Beyoncé’s “Black Is King” Premieres on Disney+

by Jennifer SwartvagherJuly 31, 2020

Last month, Disney+, announced and debuted the teaser video for the visual album Black Is King, written, directed and executive produced by 24-time Grammy Award-winner Beyoncé. Black is King premiered globally on Disney+ on Jul. 31, just in time for the one-year anniversary of the release of Disney’s The Lion King which featured Beyoncé in the role of Nala. This visually stunning album is Beyoncé’s reimagining of the lessons of The Lion King for today’s young people.

As in the story of the young lion cub, Black families are honored in a tale of a young king’s transcendent journey through betrayal, love and self-identity. His ancestors help guide him toward his destiny, and with his father’s teachings and guidance from his childhood love, he earns the virtues needed to reclaim his home and throne.

Based on the music of The Lion King: The Gift, and starring the album’s featured artists and some special guest appearances, Black Is King is a celebratory memoir for the world on the Black experience.

—Jennifer Swartvagher

Featured photo: Travis Matthews

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These Geometric Terrariums from ALDI Come Filled with Succulents

by Jennifer SwartvagherJuly 24, 2020

ALDI knows what we like and we like succulents! The selections keep getting better and better. Beginning Aug. 26 ALDI will be selling these stunning Geometric Terrariums filled with succulents. Since these are a weekly find they will only be available for a limited time.

Each terrarium features an assorted variety of succulents. These would look lovely displayed on the patio, in the bedroom or on a desk. They also would make a great housewarming gift.

Each terrarium retails for $12.99.

—Jennifer Swartvagher

All photos courtesy of ALDI

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Everything to See at the Reopened Huntington Botanical Gardens

by Shannan RoussJuly 15, 2020

The Huntington Library, Art Collections, and Botanical Gardens in San Marino is now open, giving you another outdoor space to explore with kids. (These other LA botanical gardens are open, too.) Read on for details on the new safety measures along with a guide on exploring the sprawling 130-acre garden.

Safety Measures

Tickets must be purchased in advance online, and admissions will be limited to 1500 people, about a third of the average amount of visitors. Before entering, there will be a temperature check and masks must be worn at all times. Unfortunately, high-touch areas as the Children’s Garden and The Rose Hills Foundation Conservatory for Botanical Science, as well as the galleries and other indoor spaces, will remain closed at least until the fall.

Japanese Garden

This 9-acre Zen garden within Huntington is open, complete with a moon bridge, koi-filled ponds and bonsai court.

Chinese Garden

Be sure to also check the Chinese Garden with its stunning 1.5-acre lake, stone bridges and waterfalls. Also in bloom? The stunning lotus flowers.

Jungle Garden

Escape to the lush Jungle Garden, featuring tall shaded trees, towering bamboo, climbing vines, tucked-away waterfalls and giant leaves.

Rose Garden

Wander through the three-acre Rose Garden. With more than 3,000 individual plants, the garden is full of color and smells oh-so sweet.

Additional Details

The Huntington will be open 7 days a week in July and August, 10a.m.–5 p.m., for more visiting opportunities! There will also be additional evening hours, from 5:30p.m.-8p.m, for Huntington Garden Strolls. See calendar for additional dates and details.

Admission: $25 for adults on weekdays; $29 on weekends; $13 for kids aged 4-11; children under 4 are free.

1151 Oxford Rd.
San Marino
626-405-2100
Online: huntington.org

–Shannan Rouss & Jennifer O’Brien

Idina Menzel Wows with 9 Fellow Elsas at Academy Awards

by Karly WoodFebruary 10, 2020

There were plenty of stunning performances at the 92nd Academy Awards, but Idina Menzel’s “Into the Unknown” was a complete showstopper. What started out as subdued rendition with Menzel and Norwegian singer, AURORA quickly become an ensemble production that would make Disney princesses proud.

In a collaboration with nine of the female singers who voice Elsa in non-English version of the Frozen films from all over the world, the performance was both moving and thrilling. In case you missed it, you can watch the heart-stopping song below.

The singers come together to honor Frozen 2’s nomination of “Into the Unknown” for best original song. The lovely ladies included Gisela from Spain, Lisa Stokke from Norway, Maria Lucia Heiberg Rosenberg from Denmark, Willemijn Verkaik from Germany, Gam Wichayanee from Thailand, Takako Matsu from Japan, Kasia Laska from Poland, Carmen Garcia Saenz from Latin America and Anna Buturlina from Russia.

––Karly Wood

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Usain Bolt & Kasi Bennett Announce Their Pregnancy

by Erica LoopJanuary 23, 2020

Olympian Usain Bolt and his girlfriend Kasi Bennett have big news! The couple recently announced Bennett’s pregnancy via Instagram with some seriously stunning pics.

Both Bolt and Bennett shared the pregnancy pics (taken by Adrian McDonald/Lexon Photography) on IG. Bolt captioned his post, “I just want to say a KING or QUEEN is about to be HERE” and tagged mommy-to-be Bennett.

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A post shared by Usain St.Leo Bolt (@usainbolt)

Bennett shared three different photos from the same shoot, adding her own captions, “Our golden child. Coming soon,” “Our greatest celebration..” and “Our biggest blessing…”

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A post shared by Kasi J. Bennett (@kasi.b)

The couple’s baby news isn’t exactly unexpected. In May of 2017 Bolt told People, “I have a girlfriend for four years now (and) it’s going steadily, so we’re thinking about kids very soon.” The Olympian added, “We’ll see how it goes, we’re taking our time.”

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A post shared by Kasi J. Bennett (@kasi.b)

As of now there’s no information on Bennett’s due date, but we’ll keep you posted!

—Erica Loop

Featured photo: Kassie Bennet via Instagram

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These Gorgeous Disney Princess Flower Bouquets Are the Dreamiest Valentine’s Day Gift

by Shahrzad WarkentinJanuary 11, 2020

Whether you’re a Frozen fan or you covet that perfect rose in Beauty and the Beast, there’s a gorgeous Disney bouquet made just for you in this incredible collection.

The Roseshire x Disney collab features stunning rose bouquets themed to some of the best and most romantic Disney films and characters of all time. Each bouquet is packaged in a decorative box featuring a personalized message. Unfortunately, only a handful of this gorgeous collection are available for delivery during Valentine’s week, but there’s no rule against sending flowers just because, and these are so worth it.

Beauty and the Beast

$199

Nightmare Before Christmas

$205

Now and Forever Nightmare Black Roses

This unique bouquets features 10 black roses that will keep for a whopping one to two years without water.

$139

Eyes For You Minnie

This four rose bouquet features special forever roses that last one to two years without water.

$79

If you’re a fan of The Little Mermaid, Aladdin or Alice In Wonderland, you’ll definitely want to check out the rest of the Disney collab collection, which is available year round, with the exception of Valentine’s week.

—Shahrzad Warkentin

All photos: Roseshire

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Chip and Joanna Gaines Just Opened Their New Coffee Shop & It Looks Incredible

by Shahrzad WarkentinNovember 20, 2019

From their home renovations to their Target products, Chip and Joanna Gaines bring plenty of style to everything they touch. It should come as no surprise then that their new Magnolia Press Coffee shop looks stunning.

The new coffee house that the couple has been working on for months finally celebrated its grand opening this week. Magnolia Press Coffee joins a handful of other restaurants and shops launched by the Fixer Upper stars in their hometown of Waco, Texas.

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A post shared by Joanna Gaines (@joannagaines)

Joanna has been counting down to the reveal of the new project on Instagram and shared an excited post when the shop finally opened. “Happy Grand Opening @magnoliapress!” she wrote in the post. “If you’re a local or just visiting, be sure and stop by and try a few of my favorites… the 1905 coffee, magnolia press chocolate cake, and the artichoke croissant! #icallthatlunch.”

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A post shared by magnolia (@magnolia)

The Magnolia empire will be growing again. The couple recently announced that with the coffee shop complete, their next project will be a boutique hotel in downtown Waco. Here’s hoping their next expansion finds them heading outside of Texas and into cities across the country so we can all enjoy a Magnolia latte.

—Shahrzad Warkentin

Featured photo: Joanna Gaines via Instagram

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Here’s How You Can Rent Harry Potter’s Childhood Home

by Erica LoopNovember 12, 2019

Now you can spend the night in Harry Potter’s childhood home. The IRL home, known as the De Vere House, is listed on Airbnb—and it’s only $142 per night!

The home, which is located in the medieval village of Lavenham (in England, of course), has one bedroom, one shared bath and is the perfect size for two guests. The scenic Suffolk county area boasts more than 300 protected heritage properties and was featured as Godric’s Hollow in the Harry Potter film series.

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A post shared by Great British Property (@greatbritishproperty)

According to the Airbnb listing, “De Vere House is a highly acclaimed former Five Star and Gold Award bed and breakfast accommodation is re-opening now with Air B&B and offers stunning facilities. ”

Not only is this a gem for Potter fans, but this house is also a must-see for history buffs. The De Vere House website lists the home’s notable past. Along with a visit from King Henry VII in 1498, the home also held the sister and youngest brother of Charles II and James II in 1651 when they were under house arrest.

Visit Airbnb here to rent the house for the night!

—Erica Loop

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Here’s How You Can See the World’s Largest Christmas Light Maze

by Erica LoopSeptember 24, 2019

Even though the fall leaves are still green and on the trees, we’re already thinking about Christmas! If you’re a fan of the winter-time holiday and all the decor that goes with it, here’s the scoop on how you can catch a glimpse of the “World’s Largest Christmas Light Maze.”

So how can you visit? Luckily, you have three options in the United States.

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A post shared by Enchant St. Petersburg (@enchantstpetersburg)

Enchant Christmas, a magic-making organization, operates three Christmas light mazes—in Seattle, Washington, D.C. and St. Petersburg, Florida. If you think your neighborhood light display is grand, it’s nothing in comparison to what Enchant Christmas has to offer.

Each light maze takes up one Major League Baseball stadium. According to Enchant Christmas’s St. Petersburg location website, you can expect, “A luminescent land of larger-than-life sculptures, a stunning ice skating trail and decadent delights as snow gently falls around you.” That’s right, even the Florida location has snow!

The massive light maze/market/activity attractions take place from Nov. 22 through Dec. 29. Visit Enchant Christmas’s website here for tickets (adult prices start at $19.99, teens 14 through 17 start at $16.99, kids 4 through 13 start at $14.99 and tots under 4 are free).

—Erica Loop

Featured photo: Enchant Christmas via Instagram

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This New Harry Potter Book Gives You a Whole New Peek At Hogwarts

by Shahrzad WarkentinAugust 20, 2019

If you’ve always dreamed of visiting Hogwarts and exploring every haunted bathroom and magical painting, now you can with a brand new Harry Potter book that reveals all the details you could only imagine about the School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

In the upcoming book, Harry Potter: Exploring Hogwarts: An Illustrated Guide, readers will be able to check out all of the Hogwarts grounds––from the classrooms to the Quidditch pitch and every secret nook and hidden doorway in between. This is the first title in a series of large-scale, interactive books which explore the iconic locations from the films of the Wizarding World.

The fully illustrated guide highlights each part of the castle and the surrounding grounds accompanied by tons of fun facts and interesting details that even the most hardcore Potter fans might not know about, including behind-the-scenes secrets about the movies.

You can pre-order a copy of this stunning new book on Amazon, Barnes & Noble or Indiebound now for $29.99. Harry Potter: Exploring Hogwarts: An Illustrated Guide will be released on Oct. 8, 2019.

—Shahrzad Warkentin

All photos: Courtesy of Inside Editions

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