrown into uproar. Secrets that people have held onto for years threaten to reach the surface. The truth always eventually comes out, but can these five families stick together when they need to, and who is the mysterious man causing trouble?

The Reese’s Book Club special edition is only available at Target. It will include beautiful sprayed edges and endpapers, as well as a bonus Q&A session with Moriarty. Those who subscribe to the Book Club will also get a surprise bonus chapter.

This is especially timely for Witherspoon, who starred in Big Little Lies on HBO. Initially billed as a limited series, as it followed the standalone novel at the time, it was adapted into a second season. There are now talks of a third season, with it being in active development and slated for a 2027 release. However, it’s not yet filming, with the high-profile actors’ schedules being part of the issue. The show starred Witherspoon, Nicole Kidman, Zoë Kravitz, Shailene Woodley, and Laura Dern. When it comes to the Big Little Lies Season 3 adaptation, Moriarty shared with E! News that the producers had read her story, but that she is “absolutely sure there will be huge changes.”

In the announcement for the pick of the month, Witherspoon shares, “I can’t tell you how fun it is to go back down memory lane with these characters.”

Moriarty shares, “When I was writing [Big Little Truths], it felt like I was reuniting with old friends. I very much hope that you feel the same way when you read it.”

The novel is 12 years in the making, and it was something that she didn’t initially intend to create. In fact, Witherspoon even asked if there was a chance of a sequel, and she said no because she hadn’t done a sequel before, and she didn’t want to create new drama for the characters. In the end, the sequel idea came about as she started writing about the teenagers and could see how drama could develop.

Big Little Truths was published on Aug. 25, 2026.

Related: 6 Books Are Sure to Ruin Your Sleep This Week — Including a Trip Back to Oz

On August 27, 1964, a magical nanny floated in from the sky and blasted into movie history. Mary Poppins, Walt Disney’s musical fantasy starring Julie Andrews and Dick Van Dyke, premiered at Grauman’s Chinese Theatre in Hollywood. And it introduced audiences to a nanny who could fly with an umbrella, pull practically anything from her carpetbag and turn an ordinary day into an adventure.

Based on the beloved books by P.L. Travers, the film blended live action, animation, music, comedy and fantasy in a way audiences had rarely seen. At its center was Mary Poppins, a mysterious and wonderfully self-assured nanny who arrives to care for Jane and Michael Banks. And, most importantly, she helps their distracted parents rediscover the joy of being a family. Alongside her was Bert, the charming chimney sweep played by Van Dyke, whose great imagination made him the perfect wingman for Mary’s adventures.

The movie was also a remarkable showcase for Andrews. She made her feature-film debut after her great stage career. Her performance earned her the Academy Award for Best Actress, while the film received an extraordinary 13 Oscar nominations and won five, including Best Actress, Best Original Song for “Chim Chim Cher-ee,” Best Original Score, Film Editing and Special Visual Effects.

But perhaps what made Mary Poppins so special was its ability to make the everyday feel extraordinary. Tidying a nursery could become a game. A trip to the park could turn into an encounter with dancing penguins. Feeding birds could become a lesson in compassion. More than six decades after its debut, the film still feels joyful because it doesn’t simply tell children to have fun. It suggests that imagination can change the way we experience the world.

Related: Quote of the Day: Michael Douglas on Finding Joy in the Moment

“In every job that must be done, there is an element of fun. You find the fun, and SNAP the job’s a game!”
—Mary Poppins

Mary Poppins shares this wisdom with Jane and Michael when they are faced with the decidedly unmagical task of cleaning up the nursery. Rather than treating the chore as something boring or unpleasant, she changes their perspective. Suddenly, tidying isn’t simply something they have to do. It becomes something they can enjoy.

And that little shift in perspective is one of the reasons the quote has endured. Mary isn’t necessarily saying that every task is inherently exciting. She’s suggesting that there is often a way to approach even the most ordinary responsibility with imagination, playfulness and a sense of possibility.

Related: Quote of the Day: Scott Hamilton’s Advice on Challenging Yourself Still Inspires 42 Years After His Olympic Gold

Mary Poppins’ quote is about perspective. There will always be things we have to do that aren’t particularly glamorous. We have laundry to fold, emails to answer, dishes to wash, deadlines to meet and responsibilities that can’t simply be wished away. Mary Poppins offers another way of looking at those moments: Instead of asking, “How can I get this over with?” we might ask, “How can I make this a little more enjoyable?”

That doesn’t mean pretending that difficult work is always easy. It means looking for the small spark of pleasure, creativity or humor that can make the experience feel different. Mary understands something that children naturally know: Play can transform an ordinary task into something memorable.

There’s also a larger lesson hiding beneath the whimsy. Mary Poppins doesn’t simply entertain Jane and Michael; she teaches them to look at the world differently. A chore can become a game. A walk can become an adventure. A spoonful of sugar can make something unpleasant easier to swallow.

And perhaps that’s why the quote still resonates all these years later. We can’t control every task that lands in front of us, but we can sometimes control the spirit in which we approach it. As Mary Poppins reminds us, finding the fun—even a tiny bit of it—can change everything.

After all, sometimes all it takes is a little imagination to turn a job into a game.

“Anything can happen if you let it.”

“Practically perfect in every way.”

“Just a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down.”

“Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious!”

“Enough is as good as a feast.”

Next, 200 inspirational quotes.

Tim Curry died on August 25, 2026. He was 80. Every tribute will tell you about Frank-N-Furter, Pennywise, and Wadsworth. This is the story behind the most extraordinary one. In 1975, Mick Jagger actively asked to play Frank-N-Furter. The creative team said no. Curry had originated the role on the London stage, and he wasn’t giving it away. Then, he did something nobody expected: he studied David Bowie so completely that Bowie’s own makeup artist ended up designing Frank’s face. When Bowie found out, he stood up and applauded.

The studios had wanted a rock star for The Rocky Horror Picture Show. The glam rock craze was at its peak, and they wanted someone who embodied it. Curry wasn’t a rock star. He was an actor. He kept the role anyway. It was 1975 — glam rock, psychedelia, disco, the most elaborate decade in art. But there was one figure above all others whose work Curry studied. David Bowie. The Ziggy Stardust campaign was the most complete fusion of rock and roll with a side of theatrical spectacle that existed at the time. Bowie had solved the exact problem Frank-N-Furter needed to solve. Curry just needed to find out how.

Nobody does Frank-N-Furter quite like Tim Curry. Today marks 50 years since THE ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW (1975) first hit theaters. Directed by Jim Sharman, the cult favorite stars Tim Curry, Susan Sarandon, Barry Bostwick, Richard O’Brien and Patricia Quinn. #TheRockyHorrorPictureShow #TimCurry #SusanSarandon #BarryBostwick #FrankNFurter #JanetWeiss #BradMajors #Musical #SweetTransvestite #Movies #Film

Now, here’s the part nobody talks about. Curry brought in Pierre La Roche — the makeup artist who’d created Ziggy Stardust and designed the Aladdin Sane lightning bolt. One man’s hands had built two of the most iconic images in rock history. Now, they were designing Frank-N-Furter.

The makeup took four hours. La Roche’s process was so elaborate that Curry eventually learned to apply it himself. But he wasn’t after a replica. Ziggy was polished. Frank needed to be rawer. So Curry smeared the makeup with his own hands. “I wanted him to look like he’d been dragged through a hedge backwards,” he said. “All the eye makeup was smudged. I didn’t want him to be too clever — to still look like a man underneath.” Same DNA. Completely different expression.

Ziggy Stardust with never before seen Mick Rock footage, filmed during the Ziggy Stardust tour 1972-1973. Watch in full on YouTube ⚡️

When Bowie found out, he showed up. Rocky Horror screening. Curry made his entrance down a runway raised above the audience. Bowie was in the crowd. When Curry appeared, Bowie “fairly ostentatiously put his hands above his head and applauded.” He made a performance of it. Publicly. Deliberately.

The artist whose DNA had been borrowed giving his most theatrical seal of approval. Curry had honored Bowie by using his makeup artist. Bowie honored Curry by making his approval impossible to miss. From that moment the pair traded jokes and compliments at rock and roll parties throughout the 1970s.

Related: Carl Dean, the Asphalt Contractor Who Inspired ‘Jolene’ and ‘I Will Always Love You,’ Was Dolly Parton’s Greatest Song She Never Wrote

Both were drawn to the esoteric in art. Both were desperate to push creativity further than anyone expected. “Few people could understand the sort of loneliness that came with innovation,” Curry remembered. In each other they found someone who always did. “Why stay in the box?” Neither ever did.

Pierre La Roche died in 1991 from AIDS-related complications. He was 45. The man whose hands created Ziggy Stardust, Aladdin Sane and Frank-N-Furter was gone before most of the world knew his name.

Stanley Bielecki Movie Collection / Getty Images

For fifty years, audiences dressed as Frank at midnight screenings and found something in Curry’s performance they couldn’t name but couldn’t forget. The character outlives the explanation.

Frank-N-Furter. Pennywise. Wadsworth. Darkness. He took every role further than anyone expected.

Mick Jagger asked for the part. Tim Curry kept it. Built it from Bowie’s own DNA. When Bowie saw what he’d done, he stood up and applauded in front of everyone.

That was the review that mattered most.

He never stayed in the box.

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Some people see the first sunflower of the year and think, Oh, fall is coming. We see one and think, Great, where can I put another? From baskets to wreaths and tablecloths to trays and bowls, the large yellow blooms take over our homes in the late summer, and their timing makes sense: They bring plenty of August sunshine while subtly ushering in the season of pumpkins, changing leaves, and cooler weather.

In the thick of sunflower season, you need the Jyps Solar Wind Chimes with Sunflower LED Lights. This deck accent is currently $24 at Amazon, down 25% from $32, and its solar-powered lights give the flower-filled design a soft glow once the sun goes down. With shorter nights on the horizon, that feature is particularly useful.

Courtesy of Amazon

This 42-inch-long set of solar wind chimes turns the classic garden accent into a full-on sunflower display, starting with an oversized bloom at the very top. Two layers of sculpted golden petals radiate around a large amber-toned center, with longer pointed petals forming the outer ring and a second row of smaller petals adding dimension closer to the middle. Fine ridges pressed into each petal mimic the veining of a real sunflower, while the domed center doubles as the solar-powered light.

The floral detailing continues all the way down the chime. Three chains descend from the main sunflower to support a circular gold-tone canopy, beneath which hang four long, slender metal tubes and six petite bell-shaped chimes at staggered heights. The mix of elongated tubes and rounded bells is are designed to produce a combination of deeper resonant tones and lighter tinkling sounds as the wind moves through them. Several smaller sculpted sunflowers are suspended among and below the chimes, including blooms dangling from long individual strands, so there’s movement throughout the entire design rather than just at the tubes.

• Fkksparkler Sunflower Wind Chimes, $21 (was $25) at Amazon
• Yhmall Sunflower Lantern Wind Chimes, from $16 (was $20) at Amazon
• Mumtop Sunflower Wind Chimes, $24 (was $27) at Amazon

During the day, the all-gold finish and abundance of sunflower details “sparkles in the sunshine,” according to shoppers; after sunset, the illuminated center emits a warm “amber glow at night.” The built-in solar panel recharges in direct sunlight and can provide more than eight hours of illumination, while the weather-resistant construction and rust-resistant hanging hook are designed for outdoor use. Hang it from a covered porch, pergola, shepherd’s hook, sturdy tree branch, or garden stand where it can catch both sunlight and a breeze.

Sunflower lovers at Amazon couldn’t get enough of this “beautiful” and “lovely” outdoor decor piece, praising its “radiant glow” and “soothing sound.” One shopper wrote, “This set of wind chimes is beautiful, night or day,” adding that “it’s a nice addition to the garden.”

Related: Walmart’s ‘Very Pretty’ $30 Leaf and Pumpkin Wreath Is an Easy Way to Get Ahead on Fall Decor

Sunflowers don’t have to disappear when summer does. Shop the 25%-off Jyps Solar Wind Chimes with Sunflower LED Lights at Amazon now!

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Finding the perfect autumn wardrobe can be overwhelming, since there are countless trends to follow and styles to sort through. Thankfully, we’ve been searching for the best seasonal clothing options before fall is officially here. Nordstrom Rack has some of the most amazing footwear brands on sale, spanning from Frye’s moto boots to Clarks’ comfortable loafers. Now, we’re upgrading our shoe collection with the Sorel Revel Mary Jane Loafers, while they’re 50% off,

The loafers originally cost $140, but have been reduced to just $70. They’re a new arrival to Nordstrom Rack’s footwear section, so all of the sizes are currently in stock. You can add them to your cart in a chic cream color, with sizes spanning from 5 to 12 (including half sizes). The shoes are described to be true to size, but one shopper recommends sizing up half a size if you plan on wearing thick socks with them during the colder months.

Courtesy of Nordstrom Rack

The loafers have a 1-inch platform heel that will give you a bit of height and ankle stability. The design additionally features an adjustable strap with a classic buckle closure that can be fixed throughout the day if needed. There’s even a removable insole, so if you’re someone that needs orthotics or wants extra padding, you can just pop the inserts right into the shoe. 

The round-toe and open spaces next to the strap offer a modern twist on the traditional Mary Jane style, so they’ll add a unique touch to any outfit. We really love that they’re made of a leather upper because it also offers a highly-polished and sleek look that makes them a great option for professional, upscale, and casual settings. The shoe is also made of a synthetic lining and rubber sole that has traction for uneven surfaces (which is especially helpful if you’re constantly walking) . 

The loafers may look heavy, but one shopper noted that they’re “actually light for how chunky they look,” so they’re easy to walk in. Another customer described the loafers as “stylish” and “practical” because they can be worn during all seasons. Due to the fact they’re “instantly comfortable,” you don’t have to worry about breaking them in when they get delivered. 

• MIA Adea Platform Chelsea Boot, $50 (was $70) at Nordstrom Rack
• Sebby Short Hooded Puffer Jacket, $40 (was $110) at Nordstrom Rack
• Dr. Scholl’s Bring It Mary Jane Platform Shoes, $60 (was $100) at Nordstrom Rack

Related: Nordstrom Rack’s ‘Very Pretty’ Crystal Chain Bracelet Is Just $15 and ‘Looks Like Fine Jewelry’

Shoppers pair these “fantastic” Sorel loafers with everything from jeans to dresses. Given that they’re functional and fall perfectly in line with seasonal style trends, they’ll become your go-to shoe immediately. Shop these gorgeous loafers while they’re 50% off at Nordstrom Rack!  

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